Irritation flashed in Atlas's eyes as Liam's rough knock sounded. He must've seen the relief on my face and stiffly turned to open the door. I wasn't sure how much Liam had heard, or if he knew what he interrupted but his hard face gave nothing away.
“I wanted to make sure you were alright.” Liam frowned, his eyes flickering to Atlas for just a split second. That quick gaze lasted long enough for me to read the suspicion in his eyes, along with begrudging disapproval.
“I’m fine. Better than last time.” I grimaced, stepping away from the two of them.
Atlas’s scent danced in circles around my head, and I found myself desperately needing a breath of fresh air. His scent, his presence—it all distracted me from my thoughts.
“Nicki and Dustin are going to take over training tomorrow.” Liam replied, “I think it might be good for you to take it easy tomorrow.”
I didn’t argue with him a
A few minutes later, we all parted ways. Liam was staying at a local Inn with Lydia, who insisted on tagging along to Atlas’s pack. Even now, I felt no animosity towards her. She was timid in a way that reminded me of myself. I had once been shy and afraid of the world. Losing Atlas and my Mom had ripped the fear from me, leaving me with only anger. That anger seemed to come in waves lately. Ever since I lashed out at Atlas and told him how I felt, I couldn’t muster up that same red-hot rage.My mind fought against the mate-bond relentlessly, but my body had a mind of its own. My heart seemed to sense Atlas’s presence, and would speed up anytime he was near. My fingers would tremble when he stood too close to me, the heat from his body washing up my spine. I gave myself those few moments to think on our bond, and what I might do once this was all over. I couldn’t see myself forgiving him—nor did I want to, but he made it hard.‘Give
Nicki had been withdrawn the rest of training, but did a good job keeping it to herself. Atlas had left shortly after, heading in the direction Dean had went. I kept my eyes on Nicki, and knew her mind must be whirling. Nicki and I had only ever talked about mates once. She was eighteen and hadn’t ever been pressed to find her mate. Nicki had always been incredibly independent, and knew she’d meet her mate when it was time. I knew she hadn’t expected it to go this way. To find her mate, just to have him run away. None of us ever expected it—these things just seemed to happen. Once the damage was done, you’d sit there wondering where it all went wrong.I had an hour to clean up once we made it back to the house. I took a quick shower and changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeve top. I opted for comfort rather than style, as Atlas and I would be stuck on a plane together for multiple hours. As I brushed out my overgrown hair, a light knock so
I woke up as the sun just began to set. The earth had gotten much closer in my time asleep, and I knew we would be landing soon. I jumped when I looked up, noticing Atlas’s eyes on my face. He sat with an ankle on top of his thigh. His fist rested under his chin as he stared at me with unwavering strength. His lips twitched and just as I thought something snide would come out, he smirked.“You talk in your sleep.” Atlas remarked, turning his head as one of the attendants came into the cabin.The middle aged she-wolf announced that we’d be landing in just a few minutes. She turned and left the way she came, the navy curtain fluttering behind her. I grimaced at Atlas’s smirk, shoving the poetry book into my duffel bag.“I do not.” I snapped, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.I pulled my bag onto my lap and turned my head away from Atlas. I grabbed some of the winter gear Atlas had laid out on the seats and walked
"Here's some extra blankets for the two of you." The human woman smiled, setting the bundle of old quilts down on the bed. "One of you can come down and grab some dinner. The shower works, but you gotta give the hot water heater a few minutes to wake up.""Thank you, Ma'am. It'll be perfect for the night." Atlas nodded at the woman, giving her one of his frigid yet polite smiles.I held in my snort at the politeness of Atlas's tone. It only further proved how little I knew the man. I had gone to school with him for years, but made it my mission to ignore him and his indifferent attitude. The only time I actively noticed Atlas was when his friends were bullying me. Even then, I knew little about the man and even less about his family. I had seen the Alpha and Luna of his pack a few times, but had never spoken to either. From what I gathered, Atlas's Father was a strict man and an even stricter Alpha. I shook off my budding curiosity and looked around the small bedroom I
Guilt, sadness, exhaustion, hope.I missed the Atlas who exuded confident indifference to the world around him. I missed the Atlas that never let anything show, that stuck to his little friend group above anyone else. It was easier to hate that Atlas, easier to dehumanize him into the cold-blooded enemy that rejected me. This Atlas was different, was that much harder to hate. While his alabaster skin and platinum hair made him look cold, the emotion in his eyes was anything but—emotion reserved for me and me alone.“What’s the point in giving in?” I found myself replying, fighting to keep the hurt and anger from my words.
The memory crept up on me without my notice. There were no telltale signs that I would soon be sucked into the past. My head felt pain-free, better than it ever had. As I slipped into unconsciousness, an explosion of color appeared behind my eyelids. The colors churned and swirled until I felt my very essence being pulled far, far away.I drifted even further, into the colors that now surrounded me. My sight sharpened, as did the colors and shapes lingering on the outskirts of my vision. The large splotches of green and brown became thick tree's, a million emerald leaves dangling from thick branches. The spattering of black became the main road in Atlas's pack. The road sat through the middle of town. Thick, healthy grass grew underneath my feet and the scent of something sweet lingered in the air. The sun was bright and warm, but I couldn't shake the lingering sadness that held me in its grip."Mommy, how long are we going to stay here?" A familiar voice whined. "I wa
Even as awareness crept into my subconscious, I kept my eyes tightly shut. Warmth and a thick husky scent enveloped me, nearly coaxing me back to sleep. I couldn't remember the last time I slept so soundly. Not a single nightmare had worked its way into my head. I lingered in that blissful nothingness, content on forgetting the memories that danced along the cusp of my mind. A beam of sunlight danced through the sheer curtains on the window, explosions of orange and yellow light danced behind my eyelids.Something soft yet firm rested against my face, and I burrowed deeper into the source of warmth. My eyes snapped open as my pillow shifted, and a rough hand gripped my thigh. The hand belonged to Atlas, as did the delectable scent. He pulled my leg up and over his waist, resting his palm on my lower back. My long sleeve t-shirt had risen up in the night, and I nearly flung myself from the bed when his hand grazed my bare skin. The sparks seemed to vary in purpose, but never i
I wasn't sure what to expect once Finn opened the front door. A knot of tension had unraveled in my gut at the sight of his familiar face. I couldn't lie, part of me worried Finn no longer lived here. It was a worry that gnawed at me the entire walk here. Now that I stood in the foyer of Finn's cabin, his unnerving eyes never once leaving my face, I found myself slightly underwhelmed.The cabin was much more--ordinary than I would've expected. There were no hints of magic, at least none I could pinpoint by sight. The inside of the cabin was cloaked in shades of gold, maroon and rich brown. The furniture wasn't new, but was worn to the point of comfort. A large kitchen sat towards the back of the house, and I couldn't help but eye up the large pot of stew boiling on the stove. My stomach howled in response, demanding something heavier than chilled soup. I was immediately drawn to the source of heat in the living room, edging closer to the blistering warmth. The crackling fire