Adrian's POV“I can’t make any promises,” I say to the Alpha. “But I will try my damndest to kill the fucker.”“I suppose that’s all we can ask,” he says and finally bends the knee. “I am Alpha Terrance of the Shadow Moon pack.”“Rise,” I say and look out over the rest of the kneeling wolves. “All of you. Rise.”I’m tired, starving, and thirsty and not in the mood to talk to the Alphas now, but as little as I know about werewolf society, I do know that I’ll offend them if I dismiss them without at least welcoming each of them and asking their names. Around us, the rogues finally unclench and apparently deciding that there’s no immediate danger, they start to make their fires. Someone will bring coffee and breakfast over when it’s done.I glance at Pippa who hasn’t said a single word yet. “Alphas,” I say. “This is Queen Pippa.”They respectfully bow their heads to her, but more than one of them shows signs of clear disapproval when I invite them to the nearest fire and don’t send Pip

Pippa’s POV I’ve never experienced darkness like this before. It’s like being encased in living, breathing blackness. Not even my superior Lycan vision can penetrate it. “Pippa!” Adrian screams in my head. “Where are you?” I try to hold on to the link like he taught me to do, but it’s even more difficult than before. The link breaks, but he quickly re-establishes it to ask me if I’m at the camp. “No, I…it’s dark, I don’t…” is all I can manage to get out before the link breaks again. And this time, he doesn’t establish it again. I can't feel him, and now that our connection is broken, I miss it. I miss not knowing where he is and what he's experiencing. I was wrong, it's not annoying. It's comforting, and right now, I'd do anything to get it back. I try to remember what had happened. The last thing I can recall with any clarity is sitting with Adrian and the Alphas, and seeing Edith walking across the lake in my direction. It took me a moment to realise that I wasn’t seeing the rea

Adrian’s POVThe hotel is as deserted, quiet, and dark as we left it. Once inside, I undress and shift, the wolves behind me let out a sort of gasp when they see my wolf. Not many of them have ever had the opportunity to see a Lycan in his wolf form.I stand very still and concentrate on the song calling out to me. It’s louder in here, much more intense, but at the same time, it’s much easier to stay focused, and unlike before, my mind doesn’t go blank. It’s as if she knows I’m on my way.Calhoun is agitated, trying to force his way to the surface. His connection to River is stronger than mine is to Pippa, and he’ll probably be able to find her faster, but he’ll be reckless about it, storming into a situation we possibly can’t control, and he could end up getting the lot of us killed.“We have to go,” my wolf says.“I know, buddy,” I answer. “Just give me a moment.”A few seconds later, I pinpoint the direction we need to go. I concentrat on that song, allowing my body to carry me for

Pippa's POVI watch in horror as Adrian hits the ground, not on his feet or back like Thespian and I did, but on his head.The place where we landed is completely flattened. It looks as if someone dropped a bomb in the middle of the forest. The earth is scorched, trees levelled, and the underbrush is on fire. The smell of smoke and ozone hangs heavy in the air.I’d be in awe of it all if it weren’t for Adrian’s still body lying only a few metres away from me.I quickly shift back to human and rush over, Thespian by my side. He looks fine, better than he did when we were in the prison, but he’s still limping and moves far too slowly for my liking.There’s no time to think about what we had managed to do, but in the back of my mind, I’m aware of the fact that I couldn’t have done it by myself. If it weren’t for Adrian’s aura combining with mine, we would never have been able to escape that prison.Later, when I’m sure my mate is okay, I’ll take all the time I need to figure it all out,

Adrian's POV Thespian moves a little too slow for my liking, but we’re not running from wolves, just humans, and there's no need to rush. So many strange things have happened at the church that I’m sure they’ll have a team of experts from the Vatican here any day now to investigate. They’ll no doubt find some kind of rational or scientific explanation…if only they knew that for many centuries they weren’t too far off the mark with their observations about the supernatural world. “King,” Joseph mind links with me. “Have you gotten away? The police are here now, and I can't keep stalling them.” “Yes. We're far enough so humans won’t find us.” “Monty says he’ll pick you up himself. He told me you were gone for more than a day.” Fuck. That long? “Fine. Thanks. The camp would have lost Pippa’s protection, send word that they need to look out for any possible spies.” “Yes, your majesty.” I remember Bryce’s words. I can't do this alone. “And Joseph, it’s time for you to join me. I nee