EmmaI’m totally spent and exhausted after Reed ate me out. My eyes are locked on the entrance of the cave, watching through my ragged breaths the water come down while Reed is snuggling me from behind. He is the big spoon, and a flutter goes through me when his hand strokes my belly. “What are you thinking about?” he asks. I breathe a laugh. “That I’m too weak to walk.”He chuckles. “All according to plan.”“You planned this?”I feel him shrug behind me. “If you can’t walk, you can’t leave the cave and must spend more time with me. I see it as a complete win.”I snort. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”“I’m not,” there’s a possessive note in his voice. “It was my idea to get you a familiar, but now, after seeing Leon, I realize you and I need a stronger bond.”“Oh?” I ask in a teasing tone. “Scared I will cheat?”Reed pinches my butt, and I yelp. “Hey, stop that!” I swat at his hand and turn around to glare at him. But he doesn’t look one bit sorry. “If you don’t want to get pinch
EmmaIt feels nice coming back to the mansion. Leon hugs me the second he sees me, and even though I can feel Reed getting jealous behind us, he doesn’t intervene. I need to form a strong bond with my familiar, and Reed must understand that on some deeper plane. The day continues with Reed attending some late-night meetings with the council while I spend time with Leon in the garden. It’s still too cold outside to plant anything, but we find pots in the shed and bring them to my room since they can be used for indoor planting. We select seeds of various plants- lavender, mint, basil, and tiny roses -that we could grow in the confines of the room, a mini garden of our own.By midnight, Reed returns from his council meeting, looking exhausted yet satisfied with how it went. Leon has been given his own room, and we are entirely alone. Reed looks at my greenhouse corner with an amused expression.“Our room is turning into a greenhouse, Emma,” he says as he sits down on the bed, laughing
Emma“Alright,” I say. I don’t usually give up easily, but this time, I will trust in my mate. “I will trust your judgment on this.”Reed grins at me like he has won the lottery. “You won’t regret this, sweetheart. Trust me on that.”“...you better be right,” I mutter. He chuckles. “I know I am.”With Reed watching me like a hawk, I get ready to start my day. He doesn’t leave me alone, though, and I roll my eyes when he wrinkles his nose at my choice of clothing. “Something wrong with what I’m wearing?”“Yes,” he says. “You could wear something way sexier,” his eyes are on my breasts. “Something that brings out your curves, you know.”“I don’t have anything to do that,” I tell him. “At least not yet.”His lips curl into a wolfish smile. “But you will get some from your shopping round today?”“Maybe.”“For me?”I roll my eyes again. It makes me happy that my mate finds me attractive enough to want me to wear sexy clothes, but I’m not used to being asked to wear that sort of stuff. “
EmmaAs the limo starts moving, I lean back in my seat, my genius mind formulating a devious plan. Lily and Leon are mates, and therefore, I have to make them tie the knot…err, not literally speaking. Anyway! It will be an unorthodox pairing, a werewolf and an angelic familiar, but that doesn’t matter. I’m sure Lily’s family would adore Leon. And it’s not like he is a bad mate!No, no, Leon is good-looking and strong—Suddenly, a loud gasp echoes through the limo’s spacious interior, interrupting my musings. I turn to find Lily with her hand clapped over her mouth, her eyes wide as she points out of the window.“Look!” she exclaims, all thoughts of Leon seemingly forgotten as we pass a designer boutique. Dresses of all colors and styles can be seen through the large display window. “I’ve always wanted to shop there!”The excitement in her voice is infectious. Her earlier blush and shyness evaporate as she grins at me, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.“We are stopping there first
*** Excerpt / Preview ***“I had hoped I meant more to you. That this wasn’t just about your duty to the moon goddess,” I mutter, but it doesn’t go on deaf ears. Alpha Reed closes the distance between us, forcing me to drop his suit as he backs me up against the car door with only the force of his piercing eyes. My sweaty palms press against the window, my heart pounding hard in my chest as I’m pinned against the vehicle. Did I piss him off?I take a deep, cleansing breath in an attempt to calm down, but Reed walks closer. He is leaning over me now. His blue eyes are directly in my face, and while part of me fears him, another darker part of me is aroused. How the hell can that be? Who gets turned on by having a man back them into a car? It pisses me off, but the asshole mate of mine smells…freaking delicious. He leans even closer—close enough that I can feel his minty breath on my skin. “This isn’t love,” he whispers in a gravelly voice. “Only duty and desire.”I scowl at him.Th
EmmaI wake up in a cold place to someone crying beside me. When my eyes adjust to the dark, I realize it’s another woman. She smells like an Omega, but her body is bruised and battered. Her eyes stare back at me.“Where am I?” My words come out raspy, and my throat is as dry as sandpaper.“They took you too, didn’t they?” Her voice is just a faint whisper as if she hasn’t had water for days."Umm...“I try to rake my blurry mind. There were rogues, leers, a tunnel, and a cloth that smelled funny. I shiver, feeling the phantom grip of the rogues on my arm and the sour smell from that cloth invading my senses.“Who are they?” I ask, and the other Omega visibly flinches at my question.“This is the Omega Tavern, an illegal business run by the rogue king Giovanni himself.”“Rogue king?”“Or so he calls himself,” she continues, her eyes distant, “He’s the worst of them all, the leader of the rogues in this city. Giovanni is his name. He... he’s not just a rogue; he’s a monster. He kidnaps
EmmaEven though I don’t want to, I begin taking off my own clothes. I shoot the rogue a glare, but he doesn’t look away. Instead, he seems to be enjoying the show. My wolf growls. She wishes him dead, and I don’t blame her. The creep doesn’t look away from me changing and licks his lips before I’ve even put on the pink stripper clothes. “You really are a treat for sore eyes,” he grins at me. “Alpha Reed is going to feast on you.”Goosebumps prickle over my skin. I’ve never seen Alpha Reed in the flesh, but I can’t say I’m curious to find out what kind of sick Alpha he is, either. I bet he looks like the other Alphas I’ve seen: big and strong with a protruding beer gut and possibly rotten teeth. “Is she ready?”I look up, widening my eyes at the new person in the room. It’s a man…or what is left of a man. He is a burn victim without ears, lips, or nose—a sign of someone banished from their pack for committing murder. Before making a murderer a rogue, the council burns them to mark
ReedI came to the tavern on an undercover mission to spy for the werewolf council. Even though I’m a man about to be married, the council insisted on having me come here as a customer to see if the rumors are true about rogue Giovanni’s illegal Omega brothel: that he kidnaps them off the street and has them perform for customers for money. I expected the rumors to be true, but what I didn’t expect was to find my fated mate among the Omegas. “Mate!” my wolf roars inside my head, not caring about her ranking in the slightest. I, however, couldn’t be more horrified. My mate is an Omega: someone who can’t give me an heir. The werewolf council would never bless our mating and my pack wouldn’t accept an Omega as my Luna since she can’t bear pups. This whole situation is a mess. “Please don’t hurt me,” the Omega in question whispers, her strange, black eyes wide with fear. Seeing her so afraid of me makes my stone heart melt. I’ve never cared much for women or love. Yet here I am, wan
EmmaAs the limo starts moving, I lean back in my seat, my genius mind formulating a devious plan. Lily and Leon are mates, and therefore, I have to make them tie the knot…err, not literally speaking. Anyway! It will be an unorthodox pairing, a werewolf and an angelic familiar, but that doesn’t matter. I’m sure Lily’s family would adore Leon. And it’s not like he is a bad mate!No, no, Leon is good-looking and strong—Suddenly, a loud gasp echoes through the limo’s spacious interior, interrupting my musings. I turn to find Lily with her hand clapped over her mouth, her eyes wide as she points out of the window.“Look!” she exclaims, all thoughts of Leon seemingly forgotten as we pass a designer boutique. Dresses of all colors and styles can be seen through the large display window. “I’ve always wanted to shop there!”The excitement in her voice is infectious. Her earlier blush and shyness evaporate as she grins at me, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.“We are stopping there first
Emma“Alright,” I say. I don’t usually give up easily, but this time, I will trust in my mate. “I will trust your judgment on this.”Reed grins at me like he has won the lottery. “You won’t regret this, sweetheart. Trust me on that.”“...you better be right,” I mutter. He chuckles. “I know I am.”With Reed watching me like a hawk, I get ready to start my day. He doesn’t leave me alone, though, and I roll my eyes when he wrinkles his nose at my choice of clothing. “Something wrong with what I’m wearing?”“Yes,” he says. “You could wear something way sexier,” his eyes are on my breasts. “Something that brings out your curves, you know.”“I don’t have anything to do that,” I tell him. “At least not yet.”His lips curl into a wolfish smile. “But you will get some from your shopping round today?”“Maybe.”“For me?”I roll my eyes again. It makes me happy that my mate finds me attractive enough to want me to wear sexy clothes, but I’m not used to being asked to wear that sort of stuff. “
EmmaIt feels nice coming back to the mansion. Leon hugs me the second he sees me, and even though I can feel Reed getting jealous behind us, he doesn’t intervene. I need to form a strong bond with my familiar, and Reed must understand that on some deeper plane. The day continues with Reed attending some late-night meetings with the council while I spend time with Leon in the garden. It’s still too cold outside to plant anything, but we find pots in the shed and bring them to my room since they can be used for indoor planting. We select seeds of various plants- lavender, mint, basil, and tiny roses -that we could grow in the confines of the room, a mini garden of our own.By midnight, Reed returns from his council meeting, looking exhausted yet satisfied with how it went. Leon has been given his own room, and we are entirely alone. Reed looks at my greenhouse corner with an amused expression.“Our room is turning into a greenhouse, Emma,” he says as he sits down on the bed, laughing
EmmaI’m totally spent and exhausted after Reed ate me out. My eyes are locked on the entrance of the cave, watching through my ragged breaths the water come down while Reed is snuggling me from behind. He is the big spoon, and a flutter goes through me when his hand strokes my belly. “What are you thinking about?” he asks. I breathe a laugh. “That I’m too weak to walk.”He chuckles. “All according to plan.”“You planned this?”I feel him shrug behind me. “If you can’t walk, you can’t leave the cave and must spend more time with me. I see it as a complete win.”I snort. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”“I’m not,” there’s a possessive note in his voice. “It was my idea to get you a familiar, but now, after seeing Leon, I realize you and I need a stronger bond.”“Oh?” I ask in a teasing tone. “Scared I will cheat?”Reed pinches my butt, and I yelp. “Hey, stop that!” I swat at his hand and turn around to glare at him. But he doesn’t look one bit sorry. “If you don’t want to get pinch
Emma“Are you coming or what?” Reed asks, causing me to glare daggers at him. There’s a teasing note in his voice, and when I see his smirk, I know the bastard is up to no good. Those blue eyes of his might look innocent, but I know better than to underestimate my perverted mate. Reed knows I won’t be able to resist him if I sit down in his stupid lap. If we are that close and intimate, it will be impossible not to breathe him in, and after I’ve done that, well…consider me a goner because my pregnancy hormones are messing with my head. I’m already aroused, and I haven’t even touched him yet!“Reed,” I sigh, still shivering slightly from the chill. “I swear if you start getting ideas...”He holds up his hands in a mock surrender, an innocent smile dancing across his face. “Who, me? I’m only offering to keep you warm, Emma.”It’s tempting - too tempting. I hesitate for a second before scooting over and gingerly settling on his lap. His warm, muscular arms fold around me in a strong em
EmmaReed looks at me like I’ve suggested he open his jaws and rain fire over me. He doesn’t seem comfortable with the idea of letting me, his pregnant mate, climb up on his back at all. It’s actually rather endearing how caring he is in his dragon form. I wonder if dragons are naturally more prone to protectiveness?“One tiny little ride. I won’t hold on too tight and scratch your scales, I promise,” I implore, gazing up at Reed with eyes that I hope reflect my sincerity, although they may also reflect a hint of mischief.In response, Reed sighs—a great rush of air that sends my dark hair billowing around my face.It doesn’t look like he is going to let me ride on him, but then I pout like a puppy, and he rolls his eyes. His three heads have a silent conversation with each other, their gaze flickering between themselves and me.After what feels like an eternity, Reed crouches down to allow me easier access to his back.I watch him, slightly awestruck at his understanding. “Really?” I
EmmaAs the light fades, I squint in Reed’s direction and step back when I hear loud screeching. It doesn’t come from one creature, but three large dragon heads that are glaring at each other as if not getting along. “Holy shit…” I back into Leon’s chest with my neck craned to stare up at Reed. His human form is gone, replaced by a towering, draconic beast that’s almost bigger than the entire mansion. My inner wolf whines at my mate’s size, and my eyes widen as I take him in as a whole. His skin is covered in shimmering bronze scales that glint with every color imaginable as they catch the sun. Majestic and grand wings from his back are casting a shadow that darkens the entire garden. He has three heads, each unique and terrifying in its own right.“I’ve heard two new heads grow out of a hydra if you destroy one of them,” Leon whispers. “Hydra dragons are truly fascinating.”I gulp. “Y-yeah, and scary.”Reed’s heads are snapping at each other, causing me to shrink further into Leo
EmmaOnce we are back at Reed's mansion, Leon's whole face lights up in excitement. "This place is amazing!" he exclaims when he sees the interior and the many paintings of the Alphas and Lunas who led the Grim pack before Reed. "I'm glad you like it," I smile up at my angel companion. "I actually haven't lived here for very long, so I'm quite shocked every time I look around this place. It's so fancy."Leon's golden eyes meet mine. "Where did you live before moving here?""Oh," an embarrassed blush spreads over my face. I know Leon isn't asking to pry, but the truth stings. “I…umm…I lived in a trailer park with my family.""What's a trailer?" Leon asks before Reed steps in and pulls me into his embrace. "It's a sort of mobile home," Reed replies, his eyes kept on Leon but his hands all over me. It's as if Leon's presence is making him feel territorial. His fingers trace a comforting path along my back as he speaks. "Emma lived there because her family didn't have much money.""Ahh
EmmaAfter eating the most luxurious breakfast I’ve ever had, Reed and I drive out of the city.His contact, who sells familiars, lives in the forest. According to Reed, she is an old witch with the ability to open portals between worlds. That’s how she finds creatures that normally don’t exist in our world.“Are you nervous?” Reed asks me as he makes a right turn. The road is surrounded by trees.“A little…” I admit, and when he glances at me, I realize he expects a longer answer. A sigh leaves my lips. “Will the familiar even be happy to serve? I don’t want to buy a familiar and wind up having a familiar that sees itself as a slave.”“Angora only sells creatures that exist to serve,” Reed assures me with his eyes on the road. “She finds those who have been thrown away by the family they used to serve, but sometimes, in rare cases, she takes in baby creatures that will make excellent pets.”“Pets?”“Magical cats or pigs,” he shoots me a smile. “But you want a mighty creature that can