MasukTrishelle had been waiting in the Councilwoman's suite for ninety minutes. Behind the closed door of the next room, voices rose and fell without ever becoming words, and she wondered whether any of them were saying her name.Restless, she tried to distract herself with the elegance of the room — the carved chairs, the heavy drapes, the rug so thick it swallowed her footsteps — but none of it held her. It was funny. She had spent years complaining about the dark little space they had shoved her into, and now it was the only place she wanted to be.A gentle knock, and Alexa poked her head in, concern creasing her brow. "Hi. Are you feeling better?""Yeah, I am. I'm just wondering what's going on." Trishelle picked at the hem of her borrowed clothes — a top from Cynthia, leggings from Alexa, after the older woman had scoffed at what the omega had brought with her."Well, that's why I'm here. My grandmother is calling you to Alpha James' office."The girl stiffened at his name, and Alexa
Four of the visiting guests arrived at James's study. He was standing by the window, nursing a drink in his hand. Turning, he placed the glass on his desk and rounded it, heading straight for the older woman. "Councilwoman Seers. I must apologise for the disgraceful sight you've seen since you arrived." Bowing, he took hold of the woman's hand. "I'm sure one as wise as you must have figured out what was happening with me."Stepping back, he turned to Bradley, "Alpha Bradley, I apologise to you as well. I can assure you that this is not my normal behaviour, but when one's heart has been affected by beauty, the mind ceases to function." Bradley, wondering just what James was up to, simply nodded. "Please, everyone, have a seat so we can have a discussion like civilised people."James took his seat behind his desk. Bradley sat in one of the chairs opposite him while the Councilwoman sat in the other. Alexa sat on the sofa against the wall, and Beta Sam simply leaned against the wall on t
"Rosebud? What do you want with her?" The anger in his voice caused Sam to pull back. He knew that he needed to tread carefully or else this wolf-less prisoner would have his throat."Easy there, my friend. I just wanted to know about her, that's all, but I thought her name was Trishelle?""Why?"Scratching behind his head, Sam decided to be honest. If this were her best friend, then his Alpha would be pissed if he did something to upset his mate, whether directly or not. "Well, it seems that your friend is my Alpha's mate. That makes her my Luna. I mean her no harm or disrespect, but the fight you saw earlier was about her. It seems as though your Alpha wants to claim her as his own, but since she is unmarked, Alpha Bradley is desperate to claim what is rightfully his."Samuel sat back down. If what he says is true, it could mean that Trishelle would leave here once and for all. Yet, if this Alpha is worse than James, he could be sending her from the pan straight into the fire. "As y
Cynthia rubbed the arms of the young female sitting on her bed. It was clear that she had little or no idea what had just taken place. Seeing her trembling hands, she asked Alexa to pour out some brandy. Alexa handed her the glass, and Cynthia placed it against her mouth. "Here, my dear, drink this. It will calm your nerves."Trishelle swallowed the liquid only to cough against the burn. Both women noticed that color returned to her cheeks, and she stopped shivering. Trishelle turned to the grandmotherly figure. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I don't know what's going on." Glancing around, she suddenly realized that she was not in her room. "Umm...where am I?" Cynthia and Alexa exchanged glances above her head."Don't worry, you're in our room," Cynthia said, hoping to soothe her."Oh no, I'll get in trouble." She mumbled under her breath, but both ladies heard her well enough. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I should get back to work. Please excuse me." Trishelle made a move to get up,
Samuel was feeling much better. As good as he could feel after spending a night in a jail cell, nursing his injured body. He heard shuffling and soon his friend appeared. And she did not come empty-handed. Soon he was stuffing himself with the sandwiches she made and sipping on the hot cinnamon-flavored coffee he loves.Not much was said, and he could see how much she was still blaming herself for where he was. Reaching through the bars, he lifted her bowed head and wiped the tears away. A small smile spread across her lips, and it was enough for him to know that things would be alright.Trishelle gathered what was left and placed them in the basket before heading out. Turning at the end of the corridor, she blew him a kiss and disappeared around the corner. Leaning back on his bed, Sammy blew out a breath, glad that his lungs didn't hurt as much as they did yesterday. The herbs that the doctor got from Sabrina were really helpful in times like these.He decided to stretch his muscles
James was confused at first about what he was seeing. One minute, Alpha Bradley was beside him, the next, a large wolf, larger than even his father, was tossing his guards like toys. Before he could take a step, the word "Mine" growled through his lips. What on earth could Bradley be referring to?The next moment, he realized that his Luna was now caressing and embracing the wolf. Even where he was, James could hear the rumble of pleasure purring out of him. James saw when the wolf licked Trishelle, and then everything clicked. Alpha James was about to mark what should be his.A roar of rage and fear of losing tore out of his throat. His wolf was cursing him for not marking Trishelle when they had the chance. Transforming quickly, he lunged at his guest in hopes of taking his prize away. His desire for her was not just about making a good Luna that would obey his every word and warm his bed, but now his pride was on the line. Everyone knew how he felt about the omega, even if they or







