Matthias smelled her before he saw her.
At first, he thought it was just a figment of his imagination. It had been days since the incident, but he still woke up every morning with the taste of her on his tongue and her scent in his nose. He could feel her everywhere, and he longed for her. It was the best sex he ever had. She's fucking pure, soft and willing. He had seen the blood on the bed and knew he was her first. He had taken her virginity. He could still feel the softness of her body as she slept in his arm. He could smell her. But this, this was different. Her scent hit him strongly, exactly how he remembered it. Crushed violets, honey lavender, and something that was just her. And his wolf howled, calling for its second. Matthias froze. She was here. Raine was here. His head snapped up. And then he saw her, standing at the far end of the aisle, her scent wrapping around him like a noose. Matthias breathed it in like a lost man at sea. He had been starved of this, both he and his wolf. Their eyes met, and held. Matthias saw the exact moment she decided to run again. He would be a fool to let her slip away again. And so he crossed the distance between them in two slides, pulling her back against him and pressing her into the shelves, his much bigger frame practically caging her in. Raine stumbled, flinching violently like he had hit her. And so he stepped back a fraction, giving her some space. He took in the sight of her. She was too thin, too pale. The oversized hoodie she had on practically swallowed her, and her lush dark hair was tangled like it hadn't seen a brush in days. And she stared at him wide gutted eyes, wary and scared, her shoulders hunching like she was bracing herself for a punch. Matthias felt his stomach sink at the sight. She looked like a cornered animal, waiting for the final blow. He reached out to touch her, but Raine jerked away. "Don't," she whispered hoarsely, stumbling back. Matthias lifted his hands in a slow, deliberate motion, showing her he meant no harm. "Easy." He said, his voice soft. Raine swallowed, eyes shifting around the store. The stale scent of panic rolled off of her in waves. Matthias' wolf paced agitated, wanting nothing more than to comfort her. He pushed the urge down. She looked like she was one wrong move away from bolting. Touching her was not what she needed. "Raine." His voice was low as he called her for the first time since he'd seen her. Raine trembled as a violent tremor went through. "Don’t," she whispered again, shaking her head. "Please, Alpha. Just, let me go." Matthias felt his heart crack open at the absolute misery in her voice. His wolf howled mournfully. He could feel the ache in her wolf through their bond. "No, I can't. I need to know what the hell happened to you" She shook her head, darting her gaze away from him. "It doesn't matter. Please just let me leave. I won't tell anyone what happened, I swear." He felt a stab go through his chest at her words, as well as an unwelcome sensation of arousal as he remembered what happened that night. He cleared his throat, feeling like the worst kind of pervert as he pushed those thoughts away. "Raine, its not about that." He growled, stepping closer. "You left the pack, I didn’t even realize when. Now you're here, looking like you haven't eaten in days. You smell like you're dying, Raine. Tell me what’s going on." She clenched her jaw, turning her head to the side and remained stubbornly quiet. He pressed on. "Raine, who did this to you?" He kept his voice deliberately gentle, and yet she still flinched like he had struck her. For a moment, she remained quiet, and it seemed like she wasn't going to talk. But then she did, in a voice so soft he almost didn't hear it, she whispered, "Your son." Matthias's body went rigid. The silence between them stretched, thick enough to taste. He knew she couldn’t have been talking about Silas. She had nothing to do with his first son. So of course, she was talking about Ronan. Matthias knew his son could be cruel. Ronan was the last gift from his mate to him before her passing, so Matthias had spoiled him, indulged him, given him too much leeway. Using the fact that he was the second born and would never inherit the pack as an excuse. He wasn't present at the mating ceremony, he had returned late and was updated about what happened. He only met Raine the night she spent in his bed. But this? He had gone too far. Last he checked, she'd been his intended. They were to be mated. But not only did he break things off in front of the priest and the entire pack, he also exiled her without his father's permission, leaving her to starve and fend for herself? Wolves are pack animals. They don't survive as solitary individuals. Matthias was angry, fuming with rage. But he fisted his hand by his side so he wouldn't punch something. "Come with me." He said, it was a command. Raine whined softly, shaking her head. "Back to the pack house? I'm sorry, Alpha. I can't. Ronan already threatened to kill me if I came back." Matthias growled, his wolf rising to the challenge. "Ronan doesn't make the rules." He snapped. "Only I do." Raine flinched slightly, taken aback by the sharp tone of his voice. But then she nodded slowly, pushing away from the shelf after a long pause. He led her to his truck, and they drove to the pack house in silence. It had been years since Matthias had felt so out so control, since his wolf had been so agitated, so restless. He felt like a young man again, catching sight of his mate for the first time under the full moon. With the way his heart kept pounding. Once they got to the pack house, he ordered her to take a shower, and layed out some of his old clothes for her to wear when she got out. A decision he immediately regretted when she stepped out, looking small and fragile in his oversized shirt, the hem slipping from her shoulders. He ordered some maid to go shopping for Raine. Raine perched on the couch, staring at the mouth-watering foods he placed in front of her. Her hair was wet, and her tendrils of it curled behind her neck as it dried. She barely touched the food, and Matthias cleared his throat as silence stretched between them, the tension between them almost suffocating. He cleared his throat, about to speak first, but she beat him to it. "I'm sorry about the other night. I know it seems like I seduced you, but I swear it was an honest mistake. I thought it was Ronan’s room"Matthias blinked as her words sunk in. His gaze was unreadable as he glanced down at his clasped hands. She bit her lips. The truth was, she'd thought about that night in the past days more times than she was supposed to.Raine stood up, she closed and opened her eyes briefly, keeping her hormones in check. It feels wrong to be yearning for her mate's father again.She closed her eyes she could still feel the way he moved deep inside her, the way his member had stretched her wide. She could still feel his lips on her wetness as he nibble and lick her. And she felt ashamed.This man was her ex mate's father, and she sat across from him, getting wet for him.Matthias cleared his throat as he walked to where she's standing. "I know it was a mistake." He said, "But if anyone is to apologize, it should be me. You were drunk and vulnerable, and I took advantage of you. If I'd known it was you, I would have put a stop to it."Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, and she fiddled with the hem o
Matthias’s heart was a drum in his chest. Raine stood at the opposite side of the room, eyes wide and chest heaving as she stared up at Ronan. He could still see the flush in her cheeks from their almost kiss, and the want that slammed through him was strong enough to rock him off his feet. He stayed put through sheer force of will and turned to his son with a sneer. “What are you doing here?” He growled, stalking closer.Ronan’s brow furrowed, “What am I doing here? I live here! What is she doing here?! She was banished.” He snarled back. “On whose authority?!” Matthias’s voice boomed, “Yours? Because last I checked, I’m the only one whose authority matters in this pack. You went behind my back and banished a pack member without consulting me first. You should be punished, Ronan, for undermining my authority.”“Punished?!” Ronan spluttered, his anger simmering in the space between them as his eyes turned golden. “She was my mate. I rejected her! She has no place in this pack anymo
Her heart stopped as soon as Matthias made his declaration. It was one thing for the alpha to threaten his son for attempting to hurt her. But forcing him to take her back. Raine didn’t know how she was supposed to feel about that. Oh but she missed Ronan so much. If this was the only way they could be together, then that was what she’d take. Ronan had been in love with her once, with time, maybe he could learn to love her again. She bit her lip, hope unfurling in her chest as she shoved away from where she’d cowed by the wall, and approached both men gingerly. “I will take everything from you,” Matthias said, leaning closer until he was almost nose to nose with his son. “Your inheritance. Your claim to leadership, your place in this pack. You will leave here with nothing and nothing to your name from generations to generations.” Ronan’s nostrils flared. “You can’t be serious.” Matthias pulled back just enough to meet his son’s gaze. “Try me.” Ronan’s eyes bulged as he re
When night came, Raine was escorted to Ronan’s rooms and told she was to sleep there on the alpha’s orders. It was unusual because even before Ronan rejected her, Raine slept in her own home down in the pack and was rarely ever in the packhouse, much less in Ronan’s room. Still, her heart thumped excitedly as she stepped into the empty room, and was immediately covered in the scent of her mate. She expected her wolf to preen and luxuriate with pleasure, being surrounded by the scent of their mate. But her wolf remained resolutely quiet, having been down since Matthias walked away from her in the living room. It didn’t matter though, Raine was sure her wolf would perk up once Ronan was back, and it realized he was their true mate, and Matthias had just been a really great fuck. An hour later, she was stepping out of the bathroom after a soak in the tub, and was slipping into the night slip that had been laid out for her, when the room door opened and Ronan slammed his way in. R
Raine woke up alone in the large bed. Ronan was gone. A part of her was grateful. She wasn’t sure she was in the mood in to see him that morning, especially after what happened last night. After a long shower, she dressed in a pair of shorts and a peach tank top, leaving her wavy brown hair flowing down her back. She wasn’t in the mood for anything extra, so she slipped her feet into yesterday’s pair of loafers, and followed the smell of coffee down to the kitchen, only to find Matthias there, as well as his eldest son, Silas. Ronan was absent. The sight of Matthias, seated at the head of the table and sipping on a mug, caused her to falter in her steps. She was sure her cheeks were on fire, and anyone could see it. Both men were talking about something, but stopped when she walked in. Matthias flared his nostrils, scenting her, and he glanced away, something in his expression turning stormy. Silas stared at her with visible confusion. “Good morning, alpha.” She bowed slightly
She was already shaking. Already soaked and aching for him, and it was wrong. It was so, so wrong. “Please, alpha,” she whispered, voice breaking. “Take me.” Matthias swore under his breath, his hands tightening painfully on her hips. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.” Raine met his gaze. Yes, I do. Matthias’s gaze was hot with molten heat and an intensity that shot to her toes. He closed the distance between them and slammed his lips down on hers. Raine opened for him immediately, parting for his tongue and melting in his arms. A part of her knew this was wrong—the part that wasn’t being led around the noose by her wolf. Last night she’d been in Ronan’s bed. And now she was letting his father shove his tongue down her throat, on a counter, in the pack house kitchen, where literally anyone could walk in on them. She wanted to push him away, tell him to stop, tell him that this was wrong. Instead, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, pressing closer as his mouth devo
Matthias set a punishing pace, pounding into her tight cunt over and over, like a jackhammer on a nail, relentless and brutal, grunting with each thrust until Raine was reduced to incoherent babbles and whimpers, making uh, uh noises with each punishing thrust. She held his gaze as he turned her to lie down on the bed she shares with Ronan, and he looked so untamed and rogue, she felt like she was being fucked into the bed by a wild beast. Unable to do nothing but hold on for dear life as he fucked into her like she was a ragdoll. “Please… please… Matthias …” She sobbed, her climax coming down on her fast. His rhythm stuttered, and his thrusts became irregular as his orgasm crashed through him. He slammed into her one last time, and they both groaned as he came into her, painting her insides with his cum and marking her as his own. They were both panting when the alpha finally pulled out. He stared down at her, his gaze dark and unreadable. Raine didn’t know what she’d been exp
“I see.” He hummed thoughtfully, “Did something happen?” “His father forced him to take back his reject.” Selene called from behind him. “Ronan is throwing a fit.” “I’m not throwing a fit.” Ronan snarled, his anger rising, “Raine is an obstacle. I need her gone so I can publicly claim Selene. Having her back in the picture is complicating matters.” “So now you just want to go straight to patricide?” Killian’s voice had teasing lilt to it, and Ronan had a feeling he was being made fun of. “You’d disregard months and months of meticulous planning just because your pride has been bruised?” “What planning?” He spat out through gritted teeth, his wolf pacing and snarling with the need to be let out. “You’ve been feeding me empty promises for months, Killian. You need me, but I don’t need to keep waiting. If you don’t move faster, I’ll find someone who will.” Killian arched that perfect brow again, “Calm down your mutt, Draven. If it’s a fight you’re itching for, I can assure you tha
For the next two or so weeks, Raine spent her nights in Matthias’s room. Ever since that first night at the study, Raine had found herself returning back there over and over again. And like he could read her mind, Matthias was there to meet her. It was dirty, elicit, and so very, very dangerous. Raine loved every minute of it. After a while, she stopped going back to Ronan’s bed once they were done. Mostly because Ronan was barely home anyways, and because Matthias’s bed was just right there. She woke up that morning, sore and aching in the best way. She stretched out, yawning loudly as her muscles popped. The bed beside her was empty but still warm, meaning Matthias had just left the bed. The shower came on in the bathroom, and Raine found herself smiling, burying her face into his pillows and taking his scent deep. She was happy. Her wolf was calm. She was having mind blowingly great sex every night, and she was happy. Raine was actually happy. After a while, the shower cut of
They had on matching outfits—a crisp white shirt tucked into severely ironed slacks. Both of their shirts were splashed with blood, Selene even had some smeared on her cheek. She noticed Ronan first and smiled wide, bouncing across the room to fling herself into his arms. Ronan let her, wrapping his hands around her slim waist. “Oh honey, look at you.” She pulled back a bit, running a hand down his face, “You look like you got a visit from death.” “I got decked by my dad, then got pumped full of wolfsbane so I’d sleep through the whole 2 days” He muttered dryly. “I take it that our plan was carried out successfully?” Killian asked, he had his back turned, rummaging in a drawer for something. “Is that why your old man decked you?” Selene asked, brows furrowing, “Cuz it’s part of your plan? And why wasn’t I informed of this plan?” Ronan leaned forward to kiss her softly on the lips, ignoring the sharp stench of blood on her. “It’s all rough work, nothing to worry yourself about
This time, Matthias lost his shit before her. It seems everyone is intentionally getting on his fucking nerve. “And what would you have had me do?” He roared, flinging his arm out and crashing everything on the mantle place to the floor. Raine gasped, flinching away in fear. “Let him tear my pack in half? Do you know what that would mean? It would mean war. Right now, this pack is on the precipice of chaos. One wrong move from me and it all goes down in flames.” He reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Do you understand why I don’t particularly care about your anger?” Raine blinked up at him, her chest heaving with each breath. “You’re hurting me, Matthias.” He winced and let her go, moving all the way across the room to me away from her. Raine watched him as he ran one shaky hand through his hair. This was the most un-composed she’d ever seen him. He looked like he was on the verge of falling apart. “I apologize.” He said, his voice hoarse and quiet.
“We have to contain this before it spreads,” Matthias said, breaking the silence finally. “Right now, Malte is locked in his quarters, as well as the other accused wolves. But that’s not going to hold for long.” He turned back around, meeting his son’s gaze. “We have to figure out what to do with him, and fast.” “What do you have in mind?” Silas asked, watching him closely. “Matthias pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, rubbing at the ache there. “I just need concrete proof. If Malte’s men are innocent, we’ll clear their names, as well as his. And if he’s guilty…” Silas watched him trail off, “The pack will demand for blood, Father.” He spoke with sympathy. “Are you ready to deal with that?” Matthias didn’t answer right away. Part of him held on to the hope that all of this was just one big misunderstanding, and that it would all sort itself out if he just gave it time. But he knew things didn’t work like that. There was no easy solution, no path that didn’t lead to c
A gasp rippled through the crowd, their murmurs growing louder with each second. Matthias took a step forward, refusing to let himself be undermined in the presence of his pack by both his son, and his general. “Watch yourself, General.” Malte did not back down. He never did, he was a stubborn old crow. “Watch myself? I’ve fought beside you for years, Matthias. Giving you the best of what I had to offer. I have never given you a reason to doubt my loyalty. And yet I see you hesitate while your son spins lies and destroys the pack from within, accusing my best men for a crime they had no hand in.” He gestured broadly at his gathered soldiers. Thalia stared at her alpha as well, her eyes filled with molten hate. “How much longer until you realize that your son will drag this pack to ruin?!” Thalia called, her voice sharp like the crack of a whip in the quiet. Ronan snarled, pushing forward to attack, but Malte was there, staring him down. “You will let them talk to me this way, Fat
“I don’t trust him.” She spoke warily, picking each word carefully. “I just think maybe you should place the needs of the pack above any personal vendettas you might have with the Voss.” “Are you telling me how to do my job?” Matthias growled, his voice low and deadly. Raine swallowed, stepping back into the counter, her scent souring with fear. She opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, the back door swung open with a bang, and a female beta soldier ran in, panting and frantic. “Alpha Draven...” she panted, chest heaving with each panicked breath. “A fight…the pack square. General Malte and Ronan. I think he’s going to kill him.” The square was chaos. By the time Matthias arrived, the place was a bloodbath. Almost every wolf in the pack was gathered, the crowd dense and tight as everyone yelled one thing or another at the spectacle going on before them. The air reeked of blood and sweat as he forced his way through the throng of bodies. The screams fr
Raine came to his room in the dead of the night. But unlike that night many weeks ago, she was completely sober. It was sometime after one a.m., and Matthias was in the bathroom, head thrown back under the spray of the shower, reminiscing about the day’s events and letting the warm water soothe his aches. The shower door slid open a moment later, and Matthias turned to find her there. Naked and as beautiful as the first time he saw her. She had her hair up in a messy bun, some tendrils managed to escape and fell around her face in soft willowy wisps, framing her features and bringing out her eyes. He stared at her, shocked. “What are you doing here?”She shrugged a shoulder, “Ronan’s asleep. It’s been a tense couple of days for you, I figured you wouldn’t mind some stress relieve.” She bit down on her lip. “Am I being too forward?”“What? No.” He sputtered, “Never!” She sent him a small, shy smile that went straight through him and he stepped back a little, making space for her in
“Ha but I never said I wasn’t dangerous.” He reached down and pulled at one of his gloves, shifting it a little so his wrist was exposed. The sight of that pale silver of skin made him unusually vulnerable, and she wasn’t sure why. “I’m an alpha wolf. It is in my nature to be dangerous. But like I said, I do not start fights.” “Why do they all hate you then?” Killian smiled, but it came out more wistful than amused. “My family has history with the Dravens. A bit of bad blood if you must say. But I do not believe in inheriting enemies. I’d much rather make my own.” He glanced at her with a glint in his eye. Before she could say anything else, Ronan stepped in between them, throwing an arm around her shoulders. Raine blinked in surprise. This was the first time he’d touched her since that first night. She glanced up at him, shocked at this sudden behavior, even as her cheeks heated up. “I didn’t know you and Alpha Voss were so friendly,” his smile was too bright, too wide, and he
Raine furrowed her brows in confusion as noise erupted among the crowd once again, each person wanting to be heard over the other as everyone yelled out their opinions. Someone jostled her in the ensuring chaos, and she fell back against Killian. He brought a hand out to steady her with a grip on her waist, his gloves cold even through the fabric of her shirt. Suddenly, Matthias was there. Pushing past the crowd to reach her. Ronan and Silas followed behind. Ronan’s gaze met hers, unreadable as it dropped to where Killian held her. “Outside!” Matthias barked, face twisted in anger. “Now, Raine!” She pulled away from Killian’s grip and found herself bustled out in between four wolf men. As soon as they were out of the hall, Matthias was lunging at Killian, wrapping a hand around the front of his chest and pushing him up against the wall of the building, hard enough that the concrete cracked. Killian’s face didn’t change. He held both hands up and stared impassively down at Matthia