I let out a breath but didn’t argue further, watching as he carefully wrapped my finger with a strip of gauze he had retrieved from the first-aid kit. He didn’t speak, but his hands were steady and methodical as he worked.When he was finally finished, only then did he meet my eyes, and something in
AriaI couldn’t help but grin as I tugged Darren toward the stairs, my fingers wrapped tightly around his. His steps were a little unsteady from the whiskey, and I felt the warmth of his body radiating toward me as we climbed the creaky wooden stairs.When we reached our bedroom, I nudged the door o
Eventually, his grip tightened slightly, not guiding but holding on, and I could tell he was close. For a few minutes, I kept him there, right on the edge, until his moans grew softer and just a little more desperate.Finally, I pulled back, climbing up to straddle his hips once more. His eyes were
AriaThe morning sun was just beginning to rise over the pack lands the following day, casting a golden glow across the dew-covered grass. Darren and I stood at the edge of the village, waiting for the small group of refugees William had promised to bring.“They’re late,” Darren said, glancing at hi
And most of all, there was her scent.I picked it up immediately now that I had a wolf. She was a panther shifter, like william.William gestured for her to join us, and she stepped forward. “This is Raven,” he said. “She’s here to join our cause.”My breath caught in my throat. Raven. The name was
AriaI couldn’t help it. Something primal and possessive surged through me when I saw that woman touching my mate.My wolf, usually so calm and controlled, bristled and clawed at the back of my mind. A low growl threatened to escape my throat as I stared at Raven’s perfectly manicured hand on my mat
As Raven stood to leave, she thanked us both, her eyes lingering on Darren for a moment before she turned to go. I felt a flicker of that earlier jealousy but squashed it quickly. It was normal, I told myself. My wolf was still adjusting to the mate bond, and these protective instincts were just par
AriaI tried to look away from Darren, but my eyes kept drifting back to him. That look on his face as he watched Raven… there was something about it that made my stomach twist into knots.No. I was being ridiculous.I took a deep breath and forced myself to stand. This was just paranoia, nothing mo
Banners hung across the walls, pink and white, with “Congratulations” written in bold letters. Streamers dangled from the ceiling, and our dining room table was lost under piles of gifts wrapped in pastel paper.“What the hell?” I managed, my jaw dropping as Bella rushed forward with Theo balanced o
AriaA year had passed since Darren and I signed that treaty, and life had settled into something sweet, even with all its ups and downs.The scars on my chest had faded to thin white lines, and Darren’s wound was just a memory beneath his shirt. We’d become godparents to Bella and Liam’s little boy
AriaLunar Labs was reduced to a shell of its former self.The once-sleek and vibrant building, surrounded by lush gardens and pebbled fountains, was now barren and burnt. The glass walls were shattered, the halls within burned and destroyed. Those damn slurs were still painted across nearly every s
He didn’t hesitate. “No.”The word hung in the air for a long moment. The president blinked, clearly startled. “With all due respect, Mr. President,” Darren went on, leaning forward in his chair, “we’re not coming back. Not like that. After being deported, hunted, abused by your government—my people
AriaDarren and I stepped out of the car and faced the sprawling estate that was the human president’s home. My chest still ached faintly from my wound, the stitches long gone but the pain lingering. Beside me, Darren subtly favored his left side when he moved, still healing from the hole in his che
We stayed like that for a while, neither of us speaking. At some point, I must have begun to drift off again, too exhausted from the day’s events to keep my eyes open.But then, suddenly, the door burst open, shattering the stillness, and I jolted upright, wincing as the movement pulled at my wound.
AriaDarren and I lay tangled together in the hospital bed, much to the nurse’s earlier chagrin. They had finally allowed us to remain together, reinserting my IV and moving my monitors to his side of the room, when my eyes had glowed and a low growl had accidentally ripped from my throat when they
He didn’t answer. I didn’t even think he heard me.Finally, the wail of sirens pierced the air, and red and blue lights flashed through the crowd. Paramedics pushed their way toward us with a stretcher rattling between them. Liam waved them over, shouting instructions I couldn’t process. Hands reach
AriaThe world erupted into chaos around me, a deafening roar of fury and movement as the protesters surged forward. Hundreds of voices shouted, feet pounded the pavement, and bodies pressed together in a wild rush toward Bella’s father.I caught a fleeting glimpse of him, his face twisted with rage