Dom, with his wolf-like hearing, heard the whispers in this crowded room. The consensus was that they’re not surprised it hadn’t happened earlier. They couldn’t comprehend why Raven didn’t proceed with the sale to eliminate the final Miller wolf. That last part irked Dom and his annoyance rose. He kept his anger in check, but he was sure that everyone in the room could sense it radiating off him. If they couldn’t scent it. He stroked Raven’s hair again as he composed himself again before he continued to speak. Dom’s hand found its way under her chin and raised it so he could study her serious face. “Now it’s your turn to learn your fated for the near future.” “It’s as the Alpha wills. As you say. You bought me, and now you own me. I dared you to catch me and you did. It was my mistake to tell you that you could do as you wished with me. Now I will live with my mistakes.” Raven sounded and looked resigned about this. Hilary obeyed Dom’s every command
Raven listened to Alpha Jones speak. This was not everyone in the Pack. Despite this, enough attendees made it official, and by day’s end, everyone else got Alpha Jones’ message. She couldn’t avoid it. He’d made her sit beside him before everyone. Raven didn’t dare raise her head; she was too embarrassed to do that. Sitting there like this was humiliating. Only the collar and leash were missing. That wasn’t all true. He allowed her to dress, even if she wasn’t used to dressing in clothing like this. Alpha Jones also ordered her to not put makeup on. So, every adult she-wolf but her wore make up here. She lacked the worth and effort of others. She’d remember this upon departure, and he’d grow weary of whatever this meant to him. The restrictions were so personal to him. Someone making her do their bidding without his permission would insult him. No one would do what he’d Dome and buy someone. That Raven could agree with. He didn’t allow her to speak with her only living rela
The Alpha guided her into his study. It’s been over a year since she was here. Not since he’d called her up on the carpet about Liam’s actions. Raven didn’t understand how she, as an unranked wolf, led her family. When her brother had ranked as an Omega. “Sit on the sofa near the window.” Alpha Jones said in her ear as the Beta closed the door behind them. “Will we do this in front of her Alpha?” Paul asked, observing Raven’s meek posture contrasting with her annoyed glare. “Is there a reason for your desire to hide what you say from her?” He asked. His tone demanded an answer from his Beta. Raven didn’t understand what would make this matter to anyone, including herself. She was no longer considered worthy of consideration. She didn’t matter. “Alpha, you declared her your pet. She doesn’t have any business hearing what we have to say.” Raven was unsure of the Beta’s feelings towards her. He went from hating her to protecting her, but the
“Alpha what are you doing?” Raven tried to lean away from Alpha Jones. She’d struggled with his scent, so close to her and distracting her from her struggles with her wolf and her temper. He tightened his hold on her. “I’m enjoying my pet. What do you think I’m doing?” He found her resistance did nothing for his annoyance. “I thought you were supposed to like your Beta.” Raven said. She tried to move out of his arms, but he held her to his side a little tighter. “Why would you think I don’t like my Beta?” Her words made him stop and look at her a little closer. A frown returned to his face. “Because you’ve been horrible to him. What does it matter if he likes me or not? You’ve told everyone I’m a pet and nothing more.” Dom didn’t enjoy hearing her said that even though he’d said this himself. It hit with a different type of impact when she said it. “It doesn’t matter. The problem is he’s questioning my wishes and demands.” He
Raven advised him to get rid of her. Paul advised him to do the same. But she was his mate. His fated mate, a mate who wasn’t ready to take her place at his side without him losing everything he had. His happiness or the happiness of his Pack. Dom hesitated to select either option. Her presence should benefit the Pack. He’d hoped to have her behave in a manner that others would accept and ease the idea that the Pack’s disbelief in her was incorrect. Raise her up and change her reputation before installing her as the Luna of his Pack. All while forming a bond between them. But he couldn’t do that if she wasn’t beside him. If he sent her away, they’d never form the bond. He should have formed this bond sooner. But he’d given her the space to deal with her brother and the problems he made for everyone. What did her brother do? He used her to pay off his debts. Liam knew she couldn’t pay off his debts with money. He used her body to pay them off. The glass flew from
Of course, her big mouth got her locked up. Why did she try to convince Alpha Jones to let her go? She knew as soon as she opened her mouth, she’d made a grave mistake. Nothing she said fixed anything. No, it made things worse and now she sat in a basement cell. Alone in her cell, Raven didn’t know when it would end. She was cold and hungry now. She knew hours had passed. The enforcers would not come near her cell and hadn’t given her a meal when they’d given the other prisoner theirs. Alpha Jones didn’t say when he’d return for her or if he would. Raven suspected Alpha Jones didn’t want her, but he didn’t want any other male to have her either. He desired her eternal unhappiness. Either way, she felt discouraged about her future. If she left, could she leave him behind? Raven didn’t know if she could. Raven agreed three days ago. It would have hurt a little, but she could have broken the Pack bond. Even an unranked wolf had a special bond. However,
[HOURS BEFORE PAUL SEES RAVEN IN THE CELL] Paul and Dom led the enforcer group to the central-west club. Down near the old Canadian National Expedition western gates. Streets, small, reminiscent of horse-drawn carts, not cars. Street cars ran east to west on the streets and buses north and south. These were not streets where wolves could wander free in their fur, let alone tear one another apart. But since the city grew past the tiny villages and hamlets into each other and became towns, then cities, and now the Greater Toronto Area, GTA. Wolf shifters and others lurked on every street with businesses alongside those belonging to humans. The social club was one of those businesses. It claimed to be a member only social club. What they meant was they were a social club for supernatural creatures. Here, long before it became legal, alcohol, and gambling ran. People here gamble with more than money. Alpha Jones could buy many things and his buyers often
Hilary stayed on the outskirts and the hidden spots near the Pack House until Alpha Jones departed for business. Hilary entered the Pack House. She couldn’t find Raven anywhere to deal with her. No one would speak to her about Raven. Hilary knew no one would have a problem with her removing her competition from existence. Raven was no competition as she wasn’t a Pack member, but a possession. Alpha Jones’s attention Raven stole from Hilary’s caused her problem. Hilary couldn’t learn about what business Alpha Jones went to deal with or how long he’d be gone. She didn’t know what to do. They didn’t want trouble, so they gave her what she wanted. How could Alpha Jones act like that to her? She had beauty and breeding, unlike Raven, the gutter trash wolf. Raven was all but a rogue. If Hilary spoke, Raven would turn rogue. Hilary knew what it took to lead the Pack. Her mother drummed everything she needed to know into her at an early age. Born and raised
“Brigid says she’ll be in touch soon with scheduling so we can have a rotation of sorts. That way we can have a consistent rebuilding going on inside the Dream Realm. So, how are we going to run this place around all that? I don’t even know what anyone thinks about all of this because no one’s dared to speak to me. It’s like they think I’ll unmake them or something.” Raven said to Dominic as she returned from the Dream Realm where she’d had a meeting with Brigid and the other Dreamers. Dominic had seen the changes in her and the Pack. He’d said nothing to anyone about his idea of taking the Pack into the Dream Realm and becoming part of the enforcement powers there. He could see their Pack as a foundation of a future power.He wanted to support Raven the best way possible and he didn’t think he could do it from here.“Raven, love. Everyone is in shock because nothing is how they thought it was. They’re trying to figure out where they and you now rest in the world. People have
“Dominic, don’t worry about it. I know you don’t have to explain to me. When you disconnect your call with me I received a message from someone that explained what was happening.” Lily said as soon as they returned and she made them sit down to eat a meal.“Then can you explain it to us?” Dominic practically begged Lily to explain what they had witnessed even though she hadn’t been there to witness So, he wouldn’t stop the stow for anything and allow her to explain what she’d pieced together through some of her very odd channels, not that any of this was straight forward.“Please tell me she isn’t doing the biggest mistake of all time.” Raven stepped in now and she was practically begging to know that they weren’t letting her do something foolish. It was something they’d all been questioning since Brigid first said she was going to investigate the situation and she didn’t want anyone else going with her, because she didn’t like the idea of the risk. She had Het’ Tur and she didn’
“Does this mean that the danger is over?” Raven asked Brigid as she looked over the woman’s shoulder to see the males in the golden armor.“My family is gone and they won’t be offering the Dream Realm to the Fae again as a travel hub. But there’s still other dangers that they and the Fae abandoned in my realm without my permission. Then there’s the instabilities within it created by their interference and war of Dreamers. Add in now I have the dimension version of surprise boarders complicating all of this.” Brigid glared at the male standing in the golden armor watching her explain this to them.He stood with his guards in eire silence. They hadn’t drawn a single weapon or removed a piece of armor including helmets.“You have got to be kidding. How exactly are they dead? Did he say how he killed them? I mean if he killed your father. How is he alive? Why was he in the prison and not on the throne?” Heather didn’t sound like she bought the story he’d given Brigid.Brigid blink
“What about my brothers? Or brother? What ideas do you have to deal with them?” Brigid didn’t blink, but her tone was her reminding him of the situation she faced rather then asking him for help with a solution.“When I got through with him. He knew I was your mate, but he couldn’t do anything about it and he’d not be the one to sit on your father’s throne.” Het’ Tur said. He was smiling and trying not to laugh. He’d been angry with the brothers. They’d been so focused with their plans and emotions. This was why her brother was going to kill her. She was alive to work for him, but when she escaped he acted like like she’d betrayed him. Or she’d tried to kill him. Het’ Tur knew Brigid had never done anything to betray or hurt any of her relatives.“Het’ Tur, how did he ever learn about where you were or that you were my Fated mate?” Brigid didn’t understand how her brothers would have discovered him among the masses. Or that he was connected to her. That’s what she was asking, but
“That? Is your reaction Lady Brigadetta?” Het’ Tur asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Brigid winced at the name he used to her question before she looked at him in disbelief.“The woman no longer exists and you know that. She hasn’t existed for so long that I can’t tell you the last time I heard someone say her name. The noble house died ages ago and the few that didn’t have been fighting each other trying to finish the job of ending that noble house. I’ve been surviving in my own way doing my own thing until recently. But I will not answer to that name ever again.” Brigid stood up to him. She didn’t want to be that woman. Her past would stay there and she was determined of that.“Do you have a choice to do that? Really?” Het’ Tur asked in disbelief that she would believe she could believe change her life like this.“Welcome to the modern era and a new realm Het’ Tur. Here, I have the right to chose the way I lead my life. I choose how my life unfolds here.” Brigid s
Dominic didn’t know how to ask Brigid about Het’ Tur. If she didn’t know he was her mate. How would she react to his claim? She must help him get Raven back. First Dominic wanted to contact Lily. He wanted her thoughts on Het’ Tur. Did she know anything about him or what he was talking about? Could she tell if he was lying about anything? Any confirmation of facts he’d been giving out would be appreciated by him.Lily answered faster than he expected. “Lily, I don’t know where to start. Well, I do. Raven’s been kidnapped by a creature who says his name is Het’ Tur and is Brigid’s mate. He wants to exchange Raven for Brigid. Who is he? Do you know him? Do you know if he’s telling the truth?”“Oh, wow. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. A very long time. He was the Head of the Crystal Lord’s Guard. He disappeared when the Crystal Lord did. Mind you that time period is a historical mess. There’s a lot of deaths and missing persons. Missing treasures and all that. He’s ther
“We are stronger together than he can ever be. After all, the fool killed his mate and his offspring. He has nothing, but the fool believed that because he can’t die from old age that he’s all powerful.” Het’ Tur shrugged and acted like he found this entertaining as anything. “Wait, he’s immortal. But not eternal. Is that what you’re saying?” Dominic waved a hand momentarily distracted from his need for his mate by the discovery he’d learned. The big bad wasn’t as big and bad as he’d thought. “That is exactly what I have said. My mate understands this, but her brother appears to not understand it. I want to use it against him once and for all. He seems to use it easily enough against his relatives. I see no reason why I can’t use it against him before he uses it against my mate.” He seemed at ease with the knowledge that death was a lot easier and permanent than it was expected to be. Dominic wondered if he understood how permanent. Permanent was.
“I’m told, I have you to thank for doing what I couldn’t do.” The tall leader in his golden armor stood tall and straight and spoke to Dominic. His posture was stiff. One of his men held Raven’s unconscious body behind him as they lingered close to the portal. Another armor man held a squat brick colored statuette which Heather assumed was the anchor they searched for. “I’ve not said who I am and I’m not sure what I’ve done that you couldn’t do.” Dominic was off put by this creature. After all, it stood almost three times Dominic’s height, and he was fighting his instincts not to try to find it’s throat through the armored gorge. He wanted to get to his mate now. “There’s no need I can see it was you. But I still want her back.” The creature was certain in this as if he saw something only he could and that he felt made him superior to everyone else. “However, I don’t have that luxury.” Dominic crossed his arms struggling with his patienc
Raven and several other Dreamers moved toward the portal. The winds were unnatural and blew higher than they should. Her hair blew against her face and annoyed her. She should have tied it back somehow, but that could have complicated things if she had to shift to her fur. They were in pairs heading up the side of a mountain. It wasn’t a steep or tall mountain. They’d walked up it rather than climbed it. Raven would have called the mountain ridge a ridge of hills because the mountains were so old and worn from time. “That’s bigger than I thought it was.” Heather said as she assessed what was ahead of her. They were the first to make it to their portal. “Yeah, I see why we’re all here.” Raven’s eyes widened as she studied the portal. “What was that?” Heather asked as she jumped and pointed off to her right, startled by something there. “What was what?” Raven tried to follow Heather’s finger but couldn’t locate what