Edric’s POV As per usual, I want to rip Abbadon’s head off his shoulders, but there’s an uneasy kind of friendship based on our mutual suffering growing between us. It’s very unsettling, but at the same time comforting to know there’s at least one other person who understands what it feels like to be Maya’s mate. “You should know she can’t remember you,” I whisper. “I gathered. Why did she do it?” “Our best guess? She didn’t know how to go on, so she just wiped the last five and a half years from her memory.” “Shit,” Abbadon mutters. “That has to be difficult for you.” “Yeah,” I say, not sure if he really cares. “We’re trying to…reconnect, but it’s not going well. There’s this…chasm between us that I just can’t bridge, and I’m terrified that I’ll never get her back.” What am I doing? Why am I telling this vampire of all people my biggest fear? Because he understands, it’s as simple as that. “You’ll get her back. It’s just bad timing. When the little guy is better, and she recove
The second Abbadon and I made contact everything came flooding back. The spark that ignited between us was physical and painful, and in a flash, it was all there. Everything I’ve been trying to get away from, all the pain and the memories, the very reason I tried to wipe him from my mind in the first place. I turned to rage at Edric as I always do, because it’s easier that way, but when I looked into his eyes and saw the shock and pain, I knew I could never tell him how I felt. Never burden him with my love and longing for Abbadon ever again. I made a choice on the spot. I chose to be happy, to stop pining for Abbadon. To start ignoring the loss of his presence in my life, and to stop blaming Edric for everything that’s gone wrong. I’ll force it away if I have to, but I can’t keep doing this to Edric, it’s killing him. Winston comes skulking back, peaking into the room. “Are we all good here?” “Yes,” Edric says, his arm tightening around my shoulders. “The vampire’s gone?” “Hm-hm
Edric's POV Despite Maya’s fears, nothing happens and she gets a good eight hours’ sleep before Winston comes to wake us. He also looks like he's had some sleep. “I’m really sorry, but Jessica is dead on her feet and needs a break.” “That’s okay,” Maya says and sits upright stretching her arms out and nearly hitting me in the face. “I’m up.” “Shower and eat first,” I say as I fall out of the bed, unable to feel my legs. I lay awkwardly all night, and have cut off the blood supply to half my body. “I’ll go up and get you some clean clothes.” I give Maya a quick peck on the cheek and leave, shaking my legs one at a time as I walk out of the clinic, trying to re-establish the blood flow. As per usual, no one stops me on the way back to my apartment. The Omegas cower and turn away as I pass them. I really need to figure out a way to make them less fearful. Exhausted and aching all over, I push open the front door to my apartment, only to be met with a furious Cedric. “Why didn’t you
“Well,” Winston says when he’s done examining Warwick. “This little man gained nearly a pound in the last five days. I think you’re ready to go home.” My stomach does an uncomfortable summersault. We stayed longer than Winston said we would. Two days turned into six, and I started to adapt to life in the clinic. I’m scared to go home. Warwick is still so small. What if something happens to him? It’s been so easy while we’ve been here in the clinic where everyone’s around and helps me with even the smallest thing, from changing one of the babies, to taking Deimos out for some much-needed fresh air. I’m not sure how I’ll cope on my own. Edric comes sauntering into the clinic, his hands shoved into his pockets, yawning loudly. “Good evening. How was your day?” “Same as always,” I answer. He is dead on his feet. I don’t know why, because my whole life has been consumed by caring for the babies. I asked once, but he wouldn’t give me a straight answer. “We can go home.” His face lights
Edric's POV “What’s this?” Maya asks, and picks up the envelope on the dresser. “Oh,” I say and take the letter from her. “Something I found in my closet back ho— at Mountain Fire.” “Who wrote it?” “I think my mother.” “You think? You haven’t read it?” I shake my head. I expect her to push me into reading it, or else to ask at least two million questions, but she does neither. She yawns and kneels in front of the carseat to take Warwick out while I put Deimos down for his nap. “You should get some rest,” I say. “I’m fine. You’re the one who looks like he’s about to collapse.” “Yeah.” I sigh and sit on the edge of the bed, just watching as Maya put Warwick down in the crib next to Deimos’s. It’s a good thing that we have a huge bedroom, but I hope we can at least move Deimos out soon, because things are getting a little cramped in here. “I put a breathing monitor under Warwick’s mattress.” “Oh. Okay. I’ve been worried about that.” “I know.” I overheard her asking Wilson how of
Edric's POV Maya stands in front of a massive Christmas tree with her back to me, head turned to up to look at the star adorning the top of the tree. She’s a vision. I can’t tear my eyes off her. I stand in the doorway, taking a moment to admire her. Her beautiful black hair cascades down her back in shiny soft curls, and she’s wearing a sapphire blue dress I’ve never seen before. It hugs all the right curves and flares out at the hips, the hem reaching just below her knees. I clear my throat and she spins around. She’s wearing the jewellery I gave her on her birthday, and for once she did her make-up – not that I care one way or the other about make-up, but it’s such a stark difference that I have to blink once or twice to make sure I’m looking at my mate. “You look very pretty tonight,” I say. She blushes and looks down at herself, then back up. “Thank you. Jessica had to help me. The things I know about being a girl I can count on one hand.” I cross the distance between us, and
It’s like I’m standing outside myself. Watching, hearing, feeling and seeing everything my wolf does. I have no control over myself and my body anymore. It was already too late when Edric brought me inside -- by then she had taken control because she sensed my hesitation. Edric tries to pull away from me, but she growls a low warning and grips his hair, roughly pulling him back to her, folding her lips around his mouth. The kiss steals the breath from my body and drives me insane with dark, needy lust. I want to stop fighting it, want to stop overthinking every little thing, I want to stop fighting my wolf and just let it happen. I want to find my mate again and be with him like we used to be when we found each other. Edric picks me up, and I wrap my legs around him. He carries me across the room, slamming me against the wall so hard that my head connects to it with a jarring thud. It doesn’t even slow my wolf down. Her claws surface and she rips his shirt to ribbons. I’m terrified
Edric's POV I lie on my side, watching Maya sleep, trying to get rid of the unnecessary guilt that’s trying to eat me alive. She kept trying to reassure me that it’s okay, but I’ve been so conditioned by my time with Mountain Fire, that I can’t let go and believe it. I lost control. "Alphas don't lose control," I can practically hear my father's voice. It's as if he's standing right next to me. "It's a thin line between losing control and going feral." Sighing, I pull on a pair of loose boxers and go back to the balcony for a glass of wine. I won't be able to sleep while I feel like this anyway. “Evening,” Stephen says from their balcony. “Hey,” I answer and pour some wine into my glass before I walk over to the low wall separating the two balconies. “Where’s Cedric?” “Inside, feeding Warwick. How’s your date going?” “Well, it’s not…I think it’s over. Maya’s asleep.” Stephen laughs softly. “Yeah, I’m sure she’s tuckered out. You two were a bit…loud.” I blush, grateful for the d