The rewrite will have 100 chapters in total and but will be removed in February, completed or not due to publication issues.
On REAM - the Kindle version will be uploaded with all of the changes, upgrades and additions to the story.
I am no longer on Patreon.
If you're not familiar with Ream - go to my BIO. There you will find step by step instructions on how to join and how to get the app on your phone ( if you have an IPhone )
The Kindle version will be uploaded to Kindle on February 14, 2024. . . And this book will be split up into 3 seperate books. So the first book, Chapters 1-33 will be posted to Kindle on the release date listed above.
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RAIDEN ||
Taking things slow.
It'd seemed like the best scenario for my situation with Dylan, seeing how he didn't seem like the kind of man that was secure enough in himself to be mated to a man like me.
Our conversation earlier proved just how right I was when he said that he just couldn't accept a man but we both knew that he would never reject me — if he'd wanted to, he would have done so the very first day that he laid eyes on me.
Yet he hadn't, so there was something in Dylan's heart, something in his soul that wanted me.
I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't actually look forward to the time that we somehow did make this work.
But for now, this would do because I was correct in what I said before — I would not accept a mate that couldn't accept me, so until that time comes, we will do what's best for the both of us and take things slow.
_____
Walking into work, I wasn't exactly thrilled about the job that I was doing today — or rather the place that I was working in today.
Club CLAW — a nightclub owned and operated by the Blackstone pack in the large, boisterous and obnoxiously busy werewolf city, Ethos.
The last three years of regaining my freedom, I started investing into myself. Trying to find things that made me happy, relearning what brought me joy in life and one of those things was painting.
It was perfect for a man like me — for a feline like me, someone who didn't have much tolerance when it came to crowded places or loud noises.
It was something that I could do whenever my anxiety became too much — when it threatened to take over my life and pull me under.
Painting was a beautiful way to escape for me, to get lost in my brush strokes and enjoy the tranquility of it all.
My hobby turned business has brought in some serious cash for me over the years. I was able to purchase my condo outright, to buy my very first car with no monthly payments, to support myself like I've never been able to do before.
I've become extremely proud of my life and my confidence has spiked since learning to love myself again, since I've learned what makes me happy and what makes me tick, since I've grown into the man that my family would be proud of, that my brother and sisters would be proud of — that I would be proud of.
My business is based on word of mouth — my previous clients speak to the people that they know who are looking for work and then they send them to me.
I wasn't too thrilled to be working in this large, werewolf city but the guys that was seeking my help in recreating the atmosphere of their nightclub, seemed desperate on the phone about a week ago as they weren't bringing in enough money to sustain their pack and they needed a whole new look to their club.
One that would bring creatures in and make them spend money — an atmosphere that you spent so much time having fun in, you didn't even realize how much money you were actually spending.
And today was supposed to be like any other place that has reached out to me for my services.
Unfortunately the guys that hired me, Dean and Jake Harris of the Blackstone pack were upset about the color they chose for the outside of their nightclub and now wanted me to repaint the entire exterior before moving to the interior.
"So let me get this straight," I chuckle, shaking my head a little as I look between the two. "You chose this color, you paid for this color, I painted a sample and told you that the color would dry a lot darker than it looked originally, you two gave me the good ahead, I painted it and now you're unhappy and want me to repaint the entire exterior but you don't want to be charged for the extra time and labor that goes into that?"
Dean nods, an annoyed expression now coming across his face. "Obviously," he growls before looking at his brother, Jake. "This is why I told you we shouldn't have hired a feline to do this, they don't listen to shit, they're stubborn, hotheaded and think the world revolves around them."
"I think this is called projecting. This dumbass just stated everything that an Alpha wolf is, except he missed the whole obsession with dominance thing, let me out Raiden, I promise I'll make it quick, just one bite to the jugular." — Onyx, my Black Leopard, growls.
His distaste for their entire species was comical to say the least. I'm a man of great patience but my beast, not so much.
Sighing patiently, I say, "I'm not repainting the entire exterior of your club without being paid for the extra time and labor."
Jake scoffs. "We're not paying you for extra time and labor when you fucked up the outside of our building, you need to honor your shit and repaint it."
I chuckle a little, "Again, you two chose this color, I told you that it would dry darker than what it originally seemed and again, you two understood that, you even signed off on the agreement stating you did, so legally I'm not at fault, you are."
"Excuse me?" Dean snarls, taking a step towards me, my eyes following the action as I raise a questioning brow. "We're not at fault for your fuck up, now redo this shit or you're not getting paid at all and we will get someone else to fix this shit then we will sue you for expenses that we had to cash out to do so."
"I promise I'll make it quick, Raiden. Just let me out, one bite, one swipe, anything to silence these dusty ass wolves." — Onyx growls again, pushing forward with me.
Balling my fists and taking a deep breath, I take my time in honing in my beast before he could something that we both would regret.
I had no doubt in our ability to shred these two idiots but we were in a city run by werewolves and filled the stench of them as multiple packs owned and operated the entirety of the businesses within this City.
After a few moments of reigning in Onyx, I narrow my eyes at the two dimwits in front of me.
Observing the Alpha and the Beta wolf, I shake my head again. I make an obvious note to look down at them as they were both maybe two inches shorter than me, I didn't necessarily have to look down as much as I did — but just getting under their skin made me so very happy.
Minutes pass by, our silent stare down never ending as I blink once, twice at the men in front of me.
I'm not pressed for cash and seeing how I've already given them a discount because I felt bad about their business going under — I nod more to myself, turn around and start heading back towards my business van with all of my supplies inside.
Unlocking the front door, I climb inside and make a mental note never to do business with Club CLAW again then start the engine.
"Hey!" Dean yells, walking towards my van. "Are you fucking serious?! You're just going to leave this shit like this?!"
I nod, looking out the window. "Yup, enjoy your shitty paint job."
I hadn't even gotten the chance to do the amount of coats that it would take for the paint job to look immaculate — even with the shitty color.
Looking in my rear view mirror, I start to back out of their parking lot.
"Ok, wait!" Dean yells again, banging on the drivers side window. "Just fucking wait!"
Stopping my van, I slowly turn my head to look at him out of the window again, I wait patiently for what they were going to say.
"Can we come to some kind of compromise because this is totally fucked?" Jake asks and I nod again.
"Absolutely, the compromise is, you pay me for my work. The extra time and labor it takes to strip the building just to repaint the entire thing would be insanely expensive and I've already given you a discount, so what's it going to be?"
"That's not a compromise." Dean states in a matter of fact tone and I shrug.
"Seems like a great compromise to me." I sing out, still patiently waiting for the dimwits to decide on what they wanted to do.
I work alone, this job has already taken weeks to complete which is ok, but now it would take even longer to strip the paint, prime the building and then repaint.
After a few short moments of annoyed silence from me, the Alpha wolf finally gives in. "Fine! Just fucking this shit."
I smirk. "Say please."
That's when the Alpha wolf punches my drivers side window, a spiderweb of cracks spreading across the glass — hilariously, I flinched from the impact but I was completely unbothered by his short temper.
My father is far more scarier than these little men could ever be. They may be hot shots in their pack where their minions follow them without hesitation and fear their pathetic auras but I was not one to back down from anyone — anymore.
Dax Kyles and N.E.U.R.O. Labs ruined my life for three years — and now that I'm free of their captivity, I would never bow down to another soul.
"You'll be paying for that." I tell him as I watch the cracked glass continue to spread. "For a man who seems so pressed for money, you have absolutely no control over your emotions before causing damage to someone else's property."
"I'm not pressed for money, feline!" He spits at my window and I grimace at the action, shaking my head because now I really wouldn't be finishing the job for them.
"Yeah," I draw out, narrowing my eyes. "We're done, you're a lunatic. Enjoy your shitty paint job and I'll be looking forward to the day that your business shuts down for good."
With that, I pull completely out of their parking lot, curse words thrown about as they toss rocks at my work van.
This is exactly why I hate doing business with wolves, they have such short tempers and they seem to have no control over their beasts — it's embarrassing to say the least.
The damage they caused to my work van was going to cost me some serious money but at least I actually had it to spend, unlike the broke bitches that actually caused the damage.
It's always the ones who don't have money that seem to cause the most damage to other people's property.
But oh well — at least I'll have the last laugh.
_____
Pulling into my complex, I park my work van in front of my garage, getting out and making my way inside of my condo through the garage.
Smiling at my pride and joy — my very first car that I bought with my own money.
Closing the garage door behind me, I put my dufflebag down in the hallway, kicking my shoes off and taking my jacket off, hanging it up next to the door.
Stretching along the way, I walk into the kitchen, opening the freezer after grabbing a glass and pouring myself a stiff drink because fuck me, I needed it after the day that I've had.
I mean shit — getting to speak to my blessing properly for the first time, realizing that we both didn't actually want to accept each other for two very different reasons and then having to deal with the headache that came with Dean and Jake Harris, I deserved this drink more than anyone else.
After downing enough to drown out my building anxiety, I make quick work of taking a shower and then climb into bed.
Thanking the Sun God above for the comfort of the fabric surrounding my aching body.
Closing my eyes as I allow sleep to take me, I think about tomorrow and how Dylan and I had planned to meet once again — same time, same place at the beauty of the Stone Waterfall.
A smile creeping onto my face as the last image in my mind that plays before exhaustion pulls me under, was the annoyance that crossed Dylan's features as he waited for me to show up at the time,m that we agreed to, unaware of the fact that I'd actually been watching him the entire time.
Loving the way that he seemed so fixated on the rabbit that stole his attention for a whopping nine minutes.
My adorable little Alpha wolf.
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I LOVE THIS VERSION OF RAIDEN!😍😍😍
Brand new chapter of our rewritten version, trust me the capture and betrayal chapter is coming but in this rewritten version, I put a handful of filler chapters before we actually get to the craziness of the story.
Trust me when I say — this version of Raiden is unlike anything you've read before of our favorite Leopard😍
Do we like this version of Raiden? What about the differences in Onyx?
What did we think about Raiden's job? His life now? His condo, car, self employment?
What about the fact that he encounters Dean and Jake to do a job for them at their nightclub but has no idea that they are related to Dylan?
What did we think about how he handled the situation with them?
Thoughts on the entire chapter???
UPDATES — I will work on posting my weekly schedule on my Message Board just like I used to do besties!
Don't forget to comment if you felt the urge and vote if you enjoyed this one!
💋 LYNEA
Thanks so much for reading,
Until next chapter,
Byeeeeee Bestiessss!!