Narcissa's POV There were worse places to be than rock bottom; never let anyone tell you otherwise.The people loved a comeback."Sissy?"Ah, sweet Callia!She'd been the first to reach me when we'd been so rudely kicked off the estate of the Obsidian Moon pack. She'd gone back to recover our belongings and secure us a carriage. I'd been surprised by Callia's ability to be level-headed enough to do that, but maybe that was the work of that little upstart Dahlia.Where was the little bitch anyway?I pressed my face to the glass of the carriage, searching for the little tramp, when my mind drifted elsewhere. Where were we going?I didn't know where we were off to in such a rush, and Callia didn't say.Not that I cared much.I could use a vacation with all the work I'd been putting in lately! Sebastian owed me that much. They all did! The miserable staff, my appalling stylist, and her horrid baby which was born of my fiancé himself–with h

Ayda's POV The morning after my fight with Sebastian was far more domestic than I thought it would be. We had breakfast in the tea room rather than the dining hall as I'd expected.The informality of the seating arrangement was just what I needed.One thing I liked about my life as a commoner was how everyday practices—like meal times, reading, or even hobbies—were all done in a communal setting. A practice only those who'd endured long generational friendships based on mutual goodwill and training, or for the formality of being related to each other, were allowed the privy of in an aristocrats' home. In a commoner's home, there was no stiffy nature of formality because of decorum; one could relax and truly be as they were amongst the common people! It made all the above practices even more enjoyable in a sense and staved off the inherent loneliness that seemed to plague the castle and manors inhabited by the upper echelons of Lycan society.I suspected S

Ayda's POV The morning came, and, to her disappointment, Nicolette wasn't cleared until tomorrow to travel by carriage per the good doctor's orders. Without someone to accompany me who was a little more trustworthy than Zoe (who was far too eager to travel about with a killer still at large), I was stuck until the next cock crow to venture again. Sebastian would have accompanied me to get our son, but he was too busy wrapped up in kingly duties to risk a few days from the castle.So, to not have the entire day wasted, I decided to keep working on my fencing lessons with Sebastian.Though I was much more careful to keep any sexiness out of it after we'd been caught the last time.Nicolette, not wanting to be trapped in her room for longer than was strictly necessary, decided that she'd join us in training. Granted, from the safe confines of the bench, hurling little throwing knives at a bull's eyes–looking miserable.I would have dispatched Zoe upon the poor wo

Ayda's POV "Was there something the matter?"Nicolette had gone to the kitchens to talk to Liv after Maud's funeral. I'd been there in the beginning, offering what condolences I could until it came time to make a trek to the shrine in the woods where Kostas was having a private ceremony. At least, I had hoped it was private; other than the priestess and Sebastian, no one else had shown up for the old king. Not even his Beta."Not quite…" Nicolette glanced back, looking woefully unsure of herself. "I'm sure it's nothing but travel jitters. Don't pay me any mind…"She wasn't the only one who had strange feelings about our impending journey to Opal Moon. It was almost as if something dreadful was going to happen. Which was why, even though she objected rather loudly, I'd decided to keep Zoe at the castle. Sebastian assured me that he would keep an eye on my little sister, to which she petulantly declared she was not a child.It was hard not to ruffle her hair whe

Ayda's POV "Mom, we just can't let this crazy bitch do what she likes!" Miranda paced the room. Narcissa had locked us in the lower level of the ziggurat while she went to the top t with my son in one hand and a black dagger in the other. "She's going to use what's left of the townsfolk to make a sacrifice to open up the veil enough to see the Gates of Tartarus! She's going to destroy the world, kill all of us, and herself with it. Why are you just sitting there!?""Your mother needs that herb more than life itself," Kathrine flexed her fingers, and more chains snaked around Nicolette and me. I was starting to grow worried. Nicolette hadn't woken up yet, and her wounds were still bleeding. "Would you have me watch another mate die? Do you think I could survive it a second time?""You won't need to survive it if the world ends." I thrashed harder against my bonds, my body shifting to that of a half-wolf. Bolstered by the pull of the full moon, I knew I wouldn't have near