EdelineHe clenched his hands in his hair, pulling hard as rage radiated off him. I had to step back, distancing myself from the overwhelming power he was giving off. "You know why I’m bigger now? Why my wolf’s becoming more dominant? It’s because I grew up thinking I wasn’t an Alpha. But when I found Tatiana, my wolf wanted to prove that he could provide for his mate. Now that I know the truth, I can feel the power! But it’s so frustrating to know that she’s pregnant with that other wolf’s pup in there," he said angrily, pointing towards the clinic. "His wolf is so paternal over his pup, and now that he’s seen the sonogram picture, it’s like the skin side is paternal too. It makes me sick to think that I might have to watch my mate bear his pup. And the worst part is, I still want her!" His tone shifted to agony, his hand gripping his shirt over his heart, his face a mask of pain.I froze, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "Hey," I said softly, my voice barely above a whis
EdelineHe loosened his grip slightly, just enough to pull back and look at me, his eyes pleading. "Just reach out to her soon. She’s eager to talk whenever you’re ready. It should be a private conversation, just the two of you, to reconcile. And I apologize for Percival’s behavior. As a man, I understand his possessiveness and protective instincts towards his pup, especially if he feels the pup might be in danger. But as your big brother, I have this overwhelming urge to confront him. I’m struggling to control these intense emotions, Edeline," he said hoarsely, his face still buried in my hair as he held me tightly.A whirlwind of emotions surged within me. I felt like crying right here and now, the weight of everything pressing down on me. Why would I bother giving Tatiana any of my time? After all she did, after she betrayed all of us by begging Conor to take her back, I couldn’t see why I should."So, what happens if she ends up with the pup, Nixx?" I asked, my voice barely above
EdelineHe sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Sure, sure, I’ll talk to her.""Thanks," I said, nodding in relief. I turned away from the clinic, realizing that I had come here intending to berate him, but I couldn’t stay mad. The pain and sorrow I saw in him were too overwhelming, too genuine for me to hold onto my anger. And in that moment, I realized I didn’t have the courage to confront Percival either.No matter what paternal instincts he might have had, he had still caused me pain.As I started to leave, the door to the clinic suddenly swung open, and Percival came running toward me. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, picking up my pace in an attempt to avoid him. But it was no use; he caught up to me in no time, grabbing my wrist and spinning me around to face him. A wave of unwanted pleasure shot through me at his touch, conflicting with the anger still burning inside. His eyes, a vibrant blue with a hint of red, were filled with worry and concern. His mess
EdelineHe recoiled, his eyes clouded with a mix of hurt and anger. My words had struck a nerve, especially when I spoke of his unborn pup. Deep down, I knew I was wrong—hating an innocent life for something it had no control over—but I couldn’t stop myself. My wolf's instincts were growing dangerously intense, and the thought scared me. I never wanted to harm a pup, but the dark force inside me seemed to have a mind of its own.He could sense my internal struggle, the turmoil that was consuming me.A low growl rumbled from his chest as his eyes narrowed with fierce intensity. "Don’t you dare threaten my pup, Edeline," he warned, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.The distress in our connection was palpable, and his eyes briefly flickered back to their original blue as if the pain had momentarily softened him. If it weren’t for the bond we shared as mates, I feared he might have lashed out at me. Instead, he held back, struggling to control the primal rage that threatened to spill
EdelineI couldn't help but mock him bitterly. "Can you even imagine how your mother would have reacted if she found out about Nixx from the start? Dealing with my mother and Nixx being a part of your lives... it’s a whole situation! She wouldn’t have done it. That’s not something a woman could easily handle!" My tone was matter-of-fact, filled with frustration.He looked down at the ground, his shoulders hunched. "I know. Hey, I was kinda hoping that... maybe you'd—""Huh?" I interrupted, trying to keep my tone neutral but failing a bit. "So, let me get this straight," I said, letting a hint of sarcasm creep into my voice. "You want me to take in your little pup?" My confusion was palpable. "You've really got me all turned around, Percival. This bond was a bad idea. Even if that dog passes away... I won’t be able to join you. And the puppy will pass away. Conor and Anita will definitely make sure of it." My jaw tightened, teeth grinding together as frustration bubbled up inside me.S
EdelinePercival sat back on his shins, looking up at me with a heartfelt expression. "I love you," he said softly. "And if you happen to be carrying my pup... Well, I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. Good luck trying to get rid of me. I’m here to stay, no matter what." His voice was filled with determination.With a sigh, I said, "It’s too late, Percival." I turned and walked away, leaving him sitting in the grass by the clinic, looking stunned and forlorn.As I strolled down the dusty path, my body felt numb, and I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow for myself. I needed to escape. My inner wolf was growing stronger and wilder, fiercely protective of me. The mere thought of her jaws around the pup filled me with dread. I had to make sure she stayed away. I couldn’t even imagine what would happen if she got hold of that little one. It would be devastating, something I could never forgive.Right now, Percival could sense that I was a threat.I couldn’t help but shiver as I
EdelineI considered the situation, weighing the possibility of being pregnant. If I were, it wouldn’t necessarily threaten the potential offspring, considering it was still early. I don’t usually drink, but on the rare occasions that I did, it had a numbing effect. Maybe a glass of wine would be a safer option. Just one glass might make me feel a bit lightheaded, but it wouldn’t have any serious effects on any potential cells that might be forming.So, are we going to have a drink with Alpha Conor or what?It might not be the safest option...Despite the risks, I was pumped up with excitement at the thought. My heart raced with anticipation. Maybe a glass of wine could help me forget my troubles... I’d been through so much, and there must be a reason why he sought me out..."Sure. Alright, let’s go," I nodded in agreement.He flashed me a small grin, his massive figure towering over me as he stepped aside to let me pass.Heading into no man's land with a powerful Alpha who had killed
EdelineConor’s tall, muscular frame strode ahead of me, his jeans fitting snugly as he walked, and his flannel shirt hugging his well-built arms. His rugged style just fit right in with the atmosphere of the place, like he belonged here.I suddenly felt a bit out of place, my eyes wide as I took in my surroundings. A group of guys playing pool were checking me out, making comments that I could easily pick up on. I felt their gazes like pricks against my skin, and I could hear their crude thoughts about how much they wanted me. A surge of frustration welled up inside me, my forehead furrowing as a deep growl escaped my lips before I even realized it.I perked up, startled, when I heard another growl—this one low and menacing. I quickly turned my head toward Conor, who was giving the men a fierce glare that could freeze fire. They immediately shifted their attention back to their game, pretending as if nothing had happened.There were a few elderly gentlemen in the corner, their questi
Percival Edeline’s eyes were locked on me as she marched over, grabbing my forearm and pulling me along with her. The contact felt like fire igniting on my skin. She was fired up—angry, for sure.She dragged me into the equipment shed, out of sight, and then—wham!—she whacked me right in the eye.I let out a low growl and slowly turned my face back to hers. Anger radiated off her as she raised her other hand, ready to swing at me again. I managed to grab her wrist before she could land another hit, squeezing gently around her slim wrist. “What the heck, Edeline?!” I exclaimed, my lip curling to reveal my fang. Low warning growls rumbled from my chest. The wolf inside me was not thrilled, but at least she appreciated that this wasn’t happening in front of the pack. Don’t mess with my authority.“Hey! Did you give that girl false hope or what? I know you have not hooked up with her because I would have sensed it!” Her nose wrinkled, eyes blazing with fury. Then, I caught a scent from
Percival Promoting her to lead female warrior might not have been the best decision after all. She was my top fighter, having trained hard before I stepped in, but now I was left questioning my judgment. We didn’t have an expert on board yet, and Jazz’s ambition made me wary.She tucked a loose, curly strand behind her ear, looking up at me with her big green eyes, her skin a lovely shade of creamed coffee. She was undeniably pretty, but just not my type. “Hey, Percival... what if we tried something different with the ladies?” She edged closer, taking a deep breath as if to check out my scent.It might sound wild, but the night before last, after showering and snuggling up in bed with Edeline, I had rubbed against her, soaking in her scent. Waking up without her made me skip a shower yesterday—or maybe even today. I just wanted to hold onto that connection a little longer. Jazz caught a whiff of Edeline’s scent, and her eyebrows shot up.“Hey, is Edeline back?” she asked, her voice
Edeline“I totally get it, Nixx. It is something else. Really special. I see what you mean.” My gaze drifted to his cuffs, curiosity piquing as I furrowed my brow. “Have you been a bit risky? What does your world do to people?” I tilted my head, observing the way he passed the bracelet back to me, unable to take his eyes off it.“My wolf is stronger, you know? Sometimes I just cannot control him and end up lashing out at people who get on my nerves. Percival dealt with the same stuff. He wants to help me train like Gaspar did for him, but all I can think about is Tatiana and the pup I lost. It is tough.” A wave of sadness washed over him, dimming the light in his eyes.“Nixx,” I sighed, “why are you still hung up on losing the pup? Mirabelle was only a few months along, right? You never even met him, and you can have pups with your real mate. You could not have had both. Tatiana would have been jealous of you and him. Trust me, I get it. Tatiana is a beta, and her wolf would have want
EdelineHe really needed his not-so-little sister. I would hit him up first, and then maybe I would finally have the guts to talk to Percival about everything. After some tough training, of course. It had been a few days since I had a solid training session. Muscle disappears faster than it builds up, and I really hoped that did not happen. If I wanted to keep being the warrior I had turned into, I had to stay on top of my stamina. But I was not sure my buddy would let me train, especially since my heat was just around the corner, and my scent was driving everyone wild. I had to remember to grab my tea after I hopped out of the shower. As I walked in the front door of my parents’ place, the cozy scent of clove hit me, pulling me back into sweet memories. I could not help but think about what might happen during this heat. The last one just did not do it for me. Did I even want him to help me out this time? Or would I just prefer to be out of it for that? I figured the latter was
EdelineI stared down at our hands, chewing on his words. He might have a point. When I left and went to Conrad’s place, I told myself I was moving on. I threw myself into letting it all go—this life, these people, everything. But once I got some space, the wolves around me nudged me toward the truth. They made me confront my feelings about Percival, especially after I caught myself feeling jealous over him. He was just my friend, nothing more, but still... I had to deal with that. But Darius? I buried that pain deep and left it to rot. Never talked about him, never thought about him for too long. I got stronger, yeah. But I didn’t heal. Not really. And that’s why I’m still stuck. I turned my head toward William, blinking back the sting in my eyes. “How am I supposed to feel about him?” My voice cracked, and I felt my throat tighten again. “Look at what he did.” I swallowed hard, trying to keep it together, but the words dragged me down, making my chest feel heavy. “How am I s
EdelineI never really hated Percival before that. He had done some stuff, sure—but it never made me hate him. Not until that night. That night, I hated him more than anything. My wolf hated him too. My skin side—yeah, she wanted revenge just as bad. But then the truth hit me. Darius was the monster. Not Percival. I spent all of yesterday lying around, trying to make sense of everything. Today, I thought maybe a walk would help me clear my head, so I came here. To the waterfall—the spot I loved the most. And now, here I am. Staring at his grave. Why here? Why did they bury him here of all places? Not in the pack’s graveyard, where the rest of them are. No—right here, beneath the tree that used to be ours. Our spot. My throat tightened, and the tears started before I could stop them. My heart felt like someone had tied a rope around it and was pulling it tighter and tighter. I reached out, tracing his name on the headstone with shaky fingers, as if touching the letters wo
PercivalI hoped I didn’t annoy her. I understood she was strong, but my Alpha side just wanted to look out for my mate. I was trying to communicate my feelings through the mate bond, to reassure her I was here for her.The corner of her mouth lifted in a quick smile. "It's all good."Shaking my head, I did what I felt compelled to do. I walked over, scooping her up in my arms. She gasped in surprise as I carried her across the room to the salvaged bed. Her eyes widened, taking in the effort I had made to clean up for her."I’ll grab you something to wear. Your clothes are wrecked." I stifled a laugh as I laid her down on the bed. I missed the feel of her skin against mine, even from that brief moment before I had to let her go to find her a t-shirt and some clean boxers.I had both boxers and boxer briefs, but lately, I definitely preferred the briefs. Guess it was just part of growing up!As I returned to her, Edeline’s gaze was fixed on my bare torso. She looked up at me with that
EdelineI would not run anymore.“Hey, let me wash your back, my little warrior.” His breath brushed against my warm skin, and a rush of desire coursed through me as his deep voice stirred something inside. My breath caught in my throat as I locked eyes with him.“I got this.” I really could not let him get close. It would only make the cramps worse, and the desire was already doing a number on me.He nodded, totally understanding what I was thinking through our connection.As he stood up, I could not help but let my eyes wander over him, pausing at his chiseled abs and then down to his pelvis. Right there in the middle was a thick, four-inch tattoo of an infinity symbol.Mated wolves have this thing where they let anyone who catches a glimpse of their skin below the waist know they have a mate. This tattoo meant a lot. A lump formed in my throat as my eyes began to water. How long had he been dealing with this?It was like he could read my mind—probably because he could. He looked
EdelineHis eyes were no longer filled with wonder; they carried pain and knowledge. Yet, despite it all, those piercing blue eyes had remained the same, shining even brighter against his sun-kissed skin. His hair was longer on top and shorter on the sides, giving him a more polished look.He looked even more handsome now, completely in charge of himself. The way he moved, the way he held himself—it all made me wonder about the changes in him and what had shaped him during our time apart.“You hungry?” His deep voice pulled me back to reality, his eyes locking onto mine.I was still feeling shy, and I wondered why that was.“I’m fine,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.He nodded and made his way to the door. “I’ll give you some space. I can tell you’re not really feeling it with me around. Just hit me up when you’re ready, and I’ll help you get to bed since you’re not feeling great.” He flashed a sad smile and reached for the doorknob.My heart raced a bit. I really did not