Lucas’s face goes blank for a moment, the way it only does when his rage is far too great for him to contain.“What?” His voice is cold in a way that sends a shiver even up my spine.“The drink in my hand today, the one I was drinking,” I explain to him, my voice unsteady. “It was spiked by herbs that can cause you to lose a baby.”“Who did it?” He stares at Tina who pales.“It wasn’t me!” She immediately says, startled and just a little fearful. She looks at me and then back at my mate. “I know that!” Lucas says, angrily. “But who could it be?!”“It could be anyone from the delegation. They weren't exactly staying in their quarters since they arrived. And the drinks were being prepared in the kitchen. There were so many people going in and out, it could have been anyone.”Tina’s words make sense.“We hunt them down then!” Lucas snarls but I squeeze his hand.“We can’t,” My tone is urgent. “Lucas, if we throw blame on the delegations, we will never be able t
“Your daughter?” I ask, incredulously.When Raymond just raises a challenging brow, I continue, my tone scathing, “The same one who has her eyes set on my mate? I don’t think so. Choose another representative.”Before the Alpha can reply, Carmine steps forward, her tone mocking, “You were the one who was so confident that Lucas will never be swayed from your side. So, why is it a problem for me to stay here?”Her eyes flit across the people standing around us, mine, hers, and the remaining delegates from the other two packs, and she sneers, “Unless, of course, your hold on your mate is not as air tight as you think.”Lucas growls at the insult and he’s about to say something when I deliberately step on his feet, out of sight of everyone.My smile is tight, “This isn’t about my insecurities, Carmine. This is about the fact that you openly desire my mate and I find it disgusting. Choose another, Raymond.”However, the Alpha of the Black Wolves studies me, “This is all y
It is Carmine who rushes forward, screaming, as I look at the gruesome sight, stunned.“Father!”“Alpha!”The delegates from the Black Wolves pack come rushing forward, horrified.Carmine is sobbing and despite my shock at this incident, I transform back and order my soldiers, “Sweep the grounds! Find out who did this!”My men don’t hesitate, spreading out, leaving three soldiers by my side and Lucas, whom I know isn’t going to leave my side. “Carmine,” My voice is gentle as I speak to the sobbing girl. “Let us take him back to the den. We’ll figure out what happened.”Before she can say anything, one of the wolves from the Wind Winder Pack walks over and picks up a sharp, bloodied blade, “What’s this?”“What?” Lucas is striding over and taking the weapon from him.His voice is grim as he says a moment later, “Well, we found the murder weapon.”“Why would anyone leave it behind?” Ted demands. The delegate from the Wind Winder Pack who had picked it up
I have a meeting with the senior lieutenants shortly after viewing the footage and I also interrogate the two men patrolling that area.“We didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary,” The two junior soldiers tell me, heavy guilt and regret on their faces. “We would have-““If they were Hunters, they must have figured out a way to conceal their scent,” I cut off the two soldiers. "I'm just grateful they didn't come after you.”“And the fact that they didn't say as a lot as well,” Lucas comments, his voice hard. “they were aware of the cameras and the motion sensors. If they had attacked the two of you, they would have revealed their presence. Which means that they were deliberately waiting for Raymond. So you are assassination is true then. But why here? Why in our territory?”My jaw tight, I wish I had the answer. “We’ll have to talk to the delegation and Carmine,” I finally say. “They might have the answers we need.”***The delegation from the Black Wolves Pack
I see something shift in Carmine’s eyes before she says, her voice harsh, “How dare you? What exactly are you implying?!”“Exactly what I’m seeing,” I respond, lightly. “Your focus seems to be my mate rather than tracking down your father’s killers. How else is anybody here supposed to interpret that?”Carmine’s eyes flit through the room and she can see the suspicion on everyone’s faces.“I’m simply following pack law,” She grinds her teeth. The soldiers with her are tense, “I think it’s best that we find the killers, Carmine. They obviously targeted Raymond for some particular reason. We need to be sure they’re not going to come after you or anyone else in our pack. You are, by default, the next Alpha’s wife. We cannot have you at risk.”I can see the frustration on Carmine’s eyes and I have to wonder what kind of daughter who has so clearly been doted on, would rather get her way than track down the killers of her father. This goes beyond spoilt. It’s almost insane.
“Sarah!”Lucas is by my side and I shaky my head, trying to breathe through the pain.“I’m fine,” I gasp, feeling as if something is stabbing me. “The baby is fine. It’s something else. I don’t know-“I suddenly have the urge to throw up and I do.But what comes out of me isn’t vomit but dark blood.I feel instantly better, even as a part of me feels weak. I clutch on to Lucas’s forearms, my head dazed, “Water. Please.”He hands me a glass which I chug down, shaking.“What the hell, Sarah?!” I can hear the terror underneath the growl.He doesn’t wait for an answer, shouting out to the person on the other side of the door, “Get Tina!”Tina is with us within minutes, checking me, her healing energy running all over me.“You’re fine,” Her face is tense. “Do you feel anything?”I shake my head, mutely, “A little weak but nothing else.”Tina glances down at the blood on the ground, “I will take a sample of that but I think the baby is fine. I can feel him
Lucas’s temper doesn’t die down and I feel guilty.I know he worries about me.Ever since I took up the mantle of Alpha, we haven’t had one moment to ourselves which is even remotely relaxing.It’s been one whole day and he’s avoiding me.It hurts but I have to put the interests of the pack before my own. I knew that being an Alpha was not going to be an easy job. That’s why I had been so hesitant when it had been offered to me. But Lucas had insisted I accept back then. He never considered that for someone so young, it was burden that was all consuming.I sigh, setting down the journal, I’ve been staring at, rub my hands over my face.“You’re sad,” Kayla comments from where she’s doing her homework on the couch in my office. She may be young but she’s still the legendary Phoenix. She doesn’t get along with the other children that much, preferring mine or Lucas’s company.“I’m tried,” I confess.And sad.“Is it because Lucas is angry with you?” Kayla wan
“What?!” The cloak in my hand falls to the ground in shock.“What do you mean it’s dead?!” I demand, walking around the side of the bed to to face him. “It’s gone, Sarah,” Lucas says, his voice tight, and I can tell that he’s holding back his emotions. “That barrier she had around the place is missing. I walked through the santuary. Her garden is dead, all her herbs wilted. Her cottage has been abandoned. I-“He swallows, not in fear, but in pain, “Somebody ransacked the place. Somebody - Aliya protected that place. Even when she wasn’t there, the shield never-“He almost sounds distraught and I have to force my own worry and panic down, “You didn’t find her?”“No.”“Maybe she got in trouble and went to the Night Stalker Tribe to receive help,” I’m trying to be optimistic here but Lucas speaks the thought that’s running through my head.“If she was in danger, we are closer to her. She would’ve come here, Sarah. You know that.”Lucas and Aliya go way back, their
SarahThe days that follow are sad ones. We all have to come together as a pack to work through the loss of so many loved ones. “I really thought we were finding peace,” Dustin says, as we gather together three days later. “I hoped it would stay.”“We’ll find that now,” I tell him. “There are always going to be times of peace and times of conflict. I’ve learned we have to accept that as a way of life. That’s the downside of being in a wolf pack.“But the good days outnumber the bad. And we’re strong, we’re fierce. We’ll get through this and defeat any enemies that might come up next. We just have to trust in each other and have faith in the pack.”The words resonate with me as I say them. Despite all the hardships, I’m more devoted to this pack than I ever have been. I’ve learned to accept the ups and downs which are easier to manage now that things between Lucas and I don’t feel quite as fragile.“That’s why you’re a great leader,” Dustin says. “You inspire us all to do just
LucasAs I watch my baby in Sarah’s arms, I’m happier than I ever thought I’d be. A son and a daughter. It feels like now our family is complete. Though I’m open to more children in the future. Right now, I’m just content.Sarah and I tend to be rough sleepers though. So, as Sarah dozes off, I take Evelyn from her arms and place her in the bassinet. Then, I join Sarah on the bed.“She’s beautiful,” I say, cuddling my sleepy mate. “You’re beautiful. I’m so grateful to you for bringing our children into our life like you have. “I know it’s never easy. I won’t even pretend to understand what you go through. But you give up so much for our family. I appreciate that more than I can express.”“And I appreciate you,” she says. “You’re a wonderful father and a fantastic husband. I’m so glad to share all of this with you. I’m so grateful to be building a family with you.”I kiss her and the warmth of having my true mate in my life envelopes me. It just feels so natural and right when y
Sarah“That is an incredible offer,” I say, my eyes staring right into Azar’s. “You’ve promised so much, and I know we’d both prosper within a formed alliance. However, we can’t promise our daughter’s hand in marriage.”My words prompt a hearty response. Some are mere whispers while others are outright defiant. Many can’t believe that we would turn away from this. But we have to do what’s right for our daughter.“Now, I’m not shutting down the idea of a future marriage completely,” I clarify. “Maybe our daughter will end up with your son. Maybe they will be mates.“But we’ll have to wait and see once she’s old enough to decide. Since we’ll be allies regardless, they’ll know each other. They can spend time together.“If our daughter decides that your son is her mate and they both love each other, then they can get married. We’re going to leave that up to her though. We don’t want to make such a big decision for her before she can even consent to it.”Azar’s demeanor falls. It re
LucasSarah looks at me with an expectant look on her face, and I’m just not sure what I should say. The kiss still bothers me. It hurts me. As her mate, I have reason to be upset.The guilt still haunts me though. It reminds me of how I hurt her. It whispers that I deserve this. I know that I deserve this.“It’s nothing,” I insist.“Lucas, please open up to me,” she says. She takes my hand in hers and looks at me with those eyes I never can resist. “I saw you and Azar last night,” I confess. “I saw the kiss.”Sarah looks at me with shock and guilt written upon her face. I hate that. It’s proof that what I saw was true. They did kiss. She betrayed me.“I know I betrayed you horribly,” I continue. “So, I understand that I deserve that. But it still hurts, Sarah. “I thought we had moved past all of that. I thought we were solid. I thought we weren’t ever going to let anyone get between us again. But I guess I was wrong.”Jealous tears through me as the kiss replays in my min
LucasI’m surprised then when I wake, Sarah isn’t beside me. I panic. After everything that’s happened, I simply can’t help it. There are too many ways things can go wrong.I need her near me. I need to always know that she’s okay.After a deep breath, I realize that something feels wrong. Something seems off. I walk to Fergus’ room and see him sleeping peacefully. I tuck the baby monitor in my pocket and step outside. I won’t go far, I can’t go far without Fergus, so hopefully she’s close by.It doesn’t seem like she is at first. I look all around our home and don’t see her. Then, I go towards the back yard and I stop.Sarah is there, but the tree line, but she’s not alone. He’s with her. The anger from earlier boils within me again.I know I shouldn’t be jealous, especially not after what I did to Sarah. I have no right to worry about that after all I put her through. And nothing truly awful has happened between them. I don’t have a solid reason to be upset.Besides, I tru
Lucas“You don’t have to give an answer right now,” he rushes in to say. “I’m not expecting you to be sure of anything right now. It’s just something to think about.”I’m so taken off guard by this that I don’t know a single word to say in response. I have tried to push aside my fears that he wants to seduce Sarah and getting to know them all a little better has helped me to do so.My daughter though… I never thought he’d be after my daughter. Arranged marriage? “That’s a big topic,” Sarah says slowly. “We’d definitely need time to think about it further. We’d have to talk through this amongst ourselves.”“Of course,” Azar replies with a pleasant smile. “I’m not trying to force your hand or anything. Take as much time as you need. It is a big decision but I think it’s the right one.”We don’t stay out much longer than that. We circle back to the gathering for a little while. But everyone is tired, so we all head back home soon after.It’s only once we’re back home that every
SarahI take a moment to give Lucas a hug and another kiss before we step into the area where the feast is being hosted. I can sense that he’s still a little insecure about things, but he had no reason to worry. I’m going to be true to him always.I’ll admit though, I am intrigued by this new pack. I wonder about the kinds of magic they can do. I’m curious about all they have to offer.As we walk towards their Alpha, the pack starts to congregate together, which is a little strange. Before this, they were mingling with everyone else. There seems to be a shift though as we approach them.“We’re so grateful you’ve accepted us,” Azar says, flashing that friendly smile. Is there anything flirtatious about it? I don’t really think so.“To show our gratitude, we would like to show you something,” he continues. “A little show before dinner.”I hesitate. What if this is something malicious? I don’t know anything about this pack. Is it a trap?They’re already here though. They could tr
LucasAfter everything else that’s happened, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this new pack joining us. It’s not like it’s uncommon for packs to approach each other, especially if they think a mutually beneficial alliance can be formed.The fact that packs are now approaching us like this shows our growth. I’m proud of Sarah for bringing this pack to greatness like this. I’m happy to welcome newcomers in.It’s just that there’s been a lot going on lately. And it still seems like a risk to allow anyone new to come into this peaceful place we created.Then, I realize that I’m sounding a bit like how Liza sounded when we brought Brandon in. It gives me more empathy towards her but also makes me realize that maybe I’m being a bit paranoid.It will be good to have another alliance. This could ultimately be beneficial to us. So, I help answer questions as the pack follows us. I remain as engaging as possible as I get to know them.“You’ve truly created something impres
SarahChills run down my spine as I listen to this prophecy about our daughter. I always knew our children would be great. But I never expected something like this.Could it be true?I assume it is considering the way this prophecy has been delivered. What does it mean though? How do we deal with something like this?Before we can ask any questions, the bubble floats off into the sky which grows lighter again. The lights turn back on. The candles are re-lit.Lucas and I look to each other as everyone looks to us for answers. Yet I’m stumped. Usually I know what to say, but not this time.“I have no idea where that came from,” I admit. I’ve found that when it comes to being Alpha, the best way to approach these sorts of things is from a place of honesty. “However, I can say that I feel blessed.“It’s clear our daughter will be special. I don’t know exactly what that means yet, but we will take care of her to the best of our ability. We’ll cherish her just as we do Fergus. We’ll