What was he doing? Andrew Troy, heir apparent of the Troy pack, Alpha King of Gold Nation in all but name, bringing her breakfast with his own two hands? It didn't suit him at all, this show of being hospitable and humble, especially when Beth spotted the glint of gold on his fingers as he presented her with the tray. Wearing gold rings inlaid with diamond, jewelry expensive enough to buy out most minor packs' territories outright, but looking at her with that too-kind and pleased smile as he waited for her response...Creepy. There was no other word for it. She especially didn't like the way he placed the tray in her lap over the covers when she had been about to climb out of the bed, effectively stopping her and keeping her in place. And when his hand brushed hers, by no means accidental because Andrew Troy was the kind of man who was deliberate in every action, every word, Beth nearly shuddered with visible disgust. She only stopped herself just in time and disguised the motion
Ha. Andrew Troy, that son of a bastard. So this was the surprise he had been referring to back then, was it?Because before her stood two surprises indeed. One Beta and an Alpha she knew very well. Or, should she say, a Beta and his she-Alpha fiancee."Beth. You look well." Annalise stepped forward at Beth's greeting, but surprisingly, she didn't reach for her hand or grab her for a hug. Even the usual 'Bethie' nickname was missing from her lips. She only stood there with a small smile, far more reserved than Beth had ever seen her. Indeed, she seemed like she had grown so much over the last half year with an inch more to her height, or had it been even longer than that since they last saw each other?She was only a couple of years younger than Beth and yet had always carried herself with falsely innocent childishness. This strange new maturity and calmness that graced Anna's features didn't suit her at all. Beth hardly knew who she was looking at anymore. What a joke."Why don't you
There was no way Anna would apologize. Certainly never verbally, but even this stupid faux apology Beth demanded in the form of a drink from the flask? Definitely not. That had always been Anna's weakness, her vanity and pride. Despite her ability to put on a top-notch performance to fool anyone and everyone of her little vulnerable damsel ways, she had never, ever believed in a sincere apology.Beth knew her sister. She knew her far too well. She knew every little thing about her down to the dark crevices of her mind, because by the end of her first life in that bed, in that godawful, tear-stained, prison-bed where Matthew had kept her when she began to weaken and grow sick, Annalise had made it a point to come in and taunt her by revealing her true self. Every ugly thought, every dark scheme, every evil thing she had hidden away - confessed, gleefully.So she knew well before she ever stuck the flask out at Anna that the girl would only scrunch her nose up, frown, and turn her hea
Beth hadn't been so stupid as to stay out in the open with Anna no matter how tipsy she was. Like hell she was going to fall asleep next to her sister only to wake up in the morning with a literal knife in her back. Well, no. Maybe something more subtle than that, but still. The point remained. Her expert con of a younger sister was putting on a frighteningly convincing act of being a changed and better person, but how many times had she done that before? Far too many to count. Just another notch on the stick, honestly. So Beth had excused herself and gone to bed early, since it seemed Noah wasn't going to be around for the planned strategy meeting anytime soon.Figured. Big important man couldn't be bothered to plan and consult with a she-Alpha. He probably only tolerated Annalise's help as it was because she was his fiancee, and therefore a credit to his manliness as an obedient and useful wife-to-be. But Beth? No. Never.And yet the night wasn't peaceful at all. Beth woke sometim
When Beth awoke in the morning, she had no hangover and had instead a newfound certainty that the two warriors from last night were exactly who they said they were. Thank the Moon Goddess. With some luck, maybe she could get them released so they could fight alongside her. Being Silver Nation warriors, even if they weren't strictly Heether pack, they would be far better trained than the half-hearted troops she had on hand. Better yet if they were from one of the close sister packs, whose trained warriors were almost as good as the Heether themselves.But she had to hope that the message by falcon would return in time to vouch for them. Her word alone wasn't good enough. Moon Goddess help them, Beth found herself praying. If the rogues would hold off on the attack long enough for a reply to come back, then things would be so much easier. Winter-weather trained falcons could brave the storm and make the trip in record time, but whether the snow would slow down the rogues was in quest
Noah White. This Beta who had been so proud of his Gold Nation heritage and authority. Beth hadn't thought of cousin James since the night of that birthday celebration for Noah's father, but now she recalled afresh that in the other life, Jim had died in the middle of a massacre while supporting Noah in a failed battle. Back then, all she had known was a name, and only vaguely at that. But with the knowledge she possessed now in conjunction with what she remembered from before, there could be no mistake.Was this what had happened then too? Or was Noah just infinitely more of a coward in this life than the one before? She couldn't stand to think that this was what must have happened in the first life, that this man's sheer cowardice had claimed Jim's life while everyone else sympathized with him, grateful for how at least the Beta could have so narrowly escaped death while heroically fighting in the doomed battle with his comrades.This man. Noah White. If what she suspected was tru
This couldn't be happening. Anna buried her face in her hands, still struggling to absorb everything Noah had said straight to her face without even a hint of shame. A strategic retreat, he had said. Cutting their losses. And then when it was all over, reporting to Gold Nation and the Union Court that the battle had been bravely fought but lost anyway.He was supposed to be her new life. He was vain sometimes and reminded her a little too closely of how she had been before Beth had snapped sense into her at the birthday party at long last, but he was her husband, her mate. He was gentle and encouraging and never looked down on her even when she discovered there was so much in domestic life she was unskilled at, and it was because of him, too, that she had been able to grow.She was different now. She had changed. For over sixteen years she had only thought about herself and everything had always gone her way, so she had never thought to become better. But then, Beth had changed over
Anna was certainly not who she had been before. Beth didn't know what exactly had been the catalyst for her transformation, but the Annalise who had orchestrated immaculate tea parties and always gasped when even a fleck of mud dotted her dresses, the Annalise who had refused to even touch sticks on the ground because they had dirt or grass blades on them was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she had also come back and was living a second life, Beth thought dryly, but there was no chance of that no matter how amusing the notion. No, the way things seemed, Annalise had simply changed the good old fashioned way, through inner transformation after what must have been hardship and painful lessons.But one thing was for sure. She really did care for Noah. She might even love him. Whatever had happened in the past year, Anna had become someone who didn't turn her nose up at being mated to a Beta and had even deigned to come to the front where she would certainly meet with more than flecks of mud a
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