I gulped, hoping he wasn’t referring to some kind of tongue binding to prevent me from having the information extracted from my tortured soul. “What do you mean?”“It’s just a little initiation ceremony,” he said. “Nothing freaky.”“Of course,” I murmured. “But where do all the souls go?”The air thickened with tension, which cracked against my skin. Griff was too close, too warm, too touchy-feely. The man was getting under my defenses like tiny wisps of poison, and each second in his presence eroded the force of my hatred.His intoxicating scent invaded my sinuses, making every muscle in my body want to melt against his broad chest. My tongue darted out to lick my dry lips, and without meaning to, my gaze dropped to his mouth. Everything about the man was as sinful as it was sensual. My spirits rose, and I felt myself drifting toward his lips.Griff leaned in, aiming for a kiss. On instinct, I jerked back.Beki’s sharp bark hit like a whip, making me flinch. She was right. I was letti
I didn’t have the heart to put Glinda in the kennel with the other Hellhounds. Not when she was stillshaken by her experience with Tansy. Instead, I took her to the enclosure and shifted into a wolf, so we could spend the night together on the grass.Glinda remained in her solid form, a warm bundle of fur, and let me rest my head on her shoulder. Even though she was still young, she was at least three-times our size, but as comfortable as it was to lie with her, I couldn’t sleep.If they decided to put her down for attacking Tansy…I squeezed my eyes shut and panted. Beki was fast asleep. She trusted me to work something out, but my mind came out blank.The breeze rustled in the distant trees, bringing with them the faint scent of juniper. It was warm and calming and rhythmic, lulling me into a deep sense of relaxation. It didn’t matter what the others thought tomorrow. I would protect this special Hellhound with my life. I rested against Glinda’s side, my eyes growing heavy, and dri
“Never mind him,” said her friend, the brunette who had pulled Larissa’s hair. “If he didn’t want to come and see you off, then he’s an even shittier wolf than he was a lover.”Fenrir reached for the blonde, and pulled her soul from her body, revealing a much older woman and a shaggy- looking Tundra wolf who was more gray than white.“I’d like to go just as a wolf,” I blurted.“Are you sure about this?” Griff asked. “This might be a great opportunity for you and her to connect as separate entities.”Fenrir continued extracting souls from the pack members, leaving a trail of unmoving bodies. I was too concerned with being caught to check whether or not they were breathing.“I want us both to experience the smells and sights of Midgard together.”“Great idea.” The woman who had pulled Larissa’s hair also shifted into an Iberian wolf with white cheeks, a reddish snout, and a thick, shaggy coat, making me feel like my suggestion hadn’t been so outlandish.When Fenrir extracted her, she ca
I gave the man two sharp barks, and he glanced up, meeting us with eyes exactly as bright as the wolf’s.“Hello?” he said with a curious smile.His hair ran in gentle, honey-colored waves down his homespun tunic, and his beard was bushy and long. But I would recognize that face anywhere.My throat tightened, and the backs of my eyes stung with tears. It really was him.The first thing I did was close the door shut with my nose, encasing us both in what was now a darkened hut, lit only by the stove. When I turned around, Dad’s friendly features morphed into a frown. He probably thought I was some kind of freak.“What is the meaning of this?” he asked, sounding stern. It was the voice he’d used whenever he was about to give me a reprimand, but to my ears, it sounded like home.I shifted and remained on the floor, my features obscured by a curtain of honey-blonde hair, confident that Healer Iaso’s amendments hadn’t gone soul-deep, and he stepped back.“Who are you?” he whispered.I raised m
My stomach flip-flopped. My eyes locked with Dad’s. Dread tumbled through my insides likean avalanche of shit. Shit, shit shit! How the bloody hell had Griff tracked me down to this hut when he’d been surrounded by so many well-wishers?Dad raised his brow. It was his are-you-going-to-do- the-right-thing expression.I gave my head a vigorous shake and cupped my hands around his ear. “Please, don’t tell him,” I whispered in my quietest voice. “Just say she chased your wolf here and wouldn’t leave.”“Cathy,” he whispered, sounding disappointed.“Dad, please.” Dad had taught me never to whine, but today, I couldn’t help myself.If Griff discovered that I was his murderer, that I’d been stringing him along this entire time, that I had actually been working for Hades, he wouldn’t hold back. Then I’d face the wrath of two vengeful gods.Griff knocked on the door again. “Alpha Aibek.” Dad gave me a sharp nod.I tore off his tunic, shoved it into his hands, and rushed to the other side of his
The villagers were mostly gathered around an open mess hall similar to the one that had been set up in the Hellfire Pack’s territory. I ran past, looking for signs of the others.Griff’s wolf emerged from behind one of the grass-roofed huts and ran on my other side. He seemed happier than ever to see me, perhaps because he finally understood my relationship with the Arctic wolf. The three of us ran to the edge of the village, where Griff and the other members of the pack were exchanging hugs with Tansy and saying goodbye.“Do you know that I’d almost forgotten why we were here?” I asked Beki.She gave me two barks, which I took to mean she’d also lost track of what had happened the night before.Griff stepped out from the small huddle, and he turned to me and smiled. “Let’s go.”When we reached the other side, the sun had already set. At least that’s how it looked from within the Hellfire Pack’s dome. Fenrir and Griff stepped aside to exchange several words while his blue-haired mate sto
The door opened, and a black woman with long braids stood inside, dressed in the push-up bra and miniskirt Don insisted that his employees wear. Everything about her said that she was a wolf, but the recognition in her features was puzzling. I stepped back and frowned. Was she a new roommate?“Hi,” I said, my voice hesitant. “Is Larissa there?” She stepped aside. “You’d better come in.”I stepped into the caravan to find it a mess. “What’s going on?”“Larissa buggered off,” she said, her voice sharp. “Hades sent me to keep an eye on your oversized ass.”Whirling around, I met her ebony eyes. They were sharp, scornful, and oddly familiar. I leaned forward and squinted. “Marianna?”“Took you long enough to recognize me,” she said. “Wait.” I raised a palm. “Larissa couldn’t have just uppedand left. Not when we were getting so close to cracking open the Hellfire pack. Where would she go?”This new version of Marianna folded her arms across her chest and smirked. It was obvious what had
Griff’s larger body towered over mine, and for the first time in my entire existence outside of Hell, I knew what it was like to be intimidated by another wolf. I’d never seen him so angry—not even when I’d pummeled him with my fists, not even when towered over him with the lighter fluid, but I think by then he had died.Every drop of moisture in my gullet evaporated in the heat of those burning eyes, leaving me trying to pull air into my lungs and failing. Was this the moment he dragged me to Fenrir for my tongue binding? I had to act, but even Beki was cowering.“What’s happened?” I rasped, trying to sound innocent. “Where is your friend?” he snarled.It took me a few seconds for his words to filter through my panic, and I realized he was talking about Larissa. But that didn’t mean I was safe. “I went round the back to see her, but there was a new girl inside.”His eyes narrowed. “What did she say?”“Don employed her today, after Larissa disappeared with a week’s takings,” the words