Rosa POV.My head is spinning with this revelation. But I canโt even call them liars, because I donโt know. I barely remember my birth parents. I couldnโt even tell you their names.โI know this is a lot to take in. But that is the truth. I wouldnโt lie to you Rosa.โ I look up at Odessa and I stand, releasing Jadaraโs hand.โI would like to be alone to process this. Jadara, you are free to either re-enter me or walk around. I donโt care right now.โ I say as I walk away and out into the back garden.I walk towards the seating area by the pool. The twinkling fairy lights overhead offering a warm light. I sit down and think back to what I have just been told. The proverbial bomb that has been dropped on my unsuspecting self.โRosy, are you ok? Dumb question, just ignore me. Iโm here if you want to talk,โ Cece says and I ignore her too. Iโm not being rude. I just need time to think and I can only do that in silence.I think I need to learn more about Rosalie and who my parents were. But s
Rosa POV.They are dead! What? No, that canโt be right.โWhen and how? I mean, gods, Iโm so sorry Charlie.โ I say when he hangs his head and I wait quietly and patiently for him to continue.โWhen a siren goes into what you call heat. The female will mate with many males until they become pregnant. Unless they are already mated. Lyra was in what we call the mating season. I had returned from Moonlight Cove after our session and it was then that I started to feel resentment towards you. So in my spite I mated with her and marked her.โ He says, and I wince at what he is saying. He fucked her to get back at me. Wow!โShe became pregnant, and I became filled with more hate, but not just towards you, but me. I stopped going to the settlement afraid to see you. Then one day the oracle in me wouldnโt stop. She was filling my head with the promise of it was me who was meant to have Jadara. Not you a weak wolf. So I gave in to it.โ He says, and I narrow my eyes at him.โWell, you know what hap
Rosa POV.Well, when Jadara suggested a prison break, I didnโt know what to expect. But here I am, walking cautiously with my hair in a messy bun at the back of my neck with a baseball cap on my head and sunglasses covering half my face. Baggy clothes and hands in my pockets. Yeah, I donโt look shifty at all.โStop complaining. At least we are out. You are doing great, Rosa. Just remember to wait for the green man when you cross the road and those metal things on wheels really hurt if they hit you.โ Jadara thinks she is fucking funny.โYes, youโre a comedian donโt give up your day job. I know what those metal things are and I know how to cross the damn street. Look, you guys, this was a bad idea. Can we do this another day?โ I ask, becoming panicked as I look at all the people who are watching me suspiciously.โNope, look, we are nearly there. See straight ahead.โ I take a breath and walk on as fast as I can. But I canโt help looking at all these people and I wonder are they happily i
Charlie POV.Well, this is just fantastic. I come back this morning after our little argument last night and she has gone. Iโm so fucking screwed. Gaia is going to have my guts if I donโt find her, and fast. I canโt even tell Dragus or Odessa. She, the crafty little cow, broke the barrier and disabled the alarm system. I should have known better than to leave her alone.If I were Rosa, where would I go? Well, thatโs easy. I would run away again. But where? She has masked her scent, so what do I do?I begin walking the streets every minute I become more angry, more worried. Especially now that she is on talking terms with Cece and Jadara. So I suppose I could just follow any screams. Because I donโt trust the murderous hybrid bitch, not one bit. She will never change, and Rosa is being too trusting.I walk the streets asking people if they have seen her and described what she looks like. I mean, she is rather unique looking so she will be easy to spot. But not one person I have asked h
Rosa POV.What was that? How did I do that? What the hell is happening to me?โRosa. Wait.โ I walk faster when I catch my reflection in the mirror. I stop, my mouth hangs open at my hair and my eyes.My curls have dropped and my red colour is becoming more white, my green eyes are becoming more silver. What is happening?โJadara, what is happening?โ I ask her and she hums in my head.โIt would seem your fae side is showing. But you used power in your anger. How is that possible?โ she mumbles to herself and I have donโt know how or why this is happening. Sure, yes, he pissed me off, but I have never been like that before. Never wanted to harm anyone. I just wanted him to stop, and I imagined him being thrown across the garden and blam he was.โI donโt understand. How could I have done this? I thought the fae were peaceful?โ I say to her when she sighs.โYes, they usually are. But we know different now, donโt we? Besides, you are the heir, so Iโm assuming you will have some of the power
Rosa POV.I wake with a slight headache and remember what happened yesterday. My hands glowed, and I threw Charlie away from me. That shouldnโt have been possible, but it was. Apparently, I am now manifesting into something more, especially when Iโm angry and I donโt like it.I have never felt such powerful emotions before. I am usually happy-go-lucky, but not anymore. It is like a defence of sorts. I sit in my bed and donโt know what Iโm supposed to do, but I know one thing: I canโt run from this.โThe book.โ I say to myself as I pull the quilt back and shuffle close to the edge of the bed and get down. Walking toward the doorway, I poke my head out, but I donโt hear anyone. So I walk towards the bathroom.I use the facilities and walk back out, going in search of Charlie. I really need to apologise to him for what happened yesterday. I was acting like a brat.When I walk down the stairs, the house is eerily quiet when Cece whimpers in my head and I stop in my tracks. I sniff the air
Rosa POV.So far, the only thing that helps to make my hands glow is anger, which is not something I like using. Donโt get me wrong, Iโm no pushover, but anger and violence never solves anything. Now I understand why I am part fae. Wolves are usually so strong and are quick to violence whereas me, I am quick to wanting to sort out disputes logically and with minimal bloodshed if possible.The nightmares are still happening, so I have made a journal of each one to help try to make sense of them, but so far, they are all the same. But I find myself crawling into Charlieโs bed and he seems to have no complaints about just holding me and playing with my hair. Our relationship or friendship has started to improve.We still argue, but he isnโt horrible to me anymore. If anything, he looks at me differently now. He knows strength just isnโt physical; it is mental too. And boy am I having to be mentally strong. Jadara and Cece are working together in helping to find a solution to this power i
Charlie POV.I know Rosa is feeling frustrated, but we are all trying to find ways to make it easier for her to access her power, but so far, we are all coming up blank. Even Asteria and Gaia canโt think of anything. But then again, their power is filled with darkness.โHow about we ask Sofia? She is light, right?โ I ask and they look at me like Iโve just solved all their problems. Sofia is Gaiaโs little sister, and she is the light to her darkness. So if anyone can help, it could be her.โNo, she is in hell right now helping Xavius with the gate and Bellious with the demons.โ Well, that makes no sense, but then again Sofiaโs mate Xavius is the original keeper of the gate before he handed over the responsibility to the demon Bellious.โSo what do we do then?โ I ask as I look between the two most powerful beings in the world. Who both look so defeated by this.โShe isnโt trying hard enough. She needs to unlock the power in order to be able to control it. If she is this angel of death,
Rosa POV.It has been eight long years since we last saw Asteria, and we all mourned the loss of Shanti. Charlie went into himself and I pulled him out of the spiral he was in. It wasnโt just me who pulled him out; it was Roman and the arrival of our little princess. She is, of course, named after her aunty. Shanti. She is beautiful; she has my red hair and her fatherโs blue eyes.Roman is ten now, and he is a good boy. Even when Shan was born he was her little shadow, always helping and even now he still does. He loves her so much, just like everyone else does.Over the last eight years I have been having more and more visions and Jadara has helped interpret them, but the strange thing is she has had the same ones I have. So this means something big about to happen.Life at Waning mountain has been peaceful, but then again, when you are on an island that only shows itself to those in need, it will do that. I look at my husband as he teaches the kids how to spar. I laugh when they all
Rosa POV.It has been two years since Roman was born and boy is he a little spitfire. He has everyone wrapped around his little finger. He is on the go and never stops. It doesnโt help that I canโt chase him, as I am expecting our second child. We got married six months after Roman was born and moved back to Waning mountain.There is still no word on where Asteria is, but we havenโt given up hope. Charlie is still searching for her. But he hasnโt made the same mistake again. Jadara had a beautiful little girl, and she is like her, with the long white hair, but she has Merrickโs brown eyes. She is stunning.They named her Rana. After Jadaraโs mother. Her and Roman are the best of friends and they cause trouble together. Casta found a second chance mate and sunny had twins. Is it wrong that life continues on even without Asteria being here?There isnโt a day that goes by that I donโt miss her.โRoman, put you pants back on little man.โ He giggles as he streaks through the living room. J
Rosa POV.It has been two weeks since Charlie returned. I know he is still working on finding Asteria but he hasnโt left the packhouse, but each lead is leading to nothing. We have been slowly getting back on track. He is right behind me like a lost puppy.He works when he thinks Iโm sleeping, but I donโt mind. I know how important Asteria is not just to him, but to us all. She needs to be found safe and sound. I canโt think of what they are doing to her.We have been preparing for the arrival of our son. I have been able to nest properly now that he is here; he watched in fascination as I built my nest and helped by handing me things. It may look a mess to others, but it is perfect for me and Charlie. So that is where we are, in my nest.My family comes to see me every day, but once it gets too much, they leave. I apologised to my nanna. But she waved it off, saying she completely understood. Mom and Jadara have been helping with preparing for our sonโs arrival. Jadara shared her own
Charlie POV.Every day I have entered the room and stay in the same space as her and each time she watches me, I know she doesnโt believe Iโm really here and Iโm a threat and I have no-one to blame but myself.But today is different. Today I am sitting by the door reading a book. When I see her out of the corner of my eye as she moves closer to me. I donโt look at her. I continue doing what Iโm doing as she moves to sit beside me.She has started to eat again, little and often. So that is progress. She isnโt vocal, though. She is watching me and I continue to read, keeping my heartbeat steady. Valour purrs and it rumbles in my chest at how close she is.She doesnโt flinch; she blinks and watches my face. I turn slowly to look at her and smile at her. She blinks her beautiful green eyes at me and moves back, but she is still looking at me.โRosa, are you ok?โ I ask her gently and she gulps and tilts her head. I know she is in there somewhere.โCece, are you ok?โ she pulls her face away
Charlie POV.It has been three months since Rosa told me about Asteria being captured and Shanti and I have been searching every lead we have received and, so far, nothing. I have not spoken to Rosa and I know if I did, it would hurt her more.Valour has been telling me we need to get back to her, but I canโt when I donโt know where Asteria is. Rosa will understand. Asteria is my mom, just like Gaia is hers.โWrong hooman, mate needs us. She is in distress.โ He tells me as I stop reading the latest report from the shifters on Waning mountain. I have asked Brody and the others to help. After all, they are bounty hunters.โShe is safe Valour, please. We will go back to her soon, I promise.โ I tell him when he huffs and disappears further into my mind.Hours later, I stand up and stretch my back and it pops and cracks. The door to the house bursts open and I growl as Gaia and Fen stalk inside and look right at me. Both look pissed.โWhatโs happened?โ I ask, and Gaia walks to me and punch
Rosa POV.It has been a month since I found out Asteria was captured by the humans. Since then we have found out it is the human military that captured her and we have searched the earth looking for her, but nothing it is like they have completely disappeared. I told Charlie the day I found out.He didnโt blame me; he told me that the humans have been after her for a long time. But that doesnโt make it any better. He went to Moonlight Cove and spoke to Artemis and Shanti.Artemis has evacuated the underwater kingdom and fled with the sirens. Charlie and Shanti have been following leads and I am here on the ground finding anything that could lead us to her. Pops was pissed, but he said he would help in finding her.So we are all looking for her or any sign of these military scumbags who have taken her. But so far nothing.All we know is that they would have to be keeping her near water. They wonโt be out in the open that would cause a war with the sirens. If we find her, then it will b
Rosa POV.Iโm numb after what we have been told. That experiments have been performed on shifters. How could the humans be so cruel? I wander the pack grounds deep in thought as I try to understand why. But nothing is coming to me.If they are studying each different species, then who is to say that the hybrids wonโt be on their radars in the future? We need to keep everyone safe. But how? How do you keep each and every shifter species safe from an unknown threat?Simple answer is you canโt. You can prepare, but it would be easier if we knew who it was we were preparing for. Do we say something and create mass panic and force the shifters back into the dark? Or do we let them live, not knowing what kind of danger they are in?I have a gut feeling that all this is no coincidence. The humans were fine and the human governments were fine with us all living in peace. But to pick out shifters that is premeditated, and they knew who to target. They have had years to put this together. So wh
Rosa POV.Waking up, I stretch and realise we are in our room in the packhouse. I reach across the bed to find it empty; I roll to my side and stare at the empty space beside me.Rolling on to my back, I look up at the ceiling and smile to myself. Charlie shifted last night. We ran in our forms; we played and we fu โฆ mated in our forms, but I do remember falling asleep in the forest. So Charlie must have woken up and carried me back here. He is a sweetheart.The bedroom door opens, and in he walks carrying a breakfast tray. He is a sight for sore eyes. With his chest on display and shorts hanging low on his hips, showing off those rippling muscles and the deep V line that makes a girl hot with need.But Iโm sorry ladies, this hunk is mine, all mine, and will be forever.โMorning, baby girl. I thought I would make you breakfast.โ I hear Cece swoon. She is a hopeless romantic when it comes to this kind of stuff. I will admit I am too.โYou didnโt need to do that. Iโm surprised you are u
Charlie POV.Every nerve ending is on fire. Every cell is burning and changing. My eyes hurt and things sound sharper and I place my hands over my ears as I double over in pain. My insides feel like they are being torn out.I have no idea where I am. I feel the sparks and open my eyes to look into the calm green eyes of my mate as I try to reach for her when I whimper, but roll onto my back as my spine breaks and I scream out.โBreathe Charlie. Imagine Valour. Imagine his coat and his eyes. Let him take control, baby.โ She tells me, but right now Iโm too focused on the pain and the sound of blood rushing into my ears.โLet me forward, hooman.โ Valourโs calm voice is louder than before and I whimper again my spine rearranges as I arch my back and I vomit on the floor.โNOW HOOMAN, LET ME FORWARD!โ I try to speak, but my jaw snaps and blood coats my tongue. I would not recommend this at all.All I can feel and focus on is the pain and my cheek bones snap and my face burns as it grows lo