“Amy?” I whirled to face my father and tried to smile. “Yes, daddy?” I looked up at him as he looked over at me.“What are you doing?” He chuckled at my outfit. “Are you going to break into a bank?” I looked down at my black hoodie, pants, and boots. I just shrugged. “I’m going for a hike.”“In all black, with a flashlight, in the late afternoon?” He laughed again and crossed his arms. “Why not?” I tossed a small wave and ran away before he could ask any more questions. I headed down the stairs and around the back, heading through the kitchen and out the door. I heard Cass calling out for me, but I ran toward the back of the yard. Once I had run through a couple of small patches of woods, I finally spotted the gazebo. I beelined for it. I was running through what my grandmother said.I circled the side and found nothing. I circled a few times and there was no way under. I threw my hands up in the air, frustrated with the search already. What in the hell am I going to do? I huffed
I started up the stairs and finally pushed out of the tunnel into what I could only describe as a shallow cave. It was cut into a cliff, but there were no cliffs by my father’s pack.“Where are we?” My flashlight cut across the stone and I moved out toward the entrance. I slid out and somehow, I was at the edge of the sea. Waves crashed before the lip of the cliff, and I could see stairs cut into the left side heading up. So I followed. I walked up, slowly and carefully, mist hitting my face. I screamed as my foot slipped on some slick moss and I windmilled my arms to catch my balance. I pulled myself up to the top of the cliff, and there, at the edge of a clearing, was a small cottage that faced the sky.It was stunning. “This is impossible.”Only if you think magic is a thing of myth. Megan’s voice sounded, and I nodded. We followed the short path to the door and I pushed in. The world shifted, and it was like I was seeing one thing with one eye and something different with the oth
I headed back down the stairs and into the cave. The book was heavier than I expected and weighed me down as I squeezed back through the entrance of the cave, and back into the tunnel. I started to run, feeling like something was chasing me. But as I hit the bottom step of the stairs heading up, a howl ripped through the air, but it was unlike a howl I had ever heard before. Deeper, darker and somehow two toned. It made even Nix perk up and Megan hide. “What the fuck is that?” I whipped around to face the way we had just came, but my flashlight showed nothing. “It sounded like it was right behind me.”It came from far off. Nix paced the edge of her home, brushing her fur against my side, calming me and herself with the contact.“How did it reach me down here?” I whipped back and stumbled up the stairs.It was that loud. Nix’s voice sounded a little breathless.“Are you okay?” I paused with my hand on the door, and waited for Nix to answer. Another howl ripped down the tunnel, somehow
“Connect with nature, pup.” Loki pushed me with his snout into the clearing. “You are running out of time.”“I know.” I headed to the center and sank to the ground. Today I was determined to succeed, and I wasn’t leaving until I at least figured out how to feel my magic. I closed my eyes and started down into the center of myself. My mind flowed down, circling my inner-self, until I burst through a barrier, stumbling into a clearing in my dark woods.I stalked deeper into the forest, moving in between then trees as I went. Nix joined me on my right, and Megan on my left. Comparing the two wolves was hard. Megan, while beautiful and majestic, was a small size wolf for a werewolf. “Megan?”“Yes, Amy?” Her voice was soft and gentle. “What rank are you?” I looked down at her and she chortled. “I’m a small gamma. Still ranked, but now where near what Nix is.”“You are still a ranked member, little one. And together, alpha and gamma, we will be able to better serve Amy together. You see t
I looked over at the stunningly beautiful woman, and something clicked inside of me. “Moon Goddess?”“I knew you were a smart little pup.” She smiled down at me and her body seemed to pulse with light. “Now talk to me.”“I can’t connect with nature…I won’t be able to save my father. I won’t be able to save myself.” I dropped my head to my hands and wanted to cry. “Goddess?”“Yes, my dear girl.”“Why?” I could only utter the one word and she gave me a sad smile.“Something’s have to happen.” She leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Something’s are set in stone so that everything unfolds the way it has to.”“But my pup.” I choked out, and her smile trembled.“Is by my side and I have taken the very best care of him.” The goddess pulled me to my feet and held my hand. “I tell him every day just how much you love him.”Tears fell as I nodded. “I wanted him so much.”“I know my daughter. And I’m sorry you had to live that life, but…”“It’s okay.” I waved her away. “Now, about connecting t
“Amy…” a voice called out, but it sounded like it was far away. I looked around the clearing and all I could see were Megan and Nix, patiently waiting for me. “Amy!” The voice was more insistent, closer, but still there was no one other than the three of us. “Who is that?” I looked at my wolves and they seemed to shrug. “AMY!” I jumped, my eyes snapping open and there was my father at the edge of the clearing, frantically pacing. “Wake up!” He called out again and my eyes finally focused on his face. He was pale and sweating. What’s wrong?“Dad?” I called out, wiping my eyes.He whirled around and pounded on a barrier that wasn’t there this morning. “Amy!” He forced his hands flat against the invisible shield. “Thank the goddess.”“Dad?” I was still confused. “What’s wrong?”“What’s wrong? What’s wrong? Amy, you have been unconscious for over two hours.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ve been calling you since I got here, and this is the first time you answered.”I stood and dusted the gras
We made our way back to the house and into my father’s office before I saw anyone else. An omega brought in plates of rare steak. “Dad?” My stomach clenched looking at the meat. I couldn’t tell if I wanted it, or my body was rejecting the idea of eating it.“You need a lot of meat. You wolf is begging you to shift. It’s her time to shine now that the power portion has been handled. But you have things to worry about other than shifting, and this will help keep Nix under wraps.” He nudged the plate in front of me. “Try it. I know it probably doesn’t look appetizing, but I promise you, you will enjoy it.”I reached for a fork and knife, but my nails shifted to claws before I could wrap my fingers around the utensils. I snatched up the meat and tore into it, blood dripping from the meat. It was still so rare. Nix settled farther back into the forest in my mind’s eye, and Megan settled next to her. I’m sorry Amy. I seem to be losing control. Nix started to pace as I continued to tear int
“Close you eyes.” I had barely wiped the sleep from my eyes when my dad sat me down in his office with Uncle Ronnie. I settled deeper into the chair and closed my eyes. “Now I want you to pull Nix closer to the surface until your eyes shift.“The wolfs bane?”“Won’t interfere. We waited the last two days to clear it from your system.” My father settled behind his desk. That made sense. I have been shut in my room for the last few days, doing my best not to shift. And staying clear of other wolves has been my saving grace. “Close your eyes Amy.” I nodded. “Once Nix is close to the surface, I am going to have Ronnie scent you. Once your scent has shifted, we can work on the next step.”“If Uncle Ronnie can scent me, won’t that screw me over?” I peeked out of one eye and my dad shook his head. “We won’t be shifting fully, just bringing Nix forward enough so we can tell when you manage cloaking yourself.” I closed my eye again and shook myself. “Nix, I need you to come closer.” I whispe
I walked into the pack house early the next morning and waited near the door for someone to stop. An omega approached me with her head turned down to the ground. “Alpha Amy?” Her voice was a soft whisper. “Yes?” I turned to face her fully, but she refused to look up. “Can I help you?”“Yes. The Alpha’s sent me here to get you.”“What’s your name?” “Winnie.” She was still focused on the floor.“Do you not look up, Winnie?” Even to myself, I sounded confused. She looked up in confusion. The black eye stood out on her pale skin. “I’m sorry?”I reached out, and she shied away from my touch, but I followed her with quick steps. I wrapped my fingers around her chin. I tilted her head up, staring at the bruise on her face. “What’s this?” She tried to pull away, but I held her close. “I would stop pulling away, Winnie. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you as I figure this out.” She froze in my hand and her eyes grew wide. “There’s a girl.” I turned her face, this way and that, looking at
I sat on the porch with a glass of wine, watching the sunset over the water. The sky was a dark blue with a dusky pink over by the fading sun. The door opened, and Wendy and Toya settled next to me. “Carly?” Toya took a deep drink from her wineglass. “In bed.” I sighed and wiped my face. “Back in her make shift canopy bed?” Wendy took a smaller sip from hers.“Yeah.” I sighed. “My mother went crazy with the blankets.” Wendy and Toya laughed. “She used to do the same in my room when I missed my dad. She sent for blankets and made this blanket fort over my bed.” I closed my eyes and I could still smell it. “It made me feel safe, and like I was back with my dad.”“It helped that much?” Toya swirled her wine and looked over at me. I nodded. “The tents layer the scent inside. You are surrounded by it.”“And she has her bear.” Wendy sniffled. “Are you crying?” Toya turned to her, and she nodded. “Why?”She laughed. “Is it bad to say that I’m jealous?”We both turned to face her, and she
I ran my hands along the table. “So they are trying to use the kudzu again. Morgan is going to try to slip some into a drink for my mother that I hand her, so she doesn’t question it. And Brandon is going to try again, now that I work at the pack house. They want me to mate him and get pregnant because they know if I have a pup, then everything would be given to the baby.”“And Brandon and Vince would have access to your money,” Wendy finished, and I pointed to her. “Exactly.” I looked at my friends. “Then they said they would kill me. Shannon asked if Vince would be able to kill me, because I was so strong and Morgan, the dumbass that he was, laughed. He said that Vince killed my dad. He could kill me.”Wendy waved her hands. “Wait.” We both turned to her. “Your dad’s pack was supposedly taken out by rogues.”I smiled. “Exactly.”Toya stared down at the tabletop for a minute before she looked up. “So you are saying that Vince is somehow behind the rogue attacks?” I nodded. “I mean,
My blood ran cold when I heard her words. My mind flashed back to my first life. Strapped to a table while my child was ripped out of me. That will never happen. Nix growled out. Megan ran her side down the barrier. We are smarter and more prepared than they are. We will not fail in our mission. Their calm, matter-of-fact voices helped me shake myself from that life, that nightmare I lived before. “Amy isn’t stupid. She would ensure most of her wealth would go to her mother.”“You are married to Ainsley.” Shannon was confused, and Morgan sighed. “Yes, but if she inherited billions and Amy was dead, she would disappear. Specially now.”“Why?” Morgan sighed again and I had to stop my laugh from escaping. “Because she doesn’t love me anymore. She might have stuck around before I fucked up, but not anymore. She would have no reason to. Vince’s only bargaining chip is Amy. It’s how he threatened her when she first came, and early this year. If Ainsley doesn’t perform basic wifely dut
He grabbed her and pulled her into her room, and slammed the door. I pretended to go into my room, closing the door loudly, but then I mumbled a spell that deadened my steps and I crept closer to Shannon’s door. “Daddy, how could you ask her? Why are you doing this to me, over and over?” She cried as Morgan paced. “Just stop Shannon.” He screamed, and I heard her whimper. His voice softened, and he walked closer to her. “I already told you.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “We have to play nice. We have to cater to Amy.”“But why?” She whined, and I heard her hit his chest. “Shannon!” He screamed. “Just stop. Honestly. Just fucking stop. You will not mate with Brandon.” The frustration filled his voice again. “I am tired of this,” Shannon howled, and his voice dropped to another whisper. “She owns this house, Shan. And Vince needs her close.”“Why?” she cried, but I knew this was now more of a show than anything else. “Because he’s the alpha.” His voice boomed, but then he f
The air in the hallway froze. Her breathing became ragged. “You’re lying.” I shrugged my shoulder. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.” I tilted my head. “But does it matter? You are going to think about my words over and over until you find out the truth. Am I telling the truth, Shannon? Does the truth actually matter to you?” I smiled. “Actually, that is the question I want to know. If I was telling the truth and said Brandon chose me to be his mate…would it matter to you? Or would you still mindlessly chase after him and come up with reasons that he should leave me and choose you?”Shannon snarled. “Brandon is mine.”I sighed. “I think we both know that isn’t true in the slightest.” My mom opened the door wider than she should have. But she just smiled.“I put all of your stuff away in your closet.” I nodded. As she slipped past me and headed down the stairs. “I’m going to get started on dinner.” Then she was gone. I groaned as Shannon was still there, glaring at me. “I’m over this Shan.
Two hours later, we were pulling back into the driveway and I was exhausted. I was running on a few hours of sleep and breakfast was my last meal. I was hungry and annoyed at everything. We parked, and I heard a door open, and I wanted to cry. “No.” My mom looked over her shoulder and I saw her slump. “Deal with this now, or else you won’t have peace.”I sighed as I hopped out. “Hey Brandon.” I looked at his father. “Alpha Vince.” I turned to my mom. “Do you need my mom?” Vince shook his head. “No, we are here to talk to you.” He looked at my mom. “Hey Ainsley.” She nodded. “Hey Vince.” She opened the back door. “Mom, you can just drop everything inside.” I walked over to hand her my key, but she smiled and jingled her own. I just nodded and turned back to Vince. “What’s up?”He looked over the bags my mom was bringing into the house. “You went shopping?”I nodded and smiled. “I haven’t been able to have a shopping date with my mom for a few years. We figured we would do it today
“Where are you going?” I laughed as she swerved around another car. “The mall.” She swerved again and I slammed against the door, making me laugh again. “Why the mall?” “Because I have an idea.” She pulled into the mall and parked. “About what?” I looked around confused. “Mom, I don’t really have a lot of time here.” I checked my watch. “I have a kid to feed.” I paused. “That’s a weird thing to say now.”She laughed. “It’s weird to hear. But I swear we are here for a reason.”“And what’s the reason?” “We are here to get things we need.” She hopped out, and I followed. “Has Toya messaged yet?” I checked my phone, then shook my head. “That’s alright. We can figure it all out.” I was so confused. “Okay…” I just followed. We headed inside, and she headed to the first store. She went around and grabbed a shirt and a pair of jogging pants. She held them up to my body and then nodded. “These will work.”Then went to the cashier. “Did you find everything you needed?” The girl asked wit
Everyone froze. I looked around and everyone, even my mother, had their mouths hanging open. “Well then.” She whispered as she walked over. We looked back to Carly, who blinked, and once again her bright brown eyes were staring back at us. I crouched down to her level. “Does that happen often?” “The goddess?” Her voice was bright once again. She shrugged. “Daddy said she comes when she has a message to deliver.” Carly giggled. “When I have visions, I remember what I see, but when the goddess comes, I don’t.”“Why?” “Because she has to put me asleep so she can speak through me. Daddy said it so it doesn’t hurt me. But I don’t don’t mind. She is the goddess.” Carly spun around and walked back to my mom. “Thank you for helping me hang my curtains.” Then she skipped off to her room.I stayed crouched and I looked up at my mom. “I am out of my depth.” She laughed. “Every parent feels that way some day. You just happened to feel it on the first day.” She kissed me. “Get Lynn situated, t