As always, he felt the moment she joined the rest of the warriors. His mate. Only by sheer force of will could he look at his Queen without dragging her off to the nearest cave and claiming Raeann for his own. But in a cruel twist of fate, Valenar found her first. In Thorn's eyes, Raeann was the most enchanting creature he had ever seen, and the moment she'd walked into the hall had changed his life forever. Today she walked towards him with fire in her eyes, and he could feel the heat already pooling low in his belly-Thorn wanted her that badly. He forced himself to rein it in, giving Raeann a sarcastic smile instead. "Well, well well, look, who rolled out of bed and decided to join us today?"
Raeann glared at him in reproach, "Is that my way to greet your Queen?" She sassed, taking her place with the other students. Everyone tried to talk to her at once, now that she'd finally come out of her ivory tower, and Thorn had to stifle a laugh at how u
Bella stomped around her office, cursing as she looked for an excuse to put off going home. She couldn't believe Shadow didn't want more children. Any attempt by Mazlyn to advocate for her mate fell on deaf ears as she cursed like a sailor, wondering how something so important was never talked about.The phone on her desk started ringing, and Bella gratefully picked up the receiver, happy to have a break from her turbulent thoughts, "Howling Warriors HQ, Luna Bella speaker.""Bella, are you free to talk?" Raeann whispered down the line, earning a grin from her older sister, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice, Rae." Bella replied.Over the next hour, Bella listened as Raeann confessed her feelings for Thorn, the tri-mate bond, and her fear of betraying Valenar. Through it all, Bella listened without judgment."I don't know what to do," Raeann finished, "Is there any way you could come visit for a while?"Bella thought about her comm
The night was still, as Lucien slowed to a jog, and finally, he fell into a brisk walk as he took in the scenery around him. It was strange to walk through here as a grown man; his childhood was filled with his father's disappointment and the struggle to live in his brother's shadow. In the end, Lucien couldn't take it anymore, and after juvey got through with him, he'd fallen in with the Marciano pride, and the rest, as they say, is history.The sudden storm had left the pack lands in disarray, but if he knew Howling, sure as shit Harris O'Reilly would have a team of Omegas righting things first thing in the morning. If nothing else, the pack members were predictable. At the base of Ghost Mountain, Lucien noticed a light on at the cabin in the woods, and for a moment, he considered trying to get through to Lenora, but fucked if he knew where to start, so shaking his head at his own cowardice, he continued along the main street. As he approached the intersection that would le
It was late-or early, depending on how you looked at things, when Lucien left the group and made his way home. Phasing into his wolf had been a no brainer, and he made it back to pack territory in record time, his wolf loving the freedom of loping in the night air. Although Lucien was unable to carry his clothes as he ran, the Alpha carefully held his house key in his mouth so that when he finally reached the garage, he was able to shift back and unlock the door. A shower was the first order of business. He decided as he climbed the stairs, and depending on how things went, he might be able to squeeze in a few hours of sleep before work started. His mind was on Lenora as he opened the door to his apartment, so when Lucien looked up to find the object of his thoughts lounging on his couch, he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming."Jesus fucking christ, woman! What are you doing here?!" He exclaimed, trying to slow his heart rate. Lenora uncurled her sultry form
Bella packed the last of her belongings and looked around the bedroom she shared with Shadow. A tiny piece of her heart was dying as she tried to come to terms with her own decision while the Quins cried in their bedroom, and Shadow was out for a run. Mazlyn was strangely quiet, and sadness poured off her in waves; it was clear that she thought her human was making a terrible mistake, but Bella hardened her resolve as she zipped the suitcase closed.When Lenora bought Maria back home, the little girl was asleep in her arms, and for that, Bella was grateful; Lenora always put Maria first-they had a unique bond, and her daughter thrived under the older woman's care, so she didn't need to worry about her children they would be fine under Lenora's protection. After contacting Maeve, who agreed to stay at the house while she was gone, Bella took a deep breath. She was really doing this.With one final look around her room, the Luna grabbed her suitcases and placed them at t
He was in trouble, and she could feel it. Lenora felt the bites as they punctured Lucien's flesh. Blood appeared on her forearms, along with huge bite marks, and she knew she had to go to him. It only took Lenora a few moments to wake Kahn, and through his connection with Ravenclaw, he was able to tell her Shadow lost control, and Lucien had sent for the coven to help. Until they arrived from their summit, Lucien was handling Shadow on his own."Oh, hell no," the Vampyress thought to herself as she whizzed around the house grabbing at her weapons; Kahn had already left, and Lenora wasted no time flying out the door and up Ghost mountain. A grieving Alpha was unpredictable, and when faced with another Alpha in that state, they would ride the killing edge, slaughtering anyone in their way.Lenora was completely unprepared for what she saw when she raced onto the Alpha couple's home.Lucy met her at the gate with a terrified look in her eyes; the Alpha's children c
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
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