Amy’s POV I felt like I’d been on a rollercoaster. Wild emotions left me feeling battered but not bruised. I couldn’t help marvelling at the way Lisa had rescued me. Maggie had warned her something like this would happen. How lucky was I compared to some? Kane was descending to new lows. Just when I was convinced I hated him, he held out an olive branch. In some ways it took me back to how it was with Mom. Sometimes there was no pleasing her. Afterwards, she would be contrite, so that I felt guilty for calling her. The Alpha didn’t inspire that kind of topsy-turvy acceptance of the way things were from me. I knew he wasn’t doing any of this deliberately. It was the Lycan blood making him behave this way. That set me thinking. If the Alpha King were to introduce the genes of his kind into every werewolf pack, soon we would be history. There would be only one way: the Lycan way. Fortunately, he was taking the other approach by sending our she-wolves elsewhere. That would only weaken
Selene’s POVI told myself I was sick of being faithful to Kane. In fact the opposite was true. But his treachery in promoting Amy yet again and his bored face at breakfast followed by the casual announcement that he would be taking her on a short trip made my hackles rise, though not where anyone could see.Mated Lycan females are a law unto themselves.It seemed he would be driving her himself. I sought out Jake, newly returned to the fold, and demanded he assist me. His punishment was on hold and yet to be determined. I hinted that helping the Luna may do him some good as I had the power to influence Kane’s decision and dissuade him from doing anything rash.Whether that was the case remained to be seen.So we followed them to Scarborough. Goddess knew why.The salon looked new and was staffed by humans. I could sense the smell peculiar to their kind. All bar one.I was jealous initially; my fair hair could do with a tint. Then I saw her face. She really didn’t want to be here.Wha
Amy’s POVEveryone was staring at Selene, but I knew what she was talking about thanks to some opportune eavesdropping in that old castle and later. It was to do with the dividing of wolfkind and Michael was keen to propagate another such event after actually propagating, if you see what I mean.Adverse propaganda could lead to another Schism, or split.We couldn’t fight a war on two fronts. It was bad enough the humans were turning traitor. Some of them. Those I knew.I tried to concentrate for the minutes yet was itching to speak up. What did I have to lose?Only everything.To be demoted again, even under this new enlightened Selene, would be devastating. And did her offering to help mean she had changed? Not where I was concerned, I felt sure.Clearing my throat, I took the coward’s way out and asked for a break. Did anyone want refreshments? That water must be lukewarm by now.Fortunately, Kane took the hint.“What’s wrong, Amy?” he said, as I approached him. “Have you forgotten
Amy’s POV When Kane broached the subject with me, I almost shrieked. Surely he knew how I felt about Lycans and Frederick in particular. After I had calmed down and listened properly, I felt better about the whole thing. It would be done here under supervision and my clone would be pretending to be me. The plan was for the alternative ‘Amy’ to go crawling back to the Alpha King and seduce him so effectively he would take her as his queen. Then the cyborg me would set about controlling him to scupper his world domination ideas once and for all. It all sounded dodgy in the extreme and something which could only have been dreamt up by a male. I didn’t much care for the notion of revealing Satyr’s likes and dislikes as experienced by yours truly down in that dungeon under the watchful eye of whoever he was. I didn’t think it was another Lycan somehow. Maybe a powerful human? None of that would matter if the Alpha King were to die, in which case we could send in an assassin. If only J
Kane’s POVSelene was sleeping over for once when my Beta mind linked to alert me of “a potentially serious situation”. I didn’t bother to cover my torso and could have cared less about my boxers being creased.When I saw that Lisa was with him, and also Amy, I had a re-think. My Luna brought me a robe at my request, though it was more to do with how I looked to my sister than my assistant.My mate was playing it coy, presumably because of her messy hair and the broken strap on her silk nightie. If it were just Amy standing there, I had no doubt she would have flaunted herself. In the old days, anyway.This was a new Selene and I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.My PA was muttering something under her breath.“Stop that,” Lisa cried, putting on a mean face.I was puzzled initially and should have been even more so when Jarvis asked, “Have you seen Amy recently?”Light dawned, at the same time as my Luna huffed.“He has me now,” she said, and stalked off into the bathro
Amy’s POV This couldn’t be happening to me, it just couldn’t. These days I actually wanted to be around Kane. Even Misha was used to the idea of allowing Rhett to fuss over her and whatever else our inner beings did together. It boggled my mind, something I’d seldom thought about before, whereas the question of what happened to them after we passed had always exercised me. Not even Dad knew the answer and his wolf had not spoken to me in years. I really needed him now, the one who counselled me after yet another unjust punishment. Lorenzo, please help me. Thinking about it later, I realised I must have been drugged to the point of hysteria. That sharp prick on my arm. Of course. As for the Alpha of the defunct Black Hills pack, I had vowed never to say his name – not even in my thoughts – and I never would. Stacey had helped me with an erasing spell. I missed her, too, so much. Gloria, my captor, had some of the reddest lipstick I’d ever seen. She was in her forties and looked a
Amy’s POV Delirium wasn’t taking over completely, though that was what I continued to pretend. I was tempted to experiment with invisibility though realised it could mean the end of me if I couldn’t reappear to be treated by Black himself, a very efficient medic. I never would have guessed that. Little by little, I worked it out. He had wronged Lori, too, not just the real Diana. Maybe he had been sent packing and maybe he’d just gone away for a while. That so-called diary contained a grain of truth and nothing more. Satyr would need someone like Dick, as I thought of him now, to carry out his dirty work. It was a good job he’d been here or I’d have been history by now. That tourniquet probably saved me from bleeding to death. Though I knew she’d been trying to end his life. Lori, the mistress of the year. The gun-toting betrayed female who had dished out nothing more than friendly fire. She didn’t hate me; she never had. It had been a part she was acting. No doubt a pack member s
Amy’s POVIn some ways I had always been on my own, despite having a family. None of them were what you might call the reliable kind. I fought my own battles, learning the lesson early that the good guys don’t always win.Surviving was the easy part. My body was still sore and now I was forced to watch the arm wrestling contest between Michael and Kane, knowing I was the prize.They appeared to be allies now, which could only spell disaster for me and werewolfkind. The traditional branch.If only I were fit enough to run. I dreamt about that time I came upon a linden tree in the woodland, resting my paws on it and knowing a rare peace. If only basswoods were more prevalent I would jump out of the window now and – and what? Urge Misha to save us both.Without Rhett she was a miserable creature. I felt it, too. His loss was hopefully not permanent.Could Kane be pretending? I knew in my heart that wasn’t so.“Think you can take me?” the Alpha King had sneered.“Watch me.”Truman was iss
Kane’s POV It soon became clear that Miss McGregor wasn’t a rogue she-wolf. She explained that she’d been heading back to her pack above the border in Canada when her car got a flat. Jake had offered her a lift when he spotted her hitchhiking. She said he’d been on his own and never mentioned another female. I would question him later. Expecting my Luna to burst through the door and start what the humans called a cat fight, I can’t say I was disappointed when she didn’t. After a brief lecture on how lucky Miss McGregor was not to be considered guilty by association, I stood up and looked her in the eye. “You can go,” I announced. She cocked her head on one side, regarding me critically, and I knew it wouldn’t be quite so easy to dismiss someone like her. Not without proceeding to formally reject her. Faith Isla McGregor beat me to it, not even hesitating over my surname and the name of my pack. I couldn’t believe the nerve of that she-wolf. It didn’t seem to cause her much pain,
Lisa’s POVI was pleased to see my brother so happy and even unbent enough to invite Amy to tea. Kayleigh was there, moping a little, but she brightened up when she saw the Luna. Noah was supervising the border guards. Again. I’d pouted a lot until he told me Kane was thinking of appointing another Delta.He swore me to secrecy afterwards, but Amy knew. Of course, she would.“Does this mean there will be two Alphas again?” I asked, when my daughter was paying a visit to the bathroom.“No chance,” she said. “But it’s cool. Kay looks much better.”“Do you think so? I wish she would cheer up.”“She’s been through a lot.”Did the Luna think I didn’t know that?“Have a scone. Fresh from Ray’s bakery.” My visitor hesitated. “Go on. Take one at random. I haven’t poisoned them all,” I joked. To prove that, I selected one with blueberry jam inside and took a small bite. “Mm, delicious. I don’t know why I didn’t think of commissioning your stepfather to bake my daughter’s special cake.”“He’s n
Kane’s POV“If I’ve won, I want you to … ”Amy whispered the rest.“What? No way,” I said, and went on to issue a stern warning.Just for a second there I was tempted to cheat, claim she'd lost. Until –“Be nice,” she hissed, putting emphasis on the second word and fiddling with the knot on her blindfold.I watched her struggle for a while – why didn’t she just lift the whole thing over her head? – before going across to the monitor and calling up the incriminating evidence.“You won’t like it,” I warned her, again.That had been a part of my reply when she said, “Show me the footage of you and Omega Sharon. All of it.”As if there had been other encounters in the past.The truth was laid bare, making her huff with contempt.“Satisfied, Luna?”“I thought as much. She was faking it. On your orders?”“Yeah,” I managed, feeling like I’d just crawled out from under a rock and couldn’t find my way back there.Exposed, just like Amy, yet in a very different way.“She must have told everyone
Amy’s POVIt soon became apparent that Jake was lost to us. I missed Ingrid, too. Was he treating her right? I hoped so.Mom was inconsolable for a whole week and then, in typical Velma fashion, she moved on. That must have been something to do with Ray. One for the homilies, he was. She kept twittering on about my brother making his own way in the world.As far as I was concerned, he’d always been rogue material.I was biding my time to catch Kane off guard and then I would strike. In the nicest possible way, of course.It wasn’t long before we were back to sharing the same bed again. His hands kept straying to my tummy. So much for emergency contraception.I’d been feeling really sick in the mornings, something I’d not experienced much the last time around. Making him wait fit in well with my plan.Coaxing him back to our quarters that afternoon, I had a surprise in store in the form of a new game.This time, my intention was to win, though I allowed him a say in the ‘rules’ we were
Lisa’s POVSomething was off about the atmosphere in the nursery. Dan usually got the blame but this seemed different. Even more unwholesome, if that was the right word to use about my only nephew.I didn’t visit the pups with my daughter any more. She was sensitive and tended to kick off if she knew we were going there.Noah and Kayleigh were closer than ever. I tried not to resent their easy relationship while I had to work at it. Maybe she sensed my annoyance and that was why she clung to the Delta when he came home to us. Or could it be that because I was always around she missed him more?I told myself that was it even though it bugged me. A lot.Picking up Dan’s rattle one day, I felt a surge of power. Static electricity, I thought. It didn’t plug in, that was for sure.He went ape until I gave it back to him.Dora wasn’t like that. She didn’t seem to mind when he took her toys off her. Maybe she was in awe of him – or frightened. I couldn’t be sure and knew better than to menti
Amy’s POV The pups were hard work but I became engrossed in what was mainly pandering to their needs. It gave me time to think. I didn’t miss the decisions I had to make, the daily squabbles which had to be sorted between maids and Omegas. They were trivial in the scheme of things. It made me smile to think of the Alpha dealing with petty rows about dirty looks and the more serious allegations of slacking, which tended to be unfounded for the most part. Some of the older servants had heart conditions and they needed more regular breaks. If he reinstated punishment in what had been CC’s room I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night in that same bed. Yet I couldn’t stop him. I had no say and wouldn’t be aware of anything like that given that I was stuck here for the most part, even for meals. He deserves to know. Misha, now’s not a good time. Do it. Or Rhett will tell him. Are you threatening me? My wolf didn’t answer, retreating to sulk, presumably. I knew she was right. The
Amy’s POVSomething was going on. Something I didn’t understand. People were murmuring to each other and occasionally gazing at me. Was I paranoid? This had happened to a human at school, all because she had a fondness for snacks between meals.Suzie’s a renowned pie maker these days. At least she was.They’re not sniggering any more.Someone asked Chrissy in a loud voice if there was any Sharon fruit, to general titters. I didn’t get the joke. At least not until later when she knocked on the door to our Suite.I was tossing and turning in what had been the pleasure room.“You sent for me, Alpha Kane. And here I am.”“Give me a twirl,” I heard him say.What? I wanted to jam the pillow over my head, but I was curious.“Do you like it? I sewed it myself in my spare time.”“Very fetching.”There he went again with those old-fashioned words. Was I the catalyst, being around Mina and not ‘suffering’ myself. Still, I was proud of my extensive vocabulary so perhaps it was less noticeable wit
Kane’s POVCC told me more than once that a good whipping would convince anyone not to re-offend. I didn’t subscribe to that notion. My belief was that discipline should be relative.Amy had failed as a Luna when she allowed the rogue she-wolf to abduct her without a fight. I intended to pit her against Lori, an up and coming female warrior, who had once shot her by mistake. That should serve to punish both of them.Maybe I would sell tickets, for charity of course.My Luna had betrayed me by succumbing to my former Beta’s kiss. At the same event, maybe I could have my pack members – men and women – line up to claim her lips. Standing up for hours, hungry and thirsty, her mouth swollen and parched. That would teach her.And now I had found the blister pack containing something which fuelled my fury yet further.A public whipping seemed highly appropriate.I knew I would put her through none of the above. She had always been mine to ruin.If it wouldn’t hurt our twin girls I would have
Kane’s POVIf I had to absorb Blaylock, surely Garrett would help me control him? I could only hope. Asking Rhett would just depress me, because I already knew the answer.My priority was to rescue my cousin’s girl. We had a date to watch a movie for fuck’s sake. And Noah would surely not survive a prolonged invasion even though he’d been doing better recently. I needed my Delta and Kayleigh needed her stepdaddy.As for Lisa, words failed me. Her scream had alerted us and yet she must have been the one to lure the mage upstairs. My guess was she’d visited the lab and seen him.I was hoping to save him, too, if only by hosting the Lycan wolf once more. Though the mage was way down the pecking order. Probably last.In fairness, it didn’t seem as if Amy and Jarvis were lovers or even planning to be. Yet the crisis had elevated a level. Maybe they were just biding their time.I knew I couldn’t afford to think like that once Blaylock was in situ. The ancient Lycan would probably pounce on