I gripped the different pieces of yarn and held them up to my nose. I felt my eyes begin to well and, as stupid as this sounds, it felt like losing them all over again. My father, who vanished while leading my old pack, had taken them to investigate strangers who had crossed into our borders and never returned. After that, the pack disintegrated. They fled in fear, leaving mother and I alone. We had to move around often after that. She gave everything to make sure that I never went hungry. It was as if they were ripped from me all over again. I know they were just stuffed animals, but to me they were so much more. They were precious gifts my mother made for me. My parents’ scents sewn inside. They were all that I had left.
I felt the lump form in my throat as my nose and eyes burned from the threat of tears.
“Allissa, I am so sorry.” I felt Lyle’s presence as he kneeled down next to me. I didn’t know what to do now. I just stared at the sh
As soon as we stepped outside, I felt Darren change. He walked straighter, his powerful aura rising to make everyone aware of his presence. I saw Lyle and Tim barking orders in front of us as big vehicles began to pull up. I was being corralled gently by Darren’s hand, but I stopped abruptly, glancing over at my pack. They were all standing there watching from a distance. They looked apprehensive and a bit lost. It was painful to see them like this. Bastian was standing slightly in front of them, trying to put on a brave face.“What’s wrong?” Darren asked as he followed my gaze.“They’re worried.”“They’ll be taken care of. I have top advisors staying behind and someone to help the new alpha learn his role.” He didn’t seem concerned at all. As if packs lost their leaders all the time and they were fine. I know for a fact this wasn’t true. My pack fell apart without my father, even though my mother was still there. Without strong leadership, the pack can become unsettled. It can cause c
“I need you safe,” Darren said softly.“Safe. What does that word even mean?” I looked away from him and down at my hands. “My dad wanted my mom safe. He left to investigate trespassers and told my mom to stay and look after the pack and me. None of them returned. The pack fell … crumbled and fled in fear. They left us alone. We waited and kept searching, but it was as if they vanished. Not even their scent remained. There was no sign of them. My mother fell apart while trying her best to take care of me. She aged years in a matter of months. It took its toll on her, and a couple years ago, her body gave up. She was so sick.” I balled my hands into fists. “We didn’t have anything. I had no way to take care of her.” I closed my eyes. “We wandered from pack to pack looking for help. That’s when I met Alpha Alfred, and he offered to pay for the care to keep my mother comfortable if I agreed to be his mate.”“Besides you being beautiful, why would he want you as a mate just like that?” Lyl
DarrenIvy and Alfred had fled to vampire territory. Why would two lycans go to the vampire territory? They wouldn’t dare go there unless they had a contact or were sympathizers. A small group of lycans and werewolves sided with the vampires, thinking they should have more territory. They argued that we should give them some of our lands. And for what reason? To have fresh hunting grounds? Because the humans were growing more scarce.That wasn’t our problem. They were the ones who mistreated the humans and made them leave. They could have worked out better conditions and had a working relationship with them. But instead, they ruled by fear and force.We had contacts of our own in vampire territory. It was still only a matter of time before we located Alfred and Ivy. If they thought going there would save them, they were mistaken. They were only prolonging the inevitable.I felt Allissa’s head lean against my arm and I looked down at her. She had fallen asleep. I stare at her for a mome
AllissaA tingling warmth embraced me. It was so comforting and I felt so ... safe. I realized I had not felt this safe in a long time. Not since I was a child living with both of my parents. It felt nice. A heavenly cinnamon scent enveloped me, and that was when the memories of the day began to flash through my mind. I slowly became aware of my surroundings and that I was no longer at the packhouse. I opened my eyes, seeing Lyle’s blue sapphire eyes looking at me. His black hair matched his brother’s, and they would look very similar if it wasn’t for the eyes.I slowly sat up and turned my head to look next to me. I had been sleeping on the Lycan King for who knows how long.“I’m so sorry.” I didn’t even remember falling asleep. It just happened.“Don’t be sorry. He’s been cheesing the whole way home.” Lyle laughed as I heard Darren snort beside me.I watched as he leaned in closer, his green eyes locked onto mine before they fluttered closed. Then, his lips covered mine. A sweet, tin
“What the hell is your problem?!” Rodney growled, taking a small step back from Lyle. He tilted his head to the side and then raised up his hands, submitting to him. “Johnathon said you would either bring back the alpha or luna for questioning, and when you arrived to take them to the holding cell.”“There’s been a change of plans.” Lyle took in a slow breath and then glanced back at me. His eyes softened and he gave me a small smile. “I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”“Whoa, I’ve never seen you this nice before. Is she your mate?” Rodney asked, and I listened as Lyle snorted angrily.“I’ve always been the nice one!”“To who?” Rodney leaned back on his heels and laughed. “You’re just under Mr. Broody himself.”The girl with the black hair giggled. “You just don’t know how to speak to them.”“Okay, Cleo.” A woman with blonde hair rolled her blue eyes in obvious annoyance.“Don’t be jealous, Claudia. You just have a different type of relationship with them.” Cleo smirked at her, and with t
“You are going to dad now, right?” Lyle asked as he jogged up behind us. I glanced back to see Tim and Rodney following at a distance. My guess was Tim was explaining everything to Rodney.“Yes, dad needs to know now. I was hoping to announce her to both of them at the same time. No doubt mom has already linked him.” Darren rubbed my arm and I glanced up at him.“Is this okay? I mean ... us?” I had so much I wanted to say, but that was what came out. It was different since he was the Lycan King. His decisions affected the entire kingdom. He stopped walking, staring at me with a small smile on his face. His hands cupped my cheeks as he leaned down, softly brushing his lips against mine. Beautiful tingles singed my lips as if telling me this is what was right. If only it was just the two of us … then I wouldn’t be feeling so apprehensive.“Of course this is okay. I meant what I said. I would have killed your mate to claim you. I won’t be separated from you. You belong to me, Allissa. Yo
We walked inside the room, which I expected to be a throne room. I don’t know why I expected that, but I did. Instead, it was a room filled with plants and trees. It honestly wasn’t a room; it was a large area that was bigger than the pack house I had lived in.I felt a heavy presence coming toward us. The weight of it was almost suffocating. I could tell it demanded submission, but that was something I wouldn’t do. A broad, muscular man walked through the trees. He had black hair and dark blue eyes that were fixated on me.The pressure became more intense, as if he was trying to force me to bare my neck to him. Instead, I held my ground and stared him down. My lycan felt angry at this abuse of power.“Dad—” Darren’s voice seemed annoyed as his dad lifted a hand up to silence him.“Evette.” His father said while staring at me. I shook my head. Evette was my mother, but how did he know her name? I watched as he nodded his head. “Your mother’s name is Evette, right?”“Was. She died.” I m
There was so much food, I wasn’t able to try everything. It was a comfortable atmosphere with Darren and his officers. But after dinner, my mind wandered back to his parents and what they had said. My mother was from the Lycan Kingdom, and I still didn’t know why she left. I never knew we had the ability to ignore powerful auras. Though, looking back on it now, I realize that Alfred’s aura never even remotely fazed me.My mother seemed relieved when I agreed to be Alfred’s mate. At the time, I thought it was because she wouldn’t have to suffer and would be able to pass peacefully. But now, I wondered if there was more to it. Did she think that, by being with Alfred, I would be hidden and safe? Why didn’t she explain anything to me when she knew she didn’t have much time left? That was the biggest puzzle to me.“Oh, you guys are all having dinner in here?” Cleo came into the room, batting her fake eyelashes.“Actually, we’re finished.” Lyle didn’t bother to look up as he drank the cont
I slowly licked his arm where the traces of blood were. “Pay attention to me.” I whispered. The next minute I was yanked forcefully from Lyle and into his arms. I stumbled from the lack of strength in my legs.“What happened to her?” Darren’s voice was instantly concerned. He lifted my body up, cradling it in his arms.“She was able to use a new gift from you.”“Already?! Shit.” Darren muttered and I felt his nose trace against my cheek. “You must be exhausted,” he cooed to me, changing his demeanor completely.“Stay with me,” I whispered, leaning my head against his chest. How did I feel so much better just being in his arms?DarrenI admit, when I first charged into the room, I saw red. My mate was clinging to my brother, who was holding her in return. I didn’t analyze the situation because I was already livid. I went looking for Ally, and the maid told me she went to the training arena. THE TRAINING ARENA! Gods, I flipped. I was in a blind rage when I stormed into the room, and I co
My fur bristled in excitement as Lyle’s brown lycan fought two lycans. The sounds of growls and snarls filled the air while their powerful bodies collided. Yes, he could hold his own, but the point was to subdue them. How could he subdue two lycans? My eyes narrowed on the black lycan that was about to bite Lyle in the back. Without hesitating, I tackled him. I didn’t want to hurt him since I knew he wasn’t in control.The impact sent both of us tumbling across the floor, the black lycan snarling and snapping wildly. I tried to maintain a firm grip on him, using all my strength to keep his jaws away from my body. A sharp pain shot through my side as the black lycan’s claws connected with my flank. I winced but pushed back into him. I locked eyes with him, feeling the intensity of his feral gaze pierce through me like a razor-sharp blade. It was a primal stare that threatened to consume me whole, but I refused to back down.I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I star
Things between Darren and I had been intense, but in the best of ways. It had been a few days since I came here, and tonight, there was going to be a banquet to introduce me as the future queen. I had to wait until the new moon to be crowned as the official queen. It had something to do with the moon goddess’ blessing and her accepting me as the queen.Darren has been busy for most of the day today. He went to the vault, determined to find answers about my family and the curse. He was now afraid of his anger, because he knew it caused me some discomfort. There were only a few minor incidents, but I could see the pain in his eyes. As soon as I help his emotions, he immediately clings to me, apologizing and checking to see if I’m okay. He even asked me not to accompany him as much, so I won’t suffer. But that was ridiculous. If I could help him and potentially save others from his anger, I would.Today turned the tables on Winifred and Milo’s relationship. Last night, they both retired
A smile slowly spread across my face as I watched him discard his clothes, his eyes never leaving mine. In response, I removed my own garments, feeling a rush of excitement wash over me. As he closed the distance between us, I pushed against him and playfully swung him towards the desk, causing his chest to heave with anticipation. With a low groan, he watched me kneel in front of him, his breaths coming in quick bursts as he eagerly awaited my next move.I reached out, my hand gliding over the smooth, velvety skin of his eager cock. It rose to meet my touch, pulsing and demanding contact. A deep, primal sound rumbled from his throat as I moved my lips closer to the throbbing tip. With a slow, deliberate movement, I swirled my tongue around the head of his cock before finally taking it into my mouth. The taste of him was intoxicating, and I couldn’t help but moan in pleasure as I savored every inch of him.As my mouth enveloped his throbbing member, I heard him groan deeply as his hip
“I am not naive enough to not understand what happened. I know you lost control of yourself. I understand you weren’t in your right mind. I don’t blame you for what happened. Maybe I blame myself for thinking I could stop you?” She sighed. “But that doesn’t mean it didn’t affect me. I have nightmares over it. And when I look at you, I keep remembering how afraid I was. And there was no stopping you. If Darren didn’t arrive when he did, I’d be dead. I regret that Darren showed up, because then my precious son had to suffer with the curse.” She closed her eyes and then opened them slowly. I could see her hands trembling. “I don’t hate you, and I don’t want to be afraid of you. But I am scared. We sleep in different rooms. We haven’t been together in years, and you deserve to have a real relationship. You—”“I deserve you. I have been faithfully waiting for you, and I know you’re doing the same. We might not be fated mates, but we are connected. I don’t want anyone else ... I want you. I
I sat next to Darren and intertwined my fingers with his as his parents sat across from us.“First thing, killing those who place a curse on someone will not remove the curse. That isn’t how curses work. I’m surprised you didn’t know this.”“Interesting ... I’m surprised you do know this. Do you know about our curse?” Milo asked, staring at me with interest.I snorted, shaking my head. “No, I don’t know anything about it. But we had witches and fairies that visited my pack when I was young. I learned about curses from them. A curse can be broken when you meet the criteria placed upon the curse, or a blood relation can remove the curse. But in order to do that, you have to know what stipulations were placed and what they arranged to break it. By killing these people, you have made it harder to get rid of the curse.” I sighed and looked up at Darren.“I have completed our bond. I’m hoping that I can help you when I’m near you. Your emotions will flow through me like they did earlier. On
“Darren, NO!” Both of his parents yelled at the same time. I was captivated by the primal growl that escaped his lips as he held his fangs against my neck. A surge of electricity coursed through me, sending shivers down my spine and causing my entire body to tingle. Unlike Alfred’s mark, which had caused me pain, this sensation was one of intense pleasure. The moment his fangs broke through my skin, I felt a sharp prick before being consumed by a wave of euphoria that seemed to wash over me in waves. It was a feeling unlike any other, one that left me gasping for breath and craving more.He pulled his canines out from my neck, his tongue carefully lapping over his mark. I felt new energy and waves flowing inside of me. A delicate strand that had been tethered to Alfred suddenly vanished into thin air, replaced by a rush of energy that seemed to fill the void with an overwhelming force. It was commanding, powerful, and it fastened me to Darren.“Now, there is nothing more to be said. Sh
Darren and I walked down one of the halls with our hands interlaced. Tim, Rodney, and Lyle were sent to head up investigation teams and then were to report back for ‘guard’ duty for me. Honestly, it was a bit annoying, but it made Darren feel better.“Dare, have you spoken to your parents yet?”“Not yet. I had other business I needed to take care of. One of my sources located Ivy, but she wasn’t with Alfred. Ivy seems to know one of the commanders there very well. We know Alfred was intimate with someone last night, and it was most likely Ivy. At some point, those two separated, and we need to figure out where he’s being hidden.” I couldn’t help the small frown that reached my lips. Especially hearing about Ivy being close with a vampire commander. I felt like this all meant something big. There was a lot of tension right now with the vampires. We all knew that we were on the brink of war, and it wouldn’t take much to tip the scale.The Lycan Kingdom was rumored to be supporting the ri
“I don’t know who leaked the information, though I have my thoughts on it but no proof.” I could hear the slight shake in Lyle’s voice and I could see he was a bit apprehensive.It was probably bad that the growling coming from his throat was turning me on. It brought back memories of last night, and damn if I didn’t want him again. I didn’t feel any fear, even as his aura raised. My eyes suddenly widened as I realized it wasn’t that he was projecting his aura more, but it was in fact rising! His anger was making him stronger, and this was something I had never seen before. I didn’t know how strong Darren was, because his level changed. I still hadn’t witnessed it at its peak.“Allissa,” Tim whispered and nodded for me to step away from Darren. I began to giggle and shook my head. I stepped into him more and sprawled my fingers over his chest.“I’m not afraid of him,” I said and then tilted my head up to his dark eyes. I looked at his elongated fangs and my lips parted. I reached up an