WINTER.Nikolai's impatience is a part of the reason we’re here instead of back at the pack and if he does this one more time, I might just snap. “Let him finish!” Elkan says pointing a warning finger at Nikolai but Nikolai ignores his warning.“I would but we don’t have that kind of time, I have a pack to get to,” he says hastily.“We would already be at that pack if you weren’t so impatient so please don’t make the same mistake twice and keep it together.” I scold and he pouts, at least he knows not to ignore my warning.“As I was saying, our father was the original owner of the house you live in. He came up with it out of the love he had for his pack and your father stole it from him, from us, from our family. “Who built the house?” Nikolai asks and they both go quiet.“I guess father built it then, that’s why you’re so quiet. How do you claim that someone stole something when you’re still in possession of it?”It's a very valid question. “How?” I ask feeling proud of my smart h
HUNTER. The warrior’s inability to leave the palace turned out to be a blessing in disguise, I have to say that this is the happiest I’ve been to see Nikolai, but maybe not as happy as I am to see Winter. “Are you okay? You look terrible.”“You don’t have to be modest, I smell terrible and frankly I feel terrible too. I feel like I came back from the dead.” Her shoulders are so low, they’re almost sweeping the ground. “I’m so sorry. I’ll ask the maids to prepare you a hot bath right now.” “Thank you.” She says and heads up stairs without looking back. I turn to face Nikolai, he looks just as terrible but there’s a smug smile on his face.“I knew you could do it.” He says and gives me a side hug, if he wasn’t so smelly the hug might have lasted a little longer but there’s only so much of his stench I can take.“How about the offer I made? Did you consider? You don’t have to tell me your answer now!” he stops me. I think he’s nervous.Nikolai is actually nervous. I feel so important
NIKOLAI.I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I might have heard the conversation between Hunter and Daphne and I think Daphne is being too much but it’s not for me to decide. I’ll leave everything to Hunter, it’s his decision to make, although I’d really like for him to become my Beta, he’s the most trustworthy person I know and things will be a lot easier with him by my side.We’re all seated at the dining table, Daphne prepared a feast to welcome us and even though I’m mad at her now for being so mean to Hunter, I have to admit that the meal does smell nice.“This looks really good, Daphne. Where did you learn to cook?” “I just kept doing it until I good at it.” She says proudly and takes a seat next to Hunter like she didn’t just crush his dreams into a million pieces thirty minutes ago. “I’m surprised you still have space to stomach this.” Winter says taking a jab at Jacob.“I would leave but I don’t want to be rude.” Jacob responds with a smile. “Sure, blame your gluttony on your
HUNTER. Leaving Daphne was the hardest decision I’d ever attempted to make in my life, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It felt like it heart was being ripped apart from the inside out. I went back to pick her up and Daphne walked in minutes later to taker her from me just like the way she took her hand from mine. I guess I don’t Daphne as much as I thought I did. How could she be so unfeeling? We went to that dinner table together, sat side by side and she just pretended like nothing happened. She added so natural , like she didn’t care. Maybe she really doesn’t care? What if she was not acting and that was her showing me her true colours? What if I’m reading this all wrong and it’s all just a simple argument that will blow over once we leave the palace? That has to be it, everything we built can’t just end over such a simple argument. Daphne loves me and I loved her too. We’re a family.You’re not their father! Her voice rings in my head again bringing me back to reality. Dap
WINTER.Daphne is moping around the house like a sad puppy and I don’t know if we’re close enough for me to ask what the problem is so I just ask her something else instead.“Where are the babies? I missed them so much.” I squeal and she gives me a weak smile. “I’ll take you to their room.” I walk beside her gently and its hard not to notice her slumped shoulders. I wonder if this is about Hunter, maybe she had a fight with him. He was also picking at his food earlier so it’s definitely a couple spat and I can not be in the middle of it. They’re both my friends. I can not be found taking sides.“By the way, you really need to teach me how to cook like that.”“Aunt Hyacinth's food tastes way better than mine, you can ask he to teach you. I won’t be here for long anyway since you guys are back safely.” “You don’t have to leave so soon. I’ve not recovered from the trauma yet and I need to spend more time with the twins.” I lie, I don’t have trauma. I’ve been through worse.“You can al
AUNT HYACINTHI lock myself inside my room because I don’t want anyone to come in unannounced while I wipe the blood from my nose. The bleeding started a month ago, quite later than I expected it actually. I’ve dreaded the day that I start to bleed from my nose all my life. It was something I was scared of even more than death itself but now that I wipe the blood from my nose more constantly, death is what scares me. Every day, it feels like I draw closer to my grave faster than I should. Every body dies but not like this! I don’t want to for like this. I didn’t choose this life for myself. My mother didn’t either but I don’t have anybody else to blame but her, she’s the one that left me with nothing but a deadly ailment. She left me with no friends, no family, no food, no money and as if that was not enough to kill me in just a matter of days, she also had to leave me with the knowledge that I have a time bomb ticking inside of me waiting for the right time to blow up.I was a ch
HUNTER. “I’m leaving tomorrow with the twins.” Daphne says and my insides go hollow. “I’m coming with you.” I say and she shakes her head. “You don’t have to.” I saw that coming but it still hurt.She hands over the house he’s to me and I’m confused. “I thought you didn’t want me to come with you.” I ask and she nods. “I'm also not returning to your house.” She explains. “It used to be our house, it still is and it’s fine if you don’t want me there, I’ll find somewhere else to stay.”“You can stay wherever you like with whoever you like, where we go is no longer your business, you made your choice. You chose Nikolai.” She spits bitterly and turns to leave but I grab her by the arm and pull her close to me. Keeping her in place with arm around her waist. The space between us is so small that we can feel each other's breath. “Why?” I ask her and she struggles to break free but my grip is too strong.“Why are you so intent on driving me crazy?” I ask and she stops struggling. She in
WINTER. I went into our room to sleep after dinner. We no longer sleep in separate bedrooms, we’ve realized how short life can be and how easily one of us could be snatched from the other forever. Even aunt Hyacinth is kit questioning our decision, although she’s not questioning anything else lately either. I lay my head on the pillow determined to find sleep. Though I didn’t see Nikolai at the dinner table or Hunter or Daphne, I practically ate dinner alone on that big table, I wasn’t worried because I knew where he was. I needed to get as much rest as I could if I wanted my cuts to heal fast, that’s what the pack doctor said. I know it’s just a conspiracy between he and Nikolai but I don’t mind because need the rest anyway. The Luna meetings are coming up pretty soon and it’s kind of a big deal. A meeting for prestigious Lunas of different packs. This pack hasn’t attended since the demise of Patrick's wife, Nikolai's mother. But we’re still invited every year and the invitatio
EPILOGUE 2018 A Maybach gears up after the traffic lights turn green. There's a man in a suit in the back seat. He's looking out the window and staring at the billboard of an author and popular model. She's beautiful. He thinks, and he continues staring until his phone rings. "Hello?" "Liam, will you still make it for the meeting?" "Yes, Zach. I'm on my way. There's no traffic, so I'll be there in about five—" The car comes to an abrupt halt. He hears the sound of crash and mutters a curse under his breath. He will not be getting out of this one easily. He looks up and sees the angry driver of the other vehicle already slamming their door closed. He turns to his driver. "What happened?" "I don't know. She just stopped abruptly. I have no idea why. This woman is obviously crazy." He pinches his forehead and comes down from the car after his driver does. She is furious and crazy because the way she's already raving about her bashed car has him taking cautious steps forward.
NIKOLAI Winter's giving birth. I'm as anxious as a live wire. I'm pacing the halls of the house while the midwives and the pack physician deliver our son. Hunter is with me. He's carrying his daughters and feeding them breakfast on the dining table. The house has been gloomy for months since Tara died. This is the first thing that has brought joy to all of us. Our son. I can't wait to meet him. I wonder who he would look like. Deep down, I want him to look like his mother. I smile to myself, and Hunter calls me out. "Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing me." I clasp my sweaty palms together. "I guess this was how you felt when the twins were born." Hunter smiles genuinely. He doesn't do that anymore. There's no reason for joy in his life, and I truly feel sorry for him and for everything he's been through. He lost Daphne and lost Tara, and to think he will always have the memories lodged in his head is pure torture, even for me. "Yes. I'm pretty damn sure I felt much wors
WINTERSix Months Later...It's been six months since Daphne and her father tried to destroy us. Six months since we've heard anything about her whereabouts. Life seemed to go on in contast paranoia that they would be back, especially for Nikolai. I'm almost due. My bump is large, like someone trapped a volleyball inside there. The pack doctor examines me. He says I keep getting weaker and weaker. I've told no one about the conversation Isador and I had the night of Hunter and Tara's big escape. But I know why I'm being diagnosed as weak. I have little time left with my son and mate. It's breaking my heart.I know Elkan didn't survive his brothers wrath. Killian killed him and his triplets before Hunter could make do with his promise. It's beating him up, but he doesn't show it. The fact that he failed those innocent children. It only means one thing, though. Killian owes use all a life, and he will pay up when the time comes.The pack doctor shakes his head. "Your temperature and bl
HUNTER They had beaten me to a pulp, but they were going to need more than that to end me. I just need to know if Tara is alright. Since Daphne carried her into that separate room, I have seen nothing and heard nothing. My wolf is terribly weak. I struggle against the chains. I've been doing that for hours. Killian came and asked Daphne when she was going to kill me. She may hate me now, but I know she can never do something as horrendous as that. Daphne still loved me. I couldn't kill her as well if given the chance. There was just something holding us back. She stalled my execution date until two days from now. Meaning, Nikolai has 48 hours to rescue me successfully, or I have just that amount of time to break free before they sell her off to Ander. I need to save her, or else I won't forgive myself. I struggle against the chains bound to the ceiling above. It hung me up. I pull with all of my might, but nothing can save me from the weakness freezing my wolf out. I feel helpl
NIKOLAITheir weapons are laced with wolf's bane and poisons of various calibres. We are outnumbered, and it's also impossible for us to win this war against Ander. My wolves are perishing all around me, and I feel helpless. Ander is on his horse wrecking havoc with the mighty scythe in his hand.I run for him, growling as my fangs gleam under the afternoon sun. He's about to hit one of my closest wolves from behind. I dive on his horse and throw him to the ground, cartwheeling and dodging the scythe's blade by a narrow miss.Ander roars, getting on his feet. It's between the both of us. I'm not armed, and I know I've got to be careful while going against that blade. Winter warned me about that, and I promised myself I would make it out alive.I charge at him, and he comes for me as well. We clash, baring our teeth. Our wolves around us are still going at each other. Still, it is clear that Ander is winning. He shoves me to the ground. I bring out my leg and swipe it across, making him
DAPHNE Tears burn my throat. It didn't occur to me that he would actually find my replacement. I still loved him deeply, but I couldn't disobey my father. If he chose me now, I would have abandoned everything and saved him from this hell. But the man I love is interested in another woman. This must be my karma. I walk into the barren room where Tara has been kept inside. I know she's scared, but I'm so livid that I could pluck out her entire hair. How dare she steal what is mine? "Ander would love to hear you survived his trap. He would take your sorry ass back and punish you for life because that is what you deserve." Tara starts begging. She knows what it's like to be slaved under Alpha Ander. Not to mention being punished eternity by him. It's pure hell, and I want to laugh at the terrified look on her face. I do laugh. "What? Scared, are we? This is what you get for taking what's not yours." "I didn't know you and Hunter were an item. I met him by chance and he said nothin
HUNTER I told her not to go. I told her I had to stay put right here inside the damned pack house, but she just won't listen. One thing I've learnt about Tara is that she's as pig headed as they come and can't take no for an answer. She literally dragged me out from the house to come and pick herbs in the woods. Her argument is that it's close by and we won't be gone for more than half an hour. It takes only a second for things to go epically wrong, but I don't know why I can't resist her anymore. When she speaks, she always finds a way to get to me, and she doesn't even do much. She only just has to say the word. I don't what to make of it, but I'm trying to school myself into making this the only time such would repeat itself again. Sure, she can pick her herbs for now, but next time, I won't consent to something as careless as this, leaving the pack house unguarded. She's in front of me, skipping happily into the woods. I'm always happy to see her smile. The sight of it just m
WINTER I dread waking up to this morning because I know what it means for us. Nikolai wants us to do this. He wants us to pay Jacob a visit, but I don't think I'm ready. Jacob was the man who hurt me. Although he seems repentant, I still can't tell what his heart would be like. I'm stepping out of the bathroom when he meets me halfway. Nikolai hugs me. Last night brought us a lot closer intimately. I was so darn sure I would have his babies after that. He made sure of it. But then, would the curse of Rose find me now that I am Winter. Will I still not be able to have kids of my own? "Hey, babe." Nikolai calls me, resting his forehead against mine. "You look stressed. Don't be stressed." "You know why I'm stressed." "I'll be right there with you. You don't have to be scared because you have me protecting you always." He has a point. I know he will never abandon me. Nikolai loves me so much. He proved that last night, and I'm certain he will always have my back in everything. I do
HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first