War Is an Ugly ThingLeanderPain...Everything in my body hurt.From my scalp down to my toes, no area was exempt from the throbbing agony that devoured my attention and stole the breath right out of me. I tried to take shallow panting breaths to regain my air but it felt like someone was sitting on my chest, gleefully stabbing a white-hot poker in my lungs on each inhale. I had to have a broken rib, probably several, if the unbearable ferocity of pain was any indication.The stench of blood consumed the air around me and overwhelmed my sensitive nose. Instinct demanded I recoil from the offensive smell, but even if I could move, there was no avoiding the foul scent because the fresh tang of metallic iron flowed freely from my own skin."Make sure every damn one of our healers is present and ready to treat him by the time we get back!" Ever barked out orders."Got it!" someone grunted.I couldn't see who he spoke to. From the location of Ever's voice, he must have been hovering over
"This will help take the edge off," Keane mumbled. "I'll clean you up as best I can while we ride, but I won't be able to stitch your wounds closed until we get you into a sterile environment."Fuck. I should hope he didn't plan on doing any stitching right now. Not with the way the ATV was lurching over the rough terrain. I'd look like Frankenwolf by the time he was done, I thought, my mind a bit altered with the almost immediate effect of whatever drug he'd pumped into my brain. My head felt woozy and my exhaustion ratcheted up about ten notches.Without warning, something cold was poured over the deep claw wounds in my shoulder, bringing me back to full awareness. Squeezing my eyes shut, body rigid, I cursed, "Fuck!""I know," Keane replied tightly, dabbing at the edges of the lacerations with gauze to remove the dirt and grime. "Just hang in there.""He needs more for the pain," Ever snapped."I can give him another shot of morphine now," the healer replied, "but I don't want him
The Living and The DeadHycinthThe alarm clock next to my bed blared the unpleasant news that it was time to start another day. I cringed and moaned. Eyes screwed shut, I flailed my arm in its general direction, and my hand smacked the front until I found the snooze button. Silence fell. I inhaled slowly. But my reprieve would be short.It had been six weeks since Lucky had threatened to call Leander if it didn't get out of bed. And every day since then, I'd dutifully gotten up and gone to work and tried to pretend I was okay. But every day, instead of feeling better, I just felt worse.Leander invaded my every thought. It didn't matter whether I was awake or asleep. When my eyes were open, images of Leander's tortured and incredulous expression at the moment he realized I knew about his mother waged war for the worst memory in my life against the pain in his violet and cerulean orbs just before he turned his back on me and walked away.And when my eyes were closed, fate was even cru
He exhaled heavily, "I don't want to threaten you with calling Leander again. But that means you're going to have to open up to me whether you like it or not."I stiffened, anxiety running through me. Somehow, I knew it was just a matter of time before he threatened to call Leander again. My brother loved me which meant he would go to any extreme to keep me safe, even if it went against my wishes. I didn't have any choice now but to talk to him. I said quietly, "What do you want to know?"The tension in his shoulders relaxed a little. He was relieved I wasn't fighting him. "Why don't we start with why you were crying this morning?""I-I felt the baby kick," I said barely above a whisper but it was loud enough for his advanced Wolf hearing."Really?" there was excitement in his voice, but then he paused. "But why did that make you cry?"I blinked back tears. Speaking the words made it hurt so much more. I swallowed thickly. "Because h-he's not here to share it with...and my Wolf..." I
Someone to KillLeanderFor a moment, my head swam. Where the hell was I? My pulse thudded like a hammer between my temples. Cracking one eye open slightly, I took in my surroundings.Oh, yeah...the treehouse.The dim evening light didn't completely hide the telltale signs of my descent into madness. The place was a mess. Empty liquor bottles littered the floor. Clothing tossed everywhere. I'd clawed through the sheets and destroyed most of the furniture.Since I'd been released from medical care six weeks ago, I'd given up trying to stay at the pack house. Ever hadn't liked it but even he'd agreed that having a little more space for my Wolf was a good idea. The animal had gone from infinite despair to a bloodthirsty mongrel, not safe to be around other wolves, snapping and biting at the least bit of provocation.The nearby scrape of boots across the hardwood treehouse floor made me lurch to attention. Claws extended from my fingertips. Coiled and ready to spring, a feral growl ripped
LUCKY'S POV**4 weeks since last chapter (3½ months since Hycinth left)**I watched Hycinth from the corner of my eye. True to her word, she was doing all of the things I wanted her to. She got up, dressed, went to work and then went home. But she was only going through the motions. There was no happiness in her expression, ever. I didn't think she'd even smiled since we left Leander.She'd opened up a few more times about her pain and grief. We were making progress, slow, but progress. I could see her opinion start to sway. She wanted to fix what was wrong inside of her, but she just didn't know quite how to get there. And even if she did, she feared it was already too late to get Leander back. I didn't think so. That male would do anything for her...in the same way I would do anything for my mate one day. It would be painful for both of them, but they could get through it. I had to believe that. But her self-criticism and self-doubt kept her bound up unable to break free.And we wer
"The violet and cerulean smoke?!" Hycinth breathed. She seemed to understand more than I did. I had no idea what the hell colored smoke she was talking about.The Oracle nodded in approval. "Yes. That is correct. You bore his child at that moment."Hycinth's mouth dropped open. It took her a minute to close it. The shock never left her expression as she asked incredulously, "Are you telling me that was when Leander got me pregnant...even before we had sex?!"What she said sounded like nonsense, but I had no details on the ceremony preparation, so for the moment, I just listened.The older shewolf nodded again."Does it always h-happen that way for the mating ceremony?" Hycinth stuttered."No. Never has it happened in such a manner. Usually, conception occurs during intercourse."Hycinth blinked, stunned silent, finally out of questions."This smoke that you are referring to, the thing that got Hycinth pregnant...what was in it?" I asked skeptically."Leander's semen was the main ingre
Caught in a LieLuckyThe Oracle walked out the door, leaving both Hycinth and me gutted and raw with the truth, utter devastation in her wake.Unable to make my body move, I slumped in the chair across from Hycinth. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, clutching her belly. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She rocked back and forth. Confusion swirled unchecked in her irises, mirroring mine, trying to wrap her head around the impossible.But neither of us couldn't any make sense out of what we'd heard.Nothing made sense anymore...Lost blue eyes focused on me. "I thought it was about the war, Lucky-the decades-old conflict between our pack and Leander's -it was supposed to be about the war!" Hycinth wailed, gasping for breath. Desperation colored every word. "Not me! Why did they have to kill Leander's mother and your mate because of me?!"I inhaled slowly and let the breath out. I wasn't sure I could talk about my mate without breaking down into a puddle on the floor, so I focused
Leander's povHycinth's startled lake-blue eyes quickly cut from person to person.Her audience sat in rapt attention, smiles and excitement radiating on their faces, waiting for her to say something.But Hycinth's countenance reflected a far different reaction from theirs. Brows furrowing closer with each sweep of her confused gaze, Hycinth abruptly clutched her rounded abdomen protectively and sank as far away into the bed as she could.Instantly, I delved into her mental state, dreading what I would find.FearApprehensionMistrustMy heart dropped.Certainly not the happy reunion I had foolishly hoped for. Hycinth sucked in a harsh breath, unable to keepup with her continuously accelerating heartbeat.She blinked back tears.Without even a word to coordinate their identical reactions, Ever, Asher and Milo all stepped forward and lifted their mates. "Time to go," Ever spoke gruffly. Expression stricken, Gwen reached toward Hycinth, her mouth opening but no sound came out as Ever c
Glancing over, I found Gwen's expression radiating with happiness, tears streaming down her face.Confused by both of their responses and fearful of the unknown, Ever asked urgently, "What...what's happening?"Eyes wide, Gwen whispered, "It's a mate bond.""What?" Ever asked blankly while I echoed with my own shocked, "What the hell?""It feels like the first time I saw you," she giggled softly.Ever shook his head. "But that's not possible.""I don't know how to explain it. It just feels that way."I had no idea what Gwen had actually felt, but I agreed with Ever. I'd never heard of such a thing before.Refocusing on Hycinth, Gwen gently smoothed a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.After a long moment, Ever murmured, "I think we should bring Willow in." "Ooh, that's a good idea," Gwen instantly agreed and looked up at me expectantly.I held a hand up. "Wait. I don't know about that. Yes, Hycinth seemed to react well, but what if more people becomes too much
Ever squeezed my shoulder."I intend to stay by her side and take care of her until she's awake."Quiet agreement was murmured as they nodded their heads. Eagerness to help was transparent on their faces.From the corner of my eye, I saw Gwen carefully make her way through the crowd toward me. Once she reached my side, her little chin came up, fierce determination in her expression. "Leander, let me help you care for her."I hesitated. "That's okay. I can handle it."Clearly unwilling to take no for an answer, she continued, "Leander, I know you love her but she is going to need more care than just you. Ever explained a little bit of what you're dealing with. I love her too. I knew there was no way she was aware of the full atrocities her parents had inflicted. She couldn't. Her innocence was too transparent and her sweetness of spirit. Nobody is that good of an actress. I am your Beta Female. Now, let me do my job."From my back, Ever murmured, "I think it's a good idea."Somewhat su
Leander's povShort beams of moonlight descended from above, intermittent strokes of luminosity breaking through the dense forest canopy as we ran. We didn't need the light. Wolf vision provided striking clarity of the landscape in almost absolute darkness, but even without such a gift, we probably would have been able to successfully navigate the terrain blindfolded. Each of us knew these woods like the back of our hands.Within minutes, the dimness of the forest gave way, revealing a soft glow twenty feet ahead. Not much farther now. My gait slowed, legs feeling heavier with every step. I hated losing wolves. It never got any easier to say goodbye.Finally crossing the tree line, I stepped out into the clearing and stopped. The drums fell silent.To my right stood four unmistakable structures. Meticulously prepared, each fallen Wolf had been anointed with spices and dressed in noble tribal fare. Six feet off the ground, bodies cradled in suspense by an intricately woven labyrinth of
Leander"No!" Hycinth's scream pierced the darkness.Instantly awake, every particle in my body felt like it had been lit on fire. "What is it, love? What's wrong?"Little fists pummeled my chest. Her frail body thrashed in the bed next to me. "Don't touch me!"Still snared by unconsciousness, it was clear the battle was in her mind.Primal instinct drove me forward. I had no intention of letting her fight this adversary alone. Without thought, I blew our partial mate bond. wide open and delved into her subconscious. For a moment, I was disoriented by the chaos in her head. Stark fear swirled amidst nightmare images-darkness stained with slashes of red, so much blood. No concern for her own welfare, but desperately fighting for the precious innocent she carried in her belly."It's okay, you're safe!" I whispered urgently while trying to contain her flailing limbs without hurting her.Torment all-consuming, she couldn't hear me. Continuing to fight her imaginary foe, she violently wres
The cabin door opened just wide enough for Sydney to slip inside. Cool blue eyes flickering to take in the scene around her, Sydney naturally settled into the chair across the room and waited for me to speak.Not wanting to risk stressing Hycinth, I continued to use the mind link, "I need you to stay with her tomorrow night."Sydney nodded, no break in her stoic expression, ever diligent to her duties. But I knew her better than that. The slightest twitch of pain in her eyes didn't escape my attention, revealing her struggle just as all of us mourned such a heavy loss."I don't know how... I'm going to leave her, "I murmured, getting to the heart of the matter.It was Sydney's turn to read my expression, to hear all of the words I'd left unsaid, just as I knew she would. She couldn't repair my stress but immediately, the Delta in her began to plan, "For those hours, we could increase the Sentinels in number and tighten the perimeter around the cabin. Additionally, the bikers-""Bikers
LEANDER'S POV"Leander," Grace's thoughts drifted through the pack mind link we shared. "Hycinth needs your attention."Instantly, I rose to my feet.Startled by my abrupt change in position, Ever lurched to his feet, chest puffed out, ready for a fight.I expected Ever's reaction, but what surprised me was Luca's similar response. Certainly lacking of any decent Alpha experience he could trust, betrayed by the one male he thought loved him the most, I wouldn't have begrudged Luca's reluctance to blindly follow another Alpha so quickly, especially me. But there was no hesitancy in his response as he stood ready, hands out, naturally aligning himself to Ever's body to provide me with optimal cover."Sorry," I muttered as I walked away toward the lakeside cabin. I hadn't meant to alarm them. No further words were necessary. I felt their heightened emotions calm.Breaching the entryway, I watched Sydney gently release Hycinth's hand, lean forward and place a barely-there kiss on her fore
"I know," he replied, "and I'm sorry to put you through this again, but I need to know...what her body went through."I studied his expression.He explained softly, "I can't help her if I don't know.""Okay." I ran a hand roughly through my already disheveled hair as I pulled back images I never wanted to think about again. "From the glimpse I saw into her mind and confirmation from those in the room, I think only two penetrated her vaginally but her wounds indicate her bottom was also violated, probably with claws."Luca's brows went up. "You could see that...in her mind?""Yes," I ground out through my teeth. In my head, my Wolf snarled furiously at the memories. "Thankfully, it appeared Hycinth was unconscious, at least during the time those two bastards defiled her.""What else?""The bruises and wounds on her body were too many to count. She had several spinal breaks that we could feel, likely incurred from multiple kicks due to the massive boot prints left behind on her back, bu
LeanderA sudden northeastern gust of wind rustled through the trees, causing several russet-colored leaves to lose their already tenuous hold on the branches above us and flutter to the ground. Autumn had settled in since Hycinth had left me. Three long months. More than half of her pregnancy. The thought was staggering.Ever's head came up, his astute gaze automatically scanning the horizon."But I don't think so," Luca murmured quietly."What do you mean?""After Oracle Memoree visited us and we finally knew the truth, in all of its ugly glory," he flinched, green eyes losing focus for a moment before continuing, "the plan was to contact you...figure a way to reach out as soon as I returned from our old pack. Hycinth wasn't in great shape...she didn't think you or the pack would want her back...but she wanted to try.""The pack?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why would Hycinth think the pack wouldn't want her back?"Luca's shoulders pulled back, his tone clearly communicating his personal