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
Micah. Micah opened his eyes, staring up at the sky. The ghost of her touch felt like a handprint on his chest. He placed his hand there momentarily. Laurie, Erik, and Spencer stood over him with worried expressions before Erik helped him sit up. The campsite had already been taken down as the second part of the group settled around him. “What happened?” Micah asked. “You were talking to me,” Eric said, “then your eyes went white, and you fell back.” “Who contacted you?” Laurie asked, hovering around Micah to see if she could get anything from his spirit. “I felt a familiar sense of magic. Was it Lillian?” Micah massaged his head, trying to get rid of the fuzziness. “No. I think…I think it was Nova.” Laurie, Eric, and Spencer shared anxious looks while Lottie, Archie, and Cristobal looked at each other with confusion. “So it really is true?” Eric asked with a shaky breath. “Is she…really alive?” “Who is she? Xenia?” Lottie asked. “No, Melania. I saw her spirit, so it might be
The princesses and Delilah watched as the guard checked on them before leaving the dungeon. Now that Delilah knew Xenia was alive, she was more determined to leave this place. Delilah gave the princesses’ the look’ before unlocking the cell door. She approached the door the guard left through and saw him standing by one of the tunnels. “Okay, he’ll stand there for a minute before moving further down the passageway. Let’s go,” Delilah said to Aidy, who was still inside the cell. “Move it, Princess,” Carla urged her. “Time is of the essence.” “I...I can’t,” Aidy said, gripping the sides of her dress until her knuckles turned white. Delilah could see Aidy shaking from fear. She rushed to Aidy’s side, caressing her arms. “It’s okay to be scared, Your Highness, but we went over this. They won’t hurt you.” “How do you know,” Aidy asked, looking between Delilah and Carla. “What if we haven’t given them a reason to, and this could be it?” “I’m telling you, Princess,” Delilah said. “The
Xenia woke up in darkness, surprised to see that the sun had gone down and the moon shone in the sky. She looked down to realize that someone had dressed her, and her wounds had already healed. “How long have we been down?” Xenia asked Nova. “A while, I believe,” Nova responded. “Like I said. It is not something I recommend doing. It takes a piece of you every time.” “Right,” Xenia nodded. “Then I guess we have to hope it was enough. For now, we focus on rescuing my mother.” Xenia exited the bed and nearly stumbled onto the floor. She grabbed the bedpost to steady herself. She knew Nova said they would be weak, but this was more than just strength. Her stomach grumbled as a response. Hunger. She lifted her head in the air and sniffed it. She was going to have to get used to doing that. The smell of food was strong. Xenia followed the scent to the door, and in a flash, she stood in front of it. The movement took her breath away as she leaned against the door, trying to catch her
Mason, Kane, Lillian, and Celia made their way through the tunnels toward the ritual circle. Lillian and Celia placed their supplies on the floor. They used chalk to draw a circle with symbols and placed candles at four points. Lillian lit the candles around the circle with the flick of her hand. “I think I’m going to…guard the door,” Kane said. “Didn’t think a little magic would scare you, Kane,” Lillian said with a smile. “What kind of Beta are you?” “The kind that knows when he’s out of his depth, witch girl,” Kane growled while walking away. “How long is this going to take?” Mason asked, shifting on his feet. There was something in the air, and he didn’t feel like leaving Xenia for too long for some reason. The woman was wise, and with Nova attached to her, there was no telling what else she would get up to. “Don’t worry, Alpha,” Lillian grimaced. “We’ll have you back with your mate in no time.” Mason huffed at Lillian while she carried a board with pieces of the broken mi
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
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.”“
The clash of metal against metal echoed through the kitchen as Jane ducked, barely dodging the swing of the spiked chain now wielded by Rick.Rick grinned as he twirled the chain like a predator with a toy. “You thought you were clever. Wielding this chain like you had a chance against me. Haven’t you had enough today?”Jane was breathing hard, her muscles aching from the fight, but still she laughed, shaking her head. “Obviously not, if I’m defying you again, but you know what Rick. I don't care what you do to me anymore. I will be free from you whether you like it or not.”“Don’t test me, Jane.”He swung the chain and Jane ducked as it hit the plates just above her. The glass sprayed everywhere causing a few cuts on her arms. She moved back against the counter, and her hand grazed the surface, feeling for anything useful. Her fingers brushed against something cold and metal–a pie tin. Her heart leaped as she remembered its contents. The silver and wolfsbane pie she’d baked earlier,
The path they took wasn’t going to the dungeons but through the Alpha’s secret hideaway in his office. The sudden change as they entered the small cave made Xenia’s stomach tighten. “Where are we going?” Xenia asked, her voice more high-pitched than she liked. The warriors remained silent, their faces unreadable as they waded through the icy water to reach the other side. Xenia’s heart raced, her pulse pounding in her ears. The dim, suffocating tunnel brought back the memories of her escape with her mother. Her breath hitched, and her legs faltered as the faint echoes of her mother’s screams mingled with the falling of debris.“Xenia,” Nova’s voice rumbled in the back of her mind, firm but soothing. “They did this on purpose. Fight through it. Breathe.”Xenia gritted her teeth, drawing strength from Nova’s presence as she struggled to keep moving. The warriors exchanged glances but said nothing, their grip tightening to keep her moving. Nova’s presence swirled protectively around he
Jane waited until all the warriors had left for the ritual before making her way through the halls of the packhouse. Her fist tightened around the key wrapped in a note she received from one of the guards–a man with a creepy obsession with Frieda. Jane thought it was a trap set by Lillian, but at the moment, she didn’t have any other option. “They locked Lacey and Frieda in the west wing, the room with the black doors. After the feast.”Jane cursed under her breath again. The west wing was desolate, but she knew there would be a guard or two stationed there. As she approached the main staircase, she slowed her pace, her ears catching the faint murmurs of voices below. She peeked over the railing and spotted two warriors stationed at the bottom of the steps. Sneaking past them was impossible. She needed a distraction. She looked around and noticed a small statue perched on a pedestal. Quietly, she slipped toward it, her heart pounding. With much more effort than she anticipated, she
This worked way better than expected. Lillian thought as she strode into the room where Mason lay, his muscular arms wrapped protectively around a trembling Xenia. She twirled the little pouch to break the spell, seeing the control Melania had over him was still in effect. Though if it was up to her, Lillian would let the effect last as long as she could. She approached the side of the bed where Xenia was looking straight ahead, her eyes wide with unshed tears. Lillian crouched down, her face level with Xenia’s. When Lillian’s hand reached out to brush a strand of Xenia’s hair back, Xenia flinched, but Mason’s grip kept her in place.“You brought this on yourself, you know,” Lillian mused. “All you had to do was cooperate.”“Fuck… you,” Xenia stuttered.Lillian laughed. “I think we both know who just got fuck. What? You can’t handle a bit of rough play?”Xenia wanted to reach out and claw Lillian’s face but Mason had her locked down. Lillian crouched, meeting Xenia’s angry gaze with
**TRIGGER: ASSAULT**Xenia’s fingers brushed the cold windowpane as she gazed out into the night, the Red Moon hung ominously in the sky. Its crimson glow bathed the landscape in an unsettling light, a reminder of the ritual to come. Tonight, everything will change. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her. No matter how much Nova tried to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.“Do you feel that?” Nova asked. Xenia knew what she was talking about. There was power in the air. Something that seemed to call to the both of them. Or more like someone.“Mason?” Xenia asked.“No. Micah.”Xenia closed her eyes, searching in the darkness for something to hold on to. Was he really here? Was she really saved? A hand on her shoulder shook her from her thoughts as Tammy stood behind her with her dress.“Everything is safely tucked in, Luna,” Tammy said, laying the dress on the nook bench. Xenia exhaled slowly, gripping the towel wrapped around her as if she was cold, but
Mason stood in the dimly lit chamber, the flickering light from the torches casting shadows on the stone walls. In front of him, chained to opposite walls, were Micah, with bruises all over his body, and Cristobal, bound and barely conscious, yet still seething with defiance.Rick stood silently by the door, arms crossed, his eyes flicking between the three of them, awaiting orders.Mason tapped his fingers on the hilt of the knife he held, lazily spinning it in his grip as if it were a mere toy. He paced back and forth in front of his captives, stopping occasionally to inspect them with a twisted sense of amusement. "So, plans, dear brother. Let's discuss those. I’m sure you didn’t crash my little party just for a scenic tour of the dungeon." He stopped abruptly, crouching in front of Micah, his smirk twisting into something crueler. “Or are you going to let our brave soldier boy here spill his guts for you?”Micah didn’t respond. His breathing was labored, but his eyes—those damn e