Rosie Griffin의 작품

There is only the thick, expectant silence of our private sanctuary.I didn’t wait for the fire to catch or for the shadows to stop their dancing against the velvet drapes. I reached for Lana, my hands finding the curve of her waist, pulling her into me until there was no air left between us. She felt like a sun-warmed willow bending to my will..'Lana,' I breathed her name against the pulse point of her neck, the vibration of Kilak finally settling into a low, contented hum in my chest.She collided with me, her fingers tangling in the dark hair at the nape of my neck with a desperation that bordered on violence. It wasn’t a gentle reunion. It was a collision of two souls trying to anchor one another against a rising tide. The wine-red silk of her dress rustled against my leather jerkin, a deep, bruised color that reminded me far too much of the blood we had both seen spilled.I tilted her head back, my mouth finding hers in a kiss that tasted of exhaustion and an ancient, fated hung

Koal and I sped away from the campsite that had sprung up, just within the city limits. Kilak was pacing behind my ribs, his frustration a low, primal snarl that echoed my own. I was so close now to being reunited with Lana that we were both running out of patience. I pushed the horse harder, the rhythmic thud of hooves on the stone road a countdown to her. I had spent days negotiating with the Boren packs, trying to secure the influx of magic our land so desperately needed to stop the withering. But my mind had never truly left Soln. It had stayed in our suite, caught in the memory of Lana’s hand on my chest and the way she looked at me with eyes that saw far too much.As the spires of the Palace finally pierced the horizon, I felt her presence through my soul. A primal, intoxicating frequency that told me she was near. The 'gilded cage' I’d once threatened to keep her in felt more like a sanctuary now, the only place I could breathe. I didn't care about the court or the whispers of

Thade’s POVThe first autumn dawn was a bruised purple, the light breaking over the horizon like a slow-spreading stain. I adjusted my grip on the reins, the leather cold and stiff against my palms. Behind me, the rhythmic thud of thousands of hooves and the metallic jangle of Boren steel created a symphony of transition that echoed through the valley.It had been months. Months of negotiating the jagged edges of Boren pride, months of breathing the thin, sharp air of the northern borders, and months since I had last seen her. Lana. My Little Investigator.The procession was a living, breathing testament to the gamble I was taking. Warriors with furs draped over their shoulders, their skin marked by the same 'savagery' Valerius so often sneered at, rode alongside families carrying everything they owned in carts. They were coming for the tournament, a contest of blood and skill that would decide who earned the right to settle the lands on offer. As we passed through the final village

The heat of the day had long since vanished from the bedroom. Rosa had lit a fire a little after midnight to clear the suffocating air that refused to move. But the flames in the grate had long since settled into a sulking glow, casting long shadows across the chamber walls. The silence of the early hours was absolute, heavy with the sort of dread that only flourishes when the rest of the world is asleep. I sit by the window, tracing an outline of a carving. A pair of sparrows about to take flight. Across the room, Maggie’s head had lolled back against the velvet upholstery of the chaise, her breathing deep and rhythmic. Rosa, however, remained vigilant. She sat on a low stool by my feet, her eyes reflecting the dying embers.'You should sleep, my Lady,' Rosa whispered, the sound cutting through the stillness like a dull blade. 'The sun will be up before Rune returns.''She will come back tonight,' I replied, my voice sounding thin to my own ears. 'She has to. Conspiracy doesn’t sle

The air in the eastern wing was heavy, thick with the scent of old parchment and the lingering, oppressive humidity of the afternoon. Without my glasses, my head had started to ache and I needed to concentrate on making my way back to my rooms to rest. I tried to focus on the tapestry-lined corridor, the magic within the stones humming a low, vibrato warning that I tried to ignore. But I had seen Timian and he had seen me. A shadow lengthened against the floor, stretching ahead of me until it swallowed my own. I didn't need to turn. The steady, purposeful stride belonged to only one person.'Lana,' Timian’s voice was a low murmur, barely a breath against the quiet of the hallway. He stepped closer, his presence a suffocating warmth that made the fine hairs on my arms stand on end. 'A moment? Somewhere... less public.'I kept my gaze fixed forward, my pace quickening. The memory of his fingers pressing into my palm in the bathroom, too firm and too possessive,flashed through my mind,

As I say the words, I can’t help but take note of all the tendrils of black magic as they stretch across the table towards the men seated. Extending from Valerius himself they seem to seethe in silence, writhing like snakes in the air. The air darker around my Father, his skin covered in places with a shadow. I wonder if it remains beyond Valerius’s presence. I can feel the prickle on my own skin, as the magic creeps toward me. But to what end? What is the spell that he weaves? 'The King’s end is near,' my Father says, his voice cutting through the heavy, stagnant air of the library. He doesn't look at me, his gaze fixed on the map spread out before him, a tapestry of lands I am meant to rule but barely know. 'Once he is removed, the transition will be swift. You will marry Valerius, and with his house behind you, your position on the throne will be stronger than it has ever been.'The air seems to thicken around us, the black tendrils of Valerius’s magic pulse in time with my father

It was a rare moon that tied with the Winter Equinox and the Human celebration of Christmas. A tradition that I have always embraced for my children. Afterall, they spent their first years immersed in human culture. Yet Christmas Eve, with snow falling thick and fast through leafless trees, was when Kylar and I married. My residency was completed and felt as though it was part of a life I’d nearly forgotten. Between our children and the medical practice, I’ve been busy enough and can’t imagine fitting in any additional responsibilities. The sky was white with snow clouds but the trees were covered in fairy lights that twinkled in a gentle golden glow. I’m excited, butterflies filling my insides, as though I didn’t see him yesterday.I’m stood at the back of the pack house, in a beautiful satin dress that clings to all of my slender curves. I’ve styled my hair down in loose curls, just how he likes it. I should be nervous, but I’m not. The dress has a mermaid train that kicks out

The second morning of the trial turned out to be the last. Much to the relief of everyone within Midnight Forest, and I imagine Silver Stream as well. The sky was clear, but cloudy. A storm brewing on the horizon, black clouds swirling around the distant forest. A storm we sat within the centre of. The air heated and uneasy as we waited in a calm filled with fraught anticipation.I sat beside Kylar, trying not to pay too much attention to just how incredible he looked in a slate grey tailored suit and black shirt. I still can’t believe that he is mine, that he is my Mate. But despite how awful events have been, I am so incredibly happy to be beside him. With Kylar, I feel at home. With my children, I feel complete.We waited, sitting back among the rows of hundreds of Wolves. Kylar was sitting upright, scanning the tree line for any more trouble. Every now and then I would catch a glimpse or a sense of a Midnight Forest patrol. I knew that there were a lot of Pack members, because I

AvaI’m grateful, and very relieved when about an hour after he passes out, Kylar stirs. He sits up, blinking at me. Frowning, the top of his chest dotted with beads of sweat as his body fought off the nasty infection from the fangs of a werewolf. He stretches out and I sink onto the sofa beside him passing him a glass of fresh water to sip.‘How are you doing?’ I look him over, but it’s clear that the effect of the silver in his bloodstream has worn off. It really does affect us badly. I can understand why he tried so desperately to free Elsbeth from the magically imbued cage, but it wasn’t worth the toll on his body. But that’s my Mate, as wonderful and intelligent as he is. He often thinks with his heart instead of his head. I smooth his hair back as he drinks as though he’s dying of thirst. Technically he is, his body will be working on overdrive to restore the blood that was lost.‘Thirsty,’ he replies, voice gruff. ‘The Queen was here?’ He peers at me, heavy brows drawn toge

Without any more time to think, I’m thrown clear of the Star Bitten Brother. I skid over the dirt and I’m on my paws again. I let Sabre take control. The Brother might be huge and even a decent fighter, but he hasn’t made it his career to be a hunter and a killer.I’m on him again, aware that the second has been brought down by a pair of black wolves with silver streaks. I can hear the human, shrieking voice of Elsbeth, an irritation in the back of my mind as I snap at my foe. He twists, sinking his teeth into my leg but I’m on him. He’s hurt me more than anyone has managed in years, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. I lunge, catching hold of his neck again and snap. He drops, soundless beneath me. Dead to the ground and I land on top of him. I kick away at his body, putting distance between us before I morph back.Luca’ is wrestling with Elsbeth at the edge of the nearest Prison block set with silver. She’s in human form again and he’s changed back, trying to catch her ha

The King opens proceedings with a short speech before he and his wife take their seats on one side of the platform. My Father remains in the middle, waiting for hush to fall again before he asks for the first of the Rogue’s to be brought forward. There are nine elected elders from different Packs, representing different areas of the North America’s what will conduct the interviews of the Rogues, for everyone gathered to witness. Part of me hopes that this will be over in a day, but I know it’s more likely to take at least a week.Werewolf justice is often swift and brutal, but calling together a full conclave with royalty in attendance, always slows proceedings down. In reality, I find it hard to concentrate. I can see Ava watching my Father intently, and then as the gathered Elders take up their own seats on either side of our rulers. What she is either trying to ignore, or hasn’t noticed. Is that the Queen and the Goddess's representative among us, has not looked away from her,

Kylar There are more Wolves and Alpha’s in the Midnight Forest than I ever thought was possible. Our Village has always served as the main hub for the region and it has a decent number of guest houses in case of an event. Yet they’re all full, and so are the guest accommodations in each of the subsidiary villages. I haven’t had as much time as I, or Sabre would like to spend with our Mate over the past few days, or the twins. I feel like I’ve spent all my days driving or running through the territory to meet the Sub’s that head up the different villages. They’re Wolves that might be considered Beta’s. I know most of them as friends, something I’m grateful for.If something ever happened to Luca, I’d still have backup. Even better, is the organisation of our military strength. It’s why I always have such a good pick of skills to fill out my missions. I try to bring along someone from each Sub once a year. To make sure we’re all staying in contact.What it means, is that our command