/Erin's POV/
I closed my eyes briefly, steeling myself as the honeyed voice seeped in through layers of clothes. My treacherous body had always innately responded to the dark, forbidding men sitting across. The way the Alphas talked to me, so brash and honest that it spurred something inside.
Also, I hated to admit it, but they looked more dangerously handsome than ever today. I couldn’t help but gawk at their thin shirts, barely concealing anything; their dark brown hair was as attractively dishevelled. Reed's eyes appeared deep green and intense as they stared, the laugh lines at the corners in stark contrast to the brooding expression on his face.
I kept my gaze down for a hesitant moment, biting on his lip, uncertain whether to oblige to the demand he made.
&n
/Reed POV/There’s a heavy hand on my shoulder, holding me tight enough to let me know that trying to get away wasn’t a good idea. I twisted my head towards Rowan, who mirrored the same expression. A sigh escaped my parted lips, tearing my eyes to look at the Luna in front.“Mom.”“We need to talk.” Her nostrils flared, eyes shifting around the living hall, her tone sounding grave. “Now!”“What is it, mom?” Rowan tried to ask but only got a glare in return which made him cower. The Luna can be scary when she wants, a fact that made the members steer clear of him most times. Growing up, we thought it was fun, but it only made it difficult for us to get through with her.
/Erin's POV/As the question washed over me, I shifted on my feet. Suddenly the room turned hot, toes curling as sweat clung to my skin. My chest heaved, chin raising defiantly to meet the Alpha's accusing stare. He appeared a lot closer than before, making my heart pound."It's my family issue, Rowan." I crossed my arms against my chest, making sure to emphasise on the 'family' part. His face fell for a second, inhaling sharply."Are you serious right now?" His brows rose in utter disbelief as if the Alpha couldn't believe that I would even have the nerve to say something like this. "We have known each other for years, Erin. My brother and I expect you to inform us of such critical matters, especially if we are going to be mates."&nb
Putting on a weak smile, I made my way towards Reeds chair, draping my arm over his neck. My sharp nails dug into the Alphas shoulder blades, watching as he didn’t even flinch. I leaned forward, lips parting as I met my father's eyes.“Dad, you should focus on getting rest instead of indulging in silly conversations,” I said.“It’s not silly!” Reed piped from below, his lips twisting, offended.I pressed my nails harder, letting out a breathy giggle, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. What was Reed trying to prove? The last thing I wanted was the Alpha to break the news about courting me to my father in his fragile state.Esther made a sound, twisting her lips. “Erin, how can y
/Rowans POV/I closed my eyes tighter in hopes that it would stop, the images of the omega and her sharp piercing eyes. She always had that power to leave an impact, a long-lasting one at that, so it wasn't a surprise that I couldn't stop thinking about her. With too many layers in the way, it's far from the effortlessness we were both used to, but the sheer urgency of it made my insides curl.Her lips were chapped and nose cold when it brushed against my cheek, but the inside of her mouth felt warm and wet, tasting sweet and faintly like coffee.It's different; the last five years palpable in the hesitation of her hands to travel anywhere but my shoulders and in the slight tremor that kept a firm hold on her body. But it's also the same beca
/Erin's POV/Pushing the sheets off my body, I stepped on the cold floor, a hiss ripping from my throat. I quickly slipped on the fuzzy sliders before marching out of my room, only to hear the doorbell ring. The entire house felt quiet at this time, of course, with my mother and sister staying back in the hospital suite room."It's my day off today!" I grumbled while peeking at Isabella through the tiny hole in the door. Still pulling at the doorknob, I let my best friend inside, clad in a pair of shorts, socks and a sweatshirt I washed wrong so many times that one sleeve appeared longer than the other."Good morning to you too, sunshine." Isabella teased, cocking her hips to the side, a wide grin stretched across those pink lips. She was too
/Reeds POV/"Erin..."She sharply cut me off, pinning me with a blank stare. "Please give it a rest, okay? I don't need you to be upset on my behalf. I am happy with the way things are. Five years is a long time. People change."As for those words, I couldn't help but hold her intense gaze for a drawn-out moment in which neither of us said anything. The omega quickly looked away, eyes focusing on the grilled chicken on her plate.Erin had always possessed an ethereal loveliness even as a pup, an enchanting charisma that drew people to her. It made me jealous of how easy it was for her to mingle and make friends, not worry about shouldering responsibilities as the oldest. But, now, as I watched her, smiles reserved and words careful, expressiv
/Erin's POV/Pulling on the coat tighter around my frame, I stepped out of the house, wind ruffling at my loose hair.The night before had been spent tossing and turning on my bed. Reed's words paired with that concerned look kept on swirling in my mind.Pathetic. I thought to myself. He never cared, so why the sudden concern? It must be because we would put on an act for everyone. Isabella for sure bought it as she kept on gushing how he still cared about me after all these years. Finally, I screamed into the pillow before pulling the comforter over my head and fell into a deep sleep.I was cold and miserable, a sinking feeling in my stomach that the shortening of my temper might get me into trouble if I didn't pa
The collective sounds of gasps and murmurs echoed around the room; their eyes widened. I felt my breath hitch in my throat, the sharp smell of vanilla burning my nostrils. The burn of his fingers was the only thing keeping me from collapsing on the floor. Goosebumps prickled along the skin of my arms, body feeling putty in his hold.Isabella's hand flew to her mouth, face whitening as she stared at me. My best friend appeared too shocked to process anything but mouth the words, "Is it true?"Guilt swarmed my belly. I couldn't tell her my situation, or she would have gone out of her way to help me. Isabella already did a lot by rejecting offers from other companies to stay with us. I had no desire to burden her anymore.I nodded my head at her, mouthing the words.
Something indescribable flickered on his face, akin to hurt, but it was gone too soon for me to decipher. I watched as he stalked in my way, like a predator towards his prey, eyes hungry and mouth twitching. I was desperate to untangle myself from this situation, the hair on the back of my neck standing up—my body screamed to rid of his smile, sound, and smell. Before I could act on any of them, Reed pushed our forms flush together, large hands almost covering the entirety of my back. He pressed his nose into my neck then, and the air between them seemed to transform, wrought with indestructible tension. From this close, I could feel his cool breath against my pulse, a steady beat that was clear as day sounding in my ears as I counted them in my head."Oh, omega..." I felt him inhale sharply, though it sounded like a small half-moan against my skin. But in a blink, it was forgotten, the vibration of his giggle in the crook of my neck startling me, making the anger grow inside."Forg
I glanced over at the books on the bedside table, releasing a small sigh while noticing a bouquet. A courting gift. That’s what my sister called while giggling and placing it on the nightstand. The twins had someone deliver it to my doorstep with an equally over the top card. I didn’t get it. Why were they doing this? This kind of generosity felt wrong, especially when I knew the nature of our relationship. My lips twisted when I saw the fond look on my sister's face as if she was genuinely happy and in awe of me. Shaking my head, I marched towards the rack to pick up the coat. Time to face the music at work. I thought under my breath while hastily buttoning the coat.***It might be the obvious scent oozing past me as everyone turned to gawk at me. I tried quite a few times to wash it off in the shower, but it did not make any change. Then again, I should have known my efforts were futile, considering the Alpha scents lasted for days. Helen’s face turned sour, lips pressing togeth
I woke up with a crick in my neck and face buried in soft and sweet-smelling sheets. For a handful of seconds, I was disoriented, eyes glazed and unfamiliarly warm. As I tried to move, I felt two heavy arms sliding down my waist.My body froze.In the stillness, I became aware of a few more things. This was not my little room and the sheets smelled heavily of the Alpha pheromones and slick. A glance down my body made me realise that I was naked and cold, a duvet pooling around my shoulders. I was sandwiched between two heated bodies. Everything came rushing back to me. My heat was a blur of touches, pheromones, and scents imprinting the experience to memory more than any other aspect. The turn of our emotions captured through biology is more appealing than any sensation. Moons sake! I cursed under my breath, fully awake enough to bite my tongue before blurting it out. Panic gripped my body, and I shot into a sitting position, my heart beating so frantically that I feared it could w
Even in my dreams, I was haunted by my mates, their rough, husky voices whispering dirty things in my ear. Two pairs of hands roamed around my body, caging me in between the hot press of their bodies. My head was thrown back as they teased, tracing down my throat, chest, stomach, down to where I was mostly aching for it.I woke up panting, my hair damp with sweat and fingers trembling while curled into the sheets. Raising my head, I noticed that the clock on the wall read nine, the vision so blurry that it felt like I was hallucinating. I struggled to find a way off the bed, every part of me screaming to stay where it was safest—in the bed, surrounded by the Alpha's scent.“You are awake?” A familiar voice asked, startling me. Reed stood in a robe draped around, his right side pressed against the bathroom door. “I was just about to take a shower.”I made a sound. “Rowan is in the kitchen.”I hummed, my hands shaking as the Alpha handed me a glass of water. Shakily I accepted and gree
The following morning I woke up with a crick in my neck, my face buried in soft and sweet-smelling sheets. Fluttering my eyes shut, I squinted at the harsh rays falling on my face. There’s a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, warm and jittery, body disoriented for a couple of seconds. As I tried to move, I felt a heavy limb sliding down my waist. My omega was still under the chokehold of the heat. Every heat I had endured so far was different but the same. My senses are heightened; everything becomes fuzzy, and I am conscious, but it feels like a fever dream, not coherent enough to make critical decisions. It’s one of the reasons why I spend my heats alone, not trusting anyone to care for me in such a vulnerable state. But the twins opened my eyes to a world where I belonged. It’s crazy to even think about, and I wasn’t sober enough to think about the events of last night. Only that my omega was never alone, not for a single moment, and they have been attentive to my every
I could smell my pheromones filling the air, tinged with desperation and desire. When I saw Alpha Rowan approach, I mewled, resisting the feral urge to bare my neck as the bed dipped under his weight. My omega preened, thrumming at the urgency coiling in the pit of my stomach. As he came to sit on his knees in front, his scent seeped into my pores, and my eyes turned glassy. "Patience, baby...." He murmured, swiping a thumb over the arch of my cheekbone. I turned my head and caught his thumb in between my mouth. Rowan's eyes darkened, pressing down on my tongue and bottom lip. I fluttered my eyes shut, wrapping my lips around it and sucking. I could feel Reed's heavy stare on me, making the hair on my neck stand up. He was still standing at the foot of the bed, unmoving, the hitch in his breath audible from inches away."Moons!" Rowan hissed, gripping my chin and making me look up. He leaned in and replaced his thumb with his lips, licking into my mouth and dulling the ringing in m
/Rowan’s POV/ I snaked my arms around her waist, hooking my chin over the omega's shoulder. The omega went limp in my hold, pitiful whines escaping her. My head started feeling a bit dizzy with how strong her scent surrounded me, almost making it impossible to focus on the task. It sunk into me slowly, growing stronger once I let out a soft rumble from deep in my chest. My Alpha had the sudden urge to scent Erin, but I knew that was the protective side of my wolf talking. Erin murmured something under her breath, turning her head to press her cheek against my hair. My heart raced, heat pooling under my skin and thrumming through the veins. She was the one in heat; I reminded desperately. Despite the urge inside, I didn’t even try to scent her, just took a quick, fumbling step back, nearly tripping over my feet trying to get away. “Moons!” I cursed under my breath, seeing the glassy look in her eyes. “Where is Reed?” “Erin, do you want me to drop you off at home?” The noise she
There's a tug in the pit of my belly, sharp and aching which I ignored in favour of pushing at Rowan's chest. I cleared my throat, stepping back and maintaining a foot's distance between us. My arms came to wraparound my chest in defence, glaring at the Alpha.Why did I give in so easily? There was something wrong with me."O-Okay, what are you doing here?"He faltered for a second, appearing dazed whirl running a hand over his hair. I tried not to stare at the curls bouncing off before flopping on his forehead awkwardly. The Alpha's mouth twisted as he sniffed the air."Seriously, who was here?""Rowan, I don't have time to
/Reed’s POV/“Reed, wait for me!” I laughed at the grumble in her voice, racing through the trees, my feet letting me leap and sprint easily over the soft earth in the forest. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the omega running, struggling to close the distance between us.Usually, we played hide and seek, having known more spots in the forest to hide places that would conceal my fur perfectly but make Erin’s pure coat stick out like a sore thumb when she tried to copy me. This time we had chosen tag as our game, and while I could run through the trees, shifting in and out of four furry legs to two sleek ones, Erin struggled to catch up on her pudgy, short legs, and had to stop entirely and concentrate on shifting, giving me more time to run away.By the third time she