Bloodbound Destiny

To make sure I would be a wonderful wife to my mate, my mother imparted numerous skills to me. How to cook and keep the home. She would have been better off guiding me in the restraint required not to stab the said mate when he proved himself a short-witted drunkard with an acid tongue.My temper was under extreme testing today. "What are you doing? Carspey asked, bending over my shoulder and his breath stinging mead. “Cleaning the catch.” Huffing out an angry breath, Carspey yanked the knife from my fingers, nearly slicing open my palm. I don’t like the way you do it.” His lip twisted. “The way you are doing it is wrong. Pack members complain.” That was true, but it wasn’t complaints about fish. My lovely mate was a child of the gods, having the moon goddess gifted him a drop of Njord blood at his conception, which gave him immense power over the creatures of the sea. Instead of utilizing it to care for our pack, he used it to deny other pack fishermen of any catch even as

It took me hours to finish with the catch. I loaded the trolley for Carspey before selecting two choice fish for my mother. By that time, the excitement of my experience with the warrior had vanished, replaced with the sobering reality that Carspey lived, that I was his mate and that I had enraged him. Wind whistled down the mountains, carrying with it the smell of melting snow, and I breathed, grateful to be away from the stink of fish and intestines and my guilt, though a fair quantity of all three still clung to my garments. Pine needles crunched beneath my boots, filling my nose with their strong aroma and alleviating the tightness in my shoulders. It was fine. It would all be alright. This wasn’t the first time I’d battled with Carspey, and it wouldn’t be the last. I’d survived a year with him already and I’d withstand another. And another.But I wanted to accomplish more than just survive. I wanted my days to be more than the time I needed to endure. I wante

Exactly what do you wish to achieve? he asked Alpha Orion. You want proof she can’t fight? Here—” He swung at me. I fell back with a cry, tripping on a root and falling on my arse, dropping my weapon. There’s your proof. Send her back to her mate and the fish. That is not the proof I seek, Alpha Orion responded, and my stomach flipped with the worry that this would cost me far more than pride. I got to my feet to discover that the other warriors had my brother by the arms, holding him back. Carspey sniggered from beyond. To first blood, then? Tristan demanded. There was rage in his voice, the flames of his axe blazing with intensity. He didn’t want this fight, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t do it to prove his loyalty. To do otherwise risked terrible consequences, which I doubted he would be ready to incur for a lady he didn’t know. No. Alpha Orion dismounted and transferred the reins of his horse to another warrior before crossing his arms. To the death. My

Alpha Orion signaled for his troops to pull Declan to his feet. “You will keep your ring and place, Declan, but we must address the matter of your loyalty. You knew I sought a daughter of Freyja yet said nothing to me of your sister, despite knowing the goddess’s blood flowed in her veins. For that, you must be punished.” He hefted the axe he had.“No!” The yell tore from my lips, shrill with panic. “You gave your word!” I went to step between them, but Tristan was faster. He caught me about the waist, hauling me backward until my shoulder blades smashed into his chest. “He won’t kill him,” he murmured in my ear, breath hot. “Once it is done, it will be done. Don’t get in the way.” “Let me go!” I resisted and fought, trying to slam my heels down on his boots, but he merely lifted me off my feet like a child. “Declan !” My brother stood straight-backed with his chin up. Accepting his fate. Alpha Orion swung. The flat of the blade struck my brother in the shin, th

Nausea rolled up inside me, and I wrenched from Tristan’s embrace to vomit, though all that came up was bile. The force of it forced me to my knees and would’ve seen my hand planted into the dirt if Tristan hadn’t caught my elbow, holding it aloft. “Lovely.” Luna Lyra heaved out a breath. “Bring her inside. Assuming she lives, this will be her home now.” Home. As Tristan hoisted me, careful not to touch my hand, my gaze flew to the skyscraper we stood before. A huge hall. Though structured the same as any other home, this structure was twice the height of any I’d ever seen, the planks forming the walls carved with runes and knotwork, and the double entrances huge enough to allow five men to enter at once. Tristan directed me toward one of the numerous cots in the room. I lay down, the furs under me thick and plush, as were those Tristan put over me, though they did nothing to drive away the frost. I shuddered and shook, most of the water from the cup he held to my mout