Masuk“Do you remember what he looked like?”“It’s all a blur. Sorry.”I nodded slowly, looking around again. I spotted Max on the other side of the yard, returning to his work with a group of other males.“What’s the labor for?” I asked. “Are we building something?”“We think it’s for an army. The stone
Natalia’s POVBy the end of the first hour, my shoulders were burning and my palms had gone from sore to numb. The rock I’d been assigned to break with a heavy pickaxe was dense and black, and I was expected to break it into small pieces, then place them on a large wagon. One of those awful gray thi
A pair of figures crossed our path as we walked across the roadway. We fell into step behind them naturally, matching their pace. Neither of them looked back.The water trough was near the center of the settlement. I spotted a short line of people standing in front of it. It wasn’t running water, bu
Natalia’s POVI jerked awake with a gasp.The red sky was the same as it always was. Max was curled on his side a few feet away, still asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. Nothing had moved. Nothing had changed.I pressed my hand flat against the ground and steadied my breathing.The vision
Natalia’s POVThe report came back the following morning. I’d hardly slept that night, which was strange for me; usually, sleep came quickly and efficiently, serving purely as a means to regain my energy for another day of hard work.But last night, I kept tossing and turning. That pull in my chest
“It’s no use!” I heard her voice call after me. “He’s already gone, you stupid bitch! He’s not who you think he is anymore! You’ll all die here!”Her words struck me somewhere deep and painful, but I kept running. We didn’t stop until the hovel was well out of sight. Only then, once we were certain
“Damon got you good, just like you deserve,” I murmured, dipping the cloth back into the water and gently cleaning away the dried blood. “But it probably won’t need stitches. Just a bandage.”“You’ve done this before,” Andrei observed, sitting perfectly still as I worked.I nodded. “Many times. I he
Jab, cross, hook. Jab, cross, hook.I was so focused that I didn’t hear the footsteps approaching until a voice broke through my concentration.“Your form has improved.”I spun around, startled, to find Andrei standing just outside the ring. He was leaning against one of the posts as if he had been
Natalia & AndreiNataliaThe festival grounds, situated in the large meadow behind the Ashmoor pack house, were already buzzing by the time Damon and I made our way outside.Colorful banners fluttered in the evening breeze, lanterns cast a golden glow across the grass, and the air smelled like roast
NataliaThe brothers exchanged a look. For a long moment, the air was tense, silent. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Today, of all days, they had to participate in Alpha male posturing? I expected as much from Andrei, but I had hoped Damon would act with a little more maturity considering the n







