Lukas We followed Lyssa out of Myles’s room and into the open air, winding around the paths that connected the trees to each other in silence. It was late, and most everyone was asleep now, save for those of us who had been in Myles’s room. I heard footsteps behind us, and I turned to see Drew and Everly following us, their hands clasped together tightly. :Sorry, Alpha,: Drew winced. :I’m feeling extra protective of the Princess again right now,: he mindlinked me. I just nodded to him, and he visibly relaxed, then wrapped his arm around Everly’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him. :You ok?: I asked her. :At least I could save Myles,: she replied. I swallowed back the lump in my throat. :I love you,: I told her. She blinked, and Drew looked down at her and then at me, his eyes filled with the same sadness as my sister’s. “I love you too, Luke,” she choked out. Drew squeezed her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. I felt tingles on my hand, and I turned around to see

JuniperAfter a long day, and an even longer night, we were finally alone.When we had finished talking with Alessia and Matthias, my mother had led us out of the reception room, stopping only when Lukas pulled Matthias to the side to whisper to him in private for a moment.She showed us to the treehouse we would stay in while there, letting us know there was clothing provided for us within. Then she left us on our own.I walked around the room, examining the interior of the treehouse.The room was carved out of the inside of the tree, with large windows looking out into the canopy of the trees and providing a view of the star dusted heavens above. The bed was large and low to the floor, topped with an ivory duvet and a plethora of pillows of varying sizes. Small shelves wound their way up the curving interior wall of the tree, and a dainty vanity and dresser carved into the walls made up the rest of the furnishings. A door led off to the side, into what I assume was the bathroom.I t

Drew My hands twitched again as I sat in the chair next to the bed where Everly was sound asleep. It had been happening off and on since around the time Lukas left to go to the palace, and had grown substantially stronger after he returned. I had been able to successfully hide it from everyone, had ignored it, mostly, as we were facing greater challenges and stresses at the time, but I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t ignore the involuntary spasms that shot through my limbs like a shockwave. I couldn’t ignore the little seed of my magic that was no longer stagnant, but burrowing itself deeper and deeper into my very being, growing roots and spreading through my soul, and entwining with my wolf. I didn’t understand. My magic, my witch half, had always been so small, so insignificant compared to my werewolf side. My dad said it was because there were no true hybrids. That one side or the other was usually more dominant, and since he was of beta blood, my werewolf side was dominant

Lukas The battle flowed around me, the smell of blood and sweat hanging heavily in the air. The moon beams were highlighting the deep red of the blood splattering the grass and the fabric of my clothing. A light summer breeze blew the scents around the entire courtyard, along with the sounds of my pack members fighting the royal pack warriors in both human and wolf form. Everything froze, and Tobias walked across the stage, his gun raised and pointed at the lone figure standing at the edge of the platform. Her long locks blew in the wind, and she lifted her chin proudly. Her golden wings spread gloriously for the universe to see who she truly was, her eyes swirling between emerald and gold as she stared down the false king. At her feet, on either side of her, were Drew and Everly’s lifeless bodies, pools of blood spilling out from underneath them, staining the stage and the hem of her long white lace off the shoulder gown. She sauntered forward purposefully, her eyes never leaving

Lukas We had spent the week trying to stay one step ahead of Tobias and the Royal Pack. We had been successful with some packs, and with others, not as successful at reaching them before the royals. Wild Hunt, Gray Chase, Cold Waters, Silver Crescent, and High Plains had all suffered major damages to their buildings and lands, but their members had mostly suffered just minor injuries. Between Everly, and the true werewolf healers we’d saved from other packs, we’d been able to keep the numbers of all the packs up, with no deaths, and only a few with mild lasting injuries. It would have been better if there were no injuries at all, but this was war, and the fact that we had suffered no casualties so far — beyond my parents, at least — was a win in my book. In our book. We had learned from the members of the attacked packs that the High Witch King had taken part in the attacks as well. Veronica had given me as much insight as possible about him and his motivations and abilities and pre