LiaThe thought had been on my mind for a while. After seeing what happened to Michael and Gabi, I realized that life was short. At any moment I could be kidnapped by a coven obsessed with this blood oath they wanted fulfilled.Yes, the chances of it happening again were slim to none but it didn’t change the fact that anything could happen. I could blink and something could happen to one of us. It proved life was short. Before the five of us went through with our mating ceremony something could kill one of us.It was something I didn’t want to happen. The best way to prevent it was to have the full mating ceremony now.I had thought about it on my own for a while. For days, I went through and weighed the pos and cons, trying to figure out what I should do. If I said the word all my mates would agree to have the full mating ceremony in a heartbeat.But was I ready to take that step?That was the big question.When I first found out I had four mates, I thought my life was over. But fast
Lia“So, are you gonna tell me what’s got you all glowing like a full moon, or do I have to guess?”“I told the guys I wanted to have the full mating ceremony. Soon. Like, ASAP.”“OMG, WHAT? NO WAY! You’re finally doing it?! You’re going through with it?! I can’t believe it!”“Yeah, it’s time. I don’t want to wait anymore. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I just feel ready. I want to do it, and I don’t want to keep putting it off.”“This is HUGE. Like, seriously, this calls for a pre-mating party. No arguments. It’s tradition, right? We need to celebrate this!”“Simone… you’re already planning something, aren’t you?”“Nope! No backing out now. This is a massive step in your life. You’re about to be mated for real, and that deserves a proper send-off. We need a night to celebrate before the big day! A full-on pre-mating bash!”“You just want an excuse to throw a party, don’t you?”“Okay, yes, maybe a tiny bit, but also, come on, you deserve this! You’ve waited long enough,
LiaThe next morning Michael knocked on my door. He was walking back and forth, looking like he had something to say. But wasn’t sure what or how to say it.I’ve been there and done that.“Michael?”“Hey, can we talk?”“I think you’ve already decided you want to talk. It’s more what do you want to talk about?”He grinned, scratching the back of his head nervously. The action reminded me of rain. I forgot that the five of them had spent almost their whole lives together. It was likely that they were going to rub off on one another at some point.Hell, I think the guys were starting to rub off on me to be honest. Sometimes I would stop and find myself doing small little actions that weren’t my usual go to type of action. They were rubbing off on me. But I liked to think I was rubbing off on them too.The only thing I hadn’t managed to do was teach Rain how to properly cook but that was never going to happen.“I’m going to leave the rugby team,” he said, plopping himself down next to me
LiaI was sick of sitting on our ass and waiting for the vampire clan to come up with a plan. Yes, I knew they were going to help us but we had to do something—to send a message to the Rosewater Coven that they couldn’t just kidnap someone and threaten to take their child once it was born.My goal was to track down one of the witches sand make a statement. I was didn’t mention it to my mates, knowing they were going to be angry with me. So, I confided in Simone because I knew she was going to have my back.“Are you sure you can handle a full-fledged witch?” Simone whispered to me as she drove an hour and a half away to this little quiet town that had only one grocery store for all its residents.I nodded. “Yes, I am. I’ve been able to track down one of their witches and this one I’ll be able to handle.”Her name was Harriet Cho. She had been with the Rosewater Coven for a few years but was someone whose magical skills, according to the public records, were average. Given my growing ab
Rain"You hear anything yet?" Jesse leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking entirely too relaxed for someone who knew I was about to lose my mind."They said they'll get back to me by the end of the week," I muttered, my legs refusing to stay still. I paced back and forth across the room, every step making my nerves worse."So… no."I whipped around to glare at him. "Not no. Just... not yes."Jesse let out an exaggerated sigh. "Rain, that's just a fancy way of saying no answer.""Yeah, thanks, genius. I figured that out on my own."He shrugged. "Just making sure."I dragged a hand through my hair. "I should've pushed harder. Asked more questions. What does ‘by the end of the week’ even mean? Thursday? Friday? Midnight on Saturday? If they already know whether they’re in or not, why not just say it?""Because maybe they need time to finalize things?"I scoffed. "Please. They're vampires. They’ve had centuries to perfect the art of making decisions. They should’ve had a plan
LiaWith Gabi’s rescue on the horizon, my thoughts drifted to our upcoming mating ceremony. I found myself in the living room with my four mates. Michael was out and the five of us were discussing things of a sensitive nature.“I can’t believe it’s almost here,” I murmured, my fingers idly tracing patterns on Matt’s arm.“You nervous?” Colby asked, his voice low and teasing.I shook my head. “No. Excited.”Rain scoffed. “Excited? You should be. After the ceremony, you’ll officially be ours.”I smirked. “I’m already yours.”Matt’s hand slid up my thigh, his touch slow and deliberate. “Yeah, but this makes it permanent. No take-backs.”“As if I’d ever want to take it back,” I said, tilting my head to meet his gaze.Rain leaned in, his lips brushing against my neck. “She says that now, but after we—”“NOPE. NOPE. STOP RIGHT THERE.”We all jolted at the voice, snapping our heads toward the door. Michael stood there, arms crossed, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.“…Michael?” I bl
LiaIt killed me to start writing this letter, but I knew I had no choice. This was the only way to lull the Moonveil pack into a false sense of security. Without it they would continue to be on their guard, something I didn’t want to happen.To the Esteemed Leaders of the Rosewater Coven,I hope this letter finds you well. After much deliberation, we have come to understand the weight of the blood oath and the deep-rooted traditions that bind it. Though this situation has been painful for us, we recognize that honor and loyalty to the old ways must come before personal grievances. The history between our people has been fraught with tension, and while this ordeal has tested our bonds, we choose to uphold the ancient agreements rather than succumb to further division.We have decided that it is in everyone’s best interest to allow the agreement to remain as it stands. We understand that the child Gabi carries is of great significance to your clan, and we do not wish to prolong hostili
LiaPlanning to infiltrate a coven is not as easy as it sounds. We spent hours with the vampire clan, perfecting the plan as best we could.I wanted to have one last hurrah before we set out on this dangerous path. But Simone had other ideas, texting me with what she thought we should do.The second I saw her text, I sighed. It was just like Simone to want to go a bit crazy and out there with her plans. She meant well. Simone just had a similar personality to Rain, wanting to go a bit crazy.What we needed was something quieter and more subdued. The Moonveil pack had to break into a coven so we needed our rest, to make sure that we didn’t overdo it partying the night before.But I suppose I should try to indulge my friend.No, indulge my best friend.Simone would never steer me wrong no matter how crazy she got. I called her, grinning when her face appeared on video chat.“Okay, hear me out. Pre-attack party.”“…What?”“A party. Before the attack. You know, to get everyone in the righ
LiaI exhaled slowly, stretching out my fingers as the energy built inside me. A spark of light flickered between my palms, growing brighter as I focused. The magic thrummed through my veins, warm and alive, bending to my will.I flicked my wrist, sending a controlled pulse of energy toward the target. It hit dead center, leaving a faint scorch mark.Behind me, Simone let out a low whistle. “Damn, Lia. You’re getting pretty good at this.”I grinned, wiping the sweat from my brow. “I have to be.”Simone crossed her arms, watching me closely. “You mean you want to be.”I shrugged, rolling my shoulders. “Both. I need to be strong enough to protect everyone.”She tilted her head. “You know you don’t have to do everything alone, right?”I sighed, flexing my fingers as another surge of power built beneath my skin. “I know.”Simone didn’t look convinced. “Do you, though? Because it kind of seems like you’re trying to carry the whole damn world on your shoulders.”I glanced at her. “I’m not—”
ColbyTalking with Michael did help. It made me even more determined to protect Lia with every bone in my body.When it was later that night, I decided to head outside. I needed some air and was sick of being in the stuffy hotel room.The cool air felt good. I walked over to one of our cars, taking in the night sky and the sound of the crickets.There was one good thing about traveling away from the city; we were getting to see some beautiful sites. I loved it.It was a shame that the pack decided to do this because we were trying to prevent a bunch of ancient, sleeping dragons from waking up.The previous attack was still being talked about. Some of the dragons had been killed while others were apprehended by the various supernatural creature associations.Frankly, I was just grateful there weren’t a lot of casualties from the attack.I leaned against the hood of the car, inhaling the cool night air. My ribs ached, my knuckles were raw, and frustration still simmered under my skin. W
LiaI was so scared when I saw Matt fall down.Then I saw the blood. Anger and worry flooded through me followed by fear.I was so scared for him. He was bleeding and might die from his injuries.It was why I had learned a healing spell during my latest batch of studies.The pack was going to be heading into an unknown situation. I needed to make sure I could at least heal them to an extent.But the healing school came with a downside—it exhausted me.Rain came up beside me, wrapping an arm around me while Jesse and Colby helped Matt.The five of us hobbled out of the town. We weren’t followed by the coven; they wanted to be left alone so they were going to stay as far away from us as possible.After hopping in our car, we met with Simone. All of us regrouped. I stood there with Simone patted my shoulder.Growling in frustration, I started to walk ahead. My body was aching but I didn’t care. I needed to clear my mind.We left with nothing. No answers, no leads—just bruises, torn cloth
LiaI saw the town in the distance, and it made me sick to my stomach.The town was the definition of a ghost town. There wasn’t anyone around, and I swear I saw a tumbleweed drift by.It was like I had stepped into some creepy horror movie with western undertones.My magic was crackling at my fingertips, prepared and ready.A rustling reached my ears. I cried out, sending a blast of energy toward the overgrown grass. A squirrel scurried out, the edge of its tail singed.“Lia, my dude, you almost murdered a squirrel. What did that squirrel ever do to you?”“Nothing!” I shrieked. “And I didn’t know it was a squirrel. I thought it was one of the members of the coven!”Jesse rolled his eyes. “Could you two be any louder?” he asked, rolling his eyes.“Yeah, you're going to alert them to our presence,” Colby pointed out, holding his finger to his lips. “Seriously, we are far too exposed right now. Let’s duck into one of those abandoned buildings and hide out while discussing strategy.”Sim
MattI was angry.Angry that we were forced to go on this wild goose chase to ensure that these dragons wouldn’t keep waking up and destroying the world.It wasn’t like I wanted the world to be destroyed. This was my home—my life.But it still pissed me off.I’d rather be on the field, playing rugby and winning for my team. This was where I felt most alive.Or at home with Lia and the rest of the pack. We were great together, having built a family somehow.Michael and Gabi were lucky to be back at the house, but I know they’d rather be here with us. If not for the twins, they would be.I wouldn’t have let Lia come if she was pregnant.Then again, I don’t think any of us could’ve stopped her. When she puts her mind to something, she becomes very stubborn and determined.Grumbling to myself, I glanced over at Colby, who was staring out the window.The group was back on search. We jumped into our cars and started following the trail, not sure if we were going the right way. Tegan and Lia
LiaThe search wasn’t going very well. We were sitting here at night after a long day of searching, crowded around the flat screen in the room watching some movie. I wasn’t even paying much attention to it. It was some cheesy rom-com that couldn’t keep my interest.All that mattered was being able to sit there with my mates.Then the words Emergency Broadcast Announcement flashed across the screen. A very nervous-looking news announcer sat there, trembling behind the desk."This is an emergency alert from the National Emergency Broadcast System. We interrupt this program for an urgent announcement.""At approximately 8:42 PM, a sudden and unprovoked attack by rogue dragon shifters was reported in multiple locations. Authorities confirm significant structural damage, fires, and civilian casualties. Emergency response teams are being dispatched to affected areas.""All residents are urged to seek immediate shelter. Avoid open areas, remain indoors, and secure all entry points. Do not at
RainIt was safe to say that we were fucked.Lia’s mentor was trying her best to find out where the coven might be, but I was realizing we were going to need help… like, say, from another leader.One of the leaders in my vampire clan, Tegan, was the perfect person to reach out to. She was intelligent and knew a bunch of people. It wasn’t hard to gather lots of allies and contacts when you had been alive for over three hundred years.When I first found out about her age, I almost gasped out loud right there. I learned that it was rude to stare at a vampire after learning their age. One of those social rules you wanted to avoid.In my defense, I was new to the vampire way of life and was still struggling to adjust to the idea that I was one! But I was getting better.With a deep breath, I dialed Tegan’s number. I pressed the phone to my ear, pacing as the line rang.Tegan picked up almost immediately. "Rain. Didn’t expect to hear from you. Something wrong?""Yeah. I need your help."A d
JesseAfter we got back to the hotel, Lia went out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. I joined her and jabbed her with my elbow gently.“You’re thinking too hard.”Lia flinched, barely masking her glare. “And you’re sneaking up on people again.”I smirked, leaning against the balcony railing. “I wasn’t sneaking. You’re just too busy brooding.”She huffed. “I’m not brooding. I’m thinking.”“Uh-huh. And what’s the difference?”“Brooding is pointless. Thinking leads to solutions.”I gestured toward the city lights stretching beyond us. “Found any?”Silence. Then, a begrudging, “No.”“That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”She shifted, her expression cautious. “You have an idea?”“Sort of. More like a lead.”“Well? Don’t just sit there looking smug. Spit it out.”I tilted my head. “You trained as a witch, right?”Her expression tightened. “Yeah. Why?”“You ever keep in touch with your old magic teacher?”Lia blinked. “My mentor? Uh… a little. Why?”“Because she taught you magic?”She n
LiaDays start to blend when you are on the road. It’s hard to remember one from the next and in the beginning, all I could think about was how much school I was missing.School had become important to me now that I was able to focus on it. I was still taking magic lessons on the side, even with me being a full-fledged licensed witch. There was no such thing as learning too much. One could always find time and opportunity to learn!But now I was neglecting both my academic studies and magical studies. The Rosewater Coven was the cause of this and it filled me with annoyance.Simone was feeling the same way but she was more positive about it. She kept saying that it was important for us to find this coven and if we had to put school on the backburner then that was all we could do.Right now we were on day… god, I wasn’t even sure. We checked into the hotel and got a room for just the five of us. There were three beds and while it was going to be a bit crowded, I was fine with sharing w