“Not sure, but it was less of a burden when I wasn't carrying it on my own,” he tells me beforepassing my Tyson. I set him on the bed, and Liam handed him his blanket.

"Something to think about,” he says, and I nod before he leans down, pressing his lips to myforehead.

"And congrats on your mate,” he chuckles. “Gannon was practically bouncing with excitement overyou marking him,” Liam tells me. My face heats, making me wonder if he heard us earlier.

"He is a good man Gannon,” Liam tells me, and I nod, yet I remember his words when he threatenedme over Gannon. He said the same thing then, too, before telling me he wasn't good.

“So are you, Liam,” I tell him. He shakes his head.

"A few people would say otherwise,” he tells me.

A

“That's because they don’t know you. They don't see past the crazy. But I see you,” I tell him, and henods. “Just as I see you,” he says before walking out.

Liam and I were going over the timeline in the ballroom and adding in all the parts about Sia.Looking at how they overlapped, not only with the attacks and council but also with Ester.

Abbie, however, had to leave. She said she felt unwell; I knew it was because she couldn't see Peterbe commanded over his mother. Yet we proved his intentions and innocence, which I knew relievedKyson tremendously. As everyone else went to bed, it was just Liam and me here.

I was staring at the board as a whole as we wrote the last parts when the mindlink opened up.“Gannon, get to your quarters immediately!” Kyson says through the link.

“Are Abbie and Tyson alright?” I ask, noticing the distress in his tone, yet I was already walking out ofthe ballroom.

“Azalea and I will take Tyson for the night. Just get to your room!” Kyson snaps at me.

“I'm on my way. What is going on?” I asked when I felt Abbie’s distress which made me pick up mypace as I took the stairs two at a time.

“Can't you feel her, Gannon! Abbie is in heat!” Kyson says. I swallowed and stopped in panic,knowing once up there, it wouldn't just be her overwhelmed with instinct but myself, yet the bondtugged painfully with the need to go to her, and I started running up to the room.

As I climb the last staircase, I see Tyson in Trey's arms, and the King slips out of my room, makingme growl at him as her scent permeates off him. He holds his hands up and backs away from mewhile I shake the urge to attack him off for touching her. The entire reeked of her heat, and my cockstrained painfully hard in my pants.

Stepping into the room, I see Azalea leaning over Abbie. “Gannon can make it go away," shereassures my mate, reason told me nothing was wrong with Azalea being near her, but instinct faroutweighed logic right now as I growl at her, making her jump up and move away from her.

“It's Azzy, Gannon,” Abbie whines, and my head whips toward her. I blink, trying to rid the hazebefore moving toward the bed, and Azalea rushes out.

My instincts were taking over my sensibilities. Abbie had been through so much, and I had to forcemyself to remember that. I didn't want to hurt her. But by the moon goddess, her scent was tryingme into a rut. I could feel my pupils dilating. She was balled up in the middle of the bed panting.

u rougher as I answered, "Abbie, do you understand what you are asking t know who was morefrightened at what this meant, her or me. Yet her 35 skyrocketing, and she groaned, her face flushedas she writhed in pain r gan shredding her clothes and let out a breathy response, “Yes, I do,” shesaid in rd voice She was ripping her own clothes off as I went towards her. Her skin kard with sweatas she was now lying on the tattered remains of her clothes.

pred my hardest not to let her scent overtake me, but it was too late. A snarl escapes me makingher jump. The last thing I wanted was for her to fear me. I climbed on the bed Sony pulling herdown directly under me.

I need you to listen to me very carefully. Abbie. It is going to hurt at first. That is something I cannotprevent from happening. Her breathing was coming out in shaky mervals as she nodded, “Are yousure you understand what I'm saying, Love?”

“Yes, Gannon. Please make this pain stop!” she cried out Her skin was so hot, her heat making mesweat as her skin heated against mine and I pressed my weight down on her watching her reactionto me pushing her into the bed.

ve she doesnt freak out, I let out a deep breath before i kiss her, my tongue delving

pasi hesaps as i taste every part of her mouth. Abbie let out a moan and kissed me back

amor lyther tongue tangling with mine as she rocked her hips against me. My hand trails down herside, pushing her leg apart before trailing my fingertips over her core.

My heart skipped a beat, wondering how she would react when I slipped my fingers inside tebecause I needed to stretch her or I may hurt her. My lips travel down her cheek. Then Oherned, as irub my fingers over her clit while sucking on her mark Abbie’s hips lift, 201 my finger inside her atthe same time, letting my calling wash over her. Her

a la canch around my finger, and I withdraw it slowly before adding another, stretching 1.21

Snem m tanirubbed herinner walls with my fingers, eurling them deep inside her Henna Duck anddemand more So itwisted and pumped into her with my thumb Cooking heet Herr po rocked to therhythm I set as she became lost to her heat and care teef over to her basentonctowhich made merelax a little

My cock was becoming panfully hard the longer i tried to delay the inevitable Abbie sucked andlicked my lops and neck Her clawa dug into my back attempting to tug me

closer to her. She pushed my hand away and grabbed my dick. Her tiny hands stroked my lengthand I groaned at the warmth and softness of her hand wrapped around me. There would be noturning back from this.

As she stroked me, she pulled me closer before letting me go. Her hands moved over my chest asshe kissed and nipped my flesh. I pressed the head against her core before looking at her forconfirmation, yet she was too far gone to her heat.

But the way she lifted her hips was enough confirmation as my tip breached her entrance. I thrustslowly, breaching my head past her opening. A slight hiss escaped her followed with a groanmaking me still until she pushed back against me.

It was taking all my willpower not to bury myself in her as I slowly advanced until I was completelysheathed in her confines, allowing her to get used to the sensation and the fullness.

I rocked back and forth until she told me she wanted more. Only then did I increase my pace,pumping deeper, grinding my hips against hers.

“More, I want more!” I don't think she knows what she is asking, I would die inside if I hurt her, yether claws scratching down my back told me I was doing anything but hurt her. Yet that didn’t lessenmy worry. The last thing she needed was for me to break her again.

Abbie must have sensed my fear gripping my face as she looked into my eyes, “It's okay, I trustyou."

She kissed me passionately as I pumped harder and faster. Her body responded to my thrusts withsounds of pleasure. Her muscles contracted, putting a choke hold on my cock. Abbie was a moaningmess as I felt her orgasm wash over her, milking my dick, her body spasming, and her wallsclenching me tightly as she came undone and cried out.

I kissed her, swallowing her screams as her orgasm washed through her. And it didn't take longbefore I felt my knot swell. With a groan, I spill myself inside her tight confines, my knot locking ustogether, her walls flutter around me and squeezing me tight as I ride it out, and my lips go to hersWe both lay there breathless, I rolled her with me, placing her on top waiting for my knot to godown. I brushed the hair from her eyes, “Don’t move, Love. I knotted you and need you to stay stillwhile it goes down.” Abbie’s eyelids became heavy as she nodded in response. I held her against mychest, closing my own eyes as I felt her temperature start dropping as her heat abated.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed. My knot had gone down, allowing me to slide out of her.Abbie stirred, and her scent flared up again.

This was the difference between she-wolves and Lycans. Their heat could last from hours to days,whereas Lycan females only need a knot to make their heat die down. Abbie groans, rocking herhips against me, her teeth grazing down my chest as her claws rake down my sides.

She purrs, licking and nipping my skin, and I grip her hips, lifting her back onto my cock, this timeletting her do as she pleased while she followed her instincts while she was in the throes of her heat.Time passed, and I lost track of it as her heat lasted longer than even I expected. Yet when it finallystopped, we were both exhausted, and my body felt heavy as we both fell asleep. However, the restwe weren't granted when I heard the mind link open.

"All guards look out for Tyson, Gannon, and Abbie’s son,” Kyson yells across the link, which has mesitting upright.

"What about Tyson?" I boomed through the link. Yet Dustin was the one who answered, and Abbiewas already out of bed with renewed energy, and so was I, as fear and panic coursed through us.My adrenaline was pumping as Dustin explained what was happening.

——

Azalea POV

"He isn't inside in the kitchens or laundry. I checked the cellar too,” Tandi calls out as we search forTyson.

“I just don't get why he would run off,” I tell her as she reaches me.

“We'll replace him. He couldn't have got far,” Tandi tells me, looking around. The storm had reallypicked up. The clouds closed in and took the light with it as thunder boomed loudly and lightningstreaked the sky with flashes of streaking light.

"He was right here, though. He was right here, tugging at my shirt, looking at them .."

“The ducks!" I blurt, my eyes going to the stables. The ducks were no longer on the little hill abovethe stables, and my heart fluttered in my chest.

"The lake!” I shrieked in panic as I took off toward the stables. I rush to the narrow path and lookdown toward the lake and small pier. I couldn’t see him anywhere when Tandi nudged me.

“There!” she says, pointing toward the stables where the ducks were huddled outside the stabledoors. My eyes widen, and I take off down the path toward the stables. The wind

whips my hair around my face as I reach the bottom just as thunder rumbles across the sky.Followed by the loud crack of lightning.

The duck’s squawk and quack, flapping their wings as I step through them. I rushed into the stables,almost slipping, catching myself on the stable door as I turned and peered inside. Relief floods mewhen I see Tyson chasing a baby duck between the stalls. He had it cornered and was trying to coaxit out with a piece of straw.

“Tyson!” I breathe in relief, clutching my chest. My heart was racing so hard that I thought I wouldhave a heart attack. At the sound of his name, he looks over his shoulder. “Du, Du,” he cackles withlaughter.

“Yes, duck, duck,” I chuckle as Tandi walks in behind me.

“There you are, little man. Gave us a fright,” she says as I scoop him up off the filthy floor. Thehorses were spooked and carrying on. Hay was blowing around the stables from the open doors,making the wind whistle loudly.

"Come on, we should get back before this storm hits. I don't think it will be long before the rainspelt down,” Tandi says as the wind chimes and buckets clang noisily and the rafter creak, the tin roofgroaning under the wind; the horse's hooves on the floor are loud as we make our way back out.“Du, Du,” Tyson says, squirming in my arms, wanting to catch the petrified baby duck.

“No, we can play later. Don’t you want to see mummy?” I ask him when we hear a bang.

"Help!" I stop looking back into the stables at the spooked horses.

“Did you hear that?” I ask Tandi. She looks around but shakes her head, and we head toward thedoors.

“Help!” I hear the sound of choking coughs as we draw nearer to the last stall before the doors. Istop looking at the spooked horse inside.

“I heard that!” Tandi says before we hear the loud banging noise thump again. The horse jumps andgoes up on its back legs, knocking some bales of hay down that were stacked on top of each otherin there with the horse, which I thought was a little odd.

“Help!” comes a croaked voice again before rapid, loud coughing.

“Tanner?” I call out as Tandi opens the gate of the stall. The horse rushes past, and we barely jumpback in time as it barges out of the stables taking off into the storm.

“Damn it!" Tandi curses as she tries to stop it.

"One of the guards will grab her,” I tell her.

“Down here!” comes a barking cough, and Tandi turns to look at the floor and the giant floor-to-ceiling stack of hay that covers the entire rear wall.

“Tanner? Is that you?" I yell out.

"Who is Tanner?” Tandi asks, kicking the hay around to see if he has fallen over in the ruined stall.“The gardener and one of the stable hands,” I tell her when the coughing gets louder, and Tandilooks behind the bales of hay on the far wall of the stall when she steps on something hollow. Shestomps her foot down, and I peer into the stall.

She bends down and sweeps her hand across the floor.

“Down here,” comes the barking noise again, and Tandi sweeps her hand furiously. “Larkin?” sheyells, and I place Tyson down to help her.

“We can't replace him! Where did you go, Azalea?" Trey calls through the mind link.

“We found him," I quickly tell him, having forgotten with all the noise and becoming distracted. Igasped when Tandi hit a handle and looked at me. “Is that a trapdoor?” I whisper to her, forgettingabout Trey in my head.

Tandi pulls on it, but it doesn't budge. “Here, help me,” she groans, and I grab the other handle, andtogether we rip it open. I fall on my ass, tripping over one of the fallen hay bales. Tandi jumps backas it flings open.

"Ah, thank god!” comes the croaky voice of Larkin.

“Larkin?” Tandi says, peering down into the trapdoor. I get to my hands and knees and peek into thetrapdoor, replaceing blue and purple lights. Larkin was tied to a chair that had fallen over. All aroundhim were rows and rows of potted plants beneath the lights on tables. I sniff the air.

“Wolfsbane!” I whisper. My eyes widen at what I see, and I open the mind-link to report to Trey,Liam, and Dustin.

“Trey, we found .."” when I see darkness. Pain rattled across my head, and it was like everythingslowed down.

One second I was peering into the trapdoor. The next, I was on the ground, my eyes zoned out asmy head hit the floor, when a shovel clanged loudly next to my head.

My ears rang loudly, and I could feel the trickle of blood slowly sliver into my vision as it

dripped from where I was hit.

Tyson, I could vaguely hear, was screaming, yet despite being near me, his voice sounded distant. Itried to make sense of what happened before Tandi yelled, and I blinked, fighting to stay conscious,when she was shoved into the trapdoor and slammed the lid

shut.

“Just like that bitch Marissa! Just gotta stick ya nose where it doesn't belong!” I hear an angry voice.The mind link opens, and the last thing I hear is Kyson's panicked voice when Tanner grabs the scruffof my shirt, fisting it below my chin as he lifts me before I see his fist fly toward my face, anddarkness swallows me.

I swallowed, my tongue feeling thick in my mouth, and my arms hung limply by my head. I turn myhead, looking around to replace myself upside down over Tanner's shoulder, and we are deep withinthe woods. The mind link was going crazy when I heard shouting in the distance and smelled thesmoke from a fire somewhere.

The stables are on fire, and I hear people shouting. Tanner curses and mutters, trudging through thewoods, and I remain silent when I hear his phone ringing.

“Kyson!” I murmur through the mind-link, barely able to hold a conscious thought. My head waspounding like a drum, my skin laced in goosebumps from the dropping temperature.

"Where are you, Azzy?" he rushes out.

"Woods. Tanner.” I murmured. My consciousness waned, and I felt queasy and so heavy as I swayedwith each step he took.

“What else did you expect me to do? Just meet me at the tunnels! The plan can still go ahead! Thehunters are already on their way. This changes nothing!” I hear Tanner yell at someone on the phonebefore darkness sweeps over me once again.

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