DANIEL POV "No, Boyd and Mike went over to Andrew's. They are helping him move his larger furniture. The movers delivered his stuff before we arrived," I answer as I pat my favorite horse. I have missed the smells and sounds of home so much. It's so peaceful here compared to Florida. Florida is awful, to be honest. I have no idea why humans retire there. It smells of mold and dirty water. It's humid and loud. Plus, it's the home to alligators. I leave the stall and head for the tack room. I want to check on everything. Not because I don't trust my men, but because I have missed doing it. I have missed the routine and the scents of Wyoming. I have missed working away my stress. "That's nice. Is Andrew comfortable with that," Stanley asks as he follows me with his hands tucked in his pockets. "Yeah. He commente
SAMANTHA POV Oh God, what have I done? I scream the thought to myself as I follow Daniel's scent trail into the old pine forest. It's been hours since he left. I tried to give him time to cool off and come back to me, but I think that was a bad idea. I need to find him. I never meant to hurt him or behave as if I am unhappy to be pregnant again. I'm just stressed. Angelica is amazing, but she is a lot of work. If we didn't have the pack's help, I have no idea how I would get everything done. And I don't even do that much. I also wasn't a massive fan of being pregnant the first time. Yes, it was a magical experience, but I disliked all the heightened dramatic emotions that made me not act like myself. Plus, being that big is extremely uncomfortable. You can't sleep or even walk without experiencing growing pains. I hit an area in the forest that is denser than the others, and I decide to shift. He should be close enough to hear me yell. "DANIEL," I yell out with m
There's no way...Absolutely no way. We always use protection, and I'm on the pill. How can there be two lines? Two! How can I be two weeks late? I drop the disgusting pee stick into the sink before staring at myself in the mirror. What am I going to say to Adam? We aren't ready for a baby. Our marriage is so rocky right now, and his parents aren't supportive at all. Out of the seven years of us being together, I can only remember his mother smiling at me twice. And neither were genuine. I shake my head and force the pessimistic thoughts from my mind. That's not how I should be responding to this news. I should be happy! Overjoyed, even."I can do this," I mumble before brushing my flyaways from my face. I can be a mom. Maybe this baby is what we need. All we have been doing lately is fighting about everything, which isn't us...The fighting all started about the time he b
I gulp down my Dr. Pepper almost desperately before grabbing another one of Adam's shirts. I place my glass down before picking up my Ralph Lauren perfume bottle. I spray the collar just like I've done all the others and hang it back up. Even though every cell in my body is calling for violence and destruction, I fight it. If I destroy his stuff the way I want to, he will know how hurt I am. How utterly broken I am, and I refuse to give him the satisfaction. He doesn't deserve my love or my tears. What he deserves is endless hours of smelling me. Endless hours filled with missing me. I have decided he is nothing but a weak coward who still hides in his mother's skirts. No matter how hard his father pushed the importance of family and tradition on him, I guess it wasn't enough. It only took six months of hard times for him to cheat. Because "precious" Kelly said they had been together for six months and our fighting only
It's done. I'm free. Finally! I sigh as I stand to my feet. Happiness is pulsing, ready to erupt right under my skin, but I contain it. I need to remain dignified since the enemy hasn't left the courtroom. I straighten my pencil skirt and push a stray curl behind my ear. I offer Mr. Hedge my hand, and I give him a big smile. "We did it, sir," I say, and he returns my smile and handshake before refocusing on gathering his notes. "We sure did. It wasn't easy, but we did it. You have officially divorced Mr. Polk and are once again a free woman. If there is...Oh yes, umm, Ms. Layne, tomorrow, could you stop by my office around 3 pm. A few days ago, I was contacted over a separate matter that I need to discuss with you," Mr.Hedge says as if he just remembered the separate thing we needed to discuss. He packs up the few documents left on the table, and my brain panic
I stand up and stretch my back before rubbing my rounding stomach. I let out a long whistle as I take in my surroundings. This place is beautiful! Beautiful and big. I have no idea how I will take care of the house, let alone the land, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I press my hand to my forehead to cancel out the setting sun and smile. The rustic mansion isn't just beautiful; it is gorgeous, and the backdrop is something you would see on a postcard. I still can't believe this is all mine. When I contacted the lawyers handling Hazel Layne's estate, aka my grandmother, I learned about the size of the house and how much money I was inheriting. When the lawyer had informed me I would be receiving just under 63 million after taxes, I fainted. I don't know the story behind my father's family and where their money came from, but I know I am a millionaire—a millionaire with no ide
PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS IT HELPS MY STORIES!!! I NEED TO KNOW WHERE I CAN IMPROVE OR WHAT I AM DOING RIGHT. THANK YOU DANIEL POV (A few weeks before Samantha moves to Wyoming) "I don't care. I don't know why you insist on looking for a Layne spawn after all these years, but I told you before, and I will tell you again. Leave me out of it," I snarl before my fraternal town brother can say another word on the matter. I grab a hay bale and toss it effortlessly into the stall of my favorite gelding. Stanley follows me to the next stall, and I grind my teeth together. "Dan, stop! This is serious. This isn't like the old days when territories could transfer hands without humans knowing. The land is still in the Layne name. I had to make sure there wasn't a single living descendant before we could purchase it. Dad did have me go into law for a reason, you know. We have to keep shifters secret. You being a fucking hot-head isn't going to cut it," Stan snaps, and I freeze. My co
SAM POV "Coming," I call as I quickly make my way to the front door. I don't want to keep my rescuer waiting, and I especially don't want to spend another minute in this house alone. Forty-five minutes of hiding under a comforter that would do very little to protect me from claws were enough. When I get to the front hall, I smooth back my crazy unbrushed hair as best as possible. I glance down at my clothes and grimace, but I'm not going back upstairs to change. These sweats are comfortable, and I desperately need comfort right now. I place a believable smile on my face and swing the door open to greet Daniel Gray, but as soon as he comes into view, I wish I was back upstairs under my protective layer. The tall piece of man-candy standing at my door looks as if he wants to eat me. His blue eyes are ablaze with so much ag
SAMANTHA POV Oh God, what have I done? I scream the thought to myself as I follow Daniel's scent trail into the old pine forest. It's been hours since he left. I tried to give him time to cool off and come back to me, but I think that was a bad idea. I need to find him. I never meant to hurt him or behave as if I am unhappy to be pregnant again. I'm just stressed. Angelica is amazing, but she is a lot of work. If we didn't have the pack's help, I have no idea how I would get everything done. And I don't even do that much. I also wasn't a massive fan of being pregnant the first time. Yes, it was a magical experience, but I disliked all the heightened dramatic emotions that made me not act like myself. Plus, being that big is extremely uncomfortable. You can't sleep or even walk without experiencing growing pains. I hit an area in the forest that is denser than the others, and I decide to shift. He should be close enough to hear me yell. "DANIEL," I yell out with m
DANIEL POV "No, Boyd and Mike went over to Andrew's. They are helping him move his larger furniture. The movers delivered his stuff before we arrived," I answer as I pat my favorite horse. I have missed the smells and sounds of home so much. It's so peaceful here compared to Florida. Florida is awful, to be honest. I have no idea why humans retire there. It smells of mold and dirty water. It's humid and loud. Plus, it's the home to alligators. I leave the stall and head for the tack room. I want to check on everything. Not because I don't trust my men, but because I have missed doing it. I have missed the routine and the scents of Wyoming. I have missed working away my stress. "That's nice. Is Andrew comfortable with that," Stanley asks as he follows me with his hands tucked in his pockets. "Yeah. He commente
SAMANTHA POV It's been a week since Margaret Polk's body was found, and you would think we would be over it, but we aren't. The funeral is today, and I have no idea how I am going to hold myself together. All week the press has been harassing and torturing Andrew with in-depth questions that tear at my heart. They ask him what drove his son to murder. They ask him whether he abused his wife or son. They asked him if Adam and Margaret were having an incestuous affair. They ask him if Kelly O'Neal was a part of the relationship. You name it, they have asked it. When they tried to bring Angelica and me into it, he shuts them down. He denied them any further interviews and said if anyone went near us, he would sue. All in all, it's been an absolute nightmare. "Love, I believe Boyd is all set with all of Angelica's things, but I might be wrong. He has four bottles, two pacifiers, a change of clothes, and a crap ton of diapers... Is there anything else you can think of that he might
BENJI POV Mariah leans in a little closer as Lauren continues to eye her suspiciously from across the table. My anger towards the pregnant female grows. The other members have all moved past the fact that she is here, but Lauren is refusing. She is purposefully making Mariah feel uncomfortable, and I am ready to tear her hormonal head off. The only people that needed to accept Mariah were Luna and me. Lauren needs to realize we have accepted Mariah as a pack member. My mark is on her flesh. "The Hay sold, so that's a relief. I spoke to a couple of companies about the foundation of our future home, but without a set blueprint, they can't move forward," Stanley says, and Finley nods while swallowing his bite of brisket. "I'm sure Luna will move forward with the house once she returns. Right now is a stressful time," Finley says, and the stiffness in Stanley's shoulders eases. His face creases with sympathetic emotions, and we all feel that familiar pinch of sadness for wh
DANIEL POV "This seems promising. There is an off-road path to the water here," Boyd says, and I nod. "Roll down the window. See if you can smell anything," I urge, and he instantly follows the order. He closes his eyes and inhales the outside air as we slowly drive down the dirt/grass road. After about two seconds, his eyes snap back open. "She's here....and not just her normal smell. Her body is still here. This whole area smells like death," Boyd whispers, and I roll down my window. As soon as the first wave of air enters the car, I smell it. I smell death and decay emitting from somewhere nearby. I slowly stop the car. Boyd and I climb out in silence. The pit of my stomach is tight, and I almost feel nauseous thinking about seeing her. But we have to do this. We have to close the c
DANIEL POV "Sam said he would have chosen a spot with water. He might have been crazy, but he wasn't an idiot," I say as I drop one of Margaret's shirts in the backseat. Boyd and I already familiarized ourselves with her smell, but bringing her scent along will help. "Did he have any special spots," Boyd asks as he rounds the car to the passenger side. I nod as I recall mine and Andrew's private conversation last night. "Yeah. Andrew said he loved to fish. He gave me a list of the most private spots. But the thing is, most of the areas have some pretty big predators. Alligators being the main ones. We might be searching for a body that is being digested. So let's focus on locating her scent. We won't focus on finding the body, just her scent. I think Andrew would benefit from just knowing her final resting place," I say as I s
BENJI POV RATED R I growl as my dominant side pushes forward. Her lips try to keep up with mine, and it makes my fire build. I love that she didn't give up. I love that she refused to just let me walk away. I love that she took charge, but now it's my turn. I need to show her that I do want her. That it was my hurt pride talking. Her words reminded me of my fear when we voted. How I felt knowing if my pack said no, she would have to leave. She is right. I said I wanted her, and I do. I trust that what she is saying now is the truth. It just hurt my pride that she didn't come back for me. I wanted to be the reason. When she brought up everything she did, it made me angry again. It made me forget what I already knew. She is mine! I want her! We will forgive her, and she will earn our trust. I growl as I let my index claw grow. I slice her dirty dress in half at her back, at she gasps. She pulls away to look at me, and I smirk. "Show me what's mine, sexy kitty," I growl,
BENJI POV "Mariah," I say as I open the guest room door. She has been hiding out ever since Lauren blew up, and I need to check on her. I haven't checked on her yet, and I feel like a terrible mate, but it's because I don't know what to do. My heart is torn between loving my mate and loyalty to my pack. I never thought I would have this dilemma. I thought I would meet my mate and she would love me. That's how shifters are. The only time a shifter has to work harder is if their mate is human. They have to win their mate over and reveal their true identity. But a shifter with a shifter mate has nothing to disclose. Both their inner animals call to one another. They love instantly...except in my case. My mate is a secret assassin sent to kill my Luna. Kill my Luna, not because of her crimes, but her family's crimes, which is bullshit. My Luna is an amazing woman. She is strong, loving, and loyal. My mate has been dishonest and withdrawn....ahhhhh. "I'm here," Maria
SAMANTHA POV I don't know why I am so nervous. I mean, Andrew is one of the nicest men I have ever met. He shouldn't blame any of this on me. I know I had no control over Adam's actions. But I also know people who are grieving aren't always rational. He could have warped what happened in his mind, because he is upset about losing his loved ones. I mean, I did kill his son. He could be upset about the way I handled things. He could think I should have used nonlethal force. He could be disappointed that Adam never got his day in court. "Do you think seeing me will be too much for him," I ask Daniel quietly as he follows the rental car's GPS? "What do you mean? Too much? Are you asking about whether he can handle you being a shifter" Daniel asks, giving me a quick glance? "No. No. Well, that too...But umm, I was meaning he might get upset when he sees me. I mean, Adam killed his wife, and now Adam is dead. And Adam is dead because I killed him. Andrew might resent me," I