(Soren)I paced back and forth in the clearing. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, my heart hammering in my chest as I waited, praying that Hilda would show up. It had been days with no sign of her, but I kept my promise. I showed up every night. I waited for her. I needed to warn her. But more than that, I needed her help to get to Lilith. I had no chance without her, without King Arlo. And then I would expose King Arlo’s deceit and protect the pack. I had been so sure that she would see reason, that she would stand by my side against King Arlo’s tyranny. But doubt gnawed at the edges of my confidence, its claws digging deeper with every second that ticked by. I glanced at the trees, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. The sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The serenity of the forest was at odds with the turmoil inside me. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. This had to work. Hilda had to understand. When she fi
(Arlo)I loved her. I loved everything about her. From the moment I found her in the woods, bleeding and whimpering like a fawn, I loved her. The mate bond was nothing compared to the love I felt for her. I needed her. I needed to hear her voice, to feel her touch. Every time I saw her, I felt happier than I’d ever been before. Every time I heard her voice, it was like nothing I’d ever heard. She changed my world with her presence. But I couldn’t get too close to her. I hated that. I hated the lies, the control. I didn’t have a choice. "Arlo," my mother’s voice slithered into my consciousness, her tone dripping with malevolence. "Bring her to me. It is time."I stiffened, my hands involuntarily clenching into fists. "No," I muttered, more to myself than to her. "Not this time."Her laughter echoed in my head, cold and cruel, sending shivers down my spine. "You do not have a choice, my son. You never did. Hilda is essential for the ritual. Bring her to me, or face the consequences."
(Arlo)The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over Hilda's peaceful face. I watched her sleep, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. She looked so serene, so content, and I felt a swell of tenderness for her. I hadn’t been there last night. I would have to explain that. I would have to tell her about my mother. That was a heavy burden that I wished to bear alone, to save her from. But I could only avoid her questions for so long. She would need to know the truth. But maybe not today. Determined to make this day special for her, I quietly headed to the kitchen. I wanted to surprise her with breakfast in bed, something sweet and thoughtful to start her day. As I moved around the kitchen, I couldn't help but smile at the memory of her laughter, her moans, and the way she had clung to me. I wanted to give her more moments like that, to show her how much she meant to me.I prepared a tray with freshly made pancakes, a bowl of strawberries, and a
(Hilda)The morning sun gently woke me from a dreamless sleep. As my eyes fluttered open, they settled on Arlo standing beside the bed. His smile was soft, his eyes radiating a possessive love so deep it seemed to reach into my very soul. “Good morning, love,” he whispered, his voice a soothing melody that made my heart flutter. I returned his smile, a warmth spreading through my chest that had nothing to do with the sunlight. “Good morning, Arlo,” I replied, sitting up slowly. Arlo extended his hand to me. “Come with me,” he said, his voice a soft invitation. We walked together out past the pack to the riverbank. He was quiet as we walked, but his hand gripped mine tightly. When we reached the river he stopped, his face etched with a pain I had never seen before. “Hilda,” Arlo began, his voice low. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago.” “Arlo…” I said, looking up into his eyes. “What is it?” But the sound of rustling leav
(Soren)Dragging Hilda through the forest, I couldn't shake the image of her standing between me and Arlo, the look of betrayal on her face cutting deeper than any wound. My grip on her wrist was firm, my pace unyielding. The forest was thick with tension, every rustle of leaves a remainder of the chaos we had just left behind. I knew I had crossed a line by taking her, but there was no turning back now. She had to understand the danger she was in, even if it meant risking everything.The hidden cabin came into view, a small, unassuming structure nestled deep in the woods. I pushed the door open and pulled Hilda inside, releasing her wrist as she stumbled away from me. The cabin was quiet, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me. It was a place of secrets and shadows, much like the feelings I had buried deep for far too long."What are you doing, Soren?" Hilda's voice was sharp, cutting through the silence. Her eyes flashed with anger, and something else. Betrayal, maybe. It t
(Hilda)My lips still tingled from Soren's kiss, a mix of anger and desire swirling inside me. The small cabin felt like it was closing in, making everything even more intense. "I can't stay here," I said, my voice shaking. "You can't decide what's best for me." Soren's eyes were filled with determination and something else I couldn't name. "I won't let you get hurt," he said firmly. "Not by Arlo, not by anyone." "You don't get it," I snapped. "This isn't about Arlo. It's about you controlling me, thinking you know what's best." His jaw clenched. "Hilda, you don't understand the danger. Arlo is hiding something that could destroy us all." "Then let me decide!" I shouted. "I'm not a pawn in your game, Soren. I can take care of myself." He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "I won't lose you," he said in a low growl. "Not like this." His intensity made my heart pound with fear and something else—something I didn't want to admit. "You have to let me go," I whispered
(Arlo)The forest blurred around me as I raced through it, my heart pounding with anger and fear. Hilda had been taken by Soren, and I was frantic. Losing her was unimaginable. I had to get her back. Every breath was a struggle as I pushed myself through the underbrush. Hilda’s face, filled with pain and confusion, haunted me. I needed to find her, to prove I was the one who truly cared, that Soren was the real threat. I needed to save her. The scent trail was faint but unmistakable. I pushed harder, my muscles screaming in protest as I forced myself to move faster. The trees whipped past me, their branches clawing at my skin, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was finding Hilda before it was too late. Then, a voice cut through the chaos in my mind—it was my mother’s voice, cold and commanding. “Arlo, stop,” she ordered. I skidded to a halt, the shock of her voice hitting me like a slap. My mother’s presence in my mind was as imposing as ever. Her words felt like icy fingers
(Cerelia)The forest was alive with the sounds of the night, but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart. I moved swiftly, tracking Soren’s scent. It was faint but unmistakable, leading me deeper into the woods. My mind raced with thoughts of what I might find—of what I feared. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the ground. The air was thick with tension, and I couldn’t shake the sense of dread that hung over me like a dark cloud. I had to find Soren, had to confront him about what I knew—what I felt deep in my bones. Finally, I saw it: a small cabin nestled in the clearing, light seeping through the cracks of the wooden structure. My breath caught in my throat as I approached, every step weighted with the knowledge that nothing would be the same after this. I reached the door and hesitated, hand hovering over the worn wood. I could hear muffled voices inside—Soren’s low, rumbling tone and a softer, feminine voice I recognized too wel
Damon The tension in the air is palpable the moment I step onto Soren’s land.His wolves eye me warily, shoulders squared, jaws tight, their instincts screaming at them to bare their throats in submission. But they don’t. Not fully. There’s deference, sure, but not the kind I need. Complete, unquestionable loyalty to an Alpha. That belongs to Soren, even in his absence.Damn fool. He isn’t even here, yet his pack still clings to him like he’s their salvation.I keep my stance loose, my expression unreadable. It won’t help my cause to show irritation. Instead, I let a slow smirk curl my lips as I address the wolves gathered before me.“I have to say, I’m disappointed,” I begin, scanning their faces, letting my gaze linger just long enough to make each one uncomfortable. “Soren’s abandoned you. He’s off playing house in Arlo’s territory, licking his wounds, and you’re all here… waiting for what, exactly?”A ripple of unease moves through them. I see the flicker of doubt in their eyes,
ArloHolding myself back from making love to Hilda for an entire week has been hell. And she’s been no help whatsoever, ‘accidentally’ rubbing her ass against my cock at night and constantly telling me how much she wants me.She’s regained some color and she no longer looks like the lightest touch will snap her in half. “If anything I do hurts, you have to tell me to stop,” I beg her, running my hand up and down her side lightly.“I thought we’ve established I like it when it hurts a little,” she teases, sucking my lower lip into her mouth and setting fire to my skin in the process. “Hilda, I’m serious,” I warn her, pulling away slightly.“Nooo, come back,” she complains, her fingers digging into my shoulders and forcing me down again with surprising strength. “If I feel any discomfort, I promise to tell you,” she agrees. “But you have to promise not to treat me like I’m made of glass.”“I can’t do that. You’re so small and fragile and…pregnant.” I breathe the last word, wonder fillin
HildaI must admit, I’d been hoping that coming back to life would involve a lot more naked sexy time. It’s been almost a week and Arlo still refuses to make love to me.At least I know from his frequent and inopportune erections that I’m not the only one suffering. He wants me to regain my strength before engaging in any strenuous activity. My offer to lie there without moving didn’t amuse him.Cerelia’s doing her best with herbal remedies, but Arlo’s presence is the biggest help. I’m increasing the amount I’m able to eat every day and I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to jump Arlo’s bones very soon.“You look so much better already,” he tells me when we wake up on the 7th day after my return. “Thanks baby, that’s just what every woman wants to hear from her lover,” I say snippily.I’m growing irritable from being cooped up and I’m really, really horny. Arlo’s offered to help out with masturbation and cunnilingus, but I want the full experience. He refuses to let me relieve his pressure
HildaMorgana grabs my hair, pulling roughly to try and stop me from fanning that tiny spark back into the inferno it once was. It’s impossible to focus while she yanks my head from side to side and frustrations threaten to boil over.I don’t want to waste time fighting her. I need to get back to my mate and my unborn child. There’s no way for me to kill her here anyway. She’s a spectre. Her real body was turned to worm food a long, long time ago.I want to kick myself for my stupidity. My body isn’t real either. It’s back home with Arlo, waiting for me to return to it. I’m as ethereal as a ghost here. “You can’t touch me,” I tell Morgana with absolute certainty, feeling great pleasure when I see hatred flaring in her eyes.“Go away, Morgana, I don’t have anything more to say to you,” I tell her defiantly, before settling in to concentrate once more. I have no idea whether she’s trying to grab me, because I’m not watching and I can’t feel her at all.I need to dig around and find wher
ArloI keep my hand over hers, my thumb tracing slow, idle circles against her skin. It should be warm. She should be warm. Instead, it’s cool to the touch, too still, too lifeless to be the dancing flame that is Hilda.I lean forward, pressing my forehead to the back of her hand, inhaling deeply, searching for any lingering trace of her scent. It’s there, just barely, faint traces of something floral, something uniquely her, but it’s fading. Like everything else.Weeks. It’s been weeks. She doesn’t breathe. She doesn’t stir. There’s no heartbeat, no sign of life. The bond, our bond, disappeared the moment she fell. It should have killed me. It almost did. The absence of it is a void I can’t escape, an endless chasm swallowing me whole.That’s how I know she isn’t gone. There’s more proof in the slight swell of her belly. Where our child is still growing inside her against all reason. Somehow kept alive through magic I don’t understand. But if our child still exists, then so does she.
HildaI’m trapped. Not dead, not alive, just...here. In purgatory with a jealous witch. The frustration this rouses in me is consuming me whole. It’s not fair. I want to kick and scream and rail against fate and magic and all the rest of it. I want to be with my mate, celebrating my pregnancy.The one that isn’t doomed at all. Morgana orchestrated that entire situation. If I could kill her here, she’d be dead already.Morgana paces, graceful as a panther, though there’s nothing idle about the way she moves. She’s watching me, gauging me, waiting. For what, I don’t know yet, but I won’t give her the satisfaction of showing how unsettling it is to be under her scrutiny.“I can see the wheels turning,” she murmurs, amusement curling at the edges of her voice. “Trying to find a way out?”I don’t answer. Let her think what she wants.She gives an exaggerated, mocking sigh. “You’re wasting your time. Do you think I haven’t spent centuries doing the same? Trying, failing and trying again? I
DamonThe news reaches me before dawn, whispered in the ears of those who know better than to keep secrets from me. Soren is weak. Not just exhausted or wounded, but broken. The kind of weakness that lingers, that seeps into the bones and never truly leaves.I sit in my office, fingers drumming against the arm of my chair, the firelight flickering against the walls. The messenger, a thin, twitchy bastard from one of my outer patrols, whose name I can’t be bothered to recall, stands before me, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He reeks of nerves, and for good reason.“Say that again,” I order, my voice deceptively calm. He swallows hard. “Soren was badly injured during the King’s fight with the mages. He took a sword in the lung while trying to save Cerelia. He should have died. Cerelia kept him breathing with magic.”His lips press into a thin line, as though the words taste foul in his mouth. “But he’s not what he was. Won’t be for a long time. Maybe never from what I’ve heard.”
HildaI stare at Not Arlo and he looks so much like my soulmate that it shreds my heart. I want this to be real. The bit where I’m awake and I’ve just given birth to our son. Not the part where Arlo’s turned into an asshole.“You’re not him,” I say sadly, handing the baby back to him. “And this isn’t my child.” Chilling laughter fills my head.“Maelor was right, you would have been the perfect host. Zesty, smart and strong. You even have good taste in men. I would have enjoyed fucking this bucking bronco, but you couldn’t let me have that, could you?”I know immediately that the woman wrapping herself around Not Arlo is Morgana. He’s not my Arlo, I don’t give a damn what she does with this soulless carbon copy.Her hair is a cascade of dark curls, coiled like living tendrils around her shoulders, framing her impossibly lovely face. High cheekbones cast sharp hollows in the flickering light, her full lips curled in a knowing smirk as she eyes me. Her eyes, deep green, laced with gold,
HildaIt takes me a long time to force my eyes to open. My body feels foreign and I’m freezing. I try to roll over so I can snuggle into Arlo’s always warm arms, but I seem to be stuck in position like a beached whale.Pain rips through my abdomen as though a giant, serrated knife is cutting me open and Arlo’s suddenly by my side, staring down at me in wonder. “You’re awake,” he breathes, looking stunned.The pain abated for a second, but now it’s back with a vengeance and I screech helplessly. Arlo grabs my hand, peppering my face with kisses. “Hilda, you’ve been in a coma for nearly 9 months. You’re in labor, our baby’s being born.”“I’m going to help you through this, just try to breathe. I know it must be confusing. I was so worried you’d never come back to me.” I’m giving birth? Panic grips my heart. Tara said I wouldn’t be able to do that.Screw Tara, she won’t dictate my future. Veilbreaker didn’t kill me and Arlo’s been waiting for me. I never gave up before and I’m not starti