‘He’s going to be just fine,’ Ava steps out from the medical room, with Katie following behind her. She looks relaxed and I’m on my feet, moving towards her.‘You knew what was wrong?’ I can’t take my eyes off her. It feels like she’s worked some kind of magic.‘My predecessor did,’ she lifts up the notebook, ‘he mentioned that some venoms can prevent our healing abilities. Luca was bitten by a Spearhead Snake, either before or after his fight with the Rogue. It meant that instead of healing up, he was bleeding out internally.’I pull in an uneven breath, reaching out to balance myself with a hand against the wall, ‘he’s going to be okay?’ Everything she’s said sounds serious. I always think of myself as invulnerable, nearly immortal. Taking down Rogue’s is dangerous, but I’m bigger, stronger and faster than most other wolves, including the Alphas.I don’t tend to think of the rest of the world as dangerous, but this has shaken me to the core. ‘He’s going to be okay?’‘He’s res
Ava is as good as we hoped that she would be. Luca recovers over night and by morning, he’s his usual irritating self. Teasing me about the Doctor stripping him off. If I wasn’t so relieved that he’s alive, I’d be dressing him down myself. Putting him in his place. At the end of the day, Luca’s just being a dick. His heart is in the right place, and he’s loyal. Ava checks in before we leave before signing Luca out, telling him to take it easy for a few days. If I know Luca, it’s unlikely. Then it’s my turn to fulfill my promise. I join my Dad for breakfast, he always eats it on the veranda that wraps around the top floor of his house. Surrounded by the tree’s. I’m nervous about making the suggestion that he tells Lou, and he laughs. I’m left staring at him and he explains that he’s already told Lou. She knows about werewolves, and she’s fully on board. She’s just waiting for Ava to tell her, before she says anything to the Doctor. I walk away feeling lighter. Hoping for some downt
I’m not sure why I agreed to dance with Luca, but perhaps I’m too easily convinced into things these days. He’s been a constant around the medical centre for the last few weeks, in Kylar absence. At first I was worried that he might have an ulterior motive, wanting to get closer to me. But after the first week, I realised that he has no romantic interest in me. In fact, he’s quite clearly in love with Kylar’s Sister, Kate. She bought her young daughters in for a standard check up appointment at the end of that first week. He had been helping out in the store room, cataloguing. I understood that he wanted something to do, whilst he recovered from the venom in his bloodstream. He was disappointed that Kylar and the others had shipped out without him. I’m impressed with the members of this pack, when they’re displaced from their usual routines. They work, they find other ways to fill their time productively rather than spending all their time and money in Eclipse. When Kate came in
It seems so strange, that despite everything, Kylar still wants to be with me. This gorgeous, enigmatic and powerful man wants to claim me. Afterall, that’s what he is doing, bending down to kiss me in front of the entire village. There can be no denying his possession as his mouth moves over mine. The initial touch was soft and sweet, testing the boundaries. But I kissed him back and there’s nothing but heat between us. I can feel his grip on my ass as he slides his hands over my denim cut offs. Pulling me with aggressive desire against his body. I’m gasping, thoughts spiralling already as I lose sense of where we are. Revelling in the sensation of him. The scent of alpine trees and something deep and musky that is Kylar’s alone. Seren has been moping again and she’s always so delighted when his wolf is nearby. When we’re in harmony. It’s hard to believe that he wants to try again. That he wants to be with me. But then, I feel the same. Yes, he was an arrogant arse when he foun
‘You know that man?’ Kylar had moved towards me, his actions instinctive, protective. I find myself leaning into that protection. Even if it’s new. I feel safer with Kylar than I did with my own pack. Afterall, they banished me.‘I know him,’ I agree with a voice that’s a shiver. ‘He’s from my old pack,’ I explain, ‘Silver Stream.’Kylar looks down at me, searching my face as if we have all the time in the world. We take a pause together and I already miss our sense of calm and security. With only his presence, Josh has shattered that. The past has intruded on the present. They rejected me. They banished me. How dare he arrive on my doorstep. I can’t breathe.‘We need to have that talk,’ Kylar says for my ears alone before he strides forward towards Josh. Josh is just how I remembered him, dark haired with blue eyes. He has an angular face and high cheekbones. Josh looks between me and Kylar as I step up alongside the future Alpha of Midnight Forest. I always thought Josh was kind o
‘It’s…’ I look down at my hands. Then I close my eyes. As if I could shut out the memory of that day, and the choices I made. The night I spent with Kylar. I can’t regret my children, and it feels now as though life is turning out the way it was meant to be somehow. But I can’t help but wonder if I could go back in time, what I might have done differently.Kylar tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers warm as they linger on my skin. He wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his chest. I can hear the steady beat of his heart. I feel the strength of his arm around me and I feel some of the walls that I’ve built to protect myself, come tumbling down. ‘My father is the Alpha of Silver Stream,’ I start slowly, with just the facts. Wrapped in the strength of Kylar’s arms, it’s time I found the courage to share the story of what happened. But it feels like unlocking doors within myself. Big, dark doors that have been shut away and sealed up tight. I’m afraid
KylarI’ll do anything I can to take the pain away from Ava. Objectively, I know that I’m not the one who Banished a young woman from my pack for getting pregnant. That’s not something I would ever do. But I can’t help but feel responsible for what happened to her. I can’t believe her Father did that to her. It’s unimaginably cruel. Now I know why she’s so guarded. Why she’s built all the walls around her heart to protect herself, why she only seems to have one good friend in the Human, Lou. I knew that Ava was hurt, but it was a betrayal of her entire family and pack. I’m clear in my mind that she did nothing wrong. They betrayed her. They made a vulnerable young woman a Rogue and sent her out into the world, alone. I want to tear them all apart. Part of me, the darker part of my Spirit, is sorry her Father has already passed, so I can’t kill him myself. I feel a sickening desire to ruin them all, to bring the Silver Stream to its knees. I understand, completely, why Ava doe
AvaThere is something magical that takes place whenever Kylar and I make love. Something spiritual. I want to put it down to my lack of experience. Other than Ryan, there’s only been Kylar. So maybe this is just good sex. Or sex between adults instead of fumbling teens trying to learn from each other. I know that I’m lying to myself. That I could sleep with twenty men and not feel the same connection. The same movement of Seren against his wolf. He has this way of making me feel safe whilst still challenging my boundaries. When I wake the next morning, my cheeks are red from blushing. I blink, realising that he’s still lying beside me, wrapped up in the blankets. His heavy arm over my waist. My eyes are blurry, and I don’t want to face Josh. I don’t want to face the past and my banishment or hear what he has to say. Although, having shared everything with Kylar, I feel different. As though some part of my heart has healed.He didn’t reject me when I told him my story. He just h
It was a rare moon that tied with the Winter Equinox and the Human celebration of Christmas. A tradition that I have always embraced for my children. Afterall, they spent their first years immersed in human culture. Yet Christmas Eve, with snow falling thick and fast through leafless trees, was when Kylar and I married. My residency was completed and felt as though it was part of a life I’d nearly forgotten. Between our children and the medical practice, I’ve been busy enough and can’t imagine fitting in any additional responsibilities. The sky was white with snow clouds but the trees were covered in fairy lights that twinkled in a gentle golden glow. I’m excited, butterflies filling my insides, as though I didn’t see him yesterday.I’m stood at the back of the pack house, in a beautiful satin dress that clings to all of my slender curves. I’ve styled my hair down in loose curls, just how he likes it. I should be nervous, but I’m not. The dress has a mermaid train that kicks out
The second morning of the trial turned out to be the last. Much to the relief of everyone within Midnight Forest, and I imagine Silver Stream as well. The sky was clear, but cloudy. A storm brewing on the horizon, black clouds swirling around the distant forest. A storm we sat within the centre of. The air heated and uneasy as we waited in a calm filled with fraught anticipation.I sat beside Kylar, trying not to pay too much attention to just how incredible he looked in a slate grey tailored suit and black shirt. I still can’t believe that he is mine, that he is my Mate. But despite how awful events have been, I am so incredibly happy to be beside him. With Kylar, I feel at home. With my children, I feel complete.We waited, sitting back among the rows of hundreds of Wolves. Kylar was sitting upright, scanning the tree line for any more trouble. Every now and then I would catch a glimpse or a sense of a Midnight Forest patrol. I knew that there were a lot of Pack members, because I
AvaI’m grateful, and very relieved when about an hour after he passes out, Kylar stirs. He sits up, blinking at me. Frowning, the top of his chest dotted with beads of sweat as his body fought off the nasty infection from the fangs of a werewolf. He stretches out and I sink onto the sofa beside him passing him a glass of fresh water to sip.‘How are you doing?’ I look him over, but it’s clear that the effect of the silver in his bloodstream has worn off. It really does affect us badly. I can understand why he tried so desperately to free Elsbeth from the magically imbued cage, but it wasn’t worth the toll on his body. But that’s my Mate, as wonderful and intelligent as he is. He often thinks with his heart instead of his head. I smooth his hair back as he drinks as though he’s dying of thirst. Technically he is, his body will be working on overdrive to restore the blood that was lost.‘Thirsty,’ he replies, voice gruff. ‘The Queen was here?’ He peers at me, heavy brows drawn toge
Without any more time to think, I’m thrown clear of the Star Bitten Brother. I skid over the dirt and I’m on my paws again. I let Sabre take control. The Brother might be huge and even a decent fighter, but he hasn’t made it his career to be a hunter and a killer.I’m on him again, aware that the second has been brought down by a pair of black wolves with silver streaks. I can hear the human, shrieking voice of Elsbeth, an irritation in the back of my mind as I snap at my foe. He twists, sinking his teeth into my leg but I’m on him. He’s hurt me more than anyone has managed in years, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. I lunge, catching hold of his neck again and snap. He drops, soundless beneath me. Dead to the ground and I land on top of him. I kick away at his body, putting distance between us before I morph back.Luca’ is wrestling with Elsbeth at the edge of the nearest Prison block set with silver. She’s in human form again and he’s changed back, trying to catch her ha
The King opens proceedings with a short speech before he and his wife take their seats on one side of the platform. My Father remains in the middle, waiting for hush to fall again before he asks for the first of the Rogue’s to be brought forward. There are nine elected elders from different Packs, representing different areas of the North America’s what will conduct the interviews of the Rogues, for everyone gathered to witness. Part of me hopes that this will be over in a day, but I know it’s more likely to take at least a week.Werewolf justice is often swift and brutal, but calling together a full conclave with royalty in attendance, always slows proceedings down. In reality, I find it hard to concentrate. I can see Ava watching my Father intently, and then as the gathered Elders take up their own seats on either side of our rulers. What she is either trying to ignore, or hasn’t noticed. Is that the Queen and the Goddess's representative among us, has not looked away from her,
Kylar There are more Wolves and Alpha’s in the Midnight Forest than I ever thought was possible. Our Village has always served as the main hub for the region and it has a decent number of guest houses in case of an event. Yet they’re all full, and so are the guest accommodations in each of the subsidiary villages. I haven’t had as much time as I, or Sabre would like to spend with our Mate over the past few days, or the twins. I feel like I’ve spent all my days driving or running through the territory to meet the Sub’s that head up the different villages. They’re Wolves that might be considered Beta’s. I know most of them as friends, something I’m grateful for.If something ever happened to Luca, I’d still have backup. Even better, is the organisation of our military strength. It’s why I always have such a good pick of skills to fill out my missions. I try to bring along someone from each Sub once a year. To make sure we’re all staying in contact.What it means, is that our command
I knew that the Village was going to get busy with the imminent trials of the Rogue’s. So, although I had a month of shifts to fit in at the Western Hospital, I rearranged my shifts to drag them out. It’s going to take me the better part of Autumn to finish my residency, but it’s worth it.This way, I’m also never away from my boys for more than one night at a time, something I’ve struggled with. Even knowing that Kylar is staying in our little house. I’m still caught with a thread of fear whenever I step out the door and leave them behind, with their Father. I introduced them to Kylar, properly as my boyfriend. They were over dramatic, playful, grossed out and found the idea that I had a special friend hilarious. Then Rowan wrapped his arms around me, possessive and wouldn’t let go. Until his brother started picking up his toys and he didn't want to share his latest tyrannosaurus rex.Yet once I had explained that Kylar really was their Father, the boys stared at him. I shared a
I feel complete in a way I find hard to explain. I stretch out on the bed, marvelling at the man before me. As though I could luxuriate in the view of him all night. I smile to myself, rueful. That really isn’t an option. Not with the twins due home after their movie night. I bit my bottom lip as he moves over me.I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck. I can hear his thoughts in my mind. They’re down right dirty enough to make me blush again. I’m giggling, because I’m happy. Strangely, deliriously happy to have been claimed by Kylar.You don’t think we have time to make love again? He teases me with his thoughts as he bends to kiss me again. Grazing his lips over mine in a gentle caress. Maybe my body temperature is still spiking from the hot water, but he makes me feel so effortlessly dizzy. I reach out with my own thoughts, closing my eyes. Enjoying the touch of his kiss against the side of my neck. Hyper aware of the sensitive patch of skin on my neck, where his mark will c
Kylar’s movements are deft and confident as he unfastens the buckle of his belt, letting it fall away. His pants are down the strong muscles in his legs, pooling on the floor as he steps out of them. Someday, I have to tell him how much I love seeing him barefoot. I didn’t think I had a weird obsession with it, but I love how he’s already lost his socks. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me and my heart gives rapid little pumps of excitement. I stand beneath the waterfall, body hot, adrenaline still coursing through my veins. My mouth is dry, but my hair is slicked back from my face. I can see myself in the mirror behind his shoulder and I gulp.My eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen him as he advances, his erection jutting out from his body. He’s hard and ready as he steps behind the shower screen. He hasn’t said a word and I look up at him, breathless, tongue tied. He advances and I backway, pushed by the force of his Alpha presence. Like the weight of a waterfall bearing down on me