Her toe was millimetres from crossing that line before she broke me. I thought I could do it. Even with provoking my jealousy I was almost there. Almost free of this fucking bond and ready to have my head clear again. The idea of Zeke, or any man for that matter ogling her perfection left me poised to commit a massacre. She knows exactly what she is doing. Talon gave me the slightest nudge and I pounced. Her gasp as I slammed the door and pushed her bare back up against the cold metal was electric. I lost my senses at having all of her immaculate body in front of me. I quickly covered her neck and collarbone in fast, ferocious kisses. The roughness of my shirt material against her nipples, the grip of her hand in my damp hair all sent cascades of electric between our senses. I had to be close to her, I pressed my torso against her, clamping her in place where I felt her smiling against my neck and chest. “What the fuck were you thinking?” I growled, giving her a nip. Hard enough t
Of course I am completely drenched all over again as I race the dark, lonely mile back to Cragstone. Every step was an escape from devastation, anger and humiliation. I had never imagined my game seeing Nikolai comparing his struggle to stop his wolf killing to our mate bond.I refused to cry. I won’t. He doesn’t deserve any of that. I mutter every curse word I know instead, storming past a confused looking Jackson and Kharkov on the porch as I re-enter the gloomy, wooden Cragstone packhouse.“New haircut Gen?” Zeke tries jokingly but I simply shoot him daggers. Whatever he has been whispering to Nikolai didn’t help matters either. One kiss, two years ago!Showered, redressed and warm again I lie in my bed. I should be cosy and ready for sleep. Yet I’m wired and anxious. The row, the nastiness with which we fell apart burns in my ribcage. As though someone was attacking the link between us with a pair of scissors. It won’t cut, but a heart will bleed from enough torment. I’m in silk
I made the right decision. If only to be the person who held her as she wept, it was worth it. The man didn't have much time for me, but he clearly meant the world to her.The ferocity with which the Beta’s set off to hunt the perpetrator down was inspiringly vicious. Such loyalty, such a commitment to protecting their own. I remembered with an internal growl my own White Forest Beta Warriors, so annoyingly docile. These Shadowlands shifters would lay down their lives to catch whoever killed that huge bearded beast, Jackson.As Cherish wept into my arms I realised that this was meant to be. I was meant to cave in and be with her tonight. Otherwise I would have been dragged out of that concrete bunker for a swift execution seeing as I would have had no alibi./Imagine if you had just listened to me earlier/ Talon reproached, /you could have felt this joy, this warmth for so long./Except once she comes to terms with Jackson, Genevieve will begin to digest my shitty bombshell. How the wi
I returned from Jackson’s vigil around dawn. He will be burnt tomorrow but I cannot stay. Watching my parents pyre shattered a piece of my soul, Jackson would be like offering another chunk of me to the ashes.So I stayed with Bianca and her daughters as long as I could. Beyond the first candles burning themselves, as and even Bianca was prepared to crash into a sobbing, lonely sleep. I hugged her close, as she whispered, “I am a widow Gen, how could a man as strong as him have left me so…”“We will find the killers, I swear. Both Cillian and Nikolai have vowed there shall be justice.”Choking back sobs, her words barely audible,“Gen, he was my world, he was everything,” and her daughters arrived to take their broken mother away. When a shifter dies, so does the mate bond. It is not only grief as a human, your wolf mourns too. Some argue you can still feel them tugging at that connection from the afterlife. Others argue it hurts so badly because the bond is completely severed, you are
We couldn’t leave Shadowlands without talking to Cillain. I knew he would be distraught about Jackson, but he was already outside on the porch with a steely gaze in his blue eyes. Leant over, elbows perched on the porch railing his entire body was tensed.He had been soft, wounded, openly weeping at finding our parents. He had cradled me to him as I dropped to the floor in hysteria. Yet now he was brutally cold, merely nodding at me. Noting the bag Nikolai carried he muttered. “You are heading back to White Forest?”“I am but I wanted to check on you first. Poor Jackson…why would they hurt him?”I attempted to place my hand on his but he was immovable. No embrace, no warmth came from him and for the first time I recognised his Alpha steeliness. My brother was a changed man.“They killed him to destabilise the pack. To try and take my legs out from under me,” he snapped back, taking his gaze from me. He stared into nowhere, his mind not engaged with me in the slightest. I could feel Ni
The ride home was a blast. Every bend had her gripping me with her thighs, her face nuzzled into my shoulders. Every time I slowed down enough for her to lift her head up, she planted kisses on the wounds she had caused on my shoulder.We had unlocked our mind link finally too. I hadn’t wanted to even try it before hoping for her rejection. I wanted her as fr from me as possible then. Now I was so far gone, so sunk into my obsession with her that it seemed only natural to mind link as we drove.New hair, new start she had declared. Those short flirty little curls that framed her heart shaped face stirred something within me. She had always looked beautiful, but every girl dreaming of being a Luna has that long style. Hanging straight and boring, although I did miss that sexy ponytail I wrapped around my hands in the woods./What are you thinking of/ she scolded teasingly as she caught some kind of read on my thoughts./I like your new hairstyle/ I answered light-heartedly, grinning un
Nikolai better be serious about taking me down to the jetty, because if he is away much longer I am going to throw him in it. It’s been almost three weeks, Freya’s ceremony is tomorrow and he’s nowhere to be seen! I’ve got a stunning dress, a swirling mixture of green and yellow silks, tied to a halter neck with an exposed back and no date.Freya has planned every detail and isn’t enjoying a second of her pre-ceremony nerves.“I swear if he misses this ceremony I will murder him!” she raged, striding up and down a yellow parlour. Marigold yellow sofas, custard coloured walls and enough gold and mahogany to resemble a pirate ship, it had become our unofficial hangout. Mainly because it was too vile for anyone else to want to come in. “He’s so selfish! To leave you for almost three weeks! You know my father is going to throw the book at him over this don’t you?”“I think I’m best to talk to him maybe,” trying to simmer her heat down a notch. Freya stopped pacing, looking at me with co
Attempting to appear cold and unfriendly towards each other was impossible with Nikolai’s deep, rasping filth in my head. /Honey, god scent between your legs, princess you’re soaking/ he murmured gruffly as I climbed the stairs without looking at him. My arousal was palpable in the air there was no denying that. /No underwear sorry/ I said innocently, my cotton nightgown swishing underneath the black cloak that I was very much looking forward to him ripping from me. /Don’t make me taste you right here in the corridor./He kept his head down, stomping after me down the long stone corridors to our suite. It looked to any bystanders as though I was dragging him to get changed for his sister’s ceremony. The evil, damaged Alpha being shamed into behaving for his family. People would see my red, flushed face and assume he’d made me cry, not that I was trying to keep myself from falling over. The lust from his gaze caused hot waves of heat to race up and down my spine, my legs wobbling, hi
We are three weeks into this war with the Hybrid Army. My mind buzzes with mindlinks. The silence and lack of activity only raises tension as we stare down the country roads. Men are positioned on clifftops, every vehicle movement monitored.Staring for hours down a silent valley of green forest I couldn't help reminiscing. The surprise at seeing Maddox, carrying his hurriedly written sealed letter. He arrived just after the Full Moon Dance, the single, unmated hopefuls having completed their line ups. I was relieved none of my battalion made a match, to rip that new bond apart would be brutal. He stood panting as I read how Helena had made the move to declare war via ripping Beta Patrick’s eye out. I was shocked, but I wasn’t against the move. It's unhealable too, it used to mean someone who abused women. It’s still the sign of a criminal today. He took the vials of all those stolen wolves. He's guilty as sin and I'll happy rake his other eye when I get chance.Sadly, Maddox’s arriv
He is a beast. In the best possible way. He slinks around on the bed like some lazy, dark-eyed cat. Then, in an instant he’s full of fire. The intensity in his eyes is breathtaking. How much he cares for his pack. The way he sends me to heaven with his touch. How beautifully his muscular body shines in the water, the droplets from his black hair landing on me like drum beats as he devoured me. I’m in love with every single side of himWe have marked each other, we’re bound to other body and soul, and yet there are still surprises. The strip-sparring was the silliest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I had to beg him to stop in case I was sick, wrapped up together in a heap on the floor. And he let me win, just like he said he would back before our attack.It felt wrong to have enjoyed the past few days so much when we walked into the yellow parlour room. There was no mistaking the sound of her voice as he opened the large wooden door. Nikolai’s big sister is a curious personality. Lik
There was no secrecy or hidden drop-off by the steely-eyed Maddox as we approached White Forest castle's courtyard. The flags fluttered at half-mast in formal mourning. A quick shudder raced down my spine.The drive saw Maddox had fill Vee and I in on the events of the past week. Phillipe had been sniffing around my parents the instant the news of my alleged death broke. Maddox had overheard at least one enquiry about their intention to still lead. Reminding them Freya was here to help. A peaceful conquest.“Is Freya okay?” Vee asked, her green eyes full of worry. “She must have been devastated at the news.”“She’s been in a bad way. Not much let up on the crying to be honest the couple of times I’ve seen her.”Coldly I interrupted Maddox, “the more upset she is now, the more likely that hurt will propel her into doing the right thing. Rejecting Phillipe and getting the hell away from him.”Then the sweet, teasing voice of Vee filtered through./The prophecy Padgett gave me. She said t
I almost dropped to the floor when I saw my sisters. The copper-haired dark-eyed stares of my beautiful little sisters. All dressed up and already squealing with excitement. A year younger than me, Leona and Naomi wore cream and beige-toned clinging maxi-gowns, their athletic shapes on display. At just sixteen, Eleanour wore an elaborate white concoction that had an insane amount of feathers. She was a gold, white and silver bonanza. Little Phoebe, our baby of thirteen, sported a bright pink, almost flamenco style dress.“What are you all doing here? You all look so beautiful! Oh Goddess I am so pleased to see you all!” I cried as we hugged, most of us trying to stop any tears from spoiling our make-up.Leona inhaled sharply after the initial elation dialled down, trying to stop her tears escaping. Taking my hand she whispered. “This was Alpha Cillian’s idea. He knew that Papa would have wanted to give us away at our Ceremonies, so he suggested we start a new tradition in his honour.
"This space is ours now. Brand new just for us?" I asked softly, my fingertips gently wandering up Cillians chest. My other hand entwined with his, my wrist against his, feeling the strength of his pulse against mine."Our suite. Our space. Not soundproofed, yet though," he added and I smiled. I placed a soft kiss on his cheek and got on my tiptoes. Whispering into his ear as my free hand now searched downwards his body jerked into life. "Well the room needs christening Alpha. It's bad luck for us to leave now…and I'm too loud…"His eyebrow raised and then as I started gently massaging the front of his pants. Letting go of his hand as I deftly began unbuttoning. First his shirt then pants, all the while rubbing and toying with the ever-stiffening bulge I was longing to see. He shut his eyes, hissing as I grew braver.Placing kisses down his neck, on his mark and down his chest his breathing quickened. I sucked and licked every ridge of muscle, I thoroughly followed the sharply defined
The scarlet blush on Genevieve’s face as I told her I would be sending the bill for the redecoration to White Forest was sweet revenge. Certainly not revenge enough for walking to Nikolai’s bare ass and my office turned into a dilapidated sex den, but Matilda had asked me so sweetly not to be angry about it I yielded. Nikolai was more serious, completely straight-faxed. He, naturally, wanted to know everything about his parents' reaction. He only started grinning when I said his father had gone full claws-out rage at me.As he proudly strutted about, occasionally wrapping an arm around Gen’s waist while he listened I was amazed at his strength. The fact he had recovered so swiftly from the tired heap yesterday showed just how immensely powerful his wolf was. No wonder he had struggled for control before. Barely concealing a smirk as we stood paper-strewn wreckage, “I thought he might flare up."“No heads-up though?” “Nah, you’re quicker than him, but he’s scary as fuck when he gets
He resembled his father so strongly. Dark coffee brown eyes with flashes of ruby and jet black curls down to his jawline. Clenched tightly he looked ready to cause some damage if I didn’t stop gaping with an open mouth and answer him quickly.“Gen came to chat to me, I asked if we could swap rooms, have a change of scenery,” I lied, as Gen had blushingly begged me to. She wanted to surprise Nikolai with the reason why he was moving rooms. I wasn’t going to start asking too many questions about their sex life. I knew the power of the mate bond, the way one’s wolf keens and yearns for the other's touch. /Locked in a room, unable to make a sound together, you’d have climbed onto the roof and made for the trees with Cillian/ Nina mocked. I always considered myself fairly shy and boring but I have become alarmingly addicted to what Cillian can do to me. I am no different to Gen in craving my soul’s partner.“Swapping rooms? Is she insane? Is this a trick, are you in danger?” his voice dr
I’ve never experienced such a swing of emotions. When Cillian is here everything is joy. Even though war is coming and the preparations are clear to see across the town centre if he is in my eyeline I am the happiest woman on earth.Groups of men are being organised into battalions, put through drills and formations. I watched as the first batches were taken almost within an hour of us first arriving back alongside the pyre. Alongside the still smoking heap of collapsed wood men were completing their circuits. Group after group of exhausted, sweating semi-naked men tumbled into the square, all timed with a stopwatch by a stone-faced Zeke and his clipboard.Losing Franz has broken him inside. He’s hurting with nowhere to let it out. When I was fixing him up back at Tange’s he confessed to me how much he hated Zena.“She just walked out, for the exact amount of time it took to kill Franz? I don’t buy it,” he had scoffed. “Just left him there!”At the time I didn’t know what to say. I d
Beta’s Maddox and Adrian led me away, leaving a quietly distraught Helena and Alexander with the letter. Deposited in a library with huge vaulted stone ceilings, candelabras, and endless lines of bookshelves containing detailed historical records. Rise and fall is inevitable. I know in my bones Shadowlands is too young a pack to be cut down now. We will prosper. Finding out how Phillipe is protecting himself from harm is a big one. There is always the danger that killing Ruth would still leave him as Alpha, wielding power. “Mind if I read while I wait?”“No problem. It’s only the public record, anyway,” Beta Adrian replied, taking a seat by the door. Maddox kept his thick, tattooed arms folded. He wasn’t taking his eyes off me for a second.Random curiosity made me grab the books covering years when my father was a Beta here. He was head of the Beta Warriors and fought against the now defunct Five Lakes pack two decades ago. I read for hours about the lead-up to the attack, culmina