Vanilla. Strawberries. But there’s another scent now—unfamiliar, yet intoxicating. Apples and cinnamon.I don’t have time to unpack it, though, because I’m skidding to a halt just feet from her.She’s beautiful. Even more so than the last time I saw her. Her honey-blonde hair dances in the breeze, and her large brown eyes shimmer like melted chocolate in the moonlight. She’s filled out—healthier. Stronger. And the way her shirt clings to her curves has Howl, my wolf, zeroing in on her like prey.Mate! Howl barks, inhaling sharply. His attention ricochets between Nova and the male beside her. Two mates!I freeze.Shock crashes over me like a tidal wave, even as Howl lets out a delighted, primal yip.I don’t have a problem with having a male mate. That was never the issue. I was raised to believe the Moon Goddess gives you what you need, not necessarily what you expect.But I’d been so focused on Nova—first protecting her, then surviving for her, then searching for her—that the idea o
The drive back to the pack house is tense. Nova has already told us that she’s planning on accepting Cody as her mate. Which means she’s expecting me to do the same. And I don’t know if I can do that. Look, don’t get me wrong—it’s not that he’s a guy. That’s not abnormal in werewolf culture. We’re a pretty lustful species at the best of times. I’ve experimented. Enjoyed myself while I did it. I’m definitely more into females, but I have no problem finding pleasure in either sex. No, the thing that’s stopping me is the thought of sharing Nova. And Cody. You can’t lie to me, asshole. You don’t want to share either of them, Fang grumbles in my head. He’s been chewing me out for how I handled everything, alternating between rage, sulking, and the occasional snarky insult. Even now, I’ve purposefully sat in the front seat with my father. Cody and Nova are all the way in the back. I can hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but we’re in a big passenger van. Erick, Bryson, J
“Daddy? Why are we here?” I know I’m whining and Daddy hates whining, but I can’t help it. It’s cold and dark and scary and I want to go home. “Shut the fuck up!” he orders. Though his voice is gruff and the words that he says are mean, he isn’t really paying attention to me right now. He’s too busy peering into the gloom that’s all around us. Daddy looks down at his watch and then looks back into the trees that surround us. His movements are fast and jerky, like he’s on that special medicine again. Well, more like he needs to have another shot with the special medicine. He always gets meaner whenever he needs the special medicine. “Are we really going to see Mommy out here?” I ask. That’s what Daddy had told me when he made me get out of bed. He was bringing me out into a deep dark part of the words beyond our pack borders where the teachers always tell us that we’re never allowed to go so that we could get Mommy and bring her home. He
Climbing the steps to my rundown, shit hole of a house, I feel a bone deep weariness that never seems to go away these days. The evenings at the club, the skintight clothes, the filthy hands grabbing at my body, it all takes a toll. One that I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to wash away. Tonight was no better. My feet ache from the heels that I’m forced to wear and I feel like I have a permanent wedgie from the way that the bunny outfit that is my uniform at work showcases my ass cheeks. I just wish there was a better, faster way to make the money the I need to get out of here. Unfortunately, those grabbing hands also fork over a fistful of cash for the liberties that they take. And if I want to escape the situation that I’m in, this is the fastest way to do it. Speaking of my ‘situation,’ I take another quick peek at the street in front of my house to make sure that he isn’t there. That his truck isn’t coming down the street or
The bath is tepid and too small, but it still feels glorious. A bargain basement bath bomb, a travel-sized bottle of Moscato left over from a very confused man’s bachelor party, and a sugar cookie candle that one of the other servers gave me for Christmas and I’m in heaven. No thick, itchy stage makeup to cover my rogue mark. No aching feet. No hands on parts of my body where they aren’t wanted. No father that never wanted me lurking around. Just me and marginal luxury. Thinking about the night, I realize how good it was. I made $800 in tips. That’ll cover what’s left of my bus pass for the month, food, and a little extra cash just in case, leaving me with $500. Calculating in my head, I add that to the total that I have hidden away in my room. I’m within $5,000 dollars of my goal. Maybe by the end of the month. Definitely by next month and then I’m out of here. Away in the cabin in the woods that Cody and I said that we woul
I stay in my wolf form throughout the night. It’s the best way for me to heal. My wolf’s metabolism is sped up which will help to heal the bruises to the point that I can at least cover them up with makeup tomorrow. The bones will all shift back into place when I shift back, probably leaving a bit of soreness and ache behind, but nothing that I can’t deal with, even on heels. I’m used to pain. It’s like a second skin that I wear, whether physical or mental, I always feel it. I can fake like it’s not there and no one will know. And at least in wolf form, if Roy comes back I can defend myself better. Healing from major wounds like this always causes me to dream. I don’t know if it’s because of the fact that I’m in my wolf form and closer to the Goddess or if it’s because of all the crazy amount of chemistry that’s going on in my body to heal myself. Whatever it is, I find myself floating into a dream. I find myself walking in a fami
“Come on, man. It’s your 25th birthday. We can’t be late!” my beta, Jude, calls from my bedroom. “All the guys are ready to go.” I’m standing in my bathroom, having just finished putting on my hair. I grab the body spray that my mom got for me. It’s a pheromone enhancer, one that will increase my scent for my mate to find me. It works pretty damn well on the general unmated female population, but it will make my scent nearly irresistible to my mate. Wolves are able to start finding their mates after their first shift at age 16, so the fact that I’m 25 and haven’t found mine is fairly unheard of. Especially since I’m an alpha. Honestly, I’m not all that pressed about it. My parents hadn’t found each other until Pops was 31 and Mom was my age. Pops stayed alpha until well into his 50s, giving the pack over three decades of stability. He’d made alliances and friends in a ton of different packs and grown our own pack to nearly one thousand wol
Fuck she’s hot as hell and I can’t keep my eyes off of her now that I’ve seen her. I keep trying to catch her scent, but there’s too many other smells for me to scent hers out. And it isn’t uncommon for a working girl to cover her scent. That’s the complicated thing for an unmated she-wolf. Her scent will drive males crazy, whether they are her mates or not. And if she goes into heat? She’s not safe without those pills. What’s bothering me is the fact that she’s not responding to my alpha scent, especially with the fact that it’s amplified. All of the other she-wolves are basically drooling all over me. They’re doing their jobs and riling up my friends, but they keep watching me. Leaning towards me. Yeah, some of that is because I’m the alpha. Some of it is that, as a werewolf and an alpha, I’m fucking sexy as all fuck. I’m not bragging, it’s just fact. All alpha males and females are. But I think the fact that they keep movi
The drive back to the pack house is tense. Nova has already told us that she’s planning on accepting Cody as her mate. Which means she’s expecting me to do the same. And I don’t know if I can do that. Look, don’t get me wrong—it’s not that he’s a guy. That’s not abnormal in werewolf culture. We’re a pretty lustful species at the best of times. I’ve experimented. Enjoyed myself while I did it. I’m definitely more into females, but I have no problem finding pleasure in either sex. No, the thing that’s stopping me is the thought of sharing Nova. And Cody. You can’t lie to me, asshole. You don’t want to share either of them, Fang grumbles in my head. He’s been chewing me out for how I handled everything, alternating between rage, sulking, and the occasional snarky insult. Even now, I’ve purposefully sat in the front seat with my father. Cody and Nova are all the way in the back. I can hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but we’re in a big passenger van. Erick, Bryson, J
Vanilla. Strawberries. But there’s another scent now—unfamiliar, yet intoxicating. Apples and cinnamon.I don’t have time to unpack it, though, because I’m skidding to a halt just feet from her.She’s beautiful. Even more so than the last time I saw her. Her honey-blonde hair dances in the breeze, and her large brown eyes shimmer like melted chocolate in the moonlight. She’s filled out—healthier. Stronger. And the way her shirt clings to her curves has Howl, my wolf, zeroing in on her like prey.Mate! Howl barks, inhaling sharply. His attention ricochets between Nova and the male beside her. Two mates!I freeze.Shock crashes over me like a tidal wave, even as Howl lets out a delighted, primal yip.I don’t have a problem with having a male mate. That was never the issue. I was raised to believe the Moon Goddess gives you what you need, not necessarily what you expect.But I’d been so focused on Nova—first protecting her, then surviving for her, then searching for her—that the idea o
FlashbackI’ve got my arms wrapped around Nova, trying to keep her warm in the kennel they keep us in. Winter is fast approaching, and the nights are getting colder.Of course, these assholes don’t give us blankets or clothing that does much more than keep us barely alive. They toss hay in here like we’re animals, so we burrow down and try to stay warm.I’ve stayed awake most of the night, keeping watch to make sure that bastard Jory doesn’t try anything. His eyes have been lingering on Nova way too much lately, and I’ve heard him asking the guards when he’ll get to do a job with her.I wouldn’t put it past him to try and make something happen in the dark. So I’ve been vigilant. No one gets near her. Not while I’m still breathing.I’ve known for a long time that I’m in love with Nova Channing. Since almost the first day I saw her, she’s had my heart. But there isn’t much time for love when you’re a captive.Still, I’d fight the Moon Goddess herself if it meant keeping Nova safe.Jory
Later that night…Jude is still pissed about meeting Lucy’s ex-boyfriend—especially since they were still dating the day Lucy and Jude met.“Is my wolf bigger than his?” Jude growls as we’re hiding in the trees.Lucy lets out a long-suffering sigh. “No, Jude. His wolf is smaller. And brown.”Jude seems happy with that answer… for about 2.5 seconds. Then he lets out another growl. “Is his cock bigger than mine?”“Oh my fucking Goddess, Jude,” Ivan says from beside me. “If you don’t rein in your jealousy and shut the fuck up—”Patrol’s clearing the ridge right now, Jakobi suddenly interrupts through the mindlink.Thank the Goddess—that effectively shuts everyone up.Erick, are you guys ready? Ivan asks, getting his tone back under control after nearly blowing up at Jude.Lucy slowly, carefully makes her way toward where Ivan and I are standing. She speaks through the mindlink to avoid the patrol overhearing.It’s Joe and Dylan.There’s a growl behind us—cut off as Lucy swiftly elbows Ju
It’s been three days since we went to the old encampment.I’ve had nightmares every single night since then, reliving the highlight reel of my pain and abuse there. Even being in Ivan’s arms hasn’t helped keep the memories at bay.It’s a torture I went through when I first came back. Nothing helped then—just time and keeping myself busy. I used to run myself ragged every day, working to the point that I’d pass out from sheer exhaustion.Praying to the Moon Goddess for a dreamless sleep.She even answered my prayers.Sometimes.Now? I shun sleep. I’m downstairs with the omegas at the crack of dawn—cooking breakfast, helping in the gardens, in the gym, in the pool. Anything and everything I can think of to keep my mind and body busy.“Nova, you’ve got to rest. You’ll make yourself sick,” Lucy begs, pulling the dust rag out of my hand. I had just climbed down the ladder from dusting the ornate carvings along the tops of the bookshelves in Ivan’s office.I nearly snap at her, but I stop my
Lucy’s words have all of our attention immediately.Before I can even respond, Nova is out of my arms, her hands gripping Lucy’s arms. “What do you mean? You know Cody? How?”Her words come out in a fast whisper, as if her hope is so fleeting she’s afraid to speak it too loudly.“He—Cody—he was part of my pack. We took him in after the breakup of the rogue pack. He’s been training to be a warrior,” Lucy says, her words just as quiet as Nova’s. Like it’s a spell neither of them want to break.“You mean the same pack we just cut all ties with?” Jude asks, anxiety laced through his tone.“And ran one of its higher-ranking members out of our territory?” 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 don’t need to add more stress to Nova than she’s already dealing with.Sorry, man. But you know they’re not going to willingly let Cody talk to us, right? They could be assholes about it just out of spite, Jude li
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 place… 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 she’ll 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 don’t know, Ivan. I don’t know if she’s had time to process any of this trauma.He’s right. Our little rabbit hasn’t had any time since her mother left to deal with her emotions. That’s something we’re going to have to prioritize. I wonder if one of my parents knows any good therapists in the city. It shouldn’t be hard to find one.In the meantime, I reach out and pull Nova into my chest. “You know y
“Dude, have some respect for yourself and your title. What the hell are you doing around here in a fucking tank top?” I growl at Jude. “And a manbun?! I told you the next time I saw you with that, I’d hack it off with a butter knife.” Nova giggles beside me, and I can’t help but turn a smile on her, even though I’m annoyed by my second-in-command. Goddess, this female has turned me into a sap, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. “You will NOT be touching my mate’s hair!” Lucy says indignantly, hands immediately going to her hips. “It’s okay, baby. He’s just jealous that I’ve had my mate mark longer. And I’m wearing the tank top, asshole, to show it off,” Jude taunts as he sits at the breakfast table, pulling Lucy into his lap. “Seems like it’s 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?” “At least mine has sleeves,” I grumble, knowing he has a point and very much not liking it. Jakobi and Erick a
I wake to kisses along my neck and a hand creeping over my thigh.I grin, loving the feeling of Ivan’s skin against mine. I don’t think I’ve slept in actual clothes since we completed the matebond last week.Our mate is insatiable, Bite yawns in my head.Don’t act like you don’t 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 can’t help but shiver at the feeling of him against my body.“I know that you’re awake, little rabbit,” he whispers in my ear. “You only shiver like that for me when you’re anticipating what I’m going to do to you.”I 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.“Always so wet for me,” Ivan growls in my ear.“I can’t help it,” I breathe out as I arch my back into his chest. “Just your scent makes me needy for you.”I can hear the smugness in his voice as he responds