It's about time Serena made an appearance.
Grayson knew Brianna needed to cool off before he could ask about her inner wolf, so the next morning, instead of spending more time together, he headed to work to check on his staff. Most days, Grayson would walk around town, checking out on the store owners and the locals to see if they needed any help. It was a small town so his duties included anything from carrying animal feed to someone’s flatbed, tasting someone’s latest baked good, or just having coffee and saying hi to Maggie to get updates from the night before. Instead, he headed straight to work and did some research on how to help Brianna overcome her rogue wolf and take control.He also planned to call his grandparents and tell them about what was happening, hoping they could shed some light on what to do, but it was the first vacation they’d had in a long time and Grayson wanted them to enjoy being away from all the responsibility.Plus, he did not want his grandfather to think he couldn’t handle the job. Grayson had
“Marina! She’s Grayson’s mate, and if you hurt her, we don’t know what might happen to you?”“I’m Grayson’s mate, not this intruder. I’ve been with him since we were young.”“You’ve always wanted that to happen, and it never stuck because Grayson didn’t want you. Now that Brianna is here, you’ll never get a chance.”Marina swiped at Aiden with her claws in anger while pulling at Brianna’s hair harder, making her tear up. A few strands had come loose, and she did not mind having a bald patch, but Serena was getting agitated.“Let her go, Marina, or I will call Grayson right now.”“Owww!” Brianna cried in her most pitiful voice.Why were they saying she was Grayson’s mate when they just met? Did Marina and Aiden come from Australia where they call their friends’ mates?She understood Marina saw her as a threat against Grayson, but why was the word mate making her so angry?Bree was not used to acting like a damsel in distress, but she needed to look weak, so she channeled the whiny girl
At the academy, her mentors commended Brianna for her interrogation skills, so while Aiden tried to coax information about her family, she turned the tables and interviewed him instead.Aiden’s family had been in the valley for at least a century. The patriarch of the pack ran away from his family because he disagreed with their practices. Werewolves, like their wild counterparts, were very loyal to their packs, and it rarely happens that a member leaves on their own.Aiden was never privy to the traumatic events that occurred between his grandfather and the original pack. But he knew his grandfather ran away with their grandmother and later established the Silvercreek pack.Brianna wondered if their story was the classic Romeo and Juliet plot where their parents did not agree to their union, so they eloped.It sounded romantic, but from the story Aiden imparted; it seemed like the couple struggled a lot.They’d been hiding in different places for a while before they ended up in the m
“You let her out?!?” Brianna felt his presence even before Grayson uttered the cutting remark.It had been hours since she’d taken command of the kitchen, making grilled cheese sandwiches and creamy potato soup, after Aiden revealed his inability to perform any task in the kitchen. Wolves ate constantly and in huge amounts to replenish the energy they lost when using their abilities. Aiden didn’t perform strenuous activities recently, yet he still felt hungry.Even without his request, Brianna would have done anything to stay in the kitchen because she fell in love with it instantly. The spacious area reminded her of being on a farm or a cattle ranch where everyone came to share their meals. A sliver of memory touched her mind briefly but was immediately lost when she tried to reach out to recall it. She could imagine people walking in and out of the house the entire day, asking for snacks, and trying to swipe newly baked cookies off the counter.For such an enormous house, she wond
Grayson wanted Brianna to say something to him, anything, just like how she was talking to Aiden, but when she laid back down on the bed facing away from him, he sighed.He had been too harsh with his greeting, but he was caught unawares when he saw her in the kitchen.Everything felt right at that moment, as if she belonged in his house. But then, seeing Brianna having an easy conversation with Aiden made him jealous. She had a smile on her face and was laughing at his antics. He wished she had been smiling at him instead.Grayson expelled another sigh. “How are you? Any progress on contacting your wolf?” He asked after hesitating outside her door for what seemed like a long while.“No. I’ll try again later.” She mumbled into her pillow, acting like a child that’s been scolded.“I can help if you want.” They were tiptoeing around each other as though caught in an awkward dance. “I’m okay. You don’t need to. I’ve bothered you enough.”“Let me change my clothes and scare up some dinner
Brianna had no food, tent, extra clothes, or a navigation device to guide her path. She did not need any of those things now that her connection with Serena was recognized. The wolf would keep her safe until she could find sustenance.‘We could always eat other animals.’‘Yuck! Serena, don’t even think about shifting and getting blood on my hands. We are not savage animals.’Serena had been in control whenever she sleepwalked, taking Bree to different paths that held Brandon’s scent. And now that they were one, there was nothing to stop Bree from finding him. Brianna wanted to check and see what happened to her expensive, slightly used camping gear, so against Serena’s better judgment, they returned to the campsite where she had last stayed, only to be surprised by a backpack and camping gear waiting for her.Had Grayson known what she would do and left her all the items in the forest? Did he really care for her that much?Thinking it might be true made her feel horrible for tricking
Nana always said she loved us, and caring for us was a gift, even though I could see being with us always made her sad. But why?Bree never thought Brandon paid attention to their grandma’s feelings, seeing as how he always got in trouble and dismissed her scoldings.Their nana was probably sad because the twins reminded her of her lost son and his wife, but she said nothing about this.Brianna continued reading, eager to learn more.I know Bree will want to read this diary one day. Maybe we’ll turn it into a memoir if I learn anything useful during this trip.Visualize the scene with me. I am looking at a majestic snow-capped mountain and a trail leading towards it. I still can’t believe how green it is out here. Everywhere you look there is vegetation and flowers.I can walk this road forever and not tire of it.This is just perfect, Bree. You would enjoy it too.This trip was a mission to learn more about myself, get the peace I could never find in the city, and learn about my orig
Brianna woke up disoriented. The sleeping bag was tight and cozy around her body and the diary neatly placed off to the side.Did she sleepwalk and tuck herself into the bag?‘Serena, did you do this?’The wolf remained silent.Everything felt surreal. Finding Bran’s stash and reading about his feelings felt like she had intruded on his inner thoughts. Now she had a deeper understanding of what was going on, because everything that happened to Bran was happening to her, too. From the moment she lost the pills, she too had been dreaming. But there was nothing like the troubling entry about their parents being attacked by wolves.Had she been too traumatized about the accident Bran labeled as a murder that her mind shut down and blocked out every memory concerning the accident?Or was it a lonely, scared child’s depiction of the past? Trying to get a grasp on what happened that horrible day.Lying in the cave, without distractions and anyone chancing upon her hiding place, Brianna tri
Bree was lying on her makeshift bed on the hayloft that evening when she remembered a weird dream from the night before. It was a sensual dream about Grayson, as most of them were, but the images were so vivid that Bree felt like it was real.Closing her eyes, she tried to recall what happened.Bree had been sleeping in the loft when she felt warm lips kiss her neck. She moaned at the familiar feeling, then shifted her legs open as she experienced callused hands squeeze her breast.A knee wedged between her knees and she could feel the hardness manifesting from her fantasy.The dream guy nipped at her lips, giving Bree a taste of the strawberry dessert she made earlier. Their tongues dueled as he nibbled on her lower lip, making the sensation more real. “Gray...” Bree moaned his name, her eyes fluttering slowly as she realized the object of her sexual dream had materialized on top of her.The weight of his heavily muscled chest pinning her down was real, and though shock registered i
Several hours later, Bree awakened in Grayson’s arms, cradled against his chest. Anger filled her chest when she remembered what she witnessed.How dare he cuddle with her after being with Marina? Her claws elongated so fast it scratched Grayson’s arms.“Brianna?” He had dozed off after keeping watch the entire night. He momentarily forgot what happened.“Get away from me, you lying cheat! I will not tolerate your actions!” She squirmed, but Grayson held tight to prevent her from falling on the floor. “Stop struggling. You’re hanging over the bed. I don’t want you to fall.”Bree arranged her clothes and sneered at him with disgust when she got off the bed. “Don’t you ever touch me again, or I swear I’ll shred you to pieces.” She threatened with claws out and eyes shining.“What are you speaking of?” Grayson got off the bed, his arms stretched out for defense. “I didn’t cheat on you. I would never do that.”“If you condone having multiple partners in your relationship, that is your
Marina sprayed the room with a cologne she found on the dresser to mask her scent. She did not want to give away her plan before she got to execute it.Several minutes later, she heard Grayson announce he was heading to the shower, and she almost giggled. The object of her desire had returned, and it was her turn to reap the benefits. Marina was in love with Grayson because he was loyal and kind. He also cared for every werewolf that needed attention, orphans, and strays, especially.She still remembers what he said when her parents passed. ‘Don’t worry Marina, you will never be alone. I will always care for you.’ And she held him to that promise ever since.The only reason she knew Grayson was attracted to Brianna was because he saw her naked in the forest, and Marina thought she would do the same.She pinched her face to add color to her cheeks and rolled her nipples between her thumb and forefinger to perk them up. It was time to entice Grayson to establish their bond.He had just
In the days that followed, Marina heard Brianna had fallen into a deep slumber, which worried Grayson a lot. He came to work the following day after finding his mate in the forest with congratulations from everybody.The locals thought they were congratulating him on a successful search, but the wolves knew the event was something more special.It was rare for natural-born wolves to find their fated mates. It was not unheard of but rarely witnessed, so the people who helped search for Brianna in the forest felt lucky to have witnessed such a union.Marina tried to be on her best behavior, bringing Grayson flowers as a sign of acceptance. She wanted to show her maturity and hoped he would notice that she had changed.But nothing she did in the last three days had earned her anything. Grayson kept looking at the clock every hour, eager to get back home. The search for Brandon was still in effect, but nobody found him. Marina couldn’t mention anything about her encounter with the black
‘That stupid bitch! This is the last time she will get her way.’ Marina needed to act fast. She could feel Grayson pulling away from her grasp.Marina knew he still saw her as his younger sister, and it would take time before he noticed that her body was fully developed. Her breasts were fuller and her butt firmer, but all he could see was Marina in her pigtails following her elders around to annoy them.Gone were the baby fat cheeks and the stringy hair he always teased her about. She had finally transformed into a butterfly with silky hair, pearly white teeth, and pouty lips. What was not to love?Everywhere she went, wolves swooned at her feet, yet she had eyes for nobody but Grayson.It was frustrating that everyone accepted Brianna readily as Grayson’s mate when they knew Marina had been in love with him since they were kids.When Brianna disappeared into the forest, Marina thought she was rid of the competition. She even gave the visitors directions so they could easily find Br
“Says the woman who can’t keep her hands off my brother.”“It’s the werewolf gene that’s manipulating me. I have no control when I’m around him.”“That’s how it’s supposed to work. True mates should immediately feel the pull of their bond.”“What if I don’t want it?”“There is no resisting the call. It is how you know you are compatible with each other. Fate has chosen your partner for you.”“But that takes the fun out of dating and getting to know each other.”“How? Gauging if the person likes you or not is the most awkward part of dating and I would gladly skip that part any time. It would have been perfect if you and I were paired up, but fate has spoken.”Bree shook her head.“But if you do not want my brother, I’ll be here. You’re not bad to look and probably great in bed.”Bree blushed. Aiden knew just how to make her cringe, and she knew that his attitude was the main reason they would never work as a couple.He was too flirty, and he joked around a lot. It was hard to figure ou
Bree smirked. “It’s okay, I’m comfortable being naked. My boobs are perky enough I don’t need a bra, but it seems like you need them for extra padding.”She was used to taking digs from popular girls at school and had become somewhat of an expert when it came to clap backs and putting mean girls in their place.“Ugh! I have boobs. Thank you very much.” An irritated Marina adjusted her breasts to give a more pronounced cleavage. “And Grayson loves them the way they are.” “I bet he’s never seen them.” Marina stomped away, disgusted that Brianna had been quick-witted. She thought that the clueless, non-shifting werewolf was stupid. But being oblivious to their ways did not mean she was not smart.“I remembered giving you enough clothes to wear. Are you really naked underneath this sweater?” Grayson had his lips close to her ear, his breath fanning her hair. Bree laughed as she turned around. “Everyone is naked underneath their clothes, unless your entire body is covered in fur.”Her ga
“You can’t let thoughts like that leak out and expect me to do nothing about it.”“I can’t stop it. You make me lose focus.” She looked away shyly, licking her lips unconsciously.“I feel the same way about you, but I don’t want to hear that you’re out of control when you make love with me.” Bree looked up, pursed her lips, and nodded.“I want to know that you feel every kiss.” He lifted the left hand he held and brought it to his lips, giving it a light kiss.Bree held her breath when his mouth continued to up her arm. She never knew the crook of her elbow was an erogenous zone until Grayson licked it.Brianna sighed. Her legs felt like they’ve turned to jelly, she had to lean on the counter to steady herself. The oversized shirt she wore hitched up her thigh, and Grayson’s temperature shot another degree.The pastel pink shirt made her look like a giant cotton candy ready to be eaten.“Gray…” Bree touched his hair to stop what he was doing, but the soft texture distracted her.“I l
Brianna lifted her eyes with suspicion. They both knew Grayson took the diary because he wanted to read what was inside, but since he said nothing untruthful, there was no lie in his statement.“Are you the one my brother spoke of on the last page? Were your pack members hunting him down because we did not belong to any pack?”“I saw that entry, and I asked everyone, but no one had been in the forest the last few weeks.”Brianna held his gaze. So she was correct that he wanted to read the diary.“Aside from the abandoned car they found a few miles from the forest entrance a few days ago when you disappeared, there was no record of wolves visiting from other packs, either. But then again, it’s a big forest and several trails connect from Mexico to Canada, so they could have come from anywhere.”Brianna nodded. “I see.”“Did you like the bedroom? Were you comfortable enough?” He asked, changing the topic.“I haven’t seen much, but it’s lovely. Thanks for letting taking me in. I want to