That was how far this piece of shit was going to go? Daniel looked him up and down, measuring the worth of the Catii family's heir. They were nearly the same age, Matthew Catii only several months older, but he was shorter and skinnier, less built. The Heether family had always been well-built, but comparing their physical gifts was just a sad affair. Matthew Catii should keep to himself instead of stirring snakes' nests. He wasn't...constructed for confrontation. Especially not with Daniel, who was being steadily tested past his limits. He was one breath away from snapping."No, thank you," he said. "Beth is not a bargaining chip to get to your information. You should leave. Now.""Don't be ridiculous. I'm offering more than information, I'm offering help. Moon Goddess knows you need it -"Daniel shifted. He was already bare-chested from training several minutes before he went in to see his father, but the rest of his clothes were torn to shreds as muscles bulged, fur bristled, and h
There were too many pieces scattered, too many inexplicable actions, too many suspicions Daniel had shoved away for the sake of peace. He had known something was odd for weeks ever since he had learned that Elizabeth Rokley had changed her mind within a matter of hours about her arranged marriage to Warren. Everyone had known for months that the girl had raised hell to get out of it, using every tactic short of true disgrace to get her father to change her mind. Interrupting important meetings with other men had been such a commonplace incident that even Daniel, who wasn't yet involved in the Heether family's business matters, knew of all the trouble she had sowed in her father's house to get out of the match he had arranged for her.And then, in one night, that had all changed. The Heether pack's men who had arrived at the Rokley estate ahead of Warren, Daniel, and their other two brothers had confirmed as much. Just the day before the wedding, Elizabeth Heether had sprinted out o
Six weeks earlier -"I'm sorry," said Beth. "It's been confirmed. There were no survivors.""You mean - you mean there were no survivors besides - besides -""No. I mean...Brian and Carlo are also...""No, no, you're wrong. You're wrong!" The two women were on the couch across from her, but the one shouting stood up, eyes wide. "I would know if he's been killed. He's alive, I know it! Why are you doing this!""Amelia, please. Listen to me.""No! No, you listen to me! You don't know anything. You weren't even married to Warren for a single day before he left. You don't care! You don't care! I'll go. I'll go and see for myself!" Amelia fell to her knees, and she scrabbled for the coffee table before collapsing to the floor. Beth leaped to her feet and rushed over to catch her, as did the other woman on the couch. "Janine...Janine, let's go together," Amelia begged, half-choking. "My Carlo and your Brian, we'll find them for sure. We'll bring them back home. We -"She broke off and fell
"I don't think that's the kind of person you are," said Beth. "Take some time to think about it. I'll be here if you need me."Amelia didn't understand. Why was she always the weak one? Why was there never anyone else to be weak with her, to fold just like she always did when things became difficult? Janine was too strong to ever run away, so Amelia had known better than to ask for her and confide in her what she planned to do, but Elizabeth was young and new to the Heether family. She had only just married Warren days before and hadn't even gotten to consummate their mating, and besides that, she was only eighteen years old and had rebelled so viciously against the arranged marriage. She would leave for sure, and Amelia wouldn't have to deal with her shame alone so long as someone else also bore the weight of it.But the look in Elizabeth's eyes when she had turned to face her had dashed away all those hopes. It was only Amelia who was weak, and even Elizabeth the young widow of onl
The horrific bruise around Janine's throat had almost disappeared hours later, her werewolf healing making the injury disappear as if it had never been there. Beth hadn't left her side since the last words she had uttered in that broken, rasping voice, and now the woman was sitting up in bed, hands clasped over the sheets. There were things she wanted to say. Of that, Beth had no doubt. She just had to wait for her to speak."Brian and I were arranged to be married too, like you and Warren," said Janine. Her voice was clear again, but there was still a crumbling weakness underneath each word that almost made her sound as if she were choking on a noose even now. "And I was like you in the beginning," she continued. "I'd heard so many things about the Heether pack. Brutish. Savage. Terrible men who clawed their way to the top by fighting and killing everyone who got in their way. My family was at odds with them since it's full of envious, vindictive people...people I thought were good a
Elizabeth,I know everything I need to know and am writing you now to tell you that the best place for you to be is back here. Your father and I have already made arrangements to increase protection around our territory in case the rogue wolves decide to attack us next, since there's no doubt in my mind that you're a target. You're the widow of Warren Heether, and that means you're a trophy still uncollected for them. I won't have it. Your father and I are waiting for you already by the time you receive this letter, and the only reason we haven't come to collect you ourselves is because secrecy is paramount. If we leave the pack house, word will spread and all eyes will be on us and you.So when you leave the Heether territory, you absolutely must not draw attention to yourself. Come with protection, but not so many escorts that the rogue wolves will spot you in an instant on the road. Come disguised, and come right away. I will tell you the rest when you're here, but no matter what,
Beth didn't recognize this voice, but there was only one man it could belong to. The final guest she had been waiting for had arrived at last."You must be Mr. Ad-""Just Adrian, please." The elderly man extended a graceful hand, and she shook it with a smile. "I didn't expect to discover that the Elizabeth Heether who wrote me that masterfully composed letter could be such a young lady. I saw you earlier but wandered until I found someone who assured me you are the lady indeed. I apologize for my tardiness."He was warm, polite, sophisticated. In hindsight, she must have heard something about him before, a scandal that had erupted in the very house of the ruling Silver Nation pack, but all she could remember was a vague mention of a wolf who had gone rogue from the Heether den decades ago. Maybe that was it, and the truth that he had even gone so far as to go to the side of the Gold Nation's ruling pack for years had been omitted from the gossip. Either way, she had taken a risk by
Beth had known he would be here. Inviting Matthew Catii had been a necessity because of pack politics, and that was the only reason she had even spared him a single thought, nothing more. With his father nearly useless and having long since shunted most of his Alpha duties to his eldest son, of course Matt was going to come along with him. And to not invite Bronze Nation's ruling pack at all would have been a terrible insult, enough to fracture relations for generations to come. And now was the worst time of all for the Heether pack to accidentally burn bridges.Still. Fucking Matt. It took everything she had to not turn and slam her fist into his face. How she not only managed that but also to fake a pleasant face as she greeted him back, she would never know. "Hello, Matthew. I hope you and Annalise are doing well. The wedding is coming up so I'm sure you're busy. My friend here and I need to step inside briefly, but we can speak later -"Matt's hand closed around her wrist, and her