All things were now in motion for tomorrow. My grandfather had done what I should have expected him to do, and completely took over. He and Uncle Knox were currently talking, arranging what needed to be done. Daxton and Kaleb had been briefed, and were now en-route to the pack. So, very soon, I would have the men who were to be my right-hand men by my side to begin the roles I had requested they take on for me. Admittedly, it was sooner than we expected, but this had pushed their decision forward, and it seemed they were ready to become my Beta and Gamma. I could think of nobody better suited to the roles.I think with them by my side I was ready to become Alpha. Strangely, the thought now did not fill me with the same sickly sensation it had done previously. I did not know if the chat with my Grandfather and Knox had made me view things somewhat differently, or if maybe I had just grown up a little, but things seemed to have changed. I think, maybe the time had arrived for me to take
I left Finn with a strange emptiness within my heart. I did not know how to begin to explain the way I was feeling. Our walk after we had spoken had been a little awkward to say the least. He had all but let me go. Was there anything to say after that? Finn would forever hold a precious place within my heart. Of course he would, but I had needed my space, and I had made my excuses to head home. I had hidden in my room since returning home. Avoiding everyone that I could. I need to be alone.Once home, I went over that conversation so many times within my head. He seemed to be telling me he and I were never meant to be. Athing I had never imagined Finn telling me. We knew we were never fated, but Finn had never been phased by that. So for him to suddenly be so opposed to the thought of the two of us seemed bizarre. Unlike him. Yet, I felt oddly calm about it. However, there was a heaviness that remained above me. I could not decide if that was because the one guy I was closer to than
I watched as Cleo rolled her eyes at my words. Obviously far from impressed with me. I chuckled a little. “Hey come on, all I am asking for is a chance, CC.”“I wasn’t the dick who blew it the moment he realized who I was to him.” Her words were sharp, and the moment she spoke them her gaze dropped, telling me she was trying hard to hide the hurt. She didn’t want this rejection. She had never been okay with it. Kai had said she was hurting. I had been a fool to think she was okay with it. She had agreed to it to save face and nothing more.“Have I blown it completely?” I asked nervously, my heart aching at the possibility that she may well want nothing to do with me. I had all but told her to go and be with another man. I mean, ultimately, Finn was likely a better choice for her. He would love and worship her, of that I had no doubt. But he wasn’t her fated mate. He wasn’t me…Cleo’s gaze t
I awoke with a contentment I could not describe. Cleo had ended our call soon after I had begged her for a chance. But, having had her there, being able to chat to her, had just felt right. It made me realize how much I missed her. How much I needed her presence within my life. And how much that had been missing until I discovered she was my mate. I had fallen asleep easier than I had done in a long time, despite the many thoughts lingering in my mind of what the day ahead would hold, and that was down to Cleo. Thoughts of Cleo pushed any negative thoughts or concerns from my mind. She was the one pulling me through...Contentment was a strange feeling for me. Not something I think I have felt in a long time, if ever. But, I knew today was not going to be easy. My pack was potentially being put in danger. And we did not know what awaited us when we headed to Lunar River. But, the contentment came from a different place. It had nothing to do with the thrill o
Sleep was hard to come by for me. I had fought the incessant compulsion to message Bella to check she was okay, and then the niggling yearning to call her or even drive over to the pack in which she was currently being kept captive to ensure she was safe. I knew that as much as I wanted to do those things, right now they would only cause her trouble. It could ruin all the plans my pack and River Ash had made. I needed to be strong and stick to the arrangements I knew were underway...For me, bringing Bella home could not come soon enough. I had spent the greater part of the night pacing the floors of my grandmother’s home, my mind on my mate and little else. But, thankfully, at some point, I had collapsed onto the sofa and managed to gather some sleep from somewhere. And now, the time was here to meet the others. My younger brother and Daxton having now arrived in pack, though oddly, neither one accepting the offer of coming to stay here with me.Kaleb, I assumed, wanting the evening
I had counted down the seconds until he had walked from the house. Avoiding him in any which way that I could since he had been nasty to me the previous night. I finally felt like I was able to breathe when he walked from the house, and I let Alpha Landon’s cousins know, just as I had been directed to. I just wanted to be safe now. Away from here. Because suddenly, nowhere felt safe. I doubted even my home pack would feel safe…Which was why I had chosen to turn to Kai for help and not my own family. My own family were focused on the arrangement they had in place with the Alpha. The money the arrangement symbolized, and what it could do for our pack. I feared that would override any concerns for me. So, seeking assistance from Kai and Alpha Landon seemed like my only option. I just hoped that whatever they had planned worked.The cousins, Joe or Joey, and Kent or Ken, maybe Kenny (something like that I believed they were called, but I did
My nerves had never been this much on edge. Even when I had been on my first day at Alpha training, I had been less nervous. My lack of sleep had likely added to it, but sleep was never going to find me in this state... I wanted to be there already, dealing with what could be awaiting us. Instead, we were still making our way to Lunar River, and the wait felt like it was slowly killing me… torturing me… a slow and painful death while waiting to discover if my mate was okay. Waiting to discover if I would be able to save her and bring her home with me. Home, where she should belong.“Can you stop tapping your bloody foot?” Landon snapped from his seat next to me. "Or I will bite it off." he added with a snarl, only for his Grandpa to chuckle from the driving seat of the car.“Ever the patient one, Lan. The boy will be nervous. Give him some leeway. Today is not going to be easy for any of us, but this is going to be worst for him, and you know it is. Have some sympathy. You know what th
Lunar River Pack had been what I considered a second home to me for many years, and it was never a place I had dreaded going to; but today, today it felt different. Today, anticipation hung heavy in the air, and a sense of dread sat uncomfortably within my stomach. We drove toward the gate of the pack, and my heart was in my chest. I think what bothered me the most was that I could not shake the feeling that this did not feel like it was going to go the way we wanted.Yet I clung to the hope we were not underestimating the Alpha here and were not about to lose many of our men in what should be a simple rescue mission. Or there could be so many pack members resenting Kai and his mate before they even begin as Alpha and Luna of Midnight Forest…A lingering weight sat over me that I could not rid myself of as we were notified that the leader of the Werewolf Council demanded a meeting with the Alpha, just as my phone buzzed.“Hello?”“Landon!” Joey called down the phone. “Shit is already g
I sat in the lounge, playing games on my laptop, a drink of soda by my side, and music pumping from the speakers. My parents were both out, visiting our grandparents, so I was enjoying the freedom of the house being my own until it was time to head to training.Suddenly the music stopped, causing me to frown, but as I glanced upward I noticed Ana leaning at the door, a scowl upon her face. Wow. My sister looking happy as ever…“Do you need that fucking shit so loud?” she snapped. I am guessing my music choice was not agreeing with her today. Wouldn't be the first time. But she rarely reacted quite so aggresively...I shook my head at her in disbelief. “You got out of the wrong side of bed today, sis?” I asked, a smirk upon my face, knowing that would irritate her more. It was always good fun to annoy my siblings, and with Sergio now gone, I only had Ana left. “Or is it more the wrong bed that you have gotten
Returning home has been strange. It was always hard leaving behind family that we loved spending time with, but this was something we had done since we were small. We loved our visits there, and while it was hard to leave it always gave us something to look forward to in our plans to go back. This time was different though. This time we were leaving Sergio. Leaving my brother on the other side of the world was not what I had expected when we had left home all that time ago. I know fate has it's own plans for us, but I don't think I would have considered this...Home seemed so much emptier without my older brother around. We spoke regualrly via videocall, and he seemed so happy, now having a home within pack, and for that I was happy for him. He deserved his happiness, of course he did. But I hated that everything seemed to be changing so quickly. I guess it was a downside of growing up... Because things had changed when we had returned home too. Uncle Trent having passed away. Seeme
I was loving the new home I had been welcomed into. It was so far from what I had grown up in, and completely different again to what I had been brought into for the arranged marriage my parents had set up. But, Kai and his family had the most beautiful pack, and they had made it feel like a home for me already. I felt like the moon goddess had truly been looking out for me.And the mate she had chosen for me was truly a gift. He was not only handsome, but he was the most considerate and sweetest man I think I had ever met. He may come across as a tough and moody man, but inside that rough exterior there is a big softy waiting just for me. And, I feel the luckiest she-wolf ever...We have spent every possible moment together since returning to his pack. Kai showing me around every part. Proudly walking with his hand in mine, the happiest of smiles upon his face. A stark contrast to the Alpha I had been forced to accompany around Lunar River. Another example that fate knew what she wa
I saw Daxton’s face fall at my words, and an inexplicable tightness within my chest appeared. I did not like seeing him in what appeared to be pain. Especially pain that I was causing. My wolf, Zaida was whimpering too, the sound unbearable. She felt something of a pull to this man. As she should. The matebond doing everything it was meant to. But only confusing me further. ‘Quit that noise!’ I snapped at her. ‘Tell him we want him!’ My wolf whimpered. I faltered at her words. I had come out today for a meeting with my Dad. I had a boyfriend back home. Yes, I knew there was a fated mate out there somewhere for me, but in all honesty I was in no rush to find him, and I knew he was not within our pack. I did not think I would meet him anytime soon because I never get to go anywhere&he
We had headed to my office once Vivi had left the bathrooms, and now I was undecided if she was on edge or simply wanted to run away from me. Or was that the same thing? Either way, this girl did not seem to want to be around me, and to my mind, that was far from ideal when she had to have worked out by now who I was to her, right?“We can grab a coffee from my office if you like?” I suggested, and she raised her brows to me in what I assumed may be surprise... or potentially sarcasm. This girl was proving hard to read.“Thought you said you were the upcoming Gamma?” she said softly, and I smiled. Fair enough. I could understand that assumption. She did not think I would have an office yet.“It is my office already because I am due to take over anytime. The pack has not had a Gamma for quite some time, so as soon as the upcoming Alpha, Landon asked me to consider taking the position to work alongside him and I accepted, he told me to take the office for any work that was needed.” I fo
Visiting River Ash Pack had been the last thing I had wanted to do, but my Dad was not going to be for listening today, that was for sure! Anyone would think leaving me at home was dangerous… I mean, I had only set fire to the house by accident, like once…But, we had arrived at the pack, and my Dad had decided the meeting was best done without me, so he had left me in the lounge and gone off with the Alpha, or the upcoming Alpha, or something, along those lines, in truth, I had switched off at that point, not caring in the slightest. Basically, I knew he was here to try to set up a business deal between my Dad’s small family business and the pack here. It would be a big thing for the family if Dad was able to seal a deal with them.But, the point of me being here I wasn’t sure. I think my Dad just didn't like travelling alone, so brought me along for the company, but a big badwolf can't admit something as pathetic as that...
Being prepared to become a Gamma was taking more organization than I had expected. But, it was not a role I had ever planned to be taking. This role was always a role for my older brother Finn. He had been preparing since he was old enough to realize he would be taking the title from our Dad when the day came. Me, I was more coasting along, enjoying life with my friends... The elder son inherited the title from the father, and I had been good with that. But, the moment Landon had asked me to consider being his Gamma, I knew it was not an opportunity I could turn down.The highest rank I had expected was warrior, after choosing to attend the warrior training facility, and train with the warriors that I called my friends. Kaleb, being the second bourne son to an alpha had chosen the same path. We had many friends who were warriors and it had seemed like a good choice for us. One that thankfully both our fathers had supported. But now we had this chance, and our lives had been turned up
Cleo rushed herself out of the house as fast as her legs would carry her, soon after Landon had left. Leaving me stood looking at the front door in sheer confusion. How had I not noticed that he and her were bonded? It would make sense, of course, yet it had never occured to me that it was the case. But, to know that poor boy had been struggling with his inner thoughts alone for so long made me feel bad.I hated his father, of course I did, mainly for the shit he had caused my Lilah, but I would never hold that against Landon. That kid was a good kid through and through. He had been a friend to my own kids, and grown up by their side the same as the children of my own friends, and I considered him no different. It hurt that he felt he could not talk to us. But, knowing he wanted to reject my little girl, well…There was a heavy sigh from the breakfast bar, as Lilah slammed her coffee mug down. I rolled my eyes. I knew I was not going to get away from this one peacefully. I knew she di
My brother Leo, and a few of his friends had walked down from the house to the dining hall as they so frequently did. None of my friends were free this morning, so I headed out with the guys. Though they, too, were considered my friends as much as the girls. We chose to eat down here a couple of times a week the same way our parents did so we were seen around pack, despite us having our own family home to hide within.Xavier was busy telling me about the newest book he was reading when my wolf, Gem, began to act a little oddly. I was still growing accustomed to having a wolf, having not had her for very long, but this behaviour was not normal, I was sure of it…“I barely slept in the end, I did not want to put the book down.” Xavier informed me, and I absentmindedly smiled in his direction.“You reading dirty books again, Xavi?” Jorge joked, earning himself a dark glare from his best friend, he had most certainly inherited his Dad’s sense of humor, and I had to try my hardest to hold