Heiress or Mate?

.................................................................... ⚠️ Before you start with the story, please be aware of a few things: • The werewolves in this book might not behave exactly like others in other books. • This is not a fluff romance but a romantic suspense book. It will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, so if you know your heart can't take it. Be warned. • The story has multiple POVs. They don't repeat the same thing, but if you don't like multiple POVs, this story is not for you. .................................................................... ....... Veil ....... “Mm!” I groan, feeling hands on me as someone flips me on my back. I try to open my eyes, but they are heavy, and just then, chilly air kisses my skin. I feel my clothes hurriedly leaving my body one by one, and I try to open my mouth to speak while desperately forcing my eyes open, but nothing comes out. Just then, I'm flipped over onto my stomach, and I finally manage to open my eyes, feeling things stabbing me, but my vision is blurry. My fingers move, and I weakly grip what feels like concrete, my heart racing as I try to figure out what's happening. I hear voices calling just as the hands start pulling down my jeans, and they freeze before letting me go cursing, frustrated. “Who-who-” I tried to speak, finally finding my voice, my whole body trembling as my vision starts to clear, and I hear the door closing and locking. I lift my head, but it's heavy and spinning, so I crawl on my stomach and grab the first thing I feel with my hands, pulling my body up. I sit upright, my stomach feeling like it's on fire from sliding on the harsh concrete floor, and I look around in the dark room, my heart banging against my chest like it's going to fall out. I don't know where I am, and I can hardly see with how dark this room is. The only light seeping through is from a small window on the far side of the room, and I can hear the rain pouring outside. Just then, thunder rumbles, causing a chill to crawl up my spine, anticipating what may follow. “Please don't let there be lightning,” I sob with a shaky voice, reminded of that dreadful day—the day I heard a voice in my head—the day I came to know of my curse. It was a dark stormy morning, like this, and the skies wailed as lightning ferociously stabbed them, forcing them open. I've hated the rain ever since. “What is this place?” I whisper with a raspy voice due to my dry throat, getting on my knees as I try to recall the events that led me here, and just as I make it to my shaky legs, everything comes crashing back— the girls, Reece. “Reece,” I whisper, limping towards the tiny window, desperately trying to trace my steps back, but just then, I hear the voices again, and I freeze. “Erik! Wait up!" Someone says, and I turn my head in the direction of the voices and hear what sounds like keys, and I realize they are coming in here. I run to the window, not even sure how I will fit in, but I don't see any other way. I open it, my hands trembling very badly, causing me to whimper, frustrated. The door slams open, and I shove myself into the small window without a second thought. “f**k!" I hear one of the guys growl before hearing footsteps running toward me, and I scream, wriggling as fast as I can as the sharp edges peel my bare skin. As I fall to the ground, my face collides with something hard, and I feel a metallic taste in my mouth as blood trickles down my nose. My head spins, dizzy, but I don't stay down. I crawl to my feet, hearing growls coming after me, and I bolt into the trees. I run, feeling sharp objects in the wet grass, cutting the soles of my bare feet as the rain drenches me. It's dark between the trees, and the sound of the rain, my drumming heart, and spine-chilling growls as the beasts gallop behind me are all that can be heard. “Please, God help me, " I breathlessly mutter with a tremulous voice as my mother's face flashes in front of my eyes, creating mad thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't run. Maybe I should let these monsters catch me. Perhaps I should let them do as they wish–let them take me to my parents. This life is no better. Why am I clinging to it? The thoughts start turning to voices, and I try to slow down, to stop, but my body won't let me. It's running, it's fighting to live. “Ahh!” I let out a scream tumbling to my back after tripping on a log, and I scramble to my side, sliding on it as I look behind me to see glowing eyes closing in on me. I get back to my feet and begin running again, seeing what appears to be an opening in the tree line, causing a bit of relief. I make it out of the trees, but a high fence keeps me from going to the other side. “No, no, no," I breathlessly whisper, feeling like my heart is going to stop, but just then, I spot an opening, and I run to it. The opening is small, but I throw myself at it and fall on the other side, crying out as it tears my already torn skin. I don't have time to listen to the pain, so I get to my feet, noticing a road and what appear to be houses ahead, and I run, crossing the street. “Help me!" I scream, running to the first house, noticing the lights are off. But the beasts are almost at me, and I'll never make it to the third-lit house before they catch me. “Help me! Please!" I beg, banging on the door, but the door opens, and I fall inside. I scramble to my feet, screaming for help but soon realize the house is empty, and just then, a loud growl shakes the walls. I run into the first room I see, my knees feeling like they are about to give in as fear starts to paralyze me, realizing I'm trapped. “Pleas-" I start to say, burying myself against the wall, but a chilly breeze hitting me in the back stops me mid-sentence, and I look behind me to see a broken window. I lunge at it and let out a groan, landing miserably on my side on the other side. My left side feels numb, but I have no time to pay attention to it, so I drag my battered body into the dark alley, where I collapse on my stomach, struggling to breathe. “This way!" I hear an inhumane voice bark, and a sob escapes me as I start crawling on what feels and smells like garbage bags, retching. “f**k! That stinks. I'm not going in there," I hear one say before hearing the bags behind me rustle, and I crawl faster, seeing a light head. I get to my feet, exit the alley, and run back to the road, praying for a car, for anything, as the reality that I can no longer run fast hits me hard. My left hip feels like it's being stabbed by a thousand knives every time I step with my left foot, making me drag my leg. I hear the growls again behind me, and I look back to see the shadows with glowing eyes gaining on me, and I scream like a mad woman, accepting my fate, hopeless. But just then, my prayers are answered. I see lights in the distance before hearing an engine roaring, and I look behind again to see the beasts almost at me as the light's reflection shines on them, and I summon all my strength. The lights shine brighter, and I throw myself in the middle of the road, causing the car to come to a screeching halt. “Help! Please help me!” I breathlessly beg, hearing the car door closing as I collapse to my side, my lungs burning and a voice sounding from a distance is the last thing I hear before the smell of paint greets my nose and darkness takes over. … I awaken to the faint sound of voices, and just then, everything comes flooding back. I abruptly sit up, panting, and I look around to see that I'm in a bed, wearing an oversized long-sleeve shirt. I swallow hard, my throat dry as I look to my left to see a bottle of water on the bedside table. I grab it and gulp down the water, and just then, the door clicks open, and I freeze as I lock eyes with familiar gray ones. Is he the one who helped me? I mentally whisper, recalling the paint smell, and peek under the comforter again, but his voice brings my attention back to him. “I didn't do anything to you. I only took off your jeans because they were wet and muddy," he says, walking up to me, and I notice it's my jeans in his hand. He throws them at me, causing me to spill the water on myself as I catch them. “Thank you,” I mutter as he turns and walks away, but my voice comes out low, so I repeat, thinking he didn't hear me, and he stops but doesn't turn to look at me. “Thank you for saving me," I finish, my voice still quivering from the memories, and I see his demeanor change. “I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself because doing otherwise would have broken Calyx's heart. Now get your s**t and get out of my house.” .................................................................... This book is a Parallel Sequel of Huntress Or Mate? Which means it starts at the same time as Huntress Or Mate? But finishes after. Heads up: Even though the book is connected with HOM? And will finish that story, it starts with its own storyline that eventually blends with the existing one of Huntress Or Mate? So my advice when reading: Don't try hard to make connections between the two books or you will confuse yourself. The connections will happen automatically as you continue reading if you still remember the characters in Huntress Or Mate. Read the book as a standalone. Thank you for adding it, and I hope you enjoy it. ....................................................................