Alpha Austin’s triumph was obvious. The way he carried himself taller, spoke louder to the people around him. Knowing seeing me had forced Dex upstairs was the victory he had been craving. As a servant passed with refreshments he whispered. “Eat and drink, you look faint. This is going to be a long day. Now.” Silently I took juice and sandwiches from the servant. I couldn’t go anywhere in the room without feeling dozens of pairs of eyes watching me. /The worst is over now, the first meeting was always going to be the worst/ Raya tried to comfort me as the small sandwich stuck in my throat. The air was thick with perfume, masking everyone’s real scents. Everywhere I looked little conversations and nuggets of discussion were underway. It almost seemed as though the real negotiations were happening right now, not around the formal table. “Eduardo!” Austin cried, slapping his hand into the older tanned gentleman’s palm. He was cooler, more considered in his reply. “Austin, good to see
I’ve half a mind to grab the Ducati and just rev it the hell out of here. What the fuck is going on! She’s there trussed up like a fucking peacock, Austin showing her off like a prize at a fair, it’s unbearable. I smelt fresh grass the instant I walked into the large wooden foyer but I didn’t recognise her instantly. The huge tacky gold crown, the heavy make-up. Even her hair didn’t look the same with all that gold and jewels. But as the realisation slowly crept in I felt my world tremble beneath my feet, my heart, already playing silly games with me lurched in pain. She is exiled. Kate has nothing to do with Fyrestone now. To storm up to her and ask her what the hell was going on would break every rule. I have never wanted to rip Austin’s throat out as much in my life. “What the fuck is she doing here,” my father had grumbled, appearing beside me. “Did you know she had gone to Greenway?” “No, did you?” “No,” he said bitterly, “we have Beta’s who are supposed to get us that kind
My nerves were jangling all over again until I walked in the room and realised my chair was nowhere near Dex’s eyeline. I wondered if Luna Madeline had done it on purpose or if Austin had made an oversight. Either way he was seething. Clicking his fingers the whole room could see his clear disdain for me. Ordering me about, checking my writing and complaining my calligraphy wasn’t precise enough. Dex hardly said anything, not that I dare look at his face. Every so often I caught a draft of that perfect bonfire scent and felt somehow elevated. “Perhaps Alpha Austin you would prefer to use the official scribes minutes?” Luna Madeline asked across the black wooden meeting table with a flicker of amusement on her face. Austin ran a hand across his chin. “Not at all Luna Madeline, apologies for interrupting.” The table all turned and spun as Luna Gwyneth let out a giggle. “Dex,” she whispered, apparently he must have said something highly amusing. Luna Madeline’s face remained unimpress
I looked around and saw no sign of him. It was his scent, but there was nothing to see but ahead but a black carpet of trees. “Hello,” my timid voice disappearing into the darkness. It was the middle of the night, I doubted anyone else was freshly traumatised and fighting sleep apart from me. A sudden creak of wood above my head made me look up. Unmistakable jet black hair and eyes looked back at me. Dex was staring from the balcony above. His hands clenched as his broad, bare arms rested on the wooden rail. My heart leapt with joy despite his face looking pained. Alongside his shadowed brow I caught a glimmer of angry red in his iris. It didn't appear his heart had leapt the same as mine. “Dex!” I whispered in panic, quickly spinning round and shutting the balcony doors. Zaw, Austin and Etherly’s rooms were on the other side of our shared floor. As much as my heart raced to see him, even this tiny amount of interaction would guarantee my swift death. “More secrets Kate?” his low
Waiting for his response, there wasn’t another sound out in the darkness, except the thud of his heartbeat under my palm. His tone of voice switched to that of an Alpha, questioning and imperious. "Roxie is bonded with a demon?" /He’s taking us seriously/ Raya urged, /trust him./ “That’s why I asked Alpha Fyrestone for the private meeting. The morning I left you in bed, I found Roxie talking to a demon outside the compound. It was like a ball of black oil, but with a hazy shimmer. It’s voice made the ground shake. It had no face…and yes I know its crazy” I tried to talk in facts but I could tell he was struggling. “Kate…I’ve never heard of a demon like that,” his voice softened, like talking to an invalid. /Make him see the truth, no half measures, no dancing around the topic/ Raya whined, my thoughts erratic and unruly. I took a deep breath and said, “you’re going to think I’m blaming Roxie because I’m jealous or bitter. But I heard her. Talking to a demon called Berlarot, o
I have been such a fucking idiot. The instant she began talking, everything melted away. She could have stolen every fucking jewel in the packhouse and I’d have still kissed those tears away. Everything she told me, it made sense coming from her. She’s exiled, she has nothing to lose by lying to me and it all stacks up. Glenn and Rose though, heads are going to roll when I'm done with them. Those thoughts are for later though, for right now I have the most perfect, naked, honey-haired wonder on top of my body. She is lying on me, our skin still soaked by the fog. Rain softly falls and my heart sinks at the idea this might soon be over. “We don’t have long,” she said sadly, as I sat up against her wall and she snuggled in next to me. “Do you have a plan, Dex?” “Apart from wondering if I can make you come again before dawn, no I don’t,” loving the fact I can make her laugh even in this shitshow of a situation. She linked her fingers with mine and snuggled in to my body. I watched h
I wake up, still sat against my balcony, a kick of a boot waking me. “Dex? Come on man, we’ve got breakfast?” the familiar voice of Glenn breezed. I had a white shirt, already damp from the foggy dawn air. More banks of cloud were visible over the tree line as I smiled to myself groggily. I doubted I’ll ever be able to look at a misty morning again without imagining Kate sat on top of me. The immaculate vision of her face wracked with pleasure, honey hair damp and sticking down her shoulders as every inch of skin glistened. It was a hell of a thought and left me quickly standing up, adjusting my sweats swiftly. “Rhett, what time is it?” trying to ignore Alba’s low growl at the sight of the man who repeatedly lied to my face. One disaster at a time. “Breakfast is here now, in the rooms, first meeting in an hour in the drawing room again.” “Shit, okay then,” as I stormed inside and chomped down a piece of toast. Being outside for so long has removed the grassy scent of Kate from m
After scouring Dex’s addictively dark scent from my body I fell back asleep. Whether it was exhaustion, or the precious black ring he lent me, I woke up feeling surprisingly positive. No horrific dreams and Dex believed me. Even better, he said he loved me. Nothing else mattered even if he was only a forbidden staircase away. Or a near death experience shimmying up a balcony.I smiled into the pillows, replaying last night. The possessive grip of his hands around my waist did something primal to me. I wanted to be claimed. “Mine,” he had growled and it made my body tingle just with the memory. The sensation of the soft silk tumbling down my arms, fluttering down my legs as he removed my made me lick my lips with relish. Dex was unlocking a whole new side of me. Like a flower in the sun I had felt myself briefly blossoming, returning to my former self. Unfortunately I heard Etherly softly knocking, ending the illusion. I had to quickly scamper outside and throw the precious ring upw