EdelineDarius and Percival had been exchanging intense glances throughout the evening, their silent communication palpable. Tatiana, meanwhile, was pointedly avoiding eye contact with Nixx, who seemed to be struggling to keep his gaze away from her. The tension between Dad and Alpha William was thick enough to cut with a knife. And Percival? He couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from me. My heart raced in sync with the electric buzz filling the room."Alright, let’s get to the heart of the matter," Alpha William started, his voice breaking the oppressive silence. "Who wants to kick things off?"The room looked around, waiting for someone to speak up. I had no intention of voicing anything. My emotions were already a tangled mess, and unless everyone was prepared to deal with my wolf, I figured it was better to stay silent. But then, Darius straightened up and spoke with unexpected confidence.“I just want the ban lifted so Edeline and I can be friends again.” His frustration was pal
EdelineMaybe he doesn’t even want me anymore. I’m not saying I want him now, but without her... there was always a chance. Mates are like a special gift from the moon.The wolf inside me was seething with fury. She was desperate to break free, to seek vengeance and prove her strength against any rivals. I could almost feel her growling, her rage a tangible force within me.I noticed my eyes shifting first, almost as if she was seeing through them. The fragments of my broken heart felt like they were stabbing deep inside as I breathed in. It was like tiny shards of glass were grinding against my lungs. I couldn’t catch my breath; the sorrow was beyond words. It felt like my entire existence was on the line... like I was slipping away. My wolf whimpered, reflecting my anguish, but her emotions were even more intense.I began to choke on my own mate bond, my vision blurring as I felt my wolf’s panic. The room around me faded into a haze, and darkness quickly closed in, obscuring everyt
EdelineI heard a soft sniffling across the room and saw Tatiana crying quietly to herself. Percival’s words had clearly cut her deeply. She was beginning to understand that he wasn’t interested in her.“Hey, calm down!” Alpha William’s voice was a mix of anger and desperation. His teeth were bared, and he trembled with intensity. Luna Annabel rushed to pull Percival away from his father, but her efforts were in vain.“Percival,” Alpha William said through clenched teeth, his voice controlled but stern. “I understand you’re upset, but this is necessary. It’s not that I don’t want a war; that’s not the problem. The problem is that you made a mistake, and now it’s your responsibility to fix it. You can’t have it both ways; it’s just not possible. If that baby is born, you have a responsibility. That’s the bottom line.” He leveled a stern glare at Percival, making it clear he wouldn’t tolerate any challenge to his authority.Percival managed to rein in his anger, though his eyes shot a f
EdelineI felt pretty down.I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Tatiana, who was crying and whimpering in her chair. My wolf was pacing back and forth inside me, restless and agitated. I curled my lip in disgust at the sound of her jaws snapping outside.Hang on a second.I had a fleeting thought of tearing her apart…And that was all it took.I needed a moment to zone out, letting my fierce wolf take control and drag me into the depths of our shared thoughts. She glanced at Tatiana with a predatory gaze, her eyes sharp and intense.Tatiana looked up at me with those muddy brown eyes as I let out a low, threatening growl. I tried to draw her in, but it wasn’t working. She was ticked off, and the presence of that she-wolf in front of us was almost unbearable. It felt like our veins were on fire with anger.“Hey, Edeline! Can you please control your wolf?” Alpha William’s voice cut through, his eyes locking onto me with concern.My wolf wasn’t interested in anything but her own instincts.
EdelineHowever, a thought gnawed at me. “Hey, what if William ends up spending so much time with Tatiana that he actually starts liking her?” I glanced up at him, tears brimming in my eyes.Alpha William shook his head slightly. “No worries, I’ll make sure he doesn’t spend much time with her, alright?”I nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. I was eager to leave, needing space to process everything. I quickly made my way out of the room, hurried down the stairs, and burst through the mudroom door. I wrapped myself in the blanket, making my way around the pack house and into the woods on the other side, away from the dirt road.Once I was deep in the forest, I let the blanket slip off and fall to the ground. I let my wolf take over, feeling a release as she emerged fully. The cool, crisp air filled my senses as I allowed myself to fully embrace the freedom of the woods, letting my wolf’s instincts guide me.The wolf's paws pounded rhythmically against the dirt ground, which was cushio
EdelineOnce her meeting was done, we’d leave. I wasn’t going to let him hurt me any further or deal with the fallout of our past decisions."Hey there, wolves! Gather up, say hello, and get ready to hit the road."Hopefully, she’d let me take charge again before anything risky came up.…A gentle breeze rustled through the trees beneath the moonlit sky. The air felt heavy, hinting at rain. My wolf was practically vibrating with excitement to meet her mate in his true form, despite my efforts to stay calm and not rush things. It seemed she always managed to get what she wanted, one way or another.She made a soft noise to acknowledge his presence and let him know he could come closer. I couldn’t shake a twinge of unease in the back of my mind. Why was he even here? But my wolf didn’t share my concerns. She was practically buzzing with anticipation, eager to meet her mate’s wolf.He emerged from the shadows, and let me tell you, his wolf was impressive. Big and commanding, an adult mal
EdelineHe looked down at the ground. “I was hoping we could just hang out one more time, if that’s okay with you. Just to talk,” he said, his voice heavy with sadness. I looked up and saw his blue eyes shimmering under the full moon, his expression hopeful. I couldn’t quite describe the need radiating from him.He always has a way of convincing me. “Sure,” I said reluctantly. “But don’t you even care about my feelings, Percival?”He gave me a disapproving look, mixed with a hint of surprise. “Are you serious, Edeline? Of course I care. We might not be bonded, but I feel it when you’re hurting. Those waves of nausea you sometimes get… they’re not just your own. They’re my feelings seeping into your soul too,” he said, his voice tinged with pain.I pondered his words...He’d even told the entire pack he preferred me over Tatiana. But, like Nixx had said...“Hey, Percival, did you seriously not feel her warmth?” His eyes locked onto mine, and the pain in them made my heart ache even mo
EdelineI sighed and took a step forward, placing one foot in front of the other. I reached out and took his hand, maneuvering myself over him to the spot next to the wall.“Why do I have to be on the inside?” I asked with a smirk, rolling onto my side to face him.He brushed his finger gently along my cheek as he locked eyes with me. “Because I’m your protector,” he said, his warm breath sending a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t believe how quickly all my worries melted away whenever he was near.That’s the kind of impact a friend can have on you.They offer a sense of security, making you feel special and unique, like you’re the only one in the world who matters.But I’m not.I couldn’t help but wonder how Tatiana was faring after our confrontation.Percival briefly closed his eyes, his expression thoughtful. “I have no idea. I didn’t stick around. I was too busy searching for you. And then I found this incredible deer carcass in the woods...” A grin spread across his face. “That’s
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