Delilah and Leticia show me a spell to seal the bottle and keep the wine fresh so I can take it home to have with the chocolate later once I decide what I want to do. I’m surprised how easily I can perform the spell. It feels effortless and natural. Leticia rolls her eyes in frustration, insisting this is basic stuff compared to the magic I have performed in the past. The rest of the night goes without incident and we have a fun time getting to know Leticia better. She and Delilah discuss current trends in magic and explain important details to me. The more they speak, the more it feels like we are rehashing a conversation I’ve already had. Bits and pieces of spells and incantations formulate in my mind. At the end of the evening, the server comes over and announces that the bill has already been taken care of. Carly already called the restaurant and took care of the charges. “Bronxy paid for dinner? Oh my Goddess, that’s so sweet!” Leticia gushes, “You know what this means?” “That
Bronx’s POV I lean over and give Kas a little kiss on the cheek to wake her up. I don’t want to startle her and wake up Delilah, too. Delilah has her long, spindly arms wrapped around Kas with her head on Kas’s shoulder. Kas is holding Delilah in a loving, protective manner, looking happy and peaceful. I watch Kas smile and slowly open her eyes, never taking her arm away from her protective hold on her best friend. Her eyes get big with excitement when she sees me. Before she can say anything, I put my finger to my lips. I open up a mind link for a silent conversation, “Hi Baby, come on, let’s go lay down in our room.” “I can’t, Sweetheart. Delilah misses James. I told her I would stay here with her,” she gives me a little pout. She leans her head on top of Delilah's for effect. “Well, if you are staying in here with her, what am I going to tell this guy?” I use my thumb to point behind me where James is standing in the doorway. Kas’s beautiful violet eyes light up even more when
Kas's POV Hundreds of flashes go off as we take our spots on the little x's on the red carpet in front of the wall of photographers. We ignore the questions being yelled at us as Bronx slides his hand around my waist and squeezes a little. I look up at him with a big smile, which makes the flashes go off even faster. My smile gets even bigger when he gives me a wink, then leans down to give me a kiss. "You're so fucking beautiful, Kas," he whispers against my lips, before he stands straight again and walks away backwards. He raises his hands toward me and looks toward the photographers, then claps his hands, showing the crowd how much he approves of my slinky black dress. We don't go to many red carpet events, but for the ones we go to, Bronx always gives the media a minute to get solo pics of me. I feel Lex swoon at our mate, making me blush again before I pose by myself. I may be young, but I’m not stupid. After my interactions with Katherine, I completely understand she invited B
Delilah and I chat and comment on how beautiful everyone’s dresses and suits are as we walk around. Occasionally, we shake hands with people who recognize me. By pure chance, everyone we make physical contact with wins big in their next game. “Amazing luck people are having this evening, isn’t it?” I quip as I watch Delilah pat a man playing cards on the back. He draws a king card and lays down a royal flush. “Oui, lucky indeed,” she muses. We get to a roulette table and I look around, realizing we lost our guards and Musu, Carly, and Diane. I rub my fingers over my forehead to hide my eyes. “Marco? I’m sorry, we weren’t paying attention. We lost you guys,” I apologize through a mind link, “We are at the roulette table.” “We’ve got eyes on you. I'm only ten paces back. You're fine,” he responds. I look back and see Marco towering above the crowd, "Tyree is with the other ladies." “Excuse me, monsieur,” Delilah says to the man running the game, “How do you play?” He patiently ex
“A star-studded charity event in Greece turned scary last night when America’s pint-sized princess, Kas Mason, co-owner of ‘Pâtisseries de Loup Magique’, and wife of security mogul Bronx Mason, was attacked by a disgruntled server." “The casino themed event was thrown by Santoro Enterprises for Katherine Santoro’s personal charity that provides fresh water resources for people around the world. The Masons made a rare public appearance together, attending the event with a group of Kas’s friends, who walked the red carpet with her." “Bronx looked swoon worthy in a Tom Ford tuxedo. His new, realistic prosthetic green eye highlighted the secretive stunner's handsome features. But ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, Kas, who is known for her signature silver hair and violet-colored contacts, really stole the show in a curve-hugging black, open back Givenchy gown, giving the world a peek at the burn scars. She has spoken about them before in interviews, but I, for one, gasped at how sev
Bronx’s POV I watch Kas go into the bedroom, but I don’t stop her. I understand she's upset. She needs time by herself to think before I go in and try to talk to her about the situation. I can’t tell if they upset her about the rumor she could be pregnant or about my reaction to Dionysus putting his filthy hands on her. Thinking about it again gets Saint worked up. “It’s not too late to go find him and tear his throat out,” Saint snarls. “Saint, knock it off. We’re in hot water as it is,” I argue with him. “You’re just gonna let him get away with that?” he continues to rage. “Tell you what, Saint. You tell me what the fuck you were talking to Kas about last night and I'll go after Dionysus.” “Forget it, dummy. I already told you, that's between me and our mate,” he growls, conceding and making his way to the corner of my mind to sulk. A new message notification pings from my cell phone. Ashley: PR team will call in an hour. Be ready. Is Kas really pregnant? Bronx: fine ty and
I’m on the phone for an hour and a half with Ashley and the PR team, coming up with a statement for the media and a plan for how Kas and I should respond if we’re asked questions by reporters. I hang up and rub my hands over my face. I really fucked up. The PR team is mad, Ashley’s mad. I can only imagine how mad Lenora is. This was an international event. She is going to have to deal with it, too. I’m surprised she hasn’t called to yell at me yet. And tabloids reporting that Kas is pregnant, too? I can only imagine how upset she is. I sit back in my seat and sigh. The television is on mute, but I look over and see an image of me sitting on the edge of the fountain with my hand on Kas’s belly. Oh shit. I can’t hear what the reporter is saying, but she has a huge grin on her face. The tabloids aren’t just making shit up. They saw us talking about it. Even if they couldn’t hear our conversation, they saw the body language. That’s all they need to run with a false story. Fuck. I lean
I watch as his skin becomes sallow and his eyes turn soft blue. He speaks again but his voice is less confident than it was before, “Okay. Stop. Please stop. I will give you what you want. You can have your baby.” I let go of his chin roughly, letting him fall forward. My arms cross in front of me and I watch him grab his chest, panting and looking up at me. I meant it when I said I would suck his energy dry. Besides, now I have what I need from him; I have no use for his egotistical ass. “Oh, an energy empath, well played, Iokaste,” Hera smirks with her chin against her hand as she watches me jump down from Zeus’s throne to stand back with Amari and Jasen, “Selene, with her gifts, your daughter would make a good Olympian. Are you sure you want to let her continue as part of the Manae?” “She has her place, Hera. We are here to discuss Iokaste and the future landscape of the Manae. Not her place in the hierarchy of the Gods,” Mother says in a damning tone. “Iokaste,” a man’s voice
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