EverestCompared to the other two witches I’d met, Megandra seemed pretty normal. Though she wasn’t magic by blood, she was still practicing herbalism. She had shoulder length light brown hair and a square face. She was several inches taller than me, and she had big, round, dark blue eyes. She’d said ‘cursed one’ like it was just a simple thing, yet it had sent shivers down my spine. Curses were supposed to be a bad thing as far as I knew…The jaguar had come over to investigate us while we talked with Megandra and had startled me initially, but now I was affectionately scratching her ears while she purred loudly.“Quite the collection of animals you’ve got here…” I said, impressed.“Yeah, Rowena’s built quite the menagerie. The big cats are incredibly loyal. There’re a few lions wandering around here too somewhere, but they keep more to themselves.” Megandra picked up her basket of herbs and looked up at the sky.“Well, we should probably go inside. Rowena’s been waiting for you, and s
EverestI stared at Rowena; my eyes wide. My mind raced trying to absorb everything she had just told me. I was descended from Helios and Selene; I had a curse placed on my family from Helios; I could unseal that curse tonight, and Rowena was going to help me do it.“Okay…That’s a little hard to take in…” I shook my head. I could feel Finn’s eyes on mine, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.Rowena smiled gently and patted my shoulder. “Destiny is difficult to accept, dear. Those that are blessed with it normally feel that they shouldn’t have one at all. The truth is, once I remove the curse, the past won’t matter. Who your ancestors are, what they fought about…it won’t affect you. All that matters is who you choose to be, and what you choose to do going forward. Speaking of…” she turned to Finn with a sour look on her face. “Why haven’t you marked your mate yet?”His eyes flicked over to her and darkened. “I don’t think that’s any of your business. While you might be helpful to
FinnHer velvet skin under my fingers felt like heaven as she sat in my lap, straddling me in the tall grass. She trembled under my touch and her soft moans drove me wild. I’d been craving her since I’d had my last taste and I was finally going to be satiated. Her hunger seemed to be as strong as mine. She rolled her hips against me, building friction between us. I growled and claimed her lips ravenously. Her rose and vanilla scent swirled around us, and I could smell the sweetness of her arousal. She pulled my shirt over my head and her delicate hands explored my torso. The desire to claim her was deep and primal and I couldn’t help myself. I tore the back of her dress open and pulled it down, exposing her round breasts. Her golden hair cascaded down her back as she tipped her head back moaning while I sucked and nipped at her neck, making my way to her nipples.“You're mine, little wolf” I growled against her skin. She moaned in response grinding herself against me. Her hands reached
EverestWe laid in the grass, tangled up in one another revelling in the renewed intensity of our mate bond. We’d nearly destroyed it, but fortunately not beyond repair. I was exhausted and sore after sex with Finn, but I felt a sense of completeness. All I had needed to hear was that the future of our mate bond was up to us, and that Finn wanted to fight for it. We were bonded now that I bore his mark. It would just be starting to show up now and I was excited to see it…but not enough to move from the position we were in. I snuggled into his chest, and he placed a kiss on my forehead. The dress I’d been wearing was littered around us like shrapnel and my panties were nowhere to be seen. His clothes always seemed to come out unharmed. I smirked and made a mental note to shred his pants next time I got to take them off. I thought about what awaited me when we went back inside and a pang of nerves danced in my stomach. Finn pulled me closer. “What’s wrong? I can feel how nervous you are…
FinnRowena had said Everest would need to sleep through the night. As impressive as the gifts were, they certainly put a strain on her energy levels. I had carried her to one of the empty rooms and held her through the night. The aura that had radiated from her had been pure power. As the spell had broken, a rumbling of electricity had cracked across the sky. Rowena had cackled, and had said “Helios knows…” I couldn’t say I’d ever met another person who took so much delight in challenging the ancient Gods…As Everest’s sun aura had faded to be replaced by a new aura, Rowena had stopped channeling.“She’s changing now…” I was shocked. Everest’s sun power protected and healed others, who knoew what Selene's gifts would give her. How was it possible that I was blessed with such a gifted mate? I watched her shift and change, her eyes turning white, her hair glowing silver, a small crescent moon glowing between her eyes. Even her normally golden, tan skin was pale and white. She was radian
EverestRowena stood up and looked me up and down, noting my appearance changes. My hair was straight and much more ashy than before. I had one silver-grey eye and my body shape had even changed. My chest had become fuller and my hips rounder, more feminine. It was a weird feeling…like I’d woken up in someone else’s body. But more than the physical appearance I felt stronger…physically, but also in my own inner strength and my gifts. I felt more in control. I knew I could tap into them at a moments notice and sustain them for as long as I needed. I could see why Helios had tried to hide these powers away. I felt invincible.I watched Rowena inspect me. “Interesting…you look more like her now, too” she mused.“Who?”“Selene, darling” she smiled.“Oh…you’ve seen her?” I wondered.“Certainly. She visits me often. Who do you think it was that told me everything I needed to know about you? You’re her direct ancestor…of course she’d have an invested interest in your wellbeing.”I considered
FinnWe cruised through the mountains quickly, not wasting any time. The time spent at Rowena’s had changed both of us immensely. In a safe place, we’d finally been able to accept our mate bond and solidify it and I’d never been happier. Finding out about my mother had been excruciating. But knowing that she’d given her life for Lupin and Everest made it a bit easier. It wasn’t a senseless act of killing or an accident. She’d made her choice with a purpose, knowing it was the only way to save my future. It didn’t excuse my father’s behaviour, but it made my feelings of loss slightly easier. Finding out that Rowena had unsealed my mate bond, that I didn’t even know was sealed in the first place, had surprised me…but it made sense. In one moment, everything in me had shifted, allowing Everest in. I couldn’t fathom how I’d ever considered rejecting her in the first place. Knowing how badly I’d hurt her…that I’d pushed her to attempt to reject this herself gave me chills. I looked over at
EverestWe made our way upstairs nearly naked by the time we got to Finn’s room. It was woodsy and dark and full of his sandalwood and cedar scent. He tore off the remainder of my clothes once the door was shut behind us and picked me up, carrying me off towards the bathroom. Aside from a brief moment when I put a sticky note on his head, I hadn't spent any time in Finn's room. The bathroom was black marble with silver accents. A massive tub sat in the corner and a large vanity covered the other wall. Large bay windows overlooked the lake and a huge glass shower was in the middle of the room. His shower was a massive glass room with a dark stone floor and a rainfall ceiling. We stepped in and the water poured over us. I hadn’t rinsed since the lake, so the hot water felt unreal. I washed my hair first and then let the water soothe my tired muscles. Finn finished washing his hair and grabbed the bar of soap.“Come here, gorgeous” his husky, deep voice made my stomach clench in anticipat
EverestPain. It radiated through every part of me, sharp and unrelenting, dragging me into a cold, suffocating reality. I had a long gash down my forearm that dripped blood steadily. My wrists burned where the ropes dug into my skin, tied so tightly behind me that I could barely feel my fingers. I was no longer in my wolf form…He must’ve soaked the ropes in wolfsbane. My body trembled, human and vulnerable now, as I hung limply from the tree they’d tied me to.Iza’s voice slithered through the air, soft but venomous.“You look so fragile like this,” he purred, crouching in front of me. His black eyes glinted with cruel amusement, the shadows of his magic flickering around him like living things. “Where is your precious glow now, hmm? Where is Selene’s power?”I lifted my head weakly, my glare cutting through the pain. “Go to hell,” I spat, my voice hoarse.Iza chuckled darkly, his pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light of the clearing. “Oh, my dear, I’ve been living in hell for cent
EverestThe forest swallowed me whole, the sounds of the battle fading into muffled chaos behind me. My heart thundered, every step driving me closer to the witches who had orchestrated this nightmare. The bond screamed for me to stop, to turn back and find Finn, but I pushed forward. This ended tonight—no matter the cost.Their energy pulsed like a beacon, sickly and dark, guiding me deeper into the woods. The gifts Selene had given me flared stronger the closer I got to their foul magic. On a night without a moon, my glow was all the light the forest needed. A soft silvery haze bathed the trees, the shadows twisting and curling unnaturally as though they feared my presence. My paws hit the ground in rhythmic thuds, quiet and deliberate as I honed in on my prey.Twax and Iza were close.A few more minutes of running and I saw them. Twax hunched near a crude altar, his single arm fumbling with a vial of dark yellow liquid. A low growl rumbled in my chest as I spotted his maimed should
EverestFinn had barely acknowledged me in days. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, the bond between us stretched so taut it might snap at any moment. Every glance, every word exchanged felt sharp, strained, and deliberate—like we were both trying to avoid spilling over into an argument we couldn’t come back from.He ate, slept, and lived battle preparations. He didn’t ask if I’d eaten, or if I’d rested, or if I needed anything. He didn’t linger when we crossed paths, didn’t hold my gaze longer than absolutely necessary. Didn't ask to talk, or attempt to mend things. It hurt more than I wanted to admit.It wasn’t anger I felt from him. Not really. It was something quieter, deeper. A kind of grief that twisted and coiled in his aura, pressing against the bond like a thick fog. It seeped into me every time I felt his presence, and I hated it.Ten days passed in a blur of preparation and tension until the new moon had cloaked the world in impenetrable darkness. The pack sat in
EverestThe air still smelled of smoke, the acrid scent clinging to the ruins of the village. The distant crackle of burning wood had long since faded, replaced by an oppressive silence that settled over the devastation. Onyx Moon felt like a ghost town—its spirit gutted by the chaos of last night.I picked my way through the streets, boots crunching over glass and debris. Broken walls leaned precariously, the remains of homes and businesses crumbled in on themselves like fragile bones. The east wing of the hospital was little more than a charred skeleton, its shattered windows framing a scene of ruin. The bodies—too many bodies—had already been shrouded in cloth. But the weight of their loss lingered, heavier than the wreckage. Bill and Annie. Gone.One of the forsaken had survived, though just barely—the one who had killed Annie. It was subdued now, locked away in a secure cell with wolfsbane coursing through its veins, but I couldn’t help wondering if there was even a sliver of the
**this chapter contains themes of graphic violence and death**FinnThe mindlink hit like a blade slicing into my skull, Duncan’s voice frantic and cracking with terror."Alpha—monsters—hospital—carnage everywhere—"The connection snapped, leaving nothing but the echo of his panic. I shot out of bed, my wolf snarling in the back of my mind, claws already scraping for control.“What is it?” Everest asked, sitting up, her voice groggy.I didn’t answer. I was already moving for the door. My pulse roared in my ears. Something was wrong—deeply, violently wrong. I could feel it like a storm crawling under my skin.“Finn?” she pushed, her tone sharper now.“Stay here.” The words came out like a growl, harsher than I intended.Everest bristled, but I didn’t wait for an argument. I slammed the door behind me, praying she would listen this once, sprinting down the stairs, my senses locking onto the scent of blood hanging in the night air.Blood. Soaking the air square in its copper tang. Smoke
EverestTheo sat upright in the hospital bed. The sheets had been changed to get rid of the gore that had come off him. He looked straight ahead, not at Kali or I who sat either side of him, his brown eyes vacant and dissociated. He’d awoken a few hours ago but hadn’t said anything. His leg, ribs and arm had all healed nicely. His black hair was still gory, and he needed a shower, but he was alive, thank the gods. The doctors had assessed him and maintained that he was perfectly healthy, that perhaps he just needed time to recover from the trauma within his mind. Sienna had curled up on the sofa on the opposite wall when she’d heard he was okay. Poor thing had barely slept for days and had experienced some gruesome trauma of her own. Kali and I had shown Theo photos of the three of us when we were younger to try and jog his memory, but he had barely looked at them. It was like he was in some sort of daze, and he only seemed to know one word. “Sienna”. He would rasp it anytime his eyes
FinnThe hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, a stark contrast to the stillness of the room. Theo lay motionless on the cot, his chest rising and falling in uneven intervals. Sienna sat rigid beside him; her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white. She hadn’t moved since they’d brought him in, her eyes darting to the door every time it creaked open, as if expecting someone—or something—to come for them.Finn lingered near the window, his arms crossed, his wolf pacing beneath his skin. He didn’t trust her yet, not fully, but something in the way she held herself, the broken desperation carved into her expression, told him her story was far from over. Kali and Everest sat on a small sofa against the far wall, holding one anothers hands. Everests head rested on Kali’s shoulder, but her eyes were gazing out the window, distant, as though she was listening to voices on the wind. Caleb had gone to sure up the border defences and prepare the arial weapon strike we had plann
FinnThe stench of blood and rot reached me before I saw them. It clawed at my senses, setting my wolf on edge. Caleb and I burst through the trees at the border, my paws digging into the earth as I skidded to a halt.Sienna.She staggered into view, barely upright, her arms wrapped around a man’s half-conscious form. His head lolled against her shoulder, and his legs dragged uselessly behind her. She looked like death warmed over—clothes shredded, face streaked with blood and grime, her movements unsteady as though the ground beneath her feet was giving way.My wolf snarled in my chest. I didn’t trust her. Couldn’t trust her. Not after what she’d done to Everest.But something in her eyes stopped me cold. Panic. Desperation. I shifted, giving her the opportunity to speak.“Sienna,” I growled, standing upright. Caleb stayed in his wolf behind me, his hackles raised as his eyes darted to the shadows of the forest. He was thinking what I was: this could be a trap.She collapsed at the so
EverestThe sharp taste of bile still lingered in the back of my throat as I splashed cold water on my face. My hands trembled against the porcelain sink. Morning sickness had always seemed like a minor inconvenience in the stories I’d heard growing up—a small price to pay for the miracle of life. No one warned me how it would leave me feeling like my body was no longer entirely in my control.Finn’s footsteps echoed outside the door. He was pacing again, no doubt trying to decide whether to knock or give me the space I’d asked for. My chest tightened at the thought of the worry etched across his face.I reached for the glass bottle tucked into the top drawer. The tonic Rowena had given me sat cold and still in its glass. Its promise was simple: delay the inevitable. Buy time. Time to prepare, time to fight, time to heal.I held it up to the light, the golden liquid catching the faint glow of the lamp. Was this what a good mother would do? Was this what my child needed?Finn tapped on