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
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,
AriaThe snow mobile ride back to the pack house the next morning felt long and quiet, but maybe that was just because I couldn’t stop glancing sideways at Darren’s profile over his shoulder. He hardly looked at me, but I could feel the way his fingers occasionally brushed across where my hands were
“They’re not games for kids,” Darren said with a completely straight face.Lucas thought about that for a second, then nodded solemnly. “Okay… But next time, I wanna come and play games for kids!”Darren set him down, patting his head. “Deal. Now go get ready for breakfast.”Lucas scampered off, and
AriaThe cold air nipped at my cheeks as I stepped outside, pulling my coat tighter around me. Breakfast had been… well, uncomfortable. Between Wendy’s knowing glances, Darren’s calm and collected demeanor, and Lucas’s innocent chatter, not to mention Tracy’s angry glares followed by suddenly stormi
I wondered, for a moment, who was walking Anna’s dog while I was gone. I should call Bella and ask her to cover for me, I thought with a small wince.“Just put it on the table,” Mrs. Sterling said, shuffling toward the kitchen.I did as she asked, placing the bag carefully on the worn oak table. As
Aria & DarrenAriaI paused just at the forest’s edge, straining my ears to listen. The forest was silent now, save for the sound of the wind rustling through the pine trees and the birds flitting across the path.It didn’t feel right to just walk away when someone was calling for help, but I knew b
Emerging from the trees were three wolves, large and dark, their eyes glinting under the pale morning light.…DarrenLucas’s giggles filled the air as I lifted him onto my shoulders, his mittened hands gripping the top of my head for balance.“Higher, Daddy!” he squealed, leaning forward so far I h
It was exactly as I remembered it, and yet completely different.We wandered through the festival for a while, stopping to admire the crafts and sample the food. Lucas was in heaven, running ahead and pointing out treats and games he wanted to try. Darren and I followed behind him, our hands intertw
AriaAfter a few days spent in the pack lands, we returned home. The trip was much shorter now, since I could shift and run back through the forest with Darren and Lucas by my side. Freeing, too.But when we returned, I felt even more stifled than ever.At first, I figured I would just adjust like I
I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that our campaign had inadvertently put the pack at risk. Once, I might have felt offended by their fear of humans, but now with the protests… I couldn’t blame them anymore.I couldn’t blame anyone for being scared anymore.“I understand your concerns,” Darren said, p
AriaReturning to the pack lands felt like a breath of fresh air after a year spent underground.It had been barely a month since we had been here, but returning felt different now. When I had first set foot in Moonglow pack territory, I had been, for all intents and purposes, a human. I had entered
The man glared at me, but refused to say another word. He called out to the guards, saying he was done speaking without a lawyer present, and the guards entered and took him away.“Well, that was… frustrating,” I muttered under my breath once I was alone. “And useless.”My wolf growled once more in
DarrenThe station was cold, sterile, and reeked of stale coffee. I sat in the interrogation room, my fingers drumming against the metal table as I waited for the man to be brought in. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, already giving me a migraine. Or maybe that was just the sensation of my wo
We spent the rest of the evening watching movies, curled up on the couch with Lucas sandwiched between us. He fell asleep halfway through the second movie, his head resting on my shoulder. I glanced down at him, my heart throbbing just at the sight of him curled up against me.Countless nights were
AriaThe moment Lucas jumped out from behind the sofa, flashing me a wide grin with his party hat askew on top of his head, I felt my previous frustration melt away like snow under the warm morning sun.“Surprise!” Lucas shouted, running up to me and taking one of my hands in his. He gestured to the
I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “Thank you, Anna. I’ll try to come visit once in a while.”But we both knew that wouldn’t happen. Not when her dog hated me. Not when she clearly was a little frightened of me, too.When I returned to my apartment, Darren was already waiting for me, leaning aga