MattI found her on the porch, curled under a blanket like a cozy little woodland creature, mug in hand, book in lap. Honestly? Not fair how good she looked doing absolutely nothing.“Hey,” I said, leaning on the railing and trying to sound casual. Which meant I sounded like I was overthinking breathing.She glanced up, smiling. “Hey. Why do you look like you’re about to give a presentation in front of the school board?”“Because I’m brave,” I muttered. “And because I came to ask if you wanted to go for a walk. In the forest.”Her smile widened. “A walk?”“Yeah. Just us. Trees. Quiet. No one is trying to set the microwave on fire.”She sat up, already pulling off the blanket. “Of course I’ll go. I love when you get all woodsy and mysterious.”“I am always woodsy and mysterious.”“You spilled coffee on your shirt this morning and said, ‘The mug betrayed me.’”“It did.”She stood, and I thought that was that—until we heard it.Crunch.A very loud, very obvious crunch from behind the scr
LiaNow that I’ve spent all this time with my mates, I wanted to spend time as a whole with everyone in the pack. This was why I let myself into the house my brother now lived in. See I had a key and he had a key to the place I had with my own mates. We were part of a pack so if we didn’t want to let the other in we would say something ahead of time.I found Michael in the kitchen, his head buried in the fridge like he was on a mission. “Hey,” I said, leaning against the doorframe.He grunted in acknowledgment, pulling out a container of leftover pasta and giving it a suspicious sniff. “Who made this? You?”“Gabi,” I said.He immediately popped the lid and started digging in cold with a fork. “Then I trust it.”I made a face. “Cold pasta?”“Don’t judge me. I’m a man of simple pleasures.” He took another bite, then finally looked at me properly. “What’s up?”“I was wondering…” I hesitated, then sighed. Why was this suddenly awkward?Michael raised an eyebrow. “You okay? You look like y
LiaI’m in the backyard, ready to start practicing. I have to always be ready. This is why I try to carve time for myself to practice magic. Everyone around here is always practicing their skills because you never know when something is going to happen.After the crazy time we had, I wanted to be ready for anything. How was I to know when a coven seeking revenge or some dragon shifters who had been sleeping“Okay… let’s not get rusty,” I murmured, staring down at the candle placed in the center of a circle I’d drawn with chalk. “Just a little warm-up. Easy.”“Talking to yourself again?” Rain’s voice floated over from the porch, teasing as ever.I didn’t look up. “It’s called focus. You should try it sometime.”“I’m very focused,” he said, strolling over with that infuriating grin. “I’m focusing on how intensely you’re trying to intimidate a candle.”“It’s not intimidation. It’s discipline.” I took a slow breath, letting the magic rise like a tide inside me. “Now hush.”“Shutting up,”
MattThe past few days have been pretty crazy. I have been trying to deal with healing and then working as a coach while also spending time with my mate and pack. Everything was much better than it had been, especially with my former pack behind bars.I couldn’t stand them. Anytime I thought of them, I got upset, but right now, they were the last thing I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to focus on was the fact that Lia and I had made our way to her room, kissing passionately after going out to see a movie together.Honestly, I couldn’t even remember what the movie was. I remember the people being all romantic on screen and acting like idiots. This meant it had to be a romantic comedy. Was it obvious I wasn’t a big fan of romantic comedies? Because I wasn’t. They were stupid and a waste of time b but Lia seemed to like them.My favorite type of movie to see with Lia was a horror movie because then she got scared and cuddled up close to me. Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up with Lia wh
JesseOut of all the mates in our group, I was most aware. It wasn’t like I wanted to mock the others, but the fact of the matter was, I was the type of person to be aware of what was going on with everyone.If something was off, I was going to notice it.Now, with Rain, this didn’t count because he wore his heart on his sleeve. He always made it so obvious when something was wrong, and couldn’t hide his emotions even if he tried. If he did try, then he ended up being more obvious than usual!The others depended. Colby and Matt could hide their emotions, but not from me. Lia also depended, while Michael did a pretty good job of hiding it unless it had to do with Gabi and the kids. If it had to do with one of them, then he showed how upset he was because they were his family.Not that we weren’t, but they were his mate as well as children. It was a little different.Today I was out with Lia. The two of us were going for a walk, trying to enjoy some of the fresh air. I did offer the oth
LiaI stared at the ceiling for the third morning in a row. My heart was racing again, for no real reason.My stomach felt weird. Not sick, just... off. I didn’t want to think about what that could mean.But I couldn’t ignore it anymore.I called Simone.She answered, yawning. “You know it’s not even eight, right?”“I think I might be pregnant,” I said, fast.Silence.Then, “Wow. Good morning to you, too.”“I’m serious.”“Wait—what? Are you sure?”“No. That’s the thing.” I sat up and put a hand on my stomach. “I’ve just been feeling weird. Sore. Nauseous some mornings. I smell different from myself. Isn’t that a thing?”Simone made a weird noise. “Yeah, that’s a thing.”“And I’ve been eating weird, too. And I got really mad at Matt yesterday because he was breathing too loudly. Then I cried because I couldn’t find my hairbrush. That’s not normal.”“To be fair, Matt does breathe like a bulldozer.”“Simone—”“Okay, okay. I’m focused now. Lia… oh wow. You really might be.”“I don’t want
LiaThe lunch I packed for myself remained mostly untouched. I picked up part of the sandwich, took a bite, and struggled to swallow. It felt like ash in my mouth, making me want to spit it out.Folded and shoved into my pocket was the invitation for my coming-of-age ceremony that was delivered to me two weeks ago. With trembling hands, I pulled it out and read it word by word.Official InvitationDear Lia Brown,It is with boundless joy and honor that we invite you to attend your Coming-of-Age Ceremony, a momentous occasion marking this significant milestone in your life. This celebration is a testament to your growth, achievements, and the exciting future that lies ahead.Event Details:· Date: Monday, the 6th of October· Time: 9:00 AMWe encourage you to arrive promptly at the clinic to ensure the smooth progression of the event and to fully immerse yourself in the process. The ceremony afterward will include heartfelt speeches, special performances, and a formal acknowledgment of
LiaWhen I came home I was looking forward to being in a quiet house where I could clear my thoughts. But the moment I walked through the door I heard multiple, loud voices coming from the kitchen, the spot my brother and his friends liked to haunt with their imposing presence.Taking a shaky breath, I closed the door as quietly as I could behind me, but not quite enough. Michael, my brother, popped his head into the room, a smirk playing on his lips.“Trying to sneak away without saying hello, little sister?”“I live with you. Why do I have to say hello?” I countered.A deeper voice chuckled, and Colby came to stand on the left side of Michael. He was a little taller than Michael who was already six feet so that was saying something. Colby’s piercing jade green eyes locked onto my tense form, pearly white tease exposed as he smirked.“Lia are you going to go all the way upstairs without saying hello?” he asked.Rain popped up on the other side of Michael. He was the same height as my
LiaI stared at the ceiling for the third morning in a row. My heart was racing again, for no real reason.My stomach felt weird. Not sick, just... off. I didn’t want to think about what that could mean.But I couldn’t ignore it anymore.I called Simone.She answered, yawning. “You know it’s not even eight, right?”“I think I might be pregnant,” I said, fast.Silence.Then, “Wow. Good morning to you, too.”“I’m serious.”“Wait—what? Are you sure?”“No. That’s the thing.” I sat up and put a hand on my stomach. “I’ve just been feeling weird. Sore. Nauseous some mornings. I smell different from myself. Isn’t that a thing?”Simone made a weird noise. “Yeah, that’s a thing.”“And I’ve been eating weird, too. And I got really mad at Matt yesterday because he was breathing too loudly. Then I cried because I couldn’t find my hairbrush. That’s not normal.”“To be fair, Matt does breathe like a bulldozer.”“Simone—”“Okay, okay. I’m focused now. Lia… oh wow. You really might be.”“I don’t want
JesseOut of all the mates in our group, I was most aware. It wasn’t like I wanted to mock the others, but the fact of the matter was, I was the type of person to be aware of what was going on with everyone.If something was off, I was going to notice it.Now, with Rain, this didn’t count because he wore his heart on his sleeve. He always made it so obvious when something was wrong, and couldn’t hide his emotions even if he tried. If he did try, then he ended up being more obvious than usual!The others depended. Colby and Matt could hide their emotions, but not from me. Lia also depended, while Michael did a pretty good job of hiding it unless it had to do with Gabi and the kids. If it had to do with one of them, then he showed how upset he was because they were his family.Not that we weren’t, but they were his mate as well as children. It was a little different.Today I was out with Lia. The two of us were going for a walk, trying to enjoy some of the fresh air. I did offer the oth
MattThe past few days have been pretty crazy. I have been trying to deal with healing and then working as a coach while also spending time with my mate and pack. Everything was much better than it had been, especially with my former pack behind bars.I couldn’t stand them. Anytime I thought of them, I got upset, but right now, they were the last thing I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to focus on was the fact that Lia and I had made our way to her room, kissing passionately after going out to see a movie together.Honestly, I couldn’t even remember what the movie was. I remember the people being all romantic on screen and acting like idiots. This meant it had to be a romantic comedy. Was it obvious I wasn’t a big fan of romantic comedies? Because I wasn’t. They were stupid and a waste of time b but Lia seemed to like them.My favorite type of movie to see with Lia was a horror movie because then she got scared and cuddled up close to me. Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up with Lia wh
LiaI’m in the backyard, ready to start practicing. I have to always be ready. This is why I try to carve time for myself to practice magic. Everyone around here is always practicing their skills because you never know when something is going to happen.After the crazy time we had, I wanted to be ready for anything. How was I to know when a coven seeking revenge or some dragon shifters who had been sleeping“Okay… let’s not get rusty,” I murmured, staring down at the candle placed in the center of a circle I’d drawn with chalk. “Just a little warm-up. Easy.”“Talking to yourself again?” Rain’s voice floated over from the porch, teasing as ever.I didn’t look up. “It’s called focus. You should try it sometime.”“I’m very focused,” he said, strolling over with that infuriating grin. “I’m focusing on how intensely you’re trying to intimidate a candle.”“It’s not intimidation. It’s discipline.” I took a slow breath, letting the magic rise like a tide inside me. “Now hush.”“Shutting up,”
LiaNow that I’ve spent all this time with my mates, I wanted to spend time as a whole with everyone in the pack. This was why I let myself into the house my brother now lived in. See I had a key and he had a key to the place I had with my own mates. We were part of a pack so if we didn’t want to let the other in we would say something ahead of time.I found Michael in the kitchen, his head buried in the fridge like he was on a mission. “Hey,” I said, leaning against the doorframe.He grunted in acknowledgment, pulling out a container of leftover pasta and giving it a suspicious sniff. “Who made this? You?”“Gabi,” I said.He immediately popped the lid and started digging in cold with a fork. “Then I trust it.”I made a face. “Cold pasta?”“Don’t judge me. I’m a man of simple pleasures.” He took another bite, then finally looked at me properly. “What’s up?”“I was wondering…” I hesitated, then sighed. Why was this suddenly awkward?Michael raised an eyebrow. “You okay? You look like y
MattI found her on the porch, curled under a blanket like a cozy little woodland creature, mug in hand, book in lap. Honestly? Not fair how good she looked doing absolutely nothing.“Hey,” I said, leaning on the railing and trying to sound casual. Which meant I sounded like I was overthinking breathing.She glanced up, smiling. “Hey. Why do you look like you’re about to give a presentation in front of the school board?”“Because I’m brave,” I muttered. “And because I came to ask if you wanted to go for a walk. In the forest.”Her smile widened. “A walk?”“Yeah. Just us. Trees. Quiet. No one is trying to set the microwave on fire.”She sat up, already pulling off the blanket. “Of course I’ll go. I love when you get all woodsy and mysterious.”“I am always woodsy and mysterious.”“You spilled coffee on your shirt this morning and said, ‘The mug betrayed me.’”“It did.”She stood, and I thought that was that—until we heard it.Crunch.A very loud, very obvious crunch from behind the scr
ColbyEveryone was doing their own thing to bond with Lia. I decided that I was just going to cook dinner for the whole group, and then I would sneak her some dessert. Great for us to have a private dessert. Something chocolatey, maybe. She always smiled more with chocolate.“I’m making dinner tonight,” I announced, tossing my keys into the dish by the door and heading straight for the kitchen.Rain popped his head around the corner, eyes lighting up. “Ooh! Need a sous chef?”I didn’t even hesitate. “Not.”“What?!”Rain gasped like I’d just insulted his entire bloodline. “Banned?! That’s so harsh!”I had to stifle a chuckle even though he was just being his usual self. That was Rain for you. But he would be fine after a while. He just had to get over his little pouting session.Lia appeared behind him, crossing her arms. “Rain, last time you helped, the smoke alarm had to be reset twice.”“That was an accident!” Rain argued. “The stove was faulty!”“No,” Matt said from the couch witho
JesseAfter learning that Rain had a successful date, I decided that it was my turn to take Lia out. I had something in mind. It was a bit of an odd date—the two of us were going to play chess. Or I was going to invite her out to play chess.Chess was an awesome game that I loved. I tried to teach some of my friends the game, but only Michael was interested and now he had kids. Colby just didn’t want to waste time on it, Matt had no patience and Rain was well… Rain.If Rain ever came to me and said that he wanted to learn chess, I think I might die from shock.“I’m taking you out,” I said.She blinked. “Okay… where?”“The park,” I replied, dropping my hands into my pockets.Her head tilted slightly. “Just the park?”I nodded. “Yeah. We’re going to learn how to play chess.”Lia stared at me. “Chess?”“Chess.”“Like… with the little horses and castles and tiny guys in helmets?”“They’re knights and rooks and pawns,” I corrected, lips twitching at the corners. “But yes. That chess.”Ther
RainI had a plan and the plan was to do something romantic with Lia. It didn’t matter if it led to something more, but I wanted the two of us to spend some quality time together. The two of us hadn’t spent any time together with it just being us.None of the guys had been able to spend any quality time with her either because of all the shit going on in our lives.This wasn’t going to happen any longer.I had racked my brain, trying to think of something to do, and then I realized that I was going to surprise Lia with a private picnic in a meadow that was nearby.So I decided to go to her door to talk with her, letting her know that I was taking her out on a date.Well, if she wanted to go out on a date. She was perfectly capable of saying no. and could say no. I didn’t care if she did or not.No, that was a lie. I wanted her to say yes, but if she didn’t want to go, then this was fine too. Lia was her person and could decide what she wanted to do.“I’m taking you out tomorrow,” I sa