Thank you for reading! Just FYI, the next chapter will be from Darcy's POV and will include a trigger warning for dark themes.
To all my wonderful readers, I just wanted to drop a quick note to apologize for being unable to update today. I tried to write but am not feeling well and unable to give it the attention it deserves. If I am feeling better and able to get enough done, I will try to post an update on Sunday to make up for the missed day. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding! On another note, I wanted to let you know that when RTAT wraps up, I will be including a short novella at the end of this book for Nathan and Charlie. Nathan is a good guy and deserves his own HEA, though it won’t be without its challenges. Much love, Cara
Trigger Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of physical and sexual abuse that may be difficult for some readers. Darcy’s POV I hated being here in Hazelwood territory. I hated being any place where Quade’s presence lingered. I could feel him everywhere I went, like a waking nightmare I couldn’t escape. But I had nowhere else to go. He may be locked in a cell, but the memory of his tyranny still roamed free, haunting these people who suffered under him for so many years. It was in the drab walls of this ramshackle packhouse while he used their wealth for his own gain. It was in the hopeless and defeated expressions of the people who lived here. Not that I saw much of the Hazelwood people. The crippling anxiety that plagued me prevented me from leaving my room most days. Besides, Alpha Nathan Richardson had taken charge of the pack, and while he never treated me unkindly and seemed to tolerate my presence, I knew he blamed me for what happened to Mallory. “Let’s go outside
Mallory’s POV “Everything is going to be okay, little wolf.” Clay reassured me again, pulling me into his lap and nuzzling my neck to soothe me. I suspected my leg nervously bouncing so fast it could have taken flight was the real motive behind him trapping me in his arms but I couldn’t help myself. The closer we got to Hazelwood, to the place I knew Quade was, the more anxious I became. It was maddening to let him have this power over me but I felt helpless against it. “Sure. I’ll believe that when that monster is behind bars for good.” I muttered. “Hey,” He tipped my chin up and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “Do you trust me?” I nodded, earning a lopsided grin from him that made my stomach do somersaults. “Good. Then trust me when I promise you I won't let anything or anyone hurt you again.” “I trust you. All of you.” I sighed, leaning my head against his chest and letting him rub comforting strokes up and down my arm. It was the truth. I did trust them. And sudd
Mallory’s POV “You’re okay! I’ve got you, love. Everything will be okay!” Colton lifted me from the ground and held me close to his chest. “It hurts, Why does it hurt?” I cried out when another sharp pain stabbed me in the gut. Distantly, I heard footsteps pounding the ground, growing louder and louder as they drew nearer. But all I could focus on was pain and the panic for my babies. Then Cary’s cinnamon scent and Clay’s leather mixed with Colton’s lime, surrounding me with a heady fragrance that reduced the agony to a dull discomfort. “Fuck! She’s burning up! Come here, darling.” Cary reached for me and I fell into his arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him. “Find a fucking doctor!” Clay thundered. “We have a doctor on staff at the infirmary. He doesn’t have much equipment to work with but it’s the best we can do for now.” Charlie had arrived with Nathan and offered to take us there. I buried my face in Cary’s neck and took deep drags of his scent. It eased my distress
Mallory’s POV “Mallory, you don’t have to decide this today. My brother’s marks will be enough. I won’t let you be pressured into accepting me.” Colton’s voice was firm but his eyes held vulnerability. Clay and Cary had gone in ahead of us. They asked Colton to stay with me while they cleared the packhouse of unmated males, but I knew they were trying to give us some time alone to talk. Dr. Diaz’s advice caught us both more than a little off guard. Logically, I understood where Colton was coming from. Hopped up on hormones while your wolf is begging for her alpha mate’s bite isn’t the best time to be making life-altering decisions. But emotionally, his attempt to be noble just felt like another rejection. I stared out the window, trying and failing to contain a whimper. Colton must have sensed where my head was at, because he pulled me into his lap and grazed my neck with his finger. I shivered under his touch and burrowed into him, chasing his soothing scent. “Look at me,
Cary’s POV My wolf was practically rabid for our little mate writhing on the bed beneath us. It took considerable effort to keep him from shoving my brothers out of the way and sinking his fangs into her. My mouth watered as his need mingled with mine. Mallory was so stunningly beautiful, my breath caught in my chest just looking at her. Her hair, silky strands of midnight brown, flowed around her like a waterfall under the moonlight. Her perfect tits topped with tight rosy nipples bounced as her chest heaved and her slim waist flared into curvy hips and thick, creamy thighs. She was a fucking vision and she was all fucking mine! I couldn’t keep my mind from slipping back to those years ago when she left for the academy. I’d been destroyed when she left but I hadn’t understood why. So I buried my feelings in meaningless fucks and a multitude of bad decisions. Now I understood that when she left, she took part of my soul with her, because she was always meant to be mine. I wished
Mallory’s POV Colton rolled me onto my side and propped a pillow under my top leg, bending it at the hip to spread me open for him. He entered me from behind, fucking into me brutally. With his fist in my hair, he wrenched my head back to take my mouth in a filthy, dirty, open-mouthed kiss. I reached over my head to tug at his short blond strands, intent on locking him in place. “You love it when I wreck this tight little cunt, don't you baby?” His lips still brushed mine, as if he wasn’t willing to separate from me even to speak I just gripped his hair tighter and moaned into his mouth in response, slamming my hips back to meet his thrusts. It was rough and raunchy. The sounds of flesh slapping filled the room. And I loved every minute of it. Something changed between Colton and I when he marked me, completing our bond. Having a direct line to another person’s soul came in handy. Suddenly, he could feel that he wasn’t going to break me, that I wanted him to stop treating me
Mallory’s POV My mates all looked devastatingly handsome in their black, perfectly tailored three-piece suits. Aware that I was openly staring, I bit my lip as my stomach did a little flip. They were gorgeous and they were all mine. Unfortunately, the reason for their more formal attire put a damper on my otherwise raging libido. We were headed to a preliminary hearing at the Council headquarters in relation to the murder conspiracy charge leveled against us. It was completely ludicrous but apparently the Council didn’t see it that way. Nathan would be bringing Darcy from Hazelwood and meeting us there. With overwhelming evidence that Quade died by her hand, she was being charged with his murder but we had no explanation for why we were being accused of colluding with her. I supposed we would find out soon enough. “Stop that!” Cary chided, pulling my pinky fingernail from between my teeth. “Everything will be fine, darling. This is all just a big misunderstanding. One we will