Ora’s POV Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound of my alarm goes off. The difference between the time zones is killing me. I know it’s going to take a bit of time, but I have to adapt. I have to get back to my routine. “Aunt Jo. It’s time to get up,” I said, getting out of bed. She didn’t move. I started getting dressed and pulled the blanket off of her. Aunt Jo groans. Tugging the blanket back and throwing it on the floor. Usually, she is up before me. But not lately. I woke up during the night, and she wasn’t there. So I don’t know when she went to bed. Occasionally, I look at her and I see her eyes filled with tears. She won’t admit it, but I can see she is struggling with everything going on. “Breakfast, then a run,” I told her as I walked into our enormous bathroom. I brush my teeth and tie my hair up. I stare at myself in the mirror and remind myself that I need to be better, stronger, faster. “You know how far away Summer Hill is?” Aunt Jo asks me as she ties the laces on
Ora’s POV As I walked inside the unfamiliar church, I got a whiff of the familiar incense. I guess it’s a universal scent. I tell myself as I dip my finger into the holy water font and make the sign of the cross. I looked over and saw the votive candle stand. I have never done this before, but I watched it done many times over the years. I pick up a match and strike it. The tip bursts into flames. As I go to light the candle. Tears ran down my cheeks. “For Aunt Jayne,” I said as the tears flowed freely. A lump formed in my throat. I want to curl up in a corner and cry my heart out, thinking of her. But I can’t. I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I have to do this; I say, to encourage myself. Opening my eyes, I saw that the match was still burning, which is when I lit a second candle. “For Aunt Josie,” I said, quickly placing the match on a tray to burn itself out. I wiped my tears with my hands and sat down on the nearest pew. I put my hands together and lowered my head
Jo’s POV We just managed to return to Beta Academy in time for a quick snack before my fighting session. Ora ran up to our suite, muttering about dropping something off before she went. I found her comment confusing because we had gone nowhere to pick something up, nor was she carrying anything. But she ran off before I could had a chance to ask. I didn’t have nearly enough food, but it would suffice until after my session. I hate tardiness. As Ora and I made our way to the weapons shed. I noticed a massive crowd eagerly waiting for me. Alongside the students, I also saw some tutors and Principal Andrews. I guess my words yesterday hit a nerve. Yes, they were harsh, but they were true. “I hope you have all warmed up,” I shouted. There are a few muffling noises. “You are wasting my time and mine if you turn up ill-prepared.” I pause and watch a few people squirm. “For the next few days, I need to assess you. I want to know what you are capable of?” I wandered up and down the c
Ora’s POV On the last day of the month, Aunt Jo re-scheduled her fighting session. So she could take me to the Blessed Sacrament Church. She seems to understand why I want to pray for my aunts. This time I felt comfortable when I prayed to the Wolf Goddesses Selene and the Magic Goddess Hecate. I have a bit more knowledge about both goddesses since Matty has been tutoring me. When it was time to leave, Father Nicholas reminded me how important faith was. He then invited me to return at any point should I ever feel the need to talk. “Thank you,” I said, “but I’m not sure that you would understand the situation.” He smirked, “everything happens for a reason, Ora. God works in mysterious ways.” “He’s working in a very mysterious way. If that is the case,” I responded, a bit too sternly, as I got up to leave. As we walked towards the exit, Father Nicholas drew my attention towards a noticeboard in the foyer. I had seen it before, but I had never really looked at it. The
Jo’s POV I couldn’t get Shannen’s words out of my mind during training. Matthew and Jasper’s relationship has been strained since Charlotte’s death. I was there when Jasper and Charlotte first met. The mate bond may have brought them together, but they loved each other. He worshiped her, and she adored him. Their children are a piece of Charlotte. If anything, her death should have brought them closer together. I found Matthew sitting on the front steps of the Academy. I sat next to him and looked at what he was holding. It was a picture of him and Charlotte. He was young. “She was a beautiful woman. Inside and out.” I told him. “Even to this day, I think she was too good for your dad.” He didn’t look at me. “You knew her?” “She turned up here at Beta Academy a few months before Jasper left. He is older than me, so I got to spend time with her after he’d gone.” I put my arm around Matthew. “Jasper made me promise to look after her until I left. Not that he wanted her to sta
Matty’s POV My leg bounced when I was waiting for the plane to take off. Jo didn’t want to disclose what happened because of her loyalty to Uncle Nathan. I can’t risk him finding out. I need to talk to Goldie. She wouldn’t tell Uncle Nathan or Aunt Sarah about what was going on. Ash, Dex, or Fin spend too much time with their dad. One of them may slip up. I kept hold of Mom’s music box the entire length of the journey. It fits in my hand perfectly. “I will give it to Lizzy on her 18th birthday. Mom would like that.” I told Killian, who whimpered at the gesture. As I thought about my mom, I had to fight back the tears. I miss her so much. I never realized Jo knew my mom, not until today. But I should have put two and two together. Jo’s comments about my parents are confusing. The way she talks about Aunt Sarah as well. But then again, she has been gone for over 20 years. Maybe they’re different now compared to before. As I walked through the palace doors, Lizzy came run
Ora’s POV I still couldn’t believe I was allowed to have a sleepover with Shannen. This has never happened before in my life. I was practically giddy when I knocked on her door. I know Aunt Jo is around here somewhere, and that the building is full of people. But once I am inside her room, I can forget about everyone, forget about everything. It will give me the illusion I am having an unsupervised sleepover. This is so exciting, and I feel like bursting on the inside. “What do you want to do?” Shannen asked me a bit too casually. Does she not know this is the first time I have ever had a sleepover? It needs to be epic. “Anything. Everything.” I told her. Then I worried that Aunt Jo would change her mind and come and get me. Shannen looks at me skeptically. “This is the first time I have ever been trusted to stay away from my aunts.” Shannen laughs at me now, understanding why I am so excited. “Growing up, my sister Goldie and I shared a bedroom. But my mom was horrible to us
Jo’s POV Jupiter went crazy when Carson kissed me. She was panting and howling, acting like a horny puppy. Carson’s touch sent sensations through my body that I had never experienced. The intensity of my sexual desire was so overwhelming that it took all my willpower to pull myself away from him. “I can’t do this,” I said to the man who made me feel like a woman for the first time in decades. “The words from your mouth say one thing.” He strokes my arm, making it tingle. “But your body tells me something else.” He sniffs the air and smiles like a Cheshire cat at me. I look at my arm where he is touching me, and he’s not wrong. I can’t even describe how amazing it feels. I don’t know what to do. I look at Carson and wish he could understand how torn I am. “There is a possibility that this is meant to be,” he says with a look of hopefulness on his face. “Take it. Take the chance.” Jupiter begs. I grab hold of Carson, letting my walls down for once. Taking the chance Jupiter so
Evangeline’s POV Nathan has been exceptionally accommodating ever since we settled into his home and kingdom. Edgar spends quite a lot of time with him and Jasper. It’s good to see Edgar finally relaxing after all these years. I think abdicating may have been a wise decision. I get to spend time with Ora and Shannen a lot these days. Maria’s mates have been treating her like she is breakable, which is driving her potty. As the date of Maria’s scan approaches. Nathan has been becoming more and more agitated. Edgar and Jasper have been helping him relieve some of that aggression in the training field. But I can see the emotional toll it is taking on him. I talked to Asher, Dexter, and Finley, asking for permission to speak with Maira privately. At first, they said no, “Whatever Maria is going through, she has us to support her,” Finley told me. “This is a difficult time for any family. I understand that. Maria may have relied on her mother for guidance, but she isn’t here. I am no
Benson’s POV “It will be okay,” I told Rhea as we drove to the Dark Crescent Pack. Ora and Rhea are sitting in the back seat and I can see how restless she is. “I know, but I still feel nervous about returning home,” she says. Rhea hasn’t been home since the hunters took her. We are both concerned mom will have a heart attack if she just turns up. So we both agreed to break the news to her gently. Which is why the back windows of the car are tinted. Edgar and Evangeline have given us a head start. But they are on their way to meet their in-laws. “No matter how you are feeling. Can you imagine what mom is going to be like?” I said as I approached the border’s gates. I lower the window and am greeted by a guard. He ushers me through without hesitation, telling me he has informed my dad about my arrival. I drive slowly through the pack so that Ora can see where I grew up. “It’s so quaint,” she says. “The people are so nice here. It was a great place to grow up.” Rhea tells her
Ora’s POV After leaving Scotland, we traveled south. To a place I once called home. I had so many mixed feelings on the journey. I had lived there in that farmhouse for as long as I can remember. I have so many memories there. What stands out in my memory now, is that this is the place where Aunt Jayne and Aunt Josie lost their lives. As we pulled down the long drive, there was nothing in sight. No buildings, no equipment. Nothing but grass. “Everything is gone,” I said sadly as I got out of the car and walked around. “There is a chance Millicent burned the place to the ground to cover her tracks,” Mom told me. “You will always have your memories of this place before the attack,” Benson says. “Do you remember the time I hid in the barn?” I smile, but that’s all it is now, a memory. “Feels like a lifetime ago,” I said as he kissed my hand. “Did you do anything off the farm? Maybe that will cheer you up,” Dad asked me. “I had a pretty strict upbringing. Going out
Evangeline’s POV Our alarm went off just as Edgar and I were still busy. We grinned at one another. “It’s been a while since we had a night like that,” he announced proudly. “Hopefully, we get to do it again. Now that life is as it should be,” I responded. There have been instances in the past where I felt guilty for my happiness while my child was out there somewhere. But that is behind me now. As we entered the dining room, I was surprised to see Ora and Benson sitting there. Ora’s hair was tied up, showing off Benson’s mark on her neck. “I guess we had better get used to having a son and a daughter,” I told Edgar before we sat opposite the couple. Coffee is brought to our table. “Have you given any thoughts about your future?” Edgar asks Ora. She stops eating and questions him about what she means. “You are our daughter. By birth, you are the heir to the throne. A princess.” Ora places her knife and fork down before she looks at Benson. “I would follow you anywhere,” Ben
Evangeline’s POV It’s a hard pill to swallow. The baby I once cradled in my arms is now a woman. I have missed so much. I fear I will never truly get to know my daughter now that her mate bond has snapped into place. As I maneuver around the room, I see so many new friends. But the person I am keeping my eye on the most is Edgar. He is in overprotective dad mode. Every time Benson and Ora go to leave the room, he is there, blocking their path. The next time he does it, I will say something. I tell myself, knowing it won’t be long. But first, there is someone I need to speak to. I glanced around the room, easily spotting her vibrant red hair. She sees me approaching and straightens up. “Be in my lab in an hour. Bring your arrowhead. All being well, we will leave tomorrow.” I told her quickly as I could see Edgar moving again. “See if Kristopher can help,” I said as I rushed away. “Where are you two off to?” I caught Edgar asking the couple as he stood in front of them with h
Jo’s POV “Haven’t you slept for long enough?” Jupiter asks. It’s good to hear her voice even if she is complaining. “A few more minutes,” I pleaded as I stretched my limbs, hitting someone in the process. My eyes flew open, fearing who it could be. I turned my head to the side to see a face I had not seen in a very long time. “Gosh, you’ve aged badly,” I told Nathan as I rolled on my side and stroked his face. “I’ve aged fine. Thank you very much, Joanna. It’s the trouble you’ve brought to my doorstep that’s aged me. I think I’ve aged a decade since finding out you were here.” He retorts. “Are you saying I shouldn’t have come back when I had nowhere else to go?” He pulls me close to him. “You should never have left. You owe me an explanation.” He says adamantly. Seeing the pain on his face makes me think I may have made a bad decision back then. But I made it based on Nathan having a life full of happiness with his mate. I made the hard sacrifice, so he didn’t have to. I love him
Wolf King Nathan’s POV Ajax has been inconsolable since our mate bond was severed. He decided our best chance right now was to be in human form. Being in human form would mean we had a clearer head, as the mate bond was connected through the wolf. Then he could be blocked out. I stood side by side next to my son’s wolves. Face a group of creatures set on destroying us. Every wolf around me stood strong, growling as our enemies got closer. Then, when they were close enough to smell them, we charged forward. Cooper, Colt, and Cody blocked my path. I tried to get involved, but this only distracted them. I begrudgingly took a step back for their safety. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. The howling intensified with the arrival of more wolves to the fight. I don’t know who they are, but I am grateful they are here. To make myself useful, I approach the ice wall, intending to break through it. That will be the next task we face. “It’s solid,” I say as I kick it in frustration. I cou
Merida’s POV With everything going on here and worrying about my Ma back home. I needed to blow off some steam. With my new bow and a couple of quills, I went for some target practice. I know it’s old, a lot older than I am. But this bow feels like it was custom-made for me. It’s the perfect height and weight for me. The wood is sturdy but also bendable, and the string fires my arrows faster than any other material I’ve used. It is a work of art. When Rhea suggested lighting my arrows, I couldn’t believe it. “Best day ever,” I whispered, causing her to snicker. “Wolf hearing,” she responded. I was having a great time until Frederick had to spoil my fun by telling me not to waste my arrows and sending Rhea to be with her brother. Benson is alright, but I still haven’t forgiven him or Ellie for what they did to me. Just as I was aiming to shoot an arrow at a tree, the wall of Beta Academy exploded. While dodging the flying debris, I got hit on the head. A flying piece of debris. Th
Anabelle’s POV Frederick said I would die protecting someone important, and he was right. I protected an unconscious woman and her unborn baby. How important they are doesn’t matter, they are defenseless. The pain in my chest was excruciating, and I had trouble taking breaths. I struggled to keep my eyelids open as I tried to breathe. When they closed, happy memories of my family appeared, the things that brought me the most joy. I could hear Maria’s reassuring voice telling me help was coming. The more time I spent with my eyes closed, the more my memories lengthened. That’s when I saw memories of Ellie and me running around the castle growing up. Getting into all sorts of mischief. I began to cry at the thought of leaving Ellie. She would be all alone in this world without me. But there was nothing I could do. My chest hurt so much. Ellie was my last thought as everything became dark. I felt so cold. As the darkness consumed me. Kristopher suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A br