Anxiety gripped my heart, squeezing it until I thought I would puke or pass out. I glanced at the mirror in the break room. A tangled web of purple and black pulsated over my head as I held the phone to my ear.He’s not going to answer, Lily muttered, but I ignored her.When I was about to give up, Robert answered the phone with a gruff “Hello?”“Hi, honey. I’m so sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to remind you that the cruise is tomorrow. We have to be at the port by 5 PM,” I said cheerily, fighting past the lump in my throat.“Yeah, yeah. Tomorrow at 5. Listen, I have to go,” and before I could say anything else, he hung up, leaving me with the sound of a woman’s husky laugh ringing in my ear.Who the hell was that? Lily demanded, but I was just as much in the dark as she was.Probably just a customer at the bar, I told her. It had to be. I trusted Robert completely.Still, I put the phone back into my apron pocket with a sigh.“What did he do this time?” a voice asked from beh
I couldn’t help but stare at him. His midnight-black hair framed and an olive-tone faced. His forest-green eyes peered through thich eyelashes, gazing at the woman across from him.“Don’t start with me, Arthur,” Sofia snapped, flipping her honey-blonde hair behind her shoulders. A small carry-on was beside her. Did she mean to leave the ship?“We’ve been together for eight years, Sofia. On top of that, we’re fated. I don’t understand why you keep denying me.” Arthur’s voice came out strained, the heartbreak evident in every syllable. Despite his earlier attitude, my heart went out to him.“We’ve been over this. You only want to marry me so that I can provide you and your family with heirs. And you know as well as I do that being fated doesn’t equal love. You don’t actually love me,” Sofia said matter-of-factly. I wanted to tell her that that was a lie, but nobody knew about Lily’s ability to read emotions and we had to keep it that way.Arthur’s body stiffened. “I do love you.”Sofia
“What do you think you’re doing, little wolf?” Arthur’s voice was all growl but it didn’t scare me. Given his current emotional state, I was surprised that he could speak at all.“Please don’t do this. Think about your poor grandmother. How would she feel if you were gone?” I pleaded, burying my head into his back. I tightened my arms around him, hoping that he could feel that at least one person was here for him tonight.Arthur firmly, but gently removed my hands from his body, his strength overpowering me. I felt like a child compared to him. He stepped down from the railing and turned, pushing me back with his hands on my shoulders.Arthur frowned down at me. “Did you really think I was going to jump into the sea?”I furrowed my brows. “Weren’t you? You were obviously upset…and crying…” My voice trailed off as he glared at me and I ducked my head to escape it.Arthur sighed. With his thumb and forefinger, he cupped my chin and lifted my face back to his. “I wasn’t crying. The sea b
I don’t know how long I stood there just watching the two of them together. It was like a trainwreck that I couldn’t take my eyes off of. I could barely even hear Lily while she was raging inside.Something must have given me away because Robert slowed down and looked over his shoulder. He didn’t even give me the courtesy of pulling out of her. He just gave me a look full of contempt as he eyed me up and down. His lip curled in disgust.“Where the hell were you last night? What are you wearing?”He has some nerve, Lily growled and she was so close to the surface now. I could feel her fur brushing across my skin. If I didn’t get control of my emotions, I was going to shift. And possibly tear that woman apart.“Well?” Robert asked as a perfectly manicured hand traced invisible lines across his shoulder. I shuddered, my heart constricting so tightly that I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t answer even if I wanted to.“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. We’re done, Almara,” he spat, his words like v
Arthur smiled at me. “Your wish is my command. I’ll send someone for your things. Just go to the room and do what you have to do. Cry, scream, tear the room apart. Just let it all out.”And then he left and I was all alone again. I wished I could just leave the cruise ship. I didn’t want to be here anymore. But we were far enough away from the shore by now that there was no chance of going back.He’s giving me whiplash. He’s sour, then he’s sweet, and then sour all over again, Lily complained, but then I felt her lick her lips. He’s kind of making me drool.I groaned and tuned her out. I was going to be stuck here for the next six days. I groaned again and tipped my head against the wall, closing my eyes.I should have never booked this cruise. I should have never taken all of those shifts. I should have never wasted that much of my time.What the hell was I going to do?For the next two days, I confined myself to the room. Arthur made good on his promise. He’d had my luggage delivere
Surely I hadn’t heard that correctly. Surely he hadn’t just asked me to marry him. Surely he hadn’t asked me to have his baby. But the ring was still on my finger. It had definitely happened.“What about Sofia? She’s your fated mate, isn’t she?” I asked and Arthur narrowed his eyes. He grabbed my face in both of his hands and pulled me to him.When our lips were an inch apart, he paused. “You already know how Sofia feels about it. She chose her career over family. But you…you’re exactly what I need.”His lips came crashing down on mine and as much as I wanted to struggle, I couldn’t help but melt into him a little. His tongue demanded entrance and I allowed it. When it met mine in a sensuous dance, images flooded my mind.Waking up in the middle of the night to a nose nuzzling my neck. Hands touching everywhere. Our bodies becoming one before starlight exploded behind my eyes.The aftereffects of the remembered orgasm pulsed through my body and I shoved Arthur away, breathing heavily.
Thinking about all the awful thing that had happened on the cruise, my heart ached and my eyes filled with tears. However, I knew I had to lie. I couldn’t ruin their happiness, even if mine was.“Oh yes! I’m very excited! I can’t wait to be Robert’s wife!” I said, trying to put as much joy into my voice as I could. It wasn’t much, but I guess it satisfied my parents. They nodded, giving me bright smiles.“Um, I know I just got home, but would it be okay if I went to my room and rested? I have work tomorrow and my stomach still feels a little queasy.” At least that wasn’t a lie. I really did feel sick to my stomach.“Of course, dear! Go on and get your rest. If you need anything, just let me know.”I gave her a tight smile and disappeared into my room before she could say anything else. I face planted into my bed, wishing it would just swallow me whole.My phone vibrated in my pocket. I groaned and brought it out. The flashing light told me it was Trevor, one of Robert’s friends. Why w
AlmaraHours had passed since the interview had aired. I honestly couldn’t remember most of the day. It was all a blur. And now the day was over.I quickly changed out of my waitress uniform. I just wanted to go home. I felt so drained, even though I’d been off of work for a week. But the vacation hadn’t really been a vacation.“Almara…”I froze. I hadn’t expected to hear that voice ever again. Much less in the employee break room.“Almara, please just hear me out,” Robert begged and I pulled in a breath. My hands started shaking and I balled them into fists. I didn’t want him to see how much he affected me.I slowly turned, taking in Robert’s disheveled appearance. His normally coiffed strawberry-blonde hair was sticking out all over the place. He had a five o’clock shadow when he was usually clean shaven. And his sapphire blue eyes were bloodshot.I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel any satisfaction from looking at him. He’d hurt me. He didn’t get to feel or look good about it.
Almara’s Pov5 Years Later“Cheers,” Arthur sys clinking his mixed drink of vodka and lemonade with my non-alcoholic lemonade. I’m pregnant, again. This pregnancy is completely different than my first two, I actually get to relax. Which is exactly what we’re doing in the manicured garden of our backyard.We sit stretched out on zero-gravity pool chairs, sweat
Almara’s PovAfter a much-needed week of rest and restoration, Arthur and I are back on the vampire territory. I suppose that it can officially be called that again now that it has been reclaimed.My body healed magnificently after months of not only growing another being, but also fighting a war. It’s amazing what good rest and proper nutrition can do. Of course, the real healing ingredient came from the sacrificial love of my wonderful husband.Even though he suffered his own inju
Almara’s PovFinally, after several journeys back and forth from our homeland to the enemies we come to the final steps. We saw plenty of wolves making their expedition back home and there was a unspoken agreement that what everyone needs right now is peace.Thankfully, no one came up to us with questions, grief, or comments. It’s like we have this new kinship with the gammas in our world that we didn’t before. We seem to understand each other, or at least truly see one another.
Almara’s PovOn the way home we make a pitstop to a very special place. “Why are we seeing more dead bodies?” Grace asks, her tone telling me we are nearing a full-blown tantrum.“This body belongs to someone very important in our family,” I tell her calmly and hike her up on my hip. I’m not sure if my words got through to her, or maybe it’s her father's serenity as we ascend up one final hill to where Bess lays.Bess’s gravestone is set apart fro
Almara’s PovWith the vortex closed off and gone, the air becomes breathable again and the storm lessens. Still, my paws squelch in the wet terrain.Unfortunately, as I look around at the battlefield and see the piles of bodies slumped over one another, I think it’s more than just mud causing the stickiness.I try not to look down at the innocent blood shed on the ground. As I take careful consideration to step over and around the bodies, I tell myself they chose to come out and hel
Almara’s PovCathy and I weave through the castle, barely missing rubble crumbling off from the stony walls. We leap over counters, using everything we have in us to catapult ourselves past knocked over statues of gargoyles and shredded velvet furniture.“Catch!” Cathy calls out and reflexively I snatch a jagged shard of ceramic in my hand. I recognize it from a broken pot on the ground. Then out of the corner of my eye I see something else flying at me, though I don’t catch it this time, I duck.
Almara’s PovI’ve never seen Cathy look more confident and proud than she does at this moment. She stands tall, cuts strewn across her body, but they only add to her tough exterior. She’s covered in her enemy’s blood and she has a thrilling look in her eyes.“Have you seen Arthur?” I ask cutting to the chase. Cathy nods back towards tall white cabinet doors. I turn back to look at my mother who nods in confirmation. I rush over to the door and throw it open.
Almara’s PovI awake to a familiar beeping sound. It’s faint at first, like a distant call from far away until it’s suddenly blaring in my ears. My eyes shoot open and the blood in my body rushes to the important organs and I sit up with a jolt.“Where’s Grace?” I ask before I can make out anything else. “Arthur? Robbie?” I call out, hoping the sound of my distressed voice will cause Robbie to cry back.“Shhh,” a gentle voice says with
Almara’s PovArthur flings open the door, this time it breaks off the hinges. I guess there’s no changing our mind now. I keep Robbie wrapped up in both my arms and under my shirt.Arthur uses his body to guard mine, outstretching his arms and a puffed-out chest as he keeps his eyes zeroed in on every moving body around us all while moving us forward and falling in exact pace with each of my steps.We fight through sideways rain and vicious winds, it dawns on me that this storm isn&