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Chapter 36
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A Time for Strength Chapter 37
“I’ve never been here before.” I look around the quaint pizza shop. The walls have movie posters from the seventies and eighties with two arcade machines in the back. I vaguely recognize the music playing. It’s upbeat and inviting. “This place has the best wings. They are killer hot, but delicious.” He pulls my chair out and waits for me to sit before he sits across from me. “Better than Mrs. Miller’s? Because her homemade wing sauce is preeeetty sick.” I raise an eyebrow at him. "Ahhh… I see what you did there. Hilarious. Alright, we’ll get an order. You’ll see.” He puts his finger up and flags down a waitress. The human girl looks like she’s about my age. “Milo! Where have you been, hon?” She bounces up to us happily. “Hey, Rita.” He gives her a warm smile. “How have you been?” I bite the corner of my lip and swallow back the jealousy Justice is trying to overwhelm me with. “She’s not a threat, Justice.” “I don’t like it.” She warns. “He’s our mate.” I lace my fingers and w
A Time for Strength Chapter 38
My eyes snap open, startled by the backfire of a passing car. Milo’s eyes turn black and Ghost pulls me to the ground, completely covering me with a deep growl. “My gun?” Milo hulks over me. He pats his body down with one hand while he holds me with the other. “They took my gun.” “What? Milo, your gun is in the armory.” I press against him. “It was just a car backfiring. Come on, let me up.” “They took my knife. Shit. They took my fucking knife.” He becomes more panicked. “Hold on, Bronx. They took my knife, too. I’ve got you.” “What knife are you talking about?” I feel confused. “Bronx? No. Wait, Milo!” “There’s a foxhole twenty yards to the west. We’ll be safe there.” He secures his arm around me, hooking his thumb in my armpit. “Hang in there, bro.” Foxhole? Oh shit. I ignored all the signs that there could be a problem. The fidgeting, the distracted blank stare, being startled by a glass on the table. “Milo, I’m Lenora, not Bronx. There’s no foxhole, Babe. We’re downtown.”
A Time for Strength Chapter 39
Justice’s POV“Ghost, are you okay, my darling?” I didn’t intend to barrel into him, but I had to stop him, not just corral him to pack territory as Lenora requested.“You’re my mate?” Ghost takes a step back. He seems confused. I hope he didn’t hit his head in the collision.“Yes. I’m Justice.” I lower my head and step closer. “I’m your mate. Did I hurt you?”“No. I was… I got disoriented trying to protect Milo.” He looks at me through his handsome dark gray eyes. His expression changes from perplexed and guarded to one of perception. He accepts my display of submission by resting his chin between my ears for a moment, then lies down in front of me. “You’re beautiful. And you’re different too? Older? I can sense it.”“Is Milo listening? This conversation needs to be between the two of us.”“No, I forced him back to safeguard him from thinking we were in danger.” He lowers his head. “War broke us. We’re still figuring out how to live now that we’re home. The doctor is trying to help u
A Time for Strength Chapter 40
Lenora’s POV When Justice and Ghost got home, Milo was still disoriented. He tried to fight Bronx and Reggie. Thank the Goddess they were able to subdue him with no one getting hurt. When Milo was finally lucid, he begged to come home. Staying in the hospital wing seemed like a fate worse than death. The doctors left the decision up to me. I couldn’t bear the thought of my mate being confined to the hospital wing again. Yeah, he still has nightmares, but I’ve always been able to talk him through that. What happened downtown was because of a specific trigger. Ghost was trying to protect Milo. Justice calmed her wolf mate down and convince him to come home, just like Doctor Stanton said. A nurse came to our apartment. Milo tried to protest taking the pill, but she explained the other option was a night in the hospital wing. They compromised and gave him half a pill to help him sleep. She left the other half to give him if he needed it. I tiptoe into the bathroom, leaving the door op
A Time for Strength Chapter 41
I swallow hard when I notice how close Milo's mouth is to mine. “I-I should get to bed, Milo. I have to be up early. I wasn’t able to get morning drills planned.” “Maybe when you wake up, it’ll be done for you.” He lets his lips brush against the corner of my mouth. “Like magic.” “Milo…” His lips trace over my cheek while he breathes in my scent, sending shivers up my spine. What was I going to say? Does it matter? “Are you scared of me, Lenora?” His hands caress my hips with fingers that feel like feathers. “I’m not scared of anything.” When did I wrap my legs around him? “What if I tell you I get a little… bitey when I get excited?” Milo nuzzles my cheek and chomps his sharp teeth. His voice is deeper and scratchy, and his fingers have razor-like claws against my hips. “Would that scare you?” “Ghost, if you try to mark me, we’re going to have a problem.” I whisper in his ear. “You don’t want me to mark you?” “Not until our marriage ceremony.” I lean back and gaze into his d
A Time for Strength Chapter 42
Milo’s POV—Flashback—“An abandoned warehouse?” Bronx rolls his eyes. “Bro, this is by far the worst birthday present of all time.”“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I open the door to my Jeep and sniff the air. We’re in the right place. “Come on.”Reggie, Arnie, Archie, and James hop out and turn their noses in the air.“Hell yeah.” Reggie claps his hands and rubs them together.A burly looking werebear opens a door on the side of the building and whistles to us. “Stone! Get your asses in here. We’re locking the doors in three minutes.”“Locking the doors?” Bronx grabs my arm. “What the fuck is this?”“Bro, trust me.” I clap his back and jog to the door.“Hi, Ghost.” The werefox vixen at a table inside the door coos at me. She looks like she’s ten years old, but she’s actually nineteen. “Haven’t seen you around.”“I’ve been busy with special ops training, Dina.” I lean across the table and kiss her cheek. “I told you I’d get him to come. Sup, Ryuu?”The tall ancient dragon looks un
A Time for Strength Chapter 43
—Current Day— “You’re suggesting we just… sneak out?” I set the dumbbells down and look at my friends. “You’re fucking with me, right?” “Technically, we can do whatever we want. We’re not prisoners and we aren’t acting ranked wolves yet. Bronx is the only one who isn’t supposed to leave pack territory.” Reggie explains. “We’ve been cooped up in the packhouse for a month except for the supervised wolf runs. We need your help, because you know the best paths through the territory to avoid being caught by guards who think we should be in bed by nine p.m.” “Archie says it’s gonna be a good time.” Marco raises his eyebrow. “Katsh is back from the war, too. Maybe I can get in on that.” “You’re sure Dina and Ryuu are the ones still running shit?” I look around, but we’re the only ones in this corner. “Yeah, Hector said he’s gone a couple times to watch. The crowd is rougher… a lot more dark creatures.” Reggie lowers his voice. “If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to get intel on Sin’s locatio
A Time for Strength Chapter 44
“I need to track the rogues!” I push through the crowd, trying not to lose the guy who was sitting behind me. “Forget about ‘em! Get everyone home! NOW!” Bronx snarls. “That’s an order!” “What about you, Alpha?” Marco yells. I see him in front of me, looking back. “I can hold my own.” He barks back and cuts the link. “Rendezvous at the Southern border!” “Go after the rogues.” Ghost insists. “No, Ghost. You heard Bronx.” “We’ll never find them again.” “We have our orders, bro. We saw what they looked like. That will have to do.” “GHOST!” Dina dodges between people’s legs. “HELP!” I reach out so I can pick her up. I need to get her outside, but a warrior in wolf form snatches her up by the neck and crushes his jaws down on her throat. She squeals until her head turns at an unnatural angle. Blood drips from his jaws as the warrior drops her lifeless body and moves on to the next creature. “Dina! NO!” My body runs cold. I think my heart just stopped. Panic, anger, and despair
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A Time for Strength Chapter 151
“Good Morning, Beta.” Sondi Eklund pokes her head into my office. “Would you be able to review these retirement package updates I’m proposing to the Alpha?”I look up from my spreadsheet and try to smile at her. “Of course, Sondi. Please come in.”“I already highlighted the sections in question.” Sondi comes in with her staccato, bird-like movements. “Oh, Beta Lenora, are you ill? Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you look exhausted.”“I’m alright, Sondi. Being a new mom is exhausting.” I’m careful not to go into too much detail. Sondi and Scott still haven’t found their daughter. I don’t want to be insensitive. I quickly change the subject. “That and I feel like I’m running in circles trying to decipher some of the information on this spreadsheet. They’re supposed to be client names, but I can’t figure out how they’re coded.”“Would you like a fresh set of eyes?” She looks eternally hopeful. “I’m happy to help.”“Um, sure.” I turn the laptop to her. “I’ll look at these updates whil
A Time for Strength Chapter 150
“Kaaas?! Are you sure you and Codi will be okay?” I yell into the living room. “I can call the daycare and see if they have someone who can come up.”“No, we’re fine.” Kas’s voice sounds strangled.Milo peeks his head into the living room and pulls back quickly. He doubles over in a silent laugh, pointing to the living room. I look out to see Codi had a handful of Kas’s hair in a death grip. Kas’s mouth is open in a restrained cry of pain, trying to untangle the chubby fingers from her sparkly locks of hair. I nudge Milo who’s on the floor in tears with his hand over his mouth. “Knock it off, Milo. She’s trying her best.” I pull him off the floor. “Kas, give her the rattle that’s on the coffee table. The one that looks like a tiger's face. She’ll let go in a heartbeat.”After a pause, Kas calls back. “Oh my Goddess, it worked! Thank you!”“Okay. We won’t be gone long. Mindlink if you need ANYTHING.” I walk to the living room and kiss Codi on her chubby cheek, then kiss Kas on her for
A Time for Strength Chapter 149
“And this is the Alpha’s private archival library.” I hold up a slip of paper for Musu to read. “Memorize this number. It’s your personal access code and don’t share it. Understand?”“Yes, Beta.” She stares at the paper. “I got it.”“Good.” I punch in my code and let the door slide open. I step inside, motioning for Musu to follow. She steps in and looks around in awe.“The Goddess has truly blessed our Alpha.” She takes a few more steps trying to take in the library's beauty. “I’ve never seen a private collection this large.”“Well, he’s been collecting them since he was a child, and it has proved useful.” I clasp my hands behind my back and look around, then point to a book on a pedestal covered with a glass case. The page is open to the painting of The Moon Goddess with the Menae. “This is how we found out Kas is a goddess.”Musu looks down on the image and chuckles. “Is it inappropriate to say The Moon Goddess and Endymion were more like rabbits than wolves?”Justice lets out a wh
A Time for Strength Chapter 148
Lenora’s POV“Delilah, if anyone asks, your family is from France. You went to culinary school there. That’s how you met James. Bronx gifted Kas private lessons. James was a security guard for Kas while she attended the school. You’re twenty-three-”“But, no, Carly Ann Miller, I am one hundred and-”“You. Are. Twenty-THREE. Delilah.” Ashley interrupts. “No arguing.”“You expect me to just LIE?!” Delilah holds her hands to her chest and looks mortified at the thought.“Yes.” Ashley, Carly, and I all say in unison.Delilah falls back in her seat, distraught.“It’s not that we want you to be dishonest, Delilah.” Ashley softens her tone. “It’s a matter of self preservation. For all of us. You included. Whatever technique you’ve used in the past to deflect attention won’t cut it anymore. You and Kas are going to be approached by paparazzi all the time now. They need to believe you’re human. We’ve given both of you believable, respectable human profiles. The fewer people trying to dig into
A Time for Strength Chapter 147
“Alright, Big Guy.” I toss the plastic gun on the arcade game. “You win. I’ll never beat you at Duck Hunt. I’m out of cash to feed the machine anyway.”“I mean, you tried. I’ll give you some props, man.” Marco blows into the barrel of the plastic gun and looks at his watch. “It’s been two hours. That’s gotta be a good sign. Right? Musu woulda called me if Lenora chased her out.”“Yeah.” I pout my lip. “No mindlinks either. Down your beer. Let’s check on them.”Marco raises his pint glass and chugs the remaining beer. “Rita! Thanks, darlin’!” I hold up more than enough cash for our tab and toss it on the table. She gives me a thumbs up from across the restaurant. “Don’t be strangers!”“Ah man, that fresh air.” Marco takes a deep breath when we step outside. “Nothing beats summer in Montana except maybe spring in the Coven’s realm.”“Did you hear that?” Ghost gasps, suddenly at attention.“Huh? Hear what?” I shorten my stride and look around.“A warbler.”“Okay… and?”“They leave afte
A Time for Strength Chapter 146
There’s a quiet knock on my office door. Instinctively, I look down at Codi. She’s still fast asleep. I set down the report explaining there were absolutely zero useful bits of information on Randall’s tape recorder other than rambling about a trip to Portland to see a warehouse or something.We still haven’t been able to determine the identities of the girls in the photos other than Evie. There was no rhyme or reason to the codes associated with each one. The unusual names don’t exist anywhere either. The team is still looking into it, but I’m not very hopeful. Randall sneaks under the radar on everything.“Come in.” I say in a hoarse whisper.Milo peeks his head in with a huge smile on his face. I put a finger to my lips and point to the travel bassinet next to my desk. He tiptoes in and silently closes the door behind him.“Hey Sugar.” Milo whispers. “Is this a bad time? Are you busy?”“I always have a minute for you, Milo.” I blush when he hands me a bouquet of wildflowers. “They’
A Time for Strength Chapter 145
“Tyree, have you finished the sweep of Randall’s suite?” Milo paces behind his desk.“Just about Beta.” Tyree’s voice comes through the speakerphone. “He took most of his stuff, but there were a few things left on the kitchenette counter. A folder with some paperwork, an envelope, like one of those ones you mail photos in. Ya know? Feels like there’s something inside. And a voice recorder.”“A voice recorder?” Milo asks, confused.“Yeah. I don’t want to open anything or push play in case it’s booby trapped.” Tyree replies. “Fool me once.”“Good call. Bring everything to my office.” Milo pushes his finger into the desk. “I’ll get a forensics team to take it off our hands.”“Yes, Beta.”“Don’t let anyone in that room until they get a deeper sweep.”“Yes, Beta. Marco will stand guard. I’ll be up in ten minutes.” Tyree confirms and hangs up.“Milo, what do you think he was up to?” I bounce Codi gently in my arms. It’s not because she needs it. I have too much nervous energy to hold still.
A Time for Strength Chapter 144
“An apartment in Paris? Who would have ever pegged your brother as a hopeless romantic?” Mom swipes through images of the apartment Bronx bought for Kas as a wedding present. “It’s absolutely gorgeous!”“Yep. She needs to sign some paperwork, but I don’t think she understands enough about real est-” I bite my lip and point at Dad who’s making wolf faces at Codi on the other end of the sofa. Mace tests out a growl to see if it will startle her. She makes a sound that could be a growl back at him.“So sweet.” Mom places a hand on her heart. “Meeting codi is all he’s talked about since we got the news that you were pregnant. So what's next? Have you thought about a little brother for Codi, maybe?”My heart squeezes. “Justice, what do I say?”“As much of the truth as you can.” She sounds unsettled. “We don’t really know anymore. Do we?”“You know how hard it was for me to get pregnant, Mom. Let alone survive Codi’s pregnancy. We haven’t really talked about having more yet. If the Goddess
A Time for Strength Chapter 143
It’s been two days. Kas has isolated herself in her apartment, still convinced that she needs to hide herself away. I brought Codi up so she could snuggle with her niece in hopes it would lift her spirits. I let her take Codi to the bedroom while I go talk to Marco.“Hey, Beta. Everything okay?” He salutes me.“She’s not handling it well. Maybe I should invite her to go to the meadow?”“I wasn’t talkin’ about the Luna.” He lowers his chin. “You been avoiding me?”I immediately feel my face flush. “Wh-what? I-”“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like that. I know you’re busy with your pup.” His tone softens. “I need to stay in my lane.”“I mean, I-I guess I kinda thought, um, your mate wouldn’t want me talking to you.” I confess. “So… yeah. I guess I have been avoiding you?”“Ah, Leni, come on. I’m fuckin with you… kinda.” He looks sheepish. “Me and Musu was talking about our ranked members. I didn’t tell her about US, but I told her you and me grew up together and that we still close frie
