My feet carry me quickly through the woods as I survey the map, swiftly making sense of it and matching physical landmarks with the points on the page. Inwardly, I think gratefully of my dad and my uncle Roger, who brought me along on those early camping trips and showed me how to do this sort of wo
Being fast on my feet isn’t going to help me, is it? “Come on,” a cadet I don’t recognize says, pointing left towards the ridge I was following. “This way – we follow to the bridge.” I nod slightly, my own plan confirmed in his. “A fucking bridge?” another says, shaking his head, even as he tu
My bolt flies as Wright charges directly for me, his eyes focusing on my exact location either by dint of my scent or my snarl. He dodges, though, at the last second, when he sees the crossbow bolt flying directly for his chest – His quick movement works and the bolt glances off his arm, ripping t
In an instant, Jackson shifts, his breath heaving in him as he shrinks in on himself and takes his human form again, one leg still spread on either side of my body. “Even!?” he snaps, clearly livid. “You want to call this fucking even!? You were going to kill him!” “Well, we didn’t,” Wright snarls
This gets his attention, and he snaps his face to mine, snarling and baring his teeth. But I just cross my arms, glaring up at him. “Would you listen to me? I know things, all right? And she’s not here.” Jackson goes still, just staring at me. “I’m not tricking you, Jacks!” I shout, frantic myse
I oblige, taking a quick sip from the canteen as Jackson holds one map in each hand looking them over. He gives a swift nod, handing one back to me. “Thanks, by the way,” I say, taking my attention from the path for a moment as I hand his canteen back to him. “For…rescuing me. Again.” Jackson do
“I’m not leaving you behind, Ari,” Jackson spits out, glaring at me like I’ve said something horrible and ridiculous, like we should both throw ourselves off the cliff. “I’m just slowing you down!” I say, throwing out my hands for emphasis. “Seriously, if you hadn’t back-tracked for me, you’d be l
Then, to my shock, Jackson ferrets out a teeny tiny little path up the cliff, balancing on it with incredible grace that makes me wonder if he’s part goat shifter, instead of all wolf. I do my best to follow, clinging to the rock and taking his patient hand when I need to. Twenty minutes later we’re
Ariel bursts out laughing and gestures out to the rest of the roof. “Of all the interference to our plans, you’re going to point out this tiny, adorable, sleeping infant pup as the problem!?” Both boys look down at the little dark-haired baby, whose amber eyes flicker open to betray her mother’s w
Jesse sighs, glancing at his watch and then looking to the door, an undrunk glass of champagne in his hand. “Where the hell is your damn sister?” “Your damn cousin,” Rafe murmurs, draining his glass and then pouring himself another. “You’d better stop that,” Jesse says, turning his head to Rafe
She goes still for a moment and then laces her fingers with his, squeezes his hand. “We’re not dating or anything,” she snaps. “Just…because you got all rejected and stuff. I didn’t come running up here just because you’re single – I thought you were going to die –“ “Sure, you didn’t,” Jesse says,
“I love you, Jesse,” Midnight whispers, watching him, her little mouth trembling, her entire body feeling weak. “I love you too, Mids,” he replies. “Always.” She nods once. And then disappears. Midnight fights hard against her emotions as she flits through the castle, moving back and forth bet
“I’m saying,” Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse’s face in her tiny hands. “That I – I don’t want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don’t want them.” She shakes her head, vehement. “I think I’d be a bad mom. I’d leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I – I jus
She has to admit though…the stars are a pleasant addition. Midnight’s wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf’s fur, pleased to see her free and cl
“What,” Jackson asks, frowning down at the little rectangular stone in his hands. “Is it like, special?” “Jackson!” Midnight hisses, standing on her toes to smack him on the chest. “They’re invaluable! This is only the second I’ve ever seen in the world! And I only know of one besides that other o
I laugh, pointing at the big plate of apple pie on the table. “Well, I’m glad to see that you’re feeling cheerful,” I say, grinning at her. “I am!” she says, happily plopping down next to Jesse and reaching for the pie, pulling it all onto her lap and digging in with a fork. “I don’t think that an
Jesse’s eyes open first, and then Midnight’s, slow and sleepy. “How do you feel?” I ask quietly, leaning towards her, able to see her better now in the dawn light that streams through the windows. “What happened?” Jackson asks. I turn to see him standing at the door and I smile, reaching out a h