I want to ask them what the hell they mean that it is Alex, But I don't because I already know. The pain I am feeling is his, but I feel it like it's mine. It feels like someone has sliced through my shoulder with a hot iron. "I have to get to Alex," I say as I try to get to my feet. "It is not safe out there, and you are not in a position to go," Jax says, and I know he is correct, but nothing can keep me from my mate. "If he dies, she dies... we need to get there and protect him in order to protect her," Juliana says, which gets both of our attention. "Royals that are mated and marked die with each other," Shawn says, getting us all moving. The pain is still sharp in my shoulder, but I do the best I can to block it out as I make it through the front doors. I can hear the others behind me, but Ember has taken the lead, my shift has taken over, and we are running faster than I think we ever have. I feel another pain in my front leg, but it doesn't burn like my shoulder. I hear
The sound of glass shattering and screams reach my ears first. I rush to find my mother, but when I get to my door, it won't open. I pull and beat on it, trying to get it to budge, but nothing happens. I hear the howls from outside and some inside the house. I smell smoke but not close. I scream out to my mother and then my father. I can hear someone in the hallway. Then I hear it,"Ivy, are you in here?""I'm in here. The door won't open. I can't get out."Go to the other side of the room, Ivy, and stay there so I can get the door open." I don't say anything else and run for the other side of the bed. I drop down beside the bed, and as I do, I hear the wood of the door splinter and pieces crash to the floor. Before I can get up and look, my brother comes around the bed, grabbing my hand and pulling me."We have to go and now. Mom and dad want us in a safe place.""Are they ok?""Yes, but
The diner is packed this morning. I rush to get my apron on and fill the cups of coffee for the customers sitting around the counter. Most of the customers here are regulars. They come to get their coffee and breakfast before work. They say we have the best french toast and cinnamon buns around. I am more of a meat and eggs girl. Give me a plate full of bacon and two eggs. Just thinking about the bacon makes me want some. I put an order in for a side of bacon along with table three's order of french toast and sausage. A group of pack members just came in and sat at table five, and they are the high-ranked snobby people that get under my skin. I am sure they are only eighteen or nineteen at the most. I am twenty-two and still not mated. That is unusual for our kind. I figure my mate is dead or not from this pack, and I really don't need a mate. I still plan to find out what happened to my parents and brother and get revenge for them."Good morning. What can I get you
I am finally off and almost home. My feet are killing me. We got slammed at lunchtime and could barely keep up with everyone. When I finally reach my door, I am so happy that I almost didn't notice the paper stuck to it. I pull it off and on the front is the Alpha seal. Ugh, please don't be what I think this is. I am not that lucky. Every unmated pack member must be at the mating ball tomorrow night, no exceptions. Why me? I say as I enter my house and plop down on the couch. Then my phone starts ringing. I pull it out of my pocket and see that it is the diner. I answer, praying they don't need me to return for anything."Hello.""Ivy, We are going to close the diner tomorrow. Everyone will be too excited about the ball. Two of the girls that work the afternoon, and you will all have to be there, so I am going to shut down tomorrow.""Yes, sir," I tell him, then he hangs up. So I will lose money and have to go to a ball that will not bene
I wake the following day, and the sun is already beaming through my window. I blink a few times and roll over to grab my phone. I almost jump out of bed when I see it is already eleven. I still have time for a run, but not as long as I would have if I had got up on time. I slip on my clothes and head downstairs. I grab a glass of juice, and when I drink it, I think about the man from the diner yesterday. He must be one of the unmated Alphas. I know he isn't my mate, but something about him made him easy to talk to. I shy away from most higher-ranking wolves. I have never been afraid I only do it to stay unnoticed. "I like him," Ember says in the back of my mind."Yes, he was nice."I head to the door to grab my shoes. I need to get going if I plan to get back, shower, and clean up before I have to head to Juliana's house. I run a little further than yesterday before I strip my clothes off and put them in my bag. I let Ember take co
When we arrive at the hall, there are people everywhere. It is a lot more people than there were at the other mate balls I had been to."I am going to find Shawn and let him know we are here. Then, I will meet you at the bar. Grab me a white wine, please.""Yes, ma'am," I tell her as she heads in the opposite direction of the bar. A few people are standing at the bar, so I wait my turn."What can I get you?""I'll have a Ladera Verde Sauvignon Blanc and a Long Island Ice tea, please." He gives me a strange look before turning to fix my drinks. I guess the look was because Juliana and I have completely different tastes when it comes to drinks."Here you go." He says as he sets the drinks down in front of me."Someone is thirsty tonight." I hear a man say behind me, but I already recognize the voice. I turn to find Travis standing behind me. I smile at him,"One is my
Alexander, I had gone on a run with the other Alpha's this morning, and it was later than I usually run. Everyone told me that I should go and spend time with the others, but I prefer to be alone when I run. But, my brother being the pain he, can be pushed, so I went. We had run for about forty-five minutes when I could smell water, so I assumed we were coming up on a lake or a stream. When we finally broke from the trees, I saw a beautiful lake. I went to get a drink, but everyone had the same thought as me, so I bolted to the other side, so we were not on top of each other. When I approached the other side, a scent hit me from nowhere. It smelled of vanilla and honey. I looked around but saw no one."What are you doing over there?" My brother Travis asks through our mindlink."I thought I smelled something.""Is it dangerous?" He asked as he started to come around the lake."No, I don
I am watching him, but when he gets closer, his scent grabs me. I mean that too. I felt like something was pulling me to him. My feet were moving, and I met him."Mine," We both growled at the same time. If it was not such an intense moment, I might laugh. But instead, I reached up, placing my hands on his chest as he went to my waist. He pulled me tight against his body and put his head in my neck. I could feel him taking deep breaths, breathing me in. I took this moment to take in his scent, too. He smelled of pine and heather. I take a deep breath to bask in his scent. It is manly but gentle at the same time. It feels like everyone in the room has disappeared but us two. I feel him lift his head, and I do the same, but a growl leaves him as he looks to Travis. What does he think my relationship with Travis is? I look to see that Travis is still looking at him and smiling like he finds his behavior funny."What is your name?" I say, trying t