[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
[Eliana’s POV]I remain silent as Rosemary waits for me to react to her news. I know exactly what response it is that she wants, but I won’t be giving it to her."Is that so," I shrug, leaning back on my cot. "Sounds no different from your son."At my words, a snarl escapes Rosemary’s lips as her red nails extend into claws that are dying to rip into my flesh."How can you still be so arrogant?"How? That was easy to answer. None of this was different from the life I had led up until now. The only difference was that I had a timeline of when the end would be for me."Because I stopped fearing abuse and death long ago," I respond. "You’d be amazed at what that’ll do for someone. And now that we’re finished discussing my fate, are those two with you my new owners henchmen?""T-that’s right," she confirms, trying hard to hide her hatred at my not giving her what she wanted."Great, then how about letting them come and get me," I call to the officer that stands nearby. "I think we’re done
[Nol’s POV]Eliana’s body begins to shake, and her heart rate kicks up as I begin to lean in close. I didn’t actually intend to take her right here and now, but I wanted to see exactly how far she would let me go before her claws came out."Speak now," I warn when she continues to remain silent.When she doesn’t speak, I decide to take it one step further, pressing my lips against hers, but stopping when her teeth clamp down on my bottom lip.Hissing in pain, I pull away to find a look of satisfaction on her face while she wipes my blood from her."I’m not that type of woman," she smirks, reminding me that she wasn’t some weak woman that would let anyone do as they pleased. But if that were the case, why was she so compliant with Trent and his family? "And I haven’t showered in two days.""Right," I sigh, releasing her.The minute my arm is removed from her body, she scuttles away until she is pressed against the side of the limo. Did she truly think I was that much of a monster?You’
[Alexandria’s POV]"Ah, yes, Dale, harder."I claw at the bedsheets beneath me while arching my back more to give Dale’s dick better access to my throbbing core. Goddess, he was a pro at this, and the fact that he was so huge was just an added bonus. I was going to be sad when I got married because we wouldn’t be able to do this anymore."Fuck, woman," Dale grunts, clawing at my hips and pulling me against him. "Your fucking pussy feels amazing squeezing against me.""Thank you," I giggle, intentionally tightening so that he jerks and I begin to milk him. "But this still isn’t enough."In one fluid motion, I pounce so that he is pinned beneath me and at my mercy, just the way I liked it.Grinning, he reaches up and claws at my thighs as I lower myself until he is fully buried deep in me.Reaching up, I begin to knead my breast while swirling my hips slowly and seductively until Dale’s claws dig into my flesh, sending waves of pain and pleasure through me."Fuck," I hiss, leaning down
[Eliana’s POV]My body trembles, and I’m not exactly sure if it is from fear or anticipation. The fact that I couldn’t determine which it was scared me more than the possibility of what could come next.This man bought me to be his babymaker; how could I feel anything other than disgust for him? Was I crazy? Maybe a masochist? I didn’t know, but I knew that I needed to stop things before they went any further."You should," I begin, lifting my hands and touching his chest. Where I touch, I can feel his strong muscles; fuck, he was well built. This was bad. Even if I had no interest in him, I wasn’t blind, and I wasn’t a saint."I should what?" He smirks, lifting me and placing me on the counter. "Continue?"Before I can react, his mouth is slamming into mine once more, and his hands are wrapping around my waist and coming to rest on the center of my back. His dick, which is now positioned perfectly between my legs, presses against my core, causing me to grow wet."N-no!" I gasp, turni
[Zane’s POV]Wham!My fist connects with the bag in front of me, sending ripples racing up my arm and into my body.Whack!Another blow lands, followed by another and another, until I’m in the zone.Huff, huff, huff.My breath comes out in puffs, one out as I strike and one in as I pull back.The cadence helps clear my head and ease the beast that is deep within, wanting to escape, but no amount of hits or exertion erases her face from my mind."DAMMIT!" I roar, striking out again and again and again until the punching explodes and spews sand and sawdust all around.Letting out a snarl of frustration, I kick out, sending the fucking bag flying into the wall and exploding even more.Collapsing, I rest my head in my hands as images of that day continue to attack me, taunting me and proving to me just how big a fucking coward I was.When I took Eliana to our special place, I never wanted anything to happen. I simply wanted to help her feel better, like I had in the past, but I was carele
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