~Adriana POV~Jacob stops suddenly, his head looking from side to side as he crouches and inches further ahead. I toss a look at Rosie, who is sniffing the air, and that’s when I catch it. The smell of fresh blood lingered in the hot humid evening. I follow Jacob’s lead, easing my way behind him until he gestures for us to fan out. I creep north of him, Declan on my left and Rosie on the other side of Jacob as we move closer and closer to the smell. I see a naked man laying on the dirt-covered ground and move to him, reaching out to check for a pulse. When I look back up, I see Jacob standing yards away with his hands on his hip. Liam’s scent invades my senses and I nearly purr with how strong it is. This is the closest he has been to us in days and no matter the carnage he left behind, I still long to be close to him. “How many this time?” Rosie asks. “Four,” Declan says, appearing from beyond more trees. “There is a small trail of blood heading southwest. Looks like single heavy
When we finally settle into camp out the night, I situate myself next to Jacob. I’m not nearly as close to Jacob as I am to Axel, but he has always been open and honest with me when asked. And the questions I want to ask him, I know he will answer. Jacob was born and raised in the werewolf world. Though he was born without a wolf, his story is like all of us in Axel’s pack. Axel, in his ultima form, found us and chose us to be blessed with a wolf. Because of the way he grew up, Jacob has a considerable amount of werewolf knowledge and comes from the world that knew Liam as the fearsome warrior he was. I have rarely asked about Liam and his past, just simple things with his ex-mate and her relationship with Liam. With the mate bond comes considerable jealousy. I definitely was a victim. “You have questions, don’t you?” He asks, poking the fire with a stick. “If you don’t mind?” I say, releasing a breath. “Nope. Lay them on me.” I can feel the slight tension in his back and the ai
I drag my little tent with me, searching for a spot where his scent is strongest. Liam's scent has been all around us for days like a word stuck on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t quite get it right. I find a small clearing and I’m overwhelmed by Liam’s scent as it seems to linger through the whole space. I try to reach out via the mindlink, but he gives me nothing, says nothing for almost the third day in a row now and my heart sinks.“Liam,” I say softly, closing my eyes and just begging for him to show up right in front of me. I peel my eyes open and nearly sink to the ground in disappointment when I’m greeted with the same darkness. When I open my tent and move to crawl in, I hear a rustling in the trees and I freeze, a prickle of awareness creeping up my spine as I scan the treetops looking for the source. I know I am being watched, but the question is, by what? A tiny breeze shifts and I’m overwhelmed by Liam’s scent. My knees grow weak and tears spring to my eyes as I in
*Liam POV*I stare at my sleeping mate, my heart torn in two at having to leave her side yet again. I scented her yesterday and knowing she was, near drove me crazy. Gwen is still upset with me for attacking the group that was hunting me. I allowed her to yell at me and get it out of her system while I walked stoically, waiting for her to take a breath so I could remind her she can leave at any time. And that’s when I caught her smell.I reach out and stroke her cheek, a small smile gracing her lips as she snuggles further into my chest. After passing out on her, Adriana woke me up to tell me her legs were numb from my body being on her. Naturally, I instantly felt terrible, but she laughed and pulled me up to her side and wrapped herself up in me like I was the blanket. I figured she would want to talk, but we both quickly fell back to sleep.I stoop down and kiss her lips, and they jump into action, moving against mine as her hands reach out and snake up my shoulders. I smile agains
I stare at Marc, the same man who used to be at my beck and call. He did an excellent job pretending to be my friend and confidant. Had I not been so cocky, I may have seen that he was vying for my spot. He encouraged me to join Samuel’s plight all those years ago to win back Ali, my first mate. Samuel had acted like a father to her, and it didn’t take me long to believe him when he told me she was my mate and would want me back. That all went to shit when he locked her up and tortured her in Wade’s dungeon. That’s when the change in me began. The slow opening of my long sleeping eyes showing me the corruption and terrible things I had been doing. But a man doesn’t change in the span of minutes. It takes years to unlearn habits and qualities and killing. Not caring was more than a habit, it was the core of who I was. And fucking Marc knew it would be the end of me.“You willing to risk the entire pack for a chance to kill me?” I raise a brow.Marc laughs, his head falling back, expos
~Adriana POV~-Think about this logically, Adriana. You will pull an entire pack into a war--But we would win!- I shoot back at Jacob.-It is not your place to decide such a fate- He hisses back at me.My eyes dart to Liam, the blood dripping down his wrists and the pained look on his face is tearing my heart to shreds. My chest is in a vice grip that continues to tighten the longer I stare at him.“You could always become a rogue and go with Liam,” Marc says, a sly smile tickling the corners of his lips.-We won’t let him kill Liam. But we have to be smarter than him in our planning.- Jacob assures me through the link.Marc takes a few tentative steps toward me, Jacob tensing at his closeness, ready to pounce if needed. But Marc just leans in, his evil eyes shimmering with mirth. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We won’t kill him right away. No, we aren’t killing him until he is begging for it.”I snarl at him. and jolt forward in Jacob’s hold, trying to get to Marc. Marc chuckles lightly
“What?” I say. Axel’s words are like a bucket of water trying to call my anger. “I said let’s go get him.” He says again, reaching out and placing his hand on my shoulder.“But I thought you were trying to avoid a war…”“Jacob said they attacked you first.”“Yes, but they assumed I was a rogue, and I didn’t announce I was a part of a pack. When they found out, they backed off. Plus, it’s an alpha’s word against mine.”“If they attacked your mate, and he is your second chance mate, then they are knowingly killing one of my pack members.” “But you said that…” I try to follow his meaning, but I fall short, too drained for my brain to work appropriately.“I know what I said, Adriana. But no one knows your unique second chance mate situation, but a small group of people.”I frown at him and cross my arms over my chest. He drops his arm and sighs heavily. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I couldn’t until you brought it up.”I roll my eyes. “But you could tell Liam?”“Liam is your othe
***TRIGGER WARNING*** Please be aware there may be some triggering content in this chapter including the topic of suicide, the threat of sexual assault, and violence! ~Liam POV~ Marc glowers at me from across as I walk along with my hands bound in silver chains. My sweat burns my skin as it rolls off me in droves, a wonderful side effect of the wolfsbane they forced down my throat. Graham is enjoying watching me struggle through the pain, not that I’m making a spectacle of myself, but I have to admit no amount of forced poison training can ever prepare you for being poisoned from the outside and the inside at the same time. “You are looking a little pale there, Liam.” Graham finally says. I find the strength to roll my eyes. “Fuck off,” I force out, and he grins. “Nah” he shakes his head. “I’d rather not.” I grimace as he pats me on the back roughly and a growl rumbles through my chest, which just seems to please Graham even more. “I feel like you and I have grown especially cl