Musu’s POV My life was so different a year ago. I was the acting female Beta for the Lune D’or pack in France, waiting for my brother to find his mate. Then I found Marco Sanchez. His Alpha and Luna were visiting our pack for a long weekend. Our Gamma Jenna and I wanted to bring fresh pastries from our local bakery to them as a welcome gift. Marco is one of the personal guards for the Luna from the Blood River pack, so he was on duty in the hall outside their suite when we came down the hall. My initial impression of him was how impressively large of a werewolf he is. He's not quite as big as their Alpha wolf, but close. A broad and muscular man, with a serious expression that makes him look intimidating. Marco is exactly what you think of when you imagine a bodyguard. He is clean shaven, with his black hair cut into a Caesar style haircut. His bronzed skin makes his light brown eyes stand out like shining topaz jewels. I swear my heart skipped a beat when his plum and rhubarb scent
Bronx’s POV “Kas, Baby, are you sure there's nothing I can say to talk you out of this? I really feel like you need more time before we try this again.” I block the door to our apartment with my hands raised helplessly. She’s still upset from Sunday, which is very out of character for her. She is usually pretty forgiving and wants to talk through things as soon as she is feeling less troubled, but she has kept the bedroom door locked all night for the past several nights and this morning, didn’t come out until she was completely dressed and ready to go. I know it’s a useless plea, but I have to at least try to stop my mate from getting hurt again. “Yes, I’m sure, Bronx. Lex and I are ready this time,” Kas says defiantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest, “Now let’s go, we’re going to be late.” Yeah. She’s still mad. I sigh, and rub my hands on my face in frustration before letting them drop heavily and moving out of the way so she can leave. I can tell from her demeanor Lex
Katherine’s POV “Katherine, things are getting worse. How much longer do we need to wait?” My sister Amari whines as she paces behind me. “I’m well aware of the situation, Amari. We have to have patience. We can’t just yank her away from her life and demand that she save us all.” Amari stops pacing and looks into the monitor at the young woman cleaning the counter of a bakery, then sighs, “Why not?” “You know the rules. Just because we are goddesses, doesn’t mean we can do anything we please. She can’t know anything unless the situation is dire.” “I hate the rules, sister. Besides, this is dire. The Dark has already killed one guardian. How many more have to die? All of them? Do you think we’re next? And what about all the sisters in our charge? What if they’re in danger too,” she shakes her head with worry while asking rapidfire questions she knows I don’t have the answers to. Amari doesn’t look away from the screen while she speaks. I notice her eyes turning glassy with unshed t
“Katherine. Tessa has news. Come back quickly.” Amari’s voice rings in my mind and pulls me from my thoughts. “Alright, I’m on my way,” I sigh. I shift and let Seraph take us back to the house. I step into my office to find Amari, Jasen, Tessa, and Alexandros all waiting for me. I slow my pace as I feel tension thick in the air, solidified by the serious looks on their faces. “What have you found, sister?” I ask as I sit down. I give Jasen and Alexandros a nod of respect, then turn my attention to Tessa. No one says anything. Tessa is giving me a furious look, which is mirrored by the other three werewolves glaring at me. "What?" I feel my brow knit with confusion. “Did you know someone tried to kill the guardian of the Mavri Magea almost seven years ago?” She asks with a snarl. “WHAT?! No! I wouldn’t keep information like that from you, Tessa,” I defend myself. “Is this a joke?” “Katherine, don’t play games. Was it Leticia? Don’t protect her!” Alexandros growls. “Stand down,
Bronx’s POV Four days. As of this morning, it has been four fucking days since Kas disappeared into thin air. We haven’t found a single trace of her anywhere. She’s not on pack territory or the bakery shop she owns in town, she hasn’t been seen at MasonCo headquarters. I even had an international MasonCo security team check our apartment in Paris. Her cell phone and all her belongings are still in our apartment. There have been no hits on her image on any surveillance videos MasonCo has access to around the world. She’s gone. It’s like she really disappeared into thin air. I feel like I’m going insane. For the past three days, I have been trying my hardest to focus on searching for my mate, but I kept getting overwhelmed by Saint’s raw emotions. He swings wildly from wanting to be hyper focused on finding Kas to crushing regret and guilt that his last moments with her were full of anger, not fueled by the love and caring she deserves. That’s on top of trying to control my own emotion
Katherine’s POV It takes three days to find Cora and Dante. They lead the sisters who we call Agrios or The Feral. They have always been more wolf than human. Preferring to be outdoors in wolf form, not having to abide by restrictive confines of society's rules. About three thousand years ago, they decided to leave our pack and live peacefully as nomadic wolves. Watching them struggle with life in human form was painful. I still remember the day we watched the rusty brown wolves with red eyes happily bound off in different directions into what is now known as Germany’s Black Forest. As long as they stay away from prying human eyes in wolf form, they can live hundreds of years at a time. We only see Cora if Dante dies while she waits for him to be reincarnated. Occasionally, we need Cora and Dante to help us with family issues. The oil lamp coming to life with a flame was one of those issues. A harbinger that we need to come together and rally against an imbalance amongst our sisters.
“TESSA! AMARI! Where is she? What is the meaning of this?!” I roar as I throw open the door to the office full of monitors. Amari and Jasen jolt up at my outburst. Tessa doesn't seem bothered and continues to look at the monitors. “She insisted, Katherine. In case Iokaste is dangerous.” Amari holds her hands up. “What? You said to summon her,” Tessa tries to justify with a growl. She is still looking at the monitor. “Amari, can you and Jasen get the keys to Cora's suite and open it for the omegas so they can prepare it? She will also need your healing assistance later. We have lost Dante in this lifetime,” I request, trying to keep my voice calm. “Of course, Luna,” the pair say in unison before leaving the room. “I said summon, not kidnap, and lock her in the Waiting Room!” I snarl at Tessa, who continues to ignore me. Cora stands behind me, looking at us awkwardly. I look at the monitor. Iokaste sitting in the center of the room with her knees pulled into her chest, contemplatin
Bronx’s POV Mrs. Miller, our head chef, has her staff bring burgers and fries out to the garden gazebo next to the pool. I didn’t even have to ask, she knows it’s my favorite comfort food combination. She even adds a cup of chocolate pudding on my plate like she did when I was a little kid. It all looks and smells delicious, but I have no appetite. I just feel numb inside. All I can think about is Kas. Her mesmerizing violet eyes that practically glow and her glittery silver hair that she always fusses over, even though I think it always looks perfect. Her sweet laugh that makes my heart beat faster every time I hear it. And the adorable little growl she lets out when she’s frustrated about a recipe she’s testing doesn’t come out the way she wants. What if I never get to see her beautiful face or get to hold her in my arms again? What if I never get to hear that giggle or her melodic voice call my name again? Will the last memory I have of her be losing my temper? Goddess, help me.
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