Violetta“Release me,” I said in a cold tone as I stared at the witch. “Now.”It was a gamble. I had no idea what the spell was supposed to do. If I’d more time to study the magic wrapping around, I could hazard a guess. I doubted it was meant to do anything too drastic, or Maeve and her witch would be immediately accused.No, it had to be curiosity.Ferrara snarled, and the magic was gone. Maeve frowned at the witch, but Cam’s face was still calm as she bowed her head. “My apologies,” she murmured. “I feared my magic would be erratic here. Sometimes it acts without me.”Maeve turned to Ferrara. “I apologize. She did mention her magic was seeping out, but I didn’t think it would attack anyone.”“Not attack,” Cam said quickly. “My magic was just drawn to her.”“Apologize to her,” Ferrara said, his eyes still glowing gold. “Not me, and do not allow it to happen again.”Turning, Cam bowed again. “I apologize. I did not mean to alarm you. I am anxious.”I could definitely understand her a
ViolettaLuckily, we were just pulling into Irene's driveway.There were five guards outside her house. Apparently, Ferrara had upped security for the alpha meeting.Maeve noticed."Worried about something?" She asked as she got out of the car."Not at all," Ferrara said easily. "I simply want to make sure my witch knows she's safe now."One of the guards opened the door to the cottage and glared at me. It took me a moment to recognize Roy, but I tried not to show my discomfort as I walked passed him. Irene was waiting for us with a tray of tea.She was as white as a sheet."Alpha," she greeted. "Violetta. Alpha Frost, welcome."Her gaze slid by Maeve, and her eyes widened. "Cam?""Hello, Irene," Cam said in a hard voice. "You seem surprised to see me.""I was expecting your father." Her eyes widened. "Oh, I am so sorry, Cam. They told me a witch was killed, but I had no idea it was Bao."Her eyes filled with tears, but Cam looked anything but sympathetic. There was clearly some histo
Ferrara"Irene," I said in a stern voice. "Release her."I felt Irene's arm waver, but we both knew she didn't have the power to go through with her threat. Instead, she released Cam.Maeve drew herself up to her full height. "And here we all thought your witch was powerless," she hissed.Clearing her throat, Cam brushed herself off. "She is," she said before offering a soft smile."My father said you were so powerful you could command the wind with your pinky. But for now, that is all you can do."Irene tossed her hand experimentally and frowned. "And now it appears that I cannot even do that. I hope you found whatever it is you are looking for. I am now defenseless against the other witches."Narrowing my eyes at Maeve, I snarled. "Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't kick you and your witch off my land right now, and don't you dare tell me that she was acting of her own accord. I saw you signal to her to attack.""I will not apologize. It was a non-lethal attack," Maeve sai
ViolettaLondon Elwes arrived first. The alpha was as quiet and unreadable as his pack. The deepest into the mountains, the Snake River pack was the smallest and they kept to themselves. When my brother was alpha, London's predecessor wanted to merge the two packs in a violent manner.He might have succeeded too, had I not realized what was happening.A month before my brother challenged my father, I nearly took control of the Snake River when I killed their alpha. Instead, I ceded to London and set my sights on better protecting my own.I had very little contact with London, although his beer was apparently making the rounds.His witch, Ava Starret, was an older woman although it was impossible to tell her age.London's second helped her out of the car, and she looked me over coolly. "Alpha Ferrara," she said as her eyes darkened. "You're standing at a crossroads, and you're choosing the wrong path.""I love a little premonition first thing in the morning," I said as I bowed my head.
Violetta"Why is Maeve Frost so interested in you anyway?" Amelia asked Finn as she sat cross-legged on the new bar that had just been installed early this morning.Finn, tenser than ever, didn't like that I wasn't in the office. The bar had its own door and far too many windows, not to mention, it had a separate entry into the kitchen. Despite the extra manpower watching me, Finn still thought I was too exposed in the bar.I understood. I really did, but I'd just spent three hours in my small, cramped office listening to the others complain outside. Bridget was third in the pack. She hated bodyguard duty, even if we'd sort of become friends. Amelia was fine with it but antsy, and she seemed to get off on poking at Finn. The other three guards who rotated between outside and inside were not quiet about their own annoyance for guarding the fake mate.Fake mate. I couldn't even complain about it. It was how I felt about myself, wasn't it?But a girl can only take so much, so I was spend
Ferrara"He killed Parker." Pain threaded through Jenson's voice. "He killed his own father. Why?"I swiped through the security feed again while Jenson drove. "Parker must have found him.Felt him through the family bond or something. Dean killed him to keep his secret."In the corner frame of the video, taken two weeks before Parker's death, Dean shifted. It almost wasn't caught on camera, which was why it didn't set off any alarms, but in his place, a massive red wolf stood.Just like his father. Red wolves weren't rare, but they weren't super common. I should have thought of Dean when we were talking about red wolves, but it didn't make sense. Dean was young, and not a crazed killer.At least, when I knew him, he wasn't.He'd been on my land for weeks before Parker's death. Weeks without me knowing. What the hell had he been doing?Spying on Violetta."Finn isn't answering his phone. Neither is Violetta or Bridget." The restaurant was right up ahead, and immediately, I knew someth
Violetta"You must have shit your pants when Ferrara separated from you in Wisteria Woods," I said to Bridget while I perched on a ridiculous pink rock. She and Dean were actually digging with shovels. I had no idea what they were digging for, but if it was my grave, I wasn't about to just jump into it."You have no idea," Bridget growled. "But even the Darkwyn witches couldn't see what we had planned.""Which would be?""Stop talking to her," Dean snapped. "And dig. The others will have figured out you lied to them. I told you to kill them, not send them away.""How was I supposed to kill five guards? I didn't know Ferrara would care so much about her," Bridget grumbled and returned to her digging."Really? Or maybe you just didn't want to kill your friends. You liked Finn, didn't you? You didn't want to have to kill him." There had to be some speck of loyalty in her. Some reason that Ferrara trusted her. If I could just reach that, maybe I could get out of this mess."I'm guessing P
Violetta"Help him."With every breath, Ferrara seemed to grow weaker under my touch. The bullet was lodged in his chest. If he remained human for much longer, it would be fatal.There was only reason I could think of that the maiden would be here was if she was here to betray us all. Everyone else around us had.But she was my friend, and if there was even the slightest chance that I was wrong, I had to cling to it. "Please help him. The spell is already latched on to him. I can't absorb it.""You can," she said as she crouched down and examined him. "You are bonded with him.You can absorb the spell and turn it to dust.""I don't know how to do that. He's going to die!""Violetta, the power you have is not something that you do. It's simply who you are. Release the panic, focus on the bond, and let your instincts take over. You can do this."She moved away from us, perched on a boulder, and stared down at me like I had all the time in the world.I was seriously considering scratchin
ViolettaI did as much good at Indigo Peak as I could while I was there, but few of the wolves were happy to see me, so I spent most of my time in my room reviewing Maeve's books in an attempt to help Finn get organized. I ignored all the massive journals the crazed woman had collected. I was no longer the ternary, and they had nothing to do with me.Lunessa, Irene, and the other witches helped identify the small faction of witches who'd been working against Maeve. Most of them were imprisoned. Some were in the field when Lunessa stole their magic. And some were dead. There were enough that, in a few months, the land might be healed enough to start growing again, just in time for spring.At least, that was the hope.Leaving Finn was difficult. I didn't know where he was mentally, but I knew Indigo Peak needed his help, and he would provide it.And when Amelia returned with us, tears in her eyes, I tried not to get involved. Finn was making a mistake, but he would realize that. In due
ViolettaImmediately, I stepped inside the circle and felt the magic drain away. "I don't have magic anymore, but even if I did, none of this is for me. It was for a deranged woman to hold on to a memory of when she thought she was in control. She's dead now, and I don't need this place to know that I had a happy family once. And I don't need to bring any of that up. I have enough happiness in my immediate past."Finn stared at the home as the flowers started to wither and the wood started to break down. Its age was catching up to it. "I could burn it to the ground," he said darkly."I think you should. I love that you wanted to give me a choice, but this place doesn't mean anything to me, and it's a symbol of Indigo Peak's troubled past. Burn it and make way for the future. You're going to be an amazing alpha, and if you'll let me, I'll come visit often to check in on you. I'm going to miss you and Amelia.""You're more than welcome, Violetta. I'll demand your visits, seeing as how I
ViolettaI woke up alone. For a moment, I thought I was back in Maeve's grip, chained to the wall, listening to Finn's cries as they tormented him. Tears pricked my eyes until I heard a voice in the room."Violetta."The hoarse whisper calmed me, and I took a deep breath. I was not alone. Maeve was dead. I'd been certain that Ferrara had been in the room with me at one point, but he was gone now. Sitting up, I looked over at the other bed. Lunessa looked only marginally better than she did before as she smiled at me. "You did it."When she started to cough, I rolled out of bed and made my way to her. Snuggling up next to her, I grabbed her water and held it up to her. "So did you. Lunessa, the amount of magic you displayed was insane. How are you?""Depleted," she admitted as she sipped her water. "And scared that I might not bounce back.""How did you do it?"She sipped the water more and leaned against me. Less than a year ago, she was the Maiden, a witch who'd saved my life once, e
Ferrara"Ferrara," London said in a low voice. "You are growling at the kitchen staff."Immediately, I pulled myself back. A dozen wolves stared at us, frightened. "My apologies. My thoughts are elsewhere," I told Finn. "Please continue."The staff cleared their throats. "We have access to large herds here, and we used to use the witches to magic the land to provide for the wild game so we could eat fresh all year. With the magic repurposed," one wolf said carefully, "much of the game fell ill. We tried to preserve meat, but our previous alpha believed in eating fresh and shut us down."Finn frowned. "I believe in eating fresh but also storing when prepping for leaner months. I'll speak to the witches about healing the land once more, but I won't know how long that will take. Do you have the supplies to cure the meat?"One wolf nodded. Finn looked over at us. "Do I have your permission to use some of your soldiers for an immediately hunt before you leave?"We all nodded, and the staff
FerraraFinn's eyes were red, and his wolf's power still spilled out of him as he sat stock still in the chair at a large conference table. Food was spread over the table, but it didn't look like he'd eaten any of it. Blood was still dried on his skin, and his clothes barely fit him.Two submissive wolves hovered uncertainly at the table, and as soon as we walked in, he dismissed them. They'd scurried out of the room like they'd been shot, and the doors slammed shut behind us."I cannot be alpha," Finn growled. "Not of this pack."I met his gaze head on and lifted an eyebrow. "It's a little late for that. You killed the previous alpha and slaughtered anyone who challenged, which, from what I can tell, included her second, third, and at least ten of her top guards.""I didn't realize that they were challenging me," he said tightly. "Do I have to die to relinquish my new position?"London, Elonso, and I exchanged looks and pulled out chairs at the table. I sniffed at the food. "Doesn't
FerraraPulling free from our captors, London and I raced up the hill. He got to Lunessa and yanked her from the stone before I could reach Violetta. A large, mutated wolf pounced at Violetta, and I dove into him. Teeth and claws raked into the flesh of my human form, but I ignored it. There was only one truth. If I didn't get to Violetta, she would be torn limb from limb.Shifting faster than I'd ever shifted in my life, I turned and raced back to her. With a roar, I pulled her chains from the rocks with my paws and turned back to her."Ferrara," she whispered and sank into the ground. "I'm sorry. I don't think I can walk, let alone shift. Help Finn."Finn didn't need my help. He was ripping through wolves at an alarming rate. I wasn't even sure he knew what he was doing.Violetta flinched, and I turned as another wolf tried to pounce. Ripping my claws into their flank, we tumbled, but as soon as I found my footing, I returned to her side.If she couldn't shift, she would be vulnerab
ViolettaThe outer ring of rocks on the hill were etched with symbols and held offerings to the elements. Water from the largest river on the mountain. A feather willingly given from a bird. Earth enriched and blessed. And fire sparked from the kindling of the land.Words from the spell rose up in my head as I was marched through the circle. Below me, an enormous audience had gathered. Most of the wolves were grotesque and foaming at the mouth. It seemed to take all of their energy to be still. Those who weren't mutated seemed so small, but there was nothing innocent in their gaze as they watched.In the silence, I heard someone roar Lunessa's name and then mine. Turning my head, I watched in horror as Ferrara and London were hauled to the front of the audience and forced to their knees. My gaze locked on to his, but there was nothing either of us could do.My chains were attached to one of the inner rocks, and on the other side, Lunessa, also dressed in white, was chained to the same
ViolettaI hadn't seen Finn all night, not since they dragged me away. I was taken to a completely different part of the building, three floors up, and chained to a different wall with a bed.Cozy.Instead of resting for the ritual, I pulled myself as close to the window as I could possibly get and stared outside. It was the same side of the building, the same view of the ritual circle. No new information presented itself, but while I was trying to find an escape, I was also searching for Ferrara.I could feel through the bond that he was close. Alive. Getting stronger every hour that passed. Hope flared inside of me.When the sun rose, the door opened. Three wolves and three witches stood before me. "Time to prepare," one of them said, her voice laced with excitement. She put a white dress on the bed.I glanced at it and snorted. "If you're hoping this is some kind of virginal sacrifice, I have bad news for you. I have been well-loved and well-fucked.""Don't be ridiculous. The magic
FerraraThere were at least fifteen dead wolves at our feet. Adrenaline surged through me, but I was losing too much blood. London could barely stand. A familiar male werewolf loomed over us."Ferrara. London." He spoke with a harsh rasp that further identified him. Dolan. Maeve's second-in-command. We never interacted much because Dolan rarely left the territory. Normally, her third traveled with her, something most alphas practiced, but Dolan was a different breed of wolf. Apparently, he enjoyed disciplining. There were rumors that Maeve had wolves in confinement for lifetime prison sentences, and Dolan liked to make them bleed, wait for the heal, and then rip them open all over again."I see you left your whipping station," I said hoarsely as I stood. My legs shook so badly that I nearly fell over again. "Just how many wolves did you bring to take us?""I have twenty more rogues on their way here," he said in a bored tone. "My alpha has commanded me to give you a choice. Continue t