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
The moment I saw Bismarck standing in the middle of the road, I slipped up and let my walls down. The shock and fear that ripped through me were too much and I couldn't hold on to my defences. Not a second later, Kane mind linked with me, asking me what was wrong. “Don’t tell him anything,” Alhora whispered. I don’t know how she knew, but vampires are somewhat mystical. We don’t know as much about them as they know about the rest of us. I nodded and quickly told Kane that I’m fine. He didn’t believe me, but he played along. Jackson is the first of us to get out of the car to confront the haggard werewolf. I have no idea how he survived the winter, but he looks dreadful. He lost a lot of weight, and he’s skeleton thin, his scraggly beard and dirty, greying hair just adding to the overall appearance of utter despair. It takes me all of a minute to get over my initial shock. Bismarck is no threat to us. “What are you doing here?” Jackson asks. “The order is to kill you on sight.” “Plea
Kane's POV The weeks slip by. Sometimes I’ll wake in the morning, and by night time, I’d be surprised by how quickly the day passed. Other days, time drags by, and all I can think about is Willow and how much I miss her. She has been gone for nearly four weeks now, and I don’t know how much longer I can do this without her. She checks in with me twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, but other than that we decided it would be best if we don’t talk too much. It’s just too difficult. I miss her with a fierce intensity that’s threatening to tear my soul apart, and I’ve been throwing myself into my work and taking care of Adare. “Morning, guy,” I say and look at the pup who is standing upright in his cot. Holding on to the top bar, he starts to bounce up and down as soon as I speak. “Yes,” I say. “I know. You’re ready for your breakfast, aren't you?” I lay the pup down on the bed to change his nappy, talking nonsense while I do it, then take him to the kitchen where Justin
Kane's POV “You are kidding, right?” Glenn asks. “I’m not. Willow won’t come home. She’s going to get herself killed. I have to go get her.” “You can’t leave!” my chancellor says. “You don’t even know for sure that she’s in trouble.” “No, I don’t, because she has learned how to block her emotions.” “Dammit, Kane…we have kings and Alphas and fucking problems coming out our ass. We need you here.” “I know that, Glenn,” I snap. “But what do you suggest I do? Leave her to the Russians?” “They’ll respect her rank.” “Oh come on,” I say. “You know as well as I do that they won’t. Most of them are half-feral.” “She can handle her--” “Look--” I slam my desk so hard that the glass of water topples over and floods the paperwork. Cussing, I get up and start to move wet papers out of the way. “It’s not about the Russian wolves.” I lift a soaked contract up and watch as water drips back down on my desk. Frustrated, I hurl the sodden papers across the room. “I have to go get her. Why can’t
Kane's POV: Willow is lying curled up on her side with her back to the door. All I can see is her tiny frame under the blanket, and a mop of red curls. It takes every bit of self-control I possess not to rush over and gather her in my arms. “She hasn’t slept like this in days,” Jackson whispers. “Queen Ida…slipped a little something in her food.” “Good.” I glare at Mario, who at least has the decency to blush and stare at his feet. “I’ll deal with you when we get home,” I growl at him, and step inside, quietly closing the door behind me. I tiptoe around the bed and stare into Willow’s pale face, my eyes falling on a new scar on her neck. The bite Phillip had left on her was too deep, and not even Alhora’s nearly two-thousand-year-old vampire blood could heal it all the way. I pull my boots off and as quietly as I can slide into the bed next to her. She doesn’t wake, but she doesn’t have to be awake to know I’m here. She smiles in her sleep and cuddles into me. I lift her hair away
I wake with a start, and immediately I’m pissed. Not only did Kane knock me out with that mate thing, we’re in a plane. “How the hell did you fuckers get me on a plane?” I ask.Across the aisle, and to my left, Zael snorts loudly. “Please. It wasn’t difficult. We didn’t use a commercial airport. All I had to do was mesmerise the humans.”Kane is sitting across from me, his long legs stretched out before him, arms crossed over his chest. It looks like he’s asleep, but he’s not. “You had no right,” I growl at him.“I had every right,” he says in that calm, deep tone that lets me know this conversation isn’t happening.“What about my warriors?”He doesn’t even open his eyes when he answers me. “On their way home. You really…don’t be surprised if some of them want to break the oath when they’re home.”I behaved appallingly after Phillip killed Destiny. Even worse after I killed him. If they want to break the oath, they have every right, and I’ll let them. But I don’t tell Kane. I can’t ta
“Where is Adare,” I ask the moment we set foot in our apartment. “With my mother. I’ll go down to get him after we’ve talked.” “Is he walking yet?” Kane chuckles. “No. He’s standing by himself though, but you didn’t miss his first steps.” Even though I’m over the moon that I didn’t miss one of my son’s most important milestones, I’m more than just a little apprehensive. I don’t look forward to the talk with Kane. Once I start talking, he will draw every detail out of me – and I’ve been trying to forget since it happened. When I start talking about it, I’ll be forced to face it, forced to face my own bad decisions that led me down that path. No one bothered us when we arrived. The wolves, known and unknown, just parted a path for us, but I could hear the whispers behind our backs. Most were curious to know where I had been, and all of them were just more than a little concerned about me. I know what I look like. Haggard. That’s the only word I have for it. Kane takes my hand and
Kane's POV It takes me a while to process what Willow had said. I know I didn't hide my shock and anger from her well enough, but I hope against all hope that she didn't misunderstand my reaction. I left her alone with Adare because I needed to work through my own feelings, not because I didn’t want to be with her. I sit at my desk in my private office, resting my head in my hands and staring at the gleaming wooden top. I hear the door open and close and smell Zael’s scent, but don’t bother to look up. Without an invitation, he sits on the chair in front of the desk. “Kane?” he asks. “Yeah?” I answer, trying to hide my thick voice as best as I can. “What catastrophe needs sorting now?” “You,” he says. Wiping my tears away, I look up and grab a tissue from the box that’s always on my desk. Usually meant for she-wolves lamenting about their mates, but I’ve been needing them more and more as of late. “Sorry,” I say and wipe my nose. “What for? I’m older than Jesus. Do you think in a
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