Why would Nova's mother lie? What the hell is up with this family?
I can see the exact moment my motherâKamrynârealizes she canât talk her way out of this. That I donât believe her.That none of us do.Both Ivan and Erick beside me are pissed, muscles taut and ready for action.Brysonâs usually affable face has hardened into a stone mask, and heâs now standing behind Harley and Kamryn in case they try anything.Luna Anneliseâs face is pale with rage, while Alpha Derekâs has gone red with the same emotion.Jakobi is the calmest of the group, but heâs hypervigilant, his sharp eyes never ceasing their scan of the room.Jude has completely hidden Lucy behind him, his fangs bared as he protects his newly found mate. I canât see my step-sister behind him, but I can feel the worry and fear radiating from her.And me?Hell, Iâm just resigned to the fact that the only people who were supposed to protect and care for me never followed through. That the ones who actually did werenât blood-related at all.Kamryn is just like Roy.Oh, she might not have beaten me
Thereâs something off about Harley, Kamryn, and Lucy. I canât quite put my finger on it, but I donât like the way they interact with Nova. Harley seems genuine enough, but the way Kamryn and Lucy cling to Novaâso emotional, so overly happyâit just rings so fucking false. I donât like it. I donât like that my mate may have more difficulties ahead because of her absolute shitshow of a family. How did such an amazing female come from an asshole father and a mother who isâĶ whatever the fuck Kamryn is supposed to be? The Moon Goddess truly moves in mysterious ways. But it isnât until Kamryn tries to blame my father for why she didnât report Royâs abuse that Fang has had enough. This stupid bitch is blaming everyone but herself. She was a victim for so long that she still sees herself that way. Sheâs blaming everyone else for her own actions! he snarls in my mind, and all I can do is growl in agreement. Itâs Nova calling her out on her bullshitâalong with the disgust and anger I pic
We donât see Lucy and Jude again until dinner that night.They walk into the dining room practically floating on air, and all of us instantly notice the change in their scents. A quick glance at their necks confirms what I already knewâtheyâd marked each other.Seeing the mark on Lucyâs neck does something to my insides, twisting them in a way I donât immediately understand. It takes a second to name the feeling.Jealousy.My hand drifts to the mark Ivan gave me, fingers tracing the imprints of his canines in my skin. It might not have been what I wanted at the time, but now?Now, I wouldnât trade this connection with Ivan for anything.As if sensing my thoughts, Ivanâs hand joins mine on my shoulder, his fingers twining with mine before he brings my hand to his mouth and presses a kiss to it. âWe have plenty of time, little rabbit,â he murmurs.I just nod, unable to voice what Iâm feelingâand what I want to happen because of those feelings.Once everyone is seated, the servers place
I had tried hard not to be worried about the fact that Nova didnât want to be inducted into our pack with Lucy. I wanted to have access to her all the time. Not just for safety purposes, but also because Iâm just fucking obsessed with her. Sheâs my mate, so sue me. But I could tell from the link of our incomplete bond that it wasnât because she was scared, like she used to be. In fact, there was yearning in her so deep that it seemed to come from her soul. To belong. To be wanted. So I couldnât understand why she didnât want to become part of the pack with her step-sister. But I donât push. Sheâs been through a hell of a lot here in the last couple of days. My own insecurities donât need to be added to that. Dinner with Lucy and our crew goes well. Lucy is a lot less chatty and animated than she was originally in that way that rang false to all of us. Now, she seems relaxed, calm, and acting like herself. And her sense of humor is going to give Jude a run for his money.
I wake to kisses along my neck and a hand creeping over my thigh.I grin, loving the feeling of Ivanâs skin against mine. I donât think Iâve slept in actual clothes since we completed the matebond last week.Our mate is insatiable, Bite yawns in my head.Donât act like you donât love it, I say, biting back a moan as Ivan shifts my thigh over his leg, opening me up for him. I can feel his erection pressed against my ass and canât help but shiver at the feeling of him against my body.âI know that youâre awake, little rabbit,â he whispers in my ear. âYou only shiver like that for me when youâre anticipating what Iâm going to do to you.âI try to pout that my fun was spoiled, but his fingers sweep across my pussy, finding me wet and wanting, and I completely forget about teasing him.âAlways so wet for me,â Ivan growls in my ear.âI canât help it,â I breathe out as I arch my back into his chest. âJust your scent makes me needy for you.âI can hear the smugness in his voice as he responds
âDude, have some respect for yourself and your title. What the hell are you doing around here in a fucking tank top?â I growl at Jude. âAnd a manbun?! I told you the next time I saw you with that, Iâd hack it off with a butter knife.â Nova giggles beside me, and I canât help but turn a smile on her, even though Iâm annoyed by my second-in-command. Goddess, this female has turned me into a sap, but I wouldnât change it for anything. âYou will NOT be touching my mateâs hair!â Lucy says indignantly, hands immediately going to her hips. âItâs okay, baby. Heâs just jealous that Iâve had my mate mark longer. And Iâm wearing the tank top, asshole, to show it off,â Jude taunts as he sits at the breakfast table, pulling Lucy into his lap. âSeems like itâs something that you like doing, too. Since when was the last time you wore a crew-neck shirt instead of a button-down for work?â âAt least mine has sleeves,â I grumble, knowing he has a point and very much not liking it. Jakobi and Erick a
Jude, Lucy, Jakobi, Nova, and I arrive at the old rogue camp around lunchtime. Jude had talked to the omegas about packing us some food, but none of us are really in the mood to eat as we stare at the waterfall.I can feel the anxiety and fear rolling through our matebond.Bite is trying to calm her, but this placeâĶ it holds a lot of bad memories for our mate, Fang tells me. You gotta help her through this.I can feel it, I respond. Do you think sheâll ever tell us what happened here?Fang gives a huff that somehow conveys both his grief for our mate and his fury at the whole situation. I donât know, Ivan. I donât know if sheâs had time to process any of this trauma.Heâs right. Our little rabbit hasnât had any time since her mother left to deal with her emotions. Thatâs something weâre going to have to prioritize. I wonder if one of my parents knows any good therapists in the city. It shouldnât be hard to find one.In the meantime, I reach out and pull Nova into my chest. âYou know y
Lucyâs words have all of our attention immediately.Before I can even respond, Nova is out of my arms, her hands gripping Lucyâs arms. âWhat do you mean? You know Cody? How?âHer words come out in a fast whisper, as if her hope is so fleeting sheâs afraid to speak it too loudly.âHeâCodyâhe was part of my pack. We took him in after the breakup of the rogue pack. Heâs been training to be a warrior,â Lucy says, her words just as quiet as Novaâs. Like itâs a spell neither of them want to break.âYou mean the same pack we just cut all ties with?â Jude asks, anxiety laced through his tone.âAnd ran one of its higher-ranking members out of our territory?â Jakobi adds with a cringe.I glare daggers at both of them. Would you two shut the fuck up? I bite out through the mindlink. We donât need to add more stress to Nova than sheâs already dealing with.Sorry, man. But you know theyâre not going to willingly let Cody talk to us, right? They could be assholes about it just out of spite, Jude li
My mates and I are standing on a large floating platform in the center of the harbor. All the boats have been cleared for todayâs ceremony, and the entire pack has gathered along the shore to witness the official welcoming of their Luna and Lune.The platform is made of strong, transparent plastic, giving the illusion that weâre standing directly on the water. Flower petals and floating candles drift both on the surface and around the edges of the platform. A camera positioned at the far end captures the event and projects it onto screens placed throughout the crowd so everyone can see whatâs happening.Nova looks stunning in her midnight blue ball gown, her hair swept into a messy bun. Thin straps frame her exposed matemarks, and the dress is low-cut in both the front and back, revealing creamy swaths of skin. The bodice hugs her tightly, while the skirt flows freely into a long, lacy train that shimmers in the sunlight.Cody wears fitted pants and a tailored gunmetal gray vestâno sh
âI really donât want to do this,â I murmur, tugging at the hem of my skirt again.âGirl, if you donât stop messing with that skirt, youâre going to unravel it. Stop it!â Lucy punctuates the last word by smacking my hand.I stick my tongue out at her but stop fiddling. Honestly, I think the only reason Lucy isnât as nervous as I am is because sheâs too busy managing me.At least, she doesnât seem outwardly nervous.But I know her butterflies are causing a full-blown tornadoâjust like the one twisting in my own stomach.Weâre heading to the Hartwood Pack, where Lucy and Cody are from. Itâs been two weeks since we brought Cody home.Alpha Timothy was pissed when he realized we had âabsconded with one of his most valued packmates.â He threatened to call down the Council of Alphas, press charges against our pack, and even force Ivan to step down as Alpha.All of that might have been intimidatingâif it hadnât taken him four days to even realize Cody was gone. Add in the fact that the three
The second Ivan and Cody establish their matebond, a ripple of power, connection, and pleasure sweeps through all three of us. Bite howls in my mind, the sound echoed by two other wolvesâFang and Howl. Our bond is complete. The three of us are tied together, not only by fate, but by our marks. There is no oneâand nothingâbeyond the Goddess herself that could tear us apart. âHoly shit,â Cody says. Ivan chuckles. âYou can say that again.â âHoly shit,â Cody and I both say at the same time. We all laugh at that. Looking at my mates, I canât help the affection that thrums through my heart at the sight of them happy together. âLet me get you guys a towel,â I say, slipping off the bed. âAnd the wet wipes,â Ivan calls after me. I grab both from the bathroom and bring them back so Cody and Ivan can clean up. âThanks, Estrella,â Cody says as Ivan leans forward to kiss the top of my head. I move to the head of the bed, watching them as they get themselves together. Ivan heads into the
I watch Codyâhis chest rising and falling as he catches his breath, eyes glazed over from orgasm. His shoulder-length black hair is fanned out across the bed, giving him a dark halo. His bronze-colored skin shines with sweat, and those chocolate brown eyes are begging for me to touch him.So beautiful. I mean, fucking gorgeous. Itâs why I called him lindo.Iâd thought hard about what nickname to give him. Novaâs was easy. Seeing her that first time at The Warren in the bunny costume, all timid and shyâshe reminded me of the little rabbit she was dressed as. Sheâll always be my little rabbit.But Cody and I didnât have that kind of âmeet cute.â Not even close. Still, I needed a name for him, something that felt right.It was Fang who suggested lindo. Clearly, our mate has Hispanic roots, and using that in his nickname felt like a way to honor that.Look at him, Fang says in my head, voice thick with awe. Spread out and waiting for us.Letâs not make him wait, I reply, and lean down to
Howl is going insane inside of me. He wants Ivan. I want Ivan. And weâre finally going to get him.I suck at Ivanâs skin, making a hickey in the spot where I want to put his matemarkâright next to Novaâs. One of his hands grips my hair, the other wraps around my back.âBedroom. Lube.â The words come out strangled with need.Mate! Fuck mate! Bite mate! Make him ours! Howlâs words echo through my mind, getting lost in the frenzied need that pulses between us.Iâm working on it, Howl. Calm the fuck down so I can focus on him, I snap back.He smells so good. Feels even better. Fuck, Howl moans, and I know exactly what he means.I know Ivan wants us in the bedroom, but I canât make myself move. Canât stop touching him, kissing him, losing myself in him.Thank the Goddess for Nova.âCome on, boys,â she says, grabbing both our hands. âLetâs get to the bedroom. I want to see the two of you laid out before me.âItâs her touch that finally breaks the trance. Her words remind me thereâs more t
The desire in Codyâs eyes is hot enough to burn the clothes right off my body.His hands immediately go to my waistband, and his lips crash into mine. I hear the seams protest as he rips my clothing from my legs, his mouth dominating mine.But something Iâve learned in the short time weâve had Cody with us is that, while Ivan likes it when I submit completely, Cody enjoys the push and pullâhe wants to earn that dominance.So I give him as good as I get. Tongue, teeth, and lips collide at the same time his hand moves between my legs and finds me soaking wet.âFuck,â we both moan against each otherâs mouths.Codyâs eyes flick over my shoulder, locking with Ivanâs in a heat so intense I can practically feel it.âGet her shirt and bra off for me. I need to taste her,â Cody orders.Iâm about to sass backâbecause I can take off my own damn clothesâbut then two things happen at once: Cody uses his werewolf speed to drop to his knees, throw my legs over his shoulder, and suck my clit into his
âI change my mind,â I rush out, breathing heavy with anxiety. âI pick truth.âCody cackles from the passenger seat. âNot how the game goes, Estrella (star). You picked dare, so dare it is.âI can feel Ivanâs odd mixture of amusement and worry through our matebond as he leans in through the window. âYouâll be fine, little rabbit. Just go slow. The brakeâs on the left. Look where you want to goâyour body will follow.âWhy am I doing this?Oh yeahâbecause my asshole best friend and mate thought this would be a great dare.Iâm sitting in one of Ivanâs cars in the packhouse driveway. Not only do I not know how to drive, but Iâm also expected to drive for twenty minutes without hitting anything. Did I mention this is one of Ivanâs most prized possessions?A Ferrari 812 Superfast in metallic black.Not coincidentally, his favorite car.When his grandfather passed, Ivan got a modest inheritance and invested it in the stock market. He did wellâreally well. With that money, he bought all his car
It would be easy to let the kiss with Ivan get hot and heavy. Howl isâwell, howling in my head, and the matebond is pressing on me to finish it. And damn, I love the texture of his skin against mine: the roughness of the dayâs growth he didnât shave this morning, the angularity of his jaw.Itâs so different from kissing Novaâin an intriguing and mind-blowing way.And then thereâs the feeling of his callused hands running up my arm and his muscled body pressing against me.Yeah, it would be so easy to fall deeper into this kiss than I think either of us is ready for.So instead of giving in to what I know we both want, I pull back, only to find Ivan staring at me with fiery desire in his gaze.That is doing absolutely nothing to calm the hard-on Iâve got in my pants.Or the angry wolf in my head.Why would you stop? Howl whines.JustâĶ give me some time, okay? Weâll get there. I promise, I tell him.He grumbles but settles, lying down in my mind to watch our mates. He wants the bond com
Cody beat me to the clearing because of Novaâs trick.Normally, that would piss me off, but Fang and I both like that we have a mate who can best us. Occasionally.Plus, Nova gave me the consolation prize of seeing her tits. Iâll still count it as a win.Cody doesnât gloatâhe just has a smug-as-fuck grin on his face as we set up the picnic.I didnât have much time to prepare, but Iâm still pretty proud of myself. I brought all the foods Nova had told our omega, Amelie, that Cody liked, along with several things I know she enjoys too. Itâs a mix of lunch and breakfast foods, so I packed orange juice and champagne for mimosas.I grabbed several blankets and pillowsâanything to make it comfortable.This place, with its crystal-clear water and canopy of trees, has always been one of my favorite spots.My parents brought me here when I was a kid, along with Judeâs, Brysonâs, and Erickâs families. Itâs where the guysâplus Jakobi and meâused to hang out as teens and throw parties. More than a