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23: Love is Cruel
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Rite of Power 24: Subterfuge
Dmitri stepped in behind me and rested his hands on my hips as I finished pulling my hair up. “We still have a lot to talk about,” I leaned back against his chest, “and I’m still mad at you.” He kissed the back of my neck, “I can take your anger. Just, please don’t shut me out like that again.” Our eyes met in the mirror’s reflection, the feeling of being whole resonated within me again. “Don’t ever try to hide anything from me or lie to me again,” I held his gaze in the reflection; “you forget too easily that part of me is a vengeful, vindictive goddess that cursed your whole bloodline for a single slight.” He hummed a simple, “Hmm,” into my shoulder, but didn’t argue or plead any further. It’d felt like we’d spent hours locked away in our suite until he’d had his fill, but our Betas were waiting for us in the hall adjoining our suites. Sophie’s cheeks and the tops of Nathan’s ears turned a bright red color as we walk
Rite of Power 25: Uneasy Trust
It was hard to watch her walk away and out the door, even though I knew Sophie and Blake were waiting to join her on the other side. Through all of this it was a comfort to know that she wasn’t behaving recklessly. At least she wasn’t until just now. Asking people to come and linger long enough to observe her was an unnecessary risk. Did every wolf immediately recognize her for what she was? Mine had certainly known long before either of them told me. But when she had exhibited rare abilities during her first shift with the pack, it hadn’t stopped Nathan from acting as if she were just another she-wolf at the time. Caleb still didn’t seem to have a clue either. “I respect that she is another Alpha and your mate, but you can’t give in to her like that in front of others when they get here. They won’t see it as devotion, but submission to the dominate Alpha.” Even as he said it, there was a look of awe on his face as he stared at the door she just walked
Rite of Power 26: God is a Woman
She was a beautiful, albeit terrifying, force of nature. It explained so easily how people loved her so wholly and completely in such short time spans. She didn’t have to demand loyalty or devotion; people would just give it over willingly simply because they loved her. And she deserved that love, even if she didn’t think so. ‘She’s so different this time,’ Bo, mused as we followed Selene out of the dark concrete hall in the cell block. ‘You keep saying that. When are you going to explain it to me?’ So far the exchange of knowledge had been very one sided, with Bo not having roamed the mortal realm since before the fall of the Romans. She asked more questions than she answered, ‘She cares so much about so many of you…’ ‘She’s a goddess, isn’t she supposed to care about those that worship her even if they don’t know who she is?’ It was still hard to adjust to the foreign laughter that danced through my
Rite of Power 27: Body Language
Sophia was understandably distracted by the sudden appearance of her own wolf. Just another strange thing I was sure could be attributed to my Alpha. It seemed most of the new shifters were being bestowed with ancient wolves that hadn’t walked the earth in a very long time. Not since wars among packs was a common occurrence. ‘I’m going to start taking offense to these musings of yours,’ my wolf was jealous of my curiosity, even though he knew I wouldn’t want any other. He was the only one who truly understood and shared the depth of my devotion to her. ‘So you don’t think it’s odd? You’re the one that pointed it out to me,’ I suppose it could have just been a casual observation, but the coincidence of it all is what made me continue to dwell on it. “Little Mark seems to be doing well, doesn’t he?” Even when her personal life seemed to be tearing her apart, she was focused on taking care of everyone else. “Mmmhmm…” What
Rite of Power 28: Perspective
“You’ll leave tonight and bring Luna Jeanette back with you after you apprise Beta Lucas on the situation for Caleb’s extended absence. He shouldn’t need to lead more than 2 pack runs.” Dmitri still wouldn’t look me in the eye. It hadn’t been my fault that Selene had chosen to kiss me to get even with him for Candice. If I was honest with myself, she’d probably done it to punish me as well. But how could she have known exactly how it would change things between my Alpha and I? The fact that she’d safeguarded my life against his wrath gave me a little hope that she had a plan to fix the rift between us. If he couldn’t trust me, I couldn’t continue to serve as his Beta. For now, we were all just playing our parts. A grand act to keep the world from knowing the depths of the fracture The Vὅlsung had caused. “And make sure you bring Jeanette’s Delta as well,” Selene added to the other men’s surprise, “I want her to feel comfortable moving
Rite of Power 29: Labors of Love
It was a relief to be able to send Nathan off without raising any suspicions, even if it was only for a few days. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to look at him without seeing her lips pressed against his. The anger was always twisted with gut wrenching guilt, was this how she felt about me and Candice? Would she always be a ghost that haunted us? So far, Selene had completely forgiven Sophie. She’d even gone as far as bonding them together in blood and giving her a demigod wolf spirit. The two of them had grown closer through this chaos. I couldn’t help feeling jealous. She seemed to have grown closer to Blake as well. Even though I knew I didn’t have any reason to be jealous of their relationship either, it didn’t stop me. She outright claimed him as her Delta to Caleb earlier, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could also smell the faint scent of fresh blood and antiseptic that wafted off her hand when she waved them through the air while she ta
Rite of Power 30: Sub-Servant
After wrapping a towel around me, he stayed behind to drain the tub and blow out the candles. I sat on the edge of the bed watching as the doorway grew darker with each flame extinguished. I didn’t know how I felt about what he said. Hadn’t I already changed in ways that couldn’t be undone? His body filled the dark space I was watching, his wet shirt pasted against his skin. “I’m going to change into something dry; do you want me to get you something to wear to bed?” No one had a right to look so damn good when I wanted to not want him. He was doing so well at being good. So why was it the more he behaved himself, the more I wanted him not to? He looked at me expectantly, but not in the way I was used too. He’d asked me a question. What had he asked me? “Selene?” Oh, no. Now he looked concerned. He’d asked me if I wanted something. What did I want? I wanted to not be me, even if it was just for a night. I wanted to pre
Rite of Power 31: Answers in the Aether
This was home, where I was always meant to be. Even though I know they wouldn’t, it felt like his arms wrapped around me like this could shield me from all the evil and pain in the world. Here in the dark, no one would ever find us. I stretched against him and tried to look around our room to determine what time it was. My cheeks burned as I took in all the twinkling lights watching us from the dark inky depths of the Aether. When had I willed myself here? No, how had I willed myself here and pulled Dmitri in with me? Sitting up, I was taken aback by the golden thread of light that seemed to be wrapped around us over and over again like a cocoon. It shielded the fact that we were naked from all the eyes watching us, but it didn’t feel like that was its purpose. It felt like it was a part of me, or us, I couldn’t tell which. I looked around again, trying to find the black furry form of Arkadi, but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. His abse
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