“Alec, is there really a need for Calvin to stay in the dungeon?” I sigh once again as Piper’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “You know I can’t,” I reply, taking in a deep breath. “He plotted against me; that’s a crime that can’t go unpunished.” “B-but what he did led you to your true mate and
Never in my life have I felt the kind of fear I am feeling right now. I am Alec Ashford. The big bad alpha. Nothing terrifies me. Nothing shakes me. Well, except for the terrified scream of my daughter.“Is that Aspen?” Piper asks in confusion, her eyes now dry.She already knew that the night Sadie
Aspen nods her head. “She called me a bad word. She said, My mommy didn’t teach me manners, so she will do it.”The air turns chilly as both mine and Sadie’s fury fill the air. I could almost taste it. My eyes turn to the said bitch, and she takes a step back. Before I can do anything, the air aroun
SadieThe last thing I remember was having Alec’s burning eyes on me. That and the intense pain I felt. Pain that left me feeling like my head was being split wide open. That was before everything disappeared, and I fell into a pitch-black hole of nothingness.I felt nothing. I saw nothing. I was ju
“What?” I put Aspen down on the bed before covering her. Then I turn and just stare at the wall, in utter shock. I can’t believe her. I honestly can’t. She’s been gone since yesterday, and that’s all she can tell me? That’s all she can utter? "What do you 'what?'" “Why are you in a hospital gown
I’ve never really thought about my death. Sure, I’ve experienced losing someone, or specifically my parents, but I have never really thought about my own death. Never thought about what dying would be like.Do people really think about dying? Yes, I know there are some who plan everything in case so
I stop in my tracks as it suddenly hits me like an over-speeding train.“What?” Raven asks, squinting her eyes as I turn to face her.“Nyx told me that I need to prepare for what’s to come. That I need to get stronger and learn to use my powers. In my dream, there were dead bodies scattered around a
I wake up with a start, gasping for breath as I sit up on my bed. It takes a while for my brain to start functioning and that’s when I realize that Aspen isn’t next to me where she was when I went to sleep.I jump off the bed in panic as I remember what happened earlier. Like I said, Aspen is a free
I don’t say anything. Just turned back and continued staring at nothing.I pretended that his presence wasn’t affecting me. Pretended that I was okay and that every fiber in my being wasn’t vibrating. I was fighting the pull despite Nyx telling me not to. I was used to fighting it since we learned t
The room was too quiet. Aspen had fallen asleep the moment her head touched the pillow, her monkey and elephant clutched tightly in her little arms. I watched her for a long moment, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her forehead. Her tiny mouth hung open just a little, breath even and soft.
The rest of the visit passed in a blur of giggles and tiny hands pressed to glass enclosures. Aspen’s favorites were the baby goats. She got to feed one, and when it nibbled her fingers, she laughed so hard she had to sit down.Alec was right there beside her, brushing dirt off her knees, and I stoo
We got out of the car. The air smelled like pine and sunshine, and Aspen was practically dragging us toward the enclosures before we’d even paid the entrance f*e.“Looook!” she squealed. “That one’s got a funny tail!”“That’s a lemur,” Alec said, keeping pace with her tiny footsteps. “They live in M
SadieThe next day came sooner than I had expected or prepared for. I was still on cloud nine after shifting into our other state. It felt so good. Like I had unlocked something fierce. Something divine. After Alec left, I practiced more and each time it became easier than the last.My mind occasion
“I didn’t tell anyone,” he replied with a shrug. “I was ashamed. But eventually, I realized I couldn’t fight him forever. So, I stopped trying to control him, and I just… accepted him. I accepted that Knox was a part of me. I embraced the power of an Alpha and I allowed myself to merge with my wolf.
SadieThe wind danced around me, soft but persistent, stirring the tall grass that brushed against my legs. It was cool, yet beads of sweat trailed down my spine, clinging to my shirt as if they were trying to remind me just how much effort I was putting into this. My heart pounded, not from exertio
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. The silence stretched until it felt like it would choke me.“You don’t have to say anything,” he said gently. “I’m not telling you to give him a chance, Sadie. That’s your choice. But I think… I think it’s time to stop hiding.”“Hiding?” I repeated, my voice hollow.“You
Sadie.I’d just come from a run. Sleep had been a distant thought, elusive and half-formed, slipping from my grasp every time I closed my eyes. My mind had been too full of everything and nothing. When day came, and I still couldn’t get any sleep, I decided to go for a run to clear my head before I