Esme POVI stood and watched her limbs but they remained frozen in time. There wasn’t any blood but the air was thick and musty. How long had she been down here?I snapped back into reality and screamed.“Help!”I flew forward and landed in front of her. I smoothed her hair out of her face and sobbed.“Wake up, please wake up,” I begged.Her face was pale and cold. I jumped back. This can’t be true. My Mother was fine!“Someone help me!” I cried.She wore her nightgown from last night. She’s been here all night. Gosh, no.My bedroom door flew open.“What the hell is wrong, Esme?” Rhoda barked.Jasmine and Griselda lingered behind her. Rhoda’s eyes widened and colour drained from her face.“Jasmine, call a royal guard immediately.”Jasmine looked like she wouldn’t be able to make it up the stairs but she turned around and ran off anyway. Rhoda grabbed my shoulders and dragged me away from my Mother despite my protests. I still expected her to open her eyes and smile at me.“She has to
Esme POV“Esmeray, where have you been?” My Mother blasted.I cringed. I couldn’t tell her I was hiding in the meadow reading my book. It would only make her madder.“I… I…uh—”“The Welcome ceremony is in a few hours and we’re busy.”“I lost track of time but I’m here now and I’m ready to cook,” I grinned and quickly grabbed an apron before Mom spoke, but she snatched the apron and glared at me.“Oh no, you’re not cooking. Rhoda’s cooking and you’re picking up the slack.”I mostly did the sewing and laundry and there was none of that to do right now. I’d only been an official servant or slave of the Highbridge Pack’s Pack house despite growing up in this house. I’d never been allowed to go upstairs or speak to the Alpha’s family. I’ve never seen the Alpha in person. Despite calling this place home it was also a mad torture house.“Oh crap.”Rhoda smirked and thrust a tray of alcohol and chicken wings into my chest.“The young betas ordered these hours ago. Take it upstairs,” her cruel
Esme POV“What?” I turned around.Leo stood in front of me, his face twisted with rage, his black shirt ruffled and opened at the top.“No, no, no!” he marched up to me and gripped my shoulders.“Get off me! What did you say?”“Why you? Why now? I’ve known you my whole fucking life and never felt anything like this.”“Leave me alone,” I shoved him.He glared at me. This had to be a joke. I glared at the crescent moon and mentally cursed the moon goddess. What was she thinking paring me up with Leo? He’s an asshole.“You can’t be my mate,” he mumbled.“Yes, because I’m a slave, I know!”“A wolfless slave!”Tears stung my eyes. I didn’t get my wolf. I’d be ridiculed for not having one for the rest of my life. I dusted myself off. I’ve been dealing with the pain for years I was strong I could handle this heartbreak too.“I’m leaving,” I said, I didn’t want him to see me in my weakest moment.Leo grabbed my arm and dragged me back to him. He snaked his right arm around my waist and held m
Esme POV“Wake up, child,” Rhoda’s voice sounded so far away. “Ugh, ouch,” I said, cradling my head.“You fainted,” Rhoda said.Leo was nowhere to be seen. “He just left me, huh?”“He won’t feel this way when you get your wolf.”I shook my head. “You heard Giselle. He slept with her after he…” After he shared what I thought was special.“So you don’t want a wolf anymore?” Rhoda folded her arms.“No, I want it. I want my wolf. Leo’s going to regret rejecting me when I have my wolf.”Rhoda smiled. “That’s my girl. Now, there’s something called an Obsidian Stone. It’s a powerful object with magical powers and it can grant you one wish, after that it’s useless.”“That’s it? I have to wish for a wolf?”Rhoda nodded. “When you make your wish bring the stone back to me.”“What’s the catch this sounds too easy.”“The stone is in the possession of one of the Alphas here.”I narrowed my eyes on her.“Alpha Knox,” Rhoda confessed.My jaw dropped to the floor. “No.”“Don’t you want a wolf? Do y
Esme POVWhere did he come from? The Banquet must have ended so he came out for some air. He stroked my hair but it wasn’t enough to ease the pain.“Set your wolf free, Pet. She wants to come out.”I stopped fighting the pain but I was sure I would die from it. As long as it would end. Once I surrendered control I think I got smaller and hairier.I had four legs, long ears and brown spikey fur.“What’s happening? I’m not supposed to be here.”“You’re my wolf!” I said through the mind link.“No, I can’t be. You’re not supposed to have a wolf.”That’s a bummer, but the stone worked! I turned to Knox and he looked at me proudly.“I told you you could do it, Pet.” He stuck a cigarette between his lips and pulled out a lighter from his pocket.So he came out here to smoke.“This isn’t right you’re not supposed to have a wolf. You’re wolfless.” My new wolf whined.I panicked. I just got her I didn’t want to lose her already. I willed myself to return to my human form. I wrapped my arms arou
Esme POVAfter Alpha Knox and his posy left I went downstairs. I hoped Kira hadn’t left.“Let me go!” She demanded.Oh geez. I hurried and found my best friend glaring at Beta, Justin. Ugh, he was the bane of my existence!“Stop it, Justin.” I came between them.He shoved me into Kira but my best friend caught me and steadied me.“Your smelly friend shouldn’t be here,” he barked.“You don’t know that. She was delivering the meat you and your friends devour every night.”He threw his head back and laughed. “Do you think I’m dumb or what?”No, but it was a good excuse because Kira’s Uncle owned the local butchery and supplied a lot of our meat only Kira never did delivery for him before we just always used it as our cover story in case something like this happened.“Everyone knows you are Kira’s only friend,” Justin frowned at us.“Doesn’t mean anything,” I said, subtly shoving Kira towards the backdoor. “She was just leaving.”“You two are in huge trouble. You know the rules, Esme.” Jus
Knox POVThe Highbridge Pack was one of the fiercest and most well-respected Pack for miles until my Pack came around. The respect my Pack carried came from fear. I marched into the Alpha King meeting room with my trusted men. The large room consisted of the Alpha King, the crowned Prince and Luna Consort, the Luna and the Alpha’s puppets, but since the old King could barely think on his own I’d say he was the puppet.“Glad you could join us, Alpha,” Prince Leo said.I clenched my jaw. He was just a boy but he talked big. He didn’t even know what he was doing here.“Let’s make this quick,” Jax said.I slammed my fist on the table and locked eyes with Prince Leo and his High Beta. The Alpha King had been taken out of the equation a long time ago but I made a deal with the King. The ink on the document had dried and I held up my end of the deal.“I want my land, Old Man,” I said.“Don’t talk to the Alpha King that way Alpha Knox. You are a guest in this Pack show some respect,” the High
Esme POV“Hurry up, you’re late for breakfast, honey,” Mom said, thrusting a tray at my chest. “What were you doing?”“Daydreaming again,” Rhoda murmured as she stirred a pot. She was still mad at me for not getting the Obsidian Stone.I hadn’t told her about my wolf yet, so far only Kira knew about my wolf and Alpha Knox. I don’t know who he thought I was before he snuck up on me last night but he didn’t seem too happy I was a slave but he wasn’t appalled either.“The royal family likes their breakfast punctual. Remember the rules, Esme. Don’t speak unless spoken to, don’t look at anyone in the eyes. The King won’t be having breakfast with the rest of the family but usual suspects will be there.”“Why won’t the King be there?” I asked. I’d never been in the same room as him despite growing up in his house.It was weird, but that’s the way things were.“That’s none of our business honey.”“Fine. It’s no big deal.”“It’s a very big deal. This is your first time serving the royal family
Esme POVI stood and watched her limbs but they remained frozen in time. There wasn’t any blood but the air was thick and musty. How long had she been down here?I snapped back into reality and screamed.“Help!”I flew forward and landed in front of her. I smoothed her hair out of her face and sobbed.“Wake up, please wake up,” I begged.Her face was pale and cold. I jumped back. This can’t be true. My Mother was fine!“Someone help me!” I cried.She wore her nightgown from last night. She’s been here all night. Gosh, no.My bedroom door flew open.“What the hell is wrong, Esme?” Rhoda barked.Jasmine and Griselda lingered behind her. Rhoda’s eyes widened and colour drained from her face.“Jasmine, call a royal guard immediately.”Jasmine looked like she wouldn’t be able to make it up the stairs but she turned around and ran off anyway. Rhoda grabbed my shoulders and dragged me away from my Mother despite my protests. I still expected her to open her eyes and smile at me.“She has to
Esme POVI stayed in my wolf form until daybreak. It kept me warm. I think I wandered near the border. It would be so easy to cross the line and run away into parts unknown there was so much out there for a girl to see. I would be branded a rogue the second I betrayed my Pack. I would live with the mark of a traitor for the rest of my life and there was the small matter of the mating run.“Esme!” Knox’s indistinguishable voice called. “There you are.”“Don’t come any closer. I’m covered in blood and cuts.”He stepped over logs and rocks to get to me. His black leather boots crushed sticks as he closed the distance between us. He knelt down to my level and reached out to touch my face.“Blood and mud sure but you don’t have a scratch on you. You’re still new to this being a wolf thing, huh?”He peeled off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.“I know why you ran. I wish you hadn’t.”Was he kidding? I was outnumbered. When Leo came out to the river he was more than willing to let
Knox POV“You’re getting too close to this girl, man.”“What do you expect she’s my fated mate?”“What are people going to say back home? You know the laws about taking women from other Packs. Your family enforced these laws.”I pointed at Jax. “I wasn’t part of that.”Jax rolled his eyes as he unwrapped the tape from his knuckles.“I’m just saying it’s not going to be rosy and sunshine when you take her back to the Pack.”It’s not sunshine now. I’m left sexually frustrated every night because I can’t have my mate with me. After all, she’s a slave. Despite that, I didn’t want to have sex with Esme right away, I didn’t want to risk anything.“I don’t know what you’re talking about my Grandmother’s going to be thrilled.”Jax glared at me. I knew where he came from but one problem at a time.“Can we survive the damn mating ritual first?”Jax nodded.“Have the representatives arrived for the first run?” I asked.“Yeah, two of them.”“Good. Have you got the sapphires for the sacrifice?”Ja
Esme POVKnox unbuttoned my dress and slipped it off my shoulders. He was like a master at work. He caught me staring and I smiled.“You’re not nervous are you?” he asked.“We’ve been like this before, Knox.”“I know I just want you to be comfortable.” I felt his hands tremble as they travelled down my shoulders.I chuckled. “It’s almost like you’re nervous but I’m the one who’s inexperienced.”“I don’t mind that babe. I just want to be the only man you’re naked in front of.” After we left the gym he took me to the river not far from the meadow I escaped to read. It was secluded and the weeds here were wild. This place was forgotten and abandoned which was one of the reasons I loved it so much.I stepped out of my faded green dress.“Ever bathed in a river before?” he asked.“No… there’s a perfect shower in the gym.”He grinned. “I’m old school. Very old school.”He bumped his nose against mine before brushing his lips on mine.He held my face and kissed me passionately. His erection
Esme POV“Close the door, Esme.” His voice sent a shiver down my spine. Not the good kind.“Now,” he demanded.My fingertips nudged the door closed. Once the door clicked shut I was alone in a cave with a hungry wolf. I saw the mixture of hunger and rage in his eyes. Could it be possible a part of our bond was still intact? It can’t be. I have a new mate.My wolf rebuffed Leo as well. She put up her walls so high that even I couldn’t reach her. I’d never heard of this behaviour. I knew wolves could reject a male’s advances when they showed interest but Leo’s wolf hadn’t done that yet.“What do you want?” I questioned.He slouched in his favourite leather seat, his eyes roaming my body. He sucked in his bottom lip and I recoiled.“I’m still your Alpha, I don’t owe you any explanations.”What kind of Alpha has to constantly remind someone of his title?“Is there something I can do, Alpha?” I kept eye contact.Leo raised to his feet.I jumped back into the door at the same time a wave of
Esme POV“I’m only a few minutes late no one will notice,” I said.Rhoda smirked and marched towards me.“Rhoda, the Luna said—”“Get out!”Griselda stopped dead in her tracks. Rhoda was seconds away from barking at her again. Griselda closed her mouth and left.“What’s going on with you?” I hissed.“No one will notice your tardiness but they will notice you having a wolf when you shouldn’t!”A lump formed in my throat. “Rhoda—”“Don’t bother lying to me, Esme. You told me everything remember? You told me how you got a man instead of a wolf. You used the Obsidian Stone and didn’t tell me. You little tramp.”“I didn’t even know it worked and you’ve been so mad at me you didn’t let me explain!”“Don’t take that tone with me. You fucked up. We had a deal and it’s not fair you get what you wanted and I don’t.”“I don’t get what you want. Why do you need the stone?”“That’s none of your business. Get me that stone.”“I can’t. This is Alpha Knox we’re talking about. I don’t want to cross hi
Esme POV“You are trying to get me killed,” I protested as quietly as possible.“Anyone who sees will just pretend they didn’t.”He marched us upstairs. What if Leo returned from his nightly fuck session and saw us? He already suspected I was trying to get into Knox’s pants.Knox pushed his bedroom door open and kicked it shut. He tossed me on the bed like a sack.“You brut!”He rolled up his sleeves and unbuckled his belt. I backed into the bed and struggled to swallow the lump in my throat.“Relax, babe. We’re not doing that tonight.”“Oh,” I relaxed a little. “Why not?”He chuckled. “You want to have sex tonight? Because your wish is my command, Esme.”I shook my head. “I just want to know why you don’t want it.”“I don’t want to rush you into anything, besides I don’t have protection.”“Oh… I can’t be here. Chanel could find out. There are eyes everywhere.”“Oh, she was here. I can smell her all over the room. I forgot I may have invited her to my room.”I clenched my jaw. He was
Esme POVAfter Knox left the kitchen I waited five minutes until I followed him out. Was the moon goddess an impractical joker or the most wonderful goddess ever? She allowed me to be mated to two Alphas? After Leo rejected me I didn’t dream of a second chance mate nor that it would be the most infamous Alpha out here.My limbs vibrated as I walked through the cold evening breeze. I might have been high on adrenaline because I thought I heard voices in the wind as I passed through the hedges.“Yes, Alpha, just like that,” a feminine voice moaned.The moans followed the sound of vigorous skin smacking.I froze. Oh geez.“Uh!” the woman screamed.“Is this what you wanted, Giselle?” Leo barked.“Yes, harder! It feels so good. More, Leo,” Giselle cried out in delight.I couldn’t see them but I could smell the lust in the air.I touched my chest and bit back the tears. Leo would never have loved me. Hearing my former mate have sex with someone else both disgusted and devastated me. I was n
Esme POV“What did you just do?” Kira gawked at me.“I signed up for the mating run, no big deal.”“Esme, what happens when you actually get in?”I shrugged. “Then I’m going to compete. Kira I want to be part of something important. What’s bigger than the Mating Run and to be blessed by the moon goddess when it’s all over?”“Or you could die!”She’s such a ray of sunshine.“I’m going to train every day. No one’s dying. Can we get to the butchery already?”“Ugh, okay. Uncle Ben’s been in a crabby mood lately.”“How come?” I asked as we walked away from the signup tables.A total of eight she wolves would be chosen from the Pack. The other Packs brought runners too but since Highbridge was the host Pack we carried the load. The runners weren’t even the biggest part. The Alpha’s roles were the most important. They made sacrifices and commitments to the future. The she-wolves were just to please the moon goddess but it was still important nothing went wrong or else we would be stuck with