The drive back from the mall was quiet. Matt had seemed a bit upset about the way the argument turned out, but he hadn’t let it show much. We’d gone from dress shopping to picking up new shoes, a tuxedo for Matt, jewelry, and finally a beauty supply store as I didn’t like other people doing my hair.
It reminded me too much of being primped and polished for clients back at Larry’s. Grace seemed grateful that she wouldn’t have to sit in a salon chair either and he browsed the shelves quietly. I picked up some new dye, including a bright magenta color when I saw a familiar line of nail polishes near the back of the store.
I didn’t think they were still being made three years after the fall of my pack. Everlasting was the only brand Fluorite sold gem dust and pigments used for nail polish to before it fell. I picked up a bottle of my favorite shade and checked the label.
“Ah, you have an eye for quality,” one of the at
I couldn’t breathe. I wasn’t sure how to respond to her statement. I swallowed and tried to think of the easiest place to start.“What makes you think that?”She looked at me, her eyes narrow and glinting with fury.“My father would never join those people that conspired against our alpha. He’s not a traitor!”I frowned looking down at the photo then back at Grace. I picked up the pen and took note, “It seems like we should have added you to the interview list.”If I had known that Grace had also come from an ambushed pack, I would have made it a point to interview her. Then again, I wasn’t entirely sure that she would have told me anything if this hadn’t popped up.Her eyes widened and she winced, “He knows where I am from.”And when did you have that discussion?I thought it had just been in her records or something, but I pushed that thoug
The morning of the opening, Grace made French Toast, another thing I had never had before. Matt swore it was the best French Toast he’d ever had and Alyssa had nearly whined with annoyance.We could make it too if we knew how.I scoffed, What is your deal? Alyssa huffed, The alpha is building a pack. We should be his luna.My face heated at the thought. Me as Matt’s Luna? The idea was ridiculous. Matt left again to handle something else and get a haircut for the night. He left his card with me.“Go to the salon or something,” Matt said, “There’s one downstairs.”I looked at the card as he left and tossed it on the table. It was a sweet gesture, but looking at Grace’s apprehensive expression, I knew she wasn’t interested in going to the salon downstairs.“How about an at-home spa day?” I asked, “I’m not interested in being poked an
Matt’s POVLucas growled at the sight of Renda walking down the hallway. If he was so excited, and I was almost dizzy with how quickly my blood was rushing south, I could only imagine who else would have such a reaction to her.I almost regretted picking the pink, not that the pink didn’t look amazing on her. It was erotic in all the right ways as her pale skin showed through the fabric. When I saw it, I had wondered if it was about the same color as her nipples.Seeing it on her, I was almost certain it was.People would be seeing her like this and I was the one who put it on her. This was going to play hell on my self-control, but if I was weak to it, so would every other man in the room be and that was the point.The price of the gown, the quality, and everything she was wearing would set her apart from the women who were in the crowd as party favors. The shade of her hair was complimentary rather than loud and added
Glenda’s POV I drifted away from Matt, feeling a bit silly for winking at him, but Alyssa seemed pleased with his stunned expression. As I reached the table where people were throwing dice, I felt someone coming towards me.The man wasn’t familiar but he smiled at me. His eyes were open rather than lecherous. It was a bit surprising considering what I was wearing.“I didn’t realize Matt was in the habit of letting such a lovely woman stray far…” he said, “Would it be a burden to play a round with you?”He gestured to the table. I looked at the table and smiled back at him, “I promised to stay in sight, but I don’t mind playing a game. How do you play?”“Place a bet and throw the dice.” He grinned, his eyes twinkling as he slid a stack of coins, “I am incredibly unlucky, but I bet my brother that if I won more than him tonight, he’d relinquis
Chloe pulled out a piece of paper and a small, thin pencil I thought was an eyebrow pencil before she started to write as quickly as she could manage. I noticed she didn’t have much paper to use, but the pencil seemed to be a pen disguised as an eyebrow pencil.Why hadn’t she written this message out before? I winced. Maybe she was always searched. That seemed like something Justin would do to a woman he was keeping under such a tight watch.The fact that she couldn’t even use the bathroom at the same time as other women was disturbing.I slowed the speed of the flow from the bottle to give her more time, but there wasn’t much left in the bottle. Finally, she was done writing as the last of the liquid left the bottle. I returned the bottle to her and she slipped it behind the inner lining of her clutch before giving me the paper. She dropped the pen back into her clutch and shuffled around a bit before I flushed the toilet. She closed her
I followed Mordecai through the crowd, careful to keep up with him as it was obvious, he didn’t intend to escort me. Mordecai was a large man, but he didn’t slow his gait or check on me. He was the same sort of jerk as Justin.But where Justin just seemed selfish, possessive, and cruel, Mordecai had different darkness to him. He looked crazed. I wanted to escape from him, but I couldn’t. I glanced around and found Matt and Grace still at the blackjack table. She was still seated in his lap, leaning close to him as he played and sipped his whiskey.It had been a good plan before we left the hotel. If our places had been switched, Mordecai might have tried to carry Grace off, but because it was me, he simply coerced me to go along.Would Chloe have passed a note to Grace? Would Sean have slipped his card into my dress?”I couldn’t know, but I bet not.Alyssa whimpered, It’s not safe. He’s dangerous.
Matt’s POVAfter four rounds of blackjack, I was certain Grace and I had scraped the rumor mill about Justin’s habits, tastes, problems, and latest triumphs. As far as I was concerned, it was about time to find Renda and get out of here.I hadn’t seen her since she’d left the man standing at the craps table and headed towards the bathroom. The man had continued to mill about playing a few rounds at random tables here and there, but Renda never returned to him.The group of men who had sat at the table with me to play were the type to bet large out of arrogance and relied on their connections with Justin to ensure the dealer would cooperate. They lost a great deal and seemed a bit put off with it. The dealer seemed to be working on my side simply because Grace seemed comfortable with me.I’d have to tell Renda that she was right about me needing more than just money and a plan to make everything go smoothly.
Glenda’s POVI didn’t know what to think. Even Alyssa was silent as Grace trembled and seemed to relax in his arms. I was feverish. Heat and pleasure pooled and pulsed between my legs and I was confused.My nipples were sensitive, brushing against the fabric of the dress.I was aroused, but I didn’t know how to understand that. My head was spinning. Matt’s gaze had never left me even as he was fingering Grace beneath her dress.This wasn’t the first time I had been in the area with another woman in a sexual situation. A lot of men at Midnight and Larry’s had a threesome fantasy and were willing to pay to make it come true.This was the first time, however, that I didn’t think the other woman didn’t enjoy it, and I was actually aroused.The driver rolled down the partition. He was probably looking through the rearview mirror at Grace panting and splayed across Matt’s lap w
My legs felt shaky and everything was bigger. I realized quickly that I had shifted. I stretched and twisted. The shiny saber coat of fur lifted my heart.I didn’t think I’d ever be able to shift. I felt Alyssa fully settled and solid in my mind as I turned to look at Matt. His eyes were wide as I went up to him and rubbed my face against his leg.“You’re beautiful,” he said, kneeling and stroking my head. “Can you shift back, so we can talk?”I whined. Alyssa panicked and he chuckled, hushing me. He cupped my jaw and rubbed at the spots of tension there. It felt so good. I didn’t know what else to do but practically purr at him.“Take it easy. You don’t have to turn back right now,” he said. “I know it can take some getting used to.”He shifted and Alyssa sat up in alarm as we looked at Lucas and Matt through her eyes. He was so much bigger than us, stronger. His eyes glowed with red light. He could break my neck with such ease. I should have been scared, but I knew he would never hu
Glenda’s POVMatt was different. His eyes were clear and his jaw was set, but he hadn’t said much of anything to me other than I needed to dress nicely.I got in the car in a nice dress and heels. He was in a three-piece suit. His hair was styled, and he looked as though he needed some space, yet he didn’t release my hand.“I’m giving a press conference,” he said. “About… everything.”He turned to look at me, “Do you want to speak about Fluorite?”I looked away and shook my head. I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to speak in such a public way about what happened.“Do you want me to talk about it?”I nodded.He squeezed my hand, “Will you stand with me?”I looked at him and squeezed his hand back, “Yes.”Some of the tension bled out of him and he pulled me close, “I have to tell you the basics before we get there so you aren’t surprised. I’m sorry I couldn’t talk about it. I just…”“It’s okay,” I said, turning into his arms. “I know it’s… been a lot. He’s dead.”“Mordecai was my real fa
My ears were ringing.My mother’s video had answered a lot of questions, but not enough. My mother and Mordecai were mates. Due to some political issues on the west coast and Ben’s military force around Warhammer territory, Sharon had to make a decision: the people of Warhammer or her mate.Sharon hadn’t rejected Mordecai, but the distance and the ruse of pretending to be Ben’s mate wore on them both. Mordecai had been dying long before Sharon died, and if Ben had waited just a few more years, he wouldn’t have had to have her killed.Sharon and Mordecai had shared one night together after Sharon and Ben were married. That was the night she conceived Joel and I. She had me and Joel registered in Midnight when we were three, just after Ben came home with Sonia to protect us because she figured that Ben would realize they were mates and start to suspect that we weren’t his sons. That was the same time that Mordecai found out that we were his sons.Soon after, Ben sent her to the mental h
Matt shifted and pulled the door open. Ben was just on the other side, kicking Mordecai’s body aside. He was still breathing. I could hear his breath rattling out of him as I fumbled for my phone to call the paramedics.Matt said that Warhammer Guard was no more than five minutes away.Mordecai had to have five minutes.Matt looked like he didn’t know what to do as ben approached him. He was staring at Mordecai, shocked pale as Ben pointed a gun at him.“You’ve caused me nothing but trouble your entire fucking life,” Ben said.“You…” Matt breathed. “He… You… can’t… I…”Ben laughed again, “I didn’t think you were Mordecai’s type.”Matt turned, his eyes flashing brilliant red and I heard Lucas in his voice, “Shut your mouth, you sick fuck.”Ben stumbled back and his gun lowered just enough not to be aimed at Matt any longer. Alyssa pushed to the forefront of my mind. I felt her reaching for the dagger beneath my shirt. I heard Tzipporah’s voice in the back of my hand and knew what was a
Matt’s POV The restaurant Ben chose was an upscale little place away from a main city. The entire building had been emptied out. Uriel warned us that Ben had armed people waiting around the area, but just outside their area of operation, I had stationed Warhammer Guard. If anyone wasn’t making it out of this alive it was Ben, Sonia, and Wade. “Matt, it’s so nice to see you,” Sonia said. “You should really come see your stepmother more.” I didn’t respond to her, “Odd that you’d bring her.” “I wanted it to be clear.” It was a ruse. He was hoping to keep the gunfire down from our side because she was here. “I figure the women can stay here and get acquainted,” Ben nodded upstairs, “I’ve had our table set up upstairs.” I turned to Glenda and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t eat anything,” I whispered, drawing back. I ushered her to her seat and pushed her up to the table before following Mordecai and Ben who were putting on airs about how close they were. Wade glared at me wit
Matt’s POVI collapsed into my seat and listened to Mordecai pour us drinks as the captain got ready to take off. If I didn’t have to stand in front of a news reporter again in life it would be too soon, but I was glad for it.Mordecai sputtered and laughed, “What a fucking dumbass!”I looked at him, “What’s going on?”He offered his phone, “Ben’s a dumber son of a bitch than I thought! Oh, moon. I didn’t think it was possible.”I sat up and took the
Ben’s POVSonia whimpered, clutching at my leg and rubbing her face against my leg, trying to restrain and convince me to spare the ungrateful little whelp on the ground. I should have listened to Mordecai years ago about Matt. While he was headstrong, had I kept a hold on him he would have never crossed me like this.At the least, he wouldn’t have been caught and cost me so much. Wade’s ambition overrode his sense.“Have you anything to say for yourself, you little shit? Huh?”He choked and curled up. His injuries from
He shrieked in agony and rolled off me. The sticky heat of his blood coated my hand. The metallic stench of it filled the air and I turned, screaming, driving my knife into whatever part of him I could reach. He choked and cried out. The scent of the dungeon filled my nose. Blood and more blood came spurting out and I remembered the sight of my blood pooled beneath me, spreading across the ground.Two, three, four, five…He choked and thrashed. His body wiggled and jiggled, but I kept going, counting each thrust of my dagger as I heard his voice in my memories offering me candy, taunting me, ordering me to serve him. I heard Armina screaming in pain and fear. I heard Angelia whimpering. I heard the last breath rattling out of a young girl whose face I could no longer remembe