Izabella (The Bloodstone, #1) ✓

Something sharp tugged in the pit of my stomach, indicating a shift in the environment and my departure from The Midnight Moon. The woody scent of earth mixed with the prospect of rain faded from my senses. After a few miles away from home, Basil blindfolded me and my breathing deepened with fear until he gave me a one sentenced answer, leaving me confused.

“We have hidden paths to avoid intruders.”

He was my mate, weren’t we supposed to share some parts of our lives, our packs? It didn’t explain anything. With our bond incomplete, I couldn’t tap into the depths of his consciousness and with my vision taken, I was hyper-aware of his presence. The beat of his heart thrummed loudly in my ears.

It was a strong heart, fuelling the body with power and contained rage. His aura was palpable; he was a strong one. My wolf flourished within, pride influencing my thoughts as I breathed his scent greedily. Naturally, my thoughts went to pups and how strong they would be with his bloodline.

And, of course, with mine.

My family were considered royalty in the werewolf culture. For centuries, we survived the most atrocious acts done to our kind yet we stood tall amongst our enemies. I wondered where Basil was from, his deeply tanned skin threw me off slightly and I couldn’t pinpoint his ethnicity.

Suddenly, the car jolted forward, bringing me back to earth and I noticed we weren’t moving. The sound of the engine lulling into a deep slumber sparked my curiosity and I knew where we were.

The Bloodstone Pack.

Basil shifted next to me, releasing a harsh breath. I could feel his gaze. Even though I couldn’t see, his eyes still had me on edge. His deep rough voice burst through the silence.

“We’re here,”

“I... I know,” I said quietly.

“Things around here aren’t gonna be the same compared to your birth-pack,” the tips of his fingers skimmed my arm and I shivered. “For one, I won’t tolerate disrespect. Second, I am the Alpha here and I won’t hesitate to discipline you.”

The hairs on my arm stood to attention, anger brimming on the edge. He spoke to me as if I was a petulant child and I didn’t like it. Tightening my lips, frustrated, I listened to whatever he had to say whilst I contained the beast within.

"I not a child,"

"No, but you're barely a full grown wolf," he said and my anger flared. “I won’t touch you, not until the Moon calls me to.”

“What if I don’t want you to touch me?” I spat in disgust.

“You will deny Her will?”

I didn’t reply and he didn’t wait for my answer. Basil stepped out of the Jeep, his loud voice booming around me as he called some of the men that drove with us. They followed his order, collecting our suitcases and the passenger door opened just as the cool breeze brushed against my skin. He guided me out of the Jeep.

Basil unloosened my blindfold and I blinked to clear my fuzzy vision. His hulking figure blocked my view of the men behind him and I stumbled back, my blood running just as icy as his irises.

“Go inside,”

Pivoting on my heels, I stared at a building to what I assumed was the packhouse. My lips parted in awe. Trees stood in line on both sides of the house, like a path towards a heaven that I wasn’t aware of. Dawn approached quietly, the rays of a new day cracking through the trees, shining brightly on the mansion.

Basil sensed my hesitation and I jumped when he yelled an unfamiliar name. Soon, standing next to me was a tall, bulky man with a bald head, tattoos covered on his arm and some on his face. His deep brown eyes gave me a once over before flickering back to his Alpha.

“Cena,” he said once more. “Lead her into the house. I’ve got things I need to do.”

I darted my eyes at Basil one last time before following behind Cena. During our short journey, he didn’t speak and I was uncomfortable with the silence settling upon us. I was in a new pack, I didn’t know anybody and to them, I was a stranger.

Once again, I was the outsider.

I bit my bottom lip, peaking at Cena from the corner of my eyes. His eyes were blank yet, he seemed to have a permanent scowl plastered on his face. With his stance rigid, it looked like he was ready for any possible attack. It spoke volumes, telling one to ‘fuck off’; similar to Basil’s but his promised pain, death if necessary.

“Have you known Alpha Basil for a long time?” I asked. No response. “Okay, then,” I murmured, just as we entered the old mansion.

The quiet buzz of female chatter reached my ears. Without a second thought, I followed the noise and it was Cena’s turn to follow me.

Entering the living room, I wasn’t prepared for multiple eyes to stare at me liked I’d grown a second head. Some of them stood except for an elderly black woman at the far end of the room, sitting on a couch and she eyed me with keen interest. The women weren’t what I expected. Some of them had tattoos as well except for the younger juveniles.

“Luna?” A redhead murmured

“No, Alpha,” The elderly woman spoke, standing to her feet whilst I frowned. She-wolves moved out of her way as she sauntered towards me but I didn’t falter under her gaze. By her confidence, she had some type of control over these women and I narrowed my eyes as she scrutinised me.

“Elizabeth, this is Izabella, Basil’s mate,” Cena spoke behind me and from the gasps surrounding me, I knew they were happy. How long were they waiting for a Luna?

Elizabeth smiled, her pearly white teeth contrasting against her ebony complexion. She wrapped me in a warm embrace then pulled away quickly.

“Finally,” she whispered as she glanced over her shoulder. “Katherina, go prepare a meal for Izabella.”

Grabbing my arm, Elizabeth led me to the dining room. I took a moment to scan my surroundings, finding the peach walls illuminated by the sunlight beaming through the glass doors. She gestured for me to sit on one of the stools. I saw two of the females following after us and they got their meal.

Children flooded the room, their excited eyes landing on me. They looked at me like I was the first person they’ve seen, the first person outside their pack. I could sense the others, ones that weren’t here, somewhere, and I knew The Bloodstone was relatively large. They could sense the Alpha in me and I sent them a tentative smile but they didn’t return. They just stared back with jaws open, eyes wide.

One of the females returned and frowned. “Out, out!”

The kids scurried away and I shifted my gaze to the blonde who sat next to me. She wasn’t exactly blonde, more like a sandy hue that accentuated her deep chocolate eyes. Her smile was welcoming, yet, held a tinge of wariness. Katherina.

“We’ve been waiting for a Luna for many years now,”

I blinked. “Luna?”

She nodded slowly, her brows furrowing. “Yes, that is what happens when an Alpha meets his mate.”

Mentally, I cursed myself. What else would I be to them? “Oh, I didn’t-”

“She isn’t destined to be a Luna, I see greatness in her future,” Elizabeth returned with a meal in her hands and my mouth watered at the tantalising scent dancing around my nose. She placed the food in front of me and I didn’t hesitate to take the first bite.

Her cryptic words confused me but I ignored it with another question. “How old is... Basil?”

Katherina’s frown deepened. “None of us know besides...”

Her big eyes darted to Elizabeth but she shook her head. “I may have raised him but I’m not exactly sure myself,”

“You raised him?” I asked, curious.

She tilted her head to the side. “Well, not completely. When I first met him, he was already grown but much more feral than what you see today. It took a while to discipline his wolf.”

“Does the pack name have any specific meaning?”

Every pack name had a meaning; it was a reflection of the pack members and what they brought to the table when meeting opposing packs. The Midnight Moon symbolised our strength, proven by being the most powerful and well respected amongst all other wolves. It had only been a few hours since I’d seen my family. I made a mental note to call them later.

“Every single one of us in this pack has been through the worse in life, even Basil,” she smiled stiffly. “The Bloodstone reminds us that we are survivors and with our unity, we can heal one another.”

I was even more intrigued by her answer. What did he go through to be the man he was today? I shuddered at the thought, not wanting to dwell on the traumas that he could’ve gone through. I’ve heard stories of abandoned wolves being tortured, raped in their own pack and forced to leave. However, with the stigma brought upon tribal packs, others turned a blind eye, simply saying ‘that’s what they do’. It’s a part of their nature as if they were the wolves and we weren’t.

For non-tribal packs, there was a system that ensured the safety and the rights of every wolf - The Nobles. It was established by The Midnight Moon, The Broken Shadow and The Blue Moon during the early nineteenth century, them making top three on the list.

The Bloodstone could be the thirteenth pack and quite possibly, the last.

Basil was a formidable part of nature - a beautiful beast. His humanity lay beneath his mask, one that hadn’t been touched for a very long time.

Until he met you... said a voice, distantly.

But I’d witness the lack of his humanity. His eyes were void of any true emotions. I could see his wolf, he was at the surface and I knew that it was his eyes looking at me and not Basil’s. We continued talking and over time, I felt my body relax as I accepted my new surroundings. My body grew tired and Katherina led me to a bedroom where I could rest for a while.

I asked if it was his room but she reassured me that it was the guest room. From what she told me, nobody has been inside his room other than Elizabeth and my interest in the enigmatic Basil increased even further.

Stumbling into the room carelessly without locking the door, I sunk into the plush bed with a sigh of content. I didn’t realise how fast I fell asleep until I heard rustling movements around me. I was an incredibly light sleeper and panic sparked through me.

Snapping my eyes open, I saw my intruder. Basil sat across from me, on the couch by the corner of the room, his penetrating white eyes boring holes into my skull. His presence shook off the haze of sleep that lingered in me and slowly, I sat upright in bed. He didn’t say a word. Within a blink of an eye, he was in front of me and I gasped when he placed his hand on my bare thigh.

I wasn’t prepared for his lips to smash against mine. I tried to pull away but it only placed our lips in an awkward position. He was determined, nevertheless. Even in his affection, his lips held a wicked undertone that had my nerves cells frying under his touch. A deep guttural growl vibrated through his chest and I moaned instinctively. Sensations coursing through me were foreign to my body and I succumbed to the power he held.

Our breathing intermingled as he pried my legs apart and terror dampened my moment of bliss. Basil noticed this but he continued. Tilting my head back, his kisses trailed down my neck and I couldn’t fight off the tingles running through me. Without warning, his sharp teeth sunk into the curve of my neck and I cried out, pained.

Tears burned the corners of my eyes and he pulled away. His eyes shone brightly as it resembled a deadly blizzard, his wolf rising to the surface.

The bastard marked me without my consent. I was his forever.

“You are the moon of my life,” he growled dangerously, licking the fresh wound. “You are mine.”

He left without another word and I couldn’t do anything else but stare at the open door, shocked. Whatever I did was futile; this was permanent. Touching the base of my neck, I felt a scar forming, on display for any male to see and know I’m taken. He didn’t wait to consummate our bond nor did he even have the fucking decency to ask if I was ready. Everything was taken away from my grasp so fast, I couldn’t think straight. His mark felt like shackles rather than a bond and I couldn’t control the tears falling down my cheeks.

For the rest of the night, I cried, feeling completely hopeless. It was only in my own company where let down my walls and showed my weakness. I tried to cover my mouth so he wouldn’t hear me. So he wouldn’t come back and try to force himself on me again. Horror struck me at the thought and I curled into a foetus position, protecting myself from the world. I didn’t want to give him any satisfaction on his unfortunate effect on me. I didn’t want to give him a reason to see me as a feeble, little girl.

My tears continued to flow at the thought of being trapped in a place where I didn’t belong, a place where I was unable to become my own.