Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Natalia struggles violently as she’s forcefully contained between the two members of my pack. Veronica reaches forward and grips both sides of Natalia’s mouth as she screams; she pulls with all her force against the vampire’s jaws until they finally snap and separate. A shattered scream ricochets against the hard walls as Natalia’s life is ended.
Vince releases the dead vampire, but Veronica’s dark eyes are fixated on Natalia’s tormented face. Her body is covered in blood and still badly wounded, but she disregards Vince as he tries to take her in his arms. Her fingers wrap around one of Natalia’s fangs and she rips out the pair in turn before smiling in triumph at her dreadful victory. Vince raises his brows in question at his mate when she finally looks at him.
“For my queen.” Her softly spoken words offer an explanation that Vince accepts as she heaves in a steadying breath. He opens his arms to her and she immediately goes to him, finally resting in his embrace.
They’re safe. My pack is safe. Even that knowledge doesn’t grant me reprieve, though. I need my mate. With my shoulders heaving as I attempt to calm, all I know is that I need my mate.
“I’m glad they used the guns I gave them.” Alec’s voice resonates in the quiet warehouse as he walks slowly to where Theo’s and Marcus’s bodies lay, still trembling in shock. “They’ll talk if they want to live. All we need is one to tell us what we want to know.”
“Is it over?” I question, eager to leave and return to Grace.
Alec glances around the room before settling his kind eyes on me. His large hand raises and slaps against my shoulder.
“It’s never over, my dear friend. But this battle has come to an end.” He gives me a weak smile before walking to join Carol. No one has escaped unscathed, but we’ll all heal. Except for the vampires who dared to betray the Authority. Two will live to give answers, but they won’t live long after.
I will get back to my mate. I will love her and she will love me.
Heaving in a breath, I know that’s all that matters. With death surrounding us and corruption in every corner of our world, our pack is safe and that’s all that matters.
Grace
Devin hasn’t taken his hands off of me. A warmth swept over me the second he stepped foot on the estate, and it hasn’t left. With every soft hum that vibrates up his strong chest, it only intensifies. It’s not the heat, it’s something else that sparks between us. With his back braced against the threshold to the kitchen, he holds me close to him, his hand running soothing strokes up and down my back. His chin rests on the top of my head and every so often, he kisses my crown.
Each time he does, a smile is pulled to my lips.
Even if he was broken and bruised when he arrived, the shower seems to have cleansed all of that away. For each of them, every member of my pack.
The night has set and the sun will no doubt be rising soon, but the adrenaline hasn’t left the room.
I shift against Devin to peek at Veronica and Vince in the corner nook of the room. Something’s changed between them, something possessive and raw. Something that’s dropped her guard and that’s not the only noticeable change between them but it’s so hard to place what’s changed.
“Did something happen?” I whisper the question to Devin, peeking up at him through my thick lashes, exhaustion beginning to weigh my eyes down.
“Nothing that didn’t have to happen. It all happened as it should.” He kisses my temple and the warmth spreads throughout me once again as I close my eyes, feeling a familiar comfort I associate solely with my mate wash over me. “Fate conspired in our favor.”
I can’t help but whisper back, “Something’s changed,” and when I open my eyes, Veronica’s sharp gaze meets mine. There’s only a knowing look that she gives me before Vince cups her chin in his large hand and kisses her. He takes her lips with his and the gentleness between them is genuine and it shouldn’t surprise me so, but it does. It’s not unlike Caleb, Dom and Lizzie.
“A lot has changed very quickly, sweetheart,” Devin murmurs into my hair and I shake my head, refusing to let the shift go.
“Something … something in the air is different,” I say and the moment the thought leaves me, a chill runs down my shoulders. Devin’s hand soothes the goosebumps that appear on my arm, running down my arm in the chill’s wake.
In only his shirt and a baggy pair of gray sweats, I know I don’t look glamourous, but I wanted to smell him. I wanted to feel him here when he was away. It helped, but not much. The lonesomeness that came over me … Lizzie felt it too. As if she heard her name in my thoughts, she glances over to me with a gentle simper. But my friend doesn’t give me too much attention for too long. How could she, with both beasts on either side of her? Just as Devin hasn’t stopped touching me, they haven’t stopped touching Lizzie. The atmosphere is far more joyous between them, and I do feel the same relief, the same contentedness. I can’t deny I feel whole in his arms.