~Livia's Point of View~I was stuck in this heavy ass gown, uncomfortable heels and heavy jewelry for the rest of the evening and I hated it all. If I had to pee it was going to require some help. My parents lived in some fantasy world, my father always having to be in complete control. He kept giving me looks of approval and I wanted to punch that smug look off his face.“Here’s our seats,” Carrisa says, leading me to the front row of a makeshift arena that had been set up for the tournament. “Of course, we get a front row seat to the shitshow,” I whisper in her ear. She laughs right out loud and her husband immediately grips her hand and scolds her. Warning her not to embarrass him. Well we can’t have that now can we?Leonard strolls out, still wearing his black on black suit. There is no fixing him up and I can't understand how any creature finds him attractive. Yet, he never fails to have a pretty date on his arm.“Thank you all for coming. First up will be Shadrick and Erik. Th
~Livia's Point of View~After being hand fed strawberries and cream by an elf … yeah that’s not something you get to say everyday ... I am now faced with Shadrick Murray.Men need to feel in control, like they have all the cards. They crave a sense of mystery as well, they only tell you what they want you to know. But half an hour with each of these creatures will reveal all to me. Maybe I should take up fortune telling.Twenty minutes with Mr. Murray and he was already about to come in his pants, without even being touched, he was working himself up into such a frenzy. And it was ... gross.“You’re not hurting too badly I trust, I saw Erik land a few blows to your midsection,” I say, trying to turn the conversation away from his boring tales of yachting. Which turned into stories about the orgies that took place on said yacht.“Totally fine, but … we should check to be sure,” he says, standing and taking off his shirt.While he did indeed makes my skin crawl, no one could ignore Shadr
~Tyson’s Point of View~It had been the longest damn day of my life, and it was only the first day of the tournament. How was I going to watch my mate with other men? Watch them drooling over her, touching her, maybe more?I overheard some talk about the dates they would have with her: a whole day and night each to do whatever they wanted. The one guy, Shadrick … was already convinced he could get in her pants during his date and Axel almost shifted and ripped his head off.The only thing I have going in my favor is that there isn’t a full moon for another two weeks. If there was one during the tournament, I’d be totally screwed. I wasn’t sure Axel could even make it through the week though. Getting to sleep with her in my arms last night was a dream come true. When I woke and found her gone, without me getting to tell her my big secret, I was crushed.I knew she had obligations, I knew she had to get ready for the day but I was desperate to stop it all, declare my love for her and ste
~Quinn’s Point of View~“So glad you could all join Valencia and I for breakfast,” I say, to my full table. I glance at Livia and she looks awful. I mean, she is still beautiful but I can tell she is stressed or maybe didn’t sleep well. My mate begins babbling on to the different suitors about this or that, and notice Leonard checking out Livia as well. Does he know something I don’t? I always know absolutely everything in my world and especially under my roof.“So Leonard what’s on tap for today,” Valencia asks, a bit too chipper.“Well we thought about having some more sparring but I think everyone got their fill last night. Luckily Quinn and I made a back up plan, so hunting it is,” Leonard says, grinning wide. I watch Livia carefully to gauge her reaction and she doesn’t flinch, or even act like she is paying the slightest bit of attention. She should want a strong mate, a mate who can provide for her in every way. That not only means being a good lover but putting food on the t
~Livia’s Point of View~My father picked a fine time to try and have a heart, to try and act like he gave a damn about my love life. What was I supposed to say? I think I’m in love with a werewolf?! One that WORKS for you no less? A trained killer? Someone who is a total stranger to me but already someone who gets me hotter than anyone I'd ever met...Shadows are everywhere and nowhere, that is their job. I have to imagine that a lot of them have mates, though I had no clue if they travelled with them or what. Dad has a lot of people come here to do business with him, so he only to the headquarters for court a few times a month unless they have something huge going on.I had been so involved in my career and in my bubble for so long I didn’t even know that much about them anymore. Really not in decades. I sigh as I move down the hall and toward the door, overwhelmed with simply everything.Everyone is packing into a bus that Leonard hired to take us to who knows where. I see Susie stil
~Tyson’s Point of View~Being a Shadow you don’t really get to hunt too much unless it’s kind of work related. I really miss that about being in a pack. Sometimes the vamps want to go out at night and if I’m off I’ll tag along. I learned so much from Chance when I was training, and I was doing my damnedest to put it all to use.I had to get something big, something impressive and around here that meant only one animal. Not only was it large but it was hard as hell to catch. I’d also need help carrying it back but that wouldn’t be a problem. We had the muscle, I hoped...My wolf and I wander apart from the triplets and Chance then head to where the vegetation is the thickest, and open our nose, checking for it’s poop. Crazy thing but if anything I learned in tracking, it’s that the poop never lies. After about ten minutes we come across a bunch scattered around, its at least a couple hours old. But there were several different scents. Axel grins wide, ready to get at it.We open our ear
~Quinn’s Point of View~ I had been so impressed with the kills that everyone brought in, tons of deer obviously, some small game. But the wolf Tyson had wandered out too far and then called his friends for help. I had to wonder if he got lost, but how could a wolf get lost? I was annoyed, this was supposed to be about the suitors and now it had turned into a rescue mission I supposed. Everyone had already gotten back in their human forms and dressed but the Shadows that went after Tyson had to shift again and go after him. Some of the Shadows who were preparing the food came to get our catches and begin to process it. I wished Valencia had come but of course this wasn’t her thing. I thought she’d at least have liked the cook-out. I supposed I needed to talk to her some more about whether or not we should call off the tournament. I glance over at Livia, chatting away with Daisy. I guess she made a friend today, but either way I was glad she was in better spirits. It had been near
~Livia's Point Of View~ I actually had a great afternoon chatting with Daisy. It was … very informative but left me with even more questions. The cook-out ran into the early hours of the morning for most but I teleported back to my room about 11pm and locked the door. I sit on the bed and kick off my shoes once I'm confident Tyson isn't hiding in my bathroom again. I'm just so beat, but there were things bugging me I can’t let them go. I throw myself back on the bed and stretch out. I get thinking about the evening, the suitors were on their best behavior and I’d actually enjoyed speaking with Orion the most. Turns out we’re both complete nerds for chess, who would have thought it? Even Jasper came across as decent, talking to me about different charities he works with and he gives more than just money. He actually goes out and helps … so he says. The evening did little to change my mind about Shadrick, he kept trying to get me to dance with him. Even though there was music on,