Ferrara“Saul.” The lump in my throat was so large that I could barely get the words out. “She’s so damn cold.”“Then let’s get her warm.” Ever the steady wolf, Saul opened the door to my room, and I carried her inside. Now that she was in my arms again, the last thing I wanted to do was let her go, but even Kenzi was looking at her anxiously. I needed the healer to look at her. “She may be your mate, but she still requires privacy. You may wait in my room while you get your report.”I sure as shit wanted a report. Like why my mate was near death, and why there was an extra person in the group. Janelle. The witch. Her eyes were practically glued to the floor.“I will be right next door, and I’ll return as soon as Saul is done. Whatever Emerson did to you…” I couldn’t finish it. “We’ll find a way to make it better. I swear it.”She gave me a tight smile and nodded. Slowly, the group herded out of the room next door.This plan had been five weeks in the planning, and it was the flimsies
FerraraThe small little honeyed wolf was curled up tightly in the bed. She gave me a half-hearted wag as I sat on the edge and gently stroked my hand over the top of her head. “Is it all right if I join you?”Another thump of the tail. I settled back against the wall and resisted the urge to pull the small wolf in my lap. My own wolf rose inside me, but he didn’t try to take control. Instead, he just came close enough so Violetta’s wolf could feel me.She sighed and leaned against me.“I guess I should catch you up on what happened,” I began. “The crone called. She was furious that her maiden had been hiding out on our land, so after she finished blistering my ears, she provided some information on Amaya and her twin, Yelena. Apparently, they were close. So close that when Amaya came for the maiden position, the crone was certain both of them were there. She admitted that she’d performed a spell to separate two souls when Amaya disappeared.She assumed the spell worked, and the twins
ViolettaIt was nightfall by the time I awakened from within my wolf. Tentatively, I surfaced and took stock. My wolf was curled up next to a warm body and was sleeping soundly. I’d declined any drugs from Saul, so the pain must have ebbed if she was so relaxed.Or maybe it was the heat radiating next to me.Ferrara had returned after Emerson knocked on the door and hadn’t left my side. I’d listened to his soft voice as he caught me up on everything that had happened, but then I’d retreated deeply.Once I was human, he’d have questions, and I wasn’t sure how he’d feel when I answered them.But unfortunately, I had to pee, and I couldn’t just waltz out of the motel room as a wolf and squat. With a sigh, I started to shift.“Violetta? Baby?” Ferrara held perfectly still while I uncurled myself from the bed. “How do you feel?”“Pee,” I mumbled and tried to stand. “I have to pee.”“Okay. I got you.” He tried to take my hand, and I pulled away. For a moment, we stared at each other. “Sorry
The moment the clock on the washed-up wall struck twelve, the shadows emerged.The rain was pelting down heavily now, as lightning blazed across the dark, furious sky, revealing half a dozen silhouettes just a few feet from the three, huge sycamore trees down the path that led to our little house. Panic lodged itself in my chest as I looked back to alert my father. “Father, look!”Before I could finish my sentence, they were already edging closer to the door, their eyes beaming a conspicuous yellow in the dark."Forgive me, Violetta," Father said, grabbing and hurling me toward them like a bowling ball before shifting into his wolf form and breaking through the back door. I cried out in pain as two bodies went down under me. Shock turned to immobilizing fear, and fear turned to tears.Strong, powerful hands pulled me back up. "Hold her."Two words. All he said, but that voice...it was mesmerizing.Confused, I snapped my head around, but he had already shifted. His wolf, though smallis
Three years laterI let out a sigh when Charlie's hands accidentally brushed against my butt for the third time in thirty minutes.I hated how patient I was with his antics, and there was no point in glaring at him or pushing his hand away. He'd just give me a sleazy grin and mouth sorry. It was just a show for the customers, or at least those customers who didn't know who I was. When we were alone, he didn't even bother with the fake apology, but the shitty grin always remained.He didn't have to apologize to me. I didn't deserve it.I didn't deserve anything.So I tried my best to ignore him as I pulled the wine out of the cooler beneath the bar and faked a smile at the customer in front of me. "Our chicken caprese sliders would go great with this wine," I said as I pulled the cork. After pouring his glass, I nudge the menu in front of him."Caprese, huh," he grunted as he eyed me, the gleam of his wolf front and center. I didn't need my own wolf to tell me that he was more powerful
I sank as low as I could against the floor in total submission, thankful I hadn't let my wolf out earlier. Had I done that, she would have clawed through the floorboards, certain she wasn't worthy of being on the same level as Ferrara.Pathetic.Ferrara guffawed, and my skin flushed with humiliation, while my mind raced. Why had he dropped by today? For three whole years, we hadn't seen each other, and it wasn't like he always came around when I wasn't at work. I lived right above the bar. I was always here, so he had over a million opportunities to come see me if he cared.But knowing Ferrara, and his hatred for me, I figured he'd just left me here to rot with the bar.I changed tactics, throwing myself at work and making sure the Confections bar turned around and began making more profit than before. I'd hoped that by doing so I would gain his attention. Prove that I could have a purpose in the pack.I was dead wrong.Nothing. Not a glimpse. Not a note of thanks, or appreciation. It
"You have to learn to trust me at some point."The whisper in my ear heated my skin, and I tried not to wiggle against the body pressed to mine. I didn't understand what he wanted."You. I want you."And he could always read my thoughts. Damn irritating.His low chuckle filled the darkness as his hand slid over my belly. I was naked. I was always naked, floating in the nothingness, and he was always here.A dream. Just a dream, except I wasn't asleep. Not always. Not this time."It's hard to see you and not touch you. To see you and know that you won't let me hold you."Let him? Nobody let Ferrara do anything. If he wanted to hold me, he would.And that's how I knew it wasn't real. This was just the mate I wanted. The hero. The one who would listen and understand.That was not the real Ferrara Knox."Are you wet, baby? Let me see."I never stopped him. Never wanted to stop him. My body never reacted this way to anyone, and what was the harm? Instead, I turned toward him, threw my thig
The phone on the bar rang, and I jerked my head up. It was almost four o'clock in the morning. Who the hell would be calling Confections bar at this time?Convinced it was a wrong number, I went back to my job. I was so close to finishing, and Charlie had already told me that I needed to be back at eight in the morning for inventory.The phone rang again. With a sigh, I dropped the rag and crossed the rough wooden floor. Wiping my hands on my pants, I looked down and swore. My pants were streaked with the damn oil. It would be a nightmare to try and wash out, assuming that I would ever have the time to do laundry.This was my only pair of jeans. Leaving the bar to go shopping wasn't exactly an option.I did my best to stay tucked away in my own corner, and I didn't exactly have a ton of money. I didn't get a paycheck, but I did get tips from people who didn't know who I was.Or at least, I did until Charlie had copied the key to my apartment. My squirreled-away money disappeared, and
ViolettaIt was nightfall by the time I awakened from within my wolf. Tentatively, I surfaced and took stock. My wolf was curled up next to a warm body and was sleeping soundly. I’d declined any drugs from Saul, so the pain must have ebbed if she was so relaxed.Or maybe it was the heat radiating next to me.Ferrara had returned after Emerson knocked on the door and hadn’t left my side. I’d listened to his soft voice as he caught me up on everything that had happened, but then I’d retreated deeply.Once I was human, he’d have questions, and I wasn’t sure how he’d feel when I answered them.But unfortunately, I had to pee, and I couldn’t just waltz out of the motel room as a wolf and squat. With a sigh, I started to shift.“Violetta? Baby?” Ferrara held perfectly still while I uncurled myself from the bed. “How do you feel?”“Pee,” I mumbled and tried to stand. “I have to pee.”“Okay. I got you.” He tried to take my hand, and I pulled away. For a moment, we stared at each other. “Sorry
FerraraThe small little honeyed wolf was curled up tightly in the bed. She gave me a half-hearted wag as I sat on the edge and gently stroked my hand over the top of her head. “Is it all right if I join you?”Another thump of the tail. I settled back against the wall and resisted the urge to pull the small wolf in my lap. My own wolf rose inside me, but he didn’t try to take control. Instead, he just came close enough so Violetta’s wolf could feel me.She sighed and leaned against me.“I guess I should catch you up on what happened,” I began. “The crone called. She was furious that her maiden had been hiding out on our land, so after she finished blistering my ears, she provided some information on Amaya and her twin, Yelena. Apparently, they were close. So close that when Amaya came for the maiden position, the crone was certain both of them were there. She admitted that she’d performed a spell to separate two souls when Amaya disappeared.She assumed the spell worked, and the twins
Ferrara“Saul.” The lump in my throat was so large that I could barely get the words out. “She’s so damn cold.”“Then let’s get her warm.” Ever the steady wolf, Saul opened the door to my room, and I carried her inside. Now that she was in my arms again, the last thing I wanted to do was let her go, but even Kenzi was looking at her anxiously. I needed the healer to look at her. “She may be your mate, but she still requires privacy. You may wait in my room while you get your report.”I sure as shit wanted a report. Like why my mate was near death, and why there was an extra person in the group. Janelle. The witch. Her eyes were practically glued to the floor.“I will be right next door, and I’ll return as soon as Saul is done. Whatever Emerson did to you…” I couldn’t finish it. “We’ll find a way to make it better. I swear it.”She gave me a tight smile and nodded. Slowly, the group herded out of the room next door.This plan had been five weeks in the planning, and it was the flimsies
ViolettaEight wolves descended on Kenzi. I recognized Emerson as he pulled her off me and threw her across the clearing. When he stared down at me, there was nothing but disgust in his eyes. No worry. No compassion.When he growled, I whimpered and tried to drag myself away. Finally, he shifted back to human. “Leave her,” he commanded his other wolves. “Kill her, and we’ll start a war that we’re not prepared for yet.”Turning my head, I watched numbly as Kenzi fought off her attackers. Her eyes on me, she snarled. “Leave my territory,” he said dismissively. “I can’t have you killing my mate, now can I?”She shot one more look at me and then bounded away. Nobody followed her. Their eyes were on Emerson, waiting for instructions, but his attention was fully on me. “Shift before you die,” he said mildly.Painfully, I tried to sit up but pain exploded in my hip. Kenzi had, no doubt, broken several bones. “Can’t,” I whimpered. “She’s too scared.”Emerson cursed loudly and turned to his wo
ViolettaIt was a full thirty minutes after I’d returned to the apartment that there was a shimmer in the air. “It’s clear,” I said in a low voice and moved to the television. I picked a music channel with angry chick rock to play just in case the guards could hear through the door, which I doubted.“If you’re here to trick me, I won’t think twice about shoving a knife through your heart,” I told her.“I expect nothing less. I assume from your get-up that Kenzi is here?”“My outfit is none of your business. Tell me what the hell is going on.”“Very well. The short version is that unlike the other pack witches, I did not ask for sanctuary and protection. I was taken nearly three years ago. I’ve never been to this godforsaken mountain in my life. I was taken by another witch with a spell much like what happened with Amaya, only I wasn’t killed. I’ve been used ever since, and when Emerson learned that my magic isn’t all that strong, abused.”“Why didn’t you say anything to the other witc
ViolettaIt took every ounce of energy not to scream. At her smug expression, I forced a slow smile and ignored the lump forming in my throat. "Congratulations," I managed.Did this explain why there was darkness in my mating bond? Ferrara had found a way to dampen it magically so he could be with Kenzi?This was what I wanted. This was what was best for the pack. Best for him. This was why I left.But damn it, I thought it might take a little more time to happen.Kenzi's eyes dropped to my necklace and she gasped. "Oh, how pretty! I'm going to have to tell Ferrara to get me one. I would look amazing in black diamonds."She would.Popping on the barstool, she waved Emerson away. "Give me a few minutes to catch up with my old friend, will you?"Emerson hesitated. "A few minutes. Violetta doesn't like to be distracted from work.""No. She wouldn't. That bar was the only thing she cared about." Turning her head, she watched Emerson walk away, and then she snapped her head and sneered. "D
ViolettaA dark bruise formed on my cheek the next day. I dressed for work and opened the door only to find a female guard waiting for me. She bustled her way into my suite, covered my bruise with makeup and pinned the necklace back around my neck. "It's so pretty. You should show it off," she said mildly.Right. So pretty.The first hour of opening the bar was usually a quiet one for me. Everyone else was busy at their stations, the manager was counting the money, and it was just me, flipping on the automatic switch, and planning while I worked. Only today, I was constantly interrupted by a parade of my co-workers who wanted to admire the necklace. Their simpering made me sick to my stomach."Oh, how beautiful. Our alpha has amazing taste.""The two of you are like a fairy tale. I can't wait to find a mate of my own who treats me like this.""He loves you so much."Don't vomit. Just smile and nod. You can survive if you just smile and nod.Hiding the necklace down my shirt, I opened
ViolettaThe regiment was always the same. After my shift ended, I had three hours to relax, shower, and prepare for dinner. As always, there was a dress laid out on the chair. Not the bed, as if that was somehow supposed to make me feel better.I wasn't an idiot. I knew the suite was searched every day while I was gone. There were little things I would note before I left and saw that they'd been moved. Sometimes it was a lampshade turned just a little. Once, I'd tucked the edge of some thread under the rug and found it in the corner when I got home. My bedsheet was tucked differently. Emerson told me that he would have the maid come in every day, but I'd asked to keep my own suite clean. He'd relented, but it hadn't stopped him from searching the rooms.Tonight's dress was red. Most of the dresses were red. That seemed to be Emerson's favorite color. The dresses were never the same. Either the pack's seamstress was very busy or Emerson was spending an enormous amount of money clothin
ViolettaThe tap had run dry.As the liquid started to spurt and grow foamy, I put the glass down and smiled apologetically at the wolf waiting on the other side of the bar. "Sorry, it's going to be a few more minutes for that beer. I need to change the tap.""No worries." The woman flashed me an easy smile. "It'll give me a few more minutes to look over the menus. I'm loving all these new choices. Is that your doing?"I gave her a quick nod. "Just let me know if you have any questions. I'll be right back.""I'll do it, Violetta," Josh volunteered as he sat down the crate of clean glasses he'd just brought up from the back. "I know you're busy.""Great. Thanks, Josh. I appreciate it.""Anything for you."Hiding behind what I hoped was a friendly smile, I turned to address the newest customer who'd walked up. "Welcome to Hair of the Dog. What can I get you?"Hair of the Dog. Not the most original name for a bar in the middle of werewolf territory, but it was well-run. Emerson had insta