Kane's POV I don’t move from my seat. All I can do is sit here and hold my head, feeling sorry for myself. No one says anything else, not even Willow, which has to be some kind of miracle. The world outside my own head dims to nothingness as I get caught up in my own thoughts and emotions. Goddess, how I wish I could tear my feelings out and hurl them back into the pits, feed them to the soul reapers. The dark creatures should enjoy it, and right I don't want it anyway. At some point someone, I think it’s Jackson, pushes a bottle of water into my hands that are dangling limply between my knees. Without looking up, I take the water but don’t drink any of it even though my throat aches and burns. It wasn’t just all the talking that fucked me up. It was the oaths. Doing that many at once is mentally and emotionally draining. If any of the wolves die, and some of them will die, all four of us will feel their deaths. “You should go,” Willow says. It sounds very much like an order. Fina
Just as I start to gather the things Kane left behind – the oath box, scissors, and dagger – I hear a commotion outside. I leave the tools, but tuck the box under my arm. Something tells me it’s a bad idea to leave such a powerful magical item lying around unsupervised. There are about two dozen wolves gathered outside, with Mario and Demi refusing to step aside so they can come inside, and they’re about ready to go to war with my guards because of it. “What’s going on?” I ask. Mario pulls me back into the hall and closes the door behind him. “They want to swear loyalty to you.” “To me?” I ask. “Why?” “I don’t know, I didn’t ask.” “Well--” I hesitate, unsure what to say or how to react --“maybe they just want to swear to the kingdom,” I say. “I’ll tell them to come back tomorrow, and the king can handle it.” “No,” Mario says. “They insist they want to do it today, and…they are our wolves, I know, but I don’t think you should do it, my queen.” “Why not?” “I’d just feel better ab
“Willow,” someone whispers in my ear and wipes hair from my face. Groggy and confused, my heart beats wildly in my chest as I battle to open my eyes. “No, daddy, please, not tonight,” I say. “It’s me,” Kane says in his calm, comforting voice. I manage to drag my eyelids apart and look up at my mate who is trying to hold on to a squirming baby. In an instant, the anxiety lifts, but it takes a while for my heart to slow back down. “I’m sorry,” I mumble. “No need to be sorry,” he says. “Bad dream?” “I don’t know,” I yawn and push myself upright. “Is he hungry?” “Yes, but I’ll try the bottle again.” “Still won’t take it, huh?” “Hm-hm.” “Give him here, it’s fine.” Kane hands Adare over to me, and the baby hungrily goes for my breast. “I think it’s time to start him on solids.” “Not until six months,” I say. “Reading about human babies again?” “It’s not like there’s a parenting manual for werewolf babies.” He laughs and climbs over me to his side of the bed. “We don’t need one,
Kane’s POV I show the vampires to one of the guest apartments a floor down and order Nicholas to clean the place and put fresh linens on the bed. “Don’t feed on my wolves,” I warn the vampires. “If you do, I’ll have to kick you out or execute you.” “I’d like to see you try,” Alhora snarls at me. “We are stronger than you.” I give her a chilly smile. “You have better senses and a few magical abilities,” I say. “But we both know that werewolves, especially Lycans, are better in a fight, and I’m a powerful witch myself. I don’t think killing you will be that hard.” “We shouldn’t fight amongst ourselves,” Zael says calmly, then turns to me. “We won’t feed on your wolves.” “And don’t bring any humans here to slaughter. I don’t want to attract any undue--” “We’re not savages, Kane,” Zael interrupts. “We have donors. We stopped killing for food centuries ago.” “But accidents happen. I can’t have any of that here.” “Of course. My humans will stay on my estate and out of this war.” “Yo
Kane's POV Willow is pale and quiet. She doesn’t talk much, and she refuses to leave Adare's side. I’m seriously reconsidering my original plan to send her to the witches. I locked up my own emotions about it, because she doesn’t need to feel them right now. It will just make everything so much harder for her. Earlier, she tried to do the same, but the moment she picked Adare up and started to nurse him, her walls came crashing down. She is not strong right now, and difficult as it is, I need to stay strong for her until she leaves. She sits on the wingback chair in my private office, her legs folded in under her, quietly watching as I go about the business of setting her up for travel. “Use only cash,” I say. “I know I sound paranoid, but I’m sure they’re tracking our cards and online communication.” “They are,” she says listlessly, but smiles at Adare who is trying to get up on all fours. “He’ll probably walk by the time I’m back.” I turn away from the safe, leaving the bundles
All my bags are packed and ready to go. Despite my insistence that we have to travel lightly, Justine went overboard and basically packed my entire wardrobe. “It’s still cold,” Kane says as if I can’t feel the temperatures. “Make sure she packed some of my jackets.” “She did. I asked her.” I didn’t want the clothes to keep me warm, but because I know I’ll take comfort from it in a few weeks when I really start to miss him. “I also packed one of Adare’s little blankets. I hope that’s okay.” His face softens, and I can feel him battle to keep his emotions under control. “Next winter, you have to be better prepared. You can’t keep wearing my clothes.” It’s nice that he thinks we have a future, but any number of things can happen between now and then. I don’t want to think that far ahead. If I do, it will just be a double blow when the worst happens. Kane takes my bags while I sit down to nurse my son one last time and put him to bed for the night. For a long time after he falls asleep
We are going slower than I expected, and for some reason, Phillip insists on keeping his window open. I am already curled into a little ball, shivering and shaking like one of Adare’s rattles despite Kane’s thick coat to keep me warm. I don't think I can keep going like this for much longer. The night is cold for this time of the year, and all the water from the melting snow frosted over again when the sun went down, and we keep hitting icy patches that cause the cars to slip and slide across the road. “We should travel during the day,” Phillip grumbles. “What about Alhora?” I ask him. “Not my fault she’s allergic to the sun, is it?” Alhora leans forward until her head is right next to Phillip’s. “I don’t like you, wolf.” She sits back with a satisfied smile on her face. “We’re going to accomplish exactly nothing if we start fighting with each other,” I say. “Remember who our true enemy is.” “The humans,” Phillip says right away. “No, you moron,” Alhora retorts. “The Templars.”
Kane's POV My brother takes it upon himself to keep me company. I’d much rather be alone, but Patrick’s trying so hard to be supportive that it would be downright cruel of me to send him away. “Where’s Mina,” I ask when he’s settled in with a drink and some pretzels. “Resting. She’s, ah, well, she’s pregnant.” “Oh,” I say, surprised, but genuinely happy for them. “But that’s fantastic news. Congratulations.” “Yeah,” Pat grins proudly. “Although we’re worried, since…well, you know…” “You’re afraid the pup won’t have a wolf?” Patrick nods and sips his whiskey. “That’s very rare. You still carry the Lycan gene. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.” “It’s not just about genes. I have all the same abilities you have, except…I have no wolf. Why do you think that is?” I shrug. “I don’t know. It just happens sometimes.” Patrick stares into his glass and absentmindedly nibbles on a pretzel. “I know why she didn’t gift me with a wolf.” “What?” I ask. “The Goddess. I know why she did it.” “Yo