Novels by A. L. Lacey

Thankfully, Luka was willing to let me take the bath alone. My mind was still whirling from everything he had shared with me. How many people in my life were shifters, and I had no idea that they were. How was I a shifter? Was there a shifter among my parents? Was my dad one? Or my mom? The only reason I’m willing to hear the Holloways out right now is that they might have some of the answers to these questions I had. Among the questions I had for them. Why did they never tell me? I thought I was important, and did my parents know they were shifters? Wait, was Jess one? Maybe once I was done with my bath, I could ask. I did wonder if my parents were not shifters, how did I become one? Did that mean one or both of them were not my biological parents? I don’t know if I could handle that being true. This is too much. I wanted to drown, but I let myself soak in the warm, hot bath with lavender bubbles, and just soak my aching body.By some miracle, I wasn’t as banged up as I originally

“Danni! Are you okay?” Luka looked down at me and gently patted my back. “Yeah… Wrong pipe.” I cough out. And lifted my arms up over my head. Luka looked at me like I was crazy.“What have you never heard of hands up when something goes down the wrong pipe?” I asked him once the coughing fit had calmed down.Luka raised a brow and looked amused when he said, “No.”I laughed at the face he was giving me. His expression softened when he saw me laughing. “Must be something only my mom does,” I tell him. “SHIT MY MOM!”“Relax, I just le‌ft there. She is fine. Still in a coma. No new news.” Luka reassured. I opened my mouth to say something, but Luka cut me off. “Alex is there now if anything changes. We have guests tonight, and there will be a lot to discuss. You can see her after if you are feeling up to it.” I took a minute to let that sink in and relax. Nothing has changed with my mom. So that's good, I guess? I hope she wakes up soon. But what would change? Would she still be a she

Alex loaded me up in a wheelchair. It made me feel strangely smaller and weak. But my ankles were throbbing, and I was so very tired. She brought me to a lovely room. Alex told me this was the guest room I could stay in as long as I needed or wanted. I looked around, and it was perfect. It was practically made for me. It even had a mini-fridge. I chuckled. Of course, he would have a mini fridge in a guest room. I could only imagine what expensive drinks it was filled with. Right now, I couldn't care less. The oversized bed was calling my name. It looked so comfy. Alex helped me into bed. It was the perfect balance of Soft and fuzzy. I practically melted into. I didn’t even realize I fell asleep until I felt something shift on the bed. Sleep little oneI was or am? I don’t know. I tell the voice that I now know is the white wolf.You are half awake. Rest, It will help you heal. Okay Fine. I tell the white wolf.Our Mate Will wake you soon.Our mate? YesAre you really here?Yes. I

I sat in shock from what Alex said. It took me a minute to realize Luka Stood over by me. Nose flaring. I hope it wasn’t from anything I did. “What's wrong?” I asked “You… Are… Hurt…” Luka bite out each word like it was difficult to speak. “You knew that? I was confused. He carried me out knowing I was attacked. “Knowing… And… Seeing…” He was practically growling at this point. I could tell he was struggling to keep it together. “If you can not keep it together. I will remove you.” Alex told Luka and his head snapped to her so fast. It was unnatural. “You…” Luka growled. “I will do what is best for her.” Alex pointed a finger at me and Luka looked back at me. Taking a deep breath. I watched as his shoulders relaxed. “I will stay as long as she wants me here” Luka stated. As much as I did want him here. He was clearly bothered by injuries he can see. I know I had worse ones where he couldn’t see. What if he lost control? What would happen? “Its okay. I think I would like t

I looked at Alex, stunned, she said that. Could she read minds? There was no way she could. Alex took in my shocked expression. “Don’t worry, I can not read minds.” She smiles sweetly. She turned away, grabbing something I couldn't quite see from one of the drawers. She turns back around with what looks like a folded up medical gown. I look down at it. “I will need you to put this on. You can keep your bra and underwear on. This will just make it easier for me to assess the damage and treat your wounds.” Alex explains. “I think I can do it.” I sheepishly reply. “Okay while you do that, I’m going to turn around and prep some IV fluids for you. Luka would kill me if I left and you fell off the table while you were under my care.” Alex snickered at that and turned around. Something about that felt weird, but I pushed that thought to the side. I didn’t have time to worry about that. I worked on getting my top off. Oh my god the pain was insane.WHY ARE YOU HURTTING NOWI am trying to t

It was another 10-minute drive just to reach the cabin. I couldn’t believe it. How much of this land did he own to be able to do this? I couldn’t even fathom it. I was shocked when we reached the so-called cabin.“You call this a cabin?” I asked. I bet if I looked in the mirror, my eyes would be on the verge of falling out of my head.“Yeah? It’s nothing special, just something I use when I need to get away.” Luka answered,This was some gross overspending, given how luxurious this so-called cabin was. This thing was bigger than my house and at least 10 times nicer than anything I have ever lived in, and he comes here to escape. What in the world did Luka need to escape from? I am lost in my thoughts while looking at the “cabin” when a loud shriek breaks my thoughts.“LULU!!!” A smoking hot blonde came barreling out of the cabin and jumped into Luka’s arms. He caught her and put her down right away. It still made my stomach sour. I didn’t even notice him get out of the car. He was ove

We loaded my kidnapper onto the same horse she’d hauled me around on earlier. Hog-tied. Unconscious. The irony was almost poetic. I considered bowing to the universe for its commitment to symmetry.The horse snorted softly, shifting under the unfamiliar weight. I watched her chest rise and fall, steady and unaware, and felt a flicker of something dark curl in my stomach. Satisfaction, maybe. Or relief. Possibly both.We moved through the woods carefully, branches snapping underhoof in quiet, deliberate rhythms. The forest pressed in around us, tall and watchful, the canopy swallowing most of the light. Shadows stretched long and thin, as if listening.Bella ranged ahead, a blur weaving through the trees. Every so often, she doubled back, amber eyes sharp, tail high and alert, making sure we were still there. Still breathing.For hours, no one spoke.I felt Carlin’s attention before I saw it. The subtle shift. The way his steps slowed just enough to match mine. He glanced at me from th

I woke to pain. Real, sharp, oh-my-gods-what-now pain.My body slammed against something hard with every jolt. My ribs burned. My head pounded like someone had stuffed a drum inside my skull and invited toddlers to play with sticks. A dry, dusty scent filled my nose, and was that a horse I just heard?. I also smelled sweat, and leather, and something metallic and wrong.I tried to move. Couldn’t.Someone tied my arms and legs so tightly that I could feel the ropes biting into my skin. Every time I tried to move, the burning from my bindings intensified. Panic surged fast and vicious, clawing up my throat. I took some slow, deep breaths. Panic would not help me. I forced one eye open against the blinding sunlight. I needed information if I was to make it out of this alive.When I cracked open my eye to try and take a peek at what kind of situation I was in. I noticed nothing was behind us but forest and woods. That could only mean one thing right now. I was hog-tied across the back of

We reached the clearing where Zephyrous and Evalandra were already waiting. Zeph wore his usual cool, unreadable mask; Evalandra waved excitedly at our approach,“You got it done faster than I thought,” Evalandra said, grinning. “How did the fight go with The Yale? You don't look injured?” Ev looked me up and down.“I guess I’m good,” I said, letting a little pride warm my chest. “She didn’t actually fight it.” Carlin said, bursting my false pride.“You actually didn’t fight one?” Zeph asked bluntly.“I didn’t. I took it while it slept,” I said

I slipped into the clearing, basket slung at my side, and began gathering tusoshary. I wasn’t sure whether to hunt down a Yale beast or search for the elusive crawling stammerwort. My decision would have to wait—first, I needed river pokeroot. The sound of rustling snapped me into the shadows, heart hammering. I knew there would be other creatures out here, but these woods were unfamiliar to me.A bark broke the silence.“Bella?”“Woof!” She tilted her head, as if asking what I was doing out here.“So this is where you’ve been running off to, girl?”“Woof!” She barked again, pleased.“Alright, but you need to be quiet. I’m hunting a Yale beast and searching for plants. Hopefully Uncle Garret won’t mind you tagging along.”Bella gave a low, dismissive growl, as if to say she didn’t care what Garret thought—she was with me. I laughed and scratched her head.“Okay then. Hunt the beast with the big horns and lead me to it. But don’t let it notice you.”With a soft bark, Bella darted away

Time dragged like molasses these past months. Camp to camp, trail to trail—always moving with Carlin and Evalandra. Evalandra was a bard who could make the rain sound poetic. We checked on supplies, trained till my muscles ached, and kept things running. All of that was useful and important, but they hadn't allowed me into the Order's secrets yet, and that gnawed at me. Every day, I pestered Carlin to let me join early. Every day, he refused. Today, though—today was different. Today was my twentieth birthday. The rules finally shifted today, in my favor.I leaped out of bed, a surge of excitement coursing through me. My hair routine was muscle memory by now: down enough to hide the scars, pulled back enough to keep it out of my eyes. Not glamorous, but efficient. I could never make it look as good as Hana did. Today I had a new mission—to harass Carlin worse than ever before.

Saying goodbye to Ivy was harder than I wanted to admit. But there was no changing it. We each had our own missions to handle. She was strong, clever, and resourceful. She’d survive. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.Bella padded quietly at my side as the days blurred together. I followed whispers and tracks, chasing after Sir Garret and Carlin. Even with their direction, I always seemed to be a few steps behind. Sleep became a stolen luxury—snatched in shallow bursts beneath trees or in abandoned barns.The woods weren’t safe. The city was worse. Every time I stepped into a street, suspicion prickled over my skin. Eyes lingered too long. Who knew how many Remier had bought? Shadows felt sharper here, less like cover and more like traps. I didn’t belong among them, not hidden in alleyways with my hood pulled low.Nearly a week passed before I finally stumbled into the outskirts of the seeker camp. My knees weakened at the sight of their banners, relief flooding through me s