LOGIN“What does all that mean?” Stormy asked as she pointed at Voss's computer screen.“Those are their movements,” Voss explained. “Elias had more of those small tracking devices. I had him give one to everyone on the team. What you're seeing is them moving around North Crest.”I kept pacing behind them, stopping only long enough to glance at the screen before looking away again.There was no point.There weren't any details or pictures.It looked like one of those really old video games from the '80s.Watching it wasn't helping me feel any better.I hadn't been able to sit still since they left.Almost an hour had passed, and there was still no call or message from Orion or Lucien.Jaxon and Selene came inside every now and then, but they spent most of their time outside, checking around the property to make sure nobody tried to sneak in.Stormy stayed calm.She was doing her best to stay strong for me.But it still wasn't enough.Every time I looked at the screen and saw one of those ti
All he could do was nod and keep shaking with fear.“Good,” I said. “Stop giving Varek information... or I'll make you wish you were dead.”I threw the rest of the money onto the counter, then looked at the customers and at Emily.“I think this belongs to all of you. I'll let you decide how to split it.”“Thank you,” Emily said.“No problem,” I replied. “I've got a meeting with my shithead little brother. But before that asshole wakes up in the bathroom, it would be smart for all of you... including the cooks... to get out of here. Just make sure you lock the bathroom door from the outside first.”“Yes, sir,” Lee answered as he quickly pulled a ring of keys from his pocket.I gave Emily a small nod before walking toward the door.As I stepped outside into the sunlight, I pulled out my phone and called Lucien.“Christ, Orion, are you okay?” he asked immediately. “I saw your message.”“I'm fine,” I replied. “He won't be causing any problems for a while. Have we heard from anyone else?”
Lucien: It's starting.The moment I read the message, I quickly looked up and out the window.Sure enough, six men were walking up the street.They were split into two groups of three.One group had just come out of the grocery store where Lucien had been waiting.The other group included Vale and two large, muscular men. They were standing outside a bookstore, bothering the owner. The two bigger men stayed close to the frightened woman while Vale talked to her.My hand slowly tightened into a fist as I watched him.My heart sank when the woman rushed inside the store, then came back carrying a thick envelope. She handed it to Vale.He slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket before saying something to the two men with him.They immediately separated and headed in different directions.One of them walked straight toward the diner.“Shit,” I muttered.The man was huge... probably around six-foot-three and at least two hundred and fifty pounds.He shoved the diner door open with
Orion: I'm in the diner on Market Street. Overlooking the main business area. I'll see if I can get some information from the staff while I wait.Lucien: Got it. I'm at the grocery store farther down the street.My booth was near the back of the diner. It gave me a clear view of both the front door and the street outside, but it was hidden enough that people wouldn't notice me unless they were actually looking for me.A moment after I sat down, a quiet, nervous-looking server hurried over and placed a laminated menu in front of me.“Here you go.”She wouldn't look me in the eyes. Instead, she kept glancing nervously through the windows toward the sidewalk outside.She was human, and my heightened senses let me smell the fear coming off her. That alone told me everything I needed to know.Everyone in this town was terrified.Tax day wasn't something anyone looked forward to.“Thank you,” I said kindly as I accepted the menu.“Uh... would you like something to drink? Coffee... maybe?” s
I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, trying to keep the nervous energy running through my body under control. Thankfully, it hadn't completely taken over. My mind was still clear, sharp, and focused. I was ready. I knew we were driving straight into a very dangerous situation, but I was prepared for it.I'd do anything for my son.“How do you feel about all this?” Lucien asked as I turned onto a dirt road.“To be honest... I feel like shit,” I muttered. “The last thing I want is to hurt my brother, but just like I told Selene, Kael is what matters most. I'd walk into the deepest part of hell for him, and if hurting my brother is what it takes to bring him home safely, then...” My voice faded. Did I really have it in me to do that?Yeah... I did.“Well... so be it,” I finished.“Fair enough,” Lucien replied.Now that I'd finally gotten past the strange jealousy that had taken over me when we first met, I realized I actually liked Lucien. He reminded me a little of Jaxon, pro
“You mean besides my inch-long canines when I shift?” Jaxon asked with a grin.“You know exactly what I mean,” Orion replied.Jaxon smirked, lifted his shirt, and showed the semi-auto pistol tucked into the waistband of his pants. “I’m covered, my man.”“And what about you?” Orion asked, turning to Voss.Voss raised one eyebrow, slipped his hand into his laptop bag, and pulled out a snub-nosed revolver. “We’re good,” he said with a quick smile.“Okay, then,” Orion replied.He looked completely focused now. His attention was sharp, and he carried himself like a leader again... confident and determined in a way I hadn't seen for quite some time. Seeing him like that made me feel relieved. It was clear his mind was fully back where it needed to be.“you both just stay alert,” Lucien said. “I don't know how Varek plans things, but he might already expect that we're trying to find him. If that's true, he could decide to do something reckless.” He shrugged as he motioned around the house. “
I had never loved any other man the way I had loved Orion. Not even Travis. I was never completely in love with Travis like I had been with Orion. I was only twenty when Orion left, still just a kid, but we were soulmates. More than that, I was his fated mate. When Orion left, my heart had broken
She sighed and dropped into the chair facing me. “I didn’t question it. Honestly, I was still shocked about his death. I wasn’t thinking about anyone else. I’ve been gone for a long time. Long enough not to see how bad things had gotten. Orion, Dad was only fifty-seven when he died. That’s not old
I threw my engagement ring into the toilet, and then we left. Before getting into the car, I blocked Travis’s number. In less than a day, my life had completely changed.Now we were on the worst road trip ever, heading toward a future I never planned. Kael, however, was trying to stay positive.“Is
In just a few seconds, everything in my life flipped completely. It felt like my world had been turned upside down, shaken hard, and then thrown away. I had a son? Was this really happening? So many thoughts and emotions rushed through my head at once. How could I have walked away from Elara? I ha







