Introduction
William Kade is the beta for the Hellhounds and ex military. Handsome, smart but damaged, the last thing he expects is to find his mate while carrying out his duties. But that is exactly what happens.
Thalia's and Kade's worlds soon collide and both find themselves in the middle of an impending war which will spell doom for all the souls on Earth if it isn't stopped.
Can Kade and Thalia stop the great war before it happens? Or will they both succumb to their own demons?
Chapter 1
Afghanistan, six years ago.
"There is only one thing you are able to rely on finding in this country and that's dirt." Lance-Corporal Jake Mulligan preached to the new privates as the Ridgeback patrol vehicle bounced along the pot-holed dirt track towards a village not far from the base. "By the end of this week you will have dirt in your clothes, in your boots, in your hair, in your bed in your arse---"
"Hey Mully, are you ever going to shut up?"
"Only once I've finished the induction training, Lieutenant Kade, Sir!" Mulligan smirked before turning back to carry on his sermon about dirt and all the places the men were going to find it.
William Kade (better known as just Kade) turned back in his seat, drowning out the noise in the back of the armoured vehicle as he trained silver eyes on the expanse of arid desert terrain ahead of them. The temperature was pushing 40 degrees celsius outside and yet a thin veil of grey cloud stretched across the skies like a blanket. It had to be the first day in months where they weren't being blinded by the unrelenting sunlight and yet the air felt thicker as if they were in an oven constantly. Despite the insufferable heat and Mulligan carrying on like his life depended on it, nothing was going to ruin Kade's mood.
In just two weeks time he was going home and leaving the royal marines for good. An old friend and pack member had contacted him with an offer he couldn't refuse.
"Bikes, booze and women." Daniel Wolfe had chuckled. "All the things a beta could dream of."
Naturally there was a price that came with such a tempting offer but it wasn't the first time Kade had made a deal with the devil and it wouldn't be the last.
Kade could almost smell the familiar air of the forest after a night of heavy rain, the cold humidity clinging to his skin. It was as close to home as the young werewolf was ever going to get. He just needed to get through the next fourteen days and then he was free. No more uniforms, no more shitty mess food, no more sunburn and no more dirt!
"Sir?" The driver spoke up, a corporal by the name of James Smith who, despite being out here under scorching temperatures and trying conditions, had never browned beyond a sickly cream colour nor gained any muscle.
"Corporal?" Kade answered back.
"ETA is five minutes."
Kade nodded, silver eyes still watching the barren road as he picked up the radio handset.
"This is alpha leader to all scouts. ETA less than five minutes. Man the scopes and keep your eyes out for any bogies, over."
A chorus of 'copy' was returned quickly, the lieutenant putting the receiver back into the cradle before banging his fist on the roof of the armoured patrol vehicle.
With the vehicle lurching and bouncing over the worn out road, Mulligan and two more soldiers moved to man the guns situated on the tops and back of the vehicles. It was a dance they had done hundreds of times before to the point it had become instinct. No words needed to be exchanged as the four Ridgeback armoured patrols trundled along the desert while soldiers armed the assault weapons attached to the hulking vehicles.
The whole atmosphere changed on a dime from observant and relaxed to taut and silent. Around the convoy, sand and dirt thrown up into the air as swirling clouds, hitting the sides of the vehicles like rain, obscuring the landscape. The small town appeared out from the clouds of earth like a mirage, shimmering in the heat. It wasn't particularly big with square and rectangle buildings the same beige colour as the sand clustered together around weathered and neglected roads. A few chickens scratched and pecked at the dehydrated earth while a white and tabby cat with a scabby nose lazed on its side under and old truck.
The small settlement was unusually quiet. Kade had been here enough times now to know who lived where and who to find where at this time of the day. Usually there were a handful of kids playing with an old football under the watchful eye of their mothers or older siblings but even they were nowhere to be seen; the battered old football abandoned in the dirt.
"Is it me or does it seem a tad quiet today?" Kade asked James as they dropped to a cautious crawl.
"It is unusually quiet, sir." James agreed.
Frowning, Kade honed in on his sense of hearing. There were a lot of perks to being a werewolf, especially in the military. Fast reflexes, heightened senses and strength had kept Kade and his men alive this long. Now was no different as he listened for anything to hint at what was going on. At first there was nothing except the low growl of the engines and the clucking and crooning of the chickens.
Then he heard it.
It was faint at first, like the soft flutter of bird wings but the more Kade focused on it, the stronger the fast rhythm became. Heartbeats echoed across the air, fast and heavy like the steps of a runner. They were almost in sync at times like some strange primal tune before collapsing into dozens of thumps and patters with no discernable chorus.
"Looks empty." Smith muttered, his human ears not picking up on heartbeats like Kade's hearing could. "Maybe they left?"
"They're here." Kade replied. "Look sharp. It could be a trap so I want everyone ready to engage if needs be."
Pushing the door open, Kade stepped out with the other soldiers, weapon at the ready as keen silver eyes scanned the scene around him, looking for any sign of life and more specifically insurgents. The heat of the midday sun was now pressing down on them, burning through the thin veil of cloud and bouncing off the windows of a few old trucks parked on the perimeter of one of the houses. The silence was unsettling. Usually there would be a group of boys charging over to meet them, asking questions in rapid succession but today there was nothing.
Kade leaned back into the transport and grabbed the radio, eyes still scanning for life as he contacted base. "Base this is alpha leader tango nine nine uniform kilo, do you copy? Over."
"This is base to alpha leader. Receiving you loud and clear. Over."
"We have reached the target destination and the place appears to be abandoned. Over."
"Copy. There have been reports of insurgents in the area. Proceed with caution and be prepared to engage with hostiles. Over."
Slinging the radio back in its cradle, Kade's eyes switched to Smith who was waiting patiently for further instructions. Something didn't feel right and his wolf, Legion, sensed it too, the silver grey wolf was trying to push to the surface in agitation. Kade was able to control his wolf easily. It has taken years to learn to tame the volatile wolf but now it was like second nature. Still, if Legion felt unhappy about the situation then Kade was going to listen.
"Alright, you heard the man." Kade sighed and checked his weapon was loaded. "Proceed but keep your eyes peeled for hostiles."
They fanned out in small groups, boots moving across the cracked earth silently as they began checking and clearing buildings and huts. They moved seamlessly like carrying out a choreographed dance and yet not one person spoke a word as guns remained poised and eyes remained sharp.
Kade had already decided to follow the sound of heartbeats. Somewhere in the maze of alleys the people of this small town were hiding and they were scared. Humans couldn’t pick up on it but Kade could, the scent of fear was sitting in the air and bitter on this tip of the shifter’s tongue. Around him, his fellow soldiers moved to clear house after house finding no sign of the inhabitants or where they went. It was as if they had just disappeared leaving half eaten food on plates or washing half done. It was eerie and if Kade was a human he'd be convinced that the town had been deserted but he knew better.
The rapid trill of shots being fired up ahead followed by screams cut Kade’s train of thought off. He cursed, setting off in the direction of the chaos as reports from other soldiers came in of unknown hostiles shooting at them. The scent of blood began to permeate the hot air before dark colour droplets marred the beige earth, growing in size until Kade spotted a man slumped against a wall, one hand clutching his opposite shoulder as blood from the gunshot stained his skin and clothes. Pain and fear contorted his features as if he was a wounded creature tapped and unsure what to do.
“Hey!” Kade rushed over, digging into one of the pockets of his jacket to pull out a small first aid kit. “Let me see.”
The man couldn’t be anymore than twenty with dark hair cropped short against honey brown skin and wide hazel eyes that screamed of his pain and fear. He’s tall and lanky, barely filling out the old worn out Real Madrid football shirt and khaki shorts clinging to his frame. He obediently but also hesitantly lifted his bloody hand away from his wounded shoulder to show off the gunshot wound. Luckily it wasn’t too close to the heart or lungs. It was flesh wound but still bleeding dramatically.
“Hold this over it.” Kade held up a pack, pressing it carefully to the wound and waiting until the young man covered his hand over it. “Keep it there tightly but not so tight you hurt yourself. Understand?”
The man simply nodded, keeping his hand where it is, watching Kade cautiously as he radioed in for medical assistance.
“Help is coming. Okay?” Kade assured the injured human. “Did you see where the shooter went.”
“Towards the mountain.” The man mumbled. “Please, you have to help my sister. The men took her and the others.”
“The others?” Kade frowned in confusion.
“They took all the girls.”
“What’s your sister’s name?” Kade asked.
“Laila.” The man replied. “She is only sixteen and she is all the family I have left. Please, you have to help me find her.”
“Okay okay.” Kade calmed the man before he got too panicky and hurt himself more. “We will find her. Tell me your name.”
“Karim.”
“Okay well, Karim. I am going to find your sister but right now I need you to go with this man here…” Kade motioned to one of the medics coming his way. “Let him patch you up.”
Kade left Karim in the capable hands of the medic before pushing further down the street towards the outskirts of the small town. Everything was quiet, even the radio and Kade felt Legion stir within him once more. Just when he thought he was going the wrong way, he spotted movement between rows of sheets billowing in the hot wind. Towards the mountain, just on the outskirts of the town he saw men with guns pushing groups of girls towards a large lorry. It was in the complete opposite direction of where the convoy would travel and it seemed the men knew exactly where to hide. However, for whatever reason, they had gotten their timings wrong and struck just as the patrols were rolling into town. Now they appeared to be rushing to get what they came for loaded and disappear.
“Units, I have eyes on hostiles towards the back of the market. I count ten men and at least twenty girls. Males are armed.” Kade murmured into his radio.
He used the flapping sheets as cover, making sure to keep his eyes on the scene ahead so he didn’t lose them. Just as he came to the end, a shadow darted through two rows of blankets, approaching Kade at speed. Without thinking he raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, a single bullet ripping through the smooth white sheet ahead of him and hitting the shadow.
It was a bad move. The sound of the shot caught the attention of the men who instantly began shooting towards the shifter causing him to duck down to try and avoid being hit. He could see his own target was moving and he scrambled to make it to the body in hopes of getting some information.
What he saw made him stop in his tracks.
On the ground, writhing and trying to breathe as blood spewed from his mouth was a boy no older than eight or nine.
“No. No. No. No…” Kade ran over, scooping the boy up, panic-stricken silver eyes meeting scared brown eyes. “Just hold on okay? Just hold on!”
Bullets continued to fly by him, more of them coming as the patrol opened fire in return to try and stop the men from leaving with the girls. Kade was blind to it all though as he tried desperately to stem the bleeding from the wound in the young boy's chest. His t-shirt was now dark and saturated with blood and his eyes were glazing over, the light in them fading.
"Medics needed near the back end of the market! One civilian casualty! Gunshot to the---"
Kade felt the force of the explosion hit him like a freight train sending him flying back and sprawling into the earth, rubble exploding around him and crashing down. For a few moments the shifter lost his bearings, his ears ringing and eyes stinging from dirt in them. He could taste his blood in his mouth and a piercing pain ripped through his arms and back but he pushed it down to try and move. However, just as he managed to turn onto his front, another explosion ripped through the street, the wall of the building beside him exploding from the impact. The wall groaned as it lost stability before falling forwards. The rubble collapsed onto the top of Kade and everything went black.
Last Chapters
#60 🐺🐺SNEAK PEEK: The Shadow Wolves🐺🐺
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#59 Epilogue
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#58 Chapter 57
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#57 Chapter 56
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#56 Chapter 55
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#55 Chapter 54
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#54 Chapter 53
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#53 Chapter 52
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#52 Chapter 51
Last Updated: 5/6/2026#51 Chapter 50
Last Updated: 5/6/2026
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“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.
Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
The Rogue King II
Under the weight of his grief and pain, along with of the uncertainty of the new mate bond forged between Silas and Nate, Silas decides that he needs help. The weight of being Alpha that nearly just lost his pack if his little sister hadn’t been there, Silas decides to push everything away to be a better and stronger Alpha. Using magic is father gave him, Silas loses so much more than his way.
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On his own, Silas has to navigate through the next chapter alone. Coming to realize his actions, the consequences, and just how much it’s going to take to repair the damage he has done.
Nate, also on his own, works through what it means to step up in more ways than one. Somehow, even after her death, Aelia is still reaching out and helping Nate navigate the world on his own. He vows to grow and step up into the wolf that she knew he could be.
Book 2 in The Rogue Kings following immediately after The Rogue Kings I - Solaris' Reign. Trigger Warnings. Rated 18+.
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A Queen Among Tides is the 5th book in the Queen Among Series/The Gods' Saga. This is an interconnected series. To see how it ends, I recommend reading the full series.
Books in the series order:
A Queen Among Alphas - Book 1
Bite-Size Luna - A Queen Among Alphas Prequel (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Snakes - Book 2
A Queen Among Blood - Book 3
A Queen Among Darkness - Book 4
Whole Again - A Queen Among Alpha's spin-off (available under book 1)
A Queen Among Tides - Book 5
Valor, Virtue, and Verve - Tides Prequel Spin-off (will be available under book 5)
A Queen Among Gods - Book 6
Runaway Empress - A Queen Among Snakes Prequel (will be available under book 2)
A Queen Among Tempests - Book 7
Dark Vocation - Darkness spin-off (will be available under book 4)
A Court of Arcane Souls Anthology (side character short stories exclusive to Ream)
Royal Shadow Series (Next Gen Coming Soon)
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The saint to my sinner. with her innocent eyes and devilish curves.
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The darkness in my heart was finally complete.
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The CEO's Unspoken Love
Before I could answer, he moved closer, suddenly looming over me, his face inches from mine. I felt my breath caught, my lips parting in surprise.
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