He drove us to an Italian restaurant right on the beach and the smells were amazing. The ocean breeze came in and cooled off my warm skin that became flushed when I looked at Asher across the table.He smiled up at me and then pointed at something on the menu. "The meatballs are to die for."I looked down at the menu item and read the options. It did sound really good."I've never been here and rarely eat Italian other than pizza. You decide for me." I closed the menu and sipped on my water. I wanted to see how he'd react."Cool." He grinned and then the waiter came over and took our order."So..." I started, "how's your skateboarding going?" Asher had been into skateboarding for as long as I could remember and when he wasn't making out with random girls, he was on his board.He grinned. "This isn't a date, Stanford. You don't have to do the whole small talk thing."I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and pushed my blonde hair off my shoulder. "I was just trying to fill the void...dick
I shook my head and finally turned to him. "Get off my porch...""No," he hissed and pinned me with his gaze."You are a complete asshole!! Sleeping with you was the biggest mistake I ever made!" I was screaming. My emotions broke free and I began to tear up. "I am so fucking stupid! I could never be with someone like you anyway!"Then he crashed his lips onto mine, and damn it, I kissed him back.We frantically pulled and tugged at each other as Asher opened the front door. By the time we stepped in, we were both half naked and he had me pressed me up against the wall as his hands roamed over me. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth and I let him.He picked me up and set me on the entryway table as he tugged my panties down, not breaking our kiss. And then he dropped his own pants just as he grabbed his cock and pushed himself into me with force. I was wet and ready. He stretched and filled until he was balls deep.I moaned into his mouth as he bit my bottom lip and thrust his
I almost had a heart attack this morning. Asher had just got dressed after we gathered all of our strewn out clothes around the foyer before he kissed me with a smile and left.No later than his truck left the street, did my brother pull into the driveway.Holy shit!That was way, way, way too close! It would be one thing for Harper to find her brother in my bed, but if Dillon found him there... fists would fly and one of them would end up in the hospital."Hey, what are you doing at the door?" Dillon asked me with a weird, confused look on his face."I-I thought I heard someone knocking," I lied. My heart pounded in my chest and I honestly didn't know what else to say. I was freaking out internally! But doing a good job holding it in."Strange..." He walked in past me and tossed his keys down on the table. "What happened here?"My cheeks flushed as I looked at the table where Asher fucked me just hours before. The plant was nearly falling off the table and the picture frames were all
"She is. I don't want you breaking my bestie's heart because you can't keep it in your pants!! I know how you treat girls and she is not a conquest for you to stick your dick in and then ditch. I don't want to lose my best friend because you're an asshole. She deserves way better than you anyway."I swallowed. Oh, if she only knew what was going on...The guys at the table laughed and Asher shook his head. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."Asshole! I smacked his arm and shoved him away from me. "You are an asshole! I do deserve better." Then I shoved a fry in my mouth and glared at him.And he gave me a look that I couldn't decipher."I need to pee..." I shoved my food away and stood up. Harper usually came with me but she stayed by Tate as I made my way toward the bathrooms around the building.I found an open stall and did my business when I heard two giggling girls come in."Oh my God. Did you see Asher? Gah, he is so yummy. I am so jealous of Harper!""Why? If you were his siste
It was total torture watching Asher and some random girl grind on each other in front of me. And of course I had to hide my emotions because Harper was sitting right next to me.Ugh! Get your hands off of him! I was throwing daggers at the bimbo in Asher's arms and I hoped she felt them.Then he looked in my direction and locked eyes with me, but I quickly looked away. I didn't want him to know that I was loathing over here."Hey. You staying at my place tonight?" Harper asked, breaking through my thoughts.I nodded. "Yeah, probably."And then I felt giddy knowing I would be staying at Harper's so I could sneak down to Asher's room while she slept.My eyes moved back toward Asher and the girl and I almost snapped when I saw them. They were making out and she had her hands up his shirt.Fuck!That should be me out there with him. Not her!I watched Asher whisper something into her ear and then they walked off the dance floor and headed toward the parking lot.This was the hard part and
Asher had texted me several times and each time I would read them, I would delete them and never reply. I had absolutely nothing to say to him.Deleted Messages:A: i'm sorryA: i know im an asshole. but please text me back.A: layla... come on... talk to me.A: ... seriously?!A: layla... im coming over!Obviously, he never came over, and I was extremely thankful for that. But even if he did, I would tell Dillon to tell him I wasn't here. If they were even able to get words out before one of them threw a punch.Harper had even tried to text and call a few times and I ignored her too. I just wanted to be left alone. I was too emotional to be around her right now and I didn't want her getting suspicious, because once she saw how screwed up I was emotionally, she would ask a million questions. I couldn't tell her that I had fallen for her brother, was sleeping with him, and then he fucked another girl.She had said her piece at Tommy's and now I wish I would have listened to her and fol
"Layla, please... You have to understand.""Oh, I understand just fine. You wanted to push me away? Well, you did it. Now stay away from me!""I can't," he admitted, "and I don't want to."I laughed and shook my head. "So, you're okay with telling your sister about us? Your parents? What about your buddies and all your groupies? Are you ready to watch your reputation get flushed down the toilet?"He paused as he stared into my eyes. I could tell that he was scared shitless."Don't worry, Asher.... your secret is safe with me." I turned and left him standing in the locker room. I just couldn't do it anymore.I went home. I could not be there knowing that probably every girl that I came in contact with had probably done something with Asher.I knew about his lifestyle and what he did, but after being with him and sharing special moments together, I just couldn't stomach it right now.Thank God we're all graduating in just over a month and then I'll be off to college and I won't have to
Jake was surprisingly being a real gentleman at dinner. He didn't put his hands on me once. Which was a huge feat for him. He always seemed to be touching me when he was near me. "So..." we both started at the same time and then laughed, feeling awkward. But Jake continued, "You're okay with being out with me right? I know you were having a secret affair with Asher and... well, with him being my best friend, I just want to make sure you're cool with this." Wow. I wasn't expecting that. Even though I had no idea what I was expecting. "Why wouldn't I be cool with it? Asher and I were just having fun." Yeah, I was using his words. "Now it's over with." I gave him a fake smile and sipped from my drink. Jake raised his eyebrows and lightly laughed. "Asher is probably going to kick my ass for this." "Why? I was never his." Now if that wasn't the biggest lie that's ever come out of my mouth. "That's not how he portrayed it to me and Tate. I've never seen Asher sleep with a girl more th
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.