Kane's POV:
“What could you possibly need from me?” my mother asks, cold as always.
I don’t have it in me to play her games today. “Does father know you’re a witch?”
My mother goes quiet. Just when I think she’s not going to answer, she asks, “How did you find out?”
“I met your grandmother.”
“She’s still alive?”
This is the longest conversation my mother and I have ever had. “Yes. She lives in the forest by my cabin.”
“She was always kind to me. I used to hide from my father in that cabin. She cast the repelling spell, so he couldn’t follow me.”
That explains a whole lot. “I can cross the boundary.”
She goes quiet again. I wait for her to say something. “I know. I took you to your grandmother, and she cast a spell to hide your magic…even from yourself. S
I walk through the empty living room, sniffing the air. A she-wolf was here while I was asleep. Her scent alone immediately raises my hackles. How dare Kane entertain other females here while I’m sleeping in the next room? My anger does nothing good for my splitting headache. I follow his scent out back. He’s sitting on a camping chair, staring at the fire, long legs outstretched, feet resting on a log, a beer dangling from his fingers. I’ve never seen him so relaxed, and almost immediately, my heart shoots into my throat and my mouth goes dry. Gods, he’s magnificent. Why did I never notice just how breathtaking he really is? “Good evening, sleepyhead,” he says without turning around. “How are you feeling?” “Who was here?” I ask, ignoring his friendly tone. “My mother.” I relax. “I thought the two of you don’t talk.” “We do now.” He looks over his shoulder at me. “How’s your head?” “It’s killing me. What happened?” He r
I always thought the hereafter is a place where you get to reunite with the people you loved, spending your eternity in their company. I was wrong. It’s nothing like that. It’s not bad, just not what I expected.As it turns out, the afterlife is a strange place. There’s nothing here. Just endless white and this warm, comforting light. I’ve never known peace like it. I don’t even care that I’m all alone.“Willow?”No! He followed me here? How is that possible. Why can’t my father just leave me alone? I’m dead. Why won’t he let me rest in peace?But it doesn’t matter. He can’t hurt me here.A dark shape looms in the bright light – nothing but a hulking shadow making its way towards me. The sense of peace flutters away, replaced by abject terror. Even in here, he’ll find ways to hurt me, I know it.However, it’s not my father coming towards me. It&rs
Kane's POV:“Have you lost your damn mind?” I ask, staring at her in total disbelief.“No, but you know it’s the truth. He will not stop.”“You can’t go back,” I roar. “He’ll kill you, Willow.”“He said he won’t.”“You talked to him?” I was getting angrier by the second. First, she lost her shit over Dani, something I have no control over, now this. What is she trying to do? “Why did you do that?”“I thought if I did…he’d stop or--” she shakes her head --“I never learn.” She buries her face in her hands and starts crying, her tiny shoulders shaking.My heart softens and I pull her into my arms. “Come on, don’t cry. We’ll figure it out.”She puts her hands against my chest and roughly shoves me away, nearly knocking
Kane's POV: I startle awake, the sweat dripping down my body, my heart pounding so loudly that I can hear the blood rushing through my veins. The nightmare that woke me flutters away. All I remember is Daniel Jones’s grinning face, the evil green eyes, blood dripping down his body. Willow’s blood. Goddess. Fuck. I rub my face like I’m trying to wash the nightmare away, then glance at my mate. She’s lying with her back to me, still asleep. I lower my feet to the floor, and sit with my head in my hands, trying to erase the memory of that face from my mind. I hear Willow wake up, and feel her roll over towards me, but I don’t acknowledge her until her arms snake around my neck, and she rests her cheek on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” I wrap my fingers around her wrist. “Just a nightmare.” She kisses my shoulder, her lips floating up my neck to my jaw. I’ve avoided making love to her because it will make our parting tomorrow so muc
I snuck away without waking Kane. The only way I could do that was by casting a sleeping spell, one that very nearly put both Kane and his wolf in a coma. I had to do it – for both our sake. I knew when he woke up, he’d talk me out of it, and I’d have given in because I didn’t want to leave him. When I reached the dirt road, I realised that he would pick up my scent within seconds, so I cloaked myself and set off in the direction of gods knew where. All I had to do was to get out of Kane’s territory, and as soon as I crossed the boundary and started smelling more humans than werewolves, I cast a powerful location spell – not because I was looking for someone, but because I wanted the spell trackers to find me. I sat on a rock by the side of the road, watching the sunrise, hoping my father would find me before Kane did. Two hours later, a car stopped next to me. I didn’t know the witches that came to get me, but it didn’t matter – they knew me. The only question that remained was est
Kane's POV: “Kane,” Willow whispers in my head. My eyes fly open. I’ve been lying on my bed all day, feeling deeply sorry for myself. I have to get up, I have a business and kingdom to take care of, but I can’t get myself so far to do it. “Kane? Can you hear me? Is the distance between us too big?” “No,” I answer quickly. “I can hear you. Where are you?” “With my coven.” My coven. She has never referred to Crystal Rose as hers. I don’t like it. My heart starts pounding. “In the dungeons?” “Surprisingly no. I’m in the mansion. Something happened.” “What?” I ask, steeling myself against the inevitable bad news. “The council was here…and the high-priestess.” Oh, fuck. “And that’s unusual?” “Yes, especially if all thirteen of them show up. The high-priestess said I’m…fuck, Kane, she says they’ve been waiting for me for two hundred years, and I’m the next high-priestess.” So it’s true. Shit. “I know. The forest witches told me.” I can feel her anger. “Why didn’t you say anythin
Kane's POV: “You know about her?” I ask. Goddess, I’ll have to kill him. If word gets out about Willow, it will be the end of me…of her. “Yes. Don’t worry, your majesty,” he adds quickly. “I have been cleaning your rooms myself. I didn’t want the others to find out. Omegas are such terrible gossips.” I relax a little. James has always been loyal to me. “Why are you bringing it up?” “I have not smelled her in some time.” “No. She’s gone.” James frowns. “Gone? Gone where?” “Back home. To her coven.” “Perhaps it’s for the best. Your father won’t tolerate her. I’ve been concerned for her safety…after what happened to the queen.” “You know that was just an accident. She fell.” “Yes, that’s the official story. But you and I know better, don’t we, your majesty?” I smile at James. He’s overstepping by a wide margin, but for some reason, he doesn’t care. There must be a reason for it. “Why are you bringing this up?” “Forgive my impudence, your majesty, but I have watched you suffer
Oh gods, now what? I’ve driven Kane straight into the arms of a woman he doesn’t want because I ran off, and he doesn’t know how else to keep me safe. But…no, that can’t be it. If I were there, he would still have to do it, wouldn’t he? Or maybe not? What was his plan if I stayed? Fuck, I’m confused. “Kane?” I ask, hoping he’s not blocking me again. “Now what?” “If I were there, would you still marry the Alpha’s daughter?” “No. I would have given up my kingdom and left with you if I had to. Do you even know the sacrifice I was willing to make for you? Do you understand?” “Yes, your kingdom is impo--” “No, Willow, I was willing to go rogue for you. Do you know what that can do to a born wolf? We are pack animals. We need our tribe and our family, without them, we go sort of…feral. The loneliness drives us to it. Rogues are outcasts, hunted…but I was willing to risk it, to do it all, for you.” “That’s unfair…I never asked you…never expected you to leave…hell, I didn’t even ask yo