My gamble paid off. Every guard and soldier worth employing must be trying to round up Corbin’s men. WIth guilt squeezing at my chest I hoped they got away. This whole heist was driven by me, and I’ve run away. Because I’m finally choosing happiness. The life I want. It’s going to be me and Ayr. I’m already imagining being back in his packhouse. That huge bed, drowning in cushions and caresses. Or the cliff packhouse, once I’ve had everything of Elle’s burned and thrown out.. I just need Ayr. The rough, primal conquering of my body bound me to him. But it was his tender, understanding patience, which brought me to my knees. Holding my hand against his chest, gently bathing me and holding me while I slept. His fingers trailing over my skin. Treasuring me. But to get to that blissful state again, I need to move an awkward, crooked-nosed obstacle. My sister. The plotting, snakelike creature who killed her own father for a shot at the throne. I tethered Pepper back where I first fou

Lucas and I were immediately escorted out of Kallio by a dozen guards. All of them armed, eager to shred us. Elder Cesar stayed with Luna Elle. The so-called victim. He doesn’t believe she’ll slit his throat the instant he ceases to be useful. Annoyingly, I can see I’ve never been important to Elle in any way. I’ve only been useful as a way to hurt Cass. Something I’ve enabled over and over. I know the guards will be mindlinking back to base. To Cesar and Elle. Elder Cesar's place is within those looming white cliffs now. No doubt toasting success with his devious scheming bitch of a Luna. I should have broken her fucking neck. But then my mind replays the sickening lurch of the banner. Where Cass almost died. Even though it hurts like hell, I'd save her every time. Even so, I hate myself for saying I loved Elle. I hate every single statement I was forced to utter. The alternative reality Cass now believed in, where I apparently schemed to kill her father, laughing at her every s

As Ayr’s cousin, I was always destined to stand in his shadow. Older, stronger, broader. Fuck me he was even blonder, somehow. I never resented him for a second. Instead, even as a young boy, I wanted to impress him. My father was his father's most trusted Beta. All I wanted was to follow in the same footsteps. Except somehow, I've become the token court jester-gigolo. Mainly because I'm funny as fuck. Possibly it's because I'm the only person to have seen behind the Alpha title. The Ayr who is actually as normal as any man in his pack. Who is terrified of letting everyone down. Anyway, I am not as sleazy as they make out. In fact, after a while, most Volare girls just wanted to say they’d been with me. A badge of honour. I went along with it. They titter with their friends and brag about the size of my cock, the things I can do with my tongue. It’s not a bad reputation to suffer. Plus it’s one hundred percent accurate. I am amazing. They all want Ayr really. I’m not an idiot. Th

/Have you lost your fucking mind?/ Marcus asks but I don’t answer, just continue to tenderly bind my darling. I stood up after tying the last binding with my own stomach painfully knotted. If I leave it too loose, I know she’ll just take off like a firework. Too tight, I’ll just hate myself even more than I do already. I finally have an opportunity to explain myself, I won’t lose it. Her white shirt and bare stomach are coated in mud. Her gorgeous thighs too, but I try not to look. The seething resentment coming off her makes my wolf wince. But I don’t blame her. Not for a second. This battle has been won. Volare triumphs, Fenton is dead. It barely registers. The sounds of celebration and whooping ricochet around me but the mud-covered siren in front of me takes over everything. Fenton can choose a new Alpha, and the instant they do I’ll be back over here with my Betas to make sure they understand attacking Volare is no longer an option. I usually hate bloodshed. But not today.

Just walking together, my hand in his is leaving me dizzy. He’s holding on a touch too tight. I don’t complain. It's still all a bit surreal.Guiding me wordlessly through the crowd, around a huge bonfire. In the back streets, I vaguely hear Marcus shouting for everyone to get their party going. Tonight was going to be a night for Volare to remember.I doubt Ayr heard much, either. Everything about him was so stiff and tense. He's worrying about me. With his shirt still ripped open, his scars were fully visible. Up close, they look so raw, never to fully heal. I hate Elle so much for so many reasons. Thanks to my wolf, I know now this is about more than me. That I’m dealing with something more cunning than just a resentful sister. But the human, hopeful side of me wonders if maybe Ayr was right. What if we are stronger together than apart?Next time I shift, when my wolf recovers from her wolfsbane, I’ll have so many more questions. Mainly because I have a sneaking suspicion the me