Brittany was gone before I could even spin around. My eyes scanned the club frantically, but her friend had vanished. Her hushed voice lingered in my ear., the implications swirling in my head.
She had seen Alpha Asher and I, While she made it sound as though she had caught us
Little did I know, no one in the pack would be getting restful sleep tonight.Another one of our own was dead. Murdered in the same exact fashion as Katie.
Alpha Asher was quick to leave that night, not another word was spoken between the two of us.Sean didn't return until the early hours of the morning. Breyona had arrived shortly after Alpha Asher left. The three of us went into my bedroom and closed the door behind us. Denial
It felt like the entire pack was holding it's breath.No one but I and Beta Devin knew of Alpha Asher's travels, but the news of the two deaths spread like wildfire. Everyone in town was on edge, wondering who was next or if it would even happen again. Not a single person could come up with any useful information. There were no witnesses the night of Kanyon's death. No one sa
I went to bed that night, a detailed dream of Sean filling my head.He was thundering through the woods, his four paws raking up dirt as he barreled forward. Clumps of grass and earth sprayed out from behind him, tree's and branches blurred as he ran past. The forest around him was slowing, his senses heightened in his wolf form.
I debated telling Alpha Asher about my most recent note.He would insist I didn't go, or insist I brought his men as back-up. I on the other hand fully planned ongoing. If it was Tyler, I could easily deal with him. If it wasn't Tyler, I only hoped I lived long enough to get the inform
The morning came much too quickly, and I tossed in bed debating on if I should simply beg for sleep to take me again.My dreams had been a mess of confusion and longing. Alpha Asher plagued some of them, while the corpses of Kanyon and Katie plagued the others.
Mason and Breyona were still cackling as we walked over to her place.I was somewhat reluctant to head back home, fearing what else my Grandma might say. I knew her and Dad were hiding things from me, but I wasn't quite sure how to get the truth from them. Asking upfront rarely worked in my Dad's case. He'd simply get defensive and retreat into his bedroom. Grandma would just chang
My mind ran back and forth between what I read.Vampires can befuddle the mind. What did that mean? Confuse people or make them do things?
Reunion Lolaโs P.O.V. 10 Years Laterโฆ โRamona, so help me! If you donโt stop stealing your cousinโs toys Iโm going to sick Aunty Ember on you, and you know she wonโt hold back.โ I shouted from the kitchen, craning my head to look over my shoulder where I locked eyes with my dashing mate. Asher was leaned against the wall, his arms downright bite-able in the fitted t-shirt he wore. He brought the beer in his hand to his mouth, lips twisted in a knowing smirk that had me contemplating a fourth child. If this man doesnโt calm down, weโre going to have to hire a second nanny. He returned his attention to Zeke and Brandon as though our little heated exchange hadnโt occurred. On cue, Ramona let out a shrill scream that quickly morphed into pulses of erratic laughter. A familiar pang of longing hit my chest as it did every time I heard my daughterโs laugh. She sounds just like Mom. Emberโs monstrous roar emerged from the living room, followed by a cacophony of giggles from the other c
Ember and BrandonSeven Years Later โ Emberโs P.O.V.โDarcy Mathews, if I see so much as a single snowflake in the bathroomโs youโll find yourself in detention for a week.โThis was the fourth time this month that the pipes had nearly burst from being frozen solid. Damn water elementals.The squirrely brunette with her spattering of cinnamon freckles jumped a foot off the ground at the sound of my voice, unwittingly letting out a pulse of elemental magic that spiraled down the corridor in a gust of chilly wind. It slammed several lockers shut, startling a handful of students.โSorry Headmistress.โ She hung her head sheepishly.There was once a time where Tessa and I couldnโt control our magic. It was easier for my twin. No one looked twice when you sprouted flowers in your wake or animated the topiary bushes trimmed into animals. Starting fires, however, that drew attention.โItโs alrightโฆโ I sighed, taking it easy just this once. I already had a reputation of being a hard ass, but on
Tessa and ZekeSix Years Later โ Tessaโs P.O.V.โWhat do you say we wrap up early and head out to the cabinโjust the two of us?โA voice I spent the last six years memorizing called out from across the room. I lifted my head from the mountain of paperwork I was sorting through, a smile already tugging at my lips as I spotted the playful light shimmering in Zekeโs eyes.My mate and fiancรฉโa term I couldnโt seem to stop usingโwas peering at me from across our shared office, a shameless grin tugging at his velvet soft lips. I drummed my fingers across the top of the desk, tapping out a pattern that filled the silence between us.A jolt of electricity crackled along my skin, delving past my flesh to settle in my stomach. Once upon a time, I couldnโt bare more than a few seconds staring into those eyes of his. Now I couldnโt seem to get enough.Weโd come so far from where weโd once been. Not as far as Ember and Brandon, who had a sea of troubles even six years later, but those two were ano
Breyona & GiovanniFive Years Later โ Breyonaโs P.O.V.I appeared in a plume of inky shadow, emerging from the darkness like Iโd been there all along. If there were any humans nearbyโwhich my hearing told me there wasnโtโtheyโd see nothing more than a lingering shadow dancing along the brick walls of the abandoned store front I lurked outside of.This wasnโt my ideal hangout spot, but for whatever reason, this was where Freya had chosen to hide a bunch of magical texts and artifacts. I absolutely adored my job of traveling the country via shadows, collecting information that was thought to be lost among the witches.It was similar to what my parents had done, a realization that never failed to bring tears to my eyes.Even after all these years, I missed them so much.I slinked along the back wall, past the rusted dumpsters that hadnโt been used in Goddess knows how long, to the backdoor Emberโs source promised would be unlocked. Sure enough, when I tugged the handle, it swung open wit
Clara & MasonFour Years Later โ Claraโs P.O.V.โDonโt you dare, little witch.โ Mason warned in a low voice.A shiver worked itโs way down my spine when he placed his hand against my back. Even through the thin fabric of the dress I wore, I could feel the heat he exuded. One of the first things Iโd learned about Werewolves was that they ran hot. Despite how hard I tried, a smile worked itโs way onto my face. My chest quite literally ached with the urge to cackle, but I couldnโt help it. Itโs not my fault Tristanโs expression was absolutely to die for. Even Lola was having a hard time containing herself, snickering behind her hand as she watched the scene unfold.Tristan had been locked in place for the last minute in a half, staring at Holly like she had grown three extra heads. No one could blame the poor guy considering he was the only one who didnโt know his mate was pregnant.โYouโre pregnant.โ He repeated for the thirteenth time.A laugh exploded from my mouth seconds before Ma
Holly and TristanThree Years Later โ Hollyโs P.O.V.The breeze was blissfully cold against my skin, the sunlight a slight tingle that rippled over my exposed arms and shoulders.Winter was approaching, tainting the air with its crisp scent. No matter how much I ventured outdoors and basked in the sunlight, I wasnโt sure Iโd ever get enough. Even though I burned easilyโthank you, Vampire geneticsโit was a wonderful taste of freedom that Iโd never take for granted.The shrill screams of children playing pierced my ears. I didnโt find it irksome the way some of the parents here did. Despite how loud they were, their wails were full of joy and innocence that could never be replicated or replaced.I looked up from the stack of papers in my hands, focusing on the children racing across the mulch just ten feet away. The tiny font had been giving me a headache for the past two hours now.โHoney, you need to stop and tie your shoe! Youโre going to trip and fall.โ The woman on the bench beside
One Year LaterIt was hard to believe how much time had passed, even as I stood at my own wedding reception, surrounded by the people I loved most in this world.So much had changed in three hundred and sixty five days, and it wasnโt just my marital status. There had been some uprising within the other packs in the country, but with Zeke as an ally and assuming leadership over Branโs pack, they were easy to defend ourselves against.The packs that wanted nothing to do with this new world closed themselves off, shutting their gates and increasing their security even though we had no intention on retaliating. It would take time before those packs changed their ways of thinking, and despite what they believed, violence was not the answer.Rather than wage war, we focused on our own lands and doing all that we could to welcome any Vampire or Witch that needed a place to call home. Towns similar to the Vampireโs safe haven were currently being built on neutral territory.Never in a million
Six Months LaterโDoes this ever get easier?โ I groaned, swiping a hand over my forehead. A thin sheen of sweat clung to my skin, running from temple to temple.There wasnโt one specific person I spoke to, rather the entirety of my friends and family that had gathered for this historical event. Naturally, my eyes strayed to my mate, the beacon that never once failed to lead me through the dark.His lips quirked up at the side, eyes sparkling with significantly less shadows than before. He was slowly learning to forgive himself for the deathโs of our pack members. โI wish I could say it does, but Iโd be lying.โZeke let out a cheeky snort. โWay to make her feel confident. Youโve got this, Lola. Youโre a natural.โBreyona peeked her head from around Giovanniโs massive shoulder. โBesides, if you choke you can always work a little magic and make everyone forget about it.โโHah! With my luck Iโll get a little too magic happy and make the whole pack forget about me.โ A genuine chuckle slid
Half an hour later, I stumbled away from Tristanโs body and into Asherโs warm embrace.My legs had been reduced to jelly, and my magical reserves drained so low they might never recover. I could only imagine how much blood and rest it would take before they were back to normal again.Asherโs voice washed over my shoulders, his breath fluttering against my cheek, but the blood roaring in my ears kept me from hearing.Iโd poured everything into Tristanโeverything.Holly and Giovanni remained rooted in place, searching for any sign of life whether it be a heartbeat or an influx of breath. The inky strands of my half-sisterโs hair cascaded down Tristanโs shoulder, hanging off the side of the table heโd been placed onto.With her ear placed against his chest, she waited and waited.I understood her worry. Really, I did. Her mother had to sacrifice ten witches just to lock my fatherโs soul into my body. While I didnโt have ten innocent people to slaughter, I did have something else on my si