HIRAM’S POV:I miss being a man driven by nothing but lust—satisfying my urges and moving on. But this... this feels like responsibility. The very thing I ran from when I left the Shadow Pelt Pack. When Mother demanded I marry Vera, Beta Vincent’s daughter, I knew I couldn’t be chained down like that. And now? Now I chase after a woman I barely know, just because fate claims she’s my mate.Suddenly, Juniper’s car comes to a halt in front of a tall building, jolting me out of my thoughts. I step on my brakes; the tires screeching as I pull up behind her. My gaze follows her as she steps out of the car. Without hesitation, I reach for my phone and quickly dial Justin.“Did you get the order yet?” I mutter with my eyes still locked on Juniper as she moves toward the entrance.Before he can respond, another car glides up the street, its headlights flooding the area with harsh light. It stops a few feet ahead, and Justin steps out, holding two paper bags in his hands. I get out of my car a
HIRAM’S POV:Getting through this dinner is one of the most difficult tasks I’ve faced in a long time. Although we finished eating about ten minutes ago and Juniper cleared the table, the image of her slurping those noodles is still vivid in my memory.“I need to freshen up,” she says, rising to her feet and slinging her bag over her shoulder. I watch her turn right, disappearing behind a door I assume leads to her bedroom.A sigh escapes my lips as I finally break free from my seat. I can’t believe I sat here for almost an hour without realizing how uncomfortable it was. I walk to the couch in the living area and sink into it, staring at the empty wall.Part of me wants to know what happened with her roommate, but another part doesn’t want to pry into her business.I lean back, closing my eyes for a moment, but all I can think about is Juniper. I realize Alex is right, and I fear this woman will change my life.I fear she will control me. She already does. I should be in the comfort
HIRAM’S POV:The moment my lips find her skin, I forget every rational thought that has kept me distanced from her. Every caution I’ve told myself to heed vanishes in seconds. My lips trail down her neck, tasting the subtle salt of her flesh, while my hands explore, tracing every curve of her body as if she were made for me.She arches into me, and my hands slip beneath her black nightdress, gliding over her thighs until I find her underwear soaked. I slide my fingers inside, and she moans into my ear, igniting the beast within me. I pull back, my hands moving to grab her butt, pressing into it firmly. But it isn’t enough.Impatient and craving to see her raw, I pull my hands away from the dress. With ragged breaths, I tug the fabric from her shoulders, easing it down her body until the nightdress pools at her feet.Beneath it lies a set of black lace lingerie, clinging to her form like a second skin, hugging her breasts tightly as if it knows it should be me savoring her curves, mark
HIRAM’S POV:I get to my feet, grabbing the condom. Then I lift her chin with a finger, staring into her beautiful eyes, which are still glazed with the remnants of her recent orgasm. Slowly, I lean forward until my lips meet hers. I do not take her immediately; instead, I wait for her to take charge, sucking and biting on my lips. When I open up, her tongue meets mine, and she runs her hands around the contour of my chest as she works my tongue gently with hers.The heat rising in my body is becoming unbearable.How long can I last?All I want to do at this moment is fill her holes, but a voice in my head reminds me of the precariousness of this situation. She’s my student. I shouldn’t be crossing this line, yet everything about her beckons me to give in.Suddenly, her hands travel low, reaching for my briefs and skillfully sliding into them, causing a groan to escape my lips. I can’t help but groan in the pleasure, but guilt gnaws at the back of my mind. My wolf roars for dominance,
HIRAM’S POV:Waking up early isn’t my forte. But a night spent away from my usual comfort makes it impossible to stay asleep for long. For half an hour, I lie there with my eyes squeezed shut, trying to will myself back into darkness. But my body refuses to cooperate. Giving in, I sit up, and the faint light of dawn outside the window tells me I’m not the only one struggling to rise.I glance over, and there she is, lying next to me, utterly exposed. Her hair sprawls across the pillow in a tangled mess—my mess. Any regret I thought I’d feel is nowhere to be found. I should feel guilt. I thought I would. Instead, as I gaze at her, an unexpected possessiveness takes over me.I reach out and brush a stray curl from her face, feeling the softness under my fingertips, and in a moment I can’t resist. I lean down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She doesn’t move; rather, she lies there in her immaculate form, with her soft breath filling up the space between us.Quietly, I slide out of bed,
HIRAM’S POV:I know I should have handled things with Juniper better. The weekend stretched out painfully, with every attempt to focus thwarted by her silence. Not one call answered, not a single message replied. It shouldn’t bother me this much, but it does. And now I’m pissed. I cannot tell whether she’s doing this to get under my skin or not, but she’s succeeding.Today’s Monday, and I’ve got her class first thing. As I pull into campus, I force a deep breath, trying to push back the growing storm of irritation gnawing at me, but it’s useless. I’m angry. Angry that she won’t give me the courtesy of a response, and, damn it, I don’t care if that makes me an ass. Maybe she’s right. I want her to listen, to follow my lead, and it kills me she’s slipping out of my control.Parking, I stride to the building trying to push away the ill feeling. But when I walk in, my jaw clenches. There she is, laughing softly with her attention absorbed by that red-haired kid from last week. The irritat
JUNIPER’S POV:Anyone who knows the history between Hiram and me would call me a fool. Here I am, aching for comfort from the very man who once looked me straight in the eyes and told me he wouldn’t care about me if I slept with him. He said it, and then he made sure to act on his word. And yet, despite all of it, I find myself craving his touch, his warmth—as if he’s the only one who can fill this hollow ache inside me.We humans seek comfort from those who’ve wounded us, as if only they can quiet the pain they caused. But I still don’t understand it. When Cillian cheated on me, I didn’t want his comfort; I wanted his absence. If I could erase him from my life, I would. But Hiram… with Hiram, it’s different. The thought of his comfort feels right, even when everything else about him tells me it shouldn’t.I stand for a few seconds in front of Hiram, and he says or does nothing but look me in the eye.“Sit,” he finally speaks, pointing at a seat in front of his desk, and I hesitate fo
Some days, the world seems to work in my favor; other days, it feels like it hates me. But today, for once, I feel lucky. Nala’s birthday landed on the weekend I had my fall out with June, but she was out of town. Honestly, it’s a relief. I couldn’t imagine standing there with all those thoughts still running wild in my head. She moved her birthday party today, which is so convenient for me.When I step into the club, the bass-heavy beat floods my senses, and neon lights pulse overhead, throwing colors across the crowd. I head toward the VIP section, and as soon as I push open the door, Alex’s voice rings out.“Look who finally decided to show up!” she calls, grinning as she waves at me.I’m instantly noticed, and heads turn in my direction.“About time, Hiram!” Jackson shouts from the corner, lifting his glass high in greeting.“Didn’t think you’d make it,” Mira adds with a playful smirk, nudging Nala beside her.Nala’s smiling, but something’s off. Her gaze lingers on me as if she’s
Hiram’s POVI shift into my human form the moment Cillian’s lifeless body hits the ground. I am in pain from the bullets that hit me, but I push it aside as my body heals slowly.My heart lurches at the sight of Juniper clutching her belly with her face twisted in pain.“June!” I rush to her side, dropping to my knees. My hands hover over her, unsure of where to touch first. She’s trembling, her breaths shallow and uneven.Her wide, tear-filled eyes meet mine.“Hiram,” she gasps. “The baby... the baby’s coming. He made me take pills. Too many...” Panic grips me, but I shove it down.This isn’t the time to lose contr
JUNIPER’S POV:I’m crammed between two burly men in the backseat of the SUV. The air inside the car reeks of cigarettes and sweat, making it hard to breathe. My heart pounds in my chest as I struggle hard against the man who has his hand covering my mouth, but he doesn’t let up. I bite his palm, causing him to yelp in pain and pull away from me.“You little—!” He grabs my hand, twisting it behind me, and the other man glares at me.“You’re going to regret this. My husband—he’s going to find you. And when he does, you’ll be sorry.” I try to sound confident, but the four of them let out a heart-draining chuckle.The man holding me snorts, his beady eyes narrowing as he glares at me.
HIRAM’S POV:My driver pulls up to the convention center in Boulder City, parking near a tree stripped bare by winter. The air bites a little—just cold enough to remind me it’s December. The streets are quiet except for a couple of locals strolling past. “Hang around, or you can come in with me,” I say to him as I look at the building in front of us.Above the entrance, a banner hangs: BOULDER CITY ART FESTIVAL 2024.I step out of my car, making my way towards the entrance. The moment I step inside, the chill fades, replaced by the hum of life and creativity. The place is packed with people, which makes it warm. There are conversations in the air, and the bright colors catch my attention.There are paintings, sculptures, and displays explodi
JUNIPER’S POV:“Will you at least drop me off at school before you go to your art, whatever?” I ask Hiram as I put on my jacket, staring at myself in the mirror.“Sure,” he says, leaning in to kiss my cheek.“I am so glad we’re in winter, and I get to wear these large jackets. I can slowly feel the baby fat creeping in.” He grabs my hand, pulling me away from the mirror.“That’s enough for today.” He wraps his arms around my waist. “You look more beautiful than ever, and there is no baby fat,” he says, then plants a brief kiss on my lips.I adjust his tie, patting his shoulder briefly.“You look so
HIRAM’S POV:“I have an art exhibition I would love to attend on Monday.” Juniper puts down her phone and glances up at me as I say this. “It’s just in Boulder City.”Her brows crease, and she focuses on her phone without saying a thing.“You won’t make a comment?” I ask, and she glares at me.“Yeah, my husband is going to abandon me for an art exhibition while I go to school pregnant and in pain.” The sarcasm in her tone makes me chuckle slightly, then I walk up to her, sitting on the bed.“It is just one day, and I will be back in the evening or the next morning. It will be as though I didn’t leave. Plus, Rhea is here to take care of you, and&hell
HIRAM’S POV:After dinner, June and I settle in her room while Rhea stays in the guest room. I expect her to follow the usual routine of staying up almost the entire night, keeping me awake too, but before I can tell, she is sleeping peacefully in my arms.I remain like that, watching the rise and fall of her chest with a gentle snore accompanying it. While she sleeps, I try to sleep too. I shut my eyes, patting her hair gently, but even as I close my eyes, I find it difficult to drift off to sleep.After a while, I push her head away gently, then I place it on the pillow, planting a kiss on her head before I stand up. My steps are quiet in order not to wake her. I leave the room, heading for the front door to get some fresh air, but the moment I step out of the hallway, I spot Milo sitting in the living room
Hiram:After minutes of driving, we get to Juniper’s mother’s house. It is a small house in town, which looks comfy. There is a compact car parked in front of it, and June’s mother is standing in front of the house. When we pull up, she rushes toward the car.Before I can open the door, Juniper gets it, rushing toward her mother.“Mum!” she exclaims, throwing her arms around her. Her mother pats her back slightly. Then I get out of the car, and Rhea follows. I grab our joint luggage while Rhea takes her bag.She looks almost the same as June, but her hair is black. They pull away, facing Rhea and me.“You already know Rhea,” June says, and Rhea waves at her.
HIRAM’S POV:“Hiram, the food’s too cold!”“Hiram, the food’s too hot!”“Hiram, it’s too sweet!”“Hiram, it’s too salty!”This has been June’s anthem this past week. I know mood swings are part of the pregnancy package, but I didn’t expect it to be this way. It’s like I can hardly breathe, and nothing is good enough for her. Sometimes I wish I could rip that baby out of her.Right now, she is fast asleep, and it is the best time for me with her. Watching her sleep peacefully like a baby and admiring her beauty, because once that eye opens, I’ll be running around the clock.
Hiram’s POV:Last night, June didn’t spend the night in my room. She came back home with Rhea, and they hung out the entire evening.“You know I’m beginning to think you love Rhea more than you love me,” I say to her as she sits in front of the mirror doing her hair.She looks at me through the mirror with a frown on her face.“Why would you say that?” she asks, and I walk up to her, bending slightly.“Maybe because you spent the entire evening with her, and slept in the guest room too,” I say, and she chuckles slightly.“So, you’re jealous of a woman?” she asks, then tilts her head slightly to face me. “You know what? Maybe I do love her better and we might have…”