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Deimos POV The drive to the hospital is awkward. Elizabeth is in the front seat, gripping the hem of her shirt and twisting it in her hands. Tears are dripping down her cheeks but she wipes them away before she thinks anyone can see. Stella is in the back seat, and she won’t shut up. Her mouth has not stopped running since we left the pack house. I don’t know if she thinks she is alleviating the tension or if she just doesn’t know how to read the room, but she has covered every topic under the sun twice. I am just trying to keep it together. I want to tell Stella to shut the fuck up, but I also don’t want to upset Elizabeth. She is clearly as on edge about the possible pregnancy as I am. But I don’t know what she has to worry about. She has the perfect parents to use as an example for raising a kid. All I have is Nico, and I definitely don’t want to end up like my father. I don’t want to raise my children the way my father raised us. I had actually planned on never havi
Willow POV I stand outside of the Royal Lycan mansion. I haven’t been here in years. My mother makes a point to come to see me at the Moonstone Pack, just so I don’t have to relive the horrors that I suffered here under the rule of my uncle. But now that his son has taken the throne, I am told things are different. Faris Jr was raised by his mother and mine. An unlikely pair, but despite their differences, Faris Jr turned out to be nothing like his father. Lycan City is beginning to prosper again, and all of the underground dealings that my uncle made have stopped. Lycan City is clean and respectable once again. I finally gather the nerve to knock on the door, and it swings open wide. My mother is standing on the other side with tears in her eyes. She has always been a crier. She doesn’t look any different than the last time I saw her. She hasn’t aged a bit. Her hair is still black, and her eyes are still bright green. I guess there are some perks to being a lycan-wit
Liz POV I haven’t said a word to Stella or Deimos since we left the hospital. I am sitting in our bedroom holding the ultrasound pictures in my hands, staring down at the little bean shape that is supposedly my baby. I don’t think the reality of the situation has sunk in. There is a person growing inside my body. The smell of Applewood fills my senses, and the door of the bedroom opens slowly. I know it is Deimos, and I don’t bother to look up. He drops a bag of medication beside me on the bed and stands in front of me awkwardly. He is waiting for me to say something, but I don’t know what I am supposed to say. I am pregnant, and it is clear Deimos doesn’t want a child. He didn’t say a word during the ultrasound or on the way home. He walked me up to our room and then left to get my medication prescribed by the doctor. I dig through the bag to make sure everything is there. I pull out the antinausea medication and struggle to open the bottle. Deimos takes it from me and
Nico POV I look up at the sign of the dirty, run-down bar. Wolf’s Den. None of the neon glows in the sign anymore. The windows are boarded up, and it doesn’t look like anyone has been inside for years. The last time I was here, I came for a prophecy. The witch behind the bar had fiery red hair and dark eyes. She didn’t give me the prophecy I expected. I expected her to tell me that my sons would help to overthrow the Lycan reign, and we would take over as rulers of the shifter world. Instead, she told me that two of my sons would turn against me. It wasn’t hard to guess which two it would be. Dainn and Deimos were already showing signs of wanting change. They wanted our pack to be more accepting. Damon was still young enough for me to shape and mold into my own image. I decided at that moment that I would kill them both. Then that bitch told me that I couldn’t kill them without risking my own life. I knew I would have to find someone to kill them for me. Now, I am b
Liz POV A heavy weight on my stomach and sparks wake me up from my restless sleep. I was having the weirdest dream about war and my pup. I was running through the forest, trying to get away from Nico during a battle with a baby in my arms. Just as Nico was about to catch me, I woke up. My eyes dart open, and I am panting heavily. The aftermath of the dream made my heart race. It felt so real. Tingles from the mate bond soothe the anxiety from the nightmare, and I look down to see Deimos with his head lying on my stomach. I cock my head to the side and watch him quietly for a few moments. He is gently rubbing circles around my belly button while he whispers to my belly. At first I am confused about what he is doing but then I realize he is talking to our pup. It is the sweetest thing I have ever seen, and tears burst from my eyes. I try to sniff back my sobs, but it is impossible. My chest begins to shake up and down, and small gasps escape my chest. Deimos’s head pop
Deimos POV I am standing on the front porch of the pack house, staring out at a mass of lycan warriors. King Faris Jr is standing at the front, commanding his forces. Ace is standing at my side with his mouth wide open. Ace nudges me on the shoulder, and I tear my eyes away from the army in front of me. “Did you know that they were coming?” He asks. I can only shake my head. When Willow said that Faris Jr was going to take care of the Nico problem, I had no idea that it was going to be this. I walk down the stairs of the porch and stand at Faris Jr’s side. As I approach him, I bare my neck in submission. “What is all this?” I ask Faris Jr. “I am here to help you,” Faris Jr replies with a smile on his face. “This isn’t your fight,” I remind him. “It became my fight when Nico recruited lycans,” Faris Jr growls. “I have to remind my citizens of their place.” “When is Nico coming?” I ask. “That’s the thing,” Faris Jr says hesitantly. “I am not sure if he is brav
Liz POV I watch Deimos for only a moment before I run toward the door that leads to the cells. I promised that I would hide, and I will keep that promise. I tug on the door, and it swings open easily. Rushing down the stairs, I let Majesty guide me through the dark. The dungeon is silent. All of the cells are empty as I rush past them. I make it to the cell at the very end of the dungeons, and I swing the door open. I press all of the bricks on the wall until the back of the cell opens. The secret door opens loudly, scraping against the floor of the dungeon. It causes me to cringe, and I hope that no one hears it. I slip through the door and push it shut behind me. Bracing my hands against the hidden door, I allow myself to breathe loudly. I don’t think anyone will hear me in here. Resting my hand on my stomach, I remind myself why I am hiding. I have to save the next white wolf. The sound of dripping water echoes in the distance, and memories of being trapped down
Deimos POV Willow jumps right into the action. Balls of flames burst from her hands and they hit the enemies in the chest. The fire engulfs their bodies and immediately turns them into piles of ash. Once the flames ruin their target they fly through the air, back into Willow’s hands. She is miraculous to watch. Ripping off my shirt, I leap into the air. Before my feet hit the ground, Duko has taken control. His paws hit the ground with a thud and a fearsome growl leaves his lips. Several of Nico’s warriors turn and look in my direction. I have never faced a lycan before, but they are much more terrifying than I expected. They look kind of like a wolf standing on two feet, but their limbs are long and gangly. Terrifying claws extend from the end of their human-like hands. Several of them surround Duko, and I have to push back the fear that is building in my chest. A lycan standing before me looks at me, and an awkward smile spreads across his grotesque face. With
Liz POV I am staring out of the window with a checklist in my hands. Each item on the list has been checked several times. There is nothing else that I need to do. The Lunar Ball is already underway. From my window, I can see groups of people slowly making their way into the town hall that has been transformed into a ballroom. It has already been decided that I will be arriving last, even after the royal Lycan family. Stepping away from the window, I check my makeup in the reflection of the mirror. My face is still round from being pregnant, and my belly is still swollen. Thankfully, the dress that Stella picked out for me hides my round figure. I almost look normal. A quiet knock on my bedroom door pulls me from my reflection. “Come in.” The door only opens slightly, and my sister, Belle, squeezes through. I expected to see her in a ballgown, ready to join the party, but she is not dressed for the occasion. She is in her leather fighting gear. Her hair is pulled ba
Liz POVThe sun is warm on my face, and my eyes flutter open. A blue sky spotted with fluffy, white clouds comes into view. I lay my hand on my stomach, and it is flat. No trace of my pregnancy. Quickly, I get to my feet and look around. Once again, I am in the clearing behind the Moonstone Pack house. The place where my parents died. Everything feels warm and inviting. Is this what death feels like?A woman walks in my direction, and I immediately know who she is. “Mom,” I call out as I run toward her. I reach out my arms to embrace her, but my hands move through her body like she is made of mist. Looking between my hands and my birth mother, I am confused. “Why can’t I touch you?” I cry. My birth mother lets out a sharp sigh and wipes the tears falling from her eyes. “Now is not your time.” “I’m not dead?” I whisper. “You are stuck between this life and the next,” my birth mother explains. “You have a choice. You can stay here in the afterlife. Or you can fight to
Liz POV Six Months Later I have been staring at this screen for so long that my eyes are starting to go crossed. Since the battle, there has been so much to do. Each of the rogues that was detained has been questioned and subsequently put to death. As much as I hated to admit it, Faris Jr was right. A precedent had to be set that we were not a pack to be challenged. As if there wasn’t enough on my plate, Faris Jr decided that the next Lunar Ball would be held at our pack. It is only a few weeks away, and almost all of the planning has been done. I slam the screen of my laptop shut and pinch the bridge of my nose painfully. The pup growing inside of me kicks me roughly, and I groan uncomfortably. My stomach has grown to an enormous size over the past six months. Just when I didn’t think it was possible for me to get any bigger, I did. Bracing my hands on the arms of my chair, I struggle to push myself out of the office seat. As I am attempting to stand, someone knocks o
Deimos POVI know I am leaning heavily on Elizabeth as we make our way out of the forest. My arm is flung over her shoulder, and she is struggling to keep me on my feet. But she doesn’t give up, and she doesn’t complain.As soon as we break through the tree line, I see medics running toward us. Elizabeth lets out a sigh of relief, but I am not ready to go to the hospital. As Alpha of the pack, I need to oversee the cleanup of the battle.The medics take me from Elizabeth. They try to make me lie down on a stretcher, but I refuse. “I need to see my men.”“Alpha,” one of the medics tries to reason with me. “You are injured.” “I am not dying,” I groan at the medic, and I struggle to make my way up the hill to the pack house. My hands claw at the ground in front of me as I try to make it to the top of the hill. I can hear Elizabeth groan behind me, and she wraps her arm around my waist to help me to the pack house. “You really need to be seen,” she hisses under her breath. “La
Liz POV I don’t look over my shoulder to see what Faris Jr is doing, but by the look on Nico’s wolf’s face, it is horrific. I can tell that Nico’s wolf wants to run from the Lycan King, but something is keeping him here. He has to know that this is a battle he cannot win, but it appears he is willing to die trying. Something furry brushes up against my leg, and I glance down to see Duko standing at my side. He looks awful. Deep cuts are oozing across his black fur, and chunks of flesh are missing from his body. I don’t know how he is still standing. ‘I’ve got it from here,’ Deimos voice breaks through my mind. But I don’t move from my protective stance. ‘You are injured.’ ‘I have been worse,’ Deimos lies to me. ‘This is my fight, not yours.’ I know I have to back away. Deimos needs to be the one to kill his father. After everything he has been through, he deserves that much. Nico’s wolf is pawing at the ground, growling at Duko. They are getting ready to attack ea
Liz POV “You can run, but you can’t hide,” Nico calls out from behind me. “I know these woods like the back of my hand. I will find you.” Panic and adrenaline are coursing through my veins as I slip between the trees. I duck under low branches and squeeze through narrow tree openings. Trying to find any way to slow Nico down. My feet are slipping on the fallen leaves as I run, but I try not to let it slow me down. I have never done much training, and I am beginning to get winded. ‘I don’t know how much longer I can run,’ I whine to Majesty. ‘You just have to keep going for a little longer,’ she encourages me. ‘Our mate is on his way. I can sense it.’ I don’t dare look over my shoulder as I flee. I don’t want to know how close Nico is to catching me. He is faster and stronger than I am. I may have been able to take down Brittany with just my claws, but I won’t be able to take on Nico alone. I trip over a fallen branch and tumble onto the ground. Glancing over my s
Deimos POV Willow jumps right into the action. Balls of flames burst from her hands and they hit the enemies in the chest. The fire engulfs their bodies and immediately turns them into piles of ash. Once the flames ruin their target they fly through the air, back into Willow’s hands. She is miraculous to watch. Ripping off my shirt, I leap into the air. Before my feet hit the ground, Duko has taken control. His paws hit the ground with a thud and a fearsome growl leaves his lips. Several of Nico’s warriors turn and look in my direction. I have never faced a lycan before, but they are much more terrifying than I expected. They look kind of like a wolf standing on two feet, but their limbs are long and gangly. Terrifying claws extend from the end of their human-like hands. Several of them surround Duko, and I have to push back the fear that is building in my chest. A lycan standing before me looks at me, and an awkward smile spreads across his grotesque face. With
Liz POV I watch Deimos for only a moment before I run toward the door that leads to the cells. I promised that I would hide, and I will keep that promise. I tug on the door, and it swings open easily. Rushing down the stairs, I let Majesty guide me through the dark. The dungeon is silent. All of the cells are empty as I rush past them. I make it to the cell at the very end of the dungeons, and I swing the door open. I press all of the bricks on the wall until the back of the cell opens. The secret door opens loudly, scraping against the floor of the dungeon. It causes me to cringe, and I hope that no one hears it. I slip through the door and push it shut behind me. Bracing my hands against the hidden door, I allow myself to breathe loudly. I don’t think anyone will hear me in here. Resting my hand on my stomach, I remind myself why I am hiding. I have to save the next white wolf. The sound of dripping water echoes in the distance, and memories of being trapped down
Deimos POV I am standing on the front porch of the pack house, staring out at a mass of lycan warriors. King Faris Jr is standing at the front, commanding his forces. Ace is standing at my side with his mouth wide open. Ace nudges me on the shoulder, and I tear my eyes away from the army in front of me. “Did you know that they were coming?” He asks. I can only shake my head. When Willow said that Faris Jr was going to take care of the Nico problem, I had no idea that it was going to be this. I walk down the stairs of the porch and stand at Faris Jr’s side. As I approach him, I bare my neck in submission. “What is all this?” I ask Faris Jr. “I am here to help you,” Faris Jr replies with a smile on his face. “This isn’t your fight,” I remind him. “It became my fight when Nico recruited lycans,” Faris Jr growls. “I have to remind my citizens of their place.” “When is Nico coming?” I ask. “That’s the thing,” Faris Jr says hesitantly. “I am not sure if he is brav