Unknown P.O.V."This is the time..."The fire in the hearth cracked and popped, offering the only source of light in the room. The two individuals sat next to each other, both of them gazing into the flames."I agree, she's here and he is distracted. It's what we've been waiting for," he smiled."So why haven't you done anything yet?" She asked. "Our window of opportunity will close soon.""Don't worry... I've already made my move."Soon, they both thought. Soon this will all be over.Evelyn's P.O.V.A soft moan escaped my lips. His mouth moved down the curve of my spine, hot breath fanning against the naked skin. Chill bumps erupted across my entire body.Adam's hands moved down my arms and interlocked with mine. I felt his body climb over mine as he gently moved my hands over my head and pinned them to the mattress. The fact that his body was so closely pressed against mine made my stomach doflips an Olympic gymnast would be impressed by.He flipped me over to face him, making sur
After Adam left, I traveled up to visit Xavier in his library. When I walked in, he was standing over several open books that laid out before him on the table.Upon seeing me enter the room, he looked up and smiled brightly."Evelyn, how are you today?" He asked.I smiled. "I'm fine. How are you?""Just splendid."Xavier left his spot behind the table and walked across the room to meet me there. He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes deeply."How are you feeling?"I was taken back by the forwardness of the question, but I knew what he was referring to."It was miserable," I confessed. My shoulders slumped as I made this remark, but I felt relieved to be able to talk about it."I never want to go into Heat again," I sighed. Xavier gave me a grim smile. "I do not wish to make you feel forced into an uncomfortable situation, but I would like to stress the importance of makingsure you are aware of what you have to do to prevent another cycle of Heat," he warned.I
I could do nothing but sit and listen to her sobs through the phone. Tears had welled up in my own eyes listening to Vega's pitiful cries."Adam's working on seeing what he can do," I said hopefully.I heard her stop and sniffle."If he had done his job in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. The council thinks it was a rogue attack-probably the same one your boyfriend neglected to find," she spat bitterly. I felt my jaw clench."He left men there to investigate. If anyone is to be blamed, it's them and Adam will deal with that. He's looking into it, so don't make any rash conclusions before you have actual facts, Vega. That's extremely unfair.""Are you actually defending him?" She asked incredulously.I took a deep breath. "Yes."I heard Vega let out a breathy laugh. "Well, that didn't take long.""What?" I asked."You getting used to the high and mighty life. God, I knew this would happen to you! You used to be so strong-willed and stubborn and now that you're mated to an
The ringing of the phone startled me out of slumber.I got out of the bed in a hurry and answered the phone."Hello?""Alpha Superior Devereaux wishes for you to join him in his study at the top of the hour," a high-shrill voice said. I looked over to the clock. That was in six minutes. She hung up and so did I.Why on earth they got someone with such an annoying tone of voice to be a telephone operator, I didn't have a clue.I changed out of my t-shirt and jeans into a dress. I walked into the bathroom and tried to comb my hair.I stared at myself in the mirror. Well, this is as good as it is going to get.I was trying to look as nice as possible. I thought maybe Adam would have an easier time forgiving me if I did.As I left the room a voice in the back of my head scoffed. Why on earth would you think this will impress him? Since when do you need his affirmation? And why on earth are you searching for forgiveness from someone who has done worse things to you and never apologized f
What have I done?I sat in a hot bath with the bathroom lights dimmed, but I couldn't relax. Every muscle in my body was tense. I laid my head back against the tub and stared at the bubbles floating across the steaming surface of the water.I wanted to go home. .I was worried about Vega. I had no clue where her father was or where my own father was. I had a headache from turning each problem over and over again in my mind and I still couldn't comprehend it.My heart ached at the thought of my mom by herself. She was so fragile and dependent on my dad. I don't think she had gone a day without him up until that point. As much as I hated him, she needed him. That was the sole reason I actually cared to wonder where he was.Then there was Adam.God, what a man...I had never met anyone like him.Adam was a living oxymoron. He could be so sweet and gentle one moment, but so bitter and demanding the next. I fought my consciousness over whether to give him a chance to prove himself a worthy,
I stood in a conference room in Adam's sweatshirt and a pair of his sweatpants-which were both notably too large for me- as Jace showed him pictures that had been taken that day of my house as it burned to the ground."Oh my God," I whispered as I grabbed one of the photos and observed it. "Was there anyone in the house?"Jace shook his head. "No, one of our men ran in and couldn't find anyone. The fire department confirmed there was no one inside."I felt a rush of relief."How did it happen?" Adam asked, passing me another picture as he finished looking at it."They're doing an arson investigation, but the results could take up to a week to come back," Jace said.We all stood there in deep thought."Did someone see anyone trying to flee the scene?" Adam asked.Jace shook his head. "No, our men saw the smoke from a few miles away and they were the first on the scene. No one came out of the house after they got there and no one in the fire department saw anyone leave either.""No one
"You can leave."Adam didn't need to tell Victoria twice. She gave me one last, hard look before walking around us and out of the dining room."I'm sorry," Adam apologized."I thought you said she wantedto have breakfast with us?" I asked him.Xavier spoke up. "That would be my fault. I orchestrated breakfast. I assumed she would have wanted to meet you."Adam pulled out a chair for me to sit in."Don't let her ruin your appetite," he said.Well it's too late for that.I sat down, as did Adam and Xavier. Our meal was brought out by servants, all dressed in black. Theyremoved Victoria's placemat and silverware and filled our plates with food.Looking at the food, I felt my hunger dissipate. I didn't want it anymore. I couldn't get Victoria's words out of my head.Why does she not like me?Xavier and Adam both sat there awkwardly eating, watching me stare at my food. I finally picked up my fork and ate a strawberry. Eventually, all the food was gone from my plate and Adam and Xavier ha
I never heard Adam come back into the room and I never heard lunch being brought in. I slept right through it all. When I opened my eyes, I opened them to a nearly dark room. Getting out of the bed, I saw the sun setting behind the mountains off in the far distance.It didn't take long for me to remember I was about to enter Heat again. My throat was dry and scratchy and I was achy all over. I walked over to the untouched tray of food that had beenbbrought in while I slept. The soup was long-cold, but I downed the glass of water in twogulps. I changed out of my dress into Adam's t-shirt and washed off what was left of my makeup.The cold water felt refreshing on my skin.Sweat had already begun to accumulate on my forehead and thebsun hadn't even set yet. I turned on a few lamps and ran a bath full of cold water. I stuck my feet in it for a while until it was no longer satisfactory. I felt like my insides were on fire. It was like I was trapped in a locked car on a mid-summer's day
Exactly two years and five days after the death of my father, Cain Alexander Deveraux was born.He had my brown hair and Adam's brilliant blue eyes. That, however, was where the similarities ended.Cain was born a Vampire, yet he was also still a Lycanthrope; a hybrid, as Dr. Zosak had called him.He was the first of his kind.Although he was certainly one of a kind, Adam and I raised him normally. We didn't know how else to. As he grew, he began to turn into one of the most temperamental people I had ever met.Cain was smart, cunning even. He was strong and healthy. But, when watching him closely, I could see the fire within him.It scared me.One day, I heard he and Adam talking to each other as I walked past Adam's office. Adam was attempting to explain to the four-year-old the duties that he had as Alpha. Cain couldn't seem to understand why his father worked with other Alphas instead of working by himself."Well." Adam explained, "we all work as a team. I can't rule the whole wor
Unknown P.O.V."This wasn't part of the deal," he snarled.The woman's eyebrow rose as she looked on at the two men arguing."My demands have changed," the second man said, crossing his arms."If I get what I want, I will give you access to the castle. If you can't make that work, you can find someone else."The first man growled."Do you realize what this means we have to do? What we'll have to risk to get you what you want?""Of course I do."The woman stood to her feet as she saw patience running thin between the two men."We'll do it. But we want inside that castle sooner than next month, or no deal," she bargained.A smirk rose on the face of the second man."Done."Evelyn's P.O.V."I don't want to look at them."I sat on the bed, pulling my knees in tight against my chest. Liu took the vase of flowers and put them in the bathroom, closing the door as she left them on top of the vanity.I could see outside the open bedroom door as five burly men picked up the lifeless body of the
Diedrick smiled."I'm glad you're happy to see me."I'm not."I thought you would be gone for a few days," I said gulping.He waved his hand dismissively as he strolled closer to where I stood."My father and brother have been laid at rest, so I came back. There was no time to waste mourning."I took a shallow breath."I'm sure Adam would have wanted you to tell him," I said."He and Jace have just left for Utah."Diedrick nodded."Yes, so l heard."His eyes narrowed in on my hands."You're bleeding," he commented, walking over to where I stood.I looked down to see that I had indeed been stuck by the pin in my hand, probably in fright after Diedrick scared me. I huffed and held my hand away from my body to ensure I didn't get any blood on the white dress.Diedrick carefully took my hand in his and led me off of the platform. He instructed me to sit down on the high-back chair and I did so, warily.He kneeled in front of me and took a handkerchief out of his pocket. Diedrick began to
When we arrived back at the castle, we were immediately met at the door by Jace."You'll want to see this," he said, gesturing for Adam to follow him.Adam gave me an unsure look before he and I began to follow Jace inside the castle. He led us down into the hospital ward and I felt my heart drop.Did something happen to Mr. Chandler while we were gone?My question was answered as I walked into his room and saw him lying on the cot, asleep."What happened?" I asked Jace, not seeing anything visibly wrong with him.Jace walked around me and threw back the covers off of Mr. Chandler, who remained in a deep sleep."The nurse noticed it yesterday as she was helping Mrs. Chandler wash him," he said, pulling up the hospital gown to expose Mr. Chandler's thigh.I gasped when I saw the gash that was oozing with infection."What happened?" I asked him.Jace's eyes narrowed on me before Adam spoke up."He was bitten.""Bitten?"I saw Jace and Adam exchange a wary look between them."We can't ta
Adam's P.O.V.I was angrier at myself in that moment than I had ever been in my life. I couldn't believe I had let her watch me do that, no matter how much the bastard deserved it.I didn't regret it, and I knew she could see that.I would have done it all over again twenty times if it had meant protecting her.But, I saw the way she looked at me as I held her.I was something that would make her afraid of the dark, the last thing I wanted was for her to realize that.I had gotten carried away the night before. I had let my wolf take control instead of killing him quickly and the added theatrics were only going to hurt me now.Wanting desperately to explain myself and to make sure that I had not scarred her for life, I got up the nerve to ask.However, before I could mutter a syllable, I heard someone open the bedroom door. I turned quickly, pushing Evelyn behind me, both out of a protective instinct and because she was naked under a loosely tied bathrobe.Seeing Diedrick, I felt my b
Waking up with a dagger pointed at your throat is just as terrifying as one would think. When I felt the cold metal pressed against my neck, my eyes immediately opened to see the glint of the dagger in the moonlight.I froze, unsure of what to do.My eyes adjusted quickly and I was able to make out the person whose hand was holding the weapon.Barret Schneider.My eyes widened as he slowly put one a finger over his lips as a gesture for me not to speak. I felt my heart began to beat quickly and I tried my hardest tocontrol my rapid breathing.At some point in the night, Adam and I had ended up changing positions; Adam was now behind me, one arm around my waist, the other under my pillow.I gulped as Barret reached out and pulled back the covers slowly, gesturing for me to get up. With the dagger still lingering dangerously near my throat, I had no choice but to slowly remove Adam's arm from around my waist.His strong grip made this near impossible, but I managed to slide out from un
Unknown P.O.V."I tried!"The man grabbed a vase that perched near him on the mantel and threw it at Ludwig Schneider, whom it narrowly missed as he ducked at the last moment."You didn't try hard enough!"The man's eyes were filled with rage. It took everything inside of him not to kill the former Alpha Superior."I'm sorry!" Ludwig Schneider said."The letter was not supposed to be intercepted. I'm not sure how they found it."This was a lie.He knew giving it to the maid to deliver was a mistake.Originally, he had meant for Barret to leave the castle and deliver the forged invitation himself, however Alpha Superior Deveraux had restricted all access to and from the castle during the week they were there. Barret would never have been able to leave, so he had to improvise."That was my chance," the man growled."Because of you and your incompetence, it is gone."Ludwig Schneider gulped, suddenly fearing for his life."But you have other contacts inside the castle. Can't you still fi
I felt like I was going to pass out.My hands were shaking as I put them up to cover my mouth in shock."Evelyn Schubert, mate of mine and love of my life, I know it hasn't been one hundred days yet, but I'm an impatient man."I laughed as I felt tears welling up in my eyes."Would you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming my wife and Luna?""Yes!"I had said it before Adam could even finish asking.I ran over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck as he sighed in relief and hugged me back. Adam kissed my lips with such passion that my mind went blank and he was the only thing I could focus on.He pulled away slowly, leaving his forehead to rest against mine as I caught my breath."We're forgetting something," he said smiling.I looked down at his hands where he was still holding the velvet ring box.Cushioned inside was a diamond ring that put them all to shame. It was a huge, pear cut diamond that was at least three carats. A halo of smaller diamonds surrounded it and cove
I couldn't believe it. It had been three days since Adam made the announcement that he was officially the Alpha Superior of Europe, making me the Luna Superior of Europe.The Centennial had ended.Everyone had gone home-including the Germans, who left sulking. Diedrick had stayed behind, which I wasn't surprised by seeing as he had just been practically disowned by his father for his assistance in Adam's ploy for control.Nearly half a week had passed and I was still baffled by the scheme. I didn't understand how Adam had successfully taken over Europe without so much as lifting a finger."It's all in the tactic, darling," he said as he packed his suitcase."But I don't understand," I said."How on earth did you get him to just give you an entire continent?""I didn't." he said. "Diedrick did.""But how?"Adam stopped packing and looked up from his suitcase at me."I offered Diedrick a position as Beta under the condition that he could get his father to sign the papers and he accepted