Pippa's POVI couldn’t face going to church after what I did last night. The thought of looking Father Adrian in the eyes is just too much. Every time when I think about it, I burn with shame. What was I thinking, trying to seduce a priest?I get up at my usual time, but instead of changing into my church dress, I change into hiking gear, grab my backpack, and head out into the forest.The church property borders on a large national forest with beautiful hiking trails and streams so clear and clean that you can drink the water.Signs warn me to stay on the trails, but it’s one of the few rules I break. I often go off the trail, and in the two years I’ve lived on my own and allowed myself to do it, I’ve never gotten lost. It’s my superpower. No matter where I end up, I can always find my way back home.Singing softly to myself, I put the priest and the horror twins out of my head, and decide to enjoy the early morning quiet and the forest that I have all to myself today.I lose myself
*TRIGGER WARNING:* This chapter contains violence and some BDSM themes.Caspian's POV “What do you mean you couldn’t find her?” I ask Wyatt Stonefang. “She’s one little human girl. How difficult can it be?” I haven’t been this angry in a while. Two nights ago, when I came across the dark-haired girl, I knew that she is special. I don’t know how or why yet, I just know that I want her. “She wasn’t home Alpha,” Walter, his equally useless cunt of a brother says. I grab Walter’s arm, the right one, the one with the hideous tattoo on it, and twist it behind his back. I pull his arm upwards until I hear the satisfying pop of his shoulder dislocating. “You couldn’t track her?” “We- We couldn’t find her scent, Alpha,” Wyatt says. I let Walter go and kick Wyatt in the knee, shivering with excitement when his kneecap shatters. The wolf howls and goes down, clutching his leg. “Alpha! You are being unreasonable.” “Am I?” I hiss. I bring my boot down on the already obliterated knee and grind
Adrian's POVI went too far out into the woods, so it’s already sunrise by the time I make it back to the rectory and I'm late for my appointment with Pippa.The priests are still in their rooms, doing their morning prayers so my return goes unnoticed, but when I leave the bathroom after taking a shower, Father Abraham corners me in the hallway. “You’re back?”“Yes, Father,” I say. “An old parishioner texted me last night and asked if I’d go see them.”“Why?”I pull my phone with the fake text from Joseph out of my pocket and hand it to Father Abraham so he can read it. “His wife is dying, and he wants me to deliver her last rites.”Abraham’s eyes fly over the text. I have no idea why the man is so suspicious of me – I’ve never run into this problem before, but in a few hours this will all be in my past. He nods and gives me my phone. “How did you get back?”“The bus,” I lie smoothly. “And a very long walk.”This, for some reason, pleases the old priest. He smiles and nods. “You are v
Adrian's POV I take Pippa’s packed suitcase and carry it out to the car. I’m hyper-vigilant and on high alert, ready to run back to grab her and leave if I have to. I load her bag into the trunk of my beat-up old 4 x 4 and cover it with a blanket just in case someone comes by and looks inside. She’s dressed and ready to go by the time I’m back. She looks adorable and thorougly edible in her khaki shorts, an oversized black t-shirt and hiking boots. I tuck all my lustful thoughts away, and try to concentrate on the matter at hand. “Grab a sweater or something,” I say. “It’s cool outside.” “I’ll be fine.” “Do you always have to argue?” “No.” She sighs and pulls her long tresses back, tying them up in a high ponytail. My heart jumps in my throat and my mouth runs dry. I wonder if she has any idea what she’s doing to me. “I really don’t know why I’m doing it. I never used to be so…belligerent.” She fetches a jumper and returns with her keys dangling from her finger. “Where do I leav
Pippa's POVI must have dozed off at some point because the next thing I know, I’m in a dark room, lying on an uncomfortable bed that smells badly of dust. I am tucked into a sleeping bag, and my boots are gone. Groaning softly, I unzip the bag, and unwilling to put my feet bare feet on the filthy floor, I sit on my knees and lean over the edge of the bed, searching for my boots.Adrian put them right next to the bed. I slip my shoes on and finally allow myself to look around. I can’t see much in the dark, and there’s no moon tonight, so there's no light coming in from outside, but I can make out something that may or may not be a dresser, a single chair and an open door on the opposite side of the room.The bed, if you can even call it a bed, groans and squeaks loudly when I get up. I freeze. Holding my breath, I prick my ears, and wait to see if Adrian heard me, but no one shows up.Everything in this place is noisy though. The floorboards squeal with each step I take, and every tim
Pippa's POVAdrian made a fire and somehow managed to cook an entire breakfast on it: eggs, bacon, even toast. “When did you get supplies?” I ask when I sit down on a flat log that serves as a chair.“Joseph brought it last night.”“Oh. Where is he?”“He’s around.”“He’s not going back?”“No. I need him. His place is by my side now.”That’s a little arrogant. “He doesn't mind?”"No." Adrian hands me a tin plate with a big helping of everything and sits on the opposite side of the fire to eat his own food. “In our society, we have a hierarchy. Joseph has a lower rank than I do, and I told him to stay. He won't leave unless I give him permission."That explains why he bowed to Adrian last night. "And what is your rank?"“The highest there is. I am a king, but I'm a king without a kingdom, so it doesn't mean a whole lot.”“A king?” I ask in disbelief. “Seriously? You really have quite the opinion of yourself don’t you?”He just laughs. “It’s not my opinion, it is what I was born to be. M
Adrian's POV I lie on my sleeping bag, listening to Pippa’s even breathing and the rustling pages of the book she's reading. She’s adapting quickly to her new reality and keeping herself occupied. I asked Joseph to sneak into town to get her some books and magazines. Most days she’s out and about, exploring our surroundings, and at night she reads by the dim light of the oil lamp. When she's outside, I always stay close by, just in case she needs me or gets lost, but no matter how far out she goes, she always finds her way back. She’s one with nature, as her kind often are, and doesn’t need me at all while she’s out there. Joseph was wrong. She’s not a Halfling. She’s definitely half Lycan, but her other half is demon. Cambions we call them. Although I’m not even sure we can call Pippa a Cambion. As far as I know, a half-Lycan, half-demon Cambion has never existed. The old people called them changelings because they are so adaptable. Like chameleons, they can change their whole pe
Adrian's POV “We come in peace!” Wyatt shouts at me. “Don’t hurt us.” Oh, I don't believe that for one second. I stare at Wyatt's blue-black, and misshapen face, try to take in the multitude of silver burns across his neck and arms. Someone had given him a sound beating before they wrapped him in silver to prevent him from healing properly. I look over at Walter. The twin’s right arm dangles uselessly by his side, and he’s trying his best to hold it in place with his left hand – he has the same silver burns as his brother. Caspian really is a piece of shit. “What happened to you?” “Alpha Caspian…corrected us and bound us in silver on the full moon. We’re not healing as fast as we should. I don’t know why.” Walter says. “It’s because you didn’t shift on the full moon,” I say. “It slows down the healing process.” Not to mention that it tears the wolf apart if they can’t shift on the full moon. It’s a miracle they survived it at all. Behind me, Pippa gets up and stands closer, but