Eleanor looked up from her cell at the sound of heavy boots hitting the ground. Her heart jumped at the hope of it being Lino but she scowled when she saw who it was. "Surprised to see you're still alive. What must you have told him that didn't make him kill you on sight?" Eleanor asked Julian. He shrugged and settled into a crouch beside her cage. She eyed him warily, wondering why he was seated by her cell. "The truth," he said simply, leaning back against the barred wall. Eleanor's glance shifted from the hybrid to the men guarding the dungeons. "I am not supposed to have visitors. They let you in here to come see me? Why?" His eyelids drooped. "I can go wherever I wish, thief. I cannot be bound by your kind. If I wish to be somewhere, I will get there." Eleanor's eye brow quirked up. "You wish to be here right now?" The hybrid's eyes snapped open and he casted her a sidelong glance. "You do have a way with words. I do not wish to be here. I cam
Cassy paused in her arrangement at the sound of a knock on her door. "Who is it?" She called out, dropping her gown back on the bed. "Luna Cassy? I'd like to speak to you." Cassy paused at the voice. It sounded like the princess, but she could not be too sure. There was no way the princess could so so submissive and timid. She sauntered over to the door and pulled it open. Wide green eyes met hers. "Can I come in?" Cassy frowned, leaving the door slightly closed. She wasn't sure if she could trust the woman after the feat she had pulled with the basket of flowers and notes. What if she let her in and the woman tried to kill her? Not that she could. Surely she wouldn't be that stupid, but Cassy didn't want to take any chances. "What do you want?" She asked, not opening the door even an inch wider. A very clear message that the princess understood immediately and righted herself by the doorway. Cassy's eyes dropped to Adrienne's arm that was wrapp
"You think there might be something going on between them?" Cassy asked Kayden. The Beta's face turned contemplative. "I can't say for sure. It would be odd if he brought her here if they had something going on about them. I will keep an eye on him still. Though, I can't say he will be pleased with it." Lino let out a breath. He needed to make a decision concerning Eleanor's execution. It had been years since a public execution occured, and though, he knew it was a befitting punishment for what she had done, he wondered if now was the right time to even discuss it. He watched Cassy discuss with Kayden. His eyes drooped to her belly. Morra had told him she hadn't been taking the contraceptive herbs. He wondered if she had taken in yet. They had been having a lot of moments lately. Private moments. He was not entirely sure he wanted her to at a moment like this, when war was around the corner. Or it was because he wasn't yet ready to make a decision. The decision
"I cannot be in a pack. I do not fit in," the hybrid said, but there was no protest in his voice. "But if it your wish for me to call you Alpha, I do not have a problem with that, Alpha," he said, voice heavily ladden with sarcasm and Lino sneered at the male who had the audacity to belittle him in his own home. "Come tomorrow, Kayden will teach you all you need to know to be on the council. Now," Lino pressed forward. "I believe you have something to tell us." "What did my child being the key mean?" Cassy asked almost immediately, itching to have answers to their questions immediately. Lino could understand her impatience on the matter. His chest had been constricted the moment the hybrid walked in, and now his mouth felt dry. He wiped his sweaty palms on his tailored pants and sucked in a deep breath to calm himself. Too much feeling in a day. Too much emotions. He found that with the day going by, he was becoming more and more anxious and leas focused. He'd reduce
Cassy felt it a moment later. Lino's rage. She jerked up from her chair, causing it to fall back behind her. Black bled into his eyes and the dark veins were spreading. His breathing turned ragged and he muttered something that sounded so guttural, it took an effort for her to hear him. "I'll... I'll be back," he said before leaping out the door, faster than she had ever seen anything move. "Lino!" she called after him, running out the door, but when she looked down the hallway, she couldn't find him. "He will be fine. You do not need to worry about him. He will be back later tonight," Julian said behind her. She jumped, yelping. She had not even heard him move. "Don't do that!" He merely laughed, tucking his sword's sheath close to his midriff. "You female wolves are quite jumpy." Cassy scowled. "You speak like you've met many female wolves." His smile faltered, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Cassy found that when he was uncomfortable w
"Julian," Eleanor breathed. "I know what you're doing," he whispered against her, inching further until his breath tickled her lips. Her heart slammed into her chest hard enough to hurt, and her head spun. The proximity was messing with her, and his scent. It was strangely intoxicating. "And what do you think I'm doing?" Eleanor whispered, unable to draw her eyes away from his moving mouth. "You plan to use me to escape your sure death." He knew, and Eleanor could tell it didn't particularly matter, because he was not pushing her away or telling her off. She detached her fingers from his grasp slowly, and trailed a soft line along his jaw, letting it trail down his neck. He didn't move out of her reach. He merely watched her lazily, as if trying to read her thoughts. "Would that be so bad then?" she asked. "What?" Her fingers drifted further down his chest. She stopped moving when her thumb touched his hard nipple, never taking her eyes off him, a
Eleanor rolled over Julian's sleeping form. He was naked and his clothes were lying about in shreds. Somehow, she had lost control and shredded them in the course of their joining. She refused to think of how it had felt. How intense it had been. How her toes still curled from thinking about the sensation of his within her folds. And how he had roared as he spilled in her. Tit for Tat, she had called it. There had been no emotions attached to it. Just pure primal lust. An exchange. She wasn't ever going to think of it as anything other than that. A soft snore escaped the hybrid's nose and he rolled over slightly, causing Eleanor to freeze in her steps. She could not afford for him to wake up just yet. Luckily, he fell back asleep, and another snore escaped him. Eleanor let out a shuddering breath before pulling the last of her clothes on. And as she left the hybrid behind, she only looked back once, committing the lines of his stunning face to memory. He ha
Just then, the door burst open and Lino stormed in, head snapping left and right and his nostrils flaring. "Cass? Cass where are--" "Where have you been?" Cassy said, running for him and throwing her arms around his neck. He nuzzled her neck and his fingers gripped her side hard. "What happened?" Lino asked, drawing back to inspect her face. "You're bleeding. Where--"He sniffed her hair and her neck. "Eleanor?" he asked, surprise widening his eyes. Cassy covered the injury on her neck with her palm and pointed across the room to the ajar window. "She went through there. I think she got in through there as well--though I have absolutely no idea how--where are you going now?" She stared wide-eyed as Lino leapt out the window, no doubt in search of Eleanor. Cassy throat stung and she massaged the sore flesh with her thumb. How exactly did the sentries miss Eleanor? And she couldn't believe she'd attacked her in her sleep. Rather than be mad, Cassy was
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