Hector walked up to me, wordlessly threading his fingers through mine, and together we all followed after my cousin and I was left anticipating what the night would bring.•To my surprise, the banquet was a muted affair that came with none of the things I’d come to expect with such events.For star
Layla’s POVI didn’t recognize her—the speaker; a plump, rosy-cheeked middle-aged woman, who clapped as she approached our table, smiling. She acted oblivious to the hush that’d fallen over the entire hall in the moments following her entry, and while her physical stature may not have been imposing
Evie continued. “Your mother and I used to be close. We were inseparable, like sisters, playing, getting into all sorts of trouble with our powers. It warms my heart to see you alive and well even though she is no longer with us.”She paused to swallow, and after a moment’s consideration, stepped f
Layla’s POV‘Penny for your thoughts?’ The question, spoken into my mind, drew me out of my own head for the moment, and I looked up into Hector’s artic blue eyes, which seemed to blaze from within with some hidden fire that warmed me.The welcome banquet had come to an end hours ago, and now we we
“Now it’s your turn, Little Wolf.”Instantly, I felt the thoughts recede as I tilted my chin up to get a good look at him.“My turn?” I repeated dumbly.Hector nodded. “Tonight, with Malcolm. I got the sense that he told you something; decided I’d ask when we were alone. Is anything going on?”Oh,
Layla’s POVIt took approximately a day and a half for Malcolm to declare that the problem with my abilities was not something that could necessarily be ‘healed’ out of me. This had come after hours of sitting in the same position, not allowed to move even a single muscle as some of the best healer
He continued.“There are some basic shielding techniques I can teach you to keep yourself protected—keep your memories safe from her, give you a heads up to know if she is trying to control you.”Upon hearing this, my reservations stalled, and seeing this, my grandfather continued on, as if he alrea
My throat immediately went dry, but somehow I managed to ignore it, keeping my response short and straight to the point. I was on edge, and I didn’t want to ramble and lose concentration on the mental ‘wards’ Malcolm had walked me through in case Evie slipped through my mind without me even knowing
Dear readers, And that’s the end of it. Unbelievable, I know. I didn’t want to write an author’s note until I was absolutely finished with this, and now I am. The journey through telling the story of Hector and Layla has transformed me in ways I hadn’t thought possible—financially, mentally, cre
For years I had been afraid, unable to defend myself as people scorned me, and dictated who I was, where I stood. But none of that remained the case now. I had my mother, who was flawed and awkward, but perfect, I had a cousin who slightly terrified me. I had a grandfather, who had sacrificed h
Layla’s POV There was an edge of something dangerous in his tone even as he kneaded my ass playfully, and I shivered. My pulse raced. “I–It wasn’t intentional.” “Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t,” he murmured in something like pride. “My Little Wolf isn’t so little anymore, is she?” I swallowed in the
This time I forced my throat to open wider, taking him deeper, and Hector’s body bucked as my mouth worked over him; before I knew what was happening, he pulled away from me, grabbing me and throwing me back onto the bed. His weight settled over me as he pinned my wrists up over my head, and I ar
Layla’s POV Lust burned hot in my brain, making it impossible to think of anything beyond Hector. The feeling of his arms wrapped tightly around me as he carried me across Pack grounds, and his earthy wild male scent which left me powerless to resist his charms—all of these resulted in a sudden
“They WILL come, and right now you decide how ready you will be when they finally come at us.” She paused to let the meaning of her words sink in before finishing: “Now, I’ll invite my mother to come and take over; you can direct any questions you have at her.” The sound of a chair scraping acros
Hector’s POV The Sanguis Pack conference hall was more packed than I had ever seen it. It teemed with visiting werewolves from all over the globe, all seated, and as the sounds they made traveled to me (chairs creaking, the steady drone of air conditioning, and people with heads close together sp
My whole body felt as taut as a string, and tears stung my eyes as I watched her let her emotions settle. “Sorry about that,” my mother apologized after some time, swallowing. I noticed her hands in her laps, trembling. “I don’t… I don’t know what came over me.” She paused to gather her thoughts b
Layla’s POV With a tucked-in T shirt, denim jeans, and hair cropped just below her chin, Elaine Holloway looked much better than she had when I last saw her… which wasn’t that high of a bar when I actually thought about it. I mean, she had been standing next to the man who kept her captive for al