"Monsters can hide in plain sight, with no one suspecting what lies beneath the surface. The world is filled with them, and most are human. Lucas was always a monster, but he hid it behind kind eyes and smiles. It was my job to find the demons and drive them out, and I failed. Maybe I deserved what I had endured since I'd failed the pack in spotting the monster within our midst. My father never hid the sinister nature he wore like a cloak around him. The pack was always wary of him, but they stayed because of me. Because of my legacy and the bloodline that I hold." Guilt washing over me that I was held in a prison of my own making. Not me, per second, but the blood rushing through my veins drove Fenrir wolves to our gates, where they'd become my responsibility to protect."It isn't your fault, Braelyn. What happened to you down there-it shouldn't have happened to anyone. Ever. Saint is coming. I'll call Douglas and secure passage. You figure out how to lose your guards." Tora's eyes f
It was a weird feeling not to work with the pack from sunrise to sundown. Instead, I stood on the balcony that looked out over the countryside. My room was one of the few that had a balcony with a view of the sprawling mountain range.Snow blanketed the peak, indicating that the entire mountain would soon be covered in the soft, icy grip of winter's mercy. Much like Saint, it was without sympathy, making roadways impassable, cutting the pack off from the outside world.The icy wind bit into my naked arms, sending my hair whipping against my face while I watched the sun setting behind the highest mountain. The thin gown I wore did little to keep the chill from settling in my bones, but I wel- comed the cold that burned my face, leaving it red from the freezing air.Already the pack was behind schedule, running around without no one leading them. The alphas had ignored Toralei's guidance, and even from the front balcony, I could discern that the lumber they'd accepted wasn't weathered o
"Was she there when...?""When he cut me with his blade? Or the time he sliced my thighs open to ensure I couldn't stand anymore? No. She only came in long enough to tie me up, inflict a few cuts of her own, hoping to speed up the process, and left me to die. Don't worry; you don't have to kill your mistress, Saint. The cuts weren't very deep." I whispered, barely audible past the tears that tightened in my throat."She was a mother, you know? Carleigh watched traffickers murder her daughter on a live feed. Subscribers paid twenty thousand dollars to watch her daughter and sister tortured. They placed them on a barrel that was tilted, forc- ing them to balance on it for hours. Her daughter didn't last long. She was sev- ered into pieces because some sick bastard wanted to watch a child die. Her sis ter lasted until she watched her niece falling to the floor, dead. She stepped off the barrel, willingly."I closed my eyes against the imagery he painted. Carleigh told me why she put me o
"And our child? Do I end up removed from their life after I've given birth?" I whispered, whimpering as his hand cupped my sex, holding my stare."No, because I intend to breed many from you," he uttered huskily, rub- bing his fingers against the clenching pulse he created between my thighs. "Remember when I asked you how many babies you wanted?""All the babies," I replied, holding his gaze. "I wanted to be the mother to all of your babies, and you wanted many. I was silly and hadn't been allowed to see how they were brought into the world yet, Saint. I've assisted in births and have changed my mind on how many I want since then.""You'll give me pretty, powerful alpha babies, Braelyn. I have no intention of staying away from you or your body anymore. I fucked Carleigh before com- ing back for you on this mountain, and I don't intend to take anyone else now. I have my mate back, and her body is what I crave. This..." he growled, pushing his fingers against my opening. "...is mine to
Showered and dressed in a maxi skirt with slits up both hips, I peered at my exhausted reflection. The top I wore was simple and light blue, allowing the outline of my breasts to show through it. My hair hung loose since I was too mentally drained to bother with it or makeup tonight.Saint hadn't left the room, dressing behind me while studying me through narrowed eyes. If he sensed I was exhausted, he said nothing. Turning to face him, I paused as a knock sounded at the door. I watched him open it while I waited silently behind him."I have the shots you ordered, Saint. Is she ready?" Eryx motioned to an older male with soft, brown eyes that peered over to where I stood."Hi, Braelyn?" the man said shyly. "Yes," I answered, staring at the tray he held as he entered the room."I'm Jacob, Jacob Bardwell. I have a few shots that your mate requested. It will help you become more fertile and kick-start your heat cycle. They're safe and relatively painless. He mentioned that you would need
Eryx escorted me into the dining hall as Saint walked ahead of us. I predicted what was coming, preparing myself for the sting against my pride as my pack turned, standing for Saint. The moment I entered, they gave me their backs before sliding into their chairs. This was their response to the fact that they didn't believe Saint had punished me enough.My attention slid over the pack, knowing that without me informing them of what I'd endured, they wouldn't see it from my side. Showing them my side though, terrified me. What if they thought less of me, knowing I'd been too weak to defend myself against my sick father? Would their pity stares shred me deeper than their sense of betrayal? I hated the idea of them ever looking at me as less than I was. I wanted them to see me as someone who had survived hell and hadn't allowed my tormentor to win. Starting forward, I groaned, watching the alpha females form a line on both sides of the walkway between tables. Swallowing down the uneasines
"Easy, they threatened Chaos, and I decided to end them. I raised him. He may not be my blood, but he's my son in every other sense of the word. Lucy knew that, aiming to raise my anger. So I took her fucking head. The speed, it's a perk of being a Fenrir bloodline wolf, blessed with the power of the god inside my veins. Drink?" I asked, grabbing for the bourbon to pour it into my glass as he stared at me.Saint reached around, grabbing the bottle from my hand. I narrowed my eyes while he sat beside me silently. I could hear the whispered words of the pack, knowing they were reeling at the fact I'd removed the heads of six female alphas in a matter of seconds. I'd never exposed my speed or my strength to anyone. Not even my beta had been aware of the way I could move. I'd used my speed only a few times, once with Saint recently."You... What did you just do?" Xariana's eyes never left the bodies being carted from the dining hall. "I didn't even see you move.""You wouldn't have since
Saint walked me back to the bedroom, leaving me alone inside for hours. While I waited for him, I showered and refused to put my regular clothes back on because the feel of them against my sensitive flesh was too much. I hadn't even been able to wear panties because anything against my sex had created friction, stimulating my need into a painful, heightened state of arousal. I searched my room for my stash of alcohol and herbs, only to find them all gone. Sliding a sheer, baby blue nightgown over my head, I resumed pacing aimlessly.I felt as if my skin was crawling with tiny bugs. Everything had sharpened; all my senses were fine-tuned and enhanced. My nipples had grown achy, hard tips that pushed against the sheer material of the gown. The friction was causing me to be even more aroused than I already was, if that was even possible.The door to my room opened, and I turned, staring at Saint, who entered. I examined him with a predatory gaze, following him as he came further into the
Jackson's hands moved over his heart, and a roguish smile covered his lips. "Never call it such. Daisy Dame," he laughed. "I better go fix the jukebox before Floyd gets here and starts beating it again." "He does love his music," I muttered, turning my attention to the door as it opened.Royce and Bryce, regulars at the bar, entered, shaking the snow from their jackets as they removed them. Grabbing a pitcher, I tipped it to fill for them and took the $20 bill he placed on the bar, breaking it into change for them to play pool. Once they headed off, I started mixing the drinks we'd serve for the special.People began filing in as the clock ticked on, and the music got more bois- terous. I'd finished mixing the drinks for a group of women who were slumming it, their words, not mine. Jackson worked beside me, moving through the orders for the kitchen while I focused on the drinks.I was pouring another pitcher of beer when the doors opened, and a man entered. My senses screamed in warni
BraelynStepping out of the shower, I peered around the small cramped room. It was hardly big enough to turn around in, but it was clean. We'd rented a new apartment in a high traffic area, close to work, once we'd noticed the wolves around the one Douglas had chosen for us. It would have been more dangerous to be around wolves, especially considering Saint had left me in a precarious condition.I dressed in a pair of soft, stretchy jeans and pulled the camisole top over my sensitive breasts. Turning sideways in the cramped room, I looked at the gentle swell of my belly in the mirror. It was noticeable now and hard to hide that I was pregnant. Groaning. I grabbed the sweater and slipped my arms into it, shoving my hair into a messy bun before I left the room. The stale scent of takeout food made my nose itch, hating that it wasn't the fresh food we'd had on the mountain. I missed the mountain and the protection it would have offered me in my current condition. I hated waking up every
Zayne killed the feed as I moved to grab Chaos. I didn't even know what to say to him since I wasn't able to process what I'd seen. I'd accused Braclyn of helping Harold, and she'd been his primary victim. Why hadn't she said any- thing? Why hadn't she tried to reach me with the truth?"That's why she was so sad all the time," Chaos whispered, his eyes swim- ming with unshed tears. "She tried to hide it and pretend not to be sad, but I sensed it. I caught it once when she was trying to pretend she was happy." He sniffled, and I frowned at his words.I swallowed down the sick feeling as I tried to recall Braelyn ever acting like a victim. "How the fuck did we miss this?" I asked myself, but it was Chaos who answered."You had to watch her when she didn't think you were. Fear is an emotion. and so is pain. We control our emotions, and only we allow people to see them." He handed me a phone, and I stared at it. "I saw it because she seemed sad, but she's Braelyn. She is only sad when no
Nausea washed through me, knowing exactly how much pain was involved when skinned alive. The entire room watched as Harold tossed the knife aside and spoke to the camera, with no volume, as per his usual shit. It wasn't until someone else entered the room, his face obscured by a mask, that the camera was adjusted, and the volume came to life. I didn't relish the idea of hearing her screams or reliving the tortured memories they'd bring back to life."Nothing yet? She's a different breed, Harold," the masked male an- nounced, and even though he was wearing the mask, we all knew it was Lucas."There is that sadistic fuck, Lucas. I can't believe he was under our noses all this time, and had been the one to help Harold in his torture session. But why wear the mask?" Eryx gripped his fists and shook in rage.My eyes slid back to the woman, noting her head was covered, and I was willing to bet she was probably gagged beneath the sack. It helped Harold and Lucas to dehumanize their victims.
Saint-Three Months LaterI watched Cole Van Helsing climb out of the Blackhawk helicopter, shield- ing his eyes as he moved toward me, shaking the snow from his heavy coat. Tat- tooed fingers righted the collar of his jacket, and he smiled upon seeing me. "Van Helsing," 1 announced, running my eyes over the tattoo that covered his brow and his temple to vanish into his hairline. "Kingsley, pleasure as always," Cole said in a heavily accented tone that most women would fawn over. "You are causing quite the issue for us. I hope your mate is worth it," he concluded, nodding at the other helicopters that were coming in as Cole's took off to refuel."She is, and I believe she's pregnant with my child," I announced, watching his face pinch with distaste."Seems to be in the water lately," he grumbled. "Someone needs to invent some immortal-proof birth control.""You too, huh?" I asked."No, not me." he said in a tone filled with anger. "Rhys is going to be a daddy, but he's rejected his mat
"You should run until you reach the furthest exit. It should have anyone trailing Braelyn's scent on your tail while we head in the opposite direction. They aren't expecting her to go through the river, and the rafts will make it near impossible for Saint to catch her scent on the wind. Once you get to the end of the tunnel, Tyler, get on the bike and toss the nightgown over the cliffside. It should have them searching for her until nightfall, leaving us enough time to put some distance between them and us." Douglas dropped the nightgown into Tyler's hand, watching as he took one last long, heated glance at Tora, who smirked wickedly at his interest. "Go, you two can hook up much later once we're off this cursed mountain. The snow is coming, and once it does, we'll be easier to track."We watched Tyler vanish into one of the many caves. Douglas sprinkled the pepper over the entrance of others, including a light dusting at the one where Tyler had disappeared. Moving to where Tora and I
I'd dressed in a soft pair of jeans and flat, leather, thigh-high boots with multiple buckles covering the top of the leather, curving and hugging my calves. The jacket I'd chosen was army green, with soft fur lining that heated against my arms. Tugging the jacket up tighter, I zipped it while walking the perimeter of the courtyard with Phenrys, my unlucky babysitter for the day.He was silent and vigilant as we moved through the mostly empty yard. I paused, inhaling the crisp air that threatened snow as it stung against my nose and cheeks. "It's cold as shit out here," he grumbled, rubbing his hands together while studying the way I moved. "We're going back inside momentarily because I'm over the cold.""I need to light the candles inside my mother's crypt. They've been ne- glected, and I'd like to do so before we go back inside."Phenrys dropped his head, rolling it back to look at me before sliding his gaze to the crypt that sat a few yards away from the newly built ad-on. Nodding,
"Oh, this will be fun." I turned back to him, noticing how his eyes skimmed over my bare skin."Hey, they're at least excited to meet you from what he told me. But there are other Alpha's in the city and the meetings with them aren't going as smoothly without me. They're on edge, and some of them might be secretly against me. There's a lot going on.""Something is always happening in the world. They just all seem to be happening to us right now." I gave him the closest thing I could to a comforting smile, one that wasn't a mask. I needed to be real with him. "Luckily, we can handle your wolves with little interference.""Our wolves, you mean." He corrected and my brow pinched together. "We're mated now, officially. You bear my mark and I'm the Alpha. That makes you their Luna by wolf law."I rose from the bed, setting my feet on the cold floor and closing my eyes as I steadied myself. "Apollo, there's still a chance we won't make it out of here alive. The wolves, that's easy in my min
Saint climbed into bed, naked. He didn't move the pillows, choosing to slide beneath the covers. Before I could guess what Saint intended, he'd yanked on the blanket, lifting it, sending all the pillows shooting into the air, raining down around the bed. He pounced, capturing my wrists above my head, smiling down at me.“No more walls, woman. You and me, we have to figure out a balance so that we can live together. I know you're struggling because I can feel your turmoil through the link. I can feel your need to run, to escape me, and that isn't happening. I know you, Brae. I know you because you live within in me, inside my fucking soul.""If you really knew me, Saint, you'd know I would never be involved in anything that would hurt this pack." I whispered, struggling to get out from beneath him.He allowed me to wiggle from his grip as he settled in beside me. His attention moved over my face before he softly exhaled. "At night, when they'd put us back into our cells. I dreamed of y