CALLUMWe lay there attempting to catch our breath, and I could safely say, I had never felt better.Where my skin was in contact with Ava’s, it felt like sparks were flying along my skin. Her voice was almost musical, her laugh hypnotic, her smell intoxicating. I could lose myself in her body, stay there forever, and die a very happy man.It was at that point when a searing hot pain shot through my body, leaving me dripping in sweat and in unbelievable agony. It was like a first shift, but so much worse.“Callum, we need to shift,” Ares said, his voice sounding strained too. “I don’t know what’s happening, but not shifting feels like it’s tearing me apart.”I let go of my control, letting Ares take over and shift.Ava gasped when I completed the shift, and ran her hand along my wolf’s face. “Ares, Callum,” she whispered. “I think our marking unlocked some kind of magic.”Huh?I shifted back, confused. “What do you mean?”“It was like something tingling and shimmering around your body
AVAI shifted straight back when I got to the clearing in front of the pack house, not even paying attention to the crowd that had gathered, or caring about the fact I was as naked as the day I was born.Callum pulled me into a hug, pressing his lips to my forehead, before checking me over for injuries. He didn’t find any, and instead turned his attention to his mark on my neck. Gone was the bite mark, and in its place was a delicate pattern of the Aries constellation.“Beautiful,” he whispered as he teased his fingertips over the still sensitive flesh.I tiptoed in front of him, reaching up to admire my own mark on his neck. Gone were the teeth and in its place was a delicate tattoo of my wolf staring up at the moon.I pressed a gentle kiss to the mark, enjoying how his body shivered in pleasure at the feel of my lips on his skin. He groaned when my tongue teased over the mark, his hands ending up intertwined around my back.Artemis reminding me that the rogues were a very real threa
OSCARThe feel of Ava beneath me was something I’d never take for granted. She was all soft curves, passion and fire; and it was like every inch of her was designed specifically to drive me crazy with need.I wasn’t sure why I’d been blessed with someone quite like her for a mate, but I’d never take her for granted, and I’d always treat her like the Queen she is and deserves to be.At the first touch of my lips on hers, she moaned contentedly, melting into the kiss. She tangled her fingers in my hair, pulling me on top of her, gasping at the feel of my cock pressing against her core.I tilted my hips, rubbing my tip across her opening and clit, leaving her moaning with every touch.She broke the kiss to catch her breath, tilting her head to give me access to her neck. I obliged immediately, focusing on the spot above Callum’s mark where I’d be marking her. I teased the spot with teeth and tongue, and slid my right hand in between us, searching for her clit.Her eyes rolled back at th
AVAOnce we were sure neither Oscar or I were having any kind of immediate negative reaction to our mating, the three of us headed back to the pack house. As we ran, I thought I saw something in the woods; someone watching us. I slowed to more of a trot, Callum slowing down to match my speed.“Ava, you okay?” Callum’s voice through the mindlink was concerned.“I thought I saw someone,” I replied. “Someone watching us.”“Let me check it out.”“Not on your own, Callum.”“I’m literally your destined protector, Ava, I’ve got this.”“I told you that I will not let you shove me away from danger forever, Callum. I’m not hiding behind a tree.”Artemis hid our scent, and we crept forward into the woods, listening and looking out for trouble. There was the faint smell of a wood fire and meat cooking… Someone had set up a camp here recently. But they’d gone.Then… the smell hit me.“Rogues,” I growled through the mind link. “They know.”“Know what?!” Callum’s voice was frantic.“That I marked y
AVAAn hour later, my Kings, Jacob, Alex and I were all sitting around the table in my office. My coffee machine had even arrived and been set up! Jacob rolled his eyes at me, knowing that I’d been telling him for a long time that he should have one in his office. He drinks more than enough coffee to justify the expense.Once we were all seated with coffee and some of Paula’s orgasmic muffins, we got down to business.“So, Jacob, Alex. I’ll have to start from the beginning of this story.” I paused for a bite of muffin. “I was visited by the Moon Goddess in a dream.”They gasped.“The rogues will come for me on the next full moon, so we only have six days to avert this. One of the easiest ways for me to be safe is to have all four marks before then, however, I can’t necessarily have them that close together. With each mark, both the King Consort in question and I will gain new powers, but we don’t know what they are. When Callum and I marked and mated, as you all saw, things went a lit
AVAAlex nodded, a massive smile on his face after watching my silent interaction with one of his sons. “I’m glad my sons are fated to you, Ava,” Alex’s voice was grateful through the mindlink. “Me too,” I replied.“Where do you want to start, Ava?” Jacob had a smile on his face too.Theo, as ever, looked jealous. If anyone was going to be a problem for this relationship, it was Theo.“Callum and Oscar need to experiment with their new powers; in Oscar’s case, we need to work out what they are. Theo, Noah, if you two work with Oscar, see if you can find out what he can do. Stress is always a good way of bringing out powers, so the three of you could always spar.” The three of them nodded.“Callum… his powers are all in defence and offence,” I glanced at Callum, biting my bottom lip. “The offensive skills are easy enough to explore. The defensive… I have an idea, Callum, but you’re not going to like it.”He growled. “I can see where this is going.”My lips were pursed. “It’s the best
AVAI couldn’t help but laugh when I heard Callum had sent his dad flying through the mud.“I’m sorry, Alex, I’m trying not to laugh,” I giggled.“You’re not sorry, Ava, I can see in your face that you’re proud of Callum for knocking his old man on his ass.”“You know it!” I wiped away the tears that had started appearing in the corners of my eyes.We carried on testing Callum’s defensive abilities for a while, before deciding we should explore my enhanced senses.Alex found a blindfold, which Callum used to cover my eyes. “Callum,” I mind linked him. “It’s going to be hard, but I need you to not protect me for this spar. I need to know what I can do.”“I know,” he replied, voice tense. “It’ll be hard, but I promise I’ll try.”“Thank you.” I reached up, cupping his face and bringing him down to kiss me, before telling Alex to get going whenever he was ready.The first time he ran at me, I only just dodged the kick in time. From then on, though, I managed to not just dodge, but actual
AVAWe scoured the rogue camp for what felt like hours, and all we found out is that there must have been five of them and that they hadn’t been gone long.Once we were all back at the pack house, the Kings and I opted to have a quiet dinner by the lake instead of dealing with the chaos of the dining room.By the time we reached the lake, the team had put together a picnic for the five of us, complete with candles. We toasted to us before settling into the selection of goodies Paula had picked out for us. I could tell it was Paula from the sheer quantity of baked goods she included.Once we’d all eaten our fill, we relaxed on the shore, watching the stars over the lake. Theo and Noah sat on either side of me, their arms around the bottom of my back. Oscar and Callum sat off to the side, and I could clearly tell they were mindlinking each other.I glanced up at Noah, and saw that he and Theo were linking as well. I rolled my eyes, taking advantage of their distraction to get up, strip
AVAI sank into the plush armchair, my body feeling like lead. The room was dimly lit, shadows dancing on the walls as the fireplace crackles softly. Oscar lay on the chaise lounge nearby, his chest rising and falling steadily. Relief washed over me, but it was tinged with a lingering anxiety that refused to dissipate."How are you feeling, love?" Theo's voice broke through my thoughts.I met his concerned gaze, and I knew my eyes were full of pain. "Like I've been hit by a truck, then run over by a train for good measure."A weak chuckle escaped Oscar's lips. "That's my girl, always with the colourful descriptions."My heart clenched. He nearly died saving me, and there he was, still trying to make me smile. I reached out, grasping his hand tightly. "We need to talk about what happened," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.Callum leaned against the mantle, his jaw clenched. "Agreed. We can't let something like this happen again."I could feel the weight of their worry, their lov
AVAI couldn't bear it anymore. The pain of feeling Oscar slipping away was too much. With a surge of desperate strength, I pushed against Theo's chest. "Let me go," I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper.Theo's arms loosened, surprise flashing across his face. I took advantage of his momentary hesitation and scrambled away, my legs giving out as I reached Oscar's side. I collapsed to my knees, my hand finding his."Oscar," I whispered, squeezing his fingers. They felt so cold. Too cold. "Don't you dare leave me."I could feel our bond stretching, thinning like a gossamer thread about to snap. Panic clawed at my throat. This couldn't be happening. Not after everything we'd been through."Ava," Callum's deep voice c
CALLUMI could feel Theo's anger radiating off him in waves as we strode down the dimly lit corridor toward Sera's cell. My own fury simmered just beneath the surface, barely contained."Remember, we need information," I said, my voice low and tight. "Don't let her provoke you."Theo's jaw clenched. "I'll try."As we approached the heavy iron door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself. The guard unlocked it with a harsh clang that echoed off the stone walls.Sera sat on a narrow cot, her raven hair tumbling over her shoulders. Those unnerving violet eyes locked onto us as we entered."Well, well," she purred. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a royal visit?"
OSCARI couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ava's lifeless gaze as the healers swarmed around us like agitated bees. The scent of herbs and magic hung thick in the air, mingling with the acrid tang of fear emanating from my brothers and me. My fingers tightened around Ava's limp hand, desperately seeking some flicker of response."Damn it, why isn't anything working?" I growled, frustration boiling over as another potion fails to elicit even a twitch from our mate.Noah placed a steadying hand on my shoulder. "They're doing everything they can, Oscar. We have to be patient."Patient? How could I be patient when the love of my life is lying there like an empty shell? The urge to lash out, to find that witch and tear her apart with my bare hands, was nearly overwhelming.
AVAThe moon's absence cast an eerie darkness over the ritual circle, the air thick with anticipation and the scent of herbs. I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I stepped into the silver-etched boundary of the circle, my heart pounding against my ribs like a caged bird. Sera's violet eyes gleamed in the flickering candlelight, her raven hair seeming to absorb the shadows around us. I could feel the tension radiating from my Kings through our bond, their worry and love intertwining with my own determination."Are you ready to begin, Your Majesty?" Sera's melodic voice carried an undercurrent of excitement that set my nerves on edge.I swallowed hard, casting a glance at my mates. Callum's jaw was clenched, his blue eyes stormy with concern. Theo's hands were balled into fists at his sides, while Noah's gaze was fix
AVAI bolted upright, a scream tearing from my throat. The room spun, shadows dancing in the dim light of dawn. My heart pounded, sweat plastering my nightgown to my skin."Ava!" Noah's voice, thick with sleep, cut through my panic. His strong arms encircled me, pulling me against his chest. "It's okay, love. You're safe."I couldn’t stop shaking, the nightmare's grip still tight around my mind. The empty crib, the hollow ache in my arms - it felt so real."The nightmare again?" Theo asked softly, his hand finding mine in the tangle of blankets.I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. Oscar shifted closer, his warmth a comforting presence at my back. Callum's fingers brushed my cheek, wiping away tears I hadn't realised I'd shed."Talk to us, Ava," Callum urged gently.I took a shuddering breath. "It was... worse this time. I could hear a baby crying, but no matter
AVAThe library door crept open, and Theo stepped in, his blue eyes immediately finding mine. My heart rate picked up as he approached, his muscular frame taut with tension."Ava," he breathed, sinking into the chair beside me. His large hand engulfed mine, calloused fingers tracing soothing circles on my skin.I swallowed hard, bracing myself. "Theo, I—""Wait," he interrupted gently. "Let me speak first, please."I nodded, biting my lip.Theo took a deep breath. "I understand how much you want this. Truly, I do. The thought of having a child with you... it's something I've dreamed about." His voice broke slightly. "But Ava, the risks..."
AVADays passed, and the tension in the castle grew as thick as the snow piling outside. I could feel it in every glance, every touch from my Kings. They were worried, and I couldn’t blame them. But I couldn’t let this go, either.I was poring over ancient tomes in the library when Sera glided in, her presence as ethereal as ever. "Any luck, Your Majesty?" she asked.I shook my head, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Nothing. Not a single mention of the Fertility Invocation outside of what you've told us."Sera's lips curved into a sympathetic smile. "It's an ancient and rare ritual, My Queen. Few have the knowledge or power to attempt it."Her words sent a chill down my spine, both thrilling and terrifying. I closed the book before me, dust motes dancing in the air. "Tell me more," I whispered, my heart racing.Sera leaned in, her voice low and intense. "Think of it, Avelina. A chi
AVAThe howling wind outside the castle walls mirrored the turmoil in my mind as I stared out the frost-covered window. Days have passed, and the relentless snowstorm showed no signs of abating. I pressed my palm against the icy glass, feeling the chill seep into my bones."My Queen," a guard's voice cut through my thoughts. "There's someone at the gates seeking refuge."I turned, eyebrows raised. "In this weather? Who would be mad enough to travel?"As if in answer, the doors to the great hall burst open, a gust of snow and a cloaked figure blowing straight into the castle. The hood fell back, revealing a woman with raven-black hair and piercing violet eyes."Greetings, Your Majesty," she said, her voice as smooth as silk