A rumble in the walls stirred Lillian out of her trance. She stared at the ceiling, wondering if it would break from the activity above her. She instantly regretted the decision to have her room below Mason's. Ever since he returned with Xenia, they have been fucking non-stop, with only small intermissions in between. Lillian grabbed something close to her and threw it at the ceiling before returning to the smoky, floor-length mirror. She grabbed the edges, willing Melania to show soon, and just like that, she did. Melania was lying in a field of flowers and only opened her eyes when the image of her filled the mirror. "Why are you calling me," Melania asked with a hint of irritation. "Every time you do, it costs me, Lillian." Lillian flinched at the tone in Melania's voice before pointing to the ceiling. Melania looked around and didn't see anything, so she listened and could hear the faint noises of sex. "What the hell kind of porno shit you're bringing me, Lillian?" "It's bee
Jane looked in the mirror at the bags under her eyes and the bruises that were slowly healing. She walked carefully to the closet to find a scarf to cover the bruises around her neck. Rick was still asleep, and she didn't want to wake him. Drake was long gone by now, so she had no defense. She was only human, after all, and not a strong one. She wasn't like Xenia, but maybe there was something she could do for herself. Something that could give her some sense of freedom. Starting right now. Jane scurried along to the kitchen and stopped before entering. She could hear Lacey and Frieda talking inside. She didn't want to spy on them, but she knew if she wanted information, they didn't trust her enough to tell her. She leaned ever so slightly on the cracked door. "I can't believe Luna would attack Celia like that," Frieda said. "Lillian I get, but innocent Celia. It makes no sense." "Yeah. I guess so." Lacey's voice sounded distant, Jane peeked through the door to see Lacey lazily sti
Rodin roared loudly, allowing his seed to fill Nova as she jerked against his body, finding her own release. Her body fell forward, but Rodin groped her breasts, pulling her back against him. He slowly lowered them both to the bed while pushing himself deeper into her. He wanted to make sure every fucking ounce of him stayed inside her so his scent could seep through her pores and everyone could smell him on her. After a minute, he laid to the side, pulling her close and feeling just how perfectly she fit in his arms. Their breathing was still erratic, in sync with their all-night lovemaking. No, more like fuckfest. Rodin smiled. The trek back to the packhouse took them a while since every few hundred feet, Nova's heat took over, causing them to stop and fuck enough to keep it at bay. When they finally returned to the packhouse, they showered and went another round before heading to bed. Rodin came so many times he became dizzy from his pleasure, but there was no way he was going
"I…brought you breakfast," Celia said in a voice so soft, it made Lillian shiver. Lillian stepped aside as Celia walked and placed the food on the nightstand. Celia stepped to the side and bowed her head to the floor. "If there isn't anything else, I will take my leave," Celia said, walking past Lillian.Lillian blocked the way with her arm. She moved Celia back into the room while closing her door. "Are you sure that's all you have for me, mate?" Celia stopped her movements and looked up at Lillian. Lillian smiled, knowing simple things like this pleased her little mate. It was pathetic, but Lillian would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it, too. She could practically feel Celia's heartbeat racing as she walked by. She brushed her fingers across Celia before going over to the plate of food. Lillian plucked a piece of meat off the plate before turning to her mate. Celia hadn't moved from her spot, facing the door. Lillian moved behind her, caressing Celia's arms before curlin
Jane listened on the other end of the door for a response. When she heard none, she knocked again, and still nothing. She bit her lower lip, wondering if the room was really empty. Maybe he just doesn't want to answer, so I'll return later. Jane thought, turning to walk away, but she stopped. Maybe it really is empty, and this is my only chance to redeem myself. Jane took a deep breath and turned back towards the door. She checked the halls to make sure they were clear before sliding her hand across the door's lock. It only responded to the Alpha and Luna of the pack whenever the office was empty, but she knew the way around it. Thanks to Rick. He would talk about sneaking up here just to sit in the Alpha's chair when everyone was gone. He told her it made him feel powerful and safe. She laughed at how stupid that sounded. Rick was nothing but a coward in her eyes and the farthest thing from safe. Jane felt around the edge until she came across a dip on the back panel. She had t
Xenia stretched across the bed with a smile spreading across her face. Everything felt wonderful against her skin and that scent. The heady floral and citrusy scent surrounded her like a sweet and warm caress. It was something she wasn’t used to. She opened her eyes while moving across the bed, searching for something…or someone. Then she suddenly stopped.Everything that had happened last night came flooding back. Mason. Her body seemed to remember every touch of his hands, mouth, fingers, and other things. Xenia shook her head and jumped out the bed as if it was on fire. The movement was faster than she expected. She grabbed the bedpost to steady herself before looking around the room. She was alone, and for that she was grateful. She didn’t know how to act around Mason after last night, and hell, even early this morning. It was then she noticed how naked and sticky she was. She gagged a bit before going to the bathroom. She quickly bathed herself, starting slow at first. The soren
Mason threw everything on the mantle on the floor before gripping the edge. The thoughts of Xenia flooded his mind, and Rodin was no help. Mason didn't want to think of her. Every thought felt like a betrayal to Melania. It wasn't just the thoughts of Xenia driving him crazy but everything else that came with it. Their plan to bring Melania back was being questioned in his mind. Sacrificing Xenia was the only way to go, and he came to terms with that long ago. However, just the thought of something terrible happening to Xenia tightened his chest. He didn't want to hurt her, but at the same time, he wanted Melania back. Before, there was no complication, but after last night and this morning, Xenia has imprinted herself in his mind. His…heart? "Dammit!" He yelled, banging his fist into the wall, creating a fist-like hole. He ran his shaking hands over his head. "I need to calm down. It's just the bond talking. Get it together Mason." He took a deep breath and went over what needed
Did she say my brother’s name? Mason was sure he must have misheard her. Did he contact her? He wondered as he picked her up and watched her nestle into his arms. His body immediately reacted to her bareness and the way her skin felt along his. Mason closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to push down the desire rising in him. He laid her on the bed and went back to the bathroom. There was blood scribbled on pieces of glass that sprawled the floor from the broken mirror. For a moment, Mason thought she was trying to hurt herself. Maybe what transpired between them was too much for her to take, and she tried to end it. Yet, Nova was in control most of the time, so maybe the shock of everything finally hit Xenia. Doesn’t make sense. Mason thought. Knowing her mother was still here, Xenia would never take herself out of the equation. So, what the hell were you trying to do? Mason looked at the mirror again and noticed the blood on them looked weird. The shape of them wasn’t
Xenia woke up alone. The brothers were nowhere to be seen, so she decided to get ready for another perfect day. She got dressed, fixing her appearance in the mirror. The moment she looked away, the reflection turned to Melania, who smiled before disappearing. Xenia stared at her reflection before leaving.“Good,” Xenia said to herself. “Today’s going to be perfect.”Downstairs the brothers were in the kitchen with Delilah. Micah was unusually focused, slicing and arranging with the precision of a man on a mission. Mason was just as focused, carefully packing fruits and cheeses, and crusty bread into woven baskets. Delilah flitted about the kitchen like a hummingbird, humming a lullaby Xenia swore she hadn’t heard since childhood.They walked to the sea, just the four of them. The cliffs were painted with wildflowers, the ocean stretched endlessly, calm and blue. Xenia leaned into the breeze and tried not to think too hard.But something was wrong.She felt it when she reached for the
Melania kept her magic flowing into Xenia, but she felt herself losing strength. Micah stood before them, his presence blazing with power.Melania didn’t flinch. “Keep him away,” she said to Mason. “She’s so close to accepting her new reality. If he interrupts now, she might have the strength to fight back. I need time.”“He won’t understand,” Mason said.“Then make him,” she snapped. “I know you can.”“I won’t say it again,” Micah said, interrupting their conversation. “Get out of my way Mason.”“I can’t let you,” Mason said, his voice shaking with fury. “You took her away from me once. I won’t let it happen again!”Mason snarled, aura flaring to full strength as he launched forward. Micah’s wolf, Roman, collided with Mason in mid-air, the impact sending a shockwave through the spirit realm. Mason crashed to the ground, rolling once before skidding to a stop.“Damn you, Roman,” he spat, rising. “Do you have to interfere. This is between brothers.” Roman stood between him and Mason,
Xenia stood frozen as Mason held her waist, his touch gentle. This was the kind of moment a girl might fantasize about–the reformed villain pledging himself at her feet. But something about it soured in her gut. The air shimmered, just slightly, like heat rising off pavement. Mason’s skin was warm, too warm, feverish. And his voice… it wasn’t Mason’s. Not really.“I’m nothing without you,” he whispered, face pressed to her abdomen. “You saved me, Xenia. Don’t you remember?”“Mason, I…” Her throat constricted. It was suddenly hard to speak. Hard to think. But she could hear her mother and Micah returning–footsteps, laughter, too far and too close all at once. The sounds blurred, like a warped vinyl record.“I believe you,” she said quickly, trying to get him up but he tightened his arms around her.“You know I can tell when you’re lying,” he said, eyes flicking up to hers. There was a flicker–just for a second–where his eyes changed, glitching like bad film. A blink later and they were
Blood and ash thickened the air as Alpha Micah and the group made their way through the packhouse and towards the ritual grounds. The howls of distant wolves still echoed, but for now, the area had settled into a tense, almost eerie silence. Laurie floated down from a treeline, black eyes turning back to her usual color, her expression grim. “More guards than we thought,” she whispered. “And that’s just the outer ring. Inside the ritual circle, we’ve the Three Sisters.”Micah’s jaw tightened. “The Three Sisters?”Laurie nodded. “They’re channeling the ritual. It’s working. Xenia’s… already changing.”“What do you mean changing?” Delilah asked, panic rising in her voice.Micah placed a firm but comforting hand on Delilah’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Miss Delilah. It’s not over yet.” Then, turning back to Laurie, he asked, “Can we get past them?”Laurie nodded. “They’re powerful, but we can get rid of them if we destroy the effigy tethering them here.”A chilling scream cut through the ni
In the cozy kitchen of her family home, Xenia found herself caught in a comical, slightly awkward situation as she sat down to breakfast. Her mother sat across from her with her chin resting on her clasped fingers. Delilah’s eyes darted between the two brothers she forced Xenia to sit between.“So,” Delilah began, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she sipped her tea. “Since I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce myself to you both because of the… incident in Ornyville…”“We are so sorry about that, Miss Bakken,” Micah interjected. Xenia turned to look at him and he regarded her with a smile before taking her hand and turning back to Delilah. “It’s just been a while since we had a mate and the bond was stronger than we anticipated.”“I don’t know what the big fuss was,” Mason added. Xenia turned to look at him. Her heart started to race as her hand curled into fists.What is this feeling towards him?“We did replace the bar table and compensated the owner,” Mason continued. “T
Serif laid down on the sand, exhausted. They’ve been digging themselves from the little sand hole the others stuff them into to avoid detection. Dottie and Molly ran to his side to help him sit up. He swatted them away.“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he said with irritation. “I’m just a bit tired, hungry, and my ass is full of sand. How much longer do we have to stay here?”Dottie looked over the empty waves, shaking her head. “Laurie said to wait here for reinforcements.”“She didn’t say how long they will be,” Molly added. “But this was the safer option.”Serik looked toward the tunnel the others left through the other day, wondering if they were better off going with them. Then he thought about the fighting and unnecessary bloodshed and decided he chose the right path. Still, the shade of the moon in the sky gave him an eerie feeling.“There!” Dottie pointed to a ship that appeared on the horizon. Dottie and Molly exclaimed, jumping up and waving their hands in the air. Serif groaned, bare
As the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, Xenia slowly opened her eyes to find herself lying in her room. She quickly sat up in bed, looking around. Was she dreaming? She had to be. That was the only explanation. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror. She was the same as she was before. She pinched herself thinking she was dreaming but she felt pain.What the hell?She absentmindedly touched her face, arms, and hair. Unable to believe where she was. She tried remembering where she was before. Melania. The fight. Nova. She had to get back and…“Xeni?”Xenia’s inner thoughts stopped and she froze. She looked towards the doorway, willing herself to move but her body was shaking with emotions.“Mother?”As if on cue, Delilah appeared in the doorway with a smile on her face. “There you are? What is taking you so long? Put on some clothes and come to breakfast.”Delilah turned to leave but Xenia grabbed her and pulled h
Delilah caught Jane before she fell to the floor. Jane gazed over Rick’s lifeless body, her body trembling of what had just happened before. before letting out a heavy sigh.“I knew this was going to hurt, but damn,” Jane laughed. “You would think I would be used to pain.”“Jane, what’s going on?” Delilah asked.“Later,”Jane said with one last look at Rick before shaking her head. “We have to get to the others.”“Agreed,” Archie said, gripping the hilt of his sword. “No delays. Where are the others?”Jane pointed in the direction of the dungeon cells. “Cells are down that way, but we’re not the only ones down here.”On cue, a loud crash could be heard through the tunnels. The group raced forward, coming to a scene of pure chaos. Lacey, Friend, and Danny were in the middle of an all-out brawl against several guards. Lacey was throwing punches like a rabid beast, while Frieda and Danny–both laughing wildly–used each other to break through. Danny swung Frieda around like a rag doll while
The saturated color of the surrounding trees and landscape looked all too familiar when Xenia woke up in the spirit realm. Yet, something felt off. The hues were darker and the shadow loomed over the entire space. Mist swirled around her ankles, and the air carried an otherworldly hum that seemed to resonate in her chest. For a brief moment, the feeling frightened her.“You are finally awake,” a voice called out.Xenia turned to see Nova, moving towards her. Nova’s white fur shimmered like freshly fallen snow under the moonlight and darkness.“Nova,” Xenia breathed, relief washing over her. “I forgot how this felt. Though, it looks different.”“Dark forces are involved here, Xenia,” Nova said, lowering her head slightly, her ears twitching in agitation. “Melania’s presence is growing stronger.”Xenia’s stomach tightened. The name alone sent a chill through her body. Her hands curled into fists, looking around the area for a sign. “Where is she?”“Close,” Nova growled. “Be on guard.”“