With an audible gasp, Hakeem pulled away from Shayla. He stumbled until his back hit the wall. Jada lowered herself to the floor, her hand clasped over her mouth. I couldn’t bring myself to move. All of my bones had been welded together, my mind torn in two. Half was thrust into the past, while the
Nox’s P.O.V. She was the perfect example of how not to start a conversation, because ten minutes in I was ready to tear her limb from limb. The only thing stopping me from acting on my screaming instincts was Hakeem’s ironclad grip on my arm. He was even smart enough to avoid eye contact with me. O
Jada made a sound in her throat that resembled a gag and backed away, her hands raised in surrender. It was vile, disgusting, and exactly what someone like Phineas Striker would do. A tremor worked its way through my body. “You’re the one that had her captured in the first place. Excuse me if I’m n
Nox’s P.O.V. Natasha’s response haunted me for the next several days. I could read between the lines. Lilac’s heart might be beating, but that didn’t mean she was okay. If Phineas wasn’t torturing her, then he was forcing her to do any number of horrible things. I could feel in the missing parts o
Pain spread down my neck. I twisted my head to the side and relished the loud crack. Grinding my molars together, I stared Valeria down and let her see the true depths of how far I was willing to go. Friend or not, I’d use my magic on her. I’d do anything to get Lilac back. “If you and the Order ca
“If—” My throat clenched, “When we find Lilac, what will she have the Order do? I know Phineas and Alpha Gideon well enough. This is going to come to war. What will she do to help us win?” Valeria stood from the sofa and smoothed down her pencil skirt with the palms of her hands. “She has plans of
Her warning was more for Hakeem than me. A few days ago, she’d hissed in pain after projecting too far. Hakeem had panicked and grabbed hold of her, making her decent back into her body even more taxing. Taking one final swig of water, she closed her eyes and slipped away. Seconds stretched into mi
Lilac’s P.O.V. Fifteen. That’s how many people Phineas had me kill over the following, hours, days, weeks. However long it’s been since I drained the life from Harriet’s body. Each time I closed my eyes, I’d see their faces. I’d hear the screams they let out, the way their voices cracked as they
Kalix froze. In fact, I was pretty sure we all froze. “My wife is pregnant?” “Yes.” Natasha nodded. “With my baby?” “No, the mailman’s.” She snorted, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Who else would it be?” “I’m going to be a father?” A giggle bubbled past her lips. “That’s typically what happe
I recognized the look on Kalix’s face whenever his sister and Shayla were in the same room. The mixture of awe, terror, and bliss was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. We had everything we could’ve ever wanted and would do anything to keep it that away. “Where’s Natasha and Hakeem?” Shayla aske
Nox’s P.O.V. Six Years Later “You no good cheater!” I heard my mate belt from across the backyard. Her father’s boisterous laugh followed, drawing my eyes. The two of them stood in the stand pit off to the side of the pool and were currently hitting a volleyball back and forth. Jada and Brinley w
I threaded my arm through his and patted his hand. “Well, now you can focus on other things.” A gleam of nervousness filled his eyes. “So, is everything ready for tonight?” Shayla often mentioned how flustered she’d get by Kalix’s smooth charm, but she was the only one who failed to see how nervou
Mom beamed, tears blossoming in her eyes as she threw her arms around our shoulders. We clung to her side chuckling when Jada raced forward to blot her make-up with a microfiber cloth. “I’m sorry, I’m just so happy. I never thought I’d get to see this moment. Goddess, I’m so grateful. I’ve got both
Lilac’s P.O.V. Three Years Later “This itches.” I grunted, picking at the lace clinging to my rear. “Mark my words, I’m going to have a rash on my ass by the end of the night.” “No scratching!” Shayla smacked my hand away, a playful grin curling at her lips. Since disappearing on a little trip w
“Your aura has never been brighter.” She murmured quietly in my ear, a bright smile warming her face. A few minutes later, Diego called our names and invited us onto the stage. I laced my arm through Nox’s and followed his lead. No less than six cameras were stationed on us, each one set at a diff
The tension faded from her shoulders as she nodded. “Thank you for being there for me. I never meant to put you in a spot. Anyway, you came here for a reason, right? Don’t let my tears chase you off.” “You sure?” I paused, “It’s not exactly a light topic.” “None of our conversations this past wee
Lilac’s P.O.V. One Week Later “How have you been?” Natasha turned from where she sat on the balcony and smiled softly. Pain lingered behind the action. I should know considering I’d made that same expression a time or two. She motioned me forward, gesturing to the chair beside her. I sat down fo