I froze, feeling panicked as I stared at the screen, my hand shaking. Sam saw my face and snatched it off me, answering it, "What the fuck have you done?!" he growled into the phone, his voice full of anger, and I heard a masculine voice in the other end, though not well enough to make out the words. "I don't give a damn what the intent was, tell me how to fix it," Sam growled, still furious, "No, I will not let you speak to her!" I stared wide eyed at him, stepping towards him to take the phone, but he hung up before I could, and stood there, breathing hard and full of rage. I placed my hand on his arm, and he looked at me, his eyes full of sadness. I heard the front door, and footsteps rushing up the stairs, Doctor Mike stepping into my room a moment later, looking around, eyeing Sarah, the shopping bags, and then me. "What did she touch?" he asked quietly, his voice sounding very serious. I pointed to the ring, then shook my head, more tears running down my cheeks, "I told her no

I heard the snaps and snarls and growls as those behind me shifted again, following, but falling silent as a very different kind of snarls sounded from either side of me. I realised it was a Lycan that held me, its huge, long forearms around my waist, and I froze. This one was even larger than Cole had been, but otherwise similar, with pure black fur and golden eyes. He rose up on his strong hind legs, towering over the wolves at his full height, and they backed off, leaving Xavier at their head. He shifted back, and I could smell his fear. Still, he spoke bravely, "My apologies, Lycan, that one is one of ours, who seems to have a nasty little habit of spending time around your border. I assure you, now that we're aware of it, it will not be happening again."He sneered at me, and I glared back. Trev stepped up behind him, snarling at me, though he'd already shifted back too. "Fuck it," he said angrily, "let them do their worst to her, after what she did to Sarah.." He cut off as a

His face darkened, from concerned and confused, to something.. unreadable. I backed away instinctively, but he stood, moving closer, until my back hit the wall and he loomed over me, with an absolutely terrifying look in his eyes. "Who the fuck was your mother?" he asked quietly, his voice sounding dark. I swallowed, pressing myself back against the wall, "A.. Alena," I said softly, my voice trembling. He frowned, that dangerous look still in his eyes, "And what exactly do you know of our previous Alpha?" I stared at him, wondering how that was relevant, but the look on his face made me respond quickly, "I.. not much, only what Dad told me.." I said, and his face grew even darker. "And what did he tell you?" he asked, putting his face closer to mine. "Just that.. that Alpha Asher hunted all the Royals down, and anyone that knew them, including.." He raised an eyebrow at that, cutting me off, "Including your mother?" he asked softly, and I nodded, wishing he'd back down. He seemed t

I awoke a few hours later, hearing the doors of my room swing open, then shut again. I could feel Cole and Finn stir beside me too, and lifted my head to see who it was, finding the room was much darker than earlier. I could smell Thane, I realised quickly, his cool, misty, forest scent enticing my nose. His brothers seemed to notice too, grumbling as they looked up. "Are you planning on joining us for your birthday dinner, little wolf?" he asked, standing at the foot of the bed and looking down at me."My.. what?" I mumbled sleepily, the realisation slowly sinking in. 'Of course it is,' I thought to myself, 'That's why I finally have Lisbet!' I felt her warmth then, in the back of my mind where she seemed to be quite comfortable. It was nice, really, feeling her presence there without her being at the forefront of my attention a lot of the time. Comforting, but unobtrusive. That made sense too, I'd never been big on endless amounts of small talk either. Finn and Cole were already p

I had no idea where I was or where I was going, I just knew I couldn't be in there anymore. It was too much. I kept running, though slowed to a more sustainable pace after a while, as the forest thickened the deeper I ran. My eyes adjusted easily to the clear night, with the almost full moon shining bright in the sky, and I kept going until the shock began to fade. I paused at a large, mossy, fallen stump, sitting down and catching my breath. Leaning forward and rubbing at my face, I shivered sightly in the cold mountain air. It was refreshing, at least, helping me thinking more clearly, which wasn't easy at the moment. I understood why Dad had never told me, no doubt he hoped he'd never have to, but it was still an absolute shock, even if I didn't blame him for it. I felt sick, thinking of what my Mother must have been through. Her own friend had raped her?! And then she'd had to explain it to Dad, and they had me without ever knowing for sure whose I was, before she was killed for