Destiny paused, listening intently. Did she hear laughter?

She practically ran, trying to follow the sound. She had been searching for Zerina for so long she had lost track of time. Neither her nor Fate could find her in the stars, or the surface of the earth. That left only two options: a magic spell was hiding her, or Hades had her.

The two sisters had decided the best way to find Zerina was to split up. Fate was searching different dimensions, while Destiny was going to find a way inside Hades to see if she was there. She hoped that Fate could find her. It would be easier to save her from another dimension than trying to get her out of Hades.

Hearing the laughter again, she stared out at the calm lake. Could Poseidon have her? The water god usually kept to the oceans, but he could have hidden Zerina in any body of water. Destiny turned her attention from the water, listening carefully. That would have been one Fate would have searched.

Hearing the sound again, she turned her head. Trees and grass on three sides surrounded the small lake. The fourth had a large rock that hung over the water. It was a beautiful, idyllic spot in a world that had become uglier with each rise of the sun.

The only reason this remote spot remained untouched was there wasn’t anything around to draw the looters and gangs who were destroying everything in their path.

Staring intently at the rocks, she narrowed her eyes at the water below. Was she imagining that the water was moving?

She started to kick off her shoes. She had dressed like a human so that, if she was seen, they would take her as one.

The feeling of having eyes on her had her turning to look over her shoulder. The sight of a large wolf running toward her had Destiny waving her hand to transport herself. Before she could complete the motion, though, she found herself pinned underneath the wolf’s large body.

“Get off me, you big mutt!” she snarled at Rocque.

The lord transformed himself from the wolf to the grinning man she despised. “Is that any way to greet me when I just saved your life?”

“You didn’t save my life. Only Mother can end my life.”

“Don’t doubt Hades’ power. You anger Hades, he’ll make you beg to end your immortal life.”

“I’m not afraid of Hades.” She hit him on his shoulder. “Get off me!”

“If you’re not afraid of Hades, you’re an idiot.” Rocque stood up, helping her to feet and keeping a firm grip on her arm. When she tried to shrug his hand away so she could transport, he only tightened his hold.

“You’re really beginning to make me angry. Release me, Rocque, or when I return home, I’ll tell Mother.”

“I expected you to threaten me with moredire warnings than Mother. You don’t want to threaten me with a litter of pups?”

“I don’t have time to trade insults with you! I’m trying to find Zerina.” She tried to use her nails to peel his hand away from her.

“I know what you’re doing,” he said, moving her away from the water and toward the trees.

Destiny tried to dig her heels into the grass, not wanting to go with him. He didn’t give her the choice, propelling her forward into the thick forest.

“You mangy mutt!” Her anger switched to desperation when they entered the forest. She was entering familiar territory. It was his domain. Rocque could turn into anything, from the smallest flower to the tallest trees. As lord of his domain, anything alive protected him.

Once they entered the forest, she found herself surrounded by wolves. One particular bitch snapped at her as he forced her deeper into the woods.

“If that bitch snaps at me again, I’m going to knock those teeth out!” she snarled at the bitch who, despite her threats, snapped at her again, nipping her bottom through the thick material of her jeans.

“You fucking bitch!” Destiny managed to catch a handful of fur. Before Rocque could stop her, she yanked a large tuft of hair loose.

When the bitch whined, he reached down to soothe the ruffled fur, giving Destiny a glowering frown.

“She fucking started it—”

Destiny found herself pushed onto a low limb, which a tree helpfully lowered at Rocque’s command.

“You piece of shit!” She tried to right herself, to find the limb above her lowering to pin her in place. She kicked out, trying to get loose. Her dignity forgotten, she then cursed Rocque and the bitch that had started the fight.

“That fucking bitch—”

Her scream filled the forest when Rocque smacked her bottom.

“You son of a bitch! When Mother finds out you hit me, she’s going to turn you into a goat!”

Another hard smack fell on her bottom.

“Don’t you dare—”

Again, her bottom was struck. Every time she opened her mouth to curse at Rocque, it was met with his hand. Stubbornly, she refused to be quieted.

“The only reason you like being a wolf is it gives you a bigger dick! These bitches may think you’re a stud, but you’re nothing but—”

Rapid spanks to her bottom had her sobbing and lying quietly over the limb.

“I’ve had enough of your disdain.” Rocque moved to stand in front of her, motioning his wolves back. “You are fighting the inevitable; why?”

Destiny refused to look up at him, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about.

“You think I don’t know you watch me? That you choose lovers to anger me, and not because you want to be in their bed? I claimed you the first time you stepped into my forest. You transported out before I could take you, but it doesn’t make my claim any less. You’re mine. You were mine when you shared their beds. You are mine despite your denials to Mother that you don’t know who your mate is. More importantly, you’ve denied it to yourself.”

“I’m not!”

“You are, Destiny. You are my mate.” With a wave, the limb on top of her rose. Taking her arm before she could transport, he straightened her before moving them deeper into the woods.

She knew where Rocque was taking her. She wanted to beg him to release her, but she knew he would remain unmoved by her pleas.

She had run from her own destiny for centuries, and now her time had run out, unless she could escape or bargain her way out. Fate had bargained to escape the fate that was in store for her with Odin. Her sister had no intention of sharing Odin’s bed when the last of her daughters returned her home.

She racked her brain, trying to find something, anything to keep her from being Rocque’s mate. However, as the day wore on, she hadn’t come up with anything. Frantically, she tried to think faster when she realized they were almost to Rocque’s home.

When he waved his hands and huge trees moved aside, showing a large cabin in a grassy glen, fear had her nearly managing to get away from him. He grabbed her around the waist, though, carrying her toward the entrance of his secret lair.

“Rocque, if you let me find Zerina, I’ll willingly go with you. Help me, and I swear I’ll do anything you want!”

The lord laughed down at her. “You think to make a fool of me like Odin? I don’t think so, Destiny. Why should I bargain with you when I already have you?”

Rocque turned her around when they were past the trees. Waving his hand, he closed the portal, leaving no chance of escape. When the trees stopped moving, their protection back in place, he released her.

Destiny dropped to her knees, crying. She was trapped until Rocque decided to let her go. Mother wouldn’t help, because she wanted the children that Destiny was destined to have with Rocque. Fate wouldn’t help, or she would lose her powers for interfering. As much as Fate loved her, she needed her powers to find and help Zerina.

“I hate you.” She didn’t yell it out; she just stated the cold, hard truth, seeing Rocque wince as if she had struck him.

“Get up, Destiny. Come and meet your new family.”

“They will never be my family.” She stared up at him coldly.

“You know that’s not true. Give them a chance. Give me a chance. If you want to leave when Zerina returns home, I won’t stop you.”

She looked at him doubtfully.

“I’m telling the truth. I’ll not only let you leave, but I’ll take my claim back.”

“You give me your word?”

Rocque nodded, clenching his hand into a fist and hitting it on his chest over his heart. “You have my word; I will release you when Zerina returns home.”

Destiny got to her feet, ignoring the hand that he held out to her. “Fine, I’ll stay, but I’m not going to like it.”

Rocque clenched his jaw in anger. “Something tells me I’m not going to like it, either.” He arrogantly strode away from her, leaving her to stand alone.

When the wolves around her transformed into humans, their contemptuous looks had her feeling ashamed.

One attractive woman who had long brown hair gave a sniff of disgust as she walked past her, flipping her hair. Destiny had to jerk her face away to keep from getting hit with it.

“Bitch, do that again, and you’ll have another bald spot to match the other one I gave you.”

Destiny watched as the bitch went into the cabin behind Rocque and the rest of his pack.

She looked for a place to sit, tired after the long journey with him holding her every step of the way.

Going to the large porch, she took a seat on the top step, angry at herself for letting Rocque get close enough to catch her. She had dodged him so many times, only to fail when she sensed that she was close to finding Zerina.

Destiny heard them talking inside. The twelve members of his pack were actually Rocque’s private guard. The highly skilled hunters and warriors were deadly to anyone who came too close to their leader. He had chosen the most efficient, fearsome warriors from throughout time, gifting them with immortality in return for their loyalty. He kept the number of his guards to eight just because they were that good.

Rocque commanded legions in his capacity as lord. He could make a tree fall with a single word, then make them grow with another. He could turn himself into an animal as large as an elephant, or as small as a fly. He could control swarms of bees and herds of horses. Anything that was alive was at his command and under his protection, which was why she had no intention of being his mate.

Rocque was always surrounded by his guard. The five men and three women were constantly together. Destiny liked being on her own. She had a small castle that she never visited, content helping others find their destiny, not wanting to find her own.

No one knew their own future, and that included both her and Fate. They were only given glimpses. Fate was the stronger of them, though. Destiny knew she wouldn’t dare sacrifice the things that Fate had to for Mother.

So far, she wasn’t pleased with Mother’s choice of mate for her. Mother might have pretended not to know who her mate was, but she had. The wily woman knew more than she let on, and she expected Destiny to eventually fall in line with her plans.

Getting to her feet, she looked up at the sky.

“I’m not going to take him as my mate!” she railed. “You can butt into Fate’s life, but stay out of mine!”

When the sun kept smiling down at her, her shoulders drooped. Then she heard the rustling of leaves in the trees and could have sworn she heard Mother’s beautiful voice say, “Be at peace, Destiny. Rocque and I aren’t asking for anything that isn’t willingly given. Choose wisely when you deny him as your mate. Your sister, as well as mankind’s fate, could rest in your hands.”

“Neither you, Fate, nor I can determine man’s fate. Man does,” Destiny whispered, knowing Mother could hear her.

Sorrow filled Mother’s voice. “No, it rests in yours.”