Peter carried me for a long time. While Peter walked, I kept thinking of ways to get Candido away from Estella and focused back on me. I was still sure that getting rid of her and everyone else who was on her side, everyone who didn’t respect me, was the best way. But how? If I could get my hands on the Heart of the Moon, I could make Candido want me, make him unable to think about anything but me.The walk was quiet. The jeeps and trucks rattled on. It looked like some people traded off with the people on theI thought we'd be okay until someone up ahead started to call back that there was trouble, they said something about people coming our way.Peter sighed. “Sounds like Cillian had the right idea. None of you are in fighting shape.”He jogged further up the line towards the trucks and lifted me into one of them. It was a tight fit, people grumbled, but at least they gave me the seat I deserved.“Stay here, and we're going to try and get out of this.”Peter turned away, leaving me
I sneered at her. If it wasn’t for that man, I guess it would have been snowing in hell already.“That’s what you say,” I said. “But I’m not going to let you continue to poison Candido against me.”She cocked an eyebrow at me, and the man looked at me as if I was crazy.“You’re poisoning him against yourself.”I glared at her. “No, I’m not! Ever since you showed up—”“Hedy,” Estella cut in. “The number of times I could have killed you and didn’t… The number of times that it would have saved us all the trouble is too numerous to count.”“Are you threatening me?”“If I had,” she said. “Candido would mourn you, sure. I would tell him exactly why I did it, and eventually, he would move on.”“He would never forgive you!”She shrugged. “That has absolutely nothing to do with this conversation.”I hissed at her. “How could anyone think that you’re his mate? How could anyone think that you’re a better luna than I am!”“I wouldn’t wait until you were unable to defend yourself to try and push y
Then, the truck began to float, and I shrieked.“Put it down. I’m still on it!”Someone nearby scoffed. “Then get the fuck out of it like everyone else, you dumb ass!”Before I could reply, the truck flipped over and dumped me out. I landed with a hard thud on the ground and a cry of pain. I felt my arm crack. Maybe it was broken. It hurt so much that I could barely see straight.“You can't treat me like this! Candido, help me!” I looked around. “My leg! My arm!”I grabbed it, looking around, but Candido didn't show up. I didn't hear his voice. I didn't even see him, but I saw the rest of the caravan limping through the narrow passageway of the gorge as I saw it, I realized exactly what she meant when she said it was way too narrow for anyone to get through. She had been right and that only made me angrier.She was suspicious. She kept showing me up. She kept taking away all the attention from me and making me look bad in front of Candido.But the fact that we were at a gorge like thi
How would she know that the maps are supposed to be different? The maps that are in our database should be fine, and if they aren't, it's only because she and Damian and whoever's behind him, that Marius guy, has corrupted them.”It was so nice to have someone actually listening to me. This guy nodded along and seconded my opinions on the situation. He even agreed that Estella was a danger to the war and specifically to Candido. He believed in my ability to be Pandora, to be luna, to be exactly what I was meant to be.“I don’t think it was right for him to strip you of your power,” he said idly. “You’ve done so much for the organization as Pandora, after all. It’s hard to think that he’d do that without good reason.”My eyes burned with frustration. Why couldn't Candido see that either? That there was no good reason!“I have! He’s not appreciating it at all! None of them are. It’s so obvious that she’s just trying to take my place. I bet she doesn’t even know how to use a computer; sh
I looked over at Candido expecting him to do something to say something, yet Candido's face didn’t change.“Get out of the way, Hedy.”I couldn't believe what he was saying.“He's a member of Moon Shadow! How could his loyalty ever be questioned he's the only one–”“One,” the second woman said and cocked her gun against my temple. “Two.”“Get out of the way, Hedy,” he growled this time with a bit of command. I felt myself step aside even though I didn't want to.Duster went still. He paled as a large man called Key approached him and started rifling through his pockets. There didn't seem to be much of anything on him: a few weapons, a dagger, and a mirror. There were other random things but it seems like he really had nothing suspicious. Just as I was about to say something, Key pulled out a phone and held it in front of his face.My heart lurched what? And what was so important about a phone?“Everyone was instructed to leave the phones in Lunae once we figured out that they had take
I couldn’t believe that Candido was continuing to go through with this, but as I watched and listened, there was no sign of him stopping. Duster, or whatever his real name was, was left twitching and foaming at the mouth. Blood started to run down his cheeks from his eyes.“He’s the familiar of…” Psyche pulled back as he choked and went still. “There’s nothing left in there. His mind shattered.”I glared at the woman. Estella scoffed and lifted her gun to Duster’s head. She fired. His head exploded in a burst of blood and brains that splattered over Candido. I covered my mouth as my stomach lurched. Candido’s eyes widened. He stared at Duster’s body as it fell sideways.“She said that his mind was shattered,” Candido said. “You didn’t—Why did you do that?”Estella looked at him and blinked as she couldn’t believe that he would ask her that. I stepped forward.“It should have been Candido’s right to decide on his fate, not yours,” I said. “He was a member of Moon Shadow—”“What good is
I set my jaw. “It just goes to show that the Alpha King should have had it in the first place.”Peter chuckled. “It wasn’t the Vampire King who betrayed anyone.”“That’s a lie,” I said. “The Vampire King—”“The history you have of the war is passed down from the hands of the same man who cursed the werewolves on this side of the gates,” Peter said. “I would think that you’d be a bit more cautious about believing what a spiteful, bitter, vengeful man had to say.”I stiffened. “A curse? What are you talking about?”Peter nodded. “The moon marks, mates, the bonding madness? Wouldn’t you call all of that a curse?”“A mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess.” I glared up at him. “What are you talking about?”He cocked an eyebrow. “You know when you say that, but your expression doesn’t change, it’s like you’re lying, right?”I blinked and lifted my hand to my face. I didn’t feel anything strange in my expression.“I’m not lying. Candido is a gift. She gave him to me for everything that’s happ
The two that had tried to help Estella staggered among the earth spikes, leaving smears of blood everywhere. They fell under the weight of vampires pouncing on them, biting them. Another roar shook the air, and a burst of wind rushed through the area, shoving the vampires back into the wall. Spikes shot out, impaling them all as Candido struggled further through the crowd. None of the other bodies moved, but at this distance, I could still see Estella moving, trying to get her bearings against the wall. She slipped and light rippled over her skin again as she started to fall.Why wasn’t she dead yet? He stopped and tried to catch the other two, but he didn’t stop for long, leaving them and heading towards Estella. He gathered her close, cupping her face and cradling her to his chest.“Candido, come back!” I cried, letting the tears stream down my face. “Forget about her! She’ll get you killed!”He didn’t turn back to me. I didn’t even think he could hear me. I heard more vampires runn
She cocked an eyebrow. “They might be related, but there’s no way to know if they’re compatible.”“They’re both golden wolves. That should be enough.” I swallowed. “I don’t care what you have to do, you have to keep him alive.”Her eyes drifted down to Candido with an odd expression on her face. “I’ll see what I can do,” she looked up at me. “But… there will be a hefty cost.”“I don’t care,” I said. If Candido was really being used to stabilize Solare, whatever that meant, then I had make sure that he had enough life force, that his body still remained, after that was done to wake up. “I developed a drug that strengthened wolves,” she said. “I have a feeling that it would at least help.”My eyes bulged. “You’re… You’re the one who made the drug for the vampires.”She smiled. “I am. And?”I growled at her. “You’re a traitor.”Her smile turned cold. “And you aren’t the alpha king’s mate.”She cocked an eyebrow. “Given the state of the world, do you think they’ll care?”“Of course, the
“It was unsure if my Beloved King would have ever risen again and to what world,” she said. “It was for the best that I changed the path.”“We’re mates,” I said again. “We’re mates. Nothing you say can change that.”“Mates,” she scoffed. “A tool for conquest. Were you not listening? The vampiric power you inherited from your mother was the only reason you could fake the moon mark. The white fur you inherited from your father turned platinum because of it. When you were no longer a vampire, after Cillian had drained the last of that power out of you, you were just a plain werewolf…”“I don’t believe you,” I said. “I won’t believe you. You’re just trying to trick me.”“Your real moon mark vanished the night that your mate died trying to protect you.”I saw the senior diving in front of me and jerking as the bullets hit him in the chest. “Him?” I growled. “No. I can’t believe that.”“Neither could your mother,” she laughed. “By the time you met your grandfather, I had already been makin
I pushed at the wall, trying to get over there and drag Estella away from Candido. Then, Vanessa appeared dressed in a wispy gauzy red dress. She looked younger than the last time I had seen her. Two younger men followed her, chatting with her though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. They were dressed in red tunics. Then, I saw Claire and Francium striding towards them in red. They were holding hands. Her hair was gathered up in a flower wreath as they smiled together. They looked so happy together as they sat beside Candido and Estella. Soon, I saw other people. I saw Claire’s parents and the people I remember dying over the course of the war. They sat together in a circle around Candido and Estella, chatting happily. “Don’t be happy!” I yelled, banging on the wall. “Claire! You’re supposed to be my friend! Get her away from my mate!”No one even noticed I was there. They laughed and chatted, welcoming other people as they came to join them. Everyone else was wearing red,
Weeks passed, and in that time, I made the remaining people do what needed to be done. They fixed up the building Candido and I were in. While they couldn’t get the water or electricity working, there was a roof and the floors were cleaned. They brought me food when they came to check on Candido and busied themselves with trying to contact whoever else might be alive. “Miss Hedy.”I looked up, glaring at them. “How many times have I told you to call me luna?”The man lifted his head. “Until the king confirms it, I would never disgrace the position that way.”I glared at him. “Then, I suppose you’ll be tried for treason, then.”His eyes narrowed as two people entered the room. “You’re supposed to be regent, right?” The woman asked. “You have some authority.”I lifted my head. “I’m luna.”She pointed at the man beside her. “Then tell this man that I want nothing to do with him and he should leave me alone.”“We’re mates!” He growled. “You’re not going to leave me.”“There is no mark,”
When I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn’t awake. Candido wasn’t there with me. I was seated across a long table that I had never seen before. The windows were all made of stained glass. Moonlight filtered through the colorful glass and sent the colors splashing everywhere. At the other end of the table was the vampire king. He was darker than I remember, but his hair glowed the way it had in that castle. The crown on his brow twinkled with light. To his left, like an odd reflection, was Marius. His blonde hair didn’t glow, and he didn’t wear a crown, but looking at the two of them it was so obvious that he was related to the thing. Their eyes glowed the same. I clenched my jaw and glared at them both. “Where am I?” I asked. “If you think you can change my mind about—”“The time to change your mind has long since passed, Hedy,” the vampire king said softly. His lips twitched into a small smile. “The time to make different decisions is long since over.”He took a deep breath and shook h
I shook my head. “You’re lying. You have to be lying. How would you know if the door was closed?”He laughed. “It was closed to her and all the other traitors. No child of Lunae who still walks in the Goddess’ grace would be turned away from returning home.”I swallowed and shook my head. “She never got Candido’s grandfather or father… I imagine she’s burning with jealousy that you’re so close to what she wanted,” he smiled. “Or maybe she’s proud that you share the same tastes.”“None of that matters,” I said. “I’m not a vampire. I never was. I’m a werewolf. I’m Candido’s mate. Tell me what you plan is. What are trying to do? If you’re trying to hurt Candido, I’ll never forgive you.”He laughed, throwing his head back. “Why would I give a fuck about your forgiveness, traitor?”“I— ““You’re even worse than Hedwig in some ways,” He laughed. “At least Hedwig mourned Candido’s father and grandfather. At least she was faithful in her pursuit. You jumped at the chance to get as close to f
I fell to the ground, choking. For a moment, I imagined Candido stroking my hair like we were in one of the parlors at the Estate before the war. I could almost hear him reading a book to me, some book that I was supposed to read for class but didn’t want to. I didn’t remember the words. I wasn’t even paying attention to his words or the book. I didn’t care. I just loved that he was spending time with me. It was all that I wanted. It was all that I had ever wanted. I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the memory. Slowly, the darkness faded. I felt his lips on my forehead then he was gone. It was so cold. I shivered in the wind that picked up over the mountaintop. I opened my eyes. Dawn was coming over the mountain. I shook and rolled over and tried to get up. I could see Candido there. His fur was still golden. He hadn’t turned back. He didn’t move. I crawled toward him. “Candido?” I whispered. “Candido? You can’t be gone… She promised me. I… You promised.”I got to him and we
“Fuck!”I rolled over and tried to see what was happening as I sucked in breath after breath. I choked, trying to catch my breath as I saw a glint of silver cut through the air. The man barely choked as his head tumbled through the air. His body went up in flames. Then, I saw Raven’s face. Her eyes were filled with blood-red light.She walked toward me. A flash of silver went by me and the gag loosened. I spat it out and my hands fell apart like the cuffs were broken. Her sword was aimed at me. Her expression was cold as she looked at me. Her hand trembled. Tears streamed down her face. Her jaw trembled. Then, she lowered her blade. I couldn’t believe it. I looked around, searching for someone else, but there was no one. It was just the two of us behind the barrier. Then, the wall of light shimmered and started to fade.I heard a stroke of thunder and turned as lightning fell from the sky and slammed into the side of the mountain. I smiled. Candido was using his power and winning. W
The fury simmered behind the tears in her eyes before she turned back to the group. They talked a little longer When they broke apart, none of them came my way. Most of them went with Wren, but the man with bandages headed toward a different truck. I eyed him suspiciously. What was he doing separate from the rest of them? Were the rest of them going to Candido and leaving him behind? Where were they going?I looked across the way as Harper and Wren and the others looked at me, glaring. Their eyes were filled with red light. They drove away, never taking their eyes off me. One of the women was crying. I looked over at the bandaged man as he hauled himself onto the back of the truck, still leaning to one side. Then, the truck I was in started to drive away. I turned back to see where were going and knew we were headed toward the mountain from my vision. My heart started to race. It seemed like we were heading to the end of the war now.“Black Team,” someone said. “En route to Gold Tea