A sense of dread washed over me when we parked just inside the pack land borders. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, no guideline for how you tell someone you've been lying about who you are. Well, I'm not lying exactly, but I definitely omit a crucial part of my identity. And not just my identity, but the essence of everyone who lived on this land."Promise me something?" I looked over at her, fidgeting with the car keys in my hands. "Keep an open mind about all of this, and if you don't want to be here anymore at any point, just say so. I'll take you back to the city, no questions asked."She stared back at me, bewildered. "Open mind? Clay, what's going on? Why are you acting so strange?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just...promise me, okay?""Fine, I promise. Now, tell me what's happening."My heart pounding in my ears, I killed the engine. "Let's get out of the car. There's something I need to show you."She followed me out, her brows furrowing, eyes filled
The car rumbled over the uneven terrain, and my fingers tightened around the edge of the seat. I took a deep breath, trying to slow the rapid pulse of my heart. Everything felt overwhelming, from the revelation about werewolves to my inexplicable connection with Clay."Lexi, you don't have to worry," Clay said, his voice tender as his hand reached over to rest on mine. The warmth of his touch sent a calming wave through me, but my brain stubbornly clung to its state of alert."I want to believe you, Clay, but it's just—everything's changing so fast. I have to worry a little, right?" I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily, grappling with the maze of thoughts crowding my head.He chuckled softly. "You're not wrong to worry. But I promise, you've got nothing to fear."The vehicle finally came to a halt, and I opened my eyes to see a grand mansion silhouetted by the setting sun. It looked like something out of a fairy tale but also seemed intimidating. Before I could gather my thoughts, Clay
I nodded, taking in her words like a lifeline. If she could navigate these bewildering waters, then I could too.Clay's fingers gently interlocked with mine, as if silently saying, 'We're in this together.' That simple touch stirred a blend of emotions within me, churning like colors on an artist's palette. Excitement, trepidation, and, strangely enough, a newfound sense of peace."So," his mother broke the contemplative silence, "I think we've had enough heavy conversation for one day. How about something lighter?"She rose and opened a cabinet, pulling out a large tin filled with cookies. "These are my famous chocolate chip cookies," she said, offering the container to us. "Nothing solves life's problems like homemade cookies."As Clay eagerly grabbed a cookie, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, if this is part of the Luna training program, count me in."He winked at me as he took a satisfying bite, the chocolate melting and mixing with the emotions that colored the moment. "Trust
My heart was pounding as I looked at Lexi. The conversation had already left her shaken, yet something else was even more challenging for me to say. I could feel my wolf circling restlessly at the edge of my consciousness. "There's... there's more, Lexi," I finally blurted out, my voice tinged with a note of desperation. She looked at me, her eyes searching my face as if trying to read the words I hadn't yet spoken. "Okay, Clay, just say it. Please." Taking a shuddering breath, I forced the next sentences out. "When Luke bound his energy to yours, he inadvertently connected you to the energy of all Alphas, myself included. You weren't just more attracted to him, but theoretically, to me as well." My wolf was stirring violently now, pacing and growling within me. The gold in my eyes started to override the brown without my control, a sign that my wolf was getting too close to the surface. I was losing my composure. Lexi reached over and grabbed my hand. I looked down at her hand en
As we drove back toward the city, a quiet unease settled within me, an unspoken acknowledgment that things were going to change for Lexi, and in a way that was far from subtle. The shimmering skyline grew more prominent in the windshield, and with it came a flurry of questions I had yet to ask."How long before you graduate?" I broke the silence, flicking my eyes briefly from the road to her face.She seemed to come back from wherever her thoughts had taken her. "I only have two classes left after the one I'm in now.""Ah, the end is near then," I said, grinning. "I actually graduated from there, too."Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? I had no idea.""Yeah," I chuckled. "I have a Masters in art history.""And what do you do with a Master's in art history?" Her eyes sparkled, teasing yet genuinely curious."I own the contemporary art gallery in Radenfield.""Wow, I had no idea." She looked both surprised and impressed.I laughed, a genuine, hearty sound that echoed my wolf's
Sitting in Clay's lap, the gentle evening air swirling around us, I was hit by a sudden wave of intense emotion that nearly took my breath away. The realization that I already felt so much for him filled me like a cup reaching its brim, but this wasn't spilling over—it was a growing warmth within me, an emotional gravity that I had never experienced before.In a heartbeat, I shifted my position, swinging a leg over to straddle him, the action followed by a shared breath, a moment of silent understanding. As my lips met his, the kiss became the epitome of everything I felt, a tangible confirmation of the abstract emotions that had woven their intricate patterns around my heart. The kiss was raw, our lips pressing together as if to fuse our souls, intense enough that I felt like I could dissolve into him.His arms tightened around me as if afraid I'd vanish into thin air, pulling me so close that there was no space left for doubts or hesitations. His grip was so fierce and possessive th
A cataclysm of emotions swirled violently in my mind, each thought like a sharpened blade, cutting through the fabric of my composure. My wolf was on high alert, bristling with a primitive urge to protect what was ours. Lexi. The idea of just crossing the hall and putting an end to all this—to Luke—felt like an easy solution, a direct path to quelling the turmoil inside me.But there she was, right in my arms, her body softly pressed against mine, her breath warm and sweet. She was trying to calm the storm inside me, oblivious to the fact that she was its epicenter. The irony was almost unbearable. I loved the feeling of her against me, the way she tried to comfort me, even as I grappled with the unspoken reality that my emotional tempest had her at its eye.Hearing her confess, even a fleeting interest in Luke had pierced through me. Each word was a claw that snatched at my heart, making it difficult to breathe, like her voice had metamorphosed into a noose that tightened around my n
I watched as Lexi let out a tired sigh, her eyes looking slightly glassy from the weight of exhaustion. "I'm so tired," she admitted, a vulnerability in her voice that made me want to shield her from the world."Go lay down, take a nap for a while," I suggested, my voice softer than usual. "I've got some pent-up energy to burn off. I'll work out."She gave me a grateful smile and disappeared into the house. I moved to a part of the balcony where I had a clear view through the window. I saw her climb into my bed and curl up, hugging my pillow close to her. My heart felt like it was melting, pooling into a reservoir of affection for this woman. At the same time, a certain tension pulsed in my jeans. God, how I wanted her. But it was precisely that urgency that kept me from joining her in bed.Taking a deep breath, I turned my focus to my workout. I started with pull-ups, gripping the bar tightly as I hoisted myself up. Each movement was a battle, my muscles straining, fibers tearing, a
Our front yard was a scene of pure, unadulterated joy, with Reni and Lachlan, our beautiful 5-year-old twins, and their cousin Finn chasing each other around, their laughter and shouts filling the air with the vibrant energy of childhood. I found solace on the porch swing, enjoying the afternoon sun, while Moro, now a permanent fixture on our land as my advisor and friend, sat beside me. Moro's life had taken a beautiful turn; she was dating Devlin, sharing a life with him in more ways than one.Both Moro and I were weeks away from giving birth, our bellies round and full of life. Devlin emerged from the woods and greeted Moro with a kiss that spoke volumes of their shared affection. He glanced my way, assuring me that Luke and Clay would join us shortly.True to his word, Clay and Luke approached, already wearing shorts. Our attempts to maintain a semblance of modesty in front of the kids were somewhat amusing yet necessary. The dry boxes they kept on the edge of the woods for such o
In the quiet of our home, the absence of the familiar bustle and noise felt almost surreal. As Clay gently lifted Lachlan from his car seat, his voice broke the silence. "I'm just going to give him a bottle," he said softly.I nodded, a smile touching my lips. "It's all frozen, man." I thought about Lexi and how diligently she'd been pumping since leaving the hospital. She'd been a force of nature, feeding the twins or pumping tirelessly. We'd even bought a new freezer just to store all the milk she'd accumulated. Her determination was something I admired deeply.We tiptoed to the bedroom, careful not to disturb the tranquility. Lexi lay there, sleeping soundly, clutching our pillows close. The sight tugged at my heartstrings. "She was so tired," I whispered.Gently, I lay down behind her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine, while Clay positioned himself in front with Lachlan cradled in his arms. Lexi's eyes fluttered open, and a smile lit up her face as she saw our baby boy.
Sitting in the NICU, our baby boy's warmth against my bare chest provided a strange sense of solace amid the beeps and hums of the machines. I glanced at Luke, our little girl nestled in his arms, her frailty marked by the wires and tubes assisting her breath. Despite her struggle, there was a certain resilience in her tiny frame. On the other hand, the boy made his presence known through his cries, only pacified in moments of sleep or cradled in our arms. The NICU staff, recognizing our unique situation, had granted us unrestricted access, a small mercy in this rough time. Lexi had stayed behind this visit, exhaustion finally claiming her. The look in her eyes when she thought one of the babies would not get as much attention because she wasn't there made her hyper-vigilant. The three of us couldn't go together, so we switched off, her the constant as one stayed home. Luke finally put his foot down, saying he was getting fragile herself. She only conceded to rest after I promise
In the sudden chaos of the night, with Lexi's water breaking unexpectedly, my world tilted on its axis. She sat up abruptly in bed, urgency in her voice, "Oh shit, Luke, Clay, wake up, wake up now!" We both jerked awake, disoriented. "What's wrong?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes, trying to process her words. "I'm sitting in fluid. I think my water broke..." Rushing to the hospital felt like a blur. Doctors swarmed around Lexi, their movements precise, their decisions swift. They decided on a c-section, taking out both babies at just over 32 weeks. Panic clawed at my throat, the reality of the situation pressing down on me like a physical weight. In the sterile confines of the hospital prep room, Clay, whom the hospital staff believed was my brother, helped me don the medical gown required for the surgery room. I paused, leaning my forehead against the cool window, a wave of emotion overwhelming me. Tears streamed down my face as I admitted, "I don't think I can do it, Clay. I don't thi
Six months had flown by, and I was sitting on the floor with my pregnancy pillow wrapped around me. It was a quiet morning, just the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains. I shifted and stretched in every possible way, trying to coax the baby - or babies, to be precise - to ease their foot or elbow from my ribcage.Under my breath, I pleaded with them, my voice a mix of discomfort and affection. The movements inside me were relentless, a constant reminder of the life growing within.Luke, stirred by my soft murmurs, slowly crawled down from the bed to join me on the floor. He stretched, a lazy yawn escaping him, then leaned over to kiss my round belly. "Stop torturing your mama," he whispered into my belly button, his voice soft and playful, sending ripples of laughter through me.He gently massaged my belly, tracing the visible lines of tiny feet and elbows gliding across my skin. The babies seemed to respond to his touch, their movements becoming more pronounced.I could
At that moment, with Lexi beneath me, everything felt amplified and intensified beyond my usual senses. My body responded with a fierce urgency, a primal need to ravage her. Every kiss, every bite of her lip, every roll of my hips was a testament to a desire that was more than just physical. It was as if an ancient, primal force had awoken within me, urging me to solidify our connection. I had to remind myself constantly – she was human. My strength, enhanced by the mate bond, could quickly become overwhelming. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her, to let this raw, untamed part of me cross a line. Lexi, lost in the intensity of the moment, seemed to be riding the same wave of passion. Her moans, her surrender to the sensations, spurred me on, yet the cloud of doubt loomed heavier with each passing second. Carefully, so as not to startle her, I eased myself up, maintaining our kiss until the very last moment. My grip on Clay's arm reminded me of the balance I needed to maintain.
As I stood there, watching Luke and Lexi, a profound sense of certainty washed over me. It was more than just witnessing two people in love; it was the palpable sensation of Fate weaving its intricate tapestry. There was no denying it – they were meant to bring a new life into this world. It felt like every star in the sky, every whisper of the wind, was conspiring to guide them toward this destiny.For me, the realization that I wasn't the first to embark on this journey of fatherhood brought a surprising sense of relief. I pondered why this was, delving into the depths of my thoughts. Was it the enormity of the responsibility that daunted me? Or perhaps the fear of confronting my own potential as a father.Yet, as I observed them, another far more profound reason dawned on me. It was the desire to see Luke transcend his past, to break free from the chains of his troubled upbringing. I wanted this for him – to prove that he was not a mere product of his genetics, but a man shaped by
The shift in the room was noticeable as Clay finished updating the drawing of our tattoos. It symbolized our unity, of everything we had become together. Of everything we had to go through to be together. He flopped down beside us, pulling me onto his lap with a gentle tug. His kiss was a silent promise, a reaffirmation of our bond.The thought of having a baby seemed both daunting and incredibly right. I couldn't explain the pull I felt, a deep, instinctive urge that seemed to transcend my human understanding. A part of me worried about the potential complications of one of them being the biological father before the other, but I kept those thoughts to myself for now.Lost in Clay's kiss, I reached out instinctively and grasped Luke's hand. The moment our hands touched, the sexual tension that had once existed between Luke and Clay surged back with an intensity that took us all by surprise.Luke recoiled, almost as if he'd been shocked. "Holy shit," he exclaimed, jumping back.Clay g
Something deep and primal within me stirred as Lexi's lips met mine. It wasn't just the rush of hormones or the inexplicable workings of magic – it was something more profound, more intimate. This was the enchanting kind of magic that comes with love, a deep connection, and the unspoken desire to nurture that connection further.Having kids was a concept I had never seriously entertained. Kids who grow up in rough homes like I did often fear the possibility of passing on those horrible experiences to their own offspring. I was no exception to that, but as Lexi kissed me, every fiber of my being seemed to awaken to a new reality. It was time – time to think about an heir.This realization hit me with such force that I felt compelled to voice it aloud.To my astonishment, neither Clay nor Lexi reacted with the same shock I felt. They seemed almost calm, accepting of the idea.I also felt this powerful urge to tend to Lexi's mark. A part of it was because of the tingling sensation overt