***Dottie POV ***I ripped through the trees the dry leaves crunching under my feet as the werewolf Queen called out to me. I cursed myself for the stupidity of what I had done. I knew she would be at this event with the King but I had heard she had declined to stay in the pack house and that she would be travelling with a minimal gaurd. Desperate for the job as a server I had convinced myself I would avoid Danny if he was there and that no one else would spot me. This job had landed in my lap only the day before it was a cash payment and it paid really well. I had been struggling because Danny was searching for me and his damn influence ran deep into the shifter community. I needed to look after myself carefully and my grandmother whose health was ailing had slowed down our flight. "Dottie." the Queen called again before she finally caught up to me. She tackled me to the ground and we both rolled across the woodland debris. "Charlie." the King called his voice full of concern. She
***Danny POV ***Her words landed on me like a ton of bricks I had felt a wave of numbness pass over me as I stood staring at her stomach in the motel. I knew she wasn't lying and as soon as she utter the words I could sense the baby. I had turned and left her there stripping my clothes behind one of the waiting SUVs and shifting letting Bane the over as he raced away. I ran blindly and before I knew it I had run blindly into a bunch of rogues who had clearly been staking out the motel and Dottie. They surrounded me and snarled as I drew myself up to my full height in defence. I attacked first deftly snapping the neck of first scrappy thin looking brown wolf. The second and third ganged up on me I should of been scared or worried even but my anger that they were there for Dottie fueled my massacre. Bane kept fighting taking all his frustration out on the rogues until the last two just turned and fled. I shifted back covered in their blood and stood up panting. "With all this death ar
***Daphne POV ***we followed Viola through the Basilica and down the corridor that lead to the Watchers office once she was inside the door clicked closed but I re opened a few seconds later. Father Colm stood there regarding us closely. "May I help you?" he asked bowing to myself and Max. I was about to speak when Sebastian stood forward from behind us. "Sebastian I am not getting involved in another row between you and Viola." he said firmly. "My bloody eyebrows have only grown back after the last round." he added as I looked questionly at Sebastian. "That was a mere misunderstanding who knew the desk would catch fire that quickly." Sebastian shrugged. "I could of taken a good educated guess at it considering it was covered in premium whiskey." The Watcher retorted. "Stop my heart breaks at the waste of such fine old malt whiskey." Sebastian smirked. "Fitting that's all you would give a damn about Sebastian the whiskey and not me." a voice snapped as we all turned to face Viol
***Carmen POV ***Knowing that the King and Queen would be beside themselves searching for me to ensure I died to repay my action of killing the Queens little witch Sasha I had endured months as a Raven. I shifted only briefly to converse with the rogue leaders in an effort to track down someone with as much power as the green wolf but who had no worth to the royals. However that seemed to have been thwarted also by that little witch Sasha. I may have lost my first chance of opening the hell gate portal but I had lucked out in many ways as Sasha Semidi Moore had possibly been the strongest witch to ever walk this earth surpassing any legendary witch I knew myself included. It was a personal win that I had taken her out first she needed to fall so the green wolf Charlie was an easier target. I had been given word though that the other I had been seeking was now in the hands of the Royals. She had run straight into the arms of Sasha's widowed mate which I knew was not some serendipity m
***Max PoV *** Despite how I felt about that snake in the grass Sebastian it was clear we needed him to get to the entrances of the underground but I had already made up my mind the first chance I got to ditch him and run with Daphne and hopefully Viola I was going to take it. The Watchers words of warning about Sebas rang in my head but then what did I really know about the Watcher himself so this was not an ideal situation in general. I know Fr Colm was held in high regard by the Elders in the werewolf community but generally he was not someone we would regularly deal with. Viola had elaborated via text message the entrance to the old Roman catacombs considered to be the witches territory where hidden on the banks of the river Tiber. Daphne had asked her to drop a GPS pin on the location and we would just meet them there as I wanted to spend as little time with Sebastian as required. I wandered over to youth training deciding to leave my mate asleep. She was in a deep sleep this mor
***Max PoV ***When I managed to pull myself together and come too I was panicked by the overwhelming feeling of grief that flooded my mate bond. I was lying in the back of a moving van as I groggily sat up slowly regaining my blurred vision. My eyes met those of Fr Colm as he sat in the back against the wall of the van, three hooded men sat silently up front as the van continued to move along at speed the lights of Rome in the distance behind us. Next to The Watcher was a dishevelled,mud covered Daphne. "Daphne." I called to her softly as her eyes slowly met mine but she didn't speak. The usual spark that lingered in her eyes was not there and she had the appearance of someone who was numb. She didn't react to me awaking and I wondered was she mad or upset I had failed her in the cavern."Is my mate mad?" I asked my wolf via mind link. "I don't know." my wolf replied. "her wolf is there barely and very weak but I can't reach her to talk to her." he added. "Shit, something happened
***Dottie POV *** I was crouched over my en suite toilet in the fancy Gamma accommodation in the Palace vomiting as was my new early morning routine. "Morning sickness?" a voice asked as I wretched again as a wave over nausea hit me. I was about to respond sarcastically when I realised it was the Royal Beta female Casey and she had a warm smile on her face. She also held a small tray in her hand. "Herbal tea mix Madame Lux makes it really helps as these high ranking werewolves pups really suck it out of you." she smiled kindly. "and ginger biscuits which Charlie and I swore by. Sasha was more of a dry cracker kind of girl ....." she trailed off realising that mentioning Sasha might offend me. I went to reasure her that I didn't mind her talking about her friend Sasha but I hugged the toilet bowl again as another wave of nausea hit me. Casey sighed as she put the tray down and came to hold my hair back. "Your morning sickness is really extreme." she sounded worried. "I'm going to g
*** Viola Pov***I awoke in a dark hotel room my arms stiff and sore before I realised I was cuffed to an old large wooden ornate bed. I pulled against my ties as confusion and panic spread through me. I should be able to break anything with my Vampire strenght but I was as weak as a human. I could sense Sebastian near through our mate bond so I called out for him. "Sebastian?" my voice even sounded weak and hoarse. He stepped through a door that appeared to be out onto a balcony tossing the last of his cigarette over his shoulder. "Morning." he smirked. "Why did you tie me?" I asked. "Where are Daphne and Max?" I added suddenly as my memories flooded back. I had passed out in the Witches catacombs after the unknown woman had appeared."Well sadly Daphne and Max got away and the witches are not very happy so small change of plan as I had to sweeten the deal to save my skin." he smirked."Your skin?" I swallowed an uneasy feeling gripping my stomach. "and what about me Sebastian?" I