One minute Ariana's dreams were about to come true, the next everything was in shambles.When the ceremony started she noticed Reece was uncomfortable. She had thought he was having cold feet and silently prayed for the priestess to hurry along the coronation so that she could finally get to the joining of both of them.Only when the ceremony for their mating just began, Reece turned away to look at something."Reece."He didn't respond. He didn't even seem to hear her. Surely whatever he was looking at wasn't–Ariana turned to see Breeana. Her worst unspoken nightmare had come to reality.Ariana reached out to hold Reece but he stepped away moving towards Breeana.What was he doing? Was he going to show the entire pack that Breeana was so important to him that he would put his mating ceremony on hold just to welcome her?Ariana would not let that happen. She had worked too hard for this. As she moved to stop Reece however, Anya stood in her path wearing a distant smile. Ariana tried
When Breeana reached their home, the door was locked. They never locked their doors. A feeling of sickness washed over her. She ignored it and knocked on the door."Mom, Dad, Ari, please open the door. We need to talk."Breanna knocked harder and raised her voice all to no avail. No one answered.Breeana slid to the ground in front of the house and sat on the floor. Tears flowed from her eyes freely. She couldn't help but feel like she had alienated her entire family.Goddess, what had she gone and done? She imagined it from her family's point of view. How it must have felt for them to see her kiss and mark Reece at his mating ceremony with her sister. How could she tell them she had tried to resist it? That she had fought it every step of the way when they saw that.The painful thing about life was that if there were no results to prove it, no one believed that you put in effort. That you tried.What could she have done differently if she had known this would be the outcome? Maybe if
Reece fought the urge to drink. The last thing he wanted was for Breeana to know he had picked up a new habit, she would turn her nose up in the air at him. Since when did he care what Breeana thought about him?Since she became our mate. Ray sounded thoroughly amused and relaxed.Of course, he would be. He wasn't the one who had followed Breeana secretly to her house, watched her get drenched and yelled at fighting the urge to go about and rip off heads until Alex had shown up.Then he doubled back and went to the pack house, took a quick shower, dried himself up and got a blanket ready for Breeana.Okay, that way she wouldn't be cold until she got into the shower.After the hectic journey and even more stressful day, Reece realized that she must be tired. His bed was a mess. Goddess.He had asked the help to clean up the connecting room for Ariana and not to touch his so that she would understand that they were never going to have that kind of relationship. How was he to know that
"Reece?"Reece was startled. Had Breeana just called out to him? "Yes?" He answered cautiously. Did she want him to join her? No. That would only happen if her body had gotten hijacked."Could you please pass me a towel and a change of clothes?"Oh. Right. That made more sense.The towel part was easy but the clothes required more strategizing. Ariana had moved some of her clothes over and he'd had them transferred to the connecting room this morning, they would be close to Breeana's size but something told him that she wouldn't want to wear her sister's clothes at this time with things the way they were.So instead he grabbed one of his round necks and shorts to go with it then he went to hand it over to her."Breeana?" The bathroom door opened slightly and Breeana's outstretched hand took the clothes and the towel."Thanks."In minutes, she was out and Reece couldn't breathe properly once he saw her. The shirt hung past mid-thigh on her and she held the shorts in her hand. Her hair
"Reece I swear if you are hungover I–" Allen broke off mid-sentence as he realized what he'd walked in on.He turned around quickly.Breeana let out something between a squeal and a laugh as she pulled the duvet around her legs. Reece grabbed the nearest thing, a pillow and used it to cover his rapidly deflating erection."Really Allen? What are you even doing here at this time?"If looks could kill, Allen would be at least 12ft beneath the ground not that he knew with his back turned to Reece."The invite to the summit came in and you were supposed to meet the pack elders an hour ago." Allen checked his watch."It's the next day after my mating ceremony, how the hell am I expected to be at a meeting this early?"Allen coughed awkwardly. "You insisted on the meeting being moved yesterday if you can recall."That was right. When he'd thought he'd be getting mated to Ari. He'd scheduled the meeting early to avoid and limit any interaction they might have."I'll leave you now. I'll tell
The tension between Alex and Reece was palpable. Reece cleared his throat."Look Alex, I know this entire situation with Breeana and Ari is extremely delicate but I want us to put this behind us to serve this pack fully and dedicatedly."Reece tried not to cringe about how fake he sounded even though he actually wanted to iron out things between him and his childhood friend."Things aren't that easy, Alpha. You might have gotten your mate yesterday but my family took the hit for it. Breeana after being away from our parents for two years wasn't allowed to step foot into the house. And Ari? Ari was humiliated. She was hurt and she felt so betrayed that she tried to end her own life. How can I forgive you for that?"Alex looked like he was a footstep away from getting extremely mad and violent.Ari tried to kill herself? Reece had always felt she was too conscientious to try something like that. He felt a pang of guilt about the fact that he had been a contributing factor to that. If Br
Breeana looked at Reece. At her arm which he held. She was surprised to find out that she wanted to stay. She wasn't sure if it was because of the mate bond or because it was what she wanted.Reece was drunk. He wouldn't remember if she did. At least she didn't think so. And yet she wanted their first time if there was any, to be something to remember. Why was it so difficult to say no though? "Reece… I'm here. I'll be just outside the door."Her mating mark tingled as though mocking her. Since when had she been able to control herself when it came to the bond between them?He seemed to consider it. "But you won't leave. Even if I tell you to."Breeana's heart skipped a beat. Did he mean when he'd asked her to leave town he'd actually wanted her to stay?No, Breeana, he's drunk. He doesn't even know what he is saying."I won't. You wouldn't be able to make me do it even if you wanted to." Breeana smiled at him.That seemed to pacify him and he let her go.Breeana nearly ran out of the
Breeana still wasn't speaking to him. Reece looked over at her sleeping in the airplane chair.They were on the flight to Washington. After that kiss last night, Breeana had left the party feigning tiredness and giving her heartfelt congratulations to the couple.Reece had thirsted for a shot but remembering the look Breeana had given him when she had thrown out all his alcohol kept him on the wagon. So he'd also apologized for leaving early. Citing the trip as an excuse.When he entered the room, she was already under the duvet when he got in. He could tell she was still awake because of her breathing pattern but she closed her eyes so it was obvious she wasn't ready to speak with him yet.Reece left Alexander and Allen in charge of the pack in his stead. Alex was still unbearably formal with him and he secretly wondered if he'd lost his long-time friend forever.For the first time in years since his father passed away that he felt somewhat free. He would always worry about his pack
Six Years Later"Can I take you to lunch?"Sarah threw a mean left hook that had Jared struggling to keep his balance. He always favoured his right a little bit too much."No.""Sarah…"She didn't let him continue before releasing a barrage of blows that got his head back into the fight and away from emotional talks.An hour later, she was walking out of the training centre with a bag slung over her shoulder after her shower."Sarah, please wait up."She didn't. She kept walking because she really didn't want to have this conversation. He easily caught up to her though with his long legs."So off to pick up Cole?"Sarah stopped walking."What do you want? Please speak directly."Jared looked at her with hurt brown eyes that eerily reminded her of Allen."I'm trying to have a conversation with you, Sarah.""And I'm trying not to. We train together. That's all.""It doesn't have to be. We can be friends–""I apologise for my mistake. I shall find another trainer." Sarah nodded brusquely
Breeana opened her eyes and nearly screamed.Reece. She had to get to Reece. But what could she do on her own?No, if there was one thing that Anya had thought of her it was that she needed backup. She knew that Reece and the others had a contingency plan where their forces could charge in and rescue them but that plan had relied on the use of their pack links.She didn't even know where the forces were situated. Reece hadn't told her and she hadn't thought to ask."What do I do? What should I do?"She paced the length of her room and then inspiration struck. Of course. How could she have forgotten?Sarah. She would know.*****"We need to get to them now."Sarah had known. She had known that something like this would happen. She had suspected it and now Allen was trapped in a room with Damien she would have felt fear if there was time.Every minute she dawdled was time that Allen couldn't afford especially with the vendetta that Damien had against him."I know where they are camped a
Breeana puked again and her belly contracted in response. She was in the bathroom for another hour or so before she felt strong enough to make her way out.She had woken up with morning sickness and by God, it wasn't what it was hyped up to be.She hadn't even been able to wish Reece goodbye properly and she knew that if the coronation hadn't been that day he would have stayed with her until she felt better.She was barely seated on her bed before she felt a tug on the bond. It wasn't unusual these days for her to feel that way but what made her pause was the fact that Reece was in a closed-door meeting with a cold-blooded murderer. Relaxing herself, she let herself drift until she connected with him and then she was…******"Today we are here for something momentous. Because for the first one in centuries, we will be welcoming in a monarch. Someone who will lead us through these dark abysmal times."Reece sat in his seat exchanging side glances with some of his allies. Adelaide looke
"You are asking me to stay behind?" Breeana glared at Reece, she couldn't believe that mere days ago she had cried and wished desperately that he would wake up.Now she felt the almost stifling urge to suffocate him. Ugh. He was so annoying and so obstinate that it was a marvel that they were still together.Truly."I just want you to stay safe while all this is going on." He leaned in and dropped a kiss on her forehead before touching her belly. "You and our child."Breeans pulled away before she would melt against his concern and sweet words the way she had been melting for the past few days since he woke up.Suffice to say that their fight had been long forgotten almost immediately after he woke up and she kissed him like the weirdo she was.No, Breeana do not think of kisses. She chided herself. Or of all the other things he had done to her and she had done to him."So I'm supposed to just sit in my hands while all the men I care about go off to fight a maniac? Come on, Reece. I'
"You shacked up with a council member?"Breeana looked at Sarah shocked beyond belief.Sarah blushed. "I didn't know that at first."Breeana kept staring at her."And he's Cole's dad?""Yes."When Breeana had come to threaten Sarah to talk to her the last thing she had thought of was this.Sarah had taken one look at her thunderous expression and scented the blood on her before letting her in and telling her what had to be the surprising thing that Breeana had heard since the beginning of this fiasco."Bloody hell, does Allen know about this?" Was she the only one to be blindsided by all this?"I… I haven't gotten around to telling him I guess I just wanted it to go away." Sarah brushed her hair out of her face. "He's the only father that Cole will ever have. The only father I want my child to have. I thought if I ignored it, it would stay that way."Breeana looked at her like she had hit her head on the wall one too many times. Wanted what to go away? For all they knew this was proba
The ambush was quiet, this was their land after all. They knew every nook and cranny of it and more than that they were preternaturally quick and quiet. The hunters on the other hand were loud and clumsy in comparison. They must have thought they would take their pack the way they had taken the others.They were wrong.As the hunters sat around their campfire, discussing their strategy for the upcoming attack, they surrounded them."We enter from the north and–"Allen gave the signal and they attacked.The hunters quickly reached for their weapons, but they were too slow and the werewolves were too fast. They pounced on the hunters, their razor-sharp claws tearing through flesh and bone.The hunters fought back with guns and knives, but they were no match for the werewolves' supernatural strength and agility.The air was filled with the sound of snarling and screaming as the werewolves tore apart their prey. The hunters tried to retreat, but the werewolves were relentless, chasing the
Poison.The word resounded over and over in her head long after Reece had been wheeled into the ER.Someone had poisoned him.She felt a touch on her shoulder. It was Sarah."It's going to be fine, Bree." She comforted her, her voice low and compassionate.Only that was a farce, wasn't it?A terrible suspicion bloomed in her mind as she turned on Sarah. She had been there last night and suddenly Reece got poisoned. She didn't think it was a coincidence.Breeana gripped her by her throat watching her choke."It was you wasn't it?" Breeana squeezed harder, her vision going red. They had granted her mercy and she had gone and done this.Reece was… her mate was…. Just when she had wanted to give their relationship another shot. It was almost too cruel."I swear…" Sarah coughed trying to breathe through the strangling sensation around her throat where Breeana held her immobile."Don't fucking lie to me. You are still in contact with your people, right? You didn't tell Allen everything, did
"We should just execute her and be done with it." Breeana said offhandedly and Reece stifled a laugh."Sure. Any more unreasonable requests you would like to add?"Breeana mock glared at him but a smile peeked through. She was surprised that they could even joke about this. The moment she had seen Ivy she had frozen thinking about the last time they had seen each other.Ivy didn't try to attack them or even struggle. She just turned herself in and allowed herself to be detained. Breeana and Reece had been shocked to hear that she had lost her pregnancy and that she was willing to sell her father and his moles in their pack out in exchange for her freedom."Why did you even bother coming back? You could have just stayed in Europe. There is no way we would have tracked you down." Breeana asked her still suspicious about her return and willingness.Ivy locked gazes with her. "I don't fancy being a fugitive for a murder I didn't even commit and I refuse to be used as a chess piece in my f
Breeana looked at Reece suddenly unable to speak as he walked towards her with the bottle hanging limply from his hand.He reached her.She didn't know what to expect. No, that was wrong. She did know what to expect. It was Reece after all. He would yell at her and question her about why she hid it from him and then he'd–Reece fell on his knees and pressed his ear against her belly, his arms encircling her waist delicately.Breeana froze as he listened for the heartbeat of their child and he reacted in the most peculiar way that she could never have anticipated.He began to cry.Not loudly but softly. Breeana was confused but tried to comfort him in her own way by cradling his head against her belly.And for some minutes they stayed that way. They just stood and it was okay. Strange but okay."I'm sorry, Bree. Sorry that I made you feel the need to hide this from me."Oh, Reece. How could he be so uptight and downright annoying sometimes only to soften up and be nice later? She felt