Aria Darren’s arm stayed firmly around my shoulders as we walked into the village, his touch steadying me as my boots crunched softly against the snow-covered path. The crisp air nipped at my cheeks, but it wasn’t the cold that had my heart racing. It was the stares. They came from everywhere.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding as Darren turned back to me. His expression softened ever so slightly as he motioned for me to follow him inside. The interior of the pack house was just as grand as the exterior, with dark wooden beams overhead and walls lined with tapestries. Th
Aria The woman embraced me tightly, as if she had known me for years. But I had no idea who she was. At least, not until Lucas suddenly turned and blurted out, “Nana!” Nana? With a warm grin, the woman pulled away from me and stretched her arms out wide. Lucas practically barrelled into her em
“You know,” she began, “Darren never stopped talking about you. That angelic girl who saved his life as a pup.” My cheeks burned again, and I looked down at my cup. “He mentioned that?” I asked quietly. “More times than I can count,” Wendy said with a quiet laugh. “He was just a boy then, but he
Aria The room I was shown to was larger than I expected, with warm wooden walls and thick fur rugs spread over the stone floor. A large four-poster bed dominated the space, draped in heavy quilts and soft pillows, and a small sofa sat near the crackling fire. It felt cozy and inviting, if only i
Wendy chuckled softly. “Well, among werewolves, you’re just right. Strength and grace are prized here. And you, my dear, have both.” Her words warmed me in a way I hadn’t expected, and for a moment, I forgot about the hostility waiting for me downstairs. When she was finished, I looked in the mirr
Aria The room went dead silent after Wendy’s suggestion. Even the fire seemed to crackle a little less in the fireplace as her words sank in. “A human, making a blood oath?” one of the elders sputtered, incredulous. “You have my utmost respect, Wendy, but that is simply unheard of!” “Not only
Her words sent a jolt through me, and my heart pounded even harder in my chest. Stay? Here? As Darren’s Luna? I glanced up at him, searching his face for any hint of what he might be thinking. Did he want me to stay? Deep down, I knew what I wanted—I wanted to stay by his side. I… cared for him,
Then, with painstaking slowness as if teasing me, he hooked one finger under my bra strap and slipped it down. The moment his mouth connected with my breast, my back arched of its own accord. I couldn’t contain the small whimper that escaped me as he carefully twirled his tongue around the nipple,
Aria Darren’s arms around me felt like the one thing I had been missing all my life. As he held me there, curled up on the floor with nothing but the snow and the wind outside, I felt more safe and steady than I’d ever felt before. I had never felt like this with any man—certainly not Jackson, a
As if on cue, I heard it coming. It was faint, but unmistakable: the distant, droning buzz of wings. My blood ran cold. The swarm would be here in moments. Aria blinked up at me slowly, as if she hadn’t heard a word I said. Her hands moved to my chest instead, clumsily gripping my coat. “So muscul
Darren I glanced over my shoulder, grinning as I carved a path down the slope. “You keeping up back there?” But the answer never came. My smile faltered. Aria wasn’t there. I turned my skis sideways, snow spraying up in a flurry as I came to a stop. My breath fogged in the cold air as I look
Darren didn’t even try to hide his laughter as he stepped toward me. “You okay down there?” “Oh, I’m just peachy,” I grumbled, trying to sit up. My skis tangled awkwardly, and I flailed like a bug stuck on its back. “Stop laughing and help me up!” Still chuckling, Darren grabbed my arm and pulle
Aria Lucas’s face crumpled before the words even left Darren’s mouth. “No,” Darren said firmly, shaking his head. “You’re not coming, Lucas.” Lucas’s little hands curled into fists at his sides as he looked up at Darren with wide, watery eyes. “But why not? You always say I’m brave!” His voice
“We’ll be watching,” the elder said coldly. “Both of you.” Darren nodded. “I’d expect nothing less.” With that, the crowd began to disperse, although a few wolves—the warriors who had first sprang to action when Charles commanded them to drag me away—lingered for a moment longer, glaring at me h
Aria A heavy silence fell after Charles made his demand. Darren was tense in front of me, his broad form nearly blocking out my view of the old Beta, but I could still feel Charles’s eyes boring into my skull. “Do the right thing, Alpha,” Charles sneered. “Before she proves all of us right.” A
I stared at him, my mind reeling. “A moment of great need,” I finally muttered, shaking my head. “What kind of ‘great need’?” Darren and the doctor exchanged glances again before Darren turned to me. “There’s no way for us to know,” he explained gently. “Perhaps your wolf will emerge when you ne