Asher gently set me down on his bed as he leaned back on his ankles and stared up into my face, but he didn't touch me."Are you okay?" He whispered.Am I okay?! No, I am most certainly not okay! Him and Jake both just completely humiliated me in front of everyone. I'm angry. I'm embarrassed. But most of all, I'm hurt! I just lightly nodded. "I'm fine." My voice was quiet and dry.He raised his hand and I flinched when he touched my stinging cheek."I'm so sorry," he stated but stopped to look me dead in the eyes."It's a little too late for apologies now, don't you think?" I stared right back at him, not feeling an ounce of remorse.He lightly nodded. “Yeah, I guess you're right."Asher stood up away from me and paced around the room, running his hands over his face.I didn't know what to say. What do I say? Everything I wanted to say earlier had fled my mind and only anger filled me now."Why did you come tonight?" Asher finally asked, spinning to look down at me.I scoffed. "Harpe
I lost count on how many times we made love last night and now I was lying here next to a sleeping Asher and I couldn't take my eyes off of him.The sun had risen over the horizon hours ago but I didn't move a muscle. I didn't want him to wake just yet because I wasn't ready to leave his bed. I could actually stay here for days."Like what you see?" Asher's raspy, sleep filled voice startled me as I giggled into his shoulder."Sorry," I replied as a blush crept into my cheeks.He opened his eyes and looked down at me with a sexy grin. "Don't be sorry. I like what I see, too."Flashbacks from our too close and personal moment in his kitchen weeks ago came flooding into my mind and my heart rate picked up.And then I go and ruin the moment. "When do you leave?"He groaned and ran his hand over his face. "Really? You have to go and start talking about that right now?""Sorry. It just sort of came out."He stared back into my eyes, studying my face. "I wish things could be different but w
"Dillon!!" I heard Mom scream.So I picked up my pace down the stairs and found Dillon holding Asher against the wall by his throat."Stop it!!" I nearly jumped on Dillon's back and he was in such a rage that his reflexes took over and he elbowed me right in the face, which made me land with a cry and a thud on the hard floor beneath us."Dillon! What have you done?!" Mom exclaimed as she came over to me.Dillon finally let Asher go when he saw what he had done."Layla!" Dillon came toward me but I swatted his hand away."You son of a bitch!" Asher barked, coming to my aid as he pushed Dillon out of the way."Don't touch my sister!" Dillon growled, grabbing Asher and pulling him backwards.And I turned crazy!"Stop it right now!!" My voice overpowered the room. "If you touch him again, Dillon, it will be the last thing you ever do!""Layla!" Mom scolded me but I ignored her as I got to my feet and shoved Dillon away from Asher."I'm tired of this! I don't know what your problem is wit
I was free from my unhealthy attraction to him. With him being gone I can actually focus on my future and move on with my life.Sure, my heart hurt, but at least I wasn't Gina. Just thinking about her and what I found out was tearing me apart. How did I not know anything about this? Did anyone else know? It didn't seem like anyone did, and I wasn't going to be the one to tell anyone. Why bring up the past?I couldn't be here any longer so I made my way out the front doors and found my car in the student parking lot. I was exhausted and just wanted a nap.Tomorrow would be another day. ~~~~~~~But tomorrow turned into an endless amount of dull, empty days that led me to graduation day.High school would officially be over at 7:15pm today and then I would be off to art school in the fall. All alone.Harper was going to Seattle with Tate and I was staying here in Portland. Which didn't bother me. It would be a completely fresh new start. A place where I wouldn't know anyone. Well, at le
SEVEN YEARS LATERI hadn't seen or heard a single word from Asher Creed in seven years. Seven long, grueling, lonely years, and when Harper or her mom would bring him up, I politely asked them to change the subject. So, of course, after asking them a few times they learned that Asher was still a touchy subject around me so they stopped talking about him altogether.The only way I knew anything about him and his life was over the internet. I didn't get much other than the professional photo's from his skateboarding career and a few shots from the paparazzi. Asher kept his life a secret. He didn't even have social media. He was like a ghost in the celebrity world. Nobody even knew where he came from, other than his managers and agents, of course, but his fans were clueless about the details of his life.I tortured myself quite often when I sat in my office all alone in the evening hours and searched for Asher online. At this very moment, I was staring at the most recent photo the papara
Then I laughed at Harper. "Yes, I have a few days off. I told him the wedding was out of town and being hosted at a resort in the mountains. Don't worry. I won't ditch out on you.""Good. I gave you and Mark the other honeymoon suite in our building. You cool with that?" She eyed me speculatively.Mark and I hadn't slept together or in the same bed in months, but we lived together and were comfortable with one another. Besides, we were adults."I'm sure that will be fine." Then my mind drifted to the one question that had been gnawing at me for weeks. A question that shouldn't matter, but it did."I don't know if he'll be there." I whipped my head up to Harper and glared at her. I didn't accidentally ask the question out loud, did I? "I saw it on your face," she answered my silent mind chatter. "He hasn't RSVP'd and Tate said he hasn't talked to any of the guys in a few months."I shrugged and sipped my wine when the waitress set our drinks down. "So, you have the dinner finally all f
I'm not going to turn around.Nope. Not going to do that. Maybe if I don't turn around then he won't really be there.But then I turned around.Asher Creed stood right in front of me with his piercing grey eyes and his overwhelming scent of sandalwood.He looked even more glorious now than I ever remember. How is it legal to be this attractive?!"You look amazing," he finally said with a deeper than normal voice as his eyes traveled down to my lips before meeting my eyes again.My brain wasn't functioning. No words were coming out and I was frozen to my spot."Layla? You okay?" This came from Mark behind me and I finally blinked.I saw how Asher was sizing Mark up before he stuck his hand out for Mark to shake."Hey. I'm Asher. The bride's brother."Mark took his hand. "Mark. I'm..."I cut him off. "My boyfriend."What?! I finally had the courage to speak and those were the words that came out?!Asher eyed me suspiciously but then smiled at Mark. Mark thankfully didn't correct me and
"Mind if I join?"I whipped my eyes open and looked up to find Asher standing above me in his briefs, and holy smokes was his body amazing!! He was more muscular than before and his tattoos went further than just his arms. Good lord, I'm in trouble."It's a free country..."Seriously?Get it together, Layla! He lightly chuckled as I watched him slowly get into the hot tub and sit just a few inches away from me, but he was careful not to touch me."Mmmm..." he moaned out with his eyes closed and I immediately dropped my mouth open and gawked at him.Is he trying to kill me right now?!He opened his eyes and looked at me and I quickly tore my gaze away."I didn't know if you'd be here or not," he finally spoke."Seriously? Your sister is my best friend and you didn't know that I'd be here?"He laughed, his glorious white teeth beaming back at me. "All right. I knew you would be." Then his smiling mouth turned to his dangerous grin and I had to look away."Well, I can honestly say I had
Shifting perspectivesMADALINAMy stomach was upset, and my mouth was dry. Apparently, my body underwent a range of reactions due to the most important event of my new life. I would be the center of attention, all eyes filled with judgment on me. Even before, I never enjoyed public events or parties, and rather let my brother fulfill such a role. Alex was an extrovert like no other, never experiencing an increased heart rate or sweating when giving out a speech. And although I wasn't afraid of speaking up my mind, my attitude was more... military oriented? I was not good at sugarcoating or putting on a perfect-smile façade. And yet, that was exactly what I was about to do tonight.I stood before the mirror, my gaze fixed on the reflection staring back at me. Who was this woman and what did she do with Madalina Crud?Carrie had chosen for me a stunning long dress with bare shoulders in the shades of dark red. It was definitely a departure from my usual style of leather pants and milita
When I first learned about Carrie's idea to throw a big welcome party for Madalina, I was a little hesitant. Ever since we arrived at my pack, my mate has faced a barrage of unwarranted prejudice due to her different background. No one dared to confront her or me directly, but the silent whispers were there. People stared. At me. At her.It was mostly due to all those horrible crimes her family was responsible for. Her family had tortured lone wolves, treating them like slaves. Sadly, even my mate took part in it, blindly manipulated by her parents. Though with each new day, I could see how much she regretted all her past actions. I may have gotten a second chance at love, but Madalina got her second chance at normal life. And she was going to prove to everyone that she no longer was the ruthless, stone-cold werewolf slayer.The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the preparations for the grand evening were in full swing. Decorations adorned every corner, bringing vibrant colors an
Unwelcome newsAIDENUpon Jerome's resignation, I was faced with an enormous workload that made me truly grasp the extent of his responsibilities on my behalf. An Alpha was like a lost puppy without his Beta. Despite Scott shadowing Jerome for many years, he struggled to fulfill the role with the same efficiency. Regrettably, Scott was caught between his previous Gamma duties and attempting to assume the Beta position. Our pack was huge in size, and leading it was never meant to be a solitary endeavor. It necessitated a cohesive team, which, unfortunately, I did not have.Days started to merge, and I couldn't tell the difference between light and dark, granting me less and less time for my mate. And I hated it. I hated leaving Maddie alone, even though I could count on Carrie to keep her company. But it would be irresponsible of me to just ignore the escalating situation in my pack and simply lock myself in the room with my gorgeous woman. I was an Alpha and sometimes I needed to put
Notre DameMADALINAIt has been a whole week since I moved to Black Forest pack, but nothing has changed significantly.My mate was incredibly busy, leaving our room early in the morning and returning at night. His Beta stepped down and he now had only his Gamma to support him. Aiden's father tried to help too, but it wasn't common practice to see a retired Alpha interfering in the pack's business. Moreover, it would shed a bad light on Aiden, putting him in the position of not being competent enough to lead the pack if daddy needed to hold his hand.. Eventually, it would motivate ambitious males outside the pack to come and conquer the place, seeing Aiden as a weak element that could be easily challenged and eliminated. Status was everything in the werewolf's world.Aiden spent the entire week searching for a proper candidate for the Gamma position. He wanted to promote the current Gamma to Beta. That man seemed to be one of a few who were loyal to Aiden and openly supported him desp
"Go back to your own kind. Leave our pack before facing further humiliation."I cleared my throat before speaking, controlling the fiery rage that tortured me. Oh, the fantasies that danced in my mind - to give her a taste of her own venomous words, to unleash that never-ending thirst in me, and sink my fangs deep in her flesh until she begged for her life. To punch that nasty mouth and show her true fear.But could I afford such scandal on my first day among werewolves? As much as I wished to make her pay, I concluded she simply wasn't worth the trouble with my mate. I came here to be a better person.Hence, I put my old habits aside and kept the fight on a verbal level."Oh, wow, thank you so much for your unsolicited prophecy! How fortunate I am to have you... whoever you are, enlighten me about my inevitable fate. Your concern for my well-being and humiliation is truly heartwarming. Clearly, your wisdom knows no bounds. Perhaps I should bow down and seek your guidance on all life
Fire tangoMADALINANerves fluttered in my stomach when his family first approached me. Will they grimace in disgust? Will they be bothered by the presence of a vampire? I had all those questions clawing at my mind, terrifying me. But what I experienced... it was something entirely unexpected.In a flurry of introductions and warm smiles, my unease began to dissipate. I stared at Aiden's mother, who exuded a genuine kindness which I found both comforting and bewildering. Not like my own mother, who only veiled her real personality under a sweet, innocent face. My mother carried the mask of kindness, pretending to be a good person, a victim of horrible crimes for which, after all, she was primarily responsible. But the warmth in Amelia's eyes and the way she squeezed my hand indicated she was genuinely happy for her son and accepted me as I was.Aiden's sister, Carrie, was a vibrant young woman. Her presence required attention as she effortlessly owned the room with her wild and loud p
"I'll get some drinks. It's time to celebrate." Carrie winked at us and rushed to one of the Omegas, splashing instructions."Okay, I guess." Maddie placed a light kiss on my lips to ensure me she would manage to survive my family. I didn't need to worry about her. My mate wasn't any shy damsel in distress. If anyone annoyed her, she would deal with it. I promised her not to be away for long and left her with mom and Carrie.On the way to my office, I met my dad. He had arrived at Black Forest pack before us."Jerome knows." He informed me shortly. I sighed, feeling how a big lump formed in my throat. My Beta had already learned about the death of his son.~~~~~~~"We are currently providing shelter for over a hundred lone wolves. The majority of them have already applied for asylum but some haven't decided yet. They still consider returning to their original village once all is settled. Anyhow, we can't accommodate them all permanently. We are running short on resources. But the disc
. Bitter tollAIDENMadalina squeezed my hand when we passed through the main gate to my pack. The Black Forest pack was one of the largest packs in Yukon, providing a home to thousands of people, mostly werewolves. We had several witches among us, as well as humans. Overall, it was a great place to live in. Despite the isolation within the mountains, our civilization thrived.The air carried the scent of freshly bloomed flowers, intermingled with the sweet aroma of home-cooked meals waffling from the houses. The streets were alive with the joyous spirit of community, as people strolled leisurely, their smiles radiant and genuine. Children reveled in their innocence, their laughter echoing through the pathways, while the sun cast a gentle glow upon their carefree games.We lived in peace, surrounded by beautiful nature, and I couldn't wait to show it all to my beautiful mate. Therefore, I was stunned when we finally arrived at my pack and the streets were empty. Gone was also the melo
Raindrops farewellAIDENI was glad that my mate agreed to live with me in my pack. I understood the depth of sacrifices she had undertaken to be with me. Her departure from her family was due to forbidden love and it led to her being estranged by her own parents. They cut off any future physical contact with her and although she tried to be strong and not to show it, I knew it bothered her tremendously. At least her brother, despite being a sick psychopath, stood by her side.And now, I was going to be her family and I would do anything to make her happy.When I returned to the safe house together with Madalina, the place was emptied. Only my father stayed with a couple of soldiers. He was eager to meet my mate and shook her hand a bit too enthusiastically that I had to remind him to keep it cool. As surprising as it was, my dad was very open-minded and didn't care about Madalina's origin. I assumed after all he had to go through in his life, he understood how precious true love was.