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ALEKSANDRStanding in a small room with Silas chained to the wall, I grin.Now that his pack has dissolved and he’s no longer the alpha of anything, he reeks of rogue.“So, I hear you have something you’d like to share with me.”Silas looks terrible. He’s thinner than he was when we’d captured him a few months ago. His muscles have begun to shrink, his cheeks are hollow, dark circles under his eyes make him look like he hasn’t slept in weeks, and he’s filthy.Of course, we don’t care if he’s clean or not. Rogues smell bad anyway, so what’s the point of allowing them to bathe? It’s a waste of water if you ask me.Silas grunts but doesn’t meet my eyes.“I’ve been told that once I give you this information, I’ll be allowed to go, as long as I never come back near this region.”Snorting his stench from my nostrils, I laugh without humor. “That depends on what type of information you give us. Tell me what you know, and then I’ll decide your fate.”He’s quiet for a minute.“Hey, if yo
RIEKA Lucas, Asher, and Sebastian showed up at the house with Ace a few minutes before Aleksandr arrived. I heard the side door open, and I ran to greet him, only to find him naked and panting with his eyes looking dark and intense. I could see that his wolf was still close to the surface and being worried that the kids would follow me around the corner and see his nakedness, I walked over to him to both block the view and lay my hands on his chest to help him calm down. I’ve never seen him this upset before, but the moment my hands landed on his skin, his eyes softened ever so slightly. “Aleksandr, dear, what’s wrong?” He wrapped his arms around me, and I could feel his heart rate slowing as he relaxed a little, but never completely. After grabbing clothes from the closet and getting dressed, he led me down the hall, nostrils flaring as if he was checking the house for something. We entered the living room and he relaxed a little more when he saw all the kids sitting there with L
ALEKSANDR We made it to the airport with no issues, and once we had all boarded one of my larger private jets, we took off without delay. My wolf and I have been on high alert since the moment we stepped out of the pack house. If the Nightshade Pack was as close as Silas claimed, they could have already been watching us. If they saw us leave, then we’ve already lost some of our lead time. Scenting every wolf that came near us, I insisted on a very specific flight crew who I had known and used for years. I wanted to make sure everyone who knows where we are or where we are heading could be trusted. Even if the Nightshade Pack was watching us, once we took off there was no way for them to know our destination. The kids had never left the country before, but thankfully my connections were able to expedite passports for all of them. Now, we’re cruising above the clouds as we cross the ocean, and everything seems quiet but tense. Ace and Aria are sitting in the back whispering quietl
ALEKSANDR When we finally landed in Amsterdam, the kids were wide awake and well rested. Rieka and I were a bit tired but sated, which was good because we had to focus. It was still a little more than an hour’s drive before we would reach the Night Stalkers Pack territory. They were set up just outside the border on the western side of Veluwe National Park, the largest forest in the Netherlands. Since we wanted to keep the kids close, and we had all of the Luna’s Guards with us as well, we rented a large 15 passenger van and Sebastian drove. A part of me expected the kids to relax and enjoy the trip once we landed, but I also wasn’t surprised when they opted to stick close by their mom, with the exception of Eden who decided she was going to be my shadow for the day. She’s grown quite attached to me and I can’t say I’m disappointed by that. She’s a sweet girl, but she’s also a firecracker! She has so much spunk and personality, if she were a wolf, she would absolutely be consi
RIEKA My eyes slowly open and I glance around the room to gain my bearings as I remember where we are and why we’re here. My husband’s strong arm is draped over my waist, his strong chest pressing into my back as he holds me close. It’s a rare occasion for me to wake before him, but I can tell from his breathing that he’s still sound asleep, so I remain still to avoid disrupting his rest. I turn the dream over in my mind as I try to make sense of it. My son isn’t a coward, but he also knows not to instigate anything with wolves. They have a supernatural strength that we as humans will never be able to compete with, no matter how much we work out. But Ace wasn’t taunting him either. The wolf charged at him, but all Ace did was stand his ground. For that, I was proud of him, even if it was just a dream. Aleksandr began to stir, and I was thankful because I knew I would need to use the toilet soon. ----- Breakfast was casual again, and Cornelis didn’t even join us this time.
RIEKA “I’m sorry,” I break in, “I’m still learning the dynamics of the packs, but there is no such thing as an Alpha over all packs, is there?” “No, the packs are all independent, and for the most part diplomatic with one another,” Fleur answered, “We had an Alpha King many generations ago, but considering how long we wolves live, and how long ago it was, the idea of the Alpha King is just as much legend at this point as the stories about your family.” Aleksandr snorts beside me. “Sorry Love, but I don’t see how that’s possible. We’re mated, and I’m no stronger than I was before. I love you, and I don’t care about being Alpha over all werewolves. But the rumors just aren’t true.” I couldn’t argue with him. He knew his own strength and if being mated to me didn’t change anything then maybe there really was nothing to these rumors. Maybe it was just a legend. Then Cornelis spoke up again, but he directed his comment at me rather than Aleksandr. “The legend is that you have the ABIL
ALEKSANDRThe young pup immediately bared his fangs at Ace, and my protective instinct kicked in. Just as I was stepping forward to warn him off, Cornelis barked “Gerrit! You will be polite and welcoming to our guests!”Rieka’s eyes were wide, and I wasn’t sure if it was because this was Cornelis’ son, because he was growling at Ace, or both, but Cornelis immediately apologized for his son’s outburst.Gerrit bows his head in submission as he side-steps around me to take the empty seat next to his father.The evening was a bit tense, but eventually we all relax enough to make it through dinner. Rieka had a haunted look on her face the entire time. I tried to mind-link her to ask what was going on, but she brushed it off and said we’d talk later. Was she just stressed about Gerrit being aggressive towards Ace or was something else going on?As soon as it was acceptable to excuse ourselves, we did, and we all headed upstairs together as Cornelis began lecturing his son about his beh
ALEKSANDR When Gerrit crashed into the room like he did, I almost took his throat. The pup should know better than to surprise an alpha who is on edge trying to keep his mate safe. “Where is your father?” I growl. “He’s interrogating the spy now, but we need to prepare you all to leave if any information has gotten out.” Rieka gasps and whispers that we need to go get the kids as Fleur glances out the window and moves toward the door of the library. “Follow me,” She commands without glancing over her shoulder to confirm that we’re complying. Pulling Rieka close to my side, we briskly walk down the hall with Ash and Gerrit following close behind us. ‘Oliver, get the kids to safety.’ I mind-linked, ‘There has been a security breach of the Night Stalkers territory.’ ‘Yes, Alpha,” Oliver immediately responds. Fleur turns to head upstairs, and Rieka hesitates, “What about the kids? Don’t we need to get them?” “Danique and your guards are escorting them up to their rooms now,” A