Nikita’s POVFinn and Freya sleep soundly in their cot, unaware of the battle that has raged on for hours outside. When I see Celeste again she is in big trouble. I can’t believe she sealed us in here. I know she would have done it to protect us, but I’m quite capable of looking after myself. I feel her pain and exhaustion increase minute my minute through our bind to the point I can’t walk and my whole-body aches. ‘Celeste. Come home.’ I finally decide to call out to her, my silence was supposed to have been a punishment for her act of love, but all it has done is punish me. What if something had happened to her and she thought for even a moment that I didn’t love her. Tears spring to my heavy eyes and pour down my cheeks. I don’t know when I fell asleep but morning is starting to break when the door to the kitchen is flung wide open. Celeste burst into the room. She looks awful. Covered in blood and mud, her hair is a mess and her clothes half gone. I don’t care. I r
ALMOST TEN YEARS LATER Nikita’s POV The years have passed quickly since the great battle. I watch Finn and Freya play together in the long, green grass, care free and happy. Celeste chases after them and they whoop and scream in delight. She is their Mom, not in blood but in every other way possible. Her promise to keep the legend of White Claw alive has stayed with her every day since. We have a yearly festival to commemorate all those that gave their lives that day. The packs who joined us to defeat the evil that wanted to destroy us all come and pay tribute too. Their whole packs descend upon us, overrunning the huge pack house and surrounding smaller houses. Celeste looks up at me and her eyes meet mine. Finn wriggles on the floor beneath her hand as she tickles his tummy. Huge shrieks of laughter fill the air. ‘You ok love?’ Her voice sounds a bit older and wiser now than it did back then. She has learned more about pack life and the hierarchy that defines out p
Channon’s POVThe air is so much fresher up here, in the mountains. Keeva snuggles into me as we watch the newest pack of the North put on a show of ancient tribal dances. Their face are painted white and red, their eyes glow yellow form the wolves that lay just below the surface. I made a commitment to them all, all those years ago. I would like to think I have fulfilled my promise to help them build a pack, far away from the hustle and bustle of civilisation where they can be safe and heal from the wounds of their past. A fire rages in the middle of the dances, who leap and spin around it in a big, moving circle. I laugh and clap along with the music, content to just sit and watch the display. Keeva, as usual, has other ideas. She jumps up and grabs my hands, pulling me reluctantly to my feet. ‘Keeva, no..’ I try and plop back down on my bum but she pulls harder and before I can protest anymore I’m in the throng of dancers. I feel silly and the burn of redness slowly
Canagan’s POVSweat and fear stream from every pore, almost as if flowing from the core of my very being, and my inner beast whimpers. The smell of suffocating smoke overpowers me and I can feel the heat as it burns my nostrils. The screams of my sister, Caeli, chill my blood as the flames of Crimson Pack Mansion lick at her body. If I had known then what I know now, and that helping Julius would mean my sister’s demise, I would have walked away. Lupin had been the Alpha of Crimson Pack and my sister’s mate. We had all run these fields together as pups playing and having fun, but overtime Lupin became ruthless and distant. His impending leadership took away his carefree attitude and he grew up to be astute in business and cold hearted in leading our family. Sometimes it’s better the devil you know. I roll over and see that my bed is drenched in sweat and my sheets are in a pile on the floor. I see the sun rise bright and fresh over the forest, chasing away the shadows of the night. It
Keeva’s POVCanagan has always been like a father to me and Blake and Bleiz like older brothers. I can’t stay here among wolves. I am human and I want… no, I need to be among my own kind! I have never shifted. Never felt a presence inside of me. I am the daughter of the Alpha, and I am a human. Julius hasn’t hidden his disappointment and contempt for me, showing barely less disgust for me than he shows to the Omegas. I know Canagan will help me, I’m sure of it. He saved the twins when they were pups, and he seems to have some sort of unexplained immunity from the wrath of my father. He will help me escape this life and leave this prison, he is my only hope. Where has Canagan put those keys? I only have a key to let me in the service door. With the smell of this place all the doors need opening to get rid of the lingering odour of stale beer, and from what I can only presume is vomit. Canagan’s office is modest, with a big old desk at the back of the room and a comfy, red leather offi
Channon’s POVShe didn’t see my wolf standing only a matter of feet away in the forest. I can smell her, and I remember her unique scent from all those years ago as a child. The moonlight filters through the few gaps in the thick canopy overhead. Her blonde hair glistens, long and thick, I can smell the floral soap she used to wash it this morning. How many times has she thought about me over the years? Does she even remember me? Afterall she was only a pup when I was cast out. Jonas is far too excited and too unpredictable when he is like this. I hope he doesn’t make me regret making him my Beta. ‘Jonas’ I call him through the mind link, ‘someone is coming, leave her now.’ I watch Jonas turn and leave Keeva alone in the forest.She is only alone for a few moments before a new wolf emerges from the darkness into the silver light of the moon. A growl rumbles up from down in the depths of my throat, my sharp teeth longing to feel the dense flesh of this cowardly wolf before me. Zev, Bet
Keeva’s POVIt wasn’t a dream. The floor is as hard and cold this morning as it was last night. The sun streams through the living room window, making me blink from the intensity of its glare. I pull myself up and look around me, the crumpled couch still littering the floor. This is all I have known, this house, my unloving father. Since I turned eighteen and it was confirmed that I am human, he has become even colder to me. I have spent hours praying to The Moon Goddess to try and understand why I was chosen to be human. But there has been no answer. It seems I am alone in this world. I can’t sit here all day, there is no doubt loads to do. I walk through the cold hallway, my bare feet padding lightly, the pain shooting up my leg from my injured ankle.I warily pull off the black vest that Becky gave to me last night, being careful not to knock open the wound on my shoulder. My breasts spring free, pert and full, big enough to draw unwanted attention. My small waist gives way to thic
Channon’s POVI’m tired and hungry. ‘Uncle, where is good to eat around here?’ I ask him over mindlink. My stomach and inner wolf growl at the same time. ‘Depends on if its deer your after or some pancakes. The pancakes I can help you with, the deer you will have to hunt yourself.’ Canagan chuckles in my head. Pancakes it is then, I’m far too tired to hunt this morning. I turn and pull myself away from watching her. My wolfs makes me turn back and resume my position in the woods, he wants to watch her for a short time more. My body and my wolf ache for her. ‘I’ll be back soon.’ ‘I can’t stay here all day’ I say silently to myself. It’s true, I have to put the final pieces in place for my plan to work. That means meeting with Zev again, I shake my head in disappointment that a wolf could sink as low as him. I will tell him to meet me later when I have eaten. I can’t meet him on an empty stomach, my wolf laughs in agreement, that is asking for a fight. Keeva tosses her h