[Tatiana’s POV]The urge to scold Massimo for being so harsh with the rogues hits me like a ton of bricks, but before I can even speak, a laugh escapes Sebastian.“You heard him,” he grunts, baring his teeth. “I killed a few of Onyx River’s men, and now they want my head on a silver platter.”“I descimated an entire pack, the man with the buzzed head adds. “Someone paid me a hefty sum to do it, and of course I agreed.”A shiver rushes through me as I take in the man’s eyes, seeing nothing but bloodlust there that shows that he doesn’t give a damn who it is he will kill for the highest price.“You scared now, princess?” Sebastian chuckles. “Good, you should be.”“Craven, Sebastian,” Cam warns. “Stop trying to intimidate her before her friends attempt to kill you.”At his words, everyone’s eyes snap to Massimo and Knight to find that both their gazes are turning dark and murderous intent is radiating off of them.“What’s their deal anyway?” Sebastian huffs. “Yall in some type of polyamo
[Massimo’s POV]“You’re fucking weak,” Knight spits, giving me a look of disgust. “You’re afraid of making a single woman upset.”“Not a single woman,” I correct him, realizing just how fucking wrong he was for Tatiana. “The woman I love, and if you’re done with your threat, I’m going to check on that woman because she didn’t look too good back there. You can do whatever the hell you want, but if you touch her with your disgusting hands again, I'm going to fucking break them."“We aren’t done,” he hisses, reaching out and attempting to grab me. "I still haven't..."Whirling around, I grab his wrist and pull, then stab my elbow between his shoulder blades as he stumbles forward from shock. Applying pressure, I bring him down to his knees and begin to lift his arm until I know it is about to snap.“Don’t fucking touch me,” I growl, applying more pressure. “I’ve been lenient on you until now because you helped me escape, but there is only so much I will put up with. I explained to you th
[Tatiana's POV]My heart pounds rapidly in my chest as my body shivers with anticipation, but where my body and my mind scream continue, my heart and soul scream no.This was wrong. I knew that it was wrong, especially when my emotions were so torn between two different men. And sure, I knew that one of those men would never be the right choice and would never truly care for me, but that didn't stop the tiny light of hope that I held.Despite trying to convince myself that this was the right choice and I shouldn't even dare have hopes for another, the voice in the back of my head screamed that this was a grave mistake."I…" I begin, realizing that there was no way that I could let this go any further, not when I was being so damn wishy-washy. "I can't let you continue."It killed me to say it, especially after everything he had done for me, but it would be even crueler to go all the way with him knowing that my heart wasn't truly in it.Growing quiet, I watch as Massimo stares at me w
[Knight’s POV]I stare at Tatiana, trying to control the urge I feel to grab her, pull her against me, and not let her get away. But I ignore it. Who the fuck was I to force her to stay?“Stop playing with my heart,” she continues. “You’ve made it clear that you have no intention of being with me, so stop haunting me!”With that, she turns and makes her way back into the compound while I continue to simply watch.Once she was gone, I let out a snarl of frustration and punch the trunk of the tree I had just been lounging in. Pain shoots up my arm and zips through my body, clearing away the discomfort that I’m feeling in my chest, but the hollow feeling remains.“Fuck,” I hiss, running a hand through my hair. “What the fuck am I doing?”I needed to get my shit together. This all had to be that bastard Massimo’s fault for what he said. He was the one who provoked me and left me feeling out of control. I needed to quickly take back my pack so that I could get away and not have to deal wit
[Tatiana’s POV]I stand beside Winley, watching as she fries up some eggs for everyone. Although I had offered to help her cook, she insisted that she was fine and could do it on her own, so I was left to do nothing while she worked.“Are you sure you don’t want me to do anything?” I ask, feeling bad for being useless. “I can cook something or..."“No,” she says, giving me a smile. “You’re pregnant and still recovering. I only brought you in here because I figured you could use an escape.”An escape, right? I could use an escape from the anxiety that I was feeling due to the tension between Massimo, Knight, and myself. It was becoming damn near suffocating, but I knew that I couldn’t simply run away from it.“What should I do?” I sigh, burying my face in my hands. “How am I supposed to face either one of them?”For a moment, Winley doesn’t speak as she considers my words, and when she gently touches my back, I can almost feel her giving me strength.“The best thing to do is to be hone
[Tatiana’s POV]My eyes widen as Knight’s word hits me like a ton of bricks. So this was what he was up to the whole time. He wasn’t actually trying to approach me because he was interested in me. E was only interested in the child in my stomach, and I was sure that was because he was now well aware of my bloodline.“You’re the worst,” I whisper, feeling my new-found energy beginning to build. “How dare you think I’ll just let you take my child?"Letting out a snarl, I let the energy explode from me so that Knight loosens his hold enough for me to break free.Whirling around, I shove hard enough to make him stumble, and then I rush out of the room. However, when I reach the main alcove, where everyone else is lounging in many different phases of waking up, I continue to move.No one attempts to follow me as I make my way out of the hideout entirely and then burst into the abandoned hospital.By the time I stop, true panic has taken over, and my heart feels like it is going to beat out
[Knight’s POV]I stare down at Tatiana’s pale face, taking in the sweat that covers her skin and the lines of pain that cover her clear skin. What the fuck was happening to her, and what could be done to stop it?As this thought hits me, Bane lets out a whimper of frustration over having to watch our mate suffer while we couldn’t do shit about it.“How much longer until someone comes?” I demand, turning my gaze to the woman, Winley, who stands nearby, watching on with worry. “Are they actually coming, or is this some type of ploy on your part?”“They’re coming,” she snaps. “We’re pretty far from town, so it will take a bit.”“I don’t think we have that long,” Massimo points out as Tatiana jumps up and begins to throw up more blood. “She is getting worse.”“I’m…fine…” Tatiana pants, though by the gray hue beginning to form on her skin, it is clear that she isn’t. “Just…”“Stop fucking lying,” I growl.She could try to trick everyone else, but due to our bond, I could feel each and ever
[Massimo’s POV]“Wait!” I gasp, feeling like a fucking idiot for even begging. “What I promised you was that Obsidian River would join hands with you?”Growing quiet, I wait as the sound of Giovani moving around on the other end fills the silence.“How can a banished member of that pack do such a thing?” He finally asks, going straight for the gut. “You no longer have your power, boy; don’t waste my time with empty promises.”“Do you really think I’m incapable of taking my position back?” I demand, trying to ignore the offense I feel. Did this bastard truly think I was that weak?“Are you saying you’re willing to kill your father?”If it meant saving Tatiana, I was willing to do anything. Anyway, he was more than willing to kill me and intended to do so.This was how our world went; only the strongest survived, and it was kill or be killed. My father made his choice, as did I. Our familial attachments were no longer in place, and if I had to take him out to claim my place in Obsidian
[Tatiana’s POV]My heart races as I stare at the name that flashes on my phone. Massimo. Was it really him calling me right now, or was it someone else pretending to be him? I didn’t know, but I wanted to find out.“Answer it.” Knight’s voice is firm, and it snaps me out of my daze. “We’ve been looking for that bastard for five years, and here he is calling you like it's nothing.”I don’t miss the hint of distrust in his voice as he speaks, but for the time being, I didn’t want to deal with it. The most important thing was answering this call and figuring out if it truly was Massimo reaching out to communicate with me or not.Sucking in a breath, I swipe to answer and bring the phone to my ear, then wait.“Little fairy.” Massimo rasps as what sounds like bottle clatter in the background. “Is that you?”Eyes widening, I realize that the person on the other end is, in fact, Massimo, and he was actually calling.“Is it him?” Knight asks slowly, clearly trying to keep his temper in check.
Three Years Later[Knight’s POV]“Daddy, look the ocean!”Octavia’s lips turn into a bright smile as she lets her eyes come to rest on the sparkling blue water in front of us. This was the first time she had ever been to the beach, so of course she was excited.“I want to swim!”As the words leave her lips, she attempts to rush forward but stops as Tatiana reaches down and grabs her wrist.“Careful!” I hiss, not missing the way she wobbles forward due to her large belly. “You’re going to fall and hurt yourself!”“I’ll be fine,” she insists, giving me a look of annoyance. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been pregnant.”Wincing, I try not to think about that time when I abandoned her when she truly needed me the most. I was a fucking fool back then, and it cost me a year with the woman I love the most and the first two months of my daughter's life.That was why this time around I was doing everything, from attending every single doctor's appointment to doing everything Tatiana needed me
A Year Later[Knight’s POV]“Daddy!”The tiny voice reaches me before arms are wrapping around my leg. Looking down, I take in Octavia as she grins up at me. She looks adorable in her golden dress, with her hair done up into a tiny ponytail at the top of her head.Since she began to walk, no one could stop her from getting where she wanted. She was a little escape artist, and I was certain her nanny would appear soon with a look of annoyance on her features.“Up!” She insists, holding up her arms.Nodding, I do as she says before turning to Desmond, whom I had been talking to moments prior.“Typical,” he chuckles. “The minute your girls are involved, no one else exists.”“As it should be,” I agree. “Why would I want to pay attention to an old fart like you when such a beauty is in front of me?”This was the first time I had seen Desmond in months, and he was busy telling me about how things were going back at Crystal Fang. I realized that things were going back to normal after what ha
[Knight’s POV]I stare into Tatiana’s eyes, trying to determine whether or not I heard her correctly. How was it possible that someone could be given this much fucking happiness at once? Especially a sinner like me?“Well?” She asks, looking shy. “Will you?”Would I? Of course I fucking would! But would she regret asking me to do it in the future? We still had such a long way to go in our relationship, but right now we never felt closer. However, anything could happen in the blink of an eye, and everything would come crumbling down.“Knight,” she continues when I don’t speak. “Look at me.”Reaching up, Tatiana grabs my cheeks and makes me look into her beautiful golden eyes, which can’t be outdone by the sun itself. They were perfect, she was perfect, and somehow she was all mine.“I want you to mark me,” she continues. “I want the world to know that I’m yours and you are mine. If I’ve learned anything from the past year, it is that tomorrow isn’t promised. Many were lost so that we c
[Tatiana’s POV]I wrap a robe around my still-dripping body and then pull my hair over my shoulder. After my day, I felt disgusting, and a hot shower was exactly what I needed, but despite knowing that things were going in the direction that they were supposed to, something was still nagging at me.Massimo.What exactly happened to him, and why couldn’t anyone find any sort of sign of him? It was almost as if he had disappeared or never existed at all.Letting out a sigh, I try to shake off my thoughts and head out of the bathroom to find Knight laying in bed waiting for me.“About time,” he says as his eyes begin to take me in and grow darker. “I was about to go in and check on you.”“Sorry for making you wait,” I say, taking a seat beside him and reaching for my hairbrush. “I was just…”“Needing some privacy?” He offers, making me flinch. Fuck, had he read my thoughts? “I told you that I have all my best men looking for him.”I knew that it probably hurt Knight to know that I was th
[Knight’s POV]I remain silent as Tatiana takes the lead with our ceremony, and when it’s over, I truly feel as though I’ve fallen in love with her all over again. How was it possible that my little caged princess became such a fucking queen in the short span of a year? I was both excited to see what the future brought and disappointed that I would never get to see her shy expressions again.Back then, she was so fucking lovely that it damn near killed me to stay away from her. However, now she was just as lovely but not as innocent. At least, that was what I thought, but the minute we are allowed to leave and we are alone, there it is, that shy and embarrassed expression.“You did well,” I beam, pulling her against me. “Better than well. You were amazing.”“Was I?” She asks, clearly upset over her kill.“Remember that it was to make a point.”We already agreed that the first show of rebellion would be dealt with, and she did fucking amazing in keeping to that. After all the betrayals
[Tatiana’s POV]A week passed since the battle with Onyx River, and since then, both my uncle and Fernando have been placed in the dungeon to await their trials. Of course, my uncle would be tried for the deaths of not only my parents but many others, and while Fernando had done his fair share of horrible deeds since I was still blood-bound to him, there was no way he could be killed.“Are you ready?” Knight asks me as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I’m dressed in a long black button-down with a leather vest and black pants, and my long red hair is pulled into a ponytail at the nape of my neck. This is the typical look for a leader who is in mourning. “If you’re nervous, I can…”“No,” I say, giving him a smile. “I can do this. I need to do this.”Now that my uncle was where he belonged and Massimo was nowhere to be found, Onyx River, Obsidian River, and even Hunters Moon were without alphas, and now was the time for Knight and I to come together to lead all three packs.This
[Tatiana’s POV]I watch as my uncle’s body shifts from human to a large black wolf with a powerful aura that presses against my skin, trying to urge me to bow. Fighting it, I prepare to attack again but feel my energy fading due to the collar around my throat.Dammit, I needed to get this damned thing off of me, but I didn’t know how. Feeling my annoyance flare, I watch as Knight attacks again, slamming his body into my uncle so that they both go crashing to the side.As they begin to straighten themselves out, my uncle bites the nape of Knight’s neck and then jerks his head, throwing him in my direction.With wide eyes, I watch as he flies toward me and then slams into my body.‘Why didn’t you move?’ He demands when we hit the ground. ‘Get it together.’Right. I needed to get out of my head and get moving. I couldn’t let the fact I couldn’t tap into my abilities stop me. There had to be something I could do.‘That collar,’ Knight says. ‘It’s blocking your shifting, right?’‘Right,’ I
[Knight’s POV]I stare ahead, watching Tatiana get attacked by multiple wolves while my vision fades in and out. Fuck, I need to move, but I can’t seem to get control of my body.‘Our mate,’ Bane whines, urging me to go. ‘Help her.’‘I’m trying…’ I huff, finding it drains me to even respond to my wolf. ‘I just…’The rest of my words fade as the world fades, and the last thing I see before the darkness consumes me is Tatiana shifting back to her human form while her uncle stares down at her with a look of satisfaction on his face.“I’m sorry. I failed you.”I don’t know how long I’m out for after that, but the sound of glass shattering and then hands touching me rouse me again, and I find Desmond and Geraldo pulling me out of the remains of my car."Fuck!" Desmond hisses as he takes me in. “They did a number to you, kid.”“Are you surprised?” Geraldo counters.Ignoring their hit, I shift my gaze in the direction I last saw Tatiana and find that no one is there.“Tatiana,” I gasp, attem