Don’t stop, don’t stop—I chanted this in my head like a mantra, using it to chase away the overwhelming terror I felt. As I tore through the forest, I could hear the snarls and snaps of nearby wolves. There was also a thick copper scent in the air, and I didn’t need to ask to know what it was.
I was petrified, terrified enough to bolt far from this town and never return. It was Alec and Kade who kept me here, who kept me running towards the danger instead of away.
Pain radiated through my torso, so strong I would’ve thought I had been wounded. The pain coupled with the thought of one of the twins hurt kept me running. It kept me charging forward, unable to feel the aching, gnawing pain in my limbs and muscles.
That brief feeling of total freedom when shifting had passed, suppressed by the terror and desperation I felt.
It was in this moment that I realized a mate-bond was as much of a weakness as it was a strength.
The
“You two were supposed to protect her!” Garrett’s voice sharp with rage, jostled me awake.“What did you expect us to do?” Alec snarled, “You might’ve tied her up and locked her away, but we’d never. We protected her with everything we had, which is more than you’ve ever done.”“Yes. I would’ve locked her away, boy.” Garrett all but shouted. The anger in his voice ebbed and flowed, and I found myself listening intently when his voice cracked. “My own daughter, a white wolf. Can you possibly understand the danger this will put her in? You both are nothing more than children. Children playing at being an Alpha.”“Do not overstep your authority here, Garrett.” Kade’s voice was cold, colder than I had ever heard it before. It sent a trickle of fear down my spine, and I found myself worried for Garrett. I could feel Kade’s anger like it was my own, and ta
“Can someone explain what the High Table is?” I demanded.“The High Table is composed of the most powerful Alpha’s of our time. The Alpha’s of the five largest packs. They are our government. They hold sway over every Alpha in this country.” Garrett replied.I placed the pieces together and frowned, “When I become Luna of all three pack’s, I’ll officially have the largest pack in the country. They’ll want me to take a seat at the High Table.”“You? Never.” Julian scoffed, his expression souring. “Doesn’t matter if you could kill them all, they’d never let a woman sit at the High Table. They’ll insist on your mate’s taking that honor.”“That seat belongs to Aurora.” Alec spoke first, looking to Kade who nodded in approval. They both met my eyes, and the emotion radiating from them had my heart clenching. “She cou
After a long but much needed night with the twins, I woke to an empty bed. Well—it wasn’t completely empty. A head of flaming hair was the first thing I saw as I opened my eyes, followed by Tori’s smirking face. She was perched on the edge of the bed, her chin resting on her hands.“Um, how long have you been here?” I grunted; my voice thick with sleep. As I rubbed the cobwebs from her eyes, she straightened and flashed me a cheeky smile.“Oh, a half an hour or so.” She shrugged, brushing some strands of hair from her forehead.As my senses sharpened and the thick haze of post-sleep faded, I noticed she was wearing an emerald sports bra and black leggings. Her thick curls were pulled back from her face, and her round eyes held a flicker of impatient excitement.“Do you always watch your friends sleep?” I snickered, sitting up against the wooden headboard.“I most certainly do not, that is
The stairs wrapped around a couple times before ending at the second floor. There was a wide, brightly lit hallway that led to a multitude of rooms. Through the large windows on either side of the wall, I could see multiple fitness rooms with foam flooring.We made our way to the only unoccupied room—well, it was mostly unoccupied. Standing in the large room was a man I had never seen before. He was up there in age, around sixty or so, but he was in impeccable shape. The t-shirt he wore couldn’t hide the muscles beneath, or the bulkiness of his form. His short-cropped hair was grey, with just a small spattering of white.“Welcome, girls.” His raspy voice boomed throughout the empty room, nearly making me jump.He turned to greet the two of us, and my breath halted in my throat. His face was angular in a way that looked familiar, and while both of his eyes were the same color—I had seen that color before. They were so blue that they
“I can do that myself.” I told Alec, sitting up from the pale couch in the gym’s lounge.After some much-needed time together, I was a little more than ready to head home and take a long shower. Not only had the sweat began to dry to my skin, but I now had a comfortable soreness between my legs. Alec had scrounged up a wash cloth and was currently running it under the cold water of the sink. Every so often his eyes would dart over to where I laid; completely undressed and surprisingly unabashed on the couch.“You sure about that, doll?” He flashed me a grin that made my insides melt.It was hard not to smile when the Twin’s looked at me this way. I would’ve once called myself clinically insane for claiming to love a man I had only known for a month or so. While in this case I had two men, things were different with them. I felt like I knew them in a way I didn’t with others, that there was no other alternative for
“I thought we were getting a shower?” I asked, an eyebrow lifted in interest as Kade turned on the faucet to the bath.I had long admired the bathtub in their bathroom, but hadn’t yet had the chance to use it. The jets etched into the side of the bathtub, the built-in seat meant to recline in, and the curved design that could easily fit a small family; it all called my name. After nearly a lifetime of living in cruddy apartments and decrepit houses, this place seemed like a mansion. I was used to small shower bathtub combinations, most of the time stained an unappealing shade of yellow. More times than not, mold dotted the ceiling in black and green splotches. The times I had used their obnoxiously large shower, I took all the time in the world to enjoy the constant stream of hot
We met up with Garrett, Julian and Alec just an hour later. Between Alec’s heated glances and Kade’s comforting touches, it was hard to take the situation seriously. I invited Tori to join, no longer keeping her at an arm's length.Tori acted as a body guard of sorts. Alec and Kade had assigned her to me shortly after the rogue incident, which I found somewhat surprising. Oddly sexist of me, but I didn’t expect Tori to be such a skilled warrior. She had fought in the battle with the rogues, but I hadn’t taken the time to notice. My eyes had been only for Alec and Kade that horrible day.Every time I thought about my life in this pack, I found myself astounded. I had gone from trusting no one to finally having a family of my own. I trusted Tori, Alec and Kade with my life. I only trusted Garrett and Julian due to their mutual agreement on keeping me alive. Both needed an heir to their pack’s, and unfortunately, that was me.We met up
The following week was a painful orchestra of sore muscles, lingering headaches, loads of sweat, and those horrible protein shake’s Tori insisted on making. If I had to taste another one of those disgusting shakes, I might very well explode. Tori had been right though; they were good for my body; no matter how much my taste buds revolted.A week of strenuous training hadn’t turned me into a cold-blooded warrior, but I could at least somewhat defend myself. I would most likely balk when it came to fighting another werewolf, but I was confident I could handle a regular human with ease. Shifting had sped up my body's natural processes, giving me faster results than a human would normally see. While I wasn’t coated in thick bands of muscle, my thin frame had filled out more. My stomach had hardened, giving the hint of muscles beneath my pasty skin. My legs, which had once been feather thin, were now firm.Alec and Kade seemed enamored with the changes on
The humid summer air, with it’s traces of fresh water and wildflowers, had always been my favorite. It was especially fragrant here, in the field of golden grass I often visited. Even as I sat on the thick quilt I had brought along, I longed for the feel of the grass beneath my feet. Rummaging through my bag, I pulled out a cherry-almond croissant I had saved from my bakery. After all the years, it was still up and running. The new management was a feisty girl named Kiara, whose pastry experiments often turned out incredible. This place had once been secret, but as I watched the children laugh and play, I couldn’t bring myself to regret sharing this place with them. A piece of the purest happiness I had ever experienced, countless memories full of it—all of which were made here. There were six of them, three boys and three girls, darting through the grass with earsplitting grins on their faces. Some were missing a few baby teeth; others were c
Three Years LaterMy back arched and eyes rolled back as molten pleasure coiled between my legs, increasing with every desperate stroke of Kade’s tongue. My hands were tangled in his hair, tugging him closer while also pushing him away. His snarls vibrated against my slick folds, coaxing unfathomable sounds from my lips. The man ate like he was starving, devouring every inch of my swollen flesh with his lips, tongue, and teeth.Alec lay beside me, the heavy length of him pressed against my hip as he stroked and played with my tender nipples. Lavishing kisses down my neck and shoulder. Goosebumps erupted where his light caresses fell, even though the air around us was humid and warm.Both he and Kade were entranced, feasting on me as they had countless times, only this time—their attention would stray down to my stomach, to the swell of life hidden within my womb.They were achingly gentle with me. To the point where my core throbbed, begging t
One Year LaterI glanced down at the old article I had saved, snickering at my name in such a bold font. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to it, having every werewolf in the world know my name.A photo of the twin’s and I sat below the headline, my odd colored eyes bright and vibrant. I was glowing with happiness as I stood between the twins, like a light had been switched on deep within. Kade stood behind me, his arms wound around my waist as I grinned and stared into Alec’s eyes. None of us were expecting a hidden reporter to snap the photograph. Even after an entire year, my love for my mates hadn’t dimmed. If anything, it had grown stronger. It was my favorite picture of the three of us.The reporters had a field day when the twin’s and I were finally married.The ceremony was mostly for show, an excuse to throw an extravagant party that would lighten spirits and spread some happiness. The public were invited, along
My Luna Ceremony commenced the following weekend, making Carrie even more frazzled as she planned last minute details. Day by day, her buns became just a tad messier. Flower arrangements, guest lists, and food. She had even gone as far to search for entertainment. I had all but forbade her to make an event out of it, but the twin’s ordered her not to listen.Streamers of cobalt and powder blue wrapped around the light posts in town, hanging brightly decorated wreaths. Storefronts hung lights, and laughter trickled in through the cracks of devastation.The crowd of guests that cheered when I walked under the pavilion erected in the park made my face flush. The positive emotions made me giddy as I passed from guest to guest, riding the high of happiness and celebration.As the ceremony commenced, the joy in my stomach turned to worry. Self-doubt lingered at the corners of my mind, fleeing only when the twins came into sight.Alec had trimmed his hair
Two Months LaterOne deep breath, and then another.“Relax, Aurora.” Zayne’s flat voice sounded from a few feet in front of me, icy eyes pivoting across the lounge to meet my own. Ever since his father’s death, there were moments where he seemed carved from ice. The only one able to thaw him was currently waiting along with the rest of the crowd. “Whether they know it or not, they’re looking for a leader, someone better to replace Marcus. Speak with confidence and they’ll listen.”“He isn’t wrong.” Brandon Fox shrugged. The only similarities between Jaspar and his eldest son were the piercing eyes and lazy grin. Everything else, including the golden hair, came from his mother.“Still, she is not wrong to be worried. There are some that won’t be happy with this decision.” Isaiah chimed in, the voice of reason as he stood second in line.“What do you think?&rdqu
The sound of muffled arguing emerged from the kitchen, most of which held the noticeable soprano of Tori’s voice. Every few seconds, I could hear Kady’s mom snap back in a venomous tone. Even Garrett was perfectly content with letting them argue, considering he was still processing all that I had told him. He hadn’t moved from his position on the couch, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. The same rush of emotion had once washed through me and even now, it was hard to believe that things were changing. Julian sat at his side, unable to conceal the wide grin that stole his face. The exact opposite of his brooding and severe brother. It made him look younger, even though the lines etched into his smooth face were a testament to his age. He leaned forward on his haunches, eyes sparkling. There had always been something feral about Julian. Still, he was more approachable than Garrett. “How’d you kill him, kid? Did he beg?” My stomach soured
I turned on my heel, a hand clasped over where my own bullet wound should have been. My mind was reeling, but my body understood what to do as I stumbled over to where Kade lay on the cement floor. Alec was hunched over him tearing the clothes from one of the dead inner circle members, a middle-aged man with greying hair and a scar just above his lip. The thousand-dollar suit jacket was shining with Kade’s blood, even as Alec held it tightly against his chest. I could feel the blood pumping out with each ragged heartbeat. A small clump of silver metal sat beside Alec’s knelt form, the bullet he had fished from Kade’s chest. Kade shifted into his human form after the bullet had been removed, his skin translucent and pale. There was a thin sheen of sweat that covered him, even though he was cold to the touch. Alec’s eyes met mine, unending darkness that seemed surprisingly calm despite the earthquake of emotions shattering what strength he had. I glance
Kade’s rage became him, heating his blood until it boiled as it pumped throughout his form. The violent emotion overtook him completely, giving his increased strength a savage edge. Alec’s head was a different story, the same book but in another format. He could see and breathe through his rage, using it to propel not himself, but his thoughts forward. Strategies and plans flitted through his head, disorienting and at rapid-fire. Many of them looked like football plays, marking where Ariana, the Hound, and the two guards stood. I tried not to give into the sinking feeling that overtook me, when even Alec couldn’t produce a plan of action. We were outnumbered, exceptionally considering I couldn’t use my magic while Ariana was in the room, and my combat training was strictly lodged in the beginner stage. Still, I hadn’t come this far by giving up. Through pain and blood, I’d give everything I had. With my mates at my side, both identical and different in every
“It is within all of your best interests to stand down.” Jaspar Fox’s voice rang throughout the crowd, strong and very much alive. The wolves he had brought with him twitched their tails in irritation, we were evenly matched now. I could see shimmering eyes deep within the forest, watching and waiting from the outside. “Defy your Alpha and take your own life into your hands, because soon Marcus Novak will be dead.”Jaspar looked towards me and somehow, I was able to decipher the words within his pale colored eyes. He was asking me a question, a simple yes or no. It took only a few seconds, reaching out with my magic before I had the answer.Disappointment and acceptance flashed in his eyes as I shook my head ‘no’.Many of the warriors here were loyal to Marcus, and radiated waves of hostility as they barely managed to keep themselves still. I could feel that so many of them were desperate for a way out, but the fear that