I wake up feeling disorientated and groggy. “Where am I?” I mumble and try to sit up. My head is killing me and my throat burns with thirst. “Home,” Kane’s low, comforting voice whispers in my ear. “You are safe.” I gasp and bolt upright, staring angrily at Kane. “How long did you make me sleep this time?” “Just a few hours. You needed it.” “Adare--” “Is asleep.” Next to me, Kane groans and the bed wobbles under me as he rolls off and pads around to my side. “But I’ll get him.” “Please.” He leans over the cot, and when he straightens he’s holding our peaceful baby in his arms. “My mother says he was inconsolable for hours, but the moment I brought you into the apartment, he stopped crying.” I hold out my hands and he gently lays Adare in my arms. The baby’s eyes open and he stares at me, a frown of disapproval between his eyes as if asking, “Where the hell have you been?” “You should probably go ahead and nurse him,” Kane says. “You must be in pain.” “I need to shower first.
“What are you doing today?” I ask Kane while we eat breakfast.“I have some business to take care of, and Silver Star needs an Alpha, so I’m seeing their Beta today to promote him.”“They couldn’t find Richard’s son?”“No. And they checked with every pack in the country.”“Maybe they moved to another country?”He shrugs and throws his tie over his shoulder before he digs into his eggs. I like him dressed up in one of his tailored suits. It's hot. This is what men must feel like when they see us in a sexy negligee. Kane gives me a knowing smile, but says nothing else. “I don’t know where they are," he answers, "but I can’t keep throwing money at it. It’s time to give up the search.”I nod, and look over my shoulder at Adare who is sleeping in his bassinet. “Will you do me a favour and stay inside today?” Kane asks.“In the apartment? I’ll go stir crazy.”“In the castle walls. I don’t have new personal guards for you yet.”“I thought you said we have beaten the witches?”He sighs and si
Kane's POV The morning passes in somewhat of a blur. After promoting Beta Drummond to Alpha of the Silver Star pack, I’m consumed by business matters and don’t even notice the time go by. It’s not until I hear Willow’s approach that I stop to look at the time. She’s an hour early. “Come in,” I say when she stops in front of my door. I know she hates it when I don’t wait until she knocks, but I keep forgetting to stop myself from doing it. She opens the door and comes inside, a huge smile on her face. Adare is strapped to her in a baby carrier with easy access to her breast. She drops the nappy bag on the floor and sits down in front of the desk. “I’m a little early, sorry.” Her cheeks are flushed red, and there’s a streak of dirt across her face. For all that she's every bit a woman, she also looks like an excited little girl right now, and I can’t help but grin at her. “Yeah. It’s not a problem. What have you been to?” “Exploring. I found this entire empty wing of the castle. It’s
Kane’s POV The meeting with Alfred is swift and decisive, although Willow doesn’t speak much. She decided to sit back and observe despite multiple attempts to draw her into the conversation. All I keep thinking about is how I’m the worst kind of scum. Everything inside her screams that she doesn’t want to do it, but I don’t see any other way. If she outright refuses to take her position, the witches will keep attacking us, and sooner or later they'll start winning. They’re zealous in their desire to get their high priestess back. “Five of the twelve council members are still alive,” Alfred says. “They were against Willow’s kidnapping, and didn’t participate.” “What about the others?” I ask, glancing at Willow who is chewing into her lip and staring at her brother. “The witches don’t want to fight anymore. Too many have died already.” “Are the five surviving members the same ones that helped me when Moon Flower attacked?” Willow asks. Alfred shifts in his seat so he can look at Wi
Kane wakes me, his handsome face beaming down at me. “Did you have a good nap?” he asks. I sit upright, trying to focus my sleep-blurred eyes on him. “What time is it?” “Almost six,” he lifts the fussing Adare out of his cot and hands him to me. “I guess he wants to nurse.” I nod. “You smell good,” I say without thinking. He does. He smells different, more earthy and musky. “I took a shower,” he says. I laugh. “That’s not what I mean. Do you have a new cologne?” He shakes his head. “Your senses start to enhance when the full moon approaches. I smell the same as always, you’re just more aware of it.” “I know that already…that’s not it.” He frowns. “I don’t know, Willow. Nothing’s changed.” “It’s weird,” I say and latch Adare to my breast while I keep an eye on Kane. “It’s like when I’m in heat, and everything about is just more…alluring.” He shrugs, but there’s a curious frown between his eyes. “You’re not in heat.” “No.” “Then I haven’t got the foggiest. Did you pump a bott
I pace up and down the apartment, my eyes dashing between Glenn, Tully and Kane. No one's saying anything. All we can do is stand here and stare at Kane who looks like he's about to throw up. I’m livid and bristling with jealousy. It’s taking every bit of restraint I have not to let Suri go so we can run to the widows' hostel to kill Dani. Right in the middle of all this, Adare wakes up, and because of the wine I had earlier, I try to give him the bottle, but he keeps pressing his lips together and shaking his head from side to side, refusing to open his mouth for the fake nipple. “Come on baby,” I say. He opens his mouth and starts wailing. I take the chance to quickly pop the bottle in his mouth, but he pushes it out with his tongue, and gives me a look of betrayal. “It’s the same milk, buddy, just a different container.” “It’s because he can smell you,” Tully says from the door. “He won’t take the bottle because he can smell you.” I look up at the young woman. “How do you know?”
Kane's POV I have never experienced anything like it. My body craves to be with Dani, but my head hates the idea, and my heart only wants Willow. Dario is angry, homocidal – he doesn’t want to be with Dani in any way shape or form, is furious that she's back, but the physical craving, mine alone it seem, doesn’t let up. I feel gross, violated. Willow’s spell lasted a good hour before it started to wear off. I started using my own magic, not to put up a barrier between Dani and me as Willow had done, but to stop her from feeling it. All I want to do is protect Willow, and this is the only way. She barely has any control as it is, feeling Dani’s heat, which is more intense than it should be, will send her careening over the edge into a murderous rage. I can’t think clearly. The need to mate is too strong. I can now clearly tell the difference between the desire to mate with someone you love and respect, and someone you outright despise. The physical yearning does not match the emotion
Kane stumbles into the bedroom, soaking wet and almost blue from the cold water. A flicker of lust, probably Dani’s, ripples through me as I watch him dress in the tightest pair of boxer briefs he can find, followed by joggers and a long sweater. I never really gave it much thought, but it must be hell for a man to hide an erection he doesn’t want. He heads towards the door, grunts turns around and comes back to bed. He flops down on his side, nearly launching Adare and me into the air as he hits the mattress. “Do you feel better at all?” “No,” he says and pulls a pillow over his face. “And I won’t until her heat passes in a day or two.” “Only two days? Didn’t mine last longer?” “It was your first time,” he answers, the pillow muffling his voice. “It can last a little longer the first time.” I go through the routine of burping and changing Adare, then scoot up the bed to sit next to Kane with the baby resting against my pulled up legs. He is wide awake, staring at my face. I play
Dear readers, I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read Willow and Kane's story. This has been one of the longest books I've ever written, and when I started out I did not expect it to turn into this epic saga, but I regret nothing. Nothing I tell you :). I fell in love with Willow and Kane, and I am genuinely sad to say goodbye to these two, but unfortunately all stories must come to an end. Thank you for your support througout this wild ride. It means the world to me. I hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until we meet again. All my love, Celice
Kane Madden, Lycan King of Felan, wakes up to an unearthly racket right outside his bedroom door. Slightly concerned, he glances at his heavily pregnant wife and smiles despite his annoyance at his oldest son’s shenanigans in the hallway. Willow Madden, his mate of fifteen years is heavily pregnant with their second set of twins, two boys this time, and Kane sincerely hopes this is the last time. Goddess knows he loves his children, all eight of them, and he’s sure he’ll love numbers nine and ten just as much, but it’s getting difficult to keep up with all the pups. They are exhausting. For a time, he was sure that they’d never have more children, but after one wild afternoon in the forest, Willow did get pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl, as their remarkable son predicted. She named the twins Josiah and Jocelyn, after the previous occupants of their home. Kane thought it was macabre, but Willow insisted, saying they had to honour their ancestors. That would be the same twins wh
It’s a beautiful summer’s day, and the drive up to the cabin is pleasant enough. Kane and I have found a peaceful kind of comfort in each other’s silence, and we rarely need to fill the quiet with inane background chatter. We are content, just being together. I inhale the lovely fresh air, remembering the first time I came here. The night Suri was born, the sheer exhilaration of feeling my wolf come to life...and that was all thanks to Agatha. Dear, sweet Agatha who never found a final resting place because we went to war and in the chaos, we forgot all about her. Our funeral home has since been bombed off the planet, and we just take care of our dead our own way as we'd done during the war. There aren’t that many of us left anyway. The few surviving wolves live here now, and those that refuse to come to safety are dying off – Templars bearing a lingering grudge either murder them, or the wolves yield to their unrelenting urge to join a good war. Kane once told me that wolves had be
Kane's POV I wasn’t sure what would happen in the months and years that followed after we signed the peace treaty, so we went with the tried and tested 'go with the flow' method. For a time, everything went back to normal. Drake and Patrick ran the business, and more and more my little brother took over my duties in the company. Proof, Willow liked to remind me, that Omegas are just as competent as any other wolf. The overseas wolves went home, and as soon as they were sure the threat had really passed, the European wolves followed suit. The only ones that stayed were the humans. I claimed the human town as part of my territory during the peace talks, and the residents now affectionately call it Wolftonia. Leif left, taking his strange sister with him. Only later did we learn that Silke’s time on earth was limited and that she had foreseen her own death long before she ever came here. Unbeknownst to all of us, including Willow, a völva’s dying energy projects outwards, and what we m
Adare runs around the garden with Roland. The two boys growl and stalk each other like prey. My motherly instinct is to jump up and stop them before one of them gets seriously hurt, but Rosie quickly grabs me and pulls me back to my chair. “No Queen,” she says. “That’s how they learn. They won’t hurt each other.” “Are you sure?” “I’ve seen them play this game a hundred times. I’m sure.” Dammit. My throat burns and I have to fight against the tears. I’m so happy that my son is home, but I’ve missed so much. He is the size of an average three-year-old and when I talk to him, I sometimes forget that he’s not even two yet. I choose not the think about it. I choose to focus on the here and now. My family is whole and complete and that's what matters “Mama! Look!” Adare squeals and tackles Roland to the ground. “Good job, buddy,” Kane says behind me. I look over my shoulder at my mate. “You’re back early.” “Yes. Peace talks broke down.” “Why?” “Clement wants my humans.” “I thought
Kane rolls over to my side and pulls me into his embrace. I don’t even bother to open my eyes. It’s been a wild few days. “Oh Goddess, no,” I complain. “Haven’t you had enough?” He laughs breezily in my ear. “Never…but for now, yes.” He flutters kisses over my jaw and neck. “How do you feel?” “Like I got run over by a penis-shaped bulldozer.” “Hey, you wanted it.” I finally manage to drag my eyelids apart. “I did.” I smile at my impressive mate. “The first two days were great.” “I know.” He rolls away and swings his legs off the bed. “The last day always feels more like a punishment than pleasure.” I turn over onto my side and stare at his broad back, the strong muscles flexing under his skin. “No regrets though, right?” He looks over his shoulder at me. “None.” He gets up and stretches, scratching his ass as he walks to the bathroom. A minute later, I hear him open the tap. We don’t have electricity yet, but I’m not so sure I miss it. Life is kind of peaceful without the cons
Kane’s POV I sit on the couch in the dark living room, watching the glowing embers in the fireplace, trying to ignore the call of Willow’s heat and the fever that's trying to consume me. I'd go to her, but she's still asleep. t’s not time, she can’t feel it yet, but she will in another few hours. I should be sleeping, prepare myself properly this time, but I can’t switch my milling thoughts tumbling through my head off long enough so I can go to sleep. I’ve already sent orders out to bring the power stations back online and ordered our army to stand its ground. There’s nothing else to do now but wait for Clement to come back so we can finish up the peace agreement. In the absence of entertainment or imminent danger, the only thing I have to keep myself occupied is my own thoughts, and all I can think about is the possibility that Willow will get pregnant. Here, in the quiet of the night, all by myself, I have to admit the truth. I never want her to get pregnant again – not becaus
Kane’s POV For the next few hours, we talk about the meeting with Clement, the future, and a whole lot of nothing. There’s something comforting in it, just friends having a chat about life, love, and everything in between. I glance at my watch, surprised to see that it was well past midday. “That’s it,” I say and get up, stretching my too-tight muscles. “We’re taking the week off. I don't know about you, but I've had enough of war to last me a lifetime.” “Shall I collect Adare?” Zael asks on our way out. “Not yet. I don’t…Willow thinks he’ll be safe here, but I want to make sure.” “If what she said about The Goddess is true, she’s probably right. She hasn’t been wrong so far, has she?” I scrunch up my face and rub my forehead. “I don’t know. I can’t think straight anymore.” Zael nods. “I know the feeling.” “Did you get any retaliation over the Raymond thing?” “Of course I did.” “And?” “And nothing. I handled it...it won't come back to you.” “Do you think this war is over?”
Kane's POVIt had been weeks since we slept comfortably, and even though we both sort of hinted at passing the night making love, neither of us could actually gather the energy to do more than snuggle down in each other’s arms.For the first time in weeks, perhaps months, I wake with a smile on my face, completely relaxed and almost happy. The only thing I need to complete my joy is my son, and he'll be here soon enough.I stretch languidly, and slip out from under Willow and go to the bathroom to get ready for my meeting with Clement. I hope against all hope that Willow misunderstood The Goddess and that there would be no human war. I hope, and I pray, that Clement would listen to my advice and stop it before it even starts.The castle is freezing, and I’m shivering so much that I cut myself several times while I shave. Rattling like an excited dog, I run back to the bedroom, pull an extra blanket over Willow, then rush to the closet so I can dress in one of my suits and my long, thi