I’m dying inside. I even said the words “I need you inside me.” I’d sworn never to beg again and there I was, legs spread begging the man who breaks my heart on a fucking whim to shove his way inside me. I just don’t learn. Every time. I fall, relax around him, around anyone really, I find myself standing over another trapdoor. Elle interrupting my mate bond, Ayr offering to hide me like a mistress. Now this. I’ve got my composure, that’s about it. As I quickly trotted my way down the steps, Ayr sprinted to catch up, buttoning his shirt. In the murky dark of the corridor, we were completely alone. “Hey! Cass!” he growled, grabbing my hand. “Let me go!” “Not until you listen to what I have to say,” but I have to get out of here. I won’t cry in front of him. I’m just going to find Robyn and get the fuck out. I’ll camp outdoors, find a shack. It can’t be too hard considering this pack is on its ass. “You’ve buttoned your shirt wrong dickhead,” wrenching my wrist out his grip, my
I charge, my pulse already sprinting ahead of my thinking. Slamming the door shut, there isn’t much I can do in this huge festival of cushions. I need to plan because I’m going to fight. I’m not giving in easy. I want the struggle. Crave it.Because I know when we do both give in to what we want it’s going to be unreal. I haven’t touched him properly yet. I want to see his dick. I want to take it in my mouth and see if I can make his eyes roll to the back of his head. See if he dares call me his good girl when I play with his balls and take him so deep he cries out and fills my mouth. I want to be his possession just as keenly as he wants to conquer me. Tomorrow, I can be Cassandra the Lunatic Packhouse Ghost. Right now, there is no time for regrets. I jump as Ayrs footsteps thunder towards the door, presumably after linking his Beta’s to thoroughly remind them to leave him the fuck alone for a while. My heart is pumping pure adrenaline. The large wood-panelled boxiness of his be
Raggedly breathing in that dank corridor, everything is madness. That was the purest, rawest form of pleasure I’ve ever experienced. Nothing like I expected anyway. I'd thought finally being that intimate with someone would be a purely physical sensation. Except every time her body fluttered and clenched around me, moving as one, I felt our connection strengthen. That grip wrapping around my lungs, my heart,powered my final thrusts inside, chasing the feeling of our wolves colliding, her eyes sparkling. It was overwhelming in every way..Laid in my arms, red-cheeked and smiling away, her chestnut curls were splayed across the wooden floor. She reaches up for me, and I doubt she has any idea how it feels to have her hands on my cheeks. To be wanted and brought down to her lips. I might have just stalked and possessed her like prey. Except, to feel her choose me, even if just to plant a simple kiss on my lips, made me soar. I’m so fucking in love with her. “I…yeah I don’t have words
Staring up at the ceiling so I don’t breathe on her face, I try to guide myself back to earth. To the reality outside. Ten years of busting my balls as Alpha. Night after night of guard watches. The endless funerals, recruitment and training after battles. A constantly positive attitude in front of everyone whilst watching my world reduce to a mud filled failure. My father was a brick wall. Nothing shook him. But then he had to be cruel. It was a time of lies and betrayals. It still is, really. Volare is surrounded by packs but no allies. Could someone from my pack have met Elle? They never traced the thugs she hired. Well, to be accurate, it doesn’t sound like they ever put that much effort into tracing them. They could have been from any pack. I trust my Beta’s. My amy of brave fighting men. But I only trust my three closest friends with my life. I wouldn’t have anyone else stand guard over me as I slept. Would I have Cass? Despite the past couple of hours, I don’t even know
“Are we going to war because of her? For your mate?”I don’t even wait for a second before replying. “Absolutely not.”“Then why now?” Raphael urged. I encourage my Beta’s to talk openly, but right now, I could really do with people just doing as I bloody ask. I’m the Alpha. I know what my plan is, can that not be enough for once. “Because how much more can we take?”“Are you hoping if you fuck up Fenton enough Locksley will back off too, then you don’t need to marry Elle? Then you don’t have to choose between her and the pack?”I wish it was that simple.“No. No because she doesn’t want that…she doesn’t want to be my Luna. So even if those other fuckers evaporated overnight and we had peace, Cass will still be sneaking back over the border into Kallio.”“She’s going to kill Elle?”“She’s going to kill a fair few Elders too I would imagine,” I add, rubbing my temple. “So no. Maybe finding her has made me kick into action, but this is for Volare. Not me.”“Okay. Then I’ve got your bac
As soon as he left the bed, I woke up. There was no way to rest when his muscular warmth had been taken away. Plus, the longer I lay in the sheets, inhaling his whisky scent, the more tempting it was to just give it all up and stay here. Be his willing mistress. Goddess, I would be so desperately willing. Everything about his touch. gentle and rough felt right. Instead, I jumped out, wrapped a blanket around my naked body, and looked out of the window. Ayr was stalking out of sight. I savoured the image of his frame, how he naturally stands out in any crowd. The lamplight clinging to his sharp jaw and golden hair. “Love you too,” I found myself murmuring. I'm trying it on for size. I know I didn’t say it at the time. It was too big a leap to make myself vulnerable to someone who is openly planning to create a world without me in it. A world I intend to ruin by bringing down Elle. Still, it felt nice, my stomach curling, knowing just how his face would light up if he heard me sayi
We flew out of Volare and back into the lush green of Kallio. Heading north, we skirted the river as closely as possible until we hit forests. Talking for hours about anything and everything. Staying out of sight.Not just to avoid discovery, but because Kallio is starting to unravel. The newsletters are fanning resentment into outrage. Every outlying, tall cliff stack has black scorch marks. Things are finally happening.Resting the horses in the middle of the thick trees, I could have wept to realise Mrs Berrybrow had stuffed out backpacks full of baked treats. “She’s a good woman,” Robyn announces, biting into a wedge of pastry. Rooting through the bag, I notice the gold, twisted-vine necklace has been put back, too. Why would she do that? “Everything okay?” Robyn asked. I hesitated.“Just wondering how we’ll find your brother. Do you have any ideas?” “Keep going north? I wonder if they are behind this mayhem?” pointing to a burnt out granary. I try to eat, but the mate bond
It's Dominic. No doubt about it. His voice is thin as paper now, but it’s still him. The last time I saw him was inside the mine. My brain has steadily reduced that whirling terror to a few key images. My father's face, the bloody dagger at my feet. Dominics face, veins pulsing. When he realised, same as myself, that we'd been set up. He knows I am innocent. Dominic had been my training partner. Hours sparring on the heavy foam mats. Sweating, arms in agony from our swords clashing. One day, his expression switched. Steady to fierce before he roughly pressed his lips to mine. Looking back, it was a scandalous move. Seducing the daughter of his Alpha, knowing we weren't mates. At nineteen, I thought he was the bravest, most romantic man on earth. I’d spend blissful hours trailing my hands over his strong torso, admiring his olive-skinned ridges and ripples. His dark eyes sparkled with interest. Four years of blame later, I’m not naive anymore. I trust nobody. However, time appear