Michael's Point of View"You reek,""I know. We crawled through the sewers to escape.""And you still have a lot of dried blood on you." "I didn't really have time to clean up before we landed. A cargo plane doesn't really accommodate bathing." "I'm glad you're back." She said and I caught her eyes from the corner of mine. Noted the relief in her shoulders. Her green eyes. I looked back at the road, taking another turn to head towards the packhouse. "I'm glad I'm back as well. I'll clean up before we head to dinner with the Alpha's family." I said and slid my hand away from the gear lever towards her leg.Nadia gladly took it, crumpling my fingers with her small but firm grip."You promised no more missions." "I also promised you a house in the Bahamas and I can't afford that without taking some side jobs here and there. They pay well, at least. Like they have an endless supply of funds." "Are you bleeding them for everything that you are worth?" She asked, tucking her fingers be
Adelia's Point of ViewI woke up with an ache in my back. A kink in my neck. And the vague feeling of someone trampling all over my body in the process.But what had I expected from sleeping on the floor?Nessa had covered me with a blanket. Gave me a pillow that now lay in the middle of the floor. But had left me here. Either because she was also tired or because she knew I wanted to be with Siya during the night.However, there stood two other empty beds right there. She must have been tired then.Groaning, I sat up. Massaged my scalp with much-needed vigor before inhaling deeply."Morning, sunshine," A groan came from the bed in front of me. Hoarse but there.For a fraction of a second, I wondered if I had misheard. If the voices in my head now became a permanent thing. So, I kept staring down until a chuckle, warm and light, wrapped around me."Not going to greet your mate?" Siya asked and I finally jerked my head up to look at the bed.He was sitting up. Had a cup of hot tea in
Adelia's Point of ViewSiya fell asleep shortly after Nessa came into the room. Clocked out with a smile on his face and his fingers tracing the side of my neck. Happy. Content."I didn't think the first round of healing would have already helped him," Nessa breathed, clearing the plate and cup away from is bed.My eyes refused to look anywhere but at him. Took in every inch of his skin and then all the way back. As if to remind myself that he was here. Alive. On the road to recovery. "I didn't think it would help, either, but it is a starting point. We just need to keep him stress-free for as long as possible." I murmured and leaned forward to kiss his temple.When I moved away, the air seemed to drop in temperature. Went from hot and humid to almost icily cold. Being close to him might have been the only true source of heat in my world from now on."Did you bring him clothes and stuff from Noha Khoeli or do I have another reason to drain your bank account some more?" Nessa asked, c
Adelia's Point of ViewI ran over to the pack house in wolf form, leaving the SUV from last night behind in case Nessa or Aiden needed something. Or if Siya's condition somehow got worse. Another thing I needed to add to the growing list of shit I had to do to get my pack back on track.My Beta needed a car. Aiden needed a car. Siya would need a car. All in the name of the pack. For when they had to do things whilst someone else was busy. Meetings in other packs. Medical emergencies. Great.As I passed by several of the shops in town, people waved. Smiled and called my name. Children dodged into the streets just to be closer. As if they had missed me for the last few days.Noticed my absense in a way I never thought they would.It was heartwarming. Made me feel as if I belonged somewhere. That whatever I was doing was right and justified. Making the lives around me a better place.I yipped in response, the entire way home. Announced to everyone that I was home and happy to be back.
Micheal's Point of ViewWaking up next to Nadia felt strange and refreshing at the same time. Seemed to remind me that there was more to life than scheming and thinking up wicked plans on how to make sure one stayed alive. Seeing her beside me also made sure that my mind didn't wander. Wanted to be on its best behaviour.Our argument from last night still rang in my ears. Still vibrated through my chest when I thought about it for too long. And waking up before the sun was up meant that I thought about it for far too long.Nadia and I had stayed in the main house last night. No fancy apartment the way Ciaran and Bellamy's family had. Although, the main house meant I had more freedom to roam. More liquor to consume. As if I hadn't had enough last night. One thing about these wolves was that they spared no expense at all. Indulged fully when they wanted to but knew when to stop the moment things got too much.Against Nadia's dismay, we never spent time alone together last night. Was
Adelia's Point of ViewAlvara and Teagan made a makeshift tent in front of me, giving me just enough privacy to turn back without letting anyone see anything unsavory.Although the children had promised their mothers to carry on playing with their dads, the moment they realized I was about to shift back, they came swarming. Launched themselves at the blanket being held up by their moms. Through a lot of berating and explaining, we came to a conclusion with them. They could sit and watch the shift, being too young to realize nudity was anything to be ashamed of. But only if they sat still. Remained silent throughout the process, making no comments. I understood their curiosity when it came to these things. All pups adored watching their elders shift and change. It made them giddy to change as well, one day. But the moment I was fully back in my body, my friends wrapped the blanket around me tightly. Tucked in the duck tails beneath my armpits so that I could hold the fluffy monstro
Michael's Point of ViewWe were leaving tonight. Or somewhere along that line. Ciaran had come into the main kitchen not long after my little conversation with Ulrich to inform me of the plans. His hair had been messed up, lips dry and cracked, and like Ulrich, wore only pants that barely covered his hips.There was no doubt in my mind about what the majority of them got up to.And a pang of jealousy had hit me harder than a ton of bricks because of it. By the time I went back to the room, I found Nadia awake and packing up what little things she had around the room. Her back was toward me, and her hips swayed gently to a melody only she could hear.Moments like this very one was what got to me. The normalcy we had. The adoration of your partner for simply doing something cute in the moment. It reminded me of the life we loved so much. Of the home we had back in the States with all of our friends and family.Well, her friends. My family. She was an only child to divorced parents. I
Adelia's Point of View"I think I need to get some clothes and stuff before I head back. Nessa is doing another session on Siya at around one and I wanted to help her sort out some of her house before then." I declared as Alvara, Teagan and I walked across the grove towards my home.Because according to the papers Ozias was drafting, one day soon, it would truly be mine and no one else's. This place, all ten acres of it, would be my new home. Permanent home.Along with the pack, of course, but I never truly had a stable home to call my own before. This would be the first. And Alvara had no idea how much it meant to me."You really don't have to stay there, Del. We are leaving tonight, as we had planned from the start and this is your home," Teagan explained, looking a bit sad at the fact that they were going.But I would be as well, considering she was going back to a literal sand dune. Nothing but sand and beige to see for miles and miles. Except when you went to the beach but with
Adelia's Point of ViewThey both cleaned up well. Looked dashing in their suits. But the scene in front of me was obscenely strange. Two fully grown men hiding behind a bush. One with an empty glass of some type of alcohol in hand. The other laughing maniacally into the dark If it hadn't been for me noticing their scents nearby, we wouldn't have found them at all.With their vantage, they could see the entire party perfectly. Still, they chose to hide away. Watched from the outside.And the moment they turned around to look at us, both of their jaws dropped to the floor.I knew Nessa had done a good job of styling me. Knew I looked better than I had ever done before. But their reactions were priceless. Worth every single burn Nessa had given me when she tried to curl my hair for the updo."Close your mouths, boys, it's fly season." Nessa joked from beside me. Chortled when all Michael could do was curse again, eyes digging up my flesh inch by inch. Siya wasn't far behind. Let his ey
Siya's Point of ViewI was a mated male.For one, I couldn't believe I wasn't dead yet. At the end of my twenties and I was still alive and well. Or as well as I could be, given that my body was a royal fuck up at the moment.But not dead. Not yet. And not anytime soon. Second, I was mated and in a new pack. Watched now as my old pack members streamed into a lush and vibrant garden made up for them and only them. To welcome them into a new and more stable home.If only the rest of my pack could have followed as well. Could have escaped the hell that was now Noha Khoeli.My mother would have been proud to see me now. Would have loved to know that her son was not only living but thriving. Saddened by the fact that her daughter had turned into such a cruel monster, yes, but glad to know her son had escaped that reality."Well, don't you clean up well," Michael crooned as he approached me from behind.I was standing in the shadows. Avoided anyone looking at me yet. Speaking to me. Mainly
Adelia's Point of View"Stop fussing! Everything has been sorted outside. It is two hours before the ceremony starts, we need to get ready!" I screeched at Nessa, hand clamped around her wrist and pulling her furiously into my walk-in closet.She was finding every reason in the book not to go inside and look at all of her options. From the decor to the food and everything in between. "Shit needs to be perfect and that fucking florist put one too many fucking roses in the centerpieces," She argued back whilst pulling away from me.A child with a new toy, that's what she was acting like right now."One too many roses isn't going to kill anyone, Nessa! But we can't be late for our own party," I hissed again and finally dragged her the rest of the way into the closet.The overhead lights flickered on the second they detected us. Flooded the small but packed space with light. And shimmers and sparkles from the clothes around us. This was where I kept most of my fancy clothes. The kind t
Adelia's Point of ViewI left Michael at the pack house with Aiden.Both men were walking around the place, making sure that every security measure under the sun was well in place. Nukes weren't the only threat we had to face. If Phaedra wanted to she could send an entire army to come and eviscerate us for what we had done to her pack. A tit for tat kind of thing. So the men peacocked around, trying to figure out every single weak point within the pack house grounds."I'm back," I called into the house and closed the door behind me.Groans sounded throughout the house, coming from upstairs. Groans. Moans. A few curses every once in a while. This was followed by a shrill voice that I couldn't make out the words from.Making my way up the stairs, I felt my teeth grind together as the groans intensified. Nessa was doing a number on her brother and showed zero remorse.When I walked in, she was straddling his ass, working her hands up and down the length of his spine. Siya's face was tw
Adelia's Point of ViewHis lips were as soft as I had remembered them. As intoxicating as well. But this time, his hands roamed my body freely. Hungrily. Claiming every inch as if he would never have the chance again. As if he needed to feel me to believe that we were doing this.Settling my own hands in his hair, I pulled his face away and smiled at him softly. Felt my heart still beating a mile a minute as he stared down at me. Blue eyes were half-lidded and twinkling when he looked down at me. Smiling like a damned fool.Ever so slowly he brushed a hand down the side of my face. Swept some of my baby hair back behind my ear. "You are so utterly beautiful that I might just die from looking at you too long." He whispered, breathing fanning my face in a minty puff. I rolled my eyes and shook his head for him. "That was maybe the cheesiest thing you have ever said to me," I bemoaned, unable to look even a tad bit disgusted by it.Because he could say those things to me my entire lif
Adelia's Point of ViewFor the first night where both of my mates were with me, we all collectively decided to sleep on our own. Not because I wouldn't have loved it to be the filling between both men but rather because neither of them felt very comfortable with that yet.Which was to be understood.I wouldn't know how to feel sleeping with my mate and his other mate.But Nessa's couches slept like utter shit! The girl had really said 'fashion and fuck the rest'. They were lovely to look at. Wonderful to curl up on. Horrendous for the back. So, when I finally woke up, I felt like an old woman climbing out of her coffin. My spine was shot to hell. Knees creaked from having had to curl them to my chest for the entire night.And if I felt this way, I didn't even want to know how Michael must have felt."We really should have brought another mattress," I groaned and stretched. Some of my limbs popped in their sockets, making me wince.Siya grumbled something into his pillow on the mattre
Adelia's Point of View"And you made sure to ask him that everything was disabled? Thrown away? Burned?" Nessa screeched, hands on her hips as she paced the length of the living room.Every time she passed Aiden, he reached for her but she was having none of it. Dodged his efforts every single time with a dip of her shoulder. Or a sneer when he got too close to calming her down."Ozias asked Dargan to check everything. He even sent over a plan of the house and where Ciaran placed everything," Michael explained and let his eyes dance over to mine. "He also apologized profusely for what his Alpha has done." "In what regard? Because everything he has done has been more than fucked up from what I hear." Nessa seethed again.Aiden made a last lunge towards her and when she dodged out of his way, he threw his hands up in exasperation. Looked done with trying. Hell, with living at this point.It was funny to witness them together.Him, the pragmatic planner who thought shit through. Her, wh
Michael's Point of ViewShe was fine. More than fine, actually, from the looks of things. Adelia was joking and laughing. Kidding around with Siya and his lack of cooking skills. Made fun of the fact that a carrot nearly took him out. And her with him, if she hadn't stopped healing him when she had. But she was bubbly and happy. Looked relaxed, even when I tried to tickle her feet. Or got her to snort coffee through her nose by accident.This felt comfortable. Easy. Like this was the place I had always been destined to find. A home I always needed to occupy.Logically she had tried several times to get back to planning. Or tried to sneak away with her phone, just to make a few calls, she had assured us. Neither of us let her, on orders of the Beta of the pack.Your first healing was as taxing on the body as your first shift. Something I had to keep in mind once I won her over and got her to turn me. The process and changes of it all were grueling enough that even Alpha pups were
Adelia's Point of ViewI was helped down the stairs. Helped, like a damned invalid. All because my body had decided healing a gash on an arm was one too much.Sure, give it a kidnapping. Nearly being killed. Being held captive by your deranged mother. Escaping said Mother. Organizing one large ass ceremony. And everything in between. But goddess forbid I tried healing someone. That was just fucking unacceptable.At first, both had offered to help me down. Neither wanted the other to help. A few glares had been exchanfged. Maybe a profanity or two, said through their eyes and luckily not their mouths.By the time they were done with their pissing contest, I was already at the door, tired of their bullshit. Scolded them for handling me like I was broken and not just tired. That had been the final straw for them to back off. Michael had been the winner in the end, to my utter dismay.His hand around my waist and my arm around his shoulders caused us to touch all up my side. Forced so m