I stared down Jane. That knife of hers was precariously close to me, and with us handcuffed together, I couldn’t exactly make a break for it. At this point, the only thing I could do to defend myself was keep Jane talking. And in the moment, I could only think of one thing to talk about. The photo
“Fucking bleed out, you stuck pig,” Jane growled. She ripped the knife out of my thigh, and somehow that hurt worse. The blood poured down, staining the front of my dress crimson. I trembled. I couldn’t find words, only cries of pain. “You think I have any lingering feelings for you? For Elva?”
A roar echoed across the balcony so loudly that I felt the tiles rattle under my battered, broken body. Then, at once, a wolf appeared as if from nowhere. Or maybe my senses were too sluggish. It was hard to keep track of what was happening. I was so tired and cold. I wanted to sleep. Jane moved
“She killed her fucking self,” Julian snapped. “She didn’t give you a chance to save her life. Instead she stabbed you. Repeatedly.” Nicholas dragged his fingers through my hair, soothingly scratching at my scalp with his stubby fingernails. I leaned into him, burying my face in his chest. I was
“New record?” Veronica asked. Julian flashed a smug smile, even as he shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “It’s easier when you can see it. Much harder when your hands are behind your back.” I tried to smile with them. They were my friends. But it didn’t last on my lips. I was too strung out, to
After Julian’s report of Jane being missing, I insisted that I go see for myself if the body was gone. Nicholas agreed only if he could carry me, so I ended up in his arms in a bridal carry. Due to the gory state of my ruined dress, we avoided any areas with crowds as we made our way downstairs. S
I realized then, what I couldn’t see before when I had been drowning under my own feelings. Nicholas had almost lost me. I had so very nearly died. If he had arrived a second later, if Jane had been quicker with the knife… There were so many what ifs. Being near Nicholas was affirming for me, but
I ran and ran, letting my wolf guide me. Nicholas, in his wolf form, stayed close beside me, just a few inches behind. If I turned left, he followed in a flash. If I moved right, he was there. He was letting me lead, but staying close enough that he could catch me from falling if I lost myself. I
Instead, the Queen pulled me into a hug. It was uncomfortable and brief, but a hug none the less. From the Queen, this was a tremendous breach of decorum, and I froze, unsure how to react. Even Nathan, standing dutifully as his King’s side seemed shocked.“I have misjudged you dearly,” the Queen sai
I wasn’t sure what to expect when our car delivered us from the train station to the palace, but even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have guessed what actually awaited us.Cheering crowds lined the outer walls of the palace. Balloons and streamers of various colors were abundant. A stage had been
At once, my heart leapt up into my throat, while simultaneously crashing down into my stomach.I pulled away from Nicholas enough to push myself up onto my hands and stare down at him.The thought of breaking the engagement had never crossed my mind! Nicholas proposing had been one of the best momen
In a war between the wolves and the bears, only the lost bear princess will be able to stop this fighting. Else, the bears will continue to fight themselves to exhaustion or to death.“It’s up to you,” Nicholas said. “I believe in you. You can do this.”I closed my eyes. Miracle was still exhausted,
Slowly, my grief subsided for now, enough for me to look up at Nicholas and feel the relief of being reunited with my fiancé.My… mate.“I love you,” Nicholas said. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to reach you.”“How are you even here? It’s impossible for you to have found me this quickly?”Nichol
Joyce, despite his best efforts, was not a fighter. He was not bred for war and battle like Hawke was, so even calling on the power of his Alpha wolf, Hawk tossed Joyce aside like he was a sack of potatoes.However, Joyce did show amazing tenacity, and stood back up time and time again. Roaring, he
Nicholas was here. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know why. But he was here, and that gave me the strength I needed to act.I ripped my arm away from Joyce’s hold and rushed into the room where Hawk was choking my sister on the ground. Using all of my strength, I plowed into Hawk.My surprise more than
We slipped into the hallway easily enough. The lights were off, so we stuck to the shadows. We didn’t go far when we started to hear raised voices.“I want to know if Piper was telling the truth.” It was Jane.“You cannot mean to trust her more than me,” that was Hawk. His cold voice sent shivers ru
A mating bond…?Yes. Even though Nicholas and I had never talked about the love between us, I had still felt it grow over these months together. Nicholas had never made a bonding bite on my neck, yet inside of me, that bond had cultivated. Our hearts were bound together, mating bite or now.There wa