At the first crack of dawn, I make my way over to the room where I was told Max is staying.I throw the doors open, hoping I'm not unlucky enough to meet him half naked, or worse, doing the thing he said he would be doing with the woman he brought with him, but no, that can’t be possible. Not after so little time.I know her that well…. and Layla never really liked guys like Max.”Oh my god, Emery.”I throw my arms around her neck the moment I hear her voice. I can’t…. I can't believe she’s here.”You’re really here.”Layla nods, and tears drop from my eyes because the feeling of having her here is strong. Like a livewire being hooked onto my body. The feeling of pain, the feeling of being separated from the only friend i’ve had for a long time now, that feeling comes all at once.And even though I'm seeing her once again, the pain of being without her all this while is also very real.I’m almost embarrassed i’m crying but I can feel the wetness on my neck. Layla is crying too.“I was
Max comes back to his room and shits on my happy reunion.“Well, what do we have here?”Layla and I have set camp on his bed. While it wasn't the preferred option it was the most suitable one, because Max’s bed is also Layla’s bed. The disguise they used in coming here meant that they could only have one bed.Max is sleeping on the floor of course but you wouldn't guess it by that insufferable look lining his face, “I thought you weren’t meant to be going around revealing who you are. And you,” He turns to Layla, “You haven’t shown me even the barest hint of affection since we came here. How are they supposed to believe I'm shacking up with you if you don’t even look my way?”I peer through my lashes at Max because when Layla makes a choking sound of disgust, there’s something of an annoyance in his eyes.Annoyance and a glimmer of hurt as Layla responds, “It’s bad the maids are making rumors and thinking about it, now you want me to act it out too?”Max clenches his jaws and Layla ch
“Layla can sense properties, not just heal people. Her abilities aren’t as advanced as I'd have liked, but they’re all we can work with.”I ignore and decided not to pick a fight with Max over his words. He should be grateful Layla left her job to follow him all the way here. Pack loyalty really runs deep in her and she’s a wonderful doctor.A woman I wish I could be like one day.I look at her and ask, “You can sense properties? How does that work?”Max responds before she can, “Layla can sense things around her. LIke weird creepy things. We’re here to find out what’s weird and creepy about the Tempest pack.”“I thought the only reason why Caius Redstone wanted this pack was so he could control the food” Max raises an eyebrow but i raise mine in return, “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the amount of viable farmland they have? Fields and fields of crops? Acres of orchards?”Max chuckles, looking at the ceiling while he responds, “I thought so too. I can’t deny they have a lot of far
It’s the warrior female that was with Mor yesterday.I turn back to see the obvious cruel smirk to her lips and the way her locks fall beautifully against her shoulder.Her hair is a beautiful hazelnut brown, rich and shiny. She’s in pants and a shirt today, but it’s obvious there’s been extra attention thrown into her look. The snarky, demeaning, look on her face is still the same as yesterday though.I remember how I went into the woods and sobbed my eyes out because of her and Mor yesterday.Anger, cold as a blade slides its way under my skin, but as it always is with cold anger, its power isn’t in the smashing of fists or shouts and curses. No. Cold anger, always, always, expresses itself first, with a smile.The prettiest smile I know how to wear spreads itself slowly on my face, “No Mor today?”She chuckles, “I suspected you liked getting bitch slapped. What with being a bitch and all. I can manage without Mor today though if you really feel like it.”The smile on my face widens
Each thrust of Nikolai’s hips sends a wave of hot pleasure right through me. I writhe, my hands clenching the sheets, back arched and my eyes rolling into the back of my head… “Right there, Niko.”For a moment, it’s like a fever dream. Nikolai’s hands are fisted on the mattress, keeping me locked in place as his heat wraps us both. His scent of sea salt and lavender surrounds us in a soft haze and though we’re both covered in a shiny sheen of sweat, because of his scent I feel clean and fresh, the woody notes of lavender taking me to a cabin and the sea salt transporting me to a beach.I feel each limb in my body begin to tingle. I’m so close. Just a bit more.A phone rings and yanks me away from my climax. Nikolai curses under his breath but the buzz of his phone is a constant vibration echoing through the room. He picks the call and though it’s not on loudspeaker I hear each word of the guard’s report.“The new Luna has arrived at the borders, Alpha Nikolai. Her envoy should be at
Tears run freely down my cheeks and I try to calm down but my mind is in shambles. My sister…. I have to think of Raven.I could take her away from here and go to another hospital, but there’s no healer like David. He’s the only one who knows the full details of her medical reports. Nikolai knows all of this and yet he took him away.“Emery.”My heart jumps at the sound of a voice. A part of me hopes for it to be Nikolai’s. It prays for it to be him and I look up expecting to see him, but his voice has never been so soft.Doug’s relief ripples through the room as he exclaims, “Thank the goddess, you’re here.” Doug immediately goes over to hug Lyla. Lyla is an emergency doctor and for her to have come on such short notice… i stare at her like a paralyzed mute as tears fill my eyes again.Doug doesn’t sound worried anymore as he consoles me, “It’s okay, Emery. Lyla’s here now. Raven will be fine.” I choke out words through the haze of tears clouding my eyes, “Thank you. Thank you so
I spend the rest of the morning making sure every member of the pack can get something to eat. I keep feeling the urge to vomit and as a new wave of nausea suddenly overcomes me I go upstairs to get one of the pills I keep in my bedside drawer. Instead, a ruby red lace pantie stares me back in the face, right at the door of our room.Husky laughter, soft and erotic greets my ears, “Stop with the teasing, Nik and just fuck me.” Nikolai’s laughter runs through our mate bond like a skitter of alcohol in my bloodstream. I can almost see him smiling against her lips as he responds, “I have a meeting not long from now so i can’t, but that doesn’t mean one of us can’t get off.”Nadia’s soft moans come next and a heavy wave of bile rushes up my throat. It burns like acid and I rush back down the hallway, dashing down the stairs.I’m lucky to have gotten to one of the flower pots by the doors to the packhouse. I puke into it and some of the nausea retreats as I let it out but I know this is
The pack doctor changes the bandages on my legs and looks up, smiling at the bubble of activity in the packhouse. The grandest wedding the pack has seen in the last ten years will be happening tonight, but I won't be attending because my verdict has been served.My things have been neatly packed, ready to be moved to a cabin at the edges of the pack territory. A bitter feeling rises at the back of my throat but I push it down.It’s better for me to leave. It’s the only way this is going to work.Tonight, they become husband and wife. I have to move out of the pack and head to my new life.The pack gradually empties as everyone goes to the wedding ceremony. Those who haven’t been invited to be guests have to be there to work. The packhouse has never been this empty and fatigue pulls me into a deep sleep.The evening sun is peeking through the blinds when I feel the presence of someone beside me. I feel his hot body on top of me.My eyes snap open in alarm but my body already knows t
It’s the warrior female that was with Mor yesterday.I turn back to see the obvious cruel smirk to her lips and the way her locks fall beautifully against her shoulder.Her hair is a beautiful hazelnut brown, rich and shiny. She’s in pants and a shirt today, but it’s obvious there’s been extra attention thrown into her look. The snarky, demeaning, look on her face is still the same as yesterday though.I remember how I went into the woods and sobbed my eyes out because of her and Mor yesterday.Anger, cold as a blade slides its way under my skin, but as it always is with cold anger, its power isn’t in the smashing of fists or shouts and curses. No. Cold anger, always, always, expresses itself first, with a smile.The prettiest smile I know how to wear spreads itself slowly on my face, “No Mor today?”She chuckles, “I suspected you liked getting bitch slapped. What with being a bitch and all. I can manage without Mor today though if you really feel like it.”The smile on my face widens
“Layla can sense properties, not just heal people. Her abilities aren’t as advanced as I'd have liked, but they’re all we can work with.”I ignore and decided not to pick a fight with Max over his words. He should be grateful Layla left her job to follow him all the way here. Pack loyalty really runs deep in her and she’s a wonderful doctor.A woman I wish I could be like one day.I look at her and ask, “You can sense properties? How does that work?”Max responds before she can, “Layla can sense things around her. LIke weird creepy things. We’re here to find out what’s weird and creepy about the Tempest pack.”“I thought the only reason why Caius Redstone wanted this pack was so he could control the food” Max raises an eyebrow but i raise mine in return, “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the amount of viable farmland they have? Fields and fields of crops? Acres of orchards?”Max chuckles, looking at the ceiling while he responds, “I thought so too. I can’t deny they have a lot of far
Max comes back to his room and shits on my happy reunion.“Well, what do we have here?”Layla and I have set camp on his bed. While it wasn't the preferred option it was the most suitable one, because Max’s bed is also Layla’s bed. The disguise they used in coming here meant that they could only have one bed.Max is sleeping on the floor of course but you wouldn't guess it by that insufferable look lining his face, “I thought you weren’t meant to be going around revealing who you are. And you,” He turns to Layla, “You haven’t shown me even the barest hint of affection since we came here. How are they supposed to believe I'm shacking up with you if you don’t even look my way?”I peer through my lashes at Max because when Layla makes a choking sound of disgust, there’s something of an annoyance in his eyes.Annoyance and a glimmer of hurt as Layla responds, “It’s bad the maids are making rumors and thinking about it, now you want me to act it out too?”Max clenches his jaws and Layla ch
At the first crack of dawn, I make my way over to the room where I was told Max is staying.I throw the doors open, hoping I'm not unlucky enough to meet him half naked, or worse, doing the thing he said he would be doing with the woman he brought with him, but no, that can’t be possible. Not after so little time.I know her that well…. and Layla never really liked guys like Max.”Oh my god, Emery.”I throw my arms around her neck the moment I hear her voice. I can’t…. I can't believe she’s here.”You’re really here.”Layla nods, and tears drop from my eyes because the feeling of having her here is strong. Like a livewire being hooked onto my body. The feeling of pain, the feeling of being separated from the only friend i’ve had for a long time now, that feeling comes all at once.And even though I'm seeing her once again, the pain of being without her all this while is also very real.I’m almost embarrassed i’m crying but I can feel the wetness on my neck. Layla is crying too.“I was
“Max!”Mort’s voice crashes down the hallway and my heart jumps in my throat, both of us jolt and now my heartbeat really does begin to race. Because there couldn’t have been a worse time for him to come here.”Max.”Mort comes into the room, looking from him to me and trying to make sense of what he’s seeing. For now I glare at him because he’s definitely not getting things done like he said he would.He said he would keep Max from me. That he would distract Max when he came to the pack, yet he’s only just coming here now.”I… I thought you said you would be at the pack borders. We sent a retinue of pack warriors to escort you here.”Max keeps his eyes on me but still responds, “I got lost. I hope I didn't cause much of a problem.”You can hear his vapid superiority in his tone and I can barely stand it. Maybe being around so many Redstones has made him proud too. There’s a saying that Redstone pride rubs off on people.Mort smiles in the way a mediator would and shakes his head, “It
I head back to my room and stay there.My chest is pounding and there's a slight panic in my heart. Okay there’s more than slight panic, because what if he’s with Nikolai.What if the guest he’s brought is none other than his Alpha?And Irene. Raiden said he doesn’t know any woman named Irene.She was something, but her words are what make me pause even more than I would on a normal day.She could be the person Max brought, but I've never known Max to know someone so interesting. I don’t think that woman would have much patience for him, it’s either that or they would have gotten along perfectly fine.”Arghh!”A scream leaves my lips out of frustration, because I can't stay in here just waiting for him to find me out.I could hide in the woods, but there’s the threat of a wolf mauling me if I was to stay there. I could stay in the servant’s quarters, hide out in one of the rooms or halls in the Tempest packhouse.”Emery?”My tongue drops into my stomach but I turn, expecting to see Mo
My heart skips a beat when Raiden shakes his head.He doesn’t. I fucking knew it!I stare at Raiden, waiting for him to say something more, but he doesn’t say anything. He simply sits there, huge and warm, brow furrowed and lines of thought on his head.He’s thinking?He should be reacting. That woman could read my mind. There’s a possibility she could read anybody’s mind. To have someone like that running around in the pack…..“She could be a potential risk.”Raiden nods, “She could have sent the wolf after you so she could kill you and stop you from reporting her presence to me.”I nod, “Exactly! Someone like that is running around in this pack.”Raiden nods again and this time I can't ignore the calm, balanced posture of his form. I can’t ignore how much when I look at him, I remember what it was like to be sitting beside him.I’m not some touch starved maiden waiting for the affection of a man, but my dreams lately would disagree. Having sex dreams of Nikolai…… that’s a sign of so
Raiden’s pov.My ears pick up the sound of running a few minutes before she slams into me. I’m standing in front of the back door, trying to listen to the wind and my mind so I can truly know what to do next.The content of the spy’s letter to me was something I couldn't have imagined. It makes a little bit of sense now, why the Redstones would be after my pack.My mind was still divided between thinking and letting whichever young couple playing in the woods have their time when Emery bursts forth from the treeline, panic and fear written all over her face as she continues running, only one thought on her mind.To get away.I move before she gets to me and she crashes into my arms. Even when I have my arms around her Emery is still trying to move farther into the room, unintelligible words pouring from her lips and panic dominating her actions.I get her inside first, my eyes scanning the treeline all the while before I shut the door.Emery is breathing fast. Her mind is clearly stil
The strange woman, Irene, doesn’t respond to any more of my questions as to who she is or why I've not heard of her in the duration of my stay here.I’ve lived in this pack for more than a month now and I haven't heard of anyone named Irene.Someone should have mentioned her. Bryce. Mort. Raiden.If they had a mind reading elder in their pack…. they could have used her on me the day i was brought here.”How are you sure they didn’t?”Her smile sends goosebumps skittering down the path of my arm but I shake my head, dispelling the fear that comes with her words and refusing to believe what she’s saying, “If Raiden already knew who I was there’s no reason he’d hide it from me.Raiden wouldn’t do that.”She holds my gaze and I hold hers, letting her see and know that I won't buy into little tricks and lies.If what she’s saying is true then it means all the time i’ve been here, i’ve been living a lie. It would mean Raiden does have another reason for keeping me here. He hasn’t given me a