TaraI wake up in a body that isn’t mine. It should be mine, but I’m not the one moving it. My limbs stretch lazily, my fingers flex and curl, and I feel the ghost of a smirk pulling at my lips. But I’m not responsible for any of it.Panic surges through me as I try to sit up, only to realize I already have. The sensation is wrong. Like watching someone else in the mirror, only to realize they’re copying my every move a second before I make it.I try to scream, but nothing comes out. I’m locked inside myself, a prisoner behind my own eyes. Ah, a voice purrs in my head. You’re awake. The horror sinks in all at once. She’s in control. Completely.Morgana hums, testing out my voice like she’s trying on a new outfit. She tilts my head to the side, stretches my shoulders, then stands. I feel the shift of my weight, the way my muscles respond to her command, but I have no say in it.Let me out, I try to snarl, but the words don’t make it out of my head. I have no mouth to speak with, no voi
HildaThe war council is tense. I sit at the head of the long wooden table, beside Arlo, his broad shoulders stiff with contained frustration. Warriors and advisors flank us, their expressions grim as they take in the scattered parchment and aged maps before us.“Cerelia used her power to inspect the ruins and the seals are definitely weakening,” Soren states, his voice calm but edged with something wary. His sharp gaze flicks to me. “And it’s not natural decay. Someone is undoing them.”I exhale slowly, pressing my fingers against my temples. We already suspected as much, but hearing it aloud makes it real in a way I wish it wasn’t.The temple ruins have stood for centuries, forgotten, abandoned and dormant. Until now.Arlo folds his arms across his chest. “How certain are we that this isn’t just natural decay? And what exactly are the seals keeping in?”Cerelia looks up, shaking her head. “The magic woven into the seals isn’t something that time alone could unravel. The fact that th
PercyThe moon hangs low in the sky, casting silver light over the trees as I walk beside Nixie on patrol. The forest is still, save for the distant rustling of leaves in the breeze. It should be peaceful. It would be peaceful, if not for the way my body hums with awareness of the woman beside me.Nixie moves with quiet fluidity, her sharp gaze scanning the tree line, her red hair gleaming in the dim light.“You know,” I say casually, stretching my arms over my head, “For all the sparring we’ve done, we’ve never had a real, no-holds-barred fight. Are you scared of losing?”She stops walking, slowly turning to face me. “Excuse me?” I shrug, fighting back a grin. “I mean, you talk a big game, but I am the Beta. I could probably take you down in seconds.” Nixie narrows her eyes. “You’re joking.”“Am I?” The challenge is barely out of my mouth before she drops into a fighting stance. “You want a fight? Fine. But don’t cry when I embarrass you.”The heat in her gaze is enough to send a slo
HildaThe door swings open with a force that makes the hinges groan. Arlo steps inside, his presence filling the space like a storm rolling in, commanding and inescapable. His gaze pins me in place, burning with something dark and possessive, a promise of what’s to come. Before I can draw a breath, he’s in front of me, his fingers curling around my chin, tilting my head up so I have no choice but to meet his eyes.“Get on your knees,” he commands, his voice low, rough, absolute. Heat floods my body at the sheer authority in his tone. I obey without hesitation, sinking down before him, my breath coming in shallow gasps. The way he looks at me, hungry, worshipful, and yet so utterly in control, makes me tremble. He cups the back of my neck, his thumb grazing the sensitive skin behind my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.His touch is everywhere and nowhere at once, deliberate and devastating. He traces his fingers down my throat, his knuckles ghosting over my collarbone before hi
ArloShe’s trembling beneath me, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps, her body stretched out and vulnerable. Every inch of her belongs to me, yet she still fights it, fights me. Not tonight. We’re settling this here and now. “You’re mine and I have every right to do whatever is needed to keep you safe.” She hisses at me, but her eyes are molten with need.I drag my knuckles down her ribcage, teasing the swell of her breasts before cupping one possessively in my palm. They’re so full and lush in pregnancy, it makes my cock hard just looking at them.Her sharp intake of breath is a reward, but it’s not enough. I want more. I want everything. I squeeze, my thumb brushing over her taut peak, and she jerks, a strangled sound slipping past her lips.“You still think you can fight me?” My voice is low, dark, coaxing. Hilda glares up at me, but it’s unconvincing with the way her body shudders under my touch. “I’m not fighting,” she lies. My grip tightens just enough to make her whimper
TaraMorgana controls everything. My hands, my voice, my smile. And no one knows. They look at me and see Tara, the quiet, observant girl still adjusting to life in the pack. They don’t see the monster inside me, puppeteering my every move.She laughs inside my mind, her amusement like dark silk wrapping around me, suffocating and smooth. You struggle too much. Just accept that you’re the instrument with which I’ll regain my rightful life. Relax and enjoy the show.I want to claw at her, tear her away from me, but all I can do is watch as my body moves without my consent. I greet others, I nod when spoken to, I walk around the pack house. Even Arlo no longer seems to suspect anything is amiss. I hate how well she mimics me. How easily she wears me like a second skin. My only consolation is that I’m still here. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hang on, but for now, I’m still aware. I get my chance in the dead of night. Morgana is complacent, entertained by the thrill of playing
HildaArlo may have fucked me into submission last night, but he should know dirty tricks and blackmail don’t count. Even if thinking about it does still make my core contract and sends lightning whizzing through my body. I’ll do everything in my power to stay safe, but we don’t have time for me to stay out of the investigation. I know what my capabilities are and sitting quietly while our child could be in danger, does not fall into that category.I found mention of an elder during my hours of research in the library and that’s finally brought me here. To this dwelling that can barely be called a cottage. It’s tiny and blends in with its surroundings so well I walked past it four times before finally seeing it.The door opens when I knock and seated near the hearth is an old woman, her silvered hair draped in long, unbound waves over her frail shoulders. She looks up as I enter, and her pale, cloudy eyes seem to pierce straight through me.“I was wondering when you’d come,” she mu
Hilda The candlelight flickers, casting long shadows across the room. Arlo stands near the window, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched. He hasn’t spoken in minutes, but I can feel the storm brewing within him.“I’m not asking for permission to be involved with this hunt anymore,” I say quietly, though the tension in my voice betrays my own frustration. “I’m telling you what I’ve learned. What we’re up against and that our child is in danger. You can’t keep me from fighting back.”He exhales sharply, turning to face me, his golden eyes burning with barely contained anger. “I know you can’t Hilda, I understand your instinct to protect. I fucking know the overwhelming desire to keep the ones I love most out of danger. Are you sure our…daughter,” despite everything I can hear the wonder in his voice, “Is the reason Morgana is after you?”“I don’t know why she wants her, not exactly. But I know it’s not just about revenge. There’s something more.”Arlo runs a hand t
AshTara won’t look at me. It must sicken her to see me in such a dishevelled state with Isadora. I tried to convince her we should bathe and get dressed first, but I suspect she wants Tara to know what we’ve been up to.I’ve never had any trouble sexually pleasing my partners. I’m an inventive, attentive and insatiable lover under normal circumstances. Last night was the first time since becoming human that I had to close my eyes and pretend.I imagined Tara was the one in bed with me. The one I kissed. The one who sucked my cock with such exuberance. The one I fucked until she was exhausted and passed out in my arms.I didn’t offer Isadora pleasure with my tongue this time. Exceptionally talented as I am at cunnilingus, I know she was hoping I would. I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting Tara, but I know she would burst on my tongue like some exotic fruit. Intoxicating my senses. I couldn’t suckle Isadora’s clit and keep lying to myself about who I was with.“Tell me how to break th
TaraI feel violated and ill when I wake up the following morning. Ash certainly doesn’t have human stamina, based on the information gleaned from the books I’ve read. Human males apparently require a period of recovery between one bout of mating and the next.“Thank you for the books,” I tell the serving girl when she brings my breakfast. She glances at the bedside table and her eyes briefly meet mine before darting to the floor again. “That one’s good, but the other one is better,” she says quietly.So these aren’t from Redgrave at all. “I’ll make sure to hide them when I have visitors,” I promise her quietly. She lowers her head, “I don’t think she’ll know. She doesn’t pay much attention to the house. You can just say you found them in a drawer.”“My name is Tara,” I tell her gently. She looks at me again with a faint smile, “I know. The mistress cursed your name repeatedly when you took Sir Ash from her before.” Right. I wonder how Redgrave believes I managed that. It’s all to t
TaraAsh seems to have accelerated healing abilities like we do. He told me he’s never been sick and he doesn’t think he ages, but he has no idea if that’s pure luck or if he’s not as human as he seems.The black eye took a bit longer to heal than the lacerations from the whipping, but it was still much faster than a human would have mended.I wish I could see him. Just for a minute. Just to be sure he’s in the same shape physically that I am. Logically I know he has to be, but I need to see with my own eyes that he’s fine. Or at least as fine as it’s possible to be while pretending to be enchanted by a completely delusional woman.If Isadora Redgrave hadn’t shown up when she did, I know exactly what would have happened to me next in that cage and I despise having to feel grateful to her, but I can’t deny that I am. I’d rather be beaten for hours on end than sexually violated by Malcolm.I know the only reason I’m being kept in this beautiful room and fed like royalty is because
RedgraveAs much as I despise Tara, seeing her spread-eagled, bloody and whimpering in pain doesn’t bring me any pleasure. I’m not a cat, who needs to play with my food before I deal the final blow.“Do you no longer need her to get you across the border?” I ask with a raised brow. Malcolm frowns as though the question makes no sense. “I do. She’s not dead,” he responds sullenly.“I gather she attacked you?” His jaw clenches, “What are you getting at, Isadora?” he asks irritably. “I’m trying to understand why you’re torturing her. What’s the point?”“She came here to spy on us before. My men only caught her this time because she was chasing down your precious Ash. She may have important information that could impact the mission,” he informs me dryly. Like I’m a silly child asking stupid questions. I wonder whether he knows that the thin layer of ice that he’s standing on has already started to crack.“Have you asked her?” I enquire. I can hear his teeth grinding together before he
MalcolmEither I was incredibly unlucky with the first werewolf I captured, or this one is very weak for some reason. Maybe because she’s linked to the human.I need to know whether most of them are more like Arlo, or like her. It’s going to make a huge difference in the size of the force I need. Arlo bent steel bars and wouldn’t go down until he was peppered with tranquillizer darts.I wouldn’t have stepped into Arlo’s cage for all the money in the world. Not even when he’d just been knocked out. This little female is completely different. One shot puts her down and she hasn’t attempted to shift once.Maybe I don’t even need to keep putting up with Redgrave. I’ve acquired an arsenal of weapons because Arlo refused to bloody die. Something tells me if I shoot this one in the head, she’ll expire immediately.As tempted as I am to test out my theory, I need her to get me into the werewolves’ territory. Her screams are like the most beautiful symphony. Ringing out loudly with each e
TaraArlo’s advice definitely helped. I’ve been drifting in and out of consciousness from the one dart that hit me, but I never fully went under. I’m abruptly pulled from my dreamy state when pain explodes in my head and my left eye starts throbbing.Ash. What are they doing to him? I want to hurl myself at the bars of the cage surrounding me and demand that they set him free, but we have to maintain our cover.“What the hell are you yipping about?” one of the guards stationed around my prison asks. I hadn’t realized I was making small sounds of distress.Based on the sheer volume of armed guards surrounding me, it’s clear King Arlo gave them a lot of trouble. Pride swells in my chest. He truly is a worthy leader for our pack.“Did she just hit herself?” one of the others asked, gaping at what must be significant bruising around my eye.“Crazy bitch,” the first guy mutters. “I’ve been watching her, she didn’t do it to herself. Her head rocked back and then the bruise was there.
AshFuck. This is not supposed to be happening. What the hell do I do now? I’ve never met Malcolm, but by all accounts he’s the scum of the earth and has no conscience. And he knows I’m not a mythical hero. He planted the bullshit that made Redgrave believe I was some kind of Messiah.He may just decide to kill us for the hell of it. No. I can’t think like that. He needs Tara to get across the border. That doesn’t mean he won’t hurt her though. Or kill me, if he doesn’t believe we’re linked. The problem is, we actually are.Cerelia cast a spell before we left, binding our life forces together. I’ll suffer any harm done to Tara, and she’ll die if they kill me.It was meant to keep Tara safe from Redgrave, and provide further proof that she controls me. I would happily offer my own life if it would save Tara, but it’s currently impossible.The men who grabbed me pulled a thick burlap sack over my head. I can’t see anything and even hearing is problematic. I know they put Tara in
TaraAsh is being extremely huffy as we walk toward the border. “I could have done this on my own. There’s absolutely no reason for you to be putting yourself in danger.”“Aside from the multitude of reasons already discussed in the war council?” I ask, matching his level of peevishness without any trouble. “And don’t suggest again that you could have steered them towards a specific area to cross the border, because it would have been too suspicious and risky.”He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, like I’m the one giving him a headache, instead of the other way around.“Look, I know you want to leave the forest and get back to Raventon as soon as possible. This is the best way for us to speed up the timeline of Malcolm’s attack and control the outcome. I’m sure this is why Scarlett called you here and you can leave as soon as the threat is neutralized.”“Dammit, Tara! This isn’t about me getting back to my life in the city, it’s about your safety. I don’t want you to be hurt. I
Arlo“I don’t like it,” I say, shaking my head.“For once we agree on something,” Ash huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re not going out there like some lamb to the slaughter,” he tells Tara with finality.“I don’t remember asking for your permission,” Tara tells him softly and Ash’s head jerks back like she just slapped him.“Nobody likes it, but we have to act first,” she continues in her quiet, but determined tone. “We have no idea what Malcolm is up to. If we can control when they cross the border, Cerelia can do her thing. Humans don’t know about our ability to mind link.”“We weren’t able to use the mind link while you were in the city,” I point out grimly. Tara nods, “I know. I’ve spoken to Cerelia and she agrees that it’s probably because of the magical barrier at the border. The moment we come across, I can warn you, so you’ll have at least a 30 minute headstart.”“I could communicate with Arlo when Malcolm had him,” Hilda says, a shiver of distaste running down