Sebastian's pack's povFrom Farrell's point of view, as our forces gathered on Scar's property, there was a strong smell of bloodlust and approaching violence. The whirling tornado of feelings angry, afraid, determined overpowered my psychic perceptions. Knowing that I was essential to seeing any ambushes or traps the adversary had set, I calmed myself. Rux remarked, "I've got your back, buddy," his big frame soothingly present next to me. Since we were puppies, we have trained together, a strong relationship created in combat.With a nod, I widened my psychic circle in quest of oddities. The compound was in front of them, a massive fortification encircled by thick woodland. A little psychic signal shook me, but before I could identify it, everything went crazy.From Dimitri's point of view, when we drew near to the enemy's stronghold, my blood boiled with a desire for retribution. Sebastian has committed an awful sin by giving those beasts his pups. If necessary, my bare hands would
Anna & Hendrix POVFrom Anna's point of view, the damp cell smelled of mildew and hopelessness, but it couldn't put out the hope that burned in my heart. Hendrix cuddled up next to me, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears he would not let to fall. Being the children of an Alpha, we would not submit to our captors.Our jail walls trembled, dumping dust and dirt on us. There was the distinctive smell of combat, faint shouts and the sound of steel colliding from somewhere beyond.His nostrils flared, Hendrix sat up. "They've come for us, dad's pack."The insight shot through me. Dad would never desert us not even to that evil Sienna. They were battling, taking every chance to get us home without incident.We could not, however, wait to be saved by sitting about. Our just woken powers throbbed in our veins, ready to be let go. It was time we showed ourselves, for we were the children of the strongest Alpha, not simply weak puppies."We have to help them, Hendrix," I said, hushedly. "We ca
Athena & Sebastian POVFrom Athena's point of view, my blade sung through the air, cutting through demonic flesh like it were silk. The awful things that had dared to attack my family collapsed in front of me, their screams of pain music to my ears.There was an avalanche of slamming steel and savage yells all around. But at that time, all I could think about was getting to Sebastian and escaping the evil spell that was keeping my friend in jail.Rux and Farrell battled with me, their unflinching allegiance a barrier against the darkness that was trying to overtake us. By inch by painful inch, we cut a route through the mayhem with every enemy we killed.Then I saw them, our priceless kids Anna and Hendrix, standing strong and defiant among the destruction, like a lighthouse piercing the darkness. As I looked at their changed states the living symbols of our aristocratic ancestry pride sprang in my chest.But when I saw the sight materialize in front of them, that pride was quickly ov
Sienna POVPain. Every nerve was pierced by white hot pain, my broken body protesting. My own poisoned lifeblood gathered beneath me in a spooky red halo. Where? How was I, Sienna, brought to such a miserable condition? Been broken and defeated, vanquished by that horrible Athena and her companion?From the core of my being, hate erupted in a hot flood that burned away the sorrow. It would not be them undoing me, not after millennia of painstaking preparation. With clenched teeth, I called forth the meager sorcerous force that remained in me and let it to run through my demolished body like a poison. Groaned and knitted together, bones helped flesh to sew itself back into a hideous appearance of life.The demonic powers were twisted and corrupting me from the inside out with every painful breath. But that made little difference to me. The price of the all-consuming vengeance that would soon be mine was little sacrifice.Getting up, I looked over the battlefield, assessing the shattere
Scar POVEvery forced breath suffocated me with the odor of failure that hung heavy in the air. My soldiers' remains were scattered over the area, their once-mighty bodies reduced to little more than frayed husks.How? The question sparked my remaining sanity like a brand. How could we have sunk so low, driven to such a pitiful condition by the miserable pack we had set out to destroy?An all-consuming fire that had driven me to do everything for innumerable moons, hatred threatened to eat me from the inside out. I spat a globule of poisoned blood on the ground, my disfigured body yelling in protest at every little motion.Scar, you've lead us into a wonderful disaster.My self loathing was sliced through by Drystan's gravelly baritone, and his words were tinged with a sarcastic contempt that just made me angrier. I fixed the damaged Alpha with a sneer that might have curdled milk, rounding on him. I'll rip your tongue out of your worthless hide, mutt. Watch your tongue.Drystan laugh
Athena POVThe room was glowing warm and golden as the gentle morning light came in through the gossamer drapes. In sharp contrast to the stench of combat that had formerly filled the air, a light breeze blew the delightful aroma of wildflowers through the open windows.I stopped as my eyes opened to just breathe and enjoy the peace of the moment. There was no sense of mounting dread or imminent danger just beyond the horizon for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.I had won. Against all the circumstances, our family had triumphed in the furnace of hardship, our relationships strengthened in the furnace of war.With a happy sigh, I turned to see the sleeping figure next to me. My partner, my other half, Sebastian, reclined in quiet rest, the caress of sleep smoothing his chiseled features.He emanated a quiet power even in this vulnerable state, a resilience that had got us through our worst moments. I could not resist and with my feather light fingertips traced the contou
Athena & Sebastian POVI had never seen such a depth of grief in Sebastian's eyes, as though he were exposing his entire soul for my assessment. Sitting in the quiet of our rooms, the roaring fire created flickering shadows over his chiseled features.He started, "You deserve to know everything, my love," his voice barely audible above a whisper but with a weight that seemed to vibrate through the air itself. "No longer omissions, no more half truths, no more secrets." A piece of me wanted to argue, to reassure him that the past was behind us and that the future we would create together was what counted. Deep down, though, I understood that without total candor between us, real healing would never occur.I therefore said nothing, allowing him to reveal the facts that had been hidden for far too long.Sebastian took a breath that settled, his eyes far away as though he were looking into the recesses of a long gone past.You knew me to be a strong, unflinching man. But that was just a f
Sienna Mother POVThe elaborate stained glass windows let in a kaleidoscope of hues that spread across the chilly stone floor in the morning. But the vivid colors did not much help to dispel the veil of regret and grief that had settled inside these sacred walls.I knelt before the altar, my old hands clenched in intense prayer, looking for comfort in the presence of God. But even as the words came out of my mouth, rote recitals learned since I was a child, a part of me questioned whether I was deserving of the forgiveness I so much wanted.Because I was a mother, a title carries with it the holy responsibility of raising and directing the priceless life placed in my charge. But I had failed my daughter in the deepest way possible, letting the dark tendrils take root in her heart.Sienna.Just saying her name would rekindle the old, smoldering wounds of shame that had tarnished my spirit. I had gone wrong there. What moment had I let the lovely, innocent child I had held in my arms de