[Drew] I make a sharp turn and head back towards the sound of the howling wolves. Seeing me the pack rushes to follow me and I laugh as the car is airborne, propelled over a log. Sometimes you need to laugh at your situation to keep from crying and my odds are so impossible right now as I look at the dozens of red glowing eyes in my rearview mirror, that I know I might not survive the next five minutes, never mind the rest of the night. As the pack cuts me off, I stop when I notice the wall of wolves is not budging. I don't want to hurt any of them. These wolves are not in their right mind and cannot be blamed for their actions. They are acting other the orders of another, orders that I cannot resist without my training. I have no intention of hurting any of them. I merely wanted to get Cindy to safety. As the wolves circle, I take a deep breath and begin praying. "Moon Goddess above, hear the plea of this humble servant. Keep them safe, keep them well." As the wolves surround m
[Hyacinth]Bash was looking back over his shoulder at where Drew disappeared. “Is he going to be okay,” he wonders aloud as he stumbles across the bridge. His small limbs are exhausted from all the running he has done so far and his steps falter. Fighting back my own exhaustion I scoop him up into my arms. “I don’t know, sweetheart,” I admit honestly. “But he told us to run to his friend, that he will find us somewhere safe.” His little arms wrap tightly around my neck. “Drew wanted us safe, so we are going to do that. For him,” I insist. I feel his little head nod against my neck and I give him a little pat on the back as I hurry to the other side. My brave little wolf. He is trying so hard to be strong, but I know that he is still worried. I’m worried for Drew too, but I don’t want his sacrifice to be wasted. Seeing the rogues and the behavior of Slate and the rest of the pack, I can understand why he is worried for our safety. Something is going on at Gold River Pack. Something t
[Hyacinth]"You are my wolf," I reply silently and with certainty, familiar with this voice in my head. I can see her now clearly in my mind. She is pure white, except for a small patch of black on her right shoulder that looks like a lunar eclipse. She is beautiful and I find myself overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. If I can see her clearly, that means she is finally coming free of whatever is keeping her from emerging completely. I might be close to my first shift!"My name is Halcyon," she smiles wolfishly, flashing her canines. "I have been waiting so long to meet you.""Halcyon," I repeat out loud, imprinting her name into my memory. It is as unique and lovely as she is, mysterious and magical. My tears flow more freely as I close my eyes, grateful for someone to talk to. Slate had described his wolf, Sage, as being like a best friend that you carried within you, a part of you, yes, but with a personality and soul of its own. I could use a friend now more than ever."Me too,"
[Slate]“You will do what I say,” Ash hisses in my ear, her hand on the same star necklace that condemned me all those years ago, “Now.”It is getting harder and harder to fight the compulsion. For some reason, she has not been able to control me completely, causing her no end of frustration. Most of the time I do exactly what she wants, exactly what she tells me to do. But there are two things she cannot force me to do anymore, even with all of this magic forcing me to act and speak with her will and words. She cannot force either myself or Sage to mate with her. Especially Sage. He is a virgin in every sense of the word and has no intention of mating with anyone but his mate. He is waiting for her, mourning her loss. I appreciate his strength and completely understand. I wish I had his willpower years ago. She also cannot convince me to kill or harm anyone that I love. She has tried more than once to get me to seek and kill Hyacinth. She also wants me to harm Drew. And while on th
[Slate] "Back, Slate!" Ash puts as much force behind her words as possible. I can feel the push of her power against my mind "Take a step back." I don't move. It is taking everything I have to stay in place, to resist her, and I’m not sure how long I am going to last. The thing is, neither does Ash. With a small surge of power from Sage, I take a step forward, towards Ash. She blanches, her whole expression falling. She looks terrified, her eyes going wide with fear. “Slate, what are you doing?” One of my clawed hands, trapped in mid-shift, reaches up as I take another bold step forward. "STOP," Ash commands. A mistake because that means she has shifted her attention to me and doesn’t notice that behind me, Blake has started to move independently, the spell too strained between the two of us. I feel the spell on my sister pop like a bubble, releasing tension in the air as the rest of the magic starts to wane. As my sister realizes where she is and discovers herself standing nak
[Hyacinth] “We need to come up with a plan,” I insist as we get into yet another car. We’ve been traveling up and down the state, shifting directions, not staying in one pack for more than two or three days, for the last week and a half. Every time we stop, we change cars as a way of keeping those who may be following us off of our scent. Originally, when Gregory told me the plan to go down the River City, and then out to the coast, I thought that would be the end of the journey. What he didn’t tell me was that it was only the first leg of our adventure. I miss Slate with my entire being. When I think of him, I am filled with a deep ache that goes all the way into my bones. In some ways, I think it would have been better if I had never known he was my mate. Had we never found each other, never mated, I wouldn’t long for him the way that I do. My heart wouldn’t be broken if I had never filled it with his love. You cannot miss something that you have never experienced. “You know t
[Hyacinth] We follow him onto a little motorized boat just big enough for the three of us and a small bit of luggage acquired throughout our adventures. At Bash's insistence, we collected not just the basics like clothing and personal care items, but a stuffed animal or two, and a few small souvenirs as well. Over the last week and a half, we had gathered quite a few treasures, all items Bash hoped to share with his Papa when we made it back home. It takes us a moment to get adjusted and find spaces for everyone and everything on the boat, but then we are speeding along on the water and heading away from shore. Bash has never been in a boat before, so he doesn't know what to expect. When the motor starts and we are propelled along the water’s surface, he reaches around me and grabs my waist, holding tightly to my shirt. “How long will it take for us to get there,” I ask Gregory as he steers the boat along on its path. We lost sight of the beach several minutes ago but I have yet t
[Hyacinth]“Dr. Stevens,” I gasp, “I thought you were in Mexico,” I stand confused as I look at the man I had been searching for only two weeks ago. He laughs. “I see my daughter gave you my address,” his laughter eases into a gentle smile. “She doesn’t know about this place, so she’d have no way to guide you here. I’m sure she did her best to lead you to me.”“So the sign on your property…” I look at him waiting for him to elaborate. “Oh, I did go to Mexico,” he confirmed. “The surfing in Baja is excellent. But I always come here on my way back to check on my patients. The hidden have no one else to care for their medical needs. What we need here is a full-time doctor.” He looks at me expectantly.If he is expecting me to take the job he is woefully mistaken. I will get back to my mate by whatever means possible. He’s set to marry my sister in the next day or so. I can’t let that happen. Especially now that I know about the little one I carry inside of me. She deserves to have her