Hael’s P.O.V.It’s official, I was going to murder Lorenzo Santino.To hell with his father, and to hell with the job he was currently doing for me. He’d been warned more than once that his big mouth was going to get him killed, and here I was plotting his death.“Careful, Lorenzo.” I warned, taking a step towards the little wolf at my side.Positioning my body so that it blocked her from Lorenzo’s prying stare, I let just a flash of heat fill my eyes. As a wolf himself, he should’ve easily been able to feel the tension thickening in the room. Or he would’ve if it weren’t for the alcohol I picked up on his breath.The fucker really decided to come here drunk. ‘Do not kill him in front of her.’ Magnus slithered out of his cave, his attention wrapping around the pale curls of the wolf hiding behind my back. ‘She’ll be frightened.’‘Good. Let her be afraid.’ I bit shot back.‘If you chase her off, we’ll never get to keep her.’ He replied simply, turning his back on my snarling as he sli
Violet’s P.O.V.I took a deep breath, and then another, letting out a low hiss when it failed to calm my frantic heartbeat.My body throbbed with the weight of my heavy pulse, refusing to calm regardless of all the happy thoughts I dredged up. The tactic my therapist had taught me, which only seemed to work when I was chock full of medications, was now failing spectacularly.It didn’t help that Hael, his annoyingly perfect face set in its usual glare, was standing right next to me.While we waited for his father’s assistant to come and fetch us, his words circled my head.“Stay on your toes and pay the fuck attention. If you think for one second my father isn’t watching your every move, you’re wrong. He’ll watch you so closely he’ll know the number of times you blinked, how many breaths you took, and what secrets are hiding that head of yours. Do not underestimate him, Violet. Ever.” He’d called me by my name, something he did at seemingly random since he adopted that stupid nickname
Violet’s P.O.V.I barely registered Hael’s presence the entire way home. As far as my overwhelmed brain was concerned, the seat to my left was empty and the car was driving itself.We could’ve been coasting down the sidewalk, plowing into pedestrians left and right, and I probably wouldn’t even have noticed. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the results of my gene test.‘We don’t have the rogue gene, which is a definite plus.’ Lacey said soothingly, but even my wolf couldn’t erase my worries.I gnawed on my lip, ignoring the tingle of Hael’s eyes on my face. ‘That’s wonderful and all but having the rogue gene would’ve explained the blackouts and why I’ve been so quick to anger lately. Also, this whole carrier thing royally sucks. Hael’s our only option if we want to have healthy children, and I’d rather reproduce with Blaze of all people over Hael.’Alright, that was a blatant lie, but who could blame me? My options were spectacularly limited. I doubted that even Holden wou
Violet’s P.O.V.The first was Hael’s, which I was stuck on for longer than I care to admit. His unruly hair had been tamed, slicked back to show off the shaved sides. I very much noticed how his suit matched my dress, both a deep shade of black with a slight navy hue but decided not to comment on that fact.It was most likely to show off a united front, though that would’ve made more sense if Sylvia matched us too, which she didn’t.Every one of my suspicious thoughts were cut short when Elijah sauntered in after Hael, his lips already pulled back in a warm grin. Ignoring the weight of Hael’s stare on my face, I raced into Elijah’s open arms and swatted at him when he went from hugging me to holding me at an arms length.“Look at you, Violet! You look stunning.” Elijah exclaimed, eyes sparkling past his curly hair. He held out his arms, drawing my attention down to his suit. Making a show of it, he turned slowly and asked, “How’d I do? Tell me I don’t look at stupid as I feel.”“You l
Violet’s P.O.V.The crowd split and people began to mill about, venturing left and right, merging with others in a sea of color and fabric that quickly became disorienting the longer I stared at it. Thankfully, it wasn’t long, because half a minute later a Olive’s head of choppy, layered hair appeared in the crowd.With her resting bitch face alone, she carved a path through everyone, practically sprinting to side. Neither of us spared Hael a glance, lacing our arms together and melting into the sea of people. Stares were tossed left and right, each one soaking into my skin, tickling the puckered scars that marred my body, but Olive’s presence helped tune them all out.“Thank Goddess for that entrance of yours or I never would have found you.” She moaned, forcing a puff of air through her lips to blow her bangs out of her face.Laughing at her dramatics, I scanned the violet streaks in her hair and glanced down at her dress. “Sticking with the violet theme, huh?” I pointed out, fighti
Violet’s P.O.V. This wasn’t a good idea, not by a long shot. I glanced around the sea of people for any sight of Olive. She’d have my head if she saw me talking to Blaze Madden, and rightfully so. The temptation to speak to him was too hard to pass up. Normally, I’d avoid confrontation like the plague, but what Blaze was doing to Olive was nothing short of monstrous. I schooled my face into a pretty little mask that oozed obliviousness, and delicately lifted my hand to place in his. “Of course.” My stomach churned at the feeling of his skin on my own. I wondered if Olive had the same reaction any time he touched her. Blaze wove in and out of the crowd, tugging me close behind. Once we made it to the outskirts, where a couple of tables sat for those who had found their mates, he turned and made a show of towering over me. It was an intimidation tactic, one even the silly boys in my old pack tried to use. “So, Violet. You have any luck finding your mate tonight?” He questioned, ar
Hael’s P.O.V.Bowing with a hand extended, the way I’d been taught at the ripe age of seven, I waited for Violet to stop her trembling and accept my offer to dance.If she didn’t—if she instead rejected my offer as an attempt to embarrass me, I’d likely throw her over my shoulder and cut this entire ridiculous event short. We’d see who was more embarrassed. I, rejected by a single she-wolf in a room full of others who would slit their families’ throats for a speck of my attention, or Violet, dragged from a room of werewolves who would happily watch her kick and scream rather than dare lend a hand?Her hand fit perfectly in mine. It was small and soft where mine were anything but. There was no denying the dark, devastating pleasure that came when she actually fucking listened for a change. Something about her obedience soothed the monster that was my soul.I’d been forced to take dance lessons as a child, but it was obvious the same couldn’t be said for Violet. Despite that fact, she f
Hael’s P.O.V.His lips were locked on another she-wolf’s, feverishly moving along her skin to trail down her neck. The gaudy yellow gown she wore was shoved nearly to her hips, showing her spray tanned legs which were wrapped around his waist.Looks like the drug Blaze tried to slip Violet wasn’t meant to kill her. As good a thing as that was, I couldn’t possibly imagine his reasoning for wanting Violet to be so…compliant. I’d have to have a chat with him, that much was certain.I took in the expression on Violet’s face, the blatant hurt written across her eyes and hidden within the rigid position of her lower lip. She did a good job hiding it. Anyone else would’ve been fooled, but not me. Never me.“Hurts, doesn’t it?” I said low in her ear.She jumped, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her yelp. Not realizing how close I stood, she slammed into my chest as she spun around. Instantly, her defenses went up, hiding the pain swimming in her eyes behind a wall of ice and granite.