Teagan's Point of ViewHarland was sprawled out on the bed when I strolled in. Had one pillow tucked beneath him. Another between his legs. His mouth was partly open, although he was breathing through his nose. Light snores rumbled from his chest. The picture of peace.I strolled closer. Felt the weight of what I had to tell him settle onto my shoulders. But first, we had to phone Ciaran. To tell him that we might need to get an audience with the king one of these days. Or prepare for war, if we couldn't find out whether the king was behind this or not.I tried for a while to figure out what Reginald's motivations could be. Why he would want to attack the humans and let Phaedra take the fall for it? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.Money. All of this has to do with money. Wolves were wealthy beyond belief. Most of the Alpha's had generated income that far outweighed most of the humans. If he were to expose us and plunge us into a war, when we came out on the other end, he coul
Teagan's Point of ViewThe silence was deafening. I could hear my heart loudly inside the small bathroom. Dared not to look at Harland, even when I felt his body slip away from mine. Put space between us.Slowly, I turned my head. Looked at him with a fleeting glance.Only to find shock and fear written across his face. Seemed to become part of him. His hand was floating in the air between us."I- I- I thought you were on," He sucked in a deep breath. Now I could hear his heart hammering against his ribs. A fast pace that told me everything I already knew. "Birth control." The word came out like venom. Was spat into the air between us. He was accusing me of having done something so that the birth control would fail.It was a low blow but one I could sympathize with.Neither of us planned on becoming parents. The option only came into play when I discovered Ulrich and Bellamy. Not that we had discussed it beforehand. We didn't have the luxury of time for that.But now it was a pressi
Teagan's Point of ViewMy heart was caving in on itself. Chest tightened exponentially. Cut off my stream of oxygen in one swift go.The world was falling apart. Crashed and caved beneath my feet. Even as Bellamy and Ulrich rushed back in to tend to me. Even as I saw the last glimpse of Harland out in the front yard. My heart clenched. Lungs sputtered. And it felt like my entire body might cave in at any moment.He was gone. Gone. I asked for a divorce. Fucking hell. What have I done? Chosen a child I never knew over my own mate. The one mate I've had for the longest time. The one that loved me the most.All for a child I found out this morning I was going to have. No. Not just because of the child. Because he could insult me the moment he wasn't at an advantage anymore. The moment things weren't going his way, he slipped into that horrible state of mind. Blamed me for everything wrong in the world.It wasn't just because of the child. It just took me having this child to realize
Harland's Point of ViewNo one was home. Not my mother or my father.But I was more than pleased just to sit with Jessebelle in the kitchen. Around the same old table I grew up with. On the chairs I used to climb on and jump over when I wanted to play.All whilst Teagan watched and giggled. Encouraged me to go faster. Run harder. Jump higher. I had no idea why I had come here in the first place. What came over me that I chose to be here now? What was I going to say to my parents? You were right. We were incestuous monsters and never should have run away from home. That the life I led in Eiecrunt was horrible. Because none of it was true.My life had been perfect up until this point. We might have fought but we always got through things. Met in the middle on all occasions. Except this. "I never thought I would see you again, my dear boy," Jessebelle said and placed a tall glass of cold chocolate milk in front of me.My favorite, ever since I was a child. She made it for me whenev
Teagan's Point of ViewUlrich was curled up beside me on the bed. Tucked into a fetal position that had my back aching for him. Bellamy was sleeping on the end of the bed. His feet hung down the other side. Head barely held its perch on the mattress. Both of them were knocked out for the night. Insisted on sleeping in the same bed as me, just in case something happened.Neither snored, thank the goddess, but even if they didn't, I couldn't fall asleep. Kept staring at the ceiling with a hollow ache in my chest.Where was Harland? Had he booked himself into a hotel? Called Ciaran to arrange a flight home for him. Or had he gone to my parents and confessed all of his sins to them? Begged them for forgiveness for the past nine years.Bitterness gripped my heart and I stifled down a growl of anger.At least the nausea medication worked. Kept most of my dinner down. Made sure that I wouldn't pass out from malnutrition.Glancing at Ulrich, I noticed his lips tugging up into a smile. Eyelid
Bellamy's Point of View"We need Teagan here if you want to discuss starting erecting the mine itself. Neither of us has the authority to clear funds. Only Ciaran or Alvara can do that. And we both know neither will deal with the likes of us." I said, keeping as much of my irritation out of my voice. Jonah gave me a flat stare. "That's why I asked for the both of you to be here. Not just you. I have hired everyone I needed to and arranged for housing for them closer to the site as well. Now we need to start construction and you just, what? Happened to feel like leaving her home?" He matched my energy inch for inch.Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms over my chest. "I told you, she is sick. She needs time to recover before getting back on the job. Can't it wait another week or two?" There was no way in fucking hell I would tell him what was really going on. That she was pregnant and that Harland left her. Or she left him. Either way, she needed some space for now and not have to wor
Bellamy's Point of View The Sandy Mug was on the other side of the pack. Was a rudimentary dive bar that I never thought to visit, seeing as only the most unsavory of characters went there. The bottom feeders of the pack that my father often used to do his dirty work. In hindsight, that sounded a lot more petty than it should have been. As if I was the most vain of men. But back then, I was. Now I just wondered how absolutely furious Harland was to be able to knock out a few of their patrons. The same wolves who carried guns wherever they went. Caused so many fights that my father stopped caring about getting shit under control on that side. Harland had managed to scare the bartender enough that he called me personally. What a large fucking tantrum he was throwing. When I walked in, the music seemed to go down a notch or two. The crowd hushed themselves. Eyes scanned the room to find me. No one had ever seen me here before. Wouldn't see me after this, either. I was here for o
Bellamy's Point of ViewThere was laughter coming from the kitchen when I walked in. Rich and vibrant. A sound I always wanted to hear when I came home from work. Teagan sat on the counter, watching Ulrich mix things together and making a mockery of it. Flour covered most of the kitchen island surface. Left the kitchen in a light white sheen. Even Teagan had some on her clothes. Hair. From my point of view, I could see her ankles crossed over each other. Swinging in front of her as she leaned forward, toward Ulrich and his nonsense.The soldier must have been dying on the inside because of the mess. His eyes glanced at all the dirty dishes from time to time, no doubt reassuring himself that it was fine not to clean up the mess just yet. That this made Teagan happy and that it was worth the mess.She wasn't sad or crying. No longer moping around.And he would do anything to see her smile."Stop laughing at me. I never learned to cook. Why would I have had to?" Ulrich huffed and crac
7 Months Later Teagan's Point of View "Who has the baby bag!" Ulrich screamed, flitting from room to room as he scrambled to get the one thing he was tasked with. "Already in the car," I mumbled, slipping out of my soaked nightgown. Although I doubted he heard me. No one could hear me above their panic right now. Who thought the baby would come in the middle of the night? Not fucking me. Not when I had finally figured out a way to sleep with such an enormous stomach. "Did you install the car seat like I asked?" Bellamy screamed back. I could hear him in the living room. He had forgotten to set up the spare cot downstairs. Thought now would be a good time to do it. Rolling my eyes, I slipped into a clean dress. Didn't bother with underwear. They were going to come off, anyway. "I can't find the fucking car keys! Who had them last?" Harland screamed. The house was echoing with their voices. Bounced around relentlessly. So it was no help to remind him that they were on the
Bellamy's Point of View"Where is he!" I screamed down the moist hallway. Down here in the earth, everything was damp. Which was strange, given we were in the middle of a desert.But that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was Felix. The bastard wasn't anywhere near the cells. Hell, his scent wasn't even here, which meant he had never made it down here to begin with. "Heir, sir, Alpha," The guard nervously stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. "From the list in the office, he was brought here right after you asked. The last man on duty here even swore he had booked him in."He had lied, no doubt. Or this little maggot was. Either way, Felix had never been here. No doubt thanks to all of his bribery. "Find him! The enemy is on our doorstep and you let our only fucking bargaining chip escape!" I roared and spun on my heels to march back the way I had come in. We had evacuated everyone in the town within an hour. Left only shells for homes and shops. Mariland and Keagan
Teagan's Point of View"Get most of the civilians to the ranch! Don't trust fucking any of the guards! The moment they try something funny, kill without mercy." Bellamy all but screamed as we stopped in front of the house.The two cars that had followed us from the desert were barely full, compared to when they left with us in the first place. So many of Bellamy's men had turned. Or died. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, clinging to his arm. Watched as his face shifted. Took in everything around us all at once.Those caramel eyes turned towards me. Blinked slowly."Why did you call my brother?" Bellamy asked in a whisper that no one else would be able to hear.Not with all of the commotion taking place around us.I stiffened. Twitched my eyes away from him.I knew he was going to be upset. I just hadn't thought it would come so soon. Not when we were still in crisis mode."Because I would rather take his help than see any of you in a grave. We need his man-power and he is more
Teagan's Point of ViewWe headed out into the eastern part of the desert with several guards in tow. The ones who stayed behind with Felix were informed of the situation and instructed to keep him shackled at all times.Killing him wasn't an option. Not until we could safely get Jonah back. The moment we had him or deemed him-I swallowed down the lump in my throat, shoving the thought that he might already be gone to the back of my mind.Bellamy was never going to forgive himself if he didn't say goodbye to his father. Especially after the note Jonah had left in his last file.As if he knew he was walking into his death."There... On the dune just past that large outcropping." Ulrich said from the passanger side.He was looking west now. Scanned the horizon fervently with the stars shining down on us.Out here in the middle of the night was the best time. With no light pollution, the air was clear. The Milkyway a shiny symbol above us.But in the direction Ulrich was looking, someone
Teagan's Point of ViewThe end note left my mind reeling. Shot a wave of dizziness through my body. Jonah knew. Knew about Harland being here and about Ulrich. Knew that we had taken some of his files. And he had done nothing about it. Actually counted on the fact that we might come snooping again.Now he was somewhere in the desert, likely dead, from what the note implied."We have to tell Bellamy." I breathed, feeling my lungs quiver with each word.Ulrich's eyes shot towards mine. Eyebrows nearly touched his hairline. "There is no fucking way I'm letting you go down there by yourself. We might not be able to hear what is happening but I can assure you, it isn't going to be pretty." "His father can be somewhere out there fighting for his fucking life and you just want to keep that from him when we can try and help?" I screeched, balling my hands into tight fists.A sheepish look passed over his face then. One of pain as well. "It's not like the guy is winning the Father of the Yea
Teagan's Point of ViewHarland moved closer to me on instinct. Shifted his weight to his dominant leg. Geared himself up for a confrontation if the need arose."What do you mean he can handle himself? Why would he have to?" I pushed more, feeling a shift of energy all around me.Felix gave me another long and cruel smile. Took one step forward before I noticed several men behind him. All tall and menacing. Brooding hulks that engulfed the space we stood in.None of them looked familiar. Or even scented to me that I knew them."Let's just say that Jonah isn't the only one fighting for his life right now." My heart slammed into my throat. Bellamy. He was talking about Bellamy. Harland sensed my urgency. Spun around and pushed me lightly to the staff door on the other side of the kitchen. "Go. I can handle this." He urged, fear lacing his voice.He was my mate and I loved him dearly. But he wasn't the best fighter around. Ulrich, on the other hand, was.I nodded and broke for the door
Teagan's Point of View Even with everything aired out, Harland barely looked my way. His shoulders were still sagging. Hair fell into his eyes. And whenever I tried to make eye contact with him he would look away the moment he noticed. The air wasn't clear yet. "He is going to be away for two days. I say we haul up in the pack house and start digging for whatever we can find on him. I told him I'm your new assistant, so he won't question my scent. Harland can lead the run tonight so that no one questions your absence too much. Get the shit and-" Bellamy shook his head in the driver's seat. Locked eyes with me in the back of the car. At least Harland had agreed to drive with us instead of walking. "No. I'll go lead the run. They won't expect Teagan to be there, seeing as the news of her pregnancy has spread like wildfire. Jonah can smell Harland in the house when he gets back because by then we will have everything we need to dethrone him. Just make sure that Felix doesn't j
Ulrich's Point of View Their family was fucked up. Beyond fucked up. Made me thankful that I had grown up in the foster system. Drama on drama on drama. Like there was no end to it. But it shaped Harland and Teagan into who they were. Gave me the greatest blessing I could ever have. Teagan. Our baby. A future where I didn't have to kill or maim. A stable home. Well, it was going to be a stable home the minute all of this madness passed. Died down. Which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, I was sure of that. "Harland. Wait up!" I screamed and followed him down the driveway. If he heard me, he gave no sign of it. Continued marching toward the gate and away from all the shit this place gave him. "Harland!" I tried again and upped my pace. Broke into a sprint. When I touched his shoulder, he whirled on me. Those were tears in his eyes. Snot peeking out from his nose. He was crying. And I could feel his pain as if it were my own. "Something wrong?" He asked, wiping his face
Teagan's Point of View Jessebelle brought out tea and coffee for everyone. Stood at the door and watched as the drama unfolded. Her little smirk of satsifaction upon seeing Mariland's distraught face was enough to make me smile as well. "Now then, we have something to drink. The mood in the room seems to be less intense. Care to explain what happened?" Bellamy asked, placing his coffee on the small table in the middle of the room. We were sitting around the living room like we were friends. Discussing the weather and upcoming plans. Like we weren't hoping the other would just fall over and die. Keagan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Placed on leg over the other. His eyes slid my way. Took me in with a remorseful look that had my bones aching. Was he ever as bad as Mariland? Not really. But he permitted it and that was all the confirmation I needed to not pity him. "When we mated, we tried for years to have a child. Jonah was freshly made the Alpha of Desert Sun and h