LOGINOakley“I’m not going that far,” I assure my mom, Ruth, who ignores me and continues checking every button on my wool coat. I wrap a woven mustard-yellow scarf around my neck, then my head, tucking locks of unruly hair behind the fabric to keep it from spiraling out of control in the gusty weather pouring off the mountains. “You should go far,” Mom protests, patting my cheeks in a lovely, but annoying, manner. “This is what is done, my dear. You must find your wolf.”Her accent is still deeply flavored with Endovan, the tribe she hails from. I’ve heard stories of how thrilled Grandma Freya was to learn my dad had found his mate at the Harvest Festival all those years ago, decades now, who came from the same tribe that she did. It’s not uncommon these days. The tribes still thrive, but the packs in the valleys–those tied inexplicably to King Ryan and his family–are a melting pot of cultures. I’m not the only one with a mom who rattles off curse words in a different language when she’s
Book 20: Beast of the AlphaIanThere’s a specific crispness to early fall that’s always put me in a bad mood. At least, I’m sure that’s my problem, seeing as the first frost is incoming, and that means the entire emerald landscape is about to turn a shocking brownish-gold, until the first snowfall, which could be months or days from now, depending on the Goddess’ favor. The hunting is shit here when there’s no cover from the trees. All the challenging animals go into hibernation, which means months of boredom spent hunting rabbits and other small critters that even Mom grows tired of. Sometimes, I long for the fast-paced lifestyle of Crescent Falls and Moonrise, with their city lights and constant electric hum, but then I spend time there and remember why I, wholeheartedly, do not belong in a city. The city often finds me, though. “Yuck!” Naomi whines, lifting her leg and inspecting the mud now soaked through her jeans to the knee. Her foot is still in the muck, stuck, and her boo
OakleyGrandma Freya doesn’t care about the hustle and bustle of the harvest season. The only thing that matters now, as the first leaves begin to yellow and crinkle on their edges, and the air has a sudden cold bite in the morning while still warm and toasty every evening, are the massive piles of wool that need to be tended–washed, brushed, dyed, and spun. Grandpa Andrew has spent the last two weeks ensuring all the looms are repaired, if necessary, and moving without a hitch. While the rest of Silverhide dips into the chaos of the harvest, our family settles into the thrum of preparedness for a long, dark winter ahead, spinning and weaving. I’m rather good at it. I make my own clothes. I weave the tapestries my mother and father bring to the harvest festival year after year. My woven creations are wrapped around babies minutes after they are born and cover the bodies of our elders while they rest atop their funeral pyres in wait for their grand journeys into the stars. My skills
ZaynSeveral Months Later…It’s raining, and it’s my fault. I can’t help it. I can’t draw back the angst sending storms whirling over every major island system in KiloKilo. Maybe it’s an act of the old gods. Tonight, everything I feel, my people feel. Every step I take carving tracks in the floor outside of our bedroom sends new storms into being. I want this to end. “She’s fine,” Tali says, gripping my shoulders. “I need to be in there with her,” I argue, breathless, but Tali violently shakes his head. “You don’t. You’re making it worse.”“She kicked me out,” I snarl, and Tali shoots me an incredulous look. “You cannot handle this, and that’s okay, but you’re flooding the back garden, so enough. Go to your study, Alpha King. For fuck’s sake, your wife is going to live, but she’s going to fucking kill you if your storm destroys the new pergola.”I suck my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut as another low, angry, but muted, scream of pain echoes into the hallway. “She’s all right,” Ta
FallonA few months later…The last of the season's golden leaves fall in a spiral toward the garden, dappling the benches and pathways weaving between wilting rose hedges. I press my fingertips to the windowsill, breathing deeply, drinking in wet, rainy late autumn air. It’ll be a while until I return to the mainland, especially this time of year. I can’t say I don’t mind seeing a real fall for the last time in a while.The bite in the air is chillier than I remember. I don’t think it ever gets this cold in KiloKilo. I haven’t needed to wear a cloak this thick in weeks. Murmured voices echo back and forth across the ballroom, where a group of people, nobles, a handful of high-ranking Alphas, and three Alpha Kings, gather around a table just out of sight. I look at them over my shoulder, catching my dad, the Alpha King of the Roguelands, and my uncle Aris, the Alpha King of Veiled Valley, deep in conversation with Ryan, Alpha King of the Deadlands. “The Alpha King of Tarsian didn’t
FallonIt feels strange being back in the palace in Moonrise. We arrived last night after several days in Maatua, where Zayn had to bounce back and forth between there and KiloKilo, leading the rescue efforts. I was, of course, under house arrest, again. I let it slide only because my mom was either on the verge of tears or furious with me, and I was just tired. Tired and absolutely glowing with my success, which I didn’t rub in anyone’s faces, even though I desperately wanted to utter “I told you it’d work out. I was right, ha ha!” many, many times. But now I’m in Moonrise again, at least for a little while. Zayn is here as well and will remain for the next week until we both return to KiloKilo for what I hope is a long time. “The tour will be a few months, at the least,” Blake says, tilting an itinerary in Zayn’s direction. “It’s mostly for show, but there’s business to take care of in terms of nautical routes and policies, etc."“I’ll sign anything,” Zayn grumbles, back to his us
BrieAt first, I feel nothing but his mouth on mine. He inhales, but otherwise, is still as stone. The tension between us is so thick I could drown in it, and I wouldn’t bother saving myself by coming up for air.I pull away just a touch–just enough t
MistyI sink to the edge of the bathtub and test the water, steam rising in ribbons that dance around my wrists. The lavender and honey scented soap wafts through the air, which is still and dark, mingling with the comforting, candle-lit darkness all around me. Kenna and her family left three hour
Brie“He can’t be that bad, Brie,” Maeve hisses as she clutches the crook of my arm, leading us down one of the winding staircases in our castle in Veiled Valley. Sconces flare to life on their own accord, lighting our way. “Mom said he’s been dy
BrieHot, bright, unforgiving sunlight burns through my eyelids. My body feels… shattered–and itchy. Incredibly itchy and dry and…I open my eyes just enough to feel the grit of sand before I close them again, my stomach rolling and twisting.