The girl standing before me is not what I expected. Emery stands, slowly clutching the bars as she peers at me through the darkness. The lightbulb hanging from the ceiling flickers as I pull up a stool and sit facing her, crossing my legs with my hands knitted in my lap. Elijah said not to let her out. I wonder why? I guess I’ll find out. I give her a minute to look me over. She doesn’t hide her curious gaze, unlike other people I’ve come in contact with lately. Hardly anyone looked me in the eyes during the Beta Trials, which was my first real event as Luna of the Alpha King. People shy away from me now, speaking to me only when I speak to them first, so on and so forth. “Alpha,” I say graciously, bobbing my head to her in greeting. She doesn’t startle. In fact, her full lips twitch into what is either an impressed, or sinister, smile. I can’t tell which. “Luna,” she says, but she doesn’t curtsy or bow. She grips the bars until her knuckles are white, like she’s trying to pry the
Seven Months Later…*Poppy*“What the hell is going on?” I hiss. I’m waddling as fast as I possibly can given how enormous I’ve become over the last few weeks. I feel like I’ve tripled in size–at least. What has also tripled in size is my attitude, according to Antony. He recently accused me of looking for a fight when I lost my mind over the last of the chocolate chunk ice cream with the brownie bits I liked being gone. In my defense, I’d been out of my mind with hunger and pregnancy cravings. In his defense, I had been the one to finish off the carton. That had been three weeks ago before all hell broke loose.My anger right now isn’t an exaggeration. Warriors rush through the castle as I stalk down the hallway toward his office and yank open the door. “Antony!”“My love,” he says with little emotion and an abundance of annoyance. “What happened to the warriors I had guarding your room?”“I killed them,” I deadpan, even though that’s far from the truth. I just screamed at them unt
*Isla*I roll my lower lip between my teeth as Maddox paces the deck. Nothing about this situation is good. Nothing about this situation is clear, either, and none of us have been able to get a hold of anyone on Maatua in two full days. Whispers of unrest on Maatua had been coming to us for months now. Maddox and I hadn’t known the unrest was a wizard, however, until four days ago when a frantic call from Antony had us hastily packing and out the door in less than an hour. We’d just celebrated Isaac’s first birthday the day before. I lean against the railing and bow my head, ignoring the salty spray of the violent ocean preventing us from moving in on the coast of Maatua. The kingdom is shrouded in black clouds, and the air is thrumming with electricity. I’ve never seen a storm like this before, especially one that is exclusive to the island itself. Where we sit in our boat, the sky is blue, and the water is relatively calm. Two days ago everything was fine. “He left,” Maddox bar
*Maddox*How did we get to this point? I feel like the past seven months have gone by in a blur of activity, yet this moment, this devastation, has caught us all totally off guard. Rage burns through me as I guide my pregnant, physically and emotionally exhausted, mate through what is left of the town that surrounds the castle of Maatua. The storm has passed, but heavy rain still floods the streets. I keep an arm around Isla’s waist to steady us both as water rushes past us, soaking us nearly to the shins. Elijah is carrying Emery on his back behind us, the two of them talking in hushed whispers that are inaudible over the sound of the rain pelting the gnarled debris that continuously blocks our path. And all of this for what? Is this really about the Goddess’s necklace that Isla had seen in a vision? A necklace tied to a story we know nothing about?Anger toward Mystica bubbles in my gut for no reason other than the secrets left in the wake of her death. Her strange gifts had kep
*Isla*The portrait is ancient, much like everything else in the vault beneath the castle. Wealth beyond belief sits here, covered in dust. Mary walks with her arms behind her back as I look up at the portrait of a woman who couldn’t have been much older than me when it was painted so, so long ago. Atop her head sits a crown made of sea glass and gold, the same series of symbols as the necklace worn by the Goddess in my vision resting in the center. A moonstone dangles of a crescent moon, the light glistening on the gem perfectly captured by the artist. “I don’t understand,” I whisper to no one but myself. “Areduis was the first King of Maatua,” she says softly. “KiloKilo was once part of his territory. He sought refuge here and found it, but the Goddess caught up to him eventually.” She sighs heavily as she continues to look around the room, looking for something, and not finding it. “I swear it was here.”I turn to her, arching my brow. “You have the necklace I saw in the vision.”
*Isla*“You were supposed to be gone! You were supposed to take her back!” Antony screams, his face red with fury. He points at Poppy, who is sitting shell shocked and tear stained in the bed in the infirmary. The nurses removed the twins from the area when Antony stumbled inside bleeding all over the place and screaming at the top of his lungs. I am grateful for it, especially since Maddox seems dead set on letting Antony die. I don’t let that happen, of course. A few of my tears has Antony back to his usual self, and he’s pissed off. Livid. At us. “You were supposed to get her off this fucking island, Maddox! You worthless–” Antony is cut off by Maddox’s fist making contact with his mouth. I yank on Maddox’s arm while Poppy loses her Goddess-damned mind behind me. “Stop!” I try to say, but now Antony is on his feet and nose to nose with Maddox. “You lied to all of us–”“You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about–”“Where the fuck is the heirloom–”“Take my mate and leave
*Isla*Alatar takes a step toward me. My body begs to take a step back, but I hold my ground. Emery is still as a statue behind me. A quick glance shows her eyes round with… fear. If she’s scared, and she’s never scared, I should be. But I’m not. Not when this man, this wizard, reaches out and brushes his fingertips over my cheekbone in a frigid caress. His touch is freezing, like ice. I resist the urge to shutter and lean away from him. “You are a prize, Isla. And you have no idea how much you’re worth, do you?”“I have a mate,” I say with a firmness and edge to my face that I’ve never heard before. “If you touch me again I can guarantee he’ll bite off your hand, and that won’t be the worst thing he'll do.”“What if I told you you could have endless power,” he rasps, his voice sending a chill up my spine. “That you could rule beside me as my queen. It’s your rightful place. The second you came out of the falls and were blessed with your power–”“I’d say no,” I hiss, stepping towar
*Maddox*Every Goddess damned warrior in this place is possessed by Alatar. I dart around, weaving through hallways and down flights of stairs in my haste to just get away from the chaos. I’m trying to lead the warriors away from Isla’s scent, thinking Alatar might will them to stop her progress. ‘We need to get them out of the castle,’ Elijah says over the mindlink, Emery clutching his back as we dart through the main foyer. ‘You’re right,’ I reply, cutting toward the front door that is gone now, blown open and destroyed by the storm. ‘Do you know where the temple is?’‘I don’t,’ I say with strain. Isla and Antony didn’t come out this way. I lost her scent in the castle. It was like she’d just disappeared. ‘Take Emery back to the boat and wait for us at the cove. I’ll find her.’Before we have a chance to go through the front door, warriors swarm us, their eyes glassy and swirling with power. Damnit, I don’t want to kill these men. These are Antony’s warriors, and they have no con
LoganCaptain Louis watches me as I lean against the wall in the cockpit, looking through the manifest I picked up from the port master. I scan the document, memorizing every ship scheduled to leave the port tonight along with this yacht. The captain chuckles, turning back to the helm where he sits and begins pushing buttons that light up his control station. The second officer, Charlie, arrives, saying, “The crew’s been briefed. We’re just waiting for the green light from the port master.”“I doubt we’ll be moving anytime soon in this fog. It’ll be a long night.” Louis swivels back to me, arching a brow. “Commander Evander said you have some naval experience.”I look up from the manifest. “A bit.”“I was told you served for a few years under the Alpha King of Oasia in Serpentia, captaining a naval cruiser along their coast.”I run my tongue along my lower lip and tuck the manifest under my arm. “That’s correct.”Louis smirks, shaking his head as he turns to the controls again. “A ma
BrieI’m not sure if I’m experiencing sea sickness for the first time or if this horrible ache in my stomach is from the mutual rejection I just experienced. I should have been more prepared for this feeling, actually. I curse at myself while settled on a plastic bench, watching the startling green valley on either side of the wide river sprint by. Smaller towns and villages hug the river bank, everything nestled under the umbrella of control of Veiled Valley, forever protected by my family. One day, Aris will rule all of this. He’s the new Shadowsyner of the family–the one with those creepy shadow powers passed down by my grandfather, Ryatt, and my mother. I look down at my normal, powerless hands and curl them into fists, closing my eyes against the rolling nausea threatening to pull me to my hands and knees. I didn’t eat breakfast. I didn’t have the stomach for it, knowing I’d be thrust into a week-long journey with Logan, my mate. Not anymore. I slouch on the bench, leaning my
BrieI like to think I’m a faithful believer in the Moon Goddess. I never skip church. I celebrate Her holidays, say Her prayers, and dedicated at least ten years of my schooling to Her lore and scripture. I squint at the sky through my window in the tower, frowning at the moon. She’s up there laughing at me, isn’t She? Is She entertained by my predicament? The mate bond She ordained to ruin my plans? I sink onto the bench under the window and rest my arms on the windowsill, watching the clear, brilliant night sky slowly rotate over Veiled Valley. The buildings and bridges glisten in the moonlight, but across the lush, green valley, lights twinkle against a sea of emerald. The Fortress, as my siblings and I have called it since we got a grasp on vocal vocabulary, is nothing more than a big, square, gray block built out of the far mountainside. I’m sure it was a foreboding, albeit lovely, sight to look at way back in the day, millennia ago, when it was built, but now I’m glaring at
LoganI stare down at the words covering a single piece of pure-white paper. It’s my evening ritual these days, especially when I’m closeted away in this room, in these barracks, instead of in a tent or curled up in a ball in my wolf form somewhere in the rural Roguelands or desert of Tarsian. I glance at the two other letters beside the paper, both neatly folded, Lexa and Nora’s names written clearly, cleanly, just like Aviva expects. She taught me how to read and write in the language of Eastonia and Crescent Falls. She was strict about it, forcing me to spend hours working on my penmanship, drilling the translations into my skull until I began to think and even dream in the language of my new home. Even at nearly thirty, I still feel an obligation to check my work, to ensure the letters I send back to Silverhide are flawless, because Aviva still cares. She’s always cared about me. I’ve failed her in so many ways. I fold up the letter I intend to send out through the post to Si
BrieI can’t get out of this gown fast enough. I lean against the door of my bedroom to close it, praying the butter-white walls give me some sense of peace, but my heart is absolutely racing. I rip at my bodice, cursing under my breath as the satin fabric snags and squeals instead of just–of just coming off. I can’t breathe. I can’t force a breath past the painful squeezing sensation echoing through my lungs. I gasp, tugging at the fabric until the bodice finally gives way. I grip my knees, gulping down air. The room spins for several more seconds before slowing, but I feel…Totally, completely overcome. “This isn’t happening,” I rasp, rising up and leaning my weight against the door. “This isn’t happening.” I close my eyes against the view of the mountains peeking through the white curtains currently dancing in the warm breeze. Only when I find it easier to breathe do I move from the door, stepping out of my dress until I’m in nothing but the tight shapewear I stuffed myself in
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 dying to meet you, anyway. He’s a warrior, you know. They’re always so handsome.”I purse my lips as she tightens her grip. “You’re entertained at my expense.”“You don’t get to complain. You’re doing this to yourself!” Maeve throws her head back in a beautiful laugh that echoes down the corridor. Everything my little sister does is beautiful because she’s stunning. Beautiful of the drop-dead gorgeous variety. She’s also only eighteen, and I doubt she fully grasps what this meeting with the Alpha of Rainway, a nearby pack in the mountains bordering Veiled Valley, and his warrior son means.Mom and
Kenna“Stay close, okay?” I shout as the girls hurry ahead of me through the woven, interlocking streets of Moonrise. It’s insane how much things have changed in the last decade. I tuck my phone in my purse; change number one. Yes, Eastonia has cell-phone service after decades of back and forth, but we’ve finally come out of the stone-age and into modernity, which includes change number two. Brie yanks Maeve out of the way when a car comes barreling down the street, bumping over the cobblestone road. I lift a hand, waving at the careless driver. This area of the city is supposed to be pedestrian only, but not everyone follows the rules. “Mom, we’re going to be late!” Brie scolds, gripping Maeve’s forearm. “Quit dragging your feet! You’re going to scuff your shoes!”“Then I’ll get new ones,” eleven-year-old Maeve grins, rolling her sea-green eyes. The castle rises above us as the girls bicker back and forth. Brie, fifteen and so beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes, throws me
Sarah“It isn’t that serious,” I tell Blake and Liam as they blink at me, their faces dappled with mud and their knees stained with grass. “But I’ve had enough of the fighting. You’re too old for this, especially you, Blake.” I fix my oldest son with a look I’ve had fourteen years to perfect.Blake, now a teenager, purses his lips and frowns. “He’s been harassing me all day–”“You were supposed to be helping me clean the garage,” Liam, thirteen, bites out. I feel the tension beginning to boil between them and clear my throat. “Both of you, enough.”“Mom–”“You’re both already grounded,” I edge, crossing my arms under my chest and arching a brow. “Do I need to add another week to your sentences? Or are you ready to behave like good little wolves and finish the chores Cosette laid out for you?”Liam grumbles under his breath. Blake mimics my stance, crossing his arms. We’re eye level at this point, and Liam isn’t far behind in the height department. Still, Ella and Maddy taught me thei
Aviva“Line up,” I whisper against ten-year-old Lexa’s ear. “Breathe in… release.” An arrow splits the cool spring air in two. A soft squeak whispers toward us as a squirrel falls from its perch on a nearby cottonwood tree. I squeeze her waist in silent congratulations while she beams, her dark-blue eyes wide and round. “Good job.” I grin, giving her a pat on the back. “Go get it.”Lexa takes off in a blur of red curls and homespun textiles in soft creams and browns that match the melting snow. In the distance, over the shadowed mountains, plumes of gray smoke stretch toward the first inklings of the sunset. Lexa bounds back to me, squirrel in hand. I tie it to her belt and help her put her bow back in her halter while seven-year-old Nora puts the finishing touches on the snowman she’s been building for the last hour.“Nora, come on!” Lexa calls out, motioning for her little sister to hurry up, but Nora has never listened to anyone in her life. I smile as the girls start to bicker b