Sinclair It’s dark out by the time I get home, and I follow my nose upstairs to Ella’s room. She’s just stepping out of the shower when I walk in, her dripping body wrapped in a fluffy towel. Her rose gold hair is still dry, piled on top of her head and held secure with a pair of chop sticks. She
“Well I’m glad you didn’t.” Ella replies firmly. “We don’t need to be inviting more trouble to our doorstep.” “Oh I agree.” I muse, laughter obvious in my voice as I move my hand to her belly. “My hands are plenty full with you and this little one.” “Our baby is not trouble.” Ella objects, narrowi
Sinclair When I reach Roger’s house, he’s not the least bit surprised to find me darkening his doorway. “I was wondering when you were gonna show up.” He quips, opening the door wide to welcome me inside. “Am I that predictable?” I grouse, stepping over the threshold. “No- I still wasn’t sure whe
“But you can still hope.” I suggest, letting a note of menace bleed into my voice. “Dominic, I’m done battling with my own family. From the sounds of it, we’re going to need each other in the months ahead… if there’s to be a war – we can’t be divided.” He grimaces, though I note he didn’t really an
Sinclair When I enter the Blood Moon Tavern for the ‘have a drink with the Alpha’ town hall event, I immediately begin cursing Hugo. My beta may have talked me into this campaign event with good intentions, but I would so much rather go home to Ella. After the way we left things this evening, not t
That’s not fair. I answer, beyond frustrated. Those are more hormones talking, not logic. Sure, sure. She snips. Blame the baby. I pat my tummy. “I don’t blame you.” I tell my growing pup, “I do, however, blame my body.” The baby flutters and kicks against my hand, as if he’s telling me he under
Sinclair The world is fuzzy when I wake. I sit up, instantly on edge. My wolf knows something is wrong, not that this is any great feat of instinct. I don’t recognize my surroundings, and I have no recollection of falling asleep. The last thing I remember is being at the ‘have a drink with the Alp
“You didn’t really think that you could just walk out on me and I’d stay the same, did you? Did you expect me to wallow like a heartsick pup when I have a pack to lead and the fate of the entire fucking realm is on my shoulders? Did you really believe I’d stay here pining for you, and you would be a
He shakes his head at me as tears fill his own eyes and he leans forward, pulling me against him while somehow miraculously managing not to crush our children between us as he holds me tight in his arms. “So, I guess it wouldn’t matter,” he murmurs against my hair as I sniff back my tears and nod.
“Even more than the kids!?” I gasp, my mouth falling open a bit. “I mean, the kids,” he says, shrugging as if they’re not much, which makes me laugh. But then he goes a little rigid as he realizes something, raising his eyes to glare at me a bit. “Wait, are you saying you like the kids more than m
Ella “Nope,” Sinclair says, heaving himself out of bed and grabbing his phone off the bedside table as he does. “I can’t live like this, Ella – I’m calling Roger, I’ve got to know –“ “Dominic!” I say, laughing and grabbing for him, trying to catch the edge of his pajamas and failing because I’v
She laughs and I look first at Sinclair, who shrugs, and then back at my sister. “Come on,” Roger says, nodding at the crowds of people waiting to congratulate us and at the small table of refreshments. “Let’s decide this over some champagne.” Sinclair nods at me and I sigh, moving with my famil
The last image, though, lingers. Ariel, with Rafe and Jesse on either side – as they always are – and her two mates behind her. All standing together on a battlefield with Ariel at the center, magic welling between her hands and passing to her brother, to her cousin. Their faces are serious as t
Cora The images of Ariel’s future come in quick flashes, and somehow I get the impression that the Goddess is eager to share these glimpses of her life. The ones that come first are what I sort of expected, especially after seeing some images of Rafe’s childhood and hearing about the ones that
“We are not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair and I laugh. Roger grins, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek before passing Jesse to me. “You know I’m kidding, right, Ells?” he whispers. I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. “When in doubt, Roger,”
Ella Three weeks later – Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon like her brother and her cousin – I stand anxiously in the woods, my little girl held tight in my arms. “I’m sensing some anxiety,” Cora says, grinning at me with a little too much glee as she comes up to my sid
“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, staring at Henry, my eyes flicking to his legs – because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, or think of him at all as someone whose abilities are hindered. Or of me as someone who is able to do an