OpheliaThe sneer laced within her voice made me bristle, especially since it was directed towards Jude and Jude alone.Sterling snapped his fingers impatiently, “Eyes on me, Regina. I’m the one that called you here. I can banish you just as quickly if you choose not to answer our questions.”Her expression turned to one of innocence, but it was all a farce. Beneath it’s flimsy layer was anger. Anger at being controlled, and anger at having her attention turned away from Jude.“I’ll answer your questions, boy.” She spat the word at Sterling’s feet, “But only if I get to talk to my son.”“No,” Ryker snarled with such ferocity my own wolf rose in response.Jude stepped forward, cutting off his brother as he lifted his hand. With him standing so close to Regina’s translucent form, I could pick out the similarities between them.Both had plump lips with a razor-sharp edge, and high cheekbones. While Jude’s silver eyes came from his father, the shape belonged to that of Regina. Both had a
OpheliaSnarling under his breath, Jude released his hold on me. My heart lurched as he pulled away, my lips swollen and much too desperate for more. I swallowed, glancing over his shoulder to lock eyes with Ryker.His stare remained on Jude for several seconds before darting to my face. I could feel him taking stock of me, ensuring that I was unharmed.“Regina’s gone. She said some interesting things. Come into the living room and we can talk about it.”As his footsteps faded, Jude took another step back.I watched him turn away and run a hand through his hair, messing it up even further. Only when he had crossed the kitchen was I able to unscramble my thoughts.“The women that—that…” I couldn’t say the words, “What happened to them?”Jude froze. He turned his head slightly, giving me a partial view of his face.“They’re all dead.”I could see it all playing out in my head. Jude hunting each and every one of them down, repaying them for every touch, every lingering glance, every perv
OpheliaThat night all the unanswered questions churned in my head, muddying my thoughts until it became almost impossible to sleep. Even after slipping onto the roof to smoke I was unable to sink into sweet oblivion. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Regina towering over Jude as a young boy. I heard his voice as he recounted the awful, terrible things she’d make him do. I felt the rage that came with having something so horrible happen to my mate and being powerless to stop it. As the sun rose and I got dressed for work I knew what I needed to do.Whilst taking orders, bussing tables, and returning with platters full of expensive foods, all I could think about was the fact that Kimberly and I had the same father. The same demon controlling, dark magic using, cult leader of a father.Goddess, I had such bad luck it was almost laughable.I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but last night after arguing with Lucille, Kimberly sped from the house claiming she was going to Rykers. It to
OpheliaFifteen minutes later Coop and I sat out back, our asses on the bottom step of the porch and our feet in the sand. He said nothing as he flicked his fingers and lit a joint with his fire magic, passing it to me with an understanding smile.As we smoked, basking in the summer heat and the salty breeze, I thought about what I had learned.I was confident it was my mother in the journal. I knew Morningstar could manipulate minds and such, but the demon Jude had interrogated claimed he was actively searching for me. How could he manage that trapped within the pages of a journal? It simply wasn’t possible.Besides, if Nova’s Nana had been telling the truth about my mother’s penchant for tricks, then there was a chance the journal wasn’t a prison, rather a hiding place. Maybe it was like a room with a door, and that door had locked itself behind her.It was insanity, but I had encountered so many strange things here on Lunar Isle that I couldn’t bring myself to dismiss the idea quit
Ophelia I found Ryker in his office, seated behind his flashy executive desk. The sun was beginning to set, casting the room in a dim light that made this meet up feel a bit lucrative. It didn’t help that he looked utterly gorgeous sitting there with his dress shirt partially unbuttoned and his hair askew. He’d just finished running a hand down his chiseled jaw when I entered. “You probably shouldn’t leave your front door unlocked. Anyone could just walk in and…” His eyes twinkled in the low light, “And what, tesoro [sweetheart], attack me? Is that what you’re here for?” Butterflies waged war in my stomach, but the bond in my chest made me feel bold. It knew that Ryker wanted us, that even though fate was so cruel as to keep my mates from claiming me, he fought wtih the temptation just as much as I did. “Maybe I am,” I said softly, approaching his desk. He watched, his eyes still sparkling, and those lips—lips I thought about more than I should—twitching at the corners. “I’ll l
Ryker Once Ophelia left and the painful erection I was sporting went down, I snatched my cellphone up from where I’d slammed it on the desk. One glance at the screen had me sighing heavily. I hit the call button and waited for the chaos to ensue. “Che tipo di nipote sei, ignorando una chiamata della tua anziana nonna? Avrei potuto morire! [What kind of grandson are you, ignoring a call from your aging grandmother? I could have been dying!] ” Nonna’s voice flew from the speaker so loudly that I had to yank the phone away from my ear. I let her get it all out, knowing I’d have hell to pay should I dare interrupt her. Formidable, ruthless Alpha I might be, but no one fucked with Nonna without getting an earful. “Nonna, you know I am a busy man.” I sighed. “Mi scuso per non aver risposto alla tua chiamata. [I apologize for not answering your call.]” “Uomo occupato, bah! Vedi, questo è ciò che accade quando ti allontani dalla tua famiglia e ti rifiuti di farle visita. [Busy man, bah! Y
OpheliaThe next two days were nothing short of weird.I worked my shifts at the Moonlight Lounge, attended training sessions with Nova and Sterling, and headed to classes as usual.The strange part came when Diana of all people approached me in the hall and gave me a coffee as a “peace offering”. Of course, I pretended to take a sip whilst remaining wary of her actions.A girl could only pretend so much, y’know.I was in the University’s library brushing up on all the various types of spells when Chloe approached. She’d stopped for dinner at a small café and naturally had thought of me while browsing their pastry selection. Apparently, she thought I needed to gain some weight.I couldn’t deny that fact. I had been eating less. As much as I hated to admit it, I didn’t have an appetite after smoking. The Dark Matter calmed the hunger pains in my stomach until eating was a mere afterthought.As for the moments where I wasn’t smoking, all I had to do was think about Alpha Hunter and the
OpheliaNova’s class had been late letting out, leaving me wandering the halls by myself. I could’ve started walking home, but I’d forgotten to bring my extra bottle of scent-blocker and couldn’t risk sweating what I had on off.As the other classes let out, I began to make my way to Nova’s to continue waiting. That was, until someone barreled into me. A set of arms grabbed me from around the shoulders, yanking me backwards into a dark supply closet.I knew instantly from the myriad of sweet, floral, and musky perfumes that it was Diana, Chloe, and Gemma. Their scents reminded me of a field of flowers left out under the blistering sun, slowly rotting away as they shriveled and wilted.The light snapped on with a resounding crack, illuminating the dusty closet we stood in.I gaped at the three of them, “What the—”Diana grabbed the neckline of my t-shirt and yanked it halfway down my chest. Heat raced to my cheeks as the three caught a glimpse at my ratty, second-hand bra, but that’s n
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