《BENEATH OUR SKIN》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Marissa POV The grand hall of the Northwind Reach Assembly was a spectacle of opulence and power, a place where the fate of the continent was decided by the hands of a few. The high vaulted ceilings glittered with chandeliers made of enchanted crystal, casting a cold, ethereal light over the gathered leaders. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made your skin prickle and your breath hitch. I stood at the edge of the room, my arms crossed, my claws itching to break free. The press lined the walls, their cameras flashing like tiny bursts of lightning, capturing every moment of this farce. Julian Corbin sat at the head of the room, his presence commanding, his aura suffocating. He was a man who looked like he¡¯d been carved from marble¡ªperfectly chiseled features, a body that defied his real age, probably centuries under his belt, and eyes that burned with a cold, unyielding fire. He was the embodiment of vampiric superiority, and he knew it. His lips curled into a faint smirk as he watched the leaders of the species step forward, one by one, to cast their votes. Theo Black, the leader of the werewolves, was the first to rise. He was a mountain of a man, his brawny frame covered in scars that told stories of battles fought and won. His eyes, however, told a different story¡ªone of submission. He walked to the podium, his heavy boots echoing in the silence, and cast his vote for Julian. My stomach churned. Theo was supposed to represent us, the werewolves, the second-largest population in Northwind Reach. Yet here he was, bowing to a vampire like a beaten dog. ¡°Theo Black, leader of the werewolves, votes in favor of Julian Corbin,¡± the announcer declared, his voice ringing through the hall. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Traitor Next was Miles Storm, the leader of the witches. He was a tall, gaunt man with beady eyes that darted around the room like a rat searching for crumbs. His robes, embroidered with arcane symbols, swished as he moved to the podium. ¡°Miles Storm, leader of the witches, votes in favor of Julian Corbin.¡± I scoffed. Of course he did. Miles had always been a snake, slithering his way into power by any means necessary. He was someone whom I imagined that one day he would sell his own mother to get what he wanted. Julian had probably promised him a new spellbook or ancient relics. Nadia Fern, the leader of the elementals, was next. She was a striking woman, her beauty almost otherworldly, with hair that shimmered like molten gold and eyes that glowed like embers. She moved with grace, her every step deliberate, as if she were dancing on air. But even her elegance couldn¡¯t hide the fact that she, too, was bending the knee to Julian. ¡°Nadia Fern, leader of the elementals, votes in favor of Julian Corbin.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I wanted to scream. How could they all be so blind? So willing to sell their souls for a taste of power? Finally, Luca Wilder, the leader of the shifters, stepped forward. He was the picture of modern sophistication, dressed in a sleek suit that probably cost more than most people made in a year. His clean-cut appearance and calm demeanor made him look more like a billionaire CEO than a leader of a species known for their wild, untamed nature. He cast his vote with a smile, as if he were signing a business deal rather than sealing the fate of our continent. ¡°Luca Wilder, leader of the shifters, votes in favor of Julian Corbin.¡± And then, of course, there was Julian himself. He rose from his seat, his movements smooth and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. He didn¡¯t even bother to hide his arrogance as he cast his own vote, his voice dripping with condescension. He knew he¡¯d win, he wasn¡¯t suprised ¡°Since I¡¯m the defacto leader of the vampires, I¡¯ll vote for myself¡± The announcer cleared his throat, his voice booming through the hall. ¡°The vote is unanimous. Julian Corbin is hereby elected as the ruler of Northwind Reach.¡± The room erupted into a hollow applause, the sound grating against my ears. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I stepped forward, my voice cutting through the noise like a knife. ¡°This is a farce!¡± I shouted, my words echoing in the sudden silence. All eyes turned to me, some filled with curiosity, others with suprise. Julian¡¯s smirk widened, as if he¡¯d been waiting for this moment when I¡¯d confront him, me being his competitor for the position. ¡°Ah, Marissa Fairmont,¡± he said, his voice smooth and mocking. ¡°The lone wolf. You should be congratulating me, no?¡± I glared at him, my hatred burning brighter than the chandeliers above. ¡°You can bribe every gullible leader in this room with power, wealth, or threaten them,¡± I spat, my voice trembling with anger. ¡°But unfortunately for you, I can¡¯t be bribed nor threatened. And mark my words, Julian, I will take you down by whatever means necessary¡­.expose you for the crook you are¡± Theo Black shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding my gaze. Miles Storm sneered, while Nadia Fern looked almost amused. Luca Wilder simply adjusted his tie, as if my outburst were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Julian chuckled, a low, menacing sound that sent a shiver down my spine. ¡°Come now, a little bit of respect won¡¯t kill, I¡¯m officially your superior.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll die first¡± I shot back, my voice steady despite the rage boiling inside me. ¡°This puppet council you¡¯ve assembled will be your downfall. They¡¯ll turn on you the moment they see an opportunity. And when they do, I¡¯ll be there, watching as you crumble.¡± Julian¡¯s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but it was enough. I had struck a nerve. ¡°Northwind Reach is in the hands of a tyrant,¡± I continued, my voice rising. ¡°A simple-minded old man who believes only vampires are superior in this world. And you¡ª¡± I pointed at the council leaders, my claws extending as my anger surged. ¡°You¡¯re cowards. Every single one of you. The continent will burn under Julian¡¯s rule, and you¡¯ll have no one to blame but yourselves.¡± The room was silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Julian¡¯s eyes narrowed, his amusement replaced by a cold, calculating glare. ¡°Your insolent words will only be tolerated this once,¡± he said, his voice icy. ¡°You can scamper off to whatever pack you came from and submit like everyone else. But if you decide to cross me, I¡¯ll have you thrown in the deepest cell and have the key thrown away, that is if I don¡¯t have you killed first.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for him to say another word. I turned on my heel and stormed out of the hall, my heart pounding in my chest. They just installed a man who can openly threaten to kill anyone who opposes him as the supreme leader of the continent. --- chapter 2 Chapter 2 Michael POV I sat on my couch, a half-empty bag of stale chips resting on my lap, and stared at the TV screen like it was the last flickering light of a dying world. Which, honestly, it might as well have been. The news anchor, a perky woman with a smile so bright it could probably blind a vampire, was gushing about Julian Corbin¡¯s ¡°historic unanimous victory¡± as if he¡¯d just cured cancer or invented a new kind of drink. ¡°Julian Corbin, leader of the vampires, has been elected as the ruler of Northwind Reach in a landslide vote,¡± she chirped, her voice dripping with faux enthusiasm. ¡°This marks the first time in history that all species leaders have united behind a single candidate!¡± I snorted, nearly choking on a chip. ¡°United? Ridiculous. Those leaders look like they were bullied, bribed, or blackmailed to do it,¡± I muttered to no one in particular. The screen cut to footage of Julian standing at the podium, looking like he¡¯d just won the lottery and was already planning how to spend the money on more hair gel or black dye. His perfectly sculpted face was the picture of smug satisfaction, and his eyes¡ªthose cold, calculating eyes¡ªgleamed with the kind of arrogance that made me want to throw my bow at the TV. ¡°Today is a great day for Northwind Reach,¡± Julian declared, his voice smooth and dripping with self-importance. ¡°Together, we will usher in a new era of prosperity and unity.¡± ¡°Yeah, unity is the new term for dictatorship,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°Because nothing says ¡®prosperity¡¯ like a vampire with a god complex running the show.¡± I reached for my bow, which was lying on the coffee table next to a pile of unopened bills and a half-finished crossword puzzle. Cleaning it was my version of therapy¡ªcheaper than a psychologist and less likely to judge me for eating chips for dinner. As I ran the cloth along the curve of the bow, I couldn¡¯t help but think about how utterly ridiculous this whole situation was. Julian Corbin was, in my professional opinion, a walking disaster wrapped in a designer suit. He was a 50-year-old vampire who looked like he¡¯d been photoshopped by someone with a fetish for perfection. His ego was so fragile that I was pretty sure if you called him ¡°old man¡± to his face, he¡¯d spontaneously combust out of anger. And yet, here he was, new ruler of Northwind Reach, leading us straight into the clusterfuck he called a ¡°new era.¡± The news cut to footage of Marissa Fairmont storming out of the assembly hall, her eyes blazing with fury. She looked like she was about two seconds away from shifting and tearing someone¡¯s throat out¡ªprobably Julian¡¯s. Man, I wish she could do that one day. I had to admit, I respected her guts. Standing up to Julian in front of the entire continent took a level of bravery I wasn¡¯t sure I had. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Marissa Fairmont, the werewolf activist and outspoken critic of Julian Corbin, had strong words for the newly elected ruler,¡± the anchor said, her smile faltering slightly as if she were afraid Marissa might jump through the screen and bite her. The footage showed Marissa glaring at Julian, her voice sharp and unyielding. ¡°You can bribe every gullible leader in this room with power, wealth, or threaten them,¡± she spat. ¡°But unfortunately for you, I can¡¯t be bribed or¡­...¡± the footage cut abruptly I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Damn, girl. Tell him how you really feel.¡± The camera panned to the council leaders, and my brief moment of amusement evaporated. There they were, sitting like a bunch of obedient lapdogs, not a single one of them coming to Marissa¡¯s defense. Not even Theo Black, the leader of the werewolves, who was supposed to represent her. It was pathetic. I sighed and leaned back on the couch, tossing the bow onto the table. ¡°Well, Northwind Reach, it¡¯s been nice knowing you. Enjoy your new vampire overlord.¡± The truth was, none of this surprised me. Julian had always been a narcissistic blowhard, and the council leaders had always been greedy spineless sycophants. What did surprise me was how little I cared. A month ago, I might¡¯ve been outraged, ready to grab my bow and join Marissa in her crusade against tyranny. But now? Now I just felt... tired. Tired of the corruption. Tired of the greed. Tired of watching people I once respected sell their souls for a taste of power. And, most of all, tired of pretending like any of it mattered. My phone buzzed on the coffee table, and I glanced at it reluctantly. It was a text from my ex-fianc¨¦e, Sarah. Again. *Michael, please. We need to talk.* I stared at the screen for a moment before tossing the phone onto the couch. Yeah, no thanks. I¡¯d already said everything I needed to say. It had been a month since I¡¯d called off the engagement, and the wound was still fresh. Six years together, down the drain because she decided that murdering a group of rebels was a perfectly reasonable way to climb the social ladder. And my family? They were just as bad. My parents, my siblings¡ªthey¡¯d all been in on it, leading the charge like it was some kind of twisted family bonding activity. ¡°It¡¯s for the good of the family, our future ¡± my dad had said, as if that made it okay. ¡°We¡¯re shifters, Michael,¡± my mom had added, her voice dripping with condescension. ¡°We have to do what¡¯s necessary to survive.¡± Yeah, because nothing says ¡°survival¡± like slaughtering innocent people to suck up to a vampire with a god complex. I grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels, hoping to find something¡ªanything¡ªthat wasn¡¯t about Julian¡¯s victory. No such luck. Every station was either replaying his speech or analyzing it like it was the second coming of some ancient prophecy. I finally gave up and turned off the TV, plunging the room into silence. For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the blank screen and wondering how my life was all but useless. A shifter who couldn¡¯t shift. A man without a family. A guy who¡¯d rather clean his bow than face the fact that his entire continent was about to implode. ¡°Well, Michael,¡± I said to myself, popping another chip into my mouth. ¡°At least you¡¯ve got snacks.¡± And with that profound thought, I leaned back on the couch and stared blankly at the ceiling. --- Chapter 3 Chapter 3 At the head of the long mahogany, ornate table sat Julian Corbin, the newly elected ruler of Northwind Reach. Comfortably, he squeezed into the seat of power, his hands gripping its edges like he would never let them go. His smug expression was filled with so much satisfaction, like he had attained his deepest dreams. To his right sat his younger brother, Isaac Corbin, a skinny man with a heavy set of brown hair. A quick glance and you¡¯d notice how distinctively different they looked, save for their similar smug-faced expressions. He was currently slouched in his chair, a glass of wine in one hand and a stupid grin on his face. His eyes were glued to Nadia Fern, the leader of the elementals, who was sitting across the table. ¡°Everyone, I want to begin by thanking you for your votes of confidence ,¡± Julian Corbin began, his voice smooth and commanding. ¡°Today, you chose me as your new leader, and on behalf of every inhabitant of Northwind Reach, thank you again. But first, I have a few... changes to announce.¡± He paused, letting the words hang in the air, kinda like a bad smell. The room was silent, and the only thing you could hear was the sound of Isaac slurping his wine. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make some adjustments to our defense and security team. Effective immediately, General Thorne has been relieved of his duties.¡± Though unspoken, the astonishment was more than audible and response enough to the directive. General Thorne was a war veteran, a fire elemental warrior, an experienced mind who had been the head of defense for more than three decades. He was known for his unwavering courage in the face of danger and how he inspired the combined troops of the continent with his skills and strength. He wwas a man every leader had confidence in commanding a combined army of two and a half million soldiers. Julian Corbin just instantenously fired him. ¡° The new head of Northwind Reach Defense and Security will be my brother, Isaac Corbin.¡± Isaac raised his glass in a mock toast, clumsily spilling some wine on the table. ¡°Cheers to me,¡± he said, his words slightly slurred. ¡° Effective immideatily, he will be taking over as the new head of defense and security and all the responsibilities to the title. I trust you¡¯ll all give him your full support.¡± To the first directive Julian Corbin made, no one dared to speak up to express their doubt about his choice. However, after a short bout of silence, Luca Wilder, the leader of shifters stood up. Stolen novel; please report. ¡° Your highness, don¡¯t you think this sudden change of leadership in this time of crisis is a bit early and¡­unwise?¡± his voice was calm but firm ¡° What do you mean crisis, Luca?¡± Julian lightly frowned ¡° The giants are encroaching on the neighbouring countries to the south at an aalarming rate. If we don¡¯t act soon¡­¡± Julian Corbin cut him off with a wave of his hand. ¡° Giants?¡± he asked, his tone dripping with an undertone of disdain ¡°Come on. Even if they occupy every land in the south, they still have to cross the sea to reach us. And unless they¡¯ve learned to swim¡ª¡± ¡°They can¡¯t swim,¡± Isaac interjected, leaning forward with a grin. ¡°Trust me, I watched a video of a giant trying to swim and¡­. It¡¯s like watching a boulder flail around in a bathtub. So painful to watch¡± Julian smirked, clearly amused by his brother¡¯s words. ¡°Exactly. By the time they reach our shores, they¡¯ll be too tired to fight.¡± Isaac snorted. ¡°And if you are thinking ships Luca, and I know you are, ships to carry their sizes haven¡¯t been invented yet¡­maybe in the next thousand years. Just imagine a giant on a ship¡­¡± He slurped his wine then erupted into laughter, the kind of laughter that made you want to cry. Luca sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was trying to stave off a headache. ¡°Julian,¡± he said, his patience clearly on the titters of breaking, ¡° I don¡¯t mean to be this way but the giants are a real threat. We can¡¯t afford to ignore them.¡± Julian waved him off again. ¡°Enough about the giants. Let¡¯s talk about something that actually matters¡ªrebels.¡± The room fell silent, the tension thickening like fog. Julian leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. ¡°I want information on every rebel in your territories. Anyone who doesn¡¯t bend the knee, anyone who resists my rule¡ªI want them jailed or killed. And I want it done quickly¡­..and discreetly¡± Julian smiled, but it wasn¡¯t the kind of smile that made you feel warm and fuzzy. ¡° Also, to ensure your safety¡ªI¡¯ll be assigning two of my vampires to each of you. They¡¯ll accompany you everywhere you go, providing... protection and guidance on the rebels¡± ¡° We have our own guards providing all the protection we need¡± Luca said ¡° and as for guidance, I don¡¯t mean to be disrespectful but I know my subordinates and territories better than two vampires.¡± ¡° This isn¡¯t up for discussion. Consider them as my eyes and ears¡­, it¡¯s a necessary step to assure me that I can trust my council.¡± The meeting dragged on for another hour, but the damage was already done. By the time it was over, the room was filled with a palpable sense of dread. Luca left first, his expression grim. Nadia followed, shooting one last glare at Isaac, who was too busy refilling his glass to notice. As the leaders filed out, Julian leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°Well, that went better than expected,¡± he said, glancing at Isaac. Isaac raised his glass. ¡°To us, brother. The future of Northwind Reach.¡± Julian clinked his glass against Isaac¡¯s, his smile never wavering. ¡°To us.¡± And somewhere, in the back of the room, a portrait of a past leader seemed to sigh in disappointment. --- Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Marissa POV The pulsing music inside the club was threatening to make my ear drums explode. The flashing lights, sticky floors, pungent smell ¨C a mixture of sweat, alcohol and something probably starting to rot. It made me wonder what kind of life choices usually led people here. The club was one of the cheapest in the Capitol where chaps fed up with the world came to forget their reality. I wasn¡¯t one of the chaps, and I wasn¡¯t completely fed up with the world. If anything, I was thrilled with the notion of one day achieving my dreams. I was here for an important meet. The bar-tender kept darting me side glances, questionable ones. Probably wondering why I had a yellow SpongeBob mask on and it wasn¡¯t Halloween. I fixated my eyes on the drink, fearing that maybe he could see through my mask and recognize me. When the glances increased, I figured it was because I hadn¡¯t touched the drink I had ordered for over an hour. I picked up the glass and slowly swirled it before sipping the purple content through a hole on the mask. I winced at its acidic taste. I checked my watch then agitatedly turned to glance at the door¡­ ¡°Did it hurt?¡± a man suddenly propped up, effortlessly sliding into the stool next to me. He was a shifter¡ªI could smell it on him. Lion shifters had this distinctive mountain smell, it was kind of easy recognizing them by their scent. He wore an ill-fitting but expensive suit, with white sports shoes to match it. Definitely a married man with a bunch of kids. ¡°What?¡± I quipped ¡°Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven?¡± he continued, with the kind of confidence that even surprised me. Alcohol was really something else. I rolled my eyes, not glorifying his teen pick-up line with an answer. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that,¡± he said, leaning closer. ¡°I¡¯m John. What¡¯s your name sweet pie?¡± I cringed, on behalf of his wife probably pregnant with the fifth kid at home. Suddenly, the drink in front of me was getting more interesting than my unexpected company. John wasn¡¯t deterred. ¡°You know, I¡¯m a lion shifter, you know, one of the strongest kinds of shifters to exist. Bet you¡¯ve never been with a guy like me before, strong and muscular¡­handsome¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I sighed audibly and glanced at my watch as if it would save me from the man beside me. I wish it could. ¡°Come on, a little fun time won¡¯t hurt¡­¡± he leaned closer to me, such that our elbows were bumping. I instantly set my glass down and finally turned to look at him. ¡°Let me tell you something. If you were the last man on earth and the survival of our species depended on me procreating with you, I¡¯d gladly drink poison, strap myself with explosives on dead trigger, drink more poison then hang myself, and just before I die¡­I¡¯d release the trigger and explode my body just to make sure none of me remain behind for you to mourn.¡± ¡°what the¡­¡± the guy blinked, his grin faltering for a moment before he recovered. ¡°Feisty, aren¡¯t you.¡± Apparently, he wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°You know; I¡¯ve got connections to the current regime. Just today morning after Julian was announced the winner, I was requested¡­by name, to offer my services as an administrator at the Capitol hall. You see, I am now the secretarial administrator of the office of relations between species. I got a chance to see Julian too¡­.¡± he said, puffing out his chest. ¡°Also, not to brag but I¡¯m tight with Luca Wilder. The leader of the shifters? Yeah, we go way back. I could introduce you. Get you whatever you want.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Seriously,¡± he pressed, undeterred. ¡°Name it. Money? Power? A penthouse in the Capitol? I could make it happen. Just tell me what you want.¡± ¡°I would like for you to just shut up and leave.¡± I said sharply, John opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned to see a hooded figure standing behind me, their face obscured by the shadows of their hood. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, his voice low and urgent. I stood up without a word, leaving John hurling insults at the bar. The man led me to a booth in the back of the club, where a couple was too busy making out to notice us. ¡°Out,¡± he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. The couple looked up, annoyed, but one glance at his face had them scrambling out of the booth. The man slid in across from me, his hood still up, his red eyes darting around the room like he was expecting an ambush. ¡°You¡¯re late, an hour late¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°I had to make sure I wasn¡¯t followed,¡± he replied, his voice barely audible over the music. ¡°Julian¡¯s got eyes everywhere.¡± ¡°You said you got some dirt¡± I cut right to the chase He leaned forward, his hands clasped on the table. ¡°I know what Julian bribed the leaders with,¡± he said, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement. ¡°I know what he promised them.¡± I leaned in closer, my heart rate picking up. ¡°Well, go on.¡± But before he could say another word, the lights in the club flickered and went out. The music cut out too, plunging the room into silence, the kind of silence that made your skin crawl. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± I demanded, my hand instinctively reaching for the knife strapped to my thigh. The lights came back on, and the music started up again, but the man was gone. I rushed outside and the mood in the club had all but shifted. People were whispering, glancing around like they were waiting for something to happen. My instincts screamed at me to get out of this place as fast as possible. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Michael POV My motorcycle sputtered and coughed like it was on its last breath as I rolled up to the edge of the forest. It was a miracle the thing still ran, honestly. I¡¯d bought it off a certain witch who claimed it was enchanted to ¡°never break down,¡± but I was pretty sure she¡¯d just cursed it to make my life harder. That was understandable because I had haggled it down below market price. Either way, it got me home. Or what used to be home. I was just about to kick the stand down when I heard a rustling in the bushes. Out stumbled my uncle, Greg, looking like he¡¯d just lost a fight with a bear. Which, given that he was a bear shifter, wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question. He was half-naked, his shirt hanging off one shoulder, and his pants were covered in leaves and mud. ¡°Michael!¡± he exclaimed, his face lighting up like I was the best thing to ever appear before him in years. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± I sighed. Of course, I¡¯d run into Greg. Every time I came home, it was like the universe conspired to make sure our paths crossed. And every time, it got¡­kinda awkward. ¡°Hey, Greg,¡± I said, trying to sound polite but not too enthusiastic. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± Greg grinned, oblivious to the fact that he looked like he¡¯d been rolling around in the dirt fighting mother nature . ¡°Finding my innerself ,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely to the forest behind him. ¡°Or my inner bear, you know how it is.¡± I didn¡¯t, but I wasn¡¯t about to argue. ¡°So, you¡¯re back!¡± Greg said again, like he hadn¡¯t already said it. ¡°You staying long? We should hang out. Watch some TV. There¡¯s this new werewolf drama series¡ªreally good stuff. Lots of howling and brooding. You¡¯d love it.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not staying, Greg. I¡¯m just here to pick up the last of my stuff.¡± Greg¡¯s face fell, and for a moment, he looked like a kicked puppy¡­or more accurately, an old one. ¡°Oh. Right. Well, you know, the offer¡¯s always open. Anytime you want to come back, just... you know, come back. You know my place¡­Just a few houses into the forest, past the winding stream, then just a little bit over that red hill, the one with swampy¡­.¡± ¡°I know where your house is.¡± I nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt. Greg had always been the weird uncle, but he wasn¡¯t a bad guy. Just... lonely. His wife had left him for a richer shifter a few years ago, and he¡¯d never really recovered. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Okay, just drop by anytime. ¡± ¡°Thanks, Greg,¡± I said, trying to sound sincere. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± I clutched the gear and prepared to leave. ¡°What?¡± Greg snappily asked ¡°What?¡± I frowned ¡°Oh sorry, I thought you said something¡± he smiled ¡°I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m gonna leave now, okay?¡± ¡° Okay kiddo, go ahead.¡± Greg smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°You know, one day you¡¯re going to have to put all this family drama behind you. Life¡¯s too short to hold grudges.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. What could I say? That I wasn¡¯t holding a grudge? That I just didn¡¯t want to be around people who thought murdering rebels was a good career move? Yeah, that would go over well. Instead, I glanced down and said, ¡°Your, uh, your penis is hanging out.¡± Greg looked down, startled, and quickly adjusted his pants. ¡°Oh. Right. Thanks.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± I said, kicking the stand down on my motorcycle. ¡°Take care, Greg.¡± I left him standing there, half-naked and slightly embarrassed, and headed toward the mansion. It was a big place, not as flashy as the ones in the Capitol, but still impressive. The kind of house that screamed, ¡°We¡¯re important, but not *that* important.¡± I rang the bell at the gate and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, a guard appeared, looking like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else. He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally opening the gate. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, rolling my motorcycle through. The guard didn¡¯t respond. I parked the bike near the front door and walked inside, bracing myself for whatever fresh hell awaited me. The house was quiet, but I could hear voices coming from the living room. I rounded the corner and froze. There, sitting on the sofa like he owned the place, was Luca Wilder. The leader of the shifters. The man I¡¯d only ever seen on TV. He was dressed in a sleek suit, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. Behind him were two vampires, their red pupils glowing faintly in the dim light. They looked bored but dangerous, like they were just waiting for an excuse to cause trouble. Opposite Luca was my dad, Shane Glider. He looked tense, his jaw clenched and his hands gripping the arms of his chair like he was trying not to punch someone. Behind him stood my mom, Sarah, and my two older brothers, Jack and Stephen. They were all bear shifters, big and bulky. ¡°So,¡± Luca was saying, his voice calm but with an edge to it, ¡°let me get this straight. You¡¯re the one in charge of the attack on the rebels?¡± My dad nodded, his expression grim. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And your name is... Shane Glider?¡± Another nod. Luca leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as an asshole, Shane.¡± My dad blinked, clearly thrown off by the comment. ¡°Uh... thanks?¡± ¡°Are you an asshole, Shane?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do I look like an asshole to you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luca smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a friendly smile. ¡°Funny. Because one of us has to be the asshole in this transaction. If neither of us were assholes, you would¡¯ve informed me that a few rebels escaped your little onslaught. And I wouldn¡¯t have had to find out from Julian himself.¡± The room went silent, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. And then, he spotted me. ¡°Michael,¡± my dad said, his voice tight. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I shrugged casually. ¡°Just picking up the last of my stuff. Don¡¯t mind me. You can proceed with whatever this is¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Marissa POV I was sprawled on Kacy¡¯s bed like a starfish, staring at the ceiling like it had answers to all my troubles. The room smelled like lavender and bad decisions, which was pretty much Kacy¡¯s brand. She was sitting at her desk, typing away on her laptop like her life depended on it. ¡°Marissa,¡± Kacy said suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. ¡°What the hell is wrong with your eyes?¡± I blinked, turning my head to look at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your eyes,¡± she repeated, leaning closer and squinting at me like I was some kind of science experiment gone wrong or a rare artifact. ¡°They¡¯re red. Like, really red. You look like a vampire with big eyes. It¡¯s horrifying.¡± I groaned and rolled onto my side, pulling a pillow over my face. ¡°That¡¯s an exxagerated reference.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± she said, poking me with a pen. ¡°They are like bulging and¡­. Are you sick? Is this contagious? Because if it is, I¡¯m kicking you out.¡± I lifted the pillow just enough to glare at her. ¡°It¡¯s not contagious. It¡¯s just burst blood vessels. I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night.¡± Kacy raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. ¡°Burst blood vessels? What were you doing, crying rivers of blood?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said, sitting up and tossing the pillow at her. ¡°I was dealing with actual problems. Unlike some people who have the luxury of just doing completely nothing.¡± Kacy caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest, her expression shifting from teasing to concerned. ¡°Okay, spill. What¡¯s going on?¡± I sighed, running a hand through my hair. ¡°I got a call from Theo Black last night.¡± Kacy¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Theo Black? As in, the leader of the werewolves Theo Black?¡± ¡°The one and only,¡± I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°He informed me that the alphas had a meeting and came to the conclusion that if I don¡¯t recognize Julian as my leader, I¡¯ll be labeled a traitor¡­ and a rebel.¡± Kacy gasped, clutching the pillow tighter. ¡°Marissa, that¡¯s serious. You know what they do to people who are even rumored to be rebels. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not even the best part,¡± I said, lying back down and staring at the ceiling again. ¡°Apparently, I only have a week to find a partner or I¡¯ll be exiled from all werewolf packs.¡± Kacy blinked, clearly trying to process this information. ¡°Wait, what? Since when is that a thing?¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Since forever,¡± I said, my tone flat. ¡°It¡¯s some archaic law that says women in the pack have ten years from their eighteenth birthday to find a partner or be exiled. And guess who¡¯s about to hit the ten-year mark?¡± Kacy winced. ¡°Oh, honey. That¡¯s rough.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, closing my eyes. ¡°And to make matters worse, Theo was ¡®kind¡¯ enough to offer his own nephew as a potential partner. You know, in exchange for my complete submission. Because no one is ready to tie the knot with a woman who publicly opposes you know who¡± Kacy sighed, setting the pillow aside and leaning back in her chair. ¡°Marissa, I get that you¡¯re not exactly the settling-down type, but just to be blunt with you... why have you rejected every single advance men have made toward you? You¡¯re beautiful, smart, and, you know, not a complete psychopath. You could have your pick of anyone.¡± I opened one eye to glare at her. ¡°Gee, thanks. I¡¯ll add that to my dating profile.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious Marissa,¡± Kacy said, ignoring my sarcasm. ¡°I love you but you¡¯ve chased away every young, rich, and handsome suitor that¡¯s come your way. At this point, I¡¯m starting to think you are maybe gay or pansexual. You must be a virgin, have you ever even kissed a guy before?¡± I sat up again, my face heating up. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m neither gay nor sexually not into pans or kitchen stuff. And second, I have kissed a man before. Once. In high school. And it was terrible.¡± Kacy smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. ¡°Okay, got it, so virgin. But you¡¯re still picky. What¡¯s wrong with all the guys who¡¯ve tried to court you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± I repeated, my voice rising. ¡°They only want one thing with me and you know what¡­¡± ¡°Your purse?¡± ¡° Not that, why do you always have to think about the nasty¡­¡± I was cut off by the sound of the door slamming open. A man stumbled into the room, looking like he¡¯d just walked out of a 90s rap video. He was short and skinny, with overgrown facial hair and a white tank top that had seen better days. His eyes widened when he saw me, and he jerked back like he¡¯d just seen a ghost. ¡°Whoa,¡± he said, his voice high-pitched and nasally. ¡°Your eyes, man. They¡¯re like... two assholes. You know what I¡¯m saying?¡± I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. ¡°I... speak English. Yes of course, I know what you¡¯re saying.¡± Kacy jumped up from her chair, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. ¡°Double P! You¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Double P?¡± I repeated, my voice flat. ¡°That¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kacy said, grinning like an idiot. ¡°This is my boyfriend, Double P. Double P, this is my best friend, Marissa, the one I have been telling you about.¡± Double P nodded, his eyes still fixed on my face. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you, Marissa. You must have steel balls to speak to July King like that front of everyone. You know what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Again,¡± I said, my patience wearing thin. ¡°I do know what you¡¯re saying. And I appreciate you checking on me with that.¡± Kacy giggled, grabbing Double P¡¯s arm and pulling him closer. ¡°Isn¡¯t he adorable?¡± I stared at her, trying to figure out if she was serious. ¡°Adorable¡± was not the word I would¡¯ve used. ¡°So,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°How long have you two been... dating?¡± ¡°A few weeks,¡± Kacy said, beaming. ¡°We met at a club. He¡¯s a DJ, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Double P said, nodding enthusiastically. ¡°I spin the tracks, you know what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°I do,¡± I said, my tone dry. ¡°I really do.¡± Kacy grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re heading out for a date, but I¡¯ll be back later. You should go out too, Marissa. Find a man. Or you¡¯ll be exiled from your own home.¡± I groaned, flopping back onto the bed. ¡°Thanks for the reminder.¡± Kacy blew me a kiss before dragging Double P out of the room. I stared at the ceiling, wondering how I would deal with my own predicament. ¡°You know what I¡¯m saying?¡± I muttered to myself, mimicking Double P¡¯s nasally voice. --- Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The leaves rustled to the tune of the late evening wind. In the far distance, an owl hooted, adding to the twilight environ in the forest. The air was chilly, and most animals had already retreated to their safe havens, paving way for the night predators. In the evening glare, silhouettes flashed under the darkness that was slowly creeping in. In their wake, dry leaves whizzed, bringing about a mysterious breeze. ¡°This is boring,¡± Isaac muttered, as he screeched to a sudden stop. ¡°We¡¯ve been in here for hours, and all we¡¯ve seen are trees and more trees. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Julian stopped beside him and looked around before shooting him a sidelong glance, his expression unamused. ¡°Patience, brother. This particular part of the forest has secrets. You just have to know where to look.¡± As if on cue, the duo stumbled upon a clearing where a small herd of spotted Saolas grazed peacefully. In sequence, more vampires arrived in the clearing and stood behind Julian and Isaac, their eyes staring ravenously at the herd. The creatures were rare, their sleek coats dappled with white spots that shimmered in the twilight. They were vital to the witches, essential for crafting powerful ancient spells. But to the vampires, their blood was a rare delicacy¡ªa source of energy so potent it had the ability to amplify their power and strength for an extended period of time. The Saolas weren¡¯t unguarded, they were being herded by ten women dressed for action. Combat regalia that made it seem like they were guarding regality, armed with long swords. Upon the sudden appearance of the vampires, they immediately stood vigilant, placing the animals in the midst of their protective circle. ¡°Jackpot¡± Isaac murmured, his eyes bright and voice laced with greed. His grin widened as he stepped forward. ¡°Now what are a bunch of witches doing in a forest at this time?¡± When he received no response, he continued ¡°Would you kindly hand over those goats, it¡¯s been a long day and we are feeling a little bit hungry.¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t goats, and you cannot have them. But you are welcome to whatever else the forest offers, just a few miles to the East you¡¯ll find a large herd of buffalos. I¡¯m positive they¡¯ll be more than enough to quench your hunger.¡± One of the women stepped forward and said ¡°We are not here for the buffalos.¡± Isaac said ¡°These animals are sacred to us, taking them will be a violation of a centuries old treaty that our ancestors made. ¡°the woman replied Isaac tilted his head, his grin turning predatory. ¡°Do you know who we are?¡± The witch hesitated, her gaze flickering to Julian before returning to Isaac. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Then you should know better than to deny us,¡± Isaac said, his tone sharp as a blade. ¡°You¡¯re standing in the presence of the ruler of Northwind Reach, its defense minister, and the royal lineage of the vampires. You should be bowing.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The witch¡¯s jaw tightened, but she stood her ground. ¡°Respectfully, we can¡¯t allow you to have the Saolas. They are the last remaining herd and their existence is vital to us, more vital than our existence.¡± Julian, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally stepped forward. His movements were slow and deliberate, his authority stamped. ¡°No one denies the ruler of Northwind Reach anything,¡± he said, his voice low and dangerous. Before anyone could react, Julian moved like a flash of lightning. In an instant, he had one of the Saolas in his grasp, his fangs sinking into its neck. The creature let out a strangled cry before going limp, its blood staining Julian¡¯s lips as he drank deeply. The witches reacted immediately, their hands glowing with magical energy as they drew their swords, but Isaac was faster. He stepped in front of them, his eyes blazing with menace. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± he said, his voice a low growl. ¡°Unless, of course, you value your lives so little.¡± The other vampires fanned out, surrounding the witches in a tight circle. Their eyes glowed with hunger, their fangs bared in anticipation. The witches hesitated, their magic flickering uncertainly as they weighed their options. Julian, his eyes glowing a bright red, dropped the drained Saola and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°Isaac,¡± he said, his voice calm but commanding. ¡°Join me.¡± Isaac didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He lunged at another Saola, his fangs sinking into its throat with a ferocity that sent a shiver down the spines of the witches. One by one, the vampires followed suit, their hunger driving them to slaughter the sacred animals without mercy. The witch stepped forward again, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°Miles Storm won¡¯t stand for this,¡± she said, her eyes blazing. ¡°You¡¯ve broken one of the oldest rules of coexistence between vampires and witches. You¡¯ve just declared war on the witch community.¡± Julian laughed, the sound cold and hollow. ¡°War? With vampires? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You¡¯d never win. Miles Storm himself would slit his own throat if I told him to.¡± The witch¡¯s hands clenched into fists, her magic flaring brighter, making her sword glow brighter. ¡°An uprising of rebel witches isn¡¯t something the continent can handle let alone vampires. We¡¯ll replace Miles Storm in a matter of weeks and we¡¯ll have the vampires pay for your misdeeds. You¡¯ve already declared war on the witches on the very first week of governance.¡± Isaac stepped forward, his grin widening. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m scared,¡± he said, his voice dripping with malice. ¡°But here¡¯s the thing¡ªno one will know it was us who did it.¡± Before the witch could respond, Isaac moved with inhuman speed, his fangs sinking into her throat. She let out a choked gasp, her magic flickering and dying as her lifeblood drained away. The other vampires followed his lead, attacking the remaining witches with brutal efficiency. They were dangerously outnumbered and practically speaking, no match for royal-blooded vampires who just feasted on Saolas. Julian watched the carnage with a detached calm, his eyes scanning the clearing until they landed on one witch who had managed to avoid the initial onslaught by placing a protective bubble around her. She was young, her face pale with terror as she stared at her slain comrades. Julian moved like a shadow, arriving in front of her in an instant millisecond. He examined the bubble for a second before he took out a dagger from his belt and nicked his finger. It only took a drop of his blood for the bubble to instantly disappear, his hand closing around her throat before she could escape. He lifted her off the ground, his red eyes boring into hers. ¡°Listen carefully,¡± he said, his voice a low, hypnotic whisper. ¡°You will go back to your people. You will tell them that the shifters did this. Do you understand?¡± The witch¡¯s eyes glazed over, her will crumbling under the weight of Julian¡¯s compulsion. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible. Julian dropped her, watching as she stumbled to her feet and fled into the forest. He turned to Isaac, his expression unreadable. ¡°Clean this up. Make sure there¡¯s no evidence of a vampire¡¯s presence in this¡­mess.¡± Isaac nodded, his grin never faltering. ¡°Consider it done.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Michael POV I made a beeline for my old room, hoping to grab the last of my stuff and get the hell out of there, not willing to spend another second longer in the mansion. But when I pushed the door open, I was met with a sight that made my blood boil. My room¡ª*my* room¡ªhad been turned into a storage dump. My belongings, or what was left of them, were haphazardly shoved into a corner, buried under a mountain of hunting gear, old furniture, and what looked like a broken treadmill. ¡°Seriously?¡± I muttered, clicking my tongue in annoyance. ¡°Move on that fast?¡± I stepped inside, carefully navigating around the clutter. There was a bear trap on the floor that I nearly tripped over, and I made a mental note to ask my dad why he thought storing deadly equipment in my former bedroom was a good idea. As I started sorting through my stuff, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of nostalgia. There were old books, a few childhood toys, and some presents from my late grandparents. I hadn¡¯t seen some of the stuff in years, and for a moment, I forgot my bitterness. That moment didn¡¯t last long. The door creaked open, and I froze. I didn¡¯t even have to turn around to know who it was. ¡°Honey bear!¡± Sarah¡¯s voice resounded in a way that was utterly devastating to me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re back!¡± I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. When I turned around, there she was: Sarah, my ex-fianc¨¦e. She was as stunning as ever, with her thick brown hair, piercing brown eyes, and a bright smile that struck me when I first met her. At 6¡¯4¡±, she easily towered over me. ¡°Sarah,¡± I said, my voice flat. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She tilted her head, her smile never wavering. ¡°I could ask you the same thing. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were coming back? And why haven¡¯t you been answering my calls or texts?¡± I shrugged, trying to play it cool. ¡°Lost my phone.¡± As if on cue, my phone rang from my pocket. The sound was deafening in the awkward silence that followed. Sarah raised an eyebrow. ¡°Lost your phone, huh?¡± I sighed, pulling the phone out and silencing it. ¡°Okay, fine. I didn¡¯t lose my phone. I just... didn¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. ¡°Michael, I know you¡¯re upset, but you have to understand¡ªas a shifter, II was obligated to do what I did. It¡¯s not something you should be mad about.¡± I stared at her, my jaw tightening. ¡°Not something I should be mad about? Sarah, you killed people¡­.innocent people¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°They weren¡¯t exactly innocent, they were rebels,¡± she said, her tone defensive. ¡°They spoke against Luca Wilder¡¯s rule. It was our responsibility as shifters to maintain peace and unity in our territory, not entertain discord¡± ¡°And killing them was the best way to do that?¡± I shot back. ¡°Does diplomacy not exist anymore? Or did you all just decide that murder is easier than having a normal civilized conversation?¡± Sarah crossed her arms, her expression hardening. ¡°The rebels don¡¯t listen to reason, Michael. We did what we had to do.¡± I was speechless. How could she not see how messed up this was? How could she stand there and justify what she¡¯d done like it was nothing? They probably had families at home, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, but because they decided to speak out their minds, they didn¡¯t deserve to live. I turned back to my stuff, shoving things into a bag with more force than necessary. ¡°You know what? Forget it. I¡¯m done with this conversation. You don¡¯t listen to reason¡± Sarah stepped closer, her voice softening. ¡°Michael, please. Don¡¯t be like this. I kinda¡­miss us¡± I didn¡¯t respond. I couldn¡¯t. My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing the air out of my lungs. I just wanted to grab my stuff and leave before I said something I¡¯d regret. But of course, the universe had other plans. The door swung open again, and this time, it was Stephen. My older brother. My much older brother. He was just as tall as Sarah, with the same broad shoulders and intimidating presence. And right now, he had his arm wrapped around Sarah¡¯s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world. I blinked, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing. ¡°What... what¡¯s going on here?¡± Stephen grinned, his arm still firmly around Sarah. ¡°What¡¯s up, lil bro? Long time no see.¡± I looked back and forth between them, my confusion quickly turning to anger. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you two? Why are you all... cozy?¡± Stephen shrugged, like it was no big deal. ¡°Sarah and I are together now.¡± ¡°Together?¡± I repeated, my voice rising. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Since you dumped her,¡± Stephen said, his tone annoyingly casual. I turned to Sarah, my eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯re with him? My brother?¡± Sarah had the decency to look a little sheepish. ¡°Michael, these are my prime years. It wasn¡¯t healthy for me to be held up because of you. I had to move on.¡± ¡°Move on with my *brother*?¡± I snapped. ¡°Of all the people in the world, you chose my BROTHER?¡± Stephen held up his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t take it the wrong way. I love you, lil bro. And you have to believe me, this isn¡¯t personal.¡± ¡°Not personal?¡± I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°You¡¯re dating my ex-fianc¨¦e, and it¡¯s not personal?¡± Before Stephen could respond, Sarah spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing...¡± I turned to her, my stomach sinking. ¡°What possibly could be worse than that?¡± She hesitated, then placed a hand on her stomach. ¡°We¡¯re pregnant.¡± The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I dropped the bag I was holding, the sound of it hitting the floor echoing in the silence. ¡°Pregnant?¡± I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been a month,¡± Sarah said quickly. ¡°I would never cheat on you, Michael. You know that.¡± I stared at her, my mind racing. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want kids until you were thirty.¡± Stephen shrugged, his grin never fading. ¡° I guess the correct word you are looking for is congratulations.¡± I turned to him, my anger boiling over. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even wait a week to bang my ex-fianc¨¦e? A woman I was supposed to be married to for the rest of my life? Were you into her this whole time?¡± Stephen nodded, completely unapologetic. ¡°Yeah.¡± I looked at Sarah, my heart breaking all over again. ¡°And you?¡± She opened her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. ¡°You know what? Never mind. I don¡¯t even want to know.¡± I bent down to pick up my stuff, my hands shaking. As I stood up, I felt the tears welling in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I didn¡¯t want them to see me break, nor give them the satisfaction of it. I looked up at Sarah, my voice quivering with bitterness. ¡°Give me back my ring.¡± She hesitated, then slowly pulled the ring off her finger and handed it to me. I took it without a word, shoving it into my pocket. ¡°Goodbye, Sarah,¡± I said, my voice cold. ¡°Goodbye, Stephen.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Marissa POV I sat in the center of the room, on a chair that might as well have been a throne of thorns. Around me, the alphas of the werewolf packs numbering about twenty, loomed like statues, their eyes sharp and unyielding. Each one of them was a leader in their own right, a figure of power and authority in the werewolf community. And now, they were all here for me. I didn¡¯t need to be told why I¡¯d been summoned. My open defiance of Julian Corbin and Theo Black had made me a high-profile figure, not just among the werewolves but across the entire continent. I was becoming a symbol, a beacon for the rebels, and the alphas weren¡¯t happy about it. They didn¡¯t want the heat on them. They didn¡¯t want the trouble I was stirring up. One of the alphas stood. He was an older man, his face lined with age, but his eyes were as sharp as ever. ¡°Marissa Fairmont,¡± he began, his voice echoing in the silence. ¡°You¡¯ve been summoned here today to take on the responsibilities of your actions. Your defiance of Julian Corbin, the ruler of Northwind Reach, has brought unwanted attention to our kind. Your refusal to submit to Theo Black, our leader, has caused division within our ranks. And your failure to fulfill your obligations as a member of the pack has left us with no choice but to bring this to an ultimatum.¡± I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I knew what was coming. I had all but expected the alpha council to summon me, it was just a matter of time. The alpha continued, his tone cold. ¡°You have three options. First, you must openly acknowledge the rule of Julian Corbin. This will be recorded and broadcasted to ensure your compliance.¡± I had earlier noticed a camera in the corner of the room, its red light blinking like a warning. Acknowledging Julian publicly would mean the end of the rebellion. As far as I knew, no one has ever stood up in front of Julian and lived to see the next day. My submission to his rule would definitely have a rippling effect on those who didn¡¯t acknowledge tyranny. ¡°Second,¡± the alpha said, his voice cutting through my thoughts, ¡°you must agree to marry Theo Black¡¯s nephew. This is not negotiable. If you refuse, you will face immediate exile from your pack and any other pack that you might want to seek refuge in.¡± My stomach churned at the thought. Exile wasn¡¯t just being cast out of the pack; it was being cut off from everything I¡¯d ever known. It was losing my family, my home, my identity. ¡°And third,¡± the alpha finished, his gaze locking onto mine, ¡°you must swear an oath to never go against Theo Black¡¯s directives or rules. He is our leader, and his word is law as long as he leads the council.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. I could feel the eyes of every alpha on me, waiting for my response. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It wasn¡¯t a happy laugh. It was a bitter one. My situation was the funniest thing that has ever happened to me, and not once did I ever imagine that the long arm of tyranny, flung by Julian would reach me. ¡°You know,¡± I said, my voice cutting through the silence, ¡°it¡¯s funny. This room is full of men, yet I¡¯m the one with the balls to stand up to Julian Corbin.¡± The alpha¡¯s eyes narrowed, but I didn¡¯t give him a chance to respond. ¡°Let me ask you something. Have any of you stopped to think about what¡¯s happening in the rest of the continent? Two weeks into Julian¡¯s rule, and the shifters and witches are already on the brink of war. Does that make sense to you? For decades, we¡¯ve lived in peace. And now, suddenly, the shifters attack the witches for no reason at all? Does that sound like something Luca Wilder would do?¡± The alpha¡¯s face was emotionless. ¡°What happens between the shifters and the witches is none of our concern. You would do well to focus on yourself and your future.¡± I sighed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. ¡°My future? My future is tied to the future of this continent. If we don¡¯t stand up to Julian now, there won¡¯t be a future at all¡± The alpha¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°You have your own thoughts regarding Julian. That¡¯s great. Stop trying to make everyone feel the same way. Don¡¯t make your personal vendetta everyone¡¯s problem.¡± I clenched my fists, my mind racing. I thought about my options and how each one found a way to be worse than the other. I knew what was at stake. Exile wasn¡¯t just a punishment; it was a death sentence. Without the pack, I¡¯d be vulnerable, alone, and cut off from the only family I had left. I couldn¡¯t deny Julian¡¯s authority and settle on Theo Black¡¯s for the sake of my safety, they were all the same to me. Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was a message from an unknown number. *Our last meeting was interrupted. Meet me in thirty minutes at the Capitol. I¡¯ll find you.* I pocketed the phone, a spark of hope igniting in my chest. This wasn¡¯t over. Not yet. I stood, my chair scraping against the floor. The tension in the room tightened, the alphas eyes narrowing as they watched me. They knew what I stood for and how potentially it could affect the werewolf community and the whole continent. I could see it in their eyes how much they wished for me to submit. ¡°Julian Corbin is a disease,¡± I said, my voice steady and strong. ¡°And if we don¡¯t deal with him, this continent will cease to exist in peace. But if you want to hear me submit, fine. I acknowledge that Julian Corbin is the ruler of Northwind Reach. I will submit to Theo Black as the leader of the werewolves. And I will marry his nephew to fulfill my obligations.¡± The room was silent, the weight of my words sinking in. I could almost hear all of them collectively sigh, though the surprise in their faces was unmistakenble. Theo Black stood, his expression stern. ¡°Bow,¡± he said, his voice cold and commanding. I hesitated, my pride screaming at me to refuse. But I knew I didn¡¯t have a choice. I bowed my head, the gesture small but enough to satisfy him. ¡°Good,¡± Theo said, his tone dismissive. I didn¡¯t wait for permission. I turned and walked out of the room. The moment I was outside, I broke into a run, my mind racing. I jumped into my car and sped toward the Capitol, my hands gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Inside a small briefing room somewhere in Northwind Reach Capitol, Julian Corbin sat at the head of the long, polished table, his posture relaxed. To his left sat Luca Wilder, the leader of the shifters, his eyes were calm but you could see the brewing hatred beneath them as he stared at the being opposite him. Across from him was Miles Storm, the leader of the witches, his gaunt face twisted into a scowl as he drummed his long, bony fingers on the table. The air was so tense, charged with the animosity between the two leaders. Julian, so calm, watched the two leader exchange hateful glances. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Julian began, his voice smooth, ¡°I¡¯m concerned about you two, your two species. The constant fighting between your factions is¡­. a bad look for my rule. It reflects poorly on all of us. So, let¡¯s settle this like civilized beings, shall we?¡± Miles Storm was the first to speak, his voice dripping with unaltered hate. ¡°If anyone is being uncivilized is Luca Wilder. Their unprovoked attack on my people was uncalled for. They slaughtered our Saolas, destroyed our sacred herd, and left us with nothing. They even went on to murder my witches in a bloodthirsty spree. Do you even know how much those animals were detrimental to our existence? They were its bane. But you knew that, every shifter knew that, everyone knows that¡­.¡± He hesitated, anger rendering him speechless Luca Wilder clenched his jaws and responded calmly ¡°Unprovoked? We didn¡¯t attack your people, Miles. We have lived in peace for the longest time ever, why would my shifters attack you and break a long term truce? I don¡¯t know who did it, but it wasn¡¯t us.¡± Miles sneered, his beady eyes narrowing. ¡°Come on Luca, there was a witness. She identified your kind. Don¡¯t play dumb.¡± Luca leaned forward, his voice a low growl. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, we didn¡¯t attack you, we had no reason to. And your witness, a witch, claims she saw predatory animals¡­they could be werewolves, or rogues for all I know. You were just quick to point fingers at us because we share a hunting ground.¡± ¡°Since when did bear shifters and lion shifters become werewolves? ¡°Miles asked ¡° You should check your witch witness, maybe she got knocked up pretty good in the head she can¡¯t remember anything correctly. And why do you think she survived, unharmed? While her fellow witches died, their bodies disappearing without a trace?¡± Luca quizzed ¡° I¡­¡± a flicker of doubt flashed in Miles¡¯ eyes Julian frowned and promptly raised his hand up, ¡°Enough with the bickering. Arguing will get us nowhere¡± ¡° Well, the witches demand retribution. I¡¯m getting a lot of heat from my council.¡± Miles Storm shrugged This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°You have to be more specific than that¡± Julian responded Miles straightened, his expression hardening. ¡°Since the shifters took something of value from us, it¡¯s only fair we take something of value from them. I want a quarter of their territory¡ªspecifically, the hunting grounds. And I want the lives of two young tiger shifters.¡± The room fell silent, the weight of his demands hanging in the air. Luca¡¯s eyes widened, his fury boiling over. He shot to his feet, his chair scraping against the floor. ¡°You want what? A quarter of our territory? Where do you expect us to hunt? And the lives of two tiger shifters? You know so well that my family is the only tiger shifter class in our community, you want me to hand over my kin? Are you that out of your mind?¡± Miles didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°That¡¯s the compensation we want. It¡¯s only fair we take something of equal value from you.¡± Luca¡¯s hands clenched into fists, his voice rising. ¡°This is insane. He is insane. We didn¡¯t take anything from you! And even if we did, your demands are outrageous. I¡¯d rather go to war than give up my territory or the lives of my people.¡± Miles face turned stern as he stood up.¡± Then I guess we have arrived at a resolution.¡± Julian sighed, his expression one of exaggerated patience. ¡°Gentlemen, please. Let¡¯s not be hasty. War benefits no one. I have a solution¡­.please sit¡± Both leaders turned to him, their expressions wary. Julian leaned back in his chair, his smirk returning. ¡°Since the witches suffered a massive loss, it¡¯s only right they be compensated. However, since the shifters deny any involvement, we can¡¯t punish them too harshly. The only witness is a witch, and I can¡¯t afford to side with one species over the other. So, here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± He paused, letting the tension build before continuing. ¡°The territory Miles wants will be placed under the control of the continent. I¡¯ll station my soldiers there to occupy it until the two of you can resume normal relations. As for the tiger shifters...¡± Luca¡¯s eyes narrowed, his voice a low growl. ¡°What about them?¡± Julian¡¯s face was apologetic ¡°Since something of value was taken from the witches, it¡¯s only fair something of equal value be taken from the shifters. You will deliver two young tiger shifters to Miles.¡± Luca¡¯s fury exploded. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! That¡¯s not fair to me or my people!¡± ¡° A life for a life Luca, only I¡¯m being generous and asking you for two.¡± Miles said ¡°I¡¯m not giving up my kin.¡± Lucas said coldly Julian¡¯s expression hardened, his voice cutting like a blade. ¡°Then you should¡¯ve thought about the consequences before attacking the witches.¡± ¡° For the hundredth time, we didn¡¯t attack them!¡± Luca roared, his voice shaking the room. ¡°I¡¯ve told you multiple times, it wasn¡¯t us!¡± ¡°You would do well to keep your voice down, you are addressing your superior.¡± Julian said, his voice laced with threat Before Luca could respond, the large screen on the wall flickered to life, displaying the evening news. The room fell silent as the broadcast showed Marissa Fairmont, her head bowed as she acknowledged Julian¡¯s rule. Julian smirked as he watched the screen. ¡°Now, would you look at that? Theo Black is solving the rebels¡¯ problem by taking out its head. And yet, the two of you are still fighting amongst yourselves.¡± He turned back to Luca and Miles, his tone dripping with condescension. ¡°Perhaps you should focus on your mandates instead of bickering like children. If you want to receive the agreed-upon gifts for your support in the previous election, you¡¯ll need to prove you are worth it.¡± He paused and regarded them for a second before proceeding. ¡° I would suggest you align yourself with my resolution by the end of tomorrow.¡± Julian stood, his presence commanding the room. He walked to the door but before he left, he turned back and addressed the duo, most specifically, Luca. ¡° Let me not hear of further quarrels between the two of you. I¡¯ll be assigning the minister of security the task of annexing the land until you two resume your normal relations. ¡° Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Michael POV When I grew tired from strolling around, I entered a nightclub. The music from the club was so loud that my chest thumped. In a chaotic attack, the flashing neon lights, stench of alcohol and sweat hit me like a freight train. This was my first time in a club, and in my honest opinion, I wasn¡¯t sure what drove me in here in the first place. But after the week I just had, I had figured that maybe a change of scenery would make me forget my woes. I wandered aimlessly through the crowd, my head swiveling like an owl as I took in the chaos around me. There were people dancing, laughing, shouting over the music, and generally having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, I was just trying to keep myself from not getting overwhelmed. Eventually, I found my way to the bar counter, where a bartender with sleeves of tattoos and a bored expression was wiping down glasses. He looked up as I approached, his eyebrow quirking in a way that said, ¡®you are definitely in the wrong place¡¯ ¡°What can I get you?¡± he asked nevertheless, his voice barely audible over the music. I stared at the rows of bottles behind him, my brain short-circuiting for an instant there. I had no idea what to order. I didn¡¯t even know what half those bottles were. ¡°Uh...¡± I said, dragging out the word like it was a life raft. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­. just give me the strongest drink you have¡± The bartender raised an eyebrow. ¡°You sure about that? I¡¯ve seen guys twice your size pass out in minutes after one of those.¡± I nodded, doubt flashing my mind but I quickly withdrew the thought ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. Hit me with it.¡± He shrugged and started pouring a mix of liquids that looked like they could strip paint. ¡°This is called the ¡®Elephant¡¯s Graveyard.¡¯ Word is that a bottle of this is enough to knock out an elephant for six hours.¡± I blinked. ¡°An elephant?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he said, sliding the drink toward me. That¡¯s not very safe, I thought. Either way, I took a tentative sip, expecting it to taste like gasoline or death. Instead, it was sweet, almost like honey. ¡°Wow, this is... actually really good.¡± The bartender smirked. ¡°That¡¯s what they all say.¡± I downed the rest of the drink in one go, feeling the warmth spread through my chest. By the time I was on my third glass, the world had taken on a soft, blurry edge. The loud music now sounded a lot nicer, and the lights more accommodating. I was slumped over the counter, staring at my reflection in the polished wood and wondering how my life had turned into such a dumpster fire. ¡°Sarah,¡± I muttered to no one in particular. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to go and get pregnant with my brother? Couldn¡¯t you have just... I don¡¯t know, joined a cult or something?¡± I was so lost in my own misery that I didn¡¯t notice the woman sitting down next to me until she spoke. ¡°Club soda, please,¡± she said, her voice smooth and confident. I turned my head¡ªslowly, so I didn¡¯t fall off the stool¡ªand stared at her. She was beautiful, with sharp features, piercing green eyes, short but shiny black hair and a leather jacket that looked like it had been tailored just for her. Her black pants hugged her legs in a way that made my brain short-circuit in a way I have never felt before. ¡°Hi,¡± the word got out before it even registered in my brain. She glanced at me, her expression unreadable. ¡°Hi.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I opened my mouth to say something else, but before I could, two men appeared out of nowhere, flanking her on both sides. They were big, with broad shoulders and hands the size of watermelons. ¡°Hey, gorgeous,¡± one of them said, leaning way too close to her. ¡°That¡¯s a nice coat you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°Thank you¡± the woman responded a bit coldly ¡°My friend here thinks you are real pretty,¡± he pointed at his friend ¡°I just had to bring him along, he is a bit shy¡­.¡± At that point, I trained my eyes away from them and decided minding my business was in my best interest. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m actually here with my boyfriend¡± I heard her say My curiosity got the better of me since I also wanted to see who her boyfriend was. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see him with you¡­¡± the man quipped as he looked around, his eyes not even regarding me with a glance ¡°Babe¡± the woman stood up and walked towards me, I frowned ¨C hard. ¡°Him? He is your boyfriend? That has to be a joke. It¡¯s got to be a joke.¡± the man almost screamed with a hint of condescension. I now felt offended. ¡°Are you using him as a ruse to shoo us away?¡± ¡°Babe?¡± the woman confidently coiled her arm around mine, her voice so sheepish and convincing that I actually believed I was her boyfriend. ¡°Can you leave my fuckin girlfriend alone¡± I finally spoke up The man looked at his fellow then they began laughing hard. They were hysterical there for quite a while but when their laughter died, one of the men turned to me ¡°that¡¯s cute¡± The other guy who was supposed to be the shy one reached out and grabbed her arm, his grip tight. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide behind this¡­dude. I promise you¡¯ll have a good time with us.¡± Something snapped inside me. Maybe it was the alcohol since it was my first time drinking, or maybe it was the fact that I¡¯d spent the last month feeling like a doormat and being regarded as an extra in my own life, but I wasn¡¯t about to sit there and watch these colossal men insult me. ¡°Hey!¡± I said, my voice louder than I intended. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± The two men turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of surprise and amusement. ¡°What¡¯s your problem, buddy?¡± the second guy asked, his grip still on the woman¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youuuu what my¡­my problem is¡± I said, swaying slightly as I stood up. I sized them up from top to bottom, then it dawned on me, they were really huge and muscular. I literally had no chance standing up against them. Physically, I was no match. But mentally, after a long dose of the Elephant¡¯s Graveyard, my newfound courage thought that they were a nuisance. ¡°You are my problem, the both of you.¡± The first guy smirked as he cracked his knuckles, something that was supposed to be intimidating. ¡°Boy, do yourself a favor and take a walk.¡± ¡°I think you should take your own advice, boy¡± I retorted The last thing I saw before everything went dark was his smirk gradually fading, then knuckles. When I came to, I was sitting back on the stool, blood dripping down my nose. The woman was dabbing it with a napkin, her expression a mix of amusement and concern. ¡°You put up quite a fight,¡± she said I blinked up at her, my vision still blurry. ¡°Really?¡± She chuckled lightly, ¡°No. The bouncers got rid of them. But you¡¯ve got courage, I¡¯ll give you that. Standing up to alpha werewolves like that takes guts.¡± I stared at her, my brain struggling to process what she¡¯d just said, or why I was seeing three of her ¡°Wait... they were werewolves? Alpha werewolves?¡± She nodded, her green eyes sparkling. ¡°I thought you knew¡± ¡°No,¡± I said, my voice slurred. ¡°I thought they were just... really big guys.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you? Because you are not a shifter or a vampire? I could have smelt it on you. And witches and elementals don¡¯t frequent this club¡± ¡°I¡¯m what they call a human.¡± I turned my head towards the counter hoping to spot my glass, wincing as the movement made my nose throb. ¡°Huh¡± she exclaimed, then chuckled in a way that I found pleasing to my ears. I liked the sound of it. ¡°Well, you¡¯re either very brave or very stupid.¡± ¡°Probably both,¡± I said, grinning despite the pain in my face. The bartender slid another drink in front of me, and I grabbed it without thinking. ¡°Very stupid¡± she said as she eyed the contents of my drink ¡°You might want to take it slow with that drink, its sweet but you¡¯ll feel the hangover for a week¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware¡± I sighed and slurped it confidently She frowned as she took the seat next to me. She regarded me for a short while as she sipped her club soda gently. ¡°Your girlfriend broke up with you?¡± she asked ¡°Close¡± I said with a slight smile ¡°it was my fianc¨¦, and I was the one who broke up with her.¡± ¡°She should be the one drinking herself to death¡± ¡°Yeah, instead, she is getting knocked up by my brother, and now expecting his child.¡± I said bitterness overwhelming me ¡°That¡¯s¡­interesting¡± she responded ¡°Now I¡¯m feeling guilty I used you to chase those men away.¡± ¡°It was nothing¡± I smiled, faintly recalling how the man¡¯s fist rocketed towards my face ¡°But I think my nose might be broken, I can¡¯t breathe right.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± She smiled apologetically ¡°let me settle your tab, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± ¡°Thanks, ¡°I replied not letting gentleman chivalry take a hold of me. I was definitely fine with a woman paying my drinks. I stood up from my seat, my knees wobbling as they strived to hold my form. I held the counter to support myself. ¡°I should¡­go. It¡¯s getting late¡­¡± ¡°Are you in any condition to drive¡­or walk?¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± I smiled confidently, then the world went dark. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Marissa POV The alley was creepily dark in a way that felt suffocating. I sat in my car, the engine off, the only light coming from the dim glow of the streetlamp at the far end of the alley. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel, my eyes darting around in a slightly anxious manner. I¡¯d been waiting for five minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Finally, a figure flashed in front of my car, moving so fast that it was almost a blur. Nevertheless, I wasn¡¯t shocked¡ªI¡¯d been expecting him. I reached over and opened the passenger door, and the figure slid into the seat beside me, his movements smooth and silent. He pulled off his hood, revealing his face. Mark. He was a vampire, and a particularly handsome one at that. He had short silver hair that was neatly kempt, his jawline sharp, and his eyebrows so perfect sometimes I thought they had just been drawn. There was a light scar on his left cheek, a thin line that ran from his temple to just below his eye, but it didn¡¯t detract from his looks. If anything, it added to his mystique vampire charm. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why I wasn¡¯t attracted to him, neither physically nor romantically. Objectively, he was gorgeous, but for the whole time I knew him, nothing in him clicked with me. I started imagining that probably something was wrong with me, something serious that I found it hard to look at a man¡­or a woman romantically. ¡°Marissa,¡± Mark said, his voice smooth and calm. ¡°looking ravishing as always¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, though my tone was more flat than friendly. ¡°Today you seem¡­different¡± He nodded, his expression unreadable. ¡°Well, a lot has happened since the last time we met.¡± ¡°Barely¡± I sighed ¡°Barely?¡± he raised one of his perfectly drawn eyebrows ¡°the last time I saw you, you were wishing Julian a quick death, now you have acknowledged Julian Corbin as the ruler of Northwind Reach. That¡¯s something¡± I snorted, leaning back in my seat. ¡°I did it for the cameras, I¡¯d never actually bow down to Julian, not really. He¡¯s playing a game, and I want to beat him at it¡± Mark raised an eyebrow. ¡°And marrying Theo Black¡¯s nephew? Is that part of the game too?¡± I sighed, running a hand through my hair. ¡°If it keeps me from being exiled, then yes. I don¡¯t have a choice, Mark.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He studied me for a moment, his silver eyes piercing. ¡°You¡¯re willing to sacrifice a lot for this.¡± ¡°I am,¡± I said, my voice firm. ¡°Our last meeting was cut short before you told me anything¡± Mark leaned back in his seat, his expression turning serious. ¡°Did you know that the vampires were responsible for the war between the witches and the shifters?¡± I blinked, I¡¯d always suspected something was off about the sudden conflict, but hearing it confirmed was still a shock. ¡°How?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. ¡°The vampires killed the Saolas,¡± Mark said, his tone grim. ¡°They did it to gain more strength and to instigate a quarrel between the shifters and the witches. That way, Julian could call a mediation and position himself as the peacemaker. Miles Storm¡¯s demands¡ªterritory and the lives of two tiger shifters¡ªwere somehow what Julian wanted. Now, he occupies part of the shifter territory under the guise of maintaining peace, and most of the soldiers stationed there are vampires.¡± I stared at him, my mind racing. ¡°And Luca Wilder agreed to it? Give up two of his kin?¡± Mark¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile. I shook my head as hundreds of questions raced in my mind. ¡°How do you know all this? How do you know Julian was behind the attack on the Saolas?¡± Mark¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Because I was there, Marissa. I was with Julian and Isaac, along with other vampires from the royal lineage. I saw it happen.¡± ¡°right¡± I sighed, Mark was from the royal lineage ¡°The Saolas, that¡¯s why you are¡­¡± ¡°more powerful? Stronger? Yes. Their blood multiplied our strength ¡°he said I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. ¡°Luca Wilder is the most intelligent of the group, did he just give up to the demands?¡± Mark leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. ¡°Yes. Credits to the promise they were originally offered before the election. Something more valuable than money or territory.¡± ¡°What were the leaders offered for their support?¡± Mark took a deep sigh then looked right at me ¡°Immortality¡± I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. ¡°Immortality? But... that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Mark asked, his tone challenging. ¡°Vampires live for centuries, Marissa. Why wouldn¡¯t Julian offer the same to the leaders who helped him rise to power?¡± My mind was reeling. It all made sense now¡ªwhy the leaders had been so quick to support Julian, why they were willing to turn a blind eye to his tyranny. They¡¯d been promised something no one could resist: eternal life. ¡°But how?¡± I asked, my voice trembling. ¡°How is Julian planning to give them immortality?¡± Mark shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of everything we¡¯d discussed hanging in the air. Finally, Mark turned to me, his silver eyes meeting mine. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± he asked ¡°I¡¯ll let the truth be known¡± I replied ¡°Julian is not going to be happy with it.¡± Mark said while adjusting his coat ¡°That¡¯s the whole point¡± Mark was silent for a short while before he spoke again ¡°Be careful, Marissa,¡± he said, his voice soft but firm. ¡°There is a reason why he became the leader of the vampires, he is powerful¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, cutting him off. Mark nodded, his expression grim. ¡°Okay. I have to attend a ball in twenty minutes, I¡¯ll let you know if anything comes up.¡± And with that, he was gone, leaving me alone in the dark alley with nothing but my thoughts for company. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 The training grounds of the Elementals were a sight to behold. Nestled in a sprawling deep valley surrounded by jagged cliffs, the area was alive with the crackle of fire, the roar of water, and the hum of electricity. Spacious enough to accommodate up to a thousand people, a number of elementals practiced their craft, their movements fluid and precise as they manipulated the earth¡¯s elements with an almost artistic grace. Truly, it was a magnificent sight to behold. Out of the blue, the sound of engines roaring echoed through the valley as a convoy of SUVs rolled in kicking up dust. The vehicles came to a halt just at the edge of the valley, and out stepped Isaac Corbin, the head of the continent¡¯s defense and security. He was flanked by a small army of guards, all dressed in black and armed to the teeth. Isaac, however, looked like he was on vacation. He wore a white shirt and a tailored trouser. Casually, he strolled towards the middle of the valley like he owned the place, having successfully disrupted the training. Everyone had stopped and were staring at the second most popular person in the continent. He stopped then looked around. ¡°Well, well,¡± Isaac said, his voice carrying across the training grounds. ¡°Just in time for the training¡± He pulled off his shirt, revealing a lean, muscular frame that seemed sculptured ¡°okay, let¡¯s do this. Anyone want to start it off?¡± The elementals exchanged uneasy glances, but no one stepped forward. Isaac¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Come on,¡± he taunted, his voice rising. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you never sparred with a vampire before? Don¡¯t be cowards¡± Still, no one moved. Isaac¡¯s smirk faltered, replaced by a look of irritation. ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time,¡± he said, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°Anyone want to spar with me? Or I begin picking up people at random¡­starting with that young girl over there¡± he pointed at a girl who looked not more than ten. The threat hung in the air like a storm cloud, and finally, three elementals hesitantly stepped forward. Isaac sized them up, his smirk returning. ¡°Perfect, show me what you¡¯ve got¡± The first two elementals formed fireballs in their hands, the flames crackling with intensity. The third summoned a bolt of lightning, the air around him crackling with energy. In unison, they attacked, their powers converging on Isaac in a blinding flash of light and heat. But Isaac was faster. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In the blink of an eye, he was behind them, his movements a blur. He grabbed the first elemental by the arm and flung him into the second, sending both crashing into the third. The trio hit the nearby wall with a sickening crunch, their bodies crumpling to the ground, unconscious. Isaac laughed, the sound echoing through the valley. ¡°Pathetic!¡± He turned to the rest of the elementals, his eyes gleaming with malice. ¡°There has to be stronger elementals in here¡± He pointed at a group of elementals standing beside a weapons stand, his grin widening. ¡°You. Attack me. All of you.¡± The group hesitated, their eyes darting to each other. ¡°If I have to ask you one more time I will accidentally kill this girl¡± Isaac said as he flashed towards the terrorized kid. Left with no choice, they surrounded Isaac, their powers flaring to life. Fire, water, earth, and air¡ªthey unleashed everything they had, their attacks converging on Isaac in a chaotic frenzy. But Isaac didn¡¯t even break a sweat. He moved like a shadow, dodging and weaving through their attacks with ease. He grabbed one elemental by the throat and tossed him aside like a ragdoll. Another he sent flying with a single punch. He toyed with them, his movements almost lazy, as if he were swatting flies. By the time he was done, the ground was littered with unconscious bodies. Isaac stood in the center of it all, his chest heaving with laughter. ¡°I always thought elementals were strong, I was wrong¡± he shouted, his voice filled with mockery. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we have their likes in the army, waste of space¡± Just as he was about to taunt them further, a voice cut through the chaos. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Isaac turned, his smirk fading as Nadia Fern stepped onto the training grounds. As he undressed her with his eyes, Isaac¡¯s smirk returned, though it was tinged with something darker. ¡°Nadia. What a pleasant surprise.¡± Nadia¡¯s gaze swept over the strewn bodies, her expression unreadable. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Isaac said, his tone casual. ¡°I¡¯m sure none of them died. Besides, it¡¯s part of my job to ensure everyone¡¯s battle readiness. And let¡¯s be honest¡ªyour elementals are weak.¡± Nadia¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Perhaps they were withholding their strength to avoid harming the brother of the continent¡¯s leader.¡± Isaac¡¯s smirk faltered, replaced by a look of irritation. He stepped closer to Nadia, so close that they were breathing the same air. He looked down at her, his eyes gleaming. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m weak, Nadia?¡± he asked, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°not capable of beating them in a real fight?¡± Nadia didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I have an idea,¡± Isaac said, his grin returning. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight me. Let¡¯s teach these youngsters how things are done.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary¡± Nadia replied, her voice calm but firm. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll embarrass you?¡± he quizzed as his hand moved to her waist, his touch lingering as he caressed her side. His fingers trailed lower, brushing against her back before grabbing it firmly. The elementals gasped, their eyes wide with shock and anger. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered who you fucked to be the leader of the elementals because sure as hell it wasn¡¯t because of your strength?¡± Isaac said, his voice a low purr. Nadia¡¯s eyes burned with fury, but she didn¡¯t move. She held his gaze, her expression unreadable. ¡°You must have great bedroom skills¡± he continued Before the tension could escalate further, Isaac¡¯s phone rang. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen before sighing. ¡°Duty calls,¡± he said, his smirk returning. He released Nadia and turned to leave, his guards falling in step behind him. As the SUVs roared out of the valley, Nadia stood in the center of the training grounds, her fists clenched at her sides. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Michael POV I woke up to a raging headache, my temple thumping like war drums. The light streaming through the window was like a laser beam straight into my brain, and I squinted so hard because the light was so bright my eyes couldn¡¯t handle it. My whole body felt like a dry mouth, and my nose¡ªoh, my nose¡ªwas throbbing like it had a heartbeat of its own. ¡°What the hell happened last night?¡± I muttered, my voice sounding like I¡¯d been gargling gravel. I tried to sit up, but the room spun like a merry-go-round, and I flopped back onto the pillow with a groan. That¡¯s when I noticed the bed. It was huge, with an unusually heavy pink quilt. To my left was a bedside table cluttered with makeup and a mirror, and to my right was a closet filled with neatly folded clothes. ¡°Okay,¡± I said to myself, my voice shaky. ¡°This is not my room.¡± I racked my brain, trying to piece together the events of the previous night. I remembered the club, the drinks, the beautiful lady with the green eyes, and... yeah. The two huge guys. The punch to the nose, more drinks then nothing. ¡°Fuck,¡± I whispered, my heart racing. ¡°Where the fuck am I?¡± Just then, the door opened, and in walked the green-eyed lady herself. She was draped in a short white towel, her black hair damp and clinging to her neck. She smiled when she saw me, her eyes lighting up with amusement. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she said, her voice smooth and teasing. I stared at her longer than I intended to, my brain short-circuiting. ¡°Uh... yeah. Hi. Where am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re at my dad¡¯s house,¡± she said, leaning against the doorframe. ¡°In my room.¡± I jerked upright, the quilt falling to my waist. That¡¯s when I realized I was buck naked. I yelped and yanked the quilt back up, my face burning. ¡°Why am I naked in your bed? Where are my clothes?¡± I asked, my voice an octave higher than usual. She shrugged, her smile widening. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­somewhere in the room¡± I groaned, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Okay, uh... did we... you know...?¡± She raised an eyebrow, her expression innocent. ¡°Did we what?¡± ¡°You know,¡± I said, gesturing vaguely between us. ¡°Did we... do it?¡± Her smile turned into a full-blown grin. ¡°Oh yeah, we did it. Big time. Countless times. In every way imaginable. You were a beast, Michael. I mean, for a human, you really¡ª¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What in the ¡­,¡± I interrupted, my voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡ªI mean, I was drunk, and I don¡¯t even remember¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, we both enjoyed it¡­¡± she continued ¡°I promised to only do it with¡­what have I done? I¡¯m¡­.¡± words came out of my mouth in a hot flurry She burst out laughing, the sound filling the room. ¡°Relax, Michael. I¡¯m just messing with you. We didn¡¯t do anything.¡± I stared at her, my heart still pounding. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°You blacked out,¡± she said, walking over to the closet and pulling out a fresh set of clothes. ¡°The club was about to kick you out, so I brought you here.¡± ¡°I had your clothes washed because they were soiled and dirty.¡± I let out a breath I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d been holding. ¡°Oh. Okay. That¡¯s... that¡¯s good.¡± She tossed the clothes onto the bed, then turned her back to me as she started changing. I averted my eyes, my face burning even hotter. ¡°So, uh... thanks for not leaving me, although we are strangers and all,¡± I said, my voice awkward. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± she said, pulling on a sleek black dress. ¡°You helped me out at the club, so it was the least I could do.¡± I nodded, hastily pulling on the clothes she¡¯d given me. They were a little tight, but they¡¯d do. ¡°Well, I should probably get going. Thanks again.¡± I stood up, but she held up a hand to stop me. ¡°Oh, no. You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± I blinked. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Because my dad saw me bring you in last night, and I might have said you were my boyfriend,¡± she said, her tone casual. ¡°Doesn¡¯t explain why I can¡¯t leave¡± I frowned ¡°Well, he said that I should bring you to the marriage ceremony as my date, to properly introduce you¡± ¡°Introduce me?¡± my eyes were the size of saucer plates ¡°don¡¯t you think we are taking it too far with this acting boyfriend thing? ¡°I know¡­¡± her voice was low ¡°But look at it this way, you¡¯ll be repaying the favor for me not leaving you at the club. ¡°I thought we were square¡­¡± ¡°We were after I paid your tab¡­but then you decided to black out.¡± She shrugged I stared at her, my brain struggling to keep up. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it, why do I have to be there? Can¡¯t you just give him a bunch of excuses, tell him I had some family emergency¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a bunch of reasons why you have to be there. First, my dad is an alpha and he never takes no for an answer,¡± she said, slipping on a pair of heels. ¡°Second, he thinks you slept with me. So, unless you want to be heavily beaten, you¡¯ll come with me and play the part. Thirdly, you are in our pack¡¯s territory, it¡¯d be rude if you just left, and if you did¡­you wouldn¡¯t even make it to the capitol without getting lost¡­. should I go on?¡± I groaned, running a hand through my hair. ¡°This is a nightmare.¡± She smirked, walking over to me and straightening my collar. ¡°Relax, Michael. It¡¯ll be fun. Just this one thing and you can be on your way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name,¡± I said, my voice desperate. ¡°It¡¯s Eve,¡± she said, her smile widening. ¡°Nice to meet you, officially.¡± ¡°Michael,¡± I said, shaking her hand. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to be late.¡± She linked her arm to mine I let her lead me out of the room, my head still spinning. The house was massive, with high ceilings and expensive-looking furniture. Eve¡¯s dad was clearly loaded, which only made me more nervous. We walked to a nearby mansion, where plush truck cars were parked outside like it was some kind of luxury car show. Eve clung to my arm as we made our way inside, her smile never wavering. ¡°Just smile and nod,¡± she whispered as we entered the grand hall. The room was filled with people, all dressed to the nines and chatting like they were at some high-society gala. I felt completely out of place, like a stray dog at a cat show. ¡°This is going to be a long night,¡± I said under my breath. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Marissa POV When I pulled up to the venue in my car, with Kacy chattering excitedly beside me, I was immediately struck by the sheer number of trucks parked outside. The place was packed, and my stomach sank. Theo Black had promised me a small, secret ceremony. Clearly, he¡¯d lied. It was more of a concert; Theo couldn¡¯t help but invite half the continent. ¡°This was supposed to be a secret?¡± I muttered, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Kacy, oblivious to my growing unease, was practically bouncing in her seat. ¡°Marissa, this is so exciting! Finally, you¡¯re getting married! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± I shot her a look, but she was too busy scrolling on her phone to notice. ¡°Kacy, this isn¡¯t exactly how I imagined my wedding day.¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± she said, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°You look stunning, and that¡¯s all that matters. Even if the man you are going to marry is¡­well, he is not that bad. Now, let¡¯s go!¡± I sighed, turning off the engine and stepping out of the car. Kacy followed, her orange dress swishing around her knees. I was dressed in a simple white dress, nothing too flashy or fluttery. It was casual, but Kacy had worked her magic on my hair and makeup, and I had to admit, I looked different. Too good, maybe, for a wedding I didn¡¯t want. As we approached the entrance, a man stepped forward to greet us. It was Alpha Jared; the leader of the pack I¡¯d grown up in. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a kind face and a warm smile. ¡°Marissa,¡± he said, pulling me into a hug. ¡°You look beautiful.¡± I hugged him back, feeling a pang of gratitude. Alpha Jared had always been good to me. He wasn¡¯t there when the other alphas had delivered their judgment, and I trusted him more than anyone else in the pack. Of all the werewolves I knew, he was the smartest one. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, pulling away. He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ¡°I¡¯ll be handing you over today. Since I¡¯m your alpha and all, I thought it was only right.¡± I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± He offered me his arm, and I took it, letting him lead me down the aisle. Kacy followed behind, her excitement palpable. The hall was packed, the air buzzing with chatter and laughter. At the end of the aisle stood Theo Black, his expression smug, and beside him was his nephew, Charles. He was an average-sized man with a bulky frame, dressed in a somewhat baggy suit. He wasn¡¯t ugly, but he wasn¡¯t exactly handsome either. Just... normal. I forced a smile as Alpha Jared handed me over to Charles. Theo Black officiated the ceremony, his voice booming as he tied the symbolic string around our wrists. I was numb, going through the motions without really feeling anything. Charles, on the other hand, looked thrilled. I didn¡¯t even want to think what was going on in his mind. His starving gaze gave me the chills, the bad kind. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. When the ceremony was over, Theo declared a feast and celebration in honor of the marriage. I didn¡¯t stick around to hear the cheers. As soon as the string was cut, I excused myself and made a beeline for the makeshift bar in the corner of the hall. The bar was empty, which wasn¡¯t surprising. It was still early, and most people were busy stuffing their faces with food or catching up. But there was one person there¡ªa man sitting on a stool, nursing a drink. I didn¡¯t mean to stare, but I couldn¡¯t help it. He was the most handsome man I¡¯d ever seen, and that was taking into account the fact that I had met many men before. His hair was short, a mix of brown and black, and his clothes, though tight-fitting, looked comfortable. He wasn¡¯t as built as the werewolves or shifters I was used to seeing, but there was something about him that drew me in. As I approached the bar, he turned to look at me, and I was struck by his eyes. They were brown, soft and calm, not harsh or piercing. His face was easygoing, with a slight smirk that made him look both confident and approachable. Our interaction was well... awkward, to say the least. We kept stealing glances at each other, but neither of us could maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds. I took the drink menu and scanned it with my eyes, though my mind was completely elsewhere. I ordered a drink, sipping it slowly as I tried to gather my thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him glance at me again. I turned to look at him, and our eyes met. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence. ¡°It¡¯s a bit early to be drinking, don¡¯t you think?¡± he said, his voice smooth I raised an eyebrow, glancing at his drink. ¡°You¡¯re drinking too.¡± He chuckled, the sound warms and genuine. ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± We lapsed into silence again, both of us stealing glances at each other. Finally, he spoke up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the feast with everyone else? Celebrating the marriage of Marissa and... what¡¯s his name? the guy who looks like a manager to a paper company?¡± I almost laughed at that. ¡°I could ask you the same question.¡± He shrugged, his smirk returning. ¡°I¡¯m here against my will. I¡¯d rather just sit and drink until this whole thing is over.¡± ¡°Makes two of us,¡± I said, taking another sip of my drink. He leaned back on his stool, his eyes lingering on me. ¡°The bride must be feeling awful, marrying a guy who looks like... well, him.¡± I froze for a moment, realizing he didn¡¯t know who I was. ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, his tone light. ¡°I mean, she¡¯s Marissa Fairmont. She¡¯s gorgeous, brave, and way out of his league. I¡¯d feel bad for her if I didn¡¯t think she could handle herself.¡± I felt a strange flutter in my chest at his words. ¡°You think she¡¯s pretty?¡± ¡°and courageous. She has it all.¡± The guy added It took a lot to force myself not to smile. I managed to gather myself together after a quick second ¡°You¡¯re not a werewolf, are you?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. I was born into a shifter family, but I¡¯m human. Name¡¯s Michael.¡± ¡°Michael,¡± I repeated, testing the name on my tongue. He stared at me for a moment, his brow furrowing. ¡°You look familiar. I swear I have seen you somewhere. Have we met before?¡± I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, Alpha Jared approached us. ¡°Marissa,¡± he said, his tone gentle but firm. ¡°There you are. Everyone¡¯s looking for you.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes widened, and he nearly dropped his drink. ¡°Wait... you¡¯re Marissa? The Marissa?¡± I nodded, feeling a strange mix of amusement and nervousness. ¡°Guilty.¡± He stared at me for a moment, then let out a low whistle. ¡°Well, this is awkward.¡± ¡°And you must be the guy who is knocking up my daughter.¡± Alpha Jared turned towards Michael and said ¡°You mean Eve?¡± I quizzed, feeling a slight pang on my chest Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Michael POV Never in my life would I ever imagined that as I sat at the makeshift bar, sipping my juice and trying to ignore the pounding in my head, that the woman I¡¯d been talking to¡ªgorgeous, sharp, and way too cool for this wedding¡ªturned out to be Marissa Fairmont. The Marissa Fairmont. The one who¡¯d just married Charles, the guy who looked like he¡¯d been plucked straight out of a corporate office. I nearly choked on my drink when the tall man called her by her name. My brain scrambled to catch up. This was the woman I¡¯d just described as beautiful, brave, and way out of Charles¡¯ league. And here I was, sitting next to her, making awkward small talk like an idiot. Before I could fully process this, the man turned his attention to me. His arms were crossed, and his expression was a mix of curiosity and suspicion. He looked like a dad who¡¯d just caught his daughter sneaking out past curfew¡ªexcept I wasn¡¯t his daughter, and I definitely wasn¡¯t sneaking anywhere. ¡°And you must be the guy knocking up my daughter,¡± he said, his voice low and gruff. I blinked, my brain short-circuiting. ¡°Pardon me, what?¡± He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. ¡°Eve. My daughter. The one she dragged in drunk last night?¡± Fuck, this was Eve¡¯s dad, Alpha Jared. Everything instantly clicked into place. ¡°Hum,¡± I said, holding up my hands in defense. ¡°I¡¯m not technically knocking up your daughter. I¡¯m her... boyfriend.¡± Alpha Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he glanced over at Marissa, who was surprised to say the least. ¡°Is that so?¡± I nodded, my heart racing. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re... together.¡± Alpha Jared turned back to me then eye-balled my drink, his expression unreadable. ¡°You are day drinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not alcohol,¡± I said quickly, holding up my glass of juice. ¡°Just... juice. For my hangover.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be 24 in a month,¡± I said, trying to sound confident. Alpha Jared grunted, clearly unimpressed. ¡°What pack are you from?¡± I hesitated, my mind racing. Before I could answer, Eve appeared, her smile bright and her dress swishing around her knees. Her eyes lit up when she saw Marissa. Hastily, she proceeded to hug her with profound excitement. Perfect, they knew each other. ¡°Congratulations Marissa,¡± Eve said ¡°You must be really happy marrying Theo Black¡¯s nephew.¡± ¡°Uh huh¡± Marissa responded with a forced smile ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t seen you in decades. You have changed I can¡¯t even recognize you anymore¡± Eve continued ¡°I have so much to tell you¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I guessed so, you have a boyfriend now.¡± She nudged her head towards my direction. ¡°Yes, I see you¡¯ve met Michael already¡± Eve said, her tone cheerful. She then walked over to me, standing so close that our arms were touching. Marissa raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking between Eve and me. ¡°He completes me¡± Eve said excitedly Marissa¡¯s smile was polite but strained. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you¡± Eve turned to Marissa, her smile widening. ¡°Me too, Charles is a lucky guy. I have a good feeling about this¡± Marissa¡¯s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. ¡°Thank you.¡± Just then, Charles himself appeared, his smile so wide it looked like it might split his face. He walked over to Marissa, his hand resting on her arm in a way that made her visibly tense. ¡°Marissa,¡± he said, his tone overly cheerful. ¡°People are waiting for our first dance. We should head back to the hall.¡± Marissa nodded, her expression neutral. ¡°Of course.¡± She shot me one last glance before following Charles back to the hall. Alpha Jared watched them go, his expression thoughtful, before turning back to me. ¡°I asked you a question,¡± he said, his tone sharp. ¡°What pack are you from?¡± I swallowed hard, my palms sweating. ¡°I¡¯m not a werewolf.¡± Alpha Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°A shifter, then?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± I said, my voice shaky. ¡°A witch? An elemental?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No.¡± Alpha Jared crossed his arms, his expression growing more suspicious. ¡°Then what the hell are you?¡± Eve stepped in, her tone sharp. ¡°Dad, stop interrogating him. He¡¯s my boyfriend, not a criminal.¡± Alpha Jared shot her a look, but Eve stood her ground. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, trying to sound calm. ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡± Alpha Jared¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked back and forth between Eve and me like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Human? You¡¯re telling me my daughter is dating a human? Someone with no gifts, no powers?¡± ¡°Where did you pick him? Are you doing this just to spite me?¡± Eve rolled her eyes. ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t pick him from anywhere. And I¡¯m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions.¡± Alpha Jared ignored her, his gaze locked on me. ¡°How are you supposed to protect her in the face of danger? What can you possibly offer her? Perhaps you are wealthy enough to hire guards¡± I opened my mouth to respond, but Eve cut me off. ¡°Dad, stop. Michael doesn¡¯t need to prove anything to you.¡± ¡°You are my daughter, and he does need to prove everything to me.¡± Alpha Jared retorted, his voice filled with authority ¡°He¡¯s just a measly human, with no wealth, gift, no nothing¡­¡± ¡°And he¡¯s my boyfriend all the same.¡± Eve cut him off ¡°Dad, don¡¯t take this away from me. You have ruined everything I have valued and allowed Marissa all the freedom in the world. I¡¯m asking you to allow me this one thing¡­just this once let me have something of my own.¡± Alpha Jared¡¯s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he didn¡¯t speak. When he finally did, his voice was low and dangerous. ¡°Do you love my daughter?¡± I froze, my heart pounding. They had just discussed me like I was invisible this whole time and now he was asking me the most feared question. I looked at Eve, who was staring at me with wide eyes, then back at Alpha Jared. ¡°I... uh... yes. Yes, I do.¡± Alpha Jared studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he grunted and turned to Eve. ¡°Everything I do is to protect you. You are my only daughter and I only want what¡¯s best for you¡± With that, he walked away, leaving me and Eve standing there in stunned silence. ¡°Well,¡± Eve said, her tone light. ¡°That¡¯s my dad¡± I stared at her, my mind still reeling. ¡°Marissa is your sister?¡± ¡°My dad brought her in after the incident with her parents, we grew up together.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like the mess you have put me into.¡± I sighed ¡°Yeah, sorry about that.¡± She said ¡°Well, I should leave¡­.¡± ¡°You are not sticking around for the after party?¡± she asked, her voice somewhat low ¡°I have a bad hangover to nurse, and I think my bed is missing me.¡± I lightly laughed ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Eve sighed then picked up a beer can from a nearby shelf ¡°Tell your dad we broke up or something, he¡¯ll be happy to hear that¡­I guess.¡± I said standing up ¡°and please don¡¯t let him send werewolves after me, tell him it was a mutual break up.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t send anyone.¡± She chuckled ¡°thanks, for your help and all. I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I¡¯ll find my own way.¡± I said before walking out towards the hall, then outside the mansion Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Tonight, the room inside Luca¡¯s family mansion felt heavy with tension, the air thick with unspoken fears and simmering anger. The Wilders, a large family of tiger shifters, were gathered in a semicircle around Luca Wilder, their leader. He scanned the room, taking in the faces of his family¡ªsome young, some old, all bound by blood. Opposite Luca sat Mark, the silver-haired vampire, his posture relaxed and his eyes scanning the lot with open curiosity. The Wilder family was like the royalty of shifters, and being amongst them felt¡­different. Two vampire guards that were earlier assigned to Luca Wilder lingered near the dining area, their presence a silent reminder of Julian Corbin¡¯s reach. The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fireplace and the occasional shuffle of feet. An old woman, her dark hair with a ravenous streak of greys that were tied back in a tight bun, broke the silence. Her voice was firm, but there was a tremor of emotion beneath her words. ¡°Luca, you can¡¯t do this. Giving up two of our own¡ªwhat kind of demand is that? You even considering it goes against everything we stand for.¡± Luca sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. His expression was one of defeat, but his voice remained steady. ¡°I know, grandmother. But what choice do I have? If I don¡¯t comply, we will get back to war with the witches, and we will lose more than two shifters. This is the only way to protect our species that doesn¡¯t involve bloodshed.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed, her wrinkled face hardening. ¡°They have already occupied a third of our prime hunting grounds, that surely is more than enough for a war that we didn¡¯t even start.¡± She paused then looked at Mark for a few seconds. ¡°Since his cousin is already here means that you have already made up your mind. Who will you choose, Luca? Who among us will you sacrifice to satisfy their demands?¡± Luca¡¯s gaze swept over the room, lingering on each face. His heart ached as he considered the options. Half of his family were still young, their lives just beginning. Others were in their prime, strong and vital. The tiger shifters were royalty among the shifter species, proud and powerful. To give up even one of them felt like a betrayal, and a huge loss. Finally, Luca¡¯s eyes settled on his younger brother, Jamie Wilder. Jamie, who was currently sizing up Mark, looked back at Luca when he noticed everyone staring at him. His eyes widened in shock as he realized what Luca was thinking. ¡°Me?¡± Jamie asked, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Luca, you can¡¯t be serious.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Jamie was a warrior and a trainer for the shifters, an invaluable person that also doubled up as his family¡¯s head of security. Luca nodded, his expression grim. ¡°I am¡± Luca¡¯s grandmother slammed her hand on the arm of her chair, her voice rising. ¡°Luca, have you lost your mind? You¡¯re willing to give up your own brother?¡± Luca¡¯s jaw tightened, but he didn¡¯t respond. Jamie stood slowly, his movements stiff with disbelief. He walked over to Mark, then stood behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Jamie said, his voice steady. The grandmother shook her head, her eyes blazing with anger. ¡°This is madness, Luca. Absolute madness.¡± Luca ignored her, his gaze shifting to his eldest son, a young man of about seventeen. The boy¡¯s face paled as he realized what was coming. ¡°Wait¡­no, NO¡± he said, his voice trembling. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me. You can¡¯t doom me to... to whatever they have planned¡­. something that I¡¯m sure is death¡± Luca¡¯s heart ached at the fear in his son¡¯s eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm. ¡°I¡¯m not choosing you, son¡± he said softly. The room fell silent as Luca turned to her grandmother. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Me?¡± she asked, her voice sharp. ¡°You¡¯re choosing me?¡± Luca sighed, his expression bitter. ¡°Yes, you.¡± The grandmother stood, her frail frame trembling with rage. ¡°I won¡¯t go with them, Luca. Not even if they drag me by my hair. Give up my life for a conspiracy clearly woven to weaken us? I will never¡± Luca¡¯s face hardened, his voice taking on a commanding tone. ¡°As the leader of the tigers and the shifter community, I¡¯ve made my decision. You better than anyone knows that disobedience is treason, and treason is punishable by death.¡± His grandmother¡¯s eyes blazed with defiance. ¡°Then I¡¯d rather die.¡± The room erupted into murmurs of shock and fear. Tiger shifters were fiercely loyal to their hierarchy, and Luca¡¯s grandmother open defiance was unheard of. Luca¡¯s face grew stern, his eyes flashing with authority. ¡°You will go,¡± he said, his voice cold and final. The woman¡¯s lips curled into a snarl, and without warning, she began to shift. Her body contorted, her bones cracking and reshaping as her fur sprouted from her skin. Within seconds, a magnificent albino white tiger stood in her place, her teeth bared and her claws extended. She hissed at Mark, then turned her gaze to Luca, her golden eyes filled with challenge. Luca palmed his face, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion. He nodded to Jamie, who stepped forward with a small dart gun in his hand. Before Aunt Mira could react, Jamie fired. The dart struck her neck, and within seconds, her massive form slumped to the ground. The room was silent, the weight of what had just happened settling over everyone. Luca turned to Mark, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes. ¡°You have two of my strongest shifters. I¡¯ve held up my end of the bargain.¡± Mark nodded, his expression unreadable. He effortlessly lifted the unconscious form onto his shoulder, his movements smooth and practiced. Before leaving, Jamie walked over to Luca and knelt before him. He took Luca¡¯s hand and kissed it, his voice filled with emotion. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing, brother.¡± Luca didn¡¯t respond, his face remaining emotionless. He watched as Mark, Jamie, and her grandmother leave the room, the heavy wooden door closing behind them with a final, echoing thud. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Marissa POV It was early in the morning, the sun wasn¡¯t even out yet and I was already drenched in sweat, my muscles burning as I drove my twin spears into the wooden target with relentless precision. Each strike was a release, a way to channel the frustration that had been building inside me since the wedding. A week had passed since I¡¯d tied the knot with Charles, and I hadn¡¯t seen him since the ceremony. Not that I minded. The less I had to deal with him, the better. But apparently, he had other ideas. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him approaching. He was dressed in baggy pants and an oversized t-shirt that read *We already did it* in bold, obnoxious letters. I rolled my eyes and kept training, ignoring him as he stood there, awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Finally, he spoke, his voice hesitant and stammering. ¡°Uh, Marissa? I haven¡¯t seen you since the wedding day.¡± I didn¡¯t stop. ¡°So?¡± He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. ¡°Well, it¡¯s... it¡¯s normal for married people to, you know, spend nights together after their marriage.¡± I paused mid-strike, turning to glare at him. ¡°And it¡¯s also normal for me to have more important things to do than lay in bed.¡± Charles blinked, his face flushing red. ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± He stood there for a moment, watching me as I resumed my training. I could feel his eyes on me, and it was starting to irritate me. ¡°Marissa,¡± he said, interrupting me again. I spun around, my patience wearing thin. ¡°What now?¡± He fidgeted with the hem of his ridiculous t-shirt. ¡°You should probably consider sleeping in my house. Or, you know, my uncle Theo might start assuming you¡¯re not doing what you¡¯re supposed to be doing.¡± I raised an eyebrow, my grip tightening on the spears. ¡°And what exactly am I supposed to be doing?¡± Charles stammered, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. ¡°Uh, you know... having kids. Acting like you just got married. You haven¡¯t even spent a few minutes with my parents so that they get to know you¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. ¡°Right.¡± I turned back to the target, driving my spears into it with even more force. The wood splintered under the impact, but I didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Marissa,¡± Charles said again, his voice tinged with desperation. This time, I completely lost it. With a furious grunt, I swung my spear and knocked the head clean off the wooden target. It flew through the air and landed with a thud several feet away. I turned to Charles, my chest heaving. ¡°What. Do. You. Want?¡± He flinched, taking a step back. ¡°I just... I mean, since we¡¯re married, you¡¯re obligated to pick up some responsibilities. You know, act like a wife instead of...¡± He trailed off, his words dying in his throat as Eve entered the training grounds. I¡¯d never been so grateful to see someone in my life. ¡°Marissa!¡± Eve called. She was dressed in a sleek black outfit, her hair cut to a short one, a staunch sign of her rebellion towards her dad. . I wondered why she was here because never in her life had she shown interest in looking for me for any reason at all, she always didn¡¯t like me that way. ¡°Eve,¡± I said, lowering my spears. ¡°What brings you here?¡± She walked over, her eyes scanning the destroyed target. ¡°Impressive. Did the target insult you or something?¡± I said. ¡°Something like that.¡± Eve glanced at Charles, who was still standing there awkwardly, then back at me. ¡°Anyway, I was wondering if Michael might have mentioned his address to you during the wedding. You know, when you two were chatting.¡± ¡°Why would he tell me? We only met for the first time that day, it would be strange if he did.¡± ¡°He is a chatty guy, so I thought he would have slipped in inside his words.¡± Eve smiled awkwardly I shook my head. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. And shouldn¡¯t you know his address and stuff? I thought he was your boyfriend.¡± Eve waved a hand dismissively. ¡°He¡¯s not technically my boyfriend. But I¡¯m thinking of asking him out.¡± I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. ¡°Really? That¡¯s... interesting.¡± Eve grinned. ¡°Dad had been making me spend more time with the dude from Merci Pack, I didn¡¯t want him to have that much control of my life so I brought Michael. Anyway, I figured I¡¯d check with you first. If you don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll just head into shifter territory and ask around. Someone¡¯s bound to know where the only human lives.¡± I nodded, trying to hide my amusement. ¡°Good plan. Hope you find him¡± Eve smiled, then glanced at Charles, her eyes lingering on his ridiculous t-shirt. ¡°Nice shirt, by the way. Very... festive.¡± Charles looked down at his shirt, his face turning red again. Eve turned back to me, her grin widening. ¡°You two are naughty, huh? Already causing trouble so soon after the wedding¡­.to even announce it¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t start, Eve.¡± She laughed, giving me a playful wink before heading off. ¡°You can get back to beheading targets, Marissa. And you,¡± she said, pointing at Charles, ¡°she is in her nasty mood, maybe keep some distance until she vents it out.¡± Charles paled, and I couldn¡¯t help but smirk as Eve walked away. Once she was gone, I turned back to Charles, my spears resting on my shoulders. ¡°Anything else?¡± He shook his head quickly. ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll just... leave you to it.¡± I watched as he hurried off, his oversized t-shirt flapping in the breeze. As soon as he was out of sight, I let out a long sigh and turned back to the training grounds. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Michael POV I had decided to go hunting. Not because I particularly enjoyed it, but because I needed to get out of the house. After the whole mess with Sarah, my brother, and the crazy wedding fiasco where I met the father to my fake girlfriend and Marissa, I needed some fresh air. And by fresh air, I meant the kind that came with the smell of pine trees and the sound of birds chirping. My uncle Greg, of course, had invited himself along after he saw me wandering in the forest. It was such a huge unfortunate coincidence that we happened to see each other at the same time, I couldn¡¯t even find the chance to hide. He was the kind of guy who couldn¡¯t take a hint if it hit him in the face with a frying pan. But here we were, trudging through the forest on the coast of the sea, armed with a bow and arrows and a bear¡¯s worth of enthusiasm. ¡°So, Michael,¡± Greg said, his voice way too loud for the quiet forest. ¡°You ever hunted deer before?¡± I sighed, adjusting the strap of my quiver. ¡°No, Uncle Greg. I¡¯m planning on going something small, probably like a hare or something.¡± ¡°come on, why don¡¯t you try something big. I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°Fine, I guess¡± I sighed Greg grinned, his teeth gleaming in the dappled sunlight. ¡°Right, right. Well, first rule of hunting deer: don¡¯t let them see you coming. Second rule: don¡¯t let them smell you coming. Third rule: don¡¯t let them hear you coming. Basically, don¡¯t let them know you exist until it¡¯s too late for them.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s... surprisingly insightful.¡± Greg puffed out his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for years, kid. I¡¯m basically a deer-whisperer.¡± I rolled my eyes but didn¡¯t argue. Greg was in his element, and there was no stopping him once he got going. We walked in silence for a while, the forest growing denser as we moved further inland. Greg was in his bear form now, his massive frame moving surprisingly quietly through the underbrush. I followed behind, my bow at the ready, trying not to step on every twig in existence. Suddenly, Greg stopped, his ears twitching. He turned to me and let out a low growl, which I interpreted as, ¡°There¡¯s a deer herd up ahead.¡± I nodded, crouching low as we crept closer. Sure enough, a herd of deer was grazing in a small clearing, their heads bent low as they nibbled on the grass. Greg pointed a massive paw at a particularly large buck, his eyes gleaming with excitement. I nodded, nocking an arrow and taking aim. The chase was on. Greg burst out of the underbrush with a roar, sending the deer scattering in all directions. I stayed back, my eyes locked on the buck as it sprinted away. I drew back the string, took a deep breath, and let the arrow fly. It hit the buck square in the neck, and another arrow followed, piercing its heart. The buck stumbled, but before it could fall, Greg pounced, his massive jaws closing around its throat. By the time I caught up, the buck was dead, and Greg was already shifting back to human form, a satisfied grin on his face. ¡°You have a pretty good aim, kid,¡± he said, wiping blood from his mouth. ¡°Not bad at all.¡± I shrugged, trying to hide my pride. ¡°Beginner¡¯s luck.¡± Greg laughed, clapping me on the back hard enough to make me stumble. ¡°Beginner¡¯s luck, my ass. You are a great hunter¡­for a human¡± We set to work skinning the deer, Greg showing me how to do it properly. It was messy work, but oddly satisfying. As we worked, Greg started up another conversation. ¡°So, Michael, when are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I groaned, my hands freezing mid-cut. ¡°Uncle Greg, I don¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡± Greg waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. But you should get one. Even though your ex-fianc¨¦e left you for your brother, you shouldn¡¯t give up on love. In fact, you should go out and get another girl pregnant. That¡¯ll show them.¡± I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. ¡°What? No! That¡¯s... that¡¯s not how it works, Uncle Greg.¡± Greg shrugged, his grin widening. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s the perfect revenge. Plus, you¡¯d get a kid out of it. Win-win.¡± I shook my head, trying to focus on skinning the deer. ¡°I¡¯m not just going to sleep with anyone just to spite my ex-fiance.¡± Greg chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°You¡¯ll thank me later.¡± We finished skinning the deer and started arguing about how to cook it. Greg insisted on roasting it right there in the forest, while I thought it would be better to bring it home. ¡°Why waste time dragging this thing back when we can eat it now?¡± Greg said, his arms crossed over his chest. ¡°When the warmth leaves it, the meat will taste like dry leaves and rust.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why, its because we are civilized and not animals, plus we have a kitchen,¡± I replied, my patience wearing thin. ¡°With actual utensils. And seasoning.¡± Greg rolled his eyes. ¡°Seasoning is overrated. All you need is fire and meat. Trust me, kid, I¡¯ve been doing this for years. How else do you think I got to be the strongest bear shifter in existance¡± I sighed, knowing there was no winning this argument. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll cook it here.¡± Greg grinned, clapping me on the back again, this time I almost fell on my face ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± We built a fire and started roasting the deer, the smell of cooking meat filling the air. As we ate, Greg kept up his stream of really inappropriate and weird questions. ¡°So, Michael, what kind of girls are you into? Blondes? Brunettes? Shifters? Witches? Elementalists?¡± I groaned, rubbing my temples. ¡°Uncle Greg, can we not talk about that? ¡± Greg ignored me, his mouth full of deer meat. ¡°You know, I once dated a witch. She could turn water into the best wine. Best relationship of my life.¡± I stared at him, trying to decide if he was serious. ¡°What happened?¡± Greg shrugged. ¡°She turned me into a toad. Twice. I just had to leave her.¡± I shook my head, deciding it was better not to ask. As we finished eating, we heard a rustling in the bushes behind us. I instinctively grabbed my bow and arrows, my heart racing. Greg was on his feet in an instant, his body tense and ready to shift. ¡°What is it?¡± I whispered, my eyes scanning the trees. Greg shook his head, his voice low. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any predators or prey in this part of the forest. We¡¯re too close to the sea.¡± The rustling came again, louder this time. Greg shifted into his bear form, his massive body blocking me from whatever was coming. And then we saw it. A giant. The creature was massive, easily the height of a tree. Its body was covered in war camouflage, blending perfectly with the forest. Its beard was thick and bushy, and its features were exaggerated versions of a human¡¯s¡ªlarger nose, wider eyes, and a mouth full of teeth that looked like they could crush boulders. I stared at the giant, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing. Greg let out a low growl, his fur bristling. The giant noticed us at the same time, its eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the forest silent except for the crackling of the fire. Then the giant muttered something in a language I didn¡¯t understand and swung a massive knife¡ªor what looked like a sword to us¡ªtoward Greg. Greg ducked, the blade missing him by inches, but the backswing caught him in the side, sending him crashing into a cluster of trees. ¡°Uncle Greg!¡± I shouted, my heart pounding as I nocked an arrow and let it fly. The arrow hit the giant¡¯s arm, but it barely seemed to notice. I shot another arrow, then another, but they stuck in the giant¡¯s skin like toothpicks. Out of arrows, I was defenseless. The giant reached down and grabbed me with its massive fingers, lifting me up to its face. I struggled, trying to break free, but the giant¡¯s grip was like iron. It stared at me, its eyes narrowing as it contemplated what to do with me. He assessed me the same way Uncle Greg looked at a roasted dear¡¯s heart, with lust. Then it opened its mouth. I was horrified as I realized what was about to happen. The giant¡¯s mouth was a cavern of teeth and tongue, and I was inches away from my head being bitten off. But something inside me snapped. A burning, rebellious energy surged through me, and before I could think, I shifted. Not into a bear. Not into anything I¡¯d ever shifted into before. I shifted into a fly. The giant¡¯s grip tightened, but I was already slipping through its fingers, my tiny wings buzzing as I darted away. The giant roared in frustration, swinging its sword wildly. I flew a few meters away, then shifted again¡ªthis time into a fully grown saber-toothed tiger. The giant turned, its eyes widening in surprise as I charged. It swung its sword, but I shifted into a dragonfly moments before the blade could hit me. I darted around the giant, then shifted again¡ªthis time into a colossal mammoth, my tusks gleaming in the sunlight. The giant barely had time to react before I slammed into it, my tusks digging into its chest. It stumbled back, crashing into the trees, but I didn¡¯t let up. I charged again, my massive body knocking the giant off its feet. As I prepared for the final blow, the giant reached into its pocket and pulled out something small. It swallowed it in one gulp, and before I could react, its body exploded into a bloody mist. The force of the explosion sent me flying back, my mammoth form crashing into the ground. I shifted back to human form, my body aching and my vision blurring. The last thing I saw before everything went black was Greg¡¯s bear form limping toward me, his eyes wide with concern. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 In a certain gathering somewhere in the woods, were the most powerful and influential figures in the shifter community. They represented a diverse array of species¡ªlions, bears, leopards, panthers, tigers, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, snakes, crocodiles, hawks, eagles, and falcons. Each leader carried the weight of their kind, representing them in the meeting. Luca Wilder, the leader of the tiger shifters and the de facto head of the shifter council, stood at the center of the clearing, his expression serious as he addressed them. ¡°As some of you have noticed,¡± Luca continued, his voice calm but firm, ¡°a third of our hunting grounds are now under the control of the continent¡¯s army. This has disrupted our traditional hunting schedules, and we need to adjust accordingly. I¡¯ve drafted a new plan¡ª¡± He was interrupted by a sudden commotion at the edge of the clearing. All eyes turned to see Greg Glider stumbling into the gathering, his clothes disheveled and his hair a wild mess. He looked like he¡¯d just rolled out of bed of bush and dirt. The leaders stared at him, their expressions a mix of confusion and disdain. Greg, however, seemed completely unfazed. His eyes darted around the clearing until they landed on his brother, Shane Glider, the leader of the bear shifters. ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± Greg said, grinning as he made his way toward Shane. Luca¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Who are you?¡± Greg waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I won¡¯t be long.¡± Shane¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. ¡°Greg, now is not the time. We¡¯ll talk later.¡± Greg chuckled, his tone light but laced with sarcasm. ¡°Oh, sure. Later. Like you¡¯ve been saying for the past week. You¡¯ve been avoiding me, Shane. Locking me out of your mansion, telling your guards not to let me in. That¡¯s so brotherly of you.¡± Shane¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Greg, this is a formal meeting. If you have something to say or ask from me, wait till we are done here.¡± Greg crossed his arms, his grin widening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to ask for handouts. I¡¯ll save that for later. No, I¡¯m here because I need to know if you¡¯ve seen or heard from your son.¡± Shane blinked, caught off guard. ¡°Michael? What about him?¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Greg¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°He¡¯s been unconscious for a week now. There was an attack.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Shane Glider asked ¡°We were attacked, by a giant.¡± Greg responded. The clearing fell silent, the leaders exchanging confused glances. Then, one of the hyena shifters burst out laughing, his cackle echoing through the trees. ¡°Attacked by a giant?¡± the hyena shifter asked, his voice dripping with mockery. Greg turned to the hyena shifter, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Yes. A giant.¡± The laughter spread, the leaders shaking their heads in disbelief. Only Luca and Shane remained silent, their expressions unreadable. ¡°A giant?¡± one of the leaders, a hawk shifter, asked. He was a short, bald man with hairy skin and sharp, piercing eyes. ¡°You expect us to believe that?¡± Greg shrugged. ¡°Believe what you want. I¡¯m not here to convince you shit. I¡¯m just here to inform my brother that his son was attacked by a giant and is unconscious¡­has been for a week¡± Shane sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Greg, this isn¡¯t the time for your craziness. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll have you removed.¡± Greg¡¯s grin receded, but there was a hardness in his eyes. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll leave. But know it¡¯s not fair the way you have treated him. You have actually never paid attention to him ever since you learned he can¡¯t shift. You even went as far as allowing Steve to impregnate his ex-fianc¨¦¡­that¡¯s fucked up. You¡¯ve always hated Michael because he¡¯s human. You¡¯ve treated him like he¡¯s nothing, like he¡¯s a stain on the Glider name. But you forget he¡¯s your son, Shane. And right now, he needs you.¡± Shane¡¯s face flushed with anger, but before he could respond, the hawk shifter spoke up again. ¡°Where exactly did this attack happen?¡± Greg turned to him. ¡°By the forest on the coastline.¡± The hawk shifter raised an eyebrow. ¡°We patrol that area daily. If a giant had crossed from the sea into the forest, we would have seen it.¡± Greg shrugged. ¡°Well, it crossed. And it was in the forest.¡± The hawk shifter leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Did you kill it?¡± Greg hesitated, glancing at Shane before answering. ¡°It didn¡¯t escape, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s dead?¡± Greg nodded. ¡°It exploded. Died on the spot.¡± The laughter erupted again, the leaders shaking their heads in disbelief. Even Shane looked like he was about to lose his patience. ¡°Greg,¡± Shane said, his voice tight, ¡°I¡¯ll send a doctor to check on Michael. Now, please leave.¡± Greg¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°That¡¯s not enough, Shane. You need to see him yourself, bring him back to your home. This is important.¡± Shane opened his mouth to respond, but the hawk shifter interrupted again. ¡°If this giant exploded, as you claim, where¡¯s the evidence? Where¡¯s the body?¡± Greg sighed clearly agitated, running a hand through his messy hair. ¡°What, did you want to prey on it? And how¡¯s there supposed to be a body when it exploded? Do you have one functional brain cell?¡± Completely ignoring the hawk shifter, Greg turned to Shane, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sadness. ¡°You¡¯ll regret the way you¡¯ve treated him, Shane. Mark my words.¡± With that, Greg turned and walked away, leaving the clearing in stunned silence. The leaders exchanged confused glances. Luca Wilder watched Greg until he disappeared into the trees, his eyes filled with contemplation. He didn¡¯t laugh or dismiss Greg¡¯s claims. Instead, he seemed to be weighing the possibility that there was some truth to the story.