[Ayla's POV]No one speaks as the atmosphere around us shifts from light to heavy. All eyes are on me, waiting for me to say something, but I'm too damn shocked to even think straight."I apologize." Barren finally chuckles, coming to the rescue. "I think I may have startled Ayla."Startled was a damn understatement. He had thrown me for a fucking loop by not only appearing in the real world but even showing up with my uncle and Aera, of all people!How was this possible? Why the hell were they together? Was the universe fucking with me right now?"I need to go to the bathroom!" I suddenly announce, jumping up and making a rub for it. "If you'll excuse me."I don't wait for a response before I'm high-tailing it out of there and beelining for the safety of the ladies room, where none of the men could get me.Once inside, I plopped down in a cubicle so I could try to think straight.This was weird. It was really weird. Since meeting Barren, I had only ever interacted with him in the dre
[Aera's POV]I remain silent as everyone around me except for Ayla chats happily. From the looks of it, she was feeling about as annoyed about this gathering as I was. That was good; at least she wasn't making puppy eyes at Barren.Honestly, I was still sore over the fact that bastard was here. Today's trip was only supposed to consist of me and Silas, not him.Today was the day that Corinna was supposed to have her pretrial, so I agreed to accompany Silas to the capitol to attend it.It was supposed to be a simple day trip—nothing more, nothing less. So tell me why it ended up like this. Why was I sitting at the same fucking table as Ayla and fucking Barren?When I learned who he was, I was determined to keep them from meeting, but here we were altogether, and he wasn't even bothering to hide his adoration for her, and that was really pissing me off. Couldn't he have a little self-respect? And why wasn't Silas attacking him for oogling his niece?I was already annoyed by his presence
[Ayla’s POV]I don't move as Aera heads to the amusement park ticket booth to buy passes for us. What in the world was this dude trying, and why was I going along with it?You need a distraction after being bum-rushed by Barren, a small voice in the back of my head says.That was right. It was enough to see him in the real world, but to find out he was an alpha heir and the brother of that bitch Corinna was a bit too much for me to take.I had planned on just going home, but I guess it wouldn't be so bad to spend some time here, especially since I knew an angry uncle would be ready for me when I got back.If I was going to get yelled at, I could at least prolong the inevitable, right?"You coming or just standing there?" Aera calls once he's finished with the drooling woman at the ticket counter."Coming," I respond, shooting her a triumphant look.Skipping forward, I wrap my arms around Aera's and beam while she glares daggers at me."You having fun taunting her?" Aera asks once we w
[Ayla's POV]I'm unable to move as Aera's lips press against mine and his tongue entices my own, and his arms stretch around me so he can pull me close against his broad chest.Everything in me screams to meet his hunger with my own, but my damn head still screams at me to not fall for it.If I gave in now, wouldn't I seem like an easy woman who was willing to forget a man's wrongs? I couldn't and wouldn't be that woman, and if Aera truly wanted to get closer to me, then he was going to have to work for it, and the work would start with him telling me who the fuck was the one who made that damn bet in the first place.Determination settling, I pull Aera's bottom lip between my teeth and bite down, causing him to jerk backwards while letting out a growl of pain."What the hell?" He hisses, touching the place I bit, which is beginning to bleed."Who was it?" I demand, fixing my gaze on his."What?""The one who made that fucking bet with you!" I snap. "If you're truly serious about gett
[Ayla’s POV]I don’t wait for Aera to say anything about what I’ve told him before I dial Uncle Silas’ number and place my phone against my ear."Ayla," he hisses after the first ring. "Where the hell are you?""Fun Zone, the amusement park by the sea," I respond. "What the hell was that about Evie?""I’ll be there soon," is all he says before hanging up and ignoring my question entirely.Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I turn and take in Aera’s furrowed brows and look of concern."What?" I ask."You said your cousin’s best friend was murdered," he begins, seeming confused. "She’s a member of Crimson Tides, correct?""That’s right," I respond. "Why?"Was he going to use this incident as another reason to try to take down Crimson Tides?"Was there any details on the murder?" he continues."No," I sigh. "It just said that she was found dead in her bed," I explain. "Uncle Silas still has to do a thorough investigation into the whole thing.""Interesting how it happened while he was a
[Aera's POV]With each passing minute, my anger grows more and more. Was this what Ayla had to endure up until now? False accusations, slander, distrust, and hatred were everywhere she turned.'You joined in on them,' Rayze points out, waking up. 'Aren't you being a hypocrite?''I...' I begin, but stop. He was right. I was being a hypocrite.No wonder she didn't try to fight me when I accused her of the same things due to my personal vendetta with her family. She was used to it, and I was just one more voice in a sea of many.Feeling my heart tug, I look over to take in her eyes, which are sparkling with guilt and fear, and feel something in me snap. I needed to protect this tiny woman beside me at all costs."Shut up!" I growl, fixing my gaze on the two that are openly accusing her without any proof. "Who are any of you to come barging up here like this? Do you know that could be considered insubordination?""What did you say?" The man hisses. "Who the hell are you?""Aera Lebeau, a
[Ayla’s POV]"You can sit wherever," I announce, eyeing Aera. "I’m going to shower."I don’t wait for him to respond before I’m heading toward the bathroom and disappearing inside so that I can finally be alone with my raging thoughts.Sighing, I begin to yank my clothes off and then step into the shower. After turning on the water, I sit in the tub and pull my knees against my chest while the steaming hot water crashes down on me.Now that I’m alone, I let all the guilt and fear that I was feeling crash into me. I knew there was no way that Uncle Silas would be able to calm the pack once word got out about what happened to Evie, and if what her parents were saying was thought to be true, all eyes would come to rest on me.This was only the beginning of an even bigger ordeal that would possibly end up landing me in the capitol sooner than expected so that the elders could watch me closely. And if even more murders happened, wouldn't that ignite a witch hunt that would have everyone ou
[Ayla's POV]I watch in horror as Uncle Silas slams Aera against the wall and pins him there with his forearm."Why are you sleeping on my niece's bed?" He growls while Aera remains irritatingly calm given the circumstances. "As a matter of fact, Why are you even in her room?""Because she brought me here," Aera shrugs, shooting me a look of amusement. "So tell me, where else should I be if this is where I'm wanted?"My eyes grow wide as Aera's taunting words settle around us and Uncle Silas' aura begins to prickle against my skin.Dammit, Aera was enjoying this whole thing, and if he didn't stop poking the beast, I was almost positive Uncle Silas would send him crashing through the window and down toward the ground below."Ayla!" Uncle Silas calls over his shoulder. "Please leave the room.""Why?" I ask, getting a bad feeling. "What are you planning to do?""Create discord between Crimson Tides and Caelum," he responds, not bothering to hide his intent. "I'm not going to let this bas
[Aera’s POV]9 months Late"Mmm, Aera, right there."Ayla’s voice echoes around me, spurring my movements even more. Knowing she was enjoying what I was doing to her was all the encouragement I needed."Ah!" she gasps, leaning more into the chair in front of her. "Not so hard."Chuckling, I lean forward and nip at her ear, earning myself a small whimper and a shiver of delight."Sorry, you’re just really tense," I chuckle, lightening my massage.Since the triplets were due any day now, the doctor suggested that I help Ayla relax however I could, and since she requested a massage, I was more than willing to oblige. This was the least that I could do, given what she was about to go through. I knew childbirth was hard with just one child, but I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like with three."Why’d you stop?"Cursing, I look down to find Ayla’s big green eyes staring up at me, but I barely register them as I take in her huge belly.Smiling, I let my hands slide down her shoulders
[Celia’s POV] I stare up into Alphonze’s dark, unreadable eyes while trying to figure out exactly what I was feeling. Was I just caught by surprise because he suddenly appeared, and that was why I suddenly felt jittery and my heart was racing? Right, that had to be it; there couldn’t be anything else. I was already horrible at social events due to being afraid of the judgmental eyes of others, especially when they compared me to my perfect twin sister. So to suddenly be alone with a man twice my age and handsome as hell, of course, I would feel weird. "S-sorry," I stammer, deciding that the only correct way to handle this was to run as quickly as I could. "I should…" "Wait," Alphonze hisses, holding up an arm as I attempt to sneak past him. "Just… wait a second." Frowning, I try to remain calm and not shove his arm away. As the heir of an alpha, I was strong, and my strength would easily be on par with Alphonze's, especially since he just regained his strength and power thanks to
[Alphonze’s POV]I stand to the side, watching as everyone present for the evening enjoys themselves, laughing, dancing, and being merry. It had been a while since I had attended something like this, so it was taking a bit to get used to it again.The last time I came to a full moon ball was when I found Gloria. It was the day my whole life changed for the better and then for the worst.Immediately, memories of that day began to come crashing into me, from the falling of autumn leaves to the sounds of crickets that chirped around us. I was only twenty-one then and forced to attend the ball, so I found somewhere to hide to avoid being bothered until it was time to leave.Back then, I hated social events and only wanted to focus on my alpha duties, as I had just taken over for my father.After having my heart ripped out of my chest by Hana, I didn’t want a damn thing to do with things like love and mates. That was another reason I didn’t want to be at this damned ball: I risked finding
[Aera's POV]Soft music drifts toward me as I stand to the side of the large ballroom, waiting for my date to arrive.Despite all the chaos that had been happening in our world, Silas and Alphonze insisted that we have a small, intimate gathering for the full moon as a way to relax and unwind after all the headache of cleaning up Barren's mess.That's why I was forced into an uncomfortable black tux with a purple vest beneath it and a white button-up beneath that and made to wait while Ayla was dolled up by Isabella and Celia."You look like someone killed your puppy," Alphonze chuckles, coming over to join me. "Try to loosen up, will ya?"As he speaks, I take him in while still thinking that this is some type of alternate universe.Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think that my brother would be returned to the man he was before his accident, but here he was, standing in front of me, dressed in a white button-down with the sleeves pulled up so his strong, lean muscles could
[Ayla's POV]The next day, I sit in the passenger seat of Aera's car, staring at Crimsone Tides Estate while fighting the urge to run away. When I entered that building, I'd be making the toughest decision of my life, and I wasn't exactly sure if I was ready.Beside me, Aera remains silent while holding my hand, so that soothing warmth radiates through me, but it doesn't do a thing to calm my nerves."We can go back," he offers, breaking the silence that has settled around us. "You don't have to do this so soon; you can...""No," I sigh, giving him a small smile. "This needs to be done. You didn't see him there. He's suffering, and despite making some ridiculous choices due to being tricked by my mother, he doesn't deserve to live like that."After much deliberation, I decided to grant my father's wish and put him out of his misery.To live your life trapped by the curse was no way to live, and as his daughter, I had an obligation to grant his request."Come on," I continue, gently pu
[Aera's POV]I watch as Ayla turns around so that her ass is almost in my face while she begins to undo my pants and free my dick.From my point of view, I can see everything from her perfectly shaved pussy to her glistening lips and her throbbing clit, which is just begging for me to please it.However, with my hands cuffed above my fucking head, I couldn't do anything but continue to stare while she slowly took me between her lips so she could begin attacking my tip with her tongue."Fuck," I hiss, lifting my hips so she would swallow more of me. "That feels so fucking good."Giggling, she continues her attack while beginning to slide her body across mine until her thighs rest on either side of my face.'Eat me,' she growls through mindlink while wrapping a hand around my shaft and the other around my balls so she could drive me even crazier.Not needing to be told twice, I dip my tongue between her folds and begin to glide it up and down her clit while using my teeth to nip at her
[Aera’s POV]I remain in place, staring down at Ayla, who is fast asleep, as her face twists into a look of pain. I can’t help but wonder what exactly it is that she is going through there in the dream plain, where I can’t protect her. Did she find her father, and the result wasn’t what she expected? I wouldn’t know until she awoke and told me.Feeling utterly useless, I turn my gaze to Vince and begin to take him in. When Ayla introduced us, I pretended to not know him, but I remembered the great alpha he once was. To see him like this was painful, but it was proof that even the mightiest could fall, and when they did, they fell hard."I’m sorry," I murmur, feeling somewhat responsible for his condition.Maybe if all of us realized the corruption that was going on back then, this wouldn’t have happened, but we were all blinded, and in the end, we only realized when things were too late."Mmm."I snap my gaze away from Vince to find Ayla beginning to stir.Her bright green eyes slowly
[Ayla's POV]I stand in front of Crimson Tides Estate while my stomach churns and my heart races. Even though this place had always been my home, I wasn't back here for something pleasant.After mine and Celia's discussion, I made the choice to come home and see the man that haunted my dreams and try to see if I could help him.Of course, I had to wait a few days so that Brian and Gwen could be sure that everything was alright, and when I was released, Aera came to fetch me after I explained to him what I wanted to do."Ready?" He asks now, after a moment too long of standing in place. "Or have you changed your mind?""I haven't," I respond, snapping my gaze to the window of my father's room. "This is something that needs to be done.""And what if he is a hopeless cause?" Aera continues to push. "What do you plan to do then?""I'll figure that out when the time comes," I sigh, beginning to move."Welcome back," Aunt Lennox beams when we enter the estate. "I'm so happy you're alright."
[Ayla’s POV]I sit alone in a bed, staring at the door in front of me, while the soft beeping of machines fills the silence around me. One had multiple little beeps as it was monitoring the baby's heartbeats, while the slow and steady one was my own.After dealing with the elders, I was rushed into the temple and taken to their medical wing so that Brian and Gwen could do a thorough examination on me and the babies to make sure that everything was fine after the ordeal I went through.Despite my protests, in the end I lost out and found myself bedbound.Sighing, I lean back and close my eyes, thinking maybe I could try to get some sleep, only to find that the noise makes it damn near impossible.Huffing, I snapped them open and turned my attention toward the small monitor that showed the babies heartbeats. I found myself taking comfort in the fact that their hearts beat strongly, as they should.It was the only reassurance I had right now, given the fact that Gwen had to go back to Cr