The golden gate leads to freedom. That was the message hidden in the song, our supposed clue. None of us had any idea what the fuck it meant. Frankly, we didn’t even know if the message was meant for us, or that it had anything to do with the disappearance of the band members wife, or any of the
I hated medical facilities. I hadn’t always—I used to be fine with doctors’ offices, but after months of painful, pointless fertility treatments that I didn’t even need, the smell of antiseptic brought nothing but dread. It didn’t help that I was in the exam room with Elroy, another constant cause
“So the baby looks good,” the ultrasound tech said, “exactly what we want to see at this stage. 2.47 inches long, so right on track. Do you want to hear the heartbeat?: “Yes,” I gasped, suddenly desperate for it. I needed that proof, that evidence that my child was alive, that connection—The tech
After another day of more walking than my swelling ankles were happy about, we finally realized the gates were all busts. We’d all taken the loss and put our heads together, because that damn song was still the only lead we had. We were going through the band’s other albums in the hopes of another s
"Luna," Matt said gently, reading the conflict on my face. "Trust me. I can do this." I exhaled slowly, nodding. "Okay," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "But we’re going to have a plan and a safety net. I’m not sending you in there blind, Matt.” We were about to start forming said plan whe
I felt bad, but I had to defy Iris once again. My strict bedtime schedule, as important as it was, was going to have to take a backseat tonight. Tonight, Matt was in the casino. Alone. Obviously neither Jordan nor myself were able to sit still, consumed with worry for our friend. I could hardly
“She perked right up! Said the owner was hoping to ‘tap into the Omega market,’ and if she saw my sister she’d look out for her.” “That’s not creepy at all,” Jordan cringed. “It wouldn’t be if we didn’t know what we do,” I said, even though I firmly agreed with her. I could see why somebody woul
The chandeliers were a little too dusty to sparkle, and red carpet was worn thin under my feet, and it all felt like a world away from my usual haunts. In all fairness that’s exactly what it was. The only gambling I’d ever done had been around a kitchen table, so even a subpar casino was a huge chan
Olivia POVI had achieved a kind of patience while waiting for Iris to finish her analysis. Rodin was quietly helpful, and Brady had returned from her errand to organize getting Iris whatever equipment she needed.I was so impressed watching her. How nice it would be to have a demonstrable skill, so
Elroy POVHer room was empty, but that didn’t alarm me at first. There were many places throughout the palace where she could be reading or napping or hosting a return visit from one of the pack leaders.But even as I walked the halls, I knew she was doing none of these things. I could feel her miss
Olivia POVIt had been months since my last visit to my mother’s side, but I could tell that Iris was right. Before, she always seemed to be sleeping. Her skin glowed, and her muscles remained taut from the ‘round-the-clock care she received.Now, there was a yellow, almost jaundiced look to her ski
Olivia POVElroy was knocking on my door when I woke up. It was early in the morning, just after dawn, and even as I sat up in bed I remained half-asleep. Still, I knew that knock.“Come in,” I called.Elroy came inside wearing dirty battle gear, and there was dried blood on his chin.“Are you all r
“Now, what is it I can do for you, Luna?” she asked.“Actually, you can accept my sincere apologies.”She frowned just slightly. “Luna?”“You were made to witness a most distressing scene in my household. Obviously, I had no idea the so-called Rogue King would crash my banquet, but that’s no excuse
Olivia POVWith Elroy gone, I needed to concentrate on my duties as Luna, which meant I had to deal ASAP with the fallout from my pretty much disastrous banquet. I mean, Denis might be trying to stage some sort of revolution and destroy my reputation, but did he have to crash my party so fatally?I
Olivia POVElroy left with a thousand soldiers the next morning, half on horseback and half in their wolf forms. I supposed I should be curious about the battle strategy, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to care.A part of me knew I wasn’t defeated, that I would still fight for wolves’ rights a
She held up a hand. “I said I had to ask. I didn’t say I give him any credit. Officially, I am asking if you’re denying his claims.”“Of course I am!” I threw up my hands. “It’s all just some lie he’s made up to cause trouble.”I put my hands down. “Think about it, if I had someone from my past I lo
Olivia POVRefusing to follow behind Elroy like a naughty child, I swept out of the room ahead of him, though I took care to dismiss Jordan gently. She, like most of the wolves in the room who didn’t fight, looked shaken but still present in the moment. I trusted they could all take care of themselv