“Paionía, by the time you read this, I’ll already be halfway across the world, in GREECE?!” Liora held the letter closer to her face, her eyes narrowing with every word she read aloud, “In the meantime, Maia will prepare you for your coronation. Don’t be mad- I’ll explain everything when I get back. Ronin.”Liora swung her feet over the side of the bed, ripping up the letter as she stalked to the bathroom. “Unbelievable,” She huffed, tossing the pieces into the waste bin. As soon as he returned, she would ensure they had a thorough conversation about improving his communication skills.“Ow.” She yelped, feeling a twinge of pain in her left shoulder. Her awareness drew to other areas of her body that were deliciously sore. The mating thrall had left her deeply satisfied, but she still felt a twinge of anxiety in the pit of her stomach.Ronin was all the way in Greece, doing Goddess knows what, while she was here–craving his presence. Walking back to the bedroom, she surveyed their two-
“Why am I the Helm if even my own council won’t listen to me?” Ronin posed the question to the starry sky, not expecting an answer from the Goddess above. Lowering his gaze, he admired the quaint little settlement. Tents were set up in clusters of three and four, with small fire pits strewn throughout the clearing. There were many beautiful, exotic women and children who ran about without a care. The men were fierce, and also embraced a wild nature, some dressing in loose flowing pants, others with knee-length leather tied around their waists. All went shirtless, proudly showing off their tribal markings. The pack was pleased to be visited by their Helm, so they paid homage to him. The men played enchanting drum beats together with melodies from well tuned flutes. Some of the women danced, their cubs joining in occasionally. A large deer roasted over the fire pit in front of him, and omegas stayed close by with platters of choice fruit and grains for him to enjoy. Times like thes
Liora narrowed her eyes. “I’m in control. I’m completely fine.” She’d never felt better in all her life. The strength that coursed through her veins was exhilarating.“A Luna is the equivalent of an Alpha,” Maia explained, using a calm tone. “That means you’ll also have aggression, power trips, and a strong urge to display dominance and control over others.”“You were born an omega. Your designation subdued these emotions,” Nikolai added. “Your rise in station means all these are heightened. You must learn self-control. Especially since there’s the risk of being corrupted through your bond.”Liora thought about what they said for a moment. If she wanted to be a good Luna and prove to Ronin that she could lead, she’d have to listen to them. Technically, they were also her council now.“Alright,” She sighed. “What do I have to do?”Maia smiled, “The best way to learn control is to start by mastering your new abilities.”“Abilities?”“Indeed. As the Helm and descendant of a legacy bloodl
After trudging across rivers, forests, and open grasslands, hiking miles along a winding and rocky terrain that went higher and higher with each step, the entrance to Lyklos Keep was a glorious sight to behold emerging from the side of the mountain. Ronin could hear a myriad of voices echoing along the path just beyond the stone archway, chanting a sacred hymn to the Goddess that he hadn’t heard since his youth. A fleeting memory teased his mind: sitting on his mother’s knee as she braided his hair, singing a sweet ode that often sent him off to sleep. He wished he could hear her sing again. “Going in?” Thaddeus touched his arm lightly, jolting him from his reverie. “You go,” Sybl urged. “Phoebe and I will keep watch out here until you return.” She moved to the side, sitting on the large boulder near the entrance. Ronin nodded, going in first with his council trailing behind him. Torches lined the walls along the path, shining brighter the deeper they got into the cave. He kept hi
Liora was spending another afternoon down by the fish pond near the greenhouse when her ears picked up the loud rumble of an engine in the distance. She kicked her feet excitedly, dollops of water soaking Callie’s blue shorts.“Liora,” She groaned. “These were my favorite pair.”“He’s back!" Liora sang, giddy as she abandoned her flip-flops, opting to go barefoot as she ran toward the house. It had been three miserable days without her mate, and she was excited to be in his arms again and breathe in his intoxicating scent. Skipping the front steps two by two, Liora veered off to where the plane had landed. Her black frilled mini dress clung to her thighs as she ran, her dark hair floating on the wind. She stuttered to a halt just a few yards away from the plane. Heart leaping in her chest, she greedily took in his appearance. His hair was tousled, hanging over his crimson gaze. A white fitted sweatshirt hugged his torso, tucked into his green cargo pants. A 5 o'clock shadow dusted h
The full moon was especially bright on the night of Liora’s coronation. Shuddering with anticipation, she smoothed her hands down the front of her delicate gown. The white satin was covered in gold embroidered vines and flowers, starting out dense at the lower half of the skirt, and spreading out towards her midriff. The sleeves were fitted lace, flaring out over her knuckles. A heavy gold robe with white fur lining sat on her shoulders, the train pooling behind her.It took weeks, but Maia and her team had managed to pull off one of the most prestigious events the Helm had seen in years. Every high-status wolf from all the neighboring packs would be in attendance. Shifting her eyes from the door to the throne room, she watched as the courtyard slowly filled with civilian wolves.Knowing that they were waiting for her made her heart swell. She prayed to the Goddess that she remembered the proper protocol and didn’t make a fool of herself.The doors to the throne room opened and she st
Ronin knew that his eyes had gone pitch black when Geneda shrank back from him, shivering in fright. He was almost convinced over the last few weeks that his wolf was getting better. The urges had lessened, and the voices had quietened. The deep growl in his head proved just how wrong he was. ‘She dares to invite another male to our bed?’ His wolf was seething. “A-alpha?” Geneda stammered, shrieking when Ronin bared his fangs. Ignoring her, he got to his feet and stalked after his mate. That mate of his was out of her mind if she thought for one moment that he would allow her to fuck another wolf. Over his dead hide. He was naive to trust that she had conceded to their predicament when she didn't push back to him sleeping in the study for as long as he did. Even though he knew through the mind link that she struggled with her heightened sexual desires, he still refused to go to her. Each time they mated put her at risk and he had been determined to protect her. Now she was talkin
Liora fidgeted with the hem of her t-shirt as Dr. Reynolds passed a large hecatolite over her body. The peculiarly shaped stone reminded her of a metal detector, only in this case, he was scrying for any darkness or corruption in her wolf.This was her fourth time on his examination table, but she could never get used to being under such scrutiny. It felt invasive, and her wolf agreed, squirming within her as he moved the glowing stone from head to toe.“Keep still.” The whisper of Ronin’s voice came from her left, filled with anticipation.“Why do we do this every week again? If there was anything–the doctor would’ve found it by now.” She huffed, folding her lips when Dr. Reynolds gave her a stern look. Right. No talking.He made one last pass with the stone before nodding in approval, “Luna’s wolf is clean.” He moved away to the side, scribbling on his clipboard.“Thank you, Doc.” Liora sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the table. “Can we go now? The packs will be here any