“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
Ella “Goddess, Cora, what’s wrong with me?” I moan, burying my head in my hands. “I’ve been thinking Sinclair is too good to be true all along. There cannot be a bigger red flag and I just ignored it. I let him love bomb me and I bought every manipulative word out of his mouth.” I’m seated in my s
“You slapped Dominic Sinclair?” Cora gapes. “He was annoying me!” I defend hotly. “He kept saying I should stay home and rest but I wasn’t about to let that foul prince win.” “So let me get this straight…” Cora begins, clearly struggling to wrap her mind about this. “You were in shock, being obsti
Ella It was easy to be reasonable when it was just me and Cora. When my sister’s low, steady voice was talking me through all my misguided rationalizations, I didn’t struggle to stay calm, I didn’t have to fight a tidal wave of raging emotions too tangled and convoluted to ever sort out. I was abl
“That’s right, you just get it all out of your system, baby.” Sinclair chuckles, patting my thighs. “But you better believe I’m taking note.” He carries me out the door and into the elevator, letting me vent my rage with so little reaction I wonder if he even notices my attack. “Can you even feel t
Sinclair “I’m not jealous!” Ella explodes, almost as soon as the question left my mouth. Her heart is pounding in her chest, so fast and loud that I wouldn’t be able to tune it out if I tried. Her cheeks are consumed by a crimson blush, and my wolf is already celebrating in my head. She’s jealous!
“I didn’t lie to you.” I repeat, deciding that this will have to do for now. “When you’re ready to listen to me, I’ll explain everything, but right now I need you to know that everything that has happened since we met has been completely real. I didn’t have anything to do with the switch at the sper
Sinclair Ella is as stiff as a board in my arms, frozen in shock to find my lips suddenly on hers, cutting off her bitter tirade. Of course, that only lasts a moment. As soon as the stubborn creature realizes what I’m about, she begins pushing at my shoulders, becoming increasingly agitated when th
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