KennaMidday sunlight drifts through the open windows in my Aunt Maddy’s personal sitting room. The pale pink wallpaper glistens with delicate floral patterns that glow a soft gold in the sunlight, and all of the furnishings are pale wood and soft, creamy colored fabrics. The scent of Grandma Isla’s rose garden just outside the windows is thick and rich, and I find myself closing my eyes for a moment to breathe it all in. Ryan and I drove from his pack territory to the castle, where his parents live, after a quick breakfast. Ryan got a call from his dad, my uncle Isaac, that he needed to speak to him immediately, and I decided to tag along in hopes of seeing some of my family members. Unlike our yearly family gatherings in Maatua, this visit has been a little boring and lonely. My aunt, uncle, and cousins work, and I just… sit around, smelling the roses, apparently. But I also need to borrow one of Maddy’s gowns for tonight. Just as my eyelids flutter closed, a sharp female voice c

KennaThe ballroom at the temple has been totally transformed since the last time I came here just a few days ago. Dim, blue-hued lighting highlights the silver streamers falling from the ceiling, shimmering like starlight. Fresh flowers cover every surface, and string music whispers through the air over the rising voices all around us as I stand with my cousins toward the back of the room. The dress I borrowed from my aunt Maddy hugs every curve like a glove. It’s a little long for me, but a pair of heels keep the hem from dragging on the floor. The sage green silk makes my sun-tanned skin glow. Again, I feel very pretty tonight. I pinned my hair away from my face and let it fall loose in thick, bouncing curls down my back. A mask of sage and gold covers the top half of my face as I look around the ballroom. A few formal dances take place. Young men and women twirl in tight circles, smiling and laughing. Others congregate near punch bowls or over flutes of champagne. But no one s

KennaI’ve been lying on my side looking out the window for hours. I haven’t slept a wink. I curl my knees into my belly, nuzzling deeper into the flannel print sheets in one of Ryan’s guestrooms. It’s 6:00 in the morning. We didn’t get back to his house until well after 1:00. And I haven’t moved from this position. I run my fingers over my mouth, closing my eyes at the memory of the kiss–my first kiss. My first kiss ever. That’s probably why the whole thing felt so magical. Being pressed against a wall and ravaged by a masked stranger was the most delicious thing that’s ever happened to me. So, that’s probably all it was. Shocking, delicious, and desperately wanted. Not the mate bond. Right?I roll onto my back and look at the ceiling. Milky streams of morning light start poking through the blinds, dancing across the textured ceiling hanging over my head. I can feel the rain in the air before it starts, and the ticking sound against the windows feels like the kind of gentle wa

Kenna The dining room table in the castle can seat twenty-four people. It’s insane, really. I’ve been to both formal and informal dinners here during my brief and scattered trips to Crescent Falls. Normally, the family only gathers in Maatua, and there we like to spread out on the grass, or the patio, or the beach for dinner….But there’s no food laid out. No breakfast spread, no snacks. Nothing to drink or fiddle with. I lace my fingers together in my lap while I sit on one of the chairs near the head of the table. Ryan sits across from me, his legs crossed as he drums his fingers on his knee. Sydney and Aunt Maddy are upstairs with Uncle Isaac. Misty walks into the room, her eyes red, bloodshot, and full of tears. A smear of mascara peppers her left cheekbone as she looks from me to Ryan. I shoot to my feet. “Misty, what’s the matter?”She pouts, her lo

KennaI blink. I blink again, confused about the sudden rush of night air against my right cheek. Evander’s voice is nearby, distorted and hazy. Sparkles cover everything… or maybe that’s just my vision coming back. “Kenna? Goddess, Kenna? Are you okay?” Evander sounds frantic. I reach over and try to pat his hand, but I suddenly lurch forward. The sound of metal on metal erupts in my ears, causing them to ring. I scream, and then I’m thrust back into reality. We’re moving at what feels like the speed of light. I’m in a car. The window at my side is shattered, and the door is crushed inward. By some miracle, I’m okay. I’m covered in glass. The windshield in front of me is splintered but intact, and on the horizon, the lights of the port come into view. We’re barreling toward a private dock. The ferry sits at the very edge of it, but it’s raising its ramp. We’re rear-ended again. Evander grabs my arm. “Are you okay?”“I’m okay,” I rush out, reaching up to wipe tears from my eyes.