Nobela ni Sophi Liddell

Sabrina“Stop it!” she shouts, grabbing her pillow and hurling it at me. “It’s not normal! No, it was not okay for him to put his hands on me but you’re not going to kill him! This is going to be handled in a very normal way!”“Which is?” I ask, dry.“We’re going to report it to the bosses and let them decide!”I huff, shaking my head at her as I turn back to Matt –“Don’t look at him!”Kind of stunned by my cousin’s unusual order, I turn back to her, eyebrows again raised. “I’m in charge!” she says, smacking her palm against her mattress with a thwack. “This is my life! We’re doing this my way – not some sick underworld Lupa way! Say it! Now!”I take a deep breath. “I’m not letting him hurt you, Cosette.”

Cosette“Whoa!” Juliette shouts, skidding to a stop at our side. “What – what the hell’s going on here!?”Matty slowly raises to his feet as Demrick groans in pain – and maybe in terror - and I just stand very still, shocked.“Demrick put his hands on her,” Matty growls, glaring down at his enemy before lifting his eyes to Juliette. I watch as he shifts in to his usual calm demeanor – tucking his Lupa identity away, becoming again the hapless nice guy who is so helpful in the kitchen. “I told him not to.”Juliette turns her attention to me, eyes flaring. “Is that true, Cosette?”“Um,” I say, hesitating but then shrugging. God, I don’t – I don’t want this to become a thing. “Yes? He shook me –“Juliette gasps, spinning her attention back to Demrick with ire in her eyes as more people gather

Cosette“Was it a guy!?” he asks again – shouts, really, his arms tightening around me so much that I yelp, surprised as I’m crushed against his chest.“No!” I cry, shaking my head. And it’s not a lie – not really – Max didn’t do anything – and honestly, neither did Sabrina if I’m admitting the truth to myself – I didn’t tell her that I like the Prince, and even if I did I have no claim on him –The only person who’s really hurting me is my own stupid heart –“Who have you been seeing, Cosette?” Demrick snarls, his head lifting and snapping as he looks up and down the hall like someone who dated and dumped me is just going to be standing there thumbing his nose at us or something.“No one!”Demrick snarls again, louder now, his

CosetteI wipe hastily at my cheeks as I rush down the hall, sniffing hard. But no matter how fast my hands work they can’t seem to make the stupid tears just go away.God, this is so embarrassing.But I can’t help it – I’m just…fucking devastated.I couldn’t believe it for a second when I wheeled the cart into the room – I though I had to be imagining it or that my eyes had suddenly broken or that I’d gone insane.Sabrina! Fucking Sabrina in Max’s lap – my Max!My wolf howls and I scowl at myself because…why am I being so stupid!?I whip around the final hall corner and hurry down the basement corridor toward my room, desperate to get in there where no one will see me.Because this truly is so incredibly stupid. And not even just silly – just stupi

SabrinaAnd I remember that he’s always known her name. And while that might be just him liking her pastries and being kind to the employees of this institution, that sort of thing means something to girls like Cosette who are so talented and so often overlooked.I remember back to the night I tried to poison Rhett –And the charm she used on the water – the rhyme so simple, but flexible enough that a powerful Pancibus like her could…could use it every day, bake it right into the bread…Bread that Max eats every morning and evening.My jaw drops when I realize that…Cosette has been protecting him. Protecting Max from any poisons that someone might slip into his food – into any of his food, as long as he eats her bread along with it. And more than that, she’s been boosting his health – everyone’s health who eats her pastri

Sabrina“No!” Rhett calls back to me, pushing the door from the other side. “My thesis statements are fine – I don’t need your damned critiques tonight –“I burst out laughing, pushing harder, and the door gives way just a little bit. We’re all well aware that this is a farce - I’m small enough and he’s big enough that if Rhett wanted this door shut it would be. But I play along, pushing hard, enjoying myself. “Your thesis statements are crap!”“They’re fantastic!”“You need me!” I give one final shove and the door gives, Rhett smirking at me on the other side.He looms over me and points a finger at my face. “You keep your little sparkly pink pen away from my work tonight, Spencer.”I wrinkle my nose at him, all of my teeth bared in a wide smile. “Just try

Nadia“That’s impossible,” dad snaps. But his focus has shifted to the ground, a hand running through his salt-and-pepper hair, clearly more confused and frustrated than suspicious. I bite my lip, my hand turning over my wooden wolf anxiously in my pocket. Dad is so rarely unsettled like this, it always makes me nervous.“The mission is ongoing,” Ethan says, looking tired. I study him, wondering if he also missed a great deal of sleep managing this from afar. “The largest batches of patients came through last night because that’s when the majority of the actual fighting happened, but we’ve got the cave system surrounded. Hassock is inside; once our troops are able to capture him, I’m sure whoever is within the caves who needs help will be sent to you.”Dad sighs, shaking his head, still frustrated.But I turn to Cole, confused about why he’s unsettled.And then I fr

NadiaI ignore Rose’s glare, crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for the video chat to begin. As the screen shifts I lean forward to look at the image of the five of us, grimacing when I see that my hair is…insane.I scowl and hastily try to fix it, tucking strands behind my ears and straightening my messy bun. I’m talking to the damn King, for heaven’s sake, and this is how I show up?The image changes to display Ethan Kincaid sitting in his posh office and I stand up straight. I glance at Cole, the smirk on his lips confirming what I already know. He thinks me coming to this meeting with bed-head is funny.I scowl and turn back to the screen.“Good afternoon,” the King says, looking us over quite seriously. His gaze lingers longest on his son, which I supposed is to be expected, before Ethan Kincaid turns his eyes to Stanzor and dad. &ldquo

Nadia“You need to shave,” I murmur, my eyes moving over his gorgeous face, which is somehow even more handsome when his hair is rumpled, stubble dotting his jaw. Just…much more raw, less polished.And fucking…hot. Annoyingly hot.“You do it,” Cole murmurs, flopping his hand towards the corner of the tent where the basin still sits, full of water. “There’s a razor over there. Clean me up good.”I grin at him. “I can only reach half of your face.”He shakes his head, one cheek still pressed to the pillow. “I’ll turn over when you’re halfway.”I laugh and release my hands, laying them both on his broad shoulder and giving him a little shake. “Cole, get up. We have to go to a meeting and I don’t even have pants.”Cole sighs and slowly turns his head, opening his pretty green eyes to look at me. “Nadia, you not wearing any pants is not something that’s going to make me want to get out of bed –“I burst out laughing and shove his shoulder again. He laughs too, whipping his arm out and grab

NadiaCole laughs, shaking his head at me and reaching for the hem of my shirt. “I’m not using this as an opportunity to get you naked, Nadia. There’s blood all over –““Oh fine,” I say, raising my arms. I’ve got a bra and a tanktop on underneath, anyway, so it’s not like it’s scandalous. But as he starts to lift the top I squeak, pushing his hands away.“What?” Cole asks, frowning at me.“My little wolf,” I murmur, reaching into the breast pocket and taking it out, smiling at it. “My good luck charm. Nobody died on his watch.”Cole smiles softly at me, nodding and then helping me take the shirt off, tossing it on top of an empty laundry bag. My pants come off next and I’m too exhausted to feel prude about it. It’s not like my boy-short underwear are shocking in any way, and if Cole is feeling somehow turned on by this then that’s his problem.I sigh, finally laying myself down on the bed and curling up, my wolf carving clutched in my palm.Cole moves around behind me, setting things

Nadia“Your father has informed me,” Arbroth continues, “that you’ve been checking medical texts out of the library since you were four, Nadia,” the doctor snaps, her patience at an end. “You’re the cleverest girl in this camp and the hardest working. If you weren’t so stubborn about flitting off to humanitarian projects – yes, your father told me about those as well - you’d likely be halfway through med school by now. And I’ve watched you – I’m not sure that medical school will teach you anything about field medicine that you don’t already know! So now go and help those patients – I deputized you for a reason! Whatever treatments you pursue have my explicit permission! Go!”I stare at her for a second and then take a step back.Arbroth gives me a final sharp nod and drops my arm, turning away.I tu

Nadia “I need those bandages over there, Nicole!” I shout. Nicole spins to me, her eyes wide – but honestly, I’m shocked she could hear me over the incredible roar in the tent. Every bed is full of wounded soldiers – all wolves – some sobbing, some quiet and pale, but several shouting their goddamn heads off in pain. “Bed eighteen! Now!”Nicole nods fervently to me as I slap a red flag on the side of my patient’s bed, scrawling notes on his chart that his femur is broken and his treatment plan needs to be verified by the doctor. I hastily clip the chart to the back of his bed and turn, looking for the next –But he grabs my arm with a cry, pulling me back.I gasp and spin to him. “Where are you going!?” he shouts, his voice terrified, looking down at his leg which lays at a sickening angle, twisted to the right halfway down h

Auden glances at me one last time as he reaches the door and I pull the dress over my head, hastily standing and tugging at my laces. I duck down next to his bed, ready to hide as instructed, and he nods to me, pulling his bedroom door open and then heading for the main door.I sit down hard on the floor on the far side of the bed, ducking my head so that I can’t be seen above the mattress, my arms twisted behind my back and tugging as best as I can at the stupid strings that will tighten my bodice.When? When will they invent dresses that women can put on without aid so that they can keep their clandestine night adventures to themselves!? “Papa!” Vivi cries. Auden laughs and says something back as Niall likewise shouts his hellos. I smile – I can’t help it – the sound of their voices going right to my heart.My sweethearts, my cuties. God, I haven’t thought about them in…hours.I

Auden lifts his hips fast and rough, pressing his cock up into me one final time. I moan, grinding myself down, my hands pressed to his chest beneath me, my arms trembling as I go to pieces around him, my inner muscles clenching hard as the tension within me comes to its breaking point and begins to unspool.I gasp again and again as that heat pounds through me, my arms giving out and my body pitching forward as my eyes fall shut. Auden’s there in a moment, catching me against his chest and turning me slightly so that I lay on my side. He murmurs something soft but I don’t hear it – or can’t comprehend it – or something - whatever. My brain is again mush and I can’t find the energy to care.Auden shifts behind me for better leverage, his hips slapping hard against my ass a dozen more times before he, too, groans and stills, coming to his end as a few curses slip from his lips. My body responds, my back arching painfully as I press my ass more ti

We lay there for a long few moments in silence, I think just letting our bodies learn the feel of each other in repose, basking in this new warmth. He ducks his head slightly, rubbing his stubbled cheek against my hair in a very fond, wolfish gesture. I can’t help my growing smile, raising a hand to his chest and letting my fingers spread out over his soft skin.God, who knew it would be this soft?Or maybe I did.Maybe I dreamed it.My wolf gives a scanty little howl of joy, curling up in a little crescent shape with her nose tucked under the edge of her tail, completely content.“I’ve thought about this,” he murmurs, letting his body curl around me more completely, pressing a kiss to my hair.“Really?” I whisper, lifting my face a bit to look up at him, grinning.He stills for a moment, frowning down at me. “You’re going to break my heart if you say you haven’t.”I laugh, smacking him lightly on the chest and lowering my face to press my cheek again to his nice warm skin. “So, what

My breath deepens as I keep my eyes on Auden, my fingers deftly working at the leather of his belt, sliding the end through the metal clasp and then tugging it, working it free of the pin. When I slide the buckle free, my hand moves to the button beneath, quickly popping it free of the fabric.Auden watches my face as my hand works, his expression very serious, very…solemn.Like this is some kind of great ceremony.Like this is…a point which when crossed we cannot go back. Which, I suppose it kind of is.But we’ve already crossed at least three of those points already. Honestly, I’m so far in with this man that…this tiny step? This last little leap?It just feels inevitable. Natural and right.Auden’s hand moves slowly up my arm as my fingers work at the series of little buttons on his fly, slipping each one free. He keeps his eyes on mine, even as my hand slips around to his side, my thumb again running along the waistline of his pants. When I reach his hip, I press the fabric down.

“What are you doing?” I gasp.“It’s easier this way,” he murmurs, settling down on top of my legs. He pauses for a second, but then his fingers wrap again around the edges of my dress, pulling it down a little lower so that half of my booty is exposed.“Auden!” I gasp, my head flying up.“Calm down, Everleigh, this is strictly medical. I just need to see the extent of the bruise.” His voice is low, entertained.“Oh, I hate you,” I murmur, tucking my head back down against my arms, my cheeks flaming.“No, you don’t,” he murmurs, making me smile. A soft scraping sounds, the lid of a jar being unscrewed, and the balmy scent of mint and eucalyptus fills my nose. “This will be cold.”I sigh and nod, consenting to it, thinking that sounds quite nice against the hot ache growing in my lower back. But I still gasp at the first t

Auden shuts the door behind him and I still in the middle of his room, looking around, quite curious.Everything’s lit only in the soft blue glow of night but still – I find myself surprised. All of the furniture is very finely made and neatly arranged, but it’s all very…sparse.Except for one little stuffed bunny rabbit, sitting on top of his pillow, one ear flopping down before its beaded eye. I burst into a smile, loving that a great deal.“What?” Auden asks, coming to stand by my side and seeing my smile.“It’s just…you live like a soldier,” I say quietly, turning my face up to him.“I am a soldier,” he says, frowning at me.My smile widens. “You’re a General, Auden. But still, I just…didn’t expect you to have a guest.” I tilt my head toward the pillows and he turns, his frown deepening before it spread