Serana POV.It has been six months since I was reborn, and I have to admit, Vilkas has improved the palace and I was in tears as I saw the pictures of my parents in their rightful places. His scent lingers in the palace and as much as I want to say, I hate it; I don’t. It calms me.I even sleep in his shirts. The mate bond is still there in a way, and I miss him. I scoff at how pathetic I am being. I can’t miss him, not after what he has done to me, but I do.“He is our mate. Of course you will miss him. Why not call him home?” I roll my eyes at Bedelia’s suggestion, but I ignore it as I look at the map in front of me. I need to hunt down Starci and kill her.I led a war party to the dark forest, and we entered the Lycan kingdom and the place was destroyed and hundreds were dead. No sign of her. So we are back to square one in the search.“She can’t have gone far.” I mumble as I sit back in the chair and look out of the window.I stand and move to the door and leave, walking towards t
Vilkas POV.For six months we have been banished, but it hasn’t been so bad, we have always been outdoorsy. Long before you could buy your food, we hunted and this to us is like going back to our roots. We hunt, bathe in the streams, and sleep under the stars. However, we miss Serana more than ever, knowing she is alive.I rub my chest and I know Serana is in emotional pain. Whatever is causing it is breaking my heart for her.“Let’s go back to her, she needs us Vil.” Jaka whines in my head and I look out over the kingdom from the top of the mountain.“I can’t. She will be pissed if we just show up without her calling us home. I don’t fancy getting into a fight with Bedelia again. She is too strong.” I mumble when he huffs to the point where smoke comes out of my nostrils.“No, she needs us. She is in pain. She needs us, her mate, to help her. She can fight us later. Stop being a pussy and go to our mate or so help me Vilkas. I will take over when you sleep and fly us down there.” I r
Serana POV.What is that smell? I move closer to the mouthwatering smell. Mmm, the warm sweet earthy scent of cinnamon and … is that caramel apples. Oh, my god it is. I wonder if it tastes as intoxicating as it smells. Only one way to be sure. I need to lick it, to taste it.Wow, I move closer to the caramel apple and drag my tongue up over it, savouring it on my tongue. My teeth graze the caramel coating and I taste the caramel drip onto my hungry tongue. Without thinking, I bite down on it when I hear a rumble. I stop.Why is my caramel apple dipped in cinnamon rumbling? Must be my imagination. I lick it again, wanting to lick all the coating off, when I hear a chuckle. Wait, a chuckle what the?I open my eyes and see that I am straddling Vilkas, licking his chest. My eyes go wide as I try to scrabble off him when he holds me in place by my hips and I look up into those bright green eyes and I feel my face going the same colour as my hair.“Just so you know I’m not a caramel apple,
Serana POV.After breakfast, we head out. According to Wesley, Lupus Rock is a couple of hours away on horseback. But I need to get there sooner. Fuck it.“No, you will ride on my back.” I say as I step away, and they have the decency to give me privacy. I don’t see the point they have all seen me naked before. But it does warm me further. I strip down and close my eyes and envision Bedelia.Her black feathers with the reds, oranges, and golds running through the centre of my tail feathers. Her beautiful orange eyes and gold beak and talons. I open my eyes and see I am looking down at really small people. I wait for Vilkas to shift in to Jaka and him and Bedelia rub against each other as she shakes out her neck feathers and he does the same.I move to my belly and open my wings as Wesley climbs up and sits behind my neck.“You pull out my feathers, wolf, and I will make you a snack.” Bedelia warns, and Wesley raises an eyebrow at us and I chuckle. Joel, however, is riding on Jaka. I l
Vilkas POV.To say I am proud of Serana would be an understatement. Seeing her in action as she killed 2000 Lycans with just her a move of her hands. I couldn’t help but smile at her. Yes, some would say it is sick that I enjoyed their screams, but I know that Serana wants revenge more than I do and that is what she will get.I look at both Wesley and Joel and they both look like they have just witnessed a nightmare play out in real time, and I smirk at them both. Pussies.“So, where are we headed next?” I ask as I walk behind her back towards Lupus Rock. She doesn’t stop or answer. I move closer to her and see the icy stare from her flame like eyes. I know she is in a lot of pain, but she is using that pain to fuel her. Most would say that isn’t healthy, but that’s the thing about Phoenixes. They use that pain, rage, grief and turn it into fire.Her hatred will win the war against the Lycans, but I know it has changed her. Her ascension has changed her. In the privacy of her room or
Starci POV.That little bitch. She knows of the gathering. If she arrives there and goes to the Alphas, they will be pissed, not at her, but at me. I know word would have spread about what I have done, but I need their help.I went against a direct order not to attack the Phoenix Kingdom. Fools the lot of them, they were scared of Marcia’s wrath. But I needed to take the heart scale so I could use it to defeat the Alphas and become the top dog, so to speak.But that plan failed yet again. Now I have no choice but to grovel on my belly like a stray dog. The Alphas will love that. They have been hunting me for years, but I have always managed to evade them. Now I need their help.“You won’t be able to lie to them Star, they will see through it. It’s best to tell them the truth, otherwise they will kill you,” Lex says in my head as I watch Jaka and Bedelia fly back to the Phoenix Kingdom.“They could try to kill me on site. What we did was treason.” I say as I sit on the floor and think
Serana POV.Since remembering the way my mother was killed, I have tried to shut it out, but I can’t. I’m sitting in the grand living room with a box of pictures and photos of my parents. I smile at each one and even laugh.“This is how you should remember them.” Vilkas says from my side as I lean into him as he rubs soothing circles on my arm.“Yeah, that is what I’m trying to do. It’s just hard. Every time I close my eyes, I see her lifeless eyes looking back at me.” I focus on the photo in my hand when I feel him tighten his hold on me.“It’s ok to remember the good times. Don’t let what happened to them burrow inside. Let it go. Look at it this way. She protected you. She ran with you, knowing they were coming for you. She fought for you, so did your father. You stayed alive because deep down you knew there was more to this. Baby, you need to let the pain go or it will consume you.” I take a deep breath at his statement and I know he is right, but the pain I feel is fuelling the f
Serana POV.It’s the day of the gathering with the Alphas. I make my way towards the temple, passing thousands of Lycans. They all look at us, some with fear, the others with curiosity. I have come to get answers, but I have come for war if need be.I look around and snarl if a Lycan’s gaze lingers for too long. I decided to wear all black leather with boots. My fiery red hair is up in a high ponytail. Vilkas is wearing black jeans and a black button-down shirt with the first three buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his hair a tousled mess and damn if I don’t want to rip his clothes off and take him now.“Focus Serana, you can jump him later.” Bedelia is on high alert as we keep our gaze forward. Even though Vilkas has my hand in his, I can’t calm down.We walk towards the temple of Selene and there, sat in a large circle, are the Alphas and on a throne is Hyperion.He is tall like all Lycan’s. His sandy blonde hair is styled meticulously. His blue eyes shine and