EdelineI blinked, incredulous. “Are you serious? Mirabelle, I was just marked in front of my pack by my mate, who’s expecting! I’m already feeling pretty embarrassed.”Her laughter rang through the room. “Are you kidding me? Everyone’s thrilled about it. People are even placing bets on whether the puppy will survive before it’s born. They want you there. Trust me, no one’s going to mock you. They respect you and are proud of you for bearing the mark of their future Alpha. Percival won’t be there, so there’s no chance of embarrassment. Come on!” She gave me a pleading look, jumping up and tugging at my hand with a pout.I raised an eyebrow. “Disgrace?”Her laughter grew louder. “Yes. That’s Tatiana’s new nickname, because she’s such a disgrace to the werewolf species! Let’s get you dressed. You’ll have a blast, I promise. You need to find healthy ways to cope with your pain and enjoy things that make you happy.” She bounced around in her heels, clearly excited.I couldn't help but smi
EdelineJoy surged through me as a techno remix of a popular song played, and the vibrant lights pulsed with the beat, making it impossible for me to stay still.Mirabelle stayed close, gracefully moving with the rhythm, her hips swaying in time with the music as we danced together.As I took another shot on the dancefloor, a wave of exhaustion hit me, and I suddenly felt a strong need to find a place to sit.Interestingly, tonight had been unexpectedly pleasant. I received genuine smiles from everyone, and there were no confrontations. It was clear they were actually happy to see me, making my earlier worries seem unfounded.I was jolted by a tap on my left shoulder, causing me to turn abruptly and bump into the person behind me. Thankfully, they caught me with strong arms, and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Looking up, I found myself staring into a pair of deep blue eyes, slightly darker than Percival’s. It was Darius, and a sudden unease washed over me.Despite my instinc
EdelineHe turned toward me, casually shrugging as he unbuckled his belt. “Are you wearing panties and a bra?” he asked with a hint of amusement.I nodded in response.“Okay, got it,” he said, tossing aside his belt with a grin. “Let me introduce you to the instant swimsuit. Let’s go; it’ll be fun!”He then stripped off his pants, revealing a fit physique in just his boxers. My gaze lingered a moment longer than I intended before a cool breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver.“Understood,” I murmured quietly, slipping out of my top to reveal the red lace bra that covered my chest. As I watched Darius settle into the hot water amidst the forest, I unfastened my shorts and slid them down, exposing matching red lace booty shorts. With Darius around, I felt at ease—he had seen me in far less before. In that moment, I wasn’t focused on any particular emotions.I sank into the warm water, letting the soothing sensation envelop my skin. It felt like floating through a dream, weight
EdelineHe let out a frustrated groan. Without warning, his hand slipped inside my panties, continuing its exploration. I leaned back against him, unable to stop the pleasure from his touch. The mix of medicinal euphoria and hormones left me a whimpering, gasping mess, desperately trying to stay quiet. In my intoxicated state, I was oblivious to any potential dangers around us.His middle finger gently grazed my sensitive area, sending a rush of pleasure through me. As I moved on top of him, I felt a tightening sensation inside. His other hand slipped into my underwear, exploring the wetness between my legs and delivering a soothing massage. The experience was beyond words, and his lips teased the untouched side of my neck.Suddenly, he inserted a finger inside me, causing a sharp cry to escape my lips. The rhythm of his movement stretched me, and he added another finger, ramping up the sensation. The confined space sent my body into a state of pure euphoria. I pressed closer to him,
Edeline"Darius, we need to stop this. We're friends," I managed to say, my voice trembling as his lips brushed against my neck, gently kissing, licking, and nibbling.The words barely registered as I was consumed by the intense sensations coursing through me. My mind was foggy, as though I'd taken three more shots than I actually had, the effects amplifying instead of fading.Taking a deep breath, I lowered myself onto him, feeling his firmness press against me. His hands glided over my body, tracing a path from my torso down to my thighs."You have a really pleasant scent," he murmured into my neck, making me gasp as his finger delicately traced up my lace-covered center. His knees parted my legs, allowing his touch to continue exploring.He sighed softly, his hand slipping inside my underwear to caress my skin. I leaned back against him, not resisting, letting myself revel in the pleasure of his touch. The mix of medication-induced haze and intoxicating sensations left me trembling
Edeline I was jolted awake by a relentless pounding in my head. It felt like a drumbeat, syncing with the rush of blood through my veins. The pain was intense, making it hard to keep my eyes shut as I wished for some kind of relief.I tried to shift onto my side, hoping to escape the throbbing sensation, but the sunlight streaming through the window made things worse. It pierced through my eyelids, adding to my discomfort and making my brain feel foggy. I was on the edge of screaming from the agony.The smell of bacon wafting in from somewhere didn’t excite me. Instead, it twisted my stomach into knots. I was nauseous, and it was only getting worse.I stumbled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before my stomach rebelled. The tequila from last night was the only thing I could remember expelling, and it left me feeling even more miserable.Groping for the sink, I pulled myself up and grabbed a clean washcloth. Pressing it against my face, the cool fa
Edeline Oracles, as a rule, didn’t have companions. They had sworn solemn oaths under the moon, choosing a life without a partner. They couldn’t find anyone out there who could meet their needs for companionship. Choosing a partner meant losing their gift of sight and their divine status. It was a harsh rule, one that made it difficult for them to seek out a true connection. Mirabelle’s reluctance to fully commit to the vows was palpable. It was like some cosmic retribution—they had to find their own way.Mirabelle could enjoy her time with other men who weren’t in committed relationships, but that was as far as she could go without giving up her unique abilities. Even then, oracles were not immune to pregnancy, though it was rare. It felt like a restriction on an otherwise enticing lifestyle.I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement mixed with unease when I thought about Percival. My stomach tightened a bit. “What if Z is there... or Disgrace?” I whispered, my eyes widening.
Edeline As I enjoyed my meal, each bite of the sausage gravy was a delight. The flavors were mouthwatering, and a satisfied moan escaped my lips after the first bite. I looked up and saw that the only other woman at the table was giving me a friendly smile. I returned it, keeping my lips closed in polite acknowledgment.“Hey there! I’m Rachelle,” she introduced herself with a radiant smile. She had a youthful charm that caught my attention immediately. Her reddish-brown hair was flowing and beautiful, and she wore natural colors with a fresh-faced look. It was clear she had a deep appreciation for the natural world. I had seen her around but never really talked to her.“Hey,” I replied, matching her smile.“I just wanted to say… I think you’re incredibly courageous. We all think so,” she said, her gaze shifting down the table as the men nodded in agreement. A warm flush spread across my cheeks, and my wolf swelled with pride at her words.“Thank you,” I said, smiling and maintaining
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