I narrowed my eyes. "Bitch, I don't give a fuck about any of that. I'm here about you and Paul." My eyes began to burn. This didn't seem possible. "I want answers."Sasha smirked. "You want to know how good it was? Well, like I said, Paul came back for seconds."My teeth dropped and I balled my hands into fists.Tyler gripped one of my wrists. "Kim…"I looked past Tyler but didn't move forward. "How long has this been going on?" My voice that sounded nothing like my own but that of all of my demons.Sasha didn't flinch. Her golden eyes and shaggy hair let me know that she was close to changing. "It just started. But I don't intend for it to end. Paul and I belong! We match in ways that you will never be able to.""You trifling, bitch!" I charged forward, but Tobias, Jason, and Tyler held me back.Tyler leaned in toward my ear. "Kim, it's not worth it. If you start, it won't end!""Did you know?" I asked Tyler."I'm sorry," Tyler said, "but I didn't know. I swear I didn't know.
No one bothered me for the next few days. Ran handled our meetings, and beyond him and the Ladies I kept myself blocked from everyone but Sam and BJ.Despite my anger, the bond I shared with Paul made it difficult not to feel the pain of our separation. Bonds were made to keep cold-ass Vampires from killing each other. It worked the same for a husband and wife working through infidelity.I had always been a judgmental, opinionated person. I criticized women for taking back their cheating, abusive husbands. I cat-called the television set when a woman cried over a man whom I didn't think deserved mercy. I thought women who couldn't make the hard decisions were weak. Wasn't there strength in denying yourself the pleasure of being with a man that you desired?I thought I was strong, but the pain of losing someone so integral to your life was something that knocked me to my knees. I had a hole in my soul that Paul was supposed to fill, and it was everything warm and calm and loving. All
After the feeding, I returned home to the house that Paul and I had made into a home. I had sent BJ and Sam ahead of me, and they were in the family room playing. BJ ran to me and flung herself against my legs as if sensing that things might never be the same again.I picked her up, held her in my arms, and kissed her all over her face until she begged to be put down. I looked at Sam who seemed happy to be back home but still sad about what I was trying to deal with."I'm going to call him," I said.Sam nodded. "I think it's a good idea." She hadn't asked permission to throw in her two cents and had flat out stated, on a number of occasions, that she was disappointed in Paul and his inability to keep his penis in his pants. It hadn't helped that I wanted to defend him. I wasn't much different from him and he had forgiven me time and time again.I went out to the backyard so that I could open our link and speak to him privately, but BJ wanted to come with me. I allowed it, but then
"God no. The loser will be required to do whatever the winner asks. You can have her join the Omegas in Europe.""You're that sure that I will win?""Yes. Absolutely. You have the Vampire's strength and speed as well as the creature's ability to hybrid.""And what if they won't allow me to use my Vampire powers?"His mouth formed a grim line. "Your powers are an asset to your role as Lupa. They can't deny any of your abilities.""Are we truly mated?" I wasn't referring to our Vampire bond. I was talking about the Werewolf mating. I could still feel the bite on the back of my neck. I felt my connection to Paul through it. It didn't hurt, but it was a tangible thing. Nerves had clustered there, and Paul had explained that other Werewolves could smell our mating because of it.He put his hand on my shoulders, and this time I didn't pull back. "Never doubt our mating. It is real. I don't understand why the hybrid reached out to hers, but we are husband and wife and my Wolf has mated
Maybe…maybe that's not a bad thing, Alexis. Maybe there should be some checks and balances.I suppose there is a chance that inbred, uneducated Supernaturals with no concept of what it entails to manage the entire world could do better than those that have been secretly maintaining it for centuries. Or there could be chaos.I closed my eyes. Did you choose the devil you knew or the devil you didn't? I couldn't wait to corner Paul about this information. My eyes narrowed. I knew Paul hated the Neratomay, but this?Alexis, I have to go. I need to talk to Paul.I forbid it, he replied. I forbid you to mention anything we have discussed. You are not to discuss it with anyone but me.My mouth opened and closed in surprise. But—No arguments! It is for the safety of the Neratomay that I demand this. I am your Elder, and you cannot defy me.He was right. Though Alexis had the power to control my will, he didn't always exercise it. My shoulders sank. But I'm the only one who can talk Pa
Paul came home every night to sleep beside me, even when I was already dead to the world. Sometimes before I fell asleep, I would stare at him, asking him silent questions about the Alliance and the Wolfpack—his Wolf army. He thought my stare was more accusation about She-bitch, but it wasn't. I couldn't do more than give him a constipated look as I tried to find a way to speak to him about his plans.It didn't help matters that I wasn't allowed around the Werewolves until the battle. He was afraid my presence would spark a revolt. They had agreed to honor the winner of the battle, but that agreement hadn't included a Vampire walking around in their midst beforehand. Knowing that Sasha was there gaining supporters, maybe even tempting Paul, ate away at me. I wanted to know if he had seen her, if they talked, if he felt something for her…But I didn't ask. His answers would not have made me feel better. I would win this battle, and I would send Sasha's ass to Siberia. If I had anythin
"Babe, there are more than supernatural bonds connecting us! We have history! We have fought together, loved, hurt, found joy. You're my wife, my mate! I messed up, but I don't want us to end!"I wouldn't look at him. I swallowed the lump in my throat. He was having a baby with another woman, and he had agreed to make her his Lupa. There was no place for me in that. "You knew we were ended when you came out on this patio." I looked at him, and as hard as it was, I wouldn't look away. "You did, didn't you?"Paul looked down. "No. I don't accept that.""Then walk away from all of it, her, the Alpha position, just let it all go."He stared at the ground. "I…I can't do that."There was nothing left for me to say. I flashed myself away when his hands reached out for me. They closed on empty space. Without thought, I had flashed myself to the manor house. I was happy that no one was there to comfort me, not Tyler with her strength or Sam with her words of wisdom or the Ladies that lov
My tears seemed to intrigue her, and she tried to wipe away the final traces of them. She turned to Alexis and then urged me to put her down. The two quietly studied each other."Wolf!" BJ barked and then howled as if inviting him to howl with her.Alexis raised an eyebrow at me. "She knows what it is to be a Wolf, even at this young age." He went down on his knees in front of her, threw his head back, and howled. They continued howling for a few more moments, and the sound of their howls brought Sam, the maid, and Alexis' blood donors to us. When BJ was satisfied, she darted out of the room to play.I stared after her. "What just happened?""I believed she just greeted me in Werewolf talk," Alexis said. "Does she do that with her father?""Yeah, she does."Something inside BJ was changing, not physically because she was still the same toddler, but within her she was connecting with the Werewolves. I had no doubt that she would one day be able to turn into one. Paul had said th