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Mallory’s POV Weeks of planning had all culminated in this day. I was exhausted, worried my dress would need to be let out again, panicking about the food, the music, and the centerpieces of all things. My nerves were shot! But I couldn’t remember when I’d ever been more excited. I didn’t need all the fanfare for myself, personally. I went along with it because it was expected of me in accepting the Luna role. And also because Luna Erika and my mother would be gutted if I spoiled their fun. But ceremony or no, I was tied to my mates for eternity and that was all that mastered to me. My mates were who I was truly excited for. Alpha Carlton was handing over the Alpha title to them tonight as well and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them. Black Moon would be blessed to have three amazing Alphas and they deserved to be celebrated. “Good morning, darling.” Cary slipped into the steamy shower with me. “You seemed deep in thought. Are you nervous?” “Nervous your mother is going to
Colton’s POV Fucking finally! My mother stole my mate away in the early hours of the morning and hadn’t allowed us to see her all day. My wolf was on edge being denied access to our mate and pups. I needed to get this party started and thankfully, it was time. To say I was excited to make Mallory my Luna would be an understatement. I couldn't care less about the pomp and circumstance of it all, though it was required in order to make it official. All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and know she was mine forever. Yes, she wore my mark and our souls were already tethered for eternity. But there was something about her officially becoming my Luna that set my mind at ease. Maybe it was the memory of what Darcy tried to do in order to take that role for herself that caused my apprehension. I needed to know that no one else could try to separate us in the name of a title. “Ladies and gentleman, our visiting Alphas and Lunas, and all members of the Black moon pack.” My dad address
Mallory’s POV “Whoa!” I yelped when Clay swept me into his arms bridal-style. I looped my arms around his neck and leaned in for a sweet kiss. He was carrying me through the crowded room but I was too drunk on his scent to give much thought to where we were going. When Colton and Cary came up on either side of us, adding their spicy essence to the mix, I was done for. We had spent the whole evening being passed from one well-wisher to the next, smiling and feigning interest in whatever personal or political issue our allies wished to discuss. But my brain couldn’t seem to process much beyond the way my mates looked in their tailored suits that clung to their powerful frames, showcasing their rippling muscles. I’d spent most of the evening clenching my thighs together and praying our guests couldn’t smell my arousal. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Clay turned to face the crowd just before the exit, “On behalf of my brothers and our Luna, thank you all for celebrating with us tonight! It’
Colton’s POV For the past couple of months, Mallory had been intermittently blocking the bond. She never shut us out for long so I didn’t think too much of it. I just assumed she was practicing in case she ever wanted some privacy, which of course she was entitled to. Now, however, I understood the truth and I didn’t like it one bit. “Please little Omega. Open the bond. Let us share the pain with you!” I begged for the hundredth time. “I’m fine.” Mallory gritted out. “No sense in us all suffering.” Her little whimpers and moans were killing me. She refused to scream or cry out but the pain was written all over her face. It was wearing on all of us, watching her suffer. Whoever decided women should bear all the pain of childbirth was a damn idiot! “You’re doing so well, darling.” Cary encouraged, wiping her brow with a cool cloth. And he was right. She was doing well. It was the three of us who were failing epically. Thankfully, I had a lot more experience with blocking
2 years later Clay’s POV “Daddy, up!” Carson reached for me, making grabby hands with his pudgy little fingers. I lifted him up, tossing him in the air twice before settling him on my hip. His tiny little giggles were addictive and of our three pups, he was the quickest to laugh. Not that the other two weren’t happy kids. They definitely were. Carson just seemed a little more demonstrative when it came to his emotions. “Cookie, pease!” He demanded, pulling on my shirt. At two years old, he still had a hard time with his Ls. Mom said my brothers and I were the same way at his age so we weren’t worried about it. It was just another reminder that he was still a baby and we wanted to enjoy that stage as long as possible. “And what did your mother say about that?” His cobalt blue eyes twinkled as he stared up at me and it was like looking at a tiny version of myself. “She busy.” He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip. “Oh yeah? Too busy to get you a cookie?” That didn’t see
16 Years Later Mallory’s POV “I don’t understand why we can’t come with you tonight.” Our sixteen year old daughter, Carys, whined. “Papa said it was up to you. If the dads are okay with it then why aren’t you?” I was going to kill Colton! Our sixteen year old twins, Carys and her brother Cameron, had been begging for weeks to watch their older siblings first shift. But after what I went through the night Raven came to me, I was terrified of what might happen. I knew the circumstances were totally different and there was no reason to think our triplets would experience the same difficulties I had, but I couldn’t help worrying. The last thing I wanted was for the twins to see something that traumatized them and made them dread their own shift for the next two years. “Apparently your dads have forgotten my first shift. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so quick to give their consent.” I grumbled. “The answer is still no. Nana Maeve is coming to spend the evening with you and she’d be
Charlie’s POV I was hiding again and I hated it. I hated being a scared little mouse all the time. I hated my life. Period. When my parents sent me here to Hazelwood pack to live with my brother, I thought it would be a new beginning for me, a chance to reinvent myself. But the only thing that changed was geography, because where Alpha Quade went terror and torment inevitably followed. I’d spent my life hiding in Blood Claw pack from men empowered by Alpha Quade to take what they wanted, with or without consent. Mostly without. When he named my brother his Beta in Hazelwood, my parents thought he’d be able to protect me here and he tried, he really did. But here I was, hiding again. “Let’s go. There's no one in here.” I heard one of the men searching the room say. My heart raced in fear but at hearing his words, hope rose that I might go undetected. I had no idea who these men were but they weren’t Quade’s men. I hadn't seen him or my brother for weeks. But in my experience,
Charlie’s POV My mate winced with the admission that he was still in love with his ex, knowing it would cause me pain. And it did, whether it made logical sense or not. It was just my luck to be mated to a broken-hearted man when I was already so broken myself. I simply nodded at his admission and kept my expression blank. At least he was honest with me. He could have been one of those men who took advantage of the bond, used me for his own pleasure before rejecting me. Somehow, the realization he was a better man than that made it hurt even more. But I blinked back my tears and swallowed the lump in my throat. “You don’t need to apologize to me. We just met. You don’t owe me anything.” I said truthfully, though it pained me to hear my wolf’s sad whimpers. She deserved to find happiness with her mate. I could never understand why the Goddess had abandoned me to the miserable life I’d lived. But then Cheyenne had come to me and I finally felt, if not healed, at least whole. S