‘You will lose one you love.’ I’m not sure Erica was the one Silke was talking about. All I know is that it's my turn. Kane needs me to be strong for him now. She did get that part right.I check on Adare, then on Kane who is sitting on our new porch, staring straight ahead of him at the wall enclosing the garden. My heart is broken. I loved Erica, she was more of a mother to me than my own ever was, but I am sadder for my mate than myself. He just got to know her, and then she was ripped away from him. He didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye to her.No one had that chance last night. In all, two-hundred-and-sixty-three wolves lost their lives in one fell swoop, and more than two hundred others were found dead in their beds this morning.Kane didn’t just lose his mother. He lost lifelong friends and trusted Gammas.Everyone over sixty who were in wolf form at the time The Templar witches launched their attack, dropped dead where they stood.That was some fearsome magic, and we ha
Kane's POVWillow held it together until Adare left, then she couldn’t do it anymore. As soon as the pup was out of sight, she fled to our room, slammed the door in my face, and locked it. I tried not to take it too personally, and truthfully we both needed some space. She'd come out and talk to me when we were both ready.When Rosie took him from her, the pup let out a heart-breaking cry that very nearly brought me to my knees. He just wanted his mama, and for a minute or two, I was tempted to order Willow to go with him. But through the numbing haze of my own pain and grief, the certainty that she needed to stay here bled through.She is right. If she leaves too, I’ll be lost.I sit flat on the grass in the garden I designed with pups in mind. I was a fool for thinking we had any hope to live a normal, happy family life here. The only way we’ll ever know peace is if I fake my own death and take my family far away, live as rogues on some remote island or something.But I’d have the d
I have never seen Kane so broken. It wasn't just the death of his mother, it was everything else weighing him down. but I think Adare’s departure was the last straw for him. We stood at the funeral pyre, waiting for the Omegas to bring out his mother. My mate was distant, barely talking to anyone, just staring off into the distance. Patrick wasn't doing much better. Mina left with the other mothers, and Patrick stood with his arm folded across his chest, staring at the empty funeral pyre, his face completely impassive and his eyes empty. I tried my best to comfort the brothers, but even my usually strong mate’s knees buckled when the Omegas came out of the cabin, carrying the body wrapped in white linens and gently placed it on the massive pyre. The soothsayer handed a burning torch to Kane. He was as white as a ghost when he took the fire from the soothsayer, his hand shaking wildly when he walked up to the pyre and lit the dry wood. Patrick sobbed loudly when the dry wood caught
Kane's POVI don’t expect Willow to offer up a solution to our war problem. She doesn’t have any answers for me, none of us know what to do. Even Zael doesn’t have a clue. The way the humans are waging this war is insidious and the minute we bring the war to them, we’ll look like the savage animals they’ve been showing on the news, and we’ll lose. Not to mention that they outnumber us, and they have superior weaponry. There's no way we can defeat them in direct combat.Sighing, I get to my knees and look around my son’s destroyed room. This is the worst part of the war. Sending our children away, the soul of any pack, our joy, and pride. Helpless anger washes over me, but the mindless rage is gone. “I’m going outside,” I say and get up.“Do you want company?” Willow asks.“No.”“Are you…going to do something to yourself?”“Just because you become suicidal every time you face a challenge, doesn’t mean I do it.”“Wow,” my mate mutters, but that’s all she says.“I’m sorry,” I say and pin
Kane's POV Usually, before I go on an interview, I request a list of questions so I can prepare, but this time Sally Brown, the talk show host who always liked me, refused to do the usual prep. I have a feeling that she’s not too comfortable talking to me, but she has the biggest talk show in the country, and it’s syndicated to several countries, so I just have to suck it up and deal with it. The middle-aged host, who is still beautiful, barely spares me a glance when she takes her seat behind the curved desk. The usual banter we’d have before we started is also missing. It doesn’t bother me in the least. I never liked her fake jovial attitude anyway. She sucked up to me because I’m rich, and it was blatantly transparent. “How are your kids?” I deliberately ask Sally with the most charming smile I can manage. She stares daggers at me. “You don’t fool me…animal.” I stare back at her, trying to get my rage under control. “I’ve heard worse…human.” I sit back and glance at Willow who
I was all for Kane’s plan to go on a press tour, until he told me I’d go with him to do the interviews. I didn’t want to do it. I lack his charm and confidence, but much more concerning -- I don’t have his tact and way with words. While Sally does her interview, I quietly listen to him and watch in awe as he slowly charms the hate right out of the woman. She barely pays attention to me, so when she suddenly turns to me towards the end of the interview, she catches me completely off-guard . “Missus Madden, Willow…you told me during the last commercial break that you had to send your son away for his own safety.” I did no such thing, but I just decide to go with it. Television was all staged bullshit anyway. Kane and our P.R. team made sure that I knew nothing that happens today would be real. “Yes,” I whisper, and glance at Kane who is looking at me with a small frown of fake concern. “Since The Temp—soldiers started attacking our children…I’m just a mother...I want my baby to be safe
After a month of non-stop television appearances, doing podcasts and interviews, we’re finally home. Slowly but surely, the focus switched from us to the continued attacks. And while we are gaining more support, Milner’s propaganda machine keeps churning out misinformation.The latest is an op-ed piece that went out to several hundred newspapers worldwide, and the internet was buzzing about it. There had been speculation about my scars, and the writer of the article hinted at the fact that Kane inflicted the injuries that caused them.As a result, our P.R. team decided to set up an interview with a female-only podcast where they discuss women’s issues. The team gave up on the innocent little girl look after the third interview, but people still talked about me like I am a helpless toddler in need of protection.For today’s podcast that would stream live to over two million viewers, I decided to wear simple leggings and a t-shirt. I want people to see me as I really am…just another wom
Kane's POV I don’t have time to check on Arlene. A minute after she screams, Glenn calls out in my head. “Humans! Thousands of them.” Fuck. I just sent my army away. “Gather the warriors.” But I still have thousands of warriors of my own that didn’t leave with the packs. Maybe, if we're lucky, we can take them out. Zael shoots into the air to gather the vampires and the little supernatural army he brought with him a month ago. I spin around and sprint from the apartment, Willow let’s go of Arlene who is lying in a little bundle on the floor, mewling like an injured kitten, hugging her knees to her chest. “What happened?” I ask Willow mid-run. “She says they’re all dead.” Son of a motherfucking bitch. “Willow. I want you to go to the panic room. Stay there until I come to get you.” “Think again.” “If something happens to both of us…who will raise Adare?” “Who’s raising him now? I’d rather die fighting by your side than alone in the panic room.” I don’t have time to argue with
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