43. The Human“What can we do?” Brax asked as I curled further into my blankets.My eyes were sore and scratchy, my head pounding as my blocked nose made me sound like I was breathing through a mask.“Nothing, I’m fine. It’s just a cold. Humans get those.”I sighed, closing my eyes, trying to sleep off the stupid sickness I had been blessed with thanks to the stupid Summit meeting.Wolves didn’t get colds, but I was human, and my alphas were a little out of their depth when it came to comforting me.They had no idea how to do it, getting on my nerves with their incessant worrying, but they were trying and I had to be grateful even though I just wanted quiet so I could sleep.No chance of that though. Kai hadn’t left my side since my very first sneeze two days ago. They’d tried to stick a healer on me, even take me to Tabitha’s, but I was almost over it, they just had to find some patience.Not their strength. Especially Kai’s.“Your fever is coming down,” Derik said, his voice small a
I shuffled closer, placing my hand against his face, my palm along his cheek.“I’m not going to let that happen. I have my shadows and you three. I won’t fail,” I promised, and he nodded, his eyes meeting mine with a slither of hope that I locked on to before pressing my lips against his.I kissed him slowly, softly, with all the tenderness he constantly showed me. He kissed me back, his arms going around me as he pulled me onto his lap.I sat astride him, kissing him before I had to pull back to breathe. He chuckled and held my chin between us.“You’re still too sick,” he said, and I shook my head.“I’m fine. Please, Derik? Tomorrow is the full moon, everything could change, and I want to have you before then,” I said, running my fingers down to the hem of his shirt, slowly lifting it.He let me take it off. And then I was kissing him again, my lips tugging at his, his tongue finding my mouth as the desire swirled in my stomach.I sucked in a breath as he pressed his lips against my
44. The BurnThe full moon. A night for werewolves. A night for mystery—and probably pain.But most of all, the night I had been waiting for.I had to confront Elias with my decision not to be a part of his winter born crusade against the wolves.I wasn’t like him. I didn’t want power, I didn’t want to use my shadows, I just wanted to be accepted, and I had that. I wasn’t about to throw it away.And if I was being honest about it, the humans had treated me much worse than the wolves ever had.Sure they had taken my virginity for some blood moon ritual, but technically I had given it. We all had.The humans were the ones who couldn’t accept who and what I was.It didn’t make me want to end them though, so Elias could shove it up his entitled ass because I wasn’t buying what he was peddling, even if it could be the only chance I had at a true mating or children with my alphas.I stood in the wardrobe, plaiting my hair down my back, looking over the dresses that I had been provided and t
“I’ll do my best,” I breathed against him as he released me.I backed away from them. Kai tried to take another step, but whatever force was binding the oath planted his feet to the floor, and this time, he couldn’t fight it.His fists clenched at his sides, and I blew them all a kiss, running out the door and heading toward the carriage that was waiting. I got inside, and as soon as the door closed, the panic hit.I had never been anywhere else in the realm on my own. I had always been with others, always distracted from my own thoughts, but now I was by myself and I could hear my own heart beating.It was so damn loud, the throbbing in my head more intense as I thought through every possible scenario of what was about to happen.Was I about to kill my brother? Was Elias about to kill me? What if I never made it back to my alphas? What if that was the last time I saw them?My breaths came harshly through my tight chest as I tried to summon some kind of bravery. It was hard when the s
45. The BattleI wasn’t strong enough.Every time Elias’s shadows hit me, I went down. He blew through mine easily, like I wasn’t even an issue.I grimaced as I hit the concrete wall of the crypt, Elias’s shadows, mixed with my brother’s, poured over me, sliding over my body as they pinned me there.When they let me go, I dropped to the ground, wincing as Elias chuckled, straightening his clothes, patiently waiting for me to get back up and try again.Because that’s what I kept doing.I had no choice, I couldn’t give up like my sore, aching muscles wanted me to.I gritted my teeth and climbed to my feet again, rolling my shoulders back. My stomach turned, my forehead beading with sweat as I reached for the link and my alphas’ powers that connected us.I needed their strength, but the link was getting weaker and I had no idea what that meant, whether it was because I was weaker or because my alphas were in trouble.Either way, I had to end this thing—and fast.I summoned everything I h
If I failed, he might kill my alphas. I believed in them, but I also knew how powerful he was.I looked over to him, frowning as he retreated back to the fireplace. He stood there, highlighted by the flames, my brother who wasn’t my brother.I stood on shaky legs, my head swimming, my skin bruised, my clothes bloodied. I felt as bad as I looked, and I was pretty sure he knew that.My shadows were weakening, something in the dagger making sure they were being drained with my blood.He was still grinning, but his eyes went to the pentagram I stood in. I looked down to where my blood mixed in with it, a pool in the middle that now connected all the lines.My head snapped to him as he chuckled darkly.“Just a little of your blood, that was all I needed.” He grinned. “And the final sacrifice of course.”He beamed before he buried the sacrificial dagger into the stomach of my brother.“No!” I screamed, and my shadows burst out of me, going for the dagger.I barely had a thought before my sh
And if he was telling the truth, that my brother’s shadows would go to him once he died and that I didn’t have long, then I needed to hurry up and end this.I couldn’t let my brother die or Elias get the shadows his ritual promised.So I went for him.I stabbed at him, swiped at him, his reflexes not as impressive as before. I caught his body, slicing through the flesh on his chest before sinking the blade into his stomach.He grunted and coughed, dropping to the ground, blood falling from his wound like it had done from mine. I wanted to feel good about that, but I just wanted it to be over.I moved behind him, gripping his hair in my hand, tipping his head back so I could press my dagger against his throat, just like he had done to me.“The best part about your ritual? It makes you as human as me,” I taunted, not giving him a chance to respond with some threat before I cut his throat.He gurgled and spattered, his shadows curling around mine as they felt their winter born dying. I l
46. The Curse“Negotiate? Are you fucking kidding me? You wanted a winter born. Here’s your chance. If you turn him, he goes with you. You get what you want, and I get my brother alive,” I argued, refusing to negotiate with a vampire.Especially when they were already getting something out of it.Silas narrowed his eyes at me, striding around the crypt, his chin high, his eyes assessing everything in a critical manner, but I held my ground, refusing to let him close to my brother before he had agreed to my terms.“I suppose you would have some conditions then,” Silas said, turning to me in a dramatic way that flared his cape out, “assuming I was to turn your brother.”“You’ll turn him because you want his power on your side of the border. This I know. What I don’t know is what you plan on doing with him once he is over there,” I said, needing some detail before putting my brother’s life in Silas’s shady hands.He smirked at that and came closer, kneeling down to my brother. I drew his
She was frowning hard, holding her temple with one hand, the other clutching amethyst beads dangling down from her neck.“Tabby,” I urged, not patient enough to wait. I needed answers.She huffed and pursed her lips. “These humans have made the witches very angry.Nothing good can come of this. What are they thinking?”“So it is the humans? Which ones?” I asked, hope springing in my chest, but Tabby tsked and shook her head sadly.“I don’t know, sweetie. The witches won’t let me get involved. We are sworn to not harm the humans.“We can’t use our magic on them, not those of us protecting the balance anyhow.Not without completely pure intentions, which I will not feign that mine are,”Tabby explained.This balance shit was really starting to get on my last nerve. We were the ones fighting the war for balance.The wolves had protected the humans from the vampires for years, fucked so many virgins year after year to keep the magic renewed in the border that separated them, kept them fro
1. The HuntKAI“Where is she?!” I roared at my useless pack, who had searched the entire werewolf territory without finding a damn thing.Glaring down at the brand on my wrist that was stopping me from going after her myself, I contemplated removing it from my skin just to see if fate could be thwarted so easily.She had been with her mother; there should be a scent, but there was nothing.I smashed my fist into the concrete wall next to me, the mansion in serious danger of being pummeled to death if one more wolf came back without her.The link was numb, but I wasn’t about to look too much into that, or I’d never come back from the edge.“Kai. We’ll find her,” Brax tried to reassure me, but nothing would until I could feel her again.I was empty, my chest heavy, everything inside me a storm growing stronger and stronger, ready to explode.I turned and kicked my seat back from the meeting table. The council was trying to organize how to get her back, not because she was the essence I
My pussy tightened around his cock, milking it as he came, his thrusts going so deep inside me it hit the achy, can’t-handle-your-dick spot that made my orgasm so much more intense.He stilled as his cum filled me before slumping back, breathing hard, his eyes closing. I leaned against his chest, his heart thumping fast against his chest and my ear, before Brax’s hands were lifting me.I smiled and went into his hold, kissing him hard. He kissed back, then turned me around, bending me over the leather seat.He ran his fingers down my spine, lifting my nightgown over my ass, sliding his tip along my soaking folds. He slipped beneath them, brushing my clit, and I shuddered, pressing back into him.“I want to feel you, Brax,” I prompted, and he leaned down to kiss my shoulder.“Are you sure you’re okay to keep going? I can wait until you’ve had a rest if you need it,” he whispered against me, and as an answer, I reached behind us and spread my cheeks for him.His tip sank in, and we both
It was purple, waves of aroma wafting out, but it had my mouth salivating. My headache lessened just at the smell of it, and I looked back up at Tabby, who nodded with a soft smile.I grabbed the cup and sipped it, surprised at how warm it was. It tasted amazing, like a vanilla smoothie, and softened all the aches and pains, leaving nothing but a homey, cozy feeling inside me.Kai turned to face me, waiting. Brax looked ready to kill Tabitha the instant I showed any sign of a bad reaction, and Derik just sat there, silent and tense.But I felt better. I still had the weakness there, but it wasn’t accompanied by pain for the first time in days.“I feel better. Thank you,” I said, sipping more of the potion, whatever it was.“As I suspected then. You’ll need to drink that every day to stay on top of the pain.”She nodded toward the drink, then turned to put more of the same ingredients in a large jar.“Cain will come and spell the ingredients for you,” she said, and I frowned.“Every da
“A concussion can last for weeks, sometimes months in humans. You think she has something different though, don’t you?” Tabitha said in that smiley voice that said she already knew the answer.“I don’t think anything, I’m worried. We were hoping you could help.” He sighed, bending down in front of me, kissing my cheek and pushing my hair back from my damp face.I forced my eyelids open to look at him, moving to kiss him. He kissed back, then took the tea that Tabby handed him out to Brax.I sat up a little more, expecting a tea, but she never handed one over to me. I frowned at that; normally she did.“Not for you, deary. I’ll pour you a cup soon,” she said with a wink before sipping her own, sinking into her rocking chair next to the sofa I was on.Derik came back in then and grabbed his cup. He sat on the end of the couch as Cain grabbed his. They all sipped their tea, the silence almost deafening.“Do you know what’s wrong with me? Or is it just a concussion?” I asked, sick of wait
48. The ReasonKai had been completely serious about not leaving my side. He literally hadn’t. He helped me bathe, he waited while I used the toilet, I wasn’t even allowed to brush my teeth alone.I thought it would have gotten on my nerves by the third day, but it hadn’t. He made me feel better. Just his presence was enough to help soothe the aches and pains that still lingered.I thought I was starting to get better, but the third day hit and I was miserable again.I sniffled, hiding in Kai’s grasp as I shivered.I clenched my eyes shut against the throb in my head, my hand on his torso, my nails digging in as I fought the urge to bring up the minimal amount of water I had been able to keep down.“Is it normal for humans to be so sick?” he whispered, his fingers running up and down my back.“After a hit to the head? I think so,” I said, trying to make him feel better, but the truth was, I had no idea.I had never really been sick. A bit of a cold every now and then but nothing serio
I dropped his hand like it had burned me, tears pricking my eyes as I looked at him, begging him to deny what I had just seen.His lips were pursed, the tension thickening as I swallowed hard against the block in my throat. My heart added to the ache in my body, hurt clutching my chest.“Congratulations,” I whispered, my voice dead as I tried to be happy that he had either met or was going to meet his soulmate.Someone who could give him all the things I couldn’t as a human.“I’m not going to let it happen, Lorelai,” Kai bit, anger filling us both thanks to the link.“You can’t stop it, Kai, it’s already been decided,” I cried, the tears spilling, the pain becoming more unbearable.The idea that he would be with someone else, touch someone else, or love someone else the way he did me was almost too much. My head and stomach were getting worse as pain clouded the rational part of my mind.“No. I haven’t met her yet. This just tells me I will soon. But I’m not going to let it.I’m not l
I huffed and sank back into the bed, but he collected me in his arms again, holding me against him.“What did the healer say exactly?” I asked, and Brax tensed a little.“That you needed bed rest. That your concussion was severe,” he said, but I felt the omission in the link and leaned back to look at him.“What aren’t you telling me?”He sighed, then kissed me before looking me in the eyes.“You’ve been asleep for the better part of two days, Spitfire. That’s not a good sign.Neither is vomiting. The healer thought you would have been better by now,” he admitted, and I frowned.“What does that mean?”Brax smiled and kissed me deeper. “It means no giving in for a while longer and as much bed rest as we can force on you,” he said, but I felt the worry beneath the lighter turn he tried to take, and it made me just as worried.I turned away from him and let him curl back into me, spooning me with his big body, trying not to let it get to me, but it was hours before I was finally able to
“A curse. The pack went into a frenzy, the effect of the full moon hitting them all hard. We had to lock down the city and help Cain fight them back.“Back from what?”“From getting to the humans,” Derik admitted, and I sucked in a breath.Silas’s words about savages rang in my head. I forced them out quickly, but the hurt was in Derik’s eyes; he had caught my fear, my wariness.Kai scoffed and came over, brushing his finger over my face. “We would never hurt you, Little Human.”“And the other humans?”“Every creature, human or not, is capable of hurting others in the right circumstance. A curse and the full moon just happen to be the circumstances for werewolves.”Kai shrugged, and it did make me feel better. After all, my brother wasn’t innocent.Neither was Elias, also a human.“I missed you,” I sighed before moving back into the comfort of his arms, but the warmth hit me like a brick and I stumbled, my eyes trying to close as my head swam.Kai picked me up, kissing my forehead. “L