Alexander’s breathing was tormented and ragged as I steeled myself to touch him. I could feel the pressure from Helena’s stare bearing down on me like a dropped anchor, willing me to somehow make him magically bounce back. The fact most strongly in Alexander’s favour for survival was that the blade used by Alpha Francis had not been pure silver. Wolves cannot shifter heal from a blade made of silver. I thought of poor Lucien’s neck, forever burning, and crying out on his neck, his shifter healing constantly trying to make it better but failing. I tried to take confidence from the fact my efforts, or at least my emerging love for him had made a difference. It must have, for him to speak up to Helena as though I had the ability. With Lucien’s green eyes, how he looked at me that first time outside, when we lay together, and he realised I wanted to touch him. Those gorgeous green, gentle eyes softened the rest of his harsh face as I slowly placed my hand on the ridged s

When I woke Alexander was sound asleep but my stomach was growling loudly with hunger. Slowly unwrapping myself from his arm I left him fast asleep, his chest rising and falling uneasily still. My sleep hadn't produced any visions. Fyre suggested I hadn't had a deep enough sleep or my mind was too focused on Alexander. Either way, the only image outstanding was the figure falling from the castle roof. Perhaps that was no longer in the running Fyre mused now Alpha Francis was defeated. It had only been a few hours but I wondered if I could persuade Bella to sit with him again and help him rest. Beta Jackson and Kyra were loyally waiting outside and my heart melted at seeing how tired they were. Once more Beta Jacksons dark brown hair, beard and eyes reminded me of a bear. A ferociously huge and dangerous bear, which could dance a delightful waltz. The afternoon was setting, casting a burnt orange glow around the room. Everything looked as though it was on fire

Only a few feet of the path around the warring pair was walkable as the guard tower I lurked in stole space from the edge. Helena's huge curls blew across her face, her footing less sure as she backed away slowly.Azalea, another leaping swipe of her blade hissed, "you don't get to judge my choices, Ivan understood, I should have known you'd have poisoned him against me. He failed me!""That's a lie and you know it! You need to spend the rest of your life knowing your choices put you where you are!"Azalea scoffed, "the rest of my life?" With a shrug and another jabbing attempt, she muttered, "the only purpose I have now is to make you pay as steep a price as me"With that, I saw her eyes flicker towards the edges of the castle walls. She dropped the knife, loudly clattering to the floor.Instead, she inhaled deeply and geared herself up to fling herself at Helena who was penned into the far corner. Azaleas white dress looked like a flurry of

Mate. I never thought I would be lucky enough in a million years to find my mate, let alone it be someone like Lucien. Fate. We are destined, our twisted paths have to lead us to this place. A place where our souls have met and connected. The instant I grabbed his hand I felt it click into place. It struck me so powerfully all I do was try to breathe as I watched his face undergo the same shock. Whilst my realisation was pure joy, desire and happiness I saw in those gorgeous green eyes of his a flicker of fear. He still worried even at this point he could be rejected. The way his face melted and he drew me to him after I smiled and said "mate" will stay with me forever. That was his very last defence falling. I'd climbed the barricades and managed to see beyond the angry pain-riddled torment. There was a caring, fiercely loyal man behind those scars and huge build. And that man was mine. His kisses felt a hundred times more intense upon my ski

Something snapped deep inside my soul tonight. Snapped and then re-formed as something based completely around Bella and her wolf. Not just a jigsaw piece I was like a piece of metal, melted down and recast into the form of a new man.I don't think Bella realised that as I brought her to the brink of devastation with my mouth I was unable to stop my own release from exploding.It was too much sensation, licking and sucking her soaking, drenched pulsing core. Tweaking those delicious rosebud nipples, her skin in the moonlight did something primal to me. I saw stars as she shuddered into her private world, the connection sending my body into overdrive.Knowing I had a mate, a mate who I loved, who loved me with was sending my head spinning. I couldn't help stroking my own length as she twitched and jerked before me.The mate bond was utterly insane, I'd heard about how powerful it could be but this was wrecking me. It was the exact reverse of the pain infli