[William’s POV]The next day, I stand between Jose and Charlie while members of Rosco’s pack work to prepare pallets for Elise and Uncle Hamilton. Once they’re in place, Rosco comes forward with a torch in hand. He doesn’t speak as he begins to set the pallets ablaze.As Elise’s body goes up in flame, I feel the last remaining pieces of my heart begin to shatter. This was it; there was no continuing to trick myself into believing that she would magically come back to life.I fix my gaze on Elise’s face as flames surround her body and lick at it, slowly burning away her clothes so they can begin on her skin, muscles, and bones.Swallowing the yell that wants to escape me, I watch on. As she disappears, it feels like a piece of me disappears with her, and when she is finally gone, I feel empty.“I’m sorry, man.” Charlie murmurs, clamping a hand on my shoulder. “I know you…”“Don’t,” I say slowly. “Just don’t say anything.”Although I know that he means well, I know that if I let him con
[Rosco’s POV]I wrap my arm around Denali and pull her against me as she stares at her father’s unmoving form. Where we touch, I can feel all of her emotions and know that what she did couldn’t have been easy but was necessary.“He got what was coming to him.” I murmur, kissing her cheek. “Don’t think too much about it.”“I know.” She sighs, finally dropping her weapon. “But do you truly think that all of this is over?”Was all this over? That was a damn good question. I knew that those responsible for threatening my daughter's well-being were taken care of, but that didn’t mean that more wouldn’t pop up in the future.For the time being, the best thing we could do was learn more about the original members of Denali’s mother’s pack and the curse that their leader brought about. With knowledge was power, and it would help us better understand what was happening and plan accordingly.“As long as I’m here, I won’t let anything happen.” I assure her. “I’ll protect you and Serenity with al
[Elise’s POV]I stare at the Goddess while she waits for me to decide what my next path will be. Of course, remaining here where there was no more suffering or pain was ideal, but I couldn’t just leave Serenity and those who I cared for back on earth to fend for themselves. However, even if I went back there, I wouldn’t be able to be a part of their world like I had been.A pang of pain shoots through me as William’s face appears in my mind, and the thought of him with another woman slams into me. Even if I were beside him again, I couldn’t tell him that I was me and that I would be so much younger than him.“Have you made a choice?” The Goddess asks when I meet her waiting gaze.“I…” I begin, knowing what would be the right thing to do. “I have.”Even if I went back there, where no one truly knew it was me, I could be with those I cared for once more, and I could keep my promise to Serenity. I would also get to redo the childhood that I was never given until it was time to attend the
A blood moon rises on the horizon, painting the ground with a bloody glow as it creeps closer and closer to the grounds of Emerald Moon, where a woman is beginning to feel the signs of labor.The packhouse comes alive in preparation for the arrival of an heir, while a group of cloak-clad figures also gather around a circle where a single woman lays bleeding from her wrists, ankles, and neck.As her blood stains the carved pendulum beneath her, the wind begins to swirl, and the dark beast's grunts and groans can be heard echoing around the cave they are safely tucked away in.“The cursed child is almost here,” one of the figures announces, causing excitement to grow around the group.For months, they felt the stirrings of the child and knew that the one they waited so long for was finally being reincarnated. Once the child was there, they simply had to capture it and raise it as their own so that it did exactly what it was that they wanted it to do.“Soon,” another murmurs, making thei
[Rosco’s POV]A bloody, red light bleeds into the room around us, coloring the floor and furniture to match the mood of the evening. On the bed, sitting in the middle of the room, Denali groans with pain as sweat covers her forehead and her body tenses.“Just a bit more,” Cecile, Denali’s midwife, announces. “I can see the head.”“You’re doing wonderfully,” I murmur, brushing a few strands of hair off her soaked skin. “Keep pushing, and soon it will all be over.”Nodding, Denali bites her lower lip so hard that it begins to ooze blood from being torn.As I watch, my heart squeezes painfully, and I find myself wishing that I could take away all the pain that my mate is feeling, but I know in the end she wouldn’t want it that way. Her body was doing an amazing thing, and I would worship her that much more after watching everything she was having to endure in order to bring our child into this world.“One more push!” Cecile announces, drawing my attention toward the bottom of the bed, wh
[Rosco's POV]I watch William’s retreating form for a moment longer before turning and heading back into the room where Denali is watching my mother cradle Serenity. When both ladies’ eyes come to rest on me, I place a smile on my face.“What do you think?” I ask, making my way over to my mother. “I think she looks like me.”Of course I’m joking, but it is easy to see the sadness in her gaze as she watches me. I’m sure she is thinking about how good it would be if my father were here for this, but with his stubbornness, there was no fucking way he would show his face.“I think she looks like Denali,” my mother counters, keeping her voice light. “But she does have your eyes.”Nodding, I look down into the tiny, bottomless pits that rest on my daughter’s face. She’s right; she’s definitely inherited the Torres’ eyes.“Too bad,” I sigh, running a hand through her soft tufts of hair. “I would prefer her to have Denali’s eyes.”At my words, I look over at the woman in question to find her
[Elise’s POV]“Alright,” I announce, fixing my gaze on Rosco. “Why did you want to get me alone?”As I speak, I yank my arm free of his hold and press my hand against his chest.“Did you want to rethink that rejection?”“Don’t be absurd,” he growls, smacking my hand off. “You know damn well that there will never be anything between us.”Smirking, I cross my arms and wait as he stares me down. I had to admit, it was pretty damn funny that he was so full of himself, and it was because of that that I couldn’t help but pick on him. Maybe it was a family trait since his cousin was equally fun to tease.“Then what did you want?” I ask when the silence continues to fall around us. “You ruined my chance to have more fun with your cousin, so it better be good.”“My cousin,” he repeats, his gaze narrowing. “I hope that you will be smart enough to know that you have no place beside him.”“Says who?” I demand, taking offense. “Don’t tell me that you have a cousin complex. Don’t you know that’s gr
[William’s POV]I don’t fight Elise as she begins to lead me away from my brooding cousin. While we move, I can feel his gaze burning into my back and know that when I return later, I’m going to have to deal with his wrath, but given the tense atmosphere between the two earlier, this was for the best in the end.“Thanks for playing along,” Elise sighs once we are out of earshot. “Sorry for using you.”As she speaks, she untangles her arms, but before she can fully release me, I reach out and grab her hand and hold it in place.“Are you just going to use me and throw me away?” I ask. “You and that sister of yours truly are the same.”“The same.” Elise repeats, her voice dripping with venom. “Then why was one of us kept and the other thrown away?”At her words, I feel my heart squeeze with sympathy."Unfortunately, I’m not the one that can answer that,” I admit, knowing this wasn’t the answer she wanted. “You should go straight to the source.”“Mmmm.”Tugging herself free, Elise wraps h