Kas's POV Bronx looks like a swamp monster as he walks towards me with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I stand up when I see him, putting my hands over my mouth with a little gasp. We make eye contact. With all the mud, I can't read his expression, but I can feel his pain. Not physical pain, emotional pain. "I need you." He growls as he walks past Milo and Lenora. He leans over, wraps his muddy arms around my waist, and picks me up. He doesn't even break his stride. He just keeps walking. There's a squishing sound where his skin contacts my clothes. Welp, I guess this outfit is done for. After listening to everything Milo and Lenora just told me, I had no idea what reaction to expect when Bronx got back, but it certainly wasn't being thrown over the shoulder of a swamp monster. "Uh, bye guys. Thanks for the talk." I wave at Milo and Lenora. They wave back with confused looks on their faces. "Want to tell me what's going on, Bronx?" I ask as he climbs the stairs. He just
When I come out of the bathroom, Bronx is sitting at the breakfast bar waiting for me. He's back to his stoic composed self, looking handsome in a tailored blue suit with an eye patch to match and a crisp, white shirt unbuttoned at the top. I sit next to him and place my hand on his arm. “Bronx, if being trained by witches is the only way to help me, then that is what I need to do. We have to accept that. Elder Henri is right. I don't want to hurt anyone because I don't know what I'm doing or can't control my abilities. I understand your concerns about witches being here, so I think it would be best for me to go to them, if they agree to it. That way they don't have to come here and you don't have to worry about the pack. We just need to come to an agreement with them on what the terms are for me being there.” He rubs his hands on his face and sighs thinking about it. "Alright, Kas, but it would mean we would have to be apart for a while. Henri's pack is too far away for you to come
“Well, you're going to get to go to France. That's so exciting!" I say as cheerfully as I can once we're alone. Kas smiles at me but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure I will be more excited as the date gets closer. Right now, it makes me nervous and sad, I guess.” “Kas, I know it is kind of weird timing, but what do you think about moving into my apartment instead of staying in the suite? I mean, if you want to stay in the suite that's fine too. I just thought, you know, maybe you would be more comfortable... here?” I rub the back of my neck as she looks at me, contemplating my request. “Sooo... we would sleep in the same bed? You wouldn't sleep on the sofa anymore like you do in my suite?" She asks tentatively. "She's gonna say no! You fucked up, dummy!" Saint howls. “Shut up, Saint!” “Whatever makes you comfortable, Baby. If you want me to sleep in the bed, I promise I won't try anything. I want everything to be at your pace. If you want me to sleep on the sofa, I c
Bronx's POV I wake up in the morning to find Kas and my bodies are completely intertwined. She didn't wake up once all night. No crying, no nightmares, or screaming. Just peaceful sleep. I nuzzle her sparkly silver hair, breathing in her scent feeling completely content. Feeling her all over me, combined with her scent and our mate bond, I start to get aroused. Saint howls with excitement. "Okay, wake her up so we can mate already!" "Stop it, Saint." "Can we at least mark her?" "Saint, I said knock it off." "Prude." Just then, Kas rolls away from me with a sleepy little groan as she rubs her eyes and opens them. "It's morning already?" "Yeah, Baby. You slept all night! How do you feel?" I sit up and realize her legs are still draped over mine. "Really good!" She sits up and stretches. I see the top buttons of her shirt have come undone. I turn my head with a gulp. My movement makes her look down and gasp. Seeing she's almost exposed, she instinctively turns toward me for pro
“Welcome Luna Iokaste, welcome gentlemen. I'm Lady Camille, mother of this coven." An older woman standing in the middle of the entryway welcomes us. "Luna Iokaste, you are correct. You will not be able to feel your bond with your mate while you are in our realm unless he is here with you. Never fear, we have spells that will help you overcome this feeling so you can concentrate on your studies and training. We will show you to your rooms in a few minutes, but first we need to go over some rules.” Marco pats my hand. "Give it a chance, Luna. If it's too much of a problem, I'll call the Alpha.” Lady Camille begins as if she didn't hear what Marco just said. "Now, the first thing to know is you will not be able to speak about the things we do here. Our land has an enchantment that will prevent you from being able to do so. “The second thing is that your weapons and cell phones will not work here, gentlemen. You're welcome to escort Luna Iokaste anywhere you want, but I assure you, the
The first few days, I let myself wallow in my own misery, moping around the apartment. I don't even shower. I spend a lot of time on the balcony, letting cigarette butts pile up in the ashtray. When I can't stand the silence anymore, I throw myself into work. I get to the office by seven in the morning and leave after eleven at night every day. After three days, I realize Carly is working the same hours to try to keep up and looks exhausted. I let her know she doesn't need to stay the long hours I do, she can work her regular hours. She seems relieved and grateful. Milo and Lenora distract me over the weekend with movies and shopping. I don't need anything for myself, but I picked up some kitchen gadgets for Kas as winter solstice gifts. On day eleven, I woke up ready to train. Saint has the itch to spar, which is bad news for my sparring partners. I get to the training grounds and let the trainers know to queue warriors up so I can burn some energy. They already know what to do whe
I hear a familiar giggle that warms my soul. I turn to find the most gorgeous woman in the world standing in front of me. She's wearing leggings and a linen sleeveless tunic style top. She's gained weight since the last time I saw her, filling out her curves. Her skin has a sun-kissed glow that makes a few freckles pop on her nose and cheeks. My heart skips a beat at the sight of my mate. She bounces on her toes and runs to me. "Bronx!" She squeals as she jumps into my outstretched arms. Sparks fly between us as our bodies collide. "Kas! Oh, Goddess, it's so good to see you. You look amazing." I say as I pepper her face with kisses and plant one on her mouth. "Luna Iokaste, dinner is in two hours. Why don't you show Alpha Bronx around in the meantime?" Lady Camille suggests as she seems to appear out of nowhere. "Yes, ma'am." Kas says but doesn't take her eyes off of me. *** "Bronx, I have learned so much already. Lex and I are so close now. It's practically like we're the same
I feel my blood start to boil but I know I need to keep my cool. All I can do is blink at her until I feel calm enough to speak. I unintentionally growl as I say. "Lady Camille, are you aware of my Luna's past? I have always promised her we will do everything at her pace. I won't mate with her if she isn't ready." "Stand down, Alpha Regent Bronx Andreas Mason." As she says in a stern tone, using my full name and title, I feel a disorienting sensation cloud my mind, reminding me how powerful she is. "I'm aware that Luna Iokaste has had to endure experiences that were out of her control. We have been counseling her on how to handle her thoughts and emotions related to those events." She stares at me for a long moment, then continues with a softer tone. "I recommend you find a way to give her that control back so you two can...enjoy yourselves. You don't need to have her back here until Sunday morning. The connection between you two and your wolf spirits is important. It is very clear t
I sit on the edge of the bed in the silent room. So this is what twenty-five feels like. I wonder if a hundred and twenty-five will feel just as good. What about two hundred and twenty-five? I laugh to myself at the thought as I head into the bathroom. I look in the mirror and run a brush through my white hair. None of the sparkly gray came back when it grew in four and a half years ago. I examine the mirror closer. It looks like there are some more violet flecks in the light gray of my irises, but maybe that’s just me being hopeful. I still don’t have any abilities other than being able to shift and mind linking other pack members. I splash water on my face and brush my teeth. There will be time to shower later before the pack Summer Solstice party and pack run. I pick up some toys that made their way into the closet room and find a dark blue sundress to wear. Once I am changed, I look at myself in the full-length mirror and smile. When I get into the living room, Marco comes up an
The smell of pine needles and lavender fills the room. I keep my eyes closed and hide my smile as the giggles get closer. “Mommy? Are you awake?” Maya’s little voice whispers loudly. I can feel her weight climbing onto the bed. “Shhh, Maya, Mommy gets to sleep, because it’s her birfday,” Andreas giggles at her while he climbs onto the bed as well. I roll over and pretend to yawn with a big growl and stretch my arms out wide, grabbing them both and bringing them toward me. Their happy squeals fill my heart with joy. “Hello, darlings,” I squeeze them tightly in my arms. “Mommy, happy birfday!” Andreas says happily and gives me a wet kiss on the cheek. “Mommy, Auntie Delilah said she’s made a cake for you,” Maya says with big gray eyes. She lays in my arms and plays with my white hair. She gives a sly little smile, “I think she made chocolate.” “Oh, she did, did she?” I smile back. The twins talk excitedly at the same time, telling me about all the things they want to do with me to
Kas’s POV I sit in front of him, even though he doesn’t know I’m there. I’m afraid if I look away, I may never see him again. Elexis’s black snout pushes under my elbow so I will put my arm around her while she sits next to me. I let myself lean heavily against her while we watch our mate realize that my spirit has left my body. “He broke the mate bond, Kas. Our spirits’ journeys are finished,” Lex says quietly, “There are no more lifetimes for us.” “I understand,” I nod slowly as I run my fingers through her silky onyx fur, “Lex, through everything, I forgive him. I’m sure it seems foolish, but I don’t have the desire to hold on to hate or malice when I move on. So, I forgive him.” “Of course you do. You have a good heart, Kas. I know how much you loved him over the centuries.” “I’ve made my peace, and I died knowing I did everything I could do to save my sisters and keep my pups alive. There is nothing else I need to fulfill me.” “It has been a pleasure being your wolf, Kas. I
“She’s pregnant?” I ask out loud, no one in particular. “Twins,” Reggie says dully. “Based on how big she is and comparing her to when Musu was pregnant, we think she’s due any day. Since she hasn’t eaten, her babies are basically using her body for nutrition. For lack of a better term, they’re eating her alive,” Milo says, as he brushes his hand against her cheek. He sits back on his heels and looks at her with tears in his eyes, “We don’t know what happened to Lex. She hasn’t been able to heal her for over three weeks now.” “What did the doctor say?” I gulp hard. I plant my feet to the ground, afraid to move. “You said no fucking doctors,” Reggie hisses at me through gritted teeth, “or have you forgotten?” “LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO HER YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Saint’s first words in weeks are pure rage against me. He tries to claw his way forward to take control and get to Kas, still protective of her. I take a step forward. A small piece of me, a deep down part that has been hidden awa
Bronx’s POV “Come on, man. It’s been a month. We’re sick of this shit. If this is your order, if this is truly what you want, then man the fuck up and come to the dungeon so you can see your damn handy work,” Milo’s steel-gray eyes bore into me, “Like you said, you don’t give a fuck anymore, so prove it. Come see what you’re doing.” “Watch your tone, Milo,” I stand up, growling at him. “Look, Bronx, you can come with us right now or you can find Blood River another Beta. I have plenty of packs who have already said they would give me asylum. Fuck being a Beta. I’ll take a job as a front gate guard and call it a fucking day. I’ll pack my shit, take Codi, and leave today if that’s how you really want this to go down. Your choice,” he crosses his arms and stares me down. Behind him, Reggie has his hands on his hips, looking at the floor. “What about you, Reggie? You're awfully quiet. Are you part of this ultimatum, too?” I lean forward against the desk, giving him a chance to speak u
Milo’s POV Marco had told us to find her binder before Bronx ordered us to lock him in solitary confinement. He said Kas kept note cards and binders for everything. We just had to find the correct binder to figure out what she was up to. He couldn’t tell us anymore because of some sort of potion he had swallowed. He was right. We rifled through dozens of binders in her office until we found one in her desk drawer that had a sticker labeled ‘Manae Notes’. It detailed everything, complete with cute pictures of rooms and furniture she wanted to use magic to create so her sisters would be comfortable in the home she was building for them. Some of the note cards were actually thin sheets of parchment that looked like they were hundreds of years old. Others were thick handmade papers that were crumbling on the edges. There were at least six different languages among the cards. Musu helped us translate most of them, but a few she said were in dead languages she wasn’t familiar with. Regardl
Kas’s POV I wake up in the morning feeling stiff and sore. I slide out of bed with a groan and look in the mirror. Even more than yesterday, I don’t recognize the reflection I see. Pale skin with dark bags below my eyes. All the violet from my irises is gone, replaced by a gray so light, it could be mistaken for white. I gently run a brush through my brittle, thinning hair. It is no longer gray and glittery. It’s turned into a dull shade of white that matches my eyes. I put on a loose dress and a heavy long cardigan to hide the joints protruding from all my angles before I go out to address my sisters for one last time before escorting them to Kardiá tou Manae. When I first met Lenora, bruises from my nose being broken upset her. What she would think now at my self-imposed deterioration. I turn to the side and admire my growing belly. I let myself smile when I feel the impatient little kicks coming from inside. I spend time with each team of sisters and make sure they are still on
Bronx’s POV Halloween comes and goes. Thanksgiving comes and goes. Winter Solstice is only a couple of weeks away. The frigid Montana winter trudges on. The world keeps turning as if Kas never existed. Last week, I heard Katherine Santoro’s abandoned estate in Greece burned down to the ground. No fatalities and no signs of the other residents and staff who lived there several days prior. A few days later, hunters found Katherine’s naked body, along with an unidentified woman, both mauled by wild animals in a wooded area of Mongolia. The artist's sketch of the other woman is clearly Cora. As soon as they confirmed Katherine was dead, I had my people get to work on acquiring Santoro Enterprises. Within several months, I will be the CEO, absorb the company into MasonCo and create a logistics division. If there are any Manae hiding among Santoro Enterprises staff, I will flush them out and throw them into the dungeon to rot. It’s what they deserve. If Kas ever dares show her face aga
Katherine’s POV The estate is unusually quiet when I get home from work. I don’t notice the usual hustle and bustle, but I chalk it up to coming home later than I normally do. I push open the door to my darkened office, pour myself a glass of scotch, and make my way over to the desk. I turn on the desk lamp and sit down, taking a deep sip of my drink. “Hello, Iokaste,” I lean back in my chair, addressing the woman in the tall wingback seat across the desk, “You look like shit.” “Hello, Katherine. Thank you for the compliment,” she snarks at me and leans forward from the shadow, letting me see her pale skin and sunken eyes be more clearly. Her spindly hand supports her chin. The longer I look at her, the more I realize she is way too thin. “K-Kas. Are-are you alright?” I stammer when I see her true condition. “Don’t worry about me, darling. You never have before. I’m here because I need you to do something for me. I’m going to give you a choice on how you do it,” she says, steepl