“How about we do dinner together in our room like always. I’d like Ayda to take it easy this afternoon. Dr. Akeso says she’s doing well, but she wants to see her again tomorrow.”“Okay, Dad. Maybe I can help make dinner and I can bring it up with me when I join you.”“That’s a great idea, son. And I
Ayda“Ayda, baby, I need you to wake up,” I hear Dimitri’s voice in my ear. Then I feel his warm lips on my temple. “Wake up, baby. I need to take care of something.”That has me shooting awake. “Is it Masuzyo? Is Cathal okay?”“Hey, hey, hey. It’s not Masuzyo. Cathal is safe, and you’re safe. Just
“I love them.”“Good. I have several sauces to dip them in too,” he says, starting to unpack everything. I help him, setting up four places at the table.When we’re done, I invite Sergi to join us.“That’s okay, Luna. I can eat when Alpha returns,” he says.“Nonsense. Apparently, I need to get to kn
Luca looks around before turning back to me. “Luna Ayda, we, your pack members, failed you before. We didn’t realize how horrible Alpha Masuzyo was to you. We didn’t know the extent….” he stops, collecting himself. “We didn’t know. But we do now and we, your pack, refuse to submit to a man who would
DimitriI’m not sure I’ve ever seen such dedication to someone. These individuals left their pack, with their pups, and were willing to go rogue, just so they could let Ayda know that they were sorry they didn’t protect her. Part of me wants to scream at them for not protecting Ayda, but the other p
She nods and turns to the others who are watching us intently. “You should know that Dimitri is nothing like Masuzyo. Nothing,” she says, making my heart soar. I don’t know if she truly believes that, but she is supporting me, defending me, to these pack members and I love her even more for doing th
AydaI feel like a group of butterflies have taken up residence in my stomach. When I was with Masuzyo, I didn’t really know what to expect when he marked and mated me. I was young and excited, but the reality was, it had been painful and disappointing.I’m nervous now, but not because I’m afraid th
“Yes. I never want you to doubt how much I love you, never doubt that I mean everything I say to you. I want you to hear my thoughts, feel my love for you. I want to know what you’re thinking, what’s going on in that active mind of yours, and I want to know what your feeling, know when I scare you o
“I couldn’t agree more," I say.Dimitri reminds our pups to be respectful and to listen to Valentina and then we head back to our house.My mate takes my hand as we walk through the quiet streets of our pack. I begin to purr with happiness, all the happiness that I feel from my mate and from my life
AydaI watch as my son and his friend identify each other as mates in front of the pack, then watch my son claim his mate, the only woman he’s ever loved, with a passionate kiss.“How did you know?” I ask my mate. He called it years ago. At first, I thought he was teasing me but he just kept telling
“What I know is that my son will be the most handsome man in the room tonight…well, besides his father,” my mother says, turning to smile at him, making Zev purr in response.“Good thing I look just like dad,” I say rolling my eyes. I was not unhappy for my parents to move out of the packhouse. I’d
Eight Years LaterCathal“Do I really have to call you Alpha now?” my sister Dimitra asks me, walking into the family living room in our parents’ new house. When I took over as Alpha a few weeks ago, my father moved the rest of the family off of the Alpha floor. Our pack has grown ever since my moth
Ayda leans back against me as I begin to rub circles on her stomach. I frown, feeling her stomach cramping.“Ayda? Why does it feel like you’re in pain?”“They’re just cramps, Dimitri. I get them all the time,” she says, settling against me.“Are you sure?” I ask, feeling another one. I tune in more
DimitriFour months later.It took Masuzyo three days to die. It was impressive, mostly because I didn’t know a person could withstand so much pain. But he was a broad man, and the pack made sure that everyone who wanted their pound of flesh, got it. Literally. By the time he died, the smell of burn
“Do you want me to tell them to kill him? If you want him to die more quickly, I tell them to do it.”I think about it, think about every horrible thing he’s done to me, to Asena, to our son, to Cathal, to Dimitri, to Kelsey and Harper, and what he attempted to do to my daughter. “No, let the pack h
AydaI come awake slowly, feeling groggy, unsure what happened or where I am. My stomach hurts. Did Masuzyo take me roughly again? I’m not throbbing between my thighs so I don’t think that’s it. My face is throbbing, though. Did he hit me? Yes, he slapped me. Why did he slap me?I think hard, trying
“Ramon,” I hear my mother say softly, her gentle fingers moving through our fur. “NO!” she snarls, pushing Ramon behind her and pulling herself to her feet. As she does, Ramon pulls the shift, making me scream in pain as our broken leg and dislocated hip try to find the right spot to fit. I turn, vo