Dani's voice trailed off as she realized what she'd almost said. Emery pinned a strand of dark hair neatly in place before catching her eye in the mirror. "Even though he's your brother?"Emery's voice was so soft and kind as she said the words, and her eyes were filled with such understanding that Dani's breath felt trapped in her chest for a moment."He does know?" she half whispered half choked the words out, her finger tips digging into the arms of the chair she was sitting in."Of course he does. But he was always afraid it would bring up all sorts of bad memories if he brought it up to you, so he thought that if you wanted him to know you would bring it up. I mean, I guess I really shouldn't have, but I always thought that since he's the only other family you've got other than your mom, and that basically makes us family too, that he should have taken the chance a long time ago. I mean Dani, we're practically sisters."Dani swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat and
The ceremony was being held outside in the city's botanical gardens which Dani hadn't yet visited. This had definitely been intentional on Luca's part because he wanted her to be completely surprised when she was brought there for the ceremony when she officially became his Luna. When she left the house with Emery and the three mostly silent guards that now accompanied them everywhere, she thought that they were going to the packhouse and that the night's events would be held in a large open room where most of the pack's meetings took place. She hadn't been to a pack meeting yet, but she had walked by the room when she'd gone to Luca's office and she knew that it was large enough to hold all the people who were expected for the big event. Instead a limo pulled up in front of the house and Dani glanced at Emery, her eyebrows raised."You didn't really expect us to have to walk to your ceremony, did you?" Emery's voice held laughter as she said the words."I guess that's exactly w
Luca felt his canines poking against his bottom lip as Dani tugged at his arm. "She can't do anything to hurt us, Love." she whispered in his ear. "I'm your mate. Your pack knows that. She's just making a fool of herself. Don't let her ruin this night for you by losing your temper." Dani was surprised by how calm she felt, staring out at the woman who had been her mate's lover for so many years. Maybe it was because she still had her emotions packed away, behind a wall where she couldn't get to them. She could feel Luca's rage, slamming against her in waves, but she knew that it wasn't her own. And so this time she welcomed the calm emptiness, which sometimes was acurse, but in times like this, felt a bit more like a blessing, and stood, watching the woman who she would hate if she could conjure the emotion, stand before her pack and address them."All of you know that I have loved Luca for all of my life. But I never meant for anything like this to happen. Especially not after h
Dani plunged into the water of the river without thinking twice about it. She only knew that she had to get away and in that moment it seemed that she had two choices. In one scenario there was a very real possibility that she would end up back in Alpha Hardings clutches. And in the other she might find herself in a watery grave. Neither scenario was a foregone conclusion. She might survive either way. Luca and his warriors might win the battle. Maybe tomorrow morning Alpha Harding would be dead. And maybe she would let the water take her down stream and she would find herself a new life where no one had ever heard her name.But she also knew that death, in either case, was a real possibility.The cold water closed around her, and she was thankful that her dress was light, and that she'd spent every summer in her childhood swimming in the river that cut through the town that she'd grown up in. She let the current take her, but she stayed close to the side of the banks that she kne
"Thank you." Dani was leaning back in the passenger seat of the twenty five year old Honda Civic as they pulled out of the bar parking lot. The blonde bartender was named Brandy and she'd been willing to let Dani borrow her phone, but when she heard what she needed it for she shook her head and shoved it back into her pocket. "I can take you there. But no one will be around until morning. And you probably shouldn't hang out outside around here. It's pretty remote and not really safe to do that here. There's-" Brandy's voice had trailed off and she'd glanced across the room at a pool table on the far side of the bar before shaking her head. "There's wildlife."So Dani had hung out towards the back of the bar, avoiding the pool table that she'd seen Brandy look towards, and the moment Brandy's shift was over she'd followed her out the back door and slipped into the passenger seat of her faded blue Honda Civic. "As I said earlier," Brandy said as she pulled out of the bar parking lot,
"Ah Princess, it's dangerous to be out here in the Yukon all alone on your lonesome. And you don't smell a thing like a rogue, so I'm sure you're every bit as defenseless as you look. You aren't from here and I don't see your mate anywhere around to protect you. I think you need a bit of company just about as much as I do." The hair on the back of Dani's neck stood on end as she heard the words not three minutes after walking out of the Hotel where she had filled her stomach with delicious hot dogs and unsweetened ice tea. She had set out to explore the town, to get a sense of where everything was, having decided to buy a map so that she could pick her next destination in the morning and head there as soon as the sun came up. Dani had already decided against shelling out more money for a room. After getting to know the town and getting a map she was planning on disappearing up into the forest and shifting into her wolf to find a cozy place to bed down for the night. But all of that
Alpha Luca West wasn't sure which was greater, the searing pain that sliced from the top of his right shoulder to his left hip, where he had been clawed during the battle that followed Dani's disappearance, or the emotions that had followed his realization that she was gone. He had been injured in wolf form, but the cuts were deep and were still very much with him when the enemy finally made their retreat. He made the painful shift back into this human form and began to search for his mate. Lars, who he only then realized had been standing beside Lyra the entire time, ready to protect her and the pups she had been carrying if she was threatened, was the one to tell him that Dani was gone and that he had seen one of Harding's men disappear into the forest with Stella as well.Luca had fallen to his knees at the news and recoiled when he felt Lyra's hand on his shoulder, managing to stand quickly, despite the pain slicing through him as he stepped back away from her. "Don't. Don't to
Dani was pacing back and forth across the small living room and dining area in Waylon's house when his cell phone rang and she nearly jumped out of her skin, her eyes immediately focused on the front door. "You're safe here, Anna." He said in a reassuring tone, but Dani had a hard time believing him. She didn't want to drag anyone else down with her as she was running both from her mate and from Harding. Either one would have no problem killing any man that they found her with, no questions asked, even though Waylon was just trying to protect her."I'm not safe anywhere, Waylon." She muttered the words, her eyes still glued on the door that he was blocking as he answered his phone."Beta Skinner. Yes Sir, I'm free to speak. No, I hadn't heard there was an attack. Is Alpha West going to be alright?" He turned his head and met Dani's eyes and this time she quickly looked away, before swearing under her breath. This was it. He could turn her in if wanted to and he really had no reaso
This is the last chapter. Thank you all for supporting me! Wish you all the best in life. Lots of love!"Come on Dani, you can't be late to your own baby shower!" Stella was dragging her down the hall as Dani rolled her eyes. "I can't move that fast anymore Stella. I know that you've never been pregnant yet but ask Emery. It slows you down. Especially twins." "She just can't wait to see her Bestie. Fern. They haven't gotten to see each other in a month since the last council meeting of Alpha's when Kent was officially sworn in. Do you know how moppy my husband has been since he lost his third in command?" She turned her eyes accusingly on Dani who ignored the question, instead turning towards Stella. "I thought I was your Bestie!" She said in a teasing tone. "We're all best friends you guys." Stella linked arms with the other two women as she walked between the two Lunas, slowing her pace. "And when is the next time we're all going to be together?" "Probaby when she pops?" Emery
"Now lets see if this fits." He helped her slide the ring onto the fourth finger on her left hand and she finally got a good look at it. The ring was a simple, gorgeous, round cut diamond and it fit perfectly when he slipped it onto her finger."I love it." She said, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face against his chest. "It's perfect." As she pulled away her eyes drifted back outside to the valley below. "You still haven't told me where we are. Where did you buy a home?""Kittilä." He replied, staring out the window at the beautiful white landscape below.She shook her head. "I have no idea where that is.""Lapland. We're in Finland in the Artic Circle. I promised you Northern Lights. I know it's early in the year still but so help me I'm giving us our best chance at Northern Lights on our week long trip. At least we're pretty far north this time." "We could just wait a bit until it's later in the year.""I don't want my mate to have to wait for anything after
"Where are we?" she asked as he began to lead her, blindfolded, towards the door of their personal jet. It wasn't tropical or humid. In fact, it was rather cold and she hadn't even stepped outside yet.Dani had slept for so long on the plane that she had no idea how long they'd been flying. They could be anywhere at all in the world. And she was impatient to know where Luca had taken them and what exactly his plans were. She had never been good at waiting for surprises."Kitten, you told me that you were going to let me make this a surprise for you. Don't try to peak now." One of his hands was on her side, as he tucked a long puffy jacket over her shoulders."Is this new?" she asked as he helped slide her arms into the sleeves."Here, step. How do these boots feel?" he ignored her question as he helped her into a pair of comfortable new boots that she couldn't see."They feel perfect. How long have you been planning this? And where are we?" Her hands, which were now being warmed
"Do you know that you are approximately eight weeks pregnant?" The doctor's eyes were glued to her face when she asked the question, as Dani sat on the bed frozen, feeling her own eyes grow wide."I- I-" whatever it was she had thought to say was trapped inside her head so she let out the breath she only just realized she'd been holding and tried again. "I guess I had begun to suspect it in the last few days. I'd just started to feel sick. And the healing thing.""The healing thing?""I don't know if you noticed my old injuries? Dani began."Yes. Your wolf actually was able to heal most of your injuries before you got here. There wasn't all that much to do. You didn't even need stitches. It was impressive. But we checked you over carefully for other injuries and we could tell that there were old injuries that hadn't healed the way they should have if you'd had your healing abilities intact, and that those were both bone breaks and the ones that included your old scars.""Just bef
It was morning when Dani woke up in a hospital bed in New York City. She blinked, gazing around at the brightly lit room. In a moment Luca was by her side. "This room is insane." she whispered, her throat feeling scratchy and dry.Somehow Luca had managed to get her a corner room with glass windows that made up a huge portion of the walls with incredible views of the city. Before she'd spoken and woke him up, she realized, he had been sleeping in a comfortable looking recliner. And her bed was much more comfortable than a typical looking hospital bed. The sheets and blankets looked like they should have been in a fancy hotel."The doctor will want to know that you're awake. They wouldn't tell me anything until you woke up. But it looks like your healing is accelerated again for some reason. As soon as they removed the knife I could tell that it wasn't like before. Your wolf started to help with your healing. I should have noticed it earlier in the cuts and bruises from your fight wi
Dani knew that Luca had won his fight, somewhere behind her, when she smelled the blood of Beta Reed spill across the cold tile of the floor. She knew Beta Reed well. He'd taken his turn torturing her when she lived here. He was every bit as cruel as his Alpha and she felt her snout curl in an approximation of a smile before she focused back on the battle before her. She had an idea of how she might take down this Alpha, but it was risky.Could she get Alpha Harding to let down his guard because he believed her so weak she wasn't worth guarding against? It would be ridiculous for him to do it, but he was an Alpha, and nothing if not arrogant beyond measure.Dani charged at him again, doing the exact same thing she had done the previous time. This time he sent her sprawling with another powerful blow of his paw. She noticed that his claws weren't even extended. He'd never once hurt her in his wolf form. He preferred to torture her as a human.He'd hit her hard and she'd slid all the
Dani shoved down the wave of nausea that tried the push its way up her throat. She didn't have time for any of that. If she survived the attack she would worry about what the way she had been feeling these past few days might mean.She hadn't gone into heat. What were the odds of getting pregnant if she hadn't gone into heat when she was with Luca? Hell, she'd never gone into heat once in her entire life. Privately, she'd believed it was because Harding had done something to break her body, between the hard physical abuse and the injections. She'd intended to talk with Luca about it, but the time never seemed right. And she hadn't really known if her body didn't work the way the Goddess had intended it to, which had made it even harder to bring the subject up. After all, what exactly would she say.When she'd tried to bring it up with Dr. Evans, back at Harvest Moon, the doctor had ordered an ultrasound and some blood work and had then assured Dani that everything looked to be in wo
"Thank you for joining us Fern." Alpha Harding hadn't looked up, and Stella, with her now human hearing abilities, hadn't heard the frail looking girl arrive, but when he said her name, every head in the room immediately turned in her direction.The little maid looked nothing like she had when she had first knocked on the door to Stella's room. Stella remembered that Alpha Harding had mentioned earlier that "they" had picked out a dress together. Stella was certain that Fern had had no part in picking out this dress. Like so much of Lyra's clothing it was crimson red, just like the lipstick that was now smeared across Fern's full lips.The dress itself was simple. It was cut low on top, with Fern's small, full, round breasts, which fit her frame nicely, nearly spilling out of it. On the bottom it was so short that Stella could tell that the little maid's fingers were itching to tug it down so that it would cover more.As a child who had been forced to wear many dresses that she was
"It smells like summertime. Like rainbows. Like everything that's good and pure in the world." Waylon was following close behind Dani, as he had been since she first left Alaska, but she had never felt so tempted to give him a good hard smack upside the head. "Head in the game, Parker. What are you drunk?" she hissed the words under her breath as she moved forward through the dark tunnel, her steps slow and silent, her mind vaguely registering her own surprise at knowing his last name. "If I didn't know any better I would think that you just found-" she let her whispered words trail off in the middle of her sentence.No. That was impossible. The odds of what she had almost suggested were a thousand to one and it would be cruel to give Waylon that sort of hope, especially when they were on this sort of a mission and she had no particular reason to believe that it was true. It was more likely that the poor man hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in the last week, since he was so worri