Walking back with Helena whilst Lucien and Beta Jackson hauled, well for want of a better word, the carcass of Alpha Alexander back to the castle I struggled to keep it together.
I'd seen him get stabbed and the blood start to ooze, an uncomfortable enough reminder of my past as it was. By the time I'd nearly broken my legs half a dozen times on the way down the ravine the image was too grizzly to take in.
Three men naked, covered in blood, two on the floor. My eyes shot to Lucien as he was absolutely drenched red in it, but standing upright. It took me a second to realise he was drenched in the blood of Alpha Francis who lay on the ground missing his throat. The relief at seeing him unharmed sent relief washing over me in waves. It had given me enough courage to haul Helena from the ground.
The journey back to the castle was largely a blur as a disturbing numbness took hold. Thankfully Helena wasn't up to talking either, we both just clung on like boats in a
Alexander’s breathing was tormented and ragged as I steeled myself to touch him. I could feel the pressure from Helena’s stare bearing down on me like a dropped anchor, willing me to somehow make him magically bounce back. The fact most strongly in Alexander’s favour for survival was that the blade used by Alpha Francis had not been pure silver. Wolves cannot shifter heal from a blade made of silver. I thought of poor Lucien’s neck, forever burning, and crying out on his neck, his shifter healing constantly trying to make it better but failing. I tried to take confidence from the fact my efforts, or at least my emerging love for him had made a difference. It must have, for him to speak up to Helena as though I had the ability. With Lucien’s green eyes, how he looked at me that first time outside, when we lay together, and he realised I wanted to touch him. Those gorgeous green, gentle eyes softened the rest of his harsh face as I slowly placed my hand on the ridged s
That was the longest, quietest, most horrendous twenty-four hours of my life. Never have I been so completely helpless before. Having to watch my beautiful mate, my darling Alexander being stitched up and repaired like a broken toy by doctors hurt me to the core. His skin was a stomach-churning grey pallor by the time Bella arrived. Kyra had told me to be patient with her but honestly, I had no faith in her abilities. Especially when all she did was rub his stitches a bit. I was so close to telling her to take her filthy hands off him to avoid infection. But again, and I have lost count of how many times this has happened now Bella has proven me wrong. Every time I think I have her understood and her feelings covered another layer appears. The love she has for the assassin, the fact she could persuade Ivan to release her, the way she threw herself down a ravine to help. She took control of me, walking and calming me all the way back to the castle-like an army veteran
When I woke Alexander was sound asleep but my stomach was growling loudly with hunger. Slowly unwrapping myself from his arm I left him fast asleep, his chest rising and falling uneasily still. My sleep hadn't produced any visions. Fyre suggested I hadn't had a deep enough sleep or my mind was too focused on Alexander. Either way, the only image outstanding was the figure falling from the castle roof. Perhaps that was no longer in the running Fyre mused now Alpha Francis was defeated. It had only been a few hours but I wondered if I could persuade Bella to sit with him again and help him rest. Beta Jackson and Kyra were loyally waiting outside and my heart melted at seeing how tired they were. Once more Beta Jacksons dark brown hair, beard and eyes reminded me of a bear. A ferociously huge and dangerous bear, which could dance a delightful waltz. The afternoon was setting, casting a burnt orange glow around the room. Everything looked as though it was on fire
I adjusted the dining chair back to the sleeping Alexander whilst Lucien looked around the room. He was a fish out of water in the grand surroundings of gold, porcelain and mahogany but had the body of a king. As he walked around the room taking in the possessions I couldn't help watching him slyly. His muscles strained against the white shirt and I longed to just help it over his head and release him. I licked my lips without thinking and he muttered, "doesn't look like much healing is going on there," as his eyes caught me staring at him. I blushed, tucking stray hairs behind my ear and walked towards him. He stood against the fireplace, an elbow resting on the huge stone mantlepiece as the flame danced up the chimney. Approaching him he watched me like a tiger, trying to work out my intentions. I silently placed my hands on his huge chest, finally answering my mental questions of just how that tightly stretched cotton over muscle would feel. On my
Only a few feet of the path around the warring pair was walkable as the guard tower I lurked in stole space from the edge. Helena's huge curls blew across her face, her footing less sure as she backed away slowly.Azalea, another leaping swipe of her blade hissed, "you don't get to judge my choices, Ivan understood, I should have known you'd have poisoned him against me. He failed me!""That's a lie and you know it! You need to spend the rest of your life knowing your choices put you where you are!"Azalea scoffed, "the rest of my life?" With a shrug and another jabbing attempt, she muttered, "the only purpose I have now is to make you pay as steep a price as me"With that, I saw her eyes flicker towards the edges of the castle walls. She dropped the knife, loudly clattering to the floor.Instead, she inhaled deeply and geared herself up to fling herself at Helena who was penned into the far corner. Azaleas white dress looked like a flurry of
She's an absolute liability. Running off to the rooftop like that chasing after that bloody Luna Helena some more. She made me promise to stay, never again. I will never allow someone that precious to be placed in harms way again. I hate the way her guilt overtakes everything. I know she's done a bad thing, a really bad thing but is she not allowed to experience joy ever again? Viktor was convinced she was going to fling herself off the edge with that lunatic Azalea. As the shouting grew louder and more deranged I could trace the location as I stuck my head out of the open window. Fuck Alexander I must have said under my breath a dozen times as my entire soul itched to run up those stairs and scoop her out of harm's way. I saw Azalea fall past me. I felt nothing about it. It's the inevitable end for someone trying to bite off more than they can chew. The only emotion I felt was relief that Bella was still up there safe. And the absolute nonsen
Mate. I never thought I would be lucky enough in a million years to find my mate, let alone it be someone like Lucien. Fate. We are destined, our twisted paths have to lead us to this place. A place where our souls have met and connected. The instant I grabbed his hand I felt it click into place. It struck me so powerfully all I do was try to breathe as I watched his face undergo the same shock. Whilst my realisation was pure joy, desire and happiness I saw in those gorgeous green eyes of his a flicker of fear. He still worried even at this point he could be rejected. The way his face melted and he drew me to him after I smiled and said "mate" will stay with me forever. That was his very last defence falling. I'd climbed the barricades and managed to see beyond the angry pain-riddled torment. There was a caring, fiercely loyal man behind those scars and huge build. And that man was mine. His kisses felt a hundred times more intense upon my ski
When I've got myself back to some kind of normality I see Lucien has laid down next to me on the bed, his eyes taking in my face. His solid jaw and face are unsmiling but his happiness is beaming out of his eyes. He isn't one for giddy boyish antics, everything is so serious and considered. He is so huge he takes up three-quarters of the space but I love it. I cannot stop ogling his size, the protective instinct of his to wrap me up in his arms made me feel like I had my own safe cocoon. I was dying to leap at him, to bring him to a swift, shuddering, jolting ecstasy but instead, he wrapped me up in the crook of his arm. His hand found mine and our fingers intertwined. I softly felt the end of each finger, remembering how each tip cast a different sensual sensation upon my skin. Nestled against that huge body, my breasts pressed against his ribcage I allowed my free hand to rest on his huge pecs. Solid and unyielding muscle, yet the heartbeat beneath
FOUR YEARS LATERThe softly lapping river is a constant source of joy. It gives the small family within all they need. Fresh drinking water cleans their clothes and bodies. Little Zena, a black-haired bundle of energy loves creating boats out of anything she can get her hands on, green eyes with a cat-like tilt sparkling as she works.Her little brother Finn is more reserved, he can spend hours laid beside the river, the gentle sounds of the brook helping his imagination wander into the far-off lands of adventure he hears his parents talking about.Their parents were doting and kind. At night they would pack them into their big, shared bed, the duck feather mattresses and pillow cushioning them softly, and tell them tales of daring adventures. How on their motorcycles they had travelled hundreds of miles to the very
The familiar little cottage with the bent chimney soon came into view. My stomach churned but I tried to clamp down on my worries for Lucien. He knew what he was doing, my sending him waves of panic was hardly going to help.We pulled up outside the cottage and he sat for a minute with his head down breathing deeply. Hopping off the bike and taking my helmet off I slowly wandered down the crooked path towards the door. I had last knocked on this door living under Bram’s shadow, Gitte hiding in the wings. Padgett and whatever it was she could do was our best chance at getting some closure on the pain Lucien was suffering.The door slowly opened, and that familiar face reappeared. The chunky, clanging jewellery and grey eyes were the same. Her Wispy auburn hair scattered around her face like a misshapen crown and if anything she had become even plumper. She
Marked. Finally I had everything I ever wanted.Lucien's eyes went to the sky as he struggled to contain his pleasure. The base of his cock had swollen like a plug clamping us together. Every tiny movement rubbed my clit against it.After all the pleasure he had given me the tables were suddenly turned. Now knotted he was the one who could be pleasured no end. His eyes shot to mine as I rocked my hips. I think he thought I'd have nothing left.To be honest three earth shattering orgasms and I should have been out for the count. But that mark, being given that seemed to be a recharge and now all I wanted was to watch that handsome bastard lose it all over again."Bella," he said in a warning voice."What?" I said innocently, c
I had her right where I wanted her. Naked, the firelight bouncing off her immaculate body and all mine. She fully deserved this, all afternoon my cock had been in agony against the saddle of the bike.I'd sped up, swerved, slowed down to let her overtake me trying to think of anything to get her mind off my dick. The past few days have been unreal. It's a strange sensation allowing all this love and adoration to seep into my bones. She was everything, her grey eyes sparkling and laughing as she whizzed by in the sunshine.But right now, here in the moonlight she was all mine. Her quivering, shaking body was already wracked with pressure. Just my fingers probing inside her gave me fireworks, watching her jerk to my command made my dick twitch harder with every gulp of air she swallowed in.My dick didn't need any mor
Our first job was to get back to the gold. I kind of enjoyed having to live rough on the road again. I really am not made for the high end luxury life in a castle it turns out. The days were long but the views were stunning.Long open roads, winding valleys, lakes and the back of Lucien. I blamed the bikes, the vibration and the pebbly path but really, the reason I joyously leapt onto him and showered him with kisses every time we stopped was because I was that attracted to him.Three days staring at his back on the roads meant I knew the outline of his body better than my own. His soft boyish curls of short brown hair that softened his appearance. The wide, humongously muscled shoulders that looked as though they could rip trees from the ground.The very best thing was pulling up alongside him every so often and ca
My eyes fluttered open after a huge splash of water hit my face.A terrifying thought struck me as I spluttered back into consciousness that I was back in the river and that everything between Lucien and I had been a coma dream. Thankfully the first thing I saw, same as back when he first rescued me were those eyes. Kind, full of love and concern and for the first time, brimming with tears.“Lucien, they said I could go,” I whispered, placing my hand on his cheek softly brushing away his tear.He didn’t say a word, just held me closer to him, squeezing me as though I might fly away if he loosened his grip. “Lucien, we can be together,” I whispered again, this time placing a soft kiss upon his cheek.He stroked my hair softly, although
Beta Jackson was sent on his mission before the sun rose this morning. We had found out their location yesterday to be honest but I pleaded with Alexander to give them one more night.“If had been us, possibly separated forever, what harm would it do?” I had said.“Your faith in them still being there is staggering,” he grunted, kissing me and playing with one of my long brown curls as we sat on the bleachers together once more. We were finding ourselves outside of the castle more frequently.Almost as though the castle had become a place with too many associations, too many awful things had happened. Murder, devastation and plots had spoiled it for a while. Being amongst the gardens, watching the defence training taking place whilst taking deep lungful’s of air, that made us happ
I had imagined every possible scenario for how this meeting would go. I remembered her parents from some of the Full Moon Balls. They were fairly plain but both shared Grace’s pale blue eyes. They had lived in Silver City then, as soon as Grace had been mated to Bram they had been allocated a town house in the centre. Apparently Grace had been a regular visitor to them. I once saw them walking around the market square just outside the castle and felt a wave of guilt. Of course the times she went for these visits were the same times Bram visited me. I often dreamed that Bram encouraged her visits, so desperate to spend time with me, it made me feel special. From my room I could see the castle courtyard and I would watch her head off, blonde hair bouncing and flowing as the crowds gave way for her. It was my prompt to make sure I was ready, knowing any second B
We held hands tightly in silence all the way there. Entwined together like ancient tree branches. There was nothing to say that we hadn't covered last night. It is not a word I use but it was perfect. It made confessing the stains of my life, my savage destruction of my own family feel like it was worth it. Airing out the poison in order to create a clean, fresh start. My mind buzzed with the possibility that perhaps this medicine woman might be the one to finally reconnect me with my family. My mother in particular. I got my greeny eyes from and nothing else. She was a small dark haired woman with a sparkling laugh and a constant need to be in contact. As I told Bella last night you couldn't move in our house, neither me or Felicia without being swept into a cuddle, a squeeze or a hair ruffle by her. I didn't tell Bella that she was exactly the type of