I wasn't sure if Morax had told anyone, or if Miqella was just some sort of undercover genius, but as my eyes locked with his, I was stunned. Morax only seemed to treat me like his mate when he wanted to, the elephant in the room almost completely ignored unless he was too close. I noticed it was in those times that he slipped up, and I couldn’t help but feel like he didn’t want the bond at all.Did Miqella know that too?"...Yeah, I am."I saw the way his eyes dropped down to my exposed shoulder, the work of my slipover shoulder cardigan. I knew what he was looking for.Quickly, I averted my gaze. I felt self-conscious under Miqella’s watchful stare, ashamed. "But he hasn't claimed me yet. I don't know if he even wants to." I admitted after a moment, surprised by how easily my worries fled from my mouth in the catty boy's presence.His long black hair tumbled to the side when he cocked his head. “Is he not what you expected?”What I expected? How could I answer that? On one hand, I t
I reached out to touch her, but Miqella’s hand held mine. He was seizing it in mid-air as my watery gaze landed on his somber face. My limbs were heavy and rigid like a statue, my digits locked inside his palm.“You can’t touch her, you’ll contaminate the evidence.” He said the words heavily, and they sat in my mind, drenching it with sorrow. She wasn’t a person anymore. She was just evidence. The leftovers of someone’s crime.Though, I knew who did it. My mind just didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to jump to improbable scenarios of someone coming through the window and hurting her, to somehow explain Brandon’s absence. But my nose didn’t lie.Even if my thoughts did.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my hand shaking when Miqella’s cold touch released my palm. It fell limp to my side.“I…should have believed you and Morax, I… trusted him, I never thought…” My thoughts were getting hard to communicate. Everything was racing a mile a minute. My regrets, my frustrations, and everything from t
"So, what did you want with me?" I asked, letting the power flow into my hands again. He seemed surprised to see me wielding it so confidently, but I wasn't fazed at the apparent wonder on his visage. I didn't know what his game was. Or what he was thinking. But as Morax and I stood on one side of the field across from each other, circling, anger pricked at my stomach. Timmy was gone already, by the behest of the Alpha to go grab some food for the picnic. And Miqella had also vanished at the Alpha's orders. It was just the two of us, alone. But unlike before, it didn't bring me much happiness. There was no mistaking the animalistic pull I still felt towards him, but by this point, it was just a hindrance. Sure, Alpha Morax was powerful, beautiful, and charming--but he was also clearly emotionally incompetent. Frankly, I wasn't sure if my feelings for him were real or a side effect of the bond anymore. "I told you, today you're training with me." He replied, short and to the p
In... Heat? The almost feverish outbreak on my skin at his touch told me that he was correct, but it didn't make my nerves die down any. In fact, I felt trapped. Staring into the eyes of a man who, quite bluntly, terrified me. Despite us being mates, I had no idea where I stood with him. I had expected he had come here to finally reject me, but here he was... on top of me, looking at me like I was his prey. The pack bond wanted me to yield under his stare, pushing me to submit. But I fought it, flushing red to the tips of my ears as I bucked my hips up. "I..." I stammered, praying like hell that no one showed up in the woods right now.His face loomed even closer, and for the first time, I didn't know what to do. I could see the physical length of his lashes from how close he was, could see the amber swirling inside his pupils to blossom into the brilliant iris of his eyes. Without thinking, my hands went to his shoulders. But instead of pushing him away as I intended, my body had
Morax Pov. When I had asked the small pup Timmy Haynes to head towards Robin for me, this hadn't been the outcome I had anticipated. Her petite body trembling under mine. Her body sucking me into the brink. Even though I just had her, I wanted more. Seeing her sprawled out, panting my name, it wasn't a memory I'd forget anytime soon. But as I stared at her, watching her slowly fall off her high, a fit of cold anger still chilled my chest. It was like a cold winter day, once you sought warmth, it was natural that the cold outside only felt more bitter. That was how Robin was, a bundle of heat who suddenly left you cold again. Time and time again, she was close enough for me to touch, but she always fled after. She did it, repeatedly. Whenever I got too close, she lurched away. When I carried her home from battle, she ran from like the devil was at her heels. And during the party... all she had done was keep her distance, sprinting away before I even had a chance to ask her to dan
"There ya are! What took you guys' a so longs?" Timmy was sitting down, cross-legged, looking up at Morax and me like we were the most prominent villains in his story. The accusation in his big brown eyes made me feel about two feet tall. It didn't help that I already felt like a moron for sleeping with Morax. Timmy's eyes seemed to rest on the curled ends of my hair, which were still damp from the river. I carefully kept my gaze straight ahead. I could feel Morax looking at me, leaving it up to me to answer. "Well?" He pressed, looking annoyed. Carefully, I sat down on the blanket. The soft fabric was comfortable, clinging to my jeans. It was hard to keep my face expressionless though when I realized I was sore. With a hint of embarrassment, I coughed sheepishly into my hand. "Sorry. I had to get cleaned up, training was harder than expected." I explained, as smoothly as I could. Feeling the smallest bit annoyed when I heard the Alpha snort under his breath like a child. At lea
'Robin!' 'Robin!' 'I'm... here!' There was static in my head. Weird propelling visions shot past my eyelids in rapid succession. I felt like I was sinking as if my legs had turned into quicksand. I could see a woman standing at an altar, she looked eerily similar to me. Across from her was a man who resembled my father. But when I opened my eyes, the weird visions were gone. I could only stare, out of breath, at the crowd before me. "Are you alright?" Morax whispered and I paused. After a moment I gave a slight, minuscule nod. Everyone was staring at me. Some were in shock and wonder—others in anger or jealousy. But most of the gawking, to my utmost surprise, was in respect. It was my first time standing tall in front of the pack, and I felt nervous as I stood shoulder to shoulder with Morax. I took a small step forward at the gentle nudge of his palm on the small of my back, looking out at the crowd. Immediately I was pleased to recognize Mrs. Pearl, she was smiling up at
"..." Morax's hand lifted in the air just inches from my face, but at the last minute, he seemed to freeze. His jaw was set and rigid, the slight scruff that was beginning to sprout on his chiseled face outlining the frown that marred his lips. It looked as if he had been about to touch me but thought otherwise. My eyes slid down to watch the rise and fall of his chest, his regal suit stretched tight across his muscles. The Alpha was as composed as ever, the only clue to his surprise being his stiff shoulders. "Why does it concern you how I see Angelica?" He asked, his voice stern. His response sent bristles down my spine, but just when I went to tell him exactly how it was, he kept talking. Holding up his hand to silence me. I glared at the offending limb, just barely biting my tongue. "Don't misunderstand. I don't have any issue telling you, I'm just surprised you have any interest in it." I blinked, twice. ... Was Morax serious right now? I waited for him to laugh, but he ke
The tension in the clearing broke, and suddenly laughter seemed to rejoin the pack. It was odd, how easily Elijah drained the tense atmosphere, his bumbling even making the rouges slacken in their intensity. I noticed the fiery girl from before look at him, rolling her eyes before she smirked. After that, everything seemed to go off without a hitch. We gave them their housing, went over the rules, even though some were moved to separate settlements it ended as a standard procedure. It was like our village hadn't been torched, like packs weren't dying to protect the relics. For a moment, it felt...normal. Like my life had always been here. But I knew the minute the four of us were alone, that peace would shatter. If not by whatever they had to tell me, but by what I had to say. I watched impatiently as the crowd slowly dispersed, that weird fog churning in my chest again. It felt like a vice. Something I couldn't shake. What was it?Anxiety? Pain? Something else entirely…?"...Hm.
“I gotcha now, Missy Robin!” Laughter played in the air around me, and I was stunned as my world came back into focus. A fog retreating when a scamper of footsteps broke through. “…What?” I gasped. The kick came for my mid-section and I barely managed to step out of the way in time. I was watching as Timmy charged at me with all his tiny might. I saw a flurry of red locks and a triumphant grin before I shot out my hand to catch his ankle. So frail in my hands, he was like a baby jumping on its momma. Full of effort with no dexterity. “Hey, what’a gives! I had you!” Timmy’s grin fell into a pout, and I shrugged. “No, you thought you had me.” My leg swept out to kick his out from under him and the boy fell with an overzealous oof. He lay on the ground, groaning about my ‘cheap’ tricks. He was defeated for the umpteenth time. “This…a’, isn’t fair!” He was huffing and puffing when I leaned down to pat his head. Honestly, at this point, I wasn’t even trying. My mind was scattered,
Elijah Pov. “You mind tellin’ me what the hell is going on now?” Malika shot me a look from the other side of her father’s shoulders, but honestly, I was as freakin’ clueless as she was. I gave her a half-assed shrug, looking back at Morax. The dude was stopped dead in the center of the alley looking like someone slapped his mother. I could feel his aura spilling out, and it brought back memories of pain pretty damn quickly. I think it was safe to assume whoever he ran into wasn’t a buddy of ours. “I’m not sure, but stay here. I’ll get a closer look.” I promised, gently handing her father over to her the rest of the way. She heaved slightly under his weight, but once she was settled she gave me the go-ahead. I could see from where I was that there were people on the other side of the alley. There was a red-headed chick I’d never seen before and my comrades. But that wasn’t what had Morax’s attention. So I stepped closer, sniffing the air. I paused right when the city lights hit th
Morax Pov. ‘Stay true to your position and stay out of sight. I’m on my way. Be safe.’ I sent out the signal, running as fast as my body would let me. Red fur blazed the trail ahead of me, blood matting both our coats while our paws thudded over the ground. The air was thick with tension tonight, a sense of gravity that tugged at our limbs while we broke the shackles. Just three more. It was so close I could taste it. ‘Are you sure we should be throwing another assault after our last two…? Can we really keep going for so long without rest?’ Green eyes pierced the darkness, and I followed Escha sharply around a corner. ‘Elijah knows where the Copse Alpha is, and as for Zander…well, it appears we don’t have to do anything at all.’ ‘How is that poss—ah…wait, Miqella?’ She said his name with understanding. ‘If anyone can deliver, it’s him.’ I echoed back, and I knew she wouldn’t respond. It went without saying that I trusted him never to fail; he was as stubborn as he was loyal. L
Elijah Pov. No matter how long we waited, he didn’t budge. Seconds turned to minutes while I scrambled to figure out what I was supposed to do. Normal people would just open the door, right? But I wasn’t supposed to be here. Shit, shit, shit…! "Malika!" My father's voice boomed from the other side, and this time we both flinched. I could hear how hard his knuckles rapped against the shabby wood and I was consciously aware it could fall off any second. Horror images about how it had simply teetered off earlier flashed in my mind every time his hand touched the door. The mental image sucked, freezing my limbs in place. I tore my gaze from the window to Malika's face. Somehow her shocked expression annoyed me. "I thought this place was a secret," I accused, whispering as low as possible. Not being able to mind link with her sucked right now, but I could only hope he didn't hear me. He was still knocking away though, insistent. "I didn't tell him where I lived," She mouthed, her
Elijah Pov. “Here, we can talk more in private.” The door creaked open, damn near falling off its hinges despite the gentle push Zuri gave. "This is your, um, house?" I questioned at length, staring at the rundown building. It looked out of place in a city alive with technology. Tall buildings could be seen right outside of the alley, but here we were in front of a dingy, unlit shack. A part of me didn't want to ask about it, but when the wood teetered like a frail old man just from being touched, yeah, I had some concerns. I didn't want to offend her but I also didn't really want to die either. Zuri looked back at me over her shoulder scowling, “I said we were going to my place, didn’t I?” Her tone was laid back and drawled, but her eyes were like pin needles and fire. They told me to go kick rocks. I laughed, putting my hands up in surrender. “You did, but I just didn’t expect it to look like this…” I admitted slowly and her gaze only grew harsher. “You ca
Elijah Pov."So, are the rumors true or not?" Zuri's voice settled in the air, collecting dust on the table while I tried to find my voice. I didn't wanna admit it, but when Miqella exchanged a look with me, I knew this shit was real. Everything this stranger was saying about Robin, all the messed up "deals" laid out by my sperm donor, the horror of it all, was all true. She caught us up on all the daily chatter, even explaining who or what exactly my sister was. According to the rumors swept up by my father, he claimed Robin was the offspring of the previous Goddess Harbinger. That part I knew was true, but he claimed that for some reason, her blood was special...unlike mine.Was it because I was a guy? I had no clue.But. he swore up and down, she was a partial reincarnation of the moon Goddess. The rumors spread like wildfire in the city, everyone talking about her mark. Because of it, he was growing a hell of a following. I guess, not many people would turn down the opp
My knees hit the dirt. My hands lay bare against the soil.Still, I'm unable to move as the blazing glory I had just witnessed vanished into the undisturbed blades of grass. There were no more screams, no more gut-wrenching sounds of blistering flesh. Just cicadas and a thundering pulse in my chest, pushing at the bounds of my mind. I was scared to move despite knowing exactly where I was.The smell in the air was undoubtedly the Aconite Pack territory. I was back.All the air seized from my lungs. My fingers trembled as I clutched at the grass, trying to catch my breath. The harbinger mark was still searing into my flesh. It felt like a hot brand of iron tearing through my skin, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. I was back. But my mom. . . I caught Mrs. Pearl's scent on the wind, along with Angelica's. But I didn't budge an inch, not even when I heard someone kneel beside me.I felt frozen. Like my leg had snapped right along with hers, even though it was
"Are you ready to see this? I can only conjure it once for you, if you back out, there's no going back." Angelica's warning rattled in my ears, and I swallowed back my trepidation. Everything I was sacrificing, lying for, and hiding from built up to this moment. I stared at the milky white palms of Angelica's hands, enraptured in the strange pink energy that seemed to pool straight up into the air from her pores. If I wanted out, this would be my only chance. I knew that. But as I stared at the gravity-defying magic, I couldn't look away. "I'm ready," I affirmed. There was no way I could walk away, not now. I needed to know about my mother, what Elijah never told me--what my father had been hiding. I had never questioned, never even wavered in his teachings. So I knew I could never be my own person until I knew the truth. These were my goals. My aspirations. Not Elijah's, not Morax's. I needed this. "Then, let's explore the past. Shall we?" Her hands lifted, and before I knew