They were on their way back home at last, Daniel and the men who had been captured with him. Beth didn't know why he was the only one who had been so stubborn that he refused medical care all this time when everyone else was hale and healthy. In fact, he was the one slowing them down, and finally, after a day of traveling through hard terrain, he ordered them to go on without him. He would follow at his own pace as his body recovered now that Beth had treated his wound. "No," she said flatly when he tried to make her go with them. "You can make them obey, but not me. So stop trying." "You -" "I said no." "You've been angry at me since we left Troy territory," she said, voice flinty and sparking with impatience. "And now you're only taking back the cold shoulder treatment to tell me to leave? Forget it. I came all this way on foot and alone without your family's permission or mine to get you out of there, so I'm not leaving on your word either." "And how exactly did you do that, B
The cat was out of the bag. More people than not believed the rumors were just that, only rumors, but Matt had the wisdom of the next several years ahead to properly align his judgment. The stories going around that the Heether pack as well as the Troy pack had lost entire dozens of warriors in one fell swoop along with the eldest son had to be true, along with the one that said Daniel, the youngest son, had been captured by the Troy family following the discovery of the slaughter.It was playing out almost exactly like before. Matt wished he had paid closer attention back then, but this was around the time he and Beth had already settled in the Bronze Nation with a home of their own, both of them freshly entranced by the other upon the discovery that they were each other's fated mates...And it should have been the same way when he went to find her a month ago at the Rokley estate the night before her wedding to Warren Heether. They should have locked eyes and realized they were mean
That was how far this piece of shit was going to go? Daniel looked him up and down, measuring the worth of the Catii family's heir. They were nearly the same age, Matthew Catii only several months older, but he was shorter and skinnier, less built. The Heether family had always been well-built, but comparing their physical gifts was just a sad affair. Matthew Catii should keep to himself instead of stirring snakes' nests. He wasn't...constructed for confrontation. Especially not with Daniel, who was being steadily tested past his limits. He was one breath away from snapping."No, thank you," he said. "Beth is not a bargaining chip to get to your information. You should leave. Now.""Don't be ridiculous. I'm offering more than information, I'm offering help. Moon Goddess knows you need it -"Daniel shifted. He was already bare-chested from training several minutes before he went in to see his father, but the rest of his clothes were torn to shreds as muscles bulged, fur bristled, and h
There were too many pieces scattered, too many inexplicable actions, too many suspicions Daniel had shoved away for the sake of peace. He had known something was odd for weeks ever since he had learned that Elizabeth Rokley had changed her mind within a matter of hours about her arranged marriage to Warren. Everyone had known for months that the girl had raised hell to get out of it, using every tactic short of true disgrace to get her father to change her mind. Interrupting important meetings with other men had been such a commonplace incident that even Daniel, who wasn't yet involved in the Heether family's business matters, knew of all the trouble she had sowed in her father's house to get out of the match he had arranged for her.And then, in one night, that had all changed. The Heether pack's men who had arrived at the Rokley estate ahead of Warren, Daniel, and their other two brothers had confirmed as much. Just the day before the wedding, Elizabeth Heether had sprinted out o
Six weeks earlier -"I'm sorry," said Beth. "It's been confirmed. There were no survivors.""You mean - you mean there were no survivors besides - besides -""No. I mean...Brian and Carlo are also...""No, no, you're wrong. You're wrong!" The two women were on the couch across from her, but the one shouting stood up, eyes wide. "I would know if he's been killed. He's alive, I know it! Why are you doing this!""Amelia, please. Listen to me.""No! No, you listen to me! You don't know anything. You weren't even married to Warren for a single day before he left. You don't care! You don't care! I'll go. I'll go and see for myself!" Amelia fell to her knees, and she scrabbled for the coffee table before collapsing to the floor. Beth leaped to her feet and rushed over to catch her, as did the other woman on the couch. "Janine...Janine, let's go together," Amelia begged, half-choking. "My Carlo and your Brian, we'll find them for sure. We'll bring them back home. We -"She broke off and fell
"I don't think that's the kind of person you are," said Beth. "Take some time to think about it. I'll be here if you need me."Amelia didn't understand. Why was she always the weak one? Why was there never anyone else to be weak with her, to fold just like she always did when things became difficult? Janine was too strong to ever run away, so Amelia had known better than to ask for her and confide in her what she planned to do, but Elizabeth was young and new to the Heether family. She had only just married Warren days before and hadn't even gotten to consummate their mating, and besides that, she was only eighteen years old and had rebelled so viciously against the arranged marriage. She would leave for sure, and Amelia wouldn't have to deal with her shame alone so long as someone else also bore the weight of it.But the look in Elizabeth's eyes when she had turned to face her had dashed away all those hopes. It was only Amelia who was weak, and even Elizabeth the young widow of onl
The horrific bruise around Janine's throat had almost disappeared hours later, her werewolf healing making the injury disappear as if it had never been there. Beth hadn't left her side since the last words she had uttered in that broken, rasping voice, and now the woman was sitting up in bed, hands clasped over the sheets. There were things she wanted to say. Of that, Beth had no doubt. She just had to wait for her to speak."Brian and I were arranged to be married too, like you and Warren," said Janine. Her voice was clear again, but there was still a crumbling weakness underneath each word that almost made her sound as if she were choking on a noose even now. "And I was like you in the beginning," she continued. "I'd heard so many things about the Heether pack. Brutish. Savage. Terrible men who clawed their way to the top by fighting and killing everyone who got in their way. My family was at odds with them since it's full of envious, vindictive people...people I thought were good a
Elizabeth,I know everything I need to know and am writing you now to tell you that the best place for you to be is back here. Your father and I have already made arrangements to increase protection around our territory in case the rogue wolves decide to attack us next, since there's no doubt in my mind that you're a target. You're the widow of Warren Heether, and that means you're a trophy still uncollected for them. I won't have it. Your father and I are waiting for you already by the time you receive this letter, and the only reason we haven't come to collect you ourselves is because secrecy is paramount. If we leave the pack house, word will spread and all eyes will be on us and you.So when you leave the Heether territory, you absolutely must not draw attention to yourself. Come with protection, but not so many escorts that the rogue wolves will spot you in an instant on the road. Come disguised, and come right away. I will tell you the rest when you're here, but no matter what,
The rogues won.Andrew smiled as he placed the tattered letter inside his stylish jacket for safekeeping. It would make for a good memento once he did the deed and ended the war for good, branding Daniel as a power-mad despot who had tried to rally the greedy Alpha Kings against the honorable Gold Nation.The rogue leader Karthen had even mentioned it might be possible to frame it as Daniel attacking the combined forces of Iron and Bronze, with Gold Nation coming to the rescue. After all, Alpha Matthew Catii was the only survivor, and he was so weak it would be no trouble bending him to his will.Now all Andrew had to do was meet with Karthen, collect the heads, and this stupid pretend war would be over."I think I'll go in ceremony," he announced to his Beta. "Gather the troops just in case since we might be stabbed in the back by the rogues... Well, either way we would have turned on them next. It's almost over, friend. You've served me well.""It's an honor to be with you at the mo
This was never going to go to Union Court. It was going to go straight to war, and Beth was ready to fight. Andrew Troy had manipulated his way to victory every time but now, he would get what was coming to him.No one knew where his father was so he was all but Alpha King of Gold Nation now, which made him the most influential party in Union Court. Like hell Beth was going to bother bringing up a grievance against the most powerful member there. That was going to be open and shut and he was just going to find a way to punish everyone involved, and with legal backing.Better to just take the fight to his face and show him what was what. Beth already had her sleeves up and claws out.... Except Daniel and everyone else forbid her from leaving the Heether pack house. Completely."I am not an invalid!" she shouted. "I can still fight!""Beth... Please. You're going to stress out the baby.""The baby is stressed out because you're leaving me behind!"Daniel held her tight, stifling her st
Daniel wasted no time in telling his mother the truth that day. That is, that he and Beth had secretly been in a relationship for weeks now, technically months since they had definitely been tip-toeing around each other in poor, secret denial long before they truly pledged themselves to each other.Beth was not ready. She was still adjusting to being back in the Heether territory, still adjusting to the relief and anger and determination to take Andrew down even though she was undoubtedly pregnant. She had only just confessed to Anna about that, and Luna Margaretta already knew? Before Beth had had a chance to ready herself?"It'll be all right. She'll come around." Daniel placed his hands on her belly, which had not yet begun to grow but would soon swell with the life of their growing baby. "It's important that everyone's on alert, keeping them in the dark will only make things more dangerous."She swallowed hard. Daniel was right, but that didn't mean it make it any easier. Anna had
As an Alpha, Beth could throw off sedatives without lasting damage. Whatever Andrew had drugged her with, it wasn't doing permanent physical harm, and the effects were reversing already. Her regenerative ability had only improved over the last year with the constant strain she had put her body through, and she thanked it now as they rolled through the streets past the growing chaos of soldiers searching the streets for their missing prisoner. With any luck, within a few days of having untainted food and drink, she and the baby would be right as rain.Andrew had discovered her absence far sooner than she had hoped, but it couldn't be helped. Someone must have checked in with breakfast earlier than usual. But for the bad luck to strand them all in the city and get them caught up in the manhunt...Matt had prepared everything, at least. She still had misgivings about him that would never go away for as long as she lived -- sounds wounds ran far too deep to ever forgive -- but he had done
The first thing Beth saw when she came to was Daniel's blurred face. Even though her head pounded so fiercely she could hardly breathe, the sight of his face swimming in her swirling vision sent such sheer joy and pleasure through her that tears sprang to her eyes."Daniel...""Shhh, Beth, don't try to get up. Rest. I just brought you to the place where I'm staying, and it's a decent place to hide for now, but we don't have a doctor here yet. You need to be seen, something's wrong." He lifted his head, looked at someone over his shoulder. "Go! Find a--""Wait!" She grasped at his shirt, fingers digging weakly into the fabric. "Wait, don't. Andrew doesn't know I've escaped. When he finds out, he'll start a search and hunt me down, and anyone would figure out that it was me if they see me like this. I'm a mess."Daniel leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Maybe, but I'll get you out of here anyway. But something's not right and we have to fix that first. Did Andrew hurt you? What did h
The Troy pack house ran on routine. Everyone had been careful to keep their mouths shut about even potentially important information around Beth, which made sense since everyone knew she was a prisoner, not a mere guest. But what Andrew Troy had so carelessly forgotten was that she had already stayed here before her imprisonment.When he had entertained her as an actual guest in the span of time she had spent waiting for Daniel to arrive here, back before Andrew requested she go to Tahoe Village to help with the fake 'espionage' mission, she had already been housed here for quite a while. Long enough to learn several important details, and details that she couldn't imagine would have changed since then.Andrew's political wheeling and dealing were unpredictable, but his home life was anything but. That enormous cart of food she always saw wheeled in every morning at four in the dark of night came in every day without fail, and she was willing to stake her escape on the guess that that
They were still talking, but they had moved off the stone path and deeper into the shadows. They were on the other side of the stone half-wall, so close that it took another five steps this way, they would find Beth and she would be discovered. She placed a hand over her mouth and nose to stifle what little sound she might betray, but there was nothing else she could do. Her only choice was to wait and hope they didn't notice her, and as soon as they left, she could make a break for it.But to her chagrin, Andrew's voice became louder -- closer. Oh, Moon Goddess. They were now standing almost on top of her, just on the other side of the wall, and if they leaned over, they would see the top of her head no matter how she tried to squash herself against the stone. Was this it? Had she been too hasty?How could her luck be like this! If she had waited only one more night, Andrew Troy might not be walking the grounds. She could deal with avoiding a measly patrol; most of the time, walkabo
The shift change came every day at nine o' clock in the morning and nine o' clock at night. Morning escape was impossible, because even if she slipped past the changing guard, it would be daylight outside and everyone from here to the outlands would see her running across the estate's grounds. She had to make it a night getaway.The good news was with the frigid weather and the frequent sleet and rough snowfall, her tracks would be covered easily, and her scent hard to follow. She was used to traveling in harsh conditions from the life before, and hadn't she managed that journey to Pandemonium City and back? It had been grueling, but she had done it. And, she thought grimly, she had already conceived by then.Proof her child was already strong. Took after its father, and its mother, too. Beth smiled at the mirror, but it was razor-sharp and vindictive, not sweet.She had no more sweetness left for the enemy. She and her child would get out of here no matter what.***One week of obser
The days were short yet passed in slow misery. Trapped in the Troy pack manor on the third floor with guards posted everywhere to keep her from escaping, Beth was a canary imprisoned in a gilded cage, never allowed a moment alone even to bathe. Andrew Troy pretended it was to pamper her by assigning her female attendants to attend to her every need, but she knew better. Much better.He even had the gal to visit her as if she were just some guest being entertained in his home. How dare he have the fucking nerve? She was a prisoner, and yet when he knocked on her door and let himself in, he was all charming smiles and gentlemanly manners. Except how he never explicitly waited until she gave him permission to enter, but maybe that was because she flatly refused to give it. After five seconds of waiting, he came in, ready or not, and it made her want to punch him in the gut for it all the more.She was fed and well-taken care of, granted, like a captured exotic animal kept for private vie