But I immediately see the problem, and I am not at all surprised that my uncle is at the center of it. My eyes dart around at the people – several Atalaxian men, looking chic if rigid in their tuxedos, bristle as they frown at a human woman with her twin daughters pressed tight against her side. T
Ella I feel the poor human woman’s shoulders shake and I take a deep breath, remembering my duty to her as well. “Come on,” I say, trying to keep my voice light as I turn her and her daughters away. “I’m so sorry about this – let’s get somewhere more peaceful.” And as we begin to walk away, I le
“Clever,” I say, stepping closer to him and likewise looking towards the door. “Bringing someone who they knew would force you to show your cards.” “And it may not be done,” he sighs. I look up at Sinclair to ask why, but we’re both distracted when the bride and groom come to our sides. “Is ev
Ella Sinclair walks Cora and I swiftly back to our suite of rooms, Rafe still bundled safely in Cora’s arms. When we get there, Sinclair gives me a swift kiss on my head, already looking down the hall. “I’m going to catch up with Roger,” he murmurs. “We’ll send dad to you whenever we find him –“
“Nah,” she says, shaking her head, clearly lost in thought. “I mean, yesterday Sinclair made a very definite move in marking Rafe as his heir. It kind of makes that option null to Xander.” “What do you mean?” I ask, frowning. “Well,” she says, looking at me evenly, “even if he were to…take out S
Ella Cora spins to look at me, her eyes wide, and together we both run for the window. Cora gets there first, unhooking the latch and throwing the window open, bending out so that she can see. I lean out too, my eyes scanning the ground below. My gaze locks, instantly, on the action. A man –
But before I can take more than a step, Xander pulls Jessica hard against him and pulls a knife from his pocket, pressing it to her throat. “A step closer,” he growls, “and I will kill her, she-wolf. You can keep the old one – I have no more use for her. But this one?” he says, looking down at Jessi
Ella My eyes flick to Jessica’s to find her gaze already on me. I stare at her, hoping she can intuit, hoping she has the courage to run when – “If you think my human sister is a bitch,” I say, taking another precise step forward, forcing Xander to rise his foot to take his final step back. As t
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