SarahDespite all of the craziness going on around us, I feel closer to Lucas than I have since I left the pack. Laying here with him makes me feel like I’ve found my home. My heart has its place again with him.“I love you so much,” I whisper between kisses.“I love you too,” he says. His hands wander across my skin and I’m only thinking about him. I’m full immersed in us. And slowly, layers of clothes start to come off.They peel off towards the ground as we unravel enough other. We explore each other’s bodies in a way that we haven’t for too long. And it’s beautiful seeing him like that. It’s incredible to remember the sensations that he can evoke within me.My body submits to his touch as my hands fall to his favorite spots. I grip his hair, then trace my nails down his back. Around his thighs.Our sighs move as one as our bodies intertwine. And I cry out in pleasure as we fully merge again. His body enters mine and we’re two souls as one in the most incredible way that o
AbigailAs I watch Lucas and Sarah run off on their mysterious date, I can’t help but smile. It’s so nice to see our pack leaders getting along again. It feels like we’re growing, we’re powerful. We’re being led into the future and I can’t wait.I think of my little one at home with Dustin. My mate is so good with out daughter. I know they’re having the time of their lives together.Of course, I always want to be with them. And I promise myself that I’ll return home soon. But first, I need some time to enjoy the moonlight.I run, the wind curling through my thick, chestnut fur. I feel alive. I feel like I can escape the troubled past that haunts me.I remind myself I’m safe here. I’m safe within this pack. I’m safe with Dustin. And I love my life. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.As I come across a stream, I stop. I see the image of myself reflected upon the water. I see a powerful wolf. I see a strong warrior.This isn’t how I always feel though. So, I shift back into my hum
LucasI’m worried about Sarah. Perhaps even more than I need to be, honestly. She’s a strong leader. She’s the strongest woman I know.Yet I see how much the fairies have affected her. I see how important Annabella is to her. And the toll this is taking on her is apparent. Guilt joins me once again as it’s apt to do when anything unpleasant comes up. That’s simply because I know I have been the source of such negativity in Sarah’s life, that she’s particularly vulnerable to being hurt by such things.I broke her before. What if something else breaks her again?I think back to the hollow look she had. I think back to her wasting away, overworking herself, becoming a mere shadow of all she was meant to be. Panic floods me until I realize that version of Sarah is nowhere in sight. The woman I see in front of me now is whole, is strong. She can lead a pack. She can find a fairy. We have nothing to worry about with her in charge.“We’re the leaders,” I remind her. “They will do w
SarahBeing a good Alpha means many things. It means knowing when to stand your ground, how to inspire your pack, and how to prove yourself to be a good leader.It also means being willing to make sacrifices for your pack. It means backing down sometimes when you need to. It means knowing the right response to any situation, no matter how frustrating the predicament might be.I’ve failed at this sometimes. No one is the perfect Alpha. And right now, I want to push past everything I know. I want to order my pack to take the fairies more seriously. As the Alpha, I have that power.I can make them do as I say. But I can’t make them believe me. I can’t make them willing. I can’t force them to approach this with a positive attitude.Forcing them to do something they don’t believe in can breed contempt. Sometimes it’s necessary, but if done too often, it can cause disruptions within a pack. So, I have to pick my battles carefully.As I look at Dustin, I can see his terror, his pain,
LucasI want to argue with Sarah. Things can’t be as gloomy as they seem. We’ve already faced so many foes. We’re outmaneuvered countless enemies before.Could we really be up against something so deadly again?It does seem like trouble follows us though. As soon as I think I’m getting peace with my beloved mate, something comes along to get in the way. I won’t let it fully tear its way between us though. I notice the creeping tension that was building, and I’m determined to keep it away. I will preserve what has been building up between us.“We’ll fix this,” I assure her. “Before other fairies and wolves can be taken. We’ll figure out who’s behind this and they will be punished. We will restore that sense of safety once more.”“Of course, we will,” she snaps. She takes a deep breath. “Sorry I’m so on edge. It just is unnerving to think there might be someone out there targeting all of us. It makes me wonder why. “It’s such a strange combination which is scary. How will we f
SarahAs I hold Dustin, I feel all of his pain. It seeps into me in this tragic exchange of energy and my only wish is to fix this for him. As Alpha I feel like it’s my responsibility to make everything better.I can’t though. No one can take away the pain of a lost mate. So, I just stay there with him on the ground. I let him know he has my support. I try to absorb the pain for him.“We’re going to find her killer,” I promise him. “No matter what it takes. We will get justice for Abigail.”“I know,” Dustin says, pulling himself together. His rage makes him stronger. “We will find that mysterious stranger and I will rip out their throats. I will make them suffer. I will get revenge but first…”Dustin closes his eyes as his voice breaks. When he reopens them, I see a new person. He’s stronger than before while still being broken.“First, I’ll bring her home,” he decides. “I’ll take care of our child for the night, just as she would want me to do. I’ll make sure my daughter knows
Levi“I want you to know how much we really appreciate pack members like you,” Sarah says, as I finish up my dessert before switching off for patrol for the night. “Your willingness to help keep us safe is admirable. We couldn’t do this successfully without that kind of bravery and sacrifice.”I smile with pride at her words. This is one of the reasons why I’m devoted to her and this pack. I always feel appreciated her, welcomed. I feel like I truly matter.“I appreciate you,” I reply. “Honestly, Sarah, you are an incredible Alpha. Something about you inspires confidence. It makes me believe in the mission of this pack. And I’d do anything to help see it through. I’m just grateful to be part of it.”“I’m so glad to hear that,” she says. “Just stay safe, okay? Stay with your partner. I want everyone to be safe.”“We will be,” I vow. “We don’t need to lose another member of the pack.”At that, I finish up the last of my food and head out to my post to relieve my twin sister from
Sarah“You are stunning,” Lucas says, as we wake up the next morning.His brilliant eyes captivate mine and I never want to look away. I want to stay in his arms forever.“And you are gorgeous,” I tell him. “I’m so lucky to have you. We’re so lucky to have this. It’s worth every bit of work we’ve put in so far and even… it’s worth the pain as long as we end up together in the end. I would do anything to be with you.”The words ring true and it amazes me how much I mean them, how deeply they resonate within my soul.Being with Lucas has been amazing in many ways. It’s also been heartbreaking at times. There were times when I was distraught over the fact that he was my mate.We made it out of that though. And though we still have our issues and things aren’t completely fixed yet, I’m seeing how wonderful things can be. I’m falling even more in love with him again.“I’m so grateful for you,” he says, nuzzling me. “I’m so glad you’re going on this lifelong journey with me. And I k
SarahThe days that follow are sad ones. We all have to come together as a pack to work through the loss of so many loved ones. “I really thought we were finding peace,” Dustin says, as we gather together three days later. “I hoped it would stay.”“We’ll find that now,” I tell him. “There are always going to be times of peace and times of conflict. I’ve learned we have to accept that as a way of life. That’s the downside of being in a wolf pack.“But the good days outnumber the bad. And we’re strong, we’re fierce. We’ll get through this and defeat any enemies that might come up next. We just have to trust in each other and have faith in the pack.”The words resonate with me as I say them. Despite all the hardships, I’m more devoted to this pack than I ever have been. I’ve learned to accept the ups and downs which are easier to manage now that things between Lucas and I don’t feel quite as fragile.“That’s why you’re a great leader,” Dustin says. “You inspire us all to do just
LucasAs I watch my baby in Sarah’s arms, I’m happier than I ever thought I’d be. A son and a daughter. It feels like now our family is complete. Though I’m open to more children in the future. Right now, I’m just content.Sarah and I tend to be rough sleepers though. So, as Sarah dozes off, I take Evelyn from her arms and place her in the bassinet. Then, I join Sarah on the bed.“She’s beautiful,” I say, cuddling my sleepy mate. “You’re beautiful. I’m so grateful to you for bringing our children into our life like you have. “I know it’s never easy. I won’t even pretend to understand what you go through. But you give up so much for our family. I appreciate that more than I can express.”“And I appreciate you,” she says. “You’re a wonderful father and a fantastic husband. I’m so glad to share all of this with you. I’m so grateful to be building a family with you.”I kiss her and the warmth of having my true mate in my life envelopes me. It just feels so natural and right when y
Sarah“That is an incredible offer,” I say, my eyes staring right into Azar’s. “You’ve promised so much, and I know we’d both prosper within a formed alliance. However, we can’t promise our daughter’s hand in marriage.”My words prompt a hearty response. Some are mere whispers while others are outright defiant. Many can’t believe that we would turn away from this. But we have to do what’s right for our daughter.“Now, I’m not shutting down the idea of a future marriage completely,” I clarify. “Maybe our daughter will end up with your son. Maybe they will be mates.“But we’ll have to wait and see once she’s old enough to decide. Since we’ll be allies regardless, they’ll know each other. They can spend time together.“If our daughter decides that your son is her mate and they both love each other, then they can get married. We’re going to leave that up to her though. We don’t want to make such a big decision for her before she can even consent to it.”Azar’s demeanor falls. It re
LucasSarah looks at me with an expectant look on her face, and I’m just not sure what I should say. The kiss still bothers me. It hurts me. As her mate, I have reason to be upset.The guilt still haunts me though. It reminds me of how I hurt her. It whispers that I deserve this. I know that I deserve this.“It’s nothing,” I insist.“Lucas, please open up to me,” she says. She takes my hand in hers and looks at me with those eyes I never can resist. “I saw you and Azar last night,” I confess. “I saw the kiss.”Sarah looks at me with shock and guilt written upon her face. I hate that. It’s proof that what I saw was true. They did kiss. She betrayed me.“I know I betrayed you horribly,” I continue. “So, I understand that I deserve that. But it still hurts, Sarah. “I thought we had moved past all of that. I thought we were solid. I thought we weren’t ever going to let anyone get between us again. But I guess I was wrong.”Jealous tears through me as the kiss replays in my min
LucasI’m surprised then when I wake, Sarah isn’t beside me. I panic. After everything that’s happened, I simply can’t help it. There are too many ways things can go wrong.I need her near me. I need to always know that she’s okay.After a deep breath, I realize that something feels wrong. Something seems off. I walk to Fergus’ room and see him sleeping peacefully. I tuck the baby monitor in my pocket and step outside. I won’t go far, I can’t go far without Fergus, so hopefully she’s close by.It doesn’t seem like she is at first. I look all around our home and don’t see her. Then, I go towards the back yard and I stop.Sarah is there, but the tree line, but she’s not alone. He’s with her. The anger from earlier boils within me again.I know I shouldn’t be jealous, especially not after what I did to Sarah. I have no right to worry about that after all I put her through. And nothing truly awful has happened between them. I don’t have a solid reason to be upset.Besides, I tru
Lucas“You don’t have to give an answer right now,” he rushes in to say. “I’m not expecting you to be sure of anything right now. It’s just something to think about.”I’m so taken off guard by this that I don’t know a single word to say in response. I have tried to push aside my fears that he wants to seduce Sarah and getting to know them all a little better has helped me to do so.My daughter though… I never thought he’d be after my daughter. Arranged marriage? “That’s a big topic,” Sarah says slowly. “We’d definitely need time to think about it further. We’d have to talk through this amongst ourselves.”“Of course,” Azar replies with a pleasant smile. “I’m not trying to force your hand or anything. Take as much time as you need. It is a big decision but I think it’s the right one.”We don’t stay out much longer than that. We circle back to the gathering for a little while. But everyone is tired, so we all head back home soon after.It’s only once we’re back home that every
SarahI take a moment to give Lucas a hug and another kiss before we step into the area where the feast is being hosted. I can sense that he’s still a little insecure about things, but he had no reason to worry. I’m going to be true to him always.I’ll admit though, I am intrigued by this new pack. I wonder about the kinds of magic they can do. I’m curious about all they have to offer.As we walk towards their Alpha, the pack starts to congregate together, which is a little strange. Before this, they were mingling with everyone else. There seems to be a shift though as we approach them.“We’re so grateful you’ve accepted us,” Azar says, flashing that friendly smile. Is there anything flirtatious about it? I don’t really think so.“To show our gratitude, we would like to show you something,” he continues. “A little show before dinner.”I hesitate. What if this is something malicious? I don’t know anything about this pack. Is it a trap?They’re already here though. They could tr
LucasAfter everything else that’s happened, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this new pack joining us. It’s not like it’s uncommon for packs to approach each other, especially if they think a mutually beneficial alliance can be formed.The fact that packs are now approaching us like this shows our growth. I’m proud of Sarah for bringing this pack to greatness like this. I’m happy to welcome newcomers in.It’s just that there’s been a lot going on lately. And it still seems like a risk to allow anyone new to come into this peaceful place we created.Then, I realize that I’m sounding a bit like how Liza sounded when we brought Brandon in. It gives me more empathy towards her but also makes me realize that maybe I’m being a bit paranoid.It will be good to have another alliance. This could ultimately be beneficial to us. So, I help answer questions as the pack follows us. I remain as engaging as possible as I get to know them.“You’ve truly created something impres
SarahChills run down my spine as I listen to this prophecy about our daughter. I always knew our children would be great. But I never expected something like this.Could it be true?I assume it is considering the way this prophecy has been delivered. What does it mean though? How do we deal with something like this?Before we can ask any questions, the bubble floats off into the sky which grows lighter again. The lights turn back on. The candles are re-lit.Lucas and I look to each other as everyone looks to us for answers. Yet I’m stumped. Usually I know what to say, but not this time.“I have no idea where that came from,” I admit. I’ve found that when it comes to being Alpha, the best way to approach these sorts of things is from a place of honesty. “However, I can say that I feel blessed.“It’s clear our daughter will be special. I don’t know exactly what that means yet, but we will take care of her to the best of our ability. We’ll cherish her just as we do Fergus. We’ll