As they finished breakfast and sat quietly on the terrace, simply enjoying each other's company, a very harassed-looking Allen appeared through the doors.He looked around furtively as if expecting an ambush before his shoulders sagged in relief. He strode over to where Ann and Adam were regarding him with bemused expressions and sat heavily on a chair.Ann and Adam exchanged a look as they took in his unusually stressed appearance.'I bet it's Lexi…' Maeve sniggered and Ann had to stop herself from laughing at the thought."Is everything okay?" Adam asked curiously.Allen sighed heavily and turned to stare across the expansive grounds at the back of the balcony."Yeah. I'm fine, just… never mind." Allen answered with a hint of defeat in his eyes that actually made Ann feel a little sorry for him."Are you sure, Allen? You don't look like you're fine." Ann asked, trying desperately to block out Maeve's manic laughter."Yeah, it's… actually no. How is she EVERYWHERE that I go?" He hisse
They hadn't stayed too long out on the terrace. They had discussed briefly the plans for going forward with Lexi's planned lectures and touched upon the subjects that they thought would be of most use first of all. Allen had excused himself pretty quickly once the subject began to get a little too in-depth for his liking and Lexi seemed unable to resist teasing him at every opportunity. With a solid plan now in place, Lexi also excused herself, explaining that she needed to speak with her father and see if he had any ideas to contribute that would increase the value of the courses they planned to offer. Adam felt that it would be a good idea if they could gain clearance from the Royal Council, that perhaps some of the different species and races of Daemons could also attend. Lexi wasn't so sure about the viability of that idea as it would require some of the higher-ranking Daemons, the ones that were more or less able to control themselves and not follow their whims, and apparently,
Ann exhaled slowly as she began explaining. When she was done, she was met with stunned silence at the end of the phone."Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that, but of course I can squeeze you in. I don't have anything urgent that my girls and I can't push aside for a little while, and actually, part of the work may already be done for this." Mimi announced cryptically."Huh? What do you mean?" Ann asked, the confusion clear in her voice.Mimi chuckled lightly."You'll see my dear. Try not to worry yourself. I'll be free in about an hour's time, so, is there somewhere that we can meet? Would you prefer it to be at the palace or somewhere else?"Ann stole a glance at Adam quickly, whose eyes were still riveted on her every move"Actually, it might be better to come here. My mate still needs his suit sorting, so the more information he has about the color schemes the better.""Not a problem. Text me the address and I'll make my way over when I'm free." After they said their goodbyes,
With all of the last-minute arrangements that had to be made, as well as clearing Adam's schedule and booking in a last-minute stylist for her hair, the time seemed to pass far too quickly.She certainly didn't feel like she had gotten enough sleep the night before when she woke the next morning.After they had gotten ready for the impending ceremony, she made her way out to the car, clutching the jewelry that she had inherited from her mother tightly in her hands. It only seemed fitting that as she was wearing the dress that her mother designed for her, then she should also wear the heirlooms that had been left for her too.In a way, she hoped that even in the arms of the moon goddess, her mother would be able to look down on her today and smile warmly, seeing what she had become."Are you nervous at all?" Adam asked as she slid into the car and he got in, sitting next to her.Ann smiled and shook her head gently."No, I don't think so. I think it's more anticipation if anything. My f
"Very well. I will see that she is escorted to your room once she arrives. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?""No, I think that's everything. What time do I need to be ready?"The Elder waved her hand dismissively."There's no set time, your Highness. As long as it is completed today, that's all that matters. If you use this button here, " She continued, indicating a delicately engraved panel with a single button set inside it, "It will alert the Omega's that you require something. They have already been briefed on your arrival so will cater to your requests as needed. Once you're ready, let them know and we will come and escort you to the chamber.""Fantastic. Thank you very much." Ann said, a little awkwardly.She wasn't sure how to dismiss her politely so that she could be left alone to prepare, but it seemed as though the Elder had read her mind. She bobbed her head politely and said her goodbyes as she turned and left the room.With a heavy exhalation, Ann turned to
"Then in the name of the Moon Goddess, I crown you as Alpha Queen, Ann Nocturne, ruler of the Kingdom of Veritas." He announced loudly as he turned to the hall and stepped aside, allowing Ann to step forward and make her way up the few steps that lay between her and the throne.Ann's heart raced rapidly as she slowly, but deliberately placed one foot in front of the other and Maeve danced excitedly in her head.She had never expected to be taking this position so soon, and especially not while her father was alive.An turned to cast her eyes across the room full of nobles in front of her who had stood as she ascended the stairs. No sooner had her eyes landed on them did they drop to their knees in respect, and as she took her rightful place on the Throne of Selene, as one, they bared their necks in submission to her. Maeve howled her delight inside of her as she allowed a small portion of her full power as an Alpha female to ripple outwards from her very being, and prove once and for
The wind howled through the mountain passes as the ominous storm clouds scudded overhead, the threat of them dumping their heavy load over the convoy below was ever-present as the guards walked in silence at the side of their dangerous cargo.Each one of them knew the dire threat that they had been charged with keeping subdued, and they were acutely aware of the fate that awaited them if anything went wrong.The Iron cage rattled over stones and boulders as the heavy guard scanned the dangerous terrain all around them as if expecting a threat to appear at any second.The Elders of the Royal Enclave had wasted no time in preparing and shipping these convicts off to their final destination.As soon as the verdicts had been announced, the two female figures, one unrepentant and defiant, the other sobbing and defeated as she clutched her swollen belly protectively, had been unceremoniously hauled away and bundled together in a high-security convoy with other condemned inmates destined for
The ground beneath them seemed to erupt as vile, twisted creatures emerged as far as the eye could see, bringing with them a stench that was so overpowering a multitude of hands flew upwards to cover their faces with the masks of their attire as they gagged violently.The rotting flesh of the gargantuan beast that seemed to detach itself from the mountainside rippled disgustingly as it lumbered towards them, vile fluids oozing from the open sores and dripping down onto the mass of creatures swarming below it.The entire convoy seemed to freeze momentarily in pure, unadulterated terror as the scene that looked as though it had been ripped straight from a horror movie unfolded before them.In seconds, the Enclave's guards sprung into action. Those that couldn't shift readied their weapons and offensive magick as the sound of breaking bones whilst the shifters changed filled the air. An eerie symphony rippled through the landscape, filled with the cacophony of grunts and otherworldly shri
As their convoy of cars and moving vans rolled up the driveway, Ann's stomach twisted uncomfortably as her anxiety set in. Regardless of what her babies were doing to her insides, the effects that her heightened emotions were having on her far eclipsed any discomfort that her pups were causing. She took a deep breath as she tried to calm the anxiety that knotted her insides and made her heart ache painfully. As far as she knew, her father was still living within the palace and she still wasn't sure that she could forgive him for everything that she had been put through because of his choices. In the worst-case scenario, she could always extend the palace to encompass two main living areas so that she wouldn't have to deal with tolerating his presence. She didn't even want to think about how she would explain to her children that they couldn't ever meet the incredible woman that her mother was because her father had an affair, broke the mating bond, and allowed his mistress and
"Right, I think that's the last of them," Adam grinned as he jogged through the huge doors of the Enclave's entrance hall to where Ann was pacing restlessly and Bartholomew was watching with mild amusement. "Finally," Ann sighed as she rubbed her belly with a grimace, "At this point, all I want to do is get my home back to what it used to be." Adam leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ann's forehead. "Are they making things difficult for you?" He asked gently, rubbing her back. Ann reached for his hand with a scowl and placed it palm down on top of her belly and grimaced as another flurry of movement rippled under her skin and Adam blinked in surprise. "Are they fighting in there?!" He asked in shock. "With two stubborn Alpha's for parents, I wouldn't put it past them." Bartholomew chuckled as he made his way over to them, smiling kindly. Ann lifted her gaze and her face softened as she looked at the kindly face of the old man that had been there for them through so muc
When Coral had returned with the Omega that worked as a nanny to the nobles, the baby boy was handed over to her and she waddled off happily, cooing at the baby in her arms as it gurgled happily back up at her. Coral began to work through updating the schedule for Ann as she dictated, adding additional notes that she shared with Allen's device. He would see to their schedule tomorrow as he had several days worth of reports to hear from Adam as to what had happened within the businesses and the Dark Moon Pack while he was away. Lexi made her way back to her room with both Allen and Greyson following behind her. She paused outside her door and turned to them both with a smile. "Sorry to disappoint boys, but I don't feel like getting frisky right now. Quite honestly, I just want to soak all of this crap off me." They nodded at her as she looked at them thoughtfully. "We really should sit down and have a discussion about how this is going to work between us all, you know." she
"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that." Ann said a little breathlessly as she looked between Lexi, Allen and Greyson. Adam shared the same concerned expression as she did at the revelations that Eromaug would clearly stop at nothing to get his hands on Lexi. "You're absolutely sure that your father is willing to ally himself with us?" Ann asked as the baby in her arms began to stir and protest at the noise and unfamiliar surroundings it had found itself in. Lexi snorted loudly. "Of course he is. How could he not when his daughter is your right hand woman?" She winked. "We should put it to the council first." Adam said somberly as Lexi groaned loudly. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled at the opportunity," She muttered sarcastically as Ann laughed. "I think we should get hold of Bartholomew so that he can help us find a way to ‘tell' the council of our alliance, rather than ask for their permission." Ann mused thoughtfully, "He's pretty knowledgeable about who supports us,
Ann and Adam stood on the front steps of the Enclave, eagerly waiting for the return of both of their Beta's. Adam chuckled as Ann fidgeted with her hands and struggled to stand still, her gaze fixed on the curve of the driveway. "They'll be here soon, don't worry." He soothed, wrapping his arm around her as she nibbled on her bottom lip. "What if something happened though?" She worried as she rubbed her little bump in an act of self soothing. Adam's eyes glazed over slightly as he linked with Allen and then grinned down at his anxious wife. "Allen said stop worrying, it's not good for the baby. They'll be here in seconds." "But…" As promised, the front end of the transport pulled around the corner of the driveway and Ann let out a sigh of relief. "See, my Queen? Nothing to worry about." Adam chuckled as he watched them pull to a stop in front of them. As soon as the door opened and Lexi's head emerged, Ann broke away from Adam and bolted down the steps towards her.
Lexi knew that she was still conscious, but the pressure that engulfed her head, and the rigidity of her body teamed with the almost distant voices of protest from Allen and Greyson let her know that she had no control over what was happening right now. The initial black curtain that had descended was suddenly filled with hundreds upon hundreds of memories from her childhood, all played out in glorious technicolor and accompanied by sounds and smells that made her heart ache with familiarity and her breath catch in her chest. There was no way that she could catch each and every memory at once, but she could see it clearly. The bond that both she and Eromaug had shared at an early stage was filled with love and an intensity that she had known only with Allen and Greyson. By the time the images had begun to fade in her mind's eye and her vision returned, she was overwhelmed with emotions. As she sat there trembling, clasping her hands together tightly so that she wouldn't cry wit
Lord Brarthroroz guided Lexi over to one of the chairs around the table and gestured towards the flap of the tent. "Make sure no one enters for the time being, Steve." He said with an air of resignation to his voice as he took a seat next to his daughter. Steve nodded expressionlessly as he moved to the open flap, released the material to close it and ducked through to stand outside. "You two should sit as well," Lord Brathroroz advised as he gestured to the seats across from Lexi, "This isn't easy for me to talk about." He continued with a grunt. Greyson and Allen moved to comply and took their seats next to each other, both of them focused on Lexi. Lord Brarthroroz sighed as he turned back to his daughter and cupped her face fondly. "Before I start, I want you to understand that before your mother and I had you, neither of us realized just how deeply we could love and the desire to protect you from harm eclipsed everything else in our lives completely." He said gently a
It hadn't taken their force long to clear the halls and clean up the bodies that were left behind. The losses had been minimal on their part and considering the forces that they had thought they would be up against, their plans had meant that they had been far better equipped than the coven itself. The Coven had left very few prisoners alive, and the ones that were still breathing were in pretty bad shape. Lexi and the other healers and medics had done what they could but there was no growing back limbs…no matter how proficient of a shifter you were. Lord Brarthroroz had stationed huge numbers of his daemons within the winding passageways and caverns that the coven had previously inhabited and returned to the surface with his portalmancer Steve at his side. He strode angrily across the makeshift camp to the command tent and paused at the entrance, glancing across at the medical tent where Lexi had been working. Currently, she was cleaning her hands off as her mates watched
She stood and with one last look at the lifeless body below her, turned her attention to the chaos at the other side of the room. Narcissa had no problems keeping the attacks of the wolves at bay and Lexi could feel the emotions of the past few minutes bubbling wildly inside of her as she stormed towards her, her eyes blazing furiously. Her father was still making little headway against Eromaug, but she wasn't concerned about his survival, he was more than capable of taking care of himself against his bastard of a brother. Narcissa on the other hand…she had a lot to fucking answer for. Lexi strode through the fighters battling the twisted Daemons that had emerged from the shadows, throwing her magick lazily towards the monstrosities as she passed, a sneer curling at her lips as the shifters watched her in terrified awe. It wasn't long until Narcissa noticed her approach and her face split into a sneer that matched Lexi's as she swept her arm in front of her, knocking the ma