Confucius Ads Library: Ads

Id	Vlad	Saved	Scrape Time	Status	Scrape Result	Title	Body	Cta Type	Link Url	Page Name	Page Profile Uri	Page Like Count	Enddate	Cta Text	Caption	Display Format	Link Description	Link Url	Creation Time	Page Profile Picture Url	Page Entity Type	Current Page Name	Startdate	Actions
2,485,411	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485407}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:10	active	1830	FREE SHIPPING + 50% OFF TODAY	Hunters, elevate your game with this Mount! This versatile mount secures your smartphone to your rifle, crossbow, or any cylinder, allowing you to record your hunt in stunning HD. Why spend hundreds on low-quality action cameras when you can use your high-quality smartphone? ✅ Record Your Hunt: Capture every thrilling moment with ease. ✅ Track Your Hits: Instantly review your shots and make informed decisions. ✅ Stay Connected: Check messages and time without missing a beat. Inspired by a love for hunting and a passion for innovation, the Hellomaterials Mount is designed to enhance your outdoor experience. Get yours now and make every hunt unforgettable. Limited time offer: 50% off today + free shipping! Don’t miss out! https://hellomaterials.com/products/dauos-mount	SHOP_NOW	https://hellomaterials.com/products/dauos-mount	Thesharpevo	https://www.facebook.com/100093631585838/	814	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	hellomaterials.com	VIDEO		https://hellomaterials.com/products/dauos-mount	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/454012875_1567951304123604_7221541727740905009_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=HyeMoJWCjwEQ7kNvgHWlyB5&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AoaxGNuXkXSk2VpO9Rb0LrK&oh=00_AYBJGMU25wtULBknHjSMSEh_MPzKPcfpG9J14bumF0kxIA&oe=673F2D4A	PERSON_PROFILE	Hellomaterials	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,464	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-11-16 21:10	active	1830		😎These bluetooth sunglasses are so cool! 🎶You can listen to music and answer phone calls without wearing earbuds! 🔊Theres no visual speaker on it. ⚡The gold part you see id how they charge. 🛒Grab yours>>https://t.site/3SiJsV5	SHOP_NOW	https://www.snrtrplant.com/products/sunglasses	Snrtrplant	https://www.facebook.com/61558151068303/	1,055	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	www.snrtrplant.com	VIDEO		https://www.snrtrplant.com/products/sunglasses	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/452480877_992887139286163_7302759595771181993_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=A6bmiL0ktI8Q7kNvgF7Z2kq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AEWZKC6IUEe7xxk35orguE1&oh=00_AYBa7MKHIP3r1q7eWUWT8bKcRS-K2BtiLFU4EQTYZqpYbQ&oe=673F48B0	PERSON_PROFILE	Snrtrplant	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,017	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-11-16 21:07	active	1830	Defend with Strategy! 🧠🧠	Rougelike Tower Defense🔥how many levels can you clear?⚔️⚔️	INSTALL_MOBILE_APP	http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.d	Backpack Merge	https://www.facebook.com/BackpackMerge/	165	1969-12-31 18:00	Install now	play.google.com	IMAGE		http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.droidhang.cy.android.google	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464479235_434092996026951_7932721072021904321_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=8Us89DX-0igQ7kNvgGCHDwK&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AOmgDaVt_ndSoF_AIccDV5Q&oh=00_AYAxFkqLDc1Aq1cZQGPCFLCbFYuwoOo5WoPV5EfQgWKqAA&oe=673F3CBD	PERSON_PROFILE	Backpack Merge	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,277	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485036}'	No	2024-11-16 21:09	active	1830			VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/crossbow_official	Crossbow	https://www.facebook.com/CrossbowNYC/	1,430	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram Profile	instagram.com	CAROUSEL		http://instagram.com/crossbow_official	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/457279845_2183115665380988_6804128496215210329_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=DKdnoz9HE0gQ7kNvgGV1kM-&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ABf0a-ZRiSB3IS0QYkRjMzC&oh=00_AYB3Oj13vO0CPYc64onEpU6L936MB0xtPeBNVdblWJO52g&oe=673F369D	PERSON_PROFILE	Crossbow	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,698	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-11-16 21:12	active	1830	Satisfied Customers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Upgrade Your Hunting Game! 🌳 Mount your smartphone on any rifle or crossbow and record stunning videos. Stay connected in the wilderness, grab yours today! Hurry, grab your set today! 👉 https://thedauos.com/dauos_mount	SHOP_NOW	https://thedauos.com/products/dauos-mount	Dauos		0	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	thedauos.com	VIDEO		https://thedauos.com/products/dauos-mount	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/448209160_1405764116789120_119325696223302508_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=NN80iycZIE8Q7kNvgHr1i0h&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AmAilBtxJFDMm9pM-kKtcYv&oh=00_AYCyQ_kU7shYtq-AQAn-o1H6xq1wGWJL-06tYDuPnwJuag&oe=673F32B4	REGULAR_PAGE		1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,099	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2486020}'	No	2024-11-16 21:15	active	1830	Preference 19	The possibilities are endless with a superyacht charter. No other holiday can compare, no other experience comes close.	LEARN_MORE	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	https://www.facebook.com/edmiston/	8,775	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	campaign.edmiston.com	DCO	Start planning your charter.	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/433684869_457092449981648_3407831440630043047_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=U6_FM79d4CIQ7kNvgEIMSh-&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AaI6RkojYLKOrE8tmK7xHkN&oh=00_AYDHzXp5XvH9NU_DdvzhgmL5_iCBIMVz9mmcS727d1Cd0w&oe=673F379C	PERSON_PROFILE	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,605	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485616}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:11	active	1830	❤️Exclusive Lighting Design	The building block set and the lighting set are designed integrally to ensure excellent lighting effects, smooth building experience and neat cord management.	SHOP_NOW	https://www.funwhole.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_	FUNWHOLE	https://www.facebook.com/FUNWHOLE/	84,774	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	funwhole.com	CAROUSEL	The building block set and the lighting set are designed integrally to ensure excellent lighting effects, smooth building experience and neat cord management.	https://www.funwhole.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium={{campaign.name}}&utm_campaign={{adset.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/450370522_446449848227984_8625808796578727815_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=luNyy2USDS0Q7kNvgFv_dT8&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A5VMr3xUbDAPETjwej4y9rk&oh=00_AYDdZxnLpFiJj_KF6bkVQJKwxUUilXyFMwgendDwkiq6vQ&oe=673F1C94	PERSON_PROFILE	FUNWHOLE	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,260	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-11-16 21:09	active	1830	Smart Wireless Headphone Sunglasses	🕶2024 new bluetooth glasses make a grand debut! 😎Wireless Bluetooth connection,,allowing you to enjoy a free and unfettered world of music! Fashionable design, comfortable to wear.✨	SHOP_NOW	https://marginatl.com/products/sunglasses-4	Marginatl	https://www.facebook.com/61556551694523/	201	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	marginatl.com	VIDEO		https://marginatl.com/products/sunglasses-4	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/458174077_1023569139508767_5737368975105153972_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5qLsDkNujsYQ7kNvgGEggMP&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AJJemi8CIDtXAy6hJPg5Pwp&oh=00_AYAuRHOVQEvPJVZApnoWh0dda-bbBzaeBZfhk7honl5qmg&oe=673F3D39	PERSON_PROFILE	Marginatl	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,484,963	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-11-16 21:07	active	1830	Smart Wireless Headphone Sunglasses	🕶2024 new bluetooth glasses make a grand debut! 😎Wireless Bluetooth connection,,allowing you to enjoy a free and unfettered world of music! Fashionable design, comfortable to wear.✨	SHOP_NOW	http://appraisalm.com/products/sunglasses-4-3	Appraisalm	https://www.facebook.com/100090392443780/	211	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	appraisalm.com	VIDEO		http://appraisalm.com/products/sunglasses-4-3	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464911681_914811180060060_823907700870761305_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=a1KwqiY01gkQ7kNvgHoI-y4&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A49xIGFT2oeoEVE-FvnycBB&oh=00_AYCLA0ePvGdnEMvr4T2xd2OGZ3Ibra-2Ucr_v3iacGNkQw&oe=673F2C09	PERSON_PROFILE	Appraisalm	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,484,717	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2484715}'	No	2024-11-16 21:05	active	1830	Handcrafted in Telluride, Colorado	Handmade in Telluride, Colorado	SHOP_NOW	http://www.shopcrossbow.com/	Crossbow Leather & Hats	https://www.facebook.com/crossbowwestern/	742	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	shopcrossbow.com	DCO	{{product.description}}	http://www.shopcrossbow.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465985305_1684143588795664_9109533657417579314_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=NsnpaCtl5V8Q7kNvgEo87Fm&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Abc4bDydKa1PRpQL000kpSn&oh=00_AYDt7FUIx6pBO8Bfgi4NFql3g2IcKRKLxNl8vQ3lcXPZNg&oe=673F2076	PERSON_PROFILE	Crossbow Leather & Hats	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,484,512	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2484523}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:04	active	1830	🔥Click to Read more about📜<Rejected by the Titan Alpha>📜	It rained hell the day I felt the ground rumble beneath my feet and I watched the scary Titan wolves descend from the volcano hilltop. Chaos ensued and people ran and screamed in terror. I found myself paralyzed, my legs rooted on spot and my mind unwilling to register to my brain that if I didn't move right now, I would be a dead little weak Omega soon. But the white wolves mesmerized me. And I couldn't reap my eyes off their glowing golden eyes even though they looked angry. "Effie, let's go!" After a considerable amount of my little sister's urgent inaudible voice on the background, I finally heard her clear scream, her hand pulling me with urgency. Finally, my legs gave way and we started to run. "Mom is going to kill us, Effie!" My little sister, Gage screamed as we ran. "Is that really your concern right now?!" I screamed back. Hot flames erupted from the ground just a step away from us, forcing us into an abrupt stop. Just then, we felt a heavy spark from behind us, like some bomb had went off. I looked behind me to catch the transformation of one of the wolves into a Titan wolf. I was seeing this for the first time and their height was massive, more than we heard in stories. He roars and caught sight of me. Fear caught hold of me, but before I could pull Gage away, he was throwing a thunder at me, causing us to fall over in the mix of sands and dirt. I tried to open my eyes but everywhere looked dark. Gage..... I peeled my eyes open and tried to look for my sister. But something else suddenly caught my attention. A smell that stung my nostril so hard, I wanted to get rid of it. The smell was the best I've ever smelled since all my eighteen years alive. It was happening. My mate was here. Why did he have to be here right now? I didn't find him two days ago after my birthday so why now? As I looked around, I found Gage's unconscious body laid beneath the dirt. "Gage!" I screamed and attempted to leap over to her but before I could, something big came over me. One of the White wolves. His eyes glistened with thunder as they watched me with anger. The fur on the body stood out as he growled slowly at me. He completely caged me so I couldn't escape. My heart beat rose up at his appearance, but it slowly went down as I realized the smell I perceived was now directly from him. He had found me here. Because he's my mate. I'm Mated to a white mountain wolf? But he looked pissed at me, like he was angry that I was his mate. I was weak and he didn't want me. I wouldn't want me either. Another big wolf comes and stands over my unconscious sister. As he looked away to see the second wolf, I notice an ornament around on of his arm. A beautiful clear crystal bracelet surrounding one arm. "Take the little girl." He said to the second wolf, his voice bold and instilling fear. "No! That's my sister!" I screamed. But my sister was already disappearing before my eyes, in the back of the second wolf as he ran away towards the volcano hill. Then my mate's eyes watched me. There was so much hate, so much disgust in them as they watched me. He looks above me and spoke "all the titans should fall back, today is not the day." Quickly, the entire place cleared in my eyes. Every last one of them disappeared, including him too. I hurried back to the village. The entire place was deserted. Some of the houses had fallen to the ground. Where did everybody go. I ran to my house but there wasn't a soul there. The last time Gage and I had seen our parents was when we took off this morning to go see the descent of the White wolves. What we didn't expect was a war between them and our people. They came out and killed everyone. Bodies laid piled up on the dirty ground. Nobody has ever seen where the Titan wolves lived but I needed to get my sister back. I dashed Into the house and took the only thing I had to fight, a crossbow my father had gifted me on my seventeen birthday. Then I dashed Into the woods, switching into my wolf form in order to be able to pick Gage's scent more quickly. I spent a considerable amount of time in the bushes, not finding a trail of her. I lost her scent. As I rounded around the volcano, I discovered a dark opening. Bracing myself, I fit myself into it and slipped inside. I landed on a can of rubbish. I peeped out and found a completely different world, a few people walking around. Exiting the can, I walked so people didn't notice me. I tried to pick my sister's scent but couldn't. I noticed a bridge and I climbed it, only to me stinged by that same scent from earlier. My mate's scent. Quickly, I followed it. As I walked, I noticed a tall building resembling a castle. There's plenty of large windows. I bent over and climbed the wall, the scent getting heavier and heavier. Then I saw the person whose wolf form I'd seen earlier. He is dressed in what looked like a royal robe, a crown seated firmly on his head. He's a prince? A king? The room was filled with a lot of fancy dressed people. There seemed to be an occasion going on but I couldn't give a care in the world. I rose the bow up and stroke the glass windows, letting myself in. I jumped inside the broken window and rolled on the floor until I was standing right in front of my mate and pointing my arrow at him, everyone gasping behind us. My eyes watched him with anger and fear, as his watched me without an emotion. With fire in my eyes, and a trembling voice, I asked "where is my sister?" ------------------------ As I retreated away from the girl, I was compelled to go back to her. It was harder for me to leave like that but I have a mate chosen for me already and I needed to make it back to make her my mate. I found my mate, but I couldn't hurt my best friend for her. "Your Highness," My beta, Eli called "I think we should meet everyone now. It is time." We were standing in my room, both dressed. Today, Anisa and I will be wedded and mated. She would be my Queen and most of all, she will be my Luna. "I found my mate, Eli." I muttered to him. "You did what was best. That Omega girl is weak. She is not a royal blood." He's right. From the beginning of time, the Titan wolves of the royal descent must be mated to only those from the royal blood too. They didn't follow the moon goddess's rule of mating who has been chosen for you. "And her sister?" I asked. "The doctor is taking care of her. I'm sure she's fine now." I nodded before we headed out. Just as I was about stepping out of my room, I caught her scent. I looked out the window but couldn't see her. Was she here, in white steel pack? Stepping into the room full of people waiting for my arrival, I caught Anisa's eyes watching me with delight. I sit next to her but I couldn't help perceive the scent around me. It was getting stronger and stronger. She was here. The window shattered from across the room and somebody threw herself in. Then she was in front of me in one second, her crossbow pointing at me, rage in her eyes. I'm turned on by her fierce entrance. "Where is my sister?" She had come for her sister? Her voice has some fear in them, but she was brave. "Your sister is now our prisoner" I told her coldly. Every second that I watched her, I wanted to hold her in my arms. But I had my duties to my family and my people. Then she did something that completely shocked me. She lowered her crossbow and stood up. Then pointed a finger at me and said "this man right here is my mate!" Everyone gasped. "And he knows that!" "I am getting married to my rightful mate!" I shot back, pulling Anisa's hand into mine. There's a shock in her eyes at this revelation. What did she think we were gathered here for? A tea party? I saw the pain in her eyes. But as quickly as they came, they disappeared, replaced by anger. She points her crossbow at me again. "I, Effie Owens reject you as my mate, Alpha." She said, disgust and pain emitting from her voice. She looked like if I even made a move she would put that arrow inside of me. "I, Alpha and Prince Cain Malachi do not accept your rejection." I said with gritted teeth. Whispers rose from the people in the room but I didn't care. She didn't get to reject me. She was a weak and low Omega, without even a royal bloodline. I am the one who gets to reject her. "Seize her." I commanded, my eyes watching hers intensely. She doesn't shoot the arrow even when it's pointed at my chest, tears welling up in her eyes. The sight breaks my heart. It shatters my entire being. I know that I have a lot of questions to answer later, but so be it. My men apprehends her, dragging her to the corner. EFFIE's P. O V. "The king and queen has arrived !" Someone announced as the large glass doors pulled open and two couple whom I assumed to be this arrogant prince's parents to be walked in. They were filled with so much grace, I'd never seen anything like this before. A man dressed in a cloak follows them, stopping where Cain is now standing, the blond woman rising now to stand before him. My heart broke when he said that he had a mate. But I did the only thing I could to protect my heart: rejecting him first. After all, I'd only come here for my sister, not to be mated with him. I watched in horror as the cloaked man said some things, uniting them, and Cain leaning over her and digging his fangs into her neck, marking her. I watched, my heart beat accelerating painfully. Cain gives me a look, a look intended to hurt me and yes he was winning. Because I was hurt. That should be me. As the guards pulled me out of the room, my eyes lingered on Cain. I will never be with my mate. The guards were talked me to completely different building. I didn't realize it was a cell section until I was seeing some people from my village caged inside. They all gasped as they saw me. "Effie?" I heard my mother's voice and I turned immediately to see her against the cell bar, tears smeared all over her face. "Mother?" I called, my heart growing heavy. But the guards pushed me forward before I could reach her. I screamed and tried to fight them before they bundled me up and threw me into an empty cell. I spent the entire night sobbing. I had no idea where my little sister was, and I'd lost my mate the same way I met him. I was a weak Omega. My life has always been worthless. Why wasn't I one of those people who died back at the village? I didn't know I slept off until the next morning's light was burning my eyes through the window. I heard the bar doors opening with urgency, and a man picking my arm and dragging me out. I didn't find my mother in the cell I'd seen her last night as we went outside. I was dragged and dropped in the middle of two huge Titan wolf statues. That scent stung my nostrils again and I looked up to find Cain standing high above me, his parents right next to him along with some guards. Around us where his pack members, waiting for what was about to happen. Just as I was. Cain's father steps forward, silencing the crowd before speaking "this little Omega before you all here entered into my city illegally last night and tried to murder my son on his wedding night!" "Your son murdered my people!" I roared back, enough that everyone would hear me "and he kidnapped my little sister!" I lost my sister and my mate already. Might as well die. "If my son took your sister or did any of the things that you accuse him of, then he had his reasons." He replied, much to my surprise. What? The father steps away and Alpha Cain comes forward, his eyes watching me intimidatingly. "For punishment of her crimes, she will be exiled from the entire northern territories....." Wait, can he do that? I don't even belong to his pack. But he's a king, so does that mean he has the power to do that? "She will be blindfolded and taken far away, where she would never come back to harm our king again!" The person I assumed to be his Beta standing right next to him said. He couldn't do this to me. I haven't even seen my sister yet. I cannot leave my parents here as slaves to him. I thought he was supposed to be my mate. Why was he being so cruel when he didn't even know me? I was pulled away by the same guards and into a different building now. I was dumped inside a room with a large bed and other bedroom necessities. A few seconds later, I felt presence behind me. I started to turn, but I was pinned down on the bed before I could. My eyes grew wide as I watched Cain's face above mine, his big body caging my smaller one beneath him. He had his palm against my mouth, muffling my screams. "You didn't think I was going to let you go just like that, did you?" His voice is still and venomous. His hand slides in between my thighs. If this was a different situation, I'd have loved every touch. But instead, tears ran down my eyes. I tried to fight him but it seemed impossible against him. So I just laid there and watched his cold eyes as he rose my dress up and pushed himself in between my legs. He pulls his short down. I was aware of what he was going to do to me but I didn't have any strength left to fight him. In one swift move, he drove himself inside me. I've never had sex with any man before, but he pinned me here and stole my virginity from me. Pain shot through me like a knife as he pushed himself inside of me, forcefully. I cried painfully but he didn't care. He pulls out and turns me face down on the bed. Then he continued to me harder. I cried onto the bed but he didn't stop. After what felt like forever, he stopped and whispered into my ear "I do not want to ever see you again." And then he was gone.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.novel-oasis.com/share/middle/txvc2ntpb	Novel Yang Booming	https://www.facebook.com/100077426966140/	62	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	www.novel-oasis.com	VIDEO		https://www.novel-oasis.com/share/middle/txvc2ntpbo4mkctfuwrpcm0l?ad_id={{ad.id}}&sid=120213798845890429&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/467212794_1797713934302000_7496565976451437263_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=vR--fh-UCrcQ7kNvgEVz1lF&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=Aq71AHmwBiini5kMjWbjUd3&oh=00_AYCR-9IFDJygzXB_30zCAQ88FVFr6JCmu5b8sitVOseePw&oe=673F1BAA	PERSON_PROFILE	Novel Yang Booming	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,168	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2486099}'	No	2024-11-16 21:15	active	1830	Preference 19	The possibilities are endless with a superyacht charter. No other holiday can compare, no other experience comes close.	LEARN_MORE	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	https://www.facebook.com/edmiston/	8,775	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	campaign.edmiston.com	DCO	Start planning your charter.	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/432357478_1211314323177880_4325783941413280995_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5Dc0Osc5AisQ7kNvgFwHrTq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ASfg1irE5hRvwn1QP21LB9g&oh=00_AYBvV_XN4Hh3UIKx_MRlLXjksn9oV7pVvniNrSGhY2FFMQ&oe=673F2608	PERSON_PROFILE	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,194	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2486099}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:15	active	1830	Preference 19	The possibilities are endless with a superyacht charter. No other holiday can compare, no other experience comes close.	LEARN_MORE	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	https://www.facebook.com/edmiston/	8,775	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	campaign.edmiston.com	DCO	Start planning your charter.	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/432357478_1211314323177880_4325783941413280995_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5Dc0Osc5AisQ7kNvgFwHrTq&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ASfg1irE5hRvwn1QP21LB9g&oh=00_AYBvV_XN4Hh3UIKx_MRlLXjksn9oV7pVvniNrSGhY2FFMQ&oe=673F2608	PERSON_PROFILE	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,800	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485802}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:13	active	1830	Dynamic Game Play		LEARN_MORE	https://dice-heads.com/monthly-bundle/	Dice Heads	https://www.facebook.com/diceheads/	2,225	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	dice-heads.com	CAROUSEL		https://dice-heads.com/monthly-bundle/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/441025634_427601459972226_2244058738067871556_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=A4HMQ0n3mtUQ7kNvgEJSoEv&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ABTcDGhZWP17llWkMsJhwl0&oh=00_AYD7fa9BfuTGgtDAvoJxcIt_j3iWpSOBNnT8mFIHqA36-g&oe=673F3789	PERSON_PROFILE	Dice Heads	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,051	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2486099}'	No	2024-11-16 21:14	active	1830	Preference 19	The possibilities are endless with a superyacht charter. No other holiday can compare, no other experience comes close.	LEARN_MORE	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	https://www.facebook.com/edmiston/	8,775	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	campaign.edmiston.com	DCO	Start planning your charter.	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434887251_3273516259616813_4965928032027185860_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=n8sDQ745JHQQ7kNvgFWS65z&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AHhEutmkA90Ge_Pvdy4cEqo&oh=00_AYDFNS7HyO7yspIcGqVfr5i0x66In4XYFvq4Qq2pM_0tjg&oe=673F3742	PERSON_PROFILE	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,485,763	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485753}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:12	active	1830	𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐜𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞👉👉 Buy More Save More!!!		SHOP_NOW	https://www.vyjnggf.com/products?handler=outdoor-g	Gaqqueb	https://www.facebook.com/61558872900229/	1	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop Now	xorcyp.com	CAROUSEL		https://www.vyjnggf.com/products?handler=outdoor-gear&token=8H9tgskk	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/436481696_443500681960150_285019546833616229_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=oIbtCUHot2UQ7kNvgHux7Em&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ABTcDGhZWP17llWkMsJhwl0&oh=00_AYB-dvka1Z35TEmM13MaQZiAvN0_s5WTB6AfTeb4hJwnbg&oe=673F3604	PERSON_PROFILE	Gaqqueb	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,484,530	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2484448}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:04	active	1830	🔥Click to Read more about📜<Rejected by the Titan Alpha>📜	It rained hell the day I felt the ground rumble beneath my feet and I watched the scary Titan wolves descend from the volcano hilltop. Chaos ensued and people ran and screamed in terror. I found myself paralyzed, my legs rooted on spot and my mind unwilling to register to my brain that if I didn't move right now, I would be a dead little weak Omega soon. But the white wolves mesmerized me. And I couldn't reap my eyes off their glowing golden eyes even though they looked angry. "Effie, let's go!" After a considerable amount of my little sister's urgent inaudible voice on the background, I finally heard her clear scream, her hand pulling me with urgency. Finally, my legs gave way and we started to run. "Mom is going to kill us, Effie!" My little sister, Gage screamed as we ran. "Is that really your concern right now?!" I screamed back. Hot flames erupted from the ground just a step away from us, forcing us into an abrupt stop. Just then, we felt a heavy spark from behind us, like some bomb had went off. I looked behind me to catch the transformation of one of the wolves into a Titan wolf. I was seeing this for the first time and their height was massive, more than we heard in stories. He roars and caught sight of me. Fear caught hold of me, but before I could pull Gage away, he was throwing a thunder at me, causing us to fall over in the mix of sands and dirt. I tried to open my eyes but everywhere looked dark. Gage..... I peeled my eyes open and tried to look for my sister. But something else suddenly caught my attention. A smell that stung my nostril so hard, I wanted to get rid of it. The smell was the best I've ever smelled since all my eighteen years alive. It was happening. My mate was here. Why did he have to be here right now? I didn't find him two days ago after my birthday so why now? As I looked around, I found Gage's unconscious body laid beneath the dirt. "Gage!" I screamed and attempted to leap over to her but before I could, something big came over me. One of the White wolves. His eyes glistened with thunder as they watched me with anger. The fur on the body stood out as he growled slowly at me. He completely caged me so I couldn't escape. My heart beat rose up at his appearance, but it slowly went down as I realized the smell I perceived was now directly from him. He had found me here. Because he's my mate. I'm Mated to a white mountain wolf? But he looked pissed at me, like he was angry that I was his mate. I was weak and he didn't want me. I wouldn't want me either. Another big wolf comes and stands over my unconscious sister. As he looked away to see the second wolf, I notice an ornament around on of his arm. A beautiful clear crystal bracelet surrounding one arm. "Take the little girl." He said to the second wolf, his voice bold and instilling fear. "No! That's my sister!" I screamed. But my sister was already disappearing before my eyes, in the back of the second wolf as he ran away towards the volcano hill. Then my mate's eyes watched me. There was so much hate, so much disgust in them as they watched me. He looks above me and spoke "all the titans should fall back, today is not the day." Quickly, the entire place cleared in my eyes. Every last one of them disappeared, including him too. I hurried back to the village. The entire place was deserted. Some of the houses had fallen to the ground. Where did everybody go. I ran to my house but there wasn't a soul there. The last time Gage and I had seen our parents was when we took off this morning to go see the descent of the White wolves. What we didn't expect was a war between them and our people. They came out and killed everyone. Bodies laid piled up on the dirty ground. Nobody has ever seen where the Titan wolves lived but I needed to get my sister back. I dashed Into the house and took the only thing I had to fight, a crossbow my father had gifted me on my seventeen birthday. Then I dashed Into the woods, switching into my wolf form in order to be able to pick Gage's scent more quickly. I spent a considerable amount of time in the bushes, not finding a trail of her. I lost her scent. As I rounded around the volcano, I discovered a dark opening. Bracing myself, I fit myself into it and slipped inside. I landed on a can of rubbish. I peeped out and found a completely different world, a few people walking around. Exiting the can, I walked so people didn't notice me. I tried to pick my sister's scent but couldn't. I noticed a bridge and I climbed it, only to me stinged by that same scent from earlier. My mate's scent. Quickly, I followed it. As I walked, I noticed a tall building resembling a castle. There's plenty of large windows. I bent over and climbed the wall, the scent getting heavier and heavier. Then I saw the person whose wolf form I'd seen earlier. He is dressed in what looked like a royal robe, a crown seated firmly on his head. He's a prince? A king? The room was filled with a lot of fancy dressed people. There seemed to be an occasion going on but I couldn't give a care in the world. I rose the bow up and stroke the glass windows, letting myself in. I jumped inside the broken window and rolled on the floor until I was standing right in front of my mate and pointing my arrow at him, everyone gasping behind us. My eyes watched him with anger and fear, as his watched me without an emotion. With fire in my eyes, and a trembling voice, I asked "where is my sister?" ------------------------ As I retreated away from the girl, I was compelled to go back to her. It was harder for me to leave like that but I have a mate chosen for me already and I needed to make it back to make her my mate. I found my mate, but I couldn't hurt my best friend for her. "Your Highness," My beta, Eli called "I think we should meet everyone now. It is time." We were standing in my room, both dressed. Today, Anisa and I will be wedded and mated. She would be my Queen and most of all, she will be my Luna. "I found my mate, Eli." I muttered to him. "You did what was best. That Omega girl is weak. She is not a royal blood." He's right. From the beginning of time, the Titan wolves of the royal descent must be mated to only those from the royal blood too. They didn't follow the moon goddess's rule of mating who has been chosen for you. "And her sister?" I asked. "The doctor is taking care of her. I'm sure she's fine now." I nodded before we headed out. Just as I was about stepping out of my room, I caught her scent. I looked out the window but couldn't see her. Was she here, in white steel pack? Stepping into the room full of people waiting for my arrival, I caught Anisa's eyes watching me with delight. I sit next to her but I couldn't help perceive the scent around me. It was getting stronger and stronger. She was here. The window shattered from across the room and somebody threw herself in. Then she was in front of me in one second, her crossbow pointing at me, rage in her eyes. I'm turned on by her fierce entrance. "Where is my sister?" She had come for her sister? Her voice has some fear in them, but she was brave. "Your sister is now our prisoner" I told her coldly. Every second that I watched her, I wanted to hold her in my arms. But I had my duties to my family and my people. Then she did something that completely shocked me. She lowered her crossbow and stood up. Then pointed a finger at me and said "this man right here is my mate!" Everyone gasped. "And he knows that!" "I am getting married to my rightful mate!" I shot back, pulling Anisa's hand into mine. There's a shock in her eyes at this revelation. What did she think we were gathered here for? A tea party? I saw the pain in her eyes. But as quickly as they came, they disappeared, replaced by anger. She points her crossbow at me again. "I, Effie Owens reject you as my mate, Alpha." She said, disgust and pain emitting from her voice. She looked like if I even made a move she would put that arrow inside of me. "I, Alpha and Prince Cain Malachi do not accept your rejection." I said with gritted teeth. Whispers rose from the people in the room but I didn't care. She didn't get to reject me. She was a weak and low Omega, without even a royal bloodline. I am the one who gets to reject her. "Seize her." I commanded, my eyes watching hers intensely. She doesn't shoot the arrow even when it's pointed at my chest, tears welling up in her eyes. The sight breaks my heart. It shatters my entire being. I know that I have a lot of questions to answer later, but so be it. My men apprehends her, dragging her to the corner. EFFIE's P. O V. "The king and queen has arrived !" Someone announced as the large glass doors pulled open and two couple whom I assumed to be this arrogant prince's parents to be walked in. They were filled with so much grace, I'd never seen anything like this before. A man dressed in a cloak follows them, stopping where Cain is now standing, the blond woman rising now to stand before him. My heart broke when he said that he had a mate. But I did the only thing I could to protect my heart: rejecting him first. After all, I'd only come here for my sister, not to be mated with him. I watched in horror as the cloaked man said some things, uniting them, and Cain leaning over her and digging his fangs into her neck, marking her. I watched, my heart beat accelerating painfully. Cain gives me a look, a look intended to hurt me and yes he was winning. Because I was hurt. That should be me. As the guards pulled me out of the room, my eyes lingered on Cain. I will never be with my mate. The guards were talked me to completely different building. I didn't realize it was a cell section until I was seeing some people from my village caged inside. They all gasped as they saw me. "Effie?" I heard my mother's voice and I turned immediately to see her against the cell bar, tears smeared all over her face. "Mother?" I called, my heart growing heavy. But the guards pushed me forward before I could reach her. I screamed and tried to fight them before they bundled me up and threw me into an empty cell. I spent the entire night sobbing. I had no idea where my little sister was, and I'd lost my mate the same way I met him. I was a weak Omega. My life has always been worthless. Why wasn't I one of those people who died back at the village? I didn't know I slept off until the next morning's light was burning my eyes through the window. I heard the bar doors opening with urgency, and a man picking my arm and dragging me out. I didn't find my mother in the cell I'd seen her last night as we went outside. I was dragged and dropped in the middle of two huge Titan wolf statues. That scent stung my nostrils again and I looked up to find Cain standing high above me, his parents right next to him along with some guards. Around us where his pack members, waiting for what was about to happen. Just as I was. Cain's father steps forward, silencing the crowd before speaking "this little Omega before you all here entered into my city illegally last night and tried to murder my son on his wedding night!" "Your son murdered my people!" I roared back, enough that everyone would hear me "and he kidnapped my little sister!" I lost my sister and my mate already. Might as well die. "If my son took your sister or did any of the things that you accuse him of, then he had his reasons." He replied, much to my surprise. What? The father steps away and Alpha Cain comes forward, his eyes watching me intimidatingly. "For punishment of her crimes, she will be exiled from the entire northern territories....." Wait, can he do that? I don't even belong to his pack. But he's a king, so does that mean he has the power to do that? "She will be blindfolded and taken far away, where she would never come back to harm our king again!" The person I assumed to be his Beta standing right next to him said. He couldn't do this to me. I haven't even seen my sister yet. I cannot leave my parents here as slaves to him. I thought he was supposed to be my mate. Why was he being so cruel when he didn't even know me? I was pulled away by the same guards and into a different building now. I was dumped inside a room with a large bed and other bedroom necessities. A few seconds later, I felt presence behind me. I started to turn, but I was pinned down on the bed before I could. My eyes grew wide as I watched Cain's face above mine, his big body caging my smaller one beneath him. He had his palm against my mouth, muffling my screams. "You didn't think I was going to let you go just like that, did you?" His voice is still and venomous. His hand slides in between my thighs. If this was a different situation, I'd have loved every touch. But instead, tears ran down my eyes. I tried to fight him but it seemed impossible against him. So I just laid there and watched his cold eyes as he rose my dress up and pushed himself in between my legs. He pulls his short down. I was aware of what he was going to do to me but I didn't have any strength left to fight him. In one swift move, he drove himself inside me. I've never had sex with any man before, but he pinned me here and stole my virginity from me. Pain shot through me like a knife as he pushed himself inside of me, forcefully. I cried painfully but he didn't care. He pulls out and turns me face down on the bed. Then he continued to me harder. I cried onto the bed but he didn't stop. After what felt like forever, he stopped and whispered into my ear "I do not want to ever see you again." And then he was gone.	LEARN_MORE	https://www.novel-oasis.com/share/middle/txvc2ntpb	Novel Yang Booming	https://www.facebook.com/100077426966140/	62	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	novel-oasis.com	IMAGE	It rained hell the day I felt the ground rumble beneath my feet and I watched the scary Titan wolves descend from the volcano hilltop.	https://www.novel-oasis.com/share/middle/txvc2ntpbo4mkctfuwrpcm0l?ad_id={{ad.id}}&sid=120213798846300429&campaign={{campaign.name}}&adgroup={{adset.name}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/466660160_848257037216358_5112607650106487496_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=WxTiJBmmdI0Q7kNvgEVFjHR&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AQZOnEvFKxq8muvauXwep6O&oh=00_AYAgWL5deuuDuPSB-DSUjVBvUFBaE-Vb81Lin7gR7fkTDA&oe=673F16BA	PERSON_PROFILE	Novel Yang Booming	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,015	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2485996}'	No	2024-11-16 21:14	active	1830	👇 Click here to continue reading	CLAUDIA. “Attention, calling all maids to the throne room.” I freeze as the announcement blares through the speakers. I’m in the maid’s quarters, looking for something in my drawers, and I have to admit that this is an interruption. My friend Maia, another maid, watches me with boredom as the announcement continues to echo in the room. “Give it up, Claudia. Stop trying to prove that you were friends with the Alpha King when you were kids. You’re a maid and what would Alpha Achilles want to do with you?” I don’t answer her. I just flip over my bottom drawer until all my socks fall out. But along with the socks comes a small folded parchment, containing the words, “To Claudia, from Achilles.” “Aha!” I shove the paper right into her hands. “Feast on that.” Maia rolls her eyes, but she just reads it aloud. “Dear Claudia, I hope this note finds you well. I refused to open the door for you because I believe I made things clear. We are no longer friends.” She chucks the paper at me. “How old is this note?” My face heats up. “Maybe eighteen years?” “So he sent that to you when he was twelve and you were… six?” “Yes,” I mutter, pocketing the note. “It’s important to me, okay?” She laughs at me. “Why? Because you’re hoping you could be close again? He’s the Alpha King now, Claudia. And our duty is to keep this place and the people running. Get over yourself and let’s go before we get thrown out.” Everything she said was right. It’s a stupid thing to hold onto, but I can’t let it go. Even when Maia drags me to the throne room, I find myself bursting with hope. All the maids are now gathered for some sort of meeting, and instead of worrying about what it’s for, I’m craning my neck, trying to look at the golden thrones on the dais. But the only person I find standing there is Beta Carlos, a tanned, dark-haired unit of a man who handles everything minor for Alpha Achilles. He surveys the room with indifference, as a person of his standing usually does, clearing his throat before speaking. “I gathered you all here because we need one maid to come with us to the Moonlight Grove Pack for the annual winter solstice meeting tonight. Since we are short-staffed, we decided to see if anyone volunteers first.” I wait for hands to shoot into the air, but there are only whispers rippling among the crowd. The maids are all avoiding Beta Carlos’s eyes as though they would evaporate if they made eye contact with him. I understand why. Rogue attacks have been notorious lately. Our pack, Sangria Amori, is the biggest and the strongest, which is the reason why we haven’t experienced any breaches yet. But the smaller packs have, and it’s enough for some of our maids to quit to be with their families. The only ones who are stuck here are the single maids or the ones who are desperate for money. Then you have people like me, loyal servants for generations. Beta Carlos’s frustration is clear now. He opens his mouth to say something but he stops when the curtains behind him suddenly open. And out comes the Alpha King himself, Achilles. The world stops. My heart picks up its pace, beating so fast that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I stare at him as he stands next to Beta Carlos, towering over him by half a foot. Everyone inside the room sinks into a bow, but I don’t. I can’t. The only thing I can do is stare at him. It’s like he has his own gravitational pull on me. I’m unable to look away from the shiny waves of his black hair and the coolness of his blue eyes. Despite the raging snow outside, his skin has a touch of gold, complimenting the bloodred coat he’s wearing. His presence is almost divine. Even the chandelier lights from above seem to be drawn to him. As though it can’t get any better, he meets my eyes. And just like that, I raise my hand. “I volunteer to come to the solstice meeting.” “What are you thinking?” Maia hisses at me, trying to tug at my uniform to get me to lower my hand. But Beta Carlos already saw me. Alpha Achilles did too. However, his face darkens with disapproval. I clear my throat and speak louder. “I volunteer! I will serve—” “Claudia, is it?” Beta Carlos interjects. “Have you forgotten that our Alpha King… can’t hear you?” The silence that follows is almost loud. Loud enough to make my ears pop. Only then do I realize my mistake. Alpha Achilles is deaf and mute. For some reason, this has also affected his ability to mind-link. These are details that I shouldn’t be forgetting, but then again, he and I have a history, and he didn’t use to be that way. We played together a lot as kids. He would take me to the forests behind the palace so we could pretend to spar. We were inseparable, until one night. All I can remember was waking up in the infirmary dripping wet and cold. Achilles wasn’t with me, but I was told he was in his room. I didn’t know what happened, and I still don’t. But the first day I tried to visit him in his room was when I received his note. Fast forward six years. He was eighteen, I was twelve. He got crowned as the next Alpha King. He could no longer hear or speak. Some say it was a curse from the Moon Goddess. Some say it was a developing disease in his body that reached its peak. It’s been twelve years since that reveal. He’s thirty now, and I’m twenty-four. No one knows the truth yet. I want to tell him that I’m sorry through sign language, but I don’t know how. He just turns to Beta Carlos and shakes his head ever so subtly. He doesn’t want me to come. Beta Carlos swallows. “Claudia… would you come up here, please? The rest are dismissed.” As I make my way to the dais, the maids start to file out of the throne room. Maia catches my eyes for a second and shakes her head, but I continue to walk until I’m standing in front of them. “No one else wants to come,” I point out in a shaky voice. “I… I want to go. I want to help.” Beta Carlos looks at Alpha Achilles pointedly. I don’t know what kind of communication is happening between them, but it seems that Beta Carlos is urging him to give it a chance, probably because they have no other choice. Alpha Achilles doesn’t seem to want to, but in the end, he relents and stands close to me. So close that I can catch his scent. So close that I can see the flecks of green in his eyes. So close that he can kiss me if he wants to. My breath hitches in my throat. Longing fills my heart. How many times have I wished this to happen? I want to say so much to him. I feel like so much time has been stolen from us. Our friendship was so amazing…. “I will do well,” I whisper. “I won’t let you down.” Alpha Achilles stares at me for a couple more seconds, then he just turns around and walks away. Beta Carlos sighs and starts to follow him, turning to me at the last second as though I’m an afterthought. “Follow me.” I run after him through the tunnel behind the throne room, but his long legs are carrying him so far and I have to jog to keep up. Finally, we arrive at the back lawn of the palace. The cold hits me like a punch in the gut, but Beta Carlos tosses me a fur coat. I wriggle into it as a carriage pulls up in front of us, with a sleek red and gold body, pulled by two palomino horses. “Get in,” he says blandly, and I climb into the carriage with him behind me. Alpha Achilles is already inside, staring through the window, completely ignoring my presence. I try to communicate with him, but Beta Carlos gets in and pushes me into the corner as the carriage starts to move. The seats are cushioned and the walls are upholstered with red velvet, but I still get hurt as the carriage basically leaps and crashes on the cold snowy ground. The horses are running at full speed, which I understand, because we are about two hours until dusk, and Moonlight Grove Pack is one hour away. The coachman whips the horses, rallying them into a frenzied sprint faster than before. I gasp as I fly off my seat. I thought things would settle after a while, but something seemed to be off. The horses are whinnying. The silent path is now riddled with a mix of thuds and heavy breaths. A strange smell permeates the air. A putrid stench, a mix of rot and blood and savagery. The scent of Rogues. $Chapter Chapter 2 CLAUDIA. Fear grips my throat like a vice. I look over at Alpha Achilles and Beta Carlos, and it seems that they noticed the stench too. “We’re being followed,” Beta Carlos tells me. “When I tell you to hide, you hide, alright? We will outrun them and kill them at the same time.” I just nod, paralyzed in the corner as growls and howls start to fill the air. This isn’t my first time to encounter Rogues. I ran into a small pack of them once when I was one of the maids assigned to do the shopping for the palace. This was two years ago, but I still remember it so vividly. Our carriage, much older and less stable than this one, passed by their hideout, and I managed to catch a glimpse of five Rogues tearing apart a dead guard in uniform. The first thing that hit me was the smell. The distinct combination of decay and fresh death. It was in the air like a bad perfume. Strangely enough, it was so fitting with the scene laid out in front of me. As they broke into the meat of the guard, the smell seemed to get stronger. I wasn’t able to eat meat for months. Even now, it still repulses me sometimes. Since then, armed deliveries have been made to the palace. But I will never forget. In fact, the whole scene is flashing in my mind now as Alpha Achilles opens a chest at the side of the seats. He pulls out a silver crossbow with a quiver of arrows. Beta Carlos opens the windows, and Alpha Achilles sticks his entire upper body out, firing the bow with unimaginable strength as the carriage moves faster. I didn’t want to look, but I turned around and stared through the back window. There are about a dozen Rogues running after us, snarling and biting and wandering just too close to the carriage. But one by one, the big black Rogues start to falter. The closest ones are hit directly in the eye, the silver arrow piercing right through their skulls and instantly killing them. Alpha Achilles continues to shoot them all down. As more of them topple, more Rogues start to back off. Eventually, the path behind us is clear. But the smell lingers in the air. “There’s more of them around,” I whisper, and Beta Carlos looks at me. “You’re right.” Alpha Achilles slides back into the carriage, slamming the window shut. He looks enraged. I can almost feel it emanating from him as he throws the bow and arrows back into the chest and kicks it back into place. He slides a map toward the coachman, who slows down for a few miles and then completely swerves in a different direction. I want to ask what’s wrong, but when even Beta Carlos looks wary, it’s best to be quiet. We sit in that awful silence for a couple more moments. The coachman is really pushing it, whipping the horses more and more frequently. But since we changed routes, we arrive at the meeting after three hours. The big iron gates open for us, and I see the gigantic wall surrounding the pack. The pack mansion looms into view. Men in black uniforms are carrying silver weapons, staring at our carriage as it pulls up. We jump out of the carriage and run into the mansion, and standing in the foyer are the other Alphas. Alpha Tristan of the hosting pack, a brutish monster of a man with copper-colored hair and gray eyes, steps forward. “You’re late,” he spits out at Alpha Achilles. “We were expecting you more than an hour ago. Do you simply not respect anyone else’s time?” Alpha Achilles turns to Beta Carlos to sign his response and have him relay it. I’m about to step aside when I suddenly hear a voice in my mind, loud and clear: 'Tell him we had to find another route because of the Rogues around his pack.' My heart drops. I turn back around, and I realize that the exact thing I heard is what Beta Carlos is relaying to the group now. “Alpha Achilles wishes to inform everyone that we had to find another route, seeing as there were Rogues around the property.” I freeze. Did I just hear Alpha Achilles mind-link his words to me? I blink hard to shake off the possibility of hallucination, but nothing happens. I know I heard him. I know that was him. Alpha Tristan scoffs. “There are no Rogues here. We drove them all back. We killed all of them. One can even say that my pack is now safer than yours, Alpha Achilles.” Needless to say, Alpha Achilles does not take that well. He squares up against Alpha Tristan, his lips pulled back in a snarl. He motions something to Beta Carlos, who goes pale. He shakes his head, telling him that he can’t understand. But I can. I hear the voice in my head again. ‘You’re a liar. You didn’t kill a single Rogue. Your pack is in danger, and you’re too high up in your ass to admit it.’ I can understand Alpha Achilles. I can hear his voice when no one else can. “Well?” Alpha Tristan prompts. “What is he saying?” Beta Carlos still doesn’t understand, and Alpha Achilles is visibly frustrated now. The other Alphas are starting to whisper among themselves, obviously not pleased by this inconvenience. “What is he saying?” they keep asking, while Beta Carlos is red-faced, trying desperately to communicate. I know I should probably shut up. My job here in the first place is to assist in the meeting, a mere delivery girl for snacks and anything else that the Alphas might need. But I just can’t help seeing the helpless hint in Alpha Achilles’s eyes when no one can understand what he’s saying. So I step forward, relaying the words I just heard. “Alpha Achilles said that you’re a liar. The Rogues are alive, and you’re too arrogant to admit it.” The entire room goes silent. The Alphas are at a standstill, all looking at me with varying expressions of shock. The world seems to freeze for a moment as I slowly come to the realization that I messed up. “I’m so sorry,” I quickly amend. “I… I just heard the Alpha King—” “Heard?” Alpha Tristan echoes. “You heard him? He’s mute, you imbecile!” The other Alphas laugh. I lower my head, but as I do so, I catch sight of Alpha Achilles looking at me. His eyes are wide with shock, but I’m surprised to find just a tiny hint of fascination in there amid the rage. That minuscule drop of positive attention almost made me forget the heaviness of the words I just said for him, but the other Alphas didn’t. Especially Alpha Tristan. “Get this little bitch out of my sight,” he splutters. “If she dares to speak a single word, I will shut her up myself.” My heart stops. Beta Carlos approaches me as quick as lightning, ushering me back into the carriage. But then, Alpha Achilles steps in between us and grabs me by the arm. Once again, his voice rings in my head. ‘Touch her, and I will chop your head off.’ “What is this?” Alpha Tristan demands. “What’s he saying this time?” Beta Carlos swallows hard. “He wishes to say that if you touch the girl, he will chop your head off.” I thought that the silence earlier was bad enough, but this time it ends up being inexplicably worse. It’s the silence that makes it feel like the walls are closing in on me, suffocating me. I can almost hear the snow falling outside, gathering on the windows. The Alphas are now looking at me with expressions I can’t read, and I feel like it would be better if they just glared at me. Alpha Achilles pushes me behind him, standing in front of me protectively. His scent immediately invades my senses, and I have to consciously make an effort to focus as I hear his voice. 'If you really can hear me, then you can be of use,' he says, and even though his tone is neutral, even cold, I find myself eager to help. 'Tell Tristan that his pride won’t erase the fact that Rogues are present around his pack, and they need to be dealt with. Tell him to stop being a pussy and do something about it.' The bluntness of those words makes me gasp out loud. “I have to tell him that?” “Tell me what?” Alpha Tristan demands. “Speak for him, if that is what he wishes to do!” “Speak!” the other Alphas urge me, and I look at Alpha Achilles helplessly. “He says that your pride, Alpha Tristan,” I begin nervously, “won’t erase the fact that Rogues are present around your pack and they need to be dealt with.” I pause, swallowing hard. “And you should stop being a pussy and do something about it.” Saying that was like dropping a bomb. The Alphas suddenly rush forward, complaining about the words as though they came from me. “Respectfully,” Alpha Tristan growls, “get out of my pack.” Alpha Achilles smirks, but he starts to walk away, keeping me away from Alpha Tristan. Beta Carlos looks like he wants to protest, but it’s over. The meeting didn’t happen not because we were late, but because no one wanted to listen. However, before we can even make it through the door, loud sirens begin to ring inside the meeting room, echoing in the halls and in the whole pack. Alpha Tristan freezes. “We are under attack.” $Chapter Chapter 3 ACHILLES. The strong vibrations on the ground tell me that the sirens are still ringing. I know that Tristan told me to leave, and a part of me wants to make good on this so he would learn his lesson, but I refuse to put any of his people in danger just because their leader can’t swallow his pride. Instead of leaving with Claudia and Carlos, I beckoned the Alphas to come forward and fight. Thankfully, they don’t question me this time. Even Tristan marches out with them, not bothering to look at me. “What are we going to do, Alpha?” Carlos asks. 'We are going to fight,' I tell him through signing. 'The Rogues must be in their borders now, and we can’t let them get in. You and I are going to get out there, fight them from the outside, and stop them from breaking through.' Carlos nods, and I finally turn to Claudia. 'You stay here. No matter what happens, don’t leave.' “But….” she starts to protest, but then she swallows hard and relents. “I will.” With that, Carlos and I leave the room, shifting into our Wolf forms as soon as we hit the fields outside the pack mansion. Thick snow is now covering the ground, with more raining down from the slate blue sky. Light fog is shrouding the land, making the lifeless trees look like cruel thin hands thrust into the sky, but I can still see the battle going on in the distance. The Alphas and the patrol guards are keeping the Rogues at bay, because the stone walls that surround the pack are now chipped and damaged on one side, providing a point of entry for the enemy. Carlos and I leap across another section of the wall, landing on the thick forest outside the pack. It’s a lot darker here, colder, but the near absence of anything makes me feel strangely more connected. Even when the first line of Rogues sees us and starts to attack, I find myself fighting back seamlessly. I push back the Rogues trying to tackle me, swatting them with my paws and crushing them under. The thing about Rogues is their number. That’s how they succeed in taking over the packs since they started their revolution two years ago. As the Alpha King, I tried peace talks with them. I tried to hear their demands and find a middle ground, but they were never open to that. They just attacked mindlessly in the hopes of weakening us enough to submit. However, they are weak. If their necks get bitten, or if their chests get damaged, they’re basically as good as dead. So that’s what I do know. Every time they charge, I pin them to the ground and crush their ribs under my paws. I bite the others, always aiming for their necks. Their smell is thick in the air, making it easy for me to sense where they are and where they’re coming next even though I can’t hear them. Once their blood is shed, they freeze on the ground, unmoving and unable to attack again. But more and more of them are coming. Still, I’m in my element, and I know that I can take them all down. It took years for me to become confident in fighting again. Since that Rogue attack when I was twelve, I’ve grown fearful and limited. When I found out that I lost my voice and my hearing, it felt like my life ended. All the things I used to love doing became looming monsters that I had to overcome. My father was the one who came to my rescue. He taught me how to fight again, to use my other senses to make up for the fact that I can’t call for backup, I can’t command anyone, and I can’t hear what’s going on around me. And I have gotten good. So good in fact that I could take down troops of Rogues all by myself. I gained the respect of the other Alphas because of it too. But what happened today reminds me that even after this adjustment, I’m still as limited as before. When Carlos couldn’t understand me, I felt as small and as voiceless as I did eighteen years ago. The only thing that saved me from sinking low was Claudia. I still don’t know how she did it. I still don’t know how or why I hear her voice in my head, melodious and clear and refreshing, after years of not being able to hear anything else. It’s like her presence pierced through every weakness I have and made it her own, alleviated it, allowed me room to breathe. And now I feel like I have to be close to her. More Rogues attack, trying to crowd around me to limit my movements. I push all of them back, keeping them in front of me where I can see them and rounding them all up until they fall into crumpled heaps under my feet. I’m winning. Adrenaline is rushing through my veins like a drug, and I’m getting high just off the thought of another victory. I begin to move faster, breaking through their ranks until the others are too afraid to approach. It feels like I have no disability at all…. Until I feel a familiar whoosh of energy behind my back. I turn around just in time. I see a Rogue flying midair with its teeth bared and ready to bite. I freeze, petrified at how close it is and how I didn’t sense it. And that’s my biggest mistake of the night. Seemingly out of nowhere, Carlos swerves into view and wedges himself between me and the Rogue, taking the bite that was supposed to be for me. Only when the Rogue tackles him down do I remember to move. I claw at it, scratching its face and leaving long and deep gashes. It backs away with a whimper, but it’s too late. The damage is done. Time seems to slow down, to stop, even. Blood pools around Carlos’s neck like a halo. “Alpha…” I see his mouth move. His eyes are becoming unfocused, and I can almost feel him panting in pain. “Alpha, go back to the mansion.” I shake my head. I make my way towards him, stumbling, but the vibrations on the ground suggest that the battle is still going. My vision is blurred now. All I can see is the blood. All of my senses have shut down, so much so that I don’t feel the Rogues crowding around us until I catch their scent. They’re coming at me from all sides now, and all I can do is push them away from Carlos. My heart is frozen in my chest in fear. Every second that passes feels like a missed opportunity to get him the help he needs. I keep pushing the Rogues back, but my concentration is gone. The fact that I can’t hear or call for help is catching up to me. I get scratches all across my arms, my chest, my face…. Until their weight finally holds me down. I shift into my human form to avoid getting crushed, but I can’t protect Carlos anymore. I’m trying to pull him to his feet, but we’re stuck…. But then the Rogues start to scatter just as a sweet, warm scent invades my nostrils. I look up, and I find Claudia standing before us, driving the Rogues back. $Chapter Chapter 4 ACHILLES. Claudia shifts into a beautiful bronze-colored wolf, breaking through the group of Rogues and scattering them. This time, they don’t return or retaliate. They just scamper away. With that, she reverts back to her human form and starts to lead me and Carlos away from the battle. I don’t know how she did it, but she somehow gets us out of there and back into the front of the mansion. Perhaps I’m just reeling from what happened. Perhaps I’m just being thick. Either way, when I come back down to earth, I see that she’s already propping Carlos against one of the columns, tearing off the hem of her skirt to stem the flow of blood in his neck. Only when I see her whispering to him do I realize what exactly happened. She… saved both of us. After I told her to stay inside the meeting room no matter what. The first emotion that floods my chest is anger. She didn’t follow my command. She just went ahead and did what she wanted. But the next thing that follows that wave of rage is something I’m not ready to acknowledge: appreciation. A rush of affection. Disbelief that she came to my aid when I needed it the most and most likely single-handedly saved Carlos’s life when I wasn’t capable of doing so. Still, the first thing that I think of saying is, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Unsurprisingly, she hears it. She wheels around on me with indignation on her face. “You told me you needed my help. So I fought off the guards to save you. What I deserve right now is a thank you, not whatever this is.” I get up and try to reason with her, but then I see a big shadow looming over us. Claudia suddenly sinks into her knees for a bow. I turn around and see Alpha Tristan, covered in Rogue blood. His eyes find Claudia, flashing with an expression I can’t read. But when he looks at me, what he feels is clear enough, and that is pure and utter distaste. The battle seems to be over, and there are a couple of wounded Alphas and patrol guards being assisted into the mansion. I try to get up and help, but Tristan puts a hand on my chest despite me being half a foot taller than him, stopping me with a glare. “Don’t even dare,” he mutters. “I am tired of your selfishness. I am tired of the absolute disrespect you show to our people. For the past two years since this revolution started, you have approached this with only yourself and your pack in mind. What about us? What about the other people who are suffering, the ones who are much, much lower in rank?” I can’t hear his voice, but I can read his lips, and every single thing he says hits me like a punch in the gut. I want to say something. I want to tell him that it was not like that, that it was never like that at all. I have kept every single citizen in his land in mind whenever I charged for battle. That’s why I preferred to have an active role instead of doling out commands. However, I can’t help but feel a sting of truth behind his words. In a lot of ways, he’s right. The only fighting strategy I know is fighting alone or with Carlos. That’s not always going to work. Like tonight. I took him away from the main event of the fight and encouraged him to fight on the sidelines with me. And look where that got him. Wounded and broken, trying to protect me from a threat I didn’t hear expect because I couldn’t hear anything. Suddenly, the old shame of being deaf and mute comes back. I have spent years trying my best to be okay with my condition, and I have come to a point where I thought I was making the most of my abilities. I never thought I would be thrust back into feeling like none of the growth I made mattered. Around us, the wounded Alphas and Betas get visited by healers, carefully urged back into the safety and warmth of the mansion. I can’t bear to even look at them. I feel like everything is my fault. Tristan for sure feels like it is. He walks around me like I’m just his disobedient child. “Leaving in the middle of battle is a disgrace. You are the Alpha King, and you should act like it. The safety of our people should always come before yours or anyone close to you. What you did—” “Pardon, Alpha Tristan,” Claudia suddenly says. Tristan looks at her like he wants to take her head off and throw it across the mountains, and all my instincts rise into protective mode. I try to get in between them, but Claudia stands in front of Tristan and squares up against him. I can tell that she’s scared. She keeps kneading her hands, which are still slick with Carlos’s blood. Her breathing is uneven, and I can tell that she would rather hide, but for some reason, she’s facing him in this strange challenge. “You’re interrupting me again,” he notes in disbelief before glaring at me. “You should train this pet of yours.” I make a move to push him, but Claudia catches my arm and shoves me back. “Alpha Tristan, it was me who took them back to the mansion. It’s not right for you to talk to the Alpha King this way, and—” 'Don’t do it,' I warn her. 'Don’t cross him.' Claudia doesn’t listen. “What you’re doing is disrespectful. No one is gravely hurt, and we should be glad that--” “Out,” Tristan interjects. “Get out of my pack, and never show yourselves ever again. I'm banning the Alpha King and anyone from his side from Moonlight Grove Pack.” She opens her mouth as though to protest, but I just grab her shoulder and pull her back as Tristan pushes past her and enters the mansion. Then, his guards start to close the doors, barring us from ever entering. She blinks hard as though she can’t believe it happened that way. She slowly faces me. “I’m sorry.” I don’t listen to her. I just beckon Carlos to follow me, and off we go back to our pack. The awkwardness inside the carriage back home is almost tangible, with the three of us facing each other. I can’t even look at Claudia. The disappointment and rage brewing inside me need a release. I know that part of it is my fault, but there is only one reason why we were kicked out and shut down just like that. 'Take him to the infirmary,' I sign to the guards as soon as we arrive, and they all guide Carlos up the stairs. When Carlos looks at me questioningly, I communicate to him, 'I will be here for a while.' Claudia tries to get up the stairs, but I hold my arm out and block her way. She looks up at me in fear, and I stand in front of her. “If this is about what happened….” she begins, but I shake my head to cut her off. 'I don’t know how you can hear me,' I say coldly, 'and I don’t know how I can hear you. It must be some kind of freak connection between us because we were close as kids, but those days are gone. You and I don’t mix anymore, and that’s how it should be. You have no business speaking for me. You have no business putting words in my mouth.' She swallows hard. “I only wanted to direct his anger at myself, not you.” That takes me a little aback, but I shake my head. My decision is already set. I look down at Claudia, holding her gaze. 'Once daylight sets in, I want you to leave the palace and find another home to serve. We are now parting ways.' $Chapter Chapter 5 CLAUDIA. My chest goes hard, as though my body is slowly turning into stone. I look up at Alpha Achilles, blinking rapidly and trying hard to focus despite the growing pain in my heart, desperately wishing I heard wrong. But Alpha Achilles just stares down at me. "I can't leave," I tell him, my lips barely moving. In fact, my face feels numb. "I... this is the only home I know." His face stays stoic. Unmoved. 'It doesn't matter. Moonlight Grove is the biggest pack next to ours, and I lost their loyalty.' I shake my head. "I did it for you. I spoke for you. When no one understood you, I did. And I made sure everyone else did too. The only reason I talked to Tristan is because I wanted him to punish me for taking you away. Why are you doing this to me?" I take a step closer to him, and he steps back, determined to keep the distance between us. Eventually, he turns away from me like he can't bear to look me in the eye. At first, I think that it's just because he can't stand to look at me, but the longer we stand here, the more I understand that it's because he doesn't want me to see something. "Tell me," I urge him. "What's the problem? You know it's not my fault." 'It doesn't matter,' he finally says. 'It has to end here. I'm sorry, Claudia.' The finality in his tone breaks what's remaining in my heart. My breath hitches in my throat and I find myself opening and closing my mouth, struggling to find the right words to tell him that I don't want to go, that I shouldn't. But nothing comes to mind. For the first time in my life, I don't know what to say. He turns around to leave, and every fiber of my being tells me to come after him. Maybe even to stop him. But my body is already frozen in place. The only thing I can do is watch him leave. He walks back to the palace, and I stand outside for I don't know how long. Snow rains down on me, flocking on my hair and my lashes. I don’t know what I’m waiting for, to be honest. Am I expecting him to come back and retract his words? Because a part of me definitely wishes he would. A bigger part of me knows he won’t. When I see a figure approaching, I immediately think that it's Alpha Achilles, coming back to take back what he said. It’s hard to see in the snow, so I try to meet him halfway. But it’s only Gamma Kiernan. His golden blond hair shimmers in the dim light as he peers at me. “Claudia? What are you doing out here in the cold? It’s the start of the Solstice Festival tomorrow, you should be preparing with the rest of the staff.” I almost say that I’ll be on it, but the only thing that comes out of my mouth is, “I don’t work for the pack anymore, Gamma. I am to leave tomorrow, as what’s ordered by Alpha Achilles.” “What?” His expression darkens. “We can’t afford to kick out more staff now, not with everyone leaving because of the revolution….” He holds up a hand. “I will talk to him. Just get inside.” I follow his order, but every step back to the maid’s quarters feels like a big hand digging into my insides and scooping everything out. By the time I get back to my room, I’m already empty. Empty enough to start packing everything I ever owned. * * * ACHILLES. Letting go of Claudia is the right choice. It has to be. I should have known that it wasn’t good news, the fact that she could hear me and I could hear her. The moment I felt that rush of affection for her when she tried to stand up to Tristan on my behalf, I knew that it would only be right to release her…. Or at least, this is what I keep saying to myself as I lay in bed, tossing and turning, staring at the moon through the window and replaying the moments of fascination and shame from tonight. I wish there was a way to erase them all. How long I lie there awake, I don’t know. But the only reason I finally fall asleep is because my body gives way to exhaustion. And soon, the dreams come. In my dream, I’m back beyond the borders of Moonlight Grove Pack. But this time, I’m alone. Carlos is not around. The Rogues aren’t present either. The only thing in front of me is a frozen lake, shining like a mirror under the dark sky. And standing in the middle of the lake is a beautiful woman with stark white hair and gray eyes. Her skin is so pale that it’s almost blue. Her dress is bright white, pearlescent and glowing, billowing in the air even in the absence of a breeze. It’s the Moon Goddess, and she’s staring at me. We haven’t communicated before. She hasn’t shown up in my dreams, but I’ve seen countless paintings of her before, and heard so many stories about her showing up in pivotal moments. Perhaps this is mine. My nerves jump, but I sink to my knees, my breath fogging up in front of me. “Rise, my child,” she says. Even though she’s a deity, I still can’t hear her voice. I can only read her lips. “Dark times are ahead, and they loom closer and closer to you with every second that passes. Just tonight, you have suffered a great loss.” I don’t get up. 'I have done my best. I protected the people—' “Exactly,” the Moon Goddess interjects, walking across the frozen lake with the water still moving underneath. Her feet aren’t touching the ice. “That was your victory tonight, even with the parting of your ally. Your loss came much later.” 'I’m afraid I don’t understand,' I sign to her. 'The battle ended there.' “No.” She stops right in front of me, reaching out to touch my cheek. “You wished to find a way to expand your limits, and I gave it to you. But you pushed it away.” I stare at her, trying to decode what she means. I desperately want to make sense of it, to not waste the valuable time I have with her, but nothing is clicking. “I put her on your path for a reason,” she continues. “And you wanted none of it.” Suddenly, the Moon Goddess’s face starts to change, morphing like molten wax until it forms a new set of features. A face that is all too familiar. Claudia. She starts to speak again, but this time, I hear her voice—Claudia’s voice—echoing in my head like a prophecy. “I am the Siren, the Alpha’s Voice, and I shall be heard.” $Chapter Chapter 6 ACHILLES. I wake up with a gasp, sitting up abruptly like a marionette whose strings got yanked. My head starts to spin, but it’s not because there was no gentle introduction to the waking world. It’s because of the dream. Because of Claudia. I clutch my chest and feel that my heart is going haywire. My back is slick with sweat and I can almost feel it soaking my sheets. I close my eyes for a moment, gathering my thoughts, but the first thing I see in the darkness is Claudia’s face. Her voice is ringing in my ears, the first voice I have heard in so many years. She’s the Siren, the Moon Goddess said. The Alpha’s Voice. What does that mean? What does it have to do with me? What does that make her? I have more questions than answers and the frustration building up inside me is turning into anger. I don’t want that. I have to focus. Because if there is one thing I know, it’s that I fucked up by demanding her to leave. And I need to get her back. Fueled by the sudden fiery desire to chase after her and hold her down in the castle if I need to, I jump out of bed. I push open the door and startle the guards. I can see them mouthing, “What is the trouble, Alpha?” I ignore all of them. I just run along the hallway until I find Kiernan’s room. The guards step aside when they see me, so I push open the door, stumbling inside like a sweaty, clumsy ogre. Meanwhile, Kiernan is still awake, staring through the window. My heart sinks when I see that it’s already daylight outside, but I still have to try. I need to. Kiernan turns around, frowns at me, and asks, “Your Majesty. What brings you here?” He knows that it irks me when he calls me that, but I ignore it anyway. 'I need to find the maid, Claudia.' I thought he would ask why, but he just narrows his eyes. “The maid you kicked out last night? I found her in the freezing cold, just staring into the distance like she couldn’t believe what happened. I actually told her I would talk to you about it, but when I got to your room, you were already asleep.” His words hit me like arrows to the heart. I can almost picture Claudia standing where I left her, crying and wondering what she did wrong, all the while I was sleeping soundly with no care in the world…. No. I can’t think about that. It hurts too much. I step back, the tightness in my chest so extreme that I have to inhale and exhale slowly. Every time I blink I see her distraught face and hear her broken voice, appealing her case and showing me that she deserved to stay. And what did I do? I kicked her right out like she meant nothing. Like we never had anything together. I swallow hard. ‘I need her back here. I made a mistake.’ “Then let’s go to the maids’ quarters,” Kiernan offers. “Maybe she’s still there.” I nod, and together, we barge into the lower floor where the maids stay. The rooms are already empty as they start their day at dawn. Every empty room we pass makes me want to punch something in regret, but I can still catch the sweet scent of Claudia in the air, lingering like a whisper. Finally, we arrive at her room, where her scent is strongest. The door is still closed. Kiernan lifts his hand to knock, but I’m desperate. I open the door. And there is one person inside the room. But it’s not Claudia. It’s a maid I remember as Maia, her best friend here. She whips around as soon as we get in, and I immediately see her swollen eyes and red face. “Alpha,” she mutters, sinking into a bow. “Gamma. I will go to work as soon as possible.” “No, take the time you need,” Kiernan says. “You are obviously in distress. What happened?” My breath gets stuck in my throat. I already know what she’s going to say, but I find myself searching the room in hopes of finding any proof that Claudia actually chose to stay. However, the room is blissfully empty. Vacated for the next maid. “Claudia left, Gamma,” she answers. “She said she needed to go back to her family. It was just so unexpected. I asked her if it had something to do with the meeting, and she said no. She said she’s tired of working. I don’t believe that. She always loved working here….” I freeze in shock. Kiernan glances at me pointedly before turning back to Maia. “I completely understand. Please, take the day off and rest. The Alpha and I will get going now.” He grabs me by the arm and pulls me out of the room, closing the door behind us. I can’t even walk properly. I can’t believe what I just heard. After all the bad things I said to her, she still chose to cover for me. I stop moving as soon as we reach the foyer. I hold onto the stair banister for support, my throat closed up. Kiernan stands next to me. “What happened, Your Majesty?” ‘Don’t call me that,’ I sign to him. ‘Go prepare a carriage—no. A horse. Ready a horse for me. I will be setting out soon—’ “No, you’re not,” he interjects, his eyebrows scrunched up. “You are the Alpha King. Do you know what it would mean to the Rogues if they took down the head of the whole land? The revolution would be over!” ‘Fine, I will do it myself.’ I try to push past him but he blocks me. ‘Move out of my way. I need Claudia back here right now.’ He shakes his head, putting a firm hand on my chest. “You’d have to kill me if you want to leave alone.” Kiernan is one of my oldest friends and most loyal men. We’ve butted heads many times before, but not like this. I can see his quiet anger, and I know from the look in his eyes that he can feel mine. Still, he stands his ground, staring at me like he’s daring me to attack him right now. And I almost want to. The thought of Claudia getting farther and farther away is tearing my soul apart. But I take a deep breath to steady myself. ‘You don’t understand.’ “Then make me understand.” ‘Claudia is important to me,’ I tell him after a pause. ‘The Moon Goddess told me so. She is the Siren and the Alpha’s Voice. I have to get her back or else—’ “Alpha Achilles.” He signals me to turn around. I see Carlos standing by the end of the stairs, his torso still wrapped in bandages. However, he’s not alone. Standing next to him are the Housekeeper and the Chief Butler. Both of them are carrying files, laid out as though they’re asking for advice. ‘What is this?’ I signal to Carlos. ‘I don’t need any interruptions right now. I have somewhere else to go.’ Carlos shakes his head to stop me. “Alpha… today is the Winter Solstice festival. Our pack is hosting. You cannot go anywhere.” $Chapter Chapter 7 CLAUDIA. The journey from Sangria Amori to my hometown feels long and short at the same time. As I sit there in the carriage watching the palace disappear behind a mountain in the distance and begin to see the tall magnolia trees surrounding the famous springs of my home, I can’t help but feel a mixture of longing and relief. Longing because it’s been my home for years and years. I have made good memories and bonded with amazing people. I overcame a lot of bad things. I met the one I thought I would know forever. But the relief comes from the loss of all of that. From the knowledge that from now on, I would be free from that palace and everyone in it. Especially Achilles. My heart still makes a little flip at the simple thought of his name. I still have to clench my hands and pierce my own palms with my nails to remind myself that I shouldn’t be thinking about him. But thankfully, I don’t have to acknowledge it because the carriage finally stops. The coachman Peter calls out from the front, smacking the carriage door with his cane. “You’re here now, girl. It’s time to move out.” I gather all my bags and sling them all on my shoulders, slightly struggling with the weight as I climb down the rickety old carriage. “Thank you so much, Peter.” I give him a happy salute, about to head to the arch that reads Nightshade Springs. But then, I hear him calling out, “Are you sure you’re going to be safe from here on?” That makes me pause. So far, throughout the whole journey, I haven’t sensed any Rogues at all. But Peter has a point. The infestation of Rogues is very much real and rampant, and I haven’t been to my hometown in five years. I honestly don’t know what’s waiting in store for me here. But still, I don’t want to bother him. If there is any danger out here, I would rather face it; I know that he has a family. So I just smile at him. “I got it, Peter. Thank you again and be careful on your way back!” He looks uncertain, but he leaves anyway, whipping the horses until they gallop faster. Soon enough, he’s gone. And I’m alone in the middle of the woods, surrounded by the familiar fresh scent of springs and pine. The scent of home. A soft smile appears on my face as I start to walk, following the stone path that leads to the edge of the village where the cemetery is. I suppose it’s a grim thing to start with, but I’ve been meaning to visit my parents’ graves for the past years. Grief and the start of the revolution put a halt to all of that, so now I feel quite happy that I get to see them, even if it’s just this way. My mom was a maid like I am. Or was. Either way, she served the palace too, specifically as a handmaiden to the former Queen. My dad was a gardener. She died from deadly flu five years ago, and he followed right after. Back then, I thought this was unfair. How could they leave me in this world alone? I was resentful. But eventually, I realized that it may have been out of love. He was never able to be apart from her for any period of time, and not even death could stop him from chasing after her. They told me that they met each other at a gathering for servants, and my father fell in love with my mother when he first heard her sing. I honestly can’t blame him. She had the most wonderful voice, and he always said that I had that beautiful voice too. I never really knew if he was just making that up, but the ones who heard me sing also told me that I do have a pretty voice. The memory brings a smile to my face, and as I approach their graves, I find myself humming along to the tune of my mother’s lullaby. Their graves are now covered in ivy. I sweep some of the leaves away and light a candle for them. I sit there for a while, watching the light flicker on their gravestones. I reach out and feel the warmth, opening my mouth to talk to them like I always did, but that’s when something strikes me. The sour, rotten smell. My entire body freezes. I shoot to my feet, clutching my bags closer to me as I look around. My heart is beating in my ears and I almost want to whimper, but it only gets worse when I finally see a single Rogue. It’s hiding behind gravestones in the distance, its eyes gleaming with hunger and malice as they focus on me. Its low growls make the ground hum. There’s tension in the air, thick and suffocating, telling me it’s been stalking me like prey for a while now. It’s still far but ready to spring. Ready to chase and feed. And I know that if I take one step back, it will come out and kill me. I slowly exhale, stepping back and feeling it move with me, keeping the distance between us the same. Bit by bit, I ease my bags off my shoulders and set them down. The eyes of the Rogue follow my movement like two laser pointers. I slip my hand in my pocket, looking for the silver knife that Maia gave me as a parting gift, ready to it down. As though on cue, the Rogue leaps into the air as soon as I raise the knife. But I’m ready this time. I don’t come to meet it. Instead, I stand my ground, waiting for the perfect moment. As soon as it flies midair to pounce on me, I duck right under it and run the knife along its throat. The Rogue falls to the ground with a whimper. It scrambles to get upright again, but before it can do so, I stomp its fragile head flat with my boot, its blood spattering everywhere. “Thank the gods,” I mutter, but that’s when I realize that I spoke too soon. As soon as the Rogue stops moving, the forest seems to come alive right before me. More Rogues emerge from the trees, sniffing and snarling, their eyes alight with joy when they see a perfectly good meal severely outnumbered. All at once, they jump toward me. A scream breaks out of my lips. I raise my bags to shield myself, but at this point, it’s only a matter of time before they take me down and feast on me. I’m only waiting for the pain now…. But before it can come, I hear loud bangs in the distance. Gunshots. Followed by the loud thuds of the Rogues hitting the ground, dropping like dead flies. I lower my bags in horror. All the Rogues are dead, their heads bleeding from a single smoking puncture wound between their eyes. I’m about to turn around to see my savior, but then I feel the still-hot muzzle of the gun against my back. “Drop your knife if you want to live. Who are you and what do you need?” $Chapter Chapter 8 ACHILLES. The first thing that rises out of me is not frustration from being told what to do, but embarrassment from forgetting about the big event. I know that Carlos just had a bad injury that he’s still most likely dealing with, but I have a situation on my hands that I just can’t shake off, but I can't help but avert my gaze in shame. Carlos, Kiernan, and the two head staff are staring at me expectantly, and I just want to sink into the ground and never reappear. I look over at Kiernan, who gives me a small shrug like he’s telling me that it’s all up to me. The obvious thing to do is to just delay the festival and focus on the very important task of finding Claudia. But I know that my people are counting on this one single happy day among all the bad ones. They need this. And as much as I need Claudia here with me, they come first. I take a deep, steadying breath. ‘I apologize. It must have slipped my mind. Prepare the decorations and we shall have a lunch banquet in the throne room.’ Carlos nods and repeats my words to the head staff. Then, he turns back to me and asks, “How about the evening celebrations?” ‘We’ll see,’ I sign to him. With that, the head staff both bow and leave. Now it’s only the three of us, and they look pained. “So what’s been happening?” Carlos splutters at last. “Where are you going?” Kiernan is the one who answers for him. “He kicked out the maid, Claudia, and now he has to bring her back because the Moon Goddess told him so in a dream. He wants to go out there himself.” ‘I have to,’ I tell them both. 'I still do, but with the festival..." And of course, they just look at me like they feel sorry for me. I’m about to tell them both to supervise so I can go, but then Kiernan sighs and says, “I’ll get some of our warriors, and we will go and find her.” Without giving me a chance to say anything about this, Kiernan leaves. Carlos then looks at me and beckons me to go up the stairs. “After you, Alpha. Let’s give the people a good celebration.” * * * When I arrive at the throne room after changing into my formal suit, it is already decked with blue and silver decorations fit for the winter solstice theme. Food is flowing in, music is playing, and it seems that all the citizens are gathering. When Carlos and I enter, it takes me a whole while to notice that the throne room isn’t even halfway filled. As I sit on my throne, I see that my people are not eating, drinking, or having fun at all. They are just gathered at the little tables, engaged in serious conversation. More people are coming in, greeted by the butlers by the door. I keep thinking that this new batch will come and let loose, but they just gather like the rest of the guests. It’s starting to make me nervous. I agreed to this party thinking it would be best for their morale, but it seems that they’re just as uninterested in the occasion as I was. ‘This is not going well,’ I tell Carlos, who’s standing on my right side. He’s not fully recovered yet, but he insisted on coming here. ‘It would be best to cut this short.’ As soon as I say those words, guilt starts to drum in my chest. I know that I should try to make things more festive instead of thinking about Claudia, but not knowing how things are on that front is almost as bad as being here and seeing my people feeling blue. “I think it would be best if you go down and communicate with them personally,” Carlos says, and I can’t believe I never thought of that before. I get up from my throne with the full intent of going around, but then I see a familiar face by the door. Someone I really don’t want to see. Alpha Tristan. He’s still wearing a coat, speckled with snow. The butler tries to take it from him but he pushes him away, which makes me tense up, immediately ready for a fight. However, he’s not alone. Walking behind him like lapdogs are the Alphas of his neighboring packs: Giorgio, Anthony, and Larkin. Their auras are so domineering and so distracting that the people in the throne room stop what they’re doing and just watch them approach me. But instead of meeting them halfway, I remain standing in front of the throne with the steps of the dais separating us. None of them bows down to me. “What are you doing here?” Carlos asks, and it perfectly reflects what’s in my mind, just more polite. Tristan flashes me a smirk. “We’re here because we’re tired of the preposterous games that Sangria Amori is playing. We need change!” Even though I can’t hear him, I can feel the vibrations of his scream on the walls and the floor. He’s livid, and because of this, the people in the room are tuning in. I don’t like the admiring and interested looks on their faces. I look at Carlos. ‘We shouldn’t have this talk here.’ “Alpha Tristan.” Carlos gives him a strained smile, motioning him to come along. “We shall move this conversation to a more private location and perhaps—” “Get your hands off me.” Tristan pushes past him and squares up to me. “What you’re doing to these people is sickening. Making them show up here, forced to have fun, when they are suffering from problems you would never know about from your high throne. You’re making a mockery of their situation, flaunting your privilege in their faces.” I want to push him down the steps and pound his face into a pulp, but I restrain myself. Instead, I just sign something that Carlos translates with perfect contempt. “Get out, right now.” Tristan only scoffs, facing the people. “Last night, instead of meeting with the rest of the Alphas and coming up with a way to erase the Rogues, Alpha King Achilles was late. He left us on our own when we had a Rogue attack. It’s painfully obvious that his disabilities have made him selfish, and unfit to rule our land.” This time, my temper gets the best of me. I grab him by the arm with the full intent of punching him in the face as soon as he turns, but I stop when the people gasp. They’re now looking at me in horror. I slowly let him go. He starts to walk away, step by step, not taking his eyes off me. There’s a certain gleam in his eyes that I can’t identify, but the hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end. Only when he’s standing by the door do I know why. “We will no longer take orders from the Alpha King,” Tristan declares, his gaze still on me. “We will handle the Rogues our way, the right way. And those who want to join us would be offered full protection.” With that, he leaves. And I watch in horror as some of my citizens begin to get up from their seats, following him out. $Chapter Chapter 9 CLAUDIA. “Don’t shoot me,” I mutter, and I cringe when I hear the fear in my voice. I hate that I faced that single Rogue like a boss only to fold like this. “I’m not a danger to anyone. I’m a local here. I just moved for work at the palace…” I stop when I realize I’m about to ramble. I just drop the knife. As soon as it clatters on the floor, I feel the muzzle of the gun easing off my back. I take this as a cue to turn around, and I come face to face with a young man about my age, with straw-colored hair and brown eyes. He’s carrying a massive silver shotgun with rounds of big silver bullets around his body. He’s studying me closely, fixing his flannel shirt. “Who are you?” “Claudia Hale,” I say shakily. I even bow, which is dumb, but I guess it’s not so stupid if it stops him from shooting me. “I just came here to visit my parents.” At first, he doesn’t say anything. My nerves are starting to act up and I find myself basically skipping in my spot. But finally, he asks, “Hale, huh? Do you happen to be related to Ruth?” My eyes go wide. “Yes! Ruth is my cousin.” The man’s shoulders relax. He cracks a smile, and suddenly he doesn’t seem so scary anymore. “You must be the cousin she talks about a lot. The singer. I’m Max, by the way. Follow me.” We shake hands, and I can’t help but feel giddy. My cousin Ruth is here. I can’t believe it. We were very close as kids, even though we only saw each other over the summers. She left Nightshade Springs when we were both eighteen, and the last thing I heard about her was that she got married to a mason from the nearby village. We saw each other at my dad’s funeral, but we didn’t get to talk much because of my own grief. But now, I’m going to see her. I wonder if she has kids now. The thought of little babies running around makes me so excited, so much so that I almost forget to follow Max as he leads me out of the cemetery through an unfamiliar path. I quickly pick up the knife and run after him. I frown as I pull level with Max. "Why are we using this path?" The moment the question leaves my lips, the answer comes to me when we turn a corner. For the first time, I come face to face with the aftermath of the Rogue infestation. The village is now completely deserted. The houses are dilapidated, empty and broken. The smell of Rogues is present, but distant, which tells me that the place is visited frequently but they're not actually here. Dried blood is scattered all over the ground like paint. "That's animal blood," Max explains, following the direction of my gaze. "We vacated this place a long time ago. We still live in this area, but we decided to stick close together to protect ourselves from the Rogues. We figured that it would be best if we show them a strong front. The Kingdom doesn't really do much for us, so we have to take matters into our own hands." I swallow hard, averting my gaze as we turn another corner, a hidden path behind a small hill. "Does the Kingdom not visit the villages at all?" I ask. Max shakes his head. "Nope. Not at all. They send guards from time to time, but you see how many Rogues there are. You know how violent they can be. We needed weapons to protect ourselves, but they just won't provide that. I think they keep it to themselves, leave everyone else defenseless." I keep quiet. I don't know what to say. Part of me wants to defend the palace. I mean, I know they have it hard, and Achilles is doing his best. But then again, who am I to dismiss their suffering? I open my mouth to ask where they got their weapons, but then we arrive at a fenced part of the village. Barbed wires are set on tall metal walls, behind which small compact buildings stand proud. He opens the gate carefully, and we both enter. There are a couple of villages standing watch, carrying guns similar to his. They stare at me, and I have to lower my head to avoid the intensity of their looks. I want to tell Max that I just want to see Ruth, but before I can get the question out, I see two people running towards me. I look up and my heart nearly gives out when I see that it's Ruth, together with a tall bearded man who must be her husband. "Claudia!" she squeals, and before I can even drop my bags, she scoops me up into a big hug. "You're home! It's been so long!" I blink the tears away when she lets me go. "I figured it was time to retire and just stay here." I feel guilty. I lied to Maia and now I'm lying to Ruth. “You loved that job, but I do understand,” she says, and I can’t help but be thankful that she didn’t press me for more details. “This is my husband, Henry. We live in one of the apartments. You can stay with us if you like, but I think it would be best if you get your own room.” “It’s nice to meet you,” Henry says, taking my bags from me. “I will take these up to your room.” I smile. “Thank you so much.” He and Max leave, and Ruth takes my arm, steering me into a small structure at the foot of one of the buildings. I can hear cheers and smell food from outside, and I find myself relaxing when I see that it’s a pub. Men and women alike are laughing and talking, downing jugs of beer and eating fried food. It’s quite fascinating to see so much life and joy in a single space in this lost land, but I can’t help but feel grateful. Ruth and I sit on the counter. The bartender slides two jugs of beer and a platter of steaming chips. I grab the chips even though they’re hot, stuffing them all in my mouth and drinking the beer. Everything is strangely fresh, and I can’t help but gobble it all up. Ruth watches me with amusement as she sips her drink. “Do they not feed you up there?” she jokes, shaking her head. “Honestly, I don’t blame you for going home. It must have been hell there.” My appetite suddenly vanishes. “Well, it’s not so bad. But nothing like home, yes.” I clear my throat, desperate for a change of topic. “So, Max found me in the cemetery. He’s… an interesting character.” “I know, he mind-linked it to me.” She shrugs. “Max is kind of an asshole, but I get why. He had to step up as our leader when the palace guards left us. He looted all those guns that we use now, so the only thing we have to forge are bullets. Screw the Kingdom and that deaf-mute idiot who rules it.” My face goes hot. I want to defend Achilles. I want to tell Ruth not to call him that, but then again, he kicked me out for defending him. “Is everyone doing the same?” I start to ask, but then a small commotion breaks out in the corner of the pub where the entrance is. “Hey, keep that bastard out!” I hear some of the men yelling. “He barged right in and demanded entry!” “It’s one of those palace fuckers!” I freeze. Ruth and I both slide out of our stools, looking over at the chaos. My heart jumps right into my throat when I see Gamma Kiernan trying to force his way inside the pub. “Bring me Claudia Hale, and we will not have any problems.” $Chapter Chapter 10 CLAUDIA. Panic takes a hold of me. Suddenly, I feel my entire body going numb. I can feel Ruth beside me and I can hear her saying something, but it’s like my mind is tuning out. All I can hear are muffled voices. All I can feel is my heart hammering inside my ribs like it wants to get out. I blink a couple of times as we get pushed back by the ongoing commotion. For a moment I’m certain that I’m not seeing things correctly, but I’m wrong. Gamma Kiernan is really here, and he’s looking for me. “No way you’re getting in,” the men at the entrance keep telling him. “Pack it up and leave!” “I will not leave until you bring Claudia Hale here,” he insists. “I can smell her scent in the air. I know you’re hiding her. Back off, and no one gets hurt.” “How dare you threaten us?” With that, the chaos ensues. Now there are so many men blocking his way, and soon enough, women are clamoring to shoo him out of the pub too. I can see his expression. I know that he can take these men down if he wants to, but he’s restraining himself. The urge to step up and show myself before things get ugly overcomes me, but then Ruth wheels around and dunks my head down, preventing me from getting seen. “Why the hell are they looking for you?” Ruth demands. “Did you do something?” “No,” I begin to say, but that’s when I feel a strong hand dragging me back. “Ow!” I complain under my breath, feeling myself getting yanked back into the corner by this strong person. I turn around and see Max. He’s squeezing my arm so hard that I can almost feel the bruises appearing. “Let me go!” He just glares at me. “You are not going to show yourself to that upstart. You’re going to stay here behind the bar. Understand?” “No!” I snatch my arm back from him. “Do you want your people to get hurt?” His eyes flash with anger. “You’re really assuming we’re the ones who’d get hurt? You put too much faith in those men who don’t do anything but sit on their asses and command the lower people to fight for them.” I realize that he’s referring to the palace royals, including Achilles. His claims are so false that I square up to him, shoving him back. “You have no idea what you’re talking about! Those men risk their lives for us!” “Maybe for you,” Max growls dryly, “but never for me.” The next events happen so fast. So much so that I don’t even get the time to react. Max just grabs me by the shoulders, pushes me right into the broom closet, and props a chair against the doorknob to basically lock it from outside. I fall on the floor, flat on my behind, but then I spring up to my feet to try to ram it down. “Let me out!” I scream, but I doubt anyone would hear me from the absolute meltdown happening outside. I could shift into my wolf and break the door, but I think I would end up demolishing half the pub in the process. So even though I want to end this, I just stay by the door, pressing my ear against it and listening as best as I can. That’s when I hear Max announcing, “Silence, everyone. Let the man speak.” The people immediately shut up, which surprises me. It seems that everyone really recognizes him as their leader. I can almost picture him stepping up to Gamma Kiernan. “Thank you,” Gamma Kiernan says. “As I was trying to say before I got swarmed, I need Claudia Hale.” “Why?” Max asks in a calm, almost lazy tone. “Because the Alpha King says so,” Gamma Kiernan replies in a similar voice. “We don’t want any trouble with the King, do we?” “Oh, no, we don’t,” Max answers, but this time, he sounds perfectly sarcastic. I can hear the others around him letting out a laugh. “We really don’t. But you see, Claudia isn’t here.” Silence fills the air. I want to scream at the top of my lungs to alert everyone of my presence, but I’m stunned. Petrified, really. Did the Gamma really say that it’s Alpha Achilles who’s asking for me? But why? Why would he look for me? It hasn’t even been a day since I left. Does he regret all the things he did, all the things he said to me? Did he realize that I didn’t actually do anything wrong, and he punished me out of pure pride and possibly stupidity? Now that’s something I want to hear. I want him to say sorry. I’m about to scream when suddenly, I hear Gamma Kiernan saying, “I can smell her. Do not fucking lie to me.” Somehow, I’m able to sense something about to go wrong before it even transpires. I make a move to ram the door down before things can break out, but it’s too late. Before I can even do anything, I hear Max saying in a low voice, “Deal with this bastard.” And then, hell breaks loose. It’s so loud I can almost see it. The men in the pub all yell for battle and the sounds that follow root me to my spot. More screams. Thuds from bodies hitting the floor and the walls. Broken glass. Snapping wood. Arrows whizzing. Wolves howling. Gunshots. So many gunshots…. Soon enough, the smell of blood fills the air, and my heart nearly stops. It seems to go on forever, the sound and the smell and the carnage. I can make out specific voices like Gamma Kiernan’s, telling his men to stand down and leave. I can hear Max telling his people to pursue them, to drive them back and make sure they learn their lesson. On and on and on it goes. But just when I think that it’s never going to end, silence follows. It’s almost eerie. One can hear a pin drop. Who got shot? Did anyone die? The thought of death because of me is what finally breaks me. I ram down the door without shifting into my wolf form, but when I arrive at the bar, it’s too late. I can hear the sound of horses whinnying outside, their hooves hitting the ground in loud thuds as they run fast. I see the flash of the red carriage through the broken windows. I look all over the floor to see if anyone has fallen, but aside from the smears of blood, it seems that everyone made it out alive. At least, from this party. I don’t know if I can say the same about the people from the palace. Suddenly, Max enters the pub, sporting a broken nose. He tears off a piece of his shirt and uses it to dab on the blood, but I march toward him and snatch it right out of his hand. “What did you do?” “Showed them that they have no business here,” he says simply, taking the strip of fabric back from me. “The only thing I should be hearing from you is thank you, unless…” Everyone in the pub looks at me. Ruth is the one who gets up and turns to me. “What did you do, Claudia? Why are they looking for you?” Max crosses his arms. "Give us a good reason why we shouldn't kick you out of here. Now."	LEARN_MORE	https://cdn.joylitnovel.com/pages/aae98514-07be-4e	Popular Novels	https://www.facebook.com/100091852266052/	15	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	cdn.joylitnovel.com	VIDEO		https://cdn.joylitnovel.com/pages/aae98514-07be-4ed9-91fd-7d3b91cd671e.html?p0=10n5m3ce&p1={{campaign.name}}&p2={{campaign.id}}&p3={{adset.name}}&p4={{adset.id}}&p5={{ad.name}}&p6={{ad.id}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/432934698_1110824366822990_7068130820373047831_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=ZbnseoC8KaMQ7kNvgE_r9sA&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AHhEutmkA90Ge_Pvdy4cEqo&oh=00_AYCDVptTmvWx0G1_kCJlbS0QlDO58N-xnUjnxeXB5k9Xlg&oe=673F33E8	PERSON_PROFILE	Popular Novels	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,484,954	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2484951}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:07	active	1830	Carry your bow hands-free!	🎯 Archers, get ready for a hands-free experience! Bow Spider is coming to Colorado @ TAC this weekend. Go hands-free with our innovative device and take your archery game to the next level! Find us online or at one of our nationwide retailers near you: www.bowspider.com	LEARN_MORE	http://www.bowspider.com/	BowSpider	https://www.facebook.com/bowspider/	10,696	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	bowspider.com	DCO	Durable. Lightweight. Versatile. Made in USA. Lifetime Warranty.	http://www.bowspider.com/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464955505_578195384725123_7334580438216482946_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=lw_lBXC3jZYQ7kNvgEacEFY&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A49xIGFT2oeoEVE-FvnycBB&oh=00_AYDH3qkdIxjVopio2ZG_u7XzFuOwfE45iTyCu7WTRTe90Q&oe=673F13AC	PERSON_PROFILE	BowSpider	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,486,029	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2486099}'	Yes	2024-11-16 21:14	active	1830	Preference 19	The possibilities are endless with a superyacht charter. No other holiday can compare, no other experience comes close.	LEARN_MORE	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	https://www.facebook.com/edmiston/	8,775	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	campaign.edmiston.com	DCO	Start planning your charter.	https://campaign.edmiston.com/charter/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/434887251_3273516259616813_4965928032027185860_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=n8sDQ745JHQQ7kNvgFWS65z&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AHhEutmkA90Ge_Pvdy4cEqo&oh=00_AYDFNS7HyO7yspIcGqVfr5i0x66In4XYFvq4Qq2pM_0tjg&oe=673F3742	PERSON_PROFILE	EDMISTON - WORLD LEADERS IN YACHTING	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

Page 1 of 48, showing 20 record(s) out of 944 total

Download CSV New Ads

Search

Ads