EthanI only stop long enough to tie up the guards I fought, swipe their uniforms and pick up Linda. I can’t stop picturing Jane being loaded into the back of that van, the ruthless way Anita fought her, the frightened cries of my pups. The images play over and over again in my mind, driving me half mad with fear, fury and self-loathing.I’m so angry with myself for letting Jane come along on this trip. This is precisely why I shouldn’t have given in to my wolf. I never should have split us up either, but I didn’t know what else to do given the gate situation. Goddess, I hope she’s alright. I’ll do anything, give anything, for her and the pups to be home safe again. As usual my prayers are met only with silence, but I can only hope the Goddess is too busy looking after my family to respond at the moment. I don’t know how I’m going to get them back: I have no idea where they’re being kept in the palace, but for once I might actually be able to track them in this rain-soaked kingdom.“
JaneAfter our meeting with Aimon, I came back to the room with the pups and immediately began trying to figure out a way to escape. I think they were a little disappointed and if I’m honest, I am too. I wish I were able to simply hold them tight and give them all the love and nurturing they’ve been missing these last few weeks. But that will have to wait until we’re safe. Then I can lavish my affection on them, and pry the more difficult details about their ordeal from their lips. I’m afraid of what they might tell me, but I know we have to have that talk in order to heal.After scouring the room from top to bottom, I’m beginning to feel very nervous. I can’t find anything that might help us break free. There are sheets I could tie into ropes once night falls, but we’re too high up and it feels terribly risky with such young pups. The best weapon I came across were some particularly spikey stilettos in the wardrobe – there aren’t even razors in the bathroom.I even searched the walls
Ethan No, no, no. It isn’t real, this isn’t happening. I was afraid our escape had been too easy, but I’m not sure what other choice we had. We were only two people, and doing this job right would have required an army. Maybe we should have taken more time to plan, rather than rushing in, but in the end it was always going to be the same odds. Besides, we had a very small window after I knocked the guards out and stole their uniforms, we wouldn’t have been able to use them as disguises tomorrow or the next day – after Aimon realized we had them. It was a blessing we’d been able to find Jane and the pups so quickly, and Linda’s quick thinking truly had been inspired. I don’t regret the way we went about the rescue, I only regret that we didn’t succeed. This isn’t the way I wanted it to end. In a one-on-one fight I’m confident I could easily defeat Aimon – he’s twenty years my senior after all. However I don’t trust the King to give me a fair fight. Right now he’s standing at the Pa
3rd Person “Shhh, you’re gonna wakes him!” Paisley whispered, scolding her brothers when they started to get a little too rowdy at Ethan’s bedside. “When is he gonna gets up, anyway?” Parker frowned. “He’s been sleeping forevers!” “Mommy says we haves to give him time.” Riley reminded him, peeking up over the edge of the bed. “He looks really sleepy.” “Well a course he does.” Ryder responded wryly, “everyone looks sleepy when they’re sleeping.” “You know what I mean.” Riley countered archly. “Like he needs rest.” “Are you pups being good?” Linda’s voice sounded at the doorway. She’d been checking in at the nurses station when the pups disappeared from her side. Of course, it didn’t take her long to find them at all. They’d been trying to sneak into Ethan’s room all night, not understanding the hospital’s rules about visiting hours. “Yes Auntie Linda.” They chimed in unison. “Are you sure about that?” Ethan’s gr
Jane I’m practically skipping as I move through the hospital’s crowded hallways, eager to get to Ethan and tell him our news. I haven’t seen him since he came out of surgery, and I’m also anxious to hear how everything went. They wouldn’t tell me anything beforehand, but legally married or not, I’m his mate. I’m sure they would have told me if his condition was serious. The TV’s at the nurses stations are all playing the news on an endless loop. Headlines about King Aimon’s death were quickly followed by reports of Southern Islanders celebrating in the streets. It seems his own people hated him almost as much as we did. Details about his death indicate that Ethan and I were involved, but so far everyone is reporting that Eric is expected to take the throne. Part of me wonders if that will mean I have to say goodbye to Linda, but I’m so happy for them both. I’m just so elated this ordeal is finally over. We’re all free to be with the ones we love at l
Jane Two months later “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Paisley, Parker, Riley and Ryder, happy birthday to you!” A jumble of singing voices, both young and old, struggle to fit all four of the pups’ names into the traditional song, and the group soon devolves into giggles. This is always how birthdays have gone with my babies, and this year the list of names is even longer now that Paisley is with us – not that they seem to mind. They’re surrounded by friends, decorations and presents, about to dig into a scrumptious cake shaped like their favorite cartoon character. The quadruplets are beaming, kneeling up on their chairs to lean over the swiftly melting candles and counting, “One, two, three!” At once they blow out the flames, waving their precious heads back and forth to make sure they get all five. Looking at them now, it’s hard to believe how much has changed in so short a time. A couple of months ago I wasn’t sure if I would ever see them a
Jane As I walk through the sterile halls of the hospital, my mind whirls with thought. Grief and despair are closing in fast, but I’m trying to hold onto my anger instead. Fury will keep me going enough to get through the difficult days ahead. If I let myself feel this – if I succumb to this agony, I might never recover. How am I going to tell the pups? I know they don’t have any idea how much things have changed between Ethan and I, but this still isn’t going to be a fun conversation. After all, I did tell them that Daddy and I would be taking them home, it’s not going to be easy to walk that back. They were upset about the idea of being separated from Ethan even before the kidnapping, and now they need as much love and stability as possible. I don’t want to break their hearts, and telling them the truth about why we’re going home alone would do exactly that. I can’t bear for them to know that Ethan doesn’t want them, especially not after everything they’ve been through. That leav
Jane “Tell us what?” Paisley asked, “Mommy where are we?” “This is my home, in the Dark Moon territory.” I explain. “Come on, let’s get upstairs to the apartment, then we can talk.” I encourage. “Our we here to gets our stuff so we can moves?” Riley chirps excitedly as we enter the building lobby. “I’ll explain everything when we’re upstairs.” I promise, praying I can put this off until we’re in the privacy of our own home. After everything we’ve been through over the last few months, the last thing I need is for my children to have a full-on public meltdown in the middle of the street. The pups continue to excitedly question me as the elevator carries us higher and higher, and I’m frankly amazed they haven’t picked up on my somber energy. Either I’m doing a better job of hiding it than I thought, or their senses are so frayed from all their recent adventures that they don’t realize how upset I am. We don’t have any luggage. The pups were taken with nothing but the clothes on th
JaneFour Months LaterEthan ushers the pups into my hospital room with a finger pressed to his lips. “Quietly now, Mommy’s very tired.”I’d gone into labor in the early hours of the morning, and the experience couldn’t have been more different than it had been with the quadruplets. Instead of suffering through the first contractions alone and afraid, I’d had my mate by my side, rubbing my back and crooning sympathetically as I gritted my teeth against the pain. After a few hours of pacing and fruitlessly trying to find a comfortable position, my water broke and we left for the hospital, leaving the pups with a sitter.I made it through fifteen hours of labor before caving and asking for an epidural, taking Ethan’s encouragement to save my strength for pushing when the time came. He never left my side the entire time, only stepping out of the room a couple of times to check in on the pups at my request. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthing partner – he lavished me with praise a
JaneWhen Ethan and I arrive back at the penthouse we find Devon and Nina sitting on the sofa while the pups zoom around the living room in front of them. Devon has an arm slung over Nina’s shoulder, which surprises me, but I can’t focus on them because the moment we walk through the door four little bodies come hurtling at our legs. “Mommy! Daddy!” The pups cry excitedly.Parker is the tallest and fastest, so he reaches us first, leaping up into Ethan’s waiting arms while I intercept Riley, whose small size lets her bound weightlessly across the room. “Hello my love puddles.” I greet them happily, kneeling so I can also hug Ryder, while Ethan effortlessly scoops up Paisley, even though his arms are already full with her brother. “What have you been up to? Were you good for Devon and Nina?” I ask, marveling at Ethan’s strength despite his recent recovery.“We were sooo good.” Riley confirms. “Nina was sad so we cuddled her.”“And then Devon told us we could get ice cream if we promi
JaneWhen I open my eyes, Ethan and I are still in the thermal pool. I can feel the water lapping and bubbling around me, but he’s no longer inside me, and when I look up it’s to find his dark gaze watching me intently. Gradually I realize he’s moved to the shallow end of the spring so he can sit on the submerged ledge and hold me in his lap. He rests one hand on my round belly, and our baby flutters inside me as if the tiny bean knows its father is near.“How long was I out?” I inquire softly, stretching and reveling in the delicious ache of my muscles. I’m filled with the lazy contentment of a well-loved mate, utterly drugged with pleasure that is only deepened by the sting of my claiming mark. I can feel the evidence of Ethan’s dominance in the swollen flesh between my legs, the bite marks on my breasts and faint bruises on my back and thighs. And right now I can’t imagine anything better than this… exc
3rd PersonNina’s heart sunk as she watched Ethan and Jane race out the door as their wolves, and she stepped forward to close the door out of mere reflex. When the panel clicked shut she found herself staring blankly at the dark wood, momentarily frozen in time. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t feel, she could only stand there and exist as this latest slight reverberated through her body.Only the sound of a small voice saying her name woke her from her miserable reverie, “Nina?”Slowly, as if in a trance, she turned. Blinking, her expression detached, she saw the pups watching her. Tiny feet padded over the floor in a miniature stampede, and then the four children were gathered around her, looking up at her with wrinkled brows. “Hmm?” She finally responded, unsure if they’d asked her a question or simply stopped at her name.“Are you okay?” Paisley inquired softly, genuine concern in h
Jane“Not want you?” Ethan snarls furiously, seeming angrier about that suggestion than my words about Devon. “Not want you? That has never been the problem!”His hands are so fierce on my body, and I can see a wild sort of desperation in his handsome features. His eyes are glowing and his fangs extended – I know his wolf is right on the edge.“Then show me.” I demand. Sliding my hand down between our flush bodies. “Let me feel your desire, Ethan.”“Why are you doing this?” He groans, burying his head in my neck.“Because you’re punishing yourself for something that isn’t your fault.” I murmur in reply, my lips brushing against his ear as I speak. “And it’s gone on long enough.”“But it is my fault, Janey. Everything I do backfires, every time I try to do the right thing for you, I fuck up.” He confesses, sounding so vulnerable I ache.“Then maybe you should stop trying to figure out the answer for me, and start working with me. Ask me what I want and give it to me, don’t try to do it
JaneEthan and I run through the quiet streets of the city as our wolves, not minding one bit that we’re on pavement and not in the forest. We bound around shopkeepers and early morning commuters without a care in the world, oblivious to the curious looks we’re drawing.I’ve always preferred running at night, but I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to convince Ethan to stop being so stubborn. When I saw him in his wolf form with our pups climbing all over him this morning, pure joy washed over me. I might not have known how Ethan has been
Ethan“You’re letting them stay?” Nina demands, glaring at me as she wears a hole in the floor, pacing back and forth with the indignant energy of a she-wolf scorned. Unsurprisingly, she was less than amused to learn I decided to allow Jane and the pups to stay with us – though in truth it hadn’t been much of a choice. My mischievous mate forced me between a rock and a hard place, and I wasn’t about to drag her out of the penthouse kicking and screaming.“I can’t just throw them out.&
JaneMy plan to sneak-move into the penthouse is working better than I imagined. Granted, I keep catching my pups practicing their maniacal laughs in the mirror, but in the grand scheme of things, encouraging their talents for mastermining dastardly plots isn’t the worst idea. After all, I want to encourage their ambition in whatever they do… even if it is taking over the world.Regardless of the burgeoning tricksters under my roof, everything else has gone fairly smoothly. I was able to hire last minute movers to pack up and bring everything from our apartment in the Dark Moon territory and transport it here. The only real challenge was maki
JaneEthan winces, then kisses me again, long and deep. When he pulls away, I feel tears in my eyes. I already know he hasn’t been swayed by my pleading. “I know it hurts right now, Jane.” He acknowledges, looking truly aggrieved. “It hurts me too. But one day you’ll see that I’m right.” His thumb brushes a stray tear from my cheek. “You were so much better off without me. You built a fragrance empire and raised three amazing pups all by yourself. But a few months with me and you were on my floor, begging to be a slave again.”“That wasn’t because I was with you, it was because I wasn&rsquo