Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
All of this was for nothing. They had no idea that the bonds didn’t need to be completed because the power had already been passed on to the next generation. Broken bond or not, the drought power they were salivating over was in Hope, and it’d soon be within the thousands of werewolf babies waiting to be born.
The babies they were waiting to sacrifice.
No part of this horrible, wretched ceremony had to happen, but if I came right out and said that, what would happen to all of us? If they found out step one was complete, it wouldn’t save us. They’d just move right to step two: extract sperm from my fates, kill them, inject me with fertility drugs, and breed me.
I gazed at Edric and Nyx, screams leaking through my teeth as I fought every urge within me to phase through the chains, and bite Cygnus’s fucking head off. I’d never make it in time to stop him ordering the deaths of Nia, Idalia, Miriam, my friends or, gods forbid, those poor little boys.
I wouldn’t be saving us by attacking. I wouldn’t save them by admitting we didn’t need to mate anymore. All I’d be doing was bringing them one step closer to death, and myself a step closer to hell on earth.
I sobbed as Paxton’s shadow fell over me. No, nothing would be accomplished by forcing Paxton to complete a broken bond... nothing except ensuring it’d stay broken forever.
My head thrashed from side to side, releasing my screams to echo through Wolf Nation. For what a compelled Paxton was about to do, I screamed. For what he was about to destroy beyond repair... I screamed.
I didn’t know what it took to repair a broken bond, but I knew deep in my heart, this would destroy any chance of it happening.
Paxton dropped down between my spread legs, hands steadying himself on my thighs.
“Don’t do this, Paxton!” I looked deep in his eyes, beseeching someone that was no longer there. “I know you can hear me. I know you can fight!”
His brow twitched as fingers skated over my gossamer-covered skin, his touch as gentle and loving as that disgusting creep commanded.
“Please, don’t do this.” My throat was thick, sore, and clogged from crying, but I couldn’t stop. “Everyone believes these bonds are for them! That it and we exist for their purposes, but I finally understand now. The bonds are for us.”
Paxton slowly slipped my gown off one side, then the other. He wasn’t hearing a word I was saying, but I pressed on.
“Luame wasn’t punishing me. We were punishing ourselves, because deep down we knew we could have something great—something real—and we sabotaged it,” I croaked, speaking faster as he rose up on his knees, and started taking off his clothes. “And something real, if you want to get it back again, it can’t be forced. It can’t be tricked, or seduced, or logicked. If you want it back, you have to be vulnerable. You have to close your eyes and jump, trusting that the other person will be there to catch you.
“You have to love, Paxton...” I freed my hand, ignoring Cygnus’s bark as I cupped his cheek. “And I do,” I whispered. “I love you.”
He stilled. For the barest possible second, Paxton’s fingers paused on his pants button.
“I love you, Paxton,” I repeated, loud and clear. “So fight them, baby. No matter what those monsters think, omegas were not put on this earth to do an alpha’s bidding. Your true power is inside of you—”
“Enough of this,” Cygnus bellowed. “Tell him to get on with it, Sunella.”
“But—”
“Now!”
“Fight, Paxton!” I screamed as Sunella’s lips parted.
“Paxton Clarke, get it over with.”
“Fight, Paxton!” Nia burst out.
“Mate with her now!”
He grabbed me, wrestling me back down.
“FIGHT!”
“All right already,” Paxton breezed. “Will everyone stop yelling?”
I choked on a cry, eyes popping.
My handsome, wicked love winked at me, grinning that grin. Swooping down, he dropped a kiss on my squawking lips, and whispered, “I love you too.” When he shot to his feet, he was glowing. “Thanks for freeing my hands, shitheads.”
“How!” Cygnus ripped his shirt, partially shifting in his rage. “This is impossi— eugh!” He gagged, water spewing from his throat.
Within seconds, Orion, Badr, the secret police, and the council were on their knees, clutching their throats. Faces reddening, eyes popping, hands releasing their weapons to claw desperately at their throats.
Ash didn’t waste a moment.
Sprinting across the room, the woman dove headfirst through the serving window, shifting before her paws hit the floor. “Boys, look away,” she ordered in wolfspeak.
They clapped their hands over their eyes, but I didn’t.
Ash snapped her jaw over the man’s pale and bulging face, and ripped it right off. Whipping around, she slammed the full force of her body into his—throwing him across the kitchen into the steel-plated wall. Absolutely every bone broke on impact, and they didn’t heal.