“Please, don’t be cross, Anja.” Briar looks at me with tears in her eyes.I’m not cross or angry; her confession stumped me.“You were gone, and I was so lost without you. James and I spoke about you all the time. James would talk with me whenever I was sad about missing you, and I would talk to him when he felt sad. He often felt down because his soul ached, as it would because you’re imprinted.“There was such a pull between us, and James said he knew I was his mate. I was scared to admit that I thought so too, but it was hard when I knew it from the age of sixteen.“I had never said anything because I didn’t think it was possible. I thought that I was doomed to be mated with a man who didn’t feel the mating pull.“One evening, James said we needed to talk. I was worried that he’d realised my feelings and that he was going to tell me that I had to leave.”“I’m guessing that he didn’t?”Briar shakes her head.“James sat me down and said that he needed to tell me how he felt. I listen
I’m nervous as Briar, and I make our way to the parlour. I’m not sure why I’m nervous; this is my family I’m about to see. However, my heart is beating fast inside my chest.We stop outside the door, and I brush down my dress. Whoever invents the steam iron in the future is a genius.“You look fine, Anja.” I nod at Briar and blow out a deep breath. “You have nothing to be nervous about.”I smile at her. I then follow her into the grand parlour. I remember this room so well, and all the time’ Mama read to me in here.My eyes land on Papa, then shoot to each of my brothers, who tip their heads gracefully. I do the same.Then I see her sitting in the armchair, my beautiful mother. A rush of emotion fills me. I’m relieved to see her looking so well, yet I’m saddened that I had to go through the grief of believing she had passed away.“Mama.”Mama rises gracefully from her seat and opens her arms to me.I rush to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. “Anja.” She mumbles around a kiss on
“Tomorrow is going to be a day to remember!” Papa holds his glass in the air in a toast.Briar smiles widely in his direction, and James brings her hand to his mouth, dropping a sweet kiss on her knuckles.After James shook away the premonition, no one mentioned it, though he held Briar close to him. I could see that he was worried about her, but she soon made James realise that everything was okay.There was a lot to think about, but I couldn’t at that moment. I just wanted to sit down with my family and pretend nothing happened. I’d been away from them for so long that now wasn’t the time to talk about what might be.Byron quietly leaves the room without a word. He’s always been a quiet man, and celebrations make him uncomfortable. I wonder if he’ll ever find his mate. Maybe he’d come out of his shell a little more if he did. That’s not to mean my eldest brother is weak; the man is anything but.I’m sitting next to Mama, holding her hand. I’ve missed her so much, and I just need to
I round the corner, and the sight that befalls me is just what I saw in my head. Orrin really is here, and so are Adrian and Tracey.Both Adrian and Tracey spot me first, but they both seem to be in shock, so neither says anything.Orrin is hypnotised, and my heart lurches.“Byron!” I yell my brother’s name while using my vampiric speed to reach him.I hold my hand up towards him, throwing him against the wall. But for some reason, it didn’t break his hold on Orrin, who is still standing stock still and staring into space.It seems my brother’s power has grown in the time I’ve been gone.“What the hell was that?” Byron yells while getting to his feet.“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Byron? This is my husband!”He yanks on the lapels of his suit jacket while rolling his neck. “I know who he is, Anja. However, he brought others with him; no one should be able to do that! The portal is for direct descendants of the Crowley-Beaumont family, not strangers.”“What have you done no
Charles led Adrian and me to a room down the hallway in which we landed. Anja and Orrin didn’t follow; they were led away by Anja’s father.I’m not going to lie; I am terrified right now. What Charles said in the hallway about him being my real father shocked me.I mean, it can’t be true, right?My mother wouldn’t be that cruel, would she?I sit beside Adrian on the old-fashioned sofa and keep my hand in his.I’ve never seen anything like this room. I’m not sure what year we’re in, but it seems to be the 1800s or thereabout. From the décor and furniture, I’d say I was right.If that’s the case, and if what this man is saying is the truth, then I’m related to my best friend. Christ, it would make Anja my aunt! And to think, I thought I was older than Anja.It also means that my mother has been lying to me my whole life. She bound my wolf, but she kept my true identity from me.How am I supposed to forgive that?I don’t want to believe Charles could be my father; I feel I would be betra
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Tracey. Just know that I’m right by your side, and I always will be.”‘I know,’ I tell him through the mind-link. ‘But what about the baby? I don’t want to do anything that would harm him, Adrain.’We found out that we were having a boy just yesterday. Liam sniffed out the gender of our baby, shocking Adrian and me. We’ve decided to call our child Adam, and we can’t wait to meet him.I know that neither Adrian nor I will ever treat our son the way we were treated. My mother may have loved me, and Adrian’s father loved him, but they did everything wrong. We want the best for our child, and we’ll make sure he gets it, no matter what.Adrian smiles while tucking my hair behind my ear. ‘Adam will be just fine, Tracey. I would never allow you to do this if I believed it could harm Adam in any way. Looking into the past won’t hurt him because you won’t be moving from this room. You’ll be seeing Charles’ memories, nothing more.’I accept A
I watch Charles as he scrubs his hands over his face and sighs. Then out of nowhere, a woman appears, as if by magic.‘What are you doing here?’The woman I can see is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Her long, dark red wine hair falls in waves around her shoulders and back. Her red lips shine in the light, her big midnight blue eyes have light blue swirls, and her porcelain skin shimmers. Her curves are covered in gothic attire, and she wears a dagger at her waist. I see it because her long coat shifts as she moves toward Charles.‘I came to check on you,’‘You shouldn’t care about me; I’m not worth your time.’‘Maybe not,” The woman shrugs. ‘But it won’t stop me.’‘You shouldn’t be here, Victoria. My grandfather didn’t grant you the power of time travel so that you could follow me.’‘No, he granted me that power because I’m a fierce warrior. I protect our people because it’s what I was born to do, and I’m good at that. Theodore trusts that I would never abuse time travel,
I take a deep breath while pulling my hands away from Charles.“None of what you showed me proves that you are my father. I don’t understand why you’d even think that you were.”“I have many abilities, Tracey. One of those abilities is to recognise my own kin.”“All wolves can recognise their own kin.” Adrian points out.Charles nods his head once.“This is true. However, my ability is amplified when it comes to my children.” Charles looks at me. “The moment my eyes landed on you, I saw myself in your eyes. When I looked at you, the love that filled me could only come about for my child.”Tears fill my eyes.Though my mother told me now and again that she loved me, Robert never did. I don’t remember him ever saying it to my siblings either. But the truth is, I never really felt loved or wanted by Karen or Robert. I always felt as though I were a burden to them.I know now the reason was that Karen was terrified Robert would find out what she had done and she’d lose him. She treated me