Updates are Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays
DarrenI braced myself for impact, preparing to launch myself at the beast and go for its neck. The gargoyle slammed into me, stone claws flashing. I braced for the razoring pain, the crunch of bone, the tearing of skin. Instead, there was a jolt—like grabbing a live wire, but deeper. The shock ripped through every nerve in my body, a white-blue blast that snapped my head back. The thing’s hands clamped around my throat, stone fingers digging in. Its eyes were featureless, just glassy pits that burned with a cold, alien hunger. I could see myself reflected in them, teeth bared, lips peeled back in a snarl. Every instinct told me to phase, to let the beast take over, to meet power with power. But the lightning inside me was too wild. It made shifting impossible. My body wouldn’t listen.I tried to thrash, tried to wrench free, but the thing was immovable. Like wrestling a mountain. I could hear the others, James, the rest of the pack, scrambling to regroup, but they were as useless as
DarrenTime … what was time? It was lost here. Ally’s father told me that it only felt like they had been there for a year or two. Instead, it had been well over a decade. This terrified me. How long was a minute here compared to the real world? How long was a day?! I had to rush. Minutes were robbing me of my mate. She needed me. I had to find her.I ran, following the pull until I reached a strange pile of rocks. Something stopped me, and I felt Ally from those rocks.What is it? James mindlinked me. I turned my head to look at him before I lifted my nose in the air.I smell Ally in these rocks.James trotted up closer and began to take whiffs of the air. I only smell rocks.I’m certain it’s the scent of my mate. Not just her scent, but I can feel the mate pull. I trotted around the strange stones, investigating where the scent was the strongest. The other lycan warriors sat down and caught their breath from the strenuous pace I had kept them at. I could feel them all watching me wi
My breath caught in my throat, tears already blurring my vision. I rushed down the hallway to see Squall and Magnus blocking the path.“Get the fuck out of my way!” I could see his black hair as he shook his head angrily. “If you are holding my queen hostage, I’ll rip you apart!”I could hear the tremble in his voice. He was about to lose control. I ran up behind Squall, who moved to the side. My eyes met with blue before I dove into his arms. I wrapped my arms around him, and he buried his head in my hair. His breath was warm against my skin, and I felt the comforting strength in his arms.“Issy, I am so damn sorry … Issy—”“Shut up, you idiot.” I hiccupped. “You’re alive. I was so afraid …”“I heard you, Issy. Your voice was in my mind. Your magic—” I pulled back, just enough to see his eyes.“What are you talking about?”“You saved me,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Your magic saved my life. It froze my blood and stopped the poison from killing me.”I di
Holding my baby in my arms was surreal. In a moment, everything changed. Yet, here I was, holding my newborn son who had been swaddled in fire silk—a type of material that self warms.“What will you name him?” Ciera asked, as she adjusted the pillows around me.Name? Darren said he didn’t care what I named him, and yet … I couldn’t. Not without Darren. This was something we were supposed to do together. I stared down at my sleeping baby. Finally, he was in my arms, but I couldn’t be happy. My family was not complete. I didn’t know where Darren was. What if he was hurt? What if he needed me? No, I couldn’t name him.“For now, I’ll call him Baby Ren. Until his father and I can come up with a name together.” He was my little Darren, and that would be his name. He had dark hair, and when he opened his eyes, they were just like his father’s.Ciera didn’t press. She simply nodded, her hand lingering on my shoulder before she busied herself with setting up the nursery. I could hear the clink
Pain surged around me, alive and wild. Lightning crackled, each burst igniting my skin and searing my breath. The electric heat was a pulsing beast, consuming everything, leaving only the furious dance of blinding white color in my vision. I felt it deep inside, a spark like nothing I’ve ever felt before. A rumble of strength, shaking the world beneath me. Magnus’ voice echoed through the chaos, his concern a distant murmur. The queen’s crystal shimmered, casting sparks like stars, white-hot and unrelenting. I stumbled, gasping. The power grew, rising with a reckless hunger, and I felt it all … burning, wild, a sleeping storm awakening within me. Pressure was building inside of me, ready to reveal itself.The ground shook violently, and I felt electricity crawl over me. At first, I tried to fight it. I gasped for air, trying to grasp the magnitude of it all. It was relentless, sparking with energy that overwhelmed my senses. Each pulse was a jolt, charging me with its intensity, demand
I felt the pulse of the invisible chain on my wrist, a reminder that I was bound by the magic that held me captive. I pushed through the courtyard, determined to make an escape plan. If Darren couldn’t come to me, then I would go to him. The air was full of unfamiliar scents, both sweet and fiery, and it wrapped around me like a challenge. I would go as far as I could, test every limit, defy every chain. Even if the risk was great, even if I knew it could end in capture, I had to try. For Darren. For me. For our child.As I neared the castle’s outer gate, a shape moved in my peripheral vision, and I knew I hadn’t escaped unnoticed. “Do you need a guide?” Magnus’s voice came from behind, gentle and playful. His green eyes locked onto me, full of confidence and, of course, maddening arrogance.“I’m just getting some fresh air and exploring,” I gave him a small smile, hiding my intentions.Magnus stepped closer, his gaze holding mine. “Then let me come with you,” his voice was softer now,