2nd for tonight. Thank you for reading!
Colton’s POV “Fuuuck!” I roared, the sound echoing off the walls of my office. I couldn’t stop seeing the hurt and humiliation on Mallory’s face when I refused to acknowledge our bond and it gutted me. I hated myself for hurting her, a sentiment my wolf did not hesitate to share. “You hurt mate, asshole!” Kai charged. “Find her and fix it!” “You think I don’t want that?” I laid into him. “You think I don’t want her with every breath I take, every beat of my heart? She’s all I want! Even before the mate bond! But it’s not that fucking simple. I made promises!” I fucking ached for her. It took everything I had not to pull her into my arms, sink my teeth into her neck and make her mine right there in the woods. I would have fallen at her feet and begged if I had to, if that’s what it took to make her accept me. But I couldn’t do any of those things because I already belonged to someone else. I loved Darcy. She was a wonderful girl and so easy to love. But I was beginning to
Cary’s POV I couldn’t sleep. Sleeping next to one’s mate was supposed to bring the deepest, most relaxing night’s sleep imaginable. From the one night I’d spent in Mallory’s bed, I knew this to be true, and we didn’t even have the mate bond between us at the time. But not tonight. Not for me. Clay, on the other hand, had no such problem. The bastard slept with a satisfied grin on his face the entire night. Mallory laid across his chest, making an adorable purring sound as she slept peacefully. Anytime she made even the slightest shift, Clay’s arms unconsciously tightened around her, fearing her escape even in his sleep. When we’d come to Mal’s room last night, we had no plan in mind other than to be there for whatever she needed after the difficult conversation with her mom. If she had come in and collapsed into a puddle of tears, either or both of us would have been content to just hold her and whisper comforting words in her ear. But when she walked in the door and her eyes lo
Colton’ POV The second my brothers entered my office, my wolf was on high alert. They reeked of our mate and it ruffled his fur that they’d been with her and he’d been left out. Even more so when he detected the distinct smell of sex. That had my hackles up too. “Go take a shower. You stink!” I snarled at them. “Jealous, Colton?” Cary jabbed at me, the little shit. “We don’t stink! We smell like our mate. It’s every wolf’s desire to carry their mate’s scent.” Clay countered offensively. “At least every sane wolf.” Cary muttered under his breath, though I had no doubt he meant for me to hear it. “Is that why you’re here? To torment me and my wolf for ignoring our mate? Because if it is, you shouldn’t have bothered. My wolf is doing enough of that for both of you.” I admitted. “Of course Kai wants his mate, Colton. A mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. Your soul-mate, you perfect match. How could you turn your back on that?" Clay challenged. “We saw you last ni
Aloha from Hawaii to all my lovely reader! Firstly, I want to thank you all so much for your dedication to this book! Your reviews. comments, and gems warm my heart! Many of you have been asking for more frequent updates and I love that you are because that tells me you are enjoying the story. Please know I am doing my best to strike a balance between updating this book as well as A Cruel Fate, the last in my Celtic Wolf Triology that is ongoing as well. It is a little farther along and once it is completed, I will be able to work solely on this story. In the meantime, I will do my best to update more frequently or post more than one chapter when possible. From today, I will try to update daily as opposed to every other day, though it may only be one chapter a day. There will continue to be no updates on Sundays as that is the one day I set aside for family time. Thank you so much for reading! Much love, Cara
Mallory’s POV My hands trembled nervously at my sides as I neared the front door of the Winter Woods Packhouse. Maybe Nathan wouldn’t even be home. I hadn’t called to say I was coming, not wanting him to ask questions I was woefully unprepared to answer. So I was about to show up unannounced and drop a bomb in his lap. For the entire drive, my mind had been consumed with how to tell him the triplets were my fated mates. I practiced the speech over and over again, changing tactics from one imaginary scenario to another. Option one: “Nathan, I have some important news to share. My name is Mallory Brooks, not Edwards. I’m the rightful Alpha of the Hazelwood pack. Oh and BTdubs, I have a wolf now and I’m mated to the triplets.” “That won’t work.” My wolf chimed in. “He’ll smell me as soon as we arrive. I’ll be the first thing he asks about.” “Right. Damn it!” I huffed, answering her aloud. “It’s not that complicated. Just walk in, tell him you shifted, you’re mated, end of story.
Mallory’s POV Nathan took my keys and slid into the driver’s seat of my car, insisting on driving me home after my hysterical tirade. I’d been ready to march into Blood Claw territory and confront Alpha Quade with nothing more than my wolf and my warrior training for protection. Something he only just managed to convince me would be a suicide mission. After ranting and raving while pacing Nathan’s office for over an hour, I was drained, if no less impassioned. I wanted to go home, speak to Alpha Carl, determine what could be done to free my parents’ pack from the oppression they were suffering under that tyrant. But given my emotional state, Nathan hadn’t trusted me to get there safely on my own. Mikhail followed behind us in Nathan’s SUV. Not only would he need a ride home, but Nathan thought he might be of help planning strategy if I was determined to take back Hazelwood. Winter Woods was a smaller pack with little to offer in the way of warriors or resources, but he and Mikhai
Mallory’s POV “What the fuck did you do?” Clay howled at Nathan, standing up so fast his chair flew backward. “Over my dead body!” Cary blared at me simultaneously. “That can be arranged!” I hissed back. “You don’t own me and you sure as hell don’t tell me what to do. I let you stay because I thought you might be willing to help once you heard what I had to say. If that’s not the case, then you can leave!” The two men looked at each other, some unspoken conversation passing between them. Then Clay nodded and picked up his chair, returning to his seat. “Sorry. Maeve. I overreacted. It won[t happen again.” He apologized to my mother for his misbehavior. Cary moved a little more reluctantly but eventually sat down too. His eyes never left me though and I could feel the heat of his stare on my skin. Nervous energy radiated from both of them in pulsing waves, my own anxiety rising with theirs. I tried to focus on breathing in and out to calm myself. I’d heard that mates could sense
Colton’s POV A chorus of “No!” erupted in the room, my voice among them. Fuck! This woman was trying to end me. I could stay true to my word, move on without her, as long as I knew she was okay, safe. If she insisted on risking her life, there was no way I could just sit back and let that happen. Mallory faced us all down, that defiant glare I knew so well fixed firmly on her face. Damn, I wanted to kiss that look off her face. She was the most stubborn woman I knew, and next to my mother, that was saying something. She wouldn’t give this up easily. “I’m waiting to hear a better idea.” She challenged obstinately. “That’s what I thought!” Mal smirked victoriously, when no one offered an alternative. “You all know this is the best chance we have.” “Mal, this is dangerous.” Nathan cautioned. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking he would make her see sense. “You can’t just go strolling through the front gate. You’ll need a backstory, a reason for being there that won’t cause sus