A reluctant procession of miserable slaves raised me to adulthood. To feel not only the power of Declan’s love, but the affection of so many people, it is a wonder I haven't shot out of this bunker like a rocket.He looked so handsome. Wearing a dark top and pants, running his hands through his shaggy brown hair like he does when he’s nervous. He never flinched when he took over this place all those months ago. Allowing people to see he was happy was a tougher task, and I loved him all the more for it.I had feared the mate bond for a long time. Until I turned eighteen, I held a phobia that it could be Ronan. I remember as part of the horror of the night he attacked me, a strange, fleeting little drop of relief amidst the trauma that he was not my mate.Elvie clutched my hands and cried, tears streaming down her face, “I knew you had got back together, but mates?”“I know, I never got a chance to tell you this morning,” as she wrapped me in a hug.“I am so happy for you! He is a good

I took my moment to hold Lyra and enjoy the scent of vanilla mixed with the fresh breeze. I gave myself a minute because I knew it would be nothing but graft for the next few days. Every rogue and original worked like beasts for the following week. Nobody wanted to return to sleep underground, we powered through. One of the black bedsheets was hoisted from a tower, acting as a flag of safe passage, enabling their scouts to report back that the raid all those months ago had been successful. Every morning I brief the dozens of people stood before me. “Are all bedrooms heated and lit now?” “Yes Alpha,” Arlen replied consulting his clipboard, a ridiculously large black fur hat perched on his head. “The last one was Viktor and Corina’s cell block, but now every room has the essentials.” “How much more food is to be brought up?” “Another five trips with at least a dozen men,” Elvie said, her hands on her hips. Refusing to bow to pen and paper, although I wondered if that was because sh

“A fucking party,” Reu grunts as he helps me lug crate after crate of booze from the trucks. Hauling them from the courtyard into one of the kitchen storage. Beldon has his own little team working down in the bunker, fixing explosives ready for blowing up the final safe door. The dank, musty beer cellar already smelt of mice droppings. I reminded myself to check where the hell we were storing the food. “What did you think of what Morrell said?” Reu checked for any listeners up the stairs, his blue eyes narrowing just enough for me to know he felt the same as me about their arrival. “Which bit, there was a lot of weird shit to keep track of.” “The part where he knew we'd have no safe codes. Was he happy for us to just wipe out Valdis and maybe starve to death? Why didn’t he send us with dynamite? You see how small that box is they’re wiring up? We could have carried one of those each!” Reu paused, rubbing his chin. “You think he’s surprised to see us alive? We were collateral dama

The drama was cut short as Morrell clapped his hands, the space falling silent. Elvie put her hands behind her back as he started up a long speech about victory and choices. How amazing his band of Rogues were to defeat every obstacle. Elvie just muttered swear words under her breath as Amelie’s brown curls bounced away towards the blonde, beaming Fabian. He was more than happy to wrap a brawny arm around her. She quickly turned, caught Elvie’s eye, and winked. Hearing her growl again, I had to whisper. “Elvie, you can’t…” “I know, but my wolf. The idea of anyone interfering with what we’ve got and my mind goes haywire.” “Do you think you might be mates? You’ll find out in a couple of weeks?” “I don’t know. It wouldn’t change how I feel about him either way,” her eyes darted across the courtyard as a concerned Reu and Declan stared at us. They had seen Amelie, too. /Don’t worry/ I mind linked, wondering how long we had to stay at this so-called party. Declan looked so handsome in

I’m trying to keep a lid on things but I feel like a frozen water bottle. The cap has rocketed away, the pressure of the expanding water rendering the bottle ruptured and useless. I have spent my whole life knowing I am nothing. Gutter born and gutter bred. Until everything changed. Before the Freeze, my opinions were not cared for, my voice carried no weight. I would float above, my wolf deftly carrying me out of my own consciousness for the nights Valdis attacked my body with his vile, leathery carcass. Mara, Willa, Jess, Natalie, Holly, Charlotte, Violet, Ivy, an endless parade of names over the years. Women, girls who came in as new faces and left as sunken corpses. Mara was certain to be the next one to leave me. Self-preservation left me to be cooler towards her, how many people can you endure losing just as you connect to them? Before the Freeze I could see her spirit had been broken. Privately I had wondered how Lyra did it, tending to so many broken people, flogging herse