Rhiannon’s POVThe fruit tree had everyone in Night Wind ready to celebrate. People were calling it a gift from the Moon Goddess, swearing she’d finally seen our plight and had given us a boon for our loyalty to her, even in these darkest of times. The message on the tree had sold it for most people and, while I hated that so many people were clamouring to get close to Dad’s plaque for reasons that had nothing to do with him, I had heard people murmuring that our family had been blessed in return for our loss.My full belly helped ease the pain and people were, for the most part, respectful. I still had time to walk Foxy Spangles out into the woods and sit in silence with Dad’s memory – only now, the tree provided food for us both. I’d noticed that Foxy particularly liked blackberries, and whenever I took him with me, there always seemed to be an abundance of blackberries on the low-hanging branches.It did make me wonder if those awed whispers could hold some truth. Had the strange f

Rhiannon’s POVI stared helplessly into the wardrobe. My knees hurt from being pressed to the floorboards, but I could barely feel the pain. I was dimly aware that it was there but numb to everything physical.“No,” said Stephen. From the corner of my eye I saw him shake his head vehemently. “She wouldn’t have just run away. Why would she? Things are starting to look up. We have a food supply again. And she was about to be awarded the Chalice of Bravery! That’s never been given to an Omega before. Never. Why would she willingly miss out on that?”“I don’t know,” I whispered, reaching into the pile of mess at the bottom of her otherwise empty wardrobe and pulling out a tatty old sweater. It had been her favourite as a child; it was hideously pink and sparkly, with fluff around the hems, but she’d worn it until it had come apart at the seams.I smiled to myself, but it was a sad, sorrowful smile. “Dad had to sew this up for her,” I murmured, more to myself than to Stephen. “He sewed it

Stephen’s POV‘Excuse me, good sir!’ cried Brian, pointing his paw accusingly at the Alpha. ‘How dare you insinuate such a thing? To claim our mate as your own is treason indeed!’ He huffed. ‘Rhiannon is the Alpha’s mate? Ha! What a load of old poppycock. His mate? His? One gets more experience from years lived than any books or flashy titles, and I have more years under my belt than any of you! Those years have taught me what love looks like – and it is not rugged good looks and bulging muscles, you dallying bastard!’‘Brian!’ I exclaimed. ‘What? He is a dallying bastard! He’s been trying to get his claws in young Rhiannon and her delicious wolf for far too long, and this – this! – is the last straw.’Brian’s anger was a mirror to my own. Held up to my own rage, it doubled it.“Your mate?” I scoffed aloud, trying to snatch my hands out of his grip. My wrists were throbbing concerningly, both of them red-hot and pulsing with pain, and the snapping, grinding sounds coming from them we

Rhiannon’s POVI.Kissed. Your. Sister.The words didn’t make sense to me in that order. I understood all of them individually but, as I stared at Stephen, I couldn’t quite grasp their meaning.Caleb sucked in a sharp breath and slowly lowered his hands.“I don’t understand,” I said eventually. “You and Cin?”Memories flashed before my eyes. Hyacinth and Stephen cuddling on the sofa, twined together in sleep. Stephen not coming to bed, but instead staying downstairs with Hyacinth. Stephen mindlinking Cin, not me, when he’d been poisoned.“Oh my goddess,” I whispered, my stare turning to a frown. “You and Cin,” I repeated, firmer this time.“I’m so sorry,” he whispered back. “I never meant it.”I wanted to be angry. I wanted to be downright fucking furious. But what he’d done was no worse than what I’d done. In fact, aside from the fact it was my twin he’d fooled around with, it was probably better. I felt dizzy. I couldn't think clearly. I was a jumbled mess of feelings and thought

Rhiannon’s POV“Does he have to come?”I glared at Stephen. It was a half-assed glare; I was so emotionally exhausted that I couldn’t put my back into it the way I usually would.“He just wants to help,” I muttered, looking away and back at the letter from Dad again. “We don’t need his help.”I sighed and put the letter down. “He’s the Alpha. I don’t see why you’re being like this, not if you’ve found your true mate too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you didn’t tell me either. We can be glad we all know the truth now, or we can bitch and snap at each other for things that have already happened.” I put my hands on my hips and waited for his verdict.“You slept with him, though. I never slept with Hyacinth.”My eyebrows shot up. “You want an award for not having sex with my twin sister?” I slow-clapped. “Gold star for you, Stephen.”“Don’t be like that.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, then scratched the back of his neck. “I just meant… oh, I don’t know. I’m sorry.”“Me, too. I