[Aera's POV]The next day, I wake up early and head out. Since I couldn't go to the capitol with Ayla, I at least wanted to see her off. That wouldn't be too much, right?However, when I arrive, the front of Crimson Tides Estate is surrounded by people screaming the same thing."Stop harboring a monster.""What the hell?" I hiss, jumping out of my car and rushing forward. "What the hell is going on?" I continue, grabbing the person closest to me.For a moment, the man examines me as if trying to figure out exactly who I am before his gaze turns hard."Alpha Silas' niece is a murderer!" He growls. "She's killed two of our own!""Two?" I repeat in confusion. "I thought there was only one. When did the other happen?""Last night!" He roars. "A very promising young man who she almost killed in the past! Now she has succeeded in what she couldn't do then!"Eyes widening, I look toward the large building ahead to find murderer written in big red letters spreading across the front of it.Wha
[Ayla’s POV]My heart hammers in my chest as I find myself getting lost in the depths of Aera’s dark eyes as they take me in, waiting for me to give him the go-ahead to close the distance between us and kiss me.Was I actually going to allow this to continue? Was I really going to set myself up for more pain? I must be out of my fucking mind."Well?" Aera murmurs, lifting his hand to my cheek and gently running his fingers along my skin. "Are you going to stop me, or are you willing to take a chance?""I…" I begin but stop as the sound of Isabella rushing downstairs reaches my ears. "Issy?"Turning, I watch as she comes toward us with something in her hand.Frowning, I focus on the thing and feel my heart plummet to my feet as I realize exactly what it was that she found."Ayla!" She gasps, either not realizing that Aera was right there with me or not caring. "What in the hell is this?"Before I can say anything, a hiss of shock escapes Aera’s lips, and I’m sure he too realizes exactl
[Aera’s POV]It’s hard to stomach. Watching the woman who has been nothing but strong and confident since the day we met be so weak and vulnerable. Something about it reminded me too damn much of my brother, and where I couldn’t do anything to help him, I wanted to do everything in my power to help her.However, the first step to helping her was overcoming all the prejudices that she had to endure. How in the world could we do that? Especially with what was happening within Crimson Tides.Frowning, I look toward the building's exit and remember all of the angry pack members that were just beyond it. I found myself wondering if Silas had managed to calm them down or if he wasn’t getting anywhere."Are you considering escaping?" Isabella huffs, drawing my attention back to her. "Typical man," she continues, but I’m not quite sure if she is referring to me or someone else. "When problems arise that seem just a bit too much, they haul ass, never to be seen again.""Am I to assume that you
[Ayla's POV]I stand at the top of the stairs, listening on as Isabella all but spills my past with Barren. I suppose in the end, since Aera had been honest with me about the bet, it was only fair that I revealed one of my secrets too."I can take it from here," I call, startling the two that stand together. "It's my story to tell anyway.""Do you have time?" Isabella asks as I start to make my way downstairs."I…" I begin but stop as Uncle Silas and Aunt Lennox appear."Are you ready?" Uncle Silas asks the minute he sees me. "We need to get you out of here before they return.""Yeah," I sigh, realizing that this conversation would have to wait."Aera," he continues, turning his attention to the confused man in front of him. "Are you ready?""Me?" Aera repeats, frowning. "I'm not…""You'll be accompanying Ayla to the capitol," Uncle Silas points out. "Didn't you promise me you'd take care of her?"Confusion begins to build as I try to understand what exactly is going on here. A promis
[Ayla's POV]"It was."As the words leave my lips, all the emotions that I felt at that time come rushing back. It had been a while since I truly let myself relive those moments with Barren since it was just too damn painful."We met when I was about thirteen, and the darkness was just beginning to wake up," I continue. "Back then, it was much harder to keep under control since I wasn't used to it, and when I felt like giving up, he appeared like an angel that the goddess sent to me."For a moment, I don't speak as Aera examines me with an unreadable expression on his face. I'm sure that he isn't pleased to hear what I'm saying, but he was the one who asked for it."Maybe it was because I was at my lowest when we first crossed paths that I fell for him. He extended a hand I so desperately needed and accepted me as I was, no questions asked."The words were flowing now, and I found myself slowly letting go of the resentment that I held at that time. I guess you could say it was for the
[Ayla’s POV]It had been a while since the last time that I saw the elders, but they were the same as I remembered. Three ancient-looking men with looks of annoyance and judgmental eyes that take me in as if I’m the most irritating thing on earth stare at me as I enter the room.As I close the door, they continue to watch, and even when I make my way to the middle of the room, they continue until it becomes too much. Shouldn’t they at least say something?No, of course they didn’t need to. They were the elders, the most powerful wolves to exist in our world, yet they hid in this damned temple when things were happening beyond their walls.It was safe to say that I hated them, but I couldn’t voice that hatred, and I couldn’t go against them since, in the end, they determined my fate.Swallowing down the unease I feel, I continue to move until I reach a chair that sits in the middle of the room, which I’m sure has been set there for me. Once I reach it, I plop down and throw one leg ove
[Aera’s POV]"Does it matter why we are together?" I ask before Ayla can respond. "Is that any of your business?"I didn’t know what the hell I was doing jumping in, but I couldn’t ignore the hostility that was beginning to form on Celia’s face."As her family, it is," Celia responds slowly.It was no surprise that she would be like this toward me, especially given what I said to her before she came running to the capitol to hide. She knew that I knew she was behind that damn bet, and I was sure she didn’t expect me to tell Ayla about it. That was most likely why she was so surprised to see us together."Family," I scoff, unable to hide my disgust toward her using that word. "Some family you are.""Aera," Ayla murmurs, reaching out and touching my arm. "I can handle this.""Are you sure?" I ask, giving her a look of concern. "Even in your condition?""Yeah," she responds simply. "Celia, why weren’t you honest with me from the beginning?"A look of shock crosses Celia’s face at Ayla’s
[Aera's POV]I stare down at Ayla's pain-filled expression while trying not to count every fucking minute that has passed. Where the hell were the elders, and why were they taking so long? Was this intentional on their part because they too, like everyone else, wanted Ayla gone?As this thought hits, the urge to go find the bastards myself flares, but before I can act on it, the door behind me opens, and they appear with impassive looks on their faces."About time," I growl, moving aside while they come to surround Ayla."We came as soon as we heard," Elder Tyson responds calmly."As soon as you heard," I huff, knowing damn well they didn't. "Of course."This was the thing I despised the most about the elders. If it didn't benefit them in some way, they didn't particularly care. I understood that our world was one where only the strongest survived, but as the ones who are supposed to lead us the safety of their own should be the greatest priority.No one bothers responding to my remar
[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