Loraine’s POV Alpha Hunter grunts as he rolls over, and I take the opportunity to scramble out of the bed and over to my closet at the same time, trying to reach Sasha with the phone, but her number keeps directing me to voicemail. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I mutter over and over again. I don’t know what has happened, but Sasha had sounded fucking scared over the phone. Why did she call me? Where was Beta Maddox? If there was trouble, why did he not try to reach the Alpha Brothers? What the hell was going on? Nothing makes sense. But it doesn’t matter. She is the only friend I’ve had since I came here, the only person whose feelings seemed sincere enough for me. Who liked me for who I was and wanted nothing in return? I’m on my way, Sash. Just stay where you are till I come. Hopefully, my prayers to whatever gods were listening will not go unheard, and they will keep Sasha safe till I find her. She’s my friend; if she needs me, then I’ll be getting my ass over there just to save h
Loraine’s POV After several tries, Sasha’s number finally goes through. The mountain of panic that had settled in my chest recedes a little. She’s fine. I tell myself. Panicked, but fine. We can work with that. Her voice sounds miserable, almost desperate. “I’m holding up in our bathroom. I don’t know how long before... The breath hitches, and I tell myself to calm down; panicking wouldn’t do her any good. “I’m trying to keep the fire away from here, but... its too much. I can’t reach Maddox. He was down on the first floor when I came up to shower.” Unconsciously, I grip the seat hard. A little too hard. “Okay. Okay, don’t panic. Alpha Hunter and the brothers are here, and there’s firefighters too. We’ll get you out of there.” even if it fucking kills me. She huffs, but it’s more of a sob. “God, I’m so scared. If something’s happened to Maddox—” I cut her off before she could finish the sentence. “He’s fine.” If he was anything but alive, she would have felt it, the bond would
Loraine’s POV Killian led Sasha and me straight to one of the emergency vans to get checked out by a healer, and all my friends appeared. While Killian maintains his cold, detached expression, Alpha Hunter looks like he’s ready to scream about me running head first into danger but is to relieved I’m okay to berate me right now. Although he’s more pissed. Preston looks as though he’s struggling about what to do with me right now, but when my lips quirk into a shy smile, he lets down all his defences and just smiles back at me. Kris stays glued to me, burying his head in my neck. I don’t think he can even smell my scent through all the smoke that’s clinging to me. Sasha is devastated. Maddox is yet to be found—whether alive or dead—and she still cannot reach him through their link. Alpha Hunter cannot reach him either, and I’m hoping we don’t have to relieve the events of last month all over again. The fire is not likely to be extinguished soon, and Sasha does not want to take
Loraine’s POV I want them all. All of my buddies. I want to have the chance to keep them all, and the thought alone is terrifying. Is it normal? Would they all want to be with me together? Do I run way rather than stay and choose? Which would be harder, choosing one and losing the rest or running away and choosing no one? Shit. I shouldn’t be thinking about that now that three of my friends are going on a rescue mission that might be a trap. But that's all I can think about. Alpha Hunter’s head is resting on mine. The tips of our noses are touching, and our lips are only inches away... if I just leaned in a bit. His smell is everywhere, hacking into my brains and senses. I know how important this mission is, but I don’t want to let him go. “Come back to me.” I push back the tears that are threatening the walls of my eyes. “Please. Come back.” His lips take mine, and I gasp at the intensity of the kiss he gives me. the promise in it. I’m swaying on my feet, and only his ha
Loraine’s POV The test centre—or whatever it is being called—is a large room, built in the shape of a half moon. The floors are made of smooth, polished stone, and the seats look like they are made from the same earth as the stone. It is almost otherworldly. Most of the council members are already present, and others are still trooping in, and when their eyes land on us, they flash us a hard glare. I lean in to Sasha and whisper, “Are you sure we are allowed to be here? Those men look like they want to murder us.” Sasha shakes her head, glaring at them right back. “We’re fine. The old men are just being grouchy and looking for who to pour out all their anger on.” I lean back on my seat and narrow my eyes at her. Maybe she’s the one who’s looking to vent. Kris is in the centre of the stage, waiting for the council members to settle in and start with today’s test. I use that time to admire the motifs and adornments on the walls. They are portraits of previous Alphas; I recognise
Loraine’s POV After the game ends—Kris wins—it takes more than two hours of unbearable silence and anxiety before I can see him again. I lunge into his arms as soon as he comes in, throwing myself into his arms. He huffs but still holds on to me tight as though his life depends on it. I hug him back with the same fervor. I take a lungful of his scent, which has now mixed with blood, sweat, and dirt. “You look like shit.” I say with my face still buried into the nook of his neck. “I feel like shit.” Kris chuckles and pulls away from me. The chuckle turns into a throaty laugh when I try to continue pinning myself around his neck. “C’mon. We need to get home so I can wash up and change into something better. I’m sure I reek of rebels.” I scrunch my nose, pulling away reluctantly. “I’m not coming in here again. I’m not sure I can keep myself from going into the arena with you next time.” Kris laughs and slips his hand into mine, then leads us out to the entrance, where Sasha is
Loraine's POV I wake up with Kris still wrapped around me, and this is much more different from the other times I’ve woken up with him in bed. Different in an intimate way. Mostly because his hand is between my legs, thumbs stroking my throbbing clitter through the fabric of the pyjamas I’m wearing. I can feel his dickens—hard and pulsing—pressing against my ass. Kris groans, and I wiggle, grinding against him instinctively. Kris’ teeth are sharp as he bites down on my shoulder, drawing a gasp out of me before he eases up and kisses over the mark. “You know how much I want to mark you right now? I want to mark you in a place everyone can see so they can know that you are mine.” He says the word'mine’ with a growl. I giggle, completely out of my senses. He growls again, pinning my arm behind my back as he blows a hot breath on the mark his teeth have made on my neck. Goosebumps break out on every part of my body and my back arches, grinding my ass into his erection a little mo
Loraine’s POV The day after tomorrow is Kris’ day of reckoning. The day the council will decide if he gets to be given his Alpha title like his Alpha brothers or if he isn’t worthy of it. From what I watched the other day though, I think Kris is ready enough, but then I don’t know what his other tests had been like or if he had done well in them. I’m sure he did. Fuck! He had killed and fought all four rebel wolves without a weapon and without the choice to change into his wolf. There was still a lot going on, though. We were still yet to figure out who the idiots were that were going around killing people, and now they had this new mind-fucking technology at their fingertips. Then the one person Maddox had managed to grab by some luck ended up dying on us without giving us any information. Fucking great. Kris pulls a face and leans back in his seat, still frustrated at how slow things were going when it was only two days to his big day. “At least we are all here. Complete
Loraine’s POV The moment Alpha Gordon’s dark eyes locked onto mine, I felt my stomach churn. His gaze was the same as it had always been: intense, domineering, and calculating. I turned to Mabel, hoping to steer us into another store and avoid him altogether, but it was too late. He was already weaving through the crowd, his towering figure cutting through the bustling shoppers with purpose. “Loraine,” his deep voice called out as he stopped in front of me, blocking my path. I froze. The sound of his voice brought back a flood of memories—none of them good. Mabel looked between us, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Gordon,” I said stiffly, my voice void of warmth. “What the fuck do you want now?” His lips curled into a half-smile, the kind that once made me weak in the knees but now only made my blood boil. “We need to talk.” “I think we said all we needed to say weeks ago,” I snapped, stepping around him, but he grabbed my wrist gently—not enough to hurt, but enough to make me
Loraine’s POV That evening, as we wrapped up dinner, I could feel the tension simmering between the boys. It had been an exhausting day, and I was looking forward to finally getting some sleep. Just as I stood to leave the dining area, Preston called out, his voice softer than usual. “Loraine,” he began, a hint of hesitation in his tone, “would you mind staying in my room tonight? I’d like to spend some time with you.” Before I could respond, Killian’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood abruptly. “Why should she stay with you, Preston? She stayed with you last week,” Killian said, his voice edged with irritation. Hunter chimed in, his arms crossed over his chest. “I don’t see why she shouldn’t stay in my room. It’s been a while, and I think it’s only fair.” Kris, leaning casually against the doorway, gave a lazy smirk. “You’re all ridiculous. If anyone gets her company tonight, it’s me. I think I deserve it after me being shot by wolfsbane and everything.” Their bickeri
Loraine’s POV After an awkward hour, I excused myself to the restroom to compose myself and came back. When I stepped back into the game room, the atmosphere was electric with laughter and playful teasing. Everyone seemed so carefree, sprawled across couches or lounging on the floor. Mabel was sitting cross-legged next to Kris, a small smile tugging at her lips as he joked about something. I hesitated in the doorway, letting the moment wash over me. I had to fix things, not just for her but for myself. “Loraine!” Hunter’s booming voice broke through my thoughts. He pushed off the wall where he’d been leaning, his grin widening. “You’re just in time. We’re about to up the stakes.” “Oh no,” Chloe groaned, though she was smiling. “This better not be another one of your ridiculous games.” Hunter smirked. “Come on, my games are legendary.” “They’re legendary for getting people in trouble,” Sasha pointed out, narrowing her eyes. “Exactly!” Hunter shot back. “Now, shut up and
Loraine’s POV It started as a normal morning. Kris had insisted on dragging himself out of bed, despite the doctor’s warnings to rest, and was now lingering in the living room, watching everyone bustle around. The others were preparing to head out after breakfast, and I was forced to stay behind, nursing a lingering sense of unease. Mabel was there too, sitting across from me with her usual air of quiet confidence. She didn’t say much, but somehow, her presence always felt larger than life. I tried to ignore the pang in my chest every time she flashed her perfect smile or casually caught someone’s attention. It wasn’t that I disliked her—at least, not consciously. But lately, it seemed like she was everywhere, always shining brighter, always winning over everyone in ways I couldn’t seem to match. Kris caught my eye, his brows furrowing slightly as he studied my face. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “I’m fine,” I replied quickly, forcing a smile.
Loraine’s POV Hunter was on the phone, pacing the room like a caged animal as Kris groaned in frustration. The doctor Hunter had called had just finished applying a thick, pungent salve to his arm, explaining it would neutralize the wolfsbane poisoning. But the second the doctor started to wrap the wound, Kris squirmed, loosening the bandage with an irritated huff. “Kris, stop fucking moving,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “It itches,” Kris snapped, glaring at his arm. “This stuff is torture.” Hunter put his phone down with a sigh. “Doctor, is this normal? He’s acting like you dipped his ass in acid.” “It’s perfectly normal,” the doctor said with a chuckle. “The medication is designed to draw out toxins, which can make the area tender and itchy. But it’s crucial that it stays on all night if he wants to heal properly.” “All night? Are you fucking kidding?!” Kris groaned, rolling his eyes. “You mean I’m stuck like this?” “Someone needs to stay with him,” Killian interj
Loraine’s POV The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink as Sasha and Chloe gathered their things. The day had gone better than I expected—no major fights, no icy glares (from Sasha, at least), and plenty of laughter. It felt… normal. Something I hadn’t realized I missed until now. “I had a really great time,” Sasha said, giving Mabel a tentative smile. “I’m… glad we did this. I look forward to spending more time together.” Mabel’s eyes lit up with relief, and she nodded. “Me too. Thanks for giving me a chance, Sasha.” I felt warmth bloom in my chest. This was exactly what I’d hoped for. “That’s wonderful,” I said, smiling at both of them. But Chloe, standing slightly behind Sasha, caught my eye. She shot me a pointed, cautious look that sent a clear message: Don’t fuck this up. The moment passed quickly, and Chloe stepped forward. “Alright, time to go, Sasha. Let’s not overstay our welcome.” Sasha rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, turning to Mabel
Loraine’s POV Waking up in Killian’s room wasn’t something I planned to make a habit of, but here I was again because a certain somebody refused to share me with his brothers. And when I say a certain somebody, I mean the big sulky oaf called Killian, who was currently hugging me tightly like he was scared I would disappear if he relaxed. I could feel the thick bulge of his cock pressing against me through his pants, but I already knew he wouldn’t let me help him out, so I let it go. But no matter my grumble, I actually enjoyed waking up like this. His scent wrapped around me, warm and intoxicating, making it harder to get up than it should’ve been. I sighed, slipping out from under the blankets and trying to fix my hair in the faint morning light. The last thing I needed was for Killian to wake up and catch me sneaking out of bed. He’d drag me right back into bed! I opened the door quietly, only for my clumsy ass to bump straight into Mabel. “Oh!” she exclaimed, her hands sh
Loraine’s POV If I thought the drama at breakfast was the worst that could happen, I soon realized that I was very, very wrong. By afternoon, things were even worse. Hunter had called for a meeting so we could look over how the security measures were holding up. And the word awkward couldn’t even begin to describe how the atmosphere was anytime Mabel and the boys entered the same room. The tension in the room was suffocating as we all gathered in the sitting area. Hunter stood at the center, his presence commanding as usual, but even he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. The boys were scattered—Kris leaning against the wall, arms crossed; Preston sprawled in the armchair with a scowl; and Killian standing rigidly near the door, his cold stare fixed on Mabel. Mabel sat at the far end of the couch, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. Her eyes darted between the boys, a mix of hope and dread in her expression. It didn’t help that none of them had acknowledged her pres
Loraine’s POV Hiding from the attackers yesterday had knocked me out so much that I had fallen asleep on the couch, and I wasn’t even aware when Killian picked me up and carried me to his room. He let me sleep in today because the morning light had already filtered through the dining room windows when I took a seat at the long dining table. Preston was already pouring himself a cup of coffee, Kris was buttering a slice of toast, and Hunter and Killian were deep in a discussion about the patrol schedule for the day. The mood was calm, almost normal, and I found myself relaxing for the first time since yesterday’s shitfest. “Sleep well?” Hunter asked me, his tone warm. I nodded, giving him a small smile. “Better than I expected. Thanks for checking on me last night.” Killian had told me that Hunter kept coming to check that I was safe. “Of course,” he said, his gaze softening. Preston slid a plate of fruit toward me. “Eat. You need to keep your strength up.” “Oh goddess Presto