They came to the door in the night. Werewolves from the shifter pack on the other side of the forest. Nell could hear the raised voices from where she sat, worrying, beside her father’s bed. From what she could make out their Luna was about to give birth and the Alpha was demanding assistance from the best doctor for miles around. Martin Field was going nowhere. He still had a temperature and was weak from lack of food. “Someone must come. Now!” Nell flinched on hearing the dominant tone. Hopefully, Mom would stand her ground. She usually did. But she was in for a shock. “My daughter will go with you.” Surely she wasn’t about to send Olivia? The unkind thought as to her elder sister’s usefulness came and went as Nell observed the turning of the doorknob. “There’s no change, Mom,” she whispered, as if fearful the werewolves might hear. Rosemary Worthington Field’s thin lips formed into a sneer. “Get your coat, Nell. You’re going on a little trip,” she said. “Me?” She couldn’t
The ride did not take long. Watertight was a sprawling community of cabins laid out in a rectangle within which was the packhouse. It was lit up by more than moonlight and she had time only to hear the loud beat of popular music and smell corn on the cob before she was hustled to the birthing chamber. This pack seemed to be making a celebration out of something which could not be guaranteed. She swallowed. What if something went wrong and she couldn’t save either mother or offspring? “What are you waiting for? Go inside. My aunt is with her and can send for whatever you need.” “Yes, Alpha Liam,” Nell said, wondering why he was so reluctant to look at her now. The she-wolf was muscular, as expected, but also filled with compassion in that she offered Nell a hot drink from the outset. They lingered in the small kitchen area. “You must be perished,” she said. “I’m Deborah, by the way. Have you been doing this long?” “I’ve done several assists.” “Please tell me you haven’t lost a pu
A week passed. Deborah’s daughter, Holly, was petite like her and snuck her in some clothes. The Beta turned a blind eye when he showed up, though she knew the yellow dress didn’t suit her. She made them both a pot of coffee and they sat on the couch for a chat. Because it had been on her mind a lot, she blurted out what had been eating at her resentful heart since day one. “Why did you come to our house in the first place? Deborah’s more than competent.” Jack blew on his drink to cool it before replying. “She’s like you,” he said. “Unappreciated.” “I’m glad someone thinks so.” Nell hesitated. “Why doesn’t the Alpha come and see his half-sister? Is he too busy?” “That’s only part of the reason,” the Beta said, avoiding her eyes now. Nell waited, but it seemed he wasn’t about to say any more. “Do you have pups of your own?” “Not yet, but Louisa’s still hopeful. We’ve been mated a year now.” “Then there’s plenty of time,” she assured him, hoping that was the case. Alpha Liam s
Being Alpha wasn’t something he had been raised to do and the eighteen hour days felt like a curse. Yet, ever since a rogue killed Simon, his elder brother, there was no alternative. Liam knew he was prone to blaming people for what he believed to be his inadequacies but he couldn’t help himself. The fact that he hadn't yet found his mate was another failing on his part. If she was anything like Pamela, the pack slut, who these days filled him with revulsion then he would have no alternative but to reject her. In some ways he envied his Beta. Jack was settled with Louisa, though there was no sign of her becoming pregnant yet. After a long day wading through paperwork and a tedious meeting about an impending shortage of gas, the Alpha decided to go for a much-needed run. He checked his watch. Nell would be back soon. He couldn’t help imagining the look on her face when he suggested a trip to the forest another time. One thought led to another and he found himself standing outside th
“What do you mean, I won’t be Fallon’s main carer from now on?” “Olivia’s here now. Aunt Deborah thinks she’s more than competent.” Nell was sure her anxiety must show on her face. “Please, Alpha,” she begged. “Let me check her over at least.” “No,” he said. “Would you punish your own half-sister, too?” “You flatter yourself, human. Very well. But I’ll be there the whole time,” he warned. “Thank you, Alpha. You won’t regret it.” “Hurry up. You have seventy suppers to prepare.” At first she thought she had misheard him. Had he said “seventeen”? Yes, that must be it. Fallon was sleeping when they arrived. Nell didn’t miss the knowing smirk on her sister’s face. What on earth was she wearing? Those shorts were far too tight. She must have packed her own bag. Was she staying, too? How would her mom cope, living on her own after all this time? Well, that was the least of her worries now. Stooping to plant a kiss on Fallon’s chubby cheek, Nell turned to the Alpha. “I suppose you
Nell reflected that it was just her luck that the music had changed to a slow ballad. She knew all the excuses in the world wouldn’t save her now. This was bound to upset a lot of people. Well, it couldn’t be helped. Alpha Liam was the last person she wanted to antagonise. He looked good in his charcoal grey suit and was actually clean-shaven for the occasion in contrast to the majority of his male pack members. Was that a new aftershave or a scent wafting in from the garden? It was unseasonably warm which was why the windows were open. Accepting his outstretched hand, Nell told him, “I’m flattered, but you really ought to know I have two left feet.” The Alpha leaned down a long way to whisper in her ear, “That makes two of us. The difference is, I’m paying people not to notice.” She wanted to giggle but didn’t dare. He was so hard to read most of the time. Then she was being pulled in close for an unnerving slow dance. The top of her head barely reached to his chest and he was st
Liam stood people watching from the open doorway, reluctant to re-join the crowd at his own party. Turning twenty-five without a mate was sending him down the feral route. He sometimes believed he would end up as crazy as his mother.Aunt Deborah was trying to catch his eye. She seldom used the mind link with him, even though he had encouraged it. Now would be a good time to make her see sense and he continued to ignore her, knowing only too well what she wanted.Uncle Alan sauntered over. These days he was the pack’s accountant, but for once he didn’t want to talk shop, thankfully.“What did Nell do to upset you?” he asked, offering him a drink.“That’s my business,” Liam said.Accepting the cup of punch, he scanned the crowd, wondering who was babysitting Fallon. The Beta was absent though he could see Louisa by the French windows deep in conversation with three other she-wolves.Was Nell now alone with Jack? Well, that was one pack member who wouldn’t dream of trespassing on his te
Nell really couldn’t believe his audacity. “Will this take long, Alpha?” she countered. “I’m kinda busy right now,” he told her. When he moved aside and she saw the half-naked she-wolf lounging on his couch, the blush was inevitable. Yet she couldn’t understand why she was so angry. “I thought you were partial to redheads.” “Did you now?” “You’re impossible,” she stormed, resisting the temptation to stamp her foot. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous? You are, aren’t you?” She turned on her heel and was about to march off in the wrong direction when his voice stopped her in her tracks. “Henry was right. He said you had a little crush on me. Well, as you can see, you’re not the only one. You can go now, Selina,” he added. Sulking, the beauty slunk away without even bothering to retrieve her top. If Nell didn’t know better she would have thought it had been staged for her benefit. “Is that all, Alpha? If so, I’ll bid you goodnight.” “Not so fast.” Relieved not to be within his gras
It was her midwifery skills they wanted rather than her life’s blood. Despite herself, Nell was curious.“Will you break the news to Alpha Liam?”The Beta seemed to understand, even though he was still on all fours and lolloped away in the direction of the packhouse.Poor Jack. She didn’t envy him delivering that piece of information. But if this helped to forge a new alliance, who knew were it might lead? That was all to the good. She’d seen for herself the mingling of different species in the colony.Was she being naïve? Only time would tell.It turned out that she was about to bring yet another hybrid into the world. The human female was yet to be turned and that decision was on hold depending on whether or not her offspring lived and thrived.She was part of history. Fancy that.Alpha Liam was mad, of course, telling her she could have been killed.“Not when I’m performing a service,” she countered.“And when your usefulness was at an end?”“Vampires aren’t vindictive, just needy,
He didn’t have long, but you never knew with his kind. Perhaps loving Electra – had he ever known her real name? – had endowed him with more years. In any case Nell couldn’t forget the bond they’d shared.It was only right Sheriff Bostock released him. As a full-blooded werewolf he needed to face pack justice. Technically, that should be Far Hills, where he had been working and since he had wounded Alpha Warren’s daughter. Still, he’d been aiming for Simon and his instincts hadn’t been as far off the mark as his aim on that occasion.When he’d attempted to kill Liam at the mall, in his crazed state he’d assumed he was Simon. If Rae, her father and her mate, the Alpha King, didn’t want to press charges for the first incident, it was down to the Alpha of the Wide River pack to consider if he wanted to wreak a personal revenge on his mate’s father.Liam didn’t. He wasn’t that vindictive an Alpha. He even indicated Martin Field was welcome to see out his days with them, though not in so m
It took two whole days for Nell to heal, no thanks to her she-wolf side. Rose was a shadow of what she should be and Thom was both anxious and restless. He wanted to mount her but Liam managed to calm him down after a frustrating inner dialogue.Why not?She’s too fragile.That’s the point. My mate needs stimulation.Eventually, maybe.No. Now!In the end he went for a cold shower. He was beginning to wish Pamela hadn’t left the pack for pastures new at the same time as the departure of Simon and his cronies. Whether it was just coincidence or not he supposed he would never know, unless she slunk back and resumed her sluttish ways.Not even Nell had felt sorry for her once he explained it was in her nature and she hadn’t been forced to fuck at least half the unmated warriors.Ida came to see him a short while later. Liam was in his office, drowning in paperwork which he was having to read twice.“Any good at mates’ rights?” he asked, pulling a face.“What? Oh no, hardly.”He hadn’t me
Keeping a cool head was usually second nature to him, but this one was personal. He felt closer to Nell than anyone and was hoping to meet her pups soon. Alpha Liam was part of the clan, even if tenuously, though it was hard to accept Simon as one of them. He preferred to think all the elf genes had gone into the younger twin.Water. The thought whizzed into his head and he realised Nell was in a panic. Going into a trance state he travelled over the geographical features in the vicinity and came to the conclusion she meant him to join her at a fall of water. Could he contact the sprite? There was no harm in trying.Afterwards, he set off at a run, his pointed boots gliding slightly above the grass and soil.The scene which met his eyes was a perilous one. Still safely cloaked in a shield of invisibility, he decided not to communicate with his half-sister. It seemed she was shocked enough already.A she-wolf lay prone, unmoving, yet he sensed a rapid heartbeat.“Isn’t it done yet? Why
We lost Nell.Liam’s blood ran cold when the unusual transmission came through.Robin?Melas. My nephew is tracking them.Where are you?But there was no further message and he hit the wall in frustration, belatedly realising it wasn’t his own office he was damaging.“Sorry, Alpha King.”“Understandable.”The older man came across and began to inspect a crack in the plaster. Liam was convinced this was a wind-up. He was sure it had been there before.“Stop messing with his head, Alpha,” Rae dared.She was flicking through a fashion magazine yet it was clear to Liam it was only a prop to keep her hands busy. Biting her nails had come and gone, as had fidgeting.Brock growled, though it sounded playful to him. He was glad she’d found her special someone. Whether they were fated mates or not was nothing to do with him.Taking a risk, he shared what he knew. It still seemed incredible to him that he may have elvish blood.“I don’t think she’s dead.”Liam winced at the word he’d used. One
The Alpha King was deeply offended. He kept saying so to his security detail in front of a woozy Liam. At least the bleeding had stopped, thanks to his wolf’s superb healing abilities. Thom was both angry and whiny, distressed because he could no longer talk to Rose.What was that about? Was Nell so far away? Invisible, maybe. No, she wouldn’t do that to Ida.Unless she was in contact with her elvish kin. Rose would take a back seat if that were the case.Rae had insisted on tending to his injuries personally.“This is all my fault,” she said. “I should have overseen the issuing of the invitations. A plus one card went by courier to the Red Moon pack. When I found out I assumed they would decline or that Alpha Leo would attend just to show his face.”“Does Alpha Brock know?”She nodded.“He’s very angry with me for the slip up, though doesn’t blame me for – well, what happened afterwards. Do you?”Liam could hardly say so when she was dabbing at his head wound so carefully.“Maybe thi
They didn’t spot the gatecrashers at first. Most people were being announced; not this pair. Liam’s hackles rose immediately on seeing Jessica, the black-haired stunner he’d denied, and sure enough, Simon wasn’t far behind. They’d chosen the same colour suit, charcoal, he and his twin, which was less of a surprise than the couple’s audacity. How dare they intrude on what was supposed to be Nell’s belated special day? Though he supposed he should cut the she-wolf some slack. Even though there was no longer any mate bond connection, still he felt a tug of sympathy and something else less easy to define. His mate was simply ravishing in a golden ballgown and matching accessories. Holly had been delighted to help her select the right clutch and shoes, though Nell had chosen the dress herself. Off one shoulder, it complemented her new height, though his cousin had reported back she was apt to look through the petite rack. That made him smile. Alpha Brock had warned Nell he would claim
The pups arrived early, a girl and a boy just as her elvish mother had foretold. Nell was stuck for a name for her daughter and then she remembered the no-nonsense she-wolf Liam had met at that ball. Ida seemed to suit the baby, who relaxed whenever she lengthened the two syllables which identified her. Their son was to be known as Cal. She felt close to him, too, just not in the same way. It had been intriguing to discover elves had physically interacted with the pack before and that their blood was in the Alpha’s veins, the ethereal nature of their culture part of his DNA. Simon’s, too. Nothing had been heard from him for months but he lurked at the edge of her consciousness like the threat of the boogeyman which had disturbed her childhood dreams. Olivia was due to stand trial for murder soon. The remains of Rosemary Worthington Field were currently resting on a coroner’s slab while all the relevant forensic investigations were being undertaken. She supposed it would fall to her
He’d had time to think both before and after Rae’s arrival. They’d had a decent heart-to-heart as well. She deserved better than Si, that was for sure. Hearing that his twin was planning to oust him wasn’t a surprise – once, he would have welcomed the notion – but, for Nell’s sake, that couldn’t be allowed to happen.Liam knew she didn’t care for status given her appalling background circumstances. At least it hadn’t been all bad, though Martin Field was never going to be the same again. He was all she had now, him, the pups, the pack and not to forget the elves, though it wouldn’t be practical to live with them.Could he permit his hybrid pup to live elsewhere? Only if certain conditions were fulfilled. He’d want to see her regularly, that was for sure, and not because he didn’t trust Melas and Robin. After all, he was basing this on a prophecy delivered by Nell’s dying elf mother, something he had never thought to question.When Simon came by, in something of a hurry, he didn’t know