REID
“Damn, Red,” I growl, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe of our bedroom as I peer inside at my mate. She’s standing in front of the full-length mirror, fussing over her appearance even though she’s a total knockout.
Her eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Is it too much?”
She turns at the waist to face me, and I can’t help my eyes from drifting down her frame. She’s wearing a tight light grey sweater dress and black suede thigh-high boots, her makeup impeccable and her hair pulled over one shoulder in loose red waves.
“It’s too much,” she sighs, turning on a heel and stomping off toward the large walk-in closet that we moved her things into yesterday afternoon.
“Serena…” I catch up to her in three long strides, capturing her wrist and yanking her toward me, spinning her into my chest. She lets out a little puff of air a
SERENA After my family was killed, there were no funerals to attend. I never saw their bodies lying in coffins or heard anecdotal stories of memories from friends who came to pay their respects. When my parents and brothers were murdered by the shadow pack, they were just… gone. Instantly forgotten by the ones who took their lives, their bodies disposed of like trash. I was made to believe that I was the only one left to remember them. In those first few hopeless days, I felt like I was drowning in my grief. It was almost too much to bear, and I found myself wishing that I’d died, too. The days in that cell bled together into weeks and I lost pieces of myself with each one that passed. Then they brought my sister to me, and everything changed. Knowing that Olivia was alive, that some of my pack had survived the attack- that was all I needed to find the will to keep going. To survive. Even when I felt desperate, hopeless, I d
REID “Yo, Reid!” Jax greets, waving an arm over his head from across the practice field. I haven’t been up here to the complex in nearly a week now, but we’ve all been slowly trying to get life back to some semblance of normal in the aftermath of the war with the shadow pack. For the squad, that means daily training, even though we no longer have any immediate threat to prepare for. The guys and I talked it over and it doesn’t make sense to disband the squad just because the shadow pack is gone. For starters, having a dedicated fighting force to protect the territory is a smart move in case trouble comes knocking again. It also provides us a pool of qualified candidates for selecting teams of enforcers to track down the splinter groups of rogues that used to be with the shadow pack. But most importantly, the warriors who live up at the complex eat, sleep, and breathe the squad life… they’ve selflessly dedicated themsel
SERENA“Alright, line up, let’s do it again!” I call out, clapping my hands together as the young trainees scramble to obey my instruction and get in line.I hear Fallon chuckle from beside me as she watches the kids practically trip over their own feet to take their places. “Hustle up!” she encourages, sliding me a smirk.It has been two months now since the war with the shadow pack. Two long, hard months of picking up the pieces and figuring out how to move forward, both as individual packs and as the six-pack alliance. We’ve banded together to fix some of the things that were broken or damaged in the attack. We’ve helped each other heal. We’ve planned for the future and taken on new challenges, like this weekend program that Fallon and I started for high schoolers interested in joining the squad someday.This youth training program was Fallon’s brainchild- she
REIDThe shrill howl of a wolf echoes through the forest, followed by another. Tonight, the woods are crawling with wolves out running together under the light of the full moon. They’re running wild, free, answering the call of their most basic instinct at this stage in the lunar cycle, when the moon’s energy is at its peak. For many, it’s a time for cathartic release, to let go of the past and move into a new phase.Just a few minutes ago, I was out there running with them. As my pack’s Alpha, it’s my duty to lead the run every full moon- it’s a ritual that promotes pack bonding and solidarity. Us wolf shifters are always looking forward to the full moon run, but anticipation was particularly high for tonight’s run because it wasn’t just with our own pack; we joined in with the other five packs of wolf shifters that we’re aligned with for the run. The full moon run felt so different tonigh
SERENAIs this real life? I’ve had a lot of dreams about escaping that cell, but so far none of them have involved stumbling upon my fated mate under the full moon. I blink at the gorgeous man standing across from me, my throat tightening. I forget to breathe. Am I dreaming? I dig my fingernails into the flesh of my thigh, pinching.Ouch. I’m awake. This is real. And before he even says the word, I know it’s true. The most delightful sensations are washing over me, lapping at my skin and enveloping me like a warm blanket. I’m flooded with endorphins and adrenaline, a euphoric high that has me feeling half drunk. I’m so aware of the connection between us, the pull yanking me to him. He’s beautiful, and my inner wolf is spinning and preening with the realization that he’s ours.Mate.I’m not sure what I expected in a mate, but he’s not
REID“You’d better have a good reason for calling us over this early,” Theo yawns as he steps over the threshold into my packhouse. He and Jax are the last to arrive- Gray and Brock are already here. I sent out a text last night telling them we needed to meet this morning, and considering I don’t make requests like this often, they all showed up, no questions asked.“He’s got coffee,” Gray calls from the kitchen, holding up the pot.Theo scrubs a hand over his face. “Thank fuck.”I roll my eyes, clapping him on the shoulder and leading him and Jax into the kitchen where Brock is sipping on a cup of coffee and Gray is filling a few more for the rest of us.“You gonna tell us what’s so urgent, or are you gonna keep us hanging?” Jax groans, posting up against the kitchen counter. He’s got dark circles under his eyes and his hair is disheveled- I&rsq
SERENA Taylor’s the type of girl that’s so outgoing and over-the-top nice that it almost seems disingenuous- because nobody’s that sugar sweet, right? Wrong. The more I talk to Taylor, the more I realize that this isn’t a front; it’s really who she is. And I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little jealous. I wish I could be more like her. Maybe I could’ve been, if life hadn’t stomped all over me. If I hadn’t seen what I’ve seen and done what I’ve done. She leads me down the hall from her daughter’s room to her own, and on the way, Taylor tells me all about her mate, Cyrus, who is also the beta of Reid’s pack. Apparently the adjustment to parenthood has been rough on both of them, but Cyrus has stepped up more than she ever expected him to. Her hazel eyes light up when she talks about her mate, her wavy shoulder-length honey brown hair bouncing as she speaks animatedly. “So what kind of clothes are you looking fo
REID I’ve always believed in destiny. While this current situation may not be ideal, fate doesn’t make mistakes when bringing people together as mates. I don’t know much about Serena yet, but I do know that I’m insanely attracted to her. I’ve never been like this around another she-wolf, not even hot-as-fuck Arabella who was basically a nympho and made a hobby out of throwing herself at me. I turned her down more times than I took her up on it, too busy to bother with getting invested in a woman. Yet here I am, not even twenty-four hours in, and I’m already obsessed with Serena Harper. When I’m not around her, she’s all I can think about. When I am around her, it’s hard not to imagine what it’d be like to rip her clothes off and claim her as my own. Given what she’s likely been through, I know I need to be respectful and handle her with care… but fuck, I’ve never had such a difficult time remaining in control of my own faculties. Aft
SERENA“Alright, line up, let’s do it again!” I call out, clapping my hands together as the young trainees scramble to obey my instruction and get in line.I hear Fallon chuckle from beside me as she watches the kids practically trip over their own feet to take their places. “Hustle up!” she encourages, sliding me a smirk.It has been two months now since the war with the shadow pack. Two long, hard months of picking up the pieces and figuring out how to move forward, both as individual packs and as the six-pack alliance. We’ve banded together to fix some of the things that were broken or damaged in the attack. We’ve helped each other heal. We’ve planned for the future and taken on new challenges, like this weekend program that Fallon and I started for high schoolers interested in joining the squad someday.This youth training program was Fallon’s brainchild- she
REID “Yo, Reid!” Jax greets, waving an arm over his head from across the practice field. I haven’t been up here to the complex in nearly a week now, but we’ve all been slowly trying to get life back to some semblance of normal in the aftermath of the war with the shadow pack. For the squad, that means daily training, even though we no longer have any immediate threat to prepare for. The guys and I talked it over and it doesn’t make sense to disband the squad just because the shadow pack is gone. For starters, having a dedicated fighting force to protect the territory is a smart move in case trouble comes knocking again. It also provides us a pool of qualified candidates for selecting teams of enforcers to track down the splinter groups of rogues that used to be with the shadow pack. But most importantly, the warriors who live up at the complex eat, sleep, and breathe the squad life… they’ve selflessly dedicated themsel
SERENA After my family was killed, there were no funerals to attend. I never saw their bodies lying in coffins or heard anecdotal stories of memories from friends who came to pay their respects. When my parents and brothers were murdered by the shadow pack, they were just… gone. Instantly forgotten by the ones who took their lives, their bodies disposed of like trash. I was made to believe that I was the only one left to remember them. In those first few hopeless days, I felt like I was drowning in my grief. It was almost too much to bear, and I found myself wishing that I’d died, too. The days in that cell bled together into weeks and I lost pieces of myself with each one that passed. Then they brought my sister to me, and everything changed. Knowing that Olivia was alive, that some of my pack had survived the attack- that was all I needed to find the will to keep going. To survive. Even when I felt desperate, hopeless, I d
REID“Damn, Red,” I growl, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe of our bedroom as I peer inside at my mate. She’s standing in front of the full-length mirror, fussing over her appearance even though she’s a total knockout.Her eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Is it too much?”She turns at the waist to face me, and I can’t help my eyes from drifting down her frame. She’s wearing a tight light grey sweater dress and black suede thigh-high boots, her makeup impeccable and her hair pulled over one shoulder in loose red waves.“It’s too much,” she sighs, turning on a heel and stomping off toward the large walk-in closet that we moved her things into yesterday afternoon.“Serena…” I catch up to her in three long strides, capturing her wrist and yanking her toward me, spinning her into my chest. She lets out a little puff of air a
SERENAAfter leaving the council meeting in Riverton, we follow Beta Rob back to the packhouse in Norbury. I’m not sure what I expect, but when we walk in and I see Chase slumped on a couch in the living room, eyes glazed over as he stares blankly out the window, my heart sinks. What Rob said earlier was right- he looks like absolute shit. His hair is sticking out in all directions and his red-rimmed eyes have dark circles etched underneath from lack of sleep. He doesn’t even glance over when we walk in, and when Rob calls out to him, he doesn’t so much as acknowledge our presence. It’s like his body’s here, but his brain has completely checked out.“Wanna step into your office?” Reid asks Rob, turning and clapping him on the shoulder. “We can go over what arrangements you’ll need to make for the funeral, maybe Cy and I can take a few things off your plate.”Rob n
REIDThe events of the day replay in my dreams all night like a horror movie that I can’t turn off. I’m back on that ridge, watching as Xavier staggers toward Gray, lunging in a last desperate attempt to fight him off. I see Gray tear out his throat again, hear the gurgling sound as Xavier struggles for air, blood spurting from the gaping wound in his neck and staining the snow. This time, though, when I go to turn away, something gives me pause. I look back to see Xavier rise again, still bleeding from the neck but still very much alive. Everyone else has their backs turned, and I open my mouth to warn them, but no sound comes out…My eyes fly open, the sunlight pouring in through the window stinging them as they adjust to the brightness. My heart is racing, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to my brow. I reach in front of me, then behind me, my hands meeting nothing but the silken bedsheets. No Serena.I
REID I haven’t let Serena out of my sight since we left the bunker where her sister and pack were being held prisoner, and I’m not sure I ever will again. I thought I fucking lost her. I can’t even explain how desperate I felt in that moment; like my heart was torn from my body and locked behind that door with her. After we got everyone out, we brought in the bus that we had waiting nearby to load up Serena’s pack and bring them to our territory. Serena’s sister rode in the SUV with us and I don’t think Serena let go of her hand the whole way back. Then we got her pack settled into the bunkroom at the squad barracks and Olivia settled into Serena’s old room at our packhouse, since Serena wanted her close and she’s basically already moved into my room anyways. It's nearing midnight by the time we get everyone else taken care of and the two of us are finally able to turn in. “I need a shower so bad,” Serena groans as soo
SERENA When Reid tugs my hand, I quickly snap out of my own hesitation and back into warrior mode, hustling to get to the doorway with him before the shadow pack wolves catch up to us. Right as we slip through, I hear snarls from behind us as they’re thwarted by our friends who’ve shifted to cover our backs as we advance. “Brooke, any idea where this route leads us?” Reid pants as we continue sprinting down the corridor. “There’s an access door at the end to another wing,” she replies, her voice coming through the speakerphone in Reid’s pocket. “I’ll have it open for you in three… two…” I hear the latch to the door in front of me click right as I come upon it, yanking it open and stepping through. As soon as I do, a foul odor hits my nose- like mold and human excrement and death. I stop in my tracks, my blood running cold. “What’s wrong?” Reid breathes as he skids to a halt beside me. My jaw goe
SERENA “I don’t see why we can’t just walk up in there,” Theo grumbles. “Their boss is dead, what do they have to fight for?” “Now’s not the time to get cocky,” Reid warns, shooting Theo a look. “We need to stick to the plan.” Gray sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Reid’s right, we don’t want to take any chances. The most important thing is getting everybody out safely.” I nod emphatically in agreement as Reid slides his hand over mine, giving it a little squeeze. We’re gathered in the conference room at the complex, regrouping and getting ready to head out to the location where my sister and pack are being held. It’s about a forty-minute drive from here and if we leave soon, we’ll arrive before dusk. When Xavier drew his last breath up on that ridge, I let out a breath that I’d seemingly been holding for months. The shadow pack has felt like an iron fist around my throat since they crashed into m