Avalyn's POV A long sigh escaped my lips as I put down the second book I had finished on the soft surface of my comforter. Day two of Grey's visitors being within the pack grounds, and I was getting bored being cooped up in my room. I shook my head – who did I think I was? Logan told me it was for my safety, but I knew he was just trying to be nice. I was bought, and I only had one purpose for Alpha Grey. Just because Logan tried his best to provide me privacy didn‘t mean that I was much different from a prisoner – I had no right to question what was arranged for me. However, the more time I spent here, the more I tended to forget that. I craved communication with someone other than my own thoughts. Of course, Rebecca and Logan took turns checking on me, but I wanted more – Yes, I was hopelessly missing Alpha Grey. His intoxicating scent, the gentle caress of his hands… God, I was being ridiculous. My face turned red, and I rolled my eyes at my internal dilemma. I laid back
Avalyn's POVI lost myself in my own thoughts and couldn‘t remember how long it took for me to finally fall asleep. When I woke up to the bright morning sunshine, I let out a long sigh as I slid from bed and made my way towards the bathroom. I was in for another long day of doing nothing. A soft knock on the door drew my attention, and I watched as one of the maids brought in a small tray of fresh fruits, pastries, juice, and coffee. Breakfast time. The same revolving routines make me feel more robotic than alive. “Thank you, Sara,” I said to the young woman, who bowed her head to me and turned, her blond curls bouncing upon her head as she left without a word. She had been the one who brought me my food the last few days, and even though she didn‘t speak, it made me smile to think I had someone here. Brushing my hair I decided on a long white cotton dress to lay around in for the day. After all, I wasn‘t going anywhere, I wasn‘t allowed to. After my simple morning routine, I dri
Avalyn's POVEven if she was a toy, I don‘t share my toys... I‘d kill her before she lay with another man.” Alpha Grey said in a casual tone, as if he was discussing the day‘s weather. I widened my eyes. Would he really… kill me? His response caused Romero to chuckle, nodding his head: “Totally understandable…” Then a low tone in the room interrupted him. Alpha Grey pulled out his phone. “This is Grey,” he answered, and then remained silent, listening to what the other person said on the phone. Even Romero and Logan seemed intrigued by the conversation. “Yes, I‘ll be there.”After hanging up the call, Alpha Grey looked up. “We have all been requested to head to the capital, including myself. We need to be there in two days.” Romero nodded his head. “We have plenty of time. Shall we continue with other business then, and leave the young lady to her peace and quiet?” Grey simply nodded and said “Very well” as he walked towards the exit of my room. “However, I do insist that this
Avalyn's POV I wasn‘t sure what to expect from dinner. Romero and his pack made me very uncomfortable, and I would rather have spent the night peacefully in my room. However, it wasn‘t up to me to decide. When Logan told me that Rebecca would come to help me get ready, I imagined it would simply be putting my hair up and putting on a nice dress she found lying around. But I was so wrong on so many levels. When I opened my bedroom door, Rebecca pushed in a rack of beautiful colored dresses and a huge black leather zippered case. I had no idea what was going on, but the smile on her face clued me in that this was going to be something I wouldn‘t forget. “Are you ready to have fun?” she asked with enthusiasm, causing my gloomy mood to lighten immediately. Being upset about the situation was not going to help anyone, I told myself. “Um…Becca, why do you need so many dresses?” I asked as I let my fingers run across the fabrics hanging upon the rack. The beautiful array of c
Avalyn's POV The large formal dining hall was decorated in red, black, and gold. A band was playing soft music in the background, and at the other end of the room, a beautiful fireplace made the whole space warm and welcomingThe room was crowded with guests already, men in suits and women in evening dresses. They scattered around, socializing in small groups. Rebecca was right – I didn‘t overdress, Servers were busy laying down the food plated in delicate dishes on the dining table. I couldn‘t stop admiring everything. For all dinner parties I could remember, I was the one busy serving the guests, and never had the leisure to really enjoy the event. “Alpha, here‘s Miss Avalyn.” Logan had brought me straight to Alpha Grey. Grey's blue eyes locked on me. I saw surprise in them, but after that flicker, I couldn‘t discern any other emotion. Was he not pleased with how I looked? “Alpha…” I said softly. Then, noticing the others in the room. Quickly I bowed my head to him, and
Avalyn's POVShe isn‘t,” Alpha Grey stated, a slight irritation in his tone. “I don‘t mean to quarrel, but I would like to hear what the lady has to say, Grey. Plus, you have kept her away from us up in that room the entire time we have been here. I am intrigued to know more of her – and why you are so taken with her.”When all eyes fell on me again, I turned to Logan. He had a hesitant look in his eyes.But with a small nod, he gave me permission to respond, not that I wanted to. “I– well… One day I do hope to meet my mate and have the life I have always dreamed of – with a man who loves me, and will protect me. But, for now, I have other priorities.”I hadn‘t thought I would have the courage to say what I did, but it felt great to let it out.However, I immediately felt that cold atmosphere descend again. Knowing where it was coming from, I didn‘t dare to look at Logan this time.“That‘s wonderful. But you do know that, in society today, women often do not worry about destined m
Avalyn POVI was lost in the way he was kissing me. I felt frozen in time, and the only thing that I was aware of was how he was touching me– how he was holding me. He was impacting me more than I could understand; but I wanted it all. Time had stopped in that moment, and, for once, I never wanted it to start again. I wasn‘t sure how I got into the room; Alpha Grey's hands roaming my body captured all my attention. His fingers worked at the zipper on my dress as my hands pulled his jacket from his body. Our frenzied motions caused a sort of electricity to run from his body to mine. I didn‘t know how to explain the feelings he was stirring up in me. As my dress fell to the floor, he pulled back and looked at me. The black lace bra and panties I had been wearing were the only pieces of clothing upon my body, and even though I had been bared to him before, I couldn‘t help but feel shy beneath his gaze. A low growl came from his throat, and I watched him rip his shirt and tie from hi
Avalyn's POVWaking the next morning, I laid upon the soft sheets of my bed. His scent still lingered, even after his long absence. Memories flooded my mind of the way he touched me – the way he kissed me. I was enraptured with the feeling of him upon my body, and I knew that the sinful thoughts shouldn‘t be there, but I couldn‘t help it. I didn‘t want them to stop. Running my fingers across my lips, I closed my eyes and smiled before slowly pulling myself from the bed. Alpha Grey had acted differently last night… So much differently that it seemed bedding me might be more than just a job to him. Looking through the large closet that sat adjacent to my bed, I pulled on a denim blue dress and matched it with a cute pair of white panties. The white sneakers Rebecca had given me the week before seemed more appropriate with my outfit choice than sandals or heels– not to mention more comfortable.Pulling my long hair up into a ponytail, I left my room, heading down the stairs toward
Lilly POV “It‘s all right, honey,” my mother said, smoothing my hair. “We‘ll be alright. Just stay quiet for a bit longer, and then the wolves upstairs will go, and we‘ll be safe.” I looked up at my mother and nodded, but wasn‘t sure I believed her. We had run down here, my older brother, my mother, and I, about an hour ago, when we‘d first gotten word from the village guard that there were unknown wolves spotted in the woods near our homes. Some of the other villages nearby had been attacked recently, so we‘d been on high alert. None of us had slept for the last few nights. We‘d heard that there were more warriors on the way to protect us, but so far, we hadn‘t seen any.Upstairs, the floor creaked, and some glass broke. I held my breath, terrified. I thought about all of my friends from school. Would I even be there tomorrow? We were supposed to have our seventh–grade assessments. It should‘ve been the last thing on my mind. “We should shift, Mom. Me and you need to be in our
Avalyn POVThe following days after the dinner, Soren was in the house more often than before. However, he still seemed to be working in the study or on phone calls most of the time.Meanwhile, I had been busy reading the books Lola dropped off.Or, in other words… I had been busy keeping myself busy.“The Isles of Denali consist of over a hundred small islands, many of which have their own unique culture…”“…Although the islands do not have as abundant natural resources as the East continent, their comfortable climate, variety of sea products, and unique cultures still make them one of the best choices for those who are seeking a peaceful and relaxing lifestyle. They hold special appeal for those who are from the far deserts of the West continent…”I was flipping through the travel magazine on my warm cozy bed under the morning sun when I heard a knock on the door again.“Come in.” I called out softly, expecting to see Lola. She normally dropped off breakfast for me around this hour.
Avalyn POV Three days had passed since I had arrived at Avondale..The island had lovely weather. However, I spent most of the time in my room. As Soren insisted, I needed to take it very slow for my recovery just to be safe, for the baby‘s sake. That was the doctor‘s order, as well. The lovely scent from the fresh flowers, the morning sun pouring in through the window to land softly on my blanket– everything was perfect, but it just felt irrelevant to me. I‘d gotten away from Alpha Grey, and I had gotten the freedom that I wanted. So why wasn‘t I happy? I tried not to think about him, because every time I did, it felt like there was a huge weight on my chest and I could barely breathe. I had gotten this far, and I knew I should carry on with my new life– but my heart was telling me that it just needed a little more time.It was painful to be alone right now. I needed to find something to keep myself occupied so that I wouldn‘t think about Alpha Grey. I sat up when I heard a kno
Logan POVI rejoined Alpha Grey outside the meeting room after hearing out from the witness. Neither of us spoke until we got to Alpha Grey's suite.As he closed the door behind us, his look turned even more solemn.“Alpha,” I began, “if it really is him working with the rogues, I‘m worried that our pack…”Grey walked over to the map. “Send Natalie back to Draco and tell Rex to reorganize our defenses back home. Move the residents from the outskirts back to the city center, and increase the patrol back home.”“Are we not going back?”“No. Rogue attacks are problems, but any alphas could deal with them, and they have been dealing with it. But the war against Kal is a military operation. If we lose it, we will lose more than just a few villages. My priority has to be on the west coast.”“I understand,” I said with a sigh. “I‘m still worried about Draco. The rogues are taking advantage of the war. What if…”“His target is me, and only me… I‘ll need to talk to James to move our men to th
Avalyn POV I relaxed a little–but not completely.“Who are you?” I asked him. He was tall, with a muscular build. He had that same strong, chiseled jawline and dark hair, though his wasn‘t black like Alpha Grey. They looked so very much the same. There were clear differences between them, but they were slight– the dip of his nose, the space between his eyes, and his eyes. They reminded me of Alpha Grey, but they were gray. The biggest difference, though, was this man‘s smile.It came so easily, so naturally, like the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening. It just happened without effort.In all of the time I was with Alpha Grey, how often did I see him smile? Hardly ever at all, and when I did, it always seemed forced. The man‘s expression thus made it impossible to mistake him for Alpha Grey. Who was this person? And could I trust him? Just like with the dangers of the forest – a coiled snake behind a fallen log, a beautiful tantalizing mushroom that might be p
Grey POV “Not only are these cities along the west coast being attacked, but we‘ve also gotten requests for reinforcements from both the eastern and northern borders,” Logan said, reporting the latest news to me as we were walking back to my suite. “On what scale?” I asked. “Scattered. Doesn‘t seem to be military actions– more like rogues.” “Any information on which group is behind it?” “No, Alpha, It could be multiple groups. The roques all know most of our men are now at the West coast fighting against Alpha Kal‘s invasion. They’re not going to miss this opportunity.” We stopped at my door. “Ok, give me the map and the report. I‘ll take a look at it later tonight. You can let James know first thing in the morning.”Logan stood there, but he didn‘t move. “What else?” I didn‘t lift my head as I flipped through the pages of the reports from the frontline and pictures of the most recently assaulted villages. “Alpha, it‘s already two in the morning. We have the steering committee
Grey POV I had two hours before I met with Logan later tonight. Walking into the bedroom I sank down on the bed, falling backward and staring up at the ceiling, willing my mind to go blank. During the day, it was easy enough. There was plenty to do, especially with the conflicts heating up along the border. I could focus my rage on the enemy. But now..It had been more than three days. Despite all of my men‘s efforts, we had found no trace of Avalyn's body, not even a scrap of fabric. The river rushed through the rocks there, and the cliffs were jagged and full of crags. There were a thousand places for evidence to hide.The sun was setting and it was getting dark, but I didn‘t bother to turn on the light. All of a sudden, I seemed to hear a sound from the living area.I got up to check it out, but froze as soon as I entered the room.In the dark sat a figure that I thought I would never see again. Someone I could not help but recognize instantly, no matter where, no matter when.
Avalyn POV Luckily, I didn‘t have much time to think about Alpha Grey in the next few days, as they flew by thanks to Seraphine‘s company. She had been to all sorts of different places and had lots of fun stories to tell. “You should have seen his face, dear.” I leaned in. I was so drawn to her story that I put down my fork. “Don‘t stop eating, Ava. The food will do you well.”. She patted my hand, and when she saw me put food in my mouth again, she continued, “The big bad wolf thought of himself as a monster, but at the sight of his pup being born, he passed out upon the floor.” Our laughter fluttered through the air. Seraphine concluded, “So no matter how tough men seem to be, you never know what to expect when they see their baby for the first time.” Suddenly, the joy of the story dissipated, and I felt a pang in my heart.I couldn‘t help but wonder, what would Alpha Grey‘s reaction have been if he were there to witness the arrival of his own child? “Seraphine” – I tried to
Avalyn POV A small jolt woke me from my sleep.When I sat up, I quickly realized the boat was swaying from side to side, leaving the most uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. I had known that I would most likely get seasickness, but I had hoped I would be one of the fortunate ones who didn‘t. “Uhh…” | groaned, walking towards the bathroom.Splashing some water on my face, I tried to sweep away the grime of my previous adventures, hoping it would draw the sickness away from me. But even though it disappeared for a moment, as soon as I stepped back out into the room, it was back in full force. I tried with all my might to remember things I had read in one of my many books to help get through this, but no matter what I did, it wouldn‘t ease up.Deciding on getting some fresh air, I tied my hair up into a ponytail and put on casual clothing, including a chunky knit sweater. Before I headed to the deck, I also put on my dark sunglasses to try to hide my appearance more. I knew that I