Eden’s POVI heard him before I recognized him.Zane.He was moaning, naked, on top of a woman. I squinted and saw that it was Brinsle.But? But?Why was Zane in bed with Brinsle? And why were they both naked?No. That couldn’t be right. Maybe I was seeing things. Maybe that wasn’t Zane?I looked more closely.It was Zane all right. And he was definitely in bed with Brinsle. I watched as he moved his hips up and down. She reached around and dug her nails into his back. Then she let out a loud gasp.They were making love. And they were BOTH enjoying it.This was Brinsle’s memory. She’d forced me to touch her pendant when I demanded to know where Zane was. Zara had been adamant that Zane’s scent was on Brinsle. I’d smelled it too. We all had. So I knew this had actually happened.Where were we?Witch’s territory, I assumed. This must be Brinsle’s coven.Is that…is that where Zane’s been? All this time?But that didn’t make any sense. Why would Zane be at a witch’s coven? And why would h
Eden’s POV“Brighton, NO!”Brinsle’s shrill shriek rang out through the air.The bolt of light hit Beta Brighton. His body went rigid, his eyes wide. Then he fell to the ground, just like her lover had in her memory.I gasped, as did Astrid.That bolt of light was meant for Astrid. Brinsle had just tried to kill Astrid. But Beta Brighton had blocked Astrid, taking the hit himself instead. Brinsle looked at her brother in horror. She’d just HIT Brighton? Her own brother? But no, that’s NOT what she had meant to do. Beta Brighton was in a crumpled heap on the ground. Brinsle ran to him, her eyes wild. She knelt down and cradled his head. His body was limp and lifeless.“What have you done?” she screamed at us.I saw it then, her pain. Just like in her memory. It swirled around his body, tinged in purple, like a breeze you could see. I was strange, seeing someone’s pain on the outside, like this. It felt like we were invading her privacy.Or at least, it felt like that to me.Astrid
Eden’s POV“She just…she just took Beta Brighton?” I asked, as Astrid and I looked up at the sky. Brinsle, in crow form, was struggling to carry a lifeless Beta Brighton away. She clearly wasn’t a great flyer, perhaps because her shapeshifting was still new. But if we hadn’t been so shocked and upset, her haphazard flight would have made us both chuckle.Laughing, though, was the last thing on our minds.We watched, stunned, as Brinsle flew further and further away. She was hardly more than a black dot now on the horizon by the time Astrid spoke. “Nevermind that,” Astrid said. “She KILLED him! That witch bitch actually KILLED her OWN brother!” Astrid’s voice was full of horror. The flash of light had been meant for Astrid. But Beta Brighton had stepped out in front of Astrid, blocking the light. So yes, Brinsle had just killed her sister.My mind reeled. I tried to focus on one thought, but they all blurred together. Zane in bed with Brinsle. My baby and her rising witch. My own tai
Eden’s POVThe moment the words escaped Zara’s lips, I knew what would happen.“What is it?” Astrid asked. She saw the look on my face. My blood ran cold. My skin prickled.“Dying?” I asked Zara. “Are you…sure?”As the words left my mind, the rage in me started to build. Dying? Slade? No. That couldn’t be. Slade was strong. He was a massive, strong, powerful black wolf. I’d seen him myself, with my own two eyes. He was intimidating as hell! He’d scared me so badly that I’d bolted from the palace and straight into the lake, just to get away from him.How could he be dying?Wolves didn’t just die. Wolves survived. That’s what they were designed to do. They healed us, our bodies and bones. They allowed us to overcome substantial obstacles. They made it so that we healed from injuries that even humans, with all their advanced medicines, couldn’t overcome.Our wolves were our power source. And as such, it took a lot, and I mean A LOT to bring them down.Poisons, yes. There were specific po
Zane’s POVAlpha Miles smiled weakly at me.No.There was no way this was happening. The prisoners were all shackled, being led through the coven gathered.I looked from Alpha Miles to the coven. The look in the witch’s eyes made me shudder. They had a famished look, like someone who had just seen food for the first time in thirty days. They rubbed their hands together in eager anticipation. This was the feast they’d been waiting for. They were about to taste werewolf meat.The bonfire blazed behind me. “It’s been a long time since we’ve feasted on werewolf,” Lucinda said, approaching me from behind. “Where’s Brinsle? I was going to let her have the first bite.”Lucinda looked around. I didn’t care where Brinsle was. She’d just been with me a moment ago. She was the one who’d brought me here. She was nowhere to be found now, though.Lucinda looked distraught.“Well, where did she run off to?” Lucinda asked. Lucinda was clearly upset that Brinsle had disappeared. But the eager
Zane’s POVI called to Slade.I begged him. He HAD to answer. He was my only hope.I tried to look away from the werewolf’s eyes, but I couldn’t. He was paralyzed, unable to move, unable to do anything as a new group of witches approached him.They were exactly like the last ones. They rubbed their hands in anticipation as they circled the poor, half-eaten werewolf.I saw the fear flash through his eyes. The pain.And then he disappeared to the witches.“SLADE!” I hollered, my voice desperate.Behind me, the massive bonfire crackled. Over by the werewolf, I couldn’t block out the distinctive sounds of tearing flesh.They chewed with their mouths open, smacking and licking their lips.It was positively revolting.Slade didn’t answer.Had he…had he already died? He was close to death, I knew that much. But surely he hadn’t already passed over to the other side?No.I would feel it. I would sense it.He searched deep inside myself to find his connection. At first, I couldn’t find it and
Zane’s POV“Aren’t you at least curious?” Lucinda asked. “Don’t you want to know the deal I’m offering?”Her nails were so sharp I was sure she was drawing blood. The witches continued to devour the wolves right before my eyes. For the time being, Alpha Miles was safe, as he was pretty far down the line.But he wouldn’t be safe for ever.To my left, another strange thing was happening. Witches shimmered with a strange, pale light. The lights came in a plethora of colors. They looked like they were glowing.That wasn’t the only thing they were doing though.I watched as they rubbed themselves. They tore off their dresses, revealing their breasts. My eyes landed on two specific witches. One leered at another. They stared, then they charged at each other, colliding. They rubbed their bodies against one another. Their breasts slid together. Their hands roamed the length of one another’s legs. One of them grabbed the other’s ass. She threw her head back and chuckled wildly.“What the fuck?
Zane’s POVIt took me a moment before the words really settled in.Callista? Was she for real?I didn’t respond at first. She continued to stroke my chest. To my left, the witches were engaged in what could only be described as a full-on sexual fever pitch.Five werewolves had been eaten clean to the bone. The fire crackled. Men sobbed. Flesh tore. And witches groaned and moaned in ecstasy.I saw the Brotherhood of Breeders step forward. In the firelight, the witches snapped their heads towards the men. Almost in unison, they began tiptoeing towards the men, their hands outstretched.The men, in anticipation, began tearing off their tunics.“I’d be careful if I were them,” Lucinda said. “The witches can be rough.”Right on cue, four witches pounced onto one of the men, slamming him backwards into the ground. They slithered onto him, groping and clawing at his chest.I had no sympathy for them. They had come here of their own free will. They had hunted down this coven. They