AntiopeAll around me chaos. Everyone is either screaming or growling or crying. We are back in Magnus’s office and the Council is losing it fast. Magnus is caught! Magnus is held and we don’t know by whom and what for.“Kill them all! Attack!” Torhild proposes for the millionth time.“Calm down,” Egil tries. “We need to know what we are up against.”“Our Alpha,” someone laments.And me? I have both hands on his desk, my back on the others, barely holding it together. He is gone. One night with him. That’s all I got. One night. And now he is gone. He is not dead, I would know by the sheering pain in my very soul but other than that I know nothing. He could be in pain, hurt, tortured. Goddess! I squeeze my eyes together.Why did I have to connect the dots? Why did he have to be that foolish? Why am I not there with him? Why? Why? Why?“Let’s go to them,” Max is begging me constantly.Her pain is greater than mine. She is an animal and she has two basic needs: survive, procreate. And th
MagnusAntiope, Antiope, Antiope, Antiope. That’s all I can think about. A constant prayer that I foolishly believe it could become a magic spell to make her appear before me. No!I would never wish for Antiope to see me like this ever. It would break her heart and I would die seeing her hurt once more because of me. One night together. That’s all we got. If I never see her again, I will always remember her spread on that shore after the night we spent together. I will die with the memory of that soft, sated smile on her lips.“We are going to see them again,” Henrar refuses to give up and I thank him for that.I look around once more in despair. I have no way of knowing where exactly we are but I know we are North. The dark cave is hidden deep but I would recognize that sharp cold anywhere in the world. Maybe norther than my borders, in the territory of the Rogue King perhaps. Though I have smelled no rogues. I am up against an enemy I do not know and that makes him the greatest thre
Antiope“Are you sure about this?” Egil asks for the millionth time.No.“Yes,” I lie. “Just do what you are told and make sure everyone does as well.”“You know we will follow your lead, Luna, but-”“I know, Egil,” I cut him off.All my focus is on the brink of our border. Any minute now. I will see him again any minute now. I try to control my body but I can’t. Whoever is about to come holding Magnus will sense my perturbation. But maybe I will be able to pin that to wrath or hate. Let him think it’s for Magnus and not for his ass.“I will kill him!” Maximo threatens.“Keep calm, Max. This is not the time to be impatient. All in good time.”And right at that moment, there is movement from the trees of the forest before us. Then a group of men appears. Ten of them, all stark naked and all abnormally tall and wide. I feel Egil shift to my side. But I freeze when I see two of them, holding a leash. A leash that leads to a collar. A collar that is around Magnus’s neck. Goddess! His head
AntiopeIf I bite down my jaw anymore, my teeth will break. But it’s all I can do to keep me from losing it. And if I lose it now, all will be lost forever. So, I bite down harder and remind myself to breathe.I look around in the vast open space of the pack-house. Last time we were all gathered here, the whole pack, it was Sonja’s birthday. The day Magnus...Magnus.Without turning my head, I glance at Magnus. He is chained outside on the same sliding doors he followed me through that day. Two of our enemies are guarding him and he is still dazed. My jaw aches from the pressure I put on it. I can’t bear to see him like that.“Do you feel sorry for him?”Fuck.I turn to the man sitting right next to me on the banqueting table. I know half the pack is questioning my logic right now. Throwing a feast for the men that dragged our Alpha back as if he is cattle? But to their credit, they did not question me and do as I order.Not that these animals participate a lot. The rest of the men a
AntiopeIf I bite down my jaw anymore, my teeth will break. But it’s all I can do to keep me from losing it. And if I lose it now, all will be lost forever. So, I bite down harder and remind myself to breathe.I look around in the vast open space of the pack-house. Last time we were all gathered here, the whole pack, it was Sonja’s birthday. The day Magnus...Magnus.Without turning my head, I glance at Magnus. He is chained outside on the same sliding doors he followed me through that day. Two of our enemies are guarding him and he is still dazed. My jaw aches from the pressure I put on it. I can’t bear to see him like that.“Do you feel sorry for him?”Fuck.I turn to the man sitting right next to me on the banqueting table. I know half the pack is questioning my logic right now. Throwing a feast for the men that dragged our Alpha back as if he is cattle? But to their credit, they did not question me and do as I order.Not that these animals participate a lot. The rest of the men a
AntiopeI walk to the sauna by the lake and I see Astrid waiting outside. From inside the sauna, I hear the light laughter of women and the low growl of men.“All of them?”“Yes, as instructed. Except the ones guarding our Alpha, of course. Karina tried but they didn’t even look at her. They were starved for some physical affection if you know what I mean. We got them eating right out of our palms,” Astrid smiles. “But Luna...”I know what she is going to ask. I know because I have the same doubts in the back of my head. But only the thought that these animals hold Magnus like a rabid dog, that they dared attack me in numbers like cowards, the fact that filthy usurper is here to use my pack for his schemes, is enough to make me boil inside and all doubts go up in flames. This need to be done.“Do it after the first dive,” I order.Astrid nods and I retreat to the tree line. I asked the women of my pack to do this and I will be right there to see it through. I will not shy away.I mind
MagnusI have to get to Antiope. I need to get to her. She is in danger and that imposter dared touch her. Touched my mate, what’s mine. He kissed her. He goddamn kissed her!My blood boils at the thought and I strain in the chains I am in. If I try I could free myself and kill those bastards holding me like I did those before. But I can’t. Antiope might be in danger, my whole pack might be held captive and I cannot risk any harm coming upon them because I didn’t use my brain.I was drugged most of the time as I was brought here so I had barely registered things. Except for her. I smelled her and sensed her right away and that’s how I knew I was back in my pack. And then I heard Maximo howling in protest.Another male was touching them, and Henrar didn’t even ask for permission as he took over. He didn’t need to. I was right there with him, ready to kill everyone in the room. She stopped that man from attacking me and she took away the chance to rip off his face.What is she planning?
MagnusThe silver chains are taken down from the wall by my guards but still kept around my limbs. I guess they don’t trust me enough. Good! Without talking they push me up the stairs and I brace myself.My senses are coming back to me and I faintly hear the voices of my pack in my head. Still as a whisper in the back of my mind but it’s a relief. And when we are outside the packhouse, I see all of them are gathered there, with a serious look on their face.I know what is going to happen. We are heading to the Circle. That asshole thinks he will ridicule me in front of my pack and mate.When we reach the place, Antiope is there with that asshole by her side. She has carefully thrown a coat over her shoulders to hide her injury. I see sweat beads on her forehead and the struggle to keep a straight face while tortured by pain. I need to end this swiftly so that I can take care of her.When I approach, I turn all my attention to my opponent. He has bared his chest and feet as is custom a