That night, at the pack’s mansion, Alexander growled in his sleep. Again, his past echoed in his dream, and the pain remained.Even though it was his dream, he knew deep inside that it was more than that. It was his past before he became the creature he once hated.Disoriented, a younger Alexander woke deep within the ground. The first sensation he felt was hunger. It was no ordinary hunger, but one of gut-wrenching, skin-crawling necessity. He was starving. Every cell in his body demanded nourishment. He lay there in silence while hunger gnawed at him like a rat. It attacked not only his body but also his mind, so that he feared for all others, humans and newly turned werewolves alike. Feared for himself. Feared for his soul. This time, the darkness was spreading fast, and his soul was in jeopardy.What dared to disturb his sleep? Was he dead? After the rogue attacked him on the eastern boundary, he knew he was dead, but why was he aware of everything? Aware of the earth surrounding

“Bert, I have to get home. This gentleman needs help. I don’t have time to talk right now. I just stopped by for a few supplies,” Miah said with urgency.Bert Renaldo put his hand on her arm to stop her. “I need you to look at a patient for me, Miah. A little girl. It won’t take that long.”“Not now, I’ll come back later tonight.” Miah’s voice was soft but very firm.Bert tightened his grip, intending to pull her back, but as he did so, he felt something moving along his skin. Looking down, he saw several small spiders with vicious-looking fangs crawling along his arm. With an oath, he let go of Miah and shook his arm hard. The spiders were gone as if they’d never been, and Miah was already walking quickly to her side of the car. She was looking at him as if he were a nut. He started to explain, but when he couldn’t see any evidence of spiders, he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.Bert hurried to the car, deliberately taking her arm again and bending low to peer in the window at Al

The next morning, when Miah returned from her walk, Mirabella video called her, her sister’s face flushed with annoyance, hissing on her the moment she answered her expensive phone. “Where the hell have you been, Miah? I've been calling a million times”“Your phone was off when I got up. I had a few things to buy, and then I went for a walk.“A walk? In werewolf territory? Are you out of your mind?” Mirabella wailed in disbelief. ‘You’re flying to London this afternoon, and all you can think to do with yourself is go for a stupid walk?"Miah compressed her lips. “I don’t know how long I’ll be away. I won't miss this place.”Her sister just rolled her eyes. “Mother came home at lunchtime yesterday. She’s guessed where we got the money from!” her sister told her abruptly.Miah studied her twin in dismay. “How could she possibly have guessed?”"Naturally, she doesn’t know about the marriage-as-a-job angle," Mirabella breathed impatiently. ‘But even though I’m the one who gave the money t

His mouth closed over hers in a wildly intoxicating kiss. Fireworks of response blazed inside her, sending her temperature rocketing while her hunger climbed. She let her fingers sink into his cropped black hair with a muffled moan of satisfaction. She couldn’t get close enough to him. He felt it was as necessary for her as air to breathe. The fierce intensity of his hard mouth on hers was devastatingly erotic. He slid his hand through the gaping neckline of her robe and captured a pouting rose-tipped breast, skilled fingers stroking the velvety tip into throbbing rigidity. A gasp of response erupted from her as sensation piled on sensation. He kissed her breathless, and her heart was hammering so hard that she felt dizzy and clung to him. By the time Miah kissed Alexander, he was consumed by the moment, engulfed in a swarm of memories that buzzed around him like bees—aching, glinting memories of times past, flooding his mind.Alexander stared down at the woman lying so quietly in the

“Okay, thank you.” Miah went willingly. It would only take minutes to get home by car, and she was exhausted. Settling into the leather seat, she snapped her seat belt in place automatically and smiled up at him. “You do like your luxury, Brice.”“There is nothing wrong with that. I know what I want, and I go after it.” His dark eyes moved over her suggestively.“Don’t start,” she cautioned, a laugh in her voice. “What is it with you, Brice? I’ve told you over and over that we can’t see each other.”“We see each other every day, Miah,” he pointed out with a grin. “We do quite well seeing each other.”“I’m too tired to argue with you. Just take me home and be nice.”“What did you do with the old man? You’ve got to quit picking people up off the street, Miah. That’s why you need me. You’re too nice for your own good. Sooner or later, you’re going to pick up an axe murderer.”“I don’t think there’s much danger in that.” Miah watched out the window as her house loomed large at the end of