The last few days of fishing pan out. Harry's sources bite. With Ariadne's appearance at the Auction House and the fluttering rumor that certain wolves of the night are planning to blow it away brick by brick, he's surfaced.Victor's packing a bag, getting ready for a stakeout with his Uncle, and Ariadne's making every attempt to slow him down under the guise of cooperation."Baby," Ariadne calls, holding out several different styles of jerky in her hands. "Which one do you want? Spicy or not spicy?""Just put them both in," Victor says, pulling on a Kevlar vest, smoothing out the velcro. "It's fine.""I wanted to eat one too," Ariadne stalls. "Just pick one."Victor indulges the Omega, very aware of the subtle changes in her scent, substantial and sweet, and calling. He doesn't look and points to the package on the very most left.And Ariadne frowns. "But you don't even like ginger."Victor sighs exasperatedly, gracing the Omega with his full attention. "Baby!"Ariadne shrinks back w
Victor's disgusted, another man's fluid spatter on his cheeks. He wipes it away with his fingertips before he silences Gordon with a quick jab to his good eye."You need to shut up, brother," Harry says, folding his arms.Gordon focuses on the man, squinting, tilting his head from side to side as if to add twenty years to the man's visage."Harry? Oh my god, so it really was you that night, at the bar. I thought it was because I skipped a pill. I almost killed you.""Yeah, it's me," the Cold Wolf casually answers. "Long time no see."Gordon does the math in his head, and he turns to the Black Wolf. "Is that you? Victor?"A jolt goes down Victor's spine, but he ignores it."Yea, it's me," he answers."I didn't recognize you with the new hair. It looks weird. You should go back to natural," the man offers.He seems so lucid that Victor has hope, just the barest, that they won't have to hurt him tonight. "Listen, you shot one of my friends."Gordon scrolls backward in his head. "Ah, I sh
Ariadne can’t breathe. All the air has evaporated from her lungs. After a pensive night of waiting, when the hospital called her, she already knew something was wrong.Her wolf had whispered it to her; her other half was in life-threatening danger. Hearing the news that he was shot in the head was merely confirmation.Waylon’s driving, gunning it down the line, street lights passing overhead, a siren wailing in the distance, tires gliding against the road. The Beta’s chillingly put together, streamlined, and steady.Ariadne can’t even figure out the turn signals in her state, hunched over, knees tucked into her chest, crying inconsolably.“He’s-” Waylon begins, voice breaking off into a choked sob. He inhales sharply, focusing on the street, white-knuckle grip on the wheel. “He’s going to be okay.”Ariadne can’t speak, not a single word. Although if she could, she’d simply say that it was her fault, that she should have never let Victor go, she’s not sure he’s going to make it. And th
Ariadne doesn't shrink back from it, eyes of blue fire as she watches her other half. "I'm no one's wh*re. I think you know that."Victor's frown is petulant like a child's as he watches Ariadne carefully, studying every fiber of her making like a jeweler would a sapphire."Waylon, you can go," Ariadne says without turning away from Victor's gaze, locked eyes like two mutual predators sizing one another up.The Beta drinks up the tension in the room and realizes he's not safe standing between these two titans. "I'll be right outside this door—""Go," Ariadne repeats, her voice cut like a knife's edge.Waylon exits, closing the door behind him, a soft gust of air fanning Victor's perfect scent over Ariadne's face.Then they're alone, save for the whirring of machines and the periodic clock ticks on the wall."Alright, tell me what's happened, Omega?" Victor speaks, cold and emotionless. "I know that look in your eyes. Did I kill your lover? Are you looking for revenge?""My name is Ari
Ariadne wakes up from a dream she can’t remember, storm clouds in the distant and screams that could only belong to her children.The Omega wipes the stray tears from her eyes, sitting up from the hotel bed on the side that she’s not used to.It’s Victor’s pillow, his part of the sheets, his scent still trapped in the cotton from the night he’d slept there. Ariadne never should’ve let him leave, and now she’s reduced to cuddling with Victor’s pillow just to fall asleep for a few hours.Orange-Amber eyes appear in the dim, curious and concerned.“I heard a sound,” Waylon asks, cheeks ablaze. “Are you alright, Ariadne?”How could the Omega be alright? She’d just lost her husband and the person wearing his skin; Ariadne has to see him in a few hours to hash out a Pack Alliance.No one in their right mind would be halfway okay with the circumstances.“I’m fine,” Ariadne grumbles. “What time is it?”The dark sky outside gives no clue to the hour, ceaseless rain that could be a dream or nig
It’s only after her sixth drink that Ariadne can begin to calm the shaking in her hands. And even then, it barely takes the edge off. She slams a glass on the table, and Nathan wordlessly pours her another drink.“How far gone is he?” Edward asks, nursing an orange juice, wounds still healing, preventing him from ingesting anything stronger.“Gordon took everything in him,” Ariadne huffs. “There’s nothing left. I-I still haven’t told Ashley or Kelly. I-They’re waiting for me.”As if saying their names invokes the vibrations in the universe, Nathan’s phone starts buzzing. He checks it, now well over midnight, approaching dawn.“It’s Anna,” Nathan announces gravely.And her children, no doubt.Ariadne sets down her drink, wiping the tired from her face and running a hand through her unruly white-blonde locks.“Answer it,” Ariadne says.“You sure,” Nathan replies, finger hovering over the button.“Do it,” Ariadne confirms.Nathan presses the thing, and before he can even say hello, Anna
It's been two days. Every muscle, bone, and sinew in Victor's body aches. It's like the disks in his spine have been replaced by razor blades, and no amount of drink seems to dull the pain.Blindly seeing crimson, Victor tosses his glass into the opposite wall, shattering the thing into a million pieces.Then, chest heaving, he moves himself to the bathroom to sober up, drawing a hot bath. He wants so badly to move on.Only the man in the mirror is a stranger to him as he hovers over the sink, eyes glowing with red agitation. Who did he become in the last five years?And who is Ariadne Emerson to him?The Alpha looks older, fatter, the barest of laugh lines touching his eyes, the ghost of untold joy.But the most notable difference is the scar on his neck, the mark on his scent glands. It was something he promised he'd never do to himself, bear such a thing.The same thing that ended up killing his father.And the way Ariadne Emerson knew him, so well, so completely. How in love were
Victor doesn't know where he's driving until he's already there, late afternoon, cloudy and cool, a sea of white dandelions.This is where he laid his father and mother to rest. Why did he come here? Perhaps to see if there was still one constant in this shifting world that has no place for him.Their graves are still there, the stones weather-worn, and the grass needs to be cut. There are fresh flowers placed over the graves. Curiously enough, someone else has been here.Victor wonders who it could be, inspecting the blooms, lilies, and baby's breath."Everything I built is gone," Victor whispers. "All I wanted to do was come out from under your shadow, old man." He sits in the grass, ignoring the cool moisture that seeps into his clothing. "Why the f*ck did you have to cast such a big shadow?"Victor can't even speak to his mom. Her passing had been so painful, the fire-eating her body. They had to bury an empty casket and a picture frame. "What should I do? I'm so—"The Alpha reali