RykerI had never paid much attention to what women wore. To get my attention they typically dressed themselves in the finest clothing they had. Jewelry, heels, gowns, the works. They thought it impressed me. It should have.I liked Ophelia most when she wore those small jean shorts that hugged her bottom while she ran across the beach. The little lace tank top she paired with it barely concealed her perky breasts. It wasn’t at all modest, but she was oblivious to that fact. Tomorrow she’d quietly whine and pout, muttering about the horrible sunburn she had. A sunburn that traveled down her chest to the soft swells I wanted to taste.Ophelia was the warmth of Lunar Isle. She was the brightest of colors and softest of sounds.The memory left as quickly as it had come.We talked as we danced. She had her back flush against my chest, her chin tipped to the side as she spoke. Back and forth we went. She was intoxicated from something and would need to be watched. As for me, I was drunk on
OpheliaWe ran into a familiar face just outside of La Stella.“Ophelia?”Nova stood a few feet away from the back-alley door leading into the club. She wasn’t wearing her usual lacey, coquette clothing. The babydoll dresses, Mary Jane shoes, and frilly socks were her staple. Her outfits were what drew my attention when we first met. This time there were no bows in her hair or eyeshadow on her lids. It was exhaustion she wore.Her eyes darted around before settling on us. Something had her on edge. Nova wasn’t usually this flighty.“Nova.”I meant for her name to come out as nothing more than a passing greeting, a wall thrown up between two people who had once been friends, but instead it came out like a projectile. The stupid drink that heightened my emotions was still screwing with me.Stupid, it had been so very stupid taking a sip of that drink without confirming it had been the right one. I’d been distracted from the girls slamming into me, but that was no excuse. I had only mysel
Ophelia “Chin up, girl! Oh, and tuck that stomach of yours in. Honestly, try not to look so pathetic, Ophelia. You’re being mated to an Alpha.” Mother muttered quietly, “Goddess only knows how that one happened.” I bit my tongue when she yanked the front of my simple cotton dress down, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. Speaking up would only make things worse. She might not be able to strike my face, but she knew how to punish without leaving marks. “Yes, Lucille.” She didn’t care for when I called her mother. Apparently, it made her feel old. That didn’t stop Astrid and Kimberly from calling her it, but they’d always been her favorites. Mother snared a lock of my strawberry-blonde hair and tugged hard. Her flat, dark eyes scoured my face in search of a flinch or wince. “You should have let me dye this mess for you. Alas, it’s too late. Not that it matters in the slightest.” She said with the wave of her hand, “Soon enough, you’ll be someone else’s problem.” A problem, that’s
OpheliaPain raced up the side of my face as Lucille’s hand made contact with my cheek.“You petulant girl, are you even listening to me?”I wasn’t.“Yes, Lucille.”Two of the movers entered in through the front door, sparing me from hearing her retort. A slimy smile wormed its way across her nude painted lips. She clasped her hands together and cooed at the men tasked with carrying the furniture out to the truck. The dirty look she shot me over her shoulder was a warning that this conversation wouldn’t be forgotten.It was hard to care when the shredded bond in my chest writhed in agony, leaving me in near-constant pain.Astrid flounced down the stairs, turning her slender nose up at me as she passed. The wheels of her designer suitcase whirled softly against the hardwood floor. Inside was all the clothes, shoes, and make-up she’d need for the week it would take the movers to transport all their stuff.With my lonesome duffle bag tucked neatly in the trunk of the Bentley, there was n
Ophelia Sun block, and ocean mist. Those were the scents of my childhood, the ones that clung to the bits and pieces of the half-formed memories rattling around in my skull. I breathed each one in through the tiny bedroom window at the tippy top of Lucille’s modernistic nightmare of a beach villa. She’d stuffed me in the attic like a frail Victorian child she was afraid of the neighbors seeing. Little did she know, she was doing me a favor. Kimberly, my older sister, was moving out of her dorm at Eclipse University and back home to be closer to our darling mother. Why she felt the need to come back when she only lived thirty minutes away, I’d never know. That made the attic my safe haven. “Ophelia!” Or so I’d thought. I rolled out of bed, sneezing when a plume of dust hit my nose. It was like she purposefully kept the attic in shambles. Whatever, at least it would give me a project to focus on. The door creaked as I opened it, “Yes, Lucille?” “Make yourself presentable and
Ophelia“Spill the tea, girl. I know Kim-Kim’s done a thing or two in her past.” Diana smacked her glossed lips as we sped down the blackened highway into Eclipse City.Chloe, the bubbly blonde in the back seat, laughed loudly.“We won’t tell a soul!”The surly, narrow-eyed Gemma mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key. I knew what I told them would make the rounds throughout the entirety of Lunar Isle.I rummaged around, sorting through memories that bubbled in my gut like acid. Without warning, they began to spew from my mouth. Word after word, I told Diana and her friends all about the kind of person Kimberly was.Each transgression lingered in the air, and for the life of me I couldn’t stop talking.First grade she’d pelted me with rocks and clumps of mud on the walk to school. Third grade she’d chopped my hair off and laughed as I cried. Fifth she shredded every article of clothing I owned, leaving them in tatters. Seventh and she’d already rallied the entire school agai
OpheliaI brought it to my lips and inhaled, immediately chucking the thing at Denver when my lungs seized. A cough tore at my chest, so strong that my eyes watered. No matter how hard I tried to breathe in, all I could do was hack and cough.It tasted awful. Like burnt grass and chewed lavender.The four of them chuckled, descending into laughter that rang heavily in my ears. Heat warmed my cheeks, carrying embarrassment that quickly faded when Sarah herself erupted in a fit of wet coughing.When I finally managed to stop, I realized I felt different.There was this odd sensation dancing along my skin, like little bursts of electricity. As they burrowed deep, they melted into a blissful numbness that had my shoulders drooping and eyelids growing heavy.Goddess, what was this stuff?Coop rolled his head my way, “Nice, isn’t it? It’s official name is Dark Matter. Think of it as the magical version of weed. It’s blessed by a witch with an earth affinity, so it’s extra potent.”I blinked
JudeRevving the engine of my bike, I peeled out of the garage and into the blanket of night enshrouding the idyllic neighborhood of Crescent Hills.Normally I’d tap into my nature magic and shift, either taking to the skies or forest, but I wanted to conserve my strength. Not that it mattered in the slightest. The opponents at La Stella were abysmal at best.Ryker was going to be pissed, but when wasn’t he pissed?After enduring that group spell with his preening girlfriend, I needed to blow off some steam. It was either that or I slit her throat and be done with it.Now, that would piss him off.It had taken us long enough to get our coven together and in line, and the last thing my noble half-brother wanted to do was hunt down his girlfriend’s younger sister to fill the empty spot.I didn’t particularly care what he wanted, but I also didn’t feel like dealing with his wrath. The guy was a thorn in my damn side, but he was probably the only soul on earth I gave a fuck about.Plus, w
OpheliaWe ran into a familiar face just outside of La Stella.“Ophelia?”Nova stood a few feet away from the back-alley door leading into the club. She wasn’t wearing her usual lacey, coquette clothing. The babydoll dresses, Mary Jane shoes, and frilly socks were her staple. Her outfits were what drew my attention when we first met. This time there were no bows in her hair or eyeshadow on her lids. It was exhaustion she wore.Her eyes darted around before settling on us. Something had her on edge. Nova wasn’t usually this flighty.“Nova.”I meant for her name to come out as nothing more than a passing greeting, a wall thrown up between two people who had once been friends, but instead it came out like a projectile. The stupid drink that heightened my emotions was still screwing with me.Stupid, it had been so very stupid taking a sip of that drink without confirming it had been the right one. I’d been distracted from the girls slamming into me, but that was no excuse. I had only mysel
RykerI had never paid much attention to what women wore. To get my attention they typically dressed themselves in the finest clothing they had. Jewelry, heels, gowns, the works. They thought it impressed me. It should have.I liked Ophelia most when she wore those small jean shorts that hugged her bottom while she ran across the beach. The little lace tank top she paired with it barely concealed her perky breasts. It wasn’t at all modest, but she was oblivious to that fact. Tomorrow she’d quietly whine and pout, muttering about the horrible sunburn she had. A sunburn that traveled down her chest to the soft swells I wanted to taste.Ophelia was the warmth of Lunar Isle. She was the brightest of colors and softest of sounds.The memory left as quickly as it had come.We talked as we danced. She had her back flush against my chest, her chin tipped to the side as she spoke. Back and forth we went. She was intoxicated from something and would need to be watched. As for me, I was drunk on
RykerWe arrived back at my place to find the house empty, and the wards carved through like sheets of tissue paper.Scraps of the residual magic hovered over just about every surface like confetti.Jude stuffed his hands into his pockets and whistled. “She did this on purpose. Could’ve just unraveled or drained them in that little way of hers, but this? She wanted us to notice.” His eyes sparkled. “Our mate wanted our approval.”I wasn’t going to risk his heart—or his sanity—by telling him I didn’t think that was the case.We found the door to her bedroom wide open, which wasn’t a surprise. I noticed a ball of crumpled paper sitting on the bedside table and picked it up. Almost immediately I could feel Jude hovering over my shoulder like a phantom.“…tasks for Ryker and Jude … earn forgiveness—” Jude lunged forward to try and snatch the paper from my hands. I evaded his grasp and used my magic to knock him back a step. His nostrils flared. “I want it. I’m not fucking around. Give it
RykerA few hours ago…We left Ophelia at the house knowing she’d find some way to eventually break out. Morningstar clearly left her here for a reason and underestimating her had only fucked us over several times. It would never happen again.She was our mate. Kind and compassionate as a ruler should be, but also as vicious and bloodthirsty as a wolf.Jude loved Ophelia as much as he was capable of loving anything. I knew my brother better than anyone else in the world, and I could see that she now meant more to him than I ever had. It didn’t upset me, but it did make me cautious.She knew she held him in the palm of her hand, but I wasn’t sure she realized just how fragile he could be. Her praise would transform him just as quickly as her rejection would shatter him.I wouldn’t lie and say her rejection wouldn’t shatter me as well, but no one had to worry about me leaving a string of bodies in the wake of my grief.Everything would work out in the end, I told myself. We would give ou
OpheliaThe dickhead was right.The moment he stepped away, melting into the crowd, my mind began to race. Jude had been in the fighting ring the first time I laid eyes on him. The brutality of his fight had been both terrifying and beautiful. Would it be Ryker in the ring tonight? Or would it be Jude?I had a feeling they’d be using the remaining members of Diana’s coven. It wouldn’t surprise me if they punished them publicly to try and earn my forgiveness. Too bad it wouldn’t work.The only asses I wanted to kick were Ryker and Jude’s.I made a mental note to add that to my list.Half an hour later the lights flicked off, plunging the entire club into darkness. The music went down in volume until I could hear the excited chatter coming from the crowd.The fighting ring flared to life beneath the stage lights. A young guy with a mohawk stepped into the light. His voice rang with magic, the volume eclipsing that of the music.“Humans, Witches, and Wolves!” The murmuring died down. “We
OpheliaBrushing some stray curls back from his face he grabbed his drink and brought it to his lips. The way he moved was smooth and sensuous, as if he’d had plenty of practice mastering his reactions. “Isn’t it obvious? Our fathers want us to work together.”My eyebrows jumped. What on earth did my father have to do with Lunar Isles military commander? How did they know one another? Clearly my father must have inspired some kind of loyalty for them to go against Ryker.The bond tensed in my chest. On one hand this would benefit my father immensely, but on the other … the bond didn’t like that they could potentially hurt Ryker or Jude.Tears burned the backs of my eyes. What if one of them got hurt? What if one of them—oh that stupid fucking drink.I grabbed the glass of untouched water sitting on the table and took several gulps uncaring of how I looked. A glimmer of panic arose in my chest. The drink was definitely heightening my emotions. Even those few sips were affecting me.I h
OpheliaWaltzing to the shelves of liquor he grabbed three off the first and began pouring random amounts into a large cup. I turned away at that point and leaned against the bar, scanning the basement for any familiar faces.The locator spell wanted me to head straight through the crowd towards the large fighting ring in the center of the room.Standing on my toes, I was immediately slammed into by a group of girls.I righted myself just in time, and bit down on my tongue to keep from lashing out. There were times I swore the potion I took nightly increased my anger. Perhaps that was another side effect.Standing front and center in a group of seven girls total was Diana, Chloe, and Gemma.They looked awful. All three had dark circles around their eyes and looked a good twenty pounds lighter.Before I could say a word the three of them paled, draining of blood until their faces were the color of cold marble. Chloe began to tremble, and Gemma looked as if she were going to vomit. Sens
OpheliaI had plenty of time to plot while spending the next two hours trying to untangle the mess of wards Jude and Ryker placed on my bedroom.Using a notepad and pen I found in the drawer of the bedside table, I’d compiled a list of tasks I’d have them to do earn my forgiveness. Most were juvenile like keying their cars (or in Jude’s case his motorcycle) or having them build me a castle with their own two hands. Others were a bit more demented and ranged from branding them with my name or tattooing it into their skin. Maybe I’d have Ryker declare me Alpha of Lunar Isle.Definitely adding that one.Oddly enough the bond, and my wolf, liked this little outlet I found. The thought of Ryker and Jude reduced to groveling had it humming in my chest.“Hah! Found it.” I lurched into a sitting position. Even though my back was sore from laying on the carpet, a grin took over my face. With a bit of magic I removed the sweat from my body and refreshed my clothes, swapping the torn shorts for
OpheliaI spun around. “Wards. You think wards are going to keep me in here? I’ll drain them just like I drained the dark spell Kimberly placed on Jude.”“That’s if you can find them all, which you won’t.” Jude rolled his lower lip between his teeth. The bond unfurled in my chest. I barely bit back the pathetic whine that threatened to leave me. “I missed hearing you say my name.”Ryker cleared his throat. His hands were clasped behind his back, making him even more imposing than he already was. It didn’t help that his dress shirt and slacks did nothing to conceal the muscled body that hid beneath.“I didn’t take a stand before, but I should have. We should have claimed you the second the bond snapped into place, because you’re all that matters, Ophelia. Not Kimberly. Not the idiotic deal I’d made with her. I fucked up by letting you think otherwise. You might end up hating me more, but this is me taking a stand.” He clenched his jaw, the muscles within twitching. “You aren’t leaving