Sydney
Kenna’s anguished screams slows time to a halt the moment my powers finally break through the manacles on my ankles and wrists.
It’s too late.
I’m too late.
Evander falls face first, unable to save himself from hitting the floor.
I feel like everyone is moving in slow motion. Kenna sprints forward, her shadows billowing out around her as her face twists with despair. Guards move in, blades drawn in her direction.
And Gabriel is grinning like a madman as he turns back to Brie.
Fuck, no.
My body screams in pain as I lurch forward, shouting in rage, agony, and desperation as I collide with the nearest guard. The man falls to the ground with a crunch. I leap off his body, his ribs cracking beneath my feet as I jump, begging the Goddess to help me gather enough power to shift.
We’re all so weak right now. Gabriel knew exactly how to enact t
KennaA heat like no other spreads through our joined hands. I almost pull away from Sydney, surprised by the searing pain. My heart hammers against my ribs, but I stay focused, looking down at my mate and praying so hard the words jumble together.I barely notice how everyone but Amanda has backed away. Even Granger, who looks like he’s ready to flatten Eastonia to kill the rest of the Draven Rebels with his bare hands, is resting on his knees with his hand wrapped around Evander’s ankle.But Dad stays by my side. My dad, who wanted to send Evander away, now rests his hand on Evander’s shoulder and squeezes.“Come on, son.”“Evander,” Granger whispers, squeezing Evander’s ankle. “Don’t do this to your mother. Don’t do this to Kenna.”My heart wrenches. I let my tears flow freely, several of them dripping down onto Evander&rs
A month laterKennaA rush of cool air greets me as I step out on the balcony overlooking the city of Veiled Valley. The valley is a sea of green against the mist rising from the river far below–mist that swallows whole a dozen or so bridges connecting the city on either side of the pristine, near tropical mountains.I take a deep breath, my ribs aching as the corset I’m wearing cuts into my skin. Why do we bother wearing these anymore?I pinch the fabric of my silver-blue gown between my fingers. The fabric billows out around my waist, creating a ball-gown effect that’s honestly very beautiful, if not totally inefficient. I can barely walk in this gown–this gown of silver stars and fresh-water pearls that glimmer in the moonlight–but I guess that doesn’t matter. I won’t be doing much walking until the after-party tonight, after my ascension ceremony.The
Kenna“I’m going back to Crescent Falls at the end of the week,” Sydney says over the rim of his whiskey glass, his blue eyes a stark contrast to his all black suit. “To look for Sasha.”“Ah,” I say, giving him a hard look. “You sure?”“Am I sure I’m looking for her? Yes. It’s my mission.”Ryan crosses his arms, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.Evander leans against one of the enormous black marble columns in the ballroom, his eyes sliding to mine.There’s barely anyone in here at this point. The musicians are being fed copious amounts of champagne in thanks for their near ceaseless playing over the past four or five hours, and the once riotous crowd has dispersed.It’s 2:00 A.M. Everyone is going home. Even our family members have retreated to the numerous guest rooms.So, it’s just me, Evander,
SydneyFour Months LaterDad’s orrery clicks and spins, the internal gears grinding against the soft patter of winter rain on the windows. I watch the strange tangle of metal for another few minutes, tucking my hands in the pockets of my old leather jacket before taking a breath and walking toward the stairs.It’s only 8:00 A.M. The sun barely crests the snow-capped mountains in the distance when I reach the main foyer. Maids and workers rush past me with courteous bobs of their heads.The world keeps spinning and spinning.A flash of memory clouds my vision. I watch Gabriel drag his knife across Evander’s throat. Kenna’s scream sears into my mind
Beginning of Book 9Two Months Later....SarahIt’s warmer down here under the grow lights. Electricity hums through the air as I move from plant to plant, pruning, plucking, and watering. Outside the frosty windows, the Neutral Zone is every shade of silver in the unforgiving cold. Someone passes bundled against the frigid, windy air. Their red hat disappears into a rush of snow being swept by the wind down the street. I shiver despite the slight warmth in the air. I’ve been cold for weeks. Cold, hungry, and stressed beyond belief. The baby swaddled in a sling across my chest wriggles before falling back asleep, his cheek pressed against my breast. I move to the utility sink in the storage room and wrench on the pump, but the water doesn’t start. The pipes are frozen solid. “Shit,” I whisper, closing my eyes and trying to swallow past the lump in my throat. Mr. Foxglove, my landlord, was supposed to be here this morning to fix the heat to the building. My one room apartment up
SydneyCosette screams into the foyer, her apron knotted so tightly in her hands that her slim fingers are white. Her light brown hair is flaked with silver, and her dark brown eyes glow like embers in the chandelier light as they narrow into a glare. I shut the front door to my manor firmly behind me, ignoring the incessant screech of the wind howling outside, and eye my housekeeper–my life manager, honestly–as she huffs a breath and glowers at me. “Am I past curfew?” “Alpha Sydney, I thought you were dead!”“It’s just a blizzard.” I shrug out of my coat as Dalia–the only other person I employ at my house–comes up behind me to take it, gathering my coat, gloves, and hat in her tiny hands. I give the mousy, red-haired maid a gracious, silent smile before turning back to Cosette with a frown. “Don’t look at me like that, Your Grace.” She plants her hands on her hips and looks up at me as I approach her. “It’s below zero out there and blowing like hell has frozen over.”“You’re just
SydneyThe botanical garden is a thirty minute drive from the city and even longer from the castle. Juxtaposed against a sea of silver trees, the glass domed building sticks out as a bright pop of color against ribbons of pure white snow.I pull my truck to a stop, checking my watch.Someone opens the front door to the building and steps out, bundled against the biting sub-zero temperature in a pale purple sweater and gray leggings.Mom’s wine-red hair is pulled in a bun piled on the top of her head. She waves at me, motioning for me to hurry the hell up.“You said you’d be here at eight!” she says by way of greeting as I hike up the snow-covered steps.“It’s 8:15,” I reply as she motions me inside, pulling the heavy glass doors closed behind her.My thick coat and hat are suddenly suffocating inside the humid warmth of the building, but I don&
SarahI’m hallucinating.I have to be because Alpha Sydney of the Shadowcrest pack is standing in my doorway looking like he’s ready to rip someone in half.He’s handsome. Too beautiful to be real. His face has been carved from the purest marble by craftsmen who spent their entire lives dedicated to their art. Soft, slightly curly dark brown hair glints with copper as he takes a single step into my apartment.A jawline that could cut glass. A strong, stately nose. High cheekbones.But the one thing about him that haunts my dreams are those dark blue eyes that feel like I’m looking into a pool full of pure magic when I meet his gaze. Such a dark shade of navy that they edge on a stormy, blue-gray.And right now, those eyes are scanning my face with such fervor I feel my cheeks going crimson.My lips part to ask him why he’s here, but his eyes lift to scan t
MistyIt’s early afternoon when I finally leave our cabin in search of Cole. Aviva–who stayed up all night hunting, and then the entire morning caring for Lexa–is asleep on the couch with both babies as the moment. The tension in the village is palpable as I walk through the village square, which is quiet… borderline empty. A few people mill around going about their chores, but the square isn’t filled with conversation, children playing, or food being cooked and shared. It’s a bright, sunny day, which is being wasted. I sigh heavily and hike the bag I packed with a few sandwiches and treats for Cole over my shoulder and lower my head as I pass a group of men then turn toward the healer’s cottage. In the few days we’ve been in Silverhide, I haven’t had a chance to meet the pack's healer–some witch sent down from Moonrise a few weeks ago to serve in his pack. That’s the norm across Eastonia. Witches trained in Moonrise spread out, taking up residence in packs from Veiled Valley, thro
AvivaHot water rolls over my skin as I press my forehead against the tile. The shower is a new addition to our house, built along with the second story and unused bedrooms in the upper level. For me, the shower is absolutely massive–unreasonably so. For Ryan, it was a much needed upgrade from our copper tub downstairs. He stretches his arms over his head and groans as the scent of lavender soap fills the air, mingling with the steam. The window cut into the tile fogs up, blocking our view of the woods, but the first inklings of morning sunlight are trying to stretch toward Silverhide. “So,” he says behind me, gently tugging twigs from my curls and tossing them out of the shower. “This hellhound you found… what did it look like?”“A wolf,” I say, closing my eyes as his large hands drift to my shoulders, working out the knots from being in my wolf form practically the entire night. My breasts begin to ache with fullness but it’s a sensation I’m eager to ignore, especially as his touc
AvivaThe packhouse is always full to the brim. Four impossibly long tables and benches rest in the center of the wide, wood-lined space in rows where not a single seat is unaccounted for. Children dart from group to group, finding friends to play with while their parents dine. I’m at my usual spot at the head of the left-most table, surrounded by the other young, mated, new mothers while our mates move from group to group of men, chatting over pints of home-brewed ale. I bounce Lexa in my lap as I fork another piece of meat into my mouth, glancing down the table where Misty and Cole are seated together, unaccustomed to the noisy, damn near riotess shared evening meal. Misty seems especially affected, which strikes me as odd, given that she spent two weeks here last year before she went back to school… but that was before everything happened. Her eyes are empty, which worries me. I thought I was the only one having an existential crisis, but apparently… I’m not. Freya leans over,
Ryan“Come on, girl. You liked me yesterday.” I hike Lexa up and set her on my shoulder so her legs are around the back of my neck, my arm bent and extended so I press my hand against her back. She immediately fists my hair and stops wailing, her sad sniffling turning to quiet excitement. A small giggle leaves her lips as we pass one of the ceiling height windows in the hallway I’ve been walking her up and down for the past thirty minutes.Aviva would tell me this is dangerous to do with her at only four months old, but I can’t help it. Tossing this baby around is getting her ready to wrestle, which is what I often tell my wife before she stops my fun, but right now, we’re completely alone.I turn a corner, find another hallway, and walk down it with no plan nor destination in sight. In fact, I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to be doing right now other than keeping Lexa happy, and current
AvivaI’m the biggest baby in the entire world. Not only did I freeze the moment Ryatt announced he was making me a commander, but I went so pale that the excited look on his face–his eyes shining with pride–shattered with concern. He took one step in my direction, and I burst into tears… in front of every man in the room. I ran. There wasn’t anything else I could do, honestly. The only man I’ve ever cried in front of is Ryan, and even then, I hate it. I’m supposed to be tough. Hard. Unbreakable. I skirt around the lake in my wolf form, my paws beating the rocky shore. Morning sunlight breaks over the mountains, splitting the sky with ribbons of pure gold. The pretty sage dress I fussed over this morning is caught around my neck and in shambles, which only adds fuel to the fire of my despair and desperation. I can’t untangle the dress, just like I can’t untangle my thoughts. A year ago, I would have been honored to be given this position. I would have jumped at the opportunity.
AvivaThe last time we were in Moonrise was for Lexa’s birth. Four months have passed in a blur, which I assume is normal when you have a baby for the first time. Pile on our responsibilities as Alpha and Luna of Silverhide, let alone the rulers of all the Deadlands, and time is merely a construct in our lives that I’m keen to ignore as long as possible.Still, when Kenna arrived yesterday morning, chipper and excited to see us and Lexa, I felt a weight begin to press into my chest. Whatever Ryatt wants with me comes with a cost–which will be the end of our somewhat quiet, cozy life.I spent the entire day in Kenna’s company while she made her rounds checking on every baby and mother in Silverhide. Ryan went off to do Alpha duties, like making sure James, his Beta, had what he needed to take over for a few days in our absence. His mate, Dahlia, is pregnant again–with twins this time–but Kenna seemed h
AvivaIt’s just after dawn when I slide Lexa into her sling and head out of the house into another warm, later summer morning. The sun stretches across the pastures, casting golden light as far as the eye can see. Lexa–who I’ve taken to carrying on my back lately–coos softly as she uses my hair as reins, her chubby fingers tangled in the sloppy braid I managed to throw together just after I woke up, alone in bed, in a quiet house.I stare at the road leading into the forest–out of the valley of Silverhide. It’s empty. No wolves trot in my direction. I grind my teeth as the crippling unease that’s been coasting through my body for days nearly chokes me, but I turn toward Freya and Andrew’s house.Andrew built Freya a shopfront earlier this spring while they waited for their son, Samuel, to make his arrival. It’s cozied up beside his blacksmith shop, and her gorgeous tapestries and wov
MistySome days I don’t think about the war.Some mornings I wake to sunshine and Cole’s arms around me while I cradle Adrian in my arms and don’t think about how the three of us came to be. I think of clean sheets that smell like lavender, not the smell of Richard’s bloody war room where I’d healed that cursed wolf. I sip coffee while watching my mate–my husband–the love of my life rush around the kitchen packing his bag for another long shift at the hospital instead of watching him don that black cloak.We have a house instead of shared spaces. Our home is safe and full of love instead of constant stress and the crushing weight that, at any moment, our safety will end.But some days I have to remind myself that we made it out. That we’re here, and whole, and together.Today is one of those days.Mom peeks into the massive library at the castle of Cr
AvivaThree month old Lexa’s dark blue eyes are wide and round as she grips Mercy’s arm. Her eyes go glassy as her lower lip begins to tremble, her little face twisting with pitiful sorrow. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning,” I try to assure her, but my voice wobbles with sudden heartbreak. I look at my sister, desperate and unsure. “It’s too early, isn’t it? Leaving her like this?”Mercy rolls her eyes. “You’re going to be gone for like… ten hours, Aviva. She’s fine. She has plenty of milk–”I take a single step away, and Lexa wails. We’re attached, that’s clear. I’ve been wearing her on my chest since the day she was born. We’re rarely apart, and if we are, Lexa firmly believes she’ll never see me again. She wants nothing to do with Ryan recently. It’s not that she doesn’t like him, or can’t find comfort in his arms but… I’m her mother. I smell familiar, feel familiar….“I’ll be back very soon, love,” I croak, trying not to burst into tears myself. Lexa gives me the most heartbroke