A different kind of marking. What did you think?
DimitriAyda’s mind is exactly what I thought it would be, soft, gentle, and tentative. As soon as our connection was complete, I began pouring my love for her through the bond. I was serious that I never want her to doubt my love for her. I didn’t expect the tears, but perhaps it’s cathartic for he
“I could talk to him,” she says and I can tell that she really wants to celebrate his birthday.“Why don’t you do that. I don’t want to force him into something he doesn’t want, but if he insists that he doesn’t want a party, we could use your Luna ceremony as the party. With your old pack members c
MasuzyoI felt the moment my pack members renounced me as their Alpha. I was in my room, still recovering from Dimitri nearly ripping my throat out on the mountain. Lidia has been nursing me back to health, bringing me food and feeding me while I recover. I still can’t eat solid foods because Alrik
AydaI practically skip into the kitchen, seeing Cathal schmoozing with the omegas. I’m pretty sure they all adore him already.“Ayda!” he runs over and wraps his arms around me. I can feel is wet soapy hands as he clutches me tightly. “Well?” he asks.I pull back and show him his father’s mark on m
“We have to take care of them, Dimitri,” I say, sitting up and looking at him.“Mom? What’s wrong?” Cathal says, leaving the cart of food and rushing over.“Your mother just found out that some people who helped her survive after her ordeal were killed for helping her. But, their families are here,
CathalI need to find the relatives of the ones that were killed because they helped my mom. Short of going around and asking all the new people if it's them, I have no idea how to find them. But I told my dad I would and it’s obviously very important to my mother, so I refuse to let them down.“Hey
“Not much younger than you. My birthday is in a couple of months. I’ll be ten too.”“Are you worried about not getting your wolf?” I ask her.“Nope, the thought never crossed my mind. I mean, why wouldn’t I? I’m a good daughter to my parents, I’m a good friend, and I study hard. I do all the things
Ayda“Wait, what do you mean the kids never had a proper funeral for their moms?” I ask Cathal.I start to move away from Dimitri, but he can’t seem to get enough of me right now, so instead he moves behind me, keeping his arms wrapped around me. I’m not complaining at all.“Well…” he says, looking
“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