Enforced slumber angers me. The world evolves at a snail's pace, and I am stuck here, in my cocoon, thanks to my own mother. They all think I'm evil, but I am far from it. They are the real evil that spreads throughout this world. With their toxic love, they don't care how much it hurts-only that they don't have to suffer alongside me.
You know, I felt the moment my mate was born. I watched her grow, cried when she cried, felt what she felt, and for the first time in my life, I know what unconditional love is. I wish she could know me for who I am and not the legends created by my lying parents. Instead, I appear as her wolf, ironic, isn't it? To mimic a creation that my mother could have actually loved. It's the perfect disguise.
Projecting such an image takes everything I can summon within my prison; it leaves me weak, but as long as she is safe, I would gladly know such weakness for the rest of my days. When I feel her skin against my fur, I am
Bella watched Raeann as she slept. It was getting late, and although she'd asked for space, Bella missed her mate. "Am I being difficult?" She asked out loud to an empty room.'Yes, you are,' Mazlyn sulked, refusing to look at her human, 'Our mate has given us five pups; that's more than enough to ensure our line has future generations. Have you forgotten the pain of last time?' But, Bella couldn't seem to get past the horror in Shadow's face, and deep down inside, it felt like a betrayal. "How are we going to get past this?"A soft knock at the door interrupted the Luna's musings, and it opened to reveal Valenar-and his brother Thorn. Both brothers had serious expressions on their faces. 'Oh boy, here we go!'Mazlyn muttered."Don't forget that I can hear you, Maz," Valenar quipped as he neared the bed, "This is my kingdom after all."'Sorry.'"Luna Isabella, this is my brother, Prince Thorn
Saying goodbye to Bella was something that Raeann would never get used to. She knew things weren't great back home at the moment and the healer in her wanted to fix her sister's pain-but this time, she had to focus on herself. Thorn waited just outside the door while Raeann stuffed clothes into a backpack; she would be flying to Desdayos on a dragon!"So Valenar has given his blessing, huh?" Bella murmured, nibbling some toast, "Have you spoken to him about this little trip without lover boy out there hovering over you?""Hey, I heard that!" Thorn mumbled through the door.Raeann looked at the ground, playing with her fingers as she quietly admitted, "Valenar has asked that I not see him until after we return from Desdayos." Truthfully this hurt her more than she would ever say. After Thorn dropped his bombshell, the only thing Raeann wanted to do was run to her mate, but by then, he had left the realm entirely. No one would say where he'd gone, only that Valena
Desdayos came into view, and Raeann lost her breath at the beauty of the mountains. It was sunset as they crested the horizon, and Fire mountain held center stage in all its terrifying glory. Smoke billowed from the very top of the mountain, as it stood, proudly bathed in orange and purple hues from the setting sun. As they drew closer, several large alcoves could be seen in the side of the mountain, where the Desdayos dragons had made their homes. In the entrance of one, midway up the mountain, a lone figure stood waiting. The play of muscles under Thorn's skin as he banked left, heading towards the alcove, had Raeann clenching uncomfortably. She was so confused. Her love for Valenar was solid, a safe and serene feeling that made her insides feel gooey and her heart race with joy every time they were in each other's company. But what she felt with Thorn? It was new and exciting. Raeann wasn't a kid anymore, and she wanted to explore her sexuality with a partner who would push
Maeve looked at Lucien in amusement; surely Lenora can't be that bad? But the look on the Alpha's face begged to differ. Walking through the door to the cottage, Maeve was hit with the overwhelming urge to flee. There she sat, surrounded in comfort, with a savage scowl on her face. Lenora looked furious."What did you do?" Maeve had to ask, and Lucien shrugged his shoulders, "I may or may not have called her a shrew. My memory tends to get a bit hazy when I'm fighting for my life," he admitted."Stop exaggerating, Lucien!" Lenora shrieked, "I threw a chair at you to stop your constant fussing. You are worse than a pregnant she-wolf!" Lucien merely raised an eyebrow as if to say "see?" before disappearing into the tiny bathroom and shutting the door. Kahn opened an eye, looking at Maeve as she slowly approached Lenora, having followed her in from the porch, and if a Cerberus could grin, he would be doing it as he waited for the fireworks to start. It didn't take long.
Huge black wings beat a powerful rhythm as Thorn circled Desdayos for the tenth time, 'Where the hell did she go?' He asked yet again, as all trace of Raeann's scent disappeared. He was a hunter dragon so being bested by his prey was completely unacceptable, and Thorn realized that he'd underestimated his little mate. Slowing down, he descended on the mountain top to the platform before the hot crater lake and transformed back to his human skin. The thrill of the chase had fired his blood, and Thorn grinned to himself, secretly pleased that Raeann was proving difficult to find. When he caught her-and, he will catch her, the pull to mate will threaten to overwhelm him, and Thorn could only hope she knew how to calm a horny dragon before he claimed her wherever she was found.The King of Desdayos and his mate were expecting a whelp, so as he drew closer to their cavern, Thorn tried to be as quiet as he could. He crept past the entrance on his tiptoes, aware that if anyone saw h
"I know it's late, but do you think you would like to take a stroll with me?"Thorn felt like he was drowning as he waited for Raeann's answer. He couldn't even turn around to see what her expression was like; he was that nervous. There were several seconds of silence where Thorn thought he might actually throw up. Then with the tiniest of voices, she replied, "I think I'd like that." Expelling a breath he didn't know he was holding, Thorn turned and let his eyes drink in her beauty. Raeann smiled softly, "April tells me that the thermal baths on the other side of the mountain are nice at this time of the morning?" And Thorn almost stumbled over his own tongue as he hastened to agree. Raeann held out her hand for him to grasp, and he did, almost shyly, shivering as the ever-present tingles made their way up his arms.For a time, they walked in silence, taking in the beautiful view of the sun coming up, as they slowly traversed fire mountain. Eventually, it flattened out near t
Something was wrong in Howling. As Jarvis pulled up to the local herbal shop, it was obvious that something significant had happened here. Many stores were closed, and the usual hustle and bustle of a small town were missing. It made the lion shifter nervous. He was still in his car, wondering at the best course of action, when a familiar figure jogged straight past him."Lucy!"Lucy turned around, and a huge smile greeted him as she jogged back. Jarvis opened the door and stepped out in time for her to pull him in for a hug. "It's so good to see you," She gushed as they pulled away from each other, and Jarvis noticed her eyes sparkled and her mouth curved easily into a grin. If he were ten years younger, Onyx might have had a fight on his hands for Lucy's affections.As he looked at his friend Jarvis, saw the dark circles under her eyes and the weight she had lost, instinctively knowing that something was really, really wrong. When he quizzed her on it, L
The vortex appeared directly in front of them, and Jarvis shoved Lucy behind him as he prepared to shift. The sound was deafening, and when the light pulsed, expelling a figure from the portal, Jarvis shielded his eyes from the glare."Well, damn, this is a sorry excuse for a welcome, but I'll take it."Bella stood there, cradling the pup gently in her arms. She knew that their luggage was already at home. Lucy and Jarvis looked at her with their eyes popping and jaws dropping as she smiled back at them. Lucy was the first to recover. "You weren't gone for that long, Luna? What is this? Immaculate conception or something?" She drawled, and Bella laughed. It was good to be home."It's a long story, my friend, and will need to wait until Caspian is settled in. Now, where is my foolish mate?" Bella easily took control, and as they continued walking down the street, it was a relief for Lucy to hand over the reins. As she revealed what had transpired in Bella's absen
Shadow felt his breathing begin to slow as he looked up at his mate. He tried to manage a smile, but the pain was too real, and all he could do was grimace as it arced through his torn-up body. Bella was telling him to hold on, that Valenar was reasoning with the threat, but he knew that there wasn't enough time for him, so using the last of his strength, he lifted his hand and gently placed it against her lips. "I waited a lifetime for you, my Bella," he struggled to get out the words, knowing that this was the last time he would feel her touch, "I will search through a thousand lifetimes to find you mate. You have my heart, you have my soul and no matter where you go after I'm gone, know that in your heart I'll always be here." Bella's lips trembled, and her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head at him, "You promised me forever, Shadow, please don't leave me!" As Shadow closed his eyes against the pain, he was vaguely aware of Bella's screams,
Down in the cellar, the children were quiet. Some trembled while others bristled, eager to get out amidst the fray and earn their place as pack warriors. When the ground above started trembling, and the hatch heaved as though the earth itself was trying to break in, that's when hysteria hit. Onyx struggled to hold back the retired warriors and mothers whose children were valiantly fighting to keep them safe. The tension grew higher as Onyx barked for them all to calm down. Reason was rapidly going out the window, and Lucifer awakened, shining wrathfully through Onyx's eyes as his leadership was challenged. Then, out of the darkness, a clear voice rose, weaving its way through the pack bunched up in close quarters, and Onyx looked gratefully over at his nephew.Tarakona sang of times gone by, the history of the Howling warriors, and his parents' courtship. He spread calm throughout the cellar as they were all transported back to the time of Shadow and Isabella, the magic of th
Like the plague, Hael's anger washed through Howling, killing dozens in its wake. Pyro's magic was depleting itself quickly under the onslaught of his friend's fury, and sensing his master's struggle, Barghest's howl signaled his hellhound's arrival in Howling. Unfortunately, the boy had only lasted seconds as Hael tore his intestines out, half-crazed by the thoughts of his mate being with another man. For the first time in their lifelong friendship, Pyro doubted his ability to reign Hael in."Marie is going to make me eat my own balls," He thought grimly as his legs gave way, blood dripping from his ears as Pyro faced his death. He was lucky in the sense that while he would die in this space, as an overlord in Hade's realm, Pyro would end up back where he belonged anyway, and Marie would be waiting to tear him a new one, as she did every time he went on a jaunt with Hael. Barghest came at a run, bowling through half a dozen wolves as Pyro's magic finally deserted him. His fa
Ratchet left Sal's with a full belly and a grin on his face. Maeve was like the ray of sunshine in his life that made everything okay, and whatever it was that she was dealing with, he was sure she would slay it like she did everything else in her life.Lost in his thoughts, Ian reached his bike in no time, grabbing his helmet and pulling his bandana up to keep the bugs out of his teeth. He didn't see the freight train until it hit him full force in his side. Like a spring flinging loose from a trampoline, he sailed through the air landing heavily on his side. "What the fuck?!" He roared, reaching for his handpiece. When Ratchet found who had rammed him, his mouth dropped open, and the gun fell from his boneless fingers. It was the two giants he caught sniffing around Maeve's shop earlier on. Only now, the one called Hael looked like some avenging angel. His eyes glowed with fury, and his muscles quivered with the urge to smash someone's head in. That someone being Ian.
"I had to stay and run the pack!" Lucien barked defensively, crossing his arms and glaring at the pint-sized woman in front of him. Bella's eyes widened, and he swore he could see steam pouring from her ears. "I call bullshit!" She retorted, getting right in his face; her eyes crackled, and the fury held barely in check started to leak out, giving the Luna a frightening look."You haven't been running the pack," Bella brutally pointed out, "You've been curled up in your bed like a teenage girl listening to sad songs and eating ice cream. Why do you think I'm back so early?"Lucien couldn't find an answer for that. But it didn't matter because Bella wasn't finished, "You have thirty minutes to get dressed and pack a bag, I've already organized a replacement bike for you, and my strongest tracker picked up traces of her scent on the Eastern borders. Got and get your woman Lucien, before someone else claims her." She tossed him the keys to his bike and looked at her watch
The ground felt strange beneath his feet. Grass tickled his toes as he wandered along, breathing deeply of the mountainous air. Beside him strode his friend; he was aware of the appreciative stares from females as they passed by and wondered if maybe it was unusual to see humans in Howling, but then again, they weren't really human-now were they?"Of all the places Hael? I'm allowed one free pass from Hell each millennium, and you bring me to Hicksville?" Pyro Diego glanced at his friend, who didn't bother to answer, and hoped for the sixth time that venturing into a wolf pack disguised as humans was a wise choice. Shaetan only knows what Marie will think when he returns home in a few weeks, and he rather liked his balls."She's here, man, I can sense her," Hael muttered as he began to look in the shop windows, and as the demi-gods came to the one on the corner, Hael stopped and took a deep breath, a guttural growl sounding deep in his chest."This is it."
The vortex appeared directly in front of them, and Jarvis shoved Lucy behind him as he prepared to shift. The sound was deafening, and when the light pulsed, expelling a figure from the portal, Jarvis shielded his eyes from the glare."Well, damn, this is a sorry excuse for a welcome, but I'll take it."Bella stood there, cradling the pup gently in her arms. She knew that their luggage was already at home. Lucy and Jarvis looked at her with their eyes popping and jaws dropping as she smiled back at them. Lucy was the first to recover. "You weren't gone for that long, Luna? What is this? Immaculate conception or something?" She drawled, and Bella laughed. It was good to be home."It's a long story, my friend, and will need to wait until Caspian is settled in. Now, where is my foolish mate?" Bella easily took control, and as they continued walking down the street, it was a relief for Lucy to hand over the reins. As she revealed what had transpired in Bella's absen
Something was wrong in Howling. As Jarvis pulled up to the local herbal shop, it was obvious that something significant had happened here. Many stores were closed, and the usual hustle and bustle of a small town were missing. It made the lion shifter nervous. He was still in his car, wondering at the best course of action, when a familiar figure jogged straight past him."Lucy!"Lucy turned around, and a huge smile greeted him as she jogged back. Jarvis opened the door and stepped out in time for her to pull him in for a hug. "It's so good to see you," She gushed as they pulled away from each other, and Jarvis noticed her eyes sparkled and her mouth curved easily into a grin. If he were ten years younger, Onyx might have had a fight on his hands for Lucy's affections.As he looked at his friend Jarvis, saw the dark circles under her eyes and the weight she had lost, instinctively knowing that something was really, really wrong. When he quizzed her on it, L
"I know it's late, but do you think you would like to take a stroll with me?"Thorn felt like he was drowning as he waited for Raeann's answer. He couldn't even turn around to see what her expression was like; he was that nervous. There were several seconds of silence where Thorn thought he might actually throw up. Then with the tiniest of voices, she replied, "I think I'd like that." Expelling a breath he didn't know he was holding, Thorn turned and let his eyes drink in her beauty. Raeann smiled softly, "April tells me that the thermal baths on the other side of the mountain are nice at this time of the morning?" And Thorn almost stumbled over his own tongue as he hastened to agree. Raeann held out her hand for him to grasp, and he did, almost shyly, shivering as the ever-present tingles made their way up his arms.For a time, they walked in silence, taking in the beautiful view of the sun coming up, as they slowly traversed fire mountain. Eventually, it flattened out near t