Ratchet left Sal's with a full belly and a grin on his face. Maeve was like the ray of sunshine in his life that made everything okay, and whatever it was that she was dealing with, he was sure she would slay it like she did everything else in her life.
Lost in his thoughts, Ian reached his bike in no time, grabbing his helmet and pulling his bandana up to keep the bugs out of his teeth. He didn't see the freight train until it hit him full force in his side. Like a spring flinging loose from a trampoline, he sailed through the air landing heavily on his side. "What the fuck?!" He roared, reaching for his handpiece. When Ratchet found who had rammed him, his mouth dropped open, and the gun fell from his boneless fingers. It was the two giants he caught sniffing around Maeve's shop earlier on. Only now, the one called Hael looked like some avenging angel. His eyes glowed with fury, and his muscles quivered with the urge to smash someone's head in. That someone being Ian.
<Like the plague, Hael's anger washed through Howling, killing dozens in its wake. Pyro's magic was depleting itself quickly under the onslaught of his friend's fury, and sensing his master's struggle, Barghest's howl signaled his hellhound's arrival in Howling. Unfortunately, the boy had only lasted seconds as Hael tore his intestines out, half-crazed by the thoughts of his mate being with another man. For the first time in their lifelong friendship, Pyro doubted his ability to reign Hael in."Marie is going to make me eat my own balls," He thought grimly as his legs gave way, blood dripping from his ears as Pyro faced his death. He was lucky in the sense that while he would die in this space, as an overlord in Hade's realm, Pyro would end up back where he belonged anyway, and Marie would be waiting to tear him a new one, as she did every time he went on a jaunt with Hael. Barghest came at a run, bowling through half a dozen wolves as Pyro's magic finally deserted him. His fa
Down in the cellar, the children were quiet. Some trembled while others bristled, eager to get out amidst the fray and earn their place as pack warriors. When the ground above started trembling, and the hatch heaved as though the earth itself was trying to break in, that's when hysteria hit. Onyx struggled to hold back the retired warriors and mothers whose children were valiantly fighting to keep them safe. The tension grew higher as Onyx barked for them all to calm down. Reason was rapidly going out the window, and Lucifer awakened, shining wrathfully through Onyx's eyes as his leadership was challenged. Then, out of the darkness, a clear voice rose, weaving its way through the pack bunched up in close quarters, and Onyx looked gratefully over at his nephew.Tarakona sang of times gone by, the history of the Howling warriors, and his parents' courtship. He spread calm throughout the cellar as they were all transported back to the time of Shadow and Isabella, the magic of th
Shadow felt his breathing begin to slow as he looked up at his mate. He tried to manage a smile, but the pain was too real, and all he could do was grimace as it arced through his torn-up body. Bella was telling him to hold on, that Valenar was reasoning with the threat, but he knew that there wasn't enough time for him, so using the last of his strength, he lifted his hand and gently placed it against her lips. "I waited a lifetime for you, my Bella," he struggled to get out the words, knowing that this was the last time he would feel her touch, "I will search through a thousand lifetimes to find you mate. You have my heart, you have my soul and no matter where you go after I'm gone, know that in your heart I'll always be here." Bella's lips trembled, and her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head at him, "You promised me forever, Shadow, please don't leave me!" As Shadow closed his eyes against the pain, he was vaguely aware of Bella's screams,
"Can I keepyou?” She whispered, her lips trembling slightly, and her bright violet eyes filled with the fire of the young.“Only if I can keep you, Izzy." He grinned, his gangly arms wrapped tightly around his best friend.“Do you think we’ll be best friends forever, Shadow?”
Seven years later...Left jab,right hook, roundhouse, spin kick ground andrepeat,jab, hook, kick, spin, kick sweeprepeat.The only sounds that permeated the stale air of the gym were the grunts of suffering coming from the bag in the corner as Isabella punished it.Hours passed, but the 17-year-old didn't care. It was the mating run for her pack tomorrow night, and the other single pack wolves wer
"Come back to bed, baby."Long red nails trailed down his muscular back as 17-year-old Mikhail Romano sat on the porch finishing his cigarette. Today was The Howling, although he wouldn't be able to participate until next year, not that there was much point in that, he thought bitterly.The Moon Goddess must have been out of
"Hey! What the hell are you doing!"Elena Michael's had arrived for the annual howling a few hours ago, and immediately began tracking the delicious scent wafting on the breeze, her mate was here, she couldfeel it.
Cade was a simple man. He had a lovely Omega mate waiting at home for him, with two young pups and a small patch of land where he had built their home still on pack territory.Hisneedswerestraightforward enough, the same as his job was..usually.Exceptnow he wastrudgingthrough the underbrush with the hosting packs' Betas son Mikhail, grumbling about having to rescue a wolf that couldn't hold his own in a fight.