ZackMy heart races as I sprint through the forest. I can’t believe she went to the one place in the pack’s territory off limits to everyone right now. What is she thinking? A howl slice through the forest and right through me. I muster together every last bit of energy I have and push myself to go even faster. I need to get to her before anything bad happens. Another howl fills the air, along with a blood-curdling scream. My blood instantly runs cold as fear washes over me. Please, tell me this isn’t coming from her. Through our link, I frantically call out. “Bry! Baby! Tell me you are alright!”As my paws pound the ground, all I get in return is silence. No. This can’t be happening. “Bry! Please don’t do this to me! Tell me you are alive and fine!”My eyes sting as silence is my unwanted answer. I silently wish there is a way to talk and communicate with Blake and the rest of the pack, but I know since the ceremony, my link with them has been cut, and I’m working o
BryannaThe back of my head throbs as muffled voices off in the distance fill my ear. I keep my eyes closed, but I rake through my mind, trying to remember what is going on. An image slowly forms in my mind of me standing still by the pond and a large brown wolf walks out of the forest with several other wolves following right behind him. My gaze locks with the leader and my heart pounds against my chest, but before I can do anything, everything goes dark. Did I not notice another werewolf there, too? How could someone be able to sneak up on me? I’m a trained warrior and a great fighter. I know how to spot people by their smell alone without having to see or hear them. Something doesn’t seem right. There is no way someone can sneak up behind me. Pain slices through my head as I rake through my memories. My hope of finding something to tell me what really happened quickly fades. The sound of footsteps draws near and interrupts my thoughts. My heartbeat quickens as I force
ZackI glare across the desk at Blake. What is he even thinking? Why wouldn’t we go and get Bry back right away? Delaying only means those jerks may hurt her more or something worse. The guy’s comment swirls around in my head and pushes my anger even higher. I ignore Bry’s pleas to wait. Later, she finally connected with me, but she didn’t say what I thought she would. A part of me is still a little hurt by her command to wait a few days. She said she could hopefully get more information about who is behind all of this, but I don’t want to wait. I don’t care about that right now. I want to get her back and wrap her in my arms and never let her go again. Doesn’t she understand how much this is tearing me apart from not having her next to me? Blake shakes his head and matches my glare with one of his own. “Don’t be like this, Zack. Bry even told you she wanted to stay with them for a little while longer and hopefully get some clues about what they are after or who is payin
BryannaThis is definitely the first time these people have ever captured a person. They don’t know the first thing about blocking my link with my pack, or they simply don’t care. I’m not sure which one it is. I scan the room and locate exactly where the creepy guy is. He has tried several times to do something to me, but the apparent leader of the group has stopped him each time. I’m staying vigilant, though, in case the leader isn’t paying attention.Trying to concentrate and finding some helpful information, I put up walls in my mind so no one can link with me. My wolf keeps whining and wanting to talk to Zack, but right now, keeping on my toes and staying alert is more important. A dull ache radiates from my stomach as I sit back on my hind legs. The slight movement amplifies it, and I almost whimper from the pain slicing through me. The leader turns towards me at the same time I move and shift my weight around, trying to find some kind of relief. Confusion and concern f
ZackI stare out the airplane window and scan the sea of trees, hoping to find something other than brown and green, but there is nothing. Blake taps my shoulder and grunts, “Zack, are you listening to them? Jacob and Hunter weren’t given the correct maps. For the first time since Bry came, I went back and verified all the documents my secretary gave them and several of them are wrong. We have a mole within our ranks.”His voice gets a little higher with each new sentence. I know he is frustrated, but my top priority right now is still finding and bringing Bry back. I nod while still staring out the plane’s window. “Yes, I’m listening, but I can do two things at once. I’m also grateful for Jacob and Hunter allowing us to use their plane for both the search and for our meeting. We have a major problem back at the pack house and your office. Even if we do multiple sweeps every day, I still won’t trust your office anymore, especially with everything I tell your secretary. At t
Zack Bry’s sweet voice rings through my head, and it takes me a minute to register what she said. Wait. She wants to know if I’m in a plane. I lean towards the window and press my forehead against the cool glass as my heart races. Through our link, I reply, “Yes. We discovered there is a mole within the pack, so Jacob and Hunter decided to do what I want and search for you while we discuss how to resolve the issue with the traitor. Are you outside? Can you see the plane?” I bite my lower lip while I press my head harder against the glass. My eyes dart back and forth across the sea of trees. “Yes. Can’t talk much. Five buildings to the right of the plane.” Right of the plane. My mind repeats her words before I suddenly sit up straight and jump out of my seat. While ignoring everyone, I rush to the other side of the plane and look out the window. My breath hitches as I spot five buildings and a bright white object. I don’t have to even look at it again, but I do. The
BryannaI pace back and forth at the end of the room. My stomach flutters as my mind goes back to my mate. He saw me and now knows exactly where I’m at. I wish I hadn’t told him not to come get me. I would give anything right now for him to burst through the door and pull me out of this prison. Currently, there is only one person left in the room with me, who I keep glancing at and keep an eye on. Of all people, why did the creepy guy be the one to stay behind and be alone with me? I don’t dare look away for even a second. A mix of excitement and dread runs through me as my mind tries to think of ways for me to get out of here. I can’t control my enthusiasm or stop my paws from moving at the idea of seeing Zack again. It is only a matter of time now before I’ll be back in Zack’s loving and strong arms. From across the room, the man pushes himself off the wall and slowly walks towards me. As he takes his first steps in my direction, he licks his lips and his mouth curls int
Zack“I’m coming back. I’ve escaped.” Bry’s voice echoes in my head while my breath hitches. Did she say what I think she just did? She quickly adds, “I love you.”Yes, she did! I bolt up out of my chair in the conference room and dart for the door. Before she blocks me off, I quickly ask through our link, “Where are you coming through at?”“I’m not sure. I’m not exactly sure where I’m at. I just know I‘m coming back to you.”As I run out of the conference towards my brother’s office, I briefly explain to Bry where she is at and what path she needs to take to get back here as quick as possible. I barge into my brother’s office and ignore his guest. “Bry has escaped!”I don’t give him any more details before I turn and dart back out of his office and down the hall. Hopefully she can follow my instructions and get here as soon as possible. I want to run into the forest and greet her, but something in her voice and her previous commands to not come ‘save’ her tell me I should
Zack Jacob walks into my office. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be outside with all the pups? Why are you still in your office?” I look up and give him a look like he knows exactly why I’m still here as I motion my hands above my desk and all the papers. Hunter marches through the door, shaking his head. “We have stacks of paperwork sitting on our desk too, but we are here for your pup’s birthday party. I still can’t believe he is 10 already. It seems just like yesterday we were fighting with Bry’s father and throwing Alpha Trevor and his son in the dungeons.” I shake my head. “Why would you even bring up that time in my life? I was worried what that idiot alpha and his son were going to do to get my mate, while also trying to stop Bry’s father from executing his horrible plan. That is a part of my life I don’t want to remember.” Jacob plops down in a chair in front of my desk. “But that is also the time you made your pup, Zane. Why would you want to forget about finding
Bryanna“UGHHHH!!! I HATE YOU!!!” My face contorts in pain while I put all my might in smashing Zack’s hand. He is the reason for this and why I’m in this much pain. He needs to feel a small portion of what I feel.The doctor reaches up above her head and tilts a light. She looks at my face while she stands in between my legs. “You are doing good. It won’t be much longer now. The pup is crowning.”Crowning? I want him out! NOW!!!Another contraction slices through me like it is ripping me apart. I throw my head back on the bed and dig my feet harder into the stirrups. “UGHHHH!!!! I’M DYING!!!!!”I tighten my grip on Zack’s hand, my only chance of relief. He winces and rubs the back of my hand. “You are doing so good, honey. Our pup will be here soon. You can do it.”His calm voice irritates me, and I whip my head around to the side and glare at him. “NEXT TIME, YOU ARE GIVING BIRTH! WHEN YOU PUSH A WATERMELON OUT YOUR DICK, THEN YOU CAN TELL ME I’M DOING GOOD!!!!”A
BryannaI move around in my hard chair, trying to find a comfortable position while I rub my growing pregnant belly. My focus is on the various council members behind the raised wooden ‘judge’s’ bench. The court room is full of people anxiously waiting for their decision. I don’t know if I should be happy or sad my father survived. It was touch and go, but in the end, he pulled through. It delayed his trail until he was healthy enough, though. Zack wraps his arm around my shoulders and whispers, “Are you alright? Do you need something?”I shake my head. “No. I just need to find out their decision. I can’t see how it could be anything other than guilty.” My gut twists, and I know it may not be that easy. He still has some very powerful connections, but if he finds a way out of this, I will do all I can to make sure he pays for it the rest of his life. Zack kisses the side of my head. “It will be over soon.” I take a deep breath and let his amazing, woodsy scent fill my l
ZackMy heart hammers against my chest as a mix of fear and hatred consumes me. My eyes lock on Bry and her father, and my gaze snaps to her arm where blood is trickling down. A small pool of red liquid forms on the floor in between them. No! He is hurting her!A growl rumbles within me, but before I can bolt forward, Blake grabs my arm and whispers, “Not yet. This is a battle she has been building to for most of her life. She needs to do this on her own first. If she stumbles or her father gets the upper hand, you can then step in, but let her fight this by herself first.”I don’t want to, but I know he is right. She might resent me if I interrupt them now. My wolf jumps forward and claws at the front of my mind, trying to take over and not wanting to obey my brother. He doesn’t care if Blake is right or not. He just wants to protect our mate. I take a deep breath and push my wolf to the back of my mind while I keep my eyes on Bry and her father. Every move her father ma
BryannaAnger courses through my veins. How could my father do something like this? I know he is behind the attacks, but knowing he is here after getting the top-secret intel about the new recipe has my blood boiling. It is to be expected, but seeing him leaves no doubt about him. Nothing is going to stop me from being there either when my father is captured and punished for his wrongdoings. Not even my pregnancy will stop me. As I run through the forest towards the factory, I rub my belly and silently pray the little one will work with me on this. I’m sure the baby would agree with me if it knew what my father is doing. My lip twitches up into a snarl, and I grind my teeth together. A wave of anger rakes over me, and when it reaches my feet, the ground rumbles. I ignore it though and continue running as fast as I can. My mind is consumed with my father and what he is doing and has done to Blake’s pack. And for what? Money? No. He did it for power. It is as simple as t
JacobHunter and I march through Bry’s pack house towards the meeting room, where several of the attackers are being held, waiting for us to come and handle them. Who in the world would have the guts to do this to her pack? It takes a lot of nerve to attack any of our three packs. We have the best trained warriors, and they are evenly spread across all of our packs. My lip lifts into a snarl when we turn the corner, and the room comes into view. Hunter remains silent beside me, but he is far from being quiet. His feet pound against the hard floor and echo down the hallway, expressing his true feelings without saying a word. We burst through the door, and our feet stop right inside. My eyes widen and my mouth falls slightly open at the captive people as I stare at the last two, who I didn’t think would do something like this. Hunter’s steps falter, but his rage doesn’t allow his shock to overcome him. He balls his hands into fists and stomps his feet forward. Through gritted
BryannaZack holds my hand as we walk through the halls. “Baby, you should go back to the room and rest. You still look pale. The medicine is working, but you are still fighting with an upset stomach.”I shake my head. With determination in my voice, I grunt, “No. This is my father. I need to be in on it, too. There isn’t anyone who knows better than me what he is like or is capable of. I want to be there and see the look on his face when he finds himself backed into a corner with no way out with his world crumbling down around him.”He squeezes my hand. “But we aren’t to that point yet. We are still talking about what to do. You can go rest, and I’ll tell you everything we discuss.”I press my lips together, and my stomach churns. “No. I want to be there to help plan it.”I fight back the bile rising up. There isn’t anything that is going to stop me. I will be there. Zack sighs and shakes his head but remains silent. We walk through Blake’s open office door. Zack sh
ZackI expectantly look across the desk at Blake. “Is your person reliable? Are you sure this is going to work?”My foot bounces as my fingers fidget with the side of my jeans. I really don’t want to be here right now. I’d rather be back in my room with Bry. The doctors are watching her and have a staff hovering around her. None of them have ever come across a woman having as much trouble as Bry with her pregnancy, and it has just started. They have warned me they may have to put her on bedrest, which she has strongly argued against. But when I tell her that she might lose our pup if she doesn’t listen to the them, she quiets down. He nods. “Yes. Our little birdie is quite reliable. Don’t worry. Now, how is Bry? I didn’t get a chance to go to your room to check in on you two.”My fingernail flicks the seam along the side of my jeans as I slowly shake my head. “She is having a really rough time. Thank goodness, the doctors have been able to find a medicine which will ke
BryannaI hug the bucket to me as my stomach lurches again. There can’t be anything left in me. I’ve been sick all day. Isn’t morning sickness supposed to only happen in the morning? Why is it lasting all day? Does the moon goddess hate me or something? My wolf growls in my head as she grunts, “You only need to watch out for your father. No one else would dare go against us.”I hope she is right. “Maybe.”My wolf shakes her head. “You still don’t know what we are capable of doing. Believe me, no one else will dare to cross us. Only your father is dumb enough to do it.”The corners of my mouth curl upward. “Okay. I’ll believe you. Can you help me with this nausea? I don’t have anything left to throw up. My stomach is empty now.”Her head and shoulders drop as she shakes her head. “Sorry. This is one of the few things I can’t help you with. If you get to a point where you can’t take it any longer, you need to call the doctor.”I sigh. She softly adds, “Believe it or