"Come on, woman. Don't keep us hanging. Let us see you. You know you want to play with us. This brings back memories, doesn't it? Us hunting you down, and you finding out your mate was one of us, only to fuck him over in the cruelest way? I didn't take you for a sentimental bitch, Princess." Zayne's tone held amusement, causing a shiver to rush down my spine.I heard them pounce where I'd discarded my robe, and grunts of laughter escaped to fill the room. I lifted my eyes to the window that led into the court- yard, beyond where the pack had gathered. My body trembled as I dashed forward, hearing their cries of discovery as I left my hiding place, rushing toward the window.I launched my body into the air and yelped as something solid collided against me. I bounced, landing on the floor with a bone-jarring thud. Flipping onto my ass, I stared up as Saint looked down at me. His men formed a V behind him, all foreboding in their attire.They'd grown up. Saint was the largest and roughes
Saint and his men walked me through the hallways that were now crawling with strangers. Unfortunately, in true fashion, they blocked anyone from seeing my skimpily clothed body while keeping me from seeing anyone else. The scents of human hunters, demons, and wolves inside the lodge set off warning bells in my head. Those three types of creatures never went together. No matter how hard they tried to be allies, it always ended in a bloodbath.At the door to my room, Eryx reached past me, opening it only to groan as they discovered it was filled with women. His startling green eyes moved back to meet mine, and then a deep, loud growl rumbled from his chest, sending the betas and omegas in my room into a frenzy. My body pulsed, and Saint chuckled, yanking me back as his arm slung around my middle, pulling my body against his.The women slinked out of the room, some of them crawling on their knees in fear. I had to fight the urge to kick Eryx for creating their panic, but I was certain I'
This mate crap was for the birds, not wolves. Saint slipped his hand around my waist, lifting until his palm touched against my throat. His other hand was slowly sliding down to my sex that clenched and begged him to fill it with his essence. The savage wolf within me didn't understand or even care that he intended to hurt us and leave us in a heap of destroyed ruins. Saint jerked my body back, chuckling as a moan bubbled up, escaping my lips."Tell me this isn't for me," he urged, his fingers sliding through the arousal he'd created by allowing his wolf to speak to mine. "You're so fucking wet right now. You'd let me fuck you, wouldn't you? Your wolf wouldn't let you fight it right now. Tell me I'm wrong, Brae. How is it she responds to me so easily if you're not mine?""She has a split personality disorder on her best days," I whispered huskily, rubbing my pussy against his fingers."She knows she's mine by right." He pushed a single finger into my body, and it tightened, holding hi
I sat in my room, inhaling some herbs to calm my anxiety. Eryx watched me from where he leaned against the wall, his dark gaze sliding over the dress I now wore. It wasn't sheer like a traditional mating gown, but then I hadn't even owned one until yesterday. My mind whirled with how Saint and his men had infiltrated the compound, slipping past the other packs without detection. Either someone here had helped them, or they'd turned some packs around the mountain against us."Are you planning to hide out there until he returns for you?" Eryx asked, his voice coming from right behind me. I spun on my heel, stepping back against the railing of the balcony as he smiled coldly. He reached for my hand, pulling the herb stick away from me before holding it to his nose. "Does this shit help?""It calms my nerves and helps to hide what I was from my father.""A treacherous bitch?" he snorted, pulling a drag from it then slowly exhaling it.I turned my attention back to the pack which had alrea
"Nothing!" I cried, turning to look at the drop which would kill even an immortal. "Nothing, Saint! My father didn't know we grew it. My mother's people brought the herbs with them from Norway, planting them all over the mountain to increase the alpha's calmness. It simply suppressed his need to kill everything and the rage that drove it!" I tore my eyes from the ground, looking back at his angry face."Why do they always look down? It only increases the fear they feel at dangling over such height," Eryx asked, pulling off the joint while he enjoyed the show.Saint jerked me over the railing and shoved me against the wall. His hand pushed against my throat before he turned to Eryx, grabbing the joint to inhale it deeply. Saint grinned and pressed his lips against mine, forcing the smoke into my lungs. He lifted his hand, holding it against my nose and mouth as my lungs burned.When he finally released me, a deep cough clapped out of my throat, and I tapped my hand against my chest. He
Saint sat beside me, his leg brushing against mine, sending a flurry of butterflies erupting into flight inside my belly. His hand lowered, and once more, he tugged on the blankets before expelling air from his lungs. He didn't rip them out of my hands, choosing to lean over me to retrieve the cup and wine.He poured the wine into the pewter goblet as my body trembled, knowing that I wasn't escaping tonight. It wasn't that I feared sex with Saint; it was that he'd discover the truth and turn something that should be beautiful, ugly. He offered me the wine, and I reached to grab the cup as he pulled the covers away from my body, smiling in victory. My lips touched the goblet, and his eyes slid down my naked body with a hunger that consumed my thoughts. I'd wanted him, and this. He'd been the only lover I'd ever wanted. When I'd denied him as my true soul mate to save him, I'd settled into a life of subpar reality. Sipping the wine, I licked my lips before offering him my cup.It was tr
Groaning loudly, I burrowed deeper into the heated body beside me. Lifting my head, I stared into blue-green eyes that smiled at me as I slowly woke up. I pulled away from Saint, but he pounced, landing on top of me as his hand cov- ered my mouth. Lowering his lips against my ear, he rumbled low in a raspy voice."Don't make a sound, Brat," he growled, pushing into my body.I trembled around him, groaning at the ache he'd left between my thighs. My body screamed at his abrupt entrance, which was already sore and achy from the three times he'd taken me throughout the night. I lifted my spine and wrapped my legs around his waist to adjust to his size. He growled, creating more arousal to ease his slow thrust as he studied me.His scent was heady, causing my stomach to clench as he methodically worked my body toward the precipice of release. Saint smiled, lowering his mouth against my ear as he grunted, rocking into my body's welcoming heat."If you make any noise, I will turn you over a
A tremor of unease moved through me, sending every instinct I had on high-alert. Eryx's nostrils flared as he lowered his lips to my throat, placing a soft kiss against my thundering pulse. His hand moved, skimming his fingers over the curve of my hipbone. Deep, wicked laughter escaped him before he lift- ed his mouth to press it against mine. I turned away, keeping my lips at a distance from his."Come on, give me some sugar, Brae. You and I could have ended up to- gether if you'd stopped running away from me ten years ago," he urged, but there was a catch in his voice."You and I have nothing in common, let alone a connection.""You have a pussy, and I have a cock. What other connection do we need?" he mused, stepping back to drag his heady stare down my body. "If you think that is all that is needed to breed with a mate, you're fucked,Eryx.""No one said shit about breeding. Sometimes it isn't about connecting, Princess. It's about unleashing anger on your partner. You'd enjoy bei
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