Helena couldn’t really say much as her mates kissed her and left to prepare for the coming trouble. People milled about her, and Jillian pulled her into a side room, away from the chaos that brought so many memories back from that fateful night when everything changed for her.
She couldn’t get the image of her father lying awkwardly on the floor outside his room. She needed to know what happened to him that night. She saw how his body was. He’d been leaving his room, not going to it. Was someone waiting for him in his apartment?
They’d still not entered his room to do more than find that book. What did they miss in there? At the time, she didn’t see the mess as anything other than her father’s health, making it hard to
Brian could feel his excitement bubbling in him as he double-checked his small pack. Sure, he knew how to fight and did occasionally. But that was mostly Chris’ job. He was the greater extrovert. Brian felt like people would follow Chris more than him and that’s why Brian took up the slot in the background. He got good with numbers and statistics because he didn’t need to compete with Chris. It achieved nothing fighting for the same spot when it wasn’t something that came naturally to Brain. But that didn’t mean he didn’t feel hurt knowing he was being passed over for his twin. Now, though, they would both need to head up this mission. A new, niggling doubt surfaced. Brian knew he was good enough and that he should be there. So why did he have a fear that he’d screw something up and embarras
Dimitri watched as the two alphas shifted first. Just as he thought. This was the correct side of the situation. These were the wolves his server warned him to look for. They didn’t hide the fact that it marked them for greater things. As twins born on both sides of midnight and one at the end of a year, while the other was born at the cusp of the next. The moon goddess blessed them double along with a curse to ensure they didn’t abuse their favour. This pair appears to have instinctively done what would assure them of success in life. Standing with each other and using their specific skills. The single mate was the first clue Dimitri saw to tell him this was not just another failed pair of special twins. He hated the name Twins of Midnight. That was a term first coined by shifters of the Middle Ages.Times were changing and wolves were changing again, and many wolves weren’t making the change easily. Like the Rogues of the Lake Michigan Region, they were th
Helena and Jillian talked for several hours. Word came in from reports getting back to them. Davis now sat with several of those he’d found at the edge of their territory in the medical centre because there were questions about their health. They may not have open sores, but anyone with a working set of eyes could see things were as they should be. The pups should have energy and excitement about them. Even Davis knew that from his time growing up. But every person was subdued, almost lethargic. He knew this would happen; he’d seen it during his time in the compound. But unlike then, now he could do something about it. Davis was just there to ensure the safety of his new pack. Nathan was there too, and he took up the position of leader for these people. Encouraging them to trust the medical staff and healers. They needed
Brian and Chris moved down the hazy corridors, looking for anyone alive. But what they found was a battlefield littered with bodies of the fallen. Everybody showed signs of being in a fight. Whether in wolf form or human, they’d engaged in battle with each other. A pack turning on itself was never heard of in any place but their history. Wolf packs dissolved before it came to this. They’d stopped using the rules that would bring about events like this well over a hundred years ago. Yet here they were, seeing this tragedy in all its morbid, gory glory. Not a shining moment. Ahead of him, he could hear someone singing and talking loudly. Definitely not in their right mind. That did not surprise Brian. How could anyone be in their right mind after encountering all this? This he could blame on the mentality that encouraged f
Josh and Wally headed up several search parties looking for survivors, but one thing quickly became clear to both. The survivors would not give up and come to safety willingly. They could hear them in the woods, but no one could intercept them. They fled as soon as they heard the searchers. It was like they were chasing ghosts. No matter what they said, the survivors wouldn’t respond or approach. Josh figured he could understand that. After seeing the tunnels and nearly barren rooms, the Blue Mountain Pack compound must have been a hellhole for these people. Then the fighting, the fire, and the murders. This was trauma to the extreme for these wolves. Many were pups, not able to shift yet. That meant there were little boys and girls roaming the woods, possibly with no adults to care for them. “This is a waste of time. We
Helena and Jillian found Davis with Nathan in a waiting room of the pack’s medical centre. The sight of Nathan surprised Helena at the difference between now and when she last saw him. His usually neat exterior was gone, and he seemed more... For lack of a better term, rough or wild. His eyes kept going to a door down the hall. Helena looked at Davis and mouthed ‘mate’ in question, and Davis nodded. Helena nodded. Nathan seemed distracted, and rightly so. “Nathan? Are you able to talk to me?” This man didn’t seem to be the same one she’d last seen the night of her father’s murder and the attack on the pack. He should have information that will help them put the pieces together on who was guilty of what. &ld
Dimitri was walking through the corridors looking for anyone who could be saved. It hadn’t looked good until he heard some whimpering sounds. In an alcove that must have served as a living space, he could hear sounds coming from inside a closet. Sadly, even though he stopped at the body of a woman, there wasn’t any life left for her. She suffered at the hands of another. Clearly, she’d not found the time to shift before bullets had struck her down. Several bullets also left marks and holes through several pieces of furniture, including the closet door. With sounds of whimpering coming from inside it. Dimitri feared the worst. Someone lay injured inside the wardrobe. Once he got past the debris on the floor of smashed glass and pottery. He assumed by the food she’d been eating when someone attacked her. At the
Davis watched Nathan plod through the woods. He was speaking to anyone that could hear him. Telling them it was safe to come out and seek help. That the nightmare was over. He’d brought back help for everyone. People he and they could trust. It took many hours for them to even find anyone willing to step forward from their hiding place. The wolves were hidden well, but between trackers and Nathan’s words, many came forward willing to trust those offering to help them enough to see what they were offering. It wasn’t easy at all. These people weren’t hardened fighters, but they’d been in survival mode for so long that their levels of trust were nearly nonexistent. Scared pups and women just trying to survive. There didn’t appear to be anyone that was old. Davis didn’t remember seeing any before this, and he worried they’d just died from neglect. That was sad enough
Life settled down for them after that, and a routine formed. Their pack understood their unique relationship. It helped when Alfred could come up with some documentation he’d found while doing his own study on their unique bond. It and Bethany fascinated the man became a friend to Helena and Jillian. Nathan and Asia eventually settled on a date to be formally accepted by their pack and to acknowledge their mating. It was something their pack needed to. Life for them soon became full of creating and building. Several of the lone wolves filtered in and requested a place within Nathan’s pack. Davis helped greatly with that because he could identify these lone wolves and vet their stories. By winter, there were enough homes to keep the Blue Mountain Pack safe from the elements. Money appeared out of the rambling and incomplete financial status. Helena didn’t look too closely, but she suspected several packs contributed funds and investments so that they could start agai
Asia now understood how much she didn’t know about wolf shifters and their society. The mating ceremony wasn’t elaborate, but there were meanings behind everything. Luck and good fortune were part of the reason everything was being done. Prosperity and abundance. She was told so many stories and traditions that her head spun from all of them. It was so different from what she’d learned in her time underground with them. The other women were afraid to speak of these things while Clarence was alive. Afterward, there were other things to think about. Now they were looking forward to the Alpha Acceptance Ceremony and their Mating Recognition Ceremony. It was so busy that most nights everyone went to bed exhausted to start again the next day. They could get the new packhouse built and several outbuildings so that they could winter with a roof over all their heads. They planned a school for the new year for all the packs in the area to send their pups, too. So the
The pack came alive with the discovery of the celebration. These were things they lived for. Births, matings, and all the little cornerstones of member lives. They were a close knit family and community. This was something they could sink their proverbial teeth into. Presents weren’t necessary, but someone would always find something to bring.They planned a nighttime ceremony as tradition dictated and that gave most of the day to prepare the simple things for the ceremony.Dusk was falling and Helena cornered Jillian in her apartment to get ready. Davis took an hour and greeted those attending. Jillian fluttered about in a distracted and nervous state. Helena couldn’t figure out what would calm her down. But she started out with some logic.“First off. Here’s the dress. Let’s get you dressed. Honestly, you’d think Davis wasn’t yours already. At least, your instincts were smart enough to catch him. Everything is already recorded and technically, this is just to get your sister to leav
The work lunch was going well, but as the meeting came to an end, Chris noticed Jillian again adjusting the collar of her top. With a frown, he watched her for a little longer. “Is that a bite on your neck, Jillian?” Her response was to put her hand over the mark and blush. “It is! Well, I guess congratulations are in order for both of you. When are you planning to have your mating recognition ceremony?” “We’ll see. We’ve not set a date yet. There’s no hurry after all this stuff happening.” Jillian tried to take the pressure off of the subject, because she hoped they would drop it. “We’re going to have one as soon as it’s possible. No time to waste pretending things might change.” Davis interrupted Jillian’s uncomfortably nervous rambling to state the opposite of his mate’s words. “Davis! What are you talking about? We can’t do that. It’s too soon after all the deaths.” Jillian looked askance at Davis, unable to believe he’d said none of this to her
Nathan all but dragged himself back to the camp. He’d not fought all that much. It’d just been a long night. Too long if you asked him. But he represented the Blue Mountain Pack until the end. The witches would not all him to sit in and watch the trial. But he knew that witch and golem were now no longer a threat to the Blue Mountain. Now what would he do since the pack chose him to be their leader? Did he dare think of himself as the perfect candidate? He’d done a right fine job of being a roadblock to the current leadership there. Would he bring that blindness to this pack? Or could he be confident that he’d learned his lesson? If only he could see into the future and everything it held. Asia would see him as the stuff Alpha’s were made of. But he knew she’d read far too many romance novels involving werewolves, and they were far from correct in most things about wolf shifters. The camp was moving today, which meant he wouldn’t get much sleep, nor would the few peo
Jillian watched Davis make sure that her sister and mother, with her mother’s latest side piece, were settled in their cabin. Gods, the guy wasn’t much older than her sister. He’d be better suited to her sister. What did these men see in her mother? She had two adult daughters. She didn’t care if her mother found someone. Actually, Jillian would love her mother to find someone she had something in common with. This guy wouldn’t be able to keep up with her in a conversation and she wouldn’t be able to keep up with him in pretty much any physical activity. Jillian could see this becoming another crash and burn. She bet he’d not met his fated mate and when he did, he’d have a devil of a time removing her clinging mother from him. Or Jillian would have to deal with the high drama. At least, right now, Davis showed no interest in her sister’s advances. He’d spoken to her once already, and her sister acted like he must be mistaken. Now Jillian wasn’t sure if she m
“If we are going to return to some form of normal, we need to finish preparing the Alpha apartments for us. You know. Get all our ducks in a row.” Chris mentioned as they ate breakfast in their apartment. This was the first day of the rest of their lives together in his estimation, and he was becoming impatient at how must mess it left and the sheer number of strings that weren’t tied down. This wasn’t something he wanted to have happened again. “As long as those ducks don’t turn into raccoons or squirrels, I’ll be happy. I thought we setup for them to be renovated by now?” Helena pushed her plate away from her. How this would play out, she didn’t know, but she had to get it going or she’d get bogged down in her grief. “We did, but half of the work crew was called up to hunt. Which put the schedule back and I’ve not been given a revised schedule.” Brian added, and he clearly felt horrible about that. They didn’t need so many people to hunt down the golem or
Alfred walked from the room they used for their courts and formal audiences. It wasn’t used much these days, but it was never pleasant. The council agreed to punish Veronica with imprisonment and being stripped of her abilities. Not a simple thing to do. She’d never live a normal life if she finished her imprisonment. Veronica would have to stay hidden from the mortal world because of the knowledge she could spread. Basically, she’d just trade one prison for another and the identity she knew once would always be a faint memory. In the old day, they’d have just killed her, and Alfred believed that was a far more merciful thing to do. None of this gives her hope and then lets someone else deal with the fallout. Though he could wash his hands of her. She’d go with the elders of the council back to their homeland, which was secreted away. That’s where the sentence would occur. Their coven didn’t have the resources or place to keep her during her punishment. This was the end of th
Veronica didn’t know how long she’d been there. The light turned off and on several times. She could have been there for hours or days. She didn’t know. Finally, someone gave her food. Once she ate, it didn’t take long for a small group of people to come along and haul her out of the prison, she found herself in. She was prepared to celebrate her freedom until she found herself locked in a chair in another dark room. Veronica could hear the movement of people in robes on the edges of the large empty room. She wasn’t sure what to expect from these people. Veronica schooled herself not to give into the fear. She couldn’t quite achieve that, so she sat there attempting not to admit to anything incriminating or to give up on her very life. Finally, the lights came up enough within the room, that left little to the imagination of what they used this room for. It was a courtroom, and she was on trial. They dared to force their views and rules on her. That, alone burst her