Eleanor was awake long before her eyes opened. She was on a horse. How did she know this? She kept hoping up and down in a painful motion and it kept jarring her awake. She was tired and felt heavy. She just wanted to go back to sleep. Her eyes suddenly shot open. How and why was she on a moving horse? She found it hard to move as she was still bound and she hand been placed over the horse on her stomach. What in the world... "Stay still, or you will fall. But if you do want to squirm anyway, be my guest. I will not hesitate to leave you behind if you fall," the male said and she recognized the same deep voice that had lulled her to sleep. She raised her head a little to find him riding beside her on another horse. Had he stolen the horses? They hadn't been in the shelter...though there had been hay. How had she not notice being taken out of the shelter and being placed atop a horse? Why did she feel dazed and tired? "Did you spell me?!" She sq
Eleanor felt him rather than heard him behind her and her scream shook the forest when something hard crashed into her, toppling her over. Panting, she squinted at his eyes that glowed. "Please, don't kill me." "I told you to stay put!" He roared and something within her wanted to keel over, kneel to him, bow to him. She fought against it and snarled at him. "Why? So when you're done with them, you can continue with me as well?! So you can rip me apart as much as it pleases you?! Like hell I will stay put just so you can kill me." He laughed and his voice had her fine hair rising. She was suddenly aware of the fact that he was stretched above her, and how they were melded together in all the wrong places. "Get off me!" He blinked, and straightened faster than she could have thought possible as he pulled himself off her. Cussing at him, she patted down her--his clothing, getting the dust and leaves off it. "You're hybrid?" He stalked away, grippin
Cassy's eyes swung open and she lunged out of her bed, steaming. It didn't matter that her head was aching terribly, or that her shoulder stung horribly. She threw the sheets aside and stomped toward the bathroom. "Luna," Morra said, staring from the corner of her bed where she had been sleeping before Cassy awoke. "You must rest and eat. The physician said you will feel weak for the next few days but--" "I'm fine," she snapped at Morra as she sprayed water in her face, rinsing it. The woman fell silent and Cassy looked at her. She wasn't angry at Morra. Why was she snapping the woman who had stayed by her side when Lino had failed her again? "Sorry. I just...i need to...train. Ready my training gear." A worried look flickered on the woman's face. "You are not well. You should rest. You can train later. The ceremony has been shifted farther to the next seven days. You can--" "What?" Cassy asked, straightened from the cauldron of water. "Who shifted the
Lino watched Cassy storm away from the yard and he turned around, equally fuming. She was mistaken about everything. She did not understand what had happened, and it was more annoying that she would not even hear him out. He had never seen her so angry, and he did not know how to deal with it. His area expertise did not extend to dealing with an angry mate. He had felt her outrage through the bond while he had been on the ride, and it had pulled him all the way back to the castle from where he had been in an important meeting with the few sentries he had left by the borders that were still alive. He had been out there every single day since she had been attacked by the sorcerers. He had hoped to find a clue on who might have sold out details of Cassy's location to the sorcerers. The timing had been off. He had had physicians look at the dead bodies they uncovered everyday and it had been evident that the deaths occured a little after midnight. Not five hours earl
Cassy had been biting her fingers off in her room, nervous and worried. Perhaps she should not have been so harsh. Perhaps she should have considered the fact that he had looked so tired while he had been talking to her. Maybe she had been mistaken about the princess. Maybe it had all been one huge coincidence. She shouldn't have yelled at him that way. She should go apologize to him. She was just wound up tight about everything and the thing with the princess kept popping up. She had every reason to be angry after what had happened, but she should have heard him out in the very least. She had twisted the doorknob and taken the path to Lino's room, only to find that he wasn't in. Then she had walked to the study, but upon turning towards it, she had heard a female's moan. Her ears had perked, and her heart had started to race at the sound of it. She didn't want to believe it. She knew it was coming from his study, but she didn't want to believe it unt
The sound of shuffling feet filled his room and Lino knew it was Kayden. He pulled back from the princess, breathing hard. His vision was stained red and when he peered down at her hand, he saw that he had twisted her wrist. She seemed to notice it too and the moment the pressure of his aura lifted off of her, she fell to the ground, unconscious. “The King will not be pleased—“ “Not right now, Beta!” Lino roared, and Kayden’s head bowed at the command. Lino dove his fingers into his hair as she tried to get his anger in control. He couldn’t. He couldn’t breathe while knowing the woman who tried to kill his mate was still alive. His body was tight with leashed violence. He had to react. He had to do something with himself or he might just kill the woman and bring war to his doors. “Get her out of here,” he said to Kayden. “Do not try to fix her arm until I give the order to. I want her to suffer for what she did to Cassy. No pain reliefs or knock out tonics. I wa
A knock on the door had Cassy looking up from the book she was reading. She didn't need to stand from her chair to know who it was. Her wolf sensed him and she stirred whining and complaining. Cassy ignored both the knock and Pax. Maybe wolves didn't mind their partners cheating on them, but she surely did, and she didn't want to see him. She had gone half way with packing her things when she realized she had nowhere else to go. Her parents would not turn her away, but she didn't want to pressure them into accepting her back into their home. Especially when it was so painfully obvious that they weren't comfortable with the change that had occured with her when she had died. Or maybe it was the fact that she had died at all that was uncomfortable for them to bear. She had considered the Goddess's shelter, but she knew the Goddess would not be pleased with her if she ran all the way over there again to hide from her lying and cheating mate. Their ancestors we
"Where is she now?" Cassy asked, inching towards the door. "With the physician. I...ah...lost control with her. I might have broken a finger...or her wrist." That had Cassy chuckling and she finally unlocked the door. Lino was sitting outside of it, knees folded. Her cheeks flamed when a few maids passed by her room, chuckling at the sight of the Alpha sitting on the floor, pleading with his mate. Perhaps, she could stay angry for longer to see how desperate he could get to have her forgive him. "Come in," she started, but paused at the sight of the tomes in his hands. "What are those?" He winked at her as he straightened. "I told you I had the books you needed." Excitedly, Cassy reached for the books in his hands, but Lino moved out of the way. Cassy frowned, and tried to reach for the book again, but Lino moved away again. "What are you doing?" "You owe me an apology, Cass. You've been so mean to me lately. You've had me stay outside your room, g
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