Violet’s P.O.V.I barely registered Hael’s presence the entire way home. As far as my overwhelmed brain was concerned, the seat to my left was empty and the car was driving itself.We could’ve been coasting down the sidewalk, plowing into pedestrians left and right, and I probably wouldn’t even have noticed. I was too busy trying to wrap my head around the results of my gene test.‘We don’t have the rogue gene, which is a definite plus.’ Lacey said soothingly, but even my wolf couldn’t erase my worries.I gnawed on my lip, ignoring the tingle of Hael’s eyes on my face. ‘That’s wonderful and all but having the rogue gene would’ve explained the blackouts and why I’ve been so quick to anger lately. Also, this whole carrier thing royally sucks. Hael’s our only option if we want to have healthy children, and I’d rather reproduce with Blaze of all people over Hael.’Alright, that was a blatant lie, but who could blame me? My options were spectacularly limited. I doubted that even Holden wou
Violet’s P.O.V.The first was Hael’s, which I was stuck on for longer than I care to admit. His unruly hair had been tamed, slicked back to show off the shaved sides. I very much noticed how his suit matched my dress, both a deep shade of black with a slight navy hue but decided not to comment on that fact.It was most likely to show off a united front, though that would’ve made more sense if Sylvia matched us too, which she didn’t.Every one of my suspicious thoughts were cut short when Elijah sauntered in after Hael, his lips already pulled back in a warm grin. Ignoring the weight of Hael’s stare on my face, I raced into Elijah’s open arms and swatted at him when he went from hugging me to holding me at an arms length.“Look at you, Violet! You look stunning.” Elijah exclaimed, eyes sparkling past his curly hair. He held out his arms, drawing my attention down to his suit. Making a show of it, he turned slowly and asked, “How’d I do? Tell me I don’t look at stupid as I feel.”“You l
Violet’s P.O.V.The crowd split and people began to mill about, venturing left and right, merging with others in a sea of color and fabric that quickly became disorienting the longer I stared at it. Thankfully, it wasn’t long, because half a minute later a Olive’s head of choppy, layered hair appeared in the crowd.With her resting bitch face alone, she carved a path through everyone, practically sprinting to side. Neither of us spared Hael a glance, lacing our arms together and melting into the sea of people. Stares were tossed left and right, each one soaking into my skin, tickling the puckered scars that marred my body, but Olive’s presence helped tune them all out.“Thank Goddess for that entrance of yours or I never would have found you.” She moaned, forcing a puff of air through her lips to blow her bangs out of her face.Laughing at her dramatics, I scanned the violet streaks in her hair and glanced down at her dress. “Sticking with the violet theme, huh?” I pointed out, fighti
Violet’s P.O.V. This wasn’t a good idea, not by a long shot. I glanced around the sea of people for any sight of Olive. She’d have my head if she saw me talking to Blaze Madden, and rightfully so. The temptation to speak to him was too hard to pass up. Normally, I’d avoid confrontation like the plague, but what Blaze was doing to Olive was nothing short of monstrous. I schooled my face into a pretty little mask that oozed obliviousness, and delicately lifted my hand to place in his. “Of course.” My stomach churned at the feeling of his skin on my own. I wondered if Olive had the same reaction any time he touched her. Blaze wove in and out of the crowd, tugging me close behind. Once we made it to the outskirts, where a couple of tables sat for those who had found their mates, he turned and made a show of towering over me. It was an intimidation tactic, one even the silly boys in my old pack tried to use. “So, Violet. You have any luck finding your mate tonight?” He questioned, ar
Hael’s P.O.V.Bowing with a hand extended, the way I’d been taught at the ripe age of seven, I waited for Violet to stop her trembling and accept my offer to dance.If she didn’t—if she instead rejected my offer as an attempt to embarrass me, I’d likely throw her over my shoulder and cut this entire ridiculous event short. We’d see who was more embarrassed. I, rejected by a single she-wolf in a room full of others who would slit their families’ throats for a speck of my attention, or Violet, dragged from a room of werewolves who would happily watch her kick and scream rather than dare lend a hand?Her hand fit perfectly in mine. It was small and soft where mine were anything but. There was no denying the dark, devastating pleasure that came when she actually fucking listened for a change. Something about her obedience soothed the monster that was my soul.I’d been forced to take dance lessons as a child, but it was obvious the same couldn’t be said for Violet. Despite that fact, she f
Hael’s P.O.V.His lips were locked on another she-wolf’s, feverishly moving along her skin to trail down her neck. The gaudy yellow gown she wore was shoved nearly to her hips, showing her spray tanned legs which were wrapped around his waist.Looks like the drug Blaze tried to slip Violet wasn’t meant to kill her. As good a thing as that was, I couldn’t possibly imagine his reasoning for wanting Violet to be so…compliant. I’d have to have a chat with him, that much was certain.I took in the expression on Violet’s face, the blatant hurt written across her eyes and hidden within the rigid position of her lower lip. She did a good job hiding it. Anyone else would’ve been fooled, but not me. Never me.“Hurts, doesn’t it?” I said low in her ear.She jumped, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her yelp. Not realizing how close I stood, she slammed into my chest as she spun around. Instantly, her defenses went up, hiding the pain swimming in her eyes behind a wall of ice and granite.
Violet’s P.O.V.I’d been at Sylvia’s Find-A-Mate event, I was sure of it. One moment I was wading through a sea of colorful gowns, pressing past women who belonged on a runway and not in a ballroom, and the next I was standing amongst a sea of rubble.Peering down at chunks of brick, I lifted my head and looked at where the wall had once been standing. It wasn’t there anymore, though, and once I realized that, the world yet again faded from my fingertips.Four walls of solid cement surrounded me. Their roughness was permanently etched into my memory, scratched into my subconscious as thoroughly as it was my fingertips. These walls held secrets of blood and pain; secrets of the raven-haired boy who sat hunched against them.His head snapped up as it always did when I entered the room. Those eyes of his, the same color as the darkness he rotted in, were always so quick to notice the way my hands shook, and lip quivered. They noticed my fear like it was a tangible presence filling the ro
Violet’s P.O.V.“What did you just say?” I stared at Hael blankly.He blinked, wiping the surprise from his face before I could even think to savor it.“You remember me?”“Hael, what did you just say?” I repeated, harsher this time.His lips thinned and I fought the urge to glance down at them. Instead, I shoved the comforter off my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed. There was a slight ache in my muscles, and my head protested the movement with a weak throb, but I felt loads better than I had prior to the event.“You’ve been feeling like shit, right? Headaches, nightmares, cold sweats, nausea, mood swings…” Hael trailed off, clearly waiting for a reply.I nodded my head slowly. “Yeah…that about sums it up.”“It’s because you’re withdrawing from Wolfsbane.” He said bluntly.“No, that’s not possible. I’ve never used Wolfsbane in my life. It’s probably me withdrawing from the medication I’ve been on for the last eight years.” I said pointedly, making the fact that I blamed