There are still mysteries unresolved, but that doesn't stop life from moving forward. And now it's time for the new moon!
Holly’s lips were fire against mine, burning away every hesitation, every lingering doubt. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t fragile. Not here, not with her. None of the chaos that’s happened recently mattered. Tonight wasn’t about any of that. Tonight was about us coming together and making this official. Or at least official in the eyes of the supernatural community Her body pressed against mine, soft curves molding against me, igniting something primal, something I’d kept buried for too long. The kiss deepened, tongues tangling, teeth grazing, breathy little sounds escaping her lips between each hungry meeting of our mouths. I wanted to hear more of those sounds. I shifted, rolling her beneath me, the thin sleeping bag doing little to shield us from the cool bite of the earth beneath it. The rough texture of dirt and grass pressed against my forearms, grounding me in this moment, this night, this woman. Holly’s hands slid beneath my shirt, her nails dragging lightly along my stomach, se
I gasped as reality slammed back into me. The weight of my body pressed into the earth, and Alex on top of me, his skin damp with sweat against mine. His breath was hot and ragged against my throat, his chest rising and falling in uneven shudders. We were back. The air was thick with the scent of earth, pine, and sex. The cool night breeze contrasted with the burning intensity inside me, but I barely noticed. I could still feel the bond between us—woven into our very beings, humming beneath our skin, connecting us in an ancient, irrevocable way. I sensed the swirl of emotions stirring in Alex’s mind through our bond. Alex groaned, his forehead pressing against mine as he exhaled a shaky breath. “Holy shit.” His voice was hoarse, rough from what we’d just done. I swallowed hard, my arms still wrapped around him, clinging to him as if letting go would break the spell. Our mating had been anything but ordinary. What we’d just done wasn’t ordinary, even with Alex being human. It wa
I… I have a wolf. I, Alexander Michael Whitland, the HUMAN among werewolves, have a WOLF! My mind was blown at the thought of being anyone’s mate, let alone Holly’s second chance, and now this. Everything about last night still feels surreal, from the marking, seeing Nigel, to him giving me Leo because the Goddess lost a BET, and shifting for the first time. My brain is still overloaded.‘You’re the excitable sort still, I see.’ Leo commented as Holly and I returned to the farm after packing camp.‘Oh, come on, dude. You barely knew me before you died. I’ve totally grown up since then. You’re in my head; you have access to my memories. You should know I’m not the same boy that had a crush on your mate,’ I huffed.‘Uh-huh. I don’t know how much has changed from what I’ve absorbed from your memories. You dipped your dick in crazy and lucked out to get a good kid out of the deal.' He snorted.'I’ll give you credit, though. You’ve put in the work to train hard and to raise your boy. You r
“We need to go, gorgeous.” Nigel smiled as I looked up and made eye contact in the mirror. He looked exquisite in his tailored suit. On most days, Nigel sported a refined style, favoring slacks and crisp button-down shirts that embodied the dignified presence of a Gamma Guard. However, he raised the bar even higher for special occasions like tonight—the wedding of our Alpha and Luna. Nigel exuded charisma and confidence, wearing a fitted three-piece black suit accentuating his athletic frame. I couldn’t quite grasp why he would ever find me appealing. Even when he called me gorgeous, a part of me struggled to accept it. After years of embracing my identity as a tomboy and devoted warrior, I had yet to see myself as anything delicate or demure enough to deserve such praise.“Unless you want to be late to Alpha’s wedding because I’d be happy to see that little black dress in a torn heap on the floor,” He smirked. I felt a surge of tension coursing through my body as I considered his p
How is this my life? Sometimes, it feels like I was a carefree high school student just yesterday, brimming with dreams and the ache of unrequited love for my best friend. Things took a wild turn when she returned from summer camp, eyes sparkling with excitement and nerves, revealing that she was a werewolf and had found her mate in an older man. Yes, I still refer to Logan as an old dude—he’s twelve years older than us.I would have never pictured Aurelia with someone so much older, let alone a guy who stands shorter than her. It’s a thought I can share here and in the safety of my mind, but I know better than to voice it aloud. Logan and his pack are not to be trifled with, and I quickly learned the hard way that his height is a taboo subject. I’ve lost count of the times friends have covered my mouth or jabbed me in the ribs to hush my remarks.Aurelia’s happiness was all that mattered to me. Logan has kept her happy twelve years and two kids later, but I can’t help feeling left ou
When we arrived at the dock, Samuel dashed off to find his friends. I felt he would be safe running free there, and I could hear their laughter nearby. I wanted him to enjoy the cool morning before the heat set in, so I planned a swim at the lake and a cookout for his friends.As Samuel played happily, I headed to the Kilbourn house, where I knew Finn would be. A sense of unease washed over me as the house felt unusually quiet. My concern grew when I saw Clarence standing outside Finn’s office, looking sad.“What happened? Is Lorna okay? What about Alfred and Anna?” I asked, expressing my concern over my cousin’s distressed state.“Holly…” Clarence took a shaky breath before pulling me into a hug so tight I thought I might hear my bones crack.“I can’t… breathe… Clarence,” I gasped.“Sorry. I think you should hear this straight. Finn is waiting inside,” Clarence apologized, released me, and gestured toward the office.“Um, okay. You’re freaking me out. Should I call Katherine to come
Holly Boland. A name that had lingered in the deepest corners of my mind for a decade. “Haunted” wasn’t quite the right term—it was too much of a shadowy word, conjuring images of dark corridors and restless spirits. No, she haunts me like a bittersweet memory that tugs at your soul. She was meant to be mine, a thought that twists in my stomach like a knife. I could easily surrender to the murky waters of regret—wallowing in the what-ifs and could-have-beens—but I refuse to let myself drown in that despair.If only I had dared to go to her when the truth hit me. Yet, even then, there were no guarantees of a glorious happily ever after. I’ve immersed myself in more paranormal romance novels than most men my age. Hell, I even started a book club that boasts ranked members from packs from every corner of the globe. So, I was acutely aware that rejected mates are woven into the fabric of our world, often leading to heartache rather than reunion. Holly wasn’t from Bloodmoon, where the la
It had been years since I last drove these roads, but I still navigated them without needing a GPS. A few new houses had appeared during my absence, yet the landscape remained unchanged. This familiarity stirred up mixed emotions within me. I had anticipated this reaction. I left Bloodmoon to escape the constant reminders of Nigel at every turn. Now that I had returned, even the trees lining the road to his family farm made my heart ache for him. The drive had been going smoothly until it wasn’t. I hadn’t seen anything strange on the road, but I heard the change in the sound of the tires, and the car’s onboard computer indicated a change in tire pressure. Thankfully, I maintained control of the rental car and got us safely pulled over to the side of the road. I sighed, cutting the engine, ready to get out and check the damage. “What happened?” Samuel asked, pulling his headphones off. “We got a flat. I will check the damage and see about switching to the spare.” I assured him. “Can
I… I have a wolf. I, Alexander Michael Whitland, the HUMAN among werewolves, have a WOLF! My mind was blown at the thought of being anyone’s mate, let alone Holly’s second chance, and now this. Everything about last night still feels surreal, from the marking, seeing Nigel, to him giving me Leo because the Goddess lost a BET, and shifting for the first time. My brain is still overloaded.‘You’re the excitable sort still, I see.’ Leo commented as Holly and I returned to the farm after packing camp.‘Oh, come on, dude. You barely knew me before you died. I’ve totally grown up since then. You’re in my head; you have access to my memories. You should know I’m not the same boy that had a crush on your mate,’ I huffed.‘Uh-huh. I don’t know how much has changed from what I’ve absorbed from your memories. You dipped your dick in crazy and lucked out to get a good kid out of the deal.' He snorted.'I’ll give you credit, though. You’ve put in the work to train hard and to raise your boy. You r
I gasped as reality slammed back into me. The weight of my body pressed into the earth, and Alex on top of me, his skin damp with sweat against mine. His breath was hot and ragged against my throat, his chest rising and falling in uneven shudders. We were back. The air was thick with the scent of earth, pine, and sex. The cool night breeze contrasted with the burning intensity inside me, but I barely noticed. I could still feel the bond between us—woven into our very beings, humming beneath our skin, connecting us in an ancient, irrevocable way. I sensed the swirl of emotions stirring in Alex’s mind through our bond. Alex groaned, his forehead pressing against mine as he exhaled a shaky breath. “Holy shit.” His voice was hoarse, rough from what we’d just done. I swallowed hard, my arms still wrapped around him, clinging to him as if letting go would break the spell. Our mating had been anything but ordinary. What we’d just done wasn’t ordinary, even with Alex being human. It wa
Holly’s lips were fire against mine, burning away every hesitation, every lingering doubt. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t fragile. Not here, not with her. None of the chaos that’s happened recently mattered. Tonight wasn’t about any of that. Tonight was about us coming together and making this official. Or at least official in the eyes of the supernatural community Her body pressed against mine, soft curves molding against me, igniting something primal, something I’d kept buried for too long. The kiss deepened, tongues tangling, teeth grazing, breathy little sounds escaping her lips between each hungry meeting of our mouths. I wanted to hear more of those sounds. I shifted, rolling her beneath me, the thin sleeping bag doing little to shield us from the cool bite of the earth beneath it. The rough texture of dirt and grass pressed against my forearms, grounding me in this moment, this night, this woman. Holly’s hands slid beneath my shirt, her nails dragging lightly along my stomach, se
The evening air carried a whisper of cool and crisp autumn against my skin as I fastened the leather straps on my saddle. The scent of pine and earth wrapped around me, mingling with summer’s faint, lingering musk. As the sun dipped lower toward the horizon, the sky stretched wide, painted in gold, orange, and deep purple streaks. We had enough time to reach our campsite before nightfall, where we’d picnic under the new moon. Tonight, everything would change. ‘Stop overthinking,’ Kira’s voice purred through my mind, firm but affectionate. ‘It’s happening. It’s always been meant to happen.’ I exhaled slowly, steadying my hands against the saddle horn. Had it? It had only been a little over two weeks since the fight—two weeks since Benton was finally dead. Since the war he had waged against me, my pack and my family had come to a brutal, bloody end. But the fight wasn’t over. Brendán O’Brion was still out there. And we were no closer to knowing who had sent Benton after me. I cle
I hate feeling useless. And you don’t get more useless than being laid up in a hospital bed for TWO fucking weeks. I had to hear secondhand about all the shit that’s gone down since I was injured. Benton is dead. Holly indirectly killed the fucknugget when interrogating him. Bitch folded like a piece of paper when he realized my wildflower was deadly serious about peeling his skin like an app. My mate is hard fucking core. He gave up the name of the fucker who put me in the hospital, the sadistic son of a bitch that would’ve killed my boys. Brendán O’Brion. It’s too bad that was the only name he gave before he went up in flames. I mean that, literally. The asswipe had these magically infused tattoos intended to protect him, but apparently, whoever did the spell-casting neglected to mention it also gave them backdoor control to silence him if necessary. They didn’t care that he gave up the assassin’s name, but his tattoos burst into flames when he was about to tell us who was
Oh, I was more than ready to beat answers out of Benton. But why had Finn and Logan called me in? They could make that pissant talk, especially if Logan let Jericho out. I changed into Alison’s training gear—I wasn’t ruining her fancy clothes with Benton’s filthy blood. After ensuring Samuel and Tristan were safe with Alison and Colby, I headed to the cells with John and Clarence. The last time I was here, Claire was the only prisoner. Now, the twenty-five-cell prison was filled. I was shocked so many survived the two-front battle. I glanced at the hunters and werewolves in their Bloodmoon red jumpsuits as we walked. They all looked broken, haunted. Logan and Finn had already worked them over, if I had to guess. Some sat huddled on their cots, rocking, muttering about monsters. Whatever they’d seen had shattered them. “What happened to the ones incoherently whimpering about various monsters?” I asked. John slowed and glanced at one of the pathetic masses, who looked like he needed a
I never want to experience that again. I broke when Nigel died. I don’t know if I was fully reassembled when I met Alex again. I’d only just started to feel whole again since accepting this new fate. To hear that Alex was hospitalized while protecting our boys nearly broke me. It’s a damn good thing he’s still alive. I don’t know what would’ve happened if he died. I don’t know if Samuel and Tristan would be enough to keep me and Kira together. I don’t know if the boys would be sufficient to keep me from going feral or just straight-up dying. We weren’t mated yet, but I felt it in my bones. If Alex hadn’t survived, I might not have either. If I’d managed to live through losing yet another mate in battle, I knew I’d go feral. I’d hunt down that masked fucker who took Alex from me to the ends of the earth. I wouldn’t stop till I had snapped his fucking neck. Even if it meant I would die, too. I’d leave the boys in the care of people I could trust, and I’d hunt that bastard till one of
Pain. A deep, dragging ache coiled through my chest, sharp and unrelenting. It pulsed with every shallow breath, reminding me with each dull throb that I was still here. I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights. An antiseptic smell filled my nose—sharp, sterile, and far too familiar—Bloodmoon’s hospital. I've been here my share after training injuries, even woke up here once or twice after getting knocked out in a sparing fight. I wasn’t dead. Barely. Fragments of memory clawed their way to the surface, jagged and disjointed. The boys voices—urgent, terrified. A figure in the shadows. The masked man was lunging toward me. The deafening crack of a gunshot. Then, nothing. A presence near the bed made me shift slightly, and immediately, pain flared deep and raw beneath the bandages wrapped tight across my chest. A hiss escaped through my teeth. “Yeah, don’t do that,” a familiar voice muttered. I turned my head, grimacing at the effort, every mov
Benton grinned up at me, blood smeared across his lips like some twisted badge of honor. He thought this was a game. This mother fucker thought that he could get away with threatening my pack and family. He thought wrong. I’d ensure he paid for his arrogance, preferably with his life. He moved first, twisting his body in an attempt to throw me off before he even got to his feet. I didn’t let him. I already knew what he was going to do. The second his weight shifted, I countered, adjusting with the precision of instinct, my body reacting before my mind could fully register it. I had seen moves like his before—I had learned, memorized, and mastered them. Benton was a skilled fighter, but so was I. And unlike him, I didn’t fight for sport. I fought to protect. He managed to twist to the side, trying to escape my hold. I let him think it was working. Then, I struck just as he shifted his weight to push off the ground. I moved with him, using his momentum against him as I slammed my elbo