CHASE “How the fuck did he get away again?” Theo spits, face screwed up in an angry scowl. He and the other alphas of the six-pack alliance- Gray, Jax, Brock, and Reid- rushed out here to meet me shortly after receiving my text, bringing along the two best trackers on the security squad, Leo and Adrian. We’d all hoped the incident at the lodge was a fluke, but now that the same rogue is skulking around our border days later, that doesn’t seem likely. He must be hanging around for a reason, and none of us want to waste any time in finding out what that is. “The border sensors never alerted?” Jax asks, still catching his breath. We are circled up in the woods in all our naked glory after shifting back from our wolf forms- a sight that would be odd for humans to stumble upon, but for us, public nudity like this is a regular occurrence. Our clothes are left behind when we shift, and the others were able to get here so quickly because they came as their wolves. “No, I checked them twice
VIENNAFrom the way that Chase storms off, it’s clear that something I said must’ve struck a nerve. Not that he’d admit it. The more I get to know him, the more curious I am about what he’s really hiding beneath all that false bravado- though it’s hard for me to have sympathy for someone who devotes so much energy into being a complete and total prick.I get that he has trauma, but these days, who doesn’t? I’ve got my own share of problems, but at least I’m trying to do something about it. Chase just wants to sit around and wallow in his own self-pity at the expense of everyone else. As someone actively trying to better their situation, I don’t have the patience for his brand of bullshit. I’m not going to walk on eggshells or tiptoe around him like everyone else.I climb out of my car, giving it a wistful glance as I look to Chase’s monstrosity of a truck parked beside it. Of course someone like Chase would talk shit about my car, given how shiny and new his own vehicle is. I saved up
VIENNA“How about this one?” Fallon asks, pausing as she thumbs through a clothing rack to pull out a particularly risqué little black dress.We’re at a cute little boutique in Goldenleaf, surrounded by overflowing racks of clothes for every occasion. Many of them boast designer labels and have the price tags to match. It’s the type of place that Fallon and Serena can shop at without batting an eye, while I doubt there’s anything in here that I can afford. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just along for the ride today, here for the girl talk and gossip rather than the intention of actually buying anything.Serena dubiously eyes the garment in Fallon’s hands. “Not unless you want Reid to haul me out of there within the first half hour.”Fallon chuckles, sliding the strappy dress back onto the rack. “Fair point. And your man has the self-control of a saint! I doubt Gray would last ten minutes if I showed up in that dress.” She winks and the two of them exchange devious, knowing glances befo
CHASEMy boys and I roll into the Stillwater Tap shortly after 9 p.m. on Saturday, the large interior of the building already slammed with patrons and the scent of sweat, booze, and bad decisions hanging heavy in the air. The grey brick exterior of the building is deceptively dull compared to the atmosphere inside- on nights like this, the music is cranked up, the dance floor is packed, and the girls are dressed to the nines like they’re going clubbing in the city. This place is the local watering hole in Stillwater’s territory, and since Serena is Luna of the pack that resides here, her birthday celebration has drawn in quite the crowd tonight.A scene like this should excite me more than it does. I’m a teenage boy, I should be out on the dance floor drowning in a buffet of tits and ass right now, not slumped in the corner of the bar downing shots of cheap whiskey like it’s my fucking job. The truth is, only one thing has excited me enough lately to tug me from the fog of self-induce
VIENNAThe outside of Nessa’s house looks like it’s straight out a brochure for an idyllic suburban community, complete with an actual white picket fence. It’s the kind of place that you can tell is warm and inviting from a single glance, the perfect home for a big, loud, loving family like hers to reside. It’s one of my favorite places, because when I’m here, I feel like I’m part of it all- just another member of her big, happy family.Nessa’s pulling open the front door before I’ve even made it up the sidewalk from the driveway, her wide, sympathetic eyes meeting mine.“It’s only for a few days,” I mutter, wrapping my fingers around the strap of my duffel bag and adjusting it on my shoulder. “Just until I can figure things out.”“Stop it. You know you can stay as long as you want to,” she says, ushering me inside.As always, the interior of the house is full of commotion- two of Nessa’s brothers are chasing each other around the living room with foam swords, while the other two play
CHASE So many things about Vienna Vega frustrate the hell out of me. The way she rolls her eyes whenever she sees me, like my presence has just ruined her fucking day. That little hair toss she does when she folds her arms across her chest in indignation. Her constant smartass responses to whatever I say, like she’s figured out exactly how to push my buttons. That ever-present flicker of defiance whenever I get close. But the worst, by far, is that despite all of that, I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s beginning to border on obsession. I keep thinking of those lips, so full and soft, and how perfect they’d look wrapped around my cock. How those big brown eyes would probably swim with flecks of bronze while she looks up at me, eyes glassy as I bump the back of her throat. I could twist that long black hair into a rope, wind it around my hand and pull. And those tits… I haven’t seen them bare yet, but the dress she was wearing Saturday night gave me a damn good mental image of wh
VIENNAChase blinks down at me, still out of his mind but slowly coming back into it. His knuckles are ripped open and dripping blood, and between the splatters of blood covering his face and the feral look in his eyes, he looks like a savage beast of a man, the mere sight of him enough to scare anyone off.I’m not just anyone, though.“What the fuck?!” I repeat, adrenaline pumping and heart pounding as I throw my hands up. “Are you crazy? That guy was human, he…”“Had his fucking hands on you,” Chase snarls, cutting me off. His eyes are glowing gold, his wolf dangerously close to the surface.“I had it handled! I can take care of myself, Chase, and you know the rules at the lodge. The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves. If I lose my fucking job over this, I swear to god…”His fists clench, a splatter of blood landing on the tile wall as he points wildly toward the door. “What the fuck did you expect me to do?! You screamed, and I…”“Nothing!” I shout back as I watch
CHASEI groan as the insistent vibration of my phone against the surface of my nightstand rouses me from sleep, rolling over and flinging out a hand to grab for it. Still half-asleep, my clumsy fingers knick the edge, sending it sailing off the nightstand and clattering loudly to the hardwood floor. Damn it.Squinting my eyes open against the harsh assault of sunlight peeking through the curtains, I immediately recognize that it’s way too fucking early for me to be awake. Who the fuck would be calling me this early in the morning? My curiosity doesn’t go far, because I just squeeze my eyes shut again, not making a move to retrieve my phone from the floor. Whoever it is can fuck off until I’m ready to wake up.Drowsy thoughts wander into my mind as I throw an arm over my face to shield it from the light, registering the faint scent of raspberries and rosewater that lingers on my skin.Vienna Vega.So much for fucking her out of my system. Instead, I fucked her deeper into it, her lust-
VIENNA*****************18 years after that*******************“Madd’s an asshole for making me go through summer training camp,” Seb grumbles from the back seat of the truck as we pull into the parking lot of the squad complex.I turn to peer back at my sulking boy, a deep scowl etched on his handsome face and his muscular forearms folded tightly across his chest. “Aw, c’mon. It’s only fair. I had to go through it once too, ya know.” I flash him a smile of encouragement, but it does nothing to lighten his mood. “Hey, at least you’re better prepared than I was…”“It’s still bullshit,” Seb snaps, fisting a hand in his hair and tugging the strands, a gesture that reminds me so much of his father. He’s the spitting image of Chase when he was that age- the same dark eyes, sharp jaw, and arrogant swagger.Chase heaves a sigh as he pulls the truck into a parking spot, his eyes flickering up to the rear-view mirror to gaze back at our son. “Enough with the attitude, Seb,” he warns, levelin
CHASE **************Five Years Later **************** “Hey, take it easy!” I growl out as Fallon and Gray’s twins race past me, nearly knocking the tray of burgers out of my hands. “Sorry, Uncle Chase!” their daughter calls over her shoulder, though she doesn’t slow down in her pursuit of her brother as he weaves between the people gathered on the back lawn of the packhouse, darting around them in an effort to escape her. He almost succeeds, too, until Brock and Astrid’s daughter, Sloane, jumps between her parents to block his path, her curly hair bouncing and a mischievous grin stretching her lips. “You’re it!” Avery declares triumphantly, catching up to her twin brother before he can alter his course and tagging him on the shoulder. Maddox blows out a frustrated sigh and folds his arms over his chest, scowling at Sloane for trapping him and allowing his sister to get the upper hand. “Not fair, you girls cheated.” “Catch me if you can, Madd,” Sloane coos, turning on a heel and
VIENNA ***************** Three Weeks Later ******************* “I’ll head back first,” I breathe, yanking my jeans up my hips and fastening the button. My legs are still a little shaky and there’s a delicious ache between them from being thoroughly fucked by my mate. In the woods. With our friends within shouting distance over at the bonfire pit. I doubt they heard us- Chase turned up the volume on the portable speaker before he followed me out here under the guise of taking a piss and held his hand over my mouth to muffle my scream when I came- but if we go strolling back there together, everyone will immediately guess what we’ve been getting up to out here and the relentless teasing will ensue. Not that I’m embarrassed about hooking up with Chase. I mean, he’s hot as fuck- who wouldn’t tap that? Of course, that’s a rhetorical question, because he’s all mine. My goddamn soulmate. I’m the luckiest bitch alive. Even so, his buddies love to give us shit about going at it like
CHASE My entire pack is keyed up, itching to shift and waiting for me to lead the charge. Articles of clothing litter the back lawn of the packhouse as they’re stripped from bodies and flung away, the energy among the gathered crowd palpable. Tonight will be my first time leading the full moon run as our pack’s Alpha; ushering in a new era for us all now that I’ve finally stepped up to claim my place. Once my wolf came in, I was always second to run as the alpha’s son. Following my dad’s death, Rob was the one to lead the full moon run as the next highest-ranking member of our pack, and I remained second. Tonight, and every full moon after this while I’m Alpha, I’ll be the first to shift; the first to howl to invite the others to join, and the first to carve a path through the woods for the rest of the pack to follow. The only downside to being the first to shift tonight is that I’ll be long gone before Vienna gets the opportunity to do the same. Since she’s not technically part of
Vienna“Lookin’ good, Tink,” Chase croons, throwing me a wink as he walks into the bedroom.I spin away from the mirror as he approaches, pushing up on my tiptoes to meet him as he dips his head down to lay a kiss on my lips. Sparks crackle between us and heat pools between my thighs, but the dull hum of the crowd gathering downstairs deters me from taking things further and I reluctantly pull away, breathless as I stare up into the eyes of my dark prince.“You clean up pretty well yourself, Alpha,” I tease, taking a step back and giving him a once-over, grinning in approval. In honor of his Alpha induction tonight, Rob urged him to ditch his classic hoodie and jeans ensemble for a cleaner look; a black button-up shirt and a pair of slacks. The sleeves of his dress shirt are rolled up to the elbows and his hair is deliciously mussed, so even with the nice clothes he’s still rocking that James Dean devil-may-care look that makes me weak.I shiver under the intensity of his gaze as his
CHASEBy the time we make it back to the packhouse, Vienna is still drifting in and out of consciousness. She’s lucid enough for me to get her into the shower, and I hold her under the spray and wash every drop of blood from her skin before toweling her off, bandaging her stomach, and tucking her into bed. I fall asleep holding her, afraid that if I let her go, she’ll disappear. The warmth of her skin against mine grounds me, reminding me that this isn’t all a dream- she’s safe. We made it. And I’m never letting her go again.I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep with my girl in my arms, and when I wake to the sound of voices downstairs more than twelve hours later, she’s still crashed out. I carefully climb out of bed and slip into a pair of navy sweatpants, padding out of the room and down the hall on bare feet. Early morning sunlight filters in through the windows in the rear of the packhouse as I descend the stairs, my gaze falling upon Gray and the other alphas standing in the kitc
VIENNAChase is staring at this rogue like he’s just seen a damn ghost, a name leaving his lips on a whisper.“Daniel?”Okay, who the fuck is Daniel and why is he holding me at gunpoint? I always knew falling for Chase Walker was dangerous, but I never thought it’d actually be lethal. The barrel of the gun is still pressed to my temple and with each passing second, it’s becoming more difficult to fight back the unease clawing at my chest in response. This gun is way too close for comfort and it’s a safe bet that the maniac wielding it has a twitchy trigger finger. I’m so fucked.I’ve thought about my own death before. It’s only natural; especially after losing a parent at such a tender age. Before my dad died, I didn’t think much about my own death, but after I lost him and realized that you never know when your number’s up, there was a period of time where I obsessed over it. I wondered when death would come for me and how I’d go out- whether it would be in a blaze of glory or as a r
CHASE I throw up a prayer to fate that I’m not too late when I arrive at the cabin, fueled by adrenaline and fear as I tumble out of my truck and race for the front door. Please don’t let her die. If she dies here, I may as well die too, because I won’t survive losing her. My gaze catches on the number 12 carved crudely into the post beside the front door, the numbers practically mocking me as that chant starts in my brain again. ‘Cabin 12. Come alone or she dies.’ Well asshole, I came alone, so she’d better be alive… My heart’s in my throat as I wrap my hand around the knob and push, the door swinging open to reveal the interior of the cabin. As soon as it comes into view, the click of a gun’s hammer steals my breath and my eyes collide with Vienna’s. She’s bound to a chair, just as she was in the picture, and there’s a man standing behind her, hovering over her with a filthy hand wound in her hair yanking her head back. He’s got a gun in his other hand, the barrel pressed tig
CHASE “How do you want me?” Vienna purrs, crawling toward me on the bed in a lacy black matching bra and panty set. Her hooded, lust-filled gaze meets mine and she dips her head down to lick her tongue across my abs, sending a shiver skating down my spine. “Any way you want it, baby,” I growl, burying a hand in her soft-as-fuck hair and tugging on the strands as she continues trailing her tongue along the dips and curves of my muscles. “Hmm…” Vienna rocks back to sit up on her heels, tilting her head coyly and putting a finger to her chin in thought. Then she smirks to herself, turning away from me and tossing a leg over my body, climbing over to straddle my waist with her back to me. I grab a handful of her pretty little ass in each palm as she rises up on her knees to line her center up over my cock, slipping her panties to the side and slowly lowering herself onto my throbbing hard-on. “Fuuuuuck,” I choke out as I sink into her wet heat, my fingertips digging into her ass cheek