"Claudia."
Evan's voice. But I couldn't open my eyes. So tired.
"You're a little white wolf, Claudia," he said softly.
So it was true. I'd shifted... I had really shifted. Cassiel had found me in my dreams the other night, and now she had even come out into the world. But the thought had only just formed in my sluggish mind when my body twitched, the shifting energy dissipating within it like smoke. Wait, not yet... I didn't want to turn back yet. I was stronger in this form, and I wanted to keep it. I wanted to stay.
But it was impossible. My body was already changing back. Claws became soft fingertips; paws turned to bare hands and feet. The warmth of my fur faded bit by bit, and the chill of the air came over bare skin.
I was turning human again. And I couldn't stop it.
Strong arms lifted my upper half from the ground and cradled me within them. Something wra
I couldn't give him an answer right away. Class was about to start, and the professor was sending us impatient looks as she shuffled through her lecture notes. Ken had no choice but to leave, but he promised to show up after my class finished to continue our conversation. I couldn't stop thinking about it. A party? On Friday night? He had explained it was going to be held on grounds and hosted in one of the buildings that offered venues for just such occasions. It wouldn't be one of the rowdy house parties that I'd initially thought he was inviting me to, but almost like a school dance. It was for both current students who could afford the pricey tickets as well as past graduates, a chance to donate to the university and indulge in some nostalgic fun. Would Alpha Evan be going, I wondered. If it was to honor donors and sponsors, surely he would be invited and more than welcome. He obviously wasn't a current s
“Evan, Claudia's my date tonight.” Ken's voice. It brought me out of my stunned reverie, and I glanced between both men. I might as well have not been there. The challenge in their eyes gleamed bright under the lights, and it didn't take much to sense there was something more than good-natured ribbing or jealousy behind Ken's words, or the stare Evan fixed on him. "Then lend me your dance partner for a while. I came all this way, you could be more generous." He didn't let Ken reply. He grabbed my hand since I hadn't taken the initiative to accept his, and he pulled me to the dance floor where dozens of others had been rocking to the beat only seconds ago, before he made his entrance. But as soon as he joined them and pulled me into position, it was as if a switch flipped. I had to wonder if he had mind-linked with several of them to warn them them to start dancing again, with how abrupt and s
I was drowsy all day Saturday. We had gotten back reasonably early all things considered, but I was so accustomed to waking up before the crack of dawn in Dark Moon that I couldn't rid myself of the habit here. I suspected it would stay with me all my life. Some things just couldn't be fixed, the same way some scars remained engraved in flesh for life. I had my share of both. What must Elly and Maria be thinking now, I wondered as I looked out my window. I didn't miss them at all, but there was no doubt in my mind they missed my presence. For all the insults they had hurled at me all my life, they had been so dependent on my service that they couldn't get by on their own for even a single day. And yet I couldn't even be glad for it. I wished we'd never encountered each other, but if I couldn't have that, I wished I could magically forget everything I had ever unwillingly learned in Dark Moon. The punctuality and industriousness that mark
Evan was gone all of Sunday, which meant I didn't have to avoid him all the next day while I frantically buried myself in my studies to keep my mind occupied. I was not going to spend his entire absence dwelling on the sight from last night. He had been generous this week about giving me nearly all the space and privacy I wanted; how stupid would it be to end up distracting myself? But Sunday had to come to an end too, which meant as I lay in bed that night, I had to come up with a game plan to make sure my inevitable next encounter with him tomorrow over breakfast would be as natural and un-awkward as ever. No big deal. I could handle it. Or I couldn't, and I would panic and drive to campus an hour early just to avoid running into him on Monday morning. It scarcely felt like a single hour had passed since I saw him naked in the kitchen. There was no way I was going to be able to do anything but stutter and stare a
I sat on the curb, desperately willing away the last traces of alcohol lingering in my system. Please, I thought. Don't let this be happening. But prayers or no prayers, it was what it was. I watched helplessly as Leon -- who turned out to be the brown wolf who came first -- pulled away the half-crying, half-fighting Raf without a goodbye, no doubt to take her home. The last thing I heard of his thoughts before he left the range of my mind-reading was a cursing complaint about how the two of us could be so reckless as to get targeted by a band of creeps. I wanted to shout at his back that maybe if he hadn't gotten into a fight with Raf, she wouldn't have felt the need to do this at all. But that wasn't fair. I didn't know the whole story. But what would be completely justified was telling him off for blaming Raf when a woman should have every right to expect men to be decent and not try to rape her on the street just because they could.
He didn't move away. I leaned closer and closer until the scent of him hit me, the faintest wisps of tobacco mixed in with stronger mint. Did he smoke? I'd never noticed. Or maybe he had been around someone who smoked earlier today, and the acrid tang had clung to him until now. It didn't matter. It was him. I was so close that now I knew the scent of him, and I didn't care why or how. Don't reject me, I thought, but the words remained in my head, failing to find my tongue. It didn't matter. I had come this far. I couldn't stop now. The scratch of his day's-end stubble brushed against my fingertips. When had I moved my hand? And why couldn't I stop it? But I didn't want to. His breath caught when I skimmed my nails over the slight scruff, and my heart soared like someone had taken it out of my chest and tossed it high into the air. (Shouldn't...) a distant thought in his voice murmur
"I see the hybrid is still slinking around..." Flicka had meant for me to hear that as she entered the manor, and unlike the venomous glare she had just shot me, her voice was gloating and self-assured, as arrogant as ever. I wanted to turn and follow her back inside so I could slap her senseless, but that would only show her how easily she affected me. I forced myself to walk down the steps with my head level and my posture calm, as if nothing she said could bother me. But it didn't last. The door closed, and a moment later when I turned the bend around the stone path that led to the forest, I broke into a fierce run so abrupt my side cramped with sudden stitches. But I didn't stop. The pain was nothing compared to the frustration of hearing the smugness in Flicka's voice as she entered the manor, as if she were taking my place. I didn't want to remember it. If a few cramps could take my mind off of her even a lit
He beckoned at me, and I followed him to his bedroom the next door down. I looked around as I entered, noting the absence of the vinyl records, but there was indeed an open luggage case sitting on the table. He was packing light, but surely he didn't think he would get so bored he needed to bring me along on one of his trips, did he? "Why are you going to Dark Moon?" I asked after closing the door at his gesture. "There are a few people in the pack I want to speak to. Dark Moon has fingers in both certain sectors of the mining and medical industries." "Like Wilson? Jack Wilson?" At his raised eyebrow, I added, "He made some kind of big investment a few years back and became popular for it. Something with the hospital system in the next city over from Dark Moon's territory. But what am I going for? Is it because you want me to introduce you to them?" I hoped not. The higher-ranking werewolves
ClaudiaLife is hard. It is full of things that none of us deserve.It can be full of wonderful and beautiful things, but it is also full of a lot of things that are unfair.There is nothing fair about what happened to my daughter.She didn’t want to be kidnapped and brainwashed, she didn’t want to become impregnated by a sociopath, and she didn’t want to have a stillbirth.After going into labor and the doctor wasn’t able to get it’s heart rate they took Alita to the pack hospital to have an emergency c-section to try and get the baby out in time.It was a girl, she looked so much like Alita, and she wasn’t breathing when she came out.The wails that Alita cried out haunt all of us.Thankfully, she has Mateo on her side. He helped her through her grief. He helped her to be able to see the good things in life even through all the darkness that clouded her mind.One of the things that had been stressing her out was the thought that they would have to leave soon so he could be Beta agai
AlitaMy eyes snap open and I take in a sharp breath.Everything suddenly flooded into my mind. Being taken from the party for Osborn, Peelle, and Eda, the brain washing ritual, all the time I started figuring things out and Aamon would drug me again.Everything. Every single little detail of my life came back.I grind my teeth together in anger. I’m ready. It’s time for Aamon to die.I slip out of Mateo’s grip and thankfully he’s in such a deep sleep that he doesn’t notice me leave. The house is quiet, no one is awake, but still, I am careful as I sneak out to the cell. I walk into Aamon’s room, and he looks surprised to see me but then he notices my prominent baby bump and says, “Oh my goddess, our baby looks like it’s cooking great! How are you feeling love?”I hiss, “I am not your love!” I huff as I try to regain my composure. I don’t want him to think of me as a small hot-headed child. No, I will be cold and calculated with my actions.I look at him and say in a cold voice, “I g
AlitaI can’t stop staring at Mateo and I notice he hasn’t released his breath since he asked if I believe him. I slowly nod my head; I do believe him. The tingles, the sparks, his scent, and the overwhelming desire to be with him made it obvious. He is my mate.I force myself to stand up. Mateo holds his arm out, helping to steady me. I look down at Aamon who is watching me curiously. I’m overwhelmed by the emotions and tears threaten to fall down my face and in a choppy voice I ask, “What the hell is going on? You clearly aren’t my mate.”His lips are pressed into a line, and he shakes his head and then suddenly a laugh slips from his lips. His eyes flicker back to me, and he says, “You were so innocent and naïve and so easy to brainwash, dear.”Shock rushes through me and I don’t know how to respond. He shakes his head as he continues to chuckle and at this moment I realize that everyone has been telling the truth.This man… I’ve lived with him for a year… I thought that I loved h
ClaudiaEverything comes rushing back to me as I stare at this son of a bitch. He has ruined my life and my family. He has harmed my children in so many ways and I want nothing more than for him to die.But then… he laughs at me and shakes his head. He snaps, “You don’t intimidate me, mutt!”Evan takes a step from behind me, and I can’t help but smirk, everyone is intimidated by my giant hulk of a man. But Aamon shakes his head, “What are you going to do? Hit me? You have questions for me, and I guarantee I won’t answer them just because you are trying to intimidate me.”Mateo asks, “Then what will make you answer?”He lifts his head up and gives a smirk, “They already know what I want.”Osborn steps forward, “You’re not getting the child.”He laughs, “Then I won’t fix her memory.”Osborn lets out a growl that feels like it shakes the whole room and Aamon looks at him and shakes his head, “I will fix her memory if I am guaranteed to leave with my child and no one attacks us.”Osborn r
EdaOsborn paces around the living room and holds Faith. His constant movement helps soothe her while I feed Hope.We can’t believe that they were able to find Alita so fast. We know that Alita is different than she was before, but it doesn’t matter. She will finally be home.When the door opens Evan, Claudia, and Peelle come in and behind them is a pregnant Alita and a man we don’t know. My heart breaks for her knowing that the child inside her belongs to my disgusting biological father.Her eyes zero in on Osborn and then she looks at Peelle and she murmurs, “Huh.”Peelle says, “That’s our brother, Osborn, he’s the current Alpha of the Scarlet Pack.”Osborn walks over to her and repositions Faith in his arms and says, “Alita, I can’t believe your home.”She looks him up and down and Peelle takes Faith from his arms and walks over to me to give me a kiss. I notice the confused look on Alita’s face and she asks, “So, you’re both with her?”We all nod our heads and she asks, “And who a
PeelleI feel bad for Mateo whenever Alita wakes up. They knocked her out and we went on our way back onto our private plane to head home. She’ll wake up at some point during this flight and when she does, I guarantee it’s not going to be pretty.Mom sits near her and plays with her hair and will randomly make remarks about how happy she is that we finally found her.I ask Mateo, “Do you know how far along she is?”He shakes his head, “She didn’t talk to me much. We were more like acquaintances. If I had to guess I would say four months… maybe five.”Mom says, “Her baby is going to be so close to the girl’s age.”I nod in acknowledgement and Mateo says, “You have kids?”“Twins, my brother and I have the same mate and we had our girls, Hope and Faith, five months ago.”“That’s amazing. I wonder if Alita is pregnant with one or two.”“How do you feel about her pregnancy?” I ask as I try to feel him out. He knows she’s pregnant, will he be there for her even though she is carrying some o
MateoI lie Alita’s body down on the bed in the guest room we gave her. I breathe out as I watch her chest move up and down with her steady breathing. I need to make sure that whatever Sofia gave her was safe, I want no harm coming to her or the baby. Even though I understand that she’s struggling, I’m having a hard time with Alita.Her whole life has been turned upside down, but she won’t even consider what we’re trying to tell her.I get it, I do, I’m sure we sound like a bunch of crazy people to her. But there must be some way to get her to remember her old life. But… is that what’s best for her? Knowing that she’s been playing house with the man who kidnapped her?I groan as I leave her room. I need to go downstairs and talk with her family and explain everything that happened on our end and maybe they could explain some things that don’t make sense to us.As I come into the living room her parents, Evan and Claudia, and her brother, Peelle all look at me. I breathe out and say, “
MateoI had dinner with Alita, and it was wonderful. It doesn’t matter if she has accepted me or not, just being in her presence is more than enough.I need to talk to Lorenzo and Sofia and see what we should do with her though.Should I tell her about the missing person notice? Or should we wait until her family gets here?I leave her so that she can rest, and my wolf is antsy inside my mind. He wants to come out and mark her, he’s ready to know that she is 100% ours now and forever.When I walk into the room both Lorenzo and Sofia look at me. Sofia asks, “How is she doing?”“She’s… antsy. She’s ready to get home to her ‘mate’.” I scoff, it’s hard to even think of another man being her mate. Having a relationship with her the way only I should be able to have.Sofia looks at me sympathetically and says, “I think she’s been brainwashed, Mateo. I think she truly believes that man is her mate. If she is this missing girl… it’s the only thing that makes sense. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she
PeelleFinally, we’re going to find Alita. I know things have changed, I know she’s different now, but my heart leaps for joy knowing that soon she will be home and safe.I’m glad I packed last night and enjoyed my time with Eda. While my mom and I were busy packing, my dad and brother were searching for packs near Venice.Dad found the Verona Pack and has some connections with them because of business. He sent in the request to stay there and although we haven’t heard back from them yet, but we decided to head out anyway. Worse comes to worst then we’ll stay in a hotel, it’s not like we can’t afford it.We say our goodbyes to Osborn, Eda, and the girls and we get on the plane to go find Alita. I hope that the bond we have built over these years will help guide me in finding her.MateoI think that Sofia was right and that Aurora, if that’s her real name, is actually a missing person. It makes a lot of sense and so I have been looking through the missing person reports that we have re