*Isla*Six months earlier…I am two months pregnant, and I can tell when I look at my reflection in the full-length mirror.Poppy says I’m glowing. I’m not sure about that, but I think my hair looks a little thicker, and maybe my eyes are a little shinier. I swear my nose is beginning to change shape.And then there’s my abdomen. It’s not noticeable to anyone else, I don’t believe, but I can see a slight change. It’s kind of like when I’ve eaten too much, or I’m bloated. I smooth down the front of the sequined red dress I’m wearing and stare at it for a long moment. Yes, I can definitely see a change.I haven’t gained any weight yet. Mystica says that’s typical since I’ve been having a bit of morning sickness. Anything I eat or drink tends to come right back up. She gave me some medicine, and that helps, but I am leery of taking anything since I don’t know how the baby might be affected by the poison I was given when I was just barely pregnant with him.Satisfied that I look good, I t

*Isla*Saying goodbye to Maddox is always impossibly difficult to do, and the more pregnant I become with our baby, the harder it becomes.A few days after he introduced me to Commander Pepelos, the amber-eyed man is walking just behind us as I escort Maddox to the vehicle that is waiting for him.“I’ll call you as soon as I can,” the Alpha King says, patting his pocket where he has a cell phone. They are not common among our people, as most of us prefer the old-fashioned ways of communication and don’t necessarily trust this new technology, but I insist that he have one to call me with when he’s out this far away, where the mind-link won’t work.“I will be waiting to hear from you.” Perhaps I should say something more comforting, like I understand he’ll be busy, and he should take his time, but I don’t. I want him to know that I will be expecting to hear from him because I am already feeling anxious just knowing he’ll likely be gone far longer this time.Not to mention, he’ll be nego

*Maddox*The drive to Cliff’s Edge pack will take several hours. If so many of the packs between our territory and Alpha Charlton are hostile right now, it’s best if we take our troops around them. The last thing I want to do is give the impression that we might be moving in, planning an invasion, because some of these packs have been rumored to be aligned with Beach Front.As we meander through the countryside, my long convo of military vehicles following along in parade order, my mind goes back to the information I’ve gotten from my commanders in the field. Both Commander Vember and Commander Givens have supplied me with plenty of information. I need to make sure that my alliances are strong in the few packs that are closer to Beach Front that might still might be willing to help me.“We are expected by Alpha Charlton, but he is a bit leery of our arrival,” Seth says from his seat next to me in the second row in the SUV. “He’s afraid that the other packs in the area might decide to

*Maddox*Trying to concentrate on the discussion around me is difficult when I’m standing in this particular room—this ballroom. I have several Alphas in front of me mentioning what it is that they need from me in order to be confident enough to send warriors to support our cause, and all I keep thinking about is the first time I was here.“You know, if you really want all of us to come in on your side, there’s one thing that would do it for certain,” one of the younger Alphas says. He’s in his early thirties, and apparently he’s had enough to drink that he’s a little loose-lipped because the other Alphas try to get him to shush. But Alpha Evan will not yield.“What’s that?” I ask him.“Simple. Give our daughters a chance.” Evan takes another swig of his champagne, and some of the other Alphas clear their throats or shuffle their feet. It’s a sign to me that they agree with whatever he is getting at, though they don’t want to vocalize it as has.“Your daughter?” I ask, confused. I kno

*Maddox*Taking hold of Trinity’s wrist, I force her to let go of the knife. It falls from her grasp, and I catch it with my other hand, ready to turn it on her.“Whoa! Whoa!” she says. “I wasn’t trying to stab you, Your Highness!” she tells me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was only trying to show you the blade.”Her eyes are wide, and she seems genuinely scared. Perhaps she’s even telling me the truth.But I don’t know that for certain. Why would anyone pull a knife on me in the dark in a garden if they didn’t intend to stab me with it?I can feel her entire body trembling beneath my hands, though, and I am starting to think perhaps she is telling me the truth.It might not make any sense, but I actually believe her. Perhaps her father had told her to go ahead and try to kill me now, so she wanted to be able to say that she did try but I foiled her.It would make more sense for her to have waited, though. Get to know me better. Catch me off guard. Even see if there