Five days until the full moonAVAThe next morning, I was sitting in my Jacob’s office with Alex discussing border security. Or that had been the plan, anyway.Right up until we got word that someone vaguely resembling Matthew Stanley had been sighted not far outside our territory.Now we knew that, we were going after him instead.I’d put a mental block on my emotions, trying not to let my stress, anger and even really bloodlust bleed through to Callum and Oscar. This needed to be a stealth mission, with as few wolves involved as possible. The wolves best suited for the job were Alex and I, but I did not want to have to tell Callum and Oscar that their dad and mate were off on a stealth kidnapping mission.“Ava… I know you don’t want to, but we should tell Callum where you and Alex are off to.” Jacob’s voice was careful, controlled.“Do you really want to have to tell him that his mate and father are going off on a dangerous stealth mission to capture someone that we know is working
CALLUMSomething about this entire situation didn’t sit right with me.I leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing where we found the body, watching Ava look for anything that might help us work out what’s going on. She hadn’t been combing through the undergrowth long when Jacob and dad reached back out to us both through the mindlink.“Ava, Matthew is a twin. Identical.”I saw Ava’s mouth fall open at Jacob’s words.“He’s a twin? And Martha didn’t think to tell us this?”I was suddenly very glad that Ava’s power couldn’t truly affect me since we mated because if it still did, I’d have been forced to my knees from the weight of her anger.I walked towards her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, bringing her in against my chest, my right hand stroking her hair. “You’re not on your own, Ava. I’m right here with you. We’ve got this.”AVAI’d love to know how exactly just being close to Callum can calm me down like that, but for now, it’s just a welcome mystery.I buried my f
NOAHI’m not too ‘macho’ to pretend that I didn’t freak out as soon as I heard that my twin could be in danger. It was common knowledge that he was the most sceptical out of our little five-way; he had always been the jealous sort.I shifted and sprinted out of the house towards the treehouse as soon as I got the message from Ava and Callum. I knew he wasn’t home with me, and that was the place that he would go if he wanted to be alone.Fortunately, he was there when I got there.“Theo, what’s going on, man?” I asked, voice low, calm.“I can’t do this, Noah,” he replied, his voice full of pain. “I can’t share her.”My heart broke for both Theo and Ava as he spoke. She had four fated mates, she’d never feel complete without Theo, and he’d never feel complete without her. “Theo… we can talk about this later, I promise, but for now, I need to get you to safety.”He looked up at me, eyes wide. “Why am I not safe?”I paused for a moment, wondering how honest I should be. I sighed. Honesty
NOAHTonight was the night.Tonight was the night that I would make Ava mine. I’d planned a romantic evening for us; we had a picnic, we were going to toast marshmallows over the fire, drink wine, and I was going to really try to pretend that Callum wasn’t watching us, even though I knew he would be. He took his job as Ava’s protector very seriously.I met her outside the pack house just before sunset, and we ran to the lake as our wolves. The picnic would be set up by the time we got there, and I’d packed spare clothes for both of us too.The smile on her face when we reached the lakeside made the strain of trying to pull this off worthwhile. She looked genuinely happy to be there with me; and that was all I needed to chase away any doubts I had.We shared fruit, chocolate and mini pastries as the sun set, all paired with a white wine that was apparently Ava’s favourite.She snuggled against me whilst we toasted marshmallows over an open fire, a content smile on her face.AVANoah r
CALLUMAva linking me asking for help sent a shiver down my spine, and definitely not a good one. Fortunately, Oscar and I were bunking together so we were close by in case Ava and Noah needed us, and it was apparently a good thing we did that.We sprinted through the packhouse towards the courtyard where we could hear the sounds of chaos. Right in the middle of the ring of curious wolves lay Noah and Ava. Noah was surrounded by dried mud and dirt, whilst Ava was surrounded by water and ice.“What on Earth…” I started, voice low.Ava rolled over and whimpered, her fingers dragging along the ground, leaving ice in their path.“Oscar, go to Noah, I’ve got Ava.”I sprinted to her side, dropping to my knees, wishing that I’d put more clothes on; the floor was bloody cold.“Ava,” I whispered. “I’m here, what do you need, little one?”She shivered again, shaking her head. “Can’t… can’t talk,” she replied, through the mindlink.“Okay, little one. You need to shift, okay?”She nodded slightl
Four days until the full moonAVAThe next morning, I needed to do something normal. Something that didn’t involve magic of any kind, or whatever threats might be trying to sneak up on me, and definitely not about the problems I was having with Theo.The solution? A 5am run with Alex and Jacob, of course.I knew Callum wouldn’t want to let me go on my own, but I managed to convince him to stay behind at the packhouse. Somehow.I wouldn’t go too far, so he’d be able to reach me within a couple minutes if it came to it. I also promised that I would keep my mindlink with him open so he could keep an eye on me.Artemis loved running. She always had and always would. With everything that was going on, we hadn’t really had a chance to stretch our legs in a while. I’d suddenly gone from nervous schoolgirl to assistant trainer with the Beta, to finding out that actually I could overpower even my Alpha because actually the legends I grew up on are true… and finally to where I am today, with th
AVAOf course, our bliss could only ever be short lived. We hadn’t even sat down for dinner yet when shit decided to hit the fan again.I was sitting in my office studying the old Lycan legends when the message came. Well, two messages.The first was from a team I sent to scout out the Eclipse Mountain pack. I knew what I was destined to do, but I didn’t really know what the situation actually was at the pack. Turns out… It was bad.The territory was being attacked by rogues most days, they were constantly attempting to push through the defences. No one was entirely sure why, but it was happening. The pack, my pack, had lost ten wolves in the last month, and another twenty seven were in hospital, critically wounded. Of the twenty seven wounded, six were children under the age of ten. Six.What absolute scumbag targets children?“Jacob, Alex,” I called through the mind link. “Can you both meet me in my office?”They were in Jacob’s office, so reached mine in less than a minute. When t
NOAHI stared at the note, dumbfounded.Theo wouldn’t do this. It just wasn’t possible.“That’s his handwriting,” dad whispered.It was… but the message wasn’t right.“He physically held the pen, yes… but he didn’t write that message.”Dad glanced at me, eyes concerned.“Can I see it again, Noah?” Ava asked, voice low.I nodded, passing her the paper. She read it again, before stopping and pointing about half way down. “This isn’t right. Theo wouldn’t say this.”“Theo wouldn’t say what?” Dad asked.“Theo and I have… shared girls before, dad. That’s happily shared too. Me being in the group wouldn’t be a problem. It would have been more believable if he’d said Callum or Oscar were the problem, but not me.”“I agree, Jacob,” Ava replied. “I’m sure you don’t like hearing about your sons’ sex lives, but I completely agree with Noah.”“Theo was also happy. He was working with the rest of us to plan something to apologise to you, Ava, to make up for pushing you away.”At that comment, I saw
CALLUMThe aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of pine from the surrounding forest. I watched as Ava cradled her mug, her green eyes sparkling with a lightness I haven't seen in weeks. The weight of her crown seemed to have lifted, if only temporarily."I can't believe we have to leave today," Ava sighed, her curly brown hair still tousled from sleep. "This getaway has been exactly what we needed."I nodded, feeling a pang of regret that our time here is coming to an end. "It has. You needed this, little one. A chance to just be Ava, not Queen Avelina."Oscar chimed in, his tone playful. "Yeah, no royal duties, no political manoeuvring. Just us, the beach, and s'mores by the campfire."Theo snorted, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Don't forget the skinny dipping."Noah nearly choked on his coffee, laughing. "How could we forget? I still have sand in places I'd rather not mention.
AVAI dug my toes into the warm sand, relishing the sensation as I looked out over the sparkling ocean. The rhythmic crash of waves provided a soothing backdrop to our little beach paradise. Noah's strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close."Penny for your thoughts, my queen?" he murmured, his breath tickling my ear.I leaned into him, savouring his warmth. "Just thinking how perfect this moment is. All of us together, away from the pressures of the Kingdom."Theo approached, his blue eyes twinkling as he handed me a fruity cocktail. "Careful, or you might get used to this life of leisure."I laughed, taking a sip. The sweet, tangy flavor danced on my tongue. "Don't tempt me. I might just abdicate and become a beach bum."Oscar's voice rang out from where he and Callum were setting up a volleyball net. "As if you could ever abandon your duty, Ava. It's too ingrained in you."His words, though teasing, held
AVAThe flames of our bonfire danced against the night sky, casting shadows across the sand. I leaned back, feeling the warmth of Callum and Theo supporting me as Noah and Oscar stretched out across my legs. The ocean's rhythmic waves provided a soothing backdrop to our quiet evening."Look, a shooting star!" I exclaimed, pointing upward.As the streak of light arced across the heavens, I closed my eyes and made a silent wish. Please, let there be a way for me to have a child of my own. To have a family with these four incredible men I love."What did you wish for, love?" Noah asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.I opened my eyes and smiled mysteriously. "You know I can't tell you that. It won't come true."
AVAThe sizzle of bacon filled the air as I stood over the hob, wielding a spatula like a scepter. It had been a long time since I'd cooked anything myself, and the familiar domesticity warms me more than the heat from the stove."How's it coming along, love?" Noah's deep voice rumbled against my ear as his arms encircled my waist. His lips brushed my neck, sending a delightful shiver down my spine.I leaned into his embrace, savouring the moment. "Mmm, perfectly crispy. Though I might burn it if you keep distracting me like that."Noah chuckled, his chest vibrating against my back. "We can't have that, can we?" He gave me a final squeeze before moving away to pour coffee.I returned my focus to the bacon, flipping each strip with practiced ease. The aroma was intoxicating, reminding me of lazy Sunday mornings from my childhood. Before my world expanded to include four incredible mates and an entire kingdom."I vote we make this a weekly tradition," Theo piped up, sliding past me with
AVAI stared at my four mates in disbelief, my mind struggling to process their words. "A week away? But I can't possibly…"Callum's warm eyes met mine, gold flecks shimmering as he stepped closer. "Ava, love, we've arranged everything. Michael's agreed to cover your duties.""But the kingdom…" I protested weakly, even as a part of me yearned for escape.Oscar's playful smirk cut through my objections. "It’s sorted, I promise. Jeremiah and the Queen's Guard are on board too. They'll be coming along to keep us safe and sound."I felt a gentle brush against my mind;Theo, working to reassure me. His deep voice rumbled, "We've packed your things. You don't need to worry about anything."
THEOThe weight of silence hung heavy in Callum's office, broken only by the occasional creak of leather as we shifted in our seats. My eyes drifted from face to face; Callum's furrowed brow, Noah's clenched jaw, and Oscar's distant gaze. The air was thick with unspoken worry, all of us grappling with the same gut-wrenching concern.Ava."We can't go on like this," I finally said, my voice rough with emotion. "Ava's struggling, and we're all feeling it. We need to do something."Noah leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Agreed. But what? We've tried everything the healers suggested."I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building. We're supposed to protect her, to make everything right. But how do we shield her from h
AVAThe empty cot loomed before us, a stark reminder of my failure. Noah's hand trembled as he reached for a tiny onesie, his blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. Oscar stood frozen, his usual warmth replaced by a hollow emptiness. Theo's jaw clenched, his protective instincts rendered useless. And Callum... Callum's anguish hit me like a physical blow through our mental link.I wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But my voice was trapped, suffocated by the weight of our grief. The nursery, once a symbol of hope, now mocked us with its cheerful yellows and greens. Stuffed animals looked back at us with lifeless button eyes, their plushy arms forever waiting for the embrace of children who would never exist."Ava! Ava, wake up!"Callum's voice cut through the nightmare, dragging me back to consciousness. I bolted upright, gasping for air, my cheeks wet with tears. His strong arms encircled me, his scent grounding me in reality."Shh, it's okay," he murmured,
Two Weeks Ago…AVAI gazed out over the balcony, the cool night breeze ruffling my curls as I took in the twinkling lights of the city below. So much had changed in just a few months."Quite a view, isn't it?" Noah's voice came from behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against his solid chest, savouring his warmth."It's breathtaking," I murmured. "I still can't believe this is real sometimes."Theo appeared at my other side, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Believe it, my queen. We've all worked hard to get here. You especially."I reached out to squeeze his hand, feeling a surge of pride and affection. "We certainly have."
Note from Katherine JaynaraWelcome back to the My Four Mates universe <3 Four Kings for Christmas is a festive short set a couple of months after the end of Bullied By My Four Mates. We see Ava and her mates deal with new problems in the Kingdom whilst maneuvering around the issue of Ava's infertility.Much love from me to you this festive season.CHAPTER 1: GROWING PAINSTwo Months Ago…AVAMy heart pounded like a war drum as I stood in the council chamber, my crown feeling heavy. The advisors' voices blend into a cacophony of worry, each word hammering home the gravity of the situation the Kingdom was in."The northern region grows restless, Your Majesty," Lord Falkirk says, his face creased with concern. "Reports of dissent are spreading like wildfire."I force my expression to stay neutral, even a