"The violet and cerulean smoke?!" Hycinth breathed. She seemed to understand more than I did. I had no idea what the hell colored smoke she was talking about.The Oracle nodded in approval. "Yes. That is correct. You bore his child at that moment."Hycinth's mouth dropped open. It took her a minute to close it. The shock never left her expression as she asked incredulously, "Are you telling me that was when Leander got me pregnant...even before we had sex?!"What she said sounded like nonsense, but I had no details on the ceremony preparation, so for the moment, I just listened.The older shewolf nodded again."Does it always h-happen that way for the mating ceremony?" Hycinth stuttered."No. Never has it happened in such a manner. Usually, conception occurs during intercourse."Hycinth blinked, stunned silent, finally out of questions."This smoke that you are referring to, the thing that got Hycinth pregnant...what was in it?" I asked skeptically."Leander's semen was the main ingre
Caught in a LieLuckyThe Oracle walked out the door, leaving both Hycinth and me gutted and raw with the truth, utter devastation in her wake.Unable to make my body move, I slumped in the chair across from Hycinth. Her arms were wrapped around her middle, clutching her belly. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She rocked back and forth. Confusion swirled unchecked in her irises, mirroring mine, trying to wrap her head around the impossible.But neither of us couldn't any make sense out of what we'd heard.Nothing made sense anymore...Lost blue eyes focused on me. "I thought it was about the war, Lucky-the decades-old conflict between our pack and Leander's -it was supposed to be about the war!" Hycinth wailed, gasping for breath. Desperation colored every word. "Not me! Why did they have to kill Leander's mother and your mate because of me?!"I inhaled slowly and let the breath out. I wasn't sure I could talk about my mate without breaking down into a puddle on the floor, so I focused
. "What are you trying to say? That we should never have run three years ago?" Hycinth asked with her lower lip trembling."Maybe...as much as I hate to admit it." I ran my hands through my hair. The more I thought about it, the more I questioned our decision because the facts all pointed to one conclusion. "What happened after he finally caught you? He did everything in his power to make you love him."Hycinth shook her head. "It's not that easy. Lucky, you didn't see his face that day. He wasn't happy to find out I was his mate. You heard him yourself. He thought of me as his whore when he first found out. That's not someone who intends to be gentle and loving.""True..." I acknowledged, "but happy or not, the bond is powerful. I haven't experienced it personally...and now I never will,"I swallowed to contain the lump in my throat before continuing, "but, I know it to be true. Think of it this way. How many names did you call him in those early days as well? We both did. Leander di
The following morning, Tommy and Frank showed up right on time for their almost daily tattoo sessions. Before Tommy could even get settled in the chair, I approached him. His attention sharpened instantly from the expression and my body language, but I couldn't hide my anxiety."What's up, Whiskey?""I've got to take a little trip. Not more than about two days, I hope.""Okay..." he responded, knowing there was more to come."We don't have any family here to keep an eye on Hycinth."Understanding lit his expression. "And you want us to look after her while you're away?"I nodded.Finally settling in the chair, he made eye contact with Hycinth and grinned. "That's easy enough, baby girl."My hands curled into fists. The timbre of my voice dropped into a warning, "Without the sexual innuendos.""What?" Tommy looked at me with the innocence of the newborn, but couldn't quite hide his smirk, and then he became serious, "She's family. You both are. Never think you are without again."Warmt
All of the animosity trained from her face, replaced by confusion. "I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you get the answers you seek. But it is a very dangerous time right now. You are standing in the crosshairs of a volatile conflict. We have not been able to confirm where everyone's loyalties stand. For your own sake and that of your sister, it would be better for you to return to her right now. Stay away because the blood of many wolves is going to be shed.""I can't leave, not yet. Tell me what happened. Have you tried negotiations? I didn't come here for that, but maybe I can help." Truthfully, the last thing I wanted to involve myself with was a war. Hycinth needed me now more than ever.Sydney replied flatly, "We're at war because Hycinth left him."And then I understood...My heart sank.Swallowing thickly, I tried to contain my dread. "What happened to Leander?" Somehow, I just knew I wasn't going to like the answer.For the first time, all of her defenses were gone. Her bott
House of CardsLucky"Nooo!" Sydney dropped to her knees in front of me.I didn't need to explain.She fully understood just from my reaction. Arms wrapping around my shoulders, she held tight. Her voice quivered, "I'm so sorry, Luca."We sat on the floor for several minutes while I composed myself. Sydney was silent...just there with me.Kneeling for so long caused my legs to feel numb. I shifted position so that I was sitting on my butt with my back against the couch, my elbow resting on my bent knee. My head felt heavy, and I struggled to keep it up, finally just dropping it back on the couch behind me with my eyes closed.Sydney's voice came soft, "I want you to keep it."Lifting my head to look at her, I found she was also still sitting on the floor across from me. Her eyes glistened with emotion.I looked down at my still tightly clenched fist and opened it to reveal the tiny gold treasure. I was desperate to keep the little locket, but I didn't know Sydney's sentimental attachm
At her words. memories of Hycinth floated through my mind...her barely able to get out of bed and the haunted look in her dead eyes. I shook my head sadly. "Hycinth may have had the willpower to walk away, but what good is it when she's left miserable without him?"Sydney studied my expression. "Hycinth really wants to come back?"Bringing my other knee up, I rested both elbows on them and nodded. "She'd been making strides...grieving and facing the past. I hoped it would only be a matter of time before she was strong enough to make the decision on her own, and I think she was getting there slowly but surely. But she's devastated after everything the Oracle told us yesterday. Alpha Grant hurt so many wolves in his effort to manipulate her future. Right now, she's internalizing guilt for all of them and can't see how anyone would want her when she was the catalyst for all of the pain."Sydney contemplated my words. "The pack is hurting now without their Luna and the effect her absence
Hycinth was carrying the second-chance baby...which meant I would bet everything I owned that Leander's sister was the first-chance baby whose life was tragically cut short.Sydney continued quietly, "Every loss of life is tragic, especially one so precious and innocent, but we just couldn't understand if her destiny was to change the world, how could she have died? Our hope died that day with her. We didn't get it back until the week after Leander's mating ceremony. When all ten mated-pairs conceive, we felt it again. We don't know what it means. We've reached out to Memoree, but she has refused our requests to talk."I had the answers she was seeking......but there was no way I could tell her before Hycinth told Leander."How was your Luna pregnant without all of the packs knowing?" I don't remember even ever knowing that."We kept it a secret, trying to protect her and the unborn child.But Isabelle was too softhearted. She believed the lies when your mother reached out with a fal
The shower was running when I woke up. I traced my hand over the bed, hoping to feel Leander but he wasn't here. He was in the shower. Inhaling a deep breath, I pulled the duvet off my body and sat up straight on the bed. The sound of the water dripping continued as I hung my legs over the bed, waiting for him to come out of the shower.I waited for a couple of minutes but nothing.What was he doing in there for so long?I groaned and rubbed my eyes before dragging myself away from the bed and toward the curtains. I parted the curtains, letting in the morning sun which forced the sleep right out of me. Once the room was brightened, I stepped toward the bathroom and wrapped my hand around the door knob.Should I go inside? Was it right?Just before I could make a decision, I ran my free hand around my body, examining myself. I thought I would be hurt somewhere but I wasn't. There were a couple wounds on my shoulders and stomach but they had healed over the night, only leaving me with a
It was like my entire world just crushed into tiny bit pieces that I wasn't even able to pick up. For a second, I just stood there, breathing and staring at Leander with my eyes wide. It didn't strike me just yet. I was still in disbelief or in confusion, unable to make sense of what he had just said.Sydney?...She had done something, once more."S-she poisoned you?" I asked, releasing the breath I had been holding in. My heart was aching and my fingers were trembling at the thought of it all. "Why and how did it happen?""It just happened. I didn't know, Hycinth. She.. later came after you leaving, I thought she came by to apologize or something. I was in a weak state because of losing you, I didn't kill her. That was the chance she used and she poisoned. By the time I understood, it was too late and she was gone." He continued, explaining me the rest of it. This was the secret he was hiding.This?Mixed emotions coursed through me. I didn't know what to say or what to think. All al
My head was in war when Leander stepped inside my room and said, "Noah's in the hospital. He'll be discharged later tonight and he along with his men will be returning back to their pack. In the meantime, there is a treaty in motion where blood money will be given and everything will be forgotten."I rolled my eyes at his words and combed my wet hair. It had been a long night. Right after the entire thing, I walked all the way to the house and Gwen made a special herbal tea for me. The tea helped in healing me a little but warm shower did all the magic."How are you doing?" He asked when I didn't say anything. "Do you need anything?"I continued brushing my hair and replied, "No. Nothing.""Hycinth. I want to talk to you." He placed his hand on my shoulders and said in a gentle tone. I wasn't sure how I felt about Leander anymore.He stopped me right when I was going to kill someone and instead of killing Noah for me, he saved him and took him to the hospital. Did I even matter?"I do
Blow after blow, I wounded him, bruised him and released the ball of anger I had been holding back for days. I wasn't entirely furious over Noah for coming here and taking his revenge. It was also about all the rage I had been storing since I arrived here, all of the emotions I had to go through, the pain and the sadness. Finally, I had the chance to release it and I wasn't going to waste my chance.I fought with Noah for as long as I could. He fought back, bruising me, biting me and wounding me. Every time I got hurt, the anger just grew.While the music played inside the ballroom and the people danced, I battled with Noah outside in the parking lot, tossing myself here and there, feeding my anger, my own hunger for blood and death.I laid on the ground, my left eye burning as it was nearly busted. My back was against the ground and I flickered my eyes open and shut, I gazed at the starry sky above me while breathing heavily and remaining conscious. The taste of metal appeared in my
"Missed you in the city. Wondered where you ran off to."I snorted at him while the impulse to claw him out of this place grew stronger within me. "What are you doing here, Noah?" I asked, my jaw clenched and my hands twisting into fists.I had met him a few times, he was always in the shadows, watching me while I killed his and Cade's men. He took the information to his Alpha every time like a submissive Beta.I surely couldn't harm him here, in a middle of an event where my own mate was present along with other Alpha's but I couldn't resist the urge either.He folded his arms across his chest while the corners of his mouth turned into a corrupt smile. "Sudden disappearance and the sudden death of my Alpha, Cade. Something's suspicious. I know you killed him.""I did not." I hissed at him."I know you didn't but your mate did and I'm here to take my revenge," He grinned, rocking his muscular body back and forth. I moved closer to him while anger rocketed through my veins. He rose his
The burgundy strappy dress flowed down just above my knees. It wasn't revealing but it snitched on the right places and seemed perfect. After getting all ready, I descended from the steps to meet with Leander who had been bothering me for the past hour to leave the room without getting my hair done.I didn't listen to him. Not once.His gaze met with mine and crashed. His eyes quickly spread, roaming over my body. It had been a long while since he had seen me dress up."You wish you fucked this." I stated, rolling my eyes and rushing closer to the door.His loss.His lips parted and his mouth remained open for the next couple seconds at my words. I had been irritated since yesterday, since he had rejected me and my advances and hadn't given me enough information to believe him that he still loved me."Let's go. Aren't we getting late?" I asked, snapping him back to reality and forcing his eyes to level with mine instead of my ass that barely went in through the dress.The hunger was v
"I killed him," I mumbled before rolling the pages and turning around to the next page. The silence was thick when I told Leander who I had killed. Meeting with his eyes, I quickly added, "He wasn't a good guy, someone told me that he once saw him with Sydney and secondly he had molested quite a few women around the pack. I wasn't comfortable in living with a rapist and my motherly instincts were acting up, therefore, the need to kill.""You created a whole mess." He sighed and then shook his head in disappointment. His eyes lowered to the next image of a young, teenage boy. "What about him?""No, I didn't kill him!" I said, speaking the truth.Over the past hour, we had gone through different deaths that happened in the pack under Cade's ruling while I was living there. I managed to find most of the men I had killed out of anger and spite but the rest murders weren't on me."Are you sure?""He's a young, teenage boy. I wouldn't kill him and he didn’t know anything about Sydney's whe
Leander's office at the building was larger than I had thought. He really changed a lot in his pack in my absence. Most of the furniture and the walls in his office were a shade of wooden brown. The color scheme was enticing for me. It gave me a sense that only work went down here and nothing more."You can sign here." He said, slipping the papers forward while standing on the other end of the desk.I grabbed a pen off the thick wooden table and quickly spread my ink over the papers. Once the ink was dry, my title in this pack was going to be changed. Just as I finished signing, I raised my head to glance at Leander who seemed a bit distraught at what I had forced him to do."I'm your mate. You should've thought about this long ago and you shouldn't have kept a female as your Beta." I stared at him in disbelief.He nodded his head, "And I apologized for that, Hycinth." He spoke while slipping the papers back to him as he had enough for me, at least for one day.It was the next mornin
Bury his dick?!I swallowed hard while Leander caught my gaze. He slipped a hand behind my hair, tracing his fingers across my lower neck till desire fueled itself inside me.Leaning forward, he placed his lips on mine, a gentle kiss that lasted for long. Our tongues fought and our breaths became uneven. My heart thumped hard in my chest while he pushed me further back till the wall was pressed against my back.I pressed my eyes shut, exploring his mouth while he did the same. There was something different in the kiss -it was much more passionate and true than it had ever been.Leander kissed me with need as if he had been craving for my mouth for a very long time. I didn't hold back. I ran my hands down his muscular body, feeling every inch of his skin as he towered over me.I curled my fingers around the elastic of his pants, reaching further, wanting what I always needed. The electricity was there, it wasn't yet gone.Breathing heavily, I broke the kiss and our lips parted for a mo