Natalie“Axel’s a fool to think the Council won't try to dissect him as well for having a human mate. Whatever judgment falls onto our pack because one of us is mated to a human will happen to him, too” Xavier said.I watched him as he paced back and forth, his hand on his chin. We were filling Mathieu in on what was happening, and word had been sent to the rest of the pack to stay indoors until their alpha said otherwise.All that really needed to be said was that the Council would be visiting, and all wolves would scatter without being told to anyway. Everyone avoids contact with the Council as much as they can. No one wants their lives looked into, their privacy invaded and stripped down to nothing. That's what the Council likes to do. They feed on knowledge like rats feed on garbage.“Axel thinks he’s acting in the interest of his pack,” I said and Mathieu, who was sitting with his elbows on his knees and his hand over his mouth, looked my way. “But he isn’t seeing the bigger pict
He then turned to Xavier, who was standing beside me and took his hand. “And you must be Xavier.”Xavier shook his hand firmly. "Welcome to our pack, Mr. Crescent.I hope your flight was a smooth one.”“It was.” The side of Olcan’s mouth curved as he spoke. "It was.And if it wasn’t, this was still a…necessary trip.”Olcan turned away to stand by the Enchanted’s side, and Xavier narrowed his eyes at him, then her. He glanced over at me before lookingher way once more. “You’re an Enchanted, yes?”She nodded. “I am–you can see that from my hair. However, not many Enchanteds have white hair, especially young ones.” Her eyes drifted to me as she said that, and this time, I arched a brow in response.From what I understood, the stronger the Enchanted, the more white in their hair. She could sense the strength of my power when I should be nothing but a fledgling, so that comment was a jab at me. She looked to be in her early thirties, so she was young to have white hair as well.“Well!” Ol
RubyAxel woke me up while it was still dark outside and ordered me to take a bath. He gave me new clothes, told me to brush my hair, and then gave me toasted bread and an apple before dragging me outside.The cold air nipped at my exposed arms and face as we walked briskly to a black SUV. My eyes danced from left to right but it was useless to try to see anything. It was too dark for me to make out anything other than the house we had just left.He opened the door for me, which had been surprising. I had expected him to throw me into the backseat blindfolded and handcuffed with the way he’s been treating me, yanking and throwing me around as if I’m a bag of potatoes. After two and a half hours after driving what seemed like endlessly, I realized where he was taking me.The sun had finally come up, and the world around me was finally visible. We were heading back to the Blackmoon Pack. I could tell that’s where we were going the second we drove past the Witches Brew Tavern Xavier had
That's what I wanted to say, but I kept quiet instead. For the first time, he was speaking to me as if he was talking to another person. He wasn't giving me orders or talking down to me, and I couldn't help looking at him.His expression was still one that screamed ‘talk to me and get punched,’ but his voice didn’t hold as much exasperation. However, I didn’t respond. I couldn’t fault him for looking out for his pack’s interests, but I was certain there were other ways for us to handle this situation without resorting to abduction and involving the Council.“Who was the man that came into my cell?” I asked after a while.He looked over at me, a confused look on his face as he shook his head. “What man? I was the only one that visited you in your cell.”Had I been hallucinating or dreaming? No, someone else had visited me.“There was someone else. I know that was real.”The car slowed at a stoplight, and his hand fell away from the steering wheel. “I remember you asking who else would b
Chapter OneRubyLife is finally about to stop kicking me in the ass and the world is going to know my name. Everything is about to change.I repeated my morning affirmation three more times as I exited the cab and looked around at my new school. I am in college. I, Ruby Saunders, have made it to college. I’ll still have to work my ass off to maintain my grades and qualify for my full ride, of course, but nothing is going to deter me from my path. I’ve worked too long and too hard to get where I am now, so all distractions can go to hell. I’m not saying I won’t attend the occasional party, but I know the opportunity I’ve been given will be gone forever if I lose it. I can’t pay for college on my own; I can barely pay for lunch.“Damn babe, nice ass.”My eyes narrowed as I stopped walking. I sighed as I turned around while pulling my hands out of the pockets of my leather jacket. The distractions were starting earlier than I had expected and I wasn't in the mood. Five minutes. Only fiv
Rosette gave me an hour break instead of fifteen minutes. I stared up at the ceiling in the office where I’d been lying down for that hour. I’ve never thrown up so much in my life, but the feeling was almost gone. With my stomach now empty, I felt drained of all my energy.I tried to remember what I had eaten that could have made me sick, but all I've had since morning was a sandwich and then a muffin when I got to work. Maybe what I needed was a proper meal.I grimaced. The thought of food was making me feel sick again, and I decided with the feeling passing I’d better get back to work. Rosette had argued with me for ten minutes that I should go home, but I need the money. My scholarship covers my school expenses, but I still have to eat.I made my way back into the diner to take over from Brittany when my eyes landed on Xavier.What was he still doing here?He was alone but sitting in the exact spot he had been before. He looked up as I was putting my apron on and his eyes lowered i
RubyThe third time I woke up I felt like myself. I felt rested, but I was still in a room that wasn’t my own. I laid there unmoving, but my sleepy eyes were on the black ceiling. The rest of the room was shrouded in darkness, only illuminated by one lamp that was standing by the door. I waited patiently until I felt truly awake before untangling my hand from the sheet to wipe at the corners of my eyes.I replayed the events that had led me to be in a bed that wasn’t my own and fisted my hands. How many days have even passed I wondered?I wasn’t dead, so that was something, but how long would that last? What had happened in that alleyway hadn’t been a dream. Xavier had transformed before my eyes and killed three men. Natalie had then created some kind of world inside my head and had then magically put me to sleep. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply before exhaling and then repeating the act once more. I could easily imagine that everything that had happened was impossible, but I woul
NatalieI balanced the tray in my left hand as I knocked and opened Ruby’s door. I frowned at the shattered lamp by the door before poking my head inside.“Ruby? It’s Natalie.” I closed the door behind me when I found her sitting on the floor at the back of the room, her head against the wall. “I brought something for you to eat. You must be hungry.”She opened her eyes slowly, her cold stare making me rethink approaching her. I placed the tray on the coffee table before the sofa and sighed. Her eyes and nose were red from crying and her hair was wild and tangled. She looked a mess and my heart went out to her. The hatred in her eyes cut me deeply, but I deserved it as much as Xavier.She had witnessed three men being ripped to shreds and now she was locked away in a room awaiting her own death. I’d want to rip some fucking limbs off myself if I was her.Sighing, I pulled a chair closer to her, but stayed at a polite distance so she wouldn’t feel crowded. “I know you must be confused