HUNTER I’ve never felt so much ache in my entire life, not even when I got beat up for no reason at the slave mansion. It feels like my entire body is about to fall apart into different places and Isador is sitting across from me with a wide smile spread across her face like she didn’t just paralyze me and imprison my friends after beating them up. Nikolai is covered in blood and Winter is drenched in tears. There’s a million reasons she could have been crying, the obvious one being that she was locked up in a witch's cage with no plan of escape but if I didn’t know Winter, I would have concluded at that, I know her and I know that it had something to do with what that which was saying earlier. I don’t know what it was all about but from the look on their faces, it’s not a fight that is going to end with a simple apology. “Before we go on, I’d like to ask for a favor.” Nikolai whimpers and Isador gives a tired sigh which I find funny since she was the one dishing out the punishm

NIKOLAI. I can’t stand how pathetic I look right now. How did it all come down to this? Was my father right about Winter after all?I’m not shocked about the whole story because I’m not stupid. I kind of figured out that something was wrong since the day her scent changed. I couldn’t fit the pieces together but now it all makes sense. I’m so glad I didn’t ignore my instincts to look into witches. It felt bad at the time but now all I feel is anger and distrust. “Jacob was the man you were married to?!” I ask again to confirm that I’ve not misheard anything. It makes sense that Jacob was part of the whole thing but it doesn’t make it hurt less. “I fought a war with Jacob, I invited him into my home but at least I don’t owe him a favor anymore. I know exactly where his wife is.” Winter starts to cry and immediately falls on her knees. It annoys me that she thinks she can beg her way out of this. Why does she think it’s so easy? “What makes you think I’m going to forgive you? You d

HUNTERI stare at her while I try to catch my breath. She’s asleep or dead from hunger! “Tara!” I yell as soon as I get that thought and she springs up from the ground.“I thought you were dead.” I say thoughtlessly with my hand and on my chest.” “Didn’t you want me dead?” She asks and I blink my eyes rapidly.“How could you say something like that? If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have brought you back home and then throw you in a cell when you were just starting to get well.” I think I see it now. I open the cell door with the handling keys in my hands and let her out.“I’m sorry I didn’t come for you sooner.” I find myself saying instead of “you did this to yourself” like I rehearsed. She glares at me and pushes me aside. Her confidence marvels me, how can she act like she’s the boss when she’s clearly not.“You look like you fell in a well, what the hell happened to you?” Do I tell her that I ran all the way from a place that I’ve never been on foot because I suddenly remem

NIKOLAI "You want progress, Isador? That's a shock considering the stunt you pulled yesterday." I scoff, still glaring at her. I don't believe a word the witch is saying. I'm also certain she has something against Winter, something that has to do with her deal with her. There's a plan I have to find out, but it won't be easy because Isador has always been cunning. "Do you expect us to believe you after everything? If you really wanted progress, why haven't you spoken up since?" Hunter accuses her, and he's making a valid point. "Look at your reactions now. Yet you have the guts to ask me why. Isn't it clear to both of you why I didn't come to you sooner. Patrick hated my kind!" Hunter screams back. "Well, this is his son and not him. Nikolai is the Alpha now. Not his father. You could have just sat down to tea with him instead of causing all the trouble with Winter." Isador paces in small circles. She's frustrated, and then she throws her hands in the air and makes a comeback

HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first