The Dying Wolf: The Familiar Empire Series

by Bailey, G.

  “My last name is Noble,” I remind him, and he only laughs as his shiny shoes walk across the even shinier floor.

  “Why your parents chose that last name, I will never understand. Running away isn’t noble, neither were any of their actions and choices they made for you. They cut you three girls off from your true family, your heritage, your lives,” he spits out, anger burning in his eyes. “My brother was as reckless as your mother. The two of them were peas in a pod, and I hope to god you are different than they were.”

  “Reckless is a trait I admire in them. It meant they were brave,” I counter.

  “And stupid.” His reply is curt and cruel, and it makes him look more stupid than my parents ever did. He holds his hands behind his back as he walks down the corridor, past more and more machines and scientists working on them until he comes to a stop. I follow his gaze into a room with two babies in glass cribs, and next to them in the cribs are tiny baby polar bears, curled up at their feet. A strange blue glow covers the animals and babies who are fast asleep and can be no older than a few weeks.

  “These two are the first in a new race,” he proudly states. “Meet the twins of a new era.”

  “They are familiars,” I point out, not understanding his point. Familiars are not new.

  He smiles down at me. “Their mother was human, and we changed her children into familiars inside her womb when they were simply embryos.”

  “How?” I whisper in horror. “Where is their mother?”

  “The scientists finally figured it out. The babies kept dying before, or the mother did before the children could be born, effectively killing the children. Some babies were born half human and half animal, others missing limbs or worse. It took a lot of work to get here, to get to them. Shame we lost the mother in childbirth as she could have birthed so many more just like the twins,” he tells me, but the world slows down as I’m filled with utter horror and disgust. Bile rises in my throat, and I turn, throwing up all over the floor as I gasp for air, wrapping an arm around my stomach. I cough through the sick as my uncle leans next to me. “This is the Dawn’s legacy. We will turn all the humans’ children into familiars, and once our race is bigger, stronger, we will rule this planet. Your family will rule; don’t you want to be part of that?”

  I look up, meeting his gaze.

  “Never.” The one word is all I need to say, and he slaps me hard out of nowhere, taking me by surprise. I stumble back, tripping and falling to the floor, as my hand cups my cheek and I taste my own blood in my mouth. I don’t cower to him, and in this moment, I know he could beat me to within an inch of my life and I will never, ever agree to be on his side. To be part of his house. I glance at the babies who didn’t do anything wrong…and I know I will save them.

  “You will change your mind,” he states. I crawl until I can walk and run to the lift, running through the door the moment it opens. I leave the lab full of horrors with one thought in mind.

  I have to save those twins and burn this damn House of Dawn to the ground.

  Chapter 16

  Anastasia

  I need more dreams like I need more curly, uncontrollable hair…

  “You are out of your mind! Some things are wrong and cannot be changed!” a man shouts from behind me. I spin around, seeing a man in a purple cloak, his face hidden from me. On the floor behind him is a man with long blond hair covering his bow shaped face, all his chest and front, but I can still see that he is naked. Long chains spread his arms up into the air, and blood that looks purple trickles down his arms.

  “There must be sacrifices for a better future!” Archibald demands. The man with the cloak lowers the hood, and I stare at my father. My handsome father with kind eyes, who right now looks so angry. “You would understand this if you ever left that woman’s side!”

  “That woman is my wife, and be very careful with your words, brother,” he growls, and Archibald nods in agreement.

  “Your wife and soon to be child will be safe…only if you leave here,” he replies, kindly, but it’s a threat. My father looks back at the chained-up man.

  “I’m so sorry.” The words fall from my father’s mouth before he walks away, and for once I’m not proud of my father.

  He just left.

  I wake up gasping for air in the dim room, tears effortlessly falling from my cheeks into the scrunched up bedsheets in my hands. It was just a dream, but it wasn’t all the same.

  The man chained up wasn’t real…and my father didn’t walk away. He wouldn’t do that. I shake my head, knowing my own thoughts are as unbelievable as the notion that my dreams aren’t real in some messed up way. I crawl out of bed, wrapping a white cotton dressing gown around myself before tiptoeing out into the corridor. I make my way down to the locked kitchen and turn the key before letting myself inside. I lock the door just as the dim lights under the over top counters all turn on. I swiftly turn my head to the left where thee light switches are and find Liam right in front of me. My frown instantly turns into a smile, and I throw myself into his arms, letting him twirl me around, holding me so closely.

  “I missed you, Ana,” he whispers to me, his hot breath blowing the hair from my neck.

  I smile against his shoulder. “I missed you too. It’s been too crazy here to get to you…how did you get in?”

  “Paid a guard to look the other way,” he replies, and I grin. He brushes some wayward strands of my hair away from my face. “How are you doing?”

  “Homesick and wondering how I have a trace of good in me with how crazy and cruel my family seem,” I honestly answer.

  “People aren’t born evil, but life corrupts the weak.” His words make me feel a little better but not by much. For some reason, the man in the cloak, my own personal ghost, comes into my head, and I know I need to tell Liam about him. Tell any one of my family, my chosen family, that is.

  “There’s a man in a hood that’s been following me since before I became a familiar. I needed to tell you,” I say, and he frowns as he pulls back, locking his eyes on mine.

  “What does he look like?” he asks. “Sound like? How close has he gotten to you?”

  “Tall, but I’ve not seen his face, and he sounds posh…and old. He can’t have grown up anywhere I know,” I say, and Liam nods. “And since he pulled me out of the burning car at the crash, he is closer than before. Like a shadow.”

  “He saved you?” Liam furrows his brow.

  “And he told me not to trust you three. He said something along the lines of that you three came from the same place he did,” I explain.

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Liam counters. “Mason, Alex and I may come from this city but not really. Mason didn’t move here for years, and he is from London. The only other thing he could mean is our ancient familiars. Maybe he meant they all came from the same place as him?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrug, and he leans back. He seems lost in thought for a moment before he snaps out of it, reaching behind him and handing me a plate covered in foil. I smell the contents before I rip it open and find a plate of brownies.

  “My mum made them for you,” he says, rubbing his neck. “Seems you have charmed her like the rest of us. Wanna share?”

  “Always with you,” I reply, placing the plate on the counter. I jump up next to the plate, crossing my legs on the counter and picking up a brownie. I eat two before I’ve even blinked and looked at Liam, who finishes a brownie off before smiling at me. He chuckles and steps closer, reaching his hand up to the corner of my mouth.

  “You have a little chocolate here.” He wipes the corner of my mouth and runs the chocolate across my bottom lip, his eyes locked onto my lips. Within seconds he is kissing me, sliding his hands around my hips and pulling me to the edge of the counter.

  “Wait,” I whisper against his lips, and he freezes, pulling back but still holding me in his arms.

  “I don’t want to ruin this, but I have to be honest. I’ve slept with Alex and Mason, and I feel the same
way about them as I do you. I don’t know what that means for us or how we are going to work this out, but I feel guilty.”

  “Don’t,” he simply answers, and I frown at him. It isn’t that simple. He leans closer, brushing his lips against mine. “Don’t feel guilty for what feels right. Mason, Alex and I will sort out our differences, but I know for sure that we all agree keeping you in our life is worth anything. We want you, you’re our home, and our home is everything to us.”

  “You three are my home too,” I whisper, and he grins, lifting me off the counter. “I’m glad you agree. Now where is your room?” I slide down his hard body, clearing my throat as he takes my hand. The lust in his eyes is enough to make my knees weak, let alone my heart, as we quietly leave the kitchen, leaving it unlocked for Liam to escape later. The house is eerily quiet as we head up the stairs and to my room.

  The second my bedroom door closes, I kiss Liam, and he picks me up, kissing me back just as passionately. I gasp as he throws me onto the bed, and he leans up, tugging his grey shirt over his head and then throwing it onto the floor. The moonlight is shining right through the window, bright enough to light up the entire room as I undo my dressing gown, revealing only a tiny tank top and my yellow lacy panties I’m wearing underneath. His hands work their way from my ankles to my thighs, his thumb tracing against my core as he goes past and to my stomach, pushing up my tank top. I lean up and tug it off as his hands trail up my breasts, and his thumbs flicker across my hard nipples. His lips fall onto my stomach as he tugs and teases my nipples, driving me crazy with every movement.

  I’m breathless as his teeth pull my panties down my legs, and just as I help him kick them off, his tongue slides into my core, and I moan loudly. His hands continue to play with my nipples as he swirls his tongue around my clit, and my orgasm builds and builds until it crashes into me like nothing else. I’m barely aware of Liam rolling me over and pulling my hips up in the air or the sound of his zipper being lowered. Liam slams his cock into me with no warning, and he fills me perfectly with every thrust. This position is too much, too pleasurable, and before I know it, a second orgasm is building and our moans are filling the once cold bedroom.

  “Liam!” I moan his name as I come around him, and he finishes with me, spilling inside me. He tugs me down onto the bed, and I curl myself around him as he stares at me, stroking my hair.

  “My home,” he whispers, and I don’t have to say anything else. He is right. We are each other’s home, and that will never change.

  Chapter 17

  Anastasia

  Love can be found in the coldest room in the world if you find the right person…

  I roll over in bed, a happy smile on my face before I’ve even opened my eyes. There were no dreams to haunt me, and falling asleep in Liam’s arms was beyond perfect in every sense. I look to his pillow, disappointed to see it empty until I spot the little white note. I pick it up and read it.

  My Ana,

  I had to leave before the sun came up, but I will see you again soon.

  Eternally missing you and your homemade cookies,

  Yours,

  Liam.

  I grin as I tuck the note under my pillow and stand up. After a quick shower, I dress in a pink tee shirt that has the word obsession written on it dozens of times, faded and crossed over each other, and black skinny jeans with my pink Converse trainers. I brush my hair, leaving it a little damp before heading out of my room and down the stairs. I come to a halt when I see all three of my uncles, Damon and Bethany waiting at the bottom. They are laughing between themselves and only notice me when I take another step.

  “Perfect timing, sister,” Bethany calls up to me and holds her hand in the air. On her wedding finger is a diamond ring, the rock so big you can hardly miss it.

  “You’re getting married?” I question as I walk down to the bottom step. She smiles so brightly, but it doesn’t seem real to me.

  Bethany looks to Damon, and whatever he sees on her face makes him smile brightly. I’m sure he actually loves her…but Bethany? I don’t think so somehow. “Yes. Want to see the bridesmaid dress I chose for you this morning?”

  “Sure,” I answer, hoping that means we get some time alone. No one stops Bethany as she walks to me on the stairs and nods her head up. I turn and follow her up and then down the corridor past my room. She opens a door, and I head into what I’m sure is her bedroom, and she closes the door behind me.

  “Here we are,” Bethany says, waving at the dress hanging up on her mirror. The purple dress is sexy as anything, made of one piece of silk that starts as a dark purple at the bottom and fades in colour until the top is a light lilac colour. It has a long slit up the one side of the leg and a halter top which is going to be very revealing for me.

  “I’m surprised it isn’t red,” I muse. I can’t imagine our uncles will be happy about my dress being the colour of the house they want to steal me from. Bethany, being the smart sister she is, did this on purpose, and we both know it.

  If I had my way, there would be no dress to start with, and Bethany knows that. She knows I hate dresses, she knows I love her. Yet for some reason, she is pretending neither of these things mean anything when they mean everything.

  “We both know which house you will choose, Annie,” she smoothly replies. “Purple was always your colour after all. I remember you had a purple blanket as a kid that mum made you. It got lost at some point, and so did the red one I had. I never knew why we had different colours, but I do now. Our parents were making the choice for us even as babies.”

  “Don’t call me an affectionate name when you are nothing close to affectionate towards me,” I counter with an arched eyebrow, and she shrugs. I don’t even know if I can believe her story about the blankets. My sister has become a born liar, it seems.

  “Fine, sister,” she retorts, curling her lip.

  “Do you really love him? Is he really what you want?” I ask, and she nods once, crossing her arms.

  “Damon and I are something special, that’s for sure,” she replies.

  “He isn’t right for you, because I can see you don’t love him,” I counter.

  “And you would be the expert on love, right?” she laughs. “Being that you have three boyfriends on the go. I’m sure they keep you busy and you have no time to worry about family anyway. Why don’t you focus on making your choice, sister?”

  “I only worry about family, Bethany. Have you seen the twins?” I demand, ignoring her jab about my guys. She couldn’t possibly understand what we have, even I don’t all of the time. “Do you know what our uncles are planning?”

  “Of course I know, and I was there for their birth. You are the late one to the party, sister,” she almost laughs, and it shocks me. How can she be so cruel and empty?

  “Bethany, this is wrong, and you know that. What has happened to you?” I demand. “Did you knock your head and become a monster overnight? Is there any way to return your humanity?”

  “I grew up!” she shouts at me. “And you need to as well. We are not humans anymore, and what our uncles are doing may be hard to swallow, but hard things make perfect endings.”

  “Mum and dad took you from this world to save you from it,” I remind her. “And you’re losing yourself. Don’t you see it?”

  “They made a mistake,” she replies with a sneer and walks out of the room as I try not to cry.

  I feel like I’ve lost Bethany…and I’m not sure how to save her anymore.

  Chapter 18

  Anastasia

  Home is where your true family is.

  “Honey, I’m home,” I shout when I step into Courtney’s mansion, leaving one prison for another. My suitcase is taken from me in an instant and carried up the stairs by a guard just as Skye and Phoebe coming running down them. I’m tackled by them both, and I laugh as they squeeze me tightly. I kiss the tops of both their heads, and Phoebe immediately starts rambling about missing me while Skye waits for her to finish. When Phoebe finally
comes up for air, she hugs me once more.

  “Courtney has gone away for the day and said she will be back in the morning. The guards are light, so I think we should take Phoebe out. If she wants,” Skye suggests with a big smile.

  “No! Aunt Courtney said I could have a new princess dress if I stayed good while she was gone. You two go!” Phoebe huffs and frowns at us as she lets me go. Wow, Courtney knows how to buy Phoebe’s love and good behaviour. At least for now. I think us Noble women learn a few skills as we get older and wiser.

  Like how to make our own decisions.

  I take Skye’s hand and walk to the front door, waving goodbye to Phoebe who looks mad.

  “See you later, sis.”

  Skye tugs on my hand as we step out the front door and head across the driveway. The three guards look up, staring at us with blank expressions. “What are you doing? They won’t let us leave!”

  “I’d like to see them stop us,” I counter, arching an eyebrow just as Shadow jumps over a wall. I stop and climb onto his back, offering a hand to Skye. She laughs as she takes my hand, and I lift her behind me before Shadow calmly walks up to the guards. They lift their guns, and Shadow growls once.

  The warning is enough to make them gulp and look between each other.

  “Is stopping me leaving worth having your head bitten off?” I ask them, and they don’t answer me, but they do look rattled as Shadow growls once more. “Let us out and this will be our secret. Boss woman isn’t home, and we will back before she is. Now move, or Shadow will make you.”

  “Come back tonight,” the guard on the right gruffly commands, and I nod once at him. He rubs his face and looks to his friends, who step aside. Shadow runs out of the gate and straight down the road as Skye laughs behind me. I chuckle along with her. We head straight to the edge of the city before getting off Shadow, and he runs back into the forest. Skye takes my hand, and we head into the chaos of the crowd, pushing through until we get to my guys’ home and head inside. Skye all but skips all the way up the stairs, and the people all say hello to her and ignore me completely. I don’t blame them; I’m an outsider who now lives in one of the rich houses.