by Bella Colt
Smiling, he squeezes me tightly and says, “I’m already on top of tracking down any information on Natalie. I thought you would want to know more after I read the letter, so when we got you back home, I put some people on it. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
“As for your extended family, they’re both fine. I was curious how she was still alive after King Dierk too, so I sort of asked her. Your grandmother explained to me that when King Dierk imprisoned her and left her alone for all those years, her bond to him began to break. She doesn’t know why King Dierk didn’t notice this. She didn’t realize it either. She thinks it was because she was so depressed in her situation at the time.”
“So, she was prepared to die for me? She knew that killing him could have killed her?” I ask him, shocked.
“Yes. Actually, she was going to have the guard kill her right after you were escorted to the ritual, in a last attempt to save you from him. She was just waiting to see you one more time,” he explains with a smile on his face.
“Why are you smiling? She could have died for me.” I glare at him. He looks taken back for a second before he shakes his head to clear his thoughts.
“Yes, she would have died for you! I’m smiling because I’m happy that not all of your family are crazy sadistic bastards that want to kill you. We have some that are on your side, and what in the hell do you mean, of course, she would die for you” he chastises as his eyes shift to yellow.
The muscles in his jaw are straining, and his lips are pressed tightly together in a scowl. I take a shaky shallow breath as I take a step back from him. His face and posture soften immediately.
“I’m so sorry baby; I just can’t stand to hear anyone, not even yourself, talk about you that way. Please don’t look at me like that. I just got you back and to talk about putting your life before anyone else maddens me,” he says as he stops to take a breath. “We can’t bear it!” He admits.
I can see the pain and hurt written clearly on his features as he offers his hand out to me. I accept it, stepping into him as he pulls me into a strong embrace as I let him hold me.
“I’m sorry,” I say, muffled into his chest as he kisses the top of my head.
I’m struggling to understand what I am feeling. I’m relieved and happy to know that I was wanted by my parents. I am saddened by the sacrifices they had to make for me. I also feel extremely angry for what they had to face for their love; and against their own family, no less.
After hours of talking with him in the study about my mother’s letter, he finally persuades me to go up to our room and take an afternoon nap with him. I agree because the emotions of the day had drained me. We’re lying in bed, and I’m enjoying the heat coming off his body. At first, I find it difficult to fall asleep as I wonder what will happen in a few months when I turn 18. There is so much I don’t know. I remind myself that there is plenty of time and that I should enjoy my time with Declan. Snuggling closer to him, my heavy eyes droop, and I start to drift off peacefully.
Book Two Sneek-Peek
Chapter 1: Amara
The last few months have flown by; I can’t believe how fast the time goes when you’re genuinely enjoying life. Though I can’t say that I have actually enjoyed life in the past. Will I really be turning 18 in just over a week? I decided not to contact my mother’s parents yet. For now, I just want to focus and prepare for my first were shift. I have been learning a lot about my were-birthright over the past few months.
Declan and I have been busy meeting with Amelinda and Luther to discuss Amelinda retaining the title as Queen, with her ruling the people and me as an acting advisor. I want to honor my father’s wish but have no desire to be in charge and responsible for so many people yet. I’m still learning how to take care of myself, and I believe his people are happy with the way everything has turned out.
In the months since Declan rescued me, Amelinda has changed a lot of things in her pack. She’s decided to move them back to a remote part of Germany, and from all accounts, the pack are happy again and reacclimating to their native country well. In fact, in the quarterly reports I’ve been getting from the pack, members are nothing but compliments for her. So, I think my father would be happy, and when the time comes, I’ll be there to help her pick a successor.
Not to mention, the wedding plans are keeping me busy. Which isn’t as bad as I expected because I’m usually spending time with Audrey or Brianna. At least I’m comfortable around them; I haven’t had the chance to really get to know anyone else yet. If I’m not planning for the wedding, I’m holed up somewhere with Declan. Like right now, we’re lying on our bed snuggling. His arms loosely wrapped around me, with my head on his chest relaxing from our previous activities. Not that I’m complaining, I just expected to know more of his pack than just the people living in this house by now. Maybe I should ask.
“When will I meet the rest of your pack?” I ask a sleepy Declan, looking up at his face from my place on his chest. It sometimes feels like he has always been there with me. Like I don’t know how to be without him.
“Our pack,” he reminds me. “At our wedding. Normally we would’ve had a big party after we mated. However, since you weren’t raised with our traditions, I wanted it to be done in your way with a marriage ceremony first,” he explains with a smile while looking down at me with his eyes half open.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
“Who is it?” Declan growls as he quickly covers me with the sheet.
“It’s John, we need you! There’s been an incident in town,” Beta John replies in a hurry.
Declan shifts his body out from under mine quickly and gets up to throw a t-shirt and jeans on.
“I’ll meet you downstairs!” He yells back to John through the door.
Placing a quick kiss to my lips, he turns around and makes his way out the door. Lying there, now alone, I wonder what’s going on in town. I hope everyone in the pack is alright, I think as I move to sit up and get out of bed. Suddenly the contents of my stomach shift. Immediately, I lie back down to fight off nausea, but it only makes it worse. As soon as I’m flat on my back, I start gagging, so I roll over to my side. I am horrified that I am not able to move any further before I start retching my breakfast over the bed, emptying my stomach. I retch so much that I’m fighting to breathe. As soon as I’m sure there’s nothing left, I navigate my way out of bed and around the splatter to the bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror, I splash some cold water on to my sweat soaked face. Looking at the reflection before me, I assess my swollen, bloodshot eyes and red face as I grab my toothbrush and toothpaste to get the bile taste out of my mouth. While brushing my teeth, I walk to the shower and turn on the spray so it will be warm as I go and close the bathroom door. I wonder if this could just be a sign of my shift approaching. I’ll have to make sure to ask Declan when he returns. Happy about the taste of spearmint now dominating my mouth, I step into the shower letting the hot water massage my muscles as I relax, and steam fills the bathroom.
Once I finish washing my hair and body, I start looking around for my razor only to realize I forgot to grab one from the drawer below the sink. Before I can reach for the shower curtain, it’s flung open from the other side. Startled, I scream as I cover as much of myself as possible with my hands. I feel pain exude from the side of my head as I lose my balance and fall to the tub as I remove my hands from censoring to break my fall awkwardly. When I look up, I’m able to make out a blurred club in a masked figure’s hand. Naked and shaking from fear, I’m unable to fight it as my breathing shallows, and darkness slowly dominates me.
German Translations
Bring mir einen scotch- bring me a scotch
Schicken sie ihn in- send him in
Eingeben- enter
Wachen- guards
Nehmen ihn in die Zell emit seiner Tante- Take him into the cell with his aunt
Opfer rituellen’- Sacrifice ritual
Wo nimmst du sie- where are you taking her<
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Folterkammer- torture chamber
Der konig- the king
“Ja.”- yes
