《Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future》


 Chapter 1

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 1


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 1


    Most people don¡¯t even remember the packhouse has a dungeon. I do though. I have a little room in


    the back that used to be a solitary confinement cell. It smells of old piss, vomit, and blood. You get


    used to it. I have a cot and an old tattered nket to keep me warm. I even scored amp out of the


    trash. It still works, so I have light to do my homework. Home sweet home and all that jazz, right? I


    mean, at least I¡¯m not a rogue.


    Oh yeah, I should introduce myself. My name is Iokaste Latmus, but I go by Kas. No one calls me


    Iokaste except for teachers on the first day of school. I¡¯m a werewolf in the Silver Moon pack. Since I¡¯m


    an orphan, I¡¯m not


    restocking the pantries of the ranked members¡¯ apartments on the third and fourth floors, I do normal


    teenager stuff. Except, I don¡¯t really have a lot of spare time to do normal teenager stuff. So homework,


    homework is the extent of my normal teenager stuff.


    Right now, it¡¯s eleven-thirty at night. I¡¯m putting the finishing touches on my English essay when I hear


    the door of the dungeon m open. Great. Now what did I do? It doesn¡¯t take much. Alpha Graham


    Connors is an alcoholic. It¡¯s really difficult for werewolves to get drunk,


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    which means you have to drink really heavily to feel the effects. Which means he probably had a fight


    with Luna Caroline about his drinking. Which means she locked him out of their room. Which means he


    hase down to take out his anger on me. Just an average Tuesday night in the packhouse.


    The sharp smell of whiskey hits my nose well before he appears in front of my door. I know the drill. I¡¯m


    already on my feet waiting for him.


    Oh crap oh crap oh crap. I¡¯m thinking in my mind.


    ¡°Alpha Graham, what can I do for you?¡± I ask with my eyes looking at the floor. I keep my hands


    sped in front of me, trying to look as small as possible.


    Without a word, a whiskey bottle whizzes past my ear and smashes against the wall above my cot. I


    flinch and can¡¯t help but start to tremble and hug myself. We¡¯re beyond ¡®Oh crap¡¯, we¡¯re in ¡®Oh shit¡¯


    territory now.


    Whatever is about to happen it¡¯s going to be worse than usual.


    He lunges forward and grabs me by the throat with both hands. I feel tearsing to my eyes as the


    lack of oxygen turns the edges of my vision dark. I desperately w at his hands, trying to escape his


    grip but it¡¯s no


    use. He picks me up by the neck so I¡¯m at face level with him. His eyes are pitch ck indicating his


    wolf Ruckus is at the surface. His breath stinks from drinking and his face is red with anger.


    I start gagging and choking from theck of oxygen. Without warning, he throws me across the room as


    if I weigh nothing. My body ms against the wall and Ind on my back on the cot. The shards of the


    broken bottle pierce the skin on my back through my thin t-shirt. The whiskey makes the cuts burn. I try


    to muffle a scream as the pain sears through me. Hees across the room and picks me up roughly


    by the hair. I feel the shards of ss cutting deeper as he pulls me up.


    He ps me as hard as he can before throwing me to the ground. He kicks me in the gut and stomps


    on my back over and over. The ss bits are grinding deeper into my back. I can feel blood soaking


    through my shredded shirt. I don¡¯t dare move and make him even madder. I feel my ribs snap when his


    foot makes contact. One of his kicksnds on my jaw. I feel a sickening snap. Rattle in my brain. The


    metallic taste of blood instantly fills my mouth.


    Alpha Graham has been using me as his personal punching bag for years, but this was way more


    intense than it has ever been before. Usually, he ps me a few times, then whips me until I¡¯m


    bleeding and raw. In the past couple of years, he started dipping the whip in wolfsbane, which makes


    me heal slower, so now I have gnarly scars across my back and arms.


    ¡°Apha Gahm, sthoph. Pleesh,¡± I manage to eke out. My voice is small and garbled between the broken


    jaw and blood pouring out of my mouth. He abruptly stops and walks out of the room. Hees back a


    momentter with the whip and startsshing my back relentlessly.


    The whip is dripping with wolfsbane. Theshes,


    My vision turns blurry and I ck out.


    ckness and numbness surround me. Is this what being dead is like? It¡¯s peaceful, but a little bit


    boring. At least I don¡¯t have to feed the pack. Oh dang, I didn¡¯t get a chance to turn in that English


    essay. It was a good one too. The constant soft beeps are soothing. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been


    dead, but I feel like I want to open my eyes, ready to take on the afterlife.


    After what seems like forever, I¡¯m able to open my eyes and find I¡¯m alone in a softfortable bed in


    a brightly lit, clean room. This is the afterlife? Maybe this is some sort of waiting area, but where¡¯s the


    lobby? Is there a receptionist? My mind slowly bes more clear and I realize I¡¯m not dead. I¡¯m in


    the pack hospital.


    I need to leave before the Alpha finds me outside the dungeon. I try to get up but I can barely move my


    body. Every move causes excruciating pain. I start to panic, making the beeps in the room be


    faster. Oh, I¡¯m hooked up to a bunch of machines. I try to figure out how to unhook them so no one


    hears the noises. Toote, I hear people in the hallway getting closer. I try to sit up. I need to ignore the


    pain. I have to escape. I slowly slide off the side of the bed. My legs were wobbly. The tubes and wires


    sticking out of me preventing me from getting too far.


    The door opens and the pack doctores in with a nurse. The doctor is an older man. He has ck


    hair that¡¯s turning gray on the sides. The nurse is young with blond curly hair pulled back into a


    ponytail.


    ¡°Ah, Kas. You¡¯re awake. Let¡¯s get you back in bed, shall we?¡± The doctor says gently. He and the nurse


    come to either side of me and reach out to hold my arms. A deep growl escapes my chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I snap, shaking them off. My voice is scratchy and raw and my mouth feels like a


    thousand needles are poking into it.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Kas. No one is going to hurt you here. We¡¯re trying to help you heal. Let¡¯s get you back to


    bed and get you a drink of water,¡± the doctor raises his hands in surrender.


    I look at him hesitantly before epting their help back into the bed. The nurse hands me a cup of


    water with a straw. It hurts the whole lower half of my face to drink, but the water feels good on my


    throat.


    The doctor sits in the chair beside the bed as the nurse checks my vitals and starts messing with the


    tubes and wires attached to me.


    ¡°Kas, you had surgery to remove hundreds of shards of ss from your back, we also had to reset


    some ribs, your jaw, and you had a lot of wolfsbane in your blood. We gave you a transfusion to clear it


    from your system


    so you could heal,¡± the doctor exins, ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t die.¡±


    Sure about thatst part, doc? I think to myself.


    ¡°When the pack realized breakfast had not been prepared, Beta Tate went to get you and found you on


    the ground in your¡­uh¡­room,¡± he looks at me with


    sympathy, ¡°Kas, who did this to you? It¡¯s a crime that could be grounds for banishment from the pack.


    Based on the scarring, this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve been attacked.¡±


    I can¡¯t answer him. I stare at my hands on myp quietly. How can I tell him Alpha Graham is the one


    who caused this? There¡¯s no way he¡¯d believe me, even if he did, what are they going to do? Banish


    the Alpha? Fat chance of that. I decide my best move is to just shake my head no. I don¡¯t want to get


    kicked out of the pack for lying. I have nowhere to go. I would be a rogue.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s move on to the next question. When do you turn seventeen?¡± He looks at papers inside his


    folder.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know exactly, sir,¡± I say honestly. He looks at me with a furrowed brow. He nces at the


    nurse and asks her to give us privacy for a few minutes. Oh crap, am I in trouble? I just woke up, I don¡¯t


    know what I could have done while I was sleeping. She finishes what she¡¯s doing and leaves the room.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know your birthday, Kas?¡± he asks, confused.


    ¡°M-my father brought me here when I was a baby. He was a rogue. Alpha Graham, well¡­he¡­¡± I feel


    my face turning hot with embarrassment. My hands tremble and tears threaten to escape my eyes. I


    didn¡¯t think I would have to tell this story to the doctor. I thought everyone already knew.


    My father was a rogue. Alpha Graham murdered him foring onto pack territory without permission.


    They didn¡¯t realize he was carrying a baby until they unzipped his jacket and saw I was tucked inside. It


    was a miracle I survived. Since I was just a baby, they couldn¡¯t just get rid of me but they didn¡¯t know


    anything about me. I was wrapped in a nket that had the name ¡®Iokaste¡¯ embroidered on it. So, that


    is what they called me. My father could have actually been a kidnapper for all I know. The only reason


    they gave me thest name Latmus is because after they killed my father, they looked through his


    wallet to identify him. The only form of ID he had was a library card that said Andy Latmus on it. I¡¯ve


    tried an inte search for his name on theputer in the school library before. Nothinges up in


    the search.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to finish, I know what happened to your father.¡±


    ¡°Well, after that¡­happened¡­Luna Caroline took me in until I was old enough to start school. Then she


    moved me into the dungeon. I¡¯ve kinda been on my own since then. I never found out when my actual


    birthday is. To be honest, you¡¯re the first person who has ever asked. I mean, I guess I¡¯m sixteen. My


    wolf hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡±


    The doctor nods, looking at me with pity. Almost like he actually cares. He asks me a few more


    questions about my medical history, but there¡¯s nothing to really speak of. I don¡¯t remember ever being


    treated by a doctor before.


    ¡°I see,¡± he closes the folder and tucks his pen into his shirt pocket, ¡°Well, I know you haven¡¯t had a


    chance to look in the mirror yet, but when you do, you may find


    you look a little different. Don¡¯t be rmed. I believe it¡¯s a sign that your wolf is starting to wake up. I¡¯ve


    done as many tests as I could think of. It is not medically


    rted.¡±


    I look at him with confusion, ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± I assume he means I¡¯m healing faster but, why did he need to


    warn me? Why not just tell me?

 Chapter 2

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 2


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 2


    I look at the nurse who is staring at me. When she


    realizes I caught her, her eyes dart away. What¡¯s that about? Okay,dy. Rude.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you now,¡± she says, ¡°You can go in the bathroom and wash up. Just take that pole with the IV


    solution with you. There are lounge shorts and fresh underwear in the bag. You need to leave the


    hospital gown on until your back heals. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Thank you, Diane,¡± she nods and leaves the room.


    It¡¯s the first time in my life people have been kind to me. I mean, I think it¡¯s part of their job but still. All I


    have known so far were insults, physical misery, and hard work. Never any kindness, never any love. I


    feel like I


    can trust the doctor but I¡¯m still wary of Nurse Diane. The way she stared at me just now makes me


    ufortable.


    I pick up the duffle bag and go to the bathroom. I avoid looking in the mirror. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to


    see the damage on my face. Everything in the bathroom is fresh and white. There¡¯s a shower, but I¡¯m


    worried the pressure of the water will hurt my back. I decide to fill the tub halfway and get in. The water


    is warm and


    soothing. There¡¯s a washcloth and a fresh bar of soap. I clean myself until the water is gross. All the


    dried blood tinges the water pink. I drain the tub, wipe out the ring of dirt around the edge, and fill it


    again. The water is not nearly as dirty as I finish washing. It hurts to raise my arms, but I don¡¯t want to


    call the nurse to help me. I gently wash my hair and use a cup to rinse it. I dry off and wrap the soft


    towel around my hair.


    There¡¯s a toothbrush and a small tube of paste on the shelf by the sink. I¡¯m living in thep of luxury in


    the pack hospital! I pick them up and start brushing my teeth. I can¡¯t avoid it anymore, I need to look in


    the mirror. I finally worked up the courage to take a peek. What I see makes me drop the toothbrush.


    My face is still covered in bruises, but that¡¯s not what made me drop the toothbrush. The iris of my left


    eye is violet. Not like a shade of blue that could be a little purple in the right light. No no. My right pupil


    is still the drab gray I¡¯m used to but my left pupil looks crazy. I blink my eyes hard a few times. Still the


    same. I try rubbing my eye but it doesn¡¯t make a difference. There¡¯s no mistaking it ¨C my eye is bright,


    practically glowing¡­violet.


    The two days seem tost forever. I¡¯m notining though. I¡¯ve never gotten so much sleep in my


    life and as a bonus, I get three meals a day. Three! I keep looking in the mirror. I can¡¯t get over how


    weird my purple eye looks. I wake up on the second day and go to the bathroom to freshen up.


    I stare at myself in the mirror for the millionth time. My left eye is still violet. Now my right eye seems


    like it¡¯s starting to turn violet as well. There was nothing I can do about it, so I decide to try not to worry.


    Since Silver Moon is a pretty big pack, we have a high school on pack territory. The library has a really


    big werewolf lore research section. I will do some research during lunch.


    As I tilt my head to the side to brush my hair, I notice a chunk of my hair has changed color. Instead of


    my normal mousy brown, it is silvery gray.


    Okay seriously now. What is going on? What is happening to me? Is this a trick? Is there bleach in the


    shampoo or something? If it is a trick, it isn¡¯t funny. I pick up the bottle and smell it. It smells like


    strawberries, not bleach.


    Weird. I have never heard of a wolf¡¯s eye or hair color changing when they areing of age but that¡¯s


    what the doctor thinks is happening.


    Dianees in just after lunch with paperwork and pamphlets for me. She hands me another little bag,


    ¡°Just a little something to help you stay incognito until you are finished healing,¡± she says.


    ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± I say as I open the bag. There is a baseball cap and a pair of dark


    sunsses.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± I ask as I model them for her.


    She giggles at my poses, ¡°You¡¯re a star, darling.¡± Maybe she isn¡¯t so bad after all.


    She gives me a gentle hug and sends me on my way. I have another two hours before I need to start


    prepping dinner. I decide to take my new clothes to my room and clean up the mess down there so I


    can sleep tonight.


    Something smells different as I walk down the hall of the dungeon, like a cleaning solution. I turn on my


    lamp to find the room has been transformed. Mymp is not sitting on an old stack of milk crates. It is


    on a nightstand. There is a new bed too, my old cot is gone. I have a proper bed. Complete with new


    sheets and nkets. There is also a small desk and chair with all my school books arranged in a


    basket next to it. I must be dreaming. That or I walked into someone else¡¯s room by ident, except no


    one else lives down here. You can


    barely tell it was an old dungeon cell. It looks like what I imagine a dorm room would look like.


    I peek out of the doorway to make sure I am in the right ce. I seem to be. What gives? I walk over to


    the bed and sit carefully as if it will disappear if I move too fast. It is like a cloud. The gray and turquoise


    linens are fresh and new. There are even two pillows. I never had a proper pillow before, let alone two.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As far as I know, Diane is the only one who came down here while I was in the hospital. Could she


    have had all this done? Surely she will get in trouble when Alpha Graham finds out. Then I remember


    she doesn¡¯t know how much the Alpha hates me. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to exin it when he finds


    out but I won¡¯t tattle on anyone for trying to help me either.


    I put my new clothes away in the drawers of the nightstand. I stash the duffle bag under the mattress.


    Once I am seventeen, I will figure out a way to get out of this ce. Find a new pack that will ept a


    violet-eyed weakling of a wolf.


    I sit at the desk and write a thank you letter to the doctor and Nurse Diane. I turn in the chair looking


    around the like-new room. I am in awe that someone would do this for me. I must have been


    daydreaming


    because I don¡¯t hear the door at the top of the stairs, but I hear two sets of footstepsing down the


    hall.


    Instantly I freeze. I can smell Alpha Graham¡¯s scent getting closer. I don¡¯t know who the other scent


    belongs to.


    Instinctively, I scramble and stand in the middle of the room just as they get to the doorway. He leans


    against the frame and crosses his arms in front of himself. I can feel my whole body trembling as he


    stares. My eyes are glued to the ground. I definitely do not want him to see my new eye color shining


    through.


    ¡°C-can I help y-you, Alpha Graham?¡±


    ¡°That little stunt you pulled cost me a lot of money,¡± he says with a calm, gravelly voice, ¡°And when you


    cost me money, you cost my whole family money.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± I apologize, although I have no idea what stunt he is talking about. I look up just enough


    to see Ryan, the Alpha¡¯s son, is also standing in the doorway.


    Ryan takes a step closer and I can feel tears starting to sting the corners of my eyes as my arms shake


    uncontrobly. How am I going to face him at school? I haven¡¯t had a conversation with him since his


    mom made me live in the dungeon, anyway. But as far as I know, he had no idea I live down here now.


    He is going to tell everyone for sure.


    ¡°Surgery and hospital stays aren¡¯t cheap, Kas,¡± Alpha Graham sneers from the doorway, ¡°And do you


    know how disgusting the food has been for the past two and a half days?¡±


    I just nod, still looking at the ground. I¡¯m not trying to argue with a lunatic. It isn¡¯t my fault I had to have


    surgery. He¡¯s the one who broke a bottle and threw me


    into the broken pieces! If he hadn¡¯t, I would have been just fine. I would have been able to bounce back


    the next day and make breakfast like I was supposed to, even if I was banged up.


    There is a pause and he finally growls, ¡°Where did all this furnituree from? Did you steal it?¡±


    ¡°N-no, sir. I-I¡­it was here when I g-got back from the hospital wing. I don¡¯t know wh-who brought it.¡±


    ¡°You owe me, Kas Latmus. You also owe whoever turned your room into the Ritz-Carlton. You¡¯ll work in


    the packhouse until you pay it back every cent. For the rest of your life if necessary. No more school.


    You don¡¯t need education to cook and clean.¡±


    He uses his Alpha tone. I cannot disobey. With those words, the small me of hope in my heart


    extinguishes. I don¡¯t get paid so I don¡¯t know how I could ever pay back any debt. Luna Caroline told


    me years ago that the room in the dungeon was payment enough for my services. I am less than an


    omega now. I am a ve.


    ¡°Ryan, teach her a lesson for wasting our money.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    Tears stream down my face as the reality of my fate sets in. Alpha Graham is passing the torch of his


    cruelty down to his son. But I know better than that. He will never stop hurting me.


    Ryan reaches forward and ps the back of my neck. He forces me down into a bowing position and


    growls


    deeply, ¡°You should be grateful my father doesn¡¯t banish you. If you were a rogue, I would make damn


    sure you never made it to the border of the territory.¡±


    A squeak escapes my throat. I am so scared I feel like I am going to pass out. I can feel ckness in


    the edges of my vision as my heart races.


    Ryan turns to his father, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alpha. I¡¯ve got this situation covered.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 3


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 3


    I hear Alpha Graham¡¯s footsteps walk back down the hallway as he leaves the dungeon. Ryan tightens


    his grip on my neck, extending his wolf ws, making me yelp.


    As soon the door ms, Ryan releases my neck and kneels in front of me. His face is contorted with


    anger. His eyes flicker ck as his wolf, Dagger,es to the surface. He grabs my shoulders,


    shaking me roughly, ¡°What the Hell did you do to make him so mad?¡±


    Why isn¡¯t he beating me like he told Alpha Graham he would? I stiffen my whole body, avoiding eye


    contact with him. I¡¯m shaking so badly, I can¡¯t even speak now.


    The thought of two people beating me regrly for the rest of my life¡­it just can¡¯t be real. Can it?


    How can the Goddess allow this to happen? I want to die.


    That¡¯s not an exaggeration. That¡¯s not me being


    dramatic. Please, Goddess, don¡¯t let this happen. Just let me die.


    I shake so badly that I fall to my knees. I start to sob hysterically and my brain shuts down from being


    able to think rationally.


    Ryan grabs my chin and forces me to look at him in his cold gray eyes. He looks at me in horror for a


    moment, ¡°Wh-what happened to your eyes?¡±


    He moves his hands up from my chin to just below my eyes. It feels like his hands are trembling


    against my face.


    ¡°A-are you a hybrid or something?¡±


    All I can manage is to shake my head no between sobs. As I shake my head, I feel him starting to


    press his thumbs against my lower eyelids obstructing my vision.


    Oh no no no, he¡¯s going to poke my eyes out. Holy crap, he saw the violet color. He was going to blind


    me. I ce my hands on top of his trying to pull him away. I hear


    myself screaming, ¡°NONONONOOOOO! STOP!! Don¡¯t take my eyes ouuutttt! PLEEAASSEEEE!!!¡±


    For just a moment, time freezes. I don¡¯t mean like it feels like time is standing still because I¡¯m in the


    middle of a traumatic situation. No, time is actually frozen. Well, frozen for everything except for me I


    should say. I can feel it in the air.


    It onlysts for a moment. I pull Ryan¡¯s hands away from my face easily. The look of angerbined


    with confusion is stuck on his face. Next to him, a fly is suspended in mid-air. The second hand on the


    clock has stopped on the wall behind him. Drips of water aren¡¯t finished falling, leaving umbre-


    shaped sshes in the puddles on the floor.


    What the¡­Hell? Did the Moon Goddess hear me? Did she have mercy on me? Did she let me die?


    I look back at Ryan with wide eyes. My hands are glowing purple. As quickly as it stopped, time starts


    again. Ryan starts screaming and pushes himself away from me. The tops of his hands where my


    hands were touching him are red and swollen.


    I look down at my hands. They are normal again, not glowing purple. Seriously though, what the Hell


    just happened?


    I shut my eyes tight, waiting for Ryan to retaliate. ¡°If you tell anyone, I will kill you,¡± he says in my ear.


    Then he punches me in the stomach, knocking the air out


    of my lungs.


    I hear his footsteps running down the hall, then out the door. I don¡¯t know how long I sit like this but


    when I finally open my eyes I breathe a sigh of relief.


    I lean against my bed for a while longer, sobbing,


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    shaking, and trying to catch my breath. He didn¡¯t hurt me? Surely he wasing back. I sniff the air


    but his scent is gone. I listened carefully but there were no


    sounds in other parts of the dungeon. I¡¯m alone.


    ¡°Goddess, thank you for saving me. Thank you,¡± I say out loud, just in case the miracle I just


    experienced was because of her.


    I feel exhausted, but starting to feel calmer. Okay Kas, focus. I need to make dinner for the pack or


    Alpha Graham will find me and murder me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an exaggeration, either. Even if I try to run


    away, either he or Ryan would find me before I could get off the territory. I think he really would kill me


    at this point. Speaking of which, it was only a matter of time before Ryanes back to beat the crap


    out of me like his father told him to.


    I take a few deep breaths and make myself go down the hall to wash up at the sink. I ssh cold water


    on my face and look in the grungy mirror. Both of my eyes are pure violet now. The silver streaks are


    starting to take over my hair now. It isn¡¯t like an old person¡¯s hair. It is silvery white that almost


    shimmers, even in the low light of the dungeon. So weird, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to be able to get


    used to this new look.


    I go back to my room and get dressed in leggings and a t-shirt. I put on the baseball cap Diane gave


    me, pulling the brim low to hide my eyes. Throughout dinner, I receive murderous res from Alpha


    Graham. I make


    sure to keep my eyes to the floor so Alpha Graham would avoid seeing the color. Ryan res at me


    every chance he gets. After dinner, it takes longer than usual to stock pantries because whoever did it


    while I was in the hospital had no idea what they were doing.


    It is well after midnight when I flop down on my bed and close my eyes. June 20th, I think to myself. It¡¯s


    thest day of school. Well, for other people anyway, not me.


    You don¡¯t need an education to cook and stock pantries, Alpha Graham¡¯s words ring in my ears. Just


    another day for me, I suppose. I wallow in self-pity for a bit before I roll over and try to fall asleep. I¡¯m


    almost asleep when I hear a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    I quickly scramble to my feet, looking everywhere for who it could be. I¡¯m the only one in the room. I


    peek into the hallway and look around but no one is there either.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I whisper loudly down the hallway.


    ¡°Ugh, Kas. This is no way for a warrior to behave. Get your shit together,¡± the voice chides. I realize the


    voice ising from inside my head.


    ¡°A-are you my wolf?¡± I ask hesitantly, worried that I¡¯ve gone insane.


    ¡°I am. My name is Elexis. You can call me Lex.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Elexis. You woke up a day toote. Our Alpha just turned us into a ve less than twelve hours


    ago. We have no way to escape now,¡± I feel tears welling up.


    I exin everything to her. How the Alpha killed my father, how the Luna made me live in the dungeon,


    the beatings, all of it. I sob through the whole thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m here now, Kas. Don¡¯t worry. We are a child of the Moon Goddess, we are a warrior. Which means


    we are strong. We will get through this.¡±


    ¡°Lex, earlier, when my hands turned purple and burned Ryan. Was that you?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. That was you, but my waking up helped activate your power. I can exin moreter. Get


    some sleep for now.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 4


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 4


    The next month and a half are the worst of my life. Thank Goddess for Lex. She keeps me going. Any


    motivation I ever had is gone now. Instead of just


    breakfast and dinner, now I make lunch too and I¡¯m still on pantry duty. Every moment of my day is


    filled with work from the time I wake up until the time I crash in my bed. Lex convinces me to enjoy the


    time that she and I get to spend together, which is when I¡¯m cooking meals.


    I find I actually do enjoy cooking while Lex is with me. No onees to bother me, so we get to have


    great conversations without interruptions. In the end, I have created something people will enjoy. I even


    found a couple of recipe books in the back of one of the kitchen cupboards and taught myself some


    new techniques and dishes to make.


    Everything else in my life isplete shit. Alpha Graham allows pack members to hit me and verbally


    abuse me and they take full advantage at every opportunity. Hees to my room multiple times a


    week to beat me and berate me for imaginary offenses I haven¡¯tmitted.


    Sometimes Ryanes and watches. A couple of times he even gets the whip for his father but he


    never actually hits me. I swear I see him smiling while he watches. Lex tries to convince me to fight


    back, but that would be a death sentence for both of us. If I fight back or even worse, if I shift, I¡¯m


    certain I¡¯d be killed on the spot.


    Lex keeps telling me everything will change when I shift. She keeps saying we are a daughter of the


    Moon Goddess and we are her warrior. She is frustrated that I submit instead of fighting back. She is


    angry at me for keeping her a secret. She says doing so is making her weaker.


    ¡°Okay, Lex, a couple of problems with all of this,¡± I try to tell her for the millionth time after we plop in


    bed, ¡°First, I have no idea when I¡¯m going to be able to let you out.


    I¡¯m up and working every day from five a.m. until after midnight. Secondly, if the Alpha finds out I have


    a wolf at all, he might banish me and kill me or just skip banishing me and straight out kill me. Lastly,


    we are a ve, not a warrior. We aren¡¯t even an omega.¡±


    ¡°Kas, we are not just a warrior, we are a child of the Moon Goddess. She is our mother.¡±


    I just roll my eyes, ¡°Okay, okay. I don¡¯t know when I can let you out, but at the first opportunity, I will


    take it, Lex. I promise.¡±


    This seems to satisfy her. We keep having the same argument about werewolves all being children of


    Moon Goddess versus being an actual child of the Moon Goddess. She doesn¡¯t understand the


    difference. I think


    she actually believes the Moon Goddess is my mom, like, in the literal sense of the word mother.


    Every night, I¡¯mpletely exhausted by the time I get back to my room. It¡¯s an even longer day if I¡¯m


    visited by Alpha Graham. Lex has been the best friend I could ask for, even if she is frustrated and


    getting weak. She is always supporting me and pushing me to not give up. I feel guilty that I can¡¯t


    support her in return.


    One day, Lori, Alpha Graham¡¯s personal omegaes running up to me while I¡¯m making lunch and


    tells me the Alpha wants to see me in his office right away. I drop what I¡¯m doing and hurry to his office.


    I knock on the door quietly in case he¡¯s busy.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he calls from inside. I pull open the door and peek inside.


    ¡°You called for me, Alpha?¡± I ask as quietly as possible. The easiest way to get away from him is to use


    as few words as possible and ask as few questions as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,e in,¡± he snarls.


    I rush inside and close the door behind me. I stay as close to the door as possible in case I need to


    make a run for it.


    ¡°Kas, we have a delegationing from the Blood River pack next week. Twenty wolves in total, all of


    the ranked members, their mates, the heads of their security and guards, and security detail for all of


    them. If all goes well, we¡¯ll be forming a pact with them. They must be treated with the utmost respect


    and courtesy. Bring lunches to the conference room every day and make a formal dinner every night


    next week, keep their pantries stocked, and stay the Hell out of the way. Got it?¡±


    I look up from under my hat, still keeping my face low


    enough that he can¡¯t see my eyes. Yes, even after almost two months, he still hasn¡¯t noticed that I have


    purple


    eyes. Or if he has, he hasn¡¯t pointed it out. He also hasn¡¯t said anything about my silver hair. Which is


    just fine with me.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Everyone will be here on Monday. Except for the Alpha, who ising Tuesday. We¡¯ll be having a


    party after dinner to wee him. Make sure there is enough food for the party. Give Sam the


    information for the additional food you need to make. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good. We need to keep the Alpha happy. If not, I won¡¯t hesitate to let him kill you. Do you


    understand?¡± He stands up with his hands leaning on the desk looking very intimidating.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Now get out of my sight,¡± he points to the door behind me.


    I scramble out of the room as fast as possible to find Sam. Sam is in charge of ordering supplies for the


    packhouse. He should be in his office right now. My mind is already churning through the special foods


    to make and the groceries I need for them. I also need extra supplies for the guest suite pantries. I


    wonder what kind of foods the Blood River pack likes?


    Blood River is thergest pack in the northern region with my pack, Silver Moon, being the second


    largest. Alpha Graham says Blood River is vicious and strict. Most of their pack has served in the


    military at one point or another. They employ dark magicians and witches to help them keep power


    over neighboring packs. I wonder if they are going to bring any dark witches here. I hope


    not. I also hear their Alpha kills pack members who fail training tests because he doesn¡¯t want weak


    wolves in his pack. Definitely a guy I don¡¯t want to cross paths with.


    I get to Sam¡¯s office and knock on the door. I can hear noisesing from inside but he doesn¡¯t


    answer. I knock a little louder. What a jerk, he has to know I¡¯m here. He knows my scent. Just tell me to


    come in, already.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this guy, Kas. He¡¯s creepy. He stares at your boobs,¡± Lexins.


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have a choice but to work with him, Lex. He¡¯s the money man.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Fine, but let¡¯s make it quick.¡±


    I knock again. More impatiently this time. ¡°What is it?¡± He finally growls from inside.


    I open the door to find there¡¯s a mostly naked female wolf with long blond hair sitting on his desk. Her


    legs are wrapped around his waist. She hides her face in his


    chest. I can¡¯t see who she was, but there is no denying whose scent it is. Sam is not wearing any pants


    and he is sweating.


    ¡°Get the fuck out, Kas! I¡¯m busy here!¡±


    I stand there wide-eyed, jaw ck for a moment. I can¡¯t be seeing this. Sam is having sex in his


    office¡­WITH THE LUNA.


    ¡°GET OUT, KAS!¡± He yells louder.


    Ie to my senses and m the door closed. I run back to the kitchen as fast as I can. I can feel the


    blood drain from my face. If anyone finds out what I just saw, I am dead meat. Holy crap Holy crap Holy


    crap Holy crap.


    Lex thinks it¡¯s hrious. Sheughs in my head throughout lunch preparation. I¡¯m just trying to erase


    the scene from my mind.


    I¡¯m about to take the tters out to the dining room, Sames charging into the kitchen. He makes a


    beeline at me, grabbing me by the throat, and pinning me against the wall. He hauls back and punches


    me square in the face. The back of my head ms against the wall so hard I see stars. I can feel blood


    dripping from my nose as I slide down the wall with a groan.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything!¡± His eyes are pitch ck as he growls at me. I can feel his ws extending


    into my neck drawing blood, ¡°You understand, you little bitch!¡±


    I¡¯m paralyzed with fear. I can¡¯t answer. I can¡¯t even nod. Suddenly I feel like I¡¯m falling backward in my


    mind. I blink quickly a few times. It feels like I¡¯m looking out of someone else¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± The voicees from me, but it isn¡¯t my voice. It¡¯s Elexis. Her voice booms and sounds


    almost ethereal. The dishes on the counter shake as she growls deeply at Sam.


    I watch helplessly, as my hands glow violet and grab


    Sam¡¯s wrists. As I grab him, his eyes widen in fear and he starts howling in pain. A sizzling sound


    comes from where my hands connect with his skin. He quickly releases my neck and we both fall to the


    ground.


    ¡°How are you doing this? What the Hell are you, Kas?¡±


    I stand up feeling much taller than my five-foot-tall frame. Lex¡¯s voice booms from me, ¡°I¡¯m a warrior


    child of the Moon Goddess. If you tell anyone what has happened here today, I. WILL. KILL. YOU,¡±


    Elexis threatens.

 Chapter 5

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 5


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 5


    Sam scoots back on his backside away from me, wide- eyed, then mbers up and runs away as fast


    as he can.


    Suddenly, I¡¯m thrust back into my normal state of mind and I fall back to the ground, exhausted. My


    hands are no longer glowing but they feel like they are on fire and full of static electricity.


    ¡°Lex! What was that?¡± I scold her, but mostly because it scared me.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. He was threatening us.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but what was with the glowy purple, burny hands thing?! That¡¯s not normal!¡±


    ¡°Kas, we¡¯ve been through this. We are a child of the Moon Goddess. We are special. The ¡®glowy


    purple, burny hands thing¡¯ is a gift from our mother. There is more too. You will see after we shift for the


    first time. Until then,


    I¡¯m not strong enough to show you. Besides, it isn¡¯t like I hurt him; his wolf will heal him before he is


    back in his office.¡±


    ¡°I-I don-, wait, you mean the Moon Goddess is my actual mom? Like she gave birth to me, specifically?


    Not just, like, mother of all werewolves because she created us a gazillion years ago?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying since I woke up. It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    I pick up a towel to wipe the blood from my nose. Lex is already healing me from the break. But my


    face is clearly going to be bruised for a couple of days. I pull my hat down low so no one can see the


    bruises then pick up the first two tters and rush out to the dining room.


    ¡°Okay, well if you¡¯re able to do that to Sam, howe you can¡¯t do it to Alpha Graham or Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it happened one time before I woke up, but I wasn¡¯t fully in control then. I can¡¯t do it now


    because he¡¯s our Alpha, Kas. I can¡¯t go against what he says. I


    can¡¯t attack our Alpha or our future Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I concede. I don¡¯t want to argue with her. I¡¯m just trying to figure out the rules. I¡¯m kinda in


    uncharted


    territory here. I mean, it¡¯s cool territory but I don¡¯t know what our limits are.


    Once all the tters are out, I make the list of extra supplies I need and put it in the box hanging


    outside Sam¡¯s office. That way, I don¡¯t have to face him again.


    I clean up the dining room from lunch and still have about forty-five minutes until I need to start dinner. I


    decide to go to the stockroom and put supplies on the pantry cart forter. As I¡¯m working, I hear


    someone clear their throat behind me. I look up to find Ryan standing ufortably close to me.


    ¡°Can I help you with something, Ryan?¡± I try to swallow the panic that instantly builds in my throat.


    ¡°Kas, I just wanted to say, when I¡¯m Alpha, you won¡¯t be treated the way you are now,¡± he takes a step


    closer, forcing me to back up against the cart.


    ¡°Ryan, please stop,¡± I put my hands up and push lightly against him to get him to move, but he¡¯s


    stronger than me and doesn¡¯t budge. I look up at him to see an evil grin distorting his face.


    ¡°I see the way my dad treats you, Kas. You never


    What in the actual Hell?! There is no way I heard him right. Did I?


    ¡°Ryan, I absolutely do not enjoy being beaten by your father,¡± I say in disbelief, ¡°and you¡¯re no better,


    standing there watching him instead of stopping him.¡±


    I can feel tears stinging the corners of my eyes as he slips an arm around my waist. I cannot believe


    this is happening right now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Kas. It makes me hard to think about what I¡¯ll do to you when it¡¯s finally my turn. I can¡¯t


    wait until he lets me treat you like that. I want to hear you moan with pleasure when I beat you. I want


    you on your knees so I can whip you instead of him. I want you to be my toy, Kas, not his. You¡¯d like


    that, wouldn¡¯t you?


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Bowing down to me with that pretty ass in the air? We¡¯ll turn the dungeon into a yroom just for us,


    instead of just your bedroom,¡± He¡¯s nuzzling against my neck right below my ear making me cringe, but


    I don¡¯t have anywhere to be able to move to get away from him. I can feel his erection getting harder as


    he leans more weight against me.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± I yell. I push hard against him but he¡¯s too strong. He doesn¡¯t budge, ¡°Get off of me,


    you sicko!¡±


    This whole time, he¡¯s been turned on by watching his dad torture me? What the hell is wrong with this


    family?


    The look on his face contorts from happy evil to disgusted. Without warning, he takes a step back and


    kicks me in the stomach causing me to double over in pain. He elbows me in the back, dropping me to


    my knees. Then he bends over behind me, pressing his body against mine, and slides his arm under


    my shirt roughly massaging my breast while he grunts in my ear. He slides his other hand inside my


    leggings, rubbing his fingers against my lower area. He pulls me toward his body, pressing his erection


    against my butt, moving back and forth to rub himself against me, his mouth right next to my ear. He¡¯s


    breathing hard as he licks my face.


    ¡°I know you want me, Kas. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be mine as soon as I convince my father to let me have


    you. I wanted him to watch the first time I take you. I want to make him proud when I make you squeal


    in pain but I don¡¯t think I can wait,¡± His voice is rough and ragged with excitement and he¡¯s grinding


    against me and groping me.


    All I can do is sob. I¡¯m afraid to fight back or to even say anything. Lex can¡¯t help me because he¡¯s my


    future Alpha.


    ¡®Moon Goddess, if you¡¯re really my mother, please help me! Please save me from this!¡¯ I cry in my mind


    as Ryan


    gropes and rubs himself against me. He pulls my leggings and underwear down, tearing them both in


    half with his wolf ws extended. I feel him pressing himself against my entrance. I know what was


    about to happen and I


    can¡¯t take it anymore. I turn my mind off. Just like the night his father beat me within an inch of my life.


    My mind cannot be present for what is happening to my body.


    He finally gets off me and I fall to the floor. He tears the back of my shirt open and releases his seed on


    the skin of my scarred back. He kicks me in the stomach again and walks away. Iy on the floor of the


    supply room crying.


    ¡°Get up, Kas,¡± Lexmands in my mind.


    ¡°I said get up,¡± she repeats. Her voice is stern but caring, ¡°You¡¯re better than this. We will survive this.¡±


    ¡°I want to die, Lex. I can¡¯t do this anymore. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can and you will. We will find our mate soon enough and things will change. I promise.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°You will see. Glowy, burny hands are not our only gift.¡±


    I get up, find an old cardigan in the back of the stockroom, and put it on. I go back to my room to find


    new clothes before making dinner.


    The next four days go without incident. Unless you consider I have gone to the roof several times


    contemting my existence. Each time, I stand with my toes at the edge and stare down from the four-


    story building. I can¡¯t bring myself to do anything except cry and go back to my room. I can¡¯t do it to


    Elexis. I can¡¯t take her life because I want to take mine.


    Sunday after dinner service, I see Luna Caroline in the hallway while I¡¯m refilling pantries. She quickly


    approaches me and grabs me by the arm. She extends her ws into my bicep, drawing blood.


    ¡°Kas, if you tell anyone and I mean anyone what you saw in Sam¡¯s office, I will kill you,¡± she says in a


    low threatening tone.


    You too,dy? I¡¯m fed up. She wants to kill me? Okay, fine. I lift my hat and let my violet eyes look


    directly at her. She gasps at the unusual sight.


    ¡°Luna, it would be a relief and I would wee death. You clearly don¡¯t know or care how I¡¯m treated


    by this pack. Including your husband, your son, and apparently your lover, too,¡± Tears choke up in my


    throat. I cannot take any more punishment or threats from anyone else. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. If she


    murders me right here in this hallway, it would be a relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lex. I just can¡¯t do it anymore,¡± I say to my wolf as I¡¯m staring down Luna Caroline. She


    doesn¡¯t respond, she shuts our mind link and crawls into the corner of my mind.


    Luna Caroline pushes me away, ¡°Insolent child! You should be grateful for your life! The Alpha will hear


    about this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not grateful for this life, Luna. And if you think I should be, you are part of the problem. If you want


    to tell


    the Alpha about this incident, I¡¯m more than happy to tell him what instigated it.¡±


    She stares at me with pure anger and hatred before walking away without a word. I guess fate has


    other ns for me. I stand in the hall for a few minutes to see if she ising back, but she doesn¡¯t.


    I¡¯m certain she is going to sabotage me. Maybe she¡¯s going to smother me in my sleep or just stab me


    straight in the back. Either way, I was serious when I told her I wee death.

 Chapter 6

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 6


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 6


    I finish pantry duty making sure everything is set in the guest rooms. I had Sam order bouquets for


    each of the


    suites as an extra touch. In the guest Alpha¡¯s suite, I also add a bottle of champagne. If this is thest


    thing I ever get to do, I want it to be something that makes someone else happy.


    It is almost one-thirty in the morning before I plop into bed exhausted. It has been a shit day. If Luna


    Caroline has anything to do with it, it will probably be myst. Lex is exhausted too. She stops sulking


    long enough to tell


    me she needs me to shift, but I can¡¯t. I have no time or energy. I keep promising her I will, but I feel like


    I¡¯ve broken that promise. I float off to sleep to the sounds of her whimpering in my head while I cry into


    the pillow.


    To my surprise, my rm wakes me in the morning. Lex makes me promise to hang on for one more


    day. We go through the motions of the life I hate. While I¡¯m getting ready, I look in the mirror to find my


    hair ispletely silvery white now. I tuck it into a bun to try to avoid people noticing it.


    The delegation from Blood River arrives in the early afternoon. They are all tall and intimidating with


    tattoos and big muscles. Some of them have visible scars on their arms and faces. They¡¯re wearing


    matching ck


    and white business clothes or all-ck security uniforms. Luna Caroline directs them to the sitting room


    while I quietly bring in pitchers of water and ice tea for them to drink. I do my best to try not to be


    noticed when one of the women calls me out.


    ¡°You there, omega,¡± She says abruptly, staring with green eyes and ck hair pulled into a tight


    ponytail.


    I look around and realize she is speaking to me. ¡°Wine. Wine for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Beta Lenora, of course, right away,¡± Luna Caroline says quickly, then nods her head to me.


    I rush to the wine cer and pull out two cases of wine, napkins, and sses, prepping the drink


    service cart and head back to the sitting room. I open three bottles each of red and white, leaving the


    rest for them to do as they wish and I back out of the room so I can start on preparing dinner.


    The rest of the day goes without a hitch. The guests seem pleased with dinner. In the evening, I go to


    each guest suite to make sure everyone is happy with their amodations. A couple of people ask


    for more bags of chips or soda but on the whole, everyone seems satisfied.


    Thest door is the Beta¡¯s room. Beta Lenora opens the door wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans, looking


    much more rxed than earlier. She has arge tattoo of a rose and a dagger on her forearm. Her dark


    hair is still pulled back but she isn¡¯t wearing makeup. I can see now, she looks only a few years older


    than me. I can hear her mate inside talking on the phone.


    ¡°Thanks for checking on us. Everything is wonderful. The flowers are a beautiful touch. You have good


    taste,¡± she smiles at me. I bow to her slightly, then turn to leave.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s under your hat?¡± I stop in my tracks and turn around.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am?¡± I ask. I feel the blood drain from my face and a knot forms in my belly.


    ¡°Your hat. Why is it so low? What are you trying to hide?¡± she asks, ¡°Come closer.¡±


    Ie closer and slowly take off my hat. Keeping my eyes to the ground. My silver hair cascades


    down my back. It is embarrassingly greasy and visibly dirty. I feel myself blush.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± she says with surprise in her voice, ¡°Now. Don¡¯t be disrespectful. Always look me in the eye


    when I speak to you.¡±


    Oh crap. I look up at her. The light from her room shines right into my eyes. She looks at me nkly for


    a moment trying to process what she is seeing.


    ¡°What are you? A hybrid?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. The pack doctor did tests but doesn¡¯t know why it happened. He thinks it must be a


    transformation rted to my wolf getting ready to wake up,¡± I mean, it¡¯s not a lie¡­it¡¯s just not the whole


    truth, right? How am I supposed to tell aplete stranger that my wolf says I am the Moon Goddess¡¯s


    actual daughter and that is why I have silver hair and violet eyes?


    She grabs my chin and pulls my face closer to hers, inspecting closely, ¡°And does the pack doctor


    know someone has broken your nose recently? You still have bruises.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s treated my injuries in the past,¡± I¡¯m not trying to borate or implicate anyone to this woman I


    don¡¯t know.


    ¡°Who¡¯s at the door, Lenora?¡± the Beta inside calls to her.


    ¡°Just the omega assigned to us, Milo. What¡¯s your name, again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Iokaste, ma¡¯am but please call me Kas. I¡¯m not an omega, though. I¡¯m just a servant.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Kas. She picked out my beautiful flowers,¡± she¡¯s still talking to her mate but she hasn¡¯t


    taken her eyes off me as if she is trying to size me up for some


    reason. Her brow furrows slightly as she stares. She¡¯s making me really self conscious.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. Ask her if I can get bubbly water in the refrigerator.¡±


    ¡°No problem, ma¡¯am,¡± She and I share a smile at ¡®bubbly water¡¯, ¡°I will bring it shortly and leave it at the


    door.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Oh and Kas, if those bruises aren¡¯t healed tomorrow morning, find some powder. Alpha


    Bronx Mason does not tolerate seeing injuries like that.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    I run to the stockroom, get four bottles of San Pellegrino and put them in front of the door, then run


    away as fast as I can. One million questions run through my head.


    Would their Alpha kill me for being weaker than other wolves even if I was not part of his pack? Was


    she going to tell Alpha Graham about my unusual features? Was she going to call him out for letting


    someone break my nose? I mean,dy, if you think that is bad, I got some news you¡¯re not gonna like


    and then I¡¯m dead meat by your Alpha for sure.


    Alpha Grahames downter and whips me for not having all the items our guests wanted. By


    morning, Lex has still not been able to fully heal me. So I put on a loose ck t-shirt and shorts with a


    stretched-out


    waistband. I¡¯m in so much pain, everything is a struggle. Cooking, carrying breakfast trays, leaning over


    to clean tables. Every move causes scabs to open and bleed, making the back of my shirt damp with


    blood.


    Beta Lenora makes eye contact with me a couple of


    times. She can tell something was wrong but doesn¡¯t say anything.


    For some reason she can¡¯t exin, Lex is bouncing around in my head all morning.


    ¡°The Beta is so nice! I can¡¯t wait to meet the Alpha and Luna!¡±


    ¡°Lex,e on. We¡¯re not going to get to meet the Alpha and Luna. We¡¯re going to melt into the


    wallpaper and pretend we don¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Pshh. I want to meet them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well I hate to disappoint you, but you¡¯re gonna get disappointed.¡±


    Lories in while I¡¯m prepping lunch to let me know the Alpha has arrived and I need to make lunch


    for him as well. There is no Luna. He doesn¡¯t have a mate? And ording to Lori¡­he¡¯s really


    handsome. Not that it


    matters to me, because I¡¯m going to be wallpaper. I don¡¯t want him to notice me at all.


    I take the trays to the conference room. Alpha Bronx Mason is not there but there is a spot at the table


    where he is supposed to sit. I leave his meal at the empty seat. Everyone from the Blood River pack


    politely thanks me as Iy tes in front of them. Their manners betray their intimidating features. No


    one from the Silver Moon pack says a word to me as I serve them. I collect the trays and walk out


    quietly. Lori lets me know she will clean the tes so I can focus on dinner and food for the party.


    I go to the kitchen but need a minute to collect myself before I get started on dinner. I go out the back


    door and stand on the stoop. In the distance I see a man smoking. I don¡¯t recognize him, it must be the


    Alpha from Blood River. He is too far away for me to see his actual features though. All I can see is a


    tall figure with dark hair and a ck suit. The wind wafts his cigarette smoke toward me. It smells like


    cigarettes but I swear it smells like


    coffee too¡­or dark chocte. This guy was a mocha drinker? Iugh to myself at the thought of the


    big bad Alpha of Blood River sipping on a mochino.

 Chapter 7

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 7


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 7


    I make a four-course meal of Caesar sd, bacon- wrapped shrimp appetizers, beef wellington with


    braised Brussels sprouts for the main dish, and a key lime pie for dessert. I also make bruschetta,


    crostinis, tomato


    fritters, mini calzones, assorted veggie trays with dip, and chocte truffles to serve for the party. I


    finished the desserts and veggie trays between breakfast and lunch so there was less for me to worry


    about now.


    I realize Lex¡¯s advice of finding happiness in cooking has helped me enjoy making this dinner. Maybe


    because I¡¯m serving people other than my pack or maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m making special food, not just


    the regr stuff I make for the pack? Either way, I don¡¯t mind my work today. I felt a sense of pride in it.


    There are servers for dinner service since it¡¯s a formal event. I stay in the kitchen and make sure


    everything is ted and going out the door in perfect condition. I¡¯m in the zone, as they say.


    I peek out from the kitchen after each course is served. People seem to really enjoy the food, which is


    a relief. I notice Alpha Graham is getting pretty drunk. Luna Caroline keeps taking his ss away from


    him, but he keeps ordering the omegas to give him more. The dining room is extra crowded, so I don¡¯t


    get a better look at Alpha Bronx Mason. Beta Lenora sees me peeking out from the kitchen and gives


    me a wink and thumbs up. I smile and give a little wave before pulling my head back.


    I help the servers take the party food to the tables at the edges of the ballroom. I also make sure the


    bars in the corners are fully stocked. The DJ is finishing setting up


    and colorful lights are sliding across the floor. Party balloons and streamers are hanging all over the


    ce. The first few guests are starting to wander in which is my cue to duck out the back door.


    Luckily, the dinner servers will clean up dinner service tonight, which gives me extra time to restock


    pantries. I head upstairs to the stockroom and load the cart up. I¡¯m humming to myself as I go room to


    room. I feel an odd sense of calm as I go.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood,¡± Lex says.


    ¡°I guess. I¡¯m not sure why though. My back is still killing me and my feet are killing me too.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re happy for once. This version of you is pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Lex. You¡¯re not half bad yourself.¡±


    I finish stocking the ranked pack members¡¯ rooms on the fourth and third floors. Then head to the


    second floor where the guest suites are. The cleaning staff has cleaned the rooms and bathrooms. I


    just need to restock the toiletries, pantry items, and refrigerators.


    I make quick work of the rooms. I remember to stock the Betas¡¯ room with more bottles of San


    Pellegrino, refresh the flowers, and leave a little tent card with a handwritten smiley face on the


    kitchte counter.


    It¡¯s almost midnight now, everyone is still in the ballroom partying the night away. I close the door to the


    Betas¡¯


    suite and move to the Alpha¡¯s suite door. It¡¯s thest room left for the night. I know he must be at the


    party too, but I knock first just in case. I lean my ear against the door and don¡¯t hear a reply. I¡¯m not


    sure if he has been in the room yet, but I need to check and make sure just in case it needs to be


    restocked. I slip the key card in the slot and open the door. From down the hall, I hear footsteps.


    ¡°Hey, you! What are you doing there?¡± A gruff voice calls from down the hallway.


    I assume he¡¯s a security guard, so I start to reply that


    I¡¯m part of housekeeping. I mean, I have a giant cart full of snacks and drinks. I¡¯m also only five feet tall


    and not even eighty pounds. I don¡¯t know how much of a threat this guy thinks I could be.


    I look up from under my hat at two security guards walking quickly toward me. One of them is much


    bigger than the other. I notice he¡¯s dressed really nice for a


    security guard. Actually, he¡¯s the most handsome


    werewolf I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. He¡¯s probably six foot, six inches tall and close to two hundred fifty


    pounds of solid muscle with broad shoulders. He has tattoos covering his neck and the backs of his


    hands. His slicked- back ck hair and olivepletion makes his green eye look the color of a crisp


    Granny Smith apple. His other eye is covered with a ck eye patch. The smell of coffee and dark


    chocte fills the air and I¡¯m rooted to the spot.


    I slowly pull my hat up from my eyes just enough to get a better look at him.


    Lex is jumping wildly in my head as he pushes past the guard, ¡°It¡¯s him! It¡¯s him!¡±


    He and I say it at the same time, ¡°Mate.¡±


    He strides up to me and roughly pushes me against the door with a low growl. I don¡¯t think he realizes


    how light I am as I get mmed a bit too hard against the solid oak. He ces both hands against the


    door on either side of my shoulders, preventing me from escaping. He puts his face against my neck


    and inhales deeply. My heart is pounding in my chest. I¡¯m feeling overwhelmed and panic is settling in.


    He must sense that I¡¯m weak. He¡¯s going to kill me before his Alpha gets a chance to do it. Shit.


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, is this omega trying to steal something?¡± The security guard says as he approaches.


    ¡°Get BACK!¡± he snarls at the guard, shing hisrge wolf fangs. The guard stops in his tracks.


    ¡°Alpha?¡± the guard says with a confused look. Alpha? Wait, what? Alpha. This can¡¯t be right. ¡°MINE!¡±


    Alpha Bronx growls.


    My back is starting to feel wet. Oh crap, I¡¯m bleeding a lot now. When he pushed me against the door, it


    pulled open most of the unhealedsh wounds. Now the initial


    adrenaline is wearing off and my back is starting to sting.


    The door behind my back feels slick. I try not to


    whimper. I don¡¯t want to show that I am weak. I don¡¯t want him to murder me when I just found him.


    Who am I kidding, there¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t already know I¡¯m a wimp.


    ¡°Kas, I can¡¯t heal you fast enough. Hang in there! The scars make it harder. I¡¯m trying but I feel so


    weak! We are losing too much blood,¡± Lex whimpers. She sounds far away.


    Over Alpha Bronx¡¯s shoulder, I see Luna Caroline and Alpha Graham running down the hall. Well,


    Alpha Graham is stumbling more than running. Beta Tate and Betas Milo and Lenora are right behind


    them. My head starts swimming and I feel dizzy and nauseous.


    ¡°Kas, what did you do? You insolent, child!¡± Luna Caroline yells. Her voice sounds far away even


    though she is right in front of me now.


    She reaches out to p me but Alpha Bronx snarls and grabs her hand out of the air snapping her


    wrist. Alpha Graham snarls back at him. I feel the edges of my vision turn ck. My knees feel like jelly.


    I watch as if I¡¯m in a dream. I can¡¯t hear anyone now even though they are all yelling. They look like


    they are moving in slow motion.


    Alpha Graham drunkenly yanks Luna Caroline¡¯s arm pulling her back from Alpha Bronx who is still


    snarling at


    them. The security guard is trying to separate them as Beta Tate is trying to pull Alpha Graham back.


    Betas Milo and Lenora take a defensive stance guarding Alpha Bronx. Sames up behind Alpha


    Graham just as he yanks on Luna Caroline. She cries out in pain. Sam hauls back and punches Alpha


    Graham as hard as he can.


    The metallic smell of blood starts to fill there air. I¡¯m


    shaking all over. I can¡¯t tell if it is out of fear or from the blood loss. I can¡¯t feel Elexis anymore. I look


    around, to see if anyone else notices the smell but they are all arguing with each other. I look down and


    realize blood is running down my legs and the door. Sshing onto the floor inrge drips. There is


    blood in my hair where it is touching the door. I grip Alpha Bronx¡¯s forearm. He looks back at me and


    his eye widens.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Help,¡± I whisper. I feel myself sliding down the door. Everything goes ck before I hit the floor.

 Chapter 8

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 8


    I wake up feeling woozy,ying on my stomach in m y bed. What the Hell? Wasst night some sort of


    weird dream? I think the Alpha from Blood River attacked me. No. That doesn¡¯t seem right. As hard as I


    try, I can¡¯t remember the details.


    I hear unfamiliar voices in the hallway but I also hear the doctor and nurse Diane. There is arge man,


    wearing all ck, standing in the doorway with his back facing me. I


    realize I ¡®m not wearing a shirt. I ¡®m only covered by a sheet and my back is covered in bandages.


    ¡°Lex, are you there?¡± I ask, suddenly feeling scared. ¡°I¡¯m here, Kas, ¡± Her voice is soft and far away.


    ¡°Are you okay, Lex? I¡¯m so sorry, ¡± I can feel her weakness and pain. Tears sting my eyes.


    ¡°You have nothing to apologize for, Kas. I¡¯ll be alright. You were strong. You held out as long as you


    could. I tried to slow down time to give you more time to get help but it made me weaker.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that was you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but it didn¡¯t work the way it was supposed to. I can exin moreter. I¡¯ve been on guard


    while you were resting, listening to what is happening around us and I think you are safe. Now that


    you¡¯re awake, I need to rest so I can finish healing you. Don¡¯t worry, we will be back to our old selves in


    another couple days.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Lex. You¡¯re the best wolf a girl could ask for,¡± I breathe a small sigh of relief knowing


    that Lex is okay and that she thinks we might be safe.


    ¡°Thanks, Kas. You¡¯re the strongest person a wolf could ask for,¡± I feel her curl up in the back of my


    mind for a nap.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days! ¡± A man¡¯s voice snarls in an angry, loud whisper, ¡°How long do you expect me to


    leave her in


    this disgusting dungeon? I need to get her out of here as soon as possible.¡±


    Two days?! I have been knocked out for two days?!


    ¡°I understand Alpha, but trust me, the best thing for Kas is to wake up in her own bed,¡± the doctor


    exins, ¡°Thest time this happened, waking up in the hospital wing was traumatizing for her. I know


    it may not befortable for you to be down here, but this is what she has known for thirteen years.


    It¡¯s what¡¯s best for her.¡±


    ¡°The LAST time?! This is bullshit! How could you know a pup is being abused, being forced to live in a


    fucking dungeon for Goddess sake and not do something about it?¡± A woman says angrily. I think it¡¯s


    Beta Lenora.


    The doctor pauses, then continues, ¡°I understand your position, but rest assured, I didn¡¯t know how bad


    things were for her until the past few months, or I would have done something about it a long time ago.¡±


    I turn my head toward the wall and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ignore the voices. After the trouble I


    caused the other night, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Alpha Grahames to the dungeon and


    executes me.


    ¡± It¡¯s time for me to change her dressings, ¡± I hear Nurse Diane say. She quietly walks into the room


    and pulls a makeshift curtain across the doorway.


    I turn my head toward her, putting my finger to my mouth, and whisper, ¡°Shhhhh. What¡¯s happening,


    Diane?¡±


    ¡°Kas! I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake,¡± she looks at the doorway as she whispers back, ¡°Let me change the


    dressings on your back, then I will exin.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Diane tries to be careful while she changes the bandages but the pain is excruciating. I bite my lip so I


    won¡¯t whimper out loud. When she¡¯s done, she tells me I should be healed in the next day or two, then


    hands me a pill to take for pain. She covers me with the sheet again and tells me everything that


    happened after I passed out.


    Alpha Bronx called on the Elder Council, who came and punished dozens of pack members for my


    inistreatinent. When they found out Alpha Graham was the one responsible for my injuries, Alpha


    Bronx shifted into his wolf and almost murdered him.


    Members of the Council were barely able to stop him. They stripped the titles from everyone in the


    Silver Moon pack and banished Alpha Graham. In support of his father, Ryan chose to leave too. I


    remember that no one knows what he had done to me, but I¡¯m scared to say anything. I have no proof


    and he¡¯s gone now anyways.


    The Council dered Silver Moon would be under their leadership until a suitable Alpha could be


    found. Pack


    members were given the option to stay or leave peacefully. They could either willingly


    be rogues or request asylum with other packs. About half the Silver Moon pack chose to leave.


    I¡¯m shocked to hear all those changes are because of what happened to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long in there?¡± The guard growls from the other side of the curtain.


    ¡°Just writing up my notes. I¡¯ll be done soon, ¡± Diane calls out.


    ¡°Diane, what¡¯s going to happen to me?¡±


    ¡°Well, since Alpha Bronx Mason is your mate, I assume you¡¯re going to go to Blood River to be their


    Luna, ¡± she smiles hesitantly, ¡°I think the better question would be, what happens to Silver Moon.¡°


    My mind starts to churn with worry. What she said


    doesn¡¯t make sense. How can Alpha Bronx be my mate? He saw me pass out, he knows I¡¯m a weak


    wolf. He¡¯s going to take me back to his pack and kill me. He doesn¡¯t want a weak wolf as his Luna. I


    have to figure out how to escape.


    I quickly feel the pill taking effect and close my eyes. I can worry about my future when I wake up.


    I dream about running through a forest at night. It feels so real. The cold air bites at my skin. There is


    snow on the ground leaving a powdery path under my feet as I scurry through the brush.


    Arge gray wolf is chasing me, nipping at my heels but it¡¯s not able to catch me. I run until I get to the


    edge of a cliff. I look down and see the river below, full of blood and overflowing with the melting snow


    making it rage out of control.


    I turn to find the wolf cornering me on the cliff. He has a whip in his mouth. He drops it to the ground


    and growls at me.


    ¡± Please! Please don¡¯t do this! ¡± I cry for mercy. The wind swirls around us, chilling me to the bone, as


    the wolf lowers his head in preparation to attack.


    I scream as he lunges at me. I¡¯m still screaming as I sit up in bed. I can¡¯t stop as I clutch the quilt to my


    chest. I can feel tears already streaming down my face. I¡¯m shaking all over. The sounds of my


    screams are blood- curdling as they reverberate on the walls of my room but I still can¡¯t stop.


    Alpha Bronxes rushing into the room and ces hisrge hands on my shoulders. Sparks of


    electricity overwhelm me where he touches my bare skin. He is breathing heavily and I can feel his


    hands trembling.


    As I look into the solid ck eye of his wolf, an unfamiliar sensation washes over me: he¡¯s different


    from Alphas


    I¡¯ve had run-ins with before. I can sense his worry, anger, sorrow and even fear as he looks back at me.


    But why? Why would he feel those things when he looks at me? Could he actually care?


    No. No way. It must be my hysterical imagination. I¡¯m just a ve, a weak wolf. Alpha Bronx kills


    wolves like me, everyone says so. Nobody loves me. Nobody ever will.


    ¡°Kas, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡° His voice is deep and gruff. He looks at me with a furrowed


    brow.


    My nightmare is still fresh in my mind. It felt so real, like it was an actual memory, not just a dream.


    Thinking about the wolf that was chasing me, there is only one thought thates to mind. Between


    sobs, I blurt out, ¡°I want to live! Please! Don¡¯t hurt me!¡°


    Alpha Bronx lets go of my shoulders and backs up a step looking confused. He is shaking his head no.


    Beta Lenora pulls on his arm, making him back up, while Nurse Diane steps forward to check on me.


    ¡°Kas, you¡¯re okay. It¡¯s Nurse Diane. Talk to me. What happened?¡± she asks soothingly while she


    checks my pulse.


    I don¡¯t know how to tell her about my nightmare. I just know I don¡¯t want the wolf from my dream to hurt


    me. I


    grab her arms and beg, ¡°Help me, Diane! I need you! Please, please don¡¯t let him hurt me! ¡°


    Diane soothes me but looks startled. She looks at the doctor, then at Alpha Bronx.


    Alpha Bronx rubs his hands on his face and starts pacing. Beta Lenora is whispering quietly to him.


    The doctor tentatively steps forward now, watching Alpha Bronx from the corner of his eyes, ¡± Kas, it¡¯s


    alright. No one is going to hurt you. You are safe.¡±


    He rubs my shoulder soothingly with one hand and shines a little light in my eyes with the other.


    A fresh round of images from my dream sh in my mind, making me shake violently all over and I


    can¡¯t stop. I can¡¯t speak and it feels like my brain is being


    scrambled. I try to suck in a breath of air but my body won¡¯t let it fill my lungs. What is happening to


    me? I see Alpha Bronx looking at me. He looks so angry. I pull my nket to my face and try to muffle


    my cries.


    ¡°Enough of this bullshit. Lenora, get the cars ready.


    We¡¯re leaving. NOW, ¡± Alpha Bronx says with a disgusted look.


    Beta Lenora rushes out of the room.


    ¡°Alpha, please, give us more time to stabilize her,¡± the doctor tries to put himself between Alpha Bronx


    and me. That is apparently a big mistake.


    The Alpha pushes him out of the way with a dangerous growl and scoops me up like a baby, wrapping


    the quilt tightly around my body. He carries me as if I weigh nothing. I can¡¯t stop shaking, no matter how


    hard I try. I feel hot tears running down my face. I start whimpering. I want to try to plead for my life but I


    suddenly can¡¯t form a coherent thought. My mind feels like a radio only getting pieces of the signal.


    Everything starts to fade into static until I have no concept of reality.


    ¡°Lex, I need you!¡± I call out to her in my mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Kas. I¡¯m trying but this is alling from your mind. I can¡¯t heal your mind. Stay with me!


    Focus on my voice, okay? We can get through this together, ¡± she whimpers.


    In the distance, I can hear voices around me. I try to listen. Anything to ground me so my mind doesn¡¯t


    float away but it feels like I¡¯m underwater.


    Beta Lenora¡¯s facees into view now. The bright sun is behind her, making it difficult to see her


    features. She climbs in the back in the car, holding me like a baby


    across herp, ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Kas. We just need to get you back to Blood River.


    Alpha Bronx knows what to do.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 9


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    As soon as my guard Tyree told me an omega was trying to get in my suite, I left the party and rushed


    upstairs.


    My wolf, Saint, urged me to hurry.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. We need to get to her now, ¡° he growls.


    I don¡¯t have any pack secrets in the suite but that doesn¡¯t mean I want a stranger going in without my


    permission.


    As we turn the corner, we see a scrawny little girl at the end of the hall struggling to push open the


    heavy door of my suite.


    The scent of fresh rain and lcs wafts in the air, somehow making me feel less angry.


    The girl looks up at us from under her baseball cap when Tyree yells at her. I can¡¯t see her face from


    the shadow of the hat, but I don¡¯t need to. I¡¯m immediately drawn to her. My heart almost skips a beat.


    ¡°Mate, ¡° Saint cries out, taking over control of my body. He strides over and roughly pushes her against


    the door. I feel my fangs extending as I deeply breathe in her scent.


    ¡°Saint, don¡¯t you DARE mark her, ¡° I warn, pulling on his consciousness, trying to regain control. He


    growls, but pulls back slightly.


    At that moment all Hell breaks loose. Saint immediately acts to protect his newly found mate,


    resulting in the Silver Moon Luna ending up with a broken wrist and the drunk Alpha getting punched


    by one of his own people. My pack members put themselves in the middle to prevent me from attacking


    someone.


    During themotion, I feel a small tap on my arm and a sweet little voice whisper, ¡°Help.¡°


    I turn to see the girl looking up at me. The color of her


    eyes instantly shocks me. They¡¯re as purple as U V lights. Her hair is an odd sparkly gray color. I feel a


    pang of pain when I notice how sickly gaunt and pale she is. As I take in her features, her eyes roll


    back in her head and she passes out.


    A familiar scent hits my nose as I catch her falling body. Blood. My hands and the door behind her are


    covered in it. Saint didn¡¯t w her. What the Hell happened?


    ¡°Hospital wing! NOW! ¡° I roared, stopping the Silver Moon pack members in their tracks.


    ¡°What are we going to do, Bronx?¡± Lenora asks. She is sitting in the back of the SUV holding my mate


    on herp during a fuel stop. She wipes some stray hairs out of


    Kas¡¯s sleeping face. I take thest drag of my cigarette and stamp it out on the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ll figure it out. We¡¯re her family now. She¡¯s obviously not the future Luna we were


    expecting but I don¡¯t care. She¡¯s mine and no one will ever hurt her again.¡±


    Lenora and I switch ces and I finally get to hold my mate in my arms. I breathe in her amazing fresh


    rain and lc scent. Having her close to me gives me a sense of calm I have not felt in years, if ever. I


    have waited for so long to find her. I almost lost hope. I will treasure her for the rest of our lives.


    ¡°You gonna be okay?¡± Lenora asks.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll tell the driver to pull over if there¡¯s a problem, ¡± I reassure her before she closes the door.


    I look closer at the beautiful girl. There are small scars at her jawline and near her ears, but in my eyes,


    they only add to her stunning beauty. I take a few of her silver hairs in my fingers. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve


    ever seen; like a wig of silver fment but it isn¡¯t a wig. It is just how her hair is. Her breath hitches as


    she sighs in her sleep. I tuck the hairs behind her ear and pull her closer to me.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    The doctors are ready and waiting when we get to our packhouse. They start by asking Kas questions


    about her medical history but she is clearly not in any shape to give them answers. She flinches and


    shivers at the noises and talking around her but doesn¡¯t look to see where the


    sounds areing from. Getting no information from her, they decide to move on to her physical


    examination.


    The nurses shoo me out of the room so they can get Kas changed.


    Once they change her into a clean hospital gown, they check her vitals. Her heart is racing even


    though she is sitting still. The stress of everything is too much for her, so they decide to sedate her to


    finish the exam. Once


    she¡¯s asleep, they roll her on her stomach, exposing her back and immediately call Lenora and me


    back into the room.


    One of the nurses is standing in the corner crying, being consoled by another nurse. I approach the


    bed and look at my mate¡¯s back in horror. I can¡¯t remember seeing something so gruesome in my life.


    Her wolf has mostly healed her, so there are only a few open wounds but every inch of the rest of her


    back is covered red, raw scars on top of old healed scars, on top of even older scars from being


    whipped over the years. The doctor tells me it is the same on the butt and backs of her thighs as well.


    Lenora gasps and puts her hand to her mouth, gripping my forearm with the other.


    Saint rages in my head at the sight. I shake in anger and ball my hands into fists. I let out a low growl


    that shakes the room causing the medical staff to take a step back and bow their heads, exposing their


    necks in submission.


    If I knew where Connors had gone, I would go right now and destroy him. How could anyone do this to


    another werewolf? Let alone a child. A child who was under their care. Part of their own pack.


    ¡°Bronx, ¡± Lenora whispers calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are thinking right now but your priority needs


    to be Kas and only Kas. Nothing else matters, no one else matters. Don¡¯t let yourself get distracted by


    revenge. Your mission is to be here for her and help her get healthy.¡°


    Lenora isn¡¯t afraid of me like everyone else is. She always knows just what to say. I ¡®m grateful to have


    her by my side right now.


    ¡°Doctor, finish whatever tests you need to finish and we can have the rest this conversation in your


    office. Make her asfortable as possible, ¡± I order, walking away before he can answer.


    I leave the packhouse and walk until I get to the treeline. I roar into the woods, releasing some of the


    built up anger. The birds stop chirping and even the crickets are silent. I undress and shift to let Saint


    out for a run. He needs to blow off steam so I can focus. Lenora mind links me when the doctor is


    ready for in He tells us there is nothing they can do about the scars, so Kas being underweight and


    malnourished are his biggest concerns. They can¡¯t tell exactly how old she is, except that she is at least


    seventeen. Her fast healing indicates her wolf is awake and trying to keep her alive.


    ¡°Find that rogue Alpha and murder him,¡± Saint growls.


    ¡±Saint, Lenora¡¯s right. We need to be here with our mate. I¡¯m not spending another second of my life


    thinking about that asshole if I can help it,¡± I respond, trying not to let Saint¡¯s anger influence me again,


    ¡°Our focus needs to be on her now.¡±


    ¡±Fine, but if I ever even catch a whiff of his scent, he¡¯s dead,¡± Saint snarls, getting in the final word.


    The doctors can¡¯t ount for Kas¡¯s unusual eye or hair color. They say it could be from malnutrition but


    not likely. Every blood testes back clean.


    There are a few unusual gic markers but she is a pure werewolf, not a hybrid. Not that it matters,


    but we want to make sure she is getting the correct treatment for whatever type of creature she may


    be.


    They keep her overnight for evaluation but then let me take her upstairs. I carry her to the suite next to


    mine, so she can have some privacy until she isfortable.


    Lenora and I get her settled in the bed. We give her the green and gray nket from her old room to


    helpfort her. She sleeps for three days.


    asionally she wakes up whimpering and confused. We feed her applesauce or pudding, but she


    only eats a bite or two before falling back asleep.


    The doctor checks on her everyday and says she can


    sleep as long as she wants. She¡¯s been through a lot of trauma and it is her mind¡¯s way of protecting


    her. I only


    leave her side to freshen up and get food from the kitchen. When I¡¯m not there, Lenora sits by her side.


    It¡¯s the fourth day. I¡¯m cutting some fruit in the kitchte, so there is something to eat in case she


    wakes up. I hear some stirring from the bed.


    ¡°H¡ªHello?¡± a soft voice calls.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake! ¡± I call out, so she knows she¡¯s not alone. I don¡¯t want to scare her after everything she


    has been through. I put down the pineapple and walk around the corner. Relief floods over me when I


    see Kas sitting at the edge of the bed.


    She looks startled when she sees me. She tries to stand up but falls to the floor and starts to scoot


    backwards away from me.


    ¡± Put the giant knife down, dummy! You¡¯re scaring her!¡± Saint yells.


    ¡°Oh shit! I didn¡¯t realize I was holding it,¡± I set it down and kneel on the floor in front of her, hoping it will


    be less intimidating for her if I¡¯m closer to her eye level.


    ¡± Kas, it¡¯s okay. No one is going to hurt you. You¡¯re safe now, ¡± I reach my hand out but the look on her


    face bes more desperate, so I pull it back.


    As I am pulling my hand away, I notice her eyes sh ck. Without warning, she thrusts her palm out


    toward


    my face and ms it into my nose. There is a loud crack as my nose breaks and blood gushes out.


    Her wolf broke my nose?! What the Hell?!


    ¡°Arrghhh! ¡° I put my hands to my face, waiting for the pain to fade while Saint heals me.


    ¡°I knew she would be feisty! ¡° Saint chuckles.


    As the blood dries, I look up to an empty room. Where did she go?


    ¡°Kas?¡° I ask out loud. I hear a little growling from under the solid oak bed frame. I bend down and


    look. Sure enough, I see her glowing purple eyes looking at me. She has positioned herself so there is


    no way I could possibly reach her without lifting the whole bed.


    ¡°I think I fucked up,¡± I say to Saint.     ¡°Yeah. Well said, dummy.¡±


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I wake up in argefortable bed. I take in my surroundings. The room around me is light and airy.


    The furniture is mahogany and the linens are made of silk.


    I¡¯m definitely not in the Silver Moon packhouse. I¡¯m not in a hospital room either.


    Uhh¡­where am I? I need to think. I remember Beta


    Lenora¡¯s scent. Also, coffee and dark chocte. I make myself think back further. I had a nightmare. It


    felt so


    real. Nurse Diane was trying to help me. I was in a car. None of the details form in my mind. So


    frustrating.


    ¡°Lex, are you here with me?¡±


    ¡°I am. Are you feeling better? You really scared me, Kas.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I feel better. Do you know where we are?¡± ¡°We¡¯re safe now. We¡¯re in the Blood River


    packhouse.


    ¡°Blood River?!? Lex, how is that safe?¡±


    ¡°Well, no one has tried to kill us yet. So we have that going for us.¡°


    ¡°I suppose. Is Beta Lenora here somewhere?¡±


    ¡°She must be. Let¡¯s get something to eat then we can go find her, ¡± she assures me. I slide to the edge


    of the bed and try to stand but my legs give out.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m still too weak, ¡± I murmur under my breath.


    From around the corner, I hear someone moving. ¡°H- Hello?¡± I call out quietly. My voice is dry and


    hoarse.


    Alpha Bronx appears from around the corner with a huge knife in his hand. My heart clenches. If I


    scream, he¡¯s just going to kill me faster. I have to get away. I try to stand again but fall. I scramble on


    the floor, trying to


    escape. I don¡¯t know where I¡¯m going, I just have to get away. I look up and he is on the floor right in


    front of me.


    ¡°Lex, they tricked us! He¡¯s going to kill us!¡± I cry out. ¡°We are a warrior, not a wimp, Kas! Hit him! ¡± Lex


    growls.


    WHAT?! ¡° Clearly, she has lost her mind. I can¡¯t hit an Alpha wolf.


    ¡°HIT. HIM,¡° she says more forcefully. ¡°Lex, he¡¯ll kill me! ¡° ¡°Ugh. Fine. I¡¯m taking control, ¡° she gripes.


    Without warning, I¡¯m pulled back from my own consciousness and watch as Lex thrusts the heel of m y


    palm into Alpha Bronx¡¯s nose making blood spurt


    everywhere. As soon as he¡¯s distracted, I squeeze my body under the bed, getting as close to the


    middle as possible. Lex moves back and I am in control again.


    I hear Alpha Bronx call my name, making a growl to escape my mouth.


    I don¡¯t think so, mister Alpha wolf. It isn¡¯t going to be so easy to kill me.

 Chapter 10

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 10


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    After about fifteen minutes of failed attempts to try to convince Kas toe out from under the bed, I


    call Lenora and a nurse to help coax her out. I go to my room to shower and change while they do that.


    Lenora meets me out in the hallway before I can go back into Kas¡¯s suite.


    ¡°Is she alright?¡° I ask, searching Lenora¡¯s eyes for the truth.


    ¡°Yeah, but that whole thing exhausted her. She is back in bed sleeping,¡° she admits, shoving her hands


    in her pockets.


    ¡°Bronx, I know I told you to be here and be with Kas, but maybe you should go get some sleep


    yourself, ¡± She looks at me sympathetically, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were so distracted that she was able to


    break your nose. You have to take care of yourself if you¡¯re going to take care of her.¡±


    I sigh in frustration and rub my hands over my face, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lenora.¡°


    ¡°No. You¡¯re not fine. An eighty pound she-wolf just broke Bronx Mason¡¯s nose. Does that sound fine to


    you?, ¡° her tone is forceful, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for a few hours. You go get sleep and get your head straight.¡°


    ¡°Fine. But if anything else happens to her, Leni-¡°


    ¡°It won¡¯t. Now get the Hell out of here. Go get some sleep. You look like shit.¡±


    I go back to my room andy down. I take off my eye patch and rub my hands over my face again.


    ¡°Do you think our mate will be okay?¡± Saint whimpers.


    ¡°I hope so, buddy. I hope so. I haven¡¯t even had a proper conversation with her and I just want to spend


    every moment with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What are the chances the Moon Goddess would mate us with someone else who has scars?¡±


    he muses.


    ¡°She does everything for a reason,¡± I mindlessly touch my fingers on the ce where my left eye used


    to be.


    ¡± I¡¯m not tired, Bronx. Let me out. I wanna go for a run, ¡± Saint sighs.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea. Mind if Ghost and Crushere along?¡±


    ¡°The more the merrier.¡±


    We run at breakneck speed until we get to the river. We shift back to our human forms, grab some


    shorts from the lockbox at the edge of the woods, and sit on the river bank. The river has a high iron


    content which makes the water turn red with rust. It looks like blood, hence the


    Blood River pack name. Not nearly as ominous as the rumors would have you think.


    ¡°So break it down for me, Bronx. What¡¯s her deal?¡± Reggie asks.


    I light a cigarette and exin everything I am able to piece together from Lenora, the Silver Moon pack,


    what happened while I was at their packhouse, and what the doctors said.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it. She was a ve. She didn¡¯t even want to be referred to as an omega, ording to


    Lenora.


    Silver Moon¡¯s doctor said she has no family. The Alpha and Luna and others in the pack have been


    abusing her mentally and physically for years.¡±


    Thinking about her mistreatment still boils my blood.


    ¡°Other than the doctor, who waspletely insane and the nurse who Kas seemed to trust, there


    wasn¡¯t a single wolf in the pack that the Elders spoke to who had not


    either hit her or said shitty things to her.¡±


    ¡°Lenora said her scars are intense, ¡± Milo says quietly after a minute of silence.


    ¡°Yeah, like Freddie Krueger intense. Our doctors called the marks on her back ¡® keloid scars¡¯. They are


    thick and raised up like big bumps. Usually only humans get them. They said it¡¯s because that fucker


    used wolfs bane on


    whatever he was whipping her with and it made it more difficult to heal. Imagine how damn strong you


    have to be to go through abuse like that and live. She was just a kid. She didn¡¯t have anyone, not even


    her wolf to help her through any of it,¡± I rub my hands on my face and look at them, ¡°And those are just


    the physical scars. The emotional scars, who knows how deep they go. The brain can be a twisted


    ce.¡±


    ¡±We know man, we have been through it with you and we will be right by your side for this as well, ¡±


    Reggie


    ps his hand on my shoulder, ¡°We¡¯re always here for ya man¡­and your mate.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± I force a smile.


    We all sit for a while longer, taking in nature while I finish my cigarette.


    ¡°Bronx, I¡¯m not trying to add more pressure but you need to talk to the Elders. Find out what to do if she


    isn¡¯t well enough to be Luna. You only have nine months


    left,¡± Milo says.


    ¡± Summer Solstice. Don¡¯t remind me, man. I know. Let¡¯s see if we can get her out of her current state


    first. I don¡¯t know anything about her, only that she i s my mate.


    Once we are sure she even wants the pressure of being a Luna Regent. Then we can think about the


    pack¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°Well, that and putting up with your dumb ass, Bronxy, ¡± Milo says with a smirk, breaking the serious


    tone of our conversation.


    ¡°Fuck you, Milo,¡± I smirk back.


    We sit around and talk for a while longer before we all shift into our wolves and head back to the


    packhouse.


    I get a quick shower and go directly to Kas¡¯s room. ¡°Nothing to report, Alpha, ¡± Lenora stands and


    salutes me.


    ¡°Knock it off, Lenora. How is she?¡± I ask, looking at my tiny sleeping mate. Why does she have to be so


    tiny and fragile? It makes her even more adorable.


    ¡±Honestly, she has been tossing and turning and even whimpering a bit in her sleep, ¡± Lenora puts her


    hand on my forearm, ¡± Bronx, you shouldy down with her.


    Having her mate next to her will help calm her down. Trust me. Milo and I are most content when we


    have physical contact. Even if it¡¯s just holding hands.¡±


    A few things to know about me, I¡¯m twenty-four years old. I run thergest werewolf pack in all of North


    America. In the olden days, I would¡¯ve been considered the king of the northwestern United States and


    southern Canadian regions. Nowadays, I¡¯m called an ¡®Alpha


    Regent¡¯, which means I¡¯m responsible for all the smaller packs in my region. We haven¡¯t been in a


    monarchy for centuries. Each pack has an Alpha and Luna who enforce thews for their pack. If


    there¡¯s a problem, I get involved. If it¡¯s a big problem, we have a Council of Elders who get involved in


    the situation.


    I¡¯ve fought in two werewo lf wars. I declined to take the title of General and fought in the ranks with the


    rest of the militia. Yes, my wolf Saint and I have killed


    werewolves. We¡¯ve also killed vampires, witches, and even a werebear. I ¡®in not proud of it but death is


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    inevitable in war. Maybe it¡¯s my military background, but I ¡®in strictly business when I ¡® in in public.


    Maybe more often than I should be. It¡¯s earned me a reputation of being¡­well¡­I guess you could say


    ¡®not so nice.¡¯ I do have to admit, I can be a bit of a hothead. It¡¯s not as bad as it used to be though.


    When I¡¯m with my family or my ranked members, I¡¯ve learned to rx a bit.


    With all that being said, I haven¡¯t had time to hold a girl¡¯s hand other than a handshake since I was


    sixteen years old, let aloney next to a girl. My palms felt a little sweaty at the thought ofying next to


    Kas. She is the most beautiful wolf I have everid eyes on. I¡¯m also a little worried that Saint won¡¯t


    control himself.


    ¡± Don¡¯t put this on me, buddy. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m excited to meet her wolf, but I¡¯m not gonna jump


    an unconscious girl, for Goddess sake! ¡± He chimes in.


    ¡°Come on, Bronx. You had no problem holding her in the car ride here,¡± Lenora justifies when she sees


    me looking ufortable.


    ¡°Well, I mean, that was different, ya know. She was wrapped up in a giant quilt, not in my bed wearing


    my favorite t-shirt but, uh, okay. Yeah, uh, I¡¯ll give it a try after you leave,¡± trying to y it cool but failing


    miserably.


    Lenora rolls her eyes at me and heads out the door. ¡°Good luck, Casanova! ¡° she calls as the door


    closes behind her.


    I stand awkwardly next to the bed and clear my throat as I rock back and forth on my heels. I¡¯m not


    sure how to go about this.


    ¡°Dude. Start by sitting down. You¡¯re making me nervous, ¡± Saint scolds.


    ¡°Sit. Yeah, good idea. Uh, okay¡­¡± I look around as I wipe my sweaty hands on my pants and grab a


    chair from the kitchen table. I move it to the bedside and slowly reach out for Kas¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a live grenade, it¡¯s just our mate¡¯s hand. Stop being a weenie, ¡± Saint teases.


    ¡°Knock it off, dude. I¡¯m not trying to scare her again, I growl.


    I have always been taught that you need to ask a


    woman¡¯s permission to touch her, unless she is trying to kill you, then all bets are off. Right now seems


    like an ask permission situation, but there is no one to ask. My mate seems to be in an endless sleep.


    ¡°Kas, ¡± I whisper softly, ¡°um, Lenora thinks it would be a good idea if Iid down with you, but I don¡¯t


    want to do that. I mean, I do but I want to be sure that¡¯s what you want first. So, um, if it¡¯s alright, I ¡®in


    just going to hold your hand for a while. Hopefully it will help you


    somehow? I don¡¯t know. Just please understand, I¡¯m doing my best to control myself here. I want to do


    what¡¯s best for you. It would be a lot easier to do that if you woke up and told me exactly what that is.¡±


    Just as she has for thest three days, sheys deathly still. I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing.


    Little zaps of electricity hit me as our fingertips touch. She sighs deeply with a slight whine and turns


    her head toward me. I almost pull my fingers back, but I see her face look more rxed than it has in


    the week that I¡¯ve known her. Very slowly, I slide my hand into hers, letting the sparks flow between us.


    Her hand in mine feels like the most natural thing in the world. I pull our joined hands to my lips and


    ce a small kiss on her hand. Her scent of fresh rain and lcs overwhelms my senses and makes


    me rxed too. Iy my head against the mattress and just watch her sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I scared you earlier but I¡¯m here now, Kas and wild werebears couldn¡¯t drag me away from


    you, ¡± I whisper. I pull her hand toward me and press it to my cheek.


    I haven¡¯t slept more than an hour at a time in almost a week but I can¡¯t bring myself to look away from


    her. I sit there and watch her sleep, with her soft hand against my cheek. I don¡¯t know how much time


    passes before my eyes feel heavier and heavier and sleep takes me away.

 Chapter 11

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 11


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 11


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I wake up to see it¡¯s nighttime. I ¡®m pretty sure the bed I¡¯m in is the softest bed in the world. The scent


    of coffee and dark chocte fills my senses and for the first time in forever, I feelpletely rxed.


    Happy little sparks shoot around my body. I realize I am cradled in arge man¡¯s arms, like a kid with a


    teddy bear. He¡¯s so tall that I feel like a little kid next to him. My face is against his t -shirt, breathing in


    his intoxicating scent.


    I¡¯m too short to look up to see his face from my position, but I already know it¡¯s Alpha Bronx Mason. I


    start to feel panic try to rise in my chest, but Lex gently pushes it back down.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Enjoy this moment, Kas, ¡± she whispers when she feels me starting to struggle, ¡°He is your He isn¡¯t


    going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know him, Lex. He could be dangerous.¡°


    ¡°Oh, shush it. He¡¯s not dangerous while he¡¯s sleeping. He doesn¡¯t have a knife or anything. Just rx.


    Please, give this a chance.¡°


    I take a deep breath letting his scent calm me. He¡¯s softly snoring, so I know he isn¡¯t going to catch me


    staring at him. He¡¯s so muscr that his t-shirt stretches tight against his broad chest. Now that he¡¯s in


    a t-shirt, I see his arms are covered with tattoos just like his neck and the backs of his hands. I try to


    adjust my position so I can get a better look at his face. I want to see if he is wearing his eye patch.


    Okay, so I actually want to see what¡¯s under the eye patch. What can I say? I¡¯m curious. As I move, he


    rolls over on his side


    toward me. I ¡®m pretty sure his heavy arms are going to crush me.


    I tap on his forearm softly to wake him up or at least get him to roll back off of me. It works but not the


    way I am hoping because his eye slowly opens, then he jolts up, and falls off the bed with a hard crash.


    I look over the side of the bed, wincing, and realize hended on a chair, smashing it to bits.


    ¡°I -I¡¯m so sorry. I fell asleep. I don¡¯t remember getting in bed. I ¨C I¡­didn¡¯t¡­I¡­¡± he stammers as he


    speaks. He looks at me with eye as wide as a saucer.


    ¡°A-are you okay, Alpha B-bronx?¡± I ask with wide eyes of my own. My voice is dry and scratchy, ¡°I didn¡¯t


    mean to startle you.¡±


    He looks up at me from the floor. He¡¯s breathing hard and his hand is gripping his chest.


    ¡°Oh, thank the Goddess, ¡± Recognition that I am looking back at him finally hits him, ¡°I¡¯m so d you


    finally snapped out of it!¡±


    I look at him confused as he pulls himself up and kneels on the floor beside the bed. He turns on the


    nightstandmp so we can see each other better.


    ¡°Kas, you scaring me out of a dead sleep, is the best thing that¡¯s happened to me this week. How do


    you feel?¡±


    I pause, trying to decide how I feel, ¡°Thirsty.¡±


    ¡°Okay, stay right there. I¡¯ll get you water, ¡± he scrambles up and pushes the pieces of the broken chair


    out of the way. He quickly goes around the corner andes back with a ss of water and


    a straw. He sits on the edge of the bed and watches me drink water like I¡¯m a circus attraction.


    I finally put the ss down on the nightstand and clear my throat. It feels much better now.


    ¡°Do you want more?¡°


    ¡°No, thank you, ¡± I smile as I try to avert his gaze. He is looking at me with anticipation. I ¡®m not sure


    what else to say. I might as well figure out what is going on.


    ¡°Alpha, if I may ask, where am I?¡±


    He looks at me with a relieved smile, ¡°You¡¯re in the Blood River packhouse. In the suite next to my


    apartment.¡±


    ¡°H-how long have I been here?¡± ¡°About four days.¡±


    ¡°Oh. W-when are you sending me back to Silver Moon?¡± My voice is tiny, trying to fight back tears. I


    look down letting my hair cover my face so he can¡¯t see. Now that I¡¯m awake, he¡¯s either sending me


    back or keeping me prisoner before he kills me.


    Right?


    ¡°Back to Silver Moon? No, Kas. You¡¯re staying here with- Wait. You want to go back to Silver Moon?¡±


    He looks really confused and kind of sad.


    ¡°I -I, I¡¯m ¨C I mean ¨C I don¡¯t want to stay here to be a prisoner and I don¡¯t want to die, Alpha Bronx. I


    would rather be a ve, ¡± I almost can¡¯t hear my own voice.


    ¡°Prisoner? DIE? Goddess no, Kas,¡± he sounds shocked. I look up to see he has an rmed look on his


    face.


    ¡°I want you to stay here with me but I can¡¯t force you to,¡± he reaches to take my hand but stops himself


    and pulls it back when he sees me flinch at the movement.


    ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t going to kill me?¡± I¡¯m trying to choke back tears but I can feel them stinging my eyes.


    ¡°What?! Why would you think that? You¡¯re my mate! ¡± He says with disbelief.


    ¡°Alpha Graham told me you kill weak wolves. I ¡®m a weak wolf, ¡± hot tears staining my face. That¡¯s it. I


    told him. If he didn¡¯t know before, he knows now. I¡¯m done for.


    He looks at me, mouth hanging open. I can¡¯t tell what he is thinking but I feel ashamed and hang my


    head to avoid eye contact.


    I watch him raise his hand toward my face. I flinch back before he can p me.


    ¡°Oh Kas, Baby, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. No one is ever going to hurt you again, ¡± he says gently, ¡°May


    I please touch your


    beautiful face? I can¡¯t stand to see you cry. I just want to wipe these tears away.¡±


    Wait. Did he just call me Baby? Did he ask permission to touch me? I¡¯m so confused.


    I look up to see his green eye boring into my soul. He looks like he¡¯s in pain, it¡¯s almost like I can feel it.


    I nod slightly. I can¡¯t stand seeing him like that. I have heard people talk about the mate pull and the


    mate bond before. Is this it? Wanting a


    stranger to wipe my tears away? I mean, I guess I don¡¯t mind him touching me, it makes me feel calm.


    My muscles tense up as he gently ces his giant hand on the side of my face and wipes the tears


    away, then does the same to the other side. Tingles form where he touches me making the tense


    muscles rx immediately. Lex purrs in my head.


    I¡¯m safe, I finally realize. No one has wanted tofort me in my entire life. I can¡¯t help myself, I crawl


    into hisp and put my arms around him. He breathes a sigh of relief and folds his arms around me in


    return. He puts his chin on top of my head and strokes my hair. I feel his warmth enveloping me and I


    swear I can see a light purple aura around the edges of our bodies. Alpha Bronx doesn¡¯t seem to


    notice. It must be my magination.


    I can hear Lex purring louder now. ¡± No one will ever hurt you again, Kas. No one,¡± he reassures me as


    he pulls me tighter against his body.

 Chapter 12

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 12


    We stay like this for a while until he says, ¡°How about we get you something to eat? You haven¡¯t had


    anything solid in almost a week.¡°


    I pull away from ourfortable position and think about it.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty hungry,¡± I agree. I don¡¯t actually feel hungry, but I don¡¯t want to make him upset with


    me either. Not when things are starting to go so well.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make you a little snack. Then we can get the kitchen to bring something up for you.¡°


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m just going to freshen up real quick, if that¡¯s okay?¡°


    ¡°Of course. The bathroom is through that door, ¡± he points to a door at the back of the suite.


    He helps me get out of hisp and I make my way to the bathroom. I look in the mirror and realize I¡¯m a


    mess.


    My face is visibly dirty and there is still some dried blood in my tangled hair. I look down and see my


    hands and arms are just as gross as my face. I sniff the shirt I¡¯m wearing. I smell terrible.


    UGH! How embarrassing!


    I wash up at the sink as quickly as I can. At the very least to get the dirt off my face, arms, and hands. I


    don¡¯t have a hair brush or a hair tie, so I try just running my fingers through to smooth it out. It ends up


    looking worse. Oh my Goddess! The hottest guy on the is just outside the door. Of course I look


    like a feral child! I swallow my pride and head out to the kitchen.


    Alpha Bronx is standing in the kitchen cutting berries with a much smaller knife than he had thest


    time he was in the kitchen.


    ¡°Feel better?¡± he asks, not looking up from what he is doing. ¡°Umm, better enough for now, I guess, ¡± I


    reply shyly.


    He smiles as he looks at me and nods. He doesn¡¯t seem to notice my messy appearance.


    ¡°Umm, just out of curiosity, did you call me ¡®Baby¡¯ earlier?¡± I lean against the counter and ask as he


    prepares the bowl of fruit sd for me.


    A guilty look crosses his face and he rubs his hand on the back of his neck, ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess I did. Is


    that alright?¡°


    ¡°I think so. I just wasn¡¯t expecting it.¡°


    He has me sit at the breakfast bar of the kitchte and puts the bowl of fruit in front of me. I smile as I


    take a piece of strawberry. It tastes amazing. I eat more fruit when all of a sudden, my stomach feels


    like it is in a weird knot.


    ¡°Oww! ¡± I push the bowl away and grab my stomach.


    ¡°What is it, Baby? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alpha Bronxes around the counter and kneels in front of me.


    ¡°My stomach, ¡± I grimace.


    His eyes ze over as he mind links someone. A momentter, a doctores to the room. He gets


    there so fast that I wonder if he was waiting outside the apartment. He starts checking my pulse,


    looking in my eyes and mouth, and asking me questions.


    He tells us the fruit is too much for my stomach right now. I need to eat nd foods and work my way


    up to exciting foods, you know, like fruit. Toast with butter and crackers until I can slowly tolerate more.


    ¡°I ¡®m d to see you up and about, Luna, ¡± he says with a smile as he packs up his bag.


    My head snaps up. He just called me Luna. He pats my hand and tells Alpha Bronx to call him if there


    is anything more. The Alpha takes some Ritz crackers out of the pantry, arranges them on a te, and


    hands the te to me.


    ¡°Bon app¨¦tit, ¡± he says with a shrug. ¡°Alpha Bronx, that doctor called me Luna.¡±


    ¡°Okay, first things first. It¡¯s just Bronx. My name is Bronx Mason. You, of all people, never need to call


    me Alpha. Got it?¡± He says with a smirk. It¡¯s kinda a s*xy look.


    ¡± Okay, Bronx, ¡± I emphasize his name, yfully, ¡± What¡¯s the second thing?¡±


    ¡°The doctor was right to call you Luna. You¡¯re my mate and as long as I don¡¯tpletely fuck things up


    between us, one day you¡¯ll be Luna of my pack. ¡± I can feel my face flush.


    ¡°Now eat your crackers, Baby. I ved away all day, on them,¡± he dramatically puts the back of his


    hand on his forehead. I giggle, looking at the little te.


    ¡°I love that sound, ¡± he leans against the counter, putting his chin in his hand.


    I smile at him before clearing my throat, ¡°Um, Bronx. I was wondering if anyone picked up my clothes


    before we left Silver Moon? I have a pair of leggings and a couple of t-shirts.¡±


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t like my favorite shirt?¡± He looks offended.


    ¡°I -I ¡®m sorry. I j -just meant¡­ ¡± I stammer trying to figure out how to backtrack.


    ¡°Kas, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just teasing. It was a bad joke. I¡¯m the one who should apologize. Not you. I¡¯ll get


    Lenora. Hopefully, she has some clothes that fit you. We¡¯ll get you to the mall tomorrow so you can buy


    new clothes. I¡¯ll be right back, ¡± he caresses my cheek lightly, then leaves the room.


    Crap. I can¡¯t go to the mall. I have no money. Obviously, he doesn¡¯t know that.


    ¡°Lex, is this real or are we having some kind of bizarre dream? Like, are we going to wake up in my


    bed in the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think this is a dream, Kas. I can feel his wolf. I can¡¯t wait to meet him! And Bronx called you


    Baby. So romantic just like always! ¡± Lex says excitedly.


    I munch on the crackers, and listen to Lex gush over our mate.


    Always? I¡¯m not sure what she means by that but I just munch on the crackers and chat with her.


    Without warning, Lenora barges into the room with Bronx close behind her. They both plop giant piles


    of clothes on the bed.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re about eight inches shorter than me and from what the doc says about sixty pounds lighter.


    Soooo¡­I brought my niece Elle¡¯s clothes,¡± Lenora says with a shrug.


    I pick up a few things. There are a lot of neon- colored leggings and shirts with kittens and unicorns.


    ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s ten,¡± she cringes.


    ¡°Uhh, it¡¯s okay. There must be something in here I can wear, ¡± I shrug. I don¡¯t want to admit the clothes


    are a lot nicer than


    anything I¡¯ve owned before.


    I find a pair of jeggings and a white t-shirt that says ¡® Girl Power¡¯ in sparkly pink letters. Good enough


    for me. There¡¯s a couple of pairs of clean underwear but no bra. Not that I have much of a chest but I


    do prefer to wear one. I keep digging until I find a spaghetti strap undershirt in the pile. It will have to


    do. Aside


    from smelling like I have a dead animal stowed away, Bronx¡¯s shirt is huge on me, ites down to my


    knees like a dress, so anything is an improvement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kas. There are some stores with petite sections at the mall. We will find adult clothes for


    you, ¡± Lenora reassures me.


    I feel myself flush with embarrassment, ¡°About that. I -I, um, I can¡¯t go to the mall.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Bronx and Lenora speak at the same time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have money for shopping. Alpha Graham never paid me. Getting to live in the packhouse was


    my payment, ¡± I say, looking at the ground, red-faced.


    ¡± Oh, Baby, you don¡¯t have to worry about money, ¡± Bronx pulls out his wallet and hands me a ck


    credit card.


    ¡°I -I, what -,¡± my eyes go wide. I have never been to a mall, let alone used a credit card. I barely know


    this guy and he is just handing me his?


    Lenora grabs the card out of Bronx¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯ll handle that.¡±


    Bronx groans and rolls his eyes as Lenora puts his card in her pocket.


    ¡°Um, Lenora, can I talk to you for a second¡­umm, alone? ¡± I shift my eyes away from Bronx¡¯s gaze.


    He doesn¡¯t ask why I need to talk to her, he just squeezes my hand and steps out of the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Kas? Everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Yes. It¡¯s just¡­before you leave, can you help me wash my hair and back? Everything is still


    sore and umm¡­I haven¡¯t


    had a proper bath in literally months. I don¡¯t want Bronx to think I don¡¯t take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Kas. I¡¯d be happy to,¡° she smiles warmly.


    We go into the bathroom and she runs a bath for me but I¡¯m hesitant to take off my clothes.


    ¡± It¡¯s okay, Kas. I saw your scars when you were in the hospital wing,¡± She has tears in her eyes as she


    speaks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything you had to go through that caused them. You should know that in this pack,


    from the time we are very young, we¡¯re taught that scars are actually a sign of strength. It means


    you¡¯ve survived something your wolf couldn¡¯t help you through. You had to endure it on your own.


    ¡±I can¡¯t even begin to imagine everything you¡¯ve been through, Kas. I have so much respect for you, as


    does Bronx. You¡¯ve gone through things that no one should ever have to endure and you did it alone¡­


    for years. Your wolf wasn¡¯t even awake to support you through any of it. The mental fortitude that must


    have taken is unreal. To me, you are a superhero. ¡°


    She shakes her head and pauses as sheposes herself. She wipes a tear from her eye and sniffs.


    ¡± Kas, if you choose to stay with Bronx as his mate and I really hope you do, I will be proud to call you


    my Luna and my sister. So will the rest of the pack, when they hear your story. You¡¯re the perfect


    example of what we¡¯re taught growing up. Those scars don¡¯t show a weakness you should be ashamed


    of. They show strength you should be proud of.¡±


    Man, does she have a way with words. Suddenly, I am not self conscious anymore. I undress and she


    helps me get in the hot, bubbly tub. The water almostes up to my shoulders, so I¡¯m pretty covered.


    The water feels so good against my skin.


    ¡±I put in some oatmeal bath in the water to help soothe your skin, ¡± she smiles.


    ¡±Thanks. It feels amazing. The only time I have ever


    gotten a bath is when I was in the hospital wing at Silver Moon. Unless you count the times I got


    pushed into the pool at the packhouse, ¡± I say, adding, ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t worry the pool isn¡¯t that deep.¡°


    Lenora¡¯s face looks concerned but she doesn¡¯t say anything.


    She lets me soak in the rxing water for a bit as we get to know each other. She can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve


    never seen a movie in a theater or gone to a concert. I can¡¯t believe she has never used a stove


    before. Iugh and tell her I would love to teach her some easy things she can make for her and Milo to


    have a quiet night in.


    After I¡¯m cleaned up, she wraps me in a towel so big and fluffy it almost wraps around me twice. Then


    she leads me to a vanity to dry my hair.


    ¡°Lenora, did you say sister, earlier? When you were talking about my scars?¡±


    ¡± Oh, yeah. I ¡®m Bronx¡¯s sister. Milo is Bronx¡¯s best friend, which is how he became Beta. I ¡®m his mate,


    so I became Beta too.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. You mean sister, sister, like the same parents, sister? And he was okay with his best friend


    being your mate? Wasn¡¯t it awkward?¡±


    ¡°Yep, same parents sister. And Milo being my mate went over like lead balloons,¡± sheughs, ¡°I turned


    seventeen about six months after Bronx became Alpha. I came out of my room the morning of my


    birthday and mo! Milo walked by smelling like strawberries and lemonade. The rest was history, ¡°


    she gently pulls the brush through my sparkling hair. ¡°Speaking of birthdays, you said you had to hide


    your wolf from your pack. When exactly did you turn seventeen? It seems like your wolf must be new to


    you.¡°


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°June twentieth. I never knew exactly when my birthday was until this year when she woke up.¡°


    ¡°Oh, summer solstice! Cool. We always have a big party that day. Now we will have even more reason


    to celebrate! ¡°


    I look at how sparkly my hair is without dirt or blood on it. It makes my violet eyes stand out even more.


    Lenora notices me admiring myself.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up with the hair and eyes anyway?¡±


    ¡°Well, my wolf Elexis, I call her Lex. Lex says it¡¯s because the Moon Goddess is my mother. Not like,


    the Moon Goddess is the mother of all werewolves but like, she actually thinks the Moon Goddess


    gave birth to me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lenora looks at me through the mirror.


    I just shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Obviously, she¡¯s confused but I never met my mother. The man who they


    called my father was a rogue. He was killed before they realized I was in his jacket. There is no proof


    he was even actually my dad.¡±


    ¡°Huh, a mystery,¡± she says with a smile as I change into the clothes I picked out, ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to


    your mate. Based on how many times he has mind linked me since we¡¯ve been in here, I know he¡¯s


    anxious to spend time with you.¡°

 Chapter 13

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 13


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 13


    Wee out of the bathroom to find Bronx


    watching TV in the sitting area. He stands up when he hears the bathroom door open. When he turns


    around, he freezes.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess,¡± he says under his breath. He gulps as he stares at me.


    ¡°She cleans up nice, huh?¡± Lenora smiles.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, I ¨C uh, stun- that ¨C I, ¡± he¡¯s not able to make a full sentence as he stares at me.


    ¡°You know what, I ¡®m just gonna go, ¡± Lenora says over my shoulder as she points to the door. She


    gives me a thumbs up and a wink as she leaves.


    I stand where she left me, not sure what to do with my hands.


    ¡°Waannnaaa¡­ watch TV with me?¡± Bronx points behind him at the television.


    ¡°Sure, ¡± I tentatively walk over to the sofa. He takes my hand causing little sparks where he touches me


    and gently pulls me down onto the seat next to him.


    ¡°Is this okay? Sitting next to me like this? I should¡¯ve asked first.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine, ¡± I feel myself blushing. ¡°What do you like to watch?¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never had time to watch television.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Okay, um, what are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, homework and mental breakdowns.¡± ¡°Oh crap, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t ¡°


    ¡± It¡¯s okay, Bronx. I¡¯m teasing you. I mean honestly though, all I know about is cooking, baking, and


    stocking pantries¡­and homework, ¡± I look at him from the side of my eye with a smirk on my face.


    ¡°Okay, smart aleck. Cooking and baking. I can work with that. We have like three cooking channels, ¡±


    he flips the station to a cookingpetition show called Chopped.


    The chefs are given boxes of ingredients. They don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside until the timer starts and they


    have to make up a meal using all the ingredients.


    Bronx gets up to make popcorn as I describe what I would make with the ingredients for each course.


    By the time we¡¯re on the third episode, I think I¡¯m addicted. The dessert rounds are my favorite.


    ¡°Kas, were you the one who made dinner for the formal party at Silver Moon? The first night I was


    there, ¡± he asks with an air of sudden realization.


    ¡°Yeah, I made breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day at Silver Moon. Did you like the beef Wellington


    at the party?¡±


    ¡°Like it? It was the best dinner I ever had. That means you made the killer key lime pie too, right?


    Before I found you going into my room, I was going to ask the Alpha who the chef was so we could use


    them for some of our formal events.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m at your service, parties big and small, I cook ¡¯em all!¡±


    He smiles and puts his arm over my shoulders, pulling me closer. I dly snuggle up next to him.


    Seriously, how is this my life right now? There¡¯s no way it¡¯s real.


    I¡¯m not sure when I fell asleep, but I wake up in the morning tucked in bed. Bronx isn¡¯t next to me or


    sleeping on the couch. It makes me feel a bit empty inside. I slide out of bed and see a note on the


    nightstand.


    Kas,


    A couple of pack things came up. Lenora will take you to the mall. Have a good time!


    Bronx


    ¡°Watch out world, she¡¯s a wild one!¡± Lex teases while I make myself some toast with butter.


    ¡°Knock it off. I don¡¯t want to get sick again, ¡± I sulk at her.


    ¡°I know, I know, ¡± I sense her rolling her eyes, ¡°Kas, do you think we can talk to our mate about shifting


    soon? Please?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. When I see him after the mall. I will make time to speak to him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. So, what do you think the mall is like?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It sounds like there are stores with a ton of clothes and shoes and stuff, ¡± I shrug a bit,


    not able to picture it in my mind.


    She¡¯s just about to ask another question when Lenora walks in with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman.


    ¡± Hi, Kas! Ready for a big day?¡± Lenora says with a big smile, ¡°This is Ashley, she is Reggie¡¯s mate.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Ashley, ¡± I smile awkwardly as she stares at me.


    Oh, my Goddess. Rude!


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± she snaps out of her stare, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Luna. I didn¡¯t mean to stare.


    They said your eyes were purple, but I didn¡¯t realize th-¡° ¡°Oh no, just Kas, please. Really. Yeah, the eye


    thing is a bit


    unsettling if you¡¯re not prepared. It¡¯s okay. It still freaks me out sometimes too,¡± I reassure her, ¡± Lenora,


    do you have a hat I can borrow? People are going to stare at me.¡°


    ¡°Pshh, Kas, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Humans dye their hair and wear weird color contacts all


    the time to get what you


    have naturally. You¡¯re going to fit right in.¡°


    ¡°Alright,¡± I feel self-conscious, but I guess I ¡®ll get over it.


    We go to the garage where there are about thirty different cars and get into a ck BMW convertible.


    ¡°Lenora, this is your car?¡± I look in awe.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± she dismisses, ¡°My car is a Jaguar. It¡¯s only a two seater, so we have to take a pack fleet car


    today.¡°


    ¡°I see. Um, so, Ashley, other than being ranked members of the pack, what do you all do for work?¡± I


    ask, trying to make small talk.


    Ashley exins the jobs in detail, ¡°Our pack has a securitypany, Mason Co. We have different


    divisions ¨C physical security, electronics,works, all kinds of stuff. Bronx is CEO. Lenora is the VP of


    our International Contracts division. I¡¯m the head of HR. I mostly make sure there are no problems


    between the werewolves and humans that work for thepany. Milo and Reggie run a military-


    focused division that we don¡¯t talk much


    about¡­you know¡­protocols and all.¡°


    ¡°Oh wow, ¡± I reply. Would I need to work for thepany as well? I do need a job after all.


    ¡°This is great! We can show them how awesome of a warrior we are!¡± Lex chirps.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to work for thepany when you¡¯re Luna. Bronx needs you at home


    heading up pack matters,¡± Ashley nces back at me from the front seat.


    ¡°Dang it,¡± Lex huffs.


    The mall is nothing like I expected. There are people everywhere, loud noises, bright lights, and smells.


    Holy cow, the food court smells like a million bucks! There are stores just for perfume that smell


    overwhelming. I don¡¯t understand why humans would want to smell like that. There are more stores


    than I can count. I ¡®in pretty sure Lenora and Ashley want to go into all of them.


    We don¡¯t go into all the stores, but we do go into most of them. For every store we go into, they make


    me try on countless outfits and dresses, even evening gowns. When will I ever really need an evening


    gown? We buy almost everything I try on, even though I insist I don¡¯t need it. I was just hoping to get


    out of there with a couple pairs of leggings, a few t-shirts, a bra, and some underwear. No such luck.


    Ashley had already taken three loads of bags back to the car while I¡¯m trying on even more clothes.


    All the sales people seem very familiar with Lenora and Ashley. Their eyes light up and they practically


    run over to help us when we would walk into their store. They are friendly to my face, but while I¡¯m in


    the dressing rooms of several of the stores, I hear salesdies whisper things like ¡®so thin¡¯ and ¡®eating


    disorder¡¯, which makes me very self-conscious. Lex tells me not to worry about it.


    Lenora must have heard also because she makes me buy some of the clothes a size bigger than what


    I currently am. She loudly


    says she is sure I¡¯m going to need them when I¡¯m no longer underweight.


    Ourst stop before lunch is Victoria¡¯s Secret. I pick up somefy looking cotton underwear from a


    sale bin and Ashley grabs them out of my hand.


    ¡±Oh no no no, Kas. You can do better than that,¡± Ashley says with a sly smirk. She leads me into the


    store where she and Lenora load my arms with silky,cy bras and underwear and some other things


    they say are meant to be ¡°exciting for my mate.¡±


    But I ¡®in not really at the mall. I ¡®in in the stockroom. Ryan is on top of me, his hot breath in my ear. Not


    again. Please don¡¯t let this be happening. Goddess no, I can¡¯t go through this again. I can feel his


    weight on top of me, his hands roughly grabbing at me. I squeeze my eyes shut. I can¡¯t believe


    escaping Silver Moon


    was just a stupid daydream. Actually, I can. I just can¡¯t believe I let myself believe it was real¡­but it felt


    so, so real.


    I ¡®in not really in the stockroom. I ¡® in sitting in the food court. Why the Hell would I have that shback


    like that in the middle of the food court? And why the Hell did it feel so real? Actually, how did I get to


    the food court? I don¡¯t remember leaving Victoria¡¯s Secret. Is this another daydream? Ryan¡¯s scent is


    still strong in my nose, Lenora and Ashley are sitting in front of mepletely oblivious of the danger,


    laughing at a joke Lenora is trying to tell. Why do I feel like none of us are safe? Panic is starting to


    build in my chest now.


    Someone is patting my face. I shake my head and look up to find I ¡®in still in the lingerie store. Lenora is


    kneeling on the ground in front of me holding my hands and Ashley is looking at me wide eyed, gently


    patting my face with her hand.


    ¡±You okay, Kas,¡± Lenora looks at me, concerned. ¡±I -I just remembered something, that¡¯s all,¡± my voice


    is shaky. I realize I had dropped all the items they put in my arms and tears are rolling down my


    cheeks. I¡¯m not sure how to exin what just happened.


    ¡°I ¡ªIs there a bathroom?¡± I clear my throat, ¡± I just need to freshen up.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take you, ¡± Ashley takes her sleeve and wipes my tears, ¡°Lenora, can you pay? Meet us at


    the food court.¡°


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay, Kas? We can go home right now if you prefer,¡± Lenora asks, still


    looking concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, ¡± I reassure her. Ashley takes me by the elbow and leads me out of the store to the bathroom.


    She waits outside the door while I freshen up. When Ie out, she hugs me and tells me I can


    always talk to her. I return the hug and thank her. I


    don¡¯t feel like I know her well enough to trust her yet, but maybe one day.


    We go to the food court where there are an infinite number of smells and restaurants. It seems like


    there is every type of fast food you can think of.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡°


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m only allowed to have nd food for now, so somewhere with breadsticks, maybe?¡°


    ¡°Sbarro, it is!¡± She texts Lenora to let her know where we¡¯re headed.


    She gets slices of pizza for her and Lenora and breadsticks for me. Lenora meets up with us and sits


    next to Ashley. They areughing at a joke Lenora is telling. I get an odd feeling of deja vu.


    The distinctive scent hits me. Ryan is here and he¡¯s close. My heart starts pounding. Lenora and


    Ashley are stillughing,pletely oblivious. I start to panic.


    Lex is on full alert in my head, ¡°Run, Kas! We need to run! NOW! ¡°


    ¡°Lenora¡­I     something¡¯s wrong¡­I, ¡± I stammer as I start to stand up. I can feel my eyes wide with


    panic. Lenora stopsughing and looks at me. Her eyes widen and turn pitch ck as she looks past


    my shoulder.


    A hand ps the back of my neck hard and squeezes with sharp ws extended, painfully breaking my


    skin, as I get pushed back down in the seat. A little yelp escapes me. Oh shit.

 Chapter 14

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 14


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 14


    Lenora lunges across the table, sailing over top of me, causing the person who had grabbed me to let


    go. I hear growling and snarling as she fights with the person. At the same time, Ashley grabs me by


    the wrist and pulls me away from the scuffle. She runs into the bathroom and locks the door.


    ¡°Kas, are you okay?¡± Ashley holds both sides of my face, ¡°Come on, Kas, answer me, please.¡°


    I feel myself looking at her, but I feel numb. Like my mind is separating from my body. There is a high


    pitched hum taking over my hearing. Even Lex is trying to call me but she sounds so far away. I can¡¯t


    feel her like I usually do.


    Ashley is patting my face. I see her talking to me, but I can¡¯t hear her anymore. All I hear is the steady


    high pitched hum. My body starts shivering in fear. I need to calm down. Lenora and Ashley


    are going to make sure I¡¯m safe. I try to breathe but there¡¯s no air.


    Lenora¡¯s facees into view. I see her mouth moving but all I hear is the humming. Oh no! She has a


    busted lip. How did that happen? I reach up and touch where it¡¯s cracked open and bleeding. There is


    a split second of purple light just as the world turns ck.


    I hear Bronx calling my name in the darkness. He¡¯s so far away. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll ever get to where


    he is. I call out his name so he knows where I am. The more I call him, the closer he sounds.


    ¡±Kas, can you hear me? Are you there?¡± Lex calls out. I reach out and I can feel her spirit.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Lex. Thank Goddess I found you! ¡±


    ¡±Kas, it¡¯s time toe out of this darkness. Bronx needs you to go to him. He¡¯s scared. Come on,


    follow me. We¡¯ll do this together. Call for him again so he can find us,¡± I start calling out his name


    louder until I can feel Bronx very close. My eyes open and find I¡¯m in his arms at the packhouse.


    ¡±Bronx? How did I get here? I was at the mall, then I got lost in darkness. I could hear you. Lex found


    me and led me back, ¡± I try to put my thoughts in order.


    ¡±Oh Kas! Thank the Goddess. Why do you keep scaring me like that?¡± he tucks a piece of hair behind


    my ear and presses his forehead against mine, then pulls back so he can look at me again.


    ¡±What happened?¡± I ask, confused, ¡°How did I get back here?¡±


    Lenora and Ashley burst into the room crying and talking at the same time. I reassure them I ¡®in fine


    and they calm down. Once they collect themselves, they exin everything that happened at the mall.


    Ryan tried to attack me but Lenora was able to fight him off. Mall security spooked him and he ran off.


    Lenora didn¡¯te away unscathed, Ryan is an Alpha after all. She had a broken wrist and lost three


    of her teeth in the fight. She refused medical treatment and ran to find Ashley and me.


    ¡±Kas, my wolf was healing me but it was you. You did it,¡± She looks at me with teary eyes, ¡°Why didn¡¯t


    you tell us you¡¯re a healer?¡°


    ¡°What?¡± I sit up taller. Now I¡¯m confused and surprised.


    ¡°As soon as you touched me, I healed almost instantly. You didn¡¯t pass out until you touched me. I t


    was like it sucked all your energy out. Even my teeth pulled back into their sockets. There


    was a purple lighting from your fingertips and everything,¡± she exins with wide eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, ¡± I shake my head in disbelief, ¡°I ¡®ve never healed anyone in my life. I¡¯ve burned a couple


    of people with my hands, but never on purpose.¡°


    All three of them look at me like I have a second nose.


    ¡°Oh, right, I wanted to talk to you when we got back from the mall, ¡± I say to Bronx seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve never


    shifted before and Elexis keeps telling me she needs me to, so she can be at her full strength. She


    doesn¡¯t seem to be able to tell what that means, though.¡°


    ¡°Hold up, hold up. Can we rewind to where you burned people¡­with your hands?¡± Lenora asks,


    disbelieving what she just heard.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯ve been seventeen for almost three months and you¡¯ve never shifted? ¡± Ashley asks at the


    same time.


    I shake my head answering Ashley first, ¡°When I was at Silver Moon, we decided it was best for Lex to


    stay hidden, but I identally burned Ryan. That was before Lex fully woke up. I burned Sam the


    ountant, after she was awake. I mean, their wolves were able to heal them, but it happened.¡°


    Lenora and Ashley look at me like I just told them I¡¯m the queen of Ennd.


    ¡°What? It was an ident. My hands started glowing purple and the next thing I know, they had burns.


    I couldn¡¯t help it,¡± I justify to the wide eyed girls.


    ¡°Oh no no no. Don¡¯t get it twisted. I burned Sam on purpose. He broke your nose!¡± Lex growls. I decide


    it¡¯s best not to announce that.


    ¡°The only other time I remember glowing is when Bronx hugged me for the first time, but it didn¡¯t burn


    him. That time my whole body glowed, it made him glow too,¡± I continue to exin my unusual glowing


    power.


    Now Bronx is looking at me the way girls are. He blinks a couple of times and clears his throat.


    ¡°I was glowing?¡± He looks wary.


    He sets me down on the couch and starts pacing.


    ¡°In the morning, we all meet in my office and the six of us can make arrangements for Kas to shift


    safely. Lenora said your birthday was on summer solstice, so there have been a few full moons


    already.


    Depending on what we find, I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t let you shift even if it isn¡¯t a full moon like most


    new wolves do,¡± Bronx says with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I smile back gratefully, feeling a sense of relief.


    ¡°Also, with your unique physical features and the powers your wolf seems to have, I think we need to


    do some research to figure out what is going on here before you shift. Clearly, you¡¯re special and not


    just


    because you¡¯re my mate, ¡± Bronx says with a smile as he squeezes my hand, ¡°I want to make sure we


    know what we¡¯re getting into beforehand. Make sure you and Lex are getting the support you need.¡°


    ¡°Research?¡± My ears perk up. I feel very excited now, ¡°Do you have a library here?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, we have a pack library and I have a private library behind my office,¡± he says nonchntly. Like


    a private libraryes with everyone¡¯s home.


    ¡°Can-can I help with the research?¡± I ask sheepishly, trying to hide my excitement.


    Bronxughs, ¡°Baby with that twinkle in your eye, how could I possibly stop you?¡°


    He looks up at Lenora and Ashley, ¡± Ladies, can you give us some privacy, please? I need to speak to


    my mate.¡°


    They nod and quietly leave the room. I get the feeling they already know what he wants to talk to me


    about. Bronx sets me down and leads me over to the sofa.


    ¡°Is everything alright, Bronx?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, Baby. I want to run something by you,¡± his tone is serious.


    ¡°Okay, ¡± I sit down on the sofa next to him and he takes my hands in his.


    ¡°Kas, I think it would be a good idea if you talked to a therapist about all the stuff you¡¯ve been


    through¡­ cause, honestly, it¡¯s a lot. I want the best for you and I think having someone to talk to that


    can help you work through all those traumatic things would help you. Lots of my warriors see therapists


    for a lot less, there¡¯s


    no shame in it,¡± I look him in the eye as I try to absorb his words.


    ¡°Now, that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t talk to me about the things that you¡¯ve been through. I ¡®m happy to


    listen and I would be honored for you to trust me with any amount of it, but I can¡¯t give you advice on


    how to deal with it as the doctors can. We have some of the best therapists in the northwest right here


    in our hospital. It¡¯s your choice. I don¡¯t want to pressure you to do anything you don¡¯t want to do. I just


    want you to know your options.¡°


    I think about it for a minute, ¡°Yeah. I think I would like that. I feel like a lot of the time, Lex takes on a lot


    of my burden. It¡¯s not fair to her. Also, the passing out at the drop of a hat thing is getting kind of old.¡°


    ¡°Good. I ¡®ll arrange your first appointment. You can work with the clinic to set up any additional


    appointments you want,¡± he smiles. I can sense he feels relieved.


    We sit quietly on the sofa for a few minutes holding hands. I guess if we are being honest, now is a


    good time to talk to him about what¡¯s on my mind.


    ¡°Bronx, there is something I want to tell you, ¡± I confess, ¡°but please don¡¯t be mad, okay? And if you


    think less of me or if you find that it is too much for you and you want me to leave, I will understand.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Just say the word.¡°


    ¡°Baby, there¡¯s nothing you could say that would make me think less of you,¡± he looks at me with his


    eyebrows knit tightly.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s about Ryan, ¡± I feel the familiar lump of tears in my throat, I swallow it down. I pull my hands


    out of his into myp and look down at them, ¡°Well, a-a couple of days before you


    came to Silver Moon, he um, he attacked me.¡°


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®attacked you¡¯?¡± Bronx says with a growl in his voice, making me instinctively pull


    back.


    This is it. This is where he changes his mind and has me executed for being weak.


    ¡°I ¡®m sorry, Baby. I ¡®m not growling at you. My wolf, Saint is upset hearing another man touched you.


    Please, tell me what happened, ¡± he reassures me as he smooths my hair.


    I take a deep breath and speak as clearly as I can, still looking at myp. I can¡¯t bear to look him in the


    eye while I say it, ¡± H-he forced himself on me. Elexis couldn¡¯t protect me because he was my future


    Alpha. She said she couldn¡¯t hurt him.¡°


    I wring my hands in myp, ¡°I wanted you to know sooner thanter. If you don¡¯t want to be with me


    because I¡¯m not¡­pure


    anymore¡­I -I ¡®ll understand. I mean ¨C I just wanted to tell you now before we start getting more


    attached to each other. So if you want, just say the word and I¡¯ll leave.¡°


    I look back up at him. I can¡¯t read the look on his face. He sighs deeply and rubs his hands on his face.


    He stands up and starts pacing. His hands are flexing open and closed. His eye is flickering ck then


    green as he tries to control his wolf. Oh crap. That was the final straw. Is this the part where he tells me


    to get the Hell out of his home or just drags me down to the dungeon until he decides the best way to


    execute me? He finally stops and kneels in front of me. He takes a deep breath and takes my hands in


    his, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡±Kas, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear. Thank you for sharing that with me. I


    don¡¯t want to lose you because of what some asshole did to you without your permission. If anything,


    knowing that happened to you¡­It makes me want to protect you even more,¡± his words are so sincere.


    I can tell he is telling the truth. I feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes as I wrap my arms around his


    neck and give him the


    biggest hug I can muster. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into hisp, making me feel


    the safest I have ever felt in my life. I swear I hear him sniffle as we hold each other.

 Chapter 15

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 15


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 15


    The next day we meet with the Betas and Gammas in Bronx¡¯s office first thing in the morning. They all


    agree on something right away. I don¡¯t get to leave the packhouse unless I have two security guards at


    all times. We don¡¯t know where Ryan or his dad are. Bronx is not willing to take any chances.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Ashley picks up her phone andptop and goes to the back of the office where there is a small


    conference table. Shees back a few minutester with a smile on her face.


    ¡°All set. They¡¯ll be here in fifteen minutes,¡± she says cheerfully.


    ¡°Good work, Ashley. Alright team, next order of business. We have to do research and figure out why


    Kas has powers and if there is anything we need to do to make amodations for her, ¡± Bronx says,


    ¡± Kas, tell us what you have experienced so far.


    Please.¡°


    His demeanor when we are around other people is a stark difference from when we are alone together.


    This version of Bronx is kinda s*xy, I must admit.


    ¡°Well, the first thing that happened was my eyes changed color to violet. The left one first, then the right


    one. They started to


    change when I was in the pack hospital after¡­well, I was healing from an injury, ¡± I try to avoid getting


    into gory details, ¡± Within a few days they were both the color they are now. But before that they were


    just in old gray.¡°


    Bronx is taking notes on hisptop. The others are just paying attention to what I am saying.


    ¡°I noticed my hair changing color next. It used to be light brown. The color change started just after my


    eyes changed. It was a little darker at first and it happened in sections on my hair, but it happened


    quickly. Even though it¡¯s long, locks of it would go from brown to silver overnight, until it was all silver. I


    think it was a total of two weeks from brown to silver. Once it was all silver, it lightened up and got more


    sparkly.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried to cut it?¡± Lenora asks.


    ¡°No. Thest time I had to cut my hair was because someone threw gum at me. That was before it was


    silver, ¡± I say matter of factly. Bronx lets out a low growl.


    ¡°Knock it off, Bronx, ¡± Milo says, ¡°We¡¯re trying to move forward here.¡°


    It¡¯s the first time I have heard Milo speak to Bronx this way, but it works. Milo clears his throat and


    motions for me to continue.


    ¡°The burning people with my hands, well, the first time was a day or two before Lex woke up fully. The


    second time, she took over and I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did you say burning people?¡± Reggie looks at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°Old news, Reggie. Keep up, Babe, ¡± Ashley dismisses her mate, ¡°Keep going, Kas.¡°


    ¡°Oh, also, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve stopped time around me a couple of times but I¡¯m still able to move. I


    don¡¯t know. The second time, it didn¡¯t work right and just slowed down time, Lex wasn¡¯t


    able to tell me why. Just that we don¡¯t have our full power until she¡¯s able to shift.¡°


    ¡°You already know about me being able to heal Lenora. About half an hour before that, I think I had a


    premonition? I can¡¯t be sure but that¡¯s the only way I can exin it. We were in the store and all of a


    sudden I was reliving a real bad memory that happened before I came to Blood River. It had to do with


    Ryan, Alpha Graham¡¯s son. The memory was the one I told you aboutst night, Bronx,¡± Bronx nods


    and squeezes my hand, ¡°but then the bad memory stopped and I swear I saw us sitting in the food


    court and I could smell his scent. But we weren¡¯t actually in the


    food court, we were still in the store. When he actually showed up in the food court, it seemed like deja


    vu more than a premonition, like I imagined it but then I remembered it while it was actually happening.¡°


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened when you dropped all those clothes in Victoria¡¯s Secret?¡± Ashley asks.


    Bronx growls, ¡°Excuse me, where?¡°


    ¡°Oh rx, big brother. She needed underwear and bras,¡± Lenora says defensively, but her face looks a


    bit guilty.


    ¡°Ohh, you know what, I think I saw when it happened! I saw the glow around you but I figured it must


    have been the pink lighting in the store, ¡± Ashley recalls.


    Just then there is a knock on the door. Bronx bids the person to enter. Two burly men dressed in ck


    walk in.


    ¡°Kas, this is James and Marco. They¡¯re going to be your personal guards, ¡± Ashley stands and


    introduces us, ¡°Guys, this is Kas.


    She¡¯s Alpha Bronx¡¯s mate.¡°


    They look at each other, then look at me and bow slightly, ¡°Wee to Blood River, Luna, ¡± the one


    named James says.


    Bronx stands up, ¡± Gentlemen, you¡¯re to know where Kas is at all times. If she leaves the packhouse,


    you escort her. Even if it¡¯s just out to the gardens, even if she is with me. Twelve hour shifts while she¡¯s


    in the packhouse. When she goes out, both of you have


    eyes on her at all times. Are we clear?¡° ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they speak in unison.


    Bronx pulls out a picture of Alpha Graham and Ryan, ¡°These two men are dangerous and are


    potentially stalking my mate. The younger one tried to attack her yesterday. Lenora was able to stop


    him. If you see either of them, protect Kas at all costs.


    Consider this a military escort.¡° ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they reply again.


    Marco steps forward, ¡°Luna it¡¯s our honor to serve you,¡± James nods behind him. I bow my head


    slightly at them and thank them both.


    ¡°We will be here in the back library for the next several hours, gentlemen. Your assignment starts


    immediately. You two work out who¡¯s on guard first. Wait outside the office, ¡± Bronx says. Power seems


    to be rolling off him as he speaks.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha, ¡± they repeat. They both bow to me again and leave the office.


    ¡°That was intense, ¡± Lex says in awe.


    Bronx stands up and we follow him to a door near the back of the office. He opens a keypad, punches


    in a code, and the door silently opens.


    ¡°This is your private library?¡± I look around in awe. There are mahogany tables and giant lounge chairs


    all over the huge room. There arerge, old books in ss cases and on pedestals ced strategically


    around the room. There are two stories of floor-to- ceiling built in mahogany bookshelves packed full of


    books that go around three walls. The fourth wall is just windows facing a beautiful pond.


    ¡°Alright guys, let¡¯s split this up,¡± He pulls out aptop and pulls up a list of books in the library. He gives


    us each ten books to look at. We split up around the room finding our assigned books and finding spots


    to go through them.


    I find a pad of paper and a pen and start making notes. Three hourster, I ¡®m through eight of the


    books I had pulled from the shelves without having found anything useful.


    A loud growling yawn makes everyone jump out of their skin. ¡°Milo! You scared the crap out of


    everyone! ¡± Lenora scolds.


    ¡± Sorry. I just needed to stretch, ¡± he says, feigning innocence, ¡°I¡¯m going to the kitchen to get us all


    lunch. Any requests?¡±


    ¡°Just get some pizzas. Oh, breadsticks and applesauce for Kas. Do you want anything else, Baby?


    ¡°A banana would be great. I¡¯m really hungry.¡± Bronx smiles, ¡°Get thedy a banana, Milo!¡±


    I turn back to the book I ¡®m reading. It is written in old English, so it¡¯s difficult to understand. I flip the


    page to find a beautiful


    hand-painted illustration. It i s a depiction of the Moon Goddess. There¡¯s a man standing next to her


    that looks like a king. They are surrounded by children. She is holding a baby in her arms with gray hair


    and violet eyes. The title on the next page says ¡®Manae ¨C Children of Selene¡¯. No freaking way.


    ¡°Bronx! I found something! I found something !¡± Everyonees over to look at the book.


    ¡°Menae? Hmm. I saw something about that in a more recent book. Let me go get it,¡± Reggie muses. He


    trots over to a pile of books and brings them over.


    He flips through the pages until he finds what he¡¯s looking for and starts reading aloud, ¡°The Menae are


    fifty children of the Moon Goddess and the human king Endymion. Modern times say they represent


    the fifty months of the four-year Olympiad cycle.


    ¡°So basically, a kid a month for a little over four years? It looks like Zeus allowed the Menae to be


    goddesses, even though Endymion was human. There is no mention of any names or their powers, but


    if they are goddesses, they would have some type of power right?¡°


    Bronx strums his fingers against his cheek as he looks at theptop screen, ¡°Alright, so this says there


    were two Olympiad cycles. Ancient Greeks believed one four-year cycle had forty-


    nine months and a second cycle had fifty months. Something to do with the lunar cycle because that is


    how they kept track of time. We don¡¯t use lunar cycles to keep track of time anymore, so it doesn¡¯t


    matter that there¡¯s more than twelve full moons per


    calendar year.¡°


    I look more at the old English book while he is talking, ¡°Uhh¡­my name is here¡­¡°


    I point to a small print sentence that clearly says ¡® lokaste¡¯ in the middle of it, but I¡¯m not familiar with


    the words around it, so I can¡¯t figure out what it¡¯s saying.


    Reggie looks over my shoulder, ¡°It says Kas in there?¡° ¡°No, Reggie, my full name is lokaste.¡°


    ¡°Oh sick! Like lokaste the Seer,¡± Reggie says, sounding excited. ¡°Who is lokaste the Seer?¡° I ask,


    confused.


    ¡°Reggie, Kas is clearly not named after an Assassin¡¯s Creed character, ¡± Bronx rolls his eyes as he


    looks up from hisputer.


    ¡°Okay, but Iokaste the character predicts the future just like our lokaste can. Could be relevant! ¡°


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that. Just call me Kas. Please, ¡± I request. ¡°Why don¡¯t you like being called


    lokaste anyway?¡±


    Ashley asks.


    ¡°I, um, it was the name on the nket I was found in. I like to think my parents put a lot of thought into


    what my name would be. I always wanted to ask them more about why they chose such an unusual


    name for me but I can¡¯t. Who knows, maybe they


    just saw it in a book like this and thought it was pretty. I guess I may never know, ¡± I shrug, trying not to


    feel down. I feel the familiar lump of sadness in my chest.


    He must sense my sadness, because Bronx clears his throat and gets everyone¡¯s attention away from


    me, ¡°Back to the task at hand. ording to this, lokaste was an ancient Greek woman.


    She was the queen of Thebes. identally married her son who just so happened to be Oedipus.


    Whoops! ¡°


    ¡°Ohh-kay, definitely do not call me lokaste! ¡± I proim.


    Bronx snorts a little and looks back at the monitor, ¡± And some people believe the word lokaste


    trantes to¡­oh¡­¡±


    He trails off before he finishes. He sighs and rubs his face in his hands.


    ¡°TRANSLATES TO WHAT?! ¡± Lenora yells, throwing her hands in the air. ¡°Violet.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 16


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 16


    ¡°Violet? Like the color of Kas¡¯s eyes?¡± Ashley asks. Her voice is thick with skepticism.


    ¡°Yeah, Ashley, other than the flower, there are not a whole lot of definitions of violet, ¡± Lenora teases.


    Reggie looks up from the book he¡¯s referencing, ¡± Kas, what did you say your dad¡¯s name was?¡°


    ¡°Andy. Why?¡°


    Reggie nudges Bronx who leans over the book and reads aloud, ¡± Selene was so enamored with the


    way Endymion looked while he was sleeping in a cave on Mount Latmus that she asked Zeus to allow


    her to have a rtionship with him. Oh, holy shit.¡°


    ¡°Mount Latmus? Like myst name?¡± I¡¯m a bit confused.


    ¡°Kas, what if Andy is like some sort of shortened, modernized version of Endymion. Endy, Andy. What if


    the Moon Goddess turned him into a werewolf? Because that¡¯s what she does right? What if she turned


    him into the first werewolf? ¡± Reggie starts theorizing. Lenora and Ashley stand behind him with wide-


    eyed disbelief.


    I blink a couple of times as he throws out questions and until I burst outughing. Like, a maniacal


    viin who lost their mind in the middle of the movie,ughing. I¡¯mughing so hard that I can¡¯t catch


    my breath, my belly hurts, and tears areing out of my eyes. Everyone is looking at me like maybe I


    lost my marbles.


    ¡°¡®Come on, like, seriously. You can¡¯t honestly believe that,¡± I reason with him in betweenughs, ¡°The


    chances all these things are coincidences is a whole lot more realistic than it all being connected in


    some sort of ancient greek conspiracy theory. The Moon Goddess, my actual mother? A painting of me


    as a baby in an ancient book of werewolf lore? My name in this book is MY name and not just a


    reference to the color purple or an ancient queen? My dad is an ancient Greek king who had fifty


    daughters with the Moon Goddess? The Moon Goddess turned him into the first werewolf? Guys.


    Come on. Let¡¯s be serious for just a minute here. What are the chances?


    Basically zero chance.¡±


    ¡°PIZZA¡¯S here¡­¡± Milo interrupts with a happy yell, but quickly quiets down when he sees the look on


    everyone¡¯s faces staring at me while Iugh uncontrobly.


    ¡°Yeahhh¡­I think we¡¯re at a good stopping point,¡± Ashley nods. She takes me by the elbow out into the


    office, everyone follows.


    We sit around the conference table in the back corner of the office while we eat. Hypothesizing the


    information we have found so far.


    ¡°Kas, how old is Elexis anyway, ¡± Lenora asks while she pulls extra cheese out of the bottom of the


    pizza box.


    ¡°Never ask ady her age,¡± Lex snaps quickly.


    ¡°Lex, this is important. We are trying to figure out who I am before we can shift. We have to make sure


    it¡¯s safe for both of us. You want to shift, don¡¯t you?¡°


    ¡°Ugh. Fine. I¡¯m four thousand six hundred and eighty-two years old, I think. I¡¯ve kind of lost count


    because we kept track of time differently back in the old days.¡°


    ¡°Lex, be serious.¡°


    ¡°Why the Hell would I joke about that?¡°


    ¡°She says she is over four thousand years old.¡°


    Ashley spits out her water. Milo stops eating, mid ¨C bite of his pizza. Dramatic much?


    I know wolves¡¯ spirits live a lot longer than humans, but I have no idea how much longer. Everyone else


    asks their wolves how old they are. Saint is the oldest at eight hundred twenty-nine years old. Everyone


    else¡¯s wolves are less than two hundred years old.


    ¡°How many human spirits have you been attached to, Lex?¡°


    ¡°Just you, Kas. We¡¯re attached through all of your lives. Forever in the past and forever in the future.


    Don¡¯t you remember?¡± She sounds kind of sad that I don¡¯t remember our past lives.


    ¡°You mean like, I¡¯ve been reincarnated over and over for forty-six hundred years?¡°


    While I¡¯m talking to Lex, Bronx is talking to the others, ¡°If Kas was a goddess, she would be thousands


    of years old. She¡¯s only seventeen years old. We know she got to the Silver Moon when she was an


    infant.¡°


    ¡°Uhh¡­what if I was reincarnated?¡°


    Bronx stops and turns to me, ¡°Reincarnated?¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s what Lex is telling me,¡± I shrug, ¡°Since the beginning of her lifetime, she and I have always


    been together.¡°


    ¡°Okay. I think we need to call in the Elder Council. We need their help here. Kas, I¡¯m sorry, but we need


    to wait a little longer for you to be able to shift,¡± Bronx says apologetically.


    I feel Lex¡¯s frustration but she doesn¡¯t say anything. I take thest bite of my delicious breadstick and


    cross my arms in a huff.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I send everyone out of the office so I can make calls t o the Elders and get some work done for my


    security business. I also make arrangements for Kas to see one of the pack therapists.


    Tobias, the head of the Elders, lets me know he can have everyone gathered at the packhouse in a


    couple of weeks. It will have to do. Other than the chance she could give someone a minor burn, Kas


    doesn¡¯t seem to be dangerous and her shifting


    into wolf form is not something to be considered an emergency. Even if Saint and Elexis are anxious to


    meet each other.


    It takes about five hours to finish up everything I need to do for the business. I sit back in my chair while


    I have some peace and quiet and start to think. I need to talk to Kas about bing Luna by summer


    solstice but we just met. I don¡¯t want to scare her or put any unneeded pressure on her but if I don¡¯t


    mate and have a Luna for Blood River by the summer solstice, my position as Alpha Regent will be


    taken away. Just one more thing to talk to the Elders about.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. Carly, m y assistant,es in with a bag.


    ¡°Alpha, everything you requested is in the bag,¡± she confirms.


    ¡°Thank you, Carly. Have a good night, ¡± I smile at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Good night, Alpha, ¡± she looks at me suspiciously, before she leaves the room. I sit


    confused at her reaction until I realize it is because I rarely say thank you and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve ever


    told her to have a good night. I can change, right? I make a mental note to make an effort to be nicer to


    Carly. She¡¯s a good assistant. I should show her I appreciate her.

 Chapter 17

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 17


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 17


    I pick up the bag and walk down to Kas¡¯s suite. Hopefully, I can convince her to ept the gift. She


    seems weird about money, but I don¡¯t understand why. I want to spend it on her. Down to myst penny


    and ording to my ountants, I have a lot of penn!es.


    After the incident at the mall, I don¡¯t think she knows just how much Lenora and Ashley bought for her.


    They left some pajamas and casual clothes in her suite for her, but the rest they hung up or put in


    drawers in the closet room of my apartment. They even had a custom upholstered bench added to the


    closet, so it will be morefortable when the girls are in there. I decide I probably shouldn¡¯t mention it


    to Kas for now. She would find out eventually.


    As I think about the closet, I wonder if I could convince Kas to move into the apartment with me or if it is


    too soon. I just want to be able to spend as much time with her as possible.


    When I get to her suite, I see James is standing at the end of the hall, giving Kas space so she feels


    comfortable but still close enough to take action if necessary. He nods at me as I knock on the door. I


    nod back when Kas opens it to let me in.


    ¡°Hi Baby, ¡± I smile. My heart beats faster when I see her smile back.


    She takes my hand and lets me inside. I see she changed from jeans and a long sleeve shirt from


    earlier to a spaghetti strap dress. She is still too


    skinny, but she has been eating more since she got here, even if it is mostly toast and breadsticks. She


    has added some fruits and veggies into her diet too. Her curves are just starting to fill in, making her


    look more grown up. Her hair is in a messy bun on top of her head, sparkling in the light of the room.


    She is so innocent. She clearly doesn¡¯t know how s*xy she looks.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± she says as she stands on her toes giving me a huge hug. I wrap my arms around her,


    pick her up, and walk into the room with her in my arms. I bury my head into the crook of her neck


    breathing her fresh rain and lc scent deeply. I can feel her scars under my hands, but she doesn¡¯t


    seem to mind. She


    giggles as we feel the sparks between us. I don¡¯t put her down until we reach the sitting area.


    ¡°I have something for you, Baby,¡± I hand her the bag.


    ¡°Bronx, don¡¯t buy things for me. I don¡¯t have any way to repay you.¡°


    ¡°This is a gift, but it is also for your safety. Besides, it¡¯s through mypany. Technically, you¡¯re a client


    and it¡¯s tax deductible. Go ahead. Open it.¡°


    She pulls the box out of the bag. Her eyes go wide as her mind processes the new iPhone box she¡¯s


    holding and she lunges forward giving me another big hug.


    ¡°Holy cow! Thank you so much! Will you teach me how to use it?¡°


    ¡°I ¨C uh, yeah, of course. I¡¯ll show you how to text and program phone numbers and everything,¡± I didn¡¯t


    even consider that she has never had a cell phone before, but I need to know she can get ahold of my


    Betas, Gammas, me, or James and Marco anytime she needs.


    ¡°How about we go down to the dining room to eat dinner with the pack today? It¡¯s pasta night, so there


    will be plenty you can eat.


    After dinner, we can program your phone.¡°


    She looks at me tentatively and stands up. Is she nervous? Is it too soon? Did I f*ck up again?


    She walks toward the closet and starts searching for something, ¡°Alright, but I need to cover up. I can¡¯t


    go to dinner in a spaghetti strap dress. I don¡¯t want everyone to stare. Let me find a cardigan. Does my


    hair look alright? Is this dress alright if I wear a cardigan? You can¡¯t see my scars, right?¡± She asks in


    rapidfire


    as she stands in front of me with a light green cardigan over the dress looking very nervous.


    ¡°Of course, you can wear whatever you want. That sweater is perfect. And your hair looks nice in a bun


    like that. Is this okay, Baby? Going to dinner downstairs, I mean. If it¡¯s too much too soon, it can wait.


    People will understand. They¡¯re not expecting us tonight.¡°


    ¡°Bronx, this will be the first time I have met anyone from the pack other than the ranked members, the


    doctors, and my security guards, ¡± Kas looks me in the eye but I can¡¯t read her expression.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s probably too soon, we can eat up here. I don¡¯t want you to be


    ufortable.¡°


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Oh, no. Honestly, I ¡®m looking forward to a fresh start. I mean, eventually, I want to meet everyone, but


    if I can at least start with the pack members in the dining room, I¡¯ll take it!¡°


    ¡°So that¡¯s a yes?¡°


    She just giggles and nods.


    ¡°This woman is amazing, Bronx, ¡± Saint purs, ¡°Can she be Luna now?¡°


    ¡°No Saint, not yet. It¡¯s too soon to have serious conversations about that.¡±


    He huffs at me and moves to the back of my mind.


    The dining room is already bustling when we arrive. People didn¡¯t anticipate I was going to be there, so


    they started to eat without waiting for me. I usually like to say a few words before we eat


    since for most pack members, it is the only time they get to see me or hear what¡¯s on my mind.


    As people realize I¡¯m there and I have a guest with me, the room bes very quiet. I know everyone


    has heard she is here, but hardly any one has seen Kas yet. Everyone is looking at us with anticipation.


    I can see smiles and hear whispers from around the room.


    I have my hand on Kas¡¯s lower back as I lead her toward the head table. Milo, Lenora, Reggie, and


    Ashley are already there. The girls wave with big smiles, happy to see Kas off the fifth floor.


    Before we get to our seats, I lead Kas to an area in front of the table. The entire room is looking at us


    attentively.


    ¡°Good evening Blood River pack! I apologize for my absencetely. Some of you may know, we have a


    new member of our pack. She needed time to recover from some injuries and I was tending to her, but


    she is better now and looking forward to meeting all of you.¡±


    Eyes widen with excitement around the room. Pack members are whispering and pping lightly with


    anticipation.


    ¡°I would like to introduce you to my mate and your future Luna, Kas Latmus, formerly of the Silver


    Moon pack.¡±


    The room erupts in cheers and howls at the announcement. I look down at Kas who is still holding my


    hand. She is blushing and giving people little waves in between pping her hand over her mouth.


    I notice our joined hands start to get warm. I look down to see they¡¯re glowing with a hint of purple. I


    move a little closer to her and pull her hand behind me so people won¡¯t see.

 Chapter 18

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 18


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 18


    ¡°So she had powers before her wolf woke up?¡± Elder Randall questions after Kas tells the Elders her


    story. He sounds suspicious of Kas¡¯s ims.


    ¡°Randall, Kas is sitting right here. Please address her directly. She doesn¡¯t have a rank right now, but


    she is Blood River¡¯s future Luna Regent,¡± I scold the old man.


    Randall gets a sour look on his face at being corrected and huffs at me.


    There are fifteen werewolves from around the world on the Elder Council, making up the international


    governing body for all werewolf kind. They are former Alphas and Alpha Regents who have been


    elected to their council positions after they turned their packs over to their sessors. There are many


    who believe I will be elected to the Council one day. Only time will tell.


    The knowledge of the Elders is passed down from generation to generation. Each specializes in the


    history of their region. If anyone can give us answers about Kas, it will be them. We are in the third


    hour of this meeting and haven¡¯t gotten very far.


    Kas has been holding her own very well, only looking to me for help a couple of times. She took her


    time exining everything that had happened.


    Some of the Elders have questions but are reluctant to speak directly to Kas because she was a ve


    at Silver Moon and she isn¡¯t officially Luna of Blood River yet. In their regions, Elders don¡¯t interact with


    werewolves who are not ranked members of a pack, let alone ves. It¡¯s an archaic way of thinking.


    It¡¯s also very frustrating for the purposes of this meeting.


    Oscar from the Australian region speaks up next, ¡± Miss Latmus, you im your wolf says she is not at


    full power until you shift?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. But she can¡¯t exin what that means. I¡¯m embarrassed to say that shortly after she first


    woke up, I almost lost control and she came to the surface. We didn¡¯t shift though.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s happened to the best of us, my dear,¡± Oscar smiles reassuringly to her.


    Roham from the South Asian region speaks next, ¡± There are stories of a wolf being the dominant


    personality which causes the human part of their spirit to be born repeatedly with them instead of the


    wolf being assigned to a different human spirit every


    reincarnation. It¡¯s a deeper connection between the two, therefore not easy to separate the spirits from


    lifetime to lifetime. Miss Latmus, it sounds like it may be the case with you and Elexis. If you are a


    Goddess, her spirit may have been put in ce to protect your spirit throughout its eternal journey¡­


    however many lifetimes that may end up being. In the modern world we think of gods and goddesses


    as immortal, in reality, it is just their essence that is immortal. Only the Gods we refer to as Titans are


    truly immortal.¡±


    Felipe, the Elder from the Mediterranean region chimes in, ¡°What Roham is saying is, the Moon


    Goddess Selene is a titan, her lover Endymion was human. When Zeus allowed their children to be


    Goddesses, he was allowing their essences to be reincarnated until the end of time. So, lokaste, if your


    wolf Elexis is telling you that you have been connected to her since the beginning of both of your


    essences and you have been disying powers beyond a typical werewolf, then I would say, yes,


    you¡¯re indeed a goddess. One of the fifty Menae.


    Daughter of the Moon Goddess. It is reasonable to say she selected Elexis to protect you. This gives


    credence to her im that the two of you are warriors.¡±


    The other Elders around the table nod and mur mur in


    agreement. I look at Kas who doesn¡¯t seem surprised. She looks relieved. It¡¯s as if she was anticipating


    the answer and just waiting for confir mation of the fact that she was a goddess. She just needed


    someone to tell her what Lex had told her was true. I give her hand a little squeeze. She looks at me


    with a grateful smile.


    ¡°Thank you, gentlemen. If I may, I have a couple of questions?¡± Kas asks tentatively.


    ¡±Please proceed, lokaste. Who are we to refuse the words of a goddess?¡± Philipe says, waving his


    hand weingly toward her, ¡°Maybe even Randall and Karthik will speak more freely now, eh?¡±


    The men around the table chuckle at the reference to the ones not wanting to speak to Kas before they


    found out she was a goddess. Kas continues when theughter died down.


    ¡±If Zeus gave permission for the Goddess Selene to have a rtionship with Endymion, do you think


    that means his essence would also get reincarnated so they can love each other forever? I mean, d-do


    you think the man who brought me to Silver Moon was really my father? Could he have been


    Endymion? He was killed because he was a rogue. That means he was a werewolf. Is it possible he


    was the first werewolf?¡± Kas asks her questions rapid fire, her eyes welling up with tears. After what


    she just heard, she is not thinking about herself, she is worried about her father.


    ¡°I believe it is very possible that yes he was Endymion, ¡± Felipe confirms, ¡°but please don¡¯t despair,


    lokaste. We have no way of knowing if he was the first werewolf but he was turned at some point for


    him to be identified as a rogue. That means your


    father¡¯s essence will be reincarnated. He will live again to love the


    Moon Goddess just as he has in his other lives. He may have already been reincarnated for all we


    know. What we may never be able to answer is how he ended up as a rogue trespassing on Silver


    Moon territory. He must have had a good reason. Now, my dear, is there anything else we can help


    answer for you?¡±


    Kas nods and sniffs back her tears, ¡°If I have been reincarnated for over four thousand years, how


    come I can¡¯ t remember any of my lives? Why don¡¯t I remember Elexis? If our connection is as deep as


    you say, shouldn¡¯t I remember?¡±


    Henri, the European Elder from France, who also happens to be a friend from my infantry when we


    were in the military, stands up from the table and nods toward Kas, ¡°I request to address Alpha Bronx.


    lokaste, I mean no disrespect.¡±


    She nods at him, then looks at me expectantly. ¡°Go ahead, Henri,¡± I confirm, looking back at him.


    Henri continues, ¡°Alpha, I know in the past, you have declined to ept the help of witches and I


    completely understand your hesitation but we need to consider this is an exceptional case.


    Witches have direct connections to the powers of many gods and goddesses. I know of a coven of light


    witches near m y pack who can help train and hone the abilities of your mate to protect her. They can


    help lokaste remember who she is. Help her learn about the essence of her spirit. lokaste seems to


    have some vtile


    abilities as well. She doesn¡¯t seem like the type of wolf who is interested in harming anyone or using


    her abilities for evil. It¡¯s in her best interest to learn how to control those abilities before there is an


    ident. The coven can teach her how to focus her energy. To be a master healer. You know healers


    are rare in ourmunity and it¡¯s an ability that will benefit countless wolves.


    Please take your time and consider it.¡°


    I feel the hot acid of my temper starting to rise in my chest. Saint is raging in my mind. He hates


    witches more than I do. We¡¯ve survived too many battles and lost one too many body parts to trust


    them. The Elders can see my rage building and looked very ufortable.


    ¡°Henri is a traitor, Bronx! Tear his throat out,¡± Saint howls. I feel myself stand up and realize Saint is


    trying to take control.

 Chapter 19

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 19


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 19


    ¡°Let¡¯s break gentlemen. Take the time you need for lunch, tea, follow up on pack business, whatever


    you need. We¡¯ll reconver this afternoon, ¡± Saint¡¯s growl reverberates through my voice as he


    fights for control. I don¡¯t wait for an answer. I bow and leave the room with Kas following close behind.


    ¡°Bronx! What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kas calls after me. I can¡¯t stop, Saint is forcing his way to the surface. I


    can¡¯t risk hurting her or saying something I¡¯d regret. She has been working so hard the past couple of


    weeks, meeting with the therapist, eating healthy foods so she can gain weight, and getting to know


    pack members. I


    can¡¯t ruin that progress by losing my temper in front of her.


    Even with all the positive strides she made, she still has nightmares almost every night. She tosses and


    turns, talks and cries in her sleep, and wakes up screaming in cold sweats. I sleep on her sofa, so she


    won¡¯t be alone when she wakes up. It¡¯s my responsibility to keep her safe. I cradle her in my arms and


    soothe her until she falls back asleep.


    Sometimes I¡¯m so tired that I fall asleep holding her but most of the time, I go back to the sofa.


    Being a bystander in Kas¡¯s personal Hell is excruciating to watch. I can¡¯t imagine living it but I already


    have. The second time I


    came back from war, I spent months in the hospital. Saint almost killed three nurses one evening. He


    forgot where he was and was convinced they were witches trying to kill us. Reggie almost resigned


    after I attacked him in the hallway. I almost slit his throat right there in the packhouse. Fortunately, he is


    well trained and was able to fight me off long enough until help arrived.


    Lenora was the one who convinced me how important mental health is, not only physical health. I still


    see the therapist every month. She would be disappointed at how I was handling this situation.


    Right now, I have to get out of here before I go off. I pull off my clothes leaving them in a trail on the


    floor behind me as I stride down the hall until I¡¯m in my underwear. I let Saint take over as I push open


    the back door, just in time for him to shift into his huge white wolf form and we take off running.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got forty-five minutes to get it out of our system, man.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Saint growls and cuts off our


    mind link.


    Milo¡¯s POV


    I hear the conference room door m open. I look over thending to see Bronx busting out, his eyes


    were pitch ck, and he looks like he¡¯s got murder on the mind.


    Oh shit. What set him off this time?


    Kas is desperately trying to keep up with him, but it¡¯s no use. She¡¯s so small, there is no way her teeny


    little legs can move fast enough.


    By the time I get to the bottom of the stairs, Bronx is gone with nothing but a trail of clothes leading to


    the door and a scared little mate who is trying not to James is standing behind her, looking a little


    panicked. He knows how to handle two full-grown


    charging werebears, no problem, but a crying she ¨C wolf, not so much.


    In the past couple weeks, Kas has grown on me so much that I already consider her my sister. It tugs


    at my heart to see her upset. It makes me angry that Bronx is the one who caused her to feel this way.


    ¡°Come on little sister, let¡¯s go upstairs. Tell me what happened, ¡± I motion to James that it is alright and


    to follow us.


    ¡°We were meeting with the Elders and one of them rmended asking light witches to help me with


    my powers and Bronx got really mad. I could feel it. I t was so strong, it made me mad. The next thing I


    know he¡¯s headed out the door and ran off,¡± her voice is shaky as she exins what happened.


    ¡°The Elder Council rmended witchese here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah or I can go to them in France. They can help me learn how to control my abilities, ¡± she wipes the


    tears out of her eyes as she exins.


    ¡± Oh, I see,¡± I rub the scruff on my chin, ¡°Well, in a perfect world, Bronx would tell you this, but I guess I


    need to.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡±


    We sit on a bench in the hallway outside my office. James stands near the end of the hall, giving us


    privacy but still close enough to protect Kas if needed.


    I sigh trying to decide the best way to exin Bronx¡¯s past.


    ¡± Kas, Bronx lost his eye during the war, in a fight with a dark witch. She used magic to paralyze him


    and sliced it out with a


    cursed silver knife. She also stabbed him in the gut and took part of his liver. She wasn¡¯t very careful


    about it and the knife broke off in his abdomen. He was fully awake for the whole thing and couldn¡¯t do


    anything about it. Saint was blocked because of the silver floating around Bronx¡¯s body, so he couldn¡¯t


    help heal him. Bronx almost died. In fact, there is still a couple kes of cursed silver imbedded in his


    liver. It will never fully heal. Can you imagine how strong he and Saint were before that?


    Before the cursed silver? Practically invincible. It took months for him to recover and he was forced to


    retire from military service. Rumor is, the witch kept his eyeball as a trophy and used his liver to finishContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    some dark spell she had been concocting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. No, he never said anything to me about it,¡± Kas says softly. She looks like she¡¯s a bit in shock.


    ¡±Yeah, suggesting witches help you, that would be one of the things that would make him that angry, ¡± I


    exin.


    We talk a while longer until Lenoraes out of her office. She sits on myp while we fill her in on


    what happened.


    I continue to exin Bronx¡¯s behavior, ¡°I know it seems odd that he would disregard you like that, Kas


    but in his mind, it was to protect you, I¡¯m sure of it. When he gets mad, he shuts everyone out. He used


    tosh out at everyone. Even Reggie and me. One time, Bronx almost sliced Reggie¡¯s throat because


    he didn¡¯t recognize him. He didn¡¯t recognize his own Gamma, Kas. Can you imagine? Reggie was


    ready to leave the pack over it.¡±


    Lenora chimes in, ¡°I was the one to convince Bronx he needed help. So he started seeing one of the


    pack therapists and it helped a lot. I think he still sees her once a month. He still has his problems, Kas,


    but we all do to some degree. There¡¯s a reason he has the reputation he does. He walked away just


    now because he doesn¡¯t always know how to deal with his temper.


    That¡¯s the only way he knows how to not hurt you. He¡¯s never had someone in his life he has been


    protective over the way he is with you.¡±


    Just then, Bronxes up the stairs with a lit cigarette in his mouth, a small grunt with each step. He is


    covered head to toe in mud, except for the gym shorts he picked up, but those are basically trash now.


    I know covering yourself in mud is a military tactic to hide from enemies, but none of our security


    sensors triggered to indicate our borders had been breached. Did he just roll in the mud for the fun of


    it?


    ¡°Dude, first off, what kind of party did you and Saint have? And secondly, no smoking in the pack


    house! ¡°


    He walks straight past Lenora and me as if we don¡¯t even exist.


    ¡°I need you,¡± he says, pointing to Kas. He bends down and grabs her around the waist like he¡¯s going


    to hug her, except he picks her up and puts her over his shoulder. He doesn¡¯t even break his stride, he


    just continues walking as if Lenora and I aren¡¯t standing there. He spits out the cigarette and steps on it


    as he walks away.


    ¡°Uh, bye guys, thanks for the talk, ¡± Kas waves over Bronx¡¯s shoulder at us as she¡¯s carried down the


    hall.

 Chapter 20

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 20


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 20


    Kas¡¯s POV


    Bronx looks like a swamp monster as he walks towards me with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I


    stand up when I see him, putting my hands over my mouth with a little gasp.


    We make eye contact. With all the mud, I can¡¯t read his expression, but I can feel his pain. Not physical


    pain, emotional pain.


    ¡°I need you, ¡± he growls as he walks past Milo and Lenora. He leans over, wraps his muddy arms


    around my waist, and picks me up. He doesn¡¯t even break his stride. He just keeps walking. There¡¯s a


    squishing sound where his skin contacts my clothes.


    Welp, I guess this outfit is done for.


    After listening to everything Milo and Lenora just told me, I had no idea what reaction to expect when


    Bronx got back, but it certainly wasn¡¯t being thrown over the shoulder of a swamp monster.


    ¡°Uh, bye guys. Thanks for the talk,¡± I wave at Milo and Lenora. They wave back with confused looks on


    their faces.


    ¡°Want to tell me what¡¯s going on, Bronx? ¡± I ask as he climbs the stairs.


    He just grunts as he carries me, wrapping his arms around my legs in a tight bear hug up the stairs to


    the fifth floor. Instead of going to my suite, he opens the door to his apartment and kicks it closed


    behind him. He carries me all the way to his bedroom and sits me on the edge of the bed. Instead of


    sitting up and looking at me, heys his muddy head next to my hip, his heavy, muddy chest is in my


    lap, and his arms still tightly around my waist.


    I smooth his muddy hair as he silently holds on to me as if his life is depending on it. I can feel his


    emotions, he feels tormented.


    Maybe his life does depend on it? I feel helpless seeing him like this.


    ¡°Bronx, sweetheart, please talk to me. Please. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll listen, ¡± I soothe him.


    The most unexpected thing happens next, silent sobs start


    racking through him. My eyes grow wide. Uhh, what? He¡¯s crying? Now I definitely don¡¯ t know what to


    do.


    I pull his arms off from around me and slide off the bed, into hisp, and lean against him. He puts his


    head against my shoulder and continues to cry. He shakes his head back and forth as he sobs. His


    whole chest heaves as he whimpers and tries to catch his breath. We sit like this for some time until he


    starts to calm down. It¡¯s clear this reaction isn¡¯t just because of witches. This is built up stress that he¡¯s


    been holding on to for a long time. I feel a twinge of guilt knowing I am part of that stress.


    I lean away from him so I can look at his face. Like a big baby, he won¡¯t look at me. He lifts his face to


    the ceiling, stopping me from seeing his tears but it¡¯s my turn to wipe tears away. Well, tears and mud,


    but you get the idea. I press on his chin gently, pushing his face down so he is looking at me square in


    the face.


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him with no eyepatch. At first nce, it was a bit jarring to see a long vertical


    scar where an eye should be. The thought of his scar is fleeting as I look into his eye and see all the


    pain he has been holding on to.


    ¡± Bronx, what¡¯s going on? ¡± I use a gentle tone as I caress his cheek, ¡°Please don¡¯t hide from me. I can


    take care of you just as much as you do for me. Please trust me.¡°


    He looks at me with a tear welling up again, ¡°I can¡¯t pile this shit onto you, Kas. You¡¯ve been through


    enough. This is my burden and mine alone. I just -I don¡¯t know what to do with it. The biggest threat I¡¯ve


    ever sworn to protect my pack from is witchcraft. After what I went through when I was in the military,


    I¡¯ve fought tooth and nail to keep witches and other creatures off of my territory. That bitch didn¡¯t just


    take my eye. She took part of my liver and almost killed me. It¡¯s my job to keep my pack


    safe.¡±


    ¡°Now the one thing that can help my mate, the one f*cking thing, is exactly what I have fought so hard


    against for years, ¡± his voice is shaky as his lip trembles, ¡± I don¡¯t know what to do Kas. I need to do


    what¡¯s best for you but I also need to do what¡¯s best for the pack, and right now those things are


    conflicting. I¡¯m not just an Alpha, I¡¯m an Alpha Regent. The word of my decision will get out and


    everyone will judge me. Maybe even question my


    authority, regardless of what I decide.¡±


    He squishes his muddy head into the crook of my neck and takes a deep shaky breath. I let him stay


    like that until his breathing settles. We¡¯re both going to need showers after this.


    ¡°I bet that smells like nothing but mud, ¡± I joke, trying to lighten the mood. I ¡®m also trying to stall until I


    figure out how I should reply to what he just told me.


    ¡°Huhuh, no you always smell like fresh rain and lcs. Oh, what do I smell like to you?¡± The sounds of


    crying fading from his voice.


    ¡°Coffee and dark chocte, it¡¯s almost like a mochino, ¡± I giggle. Heughs a little before sighing


    deeply.


    I pull him away again so I can look him in the eye, ¡± Bronx, next time, just talk to me. Especially if you


    or Saint are mad. I ¡®m your mate. I¡¯m not as fragile as you think I ann. We¡¯re supposed to be in this


    together, right? This is not just you and only you.


    This is you and me as a team. I¡¯m here to support you in all things and if I¡¯m going to be Luna


    someday, it¡¯s also my responsibility to keep the pack safe. We can talk through these sorts of things if


    you just speak to me instead of walking away. Besides, I would never want you to make a decision that


    would be bad for the pack. More importantly, it¡¯s not up to you to make decisions like this on my behalf.


    We can talk through the pros and cons and decide what is best together.¡±


    ¡°I ¡®m sorry. I didn¡¯t want to hurt you, Kas. I didn¡¯t want to say something in anger that would push you


    away or make you think you did something wrong, ¡± he looks me in the eyes, trying to read my


    expressions.


    He¡¯s been treating me with such care for the past few weeks. It¡¯s like I ¡®m a bomb that¡¯s going to go off


    at any second. Yes, I still have a lot of healing to do, but I ¡®m working on it. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll


    never be fully over all the crap I¡¯ve endured, but I know it was in the past. He is my future.


    I take a deep breath. Trying to exin how serious I am doesn¡¯t seem to be getting into his head. I


    need to take action. Here goes nothing. I grip both sides of his face and look him straight in the eye as I


    slowly pull him toward me until our lips touch. Lex is going bonkers in my mind as I pepper his lips with


    little kisses, each kiss a little longer than thest. I finally close my eyes as I feel butterflies in my chest.


    The little kisses morph into one slow and soft kiss.


    His back stiffens at first contact but Bronx quickly rxes and pulls me tight against him, holding the


    back of my head, deepening the kiss. Electricity sparks between us as the kiss bes more


    passionate. He adjusts his arms so my entire body was pressed closer to him. I feel him growing


    harder against my butt. I¡¯m sure he can smell my arousal as he presses his tongue against my lips and


    I allow him in. We¡¯re both breathing heavily


    as we sit in each other¡¯s arms on the floor of his bedroom, losing ourselves in each other.


    He finally pulls away trailing little kisses across my face and


    clears his throat. He had a big smile on his face, ¡°You kissed me.¡± ¡±Noooo! Don¡¯t stop now! ¡± Lex


    pleads.


    ¡±I¡¯m sorry, I should have asked if it was okay,¡± I reply to Bronx, ignoring Lex.


    ¡±Oh Goddess, Kas. You never need to ask if it¡¯s okay to do that. I


    ¨C uh ¨C I¡¯ve never kissed anyone before, so I wasn¡¯t expecting it,¡± he confesses shyly. ¡°Really? I just


    assumed you¡¯ve had girlfriends before.¡°


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Uhh, I-well, I¡¯ve been so focused on military training and the security business and leading the pack


    plus, I¡¯ve never given up hope that my mate was out there somewhere. I wanted to save myself for her.


    I¡¯ve never had a girlfriend.¡°


    Well, that¡¯s a surprise. It was the first kiss for both of us.


    ¡°Well, as much as I would like to continue kissing you, we, unfortunately, need to get back down to the


    conference room. Why don¡¯t you go get your shower and meet me in my suite in half an hour? We can


    talk about this witch problem before we go back downstairs.¡°


    He nods in agreement and gives me one more tight hug before he helps me stand up and walks me to


    the door of my suite, both of us covered in sticky mud now. He gives me a small kiss on the forehead


    and goes to get his shower. I look down the hall to see James trying not to make eye contact with a


    little smile on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, James, ¡± I call out, winking at him, ¡± We¡¯re all safe from the swamp monster.¡°


    ¡°I heard that! ¡± Bronx¡¯s muffled voicees from his apartment.


    James smiles as I giggle and go inside my suite to get cleaned up.

 Chapter 21

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 21


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 21


    When Ie out of the bathroom, Bronx is sitting at the breakfast bar waiting for me. He¡¯s back to his


    stoicposed


    self, looking handsome in a tailored blue suit with an eye patch to match and a crisp, white shirt


    unbuttoned at the top. I sit next to him and ce my hand on his arm.


    ¡°Bronx, if being trained by witches is the only way to help me, then that is what I need to do. We have


    to ept that. Elder Henri is right. I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone because I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing or


    can¡¯t control my abilities. I understand your concerns about witches being here, so I think it would be


    best for me to go to them, if they agree to it. That way they don¡¯t have toe here and you don¡¯t have


    to worry about the pack. We just need toe to an agreement with them on what the terms are for


    me being there.¡°


    He rubs his hands on his face and sighs thinking about it, ¡°Alright, Kas, but it would mean we would


    have to be apart for a while. Henri¡¯s pack is too far away for you toe home. I only agree to this if


    you are permanently home by winter solstice.


    Until then, I woulde visit as often as I can but I do have a pack and business to run. I can¡¯t be


    there as often as either of us would like.¡°


    I feel a pang in my heart thinking about being away from Bronx, ¡°Would James and Marco be with me


    at least?¡°


    ¡°Without a doubt. There is no way you are going without them there. They are my two best personal


    security guards. They¡¯re loyal and I trust them with your life. They would never let me down.¡°


    ¡°Okay then. Let¡¯s go talk to the Elders.¡±


    He nods and takes my hand. He gives me one more sweet, lingering kiss before we head downstairs.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I was caught off guard when Kas kissed me. Honestly, I had been worried it would be too stressful if I


    tried to kiss her first. She is right. I have been underestimatin her and treating her like a bomb that


    would go off at any second. I need to trust her and have more faith in her. I also need to figure out how


    to let her in without either of us getting hurt and that¡¯s fully on me.


    I can¡¯t deny her an opportunity to learn more about her past and receive training to control her abilities.


    That would be cruel in different ways than she has been treated before.


    We get to the conference room as the Elders are filing in and taking their seats.


    I stand to address the Council, ¡°Gentlemen, thank you for allowing the intermission. We cannot thank


    you enough for your guidance. My Luna and I have discussed the matter and yes, Henri, we believe it


    would be beneficial for her to receive training from the coven you were speaking about, if they are


    willing to take her in. We can discuss more details in private. No need to hold everyone else up.¡°


    The Elders go through the formality of voting on the issue to make sure they are all in agreement and


    following all thews. Henri stays behind after everyone else has left.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss over dinner, old friend, ¡± I p him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Oh! Can I make dinner? We can eat in your apartment, Bronx, ¡± Kas asks, her face lights up at the


    thought of getting to cook.


    ¡°Kas, you don¡¯t need to do th- ¡°


    ¡°Please? I really do miss cooking for people. I¡¯ll even make dessert. It¡¯s just the three of us right? It


    won¡¯t be a problem at all,¡± she begs with an excited twinkle in her violet eyes. I can¡¯t deny her when


    she looks so cute and she is so excited.


    ¡°Alright, Henri, I will send an omega to escort you at seven p.m.¡°


    ¡°Alright, see you then, ¡± he smiles, looking from me to Kas and back again.


    I take Kas to the kitchen and pick up all the supplies she needs to make dinner. Mrs. Miller, our head


    chef, looks at me suspiciously as Kas goes through the pantry pulling out what she needs. I convince


    Kas to let two omegas bring everything up to my apartment, along with a full set of pots, pans, and


    cooking utensils.


    I put on some pop music as Kas prepares dinner. She danced around the kitchen with that twinkle in


    her eye. I¡¯m more of a heavy metal kind of guy but if listening to BTS and Olivia Rodrigo makes her


    happy, then I will listen to pop music.


    Kas is in her wheelhouse and there¡¯s no stopping her. The apartment smells like a five star restaurant


    by the time Henri is escorted upstairs.


    ¡±Oh my! It smells like magic and healing are not your mate¡¯s only abilities, Bronx, ¡± he and I bothugh


    heartily as Kas smiles at us from the kitchen.


    ¡±Food will be ready in fifteen minutes, gentlemen. Please, have a seat. I had the omegas bring up a


    bottle of wine but I don¡¯t know much about wine, so I hope you like it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s perfect, Baby,¡± I uncork the bottle of cabe sauvignon and take it to the seating area.


    I¡¯m not much of a


    drinker since I only have part of a liver. The doctor estimates I


    get drunk at the same rate as a human, which is a little off putting to me. This is kind of a special


    asion, so a ss won¡¯t be the end of the world.


    Henri and I had served in the military together before his son Martin took over his pack and Henri was


    elected to the Council. Aside from Milo and Reggie, he is one of my best friends even if we don¡¯t get to


    see each other often. We catch up with each other¡¯s lives while we sip the wine. Kas brings over some


    shrimp cocktail for us to munch on while we wait. Henri and I are so engrossed in conversation I don¡¯ t


    even realize she sets the table and brings all the food out until shees over to let us know it¡¯s time


    to eat.


    When we get to the table, there are two tes with a rack ofmb , asparagus, and what looks like


    mashed potatoes with a cream sauce. The third te has grilled chicken and asparagus. Even though


    Kas has been doing much better with eating a wider variety of foods, her stomach was not at the point


    yet where she could tolerate red meats.


    Henri¡¯s eyes widen with the first bite, ¡°Bronx, are you sure thisdy is not a Michelin rated chef?


    lokaste, this is the bestmb I have ever eaten.¡°


    ¡°Please call me Kas, Henri, and thank you. I¡¯m d you like it,¡± she beams.


    Henri is right. I don¡¯t know what she put in it, but I¡¯ve never had such a deliciousmb dish. After we


    clean our tes, Kas brings out a chocte souffle for dessert.


    ¡°Henri, please excuse me, but I feel like we are close enough friends that I can be more informal with


    you, ¡± I motion vaguely.


    ¡± Of course, Bronx. We have seen each other at our worst. No formalities necessary.¡±


    Kas sets the souffle dish on the table and puts the dessert on our tes. Before she can sit down, I pull


    her into myp, nuzzling her neck. She blushes a little as Henriughs.


    ¡°Ah, mademoiselle, you bring out a side of my friend that I ¡®ve never seen before! The beauty soothes


    the savage beast. Haha! Who is this mystery man?¡± Henri smiles as he picks up his ss of wine and


    tips it toward me, ¡°Love looks good on you, mon fr¨¨re.


    I ¡®m French, so I know what I ¡®m talking about, ¡± he winks and takes a bite of the souffle. His eyes cross


    as he moans.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    He points at it with his fork, nodding. ¡°I¡¯m so d you like it, Henri, ¡± Kas smiles.


    After we finish with dinner, we move to the back living room to discuss the details of Kas going to the


    coven.


    It¡¯s a coven in the south of France who has had a close


    rtionship with the Lune D¡¯or pack for centuries. Henri assures me they can be trusted and i n fact,


    they had trained dozens of werewolf healers over the years. Since they are in the old world, they have


    studied gods and goddesses for many generations.


    They are the right people to help Kas.


    We discuss my limitations of having her gone until the winter solstice, having two guards apany


    her, and I want to be able to visit every two weeks. I can¡¯t imagine being away from her for a day let


    alone two weeks but we are all making sacrifices here.


    Henri gets up to make a phone call to the coven while Kas and I sit on the sofa, waiting for him toe


    back.


    ¡°You¡¯re so brave, Kas. Going off to be on your own for almost three months? A lot of wolves wouldn¡¯t


    be able to leave their pack


    for that long, ¡± I say to her. I am more trying to justify for myself than her.


    ¡°I have to go, Bronx. I¡¯m going to miss you like crazy and all the pack members, but I have to do this.


    For myself, for Lex, and for everyone around me.¡±


    I lean over and kiss her cheek. She sighs with a ragged breath, but looks like she isn¡¯t going to let


    herself cry.


    Henries back into the room, ¡°Kas, the coven will take you in two weeks. Bronx, make


    arrangements to meet me at my pack. I will drive to the coven¡¯s realm from there.¡°


    ¡°Thank you, Henri, ¡± Kas says gratefully.


    ¡± It¡¯s nothing. Who knew it would take a goddess to tamed the mighty Bronx Mason? I am more than


    happy to help her with anything I can. Thank you so much for dinner, Kas. It was a one of a kind


    experience. Until next time my friends, au revoir, ¡± Henri regards us. We shake hands and an omega


    sees Henri out.

 Chapter 22

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 22


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 22


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to get to go to France. That¡¯s so exciting!¡± I say as cheerfully as I can once we¡¯re


    alone.


    Kas smiles at me but it doesn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡± Yeah, I¡¯m sure I will be more excited as the date gets


    closer. Right now, it makes me nervous and sad, I guess.¡°


    ¡°Kas, I know it is kind of weird timing but what do you think about moving into my apartment instead of


    staying in the suite? I


    mean, if you want to stay in the suite that¡¯s fine too. I just thought, you know, maybe you would be more


    comfortable¡­here?¡°


    I rub the back of my neck as she looks at me, contemting my request.


    ¡°Sooo we would sleep in the same bed? You wouldn¡¯t sleep on the sofa anymore like you do in my


    suite? ¡± she asks tentatively.


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna say no! You f*cked up, dummy! ¡± Saint howls. ¡°Shut up, Saint! ¡°


    ¡°Whatever makes youfortable, Baby. If you want me to sleep in the bed, I promise I won¡¯t try


    anything. I want everything to be at your pace. If you want me to sleep on the sofa, I can do


    that too.¡°


    ¡°Won¡¯t try anything?! What¡¯s the point?! ¡± Saint continues to shout.


    Kas looks around my apartment for a bit, then back at me.


    ¡°I trust you to sleep in the bed with me and not try anything, ¡± she says calmly, ¡°I just want you to


    promise one thing.¡°


    ¡°Anything, Baby, ¡± I reassured her.


    ¡°Never make me wake up alone. If you have to leave, wake me up and tell me. No more notes or


    searching for you. It scares me and makes me feel so empty when I wake up alone.¡°


    I pick her up into a bear hug and kiss her cheek. She giggles as my chin scruff tickles her face.


    ¡°I promise. You will never wake up alone. I will have someone bring your belongings from the suite


    tomorrow, okay?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds good but I need to at least go get pajamas.¡°


    ¡°About that, I have been holding back on you a little bit. I have something to show you but don¡¯t be mad


    a t me. It was Lenora and Ashley,¡± I hold my hands in the air.


    ¡°Umm, okay?¡± she says with a confused look.


    I lead her into the bedroom and stand at the door to the closet. Why am I so nervous to show her this?


    ¡°Cause she¡¯s gonna be pissed off when she realizes how much money you spent on her,¡± Saint says


    sarcastically.


    ¡°Shut it, Saint,¡± I growl back at him.


    ¡°So after the incident at the mall, Lenora and Ashley brought what you needed to your suite, but they


    brought everything else here. After that, I think they felt guilty about what happened, so they went out


    and got you some more, so¡­¡± I open the door to the closet room and she walks in with her mouth


    agape.


    It hadn¡¯t started as a closet, it was arge storage room. I don¡¯t need that much storage space so I had


    it converted to a closet after my parents moved out. The entire back wall is filled with clothes, shoes,


    purses, hats, and essories for Kas. The new upholstered bench sits in the middle of the room. I sit


    down as she walks around touching all the clothes in disbelief.


    ¡°Everything on this wall is mine?¡± she asks quietly.


    ¡°Well, the long dresses are over there, but yes, ¡± I point to another wall that has a longer space for


    dresses and gowns.


    ¡°Oh, pajamas and underwear and stuff are in those drawers, ¡± I pointed at a built-in dresser.


    ¡°And that door leads to the bathroom,¡± I point to a door on the opposite wall.


    ¡°Bronx, this is too much. I don¡¯t need all of this. I don¡¯t even know what to say, ¡± her voice is shaky as


    she holds her hands against her cheeks.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say no,¡± I plead as I reach for her hand. She obliges and stands in front of me, ¡°Please let


    me give all this to you with no strings attached. I want to do this for you, Kas. Money is not important to


    me. You are. I want to give you everything within my power.¡°


    She looks at me for a moment considering my words.


    She sighs deeply, ¡°Okay, well, as long as you don¡¯t let Ashley and Lenora buy anything else, I¡¯ll give in


    this one time. I already got a shower this afternoon so, I¡¯m just going to change into my pajamas and I


    will be right out.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you so much, Baby. This means so much to me,¡± I kiss the top of her head and leave her


    in the closet to change.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one to be saying thank you? ¡± she giggles as I¡¯m walking away.


    ¡°No thanks needed from you, Kas. Trust me. No thanks needed, ¡± I smile back at her. I step out of the


    room to give her privacy.


    Typically, I just sleep in boxers, but that seems a bit inappropriate at this point in our rtionship. I wait


    until shees out of the room then go and put on sweatpants.


    When Ie back from changing, she is standing next to the bed looking like she¡¯s in deep thought. I


    feel my eyebrows knit as I look closely at her. I realize she¡¯s standing a little too still. There is a distinct


    glow on her skin. It is light purple as if she is standing under a colored light. It¡¯s just like Ashley


    described from when Kas had a vision at the mall.


    ¡°Kas, Baby? ¡± I say tentatively. I don¡¯t want to scare her. I gently take her hand when she doesn¡¯t


    respond. Her skin is ice cold and I don¡¯t feel theforting sparks of our mate bond. I don¡¯t feel any


    emotion from her at all.


    ¡°Kas?! Answer me, please!¡± I say, trying not to panic. I gently pat her face, but she doesn¡¯t


    acknowledge my presence.


    ¡°Oh Goddess, what now?! Saint whines seeing there is something wrong.


    Her eyes are open but she isn¡¯t blinking; they are zed over like her mind is a million miles away. A


    tear rolls down her cheek.


    Suddenly, she sucks in a deep breath and coughs like she is choking. She looks around the room in a


    panic as if she just got there. Her face goes pale and she throws her arms around me when she


    realizes I am kneeling in front of her. The sparks between us were back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kas. I¡¯m here. You¡¯re safe. What happened, Baby? Did you see something?¡± I ask, patting


    her back trying to help her clear her coughing fit. When she is able to catch her breath, she starts to try


    to exin.


    ¡°A fire. It was so hot. I could feel it burning my skin. You were g- gone. I couldn¡¯t sa-,¡± she speaks


    quickly with panic in her voice, her words are not making sense.


    ¡°Where was this fire, Kas? Can you remember any details?¡± I ask as I smooth back her hair, trying to


    calm her down.


    ¡°Here. In the packhouse,¡± she shuts her eyes tightly, trying to remember, ¡°There are winter solstice


    decorations up. It¡¯s dark outside. That¡¯s all I can remember, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Tell you what, I¡¯m going to have electricians check the whole packhouse, make sure


    everything is safe. Okay? But it sounds like we have enough time that we can prevent a fire from


    happening.¡±


    Kas¡¯s POV


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Ryan is ring at me through this whole meal. I ¡®m certain he is going to jump up and tell everyone my


    secret. My heart is pounding in my chest. They¡¯re going to execute me for sure. I need to get out of the


    dining room before anyone realizes how nervous I a


    The smell of smoke and fire hits my nose. Wasn¡¯t I just serving food? Don¡¯t be stupid, Kas, you¡¯re a


    member of Blood River now. I look around and see the orange glow of fire in the living room. I run to


    the door to find the room is consumed with mes. The fake tree we have set up for the winter solstice


    looks like it was melting, some branches starting to catch fire. I can hear people in the hallway


    screaming.


    I run back to the bedroom to wake Bronx up, ¡°Bronx! Wake up! We have to get out!¡±


    I shake him but he doesn¡¯t budge. His skin is cold even though the room is getting hotter by the


    second. I focus past the smell of fire. He smells like whiskey and wolfsbane.


    Oh shit, oh shit. What should I do?


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Kas. You¡¯re a healer, you can save him. We learned about this. Come on!¡± I hear Lex but I


    can¡¯t feel her.


    I fight back tears of panic as I ce one hand on Bronx¡¯s chest and one on his forehead. The familiar


    warmth followed by a sting of pain filled me. He¡¯s gone. I can¡¯t save him. The smoke is taking over my


    lungs and the mes of the fire is starting to lick at my skin.


    I suck in a deep breath of fresh air and cough the smoke out. I look up and see my mate kneeling in


    front of me. There is no fire. Bronx is wide awake, looking worriedly at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kas. I¡¯m here. You¡¯re safe. What happened, Baby? Did you see something?¡± He asks, patting


    my back. I catch my breath and stop coughing. My dream is already fading from my mind. I have to tell


    him quickly before it is gone.


    ¡°A fire. It was so hot. I could feel it burning my skin. You were g- gone. I couldn¡¯t sa-,¡± I say quickly.


    ¡°Where was this fire, Kas? Can you remember any details? ¡± Bronx asks as he smoothes back my hair,


    trying to calm me down.


    ¡°Here. In the packhouse,¡± I shut my eyes, trying to remember the fading images, ¡°There are winter


    solstice decorations up. It¡¯s dark outside. That¡¯s all I can remember, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He reassures me he is going to hire an electrician to do a safety check of all the wiring. As he¡¯s


    speaking details of the vision turn to blurry images in my mind. I remember trying to wake him up. He


    was sleeping. Then the memory fades and it is gone.


    I look up and realize he isn¡¯t wearing a shirt. Other than when he was covered in mud, I had never seen


    him shirtless. He has tattoos covering his whole body. His muscr chest and chiseled abs are on full


    disy. He has a huge jagged scar right below his ribs on the left hand side. He stands up making his


    sweatpants hang low on his hips.


    I feel myself blush. Of all the werewolves in the world, how did I luck out on this Adonis? I shouldn¡¯t say


    that. I don¡¯t know enough about mythology, Adonis could be my cousin or something.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess,¡± Lex swoons, ¡°does this mean we get to mate now?¡±


    ¡°No Lex, but he is pretty sexy, right?¡± ¡°Mmmhmm¡± she purrs.


    After I reassure Bronx I¡¯m alright, he gives me a little kiss and we climb into bed. It¡¯s kind of awkward at


    first. Usually he doesn¡¯t get in my bed unless it¡¯s to wake me up from a nightmare.


    Eventually, I snuggle up in the crook of his arm, using


    his shoulder as a pillow. I let his coffee and dark chocte scent calm me and fall asleep peacefully in


    my mate¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 23

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 23


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 23


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I wake up in the morning to find Kas and my bodies arepletely intertwined. She didn¡¯t wake up


    once all night. No crying, no nightmares, or screaming. Just peaceful sleep. I nuzzle her sparkly silver


    hair, breathing in her scent feelingpletely content.


    Feeling her all over me,bined with her scent and our mate bond, I start to get aroused.


    Saint howls with excitement, ¡°Okay, wake her up so we can mate already! ¡°


    ¡°Stop it, Saint.¡±


    ¡°Can we at least mark her?¡± ¡°Saint, I said knock it off.¡± ¡°Prude.¡±


    Just then, Kas rolls away from me with a sleepy little groan as she rubs her eyes and opens them, ¡°It¡¯s


    morning already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Baby. You slept all night! How do you feel?¡± I sit up and realize her legs are still draped over


    mine.


    ¡± Really good! ¡± She sits up and stretches. I see the top buttons of her shirt havee undone. I turn


    my head with a gulp. My movement makes her look down and gasp. Seeing she¡¯s almost exposed, she


    instinctively turns toward me for protection and presses her body against me to hide.


    The Goddess is testing me for sure.


    ¡±Fail the test ! Fail the test ! ¡± Saint chants in my mind as he tries to push his way to the front.


    ¡±Kas, I told you I would control myself. If I¡¯m going to keep that promise, I need to get up and go get a


    cold shower right now.


    This was only our first night together. I don¡¯t want to press my luck.¡±


    A mischievous lookes across her face. I don¡¯t think she realizes her violet eyes sh as Lex


    comes close to the surface.


    Kas speaks, but it isn¡¯t her voice. Lex¡¯s voicees through huskier and more confident than Kas, ¡±


    Bronx, before you go I just want to give you a little kiss.¡±


    Before I can stop her, she crawls up on myp and straddles me. I can¡¯t help but let out a low growl as I


    feel her press the skin of her half open shirt against my chest and she starts kissing me.


    My hands grip her hips tightly, pulling her closer until she is pressed against my aroused cock. She


    takes my hands and moves them for me so one is caressing her breast under her shirt, the other firmly


    on her ass. I rub and gently pull on her nipple while we kiss. I don¡¯t even realize what I¡¯m doing as my


    mouth leaves hers and moves down her neck. I start to lick and suck on the spot I will mark her and


    she lets out a little moan at the sensation. She breathes heavily as she nibbles on my ear, holding the


    back of my neck. The body heat between us makes me want to be even closer to her.


    I don¡¯t notice my fangs are extended until I feel the pressure of her skin starting to puncture and she


    lets out a moaning growl of pleasure, bringing me to my senses.


    Whoa. No. Wait. No. I was about to mark her? What the Hell was I thinking? I push Saint as far back in


    my mind as I can. It¡¯s way too soon. We can not mark each other yet. We have no idea what would


    happen to either of us if we did and I ¡®m not willing to risk it until after we know her powers are under


    control.


    I snap out of it and I open my eyes. I see Kas is glowing purple. No, WE are glowing purple. It¡¯s the


    sobering reminder that we don¡¯t know the full extent of her powers.


    ¡°Nope nope nope. Not today, Kas. Nope, I made a promise. I ¨C and ¨C nope. We¡¯re glowing and I can¡¯t


    wait it¡¯s just                 I


    just         nope, ¡± I can¡¯t even make aplete sentence. I pick her up off of me, put her on the bed,


    and run to the bathroom as fast as I can. I turn the shower on and stand under the freezing water for


    what seems like forever until I¡¯m calmed down and no longer glowing.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a buzzkill, ¡± Saint chides after I chastise him for trying to mark Kas.


    By the time I shower, change, ande out of the closet room, Kas had already changed into a dress


    and braided her hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bronx. I¡¯m not quite sure what came over me. I -¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Baby. You don¡¯t need to apologize. Our bond is strong. Our wolves¡¯s bond is strong. I¡¯m an


    Alpha Regent and you¡¯re a literal goddess. Of course the closer we are to each other, the more we


    want to, you know, be with each other. We met each other


    over a month ago and just kissed for the first time yesterday. Saint and Lex are definitely influencing us.


    We just need to hold out.¡°


    She nods, looking a little embarrassed, ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m d you¡¯re not mad. I¡¯m a little


    disappointed in myself.¡°


    ¡°But did you like it?¡± I smirk at her as I grab her waist and pull her toward me.


    She scrunches her nose at me and sticks her tongue out, ¡°Let¡¯s get breakfast.¡°


    The next two weeks fly by in a heartbeat. I get back to my regr schedule. Training at five a.m. with


    the pack warriors, going into the office at my securitypany headquarters. Kas starts spending more


    time in the kitchens. She and Mrs. Miller be close and trade cooking secrets and techniques.


    Everyone in the pack notices the difference in the quality of our meals, especially the desserts.


    The night before she leaves, I make the announcement to the pack that Kas would be going away for


    training. It is an emotional moment for the entire pack. Everyone already loves her and no one wants


    her to leave, even if it is temporary.


    Kas¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s the night before leave for France. I¡¯m sitting on Bronx¡¯sp on the sofa. We¡¯re just holding each


    other, sitting infortable silence. I know I¡¯m going to see him in two weeks, but thinking about being


    away from him already hurts my heart.


    ¡°Bronx, please do me a favor while I¡¯m away, ¡± I request. It was something that had been nagging at me


    for the past two weeks. ¡°Anything, Baby. What is it?¡°


    ¡°Please don¡¯t drink whiskey while I¡¯m gone. I don¡¯t know why exactly, but I feel like you shou1dn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Whiskey? That¡¯s pretty specific. Does it have to do with a vision?¡°


    ¡°I -I can¡¯t remember, but it feels important. Just don¡¯t drink whiskey, okay?¡°


    ¡°Okay, Baby. I won¡¯t. I promise,¡± he kisses my temple, ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed. It¡¯s going to be a long day


    tomorrow.¡°


    We go to bed, but spend most of the night snuggling and making out. Five a.m.es too early. The


    trip to the airport takes about two hours and we were ushered onto a private ne. Bronx is thest


    one one the ne because he insists he needs a cigarette before the flight. I have never flown before


    and I¡¯m really nervous.


    Bronx holds my hand until I fall asleep about an hour into the flight. It¡¯s dark when we reach France, but


    from what I can see it is beautiful. Henri arranged for cars to pick us up. We have a nice dinner with his


    pack and a delicious breakfast. I even sneak into the kitchen to learn how they make croissants before


    we leave for the coven¡¯s realm.


    The coven is a couple of hours away from the pack territory. I hold Bronx¡¯s hand tightly when our driver


    tells us we¡¯re close. We


    reach the edge of the realm, which seems to be a giant golden gate in the middle of the road. Three


    women dressed in white are standing in front of the golden fence, waiting for us. Henri and Bronx get


    out and speak to the women for a few minutes thene back to the SUV.


    ¡°Alright Kas, James, Marco, this is where we leave you. The witches won¡¯t allow us to go into their


    realm until it¡¯s time for my prearranged visit. James and Marco, your orders are the same for the next


    eight weeks as they have been for the past month, ¡± Bronx informs us.


    I step out of the vehicle straight into Bronx¡¯s waiting arms. He picks me up so I am at eye level with him


    and crashes his lips into mine. When he finally pulls away, I can see a tear welling up in his eye.


    ¡°Kas, I¡¯ll be back in two weeks. Until then, you need to give your cell phone to Marco. The witches said


    you need to haveplete focus during your training. No contact between us, but James and Marco


    will be able to contact me at any time. If you need anything and I mean anything, ask them to call me


    right away.¡°


    I gently kiss his cheek, ¡°Alright, two weeks. You once told me I was the bravest wolf you know. Be as


    brave as me, alright?¡°


    ¡°You always seem to know just what to say,¡± he smiles as he nuzzled my cheek.


    We kiss again before he puts me down. James and Marco take our bags and we walk to the wonnen. I


    look back to see Bronx and Henri watching. Henri has his hand on Bronx¡¯s shoulder.


    Bronx has already lit a cigarette. I can feel his sadness and worry. Lex is howling about having to be


    away from her mate.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kas. This is James and Marco. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I say as I make the


    introductions.


    The women appear to be triplets. The one in the center speaks, her voice is warm and weing, ¡±


    Hello Luna lokaste, we know who you are. I¡¯m Sister Penny, this is Sister Rachel and Sister Celia. It¡¯s a


    pleasure to meet you as well. Are you ready to learn more about who you are?¡°


    ¡°Yes, yes I am,¡± I reply as confidently as I can muster. All three women reach out their hands.


    ¡°We are going to portal to our coven house. It won¡¯t hurt, but it can be a little disorienting. Since you


    need to be willing participants, we will wait until all three of you have willingly taken our hands to leave,


    ¡± James and Marco obediently take Rachel and


    Celia¡¯s hands. I turn and take onest look at Bronx, who is watching intently. I feel my hand slide into


    Penny¡¯s. As soon as we¡¯re all connected with the women, we¡¯re standing in the hallway of what


    appears to be arge old estate home.


    I feel odd in those first few moments. I realize I can¡¯t feel my mate bond with Bronx and start to panic a


    little. I grab Marco¡¯s sleeve and grip tightly.


    ¡°Are you alright, Luna?¡± he asks with a concerned voice. He drops the bags he¡¯s holding and turns me


    to face him.


    ¡°I ¨C Marco, something¡¯s wrong. I can¡¯t feel my connection with Bronx, ¡± I say quietly, forcing myself not


    to cry.

 Chapter 24

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 24


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 24


    ¡°Wee Luna lokaste, wee gentlemen. I¡¯m Lady Camille, mother of this coven, ¡± an older woman


    standing in the middle of the entryway wees us, ¡°Luna lokaste, you are correct. You


    will not be able to feel your bond with your mate while you are in our realm unless he is here with you.


    Never fear, we have spells that will help you ovee this feeling so you can concentrate on your


    studies and training. We will show you to your rooms in a few minutes, but first we need to go over


    some rules.¡°


    Marco pats my hand, ¡°Give it a chance, Luna. If it¡¯s too much of a problem, I¡¯ll call the Alpha.¡°


    Lady Camille begins as if she didn¡¯t hear what Marco just said, ¡± Now, the first thing to know is you will


    not be able to speak about the things we do here. Ournd has an enchantment that will prevent you


    from being able to do so.


    ¡°The second thing is that your weapons and cell phones will not work here, gentlemen. You¡¯re wee


    to escort Luna lokaste anywhere you want, but I assure you, the three of you have never been safer. If


    you need your cell phones, please ask and we will open up a connection to the outside world.¡°


    I look at James and Marco who are looking at each other with furrowed brows. James looks at Lady


    Camille and nods once in understanding.


    ¡°And finally, time works differently here. Alpha Regent Bronx Mason will return in two weeks for a visit,


    but it is going to seem more like two months for the three of you. I understand that it¡¯s a long time for a


    werewolf to be away from your pack, but I assure you, we will do our best to make youfortable.


    Luna Iokaste , we will bring dinner to your room tonight. Please have your guards join you for this


    evening¡¯s meal so the three of you can get limated. We will introduce you all to the coven tomorrow


    morning. Speaking of which, starting tomorrow and for the next eight months, we will begin our days at


    six in the


    morning. Now, sisters, please show these three to their rooms. I¡¯m sure they must all need some rest.¡±


    ¡±Thank you, Lady Camille. Please, you and the rest of your coven can call me Kas.¡±


    ¡±Oh no, Luna lokaste. You will find that there is power in a name. While you are here, we will address


    you by your Goddess-given name, ¡± she smiles warmly and turns away.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a long eight months,¡± Lex sighs. Bronx¡¯s POV


    They told us they were going to portal, but it was still jarring to see Kas there one second and gone the


    next. Just like Sister Penny said, the moment they disappear, I can¡¯t feel Kas¡¯s connection. My heart


    feels empty and Saint howls mournfully in my head.


    He doesn¡¯t understand why his mate needs to leave.


    I light another cigarette and take a few deep drags before I drop it and snuff it with my foot. It isn¡¯t


    making me feel any better about the situation. I sigh deeply and get back in the car. Henri tries to make


    small talk but I¡¯m not interested.


    Saint¡¯s mood changes from sadness to anger. He snarls and tries to push to the surface, ¡°You son of a


    bitch, you just let them take our mate away? How could you do this to us?¡±


    ¡±Saint, it¡¯s temporary. We need to do this for Kas and Elexis. They deserve to know who they are. We


    owe it to them to be able to reach their full potential, ¡± I try to justify to him for the hundreth time. It¡¯s


    takes everything I have to push him back and stop him from shifting.


    ¡°If they harm a hair on my mate¡¯s head, I¡¯m disowning you, ¡± he snarls. I don¡¯t respond. I¡¯m hurting just


    as much as he is. He doesn¡¯t say another word, he just crawls to a back corner of my mind and curls


    up. I can feel his pain, but there is nothing I can do about it. Between the distance from Kas and Saint¡¯s


    tantrum, I feel lost and exhausted. I close my eyes for a moment. Henri


    wakes me up when we get to his packhouse. I feel like I¡¯m going through the motions as I get out of the


    car and into the castle. I don¡¯t leave my room for dinner, so Henri¡¯s wife brings a tray up to me. I push


    the food around the te before I put it in the kitchte sink andy down. I look at pictures of Kas on


    my phone until I fall asleep. I leave early the next morning , without saying goodbye to anyone except


    Henri. I feel homesick.


    Two weeks. I can do this. I don¡¯t have a choice.


    When Ind, I have a missed call from Marco. I listen to the voicemail reassuring me that Kas has


    settled in and things are going well. James would call again when he had the opportunity but cell


    reception is spotty, so it may not be as regr as I would like. It is such a generic message. No real


    details, no intel on the coven, just a check-in. I dismiss it as me being exhausted. I trust him and James


    to keep Kas safe. I have to. Their situation is currently out of my control.


    I find Milo and Reggie in the kitchen having an afternoon snack.


    ¡°Man, you look like shit!¡± Reggie says, putting down his sandwich.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± I rub my hands on my face like I always do when I¡¯m frustrated.


    ¡°Wanna go for a run? Get your mind off of things?¡± Milo offers. Normally I would say yes, but Saint is in


    such a bad mood that he just yells NO from the back of my mind and shuts down our link again.


    ¡± I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. Where¡¯s Cason? I need a distraction. I want some ink.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s down in the weight room. Want me to get him for ya?¡± Milo asks.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m gonna shower then meet him at his shop.


    Carson is from a small French Canadian pack. His father was killed in an attack when he was just a


    pup. His mother found a second chance mate with one of our warriors, so they came to Blood River


    when he was fourteen. He started tattooing when he was seventeen and has been my tattoo artist


    since my first taste of ink. Over the years, he has turned my body into a work of art. But he isn¡¯t just my


    tattoo artist, he¡¯s like an unofficial therapist. Not just for me, for anyone who sits in his chair.


    I walk to his shop down the road from the packhouse about an hourter. He is ready and waiting when


    I get there. Fortunately for me, he is an artistic genius. I give him a shitty description of what I have in


    mind, show him several pictures, and he magically sketches out what¡¯s in my brain.


    We talk about Kas and all the things that make her so special. From her bubbly, caring personality, her


    love of cooking, I also touch on her past a bit. I even tell him about her abilities being the reason she


    has to go to France.


    ¡°Sounds like she is going to be a great Luna. You¡¯re a lucky guy Alpha Bronx, ¡± he says with his thick


    French ent.


    It takes a couple of hours toplete the design on my quad. The result was a realistic pair of violet


    eyes that look just like the pictures I had shown him, with lokaste written below it in his signature script


    writing. The ¡®Kas¡¯ part of her name is a little


    I join the pack for dinner but I¡¯mpletely distracted. I don¡¯t have much to say and even after sitting


    with Cason for a couple hours, I ¡®m still in a bad mood. Everyone can feel it, making dinner a subdued


    event. I push food around my te until I¡¯ve had enough. Lenora makes me eat a couple of nd


    breadsticks, then I go to my apartment.


    I flop face first on the sofa and scream into a pillow. After a while, I hear the door open but I don¡¯t look


    up from the pillow. It¡¯s either Lenora or my parents. They¡¯re the only ones who have a key.


    ¡°Honey, I heard you had to send your mate away. Are you alright?¡± Mom¡¯s sweet voice fills the room.


    ¡± Come on champ, no sulking. Let¡¯s get you up and get some grub in you. Lenora says you didn¡¯t eat


    dinner and Henri texted me to say he was worried about you,¡± Dad says as he follows in behind Mom.


    He heads straight to the kitchen to make me dinner. In my dad¡¯s eyes, food cures all ailments. I can¡¯t


    wait for him to meet Kas. He isn¡¯t a great cook but he could make a mean hoagie.


    I get off the sofa and give my morn a bone crushing bear hug. She can handle it, I¡¯ve been doing it for


    years. She and Dad were both in the military when they were younger. That¡¯s how they met. Before she


    retired, she was one of the pack¡¯s lead trainers. After I took over, they retired and moved into a house


    near the packhouse but they travel a lot so I didn¡¯t get to see them often. They were a great Alpha


    Regent and Luna, they deserve the time to rx.


    ¡°I miss her, Mom. I feel like I have a crater¡ªsized hole in my heart, ¡± I sigh as I lean against her.


    She pats my back, ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Honey. Lenora filled us in. You get to see her in a couple of


    weeks right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, ¡± I sigh. She pulls out of our hug and looks at me, her green eyes sparkling. She pats my cheek


    sympathetically. Just then Dades out of the kitchen with a giant meatball hoagie.


    We sit at the table while I eat and tell them all about Kas. The bad and the good. I show them pictures


    of her on my cell phone. I keep flipping back until I get to the first one I ever took of her. It is of her


    back. Raw and bleeding. I had to send it to the Elder Council to get them to make an appearance at


    Silver Moon. I flip to the next picture, it is her dungeon room. The next picture is from our hospital wing,


    showing her healed scars, then pictures of us together, and ones of her that she didn¡¯t realize I took in


    the library and in the gardens.


    ¡°Well, she certainly looks beautiful, scarred or not. And it sounds and looks like she¡¯s a strong young


    lady, Bronx. We can¡¯t wait to meet her. When will she be back?¡± Dad asks.


    ¡°In time for winter solstice,¡± I lean back in my seat with a sigh.


    ¡°Perfect. We should be back from Japan just in time to meet her,¡± Mom says cheerfully.


    I finish my food as they tell me all about their trip to Peru. They stay for a couple of hours as we catch


    up on pack and security business things before they head home. They are leaving again in a few days


    and won¡¯t be back until the week before the winter solstice, the same time Kas will be back.


    It¡¯s difficult to fall asleep. I realize Kas¡¯s old green and greyforter is neatly folded over the loveseat


    in the sitting area of the bedroom. I don¡¯t understand why she insists on keeping it, but she uses it


    every time she takes a nap. I pick it up and hold it to my nose. It smells just like her. I drag the nket


    to the bed and hold it against me. I feel a little calmer, but still not able to sleep.


    ¡°You did this to us, man. You let her leave, ¡± Saint reminds me for the umpteenth time.


    It¡¯s going to be a long two weeks.

 Chapter 25

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 25


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 25


    The first few days, I let myself wallow in my own misery, moping around the apartment. I don¡¯t even


    shower. I spend a lot of time on the balcony, letting cigarette butts pile up in the ashtray.


    When I can¡¯t stand the silence anymore, I throw myself into work. I get to the office by seven in the


    morning and leave after eleven at night every day. After three days, I realize Carly is working the same


    hours to try to keep up and looks exhausted. I let her know she doesn¡¯t need to stay the long hours I


    do, she can work her regr hours. She seems relieved and grateful. Milo and Lenora distract me over


    the weekend with movies and shopping. I don¡¯t need anything for myself but I picked up some kitchen


    gadgets for Kas as winter solstice gifts. On day eleven, I woke up ready to train. Saint has the itch to


    spar, which is bad news for my sparring partners.


    I get to the training grounds and let the trainers know to queue warriors up so I can burn some energy.


    They already know what to do when I¡¯m in a mood like this. They pair up experienced warriors and


    triple up new trainees to spar against me.


    I burn through all the pairs until I get to Milo and Reggie. They¡¯re the only warriors that are an actual


    challenge for me, the others are just warm-ups.


    ¡°Ready or not, here wee! ¡± Milo teases.


    They lunge at me simultaneously. Milo to my upper body, Reggie to my lower body. I lean back and roll,


    bringing both of them with


    me as I fall. I hop up from the roll, facing them. They pop up ready to lunge again.


    Ding.


    I hear a little bell. No one around me seems to acknowledge the sound. I stand up from my defensive


    stance, looking around confused, just as Milo throws a vicious right hook.


    I fall to the ground like a ton of bricks. I can hear gasps around the ring.


    ¡°Bronx, are you okay, man? You didn¡¯t even defend yourself! ¡± Milo runs over, picking me up off the


    ground.


    ¡°I -I got distracted, ¡± I say, more to myself than Milo. ¡°Saint, did you hear a bell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but where did ite from?¡± he sounds a bit dazed. Ding.


    The sound chimes again but this time it feels like it vibrates my bones making me feel dizzy. The smell


    of fresh rain and lcs fills my nose.


    ¡°Kas?¡± A sharp pain rips through my head. I press my palms to my temples and grimace, ¡°Kas is that


    you, Baby?¡±


    ¡°Bronx, Kas isn¡¯t here, she¡¯s in France, ¡± Reggie¡¯s face appears in front of me looking worried.


    Ding.


    The bell is so loud that I can¡¯t concentrate on anything else. I start to feel disoriented and nauseous. Oh


    Goddess, I¡¯m gonna


    puke. I lean forward as my stomach churns, dry heaving from the sensation.


    Ding.


    The sound shakes me so hard that I fall to my knees. ¡°You guys don¡¯t hear that bell?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no bell, Alpha, ¡± the trainer is looking into my eye now, ¡°follow my fingers.¡±


    Ding.


    My vision is spinning wildly now. I fall forward onto my hands before my vision fades and I ck out.


    I wake up in the middle of the night in the hospital wing. My head is throbbing. Nothing a little aspirin


    won¡¯t fix. Otherwise, I feel fine.


    Milo is in a chair on the other side of the room with Lenora in hisp. They¡¯re both sound asleep. The


    clock on the wall says one- thirty.


    Damn, I was out all day? ¡°Saint what happened?¡±


    ¡°That bell sound did something to us.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just a little confused. We¡¯ve been through worse. Time to get up, buddy. You know the drill.¡±


    Saint and I have an agreement. When either of us is injured, we get up as soon as we are able. Staying


    down is dangerous. That¡¯s when you¡¯re most


    vulnerable. That¡¯s when body parts disappear. We need to assess the treatment we need and keep


    moving. Right now, I need a running faucet, enough water to hydrate an elephant, and aspirin. I could


    also go for a cigarette.


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up. My legs are a little shaky, but a couple of steps


    gets them back to normal. I walk over to Lenora and Milo.


    ¡°Leni, Milo,¡± I use Lenora¡¯s childhood nickname as I pat her cheek.


    Lenora¡¯s eyes open slowly, then widen when she sees me.


    ¡°Oh! Bronx!¡± She cries as sheunchs herself at me for a crushing hug. I easily catch her and set her


    down.


    Milo rubs his eyes awake with a big yawn, ¡°See Sugar, I told you he¡¯d be okay. He just needed a nap,


    like little pups do.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was out all day! That was a Hell of a punch,


    Milo. But don¡¯t worry, payback¡¯s a bitch, ¡± I chuckle. Milo stands up and ps my back.


    ¡°Bronx, you weren¡¯t out for a day you-¡°


    Just then the doctor and a nursee in, ¡°Alpha Bronx, please sit down so we can give you a look


    over.


    I obediently sit in the chair next to the bed while the nurse checks my vitals and the doctor asks some


    general questions.


    ¡°A bell and your mate¡¯s scent?¡± He looks concerned, ¡°Alpha, with your medical history, I want to do a


    brain scan before you leave. Phantom sounds and smells are symptoms of a stroke. As is, you slept for


    thirty¡ªsix hours.¡±


    ¡°Thirty-six hours! What the f*ck are you talking about?¡± I jump up from the seat, startling the nurse, ¡°I


    have to leave to see Kas! You can scan my brain when I get back, doc.¡±


    ¡°Now Alpha, you still have five hours before your flight leaves. I will have you out of the hospital wing in


    forty-five minutes. Still plenty of time to pack and get to the airport. I promise. I won¡¯t feelfortable


    having you fly until we do the test, ¡± the doctor insists.


    I grumble and growl as he makes me sit in a wheelchair. I feel like an invalid. I can walk just fine. As


    soon as the scan is done Lenora is waiting for me with fresh clothes, my suitcase already packed, and


    all my travel documents.


    ¡°Be safe, Bronx. You¡¯re the only big brother I have and you scared the crap out of us, ¡± she says softly.


    ¡°Thank you, Leni. You¡¯re the best,¡± I praise her and give her a kiss on the cheek.


    Milo and I salute each other and I leave for the airport. A headache is not keeping me from my mate.


    By the time I get to the airport, my headache has subsided but now I ¡®m anxious about getting to see


    Kas. The flight seems like it¡¯s taking an eternity. All I can think about is her. Even Saint, who has given


    me the silent treatment for the past two weeks, is starting to stir. Henri left a Maserati with keys at the


    airport so I don¡¯t have to wait for a driver. I have to remember to thank him.


    I race like the wind down the country roads until I reach the gate to the witches¡¯ realm. An older woman


    is standing in front of the gate. I park the car in the grass next to the road and grab my knapsack.


    ¡°Hello Alpha Regent Bronx Mason, Lady Camille, Mother of this coven. I ¡®m sure you¡¯re ready to see


    your mate,¡± she smiles, ¡°but before we go, let¡¯s sit and discuss her progress so far.¡±


    ¡°Alpha Bronx is fine, Lady Camille. I save the formal vernacr for ceremonies and public events.¡±


    She nods in confirmation. In all honesty, I don¡¯t want her using my full name and title because I know it


    will give her power over me.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She motions behind me with her hand. I turn around to find a bench behind me that was not there a


    moment before. I stare at it tentatively until Lady Camille gently takes my elbow and leads me to it. I


    stiffen at her touch.


    ¡°I understand your hesitation based on your history with witches, Alpha Bronx, but I assure you,


    everyone within our borders has nothing but good intentions for you, your mate, and your guards.¡±


    Something about her voice is so soothing, like a luby, that I begin to rx as I listen to her. In the


    back of my mind, I¡¯m certain it must be some sort of magic, but I can¡¯t be sure. We speak for the next


    hour about Kas and how quickly she is learning. She is impressed with how quickly Kas is harnessing


    control of her abilities and how strong she has be.


    ¡± Lady Camille, is there any possibility what Kas is learning here could have affected me?¡± I tell her


    about the bell incident.


    ¡± Interesting. I believe yes, that is a possibility. She has been working on meditation and searching the


    universe with her spirit. None of us realized she was powerful enough to make contact from half the


    world away. We have been using a bell to hone her focus, ¡± she taps her fingers on her chin as she


    thinks, ¡± Somehow that concentrated energy must have reached you. I


    truly apologize. The good news is, this information helps us craft the next stage of her training and we


    can take your safety into better consideration.¡±


    ¡°Alright, anything else?¡± I ask. I just want to see Kas but I don¡¯t want to be disrespectful of the leader of


    the coven.


    ¡°Ah, yes actually. You and I are going to have a decision to


    make,¡± she says in a serious tone, ¡°Your guard James has found his mate. We have time to decide


    what will be best for our coven and your pack, but I thought you should know.¡±


    ¡°James¡¯s mate is a witch?¡± I ask skeptically.


    ¡°It seems that way. We can discuss the matter in more detailter. Now, are you ready to see your


    mate?¡±


    ¡°Lady Camille, ready is an understatement,¡± I smile as I stand, smoothing my clothes.


    I look at her outstretched hand, hesitant for just a moment, before I ce my hand in hers and we¡¯re in


    the entryway of a French estate home. Before I can object, one of the sisters takes my bag for me and


    I¡¯m led to a sitting room. Everything is colonial French decor. Light and airy, with lots of wide open


    double doors looking out onto gardens. The fresh air smells intoxicating.


    I get the sense that seasons don¡¯t exist here. Outside the gate, a November chill is in the air, and


    leaves on trees are falling.


    Everything here looks lush and green as if spring is ending and summer is just beginning.


    I take a deep breath and the smell of fresh rain and lcs fills my nose.

 Chapter 26

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 26


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 26


    I hear a familiar giggle that warms my soul. I turn to find the most gorgeous woman in the world


    standing in front of me. She¡¯s wearing leggings and a linen sleeveless tunic style top. She¡¯s gained


    weight since thest time I saw her, filling out her curves.


    Her skin has a sun-kissed glow that makes a few freckles pop on her nose and cheeks. My heart skips


    a beat at the sight of my mate.


    She bounces on her toes and runs to me.


    ¡°Bronx! ¡± she squeals as she jumps into my outstretched arms. Sparks fly between us as our bodies


    collide.


    ¡°Kas! Oh, Goddess, it¡¯s so good to see you. You look amazing, ¡± I say as I pepper her face with kisses


    and nt one on her mouth.


    ¡°Luna lokaste, dinner is in two hours. Why don¡¯t you show Alpha Bronx around in the meantime? ¡± Lady


    Camille suggests as she seems to appear out of nowhere.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am, ¡± Kas says but doesn¡¯t take her eyes off of me.


    ¡°Bronx, I have learned so much already. Lex and I are so close now. It¡¯s practically like we¡¯re the same


    spirit, ¡± Kas speaks excitedly as we walk around the coven house grounds. I notice Marco following at a


    distance, giving us plenty of space. Good. I am d to see he ismitted to his job.


    ¡°Oh, did Lady Camille tell you about James and Sister Delh?¡± she says with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, Baby, she said she and I have decisions to make before you guys leave. We can worry about


    thatter, ¡± I reassure her.


    We stop at a bench next to the path we¡¯re walking on. I sit down and pull her into myp. We sit there


    holding each other, talking about how things have been. She seems to have done a lot in two weeks.


    The more she tells me the more I don¡¯t know how she possibly had the time to do it all. As she sits on


    myp, our conversation melts into nothing more than slow, soft kisses until a womanes up to us


    and clears her throat.


    ¡°My apologies for the interruption, Alpha Bronx, Luna lokaste, but dinner will be served in ten minutes, ¡±


    she says with a blush.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Renee, ¡± Kas says gratefully. She stands up and takes my hand.


    We go inside to arge dining room with three long tables that take up the length of the room. There


    are benches instead of chairs. Approximately a hundred women are talking andughing with each


    other in their seats.


    They all stop when they see Kas and me. They stand in unison and bow, showing their respect to me. I


    bow in return feeling self conscious as I realize I am the only person who is not female in the room.


    They all go back to sitting but quietly, as Lady Camille stands at the center of the room on a small


    tform.


    ¡°Sisters, as you know, Luna Iokaste¡¯s mate has arrived for a visit. Please make him feel wee over


    the next two days. In other news, tonight is the full moon. Alpha Bronx, your Luna wanted to surprise


    you with the news, so please, Luna lokaste, go ahead.¡±


    Kas stands up from her seat with an ear to ear smile and turns to face me, ¡°Bronx, tonight I get to shift


    for the first time. Will you please shift with me?¡±


    I stare at Kas in excited disbelief until I realize she is waiting for me to answer her, ¡°Y-yes. Oh my


    Goddess, Kas, of course I will shift with you! I would be honored.¡°


    ¡°Wonderful! Sisters, we will all meet at eleven in the courtyard tonight in support of Luna lokaste,¡± Lady


    Camille announces.


    Cheers erupt around the room. I look at Kas who¡¯s smiling broadly at me with happy tears in her eyes.


    Saint is practically doing backflips in my head.


    Lady Camille sits down across from us and exins the details of the ceremony to honor both of our


    gods and goddesses before the shift.


    The next several hours are a bit of a whirlwind. Kas says many of the sisters of the coven have never


    seen a werewolf shift before. So this is exciting for them for many reasons.


    While they¡¯re prepping Kas for the ceremony, I go to find James.


    I find his and Marco¡¯s rooms are on either side of Kas¡¯s. It makes me feel a little better that they are


    protecting her from both sides.


    ¡°Alpha, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. Permission to speak about a personal matter, Sir,¡± he requests after


    letting me into his room.


    ¡°Of course, James. You know you always have my ear, I reassure him.


    He leads me to a small table and asks me to sit while he gets us sses of water. He sits down and


    starts to tell me about his


    mate; I can see he¡¯s head over heels in love. I know the feeling. I tell him to enjoy his time with her and


    that we will figure out


    what to do before it¡¯s time for him to leave this ce. He seems relieved, then shows me pictures of the


    beautiful young woman. She¡¯s tall and thin with light brown hair and blue eyes that sparkle.


    ¡°James, I don¡¯t know much about what happens when witches fall in love, but I do know werewolves


    can get distracted easily, ¡± I look at him seriously, hoping I don¡¯t have to spell out my concerns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alpha, the Luna is always my number one priority. Delh and I meet up when it¡¯s Marco¡¯s


    watch and she knows not to disturb me when I¡¯m on duty.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I pause for a moment. I attempt to soften my tone. I try imagining I¡¯m talking to Milo or Reggie,


    ¡°So, do you love her?¡±


    He looks at me with a bit of surprise at my rxed tone. I¡¯m his Alpha. I never talk about personal


    rtionships. When he realizes it isn¡¯t a trick question, his shoulders rx and he puts his hand on his


    heart.


    ¡°Alpha, she¡¯s amazing. She smells like apples and honey and her eyes change color depending on her


    mood. She is so caring and sweet. I just want to be close to her all the time.¡±


    Iugh at the big burly warrior in front of me pining over his mate. I¡¯ve seen him take down a werebear


    in a battle once. I can¡¯t imagine him being theplete opposite with his mate. People probably think


    the same about me, I imagine.


    ¡°Ipletely understand, James. Trust me, Ipletely understand, ¡± I p his shoulder and leave his


    room.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I find Marco in the hallway standing guard outside Kas¡¯s room.


    ¡°Marco, at ease,¡± I say as I walk into the hallway. ¡°Hello, Alpha. Good to see you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. How are you, Marco? We miss seeing you at the packhouse. Training isn¡¯t the same


    without you,¡± I smile. He looks at me the same as James. Confused at my rxed conversation.


    ¡°Things here are¡­tranquil¡­always. It can be unnerving because everything is so perfect. Like too


    perfect, ya know. But we¡¯ve


    adjusted. James found his mate, they¡¯ve been together for almost the whole two months now. I¡¯m


    happy for him.¡±


    ¡°Two months? Marco, you¡¯ve only been here two weeks.¡±


    His face looks concerned, ¡°Alpha, no one told you? Time is different here. A week for you in the real


    world is a month for us.¡±


    I feel the blood drain from my face.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying when I leave here Sunday, it¡¯s only going to be a few hours passed when I get in my


    car?


    ¡°I guess. It¡¯s kinda hard to think about, like, it doesn¡¯t click in my brain exactly.¡±


    Saint growls in my mind. It seems torturous to keep a werewolf away from their pack for eight weeks let


    alone eight months. No one had told me about the change in time when we agreed to this


    arrangement. I try not to let anger swirl in my mind.


    ¡°A-are you alright? I mean, alone¡­here.¡±


    ¡± Oddly, yeah. I just remind myself it¡¯s for the Luna and it¡¯s temporary. I will appreciate being home so


    much more once I get there.¡±


    ¡°And the Luna, how has she been holding up?¡±


    ¡°They keep her busy. It¡¯s like basic training, but more mental workouts instead of physical ones. Her


    day starts at six a.m. and usually goes until nine p.m. Honestly, it is kinda nice to see her changing.


    She seems more confident and walks taller. She still finds time to make us cookies too. Last week she


    made lemon bars. I think maybe cookies is one of her magic abilities.¡±


    Iugh a little at thinking about Kas in the kitchen baking.


    ¡°Alpha, don¡¯t get me wrong. She misses you. You can see it in her face when she has down time but


    the coven is doing its best to keep her distracted and keep her spirits up. I think they really care about


    her.


    ¡°Thanks, Marco. I appreciate your sacrifice to take on this assignment.¡±


    He nods as Lady Camillees around the corner.


    ¡°Ah, Alpha Bronx. I would like to speak to you about tonight. Please join me in my office.¡±


    She holds out her hand. We have to portal to her office? Seems a bit excessive, but okay.


    I blink and we are in a circr room with no door. There is a simple wooden desk at the center with


    bookshelves covering most of the walls.


    ¡°Please, sit,¡± she motions to a guest chair at the desk.


    ¡°Before we talk about tonight¡¯s ceremony, I wanted to let you know that I just found out about time


    being different here in your realm than it is in the rest of the world. I ¡®m not too happy that wasn¡¯t


    disclosed before Kas and I agreed to this arrangement,


    Lady Camille.¡°


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, I assure you, the ambient magic of our realm is helping tamper the negative effects your


    mate and guards would usually feel from being away from your pack for so long. If we do find any of


    them starts experiencing distress, we will contact you right away, ¡± she reassures me.


    I consider her words for a moment and decide to drop the matter. Drop it, but not forget it.


    ¡°What can I do for you in regards to this evening, Lady Camille?¡± ¡°Alpha Bronx, as you know, tonight is


    a full moon.


    After you and Luna lokaste shift back to your human forms, we need you two to mate tonight. Under no


    circumstances are you to mark each other, but she is a goddess born of love. She needs to experience


    physical love with you for us to be able to progress with her training.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 27


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 27


    I feel my blood start to boil but I know I need to keep my cool. All I can do is blink at her until I feel calm


    enough to speak. I unintentionally growl as I say, ¡± Lady Camille, are you aware of my Luna¡¯s past? I


    have always promised her we will do everything at her pace. I won¡¯ t mate with her if she isn¡¯t ready.¡±


    ¡°Stand down, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason,¡± as she says in a stern tone, using my full name and title, I


    feel a disorienting sensation cloud my mind, reminding me how powerful she is, ¡°I ¡®in aware that Luna


    lokaste has had to endure experiences that were out of


    her control and we have been counseling her on how to handle her thoughts and emotions rted to


    those events.¡±


    She stares at me for a long moment, then continues with a softer tone, ¡°I rmend you find a way to


    give her that control back so you two can¡­enjoy yourselves. You don¡¯t need to have her back here


    until Sunday morning. The connection between you two and your wolf spirits is important. The


    emotional and the physical. It is very clear that the emotional portion is strong. Now it¡¯s time to focus on


    the physical. Also , she has been working very hard and deserves a break for the weekend.¡±


    She hands me a map, ¡°We have a cottage in the woods. You can go here for privacy. All the food and


    clothing you two need is there. I don¡¯t know if you want your guards to go or not. It won¡¯t matter


    because the cottage will only be visible to you and Luna Iokaste. Once you¡¯re inside, they will believe


    you have sent them to an empty field.¡±


    What in the world is she talking about? A secret realm inside her secret realm?


    ¡°Alright, can I have this map?¡± I ask cordially.


    ¡°Of course. I think we are finished here. Let me get you back so you can also prepare for the ceremony,


    ¡± as she hands it to me she touches my hand and we are back in the hallway with Marco.


    ¡°The ceremony starts in two and a half hours, gentlemen, ¡± Lady Camille bows and walks away.


    ¡°Come on Marco, I need you and James to scout out a location. I will stay here with Kas.¡±


    Marco and James bothe to my suite and I show them the map. I give them orders to scout the


    location, get pictures, and report back. We go to the gardens, they shift into their gray


    wolves and take off into the forest. An hour and a halfter, theye back to my suite, showing me


    pictures from their cell phones.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an empty field, Alpha, ¡± James flips through the pictures on his phone. There are five or six


    pictures with a chalet -style cottage in the middle of a clearing in the woods. I look at him suspiciously.


    ¡°Marco, did you take pictures? ¡± I ask, feeling myself growing impatient.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha, but there¡¯s nothing there, ¡± he shrugs as he flips through his pictures of the chalet.


    ¡°Are you guys f*cking with me? There¡¯s clearly a cottage in the pictures, ¡± I growl at their not so funny


    joke.


    ¡°Alpha, what are you talking about? ¡± James looks irritated that I would question him and looks back at


    his phone before holding up the picture again, ¡± No disrespect, Alpha, but why would we do that?


    Empty clearing. Are you feeling alright?¡±


    They can¡¯t see it. They really can¡¯t see it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust this, Bronx, ¡± Saint says with a growl.


    ¡°Saint, after we shift, I will let you spend time with Lex but I need you to evaluate this house before I let


    Kas go in there, ¡± I inform him.


    ¡°No problem,¡± he huffs, seeming satisfied to have the responsibility.


    ¡°Alright, gentlemen, ¡± based on the way they are looking at me, I know I need to choose my words


    wisely, ¡°Once Kas and I shift,


    we are going to let our wolves connect for a while, then go to this clearing. Saint is going to check it


    out. If there is a problem, we wille back right away. If not, you are relieved until Sunday when we


    come back. If we are not back by Sunday morning,e back to this field and find us.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Alpha. Thank you, sir,¡± Marco says with a confused look.


    A familiar looking tall blonde woman with ocean blue eyeses down the hall. She hands me a white


    robe, ¡°Alpha Bronx Mason, we would like to request you wear this for the ceremony. It will make it


    easier than having you undress when it is time to shift.


    We have arranged a tform in the gardens so everyone


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    can watch you and Luna lokaste, just like you would in your pack.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss,¡± I take the robe from her. She nces at James and blushes as she presses her lips


    together, then she turns around and skips down the hall.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Delh?¡± I say as I elbow him with a smirk.


    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t she like a dream?¡± he asks with stars in his eyes.


    I smile as I walk away. I go to my room and change into the robe then head to Kas¡¯s room. She¡¯s sitting


    in a chair in a white robe that matches mine. Several women are finishing up her makeup and hair. She


    looks stunning. She has on light, natural makeup and her silver hair is pinned on top of her head with a


    little flower crown. I feel my heart race as her violet eyes look at me through the mirror. The women all


    see me and giggle as they leave the room.


    Thest woman says she will be back in twenty minutes to retrieve us for the ceremony.


    ¡°You look out of this world, Baby.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, ¡± she smiles, ¡°Lex and I are so excited.¡±


    ¡°I bet. Saint and I are too, ¡± I kiss her forehead and sit in the chair next to her. We make small talk and I


    describe what shifting to her wolf will feel like.


    ¡°Kas, did Lady Camille tell you everything she expects tonight, Kas?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, ¡± she says with a blush. I take her hand in mine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rush you to do anything you are not ready for, Kas. I promised you everything would be


    at your pace and I still stand by that, ¡± I reassure her.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, ¡± she nods as she looks at me. I don¡¯t see any doubt in her eyes. I kiss her hand gently, just


    in time for the witch to knock on the door for us to go to the ceremony.


    We go hand in hand to the garden and climb a little tform so we are standing in front of the witches


    and James and Marco.


    Lady Camille leads a prayer to the Goddess Hecate and another to the Goddess Selene. She then


    implores the Goddesses to keep us safe during our transformation and throughout our lives. It is


    actually a really beautiful prayer.


    The witches all look up and reach to the night sky, with joined hands, and recite an incantation in


    unison. Their voices are hypnotizing. Reminding me how dangerous witches can be.


    When they are done, Lady Camille indicates we can begin to shift. ¡°Ready, Baby?¡± ¡°Yeah, what do I


    do?¡±


    ¡°Just rx and let your mind move to the back. Let Lex take control. Like I said earlier, it¡¯s going to hurt,


    but don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s only for a minute. As soon as you have shifted Saint and I will too.¡±


    I stand back to give her space. She nods and lets her robe fall to the ground. I hear murmurs and see


    shocked looks from the women that can see her back for the first time. Kas either doesn¡¯t hear them or


    she¡¯s ignoring them. Either way, it¡¯s clear from the look on her face, she¡¯s ready for this.

 Chapter 28

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 28


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 28


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I stand naked on the tform looking into Bronx¡¯s apple green eye. He¡¯s looking at me in the eyes,


    smiling with pride.


    A month ago, I would have tried to cover myself from letting him see me like this, but the time I have


    spent here at the coven and the things I have learned about my mind and who I am have given me the


    confidence to do things I wouldn¡¯t have done in the past. Beyond that, I¡¯m finally going to let Lex have


    the freedom she deserves to meet her mate. She and I have started to connect on a deeper level. It¡¯s a


    union we didn¡¯t know we wanted from each other but it has been desperately needed. We have a long


    way to go, but it was a start.


    ¡°Ready, Lex?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s get this show on the road,¡± she howls at me.


    Just like Bronx said, I let myself fall back so Lex can take control. I feel the pain of the cracking and


    popping of bones, skin, and muscles stretching and tearing. It hurts, but not as bad as other things I


    have been through. I look down to see ck fur


    sprouting out of my skin. When I stop feeling the transition, I looked up at the crowd.


    Everyone ps and cheers for me. Some are even pointing and nodding with approval.


    ¡°They¡¯re cheering for you, Lex!¡±


    She shakes out her jet ck fur and bows her head in recognition of the crowd, ¡°Of course they are.


    We¡¯re beautiful!¡±


    Lex turns to Bronx who takes off his robe and eye patch. He doesn¡¯t seem to be intimidated by the


    women whispering and giggling around him. Lex growls a bit knowing women are staring at him.


    ¡°Calm down, they are not a threat, Lex. It¡¯s going to be okay, ¡± I feel her rx a little as she realizes he


    only has eyes for her. He smiles and winks at her. She purrs at his gesture.


    ¡°Oh, Kas, it¡¯s gonna be a good night,¡± I blush as Lex admires Bronx¡¯s naked body.


    He shifts into Saint and everyone cheers again. Saint and Lex are almost the same sizes. Even though


    he¡¯s an Alpha Regent wolf, she¡¯s only slightly smaller in stature. A normal female wolf would be half the


    size of an Alpha wolf. They nuzzle and yip at each other and without another care in the world, bound


    out into the woods.


    I move to the back of her mind to give her and Saint privacy.


    It¡¯s the middle of the night when we arrive at the cabin. Lex gives me back control and we shift. Saint


    takes ap around the cabin, sniffing intently and looking out into the dark forest. He finally


    ¡°Let¡¯s freshen up, Baby, ¡± he says as he picks a leaf out of my hair. I giggle as he scrunches his face up


    at the leaf.


    As we walk into the bedroom, Bronx turns to look at me, ¡°Kas, I have done a whole lot of reflecting over


    the past couple of weeks. I just want to say, I love you. With every fiber of my being, I love you, lokaste


    Latinus.¡±


    ¡±I love you too, Bronx Mason. You allowed me to be here, in this realm, with these amazing women. I


    know how much of an emotional sacrifice it was for you to agree to it. Not to mention poor Marco. But


    the coven does care about our wellbeing. Look at


    how much good my training has done in just a short time; I¡¯ve learned so much and I¡¯m healthier now


    than I ever was. Mentally and physically. And look, James found his mate ! If he wouldn¡¯t havee


    here, he would have been alone forever. All of that is possible because you put aside your personal


    feelings and did what was best for others. How could I not love you for that?¡±


    He caresses my cheek, looking at me lovingly, before pulls me close and gives me a short but


    passionate kiss. He goes to turn on the shower thenes back to lead me to the steamy bathroom.


    The shower is made for multiple people based on the positions of multiple showerheads.


    The hot water feels refreshing after such a long run. Bronx steps into the shower with me. There is no


    hesitation or shyness between us. It just feels natural to be here together. He picks up a washcloth and


    gently starts stroking it against my body. He starts with my shoulders and works his way down. He


    moves slowly and spends more time on my sensitive parts, sometimes using his fingers or mouth


    instead of the cloth, making me moan


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    and gasp softly. He hands me a washcloth and I give him the same treatment.


    When I finish washing him, he pulls me close and starts to kiss me deeply. I move my kisses down to


    his chin, then neck, and work my way down his chest until I¡¯m kneeling in front of him, his cock is


    already hard and getting bigger as I look at it. I start by kissing the tip, finishing with a small flick of my


    tongue. He hisses as I start to lick and suck the tip more intensely.


    I look up at him to see he is looking straight at me but when we make eye contact it seems to trigger


    something in him, making him more excited. I feel him growing even harder as I take him deeper in my


    mouth. My tongue massages him as I move along his shaft. I can hear his low moans and pants of


    pleasure as I bob my head up and down. I hollow out my cheeks when I feel him at the back of my


    throat, making my mouth tighter around his length. I look up again and see he has one hand on the


    shower wall and the other on the top of my head, gripping my hair.


    ¡°Ahh, stop, Kas, stop!¡± he cries out. I pull back worried that I¡¯ve done something wrong.


    ¡°Are you alright, Bronx? Did I hurt you?¡± I look up at him.


    ¡°No Baby, let¡¯s move to the bedroom, ¡± he pants as he helps me stand.


    He swiftly picks me up, turns off the shower, and wraps a towel around me before he carries me to the


    bed. He gentlyys me on my back and climbs to the end of the bed by my feet. He starts to caress the


    curves of my hips and waist as he worships my body with a lustful look in his eye. He kisses my inner


    thighs, working his way up to my sweet spot. He starts to lick and suck as he rubs my clit at the same


    time. My breath turns ragged as his tongue dives deep into my core. I can feel pressure building as he


    reces his tongue with one then two fingers and starts sucking


    my clit. I squeeze my eyes tight and arch my back, letting out a cry, as the pleasure builds in my core.


    Right before I reach my climax, he stops. ¡±What? Why ¡ª why did you stop?¡±


    ¡±Kas, I just want to make sure this is really what you want before we go any further, ¡± he looks at me


    with a look of concern.


    I put my hands on both sides of his face and pull him up toward me. I lick my juices from around his


    mouth making his eye flicker from ck to green and back again as Saint tries to take control.


    ¡°Yes, Bronx¡­and Saint. Lex and I are one hundred percent sure. I want to feel you deep inside me,


    Bronx. Don¡¯t you want that too?¡±


    ¡±Yeah, Baby, you have no idea,¡± he bends down to nibble and blow on my nipple, making me shiver, as


    he positions himself between my legs. I feel him press against my entrance, making me let out an


    involuntary moan. I wrap my legs around his waist and use my feet to press against his ass,


    encouraging him to move inside my dripping sweet spot. I ¡® in so wet, he easily slides into my core in


    one smooth thrust. I feel him fill me up inside as he holds still for a moment. I look up to see he has his


    eye closed and he is trying to control his breathing. The sparks of our mate bond had never been more


    intense.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, Bronx, please don¡¯t stop, ¡± I beg feeling him involuntarily twitch deep inside my core before


    he starts moving again.


    He puts one hand behind my back pressing me closer to his body as he slowly starts to slide back and


    forth inside me. I never imagined in my entire life that I could feel so much pleasure. I move my hips to


    match his motion intensifying the sensation. I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment concentrating on


    how good


    he feels inside me. When I open them again, I look him in the eye and realize we have a glowing purple


    aura surrounding us. He looks a little freaked out, but he doesn¡¯t stop. The more intense our motions,


    the brighter it gets. Every time he rocks, he hits the most sensitive spots making me groan and growl.


    The walls of my core squeeze tight against him as I edge closer to a climax.


    ¡°Deeper,¡± I pant as I grab onto his back and try to push myself closer against him.


    He sits up and pulling me with him so I¡¯m sitting on top of him. This position puts him fully inside of me,


    giving me control of the pace with my movements. I bounce and grind against him. I feel him deep


    inside me filling my corepletely. As I take control of the pace, he uses his fingers to excite my clit


    even more. It¡¯s a sensory overload. I can¡¯t help but whimper with excitement.


    ¡°Ah, Baby, you feel so good! Faster my little goddess, faster! ¡± he growls as he grabs my hips, showing


    me the speed he wants me to move.


    I pick up the pace, pushing myself to the edge of climax. Bronx begins to thrust harder in rhythm with


    my movements. The pressure that had been building in my core explodes as I reach my climax. I lift my


    head to the ceiling and moan loudly. I can feel heat flowing from my body as I start to lose control.


    I feel his shaft tighten until his hot seed releases into me as I ride my high. He supports my back as I


    lean back and let out a howl of pleasure before I slump against him. As wee down from our


    ecstasy, we copse on the bed, sweating and out of breath.


    Lex howls as she feels my surge of emotion starts to subside. My whole body is like jelly. I roll over


    draping an arm and a leg on him. I think I cany here forever.

 Chapter 29

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 29


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 29


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I never imagined how perfect my first time would be.


    I feel pure contentment as Iy next to Kas, but I also felt lust for more at the same time.


    Kas has an arm and a leg draped over me. I use my fingertips to gently caress her arm as we admire


    each other. Her beautiful violet eyes look tired, which is expected. A first shift takes a lot out of you.


    There was still a glint of mischief in there too. I take her hand and kiss it.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, ¡± I smile at her as I tuck some sparkly stray hairs behind her ear.


    ¡°You called me your little goddess, ¡± she smiles sleepily.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re mine and you are a goddess, aren¡¯t you?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose that¡¯s true,¡± she muses, looking into the distance.


    ¡°Andpared to just about the rest of the world, except maybe fairies and tree sprites, you are little, ¡±


    I tease, ¡°That makes you my little goddess.¡°


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve grown half an inch since I¡¯ve been here, ¡± she giggles at me. I wrap my arms around her and


    pull her closer so I can pepper little kisses on her face and neck, making her giggle more. It really is my


    favorite sound.


    ¡°So, Kas, I ¡®m kinda curious¡­uh, in the shower, how uh, when um, oh, I¡¯m f*cking this up¡­I¡¯m just


    wondering how you knew


    how to, um well you were there, you know,¡± I stumble over my words feeling like a moron.


    ¡±Oh haha, that ! Well, sex and fertility are actually a big thing with witches since they don¡¯ t have fated


    mates like we do. Male and female witches want to make sure their chosen mates are satisfied in all


    aspects of their rtionships so they won¡¯t want to leave. They talk pretty openly about it and share


    advice with each other. I¡¯ve learned a lot of ways we can satisfy each other¡­in the bedroom¡­in the


    shower¡­and lots of other ces too. Not to mention, I ¡®in sharing a body with a four -thousand-year -


    old wolf. She knows a thing or two. Want me to show you more


    about what I¡¯ve learned?¡± she giggles.


    ¡°Really?¡± I can¡¯t stop the smile stered to my face. ¡±M mhmm,¡± she pulls herself closer to me.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡±Right now? I mean, you look a bit tired, Baby.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bronx. I have plenty of energy.¡±


    Kas teaches me new ways we can pleasure each other for the rest of the whole damn weekend. It may


    sound cliche, but it isn¡¯t just sex. We are learning how to feed off of each other¡¯s physical wants and


    needs and emotions. By the end of the weekend, I feel more connected to her than ever. And honestly,


    if that¡¯s what she learned in the first couple of months, I am looking forward to what she would know by


    the time she leaves the coven house.


    Sunday morninges too soon. Kas insists on making breakfast for me before we shift and make our


    way out of the woods to the coven house. As usual, it is the most amazing meal I¡¯ve ever had.


    When we arrive at the coven house, there are two young witches waiting for us with robes. Kas thanks


    them and leads me to her suite so we can freshen up. Once we are ready, we meet with Lady Camille


    to discuss what skills Kas will be working on until my next visit.


    I drag my feet packing my bag. I¡¯m dreading leaving Kas again but it¡¯s different thanst time. I know


    now, she is being well taken care of and she is as happy as she can be in the circumstances. When I


    finally can¡¯t prolong it anymore, I pick up my bag and we head out to the entryway of the house. I¡¯m not


    sure how long we stand there holding each other until we hear Lady Camille clear her throat.


    ¡±Please Lady Camille, give us just one more minute, ¡± Kas pleads. Lady Camille nods and takes a step


    back.


    ¡±Bronx, what we experienced this weekend, please , don¡¯t deny James and Delh from being able to


    share this kind of love.


    Whatever you and Lady Camille decide is best for our pack and their coven, please don¡¯t make them


    have to give each other up. They are so happy together.¡±


    And that right there is how I know she¡¯s going to be a great Luna. She could be thinking about us and


    our rtionship but she¡¯s not. She¡¯s using it as an example of why other wolves deserve to be with


    their fated mate.


    ¡±Lady Camille, can we make time to speak about this matter the next time I visit? ¡± I ask respectfully, ¡°I


    want to go back to my pack and discuss this with my Beta and Gamma to try toe up with a


    solution.¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s fine Alpha Bronx, but for now, it¡¯s time for you to leave, ¡± she advises.


    She holds out her hand to portal me to the gate. I gently kiss Kas onest time before picking up my


    bag and taking Lady Camille¡¯s hand. Instantly, she and I are outside the gate by my car.


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, were you able to make a connection with your mate as we discussed?¡°


    ¡°I think that¡¯s an understatement, Lady Camille,¡± I confess as I rub the back of my neck. I can feel


    myself blushing a bit.


    ¡°That¡¯s good news, Alpha Bronx. And nothing to be embarrassed about. The next time youe, you


    will see an even greater transformation in her spirit and even better control over her


    abilities, ¡± she turns back to the gate to leave but stops, ¡°Oh, and Alpha Bronx, that aura that surrounds


    you when you¡¯re together, that won¡¯t go away. When you see it, you should¡­embrace it,


    lean into that sensation. You won¡¯t regret it,¡± she smirks as she raises her eyebrows. She turns toward


    the giant golden gate and disappears from sight.


    How did she know about that? Okay, regardless of what she says, having the head of the coven know


    about my love life with my mate is embarrassing.


    I look at my phone and realize it was still the same day as when I had arrived, it is justte in the


    evening. My flight was not for another two days. I have a cigarette then make a climb in the Maserati to


    take a detour to Lune D¡¯or and meet up with Henri.


    I spend most of the ride to Lune D¡¯or thinking about what Kas had said about James and Delh. She¡¯s


    right. What kind of


    leader am I if I deny one of my pack members the opportunity to love someone unconditionally, the way


    Kas and I do? I need to speak to some of the Elders who have pacts with witches and other


    supernatural species to figure out what types of things I need to take into consideration for Delh to


    be part of our pack. That¡¯s if Lady Camille would even allow it.


    Milo¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s only a couple of days, but covering Bronx¡¯s duties was exhausting. I don¡¯t know how he juggles all


    of it. I just have to hold out until Sunday night. I¡¯m sitting at his desk, feeling


    overwhelmed, sorting through requisitions that need to be signed before the close of business when


    Lenoraes in.


    My beautiful mate. She makes my heart race every time I see her. Her full lips and legs seem like they


    went on forever, they get me every time. Not to mention those green eyes with her ck hair. Oh my


    Goddess. I¡¯m the luckiest wolf in the world. My spoonful of sugar, she makes every day sweeter.


    ¡°Hi Sugar, what¡¯s up?¡°


    ¡°Just got a delivery. It¡¯s for Bronx from the Council, ¡± she says, cing a box on the desk.


    I open the box to find a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue whiskey.


    I whistle, ¡± Nice! I will give it to him when he gets back. This is a special asion drink.¡°


    ¡°What if I have a special asion for you guys to drink to?¡± She asks with a singsong tone.


    ¡°What is it, Sugar? You know I always like to hear good news? Did you get a new contract for


    MasonCo?¡°


    ¡°No, even more exciting than that,¡± she pulls a pen box out from behind her back and hands it to me.¡°


    ¡°You bought me a pen?¡± I look at the box confused, ¡± How is this good news?¡±


    ¡°Just look inside the box, Milo,¡± she rolls her eyes at me.


    I open the box to see a white stick inside. It said Clear Blue on the side. Oh shit, no way. My fingers


    shake as I pick up the stick


    and see the little blue plus sign in the window. My heart skips a beat.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant? Please tell me this isn¡¯t one of your jokes, Lenora,¡± I grab her hips and pull her


    toward me until she¡¯s sitting on the desk in front of me. I look her straight in the eyes. My heart is


    pounding in my chest, ¡°Please tell me this is real.¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s real! We¡¯re having a pup!¡± she squeals with tears in her eyes.


    I sit there stunned for a moment. I ¡®m not even sure what to think. Ie to my senses and lift her shirt.


    I start frantically kissing her stomach, ¡°Hi little pup, I¡¯m your daddy! I¡¯m gonna teach you how to be the


    most fearsome warrior that ever lived. Unless you want to be a doctor, then I¡¯ll send you to the best


    medical school. Okay?¡°


    Lenora giggles and runs her fingers through my hair as I coo at her belly. There was a pup in there. My


    pup. Our pup. I ¡®m the luckiest son of a bitch in the world. She¡¯s the most amazing woman and she¡¯s all


    mine. I wrap my arms around her waist, hugging her tightly.


    Lenora and I have been trying for months to have a pup. Even with as much practice as we¡¯ve gotten


    in, i t didn¡¯t just happen like it did for other couples. We even started to consider adoption.


    I can¡¯t wait to tell Bronx when he gets home. He¡¯s gonna be Uncle Bronx.


    ¡°Come on, Sugar, let me sign thest of this paperwork, then we can go celebrate with Reggie and


    Ashley. It¡¯s a bummer that we have to wait to tell Kas until the winter solstice, but I know she will be


    excited too.


    I finish the paperwork and email everything to Bronx¡¯s assistant. We leave the bottle of whiskey on the


    desk so he¡¯ll see it when he gets home and lock the door behind us.

 Chapter 30

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 30


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 30


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I spend the remainder of the weekend at Lune D¡¯or. I catch up with Henri and his son Martin who is


    now Alpha Regent and join in on a pack run. I even lead a couple of training sessions with their elite


    warriors. A t dinner on Saturday evening, I meet


    Martin¡¯s in-ws. They own a bakery in town. The kitchen staff had told them about Kas wanting to


    learn how to make croissants which they found endearing. They give me their family recipe for


    baguettes to give to Kas when she gets home. It¡¯s in French, so I need to see if Cason will trante it


    for me. I know she¡¯s going to love it.


    Surprisingly, I don¡¯t feel empty like I had thest time I left Kas. It¡¯s almost like our time together


    energized and motivated me. I do a lot of research and get a ton of work done on the flight home and


    feel refreshed when Ind. I ¡®mpletely ready to dive into work for MasonCo and bide my time until I


    see Kas again.


    When I get to the packhouse, I start to feel the sadness creep in but I refuse to wallow in sorrow. I drop


    my things in my apartment, then head to my office. Carly takes the recipe to give to Cason for


    trantion. Then I mind link Milo and Reggie to meet me in my office so we could discuss James¡¯s


    mate situation.


    ¡°How¡¯s Kas? Is the training helping? Does she miss us?¡± Reggie asks as soon as he and Milo walk in.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Reggie, ¡± I snark at the rapidfire questions.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Milo, the more perceptive of the two, squints his eyes and steps forward, ¡°You okay, man? Something


    seems¡­different.¡°


    ¡± I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Milo,¡± I dismiss his concern, ¡°Kas is doing good, Reggie.


    She¡¯s learning a lot and she has so much more confidence. She isn¡¯t sickly thin anymore and she¡¯s


    been getting sun, so she has these cute freckles. She even grew half an inch.¡±


    Thinking about her makes me smile. shes of our weekende to my mind. I close my eyes and


    take a deep breath.


    ¡°You dirty, dirty dog. You mated! Did you mark her? Is she our official Luna? ¡± Milo sits down at the


    edge of his chair.


    ¡°Milo, you¡¯re crossing a line. Besides, I don¡¯t kiss and tell,¡± I snarl at him.


    ¡± Bronx, you don¡¯t kiss,¡± Reggie chimes in, looking smug, ¡°I ¡®ve known you for twenty-four years. You


    never even held a girl¡¯s hand before you met Kas.


    The look on your face right now? We can practically hear Saint purring! You two definitely mated.¡±


    ¡°Bronxy¡¯s in looove,¡± Milo sings and flutters his eyes dramatically.


    ¡°Busted. Not ashamed. She¡¯s the best mate ever. We¡¯re in love, ¡± Saintughs in my head.


    ¡°Drop it, guys! You¡¯re being disrespectful to my mate and your future Luna.¡±


    ¡°They definitely mated. Future Luna means he didn¡¯t mark her,¡± Reggie says to Milo as if I¡¯m not even


    in the room.


    ¡°Guys! We have other things to worry about, ¡± Imand.


    ¡°Fine, pull the rank card. Now, what¡¯s going on with James? Did he find a mate at Lune D¡¯or?¡± Milo puts


    the teasing aside to focus on one of his top warriors.


    ¡°No. At the coven,¡± I look at them solemnly.


    ¡°He¡¯s mated to a witch? ¡± Reggie¡¯s eyes grow huge.


    Milo groans as he leans on the desk and rubs his temples with his fingers, ¡°Come on, Bronx. You sure


    she didn¡¯t just enchant him or something?¡°


    ¡°No, they¡¯re clearly enamored with each other. It¡¯s not a spell, they¡¯re definitely mates,¡± I confirm for


    them. They both look at me incredulously but they don¡¯t have anything more to add.


    ¡°So what¡¯s our next move? How do we handle this? We don¡¯t want to lose James,¡± Reggie asks.


    ¡°d you asked. I did some research on the flight home. There are ten packs in North America who


    allow witches, vampires, and other breeds of shifters who are mated to werewolves to live on their pack


    territory, which means they also have hybrids.


    Hybrids can be just as dangerous, if not more than a full-bred shifter.¡±


    I hand each of them five phone numbers, ¡°Give these Alphas a call, find out as much information as


    you can on how they handle those rtionships in their pack. Any special rules orws they have


    established to keep the peace or anything they have tried to


    implement that didn¡¯t work, I want to know what they are. I ¡®m going to research in my library.


    ¡°Lady Camille doesn¡¯t seem to be opposed to their union, but their coven consists of women only.


    Having James and Marco there is a courtesy they are allowing for our benefit. There is no way she is


    going to allow James to stay and like Reggie said, I


    wouldn¡¯t want to lose him either. I think the only way she will allow Delh to leave the coven is if we


    take her abilities and customs into consideration and not force her to suppress who she is.


    ¡°When I go back in two weeks, I want aplete charter of fairws and expectations that we expect


    any super naturals who are living on our territory to abide by, whether it is a witch, a vampire, another


    breed of shifter, whatever. If they want to live here, they have to agree or they can find another ce to


    live.


    Have it on my desk Thursday.¡°


    ¡°Yes Alpha,¡± they respond in unison. I thought they¡¯d leave immediately to get started, but they don¡¯t


    even stand up. They just look at me. Milo is smirking like he has a joke to tell.


    ¡°What?¡± I question as I look up at them.


    ¡°I have some good news, ¡± Milo says with his signature goofy grin.


    ¡°Good news? Spill it man, what¡¯s up?¡± I lean back in my chair,cing my fingers on top of my head,


    switching to friend mode from business mode.


    ¡°Lenora¡¯s pregnant! We¡¯re having a pup!¡± His voice grows louder with excitement as he tells me the


    news. Reggieughs and ps him in the back.


    It takes my brain a second to process what he just told me. When it hits me, I jump up andugh,


    hugging him and pping his back, ¡± Congrattions, man! That¡¯s so awesome! Holy shit, I¡¯m gonna


    be an uncle?! Oh my Goddess. I can¡¯t wait to tell Kas. We need to celebrate! I¡¯ll get the kitchen omegas


    to bring up some beer.¡°


    ¡°I have a better idea, the Elder Council sent whiskey while you were gone, ¡± Milo points to the box on


    my desk.


    I furrow my brow and pull the blue box closer to me. Johnnie Walker Bluebel. It¡¯s an expensive


    whiskey. I look at the card, it has the Elder Council official crest at the top and a simple typed note that


    says ¡®In appreciation for your hospitality. ¡® Why would the Council send me liquor? They know I am


    missing part of my liver and that I¡¯m not a big drinker.


    ¡°No whiskey. Anything else, just not whiskey,¡± I say, putting the bottle back down.


    ¡°Aww, Bronx, why not?¡± Reggie asks with a pout.


    ¡°I made a promise to Kas. We can save this bottle for another time. Choose another poison for this


    celebration.¡°


    ¡°Vodka it is!¡± Milo cheers, undeterred.


    Reggie and I groan but agree. It¡¯s his day after all. I wasn¡¯t


    nning on drinking, but here we are. One or two shots won¡¯t kill me.


    By the time Lenora and Ashley get home from work at MasonCo, the three of us are wasted by the


    pool, still in our pants but we have taken our shirts and shoes off. We areughing and slurring out


    goofy jokes. I can¡¯t remember thest time I was drunk, but it feels good to rx with my best friends


    for once.


    ¡±You guys, what the Hell?¡± Lenora walks up to us and puts her hands on her hips.


    I press my cigarette between my lips, stumble to my feet, and wrap her in a hug, ¡°My baby sister is


    having a pup! I ¡® m gonna be Uncle Bronx! ¡± I cheer, as lose my bnce and we both fall into the pool.


    ¡±Bronx! What the f*ck? These shoes are Balenciaga!¡± Lenora growls, pulling herself out of the pool as I


    laugh like a maniac from the water. Milo and Reggie are rolling on the ground in fits ofughter. Ashley


    has her hand over her mouth trying to notugh at her best friend.


    Lenora storms off with Ashley trailing behind her. After Milo , Reggie, and I calm down we all go back


    upstairs. Milo and Reggie go to find their mates and ask for Lenora¡¯s forgiveness. I head up to my


    apartment to shower. I will find Lenorater to grovel and properly congratte her¡­maybe offer to


    buy her new shoes to rece the ones I ruined in the pool.


    I get my shower andy on my bed wrapped in a towel, thinking about Kas and what it would be like to


    be a dad someday. I don¡¯t realize my eye closed until I wake up to birds chirping in the morning. My


    head is pounding and the sun feels like it¡¯s a spotlight on my face. I sit up and realize I ¡® in under the


    covers in sweatpants. Hold up, this is not how I fell asleep.


    ¡°Go back to sleep, dummy. You gave me a hangover, Saint snarls.


    ¡°Saint, someone put our clothes on and put us in bed.¡°


    ¡°Pretty sure it was Lenora. She¡¯s mad at you, but she¡¯s still going to make sure you¡¯re taken care of


    when Kas isn¡¯t here. You know you have some sucking up to do, buddy.¡°


    ¡°Ugh. You¡¯re right. But you know what?¡° ¡°You¡¯re going to let me go back to sleep?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, but before you do, I ¡®m going to be an uncle, Saint. I can¡¯t wait. One day, Kas and I will get to


    share that news. What do you think about being a dad one day?¡°


    There¡¯s a long pause, ¡°I want that,¡± he finally says. I t was a begrudging tone. He was not the type of


    wolf to be warm and fuzzy and excited about emotional things. Our connection with Kas and Lex is


    starting to show another facet of his personality, just like it is mine.


    ¡°Saint, this whole mate thing. I think it¡¯s making us a better wolf.¡°


    ¡°Go back to sleep, dummy. I think you¡¯re still drunk.¡°

 Chapter 31

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 31


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 31


    After making amends with Lenora by promising her two new pairs of shoes, we focus on work. In the


    last week, Lenora had brought in fourrge international contracts she had been working on for


    months. We need to get set up and staffed in the various countries and work with the local


    governments to ensure we have the correct permits to conduct our work. I know my team can do it


    without me, but I wee the distraction.


    In my free time, I¡¯m in my library drowning in research. The more I research, the more I feel like a


    speciesist a*shole. For


    years, I let myself believe in preconceived notions about other paranormal species that simply weren¡¯t


    true. I never questioned what I had been told by the people around me. It¡¯s eye opening and humbling


    to learn the facts. It makes me realize I need to change my ways and I need to do a better job at


    educating my pack.


    In addition, Milo and Reggie are calling Alphas and drafting a charter I could present to Lady Camille.


    On Thursday, they present the final draft to me. I make edits to it based on the research I have done.


    Once we are all in agreement with the updated details, I send it to Carly to have it printed on our pack


    letterhead.


    By the end of the week, I¡¯m exhausted. I take the weekend to bezy and recharge. I watch Kas¡¯s


    favorite cooking show and record a couple new ones for her that I think she¡¯11 enjoy.


    Thankfully, I have meetings at three different packs the next week to keep my mind upied.


    Thank the Goddess, the week flies by in a heartbeat. I finish thest of the pack meetings and get back


    to Blood River on Thursdayte in the evening. I brief Milo on things that maye up while I¡¯m gone


    and head out to the airport for a redeye flight to France. Henri, once again, has left me a car so I can


    drive myself directly. When I get to the gate of the coven¡¯snd, I find Lady Camille is waiting for me.


    ¡°Lady Camille, thank you again for having me as a guest,¡± I bow slightly, something I read that witches


    see as a sign of respect, ¡°Can we go to your office first? I have some papers to review with you,


    regarding James and Delh.¡°


    ¡°Of course, Alpha Bronx. Would you like for them to join us?¡± she asks. Her tone seems more rxed


    than it has in our past interactions. Amazing what a simple non-verbal gesture can do.


    ¡°Not yet, if that¡¯s alright with you. I want to make sure we are in agreement and if possible, I would like


    lokaste to be there. She is my Luna and she deserves to have input in these types of


    matters.¡°


    ¡°Very well,¡± she smiles and holds out her hand, ¡°I will send for her.¡°


    I take her hand and we¡¯re instantly in her office. She presses a button on her desk.


    ¡°Yes, Lady Camille?¡± a voice on the other end answers.


    ¡°Please send for Luna lokaste. We have some business matters to discuss.¡°


    Yes m¡¯am. She¡¯s in the meditation room, it will be a few more minutes before shees out,¡± the voice


    responds.


    ¡°Very well. I will be expecting her,¡± she says and lets go of the button.


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, before Luna lokaste arrives, I want to tell you how wonderful she is progressing. Her


    powers are well beyond anything we could have anticipated. Fortunately, we have very powerful


    witches here, so we can work with her. She is an extremely fast learner. Now, I don¡¯t want to get her


    hopes up and have her lose focus, but we may be able to send her home a little earlier than originally


    anticipated.


    ¡± Please understand, her progress will be a lifelong endeavor. What she learns here will help her


    control her abilities but using them will take practice and discipline. I would like to have regr check-


    ins with her after she leaves, of course. We want to make sure we are here to mentor her as she


    matures and her abilities blossom.¡°


    I feel my heart skip, ¡°Bring her home early? How early Lady Camille?¡°


    ¡°As much as two weeks, I would think. We will see how the next two weeks progress. In the meantime,


    a s I said, please don¡¯t mention this to her. If she loses focus, it could cause dys in her ability to


    complete her training.¡°


    Just then there was a slight popping sound and the familiar giggle of my mate warms my soul.


    I turn around just in time to catch her as she throws herself into my arms, wrapping her legs around my


    waist. I easily scoop her up in my arms and crash my lips onto hers.


    ¡°Oh Kas! I¡¯m so happy to see you, ¡± I say breathlessly. I put her down so I can get a better look at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too. I have so much to tell you about what Lex and I have learned, ¡± she smiles


    brightly at me as she stands tall.


    ¡°Have you grown more, Baby?¡± I cock head as I realize she is standing taller.


    ¡°Another inch and a half since you were here. After I shifted, Lex became stronger and my body had to


    amodate that growth. Lady Camille thinks I could grow another inch. But don¡¯t use that as an


    excuse to buy me more clothes, Bronx. The ones I have at home will still be just fine. So, what are we


    doing here?¡± she asks. Her voice is bright and bubbly and excited. I love seeing her like this.


    I take her hand and have her sit next to me across from Lady Camille. I am bursting at the seams at the


    news Lady Camille just gave me. I take a deep breath to calm myself and focus on other matters.


    ¡°Kas, I asked Lady Camille to have you in attendance since this is a Blood River pack matter. You are


    our future Luna, you should be involved in these types of decisions. You requested a solution that will


    allow James and Sister Delh to stay together and here is the best effort that Milo, Reggie, and myself


    coulde up with.¡°


    I turn to face forward, ¡± Lady Camille, as you know, for werewolves, the mate bond is an essential part


    of who we are. I think we would all hate to see James and Sister Delh have to be separated for any


    reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m also aware that you do not allow men to live on yournd permanently. We know having James


    and Marco here is a courtesy you are allowing for my peace of mind. Taking this into consideration, we


    have done a lot of research with packs that allow non


    ¨C werewolves to live on their territories and I have done research in my historical library. We have taken


    the other packs¡¯ advice on what works well or not well, educated ourselves on how to alleviate


    prejudices and speciesism within the pack, and we have developed a charter. If you agree and James


    and Delh agree, we would be honored to have her live with us at Blood River and be a pack


    member.¡±


    I hand a copy of the document to Lady Camille and Kas.


    ¡± I don¡¯t expect an answer right now, take as much time as you need. Feel free to let me know if you


    think there should be any adjustments. Anything that would make you morefortable with the terms


    of the charter. I would like to keep this between


    the three of us until we havee to a consensus before we inform James and Delh, if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡±Luna lokaste. That thing you and I practiced. I think this is the appropriate moment to invoke it.¡±


    I turn to Kas feeling confused, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡±Bronx, one of the things I have learned is that you can only use magic with the recipient¡¯s permission.


    Otherwise, slowly but surely dark magic consumes


    you. So, if it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯m going to pause time for you. It won¡¯t hurt, you may see us moving or


    notice some shadows, but in just a minute, you will be back to normal. It will give us time to look at your


    document right now, instead of having to wait.¡°


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m torn. I trust Kas, but do I want anyone using magic on me? ¡°Saint, you have to agree to this also,


    it¡¯s not just up to me.¡° ¡°I trust our mate. She won¡¯t let anything bad happen to us.¡±


    I am shocked to hear him agree to have magic performed on us. ¡°Alright, Saint is okay with it and so


    am I.¡°


    Kas leans over and gives me a kiss, then brushes her fingers across my forehead. I see her eyes glow


    purple for a moment.


    I couldn¡¯t move if I wanted to. I see her and Lady Camille look like they are in superspeed fast forward,


    hunched over the desk talking with each other, and flipping through pages. The sky outside starts to


    turn dark, then light. Suddenly, I see Kas¡¯s face in front of me. She caresses my cheek lovingly.


    ¡°Hi Sweetheart, ¡± she smiles sweetly, ¡± Did you feel anything?¡° I blink a few times and shake my head


    no. ¡°Saint, you good?¡±


    ¡°That was the weirdest thing ever but yeah, I¡¯m okay,¡± Saint replies, a bit confused.


    Kas takes my hand and sits down next to me, ¡°Lady Camille and I reviewed everything. There are just


    a few things that she would like changed and then she will be happy to agree to the charter.¡°


    ¡°Di -did you two work all night? ¡± I ask, still a little confused as to what just happened.


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t worry about that. Lady Camille is going to let you stay for an extra day. You will still be


    back at Blood River by Sunday evening.¡°


    I review the changes they made to the charter. Everything they have added or scratched out makes


    sense to me.


    ¡°Alright, I will take it back to the pack so we can write up the final version.¡°


    ¡°No need. I can do that right now, ¡± Lady Camille says with a smile.


    I hand the document back to her. She puts her hands t on the top and bottom of the stack, closes her


    eyes, and mutters something under her breath. She hands it back to me with all the edits made as if


    someone typed it up and pulled fresh off the printer.


    I smile and shake my head as I sign the document. Kas signs next, then Lady Camille.


    ¡°Now, I think it¡¯s time for you two to have a little alone time. Luna Iokaste, please remember to make


    time to discuss the things we have spoken about, ¡± she extends her hands and Kas and I are in the


    gardens.


    ¡°Come on, Bronx! Let¡¯s go to the cabin! ¡± Kas squeals as she starts taking her shoes off. We quickly


    strip off our clothes giggling and yfully tickling each other and kissing until we are undressed. Then


    we shift and let Saint and Lex bound off into the woods to spend time together.

 Chapter 32

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 32


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 32


    We spend all day in the cottage in the woods, mostly with no clothes on. While, yes, it intensifies our


    physical connection, our emotional connection is beyond anything either of us could have ever


    imagined. I can¡¯t even imagine how much more intense things will be when I am finally able to mark


    her.


    It¡¯s Saturday evening and we areying in bed with our bodies intertwined. I¡¯m ying with a lock of her


    hair while she nuzzles my neck.


    ¡°Kas, do you think things will change when youe home or will we still be this close? Because when


    you first came here and I had to go home alone, I felt like the world was going to end.


    Nothing made me happy. Saint wouldn¡¯t even talk to me.


    ¡°Butst time when I went home, it was like I waspletely energized and ready to get back to


    normal. I mean, I missed you like crazy, but I had hope in my heart. And now? I feel like I could go


    home and could take on the world. Once you¡¯re back, I¡¯m going to be unstoppable, ¡± I exin as I


    continue to y with her hair, running my fingers through her scalp.


    ¡°It¡¯s just going to keep getting better, Sweetheart. Let¡¯s freshen up and get dressed. I¡¯ll make you dinner


    and exin the things I


    have been learning about, ¡± she assures me with a kiss on my marking spot, sending shivers down my


    spine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we have to wait to mark our mate. She clearly wants to mark us,¡± Saint huffs.


    ¡°Saint, we told Lady Camille we will wait. Our word is our bond, ¡± I argue.


    ¡°Damn you and your morals, ¡± he snarls back before going to the back of my mind.


    I let Kas get a shower first, then I take my turn. I¡¯m certain if we get a shower together, dinner would


    never happen. When I get to the kitchen, she¡¯s almost done chopping vegetables.


    ¡°Hi Baby, what¡¯s for dinner? Can I help with anything?¡± I ask, looking over her shoulder. She may have


    grown two inches, but she still onlyes up to the middle of my chest. I avoid the temptation of


    resting my chin on the top of her head but the thought of it makes me smile inside.


    ¡°Shepherd¡¯s pie. I don¡¯t need help but thank you. Just have a seat,¡± she uses the knife to point at a


    stool by the counter. I pull the stool next to her and sit down making us about the same height.


    ¡°Sounds delicious, Baby. So, spill. What have you been learning about? ¡± I ask. I put my elbow on the


    counter and put my chin in my hand.


    Kas tells me how the coven has leveraged her abilities and taught her how to use meditation and past


    life regression to help her get in touch with the significant experiences of her spirit¡¯s pervious lives,


    good and bad. She¡¯s aware of the experiences but she doesn¡¯t have an emotional connection to them.


    She exins it like remembering scenes from a television show or movie.


    The witches believe the more she practices through her life, the more connected she will be to the


    memories and they will be important to her. She may even remember it in her next lifetime. She


    has learned so much about her past, that it¡¯s helping shape who she wants to be moving forward. It has


    made her realize that the years she suffered abuse in this life was such a tiny part of her journey as a


    whole. It¡¯s only important in this lifetime, it would always be something she remembered, but it didn¡¯t


    define her life or future lives moving forward.


    It all sounds so amazing and I am d she is getting to know more about herself, but I ¡®m not sure


    where that puts me.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Baby,¡± I smile and rub her shoulders, but she sees right through me.


    ¡°Mmm, nope. Don¡¯t hold out on me. What¡¯s wrong, Bronx?¡± she asks with a concerned look as she


    drains the fat from the ground beef.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound insecure or anything, ¡± I confide, ¡°but if the things I know you¡¯ve been through for


    years and years is an insignificant part of your life, I mean, we only met a few months ago. So, like, I


    don¡¯t know. Do I even exist in this timeline of all things, Kas?¡°


    I feel a pang of sadness and guilt in my chest as I slump forward a little. This is supposed to be about


    her, not me.


    ¡°Oh Bronx,¡± shees to the stool and stands between my legs, wrapping her arms around my neck,


    ¡°Why do you think Lady Camille has been having us spend time alone here in this


    cottage?¡°


    ¡°I assumed it¡¯s because we¡¯re mates and she knows it would be detrimental to both of us if she kept us


    apart, ¡± I put my hands on her tiny waist and shrug, suddenly feeling very unimportant.


    Not something I¡¯m used to and call me selfish but I have to say, I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Well, yeah, but it¡¯s deeper than that, Sweetheart. The more we¡¯re together, the stronger our


    connection is. Not just by having sex, but anytime we experience a significant emotional event together.


    Good ones or bad ones, ¡± she looks me in the eye to see if I understand.


    I am really out of my element in this conversation. I understand the physical connection but I get lost


    when Kas tries to exin the spirit and emotional stuff.


    ¡°What do you mean by our connection? Our mate bond?¡± I feel my brows knit as I speak.


    ¡°Yes, our mate bond is part of that, but it is bigger and deeper than that. It has to do with our individual


    spirits needing each other to survive,¡± she exins.


    I¡¯m trying but she may as well be speaking Mandarin. I¡¯m trying not to get frustrated but I can¡¯t help it.


    Patience is not my strong suit. She can see that it doesn¡¯t make sense to me. So she goes about it a


    different way. She grabs two onions, one white, one red.


    ¡°This onion is you,¡± she holds up a white onion and hands it to me, ¡± The red one is me.¡°


    ¡°Okay?¡°


    ¡°Now, the onion represents everything about each of us as individuals. Eachyer is a part of our spirit,


    only one of thoseyers is our mate bond.¡°


    ¡°What about the rest of the onion?¡°


    ¡°All kinds of things. Attitude, behaviors, how you react to situations, your morals. Things like that,¡± she


    exins.


    ¡°Alright, keep going.¡°


    She cuts each onion in half. She holds up the halves that don¡¯t


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    have roots,¡± This is the part of our lives that hasn¡¯t happened yet. The root side is all your experiences.


    What happens at the root, effects everything that hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡°


    She hands me a knife and tells me to start chopping the root side of my onion. I chop my onion while


    she chops hers. It doesn¡¯t take long for my eyes to start watering from the pungent smell.


    ¡°Strong smell?¡± she asks with a giggle.


    I sniff the tears back but all I do is manage to breathe in more fumes, ¡°How is this not making you cry?¡°


    ¡°The smell of my onion is not as strong. But watch what happens when I put the two together.¡°


    She proceeds to push her onion pieces toward mine so they are mixed together and minces them even


    further.


    ¡°You see how the smell changes as the two onions get chopped together?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± She¡¯s right, the smell of the two onions has changed. Still oniony, but not as sharp.


    ¡°Now look at the pile. Can you tell exactly which bits are from your onion and which were from mine? ¡°


    ¡°Only some of the bits, ¡± I confirm I look at the pile of minced onion.


    ¡°Exactly. Now, think about that as our life experiences. The more we share with each other, the more


    wepliment each other.


    Not just physically. Cause remember, this pile doesn¡¯t represent physical things.¡°


    ¡°So the more experiences we have together, the more our spirits merge together?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good way to think about it.¡°


    Next she grabs the tops of the onions she had not chopped. She slices off the tops making thick rings


    and starts pulling out various rings from each onion. She stacks white and red rings alternatively inside


    each other.


    ¡°So, the more our past looks like this,¡± she points to the minced pile, The more our future looks like


    this.¡°


    She holds up the little Frankenstein sliced onion, smiling proudly.


    ¡°But more importantly, the future onion isn¡¯t just the future for this lifetime, ¡± she continues, ¡°It helps


    shape the version of who we be in our future lives. Isn¡¯t it cool to think that everything we do in


    this life will affect our future lives? Oh and a closer connection will make it easier to find each other in


    our next lives,¡± there is a twinkle in her eye as she exins our lives and spirits. I understand better but


    still shaky on the whole concept.


    She is speaking like I have past and future lives too but I don¡¯ t want to interrupt her as she nerds out,


    so I just nod, letting her continue.


    ¡±In this life specifically, the closer our connection, the stronger we both be. I ¡®ll be more in tune


    with my abilities and you¡¯ll have more power and influence since you are an Alpha Regent.


    That probably exins your surge of energy when you went homest time. Even Lex and Saint are


    stronger when they¡¯re together, which makes our human forms that much stronger.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve grown two inches since I¡¯ve been here. Lex is coining into her full power and I need to


    be physically bigger to be able to support her, ¡± she says it like it should have been clear the whole time


    which makes me chuckle at her.


    ¡±Well, if what you¡¯re saying is we should spend more time together and experience as many things as


    possible, I ¡®in all in, Kas,¡± I pull her closer and give her a little kiss. ¡°I¡¯ in looking forward to it, ¡± she


    smiles then turns back to the food she is preparing.

 Chapter 33

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 33


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 33


    ¡°I think the one thing I still don¡¯t understand is when you talk about our lives that haven¡¯t happened yet.


    You¡¯re a goddess so you are going to keep being reincarnated. I just have a regr old human spirit, ¡± I


    try to justify when she is done talking.


    ¡°Actually¡­you¡¯re not just a regr human spirit. Just like my spirit is tied to Lex, yours is tied to Saint.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯ve just been attached to her longer. Your spirit had toe into existence before it could be linked to


    Saint¡¯s. Can you believe we¡¯ve been together before? In our previous lives. Which means, so have


    Saint and Lex, ¡± she talks excitedly as she piles the food inyers in a ceramic dish.


    She looks up to see me looking at her in disbelief. I am trying to connect the dots of what she¡¯s saying.


    I swear I¡¯m not usually this dense.


    ¡°Pick your jaw up off the floor, Sweetheart. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s been reincarnated here, Bronx.


    You have been too. Lots of times. It¡¯s easier for Saint and Lex to remember for some reason. Ask Saint,


    he¡¯ll tell you.¡°


    ¡°Saint, is that true? Do you remember being connected to me for eight hundred years?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, of course, ¡± his tone is so matter of fact that you would think he has told me all this before.


    ¡°Do you remember being with Lex before?¡°


    ¡°Why do you think I miss her when we don¡¯t get to see her? I was made for her and I have loved every


    minute of it. She¡¯s amazing, ¡± he swoons over his mate, ¡°You have Kas, I have Lex. We were mates for


    the first time eight hundred years ago. We have never had another mate. You and Kas¡¯s names


    change, but it¡¯s always your essences, your spirits. You¡¯ve been mates with Kas at least fifteen times, I


    think. I don¡¯t know for sure. I¡¯ve lost track.¡±


    My eyes widened at the realization, ¡± So we were actually made for Kas and Lex?¡±


    ¡± That¡¯s a good way to put it. The Goddess made us extra strong since Kas is a goddess. It¡¯s the only


    way we can be with her and not get hurt. That¡¯s why you¡¯re an Alpha. Anything less and she could


    identally destroy us and if she did, poof, our spirits¡¯ journey would be over.¡±


    ¡°Why are you just now telling me this, Saint?¡±


    ¡°I tell you all the time that she is our mate. It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re a dummy and don¡¯t understand.


    Imagine if I was going on and on about past lives. You would never have believed me.¡±


    Kas watches me patiently while I have my internal conversation with Saint. When I ¡®in finished, I pull


    her closer to me


    possessively, ¡± So we¡¯ve been together basically forever? Since the beginning of my human spirit?¡±


    ¡±Yeah, Sweetheart. Forever in the past and forever in the future, ¡± Kas cocks her head to the side


    slightly and smiles softly as she searches my eye for any doubt.


    It¡¯s difficult to wrap my mind around but I love the idea of it. As her words linger in my mind, I hold her


    close. I was made for her. In that moment, that bit of knowledge made me feel even more protective of


    her. Someone would have to get through me first and no one gets through me. No one.


    As I¡¯m holding her, the thought that she and Lex have been connected over three thousand years


    longer than I have existed sinks in. I bristle at the thought of who she was connected to before that


    time.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re really being a dummy, Bronx,¡± Saint chides, ¡°You. Didn¡¯t. Exist. Let it go, Romeo.¡±


    He¡¯s right. I let the thought extinguish at his words and let myself breathe in Kas¡¯s scent deeply to calm


    myself.


    ¡°Ohhh, that must be what she meant, ¡± I break thefortable silence. Letting everything Kas has just


    told me marinate has given me a minute toe to a realization.


    ¡°What who meant?¡± Kas asks quizzically.


    ¡°So you know that purple glowy aura thing that happens when we¡¯re together?¡± I look lovingly into her


    sparkling violet eyes.


    ¡°Mmm, yeah, I know. That¡¯s our connection strengthening,¡± Kas says with a little smirk.


    ¡°Thest time I was here, Lady Camille told me I should embrace it when that happens. I think her


    exact words were ¡®lean into it¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that sounds like a very Lady Camille thing to say but she is right. That is the time our spirits are


    the most open to each other. The aura helps our


    spirits connect more closely,¡± she smiles as she pulls away from me to clean up the dishes from


    prepping the meal. She washes while I dry and put things away.


    Before I know it, a steaming serving of shepherd¡¯s pie is sitting in front of me. Just like anything Kas


    cooks, it¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever had.


    I pull her close to me and whisper in her ear, ¡°So, the purple glowy thing.¡°


    ¡°Uh-huh, ¡± she bites her bottom lip, looking up at me mischievously.


    ¡°What do you say we go see how bright we can make it?¡° I say with a little growl.


    A huge grines over her face and without a word, Kas grabs my hand and pulls me to the bedroom.


    Monday morninges too soon. We wake up early so we can give Saint and Lex a few hours to


    spend together in the woods, then head back to the coven house.


    Kas goes to find Lady Camille while I get James and Delh so we can tell them about our decision. I


    knock on James¡¯s door and hear some shuffling and whispering from inside. James cracks the door


    open with a little growl for whoever is interrupting what he was doing.


    ¡°Alpha! ¡± he says, surprised to see me. He opens the door wider and stands at attention, with a towel


    covering his lower half.


    ¡°At ease, James. You and your mate get freshened up, meet me, Luna Iokaste, and Lady Camille in the


    front sitting room. We need to speak with the two of


    you, ¡± I use my best poker face so I don¡¯t alert him about what is about to happen.


    ¡±Yes, Alpha, ¡± he gulps hard with a worried look. I nod and turn away to go find Kas.


    I make my way to the sitting room to see Kas and Lady Camille already sitting having lemonade. Since


    James is one of my warriors, I choose to remain standing to address him.


    James and Delh finallye to the room holding hands, looking very nervous. Delh looks like she


    could cry at any moment or maybe she already had.


    ¡±Alpha Bronx, why don¡¯t you lead this conversation? ¡± Lady Camille requests.


    ¡±Thank you, Lady Camille. James, Sister Delh, we all know how important the mate bond is for


    werewolves and asionally, their non -werewolf mates,¡± I motion to Delh, ¡°When Lady Camille told


    me that one of my top warriors found his mate in her coven, I was surprised, to say the least. But when


    I saw the way you two looked at each other, I knew it was not my ce to go against the Moon


    Goddess¡¯s wishes. I also recognize the Goddess Hecate also must have agreed with this destiny. I


    went back to Blood River and did a lot of research. As did my Beta and Gamma until we came up with


    a solution to allow the two of you to be together.¡±


    I hand each of them a copy of the charter, ¡°This is a charter outliningws and provisions for situations


    like yours. I need both of you to read and agree to the terms of this charter. If you do, then Sister


    Delh, Lady Camille has already given her consent for you toe live with us and be a


    member of the


    Blood River pack, that is, if you want to.¡±


    James¡¯s eyes grow big as a wave of reliefes over him. Delh squeals as she covers her mouth


    with both hands and starts to cry tears of joy. James pulls her into a tight hug, kissing her forehead and


    stroking her blond hair.


    He quicklyposes himself, ¡°Alpha, permission to take the papers back to my room so we can


    review.¡±


    ¡°Granted, ¡± I nod at him.


    Delh strides across the room and kneels before Lady Camille, taking Camille¡¯s hands in hers, ¡±


    Mother, thank you. Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°My beautiful daughter, how could I ever deny you a n opportunity to love someone unconditionally?¡±


    Lady Camille asks, tears dot the corners of her eyes.


    Daughter?! Now I realize the gravity of the situation. If Delh stays at the coven, one day she would


    be Lady Camille¡¯s sessor. She is giving that up to be with her mate. Lady Camille is allowing the


    future Mother of the coven to give up her lineage for love.


    Lady Camille kisses Delh¡¯s hands and stands up, ¡°I have one more announcement before we break.¡±


    We all give her our attention. Now that they are standing next to each other, I see the resemnce


    between the two.


    ¡°Based on what Luna lokaste has told me, I believe we can shorten the duration of her stay, and


    therefore shorten James, Marco, and Sister Delh¡¯s stay as well.


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, when youe back in two weeks, I would like to request you stay the weekend so we


    can perform some ceremonies, but then you will be able to take your entourage back to Blood River


    with you. ¡°


    My heart leaps for joy. It almost doesn¡¯t register that Kas squeals and is hugging me around the waist.


    Moon Goddess, thank you!


    I reach down and pick Kas up by her waist. She wraps her arms and legs around me letting me kissing


    her deeply.


    I pull away just long enough to say, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Baby. So proud.¡±

 Chapter 34

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 34


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 34


    I leave the coven with a me of joy in my heart. When I get back to the packhouse and tell everyone


    the good news, the atmosphere couldn¡¯t have been more celebratory.


    I want to do something special for James and Milo as a thank- you. I give Ashley orders to spruce up


    their homes. Especially James¡¯s house to make itfortable for Delh.


    I also have her set up sses for the pack, focusing on speciesism and being more open-minded. Not


    just for MasonCo


    employees, for everyone. Presumably, other pack members may have mates that are not werewolves. I


    want to make sure everyone is prepared and respectful of the mate bond, regardless of species.


    Ashley takes several omegas to help get the work done at


    James¡¯s house. Fresh paint, new bed, new linens, dishes, and such. Leaving it just in enough that


    Delh and James would be able to decorate it to their taste. She has the pantry filled with staples and


    pre-orders perishable food to put into the refrigerator the day before theye home. She doesn¡¯t


    want them to have anything to worry about.


    Marco is one of the warriors who chooses to live in an apartment instead of a house on pack territory.


    Milo looks in his file to where there are notes about taking care of his parents, who are bit older. He


    does most of the maintenance and yard work for them and doesn¡¯t have time to take care of a house of


    his own.


    I tell Lenora to have the Sanchez house added to the list of properties ourndscaping and


    maintenance staff will start to take care of it. I don¡¯t want him to have to do the extra work on his days


    off. He should be able to spend that time with his family if that is what he chooses.


    When Ashley takes the omegas to Marco¡¯s apartment, they find a stereotypical bachelor padplete


    with second-hand furniture and an unidentifiable smell that needs to be expelled.


    ¡°Um, Alpha? ¡± she sends a mind link. She used my title, which means it is pack business rted.


    ¡°Yes, Gamma?¡± I sigh in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need a bigger budget for this. Everything Marco has looks like it is second hand and


    falling apart¡­and we need a


    couple of people from the cleaning crew,¡± she sounds kind of grossed out.


    ¡°Granted. Do what you have to do. He deserves it,¡± I confirm.


    From what Carly tells me, Ashley got rid of all the furniture and redecorated the entire ce. She even


    got him a seventy-two ¨C inch television and a new Xbox. I can only imagine how much he¡¯s going to


    love it.


    And because she apparently doesn¡¯t have enough on her te with all of that, Ashley insists on putting


    up winter solstice decorations around the packhouse early, so they will be ready when Kas, Delh,


    James, and Marco get home. Within a week, much to the dismay of the frazzled house staff, the


    packhouse is decorated top to bottom. I look around and realize it may be even a little more over the


    top than what she usually does.


    Aside from that, I focus heavily on MasonCo business. Holiday time always results in higher security


    needs for individuals, events, and businesses. I chip in, contacting our typical seasonal clients and set


    them up with advisors for this year¡¯s needs. Even the more picky clients are more than happy to hear


    from me. We have much smoother conversations than years past, helping solidify future business. I


    remember what Kas had said about power and influence. I can¡¯t help but wonder if the smooth


    conversations with my clients is the beginning of that.


    The day before I leave to pick up Kas, Marco, Delh and James, there¡¯s a knock on my apartment


    door. Ashley is standing there with two omegas who are carrying boxes so big, they can barely see


    over them.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to decorate ! ¡± she says in a sing -song voice as she throws her arins in the air with a huge


    smile. I notice she is wearing a sweater with a pr bear hugging a decorated solstice tree.


    ¡°No one is safe from your festive decorations, huh?¡± I grumble. In prior years, I have been able to


    escape having my apartment decorated, but it looks like


    that isn¡¯t an option this year. Not that I¡¯m trying to be a Grinch, but I like my space minimal. I am more


    than happy to look at the decorations in the rest of the packhouse.


    ¡°Nope! ¡± She pushes past me with the omegas in tow, ¡°I want it to be perfect for Kas.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m going to give you three the space to do your thing. I will be in my office if you need


    me. Easy on the glitter, Ashley.¡±


    ¡°Extra glitter. Sounds good! Later!¡± She called from somewhere deep inside one of the boxes.


    I walk to my office and finish up some paperwork. When I¡¯m done, I sit back in my seat, savoring the


    moment of silence. I look at my wrist, admiring the newest tattoo that said ¡®forever in the past and


    forever in the future¡¯ in a thin script font. My mate ising home and nothing would ever take her


    away from me again. I lose track of time as I daydream about Kas being home until there¡¯s a knock on


    my office door.


    ¡°Come in!¡± I call out. Milo and Reggie open the door and quickly close it behind them.


    ¡°Dude, Ashley¡¯s out of control! Bronx, ¡± Reggie whines, ¡± She decorated our bathroom. I don¡¯t know


    what I¡¯m going to do with her!¡±


    ¡°She bought Lenora a shirt that says ¡®Tis the season to be pregnant¡¯ and one for me that says, ¡®We¡¯re


    trading our silent nights for a bundle of joy¡¯. Save us! ¡± Milo adds.


    All I can do isugh, ¡°Guys, you have literally fought in werewolf wars. You can handle a she-wolf


    excited about her Lunaing home after so many weeks. Plus, she wants to make Delh feel


    comfortable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take another military tour, thank you very much, ¡± Reggie says, sliding down in his chair.


    ¡°Well, you guys can hide out here, but lock up


    behind you. I have done as much work as possible, so there shouldn¡¯t be much for you to cover Milo. I


    leave early, so I will see you when I get back. Now it¡¯s time to see the winter wondend Ashley has


    made my apartment into.¡±


    Reggie groans and rolls his eyes, ¡± She got to you Too! No one is safe.¡±


    ¡°Have a safe flight! ¡± Milo says as I close the door.


    My eyes go wide when I open my apartment door. It looks like an over-the-top department store


    window. I can¡¯t help butugh as I pull down swaths of glitter coated gand that are so low I have to


    duck under them and roll up a red id rug in the sitting room. I decide to leave the artificial tree


    because it looks nice, Kas is going to like it. I also leave the winter-theined hand towels in the kitchen


    and poinsettia on the dining table.


    I¡¯m excited, but I also have an odd sense of calm as I pack my bag. I decide to stay on the calm wave


    and have dinner in my apartment, knowing its myst few hours of peace I¡¯11 be getting for a while.


    Once Kas is home, everyone will understandably want to spend time with us. If I go down to the dining


    room, I will be bombarded by excited pack members. I get ready for bed, feeling lonely and excited at


    the same time. I know it will be thest time I am ever going to feel lonely again. Kas will be next to me


    from here on out. Before I climb into bed, I


    open the nightstand and pull out the little blue velvet box. I open it and admire the ring inside.


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna love it,¡± Saint chimes in. ¡°You think so?¡± I ask with a smile.


    I¡¯ve known her for a long time. Trust me on this,¡± he reassured me.


    ¡°Should I take it with me and ask before we leave the coven or hold out for the winter solstice party?¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ugh. What¡¯s the matter with you? Ask her on the morning of solstice when it¡¯s just the two of you.


    You know she doesn¡¯t like all eyes on her, dummy, ¡± he scolds with a growl. ¡°You¡¯re right, ¡± I close the


    box and put it back in the nightstand.

 Chapter 35

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 35


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 35


    In the morning, I board the jet only to find an unfamiliar pilot performing preflight checks.


    Oh, Hell no.


    I ¡®m not going to fly with a pilot I don¡¯t know. First off, I have no idea what his experience is. Secondly,


    too many media outlets try to sneak around to get information about me and mypany. I wouldn¡¯t


    put it past awork to nt a pilot to try to get intel on me. MasonCo is a multibillion dor


    corporation. Because of the nature of our work, I usually decline interviews. I don¡¯t need any


    information about my clients to identally leak to anyone.


    Unfortunately, this tactic makes the media more desperate to find


    out how I am so sessful. When I do go out in public in the human world, paparazzi always seem to


    find me and make up the most ridiculous shit about my business dealings and rtionship status.


    This guy looks familiar, but I can¡¯t put a finger on where I have seen him before. Definitely not on one of


    my private flights. My intuition suddenly tells me I need to be cautious.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mitch? ¡± I skip the pleasantries, as I take off my suit jacket and drape it over the seat next to


    me. Internally, I¡¯m wary but I try not to let it show in my voice. Plus, I already feel annoyed by this


    change in personnel with no forewarning.


    ¡°Good morning, Alpha,¡± the stranger says with a small salute, ¡°Mitch is on paternity leave, his wife had


    her pup this week.


    Name¡¯s Joe Morris, substitute pilot for the weekend.¡°


    I look him over for a minute, annoyed that he thinks he can speak to me so casually. He¡¯s on the


    younger side with close- cropped blond hair and clear gray eyes; over six feet tall but not as tall as me,


    with a slim build. He averts his eyes when he


    realizes I ¡®m staring longer than socially eptable.


    I can smell that he¡¯s a werewolf, but I don¡¯t recognize his scent at all. Why does this guy look so


    familiar? Did he serve in the military with me? No way. He is not muscr enough to have ever been a


    warrior.


    ¡°Give me a minute before we take off? I just need to make a quick call, ¡± It¡¯s an order, not a question.


    He nods in confirmation and continues with his preflight checks.


    ¡°Of course, Alpha, we have plenty of time,¡± his nervese through in his tone. He nods in


    confirmation and continues with his preflight checks.


    I make my way down the stairs of the ne and light a cigarette before calling Carly. She answers on


    the third ring, sounding groggy.


    ¡°Carly, why didn¡¯t you tell me there was going to be a substitute pilot? ¡± I snarl into the phone. When I


    dialed her number, I reminded myself to remember not to be too harsh with my tone but I¡¯m angry she


    didn¡¯t tell me about this change in personnel. She instantly sounds more alert on hearing my voice.


    ¡°I -I just got the call at one a.m, Alpha. This guy was the only one I could find on such short notice, ¡±


    she says with a touch of fear in her voice. ¡°Vaughn wasn¡¯t avable?¡±


    ¡°No, Alpha. Vaughn is in Colombia with Beta Lenora, ¡± I hear pages flipping as she speaks.


    ¡°Dammit. Okay. Well, has this guy been vetted through security at least? I have no idea who he is,¡± I


    ask, impatiently, ¡°You expect me to let my mate be flown across the Antic by some random pilot?¡°


    ¡°Alpha, please don¡¯t be upset. I found out that Mitch was going to be out at one a.m. I contacted the


    airport, they provided me with this guy¡¯s name at one fifteen and I submitted his background paperwork


    at one -thirty in the morning. It¡¯s only five a.m. now.


    It¡¯s going to be at least noon before it all clears. The earliest someone is in the office to process him is


    seven a.m.¡°


    There is a pause and more page flipping, ¡°The other options are to change the flight time toter this


    afternoon or wait for another pilot who is already cleared. Which would be this two- thirty p.m. The


    airport doesn¡¯t have any open take -off slots until three p.m. If you choose not to take off in half an hour


    as


    nned, you won¡¯t be able to take off until three. You can always flymercial but I know you don¡¯t


    like to draw that kind of


    attention. If you¡¯ve changed your mind, the nextmercial


    flight leaves at eleven a.m. and has a three-houryover at Heathrow. You would get into France about


    the same time as the afternoon private flight. My hands are tied, sir.¡±


    I ce my hand on my hip and pace for a minute. I can feel my patience fraying as Saint starts to stalk


    around in my mind. He wants to get to our mate just as badly as I do.


    Shit.


    ¡°Alright, fine. Don¡¯t make any changes to the itinerary. I will take off in half an hour, ¡± I growl. I hang up


    the phone without saying goodbye.


    I pace as I collect myself before getting back on the ne. Something is definitely off here. Mitch has


    been my pilot for four years. He never mentioned a pup on the way. Not that he and I y golf on the


    weekends or anything, but I feel like I would have some idea if one of my staff had a pregnant mate.


    ¡°Saint, if we get on this ne right now, you need to be on high alert. Something isn¡¯t right here. You


    know that, right?¡±


    ¡°You need to be on high alert, Saint, ¡± he mocks me, ¡± I¡¯m always on high alert. Let¡¯s get Kas.¡±


    ¡°Fine, ¡± I throw my cigarette into a puddle, rub my face with my hands, and take a deep breath before I


    get back on the ne.


    Instinctively, I run through a dozen scenarios in my head in case anything goes wrong.


    An hour and a half into the flight, I decide I ¡®m just being


    paranoid. Everything is going smoothly. I ¡®m engrossed in reading


    the New York Times when Freddie, my usual stewardes by with a cup of coffee.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say without looking up.


    ¡°Of course, Alpha. I¡¯m here if you need me. Just ring the bell if there¡¯s anything else you need,¡± the


    man says. His tone is nervous. I dismiss it since I have that effect on a lot of people.


    I flip the page of the newspaper and take a sip of the coffee. Blech!


    ¡°Freddie, ¡± I call out, ¡°What the Hell is in this coffee?¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s your usual brand, Alpha. Would you like me to make you a fresh cup? ¡± My outburst clearly made


    him more nervous.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay,¡± typical crappy airline coffee, but at least it will keep me awake.


    ¡°Bronx! Wake the f*ck up!¡± Saint snarls.


    I open my bleary eyes to a searing pain in my wrists, ankles, and across my chest. I¡¯m hogtied on the


    floor of the jet in silver chains. Freddie is hogtied unconscious next to me. He looks pale and has dried


    blooding from his nose and mouth. I listen quietly. I can hear his heartbeat, so I know at least he


    isn¡¯t dead.


    ¡°What the f*ck? Saint, what happened?¡± I groan.


    ¡°I think the coffee was poisoned. Come on, get out of the chains. We need to get up.¡±


    I struggle against the chains, but all it does is make the searing pain worse.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ahh, Alpha Bronx. So d you¡¯re awake!¡± a man¡¯s gravelly voice says with a sneer. He pulls back the


    curtain from the galley. His eyes are bloodshot, he is gaunt and he hasn¡¯t had a haircut in months.


    From the smell of it, he hasn¡¯t had a shower either, but there is no mistaking who he is.


    ¡°Connors! What the Hell is the meaning of this?¡± I snarl at him as I struggle against the painful silver


    restraints. ¡°This, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason, is a hostile takeover, ¡± he kicks me in the face and stuffs


    a pungent-smelling rag in my face. Concentrated wolfsbane. I fight for a minute, but it¡¯s no use, world


    goes ck.

 Chapter 36

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 36


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 36


    Kas¡¯s POV


    Tomorrow is the big day! I¡¯m finally going home. Oh, my Goddess! Thinking about being able to sleep


    snuggle up to Bronx every night, being able to get into a routine with the pack, and continuing to hone


    my abilities, it all sounds perfect. For the first time in my life, I am truly looking forward to my future. I


    have hope in my heart. Lex is excited because she will have more opportunities to run on the Blood


    River pack territory. She is looking forward to the additional freedom. I can¡¯t me her. As she has


    be stronger, she has more energy to burn.


    Some days I feel like I am vibrating from the inside out because she has trouble containing her energy.


    I¡¯m also really excited that Delh and James get to stay together. They are so in love. It is adorable to


    watch them together. Who knew such a ferocious warrior could turn into such a mushy little pup when


    he is around his mate? She is going to fit in perfectly with the pack.


    Marco has been a trooper throughout this whole time. Sometimes I see him looking really glum when


    he doesn¡¯t realize anyone is looking. He and I be closer. I genuinely consider him my friend now,


    not just my guard. I do my best to joke around or bake for him, get his mind off of things, but I know


    what it feels like to be lonely. It¡¯s a bottomless pit that you just keep falling down. There is no getting out


    of it unless someone throws you a rope and you catch it.


    I¡¯ve decided I ¡® in going to ask Bronx if we can give them both an extended vacation or a bonus or both.


    I don¡¯t know if it is appropriate or not, but I feel like they have sacrificed so much to be here to protect


    me, I can¡¯t just turn a blind eye. I want to show them my appreciation.


    Lady Camille and the sisters of the coven have been so kind and generous. I know I have friends for


    life here. They have taught me so much about myself, how to let go of all the shitty things that have


    happened and hold on to the good. I don¡¯t know what I can do to show them my thanks, but I make a


    mental note to ask Delh as soon as we get home and she¡¯s settled in.


    They¡¯ve taught me how to control my abilities, to not be ashamed of my own physical form, and to


    appreciate my spirit. My healer abilities still fascinate me. I still need to practice a lot to fully control it,


    but I find it beautiful to be able to cure someone or take away their pain. I can¡¯ t wait to use them in real


    life. Also, I have a deeper connection to my mate. I can remember lifetimes of being with him and the


    closer our connection the more he will remember too. I have not had any premonitions while I¡¯ve been


    here, but I promise Lady Camille if it happens, I will have Bronx bring me back right away.


    One of the things the sisters have not taught me is fighting skills. They are pacifists and don¡¯t believe in


    violence. James and Milo both agree I should at least know how to defend myself. We get permission


    from Lady Camille to at least practice blocking and


    escaping holds. She agreed, so in our free time, we practice basic moves. Just a few blocks and how


    to escape holds. We make sure we are still respectful of the sisters¡¯ beliefs but still learning.


    I have a fewst things to pack but I keep getting distracted by daydreams of being home and about


    the future.


    Out of nowhere, a distinct tug pulls in my heart.


    ¡°Lex, did you feel that?¡± I rub my chest from the sensation.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Are you having a heart attack? You¡¯re only seventeen. You can¡¯t have a heart attack. Can


    you?¡± she asks, concerned about me.


    ¡°No, I feel like I ¡®m fine, but something is wrong. I know that doesn¡¯t make sense, ¡± I feel my brows knit


    as the sharp pain turns into a dull thud.


    ¡°Uh oh.¡±


    ¡°What, uh oh? No uh ohs, Lex.¡±


    ¡°What if something happened to our mate, and we are feeling it because of our connection?¡±


    ¡°Uh oh.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not marked. I thought that only happens to mates who are marked?¡°


    ¡°You and Bronx are not regr werewolves, Kas,¡± she warns.


    Panic quickly tries to burrow its way into my chest. I bolt out of the room to find help. Marco is standing


    in the hall, on duty. I grab him by the hand and start pulling on him. I can feel tears


    starting to sting my eyes, ¡°Come on, Marco! We need to find Lady Camille. Do you have your cell


    phone? We need to call Bronx right away.¡°


    He runs with me, trailing back by a step, ¡°Luna, I don¡¯t understand? What happened? The Alpha should


    be arriving in any minute.¡°


    Ie to a sliding stop in the front sitting room. Lady Camille is sitting with two young witches having


    tea.


    ¡°Lady Camille, ¡± I cry out, ¡°Please give Marco ess to use his phone to call Alpha Bronx. Please! ¡°


    ¡°Luna lokaste, what¡¯s wrong, child?¡± she stares at me with disbelief and worry on her face.


    ¡°I felt something through my connection with my mate. Something¡¯s wrong. I can¡¯t tell what, I can just


    feel it,¡± I feel the tears threatening to spill over.


    Lady Camille looks at me trying to search for something, I¡¯m not sure what.


    ¡°Very well. Go ahead, Marco. Your phone should work now,¡± she motions to him calmly.


    Marco pulls his cell phone from his pocket, dials, and puts it on speaker. The call goes straight to


    Bronx¡¯s voicemail.


    ¡°He must still be on the ne, ¡± Marco shakes his head trying to justify.


    ¡°No! No! Please call Beta Milo,¡± the panic that has burrowed itself in my chest was nowing through


    in my voice. I need to calm


    down and think rationally, but there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to happen until I know Bronx is safe. Marco


    dials the phone again.


    ¡°Marco? Is that you?¡± I hear Milo¡¯s deep voice on the other end.


    ¡°Milo! When did Bronx leave for France? ¡± I cry into the phone,pletely cutting Marco out. The panic


    has pushed the tears out of my eyes and I can¡¯t stop them from flowing now, ¡°He¡¯s not here yet! His


    phone went right to voicemail.¡°


    ¡°Hey there Little Sister! I think the jet was supposed to take off around five -thirty this morning. Let me


    check with Carly. Give me just a second. It¡¯s going to be okay. We will get this figured out,¡± He


    reassures me when he hears my tone.


    Marco gently takes my hand, ¡°See, Luna, it¡¯s going to be okay. Beta Milo has it under control, ¡± I try to


    smile at him, but all I have is panic and tears right now.


    I feel like Milo put us on hold forever. Marco must have mind- linked James because he and Delh


    come into the sitting room. Delh takes my other hand, to try tofort me. Marco lets my hand go


    and pulls James to the side, speaking to him in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Yeah, Carly says he took off at five thirty¡ªfive this morning. He should havended, like, six hours


    ago. Maybe he doesn¡¯t have good reception on the way to the coven? Give it another hour, Kas. He will


    be there soon.¡°


    I don¡¯t know how else to exin it except to say that Lex snapped. I feel my skin turn itchy and hot.


    With out warning, my consciousness get yanked back in my mind.


    ¡°Lex! Stop! We can¡¯t shift right now! ¡± I fight against her. I pull on her as hard as I could, fighting for


    control.


    ¡°NO GHOST! YOUR ALPHA IS IN TROUBLE. FIND HIM NOW! ¡± her


    voice booms into the phone, speaking directly to Milo¡¯s wolf The walls of the coven house rattle as her


    voice thunders in its ethereal tone.


    ¡°Y-yes, Luna, ¡± his voice suddenly bes very small, ¡°Marco, I will call you back in ten minutes. I


    need to get people into the office, so we can figure out what¡¯s going on.¡°


    The line disconnects and I am thrust back into control of my body. I hold my hands to my mouth, ¡°I-I¡¯m


    so sorry! Lex took over.¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Luna lokaste, don¡¯t forget, she is a wolf after all. She¡¯s right to take over if you need her, ¡±


    Delh reassures me while she pats my hand, ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down? A quick meditation will suit us


    until Beta Milo calls back, alright?¡°


    I nod and sit on the love seat with her. I look up at Marco and


    James, I think they are scared of after Lex¡¯s outburst. Panic gives way to a numbness I haven¡¯t felt in


    months.


    ¡°Lady Camille, do you think it would work if I try to reach out to Bronx through our connection? Even if


    we aren¡¯t marked yet?¡± I ask nkly.


    ¡°Well, if you say you have already felt a sensation in your heart, then yes, your connection is strong


    enough, Luna lokaste. But be advised, depending on how deep your connection runs, you could


    experience the same sensations he is. Good or bad. You need to use caution if you try to reach out to


    his spirit.¡°


    I consider her words. If I put myself in danger, Bronx is going to be pissed. But if I don¡¯t try to reach out


    to him and something


    happens that could be prevented, I don¡¯t know how I will live with myself.


    Honestly, I don¡¯t know how I will live without Bronx.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that, Kas,¡± Lex whines, ¡°You can do this. I believe in you. You can find him.¡°


    Her determination feeds my confidence. I will find him at all costs.


    Just then, Marco¡¯s phone rings. I jump out of my seat as he answers it and puts it on speaker.


    ¡°Go ahead, Beta. We are all here, I have you on speaker, ¡± Marco says.


    ¡°Marco, James. Kas is right. The jet didn¡¯tnd at Agen La Garenne Airport, but there have been no


    emergency beacons or reports of crashes. We¡¯re working on tracking its location. I¡¯m getting on a ne


    with your old team.¡°


    Marco and James give each other a knowing look, then look over at me. It was a mix of remorse,


    sympathy, and a hint of fear swirling in their eyes.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Milo continues, ¡°Unfortunately, that means the four of you are going to have to sit tight at the coven


    house. If the Alpha is in danger, then so is Kas. We can¡¯t let her leave the realm until we find him. Lady


    Camille, I apologize for the additional intrusion.¡±


    ¡± It is no problem, Beta Milo Burns, ¡± Lady Camille reassures him.


    ¡°Marco, James, sorry to do this to you, but get caffeinated, secure the Luna, wait for my call,¡± Milo


    continues. His tone is serious as he gives orders.


    ¡°Yes, Beta,¡± They say in unison before Marco cuts the line.

 Chapter 37

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 37


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 37


    My heart sinks. No no no no. This is not happening. This is NOT happening! Okay, calm down, Kas.


    Meditate. Find him through our connection. You¡¯re a Goddess, damn it.


    ¡°Alright, if I have to be on lockdown, can it be in the meditation room, please?¡± I ask Lady Camille.


    ¡°Of course, Luna lokaste. Please be careful in your search. Sister Delh, please apany your


    Luna. Should she need anything, you are to assist in any way you can,¡± Lady Camille says in a


    comforting manner.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Camille, ¡± I sigh with my hands over my heart.


    Marco gently takes me by the elbow and leads me to the meditation room with James and Delh right


    behind us. Marco and James have never really needed to protect me from a threat. It was shocking to


    see how their demeanor changed from being watchful to being protective.


    There¡¯s no windows or other doors in the meditation room. It is dimly lit with mats and cushions ced


    on the floor. There is a hint of music ying in the background. One way in, one way out. The perfect


    location to be protected by my guards. They make sure no one else is in the room, James kisses


    Delh deeply, then they step out, and close the door behind us.


    ¡°Okay, Delh, I¡¯m going to try to find my mate


    through our connection. Please pray to Goddess Hecate to keep me safe,¡± I look into her deep blue


    eyes as we join hands.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m right here if you need me, Luna Iokaste,¡± she looks at me withpassion and worry. I can¡¯t


    help but chuckle.


    ¡°Delh, if you¡¯reing to live with us, please, call me Kas or Luna Kas if you insist on using my title,


    ¡± I plead with her with as much of a smile as I can muster.


    She smiles shyly and nods.


    I sit on the soft mat on the floor, close my eyes, and let my spirit extend out into the universe.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I wake up in a dark, musty room. The air is stale, hot, and humid. My head is pounding. I try to shake


    out the feeling and look around me. The edges of my vision are a bit blurry but I can still see.


    Okay, first thing¡¯s first, I need to orient myself and assess my situation.


    I¡¯m in the center of the dungeon cell, hanging by silver shackles. My shoes are missing and my toes


    are barely touching the damp ground. My body weight is putting pressure on the silver shackles around


    my wrists, and let me tell you, that shit burns. Welp, not a great situation.


    ¡°Saint, you there? You okay?¡°


    ¡°Concentrated wolfsbane?¡± he asks with a groan, ¡± What kind of sick f*ck is that guy?¡±


    Alright, so the rag to the face was full of wolfsbane. I don¡¯t taste any in my mouth, so I didn¡¯t ingest any.


    That¡¯s at least one good sign.


    ¡°Okay, man. I¡¯ll figure out how to get outta here. Let me know when you are ready, cause when I get


    out, we¡¯re gonna need to shift.¡°


    ¡°Ten-four, ¡± he groans weakly. I know he will rebound quickly.


    Graham Connors. How did he get on my jet? It had to be that substitute pilot. Doesn¡¯t matter now.


    Focus, Bronx.


    What does matter is, where the Hell am I? I don¡¯t see anything distinctive to help identify where I could


    be. Great. Nothing smells familiar. Great. I don¡¯t hear


    any noises outside, so I¡¯m somewhere remote. Great. There¡¯s one small window with bars. No way I


    could fit through it regardless.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Great. The only way out is through the cell door, which is locked and appears to be made out of silver.


    Things are not looking up for me. At least I didn¡¯t ingest any wolfsbane.


    I look up to see my shackles attached to an eye hook in the ceiling. The ceiling looks like it is made of


    cement which is crumbling. I wonder how weak the cement is? If I can get enough leverage from my


    bodyweight, maybe I can pull the eye hook out. It¡¯s the only n I have. I lift my legs up toward my


    elbows and throw my feet down forcefully. Burning pain rips through my wrists but I feel the hook


    loosen. I make the same movement one more time. The skin on my wrists is blistering from the


    pressure


    against the silver. The hook is deep in the ceiling but it¡¯s moving.


    I¡¯m about to lift my legs up a third time but I hear a door creak and footstepsing down the hall. I


    also hear a soft dragging, scraping sound. The smell


    of whiskey, wolfsbane, and rogue wolf hit my nose.


    Connorses into view. His clothes are torn and disheveled. He¡¯s holding an empty liquor bottle in


    one hand and a whip in the


    other. The whip looks like a cat of nine tails with tiny rows of barbs at the ends. It is dripping wet with


    wolfsbane.


    ¡°Well well well, lookie what the rogue caught himself, ¡± he slurs heavily, ¡°I got myself a big bad Alpha


    Regent.¡°


    He slowly approaches me. I swear he took a bath in the whiskey.


    ¡°Where is my ve?¡± he snarls. His eyes are feral behind his intoxication.


    ¡°Kas is NOT your ve and her location is not your concern, motherf*cker,¡± I growl and spit at his face.


    I have to keep him talking. If he¡¯s talking, he¡¯s distracted. If he¡¯s distracted, I have a better chance of


    making it out of this alive.


    ¡°Bronx Mason, you are not in a position to say no. You will tell me,¡± he snarls again.


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡± I growl back at him. Anger is flowing through me. I yank my wrists forcefully


    against the shackles, ignoring the pain. I feel more movementing from the eye hook.


    He doesn¡¯t answer. A sick smilees across his face. He unzips his pants and pees on my legs.


    Gross. I feel Saint starting to stir. He won¡¯t stand for this kind of disrespect.


    ¡°Because you won¡¯t like what happens if you don¡¯t, ¡± heughs as he sways and zips his pants.


    ¡°If you kill me, you¡¯ll never find her. I ¡®m the only one who knows where she is,¡± I retort defiantly.


    His cold, drunk eyes turn ck.


    ¡°Oh hey there wolfie. What¡¯s your name?¡± I egg on his wolf peeking through.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ruckus and I want my ve back, ¡± he takes a couple of steps forward.


    ¡°Not gonna happen, big guy. She was never meant to be your ve. You and Connors took an innocent


    girl and abused the shit out of her,¡± I snarl back. Neither Saint nor I are afraid of some feral wolf.


    Especially if they threaten our mate.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me where she is, then you get a taste of what she experiences when she disobeys me,


    ¡± he roars and spins me so my back faces him. I feel movement above me as the eye hook wiggles


    looser. He rips my shirt off and steps back. The firstsh makes my back feel like it¡¯s on fire.


    ¡°Arrghh!! ¡± I yell out. Holy. Shit.


    ¡°F*ck! More wolfsbane?! ¡± Saint yells in my mind at the same time.


    Connors rains downshes with the whip until he¡¯s out of breath. The pain is excruciating. I feel myself


    getting weaker with each thrash. The puddle of


    blood under my feet is getting bigger. Filling the air with a copper smell.


    Saint has no choice but to retreat. Any progress he made on recovering has been erased by the poison


    now weaving its way through my veins. We¡¯re relying solely on my physical strength now. I won¡¯ t let


    him down. The poison is going to kill him if I don¡¯t do something fast. I can feel him fading.


    I¡¯m helpless, hanging from the ceiling. I try kicking Connors but he is too far away. I¡¯m panting but can¡¯t


    catch my breath between each stinging sh against my skin. What he doesn¡¯t realize is with each


    lash, I pull down harder on my wrists. The eye hook I am tethered to bes looser and looser.


    ¡±Tell me where she is!?¡± he rages.


    ¡±Get f*cked, ¡± I grunt. I take a chance as I use thest of my strength and heave myself up, grab the


    chains fully with my hands and yank my full bodyweight down. The eye hook finally gives way, causing


    me toe crashing down on my raw bleeding back into the pool of my own blood.


    The impact knocks the wind out of me. Combined with the pain of the wolfsbanecedshes, I see


    stars. Before I can react, the silver chains fall forcefully against my bare chest blistering my skin. I blink


    a few times trying to orient myself, when I realize Connors is standing over me. His face is surprised


    but still full of drunken rage.


    He pulls his arm back and brings the whip down with his full force. I tighten my chains taught in my


    hands and quickly extend my arms straight up. The chains catch the ends of the whip tangling the two


    together. The tangled leather mixed in the chains makes it easy to yank Connors down on top of me.


    He is so


    drunk, he doesn¡¯t even try to stop himself from falling. His necknds directly on the outstretched chain.


    I catch him and quickly wrap the chain around causing him to choke and burn at the


    same time. I manage to roll us over so I¡¯m on top of him. He looks dazed, even before I start punching


    him. Even with Saint ipacitated, my rage is more than enough for both of us. I start punching him


    with as much strength as I have, pulling my arm as far back as the shackles will allow and letting my


    fist fall


    heavily on his face. I keep punching until he doesn¡¯t have a face left to speak of.


    When I feel like I have no strength left, all my rage exacted on Connors¡¯ face, I unwrap the chain from


    around his neck and roll off of him falling back with exhaustion. Iy on the ground trying to catch my


    breath, feeling woozy. Knowing I have to get up and move. I have to get out of here.


    I roll over and sit up on my knees. Every movement is torture in and of itself. I pat down Connors and


    find the key to the silver chains and the dungeon cell. I free myself, standing in the puddle of my own


    blood and I teeter out of the cell, closing Connors inside and locking it. I throw the key down the drain


    of the neighboring cell and slide along the wall of the long hallway as I make my way out of the


    dungeon. I look down at my hands, only the top edge of Kas¡¯s quote remains on my wrist. The rest


    blistered off by the silver shackles.


    I push open the door to the dungeon and fall forward onto a dusty hardwood floor. I seem to be in a


    small abandoned packhouse. I drag myself up the stairs and find a bedroom with a dirty, ancient


    looking mattress on the floor. I can¡¯t catch my breath, each one is more short and ragged than thest.


    I close the door and lock it, then copse onto the mattress. The edges of my vision turn dark.


    ¡°Saint, I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t get up. We¡¯re dying. Th- this is the end, buddy.¡±


    There¡¯s no answer. I can¡¯t feel him. Saint is gone.


    ¡± Saint? ¡± I continue to speak to him. Even if he is just a memory, he is all I have right now. I can¡¯t stand


    thinking I ¡®m alone in thesest moments of my life. I will always have Saint. Forever in the past and


    forever in the future, right? But I don¡¯t want him in the future. I want him here right now.


    A realization hits me at that moment. This is what Connors did to Kas. Over and over again. He


    destroyed her body, shattered her mind and filled her with deadly poison. Taking her to the brink of


    death but she survived. Lex had still been asleep; Kas was alone. Just like I am now. She is infinitely


    stronger than I had ever been.


    I feel a tear slide down my cheek as the world turns blurry, my limbs go numb, and everything fades


    away as I float off into oblivion.

 Chapter 38

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 38


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 38


    Kas¡¯s POV


    As I pull away from my physical body and spread my spirit into the universe, I feel him. His spirit is


    fading but he¡¯s there. I sense a familiar pain coursing


    through me. Something tells me his back is wet with blood and there is poison in his veins, but my spirit


    doesn¡¯t understand that physical concept.


    I focus on him with all my power. His and Saint¡¯s souls are in limbo. No longer connected to each other,


    not alive, but not yet dead. I collect their essences, willing them toe toward me, toward life, and


    follow me back to Bronx¡¯s body before it¡¯s toote. I push my healing powers out to Bronx and Saint.


    Giving them the strength to live.


    ¡± Bronx,e back, Sweetheart, ¡± I sense his spirit recognizes mine. He flickers brighter. It¡¯s almost


    indistinguishable but it¡¯s there. The tiniest little spark, ¡°I need you to tell me where you are, Bronx. ¡°


    A visiones to me of an abandoned house with a human church in the distance. It¡¯s a very old stone


    structure. The bell tower has tworge bells hanging. The church bells chime a distinct tune. Hopefully


    it¡¯s enough to help Milo identify where he is.


    ¡°Hold on, Bronx, we¡¯reing for you,¡± I whisper.


    I pull my spirit back to my body, collecting all the pieces of my essence as I pull back into to my


    physical form. Something feels wrong. Something is missing. I open my eyes to see Marco, James,


    Delh, and Lady Camille standing over me. Delh is crying. I¡¯m t on my back. The floor below me


    is wet and sticky. I try to sit up, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m dizzy, sick to my stomach, and weak. I can¡¯t feel Lex,


    there is a void where she usually sits.


    ¡°I can describe where he is,¡± I say weakly.


    I tell them about the vision and Bronx being close to death. I brought him back, but I don¡¯t know for how


    long.


    ¡°We got it from here, Luna. Lady Camille, let¡¯s get her medical attention, right now, ¡± James said.


    Lady Camille nods and swipes her hand over my face, ¡°Sleep Luna lokaste, reserve your energy.¡±


    I don¡¯t have a choice. The strength of her magic immediately slips me into a dreamless sleep.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    Floating in the ether at the edge of death. Cold and dark butforting at the same time. There is no


    pain, no emotion, no time, just darkness. In this emptiness, I feel it more than hear it. A sensation


    calling out to me, calling my name with no words,


    weightlessly pulling me to an unknown destination. It doesn¡¯t matter where it¡¯s leading me. I let it guide


    me through the


    darkness. Am I going toward the sce of death or the warmth of the world of the living? I have no way


    of knowing.


    A healing warmth fills my chest and spreads out to every cell of my body. It separates me from the


    ether and sucks out the poison, it seals the wounds of the body I left beind and refills my spirit with


    emotions. I t sense it cing a healing warm glow


    around Saint¡¯s soul. I know he is there with me, being pulled away from the ether but he still feels


    separate from me.


    ¡°Bronx,e back, Sweetheart, ¡± I hear it now. Kas¡¯s voice calling to me, ¡°I need you to tell me where


    you are, Bronx,¡±


    It¡¯s definitely her voice. It isn¡¯t in the air and it isn¡¯t my


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    imagination or a hallucination. It¡¯s like it¡¯sing from my own soul.


    ¡°Kas? Where are you?¡± I call out, desperate to be closer to her.


    I slowly open my eyes. It¡¯s daylight now. Kas is not here. I know I heard her. I know she is here with


    me.


    ¡± Kas, Baby? I heard you. Where are you? ¡± I ignore the pain coursing through my body and use all my


    strength to crawl on my hands and knees to the window. She wants to know where I am. I look out and


    see an old stone church with two bells. The bells start to chime a sweet tune.


    ¡°Kas, I¡¯m in an abandoned packhouse. It¡¯s hot outside and humid. I can see the steeple of a human


    church,¡± I say out loud. I have no idea how she ismunicating with me but I figure my best bet is to


    speak out loud.


    ¡°Kas, I can¡¯t feel Saint, ¡± I¡¯m fighting back the lump in my throat that will bring forth tears, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Hold on for me, Sweetheart. We areing, we¡¯reing for you.¡±


    I crawl back to the mattress and flop down. The movement to and from the window,pletely


    exhausted me. My fingertips feel numb.


    I close my eyes again praying to the Moon Goddess, I don¡¯t die in my sleep.


    ¡°Bronx! ¡°


    ¡°Alpha! Can you hear us?¡±


    I hear familiar voices and movements in the house. I try to open my eyes but it¡¯s a struggle. I don¡¯t have


    the strength to even open my eyes.


    ¡°Milo? Henri?¡± I whisper. There are other voices too.


    I hear crashing sounds as they bust down doors to other rooms. I try to call out but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m too


    weak. The door to my room crashes open. Milo barges in.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess! Bronx! ¡± Milo runs over to me while Henri yells to people in the hall.


    I use all the strength I have to take his hand. I let the tears I have been holding back fall freely now.


    ¡°Saint¡¯s gone, ¡± I whisper.


    ¡°What? No Bronx, that can¡¯t be. You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood but you¡¯re gonna be alright. Just hang in


    there, my dude. We¡¯re going to give you morphine and get you to Kas right away, ¡± Milo¡¯s voice is calm


    but his face is pure panic.


    A woman in a military medic uniform rushes into the room. She pulls a morphine pen from her medical


    bag and injects me. My mind fades into a dreamless sleep.


    I feel my body being jostled around. I open my eyes, I¡¯m on the floor of a helicopter. There is a tube


    connected to Milo¡¯s arm feeding into mine. A field blood transfusion. It¡¯s a dangerous procedure,


    reserved for dire cases. He is yelling out orders to the pilot. I fall back into the dream less sleep. I wake


    up again for a moment,ying in the back of a bumpy SUV before I fade out once more. I wake again to


    Milo carrying me over his back in a fireman¡¯s carry through the coven house.


    ¡°Milo¡± I eke out, weakly patting him on the ribs, ¡± put me down.¡±


    ¡°Nah man, we are getting you to bed. There¡¯s no way you can stand right now. Henri and I are going to


    give you another transfusion of our blood. Just hang in there.¡°


    ¡°Is Kas here?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yeah Bronx, we¡¯re taking you to her,¡± Milo responds sympathetically. I look to see Henri is directly


    behind him, pulling out more tubing and needle to perform another field transfusion. My friends are


    keeping me alive with their blood.


    They take me down a hallway to Kas¡¯s room and sit me on a stool. Milo kneels in front of me letting me


    lean all my weight onto him. Henri pokes a needle into his arm, then into mine. I turn my head to see a


    witching over to tend to my wounds.


    ¡°Alpha Regent Bronx Mason, may I have your permission to help heal you with magic? I believe I will


    only be able to slow the blood loss. Your wolf will need to help with the rest.¡± she asks.


    ¡°Just do it,¡± Milo snaps, ¡°I am currently the acting Blood River Alpha. I give you permission on Bronx¡¯s


    behalf.¡±


    I ignore their conversation. I can¡¯t focus on anything they are saying anyway. The world is fading in and


    out as I lean heavily on Milo. A wave offort gently washes over me.


    ¡°Kas?¡± I can smell her fresh rain and lc scent, warming me to the core.


    ¡°Bronx, my friend, let the witch clean your wounds, then you can goy down with your mate, ¡± Henri


    says reassuringly.


    Lay down with her? I look up to see there are several witches, James, and Marco all gathered around a


    large bed. Kas isying on her stomach, still and pale. Bandages are covering her back.


    ¡°Kas?¡± My breath shortens as anger and panic set in. I feel tears well up seeing her helpless on the


    bed. I try to get up to go to her but Milo pulls me back down, ¡°What happened? Who did this to her?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I even tried to tell you, Alpha, ¡± James shakes his head at me.


    After about fifteen minutes, the witch is finished putting a salve on my back and gently applying


    bandages, but she does not tape them all the way down. She advises that Lady Camille needs to look


    at me first. Henri ends the transfusion. He and Milo pick me up and set me on the bed, swinging my


    legs up for me so I can rest next to my mate.


    ¡°On your stomach please, Alpha Bronx. I need to confirm if my theory is correct. It will determine the


    best way to heal you both, ¡± Lady Camille addresses me. She then turns to the room, ¡°If you are not a


    member of the Blood River pack, please leave the room.¡±


    All the women except Delh leave.


    ¡°Please face me, Alpha Bronx, I don¡¯t want you to see the state Luna lokaste is in right now,¡± Lady


    Camillemands.


    ¡°But¡ª ¡°


    ¡°There is no time for ¡®but¡¯, Alpha Bronx, there is only time for action, ¡± she firmly schools me.


    She carefully lifts the dressings from my back. I hear Delh doing the same for Kas.


    ¡°As I suspected. Alpha Bronx, you and Luna Iokaste¡¯s injuries are identical. I will exin how I believe


    this happened but that is not important right now.


    What¡¯s important is that you heal each other. Then we can discuss specifics.¡±


    She says it so matter of factly that I thought she was talking to someone else. I feel her gently securing


    the dressings to my raw back.


    ¡°Lady Camille, I¡¯m not a healer, ¡± I give her a confused look.


    ¡°Alpha Bronx, you are her healer, ¡± she face softens as she tilts her head toward Kas.


    I look over to see Delh finishing up the dressings on Kas¡¯s back. When she¡¯s done, everyone quietly


    files out of the room.


    I ¡®m not really sure what I ¡®m supposed to do, but I already feel better just being next to Kas. That has


    to mean something, right? I carefully roll on my side, forcing myself to ignore my own pain. Kas is the


    only thing that matters now. I brush some of her glittering silver hair out of her face and take her little


    hand as I admire her beautiful features.


    ¡°Baby, when you called for me, I heard you and you led me back. Now I ¡®m calling for you. Wherever


    you are in there or out there or whatever, pleasee back. Come back to me, my little goddess.


    Pleasee back because I can¡¯t do this without you.¡±


    I kiss her hand and hold it to my cheek. She doesn¡¯t respond at all, not even a twitch. She is deathly


    still next to me. How did this happen? How could I have prevented this? I promised her and failed.


    I close my eyes and focus on her. Thinking about good times we¡¯ve shared, her sweet little giggle, her


    face when she is baking or cooking. I feel a warmthing from her hand.


    I open my eyes and search her features but nothing has changed. It is my hopeful imagination.


    ¡°Please, Kas. Pleasee back to me. I can¡¯t be alone. I just-,¡± I whisper with a ragged breath before


    the tears I have been holding back start to slide


    down my cheeks. Now that the adreneline has start to die down, I feel exhausted. My eyes grow heavy


    and I let myself fall asleep next to my mate. Holding her hand to my cheek. I will never let her go again.

 Chapter 39

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 39


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 39


    Lex¡¯s POV


    I can¡¯t feel Kas. For the first time in millennia, our spirits are split from each other. I know I¡¯m a warrior,


    but I¡¯m scared. Kas and I have worked through our problems together forever. Like she said, forever in


    the past and forever in the future.


    Without her, I¡¯m just a wolf. I don¡¯t know where I am or how I¡¯m going to get back to her.


    Thest thing I remember, she was reaching out to the universe to find our mate. She didn¡¯t realize she


    reached too far. But I don¡¯t me her, she did the right thing. We needed to find Saint and Bronx. We


    found them. By the time we got to Bronx, Saint was already edging to purgatory, moments from death.


    Kas was amazing. She kept reaching, even after we were stretched too far. I helped but I could feel the


    strain on her human spirit. I reached out to Saint and made a connection with him. I led him back to


    Bronx. I don¡¯t know if he made it all the way, I hope he did. Saint isn¡¯t here now. Neither is Kas or


    Bronx.


    I¡¯m so scared. I pray my mother, the Moon Goddess, finds m e and leads me back to Kas. I¡¯m so empty


    without her.


    I keep hearing sounds. They are so far away that I ¡®m not sure if they are real or not, it¡¯s just a feeling.


    ¡°Hello?¡± my voice doesn¡¯t even have an echo. I need to focus. I need to find my way back to Kas and


    Saint and Bronx. I need to make sure they are alright.


    Alright, Lex. Focus. Time to think our way back to Kas and our mate.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Saint¡¯s POV


    This is dead. I¡¯ve been here before but it¡¯s different this time. I¡¯m disconnected from Bronx. I don¡¯t want


    to be scared, but I am. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been here but I don¡¯t think it matters.


    Like Kas said, forever in the past and forever in the future. As long as I can find my way back to Bronx,


    everything will be okay.


    Everything is so still and peaceful in this ce. It doesn¡¯t feel right. I feel like I should be angry but I


    don¡¯t feel anything.


    Murdered by a rogue. What a disgraceful way to go. I won¡¯t let that happen again. I learn from every


    experience. I¡¯m a warrior. But I can¡¯t be a warrior if I ¡®m dead. I have to find my way back from dead.


    I miss my mate, Elexis. I guess that is a feeling, right? Missing someone I mean. I miss Bronx and Kas


    too. Bronx said we could make a pup with Kas. Dead means we can¡¯t do that.


    I feel like I can hear sounds but it might be my imagination.


    Maybe I feel it, not hear it. I don¡¯t know, shit is so confusing right now.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I snarl. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna let anyone bait me. I need to figure out a way to get


    back. Get back to being alive. Get back to Bronx and Elexis and Kas. It is my job to protect them.


    It¡¯s probably not a good idea but let myself be led toward the sound, even if it is my imagination. It is


    something better than nothing.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I¡¯ve lost track of time, but when I open my eyes, I see the sun is coining up through the window. Kas is


    stillying in front of me on her stomach. I don¡¯ t think she has moved at all. I stretch a little to see how


    my back feels. It still hurts, I can feel scabs over the cuts. I ¡®in not fully healed yet, but still much faster


    than any human would.


    ¡±Saint, buddy, you there? Please be there, Saint, ¡± No reply. I can feel him, but I can¡¯ t reach wherever


    he is. If he is that far away, how have I healed this much?


    I sit up on the edge of the bed and lean forward, testing my legs to make sure I¡¯in not going to fall. I¡¯in


    able to stand. I make my


    way to the bathroom. I ssh water on my face and look in the mirror. I look like shit. I am pale, my


    eyes are puffy, and my hair is a rat¡¯s nest. There is still a deep red burn mark from the silver chains


    across my chest. I reach around to my back and gently pull off the dressing. I turn to see how bad it is


    in the mirror. Oh shit. Bad, but it is healing. I press the tape of the bandages back down as gently as


    possible.


    I fill a cup with water and make my way back to the bedroom. I set the cup on the nightstand and sit


    next to Kas.


    ¡±Kas, Baby, can you hear me?¡± I brush her hair out of her face and off her neck, letting my fingers


    brush against her skin and linger. I feel a sense of relief as the familiar sparks of our mate bond burst at


    our touch. I lean forward and kiss her cheek. I gently speak into her ear, ¡± Come on, Baby. Time for you


    toe back to me. Wake up, open your eyes for me. ¡±


    She stirs slightly and furrows her brow. She opens her eyes and blinks with a groan. There are dark


    circles under her violet eyes. They look dull and tired but my heart jumps at the sight. I¡¯ve never heard


    a better sound in my life.


    Iy down next to her so she doesn¡¯t have to move and I can look her in the eyes, ¡°Kas, how are you


    feeling, Baby?¡°


    ¡°Bronx? How did you get here? Are you okay, Sweetheart?¡± She gingerly rolls onto her side to face me


    and caresses my face. She struggles to smile through a grimace of pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure how I got here, but I think there was a helicopter involved?¡± I pause, not sure if I


    should tell her the details of what I remember. I


    figure she is going to find out eventually, so I go for it, ¡°Graham Connors sabotaged me. He somehow


    had a substitute pilot


    assigned and hijacked my flight. The pilot must have let him hide before I boarded. ¡°


    ¡°He kidnapped you?¡± she sounds concerned.


    ¡°Yeah and he hurt me¡­like he used to hurt you,¡± I say softly, ¡°I thought I was going to die, Kas. I -I think


    I did, but I felt you calling me back. I don¡¯t know how you did it but you saved me Kas.¡°


    She smiles weakly and kisses my hands, ¡°Do you want me to exin what I think happened?¡°


    ¡°Only if you want to. I don¡¯t want you to push yourself right now.¡°


    She asks me to help her sit up. I carefully pull her so she is next to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s draw a bath, Sweetheart. The tub is big enough for both of us. We can add some healing herbs


    and soak for a while. I can exin then.¡°


    ¡°Okay, Baby. Here, have some water, ¡± I hand her the cup. She sits up and takes some deep gulps


    while I continue, ¡± Kas, I can¡¯t reach Saint. I feel like he is still there but too far away for me to contact.


    Is Lex with you?¡°


    She looks past me as she tries to talk to Lex, ¡°Same. I feel like she is lost inside me, ¡± a frownes


    over her face, making my heart clench, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bronx, we¡¯ll figure this out.¡±

 Chapter 40

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 40


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Beener chapter 40


    I run the water in the huge bathtub. Kases in with a sachet full of fragrant herbs and spreads them


    in the water. As they touch the surface, they sizzle and disappear, turning the water a deep aqua green.


    I step in first, then help her in.


    Kas sits behind me and gently pours water down my back, being careful not to touch my wounds with


    her hands. The initial sting gives way to a cooling


    feeling. My skin immediately feels relief causing me to audibly groan.


    ¡°Now this is some magic I can get into,¡± I sigh.


    Kas giggles behind me, ¡°These witches know a thing or two about healing, huh?¡±


    We adjust our positions so she is sitting in front of me. I move her braided hair out of the way and use


    the cup to pour the water over her back. The sight of her wounds makes my heart clench.


    ¡°Oh, Baby, this is terrible, ¡± I don¡¯t even realize I say i t out loud.


    ¡°It was worth it, Bronx. It isn¡¯t any worse than what I have experienced before,¡± she turns her head


    slightly back toward me and says with a slight hitch in her voice.


    ¡°Never again, ¡± I don¡¯t know if I am saying it to her, to myself, or to her mother the Moon Goddess


    herself, but I mean it.


    Kas sighs with relief as the water cascades down her back. I watch as the redness recedes into her


    skin and the swelling visibly wanes.


    She finally turns around to face me, resting her forehead on mine and intertwining our fingers. The


    sparks of our mate bond were


    weaker without Saint and Lex but the weing glow of our connection gently shines from where our


    hands touch.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She leans back slightly and looks me in the eye. She seems to stumble over her words a little, not sure


    where to begin, ¡°You know how I told you that when we¡¯re together, our spirits be more and more


    connected?¡°


    ¡°Yeah, I remember, Baby,¡± I caress my fingers against her cheek as I admire her beautiful face.


    ¡°Well, what I didn¡¯t get to tell you is that Lady Camille believes this is something new. We probably


    weren¡¯t able to connect like this in our past lives.


    Think of it as¡­hmmm¡­evolution? I guess?¡± the look on her face isplicated, like she isn¡¯t sure if


    she¡¯s exining it right.


    ¡°Mmm, okay. So every time we have sex, our spirits be a little closer to being one spirit? ¡± I smirk.


    She giggles and shakes her head at me.


    ¡°So yes, it is like two spirits where the edges are blurred and you can¡¯t tell where one ends and the


    other begins, but when you stand back, you can see there are actually two, ¡± she exins pointing


    back and forth between us.


    A little smirkes to her face as she continues, ¡± And I told you before, deepening our connection


    doesn¡¯t always have to be when we¡¯re having s*x.


    Just when things are emotionally charged, good or bad.¡±


    ¡±I mean, my memory isn¡¯t photographic or anything. That is the part I remember the most. But in all


    seriousness, it¡¯s like when


    we first introduced you to the pack and our hands started to glow or when you have a premonition, ¡± I


    nod in understanding. I think I finally grasp the concept, hopefully that¡¯s close enough.


    ¡±Exactly. Just like that. Meeting the pack was one of the happiest moments of my life. And that moment


    helped us get that much closer, ¡± she confirms pinching her finger and thumb almost together in front of


    her eye. A smile graces her gorgeous face as she remembers that day.


    ¡±When you were kidnapped, your spirit instinctively reached out to me for help because of the


    connection. I felt there was something wrong, but since the connection is new; it¡¯s not that strong yet.


    The sensation it creates is still limited. The only thing I could think to do was to figure out where you


    were and see if you were okay. I had to send my spirit out of my body. I¡¯ve never sent it that far before


    to connect with you like that. Not on purpose, anyway,¡± she shrugs. I think she is referring to the bell


    incident, but I don¡¯t interrupt.


    ¡±When my spirit found yours, you were on the cusp of death, Bronx. You were in the ce between life


    and death that my spirit shouldn¡¯t have tried to go. It goes against nature. I got to a point where I


    couldn¡¯t go anymore, so I had to just call for you and lead you toward me. When I felt you getting closer


    , I was able to send healing energy out to you. The closer I got to you, the more your injuries were


    passed to me. Itpletely drained me because my physical body was injured too. As I got weaker, I


    was losing my anchor to this world. Then, I saw the image of the church and came back to my body. I


    told everyone what I saw. I don¡¯t really remember much after that.¡°


    Tears are rolling down her face. I wipe them away and give her a gentle kiss. Holding her head in my


    hands. I look into her beautiful eyes when a realization hits me.


    Shit.


    ¡°So I did this to you?¡± I feel my brow knit as the words form. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You got hurt because I got hurt. I promised you no one would ever hurt you again, Kas but it was me.


    You got hurt because of me,¡± Anger washes over me like acid. I have nowhere to direct it to but myself.


    If Saint was here, he would call me a dummy. I¡¯m sure of it.


    ¡°No, Bronx. I got hurt because I did something stupid. I extended myself too far without knowing what I


    was doing. You¡¯re not


    allowed to me yourself for my recklessness, ¡± she sounds upset with herself now.


    ¡°You sacrificed for me. You saved me, Kas. You are the most selfless person I know. Thank you. I don¡¯t


    know what to say other than I love you. With everything I have, Kas Latmus, I love you, ¡± I look into her


    eyes. I meant every syble of what I just said. I never thought I would say it to anyone. She has


    changed my entire world, my entire outlook on life.


    ¡°I love you too, Bronx Mason, ¡± she smiles sweetly at me. There is no doubt in her eyes. I lean forward


    and give her full lips a gentle kiss. One full of promise and love.


    Her breath hitches as she continues. She starts to cry silent tears again, ¡°Bronx, w-we need to get Lex


    and Saint back. I can¡¯t stand this emptiness.¡°


    ¡°Okay, tell me what we need to do. I¡¯ll do whatever you tell me to, Kas. I need them back just as badly


    as you do.¡°


    ¡°I -I think we have to live without them for a while as we heal and get stronger. Our connection to each


    other helps us heal just like our wolves do. The closer we are, the faster our physical bodies heal, and I


    think it will help bring them back from wherever they are.¡°


    I nod with determination, ¡± Okay. Let¡¯s get home to Blood River, and get to healing. We¡¯ll figure out how


    to get our wolves back.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great, ¡± she smiles and leans against my chest with a sigh.


    ¡°Hello? Alpha, Luna?¡± Milo calls out from the bedroom.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the tub, Milo. Please send Delh and Lady Camille to check on our wounds. We will be out


    in just a minute, ¡± I call out.


    ¡°Sure thing, man.¡±


    I wait until we hear the door close behind him before I step out of the tub and wrap a towel around my


    waist. I help Kas out and grab her robe. She stands so I can slide it over her shoulders. I gently spin


    her back around and put it on her backward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt your back, Baby. This will let Lady Camille take a look.¡±


    She giggles her sweet as honeyugh and puts her arms through the sleeves.


    I help Kas put on pajama bottoms andy on her stomach across the bed. I grab the stool from the


    makeup vanity and sit next to her.


    We¡¯re whispering words meant only for the other to hear, holding hands, and giving each other sweet


    little kisses when Delh and Lady Camillee in.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re feeling better, ¡± Lady Camille smiles at our disy of affection.


    She and Delh check our injuries and decide to only put a salve on them, no dressings. Delh hands


    Kas an oversized shirt. It is loose andfortable on her. Miloes in with James and tosses me


    one of his shirts.


    Kas tells the witches about our wolves and her theory as to how to get them toe back. Lady


    Camille agrees but will do more research to see if she can find any more info that will be helpful. She


    discusses ways Delh can keep track of our wolves¡¯ progress and finally gives Kas tips on ways to


    conserve and focus her energy.


    ¡°Luna lokaste, it has been a pleasure training you. As we have agreed, I will see you every six months,


    but you are wee toe as often as you¡¯d like, ¡± Lady Camille addresses Kas warmly.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Camille. I owe everything to you,¡± Kas replies with a beautiful, loving smile.


    I stand up and take Lady Camille¡¯s hand. I give it a quick kiss, ¡°I¡¯m forever indebted to you, Lady


    Camille.¡±


    ¡°Keep my daughter safe and your debt is paid, Alpha Bronx Mason, ¡± she pinches my cheek and turns


    to Delh with outstretched arins. Delh gives her a deep hug.

 Chapter 41

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 41


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 41


    Kas¡¯s POV


    An hourter, we are standing at the gates to the coven¡¯s realm. Henri is there with cked-out SUVs


    to transport us. We don¡¯t stop at Lune D¡¯or, but we do stop at a small caf¨¦ in the quaint little human


    town where the airport is while we wait for our flight time. I am not very hungry, so I only have a small


    te of cheeses and meats.


    At first, Bronx insists I sit on hisp, but he keeps getting pulled away by phone calls, so I sit next to


    Delh. I watch my mate pacing and smoking outside the big window on the sidewalk, which reminds


    me that Marco has my phone. I don¡¯t expect any calls or messages.


    Everyone who has the number knew I was unavable.


    I power up the phone and wait a minute as it connects with wifi. Notifications started to ping¡­ dozens


    of them. Soon my phone is flooded with notifications. I open my texts to find that Bronx messaged me


    every day. Things to the effect of how much he cares about me and misses me, updates on things


    going on with the pack, and even some more private ones describing positions he wants to try when I


    get home. I feel the heat as my face blushes reading his ideas.


    I look up at him pacing on his phone. I ¡®m so in love with him. He nces over at me and sees the


    phone in my


    hands. I give him a little wave, he turns away as his face turns pink.


    It¡¯s finally time to board the jet. The energy of our group is upbeat but mellow from exhaustion at the


    same time. We can¡¯t stop talking about seeing our friends and eating pizza. James and Marco are


    dying for a beer. Milo can¡¯t wait to see Lenora even though it has only been a couple days. He insists


    she has important matters to discuss with me, but won¡¯t tell me what.


    After a couple of hours, Bronx and I start to get sleepy. He leads me to the back part of the ne where


    there¡¯s a little room with a bed. Exhaustion hits us both hard and we quickly fall asleep.


    I wake up to find our bodies tangled together. I lean forward and kiss his stubbly chin. He stirs a little


    but doesn¡¯t open his eyes.


    ¡± Baby, I had such a good dream, ¡± he murmurs. I ¡®m pretty sure he¡¯s talking in his sleep.


    ¡°Oh? What was it about?¡± I ask, just in case he is actually awake.


    ¡°You said you would- ¡°, the rest of the sentence was garbled babble. He starts snoring lightly before I


    could ask him to repeat it. I giggle and shake my head.


    Iy there a bit longer, but can¡¯t fall back asleep.


    ¡°Bronx, I¡¯m going to sit with Delh, okay?¡± ¡°Mmhmm, ¡± He untangles himself from me and rolls over.


    I walk out into the main cabin. It¡¯s dark outside and the cabin lights are dimmed. Delh is curled up,


    sleeping in James¡¯sp. He has his arms wrapped lovingly around her. He looks like he is about to fall


    asleep also. Milo is stretched out across two seats with the hood of his sweatshirt covering his face.


    I sit next to Marco who has the reading light on, focused intently on a magazine about cooking. Who


    knew?


    ¡°Hi Luna. How are you feeling?¡± He asks, setting the magazine down.


    ¡°As well as can be expected, thanks for asking, ¡± I point to his magazine, ¡°Do you like to cook, Marco?


    It¡¯s one of my favorite hobbies, you know.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    He looks at me with surprise, ¡°I figured you just made kick¡ªass sympathy cookies.¡±


    Iugh quietly and shake my head no.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t cook, ¡± he continues, ¡°but I want to learn. I¡¯m going to have a mate someday soon. sh


    keeps telling me so and Momma Sanchez always says ¡®trust your wolf.¡±¡¯


    ¡°Your mom is right, ¡± I smile thinking about the conversations we have had about how close he is to his


    family, ¡°You know, maybe I can convince Mrs. Miller to


    let me teach some cooking lessons in the packhouse kitchen. If you have any friends who want to join


    in, let me know.¡°


    ¡°Really, Luna? That would be awesome! ¡± he grins at me. ¡°Anything for my pack. Especially you and


    James. Now


    show me which recipes caught your eye.¡±


    We flip through the magazine, pointing out our favorite recipes until the stewardes in and tells us


    we will bending soon. I wake Bronx up and take our seats.


    Delh is stretching sleepily as James buckles her seatbelt for her. Bronx follows suit and buckles mine


    for me as well. He must remember how nervous I was thest time we flew, so he takes my hand in his


    before I need to ask.


    ¡°Almost there, Baby, ¡± he soothes as he leans in and kisses my cheek gently. His coffee and dark


    chocte scent calms me as the ne bounces and quickly slows down, just like it¡¯s supposed to.


    When we finally arrive at the packhouse, what looks to be the entire Blood River pack standing outside


    in the snow. Some in wolf form howling with joy, most in human form pping and cheering.


    Reggie, Ashley, and Lenora are standing on the front steps. Lenroa runs up to Milo and gives him a


    death grip of a hug. When she finally releases him, she and Ashley give us gentle hugs with tears in


    their eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever do that to me again, Bronx,¡± Lenora scolds her brother. I swear I see tears starting to


    form in her eyes.


    ¡°Sorry, Leni. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, ¡± he says as he holds her hand. He gives her a peck on the


    cheek which seems to be enough for her to forgive him.


    Bronx and I climb the steps so he can address the pack. ¡°Thank you all so much for the warm wee


    home.


    Luna Kas and I are grateful to be back and mostly in one piece, ¡± his deep voice booms.


    There¡¯s a small chuckle from the crowd, ¡°For the forseeable future, Beta Milo is still in charge while the


    Luna and I recover from our injuries and spend some quiet time together.¡°


    The people and wolves who are gathered around all bow to him.


    Bronx continues, ¡°We still n on having the Winter Solstice celebration as usual. Unfortunately, I will


    not be able to lead the pack run. I will leave that honor to Beta Milo.¡°


    ¡°Again, thank you for the warm wee home. We appreciate every one of you, ¡± he waves to the


    cheering crowd.


    Milo requests that we all go to Bronx¡¯s office including James, Delh, and Marco. When we are all


    gathered, he


    announces that he is giving both James and Marco a month of paid leave and dismisses them. The


    excitement in the room can¡¯t be higher.


    Once they leave, Lenora clears her throat and stands in front of us, and looks at me solemnly, ¡°Kas, I


    have some news.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Lenora? Is everything alright? ¡± Bronx hadn¡¯t told me it was something serious, just


    important. The look on her face says it¡¯s something serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need you and Ashley¡¯s help decorating the room next to Milo and mine,¡± a smile spreads


    across her face, ¡°because I¡¯m having a pup! We need a nursery! ¡°


    It takes a second to process what she just said in my tired brain. I look at Milo who is beaming ear to


    ear then back to Lenora who has a matching smile. I scream and hug Lenora tightly while I jump on my


    toes in her arms. She gently pats my back as sheughs.


    I¡¯m going to be Aunt Kas?! That¡¯s going to take a minute to get used to. Four months ago I didn¡¯t even


    have a sibling. Now I am part of a whole family.


    Us girls talk excitedly about the baby as the guys examine Bronx¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°So much for all that ink,¡± I overhear Reggie say as the guys have their own conversation, ¡°I guess if


    the scars aren¡¯t too bad, Cason can start over.¡±


    I make a mental note. Sounds like it¡¯s time to work on that connection so Bronx¡¯s skin will heal with


    minimal scars.

 Chapter 42

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 42


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 42


    After a long day of catching up with everyone, Bronx and I finally get back to our apartment. I¡¯m


    exhausted but I need a shower. The problem is, my back is still sore, and notpletely healed. I let


    Bronx lift my shirt to check my wounds. He agrees that the water pressure is probably a bad idea for


    another day or so.


    ¡°How about I run a bath for us, Baby? ¡± he offers. He gives me a gentle hug and goes to run the water.


    When I get into the bathroom, Bronx helps me undress. ¡°I got this, Baby. Let me take care of you,¡± he


    insists.


    I blush at the gesture as he carefully removes my clothes for me. With every piece of clothing he


    removes, he ces innocent little kisses on my skin, setting off little sparks with each one. He helps me


    into the tub, then removes his clothes and joins me.


    Bronx lets me look at his back first. His wounds are mostly healed except for the ones that were the


    deepest. There are scars starting to form across his whole back.


    Most of his tattoos are ruined.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    When I¡¯m done, we turn around so he can wash my back. His fingers brush against my skin causing


    little shivers to run down my spine. When he is finished he pulls my back close to his chest and wraps


    his arms around me. He breathes in my scent, caressing me gently.


    ¡°I love you, Kas. I know you told me it¡¯s not my fault, but I can¡¯t help but feel guilty for you getting hurt


    too. I am


    so grateful you did what you did, but you shouldn¡¯t have,¡± he says in a low tone.


    I pull away from his embrace and turn to face him.


    ¡±Bronx, I want to be the best mate that I can be for you. You are generous and selfless, even if you


    don¡¯t let the world see that side of you. I consider myself blessed that I get to see it. I want to give you


    everything I can. I don¡¯t really have any belongings to share with you, so all I have to give is¡­me, ¡± I


    smile softly, looking at him through hooded lids as I crawl onto him, straddling hisp. I lean against


    him, pressing my body firmly against him and start kissing his jaw and flick my tongue across his ear. I


    can feel his member start to twitch against me.


    ¡± Baby, what are you doing? You¡¯re not fully healed yet. I don¡¯t wanna hurt you, ¡± he groans lightly,


    trying to keep his voice even.


    ¡°Well then, it sounds like you have a choice to make. I can stop right now and we can just go get


    dressed and go to bed with all this sexual tension between us or you can let me keep going and figure


    out ways we can do this without causing each other any pain,¡± I give him the


    choice between kisses to his neck and jaw. I feel his hands tighten their grip against my hips. I can


    practically hear the gears churning in his head.


    ¡±Keep going, Baby, ¡± he whispers as he leans his head toward my ear, kissing my neck just below my


    earlobe.


    As he nuzzles my cheek, I feel his length growing and getting harder against my thigh. He lifts his


    knees, using his thighs to support me so I won¡¯t fall backward. The movement puts his tip closer to my


    entrance, allowing me to grind against him slowly.


    I sit back slightly so he can see me better. His eye darts down to my exposed breasts just above the


    waterline.


    His tongue licks his bottom lip, desperate to taste my nipple in his mouth. Knowing he can¡¯t grab onto


    my back to pull me closer, he ces one hand on the edge of the tub and uses the fingers of his other


    to roll my nipple between his fingers causing me to moan.


    ¡°Bronx. Fill my pussy to the brim with your hard cock, ¡± I growl in his ear. I don¡¯t usually talk dirty like


    that, but I use the phrase from one of his texts so he knows I have read them.


    His face spreads into a lopsided grin as he grips the edges of the tub and raises his hips slightly


    against me.


    ¡°I was thinking something more like this, ¡± I take one of his hands and ce it on my hip. I take the


    other hand and navigate his fingers to my clit. I use my hand to


    show him the circr motions I want him to make. His touch quickly brings a pleasurable tingling from


    my core.


    I move my hand and work it up and down the length of his quickly growing member, using the fingertips


    of my other hand to caress the tip. I lean forward and nibble on his ear at the same time making him


    growl with pleasure. As he bes more excited, he starts rubbing me faster, his breath bing


    heavier. I look to see he has a furrowed brow, panting, and looking at me through his eyshes.


    I put my thumb over the hole on his tip and put more pressure on the shaft before I pull up from the


    base to the tip and back down in one long smooth motion making him moan loudly. He moves his hand


    from my clit to the side of the tub and grips tightly as I drive him crazy. His other hand is still gripped


    firmly on my hip. I take the opportunity to slide myself down on hispletely hard member, letting it


    completely fill my core. I let out a moan of satisfaction at the feeling.


    I slide my hands out of the water, cascading soapy water over my breasts, and start ying with my


    nipples for him to watch. His pupil dtes at the sight. At the same time, I start rocking my hips, creating


    a slow steady rhythm. Bronx matches my movements, grabbing the other side of the tub as his hips


    push against me. I feel him throb inside me as he slides in and out of my core.


    His breath bes more ragged as he starts thrusting harder forcing me to press my knees closer to


    his hips, gripping him as tight as I can with my thighs.


    ¡°Oh Goddess, Kas, you feel so good. Your pussy¡¯s so tight,¡± he pants, eye squeezing shut.


    ¡°Open your eye, Bronx,¡± I whisper, ¡°look at me.¡±


    He looks at me and smiles as the glow of our connection brightens around us.


    ¡°Open up to me, Bronx. Let go. Give it to me as hard as you can. Don¡¯t hold back, ¡± I beg seductively.


    His eye widens at my request. Obediently, he grabs my hips tightly with both hands and starts thrusting


    roughly against me. His movements are unrestrained and reckless. Over and over he lifts me up by my


    hips and pushes me back down as hard as he can, lifting his hips in rhythm. I have no say in the


    movements giving him full control to use me for his pleasure. I trust him


    The thought of being the one to bring him to this state of ecstasy edges me closer to climax as he


    continues buck wildly below me. Each thrust causes both of us to moan loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so close, Baby, ¡± he cries out with a growl.


    I lean toward his neck as his movements be more erratic. I lick and suck his marking spot but


    don¡¯t extend my fangs, I just nibble, teasing him.


    A momentter, I feel his seed fill me. The sensation pushes me over the edge and I climax at the


    same time. We copse onto each other, our chests heaving heavily. I feel stronger than I have in days.


    We take our time to collect ourselves before we get out of the tub. Bronx wraps me in a fluffy towel and


    carries me to bed.


    ¡°Let me put some salve on your back, Baby. It will help get thest of these cuts taken care of. I¡¯11 go


    get it, you get yourself some pajamas to put on after, okay?¡± he says gently.


    ¡°Okay, ¡± I reply, feeling rxed and sleepy.


    He goes to the bathroom to get the jar of salve while I pull myself off the bed to get a pajama shirt. I get


    back to the bed andy on my belly with my hands folded under my face. I feel so rxed. Bronx


    comes back into the bedroom and stops in his tracks, looking at meying in my underwear, with a


    smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re so f*cking beautiful, Kas,¡± he purrs before he finally sits next to me putting the salve gingerly on


    my cuts. When he is done I put on the pajamas and crawl back in bed, snuggling in my mates arms. As


    we are both on the edge of sleep, I work up the courage to ask what had been on my mind all day.

 Chapter 43

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 43


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 43


    ¡°Bronx?¡± I say shyly. I hope he is sleepy enough that he will just say yes to my request.


    ¡°Yeah, Baby?¡± he responds sleepily. His voice is almost a whisper.


    ¡°I want to do something for you, but I need your


    permission and I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll say no,¡± I try to sound casual and calm.


    The light of the moon shining through the window is the only light allowing me to see his reaction. He


    opens his eye and looks at me with concern but his voice sounds


    suspicious of my motives, ¡°Why would I ever tell you no? But more importantly, why would you need


    permission?¡±


    ¡°I -I want to heal you, ¡± I sit up, facing him, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to end up with scars like mine. I know in


    Blood River having scars is a badge of honor, but this is different.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m going to say no,¡± he rolls gingerly on his back away from me and stares at the ceiling,


    ¡°I t isn¡¯t your burden to bear. I don¡¯t want you to waste your precious strength on something like that.


    You¡¯re healing, yourself. You don¡¯t need to heal me too.¡± Ugh, why does my mate have to be so


    stubborn.


    ¡°Bronx, please. I have enough strength for this. I mean I ¡¯11 probably be tired tomorrow, but I will be


    fine, I


    promise, ¡± I pout.


    ¡°Kas, you almost died bringing me back from the brink of death. I can¡¯t lose you because you are


    worried about my vanity. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t lose me. This is a simple enough healing. There¡¯s no poison in your bloodstream anymore,


    it¡¯s just flesh wounds. This is basic stuff. I¡¯ve trained for it for


    months. Please, let me do this for you.¡±


    He gets out of bed and starts pacing, looking at me angrily. There is also a touch of confusion mixed in.


    He stops and rubs his face with his hands before he puts them on his hips.


    Oh crap. He¡¯s frustrated with me.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop until I say yes, are you?¡° ¡°Probably not,¡± I shrug, trying to sound nonchnt.


    ¡°If I let you do this and anything happens to you I ¨C ¡°


    ¡°Nothing will happen. It will just make me extra sleepy. I promise.¡±


    He sighs heavily, letting his arms drop to his sides in


    defeat, ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t want this to turn into a fight, so if it will appease you, fine. You can try to heal me.


    What do you want me to do?¡±


    A sense of relief spreads over me, ¡°Thank you, Bronx. Thank you so much.¡±


    I sit up on my knees and pull him down to sit on the bed.


    ¡°Just rx, think about what it feels like when your back is well¡­not full ofsh marks. Don¡¯t think


    about me, don¡¯t think about anyone else, just imagine


    what you look and feel like when you are one hundred percent healthy.¡±


    ¡°Ohh-kaay?¡± He looks at me like I¡¯m crazy. ¡°Just close your eyes and focus, please.¡±


    He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Bronx¡¯s POV


    I close my eyes and sigh deeply. I know this is a bad idea but I have to trust her.


    ¡± Now, think about your body. Think about what it feels like when you move when you exercise. The


    way your muscles on your back feel when you¡¯re


    fighting. The way they rx when you¡¯re next to me, ¡± she speaks, her voice subtly changes, ¡°Good,


    now think


    deeper than that. Think down to the individual strands of muscle. Think about when they are flexed,


    about when they are stretched. The way they feel when you get a


    massage.¡±


    As Kas talks, I feel my body rx, like I¡¯m hypnotized. Her voice melts into me, bing part of me.


    It¡¯s so natural, like it has always been there.


    I start to understand what Kas meant when she said she spread herself out in the universe. I can feel


    my body, but it doesn¡¯t necessarily matter at that moment. I am more than just by body. I am part of my


    surroundings as well.


    Her arms slide around me as she leans on my back. I feel a warmth building in my chest radiating to


    my back. It doesn¡¯t hurt. It¡¯sforting and I don¡¯t want it to stop. I feel any tension that I didn¡¯t even


    know that I had been holding on to release from my body. I feel better than I have in weeks. Shit,


    months even.


    The warmth starts to dissipate into the far corners of my body, evening out and cooling down. I open


    my eyes and look around. No pain, no soreness, nothing.


    I look at Kas sitting back on the bed. She smiles weakly. ¡°You did it?¡± Iugh in disbelief, ¡°You did it


    Kas!¡±


    I stand up and swing my arms back and forth like I¡¯m warming up for an upper-body workout. It doesn¡¯t


    hurt. I¡¯m not even a little sore. I turn on the light and go to the mirror, turning to look at my back.


    Anywhere there was ash mark has been reced with smooth skin. No scarring, no tattoos, nothing.


    It¡¯s not even red. I turn again and look at my chest. Same thing. No more redness from the silver


    chains. I look down at my wrists, no blisters. The only indication there was ever a w is that the tattoos


    are missing where all my injuries were.


    I look in the mirror more closely. The jagged scar, the one that defined such a significant part of my life;


    the one I received from the witch¡¯s silver de that pierced my skin and allowed her to steal a part of


    my liver. It¡¯s like it was never there. I look down


    and run my hand over the area in disbelief. I had outlined that scar with my fingers countless nights,


    I take a step closer and lean into the mirror further. My eye goes wide. The scar across my eye socket


    is gone. Only the slit of my eyelid remains. I almost don¡¯t recognize my face without the scar there.


    I don¡¯t understand. I mean, I know it¡¯s because Kas


    healed me, but it didn¡¯t ur to me that it would remove all my scars.


    ¡°Baby, you¡¯re amazing!¡± I hear the shock in my voice. I look at her through the mirror to see her sitting


    back on the bed, looking a little pale and sleepy.


    ¡°Yeah, Sweetheart, I mean you¡¯re gonna need new tattoos but yeah, your body is as good as new,¡± she


    smiles weakly.


    I sit on the bed and take her into my arms, pulling her into myp, being careful of her back. I push her


    hair back from her face and kiss her forehead. She smiles up


    at me, then her sleepy eyes close and she starts snoring lightly.


    I tuck her into bed and get myself a ss of water. As I sit there I felt a slight pain behind my missing


    eye. I swear for a split second I can hear Saint, but then he is gone. I close my eye and search my


    mind for him, trying to mimic the feeling when Kas was healing me. He is still far away, but it feels like


    he is one step closer than he was before.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 44

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 44


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 44


    It makes me nervous how tired Kas is the next day. She¡¯s still pale and her eyes don¡¯t have their usual


    sparkle. She insists on getting out of bed but she falls asleep at the kitchte table before I can finish


    toasting a bagel for her. I carry her over to the sofa and bring her some pillows and her gray and green


    nket. I wrap her up in a little cocoon and turn on the cooking channel she likes. Before I can even


    turn around, she is already asleep on the couch.


    I call James and request Delhe check on her to make sure what she is going through is normal.


    Once Delh arrives, she looks Kas over. She agrees that what Kas did to heal me should be well


    within her power, but since she isn¡¯t anywhere close to her full power with her injuries, it just gassed


    her. She just needs rest. Delh lets me know she will brew up something for Kas to drink that will help


    but it will take a few hours for it to kick in.


    ¡°I will stay here with her. I¡¯m sorry, Alpha Bronx, but you need to leave for a while. Give her some


    peace and quiet.


    I will stay here and make sure she¡¯s


    okay,¡± Delh says. She writes a list of ingredients on a piece of paper and hands it to me, ¡°The kitchen


    should have all these herbs. I need these to make the tea to help Luna Iok- uh Luna Kas.¡°


    ¡°Sorry, Alpha, but you heard the boss,¡± James shrugs as Delh closes the apartment door behind us,


    ¡°I am going to see if I can sneak a snack from the kitchen. I can take that list to Mrs. Miller.¡°


    I hand him the list and watch him lightly jog down the stairs to the kitchen. I could go workout in the


    weight room. It¡¯s down in the basement. I don¡¯t


    want to be that far away in case something happens to Kas. I head down the hall to my office to catch


    up on work instead. Milo enters the office and practically jumps out of his skin, in a split second his


    ws and fangs


    extend, taking a defensive stance, until he realizes it¡¯s just me.


    ¡°Bronx, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you be lying on your belly or


    something?¡± he grabs his chest and looks at me with concern.


    ¡°Kas healed mest night. Now she is tired, so Delh kicked me out of my own apartment, ¡± I lean


    back in my chair with a frown.


    ¡°Kas healed you? What? I thought she needed to get her energy back before she could do things like


    that, ¡± he looks confused, ¡°Wait, Delh kicked you out of your apartment? How tired is Kas that she


    needs Delh


    there?¡°


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say Kas was able to get her energy backst night through our connection and I may


    never be able to get in my bathtub without getting a boner again,¡± my mind wanders thinking aboutst


    night, ¡°but when she healed me, it wiped out every ounce of energy she had built up.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Milo sits in the chair across from me and crosses his arms in front of himself,ughing at the blush that


    spreads from my neck to my face.


    His stupid, goofy grin is stered on his face, ¡± That¡¯s my boy. We¡¯11 have an heir to your throne in no


    time! ¡°


    ¡°Watch it, Milo, ¡± I warn with a growl. He knows I don¡¯t like being referred to as royalty in anyway,


    shape, or form. I do not have a throne, nor do I want one.


    ¡°Alright, alright. So Kas healed you. Like fully healed you?¡°


    I stand up and pull my shirt off, exposing my back to him.


    ¡°My Goddess. That¡¯s incredible, ¡± he says in awe, ¡± Cason¡¯s gonna have a field day! ¡°


    ¡°Haha, yeah, I ¡®m going to need to go see him soon, but more importantly, look at this, ¡± I turn around


    and show him the spot where my scar used to be under my rib cage.


    ¡°W¡ªwhere¡¯s your scar? She made that disappear too? ¡± he stares wide eyed before looking up at me


    with disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing. Look at this, ¡± I lift my eye patch and show him the smooth skin of my eyelid


    underneath.


    ¡°No way, ¡± he murmurs under his breath as he gawks at me. He knows better than anyone how gnarly


    the scar on my eye area was, ¡°your mate did that. Son of a gun. I


    can¡¯t believe it.¡°


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s amazing, ¡± I swoon. I feel a pang of guilt about how weak healing me has made Kas. I ¡®m


    not sure how I will make it up to her, but I will find a way. Saint would know right away what I should do


    for her. He loves our mate so much, but he¡¯s not here.


    After a moment of silence, a serious mood falls over me, ¡°Milo, I need you to keep acting as Alpha until


    we figure out how to get Saint back. I don¡¯t know how long it is going to take. What I do know is that I


    don¡¯t want people to know. It will make the entire pack a target for attacks. It stays between the people


    that already know, you, Me, Kas, Marco, James, and Delh. Not even Lenora, Reggie, or Ashley finds


    out. Got it. I will focus on MasonCo business in the meantime. If you need me to cover any


    of your¡­ clients¡­just say the word. I can still do that, even without a wolf.¡°


    ¡°Of course, Bronx. I understand. Anything you want, ¡± he agrees, spreading his hands in front of him. I


    know for all things in my life, I can count on Milo to be loyal. I trust him with this.


    ¡°I felt him for a secondst night, Milo. Like, just a fraction of a moment of being able to feel him, after


    Kas healed me. He was gone again just as fast. I


    mean, it¡¯s weird. If I concentrate on him, I feel like he is there, just¡­disconnected? Lost? Blocked? I


    don¡¯t know how to exin it,¡± I lean back in my seat fiddling with a pen. I can feel my mood darken.


    ¡± Don¡¯t worry, man, you and Kas will get it figured out. Saint and Lex will be back in no time. Until then,


    I¡¯ve got you covered,¡± Milo nods with reassurance.


    ¡°Tell you what, when hees back, we bust open that bottle of Johnnie Blue, ¡± I point to the bottle on


    my desk, trying to lighten the mood.


    ¡°Cheers to that!¡± he chuckles.


    Milo catches me up on everything happening with the pack. He has done a good job keeping the ship


    afloat while I have been out of pocket. I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less. He may be a goofball, but he


    does


    everything with precision. It¡¯s one of the reasons I made


    him my Beta. Once he is done with pack updates, we move on to more personal things.


    He gushes Lenora and the baby. They got to see it on the screen during theirst appointment.


    ording to him, the baby looks like a lima bean right now but since


    werewolf pups grow so quickly, they should know if it¡¯s a boy or a girl in the next few weeks. I¡¯m so


    excited for them. It¡¯s a bonus for Kas and I, we get to be an Aunt and Uncle. The thought of Kas having


    a baby isn¡¯t even fathomable at that moment, but someday when we¡¯re both ready, we would make that


    a reality.


    ¡°So in other news, ¡± Milo says, clearing his throat as he changes to a more serious tone, ¡°Reggie and I


    are closer to finding out how Connors got on your flight.¡°


    My interest is piqued. I lean forward, paying closer attention.


    ¡°Apparently, Mitch got a call around eleven p.m. from a man iming to be your new assistant telling


    him you had canceled your flight to France. He says there is no way his mate is pregnant. He just met


    her two months ago and they are not at that point in their rtionship.¡°


    He pulls out his phone and starts to flip through some notes, ¡°The substitute pilot, Joe Morris, which is


    obviously not his real name, arrived at the airport


    around three a.in. to do all his preflight checks. He had MasonCo credentials, so they let him past


    airport security with no question. Ashley is working on how he got the


    badge. She said there was a Joseph Morris working at MasonCo but he retiredst year. ¡±


    ¡±Hmm, maybe it was the name that seemed familiar then, not the face? But I swear, there was


    something about him that was familiar. I have seen him somewhere before,¡± I scratch my chin recalling


    the man¡¯s features.


    ¡±There was a security camera that caught Connors getting out of the car with him near the back gate


    where the rest of the flight staff park. We are still trying to track down his real identity, but we have


    some good leads.


    Reggie has one of his specialists on it.¡±


    ¡±Milo it just urred to me, but what happened to Connors corpse after I locked him in that cell?¡±


    ¡±You did a number on him, man. There was practically nothing left of his skull. Since his face was


    unidentifiable


    , our clean up crew took his body to a human morgue. Not our problem anymore.¡±


    ¡±Good f*cking riddance, ¡± I cross my arms across my chest. I feel a perverse sense of satisfaction


    knowing his death was at my hands. Saint would be proud if that had turned out to be one of my final


    moments.

 Chapter 45

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 45


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 45


    We talk more about the additional responsibilities I need Milo to cover if he is going to be acting Alpha.


    Obviously I


    will be here to support him, but I am going to trust him to do what he believes is right.


    As we are talking James sends me a mind link, ¡± Alpha!


    Delh just texted me, she needs us back at the


    apartment. She said it¡¯s important. I ¡®m on my way there right now.¡°


    My heart jumps, ¡°Milo, it¡¯s Kas. I gotta go.¡±


    I sprint out of the room before he has a chance to answer but I feel him on my heels as I run down the


    hall. James gets to the top of the stairs as we are running past and joins us.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Alpha?¡± Tyree, Kas¡¯s substitute guard asks as I skid to a halt at the apartment door.


    ¡°Wait here, Tyree. No one elsees in, ¡± I growl as I push open the door.


    ¡°Kas! Delh! ¡± They aren¡¯t in the living room.


    ¡°We¡¯re in here, Alpha Bronx, ¡± I hear Delh¡¯s voice from the bedroom. I rush into the bedroom,


    throwing the door open.


    Kas is standing next to Delh. They both jump with fright as the door bangs against the wall. It takes


    me a moment to process what I am seeing until Milo and James bump into my back.


    I growles from deep within my chest and rattles the room. My best friend and my mate¡¯s personal


    guard are standing right behind me looking at my mate. My mate who has no shirt on. Kas quickly


    covers her breasts with her hands when she realizes I am not the only man standing in our bedroom.


    Her eyes are wide with embarrassment and she is turning bright red.


    ¡°BRONX!¡± she squeals, trying to turn away to cover herself. Delh puts her arms out wide and situates


    herself between Kas and the three men who just burst into the room but it¡¯s toote Milo and James


    have already seen her and my instinct to protect my mate is in overdrive.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Little Sister! What the Hell?! ¡± Milo says, sounding very ufortable.


    ¡°Milo, James, you need to get the f*ck out before you end up with broken necks, ¡± I snarl. I can feel


    myself


    shaking in anger. Even without Saint driving the wolf side of me, I lose sight of the fact that I


    trust these two men with my life and hers. No other male wolf is going to look at my mate n*ked.


    I hear shuffling behind me and the bedroom door closes.


    ¡°Delh, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± My voice booms at the witch, ¡°James said it was important.¡°


    ¡°Y-yes, Alpha. I -I said it was important. N-not that it was an emergency, ¡± Delh wimpers. She looks


    terrified


    as she gets a small taste of my temper. She is not a wolf, she doesn¡¯t know to show her neck to me in


    submission.


    ¡°Bronx, calm down, Sweetheart. Delh didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You¡¯re overreacting, ¡± Kas scolds,


    coming out from behind Delh. She¡¯s still holding hands over her chest to cover herself, ¡°We have


    something to show you! ¡°


    ¡°Baby, please put a shirt on,¡± I say, trying to keep eye contact and not let my eyes wander. How did I go


    from angry to aroused in a single heartbeat? I don¡¯t know, but I won¡¯t be able to control myself very


    long if she¡¯s walking around with no shirt.


    Kas just rolls her eyes, ¡°Bronx, look!¡± She turns around and shows me her back. Delh shifts her gaze


    from me to Kas then back to me. Her face is lit up like the Fourth of July.


    My jaw drops. I can¡¯tprehend what I ¡®m seeing. Her back is healed from her injuries that I just put


    salve onst night. Not even redness or swelling left over. Don¡¯t get me wrong, the keloid scars are still


    distinct, but even they are a little less raised than they were before.


    ¡°You¡¯re healed? How?¡± my mouth is hanging wide open.


    ¡°Bronx! You¡¯re not looking at the important part, ¡± Kas whines.


    That¡¯s not the important part? What more could there be?


    ¡°What, Baby? What the Hell more could there be? What am I missing?¡± I reach my hand out and gently


    touch her back looking closer. I¡¯m afraid if I put any amount of pressure on her skin the illusion will fade


    and she will be back to having severe wounds all over her body.


    ¡°Do you see anything familiar, Sherlock Holmes?¡± I can hear the sarcasm in her voice.


    I look closer, trying to identify differences between yesterday and today. My eyes widen at the


    realization.


    No f*cking way.


    I don¡¯t know how in the Goddess name it happened, but Kas now has my tattoos transferred to her


    body. They are identical to mine except much more muted in color. They are smaller to fit her little


    frame and contoured to her scars but they are there. I turn her around to see they cover the front of her


    as well.


    Down to what¡¯s left of her saying around my wrist.


    ¡°Kas, you have my tattoos, ¡± I whisper in awe, looking at part of a dragon with a skull for a head on her


    skin.


    ¡°Delh, please make sure to call Lady Camille and let her know. You¡¯re dismissed, ¡± I say, still staring


    at Kas. I can¡¯t take my eyes off of her. Something about the thought of her body covered in tattoos fuels


    me. I just want to tear the rest of her clothes off and admire every inch of her skin for the rest of the


    day.


    ¡°Bronx, I was hoping we could have Delh and James join us for dinner here in the apartment.


    Please?¡± she begs with her sweet little voice. She¡¯s so excited she is bouncing on her toes. I look into


    her eyes. They are


    sparkling again, making her look as happy as I¡¯ve ever seen her.


    ¡°Okay, Baby, okay! I love seeing you this happy, but please, conserve your energy. I don¡¯t want you to


    wear yourself out again. I know the next thing you are going to ask is if you can cook, but I want you to


    take it easy, okay? So I will only say yes to dinner if you let me have Mrs. Miller bring it to us.¡±


    She smiles broadly and nods. I take her hand and feel the warmth that has be familiaring


    from her. I look down and see our hands glowing. I smile and kiss her hand, ¡°Go get ready. I¡¯ll call Mrs.


    Miller.¡°


    Kas rushes to the bathroom to freshen up for dinner. Delh is still standing awkwardly, not sure what


    to do with herself. I almost forgot she was there.


    ¡°Delh, I apologize for my actions, ¡± I bow slightly to her, ¡°I meant no disrespect. If anything, I should


    be thanking you for helping make Kas feel better. It is more than just James who is lucky to have you


    here.¡°


    She looks down with a blush on her face, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Alpha Bronx. Kas is more than my Luna, she is


    my friend. I¡¯m happy I can help.¡±


    I make a mental note that she chose not to use Kas¡¯s title. She must genuinely care for her to yield that


    form of power.


    James and Delh arrive back at the apartment at the same time as our food. Kas greets Mrs. Miller


    with a big hug. Tears form in the corner of Mrs. Miller¡¯s eyes as she hugs Kas back. Kas makes it a


    point to say hello and thank the omega assistants, who giggle and blush at the attention.


    Kas and Delh go back into the bedroom so they can see if Kas has a dress that will fit Delh for


    Winter Solstice. Looking at her, I would think Lenora or Ashley would be more suited to loan her


    clothing, but I ¡®m just d to see Kas has found a friend she can rte to.


    Mrs. Miller gives me heating instructions for the food and generously helps James and me set the


    table, before leaving. James seems ufortable being in my private residence, especially after what


    happened earlier in the day.


    ¡°You can rx, James. Did you see how excited those two were to run off into the closet? Kas is at


    least five inches shorter than Delh, nothing in that closet is going to fit your mate except maybe some


    socks or hats,¡± I


    chuckle, ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯re going to get to know each other a lot better. Want a beer?¡°


    ¡°Water is fine, sir. I¡¯ve had plenty to drink the past


    couple of days,¡± he rubs his hand on the back of his neck.


    ¡°Haha! Alright. And how is Delh limating to pack life so far?¡°


    ¡°Everyone has been great so far. She was super self- conscious the first day, but she is opening up for


    sure,¡± There¡¯s a twinkle in his eye as he speaks about her.


    ¡°Can I ask a, uh, personal question? You don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I ask tentatively.


    ¡°Sure, what is it, Alpha?¡± his eyes shift a little bit.


    ¡°What is it like for your wolf? I mean since Delh doesn¡¯t have a wolf for him to connect with?¡°


    ¡°Ranger? He doesn¡¯t seem to mind. He says he likes being able to focus all his attention on her, and


    not her and a wolf. I don¡¯t understand it, but the Moon


    Goddess knows what she¡¯s doing, right?¡± James shrugs.


    ¡°She sure does, man,¡± I ponder morbidly for a moment. What if it were just Kas and me forever? No


    wolves with us? Is that even a possibility? Right now it seems like it could be.


    My thoughts are interrupted as Delh and Kase out of the bedroom.


    ¡°Um, Alpha Bronx, I¡¯m sorry but I didn¡¯t get to, uh¡­pare¡­so I can let my mother know, ¡± Delh


    says shyly. Her ocean-blue eyes seem darker than usual as she averts my gaze again.


    ¡°You need to see my back?¡± I ask. She nods in confirmation.


    I take off my shirt so she can see. She inspects closely, trying not to touch me, holding up pictures she


    has on her cell phone of Kas¡¯s back.


    I can sense tensioning from James because I ¡®m so close to his mate. I¡¯m his Alpha, he won¡¯t say


    anything but I understand the feeling. She seems to stare forever until she tells me I can put my shirt


    back on. She gently takes my arm andpares our wrists.


    ¡°Well, this confirms my earlier suspicion. This happened because of your connection. Alpha Bronx, the


    healing


    magic has subsided in you, so you¡¯repletely healed. But Kas, I think this is just an initial reaction


    since the energy originated from your spirit. I believe the tattoos will fade as the healing magic fades.


    You may even see a partial reversal of your healing progress. Don¡¯t be surprised if you experience


    unexined blisters or irritation. If you do, call for me right away. I can make a salve to keep you


    comfortable,¡± Delh instructs.


    ¡°Thank you, Delh. Now, let¡¯s eat! I ¡®m starving!¡± Kas exims.


    We sit down to a delicious meal,ughing and getting to know each other better.

 Chapter 46

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 46


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 46


    Kas¡¯s POV


    The next few days begin to form into afortable schedule for us. Bronx goes to his office at


    MasonCo most days. Just like he promised when I first moved into the apartment, je wakes me every


    morning up to let me know he¡¯s leaving. And every morning he gives me a passionate kiss that leaves


    me missing him until he gets home. Somehow he seems to have an endless supply of flowers too. I


    don¡¯t know where he gets them from, but he brings a few for me every evening and ces them in a


    vase on my nightstand. He takes out the ones that are starting to wilt, so I always have fresh bouquet


    to look at.


    I start to focus on searching my mind for Lex. I d******d some calming music on my phone and spend


    my morning meditating. I feel her deep within the farthest corners of my mind, but the harder I try, the


    more difficult it is to reach her. The closet way I can describe it is that I feel like she is trapped in a cage


    in a dark room in my mind. The problem is, I can¡¯t find the room and I don¡¯t know how to open the cage.


    Deliah asionally joins me. Having her there is helpful to guide me when I get frustrated. She is also


    goodpany. I love Lenora and Ashley but they are a little older than me and sometimes it¡¯s hard to


    vibe with them.


    ¡°Kas, I can¡¯t imagine how frustrating it is for you, but think of it this way. When a person goes missing


    and they send out a search party, it is important for everyone to stay calm. If people in the search party


    panic or get


    angry, they lose focus and miss out on clues they would see if they were concentrating.


    Keep yourself controlled for Lex¡¯s benefit, especially when it is the most difficult, ¡° she advises with a


    sympathetic tone to her voice.


    ¡°Thanks, Delh. You¡¯re right. Every time I get frustrated it¡¯s because I feel like she is just out of reach. I


    need to focus on staying calm, ¡° I appreciate her guidance. She is much more familiar with practicing


    meditation than I am.


    An excited lookes over her face. She scrunches her face, trying not to burst into a smile.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s that face for?¡° I can¡¯t help but smile at her.


    ¡°James is taking me to meet his parents, ¡° she squeals, shaking her hands in front of her with


    excitement, ¡°I mean, they only live twenty minutes away in the human town outside the pack territory,


    but still. I am so excited I could burst. We are going to spend a long weekend there.¡°


    ¡°Oh my Goddess! That¡¯s so awesome! ¡° I exim, ¡° Have you decided what you¡¯re going to wear to


    meet them?¡°


    ¡°Oh yeah, thest of my things arrived from the shippingpany yesterday, so I have my full


    wardrobe to pick from finally. I don¡¯t have many winter clothes though. I had no idea how cold Montana


    would be, ¡° sheughs, ¡°I


    ordered a winter coat online and some boots. Other than that, my clothes are made of thin cotton.¡°


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Witches are only able to wear natural fibers, so I rmend some stores I had seen at the mall with


    wool sweaters and heavy peacoats that would suit her. We go to my closet so I can give her a couple


    of sets of winter hats, scarves, mittens and things like that. I trust she will bring them back to me when


    she gets her own.


    ¡°Oh, also, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s supposed to be a surprise, but James and Marco asked if they cane


    back to work on Monday. James says they¡¯re bored. I think they miss your cookies, ¡° she teases with a


    giggle.


    Once Delh leaves, I go to the kitchen to see Mrs. Miller. We finalize the menu for the Winter Solstice


    party,ing up with some special desserts I know everyone will love.


    As we are finishing up, arge pair of arms snake themselves around my waist and pick me up while


    backing away from the kitchen. Mrs. Miller giggles as she waves goodbye.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re done! ¡° I call out, with a giggle, as I¡¯m carried away.


    ¡°Come on, Kas. Quick meeting in my office. We all need to be there,¡° Bronx says in my ear, kissing my


    neck. He carries me like that, nuzzling my neck, all the way to his office.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the meeting about?¡° I ask.


    ¡°Coverage,¡° he says, like that one word should tell m e everything I need to know. Before I can ask


    what it means, he opens the door. Milo, Lenora, Reggie, and Ashley are all at the conference table.


    ¡°Hi guys. Sorry for the short notice, ¡° Milo says as we take our ces at the table.


    Ashley hands us each a sheet of paper. It is aplicated chart with days, times, and names on it.


    ¡°Alright, so Lenora is going out of town for work. Santiago then Brisbane. Reggie has to leave for a


    week also, ¡° she clears her throat, clearly not happy.


    ¡°Where is Reggie going?¡° I ask, turning my head in his direction.


    ¡°Sorry, Luna. ssified, ¡° he shrugs.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even get to tell me Kas. Milo is the only one who knows. That¡¯s the nature of their division


    at


    MasonCo,¡° Ashley frowns. She erases her expression and gets back to business, ¡°I had already


    nned a trip to see my parents in Cheyenne, so we are going to need


    coverage for all pack duties.¡°


    She starts exining theplicated chart. Milo, Bronx, and I will split all the responsibilities. It seems


    very overwhelming. I feel a little pit of doubt forming in my stomach as she speaks.


    ¡°Alright, today is Wednesday. Lenora and I leave tomorrow, Reggie leaves Thursday. Lenora gets back


    Wednesday, Reggie gets back Thursday, and I get back on Friday, ¡° she ticks the lines off on her copy.


    ¡°Oh, also, Kas. Marco and James requested to get back to work. Apparently the both im to be bored.


    Marco is back starting Monday night. James is back Tuesday, ¡° Ashley says, looking at some additional


    notes in her book.


    I nod, feeling a bit numb listening to Ashley rattle off the information as I look at the list of my


    responsibilities.


    ¡°You okay, Baby? You look kinda pale,¡° Bronx leans forward, looking at me with concern.


    I nod again, ¡°I -I just have an upset stomach. I¡¯m going to goy down. Ashley, do you need me for


    anything


    else?¡°


    ¡°No, I think we¡¯re good. I hope you feel be-¡° I don¡¯t hear the rest, I¡¯m already out the door letting it close


    behind me.


    Just get to the apartment, Kas. Go in the bathroom and close the door. No panicking in the hallway. I


    keep repeating to myself as I make my way quickly down the hallway.


    I get to the apartment door and pull out my key fumbling to get it in the lock.


    Just kidding. I ¡®m at the mall. I must have seriously


    zoned out because Lenora is telling a joke but I don¡¯t get it. Ashley thinks it¡¯s hrious.


    A familiar scent hits me. Ryan is here and he¡¯s close. My heart starts pounding. Lenora and Ashley are


    completely oblivious. Okay, now it¡¯s time to panic.


    ¡°Lenora¡­I something¡¯s wrong¡­I, ¡° I stammer as I start to stand up. Lenora stopsughing and looks at


    me. Her eyes widen and turn pitch ck.


    A hand ps the back of my neck hard and squeezes with sharp ws extended, painfully breaking my


    skin, as I get pushed back down in the seat. A little yelp escapes me. Oh shit. He found me.


    Lenora lunges across the table over me, forcing the person who had grabbed me to let go. I hear


    growling and snarling as she fights with the attacker. At the same time, Ashley grabs me by the wrist


    and pulls me away from the scuffle. We run to the bathroom and lock the door.


    ¡±Kas, are you okay?¡± Ashley says, holding both sides of my face, ¡±Come on, Kas, answer me, please.¡±


    I feel myself looking at her, but I feel numb. Like my mind is separating from my body. There is a high


    pitched tone taking over my hearing. Where is Lex when I need her? I feel like she¡¯s absent.


    Ashley pats my face. I can see her talking, but I only hear the steady high pitched hum. My body


    shivers in fear. I need to calm down. Lenora and Ashley are going to make sure I¡¯m safe. I try to


    breathe but there¡¯s no air.


    Lenora¡¯s facees into view. Her mouth is moving but all I hear is the hum. How did she get a busted


    lip? I touch the spot where it¡¯s cracked open and bleeding.


    There is a moment of purple light just as the world turns ck.


    I wake up in a cold sweat panting heavily. What in the world was that crazy dream?. Wait. What was I


    dreaming about? I can¡¯t remember. Only the feeling that it was terrifying. I think it had to do with Ryan.


    My heart is racing as I try to take some calming breaths. The light of the moon casts a serene blue light


    over everything in the room. Bronx is snoring lightly beside me. I can still feel my heart pounding from


    the nightmare. No way I¡¯m getting back to sleep, so I go out to the kitchen for a cup of water. Even as I


    take a few sips of water, the dream seems further and further away. I hear noises coining from the


    bedroom. Bronx is up? He must have felt me get out of bed.


    ¡°Bronx? I¡¯m right here, Sweetheart, ¡° I say softly as I make my way back to the bedroom. Bronx is still


    in bed, thrashing wildly. Whimpering and cursing under his breath, fighting off an invisible assant in


    his sleep.

 Chapter 47

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 47


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 47


    I rush over and turn on the bedsidemp before I crawl onto the bed.


    ¡°Bronx, Sweetheart! Wake up! You¡¯re having a


    nightmare, ¡± I grasp his shoulders, his face is covered in sweat. He easily pushes me off, cursing


    deeply at whoever he is fighting in his dream, ¡± Bronx! Wake up, please! ¡°


    Very suddenly, he bes deathly still.


    ¡°B-Bronx? A-are you okay? ¡± I lean forward to look at him closer.


    His eye shoots open, wider than I have ever seen before and he sits straight up in bed. Fear and anger


    roll off of him as every muscle in his body tenses. His skin stretches tight over his tensed muscles, he


    balls his hands into fists, and lets out a roar so loud the entire room reverberates. He is breathing


    roughly through his nostrils, reminding me of a charging bull as his body shakes, the anger building.


    ¡°Bronx? You¡¯re scaring me, ¡± I gently touch his arm. He snaps his head toward me, seeing me for the


    first time since he woke up. There is no recognition on his face, as if I¡¯m aplete stranger. His


    normally beautiful green eye scares me and I start backing away, off the bed. As if on cue, his eye


    turns solid ck and he lunges forward at me.


    ¡°SAINT! ¡± I scream, rolling off the bed onto the floor, ¡°Saint, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s Kas! ¡°


    I scramble on the floor toward the door but Bronx jumps off the bed and charges at me. His hands


    tightly wrap around my throat and keeps charging until he has me pinned to the wall. My feet are


    dangling off the ground, kicking helplessly as he leans forward.


    I can hear voices and banginging from the hallway, trying to breakdown the apartment door. Help


    is on the way. I need to stall. I need to talk sense into Saint.


    ¡°WHERE IS MY MATE?¡± He growls through Bronx¡¯s body, mming me against the wall again.


    ¡°Sai-nt. It¡¯s me. I¡¯m your mate,¡± I try to reason with him, but he looks like he is out for blood, like he¡¯s


    never seen me before. I choke and gag, helplessly hitting his forearms as he continues to cut off my air


    supply.


    ¡°WHERE IS SHE?¡± he snarls again. He pulls me away from the wall and ms against it again. I can¡¯t


    answer, I have no air left. My eyes are bulging out of my head and tears are streaming down my


    cheeks. M y mate is going to kill me. This can¡¯t be happening. I can¡¯t believe I am about to do this. I


    have no choice. I focus on my energy and ce my hands over his, letting the energy sear through me,


    burning his hands. I can feel blisters forming and bursting on his skin under my grip. Saint is wound so


    tight, he doesn¡¯t even seem to notice. I try to reach out for his face, but his arms are too long, I can¡¯t


    reach.


    Goddess please, please help me. Don¡¯t let this happen.


    The edges of my vision begin to blur and spots start to form. Darker and darker. The only thing I can


    make out is the onyx abyss of Saint¡¯s eye. The wolf possessing my mate¡¯s body. I stare until I can¡¯t see


    anymore. I am


    suddenly pulled into oblivion with such force that can¡¯t help but il my arms and legs, a dark abyss


    with no


    escape. I can¡¯t feel my body anymore. I¡¯m gone. By the hand of my own mate.


    ¡°Kas, Baby¡­Kas?¡± Bronx is kneeling in front of me. He looks so scared. We aren¡¯t in the bedroom. We


    are in the hallway. It¡¯s the middle of the day. What the Hell just happened? I think I had a premonition.


    Wait. Which one is reality? Is this the premonition? Memories swirl and mix in my brain making me feel


    dizzy.


    ¡°Bronx? ¡± I say with confusion, ¡°Why are you on the floor?¡°


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    ¡°Alpha,e quick. Something¡¯s wrong with the Luna. It¡¯s like¡­she¡¯s frozen¡­and she¡¯s glowing


    purple, sir,¡± the mind link from Tyree, Kas¡¯s temporary guard,es through a couple minutes after she


    leaves the room.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I jump up, startling everyone at the table.


    ¡°In front of your quarters, Alpha. What should I do? ¡± He asks in a shaky voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, Tyree. I¡¯m on my way, ¡± I reply and cut the link.


    ¡°Bronx, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lenora says as I turn to run out of the room.


    ¡°I think Kas is having a premonition, ¡± I say as I bolt out the office.


    I run as fast as my legs will carry me down the hall. As I turn the corner I see Tyree with a terrified look


    on his face, kneeling on one knee in front of Kas, who is glowing bright purple. She is as still as a


    statue. He stands up and backs away as I slide to a halt and squat down in front of her so we are at


    eye level.


    ¡±Kas, snap out of it, Baby. Come on, I¡¯in right here. You¡¯re safe, Kas. No one can hurt you now, ¡± I say


    in a soft urgent voice, patting her face and rubbing her shoulders. The empty look in her eyes would


    make you


    think she was a department store mannequin. She isn¡¯t a million miles away, she¡¯s a million gxies


    away.


    I take her hands in mine. They are as cold as ice like they were thest time I found her like this. She is


    glowing much brighter now than she wasst time.


    ¡±Ashley ! Go get Delh. NOW! ¡± I order without looking away from Kas. Ashley doesn¡¯t hesitate, she


    runs off to go find the witch.


    I feel an odd sensation coining from Kas¡¯s hands. Almost as if they are vibrating. They quickly turn


    warm, then


    hot, then fire hot. Without warning, a surge of energy pulses from her through me, causing a searing


    pain to flow into my hands.


    I scream, making everyone around me take another step back. I look at my hands to see they are


    bright red and blistered from being burned. Kas burned me? I remember Saint¡¯s words as I look at my


    hands, ¡®The Goddess made us extra strong since Kas is a goddess. It¡¯s the only way we can be with


    her and not get hurt. That¡¯s why you¡¯re an Alpha. Anything less and she


    could identally destroy us and if she did, poof, our spirits¡¯ journey would be over.¡¯


    I turn my hands over, then look up at Kas again, then around at the concerned friends standing close


    by. A


    realization hits me. If I can¡¯t get her out of this vision she is having, other people could get hurt much


    worse than me.


    ¡±Goddess, please forgive me. I don¡¯t know what else I can do,¡± I say out loud.


    Tears are streaming down from her hollow eyes. How can someone be so distant and so emotional at


    the same time? I have to act now before I chicken out and people get hurt. It¡¯s my only option. I close


    my eye for a moment and take a deep breath. I look her square in the face, p her as hard as my


    conscience will allow. The people around my audibly gasp.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡±BRONX ! What the f*ck?! ¡± Lenora screams and she tries to step forward, but Milo grabs her around


    the waist and holds her back.


    Kas stumbles back from the weight of my hand but I catch her before she falls. She shakes her head


    out and looks at me with confusion.


    ¡±Kas, Baby¡­Kas?¡± I say looking into her eyes as her expression turns back to normal. The purple aura


    around her quickly fades.


    ¡±Bronx?¡± she looks at me with confusion, ¡°Why are you on the floor?¡±


    ¡±Oh my Goddess, Baby. You scared the shit out of me, ¡± I sigh with relief. I reach up to wipe her tears


    away, but she flinches back away from my touch. It reminds me of when I first met her and how scared


    she was of everything, including me.


    ¡°Kas, wh -what¡¯s wrong? Please, let me wipe your tears, ¡± I swallow hard, ¡°I -I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I


    didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡°


    Kas look around and sees everyone is in the hallway staring at her. A look of embarrassmentes


    over her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get her into the apartment, ¡± Lenora pulls herself out of Milo¡¯s arms and steps forward, unlocking


    the door. She gives me a damning re as she takes Kas by the elbow and guides her in with me


    closely behind.


    As she is closing the door, she addresses the people in the hall, ¡°Time to go find other things to do,


    lookie loos.


    Except you, Tyree. Keep your post. You


    did the right thing by sending the mind link. Good job.¡°


    As soon as we¡¯re inside, Kas starts to wander to the kitchen in a bit of a daze.


    ¡°Kas are you alright, Baby? Did you have a vision?¡± I ask.


    After she flinched away from me, I ¡®m scared to get too close to her. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt her. I


    didn¡¯t know how else to snap her out of it.


    ¡°I -I just need to find what I did with my cup of water, ¡± she replies, more to herself than Lenora or I and


    wanders into the kitchen.


    Lenora steps forward, ¡°Kas, what was your premonition? What did you see? We need to know so we


    can help you. So we can try to prevent whatever it is you saw from happening.¡°


    Kas is still searching the counters for her nonexistent ss of water, ignoring both Lenora and I.


    Lenora approaches her and puts her hands on Kas¡¯s shoulders, stopping her from avoiding us.


    ¡°Kas, please. Please speak to us. We need to know so we can help you, ¡± Lenora says in as gentle a


    tone as I have ever heard from her.


    Kas looks up at her, not speaking for a moment. I swear for the first time in my life I see Lenora break


    eye contact first. Kas looks over at me with aplicated look. I see tears starting to pool in her eyes


    again. ¡°Saint killed me.¡°

 Chapter 48

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 48


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 48


    ¡°What? No, Kas. That¡¯s not possible. You know that¡¯s not possible. Saint would never harm a hair on


    your head. He loves you. I love you,¡± I say desperately, taking a step forward, praying she doesn¡¯t take


    a step back. My heart clenches at the thought that she could ever be scared I would hurt her. What am


    I talking about? I just pped her in the hallway in front of all those people.


    She just had a vision that my wolf killed her. How could she not be scared of me?


    A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. I find James and Delh standing there.


    ¡°Please,e in,¡± I gesture with my arm.


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Bronx, ¡± Delh says with a bow and walks past me.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alright, Alpha, I¡¯m going to stay in the hall with Tyree. Make sure things are¡­under control,¡±


    James gives me a knowing look. I trust him to convince Tyree to keep quiet about this incident.


    ¡°Thanks, James, ¡± I look at Tyree, who still looks very ufortable with what he just witnessed. Even


    with the sensitivity and speciesism awareness sses we had implemented, I ¡®m sure nothing could


    prepare him for a purple glowing werewolf, that happened to be his Luna. I look back inside and see


    Lenora and Delh trying to console Kas who is now crying and shaking her head. I want to run to her


    and console her, but I can feel her pain and fear. I know it will just upset her more,


    ¡°Actually, I think I need to step out for a bit while thedies work this out too.¡°


    I quietly step out, closing the door behind me. I walk down the stairs, ignoring everyone who says hello


    , out of the packhouse into the frozen gardens. The early December wind whips through my wool


    sweater, chilling me to my bone, but I ignore it. I don¡¯t care. I pull the pack of cigarettes from my pocket.


    One left. I light it and take a longforting drag before I walk further. My boots leave dark prints, like


    scars on the frosted ground.


    ¡±Bronx ! ¡± I hear Lenora scold through a mind link, ¡± Come back, you ne- ¡±


    I selfishly cut the link before she has a chance to finish and block my mind so no one else can disturb


    me. I can¡¯t face Kas or anyone else right now. Not after what I did. I walk past the gardens, past the


    sprawling hills, and into the forest of the pack territory. If the only thing that is ever left of me is


    footprints on the frozen ground, that is more than I deserve.


    What is this unfamiliar emotion? It¡¯s more than remorse. More than sorrow. I walk further and further


    into the woods, no direction or destination in mind. Just a sense of needing to sort myself out before I


    face my beautiful mate. My beautiful mate , that I hurt. My head is hollow and overwhelmingly full at the


    same time. Guilt is wracking my body.


    Every step I take further into the woods destroys me more but I keep walking. I deserve the pain.


    The sun is setting. I don¡¯t care how tough think I am, the sweater I¡¯m wearing won¡¯t be enough to keep


    me warm once the sun ispletely set. I find a lockbox of spare clothes used for when pack


    members shift next to the Blood River. I pull out a winter jacket and a spare pack of cigarettes. I light


    one and find a frozen rock to sit on. I sit and stare at the river, letting the smoke from the cigarette curl


    in front of my face. The blood red water is slushy with ice coining from the mountain, making it more of


    a shade of pink.


    Vites of moments with Kas sh in my mind. The first time I saw her, not understanding the rush of


    the mate bond I was feeling. That first car ride home, holding her in my arms feeling so helpless.


    Hearing her sweet little giggle for the first time. The look of joy she gets when she cooks for me. The


    excitement the first time we went to the dining room and I had to hide our glowing hands. The way she


    initiated our first kiss even though I was caked in mud. Thinking about it now makes butterflies form in


    my stomach. I take another long drag of the cigarette to calm them down. The pain I felt seeing


    her disappear into thin air to study with the coven. The pride I felt watching her shift for the first time.


    Seeing the stunningly beautiful Elexis for the first time. All these thoughts swirl around with my


    emotions, making me feel more and more sad and confused.


    How can I help her? She is so much more than I am.


    She¡¯s a goddess. Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I ¡®in just a werewolf. A soldier who got lucky enough


    to be an Alpha. I ¡® in fooling myself to think I¡¯m the right thing for her. I¡¯m not worthy of her. I ce my


    hands on either side of my head and sigh deeply. As I put my elbows on my knees, I look down and


    realize I have smoked more than half a pack of cigarettes while I¡¯ve been sitting here.


    The moon and stars are


    the only light now. I look up at the moon. It is full and almost at its peak, glued down to the deep blue


    purple of the night sky. The stars are sttered like bits of paint around it. Almost as beautiful as Kas, I


    think to myself.


    Almost.


    I take a deep breath. I have had low moments in my life before, but this is the lowest. I don¡¯ t see a way


    out of this bottomless pit I have thrown myself into.


    ¡±Moon Goddess, please help me. I need your guidance. I want nothing but the best for your daughter.


    I¡¯m not sure if I am what is best for her. Not in this life anyway, ¡± I gulp hard, fighting back tears as I call


    out into the sky.


    The wind takes my words away without a second thought. I close my eye, hoping against all odds, the


    wind has taken my words to hold an audience with the


    Moon Goddess. I wipe away a traitorous tear that escapes and tries to slide down my cheek. I feel the


    leftover moisture freeze on my skin. When I open my eye again, I feel a peculiar wind swirl around me.


    It is not bitter cold like the rest of the air. It is reassuring and weing.


    The Moon Goddess. Different emotions fill me now. Warm andforting eptance, gratitude,


    encouragement.


    All those things wrapped into one, swinging me wildly from despair to a sense of purpose. The wind fills


    my ears, ¡®find bnce, my warrior child¡¯ a voice carried by


    the wind¡¯s endless flow reassures me with a whisper. Kas needs me.


    Even in the moments I do bonehead things. She is my mate and I need to ask her forgiveness. I can¡¯t


    run from her. I need to run to her.


    ¡±Thank you, Moon Goddess, ¡± I say with a smile of relief.


    I sit contemting what I just experienced. When I stand up, ready to face the music for my actions, I


    stretch my arms to the air and yawn. I have no idea what time it is, but it must bete. The moon looks


    to be at its highest point. An odd sensationes over me. A tickle in the back of my mind quickly


    bes an itch and builds to a searing pain that drops me to my knees.


    ¡°Aarrgghhh !!!¡± I can¡¯t tell if I said it out loud or if it came from my mind. A rush of blood makes me


    dizzy, causing me to lean forward on all fours. My stomach churns and


    hot bilees up hitting the ground with a st. I look at the vomit as steam rises from the pile.


    The pain is relentless. The roaring in my head won¡¯t stop. The dizziness spins my vision like a top.


    ¡°Milo! ¡± I groan through the mind link. I hope I¡¯m not too far away. I hope the message makes it through


    the


    relentless roaring in my head, ¡± Help! I need you! ¡°


    No sooner than I finish calling out to my friend, my skin starts to get hot and itchy. My bones crack and


    pop, my skin stretches and pulls as my form morphs growing bigger and longer. The clothes I¡¯m


    wearing tear into pieces falling to the ground in little shreds as my body getsrger and changes shape.


    Paws with white fur take the ce of my hands as I shift into a giant, pure white wolf. The roaring in my


    head turns into a deafening howl as Saintpletes the transformation.


    He shakes out his fur and looks around at his surroundings. He seems confused. I sense dizziness


    overtaking him just like it did me, causing him to stumble and fall. Heys on the ground with a huff.


    ¡±Saint?¡± I ask softly, ¡°You okay, buddy?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer. I can feel him. He is in control of his wolf form. I can¡¯ t tell if he can¡¯t hear me, if he


    can hear me but can¡¯t answer, or if he is just ignoring me. I can¡¯t


    shift back if I can¡¯t reach his consciousness. I feel like I¡¯m trapped in a soundproof room inside his


    body.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    I rustlinges from the woods behind us. Saint tries to stand up to defend himself but his legs won¡¯t


    hold him. It feels more like his physical form is too weak, even though my human form is just fine.


    Ghost and Crushere barreling out of the woods. Ghost skids to a stop with a little huff of surprise


    as he sees Saintying on the river bank.

 Chapter 49

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 49


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 49


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I can feel the lump in my throat give way into tears as Delhes into the apartment. She sets down


    a


    leather bag that looks like an old time doctor¡¯s bag and takes my hands in hers.


    ¡°Kas, what happened?¡± she asks. Her face is fills with worry. Lenora is rubbing soothing circles on my


    back.


    ¡°I had a vision, Delh, it was awful, ¡± I begin to sob and copse against her. Delh wipes my tears


    with her sleeve as she shushes me, rocking me gently in her arms. Her movement makes me realize I


    flinched when Bronx tried to do the same thing just a few moments ago. Why did I do that? Was it


    because of the premonition? My heart aches thinking that I did that


    because of something Bronx didn¡¯t actually do. It was just in my head.


    I look around and realize he isn¡¯t in the room. ¡°Bronx?¡± I look around, ¡°Where did he go?¡°


    ¡°I think he feels guilty for pping you, ¡± Lenora growls in annoyed tone. She has a hand on her hip


    taking a judgemental stance.


    ¡°p me? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Bronx would never hit me, Lenora, ¡± I defend my mate with a little growl.


    ¡°Kas, I saw it. We all did.¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I can¡¯t believe it would happen, ¡± I shake my head in denial.


    ¡°Okay, if you don¡¯t remember, that¡¯s probably for the best. How about you and Delh sit down so you


    can tell her what your premonition was, Kas. I¡¯ll mind link my brother and see if I can get him back


    here,¡± Lenora


    reassures me, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him.¡°


    I let Delh lead me to the sofa while Lenora contacts Bronx.


    ¡°Alright, Luna lokaste. May I connect with your mind?¡± Delh asks. She uses my formal title indicating


    she needs to have control over my mind.


    ¡°Yes, please, before the memory fades. I already feel like I am starting to forget the details of it,¡± I sniff


    away thest of my tears.


    ¡°Alright. This will be easier if you close your eyes and concentrate on the vision. I¡¯m going to recite an


    incantation. The more I speak, the less you will be aware of your surroundings. There is a possibility


    that you will feel like you¡¯re in that moment again. I know it will be scary, but I need you to let yourself


    relive it. You may see me as a ghost in your peripheral vision if you try to look around. This is normal. I


    will be observing details you may not be able to because of the traumatizing nature of the event, ¡± she


    exins.


    Lenoraes over to the sofa, ¡°Bronx is having a tantrum. He won¡¯t speak to me, but he¡¯s fine. We


    just need to give him a little time, then I will send Milo and Reggie after him. They know how to talk to


    him when he gets in one of these moods.¡°


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Beta Lenora, I¡¯m going to perform magic on Luna I okaste. It may look scary, but whatever happens is


    normal, I assure you. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, but I need you to make sure we are not


    interrupted.


    Ending the link too early can be¡­well¡­ bad.¡°


    ¡°You got it,¡± Lenora says. She goes and locks the door to the apartment andes back to observe


    Delh.


    I nod and sit on the sofa cross-legged, facing the witch who has be my best friend and close my


    eyes. I feel her hands press gently against the sides of my head and she begins to murmur words in a


    language I don¡¯t understand. An odd sensation


    I wake up in bed in a cold sweat. I ¡®m aware that I¡¯m in my premonition, but I can¡¯t stop the events from


    ying out. I look around and I swear I see Delh standing just out of my vision but turning my head


    to face her doesn¡¯t work. She is always just out of my line of sight. I try to say her name but the word


    disolves like dust in my mouth. Once again, I relive the horror as Saint possesses Bronx¡¯s body and the


    last flicker of life leaves my body.


    I gasp as I open my eyes wide, back in reality. Delh looks at me with tears in her eyes. She pulls me


    in for a deep hug.


    ¡± It¡¯s going to be okay, Kas. It may not seem like it right now, but it¡¯s going to be okay, ¡± Delh sniffs


    tears away.


    ¡°Are you girls alright?¡± Lenora is sitting on the floor


    next to the sofa looking up at us before looking at her watch.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Are you okay, Delh? I ¡®in so sorry you had to experience that,¡± I soothe. It¡¯s my turn to wipe


    her tears.


    ¡±Kas, please, let me take this fear out of your mind. I have everything I need to ry to my mother so


    we can figure out how to keep you and your mate safe from, well, from whatever triggers that to


    happen.¡±


    ¡±I won¡¯t remember at all?¡± I ask.


    ¡±You will remember , but it will just be an awareness. It won¡¯t feel scary like it does now, ¡± she nods


    while she is exining, ¡°It¡¯splex magic and taking away


    someone¡¯s emotions kind of falls in the gray magic area of light and dark but I think in this case, it¡¯s for


    the best. I am sure Lady Camille would agree.¡±


    ¡±Alright, please take it away, ¡± I nod. I don¡¯t even have to think about it. I understand Delh telling mee


    this is gray magic means it is going to take a lot out of her and she will need to have a cleansing


    ceremony performed, but I trust her. She wouldn¡¯t offer it to me if she didn¡¯t believe it was necessary, ¡°


    I don¡¯t want to feel this way about my mate. He hasn¡¯t actually done anything.¡±


    She and Lenora stand and go to the kitchen. I overhear bits and pieces of Delh describing what


    happened in the vision and Lenora mentioning PTSD. Theye back with Delh holding her


    doctor¡¯s bag, cing it on the coffee table. She pulls out several bottles of liquid and pouches of herbs.


    She hands Lenora an empty ss and starts filling it with the variousponents. As I watch her


    skillfully concoct the potion, her ocean blue eyes turn darker and darker until they are almost navy blue.


    As thest ingredient touches the rest of the potion, it turns from muddy brown to an acid green.


    Lenora¡¯s eyes widen at the sight, holding the ss far in front of her, ¡°What are you going to do with


    this?¡°


    ¡°Kas needs to drink it,¡± Delh says, her voice so deep, it¡¯s almost unrecognizable. She takes the ss


    from Lenora and hands it to me. I take a sniff and almost gag. It smells of filth and rot. It reminds me of


    my former bedroom in the dungeon of the Silver Moon packhouse.


    Delh stands up and moves behind me.


    ¡°Kas, you are going to feel me touch your head. It is going to feel a bit like a heavy kiss. You need to


    drink the liquid without stopping. Down to thest drop,¡± she says with the altered tone in her voice.


    ¡°A-alright, ¡± I sigh nervously. ¡°Go ahead.¡°


    I feel a pressure against the crown of my head. It almost feels like something has passed through my


    skull and ispping at my brain. I pinch my nose closed with my free hand and start gulping down the


    vile liquid. It is thick and chunky as I force it down m y throat. When I am sure the ss is empty, I set it


    down and start gagging. The pressure on my head dissipates. I feel better. I look at Lenora who looks


    mortified. She is looking at Delh with a mix of disgust and disbelief, maybe even a bit of fear too, but I


    know Lenora doesn¡¯t fear anything.


    I turn to see what she is looking at.


    ¡± NO! ¡± they yell at the same time. Delh puts her hands on my head pushing it back to face front.


    I hear slimy gagging noisesing from behind me, then silence. Delh lets go of my head and


    flumps down on the sofa, finally letting me turn around.


    She looks like all her energy ispletely spent. I help her lean back on a pillow and grab my gray and


    green nket for her. It always makes me feel better when I am exhausted.


    ¡°I -is that what you actually look like? ¡± Lenora asks, ¡°Is what we see now a mour? I -I¡¯m not trying to


    be disrespectful or anything, I just want to


    understand what I just saw, Delh.¡°


    ¡°What you saw is what my soul would look like if I were to let dark magic consume me. If a witch


    sumbs to the enticements of dark magic, eventually, who she is on the inside manifests on the


    outside, sooner orter, that is what you would see when you looked at me. An old


    disfigured hag, ¡± Delh says sleepily, ¡± It is temporary in this case. When I go home for a visit, we will


    perform a cleansing ritual for my spirit.


    ¡°I see. Okay. Thank you for telling me,¡± Lenora nods but still looks tentative.


    ¡°In other matters, that little Vulcan mind meld you two were stuck in, well, that took a long time, ¡±


    Lenora informs us.


    ¡°What do you mean by a long time?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s one -thirty in the morning,¡± she looks at her watch.


    ¡°What? We were in there for over seven hours?¡± I ask in disbelief, ¡°Where¡¯s Bronx?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, Kas. He¡¯s going to be okay. Let¡¯s get James to take Delh home, then I can take you to


    Bronx.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 50


    Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future by Neener Chapter 50


    Lenora stands and unlocks the apartment door. James is pacing the hall and rushes inside as soon as


    he is allowed entry.


    ¡°My Love! ¡± he exims when he sees Delh bundled up on the sofa. He kneels down and caresses


    her face, giving her little kisses.


    ¡°Oh, Puppy. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m okay, ¡± she smiles as hees to her side.


    ¡°James, you can take her wrapped in the nket so she won¡¯t get cold. I will get it back some other


    time, ¡± I offer.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Luna. My truck is out front, ¡± he carefully unwraps his mate from her cocoon and hands the


    nket to me before picking her up bridal style. Lenora drapes his coat over her.


    ¡°Delh, I wille see you tomorrow if you¡¯re feeling better, ¡° I tell her.


    ¡°Thank you, Kas, ¡± she says sleepily, leaning into James¡¯ chest. James gingerly walks out of the


    apartment so he can take his mate home and care for her. I pang of guilt strikes my heart. I am not able


    to heal Delh because she is not a werewolf. She is a powerful witch, but what she did for me this


    evening took so much out of her. I have to find a way to make it up to her.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Lenora asked with a smirk as soon as they¡¯re gone.


    ¡°Hear what?¡± I ask, looking at her with confusion.


    ¡°Delh calls James ¡®Puppy¡¯, ¡± Lenora giggles at the thought of big burly James being called a puppy.


    I cover my mouth hiding my giggle. Once I collect myself I turn to Lenora, ¡°Okay, no more stalling,


    where¡¯s


    Bronx?¡± ¡°Hospital wing.¡°


    ¡°Hospital wing?! What happened? ¡± Worry starts to build in my chest.


    She looks at me unsure what to say. She just sighs, ¡± Saint won¡¯t shift back into human form. We¡¯re not


    sure why.¡°


    ¡°Won¡¯t or can¡¯t?¡± I¡¯m not sure how I know to ask the question.


    ¡°Come on, Kas, maybe you can help figure it out. ¡°


    We walk briskly down to the hospital wing. I realize, I wrapped my nket around me without knowing I


    was doing it. The doctor meets us in the hallway.


    ¡°Luna, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. We¡¯ve tried to speak with


    Alpha Bronx¡¯s wolf, but for some reason, he doesn¡¯t seem to be able tomunicate with us.


    Beta Milo had to bring him back from the woods on an


    ATV. He couldn¡¯t walk here himself. Physically, he seems weak, but we can¡¯t figure out why. Other than


    the muscle weakness, he seems to be healthy, albeit a little irritable. But that isn¡¯t unusual for our


    Alpha, ¡± the doctor exins to us as we walk down the hall. We stop in front of a patient room door.


    ¡°Please, take as much time as you need. Hopefully the mate bond will help provide some answers. If


    not, I feel slightly ufortable to ask, but I understand you had training for your healer abilities while


    you were away. I don¡¯t know if this case calls for those abilities or not.


    ¡°No need to feel awkward, Doctor. Thank you for letting me know the situation.¡°


    ¡°Be careful, Kas. We don¡¯t know what kind of state of mind Saint is in that he won¡¯t allow Bronx toe


    forward¡­or if it is Bronx that is the one who is not in the right state of mind,¡± Lenora says with warning.


    I nod at her and open the door. I quietly step inside gently closing the door behind me.


    The room is dimly lit. Saint¡¯s hulking form is on a low kennel cot. He lifts his head as Ie in and


    looks at me sleepily with his single vibrant green eye. His tail thumps against the cot and he starts to


    whine with a yawn when he sees me approach. Joy fills my heart at the sight of him. Mate¡¯s don¡¯t


    usually spend time together in opposite forms, but seeing him in front of me reminds me that I love him


    just as much as Bronx.


    ¡°Hi Saint,¡± I whisper soothingly, ¡°The doctor said maybe you¡¯re not feeling well. Can Iy down with


    you? Maybe I can help heal you?¡°


    He looks at me for a moment and I can¡¯t tell if he understands me or not until he tries to stand up and


    come to me.


    ¡°Oh no, Sweetheart, let mee to you, ¡± I assure him and step over to where he isying.


    He sits, thenys back on the cot, allowing me to crawl onto it with him. I lean against his big barreled


    chest and wrap my arms around his neck. He has the same coffee and dark chocte scent as Bronx


    but muskier.


    ¡°I ¡®ve missed you, Saint. So has Bronx, ¡± I murmur as I stroke his soft fur.


    He nuzzles my face and gives me a small lick on the cheek before wrapping his giant body around me,


    effectively wrapping me into a white wolf cocoon. His face is leaning up against mine as I run my


    fingers through his soft coat and nuzzle my face on the thick fur of his neck.


    ¡°Saint, is Bronx in there with you?¡± I ask gently, stroking his face, knowing I won¡¯t get an answer, ¡± Can


    I use some of my healing ability to try to bring him back? It makes me nervous that you are not strong


    right now, because Bronx was fine before he left the packhouse. I promise it won¡¯t make you go away


    again. Just enough for both of you to share a body like you used to. I promise. Hopefully the healing


    energy will help make you stronger too.


    He lifts his head up and looks into my eyes. He gives me a small huff and another lick on my cheek. I


    take that as a sign of approval.


    ¡°Thank you, Sweetheart, ¡± I nuzzle him again.


    I take a deep breath. I have never tried to use my abilities on someone in wolf form. But I just promised


    him everything would be fine, so I need to make sure I keep that promise.


    ¡°Saint, I think Bronx is feeling guilty about something that happened earlier today. I don¡¯t know if he told


    you about it or not, but he doesn¡¯t need to feel guilty. I need him to know that. He did the right thing. I


    don¡¯t me him. I¡¯m not mad at him. So if he¡¯s in there with you and


    if you two are on speaking terms, please let him know for me, okay?¡°


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The giant wolf doesn¡¯t really respond, he just sighs deeply and lets his tongue loll out of the side of his


    mouth. He uses his snoot to lift my hand to pet him more.


    ¡°My sweet wolf mate. You mean so much to me. I love you,¡± I ce my hands on either side of his soft


    ears and kiss him on the end of his nose.


    ¡°Ready? I¡¯ve never done this on someone in wolf form.


    I¡¯m not sure how it will feel for you. If you are ufortable, let me know.¡°


    He nods once and closes his eye. I focus on Saint and Bronx.


    The deeper my energy goes in search of Bronx, the more rxed Saint¡¯s body bes. He leans his


    heavy head on my shoulder with a deep sigh. It almost feels like he is relieved. The healing energy is


    working on him.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief for me too, Sweetheart, ¡± I say into his mind.


    I keep searching until Ie to a wall. I try to push my energy past it, but it won¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Can you help me, Saint? Bronx is behind that wall, I can feel it. I think whatever made youe


    forward, put him behind the wall you were stuck behind.¡°


    I feel Saint¡¯s energy. Inparison to my smooth, flowing calm energy, Saint¡¯s is raw and forceful,


    barely contained from turning violent. It gives me a better understanding of this handsome wolf.


    Wordlessly, he helps me push against the wall. With both of us pushing, it easily slides and starts to


    crumble. As it does, a wave of negative emotions washes over us. I move in front of Saint and use my


    positive energy against it. Dissipating it into thin air.


    I am starting to feel weak now, ¡± Saint, I will have toe backter to find Bronx, but I think we made


    good progress. You did such a good job,¡± I say to him as I pull my spirit and energy back until I am


    looking at his wolf form. He nuzzles me gratefully and lets me fall asleep in his warmforting


    embrace.

 Chapter 51

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 51


    As we leave the conference room, I agree t o let anyone who wants to go for a run on pack territory


    after dinner go, as long as they are escorted by one of our guards to make sure they don¡¯t get lost or


    end up going over a cliff into the Blood River. She thanks me deeply and scurries off to let her sister


    know the good news.


    Katherine steps forward, ¡°Alpha Mason, thank you so much for making our pack members feel


    weed. Persephone will be relieved, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Please, you can call me Alpha Bronx. Save the formalities for business hours,¡± I bow slightly to her.


    We watch as the blonde and red-headed women all head up to the guest suites, with the couple of men


    on their team following dutifully.


    ¡°What in the Goddess name is happening right now?¡± I ask out loud, ¡°Uh, Milo, have a couple of senior


    guards escort anyone who wants to go for a run. We need to monitor whatever the Hell is happening


    right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes Alpha,¡± he nods with his hands on his hips.


    ¡°D-did Amari say Persephone is her sister? Wouldn¡¯t that mean


    I cut Reggie off before he finishes, ¡°Yeah. All three are Manae. Did you see all their female staff? They


    were all either blonde o r red-heads. I¡¯m thinking they are all Manae.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Milo whispers loudly, ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°We talk about itter. For now, y dumb and get ready for dinner,¡± I order.


    ***


    ¡°Kas?¡± I whisper into the phone. She was so sleepy when she called. I already know she has fallen


    asleep, but I just want to make sure. There is one thing you can always count on with Kas, she works


    hard and sleeps hard. I always try my best not t o interrupt her when she¡¯s sleeping. I figure she had


    enoughte nights and early mornings growing up that she deserves the sleep she gets now.


    I smile when I¡¯m answered with her little


    I smile when I¡¯m anered with her little snores. I wait another minute, closing my eye and imagining


    wrapping my arms around my sleepy little mate and burying my nose into her hair, breathing in her


    fresh rain and lc scent. It¡¯s not the same as the real thing. I look at the phone but all I can see is her


    chin and the side of her scarred neck before I make myself end the video call


    I throw my towel into theundry basket and put on my sweatpants. When I take a deep breath and


    notice Milo and Reggies¡¯ scentsing from outside the bedroom. I head back out into the living room;


    Milo and Reggie are both on the sofa, looking a t their phones.


    ¡°What are you guys doing here? How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°Your parents let me use your key,¡± Milo says, not looking up from his phone.


    ¡°Is Kas doing okay?¡± Reggie asks, not looking up from his phone.


    ¡°What the fuck? You were listening to my conversation in my own home?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Calm down, Lover Boy. We couldn¡¯t help but overhear. We came to talk about


    Gummi Duy Weltme but overhear. We cal to talk about whatever the Hell it was that happened today,¡±


    Milo retorts, dismissing my mood.


    I rx a little, reminding myself that these are my friends. They mean me no harm.


    ¡°Yeah, Kas just fell asleep,¡± I look at my phone, wishing she was still awake,¡± Gimme a second, I need


    to send some te


    Miloughs maniacally before I finish my sentence.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I drop my arms, feeling a little annoyed at his outburst.


    ¡°I¡¯m watching the video of Kas kicking your ass around the training ring,¡± he wipes his tears ofughter


    as I hear people oohing from his phone.


    I roll my eye and motion to Reggie, ¡°Let m e guess, you¡¯re watching it too?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯m watching Kas¡¯s speech to Silver Moon. She looks so confide-,¡± He finally looks up at me.


    A curious lookes over his face, ¡°No eye patch tonight?


    eye paremont


    ¡°Nah. Kas got me in the habit of not wearing it around the apartment. Besides, it¡¯s just the three of us.


    Nothing you¡¯ve never seen before,¡± I wave him off. They were there when I lost my eye. They have


    seen me without the eyepatch thousands o f times. I lean against the breakfast bar, taking out my


    phone.


    Bronx: Leni make sure Kas gets into pajamas please? She fell asleep dressed


    Lenora: No problem


    Lenora: How was today?


    Bronx: Weird. Find time to call tomorrow. I will catch you up-gn


    Lenora: ok. I¡¯ll try ¨C gn


    Bronx: Marco ¨C food delivery service will b e there tomorrow at 7am. Make sure she eats.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Marco: yes alpha im on it


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t make her eat-¡°Saint growls,


    ¡°Saint, I trust Marco to make sure Kas eats. She will be fine. It was just a big day for her. She was


    nervous, but you saw the


    for her. She was nervus, but you saw the video. That is the Luna we both know she can be. We just


    needed to give her the chance,¡± I do my best to calm him down.


    He sounds like he is going to say something, but he changes his mind. He just paces in my mind


    before moving back to sulk. Sometimes I forget having Kas away from us is just as difficult on him as i


    tis on me. It seems like even more sotely.


    ¡°Ah, no. You don¡¯t get to go sulk. Time for a talk,¡± I scold him.


    ¡°No. Three sleeps until my matees back. I¡¯m getting started now,¡± he snarls and shuts down our


    link.


    I send one more text before I sit down. This time to my therapist letting her know I need to make an


    appointment. Even with the medications I take to keep Saint calm, ever since Kas¡¯s birthday, he has


    been acting off. I exined my reasons for my behavior to Kas, but Saint has some exining to do as


    well. I need t o get both of us in check to avoid any more dangerous incidents. She texts back almost


    immediately with an appointment day and time.


    day anu uime


    Alright, no more stalling. Time to talk business with my Beta and Gamma.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make this quick. I told Kas I was getting ready for bed and I meant it. S o, what did you


    guys make of today? Was i tas weird as I thought it was?¡± I ask, taking a sip of my water.


    ¡°Yeah, Weird is an understatement,¡± Milo shakes his head, ¡°Tessa clearly recognized the women and


    vice versa. You saw the images. Did you see how wide their eyes all went? Their eyeballs practically


    fell out of their heads.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed that. The fact that we surprised them with each other could mean Katherine and Amari


    may not have been involved in Kas¡¯s kidnapping,¡± Reggie hypothesizes.


    ¡°What do we do about Cora being Persephone, who we know was involved? Amari was the one who


    approached me asking if they could go for a run. If she is close enough to Amari to ask a favor for her


    benefit, do you think she would be able to hide the fact that she was there when Kas was abducted?¡± I


    rub the scruff on my chin and squint my eye, a little.

 Chapter 52

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 I quickly set the table, take the food out of the boxes, and put it on real tes just as


    Lenora steps in the room with my guards.


    ¡°Oh, I thought it was just take out. This looks gourmet,¡± Lenora looks impressed.


    ¡°Well, the tes help. Come on, sit down and let¡®s eat. I still need to get a shower before we get our


    day started,¡± I wave them over to the table and take my spot. The distraction of being able to eat with m


    y pack members is exactly what I need to get my mind off of Bronx for a while.


    When we finish eating, I get myself together for the day and we get started. Lenora and Tyree get


    settled in the conference room to help families with the relocation registration while Marco, Elder


    Randall and I push through building after building, house after house, assessing the value and


    determining what we can sell at auction. The pack members who choose toe to Blood River will be


    allowed to take their belongings, but most of the furniture and things like that are the property of Silver


    Moon. Most of what we find is shabby and run down. There is very little we will be able to sell. I mark


    most of


    little we will be able sell. I mark most of it to be donated to charity or to be incinerated.


    Except for the lunch break Marco makes m e take, we work straight through until dinner. When Marco


    makes me stop.


    ¡°Luna, please sit. You need to eat,¡± he calmly informs me.


    ¡°Marco, we¡®re almost done. Only six more houses, then we¡®re finished with this part,¡± I feel myself


    whine. I don¡®t need to eat. I need to keep busy to keep my mind off of Bronx.


    ¡°Kas, don¡®t make me ask twice. I got orders,¡± Marco hisses through gritted teeth. His professional voice


    erodes and his heavy Spanishes forward, ¡°Alpha says you need to eat, so you need to eat.¡±


    I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my body, ¡°Alright, fine.¡±


    He pulls me out to the porch and sits me o n the step while he goes to the car. Hees back with a


    cooler that has another to go box inside, ¡°I should heat it up but there ain¡®t no microwaves in these


    ces.¡±


    ¡°It¡®s alright. Where¡®s yours?¡± I ask opening the box to see spaghetti and meatballs with two pieces of


    garlic bread inside. I stab at a meatball with the stic fork and take a bite. It¡®s delicious, even cold. I


    guess I didn¡®t realize how hungry I actually was.


    ¡°I ate mine an hour ago, when you was at the pool house,¡± he exins. He pulls out his phone and


    aims it at me to take a picture, ¡°Smile for the Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I say as I shovel a fork full of pasta into my mouth. He snaps the picture.


    ¡°Alpha said to send proof you been eating like he ordered. No better proof than a picture,¡± Marco


    chuckles as he sends the picture off.


    ¡°Really, Marco? That¡®s the picture you sent?¡± Iugh as he shows it to me.


    ¡°Hey Luna, what better proof could I send him? It will make himugh,¡± he smiles with a shrug


    ¡°Um, sorry to interrupt, Goddess, but you don¡®t happen to have any extra, do you?¡± Elder Randall asks


    as he steps out of the little house. The expression on his face


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    little house. The e Tession on his face makes me ufortable, but I can¡®t pinpoint why.


    ¡°Sorry, Elder Randall, but no. I can ask Beta Lenora and Tyree to order something from the kitchen for


    you. It will be ready b y the time we get back,¡± Marco speaks for me, switching his tone back to his


    formal work voice.


    ¡°Thank you, uh, Marco is it? Don¡®t worry about it. I will be fine. I can have an omega bring my meal to


    my suite when we get back,¡± Randall holds his hands up and gives an awkward smile.


    I inwardly smile, grateful that I don¡®t have to confront Randall or share my garlic bread with him, but I


    want to talk to him about the way he has run the pack for thest two years. I look at Marco and tilt my


    head, trying to show I need a few minutes alone with the old Elder.


    Marco takes his hand out of his pocket and looks at his watch. I recognize it as one I helped Musu pick


    out for his birthday


    ¡°As soon as the Luna is done eating, we can get back to work. It has been taking


    can get back to woIt has been taking fifteen minutes per house, so we should b e done in about an


    hour and a half,¡± he advises Elder Randall, ¡°T¡®m just going to step over to the car to call my mate. If you


    or the Luna need anything, I just call for m e, Sir.¡±


    I see Elder Randall¡®s face darken slightly for a moment, then back to its usual ufortable smile. I


    wonder what that¡®s about?


    ¡°That sounds just fine,¡± he sneers slightly.


    As Marco wanders away toward the car, I beckon Randall to sit down with me,¡° Elder Randall, please


    sit. A request from a goddess.¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, Goddess lokaste,¡± he gives his fake smile again. I feel my back stiffen at him using


    my full name, but I don¡®t correct him. He groans as he sits on the step with me.


    ¡°Randall, I want you to know I have spoken to Alpha Regent Bronx. Over the course of thest two


    years, you have run this pack further into the ground than a drunkard, abusive Alpha ever could. The


    drunkard, abusive ha ever could. The treatment of the people here is appalling. As a member of the


    Elder Council, you should be ashamed of yourself,¡± I scold the man in as calm a voice as I can, but I


    notice in the evening light, a slight aura is surrounding me.


    ¡°Goddess, I assure you, I have tried my best. The situation here was well, it was¨C¡±


    ¡°It was better two years ago when my former Alpha was whipping me nearly to death every night than it


    is now,¡± I snap,¡± You have done this pack a disservice. Honestly, I don¡®t believe you ever looked for a


    suitable Alpha for these people. I don¡®t think you have put any effort into helping them at all and now


    you have made it Bronx and my concern.¡±


    I see his face nch as his mouth opens and closes a few times, but he says nothing


    ¡°What really gets me. Like really, really gets me angry,¡± my aura glows brighter now, ¡°is that you have


    been treating young girls of this pack as ves. And don¡®t deny that you haven¡®t.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, I did what I had to do to fulfill


    ¡°Goddess, I did wh had to do to fulfill my duties to the Council,¡± he voice has an irritated growl.


    ¡°Then you have failed the Council, Sir. The Council is supposed to beposed o f the best retired


    Alphas and Alpha Regents ourmunity has to offer. If this is your best effort, you are clearly not part


    of the echelons you think you are,¡°I use my words to hit him where it counts. Telling him he is not as


    elite as he thinks h e is.


    ¡°Randall, not only have you done an abysmal job here, my Beta advised this morning that out of the


    four hundred adults, only two hundred and fifty have requested toe to Blood River. That¡®s going to


    leave a lot of rogues and asylum seekers in my region to manage.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, I won¡®t apologize for what has happened here. I won¡®t take responsibility for this pack who


    refused to take responsibility for themselves. We will finish tomorrow in the pack house with


    assessments and registrations for transfers. The following morning, you will go home and I have to stay


    here and deal with the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°And what aftermath do you think that i S?¡± I furrow my brow.


    ¡°Hope. You have given this group hope. The worst kind of incentive. A promise you cannot guarantee


    and now it will be difficult to control them,¡± his voice is cruel and cold now.


    I control my breathing and will my energy to turn inward before something bad happens.


    ¡°Marco! We¡®re ready here,¡± I call out. He lifts his head in recognition and hangs up the phone while he


    jogs over. He takes the carton from me and leads us to the car so we can finish assessing thest of


    the run down cottages.

 Chapter 53

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 Bronx¡¯s POV


    I have some pretty dumb ideas sometimes. I¡¯m man enough to admit that. Sending Kas away for five


    days, that i s probably the dumbest I¡¯ve had in a long time. I know because when I roll over to pull her


    into my arms, but she¡¯s not there. It¡¯s my own stupid fault. I have to settle for her green and gray


    nket to get her scent. I growl into the empty nket, upset that it is not my mate.


    Only one more night, Bronx. You can do this, I tell myself. I look at the ceiling, thinking about the


    conversation I had with Kasst night. I was so proud to hear her tell me about her conversation with


    Randall. And d to hear they only havet o finish assessing the packhouse while Lenora finishes


    registrations. They will leave first thing tomorrow.


    I let out a heavy sigh before I pull myself out of bed and get a shower.


    I grab a towel and dry myself off. I throw i tover my head and rub it through my hair, drying it as much


    as possible. When I pull the towel off, I swear I see a glowing


    pull the towel off, I ear I see a glowing sh of purple in the mirror. I pause and look closer, but there is


    nothing. It must have been my imagination. Ib my hair back, then start shaving. The sh catches


    my attention again in my peripheral vision. I can see it on the side o f my face where I have no eye. I


    snap my head around and look, but there¡¯s nothing there.


    Lady Camille had told me she believed I was developing an aura like Kas because o f how close our


    connection is. I was absorbing Kas¡¯s extra energy, and it was having a physical effect on me. She and I


    decided to keep a close eye on it, since she would be in town for a few more weeks with Delh. I look


    down at my hands, but they aren¡¯t glowing. Whatever that light was, it¡¯s noting from me.


    I look in the mirror one more time and pause, trying to look around without moving my head, just


    shifting my eye back and forth. Whatever it was, it¡¯s gone now. I finish shaving and brush my teeth.


    When I get to the door, I feel a heat against my back. I quickly turn to see a purple light in the room


    suddenly fade. I can¡¯t tell where it originated from, just


    can¡¯t tell where it ginated from, just that it was in the bathroom and it was hot.


    ¡°James, I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but I think I need Delh toe to my apartment. Something weird is


    happening up here,¡± I mind link Kas¡¯s guard.


    ¡°No problem, Alpha. We have an appointment with the specialist this morning. Do you need her before


    or can it wait until after?¡±


    ¡°After is fine. I have meetings all morning. If you two could meet me up here at lunch, that would be


    perfect.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha. See you then,¡± James confirms.


    I take another good look around the bathroom. Nothing seems suspicious or out-of-ce now, so I go


    about my business and finish getting ready.


    Milo and Reggie meet me at thending of the third floor. Both looking chipper and ready to work.


    ¡°Morning Alpha! How did you sleep?¡± Reggie chirps.


    ¡°Fine. What are you so happy about?¡± I


    ask.


    ¡°After our meetings yesterday, Ashley had a doctor appointment, and we found out we¡¯re having a girl!¡±


    ¡°Oh man! That¡¯s awesome!¡± Milo gives Reggie a big hug, ¡°She and Codi are gonna be best friends just


    like their moms. I know it.¡±


    I smile and shake his hand, ¡°Congrats, Reggie. Very happy for you two.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, guys. Come on, Bronx. When is i t your turn? We need a little mini Bronx running around this


    ce,¡± Reggieughs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kas and I are working on i t,¡± I turn my head to the ground, not really wanting to make eye


    contact, and talk about my sex life in the hallway, ¡°It¡¯s not for ack of trying.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you need any pointers-¡±


    ¡°Milo, whatever you think you are about t o say, think twice. My little sister is your mate,¡± I warn


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Reggie, give Bronx some pointers,¡± Miloughs, elbowing Reggie.


    pomers, MITTO Taunus, CIDOwing Resgre.


    Reggie¡¯s face reddens a little, ¡°Uh, yeah Bronx, if¡­you know¡­I mean¡­if you need any advice, uh¡­


    lemme know. Otherwise let¡®s drop this conversation.¡±


    Milo and Iugh at Reggie¡¯s modesty. As w e get to thending of the second floor, there is a distinct


    change in energy in the air. It feels like static building around us, ready to spark. All three of us stop in


    our tracks.


    ¡°You feel that?¡± Milo asks, his eyes growing ck and fangs extending. Reggie and I follow suit, letting


    our wolvese forward in case we are being attacked.


    I look over the railing of thending down to the first floor to see if I can see the source of the


    disturbance.


    ¡°What the¡­? Kas? Leni?¡± I must be hallucinating. They are supposed to be at Silver Moon, not here


    while Santoro Enterprises is here. I sniff the air but don¡¯t smell either of their scents. What is


    happening?


    ¡°Lenora? Sugar, what are you doing?!¡± Milo rushes down the stairs.


    I look again and realize Kas and Lenora aren¡¯t just standing on the main level. They are having an


    argument. I watch, horrified, as Lenora lifts Kas off the ground, holding her up with both hands b y the


    throat. The smell of blood wafts in the air as Lenora¡¯s ws pierce the scarred skin on the sides of


    Kas¡¯s throat. There is a look of pure hate and rage in the ck eyes of Lenora¡¯s wolf, Justice, as she


    strangles a thrashing Kas.


    ¡°Lenora! Stop!¡± I yell, skipping steps as I run down the stairs. Lenora finally looks u p at me and her


    face turns pale. Her eyes turn back to their regr green and she lets go of Kas, letting her fall to the


    ground with a hard thud. Before we can stop her, Lenora takes off, running full speed out the door of


    the packhouse. Milo and Reggie take off after her.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Kas? Are you okay, Baby?¡± I get to the bottom of the stairs and kneel next to Kas. I can immediately


    tell something isn¡¯t right when I touch her. There are no sparks of our mate bond. Her scent is off. S o is


    her body posture and her energy. Is she falling into a vision? Goddess, please n o. Not on the main


    floor of the packhouse


    o. Not on the main of the packhouse where everyone can see her. She will be so embarrassed.


    I keep my hand on her back, bending forward to see her face. Kas coughs as she catches her air, but


    she is doing something with her hands at the same time. I can¡¯t tell


    ¡°That¡¯s so cute, you call her Baby,¡± Kas giggles softly between her coughs. What is she talking about?


    Something is wrong with her voice.


    ¡°Kas?¡± The energying off of her makes me feel slightly nauseous.


    She finally looks up at me, and I see it isn¡¯t Kas at all. I feel myself freeze on the spot. What the fuck?


    She looks exactly like Kas, but it isn¡¯t her. This woman doesn¡¯t have Kas¡¯s scars. Her smile is cruel and


    cold and her violet eyes are calcting and careless at the same time.


    ¡°Oops, looks like Bronx just found out his mate has a look alike,¡± herugh is like a cackle as she looks


    at me.


    ¡°Who ¨C who are you?¡± I whisper trying to process what I¡¯m seeing. All the videos we


    process what I¡¯m se g. All the videos we had seen of Kas¡¯s sisters showed women that looked simr


    to her, but never this


    close.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Leticia, Bronx. I would stay for tea, but I think that¡¯s my cue to leave,¡± she looks behind me. I


    turn my eyes away from her and see James and Delh standing near the front door, watching us with


    horrified looks. Delh is starting a spell under her breath.


    ¡°NO! You have to protect her,¡± Saint growls in my mind.


    ¡°What the Hell are you talking about you crazy ass wolf?¡± I ask him, trying to wrap my head around


    everything happening in the moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re her guardian, dummy. It¡¯s your fucking job to protect her. So do it! Don¡¯t let the witch hurt her!¡±


    Saint roars louder.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t Kas, Saint!¡±


    ¡°I KNOW! JUST DO IT!¡± He gives a frustrated snarl and takes over my movements, pulling me back


    from being i


    n control of my body.


    He positions me between this mystery


    He positions me bety en this mystery woman and Delh, blocking any spell Delh is going to try to


    use against her.


    Leticia sits up straight and throws her hands out away from her body. As she does, a focused point of


    light purple light shoots out from her chest into the middle of the room. It quickly grows and glows so


    brightly, I have to look away from it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bronx, I¡¯ll be back,¡± she pats the side of my face as she giggles. Before I can stop her,


    she jumps up and sprints for the purple light.


    I try to scramble to my feet to chase her, but Delh releases her spell, trying to knock the woman off


    her feet. Saint forces me to throw my body to block the pulse of Delh¡¯s spell instead of chasing after


    Leticia. I watch as Kas¡¯s look alike dives into the purple light and it disappears. At the same time,


    Delh¡¯s spell hits me and knocks me backward into a side table, smashing it to pieces. Saint


    conveniently gives back control just as I hit the ground.


    ¡°Saint, you have some exining to do,¡± I growl.


    ¡°I just did! You¡¯re Leticia¡¯s guardian. You


    growl.


    ¡°I just did! You¡¯re Leticia¡¯s guardian. You can¡¯t let Delh or anyone else hurt her. You really are dense


    sometimes,¡± he scolds like this is all some sort ofmonce urrence.


    I sit for a moment with everyone looking a t me. I can feel anger bubbling up inside m e and I let it.


    Losing control inside your own packhouse? Uneptable.


    ¡°What the fuck just happened in my packhouse?!¡± I roar, ¡°James, Delh, my office now! Reggie, find


    Milo. Get Musu from upstairs, You¡¯re all meeting me up there too.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 54


    I throw open the door to my office, letting it m against the wall, and pace in front of my desk as


    everyone else files into the room. My rage is flowing off of me but I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Conference table,¡± I snarl, pointing to the back of the room. James and Delh quietly go to the table


    and take a seat. James looks at the table with his neck exposed to me. Delh just looks terrified. I


    don¡¯t think I have ever seen her eyes so dark blue.


    A momentter, Musu pokes her head in through the open door. Her eyes widen when she senses the


    anger.


    ¡°Alpha, you sent for me?¡± she asks innocently.


    ¡°Sit!¡± I growl at her, still pacing. She scurries over to the table and joins James and Delh.


    Saint is raging in my head, not because of a random portal opening in the packhouse, but because of


    the intruder who looked like Kas being attacked by a woman who looked like Lenora.


    ¡°Saint, knock it off!¡±


    ¡°We have to go after her! We have to help her!¡± he howls desperately.


    ¡°And how the fuck are we supposed to do that? You know where she went? You know how to get


    there? Do you know what she¡¯s doing once she gets there? Because i f you do, you and I have to have


    some really serious conversations about withholding information from me,¡± I seethe at him.


    ¡°Bronx, I don¡¯t know how to tell you any other way. You are a Guardian. Yeah, you need to protect our


    mate, but there are other goddesses who need us, too. I don¡¯t know where the Hell she went but we


    have to find her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impossible, Saint. I¡¯m not even going to pretend to agree with you because I don¡¯t


    understand¡­at all. Kas is our mate and our priority. All this other insanity is not our business. Well, it


    wasn¡¯t until it started happening inside m y packhouse.¡±


    Saint groans and continues pacing restlessly, but doesn¡¯t argue with me


    again.


    I know I need to calm down before I speak to the people sitting at my conference table. Anything that


    comes out of my mouth right now will be fueled by an anger that shouldn¡¯t be directed at them.


    Reggie appears in the doorway, ¡°Alpha, Milo¡¯s on his way. He should be here in ten minutes. It was


    Tessa, without the wig and contacts. Don¡¯t worry, we caught her.¡±


    ¡°Good. Sit,¡± I point to the table. The news feeds me a sense of satisfaction, but it does nothing for my


    temper. I take a breath and go stand at the head of the table, gripping the back of the chair tightly. I¡¯m


    not sure how long it has been, but my patience is dissolving as I wait for


    Milo.


    ¡°Before Milo and Tessa get here¡­What the fuck just happened out there? How did that imposter of my


    mate breach our security? How was she able to create a portal inside MY packhouse?¡± No one


    answers me, making me even more angry. I m my fist on the table, shaking the room, creating an


    indent in the oak table. So much for controlling my temper.


    ¡°A-Alpha, I-I,¡± Delh speaks. James holds her hand to give her support.


    ¡°What is it Delh?¡± I snarl, staring her down.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Alpha, I ced wards over the packhouse grounds as soon as the Luna reappeared from the pool,¡±


    she looks like she is going to cry but she keeps speaking, ¡°Anyone who could have magic strong


    enough to get through them must be extremely powerful or using very dark magic.¡±


    ¡°So that person impersonating Kas is a dark witch? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± I ask, putting my hands


    on my hips.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I will say, naturally urring portals are always white. Her portal being violet


    instead of white would indicate it is not a natural ability for her. She had to gain it somehow. Gaining


    powerful magic like that is not usually of a light persuasion,


    Sir.¡±


    ¡°Dark magic. That¡¯s what Musu¡¯s research has shown for the past year now. Delh, Lady Camille is


    still here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    I put my head up and look at the ceiling, trying to think. There aren¡¯t any answers up there


    ¡°James, take your mate to her appointment, then bring Lady Camille here. We need her and Delh to


    boost those wards. That is, if you¡¯re able to Delh, with everything considered,¡± I allude to her


    pregnancy without actually saying it, ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself at risk.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± James responds, sounding grateful to be excused from the room. He stands up and


    walks out. Delh pulls his hand, stopping him.


    ¡°Alpha, I will do my best and l-I¡¯m sorry I hit you with that spell. I aimed it at that intruder. I-I was trying


    to stop her from escaping,¡± she sounds like she is going to cry at any second. I finally stop looking at


    the ceiling and look at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Delh. You did the right thing. I know it goes against your morals t o attack someone. If


    anyone can handle it, it¡¯s me. I appreciate your dedication to Blood River and loyalty to Kas and to me,¡±


    Her eyes are still deep navy blue, showing


    Her eyes are still de navy blue, showing how stressed out she is. I listen carefully for a moment. I can


    hear her heartbeat pounding. My tone softens when I continue, ¡°Honestly, Delh. You have nothing to


    worry about. You are not in trouble for using magic in the packhouse. I t was an emergency, and you


    did what you had to do for our pack. You can rx.¡±


    She smiles slightly and turns to leave. James gives me a silent nod of thanks and leads her from the


    office.


    I look at my watch. Twenty minutes until we are supposed to be in the conference room. I mind link


    Carly.


    ¡°Carly, make sure everyone from Santoro Enterprises is in the conference room. Including Persephone


    or Cora or whatever the fuck she goes by.¡±


    ¡°Alpha, is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°No, but don¡¯t tell them that. Just stall until I get there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡±


    As I finish the mind link, I can hear a ruckus in the hallway. Reggie and Musu both stand up. Reggie


    touches her


    both stand up. Reggbuches her forearm and shakes his head slightly, motioning for her to sit back


    down. She twists her face in frustration but obliges.


    Milo and one of the senior guards appear i n the doorway, dragging Tessa by her armpits. She is


    wearing silver handcuffs. Her ck ponytail is askew and her green eyes look wild.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she snarls at Milo, with her fangs and ws extended and her eyes are pitch ck. Milo


    and the guard ignore her and keep a firm hold of her armpits as she struggles against them. She can¡¯t


    shift with the handcuffs on. I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s strong enough to let her wolfe forward at all.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± I sneer at Milo and the guard, ring at the woman. I feel my eyes turn ck as Saint


    directs his anger a ther, too.


    The guard lets go of her, and Milo shoves her forward. I grab her by the cor and pull her toward me. I


    feel my breath getting heavy and I notice a purple aura surrounding me, but ignore it.


    ¡°The only reason I didn¡¯t throw you in the


    dungeon as soon as you walked through m y packhouse doors earlier this week is because I promised


    my mate I wouldn¡¯t. Give me one reason I shouldn¡¯t snap your neck right now and tell her you took off


    in the middle of the night, Tessa?¡± Saint¡¯s gravely voice booms from me. I stare her down inches from


    her face, letting his anger flow through me.


    The ck of her wolf¡¯s eyes recede, and they are crisp green again. I have to stop myself from thinking


    I am threatening Lenora. This is most definitely not my sister. I can sense fearing from her, but


    something else too. As I look into her eyes, I can tell she is much older than her physical appearance.


    She has lived lifetimes through the same eyes. She looks at me like she¡¯s known me for an eternity.


    Maybe she has. Mixed in with her fear, I feel a sense of duty and responsibility. I feel the soul of a


    warrior, a soldier reaching out, not wanting to ept her fate. It¡¯s like she feels as if she¡¯s the only one


    who could be in her position right now.


    ¡°Bronx¡­I-I¡­S-Saint¡­please¡­it-it¡¯s not what you think¡­ Leticia¡­she¡¯s gone too


    what you think¡­


    L ia¡­she¡¯s gone too far d-dark. I¡¯m here to protect you and Iokaste. I swear,¡± she panics and stumbles


    over her words, ¡°Mother lit the harbingermp purple. I was trying to stop her. I-I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. I


    promise. Please. Please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    I continue staring at her. Saint and I both try to decide if we should trust her.


    ¡°What¡¯s her deal, Saint? Howe you weren¡¯t willing to hurt Leticia, but you have no problem


    snapping this woman¡¯s neck?¡± I ask him curiously.


    ¡°We are only responsible for the Mavri Magea. Contessa leads the Sentinel. She can kiss my fluffy


    white ass,¡± he growls.


    That was not helpful at all. Let¡¯s try this again.


    ¡°Sentinel? So she is some sort of guard or warrior or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They all have giant sticks up their asses. Always worried about the ¡®rules¡¯,¡±h e huffs.


    I drag Tessa by the cor to the conference room table and force her down into a seat, ¡°Watch her.


    Musu, follow me.¡±


    Milo and the guard nod and step forward while Musu stands up and obediently follows me. I move to


    the metal door on the far side of the room and punch in the security code on the pad to the left of the


    door. It silently slides open. I step to the side and let Musu enter first. Once we are both inside, I press


    the button to shut the door.


    Musu takes a deep breath and looks around my private library. She spends a lot of time here, but she


    clearly doesn¡¯t understand why I pulled her in right now.


    ¡°What is Mavri Magea?¡± I ask her, trying t o remember I have no problem with her.


    ¡°Uh, Greek. It can be dark magic or ck magic,¡± she nods confidently.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± I ask hesitantly.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha. One hundred percent,¡± she confirms.


    I sigh and rub my hands over my face,¡± Give me a moment, Musu. I need to have a n argument with


    my wolf.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, okay?¡± she gives me a confused look. Obviously, she gets along with her


    ¡°Oh, uh, okay?¡± shives me a confused look. Obviously, she gets along with her wolf.


    ¡°Saint, you said Tessa leads this Sentinel group, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Uptight assholes.¡±


    ¡°Is Kas the leader of this Mavri Magea


    group?¡±


    ¡°DING! DING! DING! Finally! Someone give the man a prize.¡±

 Chapter 55

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 ¡°Musu, I am sorry, but you are about to see a side of me I rarely show to pack members.


    I¡¯m just going to step over there,¡± I point to the other side of the room, trying to sound as calm as


    possible, ¡°Please don¡¯t be scared. I will be right back.¡±


    Musu nods slowly, like she is questioning my sanity. Can¡¯t me her. I¡¯m


    questioning it too. I walk to the far side of the room and grip the back of the leather loveseat, with my


    back to her. My entire body tenses up and I feel my ws extend, tearing into the brown leather. A


    deep rumbling growl rips through me, making the entire room shake until my voice is a full on roar.


    When I have let out as much o fmy frustration as I can, I stand up straight and take a deep breath.


    When I turn around, I see Musu standing against the door to exit the library.


    ¡°I feel much better now, Musu. Again, I apologize for the outburst, but every dam has a breaking point,¡±


    I exin. When she doesn¡¯t look like she is going to run for her life, I ask her to sit at a table with me.


    She sits at the edge of the chair,


    me. She sits at the e of the chair, looking at me suspiciously, just in case she needs to run.


    I exin to her what Saint just informed me of and ask if any of it sounds familiar o r makes sense.


    She looks around for a moment, then stands up and goes to a bookshelf. She pulls out a giant book


    and puts it on one of the reading stands. I stand up and watch a s she flips the pages.


    ¡°Alpha, this answers so many questions I had about this passage,¡± she says with a look of relief,


    pointing to a handwritten diary page.


    I look at my watch, ¡°Well, you have five minutes to exin it to me.¡±


    When she finishes, I tell her to wait in the library for half an hour, then she is to go directly back to the


    suite next to my apartment. She nods in understanding and wishes me good luck before I push the


    button to exit the room.


    I fix my suit jacket and sit down in front o f Tessa. I smile, but she looks scared by it. Imagine that. It¡¯s


    not one of my genuine smiles Kas always talks about.


    ¡°Tessa, would you like us to take off the silver handcuffs?¡±


    ¡°Since when do you have a sense of humor?¡± She snarls, ¡°Of course I want them taken off.¡±


    ¡°Good. Here are the conditions to your new found jewelry being taken off,¡± I lean my elbows on my


    knees and get close to her face so I can make sure she understands as I exin my terms.


    When I get down to the conference room, we greet the Santoro Enterprises team and apologize for our


    tardiness. As we sit down and prepare for the first presentation, Reggie gives me a concerned look.


    ¡°All good, Alpha?¡± He asks.


    ¡°Uh yeah, but I need to take a break at lunch so Delh can check something out i n my apartment,¡± I


    try to sound casual.


    ¡°You need a witch to look at something in your apartment?¡± Milo asks suspiciously.


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing. I thought I saw a purple light in the bathroom. And I


    a purple light in the hroom. And I realize how crazy that sounds, but two full years of craziness with Kas


    around and this is bottom tier stuff. Delh will probably just burn some sage in the bathroom and call it


    a day.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just let us know if you need us for anything,¡± Reggie concedes, seeing that I don¡¯t want to get


    into more detail.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Katherine pretending not to hear our conversation.


    ¡°Amari, I trust those of you who went for a runst night found it suitable? Our guards were not


    intrusive?¡± Milo asks with a syrupy tone in his voice.


    ¡°It was perfect. Thank you so much again. Your hospitality has been so wonderful. W e appreciate all


    the amodations you have provided us,¡± she beams as she talks.


    ¡°¡®That¡¯s great.Oh, will Persephone being down to discuss the parcel ofnd?¡± Milo asks. He smiles


    before he continues, ¡°We just want to help her out a s far as thendscape in this area goes. I have


    some topographical and satellite maps to show her. I really just need her


    maps to show her._eally just need her for half an hour or so? We can let her go back to her suite right


    after.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she should be here in just a few minutes. She just needed to get changed,¡± Katherine chimes in.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get started, shall we? We are short a few people this morning because of some


    mandatory pack training, but Milo, Reggie, and I should be able to handle everything. My assistant


    gave me all the notes I need,¡± I say, holding up the papers Carly had given me at our breakfast debrief.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Katherine smiles.


    We get started with the meeting and make it through a full presentation and question -and-answer


    session about physical security. There is a knock on the door and a woman wearingrge dark


    sunsses with her hair tightly wrapped in a silk scarf walks in. Her movements are elegant but


    guarded at the same time.


    ¡°Persephone, thank you for joining us,¡± I stand, holding my hand palm up toward her. Letting her ce


    her hand on top of mine is more primal motion than a


    MICRO BUM TIT POLTTC Tamarom TOP UP mine is more prima fotion than a handshake. A silent


    way to show she can have dominance over the encounter. I feel a surge of powerful ambient energy


    come from her, raw and pure. The urge to shift flows through me but dissipates when I let go of her


    hand.


    ¡°Why did you let go? That¡¯s the good shit!¡± Saint bounces off the walls of my brain.


    ¡°This is the woman you said I would never meet?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°Uhh, yeah. I guess I was wrong. There¡¯s a first time for everything,¡± heughs nervously, then crawls


    into the back of m y mind.


    I lead her over to Milo at the other end of the room so they can spread out maps and discuss the


    parcel. The rest of us break off into smaller groups to discuss more specific concerns about the


    contract until there is a knock at the door.


    Carly pokes her head in, ¡°Gamma Reggie, I¡¯m so sorry but you¡¯re needed downstairs. There¡¯s a


    problem in the weight room that needs your attention.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Excuse me. So sorry for the disruption,¡± Reggie says quickly. He bows as he leaves the


    room.


    Before the door closes, Tessa pulls in a cart with drinks and snacks. She is back in her blonde wig and


    blue contacts, wearing her housekeeping uniform. She looks around the room and sees Milo sitting


    separately with Persephone. I can see her back stiffen slightly. Persephone looks up and sees Tessa.


    For a moment, I think she is going to stand up and go to her sister, but she just stares for a moment


    before turning her attention back to the maps.


    As Tessa pours drinks for everyone when the door opens again. Carly peeks in, looking more frazzled.


    ¡°Alpha, Beta, I¡¯m so sorry. We need both o f you. Today seems like a day full of emergencies,¡± she says


    frantically.


    I look at Milo, who shrugs at me and stands up


    ¡°I sincerely apologize for this,¡± I bow as I back up, ¡°We will be back as soon as we can. Tessa, would


    you mind staying and making sure our guests are taken care of


    until we get back?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, Alpha, of course,¡± she smiles dutifully.


    I follow Milo out of the room and close the door tightly behind us. He turns and nods at me, then waves


    me down the hall. Weg o to a small security guard room with dozens of monitors. Reggie and Carly are


    already there. Carly directs the guard with which cameras to pull up, then hits the record button on the


    touch screen. Within seconds, the Santoro Enterprises team all stand up and confront Tessa.


    Katherine grabs her by the wrist and starts growling about Tessa leaving suddenly and scaring


    everyone. Tessa doesn¡¯t back down from her Luna. She swats her hand away and growls back about


    needing to protect the guardians.


    ¡°Who the Hell are the guardians?¡± Reggie asks, looking into the monitor with his chin in his hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You will find out soon enough,¡± I murmur, not looking away from the screen


    We let them bicker for about five minutes until we are pretty sure we have all the


    until we are pretty re we have all the information we are going to get. Then Milo, Reggie, and I all make


    our way back down to the conference room, talking loudly to make sure our guests can hear us


    ¡°Thank you so much for your patience,¡± I say as we enter the room.


    Katherine nods her head curtly and shuffles the papers in front of her. Tessa goes back to serving


    drinks to the people around the table as if nothing happened.


    As I take my seat, I hear a loud groan of pain and a ss shatter. I look up to see Tessa clutching her


    chest, doubled over in pain. Her eyes are wide and filling with tears.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tessa? What happened?¡± I stand up quickly and make my way over to her. Katherine, Amari, and


    Persephone do the same.


    I watch as Tessa slides her shaking hand against her head and pulls off her wig, exposing her shiny


    ck hair.


    ¡°Alexandros!¡± she gasps, trying to catch her breath while she still clutches her chest, ¡°No no no no!


    Goddess no!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Alexandros?¡± Milo asks as he helps her sit in a chair.


    ¡°Her mate,¡± Persephone, pulls her sunsses off, exposing her blood red irises. She kneels in front of


    Tessa looking at her with concern.


    Tessa lets out a shrill cry of pain as tears stream down her face. She shakes and sobbing heavily as


    Katherine and the other Manae try tofort her.


    I know the feeling all too well, the sudden breaking of the mate bond when your mate dies. It¡¯s the most


    painful feeling in the world. Like a giant ck hole tearing open inside you, sucking you into darkness.


    We stand back, not sure what to do. This i s not how we nned this. There is another urgent knock on


    the door, then Carly peaking in again.


    ¡°Alpha, just got a call from Silver Moon. Code Violet. And Gamma, your wife needs you immediately.


    There¡¯s a problem,¡± Carly peaking in again.


    ¡°Alpha, just got a call from Silver Moon. Code Violet. And Gamma, your wife needs you immediately.


    There¡¯s a problem,¡± Carly says with tears in her eyes.

 Chapter 56

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 56


    We have nned a little brunch gathering in our apartment, before the hustle and bustle of the day


    begins. We just want to make sure we remember what is important. And to Bronx and me, that is


    family. Lenora and Miloe over and I finally get to meet Bronx¡¯s parents


    The first thing his mom, Sandy, does is give me a crushing hug and call me her son¡¯s saviour. A little


    extreme, but she¡¯s excited, so you know, whatever. I will take hugs whenever I can get them. I feel a


    familiar warmthing from my hands. I quickly let go of her, feeling a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Oh! Honey, it¡¯s alright. Bronx already warned me that your energy goes into overdrive when you¡¯re


    happy. I take it as apliment,¡± she smiles warmly at me,


    ¡°Thank you, Sandy,¡± I smile shyly.


    ¡°No no no. You call me Mom, youngdy, ¡°she gives me a faux stern look.


    ¡°A-alright, Mom,¡± I test the word in my mouth. It is going to take some getting used to. I have never


    called anyone Mom before. Not even my real mother. I hope the Moon Goddess understands.


    Bronx has Sandy¡¯s facial features including her green eyes but with his dad, Michael¡¯s dark hair.


    Michael and Bronx have the same hulking size, personality, and mannerisms. Just like Bronx, Michael


    acts tough but can¡¯t fool me, he¡¯s a big softie. He is obsessed with making sure everyone has enough


    to eat. I think I win him over when I offer him an oversized snickerdoodle.


    Lenora shows off her baby bump and announces she and Milo are having a girl. Sandy and I can¡¯t stop


    admiring her andplimenting her pregnancy glow. Milo dotes over her, not letting her lift a finger for


    anything. Even when she wants a refill of her water, he jumps up and gets i t. It¡¯s pretty adorable. I look


    forward to one day when that is Bronx and me.


    Everyone is ted when we announce our engagement. Sandy and Michael nod approvingly at the


    ring and congratte u


    ¡°Ovingly at the ring and congratteur s with hugs. Michael and Milo pull Bronx o the living room to


    chat. I overhear Bronx tell Milo the good news about Saint and Lex but he insists that Milo should still


    lead the Solstice pack run. He deserves the honor for all the hard work h e has put in


    ¡°Does this mean we can finally crack that bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue?¡± Milo begs.


    Bronxughs and agrees. He asks Milo to invite James, Delh, and Marco to join them in his office


    after the solstice party.


    Sandy, Lenora, and I make our way to the kitchen to start putting food away and talking about the


    details of the special day Bronx and I shared yesterday.


    We say our goodbyes and confirm the timing to meet up for the partyter. Once everyone leaves


    Bronx tells me he has a gift for me even though we agreed not to exchange gifts. He insists I need it


    after our conversation about starting a bakery. I unwrap the small box to find a framed sheet of paper.


    It¡¯s a recipe for a baguette written in French, but next to it i s another piece of paper with the English


    trantion. The frame is ornate, gold.


    ntion. The frame is ornate, gold,


    ¡°Baguette?¡± I cock my head as I look at the recipe.


    ¡°Alpha Martin¡¯s inws own a bakery. The recipe has been in their family for generations and they


    wanted you to have i t. Cason tranted it for me. I haven¡¯t had a good time to give it to you, but after


    yesterday, it seems like the right time.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Sweetheart. It¡¯s perfect,¡± I smile at such a thoughtful gift, ¡°Can we contact them


    tomorrow to thank them?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Baby¡± he says as he kisses the top of my head


    Bronx told me Solstice is a formal party, but Lenora had taken the liberty of buying a dress for me. She


    was convinced I wouldn¡¯t want to spend the money on the perfect dress. She isn¡¯t wrong. I still don¡¯t


    have a job, after all. I have no money for a fancy dress.


    She wants it to be a surprise, so I can¡¯t say no. So an hour before the party, she brings the dress bag to


    the apartment,


    beings the dress bag to the apartment, along with a shoe box and takes it to the closet. I¡¯m standing in


    the closet with her and Delh looking at the bag, dreading what is inside. The side of the ck bag


    says Givenchy inrge white lettering. She smiles while she unzips the bag.


    She pulls the bag back to reveal a shimmering silver dress. The color matches my hair. It is a floor-


    length style with spaghetti straps and apletely open back.


    ¡°Lenora, everyone is going to see my scars,¡± I feel a little self-conscious as I look at the dress. Delh


    has already pinned my hair into an updo. I don¡¯t mind if people close to me seeing my scars, but the


    whole pack?


    ¡°Yes. It is time to show the real you, Kas. I¡¯m telling you, people won¡¯t even notice the scars when they


    see how beautiful the dress is on you,¡± Delh reassures me,¡± They all already love you. When they


    see your scars, they are going to respect you even more. I promise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to look amazing!¡± Lex says in my mind, ¡°I am so happy you finally get to look as beautiful


    on the outside as you are in inside.¡±


    I¡¯m so happy to have her back. She always knows just what to say.


    ¡°All right. I trust you and Lex likes the dress too. Let me finish putting my makeup on, then you can help


    me get into


    the dress.¡±


    Lenora helps me touch up my makeup and into the dress. She¡¯s right. The dress fits me like a glove. It


    shows off my curves and I have never felt more beautiful. I turn in the mirror to catch a glimpse of the


    back. The keloid scars were evident, but the dress helps distract from them. Oh also, Delh had been


    right, Bronx¡¯s tattoos have almostpletely faded. But he decided to wait until they werepletely


    gone before he gets new ones, just in case there is still some sort of lingering connection from the


    healing


    I look through the mirror and see Bronx walk past the closet before he stops and backs up to get


    another look at me.


    ¡®You-you¡¯re gonna wear that, Baby?¡± His eyes are wide as he looks me up and


    down, then turns to Lenora, ¡°Leni, no. Find another dress.¡±


    ¡°Uhh, Bronx¡­yes,¡± Lenora retorts. She stands up from the bench and puts her hands on her hips, ¡°And


    you are not going to stop her. And not only are you not going to stop her, you¡¯re not going to be jealous,


    either. You¡¯re going to be proud and show off your gorgeous mate. Do you understand me?¡±.


    Bronx looks like he wants to start an argument with his sister, but he knows now is not the right time.


    ¡°Fine, Lenora. But from now on, I get a


    say,¡± he counters.


    ¡°Over my dead body,¡± she crosses her arms over her chest.


    There is a very awkward moment of a showdown between the two of them before Bronx growls and


    huffs off to the bathroom to finish getting ready.


    ***


    The party is a st. We get to watch the kids open gifts and Bronx, Milo, and Reggie give speeches


    thanking all the


    Baggie give speeches thanking all the pack members for their hard work and dedication over the past


    year. They even hand out bonuses to the omegas who work in the packhouse. After we eat, we dance


    like there was no tomorrow.


    The party ends close to midnight with Milo leading the pack run. I can tell Bronx is disappointed but he


    understands it¡¯s necessary. We hold back and go to his office, biding the time with kisses and soft


    touches until the pack gets back. Miloes in with Lenora, James, and Delh.


    Bronx opens the bottle of Johnnie Walker, pours it into sses, and hands it out to everyone except


    Lenora and me. She obviously can¡¯t drink, I have no interesti nit.


    If you ask me, it smells kind of gross, but the guys don¡¯t seem to mind. We sit around, talking and


    laughing until early morning before we call it a night and got o bed.


    Bronx seems way drunker than he should be for the amount of alcohol he drank, but I notch it up to him


    not drinking since we got back from France and only having part of a liver.


    part of a liver.2


    I go to the bathroom to freshen up, carefully putting the dress back on the hanger, pulling all the pins


    out of my hair, and washing all my makeup off. When I get back, I find Bronx face nted across the


    bed, not leaving room for me.


    I suddenly feel the sensation of deja vu as the scent of fire wafts to my nose. No no no no no no!!!!

 Chapter 57

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 57


    I look around and see the orange glow of fire in the living room. I run to the bedroom door and look


    around to find the room is engulfed in mes. The fake tree Ashley had set up for Winter Solstice looks


    like it¡¯s melting, causing noxious fumes amid the rest of the smoke. Some o f the branches are starting


    to catch fire. I can hear people in the hallway screaming.


    Oh my Goddess. We have to get out of here!


    I run back into the room yelling and coughing, ¡°Bronx! Wake up! We have to get out!¡±


    I shake him as hard as I can but he doesn¡¯t budge. His skin is cold and he looks pale, even though the


    room is getting hotter by the second. I focus past the smell of fire. He smells like whiskey and


    wolfsbane. He¡¯s been poisoned!


    ¡°Oh shit, oh shit. What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Kas. You¡¯re a healer, you can save him. We learned about this. Come on!¡± I hear Lex call


    out.


    Come on Thear Lex call out.


    ¡°Lex, are you strong enough? Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°I can try Kas. Go ahead. Let¡¯s save our mate. But hurry, we have to get out of here!¡± she sounds


    confident. I wonder if i t is for my benefit or if she really feels that way.


    I fight back tears of panic as I strain to roll Bronx over on his back. Once he is prone, I do my best to


    take a breath. Then I ce one hand on Bronx¡¯s chest and one on his forehead and let the breath out.


    The familiar healing warmth fills my hands as energy flows through me. I feel the poison releasing from


    his body, being absorbed into mine, and starting to dissipate but not faster thatn I¡¯m absorbing it. I feel


    the numbing tingles of the poison in my fingertips but he still isn¡¯t waking up. Am I toote? Please


    Moon Goddess, don¡¯t let me be toote.


    I put my hands on him again, trying to hold back tears. Now is not the time to break down, Kas, Keep


    your shit together! ¡°BRONX! Wake UP!¡±


    I send a surge of energy through his body. His


    skin is still cold and pale, I lean my face against his chest. He¡¯s not breathing.


    ¡°No no no no no ¨C this is not happening! Not today! No! Lex, I need you to give me every ounce you


    can. See if you can connect with Saint. We need everything right now!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Kas. Try again. I¡¯m concentrating all my energy.¡±


    I put my hands on him one more time. The fire is burning my lungs now. I feel the healing warmth but


    also the glow of m y spirit opening up further than I think it should. I can feel the heat of the fire getting


    closer, making me start to sweat. The momentarypse of concentration makes me release too much


    energy at once and identally burn his chest slightly.


    Suddenly, Bronx sits up with a gasp, gulping the tainted air and coughing as if he had been underwater


    too long,


    ¡°Bronx, we have to go! There¡¯s a fire!¡± I feel drained but Milo and James were also drinking from the


    bottle, I have to get to them also or they will meet a worse fate.


    ¡°We have to get to Milo and James, Bronx. That whiskey was poisoned. They¡¯re going to die!¡± I choke.


    Bronx scoops me up in his arms and puts my nket over my head. He sprints out o f the apartment. I


    can hear people running and smoke rms going off. In the distance, I can hear sirens.


    I hear Lenora crying, ¡°He won¡¯t wake up. Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Bronx finally lifts the nket off of me. Milo isying on a sofa. Just like Bronx was, he is pale and


    lifeless.


    Just like Bronx, I put one hand on Milo¡¯s chest and one on his forehead.


    ¡°Please save him! Please!¡± Lenora sobs behind me. I hear Reggie and Ashley pulling her out into the


    hall, while I try to save Milo. He doesn¡¯t have as much poison in his system as Bronx did. I feel it


    spreading through my body, building up inside me. It seems like forever and the mes are making me


    choke and cough but he finally sits up, gasping for a fresh breath that isn¡¯t avable.


    Just then, firefighterse bursting into the room in full gear. They help Bronx carry Milo and they pick


    me up, rushing all of us outside into the snowy night. I


    Once we are safely outside, Bronx wraps his arms around me. I can still feel the poison in my system,


    but it is fading from the suface and settling deep inside me, making me feel nausious. 1


    ¡°Bronx, I have to find James! He and Delh were drinking that whiskey too!¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Baby, his house is over a mile away. Can you shift? Lex can get there quicker.¡±


    ¡°Kas, I can¡¯t shift. I am so sorry! I¡¯m so weak from fighting off all the poison already. I can give you my


    energy if you get to him ontime, but not if I shift first. That will just make me weaker,¡± she cries in my


    mind


    I feel tears welling up, ¡°Lex isn¡¯t strong enough, Bronx, I¡¯ve absorbed all that wolfsbane from you and


    Milo. If I shift, I won¡¯t have the energy to heal James.¡±


    The fire chief is standing close by and overhears us, ¡°Alpha Regent Bronx, please take my truck.¡± He


    tosses Bronx


    please take my truck.¡± He tosses Bronx the keys and nods.


    Bronx speeds to James and Delh¡¯s house. I can see a blue glowing from an upstairs window,


    ¡°Up there, it looks like Delh is casting a spell, let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Bronx kicks in the door and yells up the stairs, ¡°Delh, it¡¯s Bronx and Kas.¡±


    ¡°Hurry,¡± she yells in a panic, ¡°He¡¯s been poisoned.¡±


    We run up the stairs two at a time going t o the spot where we see the lighting from. Delh is


    there, crying, with her hands over James, trying to pull the poison from his body with her magic.


    ¡°Keep going Delh, I¡¯m going to help you, but I¡¯m not at full strength right now. I can¡¯t do it myself,


    okay,¡± I look her in the eye, ¡°We¡¯re going to save your mate.¡±


    She nods as she sniffles, tears rolling down her cheeks.


    ¡°Use my energy too, Baby,¡± Bronxes up beside me and ces his hand on James¡¯s chest. He


    takes my hand and I


    DENIM PILLS One¡¯s chest. He takes my hand and I put my other on James¡¯ forehead. I close my eyes


    and start to feel the poison dissipating from his body absorbing into mine. James slowly opens his


    eyes, but he doesn¡¯t sit up and suck in the air as Bronx and Milo did.


    I feel even more nauseous and dizzy. My stomach churns as I lean over the side of the bed and start


    vomiting ck, tarry goop onto the floor. It bubbles sickly and smells like concentrated wolfsbane and


    bile. I instantly start feeling better with the poison expelled from my body.


    ¡°Oh Kas, I feel so much better!¡± Lex sighs gratefully, ¡°Come on, we have to finish this!¡±


    I start to set my hand back on James¡¯ forehead.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Kas, I can handle it from here. Go back to the packhouse. I saw the fire from the window, they


    need you there,¡± Delh says with a resolute nod.


    Bronx carries me down the stairs. My lungs are still burning like they¡¯re on fire but Lex is trying her best


    to heal them. Bronx sets me on the passenger side of


    onx sets me on the passenger side of the truck and makes our way back to the packhouse. The


    firefighters almost have the fire extinguished, but we can see there¡¯s smoldering embers and little


    mesing from inside of the building


    Bronx¡¯s assistant Carly is there holding a clipboard with Reggie and Ashley,¡± Everyone is ounted


    for, Alpha. The pack doctors have a station set up in a tent next to the ambnce. There are about ten


    people who have burns or are experiencing smoke inhtion symptoms.¡±


    Bronx takes Carly by the shoulders and gives her a reassuring hug, ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, Carly.¡±


    I hear her exhale a ragged breath as she pulls away. Her chin shakes slightly as she continues.


    ¡°The fire chief says the only residences damaged are the ranked members and staff who live on the


    second floor. The kitchens, dining area, and ballroom arepletely destroyed too.¡±


    Tears silently roll down Carly¡¯s face as


    Oars silently roll down Carly¡¯s face as she reads off her report to Bronx. Ashley i s rubbing her back.


    The second floor is where Carly lives, along with the other staff assistants, housekeepers, a few


    guards, and sleeping quarters for on-call medical staff.


    ¡°Carly are you alright?¡± I approach her,¡± Can I help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay but I can use all the help I can get. I¡¯m just scared,¡± she confesses as she wipes her tears


    away. I give her a big hug and release a bit of healing energy to help calm her and warm her up.


    ¡°Thank you for keeping a level head,¡± I reassure her as we embrace, ¡°We¡¯re going to figure out what


    happened. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    ¡°Ashley, Carly, I know it¡¯s the middle of the night and I know things are very stressful for everyone but I


    need both of you to please help the housekeepers go to the old packhouse and open things up. W e


    need ces for the people who were disced to stay. Put all the ranked members on the third floor,¡±


    Bronx instructs but uses as gentle of a tone as possible, ¡°Are there enough rooms on the


    Ossible, ¡°Are there enough rooms on the second floor for all the staff that have been disced?¡±


    Carly looks down at the clipboard and sniffs back tears, ¡°Yes, sir, I believe so.¡±


    ¡°Okay,dies go do your thing. Make it happen. I¡¯ll find you to get the list of everyone you ce. Beta


    Milo and I can check on them when we¡¯re finished here. Reggie, you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the girls say in unison before they walk away.


    ¡°Kas, how do you feel, Baby?¡± Bronx looks at me carefully as he takes my hand. He is trying to hide his


    worry, but I can feel iting off of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Whatever came up at James and Delh¡¯s house was holding me back, but I feel better


    now,¡± I reassure him.


    ¡°Alright, do you think you can manage helping the people getting medical attention? I am sure the


    doctors could use as much help as they can get.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I nod, looking over at the tent. He leans down and gives me a quick kiss and sends me on


    my way.

 Chapter 58

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 58


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I find the fire chief in front of the packhouse, ¡°Chief Prost, any idea what happened here?¡±


    ¡°Well, we have to investigate further, but it looks like arson. The areas that were damaged the most are


    way too isted for it to have been faulty wiring or a candle. As soon as we have more info, I will let


    you know, Alpha.¡± 6


    ¡°Thank you, Sir,¡± I pat him on the shoulder and move on.


    Reggie and I go around checking on everyone still milling around. Most people are scared but not hurt.


    A few people have minor burns. We send them t o the medical tent so Kas and the doctors can heal


    them. I look over to see Milo and Lenora sitting on the back ledge of a fire truck, they are giving Lenora


    oxygen to b e on the safe side. Whatever Kas did to heal Milo seems to have done the trick because he


    isn¡¯t even coughing like everyone else. Oled so fast but now I know, this was it. That vision was what


    happened tonight,¡± Kas shivers as tears start to run down her face. The sun is starting to rise behind


    the packhouse. It looks eerily beautiful.


    ¡°Bronx, what¡¯s the point of having the gift of premonition if I can¡¯t stop bad things from happening,¡± she


    says with a choked breath.


    ¡°Aww, Baby. Hey, you can¡¯t me yourself. No one died, no one was seriously injured,¡± I put her down


    and use my fingertips to lift her chin towards me, ¡°Once James is feeling better, talk to Delh. If you


    feel like you need to go back to the coven for a bit to work on it, then that¡¯s what you have to do.


    Whatever you think is best. Alright?¡±


    ¡°How about, if I have another vision, then I will. There¡¯s nothing I can do until then.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, Baby, Promise me you won¡¯t keep it a secret if it happens again though.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± she swears to me. I put my arm around her as we walk down the road to the much smaller


    packhouse.


    The fire chief¡¯s investigation shows elerants ced strategically in the hallways near electrical


    outlets are what fueled the fire. By the time he provides his report, we already know who the offenders


    are. Our security footage from the packhouse hallways are saved to MasonCo servers. They show four


    of our omegas pouring measured amounts of liquids along the walls while the pack was at the solstice


    party.


    I send guards to collect them to be brought in for questioning but none of them ever make it. All four


    scheduled vacation two weeks prior. They are gone. All of their clothes, personal belongings, all of it


    gone. It was a carefully nned, calcted effort.


    The question is why.


    ¡°Milo, Reggie, I don¡¯t need to tell you how important it is for us to find these four traitors,¡± I snarl,


    pounding my fisto n the table. My blood is boiling. Since Saint had returned and finally started talking to


    me again, his temper has been out of control. I feel him just under the surface trying to push forward


    and it


    surface trying to push forward and it takes all my control to keep him there. It i s exhausting, day after


    day.


    ¡°Reggie, you¡¯re leading the packhouse rebuild. Milo, full security checks for every contractor, employee,


    resident, every damn butterfly that steps onto the worksite or the old packhouse all day, every day.


    Beef up guards at all checkpoints and extra patrols. Round-the -clock guards to protect the properties.


    D o I make myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they reply in unison.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get started on construction nning right now,¡± Reggie bows and leaves.


    ¡°Milo, this has something to do with Connors¡¯ son.¡±


    ¡°The kid who¡¯s the Alpha of Silver Moon now? What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°The whiskey.¡±


    ¡°The whiskey,¡± he says nkly, ¡°Care to borate, Bronx? I can¡¯t read your mind.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when I told you I promised Kas I wouldn¡¯t drink whiskey while she was away?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we drank vodka instead. How could I forget that hangover?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Kas had a premonition. She knew the whiskey was poisoned and she knew there was going to be a


    fire.¡±


    ¡°And she didn¡¯t tell you?!¡± His voice sounds a little irritated.


    ¡°Watch your tone, Milo,¡± I growl in my Alpha voice.


    ¡°Sorry, Alpha,¡± he sits back in his seat.


    ¡°It was the night she moved into my apartment. She was still a mess back then. She couldn¡¯t remember


    the details. Just that I shouldn¡¯t drink whiskey and that I needed to have the electricity checked to be


    sure there was no faulty wiring.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he taps his fingers on the table impatiently, ¡°So why do you think it has t o do with Connors¡¯s


    son?¡±


    I sigh and rub my hands on my face. Exposing secrets Kas¡¯s has entrusted me with is a huge a breach


    of trust, but I have to exin my theory to Milo for him to be on board with my n. The thought of


    exin my theory to Milo for him to be on board with my n. The thought of what she told me about


    Ryan Connors still makes me angry, ¡°He¡­forced himself on her. When she was still at Silver Moon. He


    raped her, Milo.¡± 2


    ¡°Holy shit, Bronx. I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Milo turns his eyes to the floor, searching for an answer.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say and that information stays between you and me,¡± I give him a menacing scowl.


    He nods and holds his hands up, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not my information to share but what does that has to


    do with Kas¡¯s visions?¡±


    ¡°I think because of what he did to her, they have some sort of fucked up connection. The only


    premonitions she has had are about him or me. And the one about me happened before we mated.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what does that mean for our current situation?¡± He asks, leaning forward in his chair again.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand the gift yet but I think I do. It isn¡¯t my ce to tell her but I think it has to do


    with him because of


    hink it has to do with him because of what he did to her. I think it is a bellwether that he is up to


    something.¡± 3


    I rap my knuckles on the table as I think out loud, ¡°The card from the Elder Council that came with the


    whiskey was s o generic. And why would they just randomly send it? It seems odd now, looking back


    on it. They know I only have part of a liver and don¡¯t drink often. I was so preupied with other things,


    that I didn¡¯t even bother worrying about it.¡±


    ¡°So you think Connors¡¯ son sent the whiskey and somehow convinced our own people to set the fire?


    And Kas had a premonition about the fire because he was involved. Because of her¡­


    connection¡­with him,¡± Milo links my scattered thoughts together. 2


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I think,¡± I lean back in my seat and steeple my fingers against my lips.


    ¡°Bronx, six months ago, I would have said you were crazy. But then again six months ago, I would


    never have believed a bombshell of a goddess could be roaming the earth in the flesh, let alone b e the


    mate of a hot-headed, roughneck


    the mate of a hot-headed, roughneck soldier like you.¡±


    ¡°She is a bombshell, isn¡¯t she,¡± his description of my mate breaks my mood and I chuckle.


    ¡°So the million-dor question is, how d o you prove your theory? What¡¯s our move?¡± Milo leans


    forward putting his elbows on his knees. His steel gray eyes bore into me.

 Chapter 59

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 59


    Kas¡¯s POV


    Things have been so ufortable since the fire. At first I thought it had to do with being in a different


    packhouse and everyone being in closer quarters than we are used to, but I think it¡®s more than that.


    Bronx is like a man possessed. He has moments where he is very sweet like he always has been, but


    it¡®s few and far between. He¡®s generally grumpy and rude to everyone, even me. That¡®s if I even see


    him. People scurry away when they see himing, hoping to avoid his wrath. H e spends long hours


    at MasonCo and when he isn¡®t there, he spends his time with Milo locked in the conference room.


    Most nights he doesn¡®t get back to our apartment until the early hours of the morning. I pretend to be


    asleep but I can feel the bed sag when he gets in. He always wraps his arms around me and deeply


    breathes in my scent. I hear him whisper how much he loves me and how much he misses me. The


    gross smell of cigarettes mixes in with his coffee and dark chocte scent more and more


    k chocte scent more and more every night. And I don¡®t know how he manages to do it but he gets up


    at five a.m. to train with the rest of the warriors. Leaving my on my own. 3


    Lenora is hardly around because she is busy securing international contracts for the securitypany,


    while Ashley is also busy with work and dealing with pack matters. I offer to help her every day, but she


    politely declines, telling me she doesn¡®t have time to exin how to d o everything and usually rushes


    away giving me an apologetic smile. Ashley does get me aptop though, which is a relief. I don¡®t have


    to worry about bugging her to print things out for me anymore.


    Everyone is stressed out and no matter what I try to do to help, I¡®m in the way or ignored. I almost feel


    like people are avoiding me. Even Mrs. Miller tells me the kitchen in the old packhouse is too small for


    me to be in there while she and her staff are working. She is so busy, I can¡®t even get her to sit down


    between meals to discuss food for the wedding reception. So, I stay out of the way. I don¡®t want to add


    to her stress. I will


    don¡®t want to add to her stress. I will figure it out myself. That is what the inte and all those bridal


    magazines are for, I guess.


    Delh and I spend time in a much smaller kitchen off the ballroom, perfecting the recipes for our


    bakery. Well, if it ever actually happens. The one time I brought it up to Bronx, he said ¡®not now, Kas¡®


    and rushed away to meet up with Milo. I mean Delh is great and other than Lex, she¡®s my best friend


    but she has a mate of her own and she can¡®t b e there every second of the day. I try not t oin,


    but I think she can tell I¡®m feeling down. I don¡®t let on how much the way I am being treated by


    everyone is really bothering me. I don¡®t want to guilt her into spending more time with me.


    Lex on the other hand is super excited about getting married. She¡®s been helping me with wedding


    nning. I know that sounds weird, the wolf in my head is my wedding nner, but honestly, she has


    good taste and she has helped me with it i n previous lives. Today, for example, I don¡®t want to feel like


    I am in everyone¡®s way, so she and I are going to look through websites for food option ideas


    don¡®t want to add to her stress. I will figure it out myself. That is what the inte and all those bridal


    magazines are for, I guess.


    Delh and I spend time in a much smaller kitchen off the ballroom, perfecting the recipes for our


    bakery. Well, if it ever actually happens. The one time I brought it up to Bronx, he said ¡®not now, Kas¡®


    and rushed away to meet up with Milo. I mean Delh is great and other than Lex, she¡®s my best friend


    but she has a mate of her own and she can¡®t b e there every second of the day. I try not t oin,


    but I think she can tell I¡®m feeling down. I don¡®t let on how much the way I am being treated by


    everyone is really bothering me. I don¡®t want to guilt her into spending more time with me.


    Lex on the other hand is super excited about getting married. She¡®s been helping me with wedding


    nning. I know that sounds weird, the wolf in my head is my wedding nner, but honestly, she has


    good taste and she has helped me with it i n previous lives. Today, for example, I don¡®t want to feel like


    I am in everyone¡®s way, so she and I are going to look through websites for food option ideas


    through websites for food option ideas for the reception. I call Delh to let her know I¡®m going to focus


    on wedding nning and I won¡®t be able to meet up with her. She sounds tentative but as always, she


    is understanding.


    ¡°Don¡®t forget to call the dress boutique and make an appointment!¡± Lex reminds me.


    ¡°Oh, good call!¡±


    I flip my binder with ideas and notes to the page with the bridal shop number. The woman on the phone


    is so nice. She makes my appointment for tomorrow afternoon. They¡®re going to be slow because it¡®s


    Valentine¡®s day. I¡®m sure Bronx will be working, so he won¡®t even notice, but I¡®ll still have plenty of time


    to make a romantic dinner for him. I sent him a text message about it. Hopefully, h e remembers.


    I hang up the phone and hear a drip of water in the sink


    Sink? Don¡®t be stupid, Kas. The sink is down the hall. The drips are from the leaky pipes sshing


    against the dungeon floor. I¡®m on my knees and Ryan


    1.


    geon floor. I¡®m on my knees and Ryan is holding my face, getting ready to smash my eyes out of my


    head. Oh Goddess no! Please, please don¡®t let him blind me! The pressure of his thumbs against my


    lower eyelids is so painful, I cry out in pain and grab his hands.


    No. That was the past. I¡®m in the dress shop. Wow. What a weird, terrible memory to have while I¡®m


    trying on wedding dresses. It felt so real, I think to myself. I shake it off. Now is not the time for that kind


    of crap.


    I look in the mirror to see myself wearing the most beautiful white dress. The salesdy has me stand


    on a little tform in front of a huge mirror. She was right, it looks much better on me than it does on


    the hanger. They turn the main lights down and turn little spotlights directly on me. It makes the


    beading on the dress sparkle and shine. This is it, this is the dress. I can feel tears of joy prick the


    corners of my eyes,


    I see movementing from behind me through the mirror. It ising from outside therge bay


    window. As I turn around to see what caused the


    to see what caused the movement, the entire window shatters and a giant gray wolf with piercing gray


    eyeses crashing through. Everyone i n the store starts screaming and running. I¡®m nted to the


    spot in shock. The wolf grabs a human running away by the neck and rips their throat out. Blood


    spatters everywhere defiling the beautiful white dresses on the walls. He grabs another person and rips


    their arm off with a sickly sound, sending blood everywhere, then snaps their neck.


    I hitch up the dress and try to get it off so I can shift into Lex and run. The woman who was helping me


    is now crawling on the floor trying to get away but the wolf grabs her and tears her head clean off while


    looking me straight in the eye.


    *


    Shit.


    I stumble backwards off the tform. Fuck it. I¡®ll find another dress,


    ¡°Lex! Shift! Screw the dress!¡± I yell at her.


    ¡°That wolf is too close! Hold on, Kas! I need to stop time but it¡®s gonna be draining,¡± she whimpers.


    draining,¡± she whimpers.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?! DO IT NOW!¡±


    In an instant, the chaos stops. Just long enough for me to shift but Lex can¡®t hold the energy we need


    to shift and stop time simultaniously, so everything starts moving as soon as our four paws are on the


    ground. The wolf was already in mid air,nding directly on top of us, teeth painfully tearing into the


    back of our neck. Lex howls painfully.


    ¡°Kas? KAS! Baby, please! Come on, look a tme!¡± Bronx is on his knees, shaking me.


    ¡°Bronx?¡± I can feel tears falling down my face but I don¡®t know when I started crying


    ¡°Baby, I¡®ve been trying to snap you out of that vision for twenty minutes. Are you alright?¡± He caresses


    my face while feeling my forehead, looking into my eyes.


    ¡°I¨Cit was awful.¡± I can¡®t help myself, I start sobbing and fall into his arms. It¡®s the first time I¡®ve seen him


    in days.


    ¡°It¡®s gonna be okay, Kas,¡± he soothes me as he kisses my forehead, ¡°but I do need


    he kisses my forehead, ¡°but I do need you to tell me before you forget. Can you d o that for me?¡± 1


    I recall everything I can remember from the vision while Bronx sits patiently and listens. That¡®s right.


    Patient. Who is this guy and what did he do with my grumpy mate?


    ¡°There was so much blood, Bronx,¡± I feel my voice hitch.


    ¡°Alright, when are you supposed to try o n dresses? How much time before this is supposed to


    happen?¡± he looks at me with concern.


    ¡°Tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Call in the morning and reschedule. Make an appointment for next week, so I can have extra


    security to go with you.¡±


    I nod, feeling very defeated. I¡®m about to ask him why he¡®s home in the middle of the day when I look


    around and see it¡®s dark out.


    I look at him confused, ¡°What time is it?¡±


    Took at him confused, ¡°What time is it


    ¡°After midnight. When James told Marco that you canceled ns with Delh and had not left the


    apartment all day, Marco decided to report it as suspicious to me.¡±


    ¡°After midnight?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I pick up my phone. Twelve thirty¨Cseven a.m. Sure enough, I had called the dress boutique at one¨C


    fifteen in the afternoon.


    ¡°Bronx, I¡®ve been¨C¡±


    ¡®Shh, I don¡®t want you to think about it anymore tonight. Let¡®s get you to sleep,¡± he says as he stands


    me up.


    ¡°Me? What about you?¡±


    ¡°I have to get back to the conference room. Milo and I are working.¡±


    ¡°But, Bronx¨C¡±


    ¡°Now Kas,¨C¡± he dismisses me.


    ¡°Don¡®t ¡®now Kas¡® me. You¡®ve basically disappeared for over a month. I never see you anymore,¡± I could


    feel anger licking a t my insides when he interrupts me,¡± And the only reason you came home after


    midnight instead of after three in the morning is because no one saw me all


    rning is because no one saw me all day? Well, aren¡®t I a lucky girl?¡±


    ¡°Kas, I¨C,¡± his face is turning red from the neck up. I can¡®t tell if he¡®s angry or embarrassed and I don¡®t


    care. Let him yell if he¡®s mad or apologize if he¡®s embarrassed. It would be the most he has talked to


    me in days. But he just stops as i f he doesn¡®t know what to say.


    ¡°I won¡®t be that easily dismissed, Bronx Mason. I understand your work is important, but what about


    me? Am I not important? If I don¡®t matter, then why a m I even here, going through the motions?¡± I feel


    myself bing more and more hysterical. A purple aura is starting to surround me.


    ¡°I¡®m not allowed to get a job, no one will let me help around the packhouse, everyone is too busy to


    teach me anything, and my mate doesn¡®t even want to spend time with me. I¡®m lonely, Bronx. I feel like


    a ghost around this ce. No one sees me and when they do see me, they practically run the other


    direction. At least at Silver Moon, people would yell at me that I was doing a shitty job or go out of their


    way to hit me,¡± I


    or go out of their way to hit me,¡± I scream and stomp my foot.


    Hot tears run down my face. Lex is angry and trying to push to the surface. I don¡®t want to yell at him. I


    don¡®t want to be mad. I just want my mate back.


    ¡°I¡®m sorry, Baby,¡± his voice was quiet. He can¡®t even look at me. He looks down at his hands in hisp.


    I throw my hands in the air, then turn and go to the bedroom, mming the door behind me. He doesn¡®t


    follow. I hear a little shuffling, a muffled phone call, then the apartment door gently opens and closes.


    I cry myself to sleep. In the morning, I see Bronx had not evene to bed. I got o the living room and


    see a pillow and folded nket next to the sofa.


    My heart sinks, he doesn¡®t even want to b e in the same bed as me anymore. He didn¡®t even say


    goodbye this morning. Even when he was only in bed two or three hours a night, he was still waking m


    e up to say goodbye. I guess my temper tantrum stopped him from wanting to do that too.

 Chapter 60

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 60


    Milo¡¯s POV


    ¡°You were right, Bronx. You made things more stressful for her and it triggered a vision. We have a lead


    on his next move. I have a team going to stakeout the dress shop to see if he shows and the team on


    the northern border has been given instructions to leave a gap in patrols. It¡®s only a matter of time,¡± I


    say, reading of m y tablet.


    Bronx takes a drag off his cigarette as he paces like a caged wolf and with all things considered, he is.


    He has been intentionally keeping himself away from Kas. He had a theory that unfamiliar, stressful


    situations would trigger one of her visions and he was right. The night h e told me about his theory, we


    stupidly decided to use a version of an interrogation tactic we used in the military on POWs. Basically,


    we slowly took away things that mattered to Kas and made her ufortable until she broke down.


    Aside from the obvious


    boke down. Aside from the obvious


    danger to her mental health, the other problem is, it was also breaking him down.


    We started by taking away Bronx. Limiting the time he spends with her. It was his idea. It was tough on


    both of them, especially since Saint and Lex had both just came back. It¡®s tough watching your best


    friend try not to self¨Cdestruct. I had seen him at his worst after he was discharged from the military, but


    this was different. To offset what he is going through, he throws himself into work and personally


    oversees all interrogations of rogues breaching pack territory. He is a little sick in the head that way. 2


    Next, he told Mrs. Miller he doesn¡®t want Kas in the kitchens. He used the excuse that he needed her to


    focus on other things. If Mrs. Miller needed more assistance in the kitchens, he would assign more


    omegas to her staff.


    After that, we took away her personal connections. Bronx sends the entire pack a mind link telling them


    that Kas has been stressed out and they need to steer


    haen stressed out and they need to steer clear of her to avoid upsetting her further. She is not to assist


    with any work, not even if she volunteers. We don¡®t even tell Ashley or Lenora. The whole pack loves


    her so much, they will d o anything to make sure she is alright. The only exception is Delh. Bronx


    assigns her to keep Kas busy during the day. She doesn¡®t like deceiving her friend but it does help her


    keep an eye on Kas¡®s mental state. That way we know we won¡®t take it too far. She says Kas seems a


    little sad and frayed on the edges, so the n i s working. Thank Goddess, because the next step was


    to take Delh away. I don¡®t know if I would have let Bronx go that far. It would have been too cruel. 1


    Since the fire, the number of rogues trying to get on pack territory has skyrocketed. We¡®re now


    arresting three o r four a day. Most refuse to tell us why they¡®re trying to trespass. A few are too scared


    and cave. They insist they are after the Luna, but they don¡®t know her name o reven what she looks


    like. Even still, they won¡®t tell us who sent them regardless of how badly Bronx tortures them. They¡®re a


    diversion but we don¡®t know what for only exactly. One of them slips some


    owly exactly. One of them slips some information about breaching our Northern border but that is all we


    get before he dies of blood loss. Bronx and I set up a war room in the conference room, trying to


    predict where attacks woulde from and what was near those areas outside the territory.


    ¡°Listen Bronx, now that Kas has had a vision and we have a semnce of a n, go spend time with


    her. Remind her how much she means to you. Besides, it¡®s Valentine¡®s day. Don¡®t spend it with a bunch


    of smelly rogues in an interrogation room. It¡®s already nine p.m. Lenora¡®s flight justnded, so we are


    going to ate movie.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°What, what? What part did you not hear? It¡®s Valentine¡®s day. Go spend time with your mate.¡±


    His eyes widened, ¡°Valentine¡®s day?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe you heard of it. Hearts, choctes, baby angels shooting arrows a t your ass, you


    know...love,¡± I even make little fluttering motions with my hands to get it through his thick head.


    it through his thick head.


    ¡°I lost track of the days. She made dinner...Fuck.¡±


    Without another word, he picks up his keys and sprints out of the room.


    ¡°Love you too, Bronxy!¡± I call out as his footsteps pound down the hallway.


    Bronx¡®s POV


    I pull into the parking lot of the closest grocery store. There are three scraggly bouquets and a few


    boxes of sampler choctes. I grab one of each and rush back out. 2


    Fuck fuck fuck. When I first met Kas, I told her as long as I didn¡®t fuck up, she would be Luna of Blood


    River. Welp, this i s it. This is the part where I fuck things u p. She is never going to forgive me. This i s


    supposed to be our first Valentine¡®s day and I forgot


    I make my way as quickly as possible up t o my apartment. I stand at the door with the flowers and


    choctes, My palms are sweaty. Why am I nervous to go into my own apartment?


    ¡°Cause you know you fucked up. That¡®s


    own apartments


    ¡°Cause you know you fucked up. That¡®s why,¡± Saint snarls at me.


    ¡°Uh, Alpha, I think I heard her crying earlier but she didn¡®te out and ask for help, so I left her alone


    like you said t 0,¡± Marco informs me. He looks guilty for not doing more for her.


    ¡°Thanks, Marco,¡± I sigh and crack open the door. I don¡®t see or hear anything so I go in and quietly


    close the door behind m e. I look at my watch, almost ten o¡®clock. The bedroom door is closed.


    Other than a binder and a few bridal magazines on the coffee table, the ce i s spotless. If she made


    dinner, she cleaned it up hours ago. I walk over to take a peek at the binder. Something sparkles,


    catching my eye. Sitting on top o f the bridal magazine next to the binder is Kas¡®s engagement ring.


    What the Hell? Why did she take it off?


    Oh shit. Fear and regret suddenly fill my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I set the flowers and


    choctes down.


    ¡°See what you did, dummy? She hates us now!¡± Saint snarls again, pacing in my head.


    I sigh and rub my hands over my face. I¡®m such an idiot.


    I pick up the ring and ce half way down on my pinky finger so I don¡®t lose track of it until I can


    convince her to put i t back on. I open the door to the bedroomt o find Kas lying fast asleep on the bed


    snuggled with her old green and gray nket. Her nose is red and her eyes are puffy from crying


    herself to sleep. 2


    I gently sit down beside her and brush her bangs out of her face. I¡®mpletely torn on whether to let


    her sleep in peace o r wake her up and beg for forgiveness. I roll the dice and kiss her cheek, hovering


    closely over her as she rolls toward me and slowly opens her eyes.


    I immediately see the pain in her eyes and I feel it in my chest.


    ¡°I¡®m sorry I¡®mte, Baby. I should have called,¡± I apologize quietly brushing my nose against her cheek


    so I can breathe in her fresh rain and lc scent.


    ner fresh rain and lc scent.


    I feel a wet tear touch the tip of my nose. I sit up and see she is crying again.


    ¡°Bronx,¡± she sits up and hups as she tries to speak, before I realize it, she turns hysterical, ¡°In the


    morning, I¡®m going to ask Ashley to assign me a house i n town and I¡®m going to get a job off territory.


    No one wants me here. You don¡®t even want me here and¨Cand I¡®m sorry I couldn¡®t be the mate to make


    you happy. I¡®m sorry I couldn¡®t be the Luna that Blood River deserves. I can search for a new pack. I


    dont want to be a rogue but I¡®m just as useless and weak as Alpha Graham always told me I was. I¨C...¡±


    She says more but she is sobbing so hard I can¡®t understand her. Her skin is glowing brightly now, I


    scoop her up and cradle her in myp letting the glow surround us both.


    I¡®m so fucking stupid. I should have known, her mental state was way worse than anyone could have


    ever imagined. She had years to practice and perfect her camouge. Delh could have never known


    the pain lurking under the surface because Kas knows exactly what to do


    because Kas knows exactly what to do and say to hide her emotions from the world


    Kas has skillfully remained invisible and hidden behind a facade her whole life. It was a type of


    emotional pain that was hers and hers alone. Not for prying eyes. No one at Silver Moon knew there


    was a problem until she almost died. She kept it all inside. She put up a wall, always expecting the


    worst and not letting anyone see past the wall when the worst happened.


    Even after she had a vision. No, especially after she had her vision, which was traumatic for her, I


    yed the part and left her by herself. I should have been there. I should haveforted her. I¡®m her


    mate. That¡®s my number one job for Goddess sakes. I failed Kas again. I don¡®t deserve her, but I can¡®t


    live without her. 2


    ¡°Baby, please don¡®t leave me. Don¡®t abandon our pack. Please. You haven¡®t done anything wrong. It¡®s


    all been on me In so many ways that I can¡¯t even exin right now, this whole thing has been on m e. I


    threw myself into work and I was so focused on revenge from the fire, that I


    used on revenge from the fire, that I lost track of what¡®s important. And that¡®s you,¡± I look at her


    pleadingly but she won¡®t look me in the eye.


    I sit her on the edge of the bed and get on my knees in front of her. I grip her hands tightly and look at


    her until she¡®s able to bring herself to look back at me. The fat tears are still rolling down her face but


    I¡®m pretty sure this is as good as I¡®m going to get from her right now.


    ¡°Kas, I don¡®t know how it¡®s even fair for me to ask your forgiveness right now. I don¡®t deserve it. You


    have every right to want to leave but I don¡®t know how I will survive without you. Call me selfish,


    because it¡®s true,¡± I can feel my own tears falling down my face now, ¡°Please give m e another chance.


    I won¡®t let you regret it, I promise. Please don¡®t leave me, Kas. Please. I need you. It¡®s like you say,


    forever in the past and forever in the future, right? You and me, Kas. Please don¡®t give up on us. I was


    made for you. Whatever I have to do to fix this, I will do. I will put my everything into this rtionship to


    save us.¡±


    She doesn¡®t have words. She just has pain. I can feel it. Saint can feel it too. For the first time in almost


    two months, he isn¡®t angry. He just howls in pain in the back of my head. 3


    ¡°Please, Kas.¡± I pull her hands toward me and she easily slides off the bed, back into myp. She


    doesn¡®t have words. Just pain. She sobs until she falls asleep against me. As our glow fades, I lean


    against the bed and fall asleep holding her tightly against


    me.

 Chapter 61

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 61


    Kas¡¯s POV


    Coffee and dark chocte. Mochino. I smell it before I open my eyes. Bronx. My mate. He came


    home. He asked me not to leave. I have a pounding headache from crying but I feel myself being


    calmed by his scent. I clutch his shirt tight and pull i t closer to my nose breathing in deeply. I feel his


    hand gently rubbing my back.


    ¡°You awake, Baby?¡± I hear his rough voice from outside the cocoon he has me wrapped in. I nod my


    head and he opens u p hisrge arms, so he can look at me.


    ¡°You ready to talk?¡± He asks gently, as he brushes my bangs out of my eyes.


    ¡°I don¡®t know,¡± I tell him honestly, ¡°I don¡®t want to cry anymore.¡±


    Bronx sighs deeply and shakes his head like he¡®s not sure what to say. He rubs his hands on his face


    before he continues,¡± Kas, I¨CI have some confessions to make and I¡®m sure you¡®re going to be mad but


    I need to tell you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Confessions?¡± I squeak out.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess, is he seriously about to say he has been cheating on us?!¡± Lex starts to growl, ¡°How


    did we not smell another she wolf on him?!¡±


    I feel myself stiffen at Lex¡®s revtion, bracing myself for whatever Bronx is about to say


    ¡°Kas, I intentionally distanced myself from you in hopes you would get upset,¡± he flicks his eye up from


    the ground to look at me.


    ¡°What?¡± No, like seriously, what the fuck? I think I would have rather he told me he was cheating on


    me, ¡°W¨Cwhy would you do that, Bronx?¡±


    He doesn¡®t answer my question. His eye darts around, avoiding my re, as he gulps hard and


    continues to speak.


    ¡°I also ordered the pack members to exclude you from helping around the packhouse,¡± his voice cracks


    and he clears his throat, ¡°except for Delh. She has been keeping an eye on you for me.¡±


    I slowly stand at the admission. He did


    Olowly stand at the admission. He did this on purpose. He hurt me on purpose. H e manipted the


    people around me. He wanted me to feel this way. Hopelessness turns into disbelief turns into pure


    rage. Lex¡®s and minebined. That¡®s all I feel. I pull away from Bronx as he desperately tries to hold


    on to me. Lexis seconds away from taking over and I¡®m not going to stop her if she does.


    ¡°Kas, I can exin. I¨C¡± he pleads.


    ¡°Exin?! EXPLAIN?!¡± I shriek. Lex has had enough. She grabs me and roughly yanks me to the back


    of our mind.


    ¡°How dare you, Bronx Mason?¡± Lex roars in her deep ethereal tone, ¡°HOW DARE YOU HURT MY


    KAS!¡± The windows rattle and the floor shakes as her voice booms. Our heart is drumming out of our


    chest.


    ¡°Elexis, please, I¨C,¡± He suddenly looks very small and very afraid. We shifted without me even realizing


    it. Lex¡®s voice was now just snarls and barks.


    ¡°No Lex, if you hurt Bronx, you hurt Saint too! Please don¡®t hurt our mate!¡± I plead with her, trying to pull


    on her consciousness, ¡°just leave. Please, just


    O sciousness, ¡°just leave. Please, just leave. That is what we nned to do anyway.¡±


    I hear the door to the apartment crash open and Jameses running in to see what themotion


    is. He stops in his tracks when he sees Lex, nearly feral, towering over Bronx.


    Lex doesn¡®t answer me, she just howls and charges full speed out the bay window. Breaking it into a


    million pieces as she crashes through. Shends easily from the third story, running without a break in


    her stride, straight into the woods. I can hear the thundering paws of Saint behind us, along with at


    least two o r three others, presumably James and Marco right behind him. Lex is bigger and stronger


    than all of them and she hasn¡®t been allowed out in weeks, so she has energy to burn. The further we


    run, the farther back the chasing paws sound until I can¡®t hear them at all.


    The snow is falling heavily now. I¡®m d we are in wolf form because Lex¡®s fur is the only thing keeping


    us warm. She is deep into the woods and night is quickly falling and so is the temperature,


    ling and so is the temperature.


    ¡°Lex, if you¡®re not going back, you need t o at least find shelter. It¡®s going to be subzero temperatures


    soon. Your paws will get frostbite,¡± I tried to reason with her.


    She still won¡®t answer me. I can feel she¡®s in full primal mode. I¡®m not sure she could answer me if she


    wanted to right now, but she does slow to a walk to get her bearings. Her breath visible even in the


    darkness. The woods are thick in this part of the territory. We can hear Blood River in the distance, off


    to the right. Other than that, no familiar sights or scents can be found. We can¡®t hear any wolves


    around us either, which seems to b e satisfactory to her. There¡®s a path off to the left, she sniffs then


    follows it up a hill. At the top, there is a little cabin. She sniffs the air again. It seems to be abandoned


    Lex throws her body against the flimsy door and easily knocks it down. The crashing sound quickly


    fades in the silence of the night. We walk inside and look around. The inside of the cabin is a big open


    room. A thickyer of dust dungeon and I have no one to me but myself.

 Chapter 62

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 62


    I crouch down and try to make myself look as small as possible. I feel a lump of tears in my throat but I


    refuse to let him see me cry, as I plead again, ¡°Ryan, please don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    My teeth chatter and I shiver as the frigid wind swirls around me. I look over the side of the deep


    ravine. The river at the bottom is raging dark red in the moonlight with giant chunks of ice and snow


    swirling in the current. Blood River. If I try to jump, I¡¯m going to die on the rusty rocks just below the


    surface. If I were in wolf form maybe I would have a chance. Maybe. That¡¯s not an option now. I turn


    back around to face my fate.


    ¡°Please! Please don¡¯t do this, Ryan! Dagger, please let me talk to Ryan!¡± I beg for mercy. The wind


    gusts hard against my bare skin, chilling me to the bone. I am shivering violently, wishing I was


    somewhere warm. I hug myself, in a hopeless attempt to protect my naked body. Dagger takes


    advantage of my distraction and takes a step forward, lowering his head in preparation to attack. Only


    ten steps separate us now.


    In the distance, howls can be heard and hope flickers in my heart. Please Goddess, Mother, please


    help them get here in time. We both look in the direction of the sound. From down the mountain, the


    thundering sound of wolf paws gets closer and closer but it still sounds so far away.


    I look back at Dagger and notice glimmers of light reflecting in my peripheral vision. I flick my eyes into


    the distance behind him, three wolves are silently stalking Dagger in a triangr formation. Tworge


    dark brown wolves and a giant white wolf in the center with one green eye. Saint! My heart leaps at the


    sight of him. Saint and the other two wolves are downwind. Dagger doesn¡¯t seem to notice, I have to


    keep distracting him before he catches his stalkers¡¯ scents. I just need to give them enough time so


    they can get close enough to catch him.


    ¡°Ryan please,e on, just shift and we can talk about this. No one has to get hurt,¡±I continue to beg,


    giving Saint and the other two wolves time to get in position.


    ¡°Ryan, if you want me to go back with you, w-we can figure something out,¡± I choke out the words as I


    lie to him.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Dagger paws the ground as if he is considering his next move, He thinks for a moment, then growls


    deep and angry just before heunches his giant body at me. I brace for impact, fully prepared to be


    thrown off the edge of the ravine but the impact neveres. Saint leaps at the same time, grabbing


    Dagger firmly by the neck. They sail toward the edge of the cliff, wrestling for control.


    ¡°SAINT, NO! The cliff!¡± I scream as I duck down. It¡¯s toote, both of the wolves fly over the edge and


    disappear into the night.


    ¡°N000000!!¡± I wail as I turn and looking at the space where they were just suspended in the air. I watch


    Saint, still growling and snarling, attached to a struggling Dagger¡¯s neck as they


    both ssh into the water and sink into the frigid, swirling currents of blood-red water.


    My heart suddenly feels like it¡¯s being ripped in a thousand pieces. An endless hole opens up inside of


    me and starts to swallow me whole. The pain of the mate bond breaking js.


    excruciating. It feels like it will never end.


    ¡°SAIINNNTTT!!!! BROONNX!!!¡± I howl at the top of my lungs. I start to run forward.


    ¡°Kas! No!¡± Milo grabs me roughly around the waist before I¡¯m able to throw myself off the cliff after


    Saint. 1


    ¡°Milo let me go, let me go! I have to help him! Don¡¯t just stand there! We need to go after them. We


    have to save Bronx,¡± I cry hysterically and growl as Milo drags me away from the ledge. I hopelessly try


    to fight my way out of his strong grip.


    ¡°No, Little Sister. No, we are not cliff jumping tonight,e on, we have to get back down the


    mountain,¡± his voice is firm and calm. How can he be calm right now?! 1


    My arms start to go numb and I can¡¯t talk. Is it from the cold? Is it from the shock? I don¡¯t know. Is Milo


    really giving up that easily on his Alpha? His best friend? Isn¡¯t this just a dream? I just want to wake up


    now. The dream has turned into a nightmare.


    The other wolfes over and Milo sets me on top of him, wrapping my arms around its neck for me.


    ¡°Hurry up, she¡¯s going into shock and it¡¯s below freezing. Hypothermia is probably setting in. We need


    to get her to the pack hospital. I¡¯ll mind link Lenora and let her know we¡¯re on the way,¡± Milo says


    hurriedly before he shifts back to wolf form too.


    I feel numb. He¡¯s gone. Bronx and Saint came to save me and they died. They¡¯re dead because o f me.


    The wolf I¡¯m riding sprints full speed. I don¡¯t know how long he runs. I don¡¯t care. It doesn¡¯t matter.


    Nothing matters now that Bronx is gone. I am hollow. Infinitely empty. I close my eyes tightly trying to


    block out the world as the wolf races down the mountain.


    The sun is up now. Lenora, Ashley, and Delh alle running out of the packhouse. They pull me off


    the wolf and wrap me in nkets. It doesn¡¯t matter though, I can¡¯t move my body. Everything is numb


    from disbelief. I have no idea if I¡¯m cold or not.


    ¡°Get her inside, take her to the hospital wing. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s hurt, but she¡¯s in shock. She saw Saint


    go over the edge,¡± I hear Reggie¡¯s voice. I hear other voices yelling in the distance but I can¡¯t hear what


    they¡¯re saying.


    I close my eyes for a moment. When I open them, I¡¯m in a room in the pack hospital. People are


    shining lights into my eyes and taking my pulse. They ce warm heavy nkets over me and hook


    me up to machines.


    ¡°Luna, you can rest now. You¡¯ll feel better when you wake up,¡± I hear a nurse say. No, no I won¡¯t feel


    better,dy. Delhes to the bedside and takes my hand.


    ¡°Go away,¡± I say to her and pull my hand away. I can¡¯t find the strength to have emotion in m y voice.


    ¡°Kas, please listen,¡± she pleads.


    ¡°No. Go away. Leave me alone, Delh. You¡¯ve done enough.¡±


    She looks around the room for a moment then turns and walks away. I¡¯m pretty sure I hear her crying


    before she leaves the room but I don¡¯t care. The room is quiet now, except for the rhythmic beeps of


    the heart monitor. The sound is soothing. A deep dreamless sleepes quickly

 Chapter 63

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 63


    When I wake up, Marco is sitting in the corner of the room. He stands and walks over to me when he


    sees me stir.


    ¡°Luna, you¡¯re awake. Everyone¡¯s gonna be so relieved,¡± he sighs.


    ¡°Marco, how long was I asleep?¡± I rub my eyes. I still feel exhausted.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in and out of consciousness for about two days, Luna.¡±


    I look away from him as I think back to the events leading up to right now.


    ¡°Call me Kas, Marco. I¡¯m no one¡¯s Luna,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°Okay, Kas, since we gonna be casual now, I¡¯m gonna give it to you real,¡± his voice is calm, but his


    professional voice is gone and his Spanish ent is much thicker than I¡¯m used to hearing from him,


    ¡°First off, I wanna apologize for hurting you. I was doing what my Alpha ordered. It felt all wrong and I


    could see it was all wrong and I shoulda fuckin¡¯ known better. I wanted so badly to just tell you but I


    wasn¡¯t allowed. I wanted to quit and just go back to being a regr guard. Cause I didn¡¯t wanna see


    you hurt like that, you know? But I didn¡¯t want you to think I abandoned you. So I stayed for you. You¡¯re


    more than just my Luna. You¡¯re my amiga. Shit, you¡¯re more like my lil¡¯ sister, Kas.¡±


    He puts his hand over his heart and looks up, ¡°I swear to the Moon Goddess, on my fuckin¡¯ life, Kas. I


    swear Mama Sanchez¡¯s life. As long as I¡¯m your guard, I will never let no bullshit order from anyone get


    in the way of your safety ever again. It ain¡¯t gonna happen. Not while I¡¯m on duty. Not while James is on


    duty. Cause he feels the same way.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what to say. I appreciate his apology. I know why he behaved the way he did, but I¡¯m still


    angry and hurting. I turn my head away and look out the window.


    ¡°Now, with that outta the way. I gotta say, I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ mad at you, Kas,¡± his voice is thick with attitude


    and disappointment. I whip my head back around to re at him. Excuse me? He¡¯s mad at me?!


    ¡°If something was wrong or something was bothering you, I¡¯m hurt and personally offended that you


    wouldn¡¯t trust James or me to tell us there was a problem. We woulda found a way to help you,¡± he


    turns his face to look me straight in the eyes and shakes his head, ¡°We¡¯re your guards. And you didn¡¯t


    trust us enough to tell neither of us nothing. We thought you knew that you could talk to us about


    everything. But you didn¡¯t even consider it. That¡¯s a sharp fuckin¡¯ knife in the heart, Kas. The three of


    us spent so much time together. We¡¯ve been through so much together and you can¡¯t trust us enough


    to say you were going through some shit?¡± 2


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Marco. I-didn¡¯t me-¡± He holds his hand up. ¡°Don¡¯t. If you¡¯d rather have guards that don¡¯t


    give a shit and just follow orders. Guys that just do their fuckin¡¯ job and go home at the end of the day


    and don¡¯t think about your well being once they off the clock, just say the word and James and I will


    step down. Otherwise, just remember next time there¡¯s a fuckin¡¯ problem, we consider ourselves more


    than just your guards and we hope you think the same,¡± he scolds.


    ¡°I-I understand,¡± I say, looking at my hands in myp, feeling very guilty now, ¡°I don¡¯t want you or


    James to step down. I would very much like for you two to stay on as my guards. And I promise, if I


    have a problem, I will speak to you two about it.¡±


    ¡°And if anyone ever asks, I will deny this conversation ever happened. Clear?¡± 2


    ¡°Crystal,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Now. Kas, I need you to get in the wheelchair. I have to take you down the hall,¡± his professional voice


    has returned as quicky as it disappeared.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s down the hall? Do they need to run a test? Can¡¯t they do it here?¡±


    ¡°Kas, you¡¯ve only been awake ten minutes and you¡¯re already trying my patience. Please get in the


    wheelchair before I make you. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a goddess. I don¡¯t care if you are my Luna or if you


    think you are no one¡¯s Luna. I need you toe with me down the hall and the doctor said you¡¯re not


    allowed to walk there.¡±


    His tone is a little too firm, so I decide not to test him further. He helps me climb out of the bed and into


    the wheelchair. When I¡¯mfortable in the chair, he puts a heavy nket over me and wheels me out


    of the room. He casually rolls me down to the other end of the hall, humming lightly as he goes. We get


    to a room with two armed guards standing at the doorway. They stand at attention when they see us.


    ¡°Arnie, Tyree,¡± he greets the pair cordially.


    ¡°Hello Luna,¡± both the men say in unison as they bow their heads to me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say. I hate the formalities. I¡¯m not their Luna. I was their Alpha¡¯s mate, but that is gone now.


    ¡°Hey, Marco,¡± Tyree says, ¡°He¡¯s still out. You sure you want to take her in?¡±


    ¡°She is literally made for this, guys. She needs to be in there,¡± he raises his eyebrows at the guards.


    Who the Hell is in this room? He seriously wants me to heal someone right now? He must be joking


    Arnie opens the door and stands back. Marco wheels me into the dimly lit room. There is a light over


    the bed, illuminating a man surrounded by wires and tubes. Tubes are going into his mouth helping him


    breathe and IVs are pumping fluids into him. Little beeping sounds areing from multiple machines.


    A doctor and nurse are standing next to the bed looking at a clipboard


    ¡°Greetings, Luna,¡± the doctor says to me sympathetically, but I barely register that he¡¯s


    talking


    It can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t. Can it? No. My heart skips a beat. He jumped off the cliff. He crashed into the river.


    He died. I saw it.


    I look at Marco confused as I start to stand up. He takes my hand and helps me.


    ¡°Mister Sanchez, I don¡¯t think this is appropriate,¡± the doctor says.


    Marco ignores the doctor and quietly speaks into my ear from behind me, ¡°They fished him out of the


    Blood River. His heart had stopped. They were able to resuscitate him but he isn¡¯t healing. He needs


    you, Kas.¡± 1


    He pushes a button on the side of the bed and it lowers down, making it easy for me to climb o n.


    Wordlessly, I navigate around the tubes and wires, never taking my eyes off the man¡¯s face, and sit on


    my knees next to my mate. I can¡¯t take my eyes off of him. He is so bruised and swollen that if I didn¡¯t


    feel the faint pull of our bond and smell his coffee and dark chocte scent, I wouldn¡¯t have known it


    was him. Bronx is alive. 2


    ¡°She knows what she¡¯s doing, Doc. This isn¡¯t their first rodeo when ites to near-death


    experiences,¡± Marco says to the doctor, ¡°Just be ready to take that breathing tube out when he wakes


    up.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mister Sanchez, the chances of-,¡± the doctor starts to say.


    ¡°I can do it,¡± I growl, never looking away from Bronx. In the corner of my vision, I see him back up a


    step


    ¡°This is different thanst time, Marco. I won¡¯t be able to heal him all at once. It¡¯s going to need to be


    several sessions topletely heal him. Doctor, will you be able to keep giving him pain medicine once


    he wakes up?¡± I still don¡¯t take my eyes off of my mate. What if I look away and he disappears? It


    seems like a legitimate possibility at this point because this has to be a dream.


    ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± he confirms obediently.


    I take Bronx¡¯s hand, it¡¯s ice-cold and I can barely feel our sparks.


    ¡°Bronx? Saint?¡± My voice is quiet. Bronx is deathly still, not even a slight movement. I brush m y fingers


    over the stubble on his chin. Still nothing,


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry Luna, but he can¡¯t hear you,¡± the doctor says sympathetically.


    I give him a threatening re, making him back up a couple more steps.


    ¡°Lex, are you there?¡± I say as I close my eyes.


    a


    ¡°Yeah, Kas. I¡¯m here. I feel more like an ass than a wolf. I caused so much trouble and now our mate is


    hurt,¡± she whimpers.


    ¡°Lex, we can talk about itter, right now, we need to heal him. Just like we learned at the coven,


    alright? Nothing fancy. All by the book. This is going to beplex. Focus on the most important body


    functions first. Okay? Just enough to wake him up and help Saint to start healing him. Then we rest


    ande back to do moreter.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what are we waiting for? I have to fix what I caused. Let¡¯s do this,¡± she says with determination.


    I pull off some of the sensors on his chest so I have room for my hand toy t. The sensors start


    going crazy. The nurse rushes over and turns off the machines they are attached to. I ce my one


    hand on the middle of his chest and the other on his forehead, then close my eyes. I take several deep


    cleansing breaths to focus. I start with his heart and lungs, then his brain, and his bones and organs. I


    flow my energy in sealing tears and breaks, pulling out the weakness, absorbing it into my own body. I


    finally heal bones leaving my positive healing energy behind. I feel the warmth on my hands as the


    energy goes into him.


    I hear the nurse gasp. I open my eyes to see her staring, mouth wide open, at the purple aura around


    us glowing brightly.


    I look down at Bronx as his eye flutters open and he groans loudly. He looks around groggily before his


    eyesnd on me. He turns his head to me and tries to raise his hand to touch me. Marco gently puts it


    back down. 1


    ¡°Don¡¯t move yet, Alpha,¡± he says gently to Bronx.


    ¡°Marco¡¯s right, Sweetheart. You need to let that dose of healing energy absorb before I do it again,¡± I


    whisper softly to him, ¡°We don¡¯t want a repeat of France. Is Saint in there with you? I s he okay?¡±


    Bronx nods slowly and points to his mouth. The nursees over and removes the breathing tube,


    making him cough weakly.


    ¡°Alpha, don¡¯t try to talk yet, not until you¡¯ve had some water. I¡¯m going to add morphine into your IV for


    the pain. You¡¯re going to feel sleepy. Don¡¯t fight it. Your wolf will be able to help heal you better when


    you¡¯re sleeping,¡± the nurse instructs. He gives her a weak thumbs up.


    Marco pushes a button so Bronx is sitting upright and holds a cup of water with a straw so Bronx can


    drink


    After a few deep gulps, Bronx finally speaks. His voice is gravely and quiet, ¡°Did we get him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Marco confirms, ¡°Beta Milo is working with the Elder Council to wrap up details. No need


    for you to worry about any of that now, sir. Just focus on recovering. That¡¯s what is most important.¡±


    Bronx just nods, ¡°Thank you, Marco. Can I have some time alone with my mate, please!¡±


    Everyone bows to him and leaves the room,


    Before Marco closes the door he says, ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside if you need anything, Luna, but I don¡¯t think


    you have anything to worry about anymore.¡± Inod and Marco closes the door, leaving Bronx and me


    alone with the beeps of the monitors.

 Chapter 64

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 64


    I lean into Bronx and snuggle into the crook of his arm, draping my arm over his chest. He takes his


    hand and weakly pats me on the arm.


    ¡°Baby, I need you to hear me out. Okay?¡± his voice is still scratchy and quiet.


    ¡°Bronx, you need to rest,¡± I protest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she put plenty of morphine in that drip, I¡¯ll be asleep soon, but I have to get this out first.


    Please.¡±


    I sit up so I can look him in the eye.


    ¡°I fucked up, Kas. I should have told you what was going on,¡± he tells me all about his theory o f my


    visions having to do with Ryan and that I needed to be distressed to have one. He thought it was going


    to be the only way to get ahead of Ryan and stop him from whatever he was nning after the


    packhouse fire. So he and Milo cooked up an insane n to trigger a vision and set it into action. They


    knew the rogue attacks were a distraction being nned by Ryan, but they needed proof.


    ¡°Thest rogue we interrogated said they were waiting for you to shift so they could alert their master


    and he could catch you. So, Milo intentionally weakened our defenses on the northeast border. When


    you shifted, we chased you and drove you in that direction. All we had to do was herd Lex to that area


    without her knowing. It worked exactly to our n, except for the part where I fell off a cliff.¡±


    His words were soft and slurry as the morphine started to take effect.


    ¡°Go to sleep, Bronx. You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about here. We¡¯ll talk about how mad I am when


    you¡¯re out of intensive care.¡±


    He nodded and closed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kas. I¡¯m supposed to protect you not hurt-¡±


    SO


    His breathing turns into soft snores before he finishes but he said enough.


    ¡°He wanted that lunatic to attack us?!¡± Lex growls.


    To say I¡¯m mad is an understatement. I¡¯m fuming mad but I also finally have control over the wild wolf


    living in my head. I¡¯m calmpared to before at least and I¡¯m not going to let Lex lose her shit again. I


    push her to the back of my mind and cut off our link. I don¡¯t care how old she is, she can still get


    grounded. 1


    I mull over everything Bronx has just told me. I understand his reasoning but that doesn¡¯t mean I have


    to agree with it. There are a ton of other ways he and Milo could have handled it.


    I¡¯m also upset that they pulled the rank card on the pack. Especially Delh. They made her spy on me.


    Now I have doubts as to whether her friendship is sincere or not. That feeling of doubt? I hate that


    feeling.


    I guess I should get a shower. I can do all this thinking while I get clean. Bronx is going to be napping


    for a while. He won¡¯t miss me.


    I quietly call Marco, who takes me back down the hallway. The doctores into my room half an hour


    later and does a quick check-up. Lex healed me while I was sleeping and I can be discharged. Once


    the nurse has me sign all the paperwork, Marco escorts me upstairs where James is waiting to take


    over.


    ¡°Guys, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your patience with me. You¡¯re the best warriors a girl


    could have assigned as her guards. The things you taught me saved my life out there. I can¡¯t thank you


    enough,¡± I say to them with sincerity, ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, I¡¯m going to tell Bronx I want you two to train


    me. Like, actual training, not just defensive. I need to know how to protect myself in all situations.


    Maybe eventually I can train with the other warriors.¡±


    James looks at Marco who nods and he steps forward, ¡°Luna, it would be an honor. I just have one


    request in exchange.¡±


    ¡°Of course, what is it James?¡±


    ¡°Please forgive Delh. She is heartbroken that her best friend turned her away. She loves you so


    much. She didn¡¯t want to have to keep tabs on you like that. Alpha Bronx ordered her to,¡± James says


    in a pleading voice.


    ¡°Alright, once I can get the Alpha out of the hospital wing, I¡¯ll go see her.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Thanks, Luna. It would mean a lot to me and her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just Kas, James,¡± I say as I open the apartment door and let it close behind me. The window in the


    bedroom is already repaired. You can¡¯t even tell a giant ck wolf crashed through a couple of days


    ago.


    Why does it seem like showers seem to go by in a heartbeat when you have a lot on your mind? When


    I step out, I realize I was there for almost an hour. I sit in front of the vanity for a minute, looking at my


    reflection. For someone who slept for two days, I sure look exhausted. It¡¯s time to have an honest


    conversation with myself. I decide I need to take my time getting ready. Rushing down to the hospital


    wing was not going to do me any favors right now. It is time to focus on me and only me. Even if it¡¯s just


    for an hour or two.


    Questions and answers swirl in my head as I get ready.


    What is a Luna? What does it really mean to be a Luna Regent? I ask myself as I blow dry my hair and


    style it into a braided bun. I pull a few extra wisps of hair out to frame my face as the stylist showed me.


    I haven¡¯t really been given the opportunity to experience what being a Luna really means. Is it my fault?


    The people around me who think they are protecting me? I think back to Milo and Lenora¡¯s meeting


    with Lady Camille. They told me I would never be alone. So why did I not feelfortable telling them


    how alone I really felt? Why was it so easy to forget their message?


    I rummage through my drawers and decide on skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder cream colored


    sweater. What does it really mean to be the mate of someone like Bronx? I find a pair o f ck Ugg


    boots that I didn¡¯t know Lenora and Ashley had even bought for me. I slip them on and look at my feet


    in the mirror. Bronx has been through so much in this life. To be his mate, I have to support him just as


    much has he supports me. I think back to past lives we¡¯ve shared together. I have to be strong for him


    in this life. That is the important part.


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but I hate the Uggs. They make me look like I have tiny bear cub feet. I


    kick them off and put them back in the box. I will give them to Milo¡¯s niece, Elle. Bronx has good


    intentions, but is there anything I can do to stop him from being destructive? Is it just in his nature? I¡¯m


    his mate. I need to learn how to save him from himself. I opt for a pair o f leather Adidas that have a


    wedge heel hidden inside. They are super cute and fit perfectly. Plus they make me look two inches


    taller, which automatically puts them at the top of my favorite shoe list. 4


    What does it mean to be a goddess? To have the Moon Goddess as my mother. I kind of like the way


    this look I am putting together is going. I open a drawer and pull out some lip gloss and mascara. I¡¯ve


    never actually worn mascara other than the Winter Solstice party and Delh helped me with that but


    there¡¯s the first time for everything. Are my abilities who I am or are they just a part of me? Getting the


    little mascara wand so close to my eye seems a bit dangerous but I manage. I apply the lip gloss and


    stand back, looking in the full-length mirror. 1


    I am Iokaste Latmus. I am a goddess. Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Selene. Mated to Alpha Regent


    Bronx Mason. I am a Luna Regent. I am powerful in my own right. I am all those things but they are just


    pieces of me, not all of me. I have hopes and dreams and desires for myself and for the people I love.


    That is the glue that puts all the pieces into one big happy puzzle. 3


    I adjust my sweater as I look into the mirror. I look good. I never think I look good. What gives? I don¡¯t


    know, but I feel different. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s different in a good way like a weight has been lifted


    off me or someone pumped fresh air in the room. It could be this odd burst of confidence, which I


    assume is going to disappear as soon as I stop looking in the mirror, but somehow, I feel like a Luna. I


    feel like the glue that makes up the puzzle of my life i s finally starting to set. If someone came in right


    now and started with ¡®Luna Kas this¡¯ and¡¯ Luna Kas that¡¯, I wouldn¡¯t mind. 1


    I give myself time before I head back down to the hospital. I have to have my head on straight i f Bronx


    is going to listen to the things I want to say to him. I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich and take


    out a notecard out of my wedding binder. I notice my engagement ring is n o longer on the magazine


    where I left it. I hope someone took and put it in a safe ce to give back to Bronx. I make a little


    checklist of things I want to say to Bronx on the notecard while I eat my sandwich.


    When I¡¯m ready, James escorts me back to the hospital wing so I can see Bronx. We walk side b y


    side, making small talk as we go. I¡¯m done with the two hundred fifty pound shadows following me


    everywhere. I want the personal connection with my guards that I had be ustomed to when we


    were in France. As we walk, I notice people acknowlging me again.


    Saying hello and that it¡¯s nice to see me. It makes my heart happy. It reminds me that the past couple


    of months were not what they wanted for me. They were coerced to treat me in a way they would not


    normally have.


    The guards let me into the room without question but Bronx is still sleeping. I quietly ce the chair


    next to his bed and just stare at him with my arms crossed. It would probably seem creepy if someone


    were to walk in, but I don¡¯t care. I want to etch him in my memory. An image to remind me what love


    looks like, even if it is misguided and does bonehead things, it i s still love.

 Chapter 65

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 65


    I doze off at some point because I hear a rustling sound. I jump up with a start to see Bronx


    trying to get out of bed.


    ¡°Oh no, Buster,¡± I scold, ¡°back in bed.¡±


    ¡°I gotta pee, Kas,¡± Bronx whines at me.


    ¡°Okay, well hold it for just a second,¡± I push the call button for the nurse.


    I hear a little voicee over the inte on the wall and ask them to send a male nurse to help.


    Cause Hell if I¡¯m letting a female nurse help him. The nursees in quickly and helps Bronx to the


    bathroom. When he is back in bed and we are alone again, he reaches his hand out


    to me.


    ¡°You look so beautiful right now, Kas. Pleasee here, Baby, let me breathe you in,¡± his eye looks a


    little ssy. I am sure the pain medicine is influencing his words, but smile at him anyway.


    I crawl up on the bed but I don¡¯t let him wrap his arms around me yet, ¡°Before that, let me see if I can


    heal you more. Lean back.¡±


    He obeys and I put my hands on him. It is much less effort to heal him this time, ¡°There. They should


    be able to stop giving you pain medication now.¡±


    ¡°I already feel it working. Thank you, Kas,¡± he puts his hand on my forearm before I¡¯m able to take my


    hand off his chest. I feel the familiar sparks where he touches me. I close my eyes and take a deep


    breath, reminding myself that he and I have a lot to discuss.


    I look at him in that gorgeous Granny Smith apple green eye of his and do something I never thought I


    would in my life. I take control of the situation and stand up to my mate, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason.


    ¡°Bronx, I spent time thinking about what you said. Not gonna lie, Sweetheart, I¡¯m still pissed but here¡¯s


    what I have to say in return,¡± I take the note card out of my back pocket.


    ¡°You brought notes?¡± he asks with a knit brow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot to say, so just hear me out. I will give you time to speak too. Don¡¯t worry,¡± I say, then look


    down at my little card.


    ¡°Bronx, the members of this pack call me Luna and you get upset when you feel like they¡¯re


    disrespectful of the Luna title but when ites down to it, you¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t treat me like a


    Luna. You don¡¯t make feel like an equal partner to lead this pack. You treat me like I¡¯m too fragile to


    take on responsibilities. That couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. Before the fire, I was hitting my stride,


    feeling like I finally belonged somewhere and that I was valued here. Then it all went south and I didn¡¯t


    understand why. Everyone turned on me, shunned me, and made me feel isted and alone. Even


    you¡­especially you.¡± 1


    I pause to keep myposure. I swallow hard before I continue, cause I know the next part is going to


    sting for both of us.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°I know you thought you were doing the right thing, but you took everything away from me without really


    thinking it through. You could have just spoken to me. We could have spoken to Lady Camille. You


    coerced people who care about me to treat me badly. You treated me badly and you knew you were


    doing it. You wanted me to feel that way to ailenate me. You wanted to hurt me, Bronx. How does that


    make you different from thest guy who was my Alpha?¡± 11


    He winces at theparison to Alpha Graham but doesn¡¯t try to interrupt.


    ¡°If this is going to work between us and for the record, I really, really want this to work, then we are


    equal in all things, Bronx. You don¡¯t get to make decisions about me without talking to me. When you


    have meetings rted to the pack or Elder Council business, I¡¯m involved, moving forward. I¡¯ll help you


    make decisions that affect all of us because this is my pack too. I¡¯m by your side every time as the


    Luna Regent of Blood River¡­not to mention a goddess. I¡¯m not sure how that fits in the title, but we


    can figure it out for the business cards. If you think it is something I won¡¯t understand, then teach me.


    Educate me, Bronx. I want to know all of it. The good and the bad.¡± 2


    I give him a questioning look.


    ¡°Please continue, Kas,¡± he says, giving me a nod of understanding that he deserved my words and was


    willing to listen.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to James and Marco. They¡¯re going to start training me regrly. Not just so I can


    defend myself but enough so I can start eventually train with the pack. I¡¯m not asking your permission


    here, I¡¯m telling you. Lex is a warrior. It is not fair to her to hold her back from being who she truly is. I


    love her so much and what happened the other day shows how much she¡¯s struggling too. She needs


    an outlet to channel her energy just like any other wolf. Besides, I¡¯m a hypocrite if, as their leader, I


    expect the pack to train but I don¡¯t.¡± 2


    I finally let him take my hand. He pulls it to his face and kisses my palm before cing it on the side of


    his stubbly face. I feel my resolve soften, but I take another deep breath and continue.


    ¡°And don¡¯t think I forgot about your offer to help me start a bakery. I want a way to have my own


    ie. I don¡¯t want to have to ask your permission every time I want to buy something for myself or


    feel like I¡¯m being a drain on the pack. I want to be able to set an example for other pack members.


    Show them anyone can do it and everyone should try. 4


    ¡°If these are all things that you can get behind and agree with, then I¡¯m here, I¡¯m in it for the long haul.


    You¡¯re my guy and I don¡¯t want that to change. I love you with every fiber of my being. I love Saint too. I


    want to be by your side every day for the rest of our lives, no, for the rest of all of our lives. Not just this


    one.¡±


    I put my little notecard down and look at him.


    ¡°So what do you say?¡±


    He looks me over, thinking how to respond. I just threw a lot at him, so I give him as much time as he


    needs.


    ¡°1-I think you¡¯re right. You¡¯re right about all of it. I havepletely underestimated you. You have done


    every single thing I have ever asked you to do. You have put yourself so far out of yourfort zone.


    Coming here, trusting strangers when life has given you every reason not t o, going to a witches¡¯ coven


    to train, learning to manage your abilities, all of it. You are smart and quick and so much stronger than


    anyone gives you credit for, including me. Physically and mentally. I haven¡¯t allowed the pack to see the


    real you and I will be eternally regretful that I have put everyone in that position. This pack deserves a


    Luna like you, Kas. You are kind and selfless. You bring joy to everyone.¡±


    He stops and sighs, thinking carefully about his next words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you could possibly forgive me for what I have done to you, Kas. I don¡¯t


    do is give you my word and I mean it this time. It isn¡¯t an empty promise that I have not thought about.


    As your mate, as your Alpha, I will never, eve position that makes you feel inadequate or unappreciated


    again. I will never put you in a situation that makes you feel dependent on other people unless that¡¯s


    what you want.¡± 1


    ¡°We will get things back on track with your bakery. But in exchange for the bakery, I want you t o do one


    thing for me. I want you to finish high school. Get your diploma. I will get you a tutor for your sses. It


    is one thing to be a sessful business owner but if you want to set an example, you need to set it for


    everyone. Especially the youth of our pack. That¡¯s what leaders do. Lead by example. I am the first to


    admit that I need to do better at that. 1


    ¡°If youmunicate with me, I will listen, always, and honor your wishes to the best of my ability.


    Moving forward, I will treat you as my equal. I will help you be more independent. I will even stand out


    of the way so you can effectively train¡­but don¡¯t think I won¡¯t want to spar with my mate on the training


    mat when you¡¯re ready and I¡¯m not going to take it easy on you.¡±


    I grin at thest part. There is something humorous about the thought of being on the training mat,


    grappling with him. ¡°I love you Kas Latmus. I never want to lose you. I never want to have to live


    without you. I wish I could say I was as selfless as you, but I¡¯m not. I¡¯m selfish. I just want you to be all


    mine. But if I have to share you with the members of our pack, then I will do it. Begrudgingly but I will


    do it.


    ¡°Please stay with me forever. Help me be a better man. Help Saint be a better wolf. I think the


    only thing for me to ask you one more time¡­ Kas Latmus, will you marry me?¡±


    His face turns into a small pout and he holds up his pinky to show my engagement ring just below his


    first knuckle.


    ¡°Oh Bronx! Yes, yes I will!¡± I p my hands to my cheeks in surprise.


    He takes my left hand off the side of my face and slides the ring back onto my finger. I feel the tears


    pricking my eyes but they are happy tears now. Bronx pulls me toward him and wraps his arms around


    me. I close my eyes, but I can feel the warm glow of our connection surrounding u


    S.


    We spend the rest of the afternoon snuggling and enjoying thefort of each other¡¯spany.


    Several guestse in, Milo and Lenora, Reggie and Ashley, even Delh is allowed i n the room with


    James.


    I pull her to the side and apologize for how I behaved. She gives me a huge hug and promises she will


    never let anyonee between our friendship again.


    Much to Bronx¡¯s dismay, the doctor makes him stay in the hospital wing for another two days. He did


    die, after all. Even if he has already been healed by a goddess, they have protocols. Bronx grumbles


    andins, but does as he is told.


    He is finally released and we make our way to our apartment, hand in hand. He opens the door to


    people cheering and howling loudly ¡°SURPRISE! WELCOME HOME!!¡±


    He clutches his heart momentarily at the start but then smiles as he looks around the room and sees


    the people he loves the most, his parents and sister, Milo, Reggie, and Ashley. I also invited Marco,


    James, and Delh. They were as much a part of our family as anyone else.


    Ashleyes rushing forward when she sees the surprise on Bronx¡¯s face, ¡°Bronx, is this okay? I tried


    to keep it as low key as possible.¡±


    We look around and realize Ashley had gonepletely over the top with decorations. Streamers,


    balloons, and a giant banner that says ¡°Wee Back, Bronx!¡± stered on the wall. Bronx just


    chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s fine Ashley. It¡¯s subtle, real subtle, just like I like my surprises.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 66


    The next day, Bronx decides he wants to go downstairs for dinner.


    ¡°Are you sure, Sweetheart? The doctor said you need to take it easy for another few days,¡± I ask as he


    is putting on a button-down shirt.


    ¡°Yeah Baby. I have some apologizing to do. No. I have a lot of apologizing to do. To everyone. I¡¯m not


    going to hide up here in my apartment. I have to face the music,¡± he says resolutely. H e puts on a dark


    blue eye patch to match his clothes and looks himself over in the mirror. He looks handsome with his


    inky ck hair slicked back and olive toned face freshly shaven.


    As we walk into the dining room a hush falls over the crowd. I give Bronx¡¯s hand a reassuring squeeze


    and he leads us to the front of the room. He stands in front of our table and faces the dining room.


    He looks out over our pack, takes a deep breath, and eats crow. He fully admits that he got carried


    away with trying to protect me and he was wrong. He assures everyone that things will be different


    moving forward and that I will be more involved in pack rted decisions moving forward. Then he


    apologizes to everyone formanding them to treat me poorly. He publicly asks everyone to go back


    to loving and respecting me the way that he knows they do. He promises to do better because that is


    what the pack deserves before he thanks everyone for their loyalty and sits down.


    There are cheers around the room and some of the children run up to hug me. I kneel down and hug


    each and every one of them back. It is the best feeling knowing that things are going back to normal.


    ***


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    I went from being overwhelmed by nning a wedding by myself to being overwhelmed by the number


    of people who want to help. By the end of February, just about everything is nned. The Summer


    Solstice celebration will be part of our wedding. So instead of just the Blood River pack, there will be a


    ton of other people there, leaders from packs around the world, Elder Council members, and even


    witches from the Coven will be invited.


    Reggiemits to having the new packhouse rebuilt by the beginning of June so we would be ready


    for the influx of visitors. Ashley helps mee up with decorations, flowers, and ce settings. If she


    ever wanted to switch careers, she could totally be an event nner. She is so good at reminding me


    of all the things I need to consider. No detail is left untouched. 1


    The housekeeping omegas alsoe up with a cute idea of renting tents for people who want a more


    outdoorsy experience during their stay. There is plenty of room in the field behind the The staff says


    they are more than happy to make the campsites and keep them supplied with firewood, snacks, and


    cooking supplies, etc. They even tell me it will be easier than cleaning the rooms every day. If it¡¯s easier


    on them, I am all for it.


    Mrs. Miller is a rockstar too. She feels so bad about having kicked me out of the kitchens that now she


    is bending over backwards to help mee up with the menus, specialty drinks, foods to supply


    guests out in the tents or suites. We take inspiration from all over the ce, each meal from a different


    part of the world. The wedding reception will feature Beef Wellington. She and I research recipes and


    perfect cooking techniques at a blistering pace. Bronx doesn¡¯t seem to mind. Probably because he gets


    to taste test everything. Delh offers t o help Mrs. Miller with the cake but wants to keep the details a


    surprise, so I knew that was going to be amazing too.


    The entire pack refuses to let me worry about anything. The one thing they can¡¯t help me with is a


    dress. Every time I think about it, I get anxious. Even if my vision can¡¯te true, what if a different


    wolf tries toe after me? I know Ryan is dead, his body is still in the morgue but Silver Moon


    refuses toe to Blood River to retrieve his body, so he will stay there indefinitely. Bronx says it is not


    our responsibility to give him a proper burial or ceremony. 5


    I even start the cooking sses I had promised to Marco. I thought there would be three or four of his


    friends, but there are over twenty single warriors in attendance at the first session. I t turns out, Marco


    had let all his friends know and they jumped at the chance to learn from their Luna. Every week, I teach


    them a new simple, healthy entree, and sometimes we add in a dessert too. I had no idea how messy


    cooking could be until I try to teach a bunch of men whose hands are way too big for the utensils. They


    may be masters of precision when ites to de skills in battle, but apparently chopping green


    peppers was a different story. 1


    It¡¯s March tenth. I have the phone in my hand and I just need to hit the little green dial button, but I can¡¯t


    bring myself to do it. Bronxes into the living room and plops down behind me.


    ¡°Whatcha doin, Baby?¡± he asks as he pulls me down onto hisp and runs his fingers through my hair,


    making me purr.


    ¡°I have to make an appointment to pick a dress. I just get so scared every time I try to dial the number. I


    can¡¯t hit the call button,¡± I frown looking at my phone screen.


    ¡°Here, let me see your phone,¡± he says and holds out his hand and giving me a sympathetic smile.


    Naively, I hand him the phone.


    up, hits the call button, and runs into the bedroom. When I realize what he¡¯s doing, I jump up to follow


    him but he already has the door locked. 3


    ¡°Bronx! What are you doing?!¡± How embarrassing that my fianc¨¦ would need to make my appointment


    for me. I can only imagine how many guards he was going to send with me ¡®just i n case¡¯.


    The bedroom door cracks open and I see Bronx¡¯s green eye looking at me, ¡°Baby, what color did you


    say you want the girls to wear?¡±


    ¡°Olive green, why? Wait! Bronx, what are you saying to them?!¡± but he shuts the door in my face


    instead of answering me. I growl and pound once on the door, then sit on the sofa to pout.


    Fifteen minutester, he tosses the phone on the sofa and plops down again. He sees me pouting and


    pulls me onto hisp, nuzzling my neck.


    arthey¡¯re going to call Delh with the details. She¡¯ll have James and Marco take you to your


    appointment.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Okay, but when?¡± I whine.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you because I don¡¯t want you to chicken out. Don¡¯t worry, Delh will tell you. She


    will make sure you¡¯re there on time,¡± he gives me that smirk that infuriates me and turns me on at the


    same time.


    I pull him toward me by the cor and snarl at him with a little smile of my own, ¡°If you keep smiling at


    me like that, I¡¯m going to make you feel like a weak old wolf, Bronx Mason.¡±


    ¡°Is that a promise, Kas Latmus?¡± He leans in and whispers in my ear.


    ¡°Mmhmm,¡± I reply, my growl turning into a purr. At that, he scoops me up and takes me into the


    bedroom. We spend the rest of the afternoon making each other giggle, moan, and ultimately making


    Bronx feel like a weak old wolf.

 Chapter 67

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 67


    On Thursday, James calls Marco. Marco puts it on speaker and listens while James tells him to bring


    me to his house for training. They want to teach me more about hand-to-handbat i n small spaces.


    Two against one.


    ¡°James, have you cleared this with your mate? Three wolves performing hand to handbat inside


    your home¡­your home where your pacifist mate also lives, I mean?¡± I ask, skeptical of this n.


    ¡°Yeah, Delh¡¯s totally fine with it. She understands now that you need to know more than just how to


    block and escape holds. Plus, she said if we break anything it gives her an excuse to use my bonus


    money to go shopping. Speaking of which, she said to bring your change of clothes, you can shower at


    our ce and then go on this shopping trip with her when we are done.¡±


    Iugh out loud, ¡°Okay, will do.¡±


    Marco and I make our way to James and Delh¡¯s little house. I go to knock on the door but it¡¯s already


    cracked open. I look at Marco who shrugs and unholsters his pistol and I push the door open slowly


    and call out.


    ¡°James? Are you here? Delh?¡±


    Arge fistes flying from behind the door. I block the initial attack, smacking the forearm hard


    against the door frame. James reaches out from behind the door and catches my cor and roughly


    throws me into the living room. Ind on the edge of the sofa and roll offnding in a crouched position.


    He charges at me again,unching another heavy punch aimed down at me. I dodge and crawl onto


    the coffee table before he can recover his bnce. Standing on the table, I¡¯m the same height as him. I


    use my foot to pick up the decorative serving tter, never taking my eyes off him. As soon as he isN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    close enough, I thrust it up striking the underside of his chin, catching him in the throat. James falls


    back coughing and trying to catch his breath.


    Marco is right behind him andunches a series of punches and kicks at me. He¡¯s at an advantage


    since his reach is so much longer than mine. I¡¯m able to deflect most of the strikes but one kick hits


    hard against my knee, knocking me off the table. I hit the floor t on my back with a thud. All the air


    knocks out of my lungs upon impact. I reach up to the coffee table and grab a decorative te. As


    Marco leans forward to grab me, I m it across his face, shattering it into a million little pieces. As he


    rolls to the side, grabbing his face in.pain. I kip u ponto to my feet and take a defensive stance.


    James is right there with a kick headed straight for my face. I block him and give him a kick in return


    just below his gut. I will have to apologize to Delhter. As he bends over in pain, I knee him in the


    face. Blood starts flowing on the beige carpet. Now I really have to apologizet o Delh.


    Before James has evenpletely fallen, Marco is directly behind him, throwing amp at my face. I


    kick my leg up and knock it out of the air back at him. He catches it before it falls. Before he can throw


    it again, I roundhouse kick andnd the top of my foot right against his ear, he stumbles but keeps his


    bnce. He throws themp to the side and lunges forward with a growl, grabbing my wrist. I swing out


    to the side bringing my free elbow down on his arm. I feel the crack of one of his bones, forcing him to


    let go and grunt in pain. At the same time, I use the hand that was just trapped to chop his throat.


    Sending him stumbling backward.


    Practice has just begun.


    We have been practicing every day since I had discussed training with them. On day one, I told them


    about my conversation in the hospital wing with Bronx, and I didn¡¯t want them to take things easy on


    me. My goal was to beat Bronx in a one-on-one sparring match. Even though it had been less than a


    month, Lex was in her wheelhouse. We were stronger and more focused every day. To the point that all


    James and Marco have to do is show me a technique once or twice and she is able to help me catch


    on. It has now progressed to both of them being able to attack me and I can asionallye out on


    top.


    Training has made Lex more and more powerful which makes me stronger too. The upside to Lex


    being stronger is that all my abilities are stronger too. I am helping out in the hospital wing multiple


    times a week, which is a relief for the doctors and nurses. With Delh¡¯s help, I a m now able to fully


    control the heat thates from my hands. In private we practice time control. I have full control over


    slowing time for hours. If it was just one or two people, I can fully stop time for three or four minutes,


    butrge crowds a little less than a minute.


    Lex is in her glory and can¡¯t wait until she can train with the pack warriors. Bronx makes me agree to


    wait until after the wedding to start working out with the pack. I have a lot going on and he doesn¡¯t want


    me to get stressed out. Goddess forbid I have another vision. Now that Ryan is out of the picture, who


    knows what it would involve. 2


    The timer on James¡¯s watch chimes, indicating we¡¯re done with practice. All three of us stop in our


    tracks, panting heavily. I drop the piece of bannister in my hands. Itnds on a throw pillow making a


    puff of feathers fly out. After just an hour, the entire downstairs of James and Delh¡¯s house is


    destroyed. There are also a couple of bullet holes where Marco¡¯s nine millimeter handgun went off.


    Like I said, I told them not to take it easy on me.


    I finally look around, ¡°James, are you sure this is what Delh meant when she said it was okay if


    things got broken?¡±


    He looks around with his hands on his hips with an unsure look on his face, ¡°Uh, maybe this is a little


    more than she was expecting?¡± 1


    Just then, the door opens and Delh steps in. She freezes for a second and her eyes immediately go


    wide. Oh no, she¡¯s going to cry. I step forward prepared to console her but sheposes herself


    quickly and clears her throat.


    ¡°Come on Kas, let¡¯s get you a shower, this is uh¡­yeah, definitely need a shopping trip for some new


    furniture, oh¡­and flower pots¡­.and dishes¡­and new paintings¡­and maybe carpeting?¡­oohh-kay,


    uh okay, yeah, let¡¯s go upstairs before I cry.¡±


    As we get to the top of the stairs, I take her by the hand, ¡°Delh, I¡¯m so sorry, things gotpletely


    out of hand. I knew it was a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have been wanting to redecorate. Ashley did a great job getting us set up with the basics,


    but James and I haven¡¯t had time to make it ours. You know? Go get freshened up,¡± she smiles


    nervously, ¡°Oh, before we go out, can we stop by your apartment and pick up your wedding binder? I


    told Ashley I would stop at the tent rental ce to give them the deposit.¡±


    ¡°Oh sounds good! Yeah, of course, we¡¯ll go pick it up.¡±


    ***


    When I open the door to my apartment, Bronx is on the other side, opening it at the same time.


    ¡°Hi Baby, I was just on my way out. See youter!¡± he gives me a deep kiss then trots off before I can


    question him. Why was he even in the apartment? He should be at work.


    I step inside with Delh right after me, to find Lenora and Ashley standing in the living room


    surrounded by racks and racks of wedding and bridesmaid dresses and three women in ck pant


    suits. 1


    There is a low tform set up in the middle of the room and giant floor-to-ceiling mirrors leaning


    against the wall. There are also portable stand lights set up, shining down on everything, making the


    beads and sequins on the dresses sparkle and dance.

 Chapter 68

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 68


    My mouth drops, ¡°I-is this the entire dress shop?¡±


    ¡°¡®Yes dear, your fianc¨¦ said you were a little nervous about other customers in the shop seeing some


    burn scars, so he paid for me to close the shop for the day and bring everything here. That way you¡¯re


    in the privacy of your own home. Who am I to say no if Bronx Mason personally calls says he is getting


    married? This is a beautiful mansion by the way, so many employees!¡± 1


    ¡°Oh, thank you, ma¡¯am. They¡¯re like family. I can¡¯t imagine what we would do without them,¡± I say still in


    awe as I look around my living room. She is clearly human, so we can¡¯t let on that we¡¯re werewolves.


    I¡¯m not sure why she is so impressed by Bronx personally calling but he is well aware that I don¡¯t care


    anymore if people see my scars. It¡¯s just a cover story. I am morefortable with my body nowadays.


    But it is such a sweet gesture by him. Now I don¡¯t have t o have anxiety over the real reason I was


    worried about going to her shop. I don¡¯t even want to think about how much it cost Bronx to have this


    sweet woman move her entire store inventory to my living room.


    ¡°No need to call me ma¡¯am, dear. I¡¯m She. These are my assistants Lisa and Suzel,¡± she smiles at


    me as she points to the younger women standing beside her, ¡°Let¡¯s get started. Suzel will help the


    bridesmaids select some styles for us to look at while Lisa and I help you find your perfect dress.¡±


    She turns to my three bridesmaids, ¡°Lenora, dear, are you due before or after the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Oh, before. In five weeks actually,¡± she responds, holding her plump belly.


    ¡°Perfect. We should be able to have all three of the bridesmaids wear matching dresses if that i s what


    you prefer, Miss Latmus. Now,¡± she turns back to me, ¡°my paperwork says your name i s Iokaste but


    you go by Kas. So unique, what¡¯s the origin of such a pretty name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Greek. My parents were both from there. It means violet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s beautiful! Steeped in tradition, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes ma¡¯am. I mean She. Deeply steeped in tradition. Also, please just call me Kas,¡± I hear the


    girls giggle beside me.


    ¡°Alright then, Kas. We are going to have a good time today. Let¡¯s get started!¡± She says in a sing


    song voice. She seems like the type of woman that likes to give hugs to strangers, ¡°Now, what type of


    dress did you have in mind? What do you imagine looking like on your big day?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to look like a goddess, She. I have some clippings from magazines,¡± I pull out my binder and


    start flipping through. To my surprise, she didn¡¯t bat an eye at my statement. I thought for sure it would


    come off sounding conceited.


    She nods and taps her lips with a couple of fingers as I show her my ideas and even a couple of


    sketches I did on my own. Suzel and Lisa also look over our shoulders murmuring about style


    numbers, neck lines, and fabric choices.


    As I get to myst inspiration picture, She ps her hands and smiles broadly, ¡°I have several


    options in mind. Mr. Mason said spare no expense. So, at his request, there are no price tags here


    today. Just choices.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I roll my eyes slightly at Bronx¡¯s power move. That sneaky snake. I look over to my bridesmaids who


    are all avoiding eye contact with me. Okay. Now I know where he got the idea from. A whole room of


    sneaky snakes. 3


    She turns her attention to her assistant, ¡°Suzel, I think open backs for our statuesque bridesmaids.


    Empire style will look beautiful. It will go with the godess theme we are creating here.¡± 1


    I look at the girls with a genuine smile, ¡°I agree. We should all look like the godesses we are.¡± 1


    I wink at my bridesmaids, who all giggle, but I do genuinely mean thepliment.


    ¡°No problem, follow me,dies!¡± Suzel chimes, picks up a clipboard and takes Lenora, Ashley, and


    Delh to a rack of green dresses.


    Lisa takes my hand and leads me behind a partition to undress. While She pulls the dresses she has


    in mind.


    ¡°Oh! These scars are from a fire?¡± Lisa says in disbelief, ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Fire? Oh yeah, when I was young. I was lucky to survive. No need to apologize. I¡¯ve gotten used to


    them now that I¡¯m older,¡± I say, ¡°Everyone who will be at the wedding knows and I kind of want it to be a


    badge of honor, so if we can find a dress for me that has an open back like the bridesmaids, I would


    really like that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, She is a wedding dress wizard,¡± she smiles just as Shees around with three


    dresses.


    The first dress is beautiful, but everyone agrees, it is just not the one. The second one doesn¡¯t tter


    my figure. But the third one, feels different. Like it is meant for me, somehow.


    ¡°Miss Latmus, I think this one is the showstopper,¡± Lisa whispers as she makes some final adjustments


    to the straps, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see what everyone else thinks?¡±


    I step out from behind the partition and onto the little tform. I look in the mirror at the women behind


    me. I see Lenora gasp and then let out a sob. I see Suzel hand her a tissue.


    Ashley has her hands covering her nose and mouth. Her eyes are wide and ssy. Delh is standing,


    with her hands on her heart, mouth agape, nodding.


    I look back to myself in the mirror. The dress is exactly what I envisioned. There are clusters of metallic


    silver olive leaves capping each shoulder, flowing sheer fabric begins where the leaves end on the


    back of my shoulders, making it look like a long, sheer, pleated cape. The fabric extends to the floor


    creating a beautiful, long train. The back of the dresses to a V near the small of my back. The front


    also has soft pleats starting at the shoulders and forms a deep V that stops just above my navel. A


    silver belt that looks like a delicate rope is wrapped around my waist four times, creating a ssic criss-


    cross shape. The base fabric of the body is silk and hangs straight and long, using the belt to create a


    sexy silhouette. The pleated chiffon is a delicate ovey that sets off the ethereal look.


    ¡°Kas, if you say no to this dress, we¡¯re gonna have a problem,¡± Lenora sniffles from the sofa.


    Even with my damp hair piled on top of my head, I look like I was always meant to wear this dress. I


    look like a goddess. I mean, I am a goddess but now I see it.


    ¡°Hot damn, Kas. We look gorgeous,¡± Lex whispers in my mind as Lisa and Suzel pin the bottom of the


    dress for alterations.


    ¡°Yeah, we do,¡± I smile to her, ¡°Being a goddess never seemed real until now, Lex. It was all just an


    abstract idea. But this is real. This is who we are.¡±


    ¡°We sure are. You look so much like her,¡± Lex muses.


    ¡°Who? My mother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I mean, she is taller and she is blonde with blue eyes, but you can see the simrities in your


    bone structre and skin tone,¡± Lex smiles as she thinks about my mother. 3


    ¡°Thanks, Lex. That means a lot,¡± I smile at her.


    ¡°Now dear, this dress alsoes in gold leaves or pink leaves. Are you going to change your hair color


    back to natural? And how about the contacts? Taking them out on the big day?¡± She looks at me


    through the mirror quizzically. She isn¡¯t asking in a judgemental way. She seems to want to make sure I


    am taking all my choices into consideration.


    ¡°No, this hair color has grown on me and I don¡¯t want to be blind on my wedding day, so what you see


    is what you get,¡± I smile at her. Again, my bridesmaids giggle.


    ¡°Well then, I don¡¯t know how overt of a theme you want but I have a matching tiara from this designer,¡±


    She looks at me through the mirror with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s trying the tiara,¡± Lenoramands while she rubs her belly from the sofa behind u S.


    Ashley, never at a loss for words is still speechless and just nods in agreement.


    Lisa giggles and ces a silver olive leaf tiara on top of my head. It is a traditional U-shape, open in the


    front like you would see in ancient Grecian paintings except there are little crystals scattered on the


    leaves making it sparkle against my already sparkly hair.


    As I look at myself in the mirror, I feel a breezee through the room and swirl around me. I t is warm


    andforting and makes me feel like I am being hugged by invisible arms. The Goddess Selene, my


    mother, is surrounding me. I can sense it. I hear a whisper in my ear ¡®My beautiful Iokaste¡¯, filling my


    heart with more love and warmth than I have ever felt in my life. My mother just gave me her approval


    of my wedding dress.


    I let out a yelp, that surpises even me and start bawling, ¡°Can you feel her? My mom is here! She¡¯s


    here! Oh my Goddess. Thank you for your blessing, Mother! Thank you!¡±


    Tears are streaming down my face as I sob. My knees suddenly feel wobbly. All three girls rush over


    and start hugging and crying me, agreeing they can feel the presence of my mother as well. Ashley


    wipes my tears so I don¡¯t stain the dress. While Delh and Lenora take my hands and rub my back,


    soothing me and supporting me through the emotional moment.


    The salesdies look confused but stand back and give us our moment and time topose


    ourselves.


    I¡¯m finally helped out of the dress and back into my regr clothes.


    ¡°Alright, Kas. Let¡¯s see what Suzel and your bridesmaids havee up with,¡± She smiles.


    Ashley and Delh try on several dresses that coordinate with mine, while Lenora and I watch from the


    sofa. We pick one we all think will be pretty on all three of them and wrap things up. Ashley and Lenora


    sign any paperwork that needs handled and make payment arrangements, while Delh and I mark off


    check boxes in my binder. 2 This is the way things are supposed to be. No fear, no attacks, just


    surrounded by love.

 Chapter 69

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 69


    Marco¡¯s POV


    I¡¯m so proud of my Luna. We¡¯ve been training her for almost three months and she could, like, seriously


    be an assassin if she wanted to. She doesn¡¯t have a cold heart for that kinda shit though. And no way


    Alpha Bronx would let her do that kind of work anyway.


    Anyway, she¡¯s doing so well now that James and I both get Sundays off as long as she doesn¡¯t have to


    leave the packhouse. Honestly, even if she did, she can defend herself but ain¡¯t no way either of us


    would let her be put in that position. She does her best to try to stay in on Sundays unless it¡¯s real


    important. She cares about us like that.


    James tags in for his shift around eleven-thirty on Friday night and I head out. My buddies convinced


    me to go to a strip club that caters to werewolves. I¡¯m not all into that kind of club but there¡¯s only so


    much COD a guy can take.


    The club is loud and smokey. Tyree hooked us up with a VIP booth. Everyone here knows we¡¯re Blood


    River, so they give us a bit of extra space. Three cute girlse over with bottles of liquor. They start


    pouring shots and pull some of the guys to private rooms.


    Tyree and I hang out at the table and catch up on things. Since I¡¯ve been assigned to the Luna, we


    haven¡¯t been on any security detail together. He works under Beta Milo doing more covert shit. He can


    only tell me so much about work but he does tell me he found his mate. She lives i n another pack and


    they¡¯re working it out so she can move to Blood River.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome man!¡± I p his shoulder as we both grin.


    ¡°Well? What about you? I thought for sure the Latino lover boy would have found his mate by now,¡± He


    shakes his shoulders at me as he jokes.


    ¡°I mean, I dated a few girls but nothing serious. I haven¡¯t found my true mate yet. sh keeps insisting


    I¡¯ll meet her soon but he¡¯s been saying it for months now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marco. You¡¯ll find her. The Moon Goddess knows what she¡¯s doing,¡± he reassures me as


    a cute girl with another tray of shotses over to the table.


    We party until the club closes and head to our normal all-night dinner for some drunk food before


    getting a home. All in all, it¡¯s a good night.


    On Wednesday, we get on the jet headed to France so the Luna can report in with the Coven. James


    and I apany her and Delh gets to see her mom. Alpha Bronx joins us, cause he¡¯s going to the


    Lune D¡¯or pack while we¡¯re in the witches¡¯ realm. He says ain¡¯t no way he¡¯s gonna leave his Luna¡¯s


    side anymore and with as much shit as those two been through, shit, I don¡¯t me him. He¡¯s not


    allowed toe stay in the witches¡¯ realm cause Lady Camille thinks it¡¯s too distracting for the Luna,


    so Lune D¡¯or is as close as he can get.


    After James and I register our guns and knives with pack security at the gate, we get to the castle and


    an omega shows us to our rooms. I take first shift so James can get some shut-eye.


    I drop my bags in my room and head to the hallway outside the Alpha and Luna¡¯s suite. The Luna said


    she wants to get in a quick nap before she and the Alpha go see Alpha Henri. Based o n the look in her


    eyes, there ain¡¯t no sleeping going on in that room right now, if you get what I¡¯m saying. 1


    It¡¯s been about an hour when I hear people walking down the hall. The pce is round shaped which


    means the hallways are curved. It makes security a pain, but nothing you can do about i t. Right?


    Anyway, I hear peopleing and sh is going crazy in my head.


    ¡°I got this, jefe, calm down!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯sing this way, Marco!¡± he bounces off the walls of my brain.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I call out, using my best authoritative tone. I put my hand on my gun, but I don¡¯t unholster


    it. I don¡¯t want to have to use it here, ¡°This is a temporarily restricted area.¡±


    ¡°We just want to bring a basket of pastries for the Alpha and Luna,¡± a woman calls out in a thick French


    ent.


    The overwhelming smell oftro and sweet fried tanos maduros hits my nose. I¡¯ve never smelled


    anything so delicious in my life. Not even at my Mama¡¯s house. I feel like my brain is starting to


    malfunction. 2


    The womene around the bend and there she is. An ebony beauty with eyes like dark chocte,


    hair in little twists all over her head, and a light blue sundress to set off the beauty o f her dark skin. The


    rest of the world melts away and all there is, is her and me and I am just fine with that.


    ¡°MATE!¡± sh yells over and over.


    My body goes into autopilot and I stride up to her, pinning her against the wall. I feel sh take control


    as he breathes in her scent. 1


    ¡°Mate,¡± he growls. I try to pull him back, but he¡¯s not having it.


    Her eyes turnpletely ck, letting her wolfe to the surface too, as she breathes deep,


    grabbing me by the front of my shirt to pull me closer to her.


    The other woman starts screaming, ¡°STOP HIM! He¡¯s attacking Musu! Someone help!¡±


    There is amotion behind me, but it might as well have been a thousand miles away. All i can focus


    on is the bombshell of woman in front of me. Someone grabs me by the shoulders and tries to pull me


    away from my beauty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them take her!¡± sh howls.


    In one quick motion, I drop my left shoulder and spin to the right. I pull my gun as I turn using my right


    elbow to forcefully push the attacker¡¯s arms down. The maneuver puts my mate safely behind me with


    the gun aimed inches from the attacker¡¯s face before he can make another move. He doesn¡¯t flinch but


    he slowly holds his hands up in surrender and res at m e with one green eye, growling dangerously


    in return. The whole hallway reverberates from the sound.


    ¡°Marco, lower your fucking weapon,¡± his fangs are extended as he growls using his Alpha tone.


    Oh my Goddess, it¡¯s Alpha Bronx. Oh, I¡¯m fucked.


    I raise my hands out in surrender and slowly start to lower the gun when he swipes it out of m y hand,


    puts the safety back on, and hands it to James. All without breaking eye contact. I look around and see


    the hallway is full of people, including ranked members from Lune Do¡¯r. I am definitely fucked. I fully


    bow my head in submission. Alpha Bronx doesn¡¯t say another word, h e just grabs me by the back of


    the neck with his ws extended and throws me into his suite. H e ms the door behind him, leaving


    me alone. I wish he would¡¯ve just snapped my neck and gotten it over with.


    ¡°He¡¯s taking our mate away!¡± sh howls as he hears moremotion in the hallway. There¡¯s so


    many people talking and yelling, even with wolf hearing, I can¡¯t make anything out.


    ¡°sh, we almost murdered our Alpha. We¡¯re about to be fuckin¡¯ banished, ese! And we in France. I


    don¡¯t know French. You know any French? Cause if we a rogue in France, we¡¯re gonna need to learn it


    really fuckin¡¯ quick. Our mate is the least of our problems right now,¡± I yell at him as I pace in front of


    the door. 5


    The noise in the hallway dies down. My mate¡¯s scent fades as she gets further away. I stop pacing and


    stare at the door for what seems like forever. Where did they take her? Did they forget I am in here?


    Luna Kas opens the door and steps in with James. They have some serious ass looks on their faces.


    ¡°Come with us, Marco,¡± she says solemnly.


    ¡°Luna, am I getting banished? Cause if so, can I please grab my bag?¡± I beg.


    ¡°Come on, Marco. We have to go to Alpha Martin¡¯s office,¡± James says, putting his hand on m y


    shoulder.


    I sigh heavily and let James lead me out the door. I feel like my heart can¡¯t beat cause it¡¯s being


    crushed. I¡¯m losing my mate and my pack on the same day. We walk through a maze of halls to the


    Alpha¡¯s office. James knocks and opens the door when someone inside permits entrance.


    We step in and there¡¯s a ton of people in there. One of them is my mate. She looks at me with tears in


    her eyes. I just want to go over and pull her into my arms tofort her. I hold sh back and force


    myself to stand on the spot, putting my eyes to the floor. I can¡¯t look at her if she¡¯s sad and I can¡¯t hold


    her.


    Alpha Martin stands up behind his desk, ¡°Marco, our dear Musu has cleared the air and advised us that


    you are her mate and that you were not, in fact, attacking her, but submitting t o the call of the mate


    bond. I think almost everyone in this room can attest it is something impossible to deny.


    ¡°Now, the problem we are facing is Musu is the twin sister of my Beta. He is not mated yet and she is


    acting as the female Beta until that timees. As we all know, you are a personal security guard and


    trainer for Luna Kas, so it is not as simple as having you join our pack.¡±


    I look up at him. Did he just say mate is a Beta?


    ¡°So, Alpha Regent Bronx. Luna Regent lokaste, and I have discussed with Musu. We are going t o


    allow you two to spend from now until Friday morning getting to know each other. Then you will go to


    the Coven for your security detail. Musu will remain here so we can discuss how we can diplomatically


    handle this situation.¡±


    I look around, eyes wide. I¡¯m not getting banished? I get to spend the next two days with my mate?


    Wait. If she¡¯s French, does that mean I still need to learn French? 2


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha Martin, thank you Alpha Bronx. I-I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± I bow deeply t o the two


    Alphas.


    My mate walks toward me and grabs my hand, making sparks fly between us. She leads me out of the


    office without a word. As soon as we are out of the office, she starts running, pulling me behind her. I


    have no idea where we¡¯re going, but as long as I get to be with her, I don¡¯t care.

 Chapter 70

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 70


    We run through a maze of hallways and stairwells until we reach a random door. She pulls a key out of


    her pocket, unlocks it, and pulls me inside. We¡¯re in a small, modern studio suite.


    She locks the door behind her and pulls me over to the loveseat.


    ¡°Please, sit. Umm, they told me your name is Marco?¡± Her voice warms me from the inside out but she


    doesn¡¯t have a French ent. She is from somewhere else.


    Sitting down, I reach my hand out and take hers, 1 gently tug on it to get her to sit down too. She sits


    facing me. Her dark, wide set eyes are hypnotyzing. I could drown in those pools of chocte and be


    perfectly happy doing so. She is so damn beautiful, ¡°Uh, yeah, Marco Sanchez. I heard them call you


    Musu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Musu Goba,¡± her full lips smile shyly. I notice she is wearing lip gloss, making them that much


    more enticing. I want to feel her lips on mine so badly, but I control myself. My heart is pounding in my


    chest and sh is racing around in my head like a maniac.


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound French. Where are you from?¡± I¡¯m trying to y it cool, but ain¡¯t no way she doesn¡¯t


    notice me sweating.


    ¡°Sierra Leone. My mother is the second chance mate of Alpha Henri¡¯s Beta. We moved here when my


    brother and I were thirteen. My brother Everl became Martin¡¯s Beta and I am acting a s female Beta


    until Everl finds a mate.¡±


    ¡°Oh I see. Look, I-I¡¯m not gonna lie here, Musu. I just need to get it out of the way. You¡¯re beautiful and


    I¡¯m trying my best to control myself here cause it¡¯s important to me that we get t o know each other, but


    you should know, I really wanna kiss you. Like, I really wanna. But my Mama taught me to be respectful


    to women and I don¡¯t want to rush you and I don¡¯t want you t o do anything you don-¡± before I can


    finish, she throws her arms around my neck and starts kissing me, full tongue. A kiss has never felt so


    damn good. The sparks of our bond make little electric shocks between us as I wrap my arms around


    her and return the kiss. Who am I to deny my mate? 5


    Kas¡¯s POV


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to separate them, are we?¡± I ask as I look around the room in distress.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Beta Everl says, ¡°I can handle being Beta on my own until I find my mate. Although,


    your Marco is going to have to face my mother and stepfather. Hopefully, he can handle that.¡±


    Everl shakes his head as he looks off in the distance and chuckles. The Lune D¡¯or pack members


    around the roomugh at the thought as well.


    ¡°I mean, Marco has taken down two werebears in his day. Hell, he¡¯s practically the size of one. I can


    even remember a time when he held his own against a dragon in an underground fight club. But I don¡¯t


    know that he¡¯s ever faced a she-wolf¡¯s protective parents. I guess we will see how he handles it,¡± Bronx


    says with a chuckle of his own. +


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Luna Kas, when I tell my parents how quickly he moved to protect Musu and that he is one


    of your personal guards, they will be impressed. His talent shows that rank is not important. Speaking


    of which, he almost got you, Alpha Bronx. You didn¡¯t flinch, but he almost got you,¡± Beta Everl shakes


    his finger at Bronx with a teasing smirk.


    ¡°Only the best for my Luna and now your sister. But don¡¯t worry, Marco and I will be having a more


    formal conversation about his actions when we get back to Blood River,¡± Bronx says with his arms


    crossed.


    ¡°So how long are we going to let them sweat thinking that they could be separated?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Well, you heard how excited Musu was about finding her mate, I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t mind a little sweat


    between them,¡± Beta Everl says waggling his eyebrows. Another round ofughs makes its way around


    the room.


    I clear my throat, ¡°Alright, Alpha Martin, on Friday morning can you please send someone to fetch


    Marco for me? Until then, it sounds like it isn¡¯t necessary to interrupt them. We can let him speak with


    Beta Everl and Musu¡¯s parents before we leave for the Coven and as long as they agree, then please


    have her prepare to leave when we get back on Monday morning. We can have the bulk of her things


    shipped if needed. We are more than happy to amodate.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a good n, Luna Kas,¡± Alpha Martin nods.


    ¡°In the meantime, we need to speak with your father, Alpha Martin. Please excuse us,¡± Bronx


    says.


    Henri leads us to his private study and pours bourbon for himself and Bronx. I politely decline when he


    offers me a ss. He pours me a ss of water instead and sits in the armchair across from us.


    ¡°Bourbon! How American of you, Henri!¡± Bronx teases his friend.


    ¡°It keeps this old heart pumping, my friend!¡± Henri says, holding up the ss as if giving a speech.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Henri, I¡¯m going to cut to the chase. Kas and I have a favor to ask,¡± Bronx says as he takes my hand,


    ¡°We¡¯re asking not just as friends but as friends of a man who sits on the Elder Council.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Bronx. What do you two need?¡± Henri lowers his ss and looks at Bronx with concern.


    Bronx looks at me, Henri¡¯s eyes follow and look at me as well.


    ¡°We were hoping you would be the officiant at our wedding,¡± I say with a big grin.


    ¡°Oh! Mon coeur, mademoiselle!¡± He exims as he jumps up from his seat, clutching his heart, ¡°Would


    I? I would be honored!¡±


    He picks me up and kisses both of my cheeks and then gives Bronx a huge hug. He insists on having


    champagne and sparkling cider for me. He mind links his wife, Alpha Martin and the Luna toe


    celebrate with us. We enjoy each other¡¯spanyte into the evening before w e call it a night.


    The next day, Bronx and I do some sightseeing around the human vige near Lune D¡¯or¡¯s territory,


    then turn in early so we can spend some time alone before I have to leave for the Coven. 1


    ¡°Bronx, you know what¡¯s crazy?¡± I ask as we are lounging on the veranda of our room.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Baby?¡± Bronx smoothes my hair and kisses my temple.


    ¡°France. It has brought such significant things into our lives. You know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°You mean near-death experiences?¡± He hugs me a little tighter.


    ¡°Come on, there¡¯s been good too. The Coven, mates for James and now Marco, getting to spend time


    with Henri, this ce is just beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°What do you say about a honeymoon in Paris?¡±


    ¡°Whatever your heart desires, my little goddess, as long as I get to take you to the top of the Eiffel


    Tower. The view is amazing. You¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and can we do a food tour?¡±


    Heughs, ¡°Yes, we can do a food tour.¡±


    We talk more about the honeymoon until I fall asleep in his arms on the chaise. In the morning, I wake


    up snuggled in bed, wrapped in his octopus arms. When I¡¯m finally able to break free, I decide to do my


    meditation on the beautiful veranda. It is so peaceful, my mind is able to explore much further than


    usual. A vision floats through my mind. Not necessarily a premonition, more like a daydream type of


    wish.


    In the vision, I¡¯m hugging a woman. I can¡¯t see her physical features but we are crying tears of joy. She


    feels like my sister. I smile as I open my eyes. Bronx is sitting beside me, also meditating. I wait until he


    opens his eye and I take his hand.


    ¡°I had a vision but not like a bad premonition, more like, a feeling about my family, I guess?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Baby?¡±


    ¡°Remember that time we researched in your library and found out I¡¯m a Menae?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, how could I forget. There¡¯s a picture of you in that ancient book.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we don¡¯t know if that¡¯s me, but yes, that day,¡± I confirm, ¡°Well, remember how that book said


    there are fifty Menae?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the four-year lunar cycle, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Well, doesn¡¯t that mean I have forty-nine sisters out


    there?¡±


    ¡°I never really thought about it, but I mean, it isn¡¯t just a legend. You exist, so other the Menae must be


    out there somewhere also.¡±


    ¡°I think I need to find them, Bronx. Not today or anything, but like, make it part of what I do with my life.


    You know, be your mate, be the Luna of Blood River, own a bakery, be a goddess, search for my


    goddess sisters.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Baby, you make yourself sound sozy,¡± he teases as he tickles me, ¡°but in all seriousness,


    I think it is something to discuss with Lady Camille.


    ¡°If these sisters of yours are spread across the world, they may not all have been epted the way you


    were. They could be in hiding, ostracized by their packs, you know? Before you, the Council imed it


    was a myth also. Think about it over seven billion people on earth and fifty Manae. Maybe there are


    other Menae who don¡¯t even know what they are or maybe they have different abilities?¡± 1


    ¡°Mmm, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll talk to Lady Camille,¡± I say, taking his thoughts into consideration.


    A knock at the door pulls us away from our conversation. Bronx answers it while I go to get dressed.


    When Ie out of the bathroom, Marco is standing at attention but his eyes are on the floor. I know


    Marco well enough to know that is his way of dealing with stress. Avoiding eye contact. Bronx is


    standing in front of him with his arms crossed.


    ¡°Luna,¡± Bronx says in a serious voice and gestures to Marco, ¡°You requested to speak with your


    guard?¡±

 Chapter 71

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 71


    Marco¡¯s shoulders dropped at Bronx¡¯s words but if he had been looking straight ahead, instead of at


    the floor, he would have seen Bronx¡¯s bodynguage betraying his stern voice.


    I clear my throat and try to sound serious, ¡°Marco, first and foremost. You drew a weapon on your


    Alpha and my mate. Regardless of the circumstances, we expect better of you. When we get back to


    Blood River, you and Alpha Bronx will have a private conversation about the consequences of that


    action.¡±


    Marco¡¯s eyes flick toward me and back to the ground with a quick nod, ¡°Yes, Luna.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Aside from that, we¡¯re so happy you¡¯ve found your mate. Alpha Bronx and I have discussed the matter


    with Alpha Martin and have decided on the best way to handle this,¡± I pause when h e looks at me


    expectantly. His brow is furrowed with worry.


    ¡°Marco, Musu¡¯s parents and her twin brother Beta Everl are waiting for you downstairs in the front


    sitting room. You are to go ask their permission for their daughter to apany us back to Blood


    River. If Musu has her parents¡¯ blessing, she is wee toe with us back to Blood River. So you


    better be a real smooth talker, my friend, I hear they are a bit overprotective of their only daughter. And


    I know for a fact Mama Sanchez would love to see you happy with a mate at home. We leave for the


    Coven¡¯s realm in one hour,¡± I say firmly. The look on his face is surprise, disbelief, and excitement all


    rolled into one, ¡°Oh, and Marco, James gets a break while we are at the coven house. You¡¯re back on


    duty as soon as we leave this castle. Understood?¡±.


    Marco looks at me with pleading eyes, ¡°Kas¡­.I-I mean¡­Luna, please tell me this isn¡¯t a trick. Please


    tell me it¡¯s true. Cause she¡¯s the most amazing woman and I¡¯m so scared to lose her.¡±


    ¡°Marco, I would never trick you. Now get going, time¡¯s ticking,¡± I smile at him.


    For a split second, he looks like he is going to hug me, but then thinks better of it when he sees Bronx


    ring.


    ¡°Thank you, Luna, Alpha, thank you so much,¡± he grabs his chest in relief as he backs up and bows to


    us. When his back hits the door, he opens it and sprints away.


    An hourter, we meet at the entrance to the castle. Marco looks like he¡¯s on top of the world. Musu is


    with him smiling ear to ear. She leans in to hug him, her arms not able to make it fully around his chest


    due to how massive he is. She disappears in his arms before he releases her and gives her a deep


    kiss. Ah, young love. Ain¡¯t it grand.


    Lady Camille is so happy to see us but I have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. She gives


    me instructions to start with an herbal bath and meditation to cleanse my spirit and mind before she


    and I get started. She then pulls Delh and James away to catch up on things.


    After dinner, I tell Lady Camille my thoughts about finding the other Menae. She ponders it for a


    moment.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯re correct, Luna Iokaste. It only stands to reason the rest of your bloodline is out there,


    living the life cycles of their own spirits¡¯ journeys. But I believe Alpha Regent Bronx i s also right, these


    women may not know who or what they are. Or what if they do know their lineage and have rejected


    their fate? It is not for us to judge or try to convince them otherwise. Everyone has the right to live in


    peace. It is between them and the Gods and Goddesses.


    ¡°Moreover, maybe some have had the same thought and they are looking for you as well. That does


    not mean their intentions are good. You need to consider that some of your sisters have epted


    darkness in their souls,¡± she says in a very serious tone, ¡°If you choose this path, please use caution.


    Remember not everyone¡¯s intentions are good intentions.¡± 2


    ¡°Thank you for those words, Lady Camille. I hadn¡¯t even considered those things. I¡¯ll weigh them as I


    decide what I will ultimately do. If I do decide to take up this search, can we discuss some ways to go


    about it to ensure everyone¡¯s safety?¡±.


    ¡°Of course, Luna locaste. For now, get rest. We have a long week ahead of us,¡± she stands and


    excuses herself from the sitting room.


    I sit a while longer thinking about what she said. What if I have evil sisters or sisters who refuse to


    ept they are goddesses? But the vision I had felt so happy and pure. It can¡¯t be malicious, can it?


    Would someone I don¡¯t even know try to manipte my thoughts? 1


    As the week goes on, Lady Camille realizes my physical training has actually made Lex and my


    connection even stronger, in turn, making our spirit more robust. She says that was probably why I


    have been in such an upbeat moodtely and why things were going well for me. Putting good energy


    in the universe brings it back to you creating positive cycles in your life. That was why my healing


    abilities wereing more naturally because it is pure positive energy. She actually rmends


    additional training with my guards to keep the trend going.


    Now that life is more under control, I show her what Delh and I have practiced. She is impressed with


    mymand of the burning energy and decides we will practice more intensively on stopping time. We


    don¡¯t just focus on the actions, we discuss theory as well. Stopping time is very rted to controlling


    the energy of the environment around me, not just my energy. I have to send my spirit out of my body


    to manipte energy but I need to be able to do it without meditating.


    The morning we are scheduled to leave, Lady Camille summons me to her office for onest private


    conversation.


    ¡°Luna Iokaste, the Sisters and I have been doing some research to make sure we are providing you


    with the proper care. One of the things we have found has to do with some potential fertility issues.


    Typically, if a goddess wants to have a baby with a mortal, she needs permission from Zeus. Just as


    the Moon Goddess did with Endymion. But as we have learned, Alpha Regent Bronx and your spirits


    have been connected for centuries, so it¡¯s a bit moreplicated. We looked into the lineage of the


    lives we know about and found there have been no progeny. So we are not exactly sure what that


    means for you in this life or future lives.¡±


    (ly-vou think Bronx and I won¡¯t be able to have pups?¡± I ask, feeling a bit deted. Bronx and I have


    talked about having children but we both decided we want to wait a few years until I am a little older.


    The thought that it might never happen is disheartening.


    ¡°We have some ideas on how to help you. We can even show you how to make a request directly to


    the Thunder God himself. We cannot guarantee he will listen or if he does, will approve, but we can


    help you try. I am not sure how Alpha Bronx would feel about it, but we can perforin fertility spells that


    will work only while you are in heat. There are also herbal tinctures we can concoct for you. So I just


    want you to know, there are options we can try to help you with when you are ready for that stage of


    your life.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I sigh, ¡°I guess I have to ept it will be a challenge for me. Fortunately, I have time until we


    need to think about it more.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯m d you understand. Again, we are here to support you, Luna Iokaste, in all things,¡± she


    smiled warmly at me, ¡°You are never alone.¡±


    ¡°In other business, well, not business, I suppose. I want to thank you for epting Sister Delh into


    your pack and befriending her as you have. I was surprised James marked her so soon, but it was


    inevitable. Her happiness means the world to me,¡± she sighs a little as she leans back in the chair. A


    rare moment of seeing Lady Camille let her guard down. I am d she trusts me enough to show me


    this side of her, ¡°She speaks so fondly of you, you know, and she is looking forward to being a partner


    in your bakery after the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lady Camille, I love Delh as if she were my own sister. I can¡¯t imagine starting a venture like


    that without her. I¡¯m so happy she is part of my life.¡±


    We review the things I learned over the past week and discuss some ideas for the next time I visit. She


    also lets me know that she and several of the coven¡¯s sisters will be attending the wedding. They will


    be traveling with Alpha Martin and Henri. She loves the idea of getting to stay in a tent. It will give her


    and the sisters opportunities to perform outdoor Solstice ceremonies without interruption and even


    allow others who are curious to observe or even join in with them. I wee that kind of diversity and


    look forward to it. The coven¡¯s ceremonies are quite beautiful.


    Reuniting with Bronx feels so good. I just want to be with him so badly. Sensing my need, he puts


    James and Delh in the second SUV. Marco sits in the front with our driver and he raises the ck-out


    partition between us and the front of the vehicle. We have two hours until we reach Lune D¡¯or and we


    take full advantage of the privacy.


    We have been instructed by the Elder Council that we need to wait until the wedding to mark each


    other in front of all our guests, but it has be more and more difficult to control ourselves. We find


    the easiest way to prevent it is by finding positions that don¡¯t allow for our mouths to be anywhere near


    the other¡¯s neck. Basically, keeping our mouths away from each


    other¡¯s marking spot. It makes for a more exciting for sex life, that¡¯s for sure.


    Wepose ourselves as we get to the gate of Lune D¡¯or territory. We step out of the vehiclet


    o find Musu is waiting for us, more than ready to go.


    I pull her away from Marco long enough to formally introduce Delh and myself while the valets load


    her luggage. After we say our goodbyes to everyone, we head to the airport. Musu and Marco sit in the


    seat behind us. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Marco caressing her face and kissing her hand


    as she nuzzles his neck. It¡¯s so freaking adorable.

 Chapter 72

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 72


    Once we settled on the flight, we all get to get to know Musu better. She is originally from Sierra Leone.


    Her mother is Beta Pierre¡¯s second chance mate. So Musu moved to Lune D¡¯or when she was thirteen.


    Her ent is so elegant, it¡¯s almost hypnotizing. She tells us how much she has traveled internationally


    and how much she has enjoyed it.


    ¡°I have a question. How manynguages do you speak exactly?¡± Delh asks out of curiosity.


    ¡°I speak sevennguages. Krio, English, French, Cantonese, Farsi, Dutch, and Greek. I love linguistics.


    I find that I¡¯m able to catch on to newnguages quickly,¡± Musu proudly marks off the count with her


    fingers. I notice Marco admiring his mate but he has a concerned his face. If I had not spent so much


    time with him, I probably would not have noticed the subtlety.


    Hearing about Musu¡¯s diverse background and love fornguages sparks an idea in my mind. I tuck the


    thought away forter. She is a charming woman who is a wonderful storyteller. I can¡¯t wait for


    everyone else to get to know her.


    When wend at the airport, I pull Marco aside under the ruse of needing to discuss training schedules


    while we wait for our luggage to be unloaded.


    ¡°Marco, you looked worried about something on the ne. Is everything alright?¡± I question.


    ¡°1-I think so, Kas. I just¡­Musu is so smart. What if I¡¯m not good enough for her. What if she gets bored


    of me. She¡¯s been all over the world. I¡¯m just a glorified hit man,¡± he mopes, slumping his shoulders.:


    We both turn to look at her while she speaks excitedly about something with Delh. I hear him give a


    sigh of defeat beside me.


    ¡°Marco. First of all, the Moon Goddess knows what she is doing. Secondly, you have so much you can


    teach her. You have a wholenguage and culture she didn¡¯t mention knowing about. You have a whole


    lifetime to make new memories and to travel with her. She can learn just as much from you as you can


    from her,¡± I reassure him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it that way. Thanks, Kas. I appreciate the pep talk, he smiles as we head backt o our


    group.


    ***


    When we get back to the packhouse, we notice everyone is flustered and on edge.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bronx asks an omega who is walking briskly past the entrance.


    ¡°Oh Alpha! I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re back! Beta Lenora is inbor! The baby ising!¡± the girl says to him


    with a sense of panic.


    ¡°Is she in the hospital wing?¡± he asks urgently.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha, since this morning,¡± the girl confirms.


    ¡°Thank you. Kas, it¡¯s too soon. She isn¡¯t due for three weeks. Come on!¡± We drop our bags and sprint


    to the hospital wing. Milo is pacing in the hallway but we can hear Lenora in the room screaming


    ¡°Milo, why aren¡¯t you in there?¡± I ask in disbelief.


    ¡°I growled at the doctor and they kicked me out. Lenora didn¡¯t feel well yesterday and she made an


    appointment to see the doctor today but this morning she woke up and the sheets were covered in


    blood,¡± Milo¡¯s eyes looked distant and distressed at the memory. His voice cracks when he speaks


    again, ¡°I can¡¯t lose my girls. I just can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Bronx put his arm over Milo¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, man. You know we¡®ve got the best doctors


    in that room. Let¡¯s walk down the hall, burn some of that energy. We won¡¯t go far, just down there. The


    doctor will let us know when you can go back in.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Milo looks at the distance between the door and the end of the hall and reluctantly


    agrees.


    As soon as they turn their backs, I open the door to the room just enough to slide in and step inside,


    closing it lightly behind me. Doctors and nurses are surrounding Lenora as she cries and screams in


    pain.


    A nursees over and pulls down her mask to greet me, ¡°Hello Luna, now may not be a good time.¡±


    ¡°Nurse, if there is anything my healing abilities can do, I want to offer my services.¡±


    ¡°Let me check with the doctor. I¡¯m sure he could use the help here,¡± she says with a furrowed brow.


    She pulls the mask back up and goes to whisper in the doctor¡¯s ear. He looks over and sees me and


    says something back to her.


    ¡°Well, Luna, let¡¯s get you a gown,¡± she says.


    A minuteter, I¡¯m fully covered in a gown, a cap, and a mask. I walk over to Lenora¡¯s bedside.


    ¡°Lenora, sweetie. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here to help,¡± I say to her as wipe her damp hair out of her face. She is


    pale and sweaty and her green eyes are red and puffy from crying. It¡¯s a distressing contrast to the


    strong-willed, bossy Lenora that I know and love. 1


    ¡°Kas, please! I can feel her getting weak. Please help me,¡± Lenora cries before she contorts and


    screams from another wave of pain.


    ¡°Okay. Lenora, I¡¯m going to use healing power on you, if that¡¯s alright? I¡¯m going to put a hand on your


    forehead and one on your chest. I know it¡¯s hard, but I need you to try to stay as still as possible. Just


    think about wanting your baby to live, not about being afraid of what could happen. We need positive


    energy here, alright?¡±


    She nods and sniffs, ¡°Okay Kas, I trust you. Please save my baby.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, you can keep doing whatever it is you need to. This won¡¯t interfere,¡± I inform him.


    ¡°Lex, you ready?¡± I ask, ¡°This is going to be a two for one. Lenora and the baby both need us.¡±


    ¡°Anything for Lenora, Kas. Let¡¯s do this,¡± she says with determination.


    I ce my hands and start focusing on Lenora and her baby. I sense there¡¯s a problem with the


    umbilical cord, it seems like there is a tear in it. That¡¯s where I focus first. I think of the fibers pulling


    back together, stronger than ever. Creating a solid bond with the baby¡¯s belly button. Then I focus on


    the baby herself. She is weak from the stress of earlybor and not having enough to eat. I pull the


    chemicals rted to both of their stress and rece it with calming healing energy, stabilizing Lenora¡¯s


    muscles around her so they will stop contracting, pulling nutrients from other areas of Lenora¡¯s body


    and filtering them to the baby. I focus on getting fresh oxygen into her blood cells until she doesn¡¯t feel


    like she is in distress anymore.


    As I send my positive energy to the baby, I feel the negative energy surrounding her fill me and start to


    dissipate. Lenora¡¯s cries get smaller until it is just a whimper. I continue to give


    alm, positive energy until there is no more I can do for her and I open my eyes. The doctors and nurses


    are all standing back looking at me in awe as the light that surrounded us dims and extinguishes. I


    assume at some point, they would get used to it, but I haven¡¯t healed enough people yet for it to be a


    commonce event. Lenora still looks pale, but she has lost a lot of blood, so it¡¯s to be expected. She


    takes my hand and starts crying again, but this time they are happy tears.


    Milo bursts into the room with Bronx trailing behind, ¡°Why¡¯d the noise stop? Lenora? Are you okay,


    Sugar?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. We¡¯re okay,¡± she says as she puts her hand on her belly.


    Milo looks at me and pulls me into a bear hug, ¡°Thank you, Little Sister. Oh my Goddess, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey there Daddy Milo, get your mitts off my mate,¡± Bronx says, only half joking.


    I look at Bronx with sleepy eyes, ¡°That one took a lot out of me.¡±


    Bronxes to the side of the bed and scoops me up into his arms giving me a little kiss on m y


    temple, ¡°We¡¯re going to get this tired Luna to bed. Lenora, I will be back to visit in a little bit.¡±


    I put my face into Bronx¡¯s chest and breathe in his sweet scent before I drift off to sleep.


    I wake up the next morning feeling much better and to the news that I saved both Lenora and the


    baby¡¯s lives. Everyone is calling me a hero, but really, how could I just stand by knowing there is


    something I can do to help. It¡¯s what a decent person would do. Right?


    Three weekster, little Codi Rosees into the world right on schedule. She has her mother¡¯s green


    eyes and little wisps of light brown hair like her daddy. Lenora insists it will get darker as she gets older.


    Everyone is so enamored by her. When Milo or Bronx holds her,


    she looks like the size of a peanut. I stand back and wait for my turn. I know I will have a special


    connection with her since I had healed her at such a deep level. I¡¯m just not sure what it will feel like in


    such a small baby.


    Milo carefully ces her in my arms and she immediately stops making little fussy noises and gazes at


    me, ¡°Hi Codi. Remember me? I¡¯m your Auntie Kas.¡±


    I touch her cheek with my pinky finger and feel a faint warmth. Simr to Bronx and my connection, but


    much milder. She gives the cutest little sigh I have ever heard. I coo at her and rock her for a while until


    she starts to look sleepy.


    ¡°Still want to wait a few years?¡± Bronx whispers in my ear as he rubs my arm, ¡°Based on that look, this


    little one is melting your heart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I-I still want to wait,¡± I say smiling at him. A pang of guilt touches my heart. I need to make it a


    point to speak to him about what Lady Camille told me, ¡°Bronx, Codi and I have a


    connection. It feels kind of like ours. Just not as strong yet.¡±


    His eyebrows went up with a little surprise, ¡°You can exin it to meter, okay? For now, it looks like


    she¡¯s asleep. Let¡¯s give her back to her Mama and we sneak out before she realizes you¡¯re gone.¡± I


    pass her to Lenora and we say our quiet goodbyes before we go back to the apartment.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

 Chapter 73

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 73


    73


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s Sunday. I call it our zy¡± day. In other words, Kas and I don¡¯t leave the apartment so James and


    Marco can have a day off. Most of the time, we are anything butzy. Kas catches up on homework,


    tests recipes that I get to taste for quality control, and does chores she doesn¡¯t want to have omegas


    take care of, likeundry and cleaning the kitchen. I always tell her that i s what they are there for but


    she says she is happy to do it so I let her be. 2


    For me personally, it is a good time to catch up on pack matters and rx in front of the television. Kas


    likes to write any essays she has due on Sundays, so she gives them to me to read over when she is


    done. 1


    It iste afternoon when she is finished with her homework and other busy work, so shees over to


    hang out with me on the sofa. She drapes her legs over myp and looks hesitantly at the reality show


    about fishing boats I am watching.


    ¡°Sweetheart, can we talk about a couple of things?¡± she asks, trying to sound casual but I see right


    through it. It¡¯s rare for Kas to say she wants to talk about whatever¡¯s on her mind, so when she does, I


    give her my full attention. I have been able to sense something has been bothering her for a couple


    days now. I knew she woulde around at some point, but I need t o let her do it in her own time.


    ¡°Of course, Baby. What¡¯s up?¡± I shut off the television, ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was just thinking. Now that Codi is born, maybe you should try to quit smoking. Do you want


    her to remember your scent as cigarette smoke?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The tone of my voice betrays my bodynguage. This is about my bad habit? I start to


    feel a bit defensive.


    ¡°Well, yeah, I mean. Nothing about it is good for you and now that you have a niece who you will spend


    time with, I think maybe you could consider quitting,¡± she looks at me as if it is just that easy to quit


    smoking. Just snap my damn fingers and it¡¯s gone.


    ¡°Call her bluff,¡± Saint taunts. His mood swings have been so wild since he came back in December.


    After I died in Blood River and was able to be resuscitated I thought it would be kind of like a reset


    button for him, but it wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Saint, this is our mate. Don¡¯t be an ass,¡± I scold him.


    ¡°Okay, gently call her bluff,¡± he tries to bargain. He¡¯s got a point, actually. 1


    ¡°Alright, tell you what. I will quit smoking if you tell me what this is really about. Because I don¡¯t believe


    for a second it is simply about me, Codi, or about me quitting smoking,¡± I look her in the eye, making


    her drop her shoulders in defeat.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she sighs, her mood immediately changes to be more serious, ¡°you know how earlier you asked


    if I wanted to have a baby sooner?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember,¡± my heart hits a hard beat. Is she changing her mind about waiting?


    She clears her throat and avoids making eye contact.


    ¡°Uh oh. Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Saint growls.


    ¡°When I was in France, Lady Camille said she had done some research about my lineage. At least for


    the lives she knows about. And uh, she says there is a possibility that I won¡¯t be able t o have children.


    She isn¡¯t quite sure because of how unique our situation is,¡± she says with a little frown. My sweet little


    mate sounds like she is going to cry and I¡¯m not sure how to stop i t before it starts. She looks at her


    hands while she exins the circumstances and potential solutions she and Lady Camille discussed.


    When she finishes, she looks up at me and there they are, all the tears. My heart starts breaking at the


    sight, so I reach over and wipe them away, then pull her onto myp.


    ¡°Baby, hey, don¡¯t cry. No. Hey, if it doesn¡¯t happen, it doesn¡¯t happen. We¡¯re in this together forever,


    remember? We can try the things Lady Camille suggests if you want or we can always adopt or


    something. It doesn¡¯t matter to me as long as I have you. Little shack in the back of the territory,


    remember? You don¡¯t need to cry. Please don¡¯t cry,¡± I reassure her while I hold her close to my chest.


    As I say it, I realize I am not just reassuring her, I¡¯m reassuring myself a s well.


    I clear my throat and wipe my own eye once I¡¯m sure she is more calm.


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, Sweetheart,¡± Kas says, kissing my hand. I want to ask her so many


    more questions, but I can feel how bad this hurts for her to talk about, so I decide to drop it and change


    the subject.


    ¡°Now, what else did you have on your mind? Hopefully, something not as heavy,¡± I ask.


    ¡°No, not as heavy at all,¡± she says with a smile. She then tells me about Lady Camille¡¯s viewpoints on


    finding her sisters.


    ¡°Kas, how is that not heavy? Darkness? Not epting their fate?¡± I ask, ¡°That¡¯s not heavy? Seems like


    lead weights to me.¡±


    ¡°Bronx, I want to at least research and see who I can find. Safely and carefully,¡± she justifies to me. She


    sounds so confident.


    ¡°Okay, so how do you want to do that? What have you thought of in that beautiful head of yours? I can


    tell you have had a lot on your mind the past few days, so I am d you are finally telling me what¡¯s


    been brewing up there.¡±


    She looks at me and smiles, ¡°Thank you for your patience, Sweetheart.¡±


    She gets up and grabs herptop, then sits down beside me. She has a page of notes typed up.


    My little researcher.


    ¡°Well clearly, a bunch of people need to agree to this but hear me out, Mister CEO of MasonCo. What if


    Lenora creates a position for Musu in the International division of MasonCo and we give her a special


    project where her responsibility is to search out the Menae? It could be funded by the Werewolf


    Historical Preservation Society since it is technically research about the Moon Goddess and her


    offspring. That way there isn¡¯t even that muching out of your pocket. Once the bakery is making


    money, I can help fund the research also. Whatever isn¡¯t covered by the Society,¡± she looks at me and


    smiles proudly.


    ¡°Not to mention, it¡¯s like, a perfect fit for Musu. She¡¯s smart, well-traveled, friendly, and she already


    speaks sevennguages. She can do the research through thepany and when she gets a lead,


    she brings it to us. From a security standpoint, you and Lenora can decide how we proceed. If you


    don¡¯t think it is safe to contact the person, we move on. I mean, we will have to fill Musu in on all the


    details of my history but she seems like she would be the perfect fit. Besides, she¡¯s going to need a job,


    right? Why make her search for one, when we can offer her one?¡±


    I sit back and look into the distance with a smile on my face, ¡°How the Hell did you get to be s o


    cunning?¡± I look back at her to see her smiling broadly.


    ¡°I learned it from this weak old wolf I know,¡± she teases.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    That¡¯s it. Tickle fight. I pull her into myp and start tickling mercilessly so I can hear my favorite sound


    in the world.

 Chapter 74

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 74


    I can¡¯t sleep. I can¡¯t get what Kas told me about not being able to have children out of my mind. I mean,


    there is nothing I can do about it. It doesn¡¯t change the way I feel about her. She is my world. I just feel


    like having a pup of our own is something we assumed would be part of our future. I meant what I said


    about just needing her in my life. If we end up not having kids, then that is what the Moon Goddess has


    fated for us.


    The text message chime on my phone goes off. I look to see it is from Reggie. It is eleven thirty at


    night. What could he want?


    Hey Bronx. You awake? Important.


    I mind link Reggie to let him know I am awake and will meet him in the downstairs kitchen in five


    minutes.


    I go give Kas a kiss and wake her up just enough to let her know where I¡¯m going. She gives me a


    squeaky little grunt and waves me away before rolling over. I grab an eye patch and secure it i n ce


    before quietly making my way out of the apartment.


    ¡°All good, Alpha?¡± Marco sends in a mind link.


    ¡°Yeah, Marco. I let her know I¡¯m going downstairs. She¡¯s sound asleep,¡± I confirm, ¡°Just going to talk to


    Reggie. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Ten-four, Alpha,¡± Marco nods looking a little more at ease.


    Reggie is already in the kitchen, rummaging through the pantry when I get there. He is still dressed in


    his all ck tactical gear for work. I slow down as I get to the doorway feeling hesitant. Something feels


    off with him.


    ¡°Hey Reggie, you just get home?¡± I ask, tentatively.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Hey wasn¡¯t there some of those cookies Kas makes? The oatmeal ones with the toffee


    pieces?¡± he asks, still rummaging.


    ¡°No, I think they got eaten up. You know that shit doesn¡¯tst long around here,¡± I chuckle. Something


    is definitely off with him, ¡°What¡¯s so important, Reggie? I know you didn¡¯t ask me to meet you at almost


    midnight to ask me about cookies.¡±


    He finally closes the pantry door and puts both hands on the counter, with a deep sigh. He drums his


    fingers on the counter in a nervous rhythm trying to figure out what to say. I look a t his fingerless


    gloves to see that he hadn¡¯t even taken the mini des out of the t top pockets. Whatever is on his


    mind must be serious if he didn¡¯t even disarm himself beforeing into the packhouse. I look closer


    and see where he is drumming his fingers is leaving bloody fingerprints on the counter.


    I look up to see he has dried blooding out of one of his ears and his nose. Not to mention a pretty


    wicked ck eye and a split lip. That¡¯s when I pick up on the the strong metallic scent of blood, much


    stronger than what it should be from his face. I look closer to see his bulletproof vest is soaked in it. I


    do my best to not let my eye go wide. I don¡¯t want him to see me panic.


    ¡°That your blood, Reggie?¡± I ask non-chntly.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    He looks down at his vest, ¡°Ahh¡­nah. Not mine.¡±


    ¡°Is he in shock or something, Bronx? Something¡¯s not right here,¡± Saint whines, worried about our


    friend.


    ¡°Come on man, spit it out,¡± I urge him on, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did someone die or something?¡±


    His icy blue eyes shift quickly to me, ¡°Almost.¡±


    ¡°Wait really?¡± I search his expression to try to assess his mental state, ¡°Who? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Alpha. ssified mission, ssified intel,¡± Reggie shakes his head, then runs his fingers


    through his short strawberry blond hair, ¡°but what I can tell you is that if Milo wasn¡¯t on paternity leave,


    we would have been fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so what do you need from me, Reggie?¡±


    Please don¡¯t say what I think you¡¯re about to say, I think to myself, because I won¡¯t be able to say no¡­


    ¡°I-I need you on the next mission, Bronx,¡± he says. He stands up straight and puts his hands out to the


    sides then on his hips, looking down at the floor, like he¡¯s disappointed in himself. H e shakes his head


    as he speaks to the floor. It almost seems like he is talking to himself, not m e, ¡°I know you can¡¯t. I know


    it. It is not good for anyone. Not your body or your mind. It¡¯s not good for Saint. It¡¯s just no good but I


    don¡¯t know what else to do.¡±


    ¡°Reggie, 1-¡±


    ¡°Bronx, the team and I have looked at all of our options,¡± he looks me in the eye now, ¡°One of my guys


    is in the hospital wing fighting for his life right now. If I had any other options, trust me, I would go any of


    those routes first.¡±


    He gives me a desperate look.


    ¡°Saint. Can I trust you? You have been a bit of a wild cardtely,¡± I ask, sensing him pacing.


    ¡°I can do it. I¡¯m fine,¡± Saint snaps testily.


    ¡°Well, that answer doesn¡¯t give me much confidence,¡± I scold.


    ¡°Bronx, I¡¯m fine. We can take on one mission. It will feel good to get back out there. Just a small taste


    of special ops, then back into retirement,¡± he says more calmly, ¡°You telling me you don¡¯t want to go on


    one mission, you big weenie?¡±


    I sigh internally, then look up at Reggie again, ¡°When do we leave and how long will we be


    gone?¡±


    He ps me on the shoulder as he walks out of the kitchen, ¡°Debrief tomorrow oh-six hundred at the


    field office. Get some sleep tonight. You¡¯re gonna need it. This one is a doozie. bro.¡±


    He turns around when he gets to the doorway, ¡°Bronx. Thank you for this.¡±


    I simply nod and watch him walk away.


    I sigh again and pull out cleaning supplies. I can¡¯t have Mrs. Millere in to find her kitchen and


    pantry full of blood. I make quick work of cleaning and look around, avoiding the inevitable.


    Now time to go let my mate know that I just signed myself up for a ck ops mission that I can¡¯t tell her


    anything about.


    ***


    ¡°Kas, please don¡¯t be mad, Baby. Reggie needs me. It¡¯s just this once while Milo is on paternity leave,¡±


    I beg her. The conversation is not going nearly as well as I imagined in my head during my walk back


    up to the apartment. I had woken Kas up and told her about my conversation with Reggie. She


    demanded I tell him that I changed my mind, then locked herself in the bathroom when I told her I


    couldn¡¯t do that.


    ¡°Come on, Baby. I have to leave in five hours, I don¡¯t want to leave with you mad at me. Pleasee


    out of the bathroom. Come out and talk to me.¡±


    The door swings open and my little matees out with a small angry growl, ¡°Living room.¡±


    I let my arms fall to my sides and follow her, ready to take my licking.


    An hourter after a lot of Kas yelling, growling, and a well earned p from Lex pushing her way to


    the surface, she starts to cry. I pull her into myp and rock her until she falls asleep. I can feel her fear


    and honestly, I can¡¯t me her. I can¡¯t tell her where I¡¯m going or how long I¡¯ll be gone. I don¡¯t want to


    promise her I will be safe because I simply don¡¯t know. And I am done with empty promises I can¡¯t


    keep.


    Around five a.m. I carry her to bed and head into the closet. I open my trunk of tactical gear and get


    dressed. Each piece I pull out of the trunk brings out more memories of the past. I remind Saint that


    they are just memories. There is nothing to be angry at. Reggie needs us and we need to focus and be


    level headed so no one else gets hurt during the mission¡­or after.


    Once I am fully dressed, I rub my hands over my face and look at the lock box at the bottom of the


    trunk. I unlock it and slowly open it. My Sig is nestled into the padding just where I left it four years ago.


    I gently pull it out and lock it into the holster on my ribcage.


    At five-thirty a.m. I lean over my mate and gently wake her. I give her a passionate kiss and wrap my


    arms around her tightly.


    ¡°I love you, Bronx Mason. Don¡¯t do anything stupid¡­or brave. Just do your job ande home to me


    as fast as possible,¡± Kas cries.


    ¡°¡®I love you, Kas Latmus. I¡¯ll be home to you as soon as I can,¡± I hear her sniffle into my shoulder before


    I let her go and leave.


    James is in the hallway now.


    ¡°A-Alpha?¡± he says when he sees how I¡¯m dressed.


    ¡°Helping Reggie. She¡¯s gonna need her best friend, James,¡± I say to him knowingly.


    He nods in understanding and pulls out his phone to send Delh a text.


    ***


    Four dayster, we get homete in the afternoon. I go straight to the apartment to find Kas. She is in


    the kitchen making chocte croissants. She has a Lizzo song sting out of the stereo, so she


    doesn¡¯t hear mee in. She is holding up a clear measuring cup looking intently at the liquid inside


    and writing notes. There is a smear of flour on her cheek and her violet eyes look tired and puffy. I can


    feel her stress and exhaustion. I wonder if she slept at all while I was gone.


    ¡°Ahem¡± I clear my throat to get her attention.


    Kas looks up and drops the ss measuring cup. She doesn¡¯t seem to notice it shatter on the floor as


    she leaps over the counter and throws herself into my arms. I easily catch her as her lips crash into


    mine. I have never felt better than I have at that moment. Having her in my arms is what it means to be


    home.

 Chapter 75

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 75


    The first thing I do once Kas unwraps herself from around me is go into the closet and put my gun back


    in its lockbox before I bury the box back into the bottom of the trunk. If at all possible, I never want to


    see it again.


    Once I get out of my tac gear, I get in the shower. I only use hot water, letting it turn my skin red and


    raw. I¡¯m not sure how long I stand there. It doesn¡¯t matter. I just let my brain shut down and let the


    water cleanse me. Ironic to have a wolf named Saint when we feel like we are anything but.


    I finally feel a little better, so I go to the closet and put on sweats. I sit on the floor and dial my therapist,


    making an appointment for the next day. When Ie out of the bedroom, I smell chicken cooking and


    Kas is sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. I pull my mate close to me and just breathe her in. I


    instantly feel more calm. So does Saint.


    ¡°Sweetheart, what do you say we let Saint and Lex go for a run?¡± Kas suggests as she runs her fingers


    through my hair, ¡°They could use some time together, yeah?¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, let me spend time with my mate, please. I behaved myself thest four days. I deserve


    plenty of times where he and I could havepletely lost our shit, but we held it together.


    ¡°That sounds good, Baby, but I have one thing I need to do before we shift. Give me a minute then we


    can head out to the woods,¡± I give her a quick kiss and go back into the closet pulling all my gear into a


    bag. I grab the pack of cigarettes out of my pocket. There is one left. I tuck it behind my ear and put the


    lighter in my pocket.


    ¡°Bronx. Is this really a good time to do this?¡± Saint asks. He sounds a bit nervous.


    ¡°Yeah, man. I promised Kas and besides, we both know I can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± I sigh, ¡°T00 many


    people count on me.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You¡¯re gonna really go through with this, huh?¡± Saint shakes his head.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s time, buddy.¡±


    I pick up the bag with my gear and head out to the woods with Kas.


    ¡°Come on Baby, let¡¯s go to the back of the meadow,¡± I take Kas¡¯s hand and we walk to the farthest area


    from the packhouse that is not wooded. Wee to an old fire pit. I take my bag and throw it in the


    middle.


    ¡°What¡¯s in the bag, Bronx?¡± Kas asks quizzically.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, Baby. It¡¯s forever in the past now. You¡¯re my future, not that bag,¡± I say emotionlessly.


    I pull the lighter out of my pocket and light myst cigarette. Then I take the lighter and hold it against


    the bag until it catches fire. I throw the lighter on top of the bag. I finish the cigarette and throw the butt


    onto the top of the bag and take Kas¡¯s hand. I feel her wrap her arm around me. I pull her in for a hug


    but never take my eyes off the little fire. We stand there and watch until there is nothing left but embers


    and metal sps from the bag. 1


    ¡°Feel better?¡± she asks when she feels me sigh deeply.


    ¡°Abit, yeah,¡± I smile, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s let Saint and Lex out.¡±


    We let Saint and Lex run and spend time together until well after midnight before we made our way


    back to the packhouse.


    When we get to the hallway on the fifth floor, we find Delh is standing with James.


    ¡°Everything alright, Delh?¡± Kas asked, taking Delh¡¯s hand. ¡°Yeah,¡± she turns to me sympathetically,


    ¡°Alpha, not magic, but I do have a tincture that will help you sleep tonight, if you would like? It is a


    concentrated version of mtonin. Beta Milo mentioned sometimes you have trouble sleeping


    after¡­.um, working with Gamma Reggie. Kas, I have one for you as well but it has other herbs in it.


    You should take it when Alpha Bronx takes his, it will help¡­open your energy to your mate while he is


    in a rxed state.¡±


    Something seems off, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it.


    ¡°Thanks, Delh,¡± I take the vial from her and head into the apartment with Kas.


    Kas¡¯s POV


    Odd that Delh would interrupt James at work. I know Bronx had requested she spend more time with


    me while he was gone which I really appreciated. James must have told her Bronx was home. 1


    We take the vials of clear liquid from her and step into the apartment. I open the little bottle and sniff it.


    There is a sickly sweet floral scent. Bronx sniffs his. It is basically odorless.


    ¡°Bottom¡¯s up, I guess,¡± I shrug. We tap the vials together and drink them down like shots of liquor.


    Bronx takes me into the bathroom so we can get a shower before we go to bed and intertwine our


    bodies together. Whatever was in the vials works quick because we are both asleep minutes after our


    heads hit the pillows.


    **


    *


    I wake up in a cold sweat, panting heavily. I think I had a dream but I can¡¯t remember what it was


    about. I have such a strong sense of deja vu. What was in that vial Delh gave me? My heart is racing


    as I try to take some calming breaths. The light of the moon casts a serene blue light over everything in


    the room. Bronx is snoring lightly beside me. I am d whatever she gave him is letting him get a good


    night¡¯s sleep. He seemed so stressed when he got home.


    I can still feel my heart pounding. No way I¡¯m getting back to sleep, so I go out to the kitchen for a cup


    of water. I take a few sips of water, trying to remember the dream that made me wake up in such a


    state. I just can¡¯t recall it. My heart is thumping so hard it almost hurts. I hear noisesing from the


    bedroom. Did I wake Bronx up? I could have sworn he was still snoring when I left the room. He must


    have felt me get out of bed. 2


    ¡°Bronx? I¡¯m right here, Sweetheart,¡± I say softly as I make my way back to the bedroom.


    Bronx is still in bed, thrashing wildly. Whimpering and cursing under his breath, fighting off a n invisible


    assant in his sleep.


    I rush over and turn on the bedsidemp before I crawl onto the bed.


    ¡°Bronx, Sweetheart! Wake up. You¡¯re having a nightmare,¡± I grasp his shoulders, his face covered in


    sweat. He easily pushes me off, growling and cursing deeply at whoever he is fighting in his dream,


    ¡°Bronx! Wake up, please!¡±


    Very suddenly, he bes deathly still.


    ¡°B-Bronx? A-are you okay?¡± I lean forward to look at him closer.,


    His eye shoots open, wider than I have ever seen before and he sits straight up in bed. Fear and anger


    roll off of him as every muscle in his body tenses. His skin stretches tight over his tensed muscles, his


    hands curl into fists, and lets out a roar so loud the entire room reverberates. Every instinct is telling me


    to back up, but I¡¯m frozen to the spot. Bronx needs m y help. He is breathing roughly through his


    nostrils, his whole body is shaking in anger, reminding me of a charging bull as his body shakes, the


    anger building.


    ¡°B-Bronx?¡± I gently touch his arm. He snaps his head toward me, as if he is seeing me for the first time


    since he woke up. There is no recognition on his face, I might as well be aplete stranger. Rage


    rolls off of him. His normally beautiful green eye scares me and I start backing away, off the bed. As if


    on queue, his eye turns solid ck and he lunges forward at me.


    ¡°SAINT!¡± I scream, rolling off the bed onto the floor, trying to take a defensive stance, ¡°Saint, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s


    Kas!¡±


    I scramble on the floor toward the door but Bronx jumps off the bed and charges at me. His hands


    tightly wrap around my throat and don¡¯t stop until he has me pinned to the wall. My feet are dangling off


    the ground as he leans forward. I can feel Saint¡¯s ws dig into my neck. His fangs start to extend.


    I can hear voicesing from the hallway, trying to break down the apartment door. Help is o n the


    way. I need to stall. I need to talk sense into Saint.


    ¡°WHERE IS MY MATE?¡± He growls through Bronx¡¯s body.


    ¡°Sai-nt. It¡¯s me,¡± I choke out the words, tring to reason with him. He looks like he is out for blood. It¡¯s


    like he¡¯s never seen me before. I choke and gag, helplessly hitting his forearms as h e continues to cut


    off my air supply. I have practiced this with James and Marco, but I feel so weak and dizzy. Like all my


    energy has been drained. My heart is slowing. Each beat thumps


    harder and painfully more desperate in my chest. I try to w him, but Lex refuses to hurt her mate, so


    she won¡¯t extend her ws. She just howls in pain in my mind.


    ¡°WHERE IS SHE?¡± he snarls again. He pulls me away from the wall and ms me against it again,


    pushing all the air out of my lungs. I can¡¯t answer, all I can do is hang like a ragdoll by m y neck. My


    eyes are bulging out of my head and tears are streaming down my cheeks. My mate i s going to kill me.


    Sensing there is no other choice, I feel Lex finally concede. I make ast ditch effort and let all the


    energy I have left heat up my hands and ce them on top of his. I can feel his hands blistering under


    the zing heat of mine. It doesn¡¯t seem to faze the near feral wolf.


    The edges of my vision begin to blur and spots start to form. Darker and darker. The only thing I can


    make out is the onyx abyss of Saint¡¯s eye. The wolf possessing my mate¡¯s body. He i s supposed to lo-

 Chapter 76

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 76


    Milo¡¯s POV


    We had been orchestrating our n of attack since Lady Camille came and spent most of the day


    speaking with Lenora and I. Delh went in and looked at Kas¡¯s vision of Bronx killing her. She was


    able to study, evaluate, and determine details that Kas would never have been able to see. Delh


    worked with her mother to help exin what they believed would cause the event, when it would


    happen and some ideas of how we could prevent it.


    Lady Camille had one of the coven¡¯s sisters conference call into the meeting¡­well, sort of¡­she used


    magic instead of the actual phone, but she was there. She was a fortune teller, which I was sceptical of


    but I listened respectfully anyways.


    She exined what would happen if we didn¡¯t step in and stop Bronx. Short story: Kas would die.


    Bronx would be charged with murdering the Luna Regent of the Blood River pack and high treason. He


    would be executed for his crimes by the High Council and we wouldn¡¯t be able to stop it.


    Then she told us Saint was going to be really unstable when he came back from his near death


    experience in France. Bronx, for the most part, would keep him under control but that was just on the


    surface. If Bronx had any crazy ideas, it was Saint manipting him and we were to just go along with


    it. Well let me tell you, that ended up with Kas and Lex having a mental breakdown and Ryan Connors


    almost killing her. Oh, and Bronx almost dying¡­again. Finally, she exined if we stopped Bronx from


    killing Kas, it was close to a ny percent chance we would seed. Seems like a no brainer, right?


    Well there was a catch. There¡¯s always a catch. If Saint doesn¡¯t believe he had killed Kas, he would


    keep trying until he seeded. He needed to see the damage he had done to his mate to snap him out


    of whatever his psychosis was.


    Unbeknownst to us, Delh is a potions master. Because she signed the charter to be able to live on


    pack territory, there were certain things she agreed not to do. Mixing potions is one of those practices


    that can be extremely dangerous, so she just studied theory and worked with Kas on perfecting her


    baking skills instead.


    ¡°Gray magic,¡± Lenora said tly at the revtion, looking directly at Delh, ¡°Did you know if that potion


    you gave Kas the other night would hurt her or not?¡±


    Delh turned her eyes to the table.


    ¡°Did you know?¡± Lenora repeated again with a growl, mming her hand on the table.


    ¡°Take it easy, Sugar,¡± I ced my hand on hers. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what she was talking about, but I


    didn¡¯t need things to escte.


    ¡°1-1 knew it has never hurt anyone before. I had to take the chance to take her fear away,¡±


    Delh turned red as she spoke with a shaky voice. Her eyes started to well up with tears.


    ¡°Beta Lenora, please, you don¡¯t understand. You didn¡¯t walk around in that vision. You didn¡¯t see what


    happened. If I hadn¡¯t given her that potion, she would be terrified of Alpha Bronx until the day he killed


    her. Imagine walking around in fear of your mate. I had to give her a chance at love. A chance to


    defend herself,¡± Delh justified her actions.


    Lenora was not necessarily happy with that answer but she let it go for the purposes of the


    conversation.


    Delh went on to exin she could not prevent whatever it was that was going to send Saint off the


    deep end, without going into dark magic territory, which she was not willing to do, but she could use a


    potion to help weaken him enough for us to be able to subdue him. Kind of a natural sedative. It would


    be just enough to give us a chance to capture him, let him see what h e did to Kas, then take him to the


    dungeon until Saint stopped being a psycho. She also said she could make a solution of weak


    wolfsbane to sedate him but she wouldn¡¯t administer it. She refused to cause anyone pain if she could


    avoid it. Someone else would have to do it.


    Lenora looked at me, then looked back to Delh.


    ¡°I will give my brother the wolfsbane if ites to that. Have it ready. So what do we do about Kas?


    We can¡¯t let him kill her,¡± Lenora stated, sounding extremely worried.


    ¡°We just have to let him think he has. I-I can give her a potion that will mimic death, but it¡¯s also


    dangerous. It will make it seem as if she had a heart attack. The antidote is derived from Cbar bean


    and has to be administered within three minutes of her heart stopping or the poison takes over. You


    won¡¯t be able to revive her,¡± Delh said. Her voice sounded small now as she avoided our gaze. Lady


    Camille ced her hand over Delh¡¯s,forting her daughter.


    ¡°I think you skipped over what the potion is made out of, Delh. What the Hell kind of potion are we


    talking about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Deadly Nightshade,¡± her voice was almost indiscernible, ¡°The antidote will kick start her heart to make


    it beat again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me,¡± Lenora said, pushing away from the table and


    standing up, making Delh cower.


    ¡°Lady Camille, Delh, will you excuse us for a moment,¡± I bowed and pulled Lenora away from the


    table. After about half an hour of convincing, she finally reluctantly agreed.


    ***


    We hear Kas screaming almost to the minute Delh and Lady Camille had indicated in our meeting.


    As soon as we hear themotion starting inside, we set our n into action.


    Marco, James, Tyree, and Reggie plow the battering ram against the apartment door. Lenora and


    Delh stand to the side waiting nervously. As soon as the door crashes in, I rush in front o feveryone


    and charge into the bedroom.


    Bronx is there with his hands tightly around his mate¡¯s neck, blooding from where his ws are


    piercing her skin. Kas hanging limply, eyes wide and ssy, not blinking. My Goddess, no. Just no.


    Iunch myself at him before he has time to register what is happening. The rest of the guys follow suit


    and each grab a limb. Even with the first sedative, the five of us are barely able to keep him down. His


    eye is pure ck. I don¡¯t know why he hadn¡¯t shifted but I am grateful for i t. None of us could take on


    Saint. Even a group of five warriors. Lenora rushes forward and plunges the syringe of wolfsbane into


    his neck. He howls out in pain, then rxes enough for u s to hold on to him.


    Delh catches Kas before she hits the ground andys her down gently.


    I see the tears in her eyes as Lenora looks at Kas limp in Delh¡¯s arms, ¡°BRONX! What have you


    done?! What have you done?!¡± The horror in her voice cannot be faked.


    Bronx stops struggling slightly and looks at Lenora, snarling and straining to get out of our grip. His eye


    looks down at Kas¡¯s corpse lying on the ground staring at him.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly he stops struggling.


    ¡°K-Kas?¡± he whispers. He starts struggling again but now to try to get out of our grip to go help her.


    Fortunately, the wolfsbane was already taking effect.


    A howl louder than I have ever heard from a werewolf in human form bellows from my best friend¡¯s


    chest, ¡°N000000000000000!!¡±


    ¡°Come with us, Bronx. Don¡¯t struggle. Please,¡± I beg him, ¡°You can¡¯t change it now. We need t o take


    you down to the dungeon. We will contact the Council in the morning.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t look away from Kas, he just nods and starts muttering under his breath, and lets us stand


    him up. We lead him out of the room, taking him down a side stairwell to avoid being seen by any pack


    members. He doesn¡¯t struggle or fight back. He just keeps muttering. I look a t Reggie who just shrugs.


    It isn¡¯t until we get to the dungeon and lock him into a cell that he starts to freak out again. This time it


    isn¡¯t fueled by anger. It is fueled by grief and the pain of the mate bond breaking. It¡¯s a full on tantrum.


    Complete with tears and punching walls and begging to see his mate one more time.


    ¡°Bronx, please, calm down. I know it doesn¡¯t seem like it right now, but it¡¯s going to be alright. I


    promise,¡± I say to him from the other side of the silver bars.


    He looks at me with the most helpless, miserable look I have ever seen. Definitely not a look I have


    seen from Bronx before. He doesn¡¯t say another word. He just sits down in the center of the cell and


    puts his face in his hands. His chest heaves as he sobs. I can¡¯t believe I am doing this to him but I also


    can¡¯t believe he had it in him to kill his mate.


    Tyree puts his hand on my shoulder and cocks his head toward the stairs, ¡°Come on Beta. Nothing we


    can do now.¡±

 Chapter 77

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 77


    Marco¡¯s POV


    I know we¡¯re about to give her the antidote, but seeing Kasying there really got to me. I can feel a


    lump in my throat as I listen for her heartbeat. I already know she doesn¡¯t have one. I start giving her


    chestpressions. A million memories of her hit me all at once. I feel a bit emotional as I continue to


    try to revive her.


    I watch as Beta Milo, Gamma Reggie, James, and Tyree lead the Alpha out of the room. As soon as


    we know they are in the hallway, Beta Lenora pushes me to the side, giving Delh room. Delh pulls


    out a small bottle full of pink shimmery liquid. She squeezes Kas¡¯s cheeks a little, making her blue lips


    pucker, then carefully pours the liquid in her mouth.


    ¡°Go ahead, Marco,¡± she motions to me, ¡°continue with thepressions. It will help move the antidote


    through her body.¡±


    I move back over and start CPR again. It feels like it¡¯s taking forever.


    ¡°V¨¢monos, Kas. You don¡¯t get to go out like this. Not in this lifetime anyway. And definitely not on my


    fuckin¡¯ watch,¡± I murmur before I lean over and give her another two breaths. I listen for breathing.


    Nothing. When is she supposed to wake up? How long is this supposed to take?


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I keep going while sh whines and paces in my head.


    I lean over to give her more breaths when she suddenly sucks in a huge breath of air on her own.


    Thank the Goddess.


    She sits up so fast she almost hits me in the forehead. Her skin starts glowing bright purple. I mean, I


    seen her glow before, but this is different. It¡¯s like she¡¯s a nuclear bomb about to go off. I look down and


    see my hands glowing too. I quickly sit back, leaning back against the wall to catch my breath. I let


    Beta Lenora and Delh take over. I look at my hands, aforting warmth fades with the purple


    aura.1


    ¡°Kas! Kas! It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re here. You¡¯re going to be okay!¡± Beta Lenora soothes her.


    Kas looks around trying to understand what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°Did I-,¡± she doesn¡¯t finish the sentence. She rubs her neck and the look in her eye changes. She


    already knows, ¡°Where¡¯s Bronx?¡±


    ¡°Down in the dungeon. Kas we need to talk to you ¨C ¡°Beta Lenora starts to exin.


    ¡°Not now Lenora. I need to get to him. Immediately,¡± she looks really mad. I never seen Kas look mad.


    Disappointed, yeah, but never mad.


    ¡°Kas, let¡¯s get you to the hospital wing first,¡± Beta Lenora begs.


    ¡°No. I need to see Bronx. Actually, I need to see Saint,¡± she says with a deep growl.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you and Beta Lenora down, Luna,¡± I say. I shake my head at Delh, knowing there are


    probably other prisoners who may not be in the best condition down there, ¡°Delh, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a


    good idea for you to go.¡±


    Just then Beta Milo, Gamma Reggie, Tyree, and Jamese back into the room.


    ¡°Oh, Little Sister. Thank the Goddess,¡± Beta Milo falls to his knees and pulls Kas in to hug her. She


    hugs him back as tightly as she can. She¡¯s so little, her arms don¡¯t go all the way around him.


    ¡°Milo, I have to see him,¡± I hear Kas¡¯s muffled voice inside Beta Milo¡¯s hug.


    While they talk, Gamma Reggie steps over and helps me stand up, ¡°Good job, Marco. I don¡¯t know how


    to thank you for your help with this.¡±


    ¡°Gamma, it¡¯s my job to keep the Luna safe. I take that seriously. There is no thanks needed,¡± I shake


    my head slowly. I look over and see Beta Milo wiping tears away from Kas¡¯s eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s get her


    downstairs if that¡¯s what she wants.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Come on, Milo. Marco is going to escort Kas to the dungeon. James, can you stay here with


    Delh? Please see if you can get a hold of maintenance about the door, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Beta


    Lenora orders.


    ¡°Yes, Beta,¡± he nods as he helps Delh to her feet.


    ma


    We go down to the dungeon and walk along a long hallway of cells. Beta Milo and Gamma Reggie lead


    the way with Kas and I behind them. She still has a little purple glow around her. I think that means


    she¡¯s still mad? I don¡¯t know, usually it means she¡¯s happy or scared, but she don¡¯t seem like she¡¯s


    either of those right now. I look down at her, but she¡¯s wearing a poker face. Yeah. My chips are on


    mad. Beta Lenora and Tyree walk behind us.


    We get to the Alpha¡¯s cell to find him sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. We can barely hear


    him mutting to himself, but all he is saying is ¡®no no no¡¯ over and over again. I have never seen


    something more pitiful in my life. This poor guy. He thinks he killed his mate.


    At first, I¡¯m not sure he realizes Kas is standing outside the cell. Suddenly his head shoots up from his


    hands, his nose sniffs the air.


    His face looks really confused to see Kas standing on the other side of the bars.


    ¡°Kas? How? I-¡± he stands up with his mouth wide open and steps toward the bars, ¡°Baby, I saw¡­ I felt


    our bond break¡­¡±


    ¡°Shift,¡± she growls, ignoring his questions.¡¯


    ¡°What? Kas t-talk to me?¡± he begs. He¡¯s standing as close to the bars as he can. Beta Milo pushes Kas


    back a step.


    ¡°I SAID SHIFT, BRONX MASON!¡± shemands with a snarl. It¡¯s bigger than her Luna voice. It¡¯s


    bigger than Lex¡¯s voice. Is there such a thing as a goddess voice? Cause if there is, that¡¯s what she


    just used. The purple glow around her got brighter for a split second as she said ¡®shift


    Alpha Bronx doesn¡¯t protest, I don¡¯t think he could have if he wanted to. He strips down and shifts into


    Saint¡¯s form. I think she just pulled rank on him. I didn¡¯t think that was possible.


    The giant white wolf paces back and forth in the cell. Saint doesn¡¯t look sad or surprised like the Alpha


    was, he¡¯s looking like he¡¯s ready to fight someone.


    ¡°Get ready to open the door, Milo,¡± shemands, looking at Beta Milo. Her face is scrunched up with


    anger.


    ¡°You crazy, Little Sister? He literally just tried to kill you. In what world do you think I¡¯m letting you in


    there with him?¡± he argues.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going in there with him. Lex is. We¡¯ve had enough of this shit. Time to put our mate i n his


    ce,¡± she snaps and starts taking off her clothes. Tyree and I avert our eyes so we ain¡¯t looking at


    Kas naked. Once we hear the popping and cracking of her bones stop, we turn backt o see Lex


    standing in the hall. Other than Saint, she is thergest wolf I ever seen. She¡¯s beautiful too, inky ck


    fur with violet eyes. She lowers her head and growls deeply. The walls shake at the sound. Beta Milo


    hits the button on the wall and the door to the cell swings open. 4


    Lex doesn¡¯t even wait for it to fully open. Sheunches her body into the cell and ms into Saint. Beta


    Milo hits the button to close the door on the two fighting wolves. The only thing worse than them going


    at it in the cell, would be if Saint were to escape inside the packhouse i n his current mental state. They


    tumble into the backside of the cell. Saint yelps as his skin sizzles against the silver bars. He starts


    snapping and snarling at Lex who gets the upper hand and pins him down. She snaps and snarls right


    back at him, refusing to back down.


    ¡°Milo! They¡¯re going to kill each other!¡± Beta Lenora steps forward, ¡°Get Kas out of there!¡±


    ¡°Lenora, no. Don¡¯t you see, this is what Lady Camille and Delh wanted us to do. Saint thought he


    killed Kas. He said he felt the bond break. He isn¡¯t going to try to kill her again. He i s just defending


    himself. Delh took away Kas¡¯s fear so she could face him. Look. This is just a lovers¡¯ quarrel. Lex


    and Saint just need to get it out of their system,¡± he points.


    We all look into the fight going on in the cell. Saint¡¯s white fur is getting stained with blood but Lex


    seems to be fine. I know for a fact she is well aware how to cause critical damage because James and


    I taught her. She ain¡¯t aiming for any of those spots. She¡¯s just beating on her man for being an asshole


    until he apologizes. Happens with my Mama and Pops all the time. Not in wolf form, but basically the


    same thing. Sometimes when your girl is mad, you just gotta take a lickin¡¯.s


    All we can do is watch the two wolves just fight it out. We can¡¯t risk opening the door and Saint


    escaping. It¡¯s close to an hour before Saint¡¯s stubborn ass finally submits out of sheer exhaustion. He is


    covered in blood and panting heavily.


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me,¡± Beta Milo said, rubbing his chin. He looks at us, ¡°You guys see this? Saint


    submitted. Never in my life would I have imagined him giving up.¡±


    ¡°The Luna overpowered him?¡± Tyree says with a smirk, ¡°Damn.¡±


    Tyree and I had both fought with Alpha Bronx on his second tour in the military. Gamma Reggie and


    James fought with him in both tours. We all know he would rather die than submit.


    Saintys down on the ground, letting Lexy on top of him. She still has his ear in her mouth, growling


    until she realizes he is done fighting against her. Somehow both wolves know it¡¯s time to shift. Alpha


    Bronx sits up, looking like he has just been through a meat grinder and wraps his arms tightly around


    his mate. Lenora pulls a big nket off the shelf behind us.


    ¡°Open the door, Milo,¡± she whispers. He obliges and she goes in to cover our Alpha and Luna up.

 Chapter 78

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 78


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    For the first time in months, Saint is at peace. Quiet and settled. It¡¯s a relief to not have to constantly be


    battling him for control. Not being influenced by his rage.


    After speaking with my therapist and several doctors, I decide to willingly stay in the hospital wing for a


    week for intensive treatment and to start medication to keep him stable. Kas has forgiven me. She is


    still upset with Saint, but she still loves him. She is willing to work on rebuilding their rtionship. I don¡¯t


    know how she does it, but I can feel she genuinely means i t. It¡¯s going to take a lot longer for me to


    forgive myself.


    Kases every morning for a therapy session with me. She brings homemade croissants and coffee


    with her. She holds my hand and listens intently at my darkest secrets. Things that I would never


    imagine telling her before. Things I have done that live in the darkest corners of my soul. She tells me


    what she needs from me and I tell her what I need from her in return. Honest open conversations.


    Thest day, the doctor gives me several prescriptions that I will need to take every day and has me


    make follow up appointments. Then she lets me leave early so I can surprise Kas and have breakfast


    with her. I collect my things and head up to the apartment.


    Marco is at the end of the hallway. I walk past the door and approach him.


    ¡°Marco, thank you and I¡¯m sorry. Kas wouldn¡¯t be here today if it wasn¡¯t for you. I know I have a lot of


    work to do to win back your trust. I assure you, you will never be put in that position again,¡± I say as I


    shake his hand.


    ¡°Out of respect, Alpha, there¡¯s a lot I¡¯m going to keep to myself right now. But like I told Gamma


    Reggie, no thanks needed. The Luna is my priority. I take that seriously. I¡¯m just d I could be there


    when she needed me the most.¡±


    I give him a salute, then turn back to my apartment. It is only six-thirty in the morning. All the lights are


    still out. My little mate rarely gets out of bed before seven a.m. I drop my bag by the door and head into


    the bedroom. Kas is sleeping on top of the regr bedding but under her old green and gray striped


    nket.


    I sit on the edge of the bed and admire her. Her fresh rain and lc scent is stronger than ever. Her


    sparkly silver hair shines in the morning light that is starting to peek through the window. She looks so


    peaceful. I still feel like a shithead for letting Saint take over and lose control. How could I ever want to


    hurt this beautiful woman? .


    I gently brush her hair off her neck, letting my fingers linger near her ear. Her eyes flutter open and she


    rolls over to see me smiling at her.


    ¡°Bronx, Sweetheart,¡± she smiles sleepily before she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me


    down toward her.


    ¡°I love you, Kas. I love you so much,¡± I whisper in her ear as I embrace her.


    ¡°Love you too, Sweetheart,¡± she whispers back. Her soft lips kiss my neck, making me shiver, ¡°but don¡¯t


    just tell me. Show me.¡±


    I pull back from her so I can look her in the eye, ¡°Kas, after everything you-¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Bronx,¡± she looks up at me with her mesmerizing violet eyes, ¡°show me.¡±


    I feel her push the nket off of her and she starts to pull down the waistband of my pants. I look down


    to see she is only wearing one of my t-shirts. I lift it gently above her head and toss it on the floor. I use


    my hands to support her head as I kiss her neck, down to her breasts, and start sucking and nibbling. I


    hear her let out a little moan as she grips the hair on the back of m y head. I can smell her arousal,


    driving me crazy.


    She pulls my shirt off and yanks on my waistband again. I stand up and let my clothes fall to the floor. I


    look over her beautiful bodyying fully exposed to me on the bed. Her eyes look m e up and down.


    She takes extra time to reach for my cock, giving it a gentle brush up its length with her fingertips. I feel


    it grow harder with anticipation.


    I crawl back on the bed, positioning myself so her legs are on either side of me. I lean forward and use


    my hands to caress her. From her calves up to the outer part of her thighs, I brush my fingers lightly


    against her soft skin, making her shiver with a little giggle. I love that sound.


    I move my hands to her inner thighs using my fingers to massage her all the way up. Her eyes close


    and she sighs at the touch. I kiss the inside of her thighs working my way up to her dripping pussy. I lick


    around her folds as I slowly push a finger inside her and start moving it slowly in and out. Kas hisses


    then moans as I flick her clit with my tongue. I make sure to take my time and move slowly, bringing her


    as much pleasure as I can.


    ¡°Bronx, it feels so good,¡± she moans as raises her hips off the bed. I start to feel her muscles tighten


    around my finger. I keep the same pace but press my thumb against her clit and start t o massage


    gently. Kas¡¯s legs start to pull together as her orgasm builds, I move my free arm under her leg and pull


    her by the hips so she can¡¯t escape my face against her as she wraps her legs around my head. Her


    moans intensify while I dart my tongue in and out of her core,pping her delicious juices and suck and


    blow gently on her clit.


    I feel her legs unwrap from around my head and she starts pulling at my shoulders, with little whines of


    desire. I slowly work my way up her belly, kissing around her stomach and ribs,


    stopping at her breasts, giving them enough attention to make her nipples harden into pebbles.


    I keep using my fingers until my cock is against her entrance. I use the juices from my fingers t o lube


    my hard cock. She brings a hand down and ces it over mine, helping me spread her juices over my


    shaft. I pause as I hover over her.


    ¡°Tell me you want me, Kas. After everything I¡¯ve done. For all the reasons you have to run


    away from me, please tell me you want me,¡± I look her in the eye. I¡¯m not sure what I really expect her


    to say at this moment, but I just need reassurance that I¡¯m who she really wants.


    ¡°Bronx, I want you. Forever. You couldn¡¯t get rid of me if you tried,¡± she holds her hands on both sides


    of my face as her eyes shine with tears threatening to spill over, ¡°I love you and I want you. More now


    than ever, Sweetheart.¡± %


    ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re gonna cry, Baby?¡± I haven¡¯t even been home an hour and I already made


    her cry. How did I fuck up so fast?


    ¡°I¡¯m happy, Bronx. I feel like you¡¯re finally home. For the first time in months, it feels like you¡¯re really


    home,¡± she sniffs. That¡¯s what I needed to hear. I kiss away a tear that tries to slide down her face.


    I move to her mouth and kiss her deeply as I press the head of cock inside her. We both let out moans


    of pleasure as I push myself deep into her pussy. I can feel her breaths start to get harder as my


    movements start to get into a steady rhythm.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I pull my knees up and kneel, pulling her onto myp. I love giving her more control of the pace. I


    support her as she leans back, grinding against me moaning loudly. I feel her juices dripping down my


    balls. She leans forward and grasps my shoulders tightly, bouncing on me harder as she gets closer to


    her climax.


    ¡°Cum for me, my little goddess. It¡¯s your turn to show me. Don¡¯t hold back,¡± I tilt my head as I watch


    her. Her breaths are little huffs and as she squeezes her eyes shut in concentration. Sweat is glistening


    on her body, ¡°Let it go for me.¡±


    At mymand, her moans get louder and she starts calling out my name, grinding harder against me.


    I feel her core clench around my cock as she reaches her climax. Her aura glows brightly around us. I


    feel myself squint at how bright it is, theforting warmth of her energy fills me, recharging me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Baby,¡± I murmur, as I keep thrusting into her. I feel the familiar twitch and I know I¡¯m close.


    She wraps her arms around my neck and starts kissing me urgently when she feels m e tighten inside


    her. She keeps up with my rhythm until I explode against her tight walls. The sensation makes her


    throw her head back again with a little squeal of pleasure.


    I shiver from the release, then slowly fall backward onto the bed, bringing her down on top of me, both


    of us panting heavily. She slowly moves to pull me out from inside her.


    ¡°How you feeling, my weak old wolf?¡± she smirks at me.


    ¡°The batteries are not drained yet, Baby,¡± I smile back as I wrap my arms around her.


    ¡°Good, because it¡¯s time for a shower,¡± she stands up and pulls my hands, leading me into the


    bathroom.

 Chapter 79

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 79


    Lenora¡¯s POV


    My precious baby, Codi, is almost a month old and Milo and I are so in love with her. I can¡¯t.


    even remember what life was like before. I have never been a picture-taking person, but I¡¯m pretty sure


    my phone storage is almost full of her and her with Milo. He has been snapping pics of his own too.


    ¡°MILO! I have my boob out. Could you please not take a picture right now?¡± Iugh.


    ¡°Sorry, Sugar. That one is just for me though, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± He leans down and kisses my forehead.


    There¡¯s a knock on the door, I put a cloth over my shoulder to cover myself up while he answers it. 1


    Bronx and Kas walk in holding hands with big smiles.


    ¡°Hi Lenora! Where is Codi?¡± Kas asks, with an excited smile.


    ¡°Under the nket, she¡¯s almost done eating. We¡¯ll let Uncle Bronx burp her when she¡¯s done.¡±


    Bronx freezes and his eye goes wide. Kas and Iugh at his reaction as I feel Codi utch. I pull her


    out from under the cloth and adjust my shirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Bronx, Milo will show you how to do it,¡± I chuckle, ¡°Besides, you need practice for one day


    when it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    He and Kas exchange a look I can¡¯t read. For a split second I think maybe they came to tell us Kas is


    pregnant, but her scent has not changed. So it can¡¯t be that.


    ¡°Alright, Leni, what do I do?¡± he asks, holding out his arms to hold his niece.


    ¡°Oh, did you give Uncle Bronx the messy job?¡± Milo says as hees into the room and sits next to


    me.


    ¡°Only if she spits up,¡± I give Bronx an evil grin. Oh, big brother, she¡¯s definitely going to spit u p, I think


    to myself.


    ¡°Oh she¡¯s gonna spit up,¡± Milo warns with augh.


    Bronx clears his throat, ¡°Uh, okay well before we let my niece destroy my favorite shirt. Lenora, I need


    to talk business with you. I know you¡¯re on maternity leave, but I need your buy -in now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s that urgent?¡± I ask, leaning back on the sofa.


    Bronx has been through a lot in the past few months but he is finally getting the help he needs. He


    even agreed to be on medication to keep Saint under control. Last week I asked him what it felt like


    being on all those medications. The only description he could give was ¡®too happy¡¯. 1


    ¡°Like SpongeBob happy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°More like, the Joker, happy,¡± he replied with a frown.


    I feel so bad that he has to go to such lengths, but Saint has proven to be dangerous. So it¡¯s his only


    option. He assures me the doctors want to try to reduce the dosages of the medicine when they feel


    like it is safer. I pray to the Goddess that is sooner thanter but I must admit, he has been more


    himself than I have seen in a long time.


    ¡°Lenora, I know you are on maternity leave, but we want to get this in motion so we don¡¯t miss out on


    the opportunity and be ready when youe back,¡± he says, holding Codi against his shoulder. She


    looks like a tiny little bean leaning against him. Milo didn¡¯t have to show him anything. He instinctively


    starts patting her on the back and rocking slightly side to side. He is going to be a great dad and he


    doesn¡¯t even know it.


    Bronx tells me about Kas¡¯s idea about searching for other Menae and believes Marco¡¯s mate would be


    a perfect fit for the position. She needs to be under my direction since it would be considered


    international affairs but he wants to be able to hire her and get her onboarded to MasonCo before she


    finds a different job. He insists he is going to apply for a grant from the WHPS so her sry wouldn¡¯t


    even count against my payroll.


    ¡°So you want her to be a covert ops¡­researcher. In what world do you think WHPS is going to g o


    along with that?¡± I scoff at the idea.


    ¡°Well, we can post it as a position to research historical information, we can leave out the part about


    people who may or may not be alive and well today but yeah, something like that. Her main priority is


    bing an expert on the Menae. When she finds them, you and I review and decide together


    whether its safe to reach out to them.¡±


    ¡°Lenora, I had kind of a vision, well, it was more a feeling than a vision. It wasn¡¯t scary. It was a good


    feeling I got when I was meditating. It felt like a family member giving me a hug,¡± I have sisters out


    there. If there is any chance I could be reunited with them, even just some of them, I would really like to


    take that chance,¡± Kas looks at me with giant violet puppy dog eyes.


    Why does she have to be so damn adorable. I knew it from the first night I met her that she was


    special. Not just because of the silver hair and violet eyes. There was just something about her that


    made me want to be closer to her. I think everyone feels it to some extent. Everyone loves her so much


    and deservedly so. She is the kindest werewolf I have ever met.


    ¡°What do you say, Leni? By the time you get back from maternity leave, Musu will know everything she


    needs to know about MasonCo and the assets at her disposal to do her job,¡± Bronx reassures me.


    ¡°Alright, I can get behind that if we think it will help Kas,¡± I concede. I¡¯m still a little skeptical


    about hiring someone to search for goddesses but if it¡¯s important to Kas, I have to at least try. Right?¡±


    ¡°¡®I think it will help Kas, yes, and maybe other wolves that aren¡¯t sure who they are,¡± he says,¡± the


    flipside is, we could encounter people who are dangerous. We just don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    At that moment, Codi lets out a little burp and white goopnds on my brother¡¯s shoulder.


    Milo startsughing like a maniac, ¡°Thar¡¯ she blows!¡±


    Bronx looked a bit mortified, ¡°Umm, if I say this is gross, is that insulting the baby?¡±


    ¡°No, I say it all the time,¡± Iugh at him while Milo helps clean up the mess.


    ¡°Okay! My turn!¡± Kas says holding out her arms, her fingers waggling.


    Bronx gently hands Codi over to Kas and stands to go wash up in the bathroom.


    ¡°Hi Codi!¡± I hear Kas coo at the baby and let Codi wrap her tiny fingers around Kas¡¯s finger. I look


    closer to see a slight purple aura engulfing them. It should be disturbing, but I am d they have a


    connection like that. Codi coos back at Kas.


    Kas swiftly scoops her up and starts walking around the room telling her a story about the Moon


    Goddess and her siblings Helios and Eos. She is very animated and uses different voices for the


    different Gods. I see Bronxe out of the bathroom, wiping his shoulder with a towel. He stops when


    he sees his mate holding Codi. A small smile forms on his face, but it doesn¡¯t reach his eye. There is a


    touch of sadness there.


    I open a mind link, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, brother?¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Poker face secret, Leni,¡± he responds. He hasn¡¯t asked me to keep a poker face secret in years.


    Basically, it¡¯s a shock that you can¡¯t let anyone know about. You have to fix your face before your face


    has a chance to react to the news.


    ¡°About Kas?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Okay, poker face secret.¡±


    ¡°Lady Camille had done research and she doesn¡¯t think Kas will be able to have pups.¡±


    ¡°Bronx, 1-¡± I feel my eyes widen.


    ¡°Poker face, Leni,¡± he interrupts, then breaks the mind link


    1100k over at him and then to Kas, who is engrossed in her storytelling. I push the emotion down.


    Poker face.

 Chapter 80

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 80


    80


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I don¡¯t know how she did it but Kas has flown through the first semester of her senior year sses. She


    wakes up with me so she can meet the tutor early while I am training with the pack warriors, then stays


    upte to get her homework done, except for essays. She saves those for ourzy day ¨C Sundays. Her


    tutor tells me she has straight A¡¯s except for History. Lex keeps telling her the books are wrong and


    convincing her to change the answers to be urate. I mean, chances are, she was there, so how can


    anyone be mad at her?


    English on the other hand is her best subject. One of her projects is to write a poetry collection. She


    refuses to show it to me and tells me she doesn¡¯t want me to criticize her work. I leave it alone but the


    tutor tells me it is inspiring. He wants to put them in a booklet to share with the high schoolers if he can


    get her to agree.


    ¡°Kas, you don¡¯t have to show me, but Mr. Ankers says he would like to publish it for the pack high


    school. That¡¯s a big deal, Baby. Think about what an honor it will be for those kids to have a book of


    poetry written by their Luna,¡± I try to convince her to approve of the publication.


    ¡°You promise you won¡¯t pick up a copy?¡± she asks.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise, but can I ask why you¡¯re so against me reading your poetry? You let me look at


    everything else,¡± I question, truly unsure of why it¡¯s a deal breaker for her.


    She sighs heavily, ¡°Because it¡¯s the story of my life. From my first memories until now. And if there is


    anything you want to know, I would rather you just ask, than look at my thoughts on a piece of paper


    and there is some stuff that you might be upset about. I mean, it¡¯s all in there, the good and the bad. I


    don¡¯t want you to think any of it still bothers me or misconstrue anything. It was just part of the


    assignment. Make the reader feel something. So I did. I just don¡¯t want that reader to be you,¡± she


    exins with a little whine. Kas is mature for a seventeen year old, but sometimes she has her


    moments. This is one of them. I always forget that while it¡¯s my duty to protect her, she wants to protect


    me too, even if it¡¯s from her.


    I pull her into myp and kiss her gently, ¡°Okay, Baby. Thank you for telling me. I promise I won¡¯t read


    it.¡±


    In addition to school, she has been training with James and Marco, volunteering at the pack hospital,


    teaching cooking sses to my warriors, perfecting recipes with Delh, and nning the wedding.


    She also helps Lenora with Codi. They really do have a special connection. Even for such a young pup,


    it¡¯s amazing to see how her demeanor changes as soon as Kas walks into the room. She even already


    smiles when she hears Kas¡¯s voice. I mean, I can¡¯t


    me her. I¡¯m the same way. Ask anyone.


    I¡¯m a little worried Kas is going to get burned out or worse yet, have a vision from being too stressed


    out, but we have Sundays. She and I don¡¯t leave the apartment. She works on her homework and does


    some baking, but other than that, we just rx. It¡¯s good for both of us.


    Reggie has worked hard on getting the crews to have the new packhouse done on schedule and he did


    a great job. All the amenities are as modern as we could have possibly hoped for. We make sure every


    piece of security equipment we can add is in ce and ready to go when we are ready to move in. He


    evenes in under budget. Ashley was responsible for the new decor and it was no surprise that she


    did an amazing job too. The guest suites look like modern luxury hotel rooms and the residences were


    exquisite. Everyone had a say in what they wanted their spaces to look like and she made the visions


    come to life. Themon areas are fresh and weing and constantly being utilized by the pack.


    Having the hustle and bustle back in the ce I call home makes me feel so good.


    As for me, MasonCo has never been more sessful, things with the pack are running smoothly. We


    even make alliances we have been working on for years with two nearby packs. I have also been


    keeping up with my therapy sessions. The doctors finally reduced my medication dosages and I am


    really feeling better, so is Saint. We are both ready to get married to the love of our life.


    ***


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Wedding and the summer solstice guests are starting to trickle in for the long weekend. They are all


    excited for the wedding and for those who are wolves, excited for a huge stampede led b y Kas and me


    at midnight tomorrow night. The omegas are doing a fantastic job ushering people around and


    amodatingst-minute requests. Food ising out of the kitchen at a breakneck speed. I peek


    in just to tell them they¡¯re doing a great job and sneak a cookie. Mrs. Miller catches me and smacks my


    hand with a spoon.


    ¡°Out, Alpha! Let Carly know if you need anything,¡± she scolds but lets me take the cookie anyway.


    Around three-thirty, I take a break from greeting guests and go up to the apartment. I open the door to


    find it is full of.women surrounding Kas in the living room.


    ¡°Oh look! It¡¯s the groom! Bronx,e in, dear,¡± I hear my mother say. Kas turns around with wide eyes


    and shakes her head just enough that I can see she doesn¡¯t want me to see what¡¯s happening in my


    living room.


    ¡°Help me!¡± she mouths at me.


    ¡°Mom? What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°We decided to throw a little surprise bridal shower for Kas. Since you two refused to register for gifts,


    we¡¯re just getting together to give her some things just for¡­her¡­and having some mimosas and


    pastries before dinner,¡± Mom smiles. I wonder how many mimosas she has had today. 1


    I look at Kas who is sitting on the sofa looking bright red with embarrassment.


    ¡°Sorry Baby.¡± I mouth back at her.


    Several of the women sitting around her, giggle to each other.


    ¡°Hi Sweetheart, do yourself a favor ¨C just go directly into the bedroom and close the door,¡± Kas smiles a


    broad artificial at me. She doesn¡¯t have to tell me twice. I sprint to the bedroom and m the door shut.


    I need to take my clothes for tomorrow down to Milo¡¯s apartment. I¡¯m not allowed to stay in my own


    apartment tonight, ¡°girls only¡± ording to Lenora, Ashley, and Delh. I¡¯m totally using my Alpha voice


    to make Milo sleep on the sofa tonight.


    I grab my toiletries and my suit bag and sprint back out of the apartment before I could get pulled into


    whatever little party thedies are having.


    I don¡¯t get to see Kas until dinner. She¡¯s so beautiful in a long strapless cotton candy pink dress. I


    seriously can¡¯t exin it, she just seems different. Her hair is extra sparkly, her eyes are extra purple.


    Almost like she is trying to control her spirit so she doesn¡¯t walk around glowing. I can¡¯t help myself. I


    pull her into myp and make her stay there throughout dinner s o I can breathe in her delicious scent.


    I feed her forks full of food in between kisses until she pushes the fork away. The guests around us


    giggle and coo at us, but I don¡¯t care. Kas is all I can think of right now. I can¡¯t stop smiling, tomorrow


    she¡¯s going to be my wife. Saint is genuinely happy, which is a relief. He doesn¡¯t even have anything


    snarky to say as I pull her close and breathe in her delicious scent.


    We have a small get-together in my office after dinner with the wedding party and my parents. I refuse


    to let go of Kas¡¯s hand. What if I let go and she disappears into thin air?


    I clink my ss to give a toast. As everyone quiets down so I can speak, ¡°As I look around this room, I


    see family and I see friends. Honestly, I can¡¯t tell the difference between the two. If you are a friend you


    are family, if you are family you are a friend. We¡¯ve all been through a lot i n nine months and we could


    not have gotten through any of it without the support of every single wolf in this room.¡±


    I look around at all the smiling faces. I look down at Kas before I continue.


    ¡°Kas has made me a better wolf. A more patient leader. I¡¯m a morepassionate man because of


    her. She and her wolf Elexis have tamed the savage beast that is Saint. They¡¯re still working on me,¡±


    there is a chuckle around the room, ¡°In turn, I have watched her grow. From a wolf who we weren¡¯t


    even sure would survive the trip from Silver Moon to Blood River to an actual goddess with a zest for


    life that cannot be contained. She is selfless, full of endless love, and determined. She is the true


    definition of strength. She is exactly the Luna Blood River deserves.


    ¡°You all know thatst year, Kas spent a significant amount of time at a coven in France. We still have a


    close connection due to their generosity. We even gained a pack member out of the experience, who


    has be one of Kas¡¯s best friends,¡± I tip my ss to Delh.


    ¡°During a trip to the coven, we found out that our wolves have been mates for over eight hundred


    years. They told us that Kas and my human spirits have been connected with our wolves for just as


    long. When I was trying to understand the significance of this, Kas exined


    it very eloquently to me. Enough so, that I got it tattooed on my wrist. Hate tried to erase the message,


    but my tattoo artist is stronger than hate,¡± another chuckle goes around the room,¡± So, I would like to


    make a toast to you all, your wolves, and something we can all pray to the Moon Goddess for; ¡®May the


    love you and your mate have today,st forever. Forever in the past and forever in the future.¡±


    Everyone raised their sses, some cried out ¡®Cheers!¡¯ Others gave a little howl. Kas wrapped her


    arms around my waist from beside me. I looked up to see everyone looking at their mates, some giving


    each other a little kiss, some of the women were crying at the touching words, being consoled by their


    mates.


    As everyone was filing out of the room, the girls tried to pull Kas away from me, but she pushed them


    off with a little growl so she could give me onest kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow evening, Baby,¡± 1 pepper her with kisses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to sleep tonight,¡± the little frown on her face pings my heart.


    ¡°Elope! It¡¯s not toote!¡± Saint yells. I consider it for a millisecond then tell him to knock it off.


    The bridesmaids are all whining now and Lenoraes over with her hands on her hips,¡° Alright big


    brother, hand over the bride. I have a babysitter for the night and I am not wasting it watching you two


    make out.¡± Begrudgingly, Kas and I take our arms off of each other. The girls take her by the hands and


    pull her away. My heart immediately feels empty as soon as she leaves the room.


    I head down to Milo¡¯s apartment with him, Reggie, and James.


    ¡°Do you think we added enough security?¡± Should we have them do one more sweep?¡± I ask Milo.


    James chimes in, ¡°Alpha you got Marco, Archie, and Tyree in the hall upstairs, two snipers on the roof,


    and six guards protecting the entrances. She¡¯s gonna be just fine. If anything, we should bring the


    treasures of Fort Knox here, they¡¯ll be safer.¡± 2


    Milo and Reggieugh and p my back while I sulk. We have a couple more drinks before we call it a


    night. It feels good to sit in the quiet for a while, rxing with my best friends.


    ¡°Guys, there was something different about her today. It was like everything about her was amplified.


    Her hair seemed extra sparkly and did you notice how vibrant her eyes were? They were practically


    glowing in the dark. Her skin was softer, even her scent was crisper,¡± I quip.


    ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s turning eighteen. The same thing happened to Lenora right before she turned


    eighteen. If you thought thest nine months were incredible. Just wait until you see her tomorrow,¡±


    Milo says.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± James asks.


    Milo responds, ¡°It¡¯s one of those things they teach girls but they never bother to talk to guys about,


    because it doesn¡¯t happen to us. A female werewolf doesn¡¯t have all her hormones when her wolf first


    wakes up. Lenora says it is to protect girls who are only seventeen and have older, more experienced


    mates. Like you and Kas for example. It gives them a chance to get to know their mate better before


    things kick into high gear. That¡¯s why when Marco met Musu, they were fine spending two days locked


    in a room. She¡¯s already twenty she¡¯s ready for a full blown mating rtionship. I¡¯m not sure how that


    works for you James, sorry. But now that Kas is about to be eighteen, the spigot gets turned to full


    open. You know how we can smell other guys¡¯ mates? Just as a way to identify them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± James confirms.


    ¡°Well, what does Kas smell like to you?¡± I throw out the question. I don¡¯t try to sound menacing but I¡¯m


    pretty sure I fail to cause all three of them to flinch a little.


    James looked at me and furrowed his brow, ¡°Now that you mention it, I have never really thought about


    what her scent is before. I mean she smells like a wolf, but I don¡¯t think of a scent specifically


    associated with her.¡±


    ¡°Well, get ready for tomorrow because you will!¡± Milo says with his signature goofy grin and a finger in


    the air, ¡°My money is on those oatmeal toffee cookies.¡±


    Note: The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!


    So, Plzz Book Mark .infobagh

 Chapter 81

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 81


    Kas¡¯s POV


    It¡¯s my birthday. It¡¯s the summer solstice. It¡¯s also my freaking wedding day. I can¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°One year together with you, Kas! It¡¯s been an exciting one!¡± Lex sings in my head.


    ¡°Tell me about it. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re you, Lex,¡± I smile at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re you too, Kas,¡± she purrs.


    ¡°What do you think today will be like, Lex? I¡¯ve never celebrated my birthday before. I¡¯ve never gotten


    married before either,¡± I wonder.


    ¡°Well, I imagine people will be wishing you a happy birthday all day. You will probably get gifts too. It


    will be rude to decline them, so just smile and say thank you,¡± she advises, ¡°but now that you¡¯re


    eighteen, your scent is going to be stronger. To Bronx and to other wolves. Bronx may be a little more


    protective, but he is also going to fall so much more in love with you too.¡± 2


    ¡°Oh yeah, I remember them teaching us about that in health ss,¡± I recall.


    I look out the living room window and see the hustle and bustle of thewn being transformed for the


    ceremonies tonight. Delh lets Mrs. Miller and a couple of omegas in who have brought us a huge


    breakfast. Mrs. Miller has been telling me for the past week how important i tis to eat a big breakfast on


    your wedding day. She says once your makeup is on, you can¡¯t eat until the reception. Sandy and


    Henri¡¯s mate, Sophia,e to the apartment and rx with Lenora, Ashley, Del and I while we eat. 1


    The breakfast is amazing. Mrs. Miller and her staff have stepped up their game for the weekend. I give


    her a thumbs-up as she finishes up wiping down the kitchen counter. She winks back with a smile. How


    did I end up so lucky in my life to have so many people who care about me the way they do?


    It¡¯s still early, so I excuse myself to my bedroom for an hour so I can meditate. Yeah, even today. I think


    more than ever, I need a sense of calm to get today started. Lex does too. She is s o excited it is


    difficult to keep her from overtaking my thoughts when I need to focus on everything I need to do. Not


    that my bridesmaids would let me forget anything, but you get the idea.


    I close my eyes and let my mind rx. I reach out into the universe and search, not for anything


    particr, just looking around to see what or who I can find. I can sense Bronx. He is down at the


    training grounds. I remember that he, Milo, and Reggie are giving a ss to trainers from other packs


    this morning. I gently reach out and touch him for a moment. I imagine a little whisper a few words just


    for him in his ear, then pull back and continue to search some more. It¡¯s pleasant and peaceful, but I


    need to get back to reality. When my eyes open, I feel like a million bucks. Any nerves I woke up with


    this morning are gone and now all I feel is happy and calm. Lex too, thank the Goddess.


    I take my time in the shower ande back out into the living room. I¡¯m shocked to see it has been


    converted into a salonplete with hair and nail stations. The stylist is ready to blow dry my hair, but


    before she does, Carlyes to the apartment, right on time. I hand her the little box for Bronx. She


    lifts it open and peeks inside with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to look great on him, Luna,¡± she nods.


    ¡°I hope so,¡± I smile and give her arm a squeeze before she leaves to see Bronx. 2


    Everyone is getting their hair and nails done when Lenora quiets the room to make an announcement.


    We all turn to look at her.


    ¡°Ladies, we all know what a big day this is, but it is also Kas¡¯s birthday. She asked us all to not get her


    any gifts, which was a difficult promise to keep, but this gift is not from me, it is from my brother, Bronx.


    My only part of this gift is keeping it a surprise,¡± she gives me a devilish


    grin.


    She hands me a little box that is about the size of aputer mouse. While I am unwrapping i t, she


    turns on the TV and syncs her tablet so it disys on the big screen. I open the box to find a key


    inside. A key? What did he buy that I needed a key for?


    ¡°Kas, my brother recognizes how significant France is to your rtionship. And we know that you two


    are even going there on your honeymoon. Well, after the honeymoon you will be able t o go anytime


    you want because Bronx bought you a vacation home in Paris. Well, apartment, but you know what I


    mean.¡±


    I can feel my mouth drop open but I can¡¯t close it, ¡°What?¡±


    Lenora pulls up a slide show of a beautiful two-level apartment. It has a very modern style with huge


    windows along one side.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the Triangle d¡¯Or area of Paris, on Avenue Montaigne in the prestigious Haussmannian building.


    Four bedrooms, air-conditioned, recently renovated with new marble countertops,¡± Lenora reads of the


    information with a game show host ir. 1


    I hold up the key, looking at it like it¡¯s the most wonderous thing in the world, and murmur out loud, ¡°H-


    he got me an apartment in Paris?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Yep. He signed the final paperworkst week. Happy Birthday, Kas!¡± Lenora squeals.


    I¡¯m so d my makeup isn¡¯t done yet because it would be ruined.


    ¡°No no no, stop crying! Because there¡¯s more!¡± Ashley speaks up now.


    ¡°MORE?¡± I start to wail. Sandyes over and rubs my back to soothe me.


    ¡°Yes, Bronx also embraces your love of knowledge, but he said you told him not to spend money on a


    wedding gift. So, if you look in that box, you will also find a piece of paper with a code on it. It¡¯s the


    security code for Bronx¡¯s archive library,¡± Ashley says with a big smile.


    A chill goes over me. This has to be a dream. Someone freaking pinch me. The archive library was the


    only part of the packhouse that survived the fire because of all the safety equipment


    Bronx had installed to protect the ancient books and scrolls.


    I try to suck in a breath but it¡¯s not there. Ashley and Delhe over and pat me on the back. Delh


    takes my hand and nods her head asking permission to help me with magic before I have a full-blown


    panic attack. I nod back and feel a warmth spread through me and I¡¯m able to breathe again.


    ¡°This is all too much,¡± I say quietly as I rub the key and key code in my fingers, ¡°The code is one thing,


    but an apartment in France? How do I tell him I can¡¯t ept this?¡± 1


    Sandy squats in front of me and gives me a reassuring look, ¡°Kas, you have no idea how much you


    have changed my son. All for the better. He has always been driven by duty to the military and this


    pack, never by someone he calls his own. Not to a person who loves him unconditionally, until you


    came into his life. You will never know how you flipped the script for my son. You deserve all of this and


    more. If he wants to spoil you, let him. It is his way of showing his love for you.¡± 1


    I nod and hug Sandy so tightly I think she¡¯s going to pop. Ashley brings me a box of tissues and we


    look more at the beautiful pictures of my new apartment while I get my hair finished. Lenora tells me I


    will be able to see the apartment on my honeymoon, but it¡¯s not ready to live in until all the security


    systems have been updated to Bronx¡¯s standards.


    Sandy takes me into the bathroom to help me clean the tears away from my face before I sit in the


    make-up artist¡¯s chair.


    ¡°Kas, Honey, I was wondering something. Have you and Bronx ever discussed finances?¡± she asks


    with a questioning look as she wipes my face with a warm washcloth.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve told him I want my own money which is why I¡¯m opening the bakery and we have started to


    talk a little bit about pack finances and the budget but he wants to wait until I am finished with school


    before I get too deep into it.¡±


    The look on Sandy¡¯s face looks a little confused, ¡°That¡¯s interesting. So you¡¯ve never talked about his


    finances specifically?¡±


    ¡°You mean from MasonCo? I guess I always felt like it¡¯s not my business,¡± I shrug, ¡°We¡¯ve never talked


    about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well then,¡± she gets up, closes the door to the bathroom and sits me on the vanity seat, ¡°Kas,


    I¡¯m not telling you this to prove a point or to try to intimidate you or anything. I feel like you need to


    know in case you ever find yourself targeted or ckmailed by malicious people. There are a lot of


    people out in the human world gunning for him. I imagine he thinks he¡¯s protecting you by not telling


    you.¡±


    I nod but I don¡¯tpletely understand why she sounds so serious right now.


    ¡°Why would anyone want to ckmail our mate?¡± Lex growls.


    ¡°When ites to business and finances, my son is pretty savvy. He doesn¡¯t really show off, we both


    know that¡¯s not his style. He lives afortable life, but with all things considered, h e is very humble.


    He gets that from his father and me,¡± she smiles as shepliments her son.


    She gives me a questioning look, ¡°Kas, you know MasonCo is a hugepany, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know that it is international and everyone works hard to keep it going,¡± I confirm.


    She nods at me as if I just told her the Titanic was a rowboat.


    She clears her throat before she continues, ¡°Kas, Bronx is worth a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I know he is well off,¡± I shake my head and look at her with knit brows, still kind of confused


    over why we are having this conversation.


    ¡°Ahh, more than well off, Honey. Bronx¡¯s worth is over twenty billion dors,¡± she purses her lips as


    she lets the information sink in. 1


    The gears churn in my head. I heard her wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just say billion with a ¡®b??¡± I ask as I lean my ear toward her. Sheughs at the


    question. Not in a mean way, more like a reaction to my disbelief kind of way.


    ¡°Yes, billion with a ¡®b¡¯. So, if Bronx wants to buy you an apartment in Paris or if he wants to take you to


    Bora Bora for a week or rent out a theater so you can see a broadway show together, let him. He has


    never had someone to share his life with before. He wants nothing more than to make you happy, Kas.


    Please let him. I know you have no intention of taking advantage of him. We all know. You have been


    through too much together for that to be the case. Soon enough you¡¯ll be making your own money and


    you can find ways to spoil him in your own ways too,¡± she rubs my forearm and smiles.


    It takes me another minute to process. Bronx is a billionaire? I mean, I knew he wasn¡¯t poor, but I had


    no idea he was so sessful.


    ¡°I think I understand, Sandy. Thank you for telling me. I¡¯ll make sure this conversation stays between


    us. But now when he is ready to talk to me about it, I will be ready,¡± I give her a grateful look.


    Sandy pinches my cheek and takes my hand so we can go back out to the living room and finish


    getting ready.


    *


    *


    *


    Mrs. Miller has omegas bring sandwiches and we eat a light lunch, then get our makeup done. The


    stylists had not seen our dresses before today, we just told them they were all Greek inspired. As soon


    as they see them, their entire n for our makeup looks changes.


    The lead artist pulls up some images on her phone, showing close ups of runway models and exins


    how they can adjust the colors to coordinate with the colors for the weddings. We all look at the images


    and agree on a couple that will look good on everyone. My bridesmaids all look much more dramatic


    than I thought they would but as they get their dresses on, it looks perfect. The muscr women look


    like goddesses you would see in ssical paintings. A perfect trio of statuesque women. I love them all


    so much and I¡¯m grateful they will be standing with me in front of everyone this evening.


    The make up artist decides she doesn¡¯t want to show me my makeup until I have my dress on.


    Everyone smiles and nods.


    Sophia fans her face with her hand and waggles her eyebrows, ¡°Luna, your mate won¡¯t be able to resist


    you!¡±


    It¡¯s finally time to put on my dress. The girls help me slide in and zip it up. They fuss and adjust it until


    they are satisfied. I finally get to turn to look at myself in the mirror.


    I¡¯m a goddess.


    Like, I know I¡¯m a goddess but now I look like a goddess. I fight back tears so I don¡¯t ruin the smokey


    eye makeup.


    ¡°Oh Kas, you¡¯re perfect,¡± Lex purrs in my mind.


    ¡°Kas, you¡¯re the real deal now,¡± Lenora says as she steps up from behind me and holds my hand.


    Ashley and Delh follow suit, taking my other hand and gently rubbing my back, smiling at me through


    the mirror.


    ¡°Stop it! Please! I¡¯m not gonna cry, not gonna cry,¡± I start repeating as I take my hands back and I p


    them in front of my face, making everyoneugh.


    Once Ipose myself and the stylists have broken down their stations, the photographeres in


    and takes a ton of pictures. There is a knock on the door, it¡¯s Carly. ¡°We¡¯re ready for you, Luna.¡±

 Chapter 82

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 82


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    Instead of an actual training, we have a ss scheduled for other packs to understand our training


    programs. We do a ten-mile warm-up for those who want to participate, then we move onto the


    presentation. We have a few pack warriors who will be doing some demonstrations while I walk through


    our programs.


    I¡¯m exining the benefits of rest days where there is only light cardio and stretching when I feel a


    whisper on my neck. I flinch and look to the right, fully expecting to have to chastise Kas for leaving the


    packhouse without a guard but she¡¯s not there. I smile to myself as I look at my watch. It¡¯s her


    meditation hour. She just reached out and touched me. My heart thumps a little harder knowing she is


    thinking about me.


    ¡°Okay, now can we go see our mate? She wants to see us,¡± Saint begs. He doesn¡¯t understand why we


    have to spend a full day apart when she is inside our apartment.


    ¡°No, Saint. Later this evening. You and Lex will get to spend time together, then Kas and I will.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± he huffs and goes to pout in the back of my mind.


    After a sessful exhibition, we answer questions and offer to provide some of the packs our services


    through packages we had established through MasonCo. While yes, all packs need to b e able to


    protect themselves and have strong warriors and security systems, Blood River is not a charity. We


    head back to Milo¡¯s apartment to get ready. I¡¯m in the bathroom shaving when I hear a knock at the


    front door. Milo calls me toe out. He is seriously interrupting me right now?


    I sigh and put down the razor. I grab a towel, it¡¯s on the smaller side, so it doesn¡¯t fit all the way around


    my waist. I have to hold it with one hand with part of my ass hanging out. I make my way to the living


    room, ¡°Milo, I¡¯m getting ready, what¡¯s so important that you need to interru-¡± I stop in my tracks as I


    come out of the bathroom, I realize Carly is standing there with a gift box. That¡¯s right, my assistant is


    standing in the living room and I¡¯m in a damn towel. Not even a whole towel, half a towel with my ass


    hanging out. 2


    ¡°Uh, hi Carly,¡± I say, rubbing my hand on the back of my neck. I can feel a blush on my face.


    Carly¡¯s face is turning bright red and she is trying to avert her eyes from looking at me. Milo and Reggie


    are in the cornerughing so hard they can¡¯t breathe. Of course, they would think i t would be funny.


    James looks very ufortable, like he wants tough but knows he shouldn¡¯t. We have be


    much closer since our mates have be close friends, but I¡¯m still his Alpha. 1


    ¡°Alpha, I


    ft for you from Luna Kas,¡± she says, reaching out her hand with the box. It looked big enough to be a


    bow tie but Kas had already picked out bow ties for the guys.


    ¡°Thank you, Carly,¡± Carly bows and turns to leave as quickly as she can, ¡°Oh, Carly, did she open her


    gift?¡±


    Carly didn¡¯t turn back around, just called from the doorway before closing it, ¡°Beta Lenora said she


    would do it while she¡¯s getting ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I call out through the door. I turn around and face my Beta and Gamma who are wiping


    tears ofughter from their faces, ¡°You two are assholes.¡± 1


    I shake the box and feel a little shifting inside. I toss it to Milo, ¡°I¡¯m gonna finish shaving and PUT


    SOME CLOTHES ON. Then I¡¯ll open that.¡±


    ¡°Yes Alpha Bronxy,¡± Milo salutes, still giggling at me.


    I finish in the bathroom and put my suit pants and undershirt on. No sense in putting on the cored


    shirt and bow tie until I need to.


    Milo hands me the box and I carefully open it. Inside is an eye patch. It is olive-colored velvet with small


    silver olive leaves attached to either side where the stic strap connects to the patch. It is stunning. I


    flip it over to put it on. I see a small word embroidered into the silk liner. ¡®Forever¡¯. I rub my finger over


    the word and smile before I slip the patch on and set it in ce.


    ¡°Oh man, that thing is nice, Bronx. Best one yet,¡± Milo gives a genuinepliment.


    I have a small collection of eye patches, I do everything I can to avoid the general public from seeing


    me without one. It¡¯s one of the few things I¡¯m self-conscious about. That and my assistant seeing me


    practically naked, fresh out of the shower.


    I step out onto the balcony and have a cigarette. A habit that Kas has mostly made me give up. I figure


    today is special, I can have one. I look out onto the pack territory with a sense of calm. I think about


    how I get to share all this with Kas, officially now. This and the private little haven I bought for her in


    Paris. I smile thinking about what her reaction will be as Lenora shows Kas the slideshow. She¡¯s gonna


    cry. I¡¯m sure of it. She¡¯s gonna tell me it¡¯s too much. I don¡¯t care. For me, it¡¯s nothingpared to what


    I want to give her. I would give her the world if I could. 1


    Mrs. Miller brings us ate lunch. Dad and Henri join us as we eat and rx with a few drinks.


    We finish getting ready and the photographeres in to get a ton of photos. He is leaving to head up


    to my apartment when Carlyes in to fetch us. She seems moreposed now.


    Thank the Goddess. I would hate for that awkward moment to linger.


    We file downstairs and out to the backyard. The sun has barely set and it¡¯s quickly getting dark out.


    The ceremony area is beautiful. Everything is white with touches of dark green. White twinkle lights


    hang overhead. The stage usually reserved for my announcement of the Summer Solstice blessing, is


    currently set up for the wedding ceremony. The music changes and Carly motions for us to walk up the


    aisle. We wave to friends and family as we make our


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    way to the tform. Henri is already there, shaking our hands as we approach.


    We take our ces and wait. We wave at people who are taking pictures before things start. My heart


    is pounding. I can¡¯t wait to see Kas. I have only been away from her for less than a day but I don¡¯t care.


    After what seems like forever, the music changes. Delh, Ashley, and Lenora make their way down


    the aisle and take their ces. Milo¡¯s niece Elle and nephewn are the flower girl and ring bearer.


    Once we are all in our ces, the music changes again to the bridal march. Everyone stands and looks


    toward the double doors to the house.


    The doors open and the overwhelming smell of fresh rain and lcs fills the yard.


    ¡°Mmm, cinnamon rolls,¡± I hear Milo whisper. 1


    A woman steps out from inside. She is holding Marco¡¯s arm as they slowly start walking down the aisle.


    Where¡¯s Kas? I smell her, but I don¡¯t see her. Panic builds in my chest. As theye into view, I see


    the woman is in a Grecian goddess¡¯s traditional dress. Who is this uninvited guest and why would


    Marco escort her in when he is supposed to be with Kas?


    The woman is a knockout. Perfect ten. She is as ethereal as you would expect a goddess to be in an


    audience full of werewolves and witches. Some people even bow to her. Marco is escorting a goddess


    to the ceremony? Who is she? Why is she here? 2


    Oh. My. Goddess.


    That¡¯s My little Goddess. 1 Marco is escorting Kas.

 Chapter 83

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 83


    My heart clenches in my chest. I can feel tears in my eye as I put my hand over my mouth. The guests


    all gasp and whisper as they admire my mate and bow while shees down the aisle. A s they


    should. If I didn¡¯t know it was Kasing down the aisle, I would have thought the Moon Goddess


    herself was making her way to the tform toward me.


    ¡°That¡¯s our mate?¡± Saint asks in awe.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s our mate.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s out of your league, man.¡± *


    ¡°Shut up, Saint. Just enjoy her beauty in silence.¡±


    Kas¡¯s dress is long white and flowy with pleats to make it look more structured. There¡¯s a belt that looks


    like a little rope wrapped around her waist. The shoulders of the dress are silver olive leaves that match


    the ones on my eyepatch. There is even more flowy material attached a t the back of her shoulders that


    flows down and trails behind her like a train. She is wearing a wreath on her head that¡¯s made of silver


    olive branches that makes her hair look even more sparkly.


    I look into her eyes, the vibrant violet of her eyes is glowing now. She looks back at me and smiles. I


    realize she is glowing all over. Not her usual faint purple energy. Her aura is the same violet as her


    eyes. Marco looks a little surprised but keeps proceeding. I hear some of the guests murmuring and


    see them pointing.


    When they get to the front, Marco shakes my hand and sits down next to Musu in the front row. Lenora


    helps Kas adjust the train of the dress. Kas turns slightly to make sure she isn¡¯t going to step on the


    dress and I see the back ispletely open down to the small of her back, exposing all of her scars.


    Now everyone will know. Everyone will see her strength. Not just the members of Blood River. All of the


    most influential werewolves in the world are here. The word will spread quickly.


    She turns back around and smiles at me. My heart stops as I look into her eyes. Her makeup is


    beautiful and dramatic. Dark and smudgy like a supermodel. Hell, she looks like a damn supermodel.


    My supermodel. The dark coloring makes her eyes look even more violet.


    I take Kas¡¯s hand and her vibrant purple glow surrounds both of us. The connection feels different than


    normal. It¡¯s more intense, more pure, barely contained. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.


    As she does, the glow softens to what I consider a more reasonable brightness.


    Henri clears his throat to call everyone¡¯s attention. He starts the ceremony, but I barely hear a word he


    says. All I can do is stare at my stunning mate. She is a goddess. I mean, I know she¡¯s a goddess, but


    looking at her right now at this moment, there is no denying it. Everyone else can see it too. We are all


    in the presence of a divine being.


    Henri nudges me. I look over to see he is holding the dagger that Kas and I need to cut our hands with


    I hold out my palm as he makes a slice in my hand. He does the same to Kas and we join hands,cing


    our fingers. I feel a st of energy as our blood mingles. The crowd cheers as drips of bloodnd in the


    bowl beneath our hands. We stay like that until we feel our wolves heal us. Henri wipes the blood off of


    our hands with a cloth, then we exchange rings.


    There is a song and Lenora recites a poem. Then Henri announces that we are allowed to mark each


    other now. I go first.


    ¡°You ready, Baby?¡± I ask quietly. She nods with a smile and turns her head slightly to the side exposing


    her neck to me. I pull her close to me and let Saint take over enough to feel my fangs elongating. I lean


    down and sink them into her shoulder. I hear her gasp and let out a little whimper of pain. I embrace


    her a little tighter knowing I had caused the pain. I finally pull my fangs out and lick her shoulder until


    Lex heals the wound. I untie my bow tie and pull my shirt back so she can do the same. Lenora pulls


    out a footstool for Kas to stand on. We hear a smattering ofughs from the guests. The stool puts her


    at my shoulder height. She pulls on m y shirt so I¡¯m closer to her. She puts one hand behind my neck


    and I feel her fangs extend on m y skin. The sensation makes me shiver. There is a shooting pang of


    pain when her fangs slide below my skin. I feel another pulse of energy before she pulls the fangs out


    and starts licking the wound.


    ¡°Ladies, gentlemen, non-gendered beings, there are only two things left to do,¡± Henri announces, ¡°First,


    by the power vested in me by the Elder Council of Werewolves, I hereby present you Alpha Regent


    Bronx Mason and Goddess Luna Regent Iokaste Mason.¡±


    ¡°And finally,¡± Henri announces, ¡°Alpha Regent Bronx Andreas Mason, you may kiss the bride.¡±


    I look at Kas with a huge grin and lean down to kiss her. I put one hand on her lower back and the other


    behind her neck. She wraps a hand behind my neck and the other on my arm. Our lipse together


    as naturally as they always have as I lean her over in a deep kiss. We can hear our guests cheering


    and suddenly they stop.


    I look up suddenly realizing everyone is frozen in time. Mid-p, mid howl. Completely stopped in the


    middle of what they were doing.


    ¡°Kas!?¡± I ask looking around.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can only keep a crowd this size frozen for about three minutes. Are you sure you want to be looking


    at them right now? Cause you could still be kissing me,¡± a devilish grin crosses her face.


    Who am I to deny the request of a Goddess? I pulled her back into my arms and we kiss passionately


    until the audience starts to cheer again. I help her stand upright and I take her hand.


    The guests go wild as Kas and I walk hand in hand down the aisle. Carly ushers us into a little


    room just inside the double doors of the packhouse.


    ¡°You two have fifteen minutes before pictures. Alpha, do not ruin the Luna¡¯s makeup,¡± Carly


    advises with a wink and closes the door.


    I sit down and pull Kas into myp, gently caressing her cheek, ¡°Happy solstice birthday, Mrs. Mason.¡±


    She smiles at me, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Mason. Happy wedding day.¡±


    I bring her closer and gently kiss her soft lips. She leans in and reciprocates.


    I pull back and look her in the eyes. She is beautiful. Everything about this woman is beautiful. Her


    eyes, her lips, her hair. I want to kiss her, but I don¡¯t want to stop looking at her either. Milo was right


    about her scent. It¡¯s more intoxicating than it has ever been be


    ¡°Is everything alright, Bronx? You look¡­ googly-eyed,¡± Kas tilts her head with a little smile.


    ¡°I want to kiss you but I don¡¯t want to stop admiring you, my little goddess. What if I blink and you


    disappear?¡±


    She takes my hands and ces them on her midsection. Slowly moving them for me ¨C over her


    breasts, down between her legs, ¡°If you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll disappear, you should memorize every part of me


    with your eyes and your hands.¡±


    I explore her body with my hands. Using my fingertips to make her shiver on sensitive spots and my


    hands spread wide and t onrger areas. She looks at me through her eyshes as she softly


    moans.


    There was a knock and Carly announces it¡¯s time for pictures. We both sigh with a groan at the


    interruption. I stand Kas up and make sure she is presentable before I lead her out of the room.


    The guests have been moved to the ballroom and it is just the wedding party and family left. The


    photographer snaps all the pictures at a blistering pace.


    Before I know it, we are being ushered into the reception. Toasts are given, food is eaten, the cake is


    cut. Her bridesmaids surprise her with a cupcake and a candle so everyone can sing Happy Birthday to


    her. She fights back tears and tells me its another first for her, people singing Happy Birthday in her


    honor.


    ¡°Make a wish, Mrs. Mason,¡± I whisper in her ear before she blows out the candle and smiles, waving to


    the cheering crowd.


    Kas let me pick the song for our first dance, she wants to be surprised. I chose Stay With You b y John


    Legend. She starts to cry a little, but I wipe her tears away before she can ruin her makeup. We dance


    for what seems like no time at all before Kas and I are being pulled away to change into our robes for


    the Solstice blessing and pack run.


    We change quickly and head back downstairs. When we get back to the tform, the entire yard has


    been transformed. There were no chairs, just open space surrounding us. People are being given


    robes to change in the pool house. Omegas are taking clothes back to tents and guest rooms as


    peoplee out. It is like a well-oiled machine.


    At eleven forty-five, I motion for everyone to quiet down. I give my speech talking about a year of


    prosperity, peace, unity, and health for all werewolf kind as well as our new found allies in the coven.


    As the clock ticks to midnight, we all disrobe and shift. There is a collective howl at the moon and we¡¯re


    off.


    Saint is so happy to be running alongside Lex. They haven¡¯t been allowed to spend time together since


    they fought in the dungeon. We make a giant loop around the territory, then wolves split off into smaller


    groups. Saint and Lex go off on their own for some private time together before heading back to the


    packhouse.


    Letting Saint and Lex out opens the floodgate to our own desires. As soon as we shift back to human


    form, I pick her up and carry Kas up the stairs to our apartment, ravishing her and kissing her. I wish I


    could say it was a romantic bridal style but it was not. She ispletely wrapped around me while I am


    grabbing her ass to keep her from falling. Someone drapes a robe over her as we make our way up the


    main staircase. We don¡¯t care that there are people still lingering in the halls as I push her against the


    wall to kiss her deeper. We just need to be with each other. We kiss and grab at each other frantically


    until we get to the apartment and m the door behind us. We don¡¯t even wait to get to the bedroom to


    get our wedding night started.

 Chapter 84

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 84


    Kas¡¯s POV


    It takes a lot of convincing, but I finally talk Bronx out of bringing James or Marco on our honeymoon.


    He very begrudgingly agrees and only because, as a wedding gift, Henri arranged for one of his


    warriors to be our personal driver for the two-week trip. His name is Francis. He¡¯s not nearly as burly as


    James or Marco, so I was skeptical as to why Henri would send him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let looks deceive you, Kas. Francis is Henri¡¯s right-hand man. He¡¯s a technician. I wouldn¡¯t want


    to meet him in a dark alley,¡± Bronx says looking off into space, ¡°Actually, you could probably learn a


    thing or two from him when you¡¯re ready to get into weapons training. I¡¯ll talk to Henri.¡±


    I look at the unassuming man with short bleach-blonde hair, wearing a ck suit and white dress shirt.


    He¡¯s a chain smoker but somehow doesn¡¯t smell like cigarettes. Regardless of who he is when he isn¡¯t


    driving us around Paris, he is very polite and amodating while he does. 2


    On the first night after dinner, Francis has to shoo away paparazzi and escort us quickly into the car as


    a crowd starts to gather when we are leaving the restaurant. Bronx had warned me that the human


    world is different, photographers may be aggressive and try to take our picture but I didn¡¯t realize it


    would be twenty people at a time. He puts his hand on the small o fmy back and holds me close to his


    side while Francis safely gets us to the sedan. More shes go off trying to get our picture through the


    tinted ss. .


    ¡°Bronx, why are they so adamant to get our picture?¡± I ask watching them knock on the window


    begging for Bronx to roll it down and answer questions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you in the morning, Baby,¡± he sighs, sounding frustrated.


    In the morning, he shows me the newspaper the hotel brings with breakfast. Sure enough, there we


    were on the sixth page. The headline reads ¡®Wedding Bells for Billionaire Mason?¡¯ in smaller letters


    below, it says ¡®World¡¯s Most Eligible Bachelor, Officially Off the Market¡¯.The short article called him


    mysterious and called me a petite bombshell, possibly an up-anding model. Maybe even an indie


    rock star based on my unusual hair and eye color. They even try to guess how much he spent on my


    wedding rings. There is a grainy picture of us having dinner in the restaurant. The next one is of us


    leaving the restaurant hand in hand smiling. The next is Bronx looking mad, pulling me closer to his


    side and Francis moving into the frame to protect us. The third was an extreme closeup of my wedding


    rings.


    ¡°Why do people care? It¡¯s not their business,¡± I growl a little, looking at the article. I¡¯m sitting on hisp


    munching on some blueberries.


    ¡°It¡¯s the human world. I¡¯m known as the owner of a really bigpany. I try not to put myself out there


    for the world to see. When humans don¡¯t see me out and about very much they be curious. They


    don¡¯t know my position in the werewolf world. Now they find out I¡¯m suddenly in Paris with a beautiful


    woman no one¡¯s seen before. It¡¯s big news for the tabloids.


    Humans are nosy. They¡¯re curious about what someone like me does when they¡¯re not working, that¡¯s


    all,¡± he says as he kisses my neck


    Think about it, what¡¯s a big, ugly, one-eyed lug like me, doing with an,¡± he points at a line in the article,


    ¡°¡®unidentified, up anding bombshell of an indie rockstar model¡¯ like you?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, ording to this, you¡¯re letting me siphon all your money. Wait! Who would say that?!¡± I put


    the paper down in a huff. 2


    ¡°They just make up crap to get attention, Baby. Ignore it. My corporatemunications team already


    has a press release out with the info we want people to know. People will be putting a name to your


    face and if they do an inte search, they will find basic info that my team has put together. Your


    name, fake age, where you were born, but that¡¯s about it.¡± 1


    I cross my arms to sulk. I don¡¯t like the idea of people poking around trying to find out about m


    e.


    Lex chimes in, ¡°Kas, they called you a model. I told you people would realize how beautiful you are.


    Besides, there is literally nothing they can find out about you,¡± she purrs trying to look at the bright side.


    ¡°Thanks, Lex, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± She says with a smug voice.


    ***


    Based on pictures and television shows I¡¯ve seen about Paris, it¡¯s beautiful beyond every expectation.


    Francis knows all the shortcuts around the city and how to avoid crowds. We get t o do so many cool


    things: private tours of art museums and cathedrals, even the Pce of Versailles. Lex says we lived


    there once, she has fond memories as we walk around.


    Oh, and we don¡¯t just do one food tour, we do three of them. Three! One is just for pastries and


    desserts, one is for cheeses, and thest one is wine and food pairing. I don¡¯t usually like to drink, but


    Bronx insists that to level up my cooking game, I need to understand different wine profiles. It isn¡¯t as


    bad as I expected. With our wolf senses, I¡¯m able to taste all the different vors the sommeliers


    exin and what types of foods they are best served with. They let me ask a ton of questions and take


    notes on my little notepad. Bronx just sits back watching me scribble furiously in my little book. I


    probably won¡¯t drink regrly but at least I can n for what should be served when I cook for other


    people. 1


    As promised, Bronx also takes me to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The view is gorgeous. You can see the


    whole city. He surprises me with a dozen purple roses. We even get to see another couple get


    engaged while they are taking in the sights. It is so cute! I can¡¯t help myself, I give the roses to the


    newly engaged couple. It truly is the city of romance.


    ¡°Lex, are you seeing this?¡± I ask as I look out over the city in awe.


    ¡°Kas, we¡¯ve lived here three times. I¡¯ve seen it all before,¡± she yawns as she rolls her eyes at me and


    goes to curl up in the back of my mind..


    We have to stop at Harry Winston Jewelers. Bronx tells me it¡¯s a pretty formal ce so I put on a nice


    dress and makeup. The sales manager is very nice but has a nervous personality. I think he is


    intimidated by Bronx¡¯s physical size. Anyway, they need my rings for the day so they can appraise


    them for insurance purposes.


    I look at my empty finger and frown a little as the assistant takes my rings away. Another assistant


    comes over with another band for me to wear until Ie back for my rings.


    ¡°Five carat tinum eternity band with emerald-cut diamonds, Madame,¡± the assistant says i n a heavy


    French ent, handing me the sparkly ring on a little velvet tray.


    I look at Bronx quizzically. I don¡¯t care how much money he has, if he bought this ring, I¡¯m going to kill


    him.


    ¡°Go ahead, Baby. It¡¯s a loaner until you get yours back tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t buy it,¡± he says


    as he signs some paperwork. I swear I hear him say ¡®yet¡¯ under his breath, but he denys


    it.


    I pick up the ring and slide it on my finger. It¡¯s beautiful but not mine. It feels awkward and heavy. I¡¯m


    not going toin though. I appreciate they have a substitute for me while they have my actual


    rings.


    We speak with the manager a little longer, discussing a ne for Sandy¡¯s birthday. She is going to


    be fifty, so Bronx wants to get her something special. The manager takes notes and lets us know he


    will send pictures of sketches in a week.


    As soon as we get in the car, I realize I forgot my phone inside.


    ¡°Oh crap! Bronx, I have to go back in. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I say, stepping out of the car.


    ¡°Kas, we¡¯ll send Francis in,¡± he pulls on my hand as he tries to get me toe back inside the sedan.


    ¡°Bronx, the door is right there. I don¡¯t even need to cross the street. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I quickly give him


    a peck on the cheek and jump out of the sedan before he can stop me.


    I push open the heavy door to the store and walk up to the manager¡¯s desk. He¡¯s looking at me with


    wide eyes and his hands in the air.


    ¡°Hello! I forgot my phone. I just need to get it b-. Is everything alright, sir?¡± I ask with my head tilted


    when I realize he smells like pure fear.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He flicks his eyes behind me quickly. I turn around to see three masked men armed with semi


    automatic guns pointed at us. 1


    I slowly raise my hands in the air as well, ¡°Oh crap.¡±


    ¡°Hey Randall, isn¡¯t that the girl from the society page?¡± One of the men says in a British ent.


    ¡°Yeah, I think it is. She married that MasonCo guy. Jimmy, grab ¡®er. She¡¯s gonna be worth a couple of


    bucks.¡±


    As he says that, rms sound from all around the store. Heavy sheets of metal m down on all the


    windows and the door, blocking out the world.


    ¡°Bronx¡­ummm¡­there¡¯s a problem,¡± I say, opening up a mind link to him.


    ¡°Kas, what the fuck just happened?¡± I hear him say in my mind. I hear pounding on the metal security


    barrier at the same time.


    ¡°The store is being robbed,¡± I gulp, ¡°There¡¯s three armed men in here who want to kidnap me.

 Chapter 85

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 85


    ¡°Shit! Don¡¯t do anything crazy, Kas. We¡¯re in the human world,¡± he urges me, ¡°I already hear police


    sirens, be careful, Baby. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, nothing crazy. Got it. I love you, too,¡± I say nervously. I have never really spent time in the


    human world except for when Bronx has taken me out. I am notpletely sure what constitutes crazy


    in this specific scenario. I try to recall all the training James and Marco have


    given me.


    ¡°Hey! Girlie, what did you just do with yer eyes there? What kind of contacts you wearin¡¯?¡± The first


    man says. Referring to my eyes clouding over from the mind link.


    ¡°Sir, I-I¡¯m just here to get my cell phone,¡± I say backing up as the man I assume is Jimmy approaches


    me, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt.¡±


    The manughs and grabs me by the arm. I easily break the hold and punch him in the face, breaking


    his nose, then chop him in the throat as hard as I can, making him fall to the floor choking and


    coughing on his own blood. The other two men aim their guns directly at me.


    I feel the energy building in me letting me freeze time and run over to the store manager, pulling him


    down below the counter.


    ¡°Sir, how do we get out?¡± I ask the man who is confused as to what is happening.


    ¡°How did you get over here?¡± He looks at me, confused with panic in his voice.


    ¡°Please, sir. There¡¯s no time to exin. We have about five minutes before they start moving again.


    How do we get out of here?¡±


    ¡°The police. They will open the security gates from outside,¡± he tries to look around the deskt o see the


    armed men, but I take him by the shoulders and stop him.


    ¡°Shit. Okay. You need to hide, sir. Where is the rest of your staff?¡± I look out from behind our hiding


    spot, ¡°you have probably three minutes to hide.¡±


    ¡°In the panic room, but it locks behind them until the police open it. I- I suppose I can go into the


    lockbox room. But Madame, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I was made for this. I have training from my personal guards. You just stay back here and


    hide. If you can make it to that room safely, do it. But whatever you do, don¡¯t look out from behind this


    desk. I have to get back out there before they realize I¡¯ve moved.¡±


    He looks at me like I¡¯m insane. He probably thinks I am. I¡¯m not worried about it, anyone he tells the


    story to will think he is delusional with fear.


    I go back out to the main area and stand approximately where I was before. I release my hold o n time


    and watch the man with a broken nose go back to writhing in pain on the floor.


    ¡°Hey, I said I didn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt,¡± I warn.


    ¡°Just let me shift and handle this, Kas,¡± Lex snarls.


    ¡°No, Lex, you heard Bronx. They¡¯re human. We can¡¯t let them see you,¡± I scold, ¡°Trust me, I would like


    nothing more than to set you loose right now. Just lend me some strength, alright? We need to get out


    of this safely to get back to our mate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but what about our sister?¡± Lex asks.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Lex? Lenora isn¡¯t here,¡± I ask, confused at her question.


    Before she can exin herself, the second man grabs my arm and roughly pulls me into his chest. He


    smells like old cheese and bacon grease. Gross. He puts the gun up under my chin. The cold metal is


    ufortable as he presses it hard against me.


    I take my raised hands and quickly reach for his wrists. I easily flip him over, grabbing the barrel of the


    gun, pulling it to the left of my body in case it goes off, just like Marco taught me. The mannds hard


    on the ground with a thud, releasing his grip on the gun. I kneel down and use the butt to hit him in the


    face, then throw it as far away from him as I can. I can¡¯t believe it worked just like Marco showed me.


    His eye swells up almost instantly as he rolls around on the ground groaning.


    I hear the click of the safety being turned off on the third man¡¯s gun. I turn to face him, putting my


    hands back in the air. He fires a shot and grazes my cheek. I feel Lex already starting to heal the


    wound. In my training, James had shown me how to avoid flinching when being attacked by looking at


    the assant directly in the eye. It took a lot of practice, but I finally mastered it a few weeks ago. I hear


    banging on the security door and Bronx¡¯s muffled shouts from the other side.


    ¡°What in heaven¡¯s name? Didn¡¯t you feel that?¡± the man asks incredulously.


    ¡°Yes, I did, sir but that doesn¡¯t mean I need to flinch. I already told you I didn¡¯t want to hurt your friends,


    but they tried to grab me. I had no choice,¡± I say praying that he doesn¡¯t fire again. I used most of my


    energy to stop time already, I don¡¯t know if I will be able to hold it a second time right now. I faintly hear


    an odd series of metallic clicks and ticks but I can¡¯t risk breaking eye contact to see where it ising


    from or what is causing it.


    A red dot appears on the side of the man¡¯s head followed by a quiet thump sound. Blood stters all


    over. I feel it on my face and look down to see it all over my light pink dress. I look back up and see


    blood gushing out of his head before he falls to the ground, staring at me with ssy eyes.


    I look up to see a small window has been cut through the metal security gates. Someone in a dark


    mask is pointing a gun inside the store. Just as I notice it, the person pulls the gun away and peaks in


    the hole quickly, then disappears. I swear on my life, I think I saw violet eyes through the hole. I could


    be wrong, but I don¡¯t think so. I sniff the air, but all I smell is the metallic scent of blood. I look back


    down and finally absorb the fact that the man who tried to shoot me is dead.


    I feel nauseous. Someone just shot and killed that guy. I look back up at the little hole cut into the


    security gate, but suddenly the metal slides open and it is gone from view. Police officers rush in,


    aiming their guns at the two robbers still rolling on the ground. Bronx and Francise in right behind


    them and pull me out of the store.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 86

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 86


    ¡°Are you hurt, Baby?¡± Bronx asks, wiping the blood from my face with his sleeve.


    I shake my head no, but I¡¯m having trouble finding words. I look down and wipe my hands on my dress,


    the blood drops smear. I can feel tears stinging my eyes as I look at Bronx. Someone killed that man.


    My mouth opens and closes a couple of times but I can¡¯t seem to form words.


    ¡°Francis, please get the Luna in the car. I will tell the police if they need a statement, they need toe


    to the hotel. I¡¯ll get the list of detectives so we can get them cleared through MasonCo before we let


    anyone up to see her,¡± I hear Bronx say. I feel Francis gently guiding me.


    ¡°Kas, Baby, it¡¯s going to be alright. I will be there in just a minute, okay?¡± Bronx says to me as Francis


    leads me away into the sedan.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    Of course, I leave Kas alone for one minute and trouble follows. I will say, thank the Goddess she has


    had such good self-defense training. It probably saved her life. I look at the assholes Kas attacked. You


    wouldn¡¯t know the damage was caused by a five-foot-three she-wolf. It may as well have been James


    or Marco to do this to them.


    I talk to the police and have them send a list of detectives who will want to speak to her directly to my


    head of security for MasonCo¡¯s Paris office. I then contact the office to let them know what¡¯s going on


    and request they have a private werewolf doctore to the hotel right


    away.


    I get in the car. As soon as the door closes, Francis starts racing to the hotel. Kas looks like she i s in


    shock now. I pull her into myp and cover her with my jacket.


    ¡°Okay, Baby. Talk to me. Are you alright?¡± I turn her face to look me in the eye.


    ¡°Someone shot that man. H-his blood is on me,¡± she says nkly. She¡¯s looking at me but she might as


    well be a thousand miles away. I pull her close to me and rub her arm. I need to keep her talking. Try to


    avoid her falling into a vision.


    ¡°Who shot him, Baby? Did you take someone¡¯s gun? Were you trying to defend yourself?¡± I ask. If


    somehow this goes to court, I need to know if she killed the guy so I can have defense attorneys ready.


    ¡°My sister?¡± she says looking out the window nkly.


    What the Hell is she talking about? We haven¡¯t found any of her sisters.


    We reach the hotel in record time. Francis pulls up to a door in the back and opens the sedan door. I


    carry Kas through the kitchen and up a service elevator to our suite. Francis stays outside to screen


    anyone who wants to get in.


    I take Kas directly into the bathroom and strip the soiled clothes off of her. I start the shower and help


    her step inside. I realize she is just standing there, in shock, not able to clean herself, so I strip off my


    clothes and get in with her. Please Goddess, don¡¯t let this be her undoing


    As soon as I step into the shower, the floodgates finally burst inside her. She¡¯s hysterical. I


    pull her close and wrap my arms around her as she cries loudly. A soft purple glow starts to


    grow around us.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. That man died because of me,¡± she wails.


    ¡°No, Baby. That man died because he tried to rob a store and take hostages. He died because of his


    greed and stupidity. You just happened to be there. None of this is your fault,¡± I say soothing her.


    When her crying finally softens into little hups, I take a washcloth and clean the rest of the blood off


    her face and arms. I help her out of the shower and into a soft fluffy robe. When I¡¯m sure she isn¡¯t going


    to start glowing in front of the doctor or the detectives that will being, I lead her into the sitting


    room so the doctor can look her over.


    He asks her a bunch of questions and checks her vitals.


    He assures us that she will be fine after a good night of rest and not to let the police upset her. He


    gives me a prescription to help calm her nerves if she needs it. I thank him and show him t o the door


    just as Francis is ready to bring in two detectives and a MasonCo trantor. The


    antor is a wolf, so I know they will make sure the correct message gets through.


    I warn them what the doctor just said and that I have no problems kicking them out as they sit to


    question Kas. I pull her into myp and let the detectives do their job. Kas is a trooper and answers as


    many questions as she can without crying.


    They ask how she was able to take down two of the three men.


    ¡°Back home I have two bodyguards, James and Marco, they have trained me how to protect myself in


    case I¡¯m ever on my own. I just did what they taught me, sir,¡± Kas sniffles.


    ¡°Well, you did a good job, Mrs. Mason. About the third man. We know you didn¡¯t shoot him, the bullet


    doesn¡¯t match the caliber of guns any of the men were using. Do you know who shot him?


    Kas looks up with tears in her eyes, ¡°No sir. I-I heard some clicking sounds, then I saw a red dot on his


    face, then he-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright Mrs. Mason. You don¡¯t need to exin the rest. Thank you for your time and I hope you will


    still be able to enjoy our beautiful city. If there is anything else you remember or if you need any police


    assistance, please give us a call,¡± the detectives say through the trantor, handing me a business


    card before being escorted out.


    I¡¯m about to cancel our dinner reservation when Kas insists that she still wants to go. She just needs a


    nap. After a three-hour nap, she does seem much better. We have reservations at a Michelin-rated


    restaurant that evening. The chef hears Bronx Mason and his new wife were in his establishment, so


    he invites us back to the kitchen for a tour. The food is spectacr and Kas is totally into the kitchen


    tour. The chef patiently answers all her questions about cooking techniques and vors. He even gives


    her his phone number and says to call anytime if she wants to trade ideas with him. Seriously.


    Everyone loves this woman. How could they not?

 Chapter 87

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 87


    Kas¡¯s POV


    The spindles of the staircases in the apartment building are ornately decorated metal that looks like


    gold. You can look up the center and see all the way up to the ornate ceiling. It was a n odd contrast to


    the modern-looking pictures Lenora had shown us.


    We climb the stairs to a in oak door on the fourth floor. Voices and hammering areing from


    inside. Bronx knocks but gets no reply so he opens the door without waiting. We peek in and see a


    flurry of construction workers in white jumpsuits.


    Igo to step inside but Bronx holds his arm out and stops me. He turns and picks me up bridal style and


    carries me over the threshold.


    ¡°Sorry, but we were too preupied to do that on our wedding night. I wanted to do it properly for this


    new ce,¡± he grins and kisses me on the nose, making me giggle, before putting me down. A man


    with a thick mustache and beard approaches us. I can smell he is human.


    ¡°Monsieur Mason, we were not expecting you until tomorrow. We are almost finished with the


    renovations,¡± he says in a thick ent.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Pierre. I¡¯m early. I couldn¡¯t wait to show my wife our new ce. Is it alright if I show her


    around?¡± he says cing his hand on the small of my back.


    ¡°Oui, Monsieur, but of course. We are finished upstairs if you want to start there. Whenever you are


    ready to add furniture, I will bring a team in to take care of the instation.¡± 1


    ¡°Good man, Pierre. Merci,¡± Bronx says as he shakes the man¡¯s hand. He takes my hand and we head


    upstairs. He exins that Pierre and his team work for MasonCo and they are installing security


    equipment, not justpleting renovations.


    The second floor is like nothing I have ever seen. One wall has floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls are


    all pure white and the floors are a lightly stained hardwood. Our feet echo as we walk through. There is


    a walk-in closet simr to what we have at home. The huge bathroom is all marble with a modern-


    looking light fixture.


    Bronx sits on the floor and tells me to go explore. He pulls out his cell phone and takes pictures of me. I


    scrunch my face and stick my tongue out at him.


    ¡°Just makes you look cuter!¡± He teases with a smile, ¡°So what color do you want to paint?¡±


    I look at the walls and think for a moment, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to paint. I like the white. You know, I have


    never had a ce to decorate before.¡±


    Bronx tilts his head like it is hard for him to imagine, ¡°Okay, so how do you want to decorate?¡±.


    ¡°I think I would like something pretty modern. It will make it easy to keep clean.¡±


    ¡°Baby, we can get someone to clean the ce,¡± heughs.


    ¡°No way, Mister Mason. I clean my own ce.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± he shrugs.


    ¡°How did you find this ce anyway?¡± I ask as I wander around.


    ¡°I started looking for something as soon as we had the conversation about how much she liked France.


    I came here during the days you were at the coven. Since you felt it was a big part of our rtionship, I


    wanted to make it more special for you. When the realtor sent me the pictures, I knew right away it was


    the apartment for my little goddess,¡± he says with a smile.


    The other two bedrooms are simr but smaller with regr closets. I can¡¯t get over howrge this


    ce is. Two of our apartments back home could fit on this one floor.


    ¡°Lenora said this ce was a modest size, Bronx,¡± I say as I wander around.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah,pared to other properties I own it is. The difference is,¡± hees up behind me and slides


    his arms around my waist, ¡°this one is in your name.¡±


    My eyes widen and I turn around in his arms, ¡°What? When Lenora said you got an apartment, I figured


    you got an apartment under MasonCo or your name or something. Th-this is mine?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Baby. This is yours,¡± he smiles as he looks at me with a twinkling green eye, ¡°there is just one


    piece of paperwork you need to sign when we get home to make it official.¡±


    I grab both sides of his face and pull him toward me, kissing him deeply. I pull away long enough to


    say, ¡°You need to stop spoiling me.¡±


    ¡°Try and stop me,¡± he responds, kissing me again.


    We finally head back downstairs and look around some more. The kitchen is seriously to die for. The


    counter is made of marble, so I don¡¯t need a stone to roll out the dough. There¡¯s a six burner range, two


    ovens, and a giant refrigerator that looks like part of the cabry.


    Pierre approaches us as we finish looking around, ¡°Well, Madame Mason, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Pierre, I can¡¯t wait toe here all the time. We will make another trip to pick out furniture soon.


    Thank you so much for everything,¡± I gush.


    He bows, ¡°My pleasure, Madame and at your service. Just let Madame Lenora know when you will be


    back and I will be here myself to oversee the work.¡±


    We say our goodbyes and head back to the jewelers to collect my rings. Bronx makes me stay i n the


    car this time. He takes the loaner ring back and collects my rings. Hees back out with my rings in a


    little blue box. We drive away as I open the box to find he has also purchased the loaner ring.


    ¡°BRONX! I told you not to buy that for me!¡± I whine.


    He doesn¡¯t answer. He simply takes it out of the box and puts it on my right-hand ring finger with a


    smile. He kisses me deeply, melting my willpower and immediately forgiving him.


    After another two days of Parisienne bliss, it is time to head home. I sit on Bronx¡¯sp most of the way


    as we trade kisses, soft touches, and words just meant just for each other.

 Chapter 88

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 88


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    Once we get home, we settle back into our regr routines. Most notably, training. In addition to the


    private defense lessons she still takes with James and Marco, Kas starts joining training sessions with


    the pack warriors in the mornings too. She¡¯s a firecracker. We quickly find she is too strong to fight with


    the female warriors. They¡¯re not even a challenge for her after a couple of months. She and Lex are


    getting stronger by the day. Once we put her in the ring with the male warriors, she¡¯s vicious. Don¡¯t get


    me wrong. It is hard to watch all those guys put their hands on my mate. It is even more difficult not to


    step in the ring and attack someone when she takes a hard hit or kick. I do my best to hold myself


    back. Kas can take down most warriors twice her weight, except for some of the most elite who have


    been fighting for years. But it is evident even some of them are doomed, it¡¯s only a matter of time a s


    she learns more techniques. I told her I¡¯m only willing to fight her once she can beat Milo, so that


    seems to be her goal.


    The day finallyes when she gets to face Reggie. He looks terrified. How the Hell is he supposed to


    try to beat up a woman who is not only his Luna but also basically his little sister.


    ¡°Bronx, don¡¯t make me do this, man,¡± he calls from the center of the ring. The warriors around the ring


    giggle and boo at him.


    ¡°Do you submit to Kas, Reggie? Cause if you do, Milo¡¯s up!¡± I call back to him with a smirk.


    He looks at Kas who is already in a defensive stance, ¡°Come on Reggie, don¡¯t be a weenie,¡± she taunts


    with an adorable little growl.


    Laughs and jeerse from around the ring. Reggie just drops his shoulders and looks at her


    helplessly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You guys can call me what you want but I can¡¯t do that to Kas. I submit,¡± Reggie says with


    his hands in the air.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see James and Marco give each other a high five. They should be proud.


    They have done a great job training her.


    ¡°Alright, Beta Milo, looks like it¡¯s your lucky day,¡± the lead trainer bids Milo into the ring.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Milo, cocky as ever, climbs in with his signature goofy-ass grin and waves to the crowd before facing


    Kas. The crowd around the ring cheers and beats the mat loudly.


    ¡°She¡¯s gonna murder him,¡± Saint quips happily.


    ¡°You think? Ghost is pretty strong, you know.¡±


    ¡°Trust me. I know my mate better than anyone. Besides you, Ghost is my best friend. Lex is stronger,¡±


    he confirms.


    ¡°Aww, I¡¯m your best friend?¡± I coo at him.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and watch the beat down, dummy,¡± he snarls at me.


    ¡°Alright, you both know the rules. Fight until there¡¯s a tap out, three-second pin, or knock out, Oh and


    wolf strength only, no using your abilities, Luna,¡± the trainer announced, ¡°You both ready?¡±


    Kas nods,pletely locked in on her target. She looks like she could rip Milo to shreds without even


    touching him. I have never seen her look so determined. It¡¯s sexy as Hell.


    Milo hops back and forth from one foot to the other and ps as he yells out, ¡°Let¡¯s go little sister!¡±


    The trainer steps out of the way. Kas and Milo stare each other down as they size each other u p. Milo


    is a foot taller than Kas and more than a hundred pounds heavier than her. He¡¯s not as big as me but


    she¡¯s so petite, I¡¯m not sure what her n of attack is going to be. Kick his kneecaps?


    Milo tries toying with Kas. pping her with his long reach. The sound can be heard across the ring.


    Sounds of oohinge from spectators around the ring. I can feel anger rising in my chest. I can¡¯t tell if


    it ising from her, Saint, or just me watching someone try to attack my mate. I fight the urge to jump


    in the ring and stop him as he starts to grapple with her. 1


    She is so little she¡¯s able to slip out of all of his holds. Elbowing his ribs, kicking his shins, raking his


    eyes. All of her moves have to be perfect to make up for her small size. James and Marco have turned


    her into a true technician when ites to self-defense. She has no fear and she was able to think on


    her feet. I can¡¯t wait to see what Francis is able to teach her. Milo gets in a few jabs and body shots, but


    she isn¡¯t phased.


    Milo makes the first big lung


    ectly for her midsection. She anticipates and jumps u p, kicking him square in the nose drawing first


    blood. He drops with a thud after losing his forward momentum and rolls out of the way, preventing her


    fromnding a heel kick between his shoulder des.


    Milo stays crouched and gets his bearings, wiping blood from his nose. He has a huge grin on his face


    realizing how much of a challenge she actually is as an opponent. Kas inches toward him, trying to


    gauge his reach and speed. He lunges at her again, now with more power using his wolf strength


    coming from all fours. He hooks her around the waist like a football tackle, making me flinch. Everyone


    can see the contact knocks the wind being out of her but before she hits the ground, she¡¯s able to get


    one arm under his. She uses the backward momentum to her advantage and uses a modified jiu-jitsu


    throw, arching her back and letting his body roll over hers as she falls. She grunts loudly as she throws


    his weight to the mat making himnd t on his back with a hard thud, knocking the wind out of him.


    He has no time to react as shees down, she rolls on top of him, straddling her weight directly over


    his chest with her knees pinning his arms.


    She relentlessly starts to punch him as hard as she can over and over. She¡¯s a bit like a Tasmanian


    devil. She¡¯s so little, she has to lift her weight off of him with every hit to get enough leverage. Each


    time she raises herself, her knees dig further into the insides of Milo¡¯s biceps, cutting off cirction,


    making it impossible for him to move his arms up to lift her off or protect himself.


    ¡°I taught her that,¡± Marco says proudly as he ps me on the back. I smile as I watch her smack the


    actual snot out of Milo. He finally has enough and taps out.


    Saint is howling and bouncing off the walls of my mind.


    Kas rolls off of Milo onto her back, panting hard, raising her arm in victory. The bystanders cheer her


    name and howl as they beat the edge of the mat.


    I see her lean over to make sure Milo was okay. I hear him say his pride would be bruised for weeks


    but Ghost was already healing him otherwise.


    She sits up and I can see a little blooding from a cut above her eye. She is still panting and


    sweating profusely, ¡°Hey Alpha!¡±


    The other warriors quiet down and look at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re next. One month from today,¡± she smiles. She puts two fingers up to her eyes then turns them


    toward me. She turns to her guards, ¡°James, Marco, we got extra work ahead of us the next few


    weeks.¡±


    The fighters standing around the ring started howling and oohing at her tenacity. I sh her a smile and


    a nod as people p me on the back and shove me. I love this woman.

 Chapter 89

    Forever In The Past And Forever In The Future By Neener Chapter 89


    89


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I can¡¯t believe Lex and I beat Milo and Ghost the first time we sparred with them. I thought for sure it


    would take three or four times, but Lex was determined. She is gloating like you would not believe. But


    we both know it would take a lot more to beat Bronx and Saint, though. 1


    Right now, I have other things to worry about. I have two very important meetings today and I have my


    two midterms for school.


    Bronx and I walk back to the packhouse. He gives me some tips on how to make some of my moves


    even stronger by leveraging my body weight. He puts his sweaty arm around me and tells me how


    proud he is of me. Which, quite honestly, is one of the bestpliments he could possibly give me


    We get cleaned up for the day and I put on some more business-appropriate clothespared to what


    I usually wear. I give myself a look in the mirror, satisfied with what the woman I see.


    ¡°You know, Baby, after these meetings today, there¡¯s no going back. Wheels are in motion that can¡¯t be


    stopped easily,¡± he says, looking at me through the mirror.


    I took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m excited for both.¡± I smile at him with a wink.


    We go hand in hand down to his office. I go directly to his private library and wait for the first


    appointment. After half an hour, hees in with Musu.


    ¡°Musu, this is your client,¡± he motions to me.


    ¡°Luna Kas?¡± she says, looking at Bronx, then back at me.


    ¡°Please, Musu, sit. Let¡¯s discuss your special assignment,¡± I motion to the leather chair in front of me.


    We spend the next two hours exining about the Menae, how we want to go about finding them, and


    as many details, we already know. I exin that the library will be avable for her reference as


    needed. I would work as closely or as loosely with her as she wanted.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Musu is excited about the opportunity and happy that she will still get to travel and get to help me find


    my family at the same time. We have her sign some NDAs since there are things she needs to know


    and do that even Marco can¡¯t know about.


    We determine she will get started first thing Monday morning. After we are done talking business, we


    take a few minutes to catch up about how she is limating to life at Blood River. She tells us she is


    very happy and shows us that she and Marco have already marked each other. I¡¯m so happy for them. I


    give her a big hug before she leaves.


    Bronx and I have an hour between the time Musu leaves and our next appointment, so we rx on the


    leather sofa in the library. And by rx I mean we grope each other and I give


    Bronx a blow job. It¡¯s one of my favorite things to do for him. I love seeing his reactions when I wrap my


    lips around him. Good thing it¡¯s a soundproof room.


    He¡¯s hovering over me as I have my legs wrapped around him. He¡¯s just about ready to tear my clothes


    off when the inte buzzes and we hear Carly telling us our next appointment is


    waiting.


    ¡°Carly¡¯s lucky I like her,¡± Lex growls. a


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lex. We¡¯ll finish thatter,¡± I purr at her.


    Wepose ourselves and make sure each other¡¯s clothes are straightened, then go out to the main


    office. Two of the human bank managers Bronx does most of his business with are there waiting on us.


    They are very friendly but there is an air of nervousness as Bronx shakes their hands. They are much


    smaller than him. I think the word that best describes them is pasty. I assume they¡¯re intimidated by


    Bronx¡¯s size. Bronx seems oblivious to the awkwardness in the room as he chats happily with the two


    men. Odd, he is usually perceptive to things like that. 3


    ¡°Mister Mason, are you ready to get started?¡± one of the men asks nervously.


    ¡°We¡¯re just waiting on one more person, gentlemen,¡± he reminds them. He introduces me and we


    shake hands. They¡¯re both cold and mmy. Gross, dudes. Get your shit together.


    There¡¯s another knock on the door, breaking the tension in the room.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Bronx calls. Delh peeks in.


    ¡°Hello Al-uhh, Mister Mason,¡± she catches herself when she sees our visitors are already here.


    We move to the conference table and start signing paperwork. Since neither Delh nor I have a credit


    score, we weren¡¯t able to get a loan directly through the bank, so MasonCo opened a division to


    sponsor small start-up businesses. We are the first clients. 2


    When it¡¯s all said and done, Delh and I agree to take a loan from MasonCo to open¡¯ Patisseries de


    Loup Magique¡¯ which means ¡®Magic Wolf Pastries¡¯ in French. Thirty percent of our profits will go directly


    toward the loan until it is paid off and MasonCo takes an fifteen percent of the profits. After that,


    MasonCo takes fifteen percent of profits for a full year, then we are in the clear.


    Delh and I cry and hug each other with excitement as we sign thest paper. Then we shake the


    bank managers¡¯ mmy hands again. Bronx goes back to being jovial and friendly with the men as he


    escorts them out.


    When hees back in, Delh and I run up and hug him, thanking him over and over. 1


    ¡°Bronx, why were those guys so awkward and you were so friendly? Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Oh, Saint may have tried to make an appearance when they were in the room one time, sooo¡­ they


    may or may not think I am generally unhinged. But MasonCo does so much business with them that


    they can¡¯t survive without me,¡± he shrugs andughs as he rubs the back of his neck.


    Before the day is finished, Carly confirms the final details for an appointment Bronx and I have together


    the next day. After being hounded relentlessly by paparazzi for the past few months, whether we are


    together or not, Bronx finally agreed to do an interview with Vanity


    Fair magazine. His MasonCo PR team thoroughly prepares me so I don¡¯t say anything I shouldn¡¯t. The


    photographer and interview team will set up in the conference room at the packhouse. They have us


    dress up in ridiculously fancy clothes and ask benign questions about our rtionship. They also ask


    silly things like our favorite foods and clothing designers. Carly has the cover and the photos from the


    article framed and ced in Bronx¡¯s office.


    Over the next few months, aside from my normal pack duties, I finally finish high school and pass my


    G.E.D. test. Bronx wants to have a little party, but I refuse. I tell him to put the money he would use for


    the party toward a schrship to one of the pack members who wants to got o college. He agrees and


    sets it up, but he still buys me a new apron to celebrate.


    Speaking of aprons, I also keep up with cooking lessons for single pack warriors. Mrs. Miller helps me


    formalize it a little more, setting up a schedule and time slots to keep it more organized.


    Delh and I throw all of the rest of our time into getting our bakery opened. Bronx and James are so


    proud of us. They are really sweet and supportive.


    Three months after we signed the lease, we were able to open our storefront. The store is in the human


    town but we are able to hire pack members to work. The opening day is a huge sess. We sell out of


    everything. The word spreads like wildfire that Bronx Mason¡¯s wife opened a bakery. Everyone is


    impressed at how good the pastries are with baguette being our specialty. Sometimes people who are


    clearly just photographers or journalistse in to catch a glimpse of me. James and Marco quietly


    escort them out when it happens. In the first month, we book four weddings, two baby showers, and a


    sweet sixteen birthday. We also sign a couple of contracts for local businesses to provide breakfast


    sandwiches once a week.


    Two years ago, I would have never imagined my life could be what it is today. I went from a weak,


    broken ve to a confident, sessful Luna. I have a mate who loves me unconditionally, friends who


    are like family, and a sessful business. I feel like I¡¯m on top of the world and I never want toe


    down.


    I know there will be challenges in the future but I am confident that with Bronx and my friends and


    family¡¯s support, I will be able to take everything head-on. I have so much more t o learn about who I


    am and what it means to be a goddess and honestly, I can¡¯t wait.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener. Prologue.


    Epilogue Musu¡¯s POV


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask the caller as the emailes in. I click on the attachment and see the beautiful


    woman that looks simr to Luna Kas but taller. Her hair is tied back in a braid, hidden under her jacket


    with a big floppy hat. She had onrge dark sunsses but in the third photo, she had pulled them


    down to look at something. Her eyes were vibrant purple.


    ¡°Ah, got her! You are a gem! Now, you¡¯re sure you saw her leaving Mayong?¡±


    The voice on the other end confirms the woman¡¯s location.


    ¡°Shit. That is not good. Alright. Keep your distance but don¡¯t lose her. I will let you know the next move.


    I will have the rest of your payment wired to you right away,¡± I hang up and pump my fist in the air, then


    send an email to ounting requesting the wire transfer to my contact.


    I lean back in my seat and breathe a sigh of relief. After four months of chasing ghosts, I finally got a


    lock on one. There were three others that I have leads on, but no confirmation.


    I have had to connect with some seedy people and go to some ces I would never tell Marco about


    for this job but this picture on myptop monitor has made it all worth it. 2


    I pick the phone back up and dial, ¡°Beta, do you want the good news or the bad news?¡± 5


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Copyright Information


    The characters, ces, ideas or events mentioned in this book are purely fiction. The ces, story


    settings, surrounding, and other elements are purely my imagination and fictional. Specific real


    landmarks and brands are referrenced in this story. The characters and events do not rte to any


    person living or dead. The book deals with adult themes, violence, kidnapping, and other triggers are


    mentioned.


    Stealing of any work or content is considered giarism and is a crime.


    All rights reserved.


    Neener_Beener


    2021

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess ¨C Prologue Kas¡¯s POV


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± my wolf Elexis asks when the timer on the oven goes off.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I say confidently, ¡°I refuse to be a prisoner in our own home, Lex.¡±


    I pull the cupcakes out of the oven. Carrot cake caramel ¨C I¡¯ve been experimenting to perfect the recipe


    for my bakery for weeks so we can add it to the fall menu. The little browned mounds of cake finally


    look perfect and smell like heaven. I set them on the cooling rack and make a few notes in my


    notebook before I go get a shower.


    I choose my outfit carefully, a loose, casual dress I can quickly remove with slip-on shoes. Once I¡¯m


    changed, I check myself in the mirror. I don¡¯t look out of ce. People won¡¯t notice anything strange.


    Satisfied with what I see, I go back to the kitchen and put a thickyer of cinnamon cream cheese icing


    on the cupcakes. I add orange and gold sprinkles for effect.


    Sunday is usually myzy day. It¡¯s the day my mate Bronx and I stay in the apartment. We do that so


    my guards can have the day off and so he and I get to spend time together, but since m y birthday a


    little over a month ago, Bronx has decided he has more important things to do than spend time with


    me. 2


    What important things, you ask? Who knows? He won¡¯t tell me. He just says he needs time


    alone with the guys. Which guys, you ask? Who knows? He won¡¯t tell me that either. For the past five


    weeks, he leaves on Sunday morning and doesn¡¯te back until after dinner as if it were no big deal.


    1


    Sorry, I¡¯m being rude. I should introduce myself before Iin too much about my life. My name is


    Kas Mason. I have been the Luna Regent of the Blood River werewolf pack in Montana for a little over


    a year now.


    Bronx hasn¡¯t really been treating me like a Lunately though, more like an afterthought and I am


    getting pretty sick of it. I tried to talk to him about it. I really did, but he brushed me off. H e just rolled


    his eyes at me and walked away, muttering something about always nagging at him.


    Not only has he been leaving me alone on the one day of the week we get to spend together, he has


    also put a substitute guard on duty outside the apartment door. And on top of all that, the guard has


    orders: I¡¯m not allowed to leave the apartment unsupervised. If I leave, the guard needs to tell Bronx


    where I am headed.


    It¡¯s such bullshit. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a child. I don¡¯t even need a guard anymore. I mean, I used t o, but I¡¯m


    much stronger now than when the guards were first assigned to protect me.


    What does Bronx really think is going to happen while I¡¯m in our apartment inside the packhouse,


    anyway? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like Tyree. He is a great guard and a fearsome warrior,


    but it¡¯s just stupid that he needs to be out there when Bronx should be in here with me


    I smooth my clothes and open the apartment door.


    ¡°Is everything alright, Luna?¡± Tyree asks with a concerned look on his face.


    ¡°Oh yeah, no problem, Tyree,¡± I smile innocently at him, ¡°I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to


    try another cupcake? Be my taste tester since the Alpha isn¡¯t here? I think I have perfected the recipe


    this time.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Luna,¡± his dark eyes brighten at the offer of food as he smiles back.


    ¡°Great! You always give the best critiques of my baking.¡± I hand him a te with three cupcakes on it,


    ¡°Dig in! I just want to grab my notebook so I can write down your feedback.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy I can help. Thank you so much, Luna,¡± he nods, raising the cupcake toward me like a beer


    mug


    I open the apartment door just as he takes a big bite of the little cake. I let energy build in my hand,


    making a slight violet aura form around it, and curl my fingers into a fist. Everything around me


    bes deathly still. I look back to see Tyree frozen in time, mid-bite.


    Perfect. I have half an hour before the effect wears off.


    Oh, I forgot to mention; I have supernatural powers. One of them is being able to stop time. If it¡¯s just


    one person, like poor unsuspecting Tyree, for example, it canst for more than half a n hour. If it¡¯s a


    large group of people, I can only hold it for about five minutes before my energy fades. I don¡¯t really


    have time to exin right now. I have to get going.


    I sprint down the hall, down the stairs, and out of the packhouse before anyone can see me. As I race


    to the wood line, I pull my clothes off so I don¡¯t waste time. I pile them under a bush and shift into my


    wolf form.


    Lex shakes out her inky ck fur and bolts deep into the woods.


    ¡°So what are you going to do if you find him?¡± Lex asks as she sprints toward the river.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. That¡¯s between me and Bronx,¡± I huff at her.


    ¡°All riiiight,¡± she replies in a sing-song tone, ¡°Oh! I caught his scent. He¡¯s close.¡±


    We run to the tree line of the Blood River and there he is, hanging out with his buddies. He isughing,


    smoking, and drinking beer like he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world. I try to swallow my anger, but now


    even Lex is mad, which is influencing my emotions.


    ¡°Oh Hell no, Kas. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on with himtely, but sneaking out to drink and smoke,


    that¡¯s just wrong,¡± she snarls, ¡°I thought for sure he was hunting rogues and didn¡¯t want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Shift, Lex.¡±


    ¡°Uh, we don¡¯t have any clothes. Those other guys will see you naked.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I want to talk to him, so shift.¡±


    ¡°Kas, don¡¯t say anything you¡¯ll regret,¡± she says with a worried tone in her voice before she lets me shift


    back to human form.


    I storm out of the woods, naked as the day I was born, and make a beeline for my mate.


    He finally catches my scent and turns to face me with a shocked expression on his face.


    ¡°Kas? What are you doing here?¡± His eye goes ck, showing his wolf, Saint, is at the surface when


    he sees I have no clothes on. He stands up and strides toward me. His surprise turns to anger as he


    tries to block my body from the view of his friends.


    The guys all avert their eyes when they realize I¡¯m not trying to hide myself. It¡¯s one thing for other


    wolves to see you right before and after you shift, but standing around with no clothes o n is a different


    story. Wolves have a tendency to get protective when their mates naked, so covering yourself up as


    soon as possible is usually proper etiquette. Saint pulls the shirt off of Bronx¡¯s body and hastily puts it


    over my head, jerking it down as fast as possible to cover me.


    ¡°What the fuck, Kas?¡± Saint¡¯s deep raspy voice growls from Bronx¡¯s mouth as he grabs me by the


    upper arm and pulls me roughly toward the tree line. His ws are slightly extended, drawing little


    drops of blood from my inner arm.


    ¡°What the fuck, Kas? I think I should be the one asking you that, Saint! And don¡¯t grab me like that!


    You¡¯re hurting me!¡±I growl dangerously at him, yanking my arm away. I can feel the purple aura starting


    to glow all over my body now, ¡°Let me talk to Bronx. Right now!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he crosses his arms and stares me down.


    ¡°Saint, what the Hell are you doing? Let me talk to Bronx.¡±


    ¡°Sending you home. That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing. Why isn¡¯t Tyree watching you?¡± he snarls, avoiding my


    demand.


    I cross my arms, ring at him, and snarl back sarcastically, ¡°He¡¯s taste testing cupcakes.¡±


    I watch his eye flicker back to green as Bronx takes control back from his wolf. ¡°Kas, you need t o leave


    right now. Don¡¯t make me escort you.¡±


    Oh, my Goddess! He is letting Saint control him and treat me like that? I can¡¯t believe this man or his


    wolf!


    I feel my mouth drop in shock, ¡°Bronx, you shouldn¡¯t have to escort me because you should b e AT


    HOME, not out here smoking and drinking! You know you shouldn¡¯t be out here, otherwise you would


    be at the packhouse doing it. Not out where no one will look for you.¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH KAS! GO HOME,¡± he roars in his Alpha tone.


    Lex growls quietly in my mind, ¡°I hate to say it, but justply, Kas. Let¡¯s get out of here. Please. It¡¯s


    not worth arguing with him when he¡¯s clearly been drinking. We can deal with himter.¡±


    (This conversation is NOT over, Bronx Mason,¡± I take his shirt off and throw it at him before I shift and


    Lex runs home.


    I get to the edge of the woods by the packhouse and hastily throw on the dress. I pick up the shoes,


    putting them on as I run back up to my apartment. Tyree is still frozen in ce, mid cupcake bite. I grab


    my notepad from the apartment and step back out, unfurling my fingerst o unfreeze him.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, Luna. The cinnamon in the frosting really makes it perfect.¡± Tyree nods as he finishes the


    first bite.


    ¡°Great! I¡¯m so happy you like it!¡± I smile brightly. ¡°Well, you can keep the rest. I¡¯ll be inside if you need


    me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you again, Luna,¡± he dutifully responds, ¡°I¡¯ll be out here if you need me.¡±


    I step into the apartment and immediately mind link my two regr guards, James and Marco. I push


    down my anger so they won¡¯t sense it. They already know how unhappy I¡¯ve been with Bronxtely.


    They always tell me toe to them if I have a problem, but I don¡¯t want to burden them with my


    personal rtionships too much.


    ¡°Luna, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I hear them respond almost in unison.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, guys. I just wanted to let you know I figured out a new strategy. I need your help to


    refine it,¡± I smile slyly as I tell them my revtion.


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she is trying to spy on us,¡± Saint growls in my mind as we watch Lex run off into the


    woods.


    ¡°No joke. I deserve to have a little fun now and then. She needs to stay in herne and just calm


    down,¡± I half-heartedly agree with my wolf. I can feel his emotions influencing me, making me annoyed


    with our mate. He¡¯s been doing that a lottely, and I have been letting him. It¡¯s easier than fighting with


    the wolf spirit that lives in my head.


    ¡°And the way she was talking to you in front of the pack members? Our friends?! She¡¯s gonna pay for


    that!¡± Saint¡¯s anger grows, making me feel extremely irritable, ¡°I just want time to blow off steam.


    What¡¯s so wrong with that?¡±


    I watch in the direction Kas left until I¡¯m sure her scent is gone. Once I¡¯m satisfied, I turn


    around and head back to my friends. I small part of me feels a pang of guilt but Saint pushes it


    away.


    ¡°Everything alright, Alpha?¡± Cason, my tattoo artist, asks.


    TWIU


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll deal with thatter.¡± I wave vaguely in the direction Kas just left from before I grab another


    beer and lean back on a rock so we can continue our conversation.


    *****


    When I get home, Tyree salutes me in the hall.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± he regards me.


    ¡°Tyree, why did you let the Luna leave by herself?¡± I try to give him a chance to justify his disregard for


    my orders.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Sir? Is this some sort of test? She¡¯s been inside all day. Except for when


    she let me taste test those new cupcakes. You¡¯ve got to try them, Alpha. They¡¯re amazing,¡± he smiles


    at me,pletely oblivious to Kas¡¯s impromptu trip to the woods this afternoon.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have to do that, Tyree. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± I watch as he walks down the hall and down the


    stairs before I go inside.


    ¡°She froze him, Bronx,¡± Saint paces impatiently in my mind, ¡°She knows better!¡±


    ¡°KAS!¡± I yell once the door is closed, ¡°You froze Tyree?¡±


    Kases out from the bedroom with her arms crossed over her chest.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had to if you would have just told me what you were doing, Bronx,¡± she retorts


    defiantly.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like you using magic on pack members. Don¡¯t do it again,¡± I warn her.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My powers are NOT magic!¡± she throws her hands out to the side as she yells before turning around


    and going back to the bedroom. She gives me onest re, her violet eyes glowing brightly, before


    she ms the door closed.


    A momentter, the door opens just wide enough for a pillow and nket to be thrown out on the floor,


    then it ms closed again.


    ¡°Kas? What the Hell? You¡¯re making me sleep on the sofa?!¡± I pound on the bedroom door with a snarl.


    ¡°Yes,¡± her muffled replyes through the closed door.


    I could just break it down, but that will lead to a lot more arguing.


    I sigh, looking at the bedding by my feet. How did ite to this? Being kicked out of my own damn


    bedroom? I pick up the pillow and nket and plop down on the sofa. Reality sets in as I realize I won¡¯t


    get to wrap my arms around my beautiful little mate tonight. I won¡¯t get to breathe in her fresh rain and


    lc scent that always calms me.


    Regret starts to seep into the corners of my mind about how I treated Kas and how I let Saint


    treat her today. It was uncalled for. The males in our pack are raised understanding that it¡¯s not


    eptable to put your hands on a woman the way I grabbed Kas today. I don¡¯t know what got into me


    or Saint. I will figure out a way to make it up to her somehow.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 1


    Lenora¡¯s POV


    The bold letters of the unopened email sear into my eyes. The subject line reads: ¡®Operation Goddess:


    Weekly Update¡¯. A lump of anxiety settles in my chest as I read it over and over. My finger hovers on


    the mouse button, but I can¡¯t bring myself to open it. I hate that this assignment has turned into such a


    shit show.


    There is a knock on my office door, giving me an excuse to ignore the email.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I call out, looking at the door.


    Musu peaks her head in. ¡°Hello Beta. D-did you watch the video?¡±


    I sigh and roll my eyes. She is not who I was hoping to see, ¡°Not yet. How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Mmm, pretty disturbing. Mind if I sit?¡±


    ¡°Might as well.¡± I shake my head and turn theputer screen, so we can both see, while she sits in


    the chair across from me. I open the dreaded email and click on the attachment.


    A ck and white surveince video pops up and starts to y.


    Aman approaches an ATM. While he ispleting his transaction, a petite woman wearing a trench


    coat with designer stilettos queues up behind him. She hides her face using arge floppy hat and dark


    sunsses. He appears to be reviewing his receipt when she pulls out an ornamental dagger.


    Without warning, she grabs his chin with her wolf¡¯s ws extended. With one swift movement, she


    slices his neck from ear to ear. Blood sprays out as she pulls the startled mant o the ground. He feebly


    struggles against her, but she waves her hand over his face and appears to say something out loud.


    His hands fall helplessly to the side as he bes paralyzed. He stares at her, his eyes wide with fear.


    She quickly looks around, then straddles his chest, partially obscuring our view, but it is clear she is


    digging the knife into his face. When she stands up, she puts something small into the pocket of her


    trench coat. She then drags the man¡¯s body out of frame and the video cuts off.


    ¡°Musu, if you say what I think you¡¯re about to say, we have a real problem on our hands,¡± I look at her


    with rm.


    ¡°They found the corpse in the alley next to the bank,¡± Musu states knowingly. ¡°She cut his left eye out.


    She also sliced open his abdomen and took part of his liver¡­umm¡­and his heart.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I swear under my breath, ¡°Yeah, we definitely have a problem.¡±


    I tap my fingers on the desk, still looking at theputer screen. I should be furious, screaming for


    revenge. There is no way it¡¯s a coincidence, but there¡¯s just no way it¡¯s real.


    ¡°Beta,¡± she looks at me sympathetically, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to believe it either. The video is fromst April. I


    received it from one of my contacts earlier this week. I had our tech team review the video ten times.


    They confirmed it. That knife has been missing for over six years until yesterday.¡±


    I lean back in my chair and take a calming breath, ¡°This stays between you and me for now, Musu.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Beta,¡± she stands up. ¡°The rest of the report is basically the same as always, but something


    seems to be ramping up. They are getting more brazen with their actions.¡±


    I don¡¯t say anything. I just nod, looking off into the distance.


    Musu stands in front of the desk for a moment, ¡°Permission to speak informally, Beta?¡±


    .


    ¡°Of course, Musu, you¡¯re one of my best friends. You can always speak candidly with me.¡± I soften my


    tone and turn my gaze to her.


    ¡°Lenora, please don¡¯t wait too long to speak to Alpha Bronx. We may need to consider additional


    protection for him. And knowing him, it will take convincing. I also have to keep all this a secret from


    Marco. It¡¯s not fair to him. Especially if he is expected to keep Luna Kas safe.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°I understand. I know how difficult it is to keep secrets from your mate. Milo has to do it all the time with


    me. Give me forty-eight hours. I will speak to my brother and Kas sooner thanter and figure out what


    to do.¡± 1


    ¡°Thank you, Beta. Is there anything else I can do before I go home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can you turn back time to before all this started?¡± I try to smile at her.


    ¡°If I could, I would, Beta,¡± she chuckles dryly and shakes her head, ¡°Have a good night.¡±


    As she closes the door, I lean forward, letting my forehead hit the desk with a frustrated groan. I don¡¯t


    know how I¡¯m going to tell my Luna more bad news. Kas Mason is the sweetest Luna the Blood River


    pack could have ever imagined and the best mate my brother Bronx could have ever lucked out on.


    She doesn¡¯t deserve to hear that her sister murdered someone.


    ¡°We need to keep Bronx safe, Lenora,¡± my wolf, Justice, states stoically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Justice. We will keep him and Kas both safe. I just have to figure out how to tell him about


    this in a way that won¡¯t have him going off the walls.¡±


    ¡°Protect Bronx to protect the Luna,¡± she huffs and cuts off our link. She isn¡¯t a wolf of many words, but it


    seems like she could have given me a bit more detail on this one.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 2


    Musu¡¯s POV


    My life was so different a year ago. I was the acting female Beta for the Lune D¡¯or pack in . France,


    waiting for my brother to find his mate. Then I found Marco Sanchez. His Alpha and Luna were visiting


    our pack for a long weekend. Our Gamma Jenna and I wanted to bring fresh pastries from our local


    bakery to them as a wee gift. Marco is one of the personal guards for the Luna from the Blood


    River pack, so he was on duty in the hall outside their suite when we came down the hall.


    My initial impression of him was how impressivelyrge of a Werewolf he is. He¡¯s not quite as big as an


    Alpha wolf, but close. A broad and muscr man, with a serious expression that makes him look


    intimidating. Marco is exactly what you think of when you imagine a bodyguard. He is clean shaven,


    with his ck hair cut into a Caesar style haircut. His bronzed skin makes his light brown eyes stand


    out like shining topaz jewels. I swear my heart skipped a beat when his plum and rhubarb scent hit my


    nose for the first time and my wolf, Mercy, howled in delight at the sight of him. 1


    I knew in that moment, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Marco. I didn¡¯t know how that was


    going to work since his pack was in the state of Montana in the United States, but I didn¡¯t care. My


    hopes to be with my mate were almost dashed when he nearly shot his Alpha trying to protect me. But


    fortune shone on us when both of our Alpha¡¯s were merciful and allowed us to stay the weekend


    together. Let me tell you, it was a weekend that will live in my memory forever. When it was time for him


    to leave, my family and Alpha gave permission for me to go live with him and I haven¡¯t regretted a


    moment since. 1


    I truly can¡¯t imagine a more perfect mate. Marco treats me like a queen, never missing an opportunity


    to kiss me deeply or cherish my body. Every time he sees me, he smiles like it is the first time he has


    everid eyes on me. Even though I have a job working for MasonCo, he works hard to make sure I


    have everything I could possibly want and more. While he would never say so, I think he would rather I


    stay home than work, but he knows how important my work is to me, so he suffers in silence.


    We have even gone to look at engagement rings, so he knows my ring size and what style I like the


    best. We also recently moved from his old one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom house near the


    packhouse so we can start nning for a family once we get married.


    Another glorious thing about my mate is that Marco loves cooking for me when he isn¡¯t working, which


    is perfect because I could burn pasta. He and some of the other unmated warriors took cooking


    lessons from the Luna. She put together the cooking program when she found out he was interested in


    cooking, but didn¡¯t know how to make much more than instant macaroni and cheese. She did a great


    job, because I don¡¯t have to worry about a thing in the kitchen. And for safety¡¯s sake, if we don¡¯t have


    leftovers in the fridge the evenings Marco works, I join the pack members who eat dinner at the


    packhouse.


    The Sanchez family isrge and loving. Marco is the youngest of five boys. His brothers all have mates


    and pups. His parents love and care so much about all of us. The entire family spends every Sunday


    with them at their house. Marco¡¯s mother has helped me learn Spanish and taught me how to make


    saffron rice. His father has shown me how to dance merengue style. I¡¯m thrilled I know Spanish and


    how to dance merengue. Marco says it is a good thing he and Mama Sanchez know how to make


    saffron rice.


    I walk in the door an hourter than usual, still preupied with Lenora¡¯s reaction to the video I


    showed her. I¡¯m pulled from my thoughts by the delicious smell of pork adobo and Latin music filling the


    house. A smile forms when I go to the kitchen to see Marco, barefoot, wearing boxers with an apron


    and no shirt. He tastes the sauce from the pot on the stove.


    ¡°Mi belleza de ¨¦bano (My ebony beauty)!¡± he shes his dashing smile when he sees me and extends


    his hand, bidding me to him. I dly put my hand in his, feeling our familiar sparksfort me after a


    long day, and let him pull me into his loving embrace. He rocks us in rhythm to the music, kissing me


    like he hasn¡¯t seen me in a week. When he pulls away, he lifts the spoon so I can take a taste of the


    sauce. I take a little sip from the spoon. I can¡¯t help but moan and nod at how delicious it is. He kisses


    and nuzzles my cheek before he asks me to set the table while he finishes up.


    ¡°Please put a shirt and shorts on for dinner, Mon Loup (My Wolf],¡± I call over my shoulder as I take the


    dishes to the dining room, ¡°We¡¯re only animals outside the house and in the bedroom, not at the dinner


    table!¡±


    I hear him groan as he goes for a shirt and shorts. He has to wear a suit for work, so he says when he


    is at home, the fewer clothes he has to wear, the better. Not that I mind seeing him walk around in


    nothing but underwear, but wearing clothes at the dinner table seems reasonable to me.


    I see Marco looking at me from the corner of his eyes as I set the table. He fills our dishes with the


    large servings of the pork dish before sitting down himself.


    ¡°Tell me about your day, Marco. I could use the distraction,¡± I smile as I take a proper bite of the


    delicious pork food.


    He tells me about the Luna¡¯s progression in her warrior training but his words fade into the background


    as the images from the video overtake my mind again. The ruthlessness andck o f remorse over


    such a violent act still trouble me. The look of fear, clear in the victim¡¯s eyes, even through the


    graininess of the video.


    A year ago, when the Alpha and Luna approached me about an opportunity to work on a special


    project, I was ecstatic. The opportunity to search for the mythological daughters of the Moon Goddess


    known as the Menae. We thought it would mean I would get to travel and meet new people while


    helping Luna Kas find her long-lost family. I wish I still had the same optimism as I did back then. It has


    brought nothing but stress for everyone and heartbreak for my Luna.


    ¡°Musu, a-are you okay?¡± The concern in Marco¡¯s voice brings me back to reality.


    ¡°Hmm? What? Yes, it sounds like she¡¯s going to do great.¡± I look up at him and realize he has his his


    hand over mine.


    ¡°Where¡¯s vour mind, mi Coraz¨®n (my Heart)? Cause it sure ain¡¯t here with me,¡± He reaches up


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    and caresses my chin.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Marco. I-I was just,¡± I¡¯m not sure what to say to him, ¡°It was just a tough day a t work, but


    I¡¯m fine. I promise. You have my attention now. Please, continue.¡±


    ¡°Is it something you can talk about?¡± He asks, trying to sound casual, but I can sense his worry. My


    handsome mate, he cares for me so much. He hates to see this job taking a toll on m e, but he also


    understands how important it is to me and to the Luna.


    ¡°No, unfortunately, isn¡¯t something I can talk about right now,¡± I frown. I hate keeping secrets from him,


    but I have orders.


    ¡°Tell you what, lemme draw you a bath instead of boring you with specs about my new handgun,¡± his


    features soften and he chuckles when he realizes I haven¡¯t heard a thing he has said to me, ¡°I¡¯ll let you


    have time with your thoughts. Just lemme know when you¡¯re ready and I¡¯lle to bed, alright?¡±.


    I smile as I take his hand from the side of my face and kiss his palm. ¡°Thank you so much, Marco. A


    hot bath is exactly what I need right now. I¡¯ll take the dishes to the kitchen.¡± 1


    He stands and kisses my forehead before going to start the bath for me.


    I¡¯m just finishing the dishes when I feel his muscr arms wrap around my waist and his soft lips on my


    neck. I turn around and hug him back, letting myself melt into his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, Musu. You ain¡¯t your usual selftely.¡± He rubs the back of my neck and buries


    his nose into my hair as I breathe in his sweet scent, letting it lull me into a calm state.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, Mon Loup. Lenora is going to speak to Alpha Bronx and Luna Kas soon. So you will find


    out soon as well,¡± I confide as much as I can.


    ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯ll keep the Xboxpany. But, you know, if you need any help in the bath, just give the


    word. I¡¯ll be right there,¡± he whispers in my ear. I can practically hear the smile in his tone. His voice is


    rich with double meaning.


    I give him another kiss and slip out of his arms, ¡°I think I¡¯ll be okay for now, but I will let you know if I


    change my mind.¡±


    I settle into the hot bath, letting the water soak away my worries. My mate is in the living room growling


    and swearing at his game while I rx. I feel my eyes getting heavy and let them close for a moment.


    Luna Kas is embracing the woman in the floppy hat and sunsses. The woman is holding the


    dagger behind Kas¡¯s back. Marco and I try to warn her, but the woman takes off the sses and hat to


    show it is Kas, embracing a twin version of herself.


    ¡°Musu. Musu, wake up,¡± Marco¡¯s gentle voice coaxes me from my dream. I sit up in the bathtub and


    shiver in the cold water. Marco is kneeling next to the tub with a fluffy towel.


    ¡°Oh Marco. I had a weird dream about Luna Kas.¡±¡¯I yawn as I stretch my arms and stand up.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love to hear about it tomorrow. For now, it¡¯s time for bed. Falling asleep i n the


    bathtub is dangerous,¡± he gently scolds as he wraps the towel around me and carries met o bed.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 3


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    ¡°Kas, Baby, are you sure there¡¯s nothing I can say to talk you out of this? I really feel like you need


    more time before we try this again.¡± I block the door to our apartment with my hands raised helplessly.


    She¡¯s still upset from Sunday, which is very out of character for her. She is usually pretty forgiving and


    wants to talk through things as soon as she is feeling less troubled, but she has kept the bedroom door


    locked all night for the past several nights and this morning, didn¡¯te out until she waspletely


    dressed and ready to go. I know it¡¯s a useless plea, but I have to at least try to stop my mate from


    getting hurt again. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, Bronx. Lex and I are ready this time,¡± Kas says defiantly, crossing her


    arms in front o f her chest, ¡°Now let¡¯s go, we¡¯re going to bete.¡± Yeah. She¡¯s still mad. 1 I sigh, and rub


    my hands on my face in frustration before letting them drop heavily and moving out of the way so she


    can leave. I can tell from her demeanor Lex is still influencing her. If that¡¯s the case, nothing I say is


    going to make a difference. ¡°This is bullshit, Bronx,¡± Saint growls, ¡°Why does she want to do this so


    badly?¡± ¡°She wants to prove herself to the pack, and she thinks this is how,¡± I exin to him, ¡°The way


    we treated her the other day doesn¡¯t help, Saint.¡± (1) ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care how determined she is¡­or how


    cute she¡¯s when she¡¯s mad.


    I¡¯m not rolling over like a damn puppy for this,¡± he huffs. His tone is antagonistic and yful at the


    same time. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to roll over. In fact, we need to keep trying to stop her,¡± I reassure him.


    ¡°Wait. Really?¡± He sounds surprised. ¡°Yeah, think about it. If she¡¯s able to do this, then what¡¯s next?


    She won¡¯t stop. Sometimes we need to protect her from herself, Saint.¡± ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re not as much


    of a dummy as I think you are,¡± he muses. 1 When I open the door, Kas¡¯s personal guards, James and


    Marco, are already standing in the hall, ready to escort her. They give me a respectful nod, then pull


    her forward so they can speak with her privately. Honestly, she doesn¡¯t really need guards anymore.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She can take care of herself if she needs to, but trouble has a tendency to find her, so it gives me


    peace of mind knowing they have her back. James and Marco are two of my best warriors. James


    specializes in hand to handbat and Marco is a master marksman. They both served with me in the


    military, so I know how capable and fearless they both are. I had assigned them to guard Kas since a


    week after she came to our pack. Back then, she needed them to protect her. Now she relies on them


    to keep her fighting skills sharp. In the past year, they have gone from teaching her how to defend


    herself to training her to beat me in a sparring match. Kas isn¡¯t just my mate and Luna of the Blood


    River pack.


    She is also a goddess. That isn¡¯t just me praising her. I mean, she¡¯s my little goddess, but that¡¯s only


    when we¡¯re alone, if you get what I¡¯m saying. But when I tell you she¡¯s also a goddess, I¡¯m talking


    about the literal sense of the word. Her mother is the Moon Goddess, Selene. Yeah, that Moon


    Goddess. Kas is one of fifty daughters called the Menae. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Kas had a really rough


    life growing up. She was raised as a ve who was severely abused by her old pack. I was lucky I


    found her when I did. She probably wouldn¡¯t have survived much longer. She didn¡¯t know who or what


    she actually was until her seventeenth birthday when Lex woke up and told her. To be honest, for as


    much research as we have done and as much outside help as we have gotten, we¡¯re still trying to


    figure out exactly who she is. My sister Lenora and Marco¡¯s mate, Musu, have a special assignment


    through my securitypany to find Kas¡¯s forty-nine sisters. I get to the training field after warmups


    and join in on a cardio workout. Afterwards, the trainer breaks us up into smaller groups to work on


    various techniques. I work with some of the high school juniors and seniors who are getting pretty big.


    They need someone to show them how to leverage their body weight against opponents. I¡¯m six feet


    six inches tall and two hundred and sixty pounds, so I¡¯m the best person to teach them. I look across


    the field and see Kas working with kids who just turned twelve and allowed to start their training. She is


    only five feet three inches tall and about a hundred and twenty pounds, so they are close to her size.


    They are working on basic defensive stances and proper form. 1 ¡°Bronx, some of those pups are


    bigger than Kas. Are you sure she¡¯s safe?¡± Saint worries. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re worried about her? Saint,


    she can take Milo and Reggie down in a two on one. She¡¯s fine.¡± I roll my eye at his fussing. The


    whistle blows, and it¡¯s time for grappling. The matches start with the junior warriors and progress to


    guards and, finally, ranked pack members. Kas and I stand next to the ring watching match after match.


    She stands a step further away from me than she usually does, silently showing her irritation with me. I


    can feel the tension in her growing as each match passes. The best match of the morning is my sister,


    Lenora, who is my Beta Milo¡¯s mate and Musu, who used to be the acting female Beta in her old pack


    before bing mates with Marco, so it is a Beta vs Beta match. They are both verypetitive and


    excellent fighters. Lenora barely wins by locking on a painful-looking submission hold. The two women


    limp out of the ring,ughing and joking with each other. I notice Lenora grab a towel to wipe blood


    from a cut on Musu¡¯s chin. She has be so much more motherly to everyone since my niece Codi


    was born. Now, for the moment I¡¯ve been dreading. It¡¯s finally time for me to spar with Kas. Saint and I


    absolutely do not want to do this, especially aftering to terms with the fact that I shouldn¡¯t have let


    him grab her yesterday. He says he understands what he did is wrong, but he doesn¡¯t sound very


    remorseful about it. 1 In the past ten months, Kas has fought me four times but has lost every time.


    She has gotten better at each match, but she still isn¡¯t able to achieve her goal. After each defeat, she


    gets more angry and frustrated. When she gets emotional like that, a purple aura glows around her


    body. Just one of her many supernatural abilities. Our pack is used to it by now, but it can still be a bit


    startling if you aren¡¯t expecting it. While it may not sound like Kas fighting me is a fair fight based on our


    size difference, but trust m e. it is. I could describe her fighting style as a technician, where mine is


    more brute force. Thanks t o James and Marco, what shecks in size, she makes up for in skill and


    technique. James even mentioned once that he thought she would make a good assassin. Over my


    dead body. Not that she has it in her to kill someone, anyway. She saw someone get shot dead in front


    of her once. She didn¡¯t handle it very well. ¡°Alright, Alpha. Luna. You both know the rules. You can use


    wolf strength, but no shifting, no biting, no wing. Oh and no powers, Luna,¡± the trainer announces as


    Kas and I both step into the ring, ¡°Match ends with three count pin, submission, or knockout.¡± I take off


    my eye patch and hand it to my Gamma Reggie. I rarely like to take it off in front of everyone, but with


    James educating her, everything is a weapon. Kas would definitely find a way t o use it against me. I


    lost my eye in a battle with a witch about six years ago when I was in the military. She carved it out with


    a cursed silver knife. She also paralyzed me and cut out a chunk of my liver. The tip of the knife broke


    off inside me. The witch probably would have killed me if it hadn¡¯t been for Milo and Reggie. Even after


    several surgeries, there is some silver embedded so deeply that I have to live with it in my body. It¡¯s not


    enough to make me sick, but enough that my liver will never fully heal and I will never be at one


    hundred percent strength. 12. The trainer blows the whistle and steps out of the ring. Kas takes a


    defensive posture, making her petite frame that much morepact. Her eyes sh ck as her wolf


    Lexes forward, then back to their regr bright violet, practically glowing with energy. She¡¯s not


    my beautiful, caring mate right now. She is a cold blooded warrior. An apex predator, locked in on her


    target. Her sparkly silver hair is in a braided ponytail that bobs back and forth behind her as she lightly


    side steps just out of my reach. James and Marco call out instructions to her while some of the pack


    members cheer her on. The entire pack watches us intently. I take my stance and mirror her


    movements before stepping forward and taking a half-hearted jab at her, knowing full well she will


    easily dodge it. As I lean forward, Kasnds a series of jabs and a knee into my ribs. I hop back to


    avoid the full brunt of the blows. After a few more minutes of me not taking the match seriously, she


    stands up straight and res a t me. ¡°What? You done already, Baby?¡± I ask with a smirk, standing


    upright as well. ¡°Fight me, Bronx,¡± she snarls at me. ¡°I am fighting you, Kas.¡± She steps forward and


    pushes hard against my chest, forcing me to take half a step back. I feel Saint taking notice now. ¡°You


    told me if I beat Reggie and Milo, I could fight you. I beat them both at the same time. I have proven


    myself worthy of this match. So quit screwing around and FIGHT ME,¡± she yells, giving me another


    hard shove. ¡°Knock it off, Kas,¡± I growl through gritted teeth. I can feel Saint trying to w to the


    surface as his patience crumbles. He will not tolerate being disrespected, especially in front of our


    pack. Even if i t is from our frustrated mate. . A low rumbling growles from Kas as a purple aura


    starts to glow around her body. I cross my arms and stand my ground against her growing tantrum. I


    love my mate more than anything, but she is only neen and can be a bit immature at times. Just like


    the impatient Alpha warrior wolf I share a body with. ¡°Don¡¯t be a damn COWARD, BRONX!¡± she


    screams, her purple aura shining brightly now, and ps me across the face. In that moment, Saint


    loses any semnce of restraint he was holding on to and pushes forward, trying to take control of my


    body. I struggle against him while trying to keep myposure with Kas. She notices something is


    wrong and steps back slightly. ¡°Absolutely fucking not,¡± he snarls as I feel myself being yanked to the


    back of my mind. I can¡¯t tell if he is talking to me or about Kas¡¯s actions. Completely disoriented by the


    sudden switch in control, I watch helplessly as he takes over and lunges at her with an earth shaking


    growl. It¡¯s been over a year since Saint lost his temper to the point where I can¡¯t control him. I hurt


    people I care about and did things I will regret for the rest of my life. The details on what happened


    aren¡¯t important right now. What is important is that I have been on medication and in therapy to help


    keep him calm ever since. Kas doesn¡¯t seem to be surprised by Saint taking over and lunging at her.


    Instead, she braces herself like she was expecting it. In the split second it takes to reach her, I realize I


    have yed into her strategy for the match. She used my wolf against me. She¡¯s so damn smart. 1 As I


    grab under her armpits, sheces her hands behind my neck and pulls backwards. She arches her


    back and, using abination of my momentum and her body weight, she shifts us to her right side,


    pulling us into a roll. We hit the mat with a hard thud. As wend, I feel an odd shift in the surrounding


    energy. A force that is not me involuntarily pulls Saint back and I¡¯m suddenly in control of my body


    again. As my bodyes to a stop out of the roll, I realize Kas is no longer gripping my neck. In fact,


    she isn¡¯t in my arms at all. 1 I lift myself up and look around, but I don¡¯t see her anywhere in the ring.


    The pack members around the ring look confused. As they realize she¡¯s gone, their eyes go wide and


    people start murmuring to each other. ¡°Kas?¡± I pull myself up onto one knee. Is this some sort of trick? I


    can¡¯t sense her emotions and I can¡¯t smell her fresh rain and lc scent. She¡¯s gone. What the Hell is


    happening? ¡°Kas?¡± I yell more urgently. Kas has many abilities, but disappearing into thin air isn¡¯t one


    of them. Marco and James both jump into the ring, sniffing the air, searching for their Luna. ¡°Where did


    she go?¡± I look at the two guards, trying to convince myself this is some sort of trick they taught her.


    ¡°James, where is she?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, Alpha,¡± he looks around in disbelief. The people around the ring


    all look frightened now. ¡°Well, she couldn¡¯t have just disappeared into thin air!¡± I growl at him


    dangerously. ¡°Alpha, this ain¡¯t something we taught her,¡± Marco exins, still looking around frantically.


    I have never seen Marco panic before, but I think he is right on the verge. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Split


    up and find her,¡± I bark at the dumbfounded faces around me, ¡°She has to be here somewhere.¡± ¡°Yes,


    Alpha,¡± the entire pack replies in unison and immediately starts splitting into search groups. ¡°Search


    every inch of the territory until you find her! Musu, Lenora, if we don¡¯t find her within half an hour, collect


    your things and meet me in the research library,¡± I order before turning away to help lead one of the


    search groups.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 4


    Chapter 4 Katherine¡¯s POV


    ¡°Katherine, things are getting worse. How much longer do we need to wait?¡± My sister Amari whines as


    she paces behind me. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the situation, Amari. We have to have patience. We can¡¯t just


    yank her away from her life and demand that she save us all.¡± Amari stops pacing and looks into the


    monitor at the young woman cleaning the counter of a bakery, then sighs, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You know the


    rules. Just because we are goddesses, doesn¡¯t mean we can do anything we please. She can¡¯t know


    anything unless the situation is dire.¡± ¡°I hate the rules, sister. Besides, this is dire. The Dark has already


    killed one guardian. How many more have to die? All of them? Do you think we¡¯re next? And what


    about all the sisters in our charge? What if they¡¯re in danger too,¡± she shakes her head with worry while


    asking rapidfire questions she knows I don¡¯t have the answers to. Amari doesn¡¯t look away from the


    screen while she speaks.


    I notice her eyes turning ssy with unshed tears. I feel my nerves turning raw at her outburst ¡°She


    shouldn¡¯t have to go through this every lifetime and we shouldn¡¯t have to bear witness. Never


    remembering who she is? Having to sit back and watch her suffer alone? It¡¯s cruel and you know i t,¡±


    Amari finally sighs, stepping away from the monitor. ¡°First of all, Cordell wasn¡¯t just a guardian, he was


    my mate. You don¡¯t think this hurts me as much as anyone else?¡± I snap at her with a growl. I push my


    chair back roughly, knocking her into the wall behind me. ¡°Kathrine, you know it¡¯s not-,¡± she tries to


    interrupt. I raise my hand, stopping her in her tracks. ¡°Amari, unless you know of some other way, one


    we haven¡¯t found in thest five thousand years, then we have no choice but to stand back and bear


    witness to her life without interruption. When the time is right, we will know, and we can summon her.


    Until then, we need to wait.¡± I throw my arms out to the sides as I walk away backwards from her. ¡°So


    quit whining about it. We need to give Tessa and Alexandros a chance to stop The Dark. For her


    protection and ours.¡± I put my hands on my hips and re at her. As usual, the talented healer¡¯sN?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    emotions are pinned to her sleeve. She lowers her soft blue eyes, letting her long auburn hair fall into


    her face. I immediately regret the tone of my voice when I see her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amari. My


    temper got the best of me.¡± I sigh in defeat and reach for her hand, but she turns away from me


    instead. ¡°I¡¯m going for a run. Mind link me if you get news of Cora and Dante¡¯s whereabouts or any of


    the Feral for that matter.¡± I throw open the door to my office and sulk away. Away from Amari, away


    from the drama of my family, away from the sadness I feel when I think about everything I shared with


    Cordell in this house.


    The housekeeping omegas bow as I pass them in the hallways of the regal estate. The beautiful home


    has been in our family for over three centuries, but with the talented housekeeping staff and our


    abilities, we are able to keep it looking practically brand new. ¡°Have a blessed day, Luna,¡± the staff all


    say as I pass by, with their eyes to the ground. I internally groan. I hate the formalities thate with


    my position and I wish they would treat me like everyone else. Being the oldest of fifty sisters is


    burdensome. For once, I would like freedom from responsibility A warm breeze and the salty sea air


    greet me as I step outside. I take a deep, cleansing breath and pull off my dress, cing it in the basket


    by the door. ¡°Alright, Seraph, let¡¯s blow off some steam,¡± I say to my wolf. ¡°Katherine, you never have to


    tell me twice,¡± she purrs in response. I feel my bones start to crack and elongate. My skin stretches as


    my body besrger and my blonde hair bes xen colored fur. Seraph shakes herself out


    and bolts for the woods. 2 ma We run deeper and deeper until wee to a small clearing with a


    stream. I shift back to my human form and I put on a dress from the basket next to the stream. I sit on a


    rock, dipping my feet into the cool water, and think about my mate. I look in the water at my reflection.


    My gold colored eyes stare back at me. As hard as I try to hide it, the sadness is still fresh in my


    features. I close my eyes and try to imagine my mate¡¯s pine and sandalwood scent. The memory is so


    strong. We had over two hundred years together in this life, but my imagination isn¡¯t the same as the


    real thing. I know I will see him in our next lifetime, since our human and wolf spirits are eternally


    connected. But not having him with me for the rest of this life still hurts. I remind myself that it¡¯s just


    another part of the life of the Menae. Cordell and I lead the group of nine Menae, known as the Maven.


    Not just in this lifetime, during all of our spirits¡¯ journeys. The eleven of us have a natural talent for


    various aspects of knowledge, politics, business, and money. It helps us maintain all of our business


    ventures and helps finance anything ourrge family may need. Since our memories and experiences


    follow us from lifetimet o lifetime, our experiences almost exceed our bank ounts. Almost. Cordell


    was in Mn on business when I felt our mate bond break. Just like it has a dozen times before, it felt


    like a bottomless pit ripped open in my heart. It pulled me in and didn¡¯t let go until it destroyed me.


    I didn¡¯t know what happened to him, just that he was gone and I felt like I might die too. Amari and her


    mate, Jasen, healed me. Amid the blinding pain and agony, I felt their warmth and love spread through


    me. Filling the dark, gaping hole inside me a little. While they took the physical pain away, the


    emotional pain was just as bad. There is nothing a healer can do to take emotional pain away. I barely


    left my room for a month before our sister, Tessa, dragged me out of bed by my hair and made me go


    back to work. She knew I needed to keep my mind busy to get through the loss of my mate. While she


    was right about making me get back to work, she didn¡¯t have to pull my hair. At the end of the day, we


    are sisters, and you learn these sorts of nuances about each other when you know each other for over


    seven thousand years. Tessa and her mate, Alexandros, lead nine of our sisters we call Frouros. They


    are our sentinel. Some of the most fearsome warriors that have ever walked the earth, they provide


    security and protection for all the Menae. When they found out Cordell died, I didn¡¯t even have to ask.


    They immediately set out to find out what happened. They worked with the local authorities to find


    Cordell. His body was in an alley. His throat was slit, and he was missing an eye, his liver, and his


    heart. They checked the surveince footage from a bank security camera only to find his murderer


    was a well dressed petite woman.


    The investigators promised to keep searching until they found her and brought her to justice, but we


    already knew it would never happen. When Tessa showed me the video, we both knew right away, the


    woman in the video was our sister Leticia. 1 Leticia is one of the nine sisters who is part of the group


    we call Mavri Magea or The Dark. She doesn¡¯t lead the faction, but she has been power hungry for


    thousands of years and was finally bold enough to set something into motion that could not be reversed


    by murdering Cordell. I could only hope our mother gives us a sign to summon their leader before too


    much damage is done. If Leticia is out there hunting down guardians. Then we are in uncharted


    territory.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 5


    ¡°Katherine. Tessa has news. Come back quickly.¡± Amari¡¯s voice rings in my mind and pulls me from my


    thoughts. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way,¡± I sigh. I shift and let Seraph take us back to the house. I step into my


    office to find Amari, Jasen, Tessa, and Alexandros all waiting for me. I slow my pace as I feel tension


    thick in the air, solidified by the serious looks on their faces. ¡°What have you found, sister?¡± I ask as I sit


    down. I give Jasen and Alexandros a nod of respect, then turn my attention to Tessa. No one says


    anything. Tessa is giving me a furious look, which is mirrored by the other three werewolves ring at


    me. ¡°What?¡± I feel my brow knit with confusion. ¡°Did you know someone tried to kill the guardian of the


    Mavri Magea almost seven years ago?¡± She asks with a snarl. ¡°WHAT?! No! I wouldn¡¯t keep


    information like that from you, Tessa,¡± I defend myself. ¡°Is this a joke?¡± ¡°Katherine, don¡¯t y games.


    Was it Leticia? Don¡¯t protect her!¡± Alexandros growls. ¡°Stand down, Alexandros,¡± I challenge him. ¡°Now


    is not the time to let The Dark divide us. We need to be united.¡± He crosses his arms over his broad


    chest and stares me down with his piercing green eyes. ¡°I swear to all of you, I didn¡¯t know,¡± I reiterate


    forcefully. Tessa takes a human fashion magazine out of a folder and opens it to the center spread.


    There is a ck-and-white full-page image of Bronx Mason wearing a designer suit, staring directly at


    the camera. His hands sped in front of his massive body with the posture of a confident warrior.


    There is a dangerous smirk on his face that only Bronx could manifest, inviting and deadly at the same


    time. He¡¯s intimidating, even as a photograph on paper. He is the modern day personification of the


    guardians¡¯ grandfather, Perses, Titan God of War. Unlike the other guardians, whose human spirits


    were simply a gift from the Goddess Hecate to our mother, she blessed Bronx¡¯s spirit to be strong


    enough to protect the Mavri Magea. 1 Bronx¡¯s slicked back ck hair and olive skin are clear, even in


    ck-and-white. The editor of the photo left the distinctive crisp green of his iris colorized. His other


    eye is covered with an eye patch. Next to him is a petite woman wearing a dress made of fluffyyers


    of tulle. She is barefoot, standing on her tiptoes on a stedder.


    She¡¯s leaning forward, giving him a kiss on the cheek, her eyes are squeezed shut in some sort of


    moment of happiness or bliss. The only part of her that is not in ck and white is her bright purple


    lipstick. ¡°We already know he lost his eye during th-,¡± I shake my head in frustration as I flip the page.


    There she is, making the rest of what I was going to say irrelevant. A perfect close-up photograph o f


    our baby sister. Iokaste, the leader of The Dark. She is looking directly at the camera, innocence and


    happiness exude from her youthful features. Her sparkly silver hair is up in a topknot, and herrge,


    vibrant violet eyes practically pop off the page. This picture is in color, but she is wearing dark gray


    lipstick. Presumably, trying to distract from her perfect, fair skin being marred by the thick keloid scars


    on her jawline and sides of her neck. I let my fingers touch the paper where her cheek is, as I admire


    her stunning features. I try to speak, but the words get caught in my throat. It doesn¡¯t matter how many


    lives she experiences; she is beautiful. Her life can be wonderful or devastating. It makes no difference.


    It¡¯s all erased from her memory at the end of each of her human length lifetimes. A blessing and a


    curse, she starts with a nk te every time she¡¯s reincamated. 1 It ensures she always has hope


    and her past cannot corrupt her view of the world of the people around her. More importantly, it allows


    Her spirit to be cleansed of the influence of The Dark. She has a never ending faith in others that


    anyone else would cast off. As long as Iokaste¡¯s human spirit is still on its journey, there is always a


    light in the world, now and forever. I look up from the magazine and realize my vision is blurred by tears


    spilling from my eyes. I wipe them away, clearing my throat at the same time. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I say with a


    shaky voice. I take a cleansing breath before I continue, ¡°We already knew Bronx lost his eye in thest


    witch war. It was in a battle with an old hag, not Leticia.¡± ¡°We went to the Elder Council, Katherine.


    There is more to Bronx¡¯s attack that was never published,¡± Tessa says in her harsh, raspy tone. She


    pulls out papers with the Elder Council logo on the top and lets me read it.


    It contains the information we already know about the attack, but also a description of the de the


    witch used. A n old omate silver de. It sounds exactly like the one used to kill Cordell. I read it


    several times, but the words on the paper don¡¯t change. 1 I flip to the next page marked


    ¡®CONFIDENTIAL¡¯ inrge red letters at the top. I look up at Tessa and Alexandros questioningly. The


    Council never releases confidential information 1 Alexandros shrugs with a smirk on his face, ¡°Randall


    Smith owed us a favor.¡± I read through the page of private information. The witch didn¡¯t slit Bronx¡¯s


    throat, but she did paralyze him while he was still awake. Allowing her to pull his eye from his head and


    slit his gut open, so she could take part of his liver. Milo Emory and Reggie ter saved him. The men


    are now his Beta and Gamma. The tip of the knife broke off in his liver before the witch could do more


    damage to his organs. It turned out it wasn¡¯t just a silver de. It has some sort of curse on it. If Bronx


    had been any other wolf, not the guardian of The Dark, he would have died. That¡¯s how damn strong


    he is. The doctors could not remove all the silver. There are still some small pieces embedded in his


    liver, requiring him to retire from military service. 1 We know it took him months to recover, but he didn¡¯t


    leave the Blood River packhouse for over six months, so we didn¡¯t know what he was actually


    recovering from until the Council released its public report I look up from the paper, feeling my face


    nch, ¡°Just like Cordell. H-has Leticia developed the ability to mour?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know, but


    obviously, he wouldn¡¯t have married lokaste if she matched the description of the witch who almost


    murdered him,¡± Tessa drops her arms, seeing that I clearly didn¡¯t know any o f the information from the


    confidential page.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°More importantly, Bronx isn¡¯t at full strength. This is bad,¡± I sigh in frustration, setting the paper down


    on the table. Just then, a loud crackling soundes from the corner of the room, startling all five of


    us. We look up to see the oilmp that has been sitting dormant on a golden pedestal for millennia


    lights itself. The me being emitted is vibrant purple. We all look at each other, the worry clear on


    everyone¡¯s face. ¡°Okay, sisters. You two summon her. I¡¯ll go find Cora. She and Dante werest seen in


    Nepal, so I will start there. Wish me luck,¡± I say firmly. ¡°Katherine, be safe,¡± Amari says, giving me a


    loving hug. I feel healing energy gently being pushed into my spirit ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Amari,¡± I hug her back,


    ¡°Once the five of us are together, things will be fine.¡± Kas¡¯s POV Holy crap. I know Bronx said he


    wouldn¡¯t take it easy on me, but how hard did we hit that mat? I can¡¯t remember anything after that.


    Every inch of my body is aching. How hard did hend on me? I open my eyes, but realize I still can¡¯t


    see anything, even with my wolf vision. The room is practically pitch ck and I¡¯m on a cold cement


    floor. ¡°Bronx?¡± I call out hesitantly. As my echo fades, silence fills the room. I sniff the air. Nothing


    smells familiar. 1 Well, that can¡¯t be good. ¡°Lex? What happened? Where are we?¡± I ask, sitting up


    gingerly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. We were just sparring with our mate, then we woke up here.


    Wherever here is,¡± she sounds like she¡¯s on high alert. ¡°Okay, well, it¡¯s like James and Marco say, if we


    think we¡¯re in danger, keep moving. So let¡¯s try to get out of here.¡± I can already feel her healing me as


    I stand up, stretching my sore muscles. My eyes adjust to the darkness slightly.


    The only light ising from under the door on the far end. It is just enough to allow me to see that I¡¯m


    in the corner of arge room. There is a cot, but I¡¯m sitting next to it, not on it. Other than that, there is


    no furniture. Is this a dungeon? If it is, it¡¯s the cleanest dungeon I have ever seen. I walk cautiously


    toward the door when an unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice mind links me. ¡°Don¡¯t try to leave, Iokaste. The door


    is enchanted.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there? How do you know my name?¡± I call out loud. Taking a defensive stance.


    More importantly, how did someone outside my pack mind link me? ¡°Darling, I know you can¡¯t


    remember, but if you could please just stop touching the enchanted door and listen, we can be done


    with this childishness and I can exin,¡± the voice says, sounding somewhere between bored and


    frustrated. I look at the door again. It looks ancient. Ornately carved and gouged with deep scratch


    marks. My brain fights between going toward it and listening to what the voice has to say. ¡°Lex,


    decision by majority. What should I do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on the other side of the door or what


    happens if you touch it, Kas. That woman¡¯s voice sounds familiar somehow. I say we give her one


    minute to exin and if it sounds like a load of crap, we bust out of here,¡± Lex advises. ¡°All right,dy,


    you¡¯ve got one minute to exin,¡± I yell into the darkness. ¡°Ah, so Elexis has finally talked some sense


    into you,¡± the voice chuckles dryly. ¡°Forty-five seconds!¡± I growl. How does she know my wolf¡¯s name?


    ¡°Kas, we are your sisters. We brought you here to tell you the truth about who you are.¡± My body goes


    numb for a moment. No freaking way. ¡°What?¡± I whisper in disbelief.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 6


    Bronx¡¯s POV Four days.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As of this morning, it has been four fucking days since Kas disappeared into thin air. W e haven¡¯t found


    a single trace of her anywhere. She¡¯s not on pack territory or the bakery shop she owns in town, she


    hasn¡¯t been seen at MasonCo headquarters. I even had an international MasonCo security team check


    our apartment in Paris. Her cell phone and all her belongings are still in our apartment. There have


    been no hits on her image on any surveince videos MasonCo has ess to around the world. She¡¯s


    gone. It¡¯s like she really disappeared into thin air. I feel like I¡¯m going insane. For the past three days, I


    have been trying my hardest to focus on searching for my mate, but I kept getting overwhelmed by


    Saint¡¯s raw emotions.


    He swings wildly from wanting to be hyper focused on finding Kas to crushing regret and guilt that his


    last moments with her were full of anger, not fueled by the love and caring she deserves. That¡¯s on to


    of trying to control my own emotions and impatience. I¡¯m mad at myself for not doing a better job


    controlling him because now he and I are both paying the price. Maybe she would still be here if I


    would have kept him in check. And I¡¯m frustrated because we have made no progress in finding Kas. I


    just can¡¯t ept that she just popped out of existence. Milo and Reggie keep pulling me out of


    meetings and conference calls because I can¡¯t make it through without losing my temper. As much as


    the pack members want to contribute to finding their Luna, most of them are too scared to be around


    me to continue.


    I¡¯m getting ready to go to the conference room for another day of calls, meetings, and organizing


    searches for Kas, but Milo mind links me and asks to speak in private first. A few minutester, he and


    Lenora are at my door with their baby, Codi. Based on research by a witch named Lady Camille, we


    are pretty sure Kas isn¡¯t able to have children unless she asks permission from the God Zeus himself.


    You know, because getting an audience with Zeus is as simple as sending him an invitation for dinner.


    At this point, we have a better chance of finding him than Kas. I¡¯m d for the distraction when Lenora


    hands my niece over to me. The little pup happily giggles and ps her hands at me while I give her


    raspberries on her chubby cheeks. She has the same green eyes as Lenora and me and her hair is


    getting darker every time I see her. Lenora is convinced it will bepletely ck like ours by Codi¡¯s


    second birthday. ¡°BOO!¡± she shrieks at me with her bubbly high pitched voice. I watch, amused as Codi


    scrunches u p her face and puts her hands up like she is making them into pretend ws. She makes


    a little rawr¡¯ sound to add to the effect.


    I smile and let my fangs extend, I yfully snarl and growl at the giggling pup. She grabs onto one of


    my fangs and pulls on it while she squeals with joy. What can I say? Codi loves her scary Uncle Bronx.


    2 ¡°Bronx,¡± Lenora says with a sympathetic look, ¡°Milo and I think you need to be sidelined from


    meetings about Kas. We can update you at the end of the day, every day, until we find her.¡± ¡°Leni, what


    are you talking about? I¡¯m not giving up on finding my mate,¡± I use her childhood nickname while I


    scold her, watching the tone of my voice. I don¡¯t want to actually scare Codi. ¡°Come on, man. No one is


    talking about giving up.¡± Milo steps in defensively. ¡°We all want what¡¯s best for Kas. The interruptions


    during meetings are slowing things down. You can still help by searching the territory for her. You can


    contact Henri or Lady Camille, see if they have any information. I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less from


    you. In fact, we were kind of thinking it may be time to take this to the media. The more people looking


    for her, the better. I can get the MasonCoP R team gathered and in the conference room in an hour.¡± I


    sigh, contemting my next move. I don¡¯t want to argue with my sister or Milo, but I also don¡¯t want to


    waste time not looking for Kas. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a run, Bronx,¡± Saint grumbles, ¡°I don¡¯t have patience for


    stupid phone calls right now.¡± I give Codi a kiss on her forehead and give her back to Lenora. ¡°I¡¯m going


    to let Saint out for a run. I¡¯ll let you know what I decide when I get back.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good


    n,¡± Lenora smiles. ¡°We¡¯ll be in the conference room.¡± She kisses my cheek, then pats it before they


    leave. in I try letting Saint out for a run. He isn¡¯t in the mood to talk, so I give him as much control as I


    feel like I can trust h m with. We travel for hours to the far reaches of the territory but not to blow off


    steam. He is searching for Kas and Lex.


    I let him do it if it¡¯s going to keep him calm. I don¡¯t have the heart to tell him what I have already


    epted in my mind. He won¡¯t find them. Wherever Kas i s, I just pray to the Moon Goddess that she


    is safe and not scared or hurt. We get back to the packhousete in the afternoon. We quickly shift and


    I throw on shorts, not bothering with a shirt, before making my way to the conference room. I walk in


    quietly and stand t o the side as Reggie is finishing a call with one of the MasonCo private detectives.


    Milo and Lenora are next to him,paring something on theirptop screens. A few other pack


    members are further down the table, pointing to areas on the world map, whispering to each other.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± Reggie says as he is hanging up, ¡°No news to report here. How about you?¡± I sit across from


    him and put my elbows on the table, letting my hands support my head. Milo and Lenora look up from


    theirptops, giving me their full attention. I see Milo¡¯s eyes turn white as he mind links someone. Most


    of the people who are reviewing maps stand up and leave silently. ¡°Let¡¯s bring in the PR team in the


    morning,¡± I sigh with defeat once they are out of the room. ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing, Alpha,¡± my


    assistant, Carly, approaches me. ¡°The pack is getting really worried about the Luna. They¡¯re really


    worried about you too, if I¡¯m being honest.¡± ¡°Thanks Carly. I appreciate your support in this.¡± I give her a


    weak smile. ¡°Can you please ask Mrs. Miller to bring my dinner to the gardens? I can¡¯t go to the dining


    room tonight. I just ¨C I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mine too, Carly. I appreciate it. I¡¯m not leaving the Alpha alone right now,¡±


    Milo chimes in. ¡°Yeah, me too, please,¡± Reggie adds in. ¡°Of course. I will go speak with her right away,¡±


    she reassures us and steps out of the room, giving u. s privacy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bronx. Ashley and I will


    address the pack tonight.


    We will give them some sort of update,¡± Lenora says stoically. ¡°Thank you, Lenora,¡± I murmur before


    rubbing my hands on my face. We sit in silence. There isn¡¯t really much to say. I don¡¯t have the energy


    to be angry anymore. I just want to do whatever it takes to get Kas back. After a few minutes, Reggie¡¯s


    mate, Ashley, peeks her head into the room. ¡°Hi guys,¡± she whispers softly. Shees in and closes


    the door behind her.


    There is a stark difference from her usual cheery tone when she speaks, ¡°Carly mind linked me.


    MasonCo PR team will be here at nine a.m. tomorrow. Bronx, you should wear a gray suit and a solid


    color tie. They will bring a camera crew and have a script ready so you can record a statement to send


    to media outlets. They will have it distributed by eleven a.m.¡± I¡¯m lucky to have her as the head of


    Human Resources for my securitypany, MasonCo. I look u p at her and nod. She smiles


    sympathetically at me.


    The lump that has been sitting in my throat for the past few days won¡¯t be ignored any longer. Saint


    finally realizes what I just agreed to and I unintentionally m my fist on the table in frustration.


    Everyone around the room jumps with surprise. I look down and see a crack where my fist has


    damaged the table. I feel myself blinking back tears, ¡°Guys, you can say what you want about me. I


    don¡¯t care how weak you think I am. Saint and I need her back. W-we can¡¯t survive without her. I don¡¯t


    know how much longer I can take this.¡± Ashley presses her hands to her heart, then rushes forward to


    give me a big hug. I feel Lenora pile onto the hug next, then Reggie and Milo.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Daughters of the Moon Goddess by Neener Beener Chapter 7


    Chapter 7 Katherine¡¯s POV


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    It takes three days to find Cora and Dante. They lead the sisters who we call Agrios or The Feral. They


    have always been more wolf than human. Preferring to be outdoors in wolf form, not having t o abide


    by restrictive confines of society¡¯s rules. About three thousand years ago, they decided to leave our


    pack and live peacefully as nomadic wolves. Watching them struggle with life in human form was


    painful.


    I still remember the day we watched the rusty brown wolves with red eyes happily bound off in different


    directions into what is now known as Germany¡¯s ck Forest. As long as they stay away from prying


    human eyes in wolf form, they can live hundreds of years at a time. We only see Cora if Dante dies


    while she waits for him to be reincarnated. asionally, we need Cora and Dante to help us with


    family issues. The oilmping to life with a me was one of those issues. A harbinger that we


    need toe together and rally against an imbnce . The purple of the me indicates something


    specifically rted to The Dark O I find them deep in the Khangai mountains of Mongolia. The closer I


    get, the more it feels like something is wrong. I can feel their pain, but it is so raw and animalistic, I


    can¡¯t pinpoint what¡¯s causing it. Seraph runs countless miles until their scents are strong enough for a


    good, long howl t o summon them. 1 She waits until she feels their presence. I can¡¯t smell Cora or


    Dante, but two of the Feral are waiting for me in the thick trees. When I¡¯m sure they are watching, I shift


    back to my human form and call out to them. ¡°Sisters, please. We need Cora and Dante toe home.


    The Dark is trying to shift the bnce of power. We need help. Mother has lit the harbinger me,¡± I


    speak loudly into the dusk of the forest.


    A giant, rusty brown wolfes into the small clearing. Her red eyes express that emotional pain I


    can¡¯t define. She walks forward and uses her mouth, gently pulling on my hand, whining with worry. I


    shift back to Seraph¡¯s form, and we follow them for a couple of hours. Wee to an area with a


    I wordlessly sit beside her and pull her into my arms. She is covered in Dante¡¯s blood. Surprisingly, she


    easily lets me embrace her as she continues to wail at the pain of losing Dante. I understand exactly


    what she is going through. I look down at him to see his injuries are almost identical to Cordell¡¯s. Leticia


    hasmitted this crime. I¡¯m toote. Questions swirl in my mind, but none of them are important at


    the moment. Not more important thanforting Cora. ¡°Cora, darling,¡± I whisper gently as I stroke her


    long chestnut brown hair, ¡°The me has been lit. I hate to ask this of you, especially right now, but I


    need you toe back with me instead of making the trek on your own.¡± Cora looks up at me and


    sniffles, letting me wipe the tears from her scarlet red eyes before I take her in my arms again. ¡°Cora,


    The Dark has done this. Mother has lit the violet harbinger me. We are summoning Iokaste.¡± I rock


    her gently as I break the news to her. Regardless of how wild she may be, at her core, she is my little


    sister. She just wants to live in peace, and that dream has been ripped away from her. She sighs and


    looks down at her mate sullenly. ¡°Giati (Why]?¡± The sound of her voice startles me. Raspy and dry. She


    probably hasn¡¯t spoken in human form in centuries. ¡°Why? Do you mean why did Dante have to die?


    Why was the me lit?¡± I shake my head and look at her in confusion. She doesn¡¯t have words. I get


    the feeling it¡¯s been so long since she has had to speak, that she doesn¡¯t quite remember enough


    human words to respond. ¡°Come on, Cora. Let me help you bury him before we go back to Greece. I


    have a private airne waiting for us in Bulgan. It isrge enough that if you want our sisters toe


    with us, they can stay in wolf form. The only one I need to be in human form for now is you, but we can


    go most of the way to the airport as wolves. Alright?¡±. She takes another ragged breath and nods. She


    leans over and kisses Dante, stroking his chin one more time before walking away and shifting. Our


    wolves dig a grave nearby, then we shift back to carry him to the burial site. The four of us gather


    around the mound and howl mournfully into the mountain sky, sending a prayer to Mother to protect


    him and send his spirit back to earth quickly. ¡°Cora, where is everyone else? Our other seven sisters?¡±


    I ask when we are getting ready to leave. She thinks about my words for a moment, possibly trying to


    remember their meaning. Finally, she holds up seven fingers, holds them to her chest, then throws her


    hands out. She has let them roam to where they please. ¡°Alright. Seven fewer people to worry about, I


    guess,¡± I shake my head as I mutter to myself. Our sisters decide to stay in the mountains while Cora


    and I leave immediately. When we get outside the airport, I take her to the spot where I left a duffel bag


    with clothing. I give her a loose fitting dress, slip on boots and a coat. Just enough to cover her, but


    easy enough for her to remove quickly if she feels like she needs to. When we walk in the doors to the


    estate, something feels off. The energy of our home feels different. ¡°Cora, I will send Amari and Jasen


    to find you, but for now, go mourn,¡± I gently take her hand in mine. ¡°Iokaste. Th¨¦lo pr¨®ta na ti do (I want


    to see her, first].¡± I nod and lead her down the hall, hand in hand. We make our way into the depths of


    the estate to find Amari and Tessa. Being in this close proximity to Cora is making my wolf side feel


    stronger. just as I know her human side is being strengthened by being close to me. I feel her squeeze


    my hand as we walk.


    I look at her with a smile and she gives a weak smile back. Her silent gesture shows support, even


    through the pain I know she is enduring gives me a little hope that everything is going to work out for


    the best. ¡°Julia, what is happening? Where are Amari and Tessa?¡± I ask an omega who crosses our


    path in the hallway. She looks between Cora and me nervously, ¡°They have summoned lokaste. S-


    she¡¯s here, Luna.¡± ¡°What? Where are they? Where is lokaste now?¡± ¡°S-she¡¯s in the Waiting Room,


    Luna.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± I scream, unintentionally frightening the girl and making Cora jump a little. I don¡¯t


    have time for apologies right now, I turn and rush down the hall to stop my sisters from whatever torture


    it is they are imposing on lokaste.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    "TESSA! AMARI! Where is she? What is the meaning of this?!"


    I roar as I throw open the door to the office full of monitors.Amari and Jasen jolt up at my


    outburst.Tessa doesn''t seem bothered and continues to look at the monitors.


    "She insisted, Katherine.In case Iokaste is dangerous."


    Amari holds her hands up.


    "What? You said to summon her,"


    Tessa tries to justify with a growl.She is still looking at the monitor.


    "Amari, can you and Jasen get the keys to Cora''s suite and open it for the omegas so they can prepare


    it? She will also need your healing assistanceter.We have lost Dante in this lifetime," I request, trying


    to keep my voice calm.


    "Of course, Luna," the pair say in unison before leaving the room.


    "I said summon, not kidnap, and lock her in the Waiting Room!" I snarl at Tessa, who continues to


    ignore me.


    Cora stands behind me, looking at us awkwardly.I look at the monitor.I okaste sitting in the center of the


    room with her knees pulled into her chest, contemting something.She stands up and goes to the


    door.


    As soon as she touches it, a magical current courses through her body, throwing her back several feet,


    and knocking her out cold.


    Tessa pushes a button on the desk, "ce her back on the cot please."


    The door opens and Alexandros steps into the room.He gingerly picks Iokaste up and ces her on the


    cot.


    When he is sure she isn¡¯t waking up, he steps out of the room, mming the door behind him.


    As soon as the door is closed, Iokaste sits back up in the cot, looking around, confused.


    "Oh my Goddess! How long has she been in there?"


    I hiss at Tessa in disbelief.


    "Four days.I summoned her just after you left,"


    Tessa¡¯s tone is nonchnt.


    "She has been in that room, touching that door over and over for four days?"


    I look at the monitor again.


    Anger boils in the depths of my soul, "No.You are not doing this to her, Tessa.She is innocent.She


    hasn''tmitted any crimes.Get her out of there before she begins to remember.Send her home


    NOW!"


    "Katherine, she doesn''t remember.Yesterday, her wolf convinced her to give me one minute to talk, but


    as soon as I exined I was one of her sisters, she went for the door again,"


    Tessa shrugs in an uncharacteristic act of defiance.


    "I.Said.Now.Tessa," I growl at her, my voice full of warning, "We will do this the right way.The diplomatic


    way.She is our sister and we are not damn vigntes.Imagine the consequences if Bronx finds out.It''s


    only a matter of time before he tears the Earth in half to find her.You may as well kiss this lifetime


    goodbye."


    "Fine," she grumbles, crossing her arms and sitting back in the chair with a huff, "but vignte would be


    much easier."


    I grab her by the cor and force her out of the chair.


    "Now!"


    She throws open the door to the monitoring room and storms off.


    Cora looks at me, then at the door.She chooses to follow Tessa and hurries out the door.


    I sit in the chair Tessa just left and watch the monitors.I zoom one of the cameras in on Iokaste¡¯s


    sleeping face.


    She looks so peaceful, betraying the traumatic life we have had to sit back and watch her endure.


    After a few minutes, the door to the room swings open.


    Tessa and Cora stand in the doorway.


    Cora is holding an ancient goblet.


    "Tokaste, wake up," Tessa calls from the doorway.The sleeping girl doesn¡¯t move.


    Tessa and Cora both approach her.Cora squats in front of the cot and gently rubs Iokaste¡¯s shoulder.


    "Tokaste...Kas...time to wake up," Tessa says, in a bored, singsong voice with her arms crossed in front


    of her.


    Tokaste opens her eyes and scrambles back on the cot as far away from Cora as she can get.


    She squints at the bright lighting from the doorway after being in darkness for four days.


    "L-Lenora?" she asks, looking at Tessa.


    Tessa''s brows knit, trying to understand who Iokaste is asking for.


    "No, I¡¯m not Lenora.Are you thirsty?" Tessa asks, pointing to Cora, who is handing Iokaste the goblet.


    "Where am I?" Iokaste asks with a snarl, ignoring Tessa.


    She looks around the room, trying to find a way to escape.


    A slight purple aura starts to glow around her body.


    Through the darkness, I can see Cora''s eyes glow scarlet.She is fighting the urge to fight Iokaste when


    she sees the visible energy starting to build around her.


    Cora takes a deep breath to calm herself.She dips her fingers into the goblet and puts them in her


    mouth, trying to show Iokaste the contents are not dangerous.


    She tips the goblet toward her again, giving an encouraging look.


    lokaste looks at the cup suspiciously.


    Of course she does.


    She doesn¡¯t know Cora or Tessa.She has no reason to trust them.


    I push the button next to the monitor.From N?velDrama.Org.


    "Iokaste, you must drink from the goblet to leave the room.Otherwise, you''ll be stuck in there for


    eternity.None of us want that for you."


    She looks around when she hears my voice through the speakers.She looks at Cora holding out the


    goblet patiently, then looks back at Tessa.


    "D-Do you know Lenora?" she asks Tessa.She still looks confused.


    Four days in the room have affected her memories, "You look like you could be her twin."


    "I don¡¯t know your Lenora but if she is anything like me, she would want you to drink from this cup so


    you can go home and be with her.I¡¯m sure she misses you very much,"


    Tessa¡¯s tone softens now that she realizes Iokaste is not a dangerous criminal who deserves to be


    tortured in the Waiting Room.


    Cora pretends to take a sip and extends the goblet to her again.Iokaste takes it from Cora now.


    Looking at her with caution, she sniffs the cup and takes a deep sip.


    Cora gently takes the cup back with a smile.


    "That¡¯s it," Tessa smiles, leaning down behind Cora, "Now justy back and think about home.Think


    about your mate, Bronx and your friend Lenora.When you wake up, you¡¯ll be with them and you won''t


    even remember this."


    Tokaste¡¯s eyes look sleepy and her shoulders slump.


    As soon as her body falls back, she fades away until she is gone.


    Cora stands up and takes a sip from the goblet, quickly handing it to Tessa.Her form dissipates into thin


    air.


    I feel an energy surge behind me and Cora appears behind me in the monitor room.


    She sighs as she sits next to me.


    "Still beautiful."


    I smile at her as Englishes back to her, "Yes, she is."


    I look back to the monitor to see Tessa standing in the middle of the room.She walks toward the


    camera in the corner.


    "I¡¯m sorry," she mind links me before drinking from the cup.She tosses it out the door and fades away


    to an unknown destination.


    Shit.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    Mrs.Miller, our head chef, has her staff bring burgers and fries out to the garden gazebo next to the


    pool.I didn¡¯t even have to ask, she knows it¡¯s my favoritefort foodbination.She even adds a


    cup of chocte pudding on my te like she did when I was a little kid.It all looks and smells


    delicious, but I have no appetite.I just feel numb inside.


    All I can think about is Kas.Her mesmerizing violet eyes that practically glow and her glittery silver hair


    that she always fusses over, even though I think it always looks perfect.


    Her sweetugh that makes my heart beat faster every time I hear it.


    And the adorable little growl she lets out when she¡¯s frustrated about a recipe she¡¯s testing doesn¡¯t


    come out the way she wants.


    What if I never get to see her beautiful face or get to hold her in my arms again? What if I never get to


    hear that giggle or her melodic voice call my name again? Will thest memory I have of her be losing


    my temper? Goddess, help me.I¡¯m not sure how long I sit there staring at the uneaten food.It may have


    been five minutes or five hours.


    Eventually, Milo moves my te away and sits down beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts.I rub my


    hands across my face and sigh with a frustrated growl when I feel his hand on my shoulder.I look at the


    ground, avoiding his gaze.I can''t bear to look him in the eye right now.


    "Bronx, we¡¯re gonna find her.You gotta have faith," he reassures me, "It feels like you''re giving up,


    man.Asking for help is not defeat.Think of it more like pulling together additional troops."


    "Milo¡¯s right.You didn¡¯t feel your mate bond break, and we didn¡¯t feel our pack bond break with


    Kas.She¡¯s alive out there, Bronx.We just have to figure out where.Knowing Kas, she is fighting for her


    life to get back to you,"


    Reggie chimes in.


    I look up at his icy blue eyes when he mentions Kas by name, and he continues, "Reaching out to the


    human media outlets is the right thing to do.Think about it.After your honeymoon and how sessful


    the bakery has been, everyone knows who she is, anyway.Ashley says the paparazzi have already


    started theorizing on their websites why she hasn¡¯t been at work all week."


    "Cut it out, Reggie.You know she hates that kind of attention," I sigh helplessly.


    "It''s not me, man.Social media is already buzzing.How will they react when they find out the wife of


    Bronx Mason is missing? They are gonna run far and wide with it.No offense, but Kas sticks out like a


    sparkly silver thumb in a crowd of pinkies.Someone has to know where she is.Once they broadcast


    your message, everyone will be looking for her.And at this point, the more eyes, the better," he tries to


    talk sense into me.


    Milo takes control of the conversation now, "Bronx, we need you to think of this as a battle.For all we


    know, it is a battle...or will be n His eyes get a little starry and a smile crosses his face as he thinks


    about getting to be in a battle again.He blinks a couple times as hees back to his senses, "Sorry, I


    got distracted.What I¡¯m trying to say is, we need you to fight for your mate.Your Luna.Our Luna.This is


    not the warrior Bronx we all know and cower from.You need to get mad.We want the moody, growly,


    settle for nothing less than perfection, ruthless Alpha leader we know you are, toe back.No one is


    denying how much you love Kas.We know you''re hurting without her.Reggie and I are here to support


    you behind the scenes, but for the pack and the public, you need to put on the show."


    He stands up and starts pacing, gesturing with his hands as he talks as he gets excited, "You need to


    be the guy people aren¡¯t afraid to be afraid of, because they all know they had better be.Be the powder


    keg people are worried about standing too close to.Whoever has Kas needs to know you mean


    business.You need to go out there, kick ¡®em in the nuts, and make them shit their pants through the


    television screen.Make someone call and beg you to take Kas back before the end of the day."


    I lean back in my seat while I watch Milo.He has stopped pacing and is standing in front of me with his


    arms crossed in front of him.His steel-gray eyes are full of a best friend¡¯s worry, but there is also a


    sternness that he knows I need from my Beta when I am unsure of myself.


    In their own entric way, he and Reggie always know how to give me the best pep talks.I¡¯m grateful


    to have them at moments like this.


    "You guys are right," I say.


    Their little sermon has worked because something inside my mind begins to stir.


    It feels like a tinderbox sparking.I can¡¯t justy back and cry like a baby because Kas is missing.I need


    to make whoever has her pay for even thinking they could take my mate with no consequences.I stand


    up and roll my shoulders like I¡¯m readying myself for a fight, "Enough with the pity party.I need to go


    upstairs and pick out a suit and figure out what I want to say tomorrow.Fuck what the PR team¡¯s script


    says.We¡¯re doing this my way."


    "That¡¯s my boy," Milo says, pping me on the back with a huge smile, "Wear one of the eye patches


    Kas has given you."


    "Good idea,"


    I nod and stand up, feeling much better than I did when I came outside, "Thank you guys.I don¡¯t know


    where I''d be without you."


    "Six feet under,"


    Reggieughs, "Come on, let''s get these dishes back to Mrs.Miller."


    I collect the tes to take back to the kitchen.I already know I¡¯m going to get scolded for not eating, so


    I mentally prepare an apology to Mrs.Miller.


    As we are stepping out of the gazebo, the energy in the air changes, like it¡¯s supercharged with


    electricity.


    The hairs on the back of my neck all stand up and Saint starts pacing in my head.


    "Do you feel that?" I ask Milo and Reggie, making sure I¡¯m not going crazy.I feel my fangs and ws


    extend as Saint reacts to the change as well.


    "Yeah," Reggie says, looking around.


    Just like me, he and Milo¡¯s eyes turn ck with fangs and ws extended.


    They take defensive stances.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Standing guard in front of me in case there is a surprise attack.


    My heart begins pounding in my chest, causing me to stumble forward.


    The tes fall to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces.I grab Milo¡¯s shoulder for support.


    My entire chest feels like it''s going to explode.


    A fear that is not mine overwhelms me.It can onlye from Kas.


    "Alpha! What¡¯s wrong?!"


    Milo growls, looking around for the attacker.


    "It''s Kas! She¡¯s scared,"


    I groan, clutching my chest as my heart goes wild.


    "Our mate,"


    Saint whimpers as he paces in my mind, "Help her."


    "I don¡¯t know where she is or I would, buddy,"


    I try to calm him down through my own increasing anxiety and pain.


    "She¡¯sing.Help her," he says more urgently.


    He doesn¡¯t sound like his usual self.He almost sounds like he''s scared.


    Saint isn¡¯t scared of anything.


    Great, now I''m worried about Kas and Saint.


    Out of nowhere, the water in the pool bubbles and steams like it is boiling.


    A soft white light forms in the deep end and gradually starts growing brighter.


    The ground around the pool shakes violently, practically knocking Reggie off his feet.He jumps back up


    and tentatively steps forward to the edge of the pool.


    "What the Hell?" he asks, to no one in particr.


    His voice is full of confusion.


    I look up, still using Milo to support me, to see what Reggie is looking at.


    The water is roiling and sshing over the edges onto the cement.


    The soft glow grows wider and brighter at the deep end of the pool.


    As it gets brighter, Reggie tilts his head.


    "Guys? You need to see this.I think it¡¯s a portal," He calls out to Milo and me.


    We step forward to see what he is looking at.


    Sure enough, there is arge circr light emanating from the bottom of the deep end of the pool.


    We can feel the heat being generated from the surface of the water.


    Suddenly, the light gets so bright that we have to shield our eyes and look away to avoid being blinded.


    The heating off the water is searing now.It''s like an atomic bomb going off underwater.


    All three of us step back to avoid getting burned by the steam.


    As fast as it started, the light dissipates, the ground stops shaking, and the water stops boiling.


    It¡¯s reced by the sounds of water thrashing and a woman''s high pitched screaming.


    "HELP!"


    I hear the familiar voice shriek, garbled by water, "HELP ME!"


    We look back at the pool to see a small woman struggling to keep her head above water.


    Her violet eyes are wide with terror as she chokes on water.She tries to reach for us but quickly sinks


    beneath the surface.


    The purple aura is glowing around her brighter than I have ever seen.


    "Kas?"


    Reggie says in awe of the impossible sight.


    One thought dominates my slow brain as I process that I am actually seeing her in the water: Kas can''t


    swim.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Without a second thought, I dive in the water.


    As my feet leave the ground, time seems like it slows down, almost stopping.


    Just as suddenly as it slows, it speeds up to triple speed, then back to normal.I feel like I¡¯m being


    jerked back and forth on a wooden roller coaster.


    The sensation is disorienting but I can''t move to stop it.


    As the speed of time keeps fluctuating, I realize Kas is instinctively trying to save herself by using her


    powers, but she¡¯s freaking out so she can¡¯t control them.


    As I am stuck in mid-air, another concernes to mind.


    When Kas gets too stressed out, she has premonitions.


    When that happens, she turns catatonic.


    Sometimes it''s for hours at a time.It¡¯s unnerving to watch her go through it.


    Stuck in her own mind, watching traumatic events that haven''t happened yet.


    If I am frozen in mid-air and she turns catatonic, she is definitely going to drown and I won''t be able to


    do anything but watch it happen.


    I watch helplessly from above as she slidespletely underwater, desperately trying to kick and


    paddle.


    As she sinks, time finally stabilizes, and I hit the water.I pull myself down to the bottom of the pool and


    grab her by the waist.


    She is still trying to struggle, but barely.I push off the bottom and kick as hard as I can until her head is


    above the surface.


    She sucks in as much of a breath as she can while she wraps herself tightly around me.She keeps


    coughing and gagging on the water, still trying to call out for help.I keep one arm secure around her


    while I use the other to get us back to the side of the pool.


    Besides her violet aura glowing brightly and not being able to control time like she normally can, the


    surge in her energy is making her hands blistering hot on my back.


    As I grip the edge of the pool, Milo reaches out for Kas to help her get out.


    "Milo! Be careful! Her hands are burning up," I warn.


    He gives me a little nod of understanding.


    "I got you, Little Sister," he reassures her.


    He reaches out and takes her by the armpits instead of her hands and tries to lift her out of the water,


    but she won''t let go of me.I carefully pry her arms and legs from around me, reassuring her she is safe,


    as he pulls her up.


    As soon as her feet are on drynd, she turns to see Milo is the one holding her.


    She bes hysterical all over again and wraps her arms around Milo while Reggie gently ces a


    towel over her.


    A painful look crosses Milo¡¯s face as his back burns from her touch, but he hugs her back anyway.


    As he does, I can smell burning flesh.I need to get her off of him before she really does some damage.


    "You''re okay now, Kas.Look, Bronx is right here and Reggie.See? Lenora and Ashley areing too,"


    his voice cracks from the pain as he soothes her.


    In the distance, Lenora, Ashley, and the pack doctor are running toward us from the back door of the


    packhouse.


    "Kas?"


    I climb out of the pool and I sit on my knees.I reach my hand out for her, but I don''t know what kind of


    mental state she is in right now.


    Does she even want to see me? Does she want to beforted by me? I don¡¯t want to make things


    worse.She pulls her face away from Milo¡¯s chest, pushing her hair out of her eyes, and looks at me like


    she is just realizing I am there.


    "Bronx?" Kas¡¯s sweet voice is scared and shaky.


    Aplicated lookes over her face, as if she doesn¡¯t believe she is actually seeing me.


    My heart thuds in my chest, worried that she won¡¯t take my hand.


    That she won¡¯t want to be with me.


    After what seems like an eternity, she lets go of Milo and throws herself into my arms.


    "Don''t let me go, Bronx.Don¡¯t let me go," she cries into my chest.


    I fold my arms tightly around her and breathe a sigh of relief.


    The sparks of our mate bond are more powerful than ever.


    "Don''t worry, Kas.I¡¯ll never let you go again, Baby,"


    I whisper as I settle her into myp.


    My skin is blistering on my ribs under her hands.I close my eyes and concentrate.I don¡¯t want to let her


    know she is hurting me.It doesn¡¯t matter how bad it hurts, she¡¯s back, and I¡¯m not letting her go.


    Reggie and the doctor finally kneel next to us.


    The doctor is huffing to catch his breath, looking in disbelief at Kas in my arms.


    "The doctor is here, Kas.Are you hurt?"


    Reggie leans forward, addressing Kas carefully.


    "I don¡¯t know," she whimpers from under the towel she¡¯s wrapped in.


    I feel a towel being draped over me.I look up to see Lenora and Ashley with confused looks on their


    faces when they realize Kas is in my arms.


    The doctor kneels next to me and quietly asks permission to examine Kas.I motion to give me just a


    minute.I unwrap my arms from around her and whisper softly in her ear, "


    Kas, can the doctor check you out? We want to make sure you''re not hurt."


    "A-am I home? Thedy that looks like Lenora said if I- I drank from the cup, I could go home," she


    hups as she calms down in my arms.


    Her voice is small and shaky.It reminds me of when we first found her.


    "You¡¯re home, Kas.You¡¯re safe now.I need you to concentrate and pull some energy away from your


    hands, okay?"


    I try not to grimace as I make my request.She looks at me, confused for a moment, then looks down at


    the blisters she has inadvertently created on my chest.


    "Oh, my Goddess! Bronx, I¡¯m so sorry!" she blurts out when she realizes what she has done.


    She pulls her hands away and tucks them against her own body like a mummy.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "It¡¯s okay, Kas.Saint will heal me.Let¡¯s get you to the hospital wing and get you checked out.Alright?" I


    say to her gently as I push the rest of her hair out of her face.


    "Okay, but stay with me?" she sniffs.


    "Of course, Baby.I¡¯ll be damned if I''m letting you out of my sight again," I kiss her forehead as I hold her


    tightly.


    "Alpha, we need to get the Luna to the hospital as soon as possible to make sure she hasn''t ingested


    poison," the doctor speaks softly but urgently in my ear.


    I pick Kas up in my arms and carry her to the hospital wing.


    "Ashley, make sure the film crew is still here at nine am.No script necessary.Someone just put a price


    on their own head for this and I''m making sure the message is crystal clear."

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    The doctors run every test they can think of but can''t find anything wrong with Kas other than the fact


    that she''s exhausted.


    They determine that she didn¡¯t ingest known poisons.


    Thank the Goddess for that.


    They attribute the exhaustion to using so much energy when she almost drowned in the pool.


    Based on how much weight she lost since thest time she had a checkup, the doctor doesn¡¯t think she


    has had anything to eat in the four days she was missing.I try to convince her to eat or drink anything.


    She appeases me by drinking a few sips of water, but pushes away any food we try to give her.She


    won¡¯t even take a bite of a banana, which is her favorite.


    When I found Kas two years ago, she was severely underweight from not being allowed to eat


    regrly.It took weeks before she could adjust to a normal diet.


    Since then, she has be a ravenous eater.


    Never turning down a meal, always snacking on veggies or a piece of fruit.


    "Come on, Kas.Just a few bites of toast, at least.A little something in your stomach might kick start your


    appetite. Please," I beg her.


    "1''ll eat when I''m hungry, Bronx," she insists, gently pushing the te of toast away.


    "Okay, how about a protein shake, just enough to get some calories in you?" I try to offer an


    alternative.She just scrunches up her nose at the idea and shakes her head.


    "Kas, we''re worried about you.You¡¯ve lost almost ten pounds in four days.I can¡¯t stand to see you lose


    more," I stroke her cheek while I confess my concern.


    "I''m fine, Bronx.If I wasn¡¯t, I would tell you.You know that," she says with a promise.


    "Give her a rabbit,"


    Saint huffs, also frustrated that his mate won¡¯t eat.


    "A rabbit?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s what Lex hunts for when she¡¯s hungry.I can go out and find one right now and bring it to


    her," he offers.


    "Let¡¯s hold off on raw meat while she is in human form, buddy.But I appreciate the offer."


    "Have it your way," he shrugs and goes to lie down in the back of my mind.


    I can sense that he is still paying close attention to make sure Kas is alright.


    Kas ces her hand on top of mine and leans into my palm.


    There is something more in her eyes, but I can''t ce it.


    Something more primal, like she has somehow tapped into a more wild part of her essence.I can sense


    her emotions have more depth to her already ancient soul.


    When I look at her, I feel like I could fall into the violet pools of her eyes and be content for the rest of


    my life.


    She is shocked to hear she was missing for four days.


    Even weirder than that, Kas says she can¡¯t remember anything except for a woman with red eyes and


    a Lenora look-alike having her drink out of an old cup.


    Reggie and I try to press her for more details, but she doesn¡¯t have any.


    Only that she was in a dark room and a woman who looked like my sister asked her to drink out of an


    old metal goblet.She doesn¡¯t remember the woman with red eyes saying anything.


    It isn¡¯t much to go on but Reggie goes to do research on famous enchanted goblets to see if he can


    find any pictures Kas can recognize.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    I ask Milo to look into creatures who have red eyes.


    To be on the safe side, the doctor and I convince Kas to stay in the hospital overnight for


    observation.She agrees under the condition that I¡¯m allowed to stay with her.


    Of course I agree.


    How could I not? They would have to drag me out of that room.


    After a couple hours of peopleing in and out to check on Kas, things finally settle down and she


    can close her eyes.


    Seeing her finally be able to rx gives me a sense of relief.


    The quiet is interrupted by a mind link from James, "Alpha.Sorry for the interruption.Is it true? Is the


    Luna back?"


    "Yeah, she¡¯s back, James.We¡¯re keeping her in the hospital wing for the night for observation."


    "Thank the Goddess! Delh wants toe see her.Can shee now or should I have her wait until


    the morning?"


    "You know Delh is always wee.Have here now.We are having trouble getting Kas to


    eat.Maybe she has something that can help?"


    James chuckles, "I am sure she has something in that bag of tricks.We will be there shortly."


    Delh is James¡¯s mate and Kas¡¯s business partner at the bakery.


    James met her when he and Marco were guarding Kas during an extended stay at a witch''s coven.She


    and Kas are also best friends.


    They care for each other so much; it is almost like they are siblings.


    There is nothing one wouldn¡¯t sacrifice for the other.


    Delh also happens to be a powerful witch and talented potion master.


    While Kas insists her abilities are not magic, we have found that magic has helped when things go


    haywire with her.


    It was the reason she went to the Coven for training in the first ce.She and Delh still go every six


    months to visit and get themselves refreshed.


    Having Delh avable when Kas is in need has been invaluable on more than one asion.


    There is a light knock at the door.


    Kas is finally sleeping peacefully.I want to let her sleep, but I know it would upset her if I told her Delh


    hade, but I didn¡¯t wake her.I brush her bangs out of her face and kiss her forehead before going to


    open the door.


    Delh is on the other side with tears in her big blue eyes.


    James is standing behind her, looking a bit anxious, holding what looks like an old timey doctor''s bag.


    Delh keeps potions in there.


    While we have an agreement that she is not allowed to perform most magic on pack territory, we


    asionally make exceptions if the need should arise.


    "Alpha, is she alright? Can I please see her?"


    The thin woman asks.Her spindly fingers wipe tears away from her dark blue eyes.Her light brown hair


    is in a ponytail and it looks like there is some cake batter on the side of her face.


    "Yeah, she seems to be okay.We just have her here to be on the safe side, Delh.She¡¯s sleeping, but I


    know she will be happy to see you.Come on in," I whisper and smile gratefully at her.


    Delh¡¯s eyes turn from dark blue to bright ocean blue in the blink of her eye as her mood


    brightens.She takes the bag from James and quietly pads across the room.


    Jameses in and stands at the back of the room with me.


    "Sorry, Alpha.I couldn¡¯t keep her away.She was in the middle of making a wedding cake and


    everything," James apologizes quietly for the interruption.


    "No, it''s okay, James.I am d she¡¯s here.Kas will be happy to see her," I reassure him. I tell him what


    the doctors say about her weight loss and herck of appetite.


    He looks at Kas with concern.He remembers what it was like when she first came to Blood River as


    well.I look over when I hear Kas squeal with happiness.


    She and Delh are giving each other a big hug.


    They both have tears of joy in their eyes.


    Delh sits on the bed with Kas, chatting excitedly while she opens her bag.


    Kas tells her the little she can remember about her ordeal.


    She listens intently before waving for James and me toe to Kas¡¯s bed side.


    "Alpha Bronx Mason, if it¡¯s alright with you, I am going to give Kas a solution of herbs," she uses my full


    name and title to help invoke her magic once I give her permission, "There isn¡¯t much to it really...some


    custard apple, gentian, and dandelion root.Just some basic things to help with her appetite."


    "If you think it will help, then by all means, Delh, please go ahead," I nod in approval.


    As I finish speaking, the energy in the air changes.


    Delh smiles and gets to work.


    James leans on the railing of the bed and chats with Kas while Delh mixes her potion.I notice he has


    a smile on his face, clearly d she is doing well, but there is a slight furrow on his brow as he talks to


    her.


    Delh murmurs under her breath as she adds various liquids to a ss cup.


    The color of the concoction changes from green to bright orange to clear.She finally looks satisfied with


    the result and smiles before handing it to Kas.


    James steps back for a moment while Delh exins to Kas how the potion will make her feel.


    "Alpha, something seems off," he murmurs next to me, "Did you notice it? It¡¯s something with her eyes."


    "Yeah.I can¡¯t pinpoint what it is though,"


    I nod, "We can figure it out once we get some food into her."


    He nods in silent agreement.We stand back and watch as Kas takes the cup from Delh and sniffs


    it.She suddenly looks reluctant to drink it.


    "What''s the matter, Baby?" I ask.


    I step forward and take her other hand in mine.


    The sparks from our mate bond are back to beingforting and not overwhelming.


    "I-it¡¯s just," she struggles to find the words to exin, "What if I disappear again?"


    "Kas, Delh would never give you a potion that would hurt you.She loves you.She is trying to


    help.How about this, I''ll hold your hand the entire time? But I¡¯m sure you will not go anywhere, except


    maybe Mrs.Miller¡¯s pantry from drinking that potion,"


    I smile at her, "The three of us will be right here just in case something goes wrong, okay?"


    "Okay," she smiles back, looking a little better about drinking the potion.


    She throws her head back and drinks the liquid down in one gulp like a shot of liquor, then hands the


    ss back to Delh.


    "How do you feel?" Delh asks as she puts the herbs back into her bag.


    Kas hups a little.


    There is a slight look of concern on her face, "Fine, I think?"


    "you think?" Delh questions.


    Now she has a look of concern on her face, too.


    "Yeah.Um...Delh, could you get off the bed for a minute, please?" Kas asks with a little urgency in her


    voice.


    She lets go of my hand and pulls the covers off of herself.She starts to look a little pale.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Kas? Do you want me to get the doctor?"


    I look into her eyes to trying to gauge what is happening with her.


    James helps Delh off of the bed but then suddenly pulls her back quickly, sensing something is


    wrong.I look back at Kas and see her eyes are pitch ck.


    A look crosses her face that is a mix of anger and pain.


    Oh no...now what?

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    "Kas? What¡¯s going on? Talk to me, Baby,"


    I urge as her eyes flicker from ck to purple to ck.She looks straight at me, eyes turning back


    again, and gives me an angry snarl.Her fangs and ws extend as the snarl turns into a deep


    growl.She crouches all fours with a pained expression.


    "Lex? Lex, it¡¯s Bronx.What¡¯s wrong with Kas?"


    I put my hands up, reluctant to get too close to the angry wolf trying to take over Kas¡¯s body.I watch as


    Kas struggles to take control, but it is a losing battle.


    Her flickering eyes look wild and out of control.I have never seen her like this.I¡¯m not sure how to react.


    "Delh, get out of here!"


    James warns, as he puts himself between his mate and Kas.


    Delh is staring ck jawed at her best friend¡¯s internal battle when James¡¯s voice startles her out of


    her gawking.She grabs her bag and scurries out the door, closing it behind her.


    "Lex, no!"


    Kas¡¯s yell turns into a howl.


    Before James or I can react, Kas begins to shift.Her clothes rip away from her body as she expands


    and grows.


    ck fur sprouts from her skin.


    Where Kas was just crouching on all fours, her giant ck wolf is now standing, trying to get her footing


    on the hospital bed.


    I look in awe at my wolf mate.I always forget how stunningly beautiful she is with her jet ck fur and


    violet eyes.


    Even in wolf form, I can still smell Kas¡¯s fresh rain and lc scent.


    It¡¯s strong, just a little muskier andpletely intoxicating.


    As I admire my beautiful wolf mate, I can¡¯t deny the urge to be closer to her.I lean forward and slowly


    wrap my arms around her, burying my face into the thick fur around her neck.I feel her lean down and


    give the side of my neck a quick lick "She¡¯s so beautiful," Saint swoons.


    "Tell me about it," I agree, getting lost in Lex¡¯s ebony coat.


    "Aalpha...you may want to back up...," I hear James warn behind me.


    I look up just in time to see Lex¡¯s eyes sh red, then back to violet.


    That¡¯s a new one.I slowly unwrap my arms from around her and back up from the startling sight.


    "Lex, are you okay? I-Is Kas okay?"


    I carefully back up with my hands out to the side, showing I mean her no harm until I am side by side


    with James.


    Lex casually hops off the bed as if it¡¯s the most natural thing in the world and walks to the door.She


    nudges the handle for someone to open it for her.


    "You better give her a rabbit," Saint chimes in.


    "Saint, be serious.A few hours ago, our mate just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the


    pool.She almost drowned.And now her eyes just turned red.She needs to spend the night in the


    hospital wing, not go chasing after rabbits."


    "Fine.Don¡¯t believe me," he huffs.


    A deep growl rumbles, making the whole room shake.


    Lex is standing by the door impatiently, waiting for someone to open it.


    She nudges the handle with her nose and huffs at me.I look at James, who just shrugs.


    "I guess open the door.What other choice do we have? Shift and try to fight her?"


    He¡¯s got a point.I oblige by opening the door a crack.


    Lex doesn¡¯t need an invitation, she¡¯s the kind ofdy who gets what she wants.


    As soon as it''s open, she squeezes her way through, looks both ways down the hall, then takes off


    running like a bat out of Hell.


    "ELEXIS! Where are you going?! Get back here now!" I yell, running after her.


    Trying to slip off my shoes and shirt as I go.


    James is hot on my heels doing the same.


    We are losing ground.


    We see people yelling and getting out of Lex¡¯s way as she barrels haphazardly through the packhouse


    toward the front entrance.


    I mind link Milo, Reggie, and Marco, "Guys, we have a situation.Lex is loose in the packhouse."


    "Lex? You mean Kas," Milo responds.


    "No, I mean Lex.Get your asses downstairs."


    James and I get to the main foyer of the packhouse to see Lex pacing by the door.


    Milo and Reggie make it to thending of the stairs and look at us with shock.


    Everyone on the main level is too scared to get close to Lex to open the door.


    She lets out a frustrated whine as she backs away from the door.


    James and I finish stripping down to our underwear just as Lex bursts through the ss of one of the


    front windows and is gone into the night.


    "Again? What the fuck.Lex?"


    James mutters.


    It isn¡¯t the first time Lex has broken through a te-ss window, but I sure hope it will be thest.


    We look at each other, knowing that we are in for a serious chase as we each shift.


    Saint and James¡¯s wolf, Reaper, leap through the window into the night after her.


    Ghost and Crusher are hot on our heels.


    We see Lex sprinting for the treeline into the thickest part of the woods.


    Up ahead, we see Marco''s wolf, sh, rushing to the treeline from a different direction.


    "Careful guys, something''s wrong,"


    I mind link them as we bolt into the forest after Lex.


    "You should have just given her a rabbit, dummy," Saint scolds.


    "Not now, Saint.Just catch up to her before she hurts herself or someone else!"


    Catching up to Lex is no easy feat.She is just as big as Saint, but in an all-out sprint, she can beat him


    almost every time.


    The five of us spread out wide so if we catch up to her, we can try to corral her and lead her back


    home.


    We can¡¯t see Lex, but her scent is strong.


    She keeps zigzagging through the brush.


    At first, it seems erratic, but as we keep moving, we realize it is a very intentional pattern.


    After what seems like hours, the metallic scent of blood tinges the air.I look at Ghost who looks back at


    me, clearly worried.


    In the distance, I can hear the rushing sounds of Blood River.


    Named for the color of the water, turned red by the high iron content turning to rust.


    "Herd her toward the river.Maybe it will slow her down,"


    I call out when I notice the smell of blood is thicker in the air now.


    "Yes, Alpha," everyone replies in unison, making adjustments to their positions.


    The closer we get to the river, the slower Lex seems to get.


    We finally reach the tree line to see herying in the grass with four dead rabbitsying on the grass


    next to her and another two mostly eaten close by.


    "Stand back, guys.I will take it from here.If I can¡¯t get her to shift, maybe I can at least get her toe


    back to the packhouse with us."


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The four wolves slowly back away as Saint approaches Lex.


    "You see, rabbits!"


    Saint growls at me.


    "Fine, you were right.Now let¡¯s convince her to go home."


    Saint slowly approaches Lex, tail wagging, excited to see his mate.


    She thumps her tail on the ground and dly allows him to sit next to her as she continues to happily


    munch on rabbit fresh bones.


    "Kas, are you there, Baby?" I ask hesitantly.


    No response.


    Lex pushes a rabbit toward Saint so he can join her.


    Saint obliges and lies down next to his mate.


    Crossing his snow white paw over her inky ck one.


    "Look Bronx, I know you¡¯ re worried about Kas, but maybe just give the adults a little alone time.I¡¯ve got


    like eight hundred years of practice dealing with Lex.I will get her back to the packhouse," Saint tries to


    reassure me.


    I think about it for a minute.


    If Kas is not able tomunicate with me, I can at least give Saint a chance to get Lex back to the


    packhouse so we can figure out what is going on with her.I look around and try to gauge the time.


    Probably close to eleven p.m., "Fine, send the guys home and get her back before sunrise."


    "Yes, Sir," he snarks before cutting off our mind link.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    The cool morning airbined with the dew dampening my cheek rouses me from my sleep.I pull Kas


    closer to my chest so she won''t catch a chill.She grumbles a little at being moved, but doesn¡¯t wake up.


    My little sleepyhead.She hates waking up early.I smile as I take a deep breath with my nose buried in


    her hair.Her fresh rain and lc scent is mixed with something else.


    Mud and a little blood.


    Hold up.


    Mud and blood? My eye snaps open and I see the sun is rising over the treeline.


    We are still out in the woods.I look around to find we are in the grass next to the Blood River.


    We are both naked and look like we have been rolling in mud puddles.


    There is a pile of rabbit remains nearby.I notice my face feels sticky.I wipe my mouth with the back of


    my hand.


    When I pull my hand away, I see it''s covered with goopy, almost dried blood that smells just like the


    rabbit carcasses.


    Gross.


    At some point during the night, Kas and I both shifted, but I can¡¯t remember a thing after Saint cut our


    link.


    I need to get some clothes for us from the nearby lockbox.I adjust my position slightly so I¡¯m on my


    back, assessing how far away the container is from where we are.


    As I turn, I feel sores all over my body.I groan a little and try to find a spot that hurts, that isn¡¯t covered


    in mud.I find a couple spots on my arm that clearly have the remnants of bite marks, but Saint has


    already started healing them.


    They are just red and sore now.


    "saint?"


    "Let me sleep.It was ate night," he grumbles.


    "Not so fast, buddy.What exactly happenedst night? Howe Kas and I shifted and why are we in


    the woods? I told you to get her back to the packhouse by dawn."


    "Listen, Bronx.I¡¯m not gonna to taint your virgin ears by getting into the nitty-gritty details.Just know that


    Lex and I mated...a lot.It was a night to remember.I don¡¯t even know thest time Lex was such an


    animal.It was probably when she was affected by Cora,"


    I can practically hear him purring, "We were too worn out to make it to the packhouse, so we shifted for


    you and letting you snuggle up by the river.Like camping.Isn¡¯t that what you guys call romantic?"


    I''m not sure what to say to him.I can¡¯t really be mad.He has every right to spend time with Lex as I do


    with Kas.


    Who am I to judge if he wants to have a wild night out in the woods with his mate? I just wish he would


    have taken her back to the packhouse like he said he would instead of romping around until he was too


    tired to make it back.


    "Okay, well I¡¯m going to get us some clothes and go home.Wait.Who¡¯s Cora?"


    "Leader of The Feral," he yawns, "Don¡¯t worry about it, you''ll never meet her."


    "Fine.Go back to sleep."


    "Thank you and you¡¯re wee," he adds, emphasizing ¡®wee ¡¯, like he did me same sort of favor


    before he curls up to fall hack asleep.I carefully slide my arm out from under Kas and gentlyy her


    head on the ground.She sighs deeply, but looks content.She also has rabbit remnants around her


    mouth.


    The wolf side of me thinks it looks kinda sexy.


    The human side of me knows it will horrify her if she sees herself with blood all over her face.I make a


    mental note to get her into the shower before she has time to look in a mirror.I make my way to the


    lockbox and pull out a pair of shorts for myself and an oversized shirt and a nket to wrap Kas up in.


    While I¡¯m doing that, I mind link our ranked pack members and James and Marco.


    "Hey everyone, I¡¯m headed back to the packhouse with Kas.I want both James and Marco on duty.One


    of you inside the apartment, the other outside.Better yet, bring Tyree in as well.I want him on the


    stairs.No one on the fifth floor except for ranked members."


    They confirm and cut the link to get themselves organized.


    "Ashley, let the PR team know I don¡¯t need a script.I know what I¡¯m going to say."


    "No problem, Alpha."


    "Lenora? I need you and Musu to find anything you can about a group known as The Feral and a


    woman who leads them named Cora."


    "That¡¯s it? You don¡¯t have any more info than that?"


    "Based on a conversation I had with Saint just now, I think this Cora woman may have somehow


    magically affected Kas and Lex.I don¡¯t have anything else other than that."


    "Alright, we''re on it."


    "Milo, Reggie, you¡¯re shadowing me today as representatives of MasoncCo.After we release the tape


    to the media, we are going to HQ.There are going to be reporters and you are going to be speaking to


    them."


    "Got it, boss man.We will change into suits now,"


    Milo confirms before cutting the link.I kneel down in front of my sleepy little mate, prepping the shirt to


    put on her.


    "Kas, wake up, Baby.We have to get back to the packhouse," I stroke the side of her face with my


    hand.


    "Pack house?" she gives a cranky little growl, resisting waking up and barely opening her eyes, looking


    around at her surroundings.


    "Yeah.It looks like Lex and Saint had a wild nightst night.They let us roll around in mud puddles and


    sleep by the river.Come on, sit up.I have a shirt for you and a nket, so you can go back to sleep.I¡¯ll


    carry you,"


    She groggily sits up and lets me pull the shirt over her head.I wrap her up like a burrito in the nket


    and pick her up.


    "Hey Bronx," she whispers, trying not to fall back asleep in the warm nket.


    "Yeah, Baby?"


    I look down at her and smile.Her eyes are closed, but she is smiling too.


    "I just wanted to let you know I love you and I¡¯m so d to be home," she tells me as she snuggles


    further into my chest.


    My heart sings at her words, "I love you too, Kas.More than anything."


    "But I¡¯m still mad that you left me alone on Sundays."


    Well, I guess she¡¯s feeling better.


    "You''ll be d to know, I¡¯ve learned my lesson.You will never be alone on Sundays again.We can talk


    more about itter.I have some business to attend to after I get you in bed."


    She gives a little hum before her snoring begins again.


    When I get Kas back to our apartment, I settle her in the bed and turn on the shower.I coax her out of


    the nket and join her in the shower, helping her get all the mud and blood off of her.


    She practically purrs when I wash her hair.


    "Kas, I have a question," I say while I¡¯m massaging shampoo through her scalp.


    "Yeah, what''s up, Sweetheart?" she asks with her eyes closed, a content smile on her face.


    "Do you know anyone named Cora? Or people who are part of a group called The Feral?"


    She opens her eyes and looks up at me with concern, "No? I don¡¯t think so? Why?"


    "It was just something Saint said to me this morning,"


    I say nonchntly, "Nothing to worry about."


    When I¡¯m sure we are bothpletely freshened up, I wrap a towel around Kas¡¯s body, another around


    her wet hair, and lead her back to bed.


    "Kas, I don¡¯t want you to worry about the bakery or anything today.Delh has it under control.Please,


    just get some rest and get your energy back, okay? I¡¯m going to have Mrs.Miller bring food for


    you.Food that isn¡¯t raw rabbits."


    "Raw rabbits? Gross, Bronx."


    "Yeah, I know,"


    I shake my head thinking about our wolves'' carnal habits, "I will be back to check on you this afternoon,


    but James is going to be outside the bedroom door, and Marco is going to be in the hall.I even have


    Tyree by the stairs to be on the safe side.If you need anything, anything at all, let them know."


    "Okay.Can you hand me my nket, please?" her voice getting sleepy again.


    I grab her old green and gray nket.


    It is the only thing left from when she was a ve with her old pack.


    We brought her to Blood River wrapped in it two years ago.


    She can¡¯t exin why but, she finds itforting.


    If it makes her happy, it makes me happy.Iy next to her on the bed whispering words meant just for


    her until she falls asleep with a smile on her face.


    When I¡¯m sure she¡¯spletely out, I kiss her forehead and get myself prepared to go to the


    conference room and record a message for the media.


    Katherine''s POV


    "Katherine! Turn on the television! Bronx Mason is on the news!"


    Amaries running into my office.


    "On the news? Why?"


    "T-Tessa messed up," she whimpers, her face turns pale.


    I knit my brows and turn on the television to the news station.


    Even through the screen, I can feel the anger rolling off of him.


    Sure enough, a prerecorded message from Bronx ys out.


    He looks like he''s barely containing his rage as he eloquently threatens the people who kidnapped his


    wife and tortured her for four days before trying to drown her.


    He offers a hundred thousand dors for information that leads to the arrest of the perpetrator.


    The reporter then provides a phone number and website for MasonCo for anyone who has information.


    My words of warning ring in my mind, "Tessa, wherever you are, be safe, darling.He¡¯s tearing the Earth


    in half to find you."


    I lean back in my chair and stare off in the distance, trying to determine my next move.I usually thrive in


    situations like this.


    Typically, these situations don''t involve theplicated web of my family.


    Wherever Tessa is, even Alexandros cannot find her.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    He and the rest of the Frouros left two days ago to search the far corners of the world for her, but she


    has been two steps ahead of them at every turn.


    The gears on my head churn as I try toe up with a n.


    "Katherine, you''re rolling your lip, darling,"


    Amari''s voice pulls me from my thoughts.I look up at her, then down at my hand.


    Sure enough, I coated my thumb and forefinger in red lipstick.I pull a tissue and wipe my hand.I lean


    forward and sp my hands together on the desk.


    "Amari, please do what you can to prepare Cora.Let me know if you need my help to convince her.I


    have some calls to make, but she''ll being with us to the United States," I smile.


    "Do you think that¡¯s wise?" she looks at me like I have a second nose on my face.


    "Getting closer to Bronx or involving Cora?"


    "Well, both actually, but I was referring to Bronx.It''s a dangerous game, Katherine."


    "Yes.I''m sure of what I''m doing.It''s time to make our move.We need to lure Tessa out of hiding and


    keep the remaining guardians safe from Leticia."


    "Alright.As always, I ce my faith in you, Luna,"


    Amari sighs before she bows slightly and leaves the room.I push the button on my desk phone.


    "Yes, Luna?" my assistant Sarah responds through the speaker.


    "Contact our Das, Texas office, please.We need to start ns for a new facility in Montana."


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "Also, contact MasonCo.I want to discuss a security contract for the new facility with the potential to


    broaden to international locations."


    "Yes, ma¡¯am."


    "Sarah, ask for a meeting directly with Bronx Mason.Drop my name if necessary.Don¡¯t take no for an


    answer."


    "Yes, ma¡¯am."

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Lenora¡¯s POV


    Musu and I meet in my office fifteen minutes after I mind link her to let her know we have new


    information and need her help immediately.She is dressed casually, a light blue tank top and white


    jeans.


    Thebination makes her deepplexion look even darker.She has her hair wrapped in a blue and


    white silk scarf, hiding her beautiful twisted ck hair.


    "I apologize for my appearance, Beta.I wasn¡¯t expecting to leave the house today, but since Marco got


    called in, I got dressed quickly and came here with him," her dark wide- set eyes are filled with an


    unneeded apology.


    "It¡¯s alright, Musu. am appreciative that you even agreed right now,"


    I praise her in return, "So here''s what the Alpha told me.He wants information on a group called The


    Feral and the leader of the group.


    A woman named Cora, who may have magical abilities.He didn¡¯t say she is a witch, but maybe?"


    "I don¡¯t know about the name Cora, but I think I saw a book in Alpha Bronx¡¯s private library that


    referenced Agrios.I know it''s an old Greek word, hmm let me do a quick inte search," she flips open


    herptop and starts typing.


    After a moment, she turns the screen toward me, "The word itself means wild or savage, but in Greek


    mythology, there was a Gigantes created to fight the Olympian gods during the Giant War, named


    Agrios.He was supposed to rece the Moirai, who are moremonly known as The Fates.It never


    came to be because someone killed Agrios during the war.


    "Okay.I will look into the definition side, you look further into the mythology side.Look for any covens or


    witch subcultures that somehow identify with the Gigante or maybe even the Fates.,"


    I write some notes on my notepad, "Bronx has restricted the fifth floor today, so no getting into his


    library."


    "I can make do, Beta.Mind if I sit at the conference table?"


    "Have at it, Musu.Let¡¯s regroup in forty-five minutes.Thank you again foring in at thest minute,"


    I turn to myptop to get started.


    Musu doesn¡¯t get up.I look back to her to see she has a concerned look on her face, "Is everything


    alright?"


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "I don''t mean to overstep, but now that we have found the Luna, do you think it is a good time to


    discuss the video with Alpha Bronx?"


    I audibly sigh, "Yeah, there isn¡¯t really any avoiding it now."


    She nods and makes her way to the meeting table in the back of the room.


    Half an hourter, a knock interrupts our research.


    "Come in!"


    The door opens and Bronx steps in.


    Milo and Reggie follow behind him.I feel a small pit in my stomach expecting Bronx¡¯s reaction when we


    show him the video.


    "Well, don¡¯t the three of you look dashing," I smile, resting my hand on my chin, referring to the suits


    they have on.


    Bronx is even wearing a tie.


    "Thanks, Sugar," Milo smiles and leans over the desk to kiss me on the cheek.


    Bronx and Reggie sit in the chairs across from me while Milo sits on the edge of my desk.


    Musu approaches and regards them all formally.


    "Leni, we¡¯re going to MasonCo headquarters in a few minutes.The news outlets haven¡¯t even received


    the video file yet, but Ashley says a ton of reporters and paparazzi are already queued up outside.They


    caught wind from the media outlets that there is going to be an announcement in an hour,"


    Bronx says in a serious tone.


    "Alright.We are looking into the information you gave us.Musu, take it away," I gesture to her.


    She fills the guys in on the information she had hypothesized.


    "So is it associated with the Menae?" Reggie asks.


    "we will let you know when we have some definitive information.I don¡¯t want to get anyone¡¯s hopes


    up.Beta, is this a good time to discuss the video?"


    I take a deep breath, "Yeah."


    "What video?" Bronx asks, sounding annoyed, "Does this have to do with Kas?"


    "Uhhh, no.It has to do with you.I don¡¯t even know how to introduce it.We got thisst week, but Kas


    was kidnapped the morning before we were going to show you. Just watch,"


    I turn my attention back to myputer and click on the video file.


    Musu and I watch the guys'' reactions.


    All three have eyes glued to the monitor.


    Milo looks horrified.


    Reggie looks defeated.


    Bronx looks so angry that he''s about to shift.


    "who the fuck is she? Why the fuck does she have the cursed knife that almost killed me? And why the


    fuck does she look like she could be my wife?" Bronx growls, still looking at the monitor.


    "Musu, do you mind fielding this one?" I give her a pleading look.


    Musu calmly exins that the video is over a year old and she received it from one of her contacts.


    The victim is Cordell Santoro.


    She pauses before she reads the police report she obtained through an informant with the local Mn


    police, exining the missing organs.


    I look over at Bronx who is so angry; he is literally vibrating, but holding it together.


    Musu exins that our forensics team believes the woman is the same one we have photos of from


    haunted and dark magic locations around the world.


    Definitely one of the Manae.


    As for the knife, we don''t know how she acquired it or her connection to Bronx¡¯s attack.


    "I remember hearing about Cordell Santoro¡¯s death on the news.He¡¯s the guy from Santoro


    Industries.They said it was a robbery,"


    Reggie recalls, "No one mentioned organs were the items being stolen."


    Bronx ignores Reggies revtion and asks, "Did anyone in this room know the Santoros were wolves?"


    "No, Alpha," we all reply in unison.


    "How is a family that powerful not part of a huge pack?" It is a rhetorical question, but a good one.


    "Musu, I want you to look into it.Find out who they are.If one of Kas''s sisters killed her husband, maybe


    there is some connection to Kas that we need to know about."


    "Yes Alpha, of course," Musu, bows her head slightly.


    She looks at me hesitantly before she continues, "Alpha, we believe it is a good idea for you to have


    guards tailing you.For your safety, Sir."


    Bronx suddenly stands, making Musu flinch slightly, "No.Milo, Reggie, let¡¯s go."


    "Bronx, please listen to reason," I jump up, following him out of the room.


    He turns to face me and I see his eye flicker ck.


    "I.Said.No," he snarls in his Alpha voice through gritted teeth, forcing me to stand down.


    Without another word, he turns around and leaves.


    "Sorry, Sugar,"


    Milo gives me a sympathetic look, "We''ll try to talk some sense into him."


    He gives me a peck on the cheek before he and Reggie obediently follow after their Alpha.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Musu tries to hide her disappointment at Bronx''s reaction, even though we were both expecting it.


    "You did a good job, Musu.We knew he would not say yes that easily,"


    I ce my hand on her forearm tofort her, "It actually wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought it would be."


    She smiles weakly at mypliment, "Thank you, Lenora.I suppose you¡¯re right.At least he didn¡¯t


    break anything."


    "Listen, we have half an hour before the Bronx¡¯s message goes live.How about we take a break from


    work? I''l] ask Mrs.Miller to bring a snack and we will watch the broadcast together.We can get back to


    research after."


    Her smile widens to genuine gratitude as we make our way to the love seat on the other side of the


    room.


    I mind link the kitchen staff and ask for some snacks and drinks so Musu and I can rx for a bit.


    Ever studious, Musu keeps doing research while we wait for our food and the announcement to be


    released, but came up with nothing.It isn¡¯t long before one of the omegas brings us food and drinks so


    we can sit back and rx.I turn on the TV.


    The talking head announces a rare statement directly from the CEO of MasonCo, Bronx Mason, in


    regard to his wife, Kas Mason.


    A head shot that the PR team took of Kas shortly before she and Bronx got married shes on the


    screen.


    An involuntary smile crosses my face just by seeing her.


    "Our Luna is so beautiful,"


    Musu muses with a smile of her own.


    "yeah, Bronx is a lucky guy, huh?" I giggle.


    Musu follows suit, with a little elbow in my side.


    The video of Bronx slides onto the screen.He is wearing a gray suit like Ashley rmended, but he is


    wearing a ck shirt and ck tie.His eye patch is light green to match his eye.


    I recognize it immediately.


    Kas gave it to him for Winter Solstice.I watch as my brother lets go of all pretence and speaks the way


    he did when he was in the military.


    A glint in his eye and tone in his voice that I have not seen or heard since before he met Kas.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The deliberate, sinct, calm cadence in contrast to the unrelenting intensity of his re and caustic


    severity of his words makes my jaw go ck.I look over at Musu, who is wide eyed with a torti chip


    sticking out of her mouth, mid-bite.


    She has never known this side of him.


    "Is this the Bronx Mason who Elder Henri warned me about?" she asks in a quiet voice, never taking


    her eyes off the screen.


    Elder Henri served in the military with Bronx.


    He knows exactly how dangerous my brother can be.


    "Yeah...that¡¯s him.He¡¯s been gone for a while, but looks like he¡¯s back,"


    I clear my throat, "This exins his reaction to the video we showed him."


    My cell phone dings with a text message.


    Dad: Lenora.What the Hell is going on?


    Lenora: Everything is okay now, Dad.I didn¡¯t know that was what he recorded though


    Dad: Tell your brother to call as soon as he can.Mom is ready to strangle him.Love you, sweetie


    Lenora: Okay, Dad.Love you too.Mom and Dad have been in Norway for thest five weeks.We had


    called them when Kas went missing.


    They offered toe home, but there was nothing we could think of that they could actually do to help,


    so we told them not toe.


    They were relieved when I let them know Kas was back.


    Just like everyone else, they love Kas with all of their hearts.


    Bronx¡¯s little media message apparently has gone viral in a matter of ten minutes.


    "You know what, let''s get back to work," Musu says as she collects herself and finishes her chip.


    "Good idea.Back to work."


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    We decide to have a driver take us in one of the dark tinted SUVs instead of driving ourselves to


    MasonCo headquarters.It¡¯s easier that way.


    We don¡¯t have to be seen until we are ready to see people.I let myself get lost in my thoughts while


    Reggie has the PR team on speaker phone as he and Milo discuss what they should and shouldn¡¯t say


    to reporters.


    It¡¯s the regr shit.


    Be formal with traditional media reporters, be friendly with paparazzi.I really just wanted to stay home


    with Kas and spend time with her.


    Make sure she is alright.I know she said she can¡¯t remember thest four days, but yesterday was


    definitely stressful for her.


    I pull out my phone and call Carly.


    "Good morning, Alpha.Can I help you?" she answers, ready to get to work.


    "Carly, have flowers sent to the Luna.Roses.Purple and white,"


    I instruct, "A lot of them."


    "Yes, Alpha.Is that all?"


    "For now, yes.We should be there in fifteen minutes.How¡¯s the atmosphere?"


    "Well, a little tense, but calm with all things considered."


    "Alright, good.What''s on my agenda for the day?"


    "Two messages so far this morning.The Council needs to speak with you about Silver Moon.They didn¡¯t


    give more detail than that.Also, the CEO of Santoro Enterprises wants to speak with you.Something


    about a data center in Montana.Her assistant insisted that the meeting be with you.They are based out


    of Greece, but they are willing toe here for the meeting."


    "Santoro Enterprises?"


    My interest is piqued.


    We just finished watching the video of Cordell Santoro being murderedst year.I didn¡¯t know the


    Santoros were wolves until the video, but now that I know, I¡¯m happy to meet with them.


    The timing seems a little too convenient, though.


    "Yeah, Katherine Santoro," Carly confirms.


    "Okay.We can look at schedules when I get into the office and figure something out for both


    things.Thank you, Carly,"


    I hang up without waiting for a reply.I look at my phone to check emails when I realize the car is


    absolutely silent.I look up at Milo and Reggie.


    They are both staring at me like I just stole the crown jewels.


    "What?" I ask, confused by their reaction.


    "Santoro Enterprises?" Milo says.


    "Yeah.Reggie, you are on recon to figure out who Katherine Santoro really is before the meeting.Loop


    in Lenora and Musu if necessary.Something is clearly fishy here," I say, crossing my arms in front of


    me.


    "You got it, boss.Want me to send a team to Greece?" he asks.


    "Do what you need to do," I confirm.


    "What am I doing?" Milo asks.


    "You¡¯re still on reporter and paparazzi duty."


    "Ah man, Reggie, howe you get to do all the fun stuff?" Milo whines.


    "Just lucky, I guess,"


    Reggie smiles and elbows Milo.


    When we finally get to the office, reporters swarm the car, but the security guards hold them back until


    we get into the underground garage.


    "Yeah, you guys stick me with the sucky jobs,"


    Miloins, looking at the people trying to catch a picture of me.


    "When was thest time it was like this?"


    Reggie wonders out loud.


    "When we got back from the honeymoon and everyone found out they took Kas hostage in the jewelry


    store robbery,"


    I remember it like it was yesterday, not a year and a half ago.


    We climb out of the SUV and I look at Milo onest time before I feed him to apletely different type


    of pack of wolves than he is used to.


    "Where¡¯s your tie?" I ask.


    "I only had a Winter Solstice tie.It is in the shape of a Solstice tree.As fun as that would be, I didn¡¯t feel


    like having you strangle me today.Maybe you will have better luck tomorrow," he gives me a goofy grin.


    I¡¯m not in the mood for Milo¡¯s shenanigans right now.I take my tie off and hand it to him.


    He rolls his eyes and takes it from me and puts it around his neck.He pulls the end over his head like


    it¡¯s a noose, crosses his eyes, and sticks out his tongue.


    Reggie snickers.


    I walk away before I actually strangle my brother-inw.


    Carly meets me in the atrium of my office with some stacks of papers.


    She follows me to my desk so I can review them.


    While I¡¯m signing my name to paper after paper, she updates me on other matters.


    "l¡¯m working with Katherine Santoro¡¯s assistant to nail down a date and time for the meeting, Alpha,"


    she informs me, "I also have our analysts already looking into the financials for thepany to make


    sure it is even worth it."


    "Thank you, Carly.Who was it that called from the Elder Council? I will call them back now?"


    "Elder Randall," she says quietly, avoiding my eye.


    I groan.


    That guy is such a jerk A lot of packs believe I will be elected to the Elder Council when I retire.I hope


    Randall retires before that happens.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll take care of him.Keep me posted on Santoro Industries.Offer them amodations at the


    pack house."


    "Yes, Alpha," she bows and backs out of the room, closing the door behind her. I call Elder Randall


    before I get interrupted again.


    "Ah, Alpha Regent Bronx Mason," he answers jovially, using my full title and name.


    "Hello Randall. You called about Silver Moon?" I ask.


    Silver Moon is the pack Kas grew up in.


    When the Council found out about her abuse, they stripped the Alpha of his title and forced him to be a


    rogue.


    They gave the rest of the pack the option to either stay, request refuge in other packs, or peacefully


    be rogues themselves.


    About half of them left on their own ord.


    The Council took over to lead the pack until a new suitable Alpha could be found, trained, and


    limated to the pack.


    "Bronx, listen.I hate to call you in these circumstances, but we need your help with Silver Moon.It¡¯s


    been two years and we still haven¡¯t been able to find an Alpha to lead them.


    "Okay, so what are you asking me to do?"


    "We need you to absorb them into Blood River."


    "Excuse me? You want me to just absorb three hundred wolves into my pack?" I ask in disbelief.


    "Well, we would give you financial support obviously.We wouldn¡¯t expect you to do it on your own."


    "Randall, I understand Silver Moon is under my region and I am responsible for them, but have you


    seen the news? Right now isn¡¯t the best time for me to make such a big change to my pack."


    "Yes, I know.In my defense, the announcement wasn¡¯t out until after my initial call.I am sorry to hear


    that Luna Regent Kas has been through an ordeal.That being said, I know this sounds like a request,


    but it isn¡¯t.The Council is making this a requirement."


    I lean back and rub my hands on my face.I can feel the flush of anger heating me up from my neck up.


    Aside from the fact that I don''t have time or patience to take on another three hundred people into our


    pack, I''m extremely hesitant to take on people from Kas''s past onto our territory.


    The Goddess is testing me.


    There is no other way to look at it.


    "Alright, Randall.How long do I have for this transition? Can I get six months?"


    I do my best not to let my voice growl.


    "Let''s say start within four months,plete transition in six months.We can go to Silver Moon next


    month and make the announcement."


    I lean forward, holding my head up with my hands, "We need to give them the option to note to


    Blood River, Randall.Each and every one of them needs to know, if theye to my pack, it is on a


    probationary period based on the history with my Luna.I will not tolerate abusive pack members on my


    territory.And I will take matters in my own hands if I find anyone has stepped even a toenail out of


    line.That includes execution by my hands if I deem it justified.If the Council wants me to be responsible


    for these wolves, they don''t get to interfere in my pack matters.Do you understand? Do I make myself


    clear?"


    There is a long silence on the line.


    "Randall?"


    "Yes.I am sure we can make some sort of concession.I will call next week when things aren''t so tense,


    Bronx."


    "That''s Alpha Regent Bronx to you." I hang up the phone before he can respond.


    I sit in the silence, focusing on what my therapist would say.


    She would say, choose where to focus your energy.


    Right now, my energy needs to be focused on my mate.I look at the stack of papers on my desk and


    the unread emails on myputer screen.I need to power through all this so I can get home to her.


    A small knock on the door pulls me from my work.I look up at the clock, one-thirty.


    "Come in," I call out.


    Carlyes in, looking a little pale, "Um, Alpha?"


    I put my pen down and look at her with concern, "What''s wrong Carly?"


    "I just got a call from Tyree.The Luna just tried to kill James."

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Kas¡¯s POV


    ording to the clock, it¡¯s one in the afternoon.


    My stomach growling rouses me out of bed.


    Before he left, Bronx said Mrs.Miller was going to bring food up to the apartment.


    Seems as good a time as any to go see what goodies she brought up.


    I go into the walk-in closet and find a pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt.


    As I¡¯m getting dressed, my mind churns with the events from yesterday, trying to put some sense to all


    of it.


    How did I end up in the pool in the first ce? Where have I been for thest four days? I think they are


    questions best thought about over a turkey sandwich and hopefully a banana.I put my hair up ina


    floppy bun before I head out to the kitchen.


    As I get to the bedroom door, I smell someone¡¯s scent.


    It definitely isn¡¯t Bronx¡¯s dark chocte and coffee scent that I love so much, besides, he told me he


    was going to the office.


    This scent is out of ce in my home and I''ll be damned if I¡¯m disappearing for another four days.


    My brain immediately switches from questions of my disappearance to defense mode.


    I let my fangs and ws extend, ready to attack as I slowly, quietly crack the door open.


    Arge man is standing half-way between the bedroom door and the sofa with his back facing me.


    He is in jeans and a white t-shirt with his arms crossed in front of him as if he¡¯s waiting for something.


    All the training James and Marco have given me over the past year floods into my brain.


    If I can get a foot nted on the small of his back, I can get leverage over him and try to bring him


    down.


    "Kas, what are you doing?" Lex hisses at me.


    "Attacking a man who broke into my apartment.I¡¯m not getting kidnapped again, Lex.What do you think


    I¡¯m doing?" I snap.


    "Kas, that¡¯s just-"


    "Not now, Lex," I interrupt.


    Before she can respond again, I let a purple aura build around me.I suppress a growl as Iunch


    myself at the man from behind.


    One foot securelynds on the small of his back while my knee is between his shoulder des, giving


    me leverage to lean back without falling off of him.


    My hands wrap tightly around his thick neck at the same time.He lets out a strangled cry as my ws


    bury deep into his windpipe.He grabs my wrists and starts to pull, but not enough to throw me off of his


    back.


    The growl I was suppressing lets loose from my chest, making the room rumble as he grabs me.I start


    to push my ws deeper into his neck, pulling them back toward my body at the same time.I can feel


    his pulse quicken against my fingertips as I get closer to his jugr.


    The metallic scent of blood is thick in the air as he drops to his knees.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Something''s wrong.


    Why isn¡¯t he defending himself? Why isn¡¯t he fighting against me? Just as his knees hit the ground,


    Marco throws the apartment door open andes rushing in.


    "Kas! NO! Stop! It¡¯s James! Luna, please! It''s just James! You¡¯re gonna to kill him!" he begs.


    Marco is holding his pistol, but he has both hands in the air in front of him, showing he doesn¡¯t intend to


    shoot.


    His eyes are wide, darting from James to me as he takes slow, deliberate steps towards us.


    James? The split second of distraction is enough for the intruder to reach up, grab me by the


    shoulders, and throw me over top of him, t on my back.


    The wind gets knocked out of me as I hit the ground, forcing me to dislodge my ws from his throat.


    I look up to see James grabbing his neck.


    Blood is gushing out between his fingers as he falls to the ground.


    My fangs and ws retract at the shock of seeing James bleeding out from his neck.


    Marco races over to James¡¯ side and drops to his knees, "James, stay with me, man."


    His voice isn¡¯t nearly as panicked as it should be.


    His eyes ze over as he mind links someone, then I watch in horror as Marco consoles his friend.


    Oh, my Goddess! What have I done? What have I done? "Kas, don¡¯t just sit there.Heal him before it¡¯s


    toote!"


    Lex yells in my head.I can feel the tears stinging my eyes as I pull myself up.I can¡¯t catch my breath as


    I crawl next to James.


    What have I done? There¡¯s so much blood.


    James¡¯s face is pale, his usually cheerful blue eyes look ssy and far away.


    "James! No no no no no! Oh my Goddess, I¡¯m so sorry.I¡¯m so sorry.Can I heal you, please, James?


    Please! Just blink if it''s okay for me to heal you!"


    I cry, not able to stop the tears now.I force down a sob as he looks to me and slowly blinks.I position


    myself next to his shoulder, surrounded by a growing pool of blood that soaking into the carpet.


    Marco looks at James with disbelief in his watery eyes.


    Then he looks at me and shakes his head slowly.


    His mouth opens and closes, but nothinges out.


    "Okay, Lex.Let¡¯s concentrate.We can do this,"


    I state to her as calmly as I can, which isn¡¯t very calm at all.I wipe my tears away with my sleeve and


    clear my throat.


    "Sending you all my energy, Kas.Let¡¯s go," she whines, seeing James fading on the ground.


    I gently pull James¡¯s hands away from his throat.


    Blood continues to pour out in spurts from the gaping wound.I feel like someone is squeezing my heart


    as I see the extent of the damage my ws made.I ce my hands over his neck and close my eyes in


    concentration.


    In the distance, I can hear and feel people around me, but they all fade away as I focus on saving


    James¡¯s life.I send my energy out into his body, pulling muscle and tendons back together.


    Fusing flesh, repairing tissue that I tore in half.I feel someone gently shaking me awake.


    There is an energy to their touch, intense but familiar andforting.


    Why do I feel like a truck hit me? As Ie out of the darkness of sleep, I can hear a woman calling


    me, "Iokaste...Kas...Time to wake up."


    I know that voice, but I can¡¯t ce it.


    No one calls me Iokaste, except for Delh¡¯s mom, Lady Camille.It definitely isn¡¯t her voice.


    Why does this woman sound so familiar? I slowly open my eyes.


    A bright light is shining through the doorway into the dark room, making it impossible to see anything


    except her silhouette.


    "Lex, where are we?" I ask groggily.


    "Not now, Kas.You have important visitors," her tone is full of warning.


    A woman is crouching next to the cot I''mying on.I jolt up and push myself as far away from her as I


    can.


    My eyes adjust to the bright light from the doorway.I try to send energy to my hands.


    Maybe if I can burn her a little, she will back away.I concentrate on my energy, but nothing happens.


    Okay, weird.I try to focus to slow time down a little.


    If I can freeze these two women in time, I can escape out the door and no one gets hurt.I try to focus,


    but again, nothing happens.


    Oh, my Goddess.I¡¯m trapped.I look around to see if there is a way to escape around them, but the only


    exit is the door the woman is standing in.


    Wait a minute? Is that who I think it is?


    "L-Lenora?" I ask as her outline bes more clear with Lenora¡¯s strong features and signature ck


    ponytail.


    The woman looks annoyed, "No, I¡¯m not Lenora.Are you thirsty?"


    She points to the other woman, who is sitting on the floor in front of the cot.I look more carefully at the


    woman in front of me.


    She is holding a metal wine ss toward me.Her long chocte brown hair is in dreadlocks pulled


    back into a ponytail.She has scarlet irises, red as blood.Her sun-weathered skin makes her look older


    than she must really be.


    "Where am I?" I snarl at the woman, who looks like she could be Lenora¡¯s twin.


    She doesn¡¯t respond, she just rolls her eyes at me.


    The woman in front of me looks at me sympathetically but doesn¡¯t say anything.


    Something about her makes me want to throw my arms around her and hug her fiercely.


    As I look at her, I feel my purple aura building.


    Internally, it feels strong, but as I look at my hands, it is barely a tint.


    What am I thinking? I can¡¯t hug my kidnapper.


    The woman¡¯s eyes turn brighter red in response to my aura.


    I see her tremble.


    Is she scared of me? Is she going to attack me? She dips her fingertips into the metal cup and puts


    them in her mouth.


    As she does, words from a foreignnguage float into my mind, "Eisai dynat¨¦s.Empist¨¦fsou ta ¨¦nstikta


    sou."


    I don¡¯t know what it means, but it feels like the words are imprinted into my mind now.


    Did she just mind link me? It felt different from a mind link.It was was a different type of connection.


    I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.


    A woman¡¯s voicees over an inte, telling me the only way they will let me leave is if I drink from


    the cup.I look at the cup being extended to me again.I close my eyes to concentrate on the words for a


    moment.


    What do they mean? I feel like 1 should know.I just can¡¯t put my finger on it.


    When I open my eyes, I look deeply into the scarlet eyes of the woman in front of me.


    One of three things is going to happen here, I resolve in my mind.


    Either I drink out of that cup and it¡¯s poison that will kill me, I drink out of the cup and absolutely nothing


    happens - I¡¯m a prisoner here forever, or I drink out of the cup and somehow get to go home and see


    Bronx and the rest of my pack.I have to take the chance.I have to have hope that I will see Bronx


    again, even if it¡¯s only a thirty-three percent chance.I take the cup from the woman.


    As I do, her fingers brush against mine.


    Avision shes in my mind.


    She and I are standing next to each other on a battlefield.


    We are both dressed in heavy leather armor.


    The sounds of fighting areing from all around us.


    As our enemies get closer, she takes my hand.


    ¡®Eisai dynatds a tha eimai panta ed¨¦ ¨¦tan me chreiazesai.


    [You are strong, but I will always be here when you need ne.I love you.]"


    before I can stop her, she throws herself at the charging wolves nd sacrifices herself to save me.


    An endless scream escapes me as fee] her connection disappear.


    A surge of energy builds in me until it explodes from my body like a bomb.


    I look around where here were just fighting wolves, witches, and vampires around me.


    ``There is nothing now but the scorched earth.The smell of char, ot, and death fills my nose before I


    pass out.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    As I rush out of the office, I get a text.I look down to see who could possibly interrupt me right now.


    Lenora: Code Violet Shit.


    Code Violet means Kas is in a catatonic state.


    She¡¯s having a vision about some sort of traumatic event in her life.


    I have given orders that no one is to touch her when she has a vision because she could identally


    use her powers on them.


    Carly informs the driver that I am headed to the garage and in a hurry.


    He is ready and waiting for me by the time the elevator opens.I jump in the back of the SUV and call


    Lenora as he drives.


    "Lenora, what¡¯s happening?"


    "From what we can tell, Kas attacked James on purpose, but she didn''t know who she was


    attacking.Marco says as soon as he entered the apartment and saw Kas with her ws in him, he told


    her it was James and not an intruder.She stopped immediately and tried to heal him," she exins.


    "What do you mean ¡®tried¡¯ to heal him? Don¡¯t tell me he died," I feel a pit in my stomach at the thought.


    "Well, she started to, and at some point, she fell into a vision. We aren¡¯t exactly sure when."


    "She started having a vision while she was healing James?"


    "Yeah.She was able to heal all of James¡¯s physical injuries, but he lost a lot of blood. She went all


    mannequin before she could finish that part," she pauses before she continues, "His wolf is trying to


    heal him, but James lost a lot of blood.He is pretty weak.He¡¯s in the hospital wing now getting a


    transfusion. Delh is down there with him."


    "How did you separate James from Kas without touching her?" I wonder out loud.


    "we pulled James by his feet until he was out from under Kas. She¡¯s still on the floor of your


    apartment."


    "Oh my Goddess.Where are you?"


    "Sitting at your breakfast bar watching her."


    "Anyone else with you?"


    "Just Tyree right outside the door.Marco waspletely freaked out, Bronx.I sent him and Musu


    home.You''re going to need to speak with him.Make sure he¡¯s okay."


    "alright.You okay?" I ask.


    "Yeah.I-It¡¯s a lot of blood Bronx.Like, a lot.I don¡¯t know how he didn¡¯t die," I hear her swallow hard.


    "Okay.Hang in there, Leni.I¡¯m on my way.Thank you for being there for her."


    "No thanks needed, Bronx.She¡¯s my Luna.She¡¯s my like little sister.I will see you when you get here."


    There is a touch of sadness in her voice.She doesn¡¯t wait for me to say goodbye, she just hangs up.


    "Go faster," I order the driver.


    "Sorry, Alpha, not until we are on pack territory.We have two cars full of paparazzi tailing us.Going too


    fast will attract attention or get us pulled over.The gatehouse guards will be able to stop the paps from


    following us.Then I can race up to the packhouse," the driver apologizes without looking away from the


    road.


    I look at my watch.


    We should be on pack territory in less than ten minutes.


    Then another five or so to get to the pack house.I rub my hands over my face with a frustrated growl.


    If we weren¡¯t being followed, I would jump out, shift, and get home in five minutes.


    After what seems like an eternity, we finally pull up to the packhouse.I jump out before we evene


    to a full stop and sprint upstairs to the apartment.


    Tyree moves out of the way when he sees me racing down the hallway.


    I throw open the door and get mmed with the powerful scent of blood.


    Lenora climbs off of the stool she is perched on.


    She looks like she might have been crying, but Lenora never cries.It must be worse than I thought.She


    observes me as I approach my mate.


    Any feelings of anger or frustration melt away as I absorb what I¡¯m seeing.


    My heart suddenly feels like it¡¯s in a vice and I''m frozen on the spot.


    It is a gruesome sight.


    Kas is on her hands and knees, in the middle of the biggest puddle of blood I have ever seen.


    It has absorbed up onto the pant legs and edges of the oversized t-shirt she¡¯s wearing.


    I look closer and realize it¡¯s my shirt.


    Not just my shirt, my favorite shirt.


    It¡¯s the one she wore when she first came here because we didn¡¯t have any clothes small enough for


    her.


    The one she puts on when she is tired and doesn¡¯t want to pick something from her drawers.


    She calls it ¡® our¡¯ shirt.


    There is blood coating the hair on the back of her head and all the way down her back.


    Lenora didn¡¯t mention Kas being injured.


    It must be James''s.


    She¡¯s staring nkly at the ground, lips parted slightly.


    A clearly defined purple aura surrounding her.


    I step closer, trying to avoid the blood as long as possible.


    When I reach the edge of the stain, I pause.


    "What are you doing, dummy? Our mate needs us!"


    Saint growls at me.


    I hastily slip off my suit jacket and roll up the sleeves of my shirt.


    Then I take off my shoes and socks before I drop to my hands and knees so I can crawl through the


    puddle to my mate.I feel the partially congealed blood stick to me like a grotesque sticky jelly.


    "Kas?"


    I whisper.


    It never gets easier.


    Seeing her like this, I mean.I know when I touch her she is going to be cold.I won¡¯t feel our sparks.


    Her scent isn¡¯t even distinguishable.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    The only part of her in the room is her body.


    Any other part of her essence is in some other part of the universe.


    "Kas, I¡¯m going to get you out of here, okay? You can¡¯t stay like this," I don¡¯t know if she can hear me or


    not, but on the off chance that she can, I want her to know I am there taking care of her.


    I also don¡¯t know if she realizes she''s covered in blood or if she knows just how badly James is hurt.


    I have to protect her, even if it¡¯s from herself, until she¡¯s ready to find out.


    That¡¯s what I was born to do, be Kas¡¯s mate.


    It¡¯s my job to take care of her.


    I sit up on my knees and gently pull her up by her armpits.


    She turns limp like a rag doll as I settle her into myp.


    I lift my hand to brush hair out of her face, but it¡¯s covered in partially congealed blood so I pull it back.


    I scoot myself to the edge of the giant crimson blemish on the carpet and carefully stand up.


    "Lenora, follow me,"


    I say quietly, "Let¡¯s get washed up before we try to snap her out of it.I don¡¯t want her to see all this


    blood."


    We silently make our way to the bathroom.


    Without being asked, Lenora pulls the wooden stool from the vanity into the shower and turns the water


    on.


    When I see the steam, I step into the shower with my clothes on and sit down.I sit Kas on myp,


    supporting her against my body.


    Lenora sees I need help and steps into the shower with her clothes on, too.


    She helps pull Kas¡¯s shirt and pants off, leaving her in her underwear.


    I hold Kas while Lenora grabs a washcloth and starts cleaning her.


    She starts with Kas¡¯s scarred back and moves to the rest of her body, then finally washes her hair.


    As Lenora works, I realize she¡¯s crying.


    Other than when Codi was born, I haven¡¯t seen Lenora cry since she was nine.


    "It¡¯s gonna be okay, Leni.We have to have faith in the Moon Goddess.All of this is happening for a


    reason,"


    I try tofort her, knowing no words could be enough right now.


    She nods as the water cascades down her hair and face, hiding the extent of her tears.She continues


    scrubbing the blood off silently, as if her voice will trigger an avnche of emotions.


    My sister prefers her emotions to be shoved deep down inside, where no one can see them.


    Seeing this side of her is a testament to how much Kas means to her.


    When she feels like she has sufficiently gotten all the blood off of Kas, she shuts off the water and


    grabs a towel to help me wrap a towel around Kas.


    "You good, Leni?"


    "As soon as you tell me Kas is good, then I¡¯ll be good," she sniffles curtly.


    "She¡¯s gonna snap out of it any minute now.I don¡¯t know how I know, I can just feel it.Let¡¯s get her to


    bed.Come on."


    I take Kas to the bedroom andy her down on the bed.


    Her ssy violet eyes are cold and empty against her pale face.


    Just like the other day, when it seemed like there was something deeper in her eyes, it seems like this


    vision episode is different too.


    Like I told Lenora, she is waking up soon.I don¡¯t know how I know, I can just feel it.


    Lenora drapes a towel over me and goes into the closet to find dry clothes for herself and Kas.I''m


    finally able to brush Kas¡¯s hair out of her face.I try to feel for the sparks of our mate bond, but there is


    still nothing there.


    "Kas, Baby.Come on.I¡¯m here.If you can hear me,e toward my voice,"


    I whisper to her.I take her hand in mine and close my eyes.I concentrate on our connection, trying to


    get some sort of reaction from her.


    Still nothing.


    "Please, Kas, wherever you are, please.I need you toe back to me," I plead with her.


    I put my other hand on top and enclose hers in between mine.


    Her little fingers barely stick out from between my hands, but it is enough for me to give them a little


    kiss.


    A sharp spike of heat sparks off my lips when they touch her fingers.


    "Kas?"


    I look at her again, hope renewed.


    There is a little more color in her face but her eyes still look distant and hollow.


    "Kas, fight your way back to me, Baby.You can do it."


    I smile as I speak louder now.


    Lenoraes running out of the closet in one of my sweatshirts and a pair of gym shorts, "Is she


    awake?"


    "I think she¡¯s trying," I nod, not taking my eyes off of Kas.


    Lenora jumps to the other side of the bed and takes Kas''s other hand, knowing full well Kas could burn


    her, "Kas, enough is enough.You get your ass back here right now.No more messing around, no more


    scaring us.That¡¯s an order, Little Sister!"


    Even in the severity of the moment, I can¡¯t help but smile upon hearing Lenora use Milo¡¯s nickname for


    Kas.


    She must fee] better if she is bossing Kas around.


    Lenora¡¯s face changes to one of difort as she feels the same spiking heat that I do, but she


    refuses to let go.


    Without warning, Kas gives a loud gasp, sucking in a deep breath of air.


    There is a strong burst of energy from her whole body.


    Her aura glows brightly then dims down again.


    "Bronx? Lenora?" she finally squeaks at us.


    Our sparks finally start flowing between our hands.I reach out for Kas, but Lenora grabs her first and


    hugs her tightly against her chest.


    Kas hugs her back just as tightly.


    "Bitch, don¡¯t you dare scare me like that again,"


    Lenora scolds her Luna.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    I wait as patiently as I can for Lenora to finish giving Kas a hug.She finally lets her go and kisses her on


    the cheek.


    "I mean it.No more scaring me," she wags her finger at Kas.


    "I promise, Lenora.No more scaring you,"


    Kas smiles back with a nod before turning to me.She takes her hand out of mine and brushes her


    fingers on the side of my face.


    "All I want to do is pull you into myp and hold you all night, Baby, but I need you to tell us about your


    vision before you forget.Can you do that?"


    "Yeah b-but," she looks at me with watery eyes, "Can you tell me if James is okay? Was that real or


    part of my vision?"


    "It was real, Kas.Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll recover.We can take you to the hospital wing to see him


    tomorrow.Okay?"


    Lenora squeezes her hand in reassurance.


    Kas nods, looking at her hands for a moment.She collects herself so she can concentrate.


    When she¡¯s ready, she takes a ragged breath and tells us about what she saw.


    "I thinkI saw some of the people who kidnapped me.There was a woman that looked just like Lenora,


    but maybe she was a little older? Or something about her seemed old, even though she looked


    young.She knew my name.She called me Iokaste.There was also a woman with dreadlocks and red


    eyes.She mind linked me, but it wasn''t a real mind link I could actually see her words in my mind."


    Kas squeezes her eyes closed for a minute, then opens her eyes and looks at the nightstand.She


    grabs her journal and pen and scribbles something down on a page.


    ¡®Eisai dynat¨¦s.Empist¨¦fsou ta ¨¦nstikta sou"


    "That¡¯s what I saw," Lenora and I trade a confused look.


    Kas has never remembered this much detail from a vision before, and this message in a foreign


    language is pretty specific.She only knows the little bit of Spanish that Marco has taught her.


    "Looks like Greek.I will see if Musu can trante it,"


    Lenora takes a picture of the page with her phone and sends it to Musu.


    "So then, um, I think I had a vision inside my vision?" a confused look crosses Kas''s face, "but I-I''m


    pretty sure it was the past.Not the future, like it usually is.It seems like it was a past life, but not one I


    already knew about.I was fighting alongside the woman with red eyes in an intense war.We knew each


    other, and she sacrificed herself for me, Bronx.She threw herself at charging werewolves.I could feel


    her connection disappear when -," her voice trails off.


    She looks like if she tries to finish, it might make her cry.


    Kas absentmindedly rubs the heel of her hand over her sternum while she talks.Her eyes aren''t really


    fixed on any one point in the room.


    "Connection? Like a mate bond?" I ask as gently as possible, but in reality, I¡¯m feeling a tinge of


    jealousy that Kas could have had a different mate.


    Even if it was in a different lifetime.


    "No, not like a mate bond.It was more like something connected our essences to each other," her voice


    is soft, "She said something else in thatnguage, but I understood it in English."


    "So, she was someone special to you? What did she say?" Lenora asks, smoothing Kas¡¯s partially dry


    hair.


    "Yeah, I think she was important to me.She told me she would always be there for me and when she


    died, it hurt so bad.It made me have this huge burst of energye out of my body.I felt like a bomb


    was exploding out of me.And when I looked around, everything was...well, it was all gone.As far as I


    could see, everyone and everything was destroyed.Burned and ttened.I think it was because of the


    energy that came out of me.I don¡¯t know.I-I just don¡¯t know."


    She finally looks me in the eye.


    The floodgates are about to burst.


    She held it together long enough to tell us about her vision, but now she needs my support.I pull her


    into myp and lean my head on top of hers.


    As soon as I fold my arms around her, she begins to bawl.


    Between her sobs, she says she didn¡¯t mean to hurt James.She doesn¡¯t want to hurt anyone.


    We all know that.


    It was an ident, but we can figure out how it happenedter.


    This isn¡¯t the Kas who has be stronger every day since she came to Blood River.


    She isn¡¯t the Luna and leader that everyone loves and respects.


    Right now, she is a scared neen- year-old girl, who grew up not being able to trust anyone around


    her.She was lonely, scared, and trying to hide from the world.


    It''s the deep dark part of her we all wish never existed.I know it will never go awaypletely.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It will always be a part of who she is, but if there is anything I can do to keep it at bay, I will do it.


    If it wasn¡¯t for our mate bond, how would she handle a situation like this? I don¡¯t know and I don''t even


    want to think about it.


    I hear Lenora''s cell phone ding.


    She looks down at it and frowns.


    "Is that Musu?"


    "Yeah.Those words are Greek.It means ¡®You are strong.Trust your instincts''," she says with a knit brow


    as she looks at me rocking my sobbing little mate.


    I shrug my shoulders, and she shrugs back.


    Lenora gives Kas onest sympathetic look before kissing the top of her head and kissing my


    forehead.


    "If you need me, just send a mind link.I''ll be back in a heartbeat."


    "Thanks, Leni," I mouth the words and watch her leave.I turn my attention back to Kas, thinking about


    the trantion.


    Clearly, someone else has as much faith in her as I do.I just have to figure out who this mystery red


    eyed woman is.


    Once Kas has calmed down, she pulls away from me slightly and gives me a pleading look.


    "What''s wrong, Baby?"


    I caress her face, hoping I can fix whatever''s wrong.


    "Bronx, what if the red-eyed woman is a prisoner, too? What if she wasn¡¯t allowed to talk to me, so she


    had to send that message in my head?"


    "Well, typically prisoners aren''t allowed to be around other prisoners, unless they have developed


    Stockholm Syndrome.Then the captors would want them to convince the newer prisoner to stay and


    be a sympathiser too."


    She looks at me with a little shock on her face.


    "H-how do you know that?"


    "Abh, don¡¯t worry about it,"


    I brush off her question.I don¡¯t need her to know that Milo and Reggie deal with those sorts of sorts of


    things all the time in their covert ops division of MasonCo.


    "Well, we need to find out who she is, Bronx.If she needs help, we need to help her," Kas pleads.


    "Okay, we can regroup with everyone tomorrow and see what we can do with the information we


    have.Don¡¯t get your hopes up, Kas.We don¡¯t have much to go on, but we will try our best.I promise,"


    I nod at her with a smile.


    She gives a small sigh, but she understands my position.


    "Now, how about you get a nap before dinner? When you wake up, you can decide if you want to go


    downstairs or eat up here.You had a pretty big burst of energy right before you woke up.There is no


    way you''re not worn out.I really want you to take it easy and not push yourself.And before you argue,


    everyone will understand if you don¡¯t go downstairs tonight.The whole pack loves you and wants you to


    take care of yourself.Alright?"


    "Okay.Bronx, do you think Delh is going to hate me?" she frowns as she wraps her arms around my


    arm and leans against it.


    "Delh could never hate you, Kas.You know that.I do think we will need to give James and Marco


    some time off, though.Lenora said Marco is pretty shaken up and you know how Marco is, he has


    nerves of steel."


    She nods again.


    I can feel her sorrow and guilt.I really just want to sit here for the rest of the day and hold her, but I have


    a couple things to take care of.


    Specifically, the carpet just outside the bedroom door.


    "Baby, I have to get the maintenance staff toe up and take care of the carpet.I¡¯m not going


    anywhere.I will be right out in the living room.If you need me, just yell.Okay? I really don''t want you to


    go out there until the carpet has been removed though.It¡¯s pretty gross."


    "More gross than raw rabbits?" she smiles, trying to lighten up the mood a little.


    I chuckle, "Yeah, Baby.More gross than raw rabbits."

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Musu¡¯s POV


    When Lenora got a mind link that there was an emergency on the fifth floor, she ordered me to stay in


    her office.


    As soon as the door closed behind her, it seemed like the world turned deathly silent.I tried to mind link


    Marco, but he had a block up to avoid interruption.


    Something really serious must be happening.I try to focus on work again, but after about half an hour, I


    can¡¯t concentrate anymore.I get up and start pacing around the room, picking up nicknacks, setting


    them back down, and straightening furniture as I wander back and forth.


    When that doesn''t calm me, I adjust piles of paper, flip channels on the television, refresh the browser


    on myptop.


    Nothing seems to hold my attention.


    When I finally sit back down on the loveseat, a couple twists of hair fall into my face.I blow them out of


    the way with a strong puff of air in my mouth, but they fall back into the same ce.I don''t know how it


    even fell out of my head wrap.


    Which reminds me, I need to make an appointment at the salon.I look at my wristwatch.


    It¡¯s only been ten minutes.I pick up my cell phone and call my mother, but she doesn¡¯t answer.I give a


    frustrated sigh and look at my watch again.


    It iste in France.


    She must be asleep.I toss the phone to the side and lean back on the little sofa, resigned to the fact


    that I just need to be patient, patting my hands on the tops of my legs.


    It doesn¡¯t take long with my head leaning back that I start to feel exhausted.


    The stress of thest couple of weeks has taken a toll on me.I close my eyes and take a couple of


    deep breaths.


    A momentter, I feel a hand on mine.


    Warm sparks flow from the contact.


    My eyes snap open and I suddenly sit up straight to find Marco kneeling in front of me.


    "Mi Corazon, I¡¯m sorry I left you alone for so long.Beta Lenora is sending you and me home for the


    day," he says mournfully.


    "Marco, Mon Loup, what''s wrong? What happened?" I take his distressed face in my hands.


    "Let''s go home, Musu.I-I just can¡¯t...I-It¡¯s just too much.Please, let¡¯s get outta here," he shakes his head


    like he is in denial or something.


    "Alright, let me drive.I think you need me to take care of you today, not the other way around," I stand


    up, take his hand, and lead him out of the office.


    When we get to the house, he tells me he''ll be inside soon.


    He just wants a few minutes of fresh air.I go in and set the kettle on the stove so I can make tea.I watch


    from the window as he leans his elbows on the railing and puts his face in his hands.I have never seen


    him struggle like this, and I''m not sure how to help.I need him to at least tell me what put him in such a


    state, but he isn''t ready to talk.


    "I know you like your tea, Musu, but let¡¯s go for a run with our mate,"


    Mercy suggests in my mind, "You can talk to him when we get back."


    "If you think it would help, I¡¯m willing to do anything," I shake my head, still looking out the window at


    Marco.


    "You need to talk to him as much as he needs to talk to you," she reminds me.


    I sigh, "Yes, you''re right as usual, Mercy."


    I turn off the stove and step outside.


    "Marco, let¡¯s go for a run,"


    I whisper loudly as I wrap my arms around his waist from behind, "It will make both of us feel better.We


    can spill secrets when we get home.I''ll even order pizza so you don''t have to worry about me burning


    the house down."


    I feel a slight chuckle in his chest, "You must have read my mind, mi belleza de ¨¦bano, let¡¯s go."


    We go to the side of the house that faces the woods and shift.We both enjoy the feeling of our wolves


    running freely through the woods, but we shut down our links to give Mercy and sh time to enjoy


    each other¡¯spany for a while.


    After a few hours, we make it back to the house and shift back to human form.I reach for my clothes


    out of the basket next to the back door, but Marco¡¯s firm hands around my waist stop me.


    "I got a better idea, Corazon," he smiles as he turns me around, embracing me, and giving little kisses


    between his words, "sh and Mercy had time together.How ¡®bout you and I do the same.I can¡¯t think


    of anything I want more, than to be distracted from today by the sparks I feel when your dark skin is


    against mine."


    "Mmm, well, if a distraction is what my handsome mate needs, who am I to say no," I wrap my arms


    around his neck and give his lips a long soft kiss, letting the sparks between us intensify.


    I feel his hands slide down my ass and grab the backs of my thighs.


    He easily lifts me up, allowing me to wrap my legs around his waist while he carries me inside, kissing


    my neck and nibbling at my marking spot.I feel myself purring from the sensation.


    Instead of making his way to the bedroom, he stops in the kitchen and sets me down on the counter.


    He uses his hands to massage my inner thighs, working his way up between my legs.His kisses move


    from my marking spot down to my breasts.


    I try to watch him as he takes one of my nipples into his mouth, alternating between sucking on it and


    giving little sharp nips with his teeth that he knows drives me wild.


    The mix of pain and pleasure makes my head fall back.I let it lean against the cab behind me and


    moan loudly, cing my hand on the back of his head so he won''t stop.


    When he moves to give the other breast attention, I feel his hand at the entrance to my core.I lean my


    hips forward to give him better ess.


    The smell of my arousal is thick in the air.I look back to Marco whose eyes are ck as onyx, letting


    himself go as he pleasures me.


    His fingers press against me, teasing and gently massaging my clit as the pleasure builds.


    Another moan escapes me when I feel one finger slowly slide inside, moving in and out in acalm,


    patient pace, followed by a second finger.


    My hips move against him on their own ord.


    He looks up at me with my nipple between his teeth and gives me a devilish smile.


    My hands move from the back of his head and I pull him up so I can kiss him.


    The devilish smile deepens as he grips my hair tightly and presses his mouth against mine.


    I give an excited growl when I bite his lip to get him to open his mouth, allowing our tongues to meet


    between us.I reach forward and take his hard member in my hands, giving him long, firm strokes,


    making him even harder.


    He groans into my mouth as he feels the effects of my touch.


    When I can no longer breathe, I pull away from our kiss and look into his solid ck eyes.


    "Take me to the bedroom, Mon Loup, I need this inside me,"


    I give him a hard squeeze, making him growl in pleasure.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I kiss and lick Marco''s marking spot when he picks me up off the counter.


    As soon as we get to the hallway, he stops and pushes me against the wall.


    The action slightly knocks the wind out of me.


    His rushed, urgent desire makes a fresh wave of wetness drip from my core.He holds my legs up just


    high enough that I feel his hard member against my entrance.


    "You''re so beautiful, mi Coraz¨¦on," his rough voice breathes huskily in my ear, "I love you so fuckin¡¯


    much."


    Before I can answer, he thrusts his hips up and lowers me onto his awaiting erection, pushing deep


    inside my core.


    I cry out as he fills me, creating a sudden burst of pleasure, edging me closer to ecstasy.I rake my


    ws on his back, expressing how close I already am to reaching my climax.


    He pumps harder when he feels me tighten around him as my orgasm builds.His breath is rough and


    ragged as he moves in and out, faster and harder.


    Being held up against the wall like this, I have no control over the pace, but it doesn¡¯t matter.


    I let myself bounce against him as Marco moves perfectly against me.


    My legs stay tightly wrapped around him until I can¡¯t control myself anymore.


    A loud howles from deep inside me as my orgasm hits its peak.


    His fangs extend and plunge into the marking spot on my shoulder.I¡¯m practically blinded by pleasure


    as I feel him grip my shoulder hard with his teeth.


    I lose all control of my senses and yell loudly in the rhythm of his movements.


    We''re both slick with perspiration when I sense a change in his rhythm.


    Faster and more urgent as he edges closer to his own orgasm.I push against him until I feel him


    release inside me.I extend my fangs and force them deeply into his marking spot, biting down hard the


    way he likes.


    He hisses with the mix of pain and pleasure as I grip his shoulder with my mouth.I feel his muscles


    rx and his damp forehead rest against my shoulder before I let go.


    We are both panting heavily, kissing each other more gently now.He pulls himself out from inside me,


    leaving me feel empty but satisfied.


    "Come on, mi belleza de ¨¦bano, let¡¯s goy down," he pants, picking me up bridal style and taking me


    to the bedroom.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Once we areying down and have had an opportunity to calm down, Marco pulls me close so we can


    let our bodies be tangled together.


    "Okay, Marco.No more stalling.What happened today? What was the emergency on the fifth floor? Why


    did we get sent home?" I ask, brushing my fingers across his cheek and jaw.


    He sighs and looks past me.He closes his eyes for a long second before he looks back at me.His eyes


    are slightly glossy, as if there are tears behind his eyes.


    "Kas attacked James.She didn''t just attack him, she tried to kill him.She ripped his throat open with her


    bare hands.He almost died today," he says before rolling onto his back, looking at the ceiling.


    He rubs his hand over his eyes and forehead.I sit up in disbelief, "Oh my Goddess.Are you serious?


    Why? Why would she do that? And of all wolves...how did she possibly get the best of James?"


    "I¡¯mpletely serious.As for the rest of the questions, I''ve got no idea.I don¡¯t know what possessed


    her," he shakes his head at the ceiling, "I heard themotion and went inside thinking James must''ve


    caught someone trying to get in through a window or something.I don¡¯t know.But when I opened the


    door, she was in full attack mode and he was bleeding out."


    "Marco, I-I don¡¯t know what to say. I-," I can¡¯t finish because I really don''t know what to say.


    "I don¡¯t need you to say anythin¡¯, Musu. Just being here listening is enough," he looks at me with a


    weak smile.


    He pauses, then looks back up to the ceiling.He covers his eyes with the heels of his hands and


    speaks again.His voice shakes now, "For half a second, I considered shooting her, Musu.I almost shot


    my Luna.sh stopped me.He wouldn''t let us hurt her."


    He takes his hands away from his eyes and blinks hard, trying to fight back the tears, "She was doing


    exactly what we taught her to do if she needed to protect herself from an attacker.Not use it against


    one of us.James and I turned her into that wolf."


    "Marco, you can''t think this was you or James''s fault.You will get to talk to her soon enough and clear


    this whole thing up," I reassure him.


    "As soon as I told her who she was attacking, she stopped, and tried to heal him.Like she actually


    didn¡¯t know.The look on her face.She was so surprised."


    Marco takes his job as the Luna''s guard very seriously.


    So for him to say there was even an inkling of a thought of hurting her, I know it was serious.


    Marco, James, and the Luna all have a very close rtionship.I can''t even fathom any of them wanting


    to hurt the other.


    "She healed him after she almost killed him?" I ask, with confusion.


    "Well, she tried to heal him, but then she started having a vision, so she wasn¡¯t able to finish.We had to


    take him to the hospital wing.He¡¯s gonna make it.He¡¯s strong, but still.If she wasn¡¯t a healer, he


    wouldn¡¯t have made it."


    "Wait a minute.How in the Goddess''s name, were you just able to do that to me, out there,"I point to the


    hallway, "If you just experienced your partner almost getting killed a few hours ago?"


    "It¡¯s gonna sound cold, but I just needed to not think about it for a little longer," he sighs with a shrug.


    I don¡¯t even know how to feel about that.


    The mind of a true warrior, I guess.


    Able to set aside trauma as needed to live his life in the pack.


    If he was still on Milo''s covert ops team, I would never know what he did at work, so I guess it would be


    the same mentality, but I would know less about his side of the story.I hear a text chime in the special


    tone I have for Lenora on my phone.


    Marco is still looking at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts.I take the phone from the nightstand and she¡¯s


    asking for a trantion.


    Greek.


    Simple enough.


    ¡®You are strong.Trust your instincts" I quickly text back and put the phone down.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    No idea what it means out of context, but I can find outter.I have more important things going on.


    Mercy chimes in, "Tell him now.Take his mind off of things."


    "Mercy now is most definitely not the time," I scold her.


    "Now is the perfect time.Do it! Don¡¯t make me take over," she warns.


    I roll my eyes internally at her.


    "Marco, umm, maybe now is not a good time, but I think it is probably as good a time as any," I say,


    uncharacteristically unsure of myself.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Coraz6n?" he leans up on his elbow, looking at me with concern.


    "Well, remember a couple weeks ago, when I had a bad day at work and you got the bath ready for


    me?"


    "Yeah, I remember you fell asleep in the tub."


    "Okay, well, after that. Like, after you carried me to bed.Do you remember that?"


    I give him a sly smile.He looks at me for a moment until I see the memory connect in his mind and he


    smiles back at me, "Oh, that...yeah, I remember that."


    "Well, things have been so crazy since then and I haven''t really seen you much, so I haven¡¯t had a


    chance to really talk to you and I


    "Musu, just tell me what''s on your mind," he takes my hand in his and gives it a kiss.


    "Marco, I-I¡¯m pregnant," my voice is so small I''m not sure if he hears me.


    He looks like he''s stuck in time with my hand pressed against his lips.I feel like my heart just stopped.Is


    he upset? I can¡¯t read his expression.


    "I-I know we wanted to wait until we after we get married, an-and we aren¡¯t even engaged yet but, you


    know, we haven¡¯t exactly been careful," I try to justify.


    His eyes shift to mine as he slowly lets go of my hand, "A-are you disappointed?"


    "Stay right here," he says and gets out of bed.


    He pulls boxers out of the drawer, finds shorts and a shirt, and walks out of the room.He peaks back in,


    "I¡¯m serious, don¡¯t move."


    I pull the sheet up to cover myself, suddenly self-conscious, and look out the door curiously, waiting for


    him toe back.


    He put a shirt and shorts on to walk around the house? Half the time he gripes about having to wear


    boxers.


    This is not the reaction I was expecting.


    It seems like he¡¯s gone for an eternity, but a minuteter; hees back in the room and gently pulls


    me so I¡¯m sitting at the edge of the bed.


    "Marco, what are you doing? Please talk to me," I beg.


    He stands in front of me, pacing for a moment, then kneels on the floor in front of the bed.His beautiful


    light brown eyes shine brightly as he clears his throat and starts to talk.


    ""Musu Goba, I knew the moment I saw you, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.You¡¯re


    perfect.Hell, you¡¯re more than perfect.You''re like, everything I didn¡¯t know I even needed ina mate.I


    know we''ve only known each other a little over a year, but it seems like it¡¯s been a lifetime.And now you


    just told me I get to be a father? You¡¯re gonna have my pup? I''m the luckiest son of a bitch in the


    world."


    I breathe a little sigh of relief now that he sounds happy about the situation.


    He looks down for a moment before he looks me in the eye and puts his hand out in front of him.


    In between his thumb and index finger is a beautiful diamond ring.


    Emerald cut with filigree around the band.


    "Musu, will you please marry me?" he asks with tears in his eyes.


    "I" my voice catches in my throat.


    Yes, we had looked at rings, but I didn¡¯t know he had actually bought one, "Marco, of course.Yes, I¡¯ll


    marry you."


    He gives me a broad smile when he carefully takes my left hand and slides the ring onto my finger.It¡¯s a


    perfect fit.I look in awe at the beautiful ring, then pull him toward me, giving him a deep kiss.


    "It¡¯s perfect, Mon Loup.Thank you," I smile before giving him another kiss.


    "I''m so relieved," he sighs, putting his hand on his heart.


    "Relieved? Were you worried I would say no?"


    "I bought the ring the day I got the bath ready for you.I was gonna ask that night, but when I came back


    in the bathroom, you was sleeping in the tub, so I knew it wasn¡¯t the right time.And like you said, after


    that, we haven¡¯t really had a chance to spend time together.So, I¡¯ve been carrying it in the inside pocket


    of my work suit jacket to keep it safe, but I couldn¡¯t keep it in the box, cause it woulda been too bulky."


    I smirk at him as his Hispanic ng gets thicker with his exnation andugh, "Let me guess, the ring


    box is in the gun safe at the packhouse?"


    "Yeah, how did you know?"


    "Because you know that is the only ce I wouldn¡¯t look for it,"


    I smile as I take in his handsome features, "Why did you put a shirt and shorts on just now?"


    "I don''t know a lot, Musu, but I know a proposal ain''t the right time to be an animal," a small blush


    comes over his face.


    He smiles as he looks up at me from the floor and pulls me toward him for another sweet kiss.He pulls


    away, then wraps his arms around my waist, and leaning his ear against my belly.


    "How long until I get to hold our baby, Coraz¨¦n?"


    "Well, our first appointment is next week, but should be in about four and a half months," I inform him


    as I rub the back of his head.


    He nuzzles closer to my belly and whispers soft enough that I''m pretty sure he didn''t intend for me to


    hear, "Thank you, Moon Goddess."

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Kas¡¯s POV


    When I woke up from my nap, I felt much better.I could hear maintenance staff still out in the


    apartment, speaking in hushed whispers.


    Bronx asked me to stay in the bedroom until they were finished, so 1 pulled out myptop to see what


    was going on in the world.I have basically been missing for a week.


    It doesn¡¯t matter who you are; the world turns with or without you.


    A red scrolling bar at the top of the home screen has Bronx¡¯s name on it.


    Huh? I click on it and get directed to a news page.


    There is a video of Bronx sitting in front of a blue background.


    The headline just reads ¡®Rare Statement From MasonCo CEO¡¯.


    I put on my headphones, lean back against the pillow, and click the y button.


    I''m mortified for the next three minutes.


    My face flushes red, first out of embarrassment that he would tell the world I was missing and almost


    drowned, then from anger at the thinly veiled threats he made to whoever took me, and back to


    embarrassment when I hear him say he is offering reward money for information that leads to the arrest


    of the kidnappers.


    I open more windows.


    Every site I go to has the same video with various articles about it.


    "Bronx, get your butt in this bedroom right now," I snarl through a mind link.


    "Is everything okay, Baby? I¡¯m still out here with maintenance.They will be finished in ten minutes."


    "Oh yeah, everything is just dandy, considering you announced I was missing and almost drowned and


    then threatened my kidnappers over the inte."


    "Oh.You saw that?"


    "Yeah.I saw that.How could not? It is on literally every website in existence!"


    I hear him sigh, "Let Maintenance finish and I¡¯ll be there as soon as I show them out."


    I cut off the mind link and search other sites.


    People are losing their minds trying to hypothesize over what could have happened to me.


    There are some seriously crazy theories.


    There are even sites betting on whether Bronx will get charged with murder when the kidnappers are


    caught.


    I seriously want to melt into the sheets and disappear again.


    How am I going to go to work with all this attention? My bakery is in the human town.


    It¡¯s on one of the main streets downtown, so the regr number of paparazzi hanging around outside


    who want my picture is bad enough.


    Now?! Ugh.


    I don¡¯t even want to think about it.I need to warn Delh, if she will even talk to me.


    "I think it¡¯s sweet,"


    Lex purrs, "Our mate cares about us."


    "You''re not helping, Lex."


    "What? What woman wouldn¡¯t want a man to scour the earth to find the people who hurt her?" she


    swoons.


    "You¡¯re like a lovesick puppy.What gives? Where is the feisty warrior child of the Moon Goddess who


    constantly wants revenge? T could really use that wolf right now."


    "He loves us, Kas, and he was worried.He still is.Can¡¯t you feel it? This is his way of showing it.It¡¯s


    romantic if you think about it."


    I roll my eyes at Lex.


    Clearly she is not on my side for this one.


    Now, don''t get me wrong.


    Over the past year and a half, I have be ustomed to being referred to as ¡®Bronx Mason''s wife¡¯.


    I get it.He is a big deal.


    Since the day we got married, I knew I might be a target for attacks.


    I think it justes with the territory when you are married to a multi-billionaire.


    When we first met, I knew he was well off, but I did not know how much money he was actually worth.


    Honestly, I never wanted his money.I have always wanted to earn my keep.


    To have money of my own, not be a leach or a drain on anyone.


    It may sound weird, but being spoiled by Bronx is still ufortable for me.I was a ve growing up.I


    had nothing.


    My bedroom was in a dungeon where no one could hear the Alpha whipping me.


    All my clothes came from a donation pile by the dumpster of my old pack house.I didn¡¯t even have an


    actual bed, my makeshift furniture was all from trash.


    Going from that to having everything I could imagine and more can be overwhelming.


    A small part of me feels like I don¡¯t deserve it.I get to a website that theorizes that I¡¯m actually still


    missing and the video message was a smokescreen.


    That¡¯s enough.


    This rabbit hole is bottomless.I m theptop closed and toss it to the end of the bed before I cross


    my arms and lean back on the pillows with a huff.


    When Bronx finallyes into the room, he sits quietly at the edge of the bed and lets me scold him


    without interruption, watching me intently as I pace in front of him, venting to him about how angry I am.


    When I¡¯m finally out of words, I stand in front of him with my hands on my hips, waiting for an answer.


    He doesn¡¯t say anything.He just takes one of my hands and pulls me toward him a little, so I am


    standing between his knees.His crisp apple green eye bores into my soul before he speaks.His gruff


    voice is calm and sincere, "Kas, I¡¯m not sorry.If I had to do it again, I would send the same message


    into the world.I meant every word and I won¡¯t apologize.Will things be awkward for a while? Yes.Am I


    sending you to the bakery with extra security for the foreseeable future? Also -fucking-lutly, yes.Will this


    all blow over, eventually? Yes.In the meantime, I need you to trust me to do this my way.Please.Let me


    be the overprotective husband and mate who will do anything to keep the love of his life safe."


    He pulls my hand to the side of his stubbly face and closes his eye, breathing in my scent.


    His tone changes, bing softer, "Baby, I thought I would never see you again.Four days of not


    knowing where you were almost broke me."


    And with that, all my anger dissipates.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    All my willpower dissolves, and [ let him pull me onto hisp so he can hold me close and calm himself


    with my scent.


    Who am I kidding? I miss his dark chocte and coffee scent, too.


    I love when his muscr arms wrap around me.


    It feels like the safest ce in the world.


    After a while, my stomach rumbles.


    I realize I can''t remember thest time I had something to eat other when Lex took over and had a


    craving for rabbit.


    Sometimes sharing a body with a wolf is more weird than others.I feel a little disappointed when Bronx


    unwraps his arms, taking away the little cocoon he has me in.


    "What do you want to eat? We will stay in the apartment tonight.We still have a ton to talk about,"


    he kisses my forehead and gives me a knowing look.


    "Rabbit?" I ask "Really?"


    He looks at me, shocked and a little concerned.


    "No.I¡¯m messing with you, Bronx," I giggle at his reaction, "How about just some pizza? I could go for a


    banana too."


    "Okay, pizza and a banana.Anything else?"


    He smiles now that he knows my mood has improved.


    "I want to make cookies.The fall menu at the bakery needs a couple more items.Can you ask Mrs.Miller


    to send up some ingredients? I will write them down for you."


    "Alright.Cookies.You¡¯re gonna turn me into a fat old wolf, you know that, right?" he muses with a grin


    while he stands me up from hisp.


    Referring to the fact that he is seven years older than me, "Why don¡¯t you put on somefy clothes?


    I¡¯m going to let Tyree know someone will be up from the kitchen.He¡¯s probably hungry, too.I will see


    what I can do about getting him a break."


    "That¡¯s my evil n, Bronx.If you¡¯re fat, you won''t be able to move fast.Then I can finally beat you in a


    sparring match," I smirk as he walks out of the bedroom.


    "Hrious, smart aleck," he calls back as he heads out the door to talk to Tyree.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    When Bronxes back, he has Mrs.Miller in tow.Ie out of the bedroom with a big smile when I


    hear her voice.


    She is one of my favorite people.


    Left to our own devices, she and I can experiment with new recipes and trade technique ideas all day


    long.


    Bronx is carrying the ingredients I asked for.She is carrying a pizza box.


    As soon as she sets it down, I throw myself into her arms.


    "Oh, Luna, we have been so worried about you.I am d to see you back at home safe and sound,"


    sheforts me in a warm hug while she smoothes my hair.


    "I¡¯m d to be back, Mrs.Miller," I grin, "I am going toe see you this week about ideas for


    sandwiches for the bakery."


    "Of course Luna.You know where to find me," she squeezes me a little harder before she says goodbye


    and takes her leave.


    Bronx takes our pizza to the living room so we can rx while we eat and talk.


    This is how he and I usually talk about pack or regent business when there are tough decisions


    involved.


    We have found it works better for us than being in one of our offices.


    Once we settle in, I take a huge bite of the pizza.It is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten.


    That may be my hungry stomach speaking on my behalf, but it really is delicious.


    "So where do you want to start?"


    Bronx gives me the option to talk about what I want.He knows me better than to make me talk about


    what he wants to hear first.We will get to it, eventually.I don¡¯t even have to think about what I want to


    start with.It¡¯s been on my mind since I woke up from my nap.


    "Can we start with James?" I request, wiping my mouth with a napkin.


    "Of course, Baby.You want to go first, tell me what happened? Or do you want me to tell you what we


    know?"


    "I can start," I give a quick nod before exining that I didn''t recognize his scent and that when I


    opened the bedroom door, I didn¡¯t recognize him.


    He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, not his usual ck suit.


    "So, you don¡¯t remember me telling you he would be out here?" Bronx looks confused.


    "I -I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t remember that at all,"


    I frown, trying to recall any conversation about James being inside our apartment.


    "Alright, well, howe you didn¡¯t just mind link Marco? Why act so aggressively? That''s not like you,


    Kas.I think that is the part we are so concerned about.You weren¡¯t just trying to incapacitate an intruder


    to protect yourself.You tried to kill him," his tone is serious and firm, "Was Lex influencing you?"


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Excuse me?!"


    Lex growls, "You had better tell him it wasn¡¯t my idea, Kas."


    "No.In fact, Elexis tried to stop me,"


    I use her full name for emphasis, "There was just this part of me that felt more...I don¡¯t


    know...independent? No.Alone? That¡¯s not right either."


    Bronx watches patiently as I try to find the right word.


    "Primal.No.Feral.Yeah.It felt like there was a part of me that was feral.Like I needed to attack him,"


    I look at him to see if heprehends.


    "Alright.Is there anything else I should know about that feeling?"


    His expression hints that he knows something I don¡¯t.I¡¯m confused by the question, "I-I don¡¯t think so.I


    mean, I don¡¯t feel like that anymore now.It¡¯s over now."


    Bronx takes a bite of pizza and looks at me, clearly trying to figure out what to say.


    Finally, he cocks his head to the side, "Do you remember me bringing you back to the packhouse this


    morning from the woods?"


    "I remember you carrying me and I remember telling you I''m still mad at you...which I am...but that is a


    conversation for another night," I hold my hands up, not wanting to start an argument.


    "Hmm...Kas, do you know anyone named Cora?"


    "Not that I know of? Should I?"


    "I don¡¯t know yet, Saint mentioned the name.How about a group called the Feral? Is that something


    you remember? Maybe it could be a group of wolves from Silver Moon? Or do you know if Silver Moon


    ever had witches on their territory?"


    "I never saw any witches.I definitely don¡¯t remember any groups calling themselves the Feral.Why do I


    feel like we had this conversation?"


    "Nah, don¡¯t worry about it," he brushes off my question, "But saying you felt feral and the fact that you


    wouldn¡¯t eat human food, then involuntarily shifted in the hospital wing so Lex could go eat raw food


    makes me more and more feel like this was a group of witches that enchanted you or something."


    "I guess it could be? Maybe we could ask Delh if she had ever heard of a group like that.Once


    James is out of the hospital wing, though.I¡¯m sure I stressed her out enough," I sigh, then take another


    bite of pizza, trying to push my worry down.


    I need to think about Delhter.We are still in business mode here, "Okay, your turn."


    Bronx puts his te down and adjusts his position before he looks at me, "So, we had James and


    Marcoe up here for guard duty since we didn''t know if the people who took you would try to show


    up again.They weren''t wearing their usual suits because they came within fifteen minutes of me


    mindlinking them.We all figured you would sleep most of the day.We positioned James inside, so if


    something happened that the hospital wing wouldn''t be able to handle, he could call Delh right away.I


    also didn¡¯t want you in here by yourself.I know I told you I was leaving, but I didn¡¯t know what your state


    of mind was going to be when you woke up.We definitely didn¡¯t think it would be murdery."


    I squawk.


    "Sorry, that was uncalled for, but you get the idea,"


    he¡¯s the one putting his hands up now, "Marco exined to Lenora that the maneuver was one they


    had taught you to use for extreme emergencies and had not really practiced it.So how did you know it


    would work?"


    "I could see it in my mind.Exactly where I needed to put my feet.Exactly how much pressure I needed


    in my hands, how far I would need to lean back so he couldn¡¯t throw me off.It¡¯s like it all instinctually


    calcted itself in my mind.I just had to execute with precision,"


    I shrug, "Looking back on it, I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t recognize his scent."


    "So, Kas, you should know, you were able to mostly heal him, but he is definitely going to have scars


    left on his neck.I don¡¯t know what his mindset is right now.I just want you to be prepared that there


    could be a possibility he might not want toe back as your guard."


    "I-I, umm, okay," I swallow a hard lump forming in my throat.


    "It even freaked Marco out,"


    Bronx continued, "Lenora had to send him home with Musu."


    "Okay,"


    I fight back a feeling of panic, "Can we give them both some time off? Before they ask for it? Give them


    time to think about if they want to be my guards.I-I understand if they don¡¯t but I don¡¯t want them to


    decide right now.Maybe some time away could help."


    "Calm down, Baby.We will figure it out, but yes, we will give both of them some time off,"


    Bronx reaches out and takes my hand, "I have already talked to Tyree and Ashley is pulling a few guys


    from Milo¡¯s ops team to cover guard duty for you."


    I p my hands on my cheeks, "What have I done, Bronx?"


    He doesn''t answer.He just looks at me sympathetically.I shake my hands out and stand up.


    ¡®Just give me a minute,"


    I request, "It¡¯s just...a lot."


    "It''s okay, Kas.Take your time."


    I wander into the kitchen and lean my arms on the counter and rest my forehead on my arms.I take a


    few deep breaths but it can¡¯t stop the silent tears from rolling down my face.


    The only thing I can do is to pray to the Moon Goddess, to my mother that she won''t take my guards


    away from me.I feel Bronx¡¯s hand rubbing my back.


    "Are you alright, Baby?"I shake my head.


    If I try to talk right now, it¡¯s going to give my emotions away.I don¡¯t want Bronx to worry about me even


    more.


    "Kas, I can feel how bad you¡¯re hurting.Come on,e here," he tugs on the back of my shirt, making


    me stand up.


    I turn around and wrap my arms around him and let myself actually cry into his shirt.


    He smooths my hair and whispers that it¡¯s going to be alright.


    When I finally calm down, he leads me back to the sofa, so we can finish talking about pack business.


    He tells me about the weird "coincidence" of seeing a video of the CEO of Santoro Industries being


    killed by one of my sisters and his wife calling to request a meeting with Bronx directly for MasonCo


    contract negotiations.


    "One of my sisters did that? But she couldn¡¯t have attacked you.All the photos we have seen, she has


    silver hair and violet eyes like I do.I think you would have recalled that when you met me."


    "Yeah, we are still trying to figure out how it all connects, but I wanted you to know.We have seen these


    women do some messed up things, but never as far as killing someone."


    "You know what? I could go for that banana now.But only if it is covered in ice cream and chocte


    syrup," I say nkly.


    "Well, you havee to the right ce.Peeling bananas and scooping ice cream is my specialty.You¡¯re


    on your own for the chocte syrup though," Bronx looks at me and smiles at his attempt at a joke to


    lighten the mood, officially ending talk of business for the night.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Kas''s POV


    I peek in through the little window of the hospital room.I can see James hooked up to machines,


    sleeping peacefully.


    A strong pang of guilt courses through me when I see there are bandages around his neck.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Delh is curled up in the chair that¡¯s pulled up to the side of the bed.


    She is holding his hand through the railing of the bed.


    "You can¡¯t talk to her from the hallway, Kas,"


    Bronx whispers in my ear from behind me, "I''ll wait here until you''re ready.Just mind link me."


    I nod, then take a deep breath.I quietly open the door and step inside the room.I close it behind me and


    take a step into the room.


    Delh''s breath hitches in her sleep, but she doesn¡¯t wake up.I take slow deliberate steps until I am


    next to the chair.I squat down and put my hand on her forearm.


    "Delh?" I whisper, "Wake up, please."


    Her brow furrows as her eyes flutter open.Her deep sapphire blue eyes take a moment for her to


    recognize my face, but when she does, they immediately turn royal blue.She gasps and throws her


    arms tightly around me.


    "Kas," she sobs in a loud whisper, "I was so worried about you! Are you okay?"


    "Oh, Delh, I¡¯m fine now.I-I¡¯m so sorry.I don¡¯t know what came over me.You know I would never do


    this on purpose, right?"


    I finally stop trying to hold back my tears.


    This is my best friend.I can be myself with her, "I thought you would hate me.I didn¡¯t think you would


    want to see me."


    She pulls me back from her embrace and holds me by the shoulders with her long, spindly fingers.


    Her eyes and nose are red and puffy from crying, but she looks relieved that I am there, "Kas, I could


    never hate you.Never.I know whatever happened must have been an ident.This is not


    you.Whatever happened yesterday, that was not you.I¡¯m sure of it."


    I breathe the enormous sigh as I feel the vice around my heart loosen just a little.I will never


    understand the mind of a pacifist, but I am grateful at this moment that my best friend is one.


    "Delh, when James wakes up, we can talk more about what happened, but I have a couple of


    questions.Bronx needs information that could be rted to my kidnapping or maybe one of my past


    lives."


    "I will help in any way I can.What do you need to know?" She looks at me attentively.


    "Have you ever heard of a woman named Cora? Probably a witch or at least someone who can


    perform gray or dark magic that can manipte a person¡¯s mind.Bronx thinks she is part of a group


    called the Feral.Have you ever heard of a coven or a group that goes by that name?"


    Delh looks like she is racking her brain, trying to remember anything about either of the names.She


    finally shakes her head negatively.


    "No, I definitely don¡¯t remember either of those.I can ask my mother when she gets here tomorrow."


    "Oh! Lady Camille ising here?" I feel my eyebrows rise in surprise.


    "Well, she was nning oning to see me for a low key visit anyway, but with everything going on,


    yeah.Beta Lenora and I thought it would be for the best for her to be here for a while.I hope you don¡¯t


    mind," she looks at me apologetically, "We don¡¯t know how she can help exactly, yet, but knowing her,


    she will have some sort of helpful advice."


    "I would love to see her.In fact, Bronx thinks maybe I was influenced by magic and that is what could


    have caused me to..." my voice trails off as I look over to the bed and see sleeping Jamesying there.


    Delh uses her fingertips to pull my chin so I am looking back at her, "We¡¯re going to figure out what is


    going on here, Kas.We are all in this together."


    I smile weakly at her and nod, "Delh, Bronx and I would like to speak to James.D-Do you think he is


    in any shape to talk with us?"


    "Um, well, he will definitely be able to listen, but yesterday, he was having a little trouble with his


    voice.The doctor said something about his vocal chords.We are hoping his wolf helped heal it


    overnight.I used some of my healing magic, but we both know it isn¡¯t the same as when you do it.We


    will know more when he wakes up, I guess."


    "Okay, do you want to see if you can rouse him? I can step out and get Bronx to give you some


    privacy."


    "Yeah, give me five minutes," she smiles, "Kas, I¡¯m so d to see you.I have missed you so much.I


    have so much to tell you once we wake James up." I give Delh a little peck on the cheek and step


    out of the room so she can wake her mate up.


    Bronx stands up from a chair in the hall and steps up to me.


    He brushes some tears from my eyes, "Well, how did it go? You''re crying and smiling.I don¡¯t know what


    to do with that."


    "She isn¡¯t mad.She is waking James up now to make sure he is okay speaking with us.The doctor said


    there is a problem with his vocal chords, so we don¡¯t know if he will be able to speak right now,"


    It is sinking in that no matter how many people try to reassure me, this is my fault.


    "Bronx, do you think he will let me finish healing him?"


    "I''m not a mind reader, Baby.You''ll just have to ask him and find out," he rubs my back.


    I hear the door open.


    Delh peeks her head out, "You cane in now."


    Bronx sees the hesitation on my face, takes my hand, and leads me into the room.


    James is sitting up in the bed, his short sable hair is ruffed up and his eyes are looking much more alert


    than I remember from yesterday.He tries to mess with the bandages on his neck, but Delh steps up


    and stops him, whispering about, waiting for the doctor.


    When she convinces him to stop, she sits in the chair next to the bed.


    "James," Bronx tips his head and regards him.He tips his head in return, then holds his hand out


    toward me.


    I look at Bronx, then back at James, confused.


    "I think you''re being paged, Luna,"


    Bronx says quietly as he lets go of my hand.I step up to the bed and take James''s hand.


    He pulls me, urging me onto the bed next to him.I carefully climb up being careful to avoid the wires


    they hooked him up to.


    ¡®James, I-I¡¯m -" he covers my mouth with his hand until he is sure I will not finish whatever it was I was


    going to say, then he takes both my hands in his and ces my palms on his neck.He nods and closes


    his eyes, showing he wants me to heal him.


    The vice around my heart ispletely removed now, "Alright Lex, time to get to work."


    "You got it, Kas.Let¡¯s finish what we started," she says confidently.


    I carefully peel back the bandages from around James¡¯s neck.


    There are still some gashes that are not fully healed and bright red marks in the areas that were


    healed.You can see clearly defined scars developing on the healed skin.


    "I''m going to make this right, James," I say, trying to bolster his confidence.


    He gives a quick nod and closes his eyes again.


    My hands carefully themselves against his throat and I begin to concentrate.I send as much of my


    essence as I can into him, blurring the lines of who he is and who I am.I manipte the muscles and


    tissue to fuse and repair itself.


    Pushing positive energy in to help regeneration.


    I see down to the molecr level, making sure there is no sign of infection before I pull myself back into


    my body.


    When I open my eyes and look at him, he looks a little shocked.


    "How do you feel?" I ask.


    Personally, with everything that has happened the past couple of days, I feel spent and kind of weak,


    but I will be fine after a little rest.


    Helping James is too important to think about me right now.He clears his throat and tries to speak,


    "Thirsty," his voice is gravely and scratchy.


    Delh gives a gigantic smile and gives him a cup of water.


    Once he has had enough to drink, he puts the cup down and turns to me again.


    He doesn¡¯t say anything, he just pulls me toward him and drowns me in the biggest, heaviest hug I


    think I have ever experienced.I can hear Bronx growl slightly at the sight of another wolf hugging me.


    "Thank you, Kas," James whispers, "You do not know how much that meant to me."


    "James, I don''t know what words are a good enough apology right now," I shake my head.


    "No apology needed," he pulls me back and looks me in the eye, "I know and you know there isn¡¯t any


    way you would have done that if you weren¡¯t affected.Honestly, in a perverse way, I¡¯m kind of proud of


    you."


    "Proud?" I ask, confused.


    I look at Bronx, who also looks confused.


    "Yeah.I once told the Alpha that I thought you would make a good assassin.You just proved that you


    would be if it ever came down to it.I didn¡¯t hear you wake up, let alone open the bedroom door.You got


    the best of me, Kas.Probably the first wolf ever to do that," he smiles with pride.


    I look over to see Bronxughing now.


    "Don¡¯t even think about it, Kas.You are definitely not adding assassin to your resume,"


    Bronx scolds in a yful, mocking tone.


    "Oh, you guys don¡¯t need to worry about that.I can¡¯t even imagine doing something like that again," I


    shake my head vigorously.


    Bronx steps forward now, "James, while I am here to make sure you are okay, I am also here on official


    business.Kas and I want to offer you a month off of work, full pay.We want you to take some time to


    think about if you want to stay on as Kas¡¯s guard.We don¡¯t want you to rush into a decision right now


    and we both want you to take the time to heal."


    "Same goes for you, Delh," I address her with a smile, "I want you to take a month off from the


    bakery.


    Spend time with your mate.You more than deserve the time off and you will be back just in time for the


    update to the autumn menu."


    "Thank you, Alpha, Luna,"


    James says gratefully, "We will definitely take advantage of the time.Delh, didn¡¯t you have something


    you wanted to talk to Kas about?"


    We all turn our attention to Delh now, who has a huge smile on her face, looking at each of us in turn,


    "I¡¯m pregnant! James and I are having a baby."


    My brain churns for a moment as I process what she just said.


    I hear an excited squeal erupt from deep inside me as I throw myself at my best friend and give her the


    biggest tightest hug I have ever given anyone in my life, ignoring the tiny pang of pain knowing I may


    never get the chance to share the same news.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    We talk with Delh and James for another fifteen minutes or so before we say our goodbyes.As we


    are leaving the hospital wing, we see the doctor.


    "Luna! I am so happy to see you! I take it you''re feeling better?" he asks joyfully.


    "Yes, sir.I am feeling more like myself.Thank you for asking," I respond gratefully, "Also, we just went to


    visit James.I helped him out, so you won¡¯t need to worry about him too much.Hopefully, you can send


    him home soon to finish recovering."


    "Well then! I will check on him right now," he looks happy at the opportunity to see the results of my


    healing ability.


    "Oh, Doc, before you go, can you look into getting a doctor that specializes in hybrid pregnancies for


    James¡¯s mate?" Bronx adds quietly.


    "Yes Alpha, absolutely," he bows slightly at Bronx.


    Bronx takes my hand and we head back to the apartment.


    "Can we stop by the daycare and visit Codi?" I ask, trying to think of ways to distract my mind.


    "Well, you¡¯re in luck. Today is Saturday. We can go to Lenora and Milo¡¯s apartment to visit Codi," he


    pulls my hand up to his face and gives it a kiss.


    "Oh, thank the Goddess. That is perfect,"


    I smile, knowing Lenora loves when I spend time with Codi.It gives her and Milo an opportunity to get


    things done around the apartment or even go on date nights.


    "We have a meeting with Marco and Musu this afternoon, so you only have a few hours," Bronx


    reminds me.


    We make our way to the fourth floor and knock on the apartment door.A flustered Lenora opens the


    door with Codi throwing a tantrum in her arms.Her expression turns to surprise when she sees us.


    "Kas! What are you doing? I thought you would need more time to recover after yesterday?" she looks


    back and forth between Bronx and I.


    "I am feeling much better.Bronx and I talked through some thingsst night.You guys can talk about it.I


    will take Codi," I smile, holding my arms out to take the screaming toddler.


    If I didn¡¯t know Lenora well enough, I wouldn''t have seen the moment of hesitation or fleeting look of


    worry before she ced Codi in my arms.


    Codi immediately calms down and gives me wet kisses on my cheek when I hug her.


    Great.


    Lenora doesn¡¯t even trust me.


    Who else is going to feel that way? James and Delh didn¡¯t outright say it, but they were more than


    happy to not have to see me for a month.


    I guess I¡¯m going to have to earn back trust from a lot of people.


    Who can me them? I still don¡¯tpletely trust myself, either.


    We head inside and I take Codi to her room so Lenora and Bronx can talk about the woman named


    Cora and the Feral.I sit in the beanbag chair and put Codi on myp.


    We read a book about dragons eating tacos.


    She helps me turn the pages and points to the colorful pictures as I read in silly voices.I feel her yawn


    against me as she settles in a little deeper.


    "Au Ka?" she says in her sleepy little voice.


    "Yes, Niece Codi?" I set the book down and cover her before I give her a kiss on the forehead.


    "wan cat," she yawns again as she adjusts her little body to lean against me.


    "You want a cat? I don¡¯t know if it is a good idea for a kitty in a packhouse full of wolves, baby girl,"


    I whisper while I run my fingers through her fine, dark hair.


    "No.Cat," she says before she falls asleeppletely.


    Her breathing evens out and her thumb makes its way into her chubby little mouth.


    I think for a while, trying to decipher what she was trying to tell me.I look around the room decorated in


    pink and cream.


    There are no stuffed animals that look like cats in the room.


    Maybe there is one at daycare? I make a mental note to ask Lenora.I find myself humming a little tune


    while I rub Codi¡¯s back.I can¡¯t remember where I heard it, probably at the daycare.


    The warmth of Codi and the nketying against me inbination with the tune makes my eyelids


    heavy.I think about the happiness on Delh¡¯s face when she made her announcement and the way


    Lenora looks at Codi with nothing but love and wonder.


    It makes me smile inside.


    My thoughts fade into a dream.I¡¯m in a hall that looks like it was created for giants.


    Tall pirs made of white marble with gilded corners line the colossal room.


    Animal skin nkets cover chairs that are too tall for me to climb into.


    Beyond the pirs, I can see a sunny, beautiful day outside, puffy clouds with a sky as blue as Delh¡¯s


    eyes.I seem to be alone, but I also feel like it wouldn¡¯t be right to call out to anyone in here.I look to my


    left, then to my right, and choose to walk to my left, even though both directions look the same.


    It just seems like the correct thing to do.


    As I walk down the regal corridor, I notice statues in alcoves alternating between men and women.


    They are dressed in togas and leather armor, some with crowns, others with spears.I admire the


    perfect craftsmanship until I get to one of a woman that looks familiar.I step closer and look up at her


    stone face.


    She has strong features and hair that looks like it is flowing in the wind even though it is made of


    marble.She is wearing a crown.I have to stand back to see it properly.


    It is a crown of a crescent moon.


    "Mother?" I whisper in awe.


    "Mother, eh? You must be Iokaste.I¡¯ve been waiting for you," I hear a man¡¯s voice rumble behind me.


    I turn and gasp.


    A tall man with white hair and light blue eyes stands in front of me.


    Even with white hair, I can¡¯t tell how old he is.I get the sense that he is ageless.He has always been


    and he will always be.He has a broad chest and strong arms, with his hands on his hips.


    As I take in his features, I realize he is wearing a leather brace that is holding a bow and quiver on his


    back.


    The quiver looks like it¡¯s filled with electricity.


    "I-I''m sorry, sir.Do I know you?"


    "Ehh, my name isn¡¯t important right now.Please follow me, lunch will be served soon," He holds out his


    arm, bidding me totch my arm in his.


    It is a little awkward since he is so tall.


    When our skin makes contact, it creates an overwhelming feeling.


    It feels like he has perfected the art of holding in the excessive amount of power that makes up his


    essence.


    "So my child, what brings you here?" he asks as we walk.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Sir.I-I''m not sure where here is exactly," I apologize for my ignorance.


    He stops walking and looks at me before he pats my hand, "This is Mount Olympus, Iokaste."


    "What?" I look at him with my mouth wide open.


    "Close your mouth, flies will find their way in," he chuckles.


    "A-are you Zeus, sir?" I feel tears welling up in my eyes.


    "Yes, that is one of the many names I go by," he smiles warmly as he looks at me, making me stop in


    my tracks.


    "y-your Highness, I-," I stutter at his casual admission.


    "No, no, just Zeus to you, my dear Iokaste," he pats my hand holding his arm, "You are a very special


    youngdy. I don¡¯t need you to use my formal title."


    "Alright, Zeus,"I feel a sense of deja vu.


    Bronx and I had a simr first conversation.


    "Sir, how did I get here? And why was I summoned?"


    My heart is hopeful, but I don¡¯t want to assume anything.


    Could this be my opportunity to ask about being able to have a pup?


    "We will discuss over food, Iokaste,"


    Zeus informs me.


    "Please, sir, just Kas, if we are being informal with each other," I tilt my head and give a charming


    smile.


    We make our way to a dining room that is bigger than the entire first floor of the Blood River


    packhouse.


    A stunningly beautiful woman approaches me with a stool to help me into the next toZeus.


    She realizes I¡¯m too short to reach the tabletop, so she brings several pillows for me to sit on, like an


    adult version of a booster seat.


    Now that I can see the table, I take in the amazing sight.


    Fruits, vegetables, nuts, sliced meats as far as the eye can see.


    "Help yourself, my dear,"


    Zeus waves his hand over the table.I take some of the fruit and nuts and ce them on the giant tter


    that¡¯s supposed to be a te in front of me.


    "I always forget just how petite you are for a goddess," he puts his chin on his hand, looking at me like


    I''m a sideshow act.


    "Zeus, I appreciate the opportunity to be here, having lunch with you.It is truly an honor I never thought


    I would experience, but, um, I¡¯m still trying to understand why exactly I was summoned here," I exin,


    trying to see if I can get him to get to the point.


    He opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by a man who looks about Bronx¡¯s age.He is over


    seven feet tall and slender with soft features.His hair cascades around his face in dark ringlets.


    "Father, can I interest you in wine?" he asks.


    "Ah, Dionysus, yes please,"


    Zeus cheers as the man pours red wine from a decanter he is holding, "Son, this is your half sister,


    Iokaste."


    The man looks at me with a mix of curiosity and disgust, "She is one of the Menae? One of the wild


    monstrosities Mother and that human created?"


    Excuse me? Did he just call me a monstrosity? I don''t fucking think so, asshole.I pick up a walnut from


    the table, ready to hit him with it and stand on the seat of the chair so I am at eye level with him.I feel a


    growling from deep within me.


    The man rolls his eyes and walks away without another word.


    Coward.


    Zeus looks at me with a smirk, which turns into a deepugh, "Oh Kas, as feisty as ever.Almost five


    thousand years old now, right?"


    "Yes, sir,"


    Ie to my senses and sit back down on the cushion, "I¡¯m sorry about that.Wait, does that mean you


    and I have met before?"


    "you have nothing to apologize for," he looks amused, "Always trust your instincts, Kas and yes, we


    have met before."


    "I- why did you just say that?" I ask suspiciously.


    "Which part?"


    "About trusting my instincts," I think back to the vision of the woman with red eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "It¡¯s true.You are part animal.Your wolf''s spirit will always guide you. Trust your instincts," he pops a fig


    in his mouth as he exins himself. He takes a moment to chew before he sighs, " Now, why you are


    here."


    I perk up and pay close attention now.


    "The Fates have sent me a message that involves your future.Now, while I¡¯m not allowed to tell you the


    specifics, I want you to know your life is going to be pretty chaotic and stressful for a while, but we


    made you to handle situations like this.Admittedly, this lifetime is more challenging than most for you


    and for that, I apologize, but some things are out of even my control.Ultimately, you are going to have


    decisions to make about the people you love," he looks at me with a friendly affection, "Not everyone


    will agree with your decisions.


    It will be up to you to trust your heart to do what¡¯s right, even if it is ufortable."


    "I see," I answer as I look at my hands in myp, "Why are you telling me this, Zeus?"


    "Because I have heard your pleas.I want you to know, if you do as I ask and follow your instincts, the


    path won''t be easy, but I will bring you back here to grant your wish," his tone is serious and firm, but


    gentle at the same time.


    I look up at him as his words process in my mind, "You''ll grant Bronx and I permission to have a baby?"


    "Indeed," he nods but his expression is nk.


    "Sir, will my child have a difficult life?"


    I can feel my concern grow.


    "Fate has not been written for your pup yet.There is nothing to see and nothing to be foretold at this


    point.Which means there are still questions about what kinds of decisions you will make when the time


    comes," his mouth scrunches a little, trying not to look too frustrated at the idea.


    "Alright.I think I understand.I will do my best to not let you down, Zeus,"


    I bow my head gratefully, "I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to be here and giving me as much


    information as you can."


    "You¡¯re wee, Kas.Spoken like a true Luna, I might add.There is a lot riding on you.It is a lot of


    pressure for a spirit so young.Please remember that you are never alone.Even in the dark.You are


    never alone," his expression changes to one of paternal concern.


    He reaches his giant hand toward me and brushes his fingers across my jaw line.


    As he removes it, I feel myself getting sleepy.I watch as he bes blurry and the world gets dark I


    slip back into thefort of a deep sleep.


    "Kas.Time to wake up, Baby,"


    I hear Bronx''s voice coaxing me back from my slumber.I slowly open my eyes and smile as I feel Codi¡¯s


    weight still leaning against me with the nket covering both of us.


    Bronx is crouching in front of me with a loving grin on his face.


    Lenora is standing behind him with her cell phone, taking a picture.I pull my arms up to hold sleeping


    Codi more securely, breathing in her baby scent from her hair.I take a moment to think about the dream


    I just had.


    There is an odd sensation on the palm of my hand.I pull it out from under the nket to find a walnut


    the size of a baseball.


    "What the Hell? Kas, where did thate from?" Bronx looks at the nut, confused.


    "I-It wasn¡¯t a dream.I met Zeus," I whisper with tears in my eyes.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    "You had a dream about Zeus?"


    Bronx looks at me suspiciously, unsure of what I am saying.


    "No, Bronx,"


    I extend my hand with the giant walnut out further as if it is proof, "I had lunch with Zeus.I also met


    Dionysus.He called me a monstrosity.I picked up the nut to hit him with, but he walked away."


    "Kas, we have dealt with a whole lotta crazy since you have be part of our pack, but that...that is


    pretty damn close to the top of the list,"


    Lenora says in a loud whisper, so she doesn''t wake the baby.


    The look of disbelief on her face is evident, "You haven¡¯t left this room in two hours.We''ve checked on


    you twice."


    She doesn¡¯t sound angry; she sounds more concerned for my mental state.Like if she says it firmly


    enough, I will stop the pretense and believe her instead.


    That is how Lenora is.


    Pushy in her own way.


    A stickler for rules and order.


    Everything in Lenora¡¯s world fit into tidy little boxes until I came along.


    I know it bothers her that my life naturally exists outside of her perfect world, constantly changing,


    morphing, and developing as I learn who I am.


    She stands by and supports me as my abilities mature and as I get to decide who I really want to


    be.She has never had that opportunity.Her path has always been nned for her.She may never


    understand the intricacies of my life as much as she tries.


    I know she loves me.She is like my big sister.I¡¯m her Luna.


    Until yesterday, she has never had any doubts about me.


    She has always been in my corner.


    After yesterday, a seed of doubt has been nted, making her push her agenda a little more than she


    usually would.


    "Lenora,"


    I look at her as sympathetically as possible, "I¡¯m sorry.I don¡¯t know how to exin it and I don¡¯t


    understand how it happened either.I wish I did because I would exin ina heartbeat."


    Bronx steps in to ease the tension.


    His eyes have a glint of hope behind them, "Kas, what did you speak with Zeus about?"


    "He told me things are going to be difficult and chaotic for a while and I¡¯m going to have difficult choices


    to make.He also told me to trust my instincts,"


    I nod while I summarize, adding in thest part since it was part of the vision I had about the red-eyed


    woman.


    "He used those words specifically?" Bronx''s eye grows wide.


    "Yeah.I think he said it on purpose, like a clue,"


    I confirm.I give Bronx a pleading look.


    We need to get out of here so I can tell him about the rest of the conversation as soon as possible.I


    want him to know if I can make it through all this, I will go back and Zeus will let me have a pup.I can¡¯t


    say anything in front of Lenora.


    The only other people who know I can¡¯t have a pup are Bronx and Lady Camille.He seems to read my


    expression.


    "Well, Musu and Marco should be here in an hour.Kas, how about we go upstairs so you can change


    before we meet them in my office.Codi can finish her nap in her bed," he says, "Lenora, if we are giving


    both of them time off, we may as well make this a working meeting so Musu can update us on


    everything she is currently working on."


    "Alright," Lenora picks Codi up out of myp andys her in the crib, "I will meet you guys up there."


    I immediately feel colder without the warm baby and her nket covering me.I sigh and let Bronx help


    me stand up.


    We say our goodbyes to Lenora and head up to our apartment.I pull Bronx along behind me so we can


    get there as fast as possible.


    When we get inside, I push him in, then close the door, and stand against it.


    "Bronx,"


    I put my hands up, covering my nose and mouth, "Zeus said if I can make it through everything that is


    coming, he will let me have a pup."


    "Oh, Baby! That¡¯s awesome news!" he gives me a broad grin and pulls me into a hug, lifting me off of


    my feet, "We all know you can do anything you put your mind to.I have no doubt you can handle


    whateveres your way.Besides, you have me by your side.I will keep you safe."


    I try to tell Bronx details about the beauty of Mount Olympus, but I can¡¯t find the words to describe it.It¡¯s


    almost like my brain won''t let me talk about it.I guess it isn¡¯t meant for everyone to know.


    We both change and make ourselves presentable for a business casual meeting with Marco, Musu,


    and Lenora.


    Bronx gets ready to open the apartment door, but stops short, turning around to face me.


    "Kas?" He takes me by the waist and pulls me toward him.


    "Yes, Sweetheart?"


    I marvel at his handsome face.I feel like I¡¯m on cloud nine at the prospect of bing a mother


    because of this man.


    "I know I have said this before, but I will say it over and over again until the day I die.It doesn¡¯t matter


    which lifetime it is.They can reincarnate me a thousand times and I will still feel the same," he caresses


    my chin and smiles.


    His green crisp eye sparkles as he continues, "I only need you.I know you want a baby and I do too,


    but if we can¡¯t have a pup, it doesn¡¯t make a difference to me.You and I could be hermits in a shack on


    the back of the territory, and 1 would love you just as much as I do now.You are the one who makes me


    truly happy.If there was any doubt before, the past week has taken it away."


    "Thank you, Bronx.I love you, too," I lean against his strong chest and let him kiss me on the top of my


    head.


    He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head.I feel the calming glow of my aura


    surrounding us.


    We stay like that for a few minutes before he clears his throat and lets me go.He takes my hand and


    leads me down to his office.


    Marco and Musu are sitting in the waiting area in the hallway as we approach.


    They look so happy together.


    Seriously, one of the most loving couples I have ever met.


    They stand up when they see us, bowing slightly to show their respect.


    "Alpha, Luna," Marco says, using our formal titles.


    "Knock it off, Marco, this is a casual meeting,"


    Bronx smirks as he opens the door and bids them into the office.We settle in the conference table


    chairs when we hear another knock on the door.


    Milo and Lenora step in without waiting for Bronx to reply.


    "Hi guys, I hope you don¡¯t mind that I brought Milo since this will involve his team,"


    Lenora says, "Ashley is watching Codi for us."


    "Yeah, that¡¯s not a problem," Bronx waves them to the table.


    "Hi Little Sister," Milo regards me and gives me a kiss on top of my head before he and Lenora sit


    down.


    "Hi, Milo," I giggle.I don¡¯t know if I will ever get used to him calling me that, even though Lenora,


    Reggie, and Ashley have also adopted the nickname, it just sounds extra sillying from Milo.


    "Do you smell that?" Lenora asks.


    "What?"


    Milo looks at her.We all sniff the air, oblivious to any change.


    "Something smells, I don¡¯t know, different," she looks around, trying to pinpoint what is different in the


    room.


    "Well, you figure that out while we get started,"


    Bronx sps his hands in front of him,cing his fingers while he speaks.I notice Marco give Musu an


    admiring look, bringing my attention back to them.I get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside as I watch them


    holding hands.


    HOLD UP!


    Stop the presses.I blink hard and look again to make sure I¡¯m not imagining it.


    "YOU TWO ARE ENGAGED!?"


    I scream excitedly, pointing at the beautiful diamond ring on Musu¡¯s finger.


    Marco looks at her and smiles, kissing her ring hand while Musu nods, covering her smile with her


    other hand.


    Lenora jumps up and runs to the other side of the table.She pulls Musu into an enormous hug.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Oh my Goddess!! Congrattions!! When did-," she pauses and turns her nose into Musu¡¯s hair.


    She steps back, keeping Musu in her grasp.


    Lenora¡¯s eyes are asrge as saucers, "You..."


    "Yes, I''m pregnant,"


    Musu grins at Lenora from ear to ear.


    Lenora shrieks and pulls Musu back into a tight hug before they start talking excitedly.


    Bronx and Milo both stand and take turns giving Marco handshakes and pping him on the back.I feel


    the vice that was around my heart earlier in the day clench back down harder than ever.


    Every fiber of my being wants to get up and walk away from the table, walk down to the hall, go straight


    to my bed, pull the covers over my head, and throw myself a little pity party.But I can¡¯t do that.I am


    Luna of this pack.I need to be happy for my guard and his mate.I sit and watch everyone talk excitedly


    about the details of the proposal and when Musu is due until ever vignt, Marco stops and looks at


    me.


    "Kas? You okay, Luna?" he looks at me with genuine concern.


    "I¡¯m fine, Marco.I¡¯m just so happy for you two, I don¡¯t even know what to do with myself," I reach across


    the table and squeeze his hand.


    He grins, but there is a suspicious glint in his eye.I can tell this conversation with him isn¡¯t over, but


    right now isn¡¯t about me.


    "Let''s get started then,"


    I announce, clearing my throat to change the subject.


    Marco and Musu ultimately request not to take a full month from either of their jobs.


    They agree one week off now if they can use the other three weeks to extend maternity leave.


    Bronx and I agree, as does Lenora.


    Marco concedes to shortened shifts he will share with Tyree and any other guards that will reassigned


    from Milo''s team.


    Before they leave, we discuss my sisters, the woman named Cora, the red-eyed woman, and the odd


    not so coincidental meeting request from Catherine Santoro.


    Bronx, Milo, and Marco decide to stay for another fifteen minutes to discuss security at the bakery.


    As Musu, Lenora, and I leave, I stop Musu in the hall.


    "I am really happy for you, Musu.You and Marco are going to be great parents," Ipliment her.


    "Thank you, Luna.Once I get past these sleepy spells, I will feel much better about this.But for now, I


    just want to nap all the time, " she stifles a yawn as she speaks.


    "How about a little hug with a little extra energy?" I offer.


    "That would be fantastic," sheughs as we embrace each other.


    I release some positive healing energy into her.I hear her sigh as she rubs my back.


    "Thank you, Luna.I feel better already."


    I watch as she and Lenora make their way down the stairs trying to decide which they should worry


    about first, the wedding or the baby.I turn and look at the office door, but decide to go to the apartment


    instead.I wonder if this is part of the challenges Zeus had told me about.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    It took everything I had to not console Kas in front of everyone when Musu announced her pregnancy.I


    know she is happy for Musu and Marco, but I could also feel her disappointment.


    Even though Zeus had told her she may be able to have a baby in the future, nothing is guaranteed.


    That¡¯s just how life is.


    To her credit, she fulfilled her duty as Luna and stoically congratted the happy couple and helped


    come to an agreement for their adjusted schedules.I watch as she follows Lenora and Musu out when


    we are finished.


    Marco and Milo stay behind so we can discuss schedules and strategies for guards to protect Kas for


    the foreseeable future.


    "Alpha, I know a lot has happened over thest week or so, but is Kas okay?" Marco asks.


    Other than Delh and me, he knows her probably better than anyone.


    One of the few people I don¡¯t mind when he doesn¡¯t call her Luna because at the end of the day, they


    really are friends.I pause for a moment, debating whether to tell him about Kas not being able to have a


    baby, but decide against it.


    Lenora is the only person I have ever told, and I swore her to secrecy.


    Lenora takes that kind of trust seriously, so I know she wouldn¡¯t tell anyone, not even Milo.


    "Yeah, she¡¯ll be okay.You know how she gets when there are a lot of changes going on," I do my best


    to mollify his worry, "I will check on her when we¡¯re done here.Also, I think it will help her to go down


    and have dinner with the pack.Things have just been...heavy...if she sees how excited everyone is to


    have her back, I think that will help her mood."


    Marco nods and lets it go so we can get to work with a n to make sure she is under constant


    surveince when she is not in the packhouse, including the best ways to keep reporters and paparazzi


    from interrupting her day.


    I make some notes to discuss upgrading the bakery security system and add extra cameras that will be


    monitored from MasonCo headquarters.


    "Alright gentlemen, I wish James was here, but Marco, I think it¡¯s important you see this video linking


    the Santoro¡¯s to the Menae.I told Kas about the incident, but I don¡¯t really want her seeing this,"


    I get up and lock the door, just in case Kases back.I turn myptop so Marco can see the screen


    and pull up the video Lenora sent me and show it to Marco, who had not seen it before.


    "D-did Musu have to see this?" he says with a hollow voice as he watches the gruesome scene y


    out.


    "She is the one who sent it to Lenora, so yes, she has definitely seen it.They showed it to Reggie, Milo,


    and me the day after Kas was back.It¡¯s over a year old.One of Musu¡¯s confidential contacts sent it to


    her," I speak as calmly as possible, "Off camera, this woman took out his liver and heart."


    "Alpha, I-," he stops with his mouth slightly agape before he turns his eyes away from the screen to me,


    "There''s so manyyers to this.She killed him the same way they attacked you?"


    I nod slowly, "So now you understand my concern a little more."


    Marco nods as he leans back in his seat, "You''re gonna let that womane here to the packhouse?"


    "Yeah, we cannot, under any circumstances, let her know that we have any concerns.Reggie has a


    team looking into the Santoros.He should have a report for me in the next couple of days.Carly had our


    analysts do a financial audit on Santoro Enterprises."


    Milo is looking at Marco like he is a fat piece of birthday cake.


    "Beta?"


    Marco looks at Milo and back at me with confusion.


    "It will be good to have you back on my team for a bit Marco,"he puts his arm up, covering his nose and


    mouth with the crook of his arm like he is batman or something, "Maybe we will convince you toe


    back to the dark side."


    I audibly groan as Marcoughs at his old boss.


    In all seriousness, having Marco and Tyree along with some of the other members of Milo¡¯s team


    working security detail gives me a sense of relief while James is on sabbatical.


    We n to meet again with the entire team to go over their temporary security detail assignments and


    to discuss the best way to handle the Santoro Enterprises team¡¯s visit before we leave.


    When I get to the apartment, I can hear the shower running.I make my way to the bathroom and peek


    into the shower stall.


    Through the ss doors, I can see Kas curled up on the floor of the shower, sitting on a washcloth,


    letting the hot water run over her.


    "Kas? "


    When she sees me, one side of her mouth picks up in acknowledgement of my presence, but she


    doesn¡¯t move.I sit on the ground outside the shower and tilt my head to the side, "wanna talk about it?"


    She blinks a couple times, considering it, before shaking her head no.


    "Alright, wanna go downstairs for dinner?" I ask.


    Again she shakes her head no.


    "what if I tell you this is one of those very few instances where it sounds like I¡¯m asking, but I¡¯m not


    actually asking," I say in a matter-of-fact tone.


    Kas looks at me through the water droplets with a confused look.


    "Baby, you need to try to get back to some sort of normal life.I know there is a whole lot weighing down


    on you, but you¡¯re not alone.You are the Luna of the Blood River pack.You have an entire pack out


    there getting ready for dinner, who loves, respects, and supports you."


    She scrunches up her nose and pushes her hair out of her face as her mood breaks.


    "I know you well enough to know that going downstairs, getting to see and talk to everyone, and have a


    giant bowl of pasta, is going to make you feel a thousand times better.You will be totally re energized," I


    exin as I watch the look on her face morph from sadness to contemtion.


    "Tell me I¡¯m wrong."


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "You¡¯re not wrong," she finally says, trying to suppress a smile.


    "Good.We have forty five minutes before dinner.Let''s go find a cute outfit for you," I smile at her as I


    stand up and grab a towel to wrap her up in.


    Sure enough, Kas¡¯s mood improves significantly when she goes down to the dining room.She gets to


    talk to so many people she hasn¡¯t seen in a week.


    After a full bowl of alfredo with chicken, she seems more like her old self than she has been in since


    she got home.


    And after a little mystery birdie told Mrs.Miller about Kas¡¯s craving for a banana split, she arranged for a


    sundae bar for dessert.


    Kas¡¯s eyes lit up like a Winter Solstice tree when she saw the tables arranged with all her favorite


    toppings.


    Just another reminder of how important it is for me to pay attention to the little things when I have time


    alone with her.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Katherine¡¯s POV


    "They offered us amodations at the Blood River pack house?" Lask suspiciously.


    "Yes, Luna.They said they have plenty of room and would be honored to have the entire team there.If


    we would rather stay at a hotel, they will make those arrangements, too.We just have to let them know


    how many suites we need," my assistant says through the phone.


    "I think the packhouse would probably be the best option," I think about Cora, who will need toe


    with us, being able to shift on Blood River¡¯s extensive territory.I also selfishly think about the


    opportunity to get to see Iokaste in person.


    "Yes, ma¡¯am."


    "Sarah, how did they know we were wolves? How did they know to offer us a ce in the packhouse?"


    "I didn¡¯t think to ask, Luna, but Mister Mason¡¯s assistant was very nice.She sent pictures of the suites


    we would stay in and everything." I smirk at her innocence, "Alright, please request a block of eight


    suites."


    "Yes, Luna.Oh also, Alexandros left a message.He says his team has scoured the eastern seaboard of


    the United States with no luck.They are moving to the Midwest but they are pretty sure Tessa must be


    headed to wherever Iokaste is," her tone turns more serious as she rys the message.


    "Alright, I will contact him about our uing trip to Blood River.Pleaseplete the travel


    arrangements.Cora ising, so we need therge jet in case she needs room to shift."


    "Yes, Luna," she replies obediently before hanging up.


    I pull my personal cell phone from the drawer and dia] Tessa¡¯s number for the hundredth time since she


    drank from the Journeyer¡¯s Cup.Straight to voicemail.I sigh before calling Alexandros.I can hear the


    exhaustion in his voice.


    Not having Tessa with him is wearing on him.She has to know that.It must be difficult for her to be away


    from him, too.


    "Have you heard from her?" he asks, trying but failing to hide the desperation in his voice.


    "Sorry, Alexandros, no,"


    I frown as I deliver the update.


    "She must be close to Iokaste, I-I just hope she¡¯s not reckless enough to stand outside the hos¡¯


    nest, Katherine," he gives a frustrated growl.


    "She will turn up, don¡¯t worry," I reassure him with empty words before we say our goodbyes and hang


    up.I don''t know if she will be alright or not, but I¡¯m not going to tell him that.I mind link Amari and Cora


    to join me in my office.


    "We are out in the greenhouse.We will be there soon," Amari¡¯s sweet voice rings through the mind link.


    Which gives me time to finish some paperwork.


    When they finally get to the office, I see Cora has let someone care for her dreadlocks and finally took


    a proper shower.She is wearing a loose t-shirt and running shorts.


    I notice she still won¡¯t wear shoes, but at least Amari convinced her to try the clothes on for size and


    she liked them.


    In the couple of weeks she has been home, she has spent most of her time in wolf form, but when she


    is in human form, she stays with Amari during the days to take advantage of her healing power.


    At night, she sleeps in my apartment.I can still feel her pain from the loss of losing her mate.I give her


    energy to help herposure while she gives me energy to help bolster my independence.


    "Alright Sisters, we are going to the United States in two weeks to meet with Blood River.I spoke to


    Alexandros, he is going to meet us there," I exin, looking back and forth between them.


    "I am going too?"


    Cora looks confused as to why she would need to be at a business meeting.


    "Yes.We have blown our opportunity to summon Iokaste here," I give Amari a scornful look, "So we


    need to go to her.Don¡¯t worry, Blood River has arge territory.You will have plenty of free reign to run


    around."


    She gives a little sigh and nods, understanding that we don¡¯t have much of a choice.I update both of


    them on the quick call I had with Alexandros and that he is also going to make his way to Montana and


    meet us there as our head of security in Tessa¡¯s absence.I also make sure to remind them that under


    no circumstances are they to interact with Iokaste other than to greet her as Blood River Luna.


    They both agree, but I get the sense that Cora feels guilty about something.I make a mental note to ask


    her about itter.


    Bronx''s POV


    "Alpha, there is a call on line three for you,"


    Carly¡¯s voicees over the inte, "It is the woman from the boarding house you fundedst year."


    "I¡¯ll take it," I furrow my brow, "What is her name again? Edna?"


    "Yes, sir.Edna Kirby."


    Last year, Kas and I funded having a boarding house built for a foundation that houses women who are


    victims of domestic violence.I had told the head of the foundation if she ever needed anything, to


    please let me know.


    Obviously, her call on a Tuesday afternoon was unexpected, so I pick up the line.


    "Mrs.Kirby! It¡¯s a pleasure to hear from you!"


    I do my best to sound friendly.


    Admittedly, not one of my strong suits.


    "Mister Mason, thank you for taking my call.I hope all is well," her voice is warm and friendly, "I know


    you are a busy man, so I will get to the point.


    The other day, I took in a new case.She looked very familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember where I had seen


    her before."


    "Alright?" I ask unsure of where the conversation is leading.


    "Well, I pulled out the newspaper clipping from the day of the ribbon cutting and realized I knew exactly


    how I knew her.She is the spitting image of your sister, Lenora," the woman ims proudly.


    I feel the blood drain from my face a little, "I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am.Are you saying my sister requested asylum


    in your boarding house?"


    "Well, that¡¯s the thing Mister Mason.Her paperwork says her name is Contessa DeCaul.It seems like a


    very unusual name to choose as an alias.I approached herter and tried to see if I could get her to


    give her real name, but she insisted that was it.Usually, our cases are confidencial, but in this instance,


    I thought you should know."


    "Mrs.Kirby, I appreciate your diligence and for giving me the heads up.I will certainly look into it.It was


    very nice speaking with you.You take care," I say and hang up before she can respond.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    I pick up my cell and call Lenora.


    "Hey Bronx, what¡¯s up?" She answers in as professional a tone as she can.


    "Where are you at?"


    "Two floors below you in my office at headquarters, why?"


    "Stay there.I¡¯m sending security to your office.I don¡¯t want you to leave," I warn.


    "Why? What¡¯s going on?" She asks in her usual cool, not bothered tone.


    "You''re ¡®look alike¡¯ was spotted in town.I gotta go.I need to have Kas¡¯s detail get her back to the


    packhouse," I hang up and pick up the phone, ringing Milo.


    At the same time, I go to the door of my office.


    Milo picks up at the same time Carly asks me if I need help with anything.


    "Carly, we are on lockdown.Send extra security to Lenora¡¯s office."


    "WHAT?! BRONX! What are you talking about extra security to Lenora¡¯s office? What¡¯s going on?!"


    Milo starts yelling into the phone.


    "Milo, get Kas back to the packhouse right now.Lockdown pack territory, send extra guards to all the


    borders.We have a situation, I will be there as soon as I am sure I can get Lenora and Ashley out of


    here safely," I bark my orders into the phone.


    "Bronx, what the Hell is happening?" He asks hurriedly.


    "One of Kas¡¯s kidnappers was spotted.The one she said looks like Lenora.Protect your Luna, Milo."


    "Yes, Alpha," he replies quickly and hangs up.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Tessa¡¯s POV


    I sit quietly at a counter seat near the front of the 24-hour cafe, sipping the disgusting coffee and barely


    edible omelette while I scroll through the burner phone to catch up on the news.I watch out of the


    corners of my eyes as people queue up in a line to enter the store across the street.


    They all seem very excited and happy to be there.


    The window of the store has the silhouette of a wolf wearing a pointy witch''s hat.


    Above the image, in curly purple and white lettering, are the words ¡®Patisseries de¡¯ and below it are ¡®


    Loup Magique¡¯ meaning ¡®Magic Wolf Pastries¡¯.


    I roll my eyes at tant call out to the owners of the little bakery.


    The lights in the front of the store turn on, and a petite woman in a purple and white apron opens the


    door.


    A security guard dressed in a purple shirt and ck pants stands guard next to the front door, while


    another shoos away photographers from getting too close.


    "Excuse me," I call to the waitress behind the counter.


    "Yes, Miss? Would you like some more coffee?" she asks in her powdery voice that reminds me of a


    grandmother.


    "Oh Goddess no...I mean...No thank you.I was just wondering, what is that ce over there? Where all


    the people are standing,"I point to the little bakery, "Is it that good that people stand in line for it and


    why are there photographers?"


    "Oh yes, Loup Magique is the best bakery in town.We get our pies and cakes from there.The owner is


    Bronx Mason¡¯s wife," she wiggles her eyebrows at me as if that is supposed to be impressive news.


    "Ohhbhh, how...ubh cool,"


    I make my eyes a little bigger and emphasize the word cool, for effect.


    When in reality, I don¡¯t give a shit that the owner is Bronx¡¯s wife.


    "You''re staying at Mrs.Kirby¡¯s, right?" she asks with a tinge of sympathy in her voice.


    "Uhh, yeah, temporarily, until I can find something else," I responded without looking at her.


    "Well, Kas and Delh, those are the girls that own the ce.They are both sweethearts.They are


    always looking for people to work in the back.Baking, decorating, cleaning, things like that.I can put in a


    friendly word for you if you¡¯d like," I feel her touch my wrist of the hand holding the coffee cup.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I stiffen, fighting the urge to snap her fingers for touching me.I clear my throat and gently slide my hand


    away from hers, looking at her out of the side of my eye.


    "Sorry, dear.Edna and I are friends.Anything I can do to help get her girls back on their feet, you know,"


    her voice lowers as she thinks she made me ufortable.I look around the cafe.I¡¯m the only


    customer.


    "Oh, no no.It¡¯s alright.I-I just get a little nervous about people knowing my business," I give her a little


    nervous smile.


    "I understand.How about this? I will cover the cost of your breakfast.Keep your money and pay it back


    once you have a steady job.Unfortunately, I''m fully staffed, but why don¡¯t you go stand in the line


    across the street.The littledy with sparkly hair, that¡¯s Kas.You can speak to her about a job.I also


    rmend the cookies with the caramel chips in them, even if you do chicken out on asking for a job,"


    she gives me a little wink as she finishes speaking.


    "I really appreciate it. Thank you,"


    I give a relieved sigh and a small smile, "Can I use the restroom before I go?"


    "Of course, child.Take your time," she picks up my te and cups and walks away.


    I pick up my bag, head to the bathroom, and lock the door behind me.I put blue contacts in my eyes,


    then French braid my hair, pinning it up, before putting on a blonde wig.


    After I adjust the wig so it looks more natural, and decide to put a baseball cap and sunsses over


    just to be safe.I peek out of the bathroom and don¡¯t see the overly friendly waitress.I quickly make my


    way out of the restaurant, conveniently dropping a couple of one hundred-dor bills on the floor, where


    she can easily see them as I make my way out.I look onest time at the line of people in front of the


    store and make my way to the end.


    The girls in front of me go on and on about which cupcakes they want to try.I try to ignore them as I


    assess security and escape routes.I calcte the distance between the door and various cameras


    around the shop.


    The guards are all carrying semi-automatic handguns, clearly visible for people to see.


    The one controlling the photographers seems to handle them with kid gloves.


    Interesting tactic, keeping good rtions with the paparazzi.I look at my watch, nine-thirty in the


    morning.


    The line moves quickly and before I know it; I''m at the register, looking at the smiling young woman


    with sparkly silver hair and violet irises.I take off the dark sunsses and look at her with a smile.


    Her nose twitches slightly as she recognizes I have a wolf scent.She looks at me for a moment and


    blinks hard.


    For a split second, I worry she remembers my scent.


    Then I remember that isn''t possible.She wouldn''t be able to remember anything from the Waiting


    Room.


    Especially for how many times she touched the door, resetting her memory while she was in there.


    I breathe an internal sigh of relief.


    "Wee to Patisseries de Loup Magique," she says with a smile, "Can I interest you in our wolf spirit


    special? It¡¯s a coffee with two cookies or a cupcake.I highly rmend the cupcake option.They really


    transform in your mouth."


    I turn my attention from the board with vors listed to the woman.She is stunning, with a sly smile on


    her face.I feel my breath catch in my throat, standing this close to her.


    "I..uh...," I falter before I speak, "Yeah, I¡¯ll take that, please."


    "You look familiar.Have we met before? At a business meeting maybe?" She asks with a tilt of her head


    while she counts my change.


    "Oh, no, I¡¯m not from around here," I say shyly, avoiding eye contact with her.


    As I say it, I realize my tone is genuine, causing me to blush slightly.


    Does she recognize me even with the blonde hair and blue eyes? That''s impossible.


    Do I still look too much like her Beta Female?


    "Well, I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re staying, but I am happy to rmend a couple ces, if you are


    interested," she hands me a business card, "Call this number, my rtions manager, Ashley ter, can


    give you the information."


    "Thank you.This really means a lot to me," I look at the card.


    What is happening right now? Did she just covertly give me an invitation to the Blood River packhouse?


    I thought when I saw the extra security, it was going to make things more difficult, but now I see this


    was going to be a piece of cake.


    Parden the pun.


    "I will be sure to callter," I grin at the card.


    Before I can take the paper bag and coffee cup from her, the guard approaches her, "Mrs.Mason, we


    need to go.Right now."


    I see a quick mind link between them before she sucks in a quick breath, looking slightly flustered


    before she collects herself and turns back to me.


    "I- I¡¯m sorry Miss..."


    "Oh, you can just call me Tessa," I nod as I take the bag and coffee from her.


    "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Tessa, and I hope to see you again soon, but something¡¯se


    up and I need to leave now," she points over her shoulder with her thumb with a big grin.


    "Thank you so much," I say, holding up the card while I back up toward the door, watching her guards


    whisk her away for whatever emergency they were alerted to.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Kas¡¯s POV


    "Bronx, what¡¯s going on? How did you find out the woman that looks like Lenora is in town? Is everyone


    else okay? No one else has gone missing, have they?" I call in a panic.


    "It¡¯s going to be okay, Kas.She is one person and I have more people than she could possibly imagine


    covering this.No one else has been reported missing.The guards are getting you home.Please, go to


    our apartment and stay there until I get home," Bronx reassures me from the other end.


    "In the apartment? Absolutely not! I¡¯m helping protect our pack, Bronx, not hiding in our apartment like


    some weakling.I¡¯m their leader too and I have powers and special abilities that make me suited for


    situations like this,"


    I growl at him, "You can have as many people as you want guarding me, but I need to help the wolves


    in our pack who cannot help themselves.I¡¯m Luna of Blood River, remember? We have done countless


    drills for situations like this.Children, mothers, pregnant women, and seniors all need to be downstairs


    in the safe room.I need to make sure everyone is there and ounted for, then have guards posted


    inside and outside.I just need you guys to get home as soon as possible to help.But you are not


    sidelining me on this."


    "Kas, now isn¡¯t the time-"


    "No, Bronx, right now is exactly the time," I contend.


    I listen to the silence on the other end.


    In my mind, I can imagine him rubbing his hands on his face like he always does when he is


    frustrated.He can argue as much as he wants.I¡¯m not hiding in the apartment right now.No how, no


    way.


    "Alright.Milo is already getting guards in ce.You get the pack where they need to be based on our


    protocols.You are NOT to leave the sight of your guards.Don¡¯t make me use my Alpha tone.Please,


    Kas," he concedes.


    "How soon until you''re home?"


    I feel my courage fade a little, knowing he will not be there when I get to the packhouse.


    "They''re doing a sweep of headquarters now.As soon as they''re done, I need to get Lenora and Ashley


    and we will be on our way," I can hear him sigh.


    ¡°I will be fine, Bronx.Just get home to me as quickly as you can.I love you," I hope he can¡¯t feel my


    worry from that far away.


    "I love you too, Kas.Don¡¯t do anything crazy," he says before he hangs up the phone.


    I look out the sedan window as we bounce down the road to the Blood River territory.


    "Kas, I know there has been a whole lot going ontely, but we¡¯ve got this," Lex says, "We are a warrior


    child of the Moon Goddess.We won¡¯t let anyone down.I promise you.You just need to stay calm like we


    practiced.If you need me to take the lead, just say so.No shame in that.It¡¯s what I¡¯m here for."


    "Thanks, Lex.You¡¯re the best,"


    I smile internally at her, "What do you think this woman wants from us? Why would shee back?


    There is no way she didn¡¯t see or at least hear Bronx''s message."


    "It must have to do with your sisters.It¡¯s got to," Lex says.


    I can feel her shaking her head, "But you know I¡¯m only able to say so much.The Moon Goddess


    blocks me from being able to sway your decisions, which means no spoilers."


    I sigh, "Yeah, I know, I know."


    Elexis and I went through a bit of a tenuous patch when I started looking for my sisters.Our wolf and


    human spirts have been linked for the entirety of her essence.I assume mine too.


    She can remember almost five thousand years in the past, but my human aaa spirit can¡¯t remember


    any of our past lives.


    Our witch friend Lady Camille helped me remember some of them through meditation an and hypnosis,


    but even then, Lex was not a willing participant.


    Lex ais says if I was meant to know about all my past lives, my mother would have allowed it.She


    insists it is all hidden for a reason but it isn''t allowed to tell me why.


    The frustrating part is, she tells me all about historical events she wo lived through, conveniently


    leaving me out of the conversation.


    In an tare almost failed my senior world history ss because she kept telling me the book was wrong


    and convinced me to change answers to be pe eed urate based on her experiences.


    Nowadays, we just agree to disagree on historical subjects and her reluctance to talk about my past or


    my sisters.


    "We''re going to be okay, Kas," she says in a soft whisper. I feel myself rx a little.


    This is Lex¡¯s way of giving me a pep talk, "This is definitely one of our craziest lifetimes so far and I


    don¡¯t know Pate what the future holds, but I know we are stronger than we¡¯ve ever ra been.I am proud


    of you.You just had a conversation by yourself with Zeus with no problems.I know you will always make


    the right choices when ites down to it.It seems like he feels that way too."


    "How do you always know what to say to make me feel better, Lex?"


    "Luna, we''re here,"


    Tyree says from the front seat, "Beta Milo says he¡¯s covering the northern half of the territory.He asked


    that you handle the southern part, including securing the pack until Alpha and the female Beta and


    Gamma get here."


    "No problem, Tyree,"


    I give him a nod, "How many guards are going to be with me?"


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Three including me," he says, counting off on his fingers.


    "Good.I want two in wolf form.The wolf senses will be useful if there is anything out of ce while you


    and I work.You stay in human form.We need to prioritize getting people into the safe room


    downstairs.You can help me with that," I order.


    "we''re not taking you upstairs?" he asks.


    "Really, Tyree? You too?" I scold.


    "Sorry, Luna," he bows his head slightly.


    As we pull up to the packhouse, we see people are already making their way through the front doors.


    Musu approaches the car with a worried expression.


    "Luna Kas," she takes my hand as I step out of the car, "I can help.Please don¡¯t make me go into that


    safe room when I can help."


    "Musu, you are absolutely going into that safe room.Don¡¯t make me argue with you about it.As your


    Luna, as your friend, and as the close friend of your mate, I will not let you stay out here."


    She gives me a hopeless sigh as she holds her hands out to the side.


    "Okay, how about this? Since Carly isn''t here, you keep a headcount and make sure everyone who is


    supposed to be in the safe room is ounted for.People might be scared, please keep them calm for


    me,"


    I say confidently, "There is a tablet with the names of everyone who should be in there just inside the


    door."


    "Thank you, Luna," she gives me a grateful smile before she runs inside.


    "Kas, you back?" I hear Milo through a mind link.


    His voice sounds far away.He must be in the most northern area of our massive territory.


    "Yeah, Milo.I¡¯m in front of the packhouse.Getting ready to go to the vige and make sure people are


    headed into the packhouse or out for guard duty,"


    I confirm, "Everything okay up north?"


    "So far.Found a couple of rogues, but it doesn¡¯t seem rted to the current situation.Don¡¯t worry about


    us," his tone differs greatly from his usual yful self, "Hey, one favor, Luna.Marco is worried about


    Musu."


    "Tell him not to. I just sent her inside to coordinate the safe room headcount."


    "He¡¯s going to be relieved to hear that.Be safe, Luna.Tell the Alpha to let me know when he¡¯s back."


    "You too, Beta and I will."


    I look up to see Tyree already has two wolves next to him.I pull four others aside so we can go into


    town and start making sure everyone is ounted for.


    The extra guards can help people who need help to get to the packhouse.I feel confident as we head


    down the road.


    We are about halfway through town, helping some of the senior citizens who were scared to leave their


    houses.


    It relieved them to see me leading the initiative and d to have the safety of the guards to help them


    back to the packhouse.


    "Kas, where are you?" I hear Bronx mind link to me.


    My heart sings, knowing he is back.


    The pang of anxiety I had been feeling lifts slightly.


    "In town, Sweetheart.We have another half hour or so and we¡¯re headed back."


    "I¡¯m sending Carly to help you.We are headed toward the southern border, to make sure things are


    under control there."


    "No problem.We have this under control here," I reply truthfully.


    "Kas? ¡°


    "Yeah, Bronx?"


    "I''m proud of you and I¡¯m sorry I doubted you,"


    I can hear the smile in his voice, "You''re doing a good job."


    "Thank you, Sweetheart," I smile back.


    Being told you¡¯re doing a good job is the ultimatepliment from Bronx.


    Tyree gives me a quick smile, "Good news, Luna?"


    "I¡¯m doing a good job,"


    I smile back and lift an eyebrow, "And he¡¯s sorry he doubted me."


    Tyree gives me a low whistle and nods his head in approval.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Once we are sure everyone in town is where they are supposed to be, I head back to the packhouse


    and make my way to the safe room.


    Musu greets me, looking exhausted.


    ¡°Musu, are you alright?¡± I asked, trying not to sound rmed.


    ¡°Yes, Luna. Just feeling a little drained. It must be from the babies. but don¡¯t worry about me. I am d


    I could help here.¡±


    ¡°B-babies?¡± I can¡¯t hide the shock in my voice, ¡°As in more than one?¡±


    Musu smiles broadly now, ¡°Yes, we had our first appointment with the doctor yesterday. She confirmed


    I am having twins.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my Goddess! Musu, that¡¯s so exciting!¡± I squeal, giving her a big hug, ¡°What did Marco say?¡±


    Musuughs deeply, ¡°He was so pale, I thought he saw a phantom. The doctor says it is not


    unexpected since I am a twin myself.¡±


    Iugh with her, ¡°I can¡¯t imagine his face. This is so exciting. Oh, let me help you with your energy.


    please. Just enough for you to not be exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Luna. I would really appreciate it.¡± she spreads her arms gratefully.


    I give her a warm embrace, releasing positive energy for her and the babies. When I hear her give a


    comforting sigh, I pull away,


    ¡° Better?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Good, now, let''s go greet everyone. 1 still have a job to do here,¡± I squeeze her hand then look over


    my shoulder, ¡°Tyree, close the door until the Alpha gives the go ahead to open it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± he gives me a serious look, then turns towards the other guards. I take Musu¡¯s hand and


    walk toward the pack members sitting in a giant seating area. We spread out and start checking on


    everyone one by one.


    It takes a couple hours to make sure everyone on Musu¡¯s list is ounted for. I sit with some children


    who look worried about their parents out on guard duty. One of the little boys seems more distraught


    than the other kids, so I pull him onto myp and wrap my arm around a little girl who has tears in her


    eyes. I tell the little group my favorite story. The one about my mother battling and defeating a giant


    named Typhoeus. They all look enthralled as I speak.


    I watch as the children all point behind me, smiling and giggling.


    ¡°What?¡± I smile and giggle back, knowing full well what they are looking at, and continue the story. I


    lean my head to the side and close my eyes as a Soft pair of lips presses against the crook of my neck.


    A little hum escapes my


    lips at the soothing feeling. A gruff voice interrupts the story, ¡°Have you gotten to the part where the


    Moon Goddess throws a bull''s head at Typhoeus?¡±


    ¡°We were just getting to that part, Alpha,¡± I turn my head and give Bronx a quick kiss on the lips. I


    smile, seeing he is only wearing a pair of shorts. He didn¡¯t even bother to put a shirt on when he shifted


    back to human form. The rest of his ornately tattooed body is on full disy. I resist the urge to run my


    hand over his chiseled abs in front of the children and look at him in his crisp green eye.


    ¡°Now Luna, is that anyway to greet your Alpha?¡± he asks, ¡°May I please have a proper kiss? One


    worthy of the love of a goddess?¡±


    I nod with a smile as he gently ces his hand behind my head, pulling me toward him for a passionate


    kiss. The children around us all giggle and squeal at our disy of affection.


    Bronx pulls away with a smile of his own and waves his hands at the children, ¡°Alright you pups, your


    parents are all here somewhere. Go find them.¡±


    They all look at him with bright wide eyes, then take off running to find their respective parents. The


    little boy who was sitting on myp hops down and thanks me for the story time before he clomps away


    to find his parents.


    Bronx sits down on the bench from the other side so we are facing each other. He leans back slightly,


    cing his arm across myp, and looks at me in a way I haven''t seen in a long time, admiring my


    features. I feel myself blush and avoid his gaze. I don¡¯t know why after two years I would feel self-


    conscious by Bronx, but at this moment, I do.


    ¡°Kas,¡± Bronx says quietly. He gently uses his finger to lift my chin so he can look me in the eye. ¡°This is


    the wake up call I needed.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. I feel my brow furrow, not understanding what wake up call he is referring


    to.


    ¡°I have to address the pack so we can all get out of here, but I want to hold you first, my beautiful little


    mate. I - Is that okay?" he asks permission to pull me into hisp. He hasn''t asked permission to kiss


    me or touch me since we first met. It¡¯s really romantic.


    Astark difference from the guy who let his wolf dig his ws into my arm a few weeks ago. I can''t help


    but feel myself swooning a little at his change of demeanor.


    I look around therge room. People are reconnecting with their mates and children. Some people are


    looking toward us, whispering and smiling, seeing us sit closer together than they have seen in a long


    time. I look back toward Bronx. A feeling in my heart that had faded over thest few months ignites


    again when I see the way he¡¯s looking at me.


    ¡°I would really like that,¡± I smile. As I regard him. the voices and prying eyes fade into the background. I


    let Bronx pull me into hisp. He wraps his muscr arms around me, surrounding me in a cocoon


    meant just for him and me. My purple aura glows brightly around us, making it easy for me to see what


    I¡¯m doing. I brush my fingers against the scruff on his chin, kissing his neck and chin.


    He bows his head down into the insted area he has created and kisses me the way he would when


    we first met. Full of genuine passion and need, wanting to be impossibly closer to each other. He pulls


    away just far enough to speak into my ear.


    ¡°Vm So sorry, Kas. I took you and our rtionship for granted.


    That will never happen again. I love you. You are my world and I lost sight of that. I recognize that now.


    Please forgive me. Please let me make it up to you.¡±


    Unlike the couple of weeks since I¡¯ve been back, where he has seemed tentative when speaking to me


    or like we are conducting a business transaction, he seems genuine and remorseful. I can feel his


    emotions. There is no anger or revenge there right now. He is fully focused on me and how much he


    loves me.


    ¡°I love you, Bronx. I always have and I always will,¡± I whisper with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make your


    announcement so we can get out of here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Good idea. I just need a second before I stand up.¡± he says quietly, trying to suppress his own


    smile.


    I look him in the eye and realize I can feel him half hard against my butt. I giggle as I easily pull his


    arms off from around me and slide off hisp, taking away some of the temptation. He closes his eye


    and clears his throat. getting control of himself before he stands.


    He takes my hand and we make our way toward the middle of the giant lounge room. He stands on a


    low table and announces that everyone can leave, but we all need to stay vignt. We are not in


    immediate danger. but not in the clear yet. If anyone notices anything unusual or out of ce, they


    need to report it right away.


    When he''s done. he hops off the table, picks me up bridal style.Everyone bows to us as he carries me


    up to our apartment without stopping to speak to anyone.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    When we get upstairs. he doesn¡¯t put me down until he sits me on the sofa, and kneels on the floor in


    front of me, so we are close to eye level. He takes my face in his hands and kisses me deeply again.


    this time slower and more intentionally than the one downstairs in front of the pack. The sparks of our


    mate bondfort me more than they have in a long time. I let myself melt into the sensation. feeling


    his warm and soothing hands against my skin. When I feel a wet tear on my cheek, I pull back slightly. I


    can feel powerful emotionsing from him: sadness. fear, and regret.


    ¡°Bronx?¡± I wipe the tear away from his face, ¡°What''s wrong, Sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°Kas, when I got the call telling me that woman was in town, I was worried I may never see you again.


    I-I just knew that I had to get you to safety. All these terrible thoughts started running through my mind.


    And then I spoke to you on the phone and you sounded so angry that I would make you hide in the


    apartment and you were so confident about your role in the pack. It made me realize I can''t remember


    thest time I have focused on you and listened to you as my equal. Not just since you got back and


    I''ve been trying to take care of you until you felt better these past couple weeks but, like, in general,


    you know. For months before you were taken, I started taking you for granted now that you are more


    independent.¡±


    He looks at me with a look of regret and desperation. I shake my head, not sure what to say, but I don¡¯t


    feel like I need an apology from him. I think I just need to let him talk.


    ¡°Honestly, Kas. I''ve been trying to figure it out. Why have I been acting like such an ass toward you?


    We both know I have. I don''t like the way it makes me feel, and I hate the way it makes you feel. I think


    deep down, the idea that you don¡¯t need me to protect you like you did when I first met you bothers me.


    It makes me nervous. If you don¡¯t need me, ma- maybe eventually you won''t want me. What would I do


    with myself if you ever told me you don¡¯t want me? Where would that leave me?¡± he shakes his head


    as a look crosses his face that I can¡¯t identify. Desperation? ¡°I think Saint was trying to convince me in


    his own fucked up way that it would be easier when that dayes if we weren''t as Close to you as we


    have be. It would be easier to let you go and be on my own again. But that¡¯s not true. I-I can¡¯t live


    without you, Kas.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you need from me, Bronx? To be less independent? To depend on you and lean on you


    more?¡± The thought upsets me a little. That he might want me to regress.


    ¡°No, no, never. Kas,¡± he picks up my hands with both of his and holds them in myp. cing his


    forehead down on them. ¡®I love the woman you have be. I would never ask you to backtrack.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so then what?¡± I ask, trying to understand where this is all headed. I feel him grip my hands a


    little harder. A light purple aura starts to surround us, but it isn''ting from me.


    ¡°I think I just need you to understand that before you came into my life, it was just me. I didn¡¯t have


    someone by my side to support me. People expected me to lead, and I know you don''t need me to lead


    you. I know you want to be beside me, helping me. I think...it¡¯s just that..I-I need you to want me. Yeah,


    I need you to want me, Kas. And when I stupidly forget that, please remind me I want you, too,¡± he


    looks up at me, gulping back more tears.


    ¡°Bronx, you know how I know you want me?¡± I ask, tilting my head with a smile.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°How?¡± he sniffs slightly.


    ¡°You''re glowing, Sweetheart. This aura isn¡¯ting from me.¡±


    He looks down at our joined hands and back up at me, observing the distinct glow surrounding us and


    startsughing in disbelief.


    ¡°What does it mean?" he asks.


    ¡°Well, I think it means that our connection is stronger than ever. It means you are stronger than ever,¡± I


    keep his hand in mine as I gently caress his cheek with the back of my fingers. He closes his eye and


    kisses my hand when it gets close to his mouth.


    I lean forward and give him sweet little kisses on his mouth. I can feel him smiling against me as he lets


    go of my hands and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling him closer to him.


    ¡°This is the most romantic thing,¡± Lex sighs dreamily, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you two mated.¡±


    ¡°Not now, Elexis,¡± I growl internally and shut my nosy wolf out of the private moment.


    ¡°Bronx, since this is clearly something new, what do you say we go into the bedroom and test it out?


    See how bright this aura can get,¡± I smile slyly at him.


    He gives me a sly smile back as he moves his hands under my shirt, pulling it over my head and


    throwing it to the floor, ¡°We have the entire apartment to ourselves, you know? Why confine ourselves


    to the bedroom?¡±


    He tugs on the waistband of my leggings. I lift my hips up to oblige as he pulls them down. I feel my


    breath get deeper as I watch him kiss the skin of my thighs, slowly undressing me. I feel a little growl


    rumble in my chest as he moves higher on my legs. using more of his tongue as he moves his way up.


    ¡°BRONX! WE NEED YOU OUT HERE! ¡±


    Milo screams from the hallway, pounding on the door, bursting the little bubble of passion that was


    growing between Bronx and me.


    Bronx growls angrily and ws the cushions next to my hips. shredding them from back to front. His


    voicees out as a whispered snarl and his eye tums ck as Saint pushes to the surface, ¡°Are you


    fucking kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Just a minute. Milo! * I yell quickly.


    ¡°Hurry up! '''' he yells again, pounding on the door one more time.


    ¡°Saint, it¡¯s alright, we can finish thister,¡± I reassure him, leaning forward and kissing Bronx deeply.


    The kiss back is different froming from Saint than it is with Bronx, a little more forceful and


    assertive. I pull away long enough to add a little something to make him behave, ¡°It will give you plenty


    of time to think about all the different things we can try. We can even make sure you and Lex get time


    together. Now please give me Bronx back for whatever is happening out there.¡±


    Saint gives me a mischievous smile and I swear I hear a little purre from him before Bronx''s eye


    turns green again. Bronx clears his throat. I cant read the look on his face, but he seems pretty


    annoyed. Without saying a word, he pulls my leggings back up before he hands me my shirt. He puts


    his hands up in front of me and raises an eyebrow. Showing I should stay on the sofa. I nod


    questioningly, not sure I should speak since he isn''t.


    He motions with his hands again and raises his eyebrow further, making sure I understand. I raise my


    eyebrows further and nod again.


    He stands up and adjusts himself before he calmly goes to the door. He takes a deep breath before he


    throws it open, grabs Milo by the neck, and moves out into the hallway, mming the door behind him.


    I throw my hands up to my mouth, not sure whether tough or be horrified. Ultimately, Iugh a little


    knowing Bronx would never actually hurt his best friend.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Bronx''s POV


    Milo¡¯s ¡°emergency¡± was that one of the pups went ¡°missing¡± when everyone was leaving the safe room.


    The little boy turned out to be in the kitchen where Mrs. Miller was keeping him calm with milk and


    cookies until his parents could track him down.


    I leave the kitchen, I¡¯m stopped by a group of guards who want to make sure I am up to speed on the


    rogues, they found on the northern border. I pretend to listen as patiently as possible. but I don¡¯t really


    hear anything they''re saying. I preupy my mind with Kas, waiting upstairs in the apartment for me.


    Saint bes more and more irritated, pacing back and forth in my mind as the guards drone on and


    on.


    ¡°Alright guys. file a report, give it to Beta Milo. He willpile everything for me. Thank you for your


    service.¡± I hastily shake their hands and try to make my way back upstairs.


    As I reach the bottom of the staircase, Musu and Lenorae rushing up, begging me to go to


    Lenora¡¯s office. I close my eye and take a deep breath before agreeing to go with them.


    ¡°The Goddess is really testing us this time, Bronx,¡± Saint groans impatiently in my mind.


    ¡°You''re telling me, buddy.¡± I shake my head even though I am agreeing with him.


    ¡°Baby, it looks like I''m going to have to ask for a raincheck,¡± I mind link Kas as I follow Lenora and


    Musu up to the fourth floor.


    ¡°Aww, that''s a shame, Sweetheart,¡± she pouts before she shes a dirty image of the two of us into my


    mind, ¡°I mean, if you can¡¯t make it. you can''t make it. Maybe I will just have to have a party with myself


    up here.¡±


    Oh. My. Goddess.


    I stop at the bottom of the stairs to the fifth floor, extremely tempted to ditch Lenora and go to Kas, but


    Lenora grabs my hand and pulls me to her office. I give her a pleading look before I look back up the


    stairs with a little whine.


    ¡°Listen, Loverboy, this is important and rted to your mate,¡± Lenora growls as she drags me. ¡°So get


    your mind out of the gutter and focus for a few minutes.


    ¡°Oh, I was extremely focused until Milo interrupted me, Leni,¡± I grin at her as we stop in front of her


    office door, ¡°It''s not toote to get my focus back if you let me go upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Gross, Bronx,¡± Lenora scrunches her face back at me and opens the door with a scolding re.


    Musu puts her hand over her mouth, suppressing augh at our interaction. Lenora typically has a


    pretty good poker face, but hearing her big brother not so subtly admit he is more interested in going to


    mate than be part of an impromptu meeting, definitely got a reaction out of her. I give Musu a little


    elbow in the arm, hiding myugh too, then hold the door open for her to enter the office.


    Milo, Reggie, Ashley, and Marco are already in the room.


    ¡°Reggie, it¡¯s good to see you. When did you get back?¡± I greet him before addressing Marco, ¡°Hi


    Marco.¡±


    ¡°What? No hello for me?¡± Milo smirks.


    ¡°Absolutely not, "I say with a snarl, staring Milo down.


    ¡°Hey Alpha. The team got back about ten minutes after you guys released the pack from the safe


    room,¡± Reggie interrupts before


    Milo makes me actually angry. I found Lenora and Musu and briefed them on the intel we could gather


    as soon as we could get up here.


    I notice Ashley ogling Reggie more than usual. He gently squeezes her arm with a little smile. I chalk it


    up to them not having seen each other for a week.


    ¡°Bronx, uh, can you please mind link Kas and have here down? We all need to be here,¡± Lenora


    commands.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I look at her suspiciously while she and Musu start pulling up information on theirptops.


    ¡°Are youing back up to the apartment?¡± Kas asks hopefully in my mind.


    ¡°Sorry, Baby, no. I need you toe down to Lenora¡¯s office for a meeting,¡± I sigh.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she grumbles. Fifteen very quiet and awkward minutester, Kas makes her way down to


    Lenora''s office. I notice she has changed out of her work clothes into jeans, our t-shirt, and hoodie. A


    very chill, ready to rx in front of the television or test recipes, type of outfit. I guess it dashed any


    hope I had of picking up where we left off for the time being. I pull thest chair at the table out for her


    She gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek before sitting down.


    ¡°Alright, so what''s going on?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.


    ¡°Meet, Contessa DeCaul. She also goes by Tessa DeCaul,¡± Musu turns the monitor around to show a


    picture of Lenora.


    Complete with Lenora¡¯s signature ck suit paired with a white button- down shirt, the perfect high


    ponytail, and red lipstick.


    ¡°Is this some sort of joke? Cause it''s not funny,¡± I snarl. I¡¯m not even mad about getting interrupted from


    being with Kas anymore.


    Now I can feel the irritation of someone''s thinly veiled attempt to pull the wool over my eyes.


    ¡°Bronx, that''s not me,¡± Lenora looks at me seriously, ¡°This is a picture from the Santoro Enterprises


    website. The Leadership page. This woman is the head of security.¡±


    I hear Kas audibly gasp as she looks at the picture, ¡°That''s her.¡±


    ¡°How would you know the difference between this woman and Lenora, Kas?" Milo questions Kas.


    ¡°The eyes. They''re the same, but they''re different. Like her eyes are older than Lenora''s,¡± Kas shakes


    her head in disbelief as she looks at the picture.


    I feel anger bubble up as Saint takes in the woman''s image who was responsible for kidnapping his


    mate.


    A cell phone rings, pulling everyone''s attention away from the picture.


    Ashley looks at her phone, confused, and stands up, taking her ringing phone to the back of the room.


    A momentter. shees back, ¡°Kas, did you give someone the asylum seeker line?¡±


    Kas looks at her fora moment. ¡°Oh, yes. This moming, right before Tyree told me I had to leave. She is


    definitely a wolf. Blonde hair, blue eyes. She said her name was...uh...oh crap.¡±


    ¡°Tessa?¡± Ashley asks with a little defeat in her voice.


    ¡°Yeah. I think she said to call her Tessa,¡± Kas gulps with a guilty look on her face. She continues. trying


    to exin herself, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I didn¡¯t know.


    She didn''t smell like a rogue and looked like she needed help. I couldn''t figure out where from, but she


    seemed familiar somehow, so I gave her the business card.¡±


    ¡°Let here,¡± I say nkly. with my arms crossed against my chest.


    ¡°Bronx, are you crazy?!¡± Lenora snaps.


    ¡°When she gets here. escort her to the dungeon and leave her there until I''m ready to deal with her.¡± I


    snarl.


    ¡°Bronx, no! You can¡¯t just throw her in the dungeon to rot.¡± Kas turns in her seat and looks up at me


    with tears suddenly welling up in her eyes.


    ¡°Luna,¡± Reggie tries to butt in. We all know Kas used to have an old solitary confinement cell as a


    bedroom growing up. She hates the idea of anyone having to be in a dungeon with no way to escape.


    ¡°Kas, what would you have me do? Give her the guest suite next to our apartment upstairs?¡± I squat


    down in front of Kas¡¯s chair to try to talk some sense into her, ¡°Baby, I need you to trust me on this. I


    need you to let me do this my way.¡±


    ¡°Alpha, before you do anything, can you please let Musu finish what she was just about to say.¡± Reggie


    interrupts again, ¡°It may change your mind about how to proceed.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sorry. Musu. What else were you going to say?¡± I ask. gesturing for her to continue.


    ¡°Contessa DeCaul''s maiden name is Santoro,¡± Musu announces.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Marco¡¯s POV


    I look around the room and watch everyone¡¯s jaws drop except for the Alpha''s. He¡¯s squatting in front of


    Kas, but as soon as Musu announces that this woman Tessa is rted to the Santoro family, his head


    whips around and a look crosses his face that I ain''t seen since I was eighteen and he was neen


    we served in the military together. I feel my head shaking back and forth and I hear myself whisper no.


    He can''t seriously be thinking what I think he¡¯s thinking right now.


    Beta Milo and Gamma Reggie jump up out of their seats.


    ¡°Absolutely NOT, Bronx! Get that look off your face, ¡± Milo growls, pointing at him sharply, ¡°Just fucking


    forget it, right now.¡±


    ¡°Bronx, No. Not an option. No. Stop it. Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Reggie yells at the same time.


    The women around the room look at us, confused by our reactions.


    Bronx stands up. He looks taller and more intimidating than I ever seen him be before. For a hot


    second, I''m pretty sure he is glowing purple like Kas does, but that only happens when he is touching


    her. He ain''t touching her right now. His Beta and Gamma don''t look like they''re gonna back down, but


    he already got it set in his mind.


    ¡°Bronx, we are not doing this. We are not taking a prisoner and starting a war with the Golden Mountain


    pack,¡± Reggie snarls, holding his ground against our Alpha, ¡°My team just left their territory. They are


    not a normal pack. I haven''t given you a report on what we found yet. There are things going on there


    that differ significantly from anything we have ever faced before. We have too much to lose. I won''t let


    you do this to us. To any of us.¡±


    I stand up too, putting my hand on top of Musu¡¯s. If he banishes me, I won''t care. I won''t be involved in


    another war. I''m not a dumb kid willing to risk my life for a thrill anymore. Musu and I can request


    asylum with her old pack if ites down to it, ¡° Alpha, don''t do this. The


    Gamma¡¯s right, we got too much to lose. I -I won''t support you this time. I can''t. I used to be a warrior


    first, but I got a family now. I¡¯m gonna be a father. My mate and our baby. That''s my priority now. Their


    safetyes first for me. I¡¯m begging you. Please don''t do this to Blood River.¡±


    ¡°War?¡± Kas asks in disbelief as she stands up real slow. She''s glowing real bright purple. Even her


    eyes are starting to glow now. That almost never happens. We can all feel her getting mad. It is such a


    strong feeling rolling off of her. Enough that it even makes me kinda nervous. I look around and see


    everyone else feels ufortable, too. I quietly pull Musu¡¯s seat back and put myself between her and


    Kas. Just in case.


    ¡°Bronx. No,¡± the voice thates out of Kas ain''t her voice. It''s even more extreme than Lex¡¯s voice.


    The tone booms like an ethereal being speaking through our tiny Luna. The room shakes as the sound


    reverberates off the walls. I can feel my heart pound in my chest. I can''t help but bow my head to her,


    even though she wasn''t talking to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Musu do the same.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    When I look back up, I see Milo and Reggie both lifting their heads back up and taking a step back.


    There''s a little fear in their eyes as they adjust their positions and stand in front of their mates, too.


    Alpha Bronx towers over Kas, but her two simple words in the foreign voice have their intended effect.


    He looks down, also bowing his head to her. He doesn''t yield his stance, but his face morphs back to


    the one we have be ustomed to.


    ¡°You will not put that woman in the dungeon. You will treat her with respect until you find out the truth.


    And we have no idea if her family is even involved or not. You are not the judge, jury, or executioner


    here. We have an Elder Council for that,¡± she snarls at him. Her purple aura is so bright, she looks like


    a firecracker ready to explode.


    ¡°Kas, I-¡± he tries to defend himself, taking a small step back now.


    The Alpha just caved? Holy shit.


    ¡°Nol¡± she insists in the ethereal voice again. She lifts her hands up and curls her fingers into a fist. I


    blink my eyes and they are gone. Everyone looks around the room, confused.


    ¡°Where did they go?¡± Reggie looks freaked out.


    Milo looks around as he tries to figure out what happened, ¡°Shit, Kas froze us. How long do you think


    she could hold six of us?¡±


    He looks at me, knowing I¡¯m more familiar with her abilities than anyone else in the room. She had only


    frozen me one time before. James and I wanted her to practice it on us, so we understood what it felt


    like for the victim. It''s a weird feeling. Like, you know what''s happening, but you don''t and I think if you


    don''t realize she¡¯s doing it, you can¡¯t really remember much. We asked her not to do it again. There¡¯s


    no telling what kind of side effects there are if that happens to a person enough times. The three of us


    decided it wasn''t a good tactic unless it was a emergency.


    ¡°How much of a head start do you think she has, Marco? I don''t know what time it was when they


    disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Six people? Probably ten minutes. Maybe fifteen. She had a lot of extra energy cornin¡¯ off her just now,


    so probably closer to fifteen,¡± I confirm.


    ¡°She wouldn''t hurt him would she?¡± Gamma Ashley asks, looking worried.


    ¡°No, Bronx was itching to go upstairs to be alone with her before I made hime to my office,¡± Beta


    Lenora reassures her.


    ¡°Yeah, based on his reaction when I knocked on the apartment door, they were in the mood for love,¡±


    Milo winks at us. Reggie rolls his eyes at him.


    ¡°Alright, where would she take him with a fifteen minute head start?¡± Reggie asks, with his hands on his


    hips.


    ¡°Back to the apartment? Finish what I interrupted?¡± Milo has a sly smile on his face.


    ¡°First of all, she clearly wasn''t in the mood to mess around anymore, Milo. Secondly, too obvious,¡±


    Lenora chimes in, ¡°Kas is smarter than that.¡±


    ¡°Blood River?¡± Ashley asks.


    ¡°Nah, that is Lex¡¯s spot, not Kas''s,¡± Milo suggests.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, when my brain finally catches up.


    ¡°What is it, Marco?¡± Reggie asks.


    ¡°Maybe she took him to the training grounds? Maybe she¡¯s mad enough that she thinks she can beat


    him. All the guards that are not on the borders are going to be there regrouping after the lockdown," I¡¯m


    starting to feel kinda bad for the Alpha now.


    ¡°She seriously wants to beat him that badly?¡± Lenora rolls her eyes.


    ¡°Beta, you have no idea,¡± I give her a dry chuckle, ¡°Let¡¯s start there. The more I think about it, the more


    I''m sure I could bet my Xboxonit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well that is serious then, Betas, Gammas. Let''s go,¡± Musu stands up.


    ¡°Hell no, mi Corazon. You ain¡¯t going out there when the Luna looks like she about to go nuclear,¡± I put


    my hands on her shoulders and gently push her back in the seat, ¡°Please, stay here. Think about the


    babies.¡±


    She looks at me for a second before she nods and sits back in the chair looking frustrated.


    ¡°Marco¡¯s right, Ash. You stay here with, Musu, okay?¡±


    ¡°But you just got back? You''re leaving again already?¡± she looks like she gonna cry.


    ¡°Just going to the training grounds. I will be back before you can miss me. Then we can spend the rest


    of the day together. Okay?¡± Reggie gives her a little kiss.


    What the Hell is going on? Since when does Gamma Ashley need a pep talk? She is the queen of pep


    talks. I look over to see Lenora and Musu both looking at Ashley with their mouths hanging open.


    ¡°Bitch! You didn''t say anything?!" Lenora asks in shock.


    ¡°We found out the day Reggie was leaving on assignment. We wanted to wait until he got back to make


    the announcement,¡± Ashley smiles. Lenora screams and hugs Ashley around the neck. Reggie epts


    a handshake from Milo.


    ¡°Musu, what is goin on?¡± I whisper quietly.


    ¡°Looks like Delh and I are not the only pregnant ones,¡± she leans in and exins.


    ¡°Alright, you two stay here,¡± Lenora orders, ¡°Guys, let''s go. Marco, any chance you can convince


    James to meet us at the training grounds?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. He ain''t miss in that, Beta,¡± I shake my head before mindlinking James.


    ¡°You bet your ass I¡¯m on the way,¡± he says in my head when I exin what''s going on.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    I can¡¯t remember thest time I ran so fast. As we approached the pavilion of the training grounds, we


    can see there are already a ton of people gathered there. The head guards and trainers are trying to


    push people back from the training ring. Jameses jogging up beside us as we make our way


    through the crowd.


    The closer we get to the front, the louder the growling and snarling from the ring gets. As does the


    purple glow. It wasn¡¯t just a glow, though. It was like pulses of energying from the ring. I have to


    cover my hand over my eyes to shade them from how bright the light is. The entire area feels like it''s


    filled with static electricity. When we get to the front, we see Kas putting a full on beat down on the


    Alpha.


    Bronx is so close to passing out, he can¡¯t even put his hands up to defend himself.


    ¡°Damn, we missed it,¡± Milo whispers, with his hands on his hips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got it on video,¡± the Tyree says, holding his phone up in his hand, ¡°and you guys aren''t


    gonna believe it. That shit was insane.¡±


    ¡°You weren''t frozen?¡± Reggie asks him.


    ¡°Frozen? Nah. I was in the hall when she came out dragging him by his cor,¡± he dismisses the idea,


    still watching his Luna beat the piss out of the Alpha, ¡°Wait, were you guys frozen?¡±


    ¡°Come on guys, we need to stop her. I don¡¯t think she realizes what she¡¯s doing to him,¡± James says as


    he pushes his way to the edge of the ring. The four of us climb up and stand on the outside edge of the


    ring, trying to call to Kas, but she doesn¡¯t seem to recognize we are even there.


    I look at James who nods at me. We quietly step into the ring.


    James approaches Kas from the front, and I approach her from the side. She has one knee on the


    Alpha¡¯s sternum and the other on his bicep. Her wolf ws on her left hand arepletely sunken into


    the trap muscle of his shoulder, her other hand is bloody from punching him relentlessly. It¡¯s hard to tell


    if it''s her blood or his.


    With every punch, he groans a little. He almost looks as if his energy is drained. Like, not just from


    fighting Kas, but more like it was leached out of him. He looks kinda pale and disoriented.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Luna, hey. It''s James. Look at me, please. It¡¯s over now. You beat him. You can stop now. He won''t


    hurt anyone, I promise.


    Marco and I won''t let him,¡± James says calmly, pulling a little vial out of his pocket. He kneels on one


    knee and looks at her.


    Kas looks up at him with her eyes glowing hot purple. When she recognizes James in front of her, they


    soften a little. It''s enough distraction that I¡¯m able to grab her wrist and stop her from hitting the Alpha


    again. I feel the heating from her blistering my hand, but I can''t let go until we know she is going to


    stop and calm down.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you pull your ws out, Kas," James says quietly, tapping on her fingers where she still has


    them deep in the Alpha¡¯s shoulder. She looks down and looks at her hand like she¡¯s just realizing her


    wolf''s ws are out. She pulls them out of his shoulder with a sickening sound, then retracts them until


    they are just her regr hands again.


    ¡°Look, Kas. Delh gave me this to give to you. She said if you needed a minute to think, it would help


    you,¡± James smiles and holds out the vial. As he talks to her, the purple aura gets softer and softer. The


    burning against my hand weakens and I can feel sh healing me.I let her pull her wrist away from my


    hand so she can take the vial away from James.


    ¡°What''s in it?¡± her voice reverberates like it did when she was in the office, but since there''re no walls, it


    hits the people standing around the ring instead. Everyone gasps and steps back.


    ¡°Just some natural herbs. No magic. It¡¯s perfectly safe. It will help you calm down. But it might make


    you a little sleepy,¡± he holds his hands out and nods when he speaks.


    ¡°Here, Kas. Let''s get you off the Alpha and sitting on the mat. How¡¯s that sound?¡± I ask with a smile.


    She looks up at me and the glow from her eyes disappears. Her hand reaches out slowly, so I can help


    her up. She looks a little confused, then looks down at her mate. She quickly looks back up at me with


    panic in her eyes.


    ¡°It''s gonna be okay, Amiga. Saint will heal him. Come on, let''s sit right over here so you can drink that


    tincture,¡± I pull her off of him by her armpits and slide her over to the edge of the mat. I sit crossed


    legged and rub her back to soothe her while she drinks the potion. James slides up next to us and


    watches Kas carefully to make sure the potion is working. 2


    After the incident in the hospital wing and then with James, Beta Lenora requested Delh to do some


    research and figure out a way to stop Kas if she got out of control again. Delh presented several


    options from mild to...well...pretty dramatic. She and


    Lenora picked one that had the highest potency with the least number of risks.


    ¡°I''m not sorry,¡± she says nkly, looking at her mate being tended to by the doctor, Milo and Reggie.


    Her voice is back to normal now.


    ¡°What?¡± James looks away from the Alpha back to Kas.


    ¡°He was going to try justifying going to war over me. I would do it again if that is what it takes to stop


    him,¡± I can see tears filling her eyes.


    ¡°Let''s get you back to the apartment, Luna,¡± James tries to give her a smile.


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, looking sleepy from the potion, ¡°I want to be with Bronx.¡±


    ¡°Alright, how about just a shower then we can take you to the hospital wing to be with him,¡± I offer.


    ¡°No,¡± she doesn¡¯t offer a reason why, but it¡¯s clear we ain¡¯t gonna be able to change her mind.


    ¡°Alright, we can sit here until they get him checked out, then we will head to the hospital wing,¡± James


    concedes, looking at me with a shrug.


    Kas still hasn''t taken her eyes off of Bronx, ¡°Can Delh please bring me clean clothes? I think these


    ones have blood on them.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Luna. I will message her right now,¡± Jamesughs dryly as he pulls out his cell phone to


    message his mate.


    ¡°Marco?¡± Kas pats my arm.


    ¡°Yeah, Luna?¡¯


    ¡°Things are changing. I can feel it. I¡¯m getting stronger,¡± she


    doesn''t turn her head, but she shifts her violet eyes to me, ¡°! don¡¯t know how and I don''t know if I know


    how to control it. I-I¡¯m kinda scared.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay, Kas. We''re here for you,¡± I smile and take her hand in mine.


    She looks back and forth between me and James, ¡°I-I need you guys. I know we asked you to take


    time to think about it, but I don¡¯t know who else I can trust.¡±


    ¡°We aren''t going anywhere, Kas,¡± James takes her other hand, * They will have to drag us kicking and


    screaming away from being your guards. Right, Marco?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, man. I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡±

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Kas¡¯s POV


    I wish I could tell you what set me off, but I don¡¯t know. It was just like when I attacked James. I couldn''t


    control myself. It felt different, though. Instead of acting on instinct to kill, it upset me that Bronx would


    want to tip the bnce of our natural order. I just felt so angry at the core of my being. Hearing Bronx


    wanted to breakws and go around the established system to get revenge lit a me inside me. The


    thought of him wanting to start a war was overwhelming. I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to stop him. I


    just knew I couldn¡¯t let him do it. We have rules to follow. I won''t allow him to be a tyrant.


    I didn¡¯t want anyone else to get hurt. I knew that much. That''s why I froze time before I threw myself at


    Bronx. A surge of energy flowed through me I had never felt before. Some deep down part of me knew


    my actions would mean I would serve justice, and I felt brave.


    Fearless. Confident that I was following my mother¡¯s bidding.


    He wasn''t expecting it. He caught me, but the momentum knocked him down. I don¡¯t remember exactly


    what happened after that. I think I froze him too, or partially froze him at least. Regardless, I was able


    to grab him by the cor and drag him down the stairs, out the front door of the packhouse, and down


    to the training grounds. 2


    Everyone saw us. I could hear him growling my name and yelling for me to let him go, but it didn''t deter


    me. People looked like they wanted to stop me, but it scared them to approach me. I could see it in


    their eyes. They did not know what he had said in Lenora¡¯s office. Or what he was nning if I didn¡¯t


    stop him. Milo and Reggie tried. Even Marco wasn''t able to talk sense into him.


    When I threw Bronx into the ring and made him stand on his own two feet, I didn¡¯t even think of him as


    my mate. He was a threat I needed to diffuse. I don''t know why I felt like it was my responsibility or why


    I was the only one that could do it. I don¡¯t know why I felt like I needed to fight him to get my point


    across.


    The look of rage on his face when he was standing across from me in that ring was intense. The anger


    of being attacked and humiliation by being dragged across the packhouse and grounds in front of his


    pack set him off. I think that was the moment I knew I had done the right thing. He can direct his anger


    at me all day long. I can take it.


    From the first moment he lunged at me and the heel of my foot hit him square in the mouth, I had the


    upper hand in the fight. Not for ack of him trying. He gave everything he had in him, but his brute


    force tactics made him sluggish and tired him quickly.


    Everything I had ever practiced and learned was at the front of my mind. Instincts that I didn''t even


    know I had presented themselves and made themselves avable to me.


    Lex was an unwilling participant. She didn¡¯t want us to hurt our mate. She wanted me to find another


    way. I pushed her to the back of my mind and took control for once. I could feel her pushing back, but


    the surge of energy coursing through me kept her at bay.


    Marco and James stopped me. I don¡¯t know how far I would have taken it. I had tried to kill James.


    Would I have killed my own mate? Did I have it in me to kill the man I love? I''m still not sure.


    Now that I¡¯m sitting in the hallway, waiting to be allowed to see Bronx, I feel more like myself. The


    strange surge of energy, the demand for justice, has dissipated.


    ¡°Luna, you okay, cause I know you keep saying¡¯ you''re fine, but you don''t seem like you are?¡± Marco


    checks on me for the


    hundredth time. He and James gave me some sort of potion that Delh made that helped me calm


    down and make me sleepy. I''m still feeling the effects of it, but I ampletely in control of myself now.


    I look down the hall to see Tyree and another guard standing in front of Bronx''s room, making sure no


    one enters.


    ¡°I-l just want to see him, Marco. How much longer do you think it will be?¡± I lean my head back against


    the wall and run my fingers against my scalp. Lex has mostly healed my cuts and scrapes. My


    reflection in the mirror shows I still have a ck eye and a fat lip. There is still blood in my hair, too. I


    don¡¯t know if it''s mine or Bronx''s. Maybe both? It doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°They''ve been in there for a while. The doctor wille out and speak to you soon. I''m sure of it,¡± he


    says, trying tofort me even though he doesn¡¯t actually have an answer.


    "If they weren''t scared of me after I attacked James, they sure will be now,¡± I say.


    "Who is they?¡± Marco asks.


    "Everyone," I look at him from the corner of my eye. He leans his arms forward onto his knees and


    looks at the ground.


    "Kas, you said so yourself. You''re scared of what''s happening to you. I''m not gonna lie, I''m kinda


    scared of it, too. But I know underneath it all, you''re still you. The Moon Goddess wouldn''t let you turn


    evil overnight,¡± he exins, ¡°Something is going on that don''t have nothing¡¯ to do with you and we just


    have to figure out what it is. I''m on your side and I always will be. I have always told you that you can


    come to me anytime there''s a problem. That''s still true. I won''t always have an answer, but I will always


    be there for you."


    "Thanks, Marco."


    ¡°I do wish I could have seen the fight though," he says with a smile in his voice, "You being able to put


    him in that examining room over there. That makes me proud in a fucked up way.¡±


    I cover my face with my hands and hide the smile at his admission.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    We sit a while longer in silence. What the Hell is taking the doctor so long?


    Normally, in situations like this, my emotions get the best of me and I would cry, but I don¡¯t have any


    tears right now. Yeah, I am worried about my mate, but there¡¯s no sadness. What I told Marco and


    James earlier is true. I''m not sorry. Someone had to stop him.


    I feel a sense of relief when I hear a familiar voice, like little jingling bells down the hall, speaking to the


    receptionist. Delhes around the corner with her long light brown hair flowing behind her and her


    ocean blue eyes filled with worry. She is wearing a dark blue cotton sundress that makes her skin look


    wless. I never really feel jealousy, but I would say, seeing Delh''s perfect skin, knowing I will never


    have that is probably as close as I will ever get. Even when she told us she was pregnant. I was sorry


    for myself, but not jealous of her. James follows behind her quietly with his hands in his pockets.


    When she sees me, Delhes running over and throws her arms around me, ¡°Kas, are you


    alright?¡±


    I don''t hug her back; I don''t want to get more blood on her.


    ¡°Yeah, Honey. I¡¯m fine. Bronx is the one to worry about,¡± I sigh. I try to smile at her, but she isn''t falling


    for it.


    ¡°Come on, the receptionist said we can use an empty patient room down the hall to clean you up. No


    sulking, Luna Regent Lokaste Mason,¡± she uses my full name and title. It''s a thing witches do to hold


    power over someone. It makes it easier for them to invoke spells.


    Delh is a powerful witch, but she typically isn¡¯t allowed to perform magic on pack territory. 1


    ¡°You spoke to Milo and Lenora,¡± It isn''t a question. If she is using my title and name, they had to have


    either asked her to be prepared or she had to have asked permission to use magic on me.


    She doesn¡¯t answer me, she just hands me a duffel bag and pulls me up, leading me down the bright


    white hallway. I can smell James and Marco following us closely, but I don''t bother turning around to


    look at them. She leads me into an empty room and sets me in the guest chair before going back out


    into the hall and closing the door.


    ¡°Will you two stop it! We will be fine. Look at her. She¡¯s practically in shock. She''s not going to hurt me!


    ¡± I hear Delh scold my guards through the closed door, one of which happens to be her mate,


    ¡°Besides, I''m perfectly capable of protecting myself.¡±


    When shees back in like nothing happened and takes my hand again but doesn''t make me stand


    up, ¡°Would you like to talk about it, lokaste?¡±


    ¡°Please stop calling me that. The feeling has past. I¡¯m not violent anymore. I am back to being just


    Kas,¡± I weakly plead.


    ¡°Alright, Kas. Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asks again.


    ¡°Not yet. I just want to get a shower. Then I can talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re in luck. I have an expert on ¡®talking about it¡¯ at my house and she has been dying to see


    you,¡± she smiles, referring to Lady Camille.


    I smile back, ¡°Perfect. After they let me see Bronx, can you, me, and your expert go to the meditation


    room and figure out what the Hell is going on with me, please?¡±


    She nods with her perfect toothy smile and helps me into the bathroom so I can get freshened up.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Once I''m ready, Delh lets me know the doctor stopped by and said I could go see Bronx.


    As we walk down the hall, I take a deep breath and steady myself for whatever his reaction is going to


    be to seeing me. She gives my hand a squeeze when we get to the door of his room.


    ¡°We will be here waiting.¡± she murmurs in my ear. I smile and nod as Tyree opens the door to let me in.


    Bronx is sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs hanging off the side. He is holding an ice pack up to


    the side of his face. I don¡¯t know why he is holding it on that side because the side he isn¡¯t covering


    looks pretty swollen too. His nose was broken but someone reset it so it could heal faster. His eye is


    swollen, so he¡¯s barely able to open it halfway. Since he doesn''t have an eye on the other side. I


    assume he can''t see much of anything.


    They must have taken his shirt off for the exam. He is covered in scrapes, cuts. and bruises that Saint


    is still healing. There are also burn marks covering his wrists and arms.


    I thought that maybe when I saw him, that would be when I would feel some remorse. but I don¡¯t. I still


    feel justified in my actions.


    ¡°Come here, Kas,¡± he holds his hand out to me.


    ¡°A-are you mad?¡± I ask tentatively.


    ¡°Not anymore. Please,e here.¡± he waves his hand, bidding me toe to him.


    I step forward and ce my hand in his. I feel ourforting sparks as he pulls me toward him until I


    am leaning against his chest. He takes his arm and wraps it around me, then puts down the ice pack so


    he can wrap the other one around me, too.


    ¡°B-Bronx, I''m going to tell you the same thing I told Marco and James,¡± I sigh as I hug him back, ¡°I''m


    not sorry. I would do this again if it meant I would stop you frommitting crimes and preventing a


    war. I would do it again in a heartbeat.¡±


    ¡°I know and I''m proud of you for standing up to me.¡± he rubs my back slowly and purrs as he speaks in


    my ear, ¡°You were amazing. I understand now why Saint says I was made for you. No one else could


    have survived...well... whatever came over you. I don¡¯t know that you could have ever gotten that mad


    at anyone else.¡±


    ¡°So, you''re really not mad?¡± I ask, trying to gauge if he is being sincere or if he is about to break my


    neck.


    ¡°I''m really not mad. In fact, I''m impressed you could beat me. It was all kind of a blur between the time


    you dragged me out of Lenora¡¯s office and getting to the training ring. But once I lunged at you that first


    time, I knew exactly what I was doing. Tyree showed me the video. You did everything perfectly.¡±


    ¡°I am so confused right now.¡± I chuckle at him as he pulls me onto hisp and nuzzles my cheek.


    ¡°Kas, you know now Lex always says you two are a warrior child of the Moon Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Well, this was it. You showed everyone how true that is. You fought for what is right and you won. The


    thought of going to war gave me this weird adrenaline rush. You did what you had to do to stop me.


    There isn''t a single werewolf in this world that could find fault in how you handled that situation,¡± I feel


    his arms tighten around me, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you? For what exactly?¡± I feel my brow furrow in confusion.


    ¡°For stopping me from doing something really stupid.¡± he pulls away from our hug and gives me a deep


    kiss, ¡°I love you, Kasm Mason."


    ¡°And based on your current state, I obviously love you too, Bronx Mason,¡± I want to touch his face but


    every centimeter looks painful.


    ¡°The doctor wants me to stay a couple hours to make sure my eye opens up like it''s supposed to, then


    I can leave." he informs me.


    ¡°Okay. I could just heal you,¡± I shake my head, not understanding why he wouldn''t just ask me to heal


    him instead.


    ¡°I actually want to take the time to sit here,¡± he clears his throat, ¡°I want you to sit here with me. We can


    come up with a n.Together. Figure out what to do about this situation in a civil way.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. I see. Well, would you like to have this conversation over food? Cause I could go for a grilled


    cheese sandwich.¡±


    ¡°I''ll take a vani milkshake. I don''t think now is the time for me to chew anything,¡± he nods slowly,


    rubbing his jaw.


    I mind link Mrs. Miller, who is happy to bring us some food. Then I let Marco, James and Delh know


    I''m going to sit with Bronx for a while. Delh is so relieved to hear that Bronx isn''t upset with me. Tyree


    offers to escort me back up to the apartment whenever I am ready. Marco will take over the evening


    shift instead of one of the substitute guards. I offer Musu the suite next to our apartment, so Marco


    doesn''t have to worry about her while he''s working.


    Once the tray of food is delivered, I take it back into the room. I make Bronx sit back and rx. I sit on


    the bed facing him while I chew on my sandwich so we can talk.


    Bronx''s POV


    Kas raises the back of the bed and makes me sit properly, even though I would rather pace the room.


    She climbs on to the bed and pulls the tray table between us, like a little mini desk.


    ¡°Kas, with everything that¡¯s been going on, I think we need toe up with some sort of strategy here.¡±


    ¡°Strategy? What kind of strategy were you thinking?"


    ¡°Well, if I promise not to hurt this Tessa woman and promise not to start a war, will you trust me to


    handle the Santoros?"


    I watch as she blinks at me, chewing her sandwich, trying to decide if she can hold me to my word or


    not.


    ¡°What are you doing, Bronx?¡± Saint asks suspiciously. I feel him pacing in my mind.


    ¡°I''m listening,¡± Kas says after she swallows her bite.


    ¡°I think we need to divide to conquer,¡± I sigh, trying toe to terms with what I''m about to say.


    ¡°You mean, divide AND conquer?¡± she tilts her head with a suspicious look.


    ¡°Ahhh, no. Not in this case. So, there has been so much going on that I haven''t had an opportunity to


    tell you about the call I got from Elder Randall.¡±


    ¡°What did that jerk want?¡± she asks, taking another bite of her sandwich.


    ¡°This is where the divide to conquer partes in.¡± I take a deep breath and pray to the Moon


    Goddess this doesn''t backfire,


    ¡°I''m sending you back to Silver Moon while the Santoro¡¯s are here.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing, dummy?!¡± Saint growls in my mind, ¡°You can¡¯t send our mate back to


    that Hell hole! *


    ¡°Trust me, Saint. I don¡¯t want her here when the Santoros are here.¡±


    I observe her as she processes the information. At first, her face is emotionless. She sets her half


    eaten sandwich on the te, brushes her hands together to get the crumbs off, and picks up my


    milkshake. She holds one finger up indicating she needs me


    ¡°Trust me, Saint. I don¡¯t want her here when the Santoros are here.¡±


    I observe her as she processes the information. At first, her face is emotionless. She sets her half


    eaten sandwich on the te, brushes her hands together to get the crumbs off, and picks up my


    milkshake. She holds one finger up indicating she needs me to wait a second. When she is done with


    the sip, she stands up on the bed and pours the entire milkshake over my head.


    It backfired. Definitely backfired and holy shit, that¡¯s cold! 5


    I feel myself take an involuntary breath in as the drink drips down down my face and back. ¡°Kas! What


    the fuck?! Let me finish talking.¡±


    When she is satisfied that she has emptied the ss, she jumps off the bed and throws the ss


    across the room as hard as she can smashing it into a thousand pieces.


    Tyree and the other guarde rushing into the room as soon as they hear the ss breaking. Tyree


    grabs Kas around the waist just as she is ready tounch herself at me.


    ¡°Luna! Stop! * he yells over her growling and snarling, ¡°Alpha, what happened?! *


    ¡°Kas, STOP I yell using my Alpha tone. She stops struggling against him, but there is still a low growl


    coming from her chest.


    ¡°Kas, the Elder Council called me and told me we have to take control of the Silver Moon pack. We


    need to make them part of Blood River. I''m sending you there to see how many members will join our


    pack understanding that you would be their Luna.¡± I try to control my temper while I gingerly wipe the


    milkshake out of my still swollen eye, ¡®The ones who don''t want toe are wee to leave


    peacefully and be rogues or seek asylum with other packs.¡±


    ¡°What?" she stands up straight now. Finally ready to listen.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tyree, I appreciate you are trying to protect me, but I need you to take your hands off of my mate," I try


    to suppress a growl but fail watching Tyree hold Kas back by her waist, ¡°She isn¡¯t going to hurt me.¡±


    ¡°The fuck I¡¯m not,¡± she uncharacteristically swears at me. I see Tyree smirk a little. I can''t me him. It


    is humorous hearing foulnguagee from such a little woman.


    ¡°Luna, why don¡¯t you just sit in the chair over there. I will stand in between,¡± Tyree negotiates with Kas.


    She gives him a damning look before she sits down in the guest seat and res at me with her arms


    and legs crossed.


    ¡°You have one minute to exin yourself,¡± she snarls.


    ¡°I can¡¯t at least have three minutes?" I ask with a shrug.


    ¡°Forty-five seconds, Bronx,¡± she says dangerously.


    I do my best to exin that I want her to take control of the Silver Moon situation so her former pack


    sees she isn¡¯t scared of them and so they can see how powerful she has be. At the same time. it


    will keep her away from our territory while the Santoros are up to... Whatever it is they think they will be


    up to while they''re here. 1


    She watches me with her leg bobbing over the other before she stands up, pushing her chair back


    roughly. Tyree takes a defensive position between us.


    ¡°When do the Santoros get here?" her tone is still angry.


    ¡°Two days.¡±


    ¡°Why the Hell didn¡¯t you start with that, Bronx?" her shoulders drop as her tone finally rxes.


    ¡°Yeah, dummy. Why didn¡¯t you start with that? How many times a day do you have to piss off our mate?


    Huh?" Saint chides, agreeing with Kas.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Once Kas calms down a little, Tyree gets me a towel to clean myself up, then moves to the corner of


    the room to keep an eye on things between Kas and I.


    I exin more about my conversation with Randall and what I need Kas to take care of at Silver Moon.


    ¡°Kas, Randall will meet you there,. You won''t be there by yourself,¡± I promise her. ¡°You are going to be


    their Luna. When Randall announces it. they will show you respect. The pack members that don''t want


    to ept that can leave. It''s their option. And honestly, good because I don''t really want any of them


    here, but the Council is forcing my hand. I''ve already made it clear to Randall that there are no second


    chances once they''re here.¡±


    Kas has a permanent little frown through the entire conversation. I know she isn''t happy about the idea,


    but she hasn''t made anyments or asked any questions either. She''s just intently listening.


    ¡°How long do I need to be there?¡± she finally asks.


    ¡°You will need to leave tomorrow and be there for a full week. There is going to be a ton of meetings.


    paperwork, and you will need to do tours of their various buildings and the grounds to make


    assessments. If there is anything valuable, we can sell it. Use the liquid capital to fund building and


    fixing up houses for the additional pack members here,¡± I exin while she nods slowly at me.


    ¡°Will Randall be there all week?" I still can¡¯t read her expression and there is no tone to her voice to


    guide me.


    ¡°Yes, the entire time.¡±


    ¡°I''m not staying in the Alpha¡¯s apartment.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I will send orders for a Suite to be prepped for you.¡±


    ¡°I want Marco and James toe. If James won''te, then Tyree. They can bring their mates,¡± Kas


    crosses her arms over her chest, finally giving me a peek into her mind..


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I can hear a slight waver in her voice. I can tell now that she¡¯s trying her best to not be scared, but it still


    doesn''t show on her face. She¡¯s so good at masking her emotions. If you don''t know her the way I do,


    you wouldn''t be able to pick up on it. Most of the time, I can''t even feel her emotions through our mate


    bond. Not unless she lets me. She spent her entire childhood hiding, making herself as invisible as


    possible. Showing emotions drew attention, attention was dangerous. and she has gnarly scars


    covering her back, arms, and legs to prove it.


    I look over to Tyree. ¡°Tyree. how about we send you regardless of James being there or not. You have


    been to Silver Moon before. You remember theyout of the ce?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Alright. It''s settled. At least Marco and Tyree will go. We will see what we can do about James on short


    notice.¡±


    Kas presses her lips together tightly and nods, avoiding eye contact with me.


    ¡°Tyree, I think we''re okay now. Can I have a few minutes alone with the Luna?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Tyree salutes then leaves the room, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°What''s going through that brain of yours, Baby? You''re blocking our connection but I can see


    something brewing on your face."


    Her mouth scrunches up in a little line. and a wave of frustrationes over her face.


    ¡°I just wish you would have told me sooner. Give me a chance to prepare,¡± she sighs with a little whine


    in her voice. It¡¯s a tone she reserves for me. She neverins like this in front of other people.


    ¡°I''m sure if you need help packing. Lenora can help. I''m not seeing the problem." I suggest.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess, you''re such an idiot,¡± Saint chimes in.


    ¡°No Bronx. I mean, like mentally prepare. I would have made an appointment with the therapist or


    something,¡± the tears start to spill over onto her cheeks now.


    These are the tears thate from a deep. dark ce. The ce I wish didn¡¯t have to exist in her.


    They are not just wiped away like a little kid who scrapes their knee. These are the tears she kept


    hidden away with her emotions all those years.


    I try to climb off the bed to hold her, but quickly realize my entire body is still wrecked. so I hold my


    arms out to her instead. I watch as she Sits in the chair, arms crossed, with tears pouring down her


    face. Her nose is turning pink as she sniffs.


    ¡°Please, Baby. Let me wipe your tears away,¡± I request softly, ¡° We''re gonna get through all this. We


    just need to hang in there. I don''t know why the Goddess is testing us, but there must be a good


    reason."


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner, Bronx?¡± she asks with a sob as she stands up andes to the side of


    the bed. her resolve breaking.


    ¡°I was going to tell you the night we had pizza in the apartment. but things got kinda heavy and I didn¡¯t


    want to add on to it. And things have been kinda. well, weird since then. I couldn''t find a good time to


    bring it up. I thought I would be able to push it back. But things aren''t really working out that way.¡±


    She climbs on the bed and sits down. but just far enough down that she¡¯s out of my arm''s reach.


    ¡°I have to be away from you for an entire week?¡± The look in her eyes is painful. I feel my chest


    constrict a little as I watch her.


    ¡°Yeah, but we have been apart a lot longer than that in the past. A week is going to be a piece of cake.¡±


    I smile, trying to downy the Situation. I hold my hand out again and give her my best sympathetic


    look.


    She looks down at it and smiles back through the tears, ¡°You''re glowing. Sweetheart.¡±


    I look down to see that she¡¯s right. Its not nearly as bright as her aura gets, but there is a distinct light


    emanating from me, ¡°It appears so. I guess it wasn''t a fluke earlier. Lady Camille is here, right? Maybe I


    can have her give me a checkup, see what''s going on.¡±


    ¡°You''re going to let a witch perform magic on you?¡± she looks at me suspiciously.


    ¡°Eh, even an old wolf like me can learn some new tricks,¡± I chuckle.


    Kas tilts her head and smiles at me before she finally takes my hand. I pull her into my arms with a


    painful groan. When she is settled against my chest with my arms securely wrapped around her. I bury


    my nose into her sparkly silver hair and take a deep breath of her fresh rain and lc scent. I feel a


    comforting warmthing from her.


    ¡°Are you healing me without my permission?¡± I ask into her hair.


    ¡°Yes. I did this to you. I''m taking it away. You''ve learned your lesson,¡± she gives a muffled reply from


    inside my hug.


    I kiss the top of her head as theforting. healing feeling washes over me as my muscles start to


    rx and renew. While it should be easy for her, the day¡¯s events have worn her out. I feel her


    breathing slowing into a steady rhythm before her adorable little snores tell me she''s asleep.


    I mind link James and let him know Kas will meet up with Lady Camille and Delh after she has a


    quick nap. Then I lower myself back onto the bed and close my eyes with my beautiful little mate in my


    arms for the most peaceful couple of hours of sleep I''ve had in weeks.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    ¡°Alright, Luna Regent lokaste Mason, let''s see what we''re working with, my dear,¡± Lady Camile¡¯s


    soothing voice calms me as we settle into thefortable pillows on the floor of the meditation room.


    Bronx made the male wolves who were working out in the weight room next door all leave and turn off


    the music. That way, we could have some peace and quiet, and I wouldn''t have to walk by the weight


    room in my meditation outfit. Bronx gets jealous like that. Yeah, I still roll my eyes at the notion too.


    ¡°Delh tells me things have been...tumultuoustely,¡± she takes my hands and massages my fingers.


    Her hands are nice and warm. The feeling is so calming.


    ¡°Yeah. It really has been,¡± I nod, feeling a little sleepy.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s do things a little differently today. Since there are stretches of time you are having trouble


    ounting for, let''s do a bit of hypnosis. See if we can find it,¡± her voice sounds soft and seems to melt


    into my mind.


    ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± I hear myself answer, but my consciousness is slipping away.


    ¡°I love this part,¡± Lex yawns, ¡°I wonder what we''re gonna find, Kas¡±


    ¡°Hopefully answers, Lex.¡±


    I let myself fall back into the endless abyss of hypnosis. letting Lady Camille¡¯s words lead me around


    until I''m standing in a hallway of an apartment building.


    I look around. It doesn¡¯t look familiar. It is clean with flowery wallpaper. The sconces on the walls are


    nondescript. I look to the left and tight. There are doors up and down each side. I decide to go to the


    right. When I get to the second door, I stop and face it.


    It feels like I should knock on it. I raise my hand, but pause. No, I belong here. I should just open the


    door. I don¡¯t know how I know it¡¯s unlocked, I just do. I grasp the handle and feel a tingle of energy. The


    door easily swings open at my touch.


    I stand in the doorway and look in, ¡°Hello?¡±


    I can hear someone moving around inside.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t just stand there. Come in. This is your home, after all,¡± I hear a woman¡¯s high-pitched voice


    call to me.I take a couple of tentative steps inside and look around. The door behind me closes on its


    own ord, making me jump slightly. I let the energy inside me build slightly. This doesn''t feel like any


    of the hypnosis Lady Camille and I have done before. This feels more like it is happening now. Different


    from when I meditate and send my essence out into the world. I look down at my hands.


    Not just an idea of a presence. I''m actually standing in this apartment.


    ¡°W-Who''s there?¡± I call out tentatively.


    A small woman steps into a shadowy part of the hallway. I can see her wiping her hands on a dish


    towel as she approaches.


    When she passes by themp ced halfway down the hall, I gasp.


    It''s me. The woman walking down the hall is me. Wait, what? What kind of hypnosis session is this?


    ¡°Hello lokaste,¡± she smiles warmly as she stands in front of me.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Her hair is slightly longer, but her face is exactly like mine, except for the scars on the sides of my neck


    and shoulders. Sparkly silver hair and vibrant violet eyes. I could practically be looking in a mirror.


    ¡°I - is this a dream?" I ask in awe.


    ¡°No, darling, this is not a dream,¡± she shakes her head.


    ¡°Are you one of my sisters?¡± I ask, unsure of what else to say. I want to reach out, hug her, and cry with


    joy that I have finally met one of my sisters, but something stops me. An invisible formality that makes


    me feel like I need to stay one step away from her.


    ¡°Yes, I''m Leticia. I know you don''t remember me, but several lifetimes ago, you asked me to keep this


    ce safe for you. We ced an enchantment on it so you coulde back when you were ready. So


    here I am. Pleasee in.¡±


    There is something scratchy about her voice. It makes the spot where my jaw and ear meet feel


    ufortable.


    ¡°Ready for what?" I finally inspect around the living room I¡¯m standing in. They decorated everything in


    shades of green, gray, and white. It reminds me of my nket back home. It definitely looks like my


    style. Contemporary andfortable. Not too modern.


    ¡°I don''t know. You just said you would be back, but since you don''t seem to remember anything, maybe


    it''s too soon?"


    ¡°Where are we?" I ask as I step further into the room, feeling the need to feed my curiosity.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that simple. It''s kind of a cross between where and when. It fluctuates,¡± she squints her


    eyes with a shrug, shaking her hands a little at the same time, ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°I was being hypnotized by a witch to figure out what happened during some lost time.¡± I say, still


    looking around, taking in details of the apartment.


    ¡°A witch?*


    ¡°Yeah, don''t worry, she is a light witch. I trust her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. A light witch,¡± she emphasizes the word light as she speaks.


    A thought suddenly jumps to my mind, ¡°Leticia, did you save me from the guys who tried to kidnap me


    during the jewelry store robbery two years ago?¡±


    She crosses her arms, looks at her feet, then back up to me. There is a sharpness to her grin. Ahidden


    threat she is trying not to expose.


    ¡°Yeah. Some of my better work, if I might add.¡±


    ¡°Thankyou,¡± I smile in return.


    ¡°No need to thank me,¡± she looks around, avoiding eye contact.


    ¡°Umm, what about that man at the ATM? Was that you?¡±


    ¡°I was just following orders,¡± her tone turns defensive.


    ¡°Orders? Whose orders?¡±


    ¡°Yours, Kas.¡±


    I feel like my stomach is going to drop out of my body, ¡°What?*


    ¡°Hey. I don¡¯t know why you do the things you do or order the things you order. Hell, you probably don¡¯t


    either. Losing your memory after each lifetime. It''s so cruel.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry. This is all kinds of confusing. What are you talking about? Why would I order you to kill


    anyone? Why is it cruel to lose my memories?" I try not to sound suspicious, but she is speaking like I


    should be in on some sort of secret.


    ¡°Don''t worry, darling, we will right the wrongs soon enough and we will finally find bnce in our lives.¡±


    As she speaks, the edges of her body start to fade. Her voice bes softer and softer as another


    voice bes more clear.


    ¡°Luna Regent lokaste Mason, Imand you toe back to your body. By the will of the Moon


    Goddess, Selene, and Goddess of


    Witchcraft, Hecate, return to your form in good mind, good health. and good spirit,¡± I can hear Lady


    Camille drawing me back to where she is.


    I feel myself floating in the familiar emptiness of hypnosis before I open my eyes.


    ¡°lokaste, my child, are you alright? Where did you go?"


    I sit up and take her hand. I can¡¯t stop the smile, even though the encounter was unsettling, ¡°Lady


    Camille. I-I met one of my sisters.¡±

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    ¡°So this Leticia, she admitted to killing Cordell Santoro?¡± Bronx asks, ¡°Just like that?¡±


    I give a frustrated sigh. I mind linked Bronx toe down to the meditation room as soon as Lady


    Camille could make sure I was safe and, as she said, actually me. Once she was satisfied that I wasn¡¯t


    possessed, she rxed a bit. Bronx got to the meditation room so quickly that I wondered if he had


    been sitting on a bench in the weight room next door, waiting for me to contact him. He is not taking


    this whole ¡®transported to an apartment that can¡¯t be located¡¯ thing very well.


    ¡°She said I ordered her to do it, Bronx. She also said she was the one that killed the guy from the


    jewelry store. I think in some misguided way, she thinks she¡¯s protecting me. That''s the sense I got


    from her,¡± I don¡¯t Know why I feel like I need to defend Leticia, but I do.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he holds his hands up, hearing my defensive tone, ¡°I won''t do anything for now. It sounds like


    she isn¡¯t a danger to you and I don''t know how the Hell we could find that apartment without more


    information, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I believe that¡¯s the point, Alpna Bronx. I don¡¯t think you could ever find it without Luna lokaste, ¡° Lady


    Camille adds her two cents into the conversation, ¡°If this is a ce that can¡¯t be easily defined by time


    or location, there is magic involved. I can certainly look into this aspect of mystery.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Camille. As always, we appreciate your help,¡± I take her hand in mine and smile at


    her.


    ¡°Luna lokaste, is it alright if I Keep your mate here for a while longer to evaluate the development of


    him having an aura?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I need to go pack for my trip anyways,¡± I stand up to leave and bend down to give Bronx a


    quick kiss. He grabs my hand and pulls me back down until I''m securely in hisp. I hear Lady Camille


    stifle augh as she watches Bronx pepper my face with kisses.


    ¡°Bronx, what''s gotten into you? I¡¯m just going upstairs.¡± I giggle from his scruff tickling my face and


    neck.


    ¡°I just wanted to hear my favorite sound before you go. It''s been too long,¡± he coos as he looks into my


    eyes.


    I squint my eyes and put my hands on either side of his face, ¡°Is this a trick?¡± 1


    ¡°Trick? No. I am definitely not stalling at all,¡± he shakes his head innocently.


    ¡°Bronx, what did you do?¡± I ask suspiciously.


    ¡°Me? Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all,¡± he stands me up, giving by butt a little squeeze, ¡°Go get


    packed. I will be up as soon as Lady Camille and I are finished here.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I say in a singsong voice.


    When I get to the fifth floor, I can hear Marco speaking to someone. I turn the corner to see Lenora


    standing with her hip cocked and arms crossed in front of him. It''s unusual to see her in such a casual


    manner with the guard on duty.


    ¡°Is everything okay?" I ask, unsure of why Lenora would be on the fifth floor.


    ¡°About time!¡± she rolls her eyes at me dramatically, ¡°Come on, Codi has been begging for you.¡±


    ¡°Codi has? Where is she at? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She''s in your apartment,e on,¡± she waves me in. I swear I see her hiding a smirk, but it is gone as


    just as fast as I notice it.


    I follow her into the apartment to the sounds of Codi giggling happily. Bronx''s parents, Sandy and


    Michael are sitting on the sofa in the living room. I gasp in surprise and feel my energy brighten at the


    sight of them. Thest I knew, they had been traveling their way across Scandinavian countries. They


    are almost never home unless there is a holiday or birthday going on.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Bronx has Sandy¡¯s crisp apple green eyes, but every other part of him is so much like his dad. Bronx


    and Michael are practically cookie cutter identical except for their age. Olive toned skin and chiseled


    facial features. Michael keeps his graying ck hair shorter than Bronx does, but it¡¯s slicked back just


    like his son.


    While Michael is a little shorter than Bronx, they are both broad chested, muscr, and have tons of


    tattoos that they like topare when they get together. They even have the same mannerisms and


    sway to their walk. The biggest difference between the two is Michael''s personality. Where Bronx takes


    everything very seriously, his dad does his best to lighten up the mood in the room.


    I smile when I see Michael holding Codi securely in his arms, making growling and snarling sounds


    while he has fangs extended.


    Codi grabs them with her chubby little fingers andughs while he pretends he is going to nibble them


    off. She does the same thing to Bronx, and it melts my heart every time. I stop short when I see them


    together. A fleeting thought passes over me. Would Bronx ever have this opportunity? To hold his own


    grandchild and make themugh like this? If I do things right in my life, hopefully, but nothing is


    guaranteed.


    Codi squeals when she sees me and ps her hands before she point to me, "Au Kal Au Kal"


    Sandy looks to see who Codi is pointing at. When she realizes I''m in the room, she stands up and


    rushes to greet me, arms outstretched, ¡°Kas!¡±


    I let out an involuntary squeak when she gives me one of her signature bone crushing hugs, ¡°Sandy!


    What are you guys doing here? I thought you two were in Europe for another three weeks.¡±


    ¡°Well, we heard things are a little crazy around here, so we figured it wouldn''t hurt to stop in and see if


    there is anything we can do to help.


    Leni says you are headed out of town for a week on business, so we are going to stick around and


    make sure your mate doesn¡¯t do anything too...well...too Bronx,¡± her infectious smile broadens as she


    speaks, ¡°and we get to spend the week watching our granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°Watching Codi for a week? I mean, that¡¯s awesome, but why?*


    Lenora steps up from behind us and chimes in, ¡°I offered to go to Silver Moon with you.¡±


    I turn around wide eyed, ¡°Really? Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Kas, I can¡¯t let you go to that horrible ce by yourself and when Bronx told me that was his n and


    what your reaction was, I chewed him out for it. I apud you for dumping that milkshake on him,


    though. Oh, and I saw the video of the fight. You were freaking amazing. He deserved every second of


    it." Lenora exins, ¡°Anyway, he can¡¯t change the meeting with the Santoro Enterprises thiste in the


    game and I honestly don¡¯t want to be here if there is going to be someone who looks like me here.


    Especially if she was involved with kidnapping you.¡± Lenora exins. Her brows are knit tightly.


    showing how upset she is by the thought of the Santoros being here makes her.


    ¡°Thank you, Lenora! Oh my Goddess, thank you!" I pull myself away from Sandy and throw myself at


    Lenora for a big hug.


    ¡°Whoa there, Luna. You''re glowing. I''m trying here, but I don''t think I can handle that right now,¡± Lenora


    murmurs into my ear. I collect myself and pull my energy back in.


    I knowing with me is her way of apologizing. Her way of showing me she isn''t mad or scared and


    that she supports me. As my aura subsidies. I feel her hug tighten.


    ¡°Alright, Little Sister, let''s get you packed. Milo is on his way up with your suitcases,¡± she says as she


    rubs my back.


    I give her a grateful smile and pull her into the closet room feeling much better about the next week.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    The closet room used to be arge storage room when Bronx''s parents lived in the apartment. Bronx


    didn''t need the storage, so he had it converted to a closet. When I moved in with him, Lenora and


    Ashley filled it with clothes and even had a custom made upholstered bench so people could sit when


    they were in there.


    Lenora sits on the bench and scrolls through her phone. telling me the itinerary while I pull out clothes


    for the week.


    After a few minutes, I notice she has gotten really quiet. I look up to see her staring at me with a


    complicated look on her face.


    ¡°Lenora, what''s wrong?" I go sit on the bench next to her and take her hand in mine.


    ¡°Kas, I-I have some confessions. I can''t be away with you for a week and not tell you.¡± her shoulders


    drop as her green eyes look at me for forgiveness.


    ¡°Confessions?¡± I ask warily, feeling a rock settle into my chest.


    Last time someone told me about their confessions, I had a mental breakdown and Lex nearly went


    feral.


    ¡°Yeah, but please promise not to tell Bronx or anyone for that matter,¡± she begs, gripping my hands in


    hers now.


    ¡°Of course, Lenora. Your secrets are safe with me,¡± I promise to her.


    ¡°Kas, I-l know you can''t have children. And I know that you guys have been trying and obviously


    nothing has worked. Um, but when Codi was first born, and you guys came to our apartment to see


    her. I thought you were going to tell me you were pregnant, but you didn¡¯t. Then when you held Codi


    and the way she calmed down when you held her. The aura you to get when you hold her. We could all


    see how special your connection with her was,¡± Lenora pauses and gulps. trying to hold back tears,


    ¡°Then Bronx came out of the bathroom and saw you and oh, Kas. the look on his face when he saw


    you holding her and telling her a fairytale. It made him so happy and broke his heart at the same time.


    That''s when I knew something was wrong. So we mind linked and he told me about the research Lady


    Camille had done. That''s when I knew. Over a year now. He promised me not to tell but. it''s so hard to


    watch you with Codi and knowing that you may never have a pup of your own. Kas, I...¡±


    I pull Lenora¡¯s hands up to my lips and give them a gentle kiss as silent tears slide down her face.


    Lenora never cries. She rarely shows her emotions, but it differs from the way I do. Lenora faces the


    world head on. She doesn''t hide her fear because she doesn''t have any, nor does she hide away and


    try to make herself small. She has a natural confidence that people respect and envy at the same time.


    Sitting here in my closet, letting her be at her most vulnerable andforting her is, in her mind, the


    ultimate form of friendship in her mind. I am honored to be the one person out of all the people she


    knows to sit here with her. 2


    ¡°Lenora, it''s going to be okay. Thank you so much for telling me. I know you kept it a secret to protect


    me and I appreciate it, but I have hope.¡± I smile at her then stand and pull out the drawer that holds my


    jewelry. I pull out the oversized walnut I brought back with me from Mount Olympus and hand it to her.


    ¡°This is the walnut from Zeus?¡± she asks. confused.


    ¡°Yeah. He told me if I can make it through the chaos of the next few months and if I make good


    decisions, he will let me have a baby. A pup of my own, but the Fates haven''t written my destiny that far


    out yet. So the future is literally in my hands," I breathe a sigh of relief finally being able to tell someone


    other than Bronx my exciting news.


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± she looks at the walnut, then back at me, ¡°You were serious about going to Mount


    Olympus. That wasn''t some weird dream or astral projection or something?"


    I giggle and nod at her recognition of what actually happened.


    ¡°Oh my Goddess. Kas. That''s so exciting.¡± her eyes light up now, wiping the tears away, before a look


    of concernes over her face. ¡°Wait, what kind of chaos are we talking about here?¡±


    ¡°He didn''t really say, and it didn''t seem appropriate to ask the God of Thunder to rify what he was


    telling me."


    ¡°Good point,¡± she gives a quickugh, then her face changes back to serious again, ¡°Are you ready for


    the next thing?"


    ¡°Sure, I mean, how bad can it be?"


    ¡°Well, now that I know you could have a pup in the future, not that bad.¡± she smiles, ¡°Ashley is


    pregnant, too.¡±


    I feel a reallyplicated mix of emotions. First Delh, then Musu, now Ashley? I am so happy for


    them but frustrated at the same time.


    ¡°W-when did you find out?¡± I ask, not trying to put any pretenses up for Lenora. She would see right


    through them anyway.


    ¡°Right after you dragged my brother out of the room to go beat the shit out of him. As soon as we all


    unfroze.¡±


    I nod slowly. looking at the floor. trying my hardest to be happy for my friends. ¡°Is there something in


    the water around here?


    Like, should I be drinking more of it or something? Are you about to tell me you''re pregnant too?"She


    throws her head back andughs, ¡°No Kas. I am most definitely not pregnant. Don''t worry. Milo and I


    have talked about it.


    We are not ready for another pup. We want to wait a couple years so we can spend quality time with


    Codi."


    ¡°Okay, thank the Goddess. You said ¡®the next thing¡¯. Does that mean there is something else?¡± I feel


    my face screw up a little. I don''t know how many more of Lenora''s confessions I can handle right now.


    ¡°Uh. yes, just one other thing. I haven''t told this to anyone. Not Bronx, not Milo, not even Ashley.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well. if you haven''t told Ashley, I know it''s serious,¡± I feel my eyes widen.


    Ashley isn''t just our Gamma female, she and Lenora best friends. practically inseparable. Once IMusu


    became a member of our pack, the three of them are like three of the most gorgeous peas in a pod


    anyone has ever seen. All three, tall and lean withpletely distinct features. Lenora with her dark


    hair, olive skin and striking green eyes, Ashley the blonde hair, blue eyed all-


    American girl, and IMusu with her deep skin tone. wide-set eyes. and warm, weing smile. 1


    I notice Lenora having trouble making eye contact with me now. I tilt my head down to see if I can catch


    her attention.


    ¡°Kas, remember when I first met you? When you came and knocked on the door to our suite when we


    were visiting Silver Moon to see if we needed anything before the end of the night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember. Milo wanted bubbly water,¡± I smile at the memory.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I knew I was going to meet you before I met you,¡± she says with a confused look on her


    face.


    ¡°What do you mean? Like you had a premonition?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know that I would call it a premonition, exactly. The Moon Goddess sent me an image of you in


    a dream a week before that night. I knew as soon as I asked you to take your hat off and show me your


    face what you would look like. I knew you would be important to me and to my brother, I just didn¡¯t


    understand exactly what that would mean at the time,¡± she is shaking her head a little. her eyes far


    away as she recalls the dream the Moon Goddess sent her.


    ¡°Why do you think she did that?¡± I question, more to myself than to Lenora, but out loud regardless.


    ¡°I think she knew you had been through enough and that it was going to be up to me to get you out of


    there. Kas, that night that Bronx met you, you passed out, and we had to rush you to the hospital wing


    for a blood transfusion. While they had you in the exam room. I¡¯m not saying he didn¡¯t want you to be


    his mate but Bronx questioned how his mate could be an abused ve,¡± she paused for a moment,


    trying to figure out how to exin the rest to me. ¡°I think there was a moment of doubt for him because


    he had been waiting for his mate for so long. I think he thought it was some sort of mistake because his


    feelings for you were so strong right away. He had truly resolved to believe there was no mate out there


    for him. that he was going to be alone for the rest of his life.¡±


    ¡°So, he was going to leave me there?¡± I choke a little on my words.


    ¡°No, he was so out of his mind with worry, he didn¡¯t know what to do. I was the one who told him you


    wereing with us, whether or not he liked it. I didn¡¯t tell him about my dream or anything. I just knew


    I had to figure out a way to make it happen. Once I insisted on it, he was all in.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Lenora. I don¡¯t know what to say." When Bronx and I first realized we were mates, I thought it was


    some sort of mistake too.


    I can''t me him for thinking the same thing. He is one of the most powerful, well respected Alphas in


    the world. Why would the Moon Goddess give him a mate like me?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything to say, Kas. Just promise me you will not think less of my brother.


    Promise you will do your best to make him happy for the rest of his life.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± I smile.


    At that moment, the door bursts open and Miloes in pretending to pant, pushing fourrge


    suitcases across the floor, ¡° Please tell me this will be enough.¡±


    ¡°I think that is more than plenty, Milo. Thank you so much.¡± I giggle at his theatrics.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Bronx''s POV


    I was so d when Lenora said she would go with Kas. It definitely gave me a sense of relief knowing


    she wouldn''t be there alone. Honestly, based on her reaction, she wasn''t too pleased that I had even


    suggested Kas go by herself. In hindsight, it probably was a bad idea.


    When I got back up to the apartment, I was happy to see Mom and Dad being treated to time with Codi


    and a delicious meal being prepared by Kas. She insisted on makingsagna and begrudgingly agreed


    to not make dessert so Mom and Dad could go downstairs to the dining room and say hello to


    everyone.


    "Are you really sending our mate away for a week, Bronx?" Saintins while I sit at the head table


    and watch Kas and Mom saying hello and giving out hugs to pack members.


    "Yeah, Saint. I think this will be good for her. Get closure from that awful ce. Besides, Lenora and


    Justice will be with her. They will keep Kas so busy, she won''t even have time to miss US,¡± I reassure


    him.


    "Okay, but who''s gonna keep US busy so we won''t miss her?" he sighs. I feel my heart get a little


    heavier as he says it.


    "Come on, buddy. We''ve gone longer without her when she was at the Coven and survived. Besides,


    we know exactly where she is. Worst-case scenario, it''s a six-hour drive. We can drop what we are


    doing and be there in less than a day."


    "I can run there in four,¡± he snarks.


    "Okay, you can run there in four. See? It''s gonna be alright,¡± I try to give him the best pep talk I can


    under the circumstances. Somehow, this seemed like such a good idea yesterday. Now that we are


    less than twelve hours from Kas leaving, it is not sounding nearly as good as it did.


    When the evening finally ends, Kas and I head back upstairs to the apartment. Her suitcases all


    queued by the door so I can take it downstairs in the morning. I close the door behind me and lean


    against it with a deep sigh.


    "Everything alright, Sweetheart," she asks as she turns around and tilts her head at me. I can feel a


    tinge of sadnessing from her as she steps closer.


    "Watching you give everyone hugs downstairs made me a bit jealous, I think. Now it''s my turn. I just


    want to hold you, Baby,¡± I smile as I hold my arms open for a hug.


    She gives me a smirk and leans against me with a sigh of her own. Her purple aura glows brightly,


    epassing US in a warm,forting glow.


    "You didn''t tell me what Lady Camille said after I left. How did you develop an aura, too?¡± she asks as


    she nuzzles her face into my chest.


    "Ah, let¡¯s get ready for bed. I will tell you once we are settled," I suggest. Before she can agree or


    refuse, I pick her up over my shoulder and carry her into the bedroom. She gives a giggle and squeal


    when I pretend to give her thigh a little bite on the way.


    It''s only fair that she knows what kind of mood I''m in if we''re headed into the bedroom, right?


    I carefullyy on her back on the bed and slide my hands under her shirt and slowly lift it over her head,


    nuzzling her midsection and gently kissing and nipping at her skin as I make my way up her body. I feel


    her adjust her position so she can lift herself to meet the spots my mouth catches on her skin. When I


    get to her bra, I pause and pull on it with my teeth a little. 1


    "Is this one you give a shit about?¡± I ask not wanting to get in trouble again today.


    "Not really,¡± she giggles, shaking her head.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Good," I let my fangs extend, slicing the front of the bra in half so I can pull it off of my wriggling, giggly


    mate.


    "I''m d you asked,¡± sheughs before sliding my shirt off.


    The smell of her arousal is strong in the air, driving me wild, but I''m determined to take my time and


    give her the attention she deserves. I feel a growling from deep in my chest when the warmth of


    extra energying from her hands,bined with the sparks of our mate bond, fills me. It creates a


    tingling sensation that makes me rock hard with anticipation. I feel my cock twitch when she starts to


    pull on the waistband of my pants, trying to get them off of me. I help her until I¡¯m able to kick them off,


    hovering over her for a moment before sit up and I wrap my hands around her waist, sliding her pants


    and underwear down her hips and thighs, kissing and using my teeth to nip my way down the length of


    her legs, and over her calves until I toss herst of her clothes to the floor. She watches me through


    hershes as I start to make my way back up alternating between slow kisses, and slightly harder nips


    on her legs, letting her slide them down my back, until her knees are hooked around my shoulders.


    She raises her hips up and pulls on my hair as I slowly kiss the inside of her thighs, massaging with my


    hands at the same time. I work my way up to her sweet spot, nuzzling her with my nose, gently


    caressing her with my fingers. Her soft moans are begging


    me to get to her core, using her legs to try to pull me closer. I smile as I lightly kiss and lick around the


    sweet smelling folds of her entrance until my tongue finds her delicious juices. I pull her hips tight


    against me so I can dive my tongue deep into her.


    "Bronx!" she cries out, bucking her hips in rhythm to my movements. I feel her breath getting already,


    turning ragged as I touch her sensitive spots, letting my teeth graze against her sensitive skin, driving


    her wild. She moves faster against me as her orgasm builds until I take my fingers, and start rubbing


    her clit in slow little circles. Kas pants hard, pulling on my head as she bucks her way into her first


    climax of the night.


    When I feel her start to slow down, I give her a moment to recuperate, then sit up, pulling her up onto


    myp.


    "Not yet, Sweetheart,¡± she whispers, sliding herself backwards so she''s sitting in front of me. She runs


    her fingertips up the length of my thighs and takes my cock into her hands. She gently strokes, slightly


    rotating her hands as she strokes, creating anotheryer to the already intense sensation. A hiss


    escapes my mouth when I look down and see her lick the head. Still using her hands, she moves a


    hand to my balls and squeezes with just enough pressure to make me moan out loud.


    "Oh Goddess, Kas, it feels so good,¡± I close my eyes and lift my head up, trying to block the image and


    focus on the sensation of her movements. The further down my shaft her mouth goes, the harder I feel


    myself getting. I look down again when it seems like she has my cock impossibly deep in her mouth,


    only to see she is looking up at me. Her violet eyes study my reactions as she bobs her head against


    my hard on.


    When I can¡¯t take it anymore, I pull away and bring her back onto myp. I lean back so she can


    straddle me and control the pace to her liking. I feel her rub herself against me, spreading her juices up


    and down my shaft, before she takes me in her hands and guides my cock into her core. She slides


    down on me easily with a loud moan. When I am fully inside her, she stops for a moment and clenches


    her muscles around me, making me howl with pleasure. I watch as she grins and she rocks back and


    forth on top of me.We moan and growl, our hips moving in rhythm with each other. She leans forward,


    kissing me deeply, licking around my mouth to catch any of her juices still lingering while she continues


    to slide up and down, riding me hard.


    I feel my orgasm building as her moans get louder and her rocking gets rougher. I grab her hips and


    take control since she is on the edge of losing control of her movements, pressing her against me and


    push into her as hard as I can. My mouth moves against her shoulder, and I sink my fangs into her


    marking spot. I hear her gasp before she leans her head against my sweaty chest and lets out a loud


    moan as pleasure overtakes the pain of the puncture. She extends her fangs and plunges them into my


    marking spot on my shoulder in return, releasing a bright purple burst of light as she hits the height of


    her second orgasm. The initial pain is erased by the extra energy she emits, sending me over the edge


    and I spill my seed into her with an excited growl of pleasure.


    Our movements slow until we bothe to a stop. The purple aura is fading but notpletely. Iy


    back panting deeply and wrap my arms around her, she puts her arms around me in return and sighs.


    ¡®You know you get me every time you wrap those beautiful lips around me, right?" I murmur against her


    forehead.


    ¡®You know I can''t get enough of the look on your face when I wrap these beautiful lips around you,


    right?" I feel her smile into my chest.


    After almost a month of unpredictability, I finally get what I need. A peaceful night of sleep with my body


    intertwined with my little goddess''s.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Kas''s POV


    Waking up in Bronx''s arms, tangled up against his body, is probably one of the best feelings in the


    world. He weighs well over a hundred pounds more than me, so I used to think his heavy arms would


    crush me in my sleep, but now I know those arms are the safest ce in the world. I have gotten used


    to the weight of him and find itforting to bury my nose into his chest and breathe in his delicious


    dark chocte and coffee scent before I have to open my eyes and face the world.


    I sigh as the morning light shines through the window. I know I should go down to the training field for


    onest session before I leave, but I selfishly just want to lie here with my mate.


    "Bronx, we''rete for training,¡± I nuzzle closer to his warm body and tap his arm to wake him.


    "No, we''re not. I had the trainers cancel it for the day,¡± his gruff morning voice whispers sleepily. He


    wraps his arms tighter around me without opening his eye, "Now let this weak old wolf sleep. You wore


    me outst night."


    "Fine, but I''m getting a shower. You''re wee to join me..st few minutes before I put clothes on." I


    whisper in a sing-song voice. His eye opens and shes ck as Saintes closer to the surface,


    while a sly grin crosses his face. His voice is more gravely as Saint speaks on Bronx''s behalf, ¡°Only if I


    get to wash you down, Baby."


    "Hmm, I don''t know, you just said you were worn out. How will you ever manage?" I tease him.


    "Will you look at that? My old wolf battery is fully recharged. Let''s go," he growls and yfully grabs me


    by the waist. I let out a squeak as Bronx easily picks me up and carries me into the bathroom.


    James and Delh decided not toe with US because they have their first appointment with a


    doctor who specializes in hybrid pregnancies scheduled. Musu stayed back so she could help with the


    Santoro meeting and be on hand to do anyst-minute research if Bronx got any additional information.


    Lenora and I settle into the back of therge SUV. Tyree sits in the front seat, while Marco and two


    other guards ride in a separate vehicle. The dark tint makes it impossible for anyone to see in, which is


    perfect when we get to the gate to see photographers camping out trying to get a glimpse of me. They


    seem to have be suspicious of my unusually erratic schedule. As we head down the road, away


    from town, guards on motorcycles block the road, preventing anyone from following the US.


    "What is that like?" Lenora asks, "Everyone recognizes you? All those photographers wanting your


    picture? I get recognized sometimes, but no one really does anything about it.¡±


    I think about it for a moment while I look out the window at the thick woodedndscape, "Well, I


    definitely never thought it would be part of my life, that''s for sure. But I guess in a weird way, it doesn''t


    bother me. Most of the paparazzi are nice. I mean, I know they aren''t my friends or anything, but they


    know it''s a ¡®more flies with honey situation¡¯, right? The ones who aren''t respectful know they are going


    to get chased out by my security guards or by the other paparazzi. So even though it is selfish and they


    are just looking for a story, they kind of look out for me at the same time.¡± 1


    Lenora hums in response and watches me for a minute, then looks out the window, "Bronx really hates


    it you know. He never wanted that kind of attention directed at you. He feels like it¡¯s his fault for being


    so reclusive from the human world."


    I think about it for a moment. Would things have been different if I knew Bronx was a famous billionaire


    before our wedding day?


    Maybe, but I still would have married him. I didn¡¯t have any experience in the human world before I met


    him. The first time I was off Silver Moon pack territory was when he and Lenora brought me to Blood


    River. My first time in the human world was when


    Lenora and Ashley took me to the mall. The first time I saw my picture in a newspaper was on our


    honeymoon in Paris, where I was referred to as an indie rockstar model who was trying to siphon all of


    Bronx''s money from him. 1


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    When Delh and I opened the bakery, it was difficult to tell the difference between real business and


    people who just wanted my picture. We had to set rules and add additional guards to deter people from


    lingering.


    "I wouldn''t change anything if it meant getting to be with Bronx,¡± I muse out loud. Lenora looks back at


    me and smiles warmly before we fall into afortable silence.


    We stop for a quick gas station lunch while the drivers gas up the SUVs and take a break. The


    attendant inside the little store keeps staring at me as I walk around, picking up snacks.


    I take my water, sandwich, and cookies up to the counter and set them down so he can ring them up


    but he doesn''t pick them up. I look up from my wallet and see he is looking up, staring at Marco and


    Tyree who are standing close behind me.


    "So big," the man croaks with wide eyes.


    "Guys, you''re scaring the poor man,¡± I try not tough, "Please back up a couple steps."


    "Sorry, Luna. Just following orders,¡± Marco blushes slightly and backs up. Tyree takes a moment,


    eyeing down the man before he backs up too.


    Ah, Bronx gave them orders to stay close. Got it. When we get back in the car, I will have to speak with


    them. The less attention we can draw the better.


    "Are you that woman with the bakery? I''ve seen you on TV," the man asks not that he isn¡¯t being


    intimidated by my guards.


    "Yes, that''s me," I smile.


    "I don''t mean to be too forward, but the cameras don''t do your hair justice,¡± he looks at me curiously,


    "It''s so sparkly. W-what kind of hair dye do you use?"


    It''s a question I''ve been asked hundreds of times. I just go to my default reaction by holding my finger


    up to my mouth and wink at him, avoiding having to answer.


    I hear a frustrated growle from behind me and see Tyree looking impatiently at the man.


    "I think that''s my que to leave," I say apologetically to the man, handing him more than enough money


    to cover my food, "Please keep the change."


    "You have a good day, ma''am,¡± the man pleasantly tips his hat to me.I walk out of the store and meet


    Lenora at the car. I look back and realize Marco is with me, but Tyree isn¡¯t.


    "Marco, where''s Tyree?¡± I look around.


    "Uh, bathroom?" He tries to sound casual, but fails miserably.


    I look back into the convenience store window and see Tyree leaning over the counter snarling at the


    poor man who just helped me.


    ¡®What the Hell?!" I growl under my breath and start walking back to the front door quickly.


    "Kas,e back!" I hear Marco call, but I won''t be deterred. I won''t have one of my guards intimidating


    a human for no reason like that.


    ¡®TYREE! I snarl, using my Luna tone, as I throw open the door to the little store, "STAND DOWN.


    NOW"


    He quickly stands up straight and takes a step back, turning his head toward me but keeps his body


    square to the man, trying to keep a protective stance.


    "He was trying to take your picture, Luna," Tyree tries to justify his actions.


    "Luna?" The man behind the counter asks confused, ¡°I thought you were Kas Mason."


    m, Luna is the code name my guards use for me when they think there''s a situation they need to pull


    me from. I apologize for the intrusion. We''ll be leaving now, Sir,¡± I bow slightly, then step forward to


    grab Tyree by the sleeve.


    I don''t care how big either of these two guys are, as soon as we get next to the car, I start growling and


    yelling about being respectful and not drawing attention if it isn¡¯t necessary.


    "Marco, you especially should know better. People take my picture all the time. We can''t stop them


    otherwise they will call reporters who will write articles about crap like this," I point to the store while I


    re at the two of them. They are both looking at the ground, exposing their necks, as my temper


    res.


    ¡®We are about to go to Silver Moon territory. Do you understand how much people there hate me? Do


    you know how stressful of a situation it''s going to be all week? You cannot go off every time someone


    behaves in a way you feel is not eptable. You need to be professional and step in when necessary.


    Not when you feel like throwing your weight around and intimidating people. You are my guards. Not


    thugs. Act ordingly. Am I clear?¡±


    "Yes, Luna,¡± Tyree says in a whisper.


    "Marco?" I tum my gaze to him.


    "Yeah, crystal,¡± he says apologetically.


    "Good. Now get in the SUVs. Let''s go," I snarl before I climb in the car.


    ¡®Wow, the Luna pulling a power move. Maybe I¡¯m rubbing off on you,¡¯ Lenora quips when I sit down


    with a huff.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    Bronx''s POV


    "So, what pack did youe from, Tessa? I need to let your Alpha know you''re here," I ask the blonde-


    haired, blue-eyed woman. Her clothes look inexpensive but brand new, unless you look at her shoes.


    She is wearing top of the line running shoes. I know because Kas bought a pair for herself a couple


    months ago. She felt ufortable spending so much money, so she took them back and bought a


    cheaper pair. I had Lenora and Ashley go out and buy her the original pair, but have not had an


    opportunity to give them to her yet.


    If Tessa was an average wolf, she would be nervous sitting in a one-on-one meeting with an Alpha


    Regent, but she isn¡¯t. She sits up straight and confidently looks me in the eye as we speak, as if this is


    an everyday urrence for her. Her formal mannerisms and the way she speaks hint at a wealthy


    upbringing. She may have even had formal training to meet with high-ranking wolves.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Oh, no, Sir. My Luna knows I left. This is temporary until I figure out what I''m going to do," she gives


    me a measured smile. I notice she intentionally avoids the question about her pack name.


    "So they haven''t banished you for leaving? That is a patient pack you must have," I nod with my hands


    folded in front of me on the desk.


    "Yes, Sir. Very patient," she nods. trying to convince me. She is very convincing. If I didn''t know what I


    already know about her, I might believe her.


    I watch her carefully, noticing the simrities between her and Lenora, but I can see how if the bakery


    was busy, Kas would have not recognized her with blonde hair and blue eyes. She is definitely wearing


    contacts. I can''t tell if she dyed her hair or if she is wearing a really good quality wig. Either way, she


    doesn''t realize that I''m not fooled by the disguise.


    There is something about her that makes me feel there is more than meets the eye beyond her


    disguised features, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it. Her movements are graceful but precise at the same


    time, just like my sister. If I closed my eye and listened to her talk, I would believe I was sitting in the


    room with a pensive Lenora, but with something a little more to her voice. Just like Kas said, even with


    the contacts, her eyes look older than Lenora¡¯s even though she looks like she is Lenora¡¯s age.


    "Alright, well, you are wee to stay as long as you need while you work things out. While you''re


    here, you will have a job with the housekeeping staff. Five days a week, eight hours a day. Half hour


    lunch break and fifteen minute morning and afternoon breaks. The supervisor will show you around,


    exin your responsibilities, and go over your wages when we are done here. Since your stay is going


    to be temporary. we will have a room on the second floor of the packhouse with a roommate. If you


    decide to stay permanently, we will move you to a more permanent dwelling on your own,¡± I exin.


    ¡®Thank you, Alpha Mason. I appreciate this opportunity so much," she smiles gratefully at me, "Um, will


    I get to meet the Luna? I figured she would be here to greet new people into the pack."


    "Gotcha, bitch,¡± Saint snarls in my mind, "You''re not getting your filthy paws on our mate.¡±


    I push him back, "Now''s not the time, Saint. We have a n and we need to stick to it."


    "The Luna is away on business. I¡¯m sure she would be happy to set up a meet and greet when she


    gets back,¡± I hold Saint''s emotions back and keep as calm as possible.


    ¡®That would be great," Tessa smiles, "I''ve heard so much about her!"


    I don''t reply, I just smile at her the best I can. Kas always tells me I''m better off not trying to smile if it''s


    not genuine, because I look like I just smelled something bad. In this case, I might as well have.


    "Just let me scare her a little," Saint paces impatiently.


    "No. Stop it,¡± I cut off our link to avoid getting interrupted by him again.


    There is a knock on the door. I bid them to enter and the housekeeping supervisor pokes her head in.


    "You sent for me, Alpna?¡± she asks nervously.


    "Natalie, this is Tessa. She will work on your team full time until further notice,¡± I advise.


    The supervisor looks at Tessa curiously, then holds her hand out to shake Tessa¡¯s, "It''s a pleasure to


    meet you. Sorry if I smell like bleach, we''ve been doing some sanitizing down in the weight room


    today."


    Tessa stands and gives her a firm handshake, "It''s alright. I understand." The only difference between


    her and Lenora that I can tell, is that she doesn''t have Lenora''s dagger and heart tattoo that has Mom


    and Dad''s names incorporated on her forearm.


    "Natalie, Tessa is going to be temporarily rooming with Carly. Can you take her down and show her


    where her room is so she can drop off her duffel bag? Then you can show her the ropes, go over her


    duties, pay, all that jazz.¡±


    ¡°Rooming with Carly?" Natalie looks suspicious.


    "Yes, I''ve already given Carly the heads up and she has a guest bed ready in her suite,¡± I confirm.


    "A-Alright, Alpha, right away,¡± she nods, still looking confused why I would put a new pack member in


    my assistant''s suite,


    "Come on, Tessa.¡±


    Tessa picks up her duffel bag and follows Natalie out of the office, closing the door behind her. I mind


    link Carly to let her know they are on their way and to search the duffel bag as soon as they leave her


    suite.


    I mind link Milo and Reggie to meet me in my office. They bothe in five minutester.


    "What''s up, Bronx?¡± Milo asks.


    "Tessa DeCaul is here. Natalie from housekeeping just took her down to drap her bag in Carly''s suite.


    She conveniently avoided telling me her pack name and didn¡¯t seem to have a problem working in


    housekeeping,¡± I drum my fingers against the desk as I speak, "Guys, she looks just like Lenora except


    blonde and she''s obviously wearing blue contacts. It is unnerving how simr they look."


    I exin her interest in meeting Kas and that we can''t underestimate her. We go over our game n


    and decide to beef things up a bit. Milo agrees to have one of his guys tail her from a distance and


    Reggie will speak to Natalie to make sure Natalie puts her on cleaning duty for the suites the Santoro


    Enterprises team will stay in. The more ufortable we can make her, the better. Hopefully, the


    pressure will make her slip up.


    When they leave, I look at my watch. Two-thirty. Kas and Lenora should be getting close to Silver


    Moon. I send Kas a text to make sure she''s okay.


    Bronx: Hey Baby. You guys good?


    Kas: Hi Sweetheart. Yeah - almost there. Just a little nervous. Lenora has been awesome


    Bronx: Good. If you need anything, call right away. I will be there in a heartbeat.


    Kas: Okay. Oh - also - no more telling my guards to intimidate humans trying to snap my pic


    Bronx: Sorry Baby. Won''t happen again.


    Busted. I would get a hold of the guardster to find out what happened.

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Lenora¡¯s POV


    As we approach the gates of Silver Moon, I can see Kas is struggling to take a breath. I reach forward


    and give her hand a squeeze. I¡¯m worried she isn''t going to be able to handle this.


    "We shouldn''t be here, Lenora," Justice whines in my mind, "We need to protect Bronx to protect the


    Luna. Please be careful in this cursed ce. We don''t belong here. Don''t forget I¡¯m here if you need


    me. I can run home in five hours if ites down to it.¡±


    "What''s with all the cryptic talktely, Justice?" Iin to her.


    "I don''t know how to make myself more clear. Bronx is the key to protecting the Luna. It¡¯s what he was


    made for. We need to protect him to keep her safe.¡±


    I roll my eyes at her, ¡°Okay. Clear as mud. Thanks for the pep talk.¡±


    "Kas, you got this. You''re not the same wolf you were thest time you''re here.


    She nods quickly, trying to swallow her fear, ¡°Yeah, Lex is basically saying the same thing.¡±


    "Justice isn''t happy about being here, either. We just need to stick together. We are going to be so


    busy, this week is going to fly by. I promise.¡±


    "Yeah, busy," one side of her mouth turns up in a smile. At least she''s giving it a chance.


    I notice the security is morex than Bronx would be okay with. I make a mental note to ask Elder


    Randall to beef up the guard detail while we are here. When we finally pull up to the packhouse, a


    frazzled-looking Randall is waiting out front for us.


    I take Kas''s other hand and look her in the eyes, ¡°Breathe, Kas. I am right here with you. So are Marco


    and Tyree. You''re not alone.¡±


    She looks me in the eye and steels herself, "Let''s go."


    I give Marco the go ahead and he opens the door, giving US his hand to help us out of the SUV.


    Randall waits patiently with several omegas who take our suitcases inside. The two guards who were


    our drivers follow them so they can do sweeps of our rooms and make sure they are secure. They n


    to stay outside our rooms and make sure no one goes in, switching off every twelve hours. Tyree and


    Marco will escort US around the property and to meetings.


    ¡°Goddess,¡± Randall says, bowing deeply to Kas. He takes her hand and kisses the back of it before


    standing up. I do my best to not snort as she makes a sour face and wipes her hand on her leg.


    "Just Luna Kas, please, Elder Randall," she insists, sounding annoyed with him. The first time Kas was


    in a room with Randall, he refused to speak with her because he assumed she was a ve or an


    omega. Either way, he felt like it was below him to speak to her. Now that he knows she''s a goddess,


    he kisses her ass every chance he gets.


    When he feels like he has embarrassed himself enough in front of Kas, he greets me, "Beta Lenora. It''s


    a pleasure to see you again. Thank you for escorting the Luna Regent.¡±


    "I''m sure you are,¡± I snark, not holding my hand out for him to slop a kiss on, "Luna, where would you


    like to start?¡±


    "Why don¡¯t we go to the conference room. Make sure we''re all on the same page. If we have time, we


    can start assessments of the buildings that are not being used,¡± she walks into the packhouse without


    waiting for Randall while she takes control of the conversation. I smile when I notice Marco and Tyree


    position themselves to force Randall to have to stand back from Kasand me as we walk.


    The first thing I notice when we get into the packhouse is that it isn''t nearly as clean as it was when I


    was there two years ago.


    There seems to be a film of dust on everything and a funky smell in the air, like they have not opened


    the windows in a long time.


    There are omegas scurrying around as we pass by, but no one stops to pay their respects to US.


    Kas''s eyes are slightly wide and shift back and forth quickly. I can sense tension in her building as we


    move further into the building.


    From beside me, the ever watchful Marco leans forward and takes her by the elbow. I hear him murmur


    to Kas, "All good, Luna?"


    Kas jumps slightly at being pulled from her anxious state. She turns her head and nods at him with a


    grateful look. She takes a deep breath and marches forward to the conference room.


    We get right to work, making sure nothing is missing from the itinerary and making adjustments based


    on Kas''s extensive knowledge of the packhouse and the surrounding properties. We decide to start on


    the fourth floor where the former Alpha''s apartment and son''s suite is.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Obviously, I don''t know every dark detail of Kas''s life. Especially from her time in this ce. Most of


    that, she only tells Bronx or her therapist. For the most part, you would never know she came from


    such a dark background. She puts on a brave face most of the time, but as we walk up the main


    staircase to the fourth floor, I can tell how difficult it is for her to be here putting on that brave face. The


    mom in me wants to reach out and take her hand, but the Beta in me knows I need to be respectful of


    my Luna and let her take charge.


    We get to the top of the stairs to find there are four young female omegas waiting in a line in the


    hallway.


    ¡®These are the omegas that will help US today,¡± Randall motions to the girls.


    Kas steps forward and looks them over.


    "How old are you, darling?" she asks one girl with big doe eyes and long dark brown hair.


    "Ma''am?" the girl looks at Kas, then up to Randall.


    "I asked how old you are. And you can address me as Luna,¡± she says gently to the girl, trying to


    express the child has done nothing wrong.


    "I-I''m twelve, Luna,¡± she stutters.


    Kas takes in a loud breath and addresses the girls again, ¡°Alright. Which of you is the oldest?"


    Athin blonde girl steps forward, ¡°Luna, I am. I''ll be fourteen next week.¡±


    Kas nods slowly and rubs her fingers against her forehead before she turns to Randall. Her expression


    changes to one of anger. A deep growles from her as she snarls at him, it is Monday afternoon. I


    know for a fact that school doesn''t let out until four p.m. here. Why are these children in the packhouse


    when they should be in ss?"


    "Goddess?" Randall gasps, taking a step back.


    "I asked - why are these girls not in school?" she growls. Her aura is starting to glow dimly as her anger


    builds.


    "I-I..." Randall''s face goes pale as he looks around nervously. Not sure what to say or where he can run


    to hide.


    Tyree boldly steps in between Kas and Randall, "Luna, we can discuss this in the conference room.


    Not in front of pack members.¡±


    Kas looks at him dangerously, but stands straighter, "You''re right, Tyree. Thank you. Girls, you are


    dismissed. Tomorrow, you''re going to school. If you''re not enrolled, please speak with Beta Lenora and


    she will make arrangements for you."


    I slightly bow my head to the girls as an introduction, "When we are done here, I will be in the


    conference room during dinner service. If you have any friends that also need my assistance, bring


    them with you."


    The girls all nod nervously, looking to see if this is some sort of trick before they sprint down the stairs.


    For Bronx, education is paramount. If he finds out there are children who should be in school working in


    the packhouse, he is going to lose his mind.


    "Luna, I would like to rmend that we speak to families with children first thing tomorrow. Give them


    the option to transfer to Blood River first so their pups can get back on track with schooling. I can speak


    with Gamma Ashley to help with registrations,¡± I advise Kas.


    "Agreed," she says, still ring at Randall, "Let''s get started with the Alpha¡¯s apartment."


    Randall wipes a bead of sweat from his brow as he fumbles to unlock the door to the apartment. When


    he finally gets it open a st of fermented liquor smell assaults out senses, making my eyes water. Kas


    and I look inside to see the entire ce is trashed. Smashed liquor bottles everywhere. Furniture


    shattered and shredded.


    "Great," she says under her breath. She takes a step in and puts her hands on her hips locking around.


    She sighs and cocks her hip, looking at the floor, ¡®Tyree, Lenora, sorry to do this to you, but can you


    two go through and make sure there are no files that we would need to take with us hidden anywhere?


    Aside from that, we need an assistant to catalog everything we take out of here. Find housekeeping


    staff, that are not children, to get all of this broken crap to the firepit out back. Burn it all. Marco and I


    are going to go inspect Ryan''s suite.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± Tyree and I respond in unison. I smile internally. My Luna is finally taking charge.

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Kas''s POV


    The moment I realized Elder Randall had school aged girls working instead of getting an education


    made me want to call Bronx right away but I am determined toplete this assignment without him. I


    want him to know I can handle difficult Luna responsibilities without him needing to be involved.


    Besides, he is busy dealing with the Lenora look alike.


    When I was seventeen, I was pulled out of school to be a ve in this very packhouse. Once


    Bronx and Lenora saved me, I knew I could never allow this treatment for any other werewolf children.


    There is no room for it in our society. Knowing that Elder Randall was the one who exploited these


    children infuriated me. As soon as I can speak with Bronx in the evening, I will let him know about


    expediting sending families with children and children who may have been separated from their families


    to Blood River. More importantly, the reason we were making the change.


    I stand back and wait for the now nervous Randall to unlock the door to my former Alpha''s apartment.


    When he gets the door opens, my heart sinks. It''s destroyed. There is absolutely nothing salvageable. I


    had hoped there would be something valuable to sell. What if everything else in the packhouse is the


    same way? I have Lenora and Tyree stay in the apartment to look for any paperwork we may need to


    take with US. I order Randall to have adult omegase, get the destroyed furniture, and burn it.


    With that settled, I have Randall take Marco and me to the next suite. One of the few rooms in the


    packhouse I was never allowed to enter. It belonged to the Alpha¡¯s son, Ryan


    Connors. I stand with my arms crossed, feeling annoyed as Randall fumbles to find the correct key.


    Finally, he cracks the door open and waves his arm so I can go in first. I take a step forward, but Marco


    stops me.


    "Let me do a quick sweep, Luna," he nods at me. I see his eyes sh ck showing that sh is at the


    ready if needed, ¡°Just to be on the safe side."


    ¡®Thank you, Marco," I nod in response.


    Marco swings the door open and steps inside.


    I listen carefully, trying to avoid eye contact with Randall while I wait.


    "Hostia m****a (holy shit]," I hear Marco swear in Spanish.


    I furrow my brow. What could possibly be in there that would make Marco swear like that. I mean, he


    swears in English sometimes, but the times I have heard him swear in


    Spanish, it is because something is seriously wrong. I give Randall a quick, suspicious look.


    "Goddess, I assure you, no one has been on this floor since the Alpha and his family were banished


    two years ago," he holds up his hands in surrender.


    I roll my eyes at him and step inside the room. Marco is standing at the end of the bed looking at the


    wall where the television should be. The wall is stered with hundreds of pictures of me. All of them


    with my eyes either cut out or crossed out with ck marker. Some of them have my mouth cut out as


    well. There are words in red marker ¡®MINE¡¯, "PLAY THING¡¯ and WHORE¡¯ written inrge sloppy letters


    all over the ce.


    There are pictures of me sleeping in my old cot in the dungeon. Some of them are pictures of me


    serving food to the Silver Moon pack. Others are of me restocking rooms from the service cart. Even a


    few of me on my knees curled up in a small ball while his father whipped me with a cat of nine tails.


    As I stand next to Marco, I feel my jaw drop and my eyes water. Behind me, I hear Lenora and Tyree


    rush into the room.


    ¡®What happened?!" Lenora calls out as she slides to a stop next to me, "Oh. My. Goddess."


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Marco grab a box from the ground and step up to the wall of


    photographs. He isn''t facing US, but I can see him wipe a tear away with his sleeve before he tears the


    photos down roughly and throwing them in the box.


    ¡®Tyree, don''t just stand there. Help me," his voice cracks as he talks, "We have to burn all this shit."


    Tyree nods, snapping out of the trance of looking at the wall, and helps Marco.


    "Come on, Kas. You don''t need to look at this any longer,¡± Lenora takes me by the arm to pull me out of


    the room.


    Tm fine,¡± I sniff as I let the tears fall, "I don¡¯t want Bronx to know about this."


    "Kas-" Lenora protests.


    "I said I don''t want him to know. He already killed Ryan. There is no sense in making him angry by


    telling him about this. Once Marco and Tyree burn everything, it will be gone forever. That''s the end of


    it. Don''t tell Bronx."


    "Okay, Luna," she speaks quietly while she shakes her head, "but let''s still go out into the hallway. You


    don''t need to be here for this.¡±


    I let her lead me out of the room and we sit on a bench in the hallway while the guards and Elder


    Randall throw all the pictures in the box. When they finish, Tyree advises he is taking the box down to


    the firepit to burn it, then heads down the stairs with the box securely under his arm.


    "The only other room that should have anything in it is at the end of the hallway,¡± I point down the hall,


    ¡®The rest of the rooms should be empty.¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s at the end of the hall?¡± Lenora asks.


    ¡®The stockroom. If there''s anything salvageable up here, it would be in there. Most of the snacks are


    probably expired, but there are definitely cleaning supplies and toiletries that can be used for the new


    houses that are going to be built." I advise to the group. I stand up and lead the way.


    When we get to the door, Randall finds the key on his key ring and opens it. The motion sensor light


    activates and turns on as the door creaks open. I take a deep breath, dreading entering the room.


    Marco steps in and gives a quick look around, then motions with his head that it is safe for me. Lenora


    steps in and I follow.


    ¡®What the heck is this?" she asks confused. She picks up a ripped pair of leggings, exposing an old


    blood stain on the floor.


    ¡®Those were mine,¡± I whisper, feeling very unsure of myself.


    Lenora looks at the leggings and then the floor. Her face pales when she realizes what must have


    happened to me in this room.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Who?" her eyes turn pitch ck as Justice speaks on Lenora¡¯s behalf. The only people that know are


    Bronx and my therapist.


    Marco looks between US not understanding what is happening.


    "Luna, WHO?" Justice growls again.


    "Justice, it was Ryan. There is nothing that can be done," my voice is barely a whisper. That''s all I can


    manage.


    Lenora balls up the shredded pants and throws them across the room in a fit of rage and runs out.


    Randall steps out to see if he can calm her down.


    "Kas, wh-what happened here?" Marco asks innocently, ¡®Why was the Beta so angry?"


    "Marco, a couple days before Lenora found me, Ryan...¡± my voice trails off.


    I take a deep breath, "He raped me in here.¡±


    I look at Marco, wiping the tears from my eyes. He looks at me with a mix of disbelief and anger before


    he looks at the blood on the ground. He drops to one knee and takes my hand.


    "Kas. lf the Alpha hadn''t already killed that pendejo [asshole], I would make it my mission. I''m so sorry


    that happened to you. I-" he can''t finish speaking as his words get choked by tears.


    ¡®Thank you, Marco," I try to smile but I can''t, "Thank you for your dedication. I know you are always


    there for me, but in this case, I need you to find it in you to release the anger and the need for revenge


    from your heart. There is no one left to me. There is no way to get revenge."


    He sighs heavily as he wipes thest of his tears from his eyes, ¡°Is there anyone else? That did that to


    you, I mean."


    "No, it was just him. Just that one time,¡± I reassure him.


    He nods slowly, "You wouldn''t lie to me?"


    "No Marco, I wouldn''t lie to you," I shake my head, "Let''s get out of this room. We can have the


    housekeeping staff pack up the supplies we send back to Blood River."

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Marco and I get to the main floor and meet up with Lenora and Tyree, who areing in from outside


    with Randall following behind them.


    "Are you alright? Lenora?¡± I ask, taking her hands in mine.


    "Yes, sorry. Justice got the best of me. Doesn''t haven''t often,¡± she apologizes. 3


    "It happens to the best of US. I appreciate her fervor.¡± I smile as I reassure my stoic Beta, "Let''s get you


    set up in the conference room. I have a feeling you are going to be busier with school registrations than


    we initially expected.¡±


    When we get to the conference room. there is a line of young girls lined up to be registered for school.


    Some look nervous, some look excited, others look like their friends dragged them there.


    "Oh. my Goddess. How many girls do you think there are here?" Lenora gives a shocked whisper as


    she looks down the line.


    "I would say at least forty.¡± I try not to gawk at the line of girls, "Marco, can you please help Lenora with


    the registrations. I will have dinner brought down to you two. Tyree, you''ll escort me to dinner service,


    bute upstairs with me first. I need to call the Alpha and catch him up on everything from day one.¡±


    "I would be happy to help down here.¡± Marco says. He looks at the girls sympathetically.


    "You thinking about your pups?" Tyree asks, pping him on his back.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yeah. I''d rip someone''s throat out if they forced my kids to work instead of going¡¯ to school like they


    should,¡± Marco says with a growl in his voice. I notice him looking out the side of his eye at Elder


    Randall. The old man shuffles back from my irritated guard, looking slightly nervous. Technically, I


    should correct Marco and tell him to be civil, but I am in full agreement, so I let it slide.


    "Randall, can you please have the pack gathered in the ballroom tomorrow after breakfast? We can


    make the official announcement about the packs merging then,¡± I ask, but its more of an order than a


    question.


    "Yes, Goddess. Absolutely," he bows to me and dashes off.


    "Alright, Tyree. Let''s go," I wave him up the steps.


    "Bronx, there are at least forty children. Not just children. Girls. None of them are boys. Randall just


    has girls working here,¡± I whisper loudly into the phone, "We have to tell someone about this. I mean, I


    get other cultures and all that crap, but this isn''t just sexism or discrimination. It''s criminal. They should


    be in school. He can call them omegas if he wants, but it is very. Don''t tell me it''s not."


    ¡°Alright, Kas. The important thing is that you''re doing the right thing and correcting it," Bronx tries to


    calm me down, "I agree with you. Families with children, especially girls, need to be transferred here as


    soon as possible. There is no way every girl came to the conference room for school registration. I will


    let Ashley and Reggie know so they can work on opening up housing for the iing families. When


    we can get them all here, we will talk to the Council and see if there is anything they can do about


    Randall.¡±


    "Thank you, Bronx. Not just for this, but for your understanding on everything,¡± I soften my tone, "So,


    how did it go with Tessa DeCaul?"


    "Well, she is here and willing to work in housekeeping. Other than that, I don¡¯t want you to worry about


    it. You have enough going on," I can hear a chuckle in his voice, "For now, I have to get going. Carly is


    briefing US on the agenda for the meetings for the next few days.¡±


    "Alright. Um, one more thing before I let you go,¡± I take a deep breath and hold it. Willing the lump in


    my throat back down.


    "What''s wrong, Kas?"


    "I- um-I had to tell Lenora and Marco about what Ryan did to me," I speak quickly so I don''t lose my


    nerve to Say it.


    "You had to?¡± he emphasizes the word ¡®has¡¯.


    ¡®Yeah, we had to go into the stockroom where it happened. Everything was exactly as I left it two years


    ago," my voice cracks now as my bravery crumbles, "Lenora was so angry that Justice came to the


    surface."


    "Yeah, I''m sure. She doesn''t always show how much she cares, Kas, but she does. I''m sorry you had


    to go through that, but you''re going to be alright. You can do this. I know you can. You''re the strongest


    wolf I know."


    "Thank you, Sweetheart. I have to pull myself together tonight because we are making the formal


    merger announcement tomorrow after breakfast."


    "Can you ask Marco to record it on his phone for me? I want to get a sense of the reaction from the


    pack."


    "Sure thing. We still have dinner, then the team is regrouping to discuss tomorrow. So it''s going to be a


    late night for US too," I let him know, ¡°I love you, Bronx. Good night.¡±


    "I love you too, Baby. Good night," he gives a sad sigh before hanging up the phone.


    Bronx''s POV


    Hearing Kas had to deal with her assault and I couldn''t be there to support her really hurt. I lean back in


    my chair and rub my hands over my face in frustration before I hear a knock on the door.


    "Come in, Carly,¡± I call out.


    The door opens, but it isn''t Carly, it''s Musu.


    "Musu, sorry, I was expecting my assistant. What can I do for you?" I lean forward.


    "Alpha. I just wanted to let you know I found a little more info on Tessa DeCaul," she holds up a folder


    and herptop, "I thought you might be interested before everyone else gets here."


    I raise my eyebrow, "Oh really? Please, sit. What do you have for me?"


    She sits down and hands me the folder and opens herptop, "Please look at the first picture."


    I open the folder to see a picture of Tessa looking exactly like Lenora. No contacts or blonde hair. It is a


    little faded like it was a long time ago.


    ¡®This picture was taken in neen eighty-one," she looks at me seriously. I look down at the picture


    again, confused. She looks the same age as she did in my office earlier.


    "Next picture," Musu flips the page for me. It''s another picture of Tessa wearing a poodle skirt.


    "When was this one taken?" I scrutinize it carefully. She looks exactly the same.


    "Neen fifty-four. Next picture,¡± she flips the page for me again to disy a picture of Tessa wearing


    a pper style dress.


    ¡®This one is neen twenty-five."


    I look at the picture. trying to process it in my mind. How can she look the same age in so many


    decades?


    "She can''t be a vampire. Can she? She doesn''t smell like one,¡± I look up Musu questioningly.


    "Alpha. I think there is a possibility she is a goddess. Like the Luna."


    I look down at the picture again, "One of the Manae? That would mean..."


    "Katherine Santoro is also one of the Manae. Kas''s sisters are converging here.¡±

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    I spread the pictures out trying to make sense of it. Has she been reincarnated that many times in a


    hundred years?


    "Is this it? Were there any other pictures?" I ask, looking up at Musu.


    "I think I found one from the second Italian War of Independence, but it is very old. I can''t be sure it is


    her," Musu turns theptop to show me a grainy image of a stern-looking woman sitting in a chair.


    There is arge man in a soldier''s uniform behind her with his hand on her shoulder. It could be her, but


    there is no telling for sure.


    "Do we know who the soldier is? He doesn''t age either?" I ask, tapping my finger on the desk while I


    examine the image. I look down in the other pictures and see he is in the one from the twenties and the


    one from the eighties as well.


    "Still researching, but it looks like his features stay the same, just like hers do.¡±


    ¡®This stays between US for now, Musu. Until we can figure out what the Hell is going on. I want all the


    intel you can possibly gather before we confront Katherine Santoro.¡±


    ¡®Yes Alpha,¡± she says with a little sigh. I can see a touch of exhaustion on her face.


    "I know it''s difficult, Musu. And I am sure it''s getting to be a lot of stress, which is not good for you or


    the baby. The offer still stands. If you need to take time off to collect yourself, we will all support you on


    that decision,¡± I look her in the eyes while I speak to her. I think I give her the genuine smile that Kas


    always talks about because she doesn''t look scared by it.


    "It''s actually babies, Alpha. I''m having twins. And if you think I''m taking time off when things are getting


    this juicy, you have another thinking,¡± sheughs heartily at me, shing a toothy smile.


    "Twins?!" I lean back in my seat and put my hand over my heart, "Wow. Double the congrattions,


    Musu. That''s such a blessing."


    Before she can respond, there is another knock on the door. This time it''s Carly, with all her supplies for


    our meeting.


    "Carly, please give Musu the names for any males who will apany the Santoro Enterprises team.


    She has some research to do.¡±


    "Of course, Alpha," she flips through the pile of papers in her arms and pulls a sheet out. Musu takes it


    and nods gratefully, "I can email it to you as well.¡±


    "Oh, no no. I have a feeling the smaller the paper trail on this the better," Musu stands up, ¡°Alpha,


    thank you for your time.


    Please let me know if there is anything else I need to know once you are finished with your touch base.


    Carly, thank you for the information."


    Once Musu leaves, Carly puts packets of information on the conference table. I notice she looks a little


    more frazzled than usual.


    "Carly? Is everything alright?" I stand up and walk over to the conference table to speak to her. She¡¯s


    usually able to hold herposure during work.


    "Uh, yeah, Alpha. Just my parents. They are pressuring me to go with a chosen mate instead of waiting


    for my fated mate,¡± she sighs, "Like I don¡¯t have enough going on. I need to worry about a mate right


    now?¡±


    I pull out a chair and motion for her to sit while I adjust the chair next to her so I can face her, "They''re


    just worried about you, Carly. You''re going to be twenty-three, right? They see most of your friends


    finding their mates or choosing their mate, so it''s understandable."


    ¡®Yeah, I guess," she says as her shoulders slump, "I know my mate is out there somewhere, Alpha. I


    don''t want a chosen mate. I want to find the one, you know? The one the Moon Goddess chose for


    me.¡±


    "Carly, look who you''re talking to," I chuckle, "I thought I was going to die a lone wolf before I found


    Kas."


    Carly gives a little smile, but her eyes still look sad.


    "Listen, I know better than anyone how much pressure parents can put on you. You''re an adult and you


    can make your own decisions. If you want to wait, then wait," I shake my head while I give her my


    honest advice, "He''s out there. Keep looking. And if that means you need to leave this pack to be with


    him, my schedule will fall apart, I won''t have someone to remind me to take a break and eat lunch, and


    I don''t know where I will find any important files, but I will figure it out. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you so much, Alpha,¡± she genuinely smiles now, before she looks at her watch, "Let me


    finish setting up this table. Everyone will be here in ten minutes.¡±


    I stand up to go back to my desk and give her space when she calls to me again, "Oh, Sir. I looked in


    my roommate''s duffel bag liked you asked. Just clothes and a burner cell phone that has a dead


    battery."


    "Nothing indicating her identity?"


    "No Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you. Oh, and don''t worry, she won''t be there long. You will have your suite back to


    yourself soon.¡±


    Lenora''s POV


    The breakfast served by the Silver Moon omegas is really gross. Mrs.


    Miller''s staff has spoiled me by constantly going over the top to make sure they feed US well at Blood


    River.


    There is a knock on the door, and Kas lets herself in without waiting for me to respond.


    "Hey! What if I was getting dressed?¡± I scowl at my Luna.


    "Lenora, we have to be downstairs in twenty minutes. You have never beente in your life. There is no


    way you weren''t dressed by...O0h, my Goddess. What are you eating?"


    "Rumor has it, breakfast,¡± I frown as mush my fork into the mystery meal.


    "Oh heck no," Kas takes the te away and heads into the kitchte. She pulls ingredients out of the


    little refrigerator and off the counter. She looks up and sees me looking at her suspiciously.


    "Get over here. You''re learning how to make an omelette,¡± she points a knife at me, then to the counter


    she is prepping food on. I feel my eyes go wide. Kas has always told me she is going to teach me how


    to cook, but I have always been able to avoid it...until right now.


    I stand up and walk over to where she¡¯s chopping vegetables in the kitchte. not sure where to


    stand or how to help. Is there a word for more than nervous? Cause that''s where I''m at right now.


    Next thing I know, I''m holding a giant knife, chopping the vegetables by myself. Kas patiently shows me


    how to crack the eggs without getting shells in the bow. The correct size pan, how much heat to turn


    the burner, and why I should use butter instead of spray oil. She watches attentively as I pour


    everything into the pan.


    She shows which spat to use and how to tilt the pan just right. Before I can overthink it, there is a


    delicious-looking omelette on my te.


    "Holy shit,¡± I murmur when I taste it, "It is like one Mrs. Miller would make."


    Kas elbows me with a giggle, "Who do you think taught her? Now hurry up, we have to head


    downstairs in five minutes."


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®What about you? Aren''t you going to eat?" I ask, concerned about her.


    "I am way too nervous. I will get something after the announcement," she shakes her head as she


    wrings her hands.


    "Alright, but don''t make me call Bronx and tell him you''ve decided to stop eating,¡± I point my fork at her


    between bites. When we first found Kas, she was so malnourished from being starved by the Alpha,


    she barely weighed eighty pounds. Nowadays, she is healthy, but when she gets stressed, she has a


    tendency to forget to eat.


    "Don''t worry, Marco has a banana and gran bar in his suit pocket,¡± she reassures me.


    I quickly mind link Marco and ask him to put a second gran bar in his pocket for her. It¡¯s going to be


    busy from the time we make the announcement about the packs merging until lunch.


    I put my te in the sink and wipe my hands, "Ready, Luna?¡±


    She takes a deep breath and straightens her suit jacket, "Yeah. Let''s do this.¡±

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    As Kas steps to the podium in front of the Silver Moon pack, I see people whispering to each other and


    looking at her suspiciously. People definitely recognize her as they sneer and roll their eyes. Even after


    two years and with all the punishments that were handed down to these people, they still haven''t


    learned their lessons?


    To her credit, Kas ignores them and begins her speech. She introduces herself as the Luna Regent of


    Blood River, which is met with a couple of boos and growls from the crowd. I watch as a look crosses


    her face that I have never seen from her before. I feel a sensation of authority and dominance she


    hasn''t had to embody before. Unlike Bronx, who lets these types of feelings roll off of him and fill the


    room, Kas''s feelingse in soft pulses, building each time a wave reaches you.


    "Silver Moon pack. Blood River has been ordered by the Elder Council to acquire Silver Moon. As your


    new Luna, I am here to tell you that your leadership has decided that instead of Silver Moon operating


    as a satellite location, you will be moved to Blood River over the course of the next several months.


    Families with school-age children will take priority," she holds her head up and speaks clearly and


    loudly to the crowd, who gasps and starts speaking nervously among each other. Marco and Tyree


    both step forward, putting themselves in a position to protect her in case things get out of control.


    "You alright, Luna?¡± I ask through a mind link.


    "I''m fine," she replies quickly, "I was expecting worse."


    She addresses the crowd as they quiet down again, keeping her tone formal and stern, "I know that


    you all know who I am and I know you may believe your current situation is because of me, but it''s not.


    Your current situation is because many of you intentionally mistreated an innocent child who was


    already a victim at the hands of an abusive Alpha.


    The pack members who didn''t directly mistreat me chose to apathetically turn a blind eye and say


    nothing, which is just as damning. I am here today as your future Luna because of decisions you


    consciously made. So you can all put your shock and outrage that your pack has failed to flourish as


    part of a healthy society aside, because it is not justified.¡±


    At this deration, the room goes silent. The looks of suspicion and anger are reced with remorse


    and curiosity.


    "So, this is the part where I let you know that you have options. I will exin and provide


    documentation so you understand what decisions you and your families will have to make before the


    end of the week,¡± she announces. Her voice has a slightly forceful edge that I''m not used to hearing


    from her, but it''s a tone I would expect from a Luna Regent who is irritated by a disrespectful audience.


    She tells the crowd that they can choose to leave peacefully and live as a rogue or find another pack


    who will give them asylum. The other option is to be a member of the Blood River pack. As she is


    exining the rules, they will be required to follow if they choose toe to Blood River, omegas hand


    out packets of information.


    "I would like to introduce Blood River''s female Beta Lenora Emory. She will exin how you can make


    an appointment to let US know about your family¡¯s decision before the end of the week. For those of


    you who choose toe to Blood River and be a productive part of ourmunity, wee. We look


    forward to having you. To those who go on your own or find asylum with other packs, may the Moon


    Goddess bless you with health and prosperity,¡± Kas gives the crowd onest look before stepping away


    from the podium. She gives me a quick nod, showing its my turn to address the pack. She motions to


    Marco and Tyree who lead her away. I see Marco pulling a gran bar out of his pocket as they walk


    out of the room.


    Kas''s POV


    "How did I do?" I ask Marco and Tyree once we are back in the conference room.


    ¡°Luna, you were perfect. The Alpha is going to be proud of you," Tyree gives a lopsided smile and


    holds up his cell phone, "We had the omegas record the whole thing.¡±


    "Haha, okay. Well, I appreciate you guys stepping up when people started to look like they were going


    to act out," I sp my hands together, finally letting myself take a deep breath.


    ¡®That''s our job, Luna," Marco says, loosening his tie a little, taking a minute to rx now that we are in


    a closed room.


    Once Lenora steps into the room, there is already a queue of people lined up to be transferred to Blood


    River. I spend the rest of the day with Lenora and Elder Randall, helping people fill out required forms


    and asking additional questions. I spend the day reintroducing myself to people who are extremely


    apologetic and grateful for a new start.


    Late in the afternoon, a thin woman with short blonde haires into the conference room. She gives


    me a weak smile and a little wave. I can''t pinpoint how I know her.


    "Kas, go say hi!" Lex scolds, "She is basically the one friend you had here. I am so d she ising


    to Blood River! She''s going to love it there!¡±


    "Lex, who is she? Why can''t I remember?" I search my mind for a memory of the woman.


    ¡®That''s the nursedy,¡± Lex reminds me, ¡®The one who helped you before our mate took US home."


    "D-Diane?¡± I say out loud. The woman stands a little straighter, her smile a littlerger.


    "Yeah! Nurse Diane! She''s our friend, right?¡± Lex asks, unsure of how I actually feel about Diane.


    I look at her more carefully now. It is her except she is pale, thin and someone practically shaved her


    curly blonde hair down to the skin. The one person in Silver Moon that actually cared. She helped me


    when I was in the hospital wing recovering from surgery and when I was so scared after a premonition


    that I couldn''t even think straight. She was there for me when I needed someone, but didn''t have


    anyone to turn to. I feel my heart squeeze a little at the recognition.


    ¡°Finally! What are you waiting for?! Go give her a hug!" Lex urges me.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I quickly walk over to Diane and throw my arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug.


    "Oh Kas, you look amazing! I am so happy for you!" She murmurs into my ear with a little sniffle, "You


    gave an impressive speech out there. Who knew the scared little ve would be such a strong,


    powerful woman?¡±


    I pull away from our hug and take her hands in mine, giving her a warm smile, ¡®Thank you. I''m so d


    you are choosing toe to Blood River. How have you been?


    "Well, um, I don''t want toin,¡± she shakes her head a little, trying to dismiss the severity of her


    situation.


    "No, please, I have a few minutes, talk to me,¡± I pull her out of the line to sit in the waiting area chairs


    with me.


    Once we are sitting, her eyes get watery, "Um, well, after they banished Alpha Connors, a bunch of


    pack members left. The council decided there were not enough people left to keep the hospital wing


    fully staffed, so I got reassigned to be an omega. So after that, I didn''t have enough money to keep my


    apartment, so I had to move into a room in the packhouse with three other girls. We are so busy


    cleaning that I don''t really get to eat as much as I used to.¡±


    As she speaks, I feel anger building in me again. She pauses and swallows hard.


    "1-1 finally got to where I shaved my head because, um, I don''t get time to shower every day and it was


    getting really gross and tangly," her words turn into a whispered sniffle.


    "Diane, we''re going to make this right," I wipe a tear from my eyes, ''Things will be better once you are


    at Blood River. Do you want to be a nurse again?"


    "Oh, I would love that, but I will take any job I can get as long as it means getting out of this ce," she


    nods hopefully.


    "Consider it done," I assure her, "Before I get you back to your spot in line, can I heal you? Give you


    some energy to keep you going?"


    "Oh, uh, yes, of course," she smiles at the unexpected offer.


    I take her hands in mine and close my eyes. Lex happily helps me focus my energy, pushing positive


    healing to Diane. When I open my eyes, I see her looking less pale and her smile genuine, "You look


    better already, Diane. Now, let''s get you back to your spot in line. I will let Beta Lenora know we can


    use your services in the hospital wing and to add you to the priority list for transfer."


    "Luna, thank you so much. This is such a blessing,¡± she doesn''t stop the happy tears falling now. I give


    her another hug before taking her back to her spot in line before heading over to the registration table,


    pointing Diane out of the crowd to Lenora.


    ¡®That is the nurse from the dungeon?" Lenora asks with a furrowed brow," She looks so different."


    "Yeah, we can talk about that moreter," I say to her, giving Randall a disapproving look.


    We work through dinner servicete into the evening. When we are finally done for the day, I go to my


    room and fall into bed, not bothering to change into my pajamas.


    I pull out my phone and start a video call. There is less than one ring until the most handsome man''s


    face fills the screen.


    "Hi Kas. How''s my little goddess?" he smiles. I notice he isn''t wearing an eye patch.


    "Good. It was a long day,¡± I smile, ¡°Are you already in bed?¡±


    "Just about. Just got out of the shower," he rubs a towel on his head,¡± Tyree sent me a video of you


    speaking to the Silver Moon pack. It was like watching a different woman.¡±


    "Different good or different bad?" I cringe a little, hoping for his approval.


    "Different good. I enjoy seeing that side of you. It was the right decision to send you," he nods with


    approval. I feel myself release a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding.


    ¡®Thank you, Sweetheart. How was your day?¡±


    "Also long. We can talk about it more when you get home. Not worth trying to exin now."


    "Hmm. Alright," I feel my eyes getting heavy.


    "Hey Kas,¡± I hear Bronx say my name, forcing my eyes open again.


    "Yes, I''m listening," I say sleepily.


    "Go put your pajamas on, Baby," he coos at me, ¡°and Marco told me all you ate today was a gran


    bar. I''m having some food delivered to you for tomorrow.¡±


    "Mmm, okay. Thank you, Bronx,¡± I yawn, not able to keep my eyes open, "I love you."


    "I love you too, Baby. Good night,¡± I hear him say.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Bronx''s POV


    "Santoro Enterprises group here, Alpha," Carly mind links me. I look at my watch. Ten a.m. Right on


    time.


    "Show them to their rooms, let them know we will escort them to the conference room at eleven-thirty.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Alpha."


    I mind-link the team that will need to be in the conference room and let them know, "Hey All, they''re


    here. Conference room at eleven-fifteen. Remember what we discussedst night."


    ¡®Yes, Alpha," everyone responds in unison.


    I smell someone on the other side of the door. Why haven''t they knocked? I stand up and open the


    door to find Tessa standing in the hall. I think she had her ear to the door, but she moves quickly, so I


    can¡¯t be sure.


    "Ah, Tessa. Thank you foring on such short notice. Pleasee in,¡± I step out of the way and


    motion for her to move past me. She steps into the office and turns to me, "Is everything alright,


    Alpha?"


    ¡®Yes, please sit,¡± I slide the guest chair so she can sit, then I move to my chair on the other side of the


    desk. I sit down and watch her tentatively sit in the chair, keeping her back straight and stiff, still


    keeping perfect eye contact.


    ¡®Tessa, I am changing your assignment for the next few days. We have an important potential client for


    my securitypany visiting the pack. I want to have dedicated staff to help them with everything they


    need,¡±


    "O-okay?¡± she looks at me with a furrowed brow.


    "So you will be responsible for helping get breakfast up to their suites and bringing lunch to the


    conference room. Oh, also to pick up the tters in the afternoons.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Sir," she nods.


    "Mrs. Miller will handle dinner service, so you won''t need to worry about that. But before they get back


    to their rooms in the evenings, it will be your responsibility to make sure their rooms have been cleaned


    by housekeeping and kitchtes fully stocked."


    "Yes, Sir,¡± she nods again.


    "If this means you need to work overtime, that''s fine. I will authorize it,¡± I reassure her, even though I


    know full well she doesn''t give a shit about the pay, ¡®Tessa, this is an excellent opportunity to prove


    yourself. Just in case you decide to stay here at Blood River. As I said, this is an important potential


    client for US, so I need you to be at the top of your game."


    ¡®Yes, Alpha. Thank you very much. I won''t let you down," she gives a practiced smile. I can tell she has


    worked on these sorts of missions before. Disguised and pretending to be someone she¡¯s not.


    "Lunch will be served at twelve-thirty in the conference room. Please see Mrs. Miller at noon. She will


    help you get everything you need for the food service. Until then, take a break since you will be pretty


    busy the next few days."


    "Yes, Alpha,¡± she stands and bows to me slightly before she backs away and heads out the door. 1


    "Alpha, you asked for any unusual updates," Carly''s voice pops into my head. 1


    "Go ahead," I sit back and listen.


    "One of the women in the group didn¡¯t remove her sunsses. They advised me that she won''t be


    attending the meeting today."


    "Which woman?"


    "Uhh, ording to the dossier, her name is Persephone Ferox."


    ¡®Yeah, I saw that name. She didn''t have a title for thepany. I know they''re Greek, but could that be


    an alias?¡±


    "She didn''t speak much, but she responded when people called her Ms. Ferox."


    ¡®What does she look like?"


    "Um, Middle-Eastern or African descent, maybe? She had her hair wrapped in a headscarf and her


    sunsses were really big, so it hid a lot of her face."


    "Alright. They are in their rooms now?"


    ¡®Yes, Alpha."


    I sit and think for a moment. Who names their child Persephone? She was the queen of the underworld


    in Greek Mythology?


    Luckily, I have an expert to answer those sorts of things.


    "Musu, I need you to look something up for me,¡± I send her a mind link.


    "Yes, Alpha. What can I help with,¡± she responds immediately.


    "Persephone Ferox is one of the women listed in the dossier for the meeting today. Can you find out


    more about her? Specifically, the name. I think it may be an alias.¡±


    ¡®Well, off the bat, I know Ferox means wild in Latin, Alpha. You don''t think the Goddess Persephone is


    here at Blood River, do you?" her tone sounds more nervous at the question.


    "I think we would all know if the queen of the underworld was in our presence, Musu. Let me know


    when you have something."


    "I am doing a quick search now. It looks like Persephone is also known as Kora. I don''t think it was


    common back then, but it''s kind of like a nickname given to her by her father Demeter."


    ¡°Cora''s here?¡± he quips happily, "Oh my Goddess. This is great! We''re gonna have such a good time!"


    "Saint! This woman was involved in kidnapping our mate. This is not a time to celebrate. I will deal with


    youter," I growl at the fawning wolf before blocking him. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand


    up, "Musu, could Ferox be tranted to mean Feral?¡±


    "Oh my Goddess. Yes, absolutely, Alpha. It most definitely can. Do you really think it-"


    "Musu, I am letting the Beta and Gamma know, but this stays between the four of us. I don''t want you


    to worry about anything. In fact, I''m having a guard escort you home so you can pack a bag. You''re


    staying in the suite next to mine until Marco gets home."


    ''Y-yes, Alpha,¡± she stumbles over her answer.


    "Stay in Lenora''s office until someonees to get you.¡±


    ¡®Yes, sir."


    "Milo, Reggie, get your asses to my office. Now,¡± I snarl through the mind link, ¡®The script just got


    flipped.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "On our way," I hear Reggie respond, "How bad is it?¡±


    ¡®You won''t believe it if I told you," I stand up and start pacing. I look at my watch again. We have half an


    hour to reroute our ns.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    "So you think Tessa and Katherine are Manae?" Milo looks at the pictures of Tessa. Simply not


    believing what he is seeing.


    "Well, we know that Cornell took Katherine''s name when they got married. It was all over the news


    when we were younger. Don''t you remember?"


    "Oh yeah. I remember thinking he must havee from a weak pack since he joined hers instead of


    her going to his.¡± 1


    "Yeah, so we know they are sisters and now we have photos of one of them looking the same age for


    over a hundred years. We know she isn''t a vampire. Do you have a better exnation?"


    "Aliens?"


    "Milo, we don''t have time for humor," I stop pacing and rub my hands over my face before putting my


    hands on my hips, "We need to be downstairs in fifteen minutes."


    "Okay, one problem at a time,¡± Reggie says calmly, trying to defuse the situation, "I will have extra


    guards, and an omega put in the hallway where this Persephone woman''s suite is. If she leaves the


    room, the omega will be there to escort. We can say the guards are only there to make sure no one


    from the pack bothers her."


    "I like it. Good," I nod.


    "Assuming they have powers like Kas, do you think they would use them against US in our own


    conference room? What if this is an actual business meeting?¡± Milo asks, shrugging his shoulders.


    "Well, Carly did say they have actually purchased a parcel ofnd near the state border and have


    applied for construction permits, so something is definitely happening,¡± I lean on the table, drumming


    my fingers.


    "So maybe we y it like we don''t know they are special. Just force them into a corner by dangling


    Tessa in front of them. If they have powers and they use them against US, what could we really do,


    anyway? We know Kas has powers, but we could never stop her from using them. She operates on the


    honor system,¡± Reggie chimes in once he finishes mind linking the staff who need to be ced in the


    hallway.


    "I could bring a silver sparkler in,¡± Milo''s face turns a little darker.


    "Milo, you''re not a prototype of a weapon that''s still in development to a business meeting," Reggie


    scolds. 3


    "Fine, party pooper,¡± Milo crosses his arms and sulks.


    "I think Reggie is right. We just hold our cards close and see what happens when we put Tessa and


    Katherine in the same room,¡± I drop my head and look at the floor, racking my brain for a solution, but I


    don''t see one. Reggie is right. If they use their powers against US, we have no way of stopping them.


    Not without Kas here, and if she was here, I can''t imagine she would use her powers against her


    sisters she has been searching for.


    I look at my watch again and grab my suit jacket, "Alright. Let''s go.¡±


    When Katherine Santoro steps into the room, the energy of the room immediately changes. I''m not


    sure I would have noticed it if I hadn''t felt a simr feeling when Kases into a room. While Kas''s


    energy, when she allows you to feel it, isplex and hits you deep, Katherine''s is pure power and a


    sense of control. I wonder how easily people submit to her requests and demands without realizing


    why. Does she know she exudes it or if it justes naturally?


    Katherine¡¯s white blonde hair is entuated by her light gray, almost silver eyes. She is wearing light


    makeup on her fair skin.


    Just enough to show she put some effort into her features. She looks polished in her dark colored suit


    and red high heels. I imagine Lenora would approve if she was here.


    Behind her, Amari Curadora, vice president of Human Resources. Her auburn hair flows long behind


    her. Her soft blue eyes don''t really fixate on anything. I try to sense energy from her, but she seems


    reserved and quiet.


    I get the sense that she is the person who keeps Katherine calm and in check when needed. Maybe


    she isn''t aware of Katherine being a goddess? Amari''s mate Jasen sits quietly next to her with a simr


    calm demeanor. Theyplement each other well.


    After shaking everyone''s hands with a cordial smile, he opens hisptop, ready to take notes.


    If there are any pretenses from the Santoro team, it doesn''t show. Maybe this is actually a straight up


    business deal.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Carly stands near the end of the table and calls everyone''s attention with a smile, ¡®Why don''t we go


    through introductions? Lunch should be delivered in about forty-five minutes, then we can get started


    with presentations.Alpha Mason, please go first.¡±


    She steps out of the way and sits at what she calls ¡®the bridge¡¯ in the corner of the room. We had to


    rebuild the packhouse a couple of years ago after a major fire. Reggie was in charge of it and put as


    many technological bells and whistles as he could manage. Her station where she can control all the


    electronics and presentations for the room but more importantly, we have hidden security cameras


    installed where she can see everyone''s faces, she can even adjust cameras to see theirputer


    screens and make it show on myptop if I message her.


    Shortly after we finish our introductions, the door in the back of the room quietly opens and Tessa rolls


    in a cart full of covered tes. I watch as her eyes sweep the room and widen. Because of the blue


    contacts, I can¡¯t see a change in her pupil size, but I imagine it is there. Before she thinks anyone


    notices, she adjusts her posture and goes back into character, pretending she doesn''t recognize


    anyone in the room.


    Images from Carly pop up on my screen. Kathrine giving a wide side eye to Tessa. Another of Amari


    and Jasen looking confused when they see Tessa. I look up at them and see they are back to smiling


    and cordial, speaking to the analysts and Milo and Reggie.


    Interesting. They didn''t know each other was here.


    I message Reggie and Milo''sptops with the images, ''They were surprised to see each other. We can


    discuss tonight. Business as usual for the rest of the day. It could actually be a lucrative ount.¡¯


    I notice them nod in recognition without actually looking at me to avoid attention before they close their


    laptops to enjoy lunch and get to know our guests.


    The rest of the afternoon goes without incident. Except for having to focus on not letting Kathrine¡¯s


    energy influence or sway me, it''s just a regr meeting with potential clients, getting to know their


    company better and understand their security needs.


    Before we break for the day, Amari approaches me and shakes my hand again. I feel her energy now,


    comforting, warm, and weing. I recognize it almost immediately.


    "Oh, you''re a healer?" I ask with a genuine smile.


    "Yes, is it that obvious?" her eyes brighten, and she giggles slightly.


    "My mate is a healer also,¡± I respond, "She has a simr energy as you."


    I see a little falter in her eyes before she speaks again, ¡°That''s great! The Moon Goddess has not


    blessed the Earth with nearly enough of us. W-will we get to meet your Luna at dinner service?¡±


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kathrine take closer notice of our conversation, ¡°Unfortunately, she is


    away on business, but she sends her regards."


    "Oh, that is such a shame. Well, I will be back in the area in a few months when we begin construction.


    Maybe I can n to meet her another time."


    "Absolutely. You would love Kas,¡± I grin, thinking about my little mate," Everyone does.¡±


    ¡®Well, in the pictures I have seen of her in the newspapers, she looks like she is a very sweet, happy


    youngdy,¡± her eyes dart away for a moment. Her posture stiffens a little as she speaks more


    hesitantly, ¡°Well, thank you for your time today, Alpha Mason. I have one more thing to ask before we


    get ready for dinner.¡±


    "Of course. What can I help you with?¡± I cross my arms over my body and listen to what she has to say.


    "My sister Persephone would like to know if she can go for a run on your territory after dinner," Amari


    asks in a sympathetic tone, "You see, she is one of the few of our kind that lives most of her life as a


    wolf. We brought her as a consultant so she can evaluate thend parcel we purchased.


    Being in human form is...well, it''s difficult for her. She doesn¡¯t connect well with people.¡±


    I look at her nkly for a moment. ''My sister*. Persephone, also known as Cora, is Amari¡¯s sister.


    Amari is one of the Manae too.


    I look around the room at the rest of their team of analysts and project managers. They all have


    features either simr to Katherine with blonde hair and light gray eyes, or simr to Amari with red hair


    and blue eyes. Holy shit.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    As we leave the conference room, I agree to let anyone who wants to go for a run on pack territory


    after dinner go, as long as they are escorted by one of our guards to make


    sure they don''t get lost or end up going over a cliff into the Blood River. She thanks me deeply and


    scurries off to let her sister know the good news.


    Katherine steps forward, "Alpha Mason, thank you so much for making our pack members feel


    weed. Persephone will be relieved, I''m sure.¡±


    "Please, you can call me Alpha Bronx. Save the formalities for business hours,¡± I bow slightly to her.


    We watch as the blonde and red-headed women all head up to the guest suites, with the couple of men


    on their team following dutifully.


    "What in the Goddess name is happening right now?" I ask out loud, "Uh, Milo, have a couple of senior


    guards escort anyone who wants to go for a run. We need to monitor whatever the Hell is happening


    right now."


    "Yes Alpha,¡± he nods with his hands on his hips.


    "D-did Amari say Persephone is her sister? Wouldn''t that mean-"


    I cut Reggie off before he finishes, ¡°Yeah. All three are Manae. Did you see all their female staff? They


    were all either blonde or red-heads. I''m thinking they are all Manae.¡±


    "Holy shit," Milo whispers loudly, "What do we do?"


    "We talk about itter. For now, y dumb and get ready for dinner,¡± I order. 2 ***


    "Kas?" I whisper into the phone. She was so sleepy when she called. I already know she has fallen


    asleep, but I just want to make sure. There is one thing you can always count on with Kas, she works


    hard and sleeps hard. I always try my best not to interrupt her when she¡¯s sleeping. I figure she had


    enoughte nights and early mornings growing up that she deserves the sleep she gets now.


    I smile when I''m answered with her little snores. I wait another minute, closing my eye and imagining


    wrapping my arms around my sleepy little mate and burying my nose into her hair, breathing in her


    fresh rain and lc scent. It''s not the same as the real thing. I look at the phone but all I can see is her


    chin and the side of her scarred neck before I make myself end the video call.


    I throw my towel into theundry basket and put on my sweatpants. When I take a deep breath and


    notice Milo and Reggies''


    scentsing from outside the bedroom. I head back out into the living room; Milo and Reggie are


    both on the sofa, looking at their phones.


    "What are you guys doing here? How did you get in?"


    ¡®Your parents let me use your key," Milo says, not looking up from his phone.


    "Is Kas doing okay?" Reggie asks, not looking up from his phone.


    "What the fuck? You were listening to my conversation in my own home?" I growl.


    "Calm down, Lover Boy. We couldn''t help but overhear. We came to talk about whatever the Hell it was


    that happened today,¡±


    Milo retorts, dismissing my mood.


    I rx a little, reminding myself that these are my friends. They mean me no harm.


    "Yeah, Kas just fell asleep,¡± I look at my phone, wishing she was still awake, "Gimme a second, I need


    to send some te-."


    Miloughs maniacally before I finish my sentence.


    "What''s so funny?" I drop my arms, feeling a little annoyed at his outburst.


    "I''m watching the video of Kas kicking your ass around the training ring,¡± he wipes his tears ofughter


    as I hear people oohing from his phone.


    I roll my eye and motion to Reggie, "Let me guess, you''re watching it too?"


    "Ah, no. I''m watching Kas''s speech to Silver Moon. She looks so confide-,¡± He finally looks up at me.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    A curious lookes over his face, "No eye patch tonight?¡±


    "Nah. Kas got me in the habit of not wearing it around the apartment.


    Besides, it''s just the three of us. Nothing you''ve never seen before,¡± I wave him off. They were there


    when I lost my eye. They have seen me without the eyepatch thousands of times. I lean against the


    breakfast bar, taking out my phone.


    Bronx: Leni make sure Kas gets into pajamas please? She fell asleep dressed


    Lenora: No problem


    Lenora: How was today?


    Bronx: Weird. Find time to call tomorrow. I will catch you up - gn


    Lenora: ok. I''ll try - gn


    Bronx: Marco - food delivery service will be there tomorrow at 7am. Make sure she eats.


    Marco: yes alpha im on it


    "If he doesn''t make her eat-" Saint growls,


    "Saint, I trust Marco to make sure Kas eats. She will be fine. It was just a big day for her. She was


    nervous, but you saw the video. That is the Luna we both know she can be. We just needed to give her


    the chance,¡± I do my best to calm him down.


    He sounds like he is going to say something, but he changes his mind. He just paces in my mind


    before moving back to sulk. Sometimes I forget having Kas away from US is just as difficult on him as it


    is on me. It seems like even more sotely.


    "Ah, no. You don''t get to go sulk. Time for a talk," I scold him.


    "No. Three sleeps until my matees back. I''m getting started now," he snarls and shuts down our


    link.


    I send one more text before I sit down. This time to my therapist letting her know I need to make an


    appointment. Even with the medications I take to keep Saint calm, ever since Kas''s birthday, he has


    been acting off. I exined my reasons for my behavior to Kas, but Saint has some exining to do as


    well. I need to get both of US in check to avoid any more dangerous incidents. She texts back almost


    immediately with an appointment day and time.


    Alright, no more stalling. Time to talk business with my Beta and Gamma.


    "Alright, let''s make this quick. I told Kas I was getting ready for bed and I meant it. So, what did you


    guys make of today? Was it as weird as I thought it was?" I ask, taking a sip of my water.


    "Yeah. Weird is an understatement,¡± Milo shakes his head, ¡®Tessa clearly recognized the women and


    vice versa. You saw the images. Did you see how wide their eyes all went? Their eyeballs practically


    fell out of their heads.¡±


    ¡®Yeah, I noticed that. The fact that we surprised them with each other could mean Katherine and Amari


    may not have been involved in Kas''s kidnapping,¡± Reggie hypothesizes.


    "What do we do about Cora being Persephone, who we know was involved? Amari was the one who


    approached me asking if they could go for a run. If she is close enough to Amari to ask a favor for her


    benefit, do you think she would be able to hide the fact that she was there when Kas was abducted?" I


    rub the scruff on my chin and squint my eye, a little suspect of the connection between all these


    women.


    Afortable silence nkets the room until Milo stands up. He has a mischievous glint in his eye, ¡°I


    got it."

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    I quickly set the table, take the food out of the boxes, and put it on real tes just as Lenora steps in


    the room with my guards.


    "Oh, I thought it was just take out. This looks gourmet,¡± Lenora looks impressed.


    "Well, the tes help. Come on, sit down and let''s eat. I still need to get a shower before we get our


    day started," I wave them over to the table and take my spot. The distraction of being able to eat with


    my pack members is exactly what I need to get my mind off of Bronx for a while.


    When we finish eating, I get myself together for the day and we get started. Lenora and Tyree get


    settled in the conference room to help families with the relocation registration while Marco, Elder


    Randall and I push through building after building, house after house, assessing the value and


    determining what we can sell at auction. The pack members who choose toe to Blood River will be


    allowed to take their belongings, but most of the furniture and things like that are the property of Silver


    Moon. Most of what we find is shabby and run down. There is very little we will be able to sell. I mark


    most of it to be donated to charity or to be incinerated.


    Except for the lunch break Marco makes me take, we work straight through until dinner. When Marco


    makes me stop.


    "Luna, please sit. You need to eat,¡± he calmly informs me.


    "Marco, we''re almost done. Only six more houses, then we''re finished with this part," I feel myself


    whine. I don''t need to eat. I need to keep busy to keep my mind off of Bronx.


    "Kas, don''t make me ask twice. I got orders," Marco hisses through gritted teeth. His professional voice


    erodes and his heavy Spanishes forward, "Alpha says you need to eat, So you need to eat."


    I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my body, ¡°Alright, fine."


    He pulls me out to the porch and sits me on the step while he goes to the car. Hees back with a


    cooler that has another to go box inside, "I should heat it up but there ain''t no microwaves in these


    ces.¡±


    "It''s alright. Where''s yours?" I ask opening the box to see spaghetti and meatballs with two pieces of


    garlic bread inside. I stab at a meatball with the stic fork and take a bite. It''s delicious, even cold. I


    guess I didn''t realize how hungry I actually was.


    "I ate mine an hour ago, when you was at the pool house,¡± he exins. He pulls out his phone and


    aims it at me to take a picture, "Smile for the Alpha.¡±


    "Huh?" I say as I shovel a fork full of pasta into my mouth. He snaps the picture.


    ¡°Alpha said to send proof you been eating like he ordered. No better proof than a picture," Marco


    chuckles as he sends the picture off.


    -Really, Marco? That''s the picture you sent? Iugh as he shows it to me.


    "Hey Luna, what better proof could I send him? It will make himugh," he smiles with a shrug.


    "Um, sorry to interrupt, Goddess, but you don¡¯t happen to have any extra, do you?" Elder Randall asks


    as he steps out of the little house. The expression on his face makes me ufortable, but I can¡¯t


    pinpoint why.


    "Sorry, Elder Randall, but no. I can ask Beta Lenora and Tyree to order something from the kitchen for


    you. It will be ready by the time we get back,¡± Marco speaks for me, switching his tone back to his


    formal work voice.


    ¡®Thank you, uh, Marco is it? Don''t worry about it. I will be fine. I can have an omega bring my meal to


    my suite when we get back,¡± Randall holds his hands up and gives an awkward smile.


    I inwardly smile, grateful that I don¡¯t have to confront Randall or share my garlic bread with him, but I


    want to talk to him about the way he has run the pack for thest two years. I look at Marco and tilt my


    head, trying to show I need a few minutes alone with the old Elder.


    Marco takes his hand out of his pocket and looks at his watch. I recognize it as one I helped Musu pick


    out for his birthday.


    "As soon as the Luna is done eating, we can get back to work. It has been taking fifteen minutes per


    house, so we should be done in about an hour and a half," he advises Elder Randall, ¡°I''m just going to


    step over to the car to call my mate. If you or the


    Luna need anything, I just call for me, Sir.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    I see Elder Randall''s face darken slightly for a moment, then back to its usual ufortable smile. I


    wonder what that''s about?


    ¡®That sounds just fine,¡± he sneers slightly.


    As Marco wanders away toward the car, I beckon Randall to sit down with me, "Elder Randall, please


    sit. A request from a goddess."


    "Anything for you, Goddess lokaste,¡± he gives his fake smile again. I feel my back stiffen at him using


    my full name, but I don¡¯t correct him. He groans as he sits on the step with me.


    ¡°Randall, I want you to know I have spoken to Alpha Regent Bronx. Over the course of thest two


    years, you have run this pack further into the ground than a drunkard, abusive Alpha ever could. The


    treatment of the people here is appalling. As a member of the Elder Council, you should be ashamed of


    yourself,¡± I scold the man in as calm a voice as I can, but I notice in the evening light, a slight aura is


    Surrounding me.


    "Goddess, I assure you, I have tried my best. The situation here was well, it was-¡±


    "It was better two years ago when my former Alpha was whipping me nearly to death every night than it


    is now," I snap, "You have done this pack a disservice. Honestly, I don''t believe you ever looked for a


    suitable Alpha for these people. I don''t think you have put any effort into helping them at all and now


    you have made it Bronx and my concern.¡±


    I see his face nch as his mouth opens and closes a few times, but he says nothing.


    "What really gets me. Like really, really gets me angry," my aura glows brighter now, ¡°is that you have


    been treating young girls of this pack as ves. And don''t deny that you haven''t."


    "Goddess, I did what I had to do to fulfill my duties to the Council," he voice has an irritated growl.


    ¡®Then you have failed the Council, Sir. The Council is supposed to beposed of the best retired


    Alphas and Alpha Regents ourmunity has to offer. If this is your best effort, you are clearly not part


    of the echelons you think you are," I use my words to hit him where it counts. Telling him he is not as


    elite as he thinks he is.


    "Randall, not only have you done an abysmal job here, my Beta advised this morning that out of the


    four hundred adults, only two hundred and fifty have requested toe to Blood River. That''s going to


    leave a lot of rogues and asylum seekers in my region to manage.¡±


    "Goddess, I won''t apologize for what has happened here. I won''t take responsibility for this pack who


    refused to take responsibility for themselves. We will finish tomorrow in the pack house with


    assessments and registrations for transfers. The following morning, you will go home and I have to stay


    here and deal with the aftermath."


    "And what aftermath do you think that is?" I furrow my brow.


    "Hope. You have given this group hope. The worst kind of incentive. A promise you cannot guarantee


    and now it will be difficult to control them," his voice is cruel and cold now. I control my breathing and


    will my energy to turn inward before something bad happens.


    "Marco! We''re ready here,¡± I call out. He lifts his head in recognition and hangs up the phone while he


    jogs over. He takes the carton from me and leads us to the car so we can finish assessing thest of


    the run down cottages.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Bronx''s POV


    I have some pretty dumb ideas sometimes. I''m man enough to admit that. Sending Kas away for five


    days, that is probably the dumbest I''ve had in a long time. I know because when I roll over to pull her


    into my arms, but she''s not there. It''s my own stupid fault. I have to settle for her green and gray


    nket to get her scent. I growl into the empty nket, upset that it is not my mate.


    Only one more night, Bronx. You can do this, I tell myself. I look at the ceiling, thinking about the


    conversation I had with Kasst night. I was so proud to hear her tell me about her conversation with


    Randall. And d to hear they only have to finish assessing the packhouse while Lenora finishes


    registrations. They will leave first thing tomorrow.


    I let out a heavy sigh before I pull myself out of bed and get a shower.


    I grab a towel and dry myself off. I throw it over my head and rub it through my hair, drying it as much


    as possible. When I pull the towel off, I swear I see a glowing sh of purple in the mirror. I pause and


    look closer, but there is nothing. It must have been my imagination. Ib my hair back, then start


    shaving. The sh catches my attention again in my peripheral vision. I can see it on the side of my


    face where I have no eye. I snap my head around and look, but there''s nothing there.


    Lady Camille had told me she believed I was developing an aura like Kas because of how close our


    connection is. I was absorbing Kas''s extra energy, and it was having a physical effect on me. She and I


    decided to keep a close eye on it, since she would be in town for a few more weeks with Delh. I look


    down at my hands, but they aren''t glowing. Whatever that light was, it''s noting from me.


    I look in the mirror one more time and pause, trying to look around without moving my head, just


    shifting my eye back and forth. Whatever it was, it''s gone now. I finish shaving and brush my teeth.


    When I get to the door, I feel a heat against my back. I quickly turn to see a purple light in the room


    suddenly fade. I can''t tell where it originated from, just that it was in the bathroom and it was hot.


    "James, I''m sorry to bother you, but I think I need Delh toe to my apartment. Something weird is


    happening up here," I mind link Kas''s guard.


    "No problem, Alpha. We have an appointment with the specialist this morning. Do you need her before


    or can it wait until after?"


    "After is fine. I have meetings all morning. If you two could meet me up here at lunch, that would be


    perfect.¡±


    "Yes, Alpha. See you then," James confirms.


    I take another good look around the bathroom. Nothing seems suspicious or out-of-ce now, so I go


    about my business and finish getting ready. Milo and Reggie meet me at thending of the third floor.


    Both looking chipper and ready to work.


    "Morning Alpha! How did you sleep?" Reggie chirps.


    "Fine. What are you so happy about?¡± I ask.


    "After our meetings yesterday, Ashley had a doctor appointment, and we found out we''re having a girl!¡±


    "Oh man! That''s awesome!¡± Milo gives Reggie a big hug, "She and Codi are gonna be best friends just


    like their moms. I know it."


    I smile and shake his hand, "Congrats, Reggie. Very happy for you two.¡±


    "Thanks, guys. Come on, Bronx. When is it your turn? We need a little mini Bronx running around this


    ce,¡± Reggieughs.


    "Don''t worry, Kas and I are working on it," I turn my head to the ground, not really wanting to make eye


    contact, and talk about my sex life in the hallway, ¡°It''s not for ack of trying.¡±


    "Well, if you need any pointers-¡±


    "Milo, whatever you think you are about to say, think twice. My little sister is your mate,¡± I warn.


    "Oh, yeah. Reggie, give Bronx some pointers,¡± Miloughs, elbowing Reggie.


    Reggie''s face reddens a little, "Uh, yeah Bronx, if...you know... mean...if you need any advice,


    uh...lemme know. Otherwise let''s drop this conversation." Milo and Iugh at Reggie''s modesty. As we


    get to thending of the second floor, there is a distinct change in energy in the air. It feels like static


    building around US, ready to spark. All three of US stop in our tracks.


    "You feel that?" Milo asks, his eyes growing ck and fangs extending. Reggie and I follow suit, letting


    our wolvese forward in case we are being attacked.


    I look over the railing of thending down to the first floor to see if I can see the source of the


    disturbance.


    "What the...? Kas? Leni?" I must be hallucinating. They are supposed to be at Silver Moon, not here


    while Santoro Enterprises is here. I sniff the air but don''t smell either of their scents. What is


    happening?


    "Lenora? Sugar, what are you doing?!" Milo rushes down the stairs.


    I look again and realize Kas and Lenora aren''t just standing on the main level. They are having an


    argument. I watch, horrified, as Lenora lifts Kas off the ground, holding her up with both hands by the


    throat. The smell of blood wafts in the air as Lenora¡¯s ws pierce the scarred skin on the sides of


    Kas''s throat. There is a look of pure hate and rage in the ck eyes of Lenora¡¯s wolf, Justice, as she


    strangles a thrashing Kas.


    "Lenora! stop!¡± I yell, skipping steps as I run down the stairs. Lenora finally looks up at me and her face


    turns pale. Her eyes turn back to their regr green and she lets go of Kas, letting her fall to the


    ground with a hard thud. Before we can stop her, Lenora takes off, running full speed out the door of


    the packhouse. Milo and Reggie take off after her.


    "Kas? Are you okay, Baby?" I get to the bottom of the stairs and kneel next to Kas. I can immediately


    tell something isn''t right when I touch her. There are no sparks of our mate bond. Her scent is off. So is


    her body posture and her energy. Is she falling into a vision? Goddess, please no. Not on the main floor


    of the packhouse where everyone can see her. She will be so embarrassed.


    I keep my hand on her back, bending forward to see her face. Kas coughs as she catches her air, but


    she is doing something with her hands at the same time. I can''t tell


    ¡®That''s so cute, you call her Baby,¡± Kas giggles softly between her coughs.


    What is she talking about? Something is wrong with her voice.


    ¡°Kas?¡± The energying off of her makes me feel slightly nauseous.


    She finally looks up at me, and I see it isn''t Kas at all. I feel myself freeze on the spot. What the fuck?


    She looks exactly like Kas, but it isn''t her. This woman doesn''t have Kas''¡¯s scars. Her smile is cruel and


    cold and her violet eyes are calcting and careless at the same time.


    ¡°Oops, looks like Bronx just found out his mate has a look alike,¡± herugh is like a cackle as she looks


    at me.


    "Who - who are you?¡± I whisper trying to process what I''m seeing. All the videos we had seen of Kas''s


    sisters showed women that looked simr to her, but never this close.


    "Name''s Leticia, Bronx. I would stay for tea, but I think that''s my cue to leave," she looks behind me. I


    turn my eyes away from her and see James and Delh standing near the front door, watching US with


    horrified looks. Delh is starting a spell under her breath.


    "NOI You have to protect her,¡± Saint growls in my mind.


    "What the Hell are you talking about you crazy ass wolf?" I ask him, trying to wrap my head around


    everything happening in the moment.


    "You''re her guardian, dummy. It¡¯s your fucking job to protect her. So do it! Don''t let the witch hurt her!"


    Saint roars louder.


    "This isn''t Kas, Saint!"


    "I KNOW! JUST DO IT!¡± He gives a frustrated snarl and takes over my movements, pulling me back


    from being in control of my body.


    He positions me between this mystery woman and Delh, blocking any spell Delh is going to try to


    use against her.


    Leticia sits up straight and throws her hands out away from her body. As she does, a focused point of


    light purple light shoots out from her chest into the middle of the room. It quickly grows and glows so


    brightly, I have to look away from it.


    "Don''t worry, Bronx, I''ll be back,¡± she pats the side of my face as she giggles. Before I can stop her, she


    jumps up and sprints for the purple light. I try to scramble to my feet to chase her, but Deln releases


    her spell, trying to knock the woman off her feet. Saint forces me to throw my body to block the pulse of


    Delh''s spell instead of chasing after Leticia. I watch as Kas''s look alike dives into the purple light and


    it disappears. At the same time, Delh¡¯s spell hits me and knocks me backward into a side table,


    smashing it to pieces. Saint conveniently gives back control just as I hit the ground.


    "Saint, you have some exining to do,¡± I growl.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    "I just did! You''re Leticia''s guardian. You can''t let Delh or anyone else hurt her. You really are dense


    sometimes,¡± he scolds like this is all some sort ofmonce urrence.


    I sit for a moment with everyone looking at me. I can feel anger bubbling up inside me and I let it.


    Losing control inside your own packhouse?


    Uneptable.


    "What the fuck just happened in my packhouse?" I roar, ¡°James, Delh, my office now! Reggie, find


    Milo. Get Musu from upstairs, You''re all meeting me up there too.¡±

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    I throw open the door to my office, letting it m against the wall, and pace in front of my desk as


    everyone else files into the room. My rage is flowing off of me but I don¡¯t care.


    "Conference table," I snarl, pointing to the back of the room. James and Delh quietly go to the table


    and take a seat. James looks at the table with his neck exposed to me.


    Delh just looks terrified. I don''t think I have ever seen her eyes so dark blue.


    A momentter, Musu pokes her head in through the open door. Her eyes widen when she senses the


    anger.


    "Alpha, you sent for me?" she asks innocently.


    "Sit!" I growl at her, still pacing. She scurries over to the table and joins James and Delh.


    Saint is raging in my head, not because of a random portal opening in the packhouse, but because of


    the intruder who looked like Kas being attacked by a woman who looked like Lenora.


    "Saint, knock it off¡±


    "We have to go after her! We have to help her!" he howls desperately.


    "And how the fuck are we supposed to do that? You know where she went? You know how to get


    there? Do you know what she''s doing once she gets there? Because if you do, you and I have to have


    some really serious conversations about withholding information from me,¡± I seethe at him.


    "Bronx, I don''t know how to tell you any other way. You are a Guardian. Yeah, you need to protect our


    mate, but there are other goddesses who need US, too. I don''t know where the Hell she went but we


    have to find her.¡±


    ¡®You''re impossible, Saint. I¡¯m not even going to pretend to agree with you because I don''t


    understand...at all. Kas is our mate and our priority. All this other insanity is not our business. Well, it


    wasn''t until it started happening inside my packhouse.¡±


    Saint groans and continues pacing restlessly, but doesn''t argue with me again.


    I know I need to calm down before I speak to the people sitting at my conference table. Anything that


    comes out of my mouth right now will be fueled by an anger that shouldn''t be directed at them.


    Reggie appears in the doorway, ¡°Alpha, Milo''s on his way. He should be here in ten minutes. It was


    Tessa, without the wig and contacts. Don''t worry, we caught her."


    "Good. Sit," I point to the table. The news feeds me a sense of satisfaction, but it does nothing for my


    temper. I take a breath and go stand at the head of the table, gripping the back of the chair tightly. I''m


    not sure how long it has been, but my patience is dissolving as I wait for Milo.


    "Before Milo and Tessa get here...What the fuck just happened out there? How did that imposter of my


    mate breach our security?


    How was she able to create a portal inside MY packhouse?" No one answers me, making me even


    more angry. I m my fist on the table, shaking the room, creating an indent in the oak table. So much


    for controlling my temper. 1


    "A-Alpha, I-l,¡± Deln speaks. James holds her hand to give her support.


    ¡®What is it Delh?¡± I snarl, staring her down.


    "Alpha, I ced wards over the packhouse grounds as soon as the Luna reappeared from the pool,¡±


    she looks like she is going to cry but she keeps speaking, "Anyone who could have magic strong


    enough to get through them must be extremely powerful or using very dark magic."


    "So that person impersonating Kas is a dark witch? Is that what you''re saying?¡± I ask, putting my hands


    on my hips.


    "I don''t know for sure, but I will say, naturally urring portals are always white. Her portal being violet


    instead of white would indicate it is not a natural ability for her. She had to gain it somehow. Gaining


    powerful magic like that is not usually of a light persuasion, Sir.¡±


    "Dark magic. That''s what Musu¡¯s research has shown for the past year now. Delh, Lady Camille is


    still here, right?¡±


    ¡®Yes, Alpha."


    I put my head up and look at the ceiling, trying to think. There aren''t any answers up there.


    "James, take your mate to her appointment, then bring Lady Camille here. We need her and Delh to


    boost those wards. That is, if you''re able to Delh, with everything considered,¡± I allude to her


    pregnancy without actually saying it, "Don''t put yourself at risk.¡±


    "Yes, Alpha," James responds, sounding grateful to be excused from the room. He stands up and


    walks out. Delh pulls his hand, stopping him.


    "Alpha, I will do my best and I-I''m sorry I hit you with that spell. I aimed it at that intruder. I-I was trying


    to stop her from escaping,¡± she sounds like she is going to cry at any second. I finally stop looking at


    the ceiling and look at her.


    "It''s alright, Delh. You did the right thing. I know it goes against your morals to attack someone. If


    anyone can handle it, it''s me. I appreciate your dedication to Blood River and loyalty to Kas and to me,"


    Her eyes are still deep navy blue, showing how stressed out she is. I listen carefully for a moment. I


    can hear her heartbeat pounding. My tone softens when I continue,


    "Honestly, Delh. You have nothing to worry about. You are not in trouble for using magic in the


    packhouse. It was an emergency, and you did what you had to do for our pack. You can rx.¡±


    She smiles slightly and turns to leave. James gives me a silent nod of thanks and leads her from the


    office. I look at my watch. Twenty minutes until we are supposed to be in the conference room. I mind


    link Carly.


    "Carly, make sure everyone from Santoro Enterprises is in the conference room. Including Persephone


    or Cora or whatever the fuck she goes by."


    "Alpha, is everything alright?"


    "No, but don''t tell them that. Just stall until I get there.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Alpha."


    As I finish the mind link, I can hear a ruckus in the hallway. Reggie and Musu both stand up. Reggie


    touches her forearm and shakes his head slightly, motioning for her to sit back down. She twists her


    face in frustration but obliges.


    Milo and one of the senior guards appear in the doorway, dragging Tessa by her armpits. She is


    wearing silver handcuffs. Her ck ponytail is askew and her green eyes look wild.


    "Let me go!" she snarls at Milo, with her fangs and ws extended and her eyes are pitch ck. Milo


    and the guard ignore her and keep a firm hold of her armpits as she struggles against them. She can''t


    shift with the handcuffs on. I''m surprised she''s strong enough to let her wolfe forward at all.


    "Let her go,¡± I sneer at Milo and the guard, ring at the woman. I feel my eyes turn ck as Saint


    directs his anger at her, too.


    The guard lets go of her, and Milo shoves her forward. I grab her by the cor and pull her toward me. I


    feel my breath getting heavy and I notice a purple aura surrounding me, but ignore it.


    ¡®The only reason I didn¡¯t throw you in the dungeon as soon as you walked through my packhouse doors


    earlier this week is because I promised my mate I wouldn¡¯t. Give me one reason I shouldn''t snap your


    neck right now and tell her you took off in the middle of the night, Tessa?¡± Saint''s gravely voice booms


    from me. I stare her down inches from her face, letting his anger flow through me.


    The ck of her wolf''s eyes recede, and they are crisp green again. I have to stop myself from thinking


    I am threatening Lenora.


    This is most definitely not my sister. I can sense fearing from her, but something else too. As I look


    into her eyes, I can tell she is much older than her physical appearance. She has lived lifetimes through


    the same eyes. She looks at me like she¡¯s known me for an eternity. Maybe she has. Mixed in with her


    fear, I feel a sense of duty and responsibility. I feel the soul of a warrior, a soldier reaching out, not


    wanting to ept her fate. It''s like she feels as if she''s the only one who could be in her position right


    now.


    "Bronx...I-l...S-Saint...please. ..it-it''s not what you think...Leticia...she''s gone too far d-dark. I''m here to


    protect you and lokaste. I swear,¡± she panics and stumbles over her words, "Mother lit the harbinger


    lamp purple. I was trying to stop her. 1-1 wouldn''t lie to you. I promise. Please. Please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    I continue staring at her. Saint and I both try to decide if we should trust her.


    "What''s her deal, Saint? Howe you weren''t willing to hurt Leticia, but you have no problem


    snapping this woman¡¯s neck?" I ask him curiously.


    ¡®We are only responsible for the Mavri Magea. Contessa leads the Sentinel. She can kiss my fluffy


    white ass,¡± he growls.


    That was not helpful at all. Let''s try this again.


    "Sentinel? So she is some sort of guard or warrior or something?"


    ¡®Yeah. They all have giant sticks up their asses. Always worried about the # rules¡¯," he huffs.


    I drag Tessa by the cor to the conference room table and force her down into a seat, "Watch her.


    Musu, follow me.¡±


    Milo and the guard nod and step forward while Musu stands up and obediently follows me. I move to


    the metal door on the far side of the room and punch in the security code on the pad to the left of the


    door. It silently slides open. I step to the side and let Musu enter first. Once we are both inside, I press


    the button to shut the door.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Musu takes a deep breath and looks around my private library. She spends a lot of time here, but she


    clearly doesn''t understand why I pulled her in right now.


    "What is Mavri Magea?" I ask her, trying to remember I have no problem with her.


    "Uh, Greek. It can be dark magic or ck magic,¡± she nods confidently.


    ¡®You''re sure?" I ask hesitantly.


    "Yes, Alpha. One hundred percent," she confirms.


    I sigh and rub my hands over my face, "Give me a moment, Musu. I need to have an argument with my


    wolf.¡±


    "Oh, uh, okay?" she gives me a confused look. Obviously, she gets along with her wolf.


    "Saint, you said Tessa leads this Sentinel group, right?"


    ¡®Yeah. Uptight assholes."


    "Is Kas the leader of this Mavri Magea group?"


    "DING! DING! DING! Finally! Someone give the man a prize.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    "Musu, I am sorry, but you are about to see a side of me I rarely show to pack members. I''m just going


    to step over there,¡± I point to the other side of the room, trying to sound as calm as possible, "Please


    don''t be scared. I will be right back.¡±


    Musu nods slowly, like she is questioning my sanity. Can''t me her. I''m questioning it too. I walk to the


    far side of the room and grip the back of the leather loveseat, with my back to her. My entire body


    tenses up and I feel my ws extend, tearing into the brown leather. A deep rumbling growl rips


    through me, making the entire room shake until my voice is a full on roar. When I have let out as much


    of my frustration as I can, I stand up straight and take a deep breath. When I tum around, I see Musu


    standing against the door to exit the library.


    "I feel much better now, Musu. Again, I apologize for the outburst, but every dam has a breaking point,¡±


    I exin. When she doesn''t look like she is going to run for her life, I ask her to sit at a table with me.


    She sits at the edge of the chair, looking at me suspiciously, just in case she needs to run.


    I exin to her what Saint just informed me of and ask if any of it sounds familiar or makes sense.


    She looks around for a moment, then stands up and goes to a bookshelf. She pulls out a giant book


    and puts it on one of the reading stands. I stand up and watch as she flips the pages.


    "Alpha, this answers so many questions I had about this passage," she says with a look of relief,


    pointing to a handwritten diary page. I look at my watch, "Well, you have five minutes to exin it to


    me.¡±


    When she finishes, I tell her to wait in the library for half an hour, then she is to go directly back to the


    suite next to my apartment. She nods in understanding and wishes me good luck before I push the


    button to exit the room.


    I fix my suit jacket and sit down in front of Tessa. I smile, but she looks scared by it. Imagine that. It''s


    not one of my genuine smiles Kas always talks about.


    ¡®Tessa, would you like US to take off the silver handcuffs?"


    "Since when do you have a sense of humor?" She snarls, "Of course I want them taken off.¡±


    "Good. Here are the conditions to your new found jewelry being taken off," I lean my elbows on my


    knees and get close to her face so I can make sure she understands as I exin my terms.


    When I get down to the conference room, we greet the Santoro Enterprises team and apologize for our


    tardiness. As we sit down and prepare for the first presentation, Reggie gives me a concerned look.


    "All good, Alpha?¡± He asks.


    "Uh yeah, but I need to take a break at lunch so Delh can check something out in my apartment,¡± I


    try to sound casual.


    "You need a witch to look at something in your apartment?¡± Milo asks suspiciously.


    "Eh, I''m sure it''s nothing. I thought I saw a purple light in the bathroom. And I realize how crazy that


    sounds, but two full years of craziness with Kas around and this is bottom tier stuff. Delh will probably


    just burn some sage in the bathroom and call it a day."


    ¡°Alright, just let US know if you need US for anything,¡± Reggie concedes, seeing that I don¡¯t want to get


    into more detail.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Katherine pretending not to hear our conversation.


    "Amari, I trust those of you who went for a runst night found it suitable? Our guards were not


    intrusive?¡± Milo asks with a syrupy tone in his voice.


    "It was perfect. Thank you so much again. Your hospitality has been so wonderful. We appreciate all


    the amodations you have provided US,¡± she beams as she talks.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®That¡¯s great. Oh, will Persephone being down to discuss the parcel ofnd?" Milo asks. He smiles


    before he continues, ¡®We just want to help her out as far as thendscape in this area goes. I have


    some topographical and satellite maps to show her. I really just need her for half an hour or so? We


    can let her go back to her suite right after."


    "Yes, she should be here in just a few minutes. She just needed to get changed,¡± Katherine chimes in.


    ¡°Alright, let''s get started, shall we? We are short a few people this morning because of some


    mandatory pack training, but Milo, Reggie, and I should be able to handle everything. My assistant


    gave me all the notes I need,¡± I say, holding up the papers Carly had given me at our breakfast debrief.


    ¡®That''s fine," Katherine smiles.


    We get started with the meeting and make it through a full presentation and question-and-answer


    session about physical security. There is a knock on the door and a woman wearingrge dark


    sunsses with her hair tightly wrapped in a silk scarf walks in. Her movements are elegant but


    guarded at the same time.


    "Persephone, thank you for joining US," I stand, holding my hand palm up toward her. Letting her ce


    her hand on top of mine is more primal motion than a handshake. A silent way to show she can have


    dominance over the encounter. I feel a surge of powerful ambient energye from her, raw and pure.


    The urge to shift flows through me but dissipates when I let go of her hand.


    ¡®Why did you let go? That''s the good shit!¡± Saint bounces off the walls of my brain. 2


    ¡®This is the woman you said I would never meet?¡± I ask him.


    "Uhh, yeah. I guess I was wrong. There''s a first time for everything," heughs nervously, then crawls


    into the back of my mind.


    I lead her over to Milo at the other end of the room so they can spread out maps and discuss the


    parcel. The rest of US break off into smaller groups to discuss more specific concerns about the


    contract until there is a knock at the door.


    Carly pokes her head in, "Gamma Reggie, I''m so sorry but you''re needed downstairs. There''s a


    problem in the weight room that needs your attention.¡±


    "Sure thing. Excuse me. So sorry for the disruption," Reggie says quickly. He bows as he leaves the


    room.


    Before the door closes, Tessa pulls in a cart with drinks and snacks. She is back in her blonde wig and


    blue contacts, wearing her housekeeping uniform. She looks around the room and sees Milo sitting


    separately with Persephone. I can see her back stiffen slightly. Persephone looks up and sees Tessa.


    For a moment, I think she is going to stand up and go to her sister, but she just stares for a moment


    before turning her attention back to the maps.


    As Tessa pours drinks for everyone when the door opens again. Carly peeks in, looking more frazzled.


    "Alpha, Beta, I''m so sorry. We need both of you. Today seems like a day full of emergencies,¡± she says


    frantically.


    I look at Milo, who shrugs at me and stands up.


    "I sincerely apologize for this," I bow as I back up, ¡®We will be back as soon as we can. Tessa, would


    you mind staying and making sure our guests are taken care of until we get back?"


    "Y-yes, Alpha, of course,¡± she smiles dutifully.


    I follow Milo out of the room and close the door tightly behind US. He turns and nods at me, then waves


    me down the hall. We go to a small security guard room with dozens of monitors. Reggie and Carly are


    already there. Carly directs the guard with which cameras to pull up, then hits the record button on the


    touch screen. Within seconds, the


    Santoro Enterprises team all stand up and confront Tessa.


    Katherine grabs her by the wrist and starts growling about Tessa leaving suddenly and scaring


    everyone. Tessa doesn''t back down from her Luna. She swats her hand away and growls back about


    needing to protect the guardians.


    "Who the Hell are the guardians?" Reggie asks, looking into the monitor with his chin in his hands.


    "Don''t worry. You will find out soon enough,¡± I murmur, not looking away from the screen.


    We let them bicker for about five minutes until we are pretty sure we have all the information we are


    going to get. Then Milo, Reggie, and I all make our way back down to the conference room, talking


    loudly to make sure our guests can hear using. Everyone looks much moreposed than they


    did a minute ago when we watched them on the monitor.


    ¡®Thank you so much for your patience,¡± I say as we enter the room.


    Katherine nods her head curtly and shuffles the papers in front of her. Tessa goes back to serving


    drinks to the people around the table as if nothing happened.


    As I take my seat, I hear a loud groan of pain and a ss shatter. I look up to see Tessa clutching her


    chest, doubled over in pain. Her eyes are wide and filling with tears.


    ¡®Tessa? What happened?" I stand up quickly and make my way over to her. Katherine, Amari, and


    Persephone do the same.


    I watch as Tessa slides her shaking hand against her head and pulls off her wig, exposing her shiny


    ck hair.


    "Alexandros!" she gasps, trying to catch her breath while she still clutches her chest, "No no no no!


    Goddess no!"


    "Who''s Alexandros?" Milo asks as he helps her sit in a chair.


    "Her mate," Persephone, pulls her sunsses off, exposing her blood red irises. She kneels in front of


    Tessa looking at her with concern.


    Tessa lets out a shrill cry of pain as tears stream down her face. She shakes and sobbing heavily as


    Katherine and the other Manae try tofort her.


    I know the feeling all too well, the sudden breaking of the mate bond when your mate dies. It¡¯s the most


    painful feeling in the world. Like a giant ck hole tearing open inside you, sucking you into darkness.


    We stand back, not sure what to do. This is not how we nned this. There is another urgent knock on


    the door, then Carly peaking in again.


    "Alpha just got a call from Silver Moon. Code Violet. And Gamma, your wife needs you immediately.


    There¡¯s a problem,¡± Carly says with tears in her eyes.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Kas¡¯s POV


    "Good morning, Luna!" Tyree chimes in a sing-song voice and gives me a toothy grin when I open the


    door. Lenora and Marco are right behind him, looking just as happy, "Ha HA! Today''s thest day! We


    get to go home tomorrow! Come on, time for breakfast. The sooner we finish, the more time we have to


    rxter.¡±


    "Yeah! Last day! I can''t wait to get it started!" I smile at his enthusiasm and let him in the room with the


    to-go boxes of food.


    "I noticed they didn''t have a whole lotta fruit in the deliveries. I swiped this from the kitchen for you,"


    Marco pulls a banana from his jacket pocket before he cuts up his pancakes.


    ¡®Thanks, Marco," I reply gratefully. I eat the banana first, then cut the rest of my food, thinking about


    what needs to be finished today.


    "Earth to Kas," I hear Lenora say.


    "Huh? What?" I look up at her.


    "You''ve been poking at that same piece of food for ten minutes. Have you heard anything I''ve said?"


    she looks at me, concerned.


    "l-uh, no, honestly,¡± I drop my shoulders, "I am just a little preupied guys. Sorry.¡±


    "What''s wrong, Luna?" Tyree tilts his head.


    "Tyree, is there any way I can get you to call my Kas when we are not in public?¡± I ask, trying not to


    whine. 2


    "Sorry Luna, my mom would banish me herself if she ever found out I didn''t call you by your title. And


    that woman has eyes and ears everywhere. I can''t risk it," he has a faraway look in his eyes as he


    thinks about the consequences of having to face his mother. He shakes the feeling and goes back to


    eating his breakfast.


    Marco chuckles and raises his eyebrows as he sips his orange juice, ¡°I''ve met his mom. She would do


    it. I wouldn''t mess with her."


    I sit back in my chair and sigh, "It''s just that I have to go into the dungeon today. I know it will be a quick


    walkthrough. There isn''t anything down there except maybe my old furniture, but still. Just thinking


    about it gives me the creeps."


    I stare at my te until I realize the room has grown quiet. When I look up, I see Lenora and my guards


    looking at me with pity. I don''t want anyone''s pity. I''m not a ve anymore. I''m a Luna.


    "I can do it for you,¡± Lenora offers. She¡¯s giving me her ''mom¡¯ look. The one she gives Codi when Codi


    can''t tell her why she''s crying but Lenora wants to fix whatever''s wrong. I push down my feelings and


    clear my throat before I give her a serious look.


    "No," I say with resolve, "It¡¯s my responsibility. Besides, I need to show myself there is no reason to be


    afraid of being down there."


    I make myself eat a couple of bites of food, but I¡¯m too nervous to be hungry, "Sorry, Marco, you''re


    going to have to tell the Alpha that I refused to follow orders this morning. If he gets upset with you, I''ll


    deal with him."


    "Don''t worry, Kas. I''ll figure out a way to step around the truth this one time," he says quietly. Lenora


    and Tyree nod in agreement.


    I take another big breath, ¡°Alright, let''s talk about business. I don''t want to talk about emotional crap


    anymore."


    Wee up with our n of attack to get everything done as quickly as possible. Lenora will finish


    registrations. She also


    confirms Ashley has arranged for moving trucks and coach busses to take the first families to Blood


    River in four days. The few pack members who have cars will follow behind the busses. All families


    have young daughters who have been pulled out of school to work in the packhouse.


    Lenora also lets me know that Nurse Diane has generously volunteered to go to the closed up hospital


    wing and collect medical records for the families who are being transferred. Knowing how important


    Diane is to me, Lenora schedules her to be part of the first group of transferees. She will act as a


    liaison between the families and the Blood River hospital staff. I''m d the Silver


    Moon families, especially the young children, will have a familiar face to speak with during the physicals


    and check-ups they need before they can attend school.


    Marco volunteers to make sure the first families are ready to go, answering questions for people still


    tentative about the move and to speak with thest few pack members who haven''t decided whether


    they should go to Blood River or seek asylum with other packs.


    Tyree escorts Elder Randall and me around the building. There is only the main floor, the basement,


    and the dungeon left. I estimate we should finish by midmorning, then we can help Lenora.


    ¡°Let''s finish with the dungeon. I already know there''s nothing down there, so it¡¯s really just a fast


    walkthrough. The kitchen will be a better ce to start," I advise Elder Randall.


    ¡®That sounds fine, Goddess," he audibly sighs with relief at my order.We make our way through the


    main floor and basement where the weight room andundry rooms are, making notes and determining


    what we can keep, sell, or have destroyed. There are no big surprises. There are a lot fewer items we


    can use or sell than I initially expected.


    The longer we inspect, the more ufortable Elder Randall looks.


    ¡®Elder Randall, are you alright? You seem a little, uh, nervous?" I ask, trying to dismiss his behavior as


    my overactive imagination.


    "Oh yes, Goddess,¡± he waves his hand toward me, "Last night''ste dinner is still wreaking havoc on


    my insides. That''s all."


    "Would you like to take a break before we keep going?¡¯


    "That''s unnecessary. We''re almost done,¡± he replies quickly.


    When I finally can''t stall anymore, we make our way to the top of the dungeon stairs. Randall fidgets


    nervously as he finds the key to the door.


    "Is there a problem, Elder Randall?¡± I ask.


    "Oh, no, Goddess, it''s just, you know, who enjoys wandering around in a dungeon?" heughs


    nervously as he tries to find the correct key. I see a little bead of sweat slide down the side of his face.


    I raise an eyebrow at his crass statement before I lean forward and snatch the keys out of his fumbling


    hands with a little growl.


    "Elder Randall, this dungeon was my home for thirteen extremely long... extremely painful years,¡± I pull


    my hair to the side and yank the cor of my shirt back, exposing a portion of the scars on my neck and


    upper back, "I have the scars to remind me of that fact every damn day. If a fifteen minute walkthrough


    of my former home is too much for you, Tyree and I can go on our own.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Randall looks mortified. I called him out and now he''s trying to find words to respond. When he can''t, I


    pull the well-worn dungeon key from the ring and slide it into the lock.


    The lock clicks open easily. As soon as I open the door, the scent of fresh blood assaults our noses.

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Tyree''s POV


    As soon as the Luna opens the door, the smell of blood is overwhelming. It isn''t old and stale, like you


    would normally smell in a dirty dungeon. This smells like someone just sloshed buckets of it down the


    hallway.


    How is that possible? The door was locked. I look over at the Elder, who looks pale and if I didn¡¯t know


    better, guilty. I send a mind link to Marco and Beta Lenora, letting them know I need backup. Honestly,


    the Luna can handle anything going on down there. Even if she wasn''t one of the strongest wolves I''ve


    ever met, with her powers she can defeat any threat, but it¡¯s my job to protect her, not the other way


    around.


    My wolf, yer, paces in my head, ¡°High alert, my man. This clearly ain''t right."


    "Agreed, yer. Let me know if you see anything. If memory serves me correctly, there isn''t a whole lot


    of room to move down there. We won''t be able to shift if there''s an actual emergency.¡±


    "Ten four," he growls.


    I let hime forward enough for my eyes to turn ck and extend my fangs. Just one step closer to


    shifting if we need to.


    "Luna, stand back,¡± I touch her elbow. She looks at me, trying to hide her fear, but her eyes are wide


    and her breathing gets heavier with building panic.


    "It''s alright, Luna. I''ve got this,¡± I reassure her and she steps back.


    I look at the Elder again. He looks like he''s about to bolt like a scared jackrabbit. I''m probably about to


    get fired for this, maybe even banished, but my wolf and my instincts are telling me not to let this guy


    out of my sight.


    Goddess, forgive me. I pull my handgun from the holster and press it on his back. He lets out a little


    gasp and starts to look back at me, but thinks twice.


    "W-what¡¯sthe meaning of this?" he stammers like a coward.


    "You first, Elder Randall,¡± I growl at the old man, pushing him toward the stairs.


    "I-I''m sure this i-isn''t, uh, n-necessary," still stuttering over his words,¡± probably just a leaky pipe or


    something of the sort.¡±


    I look at the Luna, who crosses her arms over her body and who shakes her head at me. She doesn¡¯t


    trust him either. Maybe she will put ina good word for me when I have to go to trial for threatening a


    member of the Elder Council. Maybe I won''t make it to the trial. Mom will probably kill me first.


    "Get movin¡¯, Elder,¡± I grip his shoulder with my other hand, pushing him forward. He makes his way


    slowly down the stairs, protesting the entire way.


    I feel the Luna close behind me as we make our way down. Out of my peripheral vision, I see her


    hands glowing purple. I know it''s her way of protecting herself, but it still makes me nervous when she


    does that stuff. You never know who she is going to use it on. I''m d she has never had to use it on


    me.


    As we reach the bottom of the stairs, we can hear a child near the end of the hallway crying. The Elder


    looks around, scared to move forward.


    "Wow, that squeaky door sure sounds like a child, doesn''t it? Heh heh..." his face has a cringey smile to


    it.


    ¡®Tyree, we have to help her," the Luna whispers to me, e on."


    "Marco, what¡¯s your ETA? There¡¯s a kid somewhere down here," I mind link again as we look in the first


    couple of empty cells to make sure they''re empty. I remember being down here to guard the Luna after


    the Alpha first found her. It is just as disgusting now as it was back then.


    "Less than two minutes,¡± he calls out, "Protect the Luna."


    "Also, something fishy about this Elder. I have my gun on him to make sure he doesn''t try anything


    funny.¡±


    "Yeah, don''t gotta to tell me twice. Keep ¡®em close."


    ¡®Tyree, the crying ising from where my old bedroom is," the Luna says. I look down to see her


    head tilted, looking down the dark hallway, curious to know who''s down there.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Luna, wait for Marco. He will be here in just a minute. We don''t know who or what is down there," I


    warn her, "the more backup we have, the better."


    "No, it''s okay. C-Can''t you feel the sadness? The fear?¡± her voice is barely a whisper. Before I can stop


    her, she walks silently down the hall.


    ¡°Luna! Please! Wait!" I hiss through my teeth.


    "Hello? Who''s there? You don¡¯t need to be afraid. We''re here to help," she calls down the corridor. The


    crying stops and a child¡¯s


    hups can be heard.


    From the end of the hall, a girl''s face peeks out from a doorway. She still has tears streaming down her


    face.


    "It''s okay, little one,e on. We can help you," the Luna squats down, urging the girl toe to her,


    "How did you get down here?"


    A look of feares across the girl''s face as she recognizes the Luna. Even from this far away, I can


    see her trembling.


    Just then, Marcoes charging down the stairs and steps in front of the Luna, "Luna! Stop! It could


    be a trap!¡±


    When he turns around and realizes the face at the end of the hallway is a child, he holsters his gun and


    slowly approaches the


    little girl, holding one hand behind him to show the Luna she shouldn''t follow 1


    "Hello, ninita [little girl]. I''m Marco. I''m one of the new pack guards, so you''re safe now. You can trust


    me," he says in the most soothing voice I¡¯ve heard from him in the twenty-three years I''ve known him,


    "You cane out. We aren''t here to hurt you. Well get you back to your parents. Okay?"


    ¡®The Luna did it," the girl whimpers and starts crying again, pointing at the Luna, "It wasn''t m-me I


    swear. I-I didn''t do it."


    I feel the Elder shift ufortably under my grip on his shoulder. He looks back at me and whispers,


    "You know, maybe we should call security. This seems like a job for professionals.¡±


    "Who the Hell do you think we are, old man? Pool boys?" I growl into his ear. His body stiffens again,


    and he turns back to watch Marco. I¡¯m dead meat when my mom finds out about this. Marco slowly


    makes his way to the girl. When he reaches the doorway, he looks into the room and freezes. He


    instantly scoops her up in his arms, and holds her tight against his body, hiding her face from whatever


    it is he sees.


    He backs away, whispering to the girl that she is safe, and no one can hurt her. Beta Lenora finally


    comes rushing down the stairs at the same time. She sees me holding my gun to the Elder''s back. Her


    eyes widen, but she says nothing.


    ¡®What happened?" Beta Lenora rushes toward Marco, taking the girl from him. The little girl can''t be


    over six or seven years old. She is covered in blood, but doesn''t seem hurt, just scared. She grips onto


    Beta Lenora tightly, crying and begging for the Beta to save her from the Luna. Beta Lenora looks


    confused by the child''s words.


    One eighteen,¡± Marco looks at me grimly, using the military code for a murder.


    ¡®What''s one eighteen?" The Luna asks, looking between US, "What does this girl think I did?"


    "Kas,e on, you don''t need to see what''s down there. Tyree and Marco can handle it. This child is


    terrified. Let''s get this her back to her parents," Beta Lenora urges.


    I look over at Marco. His shirt and the front of his jacket are soaked in blood where he was carrying the


    girl. Alook of recognition crosses his face. Without warning, he grabs the


    Elder by the throat and ms him against the wall. Looks like I won''t be the only one to stand trial.


    "Why was there a little girl down here with a grown man?¡± He snarls at Elder Randall.


    The Elder trembles under Marco''s hand. The smell of urine fills the air.


    ¡®I-I don''t know," he whimpers. The Luna steps up, her eyes are pitch ck now too.


    "There''s a man down there?" The Luna interrupts.


    "Was," Marco growls, "Someone killed him.¡±


    "The door was locked, Randall," the Luna snarls at him, ¡¯ You have the only key."


    "4-1..." he stammers, his eyes are filling up with tears.


    "Lock him in a cell,¡± The Luna orders.


    "Kas, let''s go upstairs. We need to find this girl''s parents and call the Council," Lenora begs.


    The Luna ignores her and starts making her way down the hall.


    "Kas! Nol" Marco yells, but it¡¯s toote. She is standing in front of the doorway, her purple glow getting


    brighter and brighter until we have to avert our eyes.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    When the light fades, we look back down the hall. The Luna is standing there looking into the room with


    a slight purple glow around her now. Her scent is gone, so is our pack link. It doesn''t hurt, it''s just kind


    of like a light switch being turned off inside me. I feel so...empty without it. It makes me ufortable.


    It''s like she¡¯s a hollow shell of the Luna standing down there.


    Marco takes a step toward her before he stops short and turns around. He''s got a weird look in his eye.


    I can practically feel him bing more protective of all of US. He points to Beta Lenora.


    "Beta, please get that child upstairs. She shouldn''t be here for this. Call in a Code Violet to Carly. Call


    the Elder Council. I''m going to check on Kas until you get back," Marco orders Beta Lenora. He tums to


    me, "Tyree, get that asshole in a cell and meet me at the end of the hall. The Luna has the keys when


    we''re ready to get him out.¡±


    Look at the big man, taking charge instead of taking orders. I''m not used to seeing it but it suits him.


    I grab the Elder and push him into the closest cell. I use my foot to close the door so I won''t get burned


    by the silver. When I''m sure I locked him in, watch for a moment while this guy cries and blubbers for


    mercy before jogging down the hall to where Marco is.


    I take a quick look into the room Marco pulled the little girl out of. I wish I hadn''t. It is the most


    grotesque thing I''ve ever seen. How could that even happen to someone? And that little girl witnessed


    it? I still don''t understand why she thought the Luna did it, but it doesn''t matter right now.


    Marco is on one knee, doing his best to not touch the Luna, like the Alpha has ordered. His hands


    hovering just above her wrists, like it''s taking everything he has to not grab her by the arms.


    "Come on, Kas. Snap out of it. If you can hear me,e over to where my voice is. Pleasee


    back,¡± he begs, looking into her ssy eyes. I know the Luna, Marco, and James have been through a


    lot together in the past couple years. Sne and Marco have especially be close friends.


    Right now, watching him desperately trying to wake her up out of this trance, you can see she is more


    than an assignment to him. More than his Luna who he respects. He is scared for his friend. He wants


    to be able to help her.


    I step forward, "Marco, just touch her, man. I know we''re not supposed to but the Alpha ain''t here and it


    will take at least six hours for him to get here."


    Marco looks up at me, then back at the Luna, scrunching up his eyebrows, while he has an internal


    battle with himself.


    "Let''s wait until Beta Lenora gets back. Make sure she agrees," he nods, not looking away from the


    Luna.


    "Okay, yeah, that sounds like a n,¡± I p my hand on his shoulder, "Let me at least pull the key ring


    out of her hand. Okay?¡±


    I hold my hands up so he can see I don''t mean to hurt her. His eyes flick toward me as he nods, then


    back to the Luna. His hands are still hovering an inch over her arms, like he needs to catch her if she


    falls.


    I can see the key ring hooked around her index finger. I carefully bend down and grab on the lowest


    part of the keys so I won''t touch her and gently pull until it slides out of her hand. She doesn''t move at


    all. No recognition that the weight of the keys is gone. Her violet eyes look so void of anything. Not the


    warm, loving Luna we all care about so much.


    Beta Lenora finallyes running back down, ''The Alpha will be here in five hours.¡±


    ¡°Five?¡± I question the timeframe.


    ¡®Yeah, he said Saint wants to run it to get here faster.¡±


    ¡°Beta, we didn''t want to do anything without your permission, but if I can at least pat her on the arm or


    face or something? See if I can get through to her at all?" Marco asks the Beta.


    Beta Lenora looks conflicted for a minute, looking back and forth between Marco and the Luna. She


    finally purses her lips and blows out a deep breath.


    "Okay, do it. We can''t just leave her like that for five hours,¡± Beta Lenora gives the Luna a worried look,


    "Wait, wait, wait! You sure about this, Marco? She could burn you or worse, w-we just don''t know."


    He thinks about it for a second, "Musu would want me to try. I''m sure of it. She always says to do


    everything I can to help the pack.¡±


    "Okay," Beta Lenora sighs, ¡°Go ahead. It''s worth a shot. Just be careful."


    Marco takes a deep breath and grips the Luna''s forearms. He tries patting her arm a little, with a


    hopeful look on his face, "Kas,e on, Luna. Time to wake up. I''ll take you for that nasty pizza you


    like. The one with the mushrooms. My treat. But we aren''t going¡¯ unless you snap outta this."


    When he gets no reaction, he tries patting her face, "Com¡¯on Kas. This shit ain''t funny. Time for you to


    come back. Quit scaring us. It ain''t funny no more."


    Still nothing.


    "Kas! Wake the fuck up, amiga!¡± he says more firmly, there''s a little growl in his voice. He shakes her


    slightly more desperately,


    "Let¡¯s get outta this dungeon. I know you hate it here, so let''s go."


    "Okay, that''s enough, Marco. Stand down. We''re just going to wait for Bronx," Beta Lenora pats his


    shoulder.


    As Marco lets go, the Luna lets out a deep breath. The breath is glowing purple, making Marco


    scramble backwards to avoid it.


    ¡¯¡®Kas?" Beta Lenora asks hesitantly.


    The Luna''s head slowly rolls back and her body arches. She is still exhaling the purple breath.


    "H-has that ever happened before?" I ask, not looking away, but I take half a step back to be on the


    safe side.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Uh, no. Not that I know of,¡± Beta Lenora confirms.


    The purple breath covers the Luna, like a thick cloud, making it difficult to see her. A glowes from


    the middle of her chest. It is a pinhole of lighting from inside her. The cloud blocks it from shooting


    out any further. We can all feel the heat the little light is generating. Marco finally moves out from in


    front of her now.


    "What the Hell?" Beta Lenora asks, "Kas, sweetie? You in there?"


    As she pleas for the Luna to wake up, the light gets brighter and brighter. Epassing the entire


    cloud, making it a purple cloud. All three of US step back as the light strengthens.


    ¡°What''s happening?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I fucked up, oh my Goddess. I fucked up," Marco murmurs under his breath.


    ¡°No Marco, you asked permission. I gave it to you. Whatever this is, it''s on me," she shakes her head,


    "Let me try."


    Beta Lenora goes to take a step forward, reaching out to touch the cloud. Her fingers almost touch it


    when there is a sudden pulse of energy. All three of US get knocked back.


    The side of my face hits the silver bars of the cell I was standing near. I can feel the sizzle and searing


    pain of it bumming me. When I peel my face away, I see Marco and Lenora both sitting up from where


    theynded.


    The smell of burning flesh is still filling the air. I realize the Beta''s back got mmed against the silver


    bars of the cell. I quickly pull her away to stop the burning.


    "You okay, Beta?"


    ¡°I will be,¡± she groans, "Justice will heal me."


    "Fuck," Marco says, putting his hands on his head.


    We look to see what he''s looking at. The cloud that was surrounding now looks like it''s made of solid


    ss, closing her inside like a cocoon.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Kas''s POV


    I look into my old bedroom and see arge man''s body on the ground. He is leaning against the bed


    frame. The longer I stare, the more detail my mind takes in, the more horrified I be.


    The front of his ck shirt is torn in half and his chest has been crudely cut open from his sternum, all


    the way down to the middle of his stomach. His intestines are pulled out of his body, strewn across the


    floor like grotesque, sticky ropes. His ribs are broken and sticking out at odd angles. It reminds me of


    the bones on a rack ofmb. Someone has pulled one of his lungs out, resting it overtop of his chest


    instead of inside. I feel my heart squeeze in my chest.


    Who would do this? Who would have it in them to be able tomit such a crime?


    My watery eyes wander up to find his neck has been deeply slit. It makes his head tip in an unnatural


    position. I look up at his face to see if I recognize him. His left eye is missing, recently cut out. There is


    blood still dripping out of the empty socket where the eye used to be. If his hair was longer, he would


    look a lot like Bronx with lighter colored hair. Bronx is more broad and muscr, but he certainly looks


    like they could be rted. I don''t know him. He isn''t any Silver Moon pack member I''ve ever met.


    The sickly smell of the room is more than just blood. It''s the stench of his exposed organs filling the air.


    I start to feel nauseous. The pool of his dark blood is stretching out across the floor all the way to the


    doorway. I look down and see it''s touching my shoe. I look back up and look around the room. There is


    blood sprayed all over. It could practically be a macabre coat of paint.


    I close my eyes to block out the sight but the smells of death won''t let me forget what I just saw. My


    heart races and I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. I try to take a deep breath to calm myself before I


    open them again.


    But there is no air when I suck in. Water fills my mouth, choking me. I open my eyes. The chlorine


    stings them, making me squint. I''m underwater? Is the surface is two feet above me or a hundred feet?


    I can''t tell, but I can feel heating from below me. I''m scared to look down.


    "Get away from it, Kas! Get to the surface!¡± Lex begs desperately. She sounds like she is trying not to


    panic, but she can¡¯t swim either, so she is just as helpless as I am.


    Instinctively, I try to scream or howl. Whicheveres out will be good enough for someone to hear


    me, but it just makes the water fill my stomach and lungs. I close my mouth, trying not to gag and kick


    as hard as I can. I try to paddle my arms, but I¡¯m not getting anywhere. Now the wateres in


    through my nose, burning my sinuses, making me cough, but the cough just pulls in more water since


    I''m still surrounded. I can see thete day sun over me. It''s wavering light peacefully cuts through the


    water.


    Doesn''t it know I''m about to die? How can it be so peaceful right now?


    "KAS! Freeze time! Freeze yourself! Maybe you''ll float to the top if you stop struggling,¡± Lex tries to


    calm me down.


    It''s my only option. I don¡¯t know what else to do. The edges of my vision get dark as I concentrate on


    the little energy I have left and stop time. It doesn¡¯t work, something is going haywire since I can¡¯t


    concentrate. I try to keep kicking, but my legs feel like they have lead weights in them.


    Everything speeds up, then slows down. The feeling is disorienting. I see an enormous shadow


    hovering just over the water, suspended in time. What the Hell is that? I sense my body going into a


    defensive mode. My hands get hotter and hotter while my vision grows darker and darker. There''s a


    sensation around my waist, like the arm of an octopus is wrapping itself around me.


    The octopus has faint sparks. Is it an electric eel? Is it my mothering to tell me my spirit''s journey


    is over? Maybe she''s here to help me cross to the underworld?N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I am yanked up forcefully.


    I stop for a moment and look around. My apartment? How did I get here? I was drowning. I look down


    at my clothes. Except for the thick stters of blood on my sweater, I''m dry. Blood? When I look up, I


    see Bronx on the floor in front of me. Holding a familiar body.


    My breath catches in my throat. No. This can''t be right. No. No. No. I want to run forward and help heal


    her, but I sense it''s toote. I want to go to Bronx, but it doesn''t feel right. Something is very wrong


    here, making me nt my feet firmly in ce.


    "Kas, you can¡¯t do this. You can''t," Bronx sobs with tears rolling down his face. Her blood is covering


    him from the underside of his chin all the way down his shirt. I watch as her lifeless eyes stare into the


    ether while he continues to hold her close. I swallow hard as my own tears stain my face.


    "Bronx, I have to. Please don''t make me choose,¡± I shake my head. I don''t know how to make him


    understand, "I''m doing this for US.¡±


    Wait? What am I doing? Why would I say that? What am I doing for US?


    "You''ve lost your mind, Kas. Stay. Let me get you help. If you leave right now, there will be


    consequences. You aren¡¯t helping US, you''re ruining US. Can''t you see that?¡± he growls through his


    tears. I can feel his anger building past his anguish.


    I turn and look at the hands extended out to me. All I have to do is reach out and take them, but that


    feels like it''s too dangerous. I turn back to Bronx. What should I do? How do I fix this?


    "We have to go, Kas,¡± Lex says calmly in my mind, "Now, before we lose our nerve.¡±


    "Go Kas," Marco groans from where he is sitting, propped up against the wall, blood trickling down the


    side of his face. He''s holding his gun up at Bronx, "Go now. I will deal with the consequences.¡±


    I stop for a moment. Lex is right. Marco''s right. I have to go. I reach out for the hands and let myself be


    pulled in to a world of treachery.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Bronx''s POV "Ladies, Gentlemen, again, I apologize. This is obviously not a good time, but we will


    have our head doctore down right away,¡± I nod to the Santoro


    Enterprises team, not letting them see my genuine emotions.


    "Of course, Alpha,¡± Katherine doesn''t look away from Tessa, who is sobbing and writhing in pain. 1


    Reggie, Milo, and I walk as calmly as possible out the door, closing it behind US.


    "What happened to Ashley?" he asks Carly as we jog down the hallway.


    "I don''t know, she was having pains in her stomach and they took her to the hospital wing," Carly


    whimpers, running alongside US.


    "I gotta go, Bronx,¡± he starts running faster.


    ¡®Yeah, we got it. Take care of your mate,¡± I call out, "Carly, what happened at Silver Moon?"


    We reach the end of the hallway into the main level of the packhouse.


    "Beta Lenora said there was a murder and when the Luna saw the body, she fell into a vision," Carly


    informs me with tears in her eyes.


    "Alright, I gotta go,¡± I say, pulling off my clothes as I head for the front door, "Milo, you''re acting Alpha.


    Don''t let anyone in that conference room leave our territory. Say whatever the Hell you have to. Make it


    happen.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Alpha," he responds, "Please make sure my mate is okay too.¡±


    "Of course¡± I look back at him as I take my pants off, "I will have her call you as soon as we figure out


    what''s going on with Kas.¡±


    I don''t wait for a response; I let Saint shift and take control. Before I know it we are sprinting full speed


    toward Silver Moon.


    ¡®You''re such a dummy. I knew this would happen. I told you it was a bad idea," Saint snarls as he


    bounds across the countryside, "You shouldn''t have sent her away. She belongs with US. Not at that


    Hell hole!"


    I let himin because he¡¯s right. With everything going on, I should have kept her home and let


    her try to get back to her normal routine. I should have pushed the Council to give me more time for the


    Silver Moon transition so that she and I could go together.


    About two hours into our trek, Saint stops to get a drink of water from a little stream in the woods. He


    lays down on the bank, getting his pure white fur dirty with the wet mud, while he drinks deeply,


    quenching his thirst.


    "Saint, I know you''re mad, but we still have a lot to talk about. I need to understand this whole Guardian


    business and how Kas and Leticia are involved," I say calmly into his mind.


    I hear him huff at me, but he doesn''t respond.


    "Come on, Saint. You said there are other goddesses that need US to protect them. Please, help me


    understand what that means. Right now there is a really fucked up web that all leads to Kas. You know


    her, right? Our mate? All of this leads to her getting hurt or worse,¡± I try to talk sense into him, "If you


    keep up this pace to Silver Moon, we will be there in two hours. That gives you two hours to tell me as


    much as you can. I know there are things the Moon Goddess won''t let you disclose, but there is plenty


    you can tell me now. Right?"


    He sighs deeply and shakes his fur out, which actually makes US more dirty. He takes off running


    again, toward his mate.


    "Fine, I will tell you as much as I can but I''m still mad at you," he growls," I''m doing this so it can help


    our mate."


    ¡®Thank you, Saint,¡± I breathe a sigh of relief.


    Over the next hour and a half, Saint gives me as much information as he can about the Manae and the


    ''famil/ dynamic. Most interestingly, Kathrine is the Luna but only Amari, Tessa, Cora, and Kas answer to


    her. The rest of the sisters depend on those five, along with their mates, to lead them based on their


    abilities, almost like sub-packs.


    "So this Mavri Magea group. Kas is their Luna, but they are not part of Blood River? Where''s their


    pack? Where do they live?¡± I ask, trying to understand the intricacies.


    ¡°Everywhere,¡± he says simply.


    ¡®What do you mean everywhere?"


    ¡®They are spread across the globe. They live as lone wolves. Sometimes they have mates, sometimes


    not. They can live for hundreds of years at a time. When they need US or they need Kas and Lex, it is


    because there is a problem."


    "Oh. Okay?" I think I understand, "Wait, they live hundreds of years? Does that mean we are going to


    live hundreds of years too?"


    "No."


    "Any exnation on that would be helpful there, buddy."


    "I don''t want to be morbid. Just know that we have never had that. We are warriors. So are Kas and


    Lex. Wolves like US don''t have the luxury of time.¡±


    "Sounds ominous,¡± I say softly.


    "Can we drop it now? We are almost there. I need to concentrate on getting there,¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I concede, "Saint, thank you."


    ¡®You''re wee, still mad," he huffs as he sprints through the thick woods.


    As wee out of the woods behind the Silver Moon packhouse, we see pack members point and


    scatter. Saint''s reputation precedes him. Besides, thest time we were here, their Alpha got banished.


    We find an old trunk at the edge of the woods with some clothes in it.


    I shift and rifle through the trunk. Behind me, I could swear I hear noises. I turn around and don''t see


    anything. I sniff the air. It smells like rogues have been here recently. Doesn''t surprise me, I''m sure


    security for this pack isx.


    I find a pair of shorts that barely fits and a tank top that is also small, but good enough to go inside the


    packhouse.


    I see a young girl running through the hallway as Ie inside, ¡°Hey there!"


    She skids to a stop and looks up at me wide eyed, "A-are you our new Alpha?"


    "Iam. Why aren''t you in school?"


    ¡®The new Beta signed me up this morning. I start tomorrow," a small blush and a proud smilees


    over her face, "Mama sai we get to go to our new home next month!"


    ¡®Well that''s fantastic. What''s your name, little one?" I''m in a hurry to find Kas, but I don''t want to


    intimidate one of my new young pack members.


    "Annie, Sir," she nods confidently.


    ¡®Well, Annie. When you get to Blood River,e find me. I want to give you and your family a proper


    wee and introduction."


    ¡®Yes, Alpha," her smile widens before she turns and runs off again.


    Alright, now to find my mate. I open a mind link to my team, "I''m here, where are you guys?¡±


    "In the dungeon. Remember how to get here? Otherwise I can send Tyree."


    "No, I got it, but I need better fitting clothes.¡±


    "What?" Lenora sounds confused.


    "Better. Fitting. Clothes." I repeat, with less patience.


    "Okay, I will send Marco to find something for you. Hurry up and get down here," she says impatiently.


    I make my way to the dungeon, trying not to look like I''m rushing. I draw enough attention as it is, I


    don¡¯t need to add to it.


    When I get to the door of the dungeon, I finally let myself sprint down the stairs. The scent of blood and


    exposed organs permeates the air.


    When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I see Elder Randall in the first cell.


    "Randall? What the Hell are you doing in there?"


    "Oh Alpha Bronx, thank Goddess you''re here. You''re pack members have gone insane. Your guard


    locked me in here,pletely unjustified, I''ll be spe-"


    "SHUT YOUR TRAP, RANDALL!" Lenora roarsing down the hall. She takes a metal pipe and


    ms it against the bars.


    ¡°Leni, what the fuck?" I stop her before she hits the pipe against the bars again.


    ¡°Ask him, Bronx. Ask him why there was a little girl locked down here in the basement with an adult


    male who isn''t even a member of Silver Moon. Go ahead, ask him," she growls, hitting the pipe against


    the bars with a loud ng.


    I feel Saint perk up and growl, "What did she say?"


    ¡°Randall, what is Lenora talking about? Exin yourself,¡± I give him a deadly look.


    ¡°I-l was giving him a ce to stay but he didn¡¯t want anyone to know he was here. I owed him a favor.


    He told me he needed more information from the pack members here. I didn''t know he was going to


    pick a little girl, but I swear, he wouldn''t hurt a child. He has a mate," Randall cries and blubbers while


    he tries to justify his actions.


    ¡®Who is he?" I growl. Without realizing what I''m doing, I grab the silver bars.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I feel my skin burning against it, but I don''t care.


    Randall looks at me and backs up, ¡°Alpha, please don''t hurt me!¡±


    ¡°WHO IS HE?!" I snarl. This son of a bitch is lucky I don''t have the key to this cell.


    "His name is Alexandras DeCaul," Randall whimpers as he cowers in the back of the cell.

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    No fucking way.I let go of the bars, ignoring the raw skin left behind.


    "How do you know him?" My voice snarls.


    "Knew him,"


    Lenora interrupts, "He¡¯s the victim at the end of the hall."


    I snap my head to her, then back to Randall, "How do you know him, Randall?"


    "He is mates with a woman named Contessa DeCaul.They work for Santoro Enterprises," he swallows


    hard before he continues, "When I was first initiated into the council, they approached me and we


    made an agreement to help each other.


    I gave them confidential Council information in exchange for protection."I rub my hands over my face in


    frustration.


    "Did you know she is one of the Manae?"


    I put my hands on my hips.


    "What?" he looks at me wide eyed, "No."


    Based on his reaction, I believe him.He will leverage anyone for more power.


    If he would have known Tessa was a goddess, she wouldn¡¯t have been an exception.


    Lenora takes me by the wrist,"I¡¯ve already called the Council toe deal with him and the body down


    the hall, Bronx.Come on.We have more important matters to deal with."


    As we approach where Tyree is standing, I see a giant purple crystal in the middle of the hallway.Tyree


    looks a bit nervous as he shifts on his feet.


    "Wh-where''s Kas?"


    I look around, confused.


    Tyree turns his eyes to the floor.I look at Lenora, who bites her lip and points her finger toward the


    crystal.


    "Wait what?"


    I turn and look at the structure.


    As I look closer, I can see the outline of Kas with her head thrown back in the middle of the crystal.


    A mix of panic and anger builds in my chest.


    I look at Lenora for answers.


    Just as she is about to speak, Marcoes up from behind me and takes my attention away from


    Lenora.


    "It¡¯s my fault, Alpha," he admits, handing me a stack of clothes.


    "Marco?!" Lenora hisses.


    "It¡¯s okay Beta.It''s my fault.I¡¯m not gonna let you take the fall," he shakes his head sullenly.


    "Marco, what happened? How is this your fault?" I re at him, still trying toprehend what


    happened.


    "I tried to wake her up.You always say not to touch her, but I did.I- I thought if I held her hand or


    something, she would snap out of it," his voice trembles a little as he looks at the ground by my feet.


    Marco, one of my fiercest warriors, sounds like he could burst into tears at any second, "I-I was just


    worried after she looked into that room where the dead guy is."


    I feel anger building in me now.


    Of all wolves, Marco knows better.He knows my rules.He knows Kas shouldn¡¯t be touched when she''s


    having a vision.


    Before I can start yelling at him, I see he is pointing to the doorway where Tyree is standing.I recognize


    it as Kas¡¯s old room.I step around the crystalized Kas.


    Tyree steps out of the way so I can look into the room.


    My heart drops to my stomach.


    As I take in the morbid sight, I realize that in addition to his chest being ripped open, he¡¯s missing an


    eye.


    He was killed the same way as Cordell Santoro.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    One of Kas¡¯s sister''s did this.


    "Wow.I see why everyone is trying to find you and our mate now,"


    Saint murmurs, "This isn¡¯t good."


    I turn my back to the room and turn to Kas.I cross my arms in front of me trying to decide what to do.


    If one of her sisters was here, she must have used magic to do this to Kas.


    If she used magic, it¡¯s dark magic.


    "Do what our mate would do," Saint suggests.


    "Kas would figure out how to use her abilities, Saint.I don¡¯t have her abilities."


    "The witch said you do."


    "Lady Camille?"


    "Yeah.She¡¯s a witch, isn¡¯t she?"


    I look at the giant crystal, then look at my hands.


    Maybe if I concentrate my energy the way Kas does? It won¡¯t hurt to try.


    "Everyone back up,"


    I say, "I have no idea what¡¯s about to happen."


    Everyone moves halfway down the hall, bracing themselves in case they need to run, either away or


    back toward me.I ce my hands t against the crystal.I can feel energy vibrating from it.


    It feels like it doesn¡¯t want anyone to touch it.


    Even if it is dark, it¡¯s still a protective force.I fight the urge to take my hands off of it and concentrate.I


    imagine my energy going into my hands and I see them glow.


    The crystal glows brighter where I have my hands.


    From inside, I see a light forming from Kas¡¯s chest.


    It starts as a pinpoint and getsrger, illuminating the crystal from the inside.It gets brighter and brighter


    until I am surrounded by the purple light of the crystal.


    As it gets brighter, I hear a crackling sound.I look closely at the crystal, little cracks are forming all


    around it.I feel something clinking against my hands.


    The crystal is falling apart.


    "I think it¡¯s working," I call out to Lenora and the guards.


    "Be careful, Bronx," Lenora calls back.


    I allow myself a little smile until the floor shakes.This could be it.I''m going to get her out of there.


    The shaking is so sudden and so violent that it almost forces me to let go.I grip harder, focusing on my


    energy.I look behind me to see Tyree and Marco holding Lenora up.I look back at the crystal, which is


    getting white hot, but I don¡¯t want to let go.


    The light from inside the crystal is so bright now I can¡¯t see Kas inside.


    A high pitch squeal fills the air like something is putting pressure on the crystal.


    The crackling sound intensifies until the crystal crumbles in my hands.


    As it falls into a pile at my feet, I reach in to grab Kas so she doesn''t fall onto the sharp shards, but she


    isn¡¯t there.


    "What the fuck?" I whisper out loud.


    I look at my hands.


    They aren''t glowing anymore.


    "Oh fuck," I hear Marco say.


    I look back to see him on his knees with both hands on his head.


    "Portal.Had to have been, Bronx.I can¡¯t think of any other way she could have just disappeared out of


    there," Lenora says, walking up behind me.


    I look back at the pile of purple shards.


    "Portal to where?"

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Kas''s POV


    I open my eyes to find I¡¯mying on my back on the floor of the meditation room of Blood River pack


    house.


    My heart is beating painfully hard.I rub my hand against my chest, trying to remember how I got here.


    When did we leave Silver Moon? Did Bronxe and bring me home? Why would he bring me to the


    meditation room? It¡¯s so weird.I have never woken up from a vision in a different ce before.


    The vision.


    Bronx¡¯s emotions alle back to me like a punch in the gut.I can feel tears gliding down the sides of


    my face, into my hair.


    The sadness inside me is overwhelming.I try to swallow it down, hide it away, but it just won¡¯t obey.


    My lip trembles, doing its best trying to hold everything in, but a gasp of a breath escapes me.I cover


    my mouth with both hands and silently sob, letting my body shake.


    "Lex, is she really going to die?" I squeak out between the sobs.


    "I don¡¯t know, but it''s going to be alright, Kas.Get yourself together.It was just a vision.We¡¯ve been able


    to stop them froming true before.We can stop this one from happening, too.Right?"


    Lex calms me in a firm yet soothing voice, "Time to assess the situation and keep moving.That¡¯s what


    James and Marco always tell you to do.They''ve never steered you wrong before."


    "Okay, okay, you¡¯re right, Lex.I-I, um, ju-just give me a minute to think here.I need to collect my


    thoughts.I think I need to meditate before I leave the room.I don''t want anyone to see me this upset.I -I


    just need to clear my head,"


    I nod quickly, agreeing with her but stalling for time.I blink hard and take a ragged breath before I wipe


    the tears out of my eyes.


    "Of course.That was pretty...intense.Even by our standards.I''ll give you the energy you need," her


    warm voice reassures me.


    I clear my throat and close my eyes again.


    I take a slightly more confident breath and do my best to block out all the negative thoughts.


    My breathing steadies as I let myself fall into a clear minded meditative state.I feel Lex guiding her


    reassuring energy to me.


    Helping me stay calm and focus inward.


    How did I get to the packhouse? Not sure.I can figure that outter.


    Is any of this real? It feels real, but so did the disturbing scene in my apartment.


    So is this all still part of the vision? I have to know before I leave the meditation room.I don¡¯t think it¡¯s


    still part of the vision.I am pretty sure this is reality.


    What did Bronx mean by consequences? I hope I never know.


    Why would Marco hold Bronx at gunpoint? That could never happen.


    I just can¡¯t fathom it.


    How can we stop it? What led up to that scene? Not finding nearly as many answers as I hoped


    inwardly, I let my essence spread out into the surrounding room, then out into the hall, and nket the


    packhouse.


    I see pack members milling around.


    There is a general sense of worry and sadnessing from everyone.


    I concentrate further, extending out, not focused on any particr location or distance.


    A facees clearly into my mind, but it¡¯s not Bronx.


    It¡¯s Leticia.


    "Leticia? Can you hear me?" I ask, reaching out to her soul.


    I can feel her and her wolf.


    Her wolf feels worn and tired from years of fighting against Leticia.


    I want to help her, give her strength to keep going, but I know better than to attempt to heal someone if


    I don''t know where they are.


    "lokaste? Are you back? Have youe for us?"


    Her voice is hopeful and expectant.


    "Not yet, Leticia.I-I¡¯m trying to figure a lot of things out.I wille to you when I can.I promise,"


    I wish I could give her a hug for reassurance, but I still feel like it¡¯s too dangerous to touch her, even


    astrally.


    "D-did you get my gift?"


    I can feel her smile, so full of pride, "The guardian I left for you? Only two more left."


    "Gift? Guardian?" I ask.


    I can feel Lex pulling back on my essence.


    "You shouldn¡¯t be here, Kas.Not yet.Not until you¡¯re strong enough,"


    Lex tells me.


    "I''ll be back, Leticia.As soon as I can," I promise her again.


    "Okay.I love you, Kas," her heart sings.


    "I love you too, Leticia,"


    I smile.


    I know I have only met her once before, but I already feel a connection to her.


    The need to do my best to provide for her swells in me, even if she does make me nervous.I should


    protect her the way she feels she needs to protect me.I pull my essence away from her and focus back


    on the pack territory.I feel Bronx, sitting next to the Blood River.


    Looking sullenly into the scarlet water.


    He¡¯s only wearing shorts, even though the weather has gotten cooler.He must have just shifted.


    The position of the sun makes it look like it¡¯ste afternoon.


    Milo and Lenora are with him, also sitting quietly, holding each other¡¯s hands.


    Lenora has her hand on Bronx¡¯s shoulder.I can¡¯t help myself.


    Seeing Bronx look so glum makes it feel like my heart is being squeezed in a vise.I reach out and touch


    his cheek, making him bolt upright.


    He sniffs the air and I see his eye sh ck, then back to green.


    "Kas!" he yells, looking around, "Where are you, Baby?"


    I send a gentle pulse of calming energy to let him know I¡¯m okay, then slowly pull my essence back to


    my body.


    Seeing him and being able to touch him was what I needed to know.


    This is real.


    Not only is he safe, he¡¯s not alone.He may act big and tough, but I know better.He doesn¡¯t do well on


    his own.


    No vision could recreate that feeling of relief, knowing that he could sense my presence.


    "See? Everything¡¯s okay,"


    Lex smiles, "Let¡¯s go find our mate.Find out why he was sad.Oh and if I could get some time with Saint,


    I would appreciate it.It¡¯s been way too long since I¡¯ve been able to go on a run with him."


    "Yeah.I feel better.I will see what I can do about letting you have some time with Saint.You deserve it


    for how patient you have been with me," I say thankfully.


    "You''re telling me," she chuckles.


    I smile as I sit up and look around.


    Everything is calm and quiet.


    Wait.


    No music from the weight room next door? That almost never happens.


    I wonder where everyone is? Now that I am calm, I lean forward, put my forearms up on my knees, and


    concentrate on the vision.


    Of all the visions I¡¯ve ever had, that was the most disturbing.I can¡¯t tell Bronx.I can¡¯t tell anyone.


    They are going to think I¡¯m crazy or homicidal or both.


    Most of the time, the details fade way before I¡¯m able to fully exin what happened.


    This time, the details are seared into my brain.I¡¯m determined to keep it a secret until I can make better


    sense of it.I take a deep breath and stand up, smoothing my clothes.I look down at my pants and think


    more carefully.


    This is what I was wearing on thest day at Silver Moon.


    So it can¡¯t have been that long that I was out.


    Right? I can hear people in the hallway running and yelling my name.


    "I''m in here!"


    I call out and take a step toward the door.


    They know I¡¯m in here, right? Bronx brought me here, didn¡¯t he? Didn''t he? The door flies open and


    Bronxes rushing in with what seems like half the pack behind him.


    He practically tackles me, picking me up like I weigh nothing and cradling me in his strong arms.I can


    feel my legs dangling in the air as he squeezes me tightly, rocking me back and forth.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Will you please stop disappearing into thin air?" he huffs, trying to catch his breath from wherever it is


    he just ran from.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    "Bronx, what are you talking about?" I ask confused, "You didn¡¯t bring me home? You didn¡¯t know I was


    in here?"


    "No, Baby.I didn¡¯t know where you were.No one did.I felt you reach out to me, so I ran back to the


    packhouse.I was going to let Lady Camille know, but then I smelled your scent and I was able to follow


    it down here," he exins into my ear, still holding me against him.


    He gives me little kisses on the side of my face while he talks, leaving little sparks behind with each


    one.I close my eyes and smile, grateful to be home and in his arms.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Bronx.I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,"


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I apologize even though there is nothing I could have done about it, "All I know is I fell into a vision in


    the dungeon of the Silver Moon packhouse and I woke up here in our meditation room."


    I feel him smoothing my hair and nodding, but he doesn¡¯t say anything.


    "Bronx, w-what¡¯s going on? What''s wrong?" I ask, sensing there is a lot more to his look than just my


    reappearance.


    "Oh, Baby, I don¡¯t even know how to begin exining it to you," he sighs, sitting on the ground without


    putting me down.


    Once I¡¯mfortably in hisp, he finally looks toward the door.


    Reggie is standing in the doorway, blocking everyone froming in.He looks expectantly at Bronx,


    his face is worn out and worried.


    "Reggie, give me a couple minutes to speak with Kas alone," he says solemnly, "Can you close the


    door, please?"


    Reggie looks around nervously before he closes the door, blocking everyone out.


    "Two days? Bronx, I don¡¯t understand," I shake my head, looking into his eye, "I mean I know I had a


    vision but two days?"


    Bronx smoothes my hair while he admires me, "Kas, there are so many questions about so many


    things, especially where you¡¯ve been thest two days and so much has happened, but right now, I


    need to know how you¡¯re feeling.How¡¯s your strength?"


    The look in his eye is full of concern, not just for me, though.It¡¯s deeper than that.


    "I-I actually feel fine.A little on the emotional side if we¡¯re being honest, but I don¡¯t feel weak or


    anything.Why?"


    I brush my fingers across the stubble of his chin, wanting as much contact with him as possible.


    "I-it¡¯s Ashley," he says in a serious tone.


    "Ashley? Is she okay?"


    I knit my brows, concerned for my friend, "Lenora told me she is having a pup when we were on our


    way to Silver Moon."


    Bronx closes his eye and pinches the bridge of his nose, not his usual face rub he does when he¡¯s


    frustrated.


    "Kas, Ashley is sick," he pauses, deciding on his next words, "What the doctor told Reggie is that her


    pup has a different blood type than she does.It happens asionally with humans, so they have ways


    to deal with it.It¡¯s extremely rare for werewolves and we don¡¯t.We have tried giving her two blood


    transfusions, but it isn¡¯t working and the doctor said it''s dangerous for Ashley and the baby."


    "You want me to heal her?"


    It sounds like a question, but it isn¡¯t.I will do it in a heartbeat.I try to stand up so we can go to the


    hospital wing, but he pulls me back down.


    "Yeah," he sighs, "but I don¡¯t want to promise anyone anything.First off, I want to make sure you are


    strong enough.We know what happens when you¡¯re not.But second and most importantly, I never want


    you to feel like I am, or anyone else is forcing you to do something you don¡¯t want to do, Kas.Especially


    if it has to do with your abilities.I think it''s easy for all of us to ask a lot from you without thinking of the


    consequences.I don¡¯t want that to be normal.Everything should be with your permission, Kas."


    I look away from Bronx for a moment, trying to search myself for an answer.


    There¡¯s a lot to pack in there, "I, uh, I¡¯m definitely strong enough.I think you and I can have the


    permission conversation in a little more detailter.And of course I want to help Ashley...and her


    pup...but can I change a blood type? That isn¡¯t something I¡¯ve done before.I-I don¡¯t know.It''s not that I


    won¡¯t try.I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯m capable."


    "It¡¯s your call, Baby,"


    Bronx wraps hisrge arms tighter around me, "If you don¡¯t think you can do it, no one is going to be


    mad at you."


    "Is Lady Camille still here? Maybe she can give me some advice before I try.I don¡¯t want to do anything


    that would hurt Ashley or her baby," I feel a little lump in my throat but I refuse to let my emotions show.


    Now is not the time for that.


    Now is the time for bravery and action.


    "Even better, Lady Camille, Delh, and one of your sister¡¯s who is a healer are all right outside the


    door," he gives me a little smile.


    There''s no way I heard him right.I suddenly feel very flustered.


    "One of my sisters? I- wait, she¡¯s a healer? What''s her name? Bronx, why didn¡¯t she help Ashley


    already? Why is she here? How did she find me?" I start asking my questions rapid fire as I stand up


    and start to walk toward the door.


    I have to meet her.


    Why didn¡¯t he start with that?


    "Kas," he grabs my hand pulling me back to him, "Whatever you two say to each other, please


    understand, she had your best intentions in mind. Alright?"


    "Yeah, of course," my heart is beating so hard.


    "Her name is Amari Curadora. She''s just as excited to meet you as you are to meet her," he smiles and


    finally lets go of my hand.


    I rush to the door and swing it open.


    Reggie, Delh, and Lady Camille are on the other side waiting patiently.


    Behind them is a statuesque woman with fair skin, soft blue eyes, and wavy auburn hair cascading


    down her shoulders.


    She is smiling warmly at me.


    "Iokaste?" she asks softly.


    Her voice sounds like warm honey.


    It is so beautiful, it takes my breath away.


    Everything about her is so familiar, like I¡¯ve known her for my entire spirit¡¯s journey, even though I¡¯ve


    never met her before.I gently push past my friends and stand in front of her.


    "I- it''s so nice to meet you, Amari," my voice cracks as I greet her.


    She puts her hand out, palm up.I ce my hand in hers and she pulls me into a hug.


    I instantly feel a connection between us.


    Eternal.


    Limitless.I can feel her ambient energy.


    Pure and honest and white.


    I want to stay in her arms forever.


    She lets me hug her as long as I want.


    It feels so right to be here with her.


    I let my guard down and let some of my energy flow into her.


    "Oh! Iokaste, no my dear.Not now.You can save that forter," she pulls me back by my shoulders and


    looks at me sympathetically, "You need to save your strength for what you are about to do."

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    I pull away from her but find myself still holding her hand as I turn toward my friends.I don¡¯t want to let


    go.


    This warm,forting feeling canst forever as far as I''m concerned.


    "Reggie, I¡¯m going to try.Anything for Ashley.I just need to speak with thesedies first.I want to make


    sure that I won''t do anything that will hurt her or your baby, okay?"


    Reggie exhales a ragged breath and pulls me into a tight hug, "Thank you, Luna.Thank you."


    I hear Bronx clear his throat behind us, "Gamma.Do you mind?"


    Reggie looks up and quickly lets me go, "Oh, uh, sorry Alpha."


    "Kas, we will be over in the weight room.Just let us know when you''re ready,"


    Bronx says with a loving look.


    I smile as he brushes his fingers against my chin.I lean against his rough palm, holding it against my


    face with my hands.


    Even though I didn¡¯t know I was missing for two days, I hadn¡¯t seen Bronx for five days before that.I


    miss him.I move my nose into his hand taking a deep breath of his dark chocte and coffee scent.


    He bends down and gives me a deep kiss, before he ps Reggie on the back and heads down the


    hallway.


    I watch them head into the weight room.


    Beyond that, there are several guards standing at attention in the hallway.


    What¡¯s that about? "Ladies, after you,"


    I hold the door open to the meditation room to let the three powerful women I¡¯m standing with go in first.


    Once we are all settled, Lady Camille takes charge of the conversation, "Luna Iokaste, I have been


    alive for a very long time and in all my years, I have never heard of a healer from any species able to


    change someone''s blood.Pull out poisons or add healing energy, of course, but never change it.The


    thing is, well, you¡¯re more special than we could have ever imagined."


    I look at her confused, "Special?"


    "Kas, when we allowed you toe to the Coven, we just knew you were a goddess.We knew you


    were something that we had never seen before and that you were special,"


    Delh chimes in now, "What we didn¡¯t know is that we should have never given you a glimpse into


    your past because, well..."


    Delh pauses.She looks like she practiced what to say, but now she doesn¡¯t feel like it suffices to say


    out loud.


    "Tokaste," Amari saves Delh.


    "Please, call me Kas," I beg.


    "Alright.It will take some getting used to, but I will try, Kas,"


    Amari emphasises my name with a smirk, "So modern.Not like the traditional Iokaste I have known in


    countless past lives."


    "You knew me in past lives? How do you remember that?"


    I lean back on my cushion, feeling a little confused.


    "Well, in this lifetime, I have known five of your lifetimes," her eyes flick away from me and back.


    "Five? H-How old are you, Amari?"


    She smiles, "Well, next month I will be a hundred and sixty-two."


    I feel my mouth drop.She doesn¡¯t look like she could be older than thirty.


    A thought urs to me, "Amari, i-if you¡¯re almost a hundred and sixty-two...how short are my lifetimes?


    That¡¯s an average of a little over thirty years per life."


    "It¡¯s a conversation for another time, Iok- Kas,"she pauses for a moment, "I know time is of the


    essence, but actually, I think having this conversation now may actually help you heal your friend."


    "Okay? Why do I feel like you¡¯re about to give me bad news?" I ask suspiciously.


    "Well, in some lifetimes, we let you be.If we don¡¯t have to get you involved in our messy family drama,


    we don''t.Granted, we monitor you from a distance, but that isn¡¯t important right now," she waves her


    hand at me as if the fact that she just told me 1 am constantly being spied on is insignificant.


    "In some of your lives, when we have to reach out to you, you don¡¯t take it very well.In others, it''s not so


    bad," her eyes roll a little as she thinks to the past.


    She takes my hand again, letting her ambient energy soothe me, "Kas, you are now and always have


    been Mother¡¯s warrior child.So is our sister Tessa.That¡¯s how you and Lex get your incredible strength


    and willpower.Probably stubbornness too.But you are so much more than that."


    "Tessa? Is she the one that looks like our Beta, Lenora?"


    I feel a little angry at beingpared to someone who kidnapped me.


    "She does look like your Lenora.I can exin that to you when it¡¯s more appropriate,"


    Amari pats my hand reassuringly, "So, you now know I¡¯m a healer, like you and I¡¯ve heard you met


    Cora.She has a wild spirit, which is where you get your will to live against the odds and your


    courageousness.Our sister Katherine, you haven¡¯t met her yet.She is the oldest.She¡¯s our


    Luna.Knowledge is second nature to her.From what I hear, you graduated with straight A¡¯s.in this


    lifetime and you are an aplished businesswoman."


    "Well, almost. I didn¡¯t do so great in history,"


    I confess, "And I wouldn¡¯t be sessful in my business without Delh."


    I look over at my best friend and smile.Her eyes are as blue as the sky on a summer day as she smiles


    in return.


    "T am sure Elexis had something to do with that history grade,"


    Amari chuckles and elbows me.


    "Amari, why are you telling me about my sisters¡¯ abilities? Aren¡¯t we all the same? Even if we are


    stronger at some things than others?"


    "No, Kas.We are not all the same.My only ability is healing.Tessa¡¯s only ability is warrior


    strength.Cora¡¯s only ability is primal freedom.And Katherine''s only ability is unrelenting knowledge,"


    she looks to Lady Camille, then back to me, "You have all of those abilities and more.The ability to


    harness your power to defend yourself through burning people.As well as your ability to manipte


    time.Not to mention the gift of premonition."


    "Oh, trust me, Amari.That one is more of a curse than a gift,"


    I interrupt, shaking my head.


    "Kas, what I¡¯m trying to say is, the strengths you share with our sisters are just as powerful as theirs


    are.And your own mystical abilities, you are by far the most powerful goddess that walks the earth


    today."


    I shake my head in disbelief and stand up.


    She¡¯s wrong.


    Who is this woman, anyway? She doesn¡¯t know me.


    She doesn¡¯t know what my life has been.


    If she had, she would have saved me from it.


    "I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the person you think I am.Until two years ago, I was a ve.I didn¡¯t now I had abilities


    or powers,"


    I feel tears welling up in my eyes.


    My breath bes heavier as I tell her about my past, "I can¡¯t tell you how many times I almost died at


    the hands of a drunken psychopath."


    "I-I know, Kas.We saw it through the security cameras in the packhouse,"


    Amari looks at her hands in herp.


    I watch as she frowns, wiping a tear from her eye, "We weren''t able to interfere.Mother¡¯s orders.Your


    mate needs to find you first.In every lifetime, Bronx has to find you before we can summon you.Thest


    straw for Katherine, this time, was when you had to have surgery to get the shards of ss taken out of


    your back.She sent the money to that nice nurse, anonymously of course, to buy you furniture for your


    room."


    I freeze at her confession.


    There are security cameras all over the Silver Moon packhouse because Alpha Connors was so


    paranoid about anything getting stolen.


    The hallway of the dungeon, the kitchen, the schools, all the hallways, the hospital wing, even the stock


    rooms.


    She knew.


    My mother knew.


    All of them knew.


    They knew everything.


    They left me there to rot.


    They left me there to die.


    They sat back and watched while he tortured me and left scarred.


    I feel like someone struck a tinder box inside me.


    Icy mes of anger consume my soul.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I stand up, letting my violet aura glow brightly.


    T can¡¯t keep my emotions in anymore.


    Tears blinding my vision.


    I feel Lex take over and I let her.


    For the first time in a long time, I can''t do this.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Lex¡¯s POV


    Delh stands in front of me, "Kas, please, I know it sounds cruel, but hear her out."


    She¡¯s a sweet girl and all, but a little naive right now.


    "No," I state simply.


    She takes half a step back when she hears my deeper voiceing from Kas¡¯s petite human form.Her


    eyes turn a deeper shade of blue and I can smell fearing off of her.She should be scared.


    Delh is supposed to be Kas¡¯s best friend.


    She let them waltz Amari in here just to tell Kas all this bullshit.


    Lady Camille stands up next.


    I presumably to talk sense into me, "Elexis, please-"


    Okay, now I¡¯m getting mad.Why are they doing this to Kas? They are supposed to love her.This isn¡¯t


    love.This is maniption.


    "I said NO!"


    I curl Kas¡¯s fingers into a fist, willing her energy and stopping time for all three women.I look at them,


    satisfied that they won''t be able to stop me when I walk out the door.


    "Lex, did you know all that? Did you know about everything Amari just told us," Kas asks in my mind as


    I stride down the hall to the weight room.


    I whimper when I feel her sadness and pain.


    "I didn¡¯t know they were spying on us, Kas, and I didn¡¯t know they intentionally left you at Silver Moon. I


    swear.I knew about their abilities and our abilities, but I wasn¡¯t allowed to talk about it," I tell her


    truthfully.


    Her emotions be veryplicated.


    Why do humans have to make everything soplex?


    "Lex, are we able to cure Ashley¡¯s blood?" her voice doesn''t sound confident.


    I don¡¯t want to lie to her, but I don¡¯t want her to give up hope either.


    Before we can worry about it, I have things to take care of.


    "There''s one way to find out, but we have something to do first, Kas.Just go hang tight for a bit, I don¡¯t


    want you to see this," I say.


    I block her before she¡¯s able to ask what.I take Kas¡¯s body down the hall to the weight room.I¡¯m


    tempted to shift, but I know that would only cause more problems right now.I throw open the door and


    approach Bronx.


    He stands up from the bench he is sitting on and smiles.His smile quickly disappears when he sees


    Kas¡¯s eyes are ck.


    "K-Kas, were you able to figure it out?" he asks with a fake hope in his voice.


    Reggie stands next to him, looking worried.I lift my hand in Reggies direction and curl my fingers into a


    fist again, leaving only Bronx to speak with me.


    Bronx¡¯s eye widens when he realizes I¡¯m in control of Kas¡¯s body.


    What should I say here? I cross my arms over my body for a moment to think about it.


    Why does my mate always do such dipshit things? Why would he put Kas in this position? He had to


    have known hearing all that would just upset her.


    Right? He¡¯s not that dense.


    Welp, actions speak louder than words as they say, and diplomacy is not my thing, so I throw a right


    cross at his jaw.


    He instinctively leans back to avoid it, but it still grazes his face.


    "What the fuck? Lex?" he puts his hands in front of his face to defend himself for any more blows.


    "That bitch told you, right? She told you they all sat back and let that asshole torture her?" I growl,


    letting him hear my voice, "


    They left her there.


    ON PURPOSE, Bronx! Then you put Kas in a room alone with her?"


    "Lex, you have to understand-" he tries to justify.


    "No! I don¡¯t have to understand.I won¡¯t let anyone hurt Kas, Bronx.Let me talk to Saint," I say


    impatiently.


    "Elexis-"


    "NOW," I roar.


    I watch as he has an internal conversation with Saint, then his eye turns ck and my wolf matees


    forward.


    "My Love, let me exin," Saint¡¯s sexy, gravely voice pleas, "He¡¯s doing the right thing."


    "Saint, how could you? How could you let him do this to her? And sending in Amari, of all people? You


    might as well have let Cora go in there to woo her into a sense of freedom.Then at least she wouldn''t


    feel bad.She would at least have a chance at a sense of independence.Uninhibited and free of all this."


    I snarl at him.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Saint steps forward and wraps Bronx¡¯s arms around Kas''s waist.


    It feels so good to be this close to him.


    It takes a lot of concentration to remember that I''m mad.


    "She can¡¯t run from her responsibilities.Not this time.Please, Elexis.All the other leaders are here at


    Blood River.We need to be strategic.I know you want to protect her.So do I and we will.First, you and


    Kas need to help Reggie¡¯s mate.You need Amari to be able to do it."


    I look away from him and feel myself growl when he mentions her name.He puts his finger under my


    chin and pulls my gaze back to him.


    The green of his eyes gets me every lifetime.


    It''s a shame he only has one left for this life.


    "Then we need to figure out what¡¯s going on with the Mavri Magea.My Love, you know, of all the


    wolves, I¡¯m not a patient one, but we need to y the long game here."


    I consider his words.I trust Saint.


    We have been a team for over eight hundred years.


    For him to say we need to wait must really mean we need to wait.


    "Fine.On one condition," I huff at him.


    "You''re really going to bargain with me right now?" he chuckles at me.


    I try to pull myself away from him, but he grips me tighter.


    "If I convince Kas to work with Amari and we can cure whatever is wrong with Ashley''s blood, then you


    need to let them heal you too."


    "Heal me from what?" he looks at me like he does not know what I''m talking about.


    "The silver in your liver, Saint.You need to be at full strength.The past month or so is proof of that.Don¡¯t


    y dumb with me,"


    I grip the front of Bronx¡¯s shirt and pull him closer to me.


    "We''ll see," he says, avoiding my eyes.


    "I''ll take it,"


    I yank Bronx¡¯s shirt again, bringing Saint close to me, giving him a deep kiss.I hear a happy growle


    from deep in his chest as he wraps his arms tighter around me.I let my fangs extend and bite his lip


    before I let him go.


    "Oh, you¡¯re gonna pay for that the next time we''re in wolf form," he smiles slyly at me, letting the little


    stream of blood fall from his lip, down his chin.


    "I sure hope so," I smirk back, kissing him deeply again.


    He pulls away from the kiss and leans his forehead against mine, "Things are different this lifetime, my


    Love.I can feel it.I don¡¯t know what the Moon Goddess has in store, but things are definitely different."I


    don¡¯t answer.He¡¯s right.This lifetime has been so turbulent.It makes me wonder how long it willst this


    time.


    "Time to give our human¡¯s their bodies back, Elexis," he coos against my cheek in his gruff voice, "Do


    you think Kas and Amaribined can really do it?"


    "I don¡¯t know.We¡¯ll try.It is going to seriously drain Kas either way.I assume Amari too.If we can¡¯t do it,


    it¡¯s going to break her heart.I don¡¯t know how I can help her if that happens."


    "Do your best, Lex," he whispers loudly, "I will see you soon enough. Next time, with a lot more fur."


    "Okay.I love you, Saint.Forever," I smile, giving him onest kiss.


    "I love you too, Elexis," he holds me tight, exhaling a deep breath before I feel Bronx takeover again.


    I release Kas from the back of my mind and exchange ces with her, moving deep into the recesses.


    "What was that about?" Bronx asks Kas.


    I sit back and listen to their conversation.


    They are so cute together when Saint and I are not influencing them.


    The Moon Goddess did a good job pairing their human spirits up.


    "I-I don¡¯t know.Lex blocked me out," she shakes her head, not understanding I just needed a minute


    with my mate.


    She reaches up and wipes the trickle of blood from Bronx''s lip.Saint is already healing the cut I left.


    "Ow.Yeah, Saint too," he touches his lip and looks over to Reggie, frozen like a statue, "Umm, any


    chance you can let him go now?"


    "Before I do, Bronx.My sisters knew what was happening to me my entire childhood? Did Amari tell you


    that?" Kas questions him.


    "Yes.There have been a lot of conversations over thest couple of days, which is why we all decided


    Amari was the best option to speak with you.I take it you didn¡¯t stick around long enough to listen why


    they didn''te for you?" His eye has a look of concern.


    I feel myself getting angry all over again.


    "I got upset.Then Lex got mad that I got upset, and she froze them in the meditation room," she shakes


    her head, silently damning me for my actions.


    "No one mes you, Kas," I whisper to her.


    "Lex, you¡¯ve helped enough for now.I have damage control to handle here.Just be ready when we get


    to Ashley¡¯s hospital room," she snarls a little at me.


    It would be scary if she wasn¡¯t so damn adorable.


    "Alright, Kas.I¡¯m sorry," I say.


    I mean, I¡¯m not sorry I got mad.It''s my job to protect her.


    But I am sorry I caused any trouble for her.


    "Baby, just hear Amari out.I think you need to trust her long enough to heal Ashley.Then we can talk


    about whates next," the way he looks at her is swoon worthy.


    Our mate is so handsome.I don¡¯t know how Kas can resist him.I feel her sigh, "Alright, but there is a


    whole lot of exining a bunch of people need to do after this,"she points her finger at him.


    He holds his hands up in surrender, "Anything you want, Kas.We will exin everything to you."

 Chapter 158- 66

    Chapter 158- 66


    Kas¡¯s POV


    As I walk back down to the meditation room, I feel a little storm cloud brewing in my mind.I feel justified


    in my anger.


    While I need time to process all this new information, it sounds like I have only heard a fraction of what


    there is to know.I know I need to keep a cool head and hear everyone out.


    Flying off the handle isn''t helping anyone.


    We''ve lost almost an hour to help Ashley because I had a stupid tantrum.


    I open the door to the meditation room and hold my fist up in the air, unfurling my fingers.


    The women all take deep breaths and look around with relief.


    "Lady Camille, Delh, may I have a few minutes with my sister? I know you¡¯ re trying to help, but this


    does not involve you,"


    I stand with my hip cocked and arms crossed in the meditation room doorway.I watch the witches look


    at each other and nod before standing up.


    Lady Camille bows to me silently before she walks out of the room.I feel a pang of guilt watching my


    mentor walk away from me without a word.


    Delh stops in front of me before she leaves, "Kas, please know that we love you.We would never


    advise you to do something we thought would hurt anyone.Especially anyone who is a part of Blood


    River.And I would never ever let anyone do anything to hurt you.You know that, right?"


    A tear spills out of her deep indigo blue eyes.I wipe it away for her and give her a hug without saying


    another word.


    When she lets go, she kisses my cheeks and exits the room, closing the door behind her.


    "Are you calm now, Kas?"


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Amari gives me apassionate smile.


    "No, but I have a friend who is very sick and the people who love me are telling me you are a


    necessaryponent in healing her.So, for now, I am calm on the outside, but inside, that¡¯s a different


    story.I won¡¯t let my emotions cloud my judgment regarding helping a woman I consider my actual


    family,"I emphasize the word actually when I respond.I let my words cut her for a moment before I


    continue, "It takes about five minutes to walk up to the hospital wing.You have that long to tell me what


    it is we need to do to help Ashley.Because of my outburst, we have lost precious time.I take


    responsibility for that, but now I need to do everything I can to fix it."


    "Spoken like a true Luna,"


    Amari smiles.She stands up and follows me out the door.


    Bronx and Reggie look at us tentatively as we pass the weight room, but they don¡¯t follow.


    When we climb the staircase, I notice one guard follows us.


    The others stay at the bottom of the stairs.


    I stop halfway up the staircase, "Excuse me, Arnie? Why are you following us inside the packhouse?


    We are only going to the hospital wing, not out to the grounds."


    "Luna, I¡¯m just following orders," he answers, but avoids my question at the same time.


    I squint my eyes suspiciously and look him over.He isn¡¯t wearing a suit like my guards usually wear.He


    has on the tactical gear he would usually wear if he were working on a mission for Reggie or Milo.


    "What about the men at the bottom of the stairs?" I ask.


    "They are assigned to the Alpha," he states simply.


    "Assigned to Bronx? What the Hell is going on?" I ask, a little too briskly.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Amari shift her feet ufortably.


    Amie¡¯s dark eyes shift away from my re, "I...uhh...I was just told we are on high alert protocols until


    further notice.They assigned Tyree and I to you and our guests while you¡¯re inside the packhouse,


    Luna,"


    Arnie exins nervously, not expecting my sharp tongue.


    "Okay, no offense, but why you and Tyree? Where¡¯s Marco?"


    I try to soften my tone slightly, but the little storm cloud in my mind is putting me in a bad mood.


    "Marco is on leave for the rest of the week and James doesn¡¯te back until next week, but he is


    helping advise strategy for the guards until then,"


    Amie tells us.


    "Marco¡¯s on leave?" I feel my brows knit.


    "Yes, Luna,"


    Arnie nods slightly and looks at his watch, "He was put on leave as soon as everyone got back from


    Silver Moon yesterday but he and his mate have been temporarily moved to the suite next to your


    apartment on the fifth floor."


    I feel my head jerk back slightly.


    Marco and Musu are living on the fifth floor? It doesn''t bother me, but Bronx is very protective of who is


    allowed on our floor for security reasons.


    Marco is on leave and he and Musu are on the fifth floor? What in the Goddess''s name happened? I


    am about to say something else, but I remember we really need to get up to Ashley.


    "Oh and Tyree starts his shift in two hours, so you will see him for the night shift,"


    Arnie smiles, showing off the dimples on his cheeks.


    "Thank you, Arnie,"


    I nod respectfully, then walk up the stairs again.


    Amari tells me she believes she can daisy chain her healing ability to me, simr to the way Bronx can


    send his extra energy to me when I¡¯m feeling drained.


    She also tells me I need to tap into more than just my healing ability.I need to pull the parts of me she


    calls mysticism to change the actualposition of Ashley¡¯s blood.


    Since she doesn¡¯t have any mystical abilities, she can¡¯t exin exactly how to call on it and harness


    the power.


    "So, like magic.You think I canbine my healing ability with magic to help her?"


    "I believe so, yes," she confirms, "and I think if you had not been introduced to your past lives, it would


    be easier, because you wouldn¡¯t know what you can or can¡¯t do based on history."


    I don¡¯t quite understand what she is speaking about.


    Lady Camille helped me discover as many of my past lives as possible through past life regression and


    hypnosis.


    In many of those lives, I was a powerful warrior, celebrated and decorated for my aplishments in


    battle.


    In others, I was apassionate Luna.I attributed none of those things to being able to perform


    magic.I¡¯m not a witch.


    "Kas, for you, the possibilities are limitless.Which is an amazing gift, but it can also be a dangerous


    curse.Just like your witch friends, you need to remember to stay in the light," she smiles as we get to


    Ashley¡¯s room.


    I take a deep breath, "Okay.Let me go talk to Ashley real quick.Make sure she¡¯s ready for this.I will let


    you know when you cane in."


    "Of course, darling," she smiles patiently.


    Behind her, Arnie takes his ce, blocking the hall from anyone getting past him.I quietly knock on the


    door.


    Through the little window, I see Ashley''s mom stand up ande to the door.


    "Oh Luna! Thank the Goddess," she whispers, pulling me into a tight hug, "I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe.A-


    are you here to help my daughter?"


    I take her hands and look at her misty eyes.


    At this moment, I realize how important this is.


    Not just to Ashley and Reggie or any of their friends.


    This is important to many people in our pack.


    "Mrs.Swanson, my sister Amari, and I will do everything in our power to help Ashley.There was never a


    doubt in my mind when Bronx told me she was sick," I reassure her.


    She looks so much like Ashley, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, but right now, those eyes are


    filled with tears and worry for her daughter and grandchild.


    "Thank you, Luna.Um, she has been in and out of consciousness.So you can wake her up if you need


    to," she motions over to Ashley in the bed.


    I look over to see Ashley looking pale and gaunt, curled into a loose fetal position on the bed.It is a


    startling contrast to how I have seen her before.


    I walk over to the bed and lean over the little railing, taking her by the hand, "Hey there Gamma.I heard


    you were looking for me."


    Ashley''s eyes flutter open, but not to their usual wide, cheerful look.She looks exhausted.


    The dark circles under her eyes make her look even worse.


    Her voice is soft and croaky when she speaks, "Kas? You''re back? You came to help me and Katie?"


    "Yeah, of course I¡¯m here.As Bronx would say, wild werebears couldn¡¯t keep me away,"


    I smile, "Who¡¯s Katie?"


    "Oh, that¡¯s the baby¡¯s name.After Reggie¡¯s nana," she smiles weakly.


    "I bet you already ordered the whole nursery, huh?" §Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§Þ I chuckle softly, admiring my


    brave friend.


    "The painters are scheduled and everything," she tries tough, but doesn¡¯t have the energy.


    "Ashley, I-I just need permission from you to do this.Heal you, or at least try to heal you.I have never


    done anything like this.I don¡¯t know if anyone has but I''m going to try my hardest.You know there is no


    guarantee it will work," I exin to her.


    "Kas, I know I¡¯m in good hands with you at my side," her eyes blink as if her lids are too heavy to hold


    open.


    "Okay, darling, let me go get my sister. You rx.All I need is for you toy t on your back so I can


    put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, okay?" I reach forward and smooth her hair.


    She nods slightly and closes her eyes again.Mrs.Swanson hurries forward to help Ashley adjust her


    position.


    As I make my way to the door, I think for a moment.


    When did I start calling people darling? I remember saying it to one of the little girls at Silver Moon, but


    it is not a term of endearment I have ever used before.I let the thought go as I step into the hallway.


    Behind Amari, Bronx and Reggie are sitting on the seats against the wall.


    Bronx has his hand on Reggie¡¯s back, leaning in toward him, whispering words of encouragement.


    Reggie looks like he¡¯s going to cry or puke or pass out.Maybe all three.


    "Luna, c-can I be in there, please?" Reggie jumps up and begs me.


    I look at Amari, who shrugs her shoulders slightly.


    "That¡¯s fine, Reggie, but you can''t touch her while I am healing her.You need to stand back.If you don¡¯t


    think you can do that, you can¡¯te in," I say to him gently.


    "Stand back? No problem, no problem at all," he says, before he makes his way in the room.


    "Ready Amari?" I ask.


    She looks so calm and serene. I get the sense that is how she is all the time.


    "Yes, darling. Let''s help your Gamma."

 Chapter 159-67

    Chapter 159-67


    Reggie and Amari step into the room.I follow them, but Bronx holds me back.


    "Kas, please be careful," his face is full of worry.


    He ces his palm on my face and caresses my cheek with his thumb.I can feel his worry flooding


    through me.I close my eyes to concentrate and block it, hold my hands against his so he doesn¡¯t pull


    away.


    Selfishly want to feel our mate bond for a moment.


    "I¡¯ll be back out here as soon as I¡¯m done healing Ashley.No sooner, noter,"


    I don¡¯t want to promise him anything.I don¡¯t feel like right now is the time to be careful. It is time for


    action.


    He leans down and gives me a soft kiss, "I''ll be right here waiting, Baby."


    I give him onest look before I go back into Ashley¡¯s room.


    Amari has situated herself on the far side of the bed.


    Reggie is holding Ashley¡¯s hand up to his mouth, kissing it.


    When he sees me, he moves to the other side of the room with Ashley¡¯s mom.She rubs his back while


    they both watch with worry.


    "Alright, Kas.Lay your hands as you normally would.Ashley, I am going toy my hands on top of your


    Luna¡¯s.Try to double her healing ability, if you will," Amari exins to the sleepy Ashley.


    "Ashley, if you feel any pain, any difort at all, tell us right away," I nod while I speak to her.


    "Okay.I will," she smiles weakly.


    I put her hands down at her sides for her and ce one of my hands on her chest and the other on her


    slightly bloated belly.


    "So, how far along are you? I can¡¯t believe I forgot to ask," I ask apologetically.


    "A month and a half.We couldn''t find a good time to tell you with everything that has been going on,"


    she sounds apologetic herself.


    Typical Ashley, always worried about everyone else.


    "Okay, well, let¡¯s make the next three and a half monthsfortable in there for this pup, shall we?"


    §Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞI giggle a little, trying to lighten the mood.


    "Yeah, let¡¯s," she smiles back.


    I look up at Amari and nod, "Ready?"


    "Yes," she says.


    It¡¯s just one word, but it is calm and reassuring.She ces her hands over top of mine and takes a


    deep breath.


    I fee] her warm, calming energy flow into my hands.


    Pure and white, mixing in with my impatient, rolling waves of energy.


    I close my eyes and take a deep breath, focusing on Ashley.


    I let Amari¡¯s energy fuse with mine.


    As I feel it,I am tempted to pull more from her, but it feels like it would be a breach of trust to do so.I let


    my essence melt from my human form and flow into Ashley.I can sense her baby.


    Katie feels tired and weak, but she doesn''t want to give up.I start by giving both of them a boost to


    strengthen them.


    It will be for them to deal with the intensity of the treatment.


    When I am sure they are both stable, I spread myself further, down to their organs and tissue.I can


    sense I am close to the source of the problem.I am drawn to the red blood cells being pumped through


    both of their hearts.


    Focusing further, I be more disconnected from my body and bing part of the universe with


    my energy and essence.I¡¯m finally able to get to the cellr level.I watch as the blood cells move


    around me.


    Dark and damaged, not able to take in the oxygen they need.


    I try to reach into them, but the darkness doesn¡¯t budge.


    "I need to invoke your mysticism, Kas," I feel Amari¡¯s voice guiding me.


    I look around at what I see.


    How do I do that? How do I pull this disease out of these cells? I reach out and rake my energy through


    the cells, leaving a purple aura behind as I do.


    Bidding the aura to pull the darkened diseased spots into the aura and back toward my physical form.


    I sense a minute change in Ashley¡¯s body.


    When I check on Katie, there is a slight change in her, too.


    It''s working! 1 I perform the action again and look around, watching the cells swirl around me, getting


    lighter and lighter back to the normal red color.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As I continue, my purple aura bes darker and choppier.I pull the damaged energy back into my


    physical form and continue focusing on Ashley and Katie.


    Then I push positive, healing energy into her and Katie¡¯s essence, giving them strength to rece the


    darkness I am pulling from them.I rake my energy through her again.


    Pushing the disease out of her cells, collecting it in my aura, and pushing healing energy to the mother


    and baby.I keep going until there is no sign of the disease.


    I pull my essence back slowly and carefully.


    As I be moreplete, I feel something is different with the baby.I focus on her.


    She seems happy and content, settled into her mommy¡¯s belly.


    Her energy is through the roof.I take that as a good sign and continue to pull back to my body.I finally


    open my eyes and look around.


    Amari¡¯s hands are not on top of mine.


    She is standing back against the wall, watching me with wide eyes.


    "Tokaste, y-you didn''t...you''re a...,"


    Amari stumbles over her words.I¡¯m not sure when she removed herself from our link, but she looks like


    she fears something.I turn to Ashley.


    She is back to her normal color and her energy is back to how I¡¯m used to seeing her.


    She has tears running down her face.


    "Did I hurt you? Why are you crying?" As I speak, I feel really nauseous, but I reach forward to wipe her


    tears.


    "No Kas, I¡¯m happy.You did it.I feel like a million bucks,"


    She puts her hands over her mouth and sobs, looking over at Reggie.I turn to look at Reggie, but the


    motion makes me dizzy.I grab onto the railing of the bed and stumble backwards.


    He rushes forward and catches me before I hit the ground.I hear Bronx run into the room, pulling me


    out of Reggie¡¯s arms.


    "Kas? Talk to me.Are you okay?" Bronx asks, fussing over me.


    I see his eye looking at me, but my vision is spinning, so it¡¯s difficult to focus on him.I feel a trickle of


    sweat slide down my forehead as my Nausea gets worse.


    "I¡¯m so dizzy.I-I think I¡¯m gonna puke," I stammer.


    Without another word, Bronx picks me up and carries me into the bathroom.


    Amari follows and closes the door behind us.


    He sets me on the edge of the tub in front of the toilet.


    I feel the lurch of my stomach and lean forward, letting the dark tarry contents of my stomach out.


    Bronx holds my hair and rubs my back, soothing me.


    The sour, acidic taste coating my mouth makes me feel sick all over again.


    My stomach heaves over and over until there''s nothing left to throw up.I lean back and close my


    eyes.I¡¯m still dizzy, butpletely drained of energy.


    Bronx takes me in his arms and I feel him pull me into hisp.


    "I''ve got you, Baby," he whispers against my forehead.


    I feel a warm washcloth being wiped against my mouth and chin.


    "Amari, what happened? When did you stop helping me?" I ask, my eyes are still closed, leaning


    against Bronx¡¯s chest.


    "Kas, I didn¡¯t expect...you¡¯ve developed a new ability,"


    I hear her saying, sounding shocked, "When we first met, were...were you able to feel my ability? My


    energy?"


    "Yeah, of course.It feels white and pure,"


    My eyes feel like they have sandbags on them, but I open them enough to look at her.


    "What about when you met Tessa? Did you touch her? Shake her hand? It¡¯s important," Amari says


    with a serious tone in her voice.


    "I remember handing her a bag with her order and giving her a card so she could contact Ashley for


    asylum here. But I didn¡¯t know she was my sister.I thought she was running from someone who was


    hurting her.Now that you mention it, yeah, her energy felt, umm, blue.Strict and angry.Ready to fight."


    "And I know you probably don¡¯t remember, but our sister Cora also came in contact with you.How did


    you feel when you came back from being abducted?"


    "She wasn¡¯t hungry,"


    Bronx recalls for me, "She was in the hospital wing when her eyes shed red and she shifted


    involuntarily.Once she did, Lex went hunting and ate probably a dozen rabbits.Saint said it was a pretty


    wild night."


    "Oh dear,"


    Amari stands up and starts pacing the small bathroom and talking under her breath to herself.


    "What is it?" Bronx asks, looking concerned.


    "We need to consult with Katherine about how we should handle this," Amari says, standing in front of


    us, wringing her hands.


    "Handle what, exactly, Amari?" Bronx asks again, sounding a little more annoyed.


    "Kas, it seems, umm, besides everything else, you have be an energy vampire."

 Chapter 160- 68

    Chapter 160- 68


    "Amari, what the fuck are you talking about? Kas is a werewolf.She may be a goddess, but she is not a


    hybrid, and she''s definitely not a vampire,"


    Bronx snarls at my sister.I feel his body tense up as he holds me a little closer, showing his protective


    nature over me.I watch as Amari takes a step away from Bronx.I sense her fear skyrocket at his


    reaction to her statement.


    "I''m sorry to interrupt,"


    I put my hand t on his chest to stop Bronx before he says something we will all regret and address


    my sister, "Amari, I don¡¯t know what an energy vampire is and right now, I feel like I should care, but I


    don¡¯t give a shit what kind of vampire you think I am.


    This conversation needs to happen after I¡¯ve had time to rest.


    Because I¡¯m not making it through any discussions about anything without falling asleep in the middle."


    Even trying to speak those few sentences takes everything I have in me.


    "Yes, I think that¡¯s probably for the best,"


    Amari says with a quick nod, "It will give me time to discuss my thoughts on this with Katherine.Bronx,


    please let me know when Kas is feeling better so we can meet.We will be in our suites if you need us in


    the meantime."


    I watch as she leaves the bathroom, closing the door behind her.Bronx takes a deep breath once she is


    gone.I feel his demeanor rx slightly.


    "They''re staying here in the packhouse?" I ask sleepily.


    "Yeah, but that''s not your concern right now.Let me get you to bed, Baby.I don¡¯t want you to worry


    about anything Amari just said or where your sisters are staying or anything like that.I just want you to


    focus on resting, okay?"


    He nuzzles the spot where my forehead meets my hairline, breathing in my scent, "When you''re feeling


    up to it, then we can figure out what she¡¯s talking about."


    "That sounds good to me," I think I say out loud.


    But maybe it was in my head? I don¡¯t know.I¡¯m too exhausted to tell the difference right now.


    Bronx will understand.I let myself drift off to sleep.


    In the darkness of sleep, I hear a woman¡¯s voice calling to me.


    It isn''t Lex, but the voice sounds just as familiar as Lex does.


    Her voice is happy and inviting, like she is d she found me.I call out into the darkness to see if I can


    find the woman, "I¡¯m here.§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞCan you hear me? Who''s out there?"


    As I speak, the surrounding dark gets lighter until I am standing in the hallway of Leticia¡¯s apartment


    building.I go to her door and put my hand on the handle.I feel the vibrating energy as it easily opens for


    me.


    "Leticia, a-are you here?"


    I step into the apartment and look around, closing the door behind me.I feel much morefortable


    and wee herepared tost time.


    It¡¯s like the apartment remembers who I am now and wants me to stay.


    The ents of green and white are more vibrant, as if the decor is trying to show off.I feel the magic


    practically holding this ce together surrounding me.I hear some shuffling of dishesing from the


    kitchen.I walk down the hall to the wide open modern looking kitchen.


    A short woman with sparkly silver hair, just like mine, is facing the stove.


    She is standing on a stepstool, reaching for tes in the cab.


    "Hello Iokaste! Can you please stir the sauce? Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes," she says


    without turning around.


    There is no doubt now, this is Leticia.


    Her voice was the one calling me in through the dark.I move next to her and pick up the spoon next to


    a pan on the stove.


    There is a creamy rose sauce in the pan.


    Next to it, there is another pan with some sort of white fish that has a beautiful brown crust to it.


    "This smells delicious, Leticia," Ipliment her.


    I take a little taste from the spoon.It¡¯s just as good as it smells.


    "Thank you, I learned from the master," she steps down from the stool with two tes in her hands and


    gives me a wink.


    "So, I take it I¡¯m here because you summoned me somehow?" I ask tentatively.


    "I did! I figured out how to bring you here without creating a portal or you having to be under hypnosis.


    Isn''t that great!?"


    She sounds so proud of herself.


    "That is great, Leticia.Good job.I appreciate your effort,"


    I spoon the sauce over the fish and vegetables she has added to the te, "So, uh, why exactly am I


    here? Not that it''s a problem but I assume you have some sort of update for me?"


    "Well, I realized when I found you while you were meditating, our sisters have been holding back a lot


    of information from you.I wanted to bring you here, so we can talk uninterrupted.Without their


    influence.I have known them long enough to know they will try to manipte you, Iokaste," she sounds


    very matter of fact, as if she has been nning out what she should say to me.


    "Leticia, please call me Kas.You¡¯re my sister.There¡¯s no need to be so formal."


    She takes the tes from me and gives me a curious look, "If you insist, but you know if we are using


    magic, I need to use the name Mother gave you."


    "Oh, yes, I¡¯m aware," I confirm for her.


    She nods and walks toward a breakfast nook.I pick up a water pitcher from the counter and two


    sses before following her to the small dining table.


    Once we settle into our seats, Leticia waves her hand in front of her ss, turning it into a goblet of


    wine.


    "Want some?" she smiles while taking a sip.


    "Oh, no thank you.I don¡¯t really drink much."


    "Suit yourself.So, Kas, when you told me you didn¡¯t know about the Guardians the other day, I realized


    I had to step in and catch you up on a lot of information about us.Well, about you specifically and our


    beloved sisters," she rolls her eyes when she says beloved.


    Interesting.I have been searching for answers for so long.


    Now someone is finally going to just give them to me.


    This seems too good to be true.


    "Alright, I¡¯m listening,"


    I take a bite of my food, ready to get some straightforward answers.


    However skewed her version of reality is, I don¡¯t feel like Leticia will lie to me.I need to hear her out,


    then figure out on my own how much to believe.


    "Well, I know you know there are fifty Manae.Did you know Mother has us split into five factions? Ten


    sisters each.You, Katherine, Amari, Tessa, and Cora are our leaders.The Guardians are your


    mates.Mother tasks them to protect their respective factions.In your case, Bronx.He is the strongest of


    the five Guardians because you are the strongest of the fifty Manae."


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I lean back in my seat and take a sip of water, taking a moment to process this new information.It never


    urred to me that Bronx was so involved in this or that I could be the strongest of anything.


    "I¡¯m a leader? I mean, beyond Blood River? Amari mentioned something about different sisters having


    unique abilities, but she didn¡¯t mention factions."


    "Ah, of course she didn¡¯t.Amari hates conflict.It¡¯s the healer in her.She thinks referring to our groups as


    factions creates too much division between all of us.But honestly, it''s the easiest way to describe it."


    I nod with understanding at her exnation.


    Hearing that I¡¯m the strongest of fifty goddesses still seems a little unbelievable, but I don¡¯t have a


    reason to question her.


    "Katherine is technically our Luna, but that¡¯s bullshit.The Mavri Magea doesn¡¯t answer to her.We never


    have.We answer to you.You¡¯re the only one that''s ever been able to put her in her ce.Well, except


    for maybe Bronx but he usually tries to stay out of it." I stop mid-bite.


    Mavri Magea.


    The words create a spark in my chest.It feels deep andforting, like it has always been there, but I


    forgot how to find it.


    There is also a dangerous sensation to it, like I forgot how to find it on purpose.


    I feel a heat inside me as I try the words out, "Mavri Magea?"


    The foreignnguage fits perfectly on my tongue, falling from my lips, feelingpletely natural.


    Saying them out loud gives me a renewed sense of...I¡¯m not sure what.


    Purpose? Responsibility? A new way to define myself? Regardless, it feels a little messy but in a good


    way, like I am finally moving in the right direction.


    Yeah, that¡¯s it.It feels right.

 Chapter 161- 69

    Chapter 161- 69


    There''s a glint in Leticia''s eye as she watches the words absorb into my soul, "Feels good, doesn''t it?"


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I put my fork down and clear my throat, trying to y it cool, "It kinda does, yeah."


    "That''s because there''s power in those words.They are yours, Kas.You own them," she puts her chin in


    her hands and watches me more closely.


    "What do you mean, I own them? A person can''t own words, Leticia," I try to rationalize with her, but it


    seems fruitless.


    "It''s your faction, Kas.Mavri Magea is Greek for Dark Magic.Nowadays, I think our sisters call us ¡®The


    Dark¡¯.Rude isn¡¯t it? We didn¡¯t pick the name.Mother gave it to us.We are the youngest of the


    Manae.And you are the youngest of all of us.Mother saved the best forst, I guess.Can you believe


    she had to ask permission to change the calendar just for you?" she chuckles as she shakes her head


    at a memory.


    I push the vegetables around on my te, "So we have dark magic to counteract how ¡®light¡¯ our other


    forty sisters are?"


    Leticia tilts her head side to side, "Sort of.We keep bnce so our sisters don¡¯t get any smart ideas and


    try to overtake the Olympians.And we can¡¯t help that it¡¯s dark magic.It¡¯s just who we are."


    Leticia looks a little annoyed as she exins, clearly unhappy with ¡® The Dark¡¯ moniker.


    "when you say dark magic, you¡¯re talking about what Amari calls ¡® mysticism''?" I ask, making sure I


    understand.


    Leticia rolls her eyes again, "Yeah.I suppose it is."


    "So, in the past couple of weeks, I''ve started to understand my abilities better.Are yours the same as


    mine?"


    "I wish, but no.§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞEach of the Mavri Magea has a specialty.Mine is traditional magic, but


    since I don¡¯t have a coven, I kinda work on the fringe by myself.The rest of our faction can harness


    their energy to do things like create heat or freeze time.Desiree even has the power of persuasion,"


    She leans forward and raises her eyebrows, looking impressed.I return the look, even though I have no


    idea who Desiree is.


    The longer I speak with Leticia, the more I feel like she is on the verge of some sort of maniacal


    episode, but if I could give her guidance, I could rein her in.


    "Out of the ten of us, you have a smorgasbord of everything the rest of the Mavri Magea has, plus the


    ability to have visions.Shit, what I wouldn''t give to be able to look into the future," she muses, looking


    off into the distance.


    "Leticia, I assure you, it isn''t as great as it seems," I shake my head, thinking of all the terrible things


    I''ve seen.


    "Whatever, it still seems pretty cool.PLUS all the abilities Katherine, Amari, Contessa, and Persephone


    have, you lucky bitch," she takes another bite of her food before she points her fork at me with a sly


    smirk on her face.


    "Yeah, Amari mentioned something about that, but it didn''t make sense at the time.You''re filling in a lot


    of nks for me.I appreciate it more than you''ll ever know."


    Leticia smiles as she chews her food happily.


    It''s clear that she likes the recognition from me and feeling that she is important to me.I know she has


    no reason to lie to me and what she is saying aligns with what Amari told me, but it seems really


    unbelievable.


    I need to get as much information out of her as I can.


    "Sorry, I know this is a ton of questions, it''s just the first I¡¯m hearing about all of it,"I apologize, "Thank


    you for your patience."


    "we have all the time in the world or until you decide it¡¯s time to wake up," Leticia says with an air of


    nonchnce.


    She puts her hand on my forearm.


    I can¡¯t help myself.I close my eyes and feel a memorye to mind.


    Leticia is standing in front of me in a dress that looks straight out of the eighteen hundreds.I look to my


    left to see we are hidden in a dark alley.


    The sound of rats scurrying around us makes my skin crawl.


    The smell of stale urine is strong in my nose.


    My eyes are glowing bright violet, giving us just enough light to see what we''re doing.I press a rolled


    piece of leather against her chest.


    Inside is an ancient silver knife.


    She''s the only one I can trust.


    It took centuries of setbacks to obtain it, but I know it¡¯s safe with her.


    I whisper quietly as I give her instructions, "Don¡¯t worry, Leticia, you''ll know when it¡¯s time.The bnce


    of power has tipped too far.It¡¯s up to us to fix it, but my lifetime has almost run its course.They''ll be


    coming for me soon.Be brave, my Darling."


    I watch as she nods with tears in herrge violet eyes, "I love you, Iokaste.Forever in the past and


    forever in the future."


    I embrace her and give her a kiss on the cheek, then push her away, urging her to hurry and not get


    caught.I turn and quickly walk the other direction.


    As Ie out of the alley, I bump into arge man so hard that it knocks me on my butt.


    "Iokaste? What are you doing?"


    A gravely voice asks and arge hand reaches down to help me stand.I look up to see Bronx, dressed


    in an old time suit with a long jacket and top hat.


    His sparkling green eyes look at me with concern.


    Both of them.I gasp as I open my eyes, pulling my arm away from Leticia¡¯s hand.


    The knife, the instructions...it was all my idea.


    Hearing her use the saying I thought was only between Bronx and I.I don¡¯t even know what to think.


    "Aah, so you had a vision.What was it?" she puts her hand under her chin and looks at me quizzically.


    "I-I was giving you a-a silver knife," I stammer, thinking about the vision.


    "War of 1812," she nods and takes another sip of her wine, "That was an exciting life."


    "Leticia," I swallow hard, "What did I want you to do with the knife? I mean, what exactly did I ask you


    to do besides fix the bnce?"


    "you very clearly told me to focus on clearing out the Guardians. I don¡¯t know how that bnces power,


    but you were insistent," she looks me in the eye as she speaks.


    "So, you killed Cordell Santoro?"


    "Yes, he was a tricky one.Usually surrounded by security, but he finally went out on his own to get


    cash, so I could finally follow him.Oh, and I was able to get Dante Ferox pretty easily once I tracked


    him down."


    "I see.So you''ve killed two of the Guardians so far?" I ask, dreading the answer.


    "Three.Didn¡¯t you see Alexandros in the basement of your old packhouse?"


    "I-I did but - I, umm, I didn¡¯t recognize him," I try not to sound stunned.I think about the little girl who


    was terrified of me.


    Her words ring in my ears, ¡®The Luna did it"


    She saw Leticia and thought it was me.


    "Leticia, you said your ability is traditional magic.Did you mor yourself and try to kill Bronx before he


    and I met? Back when he was in the military?"


    "Well, that was me, but I wasn¡¯t trying to kill him.Think of it as practice more than anything.It was like


    you said.I just needed to weaken him enough so he wouldn''t be able to stop me.I n on saving him


    forst.It¡¯s going to be the biggest challenge for sure," she says, like it was part of a recipe book she


    memorized.


    "Don¡¯t kill Bronx," I say quickly, "I mean, don¡¯t kill anyone else, but please don¡¯t kill Bronx."


    "Well, if I am not killing thest two Guardians, what¡¯s the new n?"


    She sits back and crosses her arms.She doesn¡¯t look angry, just waiting for new orders.


    "I don''t know yet.Just give me time to think it through.I wille back when I have a better idea," I


    smile as genuinely as I can, considering the circumstances.


    She sighs and taps her foot on the ground, "Fine.I need to go to Ennd to borrow the vis Inferni


    for a frence job I picked up anyway."


    "Thank you, Leticia,"


    I breathe a sigh of relief and stand up, "I¡¯m going to go now.I will be back soon.I promise."


    She stands in return and opens her arms to give me a hug.I brace myself to protect from having


    another vision and hug her back.


    When she lets me go, I can see a little sadness on her face.


    "Don¡¯t worry.I won''t be long.A couple months at the most.I just have to get things in order," I reassure


    her.


    She nods mournfully as I walk back to the door of the apartment.


    As I turn the knob, my vision dissolves back into ckness and I feel myself sleeping again.


    When I open my eyes, I''m in my bed.


    Delh is in an armchair next to the bed asleep, with my green and gray nket covering her.


    "Delh?" I say softly, cing my hand on her knee.She opens her eyes slowly and looks around


    before she looks at me, "Oh Kas! Finally!"

 Chapter 162- 70

    Chapter 162- 70


    I smile warmly as my friend recognizes me.


    "Delh, why are you here? Where¡¯s Bronx?" I ask with a yawn and a big stretch.


    She yawns too, stretching her long spindly arms, before she pushes her light brown hair out of her


    eyes.


    Her French ent is thicker than usual as she wakes up, "He¡¯s downstairs with everyone else


    completing the Santoro deal.Oh, except Musu.She¡¯s in your living room doing research."


    "Oh, okay," I nod with eptance while the fog in my brain clears, "Wait, why does that mean you and


    Musu need to be here? Not that I mind."


    "You have been asleep for a day and a half.The Alpha wanted someone keeping an eye on you at all


    times when he is not here.I volunteered this time.Musu and I have been taking turns."


    "Musu is here too?"


    This gives me an idea.I could really use a good chat with both of them about Leticia, but before that I


    want to spend time with my best friend.I have missed her so much.


    Other than Bronx, I spent most of my time with Delh.


    She and I are both perfectly content with that.


    Outside of the Coven''s realm, where time operates much differently, she is only a year older than me.


    If my conversion time conversion is right, I think she is over a thousand years old.


    An old soul, like me.


    For the sake of our rtionship, I like to think she is twenty.


    It makes it a little easier to connect with her than Lenora or Ashley, who are in their mid- twenties


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I pull back the covers and pat on the bed so she willey down next to me like we do when James


    is on duty and Bronx is out of town on business.


    We like to binge watch Chopped or bakingpetitions and eat junk food until we fall asleep in my


    bed.


    Wee up with our best menu ideas that way.


    I miss my best friend.


    It feels like I haven¡¯t spoken to her in weeks.


    She giggles a little and slides onto the bed next to me.


    Once she snuggles in the bed with me, I throw the covers over her and give her a big hug.


    She hugs me back tightly before she lies on her back and takes my hand in hers, holding it to her heart.


    "Talk to me mon ami [my friend].§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞHow are you? How¡¯s the baby? Everything.We haven''t


    had any time for bavard¨¦ [gossip] in forever," I smile at her.


    "Where to start?" her mesmerizing voice sounds like little solstice bells jingling in the air, "First off, the


    baby, he is doing wonderfully."


    "He? You''re having a boy?" I ask excitedly.


    "Oui," she smiles back.


    Her ever changing blue eyes looking a little teary, "We are naming him Alexander. James picked it out."


    "Delh, I am so happy for you and James.Can I please help you shop for the nursery? I need to spoil


    my nephew."


    "Of course! I can¡¯t imagine going without you," she giggles, "James looked a little overwhelmed when I


    asked him if he preferred blue or green for the paint.I can¡¯t imagine his reaction if I ask him to help shop


    for furniture."


    "That definitely sounds like James,"


    I giggle in return, "So what did the doctor say? We had a hybrid specialiste in, right?"


    "Yes, he says my pregnancy will be seven months instead of five, since it is a hybrid pup.Witches


    usually have a pregnancy like humans.We even got to hear the heartbeat.It was so sweet, Kas.Even


    James got tears in his eyes.I am ten weeks along.So four and a half months left," she gives me a


    happy but tired look.


    "And how are you feeling, because that face looks more tired than the open shift before an espresso at


    the bakery," squeezing her hand to show her my support.


    "Don¡¯t mention espresso," sheughs hardily, then pulls her face into a pout, "I¡¯m not allowed to have


    coffee, ording to the doctor.I tried to sneak a few sips the other day and had to make a draught for


    heartburn.I can''t even eat my favorite cheeses.Can you believe it?"


    "Okay, okay, no coffee until after Alexander is here," I pout along with her.


    "Indeed.Until then, only water.Oh, and the repugnant protein shakes James makes me drink," she


    scrunches her face.


    "Well, it sounds like you need a milkshake.I¡¯ve had those protein shakes when I first came to Blood


    River.You''re right.They are repugnant,"


    I agree with a sly grin, "You stay here.I¡¯m getting you a milkshake."


    "Kas, you should really stay in bed," Delh leans forward and tries to stop me, but I pull back the


    covers and hop out of bed before she can catch me.I feel a little wobbly at first, but quickly collect


    myself and make my way out of the bedroom.


    "Musu? Are you here?" I call into the living room while I¡¯m on my way to the kitchen.


    "Luna, you''re awake? Is everything alright?" Musu stands and follows me to the kitchen.I can sense her


    worry.


    "Musu, how many times do I have to ask you? Pretty please, when you are in my home, call me Kas," I


    smile at her while I dig through the pantry.


    Musu looks around a little ufortably, ¡®"A-alright, Kas, is everything okay? Where¡¯s Delh?"


    "She¡¯s in the bedroom.I¡¯m making us a snack and I would like you to join us, please."


    "A snack in the bedroom?" she asks, amused.


    When I stand, I notice she is wearing a flowy shirt to hide her growing belly, but she¡¯s having twins.She


    is already showing too much for a flowy shirt to hide her bump.She looks beautiful.


    I move around her to go to the freezer.


    "Yes.I hope you like milkshakes," I hold up a container of ice cream and chocte syrup with a big


    smile.


    "Well, who am I to say no to a request from my Luna, Kas?" sheughs loudly, showing her wide, bright


    smile.


    I quickly blend up chocte milkshakes for Delh, Musu, and myself.


    I add a little protein powder that Bronx keeps for his post workouts to theirs, so their mates don¡¯t get


    upset I had both of them eating junk food.


    Between twins and a hybrid pup, these twodies need as much protein and as many calories as they


    can get, but they should still get to treat themselves every now and then.


    When the drinks are in sses, Musu and I head back into the bedroom.I climb on the bed and crawl


    back under the covers, next to Delh.Her eyes go wide with excitement when she takes a sip of her


    drink.


    "See Delh? Back in bed just that quick and with a delicious, somewhat nutritious treat for you.Musu,


    come on, you¡¯re on this side"


    I pat the bed on the other side of me, "Think of it like a sleep over."


    Musu¡¯s eyes go wide.


    It isn¡¯t really a look of excitement, more of disbelief, "You want me to get into yours and the Alpha¡¯s


    bed? I can¡¯t do that.Besides, it¡¯s only ten a.m.No time for a sleepover, Kas."


    "It sert a rien de se battre.Elle n''abandonnera pas jusqu''a ce que vous vous mettiez au lit [It is no use


    fighting.She won''t give up until you get in the bed),"


    Delh shakes her head as she exins the situation to Musu in French.


    Delh hasn¡¯t taught me enough French to be fluent, but I think she said something about getting in the


    bed.


    Musu takes a sip of her milkshake and shakes her head in defeat, then climbs in bed next to me, "I-it¡¯s


    a damn good milkshake, Kas."


    "and if your mates ask, yes, there is protein powder in them.That makes them healthy food, right?" I


    smile slyly.


    "The most delicious healthy food I have had in two months," Delhughs.


    Musu follows suit.


    "So Musu, how have things been for you? How are your babies? You¡¯re in good hands with Mama


    Sanchez.She¡¯s had lots of practice with all her boys and grandchildren," I engage Musu in


    conversation.


    "Well, other than being tired ALL the time.It¡¯s going well.These two pups pull the life out of me, but


    Marco pampers me like you wouldn¡¯t believe.Once we found out we are having a boy and a girl, he has


    been to the moon and back.I think he was worried we would have two girls and he would have to sit in


    front of their bedroom with a gun to keep the boys away," sheughs while she rubs her belly.


    We allugh, thinking about Marco as a protective daddy to two little girls.I can already tell his daughter


    will have him wrapped around her little finger.


    "Have you thought of names yet?" Delh asks.


    "Yes, our little boy is Deago after Marco¡¯s father, and our little girl is Inez after my mother," she grins


    broadly.


    "I love it! Beautiful names," I feel myself squeal as I p a little, "I can¡¯t wait to meet them! Our pack is


    going to have a huge nursery!"


    "Indeed.I can''t wait to meet everyone else¡¯s pups," she sighs, thinking about the future, "The worst part


    is that I still have three months to go and my feet are already swollen all the time.The best part is


    Marco gives superb foot rubs."


    "I have a tincture that can help with the swelling. I will bring it to you in the morning,"


    Delh offers soothingly, "I think you should still let Marco give you those foot rubs though."

 Chapter 163- 71

    Chapter 163- 71


    We sit and chat a little about our mates for a while until we finish the milkshakes and set the sses


    aside.


    "Alrightdies, I have some things I want to discuss with you, but I need your word that you will keep


    this between US," I say solemnly.


    "Of course, Kas. You know you can trust me with anything,¡± Delh shakes her head, not


    understanding why I would question her loyalty.


    "Kas, you can trust me. I keep plenty of secrets about my research from many people, even you


    sometimes,¡± Musu takes my hand and looks me in the eye.


    ¡®Thank youdies. This all stays with the three of US in this room. If we want to speak about it again, it


    is only between the three of US," I reaffirm my words.


    They both look at me and nod. I tell them about my conversation with Leticia. Everything from my


    abilities, her abilities, and the various abilities of our sisters.


    "Why do you want to keep this a secret?" Delh asks, "It seems like information any of your sisters


    who are downstairs could easily provide or if they don¡¯t know, they would want to.¡±


    ¡®That''s the thing, that concerns me. I had a vision while I was sitting with Leticia. It was from the past.


    She said it was from the time of the War of 1812.I gave her the silver knife she has been using to kill


    the Guardians. She said I was the one that ordered her to do it. She seems convinced that the Mavri


    Magea are the way we are to create bnce among the Manae. It seems like being able to control all


    these abilities is going to be important.¡±


    "What does that have to do with the rest of the Manae?¡± she looks at me, confused.


    "Delh, if Leticia can perform magic, that means so can 1.1 need you to teach me, but we can''t let


    anyone find out. What if my sisters see it as a threat? And can you imagine what Bronx would say if he


    found out? Leticia is not okay in the head. It sounds like I would be the only one who could stop her if


    necessary,¡± I sigh heavily, "Something I have done in the past has sent her down a dark path. I need to


    be prepared in case I need to defend myself against her or, Goddess forbid, stop her. If there is any


    way I can help save her soul, then I need to do that too.¡±


    Delh nods in understanding and holds my hand tightly, ''Til help you, Kas. Of course I''ll help you."


    "You need to unlock more abilities?" Musu asks tentatively.


    I sigh heavily, "Musu, this is where youe in, I think. If you find out about more details on these


    abilities, I need you to let me know. If one of my sisters can do it, I need to figure out how to do it."


    "I can definitely do that. We found out about the factions while you were at Silver Moon. We just have


    not had time to tell you about it. Not the parts about you having everyone''s abilities. Just the factions


    each having their own specialties," she confirms, "I probably shouldn''t tell you this, but including you,


    all the leaders of the Manae are here. Right now. They all work for Santoro Enterprises.¡±


    "Y-you mean other than Amari and Tessa?"


    "Yes, Katherine and Persephone or Cora, I¡¯m not sure exactly which she prefers. She is kind of quiet,


    keeps to herself," Musu taps her finger on her lip as she speaks, "Regardless, they are all in the


    conference room right now. It is a legitimate business deal. They are building a facility in Montana and


    want MasonCo to provide security for them."


    I scan my mind for a moment, trying to process it. All five of US are here. The four women who sat


    back and watched through cameras as I was tortured, almost to death, are downstairs in the


    conference room. The little storm cloud I was feeling earlier edges its way back. It feels different now


    that I have more information about the Manae and my role amongst US. Maybe that little storm cloud is


    justified in hanging out after all.


    Why now? They have known for over a year that Leticia killed Cordell Santoro, right? So why now?


    Leticia didn''t tell me when she killed Dante Ferox, but it must have been in between Cordell and


    Alexandras.


    "On a scale of one to ¡®the day he recorded that media message¡¯, how mad do you think Bronx will be if


    I go to the conference room right now?¡± I ask my friends.


    "Kas, you don''t want to fight pregnant women to get out of this apartment, do you?" Musu asks with a


    little growl in her voice.


    "Okay, fine,¡± I say with a huff. I cross my arms and lean back on the pillows, ¡®Well, if I''m stuck in here.


    At least I have goodpany."


    I take Musu''s hand and lean against Delh¡¯s shoulder, "Please tell me more about your pups. I can¡¯t


    get enough."


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "What about you and your mate? You''re nning on having pups of your own, aren''t you?" Musu asks.


    "It''s not that simple for US, ording to Lady Camille," I reply without actually answering the question.


    Bronx and Lenora are the only ones who know about my conversation with Zeus. I smile, thinking


    about the giant walnut sitting in a drawer in my closet.


    While she doesn''t know the situation, Delh knows me well enough to know its time to take the


    attention off of me, "Well, I will tell you one thing, growing a pup is exhausting.¡±


    "I agree with that," Musu exaggerates her head, nodding in agreement.


    "I mean, if you want, I can give you both a little boost of energy. I would be happy to help,¡± I smile.


    "Kas, no. You just woke up from removing a disease from someone''s blood. You need to conserve


    what energy you have,¡±


    Delh scolds.


    "Delh, I wouldn''t have offered it if I didn''t think I could do it," I try to convince her, "Please say yes,


    then I will take another nap. I will be right as rain by the time my mate gets home.¡±


    Delh looks at me tentatively, ¡°Are you sure? Do you really feel up to it?"


    "Yes. I''m sure. I can give you a boost and some calming energy so you don''t use the boost all at once.


    Please? I really want to do this for you," I exin shamelessly.


    Delh sighs heavily, ¡°Alright fine. But if you feel ill, you stop right away."


    "I promise," I hold up my right hand to show how serious I am, "Musu?"


    ¡®Well, I could use some energy, so yeah, I guess that''s fine."


    I feel my mood brighten, "Okay, hold hands. It will be easier for the energy to flow through all three of


    US."


    We all join hands, making a little circle.


    "I feel like we are a tiny little coven," Delh giggles.


    I close my eyes and let a boost of energy to help the fatigue flow from my right side and a calming


    energy from my left side. As I concentrate, I feel the bits of the energy that didn''t get absorbed by the


    women or their pupse back to me. We stay like this for a few minutes until I feel a sense of relief


    from both of them.


    I open my eyes to see two very happy, smiling faces. They both look refreshed, energized, and calm at


    the same time.


    "Better?" I ask.


    "Oh yes, I haven''t felt this good in weeks,¡± Musu sighs happily. Delh nods on the other side.


    "Okay, good," I smile in return before I pull both of them back to the pillows. I don¡¯t want them to leave


    my side yet. I feel like it has been an eternity since I have had time alone with friends.


    ¡®Want to hear about thetest from the bakery?" Delh asks, as she leans her head against my


    shoulder again. I feelforted by her warmth.


    "Yeah, that would be great. How are people liking the autumn specials?" I feel a little sleepy from


    healing both of them at the same time. I interlink my arm around Musu, "I also want to hear about as


    much of your research as you''re allowed to tell me, Musu. If that''s okay?"


    "Of course, Kas. I would be happy to. I want to hear about the bakery first, though. That is much more


    interesting than what I have to say, I''m sure," Musu agrees.


    As Delh gives her updates, I feel my eyes get heavy. Musu leans against me and ultimately needs to


    lay her head on myp so she can lie


    on her side in a positionfortable for her and the pups. Her breath bes slower and more


    steady as Delh''s voice lulls both of US into a gentle sleep. I feel Delh leaning more heavily against


    me because she falls asleep as well. I give her hand a gentle squeeze before I let myself dothe same.

 Chapter 164- 72

    Chapter 164- 72


    Bronx''s POV


    We finally break for lunch after negotiating costs for various parts of the contract between Santoro


    Enterprises and MasonCo, which surprisingly, is a legitimate business venture for them, even though I


    find it extremely coincidental they boughtnd within wolf running distance from the northern part of our


    territory.


    I look at my watch. It¡¯s almost one p.m. I haven''t heard any updates from Delh or Musu. No news is


    good news, I guess, I think to myself as I climb the stairs to the fifth floor.


    There''s one security guard half a flight in front of me and two half a flight behind me as I walk. I can''t


    believe I have to have security in my own home, but even with the wards Delh and Lady Camille put


    up, we do not know if this Leticia woman could create another portal out of thin air and attack me. If I


    would have refused to allow the extra security, I think my ranked members would have pulled a mutiny


    and thrown me in the dungeon.


    When we get to the top floor, I see James and Marco in front of my apartment door, talking with Tyree,


    who is on guard. It looks like a friendly conversation, not one for concern.


    It is bizarre to see both James and Marco in casual clothes. Marco, specifically, looks a little more


    disheveled than I have seen him before. He''s wearing a bandana over his hair, with gym shorts and a


    tank top. He doesn''t look like he has shaved in several days. It is so weird to see him like that. Even


    weirder that James is always in a white polo shirt and ck jeans with ck trainers when he is off


    duty, unless he¡¯s training. It''s as casual as he gets, even though I know Delh has bought him other


    colored shirts.


    "Gentlemen, everything alright?" I ask as I approach.


    "Yes Alpha,¡± Marco says, "I am here to get Musu. I made her lunch. We were just catching up with


    Tyree before we went in.¡±


    "Yeah, I asked Mrs. Miller to have some food brought up for Delh and me. We are going to eat here


    while Musu is with Marco. Just waiting for the food to get here.¡±


    "Alright, well, why don''t we go in and let thedies know it¡¯s lunchtime," I say, unlocking the door.


    James and Marco follow me into the silent apartment. Musu''sptop is on the coffee table, but she is


    nowhere to be seen. We can smell all three of their scents, so we know they are here somewhere. I


    walk to the partially open bedroom door and quietly push it open.


    "Look at that. A cuddle puddle. They have reced you, buddy,¡± Saint says with a chuckle.


    Kas, Delh, and Musu are all intertwined with each other on the giant king sized bed. Kas''s Luna


    instincts kicked in at some point because I see she has her arms protectively around her friends, who


    look happy, serene, and safe with their arms draped over her in return. There is a soft purple glow


    surrounding the three of them.


    "Everything okay, Alpha?" Marco asks as he steps forward. James is directly behind him with a


    concerned look. I turn and put my finger to my lips, then point to the bed.


    James and Marco both stand behind me in the doorway, looking at our mates for a few moments,


    wondering what we should do.


    "I ain''t gonna wake Musu up. That looks like the best sleep she''s gotten in weeks," Marco mind links


    US.


    "Yeah, Delh too," James says in a whisper, even though it''s through a mind link, "Is it safe though?


    For Delh and Musu to be glowing like that?¡±


    "I think so. Kas healed Lenora and Ashley and nothing bad happened. If anything, it helped their


    babies. You''ve seen how big Codi is and how close she and Kas are now. And Ashley says Katie feels


    stronger than ever.


    Besides, when was thest time Kas''s aura glowed in her sleep? She''s so happy right now she literally


    can''t contain herself.¡±


    "Other than when they with US, I can''t think of a time when the three of them been any safer," Marco


    shrugs, "Two pregnant she- wolves and a goddess Luna guarding them. That''s a whole mood, man."


    "Okay, then let''s let them sleep,¡± I reply, "I have some things I want to talk to both of you about, anyway.


    Looks like they had something to drink. Let me just grab the sses and put them in the kitchen.¡±


    I tiptoe into the room and silently pick up the sses. From this close, I can see just how content Kas


    looks. It reminds me of a picture I have somewhere of Lenora and me with Mom when we were little


    kids. We are all sleeping and Mom is hugging her pups tightly on herp. Kas has the same content


    look as my Mom did in that picture. I can only hope her conversation with Zeus about having a pup of


    her own wille to fruition one day, and Kas will have a moment like this with her own children.


    Once I make my way out of the room, James closes the door behind me.


    "Chocte milkshakes?¡± James questions. There is a hint of annoyance in his voice.


    I set the sses down and sniff one of them, "Milkshakes with my post workout protein powder added.¡±


    I see a slight look of relief on both James¡¯ and Marco''s faces. These two are going to be the most


    protective fathers in the pack.


    Hands down.I head out to the dining room table and we all sit down.


    "So what did you want to discuss, Bronx?" James asks as he sps his hands in front of him on the


    table. I''m d I have finally broken his habit of calling me Aloha when we are in the apartment.


    "What do you guys think of keeping Tyree as one of Kas''s full-time guards? I want to make sure you


    have more time with your families and I want to change your roles a bit too. Especially with everything


    going on right now,¡± I lean back in my seat and drum my fingers on the table, looking between the two


    men.


    "I don¡¯t see a problem keeping Tyree in rotation,¡± Marco says with a satisfied look, "We can work with


    him to get some of his skills brushed up and have him go through a few training sessions with Kas to


    make sure we are a solid unit."


    "I agree,¡± James says, "Kas seemsfortable with him, so as long as she is fine with it, I am too."


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Okay good. That''s settled. I will let Reggie know he''s losing one of his guys and have Ashley discuss


    his new role with him," I rap with my knuckles on the table.


    "You mentioned something about our roles too?" Marco looks at me tentatively. He has had a rough go


    of things since Silver Moon. Whatever happened with Kas disappearing from the giant crystal, he took


    it personally. He requested a week off to get his head straight. I told him to take as long as he needed.


    He is someone who is important to Kas. She would hate to lose him as one of her guards.


    It upset me at first when I heard he tried to wake her up from her vision, but I also understand he was


    worried and trying to help.


    "James, I want you to work more closely with Reggie, Lenora and Musu. We need to keep tabs on the


    Manae now that we know who they are.You keep Marco and Tyree updated on new intelligence,¡± I


    exin to James.


    "I can certainly do that, Sir. Thank you for trusting me with that," he nods in satisfaction.


    "Marco, you''re Kas''s new lead guard. I know the two of you have taught her everything you know about


    fighting. Marco, I need you to help her figure out how to use her abilities better. You''re going to work


    more closely with Delh and consult with Lady Camille as necessary. I need you to figure out how to


    prevent her from having any more visions," I exin, "It''s dangerous on many levels and each time it


    bes more dangerous for everyone.¡±


    Marco gives me an indecisive look. It is rare to see his self-confidence so low.


    "Marco, Lenora and Tyree told me what a good job you did taking charge at Silver Moon during an


    emergency. I need that guy for our Luna.


    For my mate. Are you really going to make me show my cards right now?" I ask, leaning forward with


    my arms against the table.


    "Alpha, I- no please, I-," he looks terrified knowing what I¡¯m about to say.


    "Marco, it''s time for you to step up. We both know you can do this and it will relieve a lot of stress for


    many people," I say with a more consoling tone.


    Marco groans as he leans back and squeezes his eyes tightly, "Fine, if you gotta tell James, go ahead


    but that''s it. I don''t want no one else knowing.¡±


    "James, Deago came to Blood River, not just because he met his mate here, but because his brother


    was the Beta for his old pack. They are a small pack, so they didn''t have any positions other than


    border guard for his dad. When he met Marco''s mom, my grandfather let hime to Blood River as a


    senior trainer. He became lead trainer once my dad took over."


    James looks at me nkly for a moment, trying to process what I just told him. I flicker of recognition


    strikes and he looks at Marco, "You''re a Beta?"

 Chapter 165- 73

    Chapter 165- 73


    Marco''s POV


    I groan and lean my head on the table. I hate this. My family lineage is not who I am, and I hate people


    knowing about it.


    "No. I ain''t a Beta. My uncle is a Beta. My dad is the younger brother, so he didn¡¯t get no ranked title.


    I¡¯m just a pack warrior, like you, James," I sit up and shake my head.


    "So you''re a regr old pack warrior with Beta blood?¡± James says with a whole lotta sarcasm in his


    voice.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Alpha Bronx interrupts. I look up at him to see a sly look on his face.


    "FINALLY, some damn recognition for who we are," my wolf sh huffs.


    Oh man, please don''t do it. Please don''t do it. I beg in my mind.


    "He''s a regr old pack warrior with Alpha blood,¡± the Alpha finishes his thought.Shit. Why does he


    have to call me out like that?


    "Because you co, ese!" sh growls at me, "Stop denying it and GET OVER YOURSELF!¡±


    "Alpha, please stop. I¡¯m no Beta and I certainly ain¡¯t no Alpha,¡± I can feel my face getting flush with


    embarrassment.


    sh groans at my statement.


    "Hold up, Marco. I''m gonna need you to exin this to me better. Is it too early for a beer? It seems like


    this is a conversation to have over beer," James says. He sounds confused and looks a little pale.


    "I will get you two a beer but I have more meetings this afternoon, so I''m going to stick to water for


    now,¡± Alpha Bronx gets up from the table with a sly smile on his face and goes to the kitchen.


    James and I just sit there in awkward silence until he gets back with a bottle for each of US. He sits


    down in his chair and leans back with his arms crossed.


    "Alright, Marco, please proceed. I''ve never heard this from your perspective before. Just your dad''s,"


    Alpha Bronx makes a motion with his hand like he is giving me permission to tell the story and crosses


    his arms.


    "So, like Alpha Bronx said, my old man came here when he met my mom. The Granite Mountain pack


    is tiny. My abuelo [grandfather] was a Beta.


    When his Alpha retired and Alpha''s son became new Alpha, he made my uncle Roberto the Beta. They


    don''t got no Gammas. So there was no ranked position for my dad," I take a deep drink from my bottle


    and look at James to check his reaction.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®That doesn''t exin how you could have Alpha blood, Marco," James looks at me like he''s trying to


    find the truth in my eyes. I sigh and take another drink before I talk again, "My abuelo¡¯s older brother


    was his Alpha. So technically, yeah, I could have


    Alpha blood, but I never got no blood tests to confirm it. I don''t need to. I''m the youngest of five


    brothers. There ain''t no situation where I would have to take a Beta''s ce let alone an Alpha¡¯s. I¡¯m too


    far down the chain. There ain¡¯t no way any of that is part of my DNA. My oldest brother Luis, probably,


    but definitely not me."


    "Marco, you''re joking, right? Look how big you arepared to your brothers. Shit, you''re almost as


    tall as Bronx and practically as strong as him. There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t have Beta blood. I would put


    money on you having Alpha blood,¡± James says. His eyes are wide, like he can''t believe that I don''t


    have any special blood in me.


    Alpha Bronxces up his fingers and puts his hands on top of his head, still leaning back in his seat,


    "We could get the blood tests done if you wanted to, Marco. If it would make you feel better."


    "I don''t want no stupid blood tests, Alpha. It don''t make a difference in who I am and what my life is.


    Nothing changes with whatever would show up on that piece of paper,¡± I exin, "I don''t want no one


    to treat me any different than they do now. I especially don''t want them to think of me any different."


    "Marco. Your lineage is something to be proud of. All those years your dad trained US growing up and


    no one ever said anything? Not your dad, your brothers or you? Why?" James still don''t understand


    why I try not to talk about it.


    Marco sighs, "Dad¡¯s a proud guy. He didn''t want people to know he came here because he couldn''t be


    a ranked member somewhere else and he always taught US it didn''t matter. The only thing that matters


    is hard work and to earn your keep.¡±


    "As your dad would say, ''you don''t have to be the best at everything but put your best into everything


    you do.¡¯ You sound so much like him, Marco,¡± Alpha Bronx smiles at me.


    "Well, Marco, your secret is safe with me. But I will say, it makes more sense now that the Moon


    Goddess fated you to a Beta female,¡± James nods approvingly.


    ¡®Thank you, James,¡± I still feel like a thousand eyes are on me even though there is only three of US in


    the room.


    "And congrattions on your promotion to lead guard for the Luna,¡± he smiles and holds his bottle up. I


    finally let myself breathe a sigh of relief and clink my bottle against his.


    "Well, congrats on your promotion to intelligence officer for the Luna,¡± Iugh quietly in return before we


    both drink.


    As we set our bottles down, someone giggles in the bedroom. It sounds like little jingle bells.


    "Ah, that would be my mate,¡± James smiles and pushes his chair back.


    Musu''s loudugh that I love so muches from the room next, then the Luna''s little high-pitched


    giggle.


    "Sounds like naptime is over, gentlemen. Let''s collect our mates and get some food other than


    milkshakes into them,¡± Alpha Bronx stands up from the table and motions for US to walk with him.


    James and I follow him toward the sound of the giggling voices. I can feel my heart beat a little harder


    the closer I get to the room. Ever since


    Musu told me she was pregnant, I could smell something moreplex than just her delicioustro


    and sweet fried tanos maduros scent. It is almost like sofrito; I guess. I don''t know for sure, but it''s


    like a drug. It makes me want to be close to her every minute of every day.


    Even more than before she was pregnant. She says it must be the pups and not to get used to it


    because when they are born, it will go away. I hope not.


    "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Three beautifuldies trading secrets?¡± Alpha Bronx says as


    he reaches the doorway. He takes a couple of steps into the room, so that me and James can get


    around him.


    I see Kas¡¯s face light up the way it does only when the Alpha speaks to her. Her violet eyes get even


    more twinkly than usual. She sits up a little higher and talks to him like we ain''t in the room, "Wouldn''t


    you like to know.¡±


    Delh squeals a little when she sees James and climbs off the side of the bed to greet him. She leans


    against him and gives him little pecks on the cheeks and his mouth while smiling at her, kissing her in


    return. When I tell you, James never used to smile, I mean it. He was as serious a guy as theye.


    Now whenever he sees his mate or even talks about her, he could light up a room with that smile. His


    entire world changed when he met Delh. You can see it in his eyes. He''s gonna be a great dad.


    "James, you two are wee to go eat at the conference table in my office,¡± Alpna Bronx says, tipping


    his head in that direction down the hall.


    "Thank you, Bronx," James replies, taking Delh by her thin hands and leading her out of the room.


    "Kas, I''ll be back soon! We have cookingpetitions to catch up on!" Delh yells from the hall.


    "Corazon," I smile as I stand next to the bed and hold my hand out to my mate. She takes it and


    carefully slides off the bed while I help her bnce her weight. Her shirt can''t hide her beautiful belly


    anymore and I can''t get enough. She is so damn beautiful. I''m pretty sure I''m the luckiest son of a bitch


    in the world because she lets me pull her into my arms and kiss her right there in front of Kas and


    Alpha Bronx. It''s only been a few hours since I saw her, but it feels like a full week. She takes one of


    my hands and moves it to her belly.


    "They knew you were here, Mon Loup. They could sense you. That''s what woke me up,¡± she beams. It


    takes everything I have to not bend down and kiss her belly in front of everyone.


    "I got lunch ready for you next door. You hungry?" I ask, looking at her closely, "A-are you okay, Musu?


    Something seems different."


    m better than okay, Marco. Kas took away our fatigue and helped US calm down so we could sleep


    for a while. I feel like a million dors,"


    Musu smiles with her arms wrapped around me.


    "Oh she did, did she?" Alpha Bronx chimes in as he sits at the end of his bed. He''s squinting his eye,


    looking straight at Kas, who is squinting her eyes right back at him.


    Kas caves after about five seconds and giggles as she climbs down to the end of the bed and into his


    lap. She looks even tinier when she is on hisp than she normally does. When he wraps his arms


    around her you can''t hardly tell she''s there. All you can see is her legs sticking out from under his big


    hug.


    Musu covers her mouth to stop herself fromughing when she hears Kas giggling and the bits of


    whispers from Alpha Bronx that are making her giggle. I put my finger to my lips and lead her out of the


    apartment to give the Alpha some time with his mate. And to be honest, I could use some time with my


    mate too. I have a promotion to tell her about.

 Chapter 166- 74

    Chapter 166- 74


    Bronx''s POV


    Having Kas actually in my arms, smiling and happy, feels like a dream. Thest time I saw her awake


    was right after she healed Ashley. Since then, she has just been sleeping. I''ve had the pack doctors


    check on her, but they said she was fine, she just needed sleep.


    "I saw you in here with Delh and Musu," I nuzzle her cheek while I speak," You looked like a mama


    wolf protecting her cubs. A true Luna protecting her pack. I love seeing you like that.¡±


    "Mmmm, well, if we y our cards right, one day I could be a mama wolf protecting her cubs," she


    coos at me. Between the look in her eyes and hearing those words, it makes my heart hit a hard beat.


    "I mean, I don''t know if I¡¯ve done whatever Zeus said I need to do yet to have a pup, but I mean, maybe


    we shouldn''t waste this opportunity to practice making one, you know, just in case,¡± Kas says in her


    most innocent voice. She kisses the spot between my jawline and lip that makes me close my eye and


    sigh while she unbuttons my shirt.


    I feel Saint stirring, making a deep growl rumble in my chest. I pull her closer and kiss her more deeply


    before I remember I''m not finished with meetings for the day.


    "As tempting as that sounds, Kas, I don¡¯t have an opportunity right now. I need to head back down to


    the conference room to finish getting this contract secured, but after that, I''m all yours," I say, kissing


    her back between my words.


    "You are such an idiot,¡± Saint growls at me, ¡°she is literally undressing you! You''re not even going to try


    to make a pup with her right now? What happened to getting to be a dad? Huh? That will never happen


    if you don¡¯t at least try!"


    "Saint, stop it. What''s got into you?¡± I snap back at him.


    "How about over a week without getting to spend time with our mate and other than ten minutes in the


    weight room the other day, I haven''t gotten to spend time with Lex in like two weeks!" I feel him losing


    his temper as he snarls, pacing in my head.


    He has a point, but that still doesn''t mean I can spend the next hour or so in the apartment. I look at my


    watch. I need to be in the conference room in ten minutes.


    ¡®Tell you what, Baby. After dinner, let''s let Lex and Saint out for a run. I''ll tell the guards to give them a


    little space. Then we can have some uninterrupted time to ourselves. Does that sound like a n to


    you?" I kiss her softly. Without even thinking, I brush my hand on the inside of her thigh and give it a


    gentle squeeze.


    "If you keep your hand there much longer, then no. It doesn''t sound like a n at all because I don''t


    know how you think you''ll be getting out of this bedroom, much less this apartment,¡± she says with a


    heavy breath. I feel her push her ass against me and her fingers take my belt off. I close my eye again


    and growl, "Kas, I-¡±


    Kas grabs the back of my head and pulls me toward her for a kiss. Her tongue presses against my


    mouth, requesting entrance. I dly oblige and bring her closer to me. I feel myself getting harder as


    she grinds against myp, unbuckling my belt at the same time. I help her unbutton and unzip my pants


    and pull on her leg so she can straddle me, but she pushes my hand away.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "Lean back, Sweetheart,¡± she purrs into my ear, gently pushing on my chest and sliding off myp. I


    lean back, propping myself up on my elbows while Kas moves herself between my legs and pulls my


    pants and underwear down until they arepletely off. I watch as she slides her hands up the insides


    of my legs and presses against my knees to push them further apart, giving her more room to position


    herself.


    She leans down and starts kissing the inside of my thighs, slowly moving upward with little kisses and


    gentle nips with her teeth.


    With every kiss and every nip, my cock grows impossibly harder. I watch her nightshirt fall forward,


    leaving her ass in the air for me to admire.


    I''m so distracted by her ass that I don''t realize she has worked her mouth all the way up to my balls


    until I feel her take them in her hand and start massaging lightly.


    "Ah Kas," I moan, letting my breath get heavier as she licks and sucks more firmly before she moves to


    my cock, still caressing my balls with her hands.


    I''m practically seeing stars as she takes long, slow licks from the base to the top of my shaft, leaving


    warm saliva as she goes. I feel myself fall back on the bed with a moan when she gets to the tip and


    teases the head with her tongue. She swirls slowly around the tip, making her tongue as wide as


    possible so she can get as many sensitive spots at the same time as she can. I feel her alternate small


    flicks with wide licks of her tongue, bringing me close to the edge before she pulls away slightly and


    moves back to the shaft, giving it thick, wet kisses.


    When I look down, I see her making eye contact with me. Her violet eyes are glowing as she gives me


    a lustful look. I see a smile on her face as she keeps working the kisses onto my sensitive skin. I tip my


    head back again, closing my eye to concentrate on the sensation.


    When she gets back to the tip, I feel her mouth sliding down slowly until she is deep throating me,


    licking the base of my cock with her tongue while I''m deep inside her mouth. She bobs her head and


    moans, using the vibrations to make me more excited. It takes all my willpower to not grab her head


    and start thrusting into her mouth. I can tell she knows when I¡¯m approaching orgasm because of the


    way I¡¯m moving and because of how hard I feel in her mouth, so she backs off to keep me on the edge.


    She goes back to bobbing up and down on my length with her cheeks hollowed out until she feels like


    it''s time for me to cum. She brings her head down one more time and deep throats me non-stop, never


    stopping the massage her hands are giving my balls. The orgasm is so intense; it spreads through my


    entire body and goes on for at least a minute as she swallows my seed down. It feels like I''m having


    multiple orgasms while she milks me dry with her mouth.


    When she finally pulls away, she leans over the side of the bed and picks up my pants and underwear


    for me and sets them neatly on the bed.


    She crawls up next to my face and smiles with a feigned innocence.


    "Sorry I made youte for your meeting," she whispers in my ear. I reach for her, but she rolls off the


    bed and heads to the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on and the sound of her favorite ylist starts


    on the stereo.


    I have no idea how I am going to get up off this bed and go downstairs when all I want to do is melt into


    it and fall asleep. I look at my watch.


    Shit.


    I was supposed to be in the conference room fifteen minutes ago. I force myself to sit up and get off the


    bed, putting my underwear and pants on and tucking in my shirt as I make my way to the door.


    "Hey! That''s not how you make a pup!" Saintins, "Get back in there, we''re not finished yet!¡± 1


    "Fuck off, Saint."


    Even as I slide my shoes on, I''m already thinking of ways to repay the favorter this evening. I close


    my eye and send Kas a mind link of a few dirty images. Her squeals and giggles are clear even from all


    the way out by the apartment door. I smile as I let myself out, looking forward toter.

 Chapter 167- 75

    Chapter 167- 75


    Kas''s POV


    Once Delh and Musu get back to the apartment, Delh and I turn on the cooking channel to watch a


    cake bakingpetition. We beg Musu to watch with us, but she insists she has work to do. She


    compromises by sitting on the sofa and putting on her headphones while she keeps working. Delh


    and I throw my green and gray nket over US andment on what the contestants are doing right


    and wrong and what we


    would do differently. During themercial breaks, Delh tells me about the basics of magic theory to


    prepare me for practices.


    Around four p.m. there is a knock on the apartment door. Delh jumps up before I can stop her and


    answers it.


    "Um, Kas?" Lex says quietly, as if someone other than me could hear her if she spoke to loud.


    "Um, Lex? Why are you whispering?" I ask, confused.


    "I want to talk to you about something before you y with magic."


    "Okay, you know you can tell me anything. What''s up?"


    ¡®The other day, when I was talking to Saint in the weight room, he said he would get Bronx to agree to


    being healed,¡± she confides.


    "Healed from what?" I ask, still confused.


    ''To take the silver out of his liver and maybe even fix his eye if you can do it,¡± her voice is tentatively


    hopeful.


    "Saint is going to convince Bronx to do that? W-what if I can''t heal him?¡± I feel unsure of myself as she


    continues to talk.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "You need to forget about what Amari said about being an energy vampire. It¡¯s a shitty slur and she


    shouldn''t have said it," I can feel Lex growl at the memory, "Kas, Leticia is right. Even if she is a little


    twisted in her thinking. Your sisters can be dangerous and we need to watch our back. We also need to


    watch the backs of nine very misunderstood Mavri Magea who depend on you, even if you have never


    known it before.¡±


    "Okay, but what does that have to do with healing Bronx?"


    "You know how strong he is, right? Without that silver in his body, he will be even more so. If there is


    any truth to what Leticia says, we will need him to be stronger, Kas," I feel Elexis shift ufortably,


    "We will also need to make sure he and Saint don''t lose their ever loving minds when they are at full


    power.¡±


    "What do you mean? Make sure they don''t lose their minds? Because that sounds to me like we should


    leave that silver right where it is, Lex," I don''t sound like I''m scolding her but I am.


    "Remember the day he thought about taking Tessa as a prisoner and starting a war? Then you took


    him down to the training grounds and kicked his ass all over the mat?¡±


    "Mostly, yeah?¡±


    "Well, he had that reaction because of Perses. War is in Bronx''s DNA.¡±


    "I''m sorry, Perses? He''s a Titan, right?¡±


    "Perses is the Titan God of War or Destruction, depending on how you trante it. He is the Goddess


    Hecate¡¯s father. Delh is probably familiar with him."


    "Is he rted to Bronx? Lex, is my mate a god?"


    "Oh. Goddess, no. stay with me here, Kas. Time for a family history lesson. It''s a little twisty and turny,¡±


    Lex sighs.


    "Kas?" Delh''s voice interrupts our conversation, "You have a delivery."


    I look over the back of the sofa to see Carly with several omegas carrying vases of roses. I smile as I


    see the various shades of purple, white, and cream roses.


    "It''s going to have to wait, Lex," I say sympathetically.


    "Fine," I feel her rolling her eyes, "but not too long. This is important."


    "Hi Carly!" I grin broadly at her.


    "Hi Luna, he¡¯s done it again. Where would you like them?" She smiles back. Her strawberry blonde hair


    is up in a bun and her hazel eyes shine brightly.


    "I mean, we just got rid of thest batch he sent," I frown, "I guess the kitchen and dining table." She


    motions to the omegas to take the vases to the kitchen, "Where else?"


    "Huh? What do you mean, where else?" I look at the omegas, each with two vases in their hands.


    "He ordered twenty-five dozen instead often, like he usually does. He said you deserve extra this time,"


    her eyes shift around looking for more space for the rest of the flowers.


    "I''m sorry, did you say twenty-five dozen roses?" Musu takes off her headphones and roses and looks


    at me with wide eyes,


    ¡°Luna, what in the Goddess¡¯s name did you do on our lunch break."


    "I just-" I feel my face flush, "Let''s just say it was definitely not in the Goddess''s name, Musu."


    Musu, Delh, and Carly all startughing and teasing me. The omegas who are bringing in more and


    more vases look very ufortable with the conversation until they cover every t surface in vases.


    They rush out as soon as they can, looking a little frazzled. Once they leave, Carly says she has some


    pack business to update me on.


    "Please sit, Carly,¡± I motion to the armchair next to the sofa. Before she sits, she hands me the binder I


    usually keep on my desk. She''s so organized. I should ask Bronx if she can help me more often.


    "I''ve added agenda pages in the front for you,¡± Carly says, wasting no time and turns on her tablet,


    ¡®The first wave of new pack members will be here right before lunch tomorrow. Gamma Ashley has


    arranged for a meet and greet in the great room and she has sectioned off tables in the dining room so


    they can have lunch with the pack before they get shown to their homes. The Gamma asked if you


    could hold court for the children.¡±


    "Hold court? What does that mean? She wants me to entertain them?"


    "Sort of. She knows the kids are not likely to have any prejudices against you, so she thinks it will help


    get things off to a positive start. You know, having time with the Luna while their parents get to know the


    rest of the ranked members. I have a few books for you to choose from or you can tell one of your


    mythology stories,¡± Carly exins.


    "Oh, okay. Yeah, I can do that," I feel a little better after the exnation.


    "Oh, and a woman named Diane Muller is in the first group. She is a nurse helping with the transition?


    We assigned her to a suite on the second floor since she is single," Carly says, reading a line from her


    tablet.


    "Oh yes! Nurse Diane will be here tomorrow? That¡¯s fantastic! She is probably the only person from


    Silver Moon I would consider a friend,¡± I exin to them.


    "Well, if she is a friend to you, I can¡¯t wait to meet her,¡± Delh says. Her voice chimes like it has bells


    in it.


    "Same here," Carly agrees, if you like her, I''m sure we will all like her."


    "Wait, did Bronx send you up here just to tell me that?¡± I ask. He could have just told me when he came


    upstairster.


    "Oh, no. After lunch, the Alpha has arranged for you and your sisters to take a tour of the botanical


    gardens tomorrow afternoon. He has reserved the atrium so you can spend time together on your own.


    When you get home, we are having a dinner party to wee the new pack members and celebrate


    having a bunch of goddesses in our presence,¡± Carly exins, motioning with her hands in the air.


    "So I get to meet my sisters tomorrow? All of them?" I feel my heart beat a little faster.


    "All the ones that are here, anyway. Oh, also in three weeks, you and the Alpha have to go to a Santoro


    Enterprises charity event in Greece. It''s a casino night theme. ck tie. Humans and wolves. Lots of


    crusty old rich people who like throwing money around. Exactly the type of thing Alpha Bronx hates to


    attend. Katherine said a few other species will be there too," Carly charges on through her notes


    without looking up.


    "What does Bronx''s schedule look like the week before? Do we have time to go to Paris for a few


    days?" I ask. Carly knows Bronx''s schedule better than he does. She swipes her finger around on the


    tablet, "If so, I would like to see if that nice man from the Givenchy has time to style me for Katherine''s


    event."


    "Matthew Williams? He put you in the front row of the spring fashion show. I can''t imagine he would say


    no. There''s nothing on the Alpha''s schedule I can''t move. I will make some calls. Where should we put


    up Tyree, Marco, and Musu?" she asks, looking at something on her screen.


    "Tyree? Not James and Delh?" I look at her, then to Delh.


    Timm, James and Marco wanted to tell you themselves," Delh says shyly, looking at Musu. I look


    over at Musu, who is avoiding eye contact.


    "What''s going on? What do they need to tell me?¡± I feel panic turning my stomach into a pit of acid. A


    lump of tears builds in my throat.


    My guards are leaving me? This is not happening. This can''t be happening. I know I don''t need them


    like I used to, but they''re really just going to abandon me? I jump up and start pacing. Have things been


    that badtely? Has it been too stressful to deal with me? Can I change their minds?


    "Kas, it''s okay, calm down," Delh stands up and takes me by the hands. She gives me a loving look,


    "Alpha Bronx gave them promotions.


    James is going to be doing more intel work with Musu and Beta Lenora. He won''t be traveling with you


    as much anymore, but he is still working with you one hundred percent of the time. It''s just more behind


    the scenes. He will send updates as needed, but everything will be from


    MasonCo and if you really need him, he will be at your side in an instant. Alpha Bronx already gave me


    permission to create portals in emergency situations, remember?"


    "P-promotions?" I ask. My voice shakes as I speak.


    "Yes, Kas. And Marco is now going to be your lead guard. He and Delh are going to work with you to


    make sure you know how to use your abilities. Tyree ising on full time too. No more temporary


    status," Musu stands and reassures me.I look back and forth between my friends, ''T-they¡¯re not leaving


    me?"


    "Oh Goddess no, Kas. Feral weretigers couldn''t drag those two away from you,¡± Musuughs, "but they


    really wanted to be the ones to tell you. Can you at least pretend to be surprised?¡±


    "Oh trust me, I''ll still be surprised,¡± I reassure her.

 Chapter 168-76

    Chapter 168-76


    I try to roll over to get out of bed so I can get a shower, but Bronx tugs me back down and pulls me until


    my back is close against his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist.


    "I need to get cleaned up, Sweetheart. I''ll be back after my shower," I giggle and scrunch up my


    shoulders as he nibbles at the spot on my neck below my ear.


    "Nope," he growls yfully from somewhere in my hair. I feel him take a deep breath, "I like when you


    smell like me."


    "I like when I smell like you too, but I don''t enjoyying in bed feeling sweaty and sticky. Give me ten


    minutes," I turn in his arms to face him.


    "Five," he kisses my forehead and drapes his leg over me, trapping me against him.


    "Eight," I negotiate for more time.


    "You drive a hard bargain, Kas Mason,¡± he grumbles, burying his nose back in my hair.


    "My husband says I''m a damn good businesswoman,¡± I smile into his chest and give a gentle nip on his


    marking spot that isn''tpletely healed. I feel him shiver happily at the sensation.


    "That guy is one lucky son of a bitch," Bronx chuckles in his gruff voice. He rolls me on top of him and


    nuzzles my cheek, "Seven minutes or I''ming in after you.¡±


    "I''m not sure if that''s a threat or a promise," I giggle, giving him little kisses on his mouth. The idea of


    straddling him again is tempting, but I really need to get my shower and go to sleep. I look at the clock.


    It''s after midnight and I have training with Marco and James at five a.m..


    Bronx and I have been messing around ever since we got back from letting Lex and Saint spend time


    together.


    "If you''re not back in seven minutes you''ll find out,¡± he pretends to snap his teeth against my ear,


    making me squeal as I slide off of his chest and run on my tiptoes to the bathroom.


    Once the shower is warm and I¡¯mfortable under the stream of the water, Lex catches my attention.


    "Kas, we need to finish our conversation from earlier,¡± she insists.


    ¡°Okay, Lex. I''m all ears for the next six minutes," I tell her as I massage shampoo through my hair.


    "So, I was telling you about Bronx¡¯s lineage.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Perses. Titan God of Destruction, right?¡±


    "Yeah. When Zeus said Mother and Endymion could have children and allowed those children to be


    goddesses, he didn''t know they would fuck like bunnies and have forty of them.¡±


    "Language, Lex. And you mean fifty. There are fifty Manae,¡± I correct her as I rinse the shampoo.


    "Well, there are fifty now. There were some problems with your sisters trying to overpower some of the


    other gods and goddesses during the Giant war. Zeus ordered Mother to fix it or he would take the


    Manae away from her. So she asked him to change the calendar so she could have ten more


    daughters. The daughters would bring bnce to the Manae.¡±


    "The Mavri Magea?¡±


    ¡®Yeah, the Mavri Magea. Zeus agreed the calendar could have forty-nine months for one cycle and fifty


    for a second cycle. He warned our Mother the Mavri Magea, needed to be strong to stand up to the rest


    of the Manae. While the rest of your sisters have abilities that help people and bring strength, Mother


    implored the Goddess Hecate to give you and the rest of the Mavri Magea abilities to stop them."


    "So like Leticia was saying, burning hands, stopping time, manipting people, magic."


    "Yes. As a special favor for the youngest daughter, the Goddess Hecate gave her the ability to harness


    all the Manae''s abilities.Although she and Mother recognized how dangerous this child could be. So


    Goddess Hecate asked her father for advice.¡±


    "The Titan God Perses is the Goddess Hecate¡¯s father?"


    ¡®Yeah. So he rmended putting the Guardians in ce. Five total, one for the leader of each


    faction. Mother agreed as long as they were mates for the rest of their life journeys. So that was Perses


    gift to Mother and as a gift to his only daughter, he put a drop of his own essence into the Guardian for


    the Mavri Magea. It made the Guardian strong enough to not be able to be destroyed by the youngest


    goddess.¡±


    "Bronx''s human spirit contains a drop of Titan God Perses¡¯s essence," a sh of the look on Bronx''s


    face when he thought he was going to take a prisoner of war crosses my mind. The anger when he


    recorded the message about me to the media. His eagerness to spar during training. How fondly he


    remembers his time in battle when he was in the military. How intimidating everyone thinks he is, even


    when he is minding his own business. It makes sense now.


    "It sure does. You will see how scared your sisters are of him and you, too. As they should be.¡±


    I don¡¯t really understand why they would fear me, but I¡¯m not really worried about that right now, "Lex,


    what does all that mean for Bronx and me?"


    "It means while he doesn''t have any abilities like you do...well, he didn¡¯t until this lifetime, anyway. The


    short story is you cannot beat him. He cannot beat you. The two of you cancel each other out. Even


    when things get gnarly."


    "Leticia knows that doesn''t she?¡±


    "Yeah. Definitely."


    "So she knew exactly what she was doing when she broke that knife in his abdomen," I feel the hairs


    on the back of my neck stand up even though the hot water is running down over me as a thought


    comes to my mind, "I-I told her to weaken him so he couldn''t stop me."


    "You did.¡±


    "Why would I do that?"


    "Kas, you Know I''m not allowed to tell you details like that. I can only tell you if you are right or wrong


    about things that have happened to you in your past lives. What I can say is, you should really ask


    Delh to help you hone your ability to have visions. Not just the ones in the future but the ones from


    the past too.¡±


    "So, urn, do you think I should heal Bronx? It sounds like an old version of me didn''t think so."


    "I don''t know what the future holds, Kas. All I Know is that I care about our mate. I want him to be


    strong to protect US from our sisters."


    I nod slowly, trying to process everything Lex just told me.


    Atap on my shoulder makes me practically jump out of my skin. I slip on the wet floor as I try to turn


    around. Bronx catches me before I fall, but not before my hands burn his arms. I quickly get control of


    myself as he stands me up.


    "Bronx! Why did you sneak up on me like that?" I growl, smacking his chest.


    "I told you seven minutes. I didn''t mean to scare you, Baby," he looks at me with a concerned pout.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I hold my hand to my chest to stop my heart from pounding, "I was just having a little heart to heart with


    Lex."


    "Ah. Did she tell you what she and Saint want you to do?¡±


    ¡®Yeah. Saint already talked to you about it?"


    Nicole looked at him solemnly and said, "Mr. Ferguson, I''m surprised that you''re willing to help me so


    much, but I¡¯m also very grateful to you. I''ll remember your kindness. When I find yton and get


    through this difficult time, we''ll be sure to repay you. But at this time, you''d better not dissuade me


    because I''ve made up my mind."

 Chapter 169-77

    Chapter 169-77


    Marco picks me up at five a.m. sharp and takes me down to the training ground. James is there with


    Deln and Tyree.


    "Hi Delh... Tyree...what are you guys doing here?" I smile, happy to see them.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "Kas, Alpha Bronx is making some updates on the team. We wanted to surprise you and introduce your


    newest full time guard and magic advisor," Marco says with a smile, motioning to Tyree and Delh.


    "Really?" my eyes light up as I look at Delh, who winks at me, then at Tyree with his arms crossed in


    front of him, smiling cheerfully.


    "I''m d I will get to be with you full time from now on, Luna," Tyree says, his dark eyes twinkle in the


    early morning light, "Although the Gamma was kinda bummed out that he needs to find a new scout."


    James steps forward and speaks now, "Kas, we are bringing on Tyree because I won''t be on physical


    duty for you as often anymore. I mean sometimes, but mostly, I am going to be working with Gamma


    Reggie, Beta Lenora, and Musu. We are going to be keeping a closer eye on things in the world to


    make sure you are not in danger."


    "So you are my eye in the sky?" I try not to giggle.


    James chuckles, "Yeah, think of me as the eye in the sky. And if we think you could be in danger or if


    you need Delh or me at any time, all you need to do is give the word and we will be there right away."


    "Thank you, James. I''m so excited for you," I feel myself hopping on my toes and pping a little.


    Deln takes James''s hand and gives it a supportive kiss.


    "I think this guy over here has even bigger news," he points his thumb over his shoulder to Marco.


    "Marco, you have news too?" I raise my eyebrows in excitement.


    "Yeah, Kas, I do actually," he rubs the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. He takes a deep


    breath before he speaks again, "Starting today, I''m the Lead Guard for your team. Tyree and I are


    gonna split up guard duty. James will fill in for US asionally, but like he said, he is going to be


    focusing on intel. Delh is going to help you learn how to use your abilities better. Everyone reports to


    me when it has anything to do with your safety. I report any updates to Alpha Bronx on Monday


    mornings or as needed.¡±


    "Oh, Marco! This is amazing! We need to celebrate!" I squeal. Carly, Delh, and Musu did not give me


    this much detail yesterday, so I am genuinely surprised and happy.


    "No need to celebrate, Kas. We got work to do,¡± Marco insists, putting his hands up.


    "Okay, fine. No celebration. Can I at least buy you a new suit?"


    "No, Kas, don¡¯t buy me a new suit. I''m fine with the ones I got,¡± he sighs, trying not to cave in on my


    requests.


    ¡°Come on, Marco. At least let me buy you a new tie,¡± I relent. He has to let me do something. Lead


    Guard is a big deal.


    "Fine. You can get me a tie but no crazy colors,¡± he pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration, finally


    giving in.


    "Deal!" Iugh.


    ¡°Alright, we gotta get to work,¡± Marco says more seriously, "Today, you, me, and James is gonna train


    like we usually do, so Tyree and Delh can see how it goes. Next time, we are gonna get Tyree to


    spar with you so we can see where he needs more practice and so we can teach him the things James


    and I have learned about defending ourselves against your abilities. We are also gonna set aside time


    for you and Delh to work together."


    "Delh, you''re going to watch US spar?" I turn to her. Delh is a pacifist. So when she told me


    yesterday that she would help me learn magic, it surprised me, but now she is going to focus on


    teaching me how to use my abilities in a fight? That seems like it would go against her morals.


    "Kas, after everything you have been through, I understand this is necessary. Lady Camille has agreed,


    and she supports the decision as well,¡± Delh says, "I am a little concerned watching the four of you


    fight, though. I don''t want to see anyone get hurt.¡±


    I step forward and pull Delh into a tight hug.


    ¡®Thank you, my friend,¡± I whisper in her ear, ¡®Thank you so much.¡±


    She pulls away and smiles at me before she gives me a kiss on the cheek, nodding.


    ¡°Alright gang, vamanos. Time to get to work,¡± Marco interrupts, ¡®Tyree, Delh, feel free to ask


    questions as we go through our routines.¡±


    At six-thirty sharp, the timer goes off and we finally stop. James helps Marco up off the ground. I touch


    the spot under his eye where I just kicked him and there is still some blood dripping, healing him


    instantly. The three of us look over to Delh and Tyree only to find them staring at US wide eyed.


    Delh looks a little pale.


    ¡®That was way more intense than anything I''ve seen during pack sparring matches," Tyree says with a


    gulp.


    "Well, that''s because I''m not allowed to use my abilities during those matches,¡± I pat him on the


    shoulder before I pick up my water bottle.


    "I- Marco, you almost shot her,¡± Delh says with a shaky voice, ¡°I-I can''t... that''s...!..."


    James wraps his arms around her and rubs her back, "It''s alright, my Love. We don''t put real bullets in


    the gun anymore. It''s just nks to make a noise. But that''s why you''re so important. We need Kas to


    use her abilities to protect herself in case a real gun goes off."


    Delh looks up at James and blinks twice. I watch as her eyes turn a dark shade of blue when she


    looks at me, "Kas, we have a lot of work to do, youngdy."


    I can tell from her look that she means working on more than just the abilities that James and Marco


    are aware of. I nod in agreement.


    ¡®You okay, Tyree?" Marco asks with his hands on his hips.


    Tyree looks at US and smiles, ¡®Yeah, this is going to be awesome. Luna, I''m IF


    "Nope,¡± I put my hand up, stopping him from finishing whatever he was about to say, Tm only Luna


    when we are in public, Tyree. When it is just the four of us, I''m just Kas. Got it?"


    "Yes, Lun-...uh...Kas," he responds, "Kas, I''m really d Alpha Bronx gave me this opportunity.¡±


    "Me too, Tyree. Now let''s get breakfast. I''m starving and I have a busy day ahead of me," I p him on


    the shoulder, "Marco, I would like to speak to you and Delh separately about her and I training


    together. Just so we understand expectations."


    "Of course. James, can you and Tyree clean up? I will walk thedies up to the packhouse," Marco


    asks.


    ¡®Yes, Sir," James nods.


    As Delh, Marco, and I walk away, I turn to Delh, "I need to tell him Delh. Marco is too smart to


    not find out on his own."


    ¡®Yes, that is probably for the best," Delh looks at me with a nod of confirmation.


    I take a deep breath, "Marco, I have a lot to fill you in on, so I just need you to hang in there and


    promise to keep this all a secret, okay?"


    Marco looks at me with knit eyebrows, "Okay? I promise to keep whatever it is a secret."


    As we walk up to the packhouse, Delh and I tell him everything we know about my conversation with


    Leticia and the extent of my abilities, not just the ones he knows about.


    "So if any of the other Manae can do it, so can you?" he crosses an arm across his chest and rubs his


    chin with the other hand, looking into the distance.


    "That''s what Leticia seems to think,¡± I shrug.


    ¡®Yeah, definitely don''t let the Alpha know that until we understand it better. Who knows what his


    reaction would be," he muses, "Delh, teach her whatever you need to, but I need you to report it to


    me so I know what''s going'' on. I''ll make sure James and Musu keep US updated on exactly what the


    other Manaes'' abilities are. We will tell them we just need you to know how to defend yourself against


    them. That will help you know what you need to learn, right?¡±


    ¡®Yes, Marco, it will definitely help," I feel a sense of relief that he understands my position and is willing


    to help.


    ¡®You can count on me, Kas," he gives me a half a smile, "Let''s get breakfast."

 Chapter 170-78

    Chapter 170-78


    "The bus just came through the security gate, Luna. Can you meet US out front?¡± Carly mind links me.


    "Thanks Carly, I''ll be right there," I let her know. I put a thick cardigan over my shirt to keep the early


    autumn chill away while I''m outside.


    Tyree meets me in the hall and escorts me downstairs. I realize I don''t know all that much about him.


    He tells me he has been working for Reggie since he got out of the military when he was twenty. He


    has two younger siblings. His sister goes to the human university in the state capital. His little brother is


    a senior in high school and really looking forward to being a pack guard.


    By the time we get downstairs, Carly is standing with the rest of Blood River''s ranked members, giving


    themst-minute instructions. Tyree gives me a nod and steps back, taking a ce among the other


    guards who have been assigned to keep tabs on Bronx.


    Ashley runs up and gives me a giant hug. She is practically jumping up and down as she speaks


    excitedly, "Oh Kas, I''m so happy to see you!


    Thank you again for what you did! I have been feeling so good the past few days."


    Reggie steps forward and puts his arm around her waist, giving her a little kiss on the cheek, ¡°Come


    on, Sweets. Give her some space. You''ll have time to talk to her tonight at the party."


    "Oh Luna, good, you''re here," Carly looks up from her tablet and hands me several books, "Once


    everyone is in the Great Room, I will invite the children for story time with you. We set up bean bags


    and cushions on the floor on the far side of the room near the firece. These are the books I was


    telling you about, but we all know how good your mythology stories are. Whichever you want is fine.


    Keep it to fifteen, twenty minutes max. You have some pretty young kids in the group. I can''t imagine


    they can pay attention for very long."


    I smile and nod, looking at the selection of books. I can''t help but think about Codi and how distracted


    she can get when she has a lot of energy,¡± Yes, ma''am."


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Carly looks down at her tablet again, "Also, Diane Muller. I have several omegas ready to help her get


    the medical records to the hospital wing and set up appointments for everyone.¡±


    "That''s perfect. Thank you so much for finding a role for her," I nod with approval.


    "Kas?" Lenora touches my forearm, ¡°The family of the little girl who was in the basement ising as


    well. We have some time set aside so you can speak with them and exin that the person in the


    basement wasn''t you. Also, at some point, she needs to speak with the Council about what happened.


    She witnessed a murder, after all.¡±


    I let my cheeks puff out as I breathe out heavily, ¡°Alright. Yeah, I definitely want to speak to her before


    the Council gets their ws into her.¡±


    We watch as the coach bus pulls up the driveway, followed by two moving trucks.


    When it pulls up and the door opens, Carly steps on the bus. I hear her making a couple of


    announcements. She steps on the bus followed by parents carrying babies and holding the hands of


    older children.


    We form a line in rank order, with Ashley at the front and Bronxst so we can greet everyone and


    shake their hands. I bend down, so I am at eye level with younger children who are not being carried


    and introduce myself. The adults tentatively shake


    Bronx''s hand, but the kids all seem too scared.


    Last but not least, Dianees off the bus. I run up and give her a hug as soon as her feet touch the


    ground.


    "Kas, it''s only been a week but I feel like it''s been a month,¡± she sighs, hugging me back.


    ¡°Diane, thank you so much for helping with the medical records and helping the families limate. We


    have a suite for you here in the packhouse. You won''t have to share with anyone or anything," I look up


    and grin broadly at her.


    "You have no idea-¡± she stops abruptly and looks around curiously, "Do you smell that?¡±


    I sniff the air. I don''t smell anything unusual, "What do you smell?"


    ¡°Caramel popcorn,¡± she lifts her nose in the air and sniffs again. She looks past me and smiles. I see


    tearse to the corner of her eyes as she puts both hands up to her mouth. Her next wordse out


    as a whisper, "My mate?"


    I turn around to see who she is looking at. One of the guards? Maybe one of the omegas? As I look


    around, I see one person standing with wide eyes staring at US with their mouth agape.


    Her arm falls to her side and the tablet, usually glued to her hand, slips out of her fingers. Milo catches


    it before it hits the ground, but she doesn''t notice as she slowly walks toward Diane and me. As she


    gets closer, I can see the tears in her eyes as well.


    I step back so Carly can meet her mate for the first time and have a moment alone.


    She hesitantly holds her hand out to Diane. I watch as Diane looks down and slowly puts her hand in


    Carly''s. Diane''s eyes close and a smile crosses her face as she feels the sparks of the mate bond for


    the first time. Carly looks more relieved than she has in a long time. I feel myself smile as they look at


    each other in disbelief and walk a few yards back toward Bronx and the other ranked members.


    "Well, this is unexpected," he leans down and whispers to me.


    "Shhh!" I elbow him yfully on the side. I hear a little sniffle next to me. Ashley wiping tears on her


    sleeve while she watches


    Carly and Diane. I turn my attention back to the sweet scene unfolding in front of US as well.


    "I-I waited so long,¡± Diane tilts her head as the tears stream down her face, "I can''t believe you''re real.


    Wh-what''s your name?"


    "I''m Carly,¡± I see a blush cross her face as her own tears fall. Carly reaches up and wipes Diane''s


    tears, "I hope this means you''re done waiting?"


    Diane nods andughs through her tears, ¡®Yeah, I''m done waiting."


    They pull each other into an embrace and hold each other close. I can hear whispersing from both


    of them, but they are words only meant for each other.


    Bronx looks like he''s about to say something, but I stop him.


    "Bronx, let them have time together,¡± I hiss. He stops and looks at the women. I watch as his face


    softens, trying to decide the best course of action.


    "Ashley, can you please cover for Carly in the Great Room?" he asks quietly.


    "Of course, Alpha," Ashley takes the tablet from Milo and waves everyone else to follow her inside.


    Bronx clears his throat, just enough to get Carly and Diane''s attention. They both turn toward US with


    wide eyes, like they have just realized we are still there. Diane''s face turns bright red as she averts her


    eyes from Bronx and my gaze.


    Carly let¡¯s go of Diane but keeps a hold of her hand. I watch as the confident young woman looks to the


    ground in front of her Alpha, "Alpha,I¡¯m sorry. I didn''t-"


    Bronx holds up his hand to stop her.


    "Ladies, I know you want to spend time together, but we have some work that needs done first. Once


    all the medical records are sorted with the hospital staff and they have made all the appointments for


    our new pack members, please take the rest of the day to yourselves. We will see you tomorrow,¡±


    Bronx says.


    He doesn''t wait for a response. He just turns around, takes my hand and we head inside the


    packhouse.

 Chapter 171-79

    Chapter 171-79


    "Heree the Alpha and Luna now," Ashley motions to US as we enter the great room. I hold up the


    books and look at the children who all still look pretty tentative about their new environment, "Who


    wants to hear a story? Follow me!"


    I walk backward slowly, with a big smile, as children look up to their parents for permission. Moms and


    dads gratefully set toddlers down and let go of their children¡¯s hands, encouraging them to follow me,


    so they can have a few minutes of peace.


    I lead the children over to the corner with all thefortable cushions and bean bags. Once we are all


    settled in, I give the kids a choice, a book or a story about the Moon Goddess. They all agree they want


    to hear about the Moon Goddess, so I tell them the story of how the Moon Goddess and Endymion fell


    in love and had fifty daughters together. I leave out the parts about factions, abilities, and that I am one


    of those daughters. I let Lex help by using her voice for the male characters in the story.


    As I tell the story, I see Ashley out of the corner of my eye give me a thumbs up with a big grin. Even


    some parents are listening in. I nce over to see some of them smiling and whispering happily to


    each other.


    "Is that it?" One of the girls cries out desperately as I finish the story.


    I feel myself chuckle, "Yes, darling. For now, that''s it, but guess what. Every Thursday afternoon, I go to


    the pack library and we have story time. Ask your parents to get the information from Gamma Ashley.¡±


    The girl''s eyes brighten when she hears she will get to hear more stories from me.


    "Now, who here is going to school on Monday?" I look around at the group. More of the children raise


    their hands, "Oh! So exciting! I bet your teachers are going to be thrilled to meet you.¡±


    A little girl sitting near the back looks up at me with a worried face, "Is school scary, Luna? I''ve never


    been before.¡±


    "Well, school can be scary at first, but a lot of new things are scary. Once you see that there is nothing


    to fear, then it''s fun. What''s your name, darling? What grade are you going to be in?¡± I reassure the girl.


    "I''m Hannah Fisher. I''m going to be in first grade," she says, a little more confidently. As I look more


    closely at her, I realize it''s the little girl from the basement.


    "Well, you are in luck, Hannah Fisher. The first grade teachers are the best,¡± I emphasize the word


    best, making my eyes big, "And the first graders are learning a y for Winter Solstice. I bet they can


    find a role for you.¡±


    Hannah smiles and her eyes get glossy, "Really?"


    "Yes, really. I¡¯m sure of it,¡± I look up to see Ashley tap her watch, "Okay everyone, it looks like your


    parents need you back so we can get lunch. Who likes chicken fingers?¡±


    All the children raise their hands excitedly, "Great. Go find your Moms and Dads. I will meet you in the


    dining room.¡±


    All the children get up and run to find their parents, who all look grateful I could provide a quiet moment


    for them. Hannah is still sitting on her cushion.


    "Is everything okay, Hannah?" I ask.


    Hannah looks down at herp, not sure what to say. I slide off my bean bag and sit on the cushion next


    to her, "You can tell me anything, Hannah. You don''t have to be scared.¡±


    ¡°Luna, Mommy says you d-didn''t kill that man in the basement. B-but I-I saw ..." her eyes get watery as


    she speaks.


    "Hannah, I¡¯m going to tell you a little secret. I have a lot of sisters. One of my sisters looks like she


    could be my twin, but she¡¯s older than me. That¡¯s who you saw in the dungeon. She, well, she¡¯s


    influenced by dark magic. She doesn''t realize what she did is wrong, but I¡¯m trying to help her


    understand it was,¡± I watch Hannah think over the information.


    When she speaks again, she looks at her hands in herp and her voice is lower, "Luna, I-I''m sorry I


    med you. I was scared."


    ¡°It''s alright, Hannah. I''m not mad at you. No one is. I have a question though,¡± I tilt my head and lean


    down to get her to look at me, ¡®What were you doing in the dungeon with that man? He wasn''t part of


    the pack. It could have been dangerous."


    Hannah looks up at me now. The look on her sweet little face is soplicated. Her watery eyes spill


    tears, "Umm, he told me if I gave him information about the new Luna, he would give me money so my


    family could move away from Silver Moon."


    "So you went into a locked dungeon with a man that promised you money?¡± I try not to sound


    suspicious or using, but I can feel anger boiling inside of me. Lex is pacing and growling as Hannah


    provides more information.


    "I know I''m not supposed to go with strangers, but I just wanted Mommy and Daddy to be happy


    again,¡± she cries, wiping her sleeve across her face.


    "I see,¡± I nod and hold my hands out to her, "Hannah, can I give you a hug? A lot of people say my


    hugs make them feel better. Do you want a hug that will make you feel better?¡±


    The teary little girl nods and stands up. She looks over at her parents tentatively. I turn my head and


    see them nod to her before she slides into myp. I wrap my arms around her and rock her back and


    forth, releasing a little calming energy to her.


    ¡°Hannah, here at Blood River, no one will ever ask you to go anywhere without your parents knowing


    first, okay? No one will ever touch you without your permission, even if it''s just to hold your hand. That


    is how we raise our pack,¡± I tell her gently as I smooth her hair down.


    I feel her nod against my chest as she sniffles.


    "I have one more question, darling. It is a scary question, but it is very important. I heard you are going


    to speak to the Council about what happened in the dungeon and I want you to make sure you tell the


    truth but I need to know. Did that man touched you,¡± I speak softly so she knows the conversation is


    between US.


    I feel her body slightly stiffen, and she takes a ragged breath. I close my eyes and brace myself for


    whatever it is she is about to say. Lex is already growling, prepared for the worst.


    "No, Luna, not the way you are thinking. He told me I was brave for helping him and thanked me for


    going into the dungeon with him. And he held my hand to go down the stairs since it was dark, but after


    that, he didn''t touch me. He just wanted information about you, I swear," her sobs are bigger now.


    Somehow, I can sense she is telling me the truth. I tighten my arms around her and let her cry.


    "Thank the Goddess. I would kill that son of a bitch a second time if I needed to," Lex snarls as she and


    I breathe a collective sigh of relief. I smell Bronx and Milo''s scents getting closer behind US and a


    couple other scents, I assume, are her parents.


    "It''s alright, Hannah. Did you have any information to give him?" I ask, still rocking her in my arms.


    "Um, only that you were pretty, and that you were going to let US go to school," she admits between


    hups. I can''t help but giggle, "Well, Hannah, it sounds like you are a very brave and smart young


    lady. We are lucky to have you as one of our first graders.¡±


    I feel Bronx''s hand on my shoulder. I look to see him kneeling behind me, looking very serious. Milo


    and the girl''s parents are right behind him. Milo has a worried expression on his face and Hannah''s


    parents look concerned for their little girl. I give them a wink and a brief nod to show them everything is


    going to be okay.


    "Hannah, it looks like there are some people here who would also like to give you a hug,¡± I jostle her


    gently so she will look up.She smiles when she sees her parents. I can she is missing her front teeth. It


    makes her look even cuter.


    "Before I let you go, I just want you to promise me two things," I put my finger under her chin so she will


    look at me.


    "Yes, Luna?" she asks, looking unsure of herself.


    I wipe thest of her tears before I speak, "First and most importantly. Promise me you will never, ever,


    ever go off with a stranger again.


    Remember what I said, no one in Blood River would ever ask you to go anywhere without asking your


    parents if it is okay first."


    She nods vigorously, "Yes, Luna. I promise. I won''t go anywhere without Mommy or Daddy saying I''m


    allowed."


    "Good. The second thing is, make sure you tell the Council the whole truth. There is a lot of adult stuff


    going on that you don''t need to worry about. All you need to worry about is telling the truth, but


    whatever you tell them is going to be very important to that adult stuff. Okay?"


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "O-okay. I promise," she says with another nod of her head.


    "One more thing, Hannah," I look her square in the eye, "I know how scary it can be to have to speak to


    the Council. I will be there since I''m your Luna, but you have to sit by yourself in the front. Just


    remember, they are werewolves just like you and I. They are no better than anyone else. They''re just


    older. That''s it. You need to be brave and tell them exactly what happened. I know what happened was


    scary, and it''s probably still scary to think about it, but it''s the past and nothing like that will happen to


    you again. Not if I have anything to do with it. It''s my job to keep you safe and I take that responsibility


    seriously.¡±


    Hannah takes a deep breath and smiles at me before she throws her arms around my neck and gives


    me a tight hug, ¡®Thank you, Luna.¡±


    "You''re wee, Hannah," I let her out of my arms and she runs up to her parents. Her father picks


    her up and hugs her tightly. Her mother silently mouths ¡®thank you'' to me before they walk away.


    "Good job, Luna,¡± Bronx says quietly. He gives me a kiss on the cheek, "Are you okay?"


    "Alexandras didn''t touch her. He just wanted information about me,¡± I let him know. Behind him, Milo


    puts his hand on his heart and exhales a breath.


    "Thank the Goddess," Milo says, "I would have brought him back from the dead and killed him all over


    again."


    ¡®Yeah, you and Lex both," I confirm, "Bronx, we need to talk to Tessa. Why was her mate hiding in the


    dungeon? And why was he trying to get information about me?"


    I see a glint of anger sh across Bronx''s face.


    "Hey! No getting angry. Do I need to have my new intelligence officer handle it?¡± I hiss at him.


    Bronx looks at me from the side of his eye and growls, "No. I will behave myself."

 Chapter 172-80

    Chapter 172-80


    "Why can''t you go with me, again?" I ask Bronx while I smooth out the dress I changed into for the trip


    to the botanical gardens.


    "I haven''t been in the office for over a week. I''m drowning in work and we have a dinner party tonight


    that I can''t skip out on to workte. If I don¡¯t go in for a few hours, I won''t be able to catch up," he wraps


    his arms around my waist and looks at me through the mirror, "Baby, you have nothing to worry about.


    They''re excited to meet you. They are your sisters, they already love you.¡±


    I give a nervous sigh and fix my hair onest time. Bronx gives me a kiss and turns me around, leading


    me out of the closet room. He whispers words of encouragement to me the whole time, until we get to


    the door. He opens it to find Tyree on the other side, looking dapper in a ck suit with a white shirt


    and ck tie.


    "Luna, are you ready? Marco is waiting in the car," he gestures for me to join him.


    "He''s right you know,¡± Lex says in a soothing voice as we walk, Tm not saying you don¡¯t need to watch


    your back around them but underneath it all, they love you.¡±


    "Lex, I love you to pieces, but it feels you''re ying both sides of the fence right now and it''s kind of


    frustrating,¡± I huff at her.


    "Sorry, Kas," she whimpers, "I''m in a bit of a rock and a hard ce on this whole thing. I want you to


    get to know them because they are your family, but it''s true, they could be dangerous.¡±


    I purse my lips as we get to the sedan. Tyree opens the door for me. From inside, a tall woman with


    sky-blue eyes peeks out.


    "Bonjour, Luna!¡± Delh¡¯s voice trills.


    "Delh? What are you doing here?" I hop into the back of the car with her, squeezing my hand in hers.


    "Do you think I would let you go into this alone? Besides, it gives me an opportunity to pick up fresh


    ingredients," she looks at me like I must be crazy for thinking I would go alone with my guards. She has


    been working with the lead botanist to grow rare and potentially dangerous nts for her potions in an


    area Bronx donated money to have built.


    "And until you have more control over your abilities, I''m your backup protection for the things Marco


    and Tyree cannot defend,¡± she says proudly.


    "Delh, is that safe? I don''t want you to put you or Alexander in danger," I feel my head shaking back


    and forth while I speak.


    "Don''t worry, Luna lokaste. The protection I am providing is only in the form of wards and barriers. I


    won''t be putting myself in harm''s way,¡± she pats my hand gently.


    I smile gratefully at her.


    "Marco, can you please put the ss up while I do this? I don''t want it to distract you while you drive,¡±


    Delh asks in her sweetest voice.


    "Sure thing, Delh," he nods, then pushes a button on the dashboard. A dark piece of ss slides up


    and separates Delh and I from Marco and Tyree.


    "Okay, time to learn how to do this yourself, Luna Regent, Goddess lokaste Mason,¡± Delh says. She


    uses my full title and name to prepare using magic on me. I watch as her eyes turn a shade of midnight


    blue.


    Over the next twenty minutes, Delh teaches me how to ce simple protective wards over myself.


    She tells me I am an excellent student, and seem a natural. She recites a moreplex incantation


    and slides her hands down my body, hovering an inch over my skin. A cooling sensation washes over


    me just as we pull into the parking lot of the botanical gardens.


    The curator and head botanist meet US at the entrance with warm smiles on their faces. We trade


    pleasantries as we make our way inside. When we get to the atrium, they open the door for US. I take


    a deep breath as the humid air spills out and envelops US.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    "You got this, Kas," Lex urges me on, "It''s like you told Hannah, a lot of new things are scary. Once you


    see that there is nothing to fear, then it''s fun." As I walk up the pathway, I see three of the most


    beautiful women I have ever seen mulling around looking at nts and flowers. Tessa, Amari, and


    another woman with light blonde hair that cascades down her back. From this angle, I can see she has


    very light grey eyes. So light, they almost look silver. Around them are fifteen other women talking and


    laughing with each other. Their features are like the three women.


    "Excuse me, ma¡®am, are you with the Santoro group?" I hear Marco ask someone from behind me.


    m Persephone,¡± she confirms in a thick Greek ent, "I am here to meet my sister for the first time,


    again."


    The sound of her voice feels like home. I have heard it thousands of times before in moments I can no


    longer remember the details of. A voice that has been by my side through millennia. Sharing in


    celebration, calming me in moments of anger, soothing me in myst moments of multiple lives. I gasp


    as I turn around, bringing my hands to my mouth.


    The statuesque woman standing next to Marco is almost six feet tall. Sne looks young but her skin has


    the most beautiful weathered sepia tone as if she spends most of her time outdoors. Her long brown


    hair has been fashioned into dreadlocks, which are pulled back into a loose, corded hair tie. She has


    on a simple dark brown dress with a leather jacket and sandals. When she turns her head to look at


    me, I see her thin, wide set scarlet eyes recognize and admire me. A smile spreads across her face


    and her body rxes.


    I¡¯m rooted to the spot as I stare at her. She is the woman who let me drink from the cup when I was


    kidnapped. She is one of my sisters, not a prisoner. I should feel irate and overwhelmed with anger, but


    I don''t. All I feel is desperate. Desperate to be close to her and to beforted by her.


    "C-Cora?" I stammer. I don''t know how I know to call her that when she just told Marco her name is


    Persephone. It justes out of my mouth.


    She opens her arms to me and I can''t help but fall into them. As she closes me into a strong embrace, I


    feel a sob escape my chest. Cora rocks me gently, leaning her head on top of mine and quietly


    shushing me as she lets me cry against her.


    "Eimai ed¨¦ mazi sastora. [I am here with you now.]," she whispers, "Eimai ed6, agapim¨¦ni mou aderfi.


    [I am here, my darling sister.]"


    I don¡¯t Know how I can understand her words, but I do. How is that possible?I hear murmuring behind


    US and sense people approaching. Soon there are other people joining in our hug. I can hear sniffles


    and sobs. I can feel abination of sorrow, fear, relief, and loveing from the women surrounding


    me.


    I feel like I am where I am supposed to be, but there is one nagging thing missing. What more I could


    need in this moment?


    I search my mind as the womenfort and soothe me. What is missing? The answer bes


    apparent: the Mavri Magea.

 Chapter 173-81

    Chapter 173-81


    As I calm down, I feel the women back away, still staying close by.I turn slightly in Cora''s arms to see


    what is happening.


    The beautiful blonde hair woman is standing the closest, beaming at me.


    On the surface, the gesture seems genuine but everything else about her screams of false presences.


    "Hello Iokaste, I''m Katherine, your oldest sister, and Luna of the Manae.It''s a pleasure to meet you


    again," she says to me.


    All I can think of is how odd of a way to introduce yourself to someone.I look at her carefully.She smiles


    slightly and reaches out to brush my bangs out of my face.


    It is meant to be a caring movement, but instinctively I feel myself flinch.She seems to ignore my tiny


    movement, but I can see a minute change in her eyes as she notices.I don¡¯t know what to make of it.


    It almost feels like she was pleased to see me react that way, but she doesn¡¯t want to let it show.


    "Please, call me Kas and it''s nice to meet you too,"


    I pull myself from Cora''s arms and collect myself before shaking Katherine¡¯s hand, trying to be cordial.


    There is an ufortable energying from her as our hands connect.


    "Katherine fears you, Kas.Can''t you feel it? Don''t let her intimate you.Be confident.Pretend you''re


    me.Maybe we can earn her trust, " Lex says quickly.Her wordse out so fast, I almost can¡¯t catch


    them.


    "Yeah, something is definitely off about her, but she wouldn''t try to hurt me here in front of all these


    people, would she? We''re in the human world.Even if we weren¡¯t, we have 2 guards and a witch with


    us."


    "No, I don''t think she would try anything here.Let''s get to know everyone else.That will help us figure


    out who we can or can''t trust," there is the slightest of snarls in Lex''s voice as she bes more


    protective of me.


    I feel myself pushing her back, trying my best not to let her influence my feelings toward my newly


    found siblings.


    Katherine steps back and the rest of the women start to introduce themselves.


    They are all so warm and inviting and happy to meet me.I notice Cora stands close to me the whole


    time.


    It¡¯s almost as if she is just as protective of me as Lex is.


    Before I realize it, we are all chit chatting and getting to know each other better.


    The atmosphere is upbeat and friendly, but Cora still stands close to me.


    Marco mind links me, "Kas, you okay with Persephone hanging that close or you want me to ask her to


    move back?"


    "I''m fine, Marco.She seems like she wants to protect me, but please monitor Katherine.Something¡¯s not


    quite right there."


    "Got it, Luna.I¡¯ll let Tyree know.Just give the word if you want us to step in," he confirms.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see him and Tyree adjust their position.


    The curator interrupts to let us know there are refreshments set up further in the atrium.


    Cora takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze before she leads me down the path where the staff


    has set up chairs and little tables for us to sit and rx.


    I watch as a carefully orchestrated hierarchy unfolds amongst my sisters, with the leaders sitting closer


    to me and the younger women sitting further away.


    Now that we are sitting, I notice how miserable Tessa looks.I look around at everyone else who doesn¡¯t


    seem to notice.I internally wrestle with the fact that she kidnapped me and wanting to help take her


    pain away.


    Ultimately, thepassionate side of me wins.


    "Tessa, are you alright?" I ask, leaning forward and taking her hand.


    She looks at our joined hands, then up at me.


    Tears fall from her already watery eyes, "I-I can¡¯t...I¡¯m sorry...I"


    "Tessa, please, let me help you.Let me take some of this pain away.You don¡¯t have to suffer like this,"


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    I nce at Amari, who could have easily helped Tessa with whatever the problem is.


    "I don¡¯t want your damn maniption, Kas.There¡¯s only one way for you to fix this,"


    Tessa growls at me.She quickly stands and rushes down the path, away from us.She is crying so hard


    that she can¡¯t hide her sobs.


    Two of the women with ck hair and green eyes stand up and rush after her.


    Now I know the difference between her and Lenora.


    Lenora would never cry or run away.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Kas.The death of her mate is still too fresh.She¡¯s having a really tough time dealing with it


    this time,"


    Amari shakes her head as she looks down the pathway.


    "I¡¯m sorry to hear that, but I am also d she didn¡¯t have to see what happened to him,"I confide. Amari


    and Katherine nod and sigh in agreement.


    "Cora, didn¡¯t your mate die too?"


    I look at her curiously.She seems much more stoic than Tessa when she has been through the same


    thing.


    "It is because of the Agrios.Our emotions hide to protect us.You are the same," she exins cryptically.


    "What Cora means to say is, her group is called Agrios.In English, it trantes to the Feral,"


    Katherine steps in, "They live most of their lives as wolves in the wild.They have to hide their emotions


    to survive.Sound familiar?"


    "Yeah, it sure does," I look at Cora and smile slightly.


    This is an ability that I get from her.


    It has saved me so many times throughout my life.


    "Tessa''s group is Frouros.The Sentinel.They were a gift to Mother from the God of War, Aries.He gifted


    mother their ability of strength and structure to protect us.So, when things don¡¯t go ording to n,


    Tessa kind of...well..."


    Kathrine gestures down the path Tessa ran down, "But I assure you, the only other person I would trust


    with my life is my mate Dante."


    I look down the path, thinking about Tessa¡¯s physical appearance.


    Why does she look so much like Lenora and Bronx? Lex interrupts my thoughts, "Careful Kas, they


    don¡¯t know that you know about the Titan Perses and the Guardians."


    "Oh right.Thanks."


    "So, are the Guardians also a gift from the God Aries as well? Because that would be kinda...weird for


    Tessa and her mate to have been gifts from the same God."


    Amari chuckles, "No, darling.The Titan God Perses provided his services for the Guardians.Aries had


    made the Sentinel in the image of Perses as a show of respect.Perses was conceited and made the


    Guardians'' physical appearance the same as his as well."


    "Oh, I see.Why do you think Bronx¡¯s sister, Lenora, looks so much like them?"


    I wonder out loud.


    "Who knows? The ways of the Gods are sometimes mysterious.My guess would be some of Perses¡¯s


    essence was left over after he was born, so it affected Lenora," Katherine says.


    She rolls her lip with her fingers as she looks up in contemtion.I sit for a moment in silence, building


    the courage to ask what I really want to know.


    "I-I have another question," I say quietly.


    "Of course, darling.That¡¯s why we¡¯re here,"


    Katherine¡¯s voice is thick with fake sweetness.I look her straight in the eye, not letting myself waver.I


    can see her struggling to control her wolf as I stare her down.


    "Why did you kidnap me?"

 Chapter 174-82

    Chapter 174-82


    I watch as Katherine¡¯s tongue slides across her front teeth with her mouth closed, considering how to


    answer.She never takes her eyes off of me, trying to gauge my temperament.


    The women sitting behind her whisper quietly to each other, looking nervous.


    "It was a mistake," she finally clears her throat and says very matter-of-factly, "We have amp called


    the harbingermp.Mother lights it when there is an imbnce among the Manae that needs to be


    rectified.She lit themp purple, which means we needed to summon you to help with a problem with


    the Dark.I left this responsibility to Amari and Tessa.Tessa took things in her own hands and, based on


    past experience, took a forceful route instead of a peaceful one."


    I watch as Amari looks at her hands, avoiding eye contact with me.


    "Cora, how were you involved?"


    I look at her confused, "You were in that room with Tessa."


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    "I was summoned as well.To help with you, Kas,"


    Cora looks at me as if she is asking for forgiveness.I can¡¯t tell if she worded her phrase correctly or if


    her English is not refined enough to convey her message.


    ¡®Help with me¡¯? "When Cora and I arrived at our estate, we found out you were being held in the


    Waiting Room.We came right away, but you can¡¯t just get out of the Waiting Room.We needed to


    convince you to leave," Katherine looks slightly guilty as she exins.


    "The Waiting Room? Is that the ce I saw Tessa and Cora? The ce I drank from that old goblet?"


    I try to recall the few details that I can still remember.


    "You remember the Waiting Room? That''s impossible,"


    Katherine¡¯s expression bes horrified.I¡¯m feeling more annoyed now, "I remember there was a


    cot.Tessa standing in the doorway and Cora gave me a cup to drink out of because a voice on an


    inte said that was the only way I could go home.Then I almost drowned in a portal that appeared


    at the bottom of the pool at our pack house."


    Katherine res at Amari.


    I see Amari¡¯s eyes ze over as the two have a mind link conversation.


    A look of fear and regret crosses her naturally gentle face.


    While they are distracted, I quickly mind link Marco, "Do you know what the Waiting Room is?"


    "No.The Alpha didn¡¯t mention nothing like that."


    "Alright, then I need you to pay attention," I order him.


    "I¡¯m sorry.What is the Waiting Room?" I ask as calmly as I can manage, interrupting their silent


    conversation.


    As the questiones off my lips, Tessa walks up the path behind me and puts her hand on the back


    of my chair.


    She answers my question with no emotion in her voice, "It¡¯s a magical holding room.Once someone is


    inside for over a minute, they can¡¯t get out unless they drink from the goblet.The person trapped inside


    is called a ¡®waiter¡¯."


    She stops and looks at Katherine.


    Katherine nods for her to continue, "If the waiter tries to use magic inside the room or anyone tries to


    get in the room using magic, the waiter receives an electric shock.Strong enough to make them pass


    out and forget about everything that has happened in the room before the shock."


    I look at her questioningly, "Go on."


    "The waiter wakes up not knowing how they got to the Waiting Room or how long they¡¯ve been


    there.Same thing happens if they try to escape through the door.Touch the door.Zap,"she raises her


    eyebrows at the word, "You can¡¯t get in.You can¡¯t get out.Not without drinking from the goblet."


    I feel Lex starting to bristle and pace in my mind.She stops and snarls, "THAT¡¯S what that ce was?!"


    "Lex, I need you to stay calm until we have more answers," I scold her.


    She doesn¡¯t answer, she just huffs and keeps pacing.


    "So it¡¯s a magical torture chamber? Who would make such a ce? And why would you put me there?"


    My voice cracks when I speak.


    I¡¯m trying my best to control my emotions, but I look down and see my violet aura glowing from my


    hands.I squeeze my eyes closed and push the anger down with a deep breath, trying to remind myself


    that I''m in the human world.


    Losing control would be bad.I open my eyes and re at Tessa.


    She presses her lips together and gives me a resigned look, dropping her shoulders and sitting down.


    "The Goddess Mesperyian built it.For you and the rest of the Dark," she admits, her face flushes with


    embarrassment as she looks at her feet, "And I put you in there because you have already killed me in


    three different lifetimes.I¡¯m not making that mistake again if I can help it."


    I stand up and put my hands to my mouth, "The Goddess of Torture built a chamber specifically for the


    Mavri Magea? The actual daughter of Hades and Persephone?"


    I stop short when I realize what I just said.


    Persephone? I turn and look at Cora, "A-are you her? Don''t lie to me."


    "I am not the Goddess Persephone you think I am.I am only named after her because I had to be,"


    Cora says bluntly.


    Had to be? What is that supposed to mean? I stop and lift my head up to the ss ceiling.


    The more questions they answer, the more answers I need.


    I feel like I am getting nowhere.


    Actually, I feel like I am losing ground.


    The more I know about who I am and the more I know about my sisters, the less I want to be


    associated with them.


    I see little birds flying freely outside the ss dome without a care in the world.


    Lucky little bastards.


    Take me with you.


    I close my eyes, waiting for the little wish toe true, even though I know it won''t.I look back at the


    women sitting ufortably in their seats.I cross my arms in front of me and start pacing.


    Where to start? What information is the most important for me to know? What is least likely to make


    Lex want to take control and literally chew my sisters out of existence? Will Bronx snap all of their


    necks if he finds out any of this information?


    "alright.I''m going to ask you questions and I want straightforward answers.I am sick of these answers


    that don¡¯t really answer anything.If I sense you are holding back information, I am getting my mate


    involved.Do I make myself clear?"


    Katherine¡¯s eyes grow wide and she nods her head.


    The other three follow her lead.


    Behind them, the rest of the women also nod slightly.I don¡¯t think they are even doing it.It¡¯s like they are


    just obedient puppets.


    "Okay, Katherine, why was I summoned? What is happening that thismp turned purple?"


    "One of the Dark has- "Mavri Magea," I say with a little growl.


    I can understand why Leticia is annoyed by the term ¡®The Dark¡¯ now.Words have power and now that I


    know it, the name of my faction is important to me, "Don¡¯t be disrespectful."


    "My apologies.One of the Mavri Magea has begun killing Guardians.Her name is Leticia.We don¡¯t know


    where she is or why she¡¯s doing it.It¡¯s your responsibility, as the leader of her group, to stop her,"


    Katherine exins calmly.


    I nod to her respectfully and move on.I eye Tessa carefully.I know she just lost her mate but for


    someone who is supposed to be a warrior, she sure can''t seem to handle stress very well, "Tessa, I


    need you topose yourself because I have a ton of questions for you.


    First one being, how long was I in the Waiting Room? And the second is, how many times did I touch


    the door? How many times did I get shocked and lose my memory?"


    Tessa¡¯s lip trembles, "You were there for four days.I thought on day two Lex was going to convince you


    to listen to what we had to say, but you were stubborn.You tried to get out at least fifty times."


    The dark storm cloud that has been following me around grows in my mind.


    Thunder and lightning form inside of it, darkening my thoughts.So she has no problem with torture.


    A torture designed for specifically for me and the Mavri Magea.


    Part of me wants to set Lex loose on her.She says I¡¯ve killed her three times.


    It sounds like a fourth wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing.


    The more rational side of me wants more answers, so I push the storm cloud away.


    "After I drank from the cup, why did youe searching for me? Why did you disguise yourself to get


    closer to me?"


    "I wanted to see if I could fix my mistake.Convince you toe back to Greece with me to help stop


    Leticia.A-and I thought if she had gone too far down the path of dark magic, that you would need


    protection too.You said I looked like Bronx¡¯s sister, so I disguised myself," her tone is soft but steady.


    "Why was your mate in the basement of the Silver Moon packhouse and why did he lure a six-year-old


    girl down there by herself?"


    I don¡¯t stop the snarling growl in my tone.


    Katherine holds her hand up, "I sent Alexandros and several of the Sentinel to find Tessa.Once Bronx


    released that statement to the media, I knew she would be in danger if he found her before Alexandros


    did."


    "And he was at Silver Moon to find out if you were dangerous or working with Leticia.He needed to


    determine how much of a threat you are to us," Tessa says, looking back at our sisters.


    The four women with green eyes and ck hair all nod, confirming her statement.


    "what would you have done if you found out I was a threat to you or if I was working with Leticia?" I


    cock my head to the side.


    Lex''s temper is hanging on by a thread.


    Tessa¡¯s eyes dart around the room.She looks a little confused, like she can¡¯t believe what she is about


    to admit to, "I-I don¡¯t know.I probably would have left you in the Waiting Room.Keep you alive as long


    as possible, so it would take longer for you to be reincarnated.Another sixty or seventy years maybe?"

 Chapter 175-83

    Chapter 175-83


    My fangs and ws extend and my eyes turn ck as Lex yanks me back and pushes forward, taking


    control of my body.I struggle to pull her back, but she is too strong.I can¡¯t stop her as she lunges


    forward and grabs Tessa by her neck.


    A visiones to my mind as my skin contacts hers.


    We are on a battlefield.


    Tessa¡¯s eyes are an endless ck abyss as she swings a mace at my head, but I duck and avoid it,


    except for a small graze across my forehead from one of the spikes.


    The momentum turns her body and I catch her gripping her back against my chest.I watch myself slit


    Tessa¡¯s throat, letting her body fall at my feet.Her expressionless green eyes stare up at me.


    The vision fades and anotheres forward.She and I struggling against each other in a bell


    tower.She stabs a long silver de into the side of my abdomen and stands back with a disgusting


    smile.Her wolf¡¯s ck eyes again at the surface.


    The pain is excruciating, making me drop to my knees.


    She chuckles dryly and walks away.


    One of her legs is dragging behind her with an injury.


    Once her back is to me, I hear myself recite an incantation over and over, under my breath, ''num


    dolorem senserit.


    [Feel no pain.Feel no fear]''.


    I climb to my feet and rush at her, grabbing her by the waist.I keep running until we both sail through


    the tower window.


    The Cathedral of Notre Dame rushes past my vision until everything goes dark.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A third vision shes.


    Tessa¡¯s wolf has me cornered in a cover of thick trees.She shifts to her human form, and a shriek


    comes from outside the thicket.


    A human woman drops a basket of truffles as she looks at Tessa in horror.


    Men with pitchforks and axes rush in from the other side.


    The vision shifts and Tessa is tied down to an outdoor b of stone.I am surrounded by the Mavri


    Magea and what appears to be a vige of humans.I watch as everyone throws stones at Tessa while


    they scream ¡®witch¡¯ and ¡®devil¡¯ until someone ultimately sets fire to her cotton dress.I am thrust back to


    the present.I feel like I just watched a very messed up movie, "Did you see all that, Lex?"


    "Yes, I already knew all of it, but I wasn¡¯t allowed to tell you," she growls.


    Lex is so angry, I barely recognize her voice.


    "Control yourself, Lex.We¡¯re in the human world," I hopelessly try to talk sense into my nearly feral wolf.


    "valor,e forward!" I hear Lex¡¯s voice boom from my mouth.


    The rest of my sisters all cringe and shrink back.


    Tessa¡¯s eyes turn ck, and her fangs extend as her wolfes to the surface.


    "Lex, you¡¯re out of line,"


    Tessa¡¯s voice is deeper and rougher when her wolf speaks through her.


    "Tessa just admitted she''s willing to sacrifice lokaste for her own benefit.But were they Tessa¡¯s own


    thoughts? Or were they yours?"


    Lex roars as she presses my hands tighter around Tessa¡¯s neck, "You think I¡¯m out of line!? Bitch, look


    in a mirror and try again."


    Lex''s anger is rolling off of me.I fight to not slide backwards as her emotions take over.I can¡¯t let her


    shift here.It feels like I am climbing up a sand dune.


    "She¡¯s a fucking menace,"


    Tessa¡¯s wolf, Valor, snaps at Lex, "Freaks of nature who should have nevere to be.All of them.The


    Dark needs to be destroyed.The world is a better ce without them.You''ll be better off when her


    human spirit is destroyed, Elexis! You can finally go into retirement.Stop being tortured by her stupidity


    lifetime after lifetime."


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cora stiffen defensively.


    Amari is glued to her seat with her hands over her mouth in shock.


    Katherine¡¯s face almost looks smug as she watches the altercation y out.


    Valor just looks back at me defiantly with her onyx eyes bulging out of Tessa¡¯s head.I see a snarl on her


    face as she shows her true colors.I feel the prickly sensation of fur wanting to sprout from my skin.


    "Gotcha, bitch.Your theatrics may convince everyone else over the millennia, but I know better.I¡¯ve


    always known," Lex snarls through gritted teeth, "Iokaste has every right to walk the earth like anyone


    else.You¡¯re stone-hearted, Valor.You can¡¯t feel sadness or joy.Hell, you probably can¡¯t even feel


    love.Never could, could you? Your poor human doesn¡¯t even understand what you¡¯ re doing to her but


    you.can¡¯t.fool.me."


    I deep growles from Tessa, but Lex ignores it and continues her rant, "And we BOTH know it was


    only a matter of time before that degenerate, pervert mate of yours would start collecting little girls


    again.You turned a blind eye.Didn¡¯t you? How many children has he taken advantage of in this lifetime?


    Huh? You say my human spirit doesn¡¯t deserve to walk the earth? Stop ignoring what¡¯s in front of your


    eyes lifetime after lifetime."I feel a hand on my shoulder, which is just enough of a distraction for me to


    take control back from Lex.I release my hands from Tessa¡¯s neck and stumble back, slightly disoriented


    from the fast change in control.


    Marco catches me before I can fall.


    "Luna, maybe the rest of this conversation should take ce at home," he murmurs quietly to me,


    trying to diffuse the situation.


    I almost can¡¯t hear him with Lex raging and howling in my mind.I concentrate and block her off before


    she bolsters enough strength to fight her way back to the surface.I look at him, then back to my sisters.


    Marco looks concerned for me.My sisters all look terrified of me.


    "Ladies, meet me in my office on the fifth floor.We can finish this discussion there before dinner,"


    I address the four leaders, "The rest of our sisters, I would like to invite you to go for arun of our


    territory while you wait for us.Guards will escort you to ensure you don¡¯t get lost."


    I don¡¯t wait for a response.I turn and walk away.


    Marco takes my elbow and walks down the path next to me while Tyree opens the atrium door for us.


    Delh is on the other side of the door looking frightened.


    "Kas, what was that? You were supposed to make friends with your sisters, not enemies," she falls in


    line with Marco and I.Tyree follows behind us.


    "Marco, you heard all that, right?" I ignore Delh for a moment.


    "Yeah, Tessa is a piece of shit," he murmurs as he opens a door for me.


    "No," I correct him, "I don¡¯t think she is.I think Valor is the one driving the train and Tessa has no idea


    how dangerous she is."


    "Okay, so how do you wanna y this? Want me to handle it?" he asks as he opens the car door for


    Delh and I.Delh slides in and looks up at us.


    "I''m going to apologize for my behavior," I smile sweetly.


    "You gonna what?" he looks at me like I¡¯ve lost my mind.


    "It''s like you and James have always taught me. I can use anything as a weapon, Marco," I give him a


    hard look before I slide into the back seat next to Delh.

 Chapter 176-84

    Chapter 176-84


    Marco¡¯s POV


    "Luna, you aren¡¯t supposed to be back for an hour.Is everything alright?"


    Ashley runs up to us as we get back to the packhouse.


    Her blue eyes get wide when she gets close and she skids to a stop, holding her hands up, "Whoa!


    That¡¯s a whole lot of angrying off of you, Kas."


    Kas seems like she ignores her but starts speaking to her anyway.


    She''s been so stressed out since we left the botanical gardens that she hasn¡¯t been able to really


    control her emotions like she usually does.


    It¡¯s a little crushing.I don¡¯t know how she holds it all in all the time.


    "Ashley, can you please arrange for a couple of guards to escort my sisters for arun before dinner?


    Except for Katherine, Amari, Cora, and Tessa.Send them to my office when they get here.I have more


    to discuss with them,"


    Kas asks Gamma Ashley, "Ch also, could you please see if Musu and James are avable.I''d like them


    to be part of this meeting.Sorry to load this on you, but I need help since Carly is off for the rest of the


    day."


    "Of course Luna.It¡¯s no problem.You know I¡¯m d to help,"


    Ashley chirps happily as she keeps in stride with us, "Kas, are you sure everything is alright? You


    seem, um, intense?"


    Kas stops suddenly and gets a weird look on her face.


    She takes Ashley¡¯s hand and gives her best ¡®there ain¡¯t nothing wrong¡¯ voice, "I assure you, Ashley,


    everything is fine.I just have some things to discuss with my sisters that were not appropriate in the


    middle of the atrium of the botanical gardens."


    "Oh, okay.How long until your sisters¡¯ bus gets here?" she looks at the screen of her tablet.


    "Their bus driver said they were about fifteen, twenty minutes behind us," I let her know, "Also, Delh


    went to get her bag of tricks from home.Can you please let her up to the office as well, Gamma?"


    "No problem, Marco,"


    Ashley nods happily and types something into the tablet she¡¯s holding, "I will get everything taken care


    of for you guys.Don¡¯t worry about anything."


    When we''re finally in Kas¡¯s office, she goes around to sit at her desk.I sit in the guest chair across from


    her and watch her carefully.Her sparkly hair is a little messy and her face is strained.


    Not the put together Kas I usually see.


    My Mama would call it ¡® aturdida¡¯ [flustered].I wanna make sure she doesn¡¯t have another vision.I don''t


    know if my heart can take it if she does.


    "Kas, not gonna lie.I¡¯m a little worried about you right now,"


    I say honestly, "I wanna make sure you''re not too stressed out."


    "I¡¯m fine, Marco.I can handle this.If I couldn''t, I would tell you.I promise," her violet eyes drill into my


    soul when she looks at me.


    A wave of anger crashes against me but it seems like an ident.


    "Okay, well then, I wanna make sure I got it all right in my head.These visions you had.You sure it was


    Tessa¡¯s wolf attacking you, not Tessa¡¯s human spirit. You one hundred percent sure?"


    "Absolutely sure.I don¡¯t think Tessa has any control over Valor," she says.


    I watch as she pulls out a pen and note cards.


    "You writing out notes? I haven¡¯t done that since high school," I smirk at her while she organizes the


    colored index cards, "Yourptop is right there."


    "If you must know, Marco, I¡¯m writing down my questions for my sisters.It helps me concentrate when I


    put things on paper instead of looking at it on theputer screen.I only had theputer in the


    school library growing up, so I have always done everything by hand.That¡¯s why I keep binders.If


    anyone ever needed to find out anything really important to me, they would just have to find the right


    binder and rifle through it.My schedule, recipe ideas, reminders, all my old note cards, things like that,"


    she grins at me, then looks down and writes.


    "So, you mean like a diary?"


    "Uh, I mean, I guess some of my binders are like a diary.All my notecards and papers show what''s on


    my mind," she leans back in her chair, twirling the pen in her fingers, "Theptop helps when I have to


    take care of pack business and send emails but holding the cards in my hands while I''m talking to


    people helps me focus.You know, it gives me something to do with my hands."


    I feel like I should get up and give her privacy, but I gotta talk to her before her sisters get here.I don¡¯t


    realize I¡¯m staring until she looks up at me and raises her eyebrows.


    "Is everything alright, Marco? You look like something¡¯s on your mind," she asks, putting the pen down.


    I can¡¯t do this.


    She¡¯s my Luna.I can¡¯t get into her business like this.


    "Exactly, she¡¯s a Luna.y that on her.Even if you don¡¯t wanna tell her, you got Alpha blood, my


    dude.She don¡¯t realize your words affect her different from other wolves,"


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    sh interrupts in my mind.


    "sh, we ain¡¯t got no Alpha blood, fool," I argue.


    ¡®Just try it, dude.I¡¯m telling you, it''ll work,"


    he huffs at me.


    "If I get fired on my first day, I¡¯m figuring out how to disown you, sh." I take a deep breath.


    Here goes nothing.


    "Kas, I - uh - I want you to know, I¡¯m speaking as a friend who also happens to work for you.Okay?" I


    say hesitantly.


    "Uh, okay?" her eyebrows scrunch up, making her look worried.


    "I know things didn¡¯t go as well as you would have hoped with your sisters, but I really think you need


    to try to start over with them.Family is important.Trust me, I know.I got a huge family.Sometimes we


    don¡¯t get along.That¡¯s how families are, but at the end of the day, we love each other.We work it out


    cause that''s what family does," she¡¯s still looking at me with the sare worried eyes, "Kas, you¡¯ve been


    lookin¡¯ for them for so long.And yeah, it sucks that they ain¡¯t the people you thought they¡¯d be, but of all


    the wolves I know, you''re probably the most forgiving.You don¡¯t stay mad at no one for long, ¡®cept


    maybe Alpha Bronx...sometimes."


    She leans back in her chair again, twirling her pen in her fingers, and looks at me like she¡¯s trying to


    decide whether she should tell me to get the fuck out or not.


    "You want me to just forget everything they told me this afternoon? Alright, let¡¯s just say I forget about


    all the past lives crap," she says, growling a little at me.


    She stops and crosses her arms and cocks her head to the side.


    Ah shit, I¡¯ve seen her give that look to Alpha Bronx.


    She¡¯s mad at me.


    I lower my eyes a little and feel myself bowing my head to her.


    She is my Luna, after all.


    When she starts talking again, she sounds real annoyed, "In this lifetime, they knowingly let me be


    abused for most of my life, kidnapped me, and tortured me with magical electric shock for four


    days.Should I just pretend none of that happened, Marco?"


    Damn.


    She¡¯s got a point.


    "Kas, I ain¡¯t saying to forget all of that.That''d be stupid.I don¡¯t think you should forget it at all.I¡¯m just


    saying look past it.At least enough to have a rtionship with them.You¡¯re a Luna and you¡¯re amazing


    at getting people to get along.I seen it firsthand.No one¡¯s saying you gotta have dinner with them every


    Sunday,"


    I lean forward and put my elbows on my knees and really look her in the eyes, "but if you¡¯re the one


    who¡¯s the connection between this Mavri Magea group and the rest of these women, I think you should


    try to keep the peace as much as possible."


    She leans forward and puts her elbows on the table, then holds her head up with her hands, "How is it


    you always know what to say, Marco?"


    "Just a gift, I guess," I shrug, feeling a huge sense of relief she didn¡¯t fire me.


    "Yeah, a gift from the Goddess you choose to ignore,"


    sh chides.


    "Drop it, sh," I growl back at him.


    Just then, there''s a knock on the door.I can already smell Delh and the intoxicating scent of my


    mate.I jump up and open it for them.


    Musu and Delh step into the office.I look out to see James having a quiet conversation with Tyree.


    "Mi belleza de ¨¦bano,"I purr at Musu as I walk up to her.I put one hand around her waist and the other


    on her belly.I instantly feel more calm being this close to her and our pups.


    "Mon Loup,"she smiles and kisses me softly.


    She pulls away slightly and a concerned look crosses her face, "Why is the energy in here so...fach¨¦


    [angry]? Were you two having an argument?"


    Kas looks at Musu and me with a confused look, "No, we were just having a conversation about my


    rtionship with my sisters.It was a little tense, but we¡¯re fine."


    I look at Musu and shrug, "Yeah, maybe it''s left over from earlier when Kas was mad? Gamma Ashley


    said the same thing."


    James steps in and closes the door behind him, "Whoa.What¡¯s with the energy in here? Kas, are you


    okay?"


    "Can we all drop the angry energy talk, please?"


    Kas rolls her eyes at him, "Everyone sit down.I need to exin what¡¯s going on."


    She gives the quickest exnation she can, then I fill in parts she missed.


    Delh nods in agreement the whole time and adds details, too.


    "So that¡¯s why Tyree asked if he could get additional security on stand by," James murmurs to himself.


    He types a message into his phone after hearing the story.


    A momentter it dings with a reply, "Beta is having a couple of guys set up in the hallways now."


    Kas nods, "Yeah, the more the better.


    Now, when I was in the Waiting Room and touched Cora, I had a vision of us from the past.


    She didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge it.


    I don¡¯t think Tessa realizes I had those visions when I touched her, either.


    It wasn¡¯t like when I¡¯ve had visions of the future where I don¡¯t know the difference between reality and


    the vision.


    It didn¡¯t drain my energy or anything like that.


    I understood it was just a vision, even though I could feel and sense everything around me.


    It was like re- watching memories."


    "Do you think you can control it enough to do the same with your other sisters or anyone else?"


    Delh asks, "They¡¯ll be here any minute.We don¡¯t have time to practice and figure out how to hone this


    new skill."


    "Speaking of abilities.Valor called me a freak of nature.Delh, I need you to be really careful,"


    Kas says to Delh, "If she is that prejudice against me, I can''t imagine she is too keen on full blood


    witches either."


    "Jeprends [I understand],"Delh says, sitting up a little

 Chapter 177-85

    Chapter 177-85


    From the time Tyree knocks on the door, to the time her sisters walk in, it feels like all that negative


    energy that was filling the room gets sucked back out.I look over and see Kas looking back to her


    normal self.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Did she just pull all that bad energy back into herself? Katherine is gripping Tessa tightly by the upper


    arm.


    She leads her to a chair and sets her down.


    Tessa¡¯s eyes are puffy and watery and her nose is red.


    I¡¯m not sure she knows what''s going on around her.It¡¯s kinda sad.


    She lost her mate, got called out for knowing he¡¯s a pervert, had a blowout with her sister, and her wolf


    is a little loco.


    A crazy wolf never ends well for the human side.


    I almost feel bad for her.


    Almost.


    Once everyone¡¯s sitting, Kas stands at the head of the table.


    "Thank you for meeting us here," she says to her sisters.


    Even those few words, she sounds more like herself than she has all day, "I want to apologize for my


    behavior earlier.I let Elexis get the best of me and it won¡¯t happen again.I would like to continue the


    conversation now that we''re in a more private atmosphere."


    Katherine smiles, while her other sisters look down at the table, "Kas, I would also like to apologize on


    behalf of all of us.I should have stepped in and stopped Valor when she took over Tessa¡¯s


    consciousness."


    Why is everything with this woman so calcted? I mean, it¡¯s convincing, but still.It doesn¡¯t sit right.Kas


    nods, then introduces everyone.


    She introduces Musu as her historical researcher, Delh as her business partner, and James and me


    as her personal guards.We all shake hands like a regr meeting.


    I see a tiny red light turn on inside the camera above the door.


    James looks down at his watch and gives a tiny nod.


    "Now that I¡¯ve had time to calm down and think things through, I would like to continue with my


    questions.Based on how things went earlier, I¡¯m going to spare Tessa.She¡¯s had enough for today but I


    would like to propose something."


    "Propose what exactly?"


    Katherine looks at Kas and sits up when she asks the question.


    "I would like to propose that Tessa stay with us at Blood River until she¡¯s able to heal from the mate


    bond breaking.


    Her Frouros are wee as well if they would like to be closer to her,"


    Kas¡¯s smile is genuine and inviting, "This is based on one condition, Tessa.You agree to have regr


    appointments with our therapists.We have some of the best in the werewolf world and you and your


    wolf need help.I would be foolish to turn a blind eye and let you continue to suffer.It¡¯s nothing to be


    ashamed of.Many of our warriors see therapists.Even Bronx and I go regrly."


    There¡¯s thepassionate Luna we all know and love.


    Tessa looks away from the table and up at Kas, "You - you would let me stay...here?"


    "Until you''re feeling better, yes.Think of it as me extending an olive branch to you.As long as you¡¯re


    seeing a therapist and following their advice you are wee to stay.Besides, I¡¯m sure our trainers


    would love to have someone with your experience and expertise to provide special training sessions


    with our warriors and guards,"


    Kas takes a sip of water from her cup and nods.


    Then sits down and shuffles her note cards.


    Where did she get the water from? I don''t remember seeing no cups before.


    My eyes dart around the room.


    There¡¯s no water pitcher or tray with other cups on it.


    "Now," she goes on, "my next questions are for Amari if that is alright?"


    Katherine gives Amari a death re, but Amari seems like she¡¯s ignoring it and answers Kas, "Of


    course, darling."


    "Amari, when we were in the meditation room, you told me you''ve lived through five of my


    lifetimes.How long are you able to live?"


    Kas looks up but has her pen ready to make notes on the card.


    Musu has her fingers ready on herptop too.


    Amari¡¯s eyes shift around for a couple seconds, "Well, we all seem to have different lifespans.My


    group, the Giatros, seems to average about two to three hundred years per lifetime.Healing has a


    tendency to drain your life force over time, you see.Tessa¡¯s Sentinels max out at two hundred, but that


    is to be expected based on the type of work they do.I think one time Tessa lived to be over three


    hundred."


    "Three hundred and forty-three,"


    Tessa murmurs under her breath.


    "Katherine¡¯s Mavens can live about four or five hundred years and Cora¡¯s Agrios well...Cora, how old is


    the oldest you''ve ever been? I don''t really know."


    "Fight hundred and twenty-nine," the red-eyed woman looks around the room.


    She seems like she doesn¡¯t like attention.


    Musu stops typing and looks up, "Oh my Goddess.Almost a thousand years? H-How old are you now?"


    "Four hundred and seventy on theing winter solstice,"


    Cora looks in the distance like she¡¯s trying to remember for sure.


    I look over at Kas.


    Somehow she doesn¡¯t look phased by any of this.She takes another sip of her drink.


    I thought it was water when I first saw it, but now it looks like it must be juice.


    Where did she get that? I didn''t even see her pour anything.


    "And what about me? Why are my lives so short?" Kas asks.


    Sheces her fingers and sets her elbows on the table.


    "Well, I believe it¡¯s by unfortunate design, darling," I notice a tear rolling down her face.


    You have the lifecycle of regr humans to make sure if you be corrupt by dark magic, it won¡¯t


    last long.


    Honestly, your fate always seems to be tragic or violent.I can¡¯t remember a lifetime where you have


    lived past thirty-five years old.I feel like somebody just poured cold water over my head.I snap my head


    over to Kas to see her reaction.


    She''s only gonna live to be thirty-five? She¡¯s got a poker face on.I can''t tell what she''s thinking.


    "What about the rest of the Mavri Magea?" she asks nkly.


    "Well, we¡¯re not quite sure.My guess would be seventy or eighty years old? They¡¯re spread around the


    globe instead of being close knit like the rest of us.We are never certain where they are, let alone how


    old they are,"


    Amari shakes her head.


    Kas clears her throat and takes another sip of her drink When she puts the heavy ss down, it


    doesn''t make any noise.


    Wait what? Wasn''t that just a regr cup? I feel like I must be seeing things.


    Kas leans back in her chair and crosses her arms.She don¡¯t have a poker face no more.She is very


    clearly, most definitely, without a doubt, mad.


    "So, Tessa, I apologize, but it looks like I do have another question for you,"Kas''s voice is deadly calm


    when she talks, "You said you would keep me in the Waiting Room for sixty or seventy years.It wasn''t


    just to extend my lifetime, was it.You wanted to see how long it would take to kill me off.You would have


    held me there for the rest of this lifetime, however long that would have been?"


    Tessa puts her hands to her face and starts sobbing, "I¡¯m so sorry, Kas."


    "You know, Tessa.You make it really difficult to want to like you," Kas says.


    She''s starting to glow purple while she takes another sip of her wine.


    Wine? No.That can''t be right.She doesn''t drink.


    Am I losing my mind? I feel my eyes go wide when Alpha Bronx''s voicees into my mind, "Marco?


    James? Where you guys at?"


    Oh shit.

 Chapter 178- 86

    Chapter 178- 86


    Bronx''s POV


    When I get back to pack house, there is a distinct negative energy in the air that feels like Kas. If I


    didn''t know better, it''s almost like she lost her temper or something and it seems to influence everyone.


    Even Ashley seems grumpy.


    "Ashley, is Kas back? Have you seen her?" I ask when I see her walk by.


    "She''s in her office. Why?" Ashley snaps at me.


    Okay. That''s weird. Ashley has never once in the twenty-five years I''ve known her,e close to


    raising her voice at me. Even when my mental health was at its worst and I almost killed Reggie. She


    was nothing but forgiving and worried about me. Maybe it''s pregnancy hormones?


    "Ashley, watch yourself,¡± I step in front of her, blocking her path, ''What''s gotten into you?"


    She looks at me like she is just realizing I''m there. Her face turns bright red with embarrassment, "Oh


    Alpha, I''m so sorry. What was I thinking? I didn''t mean-,¡±


    "It''s all right, Ashley. Where''s Kas?" I ask again.


    "In her office with the rest of her team and the Manae leaders," she says more calmly.


    "Thank you. Is this too stressful for you? Covering for Carly? I can find someone else."


    "Oh, no, Sir. I''m fine. Seriously. It''s just for today. I''m happy to help," she says, nodding and backing


    away.


    "Alright. But you tell me if you need a break, okay?" I look at her more carefully.


    "Yes, Alpha!" she calls out as she turns and hurries away.


    "Marco, James, where you guys at?" I mind link Kas''s guards.


    "In the Luna¡¯s office, sir. You should probably get up here. Things are getting a little tense," Marco links


    back, "and uh, kinda weird."


    ¡®That sounds like a badbo," Saint puts in his two cents, "What are you waiting for, dummy?"


    I run up the steps two at a time until I get to the fourth floornding. The guards assigned to monitor me


    stay on my heels as the best they can.


    When I get to the stairs to the fifth floor, two guards stand at attention, blocking the way.


    "Alpha, are they expecting you?" the guard asks defensively.


    ¡°Excuse me?" I re at him. Has everyone lost their minds today? Did he just ask me if I have


    permission to go to my private floor of the packhouse?


    "I-l''m sorry, Sir,¡± he says again, shrinking back a little.


    "Step aside," I snarl. I don''t have time for this shit. I re as the guard moves to let me through.


    ¡®Who does this guard think he is?¡± Saint also snarls impatiently.I stop for a second. When was thest


    time I spoke to a pack member like that? Something is definitely off. The negative energy filling the


    pack house is already affecting me. I can¡¯t imagine what it is doing to everyone else. Kas must have


    really been on a tear for it tost this long. I close my eye and take a deep breath, clearing my mind


    before I go up the steps.


    There''s another guard at the top of the steps who lets me through with a cautious look. I jog down the


    hallway until I see Tyree and another guard are in front of Kas''s office door.


    ¡®Tyree, what the Hell is going on? What''s with the extra security?"


    ¡°Alpha, things didn''t go so hot in the botanical gardens today. Marco and I thought Lex was going to kill


    that Tessa girl," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck.


    "Lex? Kas shifted in the botanical garden?" I feel the blood drain from my face. Why didn¡¯t anyone call


    me?


    "No Alpha, Lex came to the surface. So did Tessa''s wolf. Her name is Valor. I don''t mean any


    disrespect to any of the Goddesses but that wolf¡­ she''s one crazy bitch,¡± he rifies and shakes his


    head, "It was a hot mess."


    I pause again. I have never heard Tyree say anything derogatory about anyone. He is always jovial and


    friendly, making everyone feel wee.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°And all of them are in there now?" I point to the office door.


    "Yes Alpha, and Marco, James, Musu, and Delh,¡± he has a scowl on his face as he looks toward the


    door.


    ¡®Bronx, why does it feel like everyone is trying to slow US down from getting to our mate?" Saint asks. it


    does feel like that, doesn''t it?¡± I agree with Saint for once. No one in the pack has ever questioned me


    trying to get to Kas before.


    ¡°Alright, I''ve got it from here, Tyree,¡± I give him a nod and step up to the office.


    I Knock on the door and open it without waiting for a response.


    The first thing I see is Tessa sobbing and rocking herself in her chair. Next to her is Katherine, with


    body posture as tight as a guitar string. Amari and Persephone are avoiding eye contact with everyone.


    Across the table, Marco and James are assessing the situation as calmly as possible. Then I see Musu


    and Delh also trying not to make eye contact with anyone. The air is so thick with tension and anger


    that you could choke on it.


    Everyone stops what they''re doing when they see me except for Tessa, who can''t stop crying. They all


    look at me as if they are silently pleading for help.


    Seriously though, what is going on in here?


    When I open the door fully, I see Kas at the head of the table, sipping a ss of wine. I swear when I


    blink my eye, the transparent outline of a man leans over and whispers in her ear. I make eye contact


    with the form, even though there are no eyes to speak of. I get a sense that it is smiling before it


    disappears instantly. The outline seemed familiar but I don''t know why.


    "Saint, did you see that?"


    "A shadow of some guy mackin''¡¯ on my mate?"


    "It was a shadow of a guy, right? Did it look familiar to you?"


    ¡°Familiar? I don''t know. It was a shadow, dummy. It looked like it was talking to her. Maybe he gave her


    the wine?"


    I look again. I saw it when I first walked in, but my brain didn¡¯t process it. Kas is drinking wine. Kas


    doesn''t drink. Time to get to the bottom of whatever''s happening in my pack house.


    I walk to the head of the table and squat down next to Kas. She is still looking at the people sitting


    around the table like she doesn''t realize I''m right next to her. Anger is rolling off of her in crushing


    waves. She looks calm except for a slight glow of her aura. I look closer to see her eyes are also


    glowing violet. I turn my eyes up to Marco and James. They shake their heads and shrug.


    I turn my eyes to Delh and Musu. Delh''s eyes are the darkest blue I have ever seen. Almost ck.


    She has her hand clutched against her chest. She slowly lifts it to her face, trying not to draw attention


    to herself, and makes a small motion as if she were drinking from an invisible ss, then clutches her


    chest again. Her eyes open much wider, lifts her thumb close to her neck, and slides it across slowly. I


    nod at her in understanding.


    I need to get the can of soda away from Kas.


    "Hi Baby, you okay?" I speak softly as I look back at her.


    "Hi Sweetheart, you''re home!" Kas smiles sweetly, finally acknowledging me, "Yeah, we''re totally fine.¡±


    ¡®That''s good, Baby. So what have you been talking about? How did it go at the botanical gardens?" I


    ask, careful not to touch her.


    She takes another sip from the tumbler, "Oh, great! Tessa was just telling us how she nned to torture


    me for the rest of my life, but it''s cool. That won''t happen now. She''s going to stay with US for a few


    while and work with a therapist instead. I offered it to her, anyway.¡±


    I look at Katherine, who is staring at me wide eyed. She mouths ¡®help¡¯ at me.


    Kas points at Tessa and gives a cruel little chuckle, "And look at her, I don¡¯t see how she could possibly


    say no. Oh, and she is going to help the trainers with some new programs for the warriors and guards.


    Isn''t that great?¡±


    "What''s wrong with her?¡± Saint whimpers. He almost sounds like he is in a panic, "Bronx, help her.


    Something''s wrong."


    I feel my heart beat a little harder when Kas looks at me and takes one of her hands off the champagne


    flute and brushes the back of her fingers against my cheek. The sparks of our mate bond have never


    been stronger. I lean against her fingers and close my eyes, letting the sensation calm me down.


    "Yeah, Baby. That''s great. I''m d you were able to work things out,¡± I smile back at her, then look at


    the goblet in her hand. I could have sworn it was a regr wine ss when II walked in...or was it a


    champagne flute...¡± Hey, could I get a sip of that? It looks delicious."


    "Of course, Bronx. I hope you like it. They made it special for me,¡± she hands me the highball ss


    with a huge smile.


    As soon as the cup touches my fingers, I can feel it vibrating with dark magic. The wine turns to sludgy


    ck tar and smells like pure acetone mixed with wolfsbane mixed with liquid silver. I slowly stand up


    and throw the brandy ss across the room as hard as I can. It smashes with an explosion, leaving a


    deep gash in the wall behind her desk. The liquid sizzles as it dries and dissipates from existence.


    There is a noticeable shift in energy in the air. If I had to describe it, I would say all the anger that was


    leaking out of Kas instantly got pulled back in. Regardless, I feel like I can breathe again.


    Everyone in the room takes a collective breath of relief and starts whispering to each other, except for


    Tessa, who is still crying. Kas looks like she just woke up from a dream. I observe her carefully. She


    doesn''t look like someone who was just casually drinking poison in a room full of werewolves,


    goddesses, and a witch.


    "Bronx? When did you get here?" She asks, standing up smiling at me again. She looks back at her


    desk, "What happened to the wall?"


    "Maybe we should let your sisters leave. Finish your meeting tomorrow. What do you say?" I reach my


    hand out for her. She obliges and puts her hand in mine, then looks at her sisters.


    "No, not yet. I have more questions," she says with a little frown.


    "Come on, Baby. I haven''t seen you all day,¡± I gently pull her closer to me and sit down in her chair. She


    happily sits on myp and puts an arm around my neck.


    "Okay, but I have more questions to ask. I just need a few more minutes,¡± she points to her index cards


    on the table. She sounds like she ispletely back to her old self.


    "Luna, if I can make a suggestion. Let''s give Tessa a chance to rest before dinner. There is nothing that


    can''t wait until tomorrow morning,¡±


    Musu puts down the lid to herptop, "Besides, I could use a little nap myself."


    "Oh yes, me too, Kas. Just a quick nap before our big dinner would be wonderful,¡± Delh quickly


    agrees with Musu.


    Kas looks around the room and frowns a little, "Alright, I will see you all at dinner. We can pick up after


    breakfast tomorrow."


    She gives me a quick kiss and hops off myp so she can open the door and lets everyone out.


    "Are youing, Sweetheart?" she asks when she realizes I haven''t stood up yet.


    "I''ll be there in just a minute, Baby. I want to get a quick report from Marco and James.¡±


    She shrugs her shoulders, "Okay. You know where to find me.¡±


    I wait for a full thirty seconds after she closes the door before I turn to her guards.


    ¡®What the Hell just happened? Did you see that shadow? Please tell me I''m not the only one who saw


    it."


    "Shadow, no but that cup that appeared out of nowhere?" Marco leans forward and puts his hands on


    his forehead in disbelief, "It had some sorta effect on her that everyone else could feel.¡±


    "I don''t Know about a shadow either, Alpha, but don¡¯t worry. We have the whole meeting recorded,¡±


    James says, pointing up to the security camera above the door.

 Chapter 179- 87

    Chapter 179- 87


    "TH see if there''s any residue on the wall and ask Delh if she can identify it," James says after we''ve


    watched the video three times.


    I still can''t believe it. A shadowy outline of a person came out of the wall. A ss materialized in its


    hands and handed it to Kas. She didn''t even look to see who it was. She just took the ss and kept


    on talking. No one around her reacted until I saw Marco look at her questioningly.


    Sure, the mood of the meeting was strained, but whatever she was drinking intensified the anger


    coming from her a hundred times over and spilled out into the rest of the pack.


    "Yeah, and what would have made the cup keep changing form?" Marco points to the screen. The


    ss vibrates from a regr juice ss toa heavy-bottomed hand blown ss. Every time she picks it


    up, the cup vibrates, changes shape, and the color of the contents changes. When I walk into the room,


    it just keeps changing in her hands when no one is focusing on it. The more she drinks out of it, the


    more you can see her demeanor change and the people in the room look more ufortable.


    "Alpha, are you sure this dinner is a good idea? Maybe we could try to keep her up in your apartment


    instead," James says.


    "No, I think a little normalcy will be good for her," I shake my head, ¡®Things have just been so crazy


    lately. Dinner with the pack will make her happy. Bring her spirits up."


    "I think you''re right, Bronx," Marco nods in agreement, "Maybe just having a minute to breathe and


    have a good time will make her feel better.¡±


    "Let me go check on her. Do you guys need anything else? I trust you''re arranging extra security during


    dinner?¡±


    "I already have it taken care of," Marco reassures me. Kas''s meditation music is ying when I get to


    the apartment. I look over the back of the sofa and see her sitting on her yoga mat in the middle of the


    living room floor. Her eyes are closed and she has a soft smile on her face. I smile, seeing her do


    something that is part of her regr routine. "So you''re telling me all you had to do was smash that


    goop filled ss and that healed our mate?¡± Saint asks as I get in the shower.


    "Seems that way, buddy. I can''t exin it. Hopefully Delh will have some answers," I exin to him


    as patiently as possible, "Let''s just be happy that Kas is feeling better, okay? She''s meditating. Clearing


    her mind. Things are getting back to normal."


    "I guess," he doesn''t sound convinced. I''m not convinced either, but I will not have him in my head,


    nagging me all night. I lean my head back to wash the shampoo out of my hair, but I manage to get


    some in my eye.


    "Shit!" I growl under my breath and I lean forward, rubbing my stinging eye to get the shampoo out.


    The lights seem to flicker while I blink rapidly to clear the stinging. Without warning, Kas''s sparkly hair


    is getting soaked by the shower and her vibrant violet eyes are looking up at me with concern inches


    away from my face. I jerk my body up quickly at her sudden appearance and almost slip on the wet


    floor.


    ¡°Bronx! Are you alright?" She cries, putting her arms out to steady me.I keep blinking the stinging


    shampoo out of my eye, "How did you get in here without me noticing? You scared the shit out of me,


    Baby.¡±


    "I''ll wear lead boots so you can hear meing next time. I guess we''re even," she tilts her head and


    smirks at me. She nces at me for a moment and points to my eye, "Can I help with that?¡±


    "Yeah, that would be great,¡± I say, still trying to catch my breath from the shock of her sneaking up on


    me. How did I not smell her scent until she was standing in front of me?


    Kas pulls my face close to hers, "Close your eye.¡±


    I oblige and feel her press her lips against my eyelid. Not how she normally heals someone. I feel a


    warmth behind my eye and the pain from the shampoo disappears.


    "I can keep going," she looks up at me as she pulls away.


    There is that deep feeling again. The one when she was in the hospital wing after she almost drowned


    in the pool. Like she has tapped into something more than just her essence. It almost feels like I''m


    being pulled in. Mesmerized by theplexity of it.


    "You mean keep kissing me? Because we can''t bete for dinner, Baby," I realize my hands are


    already on her waist and I have pulled her closer to me.


    "No, I mean, I can keep going and heal the other eye," she smiles softly as she watches me process


    what she just said.


    "I-1 don''t know, Kas. It seems dangerous. What if something goes wrong?" I sigh as I look at her


    through the water drops.


    "Nothing''s going to go wrong. I can do it, Bronx. Don''t you trust me?" she asks. She looks like I¡¯ve hurt


    her feelings. I feel a pang in my heart when she looks at me with her violet eyes and little frown.


    "Bronx I promised Lex I would try to convince you. It was important to her. As much as I hate to say it,


    what do we have to lose? We''re already missing an eyeball,¡± Saint says, finally giving in to the idea.


    I sigh deeply and search my mind for any way out of this. Yes, I trust Kas with my life, but I don''t trust


    magic. I know she says healing is not magic, but I really can''t tell the difference. Making my eye stop


    stinging from shampoo is one thing. Creating a new eyeball ispletely different.


    ¡°Alright. What do I have to do, Kas?¡± I look down at her with a half-hearted smile. Even with the water


    matting her sparkly silver hair to her head, she is beautiful. I can sense the love she feels for me, "Do


    we go into the bedroom so you can put your hands on me like when you healed my scars?¡±


    ¡°Let''s try something a little different this time," her smile changes from one of happiness to one that is


    more lustful.


    Kas has me sit on the built in tile seat of the shower so she and eye are closer to eye level. She stands


    between my legs and slowly puts her hands on either side of my head, bringing my face to close to


    hers. I feel a smilee to my face as I put my handszily around her waist.


    "I don¡¯t know if this will hurt or not, but I just need you to concentrate, Bronx,¡± she breathes against my


    skin as she moves closer to me. I feel her lips brush against my cheek as she whispers, making me


    shiver.


    She tilts her head slightly and gives me the slightest of kisses, keeping her hands on the side of my


    face. She leans in and kisses me again and again. Each kiss bes deeper and more passionate.


    The warmth of her mouth against minebined with the sparks of our mate bond is a sensation I


    can''t even describe. As our kiss bes more intense, so does the heat from her hands on either side


    of my head.


    I feel myself getting excited and my breathing gets heavier as she pulls my face closer to hers, letting


    my tongue share space with her mouth. I pick her up and set her on myp so she''s straddling me.


    Sparkse off of every inch of skin we have in contact.


    I open my eye, not surprised to see a bright purple aura surrounding US before I close it again, letting


    myself rx in the moment with her. The deeper she kisses me and the hotter her hands get on the


    side of my head, the more I feel a dull pain behind my eye that gets sharper and sharper by the


    second. I imagine aser honing in to cut metal as the pain bes more intense.


    Saint howls in my mind, "Bronx, make her stop. Holy shit! This is not worth it!¡±


    He''s right. I feel ringing in my ears and the pain is throbbing intensely where my eye used to be. My


    arms shaking involuntarily and if I wasn''t already sitting, I feel like my legs are going to give out. I don''t


    know what Kas is doing, but it isn''t working.


    I pull away from the kiss, "Kas, I can''t. It''s too much. I can''t do it.¡±


    She leans her forehead against mine, taking a few ragged breaths before she looks up at me again.


    She looks tired, but her violet eyes are shining with joy, "Are you sure about that?¡±


    She unwraps her legs from around me and stands up, turning off the water, "Wait here, Sweetheart."


    I watch her get towels for US, but something is off. A disorienting feeling like my peripheral vision has


    gotten wider. I feel dizzy, unsure if I should stand up. It feels like the world is twice as bright and colors


    are twice as rich as they were a few minutes ago.


    Kas wraps the towel around me and pulls me out of the shower with both hands. She takes me to the


    vanity and wipes the steam away.


    "Holy shit,¡± I whisper as I stare at myself, "Kas, you did it.¡±


    I blink my eyes in the mirror. Both of them. That''s right. Both of my green eyes blink in the mirror as I


    look at myself in disbelief. Seven years after the witch stole it out of my head, multiple surgeries to


    repair damage from the silver de, and I have a perfectly functioning eyeball on the left side of my


    face. All thanks to my amazing mate.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I watch Kas through the mirror as she leans against the vanity with a tired, smug look on her face,


    "Next time, we''re getting that silver out of your liver.¡±


    I nod as I look back at myself and touch the skin below my eye. I can''t believe it.

 Chapter 180- 88

    Chapter 180- 88


    Kas''s POV


    I watch Bronx for a minute as he looks at himself in disbelief in the mirror. Then I quietly slip away to


    give him time to himself so he can process his new appearance. I sit on the upholstered bench in our


    closet room and take a few deep breaths. In the moment, creating a new eye for


    Bronx seemed like nothing. Our connection was stronger than ever and it helped me make his healing


    come to fruition, but now I feelpletely spent, like the tank is empty. I can''t let him know how much it


    drained me or he may want me to stay in the apartment instead of going downstairs for dinner.


    I take a deep breath and look around at my clothing options. Lex tries to convince me to wear a low cut


    dress. She always wants me to wear a low cut dress. Much to her disappointment, I decide on a dark


    gray sweater dress and ck leggings with ballet ts.


    Bronxes into the closet when I''m sitting on the bench to put my shoes on. I smile at the way his


    confidence seems to have skyrocketed in thest ten minutes. I have always thought he was the most


    handsome werewolf on the, but now, with both crisp green eyes admiring me, I feel myself


    swoon a little more than usual.


    "Let''s not go downstairs," Lex purrs in my ear, "Let''s stay up here with our mate.¡±


    "While I love the sound of it, Lex, we have responsibilities to the pack tonight."


    "Such a party pooper,¡± she huffs and goes to lie down in the back of my mind.


    Bronx sits on the bench next to me and pulls me onto hisp. I allow my weight to sag into his chest,


    letting our mate bond soothe and recharge me.


    "Thank you, Kas," he murmurs into my ear, "I don''t even know how to begin to show you how much


    what you just did means to me."


    I smile and wrap my arms around his waist, "Just promise you''ll always love me. That''s all I need from


    you, Bronx. I know things have been challengingtely. Knowing you''re by my side has made it


    bearable."


    "Forever, Baby. We''re in this together, forever," he kisses my temple and holds me tighter. His embrace


    is warm and consoling. His energy is usually surges and wanes with an authoritative tone but now it


    feels fluid and reassuring almost as if it is trying to match mine.


    I wish I could stay right here in his arms all night, letting his energy feed my soul, but we need to get


    downstairs so he can give his speech to the pack, officially introduce our new pack members and my


    sisters. I let him get up while I watch him get ready, making small talk while I wait for him.


    "Kas, what do we say to the pack about my eye?" he asks while he buttons his shirt. It''s not an


    unreasonable question, but not one I am sure how to answer. Bronx is usually so sure of himself and


    rarely needs guidance on matters rted to himself and the pack.


    ¡®Well, I guess you could say it''s a blessing from the Moon Goddess? Technically, it is," I shrug. I hadn''t


    even thought about what everyone''s reaction would be to the major change in his appearance.


    He nods and pulls his mouth into a little pout as he thinks about it, "I''ll figure something out.¡±


    I watch as he goes to his drawer full of eye patches and pulls it open. He takes one out and holds it up


    to his shirt to make sure it matches before he slides it over his head. As soon as it¡¯s ced over his


    eye, he slides it back off and looks at me sheepishly.


    ¡®This is going to take some getting used to," heughs, and sets it back in the drawer. Iugh along


    with him as he shakes his head in disbelief.


    "Maybe we can donate a lot of those,¡± I stand up and join him in front of the drawer of neatlyid out


    eye patches. I pick up the one I had made for him for our wedding, "Keep a couple as keepsakes?"


    "I think that''s a great idea, Baby. When Carly is back in the office tomorrow, I will ask her to look into it,"


    he takes me by the waist and turns me toward him, ¡°Are you ready to go downstairs? Ashley worked


    with Mrs. Miller on a special menu and everything. She said you''re going to love it."


    ¡®Yes, I''m starving,¡± I smile broadly, "Let''s go!¡±


    Bronx and I stand hand in hand, taking in the sights proudly. People are so busy talking and running


    around, they barely notice US entering the ballroom. There are beautiful red, white, and gold


    decorations all over the room. Pack members are bustling around with excitement introducing


    themselves to the former Silver Moon members. Some of the Manae have even started mingling and


    joining in on conversations.


    From behind me, I hear a familiar little voice. I turn to see Hannah in a pretty pink dress, running up to


    me with a huge grin on her face.


    ¡°Luna! Luna! Guess what?" She squeals happily, jumping on her toes in front of us.


    ¡°Hi, Hannah! What''s going on?" I smile, bending down to her eye level.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Luna, met my teacher. She said I''m going to be a snowke in the y. We''re going to learn a dance


    and a song about wintertime. Are you going to see the y?" she is so excited her hands p in front


    of her as she speaks. 1


    Iugh happily, "I will definitely be there, Hannah. I wouldn''t miss it for the world."


    "Okay, good. You''ll get to see how good of a dancer I am, Luna,¡± she puffs up her chest with


    confidence.


    "I can''t wait, darling. Now, go find your parents now. Dinner is starting soon. The Alpha has some


    announcements first, okay?"


    "Okay, bye, Luna!¡± she waves and runs away.


    ¡®You are so good with the pups, Kas,¡± Bronx ces his hand on the small of my back andpliments


    me into my ear, "One day that will be our little one proud to tell you about being in the Winter Solstice


    y.¡±


    I lean against him with a smile, letting him kiss my forehead, "One day, Sweetheart."


    "Alpha? Luna?" Ashley calls to US andes running over. It''s a little early for Halloween but, she has


    the cutest sweater with a jack-o''ntern on her belly and script letters that say "Mommy''s Lil¡¯ Pumpkin".


    ¡®Cute sweater," I giggle.


    "Yeah, I don''t think it''s going to fit for Halloween, so I figured it''s close enough," She doesn''t look up


    from the screen of a tablet, "Bronx, ording to Carly''s notes, make sure your speech includes new


    pack member introductions, Kas''s sisters introductions, and don''t forget to mention temporary housing


    and volunteers to show new pack members around.¡±


    She finally looks up with a broad smile and falters. The look on her face changes slightly as she sees


    Bronx for the first time, then looks at me, then back to Bronx. We watch as her eyes get wider with


    recognition.


    We look at each other and smile when she tries to form a sentence, "Alpha, your...now...when..."


    "A miracle from the Moon Goddess through my beautiful wife," Bronx says to her. Don''t worry, I will be


    adding that to my speech too."


    "Do Milo and Reggie know? How about Lenora?" she asks, barely able to close her mouth from the


    shock of seeing Bronx with two eyes.


    "Not yet, Ashley. Don''t worry, I''ll find them and let them know before I make my announcements," Bronx


    reassures her.


    "O-okay," she backs away slowly, not able to take her eyes off of Bronx until she needs to and makes


    her way into the crowd.


    "She took that pretty well, I think,¡± I giggle at Bronx who looks flushed.


    He rubs his hand on the back of his neck, "For Ashley, yeah... guess so. If that is everyone''s reaction,


    this is gonna be really awkward for a while."

 Chapter 181- 89

    Chapter 181- 89


    As we make our way across the room, people begin to notice Bronx and me.


    They stop to pay their respects and smile, happy to see us together and holding hands, looking healthy.


    They look at him longer than usual, as if they are trying to figure out what is different about him.


    It¡¯s not clear whether they notice it, but no one points out his missing eye patch.


    As we get to the head table, Lenora is sitting next to Codi, who ps happily in her high chair when she


    sees us.


    Lenora is digging through a diaper bag looking for something to keep Codi upied until the kitchen


    staff can bring food for her.


    Bronx conveniently lets go of my hand before Lenora notices us and makes his way in the opposite


    direction to avoid her.


    "Au Kal"


    Codi squeals and raises her arms up to me, pping gleefully.


    Lenora smiles and pulls the toddler from the seat.She gives her a kiss on her chubby cheek and hands


    her to me.I dly pull her into my arms and give her raspberries while she giggles and ps.


    "She¡¯s all yours, Aunt Kas.She has been a terror today wanting to see you but she keeps calling you


    Kat, not Kas.Something we need to work on, I guess" Lenora says.


    "Well, I will keep an eye on her, but you need to speak to your brother.He has some news for you


    before we sit down for his announcements," I say nonchntly. I tilt my head in his direction as I walk


    away with Codi.


    "Wait - Are you-?"


    "No, Lenora, I''m not."


    I confirm before she can get the words out of her mouth.I don¡¯t need any rumors starting about being


    pregnant.As I step away with Codi in my arms, I hear Lenora gasp and Bronxugh.


    Milo and Reggie walk past me with concerned looks on their faces.


    "What''s going on, Little Sister is Bronx alright??" Milo asks, stopping in front of me.Ashley said we


    needed to find him right away."


    "Go see for yourself," I smile and motion to Bronx, who is being hugged tightly by his sister.


    Tears are streaming down Lenora''s face.


    Milo and Reggie give each other a concerned look and jog off to go see what''s going on.


    I smile at them and take Codi further into the crowd.


    "What do we have here?"


    I hear Delh''s beautiful voice chimes like bells at me.


    Behind her, James is speaking to an off duty guard, "You look like the cat who swallowed the canary,


    lokaste Mason.You also look exhausted.Are you alright? You had me worried in the conference room


    earlier."


    She pinches Codi''s cheek and coos at her, but keeps her eyes on me searching my face with concern.


    "I¡¯m fine, Delh.You''ll see why I¡¯m so tired when Bronx gives his speech to the pack," I say, looking


    around the room, trying to avoid her gaze.


    She has a way of making you want to tell her the truth when you look her in the eye, "I see some of my


    sisters.Let''s go try to make peace.What do you say?"


    "So we aren''t going to talk about what happened in your office today?" Delh asks as we make our


    way through the crowd.


    "Nope.Tonight is about celebration and fellowship, Delh.We can discuss whatever happened earlier,


    tomorrow, when we reconvene with my sisters," I dismiss her concerns.


    I hear her give a little frustrated sigh while I greet pack members who are happy to see me, but she


    drops the issue.


    We make our way through the crowds, saying hello and making small talk with people until we find


    Amari and some of her Giatros.


    "Amari, I-I want to apologize for today,"


    I look at her sympathetically, "I need to do a better job at controlling emotions.


    "It''s okay, Kas.Things happen.We¡¯ll be able to start fresh tomorrow," she nods in understanding, "If you


    think that is the worst we have been through in the thousands of years we have been alive, you are


    mistaken."


    "Hi," Codi''s giggly little voice says shyly to Amari.I look down as she buries her face in my shoulder.


    Embarrassed by her own bravery.


    "Hello, darling.What''s your name?"


    Amari addresses Codi directly in a sweet, warm voice.


    My normally outgoing niece pokes one eye out from my shoulder, then goes back to hiding her face


    with a giggle.


    "This is my niece, Codi.Our Betas, Milo and Lenora''s daughter,"


    I shift Codi''s weight on my hip to get her to look at Amari, "Codi, this is my sister.Her name is


    Amari.Can you say Amari?"


    Codi peeks out from my shoulder again at Amari, then quickly pulls her head back to my shoulder.


    Making all of us chuckle.


    "She¡¯s not usually this shy,"


    I dismiss her silliness, "It must be because there are so many new people here."


    "Well, she certainly looks like her mother and her Uncle Bronx.Doesn''t she? I''m sure she is just as


    bold,"


    Amari muses, "Oh, speaking of whom, have you met my mate, Jaysen?"


    I look to Amari''s right at a tall man whose features make him appear like he could be rted to Bronx,


    except he''s built more like a long-distance runner, not a warrior.


    He has dark hair, green eyes and an olive skin tone just like Bronx.


    His features are softer and less defined than Bronx''s, but he still looks like they could be cousins.I am


    reminded of what Amari told me about the Titan Perses and the Guardians.I¡¯m beginning to understand


    what she meant when she said he made them in his image.


    We trade pleasantries and try to get Codi toe out of her uncharacteristic shell.


    Jaysen seems genuinely nice and caring, cooing at Codi gently.He is obviously good with children and


    seems to make some progress with a game of peek-a-boo.His gentle nature is a perfect match for


    Amari.


    I can see why he is mated with her.


    In front of me, I see Katherine waving at us, smiling with a measured practice.I wave her over so she


    can join our conversation.I owe her an apology as well.


    "Look Codi! This is Aunt Kas''s big sister, Katherine,"


    I jostle her a little to get her out of her shy mood.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    As Katherine makes her way to us, Codi lifts her head from my shoulder and sniffs the air.She looks


    around excitedly until she sees Katherine.Her little green eyes turn big and she looks like she is going


    to cry.


    I look up at Katherine, who stops short in her tracks.


    The look on her face is aplex mix of happiness, sadness, and horror.It is a stark difference from


    theposure she usually holds onto.


    "KAT!"


    Codi screams at the top of her lungs directly in my ear.


    I lean my head away with my ear ringing from the sound.


    She stretches and reaches for Katherine, crying and whimpering, "Kat! KAAAAT!"


    Lenora and Milo appear at my side from nowhere.


    "Codi, what''s wrong, baby?"


    Milo pulls her from my arms, but she keeps screaming and reaching for Katherine.I look back at my


    sister, who is closing the distance between us.


    She has her hand in front of her mouth and her eyes are wide and watery, "Cordelia?"


    "How do you know my baby''s name?" Lenora says with a little growl, putting herself between Milo and


    Katherine.


    Cordelia is the name Milo and Lenora put on Codi¡¯s birth certificate by request of Milo¡¯s mom, but I


    never recall them actually referring to her with that name.


    "She-she''s going to be my mate one day,"


    Katherine''s voice breaks, "but if she¡¯s already alive, that means it''s time for me to die."

 Chapter 182- 90

    Chapter 182- 90


    "What in the Goddess''s name are you talking about?"


    Lenora snarls at Katherine, "Kas, you better get your sister out of here before I do it for you.If she


    thinks she''s taking my baby to be her mate, she''s more fucked in the head than I ever imagined."


    I look at Lenora to see her eyes are solid ck as Justice surface.It only takes a flicker of a nce at


    Delh for us to intervene.


    We both step in between Lenora and Katherine, making more space between the women.


    All the while, Milo is trying to soothe a hysterical, screaming Codi.


    "Lenora, please don''t make me use my Luna voice.You know I hate that,"


    I try to reason with her, but it''s toote.


    My fearless mama- wolf, Beta, is ready to protect her pup, and she has her sights set on Katherine.She


    tries to push past me, but I grab her arms and hold her solidly.She may be six inches taller than me, but


    with Lex helping, I''m still stronger.


    "I said stand down, Lenora," my Luna voice booms from deep inside me.


    Almost instantly, Lenora stops struggling and her eyes turn green again.She straightens her blouse,


    never taking her ring eyes off of Katherine.She looks like the slightest movement from Katherine will


    set her off again.


    I open up a mind link "BRONX, MARCO, I need you guys NOW!"


    "We''re on the way, Kas.What¡¯s going on?"


    I hear Bronx reply.I look to my left and see Marco making his way toward me.


    From behind me, I can smell Bronx¡¯s coffee and dark chocte scent getting stronger.


    "You''re sister and my sister...well, I don¡¯t even know..."


    I keep my hands on Lenora¡¯s arms until Bronxes up behind her and pulls her back.


    Marco puts one arm protectively over top of me like we have practiced if there is a threat in the human


    world and extends his other to keep everyone at a distance.


    "Marco, help Delh with my sisters," I order from under his arm, "I''ll help Bronx with Milo and Lenora."


    He looks at the surrounding people, then reluctantly at me, "Kas, I ¡°


    "Please, Marco.I will be with Bronx and Milo.I will be fine.We will be at the head table when you have


    some answers,"


    I do my best to reassure him I don¡¯t need a guard when I¡¯m with my mate.


    Delh and Marco corral Katherine, who can¡¯t bear to take her teary eyes off of Codi, and Amari,


    leading them away from us to get an exnation on what is going on.


    At the same time, Bronx and I lead Lenora and Milo, with Codi having a full-on tantrum, back to the


    head table to calm the three of them down.


    When we get to the table, Bronx pulls out a chair and makes Lenora sit down while Milo stands and


    tries to calm Codi down.


    After about twenty minutes, Marco and Delh make their way back to us.


    Marco looks like he¡¯s seen a ghost.


    Delh looks like she could burst into tears at any moment.She looks around at the pack members


    milling around.


    "Luna Iokaste, maybe this is a good time to slow things down around us, for privacy''s sake," she looks


    at me with a nod.


    I look at the people around us and gauge how much energy it is going to take to slow time.I am still


    exhausted from healing Bronx.


    With a deep breath, I lift my hand and curl my fingers halfway into a fist and stop.


    Around us, everyone moves to a snail''s pace.


    "Okay, I''m tired, so we have maybe ten minutes.Delh, what¡¯s wrong? Marco, what happened?"


    "Well, ording to your sisters, if their guardian dies, in this case it would have been Cordell Santoro,


    they are reincarnated.Which we already knew,"


    Delh tries to exin calmly.She casts her eyes to the floor as if she can¡¯t figure out how to say the


    rest.


    Marco looks at her sympathetically and continues on for her, "Basically, as soon as their mate is


    reincarnated, the countdown is set for the goddess to die, so she can be reincarnated, too.That way


    you don¡¯t have, you know, a baby, mated to a woman who is hundreds of years old.Katherine says


    based on how old Codi is, she has six months tops to get her affairs in order."


    "Guardians have the same fate.If their goddess dies, well, they can¡¯t live much longer without their


    mate,"Delh finishes, wiping tears from her eyes.I take her hand and rub her back tofort her.My


    poor sweet best friend.I know outside the Coven''s realm, she is only twenty-one, but she has been


    alive over ny years within the realm.


    The concept of living hundreds of years is familiar to her.


    Thinking about death and mortality is something she tries to avoid.


    Especially knowing that James ages like a regr werewolf and while he will get to spend the rest of


    his life with her, she won''t be able to spend the rest of her life with him.


    "I mean, I can¡¯t imagine losing Musu, but knowing that means I got less than two years to live? Shit,


    man.That¡¯s intense,"


    Marco shakes his head in disbelief.


    "So you¡¯re telling me, Katherine Santoro know''s she''s going to die...soon.The Moon Goddess is going


    to give birth to a new leader of the Maven and my daughter is going to be that goddess''s mate? That''s


    how they recognize each other, because as a toddler Codi somehow already knows her and Katherine


    are destined mates?"A look of understanding crosses Lenora''s face, then one of suspicion, "How can


    Codi a Guardian? She¡¯s a female. The Guardians are all men,"


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Lenora squints her eyes, suspicious of the exnation.


    "uh, well, sort of?"


    Delh fidgets with her fingers and avoids eye contact with Lenora.


    "Sort of? What do you mean, sort of, Delh?" Milo asks with a little growl in his chest.


    Bronx gives him a damning re, "Easy there Beta.Don¡¯t be upset with the messenger."


    "Well," Delh looks at Lenora as she speaks through her sniffles, "Katherine says her mate has been


    reincarnated as a female three times before.Those three lifetimes have been the longest, most


    peaceful lives she can remember."


    "Okay, but this is the part you guys really ain¡¯t gonna believe,"


    Marco says, "Delh, you wanna tell ¡®em about the babies or should I?"


    Thold Delh¡¯s hand while she tries to calm down, but the tears are streaming down her face.She


    shakes her head no as she tries to hold back her sobs.


    "Go ahead, Marco," I nod to him.


    "So basically, the Moon Goddess is out of the baby making business.Nowadays she uses regr she-


    wolves as vessels or something? Like, she picks someone, and she puts a goddess baby into the


    woman.Something like that, I don¡¯t know for sure, it didn¡¯t really make sense," he says, notpletely


    comprehending what he is saying, "But it could be, like, any she- wolf, anywhere in the world.If the


    Moon Goddess finds her ¡®worthy¡¯, she can give birth to one of forty-eight goddesses."


    "Marco, there''s fifty goddesses,"


    Bronx puts his hands on his hips as he takes in the information.


    "Oh yeah, well, now we in the fucked up territory.Kas, sit down," he looks at me and points to a chair.


    "Marco, I''m fine,"


    I protest, until he gives me a stern look.I sit down slowly, watching him carefully, "Alright, I¡¯m sitting."


    "Well, you know how Cora¡¯s mate died too, right? That means she''s gonna die soon," he exins.


    "Yes, it means Tessa¡¯s clock is also ticking," Milo says.


    I get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach while they all speak about my mother and sisters.I think


    back to the conversations I¡¯ve had with Leticia.


    What if killing the Guardians wasn¡¯t about killing the Guardians? What if it was about killing their


    mates? Could an old version of me want my sisters dead that badly? If there is no one to lead the other


    factions, what happens? Who controls the Manae? I clear my head and bring myself back to the


    conversation.


    "Well, because Cora is so strong willed and independent, you know, rather living as a wolf than in


    human form and all that shit, a regr she-wolf can¡¯t handle her birth.Cora''s too strong."


    "So, what, the Moon Goddess gives birth to Cora every time she dies?" Lenora asks.


    "No,"


    Delh croaks.She looks at me with a fresh wave of tears, "Kas does."


    "Kas is the only one strong enough to give birth to Cora.And, uh, Cora¡¯s the only one strong enough to


    give birth to Kas,"


    Marco¡¯s eyes go wide when he sees the look on my face, finishing Delh¡¯s thought.I blink hard a few


    times and try to speak, but there are no words.I look at Bronx, who¡¯s looking at me with a concerned


    face.


    He''s talking to me, but I can¡¯t hear him.


    A familiar high pitched buzzing sound fills my ears.I swallow hard and push it back.


    No.


    No no no.


    I refuse to let myself pass out or fall into a premonition right now.I fight against the ckness creeping


    into the edges of my vision.


    In the distance, the storm cloud I can''t seem to shake, quietly thunders as my mood shifts.


    "Elexis.Did you know? I have to give birth to my sister,"


    I growl at her, "Did you know, and you didn¡¯t fucking tell me?"


    "I¡¯m not allowed to tell you those types of things, Kas.You know that.You don''t think it¡¯s frustrating for


    me to have almost five thousand years'' worth of knowledge and not be able to share most of it?" she


    stands her ground against my anger, "Besides, how the Hell would I exin that, anyway? Until a


    month ago, you didn¡¯t even know Cora in this lifetime.Some lifetimes you never meet her.So put the


    attitude away."


    "But she¡¯s my sister," I try to justify, "Does that mean Bronx is going to be her father?"


    "No Kas.You are not her mother.The Moon Goddess is.And Bronx is not her father, Endymion is.The


    Moon Goddess puts her daughter in your care for safekeeping when the timees for that to


    happen.As cruel as it sounds, you¡¯re just the host.You and Bronx are going to care for her because she


    is your sister and you will raise her like she is your pup until she is old enough to remember who she is


    and finds her mate.Same for Cora, except for her, it happens a lot more often.And because she lives in


    the wilderness, she can¡¯t raise you.That¡¯s why your father has to find a safe ce for you every time


    you¡¯ re reincarnated,"


    Lex tries to exin.


    "How many times have I given birth to her, Lex?"


    "I guess ten, maybe twelve?"


    "and how many times has she given birth to me?" I brace myself for an answer that I don¡¯t want.


    "Kas, please don¡¯t-"


    "Lex, tell me!" I shout at her.


    "I don¡¯t know," she sighs, "at least three hundred."


    I feel the blood drain from my face and I look at Bronx.The pack members around us start moving


    regr speed again, happily conversing as if nothing happened.I feel a tear slide down my cheek, "I


    think I¡¯m gonna puke."

 Chapter 183 -91

    Chapter 183 -91


    "fastest dinner ever..."


    I hear Bronx say, but he sounds like he¡¯s underwater.


    The high pitch buzzing sound is trying to push its way forward, but I fight against it with all my


    concentration.


    Lex is trying to speak to me, but she sounds like she¡¯s miles away.I stand up so I can join Bronx in front


    of the table, but Milo and Lenora take my hands and pull me into my seat.


    Codi is in myp, hugging me tightly.I can feel the warmth of our special connection and hug her back.


    Pack members cheer and howl silently as Bronx gives his speech.He paces slowly and confidently


    while his hands add emotion to his words.


    Our pack looks so happy.


    That¡¯s how it should be.


    Happy.


    A te of chicken cordon bleu is in front of me.I look at it curiously.


    My mind can¡¯t seem to remember how eating works.I dip my finger in the sauce and give Codi a taste.


    She ps her hands, but there is no noise.


    Lenora gives Bronx a worried look and shakes her head as she pulls her pup from myp.


    Red, gold, and white decorations glitter in the background, slightly out of focus.


    People look up from their dinner.I can sense their worry.It hits me in crashing waves.


    Milo and Reggie are on either side of me, helping me to my feet.We are walking down a hallway.


    Marco is ahead of us, holding his phone to his ear.I feel a hand on the small of my back.I look up to see


    who it is and trip over my feet.


    Bronx catches me and picks me up, carrying me the rest of the way.I don¡¯t even know where we¡¯ re


    going.I close my eyes and let the scent of coffee and dark chocte lull me into a rxed sleep.


    "Leticia? Are you here?"§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞI call out as I walk into the apartment.


    "To..uhh...Kas?"


    Leticia pops her head out from what appears to be an office.There are small symbols painted on her


    face that look like runes.She has her hair pulled back into a ck bandana.She wipes her hand over


    her face and the markings magically disappear, "I wasn¡¯t expecting you.What¡¯s going on?"


    "I have some questions.Do you have time?"


    I cross my arms in frustration, trying to remember I¡¯m not upset with her.I also don¡¯t want to set her off.


    Especially since I need her help.


    Leticia looks into the room she is peeking out from, then back out at me, "O-of course, I always have


    time for you.Give me just a second.I¡¯ll meet you in the living room."


    She ms the door, closing herself in.


    From inside, I hear a bird squawking and loud banging.


    There are several crashes of ss breaking, then silence.I back away slowly into the living room and


    wait for her toe out.


    Shees out of the room as if nothing happened, looking like she is fresh out of the shower even


    though she closed the door to the room two minutes ago.


    Not nearly long enough to take a shower.


    She holds her arms out for a hug, a huge grin on her face.My resolve softens as I look at her.I can¡¯t


    imagine there are many people showing her affection these days.I approach her and wrap my arms


    around her tightly and she returns the embrace.


    She takes a slightly ragged breath as she buries her head in my shoulder.I rub her back slightly and let


    her take her time.


    She finally clears her throat and pulls away from me, "To what doI owe this pleasure, darling?"


    "Let¡¯s sit.I just found out a ton of stuff about myself.I want to know more from your perspective, please,"


    I sigh, letting my hands fall heavily to my sides, then plop onto the sofa, pulling her down with me.


    "This seems like a conversation that needs snacks," she smiles.


    I watch as she waves her hand over ourps, exposing a bowl of popcorn, zed pecans, and mugs of


    hot cocoa.


    "This is perfect.You seem to always know exactly what I need," I give her cheek a little pinch, eliciting a


    giggle and a genuine smile from her.


    Over the next hour, I tell her all the things I have learned over the past day about the Manae and about


    myself.She nods and listens intently as I tick off the list of important things I have been told.


    "Um, I think this is the part where I give you the box of note cards?" she cringes slightly.


    "Box of notecards?"


    "You''ve always said not to give it to you unless things are at ¡® critical mass¡¯.I think we¡¯re there," she


    frowns a little and gets up from the sofa.


    I watch as she disappears into the depths of a closet, andes out dragging a foot locker sized chest


    with her.She sets it down in front of me and waves at it.


    "Well, there you go," she puts her hands on her hips, looking at the chest.


    I look at the chest, not sure what to make of it.


    There is no separation where it would hinge open.I run my finger across the edge, trying to figure out


    what to do.


    "How do I open it?" I look up at Leticia, who looks slightly guilty.


    "Blood magic," she mumbles.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "Blood magic? That doesn¡¯t help me, Leticia.I don''t know magic."


    "You do.You just don''t remember that you do.Extend your fangs, slice your finger, and let it bleed onto


    the chest until your wolf heals you."I look at her suspiciously.


    She shrugs, "Hey, Kas.I won''t lie to you.I mess with a lot of dark shit.Blood magic is not one of


    them.This was your idea.I just keep the trunk safe.Not that anyone could get into it except for


    you.You¡¯ve been putting notes in there for centuries."


    "She¡¯s not trying to trick you, Kas,"


    Lex finally chimes in, "I¡¯m sorry I yelled at you earlier, but you have to understand my position.I have


    orders from our Mother.There is so much I would love to tell you but I just can¡¯t."


    "It¡¯s okay, Lex.I shouldn¡¯t have gotten upset with you, either.It just seems like the more I find out about


    my sisters and me, the more messed up being a goddess seems."


    "Yeah, it¡¯s not always a bed of roses.But on this one, you can trust Leticia.That trunk will keep you busy


    for a long time."


    I let my cheeks blow out as I breathe out heavily, trying to decide what to do, "I¡¯m not opening the trunk


    today, Leticia.Lex says it''s going to keep me busy for a long time.I would rather spend my time right


    now speaking with you.


    Besides, I probably have note cards to add to the trunk that I will bring with me next time."


    Leticia smiles and slides back onto the sofa, "Okay.What¡¯s on your mind?"


    "Why does everyone else seem to remember all of their lives except for Bronx and me?"


    "Ah, yeah.That is a good one,"


    Leticia nods slowly, tucks her legs under her, and takes my hand, "Darling, every time you and Bronx


    are reincarnated, you both lose the memories of your previous lives.The rest of us do not.We


    remember everything.The good and the bad and trust me, there has been a lot...of both."


    She pauses, choosing her next words carefully, "Thousands of years ago, Mother insisted it helps keep


    bnce and prevents you two from being corrupted by dark forces.The kicker is, you guys are the most


    powerful of all the Manae and Guardians, but because you don¡¯t have any previous memories, you just


    don¡¯t know it.We''re only allowed to call on you if there is a problem with our family that needs your


    intervention."


    She pulls her hand away from me into herp and twists her fingers together.


    "What is it, Leticia? What¡¯s wrong?" I brush her sparkly hair away from her face and tilt my head, trying


    to get her to look at me again.


    "It¡¯s not fair, Kas.We lose you every time you die.Even in the lives that you don¡¯t get to know us.We


    have to sit back and watch.It hurts so bad.Like, especially in this life, when Katherine sent word that


    your old Alpha almost killed you.I couldn''t take it anymore.I found that nurse and gave her money to


    buy you furniture, so at least you would have something nice in this lifetime.An-and I didn¡¯t think Bronx


    was going to find you in time.I couldn¡¯t let you die thinking you were a ve, and no one cared about


    you,"


    Leticia sniffles as tears roll down her face, "I figured if one of your pack members bought the furniture, I


    wasn¡¯t breaking any of Mother¡¯s stupid rules."


    "y-you gave Nurse Diane money for my furniture?" I ask, shocked at her admission.


    I can feel a tear escaping my eye.


    "Yeah.Diane Miller or Muller.Something like that.She was very nice to me.Gooddy,"


    Leticia confirms.


    "She still is,"


    I smile, thinking of my friend, "She¡¯s a member of Blood River now.She just found her mate."


    I look earnestly into Letica¡¯s violet eyes.


    They sparkle with a depth I may never fully understand, "Thank you, Leticia.Sincerely.I don¡¯t think you


    will ever understand how much that gesture meant to me."


    "you''re wee, darling,"


    Leticia gently squeezes my hand, "Kas, everyone else gets to have their leader.


    Everyone else gets to have that rtionship forever, but we are outcasts.


    Like we chose our abilities or something.


    Well, we didn¡¯t but I wouldn¡¯t change it for the world.I¡¯m proud of who I am and so are the rest of the


    Mavri Magea,"she wipes a tear away with her sleeve.


    My mind churns trying to think of my next question, "I have more questions, if that¡¯s alright?"


    "Of course, I always have time for you," she grins.


    I realize as we speak more that she is grateful to have an audience with me.It''s something that must


    not happen often.


    "So, you know how if the Guardians die, then so do their mates, right?"


    "Yeah," she replies slowly.


    "What happens if there are no leaders old enough to lead the Manae?"


    "It¡¯s never happened before.There was one time in the second century when only Cora was old


    enough.She was our Luna until Katherine was born and came of age.That wasn¡¯t too bad.You''re Cora''s


    favorite, for obvious reasons, so usually leaves us alone,"


    Letica shrugs at the memory.I feel like a bucket of ice water is being dumped over my head.I


    understand now.


    It''s going to take some time to wrap my head around it, but I understand.


    "Leticia, how powerful is your magic? You said I have your powers, right? Can you teach me everything


    you know?"


    Leticia¡¯s eyes light up like a Solstice tree and a broad smile spreads across her face.She throws her


    head back andughs in her sharp, high pitch cackle.I watch her as she stands on the sofa and howls


    at the top of her lungs, "Ladies and gentle wolves, SHE¡¯S BACK! SHE''S FUCKING BACK!"

 Chapter 184- 92

    Chapter 184- 92


    Bronx¡¯s POV


    I feel so fucking helpless.


    Just like they always do, the doctors say to just let her sleep.I should be able to do more, be able to


    help my mate.I¡¯m her Guardian, right? They tell me I was made for her.Sitting here holding her hand


    while she sleeps in a hospital bed is not helping her.


    There is no way this is what I was made for.This can¡¯t be the type of help they mean.


    "Come on, Kas.Please wake up, Baby.Please," I whisper when I brush her sparkly gray bangs out of


    her face.


    She looks so still and peaceful, but it is distressing at the same time.I never know what''s going through


    her head.


    She hides twice as much as she shares with the world, even me.I know she thinks she is protecting


    everyone by keeping her emotions locked down.


    There is so much from her past she holds on to.I try to respect that.I can¡¯t take it away from her, but


    there is so much future to look forward to if she would just allow it.I look up at the clock, two-thirty a.m.


    She lost consciousness around seven p.m. but didn¡¯t go Code Violet.She just seemed really


    overwhelmed and passed out once we got her away from the ballroom.I knew I shouldn¡¯t have let her


    heal me.It took too much out of her.


    This is my fault.


    I would give this fucking eye back a hundred times over if she would just wake up and tell me she¡¯s


    okay.I press my lips to the back of her hand and let the sparks of our mate bond reassure me she¡¯s


    there and as she''s as good as she¡¯s going to get for now.I just need to be patient.


    Not my strong suit.


    Saint¡¯s either.


    Iy her hand back on the mattress and lean back in the chair.


    Anyone that would walk in would probably think I¡¯m a creep for staring at her like this, but I can¡¯t take


    my eyes off of her.


    What if she wakes up? Anything could happen if I turn my eyes away.I rest my elbow on the arm of the


    chair and lean my head against my fingers.


    Cora is going to die soon, less than two years for sure.


    That means Kas is going to have a pup.


    That pup is going to be Cora? It doesn¡¯t make sense.


    Did Zeus know this was Kas¡¯s fate? Is that why he promised her a baby? Was it basically a double


    cross on a desperate woman? I can feel my temper surge when Saint understands my line of


    thinking.He doesn¡¯t care if it''s the God of Thunder, either.


    If someone thinks they are going to trick our mate, they can answer to me.


    If giving birth to her sister is her fate, it''s fucked up, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, I guess.


    "Does that mean I won¡¯t get to be a dad?"§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞSaint sighs resolutely.


    "Well, I mean, if you think of Cora as your adopted pup, we could consider you a dad," I try to appease


    him.


    Having an Alpha wolf pacing in your head going from rage to worried back to rage all night is


    exhausting.


    "I like Cora.We have raised her a bunch of times.I guess I never thought of it as being her dad," he


    stops pacing and muses.


    "There ya go, buddy.If nothing else, you have Cora," I breathe a sigh of relief.


    "What about you?" he asks.


    Interesting question.


    What about me? I look at Kas resting in the hospital bed.I have always supported her and I always will.


    If that is her fate, I will ept.It is what the Moon Goddess wants.


    Right? There should be no seeds of doubt in the back of my mind, but there is.


    Doubt I could never let Kas know about.


    Nothing good coulde of it.


    A soft knock on the door interrupts the silence of the room.I look up to see Mom and Dad peeking in


    waving at me.


    Lenora told me she called them.


    They turned around from driving to the Denver airport toe check on me.


    Dad usually likes to stay out of my way and let me handle things on my own, but I¡¯m sure Mom insisted


    oning back since they hadn¡¯t gotten on a ne yet.I stand up and give Kas a soft kiss on the


    cheek, then go out to the hall to greet them.I keep the door open a crack so I can keep one eye on my


    mate.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Mom reaches her arms out for a hug.I oblige by wrapping my arms around her and picking her up,


    letting myself breathe in herforting pine and cedar scent.I only let her go when she pats my back.


    "Oh, Honey!"


    Mom whispers loudly when she finally gets a good look at me.She grabs both sides of my face and


    admires my new features, "Leni said it was a miracle from the Moon Goddess, but I never imagined..."


    "Yeah, Mom, but look at the consequences," I wave my hand into the room where Kas is sleeping.


    She looks into the room and her face darkens a little.


    "Well, Bronx, I¡¯m sure she would have kept on you about it until you caved," she says, looking


    mournfully into the room, "Maybe there was no avoiding it, just a matter of unfortunate timing.You can¡¯t


    me yourself.When she¡¯s feeling better, you need to talk to her about your concerns."


    "Yeah.I can¡¯t help but think there is something bigger going on.Saint and Lex were really insistent on


    me getting healed, but they won¡¯t fess up why,"


    I put my arm around Mom and rest my head on top of hers, "They are also insistent on getting that


    silver out of my liver but after this, I can¡¯t.There¡¯s no way I will let her try that."


    ¡°I think if you can find a safe way to do it, you should really take it into consideration, Champ,"


    Dad looks at me seriously.He has his hands on his hips and he looks like he wants to start pacing, but


    he is controlling himself.


    It¡¯s the same posture I would get if I am giving someone advice that I¡¯m not confident in but know it¡¯s


    the right decision, "We were only here for a couple weeks keeping an eye on Codi and things are non-


    stop.It seems to me like you should do what you can to be a hundred percent."


    "So you¡¯re saying to let her try?"


    I let my arm fall off of Mom¡¯s shoulder.He can¡¯t be serious right now.


    "Bronx, I¡¯m just saying you should consider trying to find a way to do it safely,"


    he shakes his head while he speaks, "I can¡¯t tell you what you should do and you know I try to stay out


    of pack matters.You¡¯re in charge and you¡¯re more than capable.Right now, I¡¯m not talking about the


    Alpha and Luna of my pack.I¡¯m talking about the wellbeing of my son and daughter-inw.I love both of


    you too much to just stand by and not give my two cents."


    I look at my parents.I hate to admit they¡¯re right, but they are.


    "We''re going to go up to our suite, Honey,"


    Mom takes my hand and gives it a squeeze, "Mind link me if you need me otherwise I wille back in


    the morning to check on things, okay?"


    "Thanks, Mom.Thanks, Dad,"


    I give Mom a kiss on the forehead and give Dad a hug.


    As they walk down the hallway, I feel a distinct shift in the energy in the air.I look further down the


    hallway and see Cora sitting in a chair in the dimly lit waiting area.I don¡¯t remember seeing her there


    when I was talking to my parents.


    She is as still as a statue.I get the sense that time is different for her.Her scarlet eyes watch me


    expectantly.Her weathered features and sepia toned skin are carved into a naturally calm expression,


    but underneath I can sense her worry.


    I cock my head toward Kas¡¯s room, bidding her to join me.She silently stands and walks toward me.


    When she gets to the door, she peeks in at her sleeping sister or daughter depending on how you look


    at it.I still don¡¯t understand.


    "She will be okay," Cora says.


    I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a question or a reassurance, "She is strong."


    "Yeah, she¡¯s a fighter.She gets that from Tessa, I suppose,"


    I try to make some sort of conversation.


    From all my interactions with her, Cora¡¯s English is shaky at best.


    A sympathetic feeling fills my chest as she leans against the doorframe, watching Kas intently.


    "I¡¯m sorry for your fate in this lifetime," she says cryptically.


    "What do you mean?" §Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§Þ I ask, a little concerned.


    "I will be, as they say, the wild child.Always," she looks at me and smiles, then turns her eyes back to


    Kas.


    "Well, thanks for the warning,"


    I chuckle at her admission, "What is it like, Cora? For both of you and for me and your mate?"


    "She is my sister but she is more than that to me.I hold her in my arms, a hundred times and a hundred


    times more.We fight in battle side by side, always.It is never simple to let her go.As a baby or as


    adults.Our love is bigger than our other sisters," she sighs and rubs her hand on her chest as if there


    are memories that are physically painful for her, "She is a good mother, always.


    She cares for me when no one understands.You are a good father, Bronx.You keep me safe from


    myself until it''s time to go.And Dante is a good protector.He keeps us safe until Endymion cane for


    her."


    Her words are in and simple.


    Straight forward with little to be misconstrued.


    "Are your other sisters dangerous for her?" I ask, simply.


    "I will not speak against my sisters," she turns to me with an expression that only thousands of years of


    knowledge could allow, "You should heal yourself fully."


    She doesn¡¯t need to say anything else.I nod in understanding.


    "Go spend time with her, Cora.I will wait out here," I back up from the doorway, allowing Cora to go


    through, and close the door behind her.I watch through the window in the door as Cora approaches the


    bed and looks at Kas lovingly.


    She sits in the chair and holds Kas¡¯s hand between her own, pressing them against her forehead in


    some sort of silent prayer.I pace the hall for a minute, then sit in the chair in the hallway.


    "Cora would never lie to you, Bronx.If she says you''re a good dad, then you¡¯re a good dad,"


    Saint says quietly, "You can trust her."


    "Well, if that¡¯s the case, we need to figure out how to get the silver out, buddy.You ready for that?"


    "Yeah.I¡¯m ready," he sighs.

 Chapter 185- 93

    Chapter 185- 93


    I watch from the doorway as Cora sweetly whispers a Greek luby to Kas before she leaves.She


    kisses her forehead and brushes her sister¡¯s cheek before she finally leaves the room.


    "I will stay for now.I can say goodbye when she wakes up.Then I will make peace with my fate.I must


    help my Agrios.If their wolvese here, please have kindness,"


    Cora requests in a soft tone as she watches Kas from the doorway.I hold my hand out to her, palm up,


    so she can ce hers in mine, extending the courtesy of the more primal interaction to make her


    comfortable.


    When the sensation of her ambient energy courses through me, I feel Saint howling with happiness.


    As much as he tries to y it off, it''s clear that she is special to him, too.


    "Thank you for helping me understand, Cora.I have another question,"


    I look her in the eye.


    She simply nods with approval to ask, "My guard Marco told me you said you had to be named


    Persephone.Why is that?"


    "Because of the Waiting Room," she looks to the ground.


    For a moment, I think she is going to pull her hand away, but she keeps it on top of mine, "The Waiting


    Room was a gift from Mespyrian.Goddess of, ahhh...vasanistirio?"


    I pull out my phone and find a trantor site.I hold the phone between us, "Can you say it again?"


    She repeats herself tentatively, leaning her face toward the phone, like she¡¯s not sure how it works.I


    realize when she backs away, she probably doesn¡¯t know how it works.I look at the trantion on the


    screen and my eyes go wide.


    "The Goddess of Torture?" I feel my voice crack.


    "Yes.Goddess Persephone¡¯s daughter.Gift to our Mother in return for honor to her Mother," Cora


    exins.


    "So your name was different before Goddess Mespyrian created the Waiting Room?"§Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞI


    ask cautiously.I can¡¯t imagine having your name taken away from you because someone wants to


    honor their mother.


    "It is no matter, Bronx.A dead name," she looks at me nkly.


    "I know two people who it matters to, Cora," I point into the room where Kas is sleeping, then at myself.


    The indecision on her face looks ufortable.She looks in the room again, then back at me.


    "Maya," she says in a whisper, looking to the ground again as if she has said something forbidden.


    "Maya, I look forward to raising you.Please, may I?"


    I gently pull her hand towards me.


    When I feel her take a step closer, I wrap her in a hug.She tenses up for a moment, then rxes in my


    arms with a deep sigh.


    "Always a good father," she pats me on the back before she pulls away, "Send for me and I wille to


    say my goodbye."


    I nod and watch as she walks silently down the hall.


    When she is around the corner, I go back into the room.


    I sit in the chair and lean against the side of the bed, letting my arm drape across Kas¡¯s waist.


    The ticking of the second hand on the wall clock lulls me into a sense of calm as I admire my beautiful


    mate.


    What has my life turned into? A world of Greek gods and goddesses? Reincarnated hundreds of


    times? My mate gives birth to her sister and vice versa, over and over? It¡¯s all so unbelievable.


    My eyes snap open when I feel fingers running through my hair.I sit up with a deep breath and look


    around on high alert.


    Kas is smiling sleepily at me from her spot on the bed.I look up at the clock, eleven-fifteen a.m.


    "Good morning, Sweetheart," Kas¡¯s voice sounds dry.


    "Good morning, Baby.Let me get you some water,"


    I rub the sleep out of my eyes and grab a cup from the side table.I push the button on the side of the


    bed so she can sit upfortably.


    She drinks the water deeply and hands the cup back, clearing her throat, "I didn¡¯t have a premonition,


    Bronx.I was somehow able to stop it from happening."


    "Yeah, we figured.I was able to feel your mate bond the whole time you were out.The doctors think it


    was a dyed reaction from healing me, then slowing down the entire ballroom, then the news about


    you and Cora.You just overdid it,"


    I sit on the bed facing her, "Speaking of which, Cora came to see you.When you¡¯re ready, she would


    like toe say goodbye."


    "Goodbye?"


    Kas looks startled.


    "Yeah, she basically said she needs to get her affairs in order before, well, you know,"


    I purse my lips, trying to avoid using a more morbid description, "but she wants to see you first."


    "Okay," her expression on her face drops.


    She looks out the window for a minute.I sit silently and watch her.I can see in her face she wants to


    speak candidly about what''s on her mind, but Kas won''t talk until she¡¯s ready.


    She finally takes a deep breath and looks me square in the eyes.


    Something seems off.


    Somewhere in the depths of her mind, something is brewing.I can sense it.


    "Wow.It really is going to take some getting used to," she smiles, her cheeks flush as she looks at me,


    pulling me away from the uneasy sensation.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "What?" I shake my head, smiling back.


    "you¡¯re even more handsome with two eyes, Bronx.Lex will never shut up now," she breaks into a


    giggle.


    My heart beat faster hearing my favorite sound.


    "Well, maybeter today, we should let her and Saint spend some time together.Then she can see him


    with two eyes as well.How does that sound?"


    Kas turns her sparkling violet eyes up to the ceiling for a moment, then nods at me with a wink.I watch


    as her face goes from happy back to distant.She looks back out the window as if she is searching for


    an answer out there and speaks.


    "Bronx, I need a little time away.From everything.Just for a few days.I had already spoken to Carly


    about arrangements to go to Paris before we go to Greece for Katherine¡¯s charity event.Maybe Delh


    and I can spend a few extra days on our own before you join us? Just meditation, baking, eating at


    delicious restaurants, you know, not thinking about...well...anything really," she¡¯s still looking out the


    window with a distant look on her face, "Apanied by guards of course because who knows where


    that lunatic, Leticia, could be."


    She pauses and twists her hands against themselves in herp, "Delh and I just need a couple days


    to make sure the staff at the bakery is good with schedules and responsibilities.And you and I have the


    Elder Council trial for Randall to attend.After that, I-I just need some time to think about all of this.I


    know I can¡¯t change any of it.I just-I need time to absorb it.Does that make sense?"


    "Of course, Kas.Whatever you need, Baby.It makesplete sense.Especially after yesterday.I will talk


    to Carly.I will have her arrange for the jet to take you, Delh, and the guards after the trial.You take


    care of what you need to do at the bakery.Don¡¯t worry about a thing.I''ll even ask Henri if he can provide


    a driver for you in Paris until I get there,"


    I reassure her as she takes my hand and holds my palm against the side of her face, smelling my scent


    from my wrist.It is the most reasonable request I have heard anyone ask from me in days.It is probably


    the most reasonable thing Kas has ever asked me for.


    We spend the next half an hour catching up with each other before the doctores in.I tell her about


    the shadow and the cup changing during the meeting with her sisters.


    Understandably, she wants to see the video footage.She tells me more about Tessa and Valor and her


    concerns about Tessa''s wolf.She is serious about Tessa staying at Blood River for treatment.


    After everything, she is still worried about others, even if they don¡¯t like her.


    We agree on a tentative arrangement for Tessa to stay for treatment, as long as she agrees to it.I let


    Kas know I will speak with Tessa and Katherine about it.She says she will speak to Cora and Amari in


    the meantime.She still wants to press Amari about the ¡®energy vampire ¡¯ statement.


    When the doctor finally clears her, I help her out of the bed.


    She stands in front of the mirror, smoothing her hair before we leave.


    For an instant of a moment, I get the sense that she¡¯s standing in a shadow.Her face seems like it¡¯s in


    the shadows as I look at her through the mirror.


    The second I notice it, it¡¯s gone and the lights are glowing on her again.


    "What?"she looks at me through the mirror, running her fingers through her hair.


    "I, uh, no, nevermind.I thought, no, it was a trick of the light.Everything¡¯s fine,"


    I smile and guide her back to the apartment with my handfortably on the small of her back.

 Chapter 186- 94

    Chapter 186- 94


    Kas¡¯s POV


    "Kas, you¡¯re sure about this, right?"


    Lex asks while I get changed into fresh clothes, "I mean, I agree with your decision, but I just want to


    make sure this is what you really want to do.We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to work."


    "I''m sure, Lex.We have to try.I only have to live long enough to give birth to Cora.After that, worst case,


    you and I meet again in our next lifetime," I say resolutely, "You have my back, right?"


    "Yes, I have your back.Jeez, Kas, you¡¯re such a badass, you know that? You''re making this lifetime one


    of my favorites," she coos at me, "A true warrior child of the Moon Goddess."


    I roll my eyes at her, "Speaking of lifetimes, hundreds of them.I understand why you couldn¡¯t tell me but


    you told me we have had like fifteen or twenty lifetimes with Bronx, with all things rtive, that isn¡¯t very


    many."


    "Well, there are a couple reasons for that," she says sheepishly, "Sometimes you die before you meet


    him.Sometimes you die before I even wake up."


    "Who was my mate before Bronx? I mean, Saint isn¡¯t even a thousand years old but you and I, our


    spirits, are ancient."


    "I don¡¯t really want to get into those morbid details, Kas.It¡¯s the past.It doesn¡¯t matter.You have Bronx


    now and I have Saint.We love them very much until the end of our spirits¡¯ journeys."


    Morbid? I lean against the dresser and think for a moment.


    What an odd way to describe past mates.


    From the bathroom, I hear the shower turn off and Bronx gives a big snarling yawn.I can¡¯t imagine


    living a lifetime that I don''t get to know this guy.He is perfect for me.


    "I know technically I can¡¯tmand you to do anything, but I am going tomand you right now,


    okay?"


    "Ummm...okay?"


    "Imand you to never ever, no matter what, never tell me how I have died in the past.This is thest


    time in this life anyway that we have this conversation.I need to keep as many positive thoughts in my


    heart as I can."


    "Command epted, ma¡¯am."


    "Thank you.Now let''s go find Cora and Amari."


    Bronxes into the closet room, with a towel wrapped low around his waist, and gives me a kiss


    before he chooses what to wear for the day.I admire his hard chest and abs and smile at the tattoos


    that nket his skin like a work of art.


    "Yeah, the sooner the better.I want to get back so we can spend time with Saint," she purrs, sending


    dirty images of things she wants to do with him.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Earth to Kas.What are you thinking about?"


    Bronx is waving his hand in front of my face, "I¡¯ve been talking to you for like five minutes."


    "I-oh-I was th-thinking about- I-hmm," I clear my throat while Lexughs.


    Bronx smirks as I stumble over my words, too flustered to tell him what Lex is up to.


    "BUSTED!" she howls at my expense.


    Ipose myself, then give Bronx a kiss, and let him know I am going to see my sisters and leave


    before I can embarrass myself further.


    "LEX! Knock it off!" §Ú¦Ò¦Í???§Ó¦Ò¦Ò§Ü.¡é¦Ò§ÞIugh at her as we walk down the hall with Tyree.


    "You alright, Luna?" Tyree asks, looking at me with concern.


    "Oh, just my wolf being vulgar," I smirk at him.


    "TMI, Luna," he averts his eyes as we walk to the second floor.


    I see a flushe through his darkplexion.


    "Hey, you asked!"


    Now Iugh at him.He scrunches his face, regretting asking his question.I didn¡¯t figure him as a modest


    guy.He just shakes his head, "You¡¯re my Luna.


    Do you know what my mom would do if I told her you were talking to me like this? Just casually walking


    down the hall, talking about your horny Luna wolf? She would drag me to the Northern border and bury


    me six feet under with her own four paws."


    "Sorry, Tyree.I will do my best to not upset your mom," I smirk at him.


    When we finally get to Cora¡¯s suite, I knock and wait patiently.I can hear her moving around in the


    room, but she doesn¡¯te to the door.


    "Cora? It¡¯s Kas.You wanted to see me?" I call out.


    I hear furniture moving, "Mia stigma! [One moment)"


    I look at Tyree, who shrugs at me, but he listens closer to the door as well.


    Finally, Cora cracks the door open enough to peek one scarlet eye out at us.


    "Pleasee in now, Kas.Antras nkarnt episis? [The male guard too?)" she looks at Tyree.


    "No, he will wait in the hall.I can mind link him if there are any concerns,"


    I smile at her.She nods and pulls me into the room without fully opening the door, closing it quickly


    behind her.


    I look around to see she haspletely rearranged the room.


    She has moved even the heavy furniture to make a nest of bedding, with the furniture forming a


    protective barrier around it in the center of the room.


    The room smells musky, like she has been shifting and spending time in wolf form in the room.


    "C-Cora, don¡¯t you feel safe here?" I look at her with worry.


    "Blood River is a good pack," she says inly, "I will never speak against my sisters, Kas."


    She doesn¡¯t need to say more.She doesn¡¯t trust the other Manae leaders, but she won¡¯t speak ill of


    them either.


    She takes my hand and makes our way to the middle of her bedding nest before she sits down cross-


    legged in the center, then pulls me down into herp just like Bronx does.


    I let her put her arms around me and rock me slowly.She hums a luby that makes me feel sleepy.I


    recognize the interaction as something Lenora does to soothe Codi.


    "Cora, why does the song sound familiar?" I ask, letting myself lean heavily against her chest.


    "Greek luby.Ancient song I keep alive for you," she says.


    "Thank you,"


    I smile at the sweet sentiment, "Cora, why can I understand Greek when you speak it to me? I never


    learned Greek."


    "Iokaste, yournguage is Greek for hundred years and hundred years more.You always have known


    it.Youe from me and Ie from you.That is why you know it when I speak."


    "Oh.Is that how you can mind link me as well?"


    "Not mind link.Only a link between us.Special for sister, who is my daughter and my mother," she


    replies, patiently answering my questions.


    We fall into afortable silence while she rocks me.I have only ever felt this safe and rxed in


    Bronx¡¯s arms before.I feel like I am supposed to be here.


    In Cora''s arms and her in mine.


    Our energies flow between each other as if it is the most natural thing in the world.I take a deep


    calming breath and feel wet tears on my cheeks without realizing I have been crying.


    "lokaste, don¡¯t cry. You are strong, but I am here for you.Always," she pulls me away from her just far


    enough to look me in the eye.


    "This life has been so...violent...cCora.You and Bronx make me feel safe.I¡¯m crying because I¡¯m


    happy,"


    I try to speak as inly as possible to match her cadence.


    "Okay.Only happy crying is allowed, then,"


    She says with a smile.She kisses my forehead gently and pulls me back to her chest.


    "Cora, when I was in the waiting room and I touched your hand.I had a memory of us fighting side by


    side.Was it real? You sacrificed yourself for me.The pain was so bad.I remember I screamed, and it


    killed everything around me."


    "This is a real memory.Giant War maybe?" she confirms, "I always sacrifice for you.You always


    sacrifice for me and are a good mother to me Kas.You will be a good mother again, soon."


    "You could stay here, you know.We could let you stay in the western part of the pack territory, it is very


    remote.No one would bother you," I smile, trying to convince her to stay.


    "I must go, Kas.Care for my Agrios.Make peace with our Mother to bless me again in my next life," she


    exins, "Do not worry.Soon, you have me for seventeen years or more until Dantees."


    I sigh heavily, "I understand.I''m looking forward to being your mother, Cora."


    She continues to hold me until the tears stop streaming down my face.We finally get up and leave the


    room.


    When we get to the hall, I take her by both hands.


    "Can we get you transportation back to your Agrios group? It¡¯s the very least I can do."


    "No, I will make my way.They will know when my time hase.You will know also.I am sorry now for


    the pain of my future death." I frown slightly.


    It sounds like I will feel her death simr to a mate bond breaking.I am d she told me.


    "This goodbye is only for now.We have many goodbyes together in the future, my beautiful Iokaste."


    "Goodbye for now, Persephone," I say and watch her walk down the hall to the main entrance of the


    pack house.


    "Stay strong, Kas," Lex soothes me, "You''re doing the right thing."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!