~Aida~I’ve been in high spirits, and my last encounter with Ivan was amazing. He may have acted like he was upset by what happened, but I know better. It wasn’t even a hiccup in his plan, just an unimportant detour.Okay, maybe I haven’t been in high spirits all of the time. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m at peace with what I did. My father’s always been a warrior, and that means life can be cut short. I’m sure he didn’t expect it to be cut short by his own child, though.*Flashback*I punch and slice at people as I walk through the throng. I haven’t seen those who’ve offended me the most yet, but I know they’re out here. I recognize many of these warriors, but some are new to me. I see the royal seal, and I find it funny because even with royal warriors, they fail.I turn my head to the side, and I swear my excitement grows. I’ve laid eyes on someone I’ve very much hoped to see, and they are not too far ahead of me. I use my vampiric speed to make my way over there, ready for this
~Ivan~I watch Aida smile, but something’s not exactly right about it. I mean, she’s here and involved, but she’s been off since we attacked the group. I haven’t brought it up to her because I don’t think she’d be honest about what happened. If she wants to pretend, I will pretend, too.We head to the front room, where a witch and a warlock are waiting. I used my connections to find the best that would be willing to help with this. Not all witches are okay with dealing with a vampire, and even fewer want to aid Imogene in any capacity. She’s been known for a long time, but she hasn’t been a model individual. “Well, well, look at who they dredged up.” I look at the staircase and find Imogene at the bottom. She’s eyeing the two standing before me with an amused look. “Last I saw either of you, well, let’s just say you would have never been standing in a place like this.”“Ah, Imogene, I see that nothing’s really changed. I’m not sure if that’s good or not. Just know that I decided long
~Mark~I stretch and readjust in my chair. I swear I’ve been sitting here for days; at least, that’s what it feels like. I’m just happy to be alive so that I won’t complain too much. I’ve been stuck in the office trying to get some things together. We are tying up the loose ends from the battle and waiting to hear from the witches who are here to help keep us safe.My phone rings, and I answer, putting it on speaker. “Yes, my annoying sister?” Lynn clicks her tongue.“Don’t start with me, Mark. You’re lucky I don’t come out there and kick your ass for almost dying. Do that shit again, and I’ll bring your ass back just to kill you all over again.” I chuckle and roll my eyes.“But I didn’t die, though. Almost doesn’t count.”“I fucking swear, Mark!”“I love you too, my wonderful sister. How’s Tia?” Lynn sighs.“She’s better since the twins have gotten out of the clinic, but she’s hurting. She and Stuart had gotten so close lately.” I hate this for her. When I was there last, I saw how t
~Landon~We are all in our office, ready to have yet another meeting. I don’t know that I’ve ever participated in so many meetings, but I guess there’s no reason to complain. I could have easily succumbed to the injuries from the battle, and I wouldn’t be a part of another meeting ever again.In defending our pack and trying to protect our mate and child, Lincoln and I got bitten by the vampires a few times. The bad part is that vampire bites are poisonous to werewolves. The good thing is that we have the necessary anti-venoms to help if we get bitten. Lincoln and I had to stay in the clinic for a while to get the venom out of our systems.We hated that we couldn’t be by our mate’s side as she dealt with the loss of her father. I may have hated the bastard before, but he’s grown on me lately. He became the father he always should have been to my mate and an amazing grandfather to our child. I hate that he lost his life the way he did and by his own child. I hate that Tia’s in so much
~Tia~I hit the punching bag again with a left uppercut, cross combo. I do it again and again before throwing some kicks in. My anger is off the charts, and this is the only thing I can think to do to calm down.How dare they act like I can’t help with this. We need to draw them out, so it makes sense to use something that they want badly…..someone…..me. I’m the Luna of this pack, and it’s my job to help them protect everyone. I’m fully capable of protecting myself and would have no trouble doing the job.I continue to hit and kick at the bag, letting my anger permeate through the room. They are the reason that my father is dead. One day, I’m going to have to explain to my child why his grandpa disappeared. They were so close, and Dad couldn’t wait until he was old enough to start to train. He told me all about how he was going to teach him everything he knew so he could be a powerful Alpha one day.My falling tears are making it hard for me to see what I’m doing. I’m starting to miss
~Landon~Lincoln and I stand in the gym's doorway. Tia is on the ground, sweaty and delicious-looking. We both step toward her at the same time. Lynn kisses her on the cheek before standing up to leave. She pats our shoulders as she walks past us, leaving us alone with our mate.There’s an awkward silence in the room, but I don’t think any of us know how to begin this conversation. To be honest, I’m torn. I understand where Tia’s coming from, and I’d probably have the same mindset. I just don’t think it’s wise to risk herself like this when we can come up with another way.Tia takes her time getting to her feet, and she stretches once she does. I swear she could have me on my knees literally, and she wouldn’t have to do much. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s everything I ever wanted in a mate. I’m so grateful she was called home for our ceremony; otherwise, we would have missed out. Lincoln was the first to speak.“Tia, I think we should talk about everything. I think tempers were
~Nikki~I jolt upright, sweat dripping down my face. I look around, and I’m surrounded by darkness. I look to my right, and I see the lump in the bed. His breathing is heavy, and he is snoring lightly. I slowly lay back down, wondering what it was that woke me so forcefully. “That would be me.” I jolt forward again, looking around.At the end of the bed, a few feet away, I see her. My heart rate increases, and I can feel my breathing become erratic. What the hell is she doing here? I lean to the right with the thought of waking my mate until her voice stops me. “I wouldn’t do that. If you wake him, I may have to take more….preventative measures. You and I need to talk, and I don’t want interruptions.” I lean away from Paul, not wanting him hurt.I throw my blankets back and turn to the side of the bed. She cackles, and I can’t stand it. “What, exactly, do you plan to do? I’m not even really here. Me talking to you is a form of astral projection if you will. If Paul wakes, he can’t do
~Nikki~The silence is heavy, and it’s starting to feel awkward. I know this is a lot; hell, it’s a lot for me as well. I definitely didn’t wake up this morning expecting to be presented with an opportunity to wield magic and help save my family and pack. It’s a major undertaking, and I have to admit that I didn’t know much about magic in the first place.Lynn is the first to break the silence in the room. “I wonder if we should take an hour to think about things before coming back with a decision.”“I don’t know, beautiful. We really need to get a plan in place since we have no idea when they will be trying to attack.” Paul scoffs.“I don’t know what we’re thinking about. This isn’t going to happen.” I look at Paul, and for the first time, I’m disappointed in him. Don’t get me wrong, I understand where he’s coming from. He is my fated mate, and there’s a pull to take care of each other and keep each other safe. Right now, he’s acting like Stuart did in the past. He’s trying to dictat
~Tia~I watch Aida’s red eyes get redder, if you can believe that. It’s almost as if they start to glow. She stands up and walks over to me. She reaches out to grab me just to fall forward. I turn to watch her try to get her balance. I’d laugh if this weren’t a pressing matter. “How are you here right now?”“Does it matter? I need you to focus right now.”“Since you aren’t actually here, I don’t have to do shit.” I tsk and shake my head.“I don’t have time for your teenage rebellion. I came to deliver a message.”“A message?! Unless you plan to tell me that you’re going to leave your lifeless body at my doorstep, there’s no message you have for me.” I shake my head.“Goddess, you are so pathetic.” Aida throws her head back and laughs.“Goddess?! As in Moon Goddess?! She’s no goddess of mine. How the hell could I follow someone who would ruin me like she did?! All I wanted was Lincoln. I prayed to her every night to make him my fated mate. When I realized he wasn’t my fated, I still pr
~Aida~That bitch has been prancing around here for days since she regained her magic. She’s constantly ogling my mate, and I don’t like it. I trust Ivan and have no doubt that I’m the only woman for him, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to pluck her eyes out of her head.I really can’t wait to get this entire situation over with. Ivan and I can move on with our lives, and she can go away forever. I’d tell Ivan to get rid of the bitch now, but I already know he won’t agree.The more I think about her, the more frustrated I get. I hate that she even showed up here. “You look like you’re thinking hard. I hope you aren’t thinking about how inferior you are to me.” I swallow thickly but don’t respond. I’m in one of the many sitting rooms, sitting in a huge armchair. She appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed. “Cat got your tongue?” I sigh.“What do you want, Imogene?” She steps into the room and walks toward me. She sits on the coffee table in front
~Tia~“Mom’s recovering from everything, but we need to finalize our plan. We need to do as Mark suggested and go on the offense. I’m sick of them popping up whenever they feel like it and causing massive damage.”“I’m down with whatever the plan is. The witches here have us locked in so I can focus on the plan.” Mark is on the line, meeting over the phone. He doesn’t want to leave his pack, and we agree that it isn’t the best idea. Landon clears his throat.“Mark, we are going to have you stay right where you are. Your pack is covered with the witches and the royal warriors. We will engage them, but they may come your way in retaliation. You just be on guard and keep your pack safe.”“So, if we are going on the offensive, what’s the plan? We already agreed that bait isn’t the smartest,” Lynn elbows Devonte, causing him to grunt. I can’t be mad at him since he’s right, but I love how my bestie protects me. “Uh, I mean, bait isn’t the best way to go, so how are we going to get to them?
~Nikki~The silence is heavy, and it’s starting to feel awkward. I know this is a lot; hell, it’s a lot for me as well. I definitely didn’t wake up this morning expecting to be presented with an opportunity to wield magic and help save my family and pack. It’s a major undertaking, and I have to admit that I didn’t know much about magic in the first place.Lynn is the first to break the silence in the room. “I wonder if we should take an hour to think about things before coming back with a decision.”“I don’t know, beautiful. We really need to get a plan in place since we have no idea when they will be trying to attack.” Paul scoffs.“I don’t know what we’re thinking about. This isn’t going to happen.” I look at Paul, and for the first time, I’m disappointed in him. Don’t get me wrong, I understand where he’s coming from. He is my fated mate, and there’s a pull to take care of each other and keep each other safe. Right now, he’s acting like Stuart did in the past. He’s trying to dictat
~Nikki~I jolt upright, sweat dripping down my face. I look around, and I’m surrounded by darkness. I look to my right, and I see the lump in the bed. His breathing is heavy, and he is snoring lightly. I slowly lay back down, wondering what it was that woke me so forcefully. “That would be me.” I jolt forward again, looking around.At the end of the bed, a few feet away, I see her. My heart rate increases, and I can feel my breathing become erratic. What the hell is she doing here? I lean to the right with the thought of waking my mate until her voice stops me. “I wouldn’t do that. If you wake him, I may have to take more….preventative measures. You and I need to talk, and I don’t want interruptions.” I lean away from Paul, not wanting him hurt.I throw my blankets back and turn to the side of the bed. She cackles, and I can’t stand it. “What, exactly, do you plan to do? I’m not even really here. Me talking to you is a form of astral projection if you will. If Paul wakes, he can’t do
~Landon~Lincoln and I stand in the gym's doorway. Tia is on the ground, sweaty and delicious-looking. We both step toward her at the same time. Lynn kisses her on the cheek before standing up to leave. She pats our shoulders as she walks past us, leaving us alone with our mate.There’s an awkward silence in the room, but I don’t think any of us know how to begin this conversation. To be honest, I’m torn. I understand where Tia’s coming from, and I’d probably have the same mindset. I just don’t think it’s wise to risk herself like this when we can come up with another way.Tia takes her time getting to her feet, and she stretches once she does. I swear she could have me on my knees literally, and she wouldn’t have to do much. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s everything I ever wanted in a mate. I’m so grateful she was called home for our ceremony; otherwise, we would have missed out. Lincoln was the first to speak.“Tia, I think we should talk about everything. I think tempers were
~Tia~I hit the punching bag again with a left uppercut, cross combo. I do it again and again before throwing some kicks in. My anger is off the charts, and this is the only thing I can think to do to calm down.How dare they act like I can’t help with this. We need to draw them out, so it makes sense to use something that they want badly…..someone…..me. I’m the Luna of this pack, and it’s my job to help them protect everyone. I’m fully capable of protecting myself and would have no trouble doing the job.I continue to hit and kick at the bag, letting my anger permeate through the room. They are the reason that my father is dead. One day, I’m going to have to explain to my child why his grandpa disappeared. They were so close, and Dad couldn’t wait until he was old enough to start to train. He told me all about how he was going to teach him everything he knew so he could be a powerful Alpha one day.My falling tears are making it hard for me to see what I’m doing. I’m starting to miss
~Landon~We are all in our office, ready to have yet another meeting. I don’t know that I’ve ever participated in so many meetings, but I guess there’s no reason to complain. I could have easily succumbed to the injuries from the battle, and I wouldn’t be a part of another meeting ever again.In defending our pack and trying to protect our mate and child, Lincoln and I got bitten by the vampires a few times. The bad part is that vampire bites are poisonous to werewolves. The good thing is that we have the necessary anti-venoms to help if we get bitten. Lincoln and I had to stay in the clinic for a while to get the venom out of our systems.We hated that we couldn’t be by our mate’s side as she dealt with the loss of her father. I may have hated the bastard before, but he’s grown on me lately. He became the father he always should have been to my mate and an amazing grandfather to our child. I hate that he lost his life the way he did and by his own child. I hate that Tia’s in so much
~Mark~I stretch and readjust in my chair. I swear I’ve been sitting here for days; at least, that’s what it feels like. I’m just happy to be alive so that I won’t complain too much. I’ve been stuck in the office trying to get some things together. We are tying up the loose ends from the battle and waiting to hear from the witches who are here to help keep us safe.My phone rings, and I answer, putting it on speaker. “Yes, my annoying sister?” Lynn clicks her tongue.“Don’t start with me, Mark. You’re lucky I don’t come out there and kick your ass for almost dying. Do that shit again, and I’ll bring your ass back just to kill you all over again.” I chuckle and roll my eyes.“But I didn’t die, though. Almost doesn’t count.”“I fucking swear, Mark!”“I love you too, my wonderful sister. How’s Tia?” Lynn sighs.“She’s better since the twins have gotten out of the clinic, but she’s hurting. She and Stuart had gotten so close lately.” I hate this for her. When I was there last, I saw how t