S U M M E R Was he serious? He wasn't going to confront the obvious issue at hand? I could tell his attitude had shifted dramatically. He wasn't just worried; he was furious. I found myself questioning whether there was any reason for him to be dishonest. Should I make a run for it, seeking refuge somewhere? If such a place even existed. The agent didn’t seem to think so. I had even attempted to reach her again, but the phone just kept beeping incessantly. Not a promising sign. "I was supposed to be a leading wildlife veterinarian. Apparently, the FBI thought I could shed some light on this situation." "And did you?" "Are you serious right now? I witnessed a man I had dissected come back to life and wreak havoc in my office. What kind of insights can I possibly provide from that? I plan to conduct tests, but I’m at a loss for which ones to choose. Maybe I should grab one of those dummy guides. You know, 'How to Turn a Corpse into a Werewolf in Three Simple Steps.'" He let out a
S U M M E RI found myself at a loss for words. "Protected." Fantastic. Now I was just echoing his statements."Yes.""Why?""I'm not entirely sure."Why did I feel the urge to throw pillows at him? Or something sharper? He was deceiving me. "The one who led me out of the forest was one of your kind?""Based on what you've shared, yes. We aren't killers. In fact, we rarely shift and haven't done so in twenty years. There’s no need for it anymore. That was a choice made by the majority of the pack back then.""A democratic decision?" I struggled to suppress a laugh."Yes." He was watching me closely, and I sensed he was probing my thoughts for information I wasn’t willing to share."So, you're saying you're completely humanized." This was no laughing matter, yet here I was, chuckling. I felt on the verge of hysterics. I finally managed to take a sip of wine, resisting the urge to down the whole glass. It felt like I had slipped on a banana peel and knocked my head—this madness had to b
S U M M E R"Your... mate?" I echoed, still trying to process his words.He locked eyes with me, his expression serious. "Is that so hard to accept?""I'm not sure how to respond," I admitted, feeling a lump in my throat as the butterflies in my stomach morphed into something more menacing."What’s the difference between two people believing that their meeting and falling in love was meant to be?" Julian inquired, his tone casual as if we were discussing the weather.I shifted to the far end of the couch, craving space and desperately needing another glass of wine. I downed the remaining contents in just a few seconds, though I doubted it would ease my anxiety."I know we’re in the middle of a discussion, but could I get another glass of wine, please?""Absolutely."As he moved closer, I tensed up. The moment our fingers brushed while he reached for the glass, I gasped. I could feel an undeniable heat between us, a flame that shouldn’t exist but seemed impossible to extinguish."The t
S U M M E RI heard him inhale deeply, and his fingers lingered on my backside for a moment longer than I anticipated. As I shifted against him, the reason became clear—he was rock hard.Though I should have been angry at him for treating me like a child, I found myself sharing the same desire he felt. We were undeniably connected. Whether it was fate, chemistry, or some wild mate instinct, my breathing matched his labored rhythm.He struck the belt down several more times, thoroughly covering my sensitive spot with the thick strap. I was engulfed in a haze of longing and need, chastising myself for feeling anything other than anger, yet I couldn't help it.The man was utterly captivating.Damn him.With three more strikes, I was convinced I might lose my sight from the intensity of the pain."Just four more and we’re finished."I refused to whimper, but my backside was ablaze.Julian wasted no time, delivering the strap with fierce precision, one blow after another.Moments later, he
J U L I A NResearchers of all disciplines have been conditioned to believe that every anomaly has a cause—be it a medication, an illness, or a weather phenomenon. There’s always something behind the disruptions we encounter in life.However, the answer Summer was searching for proved elusive.Or one that she could accept through a scientific lens.“How many people are attending the meeting?” I inquired of River. I had reached out to both brothers to organize a gathering of Alpha members from the Cambridge pack, those I knew would help devise a strategy for moving forward. Every male had participated in the council meeting, most responding similarly to Calix.Yet, they were resilient and capable, men and women who refused to succumb entirely to the vulnerabilities of humanity. Our females were equally strong as our males, and they would be invaluable in various capacities.But only if they were willing to collaborate with me.Many members of our pack had dispersed to different cities,
J U L I A NAs the engine fell silent, she hesitated for a moment before opening her door. Stepping outside, her anxiety was more palpable than before. "Julian, I really don’t like this. Being away from my daughter, worrying about my lab, and not knowing what’s happening. I feel like an outsider, no matter how you spin it. My background is different, wolf or not."I shut the door and made my way around to her side. "What do you mean by that?""You’re a billionaire, and I come from a struggling family. I juggled two jobs while in high school just to save for college. My first year was spent at community college to keep my finances afloat. I’m not in your world."I stepped closer, invading her personal space until she finally smiled and placed her hand on my chest. "You mean a lot to me.""Don’t say that. You’re a terrible person, and I’m not sure I like you at all.""That’s not what you said in the elevator. I remember it quite well—"Summer snapped her fingers in front of my lips. "Th
J U L I A NSummer inhaled deeply and held her breath. As she had done countless times before, she searched my eyes for the truth.But was it her truth? I couldn't be sure.Surprisingly, she didn't seem as shocked as I had anticipated."Part wolf," she echoed.I nodded, realizing there was little more to say at that moment. I sensed a part of her growing numb, while another part—her sharp intellect—was busy processing and formulating questions, crafting rationalizations that her mind could accept.After a brief pause, she turned her gaze to the fire. "That explains why my childhood wolf experience was real. You protect your own. The wolf was there to save one of its kind.""That's likely. Female wolves are rarer. But I wasn't present when you were rescued. What I can share is that we do save humans. Often, the potential victim remains unaware. Our packs include doctors and dentists, surgeons and scientists. There are individuals so strong they can lift a car to prevent a human from be
J U L I A NFear was something I might have felt as a kid, but by the time I grew up, I was scared of nothing. The intense feeling of terror in Summer was both shocking and enlightening. The Wolfen had gotten cocky, stuck in their ways of pretending to be something they weren't. We lost our edge when we fully embraced humanity. Money, influence, power—we thought we had it all figured out, expecting our needs to be met forever. If werewolves were trying to carve out a place in this world, we had definitely lost our direction. Complacency was creeping in, and that could lead us straight into fear. Maybe this was the punishment we deserved, long overdue. My mom always warned our pack to be diligent in training the young and to protect our own. Sadly, her advice was ignored, and many left to escape the Wolfen rules. I believe that was the start of our downfall. It was already evident, even though sharing that River and I had taken out four werewolves before they fully transformed wo
J U L I A NSummer disregarded the rules and the fear of rejection. She advanced with her iPad in hand, her fingers racing across the screen. "Look for yourself. Explain what I'm seeing. Convince me that what I witnessed isn't real. And tell me again that werewolves don't exist." She passed the device to me, letting me hand it to Eliza first. I wasn't sure if Eliza was convinced, but he was definitely focused. He glanced at me, his lingering animosity evident. “If it's not werewolves, then we have another mystery on our hands," I informed them. “We need to compare DNA with ours." “Who will do that?" another Alpha inquired. “Doctor Willis will," I replied, and all eyes turned to Summer. I felt a surge of pride as she stood her ground, matching their stares. The iPad circulated among the group, many men and most women visibly unsettled. I could sense their tension deep within me, but I doubted it would suffice. Eliza suddenly erupted in laughter. "This is ridiculous. Just a film
J U L I A NFear was something I might have felt as a kid, but by the time I grew up, I was scared of nothing. The intense feeling of terror in Summer was both shocking and enlightening. The Wolfen had gotten cocky, stuck in their ways of pretending to be something they weren't. We lost our edge when we fully embraced humanity. Money, influence, power—we thought we had it all figured out, expecting our needs to be met forever. If werewolves were trying to carve out a place in this world, we had definitely lost our direction. Complacency was creeping in, and that could lead us straight into fear. Maybe this was the punishment we deserved, long overdue. My mom always warned our pack to be diligent in training the young and to protect our own. Sadly, her advice was ignored, and many left to escape the Wolfen rules. I believe that was the start of our downfall. It was already evident, even though sharing that River and I had taken out four werewolves before they fully transformed wo
J U L I A NSummer inhaled deeply and held her breath. As she had done countless times before, she searched my eyes for the truth.But was it her truth? I couldn't be sure.Surprisingly, she didn't seem as shocked as I had anticipated."Part wolf," she echoed.I nodded, realizing there was little more to say at that moment. I sensed a part of her growing numb, while another part—her sharp intellect—was busy processing and formulating questions, crafting rationalizations that her mind could accept.After a brief pause, she turned her gaze to the fire. "That explains why my childhood wolf experience was real. You protect your own. The wolf was there to save one of its kind.""That's likely. Female wolves are rarer. But I wasn't present when you were rescued. What I can share is that we do save humans. Often, the potential victim remains unaware. Our packs include doctors and dentists, surgeons and scientists. There are individuals so strong they can lift a car to prevent a human from be
J U L I A NAs the engine fell silent, she hesitated for a moment before opening her door. Stepping outside, her anxiety was more palpable than before. "Julian, I really don’t like this. Being away from my daughter, worrying about my lab, and not knowing what’s happening. I feel like an outsider, no matter how you spin it. My background is different, wolf or not."I shut the door and made my way around to her side. "What do you mean by that?""You’re a billionaire, and I come from a struggling family. I juggled two jobs while in high school just to save for college. My first year was spent at community college to keep my finances afloat. I’m not in your world."I stepped closer, invading her personal space until she finally smiled and placed her hand on my chest. "You mean a lot to me.""Don’t say that. You’re a terrible person, and I’m not sure I like you at all.""That’s not what you said in the elevator. I remember it quite well—"Summer snapped her fingers in front of my lips. "Th
J U L I A NResearchers of all disciplines have been conditioned to believe that every anomaly has a cause—be it a medication, an illness, or a weather phenomenon. There’s always something behind the disruptions we encounter in life.However, the answer Summer was searching for proved elusive.Or one that she could accept through a scientific lens.“How many people are attending the meeting?” I inquired of River. I had reached out to both brothers to organize a gathering of Alpha members from the Cambridge pack, those I knew would help devise a strategy for moving forward. Every male had participated in the council meeting, most responding similarly to Calix.Yet, they were resilient and capable, men and women who refused to succumb entirely to the vulnerabilities of humanity. Our females were equally strong as our males, and they would be invaluable in various capacities.But only if they were willing to collaborate with me.Many members of our pack had dispersed to different cities,
S U M M E RI heard him inhale deeply, and his fingers lingered on my backside for a moment longer than I anticipated. As I shifted against him, the reason became clear—he was rock hard.Though I should have been angry at him for treating me like a child, I found myself sharing the same desire he felt. We were undeniably connected. Whether it was fate, chemistry, or some wild mate instinct, my breathing matched his labored rhythm.He struck the belt down several more times, thoroughly covering my sensitive spot with the thick strap. I was engulfed in a haze of longing and need, chastising myself for feeling anything other than anger, yet I couldn't help it.The man was utterly captivating.Damn him.With three more strikes, I was convinced I might lose my sight from the intensity of the pain."Just four more and we’re finished."I refused to whimper, but my backside was ablaze.Julian wasted no time, delivering the strap with fierce precision, one blow after another.Moments later, he
S U M M E R"Your... mate?" I echoed, still trying to process his words.He locked eyes with me, his expression serious. "Is that so hard to accept?""I'm not sure how to respond," I admitted, feeling a lump in my throat as the butterflies in my stomach morphed into something more menacing."What’s the difference between two people believing that their meeting and falling in love was meant to be?" Julian inquired, his tone casual as if we were discussing the weather.I shifted to the far end of the couch, craving space and desperately needing another glass of wine. I downed the remaining contents in just a few seconds, though I doubted it would ease my anxiety."I know we’re in the middle of a discussion, but could I get another glass of wine, please?""Absolutely."As he moved closer, I tensed up. The moment our fingers brushed while he reached for the glass, I gasped. I could feel an undeniable heat between us, a flame that shouldn’t exist but seemed impossible to extinguish."The t
S U M M E RI found myself at a loss for words. "Protected." Fantastic. Now I was just echoing his statements."Yes.""Why?""I'm not entirely sure."Why did I feel the urge to throw pillows at him? Or something sharper? He was deceiving me. "The one who led me out of the forest was one of your kind?""Based on what you've shared, yes. We aren't killers. In fact, we rarely shift and haven't done so in twenty years. There’s no need for it anymore. That was a choice made by the majority of the pack back then.""A democratic decision?" I struggled to suppress a laugh."Yes." He was watching me closely, and I sensed he was probing my thoughts for information I wasn’t willing to share."So, you're saying you're completely humanized." This was no laughing matter, yet here I was, chuckling. I felt on the verge of hysterics. I finally managed to take a sip of wine, resisting the urge to down the whole glass. It felt like I had slipped on a banana peel and knocked my head—this madness had to b
S U M M E R Was he serious? He wasn't going to confront the obvious issue at hand? I could tell his attitude had shifted dramatically. He wasn't just worried; he was furious. I found myself questioning whether there was any reason for him to be dishonest. Should I make a run for it, seeking refuge somewhere? If such a place even existed. The agent didn’t seem to think so. I had even attempted to reach her again, but the phone just kept beeping incessantly. Not a promising sign. "I was supposed to be a leading wildlife veterinarian. Apparently, the FBI thought I could shed some light on this situation." "And did you?" "Are you serious right now? I witnessed a man I had dissected come back to life and wreak havoc in my office. What kind of insights can I possibly provide from that? I plan to conduct tests, but I’m at a loss for which ones to choose. Maybe I should grab one of those dummy guides. You know, 'How to Turn a Corpse into a Werewolf in Three Simple Steps.'" He let out a