Josh POV Several months later… “Have you seen Mum?” asked Allie, standing in the office doorway frowning. “She’s gone with Samson to visit Queen Neva.” “Again?” she snapped. Uh oh. I hopped out of my chair and put my arms around her. “What did you need her for? Is it anything I can help with?” “No, it’s ok. She was going to help me organise all the baby’s clothes.” I swept her feet up, picking her up bridal style. “Let’s go then.” “Josh, you don’t have to.” “I want to. You and Maggie have done almost everything else, I can help with this. Let’s go get snacks first.” That made her smile. She kissed me and snuggled her head into my neck. Her belly was now huge, and she was often tired, grumpy, and completely over being pregnant, but she’d never looked more beautiful. Watching our pup roll and kick around in there was the highlight of every day. I sat her down in the rocking chair, handed her the slice of banana bread we picked up in the kitchen, and she put me to work. I stac
Allie POV One month later… My favourite moment had fast become Olivia’s late night feed. Sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery with just a dim lamp on in the dead of night, the packhouse completely silent, just me and her. She would look up at me with her big blue eyes, her perfect little hand curled around my finger. And her smell, oh man, her smell. We were all addicted to her. She had everyone captivated. Her dad especially. She couldn’t so much as whimper before he was picking her up, fussing over her. I’d found myself blubbering an extraordinary amount of times in these past few weeks, just from pure happiness, in total bliss, and drunk on love. “Hey, I didn’t hear you get up,” whispered Josh from the doorway. “Do you need anything? Snacks? Water?” He really was the best. “Yes to both, please.” He returned five minutes later and sat next to me, feeding me and holding the water for me, while I fed our daughter. “Can you believe we actually made her?” he asked, soun
Allie POV Six years later… The jade green clouds were high in the sky and the sun shone brightly in Olive’s glade, as my family rained utter chaos on the poor unsuspecting forest. Really. Just pure chaos. But in the most lovely of ways. These picnics started off with just the Tanners, but had eventually expanded to include all four of the Alpha families from the packs bordering the forest, plus our fae friends. Bringing us all together as friends and allies. They quickly escalated into events of epic proportions as each of our young families expanded rapidly. Leo sat with Zac and Zoe’s youngest son in his arms. He was the newest grandchild, and number fifteen in total for the Tanners. Julie held a wriggling blonde toddler who was screaming for snacks. Josh and I named her Bree; he calls her Breezy, but really Stormy would be a more accurate nickname. What could I say? She was a girl who knew what she wanted. Queen Neva and King Roman sat alongside them with their new little pr
I closed my book and let out a long, wistful sigh. A group of friends, off on wild, dangerous adventures, learning the true meaning of friendship and finding a bit of romance along the way. “Why do I torture myself like this?” I muttered as I flung the book carelessly onto the side table. It skidded off and landed on the pink fluffy carpet and I immediately felt guilty. I hurriedly picked it up, dusted it off, and placed it back in the bookcase that I’d arranged in alphabetical order. As the Alpha’s daughter, you would think I’d have the entire pack wanting to be my friend. Actually, they probably would if it wasn’t for my father. As the only heir to the pack, my upbringing had been completely different to that of my packmates. Up until I graduated
Five minutes. I just needed five minutes to myself. I felt like I hadn’t stopped all day. From the moment I woke up, I’d been pulled here, there and everywhere. I’d spent several hours with Father going over the names of all the attending Alphas and their Lunas, their pack names and brief history. Every error resulted in a disappointed look being cast my way, and more pressure heaped on. I wandered over to the large window seat in my bedroom and sat, hugging my knees to my chest. The sky was dark and lanterns lit up the large circular driveway. I had always loved event nights. My room had the best view in the house to sit and watch the guests arrive. People-watching was definitely helping ease my anxiety, and I began to relax a little. For all his faults as a mate and a parent, my father really was a good Alpha. He’d forged alliances with most of the surround
My mother’s public facade began to crumble. I knew she had always been disappointed she could never provide my father with a son, but unlike my father, she’d never made me feel worthless for it. The look she was giving me right now, though… I wish I’d never seen that expression. The moment when realisation dawned that not only had she birthed one daughter and no sons, the heir she had produced was human. Father’s demeanour never changed, though. He just turned his head back to the audience as he took in a deep breath to address them. I felt like I was suffocating. If the ground opened up before me, I would jump right in, never to be seen again. Tears of shame and embarrassment welled in my eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment. Ellis put his arm around my shoulders and I shrugged out of his grasp, moving to the edge of the stage.
Josh POVI’d never seen someone tumble like that before. Her dress was all tangled up, and she looked like a giant burgundy ball of fluff rolling down the hill. The way she’d been stomping, with her nose in the air, made her fall all the more satisfying. And made it hard to hold in my laughter.There was an audible thud and a whimper of pain, then silence. She must have come to a stop. I moved closer to the edge and looked over, and my heart beat faster in my chest. Shit. It was a lot steeper towards the bottom than I’d thought.It was dark and I could barely make out her figure. She was lying on the ground, her dress still caught all around her, and she wasn’t moving.“Alina? Are you ok?”The fabric rustl
Josh POVDarkness surrounded us from every side as we ran further and further into the forest. The shriek of the banshee still echoed off the surrounding trees. I kept having to slow down so Alina could catch up. Fuck, she’s slow.“Take those stupid shoes off,” I barked at her. She was slowing us down and was going to get us killed.She actually obeyed–which was surprising–stopping to take the burgundy high heels off. Looking at them again, they’d make an excellent weapon. I’d have to keep that in mind in case we needed it. She held the shoes in one hand and again we ran blindly.The forest felt more alive than any other I’d been in. And not in a good way. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched consta