ArloSheโs trembling beneath me, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps, her body stretched out and vulnerable. Every inch of her belongs to me, yet she still fights it, fights me. Not tonight. Weโre settling this here and now. โYouโre mine and I have every right to do whatever is needed to keep you safe.โ She hisses at me, but her eyes are molten with need.I drag my knuckles down her ribcage, teasing the swell of her breasts before cupping one possessively in my palm. Theyโre so full and lush in pregnancy, it makes my cock hard just looking at them.Her sharp intake of breath is a reward, but itโs not enough. I want more. I want everything. I squeeze, my thumb brushing over her taut peak, and she jerks, a strangled sound slipping past her lips.โYou still think you can fight me?โ My voice is low, dark, coaxing. Hilda glares up at me, but itโs unconvincing with the way her body shudders under my touch. โIโm not fighting,โ she lies. My grip tightens just enough to make her whimper
TaraMorgana controls everything. My hands, my voice, my smile. And no one knows. They look at me and see Tara, the quiet, observant girl still adjusting to life in the pack. They donโt see the monster inside me, puppeteering my every move.She laughs inside my mind, her amusement like dark silk wrapping around me, suffocating and smooth. You struggle too much. Just accept that youโre the instrument with which Iโll regain my rightful life. Relax and enjoy the show.I want to claw at her, tear her away from me, but all I can do is watch as my body moves without my consent. I greet others, I nod when spoken to, I walk around the pack house. Even Arlo no longer seems to suspect anything is amiss. I hate how well she mimics me. How easily she wears me like a second skin. My only consolation is that Iโm still here. I donโt know how long Iโll be able to hang on, but for now, Iโm still aware. I get my chance in the dead of night. Morgana is complacent, entertained by the thrill of playing
HildaArlo may have fucked me into submission last night, but he should know dirty tricks and blackmail donโt count. Even if thinking about it does still make my core contract and sends lightning whizzing through my body. Iโll do everything in my power to stay safe, but we donโt have time for me to stay out of the investigation. I know what my capabilities are and sitting quietly while our child could be in danger, does not fall into that category.I found mention of an elder during my hours of research in the library and thatโs finally brought me here. To this dwelling that can barely be called a cottage. Itโs tiny and blends in with its surroundings so well I walked past it four times before finally seeing it.The door opens when I knock and seated near the hearth is an old woman, her silvered hair draped in long, unbound waves over her frail shoulders. She looks up as I enter, and her pale, cloudy eyes seem to pierce straight through me.โI was wondering when youโd come,โ she mu
Hilda The candlelight flickers, casting long shadows across the room. Arlo stands near the window, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenched. He hasnโt spoken in minutes, but I can feel the storm brewing within him.โIโm not asking for permission to be involved with this hunt anymore,โ I say quietly, though the tension in my voice betrays my own frustration. โIโm telling you what Iโve learned. What weโre up against and that our child is in danger. You canโt keep me from fighting back.โHe exhales sharply, turning to face me, his golden eyes burning with barely contained anger. โI know you canโt Hilda, I understand your instinct to protect. I fucking know the overwhelming desire to keep the ones I love most out of danger. Are you sure ourโฆdaughter,โ despite everything I can hear the wonder in his voice, โIs the reason Morgana is after you?โโI donโt know why she wants her, not exactly. But I know itโs not just about revenge. Thereโs something more.โArlo runs a hand t
TaraIโve learned to listen in silence. Morgana has a habit of talking to herself when sheโs alone and as long as I keep myself small, she forgets Iโm around.Iโve come to understand that she loves the sound of her own voice. She revels in her own scheming, in the whispers of her own mind. Thereโs nothing more entertaining to her than listening to her own musings.But tonight, she makes a mistake. She underestimates me. I know Iโm small and weak in comparison to her, but Iโm not gone yet.โI tire of these games, Astaroth,โ Morgana mutters under her breath, pacing within the confines of my room. She doesnโt bother using my voice when sheโs alone. This is all her, seductive and cruel. โI know what you want. Blood. You think this sacrifice will be enough to grant you permanent manifestation.โI press deeper into the shadows of my own mind, struggling to remain conscious within my own body, but so small she wonโt realize Iโm here. This is invaluable and dangerous information.Morgana scof
CereliaThe dream doesnโt feel like a dream. It feels like a prophecy. It may be the first one Iโve ever experienced but I can feel the portentousness deep in my bones.I stand in a vast, endless void, watching shadows twist and churn like a living storm. There are whispers, soft, insidious things slithering through the darkness. Then, as if the world itself bends to an unseen force, the shadows part, revealing two figures.One is draped in a cloak darker than the void itself, his features obscured, but his presence suffocating. The other is a woman with a cruel smile and eyes that burn with hunger. Without ever having seen her, I know this is Morgana.Between them is a child. Golden-eyed, radiant with potential, but so very fragile. So heartbreakingly small in the presence of such evil. The figures speak, their voices curling through the air like smoke.โShe is the key,โ Morgana says, reaching for the child, โA vessel worthy of my rebirth.โ The cloaked figure speaks with a voice that
HildaThe weight in my chest is suffocating. Tara is gone. And itโs my fault. I should have trusted my instincts the moment I noticed something was wrong.She was a member of my pack and as her Luna I should have protected her, even if doing so wasnโt imperative to my daughterโs well-being.Arlo stands at my side, his arms crossed, tension lining his face as we send scouts to track Taraโs movements. The orders go out swiftly. Search every possible path, trace every lingering scent. Try and bring her back without hurting her.I want to be out there with them, running through the trees, searching for her myself. But I know Iโd only slow them down.Frustration knots in my stomach, and Arlo notices. He always does. โWeโll find her,โ he says, his voice firm. โDonโt do that thing where you blame yourself for everything.โI let out a short, bitter laugh. โYouโre right. Itโs completely unreasonable to feel guilty that I ignored every warning sign.โ Arlo sighs, stepping closer. โHilda-โโI don
Arlo The scent is faint but unmistakable. Tara was here. Hilda and I found no new clues this morning, but my nose has led me back here again tonight.I crouch low to the ground, inhaling deeply, my wolf raging beneath my skin. The remnants of her scent cling to the ancient temple ruins, barely perceptible, nearly washed away by the damp earth and overgrowth.She didnโt linger here for long, but she was here recently. Recently enough that my instincts scream at me to keep searching.Clenching my fists, I push myself upright, exhaling slowly through my nose. I canโt afford to lose control. I need to keep my wits about me in spite of the fact that every step I take feels like I'm chasing ghosts, and the weight pressing down on my chest is threatening to crack me open from the inside.Sheโs getting away. And I canโt let that happen. Moonlight spills through the broken arches of the temple, casting jagged shadows along the cracked stone. I hate this place.The magic that lingers here is t
TaraThe tea is barely warm, but I donโt care. Itโs quiet in the cottage, and Ash is here, lounging on the couch like he owns the place, one long leg stretched out, the other bent so his arm can rest on his knee. Heโs watching me sip my tea like itโs the most fascinating thing in the world.And he keeps leaning closer. I give him a mock glare. โAsh.โ He brushes his nose against my cheek, kissing the corner of my mouth. โWhat?โโYou know what.โ His grin is wicked. โIโm just admiring you,โ he protests, his innocent tone completely at odds with the glint in his eyes. โI swear, if you kiss me again, we wonโt make it back to the party-โHe kisses me again and I lose myself in him for several minutes before gathering the strength of will to pull back.โAsh,โ I laugh, pushing lightly at his shoulder. โIโm serious! Hilda will drag us out of here naked if she has to. And I will never recover.โโNeither will she,โ he mutters. โWhich is why Iโm being very responsible right now.โ I snort. โYour d
AshAfter two days in Taraโs bed, I honestly wasnโt sure my legs still worked. They do, but just barely.Weโve both managed to stumble out into the daylight today, blinking and dazed like creatures dragged from some romantic fairy tale.Sore, hungry, and maybe a little too pleased with ourselves. Taraโs gone off to help Cerelia with decorations, and Iโve been assigned the incredibly noble task of carrying boxes of cider to the main clearing where Hildaโs preparing to throw what Iโve been assured will be a โrespectably rowdyโ victory celebration.The werewolves are happy. Relaxed. They laugh louder. Touch more freely โ which is saying a lot. The tension that used to hum just beneath the surface is gone for now.They survived. And theyโre still free to live as they choose. The human world blissfully unaware of their existence.Iโm halfway through hauling the second crate of bottles when I hear the unmistakable patter of quick little footsteps, followed by an even quicker voice.โThere y
TaraIโve never felt anything like this.Not just the physical sensation of Ashโs hands and mouth on my skin, though even that alone would be enough to steal my breath. Itโs the bond. The raw, unfiltered tether between us. Every touch he gives me, I feel twice. My own response and his.His hunger. His awe. His aching, consuming need. It rushes through me like fire laced with starlight.Every pass of his lips over my skin, every brush of his fingers, echoes back into my body in waves, dizzying and electric. I arch beneath him with a soft cry, overwhelmed, and he moans into my throat like he feels it too.Because he does. I glance up at him, his hair falling loose around his face, his pupils blown wide with desire, and my heart stutters.โAsh,โ I whisper. โItโs too much. I feel everything you do-โโI know,โ he murmurs, voice wrecked. โGods, Tara, I know. Itโs driving me mad and I donโt want it to stop.โHe kisses down my stomach, his hands holding my thighs open like Iโm something sacre
AshFor a long, breathless moment, I canโt move. Taraโs lips are soft and warm against mine, trembling just slightly, like sheโs not sure Iโll kiss her back.But I do. Gods, I do. My arms fold around her instinctively, drawing her closer, and everything else, everything dark and twisted and sharp, fades into nothing.The world narrows to her body pressed against mine. Her mouth, open and trusting. Her hands fisting gently into the front of my shirt.I kiss her slowly, reverently, afraid to shatter the fragile magic threading between us. Her lips taste like honey and forever. Like everything Iโve ever wanted and never dared to ask for. Every time I move to pull away, she tilts her face to follow me, like she canโt bear to stop.And gods, I think I might break.When we finally come up for air, weโre both breathless. She gazes up at me, cheeks flushed, eyes luminous in the low lamplight. โClose the door,โ she whispers. โCome to bed with me.โMy heart does something strange in my chest. L
TaraCerelia can barely keep her eyes open as Ash and I help her up the path toward her and Sorenโs cabin.Her steps are slow and dragging, her head lolling against Ashโs shoulder more than once, but sheโs still stubbornly mumbling that sheโs fine even as she stumbles.I tighten my grip under her arm. โYou're not fine. You're spent. Let us carry you.โ Cerelia slow blinks at me, before shaking her head. โIโll walk.โ Clearly Hildaโs rubbed off on her.Ash says nothing, but his jaw is tight, and I can feel the way he braces her against him more firmly, almost carrying her by the time we reach the porch, but leaving her the illusion that her feet are nearly touching the ground.Soren comes sprinting over, โThere you are! I ran over to look for you once we were sure the humans left our land, but you were gone!โ Heโs already scooping her up in his arms like she weighs nothing at all. She doesnโt complain this time, sighing happily as she turns her head into his chest.โYouโre amazing,โ he m
HildaCerelia is swaying on her feet, pale and drained, but when I step closer, she straightens with visible effort. I hesitate for a heartbeat. Sheโs already given more than enough today. She shouldnโt have to give more.I canโt ask her to restore Malcolmโs memories just so I can have my revenge. โThank you for everything. You should go and rest,โ I tell her.She looks back at me, exhausted but clear-eyed, a half-smile on her lips as she informs me, โHe remembers everything.โI exhale slowly, tension bleeding out of me, hugging her for giving me this gift. I need him to remember. I need him to know why heโs being punished.I double check Malcolm for weapons. Iโm not taking any chances with him. Even armed, I know I can take him, but I donโt want any interruptions or unnecessary struggles. Heโs taken up too much of our time already.I grab a single leash from the pile the warriors dropped earlier and snap it to the heavy collar locked around his throat. โIโll see you back at the pack
AshThe moment Cerelia finishes weaving the last of the spell, I feel the tension ease from the air.The humans stand frozen, still blank-faced and motionless, but something subtle has shifted in the atmosphere around them. Like a storm passing just overhead without breaking.Hilda rises from where sheโs crouched by a line of confiscated weapons, brushing her hands clean against her pants. She strides toward Tara and me, her expression grim but steady.โItโs your call,โ she says, her voice pitched low enough that only we can hear. โYou have to decide whether Redgrave goes back to the city or if we deal with her here.โTara turns to me immediately, her blue eyes fierce and sure. โAsh, itโs only fair that you get to choose,โ she says. โIโll stand by whatever you decide. Youโre the one who suffered the most because of her.โFor a moment, the world feels very small. Like the two of us are the only ones in existence. And the truth has been laid bare between us.And gods, the relief that po
CereliaI hear them long before I see them. The scuff of heavy boots against the forest floor. The low murmur of voices trying to stay quiet but too weighted with nerves and suspicion to succeed. Labored breathing and faint curses.Clearly the humans havenโt taken a moment to consider how sharp a wolfโs hearing is. Never thought their whispered orders and rattling weapons would be beacons in a forest whose sounds we know like theyโre our own breaths.I tighten my focus, steadying the pulse of the spell waiting in my hands. Itโs nearly time and Iโm so ready for this to be over.All around me, the warriors stay perfectly still, crouched low among the shrubs and trees. No one moves a single muscle. They breathe so quietly that even I canโt hear them. Itโs like the entire forest has conspired to hide us, holding itsโ breath for whatโs about to happen.Theyโre very close know. Hearing the rattle of Taraโs chains makes my jaw clench. Every soft clink is a reminder of why weโre doing this. W
CereliaI sit cross-legged within the circle of runes, hidden beneath a dense screen of shrubs and low-hanging branches. Around me, warriors melt into the landscape, nearly invisible even to my trained eyes. The humans will never spot us unless we want them to.At least, thatโs the hope. They may have gadgets weโre not familiar with. I have to make sure my magic is faster than anything they have to offer.I roll the smooth amber stone between my palms, centering myself. The amplification spell thrums around me, delicate but vast, like a spider web stretched to its limit. Itโs ready. Iโm ready. Now we just have to wait.Hilda crouches beside me, watching the distant path through the trees where our enemies will appear. Her face is set in that calm, slightly amused expression she wears when sheโs holding a dozen different plans in her head at once.Scarlett can be rightfully proud to have this fierce woman as her mother, I think to myself.Hildaโs head cocks to the side before she le