AnastasiaAs the does flooded in they branched off, quickly swept away by the Hunter’s that decided to pounce. I noticed each one held themselves differently. Some walked with their shoulders back, spines straight, and noses in the air. Their hips swayed to a seductive melody that had the males entr
He cut an imposing figure in his blacked-out tuxedo. The crisp lines accentuated his broad shoulders and lean waist. His dark hair was styled back, revealing the sharp angles of his jaw and cheekbones. Suddenly his eyes locked with mine and I could feel every ounce of his rage like a jolt of electri
AnastasiaCaius’s presence filled my mind, and I heard his voice, soft yet strong. “That is the son of Vladimir’s new Beta. I have no clue if he knows who you are, but be careful, Anastasia. From what I’m hearing he has a cruel streak a mile long. I’m close by. You won’t leave my sight, I promise.”
Marjorie now stood just a few yards behind him. Her long lashes fluttered as she drank him in with the same intensity I had moments before. She took a step towards him, her eyes lit with determination.Something in Caius’s gaze shifted and he seemed to make a decision. “We can’t have that, can we?”
AnastasiaThe only sound was the pounding of my heart as I sprinted towards the tree line with the other does. I thought I caught a glimpse of Marjorie’s crimson hair, but it was too chaotic to be sure. Within seconds we were plunging headfirst into its clutches.Branches ripped at me like gnarled f
I readied to turn back but hesitated when I heard the quiet trickle of running water.Ziva picked up on it immediately. “A stream, maybe? We can use it to scatter our scent, but we need to get there quickly. It won’t mean shit if everyone else is already on the other side.”As I raced in the directi
AnastasiaI slipped into the mind-link but where Caius was I felt only animal instinct and predatory focus. It shifted as his wolf registered my presence, the full weight of his attention settling on my shoulders. I ripped myself away and instead reached out to Knight, Ghost, and Damon. The three of
There was a crack as something inside of me broke open.As my magic surged through me, I felt a jolt of surprise. It was... different. Where before it had been a cool, controlled stream—one that easily slipped through my fingers if I didn’t concentrate hard enough—it now coursed through my veins lik
The healer arrived then, knocking softly on the door. I didn’t pay them any mind as they entered, or as they touched around my forehead with cold fingers. My mind was lost, replaying Caius’s words.Once the healer left, taking with them my throbbing headache, I took a slow, steady breath and looked
AnastasiaCaius’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing dangerously. A crack of thunder sounded from outside. “I should have torn them apart,” he growled, his voice low and menacing.I shrugged, trying to maintain my nonchalant facade. Caius’s rage was like being swept away in a storm. “You didn’t know. B
I watched in utter bewilderment as his face slowly transformed into a grin.“You steal my shirt, interrupt my hangover, and now you’re making jokes?”At some point we must’ve made it to his office, because he nudged open the door and stepped inside all without jostling my coffee. The retort died in
AnastasiaI had done an excellent job of avoiding Caius all morning. Or so I thought.Once Evangeline went home, I froze time long enough to make a mad dash downstairs. The throbbing in my head was relentless. Every werewolf knew magic and alcohol did not mix, but most of us were too stubborn to lis
“I’m doing this because I’m a good person,” I announced, purely because I was becoming more and more intoxicated, and I needed to remind myself why I shouldn’t go through with Evangeline’s revenge plot. This felt like the simplest reason. “Hype me up before I do something I’ll regret, and we both kn
AnastasiaEvangeline’s eyes shimmered with mischief. “I have a fun fact for you. The Windsor family spent upwards of 1.4 million dollars in PR firms, cybersecurity experts, and legal teams. They staged a scrub that spanned the globe, Ana. That takes money and power. It’s like CIA level shit. I’m tal
“Blackwell adventures.” As we descended into laughter, neither of us commented on the undertone of sadness in our voices, or how it fell upon the room like a dark shroud.I leaned back against the headboard and searched through the snippets of my memory. “There was something else. At one point the h
Anastasia“I’m a coward, aren’t I?” I brought my knees up to my chest with a huff. The bruises peppered along my body had healed long ago, but still I felt the phantom ache, the incessant reminder, of what had happened between Caius and I in that forest.I swore it was the mark playing tricks on me,
“This entire thing is incredibly barbaric,” I whisper-hissed. “They didn’t let me clean myself, as I’m sure you and everyone else know.”Radiating an air of pure smugness, Caius leaned down and murmured in my ear. “Because I ordered them not to.”As if on cue, an upbeat melody drifted through the ai