Kris’ POV No matter how much I try, I can’t focus on work. There is a lot to be done, especially with what is happening in our packs. Keeping an eye on Maddox. Helping my brothers find out who did this. Dealing with the committee that was set up to investigate things and mainly dealing with every other thing that arises in my brothers’ pack. Despite all of this work, my mind keeps coming back to her. My mate. I know what she did. I had felt it, thanks to the bond I share with my brothers. All of my brothers had felt it, and saying they're upset is only downplaying it. Hunter is head over his heels with fury. Killian has always tried to keep his emotions in check, but with the way he marched off to Loraine’s room minutes ago, I doubt she will be okay. As for me, I don’t know what to think. The mate bond knows how to fuck with us, especially since we have been around each other for this long. Something was bound to happen, but then we had not thought it would happen like this.
Loraine’s POV The first thing I see after coming out of my room sends adrenaline and nerves running up my spine. What I hear from Preston has me doubling back with hurt; it reminds me once again of the incident with Alpha Gordon and how he had quickly and mercilessly rejected me. Although Preston is not outright rejecting me, his complete and utter disregard for my feelings and our privacy feels like a rejection. My heart clenches tight in my chest as Kris’ eyes meet mine briefly. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I can see that he’s hurt. I have no idea what kind of bond the brothers share or the extent of the bind, but from the look on his face, I gather that he has an idea what transpired between Preston and me yesterday, and Preston’s flaunting everything in his face like that is only making things worse. Kris may not have gotten his Alpha title just yet, but that does not make him any less of an Alpha or any less ready to back down for his brother. I can’t do anything
Loraine’s POV For a long time, none of us speaks, including Alpha Hunter. He simply watches me. He has that mysterious look in his eyes. A light I can’t quite read, although I want nothing but to know what is going on in his head. What he’s feeling. The bond would do that. My wolf assures me. Bond with him. Bond with all of them. I swallow. That cannot happen. Why? I have no answer to that except I know that it's usually two mates for a bond, not fucking five! “Loraine needs to be in close proximity of all of us.” Alpha Hunter finally speaks, breaking the silence. All eyes in the room snap to his face, and I wonder if I have heard wrong. Is he joking right now? I am expecting to be punished for fuckin getting to spend more ‘intimate’ time with all of them. What the hell is he thinking? “We are going to arrange a schedule, and she’ll have to be spending time with one of us each night. It’s only after the ball that she finally picks who she wants to mate with.” The fuck, he
Kris’ POV I realise I should not have spoken to her like that, but I’m upset. Well, not entirely upset… scared. My wolf is scared. What if she does not get to pick me? What if my other brothers, who know how to be more forward in their advances, win this thing over us? I know I’ll never be the same again, especially if I have to lose her after meeting her and learning the sweet personality she has. I’m not sure I’ll be able to live with the pain of seeing her bound to one of my brothers. I had snapped, and that’s one of the reasons why I cannot look her in the eyes, although she’s fucking sitting across from me. The other reason is because I think she might be upset herself. She has not uttered a word since leaving my brother’s office hours ago. She has kept her mouth sealed shut, her facial expression neutral, and has not tried to initiate a conversation, although we are seated around a dining table enjoying the most exotic lunch a werewolf could ever ask for. Hunter has als
Loraine’s POV The drive to the store is quite short and filled with silence. It is in a part of Alpha Hunter’s settlement that I’ve not been to. Kris has said nothing more since we left the house, and I have not tried to engage him in a conversation either. “What do you think suits him?” I ask, closing the distance between us. When my shoulder brushes his arm, jolts of electricity run through me, but I don’t pull away. I can’t. “You know him more than I do.” Keeping up the casual facade is draining. I had thought I would be able to keep it up, but spending time with him is doing the exact opposite of what I want. I can almost touch the tension charged in the air between us. I almost taste all the words he wants to say to me. My wolf has been purring all day, eager to get closer to her mate. I have no idea how Alpha Hunter expects me to go through this and maintain a certain level of neutrality. After all this, there’s no way I won't be biassed when choosing. What if I end up l
Loraine’s POV Sasha and I spent about two hours in the pastry shop, after which Sasha decided she had been away from her husband for too long and decided to return to the infirmary. Maddox is still unconscious, but that did not stop me from dropping his get well soon gift. “Thanks for coming, Loraine,” Sasha says, giving me a side hug. “I’ll see you. When?” “I’ll come by often,” I assure her. “Maybe next time when I come, we can try that diner and maybe a spa?” She smiles and takes my hand, walking me back to the car. “Take care of yourself,” I say, drawing her close to me when we reach the car. “Don’t just take care of him and forget all about yourself. Your health is also important.” “Yes, mum.” Gently, she nudges me to the car, and Kris climbs in after me after giving her an affectionate hug and what I assume to be words of encouragement since I cannot hear a word of what they’re saying through the tinted glasses. By the time we get to the mansion, it's already past 10 p.
Loraine’s POV It hurts that as much as I want to give into the bond, I can’t. I can’t and do not want to lose my sh*t around the brothers again. I’ve lost it too much already, and every day I wake up, I regret giving in even though I love it just as much. Carefully, I untangle myself from him and paddle softly to his bathroom to wash my face and get ready for the hard morning. For the first time in days, I had a good night's rest, and it's showing. My face is giving an otherworldly glow, and maybe it’s just me digging into this intimacy thing, but if this is how it's going to be, then I might just get used to it. It’s just how Sasha said it. “Good morning, little wolf.” I glance up at Kris’ dishevelled appearance, moving out of the way as he stumbles into the bathroom. “Good morning.” I answer. “Looks like you slept well.” “No, I didn’t. I stayed awake through the night just so I could watch you sleep. You look like an angel when you sleep.” Heat travels to my cheek and re
Loraine’s POV By the time we return home, I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck, and I probably look like it too. I head to my room first to take a shower and change into simpler clothes. Although I spent my whole day trying not to think about the fact that this is Alpha Hunter’s night, it’s all I’ve thought about. I am well aware of the fact that we’ve not had any intimate moments between us except for that first time in his office when we kissed. I bring my fingers to my lips as though it would remind me of that day. The feelings that had been awakened inside of me since that very faithful day. I know I should probably be moving, willing my feet to take me to Alpha Hunter’s door, where I’ll be spending my night, but I can’t. Instead, I’m sitting on my bed having a mini-panic attack because who’s to say Alpha Hunter will be like Kris and not overpower me with his emotions? Urgh… I feel like pulling out my hair. The soft knock that sounds on my door stops me from doing t
Loraine’s POV I set my book down and gave her a polite smile. “What do you need, Mabel?” She chuckled lightly, as if I’d made a joke. “Why does it have to be about needing something? Maybe I just wanted to talk.” I raised an eyebrow. Mabel and I weren’t exactly on friendly terms, and this sudden attempt at camaraderie felt as fake as her tone. Still, I gestured for her to sit. “Alright. Talk.” She perched on the edge of the bench, smoothing out her dress. “You know, I’ve been thinking. We’ve had our differences, but we’re both part of this pack now. Maybe it’s time we tried to get along.” I leaned back, crossing my arms. “Get along? After everything you’ve done? Are you fucking kidding me right now? Her smile faltered for a second before she quickly recovered. “I’ve made mistakes; I’ll admit that. But don’t you think we should put the past behind us? For the good of the pack?” I tilted my head, studying her carefully. Her eyes were wide, her expression open, but there was some
Loraine’s POV When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was Killian sitting by my bedside. His thick arms were crossed, and his head was tilted slightly back as if he’d dozed off. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the sharp lines of his face, softening them. I shifted slightly, and his eyes snapped open immediately. “You’re awake,” he said, relief washing over his face as he leaned forward. “I wasn’t dying, you know,” I teased, though my voice was still hoarse from the previous day. “That’s not funny,” he replied, his tone serious despite the small smile tugging at his lips. “We were really worried about you.How in the goddess's name did you fall?” Before I could say anything else, the door opened, and Preston, Kris, and Hunter filed in, each carrying something in their hands. Preston had coffee, Kris had a tray of food, and Hunter was carrying a blanket that looked far too big for the hospital bed. “We thought you’d be hungry,” Kris said
Mabel’s POV My uncle’s voice echoed in my head, sharp and unforgiving. “You’re not doing enough, Mabel.” It wasn’t just a criticism—it was an accusation, a reminder that failure wasn’t an option. My fists clenched as I paced my room. I had done everything he’d asked. What more could he want? “I’ve been working tirelessly,” I muttered under my breath, trying to push his biting words aside. But his response had been just as infuriating. “If you were doing enough, we wouldn’t still be having this problem, would we?” My uncle and I had been working together for a long time now. And I thought he would understand where I was coming from by now. The nerve. The absolute fucking nerve. Did he think sabotaging Loraine and breaking down those overly possessive alphas was freaking easy? Since I came, I had done my best to make sure Loraine was away from the boys, but nothing I did allowed them near me. They always stayed away from me no matter what I did, no matter how many stunts I pull
Loraine’s POV Gordon’s words haunted me. “I know where your real parents are.” That fucking asshole! I had spent the entire night replaying that moment over and over in my head, convincing myself it was a lie. Gordon was a manipulator, someone who thrived on creating chaos and pain. Surely, this was just another attempt to mess with me. But then there was that small, traitorous part of me—the part that whispered, What if he’s telling the truth? The thought made my stomach twist. I tried to push it away, but it kept creeping back. My parents—the ones who raised me—were loving and kind. They had given me everything, taught me everything, made me who I am today. They’re my parents, I told myself firmly. They have to be. Still, doubt ate at me. The day started as any other—me waking up to the sounds of my mates already busy in the kitchen. I forced a smile, determined to focus on them instead of Gordon. My mates needed me, and I needed to shake off these dark thoughts. Walking i
Loraine’s POV The day after, Prince Gideon updated us on everything. The house was quiet—too quiet. That usually meant trouble, especially when all four of my mates were involved. I wandered through the halls, half-expecting to stumble upon chaos, but instead, I found myself piecing together just how hard they had been working behind the scenes to protect me. Kris had left early that morning, his usual calm demeanor masking the tension I knew he felt. Hunter had spent the night pacing the halls, muttering something about rogue sightings, while Preston and Killian had been in and out of the office, trying to keep the rest of the pack on high alert. I sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter as I prepared breakfast for them. The sight of the empty table tugged at my heart. They’d been stretched thin lately, all because of me. I never meant for my life to bring so much drama into theirs. “They deserve better,” I whispered to myself. But even as the thought crossed my mind, ano
Killian’s POV The morning was chaotic, as usual, in our kitchen. Loraine had been up early to make breakfast for everyone—a sweet thank-you for all the support we’d been giving her lately. But between Preston stealing food off everyone’s plates and Hunter barking orders about the day’s plans, the kitchen was less of a peaceful sanctuary and more of a battlefield. I leaned against the counter, sipping coffee, and watched the madness unfold. “Preston, I swear if you touch my bacon again—” Hunter growled, but Preston just grinned and popped the strip into his mouth. Loraine laughed from her spot by the stove, shaking her head at them. “You’re all worse than children.” In the middle of it all, Kris sat at the far end of the table, quietly eating his eggs like the chaos didn’t even touch him. He looked calm, almost serene, but I knew better. I’d watched him long enough to know that Kris’s calm exterior was a mask. He was always the most composed of us—our resident peacemaker—but when
Kris’s POV The house was still quiet when I walked into the kitchen, the faint scent of breakfast lingering in the air from earlier. The other guys were scattered throughout the manor—Hunter poring over reports in his office, Killian likely plotting strategies, and Preston… probably trying to charm Loraine into sneaking off somewhere for a private moment. And Loraine? My Luna? Well, she was upstairs, reading. Her soft laughter had floated down earlier when Preston said something ridiculous. I leaned against the counter, pouring myself a cup of coffee, and let myself enjoy the moment. We were finally finding balance. I never thought it would work, sharing her after how Mabel played us against each other in the past. We had decided that it’s not in a wolf’s nature to share his mate, so we vowed not to… but somehow, it worked for us again. The bond we all had with her was not at all like the corrupted bond we had with Mabel before; this one felt right—natural, even. We could have h
Mabel’s POV The chill of the night bit at my skin as I slipped out of my borrowed room in the brothers’ sprawling manor. The house was silent, save for the soft creaks of the old floors under my feet. Wrapping my coat tighter around myself, I stepped into the waiting car, its sleek black interior swallowing me whole. “Where to, Miss Mabel?” the driver asked, his voice even, unbothered by the lateness of the hour. “Elder Arnold’s estate,” I said sharply, avoiding his gaze. “He said grandmother needed to see me this night.” I lied unnecessarily. This was the fucking driver who could never dare to hurt or even expose me, but something in me just enjoyed telling these lies to make everyone pity me. I didn’t even have a grandmother! She died before I met her, but I didn’t care; I just enjoyed my stories. The car rolled into motion, and I leaned back against the seat, trying to steady my thoughts. My uncle’s summons had been brief and cryptic, but I knew what it was about. It was al
Loraine’s POV The smell of the morning air wafted through the slightly cracked window as sunlight peeked into the room. I woke up feeling warm, safe, and entirely surrounded by love. Fuck! This was the life I was supposed to live. Thank the goddess for giving me this. The boys were still fast asleep, their steady breaths filling the room. Killian’s arm was draped lazily over my waist, and Preston was nestled close, his hand barely brushing mine. Kris and Hunter sprawled out on either side, peaceful and unguarded. They were perfect and all mine. I smiled, my heart swelling with gratitude. After everything yesterday, they had gone out of their way to make me feel cherished. The least I could do was return the favor. Quietly, I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake them, and tiptoed out of the room. The kitchen was my destination, but halfway there, I nearly ran into someone. Mabel. Ah shit! Guess the world won’t be all roses and sunshine today. She was standing in the hall