All Chapters of Tribrid : Rejected By One, Claimed By Four: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

POV: CADE MERRICK The sound of metal hitting stone was the only thing I could hear inside the cold, concrete armory of the Sentinel Outpost. I sat at my workbench under the bright lights, focused on the weapon in front of me. I checked my customized heavy rifle, pulling the bolt back to make sure the chamber was clear before sliding a fresh magazine into place. Everything I carried was made for one thing: killing. My tactical vest was lined with iron plates covered in protective runes, my forearms were wrapped in dark leather marked with anti-magic wards, and my belt held several small vials that could slow down dangerous creatures. I didn't care about pack politics. I didn't care about vampire royalty. I was one of the Hunter Guild's best hunters, and I followed orders. When a creature became too dangerous, I was the one they sent after it. The heavy steel door at the back of the armory opened with a sharp hiss. Commander Jordan stepped into the room, his boots hitting the floor

POV: CADE MERRICK Eight hundred yards away, high up in the wet branches of an old pine tree, the world had narrowed down to the black circle of my scope. I sat completely still in my harness, my heavy rifle resting on the steel bipod. The night vision turned the dark forest into shades of green and silver, cutting through the fog hanging over the clearing. Rain hit my hood, but I didn't feel it. I breathed in slowly through my nose and out through my mouth, keeping my body steady against the rifle. Inside my crosshairs, Aria Frost was trapped in the mud. The runic trap had worked. The heavy silver chains were wrapped around her arms, waist, and ankles, the enchanted metal burning against her skin. Smoke rose from her torn dress as she struggled in pain, her face turned toward the dark sky. She couldn't run. She couldn't use her magic. She couldn't use her wolf strength. She was trapped in the middle of the clearing with nowhere to go. My finger rested lightly against the tri

POV: ARIA FROST The air inside the ancient ruins was so thick with male dominance and hatred that it was hard to breathe normally. I sat on a broken stone pedestal near the back wall, pulling a dry wool cloak tighter around my shoulders. The old ruins deep inside the neutral forest gave us some shelter from the freezing rain, but they did nothing to ease the tension inside the room. The four of us were stuck under the same roof, and every second felt like one wrong move could start another fight. Brecken leaned against a broken pillar near the entrance, his huge arms crossed over his chest. His palms were still burned from breaking the silver chains, but his golden eyes never left me. His chest rose and fell with every breath, his wolf still restless beneath his skin, ready to attack anyone who moved too quickly. A few feet away, Lucian stood in the shadows, looking annoyingly calm as he wiped a small piece of dirt from the sleeve of his black suit. His crimson eyes glowed fa

POV: ARIA FROST The cold wind blew through the wide, cracked openings of the stone ruins as a heavy snowstorm rolled into the Deadwoods. Snow covered the ground while I sat on the cold stone, pulling the thin wool cloak tighter around myself. My teeth chattered as the pain inside my body grew worse. My temperature kept changing without warning. One moment, the vampire blood inside me made my whole body feel cold, and the next, my wolf heat rushed through me until my skin felt like it was burning. My three natures were still fighting for control, and I had no idea how much longer my body could handle it. I tried to move closer to the small fire Cade had made, but my legs gave out before I could get there. Before I could fall, two strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. "Come here," Brecken said quietly. He lifted me from the stone and pulled me onto his lap, sitting with his back against a stone pillar. His leather jacket covered most of my body as his arms came aro

The box arrived at noon. Gareth brought it in holding it away from his body like it might bite him. Small. Black. Matte finish with no markings on the outside except for a silver clasp at the front. No note this time. No envelope. Just the box.He set it on the dining table and stepped back.Brecken looked at it for a long moment without touching it. His jaw was tight. "Same seal as the envelope," Gareth said. "Gate camera caught the delivery. A man in black. Gone before the guards could reach him."Brecken looked at me.I looked at the box.My vampire side was already awake. She leaned toward it the way she always leaned toward anything connected to Lucian. Low hum. Quiet want. My wolf growled in response. My witch side was watching everything carefully."Don't touch it," Brecken said."I know," I said.But I was already moving toward the table.Not the pull from before. This was different. This was curiosity. Or something my vampire side was calling curiosity and I was trying not t