KATRINA“Willow?” Cannon asked, putting his glasses on as he read the contents of the paper. I had so many questions about that paper because it didn’t match the hard-feel crumbly and brown look of the Grimoire’s pages. It was unreal to think that it fell behind us without us seeing it. “That’s the meadow.”“I thought so,” Kane said, tapping his fingers on the glass of his whiskey. He’d poured it two hours ago but not a drop touched his mouth. We were seated in a room of the packhouse’s clinic, which was on the lower floor. It had that hospital feel and setting, except the rooms were smaller and most were unoccupied. Charles was still working on the disease and I had to say, I was losing my patience. It was evening and Hilda’s color hadn’t returned.“So? What’s up with this meadow?” I asked, impatience evident in my voice.“Didn’t you pass that sh*tty portal to get here?” Ian said and ever since his smoke strike, he always had one in his mouth and was probably regretting the strike
KATRINAWe drove out of Moonstone and spent all evening walking to Willow’s Meadow—there hasn’t been much success in that.Everyone was restless throughout the journey and I regretted not bringing extra clothes so we could shift and race into the meadow. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being naked in front of them.Dressing in lingerie was one thing, but naked?“This is a waste of time. We shift or spend the whole day on these f*cking legs.” I guess he was saying that because he had run out of smokes. “I don’t think so.”‘I think so. Me want out.”They shot me a questioning look and from their eyes, I could tell what was going on in their minds. “Why? Can’t shift,” Ian mocked but that offended me, I didn’t let it get to me.“Then what do you want us to do? Remember, it’s about Hilda.”I can’t believe Kane just did that. “Don’t use my daughter to blackmail me.”“She’s my daughter too, Kat.”He didn’t have to constantly remind me of the bitter truth. Henry coughed, in preparati
KATRINAWe backed each other so that we formed a circle, in a way that we could each see the agmarbh’s staring eyes from different angles. Melora was growling and I was glad she didn’t shift me out because she’s done that before and I didn’t take it lightly.‘Holy sh*t! What the f*ck are these?’ Ian said, evidently revolted by the eyes and canines of these vile creatures.‘Agmarbhs,’ Cannon breathed out, panting. ‘You guys got one didn’t you?’‘Yeah, just one, and Kat ended up in the hospital. But now there are f*cking hundreds!’‘I’ve never seen so many before,’ Henry whispered but I could still hear what he said, yet I was in no position to ask questions.The eyes started to blink and their murderous teeth moved, striking fear in our hearts.‘Any ideas?’ Henry asked.I took a deep breath. ‘Go for the head.’The Agmarbhs roared as their yellow beastly forms dashed out of their hiding places in large numbers, behind trees and rocks, attacking us all at once with their claws in the air
KATRINAI could hear. I could feel. I could smell. But I couldn’t see and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t say if it was sleep paralysis or the effect of my fainting but it made me feel dead within.But the thing is, where am I? The agmarbhs…“Doc, I’m gonna say this for the last time.” That was Kane’s voice. “It’s been thirty-six hours since she’s been on that bed.” There was a piercing silence and hearts were beating fast. “Thirty-six hours! Do something now or I’m gonna tear that stupid coat off you!”Was I hallucinating or were they really here?There was arguing and Cannon’s voice came to light. “Calm your a*s done, Kane. He’s a doctor, not the goddess.”I smelt smoke. “F*ck that. The mother f*cker’s been saying she’ll wake since yesterday!”“You must understand, this is nothing like the last strike you speak of. It’s stronger,” the doctor spoke boldly. “And unpredictable.”“Don’t spit that sh*t at me!”I wondered how many times they had fought him because the doctor sounded frustrate
KATRINAI pulled the mug of coffee from my mouth, drinking it quietly as I watched the Triplets loiter in my ward. Susanna, once again, grabbed the opportunity to steal the kids and this time they were making chocolate chip cookies.They said they’d give me some when they were done.“Don’t you three have better things to do?” I asked, as their eyes fell on me consecutively.I shivered from the impact, distracting myself with the half-empty…‘Half-full you mean?’…mug of cappuccino.“Our favorite thing is here.” Kane paused, waiting for my reaction but I stared at him and for some reason, I was imagining him in reading glasses. Now that would be crazy. “Why should we?”“Sex?” I asked as the three let out different forms of laughter—weird laughter.It was contagious and I was one inch away from laughing too.“You aren’t wrong, cupcake.” Ian was smoking again and I wondered if he would die if he just took on three hours without a f*cking cigarette in his mouth. “Speak for yourself,” Cann
KATRINAIt had been a day but the incident didn’t leave my mind for a minute. The kids refused to take any snacks except the ones Susanna made for them and I wondered what she was adding those things. But I understood later on today when I tasted one of the cookies. They were so heavenly.‘It’d be nice if she had a bakery,’ Melora suggested.‘Yeah… it would.’The kids were watching a movie in the theatre room; one that Cannon picked for them and I was having second thoughts about not checking what it was about before letting them watch it. ‘At least it’s not Ian,’ Melora laughed.‘You can say that again.’There were times I regretted stopping them and not letting them in. And there were other times I was glad I did before it went too far. I was using the opportunity of my free time to steal cookies from Susanna. I doubt I’d sleep well tonight without some more of those.“Don’t play with me, Cole. This is f*cking serious.”I heard laughter over the phone and Kane talking was pissed
KATRINAI breathed out, groaning. “What is that noise?” I removed the pillow from beneath my face and placed it over my head, trying to shield my ears with it. The buzzing sound refused to stop and I pulled my head out from below the pillow when I thought the sound would wake the kids.Then I remembered, they moved today to their new room. The Triplets wanted to give them separate rooms but they refused so they gave them separate beds in a single room instead.Thank the goddess for that.I hid my head under the pillow again, hoping I could ignore it but it seemed to get louder and I gave up, rubbing my eyes and searching for where the sound was coming from. It wasn’t difficult to find it. I pulled the drawer out of my cabinet.I frowned, realizing it was the phone Ian gifted me some time ago. I had forgotten about it and not used it in a long time because of the drama happening.“D*mn it, not now you stupid phone.”
KATRINAI didn’t leave my room since the next day and a new day was up. I only let the kids come in and they knew I was sad, that I was unhappy, it made them sad too but I couldn’t help myself, I was just so… so…‘Sad?’‘I can’t believe that happened, Mel. I’m just so tired of having to go through this.’‘I wish I could give you a hug but as you know… come on, say it.’‘You have no hands.’Mel grew quiet. Once again she was hiding her feelings from me so I wouldn’t be burdened. “We’ll leave now, mummy. Promise you won’t cry,” Hilda said, smiling so that maybe I would smile but if I tried I would end up crying so I rubbed her face instead.“Everything will be fine, right?” Dash asked, softening from the boy he normally was.“Of course, honey. Nothing’s wrong.”Aurora kissed my head and waved goodbye as they left the room. I tried to smile at myself so that maybe I’d feel better but I was right,
He listened to the darkness that spun around his ears, a low screeching noise releasing from it. It danced around him and sang the song of death as he walked mindlessly to where he had to be.This meeting could happen only once in ten years. He wasn’t sure he had made the wisest decision or that the others were smart to join but what he knew was that he needed answers. And he would do anything to get them.Heart-burning answers about his mate and all happening on the surface above, things he needed to know. If only he could stretch his hand out of the looming darkness and rejoin them…The darkness continued to swirl like a body of smoke in the dead of the night. He was walking but he wasn’t feeling the ground. He was moving but he felt like he had been in the same place the whole time. His eyes were open but it wouldn’t make a difference if he were blind… in a place as dark and sad as this.Not too long after his wailing thoughts, Cannon saw what looked like a dull red orb of dim light
KATRINA‘It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?’My knees were on the new little shoots of grass that were growing… The wind was very friendly ‘cause it circled me in a gentle whirlwind. The sun was madly bright, hoping to roast everyone with its stinging rays but that didn’t bother me because of the greater pain weighing my heart down. Little stones prickled my knees and I removed my sunglasses, setting them aside.Windy and Sunny didn’t go well together. Father said there was nothing in the world that couldn’t go together. It all depended on how you were doing it. But in this case, the wind is like Dash and the sun is like Hilda so…The pain of looking down at father’s grave was sharp and hit me right in the heart.There was nothing like it and I had been fighting tears all the time I was here. I could barely hear the voices of the playing kids that Kane was trying to control. I smiled a bit… they wouldn’t take him seriously, especially when he’s been spoiling them too much.Surprisingly m
KATRINAFreedom. It was all I could think about.Kane ushered me into a room, checking to make sure no one followed us here. Our duration at the ball was mostly spent attending to guests, dancing, and having conversations with the Beta and Gamma until nine o’clock. We needed time to ourselves and I was annoyed that two Alphas, one of the Jayrus pack and the other of the Skyfall pack, were eager on discussing business with the Alpha. There were so eager that they couldn’t even respect the party. I couldn’t blame them. The partnership would be hugely beneficial if they succeeded.But if they think that because Kane’s a new Alpha, he’d be easily convinced with a partnership that he’d only gain access to a few diamond mines and good weather, then they were twice dumber than I thought. Kane knew what he was doing. His words, “Today’s a celebration. Let’s not spoil the mood with business talk, the time for that will come.” We also met Alpha Hades and I didn’t care if it was inappropriat
KATRINAI don’t want to sound proud but since no one’s here to tell me, I say this dress looks so much better when I’m wearing it.‘You do sound proud and… that’s how it’s meant to be.’‘Ever heard of what you wanted versus what you got?’I couldn’t recognize my former self as I gazed at myself in the mirror. It must be a crime to look this pretty.‘Cut it out already! It’s annoying.’‘Sounds like jealousy to me. Too bad you can’t wear a dress.’‘Says who?’I pushed her aside for a moment and thought about the kids. I wasn’t happy that they would have to sleep through the most important morning of my life but it was best. They wouldn’t understand what was happening and would ask just too many questions.Hilda would’ve been so pleased to see me wear a crown. She would think we were in a castle all this time and tick herself as a princess. Also, I don’t think they know that the wolves here can actually shift into one. It’s hard to imagine the looks on their faces when they realize they
KATRINA Thankfully, Kendra left me off because Susanna caught us when she came to momentarily check up on me. She was furious when she discovered I wasn’t sleeping and it made me wish I had locked the door.So that was how she sent Kendra away at ten pm and tried to put me to sleep. Of course, I couldn’t so I pretended. She bought it and left the room. I don’t know what the time is but I’m still awake and I was laying on my side on the bed, staring at my dress.The last time a dress had been folded for me like this was when I was being sold. Today, this was for a coronation that will change my life. It’s crazy because the sale felt like yesterday.If someone told me I’d end up like this, I would have never believed it. It’s amazing but some strange force was pulling me down. I couldn’t force a smile even with all the amazing things happening around me.There were still unsettled things between Kane and me, and I was afraid to bring it up. I’m not sure if he has ever thought about it.
KATRINA“Why are you here?”My right hand kept the door partially open, prepared for when they’d say something irritating so I could slam it in their faces, and the part of me that wasn’t inside, rested on the hinges.Kane was close… close enough for me to feel his warm heavy breaths on the weak points of my neck and his crotch unnoticeably grinding my a*s, excitement sizzling through me. If only Susanna wasn’t in…Madeline and Fraser were not present, thank goodness for that, but any of the council members is enough to put me in a bad mood. “You haven’t said anything?” Kane inquired, opening the door a bit more so that his menacing figure would get a better view.Penelope’s eyes were sizing Kane up and that made me more insecure than it normally should’ve been.Elder Sesan had gone strict and that small smile he once had, had gone. “We must inform you, of course, about the coronation that will occur in the grand hall tomorrow.”“Coronation?” I asked, easing and tensing up at the sam
KATRINAFor a second there, I felt complete emptiness. What was I saying? I couldn’t even feel myself. I went numb and it didn’t ‘feel like’ because something had definitely been pulled out of me. It came like eternal peace but I began to worry when I got my senses back and still couldn’t move.Thankfully, Kane caught me and the world was colorful again. My nerves were working again. I was still recovering but Kane helped me to my feet and his touch brought me back to life.His aura was stronger than ever and the one thing that was once shared among three, then two… all belonged to him. It was a pulling attraction, which I could barely control.Was this how it felt to have one mate? The one you truly deserved. “What did you do, Kat?” Kane asked, and he seemed to have turned slightly pale as well.I muttered silently, smiling, “What I should have done a long time ago.”Ian wasn’t taking this well. He screamed like he was burn
KANE I didn’t understand a f*cking thing that was happening but the way my life changed from ‘waiting for death’ to ‘becoming Alpha’ left me in shock. I was not expecting it and what I loved most right now was how Katrina held my hand bossily.Dragging me along with her… with serious a*s movements that drove me nuts.‘I see empty rooms all around us?’‘Not a f*cking word from you.’But as much as I enjoyed this moment and didn’t want it to end, I had to know what the hell was happening. The excitement, sex drive, and curiosity were killing me.“You have to tell me what’s going on? Can you hear how hard my heart is beating?”I sensed her rolling her eyes because her back was to me, and I admired her beautiful and lengthier caramel blonde hair. “Be patient, would you?”I didn’t want to stop her because she was so anxious but I had to do something.“Explain while we’re going. If you don’t, I might die before we reach there.”She turned to me, a glare locked on her face before she shook
KATRINAWho will be the chosen one?It was a simple question but there’d be grave consequences if a mistake occurred. Not only would my kids and I suffer for it, but the pack as a whole. A worthy wolf would also be hanged to death.“You’ve had plenty of time to think before now, Katrina. We don’t want to waste any more time now, do we?” Madeline snapped at me, seeming greatly impatient.Penelope talked before Elder Sesan could say a word. “This is a very delicate decision. Even at the last second, it needs proper thinking. You shouldn’t rush…”“And who asked you to speak?” Fraser turned to her while I watched them with grazing eyes. “You never have anything sensible to say.”“She is right, Fraser.” All attention returned to Sesan when his words came out. “A decision made in haste would yield frightening results. We must not hasten her.”Fraser sneered while Penelope glared at Madeline for some time before catching me loo