MasukGideon’s hand slid from my wrist to my waist, his fingers splaying against my side. He pulled me closer until my chest was touching his, our legs tangling together under the water as we treaded.I heard Sebastian’s sharp intake of breath, and then he was right behind me, nearly touching me now.I lo
Avery’s POVGideon stared at me like he had just seen a ghost, and Sebastian wasn’t much better. His mouth was hanging open slightly, his eyes wide.“What?” I asked, treading water. “You look like you’ve never seen someone take a swim before.”“We thought you were dead,” Gideon said.“I almost was.
I turned to the rogue and rolled my neck. “Don’t worry. I will.”The rogue lunged.I sidestepped and caught him by the wrist, twisting hard. He yelped and tried to pull away, but I held fast. I drove my knee into his stomach, and he doubled over, gasping.“Where is she?” I snarled.He spat blood at
Gideon’s POVSebastian and I stepped out of the tent, back into the mud and the rain, and looked around.“Which way?” he asked.I crouched down and pressed my hand to the ground. The rain had washed away most of the tracks, but there were still faint impressions in the mud. Bootprints, heading furth
Avery’s POVMy lungs burned. Every breath felt like swallowing glass and my muscles ached, but I forced my legs to pump faster.Behind me, I could hear him crashing through the underbrush. He was fast, and he was getting closer. I heard his footsteps pounding just behind me. I didn’t dare to look ba
Another rogue lunged at me from the side. I released the first one and spun, catching the second mid-air. We went down in a tangle of limbs and teeth, rolling through the mud. It clawed at my face, trying to get to my eyes. I jerked my head back and bit down on its leg, crushing bone and tendon. It
Avery’s POVAnd then he was gone. The one person I thought might be able to intervene, who might have been able to throw me a lifeline, instead turned and walked out my bedroom door. He held all the cards, and instead of playing the hand that could have saved me, he had done the equivalent of polit
Avery’s POVAfter Jessica’s unpleasant visit, I felt as though even my long-shot hope had been decimated. I had written the letter as she requested, though it pained me to have to write my false testament to her character. It wasn’t all lies. I had no doubt that ruthlessness, pride, tenacity, and a
“You know I’ll work you until you die,” she said, in a low voice that wouldn’t reach the warriors posted as guards, “I’m carrying Gideon’s child, and once I give birth he won’t care at all what happens to you.”I did my best to ignore her as I pulled myself to my feet with the help of the railing. I
Avery’s POVDierdra stomped across the room towards us as Gideon stepped back from me guiltily. I could see her eyes measuring the distance between us, my state of undress, Gideon’s body language. She was doing the math. “What are you doing?” she sneered at me, “Gideon has a pack to run, he doesn’t







