“Never bet against me, Sinclair,” Jackson says with a sigh, flashing my brother a beautiful grin. “Yeah well, next year,” Rafe grumbles, narrowing his eyes. I laugh, pleased to see my brother have to deal with losing – it’s not something that happens often to him. “You’re on my team. Jesse, you’re
Around midnight, the family starts to fade. “Actually,” Rafe murmurs at my side, looking around the room as mom and dad herd a sleepy Mark off to his bedroom, Juniper following close behind, and Roger and Cora bid their farewells to their oldest son, who is staying overnight here so that he can go
Jesse nods once, agreeing to it, and I make the squeaking noise again, needing to know what’s going on. Rafe laughs and squares his shoulders, nodding to me and getting started. “Look, it’s not a big deal, I just…I wanted to take a minute with the two of you alone. Because…because you two mean a l
We don’t stay long on the roof – we don’t need to. After all, tomorrow night we’ll be together again, all sleeping in the same room at the Academy. There may be other nights, in the future, where we greet the dawn after our midnight toast – needing to talk for hours, to catch up, to laugh, to cry.
He turns to stare at me, his mouth open a little bit, completely shocked. I grimace a little at his reaction, not really knowing what to do. “Do you…do you like it?” “Ariel,” he breathes, turning his face reverently back to the device and to the DVD collection. “I…I love it.” Then he gasps a lit
Ella and Sinclair wake up the next morning before their children do, curled in each other’s arms as they always are. “Stop,” Sinclair commands, tightening his arms when Ella starts to move, to roll away towards the edge of the bed. “Don’t. Stay.” “We have to get them up, Dominic!” Ella protests,
Hank grimaces. “A little,” he says, shrugging. “It’s a miracle, honestly, that we even have wifi.” Ella and Sinclair immediately look at each other, unspoken ideas passing to each other down their bond. “Nope!” Hank says, pointing at the camera on his computer. “Whatever it is you’re thinking –
“You’re aware that not all wolf communities were happy with your rise to power twenty years ago, Dominic, when you declared wolves and humans equal citizens in the nation,” Hank says, shrugging like it’s obvious. Dominic nods, because it’s true – and he’s well aware. “Well,” Hank continues, “som
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