DRAKE Emory was howling. Literally howling in my head as Eve leaned in close enough for me to kiss her. She was clearly giving me an opening. I leaned in and softly pecked her lips before resting my forehead on hers. Looking down at her hands in her lap, that damn engagement ring mocked me. "Eve," I whispered, "you're engaged to him. As much as I want to... I only want you to be mine. I'm not the type to share." She pulled away from me, her leg breaking contact with mine. Emory was losing it, literally losing it. His excited howls quickly morphed into pained whines. It made me wonder if this was what Kha always dealt with. He always liked to say Vincent, or whatever his wolf's name is, was far more restless. "Drake, what are you doing? Just mark her!" Emory howled, his voice echoing in my mind. "Calm the hell down, Emory," I shot back, trying to steady my thoughts. "Mark her, and it won't matter! She'll be ours," he insisted, his desperation real. "Those kinds of r
KHA Watching the ambulance pull away with my girlfriend and my rival in the back was hard. So fucking hard. I figured it was only a matter of time before this started. I had always watched my mom and dad fight over things like this my whole life. Mom would get frustrated and run off to who knows where, but I never asked questions. I didn't want to know.I had an idea, but that ate at Vance more than anything else. It was a volatile topic, one I preferred to leave alone."Bane, come here!" Coach yelled, snapping me out of my thoughts.I jogged over, trying to read his expression. "Yeah, Coach?"He scowled, clearly furious. "What the hell were you thinking with that hit? You know better than to target a quarterback like that!"I tried to explain, but he cut me off."No excuses! That was reckless and now, thanks to you, Drake's out. You're taking over as quarterback.""Wait, what?" I stammered."You heard me," he barked. "You're the QB now. Get your head in the game and stop maki
EVE I lied to him. I should have told Kha I kissed Drake, but I didn't want to trigger that spiral right now. I couldn't take it. This situation was pulling me in so many directions that I was starting to lose my mind. Before I realized what I was doing, I pushed him back on the bed. The vision of that girl on his lap haunted me, and I was determined to erase it. I straddled him, feeling the rare power of being on top. I tore at his shirt and clawed at his chest. His eyes glowed red, both excitement and confusion swirling in them. He kept muttering, "Shit, Eve," and "Oh, shit," over and over. It was clear he enjoyed it, but my intensity also surprised him. I didn't fully understand my actions either, but I suspected it had something to do with my inability to control myself around Drake. The image of that girl bouncing on his lap replayed in my mind, a cruel reminder that fueled my actions. I yanked down his jeans and guided him into me, rocking my hips with an enthusias
EVE Dinner turned out to be a lively BBQ around a large firepit behind the house. About twenty pack members, all eager to meet me joined. As I looked around, I noticed that only a few had brown hair like Kha; most were blonde-haired and blue-eyed. The atmosphere was welcoming, yet the underlying and strange dynamics of the pack were noticeable. I felt the power, the push and pull, but really had no solid understanding of what was happening around me. Franklin introduced me to Granger, the current beta. "This is Granger," he said. "He's Marley's boyfriend. I think she is the head advisor in your building, no?" I stared at Kha in surprise and punched his arm. "Oh my god, you never told me? What the hell?" Franklin just laughed and looked at his son. "I never commanded you not to tell people your cousin is there with you. Poor girl, you need to fill her in on what is happening around her now." Granger laughed, shaking his head. "Damn, man, we're almost family, and you still wo
EVE "What happened?" I asked, the words tumbling out in a rush. "Just a patrol," she explained. "The StClaires were testing our borders. It's a common occurrence, though tonight seemed more... intense." I sank onto a nearby chair, my body trembling with the aftermath of adrenaline. "Is everyone okay?" Gerty nodded. "Everyone's fine. No real harm done." Kha walked into the house with Franklin, both of them completely nude from their recent shift back into human form. Franklin disappeared into his room to get clothes while Gerty casually leaned back, opened a drawer, and handed Kha a pair of shorts. I couldn't help but ask, "Does this happen that often?" Kha sat down, rubbing his head. "Feels like every time I'm here, almost." Gerty chuckled softly. "That's not true, and you know it." Kha's eyes were red, and he snapped, "Not right now, Gerty. Fuck." He grabbed my arm, pulled me towards the bedroom, and slammed the door behind us. Once inside, his demeanor shifted to somethi
DRAKE I couldn't believe I'd kissed her at the hospital. Another rash decision.Another moment of weakness that was bound to cause problems. I was a purebred, damn it. Why in the hell was I acting like this? I was supposed to be controlled, composed, and above all impulsive actions.But the truth was, Eve had a hold on me that I couldn't shake. Every time I saw her and our eyes met, I felt something deep.Deep and unsettling. I had asked my dad for her number, and he was all too willing to comply.He thought I was starting the process needed to claim her, but what I was really doing was trying desperately to ensure I didn't ruin the minute chance I had at a real relationship with her. I wanted her, but not for what she could give me. I wanted her heart. I wanted her soul. When she didn't text me back, I asked Dad for her number again to ensure he'd given it to me correctly. It was right. She just wasn't answering. Dad also mentioned he would be there to pick me up soon and t
KHA When she told me she kissed Drake, I saw red.Literally. The betrayal was so raw, so real. So damn piercing. It felt like a knife twisting in my gut, and all I could think about was how I wanted to tear him apart. Dad asking me to stay for a few days to help fix what the StClaires messed up was probably a blessing in disguise.I was so volatile there was no way I could remain composed with Eve right now. So I agreed immediately. I texted Mom, having smelled her on Ty's wolf when he got close. Mom was fucking Ty while he raided my land.Vance was beside himself, going on and on about how fucking stupid we were for trusting humans. He kept saying they both betrayed us and that humans couldn't be trusted and we weren't human. That was between his pained howling and whimpering. Whenever the thought of Eve kissing Drake even crossed my mind, Vance chased it away, trying to protect me. He never tried to protect me. Usually, he was the one toying with my emotions.He was in pain
KHA I saw red again. She was sleeping with him. Vance howled in my mind, and I had to stop myself from growling and shifting right there. I grabbed the doorframe, and it cracked and splintered under my grasp. The sound of commotion inside the room made my decision in a split second. The gloves were off now. I was ready to put my shoulder through the door when it suddenly opened, sending me flying into the room. I sprawled out on the floor, landing hard on my shoulder. Marissa screamed, "What the hell, Kha?" I saw her quickly trying to cover herself and the twins. They were all in a state of undress. "Shit... I... oh shit, I'm happy I didn't break the door down," I muttered, sitting up and rubbing my shoulder. The twins were trying not to laugh. They were also my cousins and were thoroughly enjoying this spectacle. "Shut the fuck up and go back to your dorm... and you two do this kind of thing together? Really? Wait, don't answer that. Get the hell out of here," I
DRAKE The stadium roared with energy, the stands packed with students, parents, and alumni, ready for the season's first game. Eve and I sat near the middle. I glanced at her, her bright blue eyes fixed on the field, her lips tight as she scanned the players."Kha's still safety, right?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual, her nerves showing."Yeah, and Con's the quarterback this year," I confirmed. "Con played well last season, so he'll probably dominate. I was watching his highlight reels, and I'm impressed."Eve bit her lip, her hands gripping the edge of the seat. Her anxiety was obvious. Every time Con or Kha got the ball, her whole body stiffened like she was bracing for impact herself."Are they always this intense?" she asked, her eyes following Kha as he positioned himself for the next play."Yeah," I shrugged, glancing at her. "You'll get used to it. Con especially. He lives for this stuff."Just as I spoke, Con took the snap, dropping back to pass. Kha darted across t
EVE He pulled the towel off of my body as he positioned me on the bed. He got up to lock the door, and I couldn't help but watch him, appreciating how much care he took in everything he did these days. He may have been rubbing off on Drake, but Drake was doing the same in return. When he closed his eyes briefly, I spoke up, "Rissa won't come back anytime soon. She's in class." He looked back at me with a small smile. "I just wanted to make sure," he replied before returning to the bed. As he climbed back onto the bed, the playfulness in his eyes was unmistakable. It reminded me of the first time we were together, how he both treated me with gentleness and teased me throughout. He started tracing my breast, circling my nipple before lightly tugging on the ring. The sensation made me arch my back slightly, pressing into his touch. He smiled at me, and then he leaned down, kissing my nipple before looping his tongue through the ring. I couldn't hold back the loud moan, my hips i
EVE I saw Kha lingering outside the locker room and pulled him aside. His posture was tense, and his usual confidence was absent. I didn't want him to go back in there, not after everything that had happened."Kha, let's just go," I urged. "I don't want to wait for you to change."He looked down at me, the stress in his shoulders easing slightly. "Sure," he agreed, though I sensed some hesitation. "What about Drake? I drove here with him in his truck."I frowned, realizing this could complicate things. Drake and I already had our moment. It was Kha's turn now. I needed some time alone with Kha, away from all the tension building up. "Let him know we're leaving. I'll call for an Uber."Kha nodded and jogged over to Drake, who was sitting nearby. I watched as they exchanged a few words, with Kha gesturing in my direction. Drake looked concerned but didn't argue. He just nodded, and Kha headed back to me.While waiting for the car, I decided to text Con. I didn't want him worrying or wo
EVE The day with Conrad was easy, almost too easy. After the morning's chaos, it was strange how simple everything felt when just the two of us were in his room. We didn't do much. We just hung out, letting the hours slip away without worrying about what was happening outside those walls. He was easy to be around, and the stress that usually came with Kha and Drake was nowhere to be found. It was a relief, even if I felt guilty for enjoying it.As the afternoon crept closer to practice time, I realized I needed to change clothes. My usual routine of heading to my room was out of the question. I couldn't bear the thought of running into Kha or Drake or them getting updates from pack members after everything that had happened. They were probably still fuming, and I wasn't ready to face that just yet."I need to change," I said, glancing at the time. "But I don't want to go to my room."Con nodded, understanding immediately. He got up from where he was sitting and rummaged through a d
DRAKE Kha and I sat in silence, both of us trying to calm down after the near fight that had driven Eve away. My chest still burned with frustration, and I could see the strain in Kha's every movement. We'd almost come to blows, and the close we'd come to tearing each other apart made me sick. We both knew better. But knowing better hadn't stopped us. "She's not in her room," Kha muttered. "How do you know?" I asked. After everything that just happened, the thought of her being alone right now was agonizing. I was about to chase her down if we didn't figure out where she was. Command be damned. "Rissa just told me," he replied through gritted teeth. "She checked. Eve didn't go back to her room." It hit me. I knew where she had gone. There was only one place she would feel safe after what had happened. "She's with Ford." Kha didn't say anything at first, but I could see the fear in his eyes. "Of course she is," he finally said. "Why wouldn't she go to him? He's perfect fo
CONI couldn't believe she was here, lounging on my bed like it was the most natural thing in the world. After breakfast, I thought she'd stick with Kha and Drake, but she came to my room instead. She didn't hesitate, didn't second-guess it. Once I got her to calm down, she just walked in and made herself comfortable. Now, she was stretched across my bed, propped up on her elbows, watching me work on her bracelet. I wasn't even trying, yet she seemed drawn to me, like some invisible force kept pulling us together. She looked so calm and at ease in my room, and I wondered how she fit here so perfectly.I focused on weaving together a couple of leather bands with orange glittery strings. I laid the materials on the desk.She tilted her head. "Where do you keep orange glitter clothing?" she teased.I smiled. "They're from my old jersey from my last college. It became my good luck charm after a while, and I thought it might also bring you some luck."She narrowed her eyes slightly, not
EVE We headed to Kha's room after breakfast, and I knew why. Because Drake's room was directly beneath Con's.As soon as we entered the room, I sighed heavily, knowing what was coming."Just get it out," I said, bracing myself.Kha and Drake exchanged a look, biting back their words. I could see the storm brewing in their eyes, but they were holding back. I wasn't going to let them stew in their frustrations all day, not when I could feel their emotions swirling around us, threatening to suffocate me."No," I insisted. "You're not stewing in this all day. Get it out. Now."That was all it took. The dam broke, and it all came pouring out. Drake started. "We're upset, Eve. This whole thing with Ford... it's driving us crazy. We're jealous, okay? We don't like the way he looks at you, the way he's always there, always perfect. It's like he's this perfect guy for you, and we're scared. We're scared you'll want him more than us."Kha jumped in, his emotions even more raw than expected. "
EVE I woke up feeling queasy, but I pushed through it, determined to start the day on a good note. Kha, Drake, and I headed to the dining hall for breakfast. The usual smells hit me like a freight train, and I had to swallow hard to keep the nausea at bay. I tried to focus on the conversation with Kha and Drake, but ignoring the churning in my stomach was hard.I was picking at my food when I saw Conrad walk in. My stomach clenched harder, but it wasn't just the nausea this time. Something compelled me to move, to go to him. I stood up, ignoring the questioning looks from Kha and Drake, and walked over to Conrad.Before I could even speak, Conrad's hand found my arm, his touch steadying me almost instantaneously. The nausea vanished, and I felt clear-headed for the first time that morning. Without thinking, I invited him to join us once he got his food. But it wasn't just an invitation. It was a command. I realized what I'd done the moment the words left my mouth, but it was too
CONRAD I didn't plan on kissing her. Hell, I wasn't even sure how we ended up so close that it happened. But when it did, everything changed. The moment our lips touched, it was like something inside me shifted. I finally understood why those two guys were so damn obsessed with her. The connection between us was intense and something I couldn't shake even after it ended.I would do anything to kiss her again. The spark, the way it made me feel...I couldn't even put it into words. It was more than just a physical connection. It was like a piece of her had lodged itself inside me, and I didn't want to let it go.The fact that she was pregnant, something that had always made me hesitant, suddenly didn't matter. The baby was a part of her, and that was enough for me. Realizing that what had kept me from taking things further with her was now irrelevant should have been unsettling. But it wasn't.Instead, it felt like everything was falling into place, like this was where I was supposed