AshThe moment Cerelia finishes weaving the last of the spell, I feel the tension ease from the air.The humans stand frozen, still blank-faced and motionless, but something subtle has shifted in the atmosphere around them. Like a storm passing just overhead without breaking.Hilda rises from where she’s crouched by a line of confiscated weapons, brushing her hands clean against her pants. She strides toward Tara and me, her expression grim but steady.“It’s your call,” she says, her voice pitched low enough that only we can hear. “You have to decide whether Redgrave goes back to the city or if we deal with her here.”Tara turns to me immediately, her blue eyes fierce and sure. “Ash, it’s only fair that you get to choose,” she says. “I’ll stand by whatever you decide. You’re the one who suffered the most because of her.”For a moment, the world feels very small. Like the two of us are the only ones in existence. And the truth has been laid bare between us.And gods, the relief that po
(Hilda)“Hilda, you can’t fight them alone, you have to go! You have to run!” my mate, Alpha Soren, shouts with the last of his strength. He tries to lift himself off the ground, reaching for me, and I take his hand. “I’m not going anywhere.” I kneel beside him, looking into his eyes. “I love you, Soren. We’re going to survive this together. Or we’ll die together.” “No!” He yells. “Please Hilda, you have to run!”As the words leave his lips an arrow strikes my side. I collapse to the ground, laying beside him, as he cries out my name. I want to comfort him, to reassure him I’m alright, but I need to conserve my strength.With great determination I struggle back to my feet. I’m going to keep fighting to protect him until I exhale my last breath.“Hilda. If we make it out of this alive, I’m making you my Luna. No more wasting time. I love you.”***The world is dark all around me, but his words are a warm, soft blanket surrounding my heart. I wonder where the heavy smell of herbs is c
(Hilda)It’s Cerelia’s Luna coronation ceremony today. It seems like only yesterday that I believed it would be me standing beside Soren, surrounded by our pack, while he confirmed that I was to be his Luna. Now they’re all dressed in their finest and the air is full of joyous celebration for someone else. It’s as if I never existed.I should leave and go back to bed, but I just can’t tear myself away. As I slowly make my way through the crowd, each step sends a sharp jolt of pain through my body. I almost relish the torment, which is nothing compared to the agony in my heart.All I can see is Soren and Cerelia, standing hand in hand and gazing at each other with adoration. The way he looked at me until I opened my eyes and my world imploded.We grew up together. Training side by side. Sharing our hopes and ambitions. I knew him better than anyone and now he’s making another woman his Luna. It’s a betrayal of everything we shared. A man’s voice brings me out of my reverie. “Well, w
(Hilda)My first instinct is to try and fight them off, but my muscles are far too weak after a year of inactivity. The warriors’ grips are like iron and my attempts to struggle are futile.As some of them begin to recognize me as the former Beta of this pack, a warrior who took out many of their comrades, hatred and the thirst for vengeance flare in their eyes. They’re no longer simply following orders, they really want to hurt me.I hate that my eyes fill with tears as desperation claws at my heart. I don’t want to show them that I’m terrified, but panic is overwhelming me. I can’t defend myself in my current condition.Hope surges in my heart when Soren’s voice commands them to stop. The warriors hesitate, releasing their hold on me and for a brief flicker of time I think that Soren may still care about me.Cerelia is by his side, her face a mask of shock and embarrassment as her eyes flash between me and the brother. The crowd’s attention shifts from me to her, and the uncertainty
(Hilda)Damon leaves me alone in the tiny cabin for what feels like an eternity. It’s freezing and I’m hungry enough to start chewing my way through a wall.The worst torment is being alone with my thoughts. Replaying the moment of waking up and Soren’s cold expression when he handed me to Damon like a spoil of war, over and over in my mind.I’m so close to losing my mind completely that I’m happy when 2 of Damon’s men burst into the cabin and drag me outside, throwing me down on the cold, hard ground.Being in the fresh air is wonderful and I bask in the feeling of the freezing wind playing across my face, ruffling my hair almost affectionately.It takes me far too long to raise my gaze and find more than a dozen of Damon’s men standing around me, each of them holding a bow and arrow and looking at me excitedly.They’re planning on hunting me for sport, I realize with dawning horror. I thought Damon’s cruelty had reached its limit, but apparently not.“Go on bitch. We’re giving you a
(Hilda) As if he can sense the turmoil inside me, my rescuer opens his arms and I collapse into them, resting my head against his wide, strong chest. The moment he wraps me in a tight embrace, I shatter. Sobbing into his chest, my body is shaking with the force of my anguish.He holds me close, gently stroking my hair and whispering soothing words that I can’t hear over the deafening roar of my emotions. Tilting my head up, my eyes meet his and madness overtakes me.Without hesitation, I press my lips to his, more than half expecting him to push me away. Instead he hugs me closer. The kiss is tentative at first, as though we’re testing the waters, but need soon eclipses everything else and I kiss him harder, my hands clutching his shirt so I can pull him closer.His lips move against mine with an intensity that leaves me breathless. Hands roam my back, tracing the curve of my spine, igniting a fire within me. I moan into his mouth, the sound swallowed by his kiss. Every caress feels
(Hilda)“You’re my mate,” King Arlo repeated, blocking the door. “Your place is here by my side.”I’m not ready for this. I’ve already acted very out of character by sleeping with him after just meeting him, I can’t have found my second chance mate so soon.“No,” I say, my voice firm despite the slight tremble, “I’m not ready for this, it’s too soon after everything with Soren. And you should know that I’m my own woman, King Arlo. I don’t belong to anyone. You’re just… just a rebound.”He seems to find my objection hilarious, barking out a rumbling laugh. “Did you just call the Alpha King your rebound?” he asks with raised brows.His eyes darken as he steps closer to me. A mix of frustration and desire flashing across his features. His presence is imposing and I’m overwhelmed by more than his size. There’s an electric current which crackles between us and my instincts are encouraging me to fall into his arms.“You don’t get to decide when the bond should happen, Hilda,” he tells me, h
(Soren)It’s a cold night, but the chill I feel has nothing to do with the weather. Cerelia lies sleeping soundly beside me, but her presence doesn’t calm me the way it usually does. Guilt gnaws at me, festering like an open wound. Hilda. The mere thought of her name is a dagger to my heart, twisting deeper with every breath I take. Where is she sleeping tonight? What’s Damon done to her?I’d made my decision in a moment of desperation and confusion, convincing myself it was the right thing to do. Handing her over to Damon as though she means nothing to me anymore.Hilda had been in a coma for a year, and the mate bond had faded after only a month. I mourned her with every breath I took. When I met Cerelia, it felt like fate was giving me a second chance. Now it seems that I’m more like the villain in a fairy tale.I’m not going to be able to sleep. The image of Hilda’s eyes, filled with pain and betrayal, haunts me. I promised her everything: love, loyalty, and the title of Luna. To
AshThe moment Cerelia finishes weaving the last of the spell, I feel the tension ease from the air.The humans stand frozen, still blank-faced and motionless, but something subtle has shifted in the atmosphere around them. Like a storm passing just overhead without breaking.Hilda rises from where she’s crouched by a line of confiscated weapons, brushing her hands clean against her pants. She strides toward Tara and me, her expression grim but steady.“It’s your call,” she says, her voice pitched low enough that only we can hear. “You have to decide whether Redgrave goes back to the city or if we deal with her here.”Tara turns to me immediately, her blue eyes fierce and sure. “Ash, it’s only fair that you get to choose,” she says. “I’ll stand by whatever you decide. You’re the one who suffered the most because of her.”For a moment, the world feels very small. Like the two of us are the only ones in existence. And the truth has been laid bare between us.And gods, the relief that po
CereliaI hear them long before I see them. The scuff of heavy boots against the forest floor. The low murmur of voices trying to stay quiet but too weighted with nerves and suspicion to succeed. Labored breathing and faint curses.Clearly the humans haven’t taken a moment to consider how sharp a wolf’s hearing is. Never thought their whispered orders and rattling weapons would be beacons in a forest whose sounds we know like they’re our own breaths.I tighten my focus, steadying the pulse of the spell waiting in my hands. It’s nearly time and I’m so ready for this to be over.All around me, the warriors stay perfectly still, crouched low among the shrubs and trees. No one moves a single muscle. They breathe so quietly that even I can’t hear them. It’s like the entire forest has conspired to hide us, holding its’ breath for what’s about to happen.They’re very close know. Hearing the rattle of Tara’s chains makes my jaw clench. Every soft clink is a reminder of why we’re doing this. W
CereliaI sit cross-legged within the circle of runes, hidden beneath a dense screen of shrubs and low-hanging branches. Around me, warriors melt into the landscape, nearly invisible even to my trained eyes. The humans will never spot us unless we want them to.At least, that’s the hope. They may have gadgets we’re not familiar with. I have to make sure my magic is faster than anything they have to offer.I roll the smooth amber stone between my palms, centering myself. The amplification spell thrums around me, delicate but vast, like a spider web stretched to its limit. It’s ready. I’m ready. Now we just have to wait.Hilda crouches beside me, watching the distant path through the trees where our enemies will appear. Her face is set in that calm, slightly amused expression she wears when she’s holding a dozen different plans in her head at once.Scarlett can be rightfully proud to have this fierce woman as her mother, I think to myself.Hilda’s head cocks to the side before she le
TaraThe air is crackling with tension.It rolls through the group like a thundercloud, thick and stifling, settling under everyone’s skin. Soldiers twitch at every noise. Eyes dart around frantically. Hands tighten on weapons.Malcolm and Redgrave walk at the front of the pack, a careful distance apart, pretending civility. But anyone with half a brain can see the truth. They’re waiting for an excuse to kill each other and their men know it.Ash walks slightly behind them, his expression schooled into something unreadable. I keep my head bowed, collar dragging at my neck, wrists still shackled tightly behind my back. The leads from my collar are held by Redgrave’s men. They seem jumpy too, hands flexing constantly around the chains and pulling the collar tight against my throat.It’s a miracle no one’s opened fire yet. I glance at Ash through lowered lashes. In spite of his impressive acting abilities, I notice the worry lines around his mouth. The way his spine is as straight as an
HildaScarlett is halfway through her second helping of blueberry pancakes and telling me a story about how Percy is definitely scared of bumblebees.“He screamed, Mama!” she says, eyes wide, hands flailing dramatically. “And he’s this big”—she stretches her arms as far as they’ll go—“and a little tiny bee made him run away! Like this!” She zooms her hand through the air, knocking over her cup of milk in the process.I catch it before it falls, mopping the few drops that splashed over the side. “Maybe Percy just didn’t want to get stung,” I say, trying to hide my smile.“He’s a werewolf, Mama. Bees don’t sting for no reason. He’s supposed to be brave. I’m brave and I’m only four.” She holds up four sticky fingers proudly.I lift a brow. “You’re brave, huh? What about the time you made daddy check under your bed for monsters three nights in a row?”Scarlett’s eyes narrow, like I’m betraying her. “That’s different. Monsters are sneaky. Bees are just bees,” she states with irrefutable lo
TaraI hate that my body reacts. Hate that I know what Ash is doing. Hate the way my thighs clenched, my breath hitched, and heat rolled through me like I was the one being touched.I hate that I didn’t want it, and I still responded. That I couldn’t stop the tears or the sick twist of shame in my stomach afterwards. Because it left me aching for him and wishing for more.What is wrong with me?By the time the first trace of morning light touches the sky, I’ve scrubbed my skin raw and changed into fresh clothes. I’m ready before they come for me, heart hammering, mind racing. I tell myself it’s because of the mission. Because of what’s at stake. But really, it’s because I can’t wait to get Ash away from her.When the door creaks open, it’s not a guard who enters. It’s them. Hand in hand. Ash walks in slightly ahead of her, dressed in black again, his face a perfect mask of disdain. Redgrave follows, her steps slow and deliberate, like a queen descending into the dungeon. She carries a
AshShe lights candles before she joins me in bed. Not because she needs the light. It’s for the atmosphere. For the drama. The way the flickering glow dances across her skin, softening edges and disguising shadows.Everything Isadora Redgrave does is calculated.She walks toward me slowly, her silk robe brushing the tops of her thighs, the edges parting just enough to promise what’s beneath. Her eyes track me like a cat watching a mouse. Lazy, confident, assured of her eventual reward.I offer a smile I’ve worn so many times now it practically feels real.She climbs into bed beside me, pressing close, sliding one silky leg over mine. Her fingers skim my chest, but I barely register the sensation. My body reacts out of habit and obligation. My mind is a thousand miles away.Tara. Is she sleeping? Crying? Wondering why I said what I said earlier today? Does she believe it was real. That I meant it?Gods, I hope not. No. She’s too smart to believe that. She knows we have a job to do.I
TaraI haven’t felt anything from Ash in two nights. No phantom touches. No bursts of pleasure that aren’t mine. No echoing orgasms that leave me shaking and ashamed and aching in ways I can’t even name.I should be grateful, but it makes me uneasy. It’s not like Redgrave to keep her hands to herself. If she’s not pawing at him, it means something’s wrong. Maybe she’s punishing him. Maybe he said the wrong thing, or showed too much concern for me, or failed to play the role she expects.I pace my room like a caged animal, ears trained on every creak of the hallway. I’ve barely touched the tray of food they brought me. My stomach’s in knots.Maisey hasn’t been back since yesterday morning, and I don’t know if that’s because she’s been reassigned, or because someone figured out she was watching out for me.The door opens without warning and a tall, broad-shouldered guard steps inside. “You’re wanted,” he says. No ‘please.’ No ‘if you don’t mind.’ Just flat orders and cold eyes.I school
MalcolmThe knock at the compound door is too polite and I know who it is before I open it.Redgrave doesn’t wait to be invited in. She steps over the threshold like she owns the place. In her head, she probably does.Her coat is cream, long, and tailored to her measurements. Her boots click against the concrete like a war drum. Her guards don’t follow. Clearly she doesn’t think she needs protection from me. Stupid bitch.“Redgrave,” I say, voice smooth and friendly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” She doesn’t answer. Just walks into my command room like she’s been here a thousand times before. She stops in front of the war table. My maps. My layouts. My plans.And then, with all the casual disdain of royalty, she sits in my chair. “You’ve been busy,” she says, gesturing at the tactical layout.“I’ve been preparing,” I agree. “That’s wonderful to hear, because I’ll be joining you for the attack,” she informs me casually.I blink, then laugh. Not the smartest move, in retrospect. “You