OpheliaSand sprayed behind me as I reached the beach. It slowed me down, forcing me to pump my arms and legs harder. I could now feel Jude closing in on me, his raucous laughter filling my mind, shredding my thoughts into confetti.I swiveled my head back and forth, searching for somewhere to hide. There was the bathroom shack, along with a few changing tents. Cornering myself wasn’t ideal, but apart from running down the entire length of the beach, I wasn’t sure what else to do.Before I could make a decision, hands grabbed me from behind. A gasp ripped it’s way past my throat as I was slung over a shoulder. I landed with a grunt, my ass in the air and feet flailing.Jude’s scent of amaretto enveloped me, spiking only when I slammed my fists against his lower back.“Trying to give me a massage, little dove? Or are you trying to grab a handful of my ass?”“You’re fucking crazy!” I hissed, my cheeks quickly growing red as I thought about all the people likely to see us.“Yes, and you’
OpheliaMortified was a good word to describe how I felt as I followed Ryker out of the dressing tent and onto the beach.Jude was halfway down the beach, strolling leisurely towards where the others sat around a crackling bonfire. There was enough sunlight to make out their forms, though the shadows darkened their faces, making it impossible to tell where their eyes strayed.Before I could follow, Ryker stopped me with a hand on my arm. I stiffened and he quickly removed it, tucking it behind his back.“Did he force himself on you?” Ryker’s voice was impossibly low, thick like honey, yet dark as spilled blood. “Tell me and I will put an end to it. I’ll offer you protection in any way I can.”Such a thing shouldn’t have warmed me to Ryker, yet it did. I could see how much he cared about Jude. It was evident in the way he watched him, his brows creased and eyes clouded. He cared, and yet he knew the kind of man his brother was.He loved a monster. I couldn’t help but wonder if the mons
Ophelia“Time for the rules!”I accepted the bottle from Nova and brought it to my lips. The acrid tang of alcohol had me releasing another shudder.“There are rules?”I wasn’t a stranger to alcohol or the silly little games that came with it. Back in high school, after Kimberly chased away what little friends I had, I found an in with the outcasts. I’d never gotten particularly close to any of them, but that didn’t keep them from inviting me to their late-night get togethers hosted in an abandoned house on the outskirts of the packs borders.I quit going after Lucille opened the restaurant.Nova’s shoulders bounced as she laughed. The pale tendrils of her hair were curled. The top half was pulled into pigtails, topped with tiny ribbons that floated in the breeze.“In this coven there is! Choose Truth and you have to answer the question honestly. No loopholes or escape plans. With Dare you can either complete the dare or…” Her voice took on a sing-song quality as she thrust the bottle
OpheliaHer head whipped to the side; eyes wide as they skewered him where he sat. “I can’t do that! I’m not killing myself for your stupid ass dare. I pick truth, then.”“Truth it is.” The grin he flashed her was as beautiful as it was murderous. “Why did you lie about Ophelia ruining your marriage to Alpha Hunter?”I grabbed the bottle from Nova and brought it to my lips just as she turned her glare my way. In my drunken state, it bounced right off me. The more liquor I took in, the less I seemed to care about what she thought or how she reacted.“Ophelia’s always been jealous of me, always trying to sabotage my life because hers is shit.” She hissed, nails digging into the log. “I took necessary actions to drive Ryker away from her grubby little hands, and I’d do it all again given the chance. She ruins things. My mother can confirm it. The little leech only knows how to take and destroy.”All eyes swung to where I sat.I hiccupped. “What are we talking about?”Nova’s sudden burst
Ryker“Well, that was enlightening.”Jude sneered, “Shut the fuck up, Kimberly.”He stood and brushed the sand from his clothes, muttering something about needing to kill someone. Kimberly didn’t spare him a glance, and instead turned her wrath on me.She didn’t have to speak to let me know how she was feeling. No, I could see every drop of her fury within her muddy eyes.Snubbing her in front of Ophelia had clearly left her raging. There was something about her cousin that made her wildly insecure. It didn’t help that Ophelia was stunning. Likely one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen.As it was, I gave no fucks about Kimberly’s feelings, but I did care about the trouble she infected into my life.Shrugging her dress back on, she ran her nails down my arm. “I’m going to La Stella with Trina to salvage what’s left of this night. She’s inviting the guys. You should join us.”“Later.” I grunted, my eyes on Jude.The last thing I felt like doing was playing nice with her friends.
RykerThe word rushed from her lungs on a current of magic that had the hairs along my arms lifting.“You’re not listening to me. I don’t care what he feels for me. He’s not going to treat me this w and continue fucking with my head and my—” Her lower lip wobbled. “You won’t listen to me though, will you? He’s your brother. You’re clearly on his side, no matter who he hurts. If I want you to listen, I’m going to have to make you.”There was a loud crack as the singular window above her bed shattered. The pieces were blasted inwards, raining over our heads as they clattered to the floor.Ophelia lifted a trembling hand, and the shards of glass began to quiver.It wasn’t possible for her to have this much control, and yet the pieces began to rise. They hovered around her shoulders and back, forming a wall between the two of us.One move and I’d be skewered.I lifted my hands slowly. Taking control of the shards hadn’t slipped my mind. It was an option, but it was one that would likely s
OpheliaAfter Ryker left, I was forced to face the mess I had made.Somehow, I’d shattered the entire window with my magic, and now I had no clue how to fix it.I tried again and again, for the better part of an hour, to will the shards of glass back into place or, at the very least, send them scattering off my bed.The cheap alarm clock on my bedside table read 2 a.m. by the time I managed to scoot all the pieces into a neat pile in the corner of my room.I was exhausted, embarrassed, and running on fumes. The enchanted liquor had slowly begun wearing off, leaving me even more bereft than before.Goddess, I made such a fool of myself.Well, it was never going to happen again. I wouldn’t allow it. Jude had played my body like his own personal instrument but didn’t hesitate to crush me under his boot when I stepped out of line.Fuck that and fuck him.I crawled into bed slowly, wary of any stray shards of glass I might’ve missed. The air inside was balmy, but the cool breeze rushing th
OpheliaI looked up at Lucille, who really hadn’t changed much since I’d pulled out my phone. My mind was soupy, thoughts swirling and churning without any rhyme or reason.I blinked. “I think you blew a blood vessel.”Had I said that already? Oh well.“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” She snarled, grabbing my wrist as I moved to walk past her.I looked down, frowning at the sight of her nails digging into my skin. A few inches higher and she’d be touching the dark-bond mark. We locked eyes, and I could tell she knew what I was thinking.She inched her nails higher, digging them in deep. Scorching pain shot up my arm.I blacked out.Seconds—or minutes—later I blinked. It felt like no time had passed and yet everything was different.Lucille was several feet away, cowering against the wall. Her skin had gone ashen white, eyes wide as saucers.There was glass everywhere.I stumbled, drunkenly turning in a circle.The numerous vases perched on expensive coffee tables had been s
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