That evening, I find myself in the kitchen with the other Wolves to help them prepare for the nightly pack dinner. It's more like a giant barbeque, and the kitchen is certainly capable of handling the sheer amount of food we prepare.Aviva, the girl who attacked one of her friends during the summertime Heat, had invited me to come with her. Initially, I had been sceptical and certain that she was going to try backstab me. But it hasn't been the case at all, and I've been pleasantly surprised by how the Wolves welcomed me into their kitchen."Smells good, ladies," Kiana laughs as she walks in through the backdoor. Her grin turns crooked when she sees me carrying several containers of mac-and-cheese out of the kitchen, "So you don't just brew up potions?"I laugh as she takes some of the food from the counter and helps me bring it outside, "Yeah, I was surprised that they wanted me near the food. But I don't mind either. It's been nice to help out.""There's nothing quite like the commu
"Have your visions come back?" Eamonn is handing me the notes he and I have been working on the past months. Much to my surprise, my young friend has a lot of strings to pull on in the pack and was able to have neighboring settlements to send their archives and genealogy charts. "You've been quiet ever since you came back from the mountains....like you're not listening to just what we can hear. And then you saw my vision during Yule..."It's true that ever since my time in the mountains-and my horrifying vision of Cecily-my clairvoyant powers have reawakened tenfold. The spirits are louder than ever-the visions are becoming hard to stave off again. I can sense that there is something they want to show me...something that I'm missing that is in plain sight."I had a vision when I was away...about my ancestor. But I'm not sure how it has anything to do with the problems we're having now," It's the truth. What did Cecily's tragedy have to do with Orion's vengeance on The Moon-other than
Missing you at our bonfires!I stare at the text from Dom. I read it over and over again while I think of what to say. Part of me wants to call her and find out how she and Camilla are doing. Nicole...that was the Wolf who had died saving me from Orion-and Camilla's mother.I can't forget her cries and pleas to let her daughter know that she's watching over her. The way she curled up into Camilla's side and not being seen."Alora?" Nancy calls me from the front room, "You have a visitor!"I quickly tap a response to Dom-Missing you guys too. How's Cam? How's Hendrick?Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned Hendrick, but he hasn't responded to my texts. I just need to know that he's alright. Ever since that priestess got so close to him in Abrego, the bond between us has been poking at my conscious-as if to remind itself that he's still around."Sorry-I just had to "My cellphone slips through my fingers and bounces off the ground the moment I look up from the screen.Around me...stand so man
(Kennedy)The door clicks shut. I haven't turned away from the window since Alora walked into my office with that barbaric bite mark on her face. And now, after she and her companions left with Mac and Nancy in tow, I haven't turned towards Mira."You don't approve. I don't particularly like getting rough with my Wolves-"Don't be coy with me, Mira," I scoff and spare her a brief glance. Even that seems too much for my Wolf. He keeps barrelling against me. He wants to bury his teeth in her face and see how she likes it. "We both know that you enjoy that kind of thing.""Enjoy? Debatable. But it's effective-even you have to admit," She takes an ignorant step towards me. Her arrogance knows no bounds. She thinks that I won't rip her to shreds, not when we can't afford to have more packs warring with one another. "You should try it-""You know exactly why I don't resort to those methods anymore." My Wolves had seen more than their fair share of cruelty and bloodshed. Only in the most ext
The fire is warm and crackles gently as I curl up on the couch. Eamonn is fast asleep on my side, breathing deeply while a Christmas movie plays on the television. Jayden and Olivia are cuddling on the floor, and several Solari Wolves spread out around the packhouse lounge to watch the movie.It's snowing outside, and the entire world around us is a blanket of white, sparkling ice. I can barely make out my apartment across the yard, let alone the mountains in the distance. The snow hasn't let up in three days, and the snow is building up.Jayden and I were pleasantly surprised that the pack helped us clear a path from our apartment to the packhouse every morning. I suppose they had to, considering that their pack Healer would have been blocked in by the snow as well. But they had also deiced our stairs every morning, so that had to mean something.Mira's visit had caused ripples through the pack. It's clear that her arrival was even less welcome than our own. The atmosphere shifted as
I'm not a Wolf.There was a time when Orion hadn't been a Wolf...though I'm not entirely sure what that meant. He very well could have been a human that was able to wield and manipulate Nature like a Healer or Lycan, but had he become a Wolf?Were Wolves not creations of The Moon?Around me is the Planes. The sky is crimson and the forest around me smells like charred wood. I take a step forward. Crunch. Bones lie underneath me feet. Pup teeth threaded onto necklaces scatter the ground too.One of these was found in Ariella's room. Her murderer had one of these...and it's all somehow connected to Mira. But then how is it also connected to Orion?I need answers."Finally."I'm expecting to see Hekate. But it's another entity. This one has skin that moves like molten silver, and eyes that are milky white. Like two full moons stare back at me. Stare into me. Stare through me."Selene."She moves towards me with a cold smile. The charred grass gives way to moonshine as Her bare feet touch
I have to crouch in order to spin when Eamonn tries to twirl me. He grins widely as I lift our hands above his head, and he spins in a dozen circles."Careful," I laugh as he stumbles around.He blushes and glances to the left of us. He has been looking there the entire time we've been dancing, and my curiosity finally gets the better of me. But I'm surprised when I see that the cause of his flustering is Addison. She's dancing with one of the other young Wolves, her blond hair tied back in a messy half-up, half-down style. She looks exquisite. Apparently, the young boys all think so too, because she has quite the line for dance partners.I smirk at Eamonn, "She looks quite lovely."He seems surprised that I have noticed, "You think so too?""Of course! Why don't you ask her to dance?"He stares at me like I've grown second head, "Are you codding me, Alora? She would never dance with me!""Why not? You're friends. You always hang out. You've probably got a better chance than half of t
"Are you afraid of me?"Mother's eyes are wide and frozen in perpetual torture. Her hand still loosely grips the athame she used to end her friend's life and her own. Their fingers are entwined tightly together…The only touch I ever knew from those hands was a slap across my cheek. I never came close to her often-she and I chose to keep our distance."Stop," Asena sobs as she shuts Mother's eyes and hides that awful expression she wears even in death. "Just...just leave her be, Kaltain."It comes of no revelation that my sister would stay so protective of the woman who gave birth to us-even after she chose to leave us for The Moon. Asena is just like her...and Cecily sensed it. Asena had been the only one she would talk to-the only one of us who knew thetenderness of Mother's hand.My sister looks nothing like us either. My two other sisters and inherited our complexions and features from Orion. But Asena is the only one who took after Mother-her stature, her appearance...even her v
She has his gaze. Orion's gaze. That same, sickening yellow pierces me as I meet her eyes. But she simply watches me. This woman who stands above me seems so familiar...yet I don't know her at all.All I know is her name. Kaltain.She and I look nothing alike, so I know that she isn't a reincarnation of Iphigenia's soul. She is one of Cecily's daughters. She is also one of Orion's.She extends her hand and they're webbed with black veins, like her skin is rotting or crumbling away like ashes of a burnt log. Flames dance off her fingertips like her nails are candlewicks. I flinch away and she tilts her head."You're newer than I thought," Her voice is deep and wispy. Those sharp eyes scrape over me in mild interest. And finally, a twisted, crooked grin takes over her face, "You and I will have much to talk about, Alora. Much to work on in the coming years.""Alora," I whisper, "You know who I am-""Of course. I have known about you long before you knew of me. We share more than just bl
"Congrats," I wave as the couple walks out of the clinic."Thanks, Alora," The pregnant female smiles back at me before taking her mate's hand."Hey Alora!" Addison comes running up beside me. Kiana and Eamonn are next to her.Eamonn sprints into me and wraps his arms around my legs, "Alora! Hey, nene."Addison looks at me with hopeful eyes, "Can you play with us?""What are you playing?""I was going to show Addison how to throw a rugby ball!" Eamonn bounces up and down, "Please come! I want to show you too!""He's really good," Kiana squeezes him tightly in her arms, "Taught by the best, obviously.""Yeah, Mac," Eamonn teases her."You little shite! Who do you think taught Mac, huh?" She grows quiet and glances up at me. I don't smile back at her and she cringes."I have a couple more things I need to do. But when I'm done, I'll come out for a little," I smile at the two pups. They cheer and run off together, but Kiana lingers, "Kiana...'m not angry with you so please stop looking”
Maybe I'm a lot more like Zemira than I have ever been willing to admit. It's a thought that crosses my mind as I watch Hendrick sleeping quietly in front of me. He's here...but I feel nothing. I'm callous, just like she was. The difference is that she craved Orion's love... only crave Hendrick in the most basic and primal ways. The Heat has completely lifted any fog or doubts I had over my feelings for him. I care for him deeply but not in the ways I had before.My trust and faith in what we had has been completely shattered.Which is why this can't go on.I crawl over him, rousing him from his sleep, and brush my fingers through his hair. He grins lazily and encircles my waist with his hands. Our kiss is slow and easy. But it doesn't feel right...out of place like a piano key that was tuned incorrectly."I need to go," I whisper against his lips and tug lightly on the ends of his spiky hair.He blinks, "Where?""I need to check on Kiana-she texted me just now and asked for me to go
I jolt upright at the sound of a loud bang. Immediately, I scramble for my athame and sprint towards the bedroom door. A large, black silhouette in the hallway has me snarling lowly."Alora, it's me!" Hendrick whispers before I can lob it at him."Wha-Hendrick, what the hell are you doing?" I lower the knife and tiptoe past Jayden's room. I can hear neither her nor Olivia breathing softly. They must be sleeping at Olivia's tonight. "I could have hurt you.”"Sorry-I just needed to go for a run," He slips out of his boots and sets them out on the porch. He gives my thigh a pat as he walks by me, "Sometimes, I feel like this apartment is going to suffocate me."I understand how he feels....ever since my Heat had come into full swing, being near him was almost unbearable. We could barely be in the same room alone for more than a few minutes without one of us having to stop the other from doing something stupid."We're nearly done," I lean against the sliding door and watch the Moon hang a
I keel over for a moment, hands on my knees and breathing deep. Nancy lays a hand on my back but she lets go when I smile at her. Throughout the day, my body periodically has cramped up like most of the females.The time for the pack's seasonal Heat has begun, and so have the fights between females too. Avianna has gone back to help Abrego with its Heat, which means that Nancy and I are left to deal with the waves of injuries and fights.After a long day, I sprawl out on the couch in the apartment and kick off my shoes. Jayden is out for the evening to meet Olivia's family- something I know she's really nervous about. I send her a quick text of encouragement.As I set my phone down, the door opens. Hendrick walks inside but doesn't make it a foot inside before he freezes. Our eyes lock onto one another. "Mi reina," His voice is deeper nowadays, and I can't believe how much he has changed in just a short amount of time. It makes me hope that he actually has changed....but I can't belie
"You can't go in there-”I push the meeting room doors with both hands. It's only Mac and Kiana inside, leaning over the center table and setting up a computer. Gracie is behind me with her eyes popping out of here skull."Lass? What is it?""Where's Kennedy?" I look around the room but he's not here. He was though-his scent is fresh here!""Right behind you."I turn around. He's not smiling but he's not unfriendly either. But Hendrick's words haunt me almost as much as the spirits that stalk my every move. Packs like Solari and Ameku take advantage of their connections to The Order to gain advantage over everyone else.Are you using me?I want to believe that he isn't. I've never felt that Kennedy has ulterior motives for helping me. But he also hid Orion's attacks on this pack from me. And he neglected to tell me the tension that existed between the Lycans and the Werewolves. He never lied...he just never told me the truth.His head tilts so innocently when I look away from him. Both
"I don't think this is a good idea, Alora."Jayden sets up a pillow for me as I set up my scrying bowl. We're in the backroom of Nancy's clinic, who was kind enough to not ask any questions. I, however, have plenty of questions to ask-all of which are in desperate need of answering."I have to find him, Jayden," I crush the last of the lupine I brought with me from Palawan. "Remind me to ask Avianna to bring some Kinkaid's Lupine next time she's-""Okay, but Alora-""You're not going to talk me out of it," I understand her concerns. Truth be told, I'm trembling in fear. Nothing good ever came out of seeking him...but I don't have much of a choice. Every other lead or clue I've had isn't panning out right now. "Stand outside the door. Make sure no one comes in...""Fine, but I don't think we should be doing this-I don't care if Kennedy knows-""What does Kennedy know about?" Hendrick walks into the backroom but stops the moment he takes in the scene in the room. Jayden holding a chest
What am I doing?I mix the two potions together in the scrying bowl. To my pleasure, they light up in a green mixture the moment they mix together. I yip in delight and clap my hands. At least I'm not messing up entirely on thisThe same cannot be said in regard to how I'm dealing with the personal feelings towards two certain men in my life. Again, I ask, what am I doing?Quickly, I pop a couple of the crystals I have been using lately into the green potion. It's supposed to help cleanse crystals and other tools quicker than just placing them in the sunlight, moonlight, and running water.Lying back on the wooden floor, I stare at the white, wooden paneling on the ceiling above. Today has been quiet and left me a lot of time to focus on practicing all that I had learnt from Avianna and Nancy.It's also given me a lot of time to reflect on my own feelings. I still can't forget the way Jayden glared at me when she saw Kennedy and I together in the hospital...and I can't get either Hend
"I can do it," I say as Hendrick tries pick me up from the car. Despite the mending ribs, I'm not tired. I feel strong and have to keep reminding myself to take it slowly."Just be careful," He steps back to give me some room, but not much. His eyes keep darting around at the Solari Wolves that have come over to see how I'm doing.He doesn't expect me to put my hand on his arm, "Hendrick, it's alright..."Just as I took him by surprise, he returns the favor by pushing me up against the car. I'm wide-eyed and stiff as a board when he cups my face. He searches my face but I'm not sure for what. Maybe he's still paranoid about any injuries I have, or maybe it's the fact I'm alive and breathing. Whatever his reasons, I can't fill my lungs up with a sufficient amount of air to keep from becoming lightheaded.His face is so close to my own. His lips brush against the corner of my mouth...and just when I think he's going to kiss me, he pulls away. My mind is buzzing while he pushes my hair f