"How long have I been out?" My voice felt raw and hoarse."A few days. I do not want to risk returning to my true form to heal you rapidly because while in this Werewolf body I am linked to the Pack. Paul does not know that I am in possession of this Wolf body and does not know that I read his plans for the Pack.""What plans?" I asked."His plans are to locate you and your child." He sat up, his hair tousled and his eyes puffy from sleep. "You will need to rest. There is a Council meeting tonight, and there will be questions that will need to be answered honestly. You will be excused from this meeting."I nodded in gratitude. I had too many other things to think about without worrying about facing a Council who once again had come to my rescue."Everyone is okay?" I asked. "No one got hurt, did they?""There were no casualties on either side," Alexis answered."And what about Monica?""What about her?" he replied."You ripped her throat out in order to feed me.""I did not k
I swallowed, uncomfortable about discussing this with a man who loved me and wanted me. "Removing the bond will stop the pain. I can deal with the rest, but feeling a physical withdrawal because he's not with me is fucking disgusting when I'm so pissed at him, when I want to hate him, when I never want to see him again!""I am happy that you have never said those words about me."I laughed a little. "You never threatened to take my baby from me."His eyes darkened. "The Wolf will not take your child. This I vow."I reached out and gripped his hand. I knew that come hell or high water, Alexis would make sure that never happened."How do you intend to end your bond?" he asked. "They take time to fade on their own, sometimes decades.""There is an old Vampire by the name of Bernard who can sever Vampire bonds instantly. It's one of his Vampire talents, like how you can hijack someone's body and the way we can pull the Succubus out of ourselves and push them into others."He rubbed
He nodded. "Not too many should know. We will include your First Lieutenant as well as Monica.""Why do you think the Elders won't handle this appropriately? You and I know that we don't want a worldwide war. They have to know the same.""The Neratomay do not care about human life," Alexis said. "Before you, I did not either. Through you I have learned to care about much more. But not all of us have a human filter to think through."I hugged him. "Thank you for everything you've done and are doing."He stroked my hair and held me for a few moments before releasing me. "In this day and age, it would be impossible to conceal our battles and keep our identity secret. In the past, we have been able to hide our casualties by creating natural disasters and pandemic epidemics. But with videos and modern technology there will be no secreting our actions. People will see us for what we truly are. Especially if this is a war including all of the Supernaturals.""It wouldn't just be a war be
I shuddered as I thought about Alexis removing my mating mark and how I wanted to fight against it from happening. My neck still hurt, but so did ninety percent of my body. I nodded. "Let's do it." No use talking about it. I wanted it over with.Bernard placed his index finger against my temple.I prepared myself, tensing at the contact.Ran sat on the opposite side of the bed, preparing to hold me if needed. I felt good that he was there. I trusted that he wouldn't do something crazy if things went bad, like ripping out someone's throat to feed me…I felt a familiar buzz in my head. Oh no! It was the same insane bee buzzing sensation that the Elders gave me when they infiltrated my thoughts! It felt like a million flies in my ears. It made me want to run while slapping my head.I whimpered and remembered what I had learned from Paul. He had taught me to build a wall. It was with sadness that I built a mental wall, this time to separate myself from him.I imagined the wall going
When I returned from the bathroom, Bernard was gone and Ran was holding BJ, who was sucking on her binky and clutching him. He was walking around the room talking to her quietly, trying to comfort her. He was her protector, her Rannie, the reason that he hadn't killed himself after he had lost his one true love. They shared a special relationship. Ran knew more than most the pain of a severed bond.BJ's face was puffy from crying, but when she saw me, the binky fell from her mouth and she reached for me desperately. "Mommy!" She kicked and squirmed to get to me.I picked her up and held her to me, and she wrapped her arms around my neck and clung to me. I should have never listened to anyone tell me that I was too beat up for her to see. There had been too many changes in my daughter's life for her to be without both her Dad and me."It's okay, baby girl," I crooned. Feeling her weight in my arms and the smell of her baby shampoo soothed the shredded bits of my soul. I walked her ar
How had Paul handled the eradication of our bond? Was he still chasing me?"What can you tell about Paul's plans? Have there been any changes?""The situation is critical. We will secure your Angel of Death immediately, and tonight you must speak with the Council of the Elders. They have been patient, but that patience will not extend much longer." Alexis left the kitchen.I had Sam bring down a change of clothes for BJ. Sam looked exhausted, and I felt bad for depending on her so much. "Thank you for being nanny to BJ. I know that's not what you signed on to do.""Nonsense," Sam said. "BJ is my family and I wouldn't have anyone but me watching her." Sam smiled mischievously. "Mr. Wolf is getting along well with her, don't you think?""Yes, I trust him with her, and that's saying a lot.""I feel better knowing that he cares about her."I looked at her in confusion."Well, you know…because." Sam's cheeks turned crimson. "Well, you and Alexis…""There is no me and Alexis, Sam. I
I shook my head. "I had no idea about any of it. I still think that I can talk some sense into Paul."Alexis glanced at me, his brow drawn together in displeasure. I shut my mouth."Was it not Paul Kinninsky who is responsible for the condition that you are in now?" the woman asked."Well, indirectly…" Damn, I worried that I sounded like a woman about to tear up a restraining order. "We fought, but others were involved."The woman's expression grew cold. "But of course. Council woman, why do you think your husband failed to disclose his treachery to you?""Well…of course he knew that I could compromise his plan.""So, you are saying that you would not have gone along with this plan?"I frowned. "Of course not. I don't want a war."They looked at each other, talking silently.I turned and looked at Alexis, my mouth gaping open. Did these people think that I would be a party to something like that?Alexis didn't look happy but gave me a slight nod indicating that I should remai
My friends showed up bright in early the next morning, all except for Tyler who was afraid that Paul would be able to track her to our location.The Ladies and I hugged each other and cried. They touched my face in misery at the sight of my healing injuries. They cuddled BJ and gripped Sam as if she was one of their long-lost sisters. I tried to give them time to rest after their long flight, but they were too anxious to tell me about all they had been through with Paul and his Wolfpack."In the beginning he was reasonable," Karen said. Her normally pressed hair was in a curly mass around her head, and she had shadows beneath her eyes that marred her normally perfect milk chocolate complexion.Karen described how he had tracked each of them down, bursting into their homes with his security, and sniffing out their belongings for any evidence that they had been with BJ or me."At first, he called the house searching for you and we talked for nearly an hour. He kept beating himself up