My mind reeled with mixed emotions, anger, disappointment, hurt. But I shoved them down. There was no way I was going to break down in front of this woman. I feigned innocence.
“Oh, of course, Your Majesty. It would be an honor.” I fisted my hands against my thighs, my nails digging into my palms, faking a smile.
“Oh, do call me Myra, dear. We don’t need to stand on ceremony when we are alone.” She took a delicate bite of one of the teacakes. “Do try one, they’re simply delicious.”
I wanted so much to shove it down her elegant throat, but instead I just took one and popped it into my mouth in one go.
“Is everything alright, Sylvia? You look a bit flushed.” Those amber eyes analyzed me, missing nothing. I had to be more careful.
I almost choked on the cake; my eyes teared up as I swallowed. “No, no, I’m just a little hot from running. Hunter and I went jogging.&rdq
Hunter“What the fuck happened?” I glared at Kane, holding my shivering mate close to my body. If anything had happened to her, I would kill them all.Kane averted his eyes, baring his neck to me. “Alpha, I have now idea how they entered the perimeter. But the intruders are in the dungeon. One dead, the other is critical, his back is broken. He won’t make it. One survivor waiting on your interrogation.”“Kane, you almost had Sylvia killed. Think about what a fitting punishment would be. I will see you in the dungeon in ten.”“Yes, Alpha.” He turned around and left.I took Sylvia’s pale face in my hands. “Are you hurt?”“I’m fine, Hunter. Just shaken and wet. And cold.” She shivered, “Kane was amazing. You shouldn’t punish him. Please don’t.” Her blue eyes gazed up at me, pleading for mercy for Kane.
HUNTER“Poisoned?” I rose from the table. “How? You took him food, Kane?” Anger boiled my blood. I grabbed Kane by his shirt, shoving him into the wall. “SPEAK!”Kane lowered his gaze and bared his neck to me. “I asked one of the kitchen staff to deliver it to him, Alpha.”I released my grip on him, pushed my hair out of my face. It seems we have a traitor in our pack and it made me livid.“Bring me the servant.” I turned to Sylvia, careful not to let my rage show in my face. “Angel, I think you need to go to our room. I’ll be with you soon.” She didn’t need to see this. It could get ugly.Sylvia, wild-eyed and pale, nodded and fled out of the dining room. Myra sat in her chair, unperturbed.Kane returned a few minutes later with a young girl who fell to her knees as soon as she entered, sobbing and wringing her hands.“I
SYLVIAThere was a rose on my pillow when I woke up, a red one. Hunter. I smiled, because I knew what he tried to relay to me. Today King Lucien will be back. I dreaded his arrival, fearing what he might do and what he had to say. Whatever it was I know they would not see eye to eye. I didn’t want Hunter to lose his status. But how could I convince him to take another she-wolf as a chosen mate? He would never agree.Hannah knocked at the door, bringing me breakfast. Hunter’s orders. I thanked her and sat down at the table. My mind kept going over what Myra told me earlier. I didn’t like keeping secrets from Hunter. Although the significance wasn’t lost on me. She said the bastard child of Lucien did not have any claim to the throne. But what if he did? Or was it a girl?If Hunter found out he would try and find his half-brother or sister. Maybe Myra being the ambitious she-wolf she was, would do anything to s
SYLVIAI woke with a start, my heart racing. A weight pressed down on my chest. Breathe, can’t breathe. I clawed at my chest to get it off. Hunter’s arm lay over my chest, I realized with relief. Gently I pushed his arm off me and sat up. It felt as if the darkness in the room constrained me. I needed air. I opened the French doors to the balcony and went out. The night air caressed my naked body, it felt good. I breathed in deeply, enjoying the scents of the forest.Hands on my shoulders, I leaned back into his body, smiling.“I just needed some fresh air, Hunter. I didn’t want to wake you.” I said, although I wouldn’t complain now that he was awake.He didn’t answer me. I frowned. Sharp claws pierced my skin. No! I felt the sticky blood running down my back and arms.No! This is not happening. Wake up! Wake up! I can’t make a sound. I can’t move.A low chuc
SYLVIARhonda Labat, the head of the orphanage met us in her tiny office. She was a friendly, motherly woman in her late fifties. She greeted us warmly and asked if we wanted to take a walk through the rooms to meet the children. I agreed readily, eager to see them.“This is the first time in years we had such an influx of little ones. There are fifteen girls and eight boys, currently. The youngest is a little girl of three. She was found in the woods near the Belgium border. The eldest is a boy of eleven.”“Could we see the little girl?” I asked. “If it’s alright, I mean.”“Yes, of course. Pretty little thing. Doesn’t speak much.” We followed her through the corridors, noticing curious little faces peeking around doors at us.I smiled at them and they giggled and ran back into the room. A little boy of about five ran out, yelling at the top of his lungs, followed b
HUNTER“What? Why would they do that?” Sylvia asked.“I don’t know. No time to talk. GO! NOW!” I rushed out of the room, changing into my wolf, not caring about my clothes that I ripped out of.I ran alongside Father who had changed into his enormous black wolf. On the way we found Kane and Joffrey with some of the other warriors. The outbuildings at the orphanage were on fire. I heard the screams and wails of the children and we ran faster.Rhonda, her staff and the children stood huddled in a group on the playground. They were trying to calm the children down. Guards and most of the pack fought the fire with hosepipes and buckets. It was hopeless.“Where in the hell are the firetrucks?” I asked through the mind-link.Joffrey linked back; “The trucks have been sabotaged.”Father mind-linked them to let the buildings burn and secure the estate. He bristled w
SYLVIAHunter and I went to look at the damage caused by the fires. The outbuildings of the orphanage were completely destroyed, but that was of the least concern. There were five houses completely destroyed and a dozen damaged. Some members of the pack sifted through the rubble looking for salvageable items. My heart broke for them as I remembered the destruction of our pack. I know how it feels to lose everything you value, including my family.Most of the affected families were housed in the orphanage. Others stayed with their relatives or friends. Myra instructed the kitchen to provide food for all the families. They made enough to feed the whole pack.The estate was a beehive of activity. Men and women worked together clearing the rubble. Hunter left me to go and help and I assisted Rhonda and some of the other women looking after the children and seeing that they were fed and kept them out of trouble.Nina ran about playing w
Before the break of dawn, we rose to leave the castle. The clouds were heavy with rain, waiting to birth the seasonal showers. Hunter carried a sleeping Nina to his sports car and laid her gently on the backseat. Joffrey, Kane and Marcelle waited to follow us in Kane’s Land Rover. A third car with four of the pack’s warriors waited outside of the castle gates.“Where are we going, Hunter?” I asked.“Somewhere you and Nina will be safe. I can’t have pack members assaulting my Luna.” He looked still angry. “Kane, Marcelle and the warriors I handpicked will stay with you.”“You aren’t?” Panic twisted my gut into a hard knot. Was he going to choose one of the Norwegian princesses? Will he leave Nina and I?His hand tightened on my thigh. “I’ll go back to the pack. Joffrey and I need to do some investigating. Someone in our pack is behind all these events. I have my suspicions,