NaomiAs Cal left the room, I let out a sigh of relief and focused on the tingling sensation in my veins. The bond between us had strengthened after our bloods mixed, and I could feel his magic coursing through me. It gave me a glimmer of hope - there was no way I could survive as a wolf less wolf. A human. The lingering magic in my blood gave me strength. It clung to blood humming in my veins. Now, I just needed to learn how to harness it.As I stepped into the room, it was like walking into a dazzling jewel box. The walls were painted in rich shades of emerald and teal, glistening under the soft glow of golden lights. Magnificent patterns, intricately woven with threads of gold, adorned every surface, adding an air of opulence to the space. The floor was covered in a deep blue rug, so plush that every step felt like floating on a tranquil sea. I sank into its luxurious depths, my feet enveloped in its velvety softness. High above me, a chandelier glittered like stars in the lofty ce
NaomiI sank into the plush, teal jade comforter and let out a contented sigh. The room was like a sanctuary, with large windows allowing the golden rays of the morning sun to pour in. As I awoke from sleep, my thoughts turned to my family back home. I could almost taste my mother’s homemade meals and hear my sister’s laughter echoing through the house. But then reality hit me; I was here at the Chaos Coven, cut off from them with no way of communicating. They didn’t even know where I was. It felt like we were living in parallel universes, each going about our lives without ever finding a way back to each other. A sense of longing washed over me as I nestled down on my cotton candy cloud of a bed.Lying in bed, I couldn’t escape the suffocating silence that filled the room. As my thoughts drifted to my younger sister, a pang of envy and bitterness rose within me. My parents were always driven by ambition, using their children as pawns in their pursuit of power.She was always the favou
NaomiOdette’s grip on my shoulder is like a vice, her perfectly manicured nails digging into my skin with each step she takes. The pressure sends a wave of pain through my arm as I’m forced over to a stool, sandwiched between the imposing figures of Tobin and Ataz. Despite my attempts to squeeze in, their massive bodies don’t budge an inch, their muscular thighs pressing against mine. With a sickly sweet smile, Odette sets down a heaping plate of breakfast items that turns my stomach with their greasy shine and overwhelming smell. She places her hand on her hip, radiating power and control as she watches me squirm in discomfort under her piercing gaze. The room feels suffocating with her dominating presence, like I am trapped in a small box with no escape.“Come on, darlings, eat up,” Odette encourages, her voice like velvet and honey. She pops a bright red cherry into her perfectly painted mouth, the juice dripping down her chin in a tantalising way. Next to me, the two men snicker
NaomiCal leads us out the back of the house, his grip on my arm tight enough to bruise as we step into the garden. A patch of scorched earth catches my eye and I shudder at the sight of odd stones scattered around. Cal’s face turns to a scowl as he notices where I’m looking. “Hurry up, pet,” he snaps, unlocking his car and opening the passenger door for me. I slide in, ready to take a deep breath, but Cal follows me and looms over me, his face inches from mine as he pulls the seatbelt across my body. His eyes rake down my figure before settling on my lips. “That dress looks stunning on you,” he murmurs, his voice laced with possessiveness. The click of the seatbelt seems to seal me into his control.He slams the door shut with a deafening clap, his powerful frame filling the car as he starts the engine. My eyes are drawn to the intricate symbol tattoos adorning his bulging muscles, and I cannot help but feel both intimidated and mesmerised by them as they start to writhe and twist, m
NaomiI stumbled back, the dry leaves and twigs crunching beneath my feet as Cal pulled me deeper into the dark woods. His grip on my arm was tight, almost painful, and his demeanour remained strangely composed after his outburst in the car. We arrived in a small clearing, surrounded by towering trees that seemed to reach up endlessly towards the sky. The sunlight struggled to break through the thick canopy above, casting dappled shadows on our faces. The air was heavy with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves, giving off an eerie atmosphere. I couldn’t help but shiver as Cal’s eyes scanned our surroundings, his expression unreadable.With a sudden flash of determination and intensity in his eyes, Cal turned towards me. His words echoed with power and purpose as he declared, “Let our training begin.” As if on cue, branches began to lift from the forest floor, hurtling towards me with increasing speed and force. I could feel my heart racing as I twisted and dodged, narrowly avoi
NaomiCal staggers back, his dark eyes gleaming with a dangerous glint. I smirk and spit out his blood, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand with contempt. “I reject you and this worthless bond, Cal!” I sneer as he chuckles, his hands gripping my shoulders with an iron grip to prevent me from pulling away.“That’s not how it works, pet,” his eyes glinted with a predatory glimmer. I could feel the weight of his words bearing down on me as he spoke, and the fear that rose up in my chest only fuelled his excitement. Obviously, he wasn’t going to tell me what I wanted to know - but I couldn’t help but wonder if Odette would be more forthcoming. But all of our previous conversations had ended in failure and frustration. “Don’t even think about asking anyone else,” he sneered, tightening his grip on my arm until I could already feel the bruise forming under his fingers. His hold was like a vice, trapping me in a web of deceit and manipulation.My heart raced as I braced myself for a confro
NaomiWith each stroke of the oar, Cal propels our small boat down the tranquil river. The water gently licks at the edges of the vessel, creating a soothing lullaby that accompanies us on our journey. I gaze at the lush green grass rustling in the gentle breeze along the banks, illuminated by specks of sunlight peeking through the treetops. My eyes follow the graceful movements of a few fish swimming just beneath the crystal clear water’s surface. Despite the tranquil settling, my heart races, still unable to relax after what happened earlier.The seconds creep by, each one punctuated by the deafening silence that surrounds us. My racing thoughts are the only noise as I try to remain calm, knowing that whatever is coming, I have to trust the bond between us. It’s up to him now; I have to trust that he will protect me with every ounce of his being. His sharp features are etched with determination as he powers through the water, his broad shoulders and corded arms working tirelessly. I
NaomiAs the boat splashes through the water, I try to tug free from his grasp. But there’s nowhere for me to go, and his touch only becomes more insistent. “You know even with your wolf there will always be something different about you?” he purrs in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. My heart pounds in my chest as I struggle to remember how to breathe.His fingers continue their relentless dance over my skin, igniting every nerve ending in their wake. My resolve begins to crumble as his touch becomes more urgent and demanding. No matter how hard I try to ignore it, my body responds eagerly to his every move.A sharp ache radiates from my core as I struggle to catch my breath. His hand rising tantalizingly close. “What do you mean, not a normal wolf?” I snap, though it comes out as barely more than a whisper as I narrow my eyes in suspicion. He smirks, his fingers sweeping down my heated centre and igniting sparks of desire with every touch. “It means, my deer pet,” he purrs sed
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to all of my lovely readers who have stuck with me until the end of this book. This novel has taken a darker turn than I had initially planned, and I apologize for not providing enough trigger warnings. My intention was never to cause distress to any of my readers with the content in some of the chapters. I truly believe that Naomi's journey needed this darkness for her to grow and fight for her own future. I am aware that there are still several unanswered questions at the end of this book, and it was always meant to be a shorter novel. However, it also serves as a set-up for the rest of the Mated Series books. If you continue reading, you will find answers to these questions. For those who wish to know more about Naomi and a few details about Addison, they can be found in "Mated To My Promised Alpha." Naomi's journey has been a challenging one, and while she may not fit into the classic hero or "good" character mold, I was hesita
Naomi 2 years later The smoke of burnt herbs billowed in the small corner of the library in Greyclaw Ridge, where I had holed myself up. I rocked baby Addison in my arms, watching as she slept, taking in each one of her perfect features. A single tear rolled down my cheek as I cradled her, my little angel. The herbs burned like grains in an hourglass, signaling that I didn’t have much time left. I kissed her soft cheeks and delicate forehead. “My baby, if only you knew how much I love you.” Her little eyes fluttered open, and she smiled—a big, bright smile that tugged at my heart. I smiled back, even as tears blurred my vision. I heard her sweet gurgle, but when I blinked the tears away, she was gone. I looked at the herbs, now reduced to nothing but ash. I didn’t have any more. I’d have to wait until I could go to the store to buy some. A throb began to pulse at my temples, the telltale sign of an oncoming headache. I really needed to stop doing this, but the thought of never seei
NaomiOn the journey home to the manor, Cal drove his car, the bay disappearing in the rearview mirror. I finally felt like I was coming home.“I found something out, by the way. My old alpha… he has a son now,” I added casually after Hilda told me the reason Elio was so pissed was because his mate had just given birth to their first child a few days prior. I tried not to think about it, but the painful memory was already surfacing, squeezing at my chest.“I know. I already sent him our gift,” Cal replied just as casually, driving around a bend as my breath caught in my throat.“What do you mean you already know?” I asked, and he gave me one of his winning smiles.“I wanted to keep busy while you were away, so I put a lot of thought into his gift. Tobin helped me,” he explained, making my blood run cold. Fuck, that isn’t good.I tried to act casual, feeling anything but, as the car picked up speed, pushing me back into my seat. “Well, after how he treated you, I wanted to get even with
NaomiA Few Weeks LaterAddison was gone, and I found myself drifting down to the beach. I had been unable to eat or sleep much, feeling her absence like a missing limb. I knew she was safe—the small spell I cast told me she was—but that was my only connection to her. It was better than nothing. My body had returned to its pre-pregnant self, and somehow, that made things worse. Was she even real?I should go home. I need Cal now. I needed him to help fill the void, and I was tired of fighting it—the pull of the bond. I found myself walking back toward the Mermaid Claw Inn. It had been my refuge so many times since coming here. I stood outside the wooden door, watching the sign flap in the wind.I headed inside, unsure why I had come. Maybe I just needed to get out from under Hilda’s watchful eye. The place still had that same woodsy, salt smell with hints of malt from the ale. Jasper had a new barmaid. She was a wolf and seemed eager to learn as he showed her how to pour a pint. She o
Naomi2 weeks laterI had been feeling uncomfortable all day. Every step felt like a balloon about to burst as I paced back and forth in my room, hands gripping the swollen curve of my belly. I was certain the baby was going to arrive. I had kept to my room for fear of my water breaking in Hilda’s house. Her words of chucking me out on the street still ringing in my ears.I hoped the information I had found was enough. If I told him what I needed to cure our curse, I could persuade the coven not to make any more silver bullets or other weapons that would harm the packs. I had also found out a few of their regular customers and that Tobin had been working on a few new products. It was enough … I was sure of it.It didn’t matter what happened to me as long as my baby was safe, that was all that mattered. I had also been crying far too much, thinking about all the things I would miss out on as she grows up. Suffice to say, my eyes were puffy, and I was already sleep deprived. Hilda had to
NaomiElio grabs my hand and pulls me down narrow, dimly lit alleys before pushing me through the heavy wooden door of a dingy bar. The pungent scent of old beer and unwashed bodies hits me like a wave as I step inside. The patrons are a mix of rowdy drunks and slumped over figures, eyeing us warily. I know with a sinking feeling that we’re back at the same place Cal had dragged me to before.The bartender looks at us as we walk in, but one snarl from Elio has everyone going silent, looking away. They don’t care that he is dragging in a heavily pregnant lady with him. He kicks through the back door until we reach a dimly lit corner. The table he finds is small and wobbly, tucked away where the flickering lightbulb casts an eerie glow. “Sit,” he commands, and I quickly sink into the rickety chair. As I watch him he wants to know about the chaos of the coven. A sly smirk forms on my lips - perhaps I can use his reputation to my advantage.I clear my throat and ask nonchalantly, “So, how
Naomi4 months laterThe wind whipped through my layers of clothing, bringing a slight chill as I trudged down the narrow streets of Bloodmoon Bay. The search for the moon goddess and any clues about Richard’s son had been fruitless. My belly bulged with a baby that would be arriving in a few short weeks, and I still hadn’t figured out how to get the child safely to my sister, who had agreed to take it in. My mind raced with worry as I walked, hoping for some sort of solution before it was too late.A sharp gust of salty wind stung my face, whipping through my tightly braided hair and bringing a strangled gasp to my lips. I paused to stretch out the knots in my spine, only to freeze as I caught sight of a menacing figure looming ahead. My blood turned to ice as I realised who it was. Shit.Pure terror grips me as I sprint down the street, my fat feet pounding against the pavement in a desperate attempt to escape. My hands desperately drop my bags in order to clutch my tummy, the weigh
Naomi*** Trigger Warnings Apply ***It had been weeks later, and despite my persistent efforts, I still couldn’t reach the moon goddess. In desperation, I sought out a seance in Bloodmoon Bay, but was met with confusion and disbelief. They claimed the moon goddess was already among us, but I couldn’t sense her presence at all. It seemed like a ridiculous excuse to avoid helping me. Surely, if the goddess truly walked among us, we would feel her divine power radiating from her very being. But instead, I was left with nothing but frustration and unanswered questions.I had trudged back to Hilda’s failing to find answers yet again. I didn’t want to delve into the dark blood magic if I could help it. If things got worse, I figured I knew where to start for looking for a rogue that might actually help as part of this cure.I took back to sitting on my bed with a spell book reading through it trying to learn different techniques. The pages were worn, and I was careful not to tear them, or
NaomiI catch the sickly scent of Odette’s perfume as I follow her around the manor as she rifles through her wardrobe, packing a bag. Ataz stands on the other side of the room with his arms folded over his chest and a death glare on his face. “We have been through this. If you don’t want the others to get suspicious of you, I need to leave,” she whispers, but even with the softness of her voice, I don’t miss the harshness of her words.“You’re supposed to want to stay here with me,” he grumbles, like a petulant child who can’t get what he wants. Odette sighs as if this conversation is actually draining her energy. I don’t know how many times they have had this conversation. Odette is changed out of her robes. She looks fresh as a daisy and a glow to her skin that wasn’t there when she was first freed from the figurine. She slowly walks towards him, her hips swaying sensually as she crosses the distance. It’s a practiced art form, but it seems to do the trick.“Ataz,” she purrs, her v