~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,
~Quinn’s Point of View~I’d heard my fill from Shane and I decided that I might have to include someone else in my idea, on a need to know basis. I went to find our best investigator and see if he could help and since he was also a wolf who knew Tyson, it was meant to be.I was keeping this one so close to the vest, I wasn’t even going to involve Leonard. This whole tournament had him acting like a giddy little teenager and I had to wonder what his motive was, there was something there but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I mingled through the party and had a bit of small talk, just to show my face, but I came to a stop when I found who I was looking for, and tried to steal him away.“River, could I have a word with you, privately,” I ask, whispering in his ear.He was holding one of his pups and chatting with his brothers about the hunt. I was glad everyone was in good spirits and I hoped they all stayed occupied and no one noticed my absence.“Yeah, no problem,” he says, handing the
~Tyson’s Point of View~I got distracted talking to the guys about my moose and I lost Livia. Axel demanded I find her, and I did look everywhere. She must have teleported. Damn, must be nice. I take in the crowd and also notice that Quinn and Leonard aren’t around. I was too far out of range to mind-link with Susie and I hated not knowing what was up. Something was definitely going on. I climb on the bus with the douchebag brigade and take my seat in the back with Diego. We make small talk about the day, and he is excited with all the fish he’d caught. I tuned it all out. I had to know that Livia was all right and the bus ride was long as hell.Axel begins yelling at me for not marking her, and I don’t know how to get him to understand. If I pissed Quinn off I could get kicked out of the Shadows. Then I’d be a damn rogue and Livia would definitely reject me … reject us. We’d be disgraced. If the Shadows don’t want you, nobody else is going to.*Human bullshit,* Axel spits.I really
~Livia’s Point of View~Yawning, I sit up feeling like I’d barely slept. I’d left Leonard’s room a confused mess. He and my father were up to something, but of course it wasn’t like he would just come right out and tell me. I was laying in bed, dreading my date with Jasper. There was one sort of good thing that came out of our little chat though ... Leonard kept asking me to keep an open mind and give the tournament a chance. He said I might be surprised at what it has to offer. I had no clue what he meant by that, but I did feel a bit guilty. I found myself surprised that our chat was actually nice. He was an understanding ear to listen to me. How very un-Leonard-like.So I should absolutely be suspicious.I mean here were three men, just as equally roped into something as I was … maybe they were actually trying to find love, maybe not. It certainly didn’t seem like Shadrick was at any rate. He wanted arm candy, or business contacts, who knows. Someone else to knock up.I had to do t