I only woke up when the sound of horses' hooves thundered around me. Kallio guards on the move? Cass leading her exiles into battle? Cass doing something completely insane because that's the only way she seems to operate? Grimacing sourly,I attempted to focus on the wooden door, except there were two of them in my fluttering vision. Shit, maybe Elle kept on hitting me after I blacked out? There are no wisecracks left to make. I’m fucked.Doomed to fail. So, like all foolish idiots I shut my eyes, praying my wolf will be able to heal my vision. If I sit here in complete denial long enough, maybe I’ll be able to see my death coming at me crystal clear. Except my wolf is curdling within, agitated and unsettled. I’m trying not to give into the worst side of myself, but I can feel anger bubbling up. Why the fuck has Ayr sent me here? What have I achieved? Nothing, nothing at all. I’ve been sent here to rile Elle, maybe tie up some of Cesar’s time. At the cost of my health, possibly my
It's absolute pandemonium. Lightning strikes continue to hammer into the cliff top. Only the screams of yet another Elder falling to their death cuts through. Lucas darted ahead of me, looking like a coward to those around him but actually throwing himself into danger to save our best friend. I try not to think of Cass and Robyn swinging helplessly against the white stone cliffs. She must be inside by now. Everyone else is sprinting down the steps. Betas shield their Alphas and Lunas. It seems Lucas and I were the only ones forced to hand in our weapons, judging by the amount of blade-wielding Beta’s, swearing loudly. I quickly leaned over from the very top for a look, the panicked guests hustling down the eight floors of white staircases like a trail of ants. Above me, the glass ceiling is a swirl of thunderous grey and black clouds. After that, I don’t let Elle out of my sight. I’m not going to intervene or give away that I’m still Cass’s mate. It’s not my card to play. “We need
There was a moment, just before I flung myself from the clifftop where I wondered if it was actually possible to die from adrenalin. Can your heart pound with that much force and ever truly return to normal? Thunder and lightning bouncing across the sky, the clouds so dark. Yet I held no fear of being struck. Not for a second. Robyn maybe felt differently. As brave and amazing as she has been, her hand gripped mine painfully tight. Her smile tight, blue eyes focused with flecks of grey, we took deep breaths and charged out into the open. Robyn had asked me if I worried about my legs. If they would suddenly turn to lead when the moment came. The treacle-sludged movement of nightmares. But I flew. We both did. In our sprint towards the edge, I caught a glimpse of Ayr’s blue eyes and towering black-armoured frame. In the split second of time, just how much I’d missed him hit me like a sledgehammer, an extra pulse of my already super-charged heartbeat. However, we were correct not t
It’s probably incredibly selfish to admit I could have really done without Cass showing up. Robyn is fascinating. Every chance I get I’m helplessly studying her. She knows it, too. The sweetest little smile creeps up her face when she catches me, battling the crimson flare of my irises at the simplest act. Friday, before setting off to find Cass, she headed away from the rest of the camp. I’m not a possessive asshole but eventually even Corbin wondered where she was. Striding down the path, my paranoia rocketed. Twigs cracking, puffs of breathing. I slowed down, approaching stealthily. Except I found Robyn at her most beautiful. She’s found a low, long limb of a tree, using it as a ballet barre. Over and over, she practised her movements. Her legs extended ever upwards without a tremble, arms poised. The strength involved was awe-inspiring. Instead of interrupting, I returned and simply said, “she’s fine,” Corbin looked at me quizzically, like I was meant to drag her back like a
With Robyn’s assistance, I managed to stand up, the armoured dress tearing into my ribs. The ruby red blood and tacky orange silk is stark against the stone floor, broken glass flashing back at me, reflecting the lightning above. Wiping my face, I watch as every person goes from staring at Elle’s mangled corpse to look up at me. “The Luna of Kallio!” Robyn declares again, firnly, and every head bows in compliant recognition. I somehow glided emotionlessly through the rest of my victory. Legs shaking, I descended and, without talking, headed into the ballroom. Away from the still-pouring rain, wind and carnage. The remaining Alpha Council followed suit. Now, in the middle of a party never intended for me, every single guest stares in a thousand different ways. From working out one scheming snake I’m potentially facing up to a dozen more going forward. Ayr has vanished into the bowels of the cliffs, taking Robyn and Lucas with him. It doesn't stop the gossip, wondering why he came
Devouring Ayr, my hands raking over his solid body, I barely know what I’m doing. I am reduced down to pure instinct and need. I can’t even blame my wolf. My longing for my mate is entirely my own. And I need his body, his kisses on me before I snap. Ayr’s blue eyes are swirling with rich green, his hands grabbing at the fabric of my vest top and shorts, stepping away from the door together whilst short and fierce meet my lips. When his hand quickly heads under the material of the thin vest top and makes contact with my bare skin, I have to stifle a groan. It's perfect. To be held by him is my safe haven. I should be asking him questions. How has he been? Do the Alpha’s of the Council all hate me? Are they already planning how to put someone less chaotic in charge? Is Lucas going to be okay? Why did my mother change her allegiance at the last second? Did Ayr miss me as much as I missed him? But instead, I press my lips to his, his tongue seeking mine, and wonder how I ever walked
Hissing through his teeth, “seeing you do that must be the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” “This?” I smirk before rising up and doing it all over again. I’m forced to take it slow for a few reasons. I don’t want to almost-faint again for a start. Plus, he enjoys making me wait just now. He can use a little teasing. His hands are on my hips, avoiding my sore ribs. “Spitfire I’m so fucking proud of you.” “I love you, I love you,” wheezes out of me. Ayr is laid out on the stone floor before me, his jaw clenched and muscles under his neck straining as I took him all the way inside again. So blissfully full. Made to fit together. Bottoming out at the very base of his cock felt so good he let out a deep, guttural moan forcing me to lean over his chest, slapping my hand over his mouth. The change in angle only made him groan again. “Try to be quiet now,” I whisper with a smirk, staring straight into his stunningly emerald eyes as I guide my hips slowly back up his length. His hands on m
There was no point in me securing that room from Cass. One look at the battered, broken Marcus, and I should have known Raphael wasn’t heading with me for some furtive, silly tryst. I’ve spent a week sleeping a little closer to him every night. He’s been a gentleman to the point of madness. Part of me wants to explain all the awful, useless men I’ve been tangled with. Explain why I’ve been keeping him at arms length. Yet he said, right from the start, that he doesn’t consider me broken. I remember how hurt I felt when he first said that, but I've reflected since. He just doesn’t care about my past. Not because it’s unimportant, but because he cares regardless. So I’ve finally stopped trying to find his fatal flaw. The kink in his armour that makes him like Strike and all the other shitbags I’ve known. He’s just a good man. One, who doesn’t stop watching me with those shining crimson eyes like I’m something worth noticing. Surrounded by golden opulence in the royal suite, Marcus fl