I opened my eyes to find myself surprisingly alive. “Amy hurry, you’re going to be late.” I jolted up and look around, confused. What was going on? Where was I? “Amy!” The voice called again and I shook myself. I stood up from the bed and looked around again. I recognized this room. It was my childhood bedroom.
I hadn’t stepped foot in this room since I found my mate, Brandon. I heard a knock on the door and my mother opened it. Before I could process what was happening, I ran into my mother’s arms. “Mom, you’re here.” I started to cry. “I’ve missed you so much.” “Amy. My girl.” She laughed as she patted my back. “I saw you yesterday.” She pulled back and I looked into her amber eyes that matched my own. “Happy birthday, baby.” I leaned into her hands and realized that today was the last day I spent at home. I found my mate on my eighteenth birthday. “Thank you, mom.” “Hopefully, you will meet your mate today and start your new life.” She smiled at me and I felt my blood freeze. I didn’t want to meet Brandon. Not when I knew what was going to happen. “I’d rather stay here with you.” I smiled as I kissed her cheek. “I don’t want to miss you and Morgan. And I knew that when Brandon thought I cheated on him, before he killed my baby and me. He killed my mother for her involvement. Shannon’s father, my mother’s husband, watched her die. Don’t get me wrong I knew he loved my mother, and he was hurting, but his scheming daughter was the cause of all of this. He stood by and watched it all happen. I understood why he supported his daughter, but I didn’t like it, nor him, for that matter. “Baby. You won’t miss us. We will be there every step of the way.” She kissed my cheek, and I wrapped my fingers around hers. “Mom, can we just leave? You and me? Leave Shannon and Morgan and move back to daddy’s pack?” My father, the Alpha of the Silvermoon pack, wasn’t a good husband, but he was a good man. He cheated on my mother, betraying her when he was drunk. But he swore it was a mistake. It was another Alpha’s maneuverings to break them up, but my mother said it didn’t matter. It was too late. His betrayal cost the life of my brother growing inside of her, and she refused to move past it. “No baby. I can’t go back.” My mother’s face fell as she turned away. “I don’t want to be betrayed, mom. Not like you and not any worse. I don’t want a mate.” I whispered my new truth. “Mates don’t hurt each other, baby.” She tried to smile but I shook. I knew exactly what mates do to each other. “Would you be made if I refused my mate?” “God no baby. The Moon Goddess makes a path clear, but it is up to us to choose it. If you don’t want your mate, you can reject him.” “And if it is the Alpha’s son?” My mother looked at me. She knew that if it was the Alpha’s son, I would be screwed. They wouldn’t allow me to leave. An Alpha has to mate his first mate, even for a day to come into his full power. “What do you know?” I watched as her eyes searched mine. I pulled her back into my room and away from the door. “I don’t know for sure, but I am terrified that if I am mated to Shannon’s boyfriend, I will die after we are mated. Mom, the chances that he will match with an Alpha far outweigh the chance that he is mated to the daughter of the beta.” I pulled back. “I don’t want this for me.” She weighed my words, and I watched as she came to the same conclusion. “Okay baby. But you can’t leave. It would be too conspicuous. You will have to mask your scent whenever he is around.” I tossed my hands in the air. “How would I do that?” “There is much you don’t know that I would leave in the past but if you are sure…” She trailed off and I just nodded my head. “Then let me make a few calls. You don’t have to go to school today.” I lept back into her arms. “Thank you, mom. I don’t know what I would do without you.” “I love you, baby. You will never be without me. That I can promise you.” She kissed my cheek and then left me alone in my room. I ran to my phone and checked the date to make sure. It was twenty eighteen; I went back six years. Six years to the day that I met Brandon. I could relive everything, make better choices. I could live, and maybe this time around, so would my pup. I rubbed my flat stomach. “Don’t worry, my pup. This time around, no one will hurt you.” I went into my ensuite and jumped into the shower. No way was I going to face today, looking like I just crawled out of bed. I stood in side my closet in a towel trying to figure out what to wear when I heard my bedroom door open. I was about to turn and call out to my mother, but I heard a soft step, which my mother wouldn’t do. So I hid behind my winter coats and I waited. “I’m telling you, if she is Brandon’s mate, I’m going to kill her.” “You can’t mean that, Shan.” The nasily voice of Megan, Shannon’s best friend, came from the cell phone pressed to her ear. “Of course I do. Brandon is mine.” “Only because you put out. He was hoping Shannon would notice him.” “You shut your fucking mouth, Megan.” Shannon snarled and her eyes flashed. “He’s mine.” “Whatever I gotta go. Hurry the fuck up before I leave your ass,” Megan called, and then the line went dead. A honk sounded from outside and Shannon was snatching something before I grabbed her hand. “What do you think you’re doing in my closet?” “Amy?” Shannon’s mouth dropped out. I squeezed her hand until I heard a crack. Her scream was muffled by my hand. “You’re lucky I only broke one finger. You just threatened to kill me. Didn’t I hear that correctly? A beta’s daughter threatening an alpha.” I tsked. “I didn’t do shit.” She snarled back at me as her hand reformed. “Lie again and I will break all of your fingers and hold them while the bones heal.” I couldn’t stop my grin as I felt her tremble. “Did you threaten me?” “Yes.” she screamed at me. “You’re going to take Brandon from me.” “I don’t want your pathetic alpha now or ever. Keep him.” I pushed her away. “Now get out of my room before I change my mind about maiming you.” I turned back to my clothes and picked out low-rise jeans and a tank top. “What the fuck is your problem?” “You. Now leave.” I let my wolf come forward and my eyes flashed. I pushed my alpha command into my words and forcing her out of my room. Stupid bitch. How dare she come into my room to take something of mine? My wolf growled lowly. This was our den. I shook myself and refocused. Closing the doors, I hopped back into bed, pulling out my phone. I tried to remember everything that happened in the last six years that could help me with my plan. Because make no mistake, Brandon and Shannon would pay.We got into the omega wing, and the other omega, Leanne, pushed me to shower in her room. She pushed me into her washroom and told me to strip. “They will be pissed if they smell champagne on you.” I took off my mask, and her mouth dropped open. “I knew it.” She whispered as she tossed me a towel. “Well, hurry!” Her eyes danced down my neck. “Your mate seems to be in a pickle, Alpha Amy.” I stripped and showered as fast as I could. I got dressed as Leanne managed to throw my curling hair into a messy braid. “That will have to do.” She looked at my face. “I want to ask you how you have made it this far without someone noticing you, but I already know. None of the ranked wolves in this pack look at our faces. Not even when they use our bodies.” She glared over my shoulder. Then, her eyes snapped to my face. “Except for you.”“Leanne.” I raised a hand to her shoulder, and she tried not to flinch away. “Once this is all over, you will be free of this place. I promise you that.” She nodded
Am I the stronger witch? I turned again to look at her face, even knowing she wasn’t there. I felt her hand disappear from my arm; I knew in my mind she had left me alone to figure out my next move. But her words kept bouncing around in my mind. Am I the stronger witch? Wolf, yes, a hundred times over. I knew that without a doubt. But I had never actually put my power against someone else’s. Not like this. I had broken runes and charms, even unraveled a love spell. But I had never fought against anyone. Never measured my power against another’s. Whoever put the rune on Vince, whatever power he was tapping into, could be stronger than I am.Nix snorted. You are overthinking it again.Megan sighed. I agree with Nix on this one. I’m not wrong, though. I dropped the sound bubble and redid the spell to listen in on Vince, Verity and Rowan. I have never fought with my power being the main attack. What if I fail?Then we all die; Rowan dies, we die. Nix looked up at me. And we leave our mo
My mind rushed through all the runes I could remember. I could only see a little of the run on Vince’s arm, but it was distinct enough that I should be able to narrow it down. The rune on Vince’s looked to be circular at the very bottom, but there was a clef at the bottom that reminded me of a sickle. A pit opened up in my stomach as my mind whirled. What could it be? I closed my eyes so I could focus on the shape I saw, and match it to a rune. But I…couldn’t. I felt sweat bead on my forehead as a tremble started in my hands. My eyes kept jumping back and forth as my mind raced through all the runes. Something felt off, so I snapped my eyes open and looked at Rowan. He was mid-conversation with Vince. I had lost the connection to my spell when my panic spiralled, so I couldn’t hear what they were saying any longer. I stepped forward, but something held me back.“Calm yourself, little one.” A soft voice whispered into my ear. “Don’t speak. No one else can hear me. You are panicking be
Verity froze for a second as if her brain were processing what Garith had just said. “What did you just say?”Garith leaned in. “I asked you, who the fuck is Rowan mated to? Did you not notice the blazing mate mark on his neck that he did everything in his fucking power to show OFF!” He screamed the last word. Verity shrank back from his anger. “I didn’t see. I was too surprised he showed up.”Garith leaned in. “Well, since you are his fucking fiancée, I would go find out who fucking took your spot,” he growled as he grabbed her arms and pulled her over his lap and forced her out into the aisle. “Now.”I whispered another spell to listen to the conversation that was about to happen in the front row. I also pulled my phone out discreetly and sent a quick message. ‘They put some silver in your drink. I neutralized it, but act accordingly when it’s time.’ I stuffed my phone back into my pocket as Garith looked over his shoulder at me. I straightened my spine and readjusted the tray so i
I grabbed a tray of champagne flutes and I stood at the end of the walkway, allowing guests to grab a drink before they found their seats. Brandon was reluctantly standing at the end of the path next to a priestess. Derek stood beside him, and I watched as he leaned over to whisper something in Brandon’s ear. Another omega walked over to take my now empty tray and to hand me a full one. “Are you okay here?” Her voice was soft, but I could hear the tremble in it.I caught her eye, and I lifted a brow. She must have caught the tiny flick of my brow because her lips curved up for a second. “I’m fine here. Thank you.” I answered as I took the full tray in my hands. I stood there for a few more minutes as the last wave of guests filtered in. Garith and Verity grabbed a flute from me, and barely even looked at me, which I was grateful for but not surprised. He says omegas are the backbone, but they aren’t important enough to even look at. I smirked as they turned away.“Have you heard any
There was silence in the office. Then Vince spoke up. “Garith, I don’t think that is really necessary.” He tried to push back, but Garith was having none of it.“Pick boy.” There was an edge to his voice. “I would listen to my father, Brandon. It’s not the end of the world mating the girl, is it?' She sighed. “I mean, look at your father. He still has his fun.” There was a pause. “Matings don’t have to be this sacred thing that some people make it out to be. Sometimes it’s just a way to leverage your position.”“Leverage my position?”Verity murmured an agreement. “Yeah. You use this one to entice others. When they see your bond isn’t something held in reverence that others are, it will give the stupid ones the idea that they could win you over, and they can become luna.” She laughed. “But keeping this one around might be better than you think.”“How is that even possible?” Brandon sounded like a whiny toddler. I sneered where I stood. “She is ambitious. But also dumb. She will do w