Chapter 26 - Coward"You aren't leaving without me," Paige argued from her hospital bed. She had woken up just before we got back into the centre of the Redmoon pack. Her vitals checked out, and she was almost back to her usual self despite the amount of blood she had lost yesterday. Doctor Peterson recommended she stay overnight for observation and then stay on bed rest for the next few days. She refused, but we all insisted she listen, but she wouldn't drop it. She had been like this ever since. Fighting her mother, father, and now Zane at every turn. Her body was exhausted. You could see it in her eyes, but she still refused to listen, especially when she found out that Zane and I were going to the Bloodstone pack alone. I wasn't happy about it either when I found out. Being alone with Zane for an extended period seemed like a nightmare, but it was what had to be done. With meetings like this, the head of the pack had to leave in order to maintain the peace. It showed unity and
Chapter 27 - Devil's GameZane2L8 by Ryan Oakes played on the radio as we passed the territory line of the Bloodstone pack. It was like static filled the air as we drew close to it. The hairs on my arms stood up in response to the change in the atmosphere. I had never actually come to the Bloodstone territory before. Usually, Balor insisted that he show up to our pack. So, it was odd that he allowed us here when I called. He could have suggested bringing Sophia to my pack or even met us at his border, but he didn't. I wanted to say that I just caught him in an off mood or that he was too busy to think of that. But something told me that wasn't true. Balor always had a reason for what he did. It was how he became so well known around the country in such a short time. In just a short time over the last seven years, he managed to take over half of the country. He had more power and sway over any government than a politician, and the funniest part was that they had no idea who he actua
Chapter 28 - Black MagicColetteI stared at the man before me; he held an unnatural kind of beauty to him. His scarlet hair was pulled up into a topknot, his body dressed in an expensive suit and his hands and neck painted in all kinds of tattoos that hinted at more underneath his clothing. Balor was way too swift to be just that of a werewolf. He even smelled off, and something in my gut told me there was a reason for it. The air around us seemed to hold a strange static to it too. Almost like it was charged with some foreign energy, but at the same time, it seemed to call to me. Balor watched me, his sapphire eyes, unnaturally blue and alluring, tracking my every movement as he waited for my answer. He dropped a bombshell on me, informing me my brother was alive. My brother, whom I had seen, get dragged into the forest as a child and killed. The brother that I heard scream until a horrible growl ripped through the forest air, followed by a sickening silence, was alive. I weighed
Chapter 29 - MineZaneWe made it to our room. The walls were painted a dark navy blue, and a huge king-size poster bed sat in the middle of the room. A large ensuite sat to the left, and a walk-in to the right. Our room was in the alpha wing. It was an odd place to keep a guest, normally, we would have stayed somewhere else, but Lincoln claimed that Balor didn't stay here often and that this had basically become a guest wing after his family relocated.I let him go on about the history of the place, taking in how fascinated Colette seemed to be by his stories. But I didn't hear a single thing he said. My mind to busy replaying the deal she made with Balor in my head over and over again. I knew Balor played games with people. It was what he was known for. I expected him to pull some macho crap when we arrived, but I didn't think he would do that. I didn't expect him to know Colette's secret either, but he did. How he fucking did, I had no idea, but it wasn't fucking surprising, reall
Chapter 30 - DeathColetteZane started a catalyst of emotions in my head. My mind and body were still buzzing from the orgasms he gave me. Even long after, we showered and got dressed. Yet, I was still somehow stunned into a mind-numbing silence over what Zane admitted to me.He knew.He fucking knew I was his mate, and he never told me. The worst part was that when he admitted that he knew, I didn't feel disgusted like I thought I would. On the contrary, I felt relief, and that really threw me off. I got out of the shower, dried off, and got ready in a daze. Zane didn't say anything to me after everything, and I was thankful for it because I honestly didn't know how I would respond to anything he said right now. I had so many things to process, but I couldn't think of that right now. So I forced the thoughts aside as I focused on zipping up the side of my orange crop top. Now that I had my figure back, one I never knew I had due to years of neglect and starvation. It was hard not
Chapter 31 - TakenZane I was stuck between being in complete awe and absolutely furious as I looked at the wolf before me. I had no time to react before Colette shifted. One second she was backing away from Sophia. The next, her wolf took over and snapped Sophia's neck. I shouted for her to stop, but I was too late. I wasn't angry at Colette for killing her; I was mad at the fact that Sophia was still so lost in her lies that she thought it was okay to attack Colette as she did. I was also angry that she got too quick of death for what she did to my mate. But I also knew that despite everything that happened to Colette, she wouldn't have wanted to do this. Even though it had only been a short time since we entered each other's lives, I knew her. I knew that the idea of her being the one to kill someone would now haunt her for the rest of her life. "Colette," I said softly as I approached her wolf. Her silver coat held a shine to it that made it look so soft. And now that she had
Chapter 32 - PanicZane My head was throbbing, my whole body aching. What happened? Why did I feel this way, and why was I so fucking cold? My eyes felt like they were being weighed down as I tried to pry them open. I tried to bring my hands to my face, but they were numb and unresponsive. I felt like I was floating, my centre of gravity completely thrown off. I groaned as I tried to shift my body from whatever uncomfortable position I was in, but something kept me in place. I could hear music playing, but it sounded so far away. I pushed all of my willpower into opening my eyes. My vision was blurry, and my mind felt like it was stuck in a fog. I tried to look around, but everything was the wrong way. Why the hell was I upside down? I blinked my eyes, the movement slow and tiring, trying to wake my brain up. Slowly my senses came back to me, my arms tingling as I forced my fingers to move. The music now becoming clearer. Teeth by 5 seconds of summer played on the radio. I l
Chapter 32 - FightColette Drip. Drip. Drip.My eyes felt leaden as I slowly came too. The smell of mould and damp soil assaulted my nose, sending a wave of nausea through me. Drip. Drip. Drip. I wrinkled my brow as I tried to pinpoint the direction of where the water was dripping. Everything hurt, and I felt so exhausted, the wolfsbane slowly killing me. I knew any more of it in my system would be the cause of my demise. And maybe Maverick realized that too because I knew from whatever amount he gave me, it didn't put me out as long as the first dose did. That told me two things; we were close to where ever he needed me to be when he met Pierre and his men for me to be out long enough for the transfer, and two, whoever he was working for, there was a chance that I might know them which meant Zane might too.My eyes slowly fluttered open, the darkness a welcoming presence to my eyes as I stared out into the abyss of whatever hell hole I had been dragged into. Slowly my eyes adjuste
Epilogue Colette Three months later "You sure you're ready for this?" Zane asked me as I adjusted my helmet for the third time. I curled my fingers around the handlebars of his motorcycle. The thought of being out there, speeding down the open road, made my heart race and my blood fill with adrenaline. "I'm ready," I said, flicking down my visor. Zane's eyes racked over my body as he drank me in. I was dressed in a leather jacket, a black Cami, and leather pants. I even surprised him with a shorter haircut, needing a change, a way to move past my past. That change came in the form of a bob haircut, new clothes, and a better, fearless attitude. I could tell the anticipation of getting to the mountain to show me how much he appreciated this new look was killing him. Which only made the thrill of this ride all the more exhilarating. I turned the key, and Zane sat behind me. His body pressed against mine as he pressed a couple of buttons. "This is the brake, and when taking off, go
Chapter 53 - Family ColetteI stared down at the box in my hand. It was amazing how something so tiny could hold so much power within it. Inside was a ring that would give my brother the freedom he had yearned for, for over fifteen years—a chance to live again, free from fear and worry. But it also meant more than that. It meant that Thomas and I could be a family again. The reality of my dreams finally coming true had me in shambles. I was nervous beyond words. I sometimes thought this was some cruel dream and that I would wake up soon and still be locked away in that small room, bone thin and still under the torment of Carter Silver. Although small, the seed of doubt in my mind was still loud enough to make me second-guess myself. "Look at me, Little wolf," Zane whispered; his voice was soft but still as commanding as ever. I bit my lower lip, trying to will my heart to calm the hell down and for my mind to shut up. This was real, and everything would be okay from here on out.
Chapter 52 - Binding ZaneIt was like we were stuck inside some dream, in a strange world with magic and magical beings. Everyone talked so casually as if this wasn't some crazy concept, and maybe it wasn't to them, but I knew I was on edge.I watched everyone carefully as they debated why they were all here. It was for some academy that Balor wanted to build, allowing beings from all walks of life to join and train. It sounded like a crazy idea, but I was only half listening as I assessed every individual here. The one I kept finding myself returning to was a beast of a male. His dirty blonde hair, grey eyes, and a mean scar across his left eye were among the few things that made him intimidating. He had furs draped over his shoulders and a warrior look about him. But what really set me on edge was how unpredictable he looked. And not the Balor kind of unpredictable but the type who would mark you as an enemy without your knowledge and kill you in your sleep kind of unpredictable.
Chapter 51 - MagicColette "Do you ever look up at the stars and wonder if our parents are up there watching over us?" I asked, sitting beside Zane on the wooden piano bench. Zane stopped pressing the keys we had been fooling around with and looked up at me. "I would like to believe they can still see us, that life isn't over after we pass." I hummed in agreement as I looked up at the night sky. I had some work done on the gardens and got a sizeable glass sunroof put over where the piano sat. I wanted to let more natural light into the place and give Zane's last memory with his mother a chance to have its own spotlight. I thought it also allowed her to watch him play again from where ever she was now like she once did before she was taken from this world."I think that if fae and dragons and the king of the underworld are real, then Valhalla and the veil are real too," I murmured. Zane didn't say anything as he turned his attention back to the piano. The sounds the keys made became
Chapter 50 - Haunting Past Zane A week had passed since Thomas had shown up at Redmoon. He and Colette spent a lot of time together catching up, and healing. I could feel her happiness radiating through our mate bond. I could tell the pack could feel it, too, the joy. The weight of whatever sadness from her past that had Colette feeling down was now gone. But now it was my turn to have a chat with Thomas and figure out what he planned to do now. Because despite Colette trying her hardest to hide it, I knew the longer he stayed, the higher her hopes got that he would never leave again. I had arranged for Thomas and me to go out for lunch. Somewhere far enough away from prying ears but also something that didn't raise Colette's suspicions. I knew it was me just being a protective asshole, but I didn't want to tell her about the real reason why I wanted to talk to her brother in case she insisted on coming. So as we sat in Vicki's Diner, making small talk over some burgers and fries,
Chapter 49 - Healing Colette When Zane returned from picking up Thomas, I had hounded him with questions from how he was to what he had said. All to which Zane answered without argument. I could sense the anxious mood through the bond; while he was gone, it had matched my own, and after a restless night of sleep, I got up with the sun and tried to keep my mind busy. I had started the day off in the medical wing working closely with Drew, healing what patients I could. And then, I headed to my office and worked on answering emails and letters pack members had sent me. We were working on throwing a gala to honour our warriors and allow everyone to have a stress-free night. It was the perfect distraction to lose myself in; it kept me busy until Zane linked me, ripping away the false calm I had conjured up throughout the day to keep my mind from Thomas. But now, as I sat in the gardens watching the falls cascade into the rocks below, I was slowly becoming a nervous wreck again. I ha
Chapter 48 - Scared Thomas The nightmares never started the same.No.Not when the torturing was left to Leon. My nightmares always varied, just as my punishments always did. Leon was a cruel bastard; the way the fuckers eyes lit up with pleasure when he made me bleed was enough to make me sick. I swore I could still see how he looked at me when I closed my eyes. I could still see the sweat dripping off his meaty face and his tongue licking away the blood from his lips that had splattered against his face from whatever tool used on me.Ivan Killian was a peach compared to that sociopath. But the truly sick and twisted mind that was behind all the death and bloodshed I had been forced to inflict on innocent people was that woman—the one who never looked quite right. She always looked like she was fading in and out, her features always slightly shifting, but the humans never noticed. So easily convinced by her magic. They followed the one thing they feared and hated more than anythin
Chapter 47 - Potential ThreatZaneIf there was one thing that ruined an amazing night with the woman you loved, it was this. Seeing the worry and uncertainty in Colette's eyes as she stared up at me was enough to piss me off. Her sage green eyes were wide, and her plush lips parted in shock. The Carnival forgot. "What do you mean he's on his way here?" Colette asked; her voice was calm, but I could sense the mixed emotions she was burying deep down through the bond. I looked around at the crowd of people, the nearby pack members not so subtly listening in on our conversation. "First, we must get to the car, away from prying ears." My voice came out sharper than I intended, but it got the pack's attention; they immediately dipped their heads and turned their attention back to the Carnival around us. Colette seemed to snap out of her shock long enough to realize this wasn't a conversation to be having here. Not when we didn't know why Thomas was coming back. Yes, Colette was here,
Chapter 46 - Extravaganza Colette The bright lights of the Ferris wheel were the first thing I spotted as we approached the Carnival. The next thing I noticed was the smell of popcorn, candied apples, and cotton candy. My teeth were already starting to hurt from just the thought of sinking them into all the delicious treats. I was at a loss for words as the sounds of children's laughter and music filled the air. Families, couples old and young, children, teenagers. Everyone of all ages was out enjoying the first warm night of many to come as summer finally settled in for the year. I couldn't fight the smile that graced my lips, and honestly, for the first time in forever, I didn't want to hide it. I turned my attention to Zane, who was watching me with careful eyes. His head slightly tilted as he took me in. I fought off the heat that threatened to spread to my cheeks. But I knew he could feel everything I was feeling through the bond just as I could feel him. "What?" I asked. He