LOGINGenevieve was terrified of Samuel, hell, everyone was. The guy had killed a witch just for trying to escape. What would he do to her if he found out she was feeding the vampires blood? She shook off the thought. Whatever. She was both vampire and witch, and honestly, she liked the vampire side a whole lot more.The water was pitch black when she heard a noise behind her. She turned to see Hunter.“Are you out of your mind? You’ve got a kid to think about,” Genevieve snapped.“I need to talk to her, Sophia,” Lucas said, pointing to the water. “Where’s my mom?”“Samuel hid her away,” Genevieve replied. “Probably scared she’d rebel. I’ll do what I can to call the spirits.” She began chanting softly, and a few spirits materialized.“Sophia?” Lucas shouted. “Show yourself!”Nothing. Just the eerie sounds of the night.“Sophia…please,” he pleaded, dropping to his knees. Lucas missed his mate, missed his sons.And there she was, right in front of him, looking down with a smirk. “Got you begg
Samuel’s estate cellarJackson hummed softly, his voice barely audibles over the faint groans of hunger. They were all starving, sluggish, barely holding on.Isabella lay motionless, lost in a shallow coma.The others sprawled across the cellar floor, weak and wasted."We owe your ugly face a favor," Jackson muttered, glancing at Victor. "Apparently, this girl’s got a thing for you. She’s bringing us blood."A few raspy chuckles escaped the group."She’s risking her life for me," Victor said quietly. "That’s real love."Another round of weak laughter."I’m going to rip Samuel’s head off," Remy growled."You can’t," Jackson shot back. "He’s Chloe’s grandson. Plus, Sophia’s black magic’s got his back.""Wait, Jackson," Remy interrupted, incredulous. "You’re a grandpa?""Shut it," Jackson snapped. "You’re the one who’s been single for centuries. How long you going to wait, huh?""If I make it through this century, I’m done waiting," Remy fired back. "I’m getting myself a mate."Their lau
PART IITHE RISE OF THE WITCHESBayou, main highwayHe was running along the road, hood pulled tight, face down. Cars blew past him like he wasn’t even there, just another blur in their way. He turned his head just as a car swerved, and before he could move, it hit him hard. He flew, tumbled, then hit the pavement with a thud. The car kept going, tires screaming as it disappeared. A couple of minutes later, another car rolled up. Someone got out, checked his wrist, then shrugged, hauled him up, dumped him in the trunk, and took off without a word.Callum, former mansionSamuel strode in and let out a low whistle. “Callum, you old bastard, get out here.”Callum appeared, smirking. “King Samuel, always a pleasure.”Samuel glanced around, nodding approvingly. “Damn, you really went all out. Fucking upgraded the place.”“Only the best for you,” Callum replied dryly.Samuel’s eyes landed on the thrones.“Aleah, check this out. Fancy, huh?” He extended his hand dramatically.“My queen.” The
Samuel and Aleah stood by the roaring fire, the Nwa territory alive with cheers and howls. The Elder glanced at Samuel, resigned. It was done; the marriage was final. They danced, they celebrated, and then Samuel’s gaze locked with Aleah’s. Together, they stepped forward, chanting into the flames.Lucas darted to Ava, shoving her toward the woods. She sprinted, clutching Liam tight, almost reaching the road. Then she saw it, a wave of blue light, draping over the trees like a blanket. Ava inhaled sharply and pressed on.The wolfs dropped to its knees, entranced. Samuel chuckled. “Who’s your king now?”“You are,” they all murmured.“Aleah,” Samuel grinned, kissing her hand, “I’m into this. Now go pick a pretty girl and bring her to the bedroom. Don’t mess this up, woman” He turned, whistling as he walked away.Aleah returned with a blonde woman, her fairness a stark contrast to Aleah’s darker features. Samuel, now propped up naked against the pillows, commanded, “Come here.” The woman
Ceremonies of the clan-partyThe scene felt like it had been ripped straight out of some ancient, torch-lit hall, massive wooden tables, a lavishly adorned one for the clan leaders. Zara’s gaze was locked on Jackson and Chloe.“Got something to say, Zara?” Jackson asked, raising an eyebrow.“You broke the rules, Jackson,” she replied, swirling her wine casually.“And you wouldn’t be sitting here if you’d laid a finger on my mate,” he shot back, his tone sharp.“Hey, let’s keep this civil,” Hakon interrupted as Damien approached, his eyes fixed on his mom.Damien gave a quick nod to the group. “Can we talk?” he said to his mom.She glanced at Jackson, who gave a silent nod of approval.“Who’s this, and…”“He’s my mate, and you’ve got a little brother,” Chloe blurted out before Damien could finish.“Mom, I missed you,” Damien said, pulling her into a hug. “I’ve been getting these headaches, is the…”“Damien, just peek into the future and get it over with,” Chloe interjected.“Alright, l
Jackson Clan"Mom," Salem asked, "how do I look?""Your hair's dark, just like Hunter’s, and your eyes are blue," Chloe replied. "I’m sorry it had to come to this, but we can fix it now if you’re ready.""Can we do it during the clan ceremonies? I mean, everyone’ll be there by then.""Of course. I’ll see you next week, Salem," Chloe said, then added, "And listen… I know it’s tough, but try to give him a chance, okay?""Alright, Mom. I’ll try."Jackson walked in, pulled Chloe into a hug, then went straight for Zarek, scooping him up and planting kisses all over his face as the kid giggled."Chloe, I swear, I could watch him all day," Jackson said, grinning."No kidding. He’s a great kid, handsome, too," Chloe said with a smile. She paused. "Oh, I talked to Salem earlier. She reminded me about the clan ceremonies.""Yeah, that’s going to be something. You’ve never been to one, and we still need to be careful, we haven’t sniffed out that mole yet.""What if we drop a hint to the tracker?







