Mel's POV"Doc, how is my dad doing? Is he showing any improvement?" I ask, searching for any signs of uncertainty on his face."He's stable for now," he replies, adjusting his glasses.I narrow my eyes. "Is it okay if I see him?""What? Why would you want to see the man who almost killed you?" Bliss questions.I ignore her, focusing all my attention on the man that dares to lie to me.His face remains inscrutable. "I don't recommend that you do that, Beta. It could have him spiraling again," he says sternly.Damn, he's not cracking. I scowl. "Alright Doc, cut the shit-"The door suddenly burst open and in storms my Alpha...I mean our Alpha, with rage and worry clouding his gorgeous features. "Melanie, who the fuck hurt you?" he roars.Bliss bares her neck, but I can feel her trembling beside me while Nina's practically purring that he's here.I missed him too, but I'm also irritated that he's been gone so much, he won't tell me the reason, and I can't dig it out of anyone else."Spar
Mel's POVBliss is still standing in the corner with a shit-eating grin on her face. "When we get to the car, tell me everything!""There's really not much to tell. Besides, tomorrow I'm going to lose him anyway," I whisper.Nina whimpers inside of me. She'll be hurt for now, but just wait until the mate bond kicks in and she becomes infatuated with the Alpha we're mated to. I'll be left to grieve by myself.You're wrong. I'm your other half, so you'll feel the mate bond as strongly as I will. Fuck that!You did Promise Jaxon we would give the guy twenty-four hours. Shit, I forgot about that. I'll keep that promise, but there's no way this Alpha can convince me not to reject him."Do you need me to carry you?" Bliss asks."No, I'm good." I slide off the hospital bed and take a step, almost kneeling over again. Fuck that hurts, but I can already feel my bones rapidly healing. This pain won't last long. I suck it up and let her help me to the car again.We're both quiet for most of the
Mel's POV"Your mate punched me." I lift my shirt halfway so Patrick can view the full extent of the damage. "Then, she broke my ribs with a single kick."Elinda whips around. "Oh my Goddess, are you okay?"I nod with a grin. "Yep, she's going to be a badass warrior. I don't mind getting my ass whooped on my birthday, only by her of course."Bliss's face is red as hell as she sits down in her mate's lap. "Hmm, a badass? Show me some of that energy later," I hear him whisper in her ear."Eww guys, we can hear that," I pretend to gag.Elinda places plates of spaghetti in front of us before sitting down. "Time to eat, y'all!"I didn't even realize that Moon disappeared, but she runs into the room with Ava trailing behind her. They sit beside each other at the table."Babe, I can't wait until Melanie meets her mate tomorrow. She's going to be hanging off of the dude's nut sack," Pat teases.I roll my eyes. "Yeah okay. Ya’ll do know that my mate will try to take me away from y'all, right?"
Mel's POVI can smell his addictive scent on the shirts. That means he picked them out for me personally instead of having one of our warriors fetch them from the mall.My heart begins to beat way too hard and fast. It's like I can actually feel it breaking as I hold the Evanescence shirt in my hand.Elinda must have noticed the despondent look on my face because worry lines appear on her forehead as she stares at me. "What's wrong, sweetie?" she asks softly."I...I just need a moment," I croak, running out the back door. I lean against the railing on the porch as I take deep breaths, trying to pull myself back together.The waning gibbous in the sky is shining as if it's reminding me that the full moon is tomorrow. Within the pitch-black woods, five pairs of eyes watch me steadily. The warriors' are on babysitting duty like their Alpha ordered them to do.Asshole. He gets me the best gifts I could've asked for, and I can't even thank him in person. Why couldn't he be here tonight? He
Jaxon’s POVWe have been searching for Damon since Saturday night, but every time we pick up a trail, it gets cold. Like he's purposely baiting us to follow him and hiding his scent when we get too close.All I can think about is getting back to Melanie. I saw the disappointment on her face when I told her I needed to leave, and it fucking tore me in pieces. It took everything in me to walk out of that exam room. She was already injured and now instead of spending last night with her, I'm deep in the forest of Colorado hunting for a monster.Shadow has been howling in my head on and off for the past twenty-four hours that we need to go back and make sure she's okay, but I keep reminding him that we have a job to do. How can we be okay returning to her knowing that her father can try to kill her again at any time since he freed himself?While Ameer and I hide within a clump of trees with thick underbrush, Dusk and Rubeus perch in the trees above us. They haven't spoken a word all night,
Jaxon's POVWe come upon the cabin. It's still standing, but there's tall grass and rogue vines and other greenery from years of neglect.I can't smell him, but I can sense his dark presence from all the way out here.Ameer, Dominic, and the creepy brothers stand on the side, so he won't be able to see them right away."Damon, I know you're in there," I say calmly, listening for any movement in or outside the cabin.I count silently in my head and once I get to three, the door creaks open and out walks the man I loathe with my entire being. He's only wearing grey sweatpants as he leans against the porch, biting obnoxiously loud into an apple. There's a crazed look in his eyes that I immediately recognize as one I've only seen in werewolves who have lost their mate. He has no more cards to play. Nothing else to lose. "Jaxon, I've grown tired. We've been playing cat and mouse for six days now. Won't you leave your poor father alone to rest?""You are not my father!" I growl.His eyes fla
Jaxon's POVDamon shifts and immediately lunges at me, knocking us to the ground. I don't hesitate to sink my canines into his throat as we tumble through a grove of trees.Every attack has to be timed perfectly, Shadow. We miss, we die.We will make it back to our mate, he promises.The only advantage he has over me is more experience. Shadow is about the same size as his wolf now, and he can't use his Alpha tone to bitch me around anymore. It's as fair of a fight as we're going to get.The sounds of claws, teeth, and the shredding of flesh and fur fill the air. I can feel every wound he creates beneath my fur, but the adrenaline running through my veins is so powerful, the pain hasn't registered yet.Only once does he pin me down underneath him, but within a heartbeat, I’m able to flip him off. My nails dig up the earth as I retreat to a safe distance.I crouch defensively, preparing for another attack.We're both panting hard now. Blood, my blood, drips from his canines as he mirror
Jaxon's POVThe sun is just going down as we arrive back at the pack house. There is no trace of the party from last night. Only Bonnie and the other Omegas stay in the kitchen cleaning and preparing to leave for the night. That means Melanie must have left already.Ameer and I head upstairs to get ready for the Ball. I take a long shower, scrubbing off all the blood. My wounds are all nearly healed now. Watching the red liquid run down the drain, an image of Damon's mutilated body flashes in my mind and my veins instantly run cold despite the hot water streaming on my skin. I squeeze my eyes shut, shaking the image away.No, he isn't going to haunt me. Not tonight.I put on my purple tux, neaten my curls, and pull the small black velvet box from the top drawer of my nightstand. I saved this birthday gift to give to her personally. I hope she loves it as much as I do her.Ameer meets me at the foot of the steps wearing a black tux. He looks nervous himself, which is unlike him. "Have y
Mel's POV"He's beautiful, Luna.""He's going to grow up to be such a powerful Alpha."I force a smile, responding almost robotically to their comments and congratulations. I can't shake the feeling that someone's here that shouldn't be, but I'm not picking up any dark energy.When the line finally ends, Jaxon goes to mingle with the other Alphas. Since Zion is safely sleeping in the bassinet, I decide to walk around the building searching for the source of my anxiety. As I grab a flask of sparkling cider from one of the Omegas, I hear a familiar voice behind me. "Luna Melanie, it's nice to see you again," he rumbles, snapping me from my thoughts. It's Alpha Raeden with his mate at his side. "This is my Luna, Caroline."I smile warmly at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you.""Likewise. Your son is so beautiful, I'm still hoping that one day we'll be able to have a baby.""Thank you, and I hope you can too!"Raeden's eyes hold a quiet sadness, a reflection of the pain he must have felt w
Mel’s POVToday is Zion's grand debut with the pack. I dress him up in the most adorable little black suit and hand him over to Jaxon so I can get myself ready.The first few weeks of his life have been hectic, but I have enjoyed every second of it. When Jaxon and Ameer are busy with pack business, Bliss comes with us every time we leave the house. I don't mind the extra protection, plus I get to hang out with my best friend all the time.As I put on my dress and minimal makeup, my eyes are fixed on Jaxon cradling our son. The look of pride on his face is undeniable as he lovingly bounces him up and down, creating a gentle rhythm.I wish Damon would have ever looked at me that way, but I'm so grateful that Zion has a daddy that loves him unconditionally.Our son's adorable coos echo in the air and he has his tiny hand wrapped around Jaxon's finger. His smile widens, "that's right, Son. You're going to meet your pack and a few of our allies today," he says softly, "well, right after we
Mel's POVJudging by his erection, I assume he's excited about this confrontation. Maybe this was intentional, like he wanted to lure us out.There's a smug grin on his face as he gets closer, his yellow eyes twinkling with amusement."Take one more step and I won't hesitate to kill you," I warn callously. Nina flashes in my eyes, but that doesn't seem to deter him.He roars with laughter. "Aww, what are you going to do? I bet you can't even fight your own battles, huh Princess? Got those two men to be your body guards while you pretend to be the big bitch in charge?" he taunts.He couldn't be more wrong. Unlike Ayla, I can fight my own battles. They're just here for backup. But I don't need to prove shit to him.The other rogues are all gathered silently watching the show. They obviously don't want to get involved, or simply not stupid enough to do so.The rogues' leader narrows his brown eyes in recognition."Wait, aren't you that bitch that killed Alpha Kellan? When Alpha Magnus to
Mel’s POV"Jaxon, no fair! You know I'm carrying around a big-ass watermelon!" I growl, missing the volleyball for the twentieth time as he spikes it with all his strength.Ava bursts out laughing. "We win again!" She gives her brother a high five before running over to the ice chest and grabbing a juice box.Jaxon has a huge, cocky grin on his face as he makes his way over to me. "Sorry baby girl, you told not to take it easy on you unless I don't want to touch you for the rest of your pregnancy." He leans down to my ear. "Two months without that beautiful, tight pussy would kill me."I shudder at his words, pleasurable shivers going up my spine. His grin widens at the smell of my arousal. "Although, I'm sure you would've given in before the day was over."I scoff. "No, I wouldn't have."He raises his hands in surrender and takes a step back. "I won't be stupid enough to argue with my gorgeous, pregnant Luna."I shoot him a scowl but can't resist taking his hand as we walk along the
Jaxon's POVI shift and take off into the woods, ensuring that she's right behind me. Once we reach the packhouse, we quickly change into our evening attire and head to the dining hall to join our pack. It Looks like everyone is having a great time!Melanie kisses me passionately before heading off to find her sister and socialize with the rest of the pack. I grab a beer from the bar and sit at our table, watching my amazing mate surrounded by our pack with admiration.I can sense the incredible joy and pride radiating from her. Being embraced by a pack that used to treat her poorly means the world to her. They now accept her as the fierce, determined firecracker she is.Our Luna is perfect, Shadow purrs.She always has been and always will be.Ameer sits down beside me. "Y'all were gone for a while. I was about to send a search party out," he teases, throwing back a shot of whisky."I'd prefer my warriors not be traumatized like that," I chuckle lightly. Although, I'm sure everyone w
Jaxon's POVMy tongue plunges into her mouth, swallowing every whimper, moan, and cry as I pound into her mercilessly. The sound of our bodies clashing together echoes throughout the cave and it's hot as fuck. With one hand tightly gripping her waist, I close my other around her throat. I pull away from her mouth and slow down my pace to look at her. "I'm so proud of you," I breathe, "you're so amazing in every way and I'm grateful for every day that I get to call you mine."I can see the emotion in her eyes, and I know my words have touched her deeply. After what happened with Ayla, I know her heart was bruised from being used by someone she cared about and looked up to. But she knows my praise is genuine and out of love. She's everything to me, and I'll forever prove to her just how much she means to me.I don't know if she realizes it or not, but she's my saving Grace. She saved me from being a monster like her father. She saved me from the letting the darkness of losing both him a
Jaxon's POVI follow the lingering scent, leading me into a dark cave. My eyes quickly adjust to the lack of light, and I can practically feel the heat rolling off my mate from the other end of the cave. With my head hanging low and teeth bared, I close in on her like a predator about to pounce on its prey. Her eyes dart around, searching for an escape, but she quickly realizes there's no way out. As we both shift, I close the gap between us. She kneels, gazing up at me in the dark. A smirk forms on my face as I say, "Looks like you lost, baby girl. Better luck next time."Her eyes trail down my body until she reaches my throbbing erection. "Pity. Thought I could've gotten you a little more worked up first." Her tongue darts out to lick her lips. "Are you going to breed me, my dear Alpha?"My dick jumps at the idea. She'll grow a big, round belly with our pup, but she won't be in the kitchen. My fiery girl will be on the battlefield.I close my eyes, savoring her intoxicating scent. H
Jaxon’s POVIt's been three days since peace was restored in our world. We've got eleven packs without Alphas, but with Mel's help, Dusk and Rubeus are finding worthy replacements to preserve the peace we fought so hard for. Not only has she proven her worth to the pack, but she eliminated the most corrupt Alphas there were and prevented Ayla from literally taking over the world.Goddess, I can't even describe how thrilled I am that the bitch is dead. The moment she stabbed Melanie, she signed her ticket straight to hell. I'm grateful to both Dusk and Rubeus for being able to see past her bullshit and save me. They had me worried for a minute, but they came through in the end.Today is my mate's big day. She's combining her Luna ceremony and the recruits' graduation ceremony, and tonight we're having a huge feast to celebrate.After the recruits swear their loyalty to me and the safety of the pack, Melanie sinks into the water beside me. The thin material of her white dress hardly con
Mel's POV"B-But how?" Ayla stammers, still in shock."In a dream, the Moon Goddess granted me the Eternalbane dagger,” Dusk explains. “I never expected to use it, but she revealed the growing darkness within your heart. I was too blinded by love to believe it. It wasn't until Jaxon uncovered your role in my mate's death and you erased his memories, I knew that it was time. I would never let you do to Melanie what you did to me!"My mouth drops open. When did she erase Jaxon's memories, and how did I not notice?He quickly helps Rubeus to his feet. "You okay?"He winces, watching Ayla whither on the ground in agony. "I'll be fine. I thought she couldn't die?""The dagger only ended her immortality. Melanie will be the one to finish her off." There's a murderous intensity on his face as he hands me the blade. "Kill her and make it painful."Jaxon's fingers press against my waist, a gentle squeeze before he reluctantly releases his hold. "I can't argue with that," he mumbles.I draw clo