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
Ferrara"Breathe," I told Violetta as we approached the house. There was a new SUV parked in the drive. My phone had numerous texts about Emerson's arrival. I responded with a quick on my way which was then immediately followed up with a slew of questions about where I was.I declined to answer them. Violetta and I had both managed to snag some clothes, but there was still some blood on both of us. Luckily, none of it was hers.Or I'd ask a witch to resurrect Bridget and Dean so I could kill them.Bridget. Just the thought of her opened up a cold darkness inside of me. She was my third in command. How dare she betray me like this?"What?" Violetta asked."You're not breathing. Emerson will not touch you, but if you can't stand to be in the same house as him or even on the same land, just say the word. I'll find some place safe for you.""So now you're concerned about finding me a safe place?"There was a tone of bitterness in her voice, and my chest squeezed. I'd been so fucking wrong
ViolettaAfter dinner, Ferrara excused us, citing pack business that needed seeing to. I had no idea where we were going, and he didn't say a word until we reached The Confections bar. With a few quiet words, he dismissed the guards, and we headed straight up to the small apartment I used to call home. When he closed the door behind us, he leaned heavily against it and closed his eyes."How are you feeling?" Agitated, I started to pace the small area."Drained. The spell saps you of the change, but it's takes everything we have in us. That ability is written in every cell of our body. It'll take time to recharge. Why are you running from me?"Running? It took me a moment to realize that he meant my pacing. It had taken me all the way across the apartment."Habit," I said restlessly. "In this space, I'm not really used to welcoming others.""You're angry with me." Locking the door, he moved to the armchair and sat heavily in it.Ignoring his statement, I walked to the opposite window a
ViolettaBegging. I truly never thought I'd see the day. I wanted to hold on to my fury. For so long, that was all I had, but not when he looked at me like that. Not when he said those words. At his apology, the fight went out of me, and I slowly walked toward him. Now that we were no longer in the presence of the other alphas, his wolf had retreated. I'd never seen Ferrara look so weak before. Climbing into his lap, I rested my head on his chest and placed a hand over his heart. Thankfully, it was still beating strong under my touch.With my anger gone, I didn't know how to talk to him. Communicating intimacy wasn't something I was good with. It was unfair for me to expect anything different from him. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll keep working at it," I said lamely."Thank fuck," he growled, as his arms came around me. We stayed like that for a few minutes until I couldn't handle the silence anymore."Lunessa may cause problems.""True.""But if she hadn't shown up when she did, Fin
FerraraNeither Jenson nor Amelia said a word after I told them about Bridget. We were on the edge of the woods, no one around for miles, with no one to overhear."You killed her?" Jenson asked Violetta, who stood just slightly behind me. She hadn't wanted to be here for this, but I wasn't about to leave her alone in the house with Emerson and the other alphas."I didn't have a choice."Balling up his fists, Jenson turned and stalked away. He didn't go far, and I let him have his space. Amelia inhaled sharply. "I knew something was wrong with her. I should have pushed," she whispered. "These past few days, she'd been acting strangely. Did she kill Finn?""Finn is in the infirmary. He's healing, but slowly. You'll take over for guard duty with Violetta, and I want the two of you to visit him tomorrow and see if there anything else he can remember about the attack. His injuries are being kept under lock and key." I didn't tell her about Lunessa, but she'd learn eventually if the witch a
Ferrara"I'm an asshole," he said quietly to Violetta. "I'm sorry.""There is no need to apologize. I have done terrible things, and I've brought trouble down on your pack. There are days when I think the best thing I can do is run as far away from all of you as I can and just try to disappear.""I would find you," I said instantly. "You don't get to run away and do this on your own. Not ever again."She graced me with a brief smile, but I feared that she would run one day. No matter how safe I made her feel. She'd spent years thinking she was better off on her own, and all I'd done was push her away.I needed to start making a home for her so she would realize that we were stronger together."You have your assignments. Get some sleep. The next few days won't be easy."We went our separate ways. Violetta, I noticed, walked just a few steps behind me. Reaching back, I captured her hand and pulled her forward. She resisted just a little but then relaxed."You were resistant to other peo
ViolettaAfter only a few hours of sleep, I slipped out of the house right after dawn. Ferrara was meeting with the other wolves for breakfast, but I didn't feel up to looking at Emerson just yet.And that made me ashamed. I was stronger than I used to be, and I'd faced down Marsh.Emerson couldn't touch me here, but just the thought of him conjured memories that made my stomach twist.Ferrara tried to tell me that there was no shame in it, but I still couldn't shake the feeling. If Amelia was annoyed at having to meet at the house at such an early hour, she didn't show it."Finn first. Then the woods, and then Irene," I said as I climbed into the truck. "And if I didn't say so last night, I'm sorry, Amelia.""You didn't have a choice, did you?" Without looking at me, she started the vehicle and pulled out. "And she tried to kill Finn.""You care for him.""She liked him. She thought he'd make a good wolf. How did you get the jump on the two of them anyway? They were both stronger tha
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