3rd Person POV
Marica woke just in time to see the effects of her dark magic at play. Garreth's hands tightened around Hazel's throat, her life moments from leaving her. At first, she wanted to laugh and relish the moment. Blood vessels burst in her eyes and the utter look of fear on her face was a wonderful sight to wake up to.
She lifted her hands to call off the assault. When Garreth met her eyes she placed a spell on him that would cause him to attack the ones he loved most. It was a fancy trick she'd picked up from an Unseelie fae she'd murdered and drained of her powers. It was no easy feat to take the powers of a fae with no wings, but Marica found a way once she had enough stolen power.
Panic sparked in Marica’s eyes as Garreth continued to wring the life out of the sweet little nymph that had saved him from himself. Marica screamed as she looked at the cage around her, she’d seen and made many of these cages but this was the first one strong enough t
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I followed after my aunts wondering how exactly my life had gotten so screwed up. I mean, it was always bad, but this was something different. The one person I’d loved and trusted more than anyone else had betrayed me in more ways than I could count. My throat ached from my mate attempting to choke me to death, a gift from my other aunt. She was as evil as they came and much like her sister pretended to be there for me, to help me to achieve her wicked ends. I thought of my kind and beautiful mother and wondered how similar she was to her wicked sisters. The forest floor was icy cold beneath my feet and yet it was the warmest part of this moment. I followed Gera and Marica for so long my magic slowly puttered and then gave out. Garreth fell from my grip and landed hard against the ground. I dropped beside him, running my hands over his face. I needed him to open those beautiful golden amber eyes and make everything in my life right again. “Hazel, I have to lo
Garreth Pain, bursting explosive pain, shattered through my mind. My skull felt like it was split down the middle. I reached my hand out to touch the spot I was sure would be broken and was amazed to find the healed skin over the top of it. Oh, right, werewolf healing. I had been hit so hard I forgot I was a werewolf for a minute. Beneath the healed skin was a raised ridge where the bone beneath it had broken. I couldn't open my eyes, and trudging through the darkness behind my eyelids was near impossible. What happened and where was I? Smells and sounds filled my senses. Home. I was in the packhouse. Hazel. Her sweet delicious scent wrapped around me and for a moment I felt peaceful. Our Luna was here. I was alive. Everything was okay. Then the memories came. Marica, Gera, my hands wrapped so tightly around the throat of the one person I never wanted to hurt, the same person I seemed to keep hurting despite my better intentions. I wanted to bl
*Thunk* a book collided with my head nearly knocking me out of the tree I was perched in. I grabbed onto a branch, shaking the changing leaves loose. A flurry of red swirled around me then fell back to earth. "Thanks," I muttered sarcastically as my beloved owl Gera, landed on the branch beside me. I rubbed the lump on my head absently, and she puffed up her snowy white feathers with a look that told me I should be grateful for what I got. I opened the book and smelled the lovely old book scent. The human library perfectly cultivated this one-of-a-kind aroma. This one was about bridges of the world and had a coffee stain on the cover. It wasn't necessarily the topic I would choose, but I was more than happy to absorb any information that had nothing to do with trees or wood nymphs. I couldn't exactly walk to the library myself, my wings might alarm the
Hazel I walked through the woods with Gera flying lazily beside me, the leaves crunched beneath my feet, and the cool breeze ruffled my long blonde hair. Autumn was my favorite time of year, the changing leaves made me feel so alive, ironic considering they were dying. The shortened days made for longer nights and the stars always made me feel less alone. The other nymphs favored spring, rebirth, new life, and all that. While it was a beautiful time of year it just wasn't for me. This part of the forest held a special place in my heart, these weren't nymph trees just regular non-magical ones that didn't mind my presence. They eminated life and freedom, there was no other life tied up in theirs beside the creatures who lived in their boughs. Envy and the unshakable boredom that dominated my days followed me, closer than Gera who flew near enough to be confused
Hazel I laughed in amazed disbelief. The magic was perfect, my wings were hidden, and I was free, for a few hours anyway. Gera looked me over, the concern was still heavy in her yellow eyes. "Go on, Gera. Have some fun, spend a few hours not worrying about me. I'll see you soon." I shooed her away, before I hopped out from behind the tree and started walking toward the sidewalk. "I better not see you watching overhead, either." I called over my shoulder as my feet hit the pavement. Pavement, I read a book about it once, interesting stuff, like stone you could spread. The buildings were shorter than the trees, but this was only a small town. I dreamed of going to a big city where there were buildings that touched the sky, skyscrapers sounded amazing, but this was pretty great too. I never stood in an open space like this before without trees encroaching on all
Garreth I needed to get out of the packhouse and stay out. My Beta Jackson tried to talk to me about some dealings with a nearby pack and I just ignored him. This was werewolf country and maintaining relations with other packs was a major responsibility that took a lot of careful maneuvering. I knew some saw me slipping and wanted to challenge me for my title. I couldn't keep going like this or I'd end up dead, with one of these other pricks leading my pack. Maybe I should just hand it over to Jackson and be done with it. Even if he's not the best for the job, at least he cares about our people. Unlike these grasping alphas who would abuse them and toss them away. I saw the doubt in his eyes as I turned away from him. "Deal with it." I commanded in my Alpha tone as I stormed out, slamming doors like a petulant teen. I was beyond giving a shit.
Hazel His strong hands on my body made me feel a hundred times more alive than I ever imagined I could feel. The hole in my chest that had been there as long as I could remember was hardly even a memory. My blood sang in my veins as his scent invaded every part of my being like the proximity to him strengthened me. No amount of reading could have prepared me for the intensity of the desire coursing through me. He called me his mate when our eyes met. I didn't think nymphs could have fated mates, but the way our souls seemed to twine together made it seem believable. There had to be a reason his face drifted back to me time and time again. He was more boyish when I saved him, now he was undeniably a man. His hands were large enough to wrap around my waist. The tightness he held me with made me feel delicate and possessed. I never felt like I wanted to be owned before, but I wanted it badly now. I would happily be his, forever. His heat soaked through t
Hazel My hands shook as I walked the familiar path back to my tree. The cold wind whipped against me, and I was certain it was never this painful before. It reached inside me, chilling down to my bones. The image of the river nymph I left lying dead in the forest, and the awfulness of that act dug out my insides until I was hollow. There was nothing else I could do, I repeated to myself as I moved my listless feet across the forest floor. I had no friends, no loved ones, not even a community to reach out to in a time of crisis. My magic was fading fast and the strength to bring her back to her home was beyond a fantasy at this point. I thought of the gorgeous wolf who stole my heart the moment our eyes met, would he be waiting for me? For all I knew I imagined him and his golden eyes, there was nothing in my life that good. I couldn't tell if Gera was still beside me, the link that always existed between us see
Garreth Pain, bursting explosive pain, shattered through my mind. My skull felt like it was split down the middle. I reached my hand out to touch the spot I was sure would be broken and was amazed to find the healed skin over the top of it. Oh, right, werewolf healing. I had been hit so hard I forgot I was a werewolf for a minute. Beneath the healed skin was a raised ridge where the bone beneath it had broken. I couldn't open my eyes, and trudging through the darkness behind my eyelids was near impossible. What happened and where was I? Smells and sounds filled my senses. Home. I was in the packhouse. Hazel. Her sweet delicious scent wrapped around me and for a moment I felt peaceful. Our Luna was here. I was alive. Everything was okay. Then the memories came. Marica, Gera, my hands wrapped so tightly around the throat of the one person I never wanted to hurt, the same person I seemed to keep hurting despite my better intentions. I wanted to bl
I followed after my aunts wondering how exactly my life had gotten so screwed up. I mean, it was always bad, but this was something different. The one person I’d loved and trusted more than anyone else had betrayed me in more ways than I could count. My throat ached from my mate attempting to choke me to death, a gift from my other aunt. She was as evil as they came and much like her sister pretended to be there for me, to help me to achieve her wicked ends. I thought of my kind and beautiful mother and wondered how similar she was to her wicked sisters. The forest floor was icy cold beneath my feet and yet it was the warmest part of this moment. I followed Gera and Marica for so long my magic slowly puttered and then gave out. Garreth fell from my grip and landed hard against the ground. I dropped beside him, running my hands over his face. I needed him to open those beautiful golden amber eyes and make everything in my life right again. “Hazel, I have to lo
3rd Person POV Marica woke just in time to see the effects of her dark magic at play. Garreth's hands tightened around Hazel's throat, her life moments from leaving her. At first, she wanted to laugh and relish the moment. Blood vessels burst in her eyes and the utter look of fear on her face was a wonderful sight to wake up to. She lifted her hands to call off the assault. When Garreth met her eyes she placed a spell on him that would cause him to attack the ones he loved most. It was a fancy trick she'd picked up from an Unseelie fae she'd murdered and drained of her powers. It was no easy feat to take the powers of a fae with no wings, but Marica found a way once she had enough stolen power. Panic sparked in Marica’s eyes as Garreth continued to wring the life out of the sweet little nymph that had saved him from himself. Marica screamed as she looked at the cage around her, she’d seen and made many of these cages but this was the first one strong enough t
3rd Person Point of View “It’s been such a long time sister, I thought you’d never try to come home. Did your darling niece finally tire of you and send you on your way?” Marica taunted Gera as she paced the space in front of the portal, trying to block Gera from entering. “It wasn’t that so much as I missed my family, you know how well I love my mother and my eldest sister, besides, the nymph is your niece as well.” Gera gave her a taunting look, doing her best not to glance toward the trees she knew Hazel and Garreth were hiding in. "Don't remind me, how pathetic it is to be related to a nymph." She gave her a calculating look. "I cannot tell which is worse, having a wood nymph for a sister, or a shifter. Oh god, you even stink like her and her wolf, which is somehow worse than your natural aroma. I'd hoped that would fade by now." Gera focused on breathing normally, when had she stolen a heightened sense of smell? She shouldn't be able to sm
3rd Person Point of View Marica stood atop the mountains looking over the world she hated. It wasn’t anything special, she hated all the worlds and realms she visited. She positively buzzed with the power she had taken from others, particularly the wretched creature that was technically her niece. Her power was so intense, and the pathetic girl had no idea how to use it. She looked out over the landscape lamenting the fact she did not have more of it. She felt the interruption in the air as someone materialized beside her. “You’re here.” She complained with no feeling. “I am.” His voice sounded odd, but she supposed that was natural when it was pushed through the filter of someone else's body. She looked over at him, agitated that she needed to pay him any attention at all. Her mother told her she must work with him, but she resented the deal from the moment it began. She may peel the wings off the lowly fae but to step inside another person's body an
Gera Hazel curled into a ball, and let the tears have her. It had been years since I’d seen her this way. My heart ached as I thought back to when I first came to protect her. This was how I found her more often than not. I guess losing your family is hard when they’re a family worth losing. I couldn’t relate to the love she had for her parents, but I could certainly understand the pain. “Hazel, sweetheart, let's talk. Please sit up.” I gently coaxed her, stroking my hand along her back. I couldn’t believe she slapped me, she’d always been such a gentle creature. So much so, that even with all the power inside of her I feared she would not be able to protect herself. Maybe she had more backbone than I gave her credit for. A little thrill of pride went through me. I was unsurprised that I slapped her back, retaliation was a perfectly normal and acceptable part of life for me. I still regretted the decision. She was lashing out because she was in pain, if I wer
HazelMy phantom hands reached out to touch the words my mother left for me. I wondered why she would leave it here, did she plan to deliver it to me and get interrupted, or was this the only safe option.I tried to take a settling breath, but a breath can only settle a body, at the moment I didn't have one. It was now or never, I could feel the connection to my body strengthening. I would be back in my skin before long.*Hazel,I am so sorry for everything I should have done differently, my love. I should have known you were strong enough to learn the truth about our family, and because of my fears, I will not be the one to give the truth to you.The things you have to learn are numerous and frightening, I do not know half of them myself, but if you have made it here you must have learned some of them on your own. I can only hope you found an ally in all of this.As you may already know, we are not exactly as we seem. There is darkn
Garreth My heart filled with joy as the magic sealed her in as my Luna. The pack stood by watching in awe as our marks glowed, then the twine, then her tree. It was magic unlike any of us had ever seen. They were stunned silent, but I was just amused. She was a beacon of light, goodness, and power, of course, her Luna Ceremony was special. I felt the force of her magic surging within me, intense and healing, it cleansed my mind and soul and left me desperate to take her. I reached out to her ready to slip my tongue into her sweet mouth and taste her without a care for who watched. Instead, I watched in shock as she dropped, losing consciousness. Before she could hit the ground I swept her into my arms. I checked her breathing and her pulse and all seemed okay. Rumblings broke out through the pack, some sounded concerned, some expectant, like they thought something would go wrong here. "Silence, and nobody leaves," I commanded them in my alpha to
Hazel The pack was congregated outside waiting for me to become their luna under the half-moon. They didn't know that we would be changing the location at the last moment. To say I was scared was an understatement. I didn't have any idea at all how to lead them and there was so much stacked against us already. Gera and Garreth had agreed to a temporary ceasefire pending the rest of her story. They both agreed the story could wait until after the ceremony was completed. I wanted to know what happened to my parents and Gera’s history but I was so afraid of what she had to say I was willing to wait. I invited Gera back to the packhouse to sleep for the night, and Garreth grudgingly agreed but she declined the offer saying she was more comfortable as an owl sleeping in the trees. I supposed it made sense she had spent years exclusively that way. Evette the housekeeper spent the entire day working over me, covering me in powders and polishes, curling and s