Watching Zena work has been incredible. Seeing an actual wolf spirit entering the glass vial was mesmerising. Glowing like a captured star the sight had made all of us gasp and utter silent blessings to our Goddess. Equally shocking was how Tange visibly greyed. Ageing before our eyes. I realised then how much impact having stolen a powerful Alpha wolf like Vez had made to him. He was reduced to an elderly, crooked man within seconds of losing him. Muscle tone, charisma, everything faded whilst he was unconscious on a table.Zena’s hands shook as she intensely muttered her oaths and tributes. A language I did not recognise, I turned away and buried my face into Briss’s arm when she finally cut Cillian’s throat using a bronze blade.The angry swell of scarlet blood down hs neck was terrifying. But the gleaming starlight travelled straight into him. Cillian’s whole body then shook, convulsing as his wolf re-entered and accepted him as a host.Zena had stepped back quickly. Lighting an
It’s utter insanity. Everything, every event of the last twenty-four hours. From reuniting with Vez, the impossible blessing of my parents final guidance. Then to witness the pitiful state of my sister and Nikolai. There is no way I would have come up with this plan had I taken the other fork in the road. There is every chance my sister would have died if I had been so caught up in my own hate-filled rage. Especially, if as Zena suggested I was unkind or even violent towards her in the other version of events. Who would have been there to apply the herbs, salves and incense that give the two bloodied individuals in the back of our truck a chance to live. Everything about the plan is insane. Yet as I announced it I knew in my guts it was the best shot we had. Phillipe is cocky, overconfident. To kill his own parents, he is suffering delusions of invincibility. He will believe there is no way his plan can fail. So he will see the blood splattered chamber where Matilda died. He will s
All day I’ve hidden in the bookcase-lined study. Hours of seeing nothing but emerald green fabrics and dark mahogany wood. I knew at any moment Cillian could rush in here, busy with funeral arrangements so I made a little den for myself. Curled up in a ball in the far corner of the room, where the meeting table wraps around at an angle. I know it would offer little protection. After a few hours in here, my scent would be obvious to anyone walking in, but I don’t want to let him down. Being able to cry everything out onto his chest was the greatest relief. He let me grieve without judgement. Knowing I won’t be able to honour Papa with a funeral pyre, I mourned him all the way home. He was the most perfect father. To all of us. We knew every single day we were his pride and joy. Some in Cragstone laughed at him for having so many daughters, but he would always reply we were more useful to the pack than any man. On the last leg of the journey, when I swapped seats with Zena, I held
I think it’s going to work. By the end of a long, tiring day everything was in place. We had confirmation Luna Helena and Alpha Alexander were attending. Luna Freya and Alpha Phillipe, the name like a curse upon my tongue, had also confirmed. Three of them were devastated, obviously. Sadly, the Ceremony massacre actually helped us in selling the lie. Over the past few months the nation had become used to the prospect of murder. Slit throats, assassins with syringes of wolfsbane, our new reality. Any other day I would have been ready to collapse on my bed. But I have Matilda now. The thought made my heart race and Vez antsy, to know she was merely a few feet away in the study. When I walked in bearing snacks and drinks, I had intended to just catch up with her. She was grieving, sad and thoughtful when I left her. The woman waiting for me in that study was a pure vixen. My footsteps woke her but the instant she saw me her eyes shimmered. Need, desire and love all swirled in those
Cillian didn’t leave until well after midnight. I knew he wasn’t going to bed. He would be spending some of the night in the attic with Zena tending to Gen and Nikolai. Leona and Naomi had been sent back home. I was grateful when I realised I'd never live at home again. Without my father there, it is going to take a long time to even want to set foot in there. A lot of pressure was on Leona and Naomi them to keep the story straight. Especially seeing as they had to admit they were sent there to protect the pair. So essentially, they were having to confess they had failed in their task. That would include eventual questioning by White Forest if it got that far. To the general population, they were sent to protect Genevieve and her mate and had failed. I was desperate to know how they were doing, but there was no way I could even write a note. The risk was too great. If Beta Patrick and his cronies were brave enough to tap up high-ranking Beta’s like Zeke for potential betrayal,
Heading another Pyre was a sinkhole of guilt. Performing it for my parents had been traumatic enough, everything collapsing around me. This time, I felt like a circus juggler on stage. Especially with Phillipe’s beady eyes fixed on me.“That was a beautiful ceremony,” he offered flatly, leaving a crying Freya to approach me. The wiry, sour-faced Beta Patrick joined us, all of us dressed in black. “You have done your sister proud.”“And Alpha Prince Nikolai too,” I added firmly.“Well let us hope that now he is dead the random acts of violence across our nation will stop too,” Beta Patrick added stiffly. I noticed his bright green eyes flashed with silver shards. I wondered if that was a sign of a newly-gained wolf he was struggling to control. He managed not to lose his shit when Nikolai called him a pipsqueak and pushed past him, so why was he emotional now? /I wonder if Freya knows his iris, maybe we are becoming paranoid/ Vex warned.“Have you given any further thoughts to my sug
Paranoid of being followed,during the night, straight after Nikolai woke. Driving that same battered old grey truck. I cannot decide is a good or bad omen for me. I hated leaving Matilda, in fact it almost broke my heart but she insisted. The sooner the truth came out the better now they were both recovering.I saw her eyes glistening with tears just as I shut that damned study door. I wish more than anything I had presented her as my Luna to Cragstone already. As soon as Gen and Nikolai are safely restored and we have a plan of action against Rising Star, all can be revealed.She insists she is fine but it must be lonely for her. She is only metres from her mothers house, all her sisters grieving without her. I don’t want her to live like this for much longer. She isn’t made to be shut away. I want the rest of Shadowlands to benefit from the kindness that radiates from her./You’re getting sappier by the day/ Vez said, but his tone was not mocking. I know now who I am at least. I’ll
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
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