Bella“What are you doing to me?” The icy cold of his touch was spreading through my arm. He had touched me before, but it wasn’t like this. He had done something by gripping my wrist. Some kind of poison from his touch.“Let go of me!”“Call him!” Linc demands.I try to peel his icy fingers from my skin.“Call him!” He demands again. “Let him see what happens to you.”I close my mouth and stare into his insanely dark eyes. I had to keep calm. If Aiden felt one ounce of my worry he would be out here. I couldn't think about it either or he would know.“Do as you are told!” He snaps and tightens his grip on my wrist.My heart rhythm steadies as I stare at him. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me in pain. “Why did you kidnap Amelia?”His lip twitches as he glares at me.It had to have something to do with me. Something Aiden said, about us being the same age. But if she was kidnapped when she was two, there would be no way that she would know her full name. Unless th

BellaThe men talk like I’m not even in the room. Aslow keeps his arms folded across his chest. His green eyes remain focussed on Aiden. Rhys has his hands jammed into his pockets. He had yellow eyes like Leighton. Every now and then, they kept flickering to me and then back to Aiden.After the tricks of those around me, I wanted to keep my distance from others, until this was over. But Aiden's words had reassured my mind. He could link them, it was how he was certain it was them.“I’m betting that in twelve hours he is going to expect Bella to be dead.” Rhys glances at me again. “His deal wasn’t even a real deal. Just a trap.”“You’re wrong.” I mutterAll three sets of eyes are on me.“He said that he is a man of his word. Why would he offer a deal if he is expecting me to be dead?”“Bella,” Aiden takes my hands in his. His warmth spreads nicely through my soul. “We both know a lot of people say things that they don’t mean. Or things that they never intend to follow through on.”“He

Aiden “Do you want me to go and check on her?” Rhys asks as everyone gets back to work. “No. Sometimes, she just needs her space.” She was overwhelmed. I had seen how wide her eyes were as the new pack members made their way towards us. I had felt every flicker of her emotions. Becoming a Queen was one thing. But to have an entire population bow down to her was entirely different. She didn’t grow up with this expectation from her family. She needed time to adjust. “She has a lot of responsibilities now.” “I know Rhys. She just needs time to find her feet. I wasn’t the perfect Alpha when you lot made me yours. Give her time, I have no doubts about the type of Queen she will be.” He bobs his head. “I like her. She’s feisty.” “And just what we all need.” He looks at Connor who had fallen asleep in my arms. “You happy about him?” “He’s fine.” I had gotten used to Connor. His smile always made Bella smile, even when she was feeling like crap. “He thinks you're his dad.” “I know.”

BellaI had sat with Eli for a few hours. We didn’t talk much and it was nice, there were no expectations. Every now and then we would do a loop of the house. He always insisted that I come with him because he would never forgive himself if he was responsible for my death.By the time I returned to bed it was almost dawn and Aiden had settled down. Oblivious to my absence. Yet, the moment I slide into bed, he did his usual thing of sleepily pulling me in against him. His lips lazily find mine.“Can’t sleep?” He asks with his eyes closed. I was certain he wasn't even awake, it had just become his auto response when I got up in the night.“It’s almost morning and I needed some water.” I lie, not wanting him to worry. He refuses to let go of me as I eventually drift off.By the time the alarm goes off, I was the one in bed alone. Sprawled out with the bedsheets loosely draped over me. I still had my clothes on from when I went outside and hoped that Aiden hadn’t noticed when he got up.

BellaThe bed was calling my name, yet, as I laid there, staring up at the ceiling, sleep was the last thing I wanted. Or maybe it was just the fact that I was alone and knew that sleep wouldn’t come easily.I had more questions than I had answers and every time I gained an answer, more questions would develop. It was a never ending circle and one that I couldn’t break free from.‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ The phrase was on repeat in my head. The man who is supposed to be my uncle, didn’t know me and yet he was insisting that I was just like my father. A man hated by so many. A man that had done horrible, unforgivable things to everyone, to me.A phone starts ringing somewhere in the room. It was quiet at first, with each ring steadily growing louder. I didn't think it was possible for a phone to sound impatient.The ringing was coming from inside the closet. It stops for a moment before starting again. It wasn’t the tone to Aiden’s phone and I didn’t have one.Search