Cherry I let myself in, noticing Dylan’s keys in the bowl on the table. My heart punched my chest like a jackhammer, overreacting to the fact that he was home. I dropped my own keys in the bowl with a clatter. A moment later, Dylan’s study door opened. Dylan filled the doorway. His shoulders were so broad they almost touched both sides of the frame, and he seemed to loom over me, even with the long hallway between us. I always felt overwhelmed by his presence. His dark eyes found me in the low light, and I fought to conceal how much his stare affected me. His strong features were so handsome, filled with all the rugged beauty of the Moon God that only our pack’s most talented artists could hope to imbue their sculptures with. I felt Dylan’s pull on me like I did the full moon. I wanted to go to him. My lips prickled as if telling me to use them as I wanted to. “Kiss him,” they seemed to whisper. If only... Instead, I stated the obvious, “You’re home.” He frowned. “Thought you wer
Cherry Worry crept through me. For what must have been the thousandth time, I wondered if there was something wrong with me. Dylan hadn’t shown any sign of being attracted to me. He didn’t seem remotely interested in me like that. He hadn’t even kissed me, and we’d lived together for a whole year. Heat flushed over my skin as one of my common fantasies played through my thoughts: Dylan’s tall, muscular form pushing through my bedroom door, his dark eyes claiming mine before he took me in his arms and kissed me. But that’s where the fantasy petered out as it so often did. After all, I didn’t have much experience in that department. Who was I trying to fool? I didn’t have any sexual experience. Nothing. Helplessness whirled through me. The truth was, since being told by our Alpha and Luna that Dylan was my fated mate, I’d grown up with the idea that things between us would just happen. It’s not that I’d intentionally kept myself for Dylan, but I suppose, looking back when I’d fantasi
Dylan I clicked the door shut to my study, running my hands through my hair in exasperation. Exasperation at Cherry, at myself, at this whole god-damned situation. For a moment, guilt kept me at the door. I thought of Cherry perched on a bar stool, eating alone in the kitchen. Her grey eyes washed-out and picking daintily at her meal. I almost went back. Almost. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about her. She was… What is she? The truth was I didn’t know anymore. But the hopefulness in Cherry’s tone as she’d said dinner was ready had knotted my stomach. It wasn’t at the thought of her cooking. Her food is always bloody delicious. I knew part of me would regret not sitting down for a bite. But it was what lurked beneath that simple offer of food. An important part of the mating bond was a mate’s desire to nourish the other. The more frequently I gave in to her cooking and ate with her, the more chance there was for the bond that was destined to exist between us to grow. No doubt, it
Dylan Again, I imagined the slender woman sitting in the kitchen, her long blonde hair and smooth heart-shaped face undeniably beautiful. It was why I couldn’t share a room with her, despite the hurt I knew it caused her. After all, I was still a hot-blooded male who saw how god-damned beautiful she was—every day. I didn’t trust myself to share a bed with such a beautiful woman and keep my hands to myself. I knew Cherry was only eighteen and likely hadn’t had any experience with guys. After all, from the age of eleven, she’d known she was destined to be my mate and the future Luna of the Starsmoon pack. She deserved her first time to be with someone who truly cared for her. And although I found her beautiful and desirable because of my parents and the future they’d decreed for us, Cherry came with too many trappings. I was a future Alpha. My future wouldn’t be dictated to me by anyone. Once, after a few beers, I’d confessed all this to Bert, my Beta, and friend. He’d advised me to t
Cherry Our whole pack was seated around a huge banquet table, draped in crisp white linen and decorated with candles and flowers. A feast of rich dishes rested along the middle, which the pack had all pitched in to make, and were all enjoying now. Despite the festive mood, my own was strained. I sat to the left of Dylan. He was to the right of his father, while Heather sat to Chris’s left. I felt like Dylan, and I were supposed to be the mirror image of our Alpha and Luna, but creeping shame built in me. I couldn’t help noticing how often Heather leaned in to talk to Chris or patted her husband’s arm and other little signs of affection that marked the pair as a proper couple. Whereas Dylan and I had barely exchanged two words all night. Dylan mostly talked to his father about pack business. The only time I managed to speak to him was to ask if he’d tried the salmon or venison and other dull things. A sheen of sweat beaded along my forehead as I dwelled on what everyone must be thin
Cherry As if underwater, I heard Heather and Chris’s voices telling Dylan and me to go and join the party. The pack’s excitement flooded the room. Someone had set music playing, the pounding beat like the jackhammer of my heart. Everything around me seemed to blur. A wall of well-wishers surrounded me for what felt like an eternity. With each exchange, my breath caught more sharply. It barely registered as my dad found me, pulling me into a giant bear hug. In his arms, my feelings threatened to spill out, but more excited arms soon tugged me onward. Finally, at the edge of the room, the space around me was clear of friends. I take a step, only to find myself teetering as if walking on unstable ground. Belatedly, I realized that I was, somehow, beside Dylan. He must have come out the other side of the pack, too. Instinctually, my arm reached out to him, curving around his but Dylan tensed. A frown marred his handsome brows, and he pushed me away as if unable to bear my touch. I gape
Cherry Dylan was heavy. Luckily, he was lucid enough to walk, albeit with lurching steps. He was so tall compared to my petite frame. My head only came up to his chest. Even in the heels I wore, he towered over me. Now and then, his big hand flopped against my neck or down my back as he steadied himself. By keeping an arm around his waist, I guided him in the right direction and kept him upright. Within a few short minutes, we were at our door. It suddenly dawned on me that I’d left my coat, with my keys, at Dylan’s parents. “Fuck,” I swore. Dylan let out a deep laugh, and my eyes darted up to him. He stared down at me. “I haven’t heard you swear before.” With the way he blinked at me, you’d have thought I’d grown a second head. I reminded myself that he was drunk. He probably was seeing two of me. I sighed, “Well, now you have.” Irritation needled through me as the cold night stung my bare arms, neck, and back. Even Dylan’s body heat as he leaned on me couldn’t chase the cold aw
Cherry His fingers fell away, and I felt the head of his arousal press against my entrance. Its firm pressure was delicious. I opened to him completely. Gently, he drove into me, stretching me wider and wider. I felt a shudder of pain, but pressing my legs against his ass, I encouraged him further in. The discomfort was soon gone, and only his fullness was left. It was all I could think about. As he moved, I bucked against him, and it was the most exquisite pleasure I’d ever experienced. His breath was on my throat, his tongue trailing kisses down to the neckline of my dress. He dragged the silk up and over my head, stripping me of my bra too. Then his attention was on my breasts, kneading and nuzzling them. As he thrust into me and suckled, I spiraled over the edge. “Dylan,” I panted. I’d lost track of the number of times I’d come apart when he found his own release, letting out a groan and spilling hot inside me. *** When I blinked my eyes open, it took me a moment to convince
Fern's PerspectiveThe morning sunlight streamed through the cracks in the curtains, spilling onto the tabletop and adding a touch of warmth to the humble cottage. Sleep still lingered on Daniel's face as he lazily rose from his bed, his eyes—so deep and dark, like Giovanni's—slowly opening as he gazed out the window at the distant view."Mommy, are we going to the market today?" His voice held a note of anticipation, and despite his young age, he always seemed older than other children.I smiled and nodded, a warmth filling my heart.Since I started working, I'd rented a small house near my company and began living independently with Daniel, despite my parents' strong objections. But I wasn't a little girl relying on my parents anymore; I was a mother now.Besides, after the day of my interview when I learned I'd be working for Giovanni's company, I'd worried that he might uncover Daniel's existence through his investigation of my background. That's why I had to leave my parents behi
Giovanni's PerspectiveI sat in my office, brow furrowed, with papers piled as high as a mountain in front of me. My fingers absently scratched across the desk, and my eyes occasionally flicked to the stacks of pending paperwork, but my mind was far from them.Ever since Diana joined the company, my heart has never been at ease. Every day, her familiar figure, always within my line of sight, seemed to remind me of a long-forgotten past. An unspeakable feeling, one that had quietly begun to grow, spread deep within my chest.I don't want to
Fern's Perspective"Diana, good morning." A clear greeting interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see the manager who had called my name and tried to offer a natural smile. She was my immediate supervisor, Marianne, and while she had a kind face, it was clear that she was not someone to be easily overlooked."Good morning, Marianne," I replied with a smile, doing my best to keep my voice steady.I then turned and walked into the office. Before me was a modern work environment: spacious desks, rows of computer screens, and neat shelves filled
Fern's PerspectiveWhen I got home, I sat at the dining room table, staring down at the newspaper in front of me while my mind wandered far away. Giovanni's face, those deep eyes, and the aura that surrounded him seemed to pull me back to a past I couldn't escape. I had been so happy to see Giovanni, to feel the way he looked at me, and yet now, it felt like a distant memory."Mom, how was the interview today?" Daniel suddenly jumped up from the couch beside me, looking at me mischievously.I froze for a moment, then forced a smile. "It wa
Giovanni's PerspectiveI sat in my spacious office, a mountain of papers piled in front of me. My fingers absentmindedly skimmed over the pages without truly registering their contents. Distracted, my gaze would often drift toward the window, where I imagined the bustle of the world outside. It had been a long time since I'd taken over the pack, and moments of inattention like this were rare for me.Today's meeting had left me drained. The pack elders had engaged in a heated debate over my decision to choose a Luna, knowing full well that some of them didn't want me to make a rational choice. As a werewolf alpha, I under
Fern's Perspective I sat on a couch in the office lobby, my hands instinctively tightening around the strap of my bag. My interview hadn't even started yet, and all around me, the soft murmur of whispered conversations filled the air as candidates discussed various questions. I stared at my phone screen, but my heartbeat refused to slow. Suddenly, I heard a familiar name. "I heard this company was founded by Alpha Giovanni of the Dark Howl Pack. In just a few short years, it's become one of the most influential companies out there," a girl whispered. "Yeah, I heard his business tactics are as ruthless as he was when he was Alpha of the pack," another added. "..." My heart sank, and in an instant, the murmur of voices around me faded. The name echoed in my mind. Giovanni—the man who had touched my heart so deeply, the man who had given me everything, and yet, had left me scarred. How did he end up here? This company was founded by him. My mind immediately flooded with memo
Tobias' PerspectiveMy gaze involuntarily returned to his stoic face, and a flicker of unease stirred in my chest.There I stood, half in shadow, my eyes fixed on Giovanni sitting behind the desk. His posture was as rigid as a stone, silent and solitary, blending seamlessly with the somber atmosphere of the room. The air felt cold, and his presence made the silence almost suffocating.This man—once my friend, once the leader of our pack—was now nothing more than an empty shell, devoid of emotion.
Tobias' PerspectiveI stood in the doorway of Giovanni's office, took a deep breath, and then knocked gently on the door."Come in."His voice was cold, with an undeniable air of authority.I grasped the doorknob and gently pushed the door open, stepping into the lavishly furnished office, its atmosphere chilled. The scent of paper and leather hung in the air, and sunlight poured in through the heavy curtains, but it couldn't dispel the cold silence that env
Fern's PerspectiveOliver walked over to the table and bristled, as if he thought he had done nothing wrong. "As I've said many times, he's just too naughty and needs some training. Otherwise, sooner or later, his own wolfishness will crush him." His usual cold expression matched his typical, less-than-congenial demeanor, giving off an unapproachable air."You're too mean," I said with a blank look, though my heart was full of gratitude. At least he hadn't given up on Daniel's training, and that gave me some comfort. Even though my past had been full of pain and regret, Oliver always made me feel a touch of warmth.