You don’t need to be a Fate to know when your mate is ragingly pissed. The instant that glass smashed I knew./We should have told him/ Priya whimpered, doubling down on the dread pulsing from head to toe. I had been stood about, idly wondering just how far from the tents we’d need to wander for nobody to hear me moan. Now I felt my throat clench, razor blade scratchiness attacking.At the sound of the crashing glass, women in gowns shrieking to leap away from the splinters his eyes found mine. My mouth dropped open but no words, not even a mind link was possible. How do you tell the person you love the most you’ve purposely kept a huge part of yourself secret?How is it to ever be forgiven?I like to think I’m brave. I’ve got through losing my parents, I’ve started a new life in a pack I don’t know. I ‘ve even managed to overcome Nikolai treating me like shit for the first months of our mate bond. Seeing the look on his face was devastating. The way his dark brown whirlpools of his e

I grabbed her just before her head smashed into the ground. She was completely limp. In panic I looked at her slender neck for signs of a dart, so quickly she had blanched and dropped as though tranquilised./I’m sorry son, are you hurt?/ my father's mind linked, his deep bass voice always a surprise. /I’m going to get your mother calm and come find you. She should never have said those things to Genevieve. You know we don’t blame her for this happening./Cradling her in my arms I struggled to reply. If my mother is out of control again then my father needs help as Alpha. He cannot retain control of this situation on his own. Pressing my forehead close to Vee’s I feel her pulse and soft breathing. It gives me the courage to be the Alpha of White Forest, my precious mate.“Help me put her safely in our tent. There has been no sign of disturbance there?”“I’ll help,” Cillian said flatly, his jaw clenched as fiercely as mine. Together we walked, I carried her in my arms whilst Cillian m

Laying with my eyes closed I endured the sadness, anger and hurt rolling from Nikolai. Like a tide crashing against the rocks the darkness pressed against me painfully.In a strange moment of clarity I noticed there had never been waves of guilt around my parents death. Mentioning them did not send any sensations of fear, regret or even apprehension that a guilty person would have. There is no question in my heart that he had the slightest involvement in their death. He is all heart and passion. A black-haired shaggy beast with rough edges. Mine to tame.From the tone of Cillian it seemed he finally believed his innocence too. Now to fight for the impossible dream of two ego-driven Alpha’s working together successfully. There is more chance of me flying, the two being so stubborn.The raised voices had woken me. I trusted Nikolai not to shred Phillipe and he proved me correct. Knowing how Phillipe treats Freya, I do wish he’d landed another blow to his stomach. I stayed still and sile

Swept inside the castle, annoyingly parted from Nikolai almost straight away. Maddox silently stays with me, always a few paces behind. Heavy-set guards lead us into a spacious, firelit parlour. Dawn is breaking through the huge sash windows, lined by purple velvet curtains, signalling the end of one of the worst nights in our race’s history. Freya has changed into black mourning, her brown curls still wild but her figure hidden beneath a frumpy long black shift. Sat next to her is Zena, Cillian’s date.Her grey eyes study me and she has a striking familiarity. Then again, when your parents are pack rulers, you meet an awful lot of people. My brain is too frazzled to work her out right now.With no sign of the Alpha’s we are left surrounded by a dozen guards from all three packs. Freya, Zena and I have no ability to mind link, any conversation open to a dozen different pairs of ears. We need some privacy, somewhere to breathe. Beta Adrian, assigned to Freya, stood with his arms fol

There is a new vibe in this castle. So many new, rapidly promoted Rising Star Beta Guards lurking around every corner. Outnumbering White Forest and Shadowlands substantially. I remember visiting this castle often as a child. Luna Hollie and Brandon always made it warm and inviting. The fixtures are all more lavish than White Forest. More marble, gold, and brighter, bigger windows should make it less cold. Except it feels like a morgue now. Talon is clawing away with anxiety. I trust Maddox to protect her, but we need to get out of here. It didn’t help that when Cillian led me towards the dungeon to interview the arrested men, we found Phillipe in one of the cells. All the prisoners were dead. A scattering of limbs and blood covered the walls as the newly crowned Alpha stood naked, panting, and covered in blood. His white shock of hair was spattered with gore, his pristine suit in rags on the floor. “What the fuck Phillipe! How are we to interrogate this?” Cillian cried in frust