COAL’S POV
The night began like any other. There had been no indication that my life would irrevocably change in just a few short minutes. No omen that this night would be the tipping point for my future.
And yet it was.
Seated around the campfire with my brothers, my father handed me a beer, while I waited for Calla to arrive.
“Thanks,” I grunted.
Twisting the top off with a flick of my wrist, I turned it up and took a few swigs, enjoying the coldness of the liquid down my throat.
My thoughts wandered, tuning out whatever sex joke my adolescent brother was telling, and ignoring their raucous laughter. I’d heard them all, and they stopped being funny around the age of twelve. I sighed heavily. They were sixteen and eighteen now, when would they grow up?
Calla sauntered in fifteen minutes later. She wore a slim-fitting white top, and blue shorts, which revealed her long toned legs. Flipping her blond hair off of her shoulder, and flashing her million watt smile, she stepped past my father to sit on my lap.
It didn’t escape my attention when his gaze fell on her ass, lingering, while he licked his lips. I hated when he did that. He had plenty of shewolves, perfectly willing to be his whores, why the hell did he have to look at the one girl I dated like she was a piece of meat?
My brother, Ryder handed Calla a beer, and thankfully the conversation changed from pubescent jokes to more relevant pack conversation. The night went on as usual. The laughter continued.
But suddenly, I wasn’t listening anymore.
In a split second, my world changed.
An unimaginable force and delicious scent wafted over me. Humming in the air, the foreign sensation tickled my senses. Every cell in my body quivered, bursting with energy I couldn’t contain.
I didn’t want to contain it...
...I’d never felt anything like it.
The scent. The power. I was instantly addicted.
And it was getting closer.
No one else seemed affected, just continuing their mundane conversation. Laughter and the sounds of their voices muted as if they were underwater, distorted by a barrier in my brain caused by my unwavering attention to whatever was drawing near.
And it was a damn good thing the mysterious enigma was getting closer because I couldn’t have held off from jumping up and running to find it if it hadn’t.
And then there she was!
Leaping up, I completely forgot my girlfriend in my lap. Calla fell to the ground at my feet, but she may as well have been invisible for all I knew.
I only had eyes for one shewolf...
...and she called to my very soul.
Proud
Regal
Stunning
The most beautiful wolf I’d ever seen.
Thick, lush ebony coat with a white breast, underbelly, and paws, as well as a very sexy, white streak under her tail. My Wolf’s ears perked up. A deep rumble went through his chest. He was more than ready to thoroughly investigate what was under her tail.
Not only were her markings beautiful, but the cut of her fur was unique, none like I had ever seen before. The hair on her chest jutted out in an unruly tuft. Her tail was long and swept elegantly through the air, and her forehead contained another out-of-control tuft, the longer strands falling into her eyes. She shook her head in annoyance, flipping the hair out of her eyes so she could see. Adorable.
Not more than three seconds had gone by when my excitement and joy turned to utter sorrow as the devastating truth hit me.
Brinley
The one wolf I could never have.
Alpha hated her. I never knew why, only that he did, and the one time I’d questioned him ended with me having three broken ribs. His hatred ran deep.
And that was the problem.
Never in a million years would he agree with me taking her as a mate. And it wasn’t that he would just disagree. No. If he thought I wanted her, if he thought I had any inclination to keep her, he would ensure she would never be my mate. He would guarantee she would never be Luna....
...by whatever means he had to.
I feared just what force he would use to accomplish it.
Instinctually, I knew her identity because she was my mate, but at the moment, the others did not. My father’s head snapped around, furious at the disruption, and snarled, “Shift!”
Brinley dropped to the ground, shaking and trembling, as the change came over her. The instant my father recognized her, my worst fear was realized. My reaction had been enough to confirm she was my mate. There was no hiding it.
“No!!” he roared as he jumped to his feet and headed in her direction. Deadly intent blazed in his black irises.
He fully intended to end her life!
Right in front of me.
In a few more steps, she’d be gone.
My wolf howled, his rage echoing mine.
I couldn’t let him kill her. “Stop!!”
He spun around to face me, his eyes burning furiously. “You know this is NOT happening. I don’t give a fuck what the Moon thinks. I’m ending this right now!”
My instinct was to fight. I wanted to tear my father into pieces for the sheer audacity he would threaten my mate. Innate forces of nature pulsed through me, tangible and alive, hunger and thirst to stake my claim over the one shewolf meant for me.
But the horrible truth hit me.
I was strong...
...but his Wolf was something else entirely.
An edge of crazy ran through him, simmering just beneath the surface, exploding with a vengeance at the slightest provocation. He’d been challenged countless times, on occasion by multiple wolves at once, strong wolves, betas and other alphas.
He’d never lost.
Not once.
Agony slammed into me like a shot to my chest.
I couldn’t beat his Wolf.
And if I challenged him, I wasn’t just gambling my own life.
I was gambling Brinley’s.
Knowing I couldn’t win caused excruciating pain to shudder through me. There were only two possible outcomes if I fought.
Either he would kill me and then kill Brinley, as retribution for my life. Or he would make an example out of me and let me live...but still kill Brinley, just for the sheer fact he knew I wanted her.
If he thought that there was the slightest possibility we might join someday, he wouldn’t leave the outcome to chance. He would eliminate the risk. His actions, right this second, were irrefutable proof.
Either way, she died.
If I chose to fight, I was sentencing her to die. My decision would be what killed her, the catalyst that ended her life.
It was unacceptable.
That just left one other choice.
I had to let her go.
I barely knew her. I might have only spoken a few words to her over the years. But none of that mattered. I finally understood the devastating force of the mate bond.
It was a living, breathing fiber in my belly that grew and spread to every part of me. And the thought of never having Brinley in my life, in my arms to hold and love and protect, killed me. The pain of that loss was so wretched, I felt my heart fracture in two.
Being my mate was damnation to her. I had to set her free. If I could do nothing else for her in this life, I owed her this sacrifice.
Now I just had to make it believable...
I couldn’t leave any doubts. Not is his mind. Or in hers.
I growled back at him, “No! Of course, it isn’t happening! But I will take care of it. We cannot condone killing the girl when she has done nothing wrong.”
When Brinley heard my words, the look of shock and fear on her face tormented me. But she was right to be afraid. I had to release her from this death sentence once and for all.
Walking forward steadily, I fumbled for words. My words would cut. We’d both be left in pieces. But they would save her life. Brinley would be free. I was willing to shred my heart to pieces by letting her go... ...to save her life.
Still crouched on the ground, she trembled when I reached her. I wrapped my hand around her bicep to pull her to her feet. Tingles shot through me at the contact, stunning me. I dropped her arm, struggling for a moment to regather my thoughts. “Brinley, listen to me very carefully. This isn’t happening. You need to leave and forget it ever happened.”
Her face fell, lip quivering. She wrapped her arms protectively around herself as she whispered, “But-“
“Let me be clear,” I interrupted her. Her vulnerability was a knife straight through my heart. The whimper in her tone killed me. I gritted my teeth. “I don’t want you now, and I will not want you in the future. Do you understand?”
Tears filled her beautiful eyes and ran down her cheeks, while I waited for an answer. I hated myself. She glanced over my shoulder toward where my family and Calla remained. Her tortured expression returned to me. But no response came from her lips. Instead, she shifted, falling to four paws, and ran.
That was it...
...it was done.
Unbearable pain flooded through me, making it impossible to catch my breath. The one thing I wanted more than life itself was the one thing I had to let go.
She would move on and somehow, so would I.
COAL'S POVThe days passed slowly, painfully. Time felt heavy, an unbearable burden on my soul and body, suffocating the very life out of my bones. I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to bear it.Sitting at the large desk in my office, I stared blindly at the fireplace across the room, nestled in between floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Winter was coming. Soon, flames would fill the fireplace, flickering in a complex dance, releasing heat into the atmosphere.But nothing would warm me.Not anymore.I suspected the cold pit in my stomach, and I would remain good friends for eternity. I leaned back, my hands clenching the armrests of the executive chair. The leather chair creaked in resistance.Recent events ricocheted in my head like a pinball machine on crack.Immediately following the shocking revelation that Brinley was my mate, I’d insisted she not clean my room anymore. I’d used some ridiculous excuse that I didn’t want her around my things. When in reality, I couldn’t care less if sh
As I was lost in my thoughts, Calla’s hands found mine. “Coal?” She whispered to get my attention.My eyes snapped to hers. I forced myself to refocus and tried to keep the gruffness out of my tone, but still, my voice lowered, “Calla, I need to know what you’re up for. Obviously, we already know the situation with my mate.” I could barely say the word without grimacing in pain. “You haven’t found your mate yet. I understand if you would rather cool things off between us because I need to start thinking long-term.”She frowned, her face crinkling in confusion. “What does that mean...’thinking long-term’?”“It means I’m going to be Alpha one day, and I need a suitable Luna.”The hackles on her back rose. She stood. Her hands found her hips. Her voice rose in agitation, “And what makes you think I’m not a suitable candidate?”I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. “You are not suitable because you still have a mate out there you haven’t found yet.”Her eyebrows rose in understanding
Sweet floral lilacs and moonlight incandescence washed over me, drowning me in her essence. I mumbled, "Brinley? What are you doing here?"She looked equally stunned, mossy green eyes wide, flecks of gold swirling in their troubled depths. "I was working early today...I have...to go into town," she trailed off, her gaze now firmly on the floor. Her lip quivered. My Wolf paced in my head. His urge to comfort her was almost overwhelming."Oh," I muttered through clenched teeth, careful not to inhale through my nose again. I stared at her, mesmerized, frozen. I had no desire to move from the place I stood. I would have been happy just to sit and watch her succulent lips and the way her auburn hair fell over her shoulders.I hadn't seen her in two weeks.I'd assumed all I needed was time to get over her.I realized the depravity of that lie now.I was a fool.No amount of distance or length of time would lessen my captivation with her. It was preposterous to think I could overcome the Moo
It took every ounce of my strength and determination to keep him at bay. There was no doubt he could end the conflict, exacting the punishment he deemed deserved. But his actions would start a war, a war we couldn't win, a war that would end in Brinley's demise. Tension ran through my entire frame, causing me to shake. Brinley wrenched free, bucking Calla off. She spun around and lunged forward, her canines finding purchase in Calla's shoulder. How quickly the tables turned. Now, Brinley held the position of power. She stood over Calla, who writhed and fought beneath her. Brinley shook her head viciously, her teeth sinking deeper into Calla's flesh. Calla stopped fighting, whining out her submission. My Wolf puffed out his chest as we watched, pride in his mate flowing through us. Brinley was shockingly fast and strong. She lacked training. Her strength and speed were a gift from nature. He moaned out his pleasure at seeing her dominating the other she-wolf. Heat burned inside of
BRINLEY’S POV I was numb. I'd gone into town, as required, and returned with the list of supplies Lena had given me. It was dark. I trudged up to the two bedroom rundown house. Lena stood in the little kitchen and barked, "Once you put away the supplies, strip and be on your way. Your clothing will remain here. Each morning, you will report to me, get dressed and go to work. When finished, you will return, get undressed and get out of my sight." "Yes, ma'am," I mumbled. I kept my head down. I didn't have to look at her to know she was smirking. She was thrilled not to have to deal with me anymore and even more excited at my suffering. She took special satisfaction in my pain. Silently, I put the supplies away and walked into the small bedroom I used to call mine. Tears washed down my cheeks as I realized there wasn't anything in there that I cared about losing or leaving behind. Except one... I reached under the bed and pulled out a small teddy bear. It was a gift from my mothe
Another long week passed. My new schedule was becoming routine. Alpha had decided I would no longer clean the packhouse, thus eliminating me from Coal's presence altogether. Instead, I was sent into town on a daily basis to gather supplies, clean homes or run errands for pack members who lived there. It was a ten-mile trek each way, but I didn't mind the walk, and I was thrilled to be away from the pack.I was weak, but thankfully, my Wolf had been successful in hunting a few rabbits. We didn't eat every day, but it was enough to keep us alive.Today, the last house on my list, belonged to a member of a neighboring pack, Onyx Moon. Frankly, I'd been surprised to get the assignment, because relations between Ravenswood and Onyx Moon were not always the best, aggravated by a fierce rivalry for land. And their alpha, Alpha Wilder, was known to be a ferocious man. Of course, I couldn't imagine a man worse than Alpha.I pulled the address out of my pocket, checking it again and turned righ
BRINLEY’S POVMy head hurt. My world was a haze. I struggled to bring myself to consciousness, but couldn't quite grasp it. I was lying on my stomach, but my body was limp, I had no control. Abruptly, hands from behind lifted my hips. I startled in the strange male's grip, but my effort was pitiful as the drug-induced haze pulled on me. With shocking horror, I realized I was naked with a gag in my mouth. My heart pounded in my chest. No, no, no!! Rough fingers invaded my body, entering where no one had ever been before. Pain shot through me. My back arched of its own accord. A scream ripped from my chest, but no sound came out, muffled by the gag. His fingers withdrew, and claws dug into my sides as he pulled my hips back, thrusting himself into me at the same time. Red hot searing pain tore through me. My insides felt ripped apart. Torture so intense, I couldn't even scream. I desperately willed my body to work, trying to scramble away from the monster behind me. But it was n
CoalI had to stay away from her. I told myself that a hundred times a day. And a hundred times a day, it was just as hard as the last time to keep from seeking her out. My muscles ached from the constant tension in my body.I turned up a beer, letting the cold liquid slide down my throat. It did nothing to quench my thirst for the one thing I couldn't have- Brinley.Daylight was waning. Vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows followed the sun over the horizon, fading away into the dusk of night.Another day without her.My Wolf whimpered in my head.She should be returning from work right about now. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see her from a distance......I just wanted to smell her sweet scent. That was all. I told myself. And then I would leave.I pushed up from my chair and stealthily made my way toward Lena's, careful to stay in the line of trees, covered in shadows. I didn't want to catch that old bitty's attention.When Brinley came into sight, I sucked in a deep breath, my gaze trans
Yes l fell into a deep pit of sleep next to Coal, but the moment i did everything changed, i didn’t know where my subconscious was heading to but I was no longer feeling closer to Coal. At first, it was black with blasts of light coming from every corner and then I sunk deeper into the dream and woke up in the middle of nowhere.I glanced back, over my shoulder and found the wind whistling behind me and picking up the whatever was coming in its way. The long, thick trees wavered and branches snapped left and right. I pushed my hair behind my ears, holding them from blocking my vision.A part of me knew this was a dream but the other part of me didn't have a clue.A forest was stretched ahead of me and it reminded me of the one I was in, the time l saw the creature. The sound of the whistles and the wind speeding around me confirmed my theory. I was standing where the dark creatures found me in the beginning, the same exact spot.Fear immediately flowed through my whole body as l recal
As soon as we were alone Kaden tossed me onto the couch near the bed. I fall back on it and clutched the sides while he began circling around me. My breaths came out quickly as I gathered the scene in front of me.The bed was covered in blood, mostly his blood but not all. There's some of mine on the sheets because of the sharp wood but his blood covers most of it. The wooden stake sat near to the pillow until he grabbed it and brought it to me."You can't stab me. I will die." I tell him.He chuckles at my protest and twirls the stake in his hand before coming behind me. My chest raises and drops as he lowers his head close to mine while the stake remains in his hand."I could stab you, then heal you. You'd feel most of the pain, wouldn't you?" It's not a question, it's a threat.I mask my fear and smile. "It wouldn't be the same since I did stab you in the heart. You can't get anywhere close to mine because then I'd die. Not even your blood would heal me."His face turns into a twis
'Keep running because if I catch you, I'll bite you.'His laughter rang in my ear, and filled me with fear and horror as I ran through the woods on my feet.I've unleashed the monster, and now there was no turning back. He'was chasing me, he found the thrill in it and I don't. The cold gripped me from everywhere. The woods are completely dark, there's no source of light or life, just him and me. Fear instilled inside me as I tried desperately to find a path out of the woods and into the town I've escaped from.I don't even know where it is, to begin with. Nothing is familiar.The woods close in around me, dark, looming trees and crisp, cold air. The darkness is suffocating but I have to find my way back, back into Kaden's house where he can trap me forever.I already know he isn't going to let this go so easily. Forcing me to run across the woods, in the cold night while he chases me and threatens to bite me is only the beginning of his anger. It's only the tip of the iceberg.I stabbe
"Well, you're really not one for morning-after cuddles, are you?" He asked, a frown smeared on his face.Instead of replying, I screamed again, unable to believe that he's here. Right now. Right here. I killed him. I fucking killed him.It doesn't turn to reality until I feel his hand over my mouth, stifling my screams. I struggle against his grip, but it's vain, pointless. He's a lot stronger than me and the fear coursing through me doesn't help either."You really thought a piece of wood could stop me? How amusing." His voice is teasing now, a smirk playing on his lips but I don't take it lightly. There's a dangerous fire flickering in his face.I draw his hand away from my mouth and rushed out of the car to catch my breath. Cold wrapped around me. My chest raised and dropped. I blinked at him as he stepped out. My one hand falls over my hip while the other one is over my mouth. How is he alive? I stabbed him.He was dead.Literally dead."Oh, now you're the one scared." His smirk t
ISABELLA'S POV.I placed the pump back and headed into the store. I was finally free and out of the dark forest. The cashier smiled and waved at me as I entered. Rows of snacks, drinks, and road maps greeted my eyes. My stomach grumbled as I moved in the aisles. I really missed eating them. I didn't see anything in that monster werewolf world.Just staring at some cookies made my stomach to grumble again. I have never felt this hungry, this empty and so thirsty.Without hesitating, I grabbed whatever I could fit into my hands before returning to the cashier.The cashier smiled at me once more but this time I returned a fake smile. I damn hungry. "How has your night been?" The cashier asked while checking out the items in front of him.I sighed, not knowing what answer I should give me.He was trying to be nice to me but I wasn't interested at all. He didn't know what the hell was stressing me and what I passed through within one night.I killed my so called mate. What was worse, he di
My eyes flutter opened to find Kaden, asleep.The moment I saw a big black wolf , I lost conscious immediately. I couldn't help it but still I wasn’t saved because here I was now on his chest resting on it.How the hell did it happen?!I sat up startled then I looked around. It was still night, nearing morning.Currently he looked peaceful , his pink lips kinda open but still I didn’t like him.We are two different people. He is a werewolf and I am a normal person.Nothing of that is going to change. If he thought that sleeping with me will make me feel better , he was a fool.He's still cold, just like he's meant to be and I will never like him.Slowly I slided off the bed, my legs wobbling a little as my body adjusted to the after-effect of fighting with the bitch. I moved softly across the room, wincing as a small wave of pain shooted through my lower body. I clenched my teeth and pressed on.When I looked back, I found kaden still sleeping after all my movements. He's deep asleep
I sat alone on the bed, my legs hanging off the side and my feet barely touching the ground. The night was colder than the day and it was worse because I was alone in the room I didn't want to sleep in , surrounded by an eerie silence and my own thoughts. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't, not here, not again.There's something odd about this room. I don't want to be in here for another day, even another minute.My eyes travelled over the walls and then to the window at the top but there was no escape. After a while I sighed heavily then slipped my feet under the sheets and lay down, contemplating my own life, my situation. Would it have been any different if I didnt tell Alex that I was pregnant. I wouldn't be here by now.Here I was stuck, eyes opened while ,l listened to the forest outside. Everything was cool but my inner part wasn't. Things were strange here. Surprisingly I was no longer feeling the pain and yet I fought with that bitch."Urggh", Thinking about it all, l lost inte
The guards didn't grip my hands as they led me to my prison. I thought they were taking me to the whore house but shockingly this time they decended downstairs.This was the basement.As soon as we reached one of the guards open the cell. I blinked there was no chains in it. It was an empty stone walled room , cold and daunting. There was a chair in the middle, a table in front of it and another chair facing it together with a single lamp in the middle. It seemed like an interrogation room for some sort ."Sit", He simply ordered and l obeyed without uttering anything. I wasn't just thrown in a cell to rot but something else was coming. He stood at the door waiting. Suddenly the door opened and l knew who the hell it was. It was the son of a bitch Kaden , he didn't enter immediately though.I looked at the guard who simply stood at the door waiting then turned and looked at my feet. Stomach pangs were getting stronger. I didn't care about it , l was eagerly waiting for what was coming
Before l could do anything, and completely finish the bitch, I was out of the blue quickly catapulted into the nearest tree. My head slammed against the trunk instantly. My vision went black for a split second and then came back slowly. I gagged from the luck of oxygen and my heart pounded against my chest. Suddenly a huge brown wolf stood in front of me, blocking my way.It didn't allow me to catch my breath before it barred it's canines at me. Menacing , l choked and crawled back to the tree. " Don't do anything to me, I'm not going to kill her", Recalling the way they treated me the last time I escaped , l spoke quickly. " Where did you think you were going?", Before the brown wolf could do anything to me , l heard the voice behind me. It was Mark one of the guards."Am gonna go back", l said quickly. "You can't escape, these woods , the forests are filled up with wolves, they can smell you",He smirked and eyed my body for wounds. I kept quiet feeling stupid. "Did you think that yo