BFTA 40 Cassy breathed heavily. "Why don't you just do it?" Eleanor laughed maniacally. "Oh, but I can't let you die quickly, Cassy. You've cost me enough already. I have but a few questions. After that, I promise I'll let you join your child in the great beyond." Cassy hissed, shifting underneath Eleanor but the blade against her throat was a hair's breadth away from tearing her skin. She couldn't move much. "How did you do it? I could've sworn I heard you die. How did you survive? You came back different. Tell me why!" Cassy smiled. "Say please." Eleanor's eyes darkened with rage and her fist slammed into Cassy's face, causing Cassy's vision to blur temporarily. Pain shot through her nose, straight to her head. Cassy groaned, blinking furiously as tears flooded her eyes. The taste of metal and iron filled her mouth and she turned to the side, spitting out the blood that flooded her mouth. "Does it vex you so? That I survived? Or is it Lino? That you ca
BFTA 41 He was majestic, beautiful, daring, and deadly. Cassy couldn’t look away from him as he stalked forward. His fur was red. She had never heard of or seen a wolf with red fur, but Lino. . .his wolf was divine. In the face of Alpha Lino, the other wolves cowered away. Even the black wolf retreated a step away from Cassy, noting the threat that stood before him. Lino was bigger and stronger. More than twice the black wolf’s size. He would devour him and shred him to pieces if he wished to. Lino growled, and the sound of it made Cassy purr. Not Cassy. Pax. Pax was closer to the surface than ever before. The moon. . .Cassy glanced at the sky. The Lunar Eclipse was minutes away. The closer it drew, the lesser control she had over herself. It was the same for the rest of the wolves surrounding her. Even Lino. Though, she wondered why he had come here instead. Perhaps he was in search of Eleanor. It didn’t matter. What did matter, however, was that she was in the w
BFTA 42 Eleanor stood outside the cave with closed eyes. She had found him too late, and now he knew. She pushed off the rocky wall of the cave and cut down the path, taking the cleared route that led far beyond the peaks. No one knew this route and where it led. She did. She had created the path years ago. And if anyone found where it led, she would get executed without second thought. But, it didn’t matter anymore. She had hoped it wouldn’t be true.That it wouldn’t be Cassy. She had hoped his true mate never showed up. Because the spell would wear off, and he would find out her deceit and treachery. She had done it all for him. She had loved him too much to let him go. She had laid her eyes on him the first time and she had wanted him immediately. Alpha Lino, her first love. He had been the only man who had looked in her way and made her feel like she was worth something other than being a breeding mare. He didn’t know that. He didn’t remember her. Once, they had met when the
BFTA 42 Cassy would no doubt tell Lino everything that had transpired between them and he would come hunting for her with the intent of killing her. He would kill her for killing Cassy and murdering their unborn child. She knew Lino. He showed no mercy when it came to the life of his loved ones. He would not care that’s she had done everything for him The only way out was taking Cassy from him. He would never admit it to himself but Eleanor was not a fool. The mating bond had nothing to do with the look in his eyes when he gazed upon her. He was in love with her. He had been in love with her for a long time. Regardless of the lies she had filled his head with during Cassy’s disappearance, she had never stopped believing that she would return. He had never stopped looking for her. He went out every single night, under the thick and the worst of the storms, searching for her. He had been wild and unrelenting. And he hadn’t know what she was to him yet. He was
BFTA 44 Cassy motioned to stand but Lino growled, "Stay." Even in her wild lustful haze, her body and her mind began to conform to the Alpha's order. Her limbs relaxed and she let out a soft, breathy moan as he fell on his knees before her. She stared up at him as he settled himself between her thigh, bracing his hands on either sides of her. He nudged her legs apart and when his groin touched her, she sighed, feeling the evidence of his arousal. She had never considered it before. Having him like this again. The last time they had come together, it had been different. Now, however... Cassy's hands rose to round neckline of her tunic, and Lino's dark orbs followed the movement. She pulled it in two different directions, ripping the front of the shirt in half. Cool cave air kissed her bare skin as she shrugged off the torn tunic. Lino growled, staring at her wrapped chest. His hands lifted and when it grazed Cassy's cleavage, she found that he
Cassy stirred, smiling even before she awoke. She hadn’t slept so well in a long tiime. . .and she felt incredible. Incredibly warm and safe. Her eyes cracked open and she yawned, stretching, and her eyes met with bright hazel-green eyes and she yelped, jerking back. Lino laughed heartily, satisfied with himself for nearly scaring her to death. The man was a creep. She recalled everything that transpired, and while she had decided that she wasn’t going to pretend anymore about him, she couldn’t suddenly get used to him peering into her face when she was sleeping. Or get used to the fact that he was her mate. “Get off!” She squealed when Lino rolled atop her and pinned her underneath him. “No, Cass,” He said, grinning, and he licked her right cheek with his hot tongue. Cassy twisted, shifting and twisting to get out from under him, but Lino seemed to be in a playful mood because he nuzzled her neck and flicked her nose hard enough that it stung. “Oww,” she groan
Lino blinked, withdrawing his hand from hers. He had expected a lot of things, but not that. “What—What did you say?” he stuttered, stunned by her words. Her grip tightened on his fingers that lay on her bare chest and his eyes shuttered as he felt her heartbeat. Her eyes pleaded that he believed her, but how could he? How could that be? A single tear slid down her cheek and Lino’s fingers twitched to wipe them away, but he didn’t. He watched her, desperately trying to align her words with his thoughts and he failed. She repeated those miserable words that broke him again and Lino jerked. “She killed me.” He shook his head. “Cass, I—“ Her hands slid up to cup his cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes. “Listen to me once, Lino. Listen to me.” He shook his head violently, shaking her hands off his face. “I can’t! Do you realize the meaning of your words! She killed you—that would mean you died, Cass! Died!” Her face crumpled and she began to cry. It took eve
Lino followed the freshest trail that he could find of Eleanor but it was scattered about in numerous direction. It was almost as though, she had been expecting him to come after her and she had scattered her tracks and scent so that he wouldn’t be able to follow her. Still, she couldn’t have scattered it so perfectly all by herself. The peaks were vast and led to countless mountains and forests that even he would be cautious to go through, lest he got lost. She couldn’t have covered this much area if she had been alone. He paused in his trouncing and sniffed the earth at the center of the forest. Around him lay five different directions in which she could have gone. All of them were fresh tracks, though three out of the five smelled faint. . .subdued, like someone had carried a piece of her clothing. He disregarded those paths and he was left with two. He itched his hind with a paw as he tried to sort through every single detail he knew about El. He had spent years with h
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