Helen’s POVI felt stronger leaving True Mates pack this time.Justin let me shower and pick through the kitchen like I was a free willed wolf yet again. Maybe he trusted me again, or maybe it was because Randy was back to following me around like my own personal guard dog.I ate, got changed into a clean, long gown, and we took a shuttle over to the Lone Wolf pack.Justin stood up the entire drive, staring out the front window while I curled up on the plastic seats in the back, leaning against the window with Russo and Randy on the seats nearby.Everyone else was dressed in tuxedos, outdoing my thin and wobbly frame in my tan, sequins gown. I adjusted my strappy heels, not wanting to wear them in the first place, but starting another argument with my Lycan mate didn’t seem feasible either.I leaned forward, whispering to Russo, “Why are we going to Lone Wolf pack?”The Fae adjusted in his chair awkwardly, trying not to meet my eyes. “I’m not really supposed to—”“Cut it out,” Justin
Helen POVI leaned over the bar when I had successfully exhausted myself. Everything was numb and hot and tingly. Randy was handling his liquor way better, off to the corner of the decrepit bar where he was running a game of pool.I asked for another, and if not for my title as the new Luna, I don’t think he would have obliged.I sipped steadily on my drink, testing my legs as they felt tired and weak and useless under my weight. Downing half my next drink, I finally felt good for the first time in a while.No cell, no furious mate—just me.I stalked outside, the sun setting in the far distance but it still had maybe two hours left to go before darkness would strike. I took a walk towards the sun, entranced with the orange and fiery qualities of it in the beautiful horizon.The woods surrounded me at last and I stopped walked when the sun had officially set on the day. My stomach rumbled, hungry and exhausted, but I was left without options while I had stridden out here.The old Lone
Justin POVThe dinner is prepared and I escaped from my shower and brief nap to go get Helen so we could have dinner with the new extension of my pack. I knew it would be uncomfortable for her, knowing these wolves were there when she was ridiculed as my mate in the wolfen games.But still, she was their Luna now, and I would protect her from criticism from them.I slipped down the steps, my heart stopping when I saw her cell door wide open. There was no trace of her, but the key remained in the door. I leaned in close to the little brass key and inhaled.Randy.Of course, I growled. How could he do this to me? First he wants to rip my mate away from me like I’m hurting her physically, when in reality she is the one who stabbed me.I dismissed that as a misunderstanding.But to break her from this cell so I could shower and catch up on the sleep I’ve gone weeks without… this was personal. More than it was before.I finally caught a whiff of his trail, seeing my beta hectically walk th
Helen POVI kept my head bowed, trying to be compliant so he would forgive me easier. I closed my eyes, my breath hitched, hearing my mate cross the space between us. The grass settled under his weight as he stood in front of me.“Helen,” he hummed, saying my name in a calm, kind manner for the first time in forever. “Look at me right now.”I finally opened my eyes and stared through my fated mate, seeing him knelt on the ground just centimeters in front of my face. He grinned lightly, fighting it down but he failed.“Are you angry with me?” I pressed, thinking of the bonfire and the dinner for the packs coming together, and yet here he was with me. “I’m sorry, Justin. It was all a mistake and it was my fault and—”He jolted forward in a sudden movement, his lips finding mine. I snaked my arms around his shoulders and his neck, bringing me to his chest so our lips could work together better.He tensed when my arms came across the ridged scar on his spine and he released me with a refl
Helen POVWhile everyone dined and seemed happy to celebrate the new standard of the pack, Justin and I found ourselves at the edge of the long table, out of way from the commotion with Oscar and Randy and Russo.The pixies had been clinging to Russo since we got here, happy to see another creature as close to their kind as possible. They loved his wings and danced open the light, iridescent colors of them.I couldn’t help but sit with the Fae, brushing the pixies as they twirled down his spine and played amongst each other on his long, sharp wings.Justin brushed my neck with his hand, pushing my hair aside and grinning wider than before.“Mate, leave them be,” he hummed.I pouted like a pup but obliged. I think he was just jealous of my entertainment and attention being on Russo and not him, but I didn’t mention it.“Eat your food, please,” he added, this demand kinder than the others he has given me. His hand found my knee and I focused on my plate, keeping demure for my mate and h
Helen POVRandy helped me sit up while Justin had his claws halfway out into Oscar’s throat. I cringed at my mates ruthlessness returning. He presses the rogue’s back into the table.“Beta, take my mate to the barracks and leave her there this time,” Justin snarled.I furrowed my brow, crawling toward him, but Randy stopped me.“Justin,” I pleaded, confused. “What is wrong? This isn’t my fault and—”“Go!” Justin roared. “I am not letting you skate by the fact you wandered away from my pack before. You will stay int hat cell until I say otherwise. I need time to figure out what to do about this new pixie problem.”“It’s not a problem,” Oscar panted. It’s an honor. They are honoring your mate. How could you sit here and separate them like this?”“She is mine!”I flinched but abided by his wishes. I walked with Randy back towards the barracks at the estate, leaving the lively bonfire and dinner. I stalked further away from my mate but could still feel his lapsing anger flow over me.Keep
Helen POVI sit back, leaned on the wall and sipping my tea while Russo and Randy take watch at the helm of the barracks. Joy was peeved, wanting to help Justin protect our new pack intakes, but I figured this would happen.My new pixie friend, Freya, buzzed around my eyes suddenly, trying to catch my attention. She fluttered into between the bars of the window just outside my cell.Was she trying to tell me to escape?I didn’t need to piss off my mate further, but the thought was overwhelming. I finally stood from my cot and went over to where she hovered. I came through this gap before to save the wizards so I know for sure I can make it out of there.But to think about not being able to help defend True Mates was frustrating.Freya zipped around faster, wanting me to escape, but I took a glance back toward Randy and Russo. They would be furious. I didn’t want to make anyone upset, but even Joy was anxious to fight.After a long, heavy pause in thought, I finally went for it and cli
Helen POVI looked stunning for the first time in forever!“Helen, get up, it’s time to—”The beta stopped in the mouth of the barracks, his eyes wide as could be. “Oh. Wow.”I smiled, turning to show off the pedal ripples of my dresses hem when I spun around. I giggled lightly, the little pixies doting over the sight of me.The fabric was nude, almost beige, and looks liked I had been dressed in crystals and webs of handmade lace.Russo came down into the barracks next and stopped, staring at the sight of me.“Damn, little wolf. You look beautiful!”I blushed. “Thank you, both. The pixies do have a few little tricks up their sleeves.”Randy nodded, his face falling. “Well, Justin said Oscar can join True Mates pack this weekend because he helped fight off the rogues. I don’t know how he will feel about the pixies though.”“Maybe you should leave them here for now just to make sure your mate is in a good mood,” Russo suggested. “We have to be at the arena soon before the other wolves
Luke’s POV I knew my sister had run off to hide again after I heard her arguing with Dad. I wanted to find her and make sure she wasn’t sulking. Aurora liked to do that when things didn’t go exactly her way.But it seemed I wasn’t the only one who had that idea because halfway to her so-called “secret” place in the garden, I caught sight of her current boyfriend, Jay, sneaking out there, too. Jealousy prickled at my stomach.Aurora was my twin. I was the closest one to her. If she needed cheering up, it should be me doing it, not some random guy. What could he ever offer her that her twin couldn’t?Besides, Jay wasn’t worthy of her. He was a single-color coated wolf, the son of some gamma in my father’s ranks. If she was going to date and seriously consider finding a mate, I didn’t think Jay was anywhere near worthy of her.Jay was a consolation prize, at best. Some poor lady wolf could end up with him, but not my sister. Still, if she was just killing time by fooling around with him
Aurora’s POVAs the oldest of my mother’s twelve children, everyone expects me to be responsible. And as the first lycan born to my father, everyone looks to me to continue the lycan race.That’s a lot of pressure to put on an eighteen-year-old. Don’t get me wrong, as the future luna and heir to my father’s throne. I get where the pressure is coming from. Not that I particularly enjoy it.At the moment, I was hiding in the garden. I had many happy memories of this space, and on many days when I needed to think for myself or to get away from my many siblings, particularly my twin brother, I snuck out here and hid. Luke was way too over-protective of me, and it got annoying.When I was small, I used to make forts in the hedges surrounding the rose garden. I’d carved my hiding spot out into a hidden alcove that nestled inside the hedge behind a veil of ivy. Sunlight could dapple through the vines and illuminate the inside.And as long as I kept it free of cobwebs, it was a nice space to
Helen’s POVEach of the twins had gotten to choose party clothes for the event, and they were quite excited about it, probably because I let Luke have a tie that had a dinosaur print all over it. And because his little suit wasn’t anywhere near as fancy as Aurora’s poofy dress, or I guess it was just as fancy but less to his taste, I let him pick out a little undershirt and underwear with dinosaurs on them, too. That way, he felt he had a satisfactory number of dino garments on and was much easier to coax into his little gray suit.Aurora had chosen a dress perfect for a budding princess, all tulle and lace and sparkles in a vivid teal that complimented her dark hair, each accentuating the color of the other. I had just finished pulling on her tights and buckling her sparkly little shoes when Celine joined us.“Why don’t you come and help me greet the guests, Luke?” she suggested. “While your Mama finishes doing Aurora ‘s hair.”“Okay.”He took his nanny’s hand and left, and I fussed
Helen’s POVI bustled around the kitchen with our nanny Celine helping me. On her back, my two-year-old son, Wilson, kicked his legs happily, asking nonsense questions about what we were doing.Inside me, our new baby, another daughter, kicked and squirmed, looking for more room inside my womb. Celine and I were busy frosting cupcakes for the twins’ birthday. They were turning five today, and it was a big birthday party because we were doing their official reveal.Today, they would reveal their wolves and begin to learn about them and grow together. Justin and I had spent the last five years working furiously to repair all of the damage his family had done to the reputation of the multi-colored coated werewolves in anticipation of this very day.The last thing I wanted to do was have my children reveal the color of their wolves only to find out that they were multi-colored, or at least that’s the way it would have been if we hadn’t put in the effort. By now, everyone in the True Mates
Justin’s POVIf anyone said “honeymoon” to me, I would assume plenty of sex on the first night. But that was not at all what our first night in Tahiti was like.We arrived at the airport late and got shuttled straight to a hotel. We were exhausted and then had to get up early again to catch our inter-island flight to Bora Bora.Neither one of us was in the mood to do anything that night. So, thank goodness we had gotten a chance to fool around on the airplane. And I have to admit, fooling around on the airplane was so fucking hot.Ever since I found out that she was carrying one of the Huntsman’s twins, well, actually, that’s a lie. Ever since I found out that she was the Huntsman sex slave, and then when I found out that she was carrying his child, my feelings of desire for Helen wavered up and down.Sometimes I felt like everything was normal between the two of us, and I wanted her just the same as I always had, or at least the same as I had since I’d gotten my lycan and she’d gotte
Helen’s POVMy stomach buzzed in anticipation. Even the rumbling of the jet engines through the seat in my rear end didn’t dispel the feeling. Next to me, Justin adjusted his seat belt, putting his books and such within arms reach for the flight to Bora Bora.I’d finally gone with that as the location for our honeymoon. The twins were safe with Randy and Emily, and our nanny. Outside, snow swirled around the plane, but in about fifteen hours, we would be out in warm sunlight. Well, we were arriving at night, but we’d be out in warm weather anyway in Tahiti. And from there, first thing the next morning, we were catching a small flight over to Bora BoBora.“Are you excited?” I asked, poking Justin in the shoulder.“For the hundredth time, I am. And I can tell you are, too, annoyingly excited. You’re going to drive me crazy.”I poked at him again. “I don’t wanna drive you crazy, but I have an idea.”“What?”I tugged on his shirt, so he had to lean close so I could whisper in his ear. “I
Russo’s POVWhen we arrived at the hospital, the nurses thought it would be amusing to put us in the exact same room that Helen had been in while she was waiting for her C-section. Being a witch, Lisa shooed the nurses away as much as she could because she brought her own herbs to help with the delivery.In fact, after she’d taken some at the start of the contractions, she didn’t seem to be in much pain at all. Her body was going about its business without really disrupting her. It confirmed my suspicion when one of the nurses walked out, grumbling about how it must be nice to be a witch.“How come you didn’t offer the same herbs to Helen?” I asked, sitting at the bedside by Lisa’s head.She glanced over at me. “Because the mixture that I took includes wolfsbane, which is hard enough on adult werewolves, poisonous in large portions, and deadly to a newborn or an almost newborn. I would have essentially poisoned her and the baby.”“Not babies?”She shrugged. “I don’t know what would h
Helen’s POVWhen I got to the door, sure enough, Randy stood outside. I opened the door, and I held her finger to my lips.“The babies are napping?” he whispered.I nodded. “Like angels.”“Sweet,” he said, stepping inside. “Now, what did you need to see me for that was so urgent?”“I need your help with something,” I explained. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Justin hasn’t been as affectionate with me as he was before all of this went down. He’s done a pretty good job of coping with the fact that one of the twins isn’t his, worse, that he’s a part demon. But it’s kind of left a quiet wedge between us, and I wanna get over that.”Randy nodded. “I did notice. He hasn’t said anything to me. Though, I know he’s trying.”“I realize he’s trying,” I agreed, “but that doesn’t mean that he needs to try all on his own. So . . . I have an idea.”A wide grin spread across my face just thinking about it. “Before we found out that one of the twins belonged to the Huntsman, Justin was planning
Helens POVI thought, when I fell in love with Justin, that I knew what true love really felt like. That was until I met my babies. The love in my heart for my twins surpassed anything I’d ever felt before.I wanted to protect them, and at the same time, I wanted to take them out and show them to everyone I met. I wanted to have them seen, for the world to know that I had created perfection.And they were perfect. From their tiny little lips to their little button noses, they were utterly adorable. They each had ten teeny fingers and ten petite toes. Their downy heads of hair were so soft that I could help but smooth my hands across them, reassuring them that their mother loved them.Everything about them was indescribably perfect.We knew from the moment that they were born that my daughter was the lycan and my son was the child of the Huntsman. If Justin was disappointed in not having a son of his own, he didn’t say anything. And I wasn’t worried about having a male lycan pup just y