[Nol's POV]"So, you're telling me that you were seen while on a mission, and she saw you.""More or less." I sigh, not liking the gleam of amusement I see in Jules' eyes.I had just spent the last hour explaining to her exactly why Eliana would be staying with me, and no matter how many times I tried to make it clear that this was strictly platonic, she wouldn't buy it."You know," Jules giggles, wiggling her brows. "Despite what you've said, I just can't see you being so sloppy."Flinching, I found that I couldn't argue with her there. It was sloppy of me to not realize that Trent wasn't alone. However, it was weird that I didn't notice her scent. Even now, I find that it is almost nonexistent."Wouldn't it just be better to be completely honest with your old friend?" Jules sighs, leaning back in her seat. "It isn't like I'm going to go blab to..."Before she can finish, I shoot forward and cover her mouth before anything else can spew out of it.Realizing how bad this looks, I give
[Zane's POV]"Good morning!"The voice rips through the darkness of blissful sleep that I'm having as bright sunlight attacks my eyes.Groaning, I attempt to turn away from it but find that I can't. Panic begins to build as my eyes fly open and I take in the room around me."Right," I huff, beginning to calm down.Every morning, it was the same. Confusion and panic before I remember exactly where it is that I am."Did you sleep well, honey?"Frowning, I turn my head and watch as Alexandria makes her way toward me while swinging a set of keys around her finger. A bright smile rests on her face as she stops beside me."Well?" She pushes when I remain silent. "Oh, come now," she continues, pouting. "Does it really pain you that much to see me? Were you expecting someone else?""Actually, yes, I was. Where is Andre?"Usually Andre was the one waiting for me when I woke up. Why the hell was Alexandria here instead of him?"You know I'm going to start getting jealous of that man," Alexandri
[Alexandria's POV]I feel a sweet sense of satisfaction rush through me as Zane opens the envelope I handed him and pulls out its contents. Thanks to a friend and a bit of photo editing, I managed to create some beautiful pieces of his precious little Lana.Smirking, I cross my arms and wait as he stares in disbelief at each and every photo he flips through. However, the first few were just the icing on the cake. The final few would nicely deal the blow that should eliminate that nuisance from his mind.When he finally comes across it, I feel his alpha aura slam into me as his hands clench and unclench in an attempt to remain calm."Well?" I ask, growing bored of the silence. "Will you agree to my terms now?"If he still wanted to try to chase that woman after seeing her with another man, then he was crazy. Although the first few photos had been faked, the last few were as real as they got. My dear cousin, rest his soul, had made sure of that."Where," Zane growls, not bothering to an
[Zane's POV]"Why did you call me out so suddenly?"I take a sip of my coffee as Andre waits for me to respond.Once I managed to escape Disastria Estate, I made my way to a small coffee shop that wasn't well known. It was the only place I could speak privately with Andre without being seen, since my father's minions were always roaming about town."I have a favor to ask of you," I respond, putting down my drink."A favor," Andre repeats, raising a bushy brow. "If it is something you must personally ask me out of the sight of your father, it must be something difficult.""I suppose you could say that," I admit. "But I have faith that you can do it."If there was one thing Andre was good at, it was locating those who were impossible to find. As an expert hacker, he could easily gain access to all the CCTV systems in the city."Who is it?" He asks. "And why do you wish to find them?""Do you remember the one I told you about?"For a moment, Andre doesn't speak, but when his expression s
[Zane’s POV]"They've found a fiance for Trent Dupris," my father announces, drawing my attention from the eggs and sausage I was currently devouring. "It's about time.""A fiance?" My mother repeats, seeming interested. "What's she like? Do we know of her?""She's the illegitimate daughter of Marco Wright," my father explains. "It seems that Marco and Henry had a deal a long time ago that involved marrying their children to combine their packs.""But why the illegitimate daughter?" My mother sighs. "Shouldn't Arrabella be the prime candidate?""Arrabella is already getting married this year," my father reminds her. "Anyway, with Trent's vicious tendencies, the illegitimate daughter is the better choice over the heart of Elgin, don't you think?""But that girl is only ten this year," my mother tsks. "Trent is already thirty.""Age is but a number. In the end, this engagement is a good thing for everyone.""Why did you bring it up?" My mother continues, seeming completely uninterested.
[Zane’s POV]For the next week, I found myself returning to that field in hopes of running into her. If I wanted to go through with my plan, I would have to get closer to her. However, each time she wasn’t there, after waiting for hours, I would end up going home disappointed.After day eight of trying, I was beginning to lose hope and wondering if I could go about it a different way, but I feared that my father would find out. If that happened, there was no way in hell I would be able to get close to her.Feeling dejected, I decided to take a trip into town for my favorite cake from a small coffee shop on the edge of the city where I could be alone.As I enter, there is a commotion happening that draws my attention.Standing at the counter is a tiny girl that the shopkeeper is screaming at about stealing. Frowning, I move forward, taking in the girl's familiar back.I wasn’t sure if it was a stroke of luck or something else, but it didn’t take me long to realize that the one being ac
[Zane’s POV]After that, I found myself frequently visiting the places where I first found Eliana in hopes of running into her there. For the first few weeks, I felt hopeful that this was the perfect tactic to run into her. However, in the end, she never showed. But I refused to give up so easily, so I continued to show until finally I found her in the field, huddled underneath a tree.Being cautious not to startle her, I once again approached, and when she lifted her tear-filled eyes and bruised cheeks, I felt a sudden need to go after all who had hurt her.It was really strange given the fact we were strangers and the only reason I was approaching her was for selfish reasons, but when I looked into her eyes, I felt something stir in me."Why are you here?" she whispers, swiping at the tears that cover her cheeks. "I told you to stop following me."Maybe this was something that also intrigued me about her. The fact that she could be so weak and vulnerable one moment but so strong and
[Eliana’s POV]Pain shoots through me as the cops on either side of me dig their knees into my back as if I’m going to attempt to get up and run. It was laughable; honestly, did they think that I was going to fight?"Get off…" Zane tries, but stops when Alexandria whispers something in his ear.In that moment, any sign of trying to protect me or fight for me seemed to disappear. I guess this was all the confirmation that I truly needed that whatever we had long ago was nothing more than a show put on to try to gain my trust.I’m not sure why, but when this realization hits, it feels like a thousand tiny knives stab into my chest, causing such agonizing pain that it nearly takes my breath away."Come with us, miss," one of the officers pinning me down says. "Do yourself a favor and just cooperate."I bite back the laugh that wants to escape from his words. Wasn’t I cooperating this whole time? Clearly, they saw me as nothing more than a monster.Remaining silent, I allow myself to be p
Flames surround me, but for some reason they don’t burn. I don’t quite understand why I’m here, but I feel something beckoning me, drawing me further and further in until I see him.He sits on a throne made of skulls and stares down at me with a look of boredom. He’s so familiar but so different at the same time.Unable to quite believe what I’m seeing, I move slightly closer, only to find that a strong force doesn’t allow me to go near him."Zane?" I whisper, trying to make sense of what is happening. "That’s you, isn’t it?"It had already been two years since his disappearance, but I never truly accepted that he was gone. I mean, how could he be when there wasn’t even a body to bury? Or any sort of feeling toward his existence vanishing from this world—wouldn't I be able to feel it given the fact he wore my mark?This was why I held onto hope no matter the amount of time that passed, even when others continuously told me to let go. And now here he was in front of me, but where exactl
[Eliana’s POV]Warm sun beats down on my skin while I lounge by the pool, watching Nol wade on the steps with Ryker. Never in my life did I ever think I would see such a strong and arrogant man act like a child, but here he was splashing and laughing along with our son.Since Ryker’s birth, I have been seeing many sides of Nol that I didn’t think would exist, like him changing diapers, making bottles, and even cuddling while Ryker was sick. I even caught him singing to him a few times, but he insisted that he wasn’t.To say that life was perfect was a bit extreme, but it was damn near close. There was only one thing missing, and that was Zane.Two years had passed since his disappearance, and despite multiple searches, contacting a medium, and even asking rogue mages for help, no one was able to locate him. It was almost as though he disappeared entirely, but Nol was certain that wasn’t possible since he was aware of the consequences of bringing the hellhounds to this earth.Sighing,
[Nol’s POV]I don’t know how long Eliana sobbed on me while I helplessly watched because I knew that there was nothing that I could do since there was no bringing Zane back. Beside us, Alexandria continued to fight Blaine until she became so exhausted that all she could do was cling to him while her gaze stayed fixed on the rubble.By the time the police arrived, there was nothing left to be found, but Alexandria’s friends had managed to bring them the evidence needed to prove not only Alexandria’s innocence but that of all of us.In the end, all the blame fell on Jeckel since he was already accused of being part of a human trafficking ring. It didn’t take long for the rest of his corruption and misdeeds to be found and his name to be tarnished.Afterward, we waited to see if any remains could be found, but all that were deceased were too burned to make out and would simply be thrown in a mass grave for Disastria and Romando to be mourned by those who were oblivious to all that both a
[Zane’s POV]A howl of disappointment escapes me as I attempt to make my way to the window where Eliana and the others disappeared."No you fucking don’t!" Nol snarls, beginning to shift into his lycan form. "If you want to kill someone, then you’ll have to get through me."Snapping my gaze from the window, I feel my body beginning to move again, making its way to the very weak-looking lycan behind me.‘That’s it,’ Nol’s voice announces in my head. ‘Come get me.’As I move, he rushes forward, meeting me halfway and throwing me against a wall before jumping on me and wrapping a hand around my throat.‘Snap out of it, Zane,’ he hisses in my head. ‘Before you do something you regret.’‘I…’ I try, hoping he can hear me. ‘Can’t. Please kill me.’That was the only thing that was going to end this—my death—and I was more than willing to accept it.‘I won’t,’ Nol responds, loosening his hold. ‘If you die, Eliana will be sad.’Eliana… Of course, the only thing he cares about is her, and I can’
[Nol’s POV]The world around me begins to move in slow motion as I release Zane and rush toward where Jeckel stands with Eliana in his clutches, but before I can reach her, her eyes are widening and blood is erupting from her lips, and then she is being dropped so that I can take in the hilt of a knife that is sticking out of her back.No… This couldn’t be fucking happening. Jeckel… He…In that moment, something in me snaps, and I feel a red-hot rage begin to bubble up in me and explode as I kneel and pull Eliana into my arms to take in her ragged breathing and her white complexion.Lifting my gaze, I take in Jeckel, who stands in place looking proud of what he did.‘You,’ I hiss through mindlink, beginning to see red. ‘You…’"I did what was necessary for you to rise to greatness," he shrugs unphased. "She was nothing more than a hindrance, driving a wedge between you and your brother."A wedge… A hindrance… If anyone was any of that, it was the bastard in front of me!Letting out a s
[Zane’s POV]Stop.Stop this!You’ve gotta stop!These thoughts echo in my mind as I stare at Alexandria’s flushed face and desperate eyes.I had to stop, but no amount of trying seemed to work. Each time I thought maybe I was regaining control again, my body would act on its own, and I was left to helplessly watch.Even back in the hospital with Eliana, my claws were laced with poison, and I was the one who reduced her to what she was.As this thought hits me, my gaze drifts to where she lies on the ground, surrounded by shadowy wolves with glowing red eyes. It was clear they were protecting her, which was good, but the need to kill her still spurred me to move."Sorry, we’re late."The voice reaches me, and I find myself hopeful that this will be the end and I will be free, but the desperate need to kill continues to hold me.Releasing Alexandria, I shift and barrel into the wolves, ignoring their teeth and claws that attack my skin, threatening to shred me while Nol and the others
[Alexandria’s POV]The next morning comes too damn quick, and before I even manage to fully wake up, I’m being yanked out of my cell and dragged down a long hall while I ignore everything in me that screams to fight.There was a plan in place, and I had to trust that the plan would work out and all of this would finally be over. For now, I just needed to cooperate with whatever went down.With this thought in mind, I let myself be pushed into a room where two women wait to do my hair and makeup while I fix my gaze on the puffy white dress that sits against the wall.In the past, I always dreamed of my perfect wedding dress, but when I lost Jeremiah, I never gave it much thought. Even knowing that there was a possibility I would marry Zane, I never thought about a dress or a big wedding.Feeling my heart tug, I tear my gaze away as guilt toward Jeremiah begins to slam into me.Fuck, now wasn’t the time to be feeling this, not when I knew that this wedding wouldn’t happen, but now that
[Nol’s POV]After Jeckel’s ridiculous dinner, I’m thrown into a cell where Blaine lies motionless on the ground. While Eliana and Alexandria are placed in one beside us.Since seeing her mother and father’s heads on a platter, the usually loud she-wolf hadn’t spoken a word, but by the darkness I see in her eyes, I know that she is silently plotting Jeckel’s death."Hey," I call, trying to draw her attention. "You!"As I speak, the two men in the cell across from mine begin to groan. Tearing my gaze from Alexandria, I take them in and try to determine exactly what the relationship between them and Alexandria was to the point where she would go along with Jeckel’s scheme for them.Sighing in frustration, I turn my attention back to Blaine and watch as he begins to twitch."You finally waking up?" I ask, wishing I could knock him across the head for getting as hurt as he was. "It’s about damn time.""Fuck," he hisses, slowly sitting up only to stop as the chains on his wrists pull agains
[Nol’s POV]Pain radiates through me as my vision finally begins to come back, so that I find myself sitting at a large table. Anger rolling over being tricked, I attempt to move only to find that I’m bound by spiked metal that tears into my skin with each movement.Cursing, I continue to take in the area until my eyes come to rest on an unconscious Eliana and a fighting Alexandria."What the hell?" I growl, beginning to fight even more, only to find that the fucking chains won’t budge. "What the hell is going on here?""About time you woke up, giant!" Alexandria huffs. "We’ve got an issue here.""No shit," I snap, snapping my gaze to Eliana once again.As I take in her pale complexion and slack figure, I realize instantly that something is wrong."Eliana!" I hiss, trying to rouse her. "Open your eyes!""She won’t be waking up."Feeling my heart drop, I tear my gaze away from Eliana to Jeckel and Zane, who are making their way towards us. Confusion building, I take in Zane, whose face