We make light work of moving fast in unison and tracking back down the corridor towards the main entrance to the grand staircase. Sierra takes the lead and Carmen runs behind the witch and I, both of them in wolf form, as we start our search for the infamous Juan. My heart’s pounding through my chest because I know radar will be hot on our heels and Colton is going to be so mad about this. His fury will know zero bounds when he finds out I disobeyed him and ran from Radar and the Luna’s guard, but my gut tells me to trust Sierra and do this. Sierra has a point and finding Juan first, pushing him out there for easy access may be the cure to this war and the end to this night’s battle. If we shackle him and hand him over to Varro then there’s less chance of Juan being killed in the process and maybe I can beg Varro to protect Sierra’s life in keeping him alive for the rest of his.
We barely make it to the open entrance and foot of the stair when a
My energy blows out like an explosion and takes everything in its wake with it. Uncontrolled due to my sheer fear, mounting hysteria, and suddenly time ceases to cling on in the slow mo. Wooosh, the clock restarts and everything in my wake is thrown wide like the after implosion of a nuclear bomb.Sierra, Radar, the bullet and Juan are all catapulted away from me with force. Flying into a chaotic crash landing of limp bodies against the far wall behind the bed, taking a pillar and the canopy with it, in a crashing chorus of thuds and growls. It’s a monumental fallout from something that I didn’t mean to deliver so viciously.I have no idea where the bullet has landed or if I manage to set it off course and I scramble forward to unravel Sierra from the mess of bedding and debris around her, shielded by the hunched over wolf form of Radar. Even in freefall eh somehow managed to cling to her and protect her as they went down.I sense Juan pulling
A cold wave takes over my body and once again time seems to slow at an unnatural pace as I take in all that surrounds me. Radar in the corner, being held down by Leyanne as she tries to remove the metal in his body that can kill him while he’s reaching out, trying to get up. The desperation in his eye as the love of his life takes on her enemy but the toxin is already removing any strength he has left. He’s powerless to do anything in his state.I turn my head as the collision of wolf on wolf among the guards and Juan’s own continues in bloody chaos, tearing at one another and throwing claws and punches as they grapple and roll around me. Noise and debris clouding the air and yet I am rooted to my spot.In the midst of it all, Sierra stands nose to nose on hind legs, raising her smaller frame to what was once our formidable alpha and the I am fixated on the two joined bodies as they grip onto one another, eyes locked in fierce battle, claws subm
I finally hit the marble surface of the ground floor and skid to a halt before I reach the main door, a sudden thought hitting me right in the head which falters my steps. It’s so obvious and yet I facepalm myself for being this stupid and slow to even pick up on it until now. Instead of running around in the dark like a headless chicken, I have the means under my nose to bring Varro to me. I spin on my heel to face my nearest wolf, suddenly enlightened on the easiest method for an outcome.“Let’s go to the security room where Carmen is.” I nod the command, raising a brow, only get a gruff wolfy snort in response before my guards turn and push me along the darkest part of the house. No argument when their Luna commands, because Radar isn’t here to question anything and no one outside the sub pack would ever dare. “What is with the lack of lighting in here, can one of you not go find the generator?” I snap in frustration, knowing this
Luna, stand your ground, the guards are pulling in!One voice comes at me through my sudden hazy fog of a mind, and I am pulled back to the present and snapped out of my stunned shock. Aware of my wall of warm fur moving around me and then accompanied by more as the Lunas guard seem to appear from nowhere. I guess their fight with Juan’s minions has finally come to an end, and they are back to performing the duty assigned to them.I turn my head and scan the faces of so many while I search out Radar and Sierra, barely able to catch a glimpse as the living wall of bodies collide around me in a massive circle like something out of a Hollywood battlefield. The only light comes from a full moon above and even with it’s full illumination, the land around me is like a creepy moving forest of aggressive groaning.Noise is deafening and it almost blocks out the speakers transmitting my message to Varro, to the point I inwardly panic that he may not
It feels like time stands still and I watch in disbelief as both Sierra and Radar try to regain composure, confusion etching the face of both and even I have no clue how this just happened. Sierra clutches the point above her left breast as though suddenly inflicted with pain and looks down, gasping in surprise. Her hand sliding away to reveal where her mate mark from her union with Juan is, something that can never be removed. Yet, before my very eyes it begins to heal and fade away into nothingness as though it never was. The one mark in life that a wolf can never erase or heal from and yet hers is washing away like dust on a smooth surface when hit with a gentle breeze.I gawp in surreal stillness, filtering into my head what this could possibly mean. Radar too fixes his focus on her mark as it disperses and the two of them seem to pause, stuck in a time freeze for a few seconds as all this slowly drips into reality. Expressions unreadable and the air suddenly seems to tin
The dark swirls around me like an oppressive, heavy cloak and I stand motionless, aware of bodies close behind me as we wait in the unearthly still. The sound of labored breathing, suppressed snarls, and growls, as my flank of wolves grows to stand in a uniformed mass of protection.“Lorey.” The familiar voice, followed by a swoop and gentle thud as my mate lands beside me in perfect poise. Appearing as if by magic. His hand skimming the back of my hair with gentle precision as a show of affection, and he takes a second to focus everything on me with a pause as he checks me over. Appearing from beyond the veil of shadows and trees and I’m instantly calmer, relieved at his presence. Less afraid when he’s by my side.“Where have you been?” I whisper at him under my breath, not giving him a second to talk or question me; eyes still fixed on the emptiness as I await Jasper’s reappearance. The vampires have all fallen back, leaving
“Be quiet. You don’t belong among my kind, you never have, and it’s become tiresome to protect you against others. You can be of more use with my daughter and her babies than constantly watching your back and shadowing Darrius. I believe it’s where fate always intended to put you. To protect my blood in place of me.” Varro turns to him and heavily places a hand on his shoulder, his aura emanating sheer authority. It’s clear he doesn’t like to be questioned.“You want me to live among those that took everything from me?” Jasper almost spits it at him and winces at the pressure applied on his shoulder as punishment. I get the vibe you don’t question or disobey this one at all.My heart aches for my brother though, knowing that at the root of his resistance is an inability to let go of his own pain. With good reason. Being all alone among their kind for a decade with only Varro as his source of comfort. To have s
“I expected something a little less run down, grander. Do you wolves not believe in modern conveniences, like electricity and running water?” Varro mocks as he scans the large hall of the manor, scoffing at its dark and drab appearance. I can’t blame him, as since we’ve been gone, this place has fallen into some urban war disarray that I never imagined could possibly happen to this place. It feels and looks abandoned, dust and dirt on every available surface from neglect. I have no idea what happened and why Juan returned the valley to the dark ages. “Funny.” Colton dismisses him with the dry tone he reserves for people liked Deacon, a wolf who once stood against him. “We could try find the generators and power them up.” Meadow followed us in here when we moved and cuts in with a snappy tone, also peeved at having her home turf mocked. The other subs are here too, those
“You did it, baby. Look at our girls!” Colton’s excited tone pulls me out of my fatigue as he mops my brow and tries to dry up the sweat that’s cascading like a waterfall. The cries of newborns ringing in my ears after what seems like the longest and most hellish night of my life. I can barely stay awake. A new day is peeking at us from outside the curtains which he drew at some point when the light got too intense. Everything feels surreal and it’s hard now to imagine I just spent so many hours going through the trauma of childbirth while the world is still. The memory of the pain is already subsiding.My emotions are fried and the eagerness to lay eyes on them is the only thing keeping me conscious while my limbs cry to give out. My body is tender and heavy like a deadweight, but I am so glad it’s finally over. I should turn to self heal but I can’t muster the energy and would rather sleep after holding my babies.“Here
I wake up to the gnawing and strange aching sensation travelling across my belly and try to turn over to relieve whatever it is. Struggling now my bump is fully formed and weighing me down while Colton’s arm across me isn’t helping any. The room is completely dark and silent, so it must still be the middle of the night and his even, peaceful breathing signals he’s out cold.I maneuver his forearm up over my boobs and manage to roll sideways away from him, so my butt is jutted against his groin to stop my stomach hanging over the edge of the mattress and get frustrated at my inability to move around like a normal human anymore.I have reached that stage where I’m just begging them to come out quickly because I can’t take much more of this endless beached whale sensation. It has limited any kind of movement and being independent. I feel like my days consist of peeing multiple times, being eternally hungry, cranky and uncomfortable and burst
already my sister.”“My kids want cousins… I’m an only child. Alora has only one brother. That’s an order from your alpha.” Colton smirks at her, not really being helpful in this situation and then stretches his legs out and stifles a yawn with his fist. It’s obvious he isn’t invested in this scene at all. I could kick him for his obvious disinterest.“Look at how happy Sierra and Radar are, huh? They’re planning pups already, and have a cozy little love nest picked out in the grounds. You’re just delaying the inevitable.” I try appealing in a different way and am rewarded with a scowl from my girl.“Radar isn’t an asshole. That’s why they’re happy!” Carmen throws her hair over her shoulder, sarcasm fluent this morning, and once again pointedly glares at Jasper, who runs a palm down his face and looks like he might scream. I can almost sympathize and feel his v
“Baby, we should get up.” Colton rolls over in bed and drapes his arm across my abdomen lightly. Snuggling up close after one of the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time. I’m so relaxed it feels like I’m floating in a happy cloud.It felt like it had been forever since we had real intimacy like this, time alone to relax and curl up without any need to get up. Now that early morning patrols for vampires are a thing of the past, Colton has been trying to get used to sleeping late with me and adopting lazy morning routines while I’m pregnant. We know they won’t last after these babies arrive. A future of broken sleep and tiny demands, so we are making the most of the time we have left.“Hmmmm” I murmur sleepily and bury my face under his chin, pressing bodily to that chiseled torso as he wraps his arms around me. “Five more minutes” , I revel in his warmth and close my eyes in a bid to d
His words catch me off guard as we make our way towards the tree line at a leisurely pace. Tugging at my heart and yet further putting me at ease in his presence. He’s a complex person and as I walk in time, almost perfectly matched, I wonder how many layers there are to these creatures I used to only think of as murderous blood suckers.“My memories of her are slowly fading away and I can barely recall her face anymore. I forget what her voice sounds like. It feels like it’s been longer than ten years since she was last by my side, and I miss her still.”I’m close. If you need me then I’m here.Colton’s mind link distracts me momentarily, and I automatically glance behind me to see the lurking figure of my mate keeping his distance but not losing sight of us. Further back are the two Luna’s guard and Meadow. I smile without thought at how much he still loves and protects me fiercely and catch Varro focusi
“If you are satisfied with the terms of the treaty then there’s no need to delay in signing it. I came here with the support of my coven, and this will put an end to two decades of unrest.” My father sits back in his chair across the table and smiles somewhat eerily. I think it’s meant to translate to warm and kind but with his eternally stiff and frosty aura, it’s not.“Finally, we get to know what peace is. Something I barely remember in my lifetime.” Colton lays the pen on top of it and slides the document to me. I don’t need to read it if he has and approved, so I quickly scrawl my name on the bottom and slide it towards Varro. It seems such a minor act for such a huge outcome. My feelings seem somewhat understated considering this is such a huge thing and I guess it hasn’t sunk in yet.“Now all the formalities are out of the way. I was hoping on some time to get to know my daughter.” Varro shi
“I still loathe her.” Carmen snorts and crosses her arms across her chest sulkily. I laugh at both of them, knowing that’s the furthest from the truth it could be. They have a love-hate relationship, that’s warm underneath, and I know either one would sacrifice themselves to save the other. Neither can admit they are sisters now, and friends. Denial is what I expect for the rest of their lives.“So, noon? Are you nervous?” Carmen turns the conversation back to what we are preparing for, and I let her go. Shrugging in a non-committal way as I go back to prepping the room and focusing on imaginary dust particles I need to remove. My gut has been like washing machine all morning and I have been trying to ignore the chaos of internal feelings for a week.“Hmmm.” I answer in a bland tone and move the flowers for the fifth time today. Using Carmen’s method of nonchalance.“Signing a treaty is enough of a pres
“Is everything ready?” I wander into the new dining room space we cleared and created this past week in readiness for my father’s first official visit. The room which used to be the medbay, although now our outhouse for the clinic is complete, we are freeing up space indoors. The village has come on a lot these past months and even though we know a move back to the valley is in the books, we still want this place to have a use. Some of our pack might want to live out here despite the Alpha and Luna returning to the main homestead. Sierra has already expressed desire to continue here with Radar now that she feels her position as Rema no longer requires her to oversee the reunited Santos. I think in all honesty she wants to relish in her new love and honeymoon period without grossing out her son.I’ll be sad to leave our home behind but I know this is the start of a new chapter for all of us.“So clean it’s sparkling. The grounds
I watch my brother across the room, listless, and lost about how to approach him. Colton is pacing around, hands gesturing in an angry manner as he thrashes out whatever dialogue the two of them are having and Jasper keeps glaring his way. Arms folded across his chest, face tight, expression grim in an ‘I’m not interested’ kind of pose and watching as my mate talks about what happens from here on in. Whether my brother like sit or not, he’s stuck with us and a life in this pack. I should be over there, contributing, coaxing, but I couldn’t stand it any longer.Sensing Jasper’s pain and reluctance to start to let go of a decade of ingrained hatred and hurt was overwhelming me to the point of sheer exhaustion. His head full of vengeance and blind belief that the only cure to his emptiness is to somehow make the entire Santo pack suffer. To never return to being Lychan among a pack who would embrace him as family again. He sees only a name and