QuinnI sat in my favourite spot while I waited for Troy. In my open window, precariously balanced on the thin sill.I was suspended been life and death. To my left was the deadly drop down to the gardens below, and to my right the safety of my room. It was a stupid little game of chicken that I started to play when I was a teenager. I always wanted to see how far I could lean over, in the direction of death’s gaping maw, before fear forced me back to the safety of my room.One of these days, I’d push my luck too far. I’d lose my slippery grip on the window frame and fall to my death. I never let go though. I always left that part up to fate. Troy knocked and entered without waiting for an invitation. One look at him told me that his mood had darkened considerably in the hours since I saw him. “You ready to go?” he asked.I nodded and hopped off the windowsill. My shoes waited for me next to the door. I took one last look at myself in the mirror. I decided to wear a simple black dres
Troy I ordered a fresh round of drinks and I sat back while I watched Quinn try, and fail, to talk to Caroline. Whatever Donovan did to Caroline, clearly had an impact and she went out of her way to avoid Quinn. After half an hour of chasing her through the club, my dejected mate returned to the table. “Now she suddenly won’t talk to me.” Quinn huffed and picked up her wine. “There was a time I begged her to leave me alone, and she never would.” “Donovan probably ordered her to stay away from you.” “It wasn’t her fault. I provoked her. My actions were uncalled for.” “I know, I heard, and it was totally called for. You need to tell me why you want to help her so bad.” “I wish I knew.” “Are you going to let this go?” Quinn shook her head at me. “It’s like…I have this nagging voice in my head, telling me that we need to get her out of here.” Shit. Understanding dawned like lighting hitting me. Everything clicking in place like puzzle pieces. “Your talents are emerging along with
Quinn “Quinn,” Mario said. “Please get in the car.” “Not until Troy is here,” I snarled at him. "I swear we won't leave until he's here." I was restless, irritated, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something really bad was about to happen. I had to fight with everything inside me not to run from the club. This place was death. I ignored all of it. All my new instincts and the voice that kept echoing in my skull. I didn't want any of it, I didn't want to be burdened with knowledge of the future. Even though I knew better, I convinced myself that it was just the vision I had in the club that unsettled me. It would be the most likely explanation, but the voice in my head was on a refrain, screaming, begging me to, 'get out, get away.' My unease had nothing to do with the disturbing and frighteningly vivid little mind movie that played itself out in the dining room. It was still coming, was still going to happen. Oh God, I hoped Donovan got the kids out in time. I wanted to
Quinn I stayed in the hospital until the morning of the full moon. Serenity kept coming back, every night at the same time, to continue our healing sessions. Every time, I wished for death. The last one was the worst, and I told Troy that I wouldn't do it again. I'd rather die. To my utmost relief and surprise, Serenity agreed. The city was in an uproar, and most people chose to stay home while the police searched for the bomber of Club Ninety-Nine. On the morning of the full moon, they came by to question Troy and me. He tried to prepare me for the interview, but I was a twitchy, nervous wreck by the time to detective shoed up. Troy did most of the talking. He was just vague enough not to give the existence of werewolves away, but still answered as honestly as he could. “My fiancée’s grandfather has a grudge against her family. Look him up. Xander Shelby. I’m sure you’ll be…enlightened by what you find,” Troy told the detective. “Do you expect me to believe Miss Maree’s own grand
Troy We pulled up to the cabin just as the sun started to set. It was a bad time to mark my mate. My head was all messed up, my emotions all over the place, and marking a mate when your heart wasn't in it could be dangerous. I could kill her. But I couldn't wait. My enemies and allies alike were forcing my hand. My heart was broken and I didn't know if I could put it back together this time. Despite my threats, I never planned to kill Caroline. Quinn was right about her. She was just a lost, lonely, and scared young woman, clinging to anyone who'd show her an ounce of love. I knew what that could do to someone. But it was the loss of Mario that tried to choke the life out of me. He was part of my pack, one of mine, and I was connected to him. While I lay bleeding in the street, clinging to the little bit of life still left in my body, I felt Mario leave. His death was slow, painful, and terrifying. He wasn’t ready to go, didn't want to leave Sebastian. I saw my brother only on
Quinn“Uhm,” I stared at Troy.Was I supposed to say something back? Something with the same depth and meaning as the words he just said to me?“Do you accept me as your mate?” he asked, a small smile playing around his lips.“Uh- yeah.”He chortled, a soft throaty sounds that sent a shiver down my spine. “Say, ‘I Quinn Siobhan Maree, accept you, Troy Bailey, as my one true mate.’”“Only that?”“Hm-hm.”“I, Quinn Siobhan Maree, accept you, Troy Bailey, as my one true mate.”Something happened. The air around us flexed, wrapped us in a protective bubble, removing us from this world. Nothing outside our bubble mattered. Only this. Only us.I felt it. Our souls weaving together, our destinies intertwining, our hearts uniting, the thread that bound us together growing into an unbreakable bond.Troy shuddered and his eyes flashed in the darkness. Then he gripped my upper arms, leaned over, and viciously bit into the soft spot just below my collarbone.The pain that shot down my right side
QuinnTroy stared at me for a moment, his eyes dark and dangerous. “I can’t take it back, Quinn,” he said quietly. "You agreed to this. I didn't force it on you."I ignored my sore throat, determined to tell him exactly how I felt. “No. I know...but you…you gave me this wolf.”“No.” He shook his head and carelessly threw his phone on the pile of clothes. “The Goddess did. You were born with your wolf. You just never knew she existed. Salome was asleep, waiting to be woken up.”“But if you didn’t mark me-”"Are you trying to tell me that I did this to you? Do you blame me for being a werewolf?""No. Yes. I don't know."His eyes flashed danger, but his voice was as calm as ever when he spoke. “You are part Goddess. Salome would still have awakened, with or without my mark. It would just have happened a little later. My mark merely hastened the inevitable.”There was no going back. I knew it. I’d always known it. And he was right. I did willingly accept him. When he asked me if I wanted
Troy I popped the boot open and removed two toiletry bags – one for each of us – and two bottles of water. She took the offered items from me and gave me a questioning look. “We don’t have running water in the cabin,” I explained. “Ah,” she said as understanding dawned. “Make sure you drink some of that water,” I reminded her. She just nodded and walked off into the woods to clean her teeth and pee where I couldn’t see her. I had no such qualms or any shame anymore. After a while, things that bother humans, stopped bothering wolves. I found the nearest tree to take care of business and brushed my teeth before polishing off the bottle of water I brought with me. When I was done, I returned to the car, threw the toiletry bag in the boot, and opened the cooler box filled with meat and a variety of drinks. I mused about the good old days, when we had cure and dry our meat if we couldn’t eat all of it within a few days. This particular cooler box was attached to a battery, with a fan