Her eyes were bloodshot, frantically scanning my face as she tried and failed to speak. All that left her lips was a wet rasp. Turner pushed himself up from the ground, his movements stiff and robotic. I took in his fractured skull and translucent skin, and instantly understood what she’d been tryin
With my heart tearing in two, I blocked my best friend’s voice out and got to work trying to save the life of his mate. “You’re not going to die. You’re not going to die. You’ll be fine. It’s going to be okay. It’ll be okay. It will.” A hand grazed my arm and I shrieked, only to find myself starin
Lilac’s P.O.V. Two Weeks… The air was knocked from my lungs as I was slammed onto the thick padded mat lining the training facility’s floors. I quickly rolled, jumping to my feet. It was bad enough that I was coated in 6 different people’s sweat. I really didn’t want to add blood and drool to the
“A family reunion? Can I come?” Jada said, dive-bombing between her brother and me. She grinned brightly, “You know Hakeem doesn’t understand sarcasm that well.” Hakeem rolled his eyes. “I understand it, you just suck at utilizing it.” She ignored him, which wasn’t unusual in the slightest. A seri
It was Shayla that broke the silence. She stood from the bench we shared and spoke in a shaky voice, “Kalix, what’s going on?” His eyes visibly softened as he looked at her. It lasted but a moment before anger and frustration won out, darkening his sharp features. He looked absolutely spent. “My c
Lilac’s P.O.V. Kalix’s capture was the final nail in the coffin that drove home the fact that this was actually happening. We were going to war. Despite the copious hours spent discussing war strategies, where to place our troops, and what method of attack to deploy, I still felt wholly underprep
The gut-wrenching sob that tore its way from my throat was swallowed by his lips, cradled in the embrace of a man I trusted with every fiber of my being. I couldn’t bring myself to pull away, not when the bond we shared wrapped around us both. My pain became his, and when our fear bubbled into somet
Lilac’s P.O.V. The dawn had never come and gone so quickly in my life. Barely feeling the weight of all the tactical gear I wore, I took in the thousands of faces surrounding me, doing my best to memorize each one. Mothers, fathers, siblings, and children crowded around the warriors gathered here
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