Kane’s POV I kept looking at Grandmother’s list. When I was sober. Should I put Elaine through her paces? I was sure Selene would want to participate, which would remove all the enjoyment. Sadly, my Luna-in-waiting wasn’t on there. Maybe she didn’t have enough brains. Though the warrior from the Black Hills pack seemed equally as stupid as the one-time head Omega. Equilibrium was now restored; there was no chief among the lowly. Elaine had abused her position and I would give no-one else the opportunity to do the same. Chrissy would no doubt have been fair-minded, yet I knew she wouldn’t have relished being in charge and would be open to abuse from the very peers from whose ranks she had risen. They would get away with murder, like someone already had. Or would do when Dorothy breathed her last. The old Luna was hanging in there. I didn’t visit her so often these days; it pained me to see her like that, whether or not she had played me false. Correction: nobody was getting away wit
Jake’s POVI went to see the Alpha King about the man and the girl. It was probably a stupid thing to do. I wanted to get back into his good books and if he didn’t know about these two, it might pave my way.He was sitting in the library, perusing a great tome concerning wildlife, or so it seemed. Actually, underneath that, was a book about Vlad the Impaler. I misread the last word and made a crass remark which he might have expected about antelopes not being readily available in the States other than pronghorns.The Lycan just stared at me with those reddening eyes before showing me the book’s cover. I have to say those fangs were much larger than Mina’s.“I’ve made a discovery,” I said.He sighed. “Was the key in the lock? I’ve told Diana about that before.”So he did know about this pair.“Who are they?”The look he gave me told me I was pushing it. I held his gaze for as long as I could.Eventually, he waved an airy hand, still concentrating on his biography. “Relatives of Diana a
Amy’s POVKane dismissed me soon after my faux pas. I’d meant no disrespect about his parents’ relationship but he was easily enraged these days.It couldn’t be for the same reason as me, surely? Though my mood swings had to be curbed. I wasn’t an Alpha female yet.The packhouse was a busy place right now and full of shifters wanting their own way and to be informed of the best places to run.It wasn’t just the visiting Alphas who were annoying, their Lunas were equally as bad. There would be even more tomorrow, the day of the party, though at least they wouldn’t want accommodation.Everywhere was spotless, I had seen to that whether personally or by supervising the Omegas and maids designated as cleaners. There was just one place to which none of us had any access, including Kane, and that was his pleasure room.Who had taken the key, and why?Well, it wasn’t any of the Omegas and I was working my way through the maids. All this wide-eyed innocence in terms of being a thief was makin
Lisa’s POV“You lied to me.”Maybe I shouldn’t have accused the Alpha King, a Lycan, of such a thing and in that tone of voice, but I was so angry.“Only about that one thing,” he said, gazing at my mother’s moving fingers.She was drawing a gazelle and it was so good to see.“Kane’s your sworn enemy because of her, isn’t he?”“Not just mine. He despises all the Lycan clans.”“Then why is he mating the daughter of one?”“Haven’t you worked it out yet, Lisa? He wants to be on the inside so he can discover her whereabouts.”I looked at him, anxiously.“Will you ever let her go? What about me?”“Come back downstairs and we’ll discuss it. I’m not the monster you might think.”I followed him with reluctance, leaving the woman who had given no sign she recognised me.“Thank you for trusting me with this.”I owed him my gratitude for that at least and had been brought up always to acknowledge a good deed.“You could have lied to me, pretended she was a stranger to you,” he said, pausing on t
Amy’s POV The scrolls were now in my possession for all the use they were. As usual, we’d been interrupted, thankfully given the way he was eyeing the bed in that room. I was under strict instructions to return them before midnight. Did he think I was going to sell them on the black market or something? There were a lot of figures, combined with names and dates, but nothing of significance leapt out at me. I was bleary eyed from consulting hospitality checklists of my own devising. Why was I so painstaking in this? For him or for her? I had given up trying to second guess myself. When I judged the hour was late enough and that Selene would be contemplating her beauty sleep in advance of the big day ahead, I made my way upstairs. Testing myself, I used the lift, noting the new bags under my eyes and that my long hair was in need of a twist or something. Alpha Kane wouldn’t appreciate my news, or lack of it, that was for sure. I entered once I had his shouted permission and was ast
Kane’s POVI wasn’t myself and couldn’t seem to control my baser urges. Dorothy was nearing the end of her life. Only her she-wolf physiognomy had kept her going until now. It was driving me crazy. Still, that was no excuse for the way I’d behaved with Amy. What I’d put her through was unforgivable and now I had a Luna to appease.My Beta came to see me in the small hours. I heard his complaint to the bitter end, even though my head was splitting in two and I was seeing double.Had someone drugged me? It was a distinct possibility.“You need help, Alpha Kane,” he said.His sympathy was genuine. I had always liked Jarvis, a good man who would tell it to you straight.“Is Amy okay?”“She couldn’t stop crying,” my Beta told me. “Inviting Alpha Solomon was a step too far. In my opinion.”“I’m going to kill Selene,” I said, clenching a fist.“You didn’t know?”“I forbade it. Where’s Amy now?”“In my quarters. Alpha – ”I cut him off before he could explain that he was her mate.“Bring her
Kane’s POVI couldn’t call it off. Dorothy had wanted this. Strangely, I dreamt about her and was taken aback when she insisted she’d meant I should mate Amy. I knew what that was: wishful thinking on my part.Maybe that was why I claimed her in the shower. I promised myself it wouldn’t be for the last time.That question about what happened to my grandmother’s wolf refused to go away. Everyone assumed they passed with the person, but what if that wasn’t the case? They were eternal creatures. Perhaps I should watch out. Assuming the next host would be as fierce and no-nonsense as the old Luna.I grinned, remembering what she’d once said when I hadn’t realised I’d actually said it out loud.“Less of the old.”I hadn’t totally forgotten about the suspected treachery, though Amy and I could have been wrong.For something to do to keep my mind off my inevitable fate, I went to look through Grandmother's belongings and found a sealed envelope addressed to me. It was to be read in the event
Amy’s POVThe sun hadn’t exactly made much of an appearance, though there was a rainbow forming up above. I’d always liked the pretty colours and followed the human superstition of making a wish. Not for myself. I just wanted everything to go smoothly.That moment at the party when they’d played ‘Hound Dog’ had creased me. Who would have thought there’d be two Elvis’s always on my mind? I’d caught Kane’s eye and, just for a split second, we were on the same high frequency before I crashed and burned on seeing Selene.I mouthed the incantation while touching the centre of my pendant and soon I was in Massachusetts only a few metres from the diner. A digital clock on a pharmacy showed me it was close to 1300 hours. Time travel. How spooky was that? I’d only ever gone from A to B before in the form of a practice run when I accepted this mission.Slavery, after Jake’s selfish actions, had put an end to my freedom until I was appointed housekeeper.The distinctive aromas of fish and seafoo
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