《The Twin Alphas Warrior Luna (RYN)》 Chapter 1 RYN ''You are cursed, you little bitch! Always keep your wolf on a leash or you will regret it!" My pack Alpha had said before throwing me in a dungeon and leaving me to starve for days. That was years ago. Now, those words from my past rang at the back of my mind as I waited in line outside an office to submit my application form. The two princes of the Alpha King hade to my school to recruit final year students for their coveted Elite Warrior program and I was eager to jump on it. At this point in my life, I needed anything that could help me get away from my evil pack and the hell that my life had be. ''You are cursed.'' I began to feel restless and automatically started fiddling with the crescent-shaped pendant around my neck. It was thest birthday gift I received from my parents before they died in a rogue attack. A couple of giggles brought me out of my tortured thoughts and when I raised my head to see the source, I immediately rolled my eyes. Bessie Crow - queen bee of Lycantide High had just arrived with her brainless minions and they were standing at a ss window, peeking in on the Princes. Bessie said something to her friends before flipping her golden blonde hair behind her and entering into the office with a package in her hand. If I could guess right, that package probably contained some store bought cupcakes she''ll pretend to have made just to impress. Pathetic! I couldn''t help the anger swelling within me at the act. Does she really have to embarrass all of womanhood for attention? It''s disgusting and yet she keeps doing it. I bet the Princes are not even that attractive but girls like Bessie like men in positions of power. It''s why she''s dating the equally brainless Howard Caine who is a quarterback, and the strongest warrior in the school. I hate them both. I hate Howard even more because he is ten times a pain in my ass! Just as I thought of the devil, the asshole strolled into the hallway with his own set of minions. Immediately, I pulled my hoodie over my head. Thest thing I want is a run in with the guy who takes pleasure in punching me in the stomach. Today is one of the most important days of my life and I need to be on my A-game. No one must ruin this for me or my life will be over. Bessie came out, blushing red and giggling like a witch and when her friends told her that her boyfriend was around, sheposed herself and passed by me to hug him. That''s good. Hopefully, I will go unnoticed for as long as possible. "Ryn Ashmore?" Fuck! I raised my head to see a young woman scanning the crowd for me, so I stood up and approached her quickly. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she checked the paper in her hand. "You''re Ryn?" "Yes!" I nodded, fingering my pendant. "Hey! You''re not supposed to be here, skank!" Howard''s voice boomed behind me, but I ignored him. "You''re signing up for the program?" The woman asked and I began to feel myself lose patience. "Yes. Is there a problem?" I asked just as I heard Howard stomp towards me. "No. Not at all." She blinked, then looked behind me. "You can go in." I muttered a thank you before rushing through the door and mming it shut. "Hey, you have to wait your turn!" I heard the woman tell Howard on the other side and I leaned my forehead against the polished wood, breathing a sigh of relief. When I came in, I had my back turned to the office, taking deep breaths to calm my wolf. She alwayses out when I am being extremely triggered and sadly, I always have to suppress her. ''Always keep your wolf on a leash or you will regret it!'' Those words haunted me again. I didn''t like doing this to my wolf but I had no choice. It''s either that or I lose control and bad things happen when I lose control. Gaining back myposure, I turned around, and that''s when I lost my breath. The two Princes were just a few feet away from me but they were two of the most beautiful tattooed men I had ever seen. One was seated while the other stood beside him with his arms folded across his chest. They had an aura that reeked of power, dominance and lust. Now, I understood why women go crazy over them. Their presence is to women what catnip is to a cat! Two pairs of eyes - green and blue - scanned me from head to toe and for a second my wolf stirred and I felt every inch of my skine alive with warmth. Good Goddess! These men are dangerous! The one standing had short ck hair neatlybed and parted to the side. He had deep set green eyes that scanned me in a way that made me feel both naked and self conscious. Suddenly, his green eyes turned yellow but just as soon it happened, it went back to normal. My eyes flickered to the one seated, and I immediately became enamored with his kind blue eyes. Although he bore a striking resemnce to his brother, I could tell that he was the older one. His hair was dark and long, packed in a low ponytail behind his neck and he looked like the kind of man I could trust. A man who wouldn''t hurt me like the others did.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I shook my head. I had no idea what made me have that impression considering the fact that his face was like stone, and as he stared at me, I had no idea what he was thinking but something in me wanted to know. "You lost or something?" The Green Eyed Prince asked and although his tone was rude, there was something about the richness of his deep baritone voice that made me want to say yes. And I almost did. "No!" I shook my head. "I''m not...lost. I''m here to enroll for the Elite Warrior Program." The Princes exchanged meaningful nces just before looking at me again with different but nerve wracking intensity. My wolf stirred again and I began to feel hot in the hoodie I wore. "What''s your name?" The Green Eyed Prince asked. "Ryn." I answered, unzipping my hoodie and removing it to reveal my ck sleeveless top with a heavy metal band logo on it. Raising my head, I found the Princes staring unabashedly at my chest. "Sorry but it''s kind of hot in here." I said, grabbing a chair and taking my seat. "May I also know your names?" The Princes once again exchanged nces and this time, looked at me like I had two heads. It was obvious they weren''t used to being asked for their names. "Are you saying you don''t know who we are?" The Green Eyed Prince asked in a mocking tone but there was a deadly edge to it. "I am saying I know both your names but I don''t know who is which." Again, they seemed perplexed at my statement like knowing who they were should have been a fundamental human right or something. "That alone is enough to disqualify you...Ryn." The Green Eyed Prince sneered, and the way he enunciated each letter in my name, I had no idea if I wanted to punch him or make him say it again. "Why?" I replied. "Because I am not obsessed with you like the others?" The Green Eyed Prince frowned. "No, because it seems you have a big mouth and an attitude. Two traits that won''t be appreciated in the Program." "Gee. My apologies." I said, raising both my hands up in surrender. "I was just trying to know your names." The Green Eyed Prince rolled his eyes and sighed. "My name is Miro," He said, shoving his hands in his pockets and motioned to the man beside him, "...and that''s my brother, Theon." "Cool. Noted." I nodded. Theon''s forehead creased like that wasn''t the reaction he was expecting and when our eyes met again, I couldn''t help but nce at his plump red lips. I wonder what they taste like. ''Ryn...focus!'' "Do you know what you''re signing up for?" Miro interrupted my thoughts,ing round therge oak table to lean against it, right beside me. "Yes...your Highness." "I don''t think you do." Miro countered. It''s my turn to frown. "Why do you think so?" "Because..." Miro''s eyes strayed to my chest again and then back to my eyes. "...you''re a woman and women are not allowed in the program." My heart stuttered. ''That cannot be. My entire future depended on this program. Without it, I am nothing! That had better not be true!'' I thought to myself. "I didn''t read any rules that said so." Miro nced at his brother with eyes dancing in amusement. "She''s good!" Theon allowed a ghost of a smile on his lips but said nothing and that made me nervous because it seemed they were sharing some inside joke. Miro turned to me. "You''re really good." He said and went back to his brother''s side. "I don''t understand." I answered, genuinely confused. "Look," Miro said, "You can drop the act now. We both know you wanted attention just like the other girls and I like your approach. It was fresh and not boring and you gave us the break we needed. Now it''s time to allow real signees toe in. We don''t have all day." Then it dawned on me with sudden rm. These men thought I wanted a piece of them? Anger began to rise in my bones. Who the hell did they think they were?! I blinked in surprise, feeling my cheeks heat up at the tant insult! "Hold on a second. You thought I was here to seduce you?" Chapter 2 27%%2 RYN Miro scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Wasn''t that the whole point of the conversation we''ve been having? You''re cute, okay? I''ll even go as far as to say I have a thing for girls like you with dark hair and hazel eyes but you are kind of young and can''t even measure up to the real women we f***k." I felt that familiar sense of rage again but I took a deep breath. Maybe I didn''t make myself clear enough. "You really must have misinterpreted me, sir. I have no intention whatsoever about seducing any of you. I really am serious about joining your program. Here, I stretched forward my form. "I filled a for and everything" The Windlemere Princes stared at me with the same stone cold expression. "Women are not fit for the program." Miro said. I met his gaze and saw the absolute finality in them. My heart rate picked up, "Are you saying that because it''s the Law or because you just don''t like women?" Tent "We don''t have to exin ourselves to you, Ryn." Miro replied coldly. "So if you don''t mind, kindly leave and let others sign up. This program is closed to women" I in disbelief. "At least give me a chance to prove myself? I scoffed in Didn''t you hear me?" Miro yelled and I felt the tendrils of his Alpha authority wrap around my neck. This time, he didn''t look amused. "You don''t fit our criterial Now, get out!" 1 froze, I willN?velDrama.Org content. torn between anger and desperation. Is this it? Is my life over? I trained for years for this. Should I beg? Maybe they will see how much I want this. I closed my eyes and shook my head. never beg for anything? My eyes stung with tears as I grabbed my sweater and moved to leave but then I stopped in my tracks and turned around. These a****es really need to get a piece of my mind! Crossing the room. I mmed my registration form on the table right in front of Theon. -First of all, if you both had taken a moment to view my resume, you would have known that you are making the biggest mistake of your career because I am an asset and I know it! I train harder than anyone else and if you had recruited me, I would have been the best go****ed soldier you would have ever had!" The Then straightened to my full hair behind me, grabbed my sweater Secondly, you both think you have tasted real women," I stared at them both with my most amused face, "I bet you couldn''t even tell what a real woman looks like even if she stared you in the face. And with that, I flicked my d**, long and mmed the door behind me. By now, my body was vibrating with anger and I decided a run would be nice to calm me down but then Howard spotted me and began to storm my way. Goddess. Not today. I really don''t have time for this! "Hey! S***t! Went in there to suck their ****ks?" I made to move past Howard and ignore him as usual but he grabbed me by the hair and flung me backwards. I crashed to the ground, instantly feeling a jolt of pain up my elbows. Immediately, my surrounding erupted in chaos. Howard was screaming and the secretary woman seemed to be yelling for Howard to stop as he approached me. But I couldn''t hear anything above the blood rushing in my ears All 1 wanted to do was hurt that ba****rd and as a result, my wolf rose to the surface, gearing me to strike. But I couldn''t, those words from my past rang in my cars like a warning bell 27%2 Chapter 2 Always keep your wolf on a leash or you will regret it!" Suddenly, I felt like a deted balloon. Closing my eyes for a brief second, I took a deep breath and tried to suppress my wolf froming out. I couldn''t afford to lose control like I didst time. bitch!" Howard yelled and gripped my hair again making me wince in pain. I stumbled to my feet as he dragged me forward towards his minions. "Get Get up. "Leave me alone!" I demanded. "Tm warning you!" Howard pulled my hair back so that I was standing erect, ring up at him. He looked down at me with a smug smile, "Maybe if you kneel, kiss my boot and beg. I''ll consider letting you go. Anger sparked in my bones again. "What makes you think I''ll do that?!" I gritted out. A shadow passed on Howard''s face. I heard your parents begged in theirst moments, so it should be easy for you to do." And with that said, all restraints snapped. I twisted and kicked Howard hard in the leg, he yelped and released my hair. This gave me the opportunity to kick him in the nuts and double kick him in the face in one move. Getting back on my stance. I realized I had made Howard bleed from his mouth and that satisfied me greatly. "You will regret He this, ******d!" I replied yelled, as he touched his face and saw blood. a smirk. "Give me the best you got, b***d!" with a That seemed to have angered him because he came for me. Balling my hands into fists, I got into a fighting stance and when Howard came for me, I dodged his first swing at me and punched him in the side. A c***ck echoed through the air and Howard growled in pain. He came for me again, and I dodged and hit him on another side and 1 didn''t stop hitting him until he was down on his knees. Then, I finished him off with a kick to the head. His friends came for me and I beat them up too until I was surrounded by unconscious bodies. I was left breathing hard but it felt so good to let go. Almost as if I was having a breath of fresh air. A quick scan around revealed the absence of Bessie and her friends and that saddened me a little. I was looking forward to beating her too! Someone pped behind me and I turned to see Theon and Miro watching me. The former had been the one pping and then he approached slowly. Steeling my spine, I watched him wardly until he was so close that I had to raise my head to match his gaze I was still breathing hard, wild with anger and rage but in that moment, he slid my hair out of my face, causing his fingers to graze my skin. I froze, paying attention to every touch and which his fingers slid my hair behind my ear, grazing it too, I closed my eyes and almost whined in in satisfaction. For a second, his touch felt like home, like a cool river in a zing summer and for a second, I thought I smelt something sweet in the air. My wolf stirred again but that illusion went as quickly as it came. Someone like me can never have a mate. I am simply imagining things. I am cursed to live the rest of my life alone and unwanted. I opened my eyes and found Miro watching me too with a frown but Theon withdrawing his hand made me shift my focus bark on him. "I haven''t seen anger like that in years." He said, and his voice was raspy like a lover''s whisper. He folded his arms behind his back and I wished he would touch me again. "Hage, like that can be fashioned into a weapon, Ryn. Would you like to be our weapon at the Elite Program, in total service to me and The Crown?" couldn''t believe my ears. This is it! My life wasn''t over after all But then I got skeptical. Why say yes now? Could this be some inside joke or for real this time? 12-28 Tue, Oct 22 There was only one way to find out. "Yes, your Highness" I replied, watching them warily, "I would like to be a part of your program." "Good" Theon said, stepping back. "Wee to the Elite Royal Program. See you in ss." And with that, the two brothers. went back into their office and a new chapter of my life was born 0 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 MIRO Dayster, as I supervised the men training under me, I couldn''t help my thoughts from drifting to back to her. Aside from the fact that Ryn was twenty-three minuteste, 1 couldn''t stop thinking about her luscious dark hair, and those stormy gray eyes that held so much defiance. A bombshell like that could cause a lot of trouble especially in a room full of unmated beta and alpha males. Just then. Ryn snuck through the door of the training room and paused. Dressed in the standard uniform- a ck top and camouge pants, her long ck hair was packed in a tight ponytail and by the gods, she looked more like a sex symbol than a military officer.. The way her top hugged her budding bosom and entuated her small waist tucked into camo pants that did absolutely nothing to hide her curves, made my heart hammer faster and my lips be drier. My wolf stirred within me, eager to approach and know what she smells like but thank the gods, I came to my sense moment she came in, all my men stopped their training and turned their full attention on her. The The Still standing like a squirrel caught in headlights, Ryn blinked twice, before raising her chin, and proceeding to join her colleagues. Being the first female in history to join the program, the boys acted like they''d never seen a woman before and thus, began to make all sorts of noises to indicate their approval, and the more they did this, the angrier I became. "Silence!" I ordered and the men immediatelyposed themselves and stood at attention. "Ryn Ashmore is just your colleague and you''re acting like a bunch of simps! The enemy right as well send you a bunch ofdies to defeat you all in battle!" I began to pace back and forth with my arms dutifully behind me. "Perhaps, I should give you something to clear your heads. A hundred pushups now!" The "It''s Commander now. You''rete!" Ryn opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off. "I don''t want to hear anything thates out of your mouth, girl. Comete again and you''re kicked off the program! Understood?!" Ryn swallowed and looked away. "Yes, Commander. men obeyed instantly and began their task and when Ryn went down to join them, I pointed at her. "You! Come here!" Her eyes went wide for a second before she jogged towards me. "Yes, your Highness." After that, I watched her go through every physical exercise task thrown their way to test their strength levels and where the men got easily tired, Ryn kept going. Every ss was aced by her despite her looking extremely tired. "Have you met the new girl?" My wolf hearing picked up on the voice of my assistant and when I followed it, I found him in the boys locker room, on the phone "I''m telling you she''s a beast!" He said excitedly into his phone. "And I heard she''s an Omega. With strength like that, I wonder how she''d be in bed" Snap Before I knew it, I grabbed the phone, mmed it his throat and mmed lum against the locker "Your Highness" He gasped. the floor and stomped it to pieces and in that same move, I grabbed ) "What the that you were saying "Tasked, squeezing his neck. f* * * * k "Nothing sir" He stuttered "Just guy talk!" "With whom?" "My frend I felt a sudden temptation to find that friend but I took deep breaths and calmed myself. What is hell is wrong with me and why do I care? "Stay away from her" 1 growled. "If I so much as get a hint that you looked at her or breathed around her wrongly, I will have your tongue and 1 will make sure you never get a job in this country again. Understood?" "Y-yes, your Highness" He stammered and then the stench of piss filled the air. I screwed up my nose in disgust, letting him go and he looked away in shame, trembling as he tried to hide the fact that he just pissed himself. Should Shou a man like this even coach my men at all? ! I left the room, shaking my head but I didn''t bother going back to watch Ryn and the others. I had a feeling that if I did, someone else would pi**** me off and that won''t end well at all. Later that day, it was time to clock out from work and I was on my way out, thinking about pasta carbonara when my eyes caught something in one of the training rooms. Going in, in, I found Ryn on the wall in mountain climbing gear, stuck on her next move. She wasn''t supposed to be here after hours but I was intrigued, so I leaned against the doorframe watching how she was going to figure it out. Ryn seemed to med to be trying to find a ce to put her feet so she could grab the next stone and climb higher and that''s when I discovered that she didn''t have a safety c****on in ce. rm coursed through my body, making me venture into the room on high aler. If Ryn fell from that high point, she would be breaking a lot of bones. "Ryn, what are you doing?" I demanded The girl froze and craned her neck to look down at me. Now that I was closer to her, I could hear herbored breathing indicating that she was exhausted. "I am trying to get to the top. She sighed. You No can do that some other time. You need to get down now." I ordered. She bre breathed. "I have to get this right. I didn''t get it right in ss." I was about to corgmand her with my Alpha authority when she missed her footing. Her scream was the first thing that pierced the air, sending a chill through my bones. 31 was as if everything happened in slow motion, Ryn falling through the air, her ck hair making a halo around her head Moving quickly. I charged into my super speed, positioning myself so she could fall into my arms, and when she did, it was as if the world stopped. In just a second, a f****z of electric sparks bloomed where our skins touched and once again, the air was scented with butter and honey Just likest time when she beat up Howard and his boys. Our eyes met and I couldn''t look away. The storm in her eyes suddenly felt like afort zone and her lips, if only I knew what they tasted like What is going on here?" And just like that, the spell was broken, taking along with it the spark and the scent that I thought was feal. I turned to see my brother standing a few feet away so I let Ryn down gently and she stepped away from me like I was a gue. 213 "Any answer? I heard someone scream" My brother pressed and Ryn looked between us. Now, my anger was back. "This little firecracker was making a suicide attempt." Ryn''s eyebrows flew up. "What?! No!" She faced Theon. "I was trying toplete the wall climbing session!" Theon scanned her from head to toe. "Without a harness, safety c***n and a supervisor in ce?" Theon asked in an icy: tone that made even me ufortable. me? Ryn opened her mouth to say something but my brother cut her off. "Go home, Ryn." And when she stormed past him, he grabbed her arm demanding her attention. Her gasp filled the air but Theon''s dominance changed the f**g temperature. "Don''t ever try this little stunt Ryn blinked multiple times before nodding and that''s when Theon let her go. After she scurried off, my brother faced me with his stern expression. "What was thatN?velDrama.Org content. I was that all about?" I frowned, folding my arms. -What was what about? She fell and I saved her." "I saw the way you were looking at her, Ro. Same way you look at italian cuisines, like you''re in love." Now I was offended "Maybe you''re hallucinating, Brother. You very well know I''m not the type that falls in love." Theon''s features softened. "It''s fine if you like her. You don''t need to be like me." My brother averted his gaze but I caught the pain in them. "I''m not trying to be like you, T." I closed the distance between us and ced a hand on his shoulder. "That girl is trouble and I have no intentions of getting wrapped up in her. Besides, it''s you I should be worried about." My brother''s forehead creased. "What do you mean? I''m fine. He shrugged off my hand. "Are you?" I raised a brow. "I saw the way you warned her off, Theon. You''ve never been bothered with anyone like that for a long time." Theon''s blue eyes shed, making me smirk. It''s rare to get a rise or reaction out of him these days. "You care about her. His eyes hardened, then his expression went nk as he slid his hands in his pockets. "I''m craving pasta and it''s your turn to cook tonight." He turned around to leave. "You can have her, you know?" I called after him, making him stop mid-stride. With just a turn of his head, I almost sta***red back at the intensity of the anger sent down the bond between us. "Don''t pi*** me off Ro. He rumbled, and his authority caused goosebumps on my skin. "That part of my life is dead and it will stay buried." And with that said, he walked out of the room and I would have been convinced that we were brother showed his anger and he has never shown a single emotion in years. the same page Chapter 4 RYN Dayster. I was back at Lycantide High and was just exiting the cafeteria kitchen with a small package in hand when 1 bumped into someone and the things in my arms spilled to the floor. I looked up to find Bessie Crow staring smugly down Oh crap. at me "Look who we have here" She bellowed with the same posh ent as the Windermeres. "Miss Elite Warrior." She said to the people seated in the cafeteria. By now, everyone had lushed and were now looking our way. I sighed and went down on my haunches to receive my items but Bessie instead kicked it further away. In the process, the contents came out of the paper bag, causing me to wince. Before I could get to the contents, one of Bessie''s minions beat me to it, and brought out the wrapped food inside. Her face lit up with glee as she gave it to Bessie, "Oh wow! Oh my gods!" Bessie giggled. "You mean the first female Elite eats the school''s leftovers for lunch? Aimmediately wished the ground would the me For years, screwing what eat and wasn''t cook saw the dumpster for something that we both came to an arrangement. and collect the leftovers and go somewhere private to eat. I had thought my secret would die with me but Bessie the b*r squarely, feeling anger rise in bones. "Give it back!" Bessie''s face lit t up with amusement. "Or what? You''ll hospitalize me like you did my boyfriend?" She asked, closing the distance between us. "You think you''re some kind of hero huh? Breaking barriers and s***t?! We women were perfectly happy being wives and cooks and mothers! Now because of you, we will be forced to go to war!" Dess would "No one is forcing you! Your type wouldn''t survive anyway." I yelled back. "Now, give me back my food!" "Oh yea Bessie retorted and the next thing I knew, my face was being stuffed with the sandwich that was wrapped for me. It was supposed to be my first and only meal for the day and she just destroyed it. "Take that!" I stood stunned, and tired of it all. What did I do to deserve this? Why can''t I catch a break for once!! My being fed up gave way to anger and I suddenly felt the urge to advance on her and beat her up just like I did Howard but I stopped myself. She was the daughter of the school''s principal at which I got in on schrship.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Any wrong move could have me expelled which could have put me in bad terms with the Princes. So I tried my best to clean my face and collect the rest of my things while Bessie and the rest of the cafeteriaughed at me. While doing that I realized I still had one good sandwich left but just as I went for it, Bessie hurried past me and stomped it. to mush with her shoes, then she picked it up and gave it to me, "You should eat this! Tears stung my eyes just as my stomach groveled violently. I red up at her, clenching my hands into fists. What I wouldn''t give to knock off her smile right now. Instead, I shook my head and walked away while Bessie continued tough at me. turned around at the sound of my name and found a ginger haired girl who looked a bit younger than me. "Hi" She waved sweetly as she closed the distance between us. Then she shid her hair behind her ears and avoided my eyes in a shy way while fiddling with her fingers "Hi" I said warily, wondering what she wanted. "I have something for you" She said and dipped her hand in her bag before stretching it to me. Looking down at her hand, I saw two pieces of wrapped sandwich "Take it It''s for you" She said and for a moment I thought it was some sick twisted prank. 1/2 212 100 27% "No, thank you." I said, and made to move away. "I signed up to be an Elite next year." She said, stopping me in my tracks. When I turned around, she had a sweet smile on her face and for a moment I wondered how someone as soft as her could train for such a role. The training nearly killed me and it for sure would destroy her. "Why?" I asked before I could stop myself. "Because you inspired me. I want to be strong like you and.." She paused, her smile faltering. "I don''t want to be bullied anymore I finally rxed and gave her a smile of my own which was rare. She stretched the food to me again, "This is my way of saying, ''thank you for not letting those bullies get to you and stop you from achieving your dream." I epted the food with a smile. Thank you." I said. "What''s your name?" "Sadie Sadie Cresswell" "Alright Sadie. I''ll see you around I smiled and waved to her before walking away. Slowly, a small smile beamed on my lips at the fact that I wouldn''t be starving today. Just then, I I heard a piercing scream and when I turned around, my stomach dropped at the sight of Bessie pushing Sadie to the ground. One of her minions kicked her in stomach, making her yelp in pain. "Who asked you to give her food?!" Bessie yelled before pping her across the face. "Who said you could that help that Another p! Sadie tried to block her but she was a helpless, crying mess. "Please stop!" She whimpered. "No, I won''t!" Bessie gripped her hair, forcing her to her knees. Any friend of Ryn is an enemy of mine! Just then, Bessie''s eyes met mine and her hazel eyes shone with malice, daring me to do something. Now I was left with a choice; to either save Sadie or keep my head down. Just a few weeks until graduation, and I would be free to live my dream. But hearing Sadie cry now made my heart squeeze so much and that my wolf stirred within me again Should I walk away and secure my future or defend Sadie and risk losing it? I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and cursed. Walking away was the right thing to do but was it? Breathing another curse, I curled my hand into fists and headed in Bessie''s direction. It''s high time this ***b***h gets what''sing for her. Chapter 5 RYN As I stormed towards Bessie, I curled my fingers into lists, feeling that familiar anger brew within me like hot water. I noticed the closer I got, the sharper Bessie''s smile became and I could see her muscles tighten as her friends moved into strategic positions: Was this not a trap? 1 thought to myself Still, I couldn''t just walk away from Sadie, not when she was crying helplessly under Bessie''s merciless grip making my heart ache for her. I came to a stop just a feet from the spoiled brat, so close I could perceive her s**d cherry blossom perfume. By now, the entire I cafeteria had gone quiet as if the whole world had stopped to hold their breath. ''I "Let her go" I said quietly, taking deep breaths to calm my body from shaking from anger. Bessie''s forest green eyes narrowed. "And why would I do that, Ryn" She deadpanned. "Because I asked r I breathed. Bessie nced at her friends before bursting intoughter. "Wow. Miss Elite Warrior is getting super ****** these days. First it was hospitalizing my boyfriend, and now it''s threatening me. Her mocking smile faded. "Have you forgotten that engaging in fights is against school policy? And if And if youy a hand on me, I''ll have my dad kick your poor, dusty **** out of this school and inform the Princes of your behaviour!" Wasn''t t that what she wanted? I took another deep breath, repressing my wolf. "I don''t want to fight, okay? Just let her go." Bessie''s eyes went vacant like she was thinking about what I said "You know what? I''ll let her go, on one condition." I her warily. "What condition?" Reyes! Bessie''s lips widened. "I heard my boyfriend''s wish was for you to kiss his shoes and beg before you put him in a d***na: Well, as his loyal girlfriend," she flicked one side of her blonde hair back, "I want to finish what he started." "Excuse me? I blinked. "These shoes were bought for me by Howard. She went on like she didn''t hear me. "Say please and kiss these shoes and I''ll let her go." My heart began to race again, this time in fear as her friends brought out their phones to record with glee. More schoolmates had left their seats to form a crowd around us and even some had begun to chant, ''Kiss her shoes!" to pressure me. I nced at Sadie and found her shaking her ead at me, silently begging me not to do it for her. My hand found the pendant around my neck and fiddled with it. I have never begged for anything in my life. Could I still possibly walk away now? Was my dignity and my future more important than saving Sadie? An unpleasant shiver ran up my spine. Doing this would be the most humiliating thing I have ever done and as I stared into one of the many cameras aimed at me, I knew it would live on forever. "Okay! Okay!" I said and with tears burning the back of my eyes, I slowly sank to my knees, earning a collective, ''oool from the crowd. My face burned with shame but I kept reminding myself that I was doing this for the sake of my future and a clear conscience locked eyes with the ginger haired girl and she mouthed the words, Tm sorry to me. "Well?" Bessie raised a brow, showing her impatience and to make a point, she gripped Sadie''s hair tighter making the girl cry out in pairi In return I gave her a smile before looking up at Bessie, summoning my worst re. 13 13 It was time to beg. Gode What have I done to deserve this! Taking a deep breath, 1 sighed. The longer I stay here, the worse it gets for me so I opened my mouth, and summoned the courage to say the word "Please" my It came out quiet but loud enough so I wouldn''t be asked to repeat myself and 1 was d Bessie didn''t ask me to. Now it was time to kiss her shoes and at this pont, I felt like an inmate about to serve their death sentence. Closing my eyes, I felt body bend over till my lips touched her shoe. Time seemed to stop in that moment, then the whole room erupted in a chaos ofughter and murmurs and mockery so much that a dam of tears broke within me but I held them in. I will not cry in front of these people. I won''t give them that satisfaction. I Now that I was done. I was about to raise myself up when I heard Bessie spit and then I felt the weight of her insultnd on my head. I froze, just as the room went silent. Someone gasped and then I heard Sadie''s voice. "You didn''t have to do that!" "Shut up, b****h" What happened next was entirely out of my control. 1 Sald had I raised my head just in time to see Bessie raise her hand again to hit Sadie and that made me very mad. In a sh, I was up and I gripped her wrist before her hand couldnd. Bessie''s angry eyes suddenly widened in surprise. "You really shouldn''t have done that." I said before smacking her hard across the face. "Oooooh "People gasped and I winced just as a stter of blood flew from her mouth at the impact and that satisfied me greatly. Bessie''s eyes widened more in shock as she touched her mouth and saw the blood on her hand. "You pped me?!" She bellowed, and and tried to hit me with her other hand but I held that too and gave her a head butt instead. Another booooh erupted from the crowd as I heard a soft crack and when I pulled back, I found Bessie''s nose gushing blood. "That''s for hurting Sadie." ." I said, and this is for being such a pain in my a***!" I stepped back and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying through the air beforending on her butt. Bessie rolled over and clutched her stomach, her face etched in pain. I turned to her friends who were still filming and dared them with my eyes toe forward. Instead, they shifted back and ran to help Bessie up. Sadie scurried from the ground and grabbed my hand urgently: "Come, let''s get out of here!" 1 hesitated because I was furious and I just wanted to hurt them all but they were no longer a threat to me so I listened to Sadie and turned to leave but then we stopped in our tracks. Coming right in front of us was Mr. Jonathan Crow, the principal of the school. He was a big, beefy man a balding head and a blonde goatee. "What going on here!" He bellowed and everyone immediately scrambled back to their seats - everyone except myself Sadie. Bessie and her friends. Principal Crow looked behind me and his eyes went round. "Good gods! Pumpkin!" The man ran past us and I turned What is around just in time to see him fall to his knees and cradle his daughter to himself. with Bessie was a mess of of snot and blood, gripping her stomach while groaning. "What the hell happened?!" Her father asked and her friends pointed at me. In just a few sentences, I wasbelled as the instigator, attacking Bessie for no reason. "That''s not true!" I started to say but Principal Crow''s face was already twisted in anger.N?velDrama.Org content. That''s it, Ryn" He growled. "You are no longer wee in this school!" My heart stuttered in fear as the weight of his words settled on me. "Please, Mr. Crow, you have to hear my s Mory "What side?!" He retorted. "Your Ala told say been expelled!" side of the you were trouble and now I see it! Pack your bags and brave, Byn. You''ve 213 0 "Please!" "GET OUT?" I stood distraught, feeling that dam of tears again breaking through my barrier and when my eyes met Bessie''s, I saw the smug smile on her lips as her father fussed over her. Her n had worked and I had lost. With that realization, I ran out of the cafeteria as I cried. This was the worst day of my life. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 0027%0 MIRO I sighed as my brother and entered an elevator taking us to the seventeenth floor of the Grand Assembly building. The Grand Assembly was the headquarters of the Alpha King and also where all the Alphas came to meet. It was here that my brother and I had been summoned for an emergency meeting and since my father, the Alpha King, was behind it. I instantly became uneasy. Suddenly, the suit I was wearing became too hot and I found myself shifting from feet to feet, adjusting my tie "You good?" I froze before looking at my brother who was standing to my left "We''re about to be on trial for bringing a girl onboard our team. What do you think?" His baby blue eyes watched me the same way our mother did when I was sick and I couldn''t bear to be reminded of her, so I Jooked away "I think we''ll be fine. Theon answered coolly, making me more pissed about how unbothered he was No, you''ll be fine. Father will bite my head off." I felt my brother''s gaze heavy on me. "Bringing Ryn onboard was my decision. Whatever Father says, responsibility" I scoffed in reply, shaking my head. "Of course, you can say that, You''re Father''s favourite." I will bear the A beat of silence passed and I expected a reaction, maybe some anger down our bond but nothing happened. Theon was back to being a robotic asshole. "I thought we were past this." Theon stated. "I would be, if Father doesn''t remind me otherwise every now and then." I answered bitterlyN?velDrama.Org content. Another beat of silence passed. "We are brothers first before we are his sons. Okay?" I sighed, before finally nodding in answer. That statement was our slogan. A promise we made to our mother to stick together and show up as a united front against our father. It was a vow to never let him turn us against each other but as time goes by. I am starting to get wary of thismitment. "Til always have your back, Ro." Theon said, just as the elevator came to a stop. "I hope you will have mine." Before I could reply, the elevator opened and Theon stepped out I couldn''t really me him for being so cold and detached. We both had been taught from an early age that emotions were weaknesses and to be an Alpha, you had to kill that part of you I guess my father seeded with Theon but with me? A memory shed in my mind''s Emotions will get you killed! The words of my father rang in my head right before his ws tore through my back. I was twelve years old then and I still bear the stars from that night. Yet, despite it all, rather than let emotions go, I held on to anger and guilt and it has been a part of me for decades, eat ¦° The elevator opened into an empty hallway with a double door at the end and security men manning it. When we reached the door, the security men bowed before opening them Chapter 6 Inside was a room with arge circr table made of polished oak wood right in the center and around this table, the Alpha King and some of his Alphas sat. The Alpha King was a man in histe sixties with his face in a permanent scowl. His lips. were always downturned of his Alphas had faces simr to his -nk and expressionless, betraying nothing. My mother once told me that this was how Alphas were made - cold, emotionless and robotic. a scat. "Greetings." Theon said with a slight bow of his head to the Alpha King, before taking a "Greetings Theon" Our father grumbled. "Greetings, your majesty. I bowed before taking a seat on Theons right hand but I was greeted with silence. My father had barely looked my way before he faced my brother. "Let''s get down to business, shall we?" My hands curled into fists at the tant disrespect. I wasn''t new to being ignored by my father but doing that in front of all these Alphas was just a new low "Don''t let him get to you. Theon mindlinked me but it was toote. He''s already got to me especially as his Alphas nced at me and looked away, I just knew they pitied me. I knew they saw the boy who could never have his father''s love. My felt hot again but I didn''t dare move to adjust my tic. I won''t give my father the satisfaction of knowing he affected me this much "We are gathered here today because it has been brought to our attention that you and Prince Miro recruited a girl into your Elite team. Is that so?" All the alphas turned to face us. Theon leaned back in his chair, ever so unbothered. "To set the record straight, recruiting Ryn Ashmore was solely my decision. Prince Miro simply did what I asked as his superior." "Why" "Because I believe it''s time for a change? Women are making it in advanced fields now, so why not this?" "Women are nothing more than child-bearing machines, Prince Theon. Their sole purpose is to be a wife and make a home" My father replied and his men nodded in approval. "I beg to disagree, your Highness." Theon said. "I feel women should be given a chance to go to war." "Feel?" Our father scoffed: "I didn''t raise you to feel, Theon. I raised you to think logically, like a cold, blooded killer!" "And I am doing that" "Doesn''t seem like it to me. I''ve read her file. She''s an omega who doesn''t even shift! In a room full of unmated alpha, beta and gamma males, Sue''s trouble. She''s a distraction!" "My men are handling at fine." "You think so now but ording to reports, forty three girls signed up to be an Elite next year. Forty three, Theon! That''s more than two-third of a team! What about five years toe?! This is a disaster!" "Is it, your Highness? I think it''s a revolution" "Revolution my ass! Your men won''t be able to cope!" Theon''s eyes hardened. "I am their Commander and I know my men. If they can''t control themselves around a wo then we might as well lose the war that ising" A moment of silence settled on us all I could tell from the look on the faces of some Alphas that they were beginning to see things Theon''s way III "Fine. We put it to a vote Our father said after a moment. "I want Ryn Ashmore gone? 000 27: For the first time in a while. I saw the slightest hint of a reaction. Theon grinded his jaw. "Very well, your Highness." He gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "But before you do, I have one more thing to say." Our father leaned back in his chair. "Go on." Theon leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. He looked every Alpha in the eye before speaking. "For every lost female, there is a male doomed to never find a mate. We can''t deny that women are vital to our survival but if we can train them to defend themselves I couldn''t help the small smile that graced my lips as my brother finished his speech. He always had a way with words. I just hope it got through some of these cold, dead hearts, "Time to vote. My father said. "All in favor of removing the girl and putting a permanent ban on women joining the force, say Ave." Six raised hands. - "All in favor of keeping the girl!" Six raised hands. "So it''s a tie." My father began to say but my brother turned to me. "No it''s not." He said and everyone turned to me. "We have a thirteenth pers person with us." "His vote doesn''t count." My father said dismissively, and the anger that had once dissipated came up again. I curled my fists tighter so hard that my nails dug into my flesh. The pain became a wee distraction. "You forget that I am a Prince too, Father." I said bitterly. "I outrank all your Alphas here." Silence settled upon us as my father pinned me with cold, green eyes filled with hatred and disgust, "Go on, then." He spat. "Use your vote wisely." I knew what he meant by thatst word. If I vote in his favour, that meant throwing Ryn under the bus. Was it worth it? Would my father finally warm up towards me? And will he finally forgive me for what happened ten years ago? Chapter 7 RYN The tears did not stop falling even as I reached the storage room and mmed the door shut behind me. Then I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to myself, as my heart broke into a million pieces. Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I always go through pain and torment? Should people like Bessie always win? Was I wrong for defending Sadie? My tears came harder and I had to cover my mouth to quiet my solss as they shook my body. Prince Theon and Prince Miro would be so disappointed Where do I start from? Where do I begin to pick the pieces of my life? Being an Elite was my dream! It was the only n that I had trained for years to achieve Academics was another choice and I would have furthered my education but I had no one to sponsor me. My Alpha had made it clear to me the moment I started at Lycantide High that I was on my own and that he would no longer be responsible for me. My debt to your parents has been paid. I owe them nothing! Those were my Alpha''s words to me four years ago, before abandoning me on the steps of the boarding school with nothing but a little bag of clothes and a crushed hope. I didn''t hate him then and I still don''t hat I hate myself, for being so fucking cursed! Cursed to be alone for the rest of my life because everyone I love around me either gets hurt or dies It''s why my parents died. It''s why I lost my best friend and most importantly, it''s why I lost the sympathy and love of my pack. It''s why I can never shift or let my wolf out ever again! Another sob escaped through my lips and I couldn''t even be bothered to quiet it this time ar Tired of losing the things that are most important to me. A knock sounded on the door behind me and 1 froze in response, immediately covering my mouth.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Ryn!" A familiar voice called from the other side. "I know you''re in there. I can smell you." It took some seconds to recognize that voice as Sadie''s and when 1 did. I wondered if I should keep pretending not to be here. "Please, open up Kyn'' She knocked again. "I''m not leaving until you do." "Please, go away" I said quietly, hoping she''d listen. "I can''t Sadie replied "This is all my fault and I want to fix it. Please just open the door." I rolled my eyes and sighed before rising to my feet and unlocking the door. When I opened it, I found the five feet four girl staring up at me with sorrow in her eyes. "I''m sorry" She said and I turned around and walked further into the room. "Forget it. What''s done is done." I said and began to shove item into my bag. "Is this where you deep" Sadie asked with a note of disbelief in her tone. stopped and looked around the small storage room, that could barely fit more than two people. "Yes." Sadie blinked in surprise. "What? Why? For how long?" I sighed as I continued to pack the little I had. "I have been sleeping here for the past three years, Sadie." "Gods! That''s terrible! But WHY? J I sighed again, this time in frustration. "Does it matter?" ""Yes it does. To me, it does I looked into her green eyes and found something familiar about them but I couldn''t remember where I''d seen eyes like hers. "From the moment I started going to go school here, I was picked on especially by Bessie." My throat constricted as I remembered the awful things that was done to me while schooling here. Things my body still carried the marks and bruises for. "She made janitor and his wife know I stay here." "But that''s not fair. Didn''t you report them?" 1ughed bitterly as I packed the rest of my stuff into my bag. "That''s the first hard lesson I learnt here. I had them reported and I was told something would be done about it but nothing was done. Those same girls came back and beat me worse than before until I lost con I shook my head, squeezed past Sadie with my bag and took onest look at the storage room. I was supposed to leave here: with smiles on my face after graduation but I guess someone like me isn''t destined to be happy. I left the room and began to walk down the hallw "Ryn wall I heard Sadie close the door and run to catch up with me. When I didn''t stop for her, she cut before me and stood in my way. Eventually I had to stop.. "What do you want from me, Ginger?" I asked and Sadie smiled briefly. "I think I can fix this. I just need you to give me time, okay?" Time is a luxury I don''t have. You heard the principal, he wants me out of here, today." "He doesn''t need to know." I held a hand up to stop her. "Stop. Please, just stop. I know you feel responsible but when I tell you nothing can be done. you have to believe me. I''ve tried everything" I sniffled. everything and it still wasn''t enough! So don''t get involved." With that said, exited the school building and started to walk out of school grounds. "Wait!" Sadie''s voice followed me again, making me groan out loud. Can''t this girl just leave me alone? I came to a stop and turned around to find Sadie stretching a piece of paper to me. "What is this?" "It''s my number. You should save it." I stared at the paper before stretching it back to her. "I don''t have a phone." Her face fell. "Oh. Then how do I contact you then?" I gave her a bitter smile "You won''t be able to. Once I get on a bays, this might be thest time we see each other." Sadie grabbed my hand with both of hers, desperation shining in her eyes. "Please, don''t do that! Please don''t disappear. I promise, I''ll fix this! Just let me try" She took the paper and tucked it into my hand before closing it. "By this time. Tomorrow, please call me. Borrow a phone or use a payphone, whatever. Just promise you''d call I stared at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes and nodded in reply.. Afterward, she escorted me to the nearest bus station and said her goodbyes. While I waited, I wondered about her. It was a shame that we hadn''t met ealrier on. We would have been good friends but then again. I am cursed to be alone, I thought about Prince Theon an fights outside the program unless it was necessary. The bus came and I was finally able to get in and take a seat. I had nowhere to go except home and home meant going bark to the pack that hated me. My hand flew to my pendant, as my heart began to hammer fast. It''s been years since Ist saw my Alpha, will I still be Chapter 8 RYN I alighted at the gates of my pack and from the minute I passed through, getting the stink eye from the guards, I should have known that my day was about to get progressively worse. Unfortunately for me. I had arrived at a time when everyone was closing from work and when they saw me walking the streets with my bag chatched tightly to my side, they whispered and murmured amidst themselves. I walked faster avoiding the look of hatred and wariness in their eyes. Luckily, for me, my parents house wasn''t too far so I quickened my pace till could see it in the distance. Then I slowed down, hardly able to breathe as I saw how terrible the condition of the house had gotten. The front yard where I used to swing and help my mom tend her garden was overgrown with weeds. The house that once stood as a beacon of warmth and safety had now lost i its like a haunted house. A ce once filled with joy was gone, as a vibrant color and looked more it never existed. Swallowing my sadness, I proceeded to the front Keys. I have the porch. the keys somewhere. I brought down my bag and that''s when I realized that my hands were shaking. Closing my eyes. I took deep breaths, touching my pendant. "You''re going to be okay, Ryn" I sniffled. "Everything is going to be alright." I was rummaging through my bag, looking for the keys when I heard the sound of a car engine. When I saw whose car it was, my heart began to race. I came down the porch steps in time to see Alpha Jack step out of his car along with two other hefty men. Then crowds began to gather around us. "Alpha-"I started to started to say, but then I noticed the silver weapons in each of the men''s hands. A silver chain and a bat with silver spikes. What are you doing here. Ryn?" Alpha Jack asked as he leaned against his car and lit a cigarette. 1 scoffed nervously. "What do you mean, Alpha? This is my parent''s house." Alpha Jack blew smoke in the air. "Not anymore." He said icily. My heart dropped. "Excuse me?" "This house and thend it''s on has been sold to someone else. It will be demolished soon." I slowly curled my hands into fists. "No." I shook my head. "You can''t do that." I eximed. "This is my parent''s house! They rightfully own this ce! They have the deeds and certificates!" "Do they?" Alpha Jack raised a brow and I hoped to the gods that was right. "Your parents put up this house as coteral when they took a huge loan to find you a cure. They never paid it and now I want my money!" I stood in shock as I took in his words. My parents took out a loan for me? They really paid that big of a price to fix me? God, I hope I am not about to lose the only connection I have with my parents. "How much is it? 1-1 can pay you back" A cold, cruelugh escaped my Alpha''s lips. "We both know that not true, Ryn" Then his smile fades. "You need to leave. Now .7 "Yeah!" ah!" Someone shouted from the crowd and others agreed with him. I asked. "I just got here" "Why?" I The two men behind Alpha Jack took a step forward, showing off their weapons as a warning "I know you got kicked out of school but you also don''t belong here," My Alpha said with dead eyes. "You''re not one of us." His words felt like a punch to the stomach but I kept my face blisk. I won''t cry. I won''t let these people know how much it hurts. "Okay, Can I at least go in and take some things" Alpha. Jack red at me. "No. Whatever you need will be given to you at the gate." 1 released a Ia shaky breath. "This is not fair!" a Jack released a breathyugh. "Fair! This pack has kept your secret for the longest time. If you want to talk about being fair, then you wouldn''t be alive!" Alpha Jac A cold shiver ran down my spine. I really looked at the people surrounding me and knew for sure that I was utterly alone in this world. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance, as I thought of what to do next. "Please!" I whispered. "I don''t have anywhere else to go Alpha Jack took a long drag before discarding his cigarette. "That ain''t my problem. Your time is up! Lea "Get out" Another person yelled and the angry mob turned it into a chant. still a part of this pack! Please!" Now!" Now! Alpha Jack snarled "Not anymore because 1, Alpha Jack Robinson, of the South Haven Pack, reject you as my member" Immediately fire burned through me, making me cry out. Every part of me that was linked to every member of this pack became severed with harsh force. I fell to my knees, feeling every surface of my skin ignite with unbearable heat. It was as if I was burning from the inside out. I fell to the floor, thrashing as the pain became unbearable. Still I wouldn''t let myself cry. The pain got so bad that darkness began to encroach on my vision, as everyone in my pack cut ties with me. Thest thing I saw before I cked out was the face of someone familiar, watching me from the crowd. Someone who used to be my best, friend. At that moment, I wished I could turn back the hands of time. I wished she didn''t make me do what I did. Now it was toote. Now, everyone hates Kyn When I opened my eyes, I found myself on the side of the road, a far distance from the pack gate along with some of my things scattered on the ground. I groaned as I pushed myself up to a sitting position, feeling sore all over and sick on the inside. I looked at the ground and found some new things that weren''t part of what I brought from school. They looked like my parent''s things like a few of my father''s jackets and my mother''s clothes. Then some pictures and stuff. I forced myself to my feet and began to put them in the bag. Just when I thought things couldn''t get any worse, the skies grumbled and then it began to rain hard Tears stung the back of my eyes as I scrambled to get all my things in a bag Something on the floor, a few feet away caught my eye and when I realized what it was, I left everything else to get it. It was a picture frame of my parents and I The ss was shattered but not enough for rain to get in yet. I quickly wiped the tears blurring my vision so I could see it better. It was a memory from when I was six with pigtails, smiling bag with some missing teeth. I looked so happy, standing between them, holding both theirndsThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. 213 200 R I remembered thest words of my father just before he left with my Mom to find a way to fix me. "Your Mom and I love you very much. my beautiful Kathryn. We will never abandon you and we will never let anything bad happen to you." Then they died. I hugged their picture to my chest and that''s when I cried. Now Im abandoned, and now bad things happen to me. If only I had died with them, then I''d have been at peace. The rain got heavier and I became so cold that my teeth began to chatter. Rushing back to my things, I put the frame inside my bag and stood facing the road. I now have no one and no ce to go. Think, Ryn. You''re a survivor and you''vee this far in pure survival mode. There has got to be a ce for me to keep my head for the meantime. Many ces ran through my head, and then it hit me. I do have a ce to go but it was a risky move. If I get caught, I could suffer far worse consequences. I looked at myself trembling from the cold under the harsh rain. Then I smiled bitterly. What does a rejected orphan have to lose? Chapter 9 THEON The moment we left the Grand Assembly, my brother murmured something about seeing meter before leaving on his power bike. 1, on the other hand, had chosen to go home, cook dinner before retreating to my office. Once I got there, I turned on myputer and watched footage from the first day of training. It was hard not to notice Ryn. From her abnormal levels of strength and endurance, to the way she flicked her hair in pride, any warm blooded man could tell that Ryn was a special one. I remembered the first time I saw her. She had been upset and her rage had been electric, changing the temperature in the And when she turned? I could have sworn that my heart skipped a beat and it hasn''t done that in years. She had the air of a goddess with those silver eyes and silky ck hair cascading down in waves. I remembered touching her face and feeling faint sparks from it. Then for a brief moment, her scent had filled the air, making my wolf stir, before it vanished People don''t just feel sparks unless they are...I shook my head. It''s impossible, Ryn is not my mate. Maybe I imagined it. I really hope it''s my imagination because if it''s real, then I feel sorry for her. I''ll never give her the love she deserves. I heard the door open downstairs and several feet pour in Checking the cameras, I saw my brothere in, with his arms slung around two women. They wobbled like they were drunk but I knew better. Those girls might be tipsy but my brother could drink the whole bar and not even get drunk, unless... I left my office and locked it. When I looked down from upstairs, I found that one of the girls, a blonde, had removed her top and was now dancing half naked, making herrge boobs bounce while Miro sat with the other girl and watched. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headachee on. I hate this, but as much as I hated the scene, I went downstairs. By the time I got there, the other girl, a brte, was kissing Miro while grabbing his boner. Sounds of soft moans filled the air as I stood with my hands in my pockets watching the scene unfold. Just when the topless blonde went on her knees and was about to unbuckle my brother''s belt, I cleared my throat, All three of them looked at me. Awesome. "Wow!" The Blonde looked from me to Miro "You''re a twin?" I blinked in what I could call utter disappointment before looking at my brother who also mirrored the same sentiment. "Will he be joining us?" The blonde asked, biting her finger as she gave me a sultry look that made my skin crawl. "No, he won''t." Miro scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "My brother''s a celibate." The blonde''s amber eyes went round with surprise before narrowing in mischief. "That''s sad." She whined in a pathetic soft voice as she approached me. "A handsome guy like you shouldn''t miss out on all the fun." She came within a few feet of me and raised a finger to touch me "Ashley, you don''t want to do that." Miro warned. All amusement from his face, gone. "My name is Annie!" The blonde bit back. "Whatever it is. Don''t touch him." Miro ordered. "He doesn''t like it!" The blonde looked at me and pouted before stepping away. I released a silent breath, grateful she obeyed because I might have had to hurt her if she did, in fact, touch me. "He''s so hot!" The Brte whispered to her, then they giggled as they both wobbled to the other staircase. When they got there, the blonde stopped and looked back at me. She must have mistaken my nk stare for interest because she pulled down her mini skirt, slowly revealing her backside d in red lingerie. Slowly, she took out her long, slender legs and giggled as she held her skirt in one hand. "I''ll be waiting for you, Handsome... that''s if you change your mind." She winked and giggled again before trying her best to catwalk up the stairs. I shook my head. Once the e girls were out of sight, I turned to my brother. There had been a bottle of expensive wine open on the table and Miro went for it, chugging down its contents while avoiding my eyes. When he brought down the bottle and wiped his mouth. I detected a whiff of something in the air-the scent of a herb. Hooked at his eyes and when I found his pupils dted, anger sparked in my bones. "If you''re trying to be an alcoholic, it doesn''t suit you." I said, icily. My brother sighed before ring at me. "And who are you to tell me what suits me? Hmm?" Thad a replying but I held my tongue. I tend to be a bastard when angry and my brother didn''t need that right now. Miro scoffed and rose to his feet, his face, now twisted in anger. "You''re just like Dad, you know?! Standing there, looking self righteous while silently judging me for my sins!" I maintained my silence and that seemed to anger Miro more. "Fuck you, Theon!" Miro jabbed a finger at me. "I''ll do whatever I want! I''ll fuck whoever I want! I don''t care!" Miro grabbed the bottle and stormed to the stairs. "Ro?" I mindlinked him and he stopped at the foot of the staircase with his back to me. "Thank you for having my back today. I know how much of a sacrifice that was and I won''t take it for granted." A beat of silence passed. "I didn''t do it for you," Miro replied and then he went up the stairs. Somehow I felt sorry for him. My father was a bastard maniptor using guilt as a means to make Miro do his bidding. 1 hate it but there is nothing I could do to stop it. Unless Miro forgives himself for what happened ten years ago, my father will continue to use it to hurt hi In the meantime, I have to make sure Ryn doesn''t waste his sacrifice so from now on, I''m paying extra attention to her. The idea of working one on one to improve Ryn suddenly made me feel excited and that stopped me in my tracks. Why did I feel excited? Am I doing this purely based on professional reasons or does this have to do with what I felt around her that day?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. 12-29 Tue, Oct 22 Chapter 9 I shook my head and went up the stairs. Going back to my office, I was just about to turn off myputer, when I discovered that I had an email. Opening it, I saw it was from the Principal of Lycantide High. I was just about to read when a call came in on my private line. Now, not many people have that line and those who do, know that it is only used for emergencies. So I was surprised when I saw my cousin''s caller ID on the phone. "Hello" I said, after picking the call. "Hi Uncle Theon. Ive been trying to reach you all day." My cousin sniffled, which immediately put me on alert. "Sorry pumpkin. I was in a meeting. Tell me what''s wrong, Sadie Who hurt you?" "No one hurt me, but I need to ask a favor from you." She whimpered. "I promise it''s very important." I leaned back in my chair, curious. This was the first time Sadie was using this line since I gave it to her. So definitely, what she''s asking must be really worth it. "Fine. Shoot." Sadie released a sigh of relief on the other end. "I need your help with a friend of mine. She got into trouble at school and I think you are the only one that can save her." Somehow, I had a feeling that this ''friend'' had something to do with the email from Lycantide High. So I leaned back in my chair and sighed. "Fine. I''m listening" ¦° 1 Chapter 10 RYN Breaking into the Elite Force Training Center was harder than I thought but I did it. Luckily for me, it was still raining hard, so it was easier for me to sneak past security into the building without being detected. Once I was in. I immediately began to search for a ce to hide. Due to being rejected by my Alpha, my body was still in shock, making me feel pain and feverish all over. Dripping wet and trembling with chattering teeth. I tried the doors but found them locked. When it dawned on me that I didn''t think this through, I sighed in frustration. I was hoping to easily sneak into a ssroom, turn on the heater and sleep. Walking from my pack to the training center was roughly six miles and that made me beyond exhausted Dejected I copsed to the floor, taking deep breaths as I began to feel faint. Tears stung the back of my eyes, as I checked. my wristwatch and realized that I just had a few hours till daybreak. Yet, I still haven''t found a ce to stay. Will I then end up sleeping in the hallway? What if security found me and informed the Princes of my break-in? That would put me in a much worse fate. I "No." I muttered and struggled to my feet. "I can''t let that happen." With renewed determination, I continued to try doors in the darkness as I went along. Since my bag was heavy, I stashed it under a staircase and went upstairs to see if I could find a room unlocked. By the time I got to thending. I was breathing hard and just as I turned a corner, lightning shed and something caughtN?velDrama.Org content. my eye. I immediately froze. All the hairs behind my neck stood up as I saw red eyes watching me from the end of the hallway. What in the Goddess'' name is that?! I wondered as I slowly took a step back. The eyes seemed to notice that because a low. but threatening growl emanated from it.. Something about it triggered the wolf in me because for the first time in ages I felt the urge to shift, and that has not happened in years. I could only let my wolf to the surface and channel her to grow ws and fangs but I hadn''t been able to fully shift in all that time, I took another step back and when another lightning shed, true fear seeped into my bones. In that second, I saw a beast so hideous goosebumps rippled through my flesh. This beast looked like a wolf standing on two legs but something about it was odd and abnormal...ugly. I A scream threatened to rip out my throat but I covered my mouth and took another step back. When it growled again, a little louder this time, I turned and ran. Speeding down the stairs, I heard a growl so loud, I felt the banisters shake. Still, I willed my feet to keep running even as 1 heard the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP of the beasting for me! I got downstairs and noticed a hallway I hadn''t gone to before. Without thinking. I ran for it and soon regretted my decision when I tried doors and found them locked. I looked behind me and saw that therge beast had entered the hallway and had slowed to a crawl. Terrified, I continued to try doors, whimpering and scared out of my mind while it stalked towards me. There had been rumors of deformed beasts terrorizing the country and it was said that they were so powerful that even Alphas couldn''t survive them. But it had been years since they werest sighted so nobody was on the lookout for them. 30 Tue, Oct 22 D pter 10 27%2 30 there''s one in the city, and worse in the training center. The fact that I could only see its red eyes and vague silhouette ie darkness instantly made me deathly afraid is how it ends for me? Ryn Ashmore, first female Elite, mauled to death by a deformed beast? ally reached thest door and when another lightning shed. I jumped when I saw that the beast was closer than I ight! ling the door knob, I realized I had a decision to make. If thest door doesn''t open. I can either die a coward or fight Taking a deep breath, I tried it and to my utter suprise, it opened. The beast seemed to know it too because it raised its sto strike but I rushed through the door and mmed it shut! The blownded on the door but I was able to put the in before another blow came. sed my eyes and pressed all my strength against the door. I felt a another blow to the rain being heavy, I heard them it what they heard and soon after, I didn''t hear them anymore. tly after. I heard the voices of security men as they checked the building. Due and then another until it suddenly ped. Barely hearing anything above the sound of my own heart beating, I ced my ear to the door and heard the soft ring of feet retreating. lly exhaled in relief and sank to the floor, trembling from the aftermath of almost dying. Then it suddenly dawned on at I had no idea where I was. Feeling for a switch, I turned on the light and found a flight of stairs leading down. Taking p breath. I quietly went down the stairs and the lower I went, the warmer I began to feel. tually, I got to the basement and to my utter relief and joy. I discovered I was in the boiler room. This was the perfect to hide as it had all the warmth and privacy I needed. After eavesdropping to make sure no one was around, I slowly I need the door and quickly retrieved my in the basement, I changed my wet clothes, for a dry dress and a sweater my dad owned. Then I found a clean ce to ty nket and using my bag as a pillow, I pondered about what just happened. the hell did a deformed beast enter the city? And what was it doing at the center? bag sidered informing the Princes but then again, how would I exin my presence here? ok my head. Telling them was a bad idea. south opened in a yawn as I began to feel drowsy. d to be alive, with a warm ce to stay, I imagined myself living for the next few weeks until I could find a job and save up money to rent a ce. 1 the picture frame of my parents and I and stared at it for a while. Once again, I felt that terrible ache of sadness shelm me. arents may have died trying to protect me but I owed it to them to stay alive and continue fighting. They never told me was wrong with me but I remembered the first time I shifted. Their smiles had faded and my mother had told me after omething wasn''t right with my wolf but that they were going to fix it. efore 1 drifted into sleep, I vaguely remembered my ex-Alpha mentioning the fact that he kept my secret all these. What secret was that and why would it have cost me my life? What exactly am I? Chapter 11 11 Chapter THEON''SAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. POV I had trouble sleepingst night and it wasn''t only because my brother and his wh**es were going at it, traumatizing me with their moans, It was also because of Ryn. Iid in bed thinking about everything my cousin told me and how much Ryn had been suffering at the school. Lycantide High was one of my mother''s legacies, built to be a ce of love, respect and harmony. Now, it was a ce of oppression and that angered me a lot. When the pale, orange glow of the rising sun illuminated my room, I sighed in relief and got out of bed. Twenty minutester, I was walking into my brother''s room fully dressed in a sharp suit and ready to go. To my disappointment. I found my brother in bed, sleeping peacefully between the girls. I sighed. How can we be twins but still so different at the same time? Ro, wake up!" I said but nothing happened. Not even a stir. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I went around the side of the bed and red at him. Sometimes, I envied him for being able to trust women so easily. I could never do that. Not when I almost died the first time. Looking around, an idea came to mind making a smile pull at my lips. Miro loved heavy metal music and would sometimes st it on high volume to spite me. Today was my turn and considering the fact that he was drunkst night, he would be so terribly hungover. to the radio in his r room and turned it on. went Heavy metal music sted through the quiet morning, suddenly making Miro and the girls jerk awake. I smiled as they tumbled out of bed, with their eyes wide in confusion. When they finally saw me, I turned off the radio and shoved my hands in my pockets with a smile. Miro''s face twisted in anger. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! He yelled, before gripping his head, in pain. "Why would you do that?!" He whispered. "That''s for disturbing my sleep." I answered, then my smile faded. "Get dressed, and meet me in the car in ten minutes." "Why?" Miro grumbled, as he rose to his feet. When I discovered he was butt naked, I averted my eyes, refusing to be traumatized more. The girls on the otherhand rushed into the bathroom. "We have a situation to handle, Ro." I said seriously. Miro noticed the look on my face and nodded in understanding With that said, I left the room but hadn''t heard someone open the bathroom door. gone far when t I I don''t think I like your brother anymore, Miro." I heard the blonde say. "He has no manners and no idea how to treat a woman. No wonder, he''s alone." "You better watch what you say, Amy" My brother retorted. "It''s Annicl "Who f****g cares?! You''re not his type anyway." A beat of silence passed. "Then what''s his type?" I heard the other female ask. My brother grumbled an answer I couldn''t hear but I found myself pondering on the question. What''s my type? D Immediately, my mind shed to silver eyes and silky hair. The flick of a hair. The subtle raise of a defiant chin. Ryn. I shook my head. Why would I even think that? Twenty minutester, Miro entered the back seat of my car, dressed in ck and wearing dark sunsses. "You''rete." I said. you''re a pain in my a*** but here we are." He grumbled. I shook my head as our car moved, leading us out of our estate. "So, what''s up? What''s this issue you were talking about?" I decided to tell Miro what Sadie told me about Ryn and the school. Miro removed his shades and red at me with reddened eyes. "You mean to tell me that the girl I went out on a limb for has been expelled?!" "If Father finds out-," out- "He won''t" I cut in. "That''s why we are handling it. This affects me too, you know?" Miro sighed and looked out the window, "If Mom were alive, this wouldn''t have happened." "I know." I replied, remembering how loving she was to all the kids in school. "She was the best principal Lycantide ever had We drove the rest of the way in silence, but I could feel Miro''s anger like scalding heat down our twin bond. When we finally arrived at the school, i it was lunchtime so some students were hanging out in front of the school. My eyes searched around for my cousin and I found her standing on the steps in front of one of the bronze-coated werewolf statues but she wasn''t alone. A boy was by her side engaging in conversation. "Who the fuck is that?" Miro murmured, as he peeked out my side of the window at his cousin. Then his face hardened. before exiting the car. For the boy''s safety, I asked my driver to honk in order to get their attention. It worked but it also attracted the attention of the other students who were now visibly excited, chattering and looking our way 1 sighed and exited the car as well but by then, Miro was halfway across the school yard storming towards Sadie. He pointed at the boy beside Sadie and said something that made his eyes grow wide with fear. Before I knew it, the boy was shaking his -head and scampering off in the opposite direction. I shook my head before pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. Why does my brother have to be such a pain in my a** By the time I reached them, the poor girl had already grown tomato red in the face as Miro interrogated her about the boy. The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up and she byp***ed Miro to give me a hug. "I''m so happy to see you, Uncle Theon." T I kissed her forehead. "Happy to see you too, Pumpkin Miro rolled his eyes. Where''s Rylomber Task I asked. and shook her head. "I have no idea." I made a m** note to find outter. "Is the Principal in?" "Uhm, yeah," She replied. "He hasn''t left his office since he arrived so he has to be." "Good." Miro said, rolling up his sleeves. "Time to take out the trash." His eyes were hard and sharp reflecting his burning anger. I couldn''t me him either. I was mad as well. We followed Sadie into the building and immediately got noticed by the students who stopped in their tracks to gawk at us. The girls gushed and fanned themselves and I almost cringed at the amount of pheromones in the air. Still, despite knowing what I know about Ryn, some part of me hoped I''d find her amidst these girls. What would it feel like to watch Ryn gush over me? I shook my head again. Ryn didn''t look like the type of girl that would. gush over anyone much more, me. Someone stepped in Sadie''s way making her stop in her tracks. Turns out it was Bessie and her friends. E you "Hi S***nk!" She faked a smile. "Aren''t you supposed to be picking the trash outside or serving detention? What are doing leeching around our Princes?" "What did you just say?!" Miro''s face twisted in anger and once again, I felt that scalding heat down our bond. I looked at my cousin, who looked down at her feet and it took a lot to restrain the anger building up in me. Apparently, not only was Ryn unjustly expelled but my cousin was made to pick the trash as well? Bessie''s smile faded as she looked between us in confusion. "1-" She stuttered. "Where''s your father?" I asked her, "He''s in his office." She stuttered again, this time looking frightened. "Take us to him." I ordered. "Is everything okay, your Highness?" She whimpered. "No Bessie." I twisted my neck till I heard a satisfying c***k. "Everything is not okay. Now move Chapter 12 Chapter 12 THEON Bessie nced at me warily as we walked through the hallway. "Your Highness, I really don''t understand what is going on." She said. 1 arched a brow at her. "You don''t?" "Of course I don''t, your Highness. Her eyes travelled to Sadie and hardened. "And if this s*****k told you anything, don''t believe her! You really shouldn''t be rolling with a lowlife s****m like her." Miro frowned and just when he was about to say something, our eyes met. I shook my head, urging him to remain calm. He red at me in response but obeyed. "Is that so?" I asked Bessie. "Yes, your Highness." She smirked, as she red at Sadie. "Oh, and on that note," She stopped and smiled at me, "... your female Elite, Ryn, has been expelled from this school for bad misconduct. I''ll advise that you kick her out, my Prince. Such people shouldn''t be on your prestigious team." "I see" I replied, as we began to climb some stairs. "What did she do?" She stopped and pouted. "She tried to hurt me. "What-" Sadie cut in, looking horrified. "Let her speak." I reprimanded, much to Bessie''s delight. "Yeah! Yeah! Let t me talk, sk*****k!" Bessie said, before moving al?ng. "Ryn is an animal! She almost cut me with a knife! If others were not there to save me..." She sighed, "I''m afraid I might have even died that day!" "Un-"Sadie started to protest, but I cut her a look and winked. Sadie finally rxed and nodded. Bessie kept on talking and I "Your Highness! I''m afraid dying all sorts of things until we arrived at thest floor where the principal''s office was. Miro was the first to enter the lobby and when the secretary saw us, she scrambled to her feet and bowed. I the Principal is is not-" "Sit the f*****k back down, liar!" Miro snapped and the woman immediately obeyed, mumbling an apology. saw the way Bessie''s e''s eyes rounded fear as she stared at Mira I smiled to myself. Miro had been a total sweetheart when they met. Now she was seeing a whole new side of him and has no idea how much worse he can get. Bessie knocked before opening the door and when we all walked in, we found Principal Crow scrambling to hide something from his table including the cigar he''d been smoking. "Oh wow! Your Highnesses! You''re here!" He smiled nervously as he rose to his feet and fanned the air to clear the smoke around him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" Bessie''s ears became red with embarrassment. Miro crossed his arms behind him and walked around the office table to where the Principal stood. The two men stared at each other before Miro ordered, "Move." The man man instantly moved out of his way and came around the table to stand near his daughter. Miro sat in his chair, then smirked as he bent down, bringing out the bottle of whiskey and a packet of Cuban cigar. cing it on the principal''s desk, his eyes shone with the sa****ic excitement I''m all too familiar with, "Father would LOVE this!" Principal Crow trembled as his eyes filled with fear, "Please. Don''t tell him. I''ll do better." "Really? "Yes, your Highness. Principal Crow pleaded, "I can do better. Just don''t tell the Alpha King "Fine. We won''t." I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. "But you have to tell us what happened to Ryn Ashmore." The hesitation in his eyes told me everything I needed to know "I-I had her expelled." He answered. 1-I "Your Highness, I already-, Bessie cut in, "Shut your mouth!" I said, earning a frightened look from her. Yea. We are definitely not ot the sweethearts she thought we were. faced her father. "You had Ryn expelled. Why?" "Because- "Speak up" Miro ordered and the elderly man flinched. "Because she hurt my daughter!" Miro nced at Bessie. "She doesn''t look hurt to me." Sadie snorted behind us, making Bessie''s face twist in anger. "What are you still doing here, B****h?!" She yelled. "This doesn''t concern you. GET OUT!" "Or what?" Miro asked, already on his feet with his arms across his chest. "Is this how you bully my cousin?" "What?" Bessie and I her father shared a nce as they went pale. She''s your c-cousin?" "Surprised I''m not a lowlife s***m?" Sadie smiled bitterly. Her lips quivered. "I-I didn''t know." "Still not an excuse to pick a fight with someone." I said. "I didn''t pick a fight with her! I swear!" "Lies!" Sadie yelled. You intentionally hurt me to get back at Ryn! You wanted a fight and when-kyn wouldn''t give in, you humiliated her!" "That''s a lie!" Bessie retorted. "Oh yeah! How about a video to prove it then? Sadie said, whipping out her phone from her back pocket. Bessie''s eyes widened in fear as she watched Sadie give her phone to me. Miro walked around the desk to join me and together we watched how the whole thing unfolded. The more we watched, the angrier I became and I didn''t miss Miro''s scalding heat down the bond. Ryn had humiliated herself in order to protect Sadie and Bessie had been cruel through it all. And when Ryn decided to fight back, I couldn''t help but swell will pride. 214 12.30 Tue, Oct 22 Chapter 12. The video ended and I red at Principal Crow "Did you see this this?" I asked. 4211 42700 He red at his daughter who was now staring at her feet. "No. Your Highness. I wasn''t aware." I raised a brow. "Were you also not aware that your daughter is a bully and that she''s responsible for making Miss Ashmore sleep in a storage room for three years?" The Principal licked his lips and smiled nervously. "You know, kids will be kids. I''m sure there was a misunderstanding somewhere. Bessie''s a good girl. She wouldn''t do that." "So that means you''re calling my brother a liar? Miro asked and the man''s eyes widened more in fear. "No! I didn''t mean that!" "So which is it?" I asked, barely able to restrain my anger. "Were you aware or not? And don''t even think about lying cause I''ll let my brother have his way with you. For good measure, Miro smiled and waved a hand that had grown sharp ws. The Principal swallowed. "I''ll confess." he said. "She dide to me toin but I chased her out of ¦°¦É¦Í office." I stared at him in disappointment. "Why?" The man was close to tears no now. "Because I wanted to make my daughter happy." Miro and I shared a nce and Sadie shook her head in disgust. "Was it your daughter who also told you to make Royalty pick the trash?" Miro asked. "I didn''t know!" Bessie said. "SHUT UP!" Miro yelled, making her flinch. "One more word from you and I''ll have your tongue!" Bessie whimpered where she stood and began to cry. I rolled my eyes "Please, your Highness. . I didn''t know Sadie was Royalty." Principal Crow beseeched.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. I grounded my jaw in anger. "Ger Sadie''s file. Now." He scrambled to the shelves behind his desk, digging through piles of files and finally, he returned with one. "Open it." I ordered and he did. His eyes widened when he read the special note attached to Sadie''s file then he dropped to his knees instantly. "Lam SD sorry. I have offended the Crown! Please, forgive me! 1 was foolish and ignorant!" You still are," I remarked dryly. "And I can''t have someone as ipetent as you managing my mother''s legacy, so you''re fired." fired. His eyes widened, "Your Highness-" but I was already facing his weeping daughter. "You. Make sure you scrub the inte clean of that video. If I find it online after three days, I will find you and I will give you a real reason to cry. Understood?" Bessie nodded eagerly. "Yes sir." "Good. Now, get on your knees and apologize to Sadie." Bessie immediately became distraught but she reluctantly went on her knees and apologized. "I''m sorry. Sadie." 30 Sadie sighed. "The person who deserves this apology is Ryn." Ahh yes. "Speaking of which... I faced the Principal. "Wh Chapter 13 RYN I found myself running through the hallway again, barely able to see but fully aware of the beast behind me. I got to the boiler room and turned the k***b but this time, I found it locked, Panic seized me as I tried it several times but it wouldn''t budge. Turning around, I found the beast standing over me with a raised w, ready to strike! I inhaled sharply as 1 jerked awake in bed, barely able to hear my thoughts over my racing heart. When I realized that I was actually in the boiler room, safe and warm. I sighed in relief. Grabbing my wristwatch, I checked the time and my heart jumped again. "S****t!" I whisper-yelled and shot to my feet. I had just an hour before training starts and I f****g overslept! Within a few minutes, my belongings were packed and I found a safe spot behind an engine to stash them. Grabbing my school bag. I put in some spare clothes, toiletries, and and other my stomach grumbled violently and I doubled over, cing a hand on it as I felt a sharp pain. Just as I got there things I might need, before heading for the stairs. When was thest time I ate? I remembered eating Sadie''s sandwich on the bus ride home but that was over twelve hours ago and it wasn''t even filling then. I checked my pockets for some money and was disappointed to find just a quarter on me, "I really need to get a job. I grumbled to myself. Looking back, I made sure my things were securely out of sight, before climbing the stairs to the exit. When I got to the door, I listened for footsteps before slowly opening it. Peeking into the hallway, I looked around and then noticed that the floors had been mopped. That meant that the cleaners were around. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the hallway and tried to act normally. Luckily for me, the cleaners I encountered were working in the ssrooms so it was easy for me to dodge them and go on my way. I turned a corner, about to go for the boys locker room but just I was about a few feet away, someone else turned a corner opposite me. He was dirty blonde, about medium height with an athletic build and seemed to be in histe thirties. I recognized him as the assistant coach and immediately froze. Thankfully, he hadn''t seen me... ..yel ..yel Coach Dutton was watching something on his phone and had ear pods in ce. So I had seconds to move out of sight or get discovered. Quickly, I dashed for the locker room and in that moment, the assistant coach seemed like the beast I dreamt about. With a racing heart. I hoped the locker room was open. invas And to my relief, it was.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Quickly, I dashed in before quietly closing the door and leaning against it. Just as I was about to rx, another fear seized me. What if the a****nt coach wasing here! I held my breath as his footsteps got close and when they stopped right outside the door, my heart sk****ed a beat. I squeezed my eyes shut, fingering my pendant, and hoping he''d go away. When his footsteps moved farther down the hallway, my shoulders sagged in relief and I finally released the breath I was holding. "That was close." I breathed. A momentter, I had brushed, freshly showered, and changed to clean clothes. 111 I stood before a mirror and cleared the fog on it. Looking into my own eyes, I saw a semnce of my parents. I had my father''s eyes but carried my mother''s face, especially her proud chin. I remembered their promise to never let anything bad happen to me and now it had be a promise to myself. All my life I had let bad things happen to me, because I was afraid, but not anymore. This time. I''m going to fight back but in order to do that, I have to first understand the problem with my wolf. What did my parents see? Why did my ex-Alpha warn me to keep her on a leash? And why can''t I shift? I kept pondering. My parents died finding a cure. My former pack kept it a secret. Something is definitely wrong with me. Staring at myself in the mirror, I searched for answers but they never came. Sighing, I packed the rest of my things, and my stomach grumbled again. ! I''m really hungry. ! Determined to find that job as soon as I leave the training center, I forgot to listen for footsteps and the moment I opened the door, I bumped into someone. My heart leapt in my throat when I realized that it was the assistant coach again. His catty green eyes looked from me to the locker room door and back, then his lips lifted in a teasing smirk "What were you doing in there?" I swallowed as I held his gaze. "I..I thought I would have a locker of my own ready by now, but it seems I haven''t been taken into consideration yet." He stared at me for a moment, his face unreadable. "Your locker is not ready yet, Ryn, but the Commander has ordered for some renovation to be done so in due time, you will get your own space. But that doesn''t mean you can just walk anywhere. Ryn. Girls are not allowed in there." "Oh! Right. Sure. My apologies," I said, thrilled that I had gotten away with that lie, "It won''t happen again." I nodded politely and tried to walk past him, but he suddenly stepped in front of me. When I looked up at him, his eyes shone with malice. "Is there something wrong?" I asked. "Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are?". I looked at at him, stunned by the directness in his tone. "What?" He took a step closer but I took a matching step back. "Has anyone told you how much of a beauty you are?" He repeated, a predatory smile stered on his lips. "The boys can''t stop talking about you. They think you''re hot... I think you''re hot too." Now, I was afraid. "Uhm, yea...thanks," I said and tried to move past him again, but his huge hand grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me backwards. Air left my lungs as my back mmed against the wall, and Coach Dutton''s hot, heavy breath steamed my face as he sneered at me, "Why are you acting so stuck up?" "Coach Dutton, what are you doing?!" I panicked. "I''m just trying to give you apliment." He gritted out. "But it''s like you''re arrogant huh? You feel so highly of yourself and can''t takepliments right?" "Let t go of me!" I yelled and, in my bid to struggle out of his grip my nails scraped the flesh of his arm, making him bleed. He let go of me instantly, leaving me breathless but when I tried to run, he grabbed me and mmed me back against the wall. The back of my head connected with the wall and I instantly felt dizzy and weak. His eyes shed with anger as his arm suddenly shot up to my throat and squeezed viciously. "You stupid bitch!" He snarled. 1 wed at his arm, as I stuggled to take a breath. "Please stop" I choked out as a tear fell out of my eyes. 111 111 "You think you''re better than me huh?! I have the ultimate power here! I can make the Princes kick you off the Program in just a second! So you better behave. Understood?!" Unable to speak. I nodded and then he let me go. I fell to the floor, gasping for air and my wolf stirred, raging at me to let her out but I refused. I needed this program to get stronger and to be in a position where no one will ever bully me again. Letting my wolf take over got me expelled and rejected. I can''t afford to be rash this time. Breathing hard, I red at the assistant coach until he turned a corner, out of sight. "You''ll pay for this, Coach Dutton" I said as I struggled to my feet. "I swear on my life, I''ll make you pay. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 MIRO "When was thest time you heard from her?" Theon asked as we exited the school building into the front yard. "Almost a day? Sadie said with worry written all over her face. "I gave her my number so hopefully she''ll call" Theon ced a hand on her shoulder. "Don''t worry. We''ll find her, okay?" Sadie nodded in response and entered into his embrace while I stood at a distance watching them Ryn. There was something about her that I just couldn''t put my finger on. Somehow, she had managed to affect the two most important people in my life, saving one and somehow fixing the other gradually. Or is there more to this than meets the eye? Cause it''s too much of a coincidence that she''s friends with my cousin and now my brother who I know to be the coldest, and most dangerous person on the is now acting weird because of her? Something isn''t adding up. Still, I couldn''t deny what Ryn had done to save Sadie. That took some real guts and despite not wanting to, I was starting to admire that about her. After we said our goodbyes to Sadie, my brother and I walked the rest of the way to where our car was waiting. "What if we can''t find her?" I asked, suddenly breaking the silence between us. "That''s not an option, Brother." Theon replied but there was an edge to his voice. One that insinuated that if Ryn wasn''t found, bad things might happen. I looked at my brother but his face was unreadable as usual and when I checked the bond between us. I felt nothing ei Just as weAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. got to the car and one side was open for me to enter, Theon''s phone pinged on the other side. He stopped to check it and froze and I could have sworn that I felt the slightest bit of warmth down our bond. It might have been a mistake on his part. An oversight. A slip of character but it happened and I decided not to acknowledge it. I want more of such mistakes to happen. "What is it?" I asked and when my brother looked at me, his blue eyes suddenly had more vibrance and life to it. "I put out an APB on Ryn and the assistant coach just said he saw her at the center." "Wow." I replied, watching my brother for more cues but his face betrayed no emotions. Just his eyes. "Well, let''s go see her then Thest time I saw Ryn, she had been attempting a dangerous wall climbing feat unsupervised and unharnessed. Now, she was sitting on a field, staring into space, looking more emaciated and tired than before. I was in a moving car, so she couldn''t see me but one look at her made me know that something was seriously up with her. Since she recently got expelled, I assumed that was the reason for her deterioration and suddenly, I found myself eager to give her the good news so she could at least be at peace. I wondered why though. I should hate her, especially since she''s the reason I lost my cha We arrived at Theon''s office which was a grand, spacious room with a stunning view of the training fields below and the glearning cityscape in the far distance. Still miserable from my lingover, I went straight for his mini fridge and after checking the contents, I decided a ss of pineapple juice would suff The door opened and in came Ryn dressed in uniform. The temperature in the room immediately dropped as I was once Chapter 14 427%0 again reminded of how-breathtaking she actually was up close. Even when she looked worse than before, her defiant chin was raised and her eyes reflected no weakness of any kind. "Good day, my Princes." She bowed her head, before ncing between us. "You asked to see me?" "You have to do the talking." Theon mindlinked me just as I was about to drink from my ss, I paused, with the ss almost at my lips and red at him, before turning to Ryn. "Please sit," I said, and Ryn sat in the chair opposite us just likest time. I suddenly had their feeling of Deja Vu, remembering how she had put my brother and I in our ce. "You wouldn''t know a real woman even if she stared you in the face. Now I was staring at her and when our eyes met, my breathing stuttered. Damn. Those eyes. I forgot what a siren trap they were. "Miro Focus!" "We heard about your expulsion from Lycantide High. I crossed my arms in defense mode. Her eyes widened as she shifted in her seat and licked her lips. "Tran exi-" I held a hand to stop her. "You don''t need to. It''s already been sorted. Your expulsion has been canceled and you are allowed to graduate." Ryn froze and then her confident mask fell. Her siren eyes shifted from me to Theon and back. "For real?" She whispered. disbelief written all over her face. "For real." I said, fighting the smile tugging at my lips. Somehow, I was d that Theon forced me to do the talking. Knowing that I was somewhat responsible for her joy oddly made ine feel like a hero. Then she did something that I absolutely wasn''t prepared for. Ryn smiled, revealing perfect white teeth and in that moment, my brain went nk and I suddenly got the urge to want to be the reason she smiles like that. "Thank you!" Ryn bowed her head and I could tell from the way ber face reddened that she was holding back a lot of emotions. "You''re wee." I nodded. An awkward silenge settled upon us as there was nothing left to say and we stared at each other. Suddenly, Ryn''s stomach grumbled loudly and her smile faltered as her expression changed to one of pain. "Sorry." She sighed, looking away before rising to her feet. "Am 1 free to go!" Immediately, my brother rose as well. "When was thest time you ate something?" Ryn''s eyes widened a bit and she stared at Theon as if he had grown two heads. "A long while now. I was going to get something anywa-" "Get lunch with me.. I''m buying." Theon said and I couldn''t help but do a double take and wonder who possessed my twin brother. He always had his lunch alone and rarely with even me, myself Kyn hesitated for a moment and then her stomach grumbled again. "Consider it apensation of sorts for how you were treated poorly and aside from that, I have something important to discuss with you. So best we discuss over lunch. Thron persisted "Sure." She smiled and my brother grabbed his coat. "What are you doing?" I mindlinked him as soon as he retrieved his wallet and other items. "Buying food for our Elite?" He replied. "You can see how underweight she''s gotten" "I know. But you could easily give her money, why dine with her "Because I really have something important to discuss." "That''s it? Nothing else?" "Like what?" "You know what. Just admit you like her." H Theon passed by me and subtly stomped on my foot as he walked by causing me to close my eyes and purse my lips from groaning in pain. "That was uncalled for, T "So was y your opinion, Ro." of Ryn. I Despite the pain, I smiled because the brother I used to know and love was back and it was happening because watched him follow her to the door and smiled bitterly. At least my brother has started to hang out with someone and I am happy for him. Just as they were about to leave, Theon turned to me. "Wanna join?" Nothing on his face betrayed any emotion of any sort but I knew his request was sincere. "Yea." 1 grinned and downed my ss of juice before leaving the room with them. Maybe there is hope for me too. ¦° Chapter 15 Chapter 15 RYN I had two questions. One. What the hell is going on? I wondered to myself as I followed behind the Princes. First of all, these men were huge. Scary huge. They both had an athlete''s type figure which was neither too bulky nor too lean. Just perfectly bnced. Only that Miro was slightly bigger and more muscr. Where Miro had thicker, muscled thighs, Theon had a wider, muscled back that entuated his slim waist. And they both smelled gooooddddd! Their perfume, although different, both had musky undertones, and screamed luxury. Their watches were of an expensive brand and so were their clothes, Miro was dressed in sweats yet I knew the cost of it was enough to buy me three square meals for a year. And Theon? Gods? Theon was so ssy dressed in that tailored suit that did nothing to hide every muscle and shape. Especially his butt cheeks, my goodness, he had really nice ones He and Miro- Ryn! What the hell?! My eyes widened as I caught myself swimming in lust. I quickly smelled myself, making sure I wasn''t oozing lustful pheromones because that... would be tragic and embarrassing. The twins were probably used to girls gushing fountains over them. I''d die before I let them think I found them hot.. Second question. Why were they being nice now? Was Prince Theon always this generous with people? Because the two times our paths had crossed, he had been cold and reserved with an air screaming ''Stay Away From Me! Now he is inviting me to lunch and Prince Miro, who hates me, ising along. When we reached the center''s cafeteria, I assumed that was where we were going so I slowed down but to my dismay, the Princes went right past it. I stopped in my tracks. "I thought..." My words trailed off and the Princes stopped and turned to me pointing to the cafeteria. "We are not eating there." Theon said before turning around and moving forward. Miro lingered with his hands in his pockets. "Come on. Let''s go." He said and I moved forward. Now I was in between the two Princes and I couldn''t help but Miro''s eyes on me. It felt so intense that I wondered if I was -being nervous or he was truly staring at me. So I turned and true to my suspicions, Miro''s green eyes were watching me. Somehow, some little part of me felt thrilled that I was the focus of Miro Windermere. Did he find me hot too? Or was the stare meant tomunicate his hatred for me? We got outside and 1 was led to a big, ck SUV sitting in the parking lot. Prince Theon opened the door at the back, and motioned for me to go inside. 1:26% I stared up at him, finding his face unreadable and his blue eyes more vibrant thanst time. Still, I felt wary. Ryn. It''s just lunch. Don''t make a big deal of this. If they wanted to harm you, I think they would have done that a long time ago. Miro entered through the other side and lowered his head to peer at me. "Come on, Ryn. We don''t bite. Thest word had him revealing his sharp canines which were scary and goddamn sexy at the same time. I took a deep breath. Looking up at Theon again. I was surprised to find that his eyes wereughing. So the Prince does show emotion Ha! I climbed into the car and Prince Theon went in after, sandwiching me between himself and his brother. The car moved and my breathing became heavier as the scent of their aftershave and perfumes overwhelmed me. The musk in them did something to me, making me b I had my hands on my thighs and when Ipared them to the size of the twins arms, I felt like a tiny chicken bone. These men were huge, huge and I bet I''d be crushed if one of them were to every on top of me. Wait, why did I think that? I think I''m going crazy! Is this what severe hunger does to the brain? Or is it their stupid perfumes messing with my ability to think straight? "Italian or Indian?" Theon asked. And when there was no response, the twins looked at me with raised brows. "Oh, you mean me?" I pointed to myself. "Uhm..." I pretended to think about it. I had no idea what to say. I had never known more than school leftovers and trashcan deluxes. "Italian." I settled with a nod. "You can never go wrong with that "Agreed." Theon said, facing forward. "Italian, it is." Minutester, we arrived at a five star restaurant and I tried not to be too fazed as I looked around. From the chandeliers, to the setting, to the ambience and the lights, everything was ssy, Everything was expensive. Even the air here felt different. I suddenly felt like an odd person here. Like I was reducing the restaurant''s quality by being in it. Stop that, Ryn! You deserve to be in high ces. Your resilience got you here and it will get you further. I smiled to myself and focused on rxing.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. A waitress recognized the twins and immediately rushed towards us. "Your table is waiting" She said, with a smile that was a little bit too flirtatious to be professional. Her eyes thennded on me and her smile faltered. She looked me up and down, her forehead creasing with the unasked question that waspletely obvious to me. Who is she? And why is she with the Princes? I gave her a smile that was a little bit too ''in your face'' to be frielly and the disgust on her face became more prominent. Whatever. I was used to people looking down on me anyway. We arrived at a table in far corner hidden from the view of the public eye and I was d that I would be able to eat in private. Well, not exactly in private, seeing as the two hunks sat on either side of me. A menu was brought and I pretended to know what I was looking at by reading the options. Ny percent of the words made no sense to me and when I pecked above my menu, 1 found them confidently rattling off their order to the waitress When it got to my turn, they turned to me and I focused back on the menu. My heart continued to race as their gazes settled on me. "Should Ie back?" The waitress asked with a condescending smirk ""No I shook my head. "Need help!" Miro asked and cheeks became hot with embarrassment. Should I just give up and let them know I am not used to this or try and choose something myself? "Can I order anything I want?" I asked Miro. "Yes, you can, Ryn" "Then, no. Thank you. I don''t need help." I said politely and faced the menu. Then, I tried to remember how my used to scan through menus on our family dates. parents If you have no idea what to choose, Kathryn, always choose what is familiar. My mother had told me when I was younger. So I scanned the menu and decided, "I will have a grilled rustic bread topped with truffle ricotta, wild mushrooms, and at drizzle of truffle oil for starters, pasta and grilledmb chops with rosemary, garlic, and a side of creamy polenta and seasonal vegetables for the main dish." I finished with a proud smile which made the waitress frown. gave me one more forced smile before leaving the premises. I sat back in my chair and found the twins watching me with something I could only call fascination. "So," I began, clearing my throat. "You said you wanted to tell me something important." "Yes." Theon replied, also leaning back in his chair. "But let''s have lunch first." He said. "I have a feeling you will need a full stomach for what you''re about to hear." And with that said, a cold shiver ran down my spine. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 THEON Something is happening to me and I can''t tell if I like it or not. I just know that today I have gone from being used to eating by myself to having two people at lunch with me. And what a shocker. I don''t hate it. Our food arrived and I became slightly amused at the way Ryn snuck looks at Miro and copied his style of doing things. From the handkerchief around the neck to the way he held his fork and knife, Ryn watched him like a hawk and adapted with perfect precision. "Are you having fun teaching our Elite how to fine dine?" I m¨ªndlinked my brother. He didn''t look at me but the slightest hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "She''s lovely, isn''t she?" He replied. "She thinks I don''t know she''s copying me. "That''s why you''re slowing down for her." I concluded. Yes. Someone like her will never ask for help so best to make her think this was all her idea." "Mhmmm." Ryn moaned and like a six inch knife through the u, her sound pierced my consciousness, setting my blood on fire as it rushed to my c****k. Even Miro went still, watching her like a predator but Ryn was oblivious to our reactions. Instead, she had her eyes closed in ecstasy as she chewed her food but when she opened her eyes and realized what she had done, she froze with eyes as wide as a deer. "Uhm, sorry." She murmured, covering her mouth. The smile on her face was gone and now, her ears flushed pink. "You have nothing to be sorry for." I stated, resuming my meal. ??This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "This is a safe space, so you can eat as you like Miro added. Ryn gave a curt nod and resumed eating but this time, I could tell she was being very mindful and demure. "Can I ask something?" She piped up. "Yea sure." I prompted. "How did you k T i know that I didn''t deserve to be expelled?" I nced at Miro before using a paper towel to dab my mouth. That''s because Sadie told us what really happened and showed us the video as well. "Oh." Her brows flew up. "Wow. She told me she''d fix things, I just didn''t believe her." She muttered to herself. "She must have gone through great lengths to reach you guys." I nced Kyn I at Miro before taking a long drink out of my ss of wine. nced between us, "Is there something else I''m missing?" Miro rolled his eyes. "Enough suspense already." He groaned. "Sadie is our cousin on our mother''s side." kyn''s eyes widened and 1 could see the wheels in her head begin to turn. "But.." She paused. "She''s so unassuming in school." "That''s because Sadie is a private person and just wants to attend school normally without the pressure of being treated like Royalty." I answered. Tue, Oct 12-31 "Oh." Ryn answered, before sipping from her ss of o orange e juice. "Now some t things make sense." We ate some more and after our table was cleared, Ryn focused her attention on me. "So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Miro stiffened in his seat, his mood suddenly darkening. Dabbing the corners of my mouth, I took a deep breath and told her about the meeting with the Alpha King and his subjects. From the moment I opened my mouth to talk, a certain pain blossomed in my head and my chest and the more I talked, the worse it got. Still. I maintained myposure, curling my hands into fists as informed her of the votes and what''s at stake. I The more Ryn heard, the more her expression darkened and I wished she didn''t have to deal with it but it was necessary. "So despite voting in your favour, the Alpha King has ced a condition on your position." I paused, feeling a slicing pain cut through my head so much that my vision went red for a second and I couldn''t see anything took a shaky breath and forced myself to continue. "Theon-"Miro Miro warned but I held up my hand to stop him while still facing Ryn who looked every bit confused. "If you''re known t to perform below expectation during the training period, you will be kicked out." I breathed, feeling another slicing pain cut through my chest. Suddenly, breathing became hard for me and I had to grip my thighs to cope you are caught flouting the rules, you will be kicked out" face fell as she swallowed. "So now, what you''re saying is that I am on a hot seat for the remainder of the training?" "Not just you." Miro answered, and I looked at him in surprise. Down the bond, I instantly felt that same slicing pain which meant that Miro was going through the same thing as me. "If you fail and my father wins, not only will you be kicked out but women will be permanently b banned from the program." Ryn stared at the table, seemingly digesting the information. "So all I have to do is survive the training period and I am good!" I sighed, feeling the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life overwhelm me, "but it won''t be that easy." Ryn''s forehead worst I on life; I almost smiled. "I''m fine, Ryn." nodded slowly but watched me warily. "So, what did that statement about it not being easy mean?" Ryn nodo "It means that my father has a way of getting what he wants and he usually does." Miro pitched in "I don''t understand." Ryn said, looking between me and my brother. "What have I really gotten myself into?" I nced at Miro and he subtly shook his head to prevent me from talking. "All we can say is that you have to watch your back" The moment I said that, another sharp pain urred, making me grip my head. "We have no idea how he ns to derail you but anything can happen." Another assault and I suddenly felt like throwing up. "The best we can do is push you to be better than you''ve ever been but against him, our hands are tied." Miro added. Kyn nodded to herself. "Sa technically, I am on my own against the Alpha King?" "I''m afraid so." I replied, rising to my feet. I suddenly felt like I wasing down with a fever so I excused myself and took deep breaths as I walked to the bathroom On the way there, I felt something warm trickle out of my nose and when I touched it with my finger, I discovered it was blood. disco 215 Minutes My vision shifted and I almost fell to my knees when I felt a strong hand hold me up. Looking to my left, I found my brother by my side. "I got you." He said and with my arm around his shoulder, we made it into the restroom.ter, Miro was pacing furiously as I cleaned the blood from my nose with a paper towel. He suddenly stopped and stared at the ceiling. "This is insane!" "I know." What were you thinking? You could have died!" "I had to warn her. I replied. Blood slipped out of my eye and I grabbed another wad of toilet paper to dab it out. "If I don''t, there''s a high chance Ryn won''t just fail but she also won''t survive." I know, but our father bound us by Alpha authority not to tell her shit! Directly disobeying that was t out stupid!" He red at me through the mirror. "Why not just give up on her? Why not let her go before things get ugly?" "I don''t know." I looked away. "Maybe because at some point in our lives, we have to stand up against the bully? If Ryn is willing to do that, then we can learn a thing or two from her," Miro''s turn to look away now. "I really hope it''s worth it, 1 He said. It was "Me too." I replied, catching another drop of blood from my nose. "For Ryn''s sake, it has to be." Chapter 17 Chapter 17 RYN I sat alone at the table wondering what was wrong with Prince Theon. Aside from the fact that he looked like he was suffering a stroke, I could sense the tension between him and his brother. It seemed like Miro didn''t want Theon telling me anything, and I wondered why. Shortly after, Miro came out, and his jaws were clenched so tightly that I could see the pulsing vein on the side of his head. "Get up." He ordered but before I could ask what was wrong, he grabbed me by the arm, drawing me out of my seat. "What''s going on?" I asked, trying to draw back but he held firm and didn''t answer. Instead, he continued to move forward, dragging me along with him towards the exit. On our way out, I saw the waitress from earlier watching us and when her eyes fell on the way Miro gripped my arm, her lips curled into a smirk. One we were outside, I realized there was a car waiting for me but it wasn''t the same one I came in. "Get in." Miro ordered, slightly pushing me forward. I turned on him. "Where''s Prince Theon? What happened to him?" His gaze hardened. "He''s no longer any of your concern. Now get in the car. You''ll be taken back to the center." What''s going on?" Miro advanced on me, his eyes suddenly turning pitch ck. "I said, get. In the. Car. Kathryn. I won''t say it again." I stared at him in disbelief. Why is he talking to me like this? What did I do wrong? Raising my chin in defiance, I looked him dead in the eye. "What happened. to. Prince Theon?" Miro blinked in surprise and for a moment he stepped back, assessing me from head to toe. "He''s fine but you need to leave."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I watched him for a moment before deciding there was no need to drag things out with him, so I got into the car and he closed it behind me. Looking out the window, I searched his face for clues but his green eyes reflected nothing but hostility until I was driven away. Hourster, I was back in the safety of the boiler room, curled into a fetal position as I thought of the events that happened today. First, was the incident with Coach Dutton and now I began to wonder if the Alpha King sent him to do that. I shook my head at the thought. That would be too extreme but then again, I had heard rumors of how ruthless the Alpha King could be If the Princes can be wary of him, then henceforth, I better watch my back. The next day, I arrived at Lycantide High, exhausted from trekking all the way from the center, Getting there, the first thing I noticed was Sadie standing on the steps, dressed in a cute summer dress and a big red ribbon bow in her hair. The moment she saw me, her eyes lit up and then she ran from the stairs to pull me into a hug I stood still, momentarily startled "I am so happy to see you!" She said breathlessly. 173 "Me too." I replied, holding onto her. Thank you for involving your uncles." "Shhh. Don''t mention." 9.26% When we pulled apart, she gave me a once-over and her smile turned upside down. "Are you sick? You''ve lost a lot of weight?" I sighed and shook my head. "Tm fine, Sadie." She searched my face for a moment. "You sure?" I nodded in response. "Alright. Come!" She grabbed my arm excitedly. "Let''s go in!" The moment we stepped through the doors, and people saw us, they paused. I froze as well, meeting everyone''s eyes as they all stared at me. What is it now? Do they hate me for what happened with Bessie Someone pped somewhere, and then another person pped and then another until the entire hall was filled with apuse from beaming students. I turned to Sadie who had a proud smile on her face. "What is going on?" 1 mouthed to her. She leaned closer and whispered in my ears. "Everyone is proud of you for standing up to the bullies and getting rid of them. My heart squeezed as she nodded at me and I looked back at the beaming smiles in disbelief. Who would have thought that this day woulde? As Sadie and I walked through the hallway, my ssmates patted my back in approval and some outright came to give me hugs Some girls approached me to tell me how much I inspired them to sign up to be an Elite and how they dream of learning self defense and defer By the time it was lunch break, I waspletely red in the face, overwhelmed with a bitter- sweet feeling as I cried in one of the restroom stalls. When I finally came out and washed my face, I stared into my red rimmed puffy eyes. Now I have to do my very best to make sure I don''t disappoint all these girls who have been inspired by me. I can''t let the Alpha King win against me. With that determination set, I smiled at myself and went to the cafeteria. When I saw Sadie sitting alone in a corner, I went to sit with her. The moment I did that, many students rushed to our table and asked to sit with us. Surprised and ted, we allowed them and for the first time in years, I felt happy. I also found out that the school''s management had given me a room all to myself in one of the executive buildings for the remainder of my term. More tears sprang to my eyes as I viewed the room from where I stood. My room had an enormous bed with a workspace and aputer. Then I saw the e card on the table. Slowly, I approached it and picked it up. To Kathryn Ashmore Opening the card, I read the words written in fine handwriting. 1 "I hope you like your room? I deeply regret that you are just getting what''s rightfully yours after all these years and so close to your graduation. I sincerely hope you can forgive and overlook the negligence of this fine establishment. Henceforth, all meals at the cafeteria hav With my deepest regrets. Theon Windermere. My heart skipped a beat and I instantly felt a rush of adrenaline course through me. Prince Theon had done all this for me? Was he okay now? I opened the top drawer and inside it was a thick envelope. My heart began to hammer faster, as I brought it out and instantly knew what it was. The moment I opened it, I dropped it on the table in shock. As a result, the contents of the envelope spilled across the table. I had no idea if I had seen that much money in my life. I don''t think I have. I copsed on my bed, staring at the money while lost in thought. This was enough to give me a fresh start. A new apartment. A phon I burst into a tearfulughter, hardly believing my luck. Falling backwards on the bed, I touched my pendant and thought about Prince Theon. Why was he being nice to me? What happened to him and why did Prince Miro go from being somewhat nice to full on hatred again? Just as I was thinking about that, I heard a noise. Sitting up quickly, I saw an envelope had been slipped underneath the door and the person who did the slipping was walking away briskly. Assuming it was another ''gift, I tiredly went to pick it up with a smile on my face. Opening it, I found a picture inside and when I brought it out and looked at it, my smile faltered. All joy drained from my body immediately. In the picture was a shot of me entering the five star restaurant with the Windermere Princes and on top of my head was a red x. With shaky hands and a racing heart, I turned the picture to the back and an instant chill ran through my bones, I read the words over and over again feeling my heart about to rip open. ""X marks the kill. Chapter 18 Chapter THEON 18 Dayster, I was standing in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees on the outskirts of the city. It''ste evening, and the sun is no longer in the sky. In front of me was a one storey abandoned house, and surrounding it were my Elites, armed with guns and knives, Everyone was quiet, staying as still as the wind while waiting for my signal, 1. on the other hand, watched the house intently, listening for the slightest movement. "Did you do the surveince as requested?" I mind linked my brother. "Yes. There''s just one mutant in there. "Good." "Are you sure you are up for this?" Miro''s voice came on in my head nced arhim. Miro was dressed like me in a grey t-shirt, dark camo pants, and heavybat boots, but unlike me, he was holding a heavy sniper rifle trained at the building, "I''m fine, Ro." I replied. "Why are you asking?" "I don''t know? Maybe because ever since the lunch incident, you''ve been coughing out blood?" Like a reflex, my fist went to my aching chest, rubbing it slightly. The healers said I will be back to normal in a few days" *I also remember the Healers telling you to have optimal rest and not put yourself in stressful situations. You should have put me in charge." "Are you that eager to rece me?" Miro rxed his gun and red at me but before he could say anything, I raised two fingers to stop him. C****g my head I heard the slightest of creaks but when I listened more and heard nothing. I signalled to my men to throw teargas through the window. Immediately, about seven of them did as I said and then we all waited some more. Within minutes, the house creaked again, and when I looked up at one of the upper windows, I saw glowing red eyes. "Brace yourselves!" I ordered and the order had barely left my mouth before the upper window exploded in a shower of concrete and ss! Everyone cowered but because I was a few feet away, I didn''t need to. As a result, I saw a ck beast jump through the air beforending on its paws, two feet away from me. Although it had some ck essence oozing from it like a shadow, I could still see what it looked like. It looked like a horribly disfigured lycan. A monster. "Permission to shoot sirf One of my men asked as he and a few of his collegues immediately surrounded the creature with their guns 1 barely had an answer for them when the beast swung his arms back and had my men flying backwards through the air. The one who didn''t get caught began to shoot and right before my eyes, the beast swiped through air with its ws and had man split in two from one shoulder diagonally to his other side, my I could barely register my shock nor rage when it sighted me and snarled. Immediately, I tapped into my Alpha aura Letting a growl rip through my mouth, I felt my hands elongate into ws, ready to fight. Just when it took a step towards me, the sound of a gunshot pierced the air and I saw the beast get pushed back. Turning to my right, I saw Miro reload his gun before firing another shot. The beast growled so loud that I felt the ground beneath me vibrate and then in a sh, it was gone, dashing on all fours into the woods at incredible-speed. I gave orders to my men to go after it and just as Miro proceeded after them, I stopped him with a hand to his elbow. He nced at it before raising a questioning brow at me. "What was that all about?" I queried. "I didn''t give the order to shoot." Miro huffed and looked at me like I was being ridiculous. "Did you just see what he did to Roman? If I didn''t shoot, he was going to maul you!" "And you should have let him do that instead of going against my direct orders." Miro blinked in confusion before his eyes hardened. "Fine." He gritted out. "Whatever you say. Commander." He answered. before storming past me. I turned to see him walking into the bush and sighed. Just then, the pressure in my chest became heavier and I began to cough. It felt like my lungs had wounds and were chaling against each other. Bringing out my handkerchief, I coughed into it and when I checked it, I found blood inside. Miro was right. Spearheading this operation wasn''t the right call, but if I hadn''t taken charge, my father would know something had happened to me and he would trace it all the way back to Ryn. Reaching into one of "Commander," of my pockets, I brought out a small container containing pills, and popped some into my mouth. They were specially made painkillers that would help my wolf heal faster. Miro''s voice thundered in my head. "I think we have him cornered. What do we do?"This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Stand down." I replied. "Keep him in sight until I get there." Tired, exhausted, and dirty, Miro and I rode the elevator to our penthouse suite in silence. Halfway there and I sighed. "I apologize for the way I acted today. I-"I paused. "I didn''t mean some of the things I said." Miro stayed silent and just when I thought he wouldn''t answer, he sighed as well. "You did it for her, didn''t you?" In''t react I didn''t He scoffed and turned to me. "Bringing her on the team? Going toe to toe with Dad? Firing Principal Crow? Taking her to Lunch? Just admit that you have something for this girl." Do I? I wondered. "I don''t." I answered. "I told you that part of me is dead." "Doesn''t seem like it to me." Miro murmured. A moment of silence passed. "You won''t understand." Then make ake me." I slightly turned to look into my brother''s eyes. I could see the curiosity, anger and other emotions swimming in them. "You''ve been obsessed with this girl since she came into our lives. You''ve even changed. You are no longer stoic, you''re now.... reckless." 1 ground my jaw in anger. "Watch your tone, Ro." I cut in, feeling the dredges of anger surge within me. "I may be your twin, but I am still your superior." + Miro huffed augh and shook his head as he rested his hands on his waist. "Today''s operation would have been an absolute failure had it been we weren''t lucky. Two men died today. T. The critically injured. All because your judgement was skewed! These are men who have sessfully passed the training. What happens when Ryn passes her training and fully 0 joins us on missions? Would you endanger more lives for her!" Surely. I wouldn''t, and I was about to say that when the elevator door opened. Miro and I stepped out onto the passageway and the moment we did that, all the hairs on the back of my neck stood. A nce at Miro indicated that he also felt the same thing I was feeling Slowing down to a soundless walk, I sniffed the air, and detected notes of musk and cedarwood. Miro met my eyes. "Someone''s here." He mindlinked. "Not just anyone." I replied, as anger med in my bones and 1 quickened my pace. The door to our suite flung open, and just as I guessed. I found the Alpha King standing in the middle of the living room. He raised his eyes to meet ours and shoved his hands in his pockets Hello Theon." He said in a teasing tone. "Daddy''s home." 3/8 Chapter 19 MIRO I stood frozen beside Theon, staring at my father. He was easily the biggest man I have ever known with biceps twice as big as my own and he was tall like a Norse Viking "How did you get in. Dad?" My father raised a scarred brow and softly caressed his full beard which was now having streaks of white in it. "Aren''t you happy to see your father?" His voice sounded sincere but his eyes said otherwise. "You didn''t answer my question, father." My f father''s face changed faster than a sunny day with stormy skies. "I am your Alpha and King! And you will honor me as both! both!" Theon shoved his hands in his pockets and c***d his head. His face is every bit as nk as a paper. "If you had wanted me to hold your to the standards of your position," he said, walking to our nearest curtain, "then you would have given us the respect of letting you in instead of breaking in yourself and invading every corner with your men," With that said. Theon brought out a switchde, flicked it open and stabbed it through the curtain. Someone yelped before falling out. That''s when I knew we were surrounded. My father''s ''s lips curled up in a corner just as about a dozen of his men came out of their hiding ces. "That''s why you''ve always been my favorite, Theon." My heart squeezed at his words. At least, Theon being a favorite, indicated the existence of someone else who was not. I noted that my father hadn''t looked my way since he arrived. It was his way of acknowledging that I did not exist to him. I should have been used to this but it hurts every d*****n time. TheonThis is property ? N?velDrama.Org. looked over at the men. "Get out." He ordered but they did not budge until my father gave a curt nod. Then they all filed out of our apartment. Theon headed straight for the private bar in the corner. "What is it you want, Dad?" My father turned his body to where Theon now sat. His expression suddenly turned business-like, "Fine. Since you want to go that route then. Exin to me why today''s mission was a fail My brows furrowed just as Theon and I shared a nce. A fail? No, we won. We got the beast into a corner and secured it. "I beg to disagree, Father. The mission was a sess. My father raised his brow. "A sess you say?" "Was it it not?" My father pulled out his phone and tapped some buttons. Immediately, our phones buzzed. I pulled mine out of my pocket and discovered that it was a video message. Clicking on it, the more I watched, the more I was filled with despair. Using Satellite imaging. I was able to see that long after the beast ran into the woods and we all went after it. No one waited behind to stand guard and thus six more beasts snuck out of the building and escaped. I rose to my feet. "Didn''t you do surveince like I asked?" Theon mindlinked me La La "I sent my team to do it. I didn''t go myself." I felt an icy cold feeling down the bond. "WHY?!" I hesitated before replying. "Because I didn''t want to leave you. "Whose duty was it to do surveince?" My father queried and my heart literally began to pump faster. Of course, I just needed one more mistake to make him hate me more. I licked my lips ready to confess. "It was my duty." Theon said and I nced at him surprise. "What are you doing?" I mindlinked. making awful mistakestely." My father c*****d his head to the side. "Like taking that girl to a restaurant, "Just roll with it! Well deal with thister." Theon''s cold voice echoed down our bond. Then he poured his ss of whiskey down his throat before rising to his feet and facing our father. "Whatever punishment you mete out, I deserve." "You''ve been Once again. Theon''s eyes a and mine met. "Have you been watching us?" Theon asked. "I watch over what belongs to me." "Then your spies should have told you that it was just lunch" My father stared at him for a moment. "Is that so, Miro?" I flinched especially when he turned his full attention on me. "Yes, Alpha. That''s what happened." My father watched us both as we gave him our nk faces. "Brothers first, before we are his sons." Theon mindlinked, "Brothers first." I replied. "Fine." My father shrugged, preparing to head for the door. He turned to Theon. "I''ll decide your punishmentter." Our father crossed the room, heading for the door beside which I stood. "And as for you." My father suddenly grabbed my arm and in a sh, his fingers grew ws that pierced my skin. I looked into his eyes, willing myself not to show any pain as blood trickled from my arm. "Father!" Theon said but our father growled at him and Theon was automatically forced to his knees, seemingly struggling against an invisible force. Our father turned his attention to me, his eyes glowing red. My heart began to beat extremely fast as I felt the essence of the Alpha King put me in a chokehold. "By my authority, I forbid you from supporting your brother in this cause. You will not help Ryn Ashmore. You will be my eyes and ears from henceforth until Ryn is off the team. I felt his aura travel along my blood vessels straight to my heart and head. I tried to fight it but his aura was like quicksand. The more I fought, the stronger it became till I waspletely overwhelmed and ber to his will He let go of me and I was left breathing helplessly as I watched him bring out his handkerchief and wipe the blood off of his hand. When he was done, he dumped it right in front of me and patted my back before leaving. The moment he closed the door behind him, whatever invisible force had my brother alimbo, left him and for the first time. I truly saw rage shing in his blue eyes. D He stormed towards the door but I held his arm to stop him. "It''s fine. He''s not worth it." Theon''s eyes grew colder. "He came into my house, disrespected us and forced his will on you. I won''t stand for it." Theon jerked his arm off me and stormed out the door. I decided to follow after him to see how things would unfold. The car envoy we didn''t see before when we came in suddenly appeared in the parking lot. My father was already in his car ready to move when Theon walked out of the building. In a sh, he changed into his lycan form and began to upturn all the security cars and when the men fought against him, he wed through them giving them all a nasty ending. Within minutes, the parking lot was a field of blood, guts and limbs. The only car left was my father''s and Theon''s wolf cautiously stalked towards it like it was prey He went to the front of the car and snarled at our father who was sitting in the back seat. Immediately, I hated the fact that I was too far away to see his reaction. Was he surprised: Afraid? Amused? In a sh, Theon snatched the driver out through the window and flung him aside like he was a ragdoll. Then he red at his father. "You went too far this time, Father. Too far but I won''t let you win Chapter 20 RYN Ever since the death threat, I decided it was best to keep a low profile until I coulde up with a strategy. This meant avoiding the Princes as much as I could and making sure not to be alone in deserted ces for too long. When I was sure I wasn''t being followed, I moved my belongings out of the boiler room and with the new wad of cash Theon gave me. I was able to use a taxi to transport it to the dorm. That aside. I got myself a brand new phone and Sadie was the first I called with my new number. After catching up, I also decided to search for an apartment to rent in time for graduation while also looking for jobs online. Meanwhile, at the training center, I did my best not to be alone with Coach Dutton and he took out his frustration on me by making me do extraps, Aside from that, everything else went smoothly. I eventually found a I a job at an expensive bar hotel when one evening during a walk, I witnessed a girl being kicked out. ording to the argument that urred between her and her former boss, it was obvious she was a thief and deserved to be fired. So 1 approached the man and asked if I could fill the vacant spot. He took one good look at me and smirked. "You''d do real good here." Next thing I knew, I was going through the back door, submitting my ID and filling forms to be a waitress while assimting every single rule and obligation of the establishment. Shortly after, I was given a uniform to wear. "Make sure you wear this and wear good makeup. You''ll get tips! He grinned in a way that made an unpleasant shiver run down my spine. I looked down at the so-called uniform in horror. It was a pileprising a red crop top shirt with ck leather shorts that could easily be mistaken for panties and fis pop socks. This is what I''m wearing?" I asked in horror but the man was already gone. A few minutester, I was sitting in front of a vanity mirror, struggling with a mascara when three girls strolled in giggling to themselves. themselves. "He''s s so hot!" One of them, a blonde, giggled. "You should see the way he is fighting right now. He''s such a beast!" "A bea beast I wish would look at me." Another girl, a brte, pined "I don''t need to be his mate. I just want to be one of his girls, yunno?" "I feel you babe. I heard lie''s great in bed." Blondie gushed. "Great is an understatement." The third girl answered. "I heard girl once say he gave her an o****m thatsted a whole damn half hour." The other girls gasped with wide eyes as they covered their mouths in shock. "Are you for real?!" Blondie asked. Trust me. My sister is friends with thest girl who shared his bed. She wouldn''t shut up about it." They got to their respective vanities and I realized they came to touch up their makeup. But to me their makeup was perfect. Why were they now adding more? And who was this man they kept talking about? He sounds like a yer. Despite being baffled, I watched them, trying to study how they use their mascaras as they werepletely oblivious to me. Tue, Oct Chapter 20 "You know what guys?" The third girl piped up after spraying something on her face. "I don''t even want him." Her eyes glinted with mischief. I want his brother. "Oooooooh!" The other girls gushed and giggled. "The mysterious one." "I bet he''s worse than his brother." "Yeah." The third girl beamed with an air of superiority. "I heard rumors from years ago that he likes to tie his girls and do nasty things to them. All consensual of course." She grinned. I "I think now I want him too!" The brte pouted.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Careful what you wish for. The third said in a sing-song tone. "From what I heard, he likes his women....HEY!" I jerked in my seat as I realized I had been caught. All three of them faced me with hostility written on their faces. "Was It talking to to you?!" The third girl queried and I immediately shook my head. "No. 1-1 uhm didn''t mean to eavesdrop, I just wanted to learn how to put on some makeup." I said. The third girl scoffed and gave me a scathing up and down look. So you''re the one who reced Cathy? Why sign up to work here if you can''t do basic things?" I opened my mouth to answer but then I closed it. I don''t need to deal with another Bessie right now. I had less than five minutes to get done and get out there. The third girl rolled her eyes and flicked her hair before catwalking out of the room with the others in tow. I turned to the vanity mirror and sighed. Can I really go out there without makeup? But my boss specifically mentioned wearing makeup and I need this job. I decided to grab a lipstick and call it a day. Just then, the door opened and in came the blonde. She had big round blue eyes that emitted a sense of innocence that contrasted greatly with her uniform. We stared at each other through the vanity before she suddenly crossed the room towards me. "Hi. I''m Maggie." She said before grabbing some makeup items from the table. "But my friends call me Mags" "Hi Mags." I said. "I''m R-" t call I me that!" She snapped, as she turned my chair towards her. "Only my friends get to call me that." aused. "Uhm. Noted Maggle. Why are you here though?" Maggie stared into my eyes for a moment and I could see the hesitation in them. She began to apply things on "When I first came here, I had no idea how to apply makeup too so someone taught me and now I am extending that my face. kindness to someone else." Thank you." ''I said. "Don''t mention. Just keep your head down and stay out of Chelsea''s way." "Chelsea?" Maggie rolled her eyes. "The one who tried to bite your head of earlier. She can be very territorial about the ''high'' tables, so stay out of her way." "Noted. Thanks." Minutester, after Maggie had left, I was staring at my own reflection and could barely recognize myself. 213 0 O Chapter 20 25% I was never one to think about beauty standards and if I fitted that category but right now, dressed like a prostitute with red lipstick and eye shadow that made my hazel eyes seem ethereal I couldn''t help but see how stunning I was. Do you even know how pretty you are?'' Coach Dutton''s words haunted my mind, making my smile drop. I left the room and stood in a corner, to study theyout of the massive bar. I realized I was upstairs surrounded by Alphas, Betas, and Gammas and when I looked down, I discovered a cage fight going on with men surrounding it, cing bets. In this cage was a massively tattooed with dark hair beating the hell out of his opponent. guy Within seconds, he knocked his opponent down and was immediately dered a winner. Hmmm. Was this the guy the girls were talking about? As if to answer my question, amentator mentioned that this was his seventeenth win in a row rendering him the undisputed champion of cage fighting. I blinked in surprise. He must be a really ruthless and powerful person to beat seventeen men one after the other. Why did those girls want him? Who would want to be with someone like that? I should go do other things but I had no idea why I kept on staring. His tattoos were somewhat interesting and seemed really familiar and just when I was hoping to see what he looked like, the man came out of the cage and that''s when I gasped. The Undisputed Underground Champion was Prince Miro Windermere, looking like the devil himself and to my horror, he wasing upstairs. Chapter 21 31% +5 RYN Ryn!" I jerked as I turned around and saw my boss. "What are you doing?!" He queried, with hard eyes. "Uh-" I stuttered, ncing back. "Still getting acquainted with t-the ce." He took one long, assessing look at me from head to toe and nodded to himself. "You''ll work at the high tables tonight." I blinked in surprise. "W-what? I I just arrived. I still need guidance!" The boss waved me off with a hand. "You will get guidance. Just make our clients happy. Hmm?" He smiled, before waving over Maggie and whispering something in her ears. The girl looked at me and her blue eyes hardened and the moment the boss was gone, she stormed towards me. "I swear. I didn''t know." I began to say, but she grabbed me by the arm and drew me away. Just as I followed her, I looked back and saw Miro make it to thending but he didn''t get to see me before Maggie pulled me into a room. "Look, I-" "Shut t up." Maggie answered and sighed before cing her hands on her waist. "Now listen good because I am only repeating myself once. Here''s how things work at the high tables. As a pretty girl," She red at me from head to toe, "you can either stick to serving or take it a step further. This means you will also have to flirt around and gain these men''s approval." "That''s the major reason why they keeping back. For the girls. Most of them are mated but a little flirting never hurt anybody. So if you y your cards right, you can make a lot of money from tips. Do not and I repeat, do not anger any of the clients or you''ll be in dipshit." I began to regret not investigating properly before diving headfirst into this job. "What if I don''t like him?" "You have the right to say no and move on to the next table but be polite about it if I don''t like him?" breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. ???? I there and you''ll watch me." Together we went out but Maggie asked me to stay in a corner and watch her first. I saw her carry an order of drinks and strut across the room to her table. In a very flirtatious way, she bent over to show her cleavage, while smiling and cing the drinks on the table. Before rising to her full height, she sparked some more conversation and the customer snuck some money between her cleavage. Then she turned to me and nodded before walking away. Which meant I was on my own now. I scanned the bar for Miro. What would he think of me if he saw me here? "Table number five?!" A ringer called and I recognized it as one of the tables Maggie assigned to me. Quickly, I crossed the space to get the order. Scanning the room for the table, I took a deep breath when I found it. It''s just serving, Ryn." I told myself. "It''s an honest job and there is no shame in it." With that said, I pushed my shoulders back, chest forward, summoned a smile and then I walked with my head held high. Immediately I did that, the atmosphere changed. Everyone grew silent to the point that I could hear the knock of my heels against the floor. I noticed some necks turn my way and then some more until everyone in my path was staring at me. BBB I instantly felt uneasy. Who knew such attention could be unnerving? +3 Keeping my pace, I walked past a series of ''high'' tables, keeping an eye out for Miro but I couldn''t find him. When I got to my table which had a single elderly man, I had no idea what to do next, so I smiled at him. "Hi." I said, then squeezed my eyes shut before bending at the waist like Maggie did as I ced his drink on the table. Knowing this was not who I envisioned myself to be, I quickly rose back up. Flirting is for extra tips, no one said anything about it beingpulsory. The middle aged man didn''t seem interested in my cleavage either as he pulled his drink closer. After awkwardly standing around, I turned to leave. "Hey." The man said, and I turned just in time to see him stretch some money in between his fingers to me. My eyes widened in surprise as I subtly collected the money and thanked him. While walking away, I grinned as I stared at my first tip and then I raised my eyes and my smile fell. Sitting just a few feet away was not just Miro but also his brother, Theon. They were being attended to by Chelsea who was now ring at me, because the attention she wanted was focused on me. Miro, dressed in ck sweatpants, cocked his head to his side and gave me a slow head to toe look that made a nasty shiver run up my spine. Theon, on the other hand, just t-out stared at me with radiant blue eyes that seemed to betray nothing but intensity. This time, he had his hair cascading around his face and suddenly, my fingers twitched with the desire to run my fingers through them. Gods! What is he thinking? Do the twins think less of me now? Are they mad at me? "Hey! What are you doing?" I jumped and then turned to see my boss looking every bit annoyed. "Table eight has been waiting. Get to work!" I nodded and with one nce at him, I hurried to the table.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. There, I found about five men sitting round a table, giving off Alpha and Beta auras. At first, they were chattering awayughing but when they noticed my presence, they got real quiet. I shed them a smile. "What would you boys like tonight?" "All I of you?" One of them stated and his menughed. "Could we have all of you for the night? and and I forced myself to keep on smiling. "Come on now, boys. Seriously, what do you need?" "Just you." The man grinned followed by moreughs and since table eight would not co-operate, I decided walking away to other tables to get their orders would be best. I had barely taken steps away when I felt a huge handnd on my arm. I looked up to see my oppressor rise to all of six feet - intimidatingly big and tall - towered over me. "Why are you in such a rush, pretty girl?" My impatience morphed into anger. "Let go of me. Now!" I threatened, feeling my wolf ready toe to the surface but that seemed to anger him more because he held my arm tighter till I felt pain course through me and thought my bone would break. "How dare you think you can talk to me that way?!" He shook me, and people began to stare at us including the security who did nothing. Suddenly, the aura in the atmosphere changed as I sensed someone far more powerful around. "She said, you should let her go." A whispery, seductive but also deathly chilling voice said and I turned just in time to see Prince Theon standing a few feet away. But something was different about him this time. He was no longer wearing his mask 2/3 BBB. of nonchnce and on his face was rage itself. Chapter 22 THEON After the outburst in front of my father, Miro suggested we visit an old ce to let off some steam and that''s how I found myself in Club Zero. It was arge warehouse turned into one of the most exclusive nightclubs in the country and it had been a few years since Ist came but now I was back. Miro needed to let off steam and I...just needed a drink. What I didn''t need...was seeing Ryn in that gods-damned outfit looking like sin and innocence all at the same time. When she attended to her customer, bending at the waist to reveal her cleavage, I clenched my jaw, feeling something strange course through me. When our eyes met, all the dark thoughts in my head suddenly became a maic pull drawing me to her and now here I was watching a brute Alpha manhandle her. My chest hammered hard as I watched him squeeze, making Ryn wince in pain. "Keep your cool, brother." I heard Miro''s voice in my head. "If you act out here, Father will find out and you know what that means for you both." I turned around and found my brother watching from a distance with his arms folded. Suddenly, everything seemed ironic. I used to be the cool, unemotional one. What happened to me? Turning back around, I took a deep breath and rxed my jaw. "She said you should let her go." I said, and the Alpha turned to me. Instantly, I recognized him as Alpha Eric, one of the new Alphas on the North province. His angry eyes at first widened before they hardened "Your Highness, we were just having a talk." His lips curled. "Let her go." I ordered. Ryn looked at me and although she seemed calm on the outside, I could smell her fear from where I stood. "What''s going on here?" Tim Jang, manager of Club Zero came amidst us. He was shorter than all of us and storky so he had to look up at our faces for answers. Alpha Eric''s forehead creased as he red at me before letting go of Ryn. "No problem, Tim." He smiled and took his seat. "Just getting acquainted with your new girl." Tim seemed flustered for a moment before he turned to me and bowed. "I apologize for any trouble caused, your Highness. Is there anything I can do to make you happy?" My eyes drifted back to Ryn again and stayed as she continued to stare at me. "I want another round of drinks." I said, before pointing at her. "And I want her to serve me instead." Tim raised his head in surprise, nced at her and then at me before bowing again. "As you wish, your Highness." After that, Tim beckoned to Ryn to follow him and she obeyed but before she left, she gave me a look I couldn''t decipher. Will Ryn think I''m a bad person or a pervert like Alpha Eric? Speaking of the bastard, I threw a re his way and found him already ring at me along with his men. Raising a brow, I sent a questioning re at them and they immediately looked away. Going back to my booth, I found my brother staring nkly into space with a drink suspended in his hand. Thankfully, the dirty blonde waitress was nowhere to be found. "Sup?" I said as I took a seat. "You good?" M¨ªro raised his head and stared at me but before he could reply, Ryn came in with my order along with Tim Jang in tow. The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed, bing increasingly charged with tension. Miro froze in his seat, watching her and when it was time t 111 me her cleavage. Somehow, I found myself a tad bit disappointed and wondered why. I haven''t looked at a woman in years so why am I starting now? My eyes crossed to the manager still lingering around. "You may leave." I said and at first he looked hesitant but then he bowed before leaving the booth. Once Ryn was done, she turned to leave. "Wait." I ordered and she stopped in her tracks. "I have to go." Miro mindlinked me. "Whatever I hear can be used against you so it''s best I leave." Miro and I shared a nce before he nodded and rose to his feet. "Well. I''ll get going." He said, and for a moment he slowed in his steps, his eyes lingering on Ryn, before he briskly walked out of the booth. I saw Ryn''s eyes follow him and then I saw her forehead crease with worry. "Ryn." I called and she turned around with wide eyes filled with uncertainty. "Why were you working here?" She shook her head and looked down at her tray. "I should get back to work." She said, making a move for the exit. "Ryn." I called with my authority and she froze. "Sit your ass down and answer me." Ryn released a shaky breath before choosing a seat far away from me. She wet her bottom lip with her tongue before flicking her hair back. "I am working here because I need the money." She said, with her defiant chin raised. "I understand." I said, "but you have to leave this job." Ryn''s eyes widened. "Why?" "Because this is not a safe ce for you, Ryn. Werewolves from all walks of lifee here including thugs, assassins and perverts. Once your beauty draws them in, it might be hard to get rid of them and I''d really hate for something to happen to you." Ryn''s brows furrowed as she watched me like I had grown two heads and even I had to do a double take on what I just said. What is wrong with me? "My beauty?" Ryn asked and I mentally cringed. Why did I have to say it like that? This is why I envy Miro, he alway way with words. had a "I meant.." I paused, still lost on how to phrase the sentence. After fumbling for a minute, I heaved a heavy sigh. "Ryn, you''re beautiful. There''s no doubt about that and not only do I know it but others do too and in a ce like this, it could cause extreme problems for you." "The other girls seem to handle it well." "The other girls are not you." I argued. "You don''t know me." She replied, and there was a way she said it that made me rethink what I actually thought I knew. "I may not know you, Ryn. But I have assessed you. You are a warrior not a waitress." Ryn stared at me and sighed. "I am not quitting, your Highness. Thank you for your concern but I can take care of myself." My brows pulled together at her words. With the way her eyes were set and her chin raised, it was obvious that I couldn''t change her mind. I guess I''ll have to find a way to convince her. QX31% Hourster, It was almost dawn but the skies were still dark. I found myself in the back seat of my car with my men, waiting patiently for Ryn to close from work. Knowing Alpha Eric from the past, I knew he was a man who didn''t let things go easily and just to be sure he did When Ryn exited the building, dressed more appropriately this time. I heaved a sigh of relief. Walking briskly, she turned aer and we slowly followed her without turning on the headlights.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Suddenly, a car parked in the opposite direction shed its headlights at Ryn and she immediately stopped in her tracks. Just then, the car door opened and some men came down from it and began to approach her and when Ryn saw she was in danger, she stood her gro ""No." I muttered. "Isn''t that Alpha Eric and his men?" One of my men asked. "Yes," I answered, "..and if Ryn doesn''t run, they''re going to kill her!" Chapter 23 Chapter 23 THEON I rushed out of the car just in time to see them make a move for her while Alpha Eric stood at a distance watching with a smug look on his face. Ryn shifted and in one move, she cut through the air and sliced someone on the arm but it was four to one and Ryn was running out of time. "Hey!" I shouted, calling their attention. The men stopped and turned and that gave Ryn enough time to wiggle out their hold and make a run for it. "Get her!" "Alpha Eric demanded and the men began to run after Ryn. Luckily for her, she sprinted in my direction and when she saw me, she skidded to a stop, her eyes wide with fright.. "Get behind me!" I ordered and instantly she obeyed. Just then, Alpha Eric and his men approached us and stayed just a few distance away. "What are you doing, Alpha Eric?" I asked. "I just want the girl." He said. "She''s not yours!" "Is she then yours?" Alpha Eric asked with a raised brow. I c****ed *ed my head to the side before turning to look at Ryn. "Yes, she is mine." Her eyes nced at me in surprise before I turned back to Alpha Eric. "She''s my student and my Elite and therefore she is under my protection. Do you understand?" Alpha Eric''s eyes shifted to Ryn in a re before pinning them back on me. "She stole from me and she needs to be punished for it." "What?!" Ryn eximed as I turned to her. "That''s b*****it, you liar! I never took shit from you!" "She took my wristwatch, you can search her." I sighed and approached Ryn. "Give me your bag." She looked at me with pain in her eyes. "I didn''t take anything!" She gritted out. "Give me your bag Ryn." She removed her backpack angrily and gave it to me. I unzipped it and when I dipped my hand in, the first thing I brought out was a golden rolex. Alpha Eric''s eyes glistened. "You see?! I told you! She''s a thief!". I turned to Ryn whose eyes watered. "I didn''t do it, your Highness. Please believe me!" I threw Alpha Eric''s wrist watch back to him and he caught it. "Ryn will be punished ordingly." I said. "Yes. That''s why she needs toe with me." Alpha Eric countered. "No. She stays with me, her Commander." I said, feeling a cough scratch my throat. "Now, leave." I had expected Alpha Eric and his men to retreat back to their vehicles but instead, to my great surprise, they channeled 0 BBB their wolves and bared their teeth against my men and I. "Think about what you''re doing, Alpha Eric." I said, letting my hands grow into ws. "Are you really going to fight against the Crown Prince?" the ! I could see the hesitation on Eric''s face, then his eyes turned yellow before he charged for me. Within seconds, a battle began between us and since I didn''t want to leave dead bodies I ordered my men to knock them out. In a matter of minutes, Alpha Eric''s men were immobilized and when he saw this, he ran Immediately, I chased after him but somehow he eluded me on the second street. Just as I stood in the middle of the road, wondering how he disappeared, a coughing fit took hold of me and I bent over, wheezing and coughing into my handkerchief.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. My P Prince!" I turned in time to see Ryne at me with her hands aimed for my body. Next thing I knew, I was being pushed out of the road just as a blinding white light urred. Every other thing happened within split seconds! The screech of a car, Ryn being hit by a vehicle, her body thrown in the air on impact and thennding with a sickening crack as the vehicle zoomed off. I stood frozen as I watched Ryn''s still form crumpled on the asphalt road and for a minute, all I could hear was the sound of my own heart working overtime. "Ryn." I whispered before rushing towards her body. The moment I got there, I found her in a pool of blood and when I went to check her pulse, I found my hands shaking. Thankfully there was a pulse but unfortunately it was too faint. "No.'' I said out loud, feeling my heart thunder through my chest. "Your Highness!" My men rushed to me, asking if I was okay. "I''m fine. Bring the car around. Notify Healer Kwan to get ready They bowed and left while two stayed with us. Just then, Ryn coughed, drawing my attention. To my horror, I saw blood streaming out of her mouth and it reminded me of my own health condition. If Ryn hadn''t pushed me out of the way, I could have been seriously injured or worse, dead. My car came around and I carried Ryn, bridal style to it. "Hang in there, Ryn." I said as I gently ced her in the back seat and just as I was about to move around to the other side of the car, I felt a strange presence that made all the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. Raising my hea head, I saw two glowing red eyes watching me from a rooftop in the distance. I froze, then I blinked to make sure I wasn''t seeing things. It remained there, watching me but when I took some steps towards it, the red eyes blinked before moving farther away in the dark. "Your Highness," One of my men called, drawing my attention back to the crisis at hand. "She''s getting pale." "Be right there," I answered and rushed to the car. Once I was in, I was shocked to see Ryn had bepletely white. Removing my jacket, I draped it around her and made hery her upper body on my thighs as we sped to the clinic. Still I couldn''t help but wonder. That beast could have easilye down to wreak havoc. So why didn''t it attack? Also why did Alpha Eric go to such lengths to fight over an omega girl? Something''s not right and I will get to the bottom of it. Until then, I looked down at Ryn''s body on my "I really hope you survive." Chapter 24 RYN A sh of red eyes, mangled ws and a speeding car had me opening my eyes in fright and the first thing I saw was a high rise ceiling. It looked nothing like the in, stered ceiling of my dorm room. I blinked several times, and slowly turned my head to the side. A gentle breeze flowed in carrying the dark blue curtains to reveal a starless, night sky. My eyelids felt heavy as I looked around but I saw enough to know I wasn''t in my room, So whose room was this? Where was I and how did I get here? What is thest thing I remember? I remembered getting a job at a club, seeing the Princes, Alpha Eric. I inhaled sharply as I sat up in bed. I remember being hit by a car. I remember thinking I was going to die. I looked around the room again. From the bedding, to the curtains, to the aesthetic, everything about it screamed luxury. I thought about thest person I saw before I got hit by a car. I remembered the look of utter shock on his face as I pushed him out of the way. Am I dead? Or did Prince Theon bring me to his house? My vision suddenly drifted and I groaned as I held my head. The more I got dizzy, the more a sickening feeling settled in my stomach. I stayed as still as possible, taking deep breaths to make the feeling go away. After a moment of this, I felt slightly better and decided to get out of bed. Slowly, I crawled out of the mass again. Bending over, I leaned against the nightstand, and practiced deep breathing again until I was fine. Then, I noticed the standing mirror in the corner and slowly crossed the room towards it. When I saw my reflection, my mouth dropped open. had no idea I had a bandage ove I looked down at what I was wearing. Did Prince Theon give me his shirt? It was a grey nnel shirt that almost reached my knees and almost covered my hands. I got a hint of a sweet smell and I bent my neck to sniff into the shirt. A small smile crept to my lips when I got a hint of cinnamon, butter and apple pie. Unable to get enough I sniffed so like heaven! I got a hint of something else in the air. Something that smelt amazing but yet I couldn''t detect what it was but it made my mouth water. Instantly, my stomach grumbled and I realized I was hungry. Deciding I won''t find answers in this room, I reached for the door and opened it. I peered into an empty hallway and decided to follow the smell of the food. This smell led me to arge staircase that split in two ways. One staircase to the right and another to the left but they both led to the living downstairs in a sort of U- shape design. My eyes caught the golden chandelier above and how every furniture and decor screamed wealth. Okay. I think I died and went into the afterlife. Did I? I looked around and my eyesnded on the two huge paintings on the wall. They were urate drawings of The Windermere Princes dressed in the finest suit looking every bit as serious as ever. In his portrait, Prince Theon had his hair down, maintaining the air of a myste had a shaved head and to my utter surprise, a nose ring, a lip ring and some diamond studs in his ears! See something you like?" A deep, baritone voice said behind me and when I turned, I saw Miro dressed in ck, standing with his arms folded. Startled, I tripped over my feet while stepping back and in horror, I felt myself falling backwards. Halfway to the ground, Miro reached out and grabbed me by the hand and the force with which he pulled me back forward had me stumbling into my chest. B BG. Chapter 24 031%2 I froze as I detected hints of vani, strawberry ice cream and coconut candy. His chest where my handsid were warm and I could feel his heart beat a little faster than usual. Our eyes met and his green eyes sparkled before they turned cold and he stepped away from me. "You really should be careful." He said, with a stern tone that sounded like a warning. "Seems all I do these days is catch you when you fall." With that said, he went to the stairs and began his descent. I blinked in surprise at his words and remembered how he caught me when I fell from the wall climbing session, and how when we went to lunch, I had missed a step and he caught me before I could fall. My stomach grumbled again and Miro, who had reached the foot of the stairs, stopped in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder and sighed. "Follow me." And then he left. In order not to lose him, I tried my best to descend the stairs as quickly as my body would allow. When I reached the foot of the stairs, I saw him enter the kitchen and the closer I got, the stronger the smell of the food became. Entering the kitchen, I didn''t fail to notice how "Sit down." Miro ordered and I hesitated. Why is he being nice and cold at the same time? He looks like he hates me but here he was, dishing something brownish onto a te and cing it on the ind across from him. His eyes cut to me. "Are you going to stand there and starve or are you going to eat? Miro asked. "Where is Prince Theon?" "Out. He went out but will soon be back." Relieved that he was alright, I crossed the kitchen to the ind and took a seat in front of the te. So this was what was smelling so good earlier. It looked like pie but I could see traces of pasta in it. My stomach grumbled again and I quickly nced at Miro to make sure My forehead creased as I watched someone like him do mundane things like that. It made him seem ordinary and less... dangerous. Miro sighed again. "I can feel your eyes boring a hole in my back." Startled, I grabbed the fork beside my te and began to slice through the food. Shoveling the piece, I slowly took it to my mouth and when my lips wrapped the fork, taking the substance into my mouth, I closed my eyes. The food tasted rich and savory and I could detect hints of meat, cheese, A moan escaped my lips, as I savored the taste and when I opened my eyes, I found Miro watching me watching me with a guarded look. Feeling my cheeks heat up with embarassment, I cleared my throat. "Uhm....what is this? It tastes uh really good." "That''ssagna." He muttered and grabbed a te to dish his own meal. "Oh wow. I never had it before." Miro sat with his meal and frowned. "Then what do you eat?" I shrugged as I speared another piece into my mouth. "School leftovers. The yoush." Miro stared at me before looking away in thought. As he began to cut into his own food, I decided now would be a good time for questions. "Can you... tell me what happened?" I asked. BGB. Miro stopped chewing for a minute. "You got hit by Alpha Eric''s car and Theon brought you to the clinic. You suffered multiple injuries including a severe head trauma but our Healers were able to save you in time." I thought about his words for a minute. I had no recollection of being treated at all. What happens next?" I asked, feeling a new kind of worry creep into my thoughts. "I didn''t steal anything from Alpha Eric but he was so adamant on having me punished yesterday." "Yesterday?" Miro asked, and I suddenly became unsure of myself. Was it not yesterday that it all happened? Feeling a bit of a panic course through me. I looked into his eyes and asked. "How long have I been unconscious?" Five days, Ryn." Another voice said, and I turned to see Prince Theon standing in the doorway, with blood stains on his suit and his eyes colder than the Arctic. "You''ve been unconscious for five days." 1 6 RYN A sh of red eyes, mangled ws and a speeding car had me opening my eyes in fright and the first thing I saw was a high rise ceiling. It looked nothing like the in, stered ceiling of my dorm room. I blinked several times, and slowly turned my head to the side. A gentle breeze flowed in carrying the dark blue curtains to reveal a starless, night sky. My eyelids felt heavy as I looked around but I saw enough to know I wasn''t in my room. So whose room was this? Where was I and how did I get here? What is thest thing I remember? I remembered getting a job at a club, seeing the Princes, Alpha Eric. I inhaled sharply as I sat up in bed. I remember being hit by a car. I remember thinking I was going to die.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I looked around the room again. From the bedding, to the curtains, to the aesthetic, everything about it screamed luxury. I thought about thest person I saw before I got hit by a car. I remembered the look of utter shock on his face as I pushed him out of the way. Am I dead? Or did Prince Theon bring me to his house? My vision suddenly drifted and I groaned as I held my head. The more I got dizzy, the more a sickening feeling settled in my stomach. I stayed as still as possible, taking deep breaths to make the feeling go away. After a moment of this, I felt slightly better and decided to get out of bed. Slowly, I crawled out of the massive bed and when I stood on my feet, the dizziness came again. Bending over, I leaned against the nightstand, and practiced deep breathing again until I was fine. Then, I noticed the standing mirror in the corner and slowly crossed the room towards it. When I saw my reflection, my mouth dropped open. had no idea I had a bandage ove I looked down at what I was wearing. Did Prince Theon give me his shirt? It was a grey nnel shirt that almost reached my knees and almost covered my hands. I got a hint of a sweet smell and I bent my neck to sniff into the shirt. A small smile crept to my lips when I got a hint of cinnamon, butter and apple pie. Unable to get enough I sniffed some more I got a hint of something else in the air. Something that smelt amazing but yet I couldn''t detect what it was but it made my mouth water. Instantly, my stomach grumbled and I realized I was hungry. Deciding I won''t find answers in this room, I reached for the door and opene I peered into an empty hallway and decided to follow the smell of the food. This smell led me to arge staircase that split in two ways. One staircase to the right and another to the left but they both led to the living downstairs in a sort of U- shape design. My eyes caught the golden chandelier above and how every furniture and decor screamed wealth. Okay. I think I died and went into the afterlife. Did I? I looked around and my eyesnded on the two huge paintings on the wall. They were urate drawings of The Windermere Princes dressed in the finest suit looking every bit as serious as ever. In his portrait, Prince Theon had his hair down, maintaining the air of a myste "See something you like?" A deep, baritone voice said behind me and when I turned, I saw Miro dressed in ck, standing with his arms folded. Startled, I tripped over my feet while stepping back and in horror, I felt myself falling backwards. Halfway to the ground, Miro reached out and grabbed me by the hand and the force with which he pulled me back forward had me stumblin 1/3 Chapter 25 THEON There she was, sitting pretty in my shirt. Her eyes, the color of storms. She stared at me and in order not to get lost in those eyes againb, I forced myself to look away. ! I was never one to look at a woman twice so what''s different about Ryn? Why is it so easy to stare at her? No. It''s easy to stare at anyone but with Ryn, why is it so hard to look away? Heaving a sigh, I strolled into the kitchen and asked for a bottle of water. Ryn nced at Miro who didn''t seem the least bit surprised nor worried as he went to the fridge and procured the bottle. "Are you okay?" She asked, her toneced with concern. "And is that blood?" "What else would it be, Ryn?" I answered as I collected the bottle of water from my brother. Her eyes widened before she swallowed. "I don''t know. Ketchup, perhaps." I almost smiled. Instead, I uncapped my bottle and gulped down the water within seconds. Due to the side effects of my medication, I asionally suffered from extreme thirst and had to continually stay hydrated until I was fully healed. Deciding it was time to shower and change, I headed for the exit. "You said I have been unconscious for five days?" Ryn asked, stopping me in my tracks. "Yes." I turned around and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Gods!" She held her head in her hands, and I could see her forehead crease with worry. "I''ve missed school, training, and my job!" "I made a call to your school. You will be allowed to write exams as soon as youe back. As for training, don''t worry. We''ll help you catch up." Ryn sighed a breath of relief. "Thank you." She bowed her head. I nodded and was about to leave when she spoke again. "Any news about my job?" "You still want to work there? After everything you''ve been through?" Miro asked, and I could detect the anger in his tone. He red at Ryn and shook his head as he went back to his meal Ryn looked down at her fingers and from the frowned, I could tell she was sad. way she "Given the circumstances, it''s not safe to work there, Ryn." I said. "But I''ll speak to Tim to pay you for the work you''ve done. so far plus your money is still safe in your bag." Ryn''s expression brightened a little. "Thank you." She said and then I left, up the stairs and straight into the shower. Due to the dried blood on my body, I turned the water up to a higher temperature and as I watched the blood wash away from my body, going down the drain, I thought about her. If it weren''t for Ryn, I wouldn''t have been here. In fact, the healers were amazed that Ryn was still alive despite the trauma she suffered. I remembered the words of Healer Kwan, ''The impact of her injuries is enough to kill a full blooded Alpha Ryn is a lucky girl? The moment I got out of the shower, I went to my wardrobe to pick out something to wear. My eyes fell on a nnel shirt simr to the one Ryn was wearing and I remembered how good she looked in my shirt. I was ablout to smile, then I frowned. I can''t be doing this. I can''t be fantasizing about my trainee. It''s improper and inappropriate and...private. No one has to know and it''s not like I will ever act on it. I sighed and snagged a white T-shirt instead. I need to get a hold of myself, avoid her and stop whatever it is brewing within me. Paired with a grey sweatpant, I left my bedroom and the moment I closed the door, I saw Ryning down the hall. BB Chapter 25 3 +6 She slowed down as she saw me and looked around as if she was not sure if she went down the right hallway. I didn''t make a move and she didn''t either as we stared into each other''s eyes. Shit! I looked away. let down your hair." She said like she was stating an observation. s. I do that when I''m at home." She nodded slowly. "It suits you." Our eyes met again and this time, she looked rxed instead of tense and guarded. "Off to bed?" My brows gained and she nodded. "I got dizzy I as I immediately became concerned. "Again?" "Yeah, it happened a couple of times today." She shrugged. The words were barely out of her mouth, when I brought out my phone and speed dialled my Healer. "Your Highness." came a groggy voice on the other end. "I need you to check Ryn." I said. "Why? Is Sheed dis wrong?" I dizziness. "Your Highness, it''s expected. She suffered a head injury. She will get dizzy from time to time, just make her take her medication." "I still want you to check her." "Your Highness, it''s almost midnight and this is my day off." I frowned. "I don''t care. You have an hour and I better see you here." I ended the call and shoved my When I turned, I found Ryn shifting her eyes to me. "You really didn''t have to do all that, Your Highness. I''m fine." She nodded reassuringly. "I know." I shifted on my feet, looking everywhere but her.. "Just wanted to make sure you''re fine." Her forehead creased. "I really don''t want to bother y- "You aren''t." I cut in. hands in my pockets. Silence settled upon us and this time, as we stared at each other, my wolf stirred, prompting me to get closer, to sniff her out and know just what she smells like. Something moved behind her and when I raised my eyes, I found my brother standing at the end of the hallway, with his hands in his cks. "We need to talk." He mindlinked me. "I''ll meet you downstairs." I replied. Ryn, following my gaze, turned around and when my brother''s eyes shifted to her, I felt our bond heat up. He gave her a stone cold look before walking away.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "You should go." I said to Ryn and when she turned around, she looked troubled. "I''ll call for you when the Healer arrives." B BB. Chapter 25 100.31% "Yes, your Highness." She bowed and I watched her walk into her room. Heaving out a heavy breath, I went downstairs and found my brother standing outside on the balcony, with a ss of wine while staring at the full moon. I went and stood by his side, staring at the sky as well while a gentle breeze blew through my hair. "What''s up? "You''re getting too close to her." Miro answered. at know what about." "Seriously?" Miro turned to me. "I see the way you two stare at each other. Only a fool won''t figure out you have a thing for her and she, for you." I thought about his words. Since when did the tables turn? Wasn''t I the one scolding Miro for getting too close to Ryn the other time? I sighed. "You''re right. I''ll end it." "Better." Miro turned back to face the sky. "Because Father just summoned both you and Ryn to a council meeting tomorrow." I turned to him sharply. "Why?" "You''re seriously asking me that?" He raised a brow. "Word on the street is that Alpha Eric has gone missing and thest person he saw was you. So I''m going to ask you," He said as he turned to me, shoving his hands in his pockets. "What did you do?" Chapter 26 RYN Chapter 26 ''Ryn'' I heard my name and the next thing I saw was the bright light of a fast iing car. I jerked awake, my heart thudding fast as I grabbed a long pointed hair pin and pointed it blindly at the darkness. "Rx." A deep, mesmerizing voice said. "It''s just me." My eyes fell on the huge, dark figure standing a few feet away from my bed and when I quickly turned on the bedmp, I discovered it was Miro. He stood with his muscled arms folded across his chest, watching me with amusement glinting in his eyes. "Gods! You scared me." I gasped as I ced a hand on my thudding chest, groaning as another wave of dizziness hit me. "Really?" Miro raised a brow. "Cause to me, you''re the scary one with...whatever that is." My cheeks heated as I ced the hairpin on the nightstand. "It''s a hair pin and I was just trying to protect myself." "Right. As if you could do any real damage with that." I frowned. "I can." He c***d his head to the side. "Show me." My heart sk**ed a beat. "What?" "Show me right here, right now how you would disarm me if I were some big, bad guy here to get you." I studied him for a moment, not sure where this wasing from. The Prince was practically asking me to attack him. Was that wise? "No. Thank you." I said, sliding my hair behind my ears. "That was an order, Ryn." Miro''s amusement disappeared. "Get your pretty a*** out of that bed and show me how you''d protect yourself from the likes of me." Did he just call me pretty? What is this man''s problem? When I saw he wasn''t joking, I slowly climbed out of bed and grabbed my hair pin. Studying him from head to toe, I found no weak spots in his stance as he towered over me. Miro was a big, big guy and disarming him was next to impossible. He snorted and rolled his eyes.. "Fine. I''ll make it easier for you." He said. "If you can get a single punch or cut in, then you''ve won." Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I assessed the situation and figured it wouldn''t hurt to try. Within seconds, I flipped around and threw the pin at him with force. He easily caught it just inches from his left eye but that wasn''t the only trick up my sleeve, while he was preupied with that, I made a move on him. With my hands curled into fists, I swung my first blow, aiming for his chest. Miro caught my fist with his hand and in one move, he twisted my arm around so that my back was now mmed against his hard, warm chest and my arm was pressed tightly against my front. I froze and for a second. Somehow, I thought I felt sparks. Tried to wiggle free but he ced the pin against my throat. The next thing I felt was his breath fanning over the space between my neck and my shoulder and for the life of me, I had no idea why it felt so good. All I knew was that I could barely think past the fact that our bodies were connected. UE B ti Chapter 26 You lose, Ryn." He whispered in my ear, making goosebumps erupt all over my skin. "You''re supposed to attack when it is least expected and now as a bad guy, I can do anything I want with you. Anything." A delicious shiver ran down my spine but when he released me I scrambled away from him as fast as I could. When I turned around, I saw him checking my hair pin, before sliding it into his pocket. "That''s mine." "Not anymore. You lost and now it''s mine." at him, feeling my chest rise and fall. "W-Why are you even in my room to begin with?" I asked. I stared at His eyes hardened. "It''s not your room because you''re not staying here for long." I rolled my eyes and mumbled under my breath. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?" He raised a stern brow. I raised my chin and looked him square in the eyes. "Yes." Miro stared a at me before breathing out augh. "You really are something, Ryn. Putting up that brave front is really cute. I''ll see how brave you are tomorrow." I blinked. "Tomorrow? What''s happening tomorrow?" His lips curled in amusement, making me wish I had seeded innding that blow earlier on. "The Healer is here to see you, Ryn, and I am also here to inform you that you have been summoned to a council meeting by the Alpha King." rm coursed through me. "Why? What did I do?" "Well, apparently, you''re involved in a scandal concerning Alpha Eric."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "I didn''t steal anything." "I think you''re in trouble for way more than that." I blinked in surprise. Why am I in trouble when he''s the one who tried to kill me? "Will Prince Theon be there?" I asked. "Yes. He''s in trout in trouble too." I began to panic internally. "I am not at liberty to say." I thought about his answer. "Why?" If Prince Theon was in trouble, then I am deep shit! "Can I count on you tomorrow?" I asked, even though I shouldn''t. Every person I have ever counted on has betrayed me. Still, I searched his eyes for hope but he looked away. "Forget about counting on me, Ryn. Theon may have your back but I won''t." I smiled bitterly. "I guess you won''t be there this time to catch me when I fall." I raised my eyes to meet his and he parted his lips to say something but then he stopped himself, turned around and left. 111 Chapter 27 RYN Dressed in a pink girly suit with a pink ribbon in her hair, Chelsea was led to the chair next to me and when she sat and I was hit with her cherry perfume. Crossing her legs, she ignored me and I turned away from her. What in the world was she doing here? Was she summoned too? I suddenly remembered Maggie''s warning concerning Chelsea and the death stare I had gotten when she saw Theon looking at me. Maybe she was here for payback. If so, then I was in real deep shit. A million and one thoughts ran through my mind as I kept looking for Prince Theon and just when I was about to turn to her and ask why she wanted to ruin my life, the doors opened and everyone immediately went silent. Everyone rose to their feet and bowed their heads and I followed suit. Suddenly the room became chillier and when I raised my head, I realized it was the aura of the Alpha King. By the time everyone was seated, I finally saw Prince Theon and Prince Miro taking their seats. I sighed a little in relief. "Don''t look at them." Chelsea said and I turned in time to see the smirk on her face. "They are not going to help you." My heart began to pound some more as her smirk grew. I touched my pendant and looked Prince Theon''s way but he was busy listening to some Alpha. How a am I going to tell him there is someone here ready to sabotage what we''ve been trying to achieve? After a moment of murmurings, the room quieted. "As you all know, we are here to address the issue concerning the disappearance of Alpha Eric but first before we do that, we will be addressing the issue of Miss Ryn Ashmore, the female Elite of the taskforce being used of stealing from an Alpha! Where is she?" I rose from the seat and as I approached the table, my legs felt like jelly. I finally met Prince Theon''s eyes and strangely felt a bit at ease. "Your Majesty." I bowed from my waist. The stern looking King glowered at me. His eyes and the smug look on his face reminded me of Miro and that once more made me feel uneasy. "So you stole from an Alpha. That is a highly punishable offense, one that could get kicked off the taskforce." "She didn''t steal anything." ''I wasn''t asking you, Prince Theon." The Alpha King snapped and the temperature in the room drastically dropped further making me feel chilly. I subtly nced at Theon but couldn''t find any trace of emotion on his face. "Miss Ashmore, what do you have to say for yourself?" My mouth suddenly went dry as all eyes focused on me. "Your Majesty, I didn''t do it. I have no reason to steal from AlphaAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Eric." "No reason?" He asked with subtle amusement dancing in his eyes. "Last I checked, you''re an exmunicated orphan in thest few weeks of high school whom I heard used to eat from trash cans, had no respectable source of ie and tried to make money by seducing men and serving drinks. You have all the reason in the world to steal." My face burned with embarrassment but I raised my chin in defiance. "I am telling you, your Majesty. I didn''t steal his watch." B til The King''s lips curled up in a smirk as he leaned forward with a taunting stare. "Can you prove it?" He raised his brows in question. I opened my mouth and closed it as panic began to set in. I had no way of proving my innocence. Is this how I lose my spot on the Elite force? Is this how he wins? "I can''t right now, your Majesty," I stuttered Just then, I saw Prince Miroe to the King''s side and whisper something to the King''s ear, making his face brighten. I nced at Theon who watched them with curious eyes but still no betrayal of emotion. "I just received news that there is someone here who wants to testify about the matter." The King said and when I turned around, my heart sank the moment I saw the stone cold hateful face of Chelsea. So this is it. This is how she gets her payback. "Your Majesty," She bowed. "My name is Chelsea Moore. "Alright, Miss Moore, tell us what happened." He prompted with a sly smile. "Did you see Miss Ashmore steal Alpha Eric''s watch?" heart began to race as Chelsea turned to me with her most hateful stare. "No, Your Majesty." My My heart skipped a a beat before I breathed a sigh of relief, almost copsing on my knees... What just happened? "What do t do you mean? You didn''t see her take the watch?" The King asked, frowning. "No, your Majesty." Chelsea replied, unhappy. "Ryn didn''t take the watch. I did." My eyes widened as I stared at her, openmouthed. The Alphas began to murmur amidst themselves and when I turned to look at Prince Theon, I found him watching me. He gave a wink and my face heated up as I looked away, gleefully. When my eyesnded on Miro though, my joy dimmered as he did not look the least bit pleased with me. "Silence!" The King, ordered and all murmurs stopped. "So Miss Moore, if I get you correctly, what you''re saying is that you nted the watch in Miss Ashmore''s bag to make her look like she stole the watch?" ves, your Majesty." She answered confidently. "Because Alpha Eric asked me to." Another set of murmurs erupted. People shifted in their seats and all I could do was stare at Chelsea. "That''s a serious allegation, Miss Moore." The King said, "Are you sure of what you are saying?" "Yes, your Majesty." Chelsea bowed her head. "Alpha Eric bribed me to nt his watch in Ryn''s bag so he could have a reason to take her to his pack." The King suddenly had nothing to say and I just stood with a hammering chest wondering what I did to deserve such treatment. "And how do we know you''re not just trying to protect your work colleague?" The King finally asked. "Because I have no reason to, your Highness. I hate her guts and aside from that I have tape recordings and video proof too." Theaved a heavy breath in relief and smiled as Chelsea approached the King with her phone to show him the evidence. I nced at Prince Theon again and wondered. Did Theon have anything to do with Chelsea''s confession? Because there is no way in hell that girl chose to admit to her B ti B. wrong doings out of the goodness of her heart. decided I would ask himter. After the King and his delegates reviewed the video footage of Alpha Eric bribing Chelsea, the council room once again settled into silence as they waited for the King''s final verdict. 55% "Based on witness testimony and evidence, Miss Ashmore, you are free to go and your position at the Elite Force remains intact." "Thank you, your Majesty." I beamed and bowed to him but from the way he frowned and red at me, it was obvious that he wasn''t happy about the situation. I looked at Prince Theon one more time as I was being us Chapter 28 RYN with with me? "Ryn." After the encounter with Chelsea, I sat on one of the seats and fingered my pendant. What did Chelsea mean by me being a pity project? Was she just saying that to make me feel jealous or was there something else going on with the sudden interest Prince Theon has I raised my head and found Prince Miro standing a few feet away. Seriously, his ability to move close to me without me knowing was definitely unnerving. Frose to my feet. Today, Miro was dressed in a dark suit with a ck turtleneck and his lips were downturned in a scowl, giving him the air of a grumpy Boss. "Your Highness." I gave a quick bow, and when I met his eyes again, I could see traces of anger, and loathing in them. I took a step back, wondering why he''s so angry at me. "Do you know it''s rude to stare your superior in the eyes?" My eyes widened before I instantly looked down. "My apologies. I-I didn''t know" I said, but then I wondered why Prince Theon never said a word. "Now that you know, act ordingly." He said. "By the way, Healer Kwan cleared you so you''re free to go home." "Okay. I was hoping to see Prince Theon before going back to the manor." "You''re not going back to the manor. I raised my eyes to meet his and quickly looked away. "I don''t understand." Miro relea released a breath in what seemed like frustration. "Your things have already been packed. It''s in the car downstairs. My driver will take you back to your dorm and as for my brother, you should stay away from him." I almost looked at him this time. Did this have something to do with what Chelsea said earlier? Better to ask. "Ma-May I ask why?" "Because you''re trouble, Ryn." Now I looked at ked at him and found nothing but ice in his eyes. Slowly, I looked away, confused and worried. "How?" "You''re asking me how?" He scoffed. "From the very first moment we met you, you ended up putting some boys in the hospital, one whom is still ina to this day. Did you think the matter died away just like that?" I couldn''t answer. "Things were done to keep Howard''s family froming after you, Ryn, just so you could stay on the taskforce." I blinked in surprise. No wonder Bessie was so mad at me.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Your issue with Bessie and her Dad is one thing. Putting Sadie a risk is another. Let''s not even talk about how your ce on the taskforce has driven a wedge between me and my brother and instead of you to stay low? Noooo." He huffed. "You went ahead and got tangled with Alpha Eric, forcing my brother to risk his life to save you." "What?" I blinked again, not able to stop myself from looking into his cold, green eyes. Miro paused, as if realizing he had said too much but now it was toote. "What did you mean by him risking his life to save me?" Miro''s eyes narrowed. "Did you really think you just magically survived a severe head trauma when you haven''t even shifted in years? The Healers tried to trigger your wolf but nothing happened and you were dying, so aplete blood transfusion B til had to be done and guess who drained his blood for you?" Tears stung the back of my eyes. "Prince Theon." I whispered, taking a step back. 3 "That''s right. You''re too much trouble, Ryn. Things were so much simpler before you came and now...everything is just so hard and soplicated with you." I ground my jaw to keep my tears from falling. "So if you really want to thank Theon for what he has done for you, stay away from him. He has a bright future as the Crown Prince of this country and the more time you spend with him, the more you jeopardize that." I suddenly felt a spark of anger. "You make it seem like it was my fault all along?" I red at him. "I didn''t ask him to save me. I didn''t ask him to fight for me. So why?! Why get involved?" "Because that''s who Theon is!" Miro snapped. "He saves people. He has a thing for fixing broken things." I inhaled sharply, taking deep breaths to stop my tears from falling. Shaking my head from side to side, I raised a finger to stop him from talking further. So Chelsea was right. I was a pity project to Theon. A fool to think I could have something with him. Gods! What was I thinking?! "I''ve heard enough." I whispered, looking away. "I will do as you say." I nodded to myself. "I''ll stay away from him. I''ll stay from you and I''ll stay away from Sadie." Miro''s face softened. "I didn''t mean th-" "It''s fine." I shrugged. "Anyone who associates with Ryn gets in trouble, so best to stay away from everyone." I smiled bitterly. "Thank you for everything you''ve done. Please pass my gratitude to Prince Theon. I''ll be on my way now." "Ryn." Miro called but I was already walking away from him towards the elevator. As I pressed the button to bring the elevator up, tears streamed out of my eyes and the moment they came out, I couldn''t stop. I was right all along. I am cursed to hurt people around me. Cursed to never find love. Cursed to be in pain. I kept on pressing the button in frustration and when I realized it still had more floors to climb, I dashed for the stairs and ran as fast as I could while sobbing my heart out. By the time I reached the tenth floor, I was exhausted and out of breath, and I copsed onto the steps. My breath came in pants as I tried to stop crying but I could not. Instead, I leaned against the wall until I could calm down. Once I was able to get myself together, I wiped my face and went down the rest of the stairs. Getting to the ground floor, I found the car Miro talked about, a ck SUV waiting for me in the parking lot. The driver, a tall, slim man seemingly in his forties, upon sighting me, opened the door of the back seat. When I got there, I paused. Staying away from the Windermeres also meant not taking things from them. So I requested for my things instead. "Ma''am, I am under strict orders to drive you back to your dorm "Well, inform your Alpha that I am no longer interested in the ride. I just want my things." The man looked uncertain but then his eyes zed over signifying that he was performing a mindlink. After a moment, I began to hear a buzz and it seemed to being from my bag which was in the car. The man retrieved my bag from me and I soon realized that it was my phone buzzing. When I checked the caller ID, I saw it was a private number and I wondered who it could possibly be. Nheless, I picked it. "Hello?" "You have two options, Ryn." Miro''s deep voice sounded on the phone. "You either let Antonio drive you back to the donn B ti B or Antonio loses his job." "How did you get my number?" "That doesn''t matter. Make your choice." And then the call ended. What in the world does this man want from me? I looked at Antonio who seemed to be calm on the surface but the way he looked at me intently, I knew he was panicking on the inside. "Fine." I sniffled, suddenly feeling exhausted. "I''ll go with you." "Excellent choice." He smiled in relief and once again held the car door so I could go in. Two hourster, I was unlocking the door to my dorm room and the moment I entered, my feet brushed against something on the floor. Once I saw it, my heart began to pound again. It was the same envelope asst time. I paused, and after making sure no one was in my After staring at the envelope for a moment, I bent down to pick it. Going to my bed, I sat down and brought out the picture in it. This time, it was a photo of me while I was serving drinks and atop my head was a red X. I turned the back of the picture, and saw the words, "X Who wants me dead? Chapter 29 Chapter THEON 29 If only Ryn knew how happy I was for her. After learning of the summoning, I had called my father and he had forbidden me from seeing or speaking to Ryn. So I had to take extra measures. After all, I am my father''s son and I can somewhat predict his moves. So, I left in the middle of the night, straight to the club and while on the way, I had ordered Tim Jang to grant ess to video footage. It didn''t take long to see how Ryn was set up and when I requested for Chelsea, she had been more than happy to see me until I faced her with the truth. Then I gave her two options; rot in prison for the rest of her life or confess and own up. Forcing her hand from there became quite easy. After Ryn was justified, the King took a small break to his office and most of the Alphas used that opportunity to catch up with each other. I wanted to go out and speak to Ryn but I didn''t want my Father to know how much I cared about her, so I stayed put while Miro stormed out. I was answering some emails, waiting with the others, when I felt eyes on me and when I raised my head, I found three new men ring at me. I recognized two of them from the club. They had been sitting with Alpha Eric on the night he harassed Ryn. One of them had a ck eye and some cuts on his lip while the other had his arm in a cast. The third guy however was younger than them and based on his resemnce to Alpha Eric, he must have been either his son or his younger brother. I decided to ignore them and go back to my business, then, someone walked in and when I raised my head, I saw it was my brother. "You tricked me." Miro''s voice slithered in my head, drowning out the soft chatter of the council. He §ß§Ö §ã§Ñ this eyes across the table and smirked. "No. I tricked Dad but I was counting on you being the pawn in this situation. ****d his head to the side. "You knew Chelsea woulde me pretending to have something against Ryn." "Yes. And because he has you bound under authority, I knew you would have no choice but to tell him. Father has been eager to get Ryn kicked out, so, checkmate." Miro smiled bitterly and when he looked at me again, I could see the pain in his eyes. "Good to know you''d stoop so low to. use me just to save her." I blinked in surprise. That was not what I intended. "Miro..." I started. "Save it! Before You got what y you I wanted." could I say anything else, The Alpha King who had previously gone to his office for a break came out and once again, we all rose to our feet and bowed. When he sat, we sat as well. "Now that t the issue of Miss Ashmore has been settled," My father red at Miro, "it''s time to discuss the matter of Alpha Eric''s disappearance." My father turned to the three new men seated at the table and asked them to introduce themselves. The one with the resemnce to Alpha Eric rose to his feet, "My name is Nichs Grayson, son of Alpha Eric Grayson and interim Alpha of the GreyHound Pack." He said with pride. "Along with me are Beta Jack Brockner," he pointed to the one with the ck eye, "and my father''s best friend, Viktor Solokov." He said, pointing to the one in the cast. The three men bowed. "Alright." The King said and turned to me. "Prince Theon, these three men have used you of invading their pack, causing 175 111 111 B & B mayhem and being responsible for Alpha Eric''s disappearance. So let''s take this one after the other. First of all, what happened after the ident?" I sighed. "After Miss Ashmore got hit by Alpha Eri-" "How are you sure it''s my father?!" Nichs cut in, fuming in his seat. I cocked my head to the side and watched him in amusement. "Alpha Nichs, you only speak when spoken to in this meeting. I won''t tolerate speaking out of turn from you." The King said sternly. "My apologies, your Majesty." He bowed, before ring at me. "You may continue." The King said to me. "As I was saying, after Alpha Eric tried to kill me," I looked at Nichs for added measure. "My main focus was getting Miss Ashmore optimal treatment so I took her to the hospital while my men apprehended Alpha Eric''s men. "And where are these men now?" "In one of your prisons, your Highness." "After that, what did you do?" I swallowed, remembering how things went down. "I sent some of my Elites to Alpha Eric''s pack to have him arrested but they refused them entry. So I had to go there myself. I just wanted to talk." My father raised a finger to stop me. "It says here that you barged through the gates with your car and when you arrived at the Grayson manor, you and your men fought the guards leading to, and I quote, "Loss of several limbs" chose to "Yes, that''s co fight. "I answered, "ording tow, if the Crown Prince demands entry into an Alpha''s home, especially on legal matters, he should be allowed in otherwise he is free to take any measure he so desires. I just wanted to talk," I stared at Viktor and Jack, "but Their faces reddened as they red at me and when the King and his council looked at them, they looked away in shame. they "And I what about the rumors of you being thest to see Alpha Eric before he went missing?" "All false." I said, pressing some buttons on my phone. Within seconds, the council each got a beep on their devices. "Yes, my men and I tracked down Alpha Eric to the Langley Portside but ording to the video I just sent to you all, Alpha Eric seeded in getting on a ship heading outside the country. Satellite footage also showed him three hourster drinking wine and celebrating with thedies. So, I am definitely not thest person to see Alpha Eric. If you want to know the truth," I looked Nichs square in the eyes, "ask those on the boat." The King and the council began to nod in approval and I leaned back in my seat, proud and content. Later on, after much deliberation, the GreyHound Pack was heavily fined for their mistreatment of myself and my men. Then, we were all dismissed. As I rose to my feet, re-buttoning my suit, Nichs approached me. "I still don''t believe the crap you said about my father." He stepped a little bit too close, but his beta held him back.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I slid my hands into my pockets. "You don''t have to believe. What matters is what the Council believes." And with that said, I sidestepped them and left the room with my men. Now that I was done, I suddenly felt the urge to have lunch with Ryn but then, I shook my head. I told Miro I''d stay away from her. Ryn''s my trainee for crying out loud. Taking her to lunch is starting to sound like a date and I have no intention of 213 B ti % leading her on. My wolf stirred, showing his displeasure with not spending time with Ryn and I began to wonder why. Was Ryn my mate? I shook my head. I already met my mate years ago but things didn''t work out between us, so Ryn definitely can''t be my mate. So why? Why does she excite my wolf? Why do I feel...different around her? After thinking and deliberating, I entered the back seat of my car. "Where to sir?" My driver asked and I met his eyes in the rearview mirror. Should I have lunch by myself or go home and cook something for her? After all, she has tasted Miro''s cooking but not mine. My wolf stirred again to show its displeasure at that. I sighed. There''s nothing wrong in making lunch for myself and inviting her to have a te right? That''s not a date, it''s just... being nice. Right? Ah. F***k it. I groaned as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Take me home." Chapter 30 Chapter 30 THEON Of all the things we have workers and maids for, cooking and grocery shopping was off limits and my brother and I preferred it that way. So on my way home, I did some grocery shopping, while earning some female gazes and approval from women. Still, I cared about none of that. Somehow, what I seemed to care about was Ryn''s look of approval especially when she tastes the grilledmb chops I''ll be making soon. I haven''t been able to show off my cooking skills in years and now, I was excited to do so while making sure Ryn gained some weight back. The moment I got home, I didn''t find Ryn in the living room so I assumed she would be in her room. Quickly, I took a shower, changed and got to work in the kitchen. After I was done, I decided it was time to surprise Ryn. Heading upstairs, I knocked on her room door but when I got no answer, I slowly turned the knob and walked in. A quick nce around showed that Ryn was gone and that did not sit right with me. Where did she go? Leaving the room, I pulled out my phone and dialled my brother but he didn''t pick. He probably was still angry at me for what happened today so I sent him a text. After that, I asked my men about her and they told me, thest they saw of her was when she left for the meeting that morning. After that, most of them had been at the Grand Assembly building, not at home. Why would she leave all of a sudden? Did she not feel wee enough? Then I remembered her statement before she left the meeting. you soon. See y Ryn had looked forward to seeing me. So what happened? Another thought crept into my mind, what if she had been kidnapped? I shook my head. Going to my office, I pulled up surveince videos while calling her line and as I checked thest few hours, I realized Ryn never came home but one of my men did and he had gone straight to her room to get her things. Why? Ryn''s number rang but she didn''t pick up so when I got the tone of her voicemail, I decided to leave a message for her. Then, I called the man who I saw in the surveince cameras and ordered him to my office. Minutester, I heard a knock and shortly after Antonio came in Prince." He bowed. here is Ryn?" An hourter, I heard the door open and saw Miroe in with another set of girls. Once again, he was tipsy while the girls, both darkhaired, were more sober this time. I entered the living room from the kitchen, and shoved my hands in my pockets. When thedies saw me, they began to squeal and gush like they''d seen a movie actor. ""We love you!" They squealed. "Get out." I ordered and their smiles faltered but they did not move. I took a step forward. "I said, get Out!" 1/3 out! Thu, Oct 24 B 12:39All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Immediately, they grabbed their things and scurried out the door, leaving myself and Miro staring at each other in the living room. "1 "I guess you''ve found out about Ryn." Miro grumbled. "You had no right!" I pointed in his face. "You''re right." Miro said, rising to his feet. "But I did what I had to do to protect her." I frowned, my brows pulling together. "Protect her from what?!" "From you, T." I blinked in surprise. "What do you mean by that?!" "I mean you''re going to hurt her....eventually." Miro folded his arms across his chest and I froze. "You''re so ridiculous!" Miro scoffed. "For crying out loud, T. Wake up!" He stepped back and looked at me like he could barely recognize me. "I used to admire you so much. In fact, I envied you because of how put together you were. I was the twin that always fell apart and you were the twin who had his act together, stable and grounded and always knew the right thing to do, and the right thing to say. So what happened?" I could only blink and stare at him because this time I had no answer. "You know we both have our way of coping....with the pain. I sleep around and you...you find your little broken girls whom you fix until they fall in love with you and then you run away. They never hear from you again. Yet in all of it, we both check ourselves so we don''t go too far." met my gaze. "You''ve never gone too far until now, T." He I blinked. "She''s different." "Oh, I can tell." He nodded enthusiastically. "Principal Crow? Alpha Eric? Me? Even Dad? You''ve never gone against Dad for any girl until now so I definitely know she is different. Yet, it still doesn''t make her any less of a project. So I advice you stay away from her." I stepped forward, anger ming in my bones. "And if I don''t?" My brother looked at me with resignation in his eyes. "If you don''t, you will ruin her. You will lead her on and she will fall in love with you as they all do in the end and then when she finds out you''re just an empty shell driven by pain with nothing to offer, she will be devastated." Miro closed the distance between us, standing eye to eye with me. "Ryn is a special girl and she has so much to offer and many obstacles to face as our first female Elite. Making her your project will ruin that." His words hit me deep in the core but I knew he was right. I never had an attraction towards the other girls. They simply mistook my kindness for romantic interest but with Ryn, I couldn''t even exin the attraction I feel towards her. "I just wanted to help her, Ro." I said. "She needs me if she''s going to pass the training against my father''s wishes." "Then help her." Miro answered. "Just be careful not to let her fall for you." With a pat on the back. Miro left me in the living room and I realized I was not okay. I was angry. Angry at myself. Angry at my father. Angry at the trauma that made me who I am now. I had intended to go for a swim after eating but now, I decided something else would calm me down. So I walked out of the B Chapter 30 manor, and walked some more past horse stables and ake into the woods. Walking some more, I got to an old hunting cabin, and unlocked it. Once I was in, I checked the windows to see if I was being followed and once I was sure that I wasn''t, I went to the basement door, unlocked it and turned on the light. It had stony steps leading straight down into a dimly lit room. My shoulders sagged as I sighed and climbed down the steps into therge, spacious room. The closer I got, the louder someone hummed. When I reached thending, I stared at the being, whose face was covered with a bag, tied to a seat, trying to wiggle free. My anger immediately rekindled. Walking into the room further, there was a table that had all sorts of torture and supply of surgical gloves. I took a new pair of gloves and wore them. Then I pulled the bag off the person''s face, and stared into the fearful eyes of Alpha Eric. He had a cloth tied around his mouth to prevent him from screaming. "So." I said, checking the tools on the table to see which would suit today''s torture. "Where did we stopst time?" I took a scalpel and examined it. "Ahh, yes. You were going to tell me why you thought it would be nice to hit me with a car." Chapter 31 RYN A sudden ringing sound had me jerking awake with a knife in my hand pointed straight at the door. I stared wildly for a moment before it began to dawn on me that I was safe and it was just my rm. Groaning, I turned it off and looked at the time. 6:30 0:30a.m. Between death threat number two and studying for exams, I barely had enough time to sleep, yet, surprisingly, I didn''t feel tired or groggy. I felt... full of energy. Not thinking much about it, I decided to start my day with some sit ups, pushups and other exercises. Again, I felt weird. Naturally, three sets of my exercise routine had me breathless and sore but I was able to do five sets instead. After my shower, I wiped the fog off my mirror and couldn''t believe my eyes. For the first time in my life, my cheeks had filled out nicely and my ivory skin now had a shine and softness to it. What the hell was going on? visible. Still in shock at how drastically my body changed overnight, I let my towel fall and studied my naked body. My breasts which were alreadyrge in size were now fuller, my waist smaller and my hips more defined. My ribs which used to be so prominent were now barely Visible Holy shit. What the hell happened to me? I I admit I have been eating welltelypared to before. Maybe my body was adjusting to all that food? I smiled at the conclusion. Choosing to be grateful for my improved look, I decided to go about my day. Dressed i I in a a ck top and high waisted jeans that now hugged my body a little too tightly, I entered the school building, and everyone stopped dead in their tracks. I froze, watching their mouths drop open. Oh Gods! They see it too? My face heated up as I slid my hair behind my ears and in a rush to meet up with exams, I hurriedly said some hellos, and waved at others as I walked past them. A few feet from my ssroom, Sadie turned a corner with a couple of friends and when she saw me she waved but instead of waving back, I pretended not to see her and dodged into my ssroom before I could even think. Immediately I cringed at my action. Sadie definitely saw me and she knows I saw her too. What would she What wou think of of me? Gods! Having to stay away from her sucks. I realized my ssmates, including my teacher, were staring at me. So I mumbled an apology, and rushed to take an empty seat. Halfway there, I stopped in my tracks, when I saw Bessie two rows behind giving me the worst re she had ever mustered. I suddenly felt uneasy. I had no idea she was back in school. Moving to my seat regardless, I noticed she had now be leaner, more sulky and the smug look she always had was gone. I saw dark circles under her eyes that made her look somewhat defeated and somehow I felt sorry for her. Thankfully, my papers went well and as soon as I submitted, I checked my wristwatch and realized I had an hour to get to the training center. Deciding to skip lunch, I rushed out and to my terror, I found Sadie sitting on the floor just outside myN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ssroom. Did she stay here all through my paper? 3 The "Hi." I replied. She looked at me from head to toe in an admirable way. "You look good, like really good." She nodded enthusiastically. moment she saw me, she quickly stood up and I could see the uncertainty on her face as she fiddled with her fingers. Worse, I could see the pain in her eyes. "Hi." She said. "Thanks." before giving me a gentle bitter smile that broke my heart. "Okay. Can we hang outter?" "Yea sure. Totally." I lied, and gave an awkward wave before walking away. ." I almost smiled then I reminded myself that I had to stay away from her. "It''s been a while since-" "I have to go." I cut in. Sadie frowned, looking offended. "You know uhm training and I can''t bete and stuff." at me, Sadie stared I didn''t dare look back as I rushed out of the school building, down the road and it wasn''t until I saw a tree and leaned against it, that I let my tears fall. Sadie didn''t dn''t deserve that. Like, at all but it was for the best. Everyone around me gets hurt and the fact that I''m getting death threats makes things even worse. Consoling myself with the fact that I was doing my best to protect her, I wiped my face and got myself together before moving. I got to the center just in time and found the guys already warming up and interacting with each other. When they saw me, they stopped and stared at me from head to toe in a way that made me highly ufortable. Since I was dressed in mofty, I decided to rush into the boys locker room to change into my uniform. I hated that I didn''t have my own locker yet but it is what it is. Once I was in, I locked the door, quickly changed to my neatlyundered uniform and packed my hair in a tight ponytail. Checking my wristwatch, I realized I had two minutes left before ss started so I grabbed my bag, unlocked the door and to my horror, I found Coach Dutton at the door. "Hello gorgeous." He said, before nting his hands on my mouth and pushing me back in. He groaned before putting his full The Panic seized me as he closed the door in one move and tried to lock it. In that split second, I grabbed his hand, yanked it from my mouth and twisted it backwards. I weight on me, pushing me against a wall. I hit my head, and immediately felt dizzy and in that moment, he ced his hand back on my mouth. "You think you can beat me?" He panted as he struggled to keep me still, while reaching for my pants. "There''s nothing a little b***h like you can do!" My wolf reared to the surface and as I met his predatory gaze, I realized there was an open space between his legs. Summoning all my strength, I pushed up my knee up his groin and instantly he doubled over, releasing me. I seized that opportunity to grab my bag and run out of the locker room. Once I turned a corner and was almost entering the training hall, I leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath. That was a huge mess up on my part. I shouldn''t have let myself get caught by him. I should tell Prince Theon but then I remembered all the trouble he went through for me. Principal Crow, his father, Alpha Eric, and now Coach Dutton? Seems I am a ma for drama and it would be unfair to drag him into my mess once again. Chapter 32 RYN I took a faltering step back as I watched all of them. What the hell did he mean by the ''perfect punishment"? Before I could react, Coach Dutton grabbed me by the arm, causing me to wince in pain. Let go of me!" I tried to pry his fingers off but he only gripped my arm harder. "Are you seriously going to assault the third inmand of this facility?" He queried, making me pause. I suddenly realized what he was doing. He was punishing me for what I did to him in the locker room and is using what I did to Konan as an excuse. To an outsider, Coach Dutton would be right in punishing me and trying to fight him would only make me seem like I''m challenging authority. Knowing he had me in a corner, Coach Dutton smirked before turning to the others. "Today, we are going to learn something new and Miss Ashmore is more than happy to give us a demonstration. Follow me." With that said, he dragged me towards the exit, out of the training room and the others followed suit behind. My heart pounded furiously as my mind raced with a million thoughts wondering what this punishment might entail. At the same time, I looked around, hoping desperately that I''d see Prince Theon. I don''t care that I am some project to him. I know he''d save me and put an end to this. Even if it''s just onest time. Coach Dutton entered into a dimly lit but spacious room. In this room, there was barely any furniture and in front of us was another room separated by ss starting from the floor to the ceiling. Beside this ss room was a door and inside it, I could see a white leather chair and a bunch of harnesses dangling from the ceiling. My heart began to pound harder. Was s he going to tie to tie me up? "Gentlemen!" Coach Dutton said to the guys as they filled the room and faced the ss wall. "Today, you''re going to get into the thick of war. You''ve been learningbat, tactical and strategic attack as well as weaponry. This," He motioned to the room behind the ss wall, ... is where it it all Ies together. This is called a simtion. You will be ced in a 3D setting that looks a lot like real life and you will be tasked with surviving against the worst of the worst." An unpleasant shiver ran down my spine. "This simtion will first bring out your worst fears and the system will interpret it into images for us all to see." He said, bringing out a remote from his pocket and with the press of a button, the bare walls of the room became a nk screen. The boys ''ooohed'' and ''aaaahed'' clearly impressed, and I would have been too if I didn''t just learn that my worst fears will soon be made public. I looked up at Coach Dutton and found him smirking at me. "Let''s see how tough you are now." He said, and Konan smirked as Coach Dutton dragged me towards the door of the ss room. Every fiber in me wanted to run but I knew I couldn''t. That would mean challenging authority which the Alpha King could in turn use to kick me out. Opening the door, I was led into an all white spacious room. The air here smelled like a mix of chemicals and it stung my nose with how intense it was. To my left was a huge monitor system with red, green and yellow led lights blinking on it and at the center of the room was the chair and rope thing hanging from high up. Upon close inspection, I noticed it wasn''t a rope but a big eletrical wire. Pushing me, Coach Dutton forced me to sit in the chair and when he buckled a leather strap around my wrist, binding me to the chair, my body began to shiver. 1/3 12:39 Thu, Oct Chapter 32 55% Within a minute, both my wrists and my ankles were bound to the chair and when I tried to move, I realized I was stuck. Looking at the ss wall, I caught my own reflection staring back at me, wide eyed and terrified. "W-what are you doing, Coach?" I asked as I saw him move to stand behind me. His eyes narrowed as he smirked. "I am teaching you a lesson." With that said, he ced his arms on my shoulders and forced me back against the chair and before I knew it, he wrapped a leather strap around my neck, and buckled it, keeping me frozen in ce. My breath came out in short, shallow pants as the leather strap chafed my throat and added pressure to my airway, making it hard to take big breaths. "I don''t want to do this! Please, stop!" "It''s either this or sor I go straight to the Alpha King telling him you assaulted a student without cause." He whispered in my ear, while meeting my eyes through the mirror. "So, choose wisely." I looked away, deciding not to struggle and Coach Dutton took that as his cue to go ahead with his punishment. Looking through the mirror, I saw him connect the wires to the chair and then there were little tiny wires which he began to attach to my head. At this point, I could barely hear my thoughts above the hammering of my heart. I continued to take shallow breaths, constantly looking at the door, hoping Prince Theon would barge in and save me. Will this hurt? Am I ready to face my worst fears? Worse, won''t making my worst fears public ruin my life? "Listen up, Boys!" Coach said, staring straight at the ss wall. "The simtion will begin in a minute. It is made to test your mental toughness. Watch and learn how it works. All Elites have been through this training and you all will too. Our dear Ryn will demonstrate how tough she really is in the face of her worst fears and we''ll see if she is truly Elite material." I saw his smirk and then the lights went dim. Aputerized voice began to count down from ten and the more it did so, the drowsier I became. "Five." Five. "Free." "Two. Two. "One."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I opened my eyes and found myself standing in a clearing, illuminated by the full moon. I checked my hands and found them unbound. I moved my legs and realized I could move. Yet, I knew this wasn''t real. Turning around, I discovered I was surrounded by trees and darkness and yet there was something familiar about this ce. Something...ominous. Where am 12 A twig snapped somewhere in the woods and I turned sharply. "Hello?" I called. "Is anyone there?" I cringed at my own question. This was a f***g simtion and I am meant to be facing my worst fears. So what the hell was it?! Goosebumps began to rise on my skin as I stared into the darkness where the sound came from. I suddenly felt like I was being surrounded and watched by something truly evil. Taking a step back, I decided to run, but when I turned. I saw two people standing about two feet away. I couldn''t believe my eyes. Chapter 33 MIRO I had no intention ofing to work today but after a call front Sadie, I realized I had to mend things with Ryn. I never meant for her to blow her only friend off. I just didn''t like the effect she had on my brother. The moment I arrived at the center, I immediately felt weird.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. My wolf began to go restless, pacing around and showing signs of nervousness, I rubbed my chest, wondering what was wrong but I couldn''t think of an answer. I decided to go to my office first before sending for Ryn but then I noticed I haven''t seen any of the trainees, Calling one of the security guards, I asked for their whereabouts and they pointed me to the Simtion room. 1 frowned. Were we already that far ahead in the curriculum? I decided to see how things were going myself. The closer I got, the more restless my wolf became until I was sure something was really wrong. Just a few feet to the door, all the lights began to flicker and surge. What in the world was going on? The door to the simtion room was originally made to be soundproof so when I yanked it open, the first thing I heard was pure chaos. At first, I didn''t understand what was going on as I saw the boys staring at something on the screen and heard some of themughing. A few saw me as I entered the room and from the look on their faces, I could tell they were horrified. Then I saw Ryn strapped to the simtion chair screaming at the top of her lungs and Coach Dutton standing beside her with his face etched in a sadistic smile. "Please, get me out!" She wept and when I saw the screen, I saw lier being chased by a mutant. She fell and began to scramble back from the beast. "Please! No!" She cried and someoneughed. Instantly, my blood ran cold. Within seconds I was at the second door trying to get in and when I found it locked, I stepped back and kicked it open. The door fell off its hinges and when Coach Dutton saw me, his eyes widened. "My Prince!" He said but I was moving past him to the chair. I grabbed the biggest wire connected to the chair and yanked it out. Instantly, everything quieted down, and Ryn rxed, with her head lolled to the side. I removed the cor around her neck first, and put my hands on both sides of her face. I realized her temperature was close to feverish. T "Ryn, wake up. I said, but her eyes were closed and she was unresponsive. My wolf began to whine and pace more frantically. "My Prince. I can exin. Coach Dutton began. "Get a Healer here. Now!" I ordered and heard footsteps leading out of the room. "Ryn" I called again, starting to regret noting to work early If I had been around, I''d have never let her be treated this roun way I noticed the tears and snot running down her face and I brought out my handkerchief to clean them. Afterwards, I removed the rest of her sharkles and with one arm under the back of her knees and her arm around me. I carried her against my chest and walked out of the L Chapter 33 By the time I left the building. I found Healers running towards us with a stretcher. Slowly, I lowered Ryn''s body on the bed and followed them while exining the situation to them. They promised to take care of her as we entered the clinic and I was left to y in the waiting area until further notice. Since I wasn''t the type to wait, I went back to the training center and found Coach Dutton talking seriously to the trainees. Once he saw me, he stopped and changed his demeanor to one of niceness. "My Prince." He bowed. "My office now!" I ordered but he hesitated, ncing back at the boys before eventually leaving the room. I turned to them. looking each in the face as they lowered their gaze to the floor. "You all disgust me!" "Ryn is your fellow Elite. The first of her Kind, trying her best to pave the way for women to have a chance at protecting their packs and country. You saw her in distress, at the height of hier worst fears and what did you do? Youughed" I shook my head. "Imagine if this was real! Ryn being faced by a real mutant, is that how you''ll abandon andugh at her?!" "No sir!" They all Shut chorused. The K ut the 1 ****k up!" I grimaced. "You all are hypocrites! And for what you have done, you all must run two hundredps around the building in three hours." I raised their heads in surprise before quickly looking down. "Yesssss." I smirked, enjoying the distress on their faces. "Two hundredps around the building in 3 hours will put you at a speed simr to running for your life. Let''s see how funny it is then. Now go!" They all filed out of the training room, looking defeated and afterwards, I went to my office. The moment I entered, I met Dutton already seated and that made me even more angry. "Get up." I said and he instantly obeyed and bowed once again. "Why did you make Ryn go through that exercise without proper training?" Dutton hesitated, "Well, it was their first time learning about simtion and conquering fears. I needed someon practice and Miss Ryn offered to help" for I ground my jaw in anger. "Ryn just recently suffered a head trauma. Why would you allow her to volunteer for such?!" Coach Dutton opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. "I thought she was fully healed. I-It skipped my mind." I scoffed. "It slipped your mind?" I took a step forward, arms crossed behind me, "Remember what I said I''d do to concerning Ryn?" His eyes widened in fear. "I swear I haven''t crossed any professional line. Please sir! 1-1 need this job!" o you I red at him for a moment. "Fine. You can go but you''ll be the one to n pay medical bills." "Of course, My Prince!" He nodded a little too eagerly for my liking. "Dismissed. Dutton bowed once again before leaving my office. I sighed and sent a text to the Healer in charge of Ryn''s care to ask about her wellbeing. Then, I went to my seat and when I sat, I leaned back in my chair, facing the ceiling Should I tell my brother about this? I sighed and shook my head, He''s had enough dramately. Knowing him, he''d probably have Dutton fired within seconds. and my Father would hear of it and then trace it back to Ryn and it''d just be a terrible mess. I''ll have to handle this myself while finding a way not to trigger my father''s bound authority. A thought suddenly urred to me, making me sit down and turning on myputer. I remembered the image I saw of Ryn''s worst fears and pulled up the footage of that on myputer. My phone beeped and I got a message from the Healer informing me that Ryn was fine but needed to rest before anyone could see her. Relieved at the news, I thanked the Healer and focused on the footage showing what she saw in the simtion. It was nasty and I could only imagine how traumatizing it was for Ryn''ste parents to call her a monster. But why? But why? Why was she afraid of being called a monster? And why would she see a mutant? Has she seen one before? She hadn''t even gotten to that part of the training yet. All these and more became questions that gued me as I signed out of my office an hourter. I decided Ryn should have rested enough so I headed for the clinic to see her, Once I asked directions to her ward. I wondered how I was going to face her after hurting her feelings thest time. The moment I reached the door, someone bumped into me and when I realized who it was anger sparked in my bones. Cause what the hell was Coach Dutton doing in Ryn''s room? MIRO MIRO What are you doing here?" I asked.. Coach Dutton''s eyes widened. "Oh. I uhm-" He swallowed. "I felt sorry for Ryn so I came to check in on her. She''s awake now, My Prince." I watched him squirm for a moment and when I looked into the room and found Ryn watching us, I decided to let him go. Despite Ryn being aware of my presence, I knocked on the open door before walking further into the room. Then I slowed in my steps. By the gods, Ryn had be even more beautiful than thest time I saw her. My wolf stirred, prompting me, to go near her and I had to blink back to my senses. Now I see why my brother was so mesmerized with her. His blood transfusion must have done a lot more than healing her wounds. Ryn continued to watch me as I closed the distance between us. Usually, I could tell what she was feeling through her eyes but now, she simply stared at me nkly like I was a stranger. "Hi" I said, suddenly wondering if I should have brought flowers. "Commander." She whispered and from her voice, I could tell she was terribly sad. I Coach Dutton threaten you?" I asked and she looked away before shaking her head. So if he didn''t, why is she so sad? "I saw the footage of your simtion." I said and Ryn''s eyes snapped to me. "Very traumatic experience indeed considering what you''ve been throughtely. Just wanted to let you know it''s not real. It''s just a world created by your mind. I''m sure your parents never felt that way about you." "And I how are you so sure?" She whispered and I suddenly became at a loss for words. Ryn saw my hesitation and looked away. U Chapter 33 "Because you''re a good person" 1 1darted not and I gained her tention agam "You could have chosen to let my cousin get bullied but you sacrificed yourself to save her. You put your life the line again by saving my brother''s life Monsters don''t do that Only good people do Ryn seemed to ponder on that "And that''s why I gother si dhe am a on to alge 1 ad id Leuker of emotion in her eyes Her brows slightly pulled tched me "Tshouldn''t had these things in the manner in which Loid them till and by what t sad till think se trouble but 1 omitting to aire the entirely who you are? Ren opened her mouth to speak hon then she began to enough call powerd hire a w of water from the pitcher on the nightstand near her bed I moved closet with the intent to give the cup and the moment one fingers brushed. I felt 1 tingles Our eyes met and noted Rys widelees her fingers and frank the water, seemingly oblivism what was happening and I was ich wondering Could Ryn bem mate I remember the time she fell from the wall into my arms, and had felt those sparks too and even perceived a scent but i thought it was an illusion My brows furrowed as I watched her fish the water Quickly, I offered to collect the cap to put it back and when out hands ta hed again. I felt nothing My 1 + aty stomach twisted in knots as I returned the cup luck to the rightstand. What the hell is happening? "Is Priser Theon around?" Ryn asked, drawing me from my thoughts. "Thim. No. He had an errand to run. So he didn''te to the office at all today" "O" Rym sad looking down at her fingers, obviously disappointed. Igas based on what I have done. I can''t expect to be her favourite Windermere twin. That realization somehow didn''t al right with me especially my wall who just stayed still since our fingers brushed "I have soit questions for you before I go I said "Okay" She nodded I was home spangnte ut wine when my tester came in the gh the door. Dressed in a suit and long tck cloak, he daca like a true business man d a "kone was yurur trip?" I aded as he scanned in chat and ce on his forearm. He approached me and took the ss of wr out of my hand belt down the §ã§Ú He sighed and ced they ss in my hate "L''s jubaving we got in two different countries was a ireville kira" bir red at nur before heading to the che Kuchar "Ikup" 1 od pulling the wear ss abg after have. "Eknow I should have gone to Prague) to the sides se let you at the loss type 1 dobo Novi Cash Cabu jy intersecting the action to obe yost f***d Alpha Livorak''s then the sea" My listed ink***ed after the way the virgut he thought she was 12-21 Fri, Oct 25 U+ 58 Theon shook his head, as he washed his hands at the sink. "One day, your sins will catch up with you, Ro, and I won''t be there to save your a*** Well, one day is not today." I said, taking a seat at the kitchen ind, and cing myptop on it. "It will be if I open a pot and don''t find food in it." Theon grumbled but when he opened one of the pots, he nodded in satisfaction. "Nice" I became offended. "That''s coconut chicken curry. I''m supposed to get something other than ''nice." Theon shrugged, sitting with his te. "There''s nothing extra-ordinary about this. It''s still the same way you make it." I opened my mouth but couldn''t find any words to say so I just shook my head. At least, if it were Ryn she would have been. gushing all over my food by now. 1 paused. That reminds me. Theon doesn''t know what happened yet. Should I tell him or should I keep it under wraps? I stared at the video ying over and over again on myptop. He has to know. "How''s Ryn?" My brother asked as he took a bite. I hesitated, wondering how best to table the matter. "She''s...getting better." Theon''s brows pulled together as he stopped chewing for a moment. "What do you mean by that?" I sighed and narrated what happened. The more Theon heard, the colder his eyes got and I barely finished when he stood up and took his food to the sink. He found a te to cover it and then he began to wash his hands. "What hat are you doing?" me not to." "What does it look like?" He answered, grabbing a towel to clean his hands. "I''m going to see her and don''t you f***g tell "I won''t." I replied. "But there''s something you have to see first. I said and turned myptop to face him. His eyes shifted as he watched the video and then he blinked in surprise before looking at me. "A mutant entered the center? When was this?" "A da before we went to see Prinicipal Crow." day "What was she doing there?" "Looking for a ce to stay after her pack kicked her out." Theop sighed. "Seems wherever Byn goes, trouble seems to follow." "I told you." "Still, what was a mutant doing around my office?" "That''s the thing. I''m starting to think the way these mutants move, they are way too co-ordinated to just be random. Someone is leading them and they are getting smarter and tougher by the day." Theon set his hands on his hips and stared into space before shaking his head. "Just something floating around my head. At first, I didn''t think much of it but now, with what I''ve just seen, it''s starting to bother me "What is it?" 33 I leaned forward, resting my arms on the kitchen ind. "Talk to me." "The night not hit by a car, I saw a mutant on the roof watching us." I frowned. "And it didn''t attack?" Theon shook his head. "That doesn''t sound right." I said. BK "I know and that is why I am worried. What if these two asions aren''t just coincidences? What if the mutant was there at the training center not because of me but because of her?" "We can''t know for sure." I said. "The two elements involve you both. Ryn didn''t mention seeing the mutant again after that and you haven''t had any other encounter aside from that day in the field. So we can''t know for sure until a third coincidence happens." "So what are you saying?" Theon asked. I sighed. "I can''t believe I''m saying this but to know the truth, you can no longer stay away from Ryn." Chapter 34 Chapter 34 RYN I rubbed my eyes and my mouth opened in a yawn as 1 stirred and stretched in bed. I had been lying on my side, facing the wall but when I turned, something caught my eye and 1 quickly sat up in bed. My heart began to race as I saw the dark figure of the mutant beast standing at the entrance watching me with red, glowing eyes. "Ryn." It slurred. "No! Stay away from me." I shook my head, as panic seized me. Rvn The The beast crouched on all fours, baring its sharp teeth, ready to jump on me and that''s when I jerked awake in bed. "Ryn, wake up Someone was touching me and in a blind form of attack, I reached out and scratched the person. He grabbed my hand and held it still and that''s when I realized it was Prince Theon. "It''s okay. You''re safe." He said, and I noticed something on his cheek. "You''re bleeding." I stated. He gently let my hand go and brought out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off. "I''m fine. I healed." He replied, going to the trash can but my focus was now on my hands, they had grown into full blown ws. I blinked in surprise, feeling a mixture of fear, excitement and worry. This . This was the first time in years that my ws wereing out. Was I getting my wolf back? I remembered my ex-Alpha''s words, "Keep your wolf on a leash or you''re going to regret it and ever since then, I hadn''t been able to shift into my wolf or transform properly. I had no idea what he did to me to stunt my transformation, all I knew was that I couldn''t let my wolf take control at all. Now I wonder if this change was a good thing or not. "Are you okay?" Theon asked, drawing my attention. I raised my hands to show him my ws. "I can''t seem to retract them." Theon shoved his hands in his pocket, observing my hands. "You''re still in fight or flight mode. So whatever you saw in your nightmare triggered your protective response. You need to find a way to tell your nervous system to calm down." "How? "Take a deep breath. In and out." I obeyed and let him guide me and soon after my ws retracted. I stared at my normal hands in awe. "Thank you." I smiled, "and sorry about your cheek. I didn''t mean to hurt you, "I know, I''m just d you''re okay." He said. "On behalf of the center, I really apologize for what happened. Coach Dutton will be dealt with ordingly." I froze at the mention of the man who tried to rape me, and traumatize me in one day. I also remembered how he had. snuck into my room and nted his hand over mouth, threatening me not to say a word about what he did to anyone Apparently, he was rted to the King''s right hand man and had the power to ruin my life. "Ryn §Õ§à "What?" I jerked slightly, then I cleared my throat. "I mean, yes, your Highness." "I asked if Coach Dutton did something else to you." Theon asked. "I heard he came to see you yesterday evening" I looked away from his piercing blue gaze. "No. He didn''t." I shook my head. I I felt the weight of Prince Theon''s stare but I refused to meet his eyes. "Whatever it is, you can trust me." Telt Tears stung the back of my eyes. I wish I could confide in him I forced a smile on my face and looked him in the eye. "Tut involving him in another drama was selfish. Besides, I couldn''t get past the fact that I was just some project to the Prince and his interest in me was solely based on his fascination to fix broken girls. fine. I promise." Just then, my eyesnded on something opposite me. "Are those flowers?" I asked. Yes." T many things while I I meant t nothing to ." Theon said and went to get them. "I picked it up on my way here and brought it for you." I stared at him like he was mad. No one had ever gotten flowers for me in my entire life and now I was angry. First, he''s taking me to lunch, stalking me, doing a blood tranfusion, giving me his shirt, and now buying me flowers. I hate that he was bing my "first" in to him. Still, I collected the flowers politely and brought them close to my nostrils, J "They You''re wee. Are smell really nice" I frowned. "Thank Are they your favourites." I swallowed. How do I let him know that I don''t have favourites because I have never been in a position to receive flowers? "1 don''t have favourites." I replied, truthfully. "I like anything that smells good." "Including ding food." Theon said and when I raised my eyes to meet his, I found a ghost of a smile on his face. "Yea. I Gods. That too." I replied, then a silence settled upon us as we stared at each other. I wondered what it would feel like if Prince Theon was my boyfriend. I had to admit that being his project wasn''t all that bad. I get to enjoy some perks that most girls would die to have. 1 just have to make sure that while he''s still interested in fixing me, I won''t fall in love with him. I will take whatever I can get, from him, use him even to achieve my goals but I will never fall in love with him. Guys like him will never choose girls like me and that is the Goddess truth. Someone knocked, causing me to break off my eye contact and when I saw who it was, my heart sank. "Hi." Sadie waved shyly, dressed in a red sweater and blue jeans, holding a stic bag. "Hi." I replied, suddenly feeling guilty. Sadie went to hug her Uncle and I watched how he kissed her forehead. Somehow, I felt a pang of jealousy. Would he ever go that far with me? I shook my head. I don''t care. I''d rather he doesn''t do it. Saule Sadie came to my bed and sat. "How are you? I came as soon as heard." She said, with concern. "I''m fine. Prince Theon didn''t need to bother you." I said, giving him a look behind her. "Oh no. He didn''t tell me." Sadie said. "Uncle Miro did." I blinked in surprise. "He said you''d like to see me and drove me here. 216 D "He did?" Theon and I asked at the same time and Sadie nodded "In fact, he asked me to give you this." Sadie said, digging into her bag and bringing out a food sk. "He said, you''d feel better after taking it." My mouth dropped open. Did I wake up in an alternate reality? What the hell is going on? I nced a at Theon whose forehead creased in thought. "You must have done a number on my Uncle for him to cook for you." Sadie giggled. "He doesn''t cook for anyone besides Uncle Theon "Oh." I said. "Where''s Miro!" Theon suddenly asked. "He''s at the center." Sadie said. Theon looked at me and nodded. "See you soon." And then he left. We both watched him leave and then Sadie turned to me. "Hi." She beamed again. "I missed you." I wondered if I should say it back. "I missed you too and I am sorry for being distanttely." "It''s okay. Uncle Miro told me everything." I raised my brows. "He did?" me. me. Sadie nodded. "He told me he was the one who asked you to stay away from me, considering you''re always getting in trouble. But that''s okay. I told him he had no right and regardless of whatever trouble you get into, I''d still want to be your friend for as long as you''d have Tears stung the back of my eyes and I pulled Sadie into an embrace. She stiffened at first before embracing me with both hands. I had no words to say. They simply became tears that ran down my face. Before we pulled apart, 1 quickly wiped my face and nted a smile for her. we could talk" I said. "Me too. And now to the gossip of the day." Her face turned serious. "Have you heard?" "Heard what?" I asked warily. "Howard Caine, the guy you put in aa? He''s awake and ording to what I heard, he''s been screaming your name nonstop." THEON Some days, I don''t understand my brother because tell me why you would ask me to stay away from someone and then turn around to win her favor by cooking fucking chicken soup and driving over her friend? Hmm? Does he want her? Is he trying to get me out of the way so he can have Ryn to himself? My brother can be many things but I have never known him to be a hypocrite. Just as I was about to get to the center. I spotted my brother exiting with Coach Dutton in tow. The two were chatting animatedly and my brother even had a smile on his face as if they were friends. 12:22 FI, UCt 25 I frowned. Since when did Miro and Dutton have a bromance? I watched them enter my brother''s car and decided I needed to see more for myself. Making sure I wasn''t seen as they drove by, I got into my car and decided to tail them. Two hourster, Miro and Dutton swerved off the highway onto a dirt path and some minutester, they arrived at a hunting range Since when did Dutton be Miro''s hunting partner? I used to be his partner. I parked out of sight and watched them alight, still chatting animatedly as if they had something interesting to discuss. When they entered through the gate, I followed as well. The hunting range was a huge space where people coulde to hunt a variety of animals specially bred for this reason. Some people liked to give in to their wolf and exercise by hunting prey in their wolf form. I found it highly disgusting but to each his own. Some came to shoot birds released in the air. Whatever hunting needs you have, the range catered to. I followed my brother and the coach to a ce where people shot at wild turkeys and after they paid and went in. I paid too.. They each chose a weapon which was a gun and I chose one as well for the sake of my stalking. Then they went to an open field and began to hunt. For about half an hour, they walked the bush looking for prey and when they found one, they crouched behind a tree, watching like a hawk When a turkey made its way to their line of vision, my brother aimed with his sniper rifle and pulled the trigger. The animal yelped before itnded in the field and Dutton looked ecstatic. Miro said something to him and Dutton became surprised. "For real?" He asked and Miro nodded.. Then Dutton dropped his gun and hurried across the field to get the turkey. I saw my brother grab his gun and aim through the scope and then it suddenly dawned on me. The turkey wasn''t the real prey, it was Dutton With his hand on the trigger, my brother was ready to shoot when he suddenly raised his head up. I also followed his gaze and saw that Dutton was running to the other end into the woods. "S***it!" Miro cursed and dropped his big rifle before rising to his feet and chasing after Dutton. Without wasting time, I followed after, making sure I wasn''t heard nor noticed. arrived When when I Why in in the woods, I saw my brother looking around. By now he had pulled out his gun, and was sniffing the air for Dutton''s scent. Then he moved in a certain direction and I followed. in the world is my brother hunting Dutton? Did he do something wrong? I decided to be a silent watcher of the events unfolding. Miro traced Dutton''s scent to an old abandoned warehouse. "I know you''re in here." Miro''s voice echoed. "So why don''t youe out and let''s talk?" Miro was answered with silence for a moment, then we heard a ng and the scurrying of feet. Miro once again chased after the sound and once again I followed. "Come on, now" Miro said, still poised with his gun, while taking quiet steps and searching everywhere. "This is not fun. I brought you here to have some fun. Tell you what. Come out and I won''t hurt you too badly. Make me shift and it''s over for you," + 1 detected the dangerous edge to my brother''s tone at thest statement and really hoped on Dutton''s behalf that he would take my brother seriously. "How will I know you won''t kill me?" A voice echoed from somewhere to Miro''s left. . "You don''t." Miro huffed, "but for the sake of boredom, I pinky promise not to kill you if you show your face in the next 10 seconds." "Ten" You''re still still going to hurt me "Yes, I very much will. Nine." "What have I done?" "Don''t ask me that st*****id question. Seven."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Five "She told you, didn''t she?" My ears perked up, "No she didn''t but you forgot there are cameras everywhere especially the one facing the boys locker room. Three." Two Two Then I saw him, holding a big iron pole. I don''t know how he did it but he had managed toe up behind my brother. "One" Miro counted. "Quick. Get on the floor now!" I mindlinked my brother just as Dutton swung with all his might, Miro ducked in time, missing the hit to the back of his head by a few inches! he missed, Dutton sta***ed forward and Miro was able to aim and pull the trigger, Dutton''s right knee exploded in a sputter of blood and then he went down with a harrowing cry Back!" He groaned, gripping his knee while ring at Miro. 1 came out of hiding with my hands in my pockets and kicked the iron pole away. "How did you-?" Miro asked, surprised. "You were acting weird so I tailed you here."1 reply without taking my eyes off of Dutton. When he saw me, his demeanor changed from that of anger to one of distress. "Your Highness! My Prince, please save "What''s your n?" I mindlinked my brother. BK "Well, I had the intention of ripping out his tongue and watching him bleed out but nah. The bullet I used was silver. His knee is destroyed for life plus he''s fired. I prefer he stays alive to suffer for his misdeeds. I''ll call for an ambnce now." Miro brought out his phone and made the call while Dutton''s cries reduced to a whimper as he began to grow pale. Looking at him. I felt no pity for him and the more I imagined him forcing himself on Ryn, the angrier I became so I left the warehouse. Not long after, the ambnce came and had Dutton transported and we gave back the guns we used and walked out with a little bit of blood stter on us Walking back to his car, I stopped and turned to Miro. "Howe you''re not affected when you help Ryn? You literally Miro leaned against his car. "Yes I can''t help Ryn to win the Elite training. What has happened so far has nothing to do with that and removing Dutton from the picture is for the betterment of the Center, not just Ryn." I nodded in understanding. "You still have to tell Dad what happened right?" "Yes but he cannot me her for anything. She''s innocent." I nodded once again andter when I got into my own car, I thought about Ryn and how she could never really catch a break. Was I wrong for insisting on starting an evolution with Ryn? She''s barely started and she''s already facing so much opposition. What if I am the reason she''s in danger? I-sighed and turned on the ignition of my car. Just then, I received a text message and when I read the contents. I came conclusion. Ryn might not be the trouble Miro thinks she is. She might actually be our salvation. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 RYN 1 smiled to myself as I bent forward to touch my toes while doing the split For the first time in days, everything was going smoothly. Life in school was great, and I was now done with all papers, thanks to Prince Theon, who made school management give me my own time to write. At first I was afraid that I would do poorly, but to my suprise all the questions were easy and I breezed through them before the time was up. Now that I thought about it, did Prince Theon have something to do with how easy my paper was? He better have not because I swear to the gods, I''d kick his ass! Speaking of Prince Theon, I barely saw him around. In fact, thest time I saw him was the day he brought flowers for me at the hospital. It''s been nine days since then and everyday I''d find a way to subtly ask Sadie if he was back from his trip. Does this mean I miss him? I shook my head. No, I don''t. I''m just concerned for his well-being like a normal human being. There''s nothing wrong with that. Right? I sighed as I stretched some more. The door to the main entrance of the center opened and my eyes snapped to it, but I got disappointed when I saw it was some random guy with curly blonde hair dressed in ck like a soldier. Over the past few days, the walls of every training room had been broken down and reced with ss and I knew it was because of what Coach Dutton did to me when he forced me to take the simtion. Now everywhere was open, and nothing anyone did was hidden The random guy didn''t look much older than me but I noticed he was very handsome and had kind blue eyes like Prince Theon. Our eyes met through the ss and then he gave me the most heart-warming smile I had ever seen before walking away. I found myself smiling too and immediately frowned. Why was I smiling like that? I let out a forceful breath beforeying on my back. Someone else passed by but it was just a patrol guy. More guards were on patrol these days and had been tasked with preventing bullying from urring as well. The Princes really went all out to secure my stay here but what made me the most happy was when they unveiled the girl''s locker room. It was everything I dreamed of with state of the art utilities. When some of the boys peeped in, they grumbled about how the girls'' locke I found myself smiling. Is this what it means to be Prince Theon''s project? Cause I love it here and as long as I don''t fall in love with him, i think I''ll be fine. Shortly after, the door to the training room opened and in came Prince Miro and the blonde guy I had seen earlier. Immediately, we all scrambled to our feet and stood at attention, "Gentlemen. Lady. I''m here to introduce your interim coach, Adam ckwell." Some guys began to howl and cheer and it was obvious most of the guys knew him from somewhere. "Hey! Quiet!" Miro boomed and everyone settled into silence. "As I was saying. Adam is captain on the Elite Force Team and K 58% a has volunteered to coach you guys until we can find a permanent person. So treat him with the same respect you''d ord me or you will face grave consequences." Prince Miro said and stepped back for Adam to speak. "Warriors, it''s an honor to be your coach for the time being" He said and I was immediately mesmerized by his voice. It was deep and boyish at the same time and jeez! What did he say? "Ill do my best to prepare you for what''sing ahead especially this new week. Something really cool is about to happen but I am not allowed to say what it is yet. But be on your toes, if you need any help, feel free to reach out to me. In the meantime, I''d like to know you We immediately obeyed and due to excitement, I let the guys lineup and went to stay at their backs. I watched other say their names and shake his hand so when it was my turn, I pushed back my shoulders, and shook his hand firmly. "Ryn Ashmore." I said seriously but on the inside, I almost melted at his touch.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Ahhh. The first female Elite ever. It''s an honor." And that''s it. I smiled, revealing all my teeth, which in turn made him smile. "My pleasure." I beamed and then I felt the heat of someone''s stare on me. A flicker to the left showed Prince Miro ring at me with a raised brow. My smile faded and I quickly retracted my hand. "Nice to meet you once again." I nodded and walked away My heart was a beating mess and even when I went to grab my things and sit in a corner. I still found Miro''s eyes flickering to me as he had a discussion with Adam. I seriously hope he''s not threatening the poor guy. Light Now I know why he''s not Sadie''s favourite. Shortly after, he left and Adam once again faced us. I tried to check his demeanor to see if he looks offended or not but he seemed alright. "Alright, listen up." He said, drawing our attention. Someone said something that made him smile and I realized he had dimples. His eyes cut to me and I immediately looked again. Shit! I hope he doesn''t think I like him or something. I nced his way and found him speaking to someone else so I breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, so no more nces at the new boy. Focus! Otherwise, Prince Miro will have my head. "Alright, once again listen up. Adam said. "This week, we will be learning about mutants, their history, how to spot to them and most importantly how to fight them." I frowned and raised my hand. Adam saw me immediately. "Yes, Miss Ashmore." "You said, how to spot them? I mean aren''t they easy to spot?" "Yes and No. If they are in their beast form, yes, but mutants can transform back to their human form and look just like anyone else." "Oh. I definitely didn''t know that." "Now, you do I thought about the beast I encountered earlier on school grounds. What if he was a person who snuck in just like me before tranforming into a beast? What if he still recognises me? I thought about these questions as I exited the training room after we were done for the day. "kyn." I turned around and found Adam approaching me. 1 "Hi" I said, readjusting my bag over my shoulder. "I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything. I am here for you. Especially if you''re being bothered, please feel free toe to me Then he gave a little ware before walking way I rammed and was going to take another step when I felt eyes on me again. Imoking around. Irrolid see anyone. Then looked up and foul Miro ring down at me from upstairs. T The moment our eyes me, he stepped away from the banister. Bolded his arms behind him and walked away. I breath Weirdo I muttered under my he "Hemison Miro''s voice et hoed back to prin Startled, I hurried to my loker and when I opened it, I was instantly hit with the smell of something amazing Something 1 haven'') xeneli before. Inude my locker was a tupperware filled with food which I''m guessing brought this amazing scent. Ever since Prince Theon went on a trip, Miro had been bringing meals under the excuse of cooking to murh and not wanting to wand Then it became a game of guessing the names of new dishes. Sometimes I got the names, most times I didn''t but it had be something Then my phone buzzed and when I saw it was a text message from Prince Miro, a different smile curled my lips "Tell the Ryn, how is it that you''ve been eating my cooking for most a week now and I never get a mile from you but all it sakes is seeing a blonde boy with curls and dimples and your smile is enough to light a city?" CHAPTER 28 1 heard my face and ears. He thanks my smile can light up a city? I decided to arply "Thank you for the meal your Highness. Here is the smile you asked for." Then I added a unile emoji at His reply came almal munediately with an eye roll emo emoji. Achuckle bubbled on of sue and I covered my mouth to stop in garas "Anyway here''s a pre do you havtaled yes. Try to guess the naine. Of course, you''re forbidden from sharing it with any in asking for help Hum Theater as the ce mayor things you taste. Get it right, and you get a gift. Get it wrong your named to smic at blive ges for thecays Co Kivode. Datgales "klus rate an denni ckwell") cepiled withughing coji. "Winter" he replied "Happy tasting row your favorite the demons ""Ated amber saja you sy favor your the sink like ve 77 at the buck wou doe who can suck him top being delusomal ant cope that at your tenan 1 thougte genees the eye when you luther upton verstand other people.. 36 lence of the other end and I dropped my phone to take a shower. When I came back, I found a reply from him. There was silence Tasted other people, you say?" I swallowed as my face heated up again. "Food." I replied. "Tasted other people''s food." "Cool. Oh and uhm, you haven''t returned the tupperware for thest dish, and the one before that. I believe my tupperwares miss me very much." I snorted and shook my head before leaving the training center. It waste evening by the time I stepped out and I loved the feel of the cool weather without the sun. My n was to walk half a mile to the nearest bus stop and hopefully meet the seven p.m bus going my way. I thought about my life after high school and how graduation wasing up real soon. Aside from the money I kept aside for a new apartment. I was fast running out of money to do other things. "I need a job" I whispered to myself. I can''t keep relying on handouts from the Windermere Princes because one day, it''s all going to stop. I know Miro is talking and cooking for me because he''s bored without his brother. I''m sure once his brotheres back, he''ll stop coo A car pulled up beside me and when I looked at the driver, I realized it was Adam. "Hey. He said, giving me that winning smile again. ""Hi" I smiled. Where are you going?" "Home? Trying to get to the nearest bustop." ""Let me drop you." I suddenly became wary of him. "Uhm. No. Thanks." I said, and began to walk. Adam drove forward and slowly moved beside me. "Come on, Ryn. I don''t bite." "Why are you being nice to me?" I blurted out and stopped in my tracks. "Just because I smiled at you and we shook hands doesn''t mean I have feelings for you or I''m fangirling or I am interested in anything else." He raised his brows, taken aback. "Okay, and?" I blinked, suddenly fumbling for words. "And that''s it. I don''t want trouble. Whatever games you''re ying, I-I''m not interested." A hint of a smile crossed his lips. "I totally understand, Ryn. I just want to take you home and if not home, then at least the nearest bus stop. That''s it. It''s not okay for you to be walking this road alone." I stared at him for a moment, hoping to see any form of malicious intent but I found none. Maybe I was searching for a Coach Dutton in him. "Okay," I said, before going around the car to enter the passenger side. Once in, I hooked in the safety belt and clutched my bag to "So, Ryn Ashmore," He said, "are your parents by any chance Jake and Rosa?" My eyes widened as I turned to him. "Yes. You know them?" Adam smiled. "Yea. They were friends with my parents before..te hesitated, "their demise. I''m sorry for your loss." "Thanks." I gave him a small smile, while touching my pendant. "You don''t remember me, do you?" I frowned, racking my memory. I slowly shook my head. Adam shrugged. "Well, you were really young back then but I remember you as the girl with the ck ribbon in her hair and the missing tooth on the front." I smiled because I vaguely remembered wearing ck ribbons in my hair. I just never liked the colorful ones. "I''m sorry I don''t remember you." "Ehhh. Adam shrugged. "It''s fine. What matters is that I found you again." He smiled at me before facing the road and I wondered what that meant. Found me again? We got to the bus stop and luckily for me, the seven p.m bus was still there. "Or I could just drive you home." He said. "Nah. But thank you." I smiled at him. "Anytime. I got our of his car and waved once more before entering the bus and taking a seat near a window. I watched his car drive off and I kept wondering what he meant by finding me again. Was he looking for me? Did we used to be friends? I tried to search my memory for friends of my parents by the name ckwell, but I really couldn''t remember. I decided when I got home, I would research them. Thankfully, the room I was given was more like an apartment than a regr dormitory, so it had its own separate gate but was still linked to the school. A few minutes away from the gate, I received a call. Checking the caller ID, I rolled my eyes while a small smile bloomed on my lips, "Your Highness." "Home yet?" Miro asked. "Going through the gates now. Why?" "Nothing. Just making sure you got home safe." "Are you sure everything is okay?" "Yea, why won''t it be?" "Because maybe you miss your brother and you''re lonely?" "I''m not lonely. I have friends." "Name them." "If I did, you won''t even know them or I could make up names and you would be none the wiser. "Yea. You''re right." I paused. "You should go out and have fun though." "Yea I should but i am starting to not like that life anymore. So 11 figure out what other things I can do for fun." "Sounds like a great n, your Highness." We ended our conversation and I began to fish keys out of my bag when my phone buzzed again. Without looking. I picked the call. "Seriously, you need friends said, wedging the phone between my ear and shoulder. "Ryn" 1 paused, holding the phone properly with my hand to my ear. "Who is this?" "It''s me, Maggie" I paused. "From Club Zero?" "Yes!" "Oh wow. How have you been?" "Terrible. Please, I need your help. I suddenly took note of the distress in her voice, "What''s wrong. Maggie?" "Can you meet me at Peterson Close?" I suddenly became wary. "Maggie, it''s reallyte. Tell me what''s wrong first?" wanted. So "Okay I went out with this guy and he left me stranded on the side of the road because I wouldn''t do what he since I heard you were like a fighter or something, I was hoping you''d be able to keep mepany while I find a ride. I''m so alone and cold out here" Isighed. "Fine. I''ll be on my way." I said and turned towards the gate but before I left the vicinity of the dorm, I sent a quick text to Prince Miro, detailing my whereabouts. Since Peterson Close was like five minutes away, I decided to take a brisk walk. Immediately I got to the close, I saw Maggie standing on the other side, waving to me. I waved back and after carefully checking the road, I crossed to the other side. "Hey." I greeted with a smile, "Hey." Maggie replied with a frown but before I could figure out what was wrong, someone covered my mouth from behind. While struggling, a sharp object was injected in my neck and that''s when I sumbed to darkness. Chapter 36 Chapter RYN 36 I felt my body moving and blinked my eyes open. I realized I was on the floor of a van. Immediately, I got the worst headache and dizzinessbined and I had to bite my lips from groaning out loud "I really don''t think this is a good idea." I heard someone say, "Shut up. Maggie!" A familiar voice whispered aggressively. "It''s her fault that we are out of business and it''s only fair that we provide her as the ultimate sacrifice or would you like to be the one?" my wolf but I I heard no answer but I''m sure that Maggie agreed. We moved for about half an hour and I tried to ess my came up nk. My strength was gone as well as my wolf. What the hell did they inject into me? Taking shallow breaths, I tried to calm myself down while using the time to learn more about my surroundings. Immediately. I discovered that both my hands had been tied but my legs weren''t. I bit my lips again as another wave of headache and dizziness overwhelmed ine. ine. From what I could see, there was a man in the van, so trying to fight my way out might be harder than I thought. I decided to think of something. The man was the closest to me and he had a gun on him so while everyone else was distracted, I reached out, and grabbed the gun. Instantly, the man reached for me, and without thinking, I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. The sh of the gun brightened my eyelids for a second, as the shot thundered in the van.. My ears rang worsening my headache but I was able to hear a heavy thud and when I opened my eyes, I found the man lying dead, in front of me, unmoving. The van screeched to a stop and I looked to my left and saw that the other girl Maggie was talking to was Chelsea. They stared at the dead body in shock before looking at me. "What have you done?!" Chelsea eximed, beforeing for me and I immediately pointed the gun at her. "Don''t move or I swear to the gods, I''ll pull the trigger." I said, panting heavily. The door to the van opened and I saw the driver who was also another man. He saw the dead body and immediately pulled out his gun and aimed it at me. I aimed mine at him too but Chelsea raised a hand to stop him. Her green eyes shed yellow as her wolf came to the surface. "Do it!" I blinked in surprise. "Chelsea," Maggie called. "Shut up!" Chelsea said to her without taking her eyes off me. "Go ahead. Shoot!" She smirked. I pulled the trigger but nothing happened. The gun came up nk signifying that the chamber was empty. Before I knew it Chelsea took the gun from me and mmed the butt of it against my head. I felt an explosion of fresh pain in my head and my eyes causing a groan to leave my lips. Shortly after, warm liquid ran down the side of my face and when I touched it, I saw blood on my hand. The car began to move again until it stopped. My heart began to pound more. Why was I being kidnapped? What was Chelsea''s n? The van door opened again, and an influx of sea breeze seeped. My heart rate spiked. Are they going to throw me off the bridge? @x58% The driver red at me as he climbed in and I scurried back away from him but instead he grabbed the body of the dead man and drew it out of the van before throwing his body over a bridge into the sea below. Chelsea red at me. "That should have been you." She said, then her phone buzzed and when she picked her call, she began to talk in anothernguage. I stayed immobile while staring at Maggie "I thought we were friends." I I finally said to Oher while Chelsea was busy talking on the phone. Maggies''s eyes flickered to me. "I never said we were." She said and looked away. Chelsea came back from her call and sat in front of me. She gripped my chin hard as she studied my face. "I guess I can see what he sees in you." She muttered to herself. "You''re beautiful." T "Fuck off!" I jerked my chin from her hand but she gripped it harder. Her green eyes hardened as she red at me. "I''ll make sure 1 ruin you for him. So whenever he sees you, he will always remember me." Chelsea left me and went to sit near Maggie and I suddenly became very afraid of her. about Theon? Of course she was. But is this why she kidnapped me? Because of pure jealousy? The more I thought about it, the less it made sense. What was her n and how was Theon involved in it? The guy is not even in the country so what was she talking was she Was: she ying a I sincerely hoped Prince Miro got my text and is searching for me but then again, the text didn''t really give much details. I only told him I was going to meet Maggie at Peterson Close, even if he gets there, he''s not going to find me and seeing as I am no longer with my phone, I''d even be harder to find. Gods! I shouldn''t have followed Maggie. The Van finally stopped and I was roughly dragged out of the van by the driver. I winced as my head hammered and my vision blurred. Holding me by the cor of my top, he pushed me forward. The ce we appeared in seemed like an abandoned area not too far from the sea. It was an open field with a bunch of upleted buildings scattered around. It was towards one of the upleted buildings that the man pushed me towards. ! With both my hands still bound, I moved forward while looking for any means of escape. "Don''t bother." Chelsea said behind me. "There''s nowhere you can run to. You''ll be found easily and it will not be a nice ending for you." I pretended not to hear her as we proceeded through the door of the upleted building. "Are you sure once we deliver her, he will give us the money?" I heard Maggie ask. "Yes. Don''t worry. We''ll have enough money to start a new life." T I see. So they were doing this for the money huh. But then again, who the hell were they kidnapping me for? The door to the upleted building, opened to reveal the insides of something that should have been a theater but stayed half built hall built In it, there were about two dozen people, each holding a gun at each other. My mind began to race. Who were these people and what do they want with me? The person pushing me, pushed me all the way to the front and forced me to kneel beside two men. Somehow they seemed 12.22 Chapter 36 familiar but I couldn''t remember where I had seen them. Then I looked before me, and my heart stopped because standing several feet away was Prince Theon and some soldiers of the Elite Force Our eyes met and he looked at me like he didn''t know me and I understood why. I understand everything now, I was brought here because these people think I mean something to Prince Theon but they couldn''t be further from the truth. I don''t mean anything to him at all. I am just his project and if I die here, he will surely find another.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. My heart began to thud frantically. I tried desperately to feel my wolf but it felt like I was experiencing some kind of block. "I remember you. One of the two men suddenly grabbed my hair, forcing me to look at him. "You''re the one who started this whole mess" he said in a Russian ent. I frowned, wondering what the hell he meant by that. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." I replied and heughed. rema Elite. it dawned on me. Then it These were Alpha Eric''s friends who were at the table when he was harassing me. "Now you remember me." He said and faced Theon. "Your girl remembers me." He grinned but Theon did not Instead, he calmly watched us. The Russian man turned to Chelsea and grinned. "Come here, baby." Baby! I watched Chelsea walk past me and kiss the Russian passionately on the lips. "Did I do good, baby!" "You did very well, my Darling." reply. I turned to look at Maggie who seemed confused and appalled. Chelsea on the other hand, looked at Theon and smirked. "Hi Theon. Miss me?" "Chelsea, what''s going on?" Maggie asked, confused and within the blink of an eye, Chelsea grabbed the gun from her man''s side, pointed it at Maggies''s head. The word, "No" was barely out of Maggie''s mouth, before Chelsea pulled the trigger and a bullet went straight into her skull. My entire body shook as blood sttered all over my body and Maggie crumpled to the ground. I never knew Chelsea could do that to her friend. Then I felt the cold barrel of the gun touch the back of my head and I froze. My eyes strayed to Theon who took a step forward. His calm demeanor changed to one of fury. "Don''t you dare." He gritted out. "Ahhh. So you care about her. We thought as much. That''s why we brought her here. Now release Alpha Eric or your bimbo chick gets one in the head. My entire body shook as I stared at Maggie''s lifeless eyes. I tried to think, to find a way to save myself but I came up nk.. Could this be where I die? I really hope not "Fine." Prince Theon said and whispered to someone''s ear. The person nodded and left the premises. "He''s on his way." "Now, was that so hard?" Chelsea asked. "You''re making a very terrible mistake" Theon said, "You can''t just these men. They will use you and kill you." 0% 58% Chelsea chuckled as well as the other men. "So who should I trust? You? You''re the one who used me and discarded me like trash" Theon''s eyes shed. ''How? Tell me Chelseal I brought out from the gutters, gave you a brand new identity and gave you enough money to start a new life. How did I ever use you when I have never slept with you?" Chelsea remained silent behind me. "All I wanted was your love and discarded me with a check." "Is that why you''re doing all of this? Hurting an innocent girl because you''re jealous?" "Ryn is is NOT INNOCENT Chelsea yelled, pressing the gun harder to the back of my head. "She ruined everything! If she had not seduced you, then you wouldn''t have been around and she would have just disappeared like the others." Theon blinked in surprise. "There''s been others?" really have Chelseaughed. "You no idea how deep our operation goes." "Enough." The Russian cautioned Chelsea and she stopped talking. "Where is Eric!!" Just then, men arrived behind Theon and with them was a man bound by hands too. His face looked swollen but I could still recognize him as Alpha Eric. The Russian stepped forward but Theon pointed a gun his way "Come any closer and I won''t hesitate to shoot you. A life for a life. Viktor. Send her to me," §ê§Ö §ä§à§Ô§Ñ The Russian signalled to Chelsea and she kicked me from the back. I fell forward but was able to stop myself from hitting the ground t. Stumbling to my feet. I side stepped Maggie''s body and began to slowly walk towards Theon while Alpha Eric walked towards his people. Halfway there and I locked eyes with Alpha Eric and he sent me a chilling re that made me look away. I shouldn''t have done that because the moment I looked away, Alpha Eric lunged for me and pure, undiluted fear ran through me when I saw was the scalpel in his hand. Chapter 37 RYN One minute Alpha Eric wasing for me with his scalpel raised, the next his body was flying five feet in the air away from me. I stayed frozen with fear, my heart hammering wild as Prince Theon gently drew me behind him but I was able to peek just in time to see Alpha Eric''s body hit the ground with a sickening c***ck. Chelsea, the Russian and Jack rushed to their Alpha just as Prince Theon turned to me, cupping my face with hisrge. hands.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Are you okay?" He asked, then he took note of the blood on my forehead and his eyes darkened. "You''re hurt. Tell me. Who did that to you!" I had never heard such lethal venom drip from his voice before and it literally made me afraid for Chelsea. I turned my face to look her way and found her ring at us with a sneer on her face. I turned back to Theon. "It doesn''t matter." I shook head. "Tell me, Ryn I looked into his eyes and whispered Chelsea''s name and Theon closed his eyes like he was in pain but he nodded in understanding before signalling to one of his men to take me to safety. "No." I refused, beginning to get myself again. "I want to stay." Things might get ugly, Ryn, and I can''t guarantee your protection." my My eyes fell on the gun tucked on his waist, and I pulled it out and removed the safety while gripping it hard. "I can protect myself." I said, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face like he was proud of me. "Good." He said, pulling out extra bullets packed in magazines from his pocket and putting them in mine. "No matter what.. don''t stay too far away from me. Understood?" Commander." my girl" My heart stuttered at his words. My girl? Why did that make me feel giddy and fuzzy on the inside? I shook my head and focused ahead of me. Now, Alpha Eric had been taken to the other side and the group had been in discussion but now, they turned to us with Alpha Eric standing in their midst like a zombie. "You guys have gotten what you wanted. Prince Theon said. "There''s no need for bloodshed tonight. Let''s all go our separate ways, nice and easy" "Fine Alpha Eric sneered. "But this i is far from over. I''lle for you very soon." "I count on it Prince Theon replied. Alpha Eric snarled at the Prince before he turned to leave. "Let''s go boys. "Wait, that''s it?" The Russian asked, turning to Alpha Eric. "You''re just going to let him walk? After everything?" Alpha Eric turned to face his Beta, his eyes hardening. "Are you questioning me, Viktor? I''m your Alpha. When I say ''let''s go, then we f****ng go! Understood?" As Alpha Eric turned to leave again, Viktor and the other nian shared a meaningful nce and in a sh, Viktor was behind him. He gripped his Alpha''s hair, drawing his head back and in ash, Viktor ripped Alpha Eric''s throat out. I gasped as a cold shiver ran down my spine. Alpha Eric stiffened before turning around to look into the face of his betrayer. His face was 58% 2:23 Fri, Oct 25U. riddled with shock as he fell to his knees, holding his throat and gurgling blood. "Why?" He managed to ask. "It''s nothing personal, my friend. Viktor frowned, and stepped away from his Alpha as he tried to touch him. "They said you''ve be weak since you let Prince Theon catch and torture you. So therefore, you''re no longer fit to lead the Greyhound Pack" Alpha Eric scampered to his friend, Jack, and held his feet. "My son," He wheezed. "He will be taken care of, Eric, as long as he stays in line." Jack replied grimly Alpha Eric continued to fight for air and struggled like that for about a minute more before he fell face first onto the ground and remained still. I nced at Theon who looked at everything indifferently. Viktor who was Alpha Eric''s Beta turned to us and now had the red eye glow of an Alpha. Immediately, all his men went on one knee and bowed to him. Chelsea, on the other hand, beamed at him like a proud mother as he stepped forward facing us. "Now, where were we?" He said, his voice a bit more deeper. "We are at the part where you seriously need to get the f****k out of my face." Theon said, and I could detect the disgust in his tone. "Nah."Viktor replied, unbuttoning his shirt one by one. "We must fight this battle and the moment he said that, his men began unbuttoning their shirts too, Theon sighed and began to remove his cuffs. "There''s a reason why Alpha Eric chose not to test me." He said as he also began to unbutton his shirt, "but since you''re new and your newfound power is still getting to your head, I''ll make understand you "Understand what?!" Viktor growled as his eyes glowed ember red. Prince Theon removed his shirt, and by the gods, my heart s***ed a beat when I saw the forest, moon, sword and wolf tattoo designed beautifully on his broad back. "You''ll understand that you may start battles, but 1, Theon Windermere, I ***g ware wars." At that. Viktor transformed into arge grey wolf and howled to the sky. His men transformed too and howled as well and my blood ran cold when we heard simr howls all around us, "We''re surrounded." I whispered. Chelsea smiled devilishly at Theon, as she reloaded her gun. "Did you think we''de without backup, babe?" "Elites!" Theon called and the men behind me stood at attention. "Yes sir!" Sir! "Transform" Immediately, everyone transformed into wolves almost twice as big as the Greyhound pack. Theon looked my way and I could no longer see his blue eyes, instead I saw nothing but ck depths. "Don''t stay too far." He said in a voice that was not his own. Then I saw his hands grow into giant ws and his face transform to amodate the longest fangs I had ever seen in my life but he didn''t transform all the way through "Yes sir." I swallowed and so the war began. Just as expected, Chelsea came for me, shooting fast but I was able to hide behind a rusty old car while shooting back as well. When she went out of rounds. I got out from my hiding spot and pointed my gun at her head. "Game over, b*****h!" lu a a sh, Chelsea swept me off my feet with the swipe of a leg and Inded hard on my back, losing my gun. Painnced through my body but adrenaline filled me once again, when I say Chelsea reaching for my gun. I moved my leg, kicking her in the face and went for the gun instead but she grabbed my leg and pulled me across the sandy grount. Chapter 37 I tried In the process, some sand entered my eyes, destabilizing me but I felt Chelsea climbing over me to get to the gun. I moved my elbow and hit her in the face twice and when I tried to crawl in the gun, but she pulled my hair to stop me. I to summon my wolf but I still felt nk so instead of resisting her pull. I let go, and the back of my head must have hit her face because she yelped. Temporarily letting me go, I went for the gun but at thest moment, someone kicked it far away and it got lost in the sea of of battle. Sighing in disappointment, I turned to find Chelseaughing. She rose to her feet, touched her lips and found that she was bleeding. She looked at me and shook her head. "Gods! I hate you so much." I curled my hands into fists and got into a boxing pose. "The feeling is mutual, b***h!" Chelsea turned her neck left and right, cracking them before curling her own hands into fists as well. Her eyes glowed yellow, showing her wolf and I tried my best to hide my fear. I have never fought anyone without my super strength or speed and today is the day I put everything I have learnt to the test. Chapter 38 KYN I sized her up as we circled each other, looking for any form of weaknesses but I found none. Chelsea did the same and I wondered if she saw any weakness in me. One thing''s for sure, she definitely knows I don''t have my wolf yet and might use it against me. ording to what we learnt in ss, if you''re at a disadvantage, your aim is to get your opponent to make the first move so you can have more leverage. I stopped circling and faced her. "You''re going toe at me or what?"This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chelsea shook her head once. "Nah, youe to me I huffed in mockery. "Now you''re just boring me. I guess I can see why Theon didn''t go all the way with you." Her yellow eyes glowed brighter as she bared her sharp razor teeth at me. "Shut up! You don''t know anything about us!" "A, really?" I pouted my lips and gave her my most sympathetic look. "Cause I know***n well you just don''t have what it takes to be his girl" Chelsea''s face contorted in anger as she came for me and I was barely able to stand my ground, before she came with blows. I dodged as many as I could but because I didn''t have my speed and she was on her wolf, her punch eventually got me and it felt like being hit with cement. + 1 staggered back, my eyes watering, That Really, Hurt From theer of my eyes, she tried to punch me again and I dodged that one but failed to see her immediate backflip and kick. Her foot hit my face, sending me straight for the ground. Painnced through my entire system and I immediately became weak as hell. She stood I over me, beaming with pride before raising her leg to stomp on me. I rolled out of of the way, before rising to my knees just in time to block another kick aimed for my throat. The force of her attack sent me somersaulting backwards but I was able to get to my feet in time to dodge another blow. This time, I was able to hit her in the face and get a good j I jab o at her ribs but I might as well have been punching a duffel bag. My huts were weak and Chelsea acted like she didn''t feel anything at all. While still stunned at that, Chelsea was able to grab my throat and before I knew it, a terrible pain erupted in my side. "I may not have what it takes to make him mine." She said to me "but you certainly don''t have it either." Shocked, I looked down to see her ws dug deep into my side and when I looked up, Chelsea had the utmost look of satisfaction on her face. "If I can''t have him, Ryn, you definitely won''t." She said. Now I was mad. Without hesitating, I put two of my **h!" She screamed, letting me go and I fell to my knees as pain coursed through me. I looked at my wound and realized I wasn''t healing fast enough, so I removed my top and tied it around my wound to apply pressure. Chebea was still dealing with the pain in her eyes when I gave her an uppercut on the chin She staggered backwards just in time for me to round kick her in the chest, making her fall backwards. Breathless, I watched her roll on her tummy and try to get up but I knelt on her back, forcing her back down and pulled her hair so high, her head was raised off the ground. "I should kill you," I whispered in her ear, right here, right now but I won''t. Whatever happened between you and Theon is none of my business, so keep me out of it!" left her on the ground and walked away but I didn''t get very far before I saw a Greyhound wolf turn towards me like a UCI 25 predator sighting prey. Oh gods no. Ir snarled and I took a step back with my heart hammering like crazy. I looked around for Theon but I found him, several feet ahead in the midst of about a dozen wolves, fighting back. I took another step back, searching for a weapon, and from the corner of my eye to my left. I saw Chelsea rise to her feet Now there was a half built fence blocking Chelsea from seeing the wolf in front of me so I was standing at a right angle where I could see them both but they could not see each other. How do I escape these two? I took another step back just as the wolf prepared to pounce, and when I looked to my left, I saw Chelsea channel her wolf again, ready toe for me. My body began to tremble as I nced Theon''s way again but found him surrounded by more wolves biting and wing at him. So I was on my own without my strength, speed or wolf. Is this the day I die? I took one more step back, making calctions in my mind. Then I stood my ground just as the wolf began to run my way and Chelsea did as well. Two feet closer, and the only thing I could hear was the hammering of my heart. If my calction goes wrong-by a fraction, I could end up very dead. Tears spilled out of my eyes as Chelsea and the wolf closed in on me. The wolf leapt into the air, its mouth open reveal dangerous fangs meant to bite me and to my left Chelsea blinded by rage had her ws out ready to strike. wide, to At thest thest minute, I moved out of the way and when the wolf pounced, Chelsea ran right into its mouth. I, on the other hand,nded on my side and cried out in pain just as I witnessed the wolf bite through Chelsea''s body and drag her viciously in the sand. By the time it realized that it got the wrong person, I was trying to get to my feet and at least find a ce to hide, Gripping my side, I stumbled to my feet, and looked around for where to hide but all around me was chaos, Wolves killing wolves. Limbs strewn everywhere. ! I became surrounded with blood, sand and death with no ce to hide. To my horror, about three more Greyhound wolves found me and then the one who killed Chelsea joined them, making four. I slowly took a step back as they formed a semi-circle around me and began to approach. My breaths came out in pants as pure fear siezed me. My powers still weren''t back so I was at a very terrible disadvantage. Should I shout for Theon or should I just shout for help? And what would that say of me as the first female Elite? No. 11 I have to figure out a way out of this. I''ve survived this long by myself and I''m not about to give up now. ! took another step back and my feet bumped into something. Looking down, I almost fainted in relief when I saw my gun. Picking it up from the ground, I pointed it at the wolves and the moment they saw I had a weapon, they leapt for me. I-shot one in the eye and another in the face. When another jumped for me, I jumped out of the way and tears spilled out of my eyes when I hit that same spot Chelsea wounded me on the ground. Without having time to feel, I pulled the trigger at the third wolf, but I missed its face and only wounded it on the front leg. It whined checking its bleeding paw before baring its teeth at me. Horrified, I pulled the trigger again but nothing happened this time and that''s when I realized I was out of bullets. Before I could get another set of bullets from my pocket, the two remaining wolves leapt for me. Panicked, I covered my head, anticipating the world of paining my way but it never came. Instead, I heardmotion, then the sounds of bones breaking and wolves whining and then silence. That''s when I opened my eyes, but when I saw the man standing before me, I couldn''t believe my eyes. G Chapter 39 ChapterMIRO 39N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I''ve f found her. She''s safe. I mindlinked my brother, standing with my back to Ryn. "Noted" A momentter, his voice came back to me. "Good. The battle''s over. I''ll join you as soon as I can." Noted ""Prince Miro!" The moment Ryn''s soft voice whispered my name, I closed my eyes, feeling my wolf settle down. It had been restless since I got Ryn''s text telling me she was meeting with Maggie and even more restless, when I couldn''t reach her anymore after that. Breathless, I turned to face her, staring into those silver orbs that always somehow made me weak in the knees. Then my eyes strayed to her breasts packaged in nothing else but a sports bra. Immediately, I looked away and swallowed. "You good?" I asked, reaching out my hand for her to grab. She took it and I pulled her to her feet. "Yeah. I''m fine." She said. "How did you find me?" Iblinked, remembering how distraught I became when I got to Peterson Close and found just her bag on the sidewalk. "Theon told someone to tell me you were here and to bring backup. But when I got here, I couldn''t find you, so Theon told me thest ce he saw you and here we and from the way her bottom lip trembled, I could tell she was pretty shook up. "Thank you foring in are." said, and ale. Oh She the nick of time. "Of course" I said, and saw her move her hand to her side and that''s when my eyes dropped to the bleeding wound on the side of her stomach. rm coursed through me. "You''re hurt." I said. "It''s nothing." She shied away as I tried to check her wound. I gave her a re. "Let me see it" Ryn hesitated for a moment before slowly peeling off her hand from the spot. Gently, I loosened the cloth tied around it. and inspected the wound. There were five puncture wounds in her stomach oozing blood and water and from the way it smelled, it was starting to get infected. "Who did this to you?" "Chelsea "Ahhh. Makes sense. "Why does it make sense?" she asked and I felt her body shiver. ! I took a deep breath and covered her wound, before removing my ck, leather jacket to ce around her shoulders. "You need to see a Healer immediately. We have some on board. Follow me." I said and turned to leave but she held my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. I looked from her hand to her face and I could see that stubborn defiance zing in her eyes. "Why does it make sense?" "First of all, let go of me, Ryn" I said, and she recoiled like she''d been burnt. "Tin sorry I didn''t mean to grab you like that. She stuttered, bowing her head in respect. "It''s fine." I replied. "To answer your question, Chelsea did just not take my brother''s rejection ligtuly, she went bonkers." D Ryn''s brows pulled together, "She went mad?" "Yap. Spent seven months at a psych ward and after she was released, she disappeared for a while but when she heard my brother frequented Club Zero, she managed to get a job there as well." "I''m guessing that didn''t go over so well with Prince Theon?" "Not in the slightest. You see, my brother used to be the underground cage fighter at Zero for about three years but the moment he saw her there, he quit and told me to take over." Ryn winced. That must have hurt her terribly. "Exactly I sighed. "But she didn''t give up. I usually bring homedies for my pleasure and every single time, she always wanted to be one of them." "And why eye. "And didn''t you hook up with her?" Ryn gave me a si shook my head. "Besides it''s obvious she wants him, not me and Theon already warned me about her. In fact, he threatened to cut my balls off if I ever brought her in. So thanks, but no thanks" "I don''t do o crazy girls." Ryn scoffed. "He won''t actually do that." I looked at at Ryn like she was mad. "And how do you know?" She suddenly looked unsure. "Because he is... Theon. He''s nice." She shrugged. It was my turn to scoff and shake my head. "It''s obvious you''ve been blinded by my brother''s charm." Ryn you frowned and I took a step closer to her, boring into her eyes, "Make no mistake, my brother is no angel. Yes, he can be nice to a fault but he can just as easily be the worst bastard you''ve ever met. So, when I tell you my brother is capable of some terrible things, better believe he is capable of so much worse, even to me his brother." Ryn looked horrified but then she nodded in understanding. "I guess I understand why Chelsea turned out the way she did I sighed, and took a step back. "Chelsea was already mentally unstable from her past traumas. Meeting my brother just happened to ruin herpletely and this is why I am saying this with all love in my heart." I swallowed and licked my lips. "I won''t ask you to stay away from my brother anymore. Somehow, our lives are intertwined and there is something about you I still can''t figure out but I will ask you, no, implore you to have this at the back of your mind. Always." I paused, watching as Ryn listened with rapt attention. "There is a very high chance that my brother will never have feelings for you. Right now, he''s doing what he always does with the girls, showing care,passion, kindness, all the signals a broken girl will mistake for love. Don''t let that be you." Ryn swallowed and looked at her feet. "You''re smart, funny and kind and I''d hate to see him ruin you before you reach your potential in life. Do you understand?" Ryn raised her head and looked me in the eyes. I could see the hurt and the struggle within them. "Yes, Commander." She replied. "I''m saying this as your friend. That''s if you consider me as one Ryn hesitated, thinking about my words before she nodded and gave me a smile. Then I noticed the sweat on her forehead and the fact that her skin was getting pale. "Seriously, we need to get you checked out." "Yea I agree." Hyn said and I led her out of the area towards where Healers set up camp, attending to wounded soldiers. On the way, Elites paid salute to me and then they nodded their approval towards Ryn and patted her on the back. At first, Ryn was appalled, then she smiled to herself as the Elitesmended her. We got to camp, which was a small tent on the outskirts of the battle scene close to our cars. I discovered that it was already 213 filled with the wounded so I asked Ryn to wait outside while I went in to get a Healer for Ryn. By the time I came out, I couldn''t find Ryn and it took a few seconds of searching, to find her behind a car vomitting. "Hey!" I yelled, as I rushed to her. "Are you okay!" 58%- "I''m fine." She said, but when she raised her head, I could tell she had gotten worse. The Healer removed the cloth around her wound and winced. "How long ago was this?" She asked with alert concern. "Almost an hour?" Ryn answered. "Why?" "Yea, why?" I added, folding my arms. "The wound has already been contaminated but this is just not some random contamination caused by exposure." My brows pulled together. "What are you saying, Doc?" The Healer looked at me solemnly. "I am saying whoever hurt her, intentionallyced their ws with poison and until I find out what it is, it''s going to be hard to cure her." Chapter 40 Chapter 40 THEON The moment I knew Ryn was safe, I wore my shirt and then my men and I went after the Greyhounds who escaped into the woods closeby. After about an hour, we were able to catch a lot and I supervised their arrest before going back to the battle When I arrived, I found two teams working on the field; one was in charge of taking care of the bodies while the other helped the wounded. Tired but eager to participate. I volunteered to help. It was during this moment, while helping an Elite with a semi-detached limb to the tent that I found Miro standing next to Ryn on a stretcher. I paused, and watched as Rynid on her side, while a female Healer tended to the wound on her stomach. What in the sacred gods happened to Ryn? Who did that to her? Since Ryn "My Prince The Healer bent, I signaled to an Elite to take their fellow man inside and after that, I went straight towards Ryn. My brother was the first to see me and I immediately saw the uneasiness in his eyes. Ryn was outside the I before going back to work. Kyn, on the other hand, had her eyes closed and her forehead creased in pain. "Your Highness." She whispered and I went around the Healer so she could see me. "I''m right here, Ryn." I said, and without thinking, I brushed the hair covering her face behind her ear while her eye closed. "I''m here for you." "Be careful. We are in public." Miro mindlinked and I retracted my hand. can''t I control myself when I''m around her? Why can''t I "What the f***k happened?" I asked my brother. "Chelsea" He stated and anger sparked in my veins. That d***n girl was bing a serious thorn in my flesh. "Sheced her ws with poison before sticking it in Ryn. The Healer can''t predict the cure unless she knows what it is." "And where''s Chelsea?" "ording to Ryn, she''s dead. I have sent men to retrieve her body so we can inspect the poison in her ws." I rxed a little at that and when I looked at Miro, he signaled with his head for us to go to a more private ce to talk. With one longing look at, Ryn. I left her side and followed my brother several feet away. When we got out of earshot, Miro turned to me, "What the f****** is going on, T?" He asked, with arms crossed over his chest. "All you told me was you were going on a business trip. I shrugged. "I actually did go on the trip. I just arrived in town earlier and didn''t tell you." Miro blinked and I knew that statement hurt his feelings but he quickly masked it. "You told Dad that you knew nothing of Alpha Eric''s disappearance." I slid my hands in my pockets. "I lied." "Dad is going to be pi***d!" . "Til handle him" Just then, two Elites approached us and bowed. When they raised their heads. I could tee the worry lines on their faces. "What''s wrong" Mirn asked. "Where is the body 1 ked for?"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. One of the men, a lewensed haired man povely in his early ties, licked his lips before replying: "That''s the problem, wr Highness. We''ve gone to the ce you told us sheat and even searched through all the dead bodies in the field, we about could now find her" Ther Miro and I shared a ttice. "You mean Chelses''i body it gone? "finked "Yes sir. Not a trace of her anywhere" He replied "No. That''s impossible. Chelses is dead" Ryn said, after we informed her of what we heard. She was still in pain, but a fresh Bandage had been ced on her wound. "She ran into the Greyhound''s wolf''s mouth. I "Bin did you see her die 1 asked and Ryn''s troubled eyes cut to mine. Her resolute features suddenly became unsure as the thought about it Then she slowly shook her head. "I only saw the wolf get her but I was too busy trying to stay alive to notice anything else." "This means she is still alive Miro said to her before turning tome. "And given the history you both have. I can bet my lett arm that Chrises will try to off Ryn again" ighed, running a hand through my hair. "Thatoshy I will be charging two Elites as her personal bodyguard." 1 sad and Miro was nodding in agreement but Ryn had a horrid look on her face. "What She asked, looking from me to Miro and back "Is for your safety, Myn" I said, cing a hand on her arm. "Yowon''t even notice they are there." tyn slowly pudied her arm away from my hand and looked away I appreciate the gesture. My Prince, but I will be time gun Aspark of anger guned in my toes "How Ryn?" I asked "You barely function as a human being, talk more of a Harmor. When ristauns for you how will you protect jouncif?" I don''t know but I will try en grated "Just don''t treat me any different than you would an Elite." The numerater and that my anger sutoaded Now I understood where she wasing from. Preferential treatment when Kyn has barely graduated and suade it into the team will be highly frowned upon by the rest of the Elites and that would real Teal "You are right!" I said Tut now I want you to and follow the tealer to the sputal. Miju and I will dig up anything wo Crocs okay Kyn linnagis also that feeding "h" She su, taping Track shown but des peuple when be youll start to tag were put a bly dit the aptnd Then they ich he did he was begun pap tomatic bedded. ## How aw ging at the Charlie wooden bergas ka satu car way at the respective suck 581 581 I sighed as I remembered the olden days with Chelsea and how she had learnt about poisons from me. "I have a pretty good idea where to start." I replied. "I cane with you, just to speed things up. Time is of the essence." Miro said and I was about to reply when suddenly, I saw cars speed down the road towards us. Their lights blinded us for a moment before they skidded to a stop, several feet from us. Just then, men alighted and a big man with a scar across his eye, caught our attention. The essence of his power was terrible. and domineering and any ordinary wolf would have scampered away or bowed to show their respect. However, my brother and I were Princes and that put us just a smidge above him in power and rank. He marched towards us along with his men dressed smartly in uniforms and the way he red at us, it was obvious he hated Us. US. "Prince Theon. Prince Miro. He called as he closed the distance between us. "Beta Dutton." I said, coldly. He gave a wry smile. "Happy to know you remember my name considering what you both did to my cousin." "What do you want, Beta?" Miro stepped forward and he frowned. "It''s more of what the King wants and he wants you both at his house in the next hour." 0 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 THEON By three a.m, we were being driven through the gates of my father''s estate with Beta Dutton''s car in front, followed by our cars and that of his security men behind us. After we parked and alighted, I stared at the gigantic mansion filled with lights. To an outsider, it seemed like a a grand ce with joy, but to me, it was just a reminder of the horrors and pain I endured in this house. Miro came to stand by my side and stared at the house with me. "Home, sweet home, isn''t it?" "I don''t share the same sentiment." I said. From the corner of my eye, I saw Miro look at me. "That''s riching from someone who had the best of Dad growing up." My hands curled into fists as I shoved them in my pockets. "That''s what you think." I replied, before proceeding into the house. When I arrived, I found my father in the dining room, sitting at the head of arge dining table. To my surprise, I found him eating and I nced at my brother who didn''t seem perturbed by this act. "Your Majesty." I bowed and Miro did the same beside me. The The stench of blood immediately filled my nostrils and when I raised my head, I could finally deduce what my father was eating. A bl***dy heart. "Come, sit." My father motioned I to the seats close to him on either side and with a nce at Miro, I went to sit on his right while Miro sat on his left. My father signaled to someone behind us and within a minute, two covered tes were ced before us. When they removed the lid for my te, I was faced with a bl***dy liver and on Miro''s te was a bl****dy kidney. Miro and I shared a nce, before I leaned back in my seat. ""What''s at''s wrong?" "My father asked, "Want a heart instead? It used to be your favorite." I sighed in frustration. "I don''t eat this kind of diet anymore, Father."? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. My father mmed his han And I his hands on the table, sending tes and cutlery jumping for a second as he red at me. "This..." he pointed at my meal, "was just freshly cured from amb in Latvia! You will not waste it!" I am not the same old boy you forced to eat b***dy meat like an animal. I don''t eat like that anymore." I red at my father as his lips curled in disgust. "No wonder, you''re weak!" He snapped. "I put you both on the most potent diet that will make you both extremely powerful and you have the nerve to sit there and refuse my generosity?" I bowed my head to show my respect. "My apologies, Father. I don''t mean to upset you." There was silence for a moment, before I heard the clinging of cutlery on a te. When I raised my head, I found Miro cutting into his kidney before spearing a bl**dy piece into his mouth. His eyes glowed a bright yellow, as he chewed meaning his wolf was the one eating. I leaned back in my seat watching him and he watched me too with a nk expression. Even our bond could not give away what he was feeling. So I smiled to myself, letting him see how condescending it was. "For someone who talks smack about their father, you sure are eager to please him." I mindlinked. My brother frowned and stopped chewing for a moment before signalling to the cook behind me. "I''ll have his portion." He said, matching my stare as if to say, "What are you going to do about it?" I simply shook my head out of pity for him and readjusted in my seat. A nce at my father revealed he was watching us tw Chapter 41 closely and from the look of amusement on his face, he seemed satisfied at the tension between us. Theon." My father said as he cut into a piece of heart. "I heard rumors about the incident at Casper''s field. Rumors stating you had Alpha Eric in custody all along. Care to exin?" ro avoided my eyes. "It is true. I had him in my custody." My father stopped chewing and pushed his te forward. "Keep talking." He said with a voice that chilled me to the bone. I sighed. "Yes, it was true Alpha Eric entered the ship at Langley''s port but I paid the captain and his crew to throw him over the boat where my men were already waiting. They dragged him out of the sea and brought him to me and I kept him in my torture cabin." "So how did the Greyhounds find out he was with you?" My father asked and I recounted how everything went down. I was abroad when I got news that the Greyhounds caught one of my men who had been on the boat that night and were torturing him. Before I could fly back home, his family had been kidnapped and that was when my man confessed. Fortunately, we were able to track down couldn''t have family was kept severed Eric, otherwise, they would go after the families of all my men. where his I to the exchange but then they were surprised that I agreed so easily and probably thought I had something up my sleeve, that''s when they kidnapped Ryn for security. My f father''s brows furrowed as he nced from me to Miro and back. "Why would they think Ryn means anything to you?" ! F****k. Miro and I shared a a nce. "I "Since 1 And "I have no idea." I sighed. I saved Ryn from Alpha Eric, they must have assumed she holds sentimental value to me." you are sure she doesn''t?" My father asked as his c**ng green eyes bore into mine. "Ryn means nothing to me." I said, coldly. "Is that true, Miro?" My father asked, without taking his eyes off me. Miro chewed, swallowed and wiped his b***dy mouth with a napkin. He looked at me but it was my turn to look away. I really want to see how deep my brother''s obsession with winning my father''s approval goes. My father turned to face Miro. "Do you think Ryn means nothing to Theon?" He sighed. "You know he has his little broken projects, Father. I strongly believe Ryn is one of them and soon he will discard her when he''s bored." I raised my eyes to meet his and wondered if he was right. Is my attraction towards Ryn nothing more than my fascination with fixing broken girls or is it because every time I am around her I feel like I can finally breathe? Or is it because I just genuinely care about being the one to produce the first female Elite ever and thus win against my father? "Fine." My father said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "This is my judgement." I listened with rapt attention. "Capturing and torturing an Alpha without permission is such an abuse of power and as such, you are hereby suspended from your status as my Governor. Effective immediately, your brother, Miro, will take your ce." Miro stared at my father in surprise before ncing at me but I looked away. "Thank you, your Highness." My brother bowed. "I won''t disappoint you." ti ww Chapter 41 1000 66% "You better not." My father said before turning to me. "Ever since the arrival of Ryn, you have not been objective as the leader of both the Elites in action and the Elites in training. Due to your...projects, one girl has put the life of the other in danger and it seems you priortize Ryn''s safety more than others." I opened my mouth to object but my father raised a finger to shush me. "Henceforth, as the Director of the ¨¦lites in training, you are temporarily suspended until the current batch graduates. You are to focus on your current role as the Alpha Commander of the Elites in action and track down all mutants. Hopefully by then, you would have gotten Ryn out of your system." I willed myself to calm down and show my father a nk face as I rose to my feet and buttoned my suit jacket. " Noted Father, but I have one question. Who is taking my ce as the Director of the Elites in training?" "I am." A voice said behind me and when I turned a Chapter 42 Chapter 42 RYN Another wave of nausea hit me and I found myself grabbing an empty trashcan to vomit my guts into. Once I was done, I wiped my mouth with a paper towel beforeying back in the hospital bed. Breathing was hard. But The deeper I inhaled, the more I felt pain across my abdomen and ribs. My head felt woozy and my lungs seemed like they were on fire. Deep down, I knew I was dying but I refused to believe it. There has to be a cure for my ailment and Prince Theon promised to find it. what i t if he doesn''t find the cure in time? What if I die before then? What would be of me and my dreams? Will I ever solve the mystery about my birth and why my parents had to find me a cure? Will I never understand why my pack turned against me and why my ex-Alpha warned me to keep my wolf on a leash? I so many questions that required answers so I can''t just die a question mark. I need to know who I am and why I am doing all this and if that means getting out of this bed and finding the answers myself, then I''ll do it. With deep breaths, I slowly sat up in bed with my feet dangling over. My hair covered my face so I swept it back with one hand. I looked out the window and realized it was already morning. Did Prince Theon not find a cure? I had Leased myself off the edge of the bed so my feet could touch the ground. Then I looked around to see if there was something I could hold on to get up but I found none. Another wave of dizziness hit me so I tried to take deep breaths to keep it down while also enduring the pain that came with my burning lungs. "Damn you, Chelsea." "I whispered with my breath. All I wanted was sa *Please Goddess, survive. How was I supposed to know that Prince Theon would be there? How is it my fault that he was fascinated with me? I whispered, touching my moon shaped pendant. "Please, save me one more time. Don''t let me die like this." I shifted my weight to my feet as I stood up and when I gauged my strength, I decided to take a step forward. In that moment, my knees buckled and my heart jolted as I felt myself falling to the ground. Just when I thought I would fall hard, I felt strong hands wrap around me, pulling me up and when I raised my head, I found eyes as blue as the arctic sea. "Prince Theon? helping me back to the bed. "What were you trying to do?" "Hey." He said before I let my eyes fall to my fingers. "I was... trying to see if I could walk and find the poison myself." Prince Theon''s eyes hardedned. "I told you I''d find it. Did you lose faith in me?" Those words made our eyes meet again and I could see how his forehead creased in what I could call hurt. For someone who barely showed emotion, this was intense. How could I tell him that I was trying to be my own saviour so I won''t have to rely on him anymore? Just then, a short man who seemed to be in his forties walked in and I recognized him as the Healer who checked in on me when I was staying with the Princes. "Healer Kwan?" "Good to see you, Miss Ashunore The doctor replied "1low are you feeling?" 113 ti "Like death?" I said, and when I nced at Theon, I found him staring at me. My face heated up as I looked away. "That''s expected considering your assant infected you with a Lupine venom." My brows pulled together. "A what now?" "A Lupine venom. It''s a very rare and ancient type of poison designed to kill the wolf first before the human. Whoever did this to you really wanted you to suffer before you die." I suddenly remembered Chelsea''s words. ''If I can''t have him, then you certainly won''t either.'' That evil b***h. "Is there a cure?" Healer Kwan nced at Prince Theon before facing me. "There is but it''s rare. It''s called the Pheonix flower but no one has seen it in a hundred years." My heart began to beat faster, as fear set in, leaving me out of breath. "Does that mean I''m going to die?"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "No. I won''t let that happen." Theon stepped forward. "I heard of a ce where we can find it, so I have sent my men to go look for it."/ 1 I stared at him for a moment, wondering what I did to deserve such fervent attention from him. Is t this show he treated the other girls? No wonder, they fell in love with him, but I can''t and I won''t and as soon as I get well, I will be the first to break his heart. "Thank you." I sighed. "Always." He replied. The doctor then went ahead to check my vitals and administer some pain killers and after he left, Theon turned to me. "I apologize for what you''ve been throughtely." He said. "You should be focused on being the first female Elite, but you''ve spent half of your program in the hospital." I shrugged. "Well, you aren''t the one who hit me with a car." "True but you got hit because you were trying to save me." We stared at each other for a moment. Why can''t I seem to look away? "Look, I was at the wrong ce, at the wrong time. If I hadn''t been at Club Zero, Alpha Eric wouldn''t have found me." "Actually, there''s something else you don''t know." Our eyes met as I wondered what. In that moment, Theon swallowed, and then his mask fell revealing the struggle on his face. It was weird to see someone so non-chnt and unaffected have such twisted features of anger, pain and hurt on his face. "It''s my fault that you were even on Alpha Eric''s radar in the first ce." He said, and I wondered how. "Alpha Eric wasn''t at the club when you first arrived. Chelsea was the one who called him out of spite." I blinked in in surprise. "What?" "She has been helping Alpha Eric kidnap girls from the club and she must have felt threatened by you somehow." "How do you know this?" "Alpha Eric told me, after I tortured it out of him." A cold shiver ran down my spine before I shook my head. "I still don''t get it." I said, "I already met Alpha Eric before Chelsea knew I was with you. Why would she want to hurt me before then?" Theon sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Chelsea already knew about you before you even came to club zero." ti ww My eyes widened, "What?". "Apparently, after we fired Principal Crow from Lycantide, he went to Club Zero to drink away his sorrows and rant. Chelsea was the girl who attended to him and he told her all about you and how you made me and my brothere to the school. It was easy to put one and two together-" and I assume I was your next girl." I concluded. * Theon nodded. "So it''s really my fault." I thought about everything for a moment before sighing. Suddenly I felt extremely tired. "Regardless, you''ve saved my life many times now, so we''re even." Theon nodded and shortly after he left. Hours, Iid back in bed, thinking about everything Theon had said so far. He looked genuinely remorseful and now I was starting to have second thoughts about how I felt about him. Should I really stay away from him? Another wave of nausea hit me and I rushed out of bed to grab the trash can. I began to retch my guts and this time, when I cleaned my mouth with a paper towel, I found blood on it. I begn to find it hard to breathe so I tried to call for help as my heart hammered faster but no words came. Getting on all fours, I tried to crawl to the door but vision began to go round and round just as my breathing got worse. Just a few feet to the door, and I copsed to the floor. Still, I stretched my hand towards the door, hoping and praying that someone would find me before I die. 3 Chapter 43 THEON I looked out the floor-to-ceiling window of my office at the field below. Will I miss this ce? I realized I would because this was where I used to watch Ryn train without seeming like a creep. My phone buzzed and checking it, I realized it was a text message but when I read the contents, I froze. "You know my cousin aspired to sit here one day." said a voice behind me and I closed my eyes in disgust when I realized whose voice it was. I typed a quick text and sent it before turning around. Standing a few feet away was Beta Dutton in the middle of the room, looking around my office like he owns it. Then his one good eyended on me and it grew cold. "My cousin couldn''t wait for you to be King so he could sit in that chair. Eighteen years of service to the Crown, and you and your brother saw it fit to ruin his life." I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked at him. "Your brother had iting." I said. "He overstepped some bounds and got punished for it." I Beta Dutton scoffed. "You mean he messed with your ything and you just couldn''t have that?" I took a deep breath and gave him a smile that didn''t reach my eyes. Dutton was trying to get a rise out of me and I wasn''t going to give in to his whims. "The office is all yours, Beta." I said, moving past the table but as I made my way to the exit, I stopped by Beta Dutton''s side and lowered my head to his ear. "Be sure to keep the seat warm for me." smiled and moved forward. "I remember a story." Beta Dutton said, stopping me in my tracks but I didn''t turn around. "It''s the story of a farmer who built a strong and mighty fence around his most prizedmb, thinking it would keep the wolves at bay. But it didn''t. Cause no matter how high the fence got, the wolves always found a way in." I curled my hands into fists in my pocket. I knew he was referring to me as the farmer and to Ryn, as themb, still he won''t get a rise out of me. "One night, this this farmer decided to stand guard, certain that nothing would happen while he was around. But by dawn, the Lamb was taken. How?" I turned to face Beta Dutton whose eye glinted with malice. "Why don''t you tell me?" He smiled. "You see? He was just a farmer who knew nothing about killing wolves so he got killed first before they pounced on his sweet, preciousmb." In a sh, I had the Beta pinned to a wall, with my left elbow ced firmly on his neck. Then I looked into his anything happens to Ryn, I assure you, this farmer will pluck out your good eye and eat it. Then he wille for everything eye. "If you hold dear and burn it to the ground." Beta Dutton looked at me and grinned. "Haven''t seen you this protective of anything since Elizabeth." An image of a woman shed before my eyes and I immediately let him go Turning my back on him, I looked down at my hands and found ws. Every instinct and fiber within me wanted to tear Beta Dutton to shreds for mentioning that name but I knew what game he was ying. Instead, I left the room without a word. I first went to the bathroom and when I got there, I washed my face several times before looking at myself in the mirror. I noticed I had begun to grow pale and my strength wasn''t as much as before. Shaking my head, I got a grip of myself and ti ww went to the staircasending overlooking the center downstairs, D When I looked down, I noticed all the students were gathering in an excited manner on the ground floor in front of a podium. Shortly after, the new coach, Adam ckwell came out to get them to settle down and then my brother came out, followed by someone I never thought I would see. My father. Dressed in I in an expensive tailored suit, my father smiled as the students of the Academy pped and hooted for him. Then they quieted down at his behest as he took center stage. "I''m sure you all have been working hard to be a full-fledged Elite." He said and earned another round of ps and hoots. "This is why this week, I am doing a little something to motivate you all." I could suddenly feel the buzz of excitement in the air as the boys discussed what the King could mean. "Your Coach Your or leader will give you further details but here is the surprise. This week, you all will go through some rigorous tests and there can only be one winner. That winner will automatically get an invite to The King''s Ball happening next week." The moment he said it, the boys began to discuss with wide eyes, smiles and excitement. I couldn''t me them. The King''s Ball was an event that happened once a year, inviting important people from all over the country towork, dine and so on. It was strictly by invitation to only the noblest of blood or status, so getting an invite to a ce like this, was one of the luckiest things that could happen to an Elite in training. It took a while but Adam got them to settle down again to hear the Alpha King. "To make things even more interesting, whoever bes a winner gets to have a one-on-one session with any of my sons." A collective gasp urred in the room. "You get to ask them anything you want on that day. Your coach will tell you more details. Good luck." Just as my father was about to step off the podium, he looked up and saw me and then looked to my side and when I traced his gaze, I found Beta Dutton staring down at him. What the hell is he up to now? My father went back up the podium and once again, Miro and Adam calmed the boys down. "Is everyone present today?" My father asked and everyone went silent. Miro met my gaze and I raised a brow to ask what was happening but he shook his head and looked away. "Everyone except Ryn Ashmore, your Highness." My brother said, My father sighed. "Sadly, only those who were notte to session today can participate. Any other person will not be allowed. allowed. I sighed and caught Beta Dutton''s smirk. "Not only that, your Highness." Dutton said, getting everyone''s attention as he climbed down the stairs and headed for the podium. "As the acting Director of this fine establishment, Miss Ashmore''s tardiness has been brought to my attention, and henceforth she is expelled from the Academy." A nervous silence settled on the crowd. Miro stared at Beta Dutton who had a smug look on his face. "You can''t do that." I said, drawing everyone''s attention towards me. "Ryn fought in the civil battle along with me and the Elites in action, she is currently incapacitated and on bed rest by mymand." That does not count, Prince Theon." Dutton smirked. "ording to the rules of this Academy, any injuries sustained outside the official assignment of a member must not keep them from being punctual. If so, they have to be expelled." He was right. AS A 213, ki w w Chapter 43 "May I suggest something?" Miro piped up and Dutton gave him the go ahead. "ording to the rules, before final expulsion, the member deserves one act of pardon before total expulsion. Ryn hasn''t used her pardon yet. Let''s give her time. If the clock strikes ten a.m, and she doesn''t arrive then she can be expelled. So basically, Ryn has five minutes to arrive." "Very well, then." Dutton beamed. "Let''s wait." -5 As time went by, my father and Dutton engaged in conversation and began tough like their conversation was funny. Meanwhile, the more we waited, the more I began to run out of breath. People began to murmur and I even caught sight of some background betting going on. "Ten seconds." Dutton said, checking his wristwatch and I began to find it hard to breathe.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Nine." "Eight." Ven." "Five" "Four." "Three" "Two." "I''m here!" My breath left me in whoosh as Ryn ran into the hall, breathless but fine. "I''m here and right on time." She waved and both my father and Dutton looked like he was going to have a stroke. Chapter 44 RYN I bent over to catch my breath and when I rose to my full height, I found everyone staring at me. Then I looked to the podium and saw the Alpha King and a man beside him frowning down at me. That must be the new Director. "Greetings, your Majesty. Greetings Director." I bowed. "You''ve been tardytely, Miss Ashmore," The Director stated, with his hands behind him. "No one here has taken more sick leaves than you." I swallowed. "My apologies, sir. All those sick leaves were because I was actually sick and hurt." "That''s none of our concern." He said, "this is why we didn''t want women in the army. You lots are weak and have too much drama going on." He chuckled and a few joined in, including the Alpha King. I ground my jaw at at the tant insult. "My apologies sir, once again, it won''t happen anymore." "It I better not. Because from now on, if you are so much as one secondte, you will be expelled and that would be the end of your training. Understood?" I felt my cheeks me as the weight of a hundred eyes settled on me. "Yes, sir." Afterwards, The King and the Beta left the podium and just as Miro was about to follow after them, our eyes met. His eyes glimmered with an emotion I couldn''t detect and I quickly looked away, remembering his warning about looking superiors in their eyes. When I looked his way again, he was gone. Someone pped me on the back hard and I turned to see some of my male colleagues beaming at me. "I heard you fought with the two Princes and the Elites in action. What was it like?" Did you see mutants?" *I heard you took on five wolves at once." "What happened?" "Ryn, you''re so u''re so cool." Questions like these and more were thrown my way as more and more of my colleagues surrounded me, giving me looks of approval. I smiled while answering them, then I looked to my left and found Konan standing far off with some of his guys, ring at me. Not willing to be intimidated, I red back and he smirked where he stood. "Hey, everyone. Settle down." Adam said and we all quieted down to listen to him. "So you all have heard what the Alpha King said. The King''s Ball is next week. You all will go through four series of tests that will try your mental agility, your strength, yourbat skills and your weapons skills. Each test wille every two days." 1 raised my hand and Adam paid me attention. "What''s the first test?'' "The simtion J swallowed. I remembered thest time I entered such and almost died. Ever since then, I didn''t participate when others took turns with it. Theon had given me permission not to and now, that grace is about to bite me in the a*** 14 "You have literally two days to ovee your fears and take the test." Adam said to us. "So, good luck." ti u D Chapter 44 66% After ss, I went upstairs to check out the library for any clues on simtion and through the ss window, I saw Prince Theon making his way to his car. Instantly, I felt the need to see him so I rushed downstairs and out the building. "My Prince!" I called as I ran towards him. His men stopped me from getting any closer but Theon gave them the signal to let me go so I bypassed them to get close to him. I forgot how big he was inparison to myself to the extent that his entire body shielded the sun from my eyes as I looked up at him. "Hi." I said, suddenly short of words. "Hello, Ryn." He said, wearing his same old stoic expression. "Good to see you''re feeling better." "Yea." "I nodded. "Thank you for the heads up. I thought I was going to die, yunno? Then Healer Kwan found me, gave me your message and gave me this." I pulled out an amulet from underneath my top. It had a crystal bluish stone attached to the bottom. When I raised my head, I found Theon looking around as if to check if anyone was watching us. "What''s wrong?" that hidden times. Especially now." He Quickly, I put the amulet back underneath my top. "Healer Kwan also told me to hide it as well and not to tell anyone about "And yet, you told me. 66 blinked, and looked down at my fingers. "Because I trust you." "You shouldn''t." He replied, making me look at him again in surprise and when I met his eyes, they were stone cold. "You What''s wrong with the twins today? Show "I know." I answered. "I just...don''t know why I felt like chasing you down the parking lot to you the amulet that is responsible for me standing right now." I frowned, really not understanding why. T I just felt an unnatural urge to be close to him, to breathe his cologne, his scent. At first, it had been subtle and I had ignored it but now, with every growing minute, it became like an itch that I needed to scratch. The more I stared at him, the more I wished he would touch me, even if it''s for a brief second. I closed the distance between us, suddenly drawn in by the mystery in his blue eyes as every fiber of my being ached for contact with his skin. Slowly, I reached out to touch his hand and I was almost there when he suddenly stepped back, shaking his head. "Ryn, you should go. You''re reacting to the effects of the moonstone." "But?-" "No buts. You are in a hotter seat than you''ve ever been before, Ryn. The Moonstone was made to give your a fighting chance but only for a short term just until we can find the Phoenix flower." I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off with a raised finger. "I won''t be around to save you anymore so you''re on your own. And don''t count on my brother either. Good luck." Theon said and turned his back on me to enter his car. "Why didn''t you tell me you were suspended?" I blurted out and he stopped. "Because it doesn''t concern you." "But it does. I just know it has something to do with me." Theon turned around, his blue eyes aze with a fiery einotion that seemed like anger.. "And now that you know, what are 12:0 vi?? you going to do about it? Are you going to let my punishment be in vain?" So he was really punished because of me. I instantly felt terrible. raised my chin and met his gaze. "I won''t. I''ll make you proud." His gaze softened. "Good. Take care." And with that, he entered his car with his men and was driven off. DDD.. 66% Once he was gone, the burning desire I felt for him died almost instantly or at least simmered down to its lowest point. I still felt like I wanted him but it wasn''t as intense as before.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I huffed wondering what in the world possessed me to have such a raw desire for him in the first ce. Shrugging, I went back into the building, but I couldn''t stop thinking about the twins. Prince Theon was punished because of me. Prince Miro is now giving me hostile vibes. What the hell did I do to the Alpha King for him to hate me so much? Going back upstairs, I gathered enough books on simtions and as I carried them in my arms to go downstairs, I bumped into someone. My books ttered to the ground and when I raised my eyes to see who it was, I realized it was Prince Miro. His green eyes hardened against me. "You should watch where you''re going." What the hell?! He was the one who bumped into me first! I rolled my eyes and shook my head before bending to pick my books but suddenly something else happened. Within a sh, I found my back t against the wall and before I could blink, Miro Chapter 45 Chapter 45 MIRO I hate her. I hate the way I felt somewhat relieved when she made it in time to ss. ! I hate the way I felt when I saw her in critical condition at the clinic just this morning. I hate how despite everything I said about my brother, she still felt the need to run out and meet him. And now? I hate how her sassiness turns me on. "Have I not warned you about this nasty attitude of yours?" I snarled as my hand tightened around her throat. Immediately, her eyes went round in fear and it reminded me of how Coach Dutton used to treat her. Instantly, I stepped away from her like she was a gue, leaving her flustered and me, breathless. As much as I''d like to teach. Ryn a lesson, thest thing I want was to traumatize her. What t the hell is wrong with me today and why am I suddenly so aggressive? Ryn touched her throat and swallowed before running her hand through her silk, ck hair. "Well," She sighed, "I tend to be nasty to people who aren''t nice to me." Hooked at her before breathing out augh. "Your smart mouth is definitely going to get you in trouble some day." "Some day, but not today." She replied and I blinked in surprise. That used to be my saying. As she she bent down to to pick her books, I suddenly felt bad and decided to help but then I noticed something. Sliding a finger across the back of her neck, Ryn shivered and moved away from me. Steadying her books in her arms, she gave me a stern look. "What are you doing?" She frowned. "How the hell did you get a Moonstone?" Her hand automatically went to her neck as she red at me. "It''s none of your business." I closed my eyes, and sucked my teeth as I closed the distance between us. "Ryn." I said, finally looking into her eyes. "There are times I can take your sassiness and bu***it, right now is not one of them, so don''t test me. Where did Moonstone?" Ryn swallowed and I could see some fear in her gaze as she assessed me, "I was instructed not to tell you get that anyone." "I don''t f***ng care who said what. As an Elite in training, it''s against the rules for you to use an enhancement to perform. I can easily go to the Director right now and tell him and you''d be out of here before you know it. So I will give you onest f****ng chance. Who f***g gave you that?" Ryn eyes glossed with tears as she stared up at me and instantly, I ran out of patience. Turning around, I turned to walk away, "Wait!" I stopped in my tracks. I''ll tell you I turned to her. ti u "Healer Kwan gave it tone. I was dying and he said it was the only way to keep me alive until they found a cure." I watched her for cues and from the way she stared at me like I was a monster, I could tell that she was saying the truth. I huffed out augh and shook my head. "Do you know whose essence is in that stone?" Her brows pulled together. "What? What do you mean?" folded my arms behind me and closed the distance between us. "He didn''t tell you, did he?" "Tell me what?" She She asked, confused. "You thought you''d u''d just wear an artifact and bam, you''re good? Look up the origin of Moonstones and you''ll find out for yourself." "Please, just tell t tell me." She said, quietly. I thought about t it for a a second and decided why not. "ording to legend, Maori, a legendary warrior, came home to find his mate dying. In order not to lose her, he did everything possible to save her life all to no avail. He eventually tried astral projection in order to go into the realm of the gods and as from the essence of the moon and told him how to use it. But there were two warnings, it was meant to only buy his mate a short time until he could find a cure. She wasn''t meant to use it for long periods of time. Maori thanked the goddess and ask for their help. None of them wanted to help, except the Moon Goddess who was touched by his story." "She gave him a a stone crafted returned to earth and and when he opened his hand, the stone was there. He wore it on his mate and she automatically became better but it came at a cost. Maori automatically became weaker." I took one step closer as her face began to dawn with realization. You see, the moonstone is useless on its own but infused with a lifeforce, it bes a hotspot. You," I touched her chest with my finger, "are standing here because someone is sharing their life force with you. You are still sick sick and I you''re still dying." She blinked and looked away. Her brows pulled together in confusion. "So whose life force am I using?" Her voice trembled. "Beats me." I shrugged, ncing at her hair. "But you gotta be careful though," I said, as I slid a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in to whisper. "Because whatever you feel, they can feel too." of her corbone, loving the shiver her body gave. I stepped back from her and smiled as I saw the horror on her face. slows drew a a finger from her earlobe to the base "Miro." A powerful voice sounded in my head and I automatically stiffened "Yes, Father." "Come to the Director''s office." Smirking at Ryn, I turned to leave. "Wait." She called and I turned to her. "What happened to Maori''s mate after? Did he get the cure in time?"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I smiled. "No, he didn''t." "So what happened to her?" at my father''s voic "Why don''t you find out yourself?" I said and left her standing there as I made my way to the Director''s office. Reaching there, I knocked and took a deep breath before going in. Sitting in the Director''s seat was my Father and standing beside him was his Beta. "Your Higliness." I bowed. 3 My father and his Beta watched me with the same calcted look. "You told us she wouldn''t make it." My father said. I blinked. "I am just as surprised as you, Father." I replied. "This morning, she was in critical condition." "So how was she able to make it in time?" I hesitated, knowing fully well that I am under my father''s oath not to help Ryn win this battle. "She must have had some help." I said. "Your brother?" My father raised a brow. "I''m not sure." I replied. "Maybe she got her wolf back in time." Just as I said so, a piercing pain sliced through my head but I maintained the stoic face I had and dug my fingers into my palm to handle the pain. I told a lie and now I was paying the consequence. I have to be careful not to tell a lie. The two men assessed me but I gave them nothing from my facial expressions. "You have to find out how she healed so quickly." My father said, "She''s probably using some type of drug." I nodded once. "Yes sir," Then I paused, "but may I ask something?" "Go ahead." "Why do you hate Ryn so much? What do you have against her?" My father''s eyes glimmered to ice as he stared at me. He went still for a moment to the point that even I feared that I may have angered him. "I don''t hate her. I just don''t like the idea of women in the field." He said, but to me, his reason sounded t like that was not why he was against Ryn. But I decided not to push further. My father eventually rose to his feet and rounded the table, heading for the door. Suddenly, he ced a hand on my shoulder and I immediately froze. Whenever my father touched me, it was always in violence but now, he was patting my back. "I want you to make me proud, Son." He said and I couldn''t believe my ears. Son? He hasn''t called me that in ages. I looked at him in surprise. Am I finally getting my Father''s love back? "Of course, Dad." I said, "I''ll make you proud." My father managed a smile, the kind that was unnatural. "I know you will, Son." He said. "As long graduate. I know you will." as that girl doesn''t Chapter 46 RYN I could barely concentrate for the rest of ss and the moment i ended, I got my bag and rushed out of there. As I began to walk to the bus stop, my phone buzzed. Pulling it out of my pocket, I checked the caller ID and realized it was Sadie. "Hey, Ginger. What''s up?" I said. "I miss you. We rarely talk. Seems you get busier and busier these days." Sadie whined and I smiled. "I miss you too and when you join the Elites, you''ll realize how busy your week can get." "I know. I guess I''m super whiny because I''m bored out of my mind." She said, "Hey, can you sleep over tonight? My parents are going out of town and I''ll be all alone at home." "Don''t you have guards or something?" "They don''t count. They are like npcs. They don''t talk to me and neither do they want to y with me. So, please, can youe? There will be food." I stopped in my tracks, excited by that by that one word. Ever since I started eating well, I discovered I had a thing for food and when Prince Miro began to cook for me, he only added fuel to the fire of my passion. "Fine. I''ll be I''ll be there." I said and Sadie squealed happily. The sun was already setting when I arrived at Sadie''s house for the first time and my jaw dropped. For someone so demure, she lived quite fancy. Her house was atop a hil, overlooking the sea below, while surrounded by lush greenery and trees and/ wide space ofnd. I alighted from the taxi that brought me, staring open-mouthed at the gigantic house. Sadie came out wearing pink fluffy bunny slippers and a pink rabbit ear headband, dressed in a short high-waisted jeans and a singlet. With her red hair reflecting the color of the sunset, Sadie was every bit the beauty. "Hii." She waved happily. I smiled as we hugged. One of the men standing guard at the entrance, collected my bag and helped me carry it in. "You didn''t tell me you lived like a princess." Sadie shrugged. "Well, I am a Cresswell. What can I say?" T Hourster, after dinner and doing a bit of reading on simtions. Sadie wanted to tell me about everything including some boy crush she had. So I decided to drop work and take a walk with her in the forest, while two of her security men followed a few feet behind. As she rambled on, I listened, andughed at all the gossip. ording to her, Howard was back in school but had to repeat a year and I was so grateful that he was now in my past. "Although, there is a rumor going around that he''s not really that mentally stable yet so people are avoiding him." My smile faded I at that. "What is it?" Sadie asked, concerncing her voice. "I didn''t know I hurt him that bad." I replied, as I kicked a pebble on the ground. "I was just trying to teach him a lesson. I had no intention of ruining his life." Sadie moved closer to me and bumped my shoulder. "Hey. You did nothing wrong. He was bullying you for years. You fought back and because of you Lycantide High now has a reign of peace. The King and Queen of Bullies are no longer in power, thanks to you." She beamed, and then she frowned. "Speaking of, Bessie invited me to a party next week. She said she wanted to make up and be friends." WBB I raised a brow at that. Do you believe her?" Sadie scoffed. "Not one bit. So I''m not going." "Wise choice." I bumped her shoulder. "What about you? Anything exciting in your life?" "Huh?" I nced at her and scratched my neck, then we got to a fallen tree and sat down. "Other than training, nothing else." "No cute guy you like?" I blushed harder, as my hand instinctively went to the moonstone pendant. Wait, why did I do that? I don''t like Prince Theon, do I? I better not. "No. Not really." I shook my head, clearing my throat. "That''s sad." She said, "You deserve someone who likes you and cares about you and buys you flowers or cooks you food." My mind instantly went to Prince Miro and his surprise dinners in my locker. "What does it mean if a guy cooks for a girl? Hypothetically, I mean." Sadie''sN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. e''s eyes brightened. "Then he really likes her. Guys don''t do stuff for girls they don''t like unless she''s his sister. Again, he has to like her to cook for her." I thought about her words and swallowed. Does that mean Prince Miro likes me? ¨ª shook my head. He was an a*** today. He definitely doesn''t like me. Want to go for a run run?" "What?" I blinked, but Sadie was already removing her shoes and the moment she did that, the security men turned their backs.. "Night run. You down?" "Oh." I blinked. "I can''t shift yet." Sadie gave me a sympathetic look. "What does that feel like? "Like trying to force a poop that won''te out. The urge is there but it just won''te out." Sadie scrunched up her nose. "That''s disgusting." I smiled sadly and shrugged in reply. "Fine, can you at least run as yourself?" "That I can do." we went under the fallen tree and walked about half a mile away from security before Sadie decided she wasfortable to strip. Afterwards, she went behind a tree and when she came out, I saw a medium sized brown wolf with white patches as tall. as my midriff. She came to me, rubbing her fur against mine as she circled me and then a memory came to me, I was ten. It was my second time transforming into my wolf. I was surrounded by kids my age and even older. They began tough at me and throw stones at me. I became angry and when a big kid had used an electric wand to electrocute me, Ished out. Oct 28 ! Mon, Sadie barked, bringing me out of my memory and I realized I was keeping her waiting. So, I joined her and together, we ran through the woods for what seemed like an hour. Despite being in human form, I managed to be the first to get back to where we first started, so I waited for her toe back but then ten minutes passed and I still hadn''t seen her. "Sadie!" I called, checking the path I came through and when I didn''t see nor hear her, I began to worry. "Sadie, where are you?" T I was greeted by silence, but suddenly I felt like I wasn''t alone. I felt like someone was watching me. I looked around the dark woods and immediately had the urge to get out of there. An itch started from my neck and travelled to my spine and it made me get that urge to shift again. I rubbed my neck, suddenly sure I wasn''t alone in the woods, so I called out for Sadie one more time and when I didn''t hear an answer, I decided it was best to find her security. The moment I turned, I found Sadie right behind me and my heart almost left my "Right here!'' She chirped andughed. "Got you!" chest. "Sadie, that was not funny. I thought something happened to you!" I said, and when my eyes fell on her naked body, I averted them and turned my back on her. Sadieughed as she got dressed behind me. "I''m at home, Ryn. Nothing bad can happen to me." Just then, I noticed something shifting in the dark distance, and all the hairs behind my neck stood up. "Sadie?" I called but she was rambling on. I took a step back, my heart hammering. I could see the thing moving in the shadows, so big I had to raise my head. "Sadie?!" "Yes? Then it turned to look our way and I saw its red zing eyes. "Oh my gods, is that?" Her voice trembled. "Yes." I said, blindly grabbing for her hand as I moved backwards. "Run!" Chapter 47 Chapter 47 RYN Fear seeped into my bones as we ran for dear life towards the path of the fallen tree. I looked behind me and saw the hug shadow with the red eyes climb on tree and began to leap from tree to tree. "HELLLLPPPPP!" Sadie screamed and then she fell. Stopping in ny tracks, I looked up and saw the beast closing in before going back to help Sadie up. In that split second, I was torn between facing my fears which was the beast thus giving Sadie a head start or running for my life to prevent being hospitalized again and getting expelled. I helped Sadie up and she was able to run away but then the beastnded just a few feet away from me and I found myself unable to move. The closer it stalked sme, the more intense the itch in my body got. "Ryn!" I heard Sadie call but I was too fro literally trembled. Closer, and I could see the b to turn. The urge to shift became so overwhelming that my entire body face under the moonlight. It wasn''t as deformed looking as thest one. I saw but it was very scary nheless. It bared its teeth at me, revealing needle-like canines and my entire body shivered. I tried to move but it felt like I had lost control of my own body. With a racing heart, I stared up as the beast snarled again until we were standing a few inches apart at eye-level. Is this it? Is this where I die? But it did nothing. Just stared at me with those red coals for eyes Suddenly, multiple shots rang out and the beast jerked in response as something hit it. It looked behind me and let out the biggest roar I had ever heard, making me ce my hands on my ears and close my eyes. By the time I opened them, I saw Prince Theon, shirtless and moving at the speed of light as he went round the beast, shing it with his ws. His hair, loose from the ribbon usually tying it, flowed behind him and around his face in such a mesmerizing halo. Under the mo More men came from behind me, moving to attack the beast as it fought back. Suddenly, I felt bad and was reminded of how I was surrounded as a child and taunted for my wolf form. Someone electrocuted the beast and it whined and just then, its red eyes connected with mine. I took a step forward, not sure why I feel sympathy for a mutant wolf known to cause havoc. "Ryn!" Sadie called, and stopped beside me, linking her hand with mine. "Are you hurt?" I vaguely heard her but I was too drawn in by the mutant. Suddenly, someone did something to it, and it growled angrily before swiping its hand, and as a result, multiple men were thrown in the air. In a matter of seconds, the beast freed itself from its attackers and ran awa "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" He yelled in my face and I blinked in surprise, finally aware of my surroundings. "YOU THINK THAT''S SOME PUPPY TO PET? OR SOME WOLF TO PLAY WITH?! IT COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!" All I could do was stare, as Prince Theon yelled at me and lost all form ofposure. Tears burned the back of my eyes as I looked away and my face med in embarrassment. "Uncle-" Sadie began. "Stay out of it!" Theon snapped at her and I felt Sadie hold me tighter as Theon faced me. "Why do you have such a penchant for drama, Ryn?!" He panted heavily. "Why do you always attract danger?! Why do you W BD Chapter 47 always have to be saved?"- I raised my eyes to his and I felt anger bubble straight from my core. "Then stop saving me! Stop being there all the time! If I perish, then let me perish!" I said, feeling tears run down my face. "Let me diel Let me get expelled! Let my life fall into shambles! If I am such a burden, then why do you fucking care? I breathed heavily as Theon red at me. "Leave me the fuck alone and let me diel" And with that said, I stormned off. I woke up in Sadie''s bed and when I checked the table clock, I realized it was fourty three minutes past two in the morning. I felt warmth on my chest and realized it moonstone ne. Why was it warm? I nced at Sadie who was came from the sleeping peacefully beside me before getting out of bed. Dressed in a baby blue tank top and pyjama shorts that could be mistaken for panties, I packed my long hair to one side of my shoulder and sat at Sadie''s desk. I had been using herputer earlier to do research on simtions. Now, I wanted to know about the moonsto Searching up the history of Maori and the moonstone, I sat back in the chair and read and the more I read, the more terrified I became. Suddenly feeling thirsty, I left the bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen to get a drink. As I grabbed a cup and fetched some water from the tap, I began to feel hotter than usual. I gulped down the ss of water within seconds and fetched another as I didn''t feel quite satiated. Suddenly, I heard a sound behind me and without looking, I dropped the cup in the sink, pulled out arge knife from its rack and turned to face whatever was behind me. To my surprise, I found Prince Theon standing at the entrance, wearing a light ck shirt but his chest was bare and his hair a curly mess. "Why are you still here?" I asked.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. His eyes narrowed at me before he ventured further into the kitchen, heading straight for the fridge. "That''s an odd thing to ask when you''re the guest here." He said, opening the fridge. He brought out a can of soda, opened it, took a long gulp before sighing. It almost seemed like he was thirsty too. "I can''t leave this ce unprotected, Ryn." He finally looked at me. "Not after what just happened." "And how did you know I was in trouble?" He scratched the back of his neck. "I was already on my way here ro retrieve something. Sadie found me and told was happening." Silence settled upon us after that and we remained standing, staring at each other. me what His ocean eyes moved, raking from my head and then pausing on my chest before slowly traveling down my stomach to my navel and my bare legs. When they snapped back to my eyes, I felt fire ignite within me, starting from my stomach. The Moonstone got warmer and began to glow and suddenly my entire body became a desert, thirsty for something. I took a step forward as my eyesnded on the dragon tattoo on Theon''s bare chest. Then I noticed the tattoos drawn like lightning on certain areas of his body especially his six pack abs where he had scars. Those scars gave way to a prominent V line curving downward I gasped, stopping mid-stride. 28 Not only was Prince Theon-ne as hell in those cotton pants, bi 0 Chapter 48 RYN I should be terrified, but I''m not. Instead, I felt aroused. I felt like that was what I was thirsty for. "Ryn." Theon called in his deep, raspy voice and it only seemed to add fuel to the fire burning me from the inside. I blinked and realized that I was halfway across the kitchen towards him. My nipples tightened painfully and I began to pant like I had run a thousand miles. Theon raised his hand as if to tell me to stay where I am. "This is not you, Ryn." He said. "You''re under the spell of the Moonstone." I swallowed, licking my lips. I understood what he said perfectly but my brain and body did not seem to register what he said. Still, I willed myself to stop but instead, I took another strained step forward. "Why?" I whispered, as I dragged the knife across the surface of the kitchen ind. "Why what, Ryn?" He asked, as his eyes flickered from the knife to my boobs which naturally used to bulge from my tank top due to them being on therge size. "Why didn''t you tell me that I was using your lifeforce?" Theon''s eyes narrowed as he watched me. "I didn''t think it was important for you to know." I scoffed, feeling anger and lust rise in my bones. "You didn''t think it was important for me to know that whoever wears a moonstone will be sexually attracted to the life force giver? No," I cocked my head to the side in thought, gripping the knife tighter. "... research said the person would have an insatiable lust and desire for the giver of their lifeforce. Care to exin that?" Theon sighed. "It''s a side effect of the Moonstone, yes, but it wasn''t that way for every person. I did my research, Ryn. Insatiable lust is a side effect pertaining to mates." I blinked at him in surprise. "Rx," He said, "I already found my mate years ago. You''re not mine." I thought about his stinging words for a moment and suddenly felt jealous. I had no idea he had a mate before. I wondered what she was like. Did he love her? Did he lose her? Is that why he has stayed single all these years? Is that why he never falls for his projects? "So, where''s your mate?" I asked. Theon''s eyes hardened. "I don''t want to talk about her." I swallowed and nodded. "If I''m not your mate then, what side effect was I supposed to have?" Theon sighed again and ran a hand through his hair, thus flexing his biceps. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, forcing myself not to close the distance between us. "You were supposed to just grow fond of me and with time, if the Phoenix flower wasn''t found yet, you might start getting obsessed with m I smiled bitterly and felt the urge to take another step but I forced myself to stay still. "In lust with you." I whispered, my voice trembling. Dropping the knife, I ran a shaky hand through my hair and looked out the window. "I did some research about the Phoenix flower too." I whispered, feeling despair join the myriad of emotions clouding my judgment. "How sure are you that you''ll find it in time? None has seen it in decades. Some even say it''s a myth." "Have I ever let you down, Ryn?" 45 I thought about his words for a moment before shaking my head Suddenly, I became tired of fighting my own will so I took two steps forward, and closed the distance between us. A whiff of his aftershave had me almost rolling my eyes backwards and the warmth radiating f I reached out to touch him but he gripped my wrist. Catching his gaze, my heavy breathing filled the air. "And what if you don''t find the flower on time like Maori?" I whispered, leaning closer to his face. "What happens to me then?" Theon stayed silent, watching me as I grew closer to is lips.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Will you let me run mad with lust like she did or will you kill me like Maori eventually killed his mate?" Theon''s eyes hardened again. "No one is killing anyone." He muttered before dumping my hand and walking out of my face. I released a sigh as I stood with my back to him, feeling embarrassed and rejected. Gods. Why did I throw myself at him like that? I inhaled sharply as another wave of desire hit me. Gripping the kitchen counter, I took deep breaths to steady myself. Is this how I am going to suffer till my cure is found? I turned to face him. "So, in the meantime, your Highness, what''s the temporary solution to this?" Theon shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to me, and I began to see some strain on his face. "We have to stay away from each other." He said. "Eventually, that won''t work anymore but for now, it''s the safe option." I nodded in understanding and licked my lips."Okay." "Yeah." He responded but then, he made no move to leave. I couldn''t leave either. It was like I was rooted to the spot, hoping and praying that he''d just touch me again. Just one more time. My breasts felt heavier by the second and the way I throbbed down there, I could already feel my panties soaked through. "I can smell your arousal from here." Theon suddenly said and a mixture of embarrassment and desire overwhelmed me. I rolled my eyes. "Well I don''t care. You have no idea what I''m going through right now." "I do." Theon said and our eyes met again. "If you did your research well, you''d know whatever you feel, I can feel too." He said, taking a step forward. "I can feel every bit of desire you have for me, Ryn. I can almost feel your thoughts and how much you want me to take y I blushed harder because by the gods, he was right. "And just as much as you''re fighting that desire, I am too." He said, taking another step forward. "So, we need to," I stuttered, looking for the words to say. "W-We need to leave now." Theon nodded, taking another step forward. "You should stop." I whispered. "You think I don''t know that?" He scoffed. "My will is getting weaker by the minute." Chapter 49 THEON Gods. It''s been so long since I kissed someone. Despite having other women after my mate, not once did I let myself be vulnerable enough to kiss them. It was strictly transactional until Ipletely lost sexual interest in women. Now, I am kissing Ryn and I have never felt so good in years. I took her lips in mine and she was quick to open up and let me in. I wanted more. I wanted to explore her depths till there was nothing left. Frustrated at our height difference, I ced my hands on her tiny waist and carried her up to sit on the kitchen counter. Without a mo I removed the clothing and flung it on the counter, before grabbing her bod closer. I loved the way her breasts felt against my body, so I grabbed them, loving how soft and full they were. As a result, Ryn let out something between a moan and a groan sending more blood rushing to my c Something in me wanted to cause her pain and pleasure so I gripped her hair and pulled. She let out a gasp as her lips became ck and her throat became exposed to me. I kissed her jawline, down to her throat, feeling the urge to leave little bites along. Giving in to my urge, I left bites along her throat and when I heard moans of satisfaction, I came back up to kiss her a Ishould stop. Right here. Right now, but why does she feel so good? Why does she feel like a tall ss of water in a desert? Was I not taking advantage of her? Before I could think further, Ryn ground her hips against my erection and a soft groan escaped my lips. She did it again and the sudden urge to rip her pants came over me. When she pulled back from our kiss and was about to pull her tank top over her head, I stopped her. That alone gave me the second I needed to think clearly. She looked at me through zed eyes, her lips red and swollen. Why did you stop?" She panted. "Cause, this is wrong." I muttered, taking several steps away from her. ""What''s wrong?'' "Us." I motioned between us. "This. This is not right, Ryn. I am your Director." "Former Director." She answered quickly. "You''re not breaking any rules." "Regardless, I am still your Superior and I am way older than you." "You''re twenty-five, I''m neen.'' She answered,ing down from the counter. "I''m not some kid." "Please, stay where you are." I pleaded as she took a step forward towards me and I felt her desire reignite again. "Regardless of the circumstances, Ryn, this is not what you want." Her brows pulled together. "And how would you know what I want?" "Because you''re under the effects of the Moonstone. Any feelings you have towards me are not real and I''d hate for you totere to your senses and regret this night." Ryn searched my eyes before nodding in understanding. "What about you?" She asked and I frowned. "What about me?" Ryn shrugged. "What do you want?" "What I want doesn''t matter, Ryn?" Ryn took another step forward. "It does. I want to know. Are your feelings towards me real? Or am I just a project to you?" I paused and swallowed, lost for words. My brother must have said something for her to use that term. Damn him. Was Ryn like the other girls? No." So if she''s not, what is she to me? I looked at her and found something dangerous in her eyes. I found hope the same kind the other girls used to have. Hope that I would fall in love with them. 151 "Please, say something." Ryn pressed, a little bit of frustration evident in her features. "I need to know why you always save me. Why are you always there for me? Is it because you feel something for me?" I held her gaze, before answering. "No. I don''t feel anything for you." Ryn blinked in surprise, looking at me with new eyes as she took a step back from me. "And the reason I am always saving you is because I have a bet with my father." "I already know about that." She snapped. "If I fail to graduate, women won''t be able to join the force forever." "Not just that." I replied and ran a hand through my hair. "If you fail, Ryn, I will have to do everything my father says and that includes marrying a woman I don''t love." "What?" Ryn''s brows pulled together. I shoved my hands in my pockets and continued to stare into her eyes which now reflected her hurt. "My father has been trying to arrange a wife for me for years now and I have been avoiding it but when your issue came up, he used that as leverage."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "If you manage to graduate," I continued, "my father will no longer be able to control my brother and we get to live our lives the way we want." "So you both were using me?" Ryn asked, looking at me with disgust that I felt it in my bones. "Don''t take it personal, Ryn. It''s just business." Ryn sighed at first, looking distraught, then she nodded. Instantly, her face, which was the epitome of disbelief, now shifted into a stone cold mask. "Fine. If you want to use me, then I''ll use you too." She said, "Since I have to graduate at all costs, teach me everything I nee "You sure you want to stay around me while I do that?" I motioned to the amulet, even though the amount of desire I felt from her had reduced drastically. Ryn scoffed. "Trust me, you don''t seem very attractive to me right now." I stared at her, wishing I didn''t have to be mean to her like that but also knowing it was necessary. If I could get her to hate me, then it''d counteract the effects of the Moonstone just for a while. "Fine. Here''s what you need to know." I arrived in the parking lot of my home just as the sun was beginning to rise and dismissed my security men to rest. WBD. 400 Luckily for me, it was a Sunday, so I was d that I''d get to catch some rest and mull things over before starting the hassle of a new week. Riding the elevator, I checked in with the men tracking the beast found at my cousin''s house but they had no updates. It seemed like the mutant disappeared into thin air and I remembered what my brother said about mutants either tailing me or Ryn. From the incident that What does a neen year old girl have to do with monsters? As far as mutants went, Ryn couldn''t possibly be one. She had bloodwork done before joining the program and everything came back normal, so why? I sighed and reached out to the people in charge of finding the Pheonix flower. They had no updates either and I began to worry about Ryn as the clevator doors opened to the hallway of my penthouse suite. "What if Ryn truly runs berserk? What if she truly bes a jealous maniac who starts to kill people around me like Maori''s mate? I shook my head. I''d never let her get to that point. I''d do whatever it takes. Even if it meant making her hate me forever. Getting to the door of my penthouse, I entered the ess pin on the door knob. It was a new technology I installed since the incident with my father barging in. Once I got in, I sighed in content and was still contemting what to drink when I heard the sound of a door closing upstairs. My brother came to thending and peeked downstairs and when he saw me, he nodded to himself before heading for the stairs. He had just grey cks on and was shirtless as he came down towards me. His face was nk and due to sharing my lifeforce with Ryn, I couldn''t feel emotions through our bond from afar until my brother got close enough, that''s when I realized he was mad. My brows pulled together as I asked, "What''s wrong?" "You fucking bastard." He fumed before he reared back and punched me in the face. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 MIRO My brother''s face swung to the side as my fist connected with it but he had no reaction of pain as he touched his lip and found blood on his hand. Then he looked at me, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell was that about?" He asked and the fact that he hadn''t caught on by now made me even angrier. I punched him again and this time, he staggered slightly, earning another cut on the lip. "I see how it is." He muttered before dropping his suitcase and jacket on the couch. When his blue eyesnded on me, a deadly shiver went all over my body, warning me to desist from this act but I was too angry to listen. "Your pupils are dted." He observed. "That''s a side effect of that nasty diet Dad''s got you eating. It makes you aggressive for no reason but that''s okay. You''ve gotten two strikes in." He said, as he began to roll up his sleeves, revealing matching tattoos with me. "Those two strikes are all you''re ever going to get. If you can''t talk like an adult, then I''m going to beat you like a child." He said, curling his hands into fists. I smirked as I got into a fighting stance and raised my own fists as well. Theon saw them and nodded once. "Very well then." And so the fight between us began. Theon an expert in hand to handbat and martial arts was able to block and predict my moves before I could and them. Eventually, I was able to jab him in the ribs but I was not prepared for his blow to my right eye. I became disoriented for a moment, feeling the world shift underneath me before I fell to my knees. "Stay down." My brother warned but that infuriated me even more. He doesn''t get to tell me shit! I rose to my feet and swung at him again. This time, he blocked my assault on time and in retaliation,nded a powerful blow to my face. The impact made me see stars for a moment before I fell hard on my back. Coughing, I rolled onto my side.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "What the hell is going on, Ro?" Theon asked,ing closer. "Why aren''t you talking to me?" The moment he got near, I locked his feet with mine, thus pulling him to the ground. In a sh, I was on top of him, taking the vase of flowers off the center table and mming it against his head. Theon wasn''t able to catch the vase in time, thus suffering a medium si Instantly, blood began to pour from his cut, but I didn''t care. I was able to get two blows in before he sank his ws into my side, making me groan out in pain. In one breath, Theon grabbed my throat and in a sh, my back was mmed on the ground. Pulling back his fist I gripped my bleeding side as I got off the floor and leaned my back against the couch. Theon gripped his head and winced before easing his back from the floor to the couch as well. The sounds of our breathing filled the air between us as we red at each other. After a while of nothing but catching our breaths and letting our wounds heal, Theon shook his head and rose to his feet. I heard his feet pad to some distance, then I heard the clink of ss a his feet grew louder, Theon stopped in front of me and offered a half-filled ss of bourbon. I red at him and then at the ss before collecting it from him. Theon then went to the seat opposite me and sat down before taking a drink. I took a drink as well, wincing as the liquid burned my throat down to my chest but loving how it made me feel better. Heaving out a sigh, I ced the cup on the table before looking at my brother who had his elbows resting on his knees, watching me. I scoffed and struggled to get up but the sharp pain in my side let me know I wasn''t fully healed yet. C 400 Bastard. "Care to tell me what your problem is now?" Theon asked and I scoffed in reply. "Why? You''re going to beat it out of me?" "If necessary, yes." He answered, in a business-like tone and I believed him. He had once tied me to a torture chair when we were seventeen to ask where I hid his diary, so I wouldn''t put it past him. I sighed, feeling the adrenaline wear off. "I had an encounter with Ryn yesterday." "Okay, and?" Theon asked and I frowned at him in anger. "You want to tell me you didn''t give her a fucking Moonstone and share your lifeforce with her?" My brother cocked his head to the side. "I actually did. What I don''t understand is how that is upsetting to you." I huffed out a breath in disbelief. Is my brother really serious right now? "You don''t know what that has to do with me?" I asked, and there was no form of remorse or empathy on his features. "You fucking asshole from the pits of hell! You''d give some random girl your lifeforce but then, when I needed you to share it with me so I could-" I paused, feeling all the buried "When I needed to avenge her, you told me you could not help me." Theon nodded understandingly. "I get how you feel, brother, and if history had to repeat itself, I''d make the same choice all over again." I blinked in shock. I knew my brother was cruel but I never knew he was this terrible and shitty. Managing to rise to my feet, I began to slowly pace around, as memories from the past haunted me. "Why?" Iter asked, feeling a heavy weight of sadness settle on my chest. "Why didn''t you help me avenge our little sister?" He hesitated. "Because what''s done is done, Ro. Mutants killed Nora and crippled your wolf to send a message. Borrowing the Moonstone to attack them was the height of stupidity." I red at my brother. "I could have had him. I could have had Dominic Tarrent, if you had even gone with me. We could have gotten justice for Nora." "Oh please." Theon said, rising to his feet and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I know what this is really about. Somehow, Dad''s gotten to you, upstairs." He pointed to his head as a reference. "Hasn''t he?" "This has nothing to do with, Dad!" I replied. "This has everything to do with you and how you always let me down when I needed you the most but when ites to Ryn, you''re a knight in shining armor, breaking rules and shit! Are you saying Ryn''s life is more important th "I''m saying Ryn''s life is just as precious as yours." Theon red. "Facing someone like Dominic Tarrent back then would have definitely taken your life but I''m tired of talking. It''s obvious you won''t see my point as long as you keep eating that nasty diet." "You''re just jealous that Dad is finally looking my way and you''re no longer the golden Prince." Theon approached me and removed a hand from his pocket to ce on my shoulder. "I have had a really long night and I am going to sleep. Congrattions on being Dad''s new favorite." He said and with that, began to walk away. Anger rushed within me at his nonchnce. "Ryn won''t make it." I said. "Ryn won''t graduate." Theon stopped with his back to me. "Whatever''s happening between us, leave Ryn out of it." Mon, UCI Z8 "And if I don''t?" My brother turned to look at me. His eyes finally reflecting the rage he''s feeling deep within. "If you don''t and Ryn loses her ce on the Force, then forget you have a brother." Chapter 52 Chapter 51 RYN As Iid, facing up, I smiled to myself as I felt a sweet sensation between my legs. The sensation became so intense that my breathing grew into painting for breath as my muscles locked up in anticipation of something. I opened my eyes and first noticed the moonlight illuminating the bedroom. Then I raised myself on my elbows and to my dismay, I saw my legs spread wide and Prince Theon, bnced in between them, eating me out with passion. "What the hell?" I gasped and when he raised his head, I saw his eyes sparkle with desire. "You taste so good, Bunny." He purred with his raspy voice before going back to licking my kitty like it was a honey coated candy stick. The more I watched him, the hornier I became, feeling a tense moment build up within me and as much as I wanted to reach a climax, something felt off. Wait a da***n minute. What was Prince Theon doing in Sadie''s room? How did he get me naked? Didn''t we have a fight? Is this another f****ing vivid dream? The more I thought about it, the faster Theon seemed to suck on mybia, distorting my thoughts and making my head roll back in pleasure. I tried to find my line of thought but I couldn''t think straight anymore. In desperation, I blindly reached for Theon''s head. ''Oh Gods! I think I''m going to c****m! Just then, someone caressed my hair gently and I felt a presence close to my ear. "Let it happen, Firecracker. C****m for us." Miro''s gasped. "How did side I turned my head: "What the-" "I head sharply to the side and to my great surprise, I found Prince Miro, shirtless, smiling down at me. Miro''s hand glided over one of did you get here?" I found myself saying. "You''re not supposed to be here." ! of my breasts and traveled up to my neck to hold it. His green eyes glowed like a cat''s as he narrowed them at me. "You belong to us, Kathryn Ashmore. Right, T?" I twisted my neck to look at Theon and to my utter terror, it wasn''t Prince Theon between my legs anymore, it was a mutant beast watching me with red eyes as itpped hungrily at my kitty with its long, red tongue. I jerked awake in in bed, panting heavily. It took a while for me to register my surroundings but thankfully, this time, it was day break, and when I realized that it was all a dream, I sighed a breath of relief and let myself fall back in bed. sacred moon was that?'' I wondered as I stared at the ceiling. What in In the I was only supposed to have attraction towards Prince Theon, so why the heck was Prince Miro in my sex dream and now, a mutant? I remembered how the beast hungrilypped at my kitty, and that made me press my thighs together. Why did I find that really hot? Gods! Am I going crazy? I looked to Sadie''s side of the bed and realized it was empty, then I checked the table clock, and discovered why. It was nine-forty eight in the morning. Jeez! I must have slept in! Throwing back the covers, I rose to my feet and just then the sound of my phone buzzing filled the air. I grabbed the device sitting on a wireless charger and when I checked the caller ID, it was none other than Prince? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. 17:12 WBB. Chapter 51 Theon. 0048% Instantly, I remembered our conversation fromst night and how he had made it clear that I was simply a means to an end. I stared at my phone, feeling my anger grow until the ringing ended. Heaving a sigh, I noticed my panties were soaked through so I went for a a change of By time I came back, I found a text message from none than His "Good morning, Ry¨¾. I hope you slept well? Just checking in on you, especially since your morning started intensely. Stay safe and enjoy your weekend." I read his message, over and over again, asl fiddled with my amulet wondering if I should give him a reply. I decided against it, and left the room. The moment I came out, the smell of pancakes filled the air and instantly, my mouth watered. I quickened my steps and went down the stairs and the closer I got to the dining room, the louder Sadie''s voice became. "Uh-huh?...Where else are you going?" she asked, just as I waved silently to her and took a seat opposite her. Since her parents were on speaker phone, I heard them mention a party at the ckwells house and my ears suddenly pricked up. That was Adam''s family. After the call ended, I pretended to be focused on the blueberry pancakes I was forking onto my te amongst other things. When I nced her way and noticed the sadness on her face, I decided to ask what was wrong. "Nothing." Sadie e smiled sadly. "Just missing my parents." understand. They will be back soon, yes?" Sadie nodded I and I gave her a soft pat on her hand before diving into my meal. A bite of the pancake and I almost stood up from the chair to dance around. Every vour was on point, exploding on my taste buds. When I opened my eyes, I found Sadie watching me with a small amused smile on her face. "You seem to like pancakes a lot," She said. "Blueberry pancakes are the bomb." "Not just pancakes, "Tree." She said, and began to eat her own food. Then, I decided now would be a good time to ask my question. Sadie giggled softly," "Hey. Uhm, " can I ask you something?" I said. I "Sure." She shrugged. "What''s up?" I paused for a for a moment, thinking of the best approach with her. "Can you tell me about the ckwells?" Her eyes lit up at my question. "What do you want to know?" She asked. "Everything? I know this guy from the Acadamy, he''s a ckwell and I just-" "A ckwell is at the Academy?" Sadie''s eyes bulged. Yeah?" I answered, not really sure what the big deal is. "He''s the interim coach for now. Why?" Did he talk to you?" "A few times. Yes." "Wow! You must be really cool!." Sadie gushed. I looked at her in confusion, "Sadie, talk to me. What am I missing here? What''s so special about talking to a ckwell? "I got you." Sadie said enthusiastically, abandoning her food. "Well, the ckwells are what we call old money. I''m talking about wealth before the royal family existed, before all the packs in the western hemisphere came together as a country." "Wow. They must be really powerful." "You can say that again. They have a lot of say in a lot of things but they also like to keep to themselves. No one can just enter into their circle unless invited." T I thought about her words and remembered what Adam said about my parents and I. He made it sound like we''ve been friends for long but my parents were not rich. So how did they get the invite to join the cool kids? "So are you saying The ckwells don''t care about anyone''s background?" 45 45 Sadie pondered on my words. "I don''t really know about that. All I know is that whoever hangs around the ckwells must be really cool. They even made it a thing with their kids as well. Lattended the same school as them before I switched to yours. I noticed no one couldspeak or be friends with a ckwell, unless they approached you first. "So you can see why I thought you were really cool?" "Yea." I replied, leaning back in my seat, wondering. Why were my parents close to the ckwells? To the point that Adam recognized me as a kid? What special about us the Ashmores? The more I thought about it, the more I realized, something is not adding up. Chapter 53 Chapter 52 RYN I arrived early at the Academy before any of my colleagues and with lots of time to spare, I did my warmups and then sat in a ssroom to go over everything Theon told me about the simtion test. "This test will be a little different friss the one you experiencedst time, The difference is that the mutant is fixed and will be required to get from point A to point B without getting killed or hurt." Back then, I had raised my brows in question. "Getting killed?" Theon nodded. "Killed in the simtion of cour as much as possible not to get killed." you but the shock of it can be very heavy on a person''s nervous system, so try he shock of it can be very heavy on a person''s nervous system, so try I went over more lessons in the back of my mind as people slowly began to trickle in. To my dismay, colleagues that usually ignored me when I arrived in ss, now waved at me with smiles. I waved back, still weirded out by the whole act but nheless d that I was fir Later on, Konan and his gang swaggered in and after greeting his fellow male colleagues, he threw a re my way before choosing a seat right behind me. "The Teacher''s Pet finally decides to be early." Konan muttered and his friends sniggered. "What happened? Your lover can''t save you anymore?" More snickers. I felt my wolf stir for the first time since the Chelsea incident. My hands tightened around the edge of the book I was reading, but I decided Konan was the least of my worries, so I ignored him. "Want my advice? You should sit this test out, Ryn." Konan whispered behind me, his voice much closer to my back. "We don''t want you having a pom pom meltdown likest time." A bunch ofughter sprung up behind me, making my face burn with embarrassment and anger but I closed my eyes, and took deep breaths to calm my nerves. I bet I am being watched and provoked to anger so the slightest thing can be used against me. I wouldn''t be surprised if the new Director was around a corner waiting to pounce. "Answer me, bitch!" Suddenly, I jerked forward as I felt something hit my chair from behind. The ssroom got quiet as the other guys focused their attention on us. When I looked back, I discovered Konan had kicked my chair from behind. I raised my gaze to look into his a Then I shifted my chair back and grabbed my reading materials to leave.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Where do you think you''re going?" Konan drew me by the scruff of my uniform, pulling me back roughly. Suddenly, I found myself surrounded. I looked past him to the ss demarcation but couldn''t find a single guard on patrol. Why? They were there just minutes ago. "What? Looking for help?" Konan smirked and I became convinced this attack was orchestrated. "Yo, Konan. You need to stop. Leave her alone, man." Someone said from the other group of guys. He had dirty blonde hair and kind brown eyes. "You need to shut the fuck up and mind your business, Fred!" Konan reacted as he turned to him. "Isn''t your mother working as a secretary for my Dad? I can make her job disappear in seconds if you don''t back off!" WBB The boy looked defeated but he stepped back. 1 "Anyone else?" Konan asked and the boys frowned and looked down at the floor. My heart began to hammer faster, I thought I was safe with the guards on patrol and the boys on my side but it seems Konan has some sort of influence or power over them. Konan finally turned to me and shoved my shoulder. "Now where were we?" "Don''t start with me, Konan." I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "I really don''t want problems with you. Just leave me alone." I said, and tried to move past him but he blocked my way "Ah, Ah, Ah, Not so fast, Teacher''s whore. Why don''t you just go home?" He asked, closing the distance between us. "You were never going to graduate anyway." "Who told you that?" Someone said and everyone turned to see Adam ckwell standing at the entrance, looking powerful and mighty in his ck on ck uniform. He looked pissed as he assessed the situation between Konan and myself before venturing further into the room. Konan, who seconds earlier had a stered sinister smile, now looked shaken and disturbed as he stepped out of Adam''s way. I silently released a sigh of relief. Adam turned to me, "Wait for me outside." With a simple nod, I gave Konan my best smile before walking out of the ssroom. Once I was out of earshot, my smile faded and I raised my hand to see it trembling. I sighed as I leaned against the wall, touching my pendant. What would have happened if Adam hadn''t "Hey." Adam called softly and I turned to see him approach me. Follow me." He said and I instantly obeyed. When we entered a deserted hallway, far from the earshot of others, he turned to me. "Are you okay?" I nodded. "Yes, thank you. I''m d you came in time." Adam smiled as well. "Actually," He scratched his head, "Me showing up wasn''t a coincidence." I frowned, wondering what he meant by that. "I don''t understand." "I mean, Prince Theon called me and asked me to show up at the Academy and find you as soon as possible. I thought it was weird but it makes sense now seeing you needed my help. I just don''t know how he knew you were in trouble." I blinked in surprise. "Me neither." I lied and smiled. "I guess I''m a lucky girl." Adam stared at me with amused eyes as if he knew I was lying. "If you need anything, Ryn, just give me a call, okay?" "Yeah, Sure." I replied and afterward, Adam left the hallway first. After a few minutes of getting myself together, I turned a corner to the main floor where the ssroom was and immediately froze. Standing several feet across from me was the new Director, ring at me. When I stared back, he smiled to himself before walking away. Finally, the time came for the test to happen. We all followed Adam into the simtion room and I was surprised to find that the whole ce had been transformed. There was no ss demarcating anything anymore. The seat was now in the middle of the room and people could sit upstairs and look down at the process as it was happening. The contest began and people were chosen randomly by Adam pulling out a strip of paper from a jar full of names. Thankfully, with this style, many others were able to go before me and I was able to learn a thing or two from their footage.. WBB. Just like Prince Theon said, the goal was to get from one point to the other without being caught by the beast. In this case, our goal was to run through a garden maze and retrieve the g in the middle before the beast caught up to us. Also, the moment you enter, you get a weapon to fight the beast as well. Everyone appears in an open field, next to a giant tree and the beast appears at a far distance either sleeping or preupied with something else. The moment you make a sound, it finds you and you have very few minutes to reach your goal before the beast pounces. Sadly, over a dozen people went in before me and none of them were able to make it past the first set of maze before the beast caught up with them in a terrible manner. Then Konan went in, and I saw how he was able to destabilize the beast by aiming bullets at its eyes. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he made it halfway before the beast tore through the garden and tore through him in a terrible manner, so much that he screamed his way to reality and appeared severely traumatized. After him, two more people went in and failed as well. "Ryn Ashmore." Adam read out my name next and my body began to tremble as I made my way to the chair and got bound to the seat. Thest time I was here, I was bound against my will and the act alone triggered me. I looked up and found Prince Miro watching me fro the high seats. His face was like stone and I could not tell whether he was still on my side or not. A stinging pain pierced my neck drawing my attention to the person injecting me and to my horror I realized it was the new director. He hadn''t been the one to do the injection for others so why now? Why me? "See you on the other side." He smirked and then I drifted into darkness. 0 Chapter 54 Chapter 53 RYN I opened my eyes and just as I''d seen on screen, I found myself in arge opening field but this time it was filled with fog and I could barely see the garden maze a quarter mile to my left or anything at all to my right. My heart began to pound faster than usual. What was happening? Why was my own simtion different? The mutant beast was supposed to be somewhere to my right but I saw no sign of it. I tried to listen for any sounds or signs but I heard nothing. Just pregnant silence. Turning around, I noticed the only thing that was visible and clear in the fog was the tree behind me and it was by far the biggest tree I had ever seen in my life. It was as tall as my eyes could see and it had long sturdy branches that stretched for at least half a mile. I felt something in my right hand and noticed it was a gun. It was also the favorite kind I loved to train with but I knew something was off. Especially from the moment the new Director chose to inject me with the liquid instead of the person in charge of simtion. I began to wonder. What was the new Directors''s n? Did he inject me with a different liquid? Is that why I am seeing a fog unlike everyone else? I checked the time on my wristwatch. Each person was given thirty minutes to get the g or get out and I have wasted three by just standing around. take I looked to my left and wondered if going for the maze first was a good idea. Then I remembered Theon warning me against such. "The moment you get in, spend more time bringing down the beast than making a run for it. The moment you the wrong step, the beast will awaken and he wille for you." closed I my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Think, Ryn. What else did Theon: say? His words came to me like an echo. "Every simtion is different. Mine had the setting of a big city. Yours will be totally different but if you are lucky enough to have others go before you, find what is constant. There will usually be three of them. The g, the beast and the boundary. Outside the boundary, the beast has all the power. Inside the boundary, you have all the power." I opened my eyes and began to think. The g and the beast are known, so what is the third constant? What is the boundary? "Take the wrong step and the beast will awaken. How does the beast know I took the wrong step? Where is the line drawn? The lighting here was neither that of the sun nor the moon. There was just enough light to see as if it was the early dawn of a morning. So I lowered myself to my haunches and looked at the ground. There has to be a boundary line somewhere. I checked my watch and realized I had spent close to six minutes. Dammit. I rose to my full height and tried to find any markings. It has to be here somewhere. I thought about all the footage I saw of others and then something clicked. 175 Tue, Oct Chapter 53 10:29 83% +5 Every contestant appeared near the tree and the moment they left its shadow, the beast woke up or saw them. Could it be that this tree is the third constant? I noticed a big ck line drawn across the ground for at least thirty feet and it finally urred to me that the big tree behind me was casting a long big shadow across the ground and that shadow looked very much like a boundary. Like a demarcation between the beast and the maze. I remembered Theon''s words again. "Outside the boundary, the beast has all the power. Inside the boundary, you have all the power." I decided to test a theory.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I turned to the tree and put my gun at the back of my waist and after assessing the tree, I began to climb. I First, I turned to the In a matter of f minutes, I was able to get to a very high point where I could see all of the garden maze and field below. To my right, I finally found my beast sleeping in the far distance. my left, I saw how the garden had been designed and I tried to memorize the route that led to the center. Many of f my colleagues had failed I because they lost their way and met deadends many times but I will make sure I don''t. So I sat on the tree and did my best to memorize. Once I was done, I climbed back down and took another deep breath. Checking the time, I realized I had twenty minutes left: Pulling my gun out from behind me, I hesitated, staring down at my army boots, before taking a step towards the beast''s terrain. The moment I did t I did that, the fog cleared and I was able to see who I was dealing with. My body began to tremble as every instinct within me told me to run but I didn''t. I continued to move forward, being careful not to make any noise until I was within a few feet. Slowly, I raised my gun with a trembling hand, and aimed it for the Beast''s head. ''Once you have the the Beast in your sight,'' Theon had said, ''be ruthless in killing it. Then and only then, can you go for the g but remember, killing it won''t be easy." "Any tips on that?" I had asked back then and Theon had run a hand through his hair. "I can''t tell you much more, Ryn. I had to speak in code to avoid breaking thew. Here''s thest piece of advice I have for you. Aside from the weapon you''re given, remember your mind is also a weapon and the closer to the boundary you are, the stronger it bes." I removed the safety from the gun and just when the Beast stirred, I pulled the trigger. But nothing happened. The beast stirred again and I looked at the gun in shock. T the trigger again but to my horror, nothing happened. My heart began to hammer as the beast got up from the floor, stretched and shook its fur. Removing the magazine, I realized there were no bullets in the gun. Why would I be given a gun I can''t even use?! Then I remembered Director Dutton''s smirk. See you on the other side.'' Now it made sense. He manipted the game so I wouldn''t have a fighting chance. 10:29 What do I do now?! The mutant opened its eyes and when its red gaze zeroed in on burst. "Shit!" I cursed. Have I already failed before I even started? Chapter 55 Chapter 54 RYN I turned and ran and as expected the beast came after me. I felt the ground tremble as its paws hit the ground and raw fear consumed me. What do I do now? I have no weapon. No fighting chance! Theon''s words came back to me. "...remember your mind is also a weapon and the closer to the boundary you are, the stronger it bes." How do I use my mind?! From the corner of my eye I saw the shadow of the beast growrger meaning it was closing in on me. Suddenly, I threw my body to the left, crashing and rolling on the floor. I groaned as I hit the ground, feeling a sharp pain in my side. If I can feel pain now, then I will definitely feel the wrath of the beast. The beastnded where I would have been and I used that opportunity to get to my feet and and make a run for the tree. When the beast realized it didn''t get me, it roared in anger, and goosebumps rose out of my flesh. I made it to the tree in time and faced the oing mutant. My mind is weapon5. How? What do I do? All of a sudden, I remembered a simr moment at Sadie''s Estate. I had faced the mutant and it hadn''t hurt me. Could the same happen here? "Stop." I whispered as the beast stalked towards me. Closer, and every atom in my body, spasmed and trembled in fear. My mind is a weapon. The beast reached the boundary and towered over me with its ws raised and ready to strike. I raised my empty gun, choosing to believe it was loaded and aimed for its face. "Stop." I whispered and closed my eyes as I pulled the trigger. To my surprise, it worked. I opened my eyes just in time to see the beast stagger back and I pulled the trigger over and over again until it was down at my feet. I panted heavily, still not believing that I actually did it. Then I let out a shakyugh and checked my wristwatch. I had twelve minutes left. Fucking hell. I shoved my gun back behind my waist and proceeded to cross the barrier. The moment I did, Lheard a scratching sound. I turned to see that the so-called beast I killed was moving its fingers to form a fist. Another step forward and its other hand twitched just as a bullet poured out of its body. Fuck! This simtion is rigged. This beast cannot die. No wonder, Konana couldn''t make it after blinding the beast. You just. can''t escape it! I trieding back to the boundary and the movement stopped. So it dawned on me that when I go outside the boundary, the beast heals. When I stay, it dies. Checking my watch, I realized I had nine minutes left. "Think Ryn. What can you do from here?" I looked around and suddenly an idea dawned on me. Your mind is a weapon. I smiled to myself. Now it dawned on me. My mind being a weapon meant it would give me ideas on what to do. As I climbed, I put an eye on the beast and saw that it remained dead and unmoving. So I concluded that as long as I stay on the tree, I can buy myself some time. "Thanks Theon." I whispered to myself as I got on one of the branches that was as long as half a mile. Just as long as it takes to cross the space between the boundary and the maze. Slowly, I got down on the tree branch and began to crawl slowly on it. I passed the boundary and looked back but nothing happened so I kept on crawling and every few feet, I would turn to check on the beast and to my joy, it stayed unmoving. Yes! This is the headstart I needed. I checked my watch and realized I had six minutes left so I quickened my pace and got to the end of the branch which was right over one of the ridges of the maze. Now here''s a problem. I am too high up and if I jump I would break a bone. Seeing no other choice, I slowly lifted myself on the tree branch and calcted where tond for minimum injury. With five minutes left on my wristwatch, I jumped. I was able tond on a ridge which minimized my fall but the sharp ends of a branch stabbed my stomach. Groaning, I pulled it out and managed to rise to my feet. That''s when I realized I had a fractured ankle.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Fuck! It hurts. Just then, I heard the terrible roar of the beast and realized I had little time so I half-limped, half ran. Following the directions I memorized, I was able to make great progress quickly until I reached a two way road and forgot which way to go. Shit! Was it the right or the left?! I groaned and closed my eyes, trying to remember how I memorized it. A haunting roar filled the air as I heard the beast get closer. Checking the time I realized I had two minutes left and decided to go left. Hopefully, if I meet a dead end, I''d be able to run back in time. Turning a corner, I ran downwards and to my relief, I saw the entrance to the middle of the maze. I made it! Smiling to myself, I made a run for it but just then two people appeared at the entrance and I stopped in my tracks. "Mom? Dad?" I said in horror as I watched my parents look at me with disgust and anger. Oh no, this can''t be happening. Not again. Closer and I could feel the beast literally one hedge away from me. "You don''t deserve to be happy!" My father said, B BB "I wish you were never born My mother whimpered. I shook my head, feeling tears burn my eyes. I touched my pendant and chose to remember thest words of my father. ''Remember, your Mom and I love you very much, my beautiful Kathryn. We will never abandon you and we will never let anything bad happen to you." To my left, I saw the beast turn a corner. I looked at the angry doppelgangers of my parents and pulled my gun from before me. "Sorry parents, I have somewhere to be." and with that said, I shot them both in the head and refused to look at their bodies as I ran into the garden maze. With ten seconds left, I sighted the g, and made a run for it but to my dismay the beast jumped in front of me. Without hesitation, I emptied my bullets in its eyes. It swiped and wed me in my stomach just as I was about to dodge it. I felt the pain, hot and sharp and I almost fell. Checking my wristwatch, I realized I had three seconds left, so I pushed myself forward and gave it everything I''ve got. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 MIRO Way worse? Could Ryn be talking about the special diet I have with my father? That was literally the only strange thing I''ve been eatingtely. Theon''s warning about my ''nasty diet'' suddenly echoed at the back of my mind. "Care to borate?" I asked, tightening my jaw. Ryn shifted her body to face me, sliding her hair behind her ears. Then I saw the sun hit her face in a way that made her eyes glitter like diamonds and that''s when I realized I wouldn''t mind looking at them all day. I caught myself staring and looked away, clearing my throat. "I''m listening." I said, starting the car and easing back on the highway. "Okay so, based on experience, golden flecks and abnormal temperature indicate that something foreign is in the body and whatever is foreign to your system is generally known as poison. I nced a at her. "You think I have been poisoned?" "It seems so." She said carefully, "but you have to see your doctor first to be really sure. The earlier you get a checkup, the faster we can battle that poison." I frowned. "Don''t call it on''t call it poison yet. You''re ''re not a doctor." I snapped. Ryn blinked in in suprise, watching me with wariness. "Yea, you are right." She said, shifting her body away from me. I saw the sadness on her face and my wolf stirred, letting me know I was being an arse. I agreed but I couldn''t bring myself to apologize so we rode in silence for a while. During this moment, I thought about her words. "You said something earlier." I began, getting Ryn''s attention. "You said, ''based on experience! What did you mean by that?" Ryn shrugged. "It''s just something I have seen happen to others o close. They had simr symptoms to you and were agresssive." I nced at her at thest word and once again, my brother''s observation about my behaviour came to mind. "These people you''re talking about, were they eating a new diet?" "Not necessarily a diet." Ryn mumbled, her head hung low as she twiddled with her fingers. "What are you not telling me, Ryn?" The little firecracker nced at me and then sighed. "If I tell you this, you have to promise you won''t make a big deal out of it.'' My brows pulled together as I thought about her request. "What if it''s a crime youmitted?" I asked, "Are you trying to make me an aplice?" Ryn''s eyes narrowed, practically telling me not to be ridiculous. No. It''s something I witnessed and I''m not supposed to talk about it." "Fine. You have my word." I replied. Ryn sighed again before looking out the window and I was d that I had managed to help her get over her panic attack. "There was this time when I was nine years old," Ryn began, "my ex-Alpha wanted to help his men build resilience against poison, so he made prisoners in jail his test subjects. The deal was that, if they particpated, they''d get some time off their sentence. So they did and he used them to test the effects of mistletoe and wolfsbane separately." 1/3? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "That''s illegal." I replied. "Using werewolves as test subjects is a very punishable crime." "I know. That''s why I said you can''t tell anyone." She said, 3 "How did you even know this?" I asked. "Doing something like this can''t be public knowledge so how did you know he was doing such?" I heard Ryn''s heart stutter before it began to beat faster. "Uhm." She stammered, looking everywhere else but at me. "Don''t lie to me Ryn." I warned, feeling my anger rise again. "Are you making things up about your Alpha?" "What?!" Ryn''s eyes went round. "I would never!" "So how did you f****g know?" "Because I was there!" Ryn yelled and then avoided my gaze. She took a deep breath to cool down and then used a hand to push back her hair from her forehead. "I was there when it happened, okay?" Her voice came out shaky. Still I frowned at her in confusion. "Why would a nine year old be anywhere near that scenario? Doesn''t make sense." Ryn sighed. "It would if she was the test subject." What. The. F***? pressed the brakes before swerving off the road for the second time. When we parked, Ryn was looking at me wide-eyed and breathless. "What''s happening?" I looked into her eyes. "Let me get you straight, your ex-Alpha used you as a nine year old girl to test poison?" Ryn nodded and I could see her eyes ss over. "Here, if you don''t believe me," She said, leaning back and raising her top so I could see a part of her ribcage just below her bra strap. Moving closer, I saw three red dots that could only stand to mean. injection marks. "That''s where they injected me several times." She said, before pulling down her top. I leaned back in my seat, baffled. "How could he do that to you, especially at such a young age? What about your parents?" "Dead." She said, staring into space. "They died when I was seven." "I''m sorry to hear that and I am sorry you had to go through that." nodded but still stared nkly. Ryn nodde "Were you the only child he experimented on?" Ryn nodded again. "His test subjects were prisoners and I was in prison as well." I blinked in suprise. "Are you f**** kidding me? Why would you be in prison?" She sighed and when her head hung low, her hair covered her face. "I was caught stealing food and my ex Alpha decided it was best to try me as an adult and make me sit in jail with criminals." I couldn''t believe my ears. A child. In prison and I thought I had it rough as a kid. Here was someone who had it than me. way worse But seriously, what level of sick and twisted could someone be to do that to a child? My hand tightened again around the steering wheel. I might need to pay the guy a visit one of these days. "So what happened to the program?" I asked as I moved back onto the road. Chapter 56 Tue, "It didn''t work as expected, so it was shut down." Ryn answered, straightening up. "The wolfsbane had some people killed and the mistletoe was what brought out the symptoms I spoke about. You should let a doctor check you for traces of it." We eventually arrived at her dorm which was an exclusive building separate from the rest of the other dorms. Ryn turned to me, shifting her lips to one side but I could tell she was not happy. "Thanks for the ride and for helping with my panic attack." "You''re wee." I replied, "thank you also for tip.'' Ryn exited my car and I knew I couldn''t just let her go like that. "Ryn." I called, and she bent down to peer in at me. "I just wanted to say, good job on what you aplished today. You made history... despite the odds." Her eyes grew sad as well as her little smile. "Thanks" she said and quickly walked away to the gate. When she got there, some part of me hoped she''d turn around and wave and when she didn''t, I shook my head and wondered why I wanted her to in the first ce. After Ryn went out of sight, I thought about what she said and brought out my phone to text Healer Kwan. At first, I wanted him toe to the house to do a checkup on me but I didn''t want my brother walking in on us, knowing or thinking he was right all along. So I informed the Healer that I would being to his hospital. Throughout my journey there, Healer Kwan did not respond which was unlike him. He always responded within the first hour but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He could be busy. I arrived at the hospital and after going in, I was attended to and given a room to sit in. After waiting a while, I finally got a text from Healer Kwan. "I apologize for the dy, my Prince. I''ll attend to you shortly." My jaw tightened as I stared at his reply. Seriously? That''s all I I get? As a a Prince, I was supposed to be number one in priority, no matter what. So why was he just responding now? "You had better have a good reason for keeping me waiting." I replied, feeling my anger start to rise by the minute. A minuteter, Healer Kwan showed up in person. "Your Highness!" He bowed, his voice a little shaky. "My sincere apologies. I had been stuck in the intensive care unit for hours." I knew I was being unreasonable and an arrogant bastard. Still, I couldn''t help the anger I kept feeling. "It''s fine." I said, suddenly feeling unhappy with my actions. "Can you attend to me now?" "Yes, your Highness but before I begin, I''ll need a minute to check on your brother before I start with you." I frowned. "Check on my brother? Why?" Healer Kwan gave me a look of surprise. "You didn''t know?" "Know what?" I asked, rising to my feet. Healer Kwan had this somber look on his face as he stepped closer to me. "Your brother suffered a big injury in the field today and has been in the intensive care unit for hours." r Chapter 57 ChapterTHEON 57 A groan left my lips as I forced myself to sit up on the bed. I looked up at the half full IV bag passing some drip into my veins and sighed. I hate hospitals. I''d rather be at home than in a ce that reminds me of my past. A memory shed before my eyes. I was thirteen, gripping my broken, bleeding wrist as my father brought me to Healer Kwan to get treated. My wrist was so badly broken that the edges of the bones jutted out like sharp objects in opposite directions. When someone asked me what happened, I lied. I told them some random bullshit about falling from a treehouse. "Well, it wasn''t a lie, per se. I did fall from a treehouse, but it was my father who pushed me. He had exiled Miro without food and water for three days and from the second day; I had gone to sneak him food but somehow, on the third day, my father caught me and out of anger, he had pushed me down from high up. Of course, I couldn''t tell anyone that. My father was a reputable man who just seemed to have sons that got in too much trouble and always ended up wounding themselves. Everyone thought our abuse was a phase, and it''s why I hate hospitals so much because deep down, I just know that this hospital staff knew what our father was doing to us but chose to turn a blind eye. I shook my head, blinking back to the present day. Grabbing hold of the IV pole, I tried to stand, but the pain in my side wouldn''t let me. Wincing, I looked down at my stomach area, wrapped in white gaute to cover my injury. When I tried to move my arm around, a sharp pain stabbed my lungs, causing me to wince Just then, I heard a knock on the door and shortly after Healer Kwan walked in followed by someone I wasn''t expecting to see. My brother. I faced the Healer. "I told you not to call anyone." "He didn''t." Miro said, "I was already here when I found out." Satisfied, I signaled to the Healer that he was dismissed and the sixty something year old man couldn''t be more eager to leave. The moment we were left alone, I nced at my brother, wondering why he was in my ward. "What do you want?" "Nothing" He folded his arms across his chest. "What happened?" From his bodynguage, I could tell that he was on edge, a subtle side effect of the diet Dad put him on but what can I say. He won''t listen. I went on a mission to find Viktor." I began, "We found one of his hideouts, and raided the ce. Unfortunately, he escaped but we were able to capture his men and rescue some girls they kidnapped." Miro''s brows furrowed "What were they doing with the girls?" "Well, the girls did say they were set to be transported somewhere but they didn''t know where. I also remember when Chehra mentioned that Ryn was supposed to disappear like the others. I just never paid attention to that until now. I think something big is going on that we don''t know about and I am afraid it will catch us unaware if we are not careful" 83%1 While Miro pondered on my words, I eased to my feet and tried to stand again, but the first step I took had me nearly falling. In a sh, Miro''s strong hands were holding me up and guiding me back to the bed. "Damn, you''re heavy." He murmured as he helped me sit. "How did you get this hurt this bad?" I let out a heavy breath and remembered how the whole thing wen had him but..." I paused, shaking my head slowly in annoyance. "But what??" Miro asked. "I had a one on one with Viktor and I could have I remembered winning against Viktor in a one-on-one fight, then I began to fall out of breath. When I felt pain on my sides and bruises on my knee for no reason, I instantly knew Ryn had started her test. I tried to fight ignoring the psychological pains she was experiencing but it threw me off and Viktor gained the upper hand, wing deep across my stomach.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Ahhh, I see." Miro stated, his green eyes alight with amusement. "Let me guess. You were fighting Viktor at the same time Ryn was having her simtion test. Am I correct?" I answered with a re and my brotherughed. Annoyed to the core, I su Chapter 58 RYN I woke up the next morning, lying on my side on the floor, still in my uniform. Yesterday had to be one of the hardest days of my life. Having gto kill my parents to get to the g affected me more than I could everprehend. Even though it was fake, I still think I am responsible for their deaths in some way. I sat up and leaned "This is a I my back against the bed and then I brought out my pendant and stared at it. I remembered the day my father gave it to me for my seventh birthday. is a symbol of our love for you." My father had said that day. "No matter where you are, when you see it, always remember that we love you." My eyes burned and I had to grind my jaw tight to keep another stream of tears from falling. Their love for me got them killed and I wish I had gone with them that day. I wish I was in that car ident that took their lives on Highway forty-nine as they tried to escape rogue attack. I wish I was a normal girl who didn''t have issues with her wolf. All my aplishments so far and I had no one to tell. No one to be proud of me. "Can you see me, Daddy?" I whispered out loud at my pendant, my vision blurring over with tears. "Mom, are you proud of me?" I pulled I my knees up to my chest, and bent my head as I hugged myself. I tried to imagine what my life would have been like if my parents were still alive? Instead of living in a dorm, I''d be at home, probably having breakfast with my family. Maybe, I''d have a sibling or two whom I adore. Would my parents have allowed me to try out for the Elites in the first ce? I tried to think about that while wiping my face. My father may have allowed me to be an Elite but my mother would definitely not let me. She was the strict, bossy one in the marriage and my father''s gentle nature blended perfectly with her. Whenever I wanted my way, at times, asking my father for his approval sometimes wasn''t enough, we both had to go to my Mom and ask for her approval before I could do that particr thing. If she said no, it was final and yet despite it all, I never saw her disrespect or fight with my Dad. Gods! If only they were still alive, maybe the trajectory of life would have been different. Maybe, I wouldn''t have suffered like I did. Maybe I''d be in college studying something else and having a boyfriend who loves me and makes me happy. Gods! I''m so lonely and my life is such a terrible mess. I''m slowly dying while leeching off the lifeforce of a Prince thus putting his life at risk. His father and the new Director both want me to fail. His twin is acting like an addict and I am just tired. My stomach grumbled in hunger but I ignored it. I had no motivation to even get up and change. I just felt like staying in this room, forever forgotten by the world, frozen in time. Suddenly my phone buzzed and I ignored that too. The ringing stopped and then started again. Groaning, I raised my head and reached for my phone on the nightstand. When I saw the caller ID, my brows pulled together in a frown. "Hello, my Prince." I said, after picking the call, There was a moment of silence before the sweet, raspy voice of Prince Theon came on the phone. "Why are you sad, Ryn?" My breath hitched and my mind raced for a muine" Moonstone around my neck. **ing snitch! Are you hungry my throat, fumbling for words. hungry?" What? I am but can he feel that too? "I "No." I said. ndering bow the hell he knew and then I remembered the "Then why are you sad?" He asked, and I could detect a hint of tiredness in his voice. No, not a hint. He sounded really, really, tired. "..uhm..it''s nothing. Just one of those days." I blurted out. "Oh, I I see." Whe answered and and something about his voice made my breathing begin to escte. "Is there anything I can do to make you happy?" I paused and closed my eyes as my pussy pulsed and tightened of its own will. What in the Goddess'' name was that? Why is his voice so extra right now? "Uhm." I stuttered and swallowed, getting flustered, then I remembered how he acted when I came on to him and got mad. "Why do you care?" I asked. "I thought you made it clear that I mean nothing to you." Theon gave a tired sigh on the other end. "I don''t want to argue, Ryn. I just want to help. "I''m fine. Thank you for checking in." I said and before he could say any other word, I ended the call. My heart began to hammer rapidly at what I just did. That was highly disrespectful of me. How many people can boast of having the Prince call them? Yet, here I was, being mean to one. My phone buzzed again but this time, it was a text from Prince Theon. S***! He must hate me now. He''s probably going to flip off in the text and tell me an earful. I took a deep breath and raised my chin. Whatever happens, happens. I don''t care. With slightly shaky hands, I I opened I his text and read the words. "I know w you amazing woman and more. I can''t wait to see you be a real Elite. You ate me now and that''s fine. I just want you to know that I heard about your sess and I am very much proud of you. You are strong, resilient and determined and all these make you an will I go far in life and I will be here to support you and see that happen." A tear slid down my face as I read and reread his message before pushing my phone on the floor. A Now does he ***ng fN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. have to say stuff like that? Why can''t he make me hate him more? My tears grew into sobs and then I remembered Theon would feel what I was feeling. is an have to say private, hate this Moonstone and ferring hate Chelsea for putting me in this situation. I took deep breaths to calm myself just as a slight headache began to form at the front of my head. My phone buzzed again and I frowned at it. I really want to be left alone. Picking my phone, I realized it was Sadie. So I picked it. "Hiiiii." Her bubbly voice squealed. I closed my eyes, cringing. "Hi Ginger." I sniffled. 10:30 4 She hesitated. "Have you been crying?" I wondered how to answer that. "Yes, I have." "Why?" "I miss my parents." Another moment of silence. "I''m so sorry to hear that but I think I have a way to cheer you up." "I don''t think anything can ch-" "How about a day at the spa? All expenses paid. Don''t worry, there''d be your favorite Italian food too." My mouth dropped open as I contemted the idea. "No, thank you." I replied. "It''s an All expense paid spa date with me, Ryn. I have two tickets. Would you rather I go with someone else?" "You could go with that guy you like?" I replied. "Shut up, Ryn." Sadie said, "I aming over to your dorm to pick you and you better be ready, Miss, becausee hell or highwater, you''reing on that date with me." Chapter 59 RYNN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I groaned as the call ended and wondered what I did to catch the attention of the Windermere''s and the Cresshalls. Was this how it was with my parents? Were they friends with the ckwells because they went to the same school? I suddenly realized I knew nothing of my parents'' background. I just knew them as Dad the scientist and Mom, the teacher. I never dug deep into their lives. Suddenly, I had the urge to get up from the floor. Everything my parents owned was still in my former pack. Can I still call Alpha Jack and ask for permission toe in and get their things? Then I remembered the way they treated me, and kicked me out. I doubt Alpha Jack will ever let me back in. So how can I find out more about my parents? A text dropped on my phone and it was Sadie checking to see if was getting ready for her arrival. I groaned and rolled my eyes before grabbing my towel and essentials to head for the bathroom. On my way, a thought formed in my mind. What if I google my father''s name? I had never done it before so I decided to try it. I I half expected not to find anything as I typed, ''Devon Ashmore'' in the search bar. When my father''s happy face showed up, my heart did a hup. He was so handsome with dark brown hair greying at the sides and he had beautiful blue eyes that looked so simr to Prince Prince Theon''s. That''s when it clicked for me. The initial safety I felt with Theon was because of how simr his eyes were to my father. All this while I was searching for my Dad in him! Goddess! How pathetic is that? I shook my head and continued scrolling. My father had a whole google page dedicated to him and his life. Turns out he was a brilliant man, who was head of his department. I also vaguely remembered my mother telling me Dad was a very important man at work. Now I understand. Scrolling some more, I read the headline stating his death in a ''tragic ident, leaving behind a daughter! Many variations of the headline filled the search results so I went to the ''images tab'' and saw a whole lot of pictures of my father with my mom and they both at so many events. I saw when my mother was pregannt with me and standing beside my father in a beautiful ck dress thatplimented her baby bump. How did I never see this before? I smiled as I saw them either together or apart, each living fulfilled lives. They always had a smile on their faces, until I stumbled on a photo of them not smiling. I decided to check it out. They were in a group photo with a lot of people and to my surprise, I was there. I was a toddler, dressed in ck, standing near my parents. My father had his hand on my shoulder and the other around my Mom''s waist. I looked really sad, like I was on the verge of crying and I noticed everyone else had their children in the pictures. None of them looked happy either. They seemed to be six families including mine all dressed in ck. ng my I zoomed in to see their faces starting from the far right where my parents stood. I couldn''t recognize the people next to my parents so I looked at their children and for a moment, I thought one of their boys looked a lot like Konan. Sh head, I moved on to the next family and instantly recognized Sadie''s parents. I had never seen them in person but I had seen giant portraits of them at their house. In her mother''s arms, was chubby Sadie and she was also crying as well. What in the world happened to make her so terrified and sad? Also the adults. Why were they frowning and looking like they were all forced to take the picture? I went on to the next family and they were the ones in the middle. They had an air of importance on their faces and didn''t B seem too annoyed. Just nonchnt. I looked at their kids and to my surprise, I recognized Adam ckwell. He was at least three years older than me standing between two older boys. He and his brothers didn''t seem as disturbed as the rest of us and I found that really odd. So these were the ckwells. The son of the next family had my blood running cold. He couldn''t even be categorized as a kid because he was already a young adult and his parents were the only ones who were older than the rest. I stared into the smug face of Director Dutton who stared at the camera like he knew something everyone else didn''t. Did the Duttons know my parents? I wondered. Then my eyes fell on thest family on the far right, just opposite my parents. Standing with his eyes locked on a little blonde girl carried on his side was the Alpha King. He seemed to be brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Standing beside him was his unhappy looking wife who had her eyes on my parents and her hands on her two sons. My mouth dropped open when I saw that young Theon and Miro were both looking right at me. I I ran a hand pushing my hair back out of my face. How in the world have I met the Princes before and I did not know? Why were they looking at me like that? Why was their mother staring at my parents? Do the Princes recognize me from before? The more I thought about it, the more confusing everything got. If the Princes recognized me, then why did they not say it outright like Adam did? Why y mind games? Ishook my head. I doubt the twins recognize me or even know who I was. I rubbed my head. Feeling my headache get more intense. And then the Duttons. Surely, the new Director must have remembered me from before as well as the Alpha King. So what is going on? When was this meeting? and i I it to a post stated that picture was taken the annual Ball. A lightbulb came en in my head, this is the same Ball the winner of the tests will attend? Will going there give me more answers or will it create more questions? I guess I have to win to find out. My phone buzzed again and it was Sadie informing me she was ten minutes away. I began to think of everything. The Princes picking my school out of others as their base for interviews for the next Elites. Meeting Sadie and having to defend her from Bessie. Being sexually harassed by Coach Dutton to him being reced by Adam ckwell and then Director Dutton, the King''s Beta and also having Konan as a rival. Was it this fate, coincidence or was it all nned? I am now on to a loose thread and I am going to pull until everything unravels. Starting with Sadie, I''ll need to find out everything she knows about the King''s Ball that happened sixteen years ago. With that decision set, I went to the bathroom. Chapter 60 RYN "Wow. Isn''t this lovely? Sadic asked as we sat back in respective chairs, dressed in the softest and most expensive robe ever while we simultaneously got a pedicure and manicure from about a dozen female attendants. "Yeah. It is." I answered, letting my gaze wander over the establishment. This was Radiant Heaven. A five star spa resort that I often saw ads about on TV. Now, I was in it. I was here slowly living a dream, while blessed with an amazing view of an infinity pool and the city skyline below it. "I never thought it''d be a ce like this, Sadie." I huffed. "Hmmm, and you wanted to turn it down." "I was foolish. Thank you for dragging me here, your Highness." Sadieughed. "You''re wee." Afterwards, we went through a series of body massages that had me moaning out loud as thepression entered into my aching joints. Then we had facial care, hair care amongst many other things. As the day went by, I became more determined to work hard and have my own money so I could afford luxuries like these. Aside from the Elite force being one of the most respected positions in the kingdom, it''s also one of the highest paying jobs. It''s why many people wanted in on the Force. After our spa session, I I changed into my clothes and ced my jacket on my arm, ready but reluctant to leave. Then halfway to the door, we were informed that we had aplimentary gift on the house so we went back in to get it. Turns out we were given a bag containing the robes we wore, along with perfume and other expensive things. I couldn''t believe my eyes. Thanking them, we left and entered a nearby Italian restaurant and it was after we were seated, enjoying our respective meals that I decided i was time to ask some questions. She I called and she gave her attention. "Can I ask you something?" She gave a a slight shrug. "Go on." Sol I brought out the picture I saw earlier today and showed it to her. "Do you remember this day?" I asked, carefully watching her face. Sadie stared at the picture for a long moment before slowly shaking her head. "I-I have no idea when this was taken." She said, and squinted at the photo again. "Why was I crying?" I released a breath. There was a possibility that Sadie did not know me and thus others may not as well. "I''ll have to ask my parents." Sadie said eventually. "Wait." I said, thinking of the best way to approach the matter. "This is a very delicate matter Sadie. I need to be discreet about this." Sadie watched me. "Okay I''m listening." So I told her about the search involving my parents and how they were in group photos with rich elites and yet, I didn''t know them to be rich. "I am also in that picture and I want to know why. I want to know why all the kids were like that. Can I 83% trust you?" Sadie reached out and touched my hand. She looked into my eyes, her face the epitome of sincerity. "You can trust me, Ryn. There are also things that I have seen that are baffling to me and I''d like to find out the truth too." My brows furrowed. "Things like what?" Sadie gave me a sad smile. "When the timees, I''ll tell you. In the meantime, I can still ask my parents about the photo. I''ll simply tell them I found it on the inte." "You think they won''t get suspicious?" Sadie shook her head so I rxed a bit. It was kind of nice to have someone on this journey with me but at the same time I feared being betrayed. Yet, I had no choice. I just have to risk trusting her. "In the meantime," "I adjusted in my seat. "What can you tell me about these families?" Sadie stared a I at the picture as she slurped her cappino. "Here''s what I know. The ckwells, the Cresshalls, the Duttons, and The Windermeres are high Elite families. The ckwells are the richest but these families have been of old. Dating back to the days of the Lycans. I I also know that it''s the tradition of these families to only marry purebreds "Purebreds?" "Yes?" I mean people with Lycan blood in them! My mom is one and she''s a Windermere so....there goes that. That''s why their circle is tight. I don''t know much about your parents. I haven''t really heard of them other than the fact that your Dad is a great scientist. Other than that, the name Ashmore does not ring a bell." I thought about her words for a moment. It was almost like my parents were silent members of this circle. Yet, why? Any other other information you know about them?" Sadie made a thinking face. "Nothing vital. My parents go to their parties and I never go with them. I also used to go to school with their kids "What about this family?" I pointed to the ones standing close to my parents, whose child looks like Konan. "Oh those are the Caines." Sadie mentioned and that''s when my brows lifted. "When you say Caines you mean like Howard Caine?" Sadie nodded. "Yes." Then she peered into the picture. "Although, I don''t see Howard here maybe because he''s..." Sadle Sadie looked ked hesitant.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ''s" er lips as if she was saying too much. "He''s Sadie "Come on. You can tell me." I pressed. "I was going to say a bastard but I was looking for a better way to put it." "What do you mean?" "I mean Howard is a half-breed. His father had an affair with a normal werewolfdy. Rumor has it that Howard''s mom dumped him on his father''s doorstep when he was just four years old and disappeared." "That would mean that at the time this picture was taken,.." I stated. 10:30 "Howard hadn''t yet been abandoned." Sadie said somberly. My heart started to beat rapidly. "And his step-brother? You know his name?" Sadie peered again and frowned. "I think his name is Cain or something. Definitely starts with a K." "Konan? "Yes. That''s it." Sadie answered and a pit opened up in my stomach. So Konan was Howard''s brother. No wonder he hated me so much. "Is everything okay?" Sadie asked. "Yea. Totally." I lied, sitting back in my chair, suddenly losing my appetite. If Konan hates me for what I did to Howard, then I am not safe in teh Academy. My greatest rival just became my greatest enemy. Chapter 61 RYN about who theymunicated with? It was evening by the time Sadie dropped me back at the dorm, and the moment I got in, my phone began to ring. Checking it, I discovered it was from Adam so I paused my movement wondering why he was calling. Didn''t Sadie tell me that the ckwells were cautious I picked the call regardless. "Hi Adam." I said, trying not to sound wary. "Hi Kathryn." He replied, and I frowned. Only my parents ever called me that. "prefer you call me Ryn." I replied. Adam hesitated on the other end. "Very well. If you say so." He answered. "I just wanted to check in on you and see how you were faring. You seemed pretty shaken up yesterday." "I was, but I''m better now." I replied. I still couldn''t shake the image of him as a child not disturbed like the rest of the kids. "Alright. See you tomorrow?" ''Yea sure." I replied. The call ended and I stood baffled for a minute. Kathryn. Why did he call me that? If he remembers me, does that mean the others do too? It makes sense that Sadie might not remember because she was younger than me but what about the others. What about Prince Theon and Miro? I''shook my head and decided to focus on the next test. Strength Levels. I didn''t have issues with that but that was when I was myself and not borrowing someone''s lifeforce. My breath whooshed out of me as I copsed on the bed and stared into space. I should talk to Prince Theon. He should know in advance that I''d be using a lot of his strength. I grabbed my phone and scrolled to his number but instead of dialling it, my finger hovered over his name. I remembered how his voice made me feel earlier today and I wonder if I am ready to hear it again. Something in me wants way and I to hear it again but another part of me is scared. Scared because these feelings are fake. He doesn''t see me that don''t want to make a fool of myself. I licked my dry lips, guaging the strength of my courage. Then I sighed and let my back fall on the bed. I''m such a chicken. Maybe I should just send a text. I grabbed my phone again and typed what I wanted to say in a text and once again, my hand over the send button. If I press ''Send, then I won''t have a reason to call and hear his voice. Why do I want to hear his voice? What is me?! ¡úng with I ced a pillow over my face and screamed into it. I felt warmth on my neck and realized it was the Moonstone glowing again. aning Not now!" I groaned into the pillow. BBB. Chapter 61 83% I need a distraction. I strddenly remembered the sweets I took from the receptionist''s table into my dad''s jacket and sat up from the bed. I need those damn sweets now. Then I looked around my room and realized my jacket wasn''t here. I stood up and searched around and then to my horror, I remembered I left my jacket at the spa. Shit! That jacket means a lot to me. Grabbing my phone, I looked up the name of the spa in order to get their customer service line and when Radiant Heaven appeared on Google, something else jumped at me. It was a picture of Prince Theon and Prince Miro seated at a speaking event and the headline said, "The Windermere Brothers set to open two hundred more branches of Radiant Heaven across the globe." in surprise. The five star spa belonged to Theon and Miro? blinkedi I Then I remembered Sadie''s words. Her insistence on meing on the spa date. Shaking my head, I first of all called the customer service line and informed them of my jacket. Once I was informed that it had been kept safe on my behalf, I called Sadie. As it rang, my right leg began to move up and down and I found myself fiddling with my pendant nervously. Eventually, Sadie picked on the fifth ring. "Hi Bestie." Her happy voice came on. "Home yet?" I asked, still. "Yea. Just drove in. What''s I licked my lips as I thought of my question. What if I was wrong? Still, I went ahead. "When you said, we were going on an all expense paid spa date. Who sponsored it?" My heart hammered as silence came on the line. I began to wonder if I was making a big mistake querying my rich friend about her kind gesture, What if Sadie paid for it out of f pocket t and was just patronizing her uncles? "Uhm.." Sadie Sadie stuttered. "Why are you asking?" "Just...curious." I replied, keeping my voice light. "You don''t need to be. Just ept the gift, Ryn." Sadie''s voice came on and it wasn''t light and bubbly anymore. It sounded offended. My fidgeting increased. "I mean no offense, Sadie." I said. "I...just want to know if it is out of your pocket or someone else paid." "Why does it matter?" "It does. It really does." I answered, "Because if it turns out someone else paid and I know them, I have to rethink how Freact to them and I don''t want to end up hurting them when it looks like they''ve been showing me kindness all along." My voice broke at the end. A long moment of silence urred on the other end of the line, then Sadie sighed. "Fine but you have to promise you won''t tell him." "Sure. "It was Uncle Theon." I closed my eyes. That damned Prince!N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "He wanted to do something nice for you since you won the simtion test but for some reason, he felt it would be easier for you to ept if it came from me rather than from him." My throat constricted as I tried to keep my emotions in check. "Thanks Sadie." "Is something going on between you two?" My heart hammered again. I don''t want to lie. "He''s been helping out with the Academy and all so we are kind of like friends." I wondered if that made sense. "Oh. That''s cool." Sadie said, then her voice lowered a bit. "Do you know what happened to him?" "Pardon?" Dad on Dad "You don''t need to pretend with me, especially since I just spilled a secret to you." Sadie answered. "I overheard my the phone with Uncle Theon. It seems like he was pretty hurt on the field yesterday. Do you know what happened? Is it really bad?" "Hello?" I was still stuck on Sadie''s voice echoing the words, ''pretty hurt on the field yesterday. Yesterday. Simtion test. Me. Lifeforce. Him. Hurt. Fuck! I came back to reality. "Sadie, I promise you on our friendship, I had no idea he was injured." "Of course. Thanks Sadie." "Oh." She replied. "I guess he was serious about not telling anyone, so you didn''t hear it from me." "Always." The moment our call ended, I released a shaky breath. Once again, someone is getting hurt because of me and despite it all, despite me being an ass, he went to great lengths to make me happy. I let my head fall onto my hands as I thought of what to do. After a moment, I decided I needed to see him. So I left the dorm just when the sun was setting and hailed a cab to the Windermere manor. Chapter 62 RYN I had barely left my neighbourhood when my phone started buzzing. "Your Highness." I said, cautiously. Wow. Okay. Today seems to be a very buzzing day for me. Who is calling now? I thought as I raised my hips to pull my Wow. Okay. Today seems to be a very buzzing day for phone out from my pocket. Checking the caller ID, shock hit me to find Prince Miro calling. "Where are you?" I froze, not liking his tone. It sounded urgent, and angry and I wondered what I did to deserve it. "Answer me." Miro pressed and that made me know something was definitely wrong. "I''m in a cab, my Prince. What''s going on?" ! "Wherever it is you''re going, I want you to turn the fuck around ande straight to my base. Understood?" I asked but by then Prince Miro had ended the call. stared at my phone in wonder. Is this about Prince Theon and the Moonstone? Did his injury get worse? kept on pondering until I was driven through the gates of the Windermere Estate. As soon as I alighted, I looked up at the five story building and felt an unpleasant shiver run down my spine. What could possibly be awaiting me in this house? As if to answer my question, the Moonstone got warmer meaning that something was definitely up with Prince Theon. With no time to waste, two security men escorted me up the elevators to the penthouse, and the moment they led me to the door, and I went in, they closed it behind me. t started My heart I racing a little faster. What in the gods'' names was going on? I ventured further into the living room, partly made of ss walls that overlooked the glistening city line beyond. The atmosphere was still and quiet, softly interrupted by the sparks in the firece. "There you are," Miro said and immediately, I raised my head up to find him ring down at me from the upstairs banister. "My Prince," I bowed. "I bowed "Come upstairs." He said and walked off. Still bothered, I quickly ascended the royal staircase and was able to catch up with Miro as he turned a corner. "May I know what''s going on?" I asked, as I followed behind, trying to gauge his demeanor from his side profile. Miro reached a door and turned to me with a frown. "You''re about to find out." He turned the knob and opened the door for me to go in and I hesitated the moment I saw it going to do?" I asked. was a bedroom. "What are you Miro raised a questioning brow. "Rx." He said. "I''m not that kind of guy." Then he opened the door wider as he went in first and that''s when I saw Healer Kwan and two nurses standing around a bed. I entered fully and, to my horror; I found Prince Theon, unconscious, in bed with a cold towel on his forehead. He looked pale white and his lips had started losing their color. "Ahhh. You''re here." Healer Kwan said in an urgent, worried manner. I looked from Prince Theon''s pale face to the Healer. What''s happening?" He stared at the Moonstone around my neck. "That''s what''s happening." He said and when I frowned at him in confusion, he continued. "Let me exin. Simply, put, His Highness got hurt on the field but he''s not healing as fast as we thought he would because, well, he''s sharing his life force with you and now he''s dying." "Not only that," Miro said, with his arms folded across his chest. My father and the Director will be here in the next hour. If they find him sick and not healing, you know what that means for you." I swallowed, my cheeks ming in shame. If anything happens to Prince Theon, it''s going to be my fault. The air suddenly became too heavy as I felt the weight of everyone staring at me. Okay. What can I do to help?" I asked. "Do you want me to remove it?" I moved to unlock the Moonstone. "No!! Stop!" The Healer said in rm. "We have a different solution in mind." I looked from him to Miro and back. "What kind of solution?"N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. V "Hey, you." Miro signalled to the two nurses in the room. "Out." Startled, thedies packed their things and hurried out of the room, leaving us three, well four if I include Theon who was unconscious at the moment. The Healer turned to me but he looked pretty nervous to talk to me. "W-Well t-the t-thing issss-" said what?" "You have to strip off your clothes and sleep with my brother." Miro said and I turned to him, mortified. You Salu hal? became at a I ta loss for words, ncing between both men. "So all I do is let my skin touch his and he''ll be fine?" "You heard me." He glowered. "My brother''s not healing because he''s far from you. Spending time with him, skin to skin will help him heal quickly." "Yes." Miro answered. I closed my eyes and released a deep breath. "Okay." I nodded. "I''ll do it." "You never had a choice before." Miro answered and if I weren''t so worried about Theon, I''d have rolled my eyes just to p***him off. Silence settled upon us as the men stared at me. "Well, this is not a show." I said, as I sat on the bed and began to work off my shoes. "Oh y-yes. Right." Healer Kwan said, and walked out of the room, leaving us two. ! I worked off my shoes and got up to work on the buckle of my jeans. Then I paused and found Miro still watching me. "Well?" I stared at him. Miro slowly closed the distance between us and with each step, the gaze of his eyes got more murderous.I raised my chin to match his gaze. "My brother better survive this," He threatened. Or else..." That same unpleasant shiver went down my spine again as I stared up at him and swallowed. "If you need anything, I''m right outside." He said, and then he left the room and and left me breathless and shaky. Immediately, I stripped down to my pant and bra and got under the covers with Theon. When I raised the nket, I found Chapter 02 him in just his shorts and his entire stomach wrapped in a bandage. I did this. This is all my fault. My throat constricted with tears, but I willed my emotions away This is not about me. This is about saving Prince Theon''s life. I scooted closer and touched his arm and I didn''t like that he was getting cold to the touch. So I tried to raise his arm to put it around me and to my surprise, I discovered he was really heavy. So with great difficulty, I managed to get his arm around me beforeying my head on his chest and my arm across his body. For someone so massive, there was little my body could cover so I hoped the skin to skin was enough to heal him. As Iid there, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat, I thought about my life and how I may have to forfeit the strength training test in order not to put Prince Theon in any more risk. As different thoughts went through my mind, my eyelids gradually felt heavy and thest thing I remember was thinking Theon''s body was getting a bit warmer, I woke up with a smile on my face. My body is on fire and someone''s lying on top of me, nuzzling my neck. moaned as he nibb nibbled softly on the spot between my neck and my shoulders, before moving to my lips. All it took was a nudge, and I was letting him in. I spread my legs wider, pressing my body against him as we kissed deeper and when I felt his strong erect Ck brus brush against my kitty, I inhaled sharply, opening my eyes. My heart hammered faster when I realized what was happening. Oh no! We are going too far! "Rx." Came Prince Theon''s voice as he kissed my jawline but his voice did not sound human anymore. "I won''t make love to you yet, Bunny." He moved down to my neck. "I can smell your innocence." He said, and when his face came within my line of vision, goosebumps broke out of my skin. His eyes were pitch ck, showing no irises whatsover. His lips curled in a sinister yet heart stopping smile. "Mine." He said. "You''re Mine." Chapter 63 YN I had barely left my neighbourhood when my phone started buzzing. "Your Highness." I said, cautiously. Wow. Okay. Today seems to be a very buzzing day for me. Who is calling now? I thought as I raised my hips to pull my Wow. Okay. Today seems to be a very buzzing day for phone out from my pocket. Checking the caller ID, shock hit me to find Prince Miro calling. "Where are you?" I froze, not liking his tone. It sounded urgent, and angry and I wondered what I did to deserve it. "Answer me." Miro pressed and that made me know something was definitely wrong. "I''m in a cab, my Prince. What''s going on?" ! Wherever it is you''re going, I want you to turn the fuck around ande straight to my base. Understood?" I asked but by then Prince Miro had ended the call. stared at my phone in wonder. Is this about Prince Theon and the Moonstone? Did his injury get worse? kept on pondering until I was driven through the gates of the Windermere Estate. As soon as I alighted, I looked up at the five story building and felt an unpleasant shiver run down my spine. What could possibly be awaiting me in this house? As if to answer my question, the Moonstone got warmer meaning that something was definitely up with Prince Theon. With no time to waste, two security men escorted me up the elevators to the penthouse, and the moment they led me to the door, and I went in, they closed it behind me. t started My heart I racing a little faster. What in the gods'' names was going on? I ventured further into the living room, partly made of ss walls that overlooked the glistening city line beyond. The atmosphere was still and quiet, softly interrupted by the sparks in the firece. "There you are," Miro said and immediately, I raised my head up to find him ring down at me from the upstairs banister. "My Prince," I bowed. "I bowed "Come upstairs." He said and walked off.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Still bothered, I quickly ascended the royal staircase and was able to catch up with Miro as he turned a corner. "May I know what''s going on?" I asked, as I followed behind, trying to gauge his demeanor from his side profile. Miro reached a door and turned to me with a frown. "You''re about to find out." He turned the knob and opened the door for me to go in and I hesitated the moment I saw it going to do?" I asked. was a bedroom. "What are you Miro raised a questioning brow. "Rx." He said. "I''m not that kind of guy." Then he opened the door wider as he went in first and that''s when I saw Healer Kwan and two nurses standing around a bed. I entered fully and, to my horror; I found Prince Theon, unconscious, in bed with a cold towel on his forehead. He looked pale white and his lips had started losing their color. "Ahhh. You''re here." Healer Kwan said in an urgent, worried manner. I looked from Prince Theon''s pale face to the Healer. What''s happening?" He stared at the Moonstone around my neck. "That''s what''s happening." He said and when I frowned at him in confusion, he continued. "Let me exin. Simply, put, His Highness got hurt on the field but he''s not healing as fast as we thought he would because, well, he''s sharing his life force with you and now he''s dying." "Not only that," Miro said, with his arms folded across his chest. My father and the Director will be here in the next hour. If they find him sick and not healing, you know what that means for you." I swallowed, my cheeks ming in shame. If anything happens to Prince Theon, it''s going to be my fault. The air suddenly became too heavy as I felt the weight of everyone staring at me. Okay. What can I do to help?" I asked. "Do you want me to remove it?" I moved to unlock the Moonstone. "No!! Stop!" The Healer said in rm. "We have a different solution in mind." I looked from him to Miro and back. "What kind of solution?" V "Hey, you." Miro signalled to the two nurses in the room. "Out." Startled, thedies packed their things and hurried out of the room, leaving us three, well four if I include Theon who was unconscious at the moment. The Healer turned to me but he looked pretty nervous to talk to me. "W-Well t-the t-thing issss-" said what?" "You have to strip off your clothes and sleep with my brother." Miro said and I turned to him, mortified. You Salu hal? became at a I ta loss for words, ncing between both men. "So all I do is let my skin touch his and he''ll be fine?" "You heard me." He glowered. "My brother''s not healing because he''s far from you. Spending time with him, skin to skin will help him heal quickly." "Yes." Miro answered. I closed my eyes and released a deep breath. "Okay." I nodded. "I''ll do it." "You never had a choice before." Miro answered and if I weren''t so worried about Theon, I''d have rolled my eyes just to p***him off. Silence settled upon us as the men stared at me. "Well, this is not a show." I said, as I sat on the bed and began to work off my shoes. "Oh y-yes. Right." Healer Kwan said, and walked out of the room, leaving us two. ! I worked off my shoes and got up to work on the buckle of my jeans. Then I paused and found Miro still watching me. "Well?" I stared at him. Miro slowly closed the distance between us and with each step, the gaze of his eyes got more murderous.I raised my chin to match his gaze. "My brother better survive this," He threatened. Or else..." That same unpleasant shiver went down my spine again as I stared up at him and swallowed. "If you need anything, I''m right outside." He said, and then he left the room and and left me breathless and shaky. Immediately, I stripped down to my pant and bra and got under the covers with Theon. When I raised the nket, I found Chapter 02 him in just his shorts and his entire stomach wrapped in a bandage. I did this. This is all my fault. My throat constricted with tears, but I willed my emotions away This is not about me. This is about saving Prince Theon''s life. I scooted closer and touched his arm and I didn''t like that he was getting cold to the touch. So I tried to raise his arm to put it around me and to my surprise, I discovered he was really heavy. So with great difficulty, I managed to get his arm around me beforeying my head on his chest and my arm across his body. For someone so massive, there was little my body could cover so I hoped the skin to skin was enough to heal him. As Iid there, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat, I thought about my life and how I may have to forfeit the strength training test in order not to put Prince Theon in any more risk. As different thoughts went through my mind, my eyelids gradually felt heavy and thest thing I remember was thinking Theon''s body was getting a bit warmer, I woke up with a smile on my face. moaned as he My body is is on fire and and someone''s lying on top of me, nuzzling my neck. nibbled softly on the spot between my neck and my shoulders, before moving to my lips. All it took was a nudge, and I was letting him in. I spread my legs wider, pressing my body against him as we kissed deeper and when I felt his strong erect c***k brush against my kitty, I inhaled sharply, opening my eyes. My heart hammered faster when I realized what was happening. Oh no! We are going too far! "Rx." Came Prince Theon''s voice as he kissed my jawline but his voice did not sound human anymore. "I won''t make love to you yet, Bunny." He moved down to my neck. "I can smell your innocence." He said, and when his face came within my line of vision, goosebumps broke out of my skin. His eyes were pitch ck, showing no irises whatsover. His lips curled in a sinister yet heart stoppi Chapter 64 THEON My father seemed a little surprised to see me and so was Dutton. I guess they must have heard of my injury. "Your Highness." I curtly bowed before taking my seat opposite aim. Miro on the other hand sat adjacent to us. My father puffed some smoke in the air, before tempering his cigar on an ashtray and leaving it to burn out. I watched his movement. My father smoking again was a nasty indication that he was under stress, "I heard you got hurt in the field," "And I ampletely healed." I replied. He cocked his head to the side, studying me. "It makes no sense that someone like Viktor will escape you once again. He doesn''t even have one third of your strength despite his new status." I sucked my teeth. "Viktor seems to be on a new juice. He and his men were stronger and faster than normal." "It still doesn''t exin why he eluded you. My father''s voice raised an octave 1 ground my jaw, keeping a level gaze with him, "Mistakes happen "They''ve happened twice in a row. In fact, they are happening a lottely. Ever since you got that girl on the training team, you seem to have lost your edge." I felt tempted to curl my hands into fists but I stopped myself. My father was keen on studying bodynguage. He''d know he was getting to me and I don''t want that. Instead. I smiled. "Lost my edge I huffed. "You''re the one smoking a Cuban cigaron a Sunday night obsessed with a neen-year-old girl I''d say in all my twenty-five years of living, I have never seen you as obsessed with a human being as you have been with day Ryn. I leaned forward in my seat. "Tell me, Father, what chokehold does Ryn Ashmore have a whole Alpha King in?" Like storms gathering, my father''s eyes hardened and Director Dutton moved as if he wanted toe teach me a lesson. Instantly, I felt fire in my veins, my blood sparkling with delight as he moved around the seat but my father signalled for him to stop. What a shame. I was looking forward to beating his ass but I guess my time wille some other day. My father smiled, his face twisted into the same grimace that has haunted me for years, "Dominic Tarrent is in town." I blinked, his words hitting me like a punch in the gut. "My intelligence never picked up on that." "Mine did." Durton interjected with a pompous air, his one eye glinting maliciously. "But you would have picked up on it if your priorities weren''t so screwed up." I sighed and crossed my legs. "Duuon, your position as director seems to have made you forget your ce." Duttonughed "What? You''re scared I''ll take your job again?" Ved, Oct 11 "Enough" my father ordered, but the battle raged on between Ditton and I as we exchanged deadly res. "Theon, I want you to find out what he''s doing on mynd. Find Viktor and interrogate his men in your custody. I don''t care what methods. you use. I want answers!" "You''ll get them. Father." I answered, terribly troubled by the news but not quite showing it. "You better. Theon." My father said, rising to his feet. "Otherwise you really might lose your job."? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. This time, my hands curled into fists as he passed by me to the door with a smirking Dutton in tow plus security. "Is that a threat. Father?" I asked, staring ahead. From theer of my eyes, my father stopped in his tracks. "It''s a promise, Son." A bitter smile crossed my lips. "You know what happens when you make promises like that, Dad." My father audibly sighed. "Find Dominic and we won''t have to find out and with that said, he left with his people. For a moment, I sat there listening to the soft spits of fire from the firece as my gaze lingered on the Cityline. "You''re awfully quiet." I said, before looking my brother''s way. Then I was shocked seeing the look on his face. He looked haunted and reminded me of the scared boy he had been when things were tough I felt sorry for him. The topic of Dominic Tarrent was a touchy one. "Want a drink?" I asked, and he gave me a one shoulder shrug. I suddenly became worried Miro being speechless indicated he was going through a lot upstairs and he had a habit of shutting down if he was on the verge of a breakdown, Wanna talk about it?" I asked, but he shook his head slowly, like he was in a daze. I got up and made us both a potent mix. Coming to sit in front of him, I handed him the drink and sat on the center table, facing him "We''re going to haunt him down. You hear me?" I said, and Miro raised his eyes to meet mine. "Together." I nodded assuringly. "Our sister''s killer won''t go scot-free, I promise." We toasted to that and downed the drink and I could see Miro''s eyes shine with tears but he nced away, nodding in agreement As I stood under the showerter that night, I thought about Ryn and the more she crossed my mind, the more I felt the urge to drive to her hostel and see her. Gods. I groaned as I ran my hands over my wet hair, letting the water run down my back. I remember kissing her and wanting more. I remember fighting my will to touch her and failing terribly She reminded me of the times I was with my mate and I literally couldn''t keep my hands off of her. Why does it feel the same with Ryn? Why is the Moonstone having a weird effect on us both? I swallowed, unable toe up with answers, = BB. Stepping out of the shower, with a towel wrapped around my wist, I stared at myself in the mirror. All traces of were gone. Not even a scar left behind. All thanks to Ryn. my wound Entering my bedroom, I grabbed my phone and scrolled to her number. But my thumb hovered over her name, reluctant to dial it. 1 didn''t like the way she ended the call on mest time and I fear if she did that again, I''d be forced to see her in person. Besides, it''s eleven sixteen pan. It wasn''t proper to call ady at that time. So I settled for a text. "Hi Ryn. I apologize for the way I acted tonight. I lost control and I take full responsibility for my actions. I promise it won''t happen again. Please, let me know if you need anything. I am actively working on finding a cure for you and putting everything to an endTM I sent the text with a sigh and waited for a reply. I had no idea why, but my heart started beating a little faster than normal, anticipating her response. When I waited ten minutes and didn''t get a reply, I decided to make a call to someone else. Afterwards, I changed into some cotton gray shorts and a matching t-shirt and since I wasn''t feeling sleepy, I went down to my home office and turned on theputers. While they booted, a strange thought came into my mind. One that got my mind racing and my fingers itching to take action, but I stopped myself. After the incident with Maggie and Chelsea, I had a security camera installed around Ryn''s hostel and even inside her room. asionally, I check her surroundings, but I had never used the camera in her room before. Now my fingers were itching to turn it on and watch her probably sleeping. Just as I was contemting it, my phone buzzed with a text message and I could have sworn that my he "Hi Darling, forgot me so soon? I heard you were looking for the cure to save your precious Ryn. Let me go ahead and save you the trouble by letting you know you will never get it. Only an save Ryn but I have conditions, when you''re ready, hit me up. With love, Chelsea." Chapter 65 Chapter 65 RYN I opened my eyes and realized it was daylight. How did I get here? My memory slowly came back to me. Prince Miro. Then Prince Theon being sick, The kiss, Him on top of me and me feeling like I was right at home where I belong. I closed my eyes again, feeling my body awaken to the images in my head. I rolled over onto my back, feeling my breathing get heavier. My hand slid into my hair, reenacting how he did itst night and the other touched my body, just like he did. Although Prince Theon never went below my navel, my hand went beyond, rewriting an unfinished story. Like fire trailing the path of gasoline, my hand found my se "Fuck" I gasped, ny back immediately arching, wishing he''de right now and give me what I''m aching for. I remembered how he knelt between my legs, his body so big I was sure he had viking blood in him. With his dark hair down and wild, his scars blending with those tattoos on his bent The more I thought about it, the faster I rubbed on my clit, feeling my breathing be pants. That familiar knot in my stomach became tighter and I could feel myself getting closer to the edge. I could see the darkness in his eyes watching me. the cruel, sadistic smile on I And dammit! I want it all. I want the pain. I want the pleasure. I want him so badly that my body aches for it. My heart bleeds for it. My cl¨ªmax came like a wrecking ball, causing my body to spasm is my lips whispered his name repeatedly. My other hand found its way to my throat, holding it like I would have wanted him to. I gasped and panted until my body calmed down and the stupid Moonstone cooled. I opened my eyes and felt a little better. Suddenly, my phone began to buzz, and I knew who it was before I even took my phone from the nightstand. "Hello?" "Can you please have some mercy on me?" came Prince Theon''s voice, heavy and strained A small smile made its way to my lips as some part of me somehow enjoyed the fact that he was suffering. "Sorry. I couldn''t help it." I said into the phone. "I understand. Did you get my text?" My brows pulled together. "No. I did not. I just woke up." "Okay. I realized I forgot to thank you for saving my life," My checks med at his words. "My Prince, you don''t have to thank me. I am the reason you got hurt in the first ce." "No. Sharing my life force with you was my decision. So thank you. Also, I am actively working on getting that cure. So soon, all of this will be over I frowned All of this?. B B. My sinuguess faded. The way it sounded, it felt like all of this was like an inconvenience for him. I guess he was serious about not being interested in me. Jeez! I facepalmed myself. Why do I keep forgetting this? Why do I keep saying I won''t feel anything and then turning around to begray myself? Now I felt stupid about the orgasm. Suddenly, a sharp pain piented my side. I sat up, and a groan left my lips as the pain got sharper. Looking down at my stomach, surprise hit me as I found some bruising on it. "Are you okay?" Theon''s concerned voice came on the Hue. "Yeah. I''m fine. I have to go." "Ryn, you don''t sound fine. I can slightly feel you''re in pain. "Umm... period cramps." "Oh. Is there anything I can do to help?" I began to feel my annoyance grow. He doesn''t want me, so why is he trying to help? "No. Thank you. I''m fine. Please, I have to go." And with that said. I ended the call Rushing -HOW g to the bathroom, I knew at the back of my mind that I was once again crossing a line, but I couldn''t care less right Something was happening to me and I needed to find out. When I got to the mirror, I raised my shirt up, and to my horror, I found a bruising forming on my stornach just in the same spot where Chelsea wounded me, "What''s happening?" I whispered, meeting my own confused eyes Quickly. I rushed back to my room and grabbed my phone. With a shaky finger, I scrolled through my contacts till I found the number I was looking for. Healer Kwan. As his number rang. I paced around my room, fiddling with my pendant. Kwan picked on the fourth ring. "Miss Ashmore, What a pleasant surprise." His nervous voice came on the line. "Mr. Kwan. Good morning. When can I see you?" He hesitated on the other end. "Is something wrong, Miss?" "Yes. I think so." I replied and then exined what I had discovered to him. "Oh, crap." Mr. Kwan said, and my heart began to race. "What do you mean by that?" He sighed on the other end. "It means healing the Princest night, made him take back the majority of his life force. There is an imbnce to the amount of power flowing to you." "I still don''t understand" BB "It''s like this, Miss Ashmore. Let''s say when he shared his life force with you, the power shared was like a fifty-five percent to a forty- five percent ratio. The Prince having thergest share, right? Now from what you''re telling me, it seems the Prince is having like eighty percent of his life force back and you are functioning on about twenty percent." It finally dawned on me. "So what you''re saying is that this shift in power is going to affect me badly?" "Yes. You''re going back to your old self, which is still sick and frozen in time. The moment youpletely revert, you''ll be sick again and once it''s done, the Moonstone can''t help you anymore." My heart started racing more than usual. "What can I do to stop it?" "Well, it''s pretty simple. I can ask the Prince to refuel your life force, but that will make him weaker thanst time. Obviously, there is something about you that drains his energy like no other. I have never seen something like that before. I felt shame burn the tips of my ears. "Any other option?" "Well.." He paused. "Two options left. You either rake it yourself by intimate connection, but that would be cruel and yout could literally kill him" "Or?" I prompted. "Or ryou simply stay near him. That way, you won''t be in pain and you''ll be fine." I pondered on his words for a moment. "How close are we talking?" "The closer you get, the better you feel" "And how much time do I have without him before it gets terribly bad?" "Five to six days. Give or take." I thanked the doctor and ended the call. Staring at the mirror, I thought of what to do. Considering what happenedst time, I can''t afford to put Prince Theon at risk again, so both option one and two are out the window. Option three, on the other hand, sounds promising. The issue now is that I don''t know how I can be within proximity of him at all times without knowledge of where he''d always be. Just then, someone knocked on my door, and I frowned. I wasnt expecting anyone, so who was that? Tiptoeing to my room, I opened my drawer and grabbed a knife. Slowly, I went to the door and after taking a deep, painful breath, I swung the door open and aimed the knife, ready to strike. I blinked in surprise when I saw Prince Theon in a sharply tailored suit standing in my hallway with cold blue shorter hair. eyesAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. and Instantly, my pain disappeared, and I was left breathless, staring up at the gigantic man with the perfect face. "Hello, Ryn." he said in that sweet whispery lover''s voice that instantly made my nipples tighten "Surprised to see me?" Chapter 66 RYN My throat suddenly went dry, "Uhm. 1 shook my head. "Yeah I am," I answered and then peeped out at the hallway to see if his security followed him, but 1 found none. "What are you doing here y-your Highness?" I gave a quick bow and swallowed nervously. ""Can Ie in?" My heart raced at his words. "Is that a good idea?" "Trust me. I won''t touch you." He said, and the way he said it made me feel a twinge of sadness, I stepped aside for him and he had to bend his head toe in Be on your best behavior, Ryn. I told myself. Just because he''s nice doesn''t mean he''s in love with you. 1 let out a deep breath and closed the door. When I turned around. I found Prince Theon looking around my room with the sharp gaze of an eagle. With him in it, the room suddenly felt smaller and the air thicker. That''s when I noticed he was carrying a shopping bag, which was an odd contrast to his dressing style. stood awkwardly as he scouted my room before his eyesnded on me. "Are youfortable here?" He frowned. Why does he care! "Well,pared to how I used to sleep? This is paradise." I replied. "I never really got to thank you for getting me into this private ce. So thank you." I bowed once again. Theon shrugged, unsmiling. "It''s the least I could make the school do for all you went through at the hands of Principal Crow. "and Bessie-"I added awkwardly, smiling, but the Prince didn''t catch my attempt at a joke, so I let it fall t. "Is Bessie still bothering you?" "Oh, no." I said. "I don''t see her as much anymore, especially since my time there has ended. I''ll be graduating soon." Theon saw a chair at my work desk and asked, "May I" "Yea sure. Totally." I said, and then sat on my bed, facing him. "Why did you stay so long before graduating?" He asked after taking a seat. My face heated up a bit at his question. "Well, uh. I didn''t start school on time and when my ex-Alpha finally introduced me to Principal Kwan, he made me repeat a ss. Theon''s forehead creased and even with his frown, he was still one of the most breathtaking men I have ever seen. That''s so unnecessary." Hemented, more to himself than to me. "So, what are your ns after you graduate?" I blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. "Uh, my focus would be to graduate top of my ss at the Elite Training Center. Be an Elite and I''ll see how things go from there." Theon nodded slowly, as if he were processing my words. "And where would you stay after you leave this hostel?" 0 Gods! Why was he asking these questions! Why does it seem like he cares about me? Just because he''s nice doesn''t mean he''s in love with you,'' I reminded myself, and that was enough to calm me down. "Uhm" I shook my head. "I have some money saved up and will get an apartment soon." Theon held my gaze, and I had to look away because of how hot his stare made me feel. "I have apartments all over the kingdom" He said. "You can stay in anyone you want free of charge." I looked at him again. "What?" I blurted out. "W-Why" Theon broke his gaze, and frowned as if he had no idea why he said what he said. "I need you at your best. My father has not yet finished dealing with you, and graduation time from the center is getting close. I''m afraid things will get heated from here." I thought about his words. "But why? Why does your father hate me so much? What did I do to him?" Theon smiled bitterly. An act that was rare in itself. "If you had asked me weeks before. I''d have said his attitude towards you has nothing to do with you. But now, I am starting to think otherwise." I stared at him for a moment, wondering if I could trust him. He''s been saving my life. So I guess I can? "Can I trust you?" I asked, and his gaze softened. "You know you can." "I have something to show you." I said and grabbed my phone. Quickly, I scrolled to the picture I saw of my parents with others and showed it to him. "I found this on the inte. I have been.." I sighed. I wanted to say that I have been researching their deaths, but I don''t trust anyone with that information. Not yet. "I have been missing my parents and I really don''t have much to remember them by, so I looked up their photos and found this. Do you remember this moment? Maybe my parents were enemies with yours?" I watched the Prince closely for any cues of recognition, but his face was as in as stone. He scrutinized the picture and continued staring. "I have no idea when this picture was taken." He said, ncing at me. I stared into his blue eyes and detected no lie. "I didn''t even So what the hell is going on? "Something is fishy somewhere."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Theon stared at the picture again. "I can ask Miro about it." "No!" I cut in. "Didn''t you say u say we couldn''t trust him?" Theon''s face dawned with realization. "You''re right, I forgot. Text me the photo. I''ll have to investigate thister. For now, finding you that cure is one of my top priorities." My stomach suddenly felt like a pit. "Any progress on that?" Theon shifted his gaze away for a second before nting them back on me. "I don''t want to get your hopes up. Ryn, but be rest assured that I am working on it and you''ll get it anytime soon." His words somehow made me feel a tad bit better, so I nodded and looked away. I suddenly noticed that my pull towards him wasn''t as strong as before. I still felt drawn to him, but not as crazy asst time. An ufortable silence settled upon us as we exchanged nces and looked away. "d we are acting like civil people" Theon stared at me before smiling a full toothy grin and for the life of me, my heart did a somersault when I realized that Theon had a fucking dimple on both sides of his cheeks. He must have noticed my reaction because his smile died and suddenly felt stupid for making my reaction so obvious. "Why don''t you smile often? 1 blurted out. "You literally have the cutest smile." Then I blinked in surprise at my words. Even Theon looked takes aback and suddenly sprang to his feet. "I have nothing to smile about." He said and his words felt sad to me. "Well, I rose to my own feet as well. "d I could give you something to smile about." I said, and after an awkward stare, I turned for the door. "Wait." He said, and I stopped to look at his hand holding my wrist gently. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn I felt my hand tingle. I looked at Theon and I found that his gaze was fixated on the ce where our skin made contact as well Then he abruptly dropped my hand, looking apprehensive. "I got you this." He said, handing me the shopping bag I noticed earlier. Just because he''s nice doesn''t mean he''s in love with you. I chanted in my mind repeatedly as I slowly collected the bag from him, but when I peered inside and saw the contents of what he got me, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 RVN Inside the bag were packs of pad and tampons and then I noticed the small red teddy bear with a pink bow, with a love tag saying. "Everything is going to be okay" An involuntaryughter escaped my lungs at such a cute thing held the bear to myself and peered in further. Furthermore, Prince Theon also got me a small bucket of vani and strawberry ice creams and loads of candy. ""You said you were on your period, so... I raised my head and met his gaze, and I could tell he was nervous. I became at a loss for words. No one has ever done this for me. I ced the bag gently on the floor and rushed to hug li Theon stiffened. but I didn''t care. I linked my arms around his stan waist and loved the feel of his sturdy body against my chest. Slowly I felt Theon''s hand on my head, parting it gently, as if I were a pet. I was mean to him, and yet he had been nothing but nice to me It''s okay if he feels nothing for me. I take all the kindness I can get A stray tear fell out of my eyes but I cleaned it with my shoulder before pulling away and hiding behind a fake smile. "Thank you for the gift. I said. Theon stared at me like he didn''t know what to do next. "You''re wee." He said. "All I ask is that you don''t cut the call on me again. It He hesitated. "It drives me nuts." I smiled bitterly and nodded profusely. "Ill try not to do that again." I said, holding my voice steady. "Good" He said and then checked his wristwatch. "I have to get to work." "Sure." I nodded. "Thank you foring." I led the way to the door and opened it for him. He bent his head and stepped out and I had no idea why I found that really sexy. Then I remembered the question that first came to my mind when I first saw him at my door. "Why did you cut your hair?" Theon turned to me once again. His brows high up his forehead in surprise. "I don''t know, I just felt like it. He shrugged. "Uh" I huffed. "Funny thing is I cringed in embarrassment. "I am so sorry." Theon gave me a small smile. "It''s okay. It was due for a haircut, anyway." "It suits you." I said sincerely. "Brings out your eyes." A shadow of a smile crept over his face. "Thank you." Then, his features changed into one of okay?" He asked. worry. "Are you sure you are "I sure."1 lied, dreading the moment he''d have to go, and I''d be back in pain. "And I''d suggest that whatever feeling you get of me during the next few days, just ignore it." "Ahh. I see." He said, his face dawning with realization. He made a salute, and I gave him a small smile before watching him walk down the hallway and disappear out of sight The farther he went, the more intense the pain in my stomach became till I had to walk to my desk and bend over. 1 sighted the teddy sitting in the bag and brought it out. Despite my pain, I smiled, loving the cute little thing. I held it to my heart and sat in my chair. Evennually. I''ll have to find a way to be around him without being intimate with him. Thankfully, the shift in made Theon stronger to resist me, so that is the n I have to work towards, but I''ll need help. power has Telling Theon about my predicament will only make him want to sacrifice more for me so I need someone who doesn''t care about me that much. The first person that came to mind was his brother, Prince Mirg He already knew about the Moonstone, but he kept it a secret from his dad. Maybe he could help? I shook my head. I''d sound pathetic. What will I say? Hi. I need your help to get closer to your brother until he finds my cure?" He''d totally dismiss me. Besides, I saw the way he looked at me when he found me in bed with his brother. I bet he thinks Im a slut or an easy girl taking advantage of his brother. I closed my eyes and cursed Chelsea''s name. I hate her so much. My phone buzzed, and I groaned as I reached for it on my bed. realized it was a text on the official Elite group chat for trainees. It was dropped by Miro stating that tomorrow''s test has been canceled and all trainees were required toe to ss this afternoon for debriefi Despite my relief at the news, I couldn''t help the glimmer of doubt and worry that seeped in Why was the test canceled? Could it have anything to do with the new director trying to sabotage me in thest test? Or did they find out Prince Theon was helping me? I shook my head and headed for the bathroom. After my shower, I changed into my uniform and prepared my bag. I checked my drawer for painkillers and when I found a bottle, I downed twice the dose despite knowing it was dangerous. I just needed to walk in there without looking like a wounded animal. Packing my long hair behind me, I wore my bag and headed for the door. The moment I opened it, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the person standing at the door. His one good eye red at me while the scar above the other one made him look more ominous "Director Dutton." I breathed out, slowly reaching for my knife tucked behind my waist. "What are you doing here?" His mouth curled into a sadistic smile. The same kind he had before injecting me with the simtion serum. "Just here wondering what''s so special about you, Ryn Ashmore, Cause tell me why the most feared Prince in all thend is enamored with you." I swallowed. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." I said and tried to m the door in his face, but the Director held door open, his one eye promising danger as he pushed his way into my room, sending me staggering back. the Before closing my door, I noticed several of his security men standing guard in the hallway, turning a stoic blind eye to the situation. III Director Dutton closed my door behind him and I brought out my knives and gripped them tight. "If you think you can hurt me like your cousin did, you got another thinging!" 1 uld, prepared to give myst if the man so much as caused me ham? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He stared at me, amused. "Maybe I can see what the Twins see in you." I frowned. The Twins? "You''ve got some spunk in you." He said, then his one green eye turned zing red. "But you''re no match for me." From theer of my eye. I saw his hands elongate into wicked ws, and then I met his gaze. "Would you like to find out?" He asked. his eye hungry with malice. There was no way I''d win this situation. Even if I managed to killhe Director, his security men would probably arrest or kill me on the spot and the way he stared at me hungrily, I had no doubt that the moment I made a swing for him, he''ll kill me. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 RYN With that said, I dropped my defense pose and ced my knives on the table while staying close to it. "What do you want?" I asked, reaching into my pocket. Dutton''s eye cut to my hand. "Don''t even think of dialing anyone''s mumber. You''re only going to put them in more trouble." He said it so calmly that I believed him. In my experience, I have learnt the hard way that people who make threats calmly. tend to be very dangerous, "Fine." I removed my hand out of my pocket. "What do you want?" Dutton hesitated. "Your help" I frowned, watching him warily. "Why? My help with what?" Dutton folded his arms behind him and cocked his head to the side. "Sit" "I prefer standing, thank you." His green eye glowed red again. "I said, sit!" -My body trembled under the essence of his authority, but I raised my chin, staring him something from me, then you better be polite or you get out!" t in the eye. "If you want Dutton blinked at me in disbelief beforeughing out loud. It was a loud, humorlessugh that grated on my nerves. He shook his head as hisughter decreased to a chuckle. "You are fire!" He said with fervor. "Now I see what the twins see in you. Aside from your beauty "I really don''t know what you''re talking about."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He cocked his head to the side, giving me a side eye. "Come on. We both know you''re trying to seduce the twins to see which one can help you climb thedder to sess right?" 1 stared at him in disbelief. "You can''t be serious, right?" "But I''m damn serious." He said, taking a step forward. "Deadly serious." He said, with all traces of amusement gone. An unpleasant shiver ran down my spine. "Well, you have me all wrong." I folded my arms across my chest, giving an air of confidence I didn''t feel. "The twins and I are just friends." Director Dutton chuckled, and I was starting to hate the way he made a mockery of the things I said. "Friends? Have you ever known the Windermere twins to have friends? Especiallydy friends. Those two don''t trust anyone farther than they can throw them. If you are fr My internal defense began to falter. Theon already made it clear that he was using me and I was using him too but what about Miro. Where do we stand? "You''re lying." I said, just for the sake of saying something and not seeming speechless. "Come on, Ryn!"Dutton said. Tve read your file. You''re supposed to be smart! Dig into their past. You''d see the truth. For years, people have known the Windermere Twins for their wild sexcapades. They use girls and fuck them and then discard them. Especially Theon." Myeyyes cut to him. "Ahhh, there she is." Dutton smirked gleefully, knowing he had my attention. "Theon is the worst of the twins. He crafted his deadly desire from iliem, using women to gain a reputation for the torturous kind of lovemaking! Dutton gritted his teeth. "You sound like he hurt you." Director Dutton blinked, and readjusted his suit jacket forposure. "Theon and Miro are bad guys." "And you?" 1 queried with a raised brow. "What are you?" "I''m a bad guy too." He smiled coyly. "A bad guy who can give you what you want." He took another step closer. "And what is it I want?" I eyed him warily. "You want to be an Elite." he said, with fakepassion. of I studied his demeanor and tried to find any hint of weakness or low confidence, but I found none. This man is too cocky. "I can be an Elite with or without yourself." His lips curved into a smirk. "You sure about that?" "Yes." I raised my chin and steeled my spine. Director Dritton twisted his face to show mocking sadness. "What a shame." He down turned his lips to mimic being hurt. "We could have been a formidable team." He took a step back from me. "I guess you''re not as smart as I thought. I would have helped you reach your He parned towards the door, seemingly about to leave and a cold thought crossed my mind. "Wait!" I said and Director Dutton half turned with his lips curled in a smile. "Vessss!" "What do you have in mind?" I asked, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment as I looked away. "Interesting"Dutton said. "I want you to spy on Theon for me." I stared at him in disbelief. "You can''t be serious." "I think I already established the answer to that." He snapped. "Why?" are you our "That''s my business. Are you in or are "What''s in it for me?" He smiled, "I won''t sabotage your efforts to graduate." I pondered on his words. "What if I say no?" "Ooooh." He shook his head. "It''s going to be really bad for you You can trust me on that" Anger sparked in my blood. "You tried to sabotage my simtion test!" "And best believe, 1l be waiting for you in the next one. You can see it''s been postponed. I made that happen. Just know any changes made were because of you. Every inconvenience suffered by your ss is because of you." 1 gripped the edges of my shirt. "Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?" "Nothing" He raised a brow. "Although, you are the reason my cousin can no longer pursue his career as Director of the 24 BB Training Centre. He had big dreams and you crushed it." My anger spiked. "How?! I didn''t do anything to him!" "Oh but you did. Because of you the Windermere Twins hunted him down like an animal and busted his kneecaps." I blinked in surprise.. I never knew. His face twisted in anger. "My cousin will forever be a cripple because of you!" 1 ground my jaw tighter and bared my teeth at him. "Good! Next time, in his next life, he''d learn to keep his filthy hands to himself!" Director Dutton scoffed at me. "You have no idea about family reputation, do you?" He asked, staring at me with disgust. "Of course you can''t, you peasant. It''s why you can never understand the gravity of what you''ve done or the people you''ve pissed off "The Duttons were raised to take positions of power. To rule on mankind. This is our destiny and you ruined an entire generation by making up lies!" I blinked in surprise. "Lies?" Now it was my turn to smile. "Seriously, what did your cousin tell you? I''m curious. I want to hear it" I folded my arms across my chest again In the midst of his righteous anger, his re faltered. "He said you came on to him, asking for tips on how to level up in the Of course, he wouldn''t ept and because he threatened to report you to management, you made up lies about him." ce "Wow!" Iughed. "What a big fat liar! I did no such thing! Your brother or cousin or whatever came on to me! He tried to rape me! And when I did not let him, he forced me to partake in the simtion test when I wasn''t ready. He tried to ruin-my life ""Lies" "I''m not lying!" *Where''s your proof?" "Where''s his proof?" "My cousin''s word is proof enough I scoffed and red at him from head to toe. "For someone so ambitious to rule the world, you sure are daft!" In a sh, Director Dutton pounced on me, gripping my neck just like his cousin did. This time, he lifted me off my feet, instantly making it hard for me to breathe.. "Perhaps it would be better for me to end your life here and save myself the hassle of getting you to fail He growled, his red eye gleaming at me as I gasped for air. "I can just see the news. First Female Elitemits suicide by hanging due to pressure of being a Warrior." "It would be fantastic! Dutton beamed. "And no one will investigate your death, you poor orphan girl!" 9% 71% RYN No. I can''t die like this. Since I was standing next to the table. 1 raised my leg up, failed, and raised it again. This time, itnded on the table and I gripped his wrist while I raised my other leg With my weight supported, I was able to slightly breathe better. De tried to pull me off, but I held on to his wrist with all the strength I had. I calcted the times he pulled and when he was pulling, I shifted my weight backwards, grabbed a knife and stabbed his arm merciles He growled, releasing me instantly and 1 staggered back on iny table, gasping for air. My throat felt caved in refusing to open as I tried to breathe in. Dutton''s men broke my door in as their leader gripped his arm in pain. Instantly, I grabbed the two knives on the table and posed in the defense, ready to fight. I don''t care if I live. I''m taking them all down with me. "What are you waiting for?" Dutton yelled. "Get her!" Panic made its way to my heart as their eyes changed color and they snarled at me. "Touch her and you die." Instantly, the air changed and everyone paused and turned towards the voice at the entrance. There, standing with power- and an aura so lethal, Dutton''s security whimpered in fear. Theoh carefully rolled up his sleeves, seemingly unbothered - "What are you waiting for?!" Dutton screamed at his men "Get forn!" They looked at Theon who watched them with ck, beady eyes. His ws were long and each pointy end looked like a sharp object. They slowly stepped his way but when Theon took a step in and his men rushed into the already small room. the men surrendered instan Seeing he was backed into a corner, Director Dutton nced my way and tried toe for me but before he could reach me, something happened like a gust of wind, making my hair flutter. In a sh, Theon''s massive back was to me as he held Director Dutton''s raised hand. ""Let me go!" Hemanded. "You''ve been doing too muchtely." Theon whispered, pushing Dutton''s hand away, "Out of respect for my father and the council, I am warning you to stop." Dutton snarled, sneering at Theon. "Or what?" What happened next took me by surprise. Theon''s hand moved swiftly and the next thing I knew, a hot p resounded on Dutton''s face which automatically had him staggering and falling. As he fell, he hit the side of his head on the edge of my bed with a loud thump! I cringed as Dutton gripped his head in pain and to my horror, blood started streaming down his already bloody arm. Theon turned to Dutton''s security men. Take him out of here." Immediately, they bowed their heads and hurried to their leader. In a matter of minutes, he was carried out of my stood in shock, watching it all. y room. I . Chapter 69 Once they were gone. Theo dismissed his men and turned to me. 9 x 71% Now that we were alour, A twinge of fear gripped me man who had kissed me and said that I was his. 1 I stared into Theon''s emotionless dark eyes. He didn''t seem like the This man seemed very different, like he was dug up from the deepest, darkest corners of Theon''s soul. He reached out to touch me and I couldn''t control the automatic flinch of my body. His hand hung in the air, then he blinked and the darkness gave way to his usual blue. "Don''t be scared, Ryn. It''s me." Theon said and instantly, I dropped my knives and hugged him tight. Theon stiffened again but this time, he hugged me back and once again, that familiar feeling of being home enveloped me. Not wanting to let go, I stayed that way until my racing heart calmed and my trembling body stilled. When I eventually calmed down, I pulled back and looked at him. His cold, blue eyes drified to my neck and hardened once more. "I''m going to kill Edgar Dutton." He said, in such a simple tone as if he was saying he was going out for some air. "Aren''t you going to get in trouble?" Theon brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "I am trouble." He stated in that same monotonous tone as if he was saying he was Iron Man I sighed. Suddenly feeling tired. "I''m sorry I always put you in terrible situations." Theon held my chin. "It''s not your fault. Don''t ever me yourself for his actions. Understood?" I nodded in answer. "Now pack your things." My brows furrowed. "Why? What do you mean?" Theon sighed. "It means my father no longer wants to y soft politics." I still looked confused. "It means as long as you''re in training your life is in danger so in the meantime, you''ll be living with me." I opened my mouth to protest and then I remembered I needed to be in close proximity to Theon to feel less pain from my wound, so I closed my mouth and agreed. Half an hourter, I had my bag in the trunk of Prince Theon''s car and together, we left the hostel for good. As we sat in the back seat of his hummer jeep, the severity of the whole situation dawned on me. Once a again, I could have died and it was Dutton''s words that hurt the most. "No one will investigate your death, you poor orphan girl!" He was right. "What are you thinking?" Theon asked, grabbing my attention. "I can sense you''re sad I nted a fake smile and shook my head. "I''m fine." Theon gripped my chin, gently and turned my face to him. When I looked at him, I saw his features twisted in anger. "I don''t appreciate being lied to, Ryn" He said and my heart literally skipped a beat. "Tell me. What are you thinking?" He said, sitting back in his seat, letting I stared out the window and sighed. "I''m thinking of Director Dutton''s words."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ""What did he say to you BB @K 71% So I told him the nasty words Director Dutton spewed as he tried to choke me to death. Thron went silent. "I''m sorry you had to hear that. He said. "I know how words can stals quicker ten a w." I shrugged, brushing the whole situation off for ater time. "Trused to it" I said, still looking out the window. From the corner of my eye, Theon looked at me but I didn''t look his way As the driver took a turn, I remembered the ss schedule for today, "I have to go to the center. They said a time for-" "Cancelled" I looked at him and found him typing on his phone. "Not the test, I mean the session for lod-" "Cancelled." He said, without looking up. "Dutton set the impromptu session and since he is currently incapacitated, my brother is in charge and he had agreed to cancel the session for the day. I stared at him, wishing I could kiss him again but I knew that was a bad idea considering what Healer Kwan said. So I shifted my thoughts to something else before Theon would start to feel the same way. Leaning back in my seat, I rested my head against the window, watching the worki blur by. Next thing. I knew, I was waking up in the arms of Prince Theon with my arms around his neck. Looking around, I realized we were in an elevator, riding up. I looked at him and he nced at me but something was off about him since hostel. He still wasn''t the same. left my It felt like the Theon I knew had the darkness in him locked deep under, but this one, this man whose reflection stared back at me from the ss mirror of the elevator, this man seemed detached, possessed, robotic as if the darkness in him was just a second froming out. "Are you okay?" My voice came out hoarse and barely audible. He looked at me through the reflection. "I''m fine." He replied in that same monotonous tone. "I don''t appreciate being lied to either." I said, my voice barely audible. He smiled again, revealing those dimples I havee to like seeing. In his arms, I looked very smallpared to his massive body. "I promise I am fine. I just need time to adjust." I nodded and when the elevators opened, he led me to the suite and up the stairs to a room. I quickly recognized it as the room where I first stayed when I got hit by a car. It was when we got in and reached the bed that Theon finally let me down on my feet. "Get some rest." He said. "If you need anything, speed dial number three. Our chief maid will attend to you." Then he turned. around to leave, "And sorry to ask, but where are you going?" I asked. He turned around stiffly. "To face my father." Chapter 70 THEON Thirteen years ago. "Agam The voice of my father boomed as I stood in nothing but boxers in a forest covered with snow. Miro and I were just twelve years old, shivering to our teeth, our hands sore and bloody from hitting trees. Miro might have hesitated a little too much because the next thing I heard was the hotshing of my father''s beltnding on his back A scream pierced the cold, winter air as my brother fell to his knees. Miro''s scared and tear-stained face turned to me and I was terrified to see his nose bleeding. I nced at Dad and to my horror; he had his belt raised again, ready to strike. "No!" I screamed. Running ahead without thinking, Something had surged through me back then, making me push my father and he flew through the air beforending on his back a few feet away from us. Scared that 1 might have caused a lot more trouble than necessary. I had helped Miro up and stood between him and my approaching father. "Dad. please. Enough. Miro is having a nosebleed again." My father''s face twisted in anger. "Get out of my way, Theon!" "Please. Dad." I shivered. "Tenshes for hesitating." "Please!" A tear rolled out of my eyes, immediately freezing on my cheeks. "Mercy is for the weak." He said, without remorse. "Tenshes one will sleep out in the cold tonight." I turned to look at Miro who was trying to wipe the blood from his nose with his swollen fingers. "I''ll take it!" I said. My father blinked in surprise. "No! You will not take your brother''s punishment." "Mercy is for the weak, Dad. Don''t show me any." My father hesitated before slipping on his emotionless mask. Once again, his eyes became as cruel as the harsh winter. "Instead ofshing you. I have a fun idea." My father said, before stepping forward and handing me the belt. I stared at it, frightened and wary "Take it" My father nudged. Slowly but tentatively, I collected the belt from my father. By then, my hands had healed a considerable amount unlike my brother "You get to give the rest of theshes to your brother hitting as hard as you can or..." my father went to my bag which I brought and to my horror, brought out my white bunny. "or you give theshes to this burny." My twelve year old self became horrified, having to choose between my brother and my bunny. I looked at my father in disbelief and he stared down at me with no emotion. "What? You said I should show you no mercy." III "But Dad, what does my Banny have to do with in "It''s another lesson. Love is weakness. What you love can be used against you. Like this bunny. I see you are very attached to it, which is very bad. You''re also attached to your brother. So choose" "It''s okay Miro sand,ing forward "I''ll take theshing Ted timidly. "You have ten seconds to choose, otherwise your bunny gets killed and your brother sleeps outside." And in that moment, I think I lost myself, especially when I chose to give nineshes to my bunny and it stopped moving by the fifth. I think a part of me disassociated from myself and I haven''t been the same ever since. Now, yearster, I arrived at my father''s mansion, Big, sparkly and just empty. Every inch of this ce reminds me of what has been stripped from me. My fear was born here. My darkness was also bom here. The walls have heard my screams, and I have fed it the screams of others. Entering the house, I met my father in his office and found hin pacing around. "Your Highness" 1 bowed before taking a seat, My father looked at me, appalled "Did I ask you to sit?" He yelled. One look at him, and his high tempered fury calmed. "I see." He said, understanding my unspokennguage. Taking a seat, he sighed, "What did he do this time?" I simply exined. "He wasn''t supposed to be at her dorm. That''s harassment" "You can fault him for that." My father retorted. "He is a two time high-ranking official. My Beta and the Director of the center. He has every right to enter anyone''s home on grounds of suspicious activity." "Ryn had no suspicious activity going on. I was the only suspicious thing about her" "How can you be sure?" My father queried. "That''s how you defended Elizabeth. My blood ran cold. The urge to reach across the table and strangle him overwhelmed me, but I smiled instead. Rising to my feet, I re-buttoned my suit. "I will be taking back my position as Director of the Trainees. A document will be brought to you for your signing. Father, Just some minor budget approval." "Budget approval? For what?" "A new expansion on thend where the real Elites live. I want the new Training Center there." "No. That''s a waste of resources." My father waved me off. I smiled again, feeling my muscles tighten and spasm with the urge to do something. "Kindly sign off on the budget, Dad." ""And if I don''t?" I smiled politely and bowed before leaving his office. Then I took a poker iron from the firece and whistled as I made my way to my father''s private garage. Getting there, I looked around at the exotic and antique cars parked in neat condition. My father was a sucker for them and would spend all his money on them. Each car was worth millions, won at an auction by him. So I wen to the prettiest one. A pink Volkswagen Beetle and then raised the pokes iron and began to smash. The rms went off and in a matter of minutes and 1 was surrounded by security who were surprised to see me causing the damage. My father also came down, and when he saw one of his antique cars getting destroyed, he stood in shock. "What the fuck do you think you''re doing!! He screamed, watching his car get annihted. After making sure I did enough damage to it. I threw the poker iron away and walked towards his shockeil demeanor. I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Love is weakness. What you love can be used against you... just...like this car." I said, and moved to walk away but I stopped and whispered in his ear again. "I want that burlget approval signed, Dad or you''re going to lose another love. Thank you in advance," With that said, 1 left the garage and drove straight to my office. Getting there, I turned on myputers, scrolled to the surveince cameras and watched Ryn sleeping peacefully in her bed I sighed in relief as I watched her, remembering how I discovered she was in danger. I had felt her fear on the way to the office and when it didn''t dissipate; I pulled up the surveince cameras installed in her hallway. When I saw Dutton''s men standing guard, I knew something was up. Immediately. I had my car turned around, racing for her hostel. I remembered panic seizing me when I found it hard to breathe while watching Dutton choke her That was when my disassociation began a personality that kicks in when it fears that I am in absolute danger. Ites out to protect me and doesn''t leave until it''s sure I''m safe. Staring at Ryn as she slept, I had a feeling that my protective personality would be around for longer. Because whether I like it or not, I havee to understand that this is just not about a girl with a dream to be the first female Elite or about a guy looking to make a differe I havee to the understanding that there are bigger forces at y and somehow, this pretty little thing sleeping so peacefully is smack deep in the middle of it and because I am drawn to pretty little things, I find myself smack deep in it 100. 100. My phone buzzed, and I checked it to see a message from my brother. "How is she?" "Sleeping in one of our rooms." "Dutton is a bastard." "I agree." "Dad called to tell me what you did." "Wow, so you''ve been promoted to Bestie. Congrattions, I''m so proud of you" "Fuck you "No, thank you. I don''t want Herpes "I don''t have herpes!" B B "Oh right. Cmydiar" "You''re just a bitter soul because 1 can getid and you can''t. "1 can getid if 1 wan" His reply didn''te for a moment so I went back to work. Five minutester, his text came in. "Hey, don''t shoot me for this question. I hope it''s not Ryn that''s getting youid?" "Why are you hoping it''s not her?" His text didn''te fast again. "I don''t know. Isn''t she kind of young for you?" §± "She''s neen. She can decide for herself but rx, I won''t have sex with her especially since we are both under the effects of the Moonstone. When it''s off, I''ll really know how I feel about her." "And if you find out that you like her?" I stared at his text, unable toe up with an answer. So I left him on read. What happens if I find out I really like Ryn? My heart raced at the thought. I seriously hope I don''t because then Ryn will find out how truly twisted I am and that poor bunny has had enough trauma tost a lifetime.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bunny. I smiled at that word and let my gaze shift to her sleeping form in the camera. Yeah. The word, ''Bunny" suits her so well. Chapter 71 RYN The moment I woke up, I felt a presence in my room and immediately grabbed iny knife to point My eyes searched the dark room wildly before a bright light pierced the room. Squinting my eyes, I realized I was facing the wrong ce and when I looked ik the other side of the mom, I frowned.. "Oh. It''s you" I grumbled as I stared at Miro but I was d my voice was back. "What? Expecting your boyfriend?" My face heated up at his words. "He''s not my boyfriend." "But you wish he was, don''t you?" My mouth dropped open as I stared at his amused smile. "I do. I''m not that kind of girl" I rolled my eyes. Miro rsked, sucking his teeth. "There you go again with that nasty habit of yours." "What are you going to do about it?" I raised my chin, feeling a smile creep up my face. "Ah I I see. You think my brother will protect you from me! I nodded, moving my head up and down in an exaggerated manner. "Fine." Miro sprang to his feet and my smile faded as I watched him warily. "What I''m going to do," He rested his hands on his waist and pretended to think about it. "Will you like Lasagna for dinner?" I brightened I up at that. "Yes, please!" I beamed. "Good" He nodded. "Roll your eyes at me again, and I won''t cook it for you again." My smile faded aded and I red at him. "Deal!" He asked, with a raised brow, making me frown deeper. "Deal. I muttered. "I can''t hear you "Deal!" I shouted. "Miro!" T ''Theon''s voice came from downstairs, warming my insides. "What?!" His brother answered. "You''re bothering our guest!" Miro did a mocking mimicry of him before rolling his eyes. I shifted my neck to the side in a sassy manner, watching him and when he suddenly realized what he just did, he red at me. You didn''t see anything" Itsked, making a thinking face. "Well, a chocte chip cookie ice cream would really be nice to buy my silence." Miro''s eyes narrowed at me. "I don''t negotiate with terrorists." "Oh, I see." I said, before taking a big intake of breath and raising my voice. "Your Highnes-" 114 Chapter 71 §ä§Ñ In a sh, Miro was covering my mouth with the palm of his hand and I couldn''t help the giggle that bubbled out of me Shhh" He whispered Tine. You won!" My giggle calmed and then something in the atmosphere changed. Suddenly, Miro and I were staring deep into each other''s Curves. I saw a trace of longing in his green eyes but it could have been anything else because in a sh it was gone... Miro got up from the bed andposed himself. The old jackal Miro was back and unsmiling. "III prepare the Lasagna." he said before leaving the room I went into the bathroom to have my shower and when I saw myself in the mirror. I almost cried. My neck was bruised purple, dark blue or just dark. In all my years of abuse, I had never been bruised this bad. Dutions must have really really wanted me dead. His words rang agam in my mind. "Poor Orphan Gurl" No one would investigate your death." losed my eyes as my throat constricted, willing myself not to cry. But the tears pieced through and I found myself covering my mouth to silence my sobs while my other hand held my stomach. All the memories came flooding in. How my ex-pack and ex-Alpha treated me. Sleeping alone out in the cold or in the storage room. Eating from the trash can.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Goddess I I whimpered and the next thing I knew, someone was barging through the bedroom door and before I could react. Theon opened the bathroom door. He was dressed in a Stanford University sweater on ck cks. I stared at him through the ss as his big frame towered over mine from behind. His eyes were cold and emotionless. "I hate it when you cry. It bothers me." He said. I sniffed, wiping my face. "I''m sorry." I swallowed. "I''ll try not to let it happen again." I sighed. His eyes assessed me from the mirror in a robotic way. He ced hisrge hand on my head and forced me to turn around. Raffled. I obeyed, slowly turning till I fully faced him, my head as tall as his thick neck. Then he raised his arms wide in a gesture for a hug and a smile crept on my lips and I walked into his embrace. He wrapped. his arms around me and I closed my eyes, enjoying his scent, his warmth and his rock hard solid abs. Ryn! Focus. Don''t betray yourself again. I reminded myself. "Feeling better?" He asked, when I pulled back. I nodded in reply. "Yes. Thank you but you don''t really have to do that anytime I''m upset. I''m a big girl. I can handle it." "I agree but the thing is when you get emotional, I get emotional and then I can''t work. So the sooner you get better..." "The faster you can get back to work." I finished for him. "Perfect. Now my brother is cooking, would you like to join us?" "Yea. As soon as I get showered and changed." 214 Then gave me a curt med but we stood there in the silence. None of us, moving. Theon stepped forward and my heart raced at the anticipation of a kiss or a hot moment. He leaned downward, his hand lightly touching my face I leaned upward, craving that kiss that sets me on fire. Just before our lips could touch, I remembered the doctor''s warning about stealing his life force, and before his lips could touch mine, Trumed my cheek and got the kiss there. Embarrassed. Hooked away. Not wanting to see how cringe I felt. His brows furrowed but he didn''t say anything. He simply straightened up and patted my hair. "See you soon." He said, and left the bathroom before finally leaving my room. When I was sure he was gone, I closed my eyes in disappointment and facepalmed myself. What the hell is wrong with me? How could I have forgotten the Healer''s warning? Gods! That was close. I better be mindful next time. I can''t let anything happen to Theon. Not when he''s fighting my hartles for me even though he gets something out of it. I think I am starting to like this power shift in the Moonstone. I love that he can be more in control of his sexual urges than me. This way I can be myself around him and only be cautious of getting too deep. With one final nce at my bruises, I went for a shower. Once I was done. I I changed into a light blue pajama set and dried my hair with a towel. Sadie had introduced me to some skincare routine so I was doing that when my phone beeped and buzzed. It was from Adam. Adam. "Hey, I was going through your file and discovered you are doing well in every other aspect exceptbat. You seem to becking in that aspect. If you want, you cane in early tomorrow and I can teach you some moves before debriefing." I pondered on his text and realized what an opportunity this was for me. Quickly, I wrote back a text stating that I''d be seeing him early tomorrow morning. d things were working out, I left my room and went downstairs to join the twins. Entering the kitchen I found Theon seated at the kitchen ind with his earpiece in, facing hisptop while Miro ved away in an apron, cooking. Both brothers noticed me the moment I stepped in and they both simultaneously looked at me from head to toe. I looked at myself, wondering what the problem was. My pj trousers were ankle length and my top covered my body. That was deliberate. Especially because of what I heard. about them from Dutton. "Is something wrong?" I a I asked as they stared at me. Miro nced at his brother before going back to the pot. There was something in his expression that I could not identify. "Come. Sit." Theon said, removing his ear piece while tapping the seat next to him. I joined in and took my seat, beaming Then a question came to mind that I never asked. "May I ask something, Prince Miro?" He turned to me with narrowed eyes as if to say, "What is it again?" I smiled at his apprehensiveness. "Just a simple question." "Fine. Shoot" He said. "Why is it that you guys have servants for everything else except the kitchen? Why are you always the one cooking?" The twins exchanged a nce and from the corner of my eye, I saw Theon shake his head as if to tell Miro not to tell me something. Now what could the twins be possibly hiding from me? Chapter 72 Chapter 72 RYN pretended not to see him and made sure to keep my mood in check so he wouldn''t catch on "Well," Miro shrugged. "We don''t have chefs because I love cooking. We love cooking." He motioned to his brother. "So.. yeah." He said and nced awkwardly everywhere before turning back to the pot. "Cool" I said, not pressing further because that was obviously a lie. My eyes nced at Theon''sputer and I saw the image of a very good-looking man while a software scanned the faces of an ongoing surveince of people walking about in mall a mal I frowned because somehow he looked familiar but I had no idea where I''d see him. Theon nced my way and I looked away, pretending not to be snooping. "If you have questions, you can ask." He muttered. I wondered if there was any point to it if he was capable of hiding the truth from me. "Who''s the guy?" I asked, as I opened a bottle of water. That" Theon sighed. "Is Dominic Tarrent He''s s hot." I stated, taking a sip and the way both brothers turned to look at me with a re, made me swallow the wrong way and end up coughing my lungs out. "Hot mess." I coughed again. He''s a hot mess." I stared with wide eyes at the kitchen counter as both brothers still watched me. "Sorry." I coughed again. "Seems like he''s a bad guy "Wait a minute." Theon said, gaining my attention. "You don''t know about Dominc Tarrent?" I looked at them both like I was missing something. "Uhm.no." I said. "I must have skipped the ss when I was in and out of the hospital" I winced. "Sorry" "Makes sense." Miro said to his brother. "But why didn''t you borrow notes?" "Back then, Coach Dutton the first Dutton was in charge. I couldn''t go to him because every time, he''d direct me to his office and then none of my male colleagues wanted anything to do with me so yeah. A terrible excuse, I know, and I am very sorry. Theon sighed. "Its fine. We''ll go over the days you missed and I''ll tell Adam to catch you up. In the meantime, let me tell you about Dominic Tarrent. But before you can learn about him, you have you know about The Great War. Were you in that ss?" I slowly shook my head, starting to feel like an idiot. "The ss of the Great War was also on the same day as that of Dominic" Miro said, starting to dish out food. "Fine. I''ll tell you both. So listen good." I turned my knees so I could face him. There are four kingdonts making up this hemisphere. The kingdom of the East, West, North and South. Each Kingdom stands alone but sometimes inter-trading fosters economic growth. Now the Kingdom of the North doesn''t really like to interact with anyone and that made us, here in the West suspicious" "We looked into them and realized the kingdon of the North likes to experiment with people. They sessfully created a 178 G way to make werewolves and lycans faster, stronger, and healthier. So technically, they became sessful at creating super soldiers and healthier people.", "Wow" I said, amazed. "Now here''s where the problem set in. Here in the west, we are advanced in technology and weaponry and we offered to make a deal. We''ll share our armory and expertise in exchange for the form they used to create better werewolves and Ivcans "They refused." Miro said, handing me my te and Theon his "Then we got intel that the kingdom of the North was building up their army to rule and oppress us." "We confronted them about it and they denied it. They said they would prove their honesty by supplying us with the serum. instead of giving us the form." "My father and his delegates thought that was cool, not knowing they nned on tricking us." "Miro and I were pretty young when it happened but we were told that the batch they brought was given to over a thousand soldiers and they all turned out.deformed" I gasped. "That was how mutants were bom?" "Exactly" Miro answered "Over a a thousand: mad and rampant and with our defenses was easy for the North toe in and war and that''s how the Great were caught and imprisoned, but we quickly found out that it would take a special cell to hold them. So they escaped and when they bite people, they can infect them with the virus." "Most mutants were "Oh my gods." I gushed, considering I have had several encounters with them... "With the help of scientists and brilliant minds, we found a breakthrough cure for mutants. Soldiers got their lives back and were able to revert back to normal but the downside was that they''d also lose their wolf and be human." "A life without the wolf is hard." I said, speaking from experience -So most mutants didn''t want the cure. They preferred to stay as they were." "So my father built the Elite Force, a group of specially trained soldiers who can withstand anything and face the mutants at least three to one." "Did it work?" "If you mean if we were able to hunt, kill, and capture mutants, then yes. But if you mean cure them or give them their lives back, then sadly, no. Instead, they chose to join forces with the Northerners where they epted." "Damn." "Imagine over five hundred mutants joining forces with the enemy. Miro said and I could clearly see the picture. Catastrophic. That''s what it would have been.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "So where does this guye in?" I nodded to Dominic. "Dominic Tarrent was the Prince of the Alpha King of the North, He had a sister but no one knows where she is. She mysteriously disappeared. We were able to defeat the Northerners because our brilliant scientists concocted a recipe from scratch to make the soldiers even stronger than the Northerners, This special recipe is given to graduates of the Elite program." WB "Wow." I beamed, sullenly feeling excited but I noticed Theon''s face fall. BK 71% BK 71% "Because we had his father in custody. Dominic kidnapped our le sister as well as Miro and used them as a medium to harter for his father." I Oh I said, suddenly seeing where this was going. "Unfortunately, Dominic''s father died in custody and in retaliation, he let mutants tear our sister apart." "I''m so sorry to hear that I said, feeling stupid now for saying what I said about Dominic being hot. Theon and Miro both had the look of someone who was angry and sorrowful. "I need some air. Miro said and walked out. Theon watched him go and I could tell he wanted to go alter hit too. So I encouraged him to. "No." He shook his head "Miro needs the space. He''ll be fine." I nodded. "I''m sorry I had to make you guys relive that." "You have nothing to be sorry for." He said. "All I want you to do is graduate because it seems the disappearance of many girls around the kingdom is starting to be an issue. Women had the highest rates of deaths in thest war and y you corning in to sign up opened my eyes to the possibility that, if all woman knew how to fight, if my He paused. "If my sister knew how to fight, maybe she would have had a chance." He said. "So I''m counting on you Ryn." Theon said, cing a hand on my shoulder. "All the women in the kingdom are counting on you to give them a chance at defending themselves With that said, Theon covered his food and that of his brother and then walked out of the kitchen. I looked at my food and suddenly lost appetite. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 MIRON?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The air I needed suddenly turned to me getting on my bike and heading out of the estate. I rode fast and furious, not sure where I was going but just wanting to be free. Images from that day yed at the back of my mind, haunting me. "Can Ie with you?" My litle sister of ten had looked up at me with hope in her blue green eyes and a little bit of mischief. "I want to see Theon fight" "No." Fifteen year old me had told her. "Dad will kill me if he finds out you followed me to watch underground fighting. That ce is not for kids," Her cute little nose had scrunched up in what she must think was anger. "Tam not a kid." She said, folding her arms across her chest in defiance. "I am a big girl" "Still. Sorry." I said, hoping on my bike. "You can hang out with Dad okay?" "But I don''t want to" She pouted, giving me the cutest, saddest face. "He''s boring and he suffocates me." I stared down at her with a bitter smile. "You really don''t know what you''re missing out on. You''re the only one who gets to enjoy this side of Dad." But I want to be like you and Theon. Strong and formidable and feared by everyone." I smiled. "I really wouldn''t wish that on you, Nora. Now, I have to go. Stay safe and stay out of trouble. Okay?" Nora squeezed her face and pouted. "What''s the name of the ce!" She asked. "Why are you asking?" I sighed in frustration. "Just curious. "Fine. Theon is fighting at MapleBee''s Bar. Now, for thest time, let me go." "Okay, bye." She waved at me, while I rode my power bike out of the estate. I wish to the gods that I did not tell her the name of the ce. I wish I was strict with her. Not long after I arrived at MapleBee''s bar, seated and watching my brother Theon fighting in a cage. I notic when I saw that she snuck in.. Grabbing her by the scruff of her neck, I led her out of the bar and was in the parking lot, scolding her when a car parked and before I knew it, some men came down to nab us. I was able to take down three of them before something was ced on our noses and I lost consciousness. I increased the speed of my bike, going at a dangerous speed. I just didn''t want to feel. A tear ran down my face as more of the past yed in my mind. After my sister and I were kidnapped, I gained consciousness and found Nora tied to a chair while I was suspended upside down. I was tortured for information but she had been spared. She had cried for me and I had tried to get out of my bondage to save her. Dominic had bartered our return for the release of his father but unfortunately, Dominic''s father had died from an injury in war When Dominik found out, he made my father choose between me and my sister, whose life he wanted to save. A bitter smile encroached on my lips as I remembered my father choosing Nora without hesitation But it was a trick. Dominick wanted to know who my father loved the most and in the blink of an eye, Dominick threw her III in a room full of wild mutants. Her screams still haunt me to this day. Eventually, I ended up at the one ce I strangely find some semnce of peace, The cemetery. Carrying a bouquet of lc flowers in one hand and a bottle of tequ in the other, I made my way under the moonlight into the country of the dead. Finding my way through the numerous gravestones, I found the one belonging to my sister and lowered myself to my haunc "Hey kid." I said, brushing away the dead flowers fromst time. Then I carefully ced the new one on her gravestone before sitting down on the grassy floor. I sat there in silence, taking swig after swig of alcohol, wondering what to say. I suddenly felt like a sinner who hasn''t been to confession in months. I sighed. "I miss you." I said. "Most importantly, I miss the life I had before you died. I miss being free of guilt and regret and 1 am sorry I couldn''t save you. You were the one good thing that kept Dad sane and happy and now that you''re gone, he''s fully given into the darkne I took another swig and swallowed the burning liquid. I have done drugs, smoked, drank everything under the sun, fucked many women and yet, I can''t escape the guilt eating me up inside. I can''t forgive myself for what happened to Nora until I get revenge. You know Dominic''s in town, right? I hope gossip happens in thend of the dead." I smiled bitterly. "I''m going to kill him, Nora. I promise you. I will kill him for what he did to you. I will do anything to get revenge. Anything." Suddenly, my phone buzzed and when I checked it, I realized it was my Dad. "Yes Father." I said into the phone. "Be at my ce in the next hour." And with that said, he ended the call. I looked at Nora''s graveyard and sighed. "I guess it''s time to go. See youter kid." I got on my bike but before I could turn it on, my phone buzzed with a text. Pulling it out from my pocket, I checked the text message and discovered it was my test results. My mind began to race. Turns out Ryn was right after all. My father''s diet was poisoning me. Chapter 74 MIRO As I rode to my father''s mansion, my phone buzzed and I switched to bluetooth. "Yes" "Where are you?" came my brother''s voice. MIRO As I rode to my father''s mansion, my phone buzzed and I switched to bluetooth. "Yes" "Where are you?" came my brother''s voice. "En route to Dad''s house." I replied. "You good?" "Yeah." I lied. Theon audibly sighed. "I''ll keep your food in the microwave." Our call ended and an hourter, I arrived at my father''s ce. When I entered, I found him in the dining room sitting alone at the head of a long banquet table. Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like if my father wasn''t a monster. Would we have gathered round this table like a family, chatting away happily? I wonder what being a happy family feels like. My father raised his head, saw me and waved me over. I bowed before taking a seat at his right hand, suddenly wary of the excitement in his demeanor. I met him eating his special ''diet'' and had to force myself to refrain from wrinkling up my nose at the smell of blood. My father signaled to the servants standing by and just as I feared, they brought my own dish. This time, it was arge bloody heart. I stared at the atrocity and found no appetite to eat. Then I felt my father''s eyes on me. "What''s the matter?" He asked in a rough tone. "Nothing wrong. Father." I answered, slowly taking my fork and knife. I felt his eyes on me, as I cut into the flesh and slowly brought it to my mouth. It tasted the same as usual but I was not the same person anymore. The man who used to gobble it all up was eager to impress and seek the good graces of his father. Now? I still want him to treat me like a son but I am no longer in a rush for his affection Not when I just learnt that it''s gradually costing me my life. "I don''t think your brother can get the revenge your sister deserves." My father suddenlymented, grabbing my attention. "I will take him off the Dominic case." I stopped chewing and stared at him. "But Theon is more than capable of finding Dominic and bringing him to justice My father gave me a look. "You sure about that?" He asked with a grimace. "He seriously injured my Beta just because of a girl he''s obsessed with. Does that sound like someone who is focused enough for the task at hand." I wanted to answer that it sounds like someone who is determined to protect what he cares about but then my father would probe me about my statement and I''m just not in the mood for that. Instead, I swallowed, dreading another bite. But it seems my father is right. Theo "Tell you what." My father said and I looked at him. "I will give you a chance to redeem yourself with me GB. My heart rate spiked as my father''s gaze softened. An act I had never seen before. OKS71% He cleared his throat. I know things have been rough between is especially since your sister died." He swallowed and looked away "I am willing to give you a better chance at my forgiveness if you are willing to do what it takes to capture Domime and bring the justice Nora I couldn''t believe my ears. Could this be it? Could this be the thing that finally gets me my father''s affection since booting off Ryn makes me sh with Theon? "I''ll do anything. Dad" I replied, shifting in my seat to face him Anything to avenge her My father suddenly smirked, his face changing from the softness it once had. "Good" He said. "Well, you can start by finishing your meal and after that, I''ll take you somewhere." He checked his wristwatch. "You have twenty minutes" I looked at the food and swallowed again. "This was just for the meantime I told myself. Just until I catch Dominic Tarrent get justice for my little sister. and With that thought. I took my cutlery and this time I ate with purpose. Whatever it takes, I''ll do it. Later that night. I entered my father''s car and we drove a long distance until we arrived at a bar and when I saw the name, my mouth went dry MapleBee''s Bar. This was the ce my sister and I got abducted but it was different now. It seemed to have been rebuilt to be bigger and betterAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Follow me." My father said as he alighted from the car. I came down as well and obeyed while feeling the effects of the diet in my body. It felt like a rush of adrenaline fueled by a simmering anger. Crossing the parking lot to the building. I refused to look at the spot where we got nabbed. Instead, I looked straight ahead as we er MapleBee''s Bar was one of the biggest bars in the country and well known for underground fighting. As we entered I was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of nostalgia. The building might have changed but the vibe wast still the same - hollering people cheering for their fave while cing bets on who would win. Theon made a lot of money fighting here during his teenage years and early twenties. Now, it suddenly dawned on me that maybe my brother was fighting to get away from my father. As long as we used his money, he was able to control every aspect of our lives but when Theon started to make his own money, and introduced me to clients who helped me make mine, things began to getplicated between us. My father passed through a back door heavy with security and to my surprise, we emerged at a quiet bar which was a stark contrast to the one on the other side of that door. This bar was different and had a casino setting style to it. Most of the men here were elderly, most of them Alphas and Betas and old money, seated around chairs, smoking, drinking with beautiful topless women around them while they yed cards and ckjack. My father approached a certain group of men seated around a table and the moment they saw him, they smiled. "You''rete, Finnegan. One of them said and I remember him to be one of the old money friends of my father, whose parties I and Theon were forced to attend. 10.44 Wed, Oct 30 GB. "My apologies. gentlemand to brief my son. My father said aking his seat I immediately felt the weight of about half a dozen eyes on me "Greetings." I said, with my arms behind me like a soldier. I stood there. "Not the son we expected" One of them said and I remember him as the head of the ckwell family. There was something about him that made me feel like he was the Alpha of this friend group, not my father. My father sighed as he rolled up his sleeves. "Unfortunately, I can''t rely on him anymore. He''s somehow wrapped around the finger of that girl" "Ryn" Another person asked and I recognised him as my Uncle Sadie''s Dad. "Who else other than her! My father retorted. "She''s a menard "I agree and she''s starting to get on my nerves. The first man said, putting our smoke from his cigar and now I remembered him as koman''s dad, the head of the Caine family. I stood there baffled as hell genuinely speechless. Now, how in the world did Ryn Ashmore manage to piss off not just my father but also the most powerful people in the kingdom? "You good?" ""Yeah." I lied. Theon audibly sighed. "I''ll keep your food in the microwave." Our call ended and an hourter, I arrived at my father''s ce. When I entered, I found him in the dining room sitting alone at the head of a long banquet table. Sometimes, I wonder what it would have been like if my father wasn''t a monster. Would we have gathered round this table like a family, chatting away happily? I wonder what being a happy family feels like. My father raised his head, saw me and waved me over. I bowed before taking a seat at his right hand, suddenly wary of the excitement in his demeanor. I met him eating his special ''diet'' and had to force myself to refrain from wrinkling up my nose at the smell of blood. My father signaled to the servants standing by and just as I feared, they brought my own dish. This time, it was arge bloody heart. I stared at the atrocity and found no appetite to eat. Then I felt my father''s eyes on me. "What''s the matter?" He asked in a rough tone. "Nothing wrong. Father." I answered, slowly taking my fork and knife. I felt his eyes on me, as I cut into the flesh and slowly brought it to my mouth. It tasted the same as usual but I was not the same person anymore. The man who used to gobble it all up was eager to impress and seek the good graces of his father. Now? I still want him to treat me like a son but I am no longer in a rush for his affection Not when I just learnt that it''s gradually costing me my life. "I don''t think your brother can get the revenge your sister deserves." My father suddenlymented, grabbing my attention. "I will take him off the Dominic case." I stopped chewing and stared at him. "But Theon is more than capable of finding Dominic and bringing him to justice My father gave me a look. "You sure about that?" He asked with a grimace. "He seriously injured my Beta just because of a girl he''s obsessed with. Does that sound like someone who is focused enough for the task at hand." I wanted to answer that it sounds like someone who is determined to protect what he cares about but then my father would probe me about my statement and I''m just not in the mood for that. Instead, I swallowed, dreading another bite. But it seems my father is right. Theo "Tell you what." My father said and I looked at him. "I will give you a chance to redeem yourself with me GB. My heart rate spiked as my father''s gaze softened. An act I had never seen before. OKS71% He cleared his throat. I know things have been rough between is especially since your sister died." He swallowed and looked away "I am willing to give you a better chance at my forgiveness if you are willing to do what it takes to capture Domime and bring the justice Nora I couldn''t believe my ears. Could this be it? Could this be the thing that finally gets me my father''s affection since booting off Ryn makes me sh with Theon? "I''ll do anything. Dad" I replied, shifting in my seat to face him Anything to avenge her My father suddenly smirked, his face changing from the softness it once had. "Good" He said. "Well, you can start by finishing your meal and after that, I''ll take you somewhere." He checked his wristwatch. "You have twenty minutes" I looked at the food and swallowed again. "This was just for the meantime I told myself. Just until I catch Dominic Tarrent get justice for my little sister. and With that thought. I took my cutlery and this time I ate with purpose. Whatever it takes, I''ll do it. Later that night. I entered my father''s car and we drove a long distance until we arrived at a bar and when I saw the name, my mouth went dry MapleBee''s Bar. This was the ce my sister and I got abducted but it was different now. It seemed to have been rebuilt to be bigger and better "Follow me." My father said as he alighted from the car. I came down as well and obeyed while feeling the effects of the diet in my body. It felt like a rush of adrenaline fueled by a simmering anger. Crossing the parking lot to the building. I refused to look at the spot where we got nabbed. Instead, I looked straight ahead as we e MapleBee''s Bar was one of the biggest bars in the country and well known for underground fighting. As we entered I was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of nostalgia. The building might have changed but the vibe wast still the same - hollering people cheering for their fave while cing bets on who would win. Theon made a lot of money fighting here during his teenage years and early twenties. Now, it suddenly dawned on me that maybe my brother was fighting to get away from my father. As long as we used his money, he was able to control every aspect of our lives but when Theon started to make his own money, and introduced me to clients who helped me make mine, things began to getplicated between us. My father passed through a back door heavy with security and to my surprise, we emerged at a quiet bar which was a stark contrast to the one on the other side of that door. This bar was different and had a casino setting style to it. Most of the men here were elderly, most of them Alphas and Betas and old money, seated around chairs, smoking, drinking with beautiful topless women around them while they yed cards and ckjack. My father approached a certain group of men seated around a table and the moment they saw him, they smiled. "You''rete, Finnegan. One of them said and I remember him to be one of the old money friends of my father, whose parties I and Theon were forced to attend. 10.44 Wed, Oct 30 GB. "My apologies. gentlemand to brief my son. My father said aking his seat I immediately felt the weight of about half a dozen eyes on me "Greetings." I said, with my arms behind me like a soldier. I stood there. "Not the son we expected" One of them said and I remember him as the head of the ckwell family. There was something about him that made me feel like he was the Alpha of this friend group, not my father. My father sighed as he rolled up his sleeves. "Unfortunately, I can''t rely on him anymore. He''s somehow wrapped around the finger of that girl" "Ryn" Another person asked and I recognised him as my Uncle Sadie''s Dad. "Who else other than her! My father retorted. "She''s menard "I agree and she''s starting to get on my nerves. The first man said, putting our smoke from his cigar and now I remembered him as koman''s dad, the head of the Caine family. I stood there baffled as hell genuinely speechless. Now, how in the world did Ryn Ashmore manage to piss off not just my father but also the most powerful people in the kingdom? Chapter 75 Chapter 75 RYN After Miro and Theon left, I went back to my room and tried to get more sleep. Three hourster, I was still tossing and turning, feeling the warmth of the Moonstone around my neck) Gods! "I hate this!" I whispered out loud. Sitting up in bed. I noticed a slight pain in my stomach and wondered if Theon was home? Just then, I heard a scream pierce through the night. I stayed still eyes wide, muscles locked, waiting for a repetition and sure enough it came secondster. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" It sounded like a man. I rose to my feet and looked out the window. There were guards patrolling thepound below, moving like they didn''t hear a thing. Then I raised my eyes to the woods beyond and saw what I could describe as a window with the lights on. inside. Was that where the scream came from? As if to give me answers, the man screamed again but this time, it was abruptly cut short. My heart began to pound fast. Who was that? What is going on in that ce? I stood at the window for about half an hour before seeing a figure walk out of the woods. His size and deadly walk was enough to tell me that was Theon. He said something to some of the men on patrol and they nodded before rushing into the woods. I became baffled. Was Theon torturing someone? As if hearing my thoughts, Theon raised his head and looked directly at my window and I jumped back in fright. My mind began to race. Did he see me? What kind of man is Prince Theon? I knew he was dangerous but hearing it happen was a different ball game. Slowly, but with a tremble in my body, I neared the window again and ever so slightly, pulled back the curtains to peek out but Prince Theon was not there. Just when I was wondering if he went back there, a knock sounded on my door. I jumped in fright, instantly going for my knives. Suddenly, all the warnings Miro gave me about his brother started to make sense. What if Prince Theon hurts me? Is he capable of doing that? "Ryn" Theon said on the other side of the door. "Can we talk?" I closed my eyes and swallowed. Prince Theon needs me to win the bet against his father. So there''s no way he''s going to kill me. Still, holding a knife behind me, I went to the door and opened it slightly. The moment I did that, and saw his murderous gaze, my pussy clen "Hi" I said, nting a fake smile, to cover my dirty thoughts. Theon looked down at me with vacam ryes, and 1 wondered if he knew what I was thinking. Third rule ofbat, Ryn." He said, coldly. "Always know your opponents'' level of weakness in alignment to your level of strength and spreid." 1 frowned in confusion, wonilering what he was talking about. "What?" I blurted out.. Then pushed the door aside, stepping in and I took matching steps back. "You were thinking of stabbing me, weren''t you? Do you think you''re fast enough to do that without dying first?" He asked, and a shiver wracked down my body.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Well." I stopped in my tracks, bringing down my hand from my back to reveal the knife. "I was just trying to be on the defense." His lips tilted up at oneer. "Delense from what?" He asked. 1 swallowed and raised my chin. "Defense generally, as a girl living with a dangerous man." Theon''s smile grew and I save those fucking dimples again. My knees grew weak but I kept my spine straight, showing no signs of weakness. Theon took another step forward. "So you know I''m a dangerous man." He said, and within a breath, slid my hair behind my ears. My breath hitched, and I gripped ny knife tighter, trying to avoid purring like a fucking cat in heat because damn, that touch felt so good. "If I''m so dangerous, Theon''s hand slipped behind my neck and up into my scalp making my eyes shutter close. "Why do I feel like you would rather fuck me than stab me?" I breathed deeply, my face burning as I stared into his eyes. "Maybe I want to do both?" I answered, with a sly smile of my Theon suddenly gripped my hair, pulling it back, sending slight spurts of pain shooting up my scalp. I winced, but I leveled my gaze with his. If he''s going to cause me pain, I''ll cause him pain too. A flick of my wrist, and I made a tiny cut on the open flesh of his arm gripping my hair. We both watched as the cut blossomed with blood that trickled down his arm before the wound healed right before our eves. I raised my eyes to see Theon watching me. "There are so many ways I imagined making you pay for that." He said, his voice a little heavier. "Does that involve me screaming in the middle of the night?" I queried, defying his murderous gaze. "Yes, Bunny." He answered and I blinked in surprise remembering my dream and the incident with his wolf. How did he know to call me that? He must have seen the look of shock on my face because he smiled again, revealing perfect white teeth and sharp canines. Softening his grip on my hair but not quite letting go, Theon drew me closer or rather he leaned in towards my car. "I''d love to know what your scream sounds like, Bunny, especially when I put you in positions that will make you beg for mercy." "I don''t beg." I quickly replied. Theon pulled back to assess my features and his eyes danced with amusement, "Nah. You''ll beg. I''ll make sure of it" My heart raced faster. "Don''t be surprised when you find yourself disappointed." I retorted. III BG Theon cocked his head to the side. "You know I''m tempted to tell that theory out right now. He said, making my heart race. ""But I won''t "Why Tho chicken" Achuckle escaped Theon''s lips, and it sounded like the sweetest melody, with a deadly edge to it. "Don''t tease me, Ryn. His eves hardened, showing he was at war with himself. "It''s taking everything in my willpower not to rip your fucking clothes and take your innocence, right here, right now." He growled. And instead of fear, I felt a delicious thrill course through my veins. I wanted it. I wanted him to take it like I''m his, but I let silence settle upon us as I dared not say the words dancing on the tip of my tongue. Theon released his grip on me and straightened. "Get some sleep. Ryn." He said, and moved to the door, but he stopped and mrned around, his gaze soft. "You don''t need to be on the defense around me." He said, "I have no reason to hurt you unless you give me one." Chapter 76 The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed and somewhat happy and I found that strange because I just never feel good after waking up. It''s either I am waking up from a nightmare or waking up worried out of my mind. Today, I feel at peace and I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that I was here at the Windermere mansion. Wasn''t it strange though? That I was living with dangerous men and yet I felt so at ease now than I have ever been in my life. Checking the time. I got out of bed and prepared for the day. Brushing my teeth, I wondered if I should get a haircut too, maybe cut it to chin length and dye it blonde? I paused, wondering how I''d look with different hair colors. I decided to text my thoughts to Sadie. A minuteter, I got her reply. "Why would you want to cut that precious long hair off?" She asked, along with several crying emons. "Going tinum blonde though, that could be fire". I looked at myself in the mirror and thought about it. I have never changed my hair color before. Will it suit my e skin ani grey eyes? I decided to think about itter. Instead, I wore my freshlyundered uniform, pulled my hair in a ponytail and gathered my things. Before leaving my room, I checked my neck in the mirror and was d that the bruising there was gone. Popping some more painkillers, I wer Now I wasn''t one for eating breakfast but that was because I was trying to avoid Bessie at the cafeteria or any instance of running into Howard. Now! I had no excuse so I let the sweet smell of bacon hire me to the kitchen. The moment I got there and I saw Theon in an apron, with specks of flour smudging his thick muscled arms, as he took a dough and pressed What I wouldn''t give to be pressed t against a bed, flipped over to my stomach, and pressed down while he- A nging sound urred, jarring me from my thoughts and I realized Theon had dropped his rolling pin on the table and was now staring at me with an intense gaze. Immediately, my face heated up. and I wished the ground would swallow me up. You know what? On second thought, no. I am not going to feel ashamed for something beyond my control. As long as I don''t act on my fantasy, I''m good. Steeling my spine, and flicking my ponytail behind me, I crossed the kitchen, painfully aware of Theon''s deadly gaze till I pulled out a chair, dropped my bag and sat at the counter. "Good morning, my Prince." I bowed respectfully. "Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked as I looked at the dough he was in the process of ttening When I didn''t get an answer, I raised my head to see him staring at me and my heart began to race. What could he possibly be thinking right now?" An electronic beep permeated the air and that''s when Theon blinked and left the counter to the oven. He wore glove and after opening the oven, retrived a tray filled with oven mitts and when he opened the oven, the air became increasingly sweet with the scent of apples, The first thing Theon brought out was a baked pie and then he brought a tray of cupcakes. I stared dumbfounded at the delicacy and in that moment, my tummy grumbled loudly. Eyes wide, I looked at the Prince but he didn''t act like he heard anything. Instead, he grabbed a te and cut into the pie. Then he brought out a slice and ced it on the te. Handing it to me, I eagerly epted and grabbed a fork to take bite. When the piece of apple pie hit my taste buds. I closed my eyes and let out the most satisfying moan. "This is the best goditamm pie I have ever had." I moan sincerely before taking another bite and another. I didn''t stop until the pie was devoured, and then I remembered Theon existed. His eyes were on me but his lips were pulled up in a smug smile Want more?" He asked and I nodded eagerly. Getting another slice, I took it slow this time, taking moments to savor the taste and enjoy it. Theon went back to work with the dough and something about this moment made me wish it wouldst forever. Your brother said you can cook. I guess he was wrong" I said. "Armally, he''s right" Theon said, putting the prepared dough on a tray and putting it in the oven. "I can''t cook." I stared and motioned to the pie and he smiled. "I can bake. Baking is my thing. My forte. Miro on the other hand is the best cook you will ever experience." "1 hear my name." A voice said and we turned to see Miro wearing dark shades, still in pjs and his hair sticking out in weird ces: He looked terrible as he crossed the kitchen to sit a chair away from me. I greeted him and had no idea why but my eyes. immediately went to his hands and to my surprise, I found his knuckles bruised and that was all I needed to know he had been fighting again. Miro suddenly withdrew his hands and I was forced to look up at his hard face. "What are you staring at?"All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Nothing" I answered, immediately looking away. Meanwhile, I caught Theon watching his brother with curiosity. Miro -must have caught him off guard with his behaviour but I wasn''t too surprised. After all, another side effect of poison is irrational behaviour and hostility. I sighed and faced my food. Hopefully, Prince Miro talks to someone before it''s toote. SEND GUET Chapter 77 Chapter 77 THEON Even before my brother came into the kitchen. Ihad sensed hismming anger down our bond and immediately knew he was on Dad''s diet again. I wondered why Does he enjoy it? Or is Dad''s hold on him so strong that he would do anything to please him! Want a pie?" I asked and he perked up at the idea. Grabbing a te, I cut out a slice for him. "Make it two" He said, and I did just that. Giving it to him, he wasted no time in grabbing a fork and diving into his meal, eating with the savagery of someone who hadn''t eaten in days. Ryn and I exchanged a nce. I wonder if she knew my brother was on a natural form of steroids and eating a lot was a symptom of it. Finishing her meal, she stood up and went round the counter to the sink to wash her dish. "You don''t need to. I informed her. The maid will handle that okay" Ryn said and simply washed her hand. Then she slowed down, drying her hands on a towel as she stared into space. "Uhm, if you have any jobs for me to do in the house, I''d be d to do it just to earn my ce here." Before I fore I could reply, Miro scoffed, grabbing a paper towel to dab his lips. "You think you can earn your ce here?" He asked, with a raised bow, dumping his used towel on his empty te. "How about you start by telling us why my father hates you so much?" Hilinked in I in confusion at Miro before looking at Ryn. She seemed just as confused and I could feel her apprehension and nervousness as her lips parted to form words but never quite speaking. "What''s this about!" I mindlinked my brother. "Your pet obviously." He replied. Watch your tone. I warned, sending him a re. "You will not disrespect us." "U" My brother''s brow arched. "Wow, so you both are an item now? Tell me, did you get a chance to f****k her while I wasn''t around!"N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Ryn?" I called. "Yes, my Prince." "Wait for me downstairs. I''ll join you shortly." Ryn hesitated before bowing, grabbing her bag and exiting the kitchen. Once she left, I turned to Miro. "You want to repeat that? My brother leaned back in his chair and studied me. "I''m not in any mood to fight right now." "There won''t be a fight." I remarked, removing the apron I was wearing. "What there will be is a beat-down as usual if you keep disrespecting me." Miro scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "You can hate Dad as much as you like but you can''t deny that you are just, like him I realized he was trying to change the subject. "I am not denying anything" I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. "I do the things I do deliberately because I don''t want to end up like him, Miro removed his sses and that''s when I saw how f****ng dted his pupils were. Gods. My brother is so high on this diet. We we "Why are you eating that shu?" Lasked him. "It''s the reason youre being an a*** BK 71% Miro breathed out augh. "Same reason you''re under the influener of the Moonstone and you are so not my brother right "I already told you why Lam doing this." Yeah Yeah. To get us to entancipate from Dad. I get it." at him, feeling a mixture of confusion and anger. "You sound like this is not what you want." I looked at Mire poured himself a ss of orange juice and sipped out of it You never ask me what I want. You just expect me to follow My heart squeered but I ground my jaw, showing no emotion, willing myself to feel nothing. "Okay, what is it you want? Dad''s approval?" Miro shook his head. "You wouldn''t understand." his "THE Then make me. Brother." I said, my voice rising an octave. "All these years, I don''t understand you. You suffer a lot at his hands and, and I have been trying to save you from him yet you want him to like you." "Maybe on I don''t want to be saved" Miro retorted and the pain in my heart grew stronger. "You don''t mean that." "But I do." Miro said. "Every time youe to my rescue, you make me weak. Dad respects you more and hates me deeper." "That''s not true. I shook my head. "And that''s" I paused and swallowed. That''s unfair." Miro looked at me and then looked away. "I have to do something for Dad. This is myst shot at my redemption with him. I can''t. I can''t afford to mess up and if you see me drowning, don''t save me." I looked at him in disbelief. "What happened to our promise to Mom? Are we no longer brothers first before we are his son?" Miro sighed. "That''s the thing. I never got a chance to be his son, I never experienced him like you did. So why don''t you focus on your girl and let me be." 1 curled my hands into fists, feeling my anger rise but I chose not to say the words in my mind. "Very well then. Speaking of my girl, what did Ryn do to you this time?" Miro downed his cup of orange juice and looked at me. "Don''t you think Ryn is hiding something from us?" He asked. "I mean, look at things from a new perspective. She got rejected by her own Alpha and pack. Her principal hated her. Now our Dad and I discovered something yesterday." "What?" I asked, stepping forward. Miro observed me for a moment with new eyes. "Gods, you''re such a s***ker for her." "Ro, focus!" I snapped my fingers. "What did you discover!" "Fine, Romeo." Miro folded his arms across his chest again. "I met Dad''s inner circle yesterday and I learnt they don''t like her at all. They have something nned for her, T. Something she can''t escape. 000 Chapter 78 Chapter THEON 78 ""What is it? Tell me "I can''t "Miro said with a shrug. "They spoke in code while I was there. They weren''t directly talking to me and I couldn''t pick up mich before I began my fight." I took a moment to think and then hisst statement raised a question. "Did you have a match at Club Zero?"? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Miro sh**ed his gaze from me "No I had a match at Maplebees 1 swallowed as my mouth went dry. The same bar where he got kidnapped. Now his bruised knuckles made sense. He rarely bruised his knuckles at Club Zero because the contenders there were vani fighters but at Maple Bees, the fighters there were tough and were mostly hardened criminals taken from deli row hired to make money. "You only get a match there now if you are fighting on behalf of a well-connected and powerful sponsor. So who hired you?" Miro looked me dead in the eye. "Dad" raised a brow, not particrly surprised. "You''re a fighter for Dad?" "Yes" He said smugly. I bet I bet he had no idea what he just got himself into but I won''t rain on his parade. Not now that he don''t want my help anymore. "Good luck to you." I smiled before proceeding to leave the room "He wants you off the Dominic case and me on it." Miro said, stopping me in my tracks. "He knows you will put up a fight and he''s prepared for you. Just giving you a heads up." I left without a word, showered, changed and went downstairs. There, I found Ryn sitting in the waiting area and together we entered the back seat of my car and left the building, Ryn sat quietly, looking out the window while I worked on my phone, replying to business emails and checking on my schedule with my virtual assistant. Apparently, I have been g***g at work due to the attention I paid to Ryn. and now I am being asked to travel the world to attend board meetings and speaking events. The need to be petty suddenly came over me so I told the virtual assistant to share the workload into two for me and Miro. She was surprised but she went on to do it regardless, then I emailed his portion to him, writing in the caption, "Since you''re a grown man now and you don''t need my help anymore, here is the workload for our businesses. Go through them and secure the pending contracts. Do not flop this. They are worth billions." A minuteter I got his email and it was just a thumbs up emoji in it. I scoffed and shook my head. "F**** a**." -What- Ryn said and I suddenly remembered she was with me in the car. "Nothing" I replied. A beat of silence passed between us before Ryn spoke up again. I have reached out to a house agent. He''s helping me find a ce, so soon I will be out of your house." I sighed, trying to hold on to my fleeting patience. Why is everyone choosing to test me today? "I never asked you to move out, Ryn." I said. "I am not a fool for bringing you into my house." "I didn''t say you were, my Prince." She hesitated. "I just don''t want you having issues with your brother because of me. I turned to look at her and felt her sadness before I saw it in her yes. "Why do you care?" Ryn looked away, facing forward. "Because I know how precious family is. She said, lingering her pendant. "Sometimes, I wish my parents left me a sibling before they died, that way I won''t feel so alone in this world." Again, a wave of deep seated sadness washed over me and I had to take a deep breath to take it all in. How can someone like Ryn be the center of so much chaos? What is so special about he I sighed and looked out the window. "Call your house agent and cancel on him. You''re staying with me until you graduate from the Academy." "But-" "Not buts, please." I cut in.. From the corner of my eye, I saw her look at me. "Thank you." She muttered softly.. Just as we were about to reach the Academy, I got a call from one of my captains. "We may have developed a way to infiltrate the North and get the flower," said the man. "I''ll be right there. Dropping Ryn a few yards away from the Academy, my driver did a U-turn and soon we were on our way to the other Elite building, which wasn''t far While I began to think up strategies in mind, my phone buzzed with a notification that I had a voicemail, so I checked it out. To my annoyance, it was from Chelsea. I already had her number cklisted so her call wouldn''t be able to reach me but that didn''t cover voicemails. I sighed as I decided to y it. "I see you''ve decided to move the b***h in." She said. "Tell me, was she able to make your d***k rise like I never could? Does she warm your bed every night now?" I paused her voicemail. Why doesn''t everyone think the only reason I''m with Ryn is to f***k her? Is that the vibe I give off? My wolf stirred at the thought. start with me now, wolfie." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I am not having sex with Ryn." a''s voicemail. "Don''t My wolf snarled but kept quiet. I resumed Chelsea''s "Anyway, I am still here with my offer to help save her but this time, I''m going to put a deadline on it. If you don''t give in to me in three days, the deal will expire and I will be happy to watch her die in your arms." The voicemail ended and I thought about her words. Chelsea seemed pretty confident that I wouldn''t get the cure in time for Ryn. Why? And how did she know my every move? I decided to add that to the list of things I have to worry about. Eventually, I''d have to tell Ryn that Chelsea was back but before I do, I''d like to hear what my captain has to say. It would be nice for Ryn to hear some good news for once and I prayed to the gods that this time, things go in our favour. Otherwise, it''s going to get a lot worse. Chapter 79 RYN an oing vehicle. After dropping me off. I instantly felt the pain in my stomach begin to grow and my strength start to diminish. Digging into my bag. I brought out some painkillers and popped them in my mouth Just as I was gulping down some water, my senses picked up on the sound of I listened as I drank water, the louder it became and the more I sensed it wasing for me. Immediately. I turned around and saw a res ferrari speeding my way. In a split second, I jumped out of the way, and the car swerved back onto the road at thest Landing on my side, I groaned out loud as my pain intensified and my elbow burned. The sound ofughter echoed in the air as the car sped off but I didn''t miss the name on the custom made licence te. KONAN 2 The? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. more minute. My Wo wolf suddenly reared to the surface in anger. It''s been a while since I felt her, especially since I fell sick. Feeling her now meant I was reverting back to my old self faster than I thought and the Moonstone might not keep me in check for longer. Getting to my feet, I winced as a sharp pain pinched my elbow. Raising it up to check, my anger intensified when I noticed a huge g** leaking out blood. Retrieving a hanky from my pocket, I poured water on it first before gently tying my handkerchief around it Then I walked the rest of the distance to the Academy. When I got there, I found my colleagues surrounding Konan''s Ferrari gushing and celebrating his new ride while he grinned smugly at them. I suddenly felt the urge to wipe that st***id grin off his ***pid face. So he got a new car and he thinks he can attempt to kill me? Furious, I stormed towards the crowd. A few feet from them. I flung my bag to the ground, feeling adrenaline course through me like an electric current, I pushed through the crowd and when I got to the center, I found Konan standing with his back to me, talking to his colleagues. "It''s an early birthday present." He said smugly. "Hey" I tapped his back roughly and when he turned towards me, I curled my hands into fists. "Here''s an early birthday present for you, f***er!" a sh, I swung hitting Konan jaw. The crowd ''ooohed'' as he st***red to the side and when he touch his lip and found blood on it, his face twisted in anger. In a "Did you just hit me?" He snarled, raising his fist but before he coulde near me, someone held his arm. Suddenly, Adam was standing directly in front of me, facing Kopan "Fighting is not allowed." He said and Konan gaped at him in surprise. "But she just hit me for no reason!" Adam turned to me, looking stern. "Is that true?" I raised my elbow and slowed him the blood soaked handkerchief. "He ran me off the sidewalk just now I fumed. "He was speeding my way." "That''s a lie!" Chapter 79 8470 70% 10% The audacity to lie in my face infuriated me so much that I lunged for him but Adarn held me back. "What the f***k is going on here?" said a powerful deep voice and everyone turned to see Prince Miro standing a few feet away, wearing sunshades. "Nothing, sir." Adam said, pulling me behind him and I suddenly became aware of his protectiveness. "Everything is under control" He nodded. "No, it''s not!" Konan piped up. "This sk**nk *nk assaulted mel" Miro removed his sses, and his head turned my way. An unpleasant shiver ran down my spine as his gaze swept to my injured arm. "The both of you. My office. Now." 1le said and my heart dropped Based on his reaction to me this morning, I doubt he''d be on my side. Konan smiled as he turned ned and followed behind Miro, leaving Adam and I in the parking lot. Adam sighed, turning to face me. "Are Still very much vexed, I simply nodded. you okay?" I''m sorry I couldn''t protect you." He smiled bitterly, and I blinked at him in surprise. My anger dwindling a bit. Protect me? ? Why did he feel the need to protect me? "It''s fine." I shook my head and sighed. "I was just so angry and forgot that as the first female Elite, I am on a hot seat. I just hope I don''t get expelled" anger became reced by fear as my words dawned on me. My "Nah. It won''t be that serious." He said and when I saw the confidence in his demeanor, I rxed a bit. "Thanks for trying to help." I smiled. "I''m afraid, I didn''t do much of anything" He smiled back. "It''s the effort that counts for me." I replied "His effort is about to put him in trouble if you don''t get your a**in my office now!" I jumped as I saw Prince Miro standing with his arms folded across his chest just a few feet away. Immediately, I obeyed, feeling his heavy gaze on me as I approached him. Giving him a wide berth, I went past him but looked back to see him ring at Adam who stood, looking solemn. On the way to Miro''s office, I felt the heat of his stare across my back, making goosebumps erupt on my skin. I began to feel nervous especially as the adrenaline from earlier left my system and the pain in my stomach became prominent. I slowed in my steps, forcing my spine straight as I reached his office and found Konan leaning near the door, typing away on his phone. When he saw us approaching, he put his phone in his pocket and smirked at me. I threw him a re and waited for Miro to unlock the door to his to his office. Have I ever been here? I doubt it Miro''s office was simr to Theon''s, the only difference was that where Theon had art paintings, Miro had posters of famous fighters and all over the floor were stacks of books, piled high. Igaped at the floor in surprise. I had no idea Prince Miro was a nerd. "Now tell me what happened. He mustered, as he took his seat. Konan was the first to speak, exagerrating what I did and after him, I calmly narrated my own version of events. After our story, Miro leaned back in his chair, ncing between us. Then turned to me "You said he almost hit you and yet you didn''t think to report him to me or any other person of authority. 1 realized he was right but didn''t like where this was going. I was mad. I wasn''t thinking straight." I said. "Well, I''m sure Konan didn''t see you. There''s no way he would have tried to run you over. That''s basically murder and he would have exined that to you if you had given him a chance." 1 blinked at him in surprise, hardly believing what I just heard. Your Highness 1- "Konan, you''re free to go." Miro said, cutting me off. The boy stoked at me, before sauntering out of the office. I turned to Miro in disbelief and anger."As for you, lle sail, his eyes hard at unforgiving, bearing a glint of unforgiveness. "I''m afraid you will have to be punished" Chapter 80 RYN Punished? "You''re being unfair." I said, my voice shaking with anger at the end. Miro raised a teasing brow. "Unfair? You''re the one whoshed it at someone knowing fully well that you''re on thin ice." "He really tried to nm me over!" "And that is not an excuse to walk headfirst into traps" Miro snapped. I let my gaze fall to the floor, angry and unhappy that he was somewhat right. Tiet Releasing a breath to swallow my pride, I asked, "What''s my purishment?" this I was ready t to get this over with When I heard nothing. I raised my eyes to see Miro watching me with an unreadable expression. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet,ing around his table with the stride of a predator. As he passed by me, I couldn''t escape the smell of his perfume. He was wearing something coconut and vani today, a stark contrast to his stinky attitude but nheless, seductive and alluring. Crossing the room to a cab behind us. I turned around and saw him rummage through until he brought out something small and came to me. I watched him hed him warily as he got close, his body so big, I couldn''t see anything else behind nd him. Suddenly, the air shift the air shifted, my breath stuttering in my lungs as I noticed he looked very much like his brother. He stared down at me, his lips set in a firm downturn, his green eyes betraying no empathy, and yet, he was standing way too close forfort - so close I could smell his aftershave too. When desire hit me like punch to the gut, I took a step back to feel less suffocated. To my horror, I tripped over one of his many books on the floor and held on to air to keep my bnce Unfortunately, falling over was imminent, but then Miro shot out his hand and pulled me back to my feet. I In the process, Inded against his chest, hard, and I could have sworn I felt my wolf stir in delight. I looked up into his gold flecked eyes, watching his brows pull together in confusion. Am I being attracted to Miro because of his resemnce to Theon? Or is the Moonstone really messing with my hormones right now? Before my thoughts could take me any further, I watched his gaze soften, flickering to my lips and then back to my eyes. I should feel ufortable being this close to my superior, but wasn''t. If anything, for some reason unknown to me, I wanted him to continue staring at me with those soft eyes. His gaze fell to my bandaged elbow, and then he slowly reached for it, untying the knots. When he unwrapped my elbow, we discovered my wound had healed, leaving behind a faint scar that was still in the process of clearing up. He ran a thumb over the scar gently, almost absentmindedly, but there was something about it that was sensual. Something that made me want him to do it again. Miro blinked, and suddenly, his soft gaze was gone, bringing back his hard stare. Before I knew it, he was stepping away from me, letting me go like I was a gue, He stretched out his hand to the, and when I looked down, I saw sh drive in it. "What''s this for?" I asked. "This is your punishment." He said, with no warmth in his vo Take it." 1 frowned, unsure of what he was on to but obeying regardless "In that drive are recondings of: some of my best fighting sessions as well as my brother''s. You are to watch and write detailed summaries of the fight sessions. I want it done before your next lest" Slowly, I collected the drive and wondered what the punishment wa "You''re dismissed" He said, going back xto his seat. 1 headed for the door but stopped in my tracks and turned aroul. "Can I ask something?" I Miro took his seat and leaned his elbows forward on his chair like a businessman. "I''m listening "Were you able to see the doctor concerning your symptoms?" Miro blinked. Miro inked, his demeanour changing to indicate that he had. That''s none of your business." He said and began to open boot hisputer and open files. I stood there for a moment t too long, wondering what Leaving the room. t I did to deserve such hostility from him. Then I decided I was past. caring. If he wanted to make an enemy out of me, then an enemy he would get. the room, I was sure to m the door a little bit too hard before storming away. By the time I went downstairs, ss had already begun, and I stopped a few feet from the entrance to get myself together. That bastard that calls himself Konan will be checking my face to see if I was suffering, and I''d like him to know I was not. I steeled my spine and entered into ss with my head held high, and my chin pointed. Before I took my seat, I made sure to look Konan in the face. He already had a smug look on, ready tough at my sadness, but I gave him my best smile, making his smirk drop immediately. Satisfied isfied with his reaction, I faced forward, and Adam, who had been teaching earlier, decided to brief me on what he had said so I could catch up. "Like I said before you came," he added. "The rest of the three tests will be packed into one session, leavingbat as thest. I swallowed "So you all should prepare. The test is in three days, and aside from getting a free ticket to The King''s Ball, there will also be a fairly huge mary prize courtesy of an anonymous donor. So, who will win this test?" Everyone raised their hands in glee, but instead of joy or determination, I became worried. I could barely handle the simtion test, and Theon almost died. Now, I don''t have as much as his lifeforce to back me up. Could I really do strength, speed, andbat tests all in one day? BB Chapter RD 1 leaned back in my chair, cing my hands on my head.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Is it possible to win thising test, or will it end up killing me AUTHOR''S NOTE Guys, what do you think? Should Ryn back or or go head on with the final test? Chapter 81 Chapter 81 THEON Shortly after dropping Ryn off, I felt some bursts of emotion. First it was fear, then pain, then anger and I was on the verge of calling her when I felt her calm down. Now what the hell could Ryn possibly be going through at the moment? Was Dutton back at the school? I checked my email for reports on the one eyed snake but nothing so far. Last I heard, he was still in the clinic receiving treatment for his cracked skull. I guess I hit him too hard. My bad. I arrived at the other Elite building, which was a whole empire on its own. It was built like a barrack filled with Elite warriors dressed in ck, most doing their morning jogging routine or in trucks riding somewhere. When they saw me, they stopped to bow or salute before go From the entrance, I met the captain I had been liaising with on the phoenix flower. He was a slim man in his early forties, with a Hitler mustache. He paid salute before stepping into stride with me. "So brief me." I said as secretaries brought paper work for me to sign on the go. "Well, there''s someone I think you should meet first." He said, and I nced at him, trying to read his face for clues but found none. When I got to my office waiting area, I found a young man seated on the sofa. The moment he saw me, he sprang to his feet and bowed. "Your Highness." I studied him for a moment, pretty sure I had seen him somewhere and when I looked into his eyes, I remembered who he was and instantly became amused but apprehensive. "Nichs, isn''t it?" I asked, staring atte Alpha Eric''s son. "Yes, my Prince." The young man answered confidently but his shifty gaze and sweaty forehead betrayed his nerves. We entered my office and after settling down, I asked, "So what can I do for you?" Nichs sat up in his seat, leaning forward on my table. "I want to help you catch Viktor Solokov." He said. I leaned back in my chair, assessing him. "Why?" "That man ruined my life. He killed my father and used up the gold reserve of my pack for his hideouts. Now he''s demanding that I provide a secure transport to the North plus cash and other things. Failure to provide today and he''s threatening to bring his men to attack us. I nced at my captain and leaned forward on the table, sping my hands. "How do I know you''re telling the truth?" Nichs sighed before rising to his feet. Then he pulled up his shirt and I saw a huge scar running from his chest to his abdomen. "I thought I could challenge him and take back the Alpha Hood of my father but he almost killed me. He was way too powerful for me and my I nced at my captain who nodded his approval. "Fine, but here''s how things will go down. You have to allow Viktor through." Nichs frowned. "What? No. I want him captured." u, Oct 31 33 "I know but I also want an entry into the North. I need to get something very important there and Viktor is our way in." "What if he escapes?" "He won''t," I assured. "I promise you that." It was Nichs''s turn to lean back in his chair and assess me. "I need to be the one to kill him myself and avenge my father." "Done."All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He went silent. "Fine. I''ll have it arranged. Tell me your n." Byte evening towards sunset, everything was set. I and my men would go ahead and hide somewhere near the Northern border while two of Nichs''s men would escort Viktor and his men to the North in a van. Also one of my men will join them. Someone undercover, and that someone turned out to be Adam ckwell. He was the best undercover we had at the center and being able to blend in anywhere was his forte. As soon as he closed from the Academy, we had him dye his hair and wear a fake mustache to blend in with Nichs''s men. Wearing a wire and a camera on one of his shirt buttons, my crew and I were able to see and hear what was going on. "Why are three of your men going with us?" Viktor suddenly asked Nichs as they were about to board the van. Everyone paused, looking at Nichs. "For security reasons." Nichs answered. Viktor watched him for a moment a little too long for my liking. "I don''t need security." He turned around to enter the van. "Well someone has to drive you there and bring my van back." "Then let it be one person." "Two and that''s it." Viktor checked his watch impatiently. "Fine! Whatever." He said, getting into the van with six of his men. Nichs signaled to Adam and he went into the passenger side while one of Nichs''s guys sat in the driver''s seat. Then they moved. Since the GreyHound Pack Border wasn''t too far from the Northern Border, the van arrived in under two hours and after inspecting the passengers, the security let them in. ording to the blueprint drawn for us by Nichs, there was a long route to Dominic''s garden but it was along the driveway to his house. Now, this driveway was surrounded by woods and asionally patrolled by security every twenty minutes. Immediately after Viktor was dropped at Dominic''s mansion, the van zoomed off and parked halfway to the main gate - at the spot we marked. With ten minutes left, Adam and the driverunched into the woods, following the map drawn for them as they ran. < 3 In three minutes, they found the garden and went in. From Adam''s perspective it was the most beautiful garden I had ever seen, even though most of the flowers I saw there were poisonous. "Be careful." I warned. "Copy that." Adam replied, as he took cautious steps further. A couple feet away, we could all see the phoenix flower in the distance- golden yellow and red. It was separate from the rest by a little gate all around it but under the setting sun, it glowed with a bright reddish-yellow hue that was stunning. ""DaMn, it''s beautiful." Adam said in awe. ""Hurry up. You don''t have a lot of time." ""Yes sir." Moving quickly, Adam approached the gate but the moment he touched it, something terrible happened to him. 0 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 THEON One minute, I witnessed Adam touch the gate, the next, I saw his body jerk and fly backwards. He crashnded on the ground and when we heard nothing, we allmunicated our worst fears with our eyes. Adam might be dead. We heard the shuffle of feet and then the legs of the driver came into view as he tried to help Adam up. "Hey man. You okay?" A groan left Adam''s lips. "I''m good." I finally released the breath I was holding. Adam was alive and I won''t have to exin to the ckwells why their son won''t mak celebrated where we hid "What happened? I asked. "I think the fence is electrocuted, sir" Adam grunted. it home tonight. My crew silently I shared nces with my captain. We certainly didn''t n for that. I needed to think fast. Just when I was thinking of a solution, I heard a loud roaring from Adam''s wire and watched the driver freeze. "Sounds like mutants." My captainmented. ""Get out of there. Now." I ordered. "What about the flower?" Adam asked as he struggled to his feet with the help of the man. "Forget it. Leave now."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Copy that." Adam panted and I watched through his perspective how the both of them began to run out of the garden. They got onto the main path and ran in the direction of the van but two mutants suddenly emerged from the woods, cutting off their escape route. Fuck! "Whatever you do, don''t run." I heard Adam say as he slowly moved back from the looming mutants, raising both his arms in surrender. "W-Why?" The driver stuttered, his voice shaky. "Because running excites their bloodthirst. Moving slowly is your best bet at survival." One of the mutants snarled and in a sh, the driver shifted into his wolf. "What the fuck are you doing?" Adam whisper-shouted but the grey wolf beside him barked at the mutants while simultaneously whimpering and taking steps back from them. "Seriously, you need to stop!" Adam said to it but it kept snarling at them, triggering the predators. One growl from them and the wolf ran. Thu, In three minutes, they found the garden and went in. From Adam''s perspective it was the most beautiful garden I had ever seen, even though most of the flowers I saw there were poisonous. "Be careful." I warned. "Copy that." Adam replied, as he took cautious steps further. A couple feet away, we could all see the phoenix flower in the distance- golden yellow and red. It was separate from the rest by a little gate all around it but under the setting sun, it glowed with a bright reddish-yellow hue that was stunning. "DaMn, it''s beautiful," Adam said in awe. "Hurry up. You don''t have a lot of time." "Yes sir." Moving quickly, Adam approached the gate but the moment he touched it, something terrible happened to him. ¸Ê 111 # Q Chapter 83 THEON "My, my!" Dominic''s deep voice rumbled. "How you''ve grown." I kept silent, my free hand curled into a fist. "Should I call you brave or arrogant foring into a lion''s den without backup?" "Who says I came without backup?" I said and at my cue, my men came out from the bushes on both sides. One group shot electric tasers at the beasts behind me, incapacitating them and bringing them to their knees while the others turned their guns on Dominic and his I sighed in relief cause n F was a sess. I was simply the distraction while they climbed over a wall to get in. Dominic smiled, seemingly unfazed by the turn of events and I knew why. His army will soon be here and I had twenty minutes tops to get out. "I guess you are as smart as they say." I nced at Adam, whose hair was gripped by Dominic and spotted a huge bleeding gash on Adam''s corbone. "Let him go." I demanded, "Your men in exchange for mine." I motioned to the incapacitated beasts behind me. Dominic huffed before bursting into a cackle. To my surprise, his men joined in and that made me frown. This wasn''t the way things should have gone. My captain shared a worried nce with me. "You think you can use my men against me?" Dominic asked, his face the epitome of amusement. "They are all loyal to me. Any one of them will jump off a cliff at my word and they''d do it without batting an eye. That''s loyalty beyond your wildestprehension." I instantly realized I needed a new n. "Well, unlike you, the lives of each of my men matter so please, let him go. He''s innocent." "Innocent?" Dominic snorted "I caught him stealing from my garden and I don''t know about thew over in your kingdom but here in the North, stealing is punishable by death." He bared his teeth. To make a point, Dominic dung a w into Adam''s wound and his cry echoed in the air, sending a flock of birds scampering in flight. I took a deep breath to control my anger. "He was under my orders."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "I don''t fucking care." Dominic''s wed hand moved up to Adam''s throat. "He dies by my hand." "Wait!" I said. "You really don''t want to do that." Dominic''s brow arched. "I''m listening." "I have something you want and I will give it to you if you let my boy go." "There''s nothing you can possibly give me to change my mind. It''s my turn to arch a brow. "Even if it''s thest letter your father wrote for you before he died in our cell?" Dominic''s mask of confidence fell, then like a light bulb switching on, his face morphed into one of rage. "You liar! There''s no such thing!" I raised a finger. "Just a sec." I said in amusement before striding to my car. After retrieving two items from the gloveparunent. I went back to face Dominic. Then I showed him two envelopes with the seal of the North King. "He wrote one for you and one for your sister." 111 BG When Dominic saw it, his face cked again with the dawn of realization and for a moment, I thought I saw the sh of a broken man. "How dare you?!" He whispered, physically trembling with rage. How dare you keep this from me?!" He gripped Adam''s hair tighter, making him groan out loud. I looked at him like he''s ridiculous. "You seriously can''t expect me to seek you out and hand you your father''s letter after what you did right?" "You bastard!" Dominicughed bitterly, shaking his head. "You cruel, cruel bastard!" I sighed like I was bored. "I''ve heard worse. You want the letters or not? But this time, I want my boy, a phoenix flower and him." I nodded to Viktor standing by his side. Viktor, who had been sneering from where he stood, suddenly did a double take and looked up at Dominic as if unsure if the King would really sell him out. "That''s three things." Dominic replied, his face slipping back to his usual mask. "You only have two things to barter. So you have to drop one request." Shit! He was right. I took a deep breath. Adam was non-negotiable. If I went for the flower, then I''d be betraying Nichs and if I went for Viktor, Ryn might never get the cure for her sickness. I checked my wristwatch. Eleven minutes left till Dominic''s army arrives. "What else do you want in exchange for the third option?" Dominic cocked his head to the side. "I heard a rumor you''re going through all this trouble for a girl." Dominic''s brows pulled together in curiosity. "What''s her name?" "No!" Adam grunted, struggling in Dominic''s hold. "Don''t tell him anything!" A punch to the gut and Adam fell to his knees. Dominic watched me to gauge my reaction. "Now, I am super curious about this girl. Who is she?" "None of your business." I snapped. "Ooooh!" Dominic chuckled. "Someone''s feisty!" His menughed again. "Ask for something else." "You know I''ll find her, regardless of what you tell me, right? That I can promise you." Ifrowned. "Why? She has nothing to do with this." Dominic''s brow raised. "That''s where you''re wrong, Prince Charming. She has everything to do with this. She''s made a whole Prince risk his life breaking into a dangerous Kingdom just for a flower. She''s special. I can see it in your eyes." "Bullshit. She means nothing to me." "If so, give her to me and I''ll give her the flower myself." 1 Chapter 84 RYN I leaned back in my chair, a groan escaping my lips as the pain in my stomach grew in intensity. It felt like an open wound, aching with a pulsing rhythm. I checked my wristwatch, it was a little past seven pm and yet Theon was not back from work. Then I stared at myputer, ying some highlights from the twins'' fight sessions. Now I understood why Miro considered this task a punishment, There were hours of fighting sessions on that shdrive and him wanting a y by y of it before my next test was beyond cruel. By video three, I was exhausted, my eyes aching from watching too many blows and kicks but despite the task being daunting, I realized I en From the way he moved, to the brutal way he delivered his attack, one could tell that Theon was the true definition of a warrior. Before every fight he had a little habit of tying his hair into a bun before confidently striding into the match. I found everything about it sexy especially, this trick he had of ultimately defeating his contenders by trapping their necks with his powerful leg, while holding their arm to his chest. Once he had his opponents in what theme I began to have ideas. What if I can learn this death grip in time for thebat test? Was that possible? Suddenly, the pain in my stomach intensified and I grabbed my tummy while twisting and writhing on the chair. Fuck. Where was Theon? Sitting at the foot of the table was my bag, so I drew it closer and frantically searched inside for my painkillers. When I brought out the bottle and discovered it was empty, panic set in like a thunderbolt. Instantly, I sprang up, grabbed my phone and ran upstairs to my room. all the drawers and couldn''t find extra painkillers, my panic increased. With shaky hands, I turned on my phone and thought of calling Theon but I thought better of it. There has to be a way to manage this pain without having to rely on him. Besides, sooner orter, he''ll feel my pain and call me and I''d have to lie again that it was period cramps. I wonder how long I can keep up that lie. Like a wave, another bout of biting pain crashed over me and I sank to my knees, bending over. My gaze fell on the cute teddy bear, Theon got for me, sitting on the nightstand. I took it and held it to my chest, while lowering myself to the floor. Squeezing my eyes shut I groaned, already on the verge of tears. Turning my phone on again, I dialled someone else. After four rings, Healer Kwan picked up the call. "Let me guess, you''re in serious pain right now." I frowned. "How did you know?" "Because I was just out of town on a mission with the Prince and you and I both know the farther away he is from you, the more pain you''ll be in." "I know. I just wish he''lle home but I guess he will find out sooner orter." "Well he is on his way but forget about him finding out anytime soon." "What?" My heart hammered as I sat up sharply. "Why?" < Thu, The Healer rambled off some orders to some people in the background before paying attention to me. "Look, this Moonstone thing..." he lowered his voice. "Is new and rarely used. There haven''t been many case studies to back up a lot of things especially when they took lower frequency to him,, the farther you are from him, the less he''s going to feel you. When he is closer, like within the same city, he would." My heart dropped to my stomach. "So basically, he isn''ting to save me. That''s what you''re saying?" "Not unless you tell him or should I?" I hesitated. "No thank you. Is there anything else that can be done?" "I''m afraid not, Miss. You''d have to endure it and be careful, your mood will be all over the ce." Ending the call, I stared into space for a moment, thinking of what to do.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I can''t endure this pain. Not like this. Then an idea came to mind. I could go out and get painkillers. Getting to my feet, I grabbed my purse and just when I changed into something else, I heard the door open downstairs. My heart hammered. Is Theon back? I rushed out of the room, down the hallway. As soon as I got to the top of the stairs, my hope immediately turned to ashes when I saw it was Miro instead. To my disgust, I found him kissing a dark haireddy with tattoos and the way they were passionately going at it, I suddenly felt my blood boil. Why? I had no idea but I hated the way he pinned her against a wall, and kissed her neck. I hated the way he pinned her arms above her head with one I hated the fact she almost looked like me. Another wave of pain and I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling deep breaths to bear it all. I wished I could close my ears too because the sounds of their soft moans and subtleughter was starting to grate on my nerves. When I opened my eyes, I discovered their positions I raised my eyes and to my surprise, Miro was watching me with a devilish smirk on his face. Rolling my eyes, I went down the other side of the stairs, making sure to create some noise with the sound of my feet as I descended. Thedy stopped and turned and when she saw me, she frowned. Turning to Miro, she pointed at me over her shoulder. ""Who''s this?" "No one you have to worry about, darling." Miro answered and the word, ''darling'' from his lips sounded so weird and fake that I snorted out loud. "Something funny?" He asked, and the ice in his voice was enough to drop the temperature in the room. "Nothing." I said, making my way to the door. "And where are you going?" Why is he asking me that? "Out." I said, reaching the door. "Where?" I turned around on him, feeling my frustration and anger slip through my control. "I had no idea living here meant I had to answer to you." 111 Miro''s eyes shed with anger. He nodded upstairs to thedy, dismissing her and she nced between us both before reluctantly walking to the stairs. Once she was out of sight, Miro moved so fast that in the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of my face in a ru I took a step back in fright, and winced at the pain consuming me whole. "Now listen to me carefully." He gritted out, his eyes flickering from green to ck repeatedly as he advanced on me. "As long as you live under my roof, and eat my food, you will answer to me. Now, where the fuck are you going?" III Chapter 85 Chapter 85 RYN I raised my chin, matching his angry gaze with mine. "I answer only to Prince Theon, and FYI," I leaned in closer to his ear. "Your food isn''t really that great. I''ve tasted better." I shrugged. Miro breathed out augh., moving back to appraise me from head to toe. "Yeah right. I doubt any other cook can make you moan like me." My heart did a double take and I could have sworn that my kitty clenched at his words. I had aeback. I swear I had something nasty to say in reply but it all got lost when my brain did a reboot. Another bite of pain and I realized why I came downstairs, "I need to go." I said, turning around and opening the door but in a sh, Miro shut it and whipped me around. "You''re not leaving until you tell me where you''re going, Ryn. I''m not ying with you." Now, I was really mad. "WHY DO YOU CARE?! I thought you hated me!" He blinked, his brows pulling together. "I don''t hate you." I looked at him and scoffed. "Of course you do. I see it in the way you look at me, the way you talk to me and the way you treat me. You hate me!" My voice broke at the end, the pain bing so unbearable that my eyes watered. "Ryn, I don''t hate you." "Bullshit!" In a sh, Miro''s hand curled around my throat, mming my back against the door. The sounds of both our heavy breathing filled the air and I found Miro so close that I could percieve the perfume of his girl on him. Miro''s eyes cascaded to my lips and back to my eyes. The hate I once saw there dissolved into an emotion I really didn''t want to decipher. "I don''t hate you, Kathryn." His voice deepened, his lips dangerously close to mine. "I want to and I have tried to but everytime I see y I stared into his eyes, searching for an answer to the question on the tip of my tongue. "You think I''m pretty?" As if realizing what he just did, Miro stepped away from me. The softness in his eyes hardening to stone. "I said, pretty annoying. Now where were you going?" I swallowed, suddenly realizing I forgot my pain when he was so close and now that he was far away, I could feel the full effects again. Before I could answer, Miro''s forehead creased as he assessed me. "You look pale." He said, taking a step closer. "I''m fine." "You don''t look fine, Ryn." He countered. "Babes!" An impatient voice called and I looked up to see the tattooeddy at the top of the stairs, looking down at us. "When are youing?" "I''ll be right there, love. Just give me five minutes." The Lady rolled her eyes and shook her head before walking away. "You should attend to your girlfriend." I whispered, barely able to speak up. "She''s not my girlfriend." He replied, a little too sharply. Then his tense body rxed, "Look, as long as my brother is not around, you''re my responsibility. So tell me, what''s going on?" I took deep breaths, guaging if I could be honest with him but before I could speak, a powerful wave of pain crashed through me so hard that a grunt escaped my lips and I doubled over while sinking to the floor. In an instant, Miro lowered himself on his haunches, holding my face to check me. A tear ran down my cheek and in a breath he wiped it off. "Dammit, talk to me, Ryn." He said, fiercely.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. 0 So I exined everything about my condition and how I was close to reverting back to myself because Theon took back most of his lifeforce without knowing. "And I thought he''d be back home by now, but he''s not." "Fuck. I''m calling the doctor." He said, bringing out his phone. "Doctor Kwan already knows. There''s nothing he can do." I panted, closing my eyes as the pain invaded every fiber of my bones, forcing them to quake and tremble. "Then I''m calling my brother." "No!" My answer came quick and sharp. Miro''s brows furrowed. "Why not?'' I breathed out a weakugh. "Isn''t it obvious? He''ll try to give back his life force and I don''t want him to get hurt again." 5 Miro nodded slowly in understanding. "Alright, I have a n but first of all,e here." He said, and in one move. he carried me in his arms, bridal- style to the nearest couch andid me down gently. "I have a strong painkiller that will knock you out but it has some side effects." Hicked my dry lips at the sound of that. "I''ll take anything to make it stop. Anything." Miro stared at me but I could see the worry in his eyes. Then he stood up and left and Iid here, clutching my side, crying at the sheer pain stabbing every inch of my skin. Miroter came back with a tiny bottle in hand. He opened the cap and I discovered it had a dropper "Open up." He said and I obeyed. Then he dropped two drops of a purple substance into my mouth and I swallowed. "The effects should kick in within five minutes." He said, checking his wristwatch. "Thank you." I replied. "And sorry, I didn''t let you getid." For the first time, Miro genuinely smiled at me and it was just as precious as seeing Theon smile for the first time.. "Get some rest, Ryn." He said, and I began to feel my eyelids get heavier. Then I remembered something. "I might not be able to finish your punishment on time." I mumbled, feeling like I''m floating on a sea of darkness but yet, finally at peace with my body.. "That''s fine." He said, his voice sounding far away. "I simply wanted you to pay attention to thebat styles there." My eyelids closed but I held on to the glimmer of consciousness I had left. It finally dawned on me. "You were trying to help me." I said but before I could hear his answer, I sank into oblivion 2/2 0 111 < BB. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 MIRO I rushed into the bathroom and when I checked the mirror, I saw blood leaking out of my nose. I gripped the edge of my bathroom countertop, to endure the sharp, knifing pain in my head. I shouldn''t have made that statement. I shouldn''t have let her find out that I was trying to help her. It was easy to file it under punishment, to pretend that I was trying to hurt her. Now, my consciousness has epted the real truth, and like a whip to the bareback, my father''s binding authority is punishing me. "Hey, what''s going on?!" The girl I brought home banged on the bathroom door. "You haven''t even touched me or looked at me since I got back." I lowered my head and washed my face. When I raised my head again, I found my eyes turning red with blood. It leaked out one eye and I had to grab a wad of toilet paper to dab it off. "Answer me!" She kicked and her voice only made the knives in my head sharper. I dabbed the blood off my face before rushing to the door. Flinging it open, I came face to face with an angry brat and before I could cajole or tell her sweet words, she pped me. "That''s for being such an ass and abandoning me for that girl." My wolf reared to the surface and instantly her face morphed from anger to fear within a second. She stepped back, raising her hands up in front of her in surrender. "I''m sorry, okay?" Her voice trembled. "I''d just leave." With that said, she blindly grabbed for her purse on the bed and when she got it, she moved backwards away from me till she got to the door. After fumbling with the knob, she got the door open and when she stepped into the hallway, she turned, and ran. I didn''t rx until I heard the m of the door downstairs, then I closed my door and went back to the bathroom. Thankfully, I only bled from the nose this time and after cleaning up, I showered and changed into a t- shirt and cotton boxers. Popping some painkillers, I went back to my bedroom. Still, suffering the effects of the knives in my head, I tried to mindlink my brother but I couldn''t feel him, so I grabbed my phone and called my brother. He picked on the second ring. "Sup?" He asked. "Is Ryn okay?" I smiled bitterly. Is that all he cares about these days? "She''s fine. I replied. "Where are you?" "Went out of town for a minute but I''ll be home in the next...two hours." "Juste home." "Why do you want me home?" "Cause I miss you." I replied seriously. Something about having him around puts me at ease even though we''d still fight. "Are you high?" Laughter bubbled from my throat, and overflowed into a chuckle but then, a slicing pain cut through my head and I winced. "No, I''m not. Just messing with ya, But seriouslye home, I can''t stand your girlfriend." The line went silent for a moment. "Are you okay? You don''t sound good." A bitter smile crept to my face at his words. He was always observant about the slightest shift in my emotions. "I''m fine, brother."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Alright. See you soon." and with that said, he ended the call. Many nosebleedster, the kniving pain in my head subsided but I couldn''t sleep. "Sir," one of the security on watch mindlinked me. I winced in pain. "What?" "Thedy guest. I think you shoulde see this." Instantly, I was out of bed, and out the door. When I got to the stairnding, I looked down and found Ryn held at a distance by one of the security men. I sighed. This was one of the side effects I was talking about. Moving downstairs, I approached them and found Ryn''s ey her face ck. "She''s been sleepwalking all over the living room and went out to the balcony." The security guy, a blonde retired Elite said and just as he finished speaking, Ryn perked up, still with her eyes closed. She sniffed the air, and left the hold of the man. He tried to hold her again Ryn sniffed the air, her legs moving in one direction and then another until she began to make her way towards me. I watched with curiosity as her nose led her right to me, then she smiled and reached out with her hands. I stepped back but she moved forward, grabbing blindly for me until she re The guard watched in surprise and even I stood frozen, wondering what this could mean. I knew sleepwalking was one of the side effects but I had never heard of something like this happening. With a simple nod, I dismissed the guard and for a moment, stared down at Ry An involuntary smile made its way to my lips. When I caught myself, I frowned and gently unwrapped her arms from my waist. I can''t allow myself to get caught up in her siren hold or whatever it is about her that draws me in. Suddenly, her face scrunched up in a brattish pout, and I admit to myself that she was beyond Of course, no one will ever find out. This is a secret I am taking to my grave. Still fast asleep and swaying on her feet, I decided it was best to carry her to bed. So, I did, and the moment I put my arm underneath her legs and lifted her up, bridal-style, she wrapped her long, slender arms around my neck and instantly rested her head on my shoulder. Suddenly, my wolf stirred and in an instant, all I want to do is take her to my bed. 111 < 0 Chapter 87 MIRO My heart began to thud faster as the feel of her body against mine set a forbidden fire in my consciousness. Shaking my head, I took deep breaths, ignoring the urge to hold her tighter against my body. Every step up the stairs became a battlefield of my will against the desires of my wolf. By the time I got to her room, I already had a raging hard-on and my wolf didn''t help matters by nting mental images of how he wants her in my head. "Stop." I whispered out loud, as I entered her room, being careful not to hit her head. When I got to her bed and gentlyid her down, I stayed still, bending over her body. Her face was inches from mine, her slightly open lips so inviting that I had to swallow, to keep my desi Her breasts. Gods! Her huge breasts were inches away, round and slightly peeking from the top of her shirt. The desire to touch them, kiss them, bury my face in them became so overwhelming that I gripped her bedsheet. Anything to stop me from making a rash decision. But why can''t I stand up? Why am I in this position, paralyzed and helpless at her side? I stared at her lips again, leaning closer. Then I realized what I was doing and forced myself up and away from her. Panting heavily, I stared at her form, and then she made a soft noise as she turned over on her side and slept on. For fuck''s sake, does she even know the effect she has on me? I wondered as my eyes trailed over every curve of her body wrapped in a ck t-shirt and jeans that I want to rip off. What the fuck is happening to me? Why does she always make me feel this way? Why can''t I feel like this with all the women I bring home? Slowly, I took a step back and another, till my back hit her door and I left her room. The moment I closed her door behind me, I leaned against it and sighed. Surprisingly, the pain in my head was gone and I wondered if it had anything to do with her. My wolf whined and stirred, urging me to go back in but I decided to walk away instead. "You''re an ass. You know that?" I muttered out loud to it, going down the stairs. "You''re making me act like a creep."Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Instantly, my body seized, and I found myself straining to move. I couldn''t even speak and as I felt a rush of power overwhelm me, indicating that my wolf had taken over forcefully. Fuck. It better not make me go back to her room. Raising my arms, I watched in terror as my hands elonagated into ws and turned so that I was watching my open palms. Then four fingers of each hand forcefully curled downward, leaving both the middle fingers straight. I watched in disbelief when it eventually dawned on me that my wolf forcefully took over my body just to tell me, "Fuck You." Just as suddenly as it took over, it relinquished its hold on me, leaving me breathless and feeling somewhat vited. In all my years of existence, my wolf had been pretty mellow, going with the flow. Then Ryn came into the picture and bam! It has a mind of its own now. Al Is this not reason enough to hate her? I strolled to the bar to pour myself a ss of aged single malt Scotch whisky. Then I thought of how she took my brother''s attention from me and decided I needed something stronger. Reaching for top- shelf cognac, named Louis XIII, I added a ssh of it to the Scotch. Then I thought of my father''s obsession with her and added a small measure of absinthe to the BB. mix. D At this point, this fucking drink was as potent as a punch from an underground wrestling champion. So, to bnce the vors and keep it smooth, I topped it off with a dash of bitters and arge ice cube. Then I let the drink chill for a minute. My wolf stirred, showing its hatred for my concoctions but I smiled bitterly. It did its worst. Now it''s my turn. I took a gulp and it felt like swallowing a thunderbolt, electric and unforgiving. I shivered and shook my head feeling the effects of my concoction like a p to the face on a cold, winter morning. Fuck. I outdid myself but it ought to keep thoughts of that siren at bay. I slid from the chair, already feeling out of touch with my body but not quite to the point of drunkeness. Taking a deep breath, I strolled to the nearest couch and copsed on it, suddenly feeling very tired and drowsy. I let my mind wander and the memory of my first time drinking alcohol came to mind. It was on a harsh winter morning and we had just lowered an empty casket into the ground to establish my sister''s funeral. I was in an arm sling, having been beaten within an inch of my life by Dominic. Beside me was my brother and opposite us was our father who looked After I was brought back home from captivity, I had expected him tosh out. To use his belt or punish me physically but he didn''t. Instead, he began to act like I didn''t exist and only spoke to my brother. He stopped including me in training and simply ignored me. Dayster, during the funeral, it eventually dawned on me that this was his punishment. The realization hurt so deeply that I craved not to feel. So while people came to pay their respects to the Windermeres, I snuck into his wine cer and grabbed the most alcoholic bottle Walking into the woods, I sat in the snow, under a leafless tree and drank till the bottle was empty. I didn''t get drunk, but I felt numb and I liked it. Afterwards, Theon found me and, without a word, he carried me over his shoulder back home. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the tears that had begun to sting. The Gods know I''d give anything to go back to that day and save my sister. I had no idea I''d prefer my father''s yelling and physical torture to his silence. The silence from him was killing me, and now that he''s talking to me again, I''d do anything he wants. I just wish Ryn wasn''t at the center of it. I wish I didn''t have to antagonize my brother to do his bidding. Now that my father''s focus is on Dominic, I''d do anything to prove to him and to myself that I am a worthy son. I''d get stronger, faster, more lethal just to kill Dominic Tarrent and that''s why I can''t let someone like Ryn distract me or make go against my father''s binding autho I have to find a way to stay away from her. Just then, the door opened and in came my brother, with his suit jacket, slung across his arms. From the way he sighed, I could tell he was exhausted, and I sat up, looking forward to hearing all about his mission. Just like old times before a certain girl took over his mind. "Hey." I as he walked in further, and took a seat. "Hi" He responded, his head ck on the headrest of the couch, facing the ceiling. "Can you make me a drink please?" I smiled, instantly rising to my feet. BB D Smirking to myself, I made the same strong drink I drank earlier and offered it to him. Based on how hard it hit me, I was eager to see his reaction and find something tough about. Theon collected the drink and downed it all in one gulp and aside from a slight wince when +5 ""Where''s Ryn?" 0 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 THEON My brother blinked down at me like I had just spoken a foreignnguage. Then his features hardened before checking the wall clock. "Look at the time, Brother." He said, pointing to the timepiece. "It''s two twenty-five in the morning. Where else will she be if not in her bed?" I sighed, bending forward to ce the ss cup on the table. When I sat back, I looked at him, "I''m asking because her body spray all over this ce....and even on you." Miro swallowed, his eyes shifting from me to the furniture. "Well, she was a little bit sick so I had to carry her to her room." I perked up. "Ryn was sick?" Before he could answer, I was already on my feet, heading for the stairs. Why did I not feel her? Could it be because she''s on her period? Or because I was too far away? "She''s sleeping!" Miro called after me but I was already at the top of thending, determined to see her. "Did you call the doctor?" I mindlinked my brother as I journeyed down the hallway to her room. No. She didn''t want me to." "Why?" "I don''t know, okay. Maybe you should ask her." His voice came back a little sharp. I shook my head in frustration and when I got to Ryn''s room, I took a deep breath and knocked. When I got no answer, I slowly turned the knob and went in. The first thing I saw were the curtains of her room billowing softly with the early morning breeze. Then I found her in bed, sleeping on her back, facing up. Her right hand was tucked under a pillow, her long ck hair forming a halo underneath her head. Her face was turned towards me, slightly hidden in her hair and in the dark, partially illuminated by moonlight, and bi I wanted to touch her but I curled my hands, holding myself back.. She was this innocent little bunny sleeping peacefully and I was this big, bad wolf who only knows how to kill and destroy and cause pain. I don''t deserve her. Someone like her doesn''t belong with someone like me. That''s why this whole Moonstone thing is a sham. It''screating fake feelings between us and before things get too deep, I want it off as Once it''s off, I''m sure we''d go back to being strangers. Satisfied that she was okay, I walked out of the room and went to mine. Then I took a long hot shower to rx my muscles and clear my thoughts. After Chelsea stated her terms, I set up a meeting with her for ater date and chose to barter the letters for Adam and Viktor. When Viktor found out he was being traded, he tried to fight back but my men overpowered him and together we came back to the Greyhound pa "I thought you were going to betray me." Nichs had said the moment we handed Viktor to him. "I thought I would too." I had replied before leaving him standing at the steps of his house. III BG. And that was the truth. $.63% For Ryn, it seems I''d betray anyone, even myself to save her. I mean wasn''t I the same man who told my brother that the part of me that cares for a woman was dead? Yet, here I was, about to make a deal with the devil to save her life. I exited the bathroom, dressed in a boxer and just about ready to copse on the bed. Then I found my brother moving around aimlessly, looking through my stuff. He took out one of my perfumes, opened the cap and sprayed it on his wrist. After sniffing it, he nodded to himself and pocketed the bottle. "Last time I checked, that''s theft." I said and he turned around to look at me with a smolder. "And if you let me keep the bottle, I won''t tell Dad you went on a secret mission with the Elites." I paused, staring at his smirking face. "How did you know that? That''s top secret." 5 "And you forget that I am also at the top," He replied, his amusement gone. "We used to do missions together, T. Since when did you decide I was not worthy enough to fight by your side?" "It''s not like that."I beganAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Then what is it like?" Miro folded his arms across his chest. "I did it for Ryn. I needed to find the cure for her injury and I can''t tell you shit because.." I motioned to him. "Dad has bound you by authority ton"Cause it seems to me like this Ryn girl is seeding in breaking us apart." I rolled my eyes and got into bed. Not this again. "You sound jealous." "Maybe I am but you can''t deny that I am right." I propped my back against some pillows and sighed. I am too tired for this shit. "Have you ever stopped to wonder that maybe Ryn is not the problem? Or maybe if Dad hadn''t been so hellbent on destroying the poor girl''s life, maybe, just maybe, we wouldn''t be in this scenario right now?" Miro stared at me in silence. *You always have this habit of putting the me on everyone else except him. You me yourself for how badly he treated you. You me yourself for what happened to..."I paused and swallowed. "For what happened to Nora. You me Ryn for how things have gone wr on you to spy on us both." I said. "He put you on a fucking unhealthy diet and tried to manipte you to do his bidding. When are you going to realize that Dad is the viin and the moment you stop putting him on a pedestal and start seeing him for who he truly is, is the day you be free? Cause believe it or not, Ryn can be removed from the equation," I snapped my fingers, "this fast, but newssh, it still won''t bring the peace you''re looking for." Miro stood frozen, staring at the floor and I feared that I may have hurt his feelings. Just then, I heard a single knock on the door and then another and it sounded more like a pound than a knock. Miro crossed the room to the door and when he opened it, he stiffened. Someone came in and wrapped her arms around his waist and I was about to get angry that one of his whores was in my room until recognized her as Ryn. My Ryn? Anger simmered in my chest, spreading through me like moltenva, ready to erupt at any moment. Instantly, I was out of bed, finding the scene before me entirely strange. Miro slowly turned to me, with her attached to his bosom and gave me an awkward look. Did he not just say stuff about Ryn a couple minutes ago? "I can exin." Miro began.. "You better." I replied, folding my arms across my chest. "Cause why the fuck is my girl hugging you like that?" AUTHOR''S NOTE: If love this chapter, please leave kindments. Thank you. §° BUB. Chapter 89 MIRO I did a double take, my lips on the verge of curling into a smirk. "Your girl?" Theon''s icy cold expression did not change but I know, he knows that I know he fucked up. "You sound jealous. I thought you had no interest in her?" "Answer my question, Ro." His voice got way too quiet for my liking. "Why are her eyes closed like that? What happened to her?" I paused, wondering how I can answer my brother''s question without betraying Ryn''s trust. "You know you''re being really serial killer-y right now." I said, trying to lighten up his mood. "And it''s scary." All Theon had to do was intensify his re, and let down his wall through our bond and the amount of anger I felt from him was so intense that my wolf perked up in rm, bing restless. I sighed, hating when my own twin gets like this. He always showed this side of h Theon sighed but he obeyed and then his features softened and he put up walls again in our bond. I hated that too. I wanted him to let down his guard with me but I guess I''d be asking for too much. My wolf finally settled and I exined why Ryn was sleepwalking but omitted the reason why she needed the medication. As a result, Theon visibly rxed. "Thanks for looking after her but I''ll take it from here." He said, reaching for Ryn and gently unwrapping her hands from my waist. After that, he pulled her away from me and immediately, her nose went in the air again, sniffing for something. I watched her, some little part of Then my hopes became dashed. Her nose led her to Theon''s arms instead and when she wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed in satisfaction, I felt somewhat betrayed. I wondered why. My brother slowly led Ryn to his bed, helped her get in and tucked her in like she was a child. Then, I remembered how he used to do that to me when I came home drunk or was sick. He did that to Mom too when she was sick and it suddenly dawned on me that not once did I ever see my twin get vulnerable enough to be taken care of un Theon had always been the caretaker his whole life but who took care of him? Once he was done tucking her in, he went to his closet andter came out with a pair of nkets. Then he went to a sofa, and sat on it. Finally, he looked my way. "What? "Want me to tuck you in too?" "I could use some right now." I replied. Theon looked at me like I was mad. "Get out." He said tiredly before lying on the sofa and covering himself with the nket. I stared at him for a moment and then at Ryn, sleeping peacefully, before leaving. As soon as I entered my room, I took my phone from the nightstand and dialled a line. Secondster, someone came on. "Sir." "I want every detail on my brother''s secret mission." ""Yes sir." < BUG. "And one more thing." Hadded. "Sir?" "Whatever you find is for my ears only. If the Alpha King hears of it, you''re dead. Understood?"Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ""Yes sir." 13 I ended the call and discovered that I already had a voicemail from my father. So I put the phone to my ears and yed it. "Son," he began. "There''s someone for you to fight very soon. He''s the South''s underground fighting champion and one of the only people who fought Dominik and lived to tell the tale. I''ll send you details of his profile. Study it and get ready. I''ve got a lot of money riding on this, so you had better not fail me." The voicenote ended and I quickly checked the details of the man my father spoke about. Olive Verena. The more I read about him, the more I realized I would need to step up my game to beat him. He had seventy-two undisputed wins and I had just sixty-three. Meanwhile, Theon had a hundred and twelve but he was retired. If anything, my brother was well suited to fight this man and win. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. I have to do this. I''ve always wanted to leave my brother''s shadow and this is it. This is my opportunity to step out from under him and make a name for myself. This is an opportunity to impress Dad. But why do I want to? I asked myself as I sat on the bed and thought of Theon''s words. He was right. I never once med my father for anything. He was always right and I was always wrong and things have been that way for so long that, I don''t know how to turn back now. Not when I needed his help to bring Dominic to his knees. Not when a part of me still That''s all I want. For him to finally look at me the same way he looks at my twin. My brother can destroy one of his most expensive antique cars and kill his entourage and yet my father would still respect him and speak highly of him. But me? I can''t even reject his special diet without risking falling lower in his eyes. Gods! Where did I fucking go wrong? Why am I the lesser twin, forced to struggle twice as hard to be just as good enough? What is so special about my brother that hemands everyone''s respect everytime? I let my head fall into my hands and then I made a decision. I will defeat Dominic and I will bring back the justice my sister deserves. If at the end of it all, my father still doesn''t think I''m worthy, then I''m going to kill him. AUTHOR''S NOTE: What do you think? Is Miro justified with his decision to kill his father? Chapter 90 RYN I think I''m dreaming again. Cause tell me why I am in bed and there''s a big, delicious warm body wrapped around me? Last I checked, Miro gave me a medicine for my pain and I must have gone up to my room to sleep. And since the twins can''te into my room uninvited to touch me without cons I smiled to myself as I wiggled around to face the owner but I didn''t open my eyes. Somehow, I feel like if I do, I''d really wake up and I didn''t want that to happen. I wanted to enjoy this fantasy for as long as possible before it fades away. This warm, delicious body opened up to amodate me, drawing me in and in the process, I sighed in satisfaction as I let my hands wander over his hard, sculpted body. I wiggled closer, my face finding the crook of his neck. I loved how he smelled, like fresh rain and ro I felt him draw back, probably looking down at me and I wish I could look into his don''t want to. Not now. eyes too but I know I''d wake up and I "Good morning." His silky, lover''s voice caressed my ears, bringing an involuntary smile to my lips. "Good morning." I mumbled, moving closer to hug him and bury my face in his neck again. Something amazing happened. He chuckled and for a second, my heart stuttered, wondering how augh could be so full of life but moreso, hint at safety. It was augh so at peace and grounded that I felt like nothing in the world could hurt me as long as I was wrapped in these massive arms. "We should get ready for the day." He said. "No." I shook my head. "I don''t want to go. Not yet. Just let me stay a while." I pleaded, tracing my hand from the back of his neck to his face and into his hair. Slowly, I drew him closer to my face, wanting him to kiss me. "Ryn." He called but there was a warning in his voice. As if to tell me that I was treading dangerous waters. "I know. I know but it won''t hurt for just a few seconds. Then I''ll go." I whined, feeling girly for the first time in years. He chuckled again. "How can I say no to my cute little bunny?" I smiled, loving the term. "Does that mean I get a kiss?" I asked, still feeling sleepy and drowsy. He hesitated for a minute. "Is that what you want, Ryn?" I nodded up and down like a child. "Use your words, Bunny." ""Yes. That''s what I want." I answered, He leaned in and when he took my lips with his, it felt like finally taking a breath of fresh air. My gods! Every nerve in my body sparked to life, pooling heat at my core. I felt a maic pull to him as his hand reached into my hair and gripped the roots. Fuck. I missed this. It doesn''t even hurt as much anymore. I reached my hand into his hair, and gripped it too. He half [11 groaned, half moaned and I pulled, exposing his neck to kiss it. He chuckled again, this time, breathlessly and I loved it. 3 63 "Naughty girl." He whispered, and when he rolled onto his back, I climbed on top of him. Beneath me, he felt massive, like an endless stretch ofnd and I loved how safe and powerful I felt on top of him. Kissing him deeper, I adjusted myself and froze. Right beneath my wet, raging kitty was Theon''s hard member and I gasped at how big it felt. "We should stop." He said, and I knew I should. I knew I should open my eyes now. Instead, I moved my hips forward. "Fuck." Theon eximed, and instantly, I felt him sit up in bed. "Ryn, we need to stop." He said but his voice was strained, like he was at the brink of losing control. I smiled. There''s something about that, that makes it so freaking hot. "Ryn." He called, but I reached for his fa Moving back on his hardon, I drove my hips forward again, rubbing my clit back and forth on his erection. And because I was already wet, the movement felt slick and smooth, filling my body with desire and electricity. "Oh fuck!" I whispered, high on ecstasy and as it increased, I threw my head back as the sweetest sensation pulsed through me. Theon wrapped his arms around my back and held me in ce and I moved up and down, rubbing faster. He moaned into my mouth, kissing me like a man starved of affection and I moaned right back, feeling my core build up to my climax. Gods! This is the best sex dream I have ever had! It feels so real and so vivid. I wish I could have more of this on a daily basis. I suddenly realized I wanted more. I wanted all inches of him inside me. I mean this is a dream, I can do whatever I want right? I suddenly realized I was fully clothed and found that so ufortable. I want to be free of clothes right now. I want to be naked! I broke our kiss, long enough to shift back and pull my top over my head. "Ryn?" Theon''s warning came again but I was too busy being angry at myself for wearing long pants instead of my extra short pyjama wear. Now, I''d have to stand up and pull it off. "I need to remove my clothes." I mumbled, getting off him. "No, you''re not." He said, and I felt him move on the bed. "Yes, I am." I strained, trying to pull down my pants but he held my hands, stopping me. ''No, Ryn. We are going too far." He said in a gentle voice. "No, we''re not. I argued. "I want to have sex with you! You''re all I think about when I want my first time to happen." Silence suddenly settled upon us and my face heated at my confession. Did I just say that out loud? Oh well, this is a dream. It''s not real anyway but then, I felt really tempted to open my eyes but my dream would fade away. Am I doing too much? Gosh! I might soon wake up. "Say something." I whispered. "Why do you have your eyes closed?" He asked in a simple tone. "Because I don''t want to wake up."All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Wake up?" "Yeah, from this dream." I replied. Theon''s hands left mine and suddenly, I felt him leave the bed. Immediately, I got that feeling in my chest - the kind that lets me know I have been stupid. III B & B "Open your eyes, Ryn." He stated, and I noticed his voice had lost half of its warmth, stating he was serious. "But I don''t want to. Not yet." "Ryn, please, open your eyes," So I did. 3 5 Still feeling drowsy, I blinked my eyes open, expecting to find myself in my room but instead I found myself, face to face with Theon, who stood near the bed in nothing but boxers, scars and tattoos. My drowsiness disappeared. So it was real? Everything was real? "Oh crap." AUTHOR''S NOTE: If you liked this chapter, please le Chapter 91 Chapter 91 RYN The first thing that came to mind was Healer Kwan''s warning. My heart raced, terrified of what I''d done. No wonder I wanted hore of him. 1 rushed out of bed to my feet and reached on my tippy toes to touch his forehead. My intention was to feel for his temperature, but he caught my hand and looked down at me with furrowed brows. "What are you doing?" "1"1 paused, wondering what I''d say. He can''t know the circumstances behind my actions. "Just checking to see if you''re okay?" I looked away, knowing fully well that my reason was not the least bit convincing. I hoped he he would let it slide. "Why won''t I be okay?" Shit. What do I I say? "Well..." I began. "Thest time you were..uh.. sick, it simply took us being in bed together for you to get better and I thought maybe..." My face heated up. "Maybe us doing stuff will affect you badly." Theon''s stern gaze softened, his lips forming that ghost of a smile that I have nowe to love. "You don''t need to worry about me. I am fine." He replied, letting my hand go. But I was worried. Real worried. What if my wolf had sucked all his life force? What if there''s already an imbnce of energies? I tried to feel deep within myself for any changes or sorts, but I wouldn''t really know for sure until we were far apart. Shit. I can''t even tell him my worries. I "Are you okay?" He asked, suddenly bringing me out of my thoughts. "You don''t seem like you are," "I''m fine." I replied, suddenly hyperaware of our close proximity and the state we were in. I was still in my bra and cotton. pants and Theon still stood tall like a big bear in nothing but his boxers. When my eyesnded on his bulge, I visibly swallowed. How in the world did I think I could just have all of that inside me on a whim? Am I mad? "Just a sec." Theon said, and I watched him walk into his closet. Shortly after, he came out wearing some cks which did well to cover his bulge and although some teeny- tiny, h***y, shameless part of me was disappointed, the other part was grateful for his thoughtfulness. "I am sorry for the whole....inconvenience." I swallowed, meeting his gaze.. "I have no idea how I.... got... here." I frowned, really thinking about it. Wait a minute. How did I get in Theon''s room when thest thing I remember is falling asleep on the couch? Theon sighed, running a hand through his hair and something about that act turned me back the f*k o***n. I curled my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palm. "You were sleepwalking because of the meds you took and when I came back, you came to my room to find me. I put you to bed and went to sleep on the couch." He pointed to a sofa not too far away, having some nkets draped on it. "But you always stood up and came to where I was, so I had to follow you back to the bed." "Oh." I eximed, feeling even more embarrassed. "That exins a lot." I said, forcing a smile. Theon stared at me, his expression unreadable, and I knew a myriad of thoughts were going on in there and by the gods, I wanted to know what they were. 10:44 Fri, Nov Chapter 91? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. §ä§à Does he think I''m loose? And then, the entire statement I made about my first time, d**it, if that isn''t the cringiest thing I have done. Now, he will never look at me the same way again. "You''re awfully quiet." I said, looking down at the floor and then back up at him. "Are you judging me or something?" Theon blinked in surprise before his brows flew up in realization. "Oh. I was mindlinking my brother and cussing him out for not informing you of the side effects of what he gave you." I "Oh." I said, feeling a tad bit better. Still, I felt the urge to exin myself, but before I could open my mouth, his phone rang. "One moment," he said, raising a finger up and then he picked his phone from the nightstand and put it to his ears. Moving away to the window, he slipped into business mode, giving orders, and I couldn''t help but stare at him. There he was, bathed in morning light, a giant in a room made for a king. Theon was magnificent. Every line in his body, sculpted to perfection. He stood with his perfectly ripped back to me, and I noticed he had an inscription written vertically along his spinal cord starting his neck. From where I stood, I couldn''t read what was written, but I could see the tattoo next to it, very clearly. §á§à IL It was the tattoo of a huge snake curling its tail as it seemed to be traveling over Theon''s right shoulder and just above it were the words, "A World Unlike Yours" in calligraphy. They were was both terrifying and intriguing and worse still, it was making me h***y for him all over again. I turned a rned away, furious with myself, and grabbed my top from the bed before putting it on. I need to get out of t of here. When I made sure I didn''t bring anything else with me, I headed for the door. Just when I got there, another gush of wind happened, and in a sh, Theon was right before my face, blocking my way out. He was still on the phone, but he raised a finger to tell me to wait. So, I obeyed, but then as he kept talking, our eyes met and that desire to wrap my legs around his waist consumed me. My heart began to race, and as a result, I looked away. Letting my gaze fall, I took note of the tattoos across his chest and one particr drawing caught my eye. It was the tattoo of a bunny over his heart. 6 My throat went dry. A bunny? I wondered as memories of our escapade reyed in my mind. ''How can I say no to my cute little bunny?" ''Use your words, Bunny." ''Bunny'' That''s what he calls me and he has a ck and white one sitting on his heart, holding a flower. Is this symbolic of something? Does this mean I mean something to him? I shook my head. No. I don''t. Once this Moonstone is gone, we''d probably go back to being strangers. Theon ended his call and slid his phone into his pocket. "Are you sure you are okay?" He asked, concerned. "I can sense a lot from you, especially fear. I hope I haven''t hurt -any way?" you in I blinked. "Hurt me?" I scoffed. "I came into your room and practically tried to rape you and you''re worried about hurting me?" His dimples showed again as he smiled. "You didn''t know what you were doing." He said, then his face became serious. "It''s my fault for getting carried Chapter 92 RYN My breath left my body as my backnded on a mat. For a second, I saw stars, feeling pain jab my back. Rolling on my side, I tried to catch my breath. For the past one hour in the gym. room, Theon had been teaching me each step of the Death Grip and the first stage was bringing my opponent down. Before we started, I had informed him not to be lenient with me since the final test was very soon and Theon had asked me if I was sure about my decision. I had nodded yes and now, I regret the idea. Theon walked t to "Yea. I''m fine."y line of vision and I looked up to see his hand outstretched. "You okay?" I lied, taking his hand. He drew me up and instantly, I felt tingles where we touched. Our eyes met for a brief moment and then he let hand my moving backwards. "We need to change your approach." He said. "The Death Grip cannot be learnt in just a few days so we need toe up with a fail-proof move that can knock anyone out irrespective of their size. "Yea. I agree." I panted, leaning forward on my knees.. "You''re too big for me to flip." Theon folded his arms across his chest and arched a brow. "So what do you do when someone is too big for you to take down?" I thought about his question and sifted through all my lessons inbat. "Find his or her weak spot." "And if you can''t find that?" "Create one." And if you still can''t do that?" I hesitated. "Cheat. I cheat to survive." "Good. Now apply that to me." I blinked. "Wait w-what? I don''t want to hurt you." Theon smirked. "As if you can." I blinked, taken aback. But instead of being put off, I got hornier Goddess, please give me the strength to focus? go,? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "I am your opponent trying to beat you to win a ticket to The King''s Ball. I don''t care about your feelings." Theon exined. ***k. He was right. I craned my neck both ways and assessed him, looking for weak spots but I couldn''t find any. Theon simply stood, looking as formidable as a raging bull, all muscle and raw power. Creating weak spots was out of the question, because I very well know Theon will have my a*** on the floor before I can even hurt him. So how can I bring this undisputed champion fighter to his knees? Flicking my hair back, I made a show of packing it in a ponytail and as result, my chest was pushed out, exposing my breasts 89% +5 §ä§à packed in a half cut sport wear. Theon''s eyes strayed to them, and for a second, his eyes flickered to ck then he raised his eyes to mine and I saw a fierceness in them. You think that would help you in the ring?" "Who cares about the ring?" I cracked my knuckles, channeling my wolf. "I care about now." High on adrenaline, I ran towards him at full speed and just as he flexed, ready for me, I pushed myself to my knees and slid under his legs. Before he could turn, I was back on my feet, climbing on his back. Once I did that, I wrapped my arm around his neck and squeezed with all my might. For a a moment, "Nothing." I felt ted, on top of the world even for getting a one up on the Theon Windermere. Then he chuckled and my feeling of triumph deted. I squeezed harder. "What''s funny?" He answered and I could hear theugh in his tone, even though it was strained. "Just that you barely weigh a lot and it''s easy for me to flip you like a ragdoll." I immediately got offended. Am I that small? Besides, Theon should be out of breath by now and falling to his knees. Why is he not passing out? T began to panic. "Oh yea?" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. Without thinking, I flicked out my tongue and caught the lobe of his ear in my mouth. Suddenly, Theon stiffened and I smirked. He warned. "You''re it Doing what?" I answered, leaving trails of kisses down then back of his thick, sturdy neck, while squeezing tighter. You''re e doing that thing that makes me want to do I caught his ear lobe in my mouth again. "What things to you. "You know what things." He replied. "Things you''ve always wanted me to do to you." I froze. A slow burning flush crept up my neck and spread like wildfire across my cheeks. "Will you ever forget the things I said?" In a a sh, I I was flying across Theon''s shoulder, and within a second, my back hit the padded floor again. I let out a groan, arching my back. When I opened my eyes I found Theon standing over me with a smirk. "I''ll never forget, Ryn. Ever." took a deep breath and swallowed, finally finding a weak spot. Looking behind him, Theon got curious and looked back and in one breath, I channelled my wolf, moved my leg and swept him off his feet. In an instant, Theon fell t against the mat and in triumph, I climbed over his big body and leaned close to his face. "Add this win to the list of things you can''t forget." "You naughty cheat." He smirked, his blue gaze flickering to my lips. I gave him a one shoulder shrug, feeling that maic pull to go lower. "I simply learnt from the best." Theon wanted to say something but then he bit his lips and by the gods, I felt my panties soak through.. Silence settled over us, as we stared into each other''s eyes, the distance between our lips dangerously thinning. My heart did that st**pid thing again where it pumps faster than usual and just when I was about to give in, someone cleared their throat. In an instant, I sat up and when I saw Miro leaning against the entrance, ring at me. I climbed off. "Breakfast is ready." He said to his brother. Suddenly, Theon''s phone rang again and he got to his feet to attend to it. hapter 92 "Ryn?" Miro called, catching my attention. "A word?" With one nce at Theon, I followed him out of the gym room and down the hallway till we were far from earshot. The moment we rounded a corner, Miro grabbed my neck and mmed my back against a wall. "Now, what the f**k do you think you''re doing?!" Chapter 93 Chapter 93 MIRO ONE HOUR AND SIXTEEN MINUTES EARLIER There''s nothing worse than having the worst hangover of your life and having your brother cuss you out in capital letters. "Why didn''t you tell her she was going to be sleepwalking and hallucinating?" "Gee. I don''t know? Different effects for different people? Why are you being such a d***k?" "Because you should have known better." Simmediately felt annoyed, "I don''t want to speak to you right now. Get the fan out of my head." I replied, shutting down ess to our ho Some my brother can be the most infuriating a***le I have ever known and I always go from wanting to hug him at times to wondering what it''d feel like to swipe my ws across his throat. After trying to go back to sleep and failing, I decided maybe it won''t be so bad to add my twin to the kill list.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Sitting up in bed, I winced and hissed as sharp needles pierced my brain causing a pain that pulsed in my right eye. I suddenly wished I hadn''t made that terrible concoction I made yesterday. I just wanted to forget Ryn but her life seems to be so intertwined with mine and I hate it! All I wanted was having my brother back and I''m grateful she''s making him talk again and be less robotic but I hate that all he thinks and talks about is her. That''s how he was with his mate and now he''s doing it again. Sighing, On the I left my room and first nced at my brother''s door, wondering if Ryn was still there. When I listened for heartbeats, through the door and heard none, I went downstairs. way down, I thought about Olive and how I''d need to train with my brother again to beat him. A smile crept to my lips. It''d be just like old times again and I began to look forward to that. Getting t to the kitchen, I whipped up a nasty hangover cure involving five raw eggs and a couple of other things. After drinking it all, I went to a guest bedroom and used the mouthwash there to rinse my mouth out before getting started in the kitchen. Not feeling like doing too much, I simply made a ham and swiss omelet and added waffles to the menu. I was almost tempted not to cook for Ryn and my brother but I needed his help, so I''ll y nice. Then I suddenly realized I hadn''t seen my brother nor Ryn all morning. Removing my apron, I lifted the ban on our bond and mindlinked him. "Where are you?" Silence. I couldn''t even feel him. Concerned, I mindlinked one of our security men and asked of their whereabouts. Once I got it, I went down to the gym room and got there just in time to see Ryn rake my brother and m him on the floor. I blinked in surprise, wondering how she was able to do that but my wonder was interrupted when I saw Ryn climb on top of brother. my The more I watched them interact, the angrier I became and even my wolf was not happy. Just when it seemed they were about to kiss, I cleared my throat to interrupt them. Ryn was startled but my brother was not, Instead he ignored me when I told him about breakfast and that just made me angrier. So angry that I had no idea when I grabbed Ryn by the throat and queried her about her actions. 10:45 Fri, Nov Chapter 93 Now here I was, ring down at Ryn, so tempted to squeeze and snuff her life out. Life would have been much m easier if she hadn''t stepped into the office on that day, with a dream to be an Elite. Things would have been simpler. Her eyes, although defiant, rounded in fear and something that looked like shame, thest thing I want is my brother sensing her emotions. So I let her go. She let out a breath, touching her neck before breathing out augh. "What''s so funny?" I asked. "The fact that you im not to hate me and yet seeing me with your brother sends you into fits of rage." "That''s because you''re a danger to him. Aren''t you the one who said Healer Kwan warned you not to be intimate with my brother. That you could literally drain his life force." "I called him." Ryn replied, "... this morning. He said he meant sex not the basic stuff and even at that, it could take marking him to drain him to the point of death and we are never getting to that point.¡± My anger subsided immediately but it didn''t mean she was off the h**k. "Still, I don''t want you seducing him." I stared at her from head to toe. "He''s not your type." "And you are?" She shook her neck sassily. Then took a step forward, raising her chin, her face just inches from mine. "You know I''m sick and tired of you bullying me." She said, her features twisting in anger. "Theon and I are adults and we know where to draw the line. f and that poison you keep consuming." Maybe you should focus on back on her neck, mming her back against the wall roughly this time. "Don''t you dare speak to me like that again!" Immediately, my hands were back "Or what?" She asked, her Of Wildl? with malice. eyes shining My eyes flickered to her fast mouth, then back to her eyes. "Keep testing me and maybe one day, you''ll find out." "Why not today? Let''s get this over with!" I smirked, starting to feel more amused than put off. Something about her scrunched up nose had her looking more like an angry toddler than a threat. An expression that was almost... too cute. "You look so adorable when you do your nose like that." I said, and her confidence faltered for a second. "Careful." Her silver eyes narrowed. "You sound like you''re starting to fall in love with me." I stepped away from her like she was a gue. "In your dreams." I scoffed, staring her down from head to toe. "You''re not my type." "Oh yeah?" Ryn arched a brow,ing forward. "Then why did the girl you brought home yesterday look so much like me?" F***K. F I ground my jaw, infuriated once again. "My life doesn''t revolve around you." She c***ed her head to the side with an amused look, before sucking her teeth. "Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Just know she can never be me." She smirked and patted my chest before walking away, leaving me stunned and rising with anger. I had no idea how I reached my bathroom. I just knew I found myself staring at my own red face and dark eyes in the mirror. 2/3 213 10:45 Fri, 10:45 I brought thatdy home because some primal part of me wanted a semnce of Ryn and the petty side wanted to make her jealous. ! I have no idea why I care what she thinks. I have no f***g idea why I can''t stop searching for her in other women. She''s not just a siren, she''s a witch. "A f****g witch!" I eximed and then my fist went through the mirror. SEND G Chapter 94 RYN As soon as I left Miro''s presence, I headed for my room and didn''t stop until I was inside and the door was closed behind me. Once I leaned against it, I raised my hand to see it trembling. To be very freaking honest. Miro was a scary man. I could feel his aura as he held my neck and mmed me into the wall. I can now see how the twins are so different. Theon''s anger was probably like a calm, blue sea that could turn into stormy waves while Miro''s anger felt like standing next to a volcano. I touched my neck again, recalling the incident between us. The fact that he looks like Theon also doesn''t help matters because tell me why, despite his harassment, I felt something for him swimming deep in my core? I ran a hand through my hair, trying to think things through. Am I broken or something? Because why would Miro''s hand around my neck turn me on? Why did I feel the urge to keep daring and pushing him to the brink just to see what he''d do? What if he hurts me? What if I don''t like what I find? My phone buzzed, and I crossed the room to the nightstand to check the caller ID. Sitting on my bed, I put the phone to my ears. "Hey Ginger." I sighed. "Where have you been?!" Sadie squealed. "I''ve been calling since, like, forever." "I''m so sorry. I had training with Theon." "Theon?" Sadie asked. "Since when is my uncle on a first-name basis with you?" Oh Shit! "I-I mean Prince Theon. It was a slip of tongue. Sorry." I rambled. There was a bit of silence on the other end. "Hello?" I called. "Yeah. I''m here." Sadie said, "I guess living with my Uncles is making you get ideas." I blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me? What ideas?" "Nothing." Sadie chuckled nervously. "Just kidding." "No. Tell me what''s on your f****king mind, Sadie. Since you''ve gained some confidence now and shit!" I gritted out. "Oh, my! Are you upset?" Is she seriously asking me that right now?N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "You know what? I have to go to the Academy. So talkter." I said and ended the call before she could have anything else to say. I fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Does Sadie also think I am not worthy enough to be her uncle''s love interest? I mean, I don''t really want him, but it kinda hurts to know my only friend thinks that way of me. It hurts even more to admit she''s right. ss-wise, I don''t evene close to the Windermeres. ? < I am nothing. A nobody. An outcast. An Orphan. I have nothing and no one and I''d be very very stupid to think someone like me can have a happy ending with someone like Theon. My eyes burned with tears as I fingered the pendant and the Moonstone. I wish I could rip off the stupid Moonstone and throw it in the deepest ocean. I now hate it. I hate it so much. It skews my judgement and makes me have ideas I should not have. Laughing with Theon, flirting with him, getting turned on by Miro''s mild violence. Do I really know the twins at all? Am I throwing myself off the deep end by dancing in their shadows? I can''t even trust myself to make a resolve not to let the Moonstone get to me. I have done that before and I always break my promise. Now I just want to leave this ce and get some air. My phone buzzed again, and I saw i Chapter 95 RYN I could barely breathe. What did he just say to me? Did he just hint that he could be my boyfriend? If I say yes, will that make him mine? Or will the twins simplyugh at me? I took a step back, eyeing him warily, and a nce at Miro proyed that even he too was surprised. So why would Theon say that? There''s a reason why he''s been single all these years, never sighted with any other woman, so why would he casually hint at being my man? I shook my head. Maybe it''s the Moonstone talking. "No. I don''t like being controlled." I retorted, folding my arms across my chest and jutting out a hip. Miro scoffed, catching my attention. "You sure about that?" My jaw dropped just as heat instantly rushed from my neck to my cheeks and ears and despite the fact that Miro had an eyes met arctic re that chilled me to the bone, I could see his eyes rake over my body in an undressing manner. When his mine again, he looked away. 211001 Why in the worl in the world would he say something like that?! I looked up at Theon, and to my surprise he had a ghost of a smirk on his face. Does he think the same way too? Is this some kind of inside joke?" is "You know what? Whatever. I''m leaving either way." I said, and turned to leave. You''re the Academy dressed like that." Theon stated and his tone was like cement around my legs, stopping me in my tracks. You''re not entering the I half turned, feeling all pent up frustration rise to the surface. "I can and I will. There''s now against it." ??? is now." Theon replied, a a malicious glint in his eyes. There isContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "What?" I asked, confused. "I literally read all the rules of the Academy. Nowhere did I see anything about tight clothing." Theon took a step forward, easily taking up all of my view and blocking out everything else. "You are right. It wasn''t a rule before, but it is now. I just made it five seconds ago." My jaw dropped again as my mind raced with a million questions. "H-How?" I asked,pletely baffled. "He''s the Director, Ryn. What did you expect?" I heard Miro say from the kitchen. I blinked in surprise, unaware that Theon had a petty side to him. "Wow." I faced him fully, now severely pi***d off. "So you''d really abuse your power just to have things your way?" "Bunny," He took another step forward, now standing so close that I could feel his warmth. "I''d do anything to have my way." Anything? I stared up at him, myeback lost in the fog my brain just developed. How far was he willing to go to control me? Is he being intense right now because of the attraction the Moonstone generates between us? or is this a new side I had never seen? To make matters worse, a familiar sense of primal desire began to form in the pits of my stomach, reminding me of our G Chapter 95 unfinished business this morning. "Take the card, Ryn." Theon said, then his gaze shifted behind me and I turned to see one of his security men passing by. Suddenly an idea came to mind. "Hey! Mister!" I called as I ran up to the man. His brown eyesnded on me and assessed me warily with an unreadable expression. Folding his arms behind him, he craned his neck down to hear me. "Yes ma''am." I might not be a girly girl but years of watching Bessie has taught me that if you can bat your eyshes and nt a smile, you''re likely to disarm a man''s defences easily, so, I just did just that and even slid a strand of hair behind my ears for effect. "Hi." Immediately, his wariness dissipated and he smiled back. "Hi. How can I help you?" "Yeah. Uhm, can I please have your jacket?" I asked, softening my tone. "My clothes are too tight and unfortunately, my Director is making a big deal out of it so..." I slid another strand of hair behind my ear. "I was thinking if I could borrow yours." "Sure." The man said and had begun to pull his leather jacket off his shoulders when he looked behind me and paused. "No need, Brian." Theon''s voice got closer and I turned just in time to see him slowly unbutton his white shirt as he approached me. "I''ve got this handled." He said to him, but his eyes were fixed right on me. The man bowed and walked away without a second nce and when I turned back to Theon in frustration, I found his brother leaning against the wall opposite the kitchen holding a te of food in hand while chewing. Nosy A***le. Pulling back back his shirt, Theon removed his arms from it one after the other and handed it to me. "Take it. You can wear mine instead." The sweet out of His brows furrowed in confusion before his eyes hardened. "Careful Ryn, I have a way of making the impossible happen." My chest hammered violently as the chill in his tone sent shivers down my spine. "I don''t know what came over you, but I don''t have time for it so you either take my card or wear my f****g jacket. I am going to count to five and if you don''t choose, your only option will be choosing between wearing my jacket or walking out of here naked. One." "Fine. I don''t need your card! I''m buying with my own money instead!" "That''s not an option. Two." My jaw dropped for the third time. "It''s my money! I can do whatever I like!" "I don''t care, you''re spending mine. Three." "This is harassment!" I replied, feeling my anger rise. ?? "Just the way you came into my bedroom and ''harassed'' me?" He arched a brow and my jaw dropped wider. "That was not my fault!" "Neither is this situation mine, Bunny. Four." B. 10:45 "You better choose one girl" Miro shook his head in amusement "Theon is not one to be messed with." Frustrated and so angry I was close to tears. I snagged the card from his hand. "Pin is ''6044"" Theon said calmly but his eyes had storms in them. "Buy as many clothes as you''d like, but also, while you''re at it, get yourself a cake, icecream, whatever it is that would make you feel better because obviously, this period of yours is making you cranky." I opened my mouth to object that I wasn''t even on my period but I thought better of it. Instead, I closed the distance between us and red at him. "You won''t be getting anymore harrassments from me." I gritted out. His icy gaze softened as they flickered to my lips and then my chest area. "That''s too bad. I was waiting for you to finish your period so I could really enjoy that harassment." His eyes twinkled with mischief, hinting at hidden thoughts. Horrified, I took a step back, feeling my entire face burn. Then I turned around and left and didn''t stop until I was in the elevator going down to the ground floor. Raising my eyes, I stared at my reflection in the mirror and found my whole face flushed. What''s worse, I could feel a mixture of fear and excitement coursing through my veins, sending me down a dark path of desire. What kind of man is Theon really? I asked myself as I stared into my own eyes. Most importantly, what kind of person am I? Chapter 96 Chapter 96 RYN Forty minutester, I was alighting in front of the Academy dressed in an oversized T-shirt and some new fitting jeans. As much as I was tempted to make Theon regret giving me his card by splurging on everything in the boutique, I ended up buying a few trousers and some tops to match. Leaving the rest in the car, I gave Theon''s driver the credit card and watched him drive away. Suddenly the pain in my stomach intensified and I made a mental note to get some meds from the clinic as soon as I clocked in at the Academy. how terrible it was to have this pain and still having to train, I felt relief that I hadn''t drained Theon of his lifeforce. If I hadn''t experienced this pain, I think I would have gone back home ande clean to Theon. that''s not the case. Deskfully, Bracing myself for the day, I crossed the parking lot and was about to head into the main building when I heard someone call my name. Turning around, I found Sadie standing a few feet away, her ginger hair glistening in the sun. She ran her hands down hervender colored sundress, her eyes shifting from me, elsewhere and back. "Hi." She said, What do you wat replied, folding my arms across my chest. Sadie''s brows raised pulled ?? together in confusion. "Ryn, I''m sorry, okay? I didn''t mean to speak that way. I-" Her voice trailed off. a brow. "You You what?" "I was scared for you." I stared at her like she was mad. "Scared for me, why?" She looked away, then stepped forward. "Can I at least take you to breakfast and exin there?" I scowled. "How do you know I''ve not eaten?" ! Her eyes widened before looking away. "Uhm....I just assumed." Silence settled upon us. "Don''t lie to me, Sadie. If you want a chance with me, don''t lie to me." as she sighed, looking down at the ground. "Fine. Uncle Miro texted me." Her shoulders sagged, as I frowned. "Prince Sadie nodded. "I called Uncle Theon first to ask if you were at home. But he told me you were on your way to the Academy. do." So on my way here, Uncle Miro texted that you haven''t eaten and I should make sure you I simply stared at her, dumbfounded. Now why would Prince Miro do that when just a few hours ago, he had his hand wrapped around my throat? Is he mental or something? "But he made me promise not to tell you." Sadie blurted out, wringing her hands together. "So, please don''t let him know." I could see the nervousness and sincerity in her eyes so I checked my wristwatch and when I was sure I still had some time < before the afternoon ss starts, I agreed to the offer. Shortly after, we were sitting in a cafe in the upscale parts of the neighborhood, not far from the Academy. When our orders arrived, I refused to eat until she exined herself. +5 Sadie sighed and leaned forward on the table. "The reason I left my other school and came to Lycantide High was because I realized every girl there wanted to be my friend because they knew I was cousins with the Princes. They just wanted to use me to get close to them and never really cared about hanging out with me." "Later on, a nasty incident urred which I don''t want to talk about yet but it really really scarred me and made me hide my identity and not want to have friends... until...well...until I met you." Our eyes met and I II could see she was on the verge of tears. "I never thought I would have someone who would defend me on a whim and even after you found out I was rted to the Princes, you didn''t seem to care about my cousins. You didn''t pester me for information about them. You didn''t ask me to arrange meetings with them. I finally found a genuine friend. Then I heard of your attack and you moving in and at first I thought nothing of it but Bessie-" "Bessie?" I arched my brow. "You''re discussing me with Bessie?" "No!" Her eyes widened again. "I wasn''t discussing you. She somehow heard that you were living with the Princes and said you finally seeded in seducing them and have always wanted them all along. She''s been saying this all over school." "And you didn''t think to tell me?" I asked, appalled. "Did you even defend me?" Sadie opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. "Wow." I leaned back in my chair, with my arms folded. "So you two are besties now, huh? And I am the bad guy." "You''re not." She countered. "And I may not be brave like you to speak out and defend you but I know you''re not." "That wasn''t the impression you gave me when you told me not to get any ideas." "Ryn, I really am sorry." She sat up in her seat, a tear rolling down her face. "I didn''t mean to say that." I watched her, my head **ed to the side. "What if I had something with either of your Uncles, what would your reaction be? Hypothetically speaking, of course." have never you Sadie floundered, sniffled and rubbed off her tear stained cheek. She looked away in thought, and then her eyesnded back on mine. "What you have with my Uncles is none of my business. You didn''t meet them through me and exploited our friendship. That''s all that matters to me." "Would you support our rtionship if I was with any of them?" Sadie swallowed, but her gaze was resolute. "Yes. As long as you''re both happy... but." ""But what?" But what? "I''m scared for you." My brows pulled together. "Why do you keep saying that?" "Because I know without a doubt that as charming as my Uncles are, there''s something...dark about them and there''s a reason why they''ve remained single all these years." Sadie said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Before Uncle Theon found his mate, he and Uncle Miro were notorious for running through all the girls that threw themselves at them and they had no remorse whose hearts they broke but they sure knew how to make a girl feel special." I blinked, my heart dropping into my stomach. Does this not seem familiar? B. ChapterFit & 88%1 +5 §ä§à 96 "And ording to what heard, most of the girls were too ruined by the Windermere experience," she made air quotes with her fingers, "... and couldn''t really move on. That''s why I''m scared for you." forehead creased with worry. "I love my uncles to pieces and they might be older and wiser now but I''m afraid deep down, they are still the same and if you fall for them, they will hurt you." Now I was the one who couldn''t keep her gaze. "Apology epted." I said quietly. Sadie smiled and reached for my hand across the table. "Besties forever?" I swallowed and forced a smile. "Besties forever." Afterward, we ate breakfast and discussed my graduation. Then it was time for me to leave and I stood up to thank her and say goodbye. "One more thing!" Sadie blurted out as I turned to leave. She once again had a worried look on her face. "Uhm... I need to tell you something but you have to promise not to get mad." I watched as she squirmed, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "What is it this time?" "Promise, first." Checking my watch, I realized I don''t have a lot of time. "Fine, I promise. What is it?" "My parents found out about the picture. You know the one you showed me involving your parents and all of us as kids?" The knot in my stomach grew tighter. "Well, uhm, they want to talk to you.....tonight... at dinner. They said they know what happened." SEND Chapter 97 Chapter 97 MIRO After Ryn left, Theon came back to his seat in the kitchen and went back to typing out emails. I, on the other hand, scanned my calendar for uing business meetings and events. Suddenly, Theon raised his head. "Was I too harsh on her?" My eyes slowly trailed from my phone to his face. His expression was unreadable as usual but from the keen way he looked at me for answers, I could tell he really cared. "Why do you care?" Theon blinked and looked down at his half-eaten meal. "I don''t know. I think it''s the Moonstone messing with my feelings. You''re the one with thedies, so I need you to give me a straight answer before I leave chasing after her." I looked at my brother and remembered my resolve to look after him. "No. You weren''t too harsh. If anything, you were really nice, firm but nice." "Thanks." He nodded once and went back to his business. Then I decided this was the best time to discuss my issues with him. "Can we talk?" Theon raised his eyes to me before setting his phone face down on the kitchen counter. "I''m listening." d to have his attention, I went straight to the point. "I want us training again just like old times." He arched his brow. "Why?" "Because I need to fight someone..." I said, measuring his reaction, "...someone you''ve fought before." "Who?" "Olive Verena." Olive Theon''s eyes hardened. "Dad is putting you up to this, isn''t he?" "Theon, please, don''t start again." I rose to my feet, taking my used te to the sink. "I am an adult and I know what I am doing. Will you help me or not?" "NO I turned around to look at him. "Why?" Because he''s too dangerous. I me something I don''t already know." I replied, feeling my anger starting to rise. "This is why I need your help. I can beat him just like you did. I can win this for our country." Theon tilted his head to the side. "Is this for our country or is this for Dad?" "It''s for me." I answered. "It''s for me because I am tired of being seen as second best to you. I am tired of living under your shadow and being referred to as the other twin. I''m tired of being seen as a nobody." Theon''s cool mask broke to show his confusion. "Are you kidding me right now?" Theon blinked in surprise. "Who had the smarts to take our business from a five staffpany to a global giant? Who led many sessful team missions with little to no casualties? Who graduated college with an IQ that can put Einstein to shame? Who is the reason we became self-made billionaires? You!" 10.45 Fri, "But none of that matters to Dad." Theon slid out of his seat and walked a few steps away. nting both hands on his hips, he released a heavy breath of frustration. "I''m done." He said, shaking his head. "I am done trying to make you see that you don''t need him or his love. I thought bing self made, building our own empire and trying to usurp him would be enough but now I see it would never be enough for you." Silence settled upon us, and the back of my eyes began to burn. I''m sorry, T "I think you need that apology more than I do." He said, closing the distance between us. "You need to apologize to yourself for seeking the validation of someone who never cared about you in the first ce." His words hit me like a punch. I know the truth, but as I stood there, looking at the semnce of my own self, I knew I wasn''t ready to admit it. "Are you going to help me with Olive or not?" Theon threw his head back and stared at the ceiling. "I almost didn''t win with Olive, you know?" He eventually said. "He shattered two of my ribs during our match." I blinked in surprise. "You didn''t tell me that." Theon looked at me, his eyes hard. "I was hospitalized for a full week and I expected that you''d notice, but you didn''t. Instead, I came home to you hosting a party in our house." I shifted through my memories and vaguely remembered Theoning home, using a cane to walk. At that time, I was high on drugs, booze and women and I found it funny, probably even said something insensitive. "T. I''m-" "Save i e it!" He snapped, walking away from me. "I can''t help you." Just as he was about to leave the kitchen, I got an email and when I read it, anger sparked in my bones. "So you met with Dominic?" He paused, turning around slowly. "You went to the North without permission? Risked a warrior''s life!" My voice rose with every word as I read more details in disbelief. "All for a flower? Wait a minute, is this for Ryn?" Theon faced me, storms gathering in his eyes. "Are you spying on me?" "Answer the d****n **n question, ,T!" Theon watched me c***ly. "I don''t need to. I don''t owe you an exnation. You asked me to stay out of your business, so stay out of mine." He said, then turned to walk away again. My anger first became tempered by shock then it surged again. "You f***g hypocrite!" I snarled, feeling my wolfe to the surface. "It''s always her! Always her over me! You''d risk your life for some siren witch! Give her your life force but won''t even train me! Won''t even help me? What did I ever do to you to deserve this heartlessness?! Why are you so cold to me?" Theon stopped, turned and watched me c***y before tilting up his lips in a smirk. "What''s so F*****G funny?!" "How easy it is to rile you up?" My brows knitted. "You know what?! F***k you! I''ll beat Olive with or without your help!" I yelled, going back to the kitchen counter. 145 FN. Theon walked out without a word and I was left fuming and plotting ways to make him pay. It would be nice to send this information to Dad. Once he finds out about the phoenix flower it''s only a matter of time before he discovers the Moonstone and expels Ryn. Then she can be out of our lives for good. But then, at what cost? Ryn will be shattered, and my brother will never forgive me. I''m not even sure winning against Theon is enough to make my fatherpletely forgive me. My mother''s sick face suddenly came to mind as sheid on her deathbed, holding both my hand and Theon''s. "Promise me, my precious princes, that you will always choose to be brothers first before you are your father''s sons. Promise!" We had to channel our wolves to make the promise before she died shouldContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I betray him now?" punishment. He He''s covered for me and protected me all my life. Whortly after. The burning in my eyes led to tears, and I used the heel of my palms to press deep into my eyes. I remembered all the times I made mistakes and Theon lied on my behalf and took the for myself together, I ascended the stairs. When I sitting on his bed, staring into space. His face got to Theon''s bedroom door, I hesitated before knocking twice and going in. After a moment of Coming in, I found had b "If you''re here for und two, I really don''t have the strength or the patience." I been ck when I came in, but now that he was aware of my presence, his cold exterior slipped into ce. "Dad is the one spying on you." I said, then he looked at me. "I intercepted the news before it could get to him." Theon rose to his feet, shoving his hands in his pockets. "So, let me guess, as long as I help you Dad won''t hear about it, right? Is that what this is?" I reined in my anger. "But I won''t do that." I said and handed him my phone containing everything I just discovered. "Here, this is everything I gathered concerning your secret mission. You can delete it from my phone." Theon scratched his chin. "And how will I know you don''t have a copy somewhere?" "It should be." I snapped, then I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Because I am trying to be your brother first before being his son." His gaze softened and then he, too, sighed. "Fine, I''ll train you." I looked at him in surprise before sighing in relief. "Thanks. I''m in your debt. Anytime you need me, just let me know." Theon c***d his head to the side, observing. "Actually, I want to cash in on that debt now." My brows burrowed. "You need my help?" "Yap." He answered. "Get dressed. We are going out of town." Chapter 98 Chapter 98 RYN Unfortunately for me, I was so bothered by Sadie''s news that I forgot to get my painkillers and by the time I went in; it was almost time for training. I quickly changed into my uniform and took deep breaths, making sure to walk in a manner that does not trigger my wound. Keeping a neutral expression, I entered the open field. This was arge area surrounded by trees and had somehow be one of my favourite ces. I used to enjoy training here, especially in the evenings when the gentle breeze cools my skin after an intense training session. Aside from that, I loved being able to run and do a lot of things that had been significantly beneficial to my wolf. At first, I was scared that I''d be asked to shift, but thankfully when others shifted for runs; I wasn''t forced to. Now that I think of it, could Prince Theon have had something to do with that? I shook my head. Whomever it might be, I''m grateful, otherwise people like Konan will have had something new to taunt me with. The first thing I noticed on the field was a different man in an Asst. Coach uniform. He was tall, with his dark hair slicked back with gel. He seemed to be in his early thirties and stood tall with his arms behind his back, watching the others warm up. "Are you the new coach?" I asked as I approached him. He turned around, stern-faced and unsmiling. "Ryn Ashmore." I stretched forth my hand for a handshake. The man whose tag said Collins, looked at his wristwatch instead and when he looked at me, his dark brown eyes hardened, "What are you standing there for?! Join them!" "Uhm, yes, sir." I stated, before running into the field. The next three hours became some of the worst in my life. We went through every warmup in the book and practiced team sessions that involved running at full speed, crouching on the belly, and jumping over high cements. All through this, Collins yelled at us and insulted us while praising Konan. I immediately deduced that they were birds of the same feather and when Collins began to pick on me, I was not surprised. He noticed me moving at a much slower speed than everybody else, and decided to make me the center of his attention. "WHY ARE YOU IN A MAN''S SPORT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU CAN''T KEEP UP?!" He yelled into my ears as I tried to run with a three thousand pound tree log on my shoulders. "WHAT USE ARE YOU WHEN THE ENEMY FINDS YOU THIS SLOW?!" He yelled in my face. His spit flying everywhere. "They might as well catch you and f***k you till you''re dead!" I bit my tongue, feeling my face go red as his words tried to cut me down session after session. All I could do was focus on the pain in my stomach and hoped Theon wouldn''te to save me, cause that... would be highly embarrassing. By the time we were done, I could barely walk. While we all sat on the field, maxxed out and tired, Collins gave us some bu****hit version of a peptalk and wished us goodluck on our test tomorrow. Afterward, he left and some of the guys sat on the field resting, while some went back into the building. I, on the other hand, rushed into a corner in the woods, far away from earshot. When I was sure no one would hear me, I covered my mouth with one hand, held my stomach with the other, and cried 10:2 bitterly. Every muscle in my body spasmed and my stomach felt like there was a gaping hole in it. Chapter 98 88% +5 Suddenly, I felt nauseous, and before I knew it I was bending over, vomiting my breakfast. After a while of retching. I wiped my mouth with the sleeve of my uniform and walked to a nearby tree. Leaning against it, I panted for breath, feeling lightheaded and weak. My wolf stirred, and I could feel her trying toe to the surface and heal me, but she couldn''t. She was just as weak as I was. My fingers found their way to my pendant and Moonstone, and as I fingered them, I wondered if Theon could feel me. All of a sudden, my vision swayed, so I eased myself to sit on the leafy ground, while checking to make sure there were no insects nearby. The idea was to take a breather to get myself again. Maybe just close my eyes for a couple of minutes. I checked my wristwatch. 4:09pm I I closed my eyes, nning to rest for just five minutes before making my way back to the building. When I opened my eyes again, it was almost dark. The sun had set, but there was still a sliver of light for me to see. Checking my wristwatch, I saw i I was eleven minutes past seven. I rushed to my feet and doubled over as another sharp pain wracked my body, making me tremble. Prince Theon did not my locker.e for me, but maybe he would have sent texts to my phone, which was in Feeling slightly better, I proceeded to make my way back to the building. A small headache formed in my temple and I was holding my head, staggering through the woods when a bright white light shone in my face. "Gotchya!" Groaning, I ced my hand on my face to shield my eyesight. At first, I had assumed it was Prince Miro sending out a search party for me, then I got the chilling feeling that I might be very wrong. "I told you she was still here." A voice said and a deadly shiver ran down my spine. That was Konan''s voice. Bringing down my hand, I realized Konan wasn''t alone, there were about two more guys with him. Swallowing hard, I let my eyes scan for ways to escape. The seventh rule ofbat had stated that if you were too injured or weak to fight your opponent, then you run. I took a step back while putting on my fiercest look. "What do you want?" I queried.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Konan turned off the shlight and pinned me with a deadly re. "What do you think, b***h?" He and his guys took a step forward, each carrying mischievous smirks on their faces as they cracked their knuckles. "I''m here to get rid of thepetition." That''s when I turned and ran. AUTHOR''S NOTE: What do you think of this chapter? Thank you for reading so far. Your support helps my book do well. <3 Chapter 99 RYN I tried to run at full speed but I was suddenly yanked back by my hair. Crashing to the floor, I cried out as my back hit the ground and the pain in my stomach magnified. Rolling on my side, I tried to endure the pain and rise to my feet and I had just gotten to my knees when someone kicked me in the stomach. In that instant, my entire body shuddered and I fell to the ground, coughing out blood. "Where do you think you''re running to, B****h?" I heard Konan say and the next thing I knew, I was drawn up by my hair to stand on my knees. My body went numb and I barely felt pain anymore. I was simply in a spinning world, hardly aware of what was going on. My wolf stirred weakly, trying toe to the surface. She failed and yet she tried again. Someone pped me, hard, and suddenly, the world came into focus. Konan''s face came into view. "Did you hear what I said?" He queried. "Hear what?" I answered weakly. His grip tightened on my scalp, sending shoots of pain stabbing at my scalp. "I said, whatever you do tomorrow, you better keep a low profile. Don''t embarrass me or the boys! You hear me?! Everyone is going to be present tomorrow and they don''t need to see a girl making all the other boys look bad! You got that b****h?!" I wished I could be I could be stubborn, I wished my trying wolf coulde to the surface and rescue me because at this point, I had no idea if Theon wasing for me. "I hear you." I whispered, feeling shame as he pushed my head, releasing me. "You better do." Konan han said, lowering himself to his haunches to be on eye-level with me while his friends stood behind me. "Failure to obey, and I swear to the gods, I will gut you." He threatened. "I have friends in the Elite Force and even in high ces so even if you thinker think you''ve graduated and you''ve made it, they''ll be waiting to cut you down and make your death look like a freak ident. Understood?!" I kept mute and immediately, someone stomped hard on my ankle. I cried out in pain, and Konan hit me again, silencing my screams. I fell to the ground, seeing dark spots cloud the sides of my vision. I didn''t want to lose consciousness, so I held on to my pendant - anything to keep me awake. Tears rushed to my eyes as I felt my wolf, trying over and over again toe out and save me. "Raise her up!" I heard Konan order and I was yanked roughly to a standing position. I panted heavily, wondering whates next. I contemted.screaming again but considering how the security men acted thest time, I thought better of it. Besides, I could feel blood lodge in in my throat, spilling into my mouth. I can''t scream.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Konan''s eyes fell to my pendant, which was the only ne out of my top. "What''s this?" He said and before I could react, he reached for the pendant and despite closing my hand around it, he pried my fingers off and yanked it off my neck. "No!" I yelled. "Give it back!" And as I tried to take it back, his two friends held my arms on both sides, keeping me from taking back my pendant. Konan smirked looking at it. "I see this means a lot to you." He said, "Behave tomorrow and you''ll get it back." He said pocketing it and all of a sudden, the memory of my father wearing it around my neck, promising it was a symbol of their love for me yed in my mind. Was I going to let someone like Konan take the single most precious memory that I 5 have left in this world from une? 88%E With that realization, rage was birthed. I felt anger quake within my bones, searing my skin with heat, scaling through every atom and nerve and tendon in my body. It was anger like the olden days. Rage like no other that had kids running from me. Rage that had me flipping out and almost decapitating my childhood best friend. Rage that put Howard in a fuckinga. "Give it back." I said quietly as I felt my wolf try onest time and surge from deep within. Konan''s smug look faltered as he watched me warily. "Give it back!" I yelled, yanking my arm from one of the boys and turning to the other who still held my other arm. Without hesitating, I kicked his groin and he doubled over, releasing me. The other boy rushed to me, his hand raised to strike and I held it in the air. He looked at me, his face twisted in fear, but before he could react, I pulled his head close, and closed my teeth around his ear. I kept eye contact with Konan as I bit his friend''s ear off and when his screams echoed in the woods, I backhanded his face, shutting him up. Now, it was time to face Konan. I spat out his friend''s flesh from my mouth as I approached and he took a step back, watching me with a confused and wary look. "What the f***k are you?" He asked dumbfounded and in a sh, I reached him. Konan was prepared. He had a gun drawn, pointed right at my face. "One wrong move and I''ll f***ng blow your head off! My father will take care of your body and no one will trace your disappearance. Underst-" I was done hearing shit! I gripped his wrist, and a shot fired. Within a second, I moved to the side, and time seemed to stop as I watched the bullet pass right before my eyes. Time moved again, and I maneuvered the gun out of his hand before turning and elbowing his ribs and then his face. Konan pushed I me forward and I fell to my knees and when I turned, Konan had channeled his wolf. His eyes glowed orange and right before my eyes, his body grew to arger lycan form, tearing through his clothes and ripping it to shreds. I got on my feet, feeling my spine itch with the urge to shift as I thought of what to do. When he fully transformed, he growled at me and in return, a growl ripped from my throat at him. It almost seemed as if it weren''t me, but my wolf. My bones began to throb and quake and I felt like something was about to happen. Then I paused, my heart racing rapidly as I looked at Konan. My heart dropped when I realized he didn''t look like a normal lycan. He looked very much like a mutant. Chapter 100 RYN "What the f****k?!" One of Konan''s friends eximed and I turned to see the both of them gaping at Konan. Turning back around, I discovered to my horror that Konan had moved closer and was trying to maul me with his ws. Again, that slow motion thing urred and to my dismay, I witnessed time slow down the descent of his ws on my head. Quickly, I stepped out of the way and then I noticed his gun on the ground. Time went back to normal and before Konan''s beast could discover what was happening, I dived for the gun, feeling the pain in my entire body knock out my breath. Konan lunged for me and I squeezed one eye shut before pulling the trigger. The shot went into his shoulder, making his beast body jerk backwards. As a a result, he growled to the dark sky, trying toe for me again. I shot him in the thigh and this time, he fell to his knees, growling weakly before falling onto his back. For a moment, the only sound that permeated the air was the sound of my heavy breathing. Then, I looked at Konan''s friends who in turn looked at us stunned and in disbelief especially as Konan''s body reverted back to normal. Suddenly, my ears picked up on something that sounded like the rush of many feet. Assuming it was security and also not trusting that they''d be on my side, I rushed to Konan''s shredded clothes and searched for my pendant. I found it and without a second nce, I ran. -"Hey!" One of the boys called but I didn''t look back. I got to a point where I saw security, wading through the woods with their shlight. So I crouched somewhere behind a bush to hide "Hey! Over here!" The guy who I hit in the groin called out to them. As soon as the security men hurried to him, and I was sure no one would see me, I ran out of the woods. I didn''t stop till I was across the field and into the building. Bending over to catch my breath, I realized I was getting weaker and the pain in the body was bing too much for me to bear. I could still feel my wolf on alert but she was starting to lose her adrenaline. Quickly, I wore my pendant back around my neck and since the field was at the backdoor of the school, I limped to the hallway leading to the exit. As soon as I got there, my eyesnded on the security standing at the entrance, so I dodged behind a wall and held my breath. Thinking fast, I hurried up the steps to my locker room quietly, and the moment I was in, I locked the doors behind me. When I listened for steps and didn''t hear any, I crossed the room to my locker. Opening the door, I retrieved my bag and dug inside for my phone. Pulling it out, I realized my hands were shaking terribly and I had to close my eyes and get a grip before turning it on. The first number I intended to dial was Theon''s. Then I realized he had sent a text hours ago stating he was going out of town with his brother. Fuck! No wonder he couldn''t feel me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Suddenly, someone turned the knob on my door and tried to enter. When they couldn''t, I heard a knock. "Miss Ashmore?" I heard a man''s voice call. "Pleasee out, we need to speak with you." My wolf stirred, sensing danger. I sensed it too. Something was not right but I couldn''ty a finger on it. Another knock and I began to look for a means to escape. An idea came to mind and dialled a number, cing it to my ears as I crouched in a corner. 10:46 Secondster, Adam''s voice came on. "Hey Ryn. What''s up?" "I need your help." "Sure, what do you need?" 0 % % Just then, a loud sound exploded in the silence, sending my heart into overdrive. Turns out the man was trying to break in. "Who are you talking to?!" He queried and kicked the door again. "Come out, right now!" "What the hell is going on?" Adam asked. "Where are you?" "I''m at school, in my locker room." My voice trembled. "The guards are trying to break in." "What?! Why?" "OPEN THIS DOOR!" OPEN Another kick Anoth urred. "Pleasee quickly!" I whispered, feeling fear and pain grip the worst parts of me. "On my way, I Ryn. Adam said. "I''ve got this handled. Don''t you worry." I drew my knees to my chest, making myself smaller as bitter memories of me hiding from my former Alpha invaded my mind. I was just a child, terrified out of my mind when he tried to break the door in. My body began to tremble and spasmed as the dark spots around my vision grew bigger. At some point, the a***It on the door stopped and silence settled upon the whole building as if no one was in it. Still, I held on to my pendant, while keeping an eye on the door. I blinked once, twice and then the next time I was opening my eyes, someone was knocking on the door. Ryn, it''s it''s me." Adam said. By now, my arms felt like lead and my head felt heavier than usual. "Ryn? Are you there?" He asked. "Yes." I whispered and uncurled my arms from my legs, before slowly getting to my knees. Now, I was back to the way I was before my rescue. With each crawl, I felt like I was going to break but I managed to get to the door and unlock for Adam. wolf came to my The moment he he came in and saw me, a cuss word left his mouth and in an instant, he had me carried in his arms. "What the hell happened?" He queried as he moved through the building with me in his arms. "Konan." I managed to whisper. "I knew it! I am going to report him to the superiors. He''s getting his a** kicked out." "No!" I whimpered, gripping his shirt, while shaking my head. "Don''t report him.". Adam''s brows furrowed. "Why?" "Because I want to make his worst fearse through. I want to defeat him in front of everyone and show him that he cannot intimidate me into silence." Minutester, I was in a hospital attended to by Healer Kwan. After examining me, and putting me on a drip, he removed his stethoscope from his ears and sighed. "Miss Ashmore, I have bad news for you." Chapter 101 RYN After Healer Kwan left, I sat on the bed, and stared at my bloody, dirty clothes, sitting in a pile on the floor, wondering how I was going to wear them again. "You don''t need to worry about that. I brought you a shirt?" I raised my head and found Adam standing by the entrance, holding a crisp, white shirt by a hanger. "I have a spare shirt I always keep in the car in case of emergencies? This is an emergency...so.." His voice trailed off. I smiled at him, showing my gratitude. "Thank you." Afterwards, I showered and changed. Then the moment I entered his car, Sadie''s call came in and I mentally groaned.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Closing my eyes, I picked her call. "Hi Ging- "Are you blowing my parents off?!" I froze, experiencing Sadie''s angry tone for the first time. "No. I''m not. I can exin." "Fine. . I''m listening. I thought about what to tell her. "I got injured during training so I had to go to the clinic to get treated." "Oh my gods. I-I''m so sorry." Sadie''s voice softened. "I should have known it was out of character for you to stand my parents up. You know how I feel about them and making first impressions." "I understand." " "How are you now? I hope your injury is not too serious?" fine. Please send my apologies to your parents." "Sure, I will." Her voice trailed off. "Although, they''d be traveling first thing tomorrow morning and might take a while before you see them again. Can you still make it here?" I thought a about her words for a moment. "Hold on." I said, putting her on hold. I turned to Adam who had just entered the driver''s seat. "Could you please drive me to the Cresswell manor at Northridge Avenue?" Adam smiled at me. "Sure, Ryn. Anything for you."_ I stilled at his words, feeling heat rush to my face. Then I put the phone back to my ears. "Hey, I''ming over." T "Awesome. I''ll let my parents know." Sadie said and I hung up. Adam started the car and soon we were on our way to Sadie''s house. I looked out the window, reying the recent events in my mind, especially the part where Konan transformed into a mutant. I kept this particr information from Adam because I didn''t quite know what to do with it yet. Is it just Konan? Or are there others? And what did he mean by asking me what I was? What did he see? Then, Healer Kwan''s warning about me dying came to mind and my hands tightened around the hem of my shirt. I hate that I won''t be able to put Konan in his ce tomorrow. What am I going to do? 95% Chapter 101 "Eventually, I''ll have to give a report to the superiors concerning what happened tonight." Adam said, drawing me out of my thoughts and I looked his way, He was right. He had a duty and I could not be selfish to ask him to keep things hush. So I agreed. Eventually, we arrived at the Cresswell estate and I found Sadie dressed in a cute halter neck dress, waiting outside her doorstep as usual. This time, an older woman dressed in a simple grey office gown stood beside her and from the pictures I''ve seen in Sadie''s house, I recognized her as Sadie''s mother. My palms began to sweat, so I wiped them on my shirt. The moment I got out of the car, Sadie ran over and pulled me into a hug. A grunt escaped my lungs as soon as she hit the spot where I was injured. "Oh I''m so sorry." Sadie eximed, pulling back. "Are you okay? I I made the okay sign with my fingers. Then, her eyes fell on Adam and her brows flew up. She turned to her mother who also looked pleasantly surprised and then back to him. Adam, already aware of their attention, smiled politely and waved at them. Then, Sadie''s mother came down the steps, and went first to Adam. She entered into his embrace and did the thing where people blow air kisses on each other''s cheeks before pulling back and holding his hands in hers. "How have you been?" you?" "Lovely. Andy "Oh you know me." She stepped back, dropping his hands "... trying to stay as young as possible." She chuckled nervously. I found it weird that she was pandering to a boy half her age but oh well, I am in the circle of the rich and not just the rich the royal rich. Anything can happen. "You always look delightful, Mrs. Cresswell." Adam said, making her blush and yfully pping his shoulder.- "Oh, stop! Call me Lydia." She beamed. Sadie and I shared a nce and I could see her face redden. at the Ball, yes?" She asked. Will see you at "Definitely." Adam replied, then he turned to me. "I hope I also get to see you there." I blinked in surprise. "Uhm..I hope so too." I nodded and shrugged. I Lydia finally turned to me and her smile turned stale. "I didn''t know anyone could get into the King''s Ball?" Adam looked at me. "She''s a ward of the Windermeres. I''m sure they''d arrange for her to get in regardless." "Yeah. So I heard." She answered, looking at me from head to toe in a way that made me seriously aware that I was from another world. "My cousins have a thing for charity." I blinked at the insult. "Hello Ryn." She sighed. "What happened to your clothes?" "Oh, they were bloody and ruined, so I''m taking care of it for her." Adam pitched in. "Oh." Lydia''s smile turned to a painful one. "Sounds like you''re running errands for her." "I don''t mind. She''s my good friend who needed my help." Adam pitched in, smiling at me. 91A Chapter 101 I forced a smile back for him and faced her. "Hello, Mrs. Cresswell," I piped up. "I apologize for-" "It''s a all good." She waved me off and turned to Adam, touching his shoulder. "Why don''t youe in and I can make you something. You must be tired, Why would you bother yourself driving all the way over here? You could have just sent one of your drivers." Once again, Sadie and I shared a nce and she looked away in shame. I reached out and held hands with her and she raised her eyes to mine in surprise. I gave her a smile and she smiled back. "I actually have to get back soon to prepare for tomorrow''s event. Adam replied. "So, some other time, yes?" Lydia pouted. "Fine. I''ll hold you to your word. You''re wee anytime." "Ryn?" §Ü§å§á§Ñ I turned to Adam. "Can I see you for a moment?" My eyes strayed to Mrs. Cresswell who gave me that same condescending look - the kind thates from looking at someone from the tip of a nose. She turned to leave and Sadie excused us so I could speak to Adam. "Will you still be able topete tomorrow?" I thought of his question and wondered if my desire for revenge and proving something is worth more than my life. "I don''t know. The doctor really advised me not topete." "Then perhaps, you should sit it out. It''s not a requirement for graduating anyway." I nodded in reply and a certain sense of sadness enveloped me, knowing I''d eventually have to rest for my sake. "Will you stille to Lycantide to watch the event?" I frowned. "Lycantide High?" he nodded. He nodded. "Is the event being held there?" "Wait a minute, weren''t you informed?" Adam frowned. "Informed about what?" I asked. "I sent out an announcement to everyone stating that the final test is taking ce at Lycantide High. The Alpha King wanted it that way." "MY old school?!" I gasped and suddenly remembered Konan''s words. Everyone is going to be present tomorrow and they don''t need to see a girl beat all the guys! If everyone will be there tomorrow, it means I have no choice, it means all the girls will be looking up to me and some girls like Bessie will be waiting to mock me. And then, there''s the Alpha King who will be watching and Theon who put a lot at stake for me. "I don''t have a choice." I stated more to myself than to Adam. "I have topete tomorrow." 09.55 Sat. Chapter 102 apter 102 +5 RYN After Adam left, I followed Sadie into the mansion and there in the luxury living room, I found Lydia pouring herself a ss of white wine. Sadie grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me towards the stairs and as we climbed, my phone buzzed. The moment I saw Theon''s caller ID, my heart did a somersault and I took a deep breath before answering. "Hello?" "Security said you never came home, where are you?" "At Sadie''s." I answered, ncing at my friend. "Her parents invited me to dinner." There was silence on the other end.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Hello." "Did you get my text?" "Yeah. You''re out of town." "Yes. I am...securing the cure. You will get it soon." paused, feeling hope on the horizon of my heart. "How soon?" "Any moment from tomorrow considering there are no hups along the way." I felt my heart hammer aagainst ribs. "Is it possible to get the cure before the event?" "I''m sorry, no." He said and my hope deted. "Is anything the matter?" ''No. Not at all." I blurted. "Carry on and... thanks for everything." He paused again. "d, you are in a better mood. Stay safe and keep me updated on your whereabouts. Understood?" "Yes." "And one more thing.." "Yeah?" "Be careful." Before I could ask what he meant, the call ended and I stood at the stairs, staring at my phone. What did he mean by that? To be careful of the Cresswells or just in general? When I got to Sadie''s room, she gave me something else to wear and when she saw how her PJs hugged my body perfectly, her jaw dropped. "Your body is giving tea!" She eximed and then covered her mouth, giggling. My neck warmed at her words. "Seriously!" She said, then her eyes went round as she leaned closer to me. "I think Adam likes you." "What? No." I replied, feeling the heat in my neck, travel to my face and ears. "Oh,e on. I saw the way he was looking at you. "He really, really, really likes you. You two should be an item." I looked at her nodding enthusistically and frowned. "Well, even if I like him back, that can''t happen since I am of lower status to him." Sadie''s happy demeanor deted slowly like a balloon. "Yeah, you''re right since he''s like a Prince in his own right. I bet his parents will choose a wife for him with the way they are so strict about who their children interact with." "Is that why your Mom was so surprised that he came here?" Sadie nervously looked at the door and nodded. "Adam has only been to our house once when my parents hosted a party. He''s rarely seen on other asions or with girls so him being with you is like really surprising." She said, "It''s like bringing a unicorn to our house." "Oh." I pondered on her words. "But I still don''t get it. What''s so special about the ckwells aside from them being royalty rich or something?" Sadie shrugged. "Not sure either. Just that theymand a lot of respect just as much as my Uncle and his sons." "The Windermeres." I concluded and Sadie nodded. "Come. My parents must be waiting." Sadie took hold of my hand and although she was right, I felt like she wanted to end the conversation quickly. When we got downstairs, I found Lydia sitting on a sofa, cozying up with a man. The way their fingers intertwined and their eyes glowed softly, I could tell they were mates and so in love. A sense of longing formed within me and it morphed into sadness as I watched them. I wish I could have that but I know I can''t. Maybe that''s why I indulge with Theon because that''s the closest thing I''ll ever get to love. When the Cresswells noticed our presence, the man rose to his feet, his eyes fixated on me, and then it flickered to my pendant and a shadow crossed his features before he looked at me again.. "You must be Ryn." He smiled. I stretched forth my hand to shake him. "Yes sir. Nice to meet you si-" Before I could finish my statement, Mr. Cresswell drew me into a hug. "It''s so good to finally meet you." He said and my eyesnded on his wife behind him, staring at me. Mr. Cresswell, pulled back and beamed down at me. "How are you?" ""Fine sir." "Please,e sit." He stated, and ced his hand on my lower back as he led me to a sofa. Sitting adjacent to them, I watched Lydia link hands with her husband again. "It''s really good to see you again." I shared a nce with Sadie. "Again? We''ve met before?" Mr. Cresswell looked at his wife. "Yes we have. We knew you as a little girl. Your father sometimes brought you to work." I sat up in my seat. "You''re a scientist too? Can you please tell me more? What was he like?" Mr. Cresswell shared a look with his wife again. "Your father was a genius. He worked with us to secure a cure for mutants. When it came to science and the anatomy of the werewolf and the lycan, he was phenomenal." "So my father tried to help mutants?" I asked. "Yes. He was a hero." Pride filled my chest at his words. My father was a good man. "Dad?" Sadie called his attention. "The pictures?" "Oh yes." Mr. Cresswell said, rising to his feet. "Be right back." Then he went out of sight. I touched my pendant, a small smile brimming to my lips. Suddenly I felt eyes on me and when I looked up, I found Lydia watching. Swallowing, I looked away. "I knew your mother." She said, catching my attention. "You look so much like her." "Oh." I said, not sure what else to say or expect from her. "What was she like?" "Extremely beautiful." She said, a certain ice creeping into her eyes. "But she was also very wise and kind." An awkward silence settled upon us but Mr. Cresswell''s return lightened things up when he gave me some photos. "Those were photos from the King''s Ball about fifteen years ago." I shuffled through them and saw a more happy gathering of the Elite families. As opposed to the picture I saw on the inte, where the kids looked traumatized, everyone was smiling, including the kids. "What you saw on the inte was some journalist trying to make controversy." Mr. Cresswell said. "We were all having a good time when a mutant broke in and caused mayhem. It was immediately subdued but still, hourster, all the children were still traumatized, hence I suddenly felt stupid for thinking there was some hidden controversy somewhere. I shuffled to thest picture and saw the image of my parents and I smiling at the camera. Both my parents had their hand on my shoulder and looked very much at peace. Tears rushed to my eyes but I blinked them back. I felt guilty for tucking my parents'' picture frame away in my bag and not bringing it out. I was scared, and guilty, because I had to shoot them in my head to win the simtion test and ever since then, I couldn''t even bring m Now, seeing the love in their eyes, I felt loved not judged. "Can I have this?" I asked, raising the picture. "Yes. Of course." Mr. Cresswell said. Shortly after, Sadie and I retired to bed and hourster, long after Sadie had slept, I stayed awake thinking of a lot. If my parents were this close to the Elites, then how did they end up living in Alpha Jack''s pack and owing him money? If my father was a hero, then why does the Alpha King hate me so damn much? Why did Sadie''s Mom treat me with disdain? The more I thought about everything, the more several questions arose. Eventually, at two a.m, I sighed and thought about the event for today. After looking Sadie''s way and making sure she was still asleep, I picked up my phone and dialled Healer Kwan''s number. After the fifth ring, the doctor answered with a groggy voice. "Miss Ashmore," He sighed. "I take my rest very seriously. I will revoke your ess to me if you abuse your priviledge." He stated. "I am so sorry." I cringed. "I wouldn''t have called if I had any other choice." He sighed again. "What is it you need this time?" I licked my lips, hesitant of what I was about to say. "I have topete in today''s event and I need Chapter 103 Chapter 103 RYN The next day, Sadie drove me to the Windermere manor to get my freshlyundered uniform. Getting in, I noticed the house was still quiet meaning Theon and Miro weren''t around yet. I didn''t like that. Somehow I missed them, even the rude green-eyed twin that cooks for me. My wolf stirred, showing her displeasure at their absence and I consoled her with the fact that today is the day we''d be free of all the pain and the attraction and the confusion. I sighed. "I''ll wait here." Sadie said, and I nodded before heading up the stairs. My room was on the other end of the hallway and I was about to go there when I stopped. I turned around, looking at the hallway where Miro and Theon''s rooms were and strange thoughts began to go through my mind. I licked my lips. My heart, working overtime with the anticipation of what I''m about to do. With a quick nce downstairs, I found Sadie sitting on the couch, engrossed with her phone. Quietly, I took steps towards the other hallway and with each passing breath, my steps quickened. got to Theon''s door and hesitated. What am I doing? My wolf came to the surface, lifting my hand to the knob, and after a moment of hesitation, I unlocked the door. Going in, everything was neat. Untouched....like me. A cleaner must havee to set the ce ready for his return. I hated that, or rather, my wolf hated that. My feet moved of their own ord and I went to the bed first. Lowering my face to the sheets, I sniffed it but was disappointed to hear the smell of detergent. I left the bed and instead walked into the closet. There I put my nose to his shirts and sniffed them. I sighed in satisfaction when I heard hints of cinnamon, apple pies and butter. I opened hisundry basket desperate for some used clothes to get more of his scent but to my disappointment those damned maids must have taken care of it. I began to get frustrated, my muscles coiled tight with desperation. I needed onest moment of him. Something I could steal as a souvenir until I no longer need the Moonstone. Until all affection between us, dies. I guess I just want to hold on to the feeling of having someone as mine, even if it''s just temporary. Even if it''s fake. I want to smell him one more time and bury myself in his arms, in his scent and in his skin cause I promised I wouldn''t touch him again. I went back to his bedroom, feeling lost and utterly helpless. Then my phone rang. As soon as I saw it was Theon, I picked it up. "Hello?" "You miss me, don''t you?" "What? No!" I lied, pushing my hair back from my face with a hand. "Liar. I can see you." Ajolt of panic shed through me. I looked up and within seconds, I found the tiny red blinking light of a hidden camera near the ceiling. "Hello, Bunny." Theon said and I could hear theugh in his voice. My face burned with shame and in a sh I was out of his room fushing down the hallway. Before going to the other side, I looked down and found Sadie standing outside the balcony, doing a tiktok. I tiptoed to the other side and didn''t stop until I was in my room "You''re a creepy person. You know that?!" I whisper-shouted. "For being security conscious? No." "How did you know I was in your room?" "I get an alert anytime someone enters and I am not there." I sat on my bed with a hard sigh. "When are youing home?" Theon went quiet for a moment and I realized how cliche my question sounded, as if we belonged to each other.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "Soon. I''m about to enter the city but I won''t be able to make it there before the event starts." "Alright. Cool.....and sorry. I didn''t mean to sound like your wife or something."" "Nah. You sound like you miss me." I rolled my eyes and ced my phone on speaker mode before cing it on the nightstand. "I don''t. Just concerned for my cure." I said, proceeding to pack my bag first. "Says the girl who was sniffing my sheets and my shirts." I dropped my bag, using both my hands to give my phone the middle finger while silently screaming the words, "Fuuuuuck Yoooou!" "Are you there?" His voice carried that sparkle ofughter again. Iposed myself. "Yes, I am here and I hope there aren''t any cameras in my room cause I''m about to undress." "To be honest, there is one actually." I froze. "...just like in every other room but I''ll never use it unless you''re in danger." I looked up, searching for the cameras and found one hidden in in sight near the ceiling, above the door. This time, there was no blinking red light. I removed my top, thinking about his words. "How can I trust that you''d keep to your word and not want to spy on me naked?" "Because I have something called self-respect?" I removed my Pj pants and stood in the room in nothing but my bra and panties. "And if I gave you permission to turn on the camera right now and watch me, would you do it?" Theon went silent again and just when I thought he wouldn''t rejily, I heard his voice. "You like ying dangerous games, Bunny." My breath hitched at the nickname and at the low tone of his voice. I tried not to think of how he''d give that name to someone else when we are no longer attracted to each other. "Would you still y?" 45 The silence this time was longer than thest and with each passing second, my mind raced faster and I wondered why I was doing this. Why I wanted to be his girl so bad. Why I wanted to be watched. "Ryn." He answered and I noticed the change in name. "This might be thest day we feel this way for each other. As much as I want to y this game, I don''t want you waking up the next day, regretting what you''ve done." Regretting? Sounds like he''s the one that might regret it. "So, in order words, you don''t want me. Got it." "Ryn." "It''s fine. It''s stupid. Sorry I bothered you." And then I ended the call. Lowering myself to my haunches, I covered my face as tears burned my eyes. Why am I like this? Why did I just do that? Why did I just try to seduce him? Why must I be the one losing control? How many FUCKING times will have to drill in it in my head that he doesn''t think of me that way? My phone began to buzz again and when I went to it, I saw it was Theon. Fuck. I totally forgot he hated being hung up on. Now I was scared of what he might say. Rather than pick his call, I stood there paralyzed, watching the call ring off. I sighed, about to leave for the bathroom when my phone buzzed with an alert for a voicemail. A knot twisted in my stomach as I lifted my phone and dialed the answering service. After entering my code, Theon''s voice slips through, low and thick, with an edge that''s almost a growl. "You hung up on me His tone is like velvet undercut with steel. "I warned you, didn''t I?" A pause, and the silence hums with something thrilling, a quiet threat that coils in t He let the words linger, his voice dropping to a whisper that curls around me like smoke. "I''ll make sure you remember why that was a mistake. You''ve been stirring things you don''t understand, tempting me. So here''s what''s going to happen: when I get back, I will find you, and I''ll make sure you learn a lesson on why y Chapter 104 Chapter 104 RYN A strange sense of excitement mixed with fear enveloped me as I got dressed and headed downstairs. How will Theon punish me? Will it hurt? As soon as I got downstairs, Sadie got up to leave but I told her to give me a second while I rushed to the kitchen. My intention was to go to the freezer but then I saw a card sitting on the counter and it stated for Ryn Ashmore. Curious, I appoached and picked the card. Turning it over, I saw a neatly scribbled note. "Food is in the fridge. Painkillers in the upper cab. Goodluck." At the bottom, it was signed, ''Miro''. I reread the note and the name, absolutely stunned. He cares. As much as Miro hates me, he cares. I went to the upper cab and it took opening a few doors to find the bottle. Smiling to myself, I popped some in my mouth, before putting the bottle in my bag. Then, I went to the freezer and after lifting the door, I peered in and it didn''t take me long to find what I was looking for. After getting what I needed and wrapping it in Tupperware, I shoved it in my bag and left with Sadie for school. Coming back to Lycantide High was beyond weird. Attending school here felt like eons ago and I strangely realized that I was no longer the tortured, bullied girl who ate leftovers from the trash. I was now different. Changed. Mature. The school buzzed with excitement as students chatted and giggled amidst themselves. When they saw me, they began to p and cheer and chant my name and despite my nervousness, I couldn''t help but smile at the sheer supporting my way.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Now, more than ever, I am convinced to prove to the world that werewolf girls are just as valuable as the boys. We can''t be reduced to being mates, wives and pup bearers. We can be protectors too and rulers. Women can be Alphas and venture into politics. Girls can finally have a chance to fight against their bullies. This is what I am fighting for. This is what I am willing to die for. A woman approached me from the crowd and I recognized her as the secretary who called my name when I wanted to submit my application form. She smiled at me and I smiled back and before she could say anything, I pulled her in for an embrace. "Ooh!" She eximed in shock. "What''s this for?" "It''s a thank you for giving me a chance." I said. If Howard had caught up to me before I was able to go in and meet the Princes, maybe my life would have taken a different turn. I felt her hand touch my back. "You''re wee. She said, "I have something to show you." We pulled apart and I looked at her in confusion. ''What''s that?'' "Follow me." She smiled. Sadie and I shared a nce before following her up the stairs to an office. She unlocked it, went in and we followed in after her. Just like I predicted, it was an office with books on shelves and the yoush an office would normally have. She stood in the middle of the room an Sadie and I shared a confused nce before looking at her. "What should, do?" "This office. For you." She said, "The Commander and Director of the Elite wanted you to have a ce to rest during the 0000000 hapter 104 24%95% event. The caterer will bring you food, drinks, anything you need. The office has a bathroomplete withdycare thi you might need. He wants you to befortable." I almost looked at Sadie but I didn''t. Instead, my ears pricked with warmth. "Thank you" I blurted out and thedy handed me the keys. "When you''re done and ready to leave, just leave the keys behind the door." She said with a smile and left. Suddenly, a cold silence fell on us both. I refused to look at my friend and she came to stand before me, folding her arms across her chest. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at me and I did everything to look everywhere else but at her. "Why is my Uncle trying to make sure you''refortable, hmmm?" I finally looked at her short frame. "I don''t know. Why don''t you ask him?" Her eyes turned to slits. "Is there something going on between you two?" "What?! No!" I stuttered. Sadie peered at me. "You''re lying. My Uncles don''t care about anyone else except me and now one Uncle is cooking for you and another is renting out an entire office for you. Why?" "Maybe they''re being nice?" "know my Uncles. When ites to others, they are far from nice. So what''s going on? Talk to me. Her gaze softened and I wondered if I could really be honest with her. "You can trust me. I won''t judge you. I promise." She raised her pinky finger and she looked so adorable that I couldn''t help myself. "And you won''t tell Bessie?" "I swear on my grandma, no other living soul will hear of it." After a moment''s hesitation, I checked my wristwatch and when I realized I had some minutes to spare, I joined my pinky finger with hers and smiled. Taking my hand, she drew me to a sofa in the corner, and after we both sat down, she faced me. "Now give me all the tea and don''t leave anything out." An hourter, I was walking the hall, finding my way to the rendezvous point. Things with Sadie went better than I had expected and at every turn she''d either squeal, blush or fake disgust. ording to updates on the group chat, the team was meeting in the boys locker room. So I headed there. Remembering what had happened yesterday between Konan, his friends and I, a shadow of fear crept in as I wondered what would happen next. Before going in, I poured out some painkillers and swallowed them. Then I went in, and found the boys already gathered along with Collins the Coach. It seemed like they were about to get briefed and the pain in my stomach intensified when I wondered where Adam was. The assistant coach threw a re my way but I paid him no mind, as I made my way to stand with the others. After taking my stance, I found Konan standing in a cormer, watching me with cool brown eyes. "Listen up!" Collins bellowed, catching our attention. "Cory and Gabe have not reported in today so there''s a high chance, it''ll just be twelve of you." Cory and Gabe? Those were the boys who attacked me along with Konan. Did I hurt them badly? My eyes travelled to Konan who was still staring at me with a neutral expression. An unpleasant shiver ran down my spine because I was used to the look of disdain, displeasure and disgust on his face for me. What I didn''t like was the fact that I couldn''t tell what he was thinking. "You''re twelve because most of you didn''t get the cut off mark from the simtion test. Here''s how things will work in today''s event." Coach Collins said. "The strength training test will be first and the first ten will go into the next round. Last two will be eliminated. Second is Someone raised their hand. "When you say, whoever is left standing. What do you mean?" Collins smirked. "You''ll see." "Where''s the Commander? "The superiors just entered the city and will soon be here." Just then, the door opened and my heart did a pirouette as my eyes flew to the door expecting to see Theon and Miro. Instead, my hope took a nosedive when some guards rushed in and in sauntered The Alpha King, filling the room with the essence of his power and aura Instantly, my wolf whimpered and everyone including myself fell on one knee, bowing to the King. Not sure why my wolf was reacting badly, I raised my head and found the one-eyed former director - Edgar Dutton behind the King. His one good eye was pinned on me, and I remembered how he tried to choke the life out of me. I looked away, my gaze shifting to another individualing to stand beside him and that''s when I lost my breath. Sweat and goosebumps broke out of skin as my eyesnded on my worst nightmare and past arch-nemesis: ''Alpha Jack?'' Chapter 105 THEON AN HOUR AGO. The moment I came back, the first thing I did was go to Ryn''s room. My wolf had been restless, calling out her name. Now, as I sat here, staring at the picture frame of her and her parents next to the teddy I bought her, my wolf became at peace, feeling right at home. I sighed, reying our conversation in my head. ''You like ying dangerous games, Bunny." Would you still y?''Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! In that moment, she had no idea what she had done to me. I suddenly felt hot and unsped the first set of buttons on my shirt. Ryn had taken me back to a time where I thought I could be happy in love. When the image of my mate surfaced in my mind''s eye, my hands cu Elizabeth. I could see her dark hair, stunning blue eyes and smug grin as she stripped for me through the camera. She knew I had a thing for watching her. She knew my kind of games and she loved to y them. She was the only one I could fully be myself around, and totally bare my soul without judgement. Then it all fell apart. She took my heart and crushed it in the palm of her hand, almost killing me in the process. No. Not almost. I died, and then Miro said I came back to life. Ever since then, I lost my zest for fighting. For women. For all things love and intimacy... until Ryn. This damned Moonstone thing had made dead emberse to life and with every passing day, it reminds me of what it felt like to be consumed by another being. I tried not to be ridiculously obsessed with her. I fucking tried and now, I find out he has a thing for being watched. What am I supposed to do with that fucking information?! I lowered my head, shaking it slowly from side to side. This will not end well. This will not end well. This will definitely not end well. Gods. I wanted to see her naked. I wanted so badly to turn on the cameras and watch her. Thank the gods I didn''t. That''s something I can nevere back from. my ws hade out A low throbbing pain urred in the palm of my hands and when I looked down, I discovered that and pierced my palms. Opening them, I found blood pooling in my hands, so I rose to my feet, and went to her bathroom. Washing off the blood, I stared at my own reflection. Do I really want this feeling to end? I smile more now. I wake up with a reason now. I even talk a lot more nowadays. Things might be shitty between my brother and I but since Ryn, we fight more often which I think is bet and turning into our rooms. "No." I muttered out loud, shaking my head and putting off the tap. I''m just looking for excuses to hold on to her. Today''s the day it all ends and the moment, Ryn gets her antidote, we will no longer be linked. I''ll go back to being a living corpse. A 111 AU monster in the cold. A cruel smile formed on my face, revealing my dimples and Ryn''s words about my smile suddenly shed through my mind. ''You should smile more often.'' Fuck. My smile faded. Within minutes, I was out of her bedroom, checking my wristwatch as I descended the stairs. Looking around, I found my twin at the barstand, sitting on a stool, drinking one of his concoctions. I don''t me him. He really came through for me today and I wish I could have one too but I need a clear head for the day ahead. "When is sheing?" I asked him. "I dunno." Miro shrugged, before turning to me with a teasing smirk. "Isn''t she your wife now? You should know." I gave him a scathing re, before looking down at the golden wedding band around my finger. ording to Chelsea and the weird ass priest she brought from nowhere, I''m now her husband. For Ryn''s sake, I agreed to her terms and gave her the marriage she wanted al Afterward, Miro and I were driven back home, but I left behind a car along with men to bring her as soon as she packed her things. She wouldn''t tell me where the antidote was until she fully moved in. Now here we are, waiting for her toe in so I can finally save Ryn. After checking in with my men and finding out Chelsea was close, I brought out my tablet and checked on Ryn at the school. As the Commander and Director of the Elites, I should be there, giving my boys a peptalk before the main event but here I am, stuck, waiting for a b Tapping on the camera in the office, I saw Ryn and my cousin having what seemed to be a deep conversation. At some point, my cousin covered her mouth in shock, then she covered her ears, shaking her head but it was all in good vibes and I wondered what they were ta Afterwards, she settled and they both embraced for a long while, rubbing each other''s backs. I liked that. Elizabeth never got along with Sadie but I''m d Ryn does. Shortly after, Sadie left the room and I watched Ryn get up after a while and lock the door. She peeked out the window before drawing the blinds and something about her action had me on alert. After looking around suspiciously, Ryn sat down, opened her bag, and brought out a tupperware stic. She stared at it for a moment, running a hand through her hair as if she was contemting what to do with what was inside. Eventually, she opened the stic and when she unwrapped the contents, my blood ran cold. In an instant, I was crossing the living room towards my brother and as soon as I dropped my tablet, I gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him out of his seat and mming his ba "What the fuck, T?!" Miro asked, confused. "What''s gotten into you?!" I grabbed my tablet and showed him Ryn''s footage. "You have fifteen seconds to fucking exin why Ryn is eating raw bloody meat right before her event!" AUTHOR''S NOTE: Thank you for reading this far. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Yourments, likes and gifts take this book a long way. So, thank you so much. Chapter 106 THEON Miro saw the footage and when his green eyesnded on me, a cold edge crept into his stare. "Get your hands off me." He gritted through his teeth. "Not until you tell me why Ryn is doing this!" My brother''s eyes glowed red and in one move, he shoved me off of him. I staggered back some paces, surprised at his sheer strength. Then I looked at him with new eyes. He seemed more confident, more domineering with an aura that had increasingly be deadly. "I see you''ve gotten stronger." He kept mute. I ced the tablet on the sofa near me, rolling up my sleeves. "Answer me, Ro." "I''m not a kid, T. Stop usinng your authoritative voice with me. It''s high time you start treating me with respect. Especially, considering what I''ve just done for you." I paused, contemting his words. He was right. I acted rashly. When ites to Ryn, my blood runs hot but it''s not an excuse to be an ass. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I sighed. "Fine. I apologize, but can you exin to me why Ryn is doing what she''s not supposed to do?" Miro''s eyes returned back to normal, a look of confusion on his face. "I have no idea why she did that. I didn''t teach her that." I stared at him in surprise. "Eating raw meat with its blood is like giving an adreanline shot to the wolf, Ro. Only a few people know about this. It''s notmon knowledge." "Wherever she got that info from, it''s not me." Miro insisted then he frowned, his eyes shifting in thought. "What?" "Nothing." He shook his head. I felt that sense of irrational rage grip me again. "If there is anything I need to know, you neeed to start talking." Miro folded his arms across his chest. "It''s not my ce to tell. She made me promise not to tell you." I took a step forward, matching my twin''s gaze. "Since when did you and Ryn be besties?" Miro smirked. "Jealous she trusted me over you?" Me? Jealous? My lips broke into a smile, the kind meant to hide my rage. "Be for real." "I actually am being for real, T. You''re jealous. Admit it." Miro smirk grew sharper. "Despite all the intimacy and the eye fucking, she chose to trust me." My smile faded when the reality of his words hit me. Why would Ryn trust someone who supposedly hates her? Couldn''t she trust me enough to handle whatever the issue was? I released a heavy breath through my nostrils, "Well, I''m happy for you. Now tell me what she told you." Miro tsked. "I can''t break her trust. I''m not a bad guy." 09:56 Sat, Chapter 100 +5 I snorted in reply. "Yourcouldn''t even care less about her, Ro. Stop deluding yourself" Miro frowned and it wasn''t the kind that came from anger, it seemed like the kind that came from sadness. I wondered what that meant. "You have to talk to her, T. I really can''t break her trist. Besides, you shouldn''t let me know shit about her, not when I am still bound to Dad''s authority and can betray you both at any given time." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. How long has Ryn been on the diet? Is she doing this out of desperation or has been manipting her strength all this while? I doubt it''s thetter because I know my brother would never cover for her. I picked up the tablet and watched Ryn crying by herself, in the office, her shoulders shaking from her sobs as she sat with her head in her hands. Then I frowned. Why can''t I feel her? What''s going on? I raised my head and found my brother watching me, his eyes flickered to the tablet and then looked away. "I think you should go. She needs you." "I can''t. Not without the antidote." "The event will start soon. You should be there for everyone else too." I closed my eyes, knowing I was fucking up by the minute. Today''s thest day. After that, no more. Just then, the door opened and in, waltzed Chelsea, beaming to herself as she came in. Her dirty blonde hair had been dyed to ck and from the way she dressed in ck boots, high waisted jeans and a ck crop top, I could tell she was desperate to be Ryn. She had As soon as her lips tried to touch me, I blocked it with the back of my tablet before stepping away from her. Once she realized what happened, she pouted. "That''s no way to treat your wife." She came forward again, trying to hold me and I became purely disgusted. Putting a hand to her forehead, I pushed her back and she staggered, carrying the look of shock on her face. "Are you forgetting something?" I arched a brow. "If you treat me nice, I''ll give it to you." Suddenly, my wolf came to the surface as I advanced on her. Chelsea, seeing the look on my face, scampered back till the back of her knees hit the sofa and sat down. "I have done everything you asked, don''t fucking y games with me." Her look of fear instantly narrowed into a coy smile. "You don''t have to be all macho with me, baby. That can be saved for the bedroom." The fuck? "Antidote! Now!" "Okay! Okay!" She raised her palms up in surrender, dipping her hand inside her bra. Immediately, I looked away, feeling way more disgusted than I have ever been in my life. "You don''t need to bite my head off." She muttered, pulling a piece of paper out of her bra before handing it to me. Confused, I took it from her and opened the paper -turns out it was a list of ingredients I took a deep breath, trying to hold up my patience that was starting to thin out. "Where''s the antidote, Chelsea?" < 09:56 Sat, Nov 2L. She looked at me innocently, "That''s it. I swear." I shared a nce with Miro who looked displeased. "You mean you didn''t prepare it?" he asked. "I never said I would. I simply gave you the antidote like I promised." She chuckled. "I just didn''t tell you what shape it would In a sh, I had my hand around her throat, lifting her from the couch and up in the air. She gasped, gripping my wrists for support while kicking and iling. "If anything happens to Ryn, I will find all that you love and I will destroy it before I destroy you." "Theon?" Miro called but I was too focused on Chelsea. Chelsea gurgled, before choking out. "You are all that I love." "Theon!" Miro''s voice thundered through my head. "Have you forgotten the oath that was made?" Instantly, I dropped Chelsea and she crashed to the floor. Panting for breath, her reddened face broke into a maniacal smile. "You can''t destroy me, baby. You swore a binding oath that you will never hurt me." I gritted my teeth, grounding my jaw so hard I felt pain. Staring at the list, I looked at her and smiled to myself. If there is anything I''m good at, it''s payback and I really look forward to it. "Fine. How does it work?"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Chelsea gave me a look. "You taught me about herbs and poison. Come on, you should know what to do with the list." I red at her. "Fine." She rolled her eyes, rising to her feet. "Take it to a shaman''s store. They should know what to do with it." Without a word, I grabbed my coat and walked out the door. On my way to the elevator, I heard my name. "T!" Miro called and I turned to see him jogging towards me. "Give me the list. You go be with Ryn." I frowned, staring at him. "Why?" "Because it''s your duty to be at the event. If you''re not, it''s going to look very bad for you." He checked his wristwatch. "You still got time. Go. I''ll find the antidote." Surprised but grateful, I handed him the list and we shared a respectful nod before I stepped into the elevator and the doors closed. Going down, I sighed, rubbing my neck. Then my phone buzzed and I discovered it was a text from the interim coach informing me of my father asking of me. I sent him a text that I was on my way and considered sending a text to Ryn too but decided against it. If after everything I''ve done, Ryn still can''t trust me then we have no business together. She better have a good exnation for going on the diet, and keeping things from me, otherwise we are going to have a serious problem. 0 Chapter 107 RYN I looked away, my chest seemingly about to explode. What was my former Alpha doing here? "You may rise." The Alpha King said and we all rose to our feet, At my full height, The Alpha King was still a big, scary man, towering over everybody. I finally understood where Theon and Miro got their big bodies from. They also had some resemnce to him but with the All around me, I could feel the buzz of tension and excitement at the fact that the Alpha King was here with the team. He surveyed the warriors standing before him, his steely gaze lingering a moment longer on me, before looking away. "Warriors," he began, his voice resonant andmanding, "today, you have an opportunity to prove why you belong in the Elite. Thispetition isn''t just about strength; it''s about strategy, resilience, and your ability to adapt when everything feels like it''s against you." His He continued, pacing slowly. "Some of you have wed your way here, fighting tooth and nail to uphold a legacy of loyalty and power. That''s what thispetition is truly about-honoring the bloodline, tradition, and the strength you were born to embody." Then his eyes flickered briefly toward me, the corner of his mouth lifting in contempt. "Of course, not everyone here understands what it means to carry that burden or to have something worth fighting for. Some have stumbled into this ce," he added, barely pausing, "hoping that sheer determination can make up for certain... natural deficiencies." The boys stiffened, missing the slight, but Konan looked my way and smirked. I continued to maintain my mask of indifference despite feeling the burn of the King''s pointed remark. He can talk all he wants but it''s up to me to prove him wrong. At first, I felt guilty for feeding I will do anything to win. The King returned his gaze to the boys, his expression stern. "So I want you to go out there today, each of you. Show me what you''ve got. Show me that this program was worth my investment, and remind everyone watching why the elite warriors are not for the faint- hearted." Collins howled to the ceiling and all the boys joined in, sending a wolf howl so loud every hair on my body stood upright. When they settled down, the King''s eyes shifted back to me, a barely noticeable sneer in his tone. "And remember," he said, his voice dropping lower, " "YEAH!" They roared, mming their fists against lockers and every surface as they hyped themselves up. Only I stood still, exchanging res with the King. When it came time to leave, I followed the boys. "Miss Ashmore." The King called and I stopped in my tracks, turning to him. "A word?" Collins and Konan smirked at me, before leaving me alone with the Alpha King, his beta and my former Alpha. I came back to my original standing position and bowed once again. "Your Majesty." "Cut the crap." The King said, and I blinked at him in surprise. "Where are my sons?" He queried, his steely gaze locked in on me. I nced from him to the men behind him and back. "I don''t know, your Majesty." I replied. "Liar!" Dutton growled. The King stepped towards me, and I took a step back, watching him warily. "You live with them. So howe you don''t 09:56 Sat, know?" He arched a brow. "I really don''t!'' I moved back, feeling the aura of his power wrap around my throat. "Just because I live with them doesn''t mean they tell me anything." "So what?" He raised a brow, stopping in his tracks. "You''re just their whore?" The men behind him chuckled much to my annoyance.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . "No, your Majesty." I gritted out. "I hope not." He stared at me from head to toe. "I can''t have my sonsying with the likes of you." He said with disgust and I frowned. Is my low status that unappealing? Suddenly, the Alpha King reached out and grabbed hold of my right arm. I nced up at him in shock and tried to pull my arm back but his grip was unyielding. To my horror, his eyes turned to a glowing red and immediately, a sharp pain coursed through my body. I let out a down at my arm and found his ws digging into my flesh. "Tell me.'' He said and I felt a sizzling heat seeped from his ws, flooding my veins. "Tell me what my sons are up to." At the weight of hismand, I felt a pressure on my mind like an iron- fisted demand forcing itself against my thoughts, threatening to consume me entirely. His will was like a dark, foreign presence, seeping into every fiber of her being, twisting, and tightening like a snake wrapping around my thoughts. "I-I don''t know." I replied, refusing to betray the twins. After all, they were trying to save my life. "Look at me." The King ordered and I raised my gaze to meet his fiery red ones. "Listen and listen well. Once we are done here, you will go to your coach and you will tell him you''re forfeiting thepetition. After that, you will tell my sons that you quit the Elite program and Hismand pulsed through my bloodstream, echoing with every heartbeat, as if my very blood had taken up his call. My/ vision blurred around the edges, and I felt herself teetering on the edge of surrender. My body wanted to yield, to bow to his dominance, and let myse ''Disappear where?'' I asked softly. Alpha Jack came forward, his cold gaze fixed on me. "Once you ept, my pack and I are willing to take you back and you will gain ess to all your family''s properties. You will be treated as one with the pack. No more judgement or suffering." My mind raced and scattered. Did my former Alpha just offer me the one thing I had always wanted my whole life? And what did he mean by my family''s properties? ''Say Yes.'' The power running into my veins cajoled, like a sensual lover''s whisper against my ear. But deep within, a spark flickered- a defiant ember, burning stubbornly in the dark. Itched onto it, digging my mental ws into that fiery core, as I braced herself against the current of his will. The Alpha King''s presence pulsed again, violent and furious, pressing harder, as though he were trying to root him "No." I whispered, breaking out in sweat. A fresh wave of pain tore through my arm, his ws pushing deeper, and I let out an agonizing cry. "You mean yes?" The Alpha King nodded. I gritted my teeth, hard. "I said no!" The word ignited inside me reverberating with such intensity that his power recoiled, weakening and thinning like smoke caught in a gust of wind. The King blinked in surprise, and shared his shock with Alpha Jack. "I told you she''s different." He murmured to him silently but I caught it. The King faced me and I could feel his anger boiling beneath his calm mask but I held on, grounding myself with every ounce of strength I could muster. Hismand pushed but my thoughts pushed back. "You will obey!" The King insisted. "NO!" I gritted back and then I began to feel my wolf rise to the surface. Before she could do anything further, Alpha Jack gripped my hair and forced my head back. "How dare you disobey the King?" "Get your hands off me, Jack!" I snarled. He blinked at me in surprise before his eyes narrowed in a sneer "I should have had you killed when I had the chance." A pang of fear mixed with hatred shot through me. "As if I''m that easy to kill." I replied and in a sh, I raised my left ankle, retrieved the knife I strapped to it and stabbed him in the chest. He released me immediately, staggering back with a groan. He stared at his chest in disbelief, removing the little knife slowly before gaping at me. "How dare you?!" He snarled, "I will kill you!" "I''d like to see you try." A voice said and my heart leapt into my throat when I saw Theon walk in, carrying nothing but murder in his eyes. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 RYN "Your Highness, she just stabbed me. An Alpha!" Alpha Jack bellowed. "That''s a crime punishable by death!" Theon''s gaze fell on his father''s ws dug deep into my arm and instantly, the Alpha King let me go. I gripped my arm in pain, trying to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. In a sh, Theon was by my side and I raised my head to see him bring out a white handkerchief and delicately wrap it around my wound. "Wait f for me upstairs. Got it?" He said and I stared into his eyes before nodding. Theon then stepped aside for me to leave but I paused when Alpha Jack stepped forward. "Your Highness, I''m not done with her!" Alpha Jack stated, his face twisted in anger as he turned to the Alpha King. "He''s right." Theon''s father stated. "She hurt him. She deserves to be punished." A cold drop of sweat ran down my back. Theon turned to him with a scathing re, and began to crack his knuckles. "Ryn?" He called, without taking his eyes off his father. "Yes, my Prince." I nced between them both. "Go upstairs and wait for me there." His voice left no room for hesitation and I obeyed instantly. My legs felt like jelly as I tried to breathe in a room thick with Alpha aura, then my steps slowed when I nced at Dutton standing away from themotion, his eyes filled with awful hatred. I matched his stare with one of my own and raised my chin in defiance. Without a second nce, I left the room, and Ldidn''t stop until I was back in the office. After that, my confidence left me and I began to pace around. Will Theon really face his father for me? I checked my wristwatch and realized I had half an hour left before the event started. Sitting down on the sofa, I held my head in my hands and wondered what the hell would happen? What if I truly get arrested for stabbing Alpha Jack? My career and my life will be over. Thirteen minutester, the door opened and the moment I saw Theon walk through the door, dressed in his crisp white shirt and grey cks, I rose to my feet. Searching his eyes, I found nothing but cold indifference and I suddenly became wary, wondering if my ex-Alpha said something off about me. Theon reached behind him and brought out a knife that looked very much like mine. Panic set in, thundering through my heart. What is he going to do? Has he been sent to kill me? Paralyzed to the spot, I stared up at the big man as he approached, his face unreadable. He reached out his left hand, and the moment his finger touched my neck, a shiver ran down my spine. Hisshes moved as his finger ran down the length of my neck. Instantly, I felt my nipples tighten and my breathing get heavier with anticipation. His finger curled under my pendant and moonstone amulet, and brought them out of my shirt. Then he stared at them for a moment, before raising the knife. Like watching an embere to life, I watched as Theon''s eyes slowly changed color until it came fiery red. In one move, he cut the thumb of his left hand and as it bled, he touched the moonstone with it. Instantly, it shone, glowing blue and then red and just as it did that, I felt the pain in my stomach disappear and my wolf stretch as she received strength. I felt every muscle, tendon and bone in my body be renewed and I felt the slow 09:56 burning desire that I had for him, be a raging storm. That''s when I realized he just gave me more of his lifeforce. "H-How?" I asked, breathlessly.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Healer Kwan stopped me on my way in." He whispered as if he were lost in another memory. "He told me everything because he''s worried about you." My heart stuttered. "E-Everything?" Theon nodded and in a sh, he had his hand wrapped around my throat. "Why didn''t you tell me?" He queried, his fiery eyes burning brighter. Despite the intensity of his anger, I realized he wasn''t obstructing my airway. "I didn''t want to hurt you." I stated. "Ever since you got hurt because of me, I couldn''t bear to make you go through that again." His red eyes flickered back to blue, "So you endured all that pain? You resorted to a nasty diet and endured all that? For me?" My voice trembled with the urge to cry but I held myself. "It was the least I could do." Theon stared at me for a long moment. "Open your mouth." He ordered quietly and without hesitation, l''obeyed. Our eyes never left each other as he ced his bleeding thumb in it and I closed my lips around it and sucked. His eyes flickered from red to blue and back as his lips cked apart. He stared at my face with a desperate longing before holding my face and pulling me in for a kiss. When our lips touched, lightning struck from my mouth to my core and before I knew it, I was lifted up in Theon''s arms, my legs wrapped around his waist. Gods! I wanted him so bad, tears sprung out of my eyes. Why can''t this man be mine? Why? Why am I doomed to be mateless? Whe He held me tight as our tongues battled for dominance. I felt myself going down and realized Theon wasying me on top of the sofa. I want this. I want him. Yes. Hel knelt between my legs, kissing me passionately, from my mouth to my jaw, and my neck. I sighed in satisfaction, arching my back. I had no idea what I was doing, or why. I just knew my hands flew to his belt, desperate to unbuckle it. Theon grabbed my wrists and pinned them together above my head with one hand. His face brightened with a teasing smile. "You''re high on my life force, Ryn. You''re not ready for this." "And I how do you know? know?" I retorted, panting for breath. He hesitated. "Maybe I don''t know but what I am sure of is as much as I want to deflower you, I''d rather wait till you''re clear headed and sure than have you under the influence of this stone." I stared at him in disbelief and awe. "What if at the end of the day, after taking the antidote, I feel nothing for you." He smiled bitterly. "Then, so be it but first, there''s something I have to tell you." Just then, we heard the announcer''s voice starting the event and I checked my wristwatch. Three minutes left. Shit! Theon got to his feet and helped me up. Immediately, I began to feel anxious as Iposed myself and proceeded for the door. Before I could go, Theon held my wrist and pulled me back in for a kiss. 09.56 09.56 Chapter 108 Then he held my face and stared into my eyes. "I want you to go in there and I want you to win. The game will be rigged against you but you''ve got this. Whatever it takes, okay?" I nodded in agreement. "Whatever it takes. In just two minutes, I joined the boys at the entrance of the stadium-like arena where Quarterbacks used to y football. From the way everyone stood, I could tell that they were tense and anxious. The announcer called the contesters out one by one and the closer it got to my name, the faster my heart beat. "KONAN CAINE!" The crowd cheered and I raised my head to see him stare at my pendant and then my face before running out into the field. My brows pulled together, wondering what that look meant. Is he going to try and grab it again? Without hesitation, I removed my pendant, kissed it before putting it in my pocket. "And finally from Lycantide High, the first female warrior in the making, RYN ASHMORE!" I jogged out onto the field to the almost deafening roar of the people in the stands. Coming to stand in a straight line next to the contestants, I was overwhelmed with awe as almost everyone was standing and chanting my name Girls, mothers, women, boys and some men too. Tears sprang to my eyes. Gods! They are cheering me on. Gods! I can''t fail. My heart hammered fast as my eyesnded on the Alpha King seating in the VIP area in the distance along with Dutton, Alpha Jack and Theon. They all had eyes on me but the King''s own eyes drew me in and as we exchanged res, I felt my wolf rise to the surface, stronger than ever, as if she had been awakened. "On the count of three, the contestants will begin the first event. One." My eyes shifted to Theon, watching me with warmth in his gaze. "Two." I set my eyes on the target before me and prepared to run. Instead of three, a gunshot sounded in the air. "LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!" Chapter 109 RYN I ran like my life depended on it. Suddenly the cheer grew louder and out of curiosity, I discovered that I had given everybody a wide berth. Astonished, I stared at my own legs moving at a super speed and intensified ny race. A few feet ahead and I saw tiny mountains of stones stacked up in thirteen ces and right beside them was something that looked like bags. When I got closer, I realized it wasn''t an ordinary kind of bag. It was something made of foreign material and instead of having lea The instruction was clear: pack all stones into the bag. The stones had been set in a way that was easy to arrange and once done, we closed the top and climbed the obstacles ahead to the finish line. If any stone fell out, we were required to go back and pick it up and we were allowed to attack each other as long as we caused injuries that could heal. Getting to work, I began to carefully pack the stones into my weird bag. Halfway through, I saw Konan arrive first. He red at me before rushing to the otherContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! mountain of stones and kicking them down. I watched in disgust as he was able to destroy three people''s mounts before going to his own. By then, I was done and I closed the mental straps at the top and padlocked them with the keys given. By the time Konan was halfway done, I was facing the sixteen feet tall obstacle made of vertical ropes. Immediately I began to climb, and that''s when I remembered all my moutain climbing sessions and how I had gotten better over the months. Now, this exercise felt like one. About half way up, I began to feel tired. We were told our burdens would weigh roughly three thousand pounds and I don''t even weigh half of these boys, talk more of this burden. Already out of breath, I decided to stop and breathe a little, just to rest my head for a bit. The tone in the crowd suddenly changed and that made me look down. To my horror, I found Konan already almost halfway up, about to reach for my left leg with his wed hands. Bloody Wolf! I lifted my leg away from him, cing it higher but I wasn''t able to lift the other in time before his ws pierced my skin. I cried out, and in retaliation, I dropped my left leg on his face. He staggered, falling down some rungs and I used that as an opportunity to keep climbing I had no idea the arena had fallen quiet when I was attacked. Now as I continued climbing, they cheered again and that gave me the desire and determination to keep moving. I got to the top and climbed over to begin my descent down. After that, I just needed to crawl under some barbed wire obstacle and I''d be at the finish line. Beginning my descent, I noticed others were just getting half way up and that gave me a slight sense of relief. Now, my back was burning but I noticed that the ce where Konan had wed me was burning as well. Speaking of the bastard, I noticed he was almost reaching me in height, so I moved to the another side of thedder so I wouldn''t have to sh with him when going down. I knew he would try something nasty and just as I predicted, Konan moved towards me. Atst, we were standing face to face on opposite ends of thedder obstacle at like ten feet high off the ground. "Didn''t I warn you about showing off?" He snarled. "You are making the team look bad!" "Oh yeah?" I replied. "Did you remember I was part of the team when you wed my feet asshole?!" I yelled in his face. before proceeding to climb down.. "Very well then." I heard Konan say and just when I focused on the next step to take down, something hard hit me in the face. I closed my eyes on impact as pain exploded in my head and I heard a soft crack in my nose. As a result of my assault, I lost my footing and by the time my brain registered that I had been kicked in the face, I was already falling. The world went quiet and time seemed to stop as I iled in the air, reaching for something, anything that could help. In that moment, I felt my wolf surge to the surface, flipping my body around so that Inded with my legs slightly spread apart in a low, grounded crouch. One knee is bent in front, the other extended back for stability while my weight was bnced on one arm stretched forw The crowd ''oooohed'' and although I was d Inded well, my back and ankles were killing me. On the plus side, my nose was healed. Barely able to stand, I craned my neck up to see Konan climb over thedder and anger surged within me against him. Putting my beef aside, I crawled to the barbed wire obstacle and began to cross under it. After a while, I looked behind me in time to see Konan skip After staggering a bit, he made his way towards the obstacle. About three quarters in, and watching the finish line in the distance, I slowed down and let Konan catch up to me. His wed hand gripped the same spot on my leg again and I bit my lip to endure the pain. Konan crawled to my side, his face the epitome of smug satisfaction and as I tried to move forward, I saw his elbowing for my face. This time I was prepared. I grabbed hising arm and with my fangs, I sank my teeth into his flesh. He cried out but 1- didn''t let go until I drew blood and while he was distracted, I elbowed him hard in the face, twice, before crawling out the rest of the way with renewed determination. Once I got out, I tried to rise to my feet but fell again, so I crawled with myst strength until I was across the finish line. The arena roared with cheers and when I realized I had won the first test, Iughed before copsing to the ground. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 RYN Every contender had a sponsor and having a sponsor meant enjoying perks like refreshments, quick massages, new uniforms and people to attend to your every need in between the events. In my colleagues'' cases, their sponsors were their friends and family. In my case, well... I had no one. Or so I thought. After the strength training test, a man and a woman helped me out of my burden and with each arm around their shoulders, they helped me back into the building. I had assumed that they were good Samaritans who just wanted to help until they headed straight for the offic When I got to the office and they opened the door, I was stunned to see that the ce had transformed a bit. My eyes found. Sadie hovering over the office table which had been cleared and now had a variety of food, fruits and drinks on it. Then to my surprise, I found Mr. Cresswell, standing with a woman I had never seen before in the middle of the room. He had his phone to his ear, and when his lime green eyesnded on me, he smiled and raised a finger to let me know he''ll attend to me shortly. With the help of the couple, I was able to sit on the sofa with a groan and immediately, the woman began to remove my boots while the man stepped into the bathroom. Thedy standing near Mr. Cresswell smiled at me before bringing out an IVbag and preparing to hang i I looked at Sadie in confusion and found her approaching already. "Hey." Sadie said, with excitement in her demeanor as she rushed to me with a ss of orange juice in hand. She handed it to me with a straw and I narrowed my eyes at her, suspicious of her happy vibes. "What''s going on?" I asked slowly and she smiled. "Well. Where do I start?" She beamed, unlocking her phone and shoving it in my face. "I started a campaign for you on social media and it''s catching on! A lot of people are rooting for you to win! We do have some idiots who think otherwise but still, the numbers in your favo "Oh wow." I gushed, smiling, then I looked at the two women catering to me. "Not to sound rude, but who are they?" "Oh yes., This is Anita," She pointed to the woman with the drip, "She''s a nurse and will give you a replenishing drip. It contains all the vitamins you lost and need for the next event. Your colleagues are probably getting theirs too." "Oh wow." "Jada," She pointed to the woman who had already drawn a chair close to sit down and was now applying pressure to my feet, "is also here to help relieve stress and tension in your body." "What about the guy?" I asked, jerking my thumb to the bathroom where he disappeared. "Oh that''s Tom. He''s just muscle and I think he went in to make sure you have a hot shower ready after Jada is done." I blinked, my brain fighting hard to process everything. Reaching in my pocket, I brought out my pendant and was d I didn''t lose it and after Anita stuck the IV in my hand, I proceeded to wear it again. "Who is sponsoring all of this?" "I am." I raised my head to see Mr. Cresswell slide his hands into his pockets, his eyes fixated on my pendant. Then he raised his 09:56 Sat, nce to mine and smiled. "My daughter loves you very much, and since she is rooting for you, I am rooting for you as well." I felt tears slowly creep around the edges of my eyes as I turned to Sadie whose face had turned red in a blush. "You did that for me?" Sadie shrugged. "Anything for my bestie." Immediately, I dropped the ss of juice against the sofa and pulled her into a hug. I also used that opportunity to wipe my tears before we pulled apart. "Thank you." I said to her, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then I turned to Sadie''s Dad. "Thank you, Mr. Cresswell." "Please, call me Robert." I smiled and nodded in understanding, then behind him, I noticed two people outside the window, peeping in. When they saw me, they ran back and then before I knew it, more of my schoolmates came to the window and were waving and peeping. "Oh shit." Sadie eximed, before rushing to the door to lock it and also draw the blinds. Then she turned around breathlessly and smiled. "Fans. You''ve got fans but we need to take care of you and get you ready for the next event." Mr. Cresswell nodded to the man, who had mysteriously appeared from the bathroom without my knowledge. "Make sure no one elsees in without Miss Ashmores'' express permission. Got it?" The man nodded before unlocking the door and going outside of it. Before he closed it, I was able to see that the hallway had be filled with people, trying to get a look in and as much as I appreciated that, I didn''t like it. It made me somewhat upset that I wouldn''t get to have some alone time with Theon and probably continue from where we left off. Immediately, my face burned as I realized I was having hoe- ish thoughts again so I decided it was best that these. people were here. They''d distract me from having to think about him and that''s what I need right now. A soft sigh escaped my lips as thedy rotated the ankle Konan wed and applied some pressure points in the right ces!? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "How are you feeling, Miss Ashmore?" Robert asked. "I feel so much better." I replied, raising my thumbs up. "I''m d about that." He bent his head in a nod. "I shall take my leave now but in case you need anything, talk to Sadie." He said and turned to leave but stopped and turned around again, "Miss Ashmore." "Yeah?" I replied, focused on the foot rub. "I want you to know that I ced a bet on you winning." I raised my head in shock. "Don''t let me down." And with that said, he left. Chapter 111 RYN I stared open mouthed at Sadie who blushed again and looked away. "Sorry." She winced, "but I kinda bet on you too." My jaw dropped wider. "W-Why?" "Cause we believe you''re going to win." "What if I don''t?!" I began to panic. "That''s a lot of pressure." "Then we''ll lose a lot of money." Sheughed. "Calm down. It''s no big deal. Just do your best." I leaned back on the sofa, feeling anything BUT rxed. Now, not only do I have to worry about giving women a chance in the Elite, I also have to worry about people who literally risked money on me. Sadie received a call and when she stood up to receive it, my phone buzzed with a text. Checking it, I realized it was from Theon and I perked up. I "Why are you worried?" It read. "Sorry, I didn''t check in sooner, I was having a word with Konan''s parents Pan¨ªc set in. "About what?" "About his predisposition to violence?" "He was a tad too aggressive with you on the field and I did not like that. At all." "This is a friendlypetition not an assasination attempt." I read his words over and over again, loving the way he was protective of me. "So what did they say?" His reply came a minuteter. "They didn''t see anything wrong in what he did and reminded me that Howard, in aa." you put their son, "Oh, I see." I frowned. I There''s ''s nothing much I can do in this case, mainly because this isn''t just about Konan." "He''s a tool in the bigger scheme of things. So, all I can say is that if Konan strikes, you strike back twice as hard. Show no mercy, understood?" "Yes sir." Yes sir. "That''s my girl." My wolf stirred when I read hisst words and her royal s**ss automatically became h***y, Dropping my phone, I shook my head and entered the shower. Thirty minutester, I had showered, changed into a clean uniform and felt brand new after the drip. I munched on a few cupcakes before leaving Sadie behind and heading out to meet the others for a briefing. To my surprise, I found students sitting on the floor, lining both sides of the hallway with posters, cardboards, huge pictures and drawings of me to show their support. As soon as they saw me, they rose to their feet, pping and cheering. I ground my jaw to keep the f***g tears at bay as I crossed their midst. The more I thought about everything, the more I got the urge tough. 111 111 < Chapter 111 Since when did I go from being the bullied, ignored girl who eat from the trashcan to being the golden girl of Lycantide High?This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . My phone buzzed and I checked it to see another message from Theon. My wolf stirred with excitement. "Can you meet me in the chemistryb? It''s urgent." I frowned, wondering what could have gone wrong. "Give me a second to dodge these guys." I texted back and at first I thought of outrunning these ''fans'' behind me but I decided against it. Instead, as soon as I neared the hallway where the chemistryb was, I turned around on them and they stopped, looking at me with a shine i their eyes. Okay. That''s sorta creepy. I I cleared my throat, and suddenly realized that I had never spoken to a lot of people at once before. "Uhm. Thank you guys for your support. I really do appreciate it but I''ll need some time alone to meditate and... gather my thoughts before going out there. Can you please do tha do that?" They all nodded happily and waved to me as they left. My shoulders sagged in relief and after making sure no one was watching, I entered theb and found Theon standing in a corner observing the beakers. "Lock the door." He said, without looking at me and as I obeyed I got really worried that something may have gone wrong. ?? "Uhm, is everything okay? What''s urgent?" I asked, approaching him and the moment I got closer, I realized why he didn''t look at me in the first ce. Theon''s eyes had gone pitch ck and before I could blink, he wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me closer. He said, leaning down to my face. "This is what''s urgent." Then he he kissed me. My slutty wolf leaped for joy and I had to admit that Theon being the first to seduce me this time felt really good. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he carried me up onto one of the tables. Spreading my legs, I made room for him and the way he held me close and wrapped me in his thick, huge arms made me so safe and secure. "You wanted to meditate huh?" He asked, in between kisses and Iughed, nodding my head. He smiled against my lips and the more we kissed, the fiercer the burn in my core became. Theon moved from my mouth to my jawline and I ran my hand in his hair, loving the smell of coconut in it. His aftershave still smelt ofvender but as my wolf came to the surface, I got hints of cinnamon, butter and apple pies in his scent. I wondered if this was a new perf, because it smelt heavenly and I was about to tell him to wear it more often, when his hand unbuttonned the top of my shirt and he kissed my corbone. A soft moan escaped my lips, rendering my brain nk and as he went lower, cupping one of my breasts, he squeezed softly. "Do you want my top off?" I asked, as he came back up for another kiss while I closed my eyes in ecstasy. "No." He panted, kissing me once more before lowering his head to my neck. "If you remove your top, I might want your pants off as well and I am trying, really, really hard not to give in to all the sick things I have in my head for you." My eyes blinked wide open. Sick things? Athrum of excitement sizzled through me, making me shiver in pleasure. Okay, no. I''m f***ed up in the head cause what sane girl hears this and doesn''t run for the hil Chapter 112 AUTHOR''S NOTE: Hi Lovely readers, first of all, thank you for reading this far. I love you sooooo much. You made this book trend more with your likes and kindments and fan gifts. So, THANK YOU. Now, for the main message, if you are seeing this chapter before chapter 111(the one before this) it means chapter III is under review and the system won''t publish it until after some hours. So please, bear with me and wait just a few hours f Now, buckle your seat belt, cause things are about to get crazy! RYN Theon lowered further to my chest area and as I threw my head back in ecstasy, anticipating the moment he''ll suck my nipples, I felt a sharp pain on my right breast. I yelped, opening my eyes wide and finding him smirking at me. Looking down at my breast, I found a red mark blossoming there. "What was that for?" "For hanging up on me this morning." He said, matter-of-factly. "I warned you that I''d find you and punish you for it." I wanted to protest but his arched brow made me think better of it. I did in fact, had that oneing. Theon leaned in closer to my neck and kissed it, then he captured my earlobe in his mouth and I closed my eyes in bliss, the sting of his punishment, fading away. "Next time," He whispered in my ear. "I''d bite you where everyone can see. Iwent stiff, not doubting for a second that he''d do it. Coming back to my face, we kissed again, slowly this time, as if we were savouring each other. Then he broke our kiss, his eyes back to their radiant blue. ""You never told me why you were worried earlier." "Yea. Just jitters about the event." I replied, kissing him again. "You sure it''s just that?" Another kiss. "Okay fine." I said, and told him about the bet ced on me. "Oh. That." I frowned and ced my hands on his chest, gently pushing him back. "What do you mean by, ''oh, that''?" Theon rolled his eyes and by the gods, it was one of the sexiest acts I had ever witnessed of him. ''Stay focused, Ryn.'' I mentally kicked myself. "I might have also ced a bet on you too." My mouth cked open. "Wait, what?!" I gaped at him. "When were you going to tell me?" Theon shrugged and I panicked. "What if I lose?! What if I am not strong enough?!"? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Theon blinked and then his face got serious. His two hands held my face as he stared down at me with softness. "Losing this event is not the end of your career. It''s graduating or not that decides that. So, do your best but don''t ever feel pressured to win for anyone. You''re I stared at him for a moment, before nodding in answer and then something surprising happened. Theon kissed my forehead and pulled me into a hug. I stiffened for a second, before melting into his embrace. Like a lifeline, I held on to him and closed my eyes as I foundfort in the warmth of his body and the steady beating of his heart. I wish this man were mine. In fact, I wish we''d stay connected like this forever because tell me why he''s so dreamy and perfect? Sadie''s words suddenly floated to my mind. "My uncles know how to make any girl feel special." Fuck. I opened my eyes, willing my desire away. This is not real. This is so not real. "There''s something I have to tell you, Ryn." Theon said. We pulled apart and I gazed up into his serious face. "Is this about the antidote?" I asked. A teeny-tiny evil part of me hoped my fantasy about us being linked forever would "Sort of, yes." He said but before he could speak further, my phone buzzed. Wondering who the hell would call, I checked the caller ID to see it was Sadie. I ended the call and turned my phone face down so I could focus my attention on Theon. "You were saying?" Theon was about to speak again when my phone buzzed again. "You should take that." He said and I sighed as I picked Sadie''s call. "Babe, I''m kinda in the middle of something." "Ryn!" Sadie whisper-yelled and something about the way her voice quaked, sent my rm system tingling. "What''s wrong?" I asked, and Theon''s face went serious. "Sorry to bother you but you really need to see this!" "See what?" "Please juste back to the office. Now." Theon stepped back and carried me down and within minutes, we were leaving the chemb and heading straight for the office. Once we got there, I rushed in and found the people there gathered around a vase of flowers. "What''s happening?" I asked, and Theon stepped past me to the flowers. "This was dropped at the door and we don''t know who sent it. It came with a card." Sadie''s voice quivered as she pointed to the vase. I went closer, looking at the little white flowers. Still confused, I looked at Theon, and I could see the wiry vein in his temple pulsing as he s "What is it?" I asked, stepping closer to him. Theon''s face twisted in anger as he raised the card to show me. It was a picture of me standing with Sadie in the parking lot of the Academy. My face was marked with a red X and sweat broke out of me as I remembered the previous death threats. "Care to exin what this is?" Theon flipped the card around and I read the words in bold red letters. "Miss me?" It read. "X marks the LOSER!" "Have you been getting death threats before?" He queried and my mouth went dry. As I swallowed, fumbling for words to say, Sadie caught our attention. "Damned stars." She gasped covering her mouth as she stared at something on her phone. "What is it?" Theon asked, moving closer to her. "You need to see this." Sadie said to me and I came to stand on the other side of her as the others - Jada, Anita and Tom joined in. On Sadie''s phone, a video was ying and my blood ran cold when I realized who it was. Sadic turned on the volume and I stood rooted to the spot as I watched my childhood friend, Billie daughter of Alpha Jack speak to the camera. She had w mark scars running from her neck up to half her face. "Ladies and gentlemen, I see you''re supporting a certain person named Ryn Ashmore." She swallowed, her eyes darting off camera for a second beforeing back again. "Ryn Ashmore used to be my best friend until she did this to my face. My heart ripped to shreds as I watched her point to her scarred, disfigured face. "Ryn Ashmore," Her voice trembled. "Is a terrible, terrible person and she doesn''t deserve to be worshipped." She cried. "She ruined my life and all I need you all to stop supporting her cause if she could do this to me when she didn''t have much status, imagine what she''d Chapter 113 Chapter 113 RYN TWELVE YEARS AGO TWEL On a Tuesday night, Billie and I snuck past the guards patrolling Alpha Jack''s house and ran into the woods, chuckling and giggling to ourselves. My parents were attending a dinner party at Alpha Jack''s and Billie had suggested that we go into the woods to attend a fun party. She said we''d be hanging out with the cool kids. When we had gotten far enough, I realized the forest was too dark, only illuminated by the light of the full moon so I got wary of going further. "I think we should go back." I said. "Come on, don''t be a chicken." Billie teased, "you''re not scared of the dark, are you?" "Well, creepy things lurk in the dark. Miss Ang said that in ss." Billie giggled. "Miss Ang is just trying to scare us. My Dad will never let anything creepy enter hisnd, I promise." She said,ying her little hand to her chest, before stretching it to me. Trusting my best friend, I smiled and took her hand and together we went deeper into the woods. Eventually, we found a group of kids sitting on a fallen log around a little fire. I immediately became wary again as I realized that these kids were bigger and older. Even one of them was a known bully. I looked at Billie in worry, but she was smiling at the bully boy who had risen to his feet as was now approaching. "Hi, Frank." Billie smiled, but the boy was already staring at me. "Is this her?" He asked, and Billie nodded enthusiastically. I looked from him to her in surprise. I knew Frank to be her crush, but I never knew they spoke of me. "Nice to meet you, Kathryn." He smiled, towering over me. "Wee to our party." hand away Before I could react, his arm was around my shoulder, guiding me further into the clearing while tearing my from Billie''s. Within seconds, the other big kids surrounded me. There were five boys and two girls in total, aside from Billie. In shock, "So Kathryn." Frank said, still holding me close to his body. "I heard you were special and not like the rest of us." I craned my neck to look at Billie, who looked away nervously. Frank gripped my chin and turned my face back forward. "I''m talking to you. You don''t need to look back." He said with a hint of aggression, his face sharpening with "1-I am not special." I replied. meanness. Frank frowned. "But that''s not what you told Billie. In fact, she told us she saw you shift into your wolf and it was the most awesome thing she had ever seen. She said you were a freak." I craned my neck backward again and instantly felt pain in my stomach. I doubled over, realizing Frank had just punched me in the tummy. Gripping my stomach, tears came to my eyes as I fell to my knees. Then I felt my hands elongate into long ws, but I curled them so I wouldn''t transform. I told you not to look back!" Frank yelled, beginning to circle me. "Now look at what you made me do! Now I am angry, and the only way to make me happy is if you show me the special s**t you showed Billie. Do you want to make me happy?" hapter 113 I "No!" I yelled and got to my feet to run away, but my Frank gripped my long hair and pulled me back by it. Inded butt first on the ground and crawled back on my hands as he and his friends closed in with predatory smiles. "Shift into your wolf!" One boy yelled and kicked my leg. "No! My parents said I shouldn''t show anyone." Frank mimicked my face and my words in a childish manner, making the othersugh. "But you showed Billie." "Billie''s my best friend." I retorted and looked her way. "Right, Billie?" Frank turned to her with a menacing re. She shifted on her feet, nervous and hesitant. "Just show them what you showed me, and they''ll leave you alone."This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . But I told you my pare***id parents!" Frank yelled. "Just show us! It''ll be quick, freak!" "I don''t care about your shook my head, my heart filled with fear. "No." I whimpered. k''s mean face sharpened into a smirk. "Bring me the ***d!" Frank''s My heart faltered as I didn''t understand what a ***d was until someone brought a long, thin, ck pole and when Frank pressed a switch on the body, the end of the pole ignited with electricity. Tears streamed down my face as I scurried back in fear. Billie! Help me!" "Billie can''t save you." Frank said, before poking me with the prod. Instantly, the most excruciating pain I had ever felt coursed through my body, making all my bones and muscles lock up. I screamed my lungs out and Frank withdrew the pole, only to order someone to cover my mouth and for others to hold me down. Someone held my right arm and another covered my mouth, two kids held my legs and then I saw Billie rushing towards me. I stretched my hand out to her for help, d that she wasing to my rescue, but the moment she took my hand, she forced it to the ground, and I think I became too stunned to even fight back. "What are you doing?" I tried to say, but my voice was m*****ed and then another world of pain coursed through me as Frank pressed the electric p**d to my stomach. I screamed, trying to wiggle out of their hold, and that''s when my wolf rose to the surface with a vengeance. What happened after was fuzzy to remember. All I know is that when I regained consciousness, Frank was dead and some of the other kids were missing a limb. I stood in shock, and when I raised my hands, I discovered they were still elongated in ws and covered with blood. My dress was tattered and sttered with blood as well, and I had no idea what I had done. All I know is that my heart was going at a speed that was too fast for me to catch my breath. Every fiber of my being was curled tight, and I was afraid. So terribly vafraid. I need Mom and Dad. I thought to myself, but I couldn''t move. I knew my wolf was on alert - in ce, and not yet gone. Then someone touched me from behind and my reaction was instant. It all happened within seconds. I had intended to jerk their hand off but somehow, my wed hand flew through the air as I turned and Billie''s face was right there. The w from her neck up her face was swift, and it wasn''t until she screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her bleeding face that I realized what I had done. "Ryn?" someone called, but their voice seemed so far away. I was paralyzed and I couldn''t hear anyone or anything else around me. All I heard was the echo of my own breathing and the increasing drumming of my heart against my ribcage. "Ryn." Theon came within my line of vision and I blinked, wondering how I left the forest and was now in an office with people staring at me. "Ryn, can you hear me?" Theon asked, and I think he touched me but my vision shifted to the ceiling and I realized I was falling. Immediately, my legs left the ground and Theon''s face came into focus again. "Everyone, out. Sadie, stay." From the way I was positioned, I could tell he was carrying me in his arms. Shortly after, I was positioned to sit on the sofa and was now able to see Sadie and Theon look at me with worry. Theon snapped his fingers in my face to call my attention, but I couldn''t even react. "I think she is in shock." Sadie said. "Not just that, she''s reliving a powerful trauma." Theon''s voice echoed, "and if we don''t get her out, she could suffer a stroke." "Moon stars!" Sadie covered her mouth. "Should I get help?" Theon looked at me and sighed. "There''s only one person that can help her." He said and brought out his phone. Dialing a number, he put it to his ear and checked his wristwatch. The ringing stopped and someone picked. "Hey. How soon can you get here?" His eyes connected with mine as he listened. "Yeah. Something came up and Ryn needs your help urgently." Chapter 114 hapter 114 MIRO AN HOUR AGO I entered the back seat of my car and sat down with a sigh. "Take me to the school." I said to my driver and immediately, he turned on the ignition and drove away. lifted the brown paper bag containing Ryn''s antidote in my hand and nodded to myself in satisfaction. Ryn will no longer need to rely on the Moonstone and I don''t need to see romantic shit between her and my brother. Their eye-****ng has been getting on my nervestely and seeing them in the gym room, especially with Ryn on top of him, just makes me mad. As her superior, Theon shouldn''t be even involved with her. It''s like a teacher and a student having an affair. It''s wrong. It annoys me even more that Ryn doesn''t seem to mind. I remember the first time I saw her,ing in with trouble on her back, storms in her eyes and an allure that made my rise and stir from its slumber. wolf For a For a a long time, since Dominic left me half-dead on the steps of my father, my wolf had hardly stirred when I wanted it to. It only came out when I needed to fight or go on missions, but aside from that, it never tried to interact with me or show interest in any of the girls I brought home until...her. One look into her eyes and he had stirred like a hound on the lookout, He became on alert for her, checking for her, curious about her scent. I hated that. Before meeting her, I had met someone whom I thought was my mate, and I had made the mistake of letting my guard down and falling in love with her. Then, a few weekster, she met her real mate, and we became confused. After thorough tests, we discovered the other guy was her real mate and my wolf was just feeling sparks with random women because I was getting older and it was getting desperate. Without hesitation, she left t me for him. Since then, I sealed my heart against the idea of finding a wolf mate. That was years ago, and I had been fine until Ryn came in and my life turned upside down. When Iy down at night, my f*****ing wolf stays awake, prompting me to go to her room. Sometimes, just to get a sliver of rest, I sneak in and watch her sleep. I have even gone as far as sniffing her hair just to get a moment of peace. If I don''t do it, my a a***le of a wolf won''t let me sleep. If I don''t cook for her, he won''t let me focus on the day''s work. Thoughts of her haunt my dreams. I hate it. I hate her.....sometimes. I want to scare her off, but every time I nt my hand around her neck, I just want to kiss her. I want to f***k her. I want to do the very thing I am judging and resenting my brother for. I hate that she likes my brother and not me - just like that girl I fell in love with whom chose someone else over me despite the little sparks we shared. Despite all my wealth, she chose to live in poverty with her true mate rather than with me. It''s the worst kind of rejection and I think I hate Ryn because every time she''s with Theon, it''s like she''s indirectly rejecting me all over again. Why him? Why Theon? I am the nice one. My twin? Not so much. He''s mean. He''s cruel. He''s the devil and for the life of me, I couldn''t understand how he can ever be this soft with Ryn, He''s like a big, bad wolf bing a loyal dog. It''s uncharacteristic of his nature. I smirked, staring at the antidote. I can''t wait for Ryn to get off the Moonstone and for all the attraction between them to fizzle out. Ryn will definitely see my brother for who he really is and when she''s heartbroken, I might help pick up the 09:45 09:45 Mon, No Chapter 114 pieces. Kiss My lips pulled into a smirk when I realized I might be just as bad as my brother. Oh well. "You seem a little too happy to get the antidote." My smirk faded as I turned to Chelsea, who had been sitting quietly beside me in the back seat of the car. I didn''t like the idea of leaving her alone in my house and since I had no clue where to find a shaman store; I dragged her along with me and she had been quiet... until now. Not bothering to respond, I turned away from her and looked outside the window. Just then, my phone rang, and I put it to my ears. "Sup, brother?" I said as soon as I picked the call.] "Hey How soon can you get here?" mele? "Five minutes, give or take. Why?" "Yeah." He sighed. "Something came up, and Ryn needs your help urgently." My wolf perked his ears. "Is she okay?" I asked, before I could think. Why do I care? "Honestly, she''s not. I need you here as soon as possible." "Got it." As soon as I ended the call, Chelsea scoffed, and I turned to her. "What?" "I hate that he''s so concerned about her." "Why? You jealous?" I smiled, and she red at me before her eyes narrowed in mischief. "It seems to me like you don''t like that s*** either, and the enemy of my enemy be can my friend." My smile faded. "Ryn is not a slut." Chelsea''s smirk widened. "Really? Haven''t you seen the way she has been going at it with your brother?" A moment of doubt settled in. Are Theon and Ryn already having sex? If so, why is that my business? No. T promised he would not touch her. "Just shut the f***k up and mind your business." I said, looking away. "You''re just bitter. He doesn''t prefer you." Chelsea''s smile faded into nothing. "And you''re bitter she doesn''t prefer you either." whipped back to her so fast I heard a tiny crack. At my reaction, Chelsea''s smirk blossomed again. "What made you think that?" My! head "Let''s just say I happen to know some things. Just like I know, Ryn is not what you think she is." She grinned wickedly. "She''s way worse." I shifted in my seat to really look at her, probably a little piqued by curiosity. "What is she then?" ! Her expression turned serious and somewhat fearful. "I am not at liberty to say." I stared at her for a moment before scoffing out loud. "You don''t know anything. You''re just making things up because you want my brother to yourself." is Chapter 114 3 you? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "I am NOT lying!" She snapped. Then she rxed andposed herself, but her amused demeanor was gone. "Don''t y think it''s kind of odd that she didn''t die from the poison I inflicted on her?" I shrugged, not seeing the big deal in it. "So? Ryn is a strong girl." She gaped at me like I was stupid. "The poison I concocted had ten times the dose of wolfbane, twice the dose of a hemlock nt, and five times the venom of a cobra." I slowly turned to her in shock. "That''s enough poison to wipe out half an army, Miro. That girl shouldn''t even be alive." Chapter 115 THEON The first time, I witnessed someone go into trauma-induced shock was when I was studying at the Academy. We had just gone through the simtion test and back then we didn''t have the tech to see what he saw and so when he was released, we had no idea how to help him. He stayed that way and shortly after, he suffered a stroke. Several months at a psych ward worsened his case and he practically became a vegetable. The second time someone went into a trauma-induced shock, Miro was there and somehow he was able to figure out a way to jumpstart someone''s wolf and bring them back to consciousness. No one else could do it like him and that made him some sort of celebrity student. Now it''s been years and I''m worried Miro might not even remember how he did it back then. stared at Ryn''s unmoving frame, sitting still and staring into space. When she saw the video, I was able to feel her slow descent into oblivion and it was one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever had. It felt like being swallowed by a cloud of darkness, and not being able to see but yet being hyper aware that something was lurking in the shadows and it could get you at any time. Sharing her trauma got so intense that my wolf went restless and blocked-my-connection to her just to protect both our sanities. I wondered. ''What could have possibly happened for Ryn to be in that m***tal prison?'' I sighed, feeling extremely exhausted. To my right, Sadie frantically typed away on her phone, her face evidently distraught. "This is all my fault." She whispered, holding her head before going back to battle with her fingers. Watching the two people I care a lot for be so helpless did something to me and triggered a part of me that I''d rather not visit. So I told Sadie, I''ll be back. Then I left the room and found the man Mr. Cresswell enlisted to watch the office standing right outside. "Make sure no one else goes in or has ess to her. Understood He nodded and then I left. My feet took me Son." My father I me down the stairs and straight for the principal''s office where my father dominated upon arrival. The door was open when I came in and I found him sitting with his legs crossed on the table, smoking a cigar with Dutton and Alpha Jack who sat opposite him. her beamed, his arms wide open as if to say I am wee. "What brings you toe see your father?" I ground my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. My father had a knack for pretending nothing happened after just causing mayhem and pain. It was one of his effective tools in gaslighting Miro and I and it ******ing gets on my nerves. The video. Wh His amiable expression morphed into something sinister and he dropped his arms, puffing some smoke in the air. "You can''t me me for wanting to win this bet, can you?" I exhaled heavily. "I don''t get it, Father. Why go to this extent? This video could ruin her life. My father shrugged. "Such is life." Dutton and Alpha Jack chuckled, drawing my gaze to them. "Even if my father has no shame, are you both not ashamed for bullying a neen year old girl?" They turned in their seats to me, their smiles withering. "That neen year old is the reason you tried to kill me and also the reason my nephew won''t have a fife again." Dutton gritted through his teeth. hapter 115 Kiss 91% 91% +5. "Wrong." I replied, pulling out my phone, and swiping to some folders on it. Once I found what I was looking for, I sent it to him. "Check your phone." I said just as his device pinged. Dutton checked his phone and yed the footage of his nephew forcing himself on Ryn in the Academy hallway. "Your nephew did that to o himself." ¨ª stated. Silence settled as he watched and then he put down his phone. "So what? He is a Dutton. You don''t betray the circle you know for a low life. Besides," He sneered, "are you not doing the exact same thing my nephew tried to do?" I curled I my hands into fists. "I never forced myself on her." "We beg to differ." Dutton said, motioning to the room. "We all know how women flocked to you in your ''active'' times and how it seemed like you had them under a spell. How do we know you''re not doing the same to the poor girl?" "Poor girl?" I snorted. "Now you care what happens to her?" "No. I don''t. I care that you think you''re better than my nephew "No.heard Just then, I heard Miro''s voice in my head. "Where are you? I''m here." T "Be right there." I replied. I c***d my head to the side, studying Dutton, then I shook my head. "It''s fruitless talking to you. Such a waste of time." With that said, I turned to my father. "Can you please stop the video from circting?" He arched a brow. "Can you please expel Ryn and end all this?" I sighed. 1. "Unfortunately, I can''t." His lips tilted in a smirk. "Then, you have my answer." I nodded to myself in understanding, shoving my hands in my pockets. "One day, I''ll know why you grown ass men are so terrified of Ryn. Until then," I looked Alpha Jack square in the eye. "all is fair in war." With that said, I left and shortly after, I found my brother and took him up to where Ryn was. After assessing her situation, he called me outside the office and folded his arms across his chest. "Do you have any idea what you''re asking of me?" "Yes." I swallowed. Miro''s eyes narrowed at me. "I don''t think you do." He gritted out. "Have you forgotten that I am under father''s binding authority not to help you or Ryn in this senseless war you both have?" "I didn''t forget." He leaned back, his brows flying up. "So you definitely know that trying to pull her out of that state while directly going against Father''s authority is like ying Russian roulette with a fucking loaded gun" I sighed, not knowing what else to do or who else to call. "I know I ground my jaw. "and I am sorry. I have no one else to turn to." Silence settled on us as Miro stared at me for a long moment. "Fine. I''ll do it." He said, and I sighed in relief, running a hand through my hair. "Thank you." Kiss Ex EX "But you''ll owe me, big time," "Agreed." "So big you can''t say no." "Done." "One more thing." I almost groaned in frustration. "What is it?" "Admit that you like her or feel something for her.". 0 I stared at my brother, wondering why he cared about that. "Once the Moonstone is off, I''ll know the truth and then I''ll tell you." Miro seemed to think about that. "Fair enough." Minutester, he was holding Ryn''s hand in his and after a while, Ryn took a sharp intake of breath and coughed. Immediately, Sadie rushed to her side, holding her in her arms as she tried to catch her breath. Meanwhile my brother rushed into the bathroom.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Concerned for him, I went in with him and found his eyes, ears, nose and mouth leaking blood. Springing into action, I grabbed toilet paper and turned his face to mine so I could them off. Then I searched the office for painkillers and offered them to him. Aside from that, I had previously mindlinked Healer Kwan toe as soon as possible so my brother could have some professional care. "Thank you, brother." I said to him, meeting his bloodshot eyes in the mirror. He nodded and just then I heard the announcement for themencement of the next event. "No! You can''t go!" I heard Sadie say and I left the bathroom to see Ryn about to leave and Sadie blocking her way. "What''s going on?" I asked, approaching them. Sadie turned to me with worry. "She wants topete." I looked at Ryn, who had a set look in her eyes. "You''re going home." I stated. "No." Ryn shook her head. "I willpete and I will show that b***h that she can''t ruin my life." 6 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 RYN My hands were shaking by the time I made it out onto the field. To my surprise, people still cheered for me and chanted my name but this time, as expected, I could hear the underlying boos and jeers that followed. Taking a deep breath, I stood beside my colleagues, and did some miniature body stretching in preparation for the test. My breath came in pants and with the way my head seemed foggy, I knew I was not one hundred percent. Still, I willed my mind to stay sharp. Come hell or highwater, I have to win this. "Coming up is the next test!" The annoucer rumbled with glee. "Contenders are to show true Elite spirit by taking down their opponent without causing serious injury. Be on alert when arranging your weapons, and pay attention to clues." From the corner of my eyes, I felt someone look at me and turned my head to see Konan, smirking at me. Facing forward, I packed my ponytail tight and prepared to run. Before us in the distance were ten tables and on it were dissected weapons we were supposed to rebuild before our opponent came for us. When the gunshot permeated the air, I was about to run when I felt something hit me in the face. Pain exploded in my skull when I realized that yet again, I had been assaulted. I lowered myself on haunches, covering my face as I tried to endure the my eyes. pain but instead, tears rushed to After some seconds, I raised my head to see. My vision was blurry at first but with a few blinks, it began to clear up. To my left, further away, I saw one of my colleagues on the floor gripping his stomach, another limping, trying to get ahead, while the others had gone far. It means I wasn''t the only one assaulted in order to get ahead. "RYN ASHMORE! RYN ASHMORE!" People chanted and I slowly rose to my feet, wiping the tears from my eyes. Gods! I''m so tired. I walked to the guy who was on the floor, battling his own pain and stretched my hand to him. He was the same boy who tried to defend me when Konan began his bullying but was threatened into silence. He stared at my hand, his eyes widening in surprise, before taking it and with great effort I pulled him to his feet. Towering over me by some inches, I put his arm around my neck and together we began to make our way to the tables in the distance. "Why are you helping me?" He asked. "We could fail." "Then we fail with dignity. This is not the end of our career." I said, as my wolf healed me and our walks became jogs. "Feeling better?" "Yes. Thank you." He replied, gently retracting his hand from my neck. "The boys are wrong about you. You''re a good person." I smiled bitterly. "Good luck." Then I was off, picking up speed like I have never done before. Within seconds, I got to my tablebeled number ten and discovered it had been upturned and all the arranged tools were in the sand. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach as I saw that others had arranged and built their guns from scratch and were putting bullets in. Suddenly, the opponents arrived and to my dismay, they were ten real elites dressed in uniform with their guns raised. They had ck nose masks on and looked very intimidating with their eyes glowing blue. Immediately, I dived behind the table just as chaos ensued on th 00000 09:46 Mon, Nov 4 them together. Kiss I Raising my head, I noticed my own opponenting for me and grabbed what I could before crawling under the other tables. I realized most of the gunshots had reduced and when I peeped above the tables, I saw Konan punching the air in joy as he made his way back to finish line. Shit! Konan won. My opponent began toe my way as he checked behind each table and I quickly focused on arranging the rest of my weapon. My hands were sweaty and sticky with sand but I didn''t let it deter me. Three tables away, I finally got my gun arranged and was about to put in bullets when I noticed something. On the rear of the gun, was a symbol - A wolf with a missing paw. Watching my opponent get closer, I quietly crawled to the end of the other tables. Now the gunshot sounds had reduced drastically meaning most of my contenders had won and were on the other side. Some still hid behind their tables shooting rounds and I had to apologize as I climbed on one person to the other side. Getting to the far end, I stared at the symbol and remembered what the announcer said.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ''Contenders are to show true Elite spirit by taking down their opponent without causing serious injury. Be on alert when arranging your weapons, and pay attention to clues.'' "Pay attention to clues." I whispered, just as thest person shot their contender and ran to the finish line. Now it was just me and I had a few seconds before my opponent found me. "It''s too easy." I whispered to myself. Shouldn''t this test be harder than usual? I looked at the symbol again and remembered what Miro said about such when he taught us in ss. A wolf without a paw symbolized ''strength through restraint'' and if we were to take down our opponent without injury then the true weapons test wasn''t the arrangement or My opponent reached me and the moment he leaned over and saw me under the desk, he ripped it off but before he could point his gun at me, I gathered all my strength and ran into his waist area, grabbing his legs from the ground and mming his back on the ground. In an instant, I was sitting on top of him, wrestling for the gun and letting my wolf take over as his strength began to prevail. do when someone is too big for you to take down or too strong? Memories of my training with Theon came ''What do to mind. you ''Find his or her weak spot. ''And if you can''t find that?'' ''Create one'' With that said, I curled my hand into a fist, and punched his rib cage with all my might. My opponent let out a groan and I used that moment to manuever the gun out of his hand and flung it away. Something about his voice and his eyes felt familiar and without thinking, I ya Shock hit me like a punch to the head when I realized who I was fighting. "Adam?" Kiss 3 Chapter 117 As soon as I said his name, Adam punched me in the face, sending me falling to the ground. The crowd ''oohed'' on impact as if they all collectively winced on my behalf and I counted two tiring breaths before forcing myself up again. I channeled my wolf one more time, getting into a defensive position, then something dawned on me. Adam was no longer the friend I knew or the boy who Sadie thinks might have a crush on me. This boy with fire in his eyes was bent on whooping my a***. I could deduce that from the way his hands curled up into fists, poised in a way that showed he was ready to fight. If realizing I was the weapon was the true test, then this event should have been over....unless it was two tests in one! Because if the first test eliminated people, the second should have been harder but everyone passed within minutes. "This test was a trick, wasn''t it?" I asked Adam in a low voice as we circled each other. "We are already in the third event?" Adam swung for my face but I quickly dodged it. "Come on, answer me." "I am not allowed to say anything." He gritted out loud, his face and neck the epitome of strain. "Just fight me!" part of the of the So I obeyed, and we jabbed and dodged each other''s blows, while putting our defense skills to the work. After what seemed like an eternity, Adam had beaten me ck and blue, and I was beyond exhaustion. For the hundredth time, he mmed my back on the ground and I could have sworn I saw stars. At this point, the crowd stayed quiet and from my point of view, most were on their feet, watching in anticipation. I rolled onto my side, trying to channel my wolf again but somehow she just wasn''t as active as the first event. I think something happened to her, and I had no idea how to fix it. My eyesnded on Theon and Miro in the distance watching me with no expression. I guess showing emotion couldnd them in trouble. Shifting my gaze to their father, I found him and his minions smirking down at me - the look of triumph on their faces. Gods! I have to win. Just to spite these bastards, I have to win. I climbed to my knees and then staggered to my feet. ''If you can''t find any weakness,'' Theon''s words permeated my mind and I remembered my reply. "I cheat. I cheat to survive." Adam came for me and I stood my ground, begging my wolf to show up for me onest time. Just as soon as he got close, T threw my hand up and open, spraying sand into his eyes. Adam recoiled, groaning in pain. Then I took that opportunity to fight him with myst strength. I jabbed him in all the areas that could render him weak. While trying to see, he reached out blindly for me and his handnded on my chest. Instantly, I knew what he was about to do, and before he could grip my neck, I forced myself backwards. In the process, he was able toy hands on my pendant and pull it from my neck. Terror thundered through me at the loss of my parents'' gift. I should have kept it in my pocket! "Give it back!" I snarled, feeling my wolf surge like a beast awakening. iss Chapter 117 000 000, 91%= Adam had been able to rub his eyes clean and squint at me. "If you want it,e and get it." He sneered, putting it in his pocket, and that angered me enough to dash for him. Adam had been waiting, preparing a knockout punch and as soon as heunched it, that slow motion thing urred and I was able to stop his hand with my own wrapped in his fist. Adam looked at me with surprise, but before he could react further, I head-butted him. He staggered back, and I used that opportunity to run up and climb his body before swinging my weight down and flipping his body to the ground. Somehow, I had my thigh on his neck, and his right arm stretched tight towards me.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. In those seconds, I realized I had just sessfully performed the Death Grip and as people shouted, encouraging me to hold on, I screamed my lungs out in exhaustion. Shortly after, Adam tapped me in surrender, and the entire stadium exploded with joy. I let Adam go and rolled on my side on the ground, panting for breath. Once again, my eyes connected with Theon and I could see his face beam with pride. I wanted to smile, I to smile, but I stopped myself. I have no idea if my analysis was correct. Once I had enough strength to stand, I rose to my feet but my knees buckled and just when I was about to fall; I felt a hand hold me up. Raising my head, I discovered it to be the guy whom I helped before. Congrattions Ryn." He smiled down at me. "I wish I had thought of that." All I could do was give him a thumbs up andter on, all ten of us lined up before the King and awaited the verdict. I watched as the King whispered in the ears of the announcer and my eyes cut to Theon, who had been watching me. "And the winner of the event," the announcer stated, pausing for dramatic effect. I closed my eyes, my heart thudding fast. "Is Ryn Ashmore." I shouldn''t be surprised, but I was. Finally, I let myself smile and then I met the Alpha King''s gaze. As the world celebrated around us, our eyes went to war and a promise was made. Whether the Alpha King likes it or not, I will graduate and I will be an Elite warrior. AUTHOR''S NOTE: Thank you so much for your likes,ments and gifts. You''re the reason this book is trending. Get ready, things about to get more intense, and two main characters will experience a major shift/transformation. Who do you think it''ll be? Chapter 118 RYN I have never felt this way before. For the first time in my life, I don''t feel like a loser. I am winning and one step closer to giving women their own dream of bing strong enough to protect themselves. I wish my parents could see me now I bet they''d be so proud. After the event, some students had rallied round me to lift me up on their shoulders and carry me around. I thought BI video would have poisoned a lot of minds by now, but to my surprise and delight, it was nice to know I had peop still rooting for me. After a while of carrying me around, the man Mr. Cresswell hired to watch over me, collected me from them and carried me over his shoulders into the building. He had intended to take me to the office but I asked him to drop me in front of the begs locker room so I could find Adam and collect my pendant from him. He dly obliged and with a a thank you, I turned around and entered the room with a smile. Getting in. I found my colleagues, sitting on benches, removing their socks and getting ready to undress. I also found Coach Collins, standing by, and it seemed he was having a discussion with the boys before I came in. Now, he was silent, ring at me. I decided to ignore him and focus on who I came to find. While scanning for Adam, I saw the blonde boy from earlier and waved to him and he waved back with a smile. The rest of my collegues on the other hand, didn''t seem so aodating with their expression. Since my phone was upstairs in the office. I wasn''t able to reach Adam myself so I ventured further into the locker room and opted to ask the guys. "Has anyone seen Adam?" "Why? You''re f****g him too?" said a grumpy voice and I sighed in frustration, as I recognized it to be Konan. Looking at Collins, I expected him to see the tant insult and bullying going on but instead, he stood with his arms folded, looking at me like he wanted answers too. Lunar''s Wrath! Why is almost every man in this industry hostile to me? I had been standing near the lockers, with the intent to ask a dark-skinned boy about Adam, but now I shook my head, facing Konan. "This is getting a little old, don''t you think?" I asked, with a raised brow, and my lips downturned in a frown. Just admit that despite trying to sabotage a girl, you still ended up a sore loser." In a sh, Konan fired from the seat, storming towards me and I dropped my arms, curled my hands into fists and raised my chin to his face. I am tired of being insulted and injured based on some silly boy''s insecurities. I am the winner now and with the way my wolf stayed on the edge of my consciousness, if Konan tries shit, I swear to the gods, we will both beat his a Konan''s hot breath fanned my face, his nose scrunched up in anger. "You didn''t win. You cheated. You want to tell me the Princes didn''t give you some tips?" "Oh, shut up!" I replied, absolutely disgusted and fed up with the nonsense. "Like it''s my ***y that won me the first test after you pushed me down and tried to kill me. It''s my **p*y that got me going when ONE OF YOU," I pointed to the room in a sweeping arc, "tried to BLIND ME in the event!" S they coul couldn''t meet my eyes anymore, and looked away. I faced Konan, lowering my voice "It''s my p****y that fought Adam ckwell and f***king won. If that''s what will make you sleep at night," I smiled. "Then by all means be my guest. It still doesn''t change the fact that you," I rose on my toes to match his height, are a sore looooserere." Konan cried out in frustration and the next thing I knew, he raised his fist. At first, I thought he intended to hit me but time slowed again and I saw that the trajectory of his hand was actually going behind me. In a blink, time became normal and my hair flew back as his fist punched through the locker door behind me. My smile grew wider as I maintained eye contact, and his eyes glowed red as he fumed down at me. "Careful." I whispered. "Everyone might find out what you are.¡± 4:47 In a blink, his eyes were back to normal and he grabbed his things and left. As I watched him leave, my eyes cut to Coach Collins who continued to re at me with hatred, and I maintained his re with one of my own. I thought he''d be a good coach like Adam but he''s just an asshole unworthy of my respect. You don''t deserve to be among us." He stated, quietly. I folded my arms, matching his stance. "Says who?" "Says the girl whose life you ruined!" He raised his voice. Billie. Her video knocked me off my peg, my confidence faltering. "You don''t know the whole story." I replied. "Oh yeah? So what''s your excuse?" Theld I held my tongue. How could I defend the fact that I became something so monstrous that I murdered a kid and cr***led several others at age seven? How could I let the world know that Ryn is different and not like the others? That Ryn is something Ryn doesn''t even know? I chose to remain mute and Collins mistook that for me being guilty. He scoffed, looking at the others. "She has nothing to say. She''s just as Konan described." He looked at me. "Every single man here worked to attain their heights. They..." He pointed their way, "are the true Elites. Not you. You''re just a w**re who slept her way to the top." "I didn''t sleep with anybody!" I hissed, feeling the urge to cry but swallowing that shit. "Liar! No girl can live with the Princes and not get the Windermere experience." He smirked, looking at me from head to toe in a predatory way. "And I must say, with that body, and that face? The Princes and even Adam would be fools not to have f****d you good." "Want to repeat that to my face?" My head snapped to the entrance and the temperature in the room dropped when I found Theon leaning against the door frame, checking his nails which slowly grew into long, sharp ws. Behind him was Adam, standing with his arms folded across his chest, ring at Collins. Collins opened his mouth and closed it. Then he swallowed, his face getting paler by the minute. From my enhanced hearing, I could hear his heart pick up race and that slightly amused me. "Uhm, your Highness." He stuttered, then his voice trailed off. Theon''s face was the perfect mask of dangerous beauty, blending with innocence, then he raised his arctic blue eyes - the only indication that he''s not an angel but rather a vengeful god wearing human skin. He sauntered into the room, hisrge body easily making the space smaller. Like azy predator, he approached Collins, and mmed a huge hand on his shoulder. Collins flinched slightly, and I suddenly realized I had never seen Theon and Collins stand together. san Elite, Collins was a big man but next to Theon, he looked like an undernourished beaver. As "Everybody out." Theon said quietly, but the aura of his authority filled the room and within seconds, the boys cleared out, leaving Adam. I sighed, about to follow suit. "Wait." Theon said and I paused in my steps. "Come here." I obeyed and went to him. At this point, Collins was covered in sweat, slightly trembling even though Theon did nothing buty his hand on his shoulder and stare at him. "Apologize." Collins looked at me, his face the mask of fear. "I am sorry." "No." Theon countered. "Go on your f***ing knees and beg." Collins hesitated, looking to Adam in a silent plea but the ckwell remained hostile in his demeanour. When he realized, he wasn''t getting any help. He licked his lips and slowly sank to his knees before me. He closed his eyes and swallowed. "Please, Miss Ashmore," his voice quivered. "I beg your forgiveness." 13/33 13/33 "Do you forgive him. Ryn?" Theon asked, still not looking at me once. I stared at the man begging at my feet. I could still see the air of arrogance in his stiff pose. "What happens if I don''t?" "Very bad things. Ryn. Starting with the loss of his tongue." Collins squeezed his eyes shut. "Please," He begged more sincerely this time. 1-4 have a mate and a family. "How is that my problem?" I asked, unmoved. Collins sank to the floor, holding my feet. "I beg of you. Miss Ashmore. I take back everything I said. You''re not a whore. You earned your ce in the Academy. You fought for it and you got it. I was just a bitter man? Please, forgive me." He rested his forehead on the floor and tears stung the back of my eyes. "I forgive you" I said, and before the first tear dropped. I left the room.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! 4:47 PM Chapter 119 RYN I went upstairs and the moment I entered the office; I found Sadie cing an ice pack on Miro''s head while a bloody paper towel was rolled up in one of his nostrils. I became riddled with concern as I approached them and found Miro, sitting on the sofa with his "What happened?" I asked. eyes closed. "I don''t know." She answered, her expression that of worry. "Ever since he fixed you, he''s not been okay." I looked down at Miro, instantly feeling bad for him, This is it. This is what I do. The people that care about me always end up hurt and in pain. Why do I have to be such a burden? Miro was right. I am trouble. I see it now why he wanted me to stay away from Theon. I see why he hates me. He knows I''m trouble and now he''s wounded because of me. What would Theon think when hees back? Will he me me? Will he finally see me for who I am? I looked at Sadie. "Is a doctoring?" "Healer Kwan just left. He gave him a drip and some meds and said he will be fine in a few days." At that, I sighed in relief. Then I realized, I forgot to collect my pendant from Adam yet again. Mentally groaning, I looked around for my phone and when I couldn''t find it, I turned to Sadie. "Have you seen my phone?" Instantly, her face went red as she avoided my eyes. "I haven''t seen it." Saule I heard her heart beat faster as she focused on her cousin. "Yeah?" "What did I tell you about lying?" Sadie sighed, and left the ice pack on her cousin''s head, before facing me. "I don''t think having your phone right now is a good idea." I frowned. "Why not?" "Just trust me. It''s best right now." "If this were any other day, I would have loved to but right now, I need to make some calls. So," I stretched my hand forward. "give me my phone."N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Sadie looked worried as she pulled it from her back pocket and handed it to me. "That girl''s video sparked some really bad attention." She stated. "I''ve been blocking and deleting for an hour." Curious, I turned on my phone and to my suprise, I had over eight-seven missed calls, messages going over two hundred and more still dropping. In the preview of one message, someone was cussing me out and wishing me ill. In another message, someone practically promised to ''gut me like a fish'' I nced at Sadie who seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I am so sorry." She said. 1 + I faced my phone, and tried to ignore the messages so I could call Adam. Due to notifications dropping, I identally clicked on Instagram and was redirected there. I shouldn''t have gone there - especially the notifications tab. A lot of badments were left under my photos. Some were specting that my beauty was fake and I probably had work done. Some said they supported me and now regret it. Others tried to defend me but a particrment shot through me like a bullet and made me lean against the table for support. max20499 0499mented, "I heard she was so wful her parents tried to run away and abandon her. Unfortunately, they died. Who knows if she had something to do with it." Thatment had five hundred and fourty one likes. "Are you okay?": Sadie asked, silencing the thousands of voices taking over my mind. T "Yeah. I''m fine." I shrugged, then I began to slowly walk away. "Prince Theon asked me to meet him downstairs." I lied, "be right back." And And I then without waiting for her reply. I dashed out of the room and went downstairs. At this point, all I could hear was the rush of my own heartbeat in my ears. As soon as I made my way to the ground floor, some students stood in groups, watching a video on their phone and then they saw me and began to whisper amidst themselves. Faces that smiled at me just hours ago now frowned and looked at me suspiciously. I looked away from them, quickening my feet. The sudden urge to disappear clustered in my mind, taking root and increasing my sense of istion. Soon everyone will hate Ryn especially when they find out what she did to survive. I thought my feet would take me outside the school premises and away foreever but instead it led me to the one ce I''ve called home for years. The janitor''s closet. I paused, standing outside of it, my hand lingering on the k***ob. Then I opened it and went inside. Closing the door behind me, I noticed very little had changed and like a homesick child, I raced to where I used to curl up and sleep and sat with my knees pulled up. Something about this space made me feel safe and and for the first time since the incident that ured in the boy''s locker room, I ''exhaled. Like a moth to a me, I went back to max20499''sment and tapped on thements under it. My heart shattered when I saw strangers whom I barely knew agree and even add some lies to their gossip. As if that wasn''t enough, I came across the hashtag #RabidRyn - several times, so I tapped on it. To my terror, I realized the hashtag already had four thousand posts under it. Gods! Who are these people?! I scrolled on the posts, my heart breaking some more each time I saw videos about me andmentaries, all because they wanted to trend. News outlets had even joined in, putting my face in their graphic post. FIRST FEMALE ELITE TRAINEE EXPOSED FOR ATTEMPTING TO MAUL BEST FRIEND TO DEATH!'' What the f***k?! watched in horror as more and more posts had something to say about me. Then I saw a video from Bessie under the username - bessieboo amd it had sixteen thousand four hundred and eighty three likes. It automatically began to y. "Hi guys." She said, and it seemed she recorded this video in front of the school building during the games. "My name is Bessie and I am a student of Lycantide High. So if there is anyone who is qualified to have something to say about that b***h? It would be me." "Oh gods. Here we go." I whispered. "Honestly, I am so d that everyone is seeing Ryn for who she is. I never liked her since day one. Yes, I may have been a little mean to her but that b***h put my boyfriend in aa and got my father fired as a Principal." 447 PM & 447119 Chaptered her mouth as if she was about to cry. She She cove "My Dad Dad just had two years before retirement and she ruined that for him. After that, I got so depressed and I actually thought of killing myself." She paused for dramatic effect, dabbing at her dry eyes. "Only one thing kept me going; and that''s the fact that karma is a **h and shees for everyone. So this is for you, Ryn!" She raised her middle finger. "Karma is here for you." Then the video ended and I suddenly felt very tired. Curling into a fetus, Iid down on the floor, a small tear escaping my eyes. My phone began to buzz and I raised it to see Theon''s caller ID. I switched off my phone and closed my eyes. As I tried to rest, voices from the past haunted my mind, as Iid there. "Put your wolf on a leash! Or you''re going to regret it!" "You are trouble, Ryn." I * I can''t have my sonsying with the likes of you!" "Who''s going to miss a poor orphan girl?" Then the sobs ripped from my throat and I gripped my hair to stop the voices from haunting me. Maybe I am all the things they say I am. Maybe the world will be a better ce without Ryn Ashmore in it. AUTHOR''S NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Summer Carter, a reader who has been activelymenting and giving gifts. Thank you so much for your support. To othermenters and gift givers, I will be dedicating a chapter to you as well. I really appreciate you guys. Chapter 120 0 THEON Despite Collins apologizing, I fired him on the spot as an Elite and as a coach. I knew word would spread of what I had done and I hoped it would be a fucking warning to anyone else who thinks they cane into the Academy to bully Ryn or speak trash of myself and my brother. I won''t tolerate that nonsense and I am happy to make someone an example. Adam, who had been preupied with other things, decided to take back his position as coach and stay for the rest of the term. Then he gave me something. "Can you please give Ryn her pendant?" He asked. "I forgot to hand it to her."Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I collected the item from him and nodded once before leaving the room. Before going up, I decided I was in the mood to be petty so I went to the office where my father stayed and strolled in. I was expecting him and his cabal to be in a bad mood, but to my confusion and surprise, I found him toasting a drink with Dutton and Alpha Jack. When he saw me, his smile widened. "Son, join me. Let''s celebrate." I stayed put, shoving my hands in my pockets. "What are you celebrating?" A wicked glint shone in his eyes. "The downfall of Ryn Ashmore." As soon as he said that, I felt the worst kind of sadness envelope me. A sadness so intense, i felt chills in my bones and needles poking my heart. "Ryn." I whispered and then I was rushing out of the office and taking the steps three at a time. Within a few minutes, I entered the space I dedicated to Ryn and found my brother hugging a crying Sadie close to his body. What the fuck is happening? "Why are you crying? Where''s Ryn?" I demanded, hoping something terrible hadn''t happened to her. They nced at each other before looking at me in confusion. "She told me you asked to meet downstairs." Sadie said, sitting up, wiping her face. "Even my Dad was here and I told him the same thing." I blinked at her. "I never said that." Sadie nced at Miro and then at me. "She was in such a hurry to leave." She sniffled and I wondered who hurt my pumpkin. Also, why is my brother pale in the face? Gods! Can''t something just go right for once? Can''t I just have a moment of peace where I don''t have to worry else? I took a deep breath and exhaled. about anyone Her eyes shifted from me to the floor. "I felt guilty for starting a campaign online for Ryn and now it has backfired." "You." I pointed to Sadie. "Why are you crying?" I shared a nce with my brother, not really understanding social media speak. Miro sighed. "What she''s saying is before the event, she gathered support for Ryn online, but since the Billie video, that support has turned into the worst cyber bullying." Fuck. I remember thest time someone was cyberbullied in my circle. That was way back in college. Within twenty-four hours, he killed himself. 173 Chapter 120. That better not happen to Ryn, or 1, will go on a fucking killing spree. "So, no one knows where Ryn is?" I asked as I pulled out my phone and dialed her line. Miro and Sadie shook their heads, looking worried. The longer her line rang, the heavier my heart pounded. This sadness I felt had now morphed into loneliness the kind that made me feel like jumping off a cliff and sinking into the bottom of the ocean. She never picked so it went to voicemail. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I decided to leave a voicemail for her, and sprinkled in some threats to motivate her to find me. I don''t even care about punishing her for ignoring my call. I just want to see her. I want to breathe the same air as her and I swear to the gods, once I find her, I''ll make her sleep in my room. No kissing. No intimacy whatsoever. I just want to hold my Bunny close to my heart and feel her heartbeat as she sleeps. "Are you okay?" Miro''s voice slipped into my head. I turned to find him watching me. Sadie, on the other end, was typing furiously on her phone. "What do you think?" I replied and then I took a deep breath, swallowing my emotions. Since I met Ryn, I hadn''t been able to do that. Now I need to be strong for her and for myself. I don''t want to feel right now or I''d do things I might regret. I dialed her line again, and to my anger, worry, horror, I found it switched off. So I called Adam. "Yes, my Prince." ""Where are you?" "Packing up with the guys, about to head home." "Good. Get as many men as you can, and find Ryn for me." There was hesitation on the other end. "Sir, with all due respect, I don''t think Ryn did what that girl med her for. I mean why didn''t she say. something all this while? Why wait for Ryn to get famous? Please, don''t hurt her." I closed my eyes as it dawned on me that I never checked nor cared if Ryn was in the right or not. I just cared if she was okay. "I''m not arresting her but I have a feeling she might do something stupid if I don''t find her in time." "Will get right on it immediately." The call ended and I began to pace the room. Then my eyes fell on the poisonous nt sent as a death threat to Ryn. Why didn''t she tell me about it? Did the person who sent the threat get to Ryn already? Miro and Sadie approached me. "What kind of nt is that?" She asked. Suddenly, the door opened and I turned around hoping to see Ryn. Instead, it was thest person I ever wanted to see. Chelsea. "What are you doing here?" I gritted out.. She folded her arms and pouted. "Your brother left me in the car for hours! I have been cooking in there!" Chapter 121 Chapter 121 RYN For a moment, I couldn''t breathe; it was as though all the air had been sucked from the room, leaving only a crushing silence that drummed in my ears. My heart pounded, each beat painfully loud, thudding with a mix of disbelief and betrayal. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. How can this s be? My mind raced, darting between fragments of memories and realizations, each one cutting deeper. Theon shrugged off Chelsea and took a step forward to me. "Ryn, I can exin." I stumbled back from him, needing to put some distance between me and the awful truth. Tears I thought were depleted rose like a fountain behind my eyes. My wolf whimpered in the wake of them. Memories of giving myself to Theon shed before my eyes. Memories of Sadie and Miro warning me echoed in my mind. This was worse than anything I''ve ever prepared myself for-a twist of fate that felt like a cruel joke, leaving me raw, exposed, and utterly shattered. Hooked at Sadie. "You were right all along." I whispered. "Right about what?" Theon queried but I was walking towards Miro, ignoring him. "I saw your text. You said the antidote was here?" "Yes, but you need to listen to Theon." "Where''s the antidote?" the and Suddenly, I was grabbed by the arm, and whipped around. Refusing to look at Theon, I fixed my gaze elsewhere, feeling numb. "Ryn, look at me." Theon ordered, but I refused. "Everyone, out! Now!"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The power in his voice sent deadly shivers down my spine, making my wolf feel the need to submit, but I refused. I heard the reluctant shuffling of feet as Sadie and Chelsea left the room but Miro stayed put. "That includes you, Ro." Theon said, his gaze fixated on me and mine, staring into space. Miro approached us, hesitating by my side before leaving without a word. Now it was just us two. n." Theon said. "Look at me." "Ryn." Still, I refused. Still, "Okay." Theon nodded to himself, then he dragged me to the table. In one move, he swept everything ott, including the hemlock nt and then carried me to sit on the table. Now, he nted both hands on either side of me, his gaze burning me alive. . @77% Chapter 121 your "I can easily force you to look at me. Theon said, releasing a shaky breath. "But I don''t want to. I want it to be However long it takes you, I''ll stay here. We''ll both be in this position until you''re ready." choice. I blinked, hating the fact that he meant what he said, still I didn''t think I had it in me to look at him, because then, I might see the man I havee to fall in love with and the pain of his betrayal will sting like death''s kiss. Silence settled upon us. "I did it all for you, Ryn." Theon exined. "The phoenix flower n didn''t work out so I had to go to Chelsea as ast resort. She wouldn''t help unless I married her, so I arranged for that to happen. That''s it." I blinked, letting his words sink in, then I looked at him. I wasn''t prepared to see the world of pain and hurt in his startling blue eyes. This is the most vulnerable I have ever seen of him and that''s when I believed him. I touched his face and he leaned into it, closing his eyes as he sighed in relief. For the first time, since I''d known him, he didn''t look like a god, nor a man, but a boy. A little boy who just needed a ce to rest. ??? you for caring about me." I said to him, and he held my wrist and kissed it. Then he kissed down my arm, and traveled to my face. couldn''t s him. I didn''t want to. When his lips captured mine, I shuddered. How did I forget he tastes like home too? I opened up, letting him in, loving his strong, supportive hand holding my face. His kiss was gentle, as if he had all the time in the world to explore me. I didn''t like that. I wanted him to kiss me like it''s goodbye because I know for certain that after I take the antidote, things will change. His other hand travelled to my waist and pulled me closer. a brief second, I imagined himying me down on the table and taking me here. For a brie I pushed the thought away, knowing my wolf has no self-respect and would dly spread my legs wide for him if she were in control. Breaking the kiss, our foreheads touched. "It''s time to let go." I whispered. "Not t now." He kissed me again. "Let''s talk." About?" Anoth kiss. "About what happened today." He panted softly. "I heard people were talking shit about you online. How are you?" I met his eyes, remembering how just a few minutes ago, all I wanted to do was die. "I''m fine." I swallowed. Theon''s lips set in a thin line as his gaze cut to my lips. He kissed me again and just when I thought this discussion was over, he bit my lip hard. I withdrew from him, startled by pain. When I touched my lip and checked my finger, I saw blood on it. "What did you do that for?!" "That''s for lying me. Now," His tongue swept over his teeth that had grown into sharp fangs, answer my question or my teeth will be sinking in your shoulder next." 214 Sat I gaped at him in surprise. "You''re a psycho His brows pulled together in c "Are you just knowing that now?" My jaw dropped, and he smiled and I think my brain left the room at the sight of his dimples. He held my chin, bringing my focus back to him. "How are you, Ryn?" I shook my head, those fountains of tears gushing to my eyes. "Im not okay." Theon nodded. "I know. Tell me more." "I am tired. Exhausted." Tears fell down my face and he wiped them. "I miss my parents, so so much. I can''t remember thest time I was truly happy. I wish I could just disappear into the woods, even if it''s for one day, just shut off my phone and sleep and wake up the next day not worrying about shit. I keep going from drama to drama and no one likes me." "I like like you." I paused, looking at him. "You''ll feel differently once the Moonstone is gone." "I didn''t hate you before giving you the Moonstone. I''m not about to start now." I gazed into his eyes - firm, set, certain. "You never asked about the Billie video. If I really did it or not." "That doesn''t matter." "Why?" "Because I know you as the girl who jumped in front of a moving car to save me. You''re also the girl who degraded herself on camera to save my cousin. You''re the girl who endured pain for weeks because you didn''t want to put my life at risk. You''re the girl who chose to help her colleague during apetition." Another tear streamed out. This time to be, Ryn, and it all boils down to one thing - you''re a good person. Your first instinct "There are so many things I know you is to save rather than destroy and if you were put in a position where you have to maul somebody, then they must have really had iting." arou lose my I was the one who slid my hand behind his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. My lips had healed by now, so I kissed him with everything I''ve got. The overwhelming urge to unbuckle his belt and zip down his pants came over me and I wish I could do it here. I wish I V-card I to this man. I don''t care if he hates me after. I can''t see anyone else I''d rather do it with. "Don''t put tempting thoughts in my head, Ryn." Theon''s voice went down many octaves, giving a predatory vibe to his voice. "Sorry, I can''t help it.'' Iughed against his lips. I think heughed too, because his body shuddered against mine. We broke apart again, leaving just inches between us in case one of us needs to steal another kiss "I know you for who you are. Question is, do you know who you are?" He asked and had no idea hwo to reply. "Take your time and think about my question and never let anyone''s opinion of you define how you really see yourself, understood?" I I nodded in response. Then he rose to his full height and walked to the sofa to pick up a brown paper bag. Upon reaching me, he pulled a small bottle out of the bag and handed it to me. The bottle had a dark greenish vial which gave me the feeling that it''d be bitter. my head to look at Theon, my mood souring again. "This feels like a break-up." "That''s because it is." raised 11:50 "I can''t live with that witch "I know. Sadie''s parents have agreed for you to stay with them. I have your things brought over tonight." "I''m sorry I''m the reason you married her." Theon gave a wan smile. "I''m just d you''re okay." Silence. "Can I ask a favour?" "Sure." "Can I take this alone?" I asked. "It would be awkward to take the antidote and then walk away from each other." Theon nodded. "I understand." 3 He came closer, bringing out his hand from his pocket and ced my pendant on the table. Then he held my face, his lips hovering over mine in longing. I thought he would kiss me again, but instead, he kissed my forehead and with that, he grabbed his jacket and left. Tears rushed to my eyes but I stopped myself. I have to let him go. If he''s mine, he''lle back to me. With that said, I closed my eyes and after counting to fifty, I drank the vial. 0 Chapter 122 RYN The moment I took the antidote and removed the Moonstone, something shifted within me. Three things actually. First, the the invisible tether I felt with Theon slowly faded away which saddened me. Then, the wound in my stomach disappeared and I became fully healed. I sighed in relief, knowing I''m back to normal but then the third thing happened. That familiar itch in my spine urred again. I scratched my back, I really hope that wondering if I was having an allergic reaction. Then I froze. is not about to make me have a humpback. I tried to imagine that and then another image of me shifting into a rat and Chelsea throwing me in her mouth yed in my mind. A cold shiver ran through my body, making me shudder. I wore my pendant, and came down from the table, feeling light headed and woozy. Spreading out my attention to steady myself, my attention I went to the window and I slowly walked to it. Looking out, I saw Theon''s entourage moving far in the distance. I wondered. Does he feel the shift too? Will he be ultimately cold now that he isn''t forced to feel? Rynpr I turned around and found Sadie standing by the door. "You okay?" I thought about her question for a moment. "I don''t know." She came into the room and approached me. When she got closer, I realized her eyes were bloodshot too. "I can''t stop it." She whimpered, and when she looked up, her eyes were ssy. "Stop what?" "The hate against you." She said, "I made a video about you, got some friends to say something nice too on their profile but that Billie girl." She began to sob and I pulled her in for an embrace. "I am so sorry." caressed her hair. Ironically, I felt strangely at peace especially "How are you so calm?" Sadie asked, sniffling. me. I wiped her tears with my hands and smiled sadly. "A wise person once told me to never let anyone''s opinion define how I really see myself. I am going to try my best to hold on to that and that starts from logging out of all my ounts and deleting all the apps." "What about your phone number?" "Changing that as well. No one else will have it other than you and maybe your cousins." Sadie nodded and then I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder as we began to walk out of the office. Sadie went first and I turned around, looking at the memories I made here, especially the ones I had with Theon. Does reminiscing mean I miss him? F ! I wondered, then I shrugged before going out the door and closing it behind me. To my surprise, I found about half a dozen hefty men dressed in ck waiting for me. I looked at Sadie who blushed pink. "My Dad was concerned so he sent security to walk us to the car." The men nodded to me in greeting and I smiled to them. Together, we all went downstairs. Although the school was thinning out due to closing times, I noticed some students lingering around downstairs and I was surprised to see Bessie among them. It seemed they were waiting for me but when they saw the guards surrounding Sadie and I on all sides, they frowned. Going down the stairs, I raised my chin high and held my spine straight. I know what happened that night and no one can intimidate me into fear. I have been there, done that, and I am not going back to the bullied Ryn anymore. Bessie''s disdainful eyes connected with mine and I couldn''t help the sly smirk that curved my lips at her annoyance. If she thought she was going to make aeback, she must have something elseing. We exited the school building and headed straight for a big ck Range Rover waiting for us. One of the guards opened the car door for me and I entered the back seat feeling like royalty. I wish I were royalty. I wish my parents were rich. How would my life have turned out? Instead of following after me, Sadie chose to go round the car to the other side. Just then, I saw Bessie stop her and one of the guards stepped in but Sadie said it was okay. couldn''t hear what they were saying but Bessie kept looking into the car where I was and argued with the gingerhead. At some point, Bessie must have said something terrible, because the next thing I knew, Sadie pped her and stormed out of her face.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Surprised, I I watched her get into the car fuming, while Bessie held her face, stunned. "What happened?" I asked Sadie, in concern. Her face was blotched red in anger. "Nothing, let''s just go." She grumbled, looking out the window and I wonder what could have been so terrible to get Sadie this upset. Anger sparked i in my bones as the car drove out of the parking lot and I made sure to send a scathing re at Bessie before we drove off. I noticed Sadie was still looking out the window, so I held her hand, catching her attention and when she turned to me, I opened my arms for her. Like the cutie-pie that she was, she snuggled into my embrace and I held her close and caressed her hair softly. Hourster, Sadie and I were seated on the floor of my new bedroom, dressed in matching pjs, watching cartoons while binging on ice cream. Sadie''s parents retired early and from the way they couldn''t get their hands off each other, it was obvious, they were retiring to do something else. "What do you have in mind for tomorrow?" Sadie asked. I gave a one handed shrug. "Graduate,e back home and get ready for the King Ball." Sadie suddenly perked up. "That reminds me! You need a dress! And a makeover!" 11: U 00000, 77% §ä§à "Wait what? What''s wrong with my face?" Sadie smiled. "Nothing darling. We are just going to make it more beautiful." I looked away, my face turning red. "I don''t think I have the funds for that. I haven''t received my prize money yet." "And who said anything about you paying?" Sadie beamed as I turned to her in shock. I shook my head. "I can''t make you spend on me." "Actually, my dad dropped his card. He said and I quote, "Take Ryn shopping. You both need to buy whatever makes you happy." Blinking in surprise, I thought about her words and began to get excited. Just then the doorbell rang downstairs and Sadie rose to her feet, mentioning it must be my things being delivered. My heart began to hammer fast. That must be Theon. Should I go downstairs to see him? What if he doesn''t feel that attraction? Am I ready for that revtion? I paced in my room for about a minute, holding my hair back from my face with one hand and when I heard Sadie open the door downstairs, my wolf couldn''t take it anymore. So I rushed downstairs to see Theon. To my dismay, it was some random guard whom I recognized as security at the Windermere mansion. Sadie collected my small luggage from him and waved goodbye and then she closed the door. She climbed up the stairs, smiling at me and I had to force one for her. After she passed by me going upstairs with my luggage, I let my smile fall. If Theon liked me, he would have shown up by himself. Sending a guard sends a clear message. Theon doesn''t feel the same way about me anymore. AUTHOR''S NOTE; This chapter is dedicated to Leslie Williams and Ilze Balina. Thank you for your kindments. They make me so happy. Sorry for the slow updates y''all. I fell sick. Please be patient. I love you. Chapter 123 OU MIRO I feel so fucking good. I swung my right arm in a wide arc and the moment my fist hit my opponent in the jaw, some pieces of teeth fell out mixed with the stter of blood and then he went down like a log. The crowd around erupted in cheers, almost deafening me as I was dered the winner. I looked up and saw my father look down at me from the VVIP area. He had no smile on his face as he nodded his head in approval. Not okay enough but I''ll take it. I''ll take whatever I can get from him. I nced at my opponent, whoid on the floor of the fighting ring, unmoving. He was a big, seven feet tall bald man known as the Bill the Bone Crusher. Before his renowned career as a fighting champion, he was a retired warrior on death row for murdering his wife. A sponsor found him and ever since then,, he''s been fighting underground for years in exchange for some luxury perks in prison. I looked at him in disdain, feeling no pity whatsoever for him. Just as he broke his wife''s bones and smashed her skull in, he also had a knack for doing the same to his opponents, instantly crippling them. No one had been able to escape him without suffering some sort of trauma. No one, except me. I grinned to myself as I exited the fighting ring, hailed and hyped by the hollering crowd. Somehow, despite the des and apuse, I felt empty inside. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I imagined two people in the crowd cheering for me. I blinked in surprise as it suddenly dawned on me that other than my father, I desperately wanted to impress my brother and...Ryn. I shook my head as I left the hall and took an elevator up to one of the luxury rooms dedicated to me. MapleBees had really upgraded since I was a teenager. It was no longer just a bar but also a suite of a mini-hotel, a casino and a four-star restaurant. Once I entered my room, I went to the bathroom and, after removing my robe; I stepped into the hot shower. A sign left my lips as the heat soothed my aching bones and bruised skin. I had no idea there was blood on my body as I watched it swirl into the drain. I tried to remember who I fought There were a bunch of them, arranged for me by my father. He called them ''the best of the worst, meaning they were the most deadly bunch on death row. I remember fighting more than half a dozen of them and each falling down unconscious. My father was right. Switching up my diet was the best choice to be stronger. The more I fought these dangerous men, the deadlier I became, and that''s what I need to defeat Dominic. I just wish someone who mattered was also there to cheer me on Someone who really cared about my win and not about using me to make more money. Someone like Theon....and then my wolf added Ryn''s image. Fucking bastard." I sighed, running both hands over my wet, matted hair. Why am I thinking of her? 10:44 Sun, I got what I wanted. By the time I get home, she will no longer be there. I won''t get to see her siren eyes and those swelling breasts that make me want to.. "Arrgh!" I punched the wall and, to my surprise, my fists went through the tiles, and through the cement, forming a hole. Ah. Crap. I dusted off my hands, finished my shower, and stepped out in a towel. Later on, I''ll have to inform management to take care of that. In the meantime, I wiped off the steamed mirror and stared into my own eyes. The flecks of gold are now so prominent, it''s so easy to spot. Aside from that, something else had begun to show on my body. I looked down at my wrists, showing dark lightning-like veins stretching up towards my elbow. They were thin and wraith-like, rarely visible unless you were looking for it.. "You''re killing yourself."" Healer Kwan had said after I showed it to him. "You should stop that diet. Your body is rejecting it. If it gets to your heart, you''re a goner." I told him I had no choice. It was just for the meantime until I can beat Dominic. "And how long do you think that would take?" He asked, his mouth down-turned in a frown. It was the first show of anger I ever saw of him. I had no answer to give him. It was either my father''s way or death''s way. Maybe he''ll love me more if I die trying to gain his affection. I scoffed bitterly. Leaving the bathroom, I proceeded to get dressed and just when I was about to head out; I heard a knock on my door. Curious as to who it was, I crossed the room and when I opened the door; I found two beautiful identical dark-haired women standing side by side in white bathrobes - one had green eyes while the other had light brown ones. "Yes? Can I help you?" I asked. "The King sent us here." One of them, a green-eyed girl, said seductively. "He wants you to think of us as a reward for a job well done." As she said that, they looked at each other with a smile and opened their robes for me. I stared down at their perfectly shaped and toned bodies d in the sexiest lingerie and usually the old me would have let them in by now, but all I could think of was that, "They are not Ryn.''N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. I stood there, looking and trying to find my libido, but to my surprise, it''s gone. I don''t feel any sexual attraction to them. Even my wolf seemed not interested. I raised my eyes, feeling slightly thrown off. "Sorrydies. Wrong night." I frowned, and their faces fell. Before they could say anything else, I passed between them and locked my door. As I walked away, I couldn''t help but feel angry at Ryn. Not only is that fucking siren in my head, but now she has my dick on ice. "What am I going to do with you, Ryn?" I whispered to myself, wishing I had not just my hand but my belt wrapped around her lovely neck. "What am I going to fucking do to you?" AUTHOR''S NOTE: Thank for being patient with updates. This chapter is dedicated to Denise Cully, Taylor Dorman, ire Cryztal, Christy Johnson Compton. Thank you for the gifts. They make me so happy. Chapter 124 MIRO I pressed the elevator button and when it opened, I found about three men in it standing with a little boy of like six. All wearing suits. From the simr tattoos on their necks, I could tell they were mafia but from the wary looks the men gave me, I could tell, they felt threatened. Not caring, I entered, moving to the back and as we rode the elevator down in silence, the little boy craned his neck around and smiled at me. I smiled back, giving him a wink but the man he was holding hands with, turned his face forward. As soon as wended, they rushed out of the elevator like I was a gue and I found that somewhat amusing and satisfying. Exiting the elevator, I headed to the private casino where my father and his inner circle met once in a while but just as I was about to turn a corner where I''d see them, my enhanced hearing picked up on their conversation. I froze. From what I could hear, Mr. Cresswell seemed to have just arrived and was asking the circle about the game. "My son defeated eight champions in under two hours." I heard my father say with pride which brought a smile to my face. "I never knew he could be such a good cash machine, I would have paid attention to him years ago." My smile faded. "Well, good thing you''re paying attention to him now." Mr. Caine said, pouring himself a drink. "He seems eager to please you." "He better be if he wants my affection as a father." My father chuckled. "Where have you been, Robert? You missed the game and a lot of good money." Mr. Cresswell sighed. "My wife wanted some extra attention and I couldn''t resist. Besides, with the money I made on Ryn today, I am so satisfied." A sliver of silence settled at the table. "You''re acting like a traitor, Robert." Someone said and the power in his voice made me know that, that was Mr. ckwell. "Why?" Mr. Cresswellughed. "Because you thought your son could beat Ryn Ashmore? Oh, please." "He was supposed to." My father answered, "What happened to your boy, Eric?" "I have no idea but Adam''s being punished as we speak. I can''t have a son who can''t even beat a girl." "Me neither." Mr. Caine piped up. "Konan is also going through severe punishment. A hundredshes to the back. I promised him that if he didn''t win the event." "Are you all being serious right now?" Mr. Cresswell scoffed. "We all know Ryn is not just some girl. We know how she came to be what she is. It''s going to be hard for anyone to take her down especially when she finds out who she really is." He poured himself a drink. "I for one, think we should be her friend and draw her closer. Ryn is currently staying with me. That way I can keep an eye on her and she doesn''t need to suspect me." "Are you sure that''s the only reason?" My father asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We all know you had a thing for Ryn''s mom, and Ryn looks just like her mother." "So, what are you suggesting?" Mr. Cresswell replied, his voice hinting a hostile edge. "You think I''d seduce my daughter''s best friend?" "Lydia will skin you alive." Mr. Caineughed. "No. Rather, 1 feel Ryn will seduce you." My father said, "Her mother had that allure with all of us and now all our sons are affected one way or another by Ryn. History is repeating itself."? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "It''s called the Siren Effect." Mr. Cresswell replied. "It''s part of Ryn and her mother''s gic makeup because of what they are. It''s why they are extremely beautiful. No matter where they go, they''ll attract the attention of the male species, whether good or bad." "I wish we could kill her." An angry voice piped up and I recognized it to be Dutton''s voice. "She and her parents have taken too much from us!" "I agree." Konan''s father said. "Unfortunately, we can''t." Mr. ckwell said. "Or we would have done that the moment her parents died. The only thing we can do is break her spirit." "But we can''t even do that! She keepsing back stronger." Konan''s father interjected. "..and I me you for that, Finn." "What did I do?" My father asked. "If your sorr hadn''t be her backbone, we would have triumphed over her by now. Your son is a problem." "I agree. Dutton cut in. "Look, guys, I have tried my best to make him see reason, but he will not. I have never seen him like this since Elizabeth and you know once my son sets his mind one way, it''s hard to steer him away. If you use force, the monster in himes out and we all know what happened thest time we pushed Theon too far." Another silence. "I try not to think about it," Mr. Caine said. "You created a monster, Finn. I mean where we all tried and failed with our sons, you actually seeded." "I know." My father sighed. "And sometimes, I regret it." Silence. "I think at some point, Theon went mad, you know? Lost his sanity. His soul. Elizabeth came, pieced him together, and then tore him apart. Since he came back to life, I have no idea who that boy is. I have no idea who Theon is and I shouldn''t admit this, but sometimes, he scares me." Silence again. "Theon is delicate." Mr. ckwell finally said. "We can''t afford to upset him, but we need some discord between him and Ryn. Together, they are just too powerful." "Trust me. I''m right on it." My father said, then his voice went low and I couldn''t hear anything, so I figured it was high time to show myself. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the space and straight for them. When they saw me. They signalled to my father that I was around. I took a seat with them and ordered a round of drinks. "I thought you''d be busy." My father asked. "Nah, Dad. Those girls weren''t doing it for me." I said, looking everyone in the eye. "What are we talking about?" I asked innocently. "We''re talking about your brother and his obsession with that Ryn of a girl." "Oh." I frowned. "I hate that little bitch. I wish I couldy my hands on her neck and snuff her life out." C Silence settled on the table, and when I raised my head, I saw my father beaming at me. I guess my lies worked. I need them to trust me. "I didn''t know you hated her, too." "Trust me, she gets on my nerves. Although, my brother and her are not talking like before. Some new chick entered the picture." "Ahh yes." My father grinned. "Chelsea." I turned to him in shock. "You know her?" "Of course I know her. Ever since she poisoned Ryn and almost killed her, I have been fascinated with her work. She''s a really good Alchemist." "You need to know she''s married to my brother now." "I know." My father smiled. "Who do you think gave her that idea?" AUTHOR''S NOTE: Major thanks to McKenzie Katrina, Summer Carter and Ines Almeida-Meade for the gifts. This chapter is dedicated to you. You guys are best. Love you. If you have read to this point, please be patient with updates. I''ll try my best to post two chaps per day. Sometimes, the system of this app keeps chapters under review for almost twelve hours. As I type this, the previous chap before this is still under review so I can''t even post this chap first until that one is approved. Totally out of my hands. So please, stick with me. Thank you for making this journey worth it. Chapter 125 THEON As soon as I left Lycantide High, I felt the link to Ryn fade and it felt like I had been sitting near a fire, keeping warm and now.... Now, that fire is gone. I blinked, trying to remember how I felt with her and hold on to the memory that I was once normal. That I can be normal. At some point, Miro came down from our car, mumbling something about having a fight programmed. He asked if I wanted toe but I declined. I needed to be alone and I think he understood that. After entering one of our other security cars, I ordered my men to take Chelsea home and put her under a strict watch. Then I went somewhere I haven''t been to in a while.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I sighed as I read the sign ingrained in arge stone. WELCOME TO MOONSHADE CEMETERY I got out of the car, bringing out two bouquets of flowers. Leaving my security behind, I walked into the cemetery, guided by the dying light of the sunset. I got to my sister''s grave first and gentlyid a bouquet on her grave. I had no words to say. She had been a delight to be with but we were never close. I was always on some random training imposed by Dad or on a mission to assasinate someone or torture a captive. I was barely home. Barely a brother to her and at the time, I was d for it because it removed Dad''s focus on Miro. Now? I regret not spending enough time with her. Because of that, she grew close to Miro and I think in some way, she kept him from spiraling out of control. I guess I understand now why her death wounded him terribly, and why he tattooed her name right inside a ming sun. She was his light in the midst of darkness. His warmth when all he ever knew was harsh coldness just like Ryn. She brought light and fire to me, made me smile again and evenugh. She made me start talking and acting normal. For Nora to die in those circumstances, I can understand why Miro can''t move on or forgive himself. Just like I wouldn''t if anything happens to Ryn because of me. With one hand caressing her gravestone, I rose to my feet and went ahead. Mom''s grave wasn''t too far and when I got there, I removed my suit jacket, rolled up my sleevees, removed my shoes and sat on the ground. Then I sighed. "Hi Mom." I whispered,ying her bouquet down. "Been a while "I''m sorry I haven''te bytely. A lot happened. Recently, it was a girl. Her name is Ryn Ashmore." I said and went ahead to give my mother the gist about her. "Now that the Moonstone is off, I have no idea what I feel for her and I am scared, Mom. I whispered. "I''m scared that I''d really like her and I guess what scares me the most, is her being just like Elizabeth. I can''t ...I can''t go through that again, Mom." I paused, gathering my thoughts as the crickets began to sing from the shadows. "Ryn made me feel just like Elizabeth did and just when I thought I''d live happily ever after like you always promised Miro and I, she ruined me." 10:44 Sun, NOV TU I closed my eyes and exhaled hard. I might be overthinking things. What if Ryn doesn''t spark any feelings when I see her again? What If I''m over her? I stared into space. What if I''m not? What if she still makes my heart stumble? What if she still draws my gaze whenever she''s in the room? What if this time, I am consumed by my desire for her and I don''t see the betrayaling? "Fuck." I whispered, holding my head in my hands. I have to avoid her. I can''t let any woman get close to me.. Even if she doesn''t betray me, I will ruin her. I have no idea how to love something so pure and good without ruining it. I will ravage her innocence, lick her tears and swallow her cries. That''s all this dark, evil part of me thinks about. Ryn has no idea how much I fight my instincts on a daily basis. She has no idea how much I want to snatch her up and hide her from the world. When I look at her, I want to bend and break her will, until she''s in my image. Until she''s mine. I gripped my head tight, feeling my wolf rise to the surf my mind. "Stop." I ordered my wolf. "She''s not ours." as shes of us kissing, touching, almost fucking runs through "Yet." My wolf whispered and it wasn''t in an actual voice but like an impression on my mind - a reminder of all the dark things I''d do to make her mine. "We are not doing that." I replied. "That''s wrong." "Fine. Go see her then. Let''s know if there''s even a connection to start with." "And if there is?" "Then you make her ours." His impression came with a snarl. "I can''t do that. Even if there''s a connection, I want her to choose to be with me." "Who''s going to want to choose us, Theon?" His impression grew angrier and I squeezed my eyes tighter. "The moment she knows how damaged we are, she will run for the hills and I can''t have that. I can''t have my Bunny running from me." "It''s her decision. If she doesn''t like what she sees, then she''s free to go." I think my wolfughed. "When that moment arrives, we''ll see who''s in control. In the meantime, go fucking see her and stop wasting my time." I sighed, knowing I''d never win against my wolf if I don''tpromise. I wasn''t ready to see Ryn yet but I understood why he needed to know. Remembering my promise to bring Ryn''s stuff over, I said goodbye to my Mom and left the cemetery. Time to go see Ryn. I CIET J Chapter 126 I CIET J Chapter 126 THEON First, I had to go home and pack her things and as I was driven home, I thought of what I''d say to her. Funnily, I am never at a loss for words with her but what if she doesn''t want to talk to me? What if she feels awful about our intimacy and doesn''t want to see me? I shook the thoughts out of my head super extra d that we didn''t have sex. "Yet." My wolf impressed againa and I rolled my eyes, wishing I could kick its behind. "That''s puppy abuse." It snarled. "You''re not a puppy. You''re a full grown shameless horny wolf."All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "You forgot to add handsome, or who do you think is responsible for your good looks?" "My parents?" "Whatever. Hurry up. I want to see my Bunny. Make sure you take her on a walk into the woods so we can have privacy." "We are NOT doing that, bro. Better erase those thoughts from your head." "No. What if she wants us too? Have you thought of that? I keep thinking about her desire for us to be her first. have been eagerly preparing myself for that day?" "Yam not going to deflower Ryn in the woods of my Aunt''s house." I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. "Besides, you disappoint me. If we''re going to be her first, don''t you think she deserves a nice ce with candles and roses?" "Oh yes. Didn''t think of that. You are right. We probably should have self control so we can be the best for her." I rolled my eyes again. Once I got home and took the elevator up, I realized I was excited to see Ryn. It''d also give me a reason not to spend time with Chelsea. In fact, once Ie back from seeing Ryn, I''m going to arrange for Chelsea to live elsewhere. As soon as I entered the penthouse, I noticed Chelsea wasn''t in the living room. The guys on patrol nodded to me in greeting and I acknowledged them before heading up the stairs. Maybe Chelsea is in her room. That would be better for me too cause I don''t want to see her before I leave. Before going to Ryn''s room, I went to mine first to shower and change but the moment I opened my door, I found Chelsea standing a few feet away with her back to me. Instantly, my anger med and I decided I was going to fire all my guards as soon as I was done with her "What are you doing in my room?" I snarled at her but she stayed still and unmoving. Her hair, only flying with the night breeze. "Can''t you speak?!" When she didn''t react, I lost my patience, and stormed towards her, and the moment I whipped her around, she blew -something in my face. I blinked several times, coughing as I inhaled the substance. Chelsea stood with a smirk, watching me. ""What the fuck did you do to me?!" Instantly, I began to feel woozy. I staggered back, my vision splitting in twos and threes. "You think I''m just going to sit here and watch you choose that skank over me?!" She yelled. "I tried! I really tried to get you to love me as you are, Theon. I thought the marriage we had would fix that but it''s obvious that witch put you under her spell, so I am putting mine on you." I doubled over, coughing hard again. "Chelsea." I warned. My wolf thrashed within, trying to fight the effects of whatever it is she blew in my face. "What did you do?!" Chelsea smiled with a nonchnt shrug. "Simple. I put an Aphrodisiac on you. Soon, you''ll start to see me as the love of your life. It should kick in any moment now." As soon as I heard that, I swung my arm and smacked her hard across the face. She fell and I turned for the door, wheezing for security but my legs turned to jelly and when I fell, it felt like I was floating. Slowly, I rolled on my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to catch my breath. Everything felt tiring. "Stop fighting it!" Chelsea snapped somewhere in the room and then she climbed on top of me and blew another powder in my face. I couldn''t even stop her. I coughed and wheezed again, feeling my wolf get weaker and weaker. "The first doze was enough to take down thirty men." She panted, her nose trickling blood as one of her eyes swelled up. "I suspected you would have a will stronger than thirty men. So I gave you another dose, enough to take down a hundred!" She grinned sharply. "Security." I whispered. "Oh, them?" Chelsea smiled. "They''re on my side now." I looked at her in surprise. "Did you think I came to your house unprepared? Their drinks had a sprinkle of something special. Something that makes them loyal to me." I tried to mindlink my brother but my wolf was down at this point. My arms and legs also felt like lead and as she smiled down at me, I forced myself to grip her throat and squeeze. "Stop fighting it, Theon." She choked out. "I am the love of your life!" My fingers suddenly felt like jelly. I wheezed, and panted for breath, watching my arm fall from her throat to the floor. Then I blinked, and Chelsea began to look beautiful and alluring. I began to wonder why I ever hated her in the first ce or thought she was despicable. I suddenly felt bad for hitting her. "Chelsea." I whispered. Chelsea smiled, and I watched her swollen eye heal and return to normal. "I''m sorry I hit you." I whispered. "It''s okay." She cooed. "What matters is that you''re mine now," She touched my face gently. "I am madly in love with you, Theon, and no one else will have you but me." Chapter 127 Chapter 127 MIRO As soon as I heard about Chelsea, I tried to mindlink my brother but I couldn''t get through and I couldn''t stand up to leave either. So I continued to y along until the Circle was ready to leave around dawn. On our way out, my father patted my back. "You did good today Son. I am proud of you. Can''t wait to see you fight Verena." I paused as he patted my back once again before leaving to enter his car. I should feel proud...but I don''t. Not after how he tried to manipte my brother. I thought he highly respected him. I thought this was what I was aiming for. To get to the point where my father sees me as my own man and treats me like he would one of his inner circle friends. Turns out he doesn''t try to control Theon because he''s afraid of what Theon might do, not because he loved him. My car was brought around, and the moment I entered the back seat. I brought out my phone and dialled his line. Putting it to my ear, I waited for Theon to pick up, but he didn''t. Shit! Has Chelsea already done something to him? I called one of the security at home to check up on him. "He''s perfectly fine, my Prince." One of them answered. "He''s sleeping in his room." I felt a little bit of relief but still felt weird because Theon never puts his phone on silent. He should have heard his phone ringing. "Where''s Chelsea?" "She''s sleeping as well, my Prince." I ended the call and dialled my brother''s line again, but he still didn''t pick up.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Something is up. Something is wrong. I can feel it in my wolf and since Theon always has his side of the bond shut down, I can''t really tell what it is. As soon as I got home, I rushed inside. Patrol nodded at me with a smile and I acknowledged them before rushing upstairs. I went straight for my brother''s room and without knocking; I barged in. When I saw Theon sleeping face up in bed, with a half naked Chelsea lying next to him, her head on his chest. My knees grew weak. Theon would never do this. He would never have sex with Chelsea, not after he''s stayed celibate for so long. I saw a pitcher of water on the nightstand and went to it with rage. Grabbing it, I poured the water on Chelsea''s face. She jerked awake, gasping for breath, and I grabbed her by her hair out of the bed. She screamed, and I was about to kick her out of the room when I felt myself flying backwards across the room. Inded with a crash, my waist hitting something sharp and when I looked up, I saw an angry, fully naked Theon approaching me with red glowing eyes. "How dare youy hands on my wife?!" He growled and then I noticed his eyes -shimmered pink before returning back to full angry red. "Theon." I struggled to my feet, still feeling a sharp pain in my side. "She did something to you. This is not who you are." Theon pped me and I staggered back, appalled that he would hit me like that. We have had our differences and quarrels all our lives, but Theon would never hit me first. He never got physical unless I was asking for it and even that was rare. Chunki 19. Anger sparked hot fff my blend. "You hit me? Because of her?" I pointed to a Chelten who was now approaching us ilreased Theon Fowed his fist to punch me but she rushed forward,ing to stand before him, her hand. pleated in his chest Darling you don''t need to do that. He''s your brother" The hurt you. Thean growled. know. She faked being hurt, turning to look at me with a smirk. "I''m fine, though. I''m sure he didn''t mean it. Right, Miro She wants me to admit to that and I won''t. I went around them if leave, but Theon grabbed me by the cor. "My wife is talking to you. I looked into his ming eyes, the pink shimmering again. "I mint to hurt her. I wish I could hurt her." I replied. Theon snarled, raising his fist again to strike me. This time, Chelsea didn''t stop him, and this time I was prepared. 1 stopped his fist with my hand and head-butted him instead. I love knocked out two champions with this strategy and yet my dearest brother didn''t even flinch, even though I just broke his nose and he had begun to bleed. "Theon." Next thing I knew, I was flying across the room again. Inded on my waist again, but this time; the bed blocked most of my fall. I groaned, feeling my anger rise, but before I could even collect my thoughts, I was dragged to my feet and mmed against the wall. My brother ced his elbow on my neck, his fanged teeth bared at me. "Take back your words!" I looked at my brother, and instead of anger; I felt pity for him. Not once in his life has he Even in our quarrel, he still looks out for me. ever been this angry with me. "TAKE BACK YOUR WORDS!" He snarled, while Chelsea folded her arms arrogantly behin him. "No." I whispered, and I closed my eyes in anticipation of his fist, but it didn''te. I opened my eyes to see his fist close to my face, trembling. I looked at him, and I could see the struggle within him. His eyes flickered from fiery red to radiant blue to shimmering pink. It seemed he was trying hard not to hit me. Suddenly, he let me go, gripping his head with both hands. He bent over, groaning in pain. I rushed to him. "Theon, what''s wrong?" I looked at Chelsea, who looked ufortable. "Well, can''t you help him?" "There''s nothing I can do." She said nonchntly. "He restrained himself because he loves you, but now he''s suffering for it." I stared at her, appalled. "How can you be so heartless?!" She shrugged. "I have wanted Theon for years and he had always rejected me. That is enough to make me heartless." "I''m sure my father will be pissed when he hears of this." Chelseaughed. "You think he doesn''t know what I am doing? He gave me full autonomy over his son, as long as I make him bend to his father''s will, then I get to have him all to myself for as long as I want.", I shook my head. "My father will never trust a stranger unless he has something over them. What does he have over you?" "Eternal gratitude?" She arched brow. "Who do you think saved my life after the war with Alpha Eric''s men?" I blinked in surprise, remembering how no one could find her body after Ryn said she was dead. "You''ve been with my father all this while?" 08:41 Mon. Nov 11 BG Chelsea smiled. "Yes IT palome back piece by piece and healed ine. He was interested in my hatred for Ryn and when he heard of my obsession with his son, he decided we could be mal partners of interest." Slowly: 1 began to see my father for who he was. An egotistical maniac. A control freak who would do anything to have his My brother groaned in pain again, and I looked at him still, gripping his head. "He''s in pain! Is this how you treat someone Jon loves Her face twisted in anger. "This is not my fault! If you don''t want him in pain, then don''t put him in a position where he has to fight you, and that means being nice to me. Starting with taking those words back and apologizing." I looked at my brother one more time and kissed bis head. "Fine 1 apologize for my actions and I take my words back." Instantly, Theon calmed and panted heavily. When he looked alene, his eyes were back to being blue. "Get out." He whispered, wiping the blood off his nose. I obeyed, and without a second nce, I left the room. The moment I reached my room, I went straight for the bathroom, raising my shirt to see dark bruises on my side and around my waist. I dialled Healer Kwan''s number, but he didn''t pick, so I sent a text requesting an urgent meeting. I was about to drop my phone when it rang, and immediately, I checked the caller ID, hoping it was the doctor. Instead, it was our executive assistant at the office. I frowned, knowing she hardly called and always emailed or texted. Hoping Chelsea hadn''t done irreparable damage to ourpany, I picked her call. "Hey, Shannon." I said, watching my bruises fade off. "My Prince, good morning." "Morning. What''s up?" "I know I hardly call, but if I wasn''t desperate, I wouldn''t have done it. I need your help with something." "Sure. Shoot. "Prince Theon ordered a custom made car for a...uhm... Ryn Ashmore as a graduation and early birthday gift? Now the guys are ready to deliver, but Prince Theon is not picking up his calls to pay the bnce after the initial deposit." I blinked in surprise. Theon must have really liked Ryn. Knowing the state he is in right now, I''m sure he''d cancel everything. I sighed, rubbing my temple. "You know what? My brother is kind of not himself right now, so here''s what you''re going to do." I Chapter 128 Chapter 128 RYN It''s graduation day. Finally, my time with Lycantide High hase to an end. I remembered the day I decided to apply to be an Elite. I wonder how my life would have turned out if I didn''t take a risk or if Theon hadn''t given me a chance. I smiled bitterly as his name brushed my mind like a lover''s caress. It has always been Theon from day one. I guess I was right to trust in him when I noticed how his blue eyes were simr to my Dad''s. So what if he doesn''t feel romantically interested in me? Theon has been a good friend and I wouldn''t mind staying friends with him. As long as he doesn''t move on with someone else. Cause that would suck. Big time. I alighted from Sadie''s car and to my surprise; the press was there. They swarmed to me within minutes, jabbing microphones in my face while almost blinding me with their camera shes. Luckily for me, behind us was a car that was brought in extra security, courtesy of Sadie''s Dad, and as soon as I was swarmed, those men broke through and provided a safety shield around me and Sadie. As we were ushered towards the school building, I heard the questions thrown "What do you have to say about the Billie video?" "Is it true that you n to abuse your power as an Elite?" "Are you sleeping with the Princes to keep your position?" "Is it true that you assaulted your best friend because you were jealous of her?" at 1. me. 0 Wait what?! I almost turned around but Sadie held my hand and kept me going. As soon as we entered the building, I couldn''t help but notice how everyone stopped and stared. Wasn''t I the same person who got their ps and cheers and smiles like weeks ago? And even yesterday? Now, I was looked at with contempt, whispers and even fear. Some looked at me and shook their heads but I could still see one or two students waving happily to me and making the love emoji with their hands. "Come on, let''s go." Sadie said and soon we were back at the office Theon rented for me. The men stayed outside and the moment I stepped in, my stomach twisted in knots. I didn''t think I''d be back here again. It felt like I was reopening a wound - one that was festering rather than healing. "Seems this is the only ce we can get some privacy." Sadie said, slumping on the couch and holding her head in her hands. I looked at her, feeling bad that I dragged her into my drama. She was just a shy kid who wanted to spend the rest of her high school years undetected as royalty now because of me, everyone will know her real identity. * )ww. "Are you mad at me?" I asked, still standing close to the the entrance and not quite having the strength to go further in. Sadie raised her head, her eyes wide in surprise. "No." She shook her head and rose to her feet. "I''m not "But you''re upset." ""Yes. I am, but I am not mad at you." I stared at her, swallowing the urge to burst into tears. "You pinky promise?" Sadie smiled wanly and approached me. Then she pulled me into an embrace. "I pinky promise." I held her close and kissed her head. Shortly after, I found the strength to go into the room and sit on the sofa. Memories of my time with Theon suddenly shed through my mind, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath to let them go. "So have you heard from Uncle Theon?" Sadie asked, drawing me from my thoughts. My brows furrowed. "Why do you call the princes ''uncle'' when they are your cousins?" Sadie shrugged, smiling. "I have been referring to them that way since I was a kid because everybody else''s cousins were like age mates or the same height." Sheughed. "My cousins were already bigger and taller than everybody else as kids and to me they looked like giants, so I started calling them Uncle instead, and it got stuck." A small smile crept to my face at the imagination of how big they''d have been to tower over other kids. Did they feel conscious about it? Or did they revel in it? I''m guessing thetter. "You still haven''t answered my question." Sadie watched me with a teasing smirk. "No. He did not reach out, which means he doesn''t like me that way." I yed with my fingers. "What about you?" She asked. "Do you like him that way?"Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "Well. I think about him from time to time, but I won''t be sure until I see him again." "That should be the King''s ball, happening tonight." "Yeah." "We need to make you look so good my uncle won''t be able to look away." I gave Sadie a look. "Are you rooting for your uncle and I?" Sadie shrugged and looked away, her face turning red. "I''ve seen how Uncle Theon has changed when you entered his life. Trust me, his eyes have never had such a shine in it before you came. I always wondered what caused it. I had no idea it was you." Sheughed again. Iughed a little, but my smile faded easily. What if I can''t make his eyes shine like that again? What if this is how it ends for me, just like the other girls? What if I was 22. really just a project all along? About an hourter, I joined the other graduates at the auditorium, and when my name was called so I could receive my diploma, some people cheered for me while the boos remained louder. Still, I raised my chin and steeled my spine as I collected my diploma and received my congrattions. Tears burned the back of my eyes as I wished my parents were here to see me shine, but I fingered my pendant and kissed it, knowing they were here with me in spirit. Afterwards, everyone filled the schoolyard, taking pictures with their family and I was hit with the pangs of jealousy. Again, I refused to let my tears fall as I was reminded of all the things I was missing out on because I was an orphan. Wow. I have no one to share my sess with. Am I not really alone in this world? Maybe I should take pictures with my bodyguards? I scoffed, shaking the thought out of my head. I suddenly missed Theon terribly. By now he''d have texted me to ask if I was okay and probably try to give me money so I''d have candy and ice cream. I brought out my phone with the new number on it and I contemted if I should text him. After a few moments, I decided against it and when I couldn''t take watching people with their families anymore; I decided it''d be best to find some ce to hide my head until Sadie was ready to find me. Speaking of Sadie, where the hell did she go? She disappeared on me at the auditorium and I hadn''t seen her since. Shaking my head, I was about to leave when my phone rang and I saw it was Sadie. "Where are you?" She asked, "Standing in front of the school building with the guards? Where are you?" "Okay. Perfect. Wait there." Ending the call, I waited as she said and when a brand new Range Rover Defender was driven in with pink ribbons tied on it I thought nothing of it. Everyone who had been taking pictures and having a good time suddenly turned to look at the car and gush hard. My jealousy became ten times more bitter when I envied the kid whose parents got that for. Gods! Where''s Sadie so I can get out of this oppressing ce?! Just then, I saw Sadie alight from the same car, followed by her dad on the other side. Oh. Sadie got a new car. A. How nice. Now, here''s something worth smiling for. I am no longer jealous. I rose to my feet as Sadie ran to me in an embrace. I held her tight, truly happy for her and I almost cried, but I held myself together. "Congrattions Ginger. You deserve it." She pulled back, her face radiant, with a mischievous smile. "It''s not for me, silly!" Then her father approached us and dangled a key in my face. "Happy Graduation Ryn. It''s yours." That''s when I cried. Chapter 129 MIRO Dressed in a leather jacket, dark jeans and dark sunsses, I stood at the fourth-floor window of a public library watching Ryn. Before she got her car, her sadness was harrowing. Despite the fact that she hid it well behind a cool, nonchnt mask, those eyes of hers reflected her soul. I found myself suddenly feeling sorry for her and even eager for her car to arrive, and when it did, her face was my focus. I think at some point; she thought it was Sadie''s until Mr. Cresswell dangled the keys in her face and she cried. Everyone else around her watched on, in either admiration, jealousy or confusion. I smiled to myself, feeling somewhat proud, then I paused, catching my smile and killing it. Since when did Ryn''s happiness corrte with mine? I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I can''t get carried away with this nice act. I am simply trying to do what is right. It doesn''t mean anything. My wolf stirred in delight emphasizing that it does mean something. Shit. Is this how my twin always felt whenever he did something nice for her? Does he get all warm and fuzzy on the inside? I saw Mr. Cresswell cross the road, ignoring the press trying to get an answer out of him. I wondered when Ryn became press famous. I bet it has something to do with that Billie video trending on social media. I watched it and I didn''t find it to be genuine. The girl kept looking outside the camera as if someone was there, as if she was prompted to do the video. 1 Eventually, I''d still need to get to the bottom of things and put a stop to it because that''s what Theon would have done. The door to the floor I was in, opened and in came Mr. Cresswell. Coming to stand beside me, he shoved his hands in his pockets. Downstairs, I saw Ryn taking a picture with an elderly man and ady, grinning from ear to ear. "Who are they?" I asked. "That''s the Janitor and the school''s cook, they both were there for Ryn during her dark times." "Ahhh. I see. It''s fitting, considering she''s an orphan." "And where do you "What?" I turned to my aunt''s husband, my hands in my pockets "Where do youe in, in all of this?" "Consider me an anonymous benefactor. Standing in the shadows, making people smile." I answer sarcastically. "Your father will be pissed if he hears of this." A tired breath suddenly left me. "That''s why I made you pretend it was you who got her the car." "Your father will still ask me questions." I turned to face him. "Is there going to be a problem?" He watched me in amusement. "No, but I''m curious. Why did you get her a car? I thought you hated her?" My chest rose and fell as I exhaled. "My brother already had it pre-arranged but since he''s under a spell, he''d cancel it and I know if he were in his right senses, he''d see this through. So I put it on my tab. I''m basically doing it for him, not for her." "Is that so?" 3 A muscle in my jaw tightened. "Very much so." I answered through my teeth, turning back to the scenery. "Besides, I never thought a day woulde where I''d prefer Ryn to someone else for my brother." "Is the new girl that bad?" I scoffed. "She''s obnoxious. She has Theon so tightly under her spell that he almost beat my ass this morning." "Okay, that''s bad." "Told ya." "Do you have any idea what she used on him?" Mr. Cresswell asked, and I shook my head. "All I know is his eyes shimmer pink sometimes." "Ahhh. That''s an aphrodisiac." He said, and I turned to him, paying attention fully. "There are different types though. You need to find the one she used. When you do that, let me know. I''ll help you find the cure." My brows furrowed as I stared at him. "I already have Healer Kwan on it." "Healer Kwan can''t do anything for you. This is high level Alchemy. I am a scientist. Let me help you." "Why?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest. "Not that I don''t appreciate the gesture, but why are you helping?" Mr. Cresswell sighed and looked down at the event going on. "Without Theon, Ryn will fail. I simply want to level the ying field." Could this be a test? "I never said I was on Ryn''s side. I just want my brother free." "Of course." Mr. Cresswell replied. Then heid a hand on my shoulder. "There is so much you don''t know and so much that I regret. I know you''re pretending with the Circle. I am too." My head snapped to him and he smiled. "It''s true Ryn is a threat to us all, including me and if Ryn eventually finds out who she is andes for us all, I am hoping she will remember the good." I blinked at him. "That''s why you''re encouraging her friendship with Sadie." "She wouldn''t want to kill her best friend''s parents, would she?" I frowned. "Aunt Lydia is involved too?" Mr. Cresswell for the first time looked bothered and weary. "Like I said earlier, there is much you don''t know. We all did terrible things and I wish I had done the right thing back then but I didn''t and If Rynes for me, she will be justified." Now, I am bothered. "What did you people do?" Mr. Cresswell looked away, his hand leaving my shoulder. "I can say. We all swore an oath that day and it''s binding. Just follow the clues whenever you see them. You will find out the truth. In the meantime, Theon needs our help. We can''t let your father win." -I sighed and nodded and after he left; I continued to watch Ryn until she entered the car with Sadie in the driver''s seat.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Whatever is going on shows that Ryn is not guilty, and my father and his cohorts are the ones responsible. I need to be there for her as well as for my brother. Now more than ever, Theon needs me. He''s been taking care of me all this while, and now it''s my turn. I will find the antidote, but first Ryn needs to know what''s going on. WW I? K., 82% I pulled out my phone and sent her a text asking to meet at the first restaurant Theon took her. A few minutester, she replied, asking if she could bring Sadie and I decided why not. The more the merrier. "Is everything okay?" She asked after a while. "Not really. Theon needs our help. All of our help." About an hourter, Ryn and Sadie showed up at the restaurant and, after ordering some food, I exined what''s happening to them. "I knew I hated that woman." Sadie scrunched up her nose. Ryn remained expressionless, but I could see the anger burning in her eyes. "So what do we do? How can I help?" I took a deep breath and exhaled. "You need to know it''s going to be quite risky." Ryn scoffed. "With what I have been through? You can call, ''Risk my middle name. Besides, Prince Theon has put himself on the line for me countless times. It''s high time I return the favor. I smiled, really d I came through with the car for her. This time, I''m done being hostile to Ryn. Iff she helps me see this through, then I''ll stop fighting what I feel for her. AUTHOR''S NOTE: I know you guys are upset that Chelsea got one over on Theon. I know. But you guys know there are times when the viin just wins just for a little while....sometimes it might even end up in the death of a character, but that''s not the case here. Theon has been strong all through, always been there for everyone. Now it''s time for Miro to step up and let''s see if he really has his brother''s back. This is a rough patch for Theon, are you really going to abandon him? Just a few more chaps, justice will be served and someone will finally find out they are mates. Please forgive the slow updates. I am sick. Still haven''t forgotten my readers andmenters. Your names will being 1. up. 0 Chapter 130 RYN After lunch with Miro, Sadie and I drove away in my new car. I didn''t have a driver''s license yet, so that was something to add to my bucket list. "Are you nervous about tonight?" Sadie asked, and I turned to her, pondering on her question. "No. I''m only upset." "I know. What thatdy did to Uncle Theon is terrible." She said, but that wasn''t why I was really upset.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. In all of Miro''sid-out n, none of it involved beating Chelsea''s *** and that...is very annoying. I really want a rematch with the **h. "I want toe with you," Sadie stated, her eyes fixed on the road. "...when you go on the mission." I began to shake my head. "No. Your cousin will not allow it, and you know it." "Exactly why I want to go in secret with you. If we''re going to sneak into Chelsea''s room to find the potion she used, then I want to help. I can be on the lookout or something. Please, Ryn. I thought about her words and slowly shook my head. "If something happens to you, your cousins won''t forgive me." "I have a n to prevent that." Sadie looked at me with a mischievous grin and I looked at her wondering what n a five foot four ginger like her could possibly have. That n led us to a self-defense store where Sallie bought all the tools she could use. From pepper sprays to makeshift. knives that could be pulled from belts and high-voltage tasers, Sadie filled her bag with joy and determination set in her eyes. Not able to argue with that, I felt somewhat at ease that Sadie would be able to protect herself. So once Theon, Chelsea and Miro leave for the event, Sadie and I would sneak in to search Chelsea''s room. As soon as the self-defense shopping was done, Sadie decided it was time for my makeover and to find ourselves a dress for the King''s Ball. We first had a thorough facial grooming where my brows were picked and facial hair removed. Then body grooming, which involved waxing and... tears. After all that, we ended up with a spa massage that soothed all the pain before having our nails and feet done. Then, Sadie took me to a stylist, a g****y man, who gave me a little haircut and took my hair from sleek and straight to voluminous soft curls. I beamed at my new hairstyle, loving the curls that made me look a bit mature. I Since Sadie would handle my makeup, her stylist went on to make me try on a bunch of dresses and clothes to change my wardrobe. Two hourster, it had to take some begging to stop Sadie from piling on more clothes. Now, it was time to shop for the King''s Ball and after trying several dresses, it took a sleeveless red dress with a thigh-high slit to make Sadie and her stylist stand with their jaws down. I turned to the mirror and gasped. The chest area of the dress had the color of burnt wood that slowly blended out from the waist into the dark red color of fire. GT. I turned back to them, beaming and excited. do you The stylist simply gawked, making the ''OK'' sign with his hand while Sadie looked at me like a proud Mom. "You''re going to be a knockout." turned t to the mirror smiling, believing her, then my smile faded. If only Theon could see me in this dress with his clear head. Maybe then he''d feel something for me. Anyhoo. I checked my wristwatch and realized it was gettingte. "We need to get home soon." I told her and after settling the bills, our bags were carried to the car and then we left. We waited at thome for some hours, both dressed in jeans and a shirt with our hairs packed. ording to what we told the Cresswells, it was just a simple search and grab, but in truth, Miro hinted that the guards could have been poisoned by Chelsea, but he wasn''t sure because they all acted normally. Since he couldn''t dismiss all of them in order not to look suspicious, it was up to me to go in and get the stuff. At Prior to this, he had informed them that I wasing to pick up something I forgot, and I was to be given ess to anywhere I wanted. Now if I find guards at Chelsea''s door, then I must abort, but if not, then I could go ahead. eight-oh-nine in the evening, Miro gave me the go-ahead and by then, Sadie and I were already parked somewhere close and hidden. We waited ten more minutes before approaching the house. On entering thepound, I noticed that there were a few guards on patrol and they nodded to us with a smile as we were let in. Afterward, we entered the elevator and rose to the penthouse. Sadie and I stared at each other in the mirror. Her face was flushed, but her eyes were resolute. We were both wearing matching knife belts disguised as normal belts and in our pockets we had high voltage tasers. Hopefully, we won''t have to resort to them. The elevator opened and after entering the security code; we entered. True to Miro''s words, there were five guards on the inside and he strictly emphasized on not engaging with them if I found them at Chelsea''s door. The moment the guards saw me, they nodded with a smile and I tried to detect something off about them, but couldn''t find any. I gave them a small wave before going upstairs with Sadie. Now, Chelsea''s room was right before mine and as we walked down the hallway, we saw no one at the door. Sharing a happy nce, we hurried to it, and I made sure to listen for heartbeats in case they were on the inside, but I heard none. Excited, I turned the k***b but to my disappointment; it was locked, "I''ve got this," Sadie said and before I knew what was happening she removed two hair pins from her head and with great concentration on her face, she worked the pins around until we had a soft click. Smiling o herself, self, she put the pins back in her hair and I stood dumbfounded, staring at her. "Where did you learn that?" I asked her in awe. simply shrugged with an air of pride. "Online? Story for another day." Agreeing that I must hear this storyter, I turned the knob and went in. Then I froze, my jaw dropping as I took in Chelsea''s bedroom. 08:33 Thu. Nov 14 GT Chapter 130 "Sacred Goddess!" Sadie whispered next to me. "How mad is this woman?" Every inch of space on all the walls was covered with pictures of Theon. All taken while he was either unaware or posing for the press. I slowly walked into the room, taking in the greatest obsession I have ever witnessed. On her nightstand was a scrapbook and when I opened it, I saw picture cutouts from wedding magazines, couple and family magazines as well. All pasted in the book and all having her picture and Theon''s picture nted on each adult male and female except for pictures of the children. Good Goddess! No wonder Chelsea poisoned Theon. She really took the statement ''madly in love'' to a whole new level. "Ryn?" I I turned ned and discovered that Sadie had opened the closet. "You need to see this." I crossed the room where she was and when I peered in, my heart plummeted. Right in the center of the closet was something I could call a shrine? Bnced on a table was a huge portrait of mine - a picture I took months ago for Lycantide High''s yearly book. All around my portrait were lit red candles and on my eyes, red Xes were drawn with a marker. My face had been disfigured with vulgar words and drawings, and a red line had been drawn across my neck. I swallowed as my eyes fell on the words she wrote in caps on the rest of my body. "DIE! YOU LITTLE B****H! I HATE YOU!" "Wow." Sadie''s voice trembled. "She is really mad." AUTHOR''S NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Eliana, Schlussier Roberta and Christen Bowen. Thank you for supporting me with yourments. Trust me, I read them all and feel more encouraged to give you the best story ever. Holy shit! Thank you guys for the well wishes. I''m trying hard to update as much as possible. Love you all. Thank you! ww 0 Chapter 131 6 88% 5 RYN Checking my wristwatch, I realized we were going to bete for the King''s Ball so Sadie and I went back into Chelsea''s room and we began the search. We spent about twenty minutes searching her room with no luck. Then I sent a quick text to Miro who would be watching us via cameras. As soon as he saw Sadie, he blew a fuse but his cousin was able to calm him down and make him focus on the task at hand. "Check her closet." He suggested, and we began our search there, being careful not to let Chelsea''s candle burn our clothes. We went through all the drawers, still with no luck, then an idea came to mind. I grabbed my phone again. This time, my text was directed to someone else. "Do chemicals for potions have a smell?" I asked Mr. Cresswell. Shortly after, his reply came in. "Yes. Search for something acrid or awful." "Got it." I channeled my wolf, sharpening my senses, then I lifted my nose to the air and soon enough, I perceived the stench of rotten eggs. Letting my nose guide me, I went lower and lower until I was on my knees and my attention was brought to a pair knee high pair of ck boots. Opening one leg, I dipped my hand in and brought out a full bag of pink powder. I turned to look at Sadie before checking the other leg. There, I found another big bag and got that too. My phone suddenly buzzed with a text and I checked it to see it was from Miro. "Put them back." Is he mad? "Without her stash, she won''t be able to poison him anymore." "Without her stash, she will know we are unto her and might do something even more drastic that we did not foresee. Get the container you brought from Mr. Cresswell, pour in a sample and return the rest." Shit. He was right. Reluctantly, I obeyed and we both pulled out our nose masks before taking the sample. Once we were done, we secured the air tight container in Sadie''s bag. Suddenly, my phone began to ring and then I saw it was Miro. What is it this time? I put the phone to my ear, picking his call. I barely said the word ''Hello'' before I heard his voice. "Get out of there now. The guards are on their way." I froze, sharing a nce with Sadie before hurrying out of the closet. "How many of them?" "All of them, Ryn," His voice carried concern, "All five of them. Don''t go for the door." I froze again and Sadie did the same. = GT. "Go out the window instead. I''m going to try and call to dy them." Since Sadie could use her enhanced hearing, I didn''t need to exin anything to her. Together, we headed for the window and may the Goddess bless Sadie because she came prepared with a standard bundle of rope. Quickly making a double knot, we tied the rope to the foot of the bed and threw the rest downstairs. I turned to Sadie. "Do you know how to climb down?" "I was a Girl Scout once." That was enough for me. Quickly, I helped her over the window ledge so she could start to climb down. Immediately I did that, the door burst open and in came five hefty men each with their eyes shimmering pink. "I think I''m going to have to call you back." I said to Miro and ended the call. The moment the men saw what was happening, they growled and advanced. Pulling out one knife from my belt and another from my ankles. I channeled my wolf and snarled in defense. Two of the men upon seeing what was happening behind me, left the room and I instantly knew they were going for Sadie. "Sadie, run!" I yelled, without taking my eyes off the remaining three. "They areing for you!" Unfortunately, Sadie had carried the bag that had most of our self defense tools so I had to rely on the ones on my body. Not sure how I was going to knock out three big guys, I gripped my knives tight and searched for weak spots. Watching as they formed a semi-circle, slowly approaching, my eyesnded on each of their guns tucked in their sides. Unfortunately, the nearest person followed my gaze and immediately went for his gun. Moving as fast as I could, I stabbed him in the eye and when he growled out, raising his gun, I held on to the weapon and struggled with him. A random shot fired into the celing and as the other two guys came closer, one was able to w up my side. I screamed in pain, putting all my strength into diverting the gun to his face. He was just about to do another damage to me before random bullet number two went through his head. For a moment, it was as if time stopped as his head jerked backward and a whole stter of blood sprayed the room. I trembled, realizing that I just had my second kill, and I think I got distracted, because the next thing I heard was a heavy blow to my face. Staggering to the window, the third and biggest of them all came for me, his yellow glowing eyes reflecting rage and murder. He grabbed my throat, pushing me all the way back in the air as I bent over the window ledge. Somewhere, I think I heard Sadie scream and I hoped to the Goddess that she was not hurt or worse... killed. Hardly able to breath, I fought and scratched his face but he was a man with a bicep bigger than my head. Frantically, searching for a weapon on my body, I suddenly remembered the stun gun in my pocket and brought it out with joy. Turning it to the highest frequency, I ced the stunner right at his neck He jerked and stiffened, spittleing out through his teeth as the electric voltage sizzled through him. His hands cked off my neck and I was able to use him to rise back up and push him into the room. We both copsed to the floor, with me, lying on top of him and that''s when I saw man number one with the stab wound in the eye,e for me. Quickly I reached for number three''s gun and shot both his knees. He cried out, falling to the floor and when I rose to my feet, I hit him with the butt of the gun, knocking him out cold. Seeing all three incapacitated, I bent over, resting my hands on my knees to catch my breath. Then I remembered Sadie screamed. GT Chapter 131 CHAPTER 135 RYN Rushing out of the room, I took the elevator downstairs, barely registering the huge tear in my side that revealed healed s from where I was wed. My face and neck were mightily bruised but that would fade in minutes or so, all I care about is finding Sadie alive. As soon as the elevators opened, I rushed out, suddenly remembering we met security downstairs and had no idea if they were poisoned too. I ran into the parking lot and was just in time to see Sadie shoot a taser gun at one of the men. To my surprise, she didn''t flinch until he was down on his knees and eventually out cold on the floor. In that moment, I knew she''d make a badass Elite Warrior. Just then, I heard sounds of struggle, and when I looked to my far left, I saw two of the security men fighting. Immediately he pulled out a gun and shot the other several times. Unsure what was happening, I ran into the open space, straight for Sadie and when she saw me, she opened her arms for ai embrace. She hugged me tight but my eyes were focused on the man approaching us now. I unwrapped myself from Sadie''s hold, pulled her behind me and snarled at him. "No!" Sadie rushed before me. "He''s cool." Hooked at her and then at the security watching me warily. "He''s not poisoned. He''s one of the good ones." Sadie continued "Saved my life." "What happened?" He asked and I did my best to narrate. waist "No wonder. When I saw Prince Theon with that girl. I just knew something was off." He said, nting his hands on his waist and shaking his head. "I guess that''s why Prince Miro asked me and my buddies to be on duty today."This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. My eyes then fell on the other two men, sitting in a corner, in the pool of their own blood leaning their backs against a car They seemed to be in serious pain but still breathing. "What happened?" I asked. "As soon as I got down, I ran to the security." Sadie exined, "but the two bad ones attacked them badly. I was able to tase one while he," She motioned to the guard, "took care of the other." "Are they going to be okay?" I asked, nodding my head towards those guys. "Yeah. They''ll be fine." The guy said. "They just need to heal." "What about the guys up there?" Sadie asked, "It''s not safe if theye downstairs." Before he could reply, the low purr of an engine reached us, and momentster, Miro strode in, dressed in a suit that fit him like a second skin, his bow tie slightly loosened as if he''d rebelled against perfection. My heart gave a traitorous flutter. Miro rarely wore suits, and seeing him now, with that careless elegance and a smoldering gaze, he seemed like a prince stepping out of a dream. For an instant, he looked so much like Theon-but there was an edge to Miro, a touch of wildness that made it hard to look away. His green eyes took in the scenery and when theynded on me he made a beeline towards me. GT. "Are you okay?" He asked concerned, his green eyes assessing my body. "Gods! You look really hurt." "I''m fine." I replied, never knowing he could be this caring. "I''m okay too." Sadie said, waving awkwardly to the side. "d to be alive." 9¡Á88%%% 0 Miro sighed, before pulling her in for a hug. She melted into his embrace, looking so small and cute in his arms and that once again reminded me of Theon. He used to do that to me. After debriefing Miro, he told us to go on to the party, that he would take care of the mess. I suddenly felt bad. "I''m sorry I made a mess." I said to him, as the wind blew my hair around. His eyes cut to me, a twinkle of something shining in his eyes. He reached out, his fingers warm as they brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. "Considering the circumstances, you did really well. Proud of you." I blinked, caught off guard. Thosest three words sent a strange thrill through me, something I couldn''t quite name but felt like a spark low in my stomach. Did I just get apliment from the Miro Windermere? He must have sensed my reaction, because he stepped back, folding his arms behind him, a faint hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Afterward, Sadie and I headed home, but the whole ride back, his words echoed in my mind, each repetition tugging at that same mysterious ce inside me. Why did it matter so much that he was proud of me? And why did I suddenly crave to hear him say it again? AUTHOR''S NOTE; Sorry. Sometimes I''d just have to upload two chaps at once. I am tired of this system keeping chapters under review for hours. 0 Chapter 132 RYN As soon as we parked in, Sadie and I decided it was best if her parents didn''t know what happened. After she checked me and made sure my bruises were gone, we both came down from the car and went into the house. We found Sadie''s Mom already dressed to the nines in a ck glitering evening gown, with arm gloves that reached her elbows and a diamond ne so big, it covered her entire neck. Sadie went to find her Dad in hisb and I waited behind, gaping at her mother''s neck in awe. Her ne had about half a dozen glittering ruby diamonds on it. I could only imagine the cost. A ne like that could easily retire me for the rest of my life, She caught my stare, and the air between us turned awkward. She fully turned to me, looking at me from the tip of her nose. "You wish you had something like this, don''t you?" I nodded absentmindedly, my face heating up in embarassment "You look beautiful, Mrs. Cresswell. She simply smiled in reply but there was something smug about it, like she was rubbing her wealth in my face. I wondered why. Shortly after, Sadie came in. "My Dad is working on it. Let''s change and get ready." She said, grabbing my hand and we went up the stairs. "That reminds me, Ryn." Mrs Cresswell called and I stopped and turned. "A package came for you today. It''s in your room." My brows drew together, wondering who sent me a package. Eager and excited, I went up the stairs with Sadie. Going in, I found a ck box sitting on my bed with a ck ribbon on it. I was tempted to open it but since Sadie and I were running out of time, I decided to get dressed first before opening it. Sixteen minutester, I was freshly showered, dry-haired and dressed. I stood in front of my vanity, wearing the earrings Sadie got me. They were simplewhite pearls that I loved.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. M I stared at myself in the mirror, proud of how far I''de. Who knew monthster, I''d go from wearing tattered handouts to wearing designers. The door opened and Sadie walked in, looking like a knockout in a one shoulder ck dress that flowed to her ankles and lips so red, they entuated the ginger in her. Her hair was done and fully pinned to one side as she rummaged through her bag muttering about hoping she brought all the tools she needed for the makeup. Turns out she did and by the time she was done with me, and I looked in the mirror, I could barely recognize myself. I knew I was a pretty girl but Sadie took the word, ''pretty'' and gave it a dark feminine edge. With my hair packed up and having soft curls dangling, I looked like I deserved to stand among the Elite. "Thank you." I gushed. "Don''t mention." She said, looking over at the package. "I''ve been dying to see what''s inside." "Me too." Iughed and we both went to my bed to check it out. "Wait." Sadie stopped me, as I reached for the box. "We have to be careful. What if it was one of these Billie fans that sent something terrible to you?" I saw reason in what she said and sighed. "Whatever it is, I''m not going to let it spoil my night." With a nod, I loosened the bpw and slid open the cover slowly. Inside the box, was another box with the brand name, VIVARA LUXE written on it and on top of it was a card, Sadie gasped. "What?" I asked, reaching for the card. "It''s Vivara Luxe." She whispered and I stared at her, still not understanding what the fuss was about. "Okay." Sadie slid her hair behind her car, looking serious. "Vivara Luxe is one of the most exclusive jewellry brands in the world. When I say exclusive, I mean my mother has been on their waitlist for two years now. They don''t make jewellry for just anybody." I frowned. "So why am I getting a gift from them?" Her eyesnded on the card and I turned it around to see a neatly typed note on it. "You are a star, and I want you to shine. Please, wear this to the event. It''d really delight me." I looked at Sadie who began to smile. "Seems like you''ve got a secret admirer." A small smile crossed my lips as I wondered who sent them. Could it be Theon? No. He''s under the spell of that witch. Then who could it be? "Open it! Open it!" Sadie urged, her glee getting me excited. Slowly, I loosened the ribbon of this box too, and opened the cover. I think Sadie and I gasped at the same time. It was a set of a diamond ne and a set of matching earrings. It was the most beautiful jewellry set I had ever seen and it glittered like stars in the sky. I looked at my friend and she looked like she was going to have a stroke. "Are you okay?" "Yeah." She blinked profusely, not taking her eyes off the item. "So, what''s wrong?" She finally looked at me like I was mad. "What''s wrong? This jewellry set is probably nothing less than three hundred carats in precious stones. Whoever gave you this really, really likes you. This kind of ne is something royalty wears." She shook her head, looking at me in awe and disbelief. "You''re such a lucky girl and the only thing wrong about this is the fact that you''re not wearing them yet." "OH." I blinked in surprise and turned around, taking off my pendant. The moment she wore the ne around my neck, my wolf came to the surface. Like she had been awakened from a deep slumber. She stirred and stretched and I could tell she was really pleased with the jewellry. I smiled to myself, as I switched my earrings, not really understanding all that speak about carats but knowing this diamond set was really expensive and most importantly, that I was worth it. So who sent it? Miro? No. We are not there yet. I don''t know any other person who likes me. I turned to the mirror and all I could do was gasp. I really am a lucky girl. 1endering #vidare and done my read het! Yo me aegr Mi Gonduct on in and asset; porbed our logs and tw 13 Chapter 133 THEON HOURS EARLIER Being under the influence of Chelsea''s aphrodisiac was like being under a fevered haze, where my own thoughts slipped through my fingers like sand. Now, my thoughts felt a little more solid. I blinked, feeling feverish but bing more aware of my surroundings. It was like being locked up mentally and watching myself do things I didn''t want to do. Things like kissing and pleasuring Chelsea. As soon as she had me in a haze, she had wanted to have sex with me. Thankfully... it didn''t work out.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. For some reason - which I''m most grateful for, my dick wouldn''t work and I could tell she was sorely disappointed. Instead, I pleasured her orally and with my fingers and that was enough to get her to sleep. Then I remembered how I fought my brother because of her. I saw everything and while it did, I tried to break free of my shackles so I could stop. Once again, my will had its way when I couldn''t strike my brother, but I paid dearly for it. It felt like having a thousand needles jabbing and poking my head all at the same time. It was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in my life and that is saying something. Now, it seems after fighting to take control of myself, I can finally do that. I decided to mindlink my brother, but I realized I wasn''t strong enough, especially since he wasn''t home. My wolf was weak and must have spent all its energy trying to fight off the aphrodisiac. I decided to look for my phone. Just then, Chelsea opened the door and walked in and I had to pretend that I was still in a daze with her. "Hi Beautiful." I said, mentally cringing at the statement but ying along. Chelsea smiled, and when she approached me, she rose up on her toes and kissed me. "Hi Handsome." She beamed up at me through hershes. "Last night was beautiful." She said, walking her fingers over my chest. "But I''d like it if we can take things a step further and mate like a couple." She pouted. "You want me to mark you?" I asked, slowly guiding her towards the bed. Chelsea nodded, moving backward as I guided her. "And I''ll mark you too, so we can be linkedpletely." I nted a smile for her as we reached the bed. "Sure. Anything you want." "Thank you, baby." She beamed. In a sh, I took ampstand and smashed it against her head. She staggered sideways, but didn''t fall. I me my weakness for that. No one survives a force to the head from me. Gripping her bleeding head, her eyes widened in fear before trying to run for the door. 20.20 Instantly, I pulled her back, gripping her hair. "SECUR-" she screamed, but I smacked her face so hard I heard her neck creak before she fell to the ground. I became exhausted, but I advanced on her still. I never thought the day woulde where I''d beat a woman, but gods! d this day. came. "Please!" Her nose bled as she scrambled back on one arm, while the other was stretched forth to me. "Don''t do this! I love you!" icking My anger burned. Love me? I gripped her leg, digging my ws in. She cried out. "Security!" She screamed as I drew her to me and before she could scream again, I wed her throat. I watched as her eyes widened more in fear and she looked at me like I had betrayed her. I wish I could take my time to torture and make her death slow, but I have learnt the hard way not to underestimate Chelsea. Suddenly, the door burst open, and I saw my men barge in, but didn''t care. I won....or so I thought. The moment they saw her lying on the floor, holding her neck, and gurgling blood out of her mouth, four of them came for me while one turned around and left the room. T Barely strong enough to take them on, I growled at them, trying to make them submit to my authority, but it seemed my wolf had been greatly affected. He tried toe into his own power, but he kept failing. The others snarled at me as they advanced and I tried to calcte how''d fast it''d take me to get to my gun in the nightstand drawer. I made a dash for it, but before I could get there, a loud sound exploded in the air and the next thing I knew; I was falling to my knees. Pain seared through me, hot and sharp, as I realized I had been shot in the leg. Still, I reached for the drawer, but another bullet went through my arm. I gritted my teeth in pain, panting hard as I applied pressure to the wound. "I am your Prince. Stand down!" I channeled my wolf again. They faltered, wincing as they touched their heads, but their eyes shimmered pink again and their faces became resolute. Just then, thest guy who had left the room came back in with a little syringe in his hand. Because I was on the other side of the bed, I couldn''t see what was happening, so I looked at my men, each standing over me with a gun. "Why are you till fighting for her? She''s dead!" Just then, I heard someone gasp for air before coughing and to my surprise; I saw Chelsea''s hand firstnd on the bed before her head came up. She panted for breath, her eyes wild, and when theynded on me, they smiled. "Hi love. That wasn''t very nice of you." I blinked in surprise, wondering how she survived. Slowly, she rose to her feet. "I really don''t know what kind of powerful spirit you have," Chelsea said, craning her neck from side to side before going to the other nightstand. "That dose was supposed tost you a month." She opened a drawer and retrieved a bag filled with pink powder. I shook my head and tried to get up. I got another shot in the leg. I hit the back of my head against the nightstand in frustration and pain. The other two gunshot wounds had ejected their bullets and were slowly healing, but now I had one more wound to heal. "Stop trying to fight, Theon." Chelsea cooed as she came round the bed towards me. "I''ll just give you more doses thanst time." I panted hard, totally exhausted, but yet I forced myself to channel my wolf and when my hands grew into ws again, I snarled at her. Two gunshots. One to my shoulder and the other to my stomach. "Fuck." I whispered, biting down the burn and the sting of the bullets in me. "My men will simply keep shooting until you submit." Chelsea said, her eyes hard. "Trust me, you don''t want to make me mad." The sound of my heavy breathing filled the air and all I could think of was ripping her head off. "Restrain him." She ordered, and my men hurried to hold down my arms and legs while thest one aimed a gun at me. I tried to struggle, but I had no strength. I was already feeling faint. Chelsea gently caressed my face, looking at me like she was in love, before blowing the powder in my face. I coughed and tried to hold my breath, but whatever she put on me was a fast acting agent. I didn''t need to breathe for it to start taking over my mind and thoughts. Once again, I was pushed far away from my subconscious this time, much farther away. I watched as she kissed me and smiled. "Don''t worry. Soon you won''t have to go through all this anymore. After a few doses, your nervous system will limate and will stop fighting what you feel for me." She smiled and kissed me again. "In the meantime, heal up and let''s go shopping for tonight''s party. It''s time for you to kick Ryn off the team." AUTHOR''S NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Destiny, Donna Hammond, and Ezra. I love you. Thank you for the kind