“Open the gates, Patrick,” Hector ordered calmly. There was no hint of the Alpha command in his voice, but the authority in his tone carried nonetheless, which must’ve been why Patrick Rockmountain stumbled mindlessly forward to obey him until he froze suddenly.“I–I can’t, Alpha.” His voice trembl
Layla’s POVThere were audible gasps of surprise after Hector finished speaking, and even though most of them were quickly stifled the damage was already done. He’d said what he said invoking the Rite of Succession, and as this sank in I felt the world tilt then start to slide away from me. Then I
“Your father, step-mother and sister are being held in a secure place, at least,” she intoned smoothly. A moment passed before it registered that she was speaking to me. “I assume we’ll have to let him and a couple of the other Elders out to witness this duel.”The matter-of-fact way she spoke chill
Layla’s POVCarlos. I couldn’t believe that it would be him challenging Hector on Marcia’s behalf. Hell, I couldn’t believe my eyes! The Lead Delta was loyal to a fault. He’d been the one to inform Hector of the rebellion in the first place…For a moment it felt like the entire world had been split
In an earnest fight Carlos would have been no match for Hector, but he was quick on his feet, decisive, and knew how and when to land an attack. As an added bonus: he and Hector had grown up training and fighting together, so one way or the other he knew my mate’s tricks—in and out.So this was why
Layla’s POVTime seemed to stand still in that moment. Even as I watched things play out in shocked horror, my brain struggled with putting together the pieces of what I had just witnessed, and then the sound of Carlos’s low, breathless gasp knocked me out of my reverie.The Lead Delta stared down
He’d come to fetch me for the Triumph Procession, and even now it was not hard to call upon the feelings of awe I’d experienced then as the other Deltas helped me into the sedan chair.Carlos. Dependable, solid Carlos… who I’d always thought would stay beside Hector was no longer with us. Instead, h
Layla’s POVPain.It came in various forms and textures, and even though I had come in contact with some of them, there was always something new to stumble on. This was what I discovered as the blade pierced through my calf, scraping bone on its way. But that wasn’t all. The feeling of silver in
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