"The weather is great, is it not?" Lino asked, breath tickling Cassy neck, and Cassy smiled broadly. She had accepted to go on the date with him. Too many things had transpired in the last few days and she needed some air out of the castle. It was therapeutic in a strange way and she did not feel that much heaviness anymore. She was on good terms with her parents again, but there was still a distance between them that she was not quite sure would get fixed so quickly. She saw them everyday, ensured they were alright and well fed. They checked in on her too, but the warmth that came from family was not as great as it used to be. Perhaps with time, it would get better. They had yet to hear back from Julian, and though they trusted in his abilities, they still slowly prepared for a fail in the plans. She had rallied against Lino when he had said they had to prepare a backup plan immediately the hybrid left, but he had explained that it was a normal occurren
Lino shoved Cassy behind him, taking a stance in front of her as he snarled at the men before them. They peeled away from the shadows with ease and grace and Cassy wondered for how long they had been there, laying in wait. "Cassy," Lino said underneath his breath, low enough that only she could hear him speak. "Run." Cassy pulled back on the sleeve of his shirt. "Run? There is no way in hell that I'll leave you here with them!" Lino's hand pressed her back, away from the men. "Now is not the time to argue with me, Cassy. There are ten of them. I cannot fight with them if you are here. They will go after you to try to make me bend and while I'll fight till I die for you, I do not think it is wise to even let it get to that point." "They are going to come after me anyway," Cassy said, heartbeat spiking as she noticed the men drawing nearer. They were all looking at her. She knew they had come for her again, and Lino would be safe if she wasn't here. It wa
The men caught up with Cassy and Lino in a little while. They were surrounded and it came down to fighting or getting taken. There was no turning back now. Or running for Cassy. She would stay with Lino and fight it out. Leaving no time for them to try communicate with each other, they attacked. It was not a fair fight. Lino held well against them, but they were nine men who were rather difficult to kill. Seven were left with two down. With each swipe against the enemy, the sound of bones breaking filled the air, and Lino stood in front of Cassy, shielding her from the enemy's attack, as they had to be in direct line of sight before the hold of their magic could be strong enough to wreck through them. He shoved her repeatedly behind him and each time, she felt pain through the mating bond. It hurt like hell, but Lino did not stop moving. He did not let her see his pain or feel it. He held her in place behind him, ensuring that she was safe, and when they tried
Cassy fell forward as a burning sensation filled her up. She writhed, lunging for him. She was yanked back by the male holding on to the rope around her like it was some leash. Growling, she jutted forward, pulling the rope out of the male's grasp. The male grunted, going after her but Cassy did not care that she looked like a ragged animal. She didn't care that she was ripping her skin by pulling back on the ropes. She didn't care that someone was pulling her hair from behind, trying to take her away from him. Her world, her life was reduced to Lino's form that was writhing in pain. Against the pull of three men, she reached her mate's side and leaned over him. A tear dropped on his cheek and her lips trembled as she watched him breath hard, holding his hand to the gash to prevent blood loss. "It'll heal," Cassy cried, nodding amidst sobs. "It'll heal, Lino." He coughed slightly...and Cassy's breath hitched when she saw the blood on his lips. "Won't," he gritt
Julian had blood on his arms, his clothes. It clung to him like second skin. Not that any of it mattered. All he could see were those eyes pleading with him to end their lives. The prisoners had not cried or begged him for mercy as he'd killed them. They had shown gratitude that their was coming to an end. He tried... tried so hard to pacify himself with the fact that he hadn't killed them like Sasha wanted him to. He had done it swiftly, so that they felt no pain. But their eyes had been added to the set that would forever haunt his dreams. "Welcome back," Sasha smiled, taking her sword from him, and though he felt sick, he forced a smile onto his lips. Bile rose to his throat but he kept it down. He would not vomit. It would ruin everything. This was who he had become for Sasha those years ago. Her killing machine, and he had done it that too gladly. Falling back in that place should not be so hard. But it was. He felt himself dying inside.
Cassy held on to Lino's arm as he was treated. Everyone sat in solemn silence around her, but she could barely hear them over the thudding in her chest. She wiped a breaking sweat from his forehead. He was running a fever and his skin felt wet and clammy. He looked pale. Too pale, it scared her. Her grip tightened around his fingers as she watched him breath slowly. Too slowly. Gerald has said he was out of danger, having spent the entire night and morning removing the last of the wolfsbane from the cut. The wound had begun to heal but it was slow as well. Cassy's lips quivered and she wiped the tears that dropped from her eyes. She reached down to the bond that lay dormant within her and she spoke a few words to him, hoping it would reach him. Anything to have him open his eyes again. Anything at all. But he didn't move. He just...kept sleeping. Kayden cleared his throat, having given her enough time with him. He'd been asleep for a while and the pac
Julian turned slightly in his steps at the mention of his name. It was becoming daily routine. The pretence. The lies. The deaths. Sasha had him do things that made him constantly feel more and more hollow inside with no chance of being saved. Julian's eyes darted about, settling on Dameon's smug face. The male strolled over to where he stood and reading his floundering gestures and the evil glint in his eyes made Julian worry. "She has called for you," Dameon cooed. "Best to get there quickly. She is in an awful mood." Julian kept his expression cool, even if he felt slightly rattled. He had not been careful, sending that message to the Alpha. But he had barely had the time to 'be careful'. He had seen Sasha sending off the men in secret and he had overheard her conversation with Dameon. He had thought after everything she had made him do, she might just trust him a little more and reveal her plans to him, but he had been wrong and he had only stumbl
Cassy slipped into bed beside Lino, wrapping her arms carefully around his torso and laying her head against his chest. He had looked much better when she had checked and now, his heartbeat was strong again. Why wasn't he waking up yet? She sighed, letting her eyes close. Tracing circles on his bare chest, she said, "I do not know if I have done the right thing." Rather than call for men to defend the castle, she had made Kayden send messages across the lands to give them warnings of the incoming onslaught. If Sasha thought she would use the people as shield, then she was wrong. The castle was at the far end of the lands. Cassy was more worried for the people at the outskirts and the humans who were in the direct line of Sasha's attack. It was why she had sent the messages. But she had left Kayden to device strategies to curb the attacks as well as the bloodshed, because there would be. She had considered riding out herself, to find the sorcerers. To find Sash
Eleanor dashed through the woods, panting and cursing under her breath. It wasn't supposed to go this way, she thought. She was sure she had not been followed. But now, the guards were after her, hot on her tail and she could not seem to outrun them. Her parents would be disgust if they saw her now. What had become of her. Cassy and Lino would probably laugh their heads off if they saw her. She was a thief. She had been living from and to mouth for years, taking shelter in empty barns or cottages, stealing food from moving carriages or from travellers. She had walked and moved and tried to make something of herself for the past few years, but all anyone wanted from her was to bed her or turn her into a whore, and while she knew she was a despicable person, there were things she could not allow. From the ears of one of the travellers, she had heard of a castle in the North, with plenty or riches that were untouched by the Alpha who seemed to have no intere
Two years later... "No. Not that one. Do not put that in your mouth, Fenris," Cassy said, lifting her son off the ground and throwing the sand stained pebble he had been about to put in his mouth. "Where is your brother?" She questioned, and he smiled at her, pulling her hair instead and giggling. "Asher?" She called out, looking around the playground Lino had built just for his twin sons. She heard Asher's answering giggle emerge from the other end, and a smile graced her lips when she saw Lino holding him and tickling him. He loved them. There was no surprise there. Over the last two years, she had gotten to see sides to Lino that she had never thought she would again, after she'd lost their first child. He was kind, loving and stern when he needed to be. Maybe scratch the last part out. When it came to the boys, there was not a single stern bone in Lino's body. All they had to do was smile at him and he would lift them up and tickle them. Cassy
Cassy and Lino sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped tightly together, awaiting Gerald as he gathered he shrugged out of his gloves. She began to fidget and Lino rubbed her knee to soothe her, even if he was also fidgeting. Cassy felt her stomach twist and tighten with nerves as she thought about it. She pressed her free hand against her stomach, trying to feel for something, anything at all that said that it was there. She hadn't felt funny in the past few days. Other than the need to sleep. Her last pregnancy had been somewhat hectic and she had been a horrible mess before she even found out she was pregnant. She supposed it should be the same. The nausea. The morning sickness. The cranky mood. The obtuse emotions. It was the only reason why she didn't think she was. That too and the fact that she looked absolutely normal. She hadn't gained extra weight or anything. She'd lost some. She stole a glance at Lino. His expression was calm but she could tell from
Cassy peered around, in the familiar darkness and she immediately knew where she was. It had been a while since she had been summoned by Selene and she had quite a lot of words to say to the wolf when she graced her with her presence. "Selene?" Cassy called out, turning in a spin, searching for the familiar figure, but she couldn't find the wolf. "I see all is finally in order," a voice that sounded both ancient and young said, and Cassy turned to find the big wolf approaching her. "Yes. No thanks to you. You left me with nothing but scattered clues here and there. I didn't understand a single thing." "But you have come out victorious," the wolf said drily. Cassy scowled. "Again, with no thanks to you. Julian's the only reason why we won. You picked me up and then abandoned me--" "And who do you think sent the sorcerer your way?" Cassy's lips pursed and she kept quiet, listening to Selene and her 'explanation'. "The Goddess's interfere
Lino sat in his throne, head leaning against his fist. The day had only just begun and he was already exhausted. He always hated the aftermaths of squabbles and war. Deaths and meetings and hard decisions had to be taken. It didn't make it any better that Cassy was not with him today. His mate had slept the entire day away yesterday and she was today as well. He understood that she needed the rest, especially after the ordeals they had gone through. It was absolutely normal for females to fall into deep sleep after a weight like war had been lifted off their shoulders. He had been telling himself that the entire day, just so he could get his mind off the possibility of Cassy being pregnant. He was excited and extremely anxious as well. He had known the joy of expecting a child once before, but this was different. Perhaps, it was because she was his mate and he was in love now. He couldn't stop fidgeting and thinking about it. Truth be told, he wanted nothing m
Julian strode over to where Sasha laid on the ground, head severed from her body. He had not thought it would be so easy to end her life. He had not wanted it to be easy. He had wanted her to suffer for it. Every day. For everything she had done to him. For every atrocity she had committed. For all the wrong she had caused him. He had wanted her to suffer. But he had killed her too quickly. And...saved the day. His unusual eyes overlooked the battle field and what little of the sorcerers that were left and we're still being killed. His eyes wandered over to the Luna and Alpha seated off to the side, holding each other and crying. His eyes then wandered back to Sasha's unseeing eyes. He let it truly sink in that she was dead and gone. Slowly, it sank in, like a stone would in the middle of an ocean. It settled within him. Standing in the middle of a battle field with his armour coated in blood and his fingers wrapped around the sheath of his sword, J
Cassy panted, peering down at the blade and the minute distance it was away from her heart. No no. The woman was not bluffing. The back of her head hurt terribly, no thanks to Sasha's blow, and the tiniest movement had her wincing in pain. It was nothing though, compared to the obvious panic in Lino's eyes. A burden in her chest lightened a little. He was fine. He was covered in blood and gore, but he was fine. Taller, hairier and scary. He was in between this wolf form and the other. His red hair made him look all the more stunning. She gave him a sharp look that all but said, "You should not have left me inside." Lino ignored her, baring his teeth instead at Sasha. "Touch her, I'll end you." The woman had the audacity to chuckle and Cassy marvelled at her boldness and lack of fear. "Before you move, she'd already be dead. You're at my mercy, Alpha," Sasha said, piercing Cassy's skin with the dagger for effect. Not the other way around. I suggest you w
"Think we might make it back?" Lino asked asked Kayden as he jammed the rock into the sharp edge of the sword. Kayden shrugged, staring up at the sky. "I have no choice. Ayla will throttle me out of the afterlife if I do not." Lino smiled. He could think of a couple of things Cassy would also do to him for leaving without her. He had better make it back home. He had no other option. Night had fallen and they had chosen to make camp. It was more like...laying in wait and resting while the enemies rode toward them. Lino wasn't the type of Alpha to move things in a rush. He would wait for her. Sasha. And by the spies he had dispatched a few moments back, he knew that they weren't far off any more. And leading them his way was the hybrid, Julian. Whether or not he would fight on their side when it mattered, Lino couldn't tell, but he had seen the hybrid and looked in his eye. He had seen the hatred for Sasha and even if he trusted nothing else, he trusted in those
Cassy placed outside the yard, trailing the line of defense the guards had formed, laying in wait for their enemies. Just in case. She had no doubt that it was Lino's instruction too. The man always thought and prepared ahead for the worst case scenario. There were more than a hundred scattered about in various defense formations and Cassy marvelled on how they blocked every entrance into the castle. But... wasn't a hundred too many to guide the amount of women inside? Perhaps it was because of her or it could be the fact that they were the weaker and more vulnerable sex. A sudden shout came from the front, by the towering gates of the castle and Cassy believed it to be, "Close the gates!" The shouts increased and Cassy ran up to the gates where the guards were frantically trying to lock them. There were still people trying to get through. Late arrivals from the houses around the castle. If the gates were suddenly locked, they would have no where else to