SELENE POVExcitement filled the air as people bustled through the streets of Remon. Many young girls chatted eagerly about the upcoming festival. They giggled as they gathered in groups, braiding and adorning each other's hair with flowers and beads. Others carried brand-new dresses on their shoulders and made visits to the different merchants that were open down the street. Some merchants were selling treats and food which filled the town with a delicious aroma, while other mercantile had everything from jewelry to furs and lace. Children ran from vendor to vendor inspecting the handcrafted toys for sale. It was hard not to feed off of the excitement in the air. Tor and I walked through the streets together looking at all the merchant's wares. One vendor, in particular, sold the most beautiful jewelry that I had ever seen. I picked up an iridescent moonstone bracelet and inspected it. It was one oval stone, pale blue in color with stunning luster, that was attached to a gold
TOR POV"Sorry to bring this to your door on the same day as the Fete," I said to Ares as he stood staring into the fireplace. We stood in Ares's personal quarters for privacy. It was lit brightly by the sunlight beaming in from the tall windows. There was a tall four-poster bed with dark green velvet curtains and a large leather chair by the fire in front of a giant oak table. "Don't be." He turned to look at me; his amber eyes reflected the flames of the fire as he contemplated what I had just told him. "This Damion person, do we know how much manpower he has at his disposal?" he asked, rubbing his chin. "No," I respond, shaking my head. "It has to be some unimaginable amount to be able to level the packs like he is. But, during our altercation the other day, that was not the case.""He kept talking about some type of weapon," I said, avoiding the part about Selene being a key in all of this. "So, whatever it is, it has nothing to do with manpower." Ares was silent as he sa
SELENE POVIt was dark and all I could smell was smoke… and blood. Fires burned all around me and bodies lay strewn across the ground. I fought the urge to be sick as I stared wide-eyed at the carnage. Then a shadow stalked from the smoke, not at all phased by the death and destruction that lay at their feet. The shadowed person grew closer to me and when the smoke cleared, I saw Damion's cruel face. I tried to run away, but I was held in place by his dark eyes. He stood right before me and lifted his hand to cup my cheek. Try as I might, I couldn't shake him off. He looked down with a cold grin on his face. He then leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Look at what you have done." I shivered against his breath on my neck. He lifted his arm and swept it across the horizon. That is when I saw it. A horrified moan escaped my lips at the sight. The bodies of wolves scattered across the ground. "No, no, no…" I muttered and tried to turn my head away. Damion grabbed me from behin
TOR POVMy eyes shot open. Something was wrong. I immediately went to the spot where Selene was sleeping. Except she wasn't there. I shot to my feet instantly, fear tearing through my gut as I thought about the worst. I scanned the surrounding area for her, but the night was still. How had I not noticed earlier that she was gone?Had she walked away of her volition?Or was she taken? I tried my best to tamper the panic that threatened to overwhelm me. Stepping over the now cold fire, I stalked off in the direction of her scent. The only scent I smelled was Selene's, which brought me a small amount of relief. At least she was alone. But that relief was quickly replaced by anger. I followed her scent through the woods, trying to maintain a sense of calm. Her smell kept growing stronger. That's when I heard the sound of flowing water. If I knew Selene, then I knew that I would find her at its edge. Sure enough, not a few yards away in a small creek, I saw Selene sitting at i
SELENE POVI could hardly look at Tor throughout the morning as we prepared to leave for Alder. Every time I spared a look in his direction, I could feel my entire face turn bright red, and a curling sensation of desire coursed through me. The thought of his mouth on me… down there. I squirmed at the thought. We were all gathered at our campsite, ready to depart when Tor walked toward me. I could smack that blasted smirk off of his face. He looked so satisfied with himself as I fidgeted under his scrutiny. "Are you ready to go, little witch?" he asked with that damning smirk. I nodded, unable to muster any other response. I swear he is going to pay for being such a cocky a*s. The group shifted into their wolf forms and I mounted Tor's back once again, then we were off riding through the forest at neck-breaking speeds. Just as Tor had said the night before, we arrived back at Alder within the next couple of hours. I was truly grateful to the team of shifters for catering to m
SELENE POVIt had been nearly a day since I'd seen Tor and it was a strange empty feeling after having spent the last week in his vicinity. I saw him at dinner after we'd made our return yesterday, but he had been wrapped up in war councils ever since. So, instead of staying cooped up in the manor, I decided to go explore the village a little more.The sun was shining down through the trees that surrounded the village in a protective embrace and a slight breeze countered the sun's warmth. First, I wanted to explore the various shops. As I walked down the cobblestone trail, I came upon an adorable tiny shop with large windows and a hand-carved door. After a peek through the window, I realized it was an arms shop. I put my hand on the brass knob and stepped inside. The shop was lit with various candles and lanterns, casting bright light onto the merchandise that hung on the walls. There were all sorts of swords and daggers, along with a variety of bows and arrows.A specific b
TOR POVI knew the second something had happened to Selene. Standing abruptly from the table, I knocked my chair to the floor. Cassius stood, the look of concern on his face was immediate. "Alpha, what is it?" he asked me. The eyes of the war council were on me as I stalked to the balcony doors."It's Selene," I growled. "Gather the team, now!" With that, I stalked out the doors and leaped off the balcony edge. I hit the ground running in my wolf form. Ripping through the village I tracked her scent to the trail that led to Ellwood's cottage. Except the trail didn't take me to Ellwood's cottage. The scent veered off into the depths of the forest and away from the village. She had clearly gotten lost and had fallen off the trail. To my despair, I could smell that she wasn't alone. My worst fears were known when I realized that Selene had been kidnapped. The world tilted for a moment and it took all of my self-control to keep my composure. I pushed myself harder, kicking up
SELENE POV Before I even opened my eyes, I could feel that I was bound by the wrists and something cold yet hot at the same time was clamped around my neck. The air was damp and cold on my skin and I could hear the slow drip of water somewhere in the distance. Blinking slowly, I tried to push past the aching of my head to look around the room. Torches on the walls illuminated an all-stone room with chains fastened to the floor and the ceiling, casting eerie shadows across the walls.There were no windows showing the outside so I had no idea what time it was or how long I'd been imprisoned here. I tried to hear beyond the dripping water but was met with silence. I felt like I was trapped under the earth. The only access in or out of the room was a giant wooden door bolted shut with bars barring the single window. The chilly air against my legs caused me to look down, and I realized that I was dressed in nothing but a thin shift. The bastards had even taken my shoes. It was then