Damon was still in bed three days later and the horrible strain in Scar 's chest lessened somewhat at the sight of him, and with a deep breath, she wiped away the tears pooling in her eyes and pulled up the nearest chair to sit by the bed. She watched him as he slept, guilt and worry gnawing at her from the inside out. Was this her fault? After all, Damon had fought so well for her, for the future that they both wanted. And now he was injured, while she'd been kept away from the battle and made it out unscathed. Should she have fought harder to be by his side? Could she have made a difference if she'd been there to help him with Stanley , or would she have made the whole fight worse? It seemed that every decision she made had somehow led to this moment, and she wondered if she should have acted differently. But how could she have known that the enemy would be so dangerous? Or that the war would become so bloody? Nevertheless, Scar resolved to stay by Damon 's side. She would be
"Will you lead the way?" They climbed down from the horse, and Scar assessed the trees around them. The earth was iced over with frost, ferns and plants captured in a thin layer of chill that would disperse as the sun rose. Pines towered above them in all directions, not unlike those surrounding the goblin fortress and settlement farther north. But these trees smelled of home, and a longing to see the old houses of her hometown surged when she realized where they were. Scar 's feet carried her forward of her own accord, and until that moment, she hadn't realized just how much she'd missed this forest and the small town she'd grown up in. Despite how resentment had fester bed in her heart and soul these past years, it was still her home. The wolves here were still her pack, her family, whether she liked it or not."Come on, I am going to see my family, it's all about alliance please " Scar called behind her at Shadow who looked at her in shock "You lied to me Scar, you intended to go
While Alexander assembled his council to come to a decision, Scar and Shadow were left to their own devices. Being home brought back so many memories, the narrow streets where she and Seath used to explore, the small shop where they would buy sweets, and the forest beyond the city where they would go on adventures. It all felt like a lifetime ago, growing up here ... their attempt to escape. Scar wandered the streets, lost in thought, the events of the past week weighing heavily on her mind. It was hard enough to balance her duty to her pack with her duty to Damon and the wolves , but now she had to worry about this rebel threat as well. She didn't know how much more she could take. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped. Turning around, she saw that it was only Shadow . "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said sheepishly. She'd forgotten he was there with her, watching her every move. "It's okay," Scar replied, barely able to muster a smile. "I was just
Damon jolted up in bed, sweat covering every inch of pale skin. Gasping, he clutched his chest, feeling as though his heart was being ripped out. Everything hurt, but looked healed, every part of him battered and bruised from the fight with the rebels, not to mention the nasty cut on his side that he was lucky didn't slice out a kidney or worse. But the pain he felt right now wasn't physical; it was spiritual. Soul-wrenching. Something was horribly wrong. Glancing to the side, there was no one in the room. Hadn't he looked up just hours ago and seen Scar at his side, dozing off in an uncomfortable position in her chair because she'd been too stubborn to leave him to go sleep in another bed. Loyal to a fault, she was. So where was Scar now? His sweat felt like little beads of ice on his skin when he noticed the envelope on the stool Scar had been sitting on. He reached over and grabbed it, finding that the outside said 'Damon' in neat cursive. He didn't know what Scar's hand
"I suppose I just never found the right person, and my father was very protective of me " Scar replied, taking another sip of her wine. "We witches , we're ... we're meant to be with our mates, not jumping from relationship to relationship. At least, that never felt right to me." Quiet knowing filled Damon's cool eyes. Just like that, he understood what she'd given up to become his person : a chance at ever finding her mate. "I'm sorry. That must have been very difficult for you." Scar shrugged, not trusting herself to speak. It had been difficult, but it wasn't like she chose to go her life without her mate. If it were up to her, just like any other witch, she would have liked to have her mate when she was young so she could enjoy her whole life with him. This was the life she'd been given, and now she had to make the best of it, even if that meant for a man a man she would sooner destroy for keeping her prisoner and threatening her pack than show any emotion for. "Thank you f
Each movement was instinctual, primed by a need so fierce and desperate she couldn't put a name to it. All there was the need, the fire that burned so bright inside them both, where once, they'd both been so cold and alone. Damon found just the right angle to drive them both wild with pleasure. They moved together until Scar was so close to the edge that it was all she could do to hold on for dear life. He rocked into her, faster and harder until they both reached the precipice of rapture together. There, they teetered on the edge of ecstasy, riding the crescendo together until they finally crashed into sweet oblivion. As the waves of their orgasm slammed into them, Scar felt like she had found something that had been missing within herself, though she was far too exhausted, too spent to shape that realization into words, let alone comprehend what it might mean. They rocked in unison as they lost themselves in the throes of pleasure. Scar knew that this night would change everyth
While Damon slept , Scar had left Damon in bed . She hesitated at the edge of the woods, his hunting bow in hand. The polished wood was familiar under her fingers, a supple curve that had served Damon well for years. Still, she stroked it nervously with the pad of her thumb as she looked into that dense thicket of trees. It was uncanny how shadows seemed to creep from beneath those branches. Even with the sun warm on her back, she shivered. There was no choice but to step into that forbidding place. She knew it, and yet she couldn’t quite bring her feet to move- her sturdy leather boots stayed planted on the pale, spring-green grass like she’d grown roots. It had been a hard winter. She’d gotten skinny during the frozen months, and if she wanted to keep herself in coin and bread, she had to bring in game. She needed space to know the extent of her powers space too away from the goblins and wolves. This black, dark forest was the last place they might be. People avoided it on prin
He brought her to a house. There wasn’t much to differentiate it from the others; it was small, and built from a mix of clay brick and grey-weathered wooden panels supporting a thick thatch roof. The skinny pillars supporting the threshold were carved into stylized wolves, their jaws wide open. She felt tiny between the two men, and even inside the simple house there was something off about the scale. It was built for shapes that were larger than human. The doorways were wide and ceilings were high, and Scar could imagine the hulking shape of Damon in wolf-skin curled in front of the hearth like some monstrous hunting dog. Despite its larger scale, the house wasn’t big. There was no real kitchen besides an empty pot hanging over the hearth, which made sense, he supposed, considering the communal meal they’d left. Two smaller rooms led off from that main area, and as he was led into one, he stiffened. It was obviously a bedroom. A low platform sat against one wall, he
Epilogue Five years later Snarl stared down into his mate’s eyes. This was their fifth anniversary of being a mated couple. Damon, godfather to their six children, all twins, had taken them for the night so Snarl could show his woman how much he loved her. “You’re tormenting me again,” she said, whimpering. He turned her over, dripping some cream onto her back and licking up the droplets. Pressing the strawberry to her lips he watched the plumpness take the fruit. “We don’t get much time alone anymore. We’ve got to take as much time as we can.” It had taken him over three weeks to get Damon and Scar to agree to take their kids. In all fairness all three sets of twins were not the easiest children to look after. Snarl adored them, but he was pleased for them to be out of the house so he could have some quiet time with his wife. After convincing the collective that she loved him, Hazel had accepted his marriage proposal and that very same night he gave her his mating m
Glancing around the kitchen, she tried to find any excuse to answer the damn thing. Be strong, Hazel . You can do this. She loved Snarl , and all she needed to do was prove to them her feelings. Tucking hair behind her ears she walked to the door. “Hello, Hazel. I’m Helen, and these are newly turned maids. I’ll be the one doing the talking today. They’re here to listen, learn, and take information in,” Helen said, going over all the introductions. “Can I tell you to fuck off?” she asked. “You can, but we can’t go anywhere. These are the rules.” Nodding, she opened the door waiting for them all to enter. She heard them scenting the air. “I’ve been doing some baking. Would you please sit in here while I get the tea?” Hazel ushered them into the sitting room like they were a pack a sheep rather than hungry dogs waiting to take her away. Once they were seated, she went into the kitchen, tempted to send someone to Snarl. No, she wouldn’t do something to make them believe s
Three days later Snarl was staring at the reports sent to him while Hazel was at home after a marathon of sex. She was probably happy with the reprieve. His nerves were totally fried at what their future was going to be. Whatever happened was up to her. He tried to focus on his work rather than on what his woman was going to do. The last three days has been preparations for their wedding he’d held back from staying with her again today. The mating heat had been between them during most of their fuck fest, but he held it back.Snarl didn’t want them to blame the mating or him for Hazel staying with him. Because her parents insisted on the marriage first. In the space of one month he’d found his woman, hurt her, taken her, fallen in love with her, and was now on the verge of marrying her. His parents were not lying when they said witches moved fast, refusing to waste a single moment of life. Leaning back, he turned his chair to look over the town life. When he was first outla
His words caused her stomach to flutter all over again and she opened her mouth to respond, but just as she had, he dove before she could, and all she could do was gasp the moment that his mouth met her most sensitive area. Still hot and bothered from sucking his cock, Hazel found that she was more prepared than ever to cum. Her fingers knotted in the bedsheets and even though she was up on her elbows, her head craned back and she screamed at the ceiling. Even though she knew that likely half the pack could hear her right now, she didn’t care. She howled her pleasure as Snarl slipped a single finger deep inside her, using his tongue and his finger to accelerate her pleasure until her stomach was so twisted in knots that there was only one thing for it. “Fuck!” she cursed even as the orgasm exploded like none ever had before. Yet right when she thought she might not be able to take it any longer, Snarl stopped abruptly. For just a second, Hazel feared something was wrong. She
Just a few days later, only hours after Snarl had spent the longest half an hour Hazel had ever experienced in the room with him, she joined him beneath the largest sycamore tree on the Lauchair estate. Though it was not their official wedding due to the lockdown that had been put in place upon the entire community, Hazel couldn’t have wished for anything more. She would give her parents the large wedding they obviously desired to show off their power and wealth, but right now, in this moment, everything was for her and Snarl. With their entire pack surrounding them and some of the women and children who had remained from Shane’s pack, Hazel and Snarl allowed Damon to wrap a crimson ribbon around their hands, binding them together. Tears pricking the corners of her eyes, Hazel gazed up into the eyes of her mate and bit the inside of her lip in an attempt to stop them from falling from her cheeks. “Though we are limited due to the lockdown, Snarl and Hazel have asked that we a
Snarl thrust deeply into Hazel’s tight, wet heat and didn’t bother to stifle his moan. Being inside her was the kind of heaven he’d never thought he’d be lucky enough to experience. She fit him like a glove, silken inner walls gripping his cock as she rode him. For a moment, he just watched her, committing every little expression to memory. She was so expressive, every ounce of pleasure showing in her dark eyes and across her flushed face. He’d done that. Made her shiver and moan in his arms, those sexy little sounds imprinted on his soul forever. Each stroke of his hands over her skin brought a new reaction and he lapped them up, needing to bring her to ecstasy over and over again. She was like a drug—his perfect addiction and one he never wanted to be free of. A sensual temptation he would never let go. “Scream for me, witch,” he ordered, his thrusts harder, faster now . She loved when he says witch and not kitten. “I want to watch your face as you come. Love to see that.” Sh
“Not any guy, just you.” Hazel smiled as she leaned back into Snarl’s embrace. His hands felt so good on her, smoothing around her waist before parting company. The left slid upward to cup one breast as the right made its way down to press the satin of her wrap between her thighs. Strong fingers cupped her mound, firm pressure against her still hidden clit making her body ache. “It had better be just me,” he growled, his voice heavy with both possessiveness and his cat. Her own purred at the sound, wanting nothing more than to roll over for their powerful alpha mate. But the human had other ideas. He couldn’t have this too easy… Or at the very least she couldn’t let him think it was that easy, even if it was. “Well… I dunno, with a lioness of my own now, perhaps I should cast my net a bit wider,” she teased, tilting her head to the side to allow his lips better access. He kissed up her neck, leaving a fiery trail until he reached her ear. Nuzzling behind it, he found the spot tha
“Your breath smelled fine to me.” She rolled her eyes and climbed on the bed beside him. Before brushing her teeth she’d been sucking his cock until he came, swallowing down every drop. “I wanted to brush my teeth.” He reached out, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. “You’re going to be the death of me.” Glancing down at his stiffening cock, she chuckled. “No, you’re going to be the death of me. I’ve not even made it to the kitchen yet without you pouncing on me.” Snarl caressed her ass, sliding his palm over her cheeks. “What can I say? You shouldn’t be so fucking tempting.” He moved over her, trapping her legs together as he kissed and nibbled on her ass. She cried out as his teeth sank into her flesh. Moaning, she held onto the blanket as pleasure consumed her thoughts. Her cream leaked out, coating her clit. The scent of their combined releases surrounded them. “I could spend all day worshipping this ass,” he said, slapping her cheek. She squealed at the sligh
Snarl saw his friend out trying his best to ignore the sympathy in his eyes. Whatever happened was up to Hazel. He wouldn’t try to influence her decision. If the alphas found her suffering from some syndrome or another, he’d lose her either way. So it wasn't about Damon's decision ? He was in love with her. The thought of losing her left a giant hole inside his chest. Clawing out his heart wouldn’t be half as painful even if he would be dead. Hazel was upstairs in their bedroom. She rarely spoke over dinner leaving him and Shadow to talk business. He was tired of meeting and the incessant need to avoid war with certain clans. What was the point of trying when it eventually happens. Staring at his reflection in the mirror Damon let out a breath feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders as he stepped out. He’d been a good alpha, and he hoped to be a good help to him as well as reward him . “Snarl?” He turned to see the love of his life standing in the doorway. She wo