~Tia~I left the boys and started to walk. I have an idea of where Lynn disappeared, but I’m not in a rush to get there. The longer I take, the more calm she’ll be…..hopefully. I have no idea what got into Devonte, but she will definitely make him sorry that he said any of that.I walk through the packhouse, greeting people as I go. I’ve been widely accepted by the pack since the entire ordeal with my father, and it still feels weird at times. Many admitted that they never knew me but based their interactions with me on what others had to say about me. Many rumors have been floating around for years. I say nothing when these conversations come up. It isn’t that their reasoning makes things okay, but it’s more so what’s done is done. I just want to be a good Luna to the pack. I want us to prosper and enjoy life, so the sooner we can end this foolishness, the better.Grunting and cursing get louder as I walk through the woods. There’s a place in the woods where the three of us used to g
~Lynn~Devonte looks at me dumbfounded, as if he isn’t sure what to do next. I know he heard me, and I’m impatiently waiting for him to fulfill my request. He owes me some groveling with his apology, and I want it the way I want it. There will be no working around it.“Maybe we should talk first. I….I need to tell you wh-” I hold my hand up, effectively stopping him mid-sentence.“I’m not interested in what you have to say. I heard your conversation with Vonte, so I got the gist. No matter what, you owe me an apology and then some.” We stand and look at each other for a bit before Devonte nods at me. “Now that we’re on the same page, strip.” Devonte looks around before settling his gaze back on me.“Out here, in the woods?” I take a step toward him and place my hands on my hips.“I’m pretty sure I didn’t stutter, and I know that we are outside in the woods. I knew that when I walked up to you. I will say it again, and that’s it. Strip!” Devonte looks around one more time before taking
~Imogene~I take a long look at the man in front of me. He’s not a vampire that I’ve ever had dealings with before, but I’m not surprised. I heard a bit of his story, and it seems he was locked away somewhere for a while. Whatever the reason I never came across him before is irrelevant. He’s come along at the right time. “I need my magic back.”His eyes don’t waver from me, and I wish I could tell what he’s thinking right now. I’m currently magicless, thanks to that bitch high priestess. It took me many years to get the level of power I possessed, and now it’s like starting all over again. The only bright spot is that I put some of my magic away for just this type of situation. I just need some help with getting it back. “I’m no witch or warlock, so I’m a little lost as to how I can help with that.” I sigh and sit back in my chair. Maybe he’s intentionally playing dense.“Make the right connections, and you can do anything your heart desires.” He doesn’t say anything or move. “Look, I
~Tia~“Hey, beautiful.” Landon’s lips touch my cheek, and it’s a little wet. I turn to look at him and notice the sweat dripping down his face. I playfully slap his arm as I chuckle.“So gross! You’re way too sweaty to touch me.” Landon lets a small growl loose. At the same time, I feel wetness on the side of my face and neck. I jump at the uncomfortable feeling and turn to the side to see Lincoln laughing. I punch him in the shoulder.“Ow, baby. That hurt.” I roll my eyes and grab the towel out of Lincoln’s hand. I wipe my face before throwing it to Landon. I sit at Landon’s desk and eye my mates. “Don’t be mad. We’re just messing with you.”“Where’s Kian?”“Mom and Paul had him, but they are leaving him with Dad. They say they have to talk to everyone.” Lincoln and Landon wipe themselves down before sitting at their desks. The door opens, and Lynn struts in with Vonte behind her. Devonte is a bit slower coming in, and he looks extremely uncomfortable.I turn to Lynn, about to ask ab
~Mark~“Mmmmmm. You know what kissing me there does to me.” I smirk against her skin and continue my assault. “Maaaark…..fu…..that feels so good.” I reluctantly remove my mouth and push Jenna onto her back. She’s wearing my shirt to bed, and I love it when she wears my shirt to bed.I run a hand up her torso, under the shirt. I come in contact with her bare breast, and I latch on. Her skin is so soft in my hands. I knead it like it’s Play-Doh, and Jenna arches her back. I should probably let her sleep and get rest for the baby. I look down at her, writhing under me. Yeah, not happening tonight.I quickly push her shirt up and latch my mouth onto her nipple. I swirl my tongue around her peak, causing her back to arch. Her hand grabs the back of my head, and I really dig in. I move my other hand down to her nub and rub my finger around the sensitive button.Jenna is so wet, and my finger is getting drenched. My mouth is watering with anticipation; I want to taste her. I let my finger sl
~Aida~Ivan is giving out the last slew of orders so we can go and complete our agenda. I’m watching our little group, and I have to say it’s impressive. I’ve never gone against a group of vampires myself, so I can’t wait to see how crazy this is going to get.Ivan gets a call and walks away to take it. I continue to look at our little group, sizing them up. I’m beyond anxious to get going, and I wish this were the big battle we’re working toward. This is just a little skirmish to get an idea of what each pack is working with.I watch a hand tentatively go up into the air. I’m amused; it’s like I’m a teacher, and they are looking to ask a question. “Yes?”“I just want to be clear…..we AREN’T to kill anyone?” I sigh and look at the group. I look at where Ivan was standing and see that he’s moved much further. I turn back to the group, and I know I have a gleam in my eye.“The goal is to NOT kill anything this time around. We really want to intel.” There are nods throughout the group. “
~Jenna~I struggled to get out of bed. The struggle continued as I tried to shower and dress myself. I’m standing in front of the full-length mirror, and I smooth the black dress that I had plastered on my body. It’s a form-fitting dress with a pencil skirt. I sigh as I step into my black pumps and tuck some hair behind my ear.There’s no point in makeup because it isn’t going to stay on my face, not today. There’s a knock on my door before it opens. “Hey, baby girl. Are you ready?” I sigh again and clench my eyes to keep the tears in.“Can you ever really be ready for this?” My dad lets out a humorless chuckle and walks toward me.“No, you are never ready for this.” He places a hand on my lower back and guides me out of my room and the packhouse.We are laying our fallen to rest. We lost three people, and we decided to say goodbye today. The battle was a day ago, but there’s no point in waiting. We will need to coordinate with the Emerald Lack Pack because we know this isn’t the end
~Ivan~“I did it because…..I can.” Is she serious right now? Is that the reason for her causing so much chaos? Don’t get me wrong, I have no issue with life lost, even if it’s accidental. I’m not one who’s going to break for animals or be sure that I factor in any issues that could hurt others. I truly could not care. This is a cruel, cold world, and everyone is for themselves. It’s just when there’s a plan, an expressed wish, that should be honored no matter what.My hand drops from Aida’s next, but her smirk never fades. I take two steps back from her, trying to figure out what to do. On one hand, the fact that she’s so unapologetic is disturbing. She went in with a plan, and that plan was executed with no hesitation. Not just that, but she’s gleeful about it. That could be very dangerous, considering. On the other hand, I have to admit that I’m extremely turned on right now. My love is a force, and such a force is one to marvel at.My dick is growing, causing my pants to tighten on
6 Months Later~Paul~It’s been six long months, and Nikki still hasn’t woken up. Owlyn has been here and tried to get a response from her. Nothing has worked because she says it has nothing to do with magic. The doctors don’t have an answer, and I’m just lost without her.I knew she shouldn’t have volunteered. I felt in my heart that it wasn’t the right choice, but what could I do? I love her with everything I have, and I couldn’t tell her not to do what her heart said was the right thing.I run my hands through my hair and then over my face. I haven’t left her side in six months, and I’m beyond tired of seeing these walls. My sons have tried to get me to leave, and so has Tia. I refuse them because this is where I’m meant to be. As long as my heart is here, I will be here. Tia has been here often and has brought our grandchild, but besides those visits, it’s just been Nikki and me. I refuse to believe that I finally found my fated mate just to lose her so quickly.I put my head in m
~Devonte~The pain in my heart is all-consuming. I want the pain to stop, but I don’t know how to make that happen. I curl up tighter, hoping that the pressure will help with the pain. It’s all too much, and I don’t know what to do to make it better.Abe has gone silent, and I’m not surprised. He’s been struggling the most, and I have no words to soothe him. I wish I could wake up yesterday when things were what they were. I’d give anything to go back.“BROTHER?! BROTHER WHERE ARE YOU?!” I curl up tighter as if that’s going to keep me from being found. I don’t think I can handle the words and emotions that will surely follow my brother. I can’t take what that would mean.His thudding footsteps get closer and closer. I know I can’t hide myself; there’s no way to become invisible. I can’t keep this from happening. I hold my breath, waiting for the inevitable. “D, I found you. I’ve been looking everywhere. Our mate, she needs us. She needs you.” I’m trying to block out his words, but I’m
~Third Person~Everything seemed to happen all at once. Andricia is thrown against a tree trunk and curls up with a whimper. The pain is too much, causing Andricia to shift back into Tia. The twins witness this, and all restraint is lost. They shift and run at Imogene, who quickly wraps them up in blue light.Nikki hasn’t taken her eyes off Imogene, so she’s ready to interfere. As she shoots her light at Imogene, it strikes her in the stomach. Imogene is taken off guard and loses her grip on the twins. They fall to the ground and falter as they try to get on their feet. Eventually, they gain their footing and try to attack Imogene again.Imogene defends herself, reduced to hand-to-hand combat with the edge of magic. She repeatedly strikes the wolves as they throw themselves at her. They are taking a lot of punishment, but they refuse to stop. Their only goal is to defend their love, though they’d rather take the time to see about her.The group is joined by vampires and rogues alike.
~Jenna~I scramble backward, making sure my back is flush against the tree trunk. I try to quiet my breathing, but it's proving to be a task. I search around me, but there’s only darkness. The night air is still filled with the sounds of a battle, but I can’t see what’s going on.“Ughhhhh.” I slap my hand over my mouth in an attempt to stay quiet. I look down and see the bright red blood. I shut my eyes tight and try to think about anything else. If I freak out right now, I won’t be able to get back to safety.Every inch of my body hurts, but I can’t think about that now. I need to get out of here and make it back to the packhouse. I struggle to my feet, using only my right arm. My left just hangs against my body. Every twist and turn of my body brings a wave of excruciating pain, but I have to ignore it right now.I finally get to my feet and stand against the tree trunk. My breathing is erratic, and my chest is heaving up and down. “Where’d she go? I don’t see her.”“Sniff her out.”
~Aida~I’m applying pressure to my sister’s neck, and I feel her body giving in. This is so easy it’s pathetic. I would have thought that she would have trained during my absence. She had to know that I would return, and with my return would come the fight for her life. I guess having a brain doesn’t guarantee that you’ll use it.Portia’s body slumps to the ground, and her breathing gets heavier. I swear she’ll be dead in a minute. While part of me is rejoicing, the other part of me feels that she’d be getting off too easily. She’s the cause of all my problems, even the cause of Adela’s death. I may have administered the final blow, but it wouldn’t have come to that if she hadn’t disrupted our plans.Portia completely falls under, and I let her go with a thud on the ground. I get to my feet and walk around her limp body. Her breathing is shallow, so I know I can still play around with her before I kill her. I just need to figure out what games will be fun to engage in.I walk around h
~Ivan~One of the twins lunges at me, and I step out of the way. The other twin moves toward me, causing me to dodge slightly. This can’t be how they expect to beat me. If things continue this way, I’m going to win without breaking a sweat.I don’t want to spend a lot of time with these two. I need to go find Aida and so help anyone who has tried to put their hands on her. No one will hurt my love and live to tell the tale. I’d scorch the Earth before I let anyone hurt her.These imbeciles are staring at me but have stopped lunging. I guess they realize that it’s useless. It doesn’t matter what they do to me, they won’t win. I’m a vampire, so my natural state is on a different level. On top of that, I’ve been around for a long time. There isn’t much that I haven’t seen before, so they are hard-pressed to find something new to throw at me. “We’re wasting time, boys. I have more pressing matters.” I flip two fingers in the air back and forth. I hear reinforcements moving in. “Let me jus
~Lynn~I reach into the vampire’s chest and pull out its heart. My hand is covered in blood, but it’s as black as tar. There’s a stench to it; it smells like it’s rotting. I guess that makes sense because vampires aren't like the rest of us. They are the undead.I look to my left and can make out Abe in the distance. He’s ripping the head off of a vampire. Another vampire has climbed on his back, but he shakes him off. I look to my right, and Mace has the leg of a vampire in his mouth, and he shakes him like a rag doll. I duck quickly, missing the clothesline that was intended for me. I look behind myself and kick out, catching the perpetrator in the stomach. I wind the rope around my fist and throw a punch. The rope, mixed with the strength of my punch, causes my hand to literally push a chunk of her arm onto the ground. I follow up with a round kick and straddle her body as soon as it hits the ground. I rain a combination of punches on her body before ripping her throat out.I’m tir
~Jenna~I’m herding those who can’t fight into the safe rooms. We have entry points on both ends of the pack, but I’m only worried about those on this end where the packhouse is. Elderly pack members, as well as children, have been running here in droves. The sooner we get them to safety, the better off we will all be.I take one last look around and turn to the opening that will lead to the underground tunnels. It isn’t a long walk from the tunnels to the rooms; we wanted to make sure everyone would have a chance to get to safety. Once I get inside, the doors will be locked, and we will wait for word that everything is over.Crying sounds behind me, causing me to whip around. A pregnant woman with a toddler is running toward where I’m standing. A few warriors rushed out to her, working overtime to keep the vampires back.I watch the woman run forward with her baby’s hand in hers. She trips, and her knees hit the ground, causing her to lose her grip on her child. She cries out and cra
~Mark~I’ve been on alert all evening. I know tonight is the night, but I have no idea when. It’s just a guess, but we expect an attack on this pack. It isn’t that I’ve done anything to Aida, but her enemy is my best friend, and my mate has gone after her obsession. It seems they are trying to hurt Tia in any way they can, and that would include attacking this pack.I haven’t been Alpha that long, and I’ve only had my fated mate a bit longer than that. I have a baby coming and I like my life right now. I don’t want to lose anything right now, but this battle could have me lose it all.I clean off my desk and put files in the filing cabinet. I think the best thing right now is to have time with my mate. I want her to know how much she’s loved, just in case. I close the office door behind me and turn to head up the stairs. Alpha, we have a breach! My heart begins to thump in my chest as the seriousness of the situation grabs me. I take a deep breath and let it out. Hey, beautiful. Wher