FerrahFrustration wasn’t a strong enough word to describe what I was feeling. I was so taken off guard by my conversation with Onyx that I hadn’t been able to sleep all night. It wasn’t just that the memory of his hand holding mine made my heart beat erratically, although that was true, too. It was the fact that he had confided in me. The raw emotion on his face and in his voice was impossible to ignore. It took me so off guard that I had confessed my own plans to kill him. He had assumed that I was speaking in the past tense, otherwise, I would not still be in this comfortable room. The papers strewn out on the desk in front of me didn’t hold the answers that I was hoping for. The detailed notes that I was keeping about Onyx and his pack gave no indication about the trustworthiness of the story he told me last night. There was no way for me to know if he was being completely honest or not. But, somehow, I knew that he was. I didn’t believe that he would be capable of fak
OnyxThe papers piled up on my desk were daunting to look at. I had been spending too much time away from my office and things were starting to get out of hand. I had several days worth of reports to read and countless letters to respond to. It didn’t help that rumors about the captive witch in the Alpha King’s house had reached the other packs already. The other alphas wanted to know how they could reassure their packs that they’re safe. People were confused and frightened about why Ferrah was in the village at all. If I brought her to the elder’s house and locked her in the old basement dungeon, there wouldn’t be so much confusion. I couldn’t do that to her, though. It was miserable down there. I didn’t know how to answer these letters. Rydel was seated in a swivel chair on the opposite side of the desk, helping me to write quick responses to the simpler letters. He had been quiet all morning, which told me that he wanted to say something, but he was holding back. It bot
Ferrah My notes weren’t helping me make a decision at all. Nothing was helping. What I felt for Onyx now was so at odds with everything that I knew about shifters, and everything that I knew about myself. I had no idea what the right decision was anymore. I kept coming back to the same thought, no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of it. Give them a chance. It seemed absurd, but I couldn’t think of another way to proceed. I hadn’t left this room without Onyx since I was moved here. I could, though. The guards would follow me to make sure I didn’t try anything, but was that really such a bad thing? I was pretty sure that they would protect me if someone tried to attack me unprovoked. I slipped my shoes on and went to the door. I took a deep breath to steel myself, then opened it. The guards turned to me with surprise and took a step back, to make room for me. I stepped out slowly and closed the door behind me. “Is everything alright?” one of the guards asked. “Y
Ferrah“I need to find Onyx,” I said urgently. The guards exchanged worried glances, then frowned at me in concern at my sudden outburst. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. If I freaked them out, they wouldn’t help me. “I mean, I need to speak with the Alpha King,” I continued. “I’ve just thought of something that I need to discuss with him. About the prophecy.” It wasn’t a lie. Something about the green eyed figure made me think that he could be involved in the prophecy somehow. He was clearly extremely powerful. It could be that he was a threat that we were meant to face. I had to tell Onyx about him so that we could figure out how to address the situation. They exchanged another uncertain look, then one of the guards, an older man with a dark beard and close shaved hair looked at me. “We really don’t know where he is,” he told me. “What about Emron?” the second guard asked. He was a younger man with bright eyes and freckles. He was always a little
OnyxWhen I lifted my head from my work to find Ferrah standing a few feet from me, I was surprised and oddly relieved. The feeling only lasted a moment before the pull caused my heart to twist painfully with desire. I forced the feeling aside as quickly as I could. The look on her face made it clear that she wasn’t here for the pleasure of my company. Something was very wrong. I stood and approached her. I stopped myself before I reached her, although my instinct was to comfort her as she was obviously upset. When she didn’t reply to my question, a spark of anger flashed through me. I turned to follow her eyes and glared at Rydel and Emron. I swear, those two lacked any sense of social grace. She was obviously here in a distressed state, yet they were standing at the door, staring at her in anticipation like they were watching a play. “Get out,” I told Rydel. He could hear the irritation in my voice and turned to go immediately. Emron didn’t move. Rydel grabbed his brot
FerrahI stared at Onyx in shock as he snarled at me. I couldn’t believe that this was happening. I was trying to warn him that his people were in danger, and he was judging me. Just like everyone else here did. I had been so wrong about him. I had been so wrong about everything. I couldn’t even be angry right now. All I felt was defeat and humiliation. My eyes were welling with tears, but I held them back. I would not cry in front of him. I turned my back to him and rushed to the door. He didn’t call after me or try to stop me. The office door opened to reveal Emron and Rydel standing just beyond it. They had obviously been eavesdropping, but it didn't matter. None of this mattered anymore. I carefully closed the door behind me, then I pushed past them and hurried down the hallway towards my room. I heard them exclaim in confusion and surprise, but I didn’t stop. I was distantly aware that my guards were at my heels, but I didn’t slow down. It didn’t matter if they were c
OnyxIt had been three days since Ferrah escaped. I still didn’t understand how it happened. The guards that had been placed outside of her room insisted that they couldn’t remember anything after she ran crying into her room and slammed the door. I wasn’t surprised. She had her magic back, Rydel had seen her use it to evaporate the iron bars that had secured her window. She must have done something to make them forget. I didn’t know how she had broken the bracelet, but without it, she was able to escape. I was more than a little disturbed when I found it on the ground. If the bracelet was the only thing holding back her magic, then she had been a willing prisoner in the packhouse for nearly a week. All the time she had been here before I put the bracelet on her, she had been able to use her magic and had chosen not to. Why? She could have attacked us at any moment. She could have killed me in my sleep. She could have killed us all. She did nothing. I just couldn’t make
FerrahThe last few days were far more difficult for me than I could have anticipated. I should have been overjoyed at finally being free of Onyx and his prison cell, but I wasn’t. I felt numb, more than anything. It was like I was just going through the motions because I didn’t know what else to do. I was back to my usual routine, back to my old life. Everything was familiar and easy, again. I covered my scent and my tracks the way I always had, and I slept safely in my glamored tent. It was simple. I should have been relieved. This is what I had wanted, right? Everything was peaceful and quiet. I was alone with my thoughts again, far from the howling and boisterous banter of the shifters. No matter how many times I tried to repeat these reassuring thoughts to myself, nothing changed. I still felt like a ghost of my former self. I packed my belongings into my travel bag slowly. There was no reason to rush. Once my tent was packed away and my bag was slung over my shoulder,
Ferrah The morning after the Mountain Pass attack was clear and calm. It almost felt wrong for the day to look so welcoming. The sunlight showed exactly how much damage had been done. The loss of life was substantial, but most of those who fell were members of Gilliam’s pack. Bodies were still being identified, so we didn’t know the extent of the damage yet. Onyx was absolutely sick about it. The signal that Emron sent had reached the neighboring packs and reinforcements arrived just before dawn. They were aiding in the cleanup and care of the wounded. It was a relief to have their help. It meant that the people involved in the attack didn’t have to push themselves to deal with the immediate aftermath. They were able to find their families and comfort one another. The members of Mountain Pass that didn’t surrender had fled into the forest. It was likely that some kind of follow up attack would be coming, but with the loss of Gilliam it would take them time to make another move
FerrahOnyx was injured and there was nothing I could do. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move. The huge black wolf’s muzzle was matted in blood and I could see a crimson pool spreading around Onyx. If I could just get to him, I knew that I could save him. Soxor wouldn’t allow it, though. His hold on me was like a vice. All I could do was watch what was unfolding in front of me. Onyx’s golden eyes locked with mine. I could feel tears streaming down my face. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. The pull in my chest increased suddenly. I felt like my heart was going to burst, then something snapped into place and I could feel Onyx’s warmth in my mind. I could hear his voice. Relief and grief flooded through me. I tried to tell him how sorry I was for failing him, but he shushed me. He reassured me of my strength, but I didn’t believe him. I had been useless this entire fight. The moment I stepped outside, Soxor had me under his control. The black wolf started to mov
OnyxThe moment I stepped outside, I could feel the heaviness in the air. Panic and fear had overtaken the pack. People were running and screaming and the scent of copper was thick in the air. Through the mind-link I could feel Emron, Rydel, and Sybil nearby. It was obvious that none of them had snapped into action as they should have. I wasn’t sure why, but that was a matter for another time. I was able to snap them out of their inaction quickly and get things back on track. The tide started to turn in our favor almost immediately. I ran into the fight, doing what I could do to help the vulnerable make it to safety. That was my focus until the streets were clear of bystanders. Once that was accomplished, I was going to find that bastard Gilliam and tear him apart. A pair of smaller wolves were chasing a young boy down the street. I jumped between them and growled at the wolves. They hesitated and backed up a few steps. The child continued to run in a blind panic. The door o
FerrahI opened the door and Onyx rushed out into the fray. I watched all of the gentleness he had just shown me melt away. The man that I was looking at now was the warrior that was whispered about around taverns and marketplaces. His expression was cold and calculating as he scanned the chaos around us. This was the man that had overseen the war for over a decade. He was decisive and devastating in battle. It was a side of him that I had never seen in person before, and it was captivating. His power was unmistakable. He was the only one that didn’t seem to be overwhelmed by the situation. There were shifters filling the narrow street, both in humanoid form and in wolf form. The air was conjested with the sound of screaming and growling. It was almost deafening. I was amazed we hadn’t heard more of it from inside of the house. The sound of feet on the cobblestones was adding to the clattering sounds of fighting. I could see women running from the street, some carrying childre
Ferrah It was obvious from the look on Rydel’s face that he had seen Soxor. I knew that before he confirmed it with his description. He was distrubed. I could see that he was shivering just slightly. His instincts were screaming at him that there was danger and he knew that he should run from it, but he couldn’t. His obligations to his pack wouldn’t allow him to. He was looking to Onyx for guidance, but he wasn’t able to focus on Rydel. The rest of the room had erupted in a cascade of panicked questions and arguing. They were pushing towards Onyx, demanding his attention and trying to shove each other away. Sybil was shouting over the crowd, demanding that they calm down and shut up. It only caused more argument as the thin haired Alpha screamed that she was a traitor and she had brought this down on us all. I wanted to focus on what was happening. I wanted to help Onyx, but my mind was reeling. I could hardly breathe. The room felt too small and the air itself felt like it w
OnyxDamien, the Alpha of River pack, had been aggressive with Ferrah from the moment we entered the room. I could feel my anger beginning to bubble under my skin. The disrespect in his tone was impossible to miss. He was always close with Gilliam, and I knew that this situation was a sensitive one for him. But that didn’t excuse his lack of decorum. I kept reminding myself that Ferrah didn’t need me to speak for her. I had to intercede to keep the elders in order, but I did my best to hold my tongue until my intervention was necessary. Tensions were high, that was to be expected. Ferrah’s escape, Sybil’s betrayal, and the truth about Gilliam conspiring against us had all come to light within a few days. Everyone was having trouble processing it. Ferrah was doing an admirable job explaining the situation to the assembled alphas. She was articulate and persuasive. She came from a long line of great leaders, so it shouldn’t have surprised me. I was impressed with how well sh
FerrahOnyx had his arm around me while we walked to the meeting with the elders. I was grateful for the reassuring contact. There were people openly staring at me as we passed them. It seemed like they were hurrying out of buildings to see us pass. I could hear whispers, but I couldn’t make out anything that was being said. Some people were glaring at me, others seemed nervous. A few were looking at me with excitement, which confused me greatly. I wanted to ask Onyx about it, but he was deep in thought. I focused on the sound of our feet on the cobblestones. The walk to the old brick house was short, but the stares of the pack made it feel like it was taking forever. “Ferrah,” a woman’s voice called out. I looked up in surprise to find Sybil hurrying towards me. I looked down at her leg. She had a slight limp, but she seemed to be moving without pain. “You’re alright,” I said in relief. I was concerned that I had been too late in getting Sybil home. Her injury had looked
FerrahI smiled as I started to wake up. I felt more well rested than I had in a long time. I cracked my eyes open to find that the source of warmth beneath me was Onyx. He was still sleeping and his arm was wrapped firmly around me, holding me against him. I snuggled closer. There was nowhere I would rather be right now. Late last night, Onyx and I had shared a shower, then he had ordered a light meal to be brought up to the room. I smiled as I remembered the light conversation and heavy flirting that had filled our evening until finally, exhausted and sated, I had drifted to sleep in his arms. It was surreal to think that this is how our relationship was progressing. It wasn’t very long ago that my greatest ambition in life was to kill him. So much changed in the blink of an eye. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so safe. Sleep was normally a short and shallow thing for me. It was dangerous to sleep too soundly when you were traveling and even in the coven settlemen
Ferrah We were kissing. I should have been appalled with myself. I should have been horrified that I would let this man who had haunted my nightmares for half of my life put his hands on me. But I wasn’t. The way his lips felt against mine was right. I realized that this was what the pulling in my chest had been leading me towards. This was what I wanted. Onyx cupped my face gently and moved closer to me. I gripped his arms and pulled him in eagerly. He made a surprised sound, but allowed me to guide him closer. I was shocked by my own boldness, but the touch of his skin against mine was too much for me to resist. The pulling feeling that was plaguing me was stronger than ever before. I made no attempt to fight it. I let it guide me. Onyx made a soft sound against me as I pulled him onto the bed. The mattress dipped under our combined weight as he straddled me, his lips never leaving mine. Heat was coursing through me, making my breath catch in my chest. I shuddered