Harper's POVAs we head into winter, the evenings have become so chilly, to the point I haven't wanted to leave bed for any reason. Asher will be the one to brave the cold and grab us both dinner. We will either spend the night watching movies, reading, or undressing each other. I would risk the cold to have some intimate time with Asher.I don't think it'll be long until snow begins to fall. I love winter, but also despise it at the same time. I love the cold and being able to have an excuse to stay in bed, but when you're the Luna you can't be lazy. My schedule is always booked out with activities or one on one guidance sessions with members of the pack.I sadly don't have any time to cuddle in bed with Asher when we are the two people responsible for making sure the compound runs smoothly.Due to the bad weather, Drake and his pack have had to extend their stay. Turns out, they do need materials that only we supply, so the plan Julius conducted wasn't a complete lie.I haven'
Harper's POV"I want to mark you."I want to laugh at the dumfounded look on Asher's face, but I decide not to. This is something he's been wanting me to do, so I should take it seriously.His face lights up with a smile, "Really? Are you sure you want to do this?""I'm sure. I know it'll change our lives forever, but I think this is the right thing to do."Asher looks beyond happy; he can't contain the grin that's etched from cheek to cheek. After going through heartbreak with Zoey, I can tell this must be extremely important to him. Finding your Mate doesn't happen easily, so I'm glad we were able to cross paths this way.I think I've known from the moment I walked past him in the dining room back home that he was my Mate. There was this invisible rope that kept pulling me towards him, even when I tried to resist it. I'm sure he felt the same way.Asher steps closer to me, a seductive smile on his face, "You're amazing."I try to resist the smile forming on my face, "You're
Harper's POV"Artemis?"Ansel gets out of the passenger seat, looking tired and drained. He looks like he hasn't slept in days. Whereas Artemis looks like he's drunk five energy drinks and is bouncing off the walls.The two of them walk along the pathway leading to the porch. It feels like my heart has stopped beating in my chest, and the tips of my fingers have become numb.I'm beyond shocked to see my brothers here. A million things are running through my head right now, but the only thing I can pull from the chaos is the simple question; why are they here?"This isn't much of a welcoming party," Artemis says, dusting the snow off his coat."Maybe if you would've given me a heads up I could've pulled something together," I say, trying to regain my composure.Ansel takes a seat across from me, "It was a last-minute trip."At that moment, Asher walks through the front door holding two cups of coffee in the one hand and a plate full of pieces of toast in the other."I hope yo
Asher's POVThe days following the visit from Harper's brothers have been quiet and uneventful. Harper has been spending more time in bed, presumably mourning the loss of her Father. She has requested not to be disturbed by anyone, not even Amaris.I'm doing my best to comfort her as much as I can during this hard time. I know what it feels like to lose a parent, so I know she just needs some time to process what's happening. When my Father passed away, I wouldn't leave my bedroom for a week. I felt like I couldn't live my life without him in it. It was the hardest time of my life.Seeing Harper this upset makes me feel so helpless. She's devastated that Artemis is officially Alpha because she knows he will be the worst leader for her pack. She's never gone into detail about what he's capable of, but from the sounds of it, he will go as far as he needs to, to get what he wants.I knock on the bedroom door, warning Harper I'm about to come in. I'm shocked to see her sitting at t
Harper's POV"To kill Harper Cole."My blood begins to boil at the mention of someone attempting to take my life again. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of always watching my back and being scared of what, or who, is lurking around the corner trying to take me down. It's time I stood up for myself.I limp over to the man lying on the ground, trying my best to ignore the searing pain in my leg. I push past Asher, stepping on the man's injured leg as hard as I can. I want to smile when I hear another crack and the man screams louder.I kneel until we're at eye level, "I have a message for Artemis," I push down on his leg harder, "You tell him I'm coming after him, so he better be ready."I take my foot of him, and he sighs in relief, clutching his leg. I turn to Asher, trying to remain calm."I'm leaving tonight," I say, looking around at the members of the pack who are watching in shock, "This can't go on any longer. Artemis needs to be stopped."Asher reaches for my elbow, but I snat
Harper's POVThe car ride was long, and at times I had to pull over on the side of the road to have a quick sleep because I couldn't keep my eyes open. I had too much time to think about how I deceived Asher after a special moment between us.He went to sleep thinking he would wake up with his arms wrapped around me. Instead, he's going to wake up in bed alone and wonder where I am, only to realize I left without telling him. He's going to be so mad at me when I return.If I didn't leave now, I would never get the chance to take on Artemis. Although this wasn't my initial plan, it'll have to do because I'm out of options at this point. My Father would be beyond disappointed if he saw Artemis's true colors like I have in the past.Artemis is ruthless and cunning; he's willing to push people under the bus if it means saving his own a**. He's not a true Alpha.By the time the sun has risen in the sky, I'm parking along the road outside my family's compound. I need to find a way to
Harper's POVAfter the couple snuck me into the compound to a secret meeting place they have, I was able to meet with the group who are aligned with me. There is about twenty to thirty odd people out of the almost ninety people who live here who are on my side and hate Artemis being in power.I got to spend the rest of the day getting to know these people and learning about what's been happening since my Father passed away. I learnt that Artemis was quick to step into the role and didn't seem to mourn the loss of his parent.Artemis has been enforcing new rules such as a curfew after ten p.m. and everyone must be in the dining room at seven p.m. on the dot so dinner can be served. If anyone is late or breaks these rules, they get publicly humiliated with beatings or verbal abuse.How does my Mother think this is okay? My Father never treated anyone unkindly or resorted to violence. Hearing how Artemis has been treating everyone makes my blood boil. We don't use violence on each o
Harper's POVI'm awake before the sun has risen. I wasn't able to get much sleep the night before because I'm so anxious about the battle; wondering if at the end of the day I will take back the Alpha title or not. I also laid awake staring at the roof thinking about Asher. I'm dying to know how mad he is at me and what our relationship will be like after today. At first, he was supportive of me wanting to be Alpha, but now things have changed. He's concerned I'll get hurt by Artemis, but I know how to handle myself.Not having Asher by my side today is really going to hurt my chances of beating Artemis. If I had Asher's pack behind me, it would be more than enough to overpower Artemis. Having only thirty people helping me is going to be one hell of a challenge.I told the group to meet in the backyard at nine a.m. sharp. I don't want to delay this battle more than it needs to be.I take my time getting ready. It doesn't matter what I wear because I will be shifting anyway, but