Novels by Rosie Griffin

It was a rare moon that tied with the Winter Equinox and the Human celebration of Christmas. A tradition that I have always embraced for my children. Afterall, they spent their first years immersed in human culture. Yet Christmas Eve, with snow falling thick and fast through leafless trees, was when Kylar and I married. My residency was completed and felt as though it was part of a life I’d nearly forgotten. Between our children and the medical practice, I’ve been busy enough and can’t imagine fitting in any additional responsibilities. The sky was white with snow clouds but the trees were covered in fairy lights that twinkled in a gentle golden glow. I’m excited, butterflies filling my insides, as though I didn’t see him yesterday.I’m stood at the back of the pack house, in a beautiful satin dress that clings to all of my slender curves. I’ve styled my hair down in loose curls, just how he likes it. I should be nervous, but I’m not. The dress has a mermaid train that kicks out

The second morning of the trial turned out to be the last. Much to the relief of everyone within Midnight Forest, and I imagine Silver Stream as well. The sky was clear, but cloudy. A storm brewing on the horizon, black clouds swirling around the distant forest. A storm we sat within the centre of. The air heated and uneasy as we waited in a calm filled with fraught anticipation.I sat beside Kylar, trying not to pay too much attention to just how incredible he looked in a slate grey tailored suit and black shirt. I still can’t believe that he is mine, that he is my Mate. But despite how awful events have been, I am so incredibly happy to be beside him. With Kylar, I feel at home. With my children, I feel complete.We waited, sitting back among the rows of hundreds of Wolves. Kylar was sitting upright, scanning the tree line for any more trouble. Every now and then I would catch a glimpse or a sense of a Midnight Forest patrol. I knew that there were a lot of Pack members, because I

AvaI’m grateful, and very relieved when about an hour after he passes out, Kylar stirs. He sits up, blinking at me. Frowning, the top of his chest dotted with beads of sweat as his body fought off the nasty infection from the fangs of a werewolf. He stretches out and I sink onto the sofa beside him passing him a glass of fresh water to sip.‘How are you doing?’ I look him over, but it’s clear that the effect of the silver in his bloodstream has worn off. It really does affect us badly. I can understand why he tried so desperately to free Elsbeth from the magically imbued cage, but it wasn’t worth the toll on his body. But that’s my Mate, as wonderful and intelligent as he is. He often thinks with his heart instead of his head. I smooth his hair back as he drinks as though he’s dying of thirst. Technically he is, his body will be working on overdrive to restore the blood that was lost.‘Thirsty,’ he replies, voice gruff. ‘The Queen was here?’ He peers at me, heavy brows drawn toge

Without any more time to think, I’m thrown clear of the Star Bitten Brother. I skid over the dirt and I’m on my paws again. I let Sabre take control. The Brother might be huge and even a decent fighter, but he hasn’t made it his career to be a hunter and a killer.I’m on him again, aware that the second has been brought down by a pair of black wolves with silver streaks. I can hear the human, shrieking voice of Elsbeth, an irritation in the back of my mind as I snap at my foe. He twists, sinking his teeth into my leg but I’m on him. He’s hurt me more than anyone has managed in years, but I won’t make the same mistake twice. I lunge, catching hold of his neck again and snap. He drops, soundless beneath me. Dead to the ground and I land on top of him. I kick away at his body, putting distance between us before I morph back.Luca’ is wrestling with Elsbeth at the edge of the nearest Prison block set with silver. She’s in human form again and he’s changed back, trying to catch her ha

The King opens proceedings with a short speech before he and his wife take their seats on one side of the platform. My Father remains in the middle, waiting for hush to fall again before he asks for the first of the Rogue’s to be brought forward. There are nine elected elders from different Packs, representing different areas of the North America’s what will conduct the interviews of the Rogues, for everyone gathered to witness. Part of me hopes that this will be over in a day, but I know it’s more likely to take at least a week.Werewolf justice is often swift and brutal, but calling together a full conclave with royalty in attendance, always slows proceedings down. In reality, I find it hard to concentrate. I can see Ava watching my Father intently, and then as the gathered Elders take up their own seats on either side of our rulers. What she is either trying to ignore, or hasn’t noticed. Is that the Queen and the Goddess's representative among us, has not looked away from her,

Kylar There are more Wolves and Alpha’s in the Midnight Forest than I ever thought was possible. Our Village has always served as the main hub for the region and it has a decent number of guest houses in case of an event. Yet they’re all full, and so are the guest accommodations in each of the subsidiary villages. I haven’t had as much time as I, or Sabre would like to spend with our Mate over the past few days, or the twins. I feel like I’ve spent all my days driving or running through the territory to meet the Sub’s that head up the different villages. They’re Wolves that might be considered Beta’s. I know most of them as friends, something I’m grateful for.If something ever happened to Luca, I’d still have backup. Even better, is the organisation of our military strength. It’s why I always have such a good pick of skills to fill out my missions. I try to bring along someone from each Sub once a year. To make sure we’re all staying in contact.What it means, is that our command

Lana’s POVIt’s hard to explain the withering feeling within as Thade turns to me with his accusation. The same creeping feeling of sickness moving through my body, the numbness in my limbs as realisation settles. He still doesn’t trust me. He can wear me down, be intimate with me and it doesn’t mean the same to him.I take a slow step back, shaking my head.‘No,’ I reply, voice soft with defeat. ‘No I didn’t tell anyone, this is the first time I’ve left the Palace in over a Month, I just want to enjoy my freedom and not be attacked.’He watches me, reaching out to touch a hand to my shoulder, his expression softening as the adrenaline surge starts to ease from his body. I take another step back, hurt by his accusations.‘You’ve got blood…’ I lift my hand to my cheek. His jaw is coated in blood, it’s splattered over his bare torso and a body barely covered in tattered clothes. He hesitates for a heart beat before turning and walking away to catch Koal and pulls spare breeches and a tu

‘Who told you?’ Lana nudges her horse a step forward, even though Ember lifts her head, tossing her mane. I nudge Koal alongside her, unwilling to let my wife out of reach. Did she plan this? She certainly doesn’t seem afraid or surprised as I would have expected. ‘Never you mind, Majesty,’ the man smiles from where he stands. He’s holding a mace in his hand, the large spiked metal end is a menacing threat that he taps his fingers again. ‘But you’ll be coming with us.’‘No I won’t,’ Lana replies before I can signal her to stop. I’m impressed by her courage, but the Lana I know is usually quite timid when faced with danger. ‘I won’t be going anywhere,’ she sounds certain and as confused as I am I can only respect her audacity.‘We don’t want to hurt nobody,’ the man looks over to me with a sneer. He could have been the brother of the drunk who fell against our bedroom door. He has the same protruding belly and greasy hair trying to escape from his head. The same dark eyes. I sniff th

I’m on my feet, Lana rolling away across the sheets of the bed. It takes two strides to cross the room and pull the door open. A man tumbles in, falling on his side. His eyes wide as he stares up at my naked bollocks. He’s balding, his left over hair clings to the side of his head like an unwelcome vine on a house. I reach down, hauling him to his feet as Kalik reacts to the stench long before I can. It hits me hard and I hold the man away from myself, hanging him from the sweat drenched collar of his shirt.‘What are you doing here?’ I demand, hoping that I’m blocking enough sight of Lana with my body in the door.His eyes roll in his head as he squints, trying to focus on me. His face is red and puffy and the overwhelming reek is alcohol in his sweat.‘Ish my room!’ He protests and I sigh, I cross the corridor to the room I was assigned, tear open the door and throw him in. I don’t have time or the energy for such pettiness or to take revenge on a drunk. I turn back to the room, t

I don’t remember drifting off to sleep. The room is hot and stuffy without the air moving beyond the window. Summer heat bakes down on all of Illure and is trapped within the four walls. We’re still lying atop the covers, but fully dressed. I’m far too hot, sweat coating my skin beneath my clothes. One minute Thade and I were talking about magic seeping away from Illure and trying to replace it by increasing the population of Otherworld and then there’s just oblivion. Dreams I don’t remember as I lay awake, the sun beating down on the forests and the fields beyond as I watch him in his sleep.He looks peaceful, the lines of his face softened. His beard has grown back in the weeks since the wedding and covers his jaw and top lip. His mouth is soft, lips full beneath the line of his nose and the heavy set of his brows. Have I ever seen him so close in daylight? His lashes are impossibly long and beautiful. I want to let him rest. He clearly needs sleep. Yet there’s a gnawing worry in my

Thade’s POVI stroke my thumb over Lana’s cheek. It’s hard to define what I feel when I’m close to her. A longing to be closer still. To meet Kilak’s demands and make her my bonded mate, to claim her as a Wolf and mark her. It’s a demand that’s growing harder to fight, especially when she looks up at me with her beautiful green eyes, with trust.I take a slow step back and offer my hand to my wife. She accepts, frowning in a way I’ve come to recognise. She’s not sure of my intentions but she’s willing to play along for now.‘We should get some rest,’ I offer her what I hope is a comforting smile. I feel completely drained, but at least Lana no longer thinks I killed my old friend and mentor, Adulphus. I wanted to talk outside of the room where he died, because it’s not somewhere I enjoy standing.I lead Lana out into the corridor where Moira has been waiting patiently. She looks between us and I can hear her scorn in my head.Seriously, you’re playing nice with the Nix?I don’t reply,

'What do you see?' Thade's voice was a low vibration, barely audible over the sudden, thrumming silence of the room. He kept his distance, a predator giving its prey just enough room to breathe, yet his presence was a heavy weight against my skin. I closed my eyes, forcing myself back into the jagged shards of that memory. The room in my mind began to shimmer, the mundane furniture dissolving into a complex web of arcane energy. It was a suffocating lattice of light, criss-crossed with a magic that felt both ancient and erratic.'You,' I whispered, my voice trembling as the vision intensified. 'I see your magic. That raw, power that pulses like a second heartbeat when we're close.' I found myself chewing on my bottom lip, the metallic tang of blood a sharp contrast to the ethereal sights. 'I see it beneath your skin sometimes, a swirling blue choked with storm-clouds of grey. Back then, the entire room was saturated with it. It was like breathing in lightning.' I let out a long, shaky