Kira
... He stands almost a foot above me, and I realize that I've buried myself into his chest--his bare skin, glistening and warm. His eyebrows furrow in concern as he searches my face. I feel a flutter--lightheaded--and then I realize.
Perrin
Her eyes open wide, suddenly, with clear embarrassment.
"Oh My Goddess!" She screams.
I scramble to pick up the towel I dropped and cover myself.
"Kira--I---I wasn't expecting you--"
"I'M SO SORRY!" She's breathless and turning from side to side, as if not sure where to go.
"Kira, it's alright, are you Ok--"
"I shouldn't have come here."
"Kira, Calm down!"
"How can you be calm right now?"
"Wait, why ARE you up here--"
"WERE YOU HURT TOO?" She rushes toward me again, grabbing my bleeding hand. The hand which was holding up my towel. She yanks it towards her.
"KIRA!" The towel falls to the floo
LeilaI know Texas is only an hour ahead, but I woke up at the crack of dawn for some reason. I had the strangest dream. Shaking my head, I knew I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. I threw on my slippers and headed into the living room area of our suite.My dad's door was closed. I thought maybe he was still sleeping. I headed back to my room.Well.... Breakfast by myself! Not like it'd be weird. I've barely seen my dad with the exception of being greeted at the pack border. It was just too weird.I looked towards my suitcase. I hadn't really bothered unpacking last night. Apart from pulling out a dress for my "date" --is that what it was?-- and finding my pajamas when I got back, I didn't have much of a chance. Nor did I really care to. With any luck, I wouldn't be here too long. I don't think it will take Perrin too long to figure out we aren't mates. I looked at the dress, crumpled on the ground.My thoughts drifted t
Perrin She lay out, stretched on the bed. Her silver hair fanned out on the pillow around her head. Her large eyes stared back into mine, patiently. Waiting. I lowered myself down to her easily, resting my hips lightly on hers. She was small, but not fragile. I could feel her hips reach up slightly to meet mine before falling back into the bedding.
LeilaIt didn't take me long to find the kitchen.I am a she-wolf and not immune to the smell of bacon, after all.A few minutes after running into Alpha Jason, I found myself in a beautiful, industrial-sized kitchen. Several skylights show a tease of a clear sky. The whole space is open and welcoming.I've always loved cooking... baking... you name it. And this kitchen smells of fresh toast, bacon, and exactly what I came for: coffee."Mmmmm" I murmur to myself.I rush over to the counter and grabbed the largest mug I could find. I was alone, but some brilliant pack member had already started a massive pot of Jamaican Me Crazy. It smelled delicious. I poured myself a massive cup and smiled happily as the strong aroma engulfed me.I scanned the shelves and the rest of the counter, looking for creamer."Can't find something?" A deep, cheery voice sing-songed from behind a large stack of freshly baked bread.
JasmineI could barely sleep. It seems I'm wide awake an hour before my alarm usually goes off.I slap my head on the bedside table.I don't think I slept a wink.My heart sinks deep into my chest as I go over the events of yesterday for what seems like the hundredth time.Ethan. Perrin. The accident. His dad.I just don't get it. My head seems to be exploding.Ethan's injuries were bad. I mean,really bad.After Perrin and his dad left the infirmary, I headed back to the nurses break room to see what I could find out. Punctured lungs? Broken ribs? Bones? And what the hell happened to his eye? I had made one of the healers on night-duty for Ethan swear to text me with any updates. I check my phone screen. I hadn't let go of it all night. She hadn't said anything, but I text her anyway.Any updates?LORRIE: No, no changes. Stable, but that's good.
Chapter 16JasmineThis morning's workout
PerrinI topple into bed after my father leaves, but I'm too restless.Seeing as I'm not going back to bed anytime soon, I get u
PerrinLost in my own thoughts, I make my way through the rest of the backwoods trail, catching a glimpse of the training facilities on my way to the infirmary.
Chapter 19Packhouse, Alpha’s Office
EPILOGUEMarge shuffled through the archive, her shoes making the only sound in the quiet stone building, echoing all the same through the high vaulted ceiling of the church building above. She raised a gnarled hand to the shelf and deposited the book after two tries, her hands shaking slightly with the cold. There were only a few books to return tonight. Far fewer than there had been when Leila had been here.So why had she waited until this late in the evening to do it? She just shrugged and pushed on, the slow creaking of the cart’s wheels punctuating the silence, her old watch on her pale wrist noting the time; 1:45 a.m.She really had no business being there so late. But she had gotten caught up in one of her research projects, spread out across her circulation desk and totally lost in thought until the rumble of her empty sto
Perrin“How long is it going to take?”I sat on Lo’s bed as she shoved clothes into her suitcase. “Maybe a week? I’m not sure.”“Why don’t you just leave all of that stuff here?” I pointed at the suitcase. “It’s not like you’re not going to bring it back.”She heaved a heavy sigh, full of fake exasperation. “I still have to pack it to move it down the hall. It’s just easier if I do it all at once.”“Nah. Let’s just throw it all in some garbage bags and unpack later.”She laughed. “Hand me those shoes?”I strode over and picked a pair
Perrin “Because I never want to create a monster like my father.” Silence hung in the room. I digested each word, the implications of it. “But you’re not…” I said, more for myself than for her. “No, I’m not. He never got his hands on me. My little brother made sure of that.” And even though she spoke in a viscous, quipping way; there was a hint of something grateful in her tone. “So he won’t be anything like him!” I said, assuring myself more than anything. “Does it matter?” She snapped, regaining her typical composure. “If my father’s insane lust for power is hereditary, then it’s best that the blood line ends with me. At least my brother won’t be breeding any offspring considering he’s gay–” sh
Perrin I glanced at my phone, then at Lo. We had made love for several hours, refusing to stop until we had our fill of each other. But each time hadn’t felt like enough, leaving us drained and happy but wanting more. After one particularly hot session in the middle of my bed involving whipped cream, I pulled her close to me, blissfully peaceful with her cradled in my arms. I felt her stomach growl against my hands. And apparently hungry. I swept my mouth to her ear and felt her shiver against me, goosebumps appearing up and down her body. I fought the impulse to warm her with every inch of mine. “Do you want me to get you a snack?” I said, and waved the small can of whipped cream in front of her face so she could see. She hummed lazily in my
PerrinAnd it had happened like that.I recalled the broad strokes for my friends.“You what?” Ethan said, shocked and nearly angry. “You can’t make that kind of promise!”Justin shook his head sagely. “That’s free reign, Perrin. And a dangerous move, backing out of every challenge. It puts you at a huge disadvantage if anyone trespasses on your territory.”“Or attacks on your land,” Ethan said.“Or poses a border dispute,” said Kira.“How will you expand?” Ethan asked, c
PerrinI tried to cover the nail marks she had left on my shoulder with a spare set of scrubs from Deidre’s office. It was no use. The scrubs were too small, tugging comically at my shoulders and Lo’s pink cheeks and ruffled hair couldn’t be fixed.We had retreated long enough to ourselves, and I pulled us back into the world of the living and down the hall, walking hand in hand as we rejoined our friends.Ethan smirked when he saw us. “Nice.”Kira rolled her eyes, glancing at her imaginary watch. “Couldn’t you two wait?”“At least get a shirt,” Ethan added, eyeing my bare chest. I had ditched the scrubs, unable to get them over my chest.
PerrinWe didn’t talk as much, even though that had been the plan.I had taken one of the chairs opposite Deidre’s desk, hoping to keep my brain thinking platonically for as long as possible. But part of me was still in shock. I could smell the smell of her coconut shampoo. See the glimmer of her earrings in the desk lap. And I had felt the tips of her fingernails as I held her hand; the short ones that she chewed on when she was reading and lost in thought.But I knew it was definitely her the moment I felt my head slightly dizzy with the draft of warm honeysuckle, intoxicatingly perfect.I wasn’t shy, needing to have her by my side. I pulled her easily into my lap, and she didn’t protest, as if still quite unsure that all of this was really happening either. She swun
PerrinAs soon as Mark dismissed the crowd, the crowd had begun to descend from the stands in droves. It hadn’t taken long for Lo to find me, fighting the current and pushing her way against the flow of teaming bodies and up to the platform.I sensed her, long before she ran up the platform stairs, Justin hot on her heels. I dove past my father, darted behind Mark and ran to meet her, not caring for any protocol or public indecency. I needed her.Her scent hit me first. It made my blood sing and my heart beat so fast I thought it would stop.And then there she was. The sight of my home and my heart, running and slipping across the wet platform towards me.My weight almost buckled beneath me, the unexpected reality of seeing her here st
Justin The arena was packed. I could hear an excited roar from the crowd from behind the Lodge, drifting over the top of the massive building and floating through the chill evening air. Lo parked illegally in front of the entrance to the building. Now was not the time to point it out. A series of battered and limp-hanging banners and signs showed the way around to the back. It had rained today, apparently, and we made progress towards the arena as quickly as we could, sludging through mud and the trampled pathway. A stadium had been erected, filled to the brim with stands of onlookers, cheering and applauding in a range of darkened colors, soaked from the rain. Despite the bad weather, it hadn’t dampened their spirits. The crowd had been here all night, awaiting the results. Colored tents for each challenging pack were spaced ou