Marco's shoulders drops at Bronx's words, but if he had been looking straight ahead, instead of at the floor, he would have seen Bronx’s body language betraying his stern voice. I clear my throat and try to sound serious. "Marco, first and foremost. You drew a weapon on your Alpha and my mate. Regardless of the circumstances, we expect better of you. When we get back to Blood River, you and Alpha Bronx will have a private conversation about the consequences of that action." Marco's eyes flick toward me and back to the ground with a quick nod. "Yes, Luna." “Aside from that, we’re so happy you've found your mate. Alpha Bronx and I have discussed the matter with Alpha Martin and have decided on the best way to handle this.” I pause when he looks at me expectantly. His brow is furrowed with worry. “Marco, Musu's parents and her twin brother Beta Everl are waiting for you downstairs in the front sitting room. You are to go ask their permission for their daughter to accompany us back to
Once we settle in on the flight, we all get to get to know Musu better. She is originally from Sierra Leone. Her mother is Beta Pierre’s second chance mate. So Musu moved to Lune D’or when she was thirteen. Her accent is so elegant, it’s almost hypnotizing. She tells us how much she has traveled internationally and how much she has enjoyed it. “I have a question. How many languages do you speak exactly?” Delilah asks out of curiosity. “I speak seven languages. Krio, English, French, Cantonese, Farsi, Dutch, and Greek. I love linguistics. I find that I’m able to catch on to new languages quickly.” Musu proudly marks off the count with her fingers. I notice Marco admiring his mate, but he has a concerned look on his face. If I had not spent so much time with him, I probably would not have noticed the subtlety. Hearing about Musu’s diverse background and love for languages sparks an idea in my mind. I tuck the thought away for later. She is a charming woman who is a wonderful storytel
Bronx's POV It’s Sunday. I call it our “lazy” day. In other words, Kas and I don’t leave the apartment so James and Marco can have a day off. Most of the time, we are anything but lazy. Kas catches up on homework, tests recipes that I get to taste for quality control, and does chores she doesn’t want to have omegas take care of, like laundry and cleaning the kitchen. I always tell her that is what they are there for, but she says she is happy to do it so I let her be. For me personally, it is a good time to catch up on pack matters and relax in front of the television. Kas likes to write any essays she has due on Sundays, so she gives them to me to read over when she is done. It is late afternoon when she is finished with her homework and other busy work, so she comes over to hang out with me on the sofa. She drapes her legs over my lap and looks hesitantly at the reality show about fishing boats I am watching. “Sweetheart, can we talk about a couple of things?” She asks, trying t
I can’t sleep. I can’t get what Kas told me about not being able to have children out of my mind. I mean, there is nothing I can do about it. It doesn’t change the way I feel about her. She is my world. I just feel like having a pup of our own is something we assumed would be part of our future. I meant what I said about just needing her in my life. If we end up not having kids, then that is what the Moon Goddess has fated for us. The text message chime on my phone goes off. I look to see it is from Reggie. It is eleven-thirty at night. What could he want? Hey Bronx. You awake? Important. I mindlink Reggie to let him know I'm awake and will meet him in the downstairs kitchen in five minutes. I go give Kas a kiss and wake her up just enough to let her know where I’m going. She gives me a squeaky little grunt and waves me away before rolling over. I grab an eye patch and secure it in place before quietly making my way out of the apartment. “All good, Alpha?” Marco sends in a mindl
The first thing I do once Kas unwraps herself from around me is go into the closet and put my gun back in its lockbox before I bury the box back into the bottom of the trunk. If at all possible, I never want to see it again. Once I get out of my tac gear, I get in the shower. I only use hot water, letting it turn my skin red and raw. I’m not sure how long I stand there. It doesn’t matter. I just need to let my brain shut down and let the water cleanse me. Ironic to have a wolf named Saint when we feel like we are anything but. I finally feel a little better, so I go to the closet and put on sweats. I sit on the floor and dial my therapist, making an appointment for the next day. When I come out of the bedroom, I smell chicken cooking and Kas is sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. I pull my mate close to me and just breathe her in. I instantly feel more calm. So does Saint. “Sweetheart, what do you say we let Saint and Lex go for a run?” Kas suggests as she runs her fingers thr
Milo’s POV We had been orchestrating our plan of attack since Lady Camille came and spent most of the day speaking with Lenora and I. Delilah went in and looked at Kas’s vision of Bronx killing her. She was able to study, evaluate, and determine details that Kas would never have been able to see. Delilah worked with her mother to help explain what they believed would cause the event, when it would happen and some ideas of how we could prevent it. Lady Camille had one of the coven’s sisters conference call into the meeting... well, sort of... she used magic instead of the actual phone, but she was there. She is a fortune teller, which I was sceptical of, but I listened respectfully anyways. She explained what would happen if we didn’t step in and stop Bronx. Short story: Kas would die. Bronx would be charged with murdering the Luna Regent of the Blood River pack and high treason. He would be executed for his crimes by the High Council and we wouldn’t be able to stop it. Then she t
Marco’s POV I know we’re about to give her the antidote, but seeing Kas laying there really got to me. I can feel a lump in my throat as I listen for her heartbeat. I already know she doesn’t have one. I start giving her chest compressions. A million memories of her hit me all at once. I feel a bit emotional as I continue to try to revive her. I watch Beta Milo, Gamma Reggie, James, and Tyree lead the Alpha out of the room. As soon as we know they are in the hallway, Beta Lenora pushes me to the side, giving Delilah room. Delilah pulls out a small bottle full of pink shimmery liquid. She squeezes Kas’s cheeks a little, making her blue lips pucker, then carefully pours the liquid in her mouth. “Go ahead, Marco,” she motions to me, “continue with the compressions. It will help move the antidote through her body.” I move back over and start CPR again. It feels like it’s taking forever. “Vámonos, Kas. You don’t get to go out like this. Not in this lifetime anyway. And definitely not o
Bronx’s POV For the first time in months, Saint is at peace. Quiet and settled. It’s a relief to not have to constantly be battling him for control. Not being influenced by his rage. After speaking with my therapist and several doctors, I decide to willingly stay in the hospital wing for a week for intensive treatment and to start medication to keep him stable. Kas has forgiven me. She is still upset with Saint, but she still loves him. She is willing to work on rebuilding their relationship. I don’t know how she does it, but I can feel she genuinely means it. It’s going to take a lot longer for me to forgive myself. Kas comes every morning for a therapy session with me. She brings homemade croissants and coffee with her. She holds my hand and listens intently to my darkest secrets. Things that I would never imagine telling her before. Things I have done that live in the darkest corners of my soul. She tells me what she needs from me and I tell her what I need from her in return.
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