The evening stretched on, the tension slowly melting into something softer. Lila found herself nestled between them on the couch, their quiet presence providing a comfort she hadn’t known she needed."You know," Jake mused, "I think God knew exactly what He was doing when He put the three of us together. You balance us out, Lila."She arched a brow. "Oh? How so?"Lucas smirked. "You keep us on our toes. And you remind us what real strength looks like."Lila scoffed. "Strength? You two are the warriors here."Jake shook his head. "No, Lila. Strength isn’t just about fighting battles. It’s about endurance. It’s about getting back up, even when life knocks you down. And you’ve been doing that your whole life."Warmth spread through her chest at his words. "I never thought of it that way."Lucas leaned in, his voice softer. "Because no one ever told you. But we see you, Lila. And we won’t let you forget your worth."She blinked, her vision blurring slightly. "Thank you. For being patient
Emotional Turmoil and Longing:Lila had always been independent. It was a necessity, not a choice. The world had taught her long ago that trusting too easily led to heartbreak, that relying on others could mean disappointment. But things were different now. Lucas and Jake weren’t temporary figures in her life. They weren’t people who would walk away when things got difficult. Her wolf knew that. Deep down, she knew that.And yet, the old fears still lingered like ghosts in the dark.Jake moved beside her, his presence steady. “You’re thinking about your past again.”Lila swallowed hard, then nodded. “I just—sometimes, it’s hard to believe this is real. That you’re real.”Lucas knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. “We are. And we’re not going anywhere. You don’t have to prove anything to us.”Lila closed her eyes for a moment, letting his words settle deep inside her. She had spent so much of her life proving her worth, fighting to be seen, to be enough. But with them…She w
Lila stirred, the morning light filtering softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. She became aware of the steady, comforting breaths of Jake and Lucas on either side of her. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind, bringing a soft smile to her lips.Jake’s voice, husky from sleep, broke the silence. “Morning, beautiful.”Lila turned her head to meet his gaze, her heart fluttering at the tenderness she found there. “Morning,” she replied softly.Lucas’s arm tightened around her waist as he nuzzled into her neck. “How are you feeling?”She took a moment to assess herself. Physically, there was a pleasant soreness; emotionally, she felt a sense of belonging she hadn’t known she craved. “Content,” she admitted.Jake brushed a strand of hair from her face. “We meant what we said last night. This isn’t just a fleeting moment for us.”Lucas nodded, his eyes serious. “We’re in this together, Lila. For the long haul.”Lila’s heart swelled with emotion. The
"You can't keep avoiding this conversation, Lila," Lucas's voice was gentle but firm, his eyes searching hers for understanding.Lila sighed, her gaze dropping to her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "I know. It's just... confronting the past isn't easy."Jake leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "We're here for you. Always."She looked up, meeting Jake's intense gaze, then Lucas's steady one. The sincerity in their expressions made her heart ache. "I appreciate that. Truly."Lucas reached out, his hand covering hers, offering warmth and reassurance. "We need to understand what you're feeling. What you're fearing."Lila took a deep breath, steadying herself. "It's hard to put into words. The shadows of my past... they haunt me. I fear they might consume me again."Jake's jaw tightened, a flicker of anger in his eyes—not directed at her, but at the unseen forces that tormented her. "We won't let that happen."Lucas nodded in agreement. "Together, we'll face whatever comes.
The next morning, the air between them felt lighter. Stronger. Lila could feel it in the way they moved around each other, in the easy touches and teasing remarks. The bond between them was growing, not just as mates but as something deeper. Something unshakable.Lucas caught her wrist as she passed him, tugging her close. “We’ll take this at your pace.”Lila met his gaze. “I know.”Jake draped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “And don’t you forget it.”For the first time in a long time, Lila felt steady.5. A Night of ReassuranceThat night, as she lay between them, Lila whispered, “I never thought I’d have this.”Lucas traced circles on her palm. “You do now.”Jake murmured sleepily, “And you always will.”She smiled in the dark, knowing that for once, she didn’t have to face the world alone.Faith, Love, and StrengthThere was something deeply sacred about the bond they were forming. Not just as mates, but as partners in faith, in trust, in love.
The Awakening of the Wolf:Jake's breath was warm against her ear as he whispered, "You can't hide from me forever, Lila."She stiffened, her fingers curling into fists. "I'm not hiding," she shot back, her voice laced with defiance.He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through the air between them. "Then why do you keep running?"Lila turned to face him, her eyes flashing. "Maybe because every time I stop, you and Lucas are there, crowding me."Jake's gaze darkened, a smirk playing on his lips. "Crowding you? Or reminding you of what you can't resist?"She hated the way her body responded to his words, heat pooling in her core. "Don't flatter yourself," she muttered, looking away.He stepped closer, closing the distance between them. "Your pulse betrays you, pussy cat.""Stop calling me that," she snapped, her eyes narrowing.Jake's hand reached out, fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Why? Afraid it reminds you of who you really are?"Lila swallowed hard, her
The Awakening of the Wolf“You sure you’re ready for this?” Jake’s voice was soft, but his eyes held the weight of his concern.Lila exhaled, her breath curling in the frigid air. “No. But I don’t think I’ll ever be until I try.”Jake offered his hand without a word. She took it, the warmth of his palm grounding her more than she expected.“You don’t have to prove anything,” he added, brushing a loose curl from her cheek. “Not to us. Not even to yourself.”“I’m not trying to prove anything,” she muttered, “I’m trying to feel whole again.”The snow crunched softly beneath their boots as they stepped deeper into the twilight-drenched forest. Bare branches framed the sky like ancient fingers holding stars. Everything was still—unmoving—but inside her, something was shifting.The trees whispered like old friends. Her wolf stirred restlessly within, sensing the change in her.Jake didn’t press. He walked beside her in silence, their arms occasionally brushing. Every time their shoulders met
Lila's breath came in ragged gasps, her body trembling from the intensity of the moment. Jake's presence was a steady anchor amidst the storm raging within her. She felt the heat radiating from his body, the scent of him intoxicating her senses. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing the turmoil she felt inside.Jake's fingers traced gentle patterns along her spine, his touch both soothing and electrifying. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "You're safe with me, Lila. Always."She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be enveloped by the warmth of his embrace. The weight of her cybernetic arm pressed against his chest, a stark reminder of the battles she'd fought and the scars she bore. Yet, in this moment, those burdens seemed lighter, as if Jake's presence had the power to heal wounds both seen and unseen.The room was filled with a charged silence, the air thick with unspoken words and lingering desires. Lila's mind raced, torn between the n
Lila’s words lingered in the air like a challenge.“Let’s make a new plan. Because something tells me Rikkard isn’t the only ghost who’ll be showing up.”Jake gave her a cautious look, sensing something unspoken underneath her defiance. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she walked back toward the small table near the window where her satchel lay. She reached inside slowly, fingers brushing past the notebook she’d been scribbling in since they arrived in Venut. But it wasn’t the notebook she was after.It was the small, battered silver device hidden beneath it—no bigger than a deck of cards. It hummed faintly in her palm, the casing warm to the touch.Jake’s brow furrowed the moment he saw it. “What is that?”Lila looked at him, then at Lucas, her eyes steady. “I wasn’t just sitting here waiting for you two to come back. While you were keeping Rikkard busy, I was busy too.”Jake crossed the room in two strides. “Lila—what
Jake didn’t move until the elevator doors slid closed behind Rikkard.Lucas let out a breath that was more of a growl. “He’s gone. For now.”Jake ran a hand down his face. “That was too close.”Lucas turned to him, voice sharp. “We need a plan, Jake. If he gets even a hint of the truth—about her—he won’t stop until he finds her.”“I know,” Jake muttered. “That’s why we’re going to give him something else to chase.”Lucas raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”“A misdirection,” Jake said, already walking toward the lounge bar where a bottle of aged scotch was quietly calling his name. “He’s desperate. He wants answers. We give him just enough to feel like he’s getting somewhere, but not enough to lead him to Lila.”Lucas followed him warily. “You want to lie to him.”Jake poured a finger of scotch and downed it. “Yes. I want to lie so well that he doesn’t think to look any closer.”Ten minutes later, they found Rikkard leaning against a column in the hotel lobby, like a man half-expect
“You’re joking, right? Please tell me this is some twisted prank,” Lucas muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving the figure lounging by the fireplace.“I wish it were,” Jake replied quietly, jaw clenched. “But that’s him. That’s Rikkard.”Lucas swore under his breath. “Of all the days… why the hell would he show up in Venut?”“I don’t know,” Jake admitted, hands fisted in his jacket pockets. “But we need to play this smart. We can’t let him know about Lila.”Lucas inhaled sharply and nodded. “You sure he hasn’t seen her?”“Positive. He only saw us. Let’s keep it that way.”The plush lounge of the hotel was dimly lit, scented with expensive cologne, polished leather, and cigar smoke. Rikkard was seated casually on a velvet couch, legs crossed, swirling amber liquid in a crystal tumbler. His demeanor was relaxed, almost amused—but Jake could see it. The glint of calculated menace in his eyes.Jake took a breath and approached with Lucas, every step deliberate. They stopped jus
“Tell me you’re joking,” Lucas muttered, his voice low and edged with tension.“I wish I were,” Jake replied, running a hand through his damp hair. “But he’s here. In Venut. I saw his convoy near the North Quarter twenty minutes ago.”Lila blinked. “Wait, Rikkard? As in—the Rikkard?”Jake gave a grim nod. “The Mad Alpha himself.”Lucas straightened from where he sat beside Lila on the hotel bed, his entire body going rigid. “How the hell did he find out we were here?”“Doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “What matters is that he’s here. And if he’s sniffing around, it’s not just to catch up over drinks.”Lila’s face lost all color. “You told me he wasn’t a threat anymore.”“I told you what I needed to so you’d sleep,” Jake said quietly, shame flickering across his expression. “But clearly, I was wrong.”“Perfect,” Lucas growled. “Just what we need—another lunatic Alpha throwing his weight around.”“Not just another lunatic,” Jake said, voice clipped. “He’s the lunatic. The one who ripped out
“…She’s alive,” Lila repeated, quieter now. “I just don’t know where.”Lucas’s hand tightened briefly on her shoulder before he let go, stepping back to give her space even as his eyes lingered with worry. Jake returned to the window, gaze hard and focused.The silence that followed was the kind that spoke louder than words.Then—Knock. Knock. Knock.Not soft. Not tentative.The kind of knock that didn’t ask permission.Jake’s head snapped toward the door. Lucas was already moving—one hand reaching into the drawer beneath the minibar, where he’d hidden a blade and compact gun. Lila rose too, pulse leaping as the door handle turned despite the locks still being in place.Click.“Jake,” Lucas said, tone sharp.Jake strode toward the door and yanked it open an inch just as the locks disengaged, bypassed from the outside.The man who stepped in didn’t belong in any polished hotel suite. His mere presence dimmed the luxurious lighting, as if shadows followed him in.Rikkard.He was as unm
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Lucas murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“You didn’t,” Lila whispered back, her voice still drowsy. “I was already half-awake. I just didn’t want to move.”“You were sore,” he said gently, guilt flickering across his features. “I can feel it in your muscles.”“I’m fine,” she said, but he was already moving, sliding from the bed with careful grace.Jake’s voice floated in from the other room. “She’s not fine if she’s wincing in her sleep.”“I wasn’t wincing,” Lila muttered, rolling her eyes even as her cheeks flushed. She tried to sit up, only to wince slightly at the sting between her thighs. Damn it.Lucas was already wetting a towel from the tiny sink across the room. “Don’t lie to me, little wolf,” he said with an affectionate smile that didn’t quite mask his concern. “You’re strong, but you’re not indestructible.”Jake appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, his eyes scanning her with that piercing protectiveness that made her squirm mor
A Morning of Warmth and Wariness:“Lucas… your knot’s still in,” Lila mumbled, voice raspy with sleep.“I know,” he murmured against her shoulder, lips brushing her skin. “Didn’t want to wake you. You were peaceful.”“I’m not now,” she grumbled, stretching slightly and wincing at the soreness spreading through her hips.His arm tightened around her waist. “Sorry. I lost control.”“You didn’t.” She turned in his arms to face him. “I gave it willingly. Don’t take that away from me.”He searched her face, his eyes dark with concern. “You’re sore.”“I’m alive,” she said with a soft smile. “And I’m with you. That’s enough.”Lucas exhaled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Still… I should’ve been gentler.”“You’ll make up for it,” she teased, and for a moment, the heaviness in the room eased.The cabin bedroom was dim, the blinds half-drawn against the gray light of morning. Somewhere beyond the walls of this quiet space, the engines hummed low and steady. But here, wrapped in warm
“You’re safe now,” Lucas whispered, his knot still pulsing deep inside her.But safety was only one part of it.Lila trembled, her body molded against his, the fullness of his knot keeping her grounded and overwhelmed in equal measure. Her breath hitched, shallow and stuttered, as her inner muscles clenched around him again—an aftershock, or maybe the prelude to something more.Lucas didn’t move.Didn’t demand.He simply waited.And that, more than anything, unraveled her.“I can’t move,” she breathed, eyes clenched shut.“Yes, you can,” he murmured, brushing hair from her face. “You’re not broken, Lila. You’re not fragile. Not anymore.”Her fingers dug into the armrest, breath catching.Lucas leaned forward, his lips at her ear. “I want you to move. I want you to ride it. Take what you need from me.”Her heart stuttered.This wasn’t a command.It was a gift.Her legs ached. Her body throbbed. But still, she shifted—slowly, hesitantly—testing the taut pressure where their bodies remai
Lila’s breathing had slowed, her body molded to Lucas’s as though it belonged there—because it did. But the storm inside him hadn’t yet passed.Not even close.The feel of her, bare and vulnerable in his arms, only fueled his craving. His wolf still paced beneath his skin, restless and territorial, demanding more—demanding all of her. Every breath. Every sound. Every submissive gasp she hadn’t dared give anyone else.Lucas’s voice was low against her ear. “Up. On your knees.”She blinked in surprise.Still curled in his lap, wrapped in the thin barrier of his jacket, Lila hesitated.Lucas didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.His fingers skimmed under the fabric, trailing down her spine. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”Her heartbeat kicked harder, not out of fear—but recognition.She moved. Slowly. Carefully. She slid from his lap and turned, positioning herself between his legs, kneeling. The soft carpet beneath her knees contrasted with the burn in her chest. The jacket slipped