Esme POV“I noticed you at breakfast, Esme. In your petite uniform. Did you dress that way for me? I noticed your pushed-up breasts and your legs in that skirt. You’re doing too much Esme.”I shoved him off using my wolf strength. Leo chuckled but he was back on me in a second but this time his grip wasn’t secure.“I wouldn’t waste my time. You’re the one doing too much by searching for me.”He gripped my jaw and slammed my head against the wall. “I won’t kill you for old-time sake, Esme.”“We were never friends,” I grumbled.His wolf flashed in his eyes and I felt the intensity of him. I winced and looked away. It was too much. My wolf wasn’t strong enough to block his presence.“We were lovers. Have you forgotten that night? I made you feel good and you left me hanging.”Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I didn’t… I…”He smirked deviously. “So innocent. You didn’t even know what was going on.”This wasn’t Leo talking it was his horniness. He didn’t have control over his wolf. Leo rejected
Alpha Knox POV“Damn it.” I bolted up in bed, drenched in my own sweat. “This can’t be happening to me.”I hadn’t had a wet dream since I was a teenager. This wasn’t an ordinary wet dream. This was because of a petite young woman sleeping soundly in this mansion. Somewhere in the basement where all the servants slept. I didn’t care that she was a slave. She was brave and gorgeous and she made my wolf wild. I could find her room in a second because her scent was incredibly strong right now.No, I can’t. For some reason, she can’t sense the mate bond. It could be because her wolf was new and she was still taming it.“This sucks,” I grumbled.I walked into the shower and put the cold water on blast.Esme, I thought. I pondered her name for days before I learned it. I wondered what name could be so fitting for my little wolf. Her name rolled off my tongue it was perfect! I wanted to roll my tongue down her chest and swirl it around her nipples.Damn, this mate bond.I didn’t want to scare
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
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“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 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“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 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 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