Teagan's Point of ViewBy the time we went back to the main house, Pop had already made dinner. Or rather, an entire buffet with several other uniformed people running about.Food was mass-produced. Drinks were prepared in jugs. It was utter chaos. Blissful, happy, chaos.No one was screaming or crying. No one was fighting. Everyone helped and handed each other things. Laughed at some obscure jokes Pop made. Cursed when one of them spilled a bit of cooldrink on the floor whilst someone else hurried along to get a rag to clean it up."Was it always this busy?" I asked, looking at Bellamy.He was smiling at them. Stopped short of fully coming into the house. Just watched from the door with admiration and happy memories on his face."When I was here, it was only Pop who helped us, so most of us had to make food for the rest of the group. Since I started donating to the project, he got helpers and I expanded the living quarters for the kids, so they began taking more kids. It was crazy w
Teagan's Point of ViewI made up my mind.It was not as simple as just saying I had. Took more effort than I cared to admit.But I had done it.Pop explained to me how a partnership worked. How it was a two-way street. One couldn't pass without the other. Couldn't function without the other.Harland had been wrong in telling me to pursue things with Ulrich, only for him to turn around and blame me for everything. If he had been honest, we could have spoken about it. Set boundaries and expectations.He hadn't.So, I owed him nothing but the truth. My truth.The fact of the matter was, no matter how much I kicked and screamed against my mate bonds with Ulrich and Bellamy, it wouldn't have been fair to me not to indulge in them. Our goddess was seldom wrong. Chose our partners for us wisely and meticulously. Granted, Harland hadn't signed up for this. Any of it, to be frank, but that didn't mean we couldn't adjust. Change just a few degrees of our trajectory without heading off course e
Teagan's Point of ViewUnlike Bellamy, Ulrich refused to leave. He insisted on staying behind. To make sure I was fine or to chime in on the argument, I had no idea. But I was less than pleased with his insistence."Why him, Teagan? Why the fuck would you choose him?" Harland screamed as we entered my room.He slammed the door behind us. Normally, I would jolt from the sound. Yelp and scurry away. A response I had since my childhood. Thanks to my lovely Father who liked to throw his temper tantrums whenever he didn't get his way.This time around, I stood my ground. Sauntered into my room as if nothing was wrong. Nothing was missing."Do you honestly think I had a choice in the matter? Besides, it doesn't take away from the fact that you were trying to gaslight me into believing it was my fault that I mated Ulrich." I might have lied to him but I never made him feel insane. Or blamed him for any of this. What he had done with Ulrich was atrocious.There was a groan from Ulrich behi
Teagan's Point of ViewInstead of sending Harland out of my room, I left. Stormed out in a blaze of glory. I had no idea where I was going or how far I would get but I didn't want to stay in that room with him. With them.Ulrich wasn't to blame for the way Harland was acting. Not even a little bit. But he was still complacent with the way Harland treated me. Cussed out Bellamy without so much as thinking how I would feel about it.It wasn't hard to fathom that Harland had told Ulrich all about what happened between Bellamy and me. Although, he had stretched the truth.Until recently, I also thought that Bellamy wanted to force me into a marriage. Until recently, I thought he was the monster hiding beneath my bed. Waited for me to step off at any moment so that he could trip me. Allowed me to fall to the floor where he could get his claws into me.But seeing him at the ranch...All of it gave me a new perspective on him."Teagan, wait!" Ulrich called from behind me as I slid through th
Bellamy's Point of View If hatred had a face, it would be Harland's. Just the way he smiled set my anger alight. Made my temper spike until all I wanted was to rip off his head in one smooth go. But I restrained myself and for that, I was extremely proud. I only did it because Teagan would be devastated. Torn to shreds because her precious mate was dead. And I couldn't have that. Couldn't risk her getting hurt. By some miracle, we were finally on good terms. Would take things slow, no doubt, but it was a start. A timid and gentle one. Even when I showed her my soft side. The tenderness I held for Pop and the ranch wasn't something I shared with anyone. If my father found out about the fondness I held for Pop or the ranch, he would have Pop killed and the ranch shut down. All just to teach me a fucked up lesson. "I didn't expect you to be home so early," My father said as I walked through the door and stashed my keys in the bowl beside it. A neatly woven thing that he got on
Harland's Point of ViewWhat if she leaves? What if she decided that Bellamy and Ulrich were better? That I wasn't worth the trouble? I mean, I could barely contain my own rage yesterday. Barely got a grip on it before it spilled out into the world.The bottom line was, I had hurt Teagan and now I would pay the price for it. There was no room for error anymore. One wrong move might shove her into the arms of someone else. Two other mates... Fuck.Fuck!FUCK!She had mated with the one. Refused to do so with the second, which was more touching than I wanted to admit.But Bellamy was an asshole. We all knew that. Knew that he would also fuck up in some way or another. Then she would leave him in the dust.Ulrich was different. He was easy to be around. Had no hidden motives. Was now a wolf as well, which made things a lot easier for all of us.There was also the question of how the fuck did he become a wolf in the first place. Being bitten by one of us caused this. Or at least that's w
Teaagan's Point of ViewUlrich and Harland didn't hide the fact that they were staring at us from the window. Neither took their eyes off of us as we moved down the street. Walked over the road to the coffee shop.Even from the large distance between us, I could make them out in the window. They hovered close to the glass with their noses nearly pressed against it.So much for keeping jealousy under tight control. And that went for both of them."I didn't think you'd show up here so soon again," I said by way of opening up the conversation.Bellamy asked to speak with me privately. I obliged. He suggested getting coffee for all of us across the street. I agreed. Mainly because I wasn't sure if Harland would let him live long in his presence. And because I felt bad for what happened last night. Not that either was my fault. Not that I had chosen to have more than one mate.But this was the result of it and we had to somehow deal with the immense tension that loomed between us like a g
Teagan's Point of View"So, you want to put her explicitly in danger so that you can figure out what your father is planning?" Harland roared from across the room.Bellamy stood by the window. Eyed the crowd beneath from time to time. Call it paranoia or just being vigilant, I didn't care. It told me enough about what could go wrong if Jonah found out we were trying to fool him."I agreed, Harland. I know what he is asking. I have questions of my own that need answering and if this is the only way to do it, then so fucking be it." I defended, voice going up an octave or two.We were only telling Harland and Ulrich about it because I needed them on board. I needed them to understand that certain things might happen and they had to be fine with it.Besides, if shit went south, I needed them here to help us.Which meant Harland wouldn't be going home anytime soon.Ulrich cleared his throat. Looked at me with sparkling eyes. They dimmed after another second or two. Became dull as his lips
7 Months Later Teagan's Point of View "Who has the baby bag!" Ulrich screamed, flitting from room to room as he scrambled to get the one thing he was tasked with. "Already in the car," I mumbled, slipping out of my soaked nightgown. Although I doubted he heard me. No one could hear me above their panic right now. Who thought the baby would come in the middle of the night? Not fucking me. Not when I had finally figured out a way to sleep with such an enormous stomach. "Did you install the car seat like I asked?" Bellamy screamed back. I could hear him in the living room. He had forgotten to set up the spare cot downstairs. Thought now would be a good time to do it. Rolling my eyes, I slipped into a clean dress. Didn't bother with underwear. They were going to come off, anyway. "I can't find the fucking car keys! Who had them last?" Harland screamed. The house was echoing with their voices. Bounced around relentlessly. So it was no help to remind him that they were on the
Bellamy's Point of View"Where is he!" I screamed down the moist hallway. Down here in the earth, everything was damp. Which was strange, given we were in the middle of a desert.But that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was Felix. The bastard wasn't anywhere near the cells. Hell, his scent wasn't even here, which meant he had never made it down here to begin with. "Heir, sir, Alpha," The guard nervously stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. "From the list in the office, he was brought here right after you asked. The last man on duty here even swore he had booked him in."He had lied, no doubt. Or this little maggot was. Either way, Felix had never been here. No doubt thanks to all of his bribery. "Find him! The enemy is on our doorstep and you let our only fucking bargaining chip escape!" I roared and spun on my heels to march back the way I had come in. We had evacuated everyone in the town within an hour. Left only shells for homes and shops. Mariland and Keagan
Teagan's Point of View"Get most of the civilians to the ranch! Don't trust fucking any of the guards! The moment they try something funny, kill without mercy." Bellamy all but screamed as we stopped in front of the house.The two cars that had followed us from the desert were barely full, compared to when they left with us in the first place. So many of Bellamy's men had turned. Or died. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, clinging to his arm. Watched as his face shifted. Took in everything around us all at once.Those caramel eyes turned towards me. Blinked slowly."Why did you call my brother?" Bellamy asked in a whisper that no one else would be able to hear.Not with all of the commotion taking place around us.I stiffened. Twitched my eyes away from him.I knew he was going to be upset. I just hadn't thought it would come so soon. Not when we were still in crisis mode."Because I would rather take his help than see any of you in a grave. We need his man-power and he is more
Teagan's Point of ViewWe headed out into the eastern part of the desert with several guards in tow. The ones who stayed behind with Felix were informed of the situation and instructed to keep him shackled at all times.Killing him wasn't an option. Not until we could safely get Jonah back. The moment we had him or deemed him-I swallowed down the lump in my throat, shoving the thought that he might already be gone to the back of my mind.Bellamy was never going to forgive himself if he didn't say goodbye to his father. Especially after the note Jonah had left in his last file.As if he knew he was walking into his death."There... On the dune just past that large outcropping." Ulrich said from the passanger side.He was looking west now. Scanned the horizon fervently with the stars shining down on us.Out here in the middle of the night was the best time. With no light pollution, the air was clear. The Milkyway a shiny symbol above us.But in the direction Ulrich was looking, someone
Teagan's Point of ViewThe end note left my mind reeling. Shot a wave of dizziness through my body. Jonah knew. Knew about Harland being here and about Ulrich. Knew that we had taken some of his files. And he had done nothing about it. Actually counted on the fact that we might come snooping again.Now he was somewhere in the desert, likely dead, from what the note implied."We have to tell Bellamy." I breathed, feeling my lungs quiver with each word.Ulrich's eyes shot towards mine. Eyebrows nearly touched his hairline. "There is no fucking way I'm letting you go down there by yourself. We might not be able to hear what is happening but I can assure you, it isn't going to be pretty." "His father can be somewhere out there fighting for his fucking life and you just want to keep that from him when we can try and help?" I screeched, balling my hands into tight fists.A sheepish look passed over his face then. One of pain as well. "It's not like the guy is winning the Father of the Yea
Teagan's Point of ViewHarland moved closer to me on instinct. Shifted his weight to his dominant leg. Geared himself up for a confrontation if the need arose."What do you mean he can handle himself? Why would he have to?" I pushed more, feeling a shift of energy all around me.Felix gave me another long and cruel smile. Took one step forward before I noticed several men behind him. All tall and menacing. Brooding hulks that engulfed the space we stood in.None of them looked familiar. Or even scented to me that I knew them."Let's just say that Jonah isn't the only one fighting for his life right now." My heart slammed into my throat. Bellamy. He was talking about Bellamy. Harland sensed my urgency. Spun around and pushed me lightly to the staff door on the other side of the kitchen. "Go. I can handle this." He urged, fear lacing his voice.He was my mate and I loved him dearly. But he wasn't the best fighter around. Ulrich, on the other hand, was.I nodded and broke for the door
Teagan's Point of View Even with everything aired out, Harland barely looked my way. His shoulders were still sagging. Hair fell into his eyes. And whenever I tried to make eye contact with him he would look away the moment he noticed. The air wasn't clear yet. "He is going to be away for two days. I say we haul up in the pack house and start digging for whatever we can find on him. I told him I'm your new assistant, so he won't question my scent. Harland can lead the run tonight so that no one questions your absence too much. Get the shit and-" Bellamy shook his head in the driver's seat. Locked eyes with me in the back of the car. At least Harland had agreed to drive with us instead of walking. "No. I'll go lead the run. They won't expect Teagan to be there, seeing as the news of her pregnancy has spread like wildfire. Jonah can smell Harland in the house when he gets back because by then we will have everything we need to dethrone him. Just make sure that Felix doesn't j
Ulrich's Point of View Their family was fucked up. Beyond fucked up. Made me thankful that I had grown up in the foster system. Drama on drama on drama. Like there was no end to it. But it shaped Harland and Teagan into who they were. Gave me the greatest blessing I could ever have. Teagan. Our baby. A future where I didn't have to kill or maim. A stable home. Well, it was going to be a stable home the minute all of this madness passed. Died down. Which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, I was sure of that. "Harland. Wait up!" I screamed and followed him down the driveway. If he heard me, he gave no sign of it. Continued marching toward the gate and away from all the shit this place gave him. "Harland!" I tried again and upped my pace. Broke into a sprint. When I touched his shoulder, he whirled on me. Those were tears in his eyes. Snot peeking out from his nose. He was crying. And I could feel his pain as if it were my own. "Something wrong?" He asked, wiping his face
Teagan's Point of View Jessebelle brought out tea and coffee for everyone. Stood at the door and watched as the drama unfolded. Her little smirk of satsifaction upon seeing Mariland's distraught face was enough to make me smile as well. "Now then, we have something to drink. The mood in the room seems to be less intense. Care to explain what happened?" Bellamy asked, placing his coffee on the small table in the middle of the room. We were sitting around the living room like we were friends. Discussing the weather and upcoming plans. Like we weren't hoping the other would just fall over and die. Keagan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Placed on leg over the other. His eyes slid my way. Took me in with a remorseful look that had my bones aching. Was he ever as bad as Mariland? Not really. But he permitted it and that was all the confirmation I needed to not pity him. "When we mated, we tried for years to have a child. Jonah was freshly made the Alpha of Desert Sun and h