The rumours were true. Only a minute or two after we got Howen and Pearl onto the ground did a silent shaft of light blaze down. Watching from outside the fortress it appeared painful, the way everyone dropped to the floor covering their eyes. Even I had to shield my eyes with my hands.From what I could see amidst the whiteness Elvie appeared to have lost her mind, stood tall, flailing her arms and shouting upwards. Declan held me close, wrapping his leather jacket back around my shoulders and kissing the top of my head.“Thank you,” leaning into him, loving the warmth of his huge body against mine.“What for?”“For not wanting to change us.”Declan shifted, leaning against the black truck door. “Can I say I am happy with myself without sounding like a dick? I’m covered in damage but I don’t care anymore.”“Well you are perfect, to me at least.” I smiled, watching him roll his eyes even though he squeezed me a little tighter. As quickly as it descended the beam vanished. From a dista
### FIVE YEARS LATER ### The truck has seen better days. More grey than black it trundles us wherever we need. Declan has become the expert at fixing it, fully aware that I absolutely love it when he gets oil on his hands or face. Rolling up his sleeves, showing his huge forearms that are solid from hard work, I offer up a daily prayer of thanks to the Goddess. “You are sure this is the place?” “I heard about it from the others back home.” Home was our small fishing village named Filney. Today was an unusual adventure for us, having barely left our little world for so long. Leaving the fortress all those years ago we had just headed south. With no more diversions or magnetic tourist attractions to show me, Declan took me to the very furthest tip of our nation. It still took a couple of months to get so far south. Just as he had dreamed, I fell asleep in the truck, waking up to him gently nudging me. However back then there had been no bump, just the first twinges of nausea and
Panic is rising. You can smell it in the air. There are maybe only hours until the Freeze descends. Every servant, including myself, hurries goods down into the packs underground concrete base for the next six months. Luna Corina still has trunks of furs and gowns to transport. We are her, vile, scuttling bugs. We say nothing because her slaps and pinches are nothing compared to her father. To be truthful,he is my father too, not that he has done anything but add to the suffering in my life. Valdis is a tyrant of an Alpha, delighting in the life or death power he wields. Especially at this time of the year. Metres of snow is due to fall any day. Vast, lethal ice fields form that even the thickest, furriest wolf cannot withstand. We are hundreds of miles from the next settlement. Once that bunker door slams shut, you can’t hear the begging of those trapped outside. Those first burials are the worst jobs of spring. It never gets easier. Alpha Valdis was more willing to make an exa
We all dealt with our situation differently. Mara was naturally curvier, all hips, thighs and breasts despite our meagre food rations. She enjoyed attending the Black Hall despite everything. She allowed herself to forget, for a few hours, lost in the heat, muscle and power of any man's touch. Her rounded thighs bore the mark of different hand prints every time . Elvie wanted love. Above ground, during spring she refused to associate with any man. She was the only one of us three who still looked at the horizon and imagined living over there, away from the cold and the fear. Underground, she dived enthusiastically into the anonymous antics every full moon. I have never ventured inside the Black Hall. My wolf pushes me to feel something, anything but I can’t cross that line. I have enough fear in my life without risking someone I despise taking the last of my dignity from me. I doubted I would enjoy the dark, unrecognisable touches even if I allowed my heat to overwhelm me. “You
The crew has been planning this for months and that bastard Valdis had no idea. He withdrew his scouts as the Freeze approached, just as we knew he would. We walked right up to the fucking door. Nearly all the crew are the offspring of people he has murdered. Joined together in shared hatred for the tyrant that has dominated the northern half of our world. Trekking through the tall black mountains none of us said a word. Memories of this place ran too deep, scars reopened. I could have started a new life, down in the warmer southern lands. Never see snow and ice again, endure another Freeze. Allow my wolf to shift form and prance along the fucking beach without a care. Except I can’t. For twenty years, since a small boy of seven, my dreams have been filled with burning visions of what he took from me. Every mirror reminds me of what Valdis left me with instead. We knew if we waited until the final hours before the Freeze struck we could take them by surprise. Half a dozen pur
The scent of terror mixed with the metallic tang of blood. We had all heard that last hail of bullets. I was crouched with Elvie in one of the grey shelf-filled storerooms. We didn’t lock the door, hoping anyone searching would just casually glance and walk away. The shouts and sounds of those being gathered up echoed throughout the building. “Where are they taking everyone?” Elvie whispered. “It must be the Black Hall, that’s the only space big enough for everyone?” “They might be setting us free, lets go!” Elvie whispered quickly. Her long silvery hair had come out of its bun and hung around her shoulders. “Are you insane! We’ve just survived a massacre! They’ll be setting up a firing squad next!” “If they’ve killed Valdis, I’ll bow down and give them anything they want,” Elvie muttered, “those guys can’t possibly be worse.” I thought of poor Mara. Valdis has almost completely broken her spirit. His Beta’s too. Ronan and the rest had made our lives hell. I don’t think about
This phase had been the hardest plan to gain approval from the others. A lot of the Rogue committee had wanted to kill everyone outright. Slit the throat of every man, woman, even child and leave it scorched once the team survived winter. Burn the place to the ground with them all in it. I had argued for a fairer method. I wanted to kill Valdis, but not at the expense of becoming just like him. The bunker and fortress served an important purpose. Just because Valdis had sat on the powers available underground didn’t mean they were gone forever. In the end the compromise was agreed. Allow those who wanted to attempt safe passage. Realistically it was almost impossible without vehicles. Perhaps those who were determined, smart and resourceful might get far enough before the huge ice sheets and blinding snow descended. I would not lose sleep over the Beta’s who wanted to attempt it. The one with the tattooed face was making me itch to fire another bullet. The way his icy eyes glared a
Only when Declan left the room did I shakily exhale. Even when he shot Warren. I was drawn like a magnet to that bearded, grizzled face. He viciously smeared Ronan against the wall, I still couldn't stop staring. Those dark eyes had a power I had never experienced before. Would he really shoot us too? If not him, what about these eleven new men? All of them, clad in black leather, look pissed. Especially when Coraline outed me, I could feel the heat of their eyes. Declan promises freedom but that is an easy declaration to make at the start of a Freeze. He could be lying through his teeth. Elvie immediately walked off, chattering excitedly with another girl about freedom. Punishing me for not leaving with the Beta’s into the Freeze. Mara had passed out on my legs, her body hot and clammy. Corina stood over me, a grin of triumph on her face. “You know, I’m going to introduce myself properly to Declan. My life won’t be changing here so neither will yours.” Then she trotted off do
### FIVE YEARS LATER ### The truck has seen better days. More grey than black it trundles us wherever we need. Declan has become the expert at fixing it, fully aware that I absolutely love it when he gets oil on his hands or face. Rolling up his sleeves, showing his huge forearms that are solid from hard work, I offer up a daily prayer of thanks to the Goddess. “You are sure this is the place?” “I heard about it from the others back home.” Home was our small fishing village named Filney. Today was an unusual adventure for us, having barely left our little world for so long. Leaving the fortress all those years ago we had just headed south. With no more diversions or magnetic tourist attractions to show me, Declan took me to the very furthest tip of our nation. It still took a couple of months to get so far south. Just as he had dreamed, I fell asleep in the truck, waking up to him gently nudging me. However back then there had been no bump, just the first twinges of nausea and
The rumours were true. Only a minute or two after we got Howen and Pearl onto the ground did a silent shaft of light blaze down. Watching from outside the fortress it appeared painful, the way everyone dropped to the floor covering their eyes. Even I had to shield my eyes with my hands.From what I could see amidst the whiteness Elvie appeared to have lost her mind, stood tall, flailing her arms and shouting upwards. Declan held me close, wrapping his leather jacket back around my shoulders and kissing the top of my head.“Thank you,” leaning into him, loving the warmth of his huge body against mine.“What for?”“For not wanting to change us.”Declan shifted, leaning against the black truck door. “Can I say I am happy with myself without sounding like a dick? I’m covered in damage but I don’t care anymore.”“Well you are perfect, to me at least.” I smiled, watching him roll his eyes even though he squeezed me a little tighter. As quickly as it descended the beam vanished. From a dista
The past few months have been a blur. When the Goddess light first appeared I didn't have a clue what to do. Instinct took over as I shredded into Reu's jacket with my claws, my wolf somehow emerging for the first time since I accidentally shifted at fourteen. I was whipped so severely for just my claws emerging in front of a Beta that I never tried it again. But when the light subsided, returning us to cold darkness I was sprawled underneath Reu in my wolf form. "What the fuck just happened?" Dill shouted, as everyone rubbed their eyes and huddled. Nearly everyone had dropped to the floor, unable to find their way indoors in the searing brightness. "Is everyone okay!" Reu shouted, clambering to his feet, his white hair a ragged mess. "Does anyone need help!" Everyone gasped as he stood up, revealing my shifted form. All the originals knew what a big deal it was. "Elvie is that you!" Arlen cried out, pointing in surprise. Then Sol gasped. "Arlen your…your hands!" "Dill your fac
I squealed as Declan roughly shoved me into Pearl, scattering us to the ground.Then I saw why. Holding a long-barrelled shotgun, eyes blazing a furious gold stood Viktor. He was red-faced, sweating with exertion. Blonde hair now hung down to his shoulders, dirty and tangled. “What the fuck are you doing here,” Viktor said with a sneer, keeping the barrel pointed directly at Declan’s face. Manoeuvring so he could see all three of us togethe, his once handsome face twisted in smug victory.Gesturing the gun quickly towards me I gasped in fear as he mocked us. “You’re looking good Lyra, and a pretty friend too. My Declan, aren't you getting adventurous. Or did you fancy a less damaged slut for a while?”“Fuck off,” Pearl growled but this was no time for trading insults. Not when my mate had a gun waved in his face.“You’ve hidden the golden wolf here then?” Declan said flatly, flexing his huge chest, parting his legs to try and cover Pearl and I. From my crouched position I could feel
Lyra, forever formed of kindness and light raced to her side, Skidding into the blood and straw, not caring about her light cotton dress as she cradled Mara’s long blonde hair in her hands. “Mara what happened to you! Shit! Pearl, get some help, quick!” As the guard swore and cursed his bad luck, Pearl ran off. I heard her rummaging around in the guard room at the top of the corridor. Mara spluttered, her teeth stained with blood. Lyra carefully stroked her blonde hair away from the blood on her face, as gently as a mother would a newborn. “Lyra he…I did everything he asked.” “But you hurt people for him? The guards at the fortress, the men in this gold sale?” “I had to! I didn’t want to but he told me it was the only way. The only way we could be together. We put the golden wolf safe then came here to sell the little trinkets,” as she got upset her words became more ragged, her breathing starting to rattle. “We had such a good time…it was, he was perfect.” Pearl came scampering b
I have failed. Six months ensuring nothing harmed her happiness and I’ve gone and trashed it anyway. Those green eyes are filled with confusion and it’s all because of me. Because of something as simple as a dream. Albert having finally waddled downstairs, I slowly walk towards her. For the first time she steps backwards. Fuck. “You want to find Viktor? Howen? Both of them?” “I have to,” I confessed sadly, slumping down to sit on the soft bed. I rubbed at my eyes, running my hands through my short brown curls in frustration. “Lyra, these nightmares…these dreams are telling me I’ve got to do something.” “What dreams?” her voice softening, even though her arms are still folded. I keep my head in my hands, gripping my hair tightly as I force the words out. “Last night, I saw Howen as he was, as a young man being led away from me by Viktor, into a crowded road. I run, I search. I kill strangers in the streets to try to get to him. It drives me feral to the point where my dream ends wi
Of course leaving the Fortress wouldn’t be complete without some final bloodshed. Seeing how Declan’s brotherhood had torn themselves to pieces the instant Beldon died was sobering. When I asked if we needed to tell the rest of the Rogues waiting back at the base, Declan shook his head. “The ones that made it out would have high-tailed it straight back there anyway."“What made Beldon and Morrell so…angry?” “I think they let their Bond fail. I don’t think you can live a life that violent, however well intentioned and not let it taint something pure,” Declan replied flatly. “Once that starts to rot, it all falls apart. Like how you described Corina.”So with Beldon’s body gingerly dragged from the flatbed of the dented black truck, we left. We were silent for the first few hours. Mainly because I was staring out of the window like an idiot at everything new. Declan was content to just drive, and watch me from the corner of his eye. Seeing the cragged black mountains up close, actual
Declan and Lyra left a few days ago. Elvie and I insisted on being the ones to take them back to what was left of the Rogue camp. On the snowmobiles, carrying machine guns and blades, we found a site of devastation. Blood had been spilled. A huge amount of it judging by the snowy corpse-clumps in the ground. Only one truck remained, Beldon’s frosted corpse. Tent sheeting flapped with claw marks, chunks of leather clothing shredded. Elvie and Lyra had shuddered to discover Amelie under one of the collapsed tents. “So this is Rogue law?” Elvie had muttered with a bitter tone. “You never know with Amelie, she may have struck the first blow or tried to lead a group attack,” I said after a minute's consideration. She always wanted to play big.She wouldn’t have even been up here had she not begged to come. Sitting quietly around every campfire for years, I have learned to watch people when they think they aren’t being studied. Amelie wanted more than her usual piece of Dec the instant
Seeing Declan standing above my bed, blanket in hand, face flushed with desire I had for a second assumed it was just another fantasy. Too much hugging of the sandalwood-scented pillow, tricking myself again.Then he kissed me. He was so real. With a desire that bordered on frenzy, he seized and fucked me so exquisitely I felt I was coming apart at the seams. Only his gruff, heavy hold over my body kept me together. There was no feeling like it in the world when he sunk that deep inside. Laid next to him, watching the rise and fall of his chest, my toes curled at the memory of how he grabbed my ass, admiring me even though I knew my back was littered with scars.I love how even in his sleep, if I try to move away he instinctively pulls me closer. So excited to have him home I study him, unable to rest myself. His brown hair is shaggy and unkempt. That brown beard I love is even more ragged and needs trimming after so many days away.Despite the fighting and lack of food, Declan’s bod