Loraine’s POV “I’m not trouble; I’m perfect.” I say to no one in particular as I bound myself out of bed. I have wasted two minutes kissing Kris, and now I have eight minutes before Alpha Hunter comes hurtling in here and pulling me outside by the hair. Okay, that might be a bit exaggerated, but you get the gist. “You are perfect, little wolf. Now, give me my kiss.” Preston says, squeezing my ass and turning me to face him. I raise myself to the tip of my toes and angle my head up until our lips meet. The kiss is wet and hot and still manages to send a shiver down my spine and throbbing in between my thighs. “I could get used to this.” I hum after we finally break apart. Kris chuckles. “You said that yesterday.” “And I meant it.” I answer too quick. I frown as I recall the answer Preston gave me. If I wanted this, then I would have to choose all of them. He said it as if he had no qualms with it. I look at Kris, but I can’t tell what’s going on in his head. His face is a bla
Loraine’s POV “Mabelline Graham?” I raise a brow. “What?” “Mabelline Graham,” Sasha answers. “The woman that’s returning to the pack after being exiled for five years.” She grunts, crossing her arm over her chest. “Big trouble for everyone. I guess the rumors are true then. She’s really coming back here. Are the Alphas allowing that?” I nod. “They are. Mostly Alpha Hunter anyway. I don’t think the other brothers are any more thrilled about her return than you are. Why? Why is everyone wary of her? Sasha snorts. “Mabel used to be mated to the four Alphas, just like you are.” “What?” I exclaim. “Why do I find that hard to believe? There’s no way they all could have been mated to the same woman. Did they all claim her?” “You bet they did.” Sasha answered. “She was their mate and, for some time, our Luna. Anyways, I don’t think you should be talking about her with the Alphas. She’s like a bad memory; they would rather stay buried for them. Them and every other person in their
Loriane’s POV “Good morning,” A voice speaks behind me, causing me to jump. I spin around to see a man I’ve never met before. He’s an older man—maybe as old as Alpha Hunter—with red curls almost like man and dark eyes. He is standing a few feet away, and there’s an amused smile on his face. For some reason, the man seems familiar. A pull in my chest tells me that I should know him. Maybe I’ve met him before, but my mind can’t seem to place the face. “Morning.” I answer tentatively, taking the time to study the man’s features. He is an attractive man, well built, and quite tall. Maybe even taller than Alpha Hunter. While his features are hard and serious, his face also has some soft quality that exudes warmth, inviting on me even when I can clearly sense how powerful he is. Is he one of the Alphas? “You are Loraine.” He states matter of fact. I pinch my thigh and glance around, wondering when Alpha Hunter will finish his interrogation and relieve me of this discomfort. I sigh
Loraine’s POV I am still upset with him, and after his half-hearted apology, I considered storming out, but that might only appear childish. Besides, I love running. I breathe in the cool air as we both stand facing the edge of the forest that is just behind the prison yard. We have not said anything to each other beyond his grunt of approval to my question, but there is no awkwardness around us, although I want there to be. I am still slightly embarrassed by the stunt he pulled, but I don’t know how to hold a grudge. I take another deep breath in before I start pulling my clothes off one after the other until I am completely naked. Alpha Hunter does the same, then folds them neatly and stores them in a shoulder bag that he slings over a tree branch. With a nod to him, I shift into my wolf form and run into the forest. The leaves crunch beneath my feet, and the shrubs are a blur as I race past, leaping over logs and skirting around trunks. I run for the sheer love of it, but t
Loraine's POV We arrive at the mansion to discover that the guys are planning a barbecue. Since the weather is unseasonably warm, an outdoor meal was deemed just the thing to celebrate the guys victory in battle. Sasha is the cook for the day, thankfully, and is already in super hostess mode. Potatoes are already on the grill baking and steaks marinating. A girl named Chloe is working on the pies for dessert, and after freshening up, I move to the kitchen to help them with the little I can. Unlike what Alpha Hunter gave us to eat the other day, today's meal is a success and quite big because all the betas are in attendance. Kris is yet to appoint a beta, but I know soon we will be seeing him around. It turns out Chloe is Jack’s chosen mate. The news is that he found his mate some years ago but rejected her. I did not have the entire story, and honestly, I did not think it was any of my business. As long as he was happy. Chloe seems like a nice person, a little shy, but the two
Loraine’s POV It has been three days since that day in the forest with Alpha Hunter, and to say I’m enjoying myself would be an understatement. Everything between the Alphas and me is going smoothly. Even Killian seems to be paying me more attention, although he is still very reserved. At least he says hi every now and then. That’s a start. For now, the only thing that eats me up is the return of their former mate. For some reason, the Alphas, even Killian, are wary and anxious about her return, and it is affecting me as well. I don’t know what kind of woman she is or what she might have done to the Alphas—judging what Killian told me one night, she had done some bad things to them, although he did not say what—I was wondering if five years was enough to change her. Every day, for the past two days, I was anticipating her return. I had no idea how she would return, where she lives, or if she would still pay the Alphas any mind, but the thought of her around is still unsettling.
Loraine’s POV The noise at the camping site is the only thing that drowns away my thoughts. She is here. the woman that makes my Alphas feel uneasy and now me too. I try to recall what it was like in her presence, and I don’t even have to think hard enough. The feeling is still there. Cold. Cold.. It is only a few weeks to the ball, and then I will have to choose between the brothers. Somehow, I have a feeling that this time, they’ll be nothing to delay it any further. I will have to choose, and after I do, will any of them think of a life with her? The thought makes me shudder and my stomach clench uneasily. The thought of them being with her—with another woman—does not sit right with me, but then, what can I do? What will I do with all the memories we shared? I shake my head. I have tried ignoring that thought for as long as I can, but with Mabelline being here... I wonder what the guys will be like around her. What was her relationship with the guys like before her exile? Do
Loraine’s POVI tossed and turned on my bed later that night, staring up at the ceiling.Why couldn’t I sleep? I tried counting sheep, counting backwards, anything to stop the restless feeling gnawing at me. But all I could hear was Sasha’s warning from earlier today: “Don’t let your guard down around Mabel.”I sighed and turned over, clutching my pillow tighter. I trusted Sasha. She rarely said things without a reason. So why did her warning about her own sister make me feel... so freaking uneasy? It wasn’t like I didn’t know about Mabel.She’d been the former lover of the four men, and I’d heard stories about her—stories that painted her as beautiful, captivating, and a bit... calculating. But hearing all that was one thing. Seeing her? Seeing her standing there, looking so flawless, so unbothered, brought a new twist of nerves I hadn’t anticipated.I knew Killian had reassured me—he'd said Mabel’s return didn’t change anything between us. He’d looked me right in the eyes and said i
Loraine’s POV I had gotten used to the crazy-ass chaos that now surrounded me, but recently, there was a strange stillness in the air. Freaking Firstly, our supposed psychopath, Mabel, the woman who had made my life unbearable, was quiet. Too quiet. It felt like the calm before a storm, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. Her absence from my life—no pranks, no insults, no sudden confrontations—was unsettling. Every time I caught a glimpse of her, I noticed how distant she had become. She no longer tried to provoke me; instead, she seemed to be going about her life, almost as though she had forgotten about our past. I didn’t know what was worse—the fact that she had stopped tormenting me or the fact that I couldn’t figure out her angle. It was late in the evening when my phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a message from Mabel. My heart skipped a beat as I read her words: “We need to talk. Meet me at the old barn, north of the pack. I have informatio
Jennifer’s POV I had always prided myself on control. Control over my life, my choices, and, most importantly, my husband, Alpha Gordon. But that control was slipping away. His coldness, his late nights, and his constant absence—it was like watching sand slip through my fingers. I wasn’t fucking stupid. I knew there was someone else, even if he refused to admit it. But tonight, I was going to catch him in the act. It started with a familiar restlessness. Gordon had been distant for weeks now, avoiding my questions, brushing off my attempts to connect. I had taken to watching his every move. When he slipped out of our bedroom late that night, thinking I was asleep, I waited only a few minutes before I followed. The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves. My heart pounded as I followed him, staying far enough behind to avoid detection. I wasn’t sure what I expected to find, but when I saw him meet a woman in a secluded clearing, my chest tightened. For a moment
Jennifer’s POV I slammed the bedroom door behind me, the sound echoing through the massive space, and leaned heavily against it. My chest was tight with frustration, my fists clenched so hard that my nails bit into my palms. For weeks, maybe months now, my foolish ass, his alpha Gordon, had been more distant lately—colder than ever. He barely acknowledged me unless it was unavoidable. And at night? I might as well be invisible. He refused to touch me, refused to even sleep in the same bed most nights. I ran a hand through my hair and let out a low growl. The rejection burned, and it was a wound that refused to heal. “I’m his wife, for fucking Moon's sake,” I muttered to myself, pacing the room. “How dare he treat me like this?” I stopped and stared at our bed—the pristine sheets, untouched pillows. My fists clenched again as I remembered the early days of our marriage. He had been mine, all mine. Or at least, I thought he was. But now… I couldn’t finish the thought. The truth wa
Alpha Gordon’s POV The office was stifling, the walls closing in as I threw my phone onto the desk with more force than necessary. Mabel’s shrieking accusations still echoed in my ears, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “You’re fucking pathetic, Gordon! Do you even know how to fucking seduce a woman? She’s supposed to be under your thumb by now, and instead, she’s clinging to those alphas like they’re her lifeline!” The venom in her words made my blood boil. Mabel always had a way of making me feel like the biggest failure on Earth, but this time it cut deeper. Maybe because she wasn’t wrong. Every attempt I’d made to pull Loraine back to me had failed miserably. I leaned forward, running a hand down my face as frustration and regret tangled in my chest. Loraine. My sweet, sweet Loraine Her name was a whisper in my mind, a ghost that haunted me day and night. Once, she had loved me. She had looked at me with those big, hazel eyes as though I was her entire world. She truste
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