Sorry for the delay, family issues! Will have another chapter tomorrow!
~Meadow’s Point of View~ Ben’s emotions were all over the place, and as desperate as I was to mind-link him I knew he’d tell me if I needed to know. Was the whole situation a lot worse than I knew? Likely. I couldn’t shake the feeling of some impending doom, and for some reason after he left this morning it just got worse. I’d been having mood swings and sometimes Coral just retreated and wasn’t talking to me. Really since we came to the island, she hadn’t been the same. She told me she was just tired all the time, so I’d shrugged it off. I was going to talk to mom about it, see if it was normal. It seemed like my brothers’ wolves were always on full blast every second of the day. “Mom, do you wanna get breakfast--” I stopped abruptly, shocked to find easily six or seven males in my room, shifters. “Oh goddess is mom--” I shouted, my breath catching. *What’s happened,* Coral shouted, waking up. “Mom’s fine, she’s already gone with Lilly to eat,” Skyler said, putting his hand
~Ben’s Point of View~ The last thing I’d ever want to do is keep my little love from being herself, trying to find a way to enjoy herself in what is now very much her home as well. But the clear scowls from my wives were chilling. It wasn’t at all like we hadn’t blared music through the house before, and yeah they would have joined in. Two or three of them would have been hanging off me though, and clearly now that wouldn’t be happening. The physical end of things was easy for me, overnight it was like my feelings for them flipped a switch. I couldn’t expect it to be the same, and now I was rubbing their noses in it. But I wasn’t leaving my home or my children. I wouldn’t apologize for finding my fated mate. I sighed and stared at the beautiful female on my balcony, leaning over the stone and gazing at the ocean. Her blonde hair floated in the breeze and it was so sexy. I wished I could photograph her. Paint her, make a sculpture of her body. How do I keep her safe here? How can
~Meadow’s Point of View~ I’d been on Ben’s balcony for over an hour alone, staring out into the water. I literally had resorted to desperate measures when the only thing I could think to do was talk to my dad. *Daddy I don’t know if you can hear my thoughts or I’m just talking to the breeze. But damn it I need you. I need your wisdom, your help. Sometimes just having you listen made all the difference.* Coral nodded in approval, but she just sighed. She felt helpless and I hated it. We were a puppet with someone pulling our strings. She wasn’t happy I sent Ben away, but I wasn’t either. I didn’t know what I was doing anymore. Nothing made sense. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault, that’s what was so fucked up. I wasn’t sure I was even mad at the wife who was trying to ruin my life. I ruined hers first it seemed. I’d spent most of the afternoon playing cards with mom, then I hit the playground with my nieces and nephews. There was always a flurry of activity around but I never really kne
~Ben’s Point of View~ When my great grandfather was killed, by his own grandson’s hand, his mate swore vengeance. But how? Both my parents were killed during those couple of insane days. While I tell myself I remember it all, some of it just blends together. Many parts are black holes in my memory. Some is just what others have told me. All together, seventy-four died including most of my family. You’d think no one would trust me, that I’d be the last person to take the reins and rule, but quite the opposite. I had so much to prove. They were hardly my sins to atone for, but I always felt the albatross around my neck regardless. No one could bear to kill Georgia, but she’d gone mad, rightfully so. In ancient times, she’d have been turned to stone. Be let out after a few hundred years once she’d calmed down. But I refused. She’d lost her true fated mate, she had every right to her feelings, even as a child I understood that. She took on another life form, in another realm. She’d li
~Meadow’s Point of View~ *Okay! Uhm, let’s see it,* Coral said, pacing. My mind flashed to the time I walked in on a couple at a party, and they didn’t even remotely stop what they were doing. The guy saw me and patted the spot next to him. I had completely frozen in place, stunned at the sight of a female sucking on his length, while working it with her hand like it was just something she did all the time. Maybe she had, who knows. So it wasn’t like I didn’t know what to do, I had tried it with a banana several times when I was alone. Gotta be the same thing right? I watched him throw his clothes off quickly, clearly ready. He’d been ready this whole time, I was certain. My hand gripped him firmly and judging by his response he clearly liked it, there was no going back now. I felt Coral pushing me, she was just as curious. This is my mate, he’s not going to make fun of me, or tell me I’m a dumb little girl. I hope. I couldn’t even process that I, too, was fully naked in front
~Meadow’s Point of View~ “Are we going to talk about the fact that you’re still the big V,” Sunny said, as we walked down the beach. I shot her a look that could kill. It was seriously nobody’s damn business! “I can smell it in your blood. It's just a hint cleaner, I’m not sure why that is. Different partners, different foods can contribute to the smell. Godfrey’s taught me so much, how to tell this or that,” she said, completely on brag mode. She always was when she spoke of him. I sighed. I really didn’t know how much the whole “lack of sex drive” thing could be blamed on the doll situation. Or if I really was just scared. But I was sick of thinking about it, I really did want answers. *Cautious, rightfully so. We’ve been cautious,* Coral said. Sunny also didn’t know about the dolls and I wasn’t sure anyone wanted her to know, she’d go nuts. Hmm. Was that really so bad though? *Does Sunny know about the dolls? I think we should tell her, the elf hasn’t had any luck,* I said,
~Ben’s Point of View~ I tried to focus as Godfrey, Dina and several others went on with their plans. What they knew about the Red Midnight coven so far. They had at least two hundred, which was far more than I had anticipated. We more than knew they were capable of necromancy, so it was likely some were kind of “dummies” in a way. Still just as dangerous though, if not more so. The dead truly had nothing to lose. “We think they only have about half of their group here, the rest are spread out,” Anna said, as she ran her fingers over a map. I was incredibly impressed with how well she was doing, finding her calling like this. She had already told me she intended to join the Shadows, especially now that there was no real possibility of a further relationship with me. I couldn’t be happier for her, she had found something she enjoyed and a new sense of purpose. “So are we fighting them all over or trying to lure them home,” I asked, and several turned to look at me. Shit, did they a
~Ben’s Point of View~ Before I knew it there were dozens of witches engaging Shadows and those from my coven all around me, but not a single one came at me. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or annoyed, I didn’t come all this way for nothing. Was I singled out for someone? Their final showdown would be me versus a certain someone? I began to get cagey, feeling almost like a boxer. While I considered myself to be in shape, a physical fighter I was not, that was Sebastian’s thing. I helped where I could, and some I just settled for freezing so the Shadow could take their head off. When things settled a bit, everyone seemed to brace for another round. “Sofia! Show yourself,” I shouted. Either she would come or her mate would. I welcomed them both. My line of sight caught Anna in the distance running from hut to hut, some of them had already exploded with fire. She was yelling, likely for Fotis. I couldn’t hear much over all the chaos and destruction. Faint screams. I heard a voice s