Pippa's POVI open the window and inhale deeply. I have never seen the ocean. The rising sun glitters on the deep blue water and the air smells fresh and clean. I lick my lips and taste salt on my skin. Smiling, I have to resist the urge to stick my head out of the window like a dog.The cold wind wakes Tammy and she scoots over to my side to look out of the window with me. “It’s so big,” she says in awe.Lucille looks over her shoulder at us. “Have you two never seen the ocean before?”“What yeh be talking about woman?” Monty asks with a smile. “I’ve never even seen the sea, have I? We lived where we was born, we did.”Beautiful as the ocean and the surrounding coastland are, I’m eager to get to Adrian. There's no time to slow down and enjoy it. Time is growing short, and for all we know he might have already invaded. “How much longer?” I ask.“Another hour or so.”I glance at the clock on the dashboard. It’s already seven. We’re not going to make it at this pace. "Can you speed up,
Adrian's POVWith Ryker by my side, we sneak across the overgrown land bridge. Far below us, the ocean churns and smashes against the cliffs, signaling the incoming tide.We swing to the left, keeping to the palace walls until we reach a hole in the fence. We crawl through it into an unkempt garden. I suppose at one time it might have been beautiful, but the fountains are crumbling and ivy is growing out of control, strangling the rest of the garden to death.“Glad to see he took such good care of the place,” I say.“The last year or so, things started to unravel quickly. That’s why I left. He began to look at me in the same way he looked at the Stonefang twins.”“Yeah, that sucks,” I say. “Maybe you shouldn’t have helped him to kill his father, hm?”“Hindsight is a luxury many can't afford. The two of us included.”I decide it's better to shut up. He's right. As we make our way through the eerily quiet gardens, I ask, “Why did you do it?”“Carter was going to name Damien his heir. At
Pippa's POV For a long time, no one moves. It’s as if the world itself is holding its breath. I can scarcely believe it. After all these months of running and hiding, after all the years of torment Caspian wreaked upon the wolves, it’s over. Just like that it all comes to an end. I can't quite place myself in their shoes. I only had a glimpse of the suffering they have suffered, and that was bad enough. How immense their relief must be. How complete. Adrian gets to his feet and pulls back his aura. The terrified warriors don’t move. Even Bryce can’t seem to find the words, and simply stands there, staring at Caspian's lifeless, headless body. It's a fitting end for a man who kept two heads in a jar for more than a week, I suppose. Adrian looks up at me with eyes that are filled with tears. I can’t sense his emotions as strongly as he can sense mine, but I know that despite his remorse for killing Caspian, he’s relieved, overjoyed, and a little scared. I don’t know if he truly wants
Adrian’s POV In the weeks and months that followed Caspian’s death, the kingdom was in turmoil. No one knew what to expect from the new Lycan king, and everyone went on as if Caspian was still alive. They feared me as they feared him. After the execution of the traitors, Bryce and Terrance went back to their families and lives as pack Alphas. It was what they wanted and they deserved to live free and happy lives. Slowly, but surely, people started to realise that things are changing. One day, the Lycans started coming home. I thought the ones that were at the palace were all that was left of our kind, but I was wrong. Over the months, dozens showed up, including Thespian – Pippa’s father. They had been in hiding all this time, waiting for their true king's return so they could come home. We tracked down Denise’s family, and her sister came to fetch the Berger children. They asked for leave to change their names, which I granted, and they left. Their pack had been devastated like so
Dear Readers, And so we have reached the end of Adrian and Pippa's journey. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it - although this was a painful and difficult story to write at times. I am always short on words at the end of a book. I never know how to properly thank my dear readers for all your support and kindness. A 'thank you for reading' always seems inadequate to me, but please know that it means so, so much to my dark little heart. Your love for Adrian and Pippa brightened my days, and more than once your comments made me smile. Thank you for every gem, comment, review and word of support. Much love as always,Celice
Pippa's POVWith shaking, freezing hands, I unlock the side door of the church and stumble inside. I slam the door shut behind me and fall back against the solid wood, trying to gather my frazzled nerves.I had to run through a raging storm to get here today, and twice the lightning hit so close to me that I could smell the ozone in the air and every hair on my body stood on end.I inhale deeply, enjoying the comforting scent of the ancient old church before I shake myself like a wet dog, splattering water all over the familiar old stone floor and walls. I don’t care much, since I’m the one who’ll be cleaning it up.Shivering like a tired old cat, I make my way to the sacristy instead of the supply closet to get my cleaning equipment. I’m not generally allowed in the priests’ sanctum unless I’m cleaning it and one of them is with me, but the church is old and drafty and I’m in no mood to get another cold.I feel like an interloper when I quietly push the door to the sacristy open and
Pippa's POV I go straight home. Ignoring the beautifully paved path that leads to the rectory, and from there to my flat, I take a shortcut through the woods that I know better than my own body. I don’t even have to look where I’m going. I’ve worn out my own path over the years and can find it blindfolded in the middle of the night. I run out of the woods, and into Father Joseph who is out for a morning stroll. I don’t like him very much. He’s kind of cold and uppity, but his presence does reassure me. “Morning, girl,” he grumbles. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” “I am sick, Father,” I say. “I will go back after Mass.” He looks me up and down. “You do look a little feverish. Don’t come to the rectory if you’re just going to spread your germs around, you hear?” “Yes, Father.” “Go home, rest, eat some chicken soup.” “Yes, Father.” I look over my shoulder into the woods, but can’t see anything in the shadows. “Have a good walk, Father,” I say and jog past him to my flat. The church gr
Pippa's POVIt’s going to be a difficult day.I had a long night. I kept waking with the stranger’s menacing voice in my head, “Are you lying to me, little girl?” followed by that bone-chilling howl that broke through the serene silence.My eyes are swollen and gritty, and as I walk down my short hallway to the bathroom, I keep bumping into the walls. I’m so tired I literally can’t walk straight.The shower does nothing to help - neither does the cup of strong coffee. I don’t even bother to eat. I just want to get this day over and done with.The priests and nuns have golf carts that they use to travel around the grounds, but I don’t have that luxury. I don’t even have a licence, because Miss Loretta didn’t think ‘my kind’ needed luxuries like driver’s licences. “You end up in one of three places,” she used to say. “In the convent, as a wife, or on your backs in a nasty hotel. None of those requires the ability to drive.”She was an awful woman. It’s a sin to hate, I know, but I think