All Chapters of The Counterfeit Mate: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

Florence POV: The Web of Deceit"More Imperators," Tony mutters beside me. From behind a tree, we watch the black SUV speed into the night, taking Jason away.All three of us rush back into the car. It was Shawn's idea that we get out of it. In case there's trouble, we won't be sitting ducks. I had sense the trap even before Jason reached the house. I look at Tony."Do what you have to do," I say. "Get the fighters together.""How about you?"I look at the gate. "I'm going in there.""Are you crazy?” Shawn asks. “What if there are more Imperators inside? Those things turn into bloodthirsty automatons! They have orders from the Royal House to slaughter anyone who resists—""They already have Jason," I say. "And there aren't any Imperators left in that house. Irene and Penny are still inside . . . I have unfinished business with both of them."Knowing better than to argue, Shawn and Tony shift the Mercedes into gear and drive off into the dark to rally our loyalists.I walk through th

Florence POV: The Power of the HolderI hurry out of the sanatorium. A taxi screeches to a stop at the curb and Susie steps out, her face pale with panic."Florence!" she breathes, rushing over to grab my arms. "Shawn called me! He told me Jason was taken to the dungeons and that you were on your own. What are we going to do?!""No time to explain in detail, Susie," I say, adrenaline pushing me on. "I need you to come with me to the Council Hall right now."Susie blinks at first, but after a moment, she nods and pulls me toward the passenger side. "Then get in. Let's go make some noise."Ten minutes later, we burst through the towering doors of the Council building. The lobby is oddly eerie this early morning. The person at the reception this time is a young woman with bleached blonde hair. She's lazily twirling a strand around her finger while reading an funny book. She's popping loud bubbles with her pink chewing gum."Excuse me," I say, stepping up to the desk, my hands planted on

Florence POV: The Path to the Royal HouseI could never get used to the sight of a dead man. Or blood, or ruin, like the ones that's been pervasive in this pack for some time now. So I look away. But Isobel?Well, she calmly walks past Lasher’s lifeless body, and with style, perches on one of the benches. She crosses her legs and gives me the villain's gesture with her eyes. "Hello, everyone," she says, her voice voice cool. "Sorry to ruin your morning.""Isobel . . ." I whisper, my voice trembling as I look from her to the body on the floor. "Y-You just killed a councilman."Isobel tilts her head to glance at the body. She offering a bitter half-smile. "He isn't the first man I've killed in recent times, Florence, but it's fine. Someone needed to clean house around here."She looks up toward the bench. The remaining council men suddenly start scrambling. Their eyes are huge as they pick their papers and gather their garments off the floor. "You gentlemen can leave," Isobel announc

Florence POV: The RescueDetective Joe South suddenly steps his foot on the brakes. The Plymouth comes to a screeching stop in the middle of the highway.Susie and I are thrown forward against our seatbelts. Susie shrieks. My face hits the back of the detective's headrest and I wince in pain. "My apologies, ladies," Joe says, adjusting his rear-view mirror with his bandaged fingers. "But this is where I am stopping."Susie rubs her nose and glares at the man. She yells, "What? We can't walk the rest of the way! Look at how far out we are!""You need to walk the rest of the way, Ms. Patton," Joe says to me. "Trust me, you want to. The Royal House is not a place you march into blindly or unprepared. Have you ever met Lazaro Bruen?""Who is that?""He's the Rector of the Eight Territories," he answers with a grim look in his one eye. "And he is as notoriously cruel as he is obscenely fat. A former magician and a master con artist."My brow furrows in confusion. "The Rector did magic?""

Jason POV: The Illusion of Mercy"The single best thing about every great love story," Lazaro muses with flair, "is a good, satisfying ending. It's that sudden, sweet reprieve after holding your breath for so long."I glower silently at the gluttonous Rector, wondering what sick card he has left up his sleeve. Just moments ago, he had led me to a high arch window overlooking the training grounds and pointed down.Down in the fields, I had watched Florence frantically trying to climb up a an oak tree. She looked small, exhausted, and but desperately determined. I boiled with rage at the mockery of it all. I wanted to tear down the place with my bare hands. But when Lazaro turned to study my face, I gave him a calm smile. He is trying to break my spirit, to goad me into a foolish mistake.Now, I walk a step behind him down a lavish corridor, two lumbering Imperators trail close at our heels."You'll eventually discover I'm not such a bad Rector after all," Lazaro continues conversation