I drove around the city without any particular destination, allowing my thoughts to drift aimlessly as my mind processed everything that had been happening somewhere in my subconscious. I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and each thought I had kept piling up the pressure.The city has always felt like an overwhelming place, but it was doubly so in my current state. The tall buildings and siren sounds made me anxious, and I could not bear to think about how I would ever be able to face Zack. I knew he would be upset, disappointed, and most probably, angry with me.In what felt like a dozen hours too soon the sun began to set. The sky turned pink and orange, streaked with shades of purple and red. It was beautiful, in a painful sort of way. I hated it.Eventually, I found myself pulling up to Jessica's house. At that moment, I felt like I needed someone to talk to, someone who might understand what I was going through and Jessica was the only one who made it to the
Lin’s PovAs I sat in the waiting room, my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the woman I had just met. She had been sitting in the corner, and immediately I saw her, I could not help but notice her striking appearance. Her long, dark blonde hair cascaded gracefully down her back, and her light blue eyes seemed to shimmer perpetually with tears unshed.I couldn’t help but feel shaken by the look of despair on her face and the weight of her emotions. It was clear, through her eyes, that something worried her deeply. I had been at the clinic for my mate’s regular check-up, but my attention had been drawn to the woman who looked so very vulnerable.I was consumed with a mix of empathy and concern for her. It was easy to see that she was carrying a heavy burden, and her worried expression only added to my own unease. I couldn’t help but think about the many possible reasons that led her to be in that state, and my heart went out to her. That had been the major reason, above all else, t
Lin's Pov "Ash?" I called, trying to start slowly. "Yes honey?" Ashley responded, turning to face me."What did the doctor say about the procedure?" I had not been with her and the doctor since I had arrived rather late.Ashley turned back to the window, and after a few seconds mumured something I couldn't get."What was that?" I prodded. "I couldn't quite get that."Ashley sighed and turned to face me."Well, there was a mix up or something, and the surrogate mother is nowhere to be found."I immediately hit the brakes and pulled over."What?!" I exclaimed before reigning my shock in and bringing my voice low. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I told you it was a bad idea.""It was not meant to happen," Ashley snapped."Oh, maybe; certainly; but it did," I said, my voice rising in sudden frustration. This was a sensitive topic for me, and we had argued severally on whether having a surrogate or not was a good idea. "I told you from the very beginning that we should carry the baby o
The living room was filled with tension as Zack and I faced each other. Zack breathed deeply, looking at me with an angry gaze that made my skin tingle. My emotions were all over the place, my stomach roiled and churned as I stared at Zack from across the room. I had no idea what he was going to do next, and I did not want to find out. He could be so very harsh when consumed by his emotions like this."I had given you a choice, Meghan," he said, his voice suddenly low, all his anger seemingly gone. "And I am going to give it to you again." He strode up to me suddenly and I backpedaled in fear until my back hit the wall. My vision was blurry - my eyes covered as it were in tears - but I could still make out Zack's silhouette looming over me. I looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes but he grabbed my chin and forced my gaze up."Me," my mate growled. "Or the two fucking bastards you have growing within your stomach. Pick one Meghan."Another sob escaped my lips."Zack I... It is no
The pain of rejection can sting like no other, and that was exactly what I had experienced as I lay on the hard hospital bed. My world had crumbled around me, and the only thing I could feel was a deep sense of despair. As I opened my eyes, I realized that I was no longer in the same place where I had collapsed; instead, I was in a small room, surrounded by white-washed walls and curious eyes of doctors and nurses. My vision slowly came into focus, all the nurses filling the room coalescing into a single figure and I realized there was only a single nurse in the room. She was a kind looking older woman with gray hair pulled back in a bun, and bustled around the room, checking what I assumed were my vitals and administering medicationAs soon as I tried to move, I could feel pain all over my body. It was a dull ache, but somehow managed to spread through every inch of my being. The light in the hospital room was stark, almost blinding, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. The walls
Two days later and I was still lying in my hospital bed, the beeping of machines and the constant chatter of busy nurses echoed through the sterile walls. Despite the constant activity around me, I felt dreadfully alone. My phone sat on the bedside table, buzzing with incoming messages, but my fingers were too weak to pick it up and respond. I had no idea when they had brought it here - or even how, to be honest - but the last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone. I was wallowing in regret and self pity, my thoughts constantly circling back to Zack, the last few days, and what he had done to me no matter how much I tried not to think of it.The only person I had any thoughts of talking to and sharing my burdens with could not be contacted at all. My calls to Jessica were not connecting, and although I had tried multiple times to reach out to her, she was nowhere to be found. She didn't pick up on her house line, nor did she respond to any of my text messages or voicemails. It wa
Six Years Later...It was a dreary spring morning, and I was standing by the kitchen counter sipping my coffee. As I took a sip, I heard the sound of little feet coming down the stairs. I turned just in time to catch two little bundles of joy turn the corner and make a beeline for me. "Morning, Mom!" Ethan screamed as he dove at me, wrapping my thigh in a warm hug.Emily, his sister and twin, skidded to a stop and stomped her feet. "Not fair," she screamed angrily. "You cheated! You started before me!""You're just jealous you did not get to hug mom first. You're such a sore loser," Ethan retorted."Good morning, my lovely twins," I replied, ruffling their messy bedheads and sweeping Emily off her feet to carry her. "Did you both sleep well?""Yes, Mum," said Emily, giving her brother a cheeky look. "But I had a dream that I forgot my homework at home.""You don't have any homework to return, silly goose," I said with a smile."Oh, right," she giggled."Well, let's get you both read
A week later and I was disembarking a plane in an airport in North Carolina. It was beautiful, in a way, how little things had actually changed in six years.The flight had been uneventful, thankfully. I've had the aircraft I boarded lose an engine in mid air once, and the anxiety that had filled me wasn't something I wanted to experience again. It did not help that I had a seat by the window and had a close view of the wing burning.I shook off the memory, stretched out my arms and took breath. I shook off the memory, stretched out my arms and took a deep breath. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled my nose as I stepped off the plane and headed towards the airport's baggage claim.I had just landed after a long and somehow exhausting flight - even though all I did was sit -, and all I could think about was getting to the hotel that had been booked for me and taking a much-needed shower. The airport was filled with the sound of footsteps and voices reverberating through the spac
Epilogue Six months later. “Emily, go get your Dad and Ethan to get ready or we are going to be late for the ceremony” “Okay, mom” Emily nodded and turned to leave while I continued to busy myself with Jaxon. His birth came at a time when we were going through the most difficult moment of our lives and I can’t help but cherish the bond I have with him. Jaxon looked like Ethan when he was a month old. A resemblance that was uncanny to their father. Our little family went from four to five and ever since my hands have been more than full. Having to care for my kids as well as carrying out my duty as Luna around the pack hasn’t been easy but thanks to Lin, I was given a year leave from my work as a lawyer even though I have a feeling I won’t be returning after that. Lin had already hinted that he was working on helping me start my own law firm where I can recruit and train other lawyers in neighboring packs so they can defend their territories the right way without wedging war on ea
Meghan’s POV."What's happening to him?" I demanded, desperate for answers but mother simply looked at him as though nothing was wrong even though Lin looked like he was undergoing something more life threatening at the moment.“The cursed blood is getting fused with his beast making the transformation twice as painful for a normal wolf”My eyes widen, “How do we stop it?”"It can’t be stopped, child. Lin has to learn to control the powers that plagues him," mother said, sounding unbothered. "Often times, great powers comes with great responsibility"Lin let out a strangled cry, curling into himself and I pulled him closer, wrapping around his frame even though my arms barely fit across his board shoulders."Mother..look at him, this is a freaking curse…there has to be a way to help him." I pleaded, looking up at her."I’m sorry, Meghan but not all curse are a curse! Some are actually blessings if and only if he learns how to control it. If he doesn’t then he will die”My heart sank a
Lin's POV I could feel the life force within me waning, the pain in my chest intensifying with every breath. But I refused to give in to defeat. Desperation surged within me, and I summoned every ounce of my strength but it was of no use against him.Vincent's claws dug deeper, pressed down against my chest, his grip tightening around my heart, and for a fleeting moment, terror coursed through me. The pain was excruciating, the sensation of my life being forcibly extracted unbearable.But in that moment, I felt a presence, a force surrounding me. From my peripheral I saw Meghan and her mother not far from the chaos. Her mother’s hand outstretched and enchanting some strange words.A surge of energy surged through me, a surge that matched the desperation in my heart. It was as if I had tapped into an ancient wellspring of power, a wellspring fueled by the love and determination of the two incredible women who held my heart in their hands, figuratively and literally.With newfound str
With the short bloody dagger still in my grip, I readied myself for the worst as the two rogue wolves closed in on me, their snarling faces contorted with hunger and aggression. I braced myself for the impending attack. My grip on the dagger tightened, the maternal instinct within me more than ready to protect the child cradled at the corner, not very far from me. The weight of responsibility bore down on me, and I was ready to face whatever threat came our way.The first one lunged at me, it’s claws slicing close to my cheek in a deadly swipe and causing me to stumble a few step back. Without hesitation, I swung the blade at its snapping jaw, only missing it by a few inches.My stand against them only made them angrier. I knew I stood no chance against them in my human form as my movement was too sloppy and still weak from childbirth. My wolf was of no use either, she was in no position to fight either. An hour or two could bring us more recovery but that seem to be the last thing
Meghan's POV.The atmosphere inside the safe house had grown thick with tension. My wolf paced restlessly within me, its agitated energy radiating throughout my being. It was as if an invisible thread connected me to Lin, and that thread was tugging me relentlessly toward the door.No matter how much I try to shake it off, it still lingered, getting heated right under my skin and making me even more restless.Gently, I laid our sleeping baby on the bed, swaddled in the softest blankets. My gaze lingered on his innocent face, and for a moment, I brushed a gentle finger against his cheek. He was a precious reminder of our love, and my heart ached to hold him close.Turning to Ethan, my seven-year-old son, I knelt before him, my hands on his small shoulders. "Ethan," I began, my voice gentle but firm, "Mommy needs to go out for a little while. I need you to be a big, brave boy and watch over your baby brother and Emily until I come back, okay?"Ethan nodded, his wide eyes filled with det
Lin POV.Chaos reigned, the eerie glow of the moon casting shadows over the relentless clash between our forces and Vincent's rogue wolves. The rogues kept multiplying in numbers since our initial encounter, and their determination was palpable, as if they were been driven by an unquenchable thirst for power.Leon, his eyes reflecting both exhaustion and unwavering determination, has been at the forefront of the defense. When it seem like our efforts were going to waste, his voice filtered through my mind, strained but resolute. "Lin, I don’t think we can hold them off much longer, it's like they're being fueled by some unseen force. They just keep coming."Zack, his wolf form mirroring my own determination, chimed in, "Leon's right. It's possible the gem is their power source. We need to find it and neutralize it if we want to break their momentum."My gaze swept over our burning village that was swimming with rogues, searching for any signs of the gem's presence. The rogue wolves fo
Lin’s POV.Apologies flowed naturally from my lips as I navigated then dark path towards the safe house, Meghan and our children nestled securely behind me, Rachel and Zack not very far behind. My heart was still heavy with Meghan’s demand for me to leave.I know this night was far from being over with an uncertain outcome but one thing I do know was in the fact that, I was going to keep Meghan and the kids safe.I couldn't help but turn to Zack, who presence was now beside me. "I'm truly sorry about the gem," I said, my voice sincere. "It falling into the wrong hands was my fault. I should have known this was going to end in one of her betrayal."Zack's response was reassuring, his voice steady. "Lin, it's alright," he replied. "In the heat of the moment, we all make choices we later regret. What's important is that we're focused on protecting the people that matter”I nodded in agreement, appreciating his understanding. We were united in our determination to safeguard our packs and
Lin's POVAs I knelt beside Meghan and the kids, the weight of my actions pressed upon me like a leaden shroud. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of the recklessness that had nearly cost us everything. Tears welled in my eyes, a mixture of relief at seeing my family unharmed and the overwhelming guilt for what I had put them through. I was a fool to trust that woman. I should have listened to Meghan when she wanted her out of our lives but I thought she could lead us to the solution to our problem.Sniffing back my tears, I leaned away, my gaze barely meeting hers. “I’m sorry, so sorry!”Meghan looked confused as her gaze bore into mine, her eyes a complex tapestry of emotions. “Lin, none of this is your fault.. If there is anyone to be blamed then it’s that vile woman”I shook my head, “No, you don’t understand.. I’m to blame too, I didn’t push her away when she offered. I let my emotions get the best of me and I gave him to temptation and we…we”“…Stop!, d
Meghan’s POVMy heart pounded in my chest as I clutched Emily and Ethan close, their small bodies fitting into my arms perfectly. The room had descended into utter chaos, the snarls of the intruding wolves piercing the air like a dreadful symphony.Panic threatened to claw its way into my heart, but I couldn't afford to succumb—not with the safety of my children hanging in the balance."Remember all we've practiced," I implored, my voice a steady anchor amidst the turmoil. I wished I could help - oh, how I wished so - but I was pretty much tucked out at the moment. It was a bother to even keep my eyes open! I had to fight just to stay awake. Over these few months, Lin had diligently drilled them on the basics of self-defense, honing their instincts and abilities. Now, in this moment of peril, that training was going to become their greatest ally.Ethan, standing steadfast by my side, made a promise that sent both pride and trepidation coursing through me. "I'll protect you, Mom, and