KILLIAN'S POV "Still no change?" I took a bite of my roll, staring at Chris over my plate of food, and rolled my eyes. I swallowed and then answered. "Don't you think I would have come and got you if there had been?" He rolled his eyes back at me. "No. You'd want to keep her to yourself. It's been two days. And she's still unconscious. Has Divinity been in there to see if she can do anything?" "She's been in there every day. She said she needs to rest. She lost a lot of blood. She's healing. Caleb did a number on her." "Caleb is an asshole, but I never thought he was this cruel. I don't see him doing this to her." I shrugged. "Maybe you don't know him as well as you think." He shook his head. "Something isn't adding up. He was in love with her. Then to almost murder her? No. When she wakes up, she can tell us more." "Hopefully. If she remembers anything, she went through a pretty traumatic
VIVIAN'S POV "This is where we found you." I looked at the ground where Killian was pointing; spots of blood were still covering the ground—my blood. Looking at Killian's face, I could tell he noticed, too. Chris's jaw was tense. No one was happy to be here, but they wanted answers. I looked towards the tree line, feeling a pull. Chris and Killian watched me, waiting for me to react to my surroundings. I started walking, letting myself be guided. As we continued to walk, the tugging felt stronger. I'd been here. I'd come this way. "Vivian? Where are we going?" I held up my hand, silencing Chris. I needed to feel, not talk. I paused, closing my eyes, and turned, heading in another direction, further into the forest. Where were we headed? Ivy started whimpering. She wasn't happy that we were returning to where we came from. Something here had scared her. The closer we got, the more I questioned if we should turn bac
KILLIAN'S POV "You're not serious, are you, Vivian?" Chris stepped forward, bumping my shoulder in the process. "He's right, Vivid. Take it back. We don't need her." Vivian looked back at Sylvara and then at us. "The deal's been made." Mother Nature grinned at us over her shoulder and then held up her hands. Her lackeys formed a line around her, waiting for her command. "We go with the wolves." I looked at Vivian again. "We're taking them back to Blackmoon? Now?" "How else are we going to train with them?" I groaned. "Fine. Just don't say I didn't warn you." She shrugged. "If it makes you feel better. Let's get going."*****VIVIAN'S POV I rubbed my hands together nervously, staring at the trees Sylvara should be coming from. When we'd gotten back to Blackmoon, Killian had offered to make up rooms for them, begrudgingly, but they had insisted they'd feel more at home in the fore
Vivian’s POV “I can’t believe you turn 18 tomorrow. What if you mate with Chris, and I never see you again?” I spun away from my vanity, seeing that Zeke had a severe look on his face, and he wasn’t joking. “There’s no way the Moon Goddess would be that cruel as to mate me with that tool. And if she did, I’d reject him.” I walked over to him, kneeling before him, gripping his hands. I stared into the icy blue eyes I’d come to call home the 14 years I’ve known them. “Best friends forever, Zeke. I won’t mate with someone you hate so much and be swept away from you. Plus, you’ll be alpha soon, and you can banish him.” Zeke rolled his eyes. “It’s not that easy, and you know it. Chris and his family are too integral to the pack. I’m stuck with him.” I sighed, standing up. “I know. I wish he weren’t such a dick.” “He’s only a dick to you because he knows how much you mean to me. And if he claims you, he’ll keep you away from me to hurt me more.” I brushed a s
Vivian’s POV “Zeke?” “Why would I ever mate with a mutt like you?” I felt a sharp twist in my chest, like something trying to snap. Let him go! Ivy, my wolf, snapped at me. Reject him! He is not worthy! “But Zeke…” Zeke stepped forward, out of Samatha’s arms, “I said I reject you, Vivian.” I fell to the ground, the twisting intensifying. Ivy howled in pain. Moments ago, she was howling in happiness but turned on him the second Zeke rejected me. She was always protective of me. “Zeke, what happened to you…” “I finally saw you for the filth that you are.” I fell to the ground. The snapping became unbearable. With the last ounce of my strength, I raised my head. “I, Vivian Locke, of the Greywood Wolf Pack, accept your rejection.” Our wolves howled in unison once more, and a blinding light flashed before my eyes. A pulsing pain shot through my head before everything went black. ***** It’d been two days since my 18th birthday. And one day since I woke up in the hosp
Vivian’s POV The walk home was silent. I initially tried to ask Chris questions, but he grunted. He gave me nothing. I asked him why he was the one to bring me to the hospital, grunt. I asked him why he was there now, grunt. I asked him where my parents were, grunt. So, the rest of the walk was spent in silence. When we finally reached my home, I paused, wondering if I should invite him for a snack or beverage. I’m sure my parents weren’t home; if they were, they wouldn’t care. They never cared about anything I did, not even if it was healing in a hospital from a mate bond rejection. Chris decided for me. “I have training. You should start trying to make yourself useful now and come to training when you’re feeling better.” I glared. “I was thinking about working outside. I’m not sure I’m much of a fighter.” “Do both. You’re weak. It’s probably why Zeke rejected you.” I gasped, the sting of his words hitting me full force. I wanted to slap him, but he’d overpower me insta
Vivian’s POV “Ouch!” “I told you that you were weak.” I glared up at Chris from my position on the ground. He had just swept my feet out from under me, landing me flat on my back. He hadn’t been kidding about 4:30am, and he hadn’t been kidding about me being weak. I was surprised when he reached a hand out to me to help me up. I wasn’t surprised when he quickly took that hand away, and I fell backward. “Gotta keep you guessing, Vivid.” “Stop calling me that.” “Nope.” A howl signaled the end of training. Chris left me there, glaring at his retreating back. I still hated him, but at this point, he was all that I had. I scrambled to my feet and ran to catch up with him. “Where are we going now?” He arched an eyebrow at me. “We?” “Well, what does the pack do after training?” “Breakfast, then patrol. You’re just training, though. So you can play in some dirt or something. You can’t go on patrol yet if it’s something you can earn the right to do.” “Oh.” “What?” “
Vivian's POV The following day, Chris was there at 4:30am sharp. I almost wanted to grunt at him in greeting, to rekindle our inside joke, but I didn't want to run it into the ground and look desperate. I was already getting too attached, and it'd only been a couple of days. And this was Chris. I hated Chris, and Chris hated me. "What did you get for groceries?" "Chicken, rice, and broccoli." "Good for you!" "Just kidding. I thought that's what you wanted to hear. I got a lot of junk food." Chris glared at me. "Seriously?" "Kidding! I got the boring stuff! I'm taking this seriously." He rolled his eyes and started walking down the street. "Come on, you're gonna make us late. I don't have time for your games." His strides were long, but I was light on my feet, so it was easy to keep up with him. For the first time, Ivy finally spoke up. 'He's fun.' I almost stumbled at her comment. 'No, he's not. We don't like him. He's a jerk. Remember who