EsmeWe do the rounds and spend just enough time with each group so that nobody will feel left out. The only group I have a problem with is my old friends. The first thing I notice is that Camile isn’t there. I’m not sure if she decided not to come to the ceremony, or if she just isn’t there right now.“We can’t avoid them, my love, but I can make an excuse for you if you like.” Gabriel pulls me closer and kisses my cheek.“No, I want all of them to see how happy I am.” I look into his eyes and smile before we make our way over to the group of people my age. At first, everything is incredibly uncomfortable, but Gabriel has this way of just making people feel comfortable.The only one that doesn’t seem to relax is Jason. He keeps glaring at Gabriel, and I just know that is never going to change. Jason will just have to accept that his mate is a lower-ranked wolf. We don’t stay as long as we did with the other groups and I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as we are away from all of them
EsmeMom and I are in my office discussing my ideas when Gabriel and my dad walk in looking very grim. I frown, tilting my head to one side and wondering what on earth could have gone wrong so early.“Esme, we have some bad news.” Gabriel sighs and then looks at my dad before they sit down in my little lounge area in my office.“Camile is dead, honey.” My dad sounds hesitant, and I just stand there gaping at them like a fish out of water for a moment. “Jason has been arrested.” Shock runs through my body, but deep down, I kind of expected that last part.I sit down beside my mom feeling dizziness suddenly hit. I might not have been that close to them in recent months, but for a long time, they were the only friends I had. I just process what I have been told while my dad gives me the gory details they just heard from my uncle.“We don’t have to go to the funeral if you don’t want to go.” Gabriel sighs when my dad is done, and I just sit there in shock. Mom hands me a drink and I reali
EsmeOver the coming days, there is a lot of back and forth of information, and it’s clear that Jason killed Camile. The only question that nobody seems to be able to answer is why. They didn’t have the perfect friendship, but I just couldn’t see why Jason thought killing Camile would solve anything.The day the trial starts, the square at my old pack house is packed with people wanting to find out what happened. I hear people whispering, and it seems everyone believes that Jason is guilty. It still astounds me that nobody is asking why.I listen to the court case, which is pretty straightforward, and I watch as the video footage they got from us is played. The entire time, Jason keeps his head low and I have to admit, although not out loud, that I’m surprised.He was never the kind of guy to just keep quiet when he was accused of anything. After two days, the trial is over and my cousin announces that he will have his final decision about Jason’s fate in a couple of days.People disp
EsmeOver the coming weeks, the gossip about Jason and Camile eventually die down as life at the pack house becomes very busy. It’s Gabriel’s birthday soon, and I want to have a huge party and invite everyone. Literally everyone.My hope is that a celebration will pull everyone out of the slump we’ve all seemed to be in. It’s very rarely that a one pack member kills another, which has kind of forced a dark cloud of depression over our entire county.Gabriel’s birthday finally arrives and everyone seems to be having a good time. I can literally feel the doom and gloom lift as the evening continues and even Gabriel, who very rarely smiles when others are around, is laughing.His birthday party is exactly what we all need, and I can feel it in the air. Once his birthday is over, however, I feel a little lost. There was total chaos while I was trying to arrange everything and now that I spend my time on what are my normal duties as Luna, I find myself wandering around the house aimlessly
EsmeLunar and Summer are the light of my life. Lunar just doesn’t want a mate, which kind of drives me a little insane. He is the heir. He should have a mate and procreate.“The boy is still young, my love. His opinions will change as he grows older. Give him time.” Gabriel comes to his son’s defense. “Males are usually a little older than their mates.” Gabriel always distracts me as he pulls me into his arms and my darling Lunar escapes the conversation.Summer, on the other hand, planned for her mating ceremony from the moment she could walk. Everything was planned to the last detail before she even turned sixteen. Summer has a thick file that contains everything she wants for the day, and it is literally growing by the day.“You do realize that this is not going to be a human wedding, my dear?” I sigh each time she shows me what else she found. Summer would just roll her eyes at me, and continue. All Gabriel has to say about our daughter’s flights of fancy is that she has to remem
Summer“Hello, Summer. Long time no see.” I’m instantly enveloped by the smell of spearmint. I close my eyes only for a second as I breathe it in, then my heart skips a beat when I realize what is happening. It feels as if I’m moving in slow motion as I turn around. Our eyes meet, and I feel the shock of the moment run through every cell in my body.“Mate!” Noah growls instantly and pulls me into his arms with such force that I drop my books. My hands press up against his chest and I can feel his heart racing against my palms. I take in the fact that he is no longer a scrawny, drippy little Noah! He is all muscle now. He is tanned. He is my mate!“I …” My brain stops working as we stand there just staring at each other in pure disbelief. “I have to get to class.” I push out of his embrace as soon as my mind starts working again, and I grab my books before literally making a run for them.Why? Why couldn’t he just be at my party? Why does he have to be my mate? When did he get so dang
LyraAs I run back home with tears streaming down my eyes, the image I just saw won’t leave my mind. I knew this was happening. That’s the worst part. Deep down, I knew that Eli was cheating on me. I just ignored all the damn signs.It’s hope. Hope that made me believe that Eli loved me. Hope that we will have a beautiful future. Hope that my life will be filled with joy. Hope is what blinded me to the reality of what was really happening.I’m humiliated. If I could see it, then surely the entire pack knows! My mind goes through the list of my friends and I wonder how many of them knew as I storm into our home. How many people knew that my mate has been sleeping with my best friend?“Lyra! Stop!” Eli shouts, but I don’t want to listen to a word he has to say. I’m done being told that I am imagining things. I’m done thinking that I’m going crazy. I felt that something was wrong and went to talk to the person I thought was my friend, only to find my husband between her legs!“LYRA!” Eli
Lyra“Is that guy bothering you?” A very sexy manly man appears in front of me with an incredibly sexy voice and a dreamy smile. Damn! My hormones are going to get me into trouble! I take in his look. His very tight black t-shirt that leaves very little to the imagination and his washed-out jeans.“No. I can handle him.” I flash him my sexiest smile and instantly regret it. Having to remind myself that I’m married. But am I? Really? I mean, Eli has been schtupping my fake best friend from before we were married!“May I join you? He isn’t your husband or boyfriend or anything, is he?” The Greek god sits down and doesn’t wait for me to answer. He just oozes sex appeal, and it is almost as if it is something I’ve been needing, and I never even realized.“So? What is a beautiful girl like you doing in a dump like this?” He smiles before taking a sip of his beer while I study him for a moment.“Does that line ever work?” I burst out laughing and see a smile I haven’t seen from a guy in man
Summer“Hello, Summer. Long time no see.” I’m instantly enveloped by the smell of spearmint. I close my eyes only for a second as I breathe it in, then my heart skips a beat when I realize what is happening. It feels as if I’m moving in slow motion as I turn around. Our eyes meet, and I feel the shock of the moment run through every cell in my body.“Mate!” Noah growls instantly and pulls me into his arms with such force that I drop my books. My hands press up against his chest and I can feel his heart racing against my palms. I take in the fact that he is no longer a scrawny, drippy little Noah! He is all muscle now. He is tanned. He is my mate!“I …” My brain stops working as we stand there just staring at each other in pure disbelief. “I have to get to class.” I push out of his embrace as soon as my mind starts working again, and I grab my books before literally making a run for them.Why? Why couldn’t he just be at my party? Why does he have to be my mate? When did he get so dang
EsmeLunar and Summer are the light of my life. Lunar just doesn’t want a mate, which kind of drives me a little insane. He is the heir. He should have a mate and procreate.“The boy is still young, my love. His opinions will change as he grows older. Give him time.” Gabriel comes to his son’s defense. “Males are usually a little older than their mates.” Gabriel always distracts me as he pulls me into his arms and my darling Lunar escapes the conversation.Summer, on the other hand, planned for her mating ceremony from the moment she could walk. Everything was planned to the last detail before she even turned sixteen. Summer has a thick file that contains everything she wants for the day, and it is literally growing by the day.“You do realize that this is not going to be a human wedding, my dear?” I sigh each time she shows me what else she found. Summer would just roll her eyes at me, and continue. All Gabriel has to say about our daughter’s flights of fancy is that she has to remem
EsmeOver the coming weeks, the gossip about Jason and Camile eventually die down as life at the pack house becomes very busy. It’s Gabriel’s birthday soon, and I want to have a huge party and invite everyone. Literally everyone.My hope is that a celebration will pull everyone out of the slump we’ve all seemed to be in. It’s very rarely that a one pack member kills another, which has kind of forced a dark cloud of depression over our entire county.Gabriel’s birthday finally arrives and everyone seems to be having a good time. I can literally feel the doom and gloom lift as the evening continues and even Gabriel, who very rarely smiles when others are around, is laughing.His birthday party is exactly what we all need, and I can feel it in the air. Once his birthday is over, however, I feel a little lost. There was total chaos while I was trying to arrange everything and now that I spend my time on what are my normal duties as Luna, I find myself wandering around the house aimlessly
EsmeOver the coming days, there is a lot of back and forth of information, and it’s clear that Jason killed Camile. The only question that nobody seems to be able to answer is why. They didn’t have the perfect friendship, but I just couldn’t see why Jason thought killing Camile would solve anything.The day the trial starts, the square at my old pack house is packed with people wanting to find out what happened. I hear people whispering, and it seems everyone believes that Jason is guilty. It still astounds me that nobody is asking why.I listen to the court case, which is pretty straightforward, and I watch as the video footage they got from us is played. The entire time, Jason keeps his head low and I have to admit, although not out loud, that I’m surprised.He was never the kind of guy to just keep quiet when he was accused of anything. After two days, the trial is over and my cousin announces that he will have his final decision about Jason’s fate in a couple of days.People disp
EsmeMom and I are in my office discussing my ideas when Gabriel and my dad walk in looking very grim. I frown, tilting my head to one side and wondering what on earth could have gone wrong so early.“Esme, we have some bad news.” Gabriel sighs and then looks at my dad before they sit down in my little lounge area in my office.“Camile is dead, honey.” My dad sounds hesitant, and I just stand there gaping at them like a fish out of water for a moment. “Jason has been arrested.” Shock runs through my body, but deep down, I kind of expected that last part.I sit down beside my mom feeling dizziness suddenly hit. I might not have been that close to them in recent months, but for a long time, they were the only friends I had. I just process what I have been told while my dad gives me the gory details they just heard from my uncle.“We don’t have to go to the funeral if you don’t want to go.” Gabriel sighs when my dad is done, and I just sit there in shock. Mom hands me a drink and I reali
EsmeWe do the rounds and spend just enough time with each group so that nobody will feel left out. The only group I have a problem with is my old friends. The first thing I notice is that Camile isn’t there. I’m not sure if she decided not to come to the ceremony, or if she just isn’t there right now.“We can’t avoid them, my love, but I can make an excuse for you if you like.” Gabriel pulls me closer and kisses my cheek.“No, I want all of them to see how happy I am.” I look into his eyes and smile before we make our way over to the group of people my age. At first, everything is incredibly uncomfortable, but Gabriel has this way of just making people feel comfortable.The only one that doesn’t seem to relax is Jason. He keeps glaring at Gabriel, and I just know that is never going to change. Jason will just have to accept that his mate is a lower-ranked wolf. We don’t stay as long as we did with the other groups and I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as we are away from all of them
EsmeThe day of the ceremony isn’t any better! I’m woken in the early hours of the morning and the omegas quickly start to move my things to my new bedroom. I’m a little disappointed when I walk into our room and I can smell that Gabriel had been there just moments ago.It smells of soap and I know he has taken a shower. I really want to see him before the ceremony. I need to see him, but my mom keeps telling me that it’s bad luck. My anxiety slowly builds as the day is spent on waxing and whatever is needed to make me look pretty.Right before I put on my dress, I’m completely freaking out, and I lock myself in the bathroom. My mind is all over the place. I know I want to be with Gabriel. I don’t understand the anxiety all of a sudden. I am sitting on the floor when I hear his footsteps coming closer.“Esme, it’s me.” He softly knocks on the door and I can feel it. The floor was cold, and I hoped that sitting on it would just calm my anxiety a little. I lean against the door and try
Esme“But this house is too big for two people? Where does everyone else stay?” I feel incredibly confused as he climbs the stairs with me in his arms. He stops before the door and looks into my eyes.“It’s big enough for our family. Now, will you give me a moment to welcome you to your new home before the pack arrives.” He grins and I nod. I have a lot of questions, but they can wait for now. He steps over the threshold and I burst out laughing.“Welcome home, my love.” He kisses my forehead and I slowly turn around. I gasp at the sight of it. The house is filled with what looks like only the best. The enormous grand staircase is clearly the centerpiece in the foyer.I note as Gabriel takes me on a tour that the materials used to make the furniture wasn’t cheap. The chairs look like they have been handcrafted out of wood. The cushions are covered in thick lush velvets and the curtains draped in front of the windows look heavy.The bottom floor consists out of the kitchen, a dining ro
Esme“Mom, are you okay with all of this?” I put some of the living room things down on the coffee table while she wraps them and puts them into the box.“All what, honey?” She stops wrapping and frowns at me. I sit down beside her trying to find just the right words. That is really difficult to do when you haven’t gotten along with your mother for most of your life.“Moving to a new pack. Me being mated.” I shrug, hearing the hesitation in my own voice and knowing that she is going to hear it.“Well, honey …” She sits back and studies me for only a moment. “Are you okay with all of this? That is really the big question. None of this makes sense if you aren’t okay with it.” She frowns.“Yeah, I’m okay with it.” A shy smile starts to form, and my cheeks turn bright red.“Then we are all okay with it. The time has come for your brother to take over, which means we won’t have much to do around here.” Mom shrugs and carries on wrapping. “Hey, did you get your robes for graduation yet?” Th