ohh no! What's in there?? What do you think of Vivian?
~Parker’s Point of View~ I grab Hannah and hold her, gently rubbing her back. I mind-link our sage to bring something to settle her belly, though I know it's the stench of death making her sick and not our baby. I watch in horror as the guys pull out jars with brains, hearts and who knows what. All parts of lycans. There are notebooks and charts. They were studying them. Not too surprising but, gross no less. A growl breaks out and Hannah’s head jerks up to see where the noise came from. We both see Frederick studying a large jar and then suddenly, he’s off and running with it. Hannah’s eyes meet mine. “I’ll mind-link mom to check on him. Maybe it was a scent he recognized. Goddess, his people have been gone for so long. Could they really have something that old,” she questions. I shake my head, unsure. “You have a wolf now, we personally saw the Goddess and her parents. Shit… anything is possible,” I say. I nearly also mention that I’ve cheated death many times in the last cou
~Six Months Later~ ~Rafe’s Point of View~ “That’s it baby, it’s almost time to push,” I say, reaching to brush some stray hairs off of Hannah’s sweaty face. She straight up growls at me, but I only offer a smile. The labor has lasted several hours, which Jane says isn’t uncommon for lycans. Everything is on their time, when they’re ready. Shifters usually pop babies out within an hour or so of their water breaking. But this is all new to me. While we know it’s only one baby, we don’t know the gender. We were tempted to visit another pack that has an ultrasound machine but decided it was better to be surprised. After raising two boys though, I know my mate wants a little girl to love on. *It’s a girl, I feel it,* Cruz boasts. When I see Parker come in with a video camera, I quickly motion to cut it. Now is hardly the time! But Parker does what he wants, and this won’t be any exception. As if it happens in slow motion I watch Jane palm the front of the camera and pitch it in a cor
~Frederick’s Point of View~ I sigh, looking down at the gas meter, it’s nearly at the end. When I see a service station up ahead with a diner, I decide to finally stop. My lycan can run for hours and refuel from eating, but driving is so different. It’s barely been five hours and I’m exhausted. *Yeah well, I like food,* my wolf, Xavier says, with a yawn. I can only smile, still having to get used to the other voice in my head though he’s been with me awhile now. Once I’m seated in the diner and looking at the menu, I nearly ask myself what the hell I’m doing. Is this really just a fool’s errand I’m on? An excuse to get away for a bit? Maybe both. *I don’t fully get it, but I haven’t seen anywhere outside of the pack so I say a little trip is a good thing,* my wolf replies. “What can I get you hun,” I hear, as I turn to look at the waitress. Even seated I’m still nearly as tall as she is standing. “Coffee, black and the special please. Very rare on the burger,” I say, putting th
~Frederick’s Point of View~ She could very well be a trap. An attempt to lure me away. My senses tell me the heartbeat is steady, not nervous or anxious. It’s not moving either. I instantly know she’s studying me. “I mean you no harm,” I whisper, though I know she’d hear it. My body relaxes slightly, of course not picking up much of a threat. Though I’ve been fooled by females before. Considering I’m still on the property of the Rhodes clan, I absolutely shouldn’t let my guard down. For whatever reason, I kneel. I don’t know another way to tell her that she can come to me. It’s barely a minute before I hear some movement and when I catch sight of her, maybe a quarter mile away, I simply can’t look anywhere else. Her scent is stronger now but it’s bogged down with grime, dirt. Probably nowhere for her to bathe out here. It took many decades to be able to get my lycan eyes to work as I needed. To be able to see at night and focus. Lycans use their hearing and their nose for most th
~Epilogue~ ~Three Years Later~ ~Scarlett’s Point of View~ I look down at the fur sprouted on my hand and gasp. I’d been feeling a weird tingle in my brain for the last two days, and I absolutely knew what that meant. But to see it finally happening, to have it be real… “Are you there,” I whisper, as I continue to stare at my skin. I’m suddenly hotter than I’ve ever felt, it’s truly unnatural. Literally all I want is to tear this dress off and shave my head if it’ll help cool me off. Since I’m alone in my room I decide I could care less, and I strip since I don’t want my dress to get shredded anyhow. Everyone is at a picnic down by the pond, and though I’m sure the twins are wondering where I went, but something told me it was best to be alone. The sun is setting, and too soon the full moon will be showing itself. This is absolutely the moment every girl dreams of, getting her best friend for life. *Hmm, what’s that smell,* I hear, making me gasp. I practically shoot off the bed
~Hannah’s Point of View~I sigh and turn over, too hot and irritated to sleep. Just to add to my foul mood, it’s literally the hottest night of the year. So that plus the news from my father a couple hours ago, finding sleep will be impossible. The brilliant full moon shines through my window, giving the faintest bit of light and the reminder that I’m still without my wolf. She should have come by now.When I hear someone moving in my room, I sit up and prepare to scold my little brothers for being out so late even though I’m certain it wasn’t their choice. They have slept with me their entire lives, but lately our father has been giving them “tasks” that sometimes extend way past bedtime. It pisses me off to no end, I want them to stay little boys much longer, but it's a losing battle. I open my mouth to scold them but it's not the hand of a ten year old boy that touches me. I freeze instantly, realizing the hand is far too large, coarse and heavy. “Sweet Hannah…” I hear, barely a
~Hannah’s Point of View~ ~The Next Evening~ “Why did you push it up, what’s in it for you? You always said it would be when I turned 18 or if my wolf came,” I whisper, glaring at my father as the dressmaker pulls at my gown. He waves me off, apparently I’m not even worth an explanation. I don’t need one, I already know the answer. Money. He was promised money. It’s literally the only language my drunk and gambling addicted father understands. “What does it matter? Today, next year, whatever. He won’t wait much longer and I don’t want to either. If you had your damn wolf you could fully mate and we wouldn’t have to have a stupid wedding as a promise. They’ll only fulfill half the bargain until you’re properly mate,” he snarls, as he takes a flask out of his pocket. The stench of cheap whiskey on his breath makes my stomach lurch. I seethe when he turns his back to me, my blood boiling as my brain immediately flashes ten different ways I could kill him in this moment. But I know
~Hannah’s Point of View~I rub the sleep from my eyes and try to sit up but my entire being aches, stings and absolutely protests. I reach to my forehead and feel the throbbing there. I go to move my other arm and realize it’s in a contraption, preventing me from moving it. There are bandages on my face and arms.Blinking fast several times, I take in a mostly plain room. Nothing on the walls, not much furniture other than my bed and a tray with a cup on my nightstand. Then a dresser on the far wall. I reach for the cup on instinct and greedily gulp down the cool water. I could literally be anywhere though I doubt I’m with my father. He wouldn’t have even bothered to try and fix me up.“Challenges force us to show what we’re made of.” My father’s voice is literally always in my mind, always pushing me. For better or for worse.I take a quick minute to try and remember what happened. When I close my eyes, all I see is my brothers running away. My eyes pop open and I gasp, my body jerk