He could feel himself beginning to thread the lines of exhaustion. Of course, a male like him can thread those lines for more hours—days even—without walking over it. if he wanted to, but that was not the point. The point is that she'd been with him every step of the way until he was threading these lines."Wolfe..." She breathed again, her eyes so heavy she could barely keep them open. Her cheek resting on the bed, she closed her eyes. Ismena was almost sure she was on the verge of a blackout.He placed a kiss on her cheek, stroking deep inside her, "I've got you, Ena. I've got you, baby."Those words made her feel safe from everything in the world, except him.He moved in and out of her in rhythmical strokes, placing a kiss on her neck. A passing look at the window facing him confirmed the time to be the very early hours of the morning. She'd given him so much tonight, and he had taken much more than she'd given him. He was inside her for hours, all night. And yet, he couldn't get
It was late afternoon when Alphose finally decided to go to the Tower and check on the Alpha King.Before he made that decision, he'd been in an argument with himself about whether to go visit or not. Wolfaraine had a lot of recovering to do, so he needs to spend some intimate time alone with his mate.But at the same time, he knows that the longer he stays without telling him about the human in Naturiah, the more it's gonna cause a problem when he finds out on his own. Hence, his decision.At the Tower gates, the changelings on duty greeted the cougar Alpha with a bow of their heads as he entered and headed for the entrance door.The smell of sex harassed his nose even right from the third stair and only got stronger with every step he took closer to that door. So, Alphose hesitated at the door, not wanting to interrupt anything. He pitied and admired Ismena.Poor little woman. She has a lot of giving to do if those infected, rhodium wounds are ever gonna heal early. And from the sce
Clearly, that wasn't the news Wolfaraine was expecting. The frown disappeared from his face and his eyes widened, "By the heavens, that is great news!""It is, isn't it?" Alphose let out a nervous laugh.But the Alpha King was very happy and it showed on his face. For the first time since Alphose can remember, a big smile was on his face. It completely transformed his face; shaving off a few years from his age, making him look young and strikingly handsome.Alphose was too dumbfounded to say any word. He has never seen Wolfaraine smile this way before.Wolfaraine rose—automatically Alphose rose with him—he walked around the table and hugged his good friend. "I am happy for you, Alphose."His reaction was everything to Alphose. The cougar leader was surprised when tears burned the back of his eyes but he quickly blinked them back, "Thank you, Wolfaraine. I am happy for myself too.""You should be. I know how long you've wanted this." The Alpha King pulled away and surveyed his good fr
Silence.Resounding, loud silence."You took Ismena to the human world without my permission? Knowing fully well how dangerous it is for her there with the ring still missing?" He asked calmly. Alphose has heard that calm voice a good number of times to know how much of a sham it is, especially in situations like this. Wolfaraine was furious.He rose from his seat and inclined his head, "I apologize, Alpha King. I acknowledge my wrong and I will take any punishment you wish to give for that.""Was there any attack?" The cougar Alpha hesitated, "Yes. Wolfhunters came to the hospital. I killed all of them but their leader went missing. There was something strange about it all..."His brows arched again. He said nothing."In less than thirty minutes after we arrived at the hospital, they were there already. Usually, it takes time for them to get wind of our movement into their world and when they do, it takes time for them to arrive too." He cocked his head to the side in thought, "It
"Alright, that's it. I will march into that tower myself and confront your leader. I can't take this anymore. He has a lot to answer for, alright!" Sandra rose from the old couch, staring pointedly at the wall clock resting on the wall opposite the couch.Eline was only smiling. Sandra has been like this since morning. "I want to make dinner. What do you want to have for dinner?""You ain't even listening to half of what I'm saying, are you?" Sandra glared at her new friend, "I have not seen my best friend since yesterday evening! I am worried to hell about her.""I already told you countless times that Ismena is fine and she will be back home whenever she wants to.""Well, I don't think so. What if your Alpha King has killed my best friend and stuffed her body someplace to hide evidence from the world?" Hands on her waist, she threw her chin up, "What are you going to do then!?""Whatever is giving you those bad thoughts that the Alpha King would kill his own woman?" Eline asked incr
"Explained what to him? Why does he want to see me?" Sandra did not understand anything though."He knows that there is a new human in Naturiah, so he wants to meet you." He excluded the part about her being his mate because Sandra does not have that knowledge yet. He thinks it better not to tell her until he was very sure about it."Oh?" Sandra gave it a thought, "Oh, okay. Things worked out well, I wanted to see him too.""You do? Why?" Alphose asked in surprise."Oh, don't even ask. The lady is ridiculous." Eline answered with a snort, "She wants to confront the Alpha King about his intentions towards Ismena.""Eline thinks I'll quiver and shiver in fear in front of the King." Sandra scoffed, "How ridiculous.""You won't?" Alphose was bewildered and it showed."Of course, I won't. In Oklahoma, I'm a very capable journalist. I've single-handedly investigated drug cartels, armed robbers, and serial killers before, just to get my stories. These are very dangerous people, you know. If
She pushed the unexpected pain away. Don't even start, Ismena. You knew what you were going in for when you entered into this physical relationship with him.Mirian continued on, "Heaven knows that I cannot wait to see him mated and happy. He has been through so much! So much...!" Her throat choked up, she had to stop talking and take a deep breath to get herself under control again. When it seems she has achieved that, she gave Ismena a small smile, "Anyway, I want to help you.""To help?" Ismena asked, curiously.Mirian took Ismena's hand into hers again. "The Alpha King is a man of his words. He never breaks his promises and his word, when given, is gold. That is an advantage on your part, my lady. Anytime you are not ready for a marathon, you get him to agree on the rounds you can go. At least, until the mating ritual is performed and the heat regulates.""If you want to go two rounds, you get him to agree to it and give his word before anything. I'm sure it's going to work." Mir
Oh God, please, let it just be my own imagination! Sandra pleaded with herself.Let it just be an imagination inspired by fear because there is no way I just peed on my panties!But then, she heard the sound of Eline's startled laughter, before it suddenly cut off like it just escaped out on its own.Then, dread joined the feeling of terror.By the gods of the Greeks, she really did it! Indeed, she had peed her panties standing in front of the Alpha King of Naturiah.And, the worst part is that they know. These changelings must definitely know. Alphose!Sandra looked up at him from behind. If he knew, he certainly wasn't making any indication that he does, and for that, she'll eternally be grateful to him.Wolfaraine could smell the female's terror. She'd peed herself too. He was not really surprised. It was not the first or the thirtieth time a person has reacted like that out of fear in his presence. He'd seen worse too.Her fear was so thick in the air that for a moment, that was
When the full moon eventually came, screams from two women in two different parts of Naturiah were particularly high in the air because two couples were getting mated. One from the Cougar Clan, the other from the Heart of Naturiah.In the Cougar Clan, Alphose held his woman close as he gave her all that was him. She has never taken all his forms before, but tonight she was going to before the mating ritual is performed. Her sweaty body shook under his, and he could smell her fear too. He whispered words of love and encouragement to her ears as he filled her body from behind yet again and began thrusting again.They were in their bedroom, kneeling on the floor with Kassandra's upper body lying on the bed and Alphose's own blanketing hers from behind. They've been at it all night. She has lost count of how many times she has released. At this rate, her soul was going to leave her body. Alphose was the best lover she'd ever been with—hell, even the word 'best' does not do him justice. G
"I love you too, baby." He rose with her in his arms, withdrew a gold ring from his pocket, and slipped it into her ring finger. "It's so beautiful..." She cried, staring reverently at the sparkling jewelry. "It looks so good on you," he whispered to her. That night, they made passionate love together. As always he took his time arousing her body, touching her everywhere until she begged him desperately to join them intimately before he proceeded to do just that. They created the perfect rhythm together, moving sensuously and whispering words of love to each other. Wolfaraine took his time making her go wild in pleasure in his arms, he savored the cries, the litany, the sounds he drew from her as they pleasured each other for hours. Afterward, they lay together, sated and happy. He caressed her belly, cradling their child as Ismena burrowed closer to him. "I'm so glad that it was my father that helped us escape. We were victorious because of him." She played with the soft hairs
The next day, Onaries was publicly executed in the square at the Heart Of Naturiah, before the people. Crowds gathered to watch it and it gave them great satisfaction to see the shame, the humiliation on the psycho's face before he was beheaded. To Onaries, it was the worst punishment. He should have killed himself when the lab was invaded—it was better to die in battle than to be killed by public execution where the people get to laugh at him, spit on his face and call him names. He'd been tortured for days by his own Head Sentinel, Rodarh who took great pleasure from the act. He tortured Onaries until he lost his pride and begged to be killed. But Onaries, that monster, had denied him. Until today when he was publicly executed. As for the human doctor, Beloca; Alphose, and Degar had taken turns beating the man up, they carved his skin out of his own body, his screams like music to their eyes. They tortured Beloca to an extent that he stopped breathing several times, but they did
"Nothing, Miss Kassandra; I only forced your dormant hormones to come alive. My 'attempted claim' on you forced your body to wake and take on your mate's scent." He smiled a little, "Now, you practically stink of him." Sandra doesn't understand. "Him?" She asked, confused. "The Steele trying to break down that door, ma'am. You are his mate. There was a time you were very sick, right? To the extent you thought you might die, right?" Sandra doesn't need to think hard about that. "Yes, when I was very young, I suffered pneumonia." He nodded knowingly, "Whatever drugs humans used to cure you suppressed your hormones that made you a potential mate. So deeply suppressed that they wouldn't have stirred if you hadn't met your lifemate, my twin brother, and I wouldn't have been able to awake them if I didn't push as hard as I did. I'm sorry for hurting you, lass." The man wasn't as bad as she thought he was, Sandra thought, and some of her fears dissolved. Instead, joy began spreading thr
When Ismena heard the news about Alphose and Kassandra, she left the Tower and went back to Eline's house to be with her best friend. Sandra cried on her shoulders, dreading every hour that passed, every ticking of the clock because it was a reminder that Josiah was already on his way to Naturiah to claim her. She told Ismena that she didn't wanna do it. She just wants to go back to the human world. It's better to go home to live the rest of her life alone than to be with a man who isn't her Alphose. Although it killed Ismena to do it, she talked her out of it. How will she live the rest of her life knowing that she could have met her soulmate? She could have been with him, but she gave up on it? She talked her into giving Josiah a chance. After all, who knows? It might be the best decision she has ever made in her life, right? The Alpha King, on the other hand, could only pat his best friend's shoulder, commending him for doing the right thing even when the 'right thing' hurts. B
He smiled, "She is. Do you remember all your time together with her?""Oh yes. She is my best friend.""She will be so happy to hear that. It'll probably make her cry. She thinks of you that way too. Maybe even more.""I want her to stay with us forever. You're going to mate her, right?" "Yes, I will. If she will have me." Wolfaraine stated matter-of-factly. He has no doubt anymore. He wants to spend the rest of his life with Ismena. In fact, he cannot imagine his future without her in it."I'm glad. I hope she will have you, too. We will be one big family. She is so brave. She's everything you need in a mate. She always came by my room, all the time, no matter how scared she was. She came every day. I knew you two fought when she didn't come by for a few days. I was mad at you because you let her go.""Is that way you growled whenever I came close? I thought perhaps you hated me.""I never. I was just mad at you, madder, because I couldn't tell you how I felt. I'm happy you two sort
He walked into the room, quietly closing the door behind him, and took a few minutes to just stand there and watch them. The two most important women in his life. He felt lighter and refreshed, his heart filled with happiness like he'd never known before. How his life has changed in the past few months. He'd resigned himself to a bland life filled with guilt, sadness, and loneliness, never taking a mate, never having a child of his own, and living day by day with the fear of not knowing when he would lose his sister forever. But Ismena came into his life and changed it forever.He'd felt more in the past six months than he has in almost twenty years. The past no longer fills him with rage and sadness, his cougar wasn't as rough and out-of-control as before. He has a mate who is so highly compatible with him, his child is growing in her belly, and his sister, who he thought was lost forever was back to him again.Complete. He feels complete."What are you thinking so hard about?" Ism
Gasps of disbelief filled the air. The people were shocked and excited. They found it hard to believe that their King's sister—someone who they'd all given up on—would take her mortal form again after all these years. Murmurs rose in the crowd, bits and pieces of them could be heard audibly."Did you see that—" A voice said."What just happened!?" Another added."She took her mortal form again...!" "Bless the Lord!""May the deities be praised...!""Did you see that too?""...thought it'll never happen for her.""It's been eighteen years."Wolfaraine Daminor Throne stood frozen. He glanced down at the small, pale, feminine hand in his larger one. His eyes trailed from her hand to her arm, up to her shoulder, her neck, and her teary face. His throat constricted at the sight in front of him.She was more beautiful than the distorted image his mind had desperately held onto all these years. His sister was ten the last time he saw her face. His eyes watered as he gazed into eyes as blue
All the leading Alphas of Naturiah were there, the sentinels, the Betas, the Omegas, the houseworkers. He could see Eline, Mirian, and Kassandra too, even the Alphas that fought with him in the human world earlier in the day. They were all gathered there. They rose and greeted him respectfully when he walked through the door with his mate in his arm.Then they were crowding him. The joy and relief on their faces, filled his heart with love for his people. The females had tears in their eyes as they came really close to him. Some were hugging him, while the others were kneeling at his feet—a gesture of welcome and respect. They were all careful not to press tightly against him because of the woman in his arms. Ismena wiggled a bit, a sign that she wanted to be on her own feet, but Wolfaraine glanced at her and shook his head slightly."Please, I'll be careful, and I'll be right here by your side." she pleaded, a hint of her smile on her face. She knows how badly his people wanted to g