The look on here face is absolutely priceless. I know that the girl isn’t charmed. I know that she doesn’t want to kiss me. Not yet anyway. What I also know is that my little rabbit will do just about anything to get out of my hands at the moment. So asking her for a kiss right now isn’t out of the question. “Ivan?” she squeaks out, the uncertain look on her face looking utterly adorable. Something about my scent is working on her, but not enough that it can overcome her fear. I need to work on that. I move in close to her, so that much of our bodies come into contact with each breath that either of us takes. Goddess above do I want to scent her. She has to smell absolutely delectable. “I said, that I’ll happily take some of the whiskey on offer. But you have to kiss me.” A sly smirk comes over her face, one that nearly obliterates the apprehensive look in her eyes. “Of course.” She presses into me and Fang nearly
I do not like this feeling. Or should I say feelings. Because it isn’t just one thing that I’m feeling as the alpha runs may hands along his skin. Fear is a big one. It would be so fucking easy for me to fall in the water. For my descenting spray to wash off of me. For my makeup to wash off and my mark to be revealed. And then everyone would know that I’m a rogue. And I won’t be safe anymore. I’m also feeling a nervous excitement. I didn’t feel it before we touched, but now that we have, there is almost this electrical current moving from his skin to mine. It’s sending a need through me that I have never felt before and a desire to stoke it even further. It doesn’t help that my wolf is going insane inside of me, growling and wanting to come to the forefront to touch the alpha. The look in his eyes is intoxicating and, for a moment, I’m completely captivated. “Take my shirt off, Nova,” he whispers and that nervous ex
I had been pushed into the deep end, the pool floor ten feet below me. I’m trying hard to get my head above the water and I know that if I can relax I could probably figure out the floating thing. But I screamed as I fell into the water and I can feel my lungs constricting and burning for air. There’s no relaxing when you’re running out of air. But even I know this much about the human body: if your body needs oxygen desperately then there’s no way that you can stop it from taking a breath. You can put it off for a bit, but your body will eventually force you to take a breath. So, yeah. I’m panicking just a bit. I try with uncoordinated slices and slaps of my hands at the water to pull myself up as I continue to sink down into the water. I try to kick my legs like I’ve seen others do when they swim, but I’m too panicked. All I was doing was tiring myself out and burning the little bit of air that I still have in my lungs. It doesn’t take lon
SHIT! Goddess-damned, motherfucking shit! His eyebrows pinch and his eyes widen as he takes in my rogue mark. He’s distracted by what he’s just discovered and I use that to my advantage. Twisting from his grip, I take the towel that was in his hands and press it to my face as I move to stand and pull away. I’m winded and weak from nearly drowning and I know that my body right now is in fight, flight, or freeze mode. I am fleeing as fast as possible. The second that I’m standing, I pull the ponytail out of my hair, letting it down and pulling it to cover my face. Luckily, my bunny headband had fallen off in the pool, along with my heels. I don’t have to worry about that stopping my hair from falling across my mark. The next thing that I do is haul ass out of there. I don’t know how much of my mark is exposed and I’m sure that the descenting spray is gonna wear off soon. The other wolves will be able to scent me out. They’ll smell
I make sure that the partition is closed between me and Edie, my driver, before saying through the intercom, “Take us back to the packhouse.” I can’t having him scenting that she’s a rogue. I can’t have anyone figuring that out, but I need time to figure out what I’m going to do, so back to the packhouse it is. “Yes, alpha,” Eddie responds and then we pull away from the back entrance of the Warren. Obviously, Nova didn’t know how often I have snuck in and out of the Warren. I can’t have my pack knowing everything about my sex life. This is a routine thing for me, so I was able to mindlink Eddie and have him bring the car around when I realized that was where she was going. I had to use my alpha tone when I realized that she was almost out the door and that her rogue scent would be out in the air. I can’t have anyone else scenting her. It’s not that a rogue scent is a bad scent. But it’s very different from the scent of our pack. Each differen
The ride to the packhouse is tense, but at least it’s only about a 20-minute ride. She keeps my shirt fisted in her hands but hasn’t put it on yet. She just sits there coiled, ready to fight or run, whatever will get her away. Her eyes never leave me, though she’s not looking at my face. She’s watching my body. The movements of my face, the center mass of my body. Hell, she could give my warriors some pointers with how vigilant she is to make sure that she is safe and how she knows to watch me for any threat. It makes something in me ache that she knows to do that. I know every wolf that is in training as a warrior. I participate in the training of the higher-level wolves on a daily basis, but at least drop by every other training group two to three times a week. She’s never been in one.It means that she’s had to learn these survival skills the hard way.As an alpha, I don’t like to know that any of my pack members are going through something like that.
The sparks that flow over my skin at Nova’s touch have me closing my eyes and biting back a moan. I can easily see how this would be addicting, which worries me. Even if she joins the pack, can I accept her as my mate? How long as she been here? Why does no one else know? Is she a harbinger of something worse happening? The easiest way to find answers to these questions is to ask her, but I can’t do that until I get her to my room. We hurry up the stairs and make it to the floor of my gamma and delta’s families. Straining my ears and scent the air, I can tell that no one is in the hallway and I nearly sprint across the landing, Nova able to keep up with me easily. The stairway that we just came through is private, just for the leadership of the pack and their families. We use it as a way to escape in times of attack, especially to get the pups out. It’s not that it’s a secret, it’s just faster. What is secret is the stairwell that is behind
I don’t know how to react to the alpha. He scares me. He has so much power over the city. Over me and my fate. I could piss him off and he could have me killed with just a flick of his hand. But, so far, he’s protected me. Yeah, he chased me through the Warren, but it seems like he just did it so that he’d be able to get me out of there without anyone seeing. I’m not really that gullible to just believe what he tells me, but his actions seem to support what he’s said. Now he’s left me in his room alone. He didn’t even lock the door. He gave me clothes, told me to get comfortable, and said that he was getting me food. Taking a deep breath, I look around the room. His scent fills me nose and, now that it isn’t augmented by the scent enhancer, it’s very pleasant. More than pleasant. I almost want to roll myself in it. To envelope myself in it and never emerge. It’s spicy and very masculine. Fuck, it’s making me horny.
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