Nicki stood out front of Dean's family home, a goddess cloaked in flames and light as she carried her wounded mate on her shoulder. Strands of mahogany and maroon stood out in her chestnut hair, tucked behind human ears.There was something chillingly beautiful about it, seeing the eruption of flame from the house in the background as Nicki stood impassive and unreadable.For that brief time, whatever had triggered this power within her, she had become pure heat and flame.Slowly, the embers faded from her eyes. Coals of angry red simmered down to a pale orange, and then finally back to her usual cool tone. Her clothes were still singed, falling apart in some pieces, but the flames around her feet had finally sputtered out.All that was left was the fire that raged on in the background, crackling and snarling as it devoured all of the dry fabrics, woods, and furniture in the house.The fire wasn't spreading, that much was evident. Whether it was lu

It was chaos when the first thread of cobalt water magic twisted and writhed in the air, invisible to all but myself.The Fae never truly explained now natural it felt using magic, how it was like unlocking a piece of yourself that you hadn’t known was missing. Like an arm or leg, it did as it was told and had limits—only magic offered a bit of spice with its unpredictability.If you had the strength and creativity, there wasn’t much you couldn’t do.I pondered that thought as I darted to the side, all but diving head first into the water. I felt Duke’s rather forceful blast mist against the side of my face.Adelina’s giggling sounded in the background, and even Alette gave a small chuckle. From the corner of my eye, I could see Nicki and Liam halt their training, grinning as they watched the three of us.“Let's get creative?” My wolf suggested, feeling a tad vain at the moment.I obliged, snic

We followed behind the warriors, entering a castle of black and white stone, built atop the mountain we were currently on. With the endless darkness stretched out before us, it was near impossible to see anything other than castle and starry sky. The treetops below were all but invisible, the sprawling city a million flecks of light in the distance.“What does your High Lord want with us?” I asked the warrior who had handed me the cape.Clearly the man was of some ranking, as he was the only one to speak and approach us. The rest shuffled beside and behind us, their armor swishing on their bulky forms.Nicki and Tyra sauntered down the hallway, each one on either side of me. Their large wolf forms looked like puppies in the great corridor we walked down."With your companions? Nothing. They are free to leave, if they so choose." He replied flatly, eyes drenched in suspicion. "As for what he wants with you, I cannot say."We continued in

I could feel Atlas’s power wash against my back just as we slipped through the portal. I was jolted both by the cold, and the raw, wild power he had unleashed. It was gone within half a second, replaced by the feel of the realm’s fabric grazing against our skin.I knew something had gone wrong when we emerged, the sun peering through the treetops that hung hundreds and hundreds of feet above our heads. The sharpened colors of moss and emerald, pale skies that seemed saturated and bright. Liam looked around, his eyes wide as he took in the Fae realm and the war camp, we currently stood in.Soldiers sharpening swords, and polishing armor halted, hands tightening on pummels and reaching for blades. Large tents were erected around the forest. Some held upright from spikes driven into the nearby trees. There were two different fires cracking, cooking charred meat skewered on a stick. Those eating sat down their bowls of stew, still spewing steam into what smelle

I never thought I would feel so elated to hear the distant sound of snarling wolves and the tearing of thick flesh as the battle continued surging nearby. My bare feet sunk into the soft soil, and the volatile energy inside of me hummed hard enough to make my teeth rattle. This kind of power wasn’t meant to be contained within a living form; it would surely tear it apart. ‘Atlas?’ I felt his awareness seep into my own instantly, relief mixed with the churning hunger that came with battle. His exhaustion, which was seeping into his bones and turning them to lead, had me heading towards the edge of the forest, where the sounds of battle grew louder. ‘Fuck, Raelynn.’ He sounded calm, but I could feel the underlying terror in his words and thoughts. ‘When Aralia came through the portal saying she killed you, I wasn’t sure—I couldn’t feel you.’ ‘Even in another realm, we would know if something happened to the other.’ I was sure of it. The loss of