“Please don’t do this.” I begged over and over, but no one was listening. I thrashed against their hold, but nothing. “I am your luna.” I screamed at the top of my lungs, but then his laugh from the other room broke all the fight in me. “Luke please.” I begged once more time, my voice horse.
“Kill it once it’s done. Toss her out. She will have to survive on her own from here on out.”
He can’t mean that. This was our baby. “Our baby.”
“Is a mistake from the Moon Goddess. One I will rectify.” His voice called again from the other room. He wouldn’t even face me. “Now do it. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
It was a mistake to come here.
It was a mistake to give him everything.
“Oh, and doctor?” Her sweet voice called from the other room. My stepsister, Shannon. I gritted my teeth. “Don’t use any anesthetic. She should feel everything.”
“Yes, Luna.” The doctor turned back to me with sad eyes, but when he picked up the scalpel, I knew I was screwed.
I’m sorry, baby. Momma couldn’t save you. She wanted you so, so much. I tried to rub my stomach, but the nurses had strapped me down. When the doctor approached, I realized he was using a silver blade.
“Silver?” My whisper was almost silent, but he nodded. I knew then that Shannon didn’t want me to survive. She wanted my life so badly that she lied about me cheating on my mate, showing photos as proof. But I never touched another wolf, nor would I again, not after this betrayal.
Why, Moon Goddess, why would you give him to me just to take him away? My pup.
I cried silently as the doctor cut into my abdomen, and I felt my baby thrash inside. He knew it was too early to be born. This was a death sentence for both of us.
“Bring me the body of the pup.”
“Yes Alpha.” I felt every slice as he cut into me, and finally I could take it no longer. I started to scream, soon I felt the blood trickling down my side, every drip off of me hitting the floor. I thrashed against the restraints. But the silver had made me weak.
I’m sorry, baby.
They weren’t trying to keep me alive, which I expected, but I wished wasn’t true. I used to love my mate, but I felt the love die in me when I saw my pup being ripped from my belly.
“Please, let me hold him once.” I tried to move my arms to reach for him, but I was still tied down. The doctor, who was shedding tears, brought my pup and laid him on my chest.
He was perfect. I rubbed his scent on my face and mine on his. He would forever be a part of my soul.
My missing piece.
“Doctor, now.”
“Yes Alpha.” The doctor picked the baby up and rushed out, leaving me spread open to the elements.
I felt my life slipping away as the door opened and Shannon came in. Her smug smile was firmly in place.
“I told you I would take your life, Amy. I would have your mate. And I have, over and over, since he found out of your betrayal.” Shannon walked over and laid a kiss on my face as I snarled. “He is perfection. And don’t worry. I will give him another son.” She laid her hand on her stomach and I started to laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“I can smell the beta on you. That’s Derek's child, and it’s a girl. Nice try though.”
She snarled and raised her hand, growing her claws to deliver the final blow, but the door was ripped open and my mate, the man I now hated most in the world, stepped inside. His eyes were red, and I started to laugh again.
“You bitch!” He snarled and struck out, whipping Shannon to the other side of the room.
“Brandon!” Shannon shrieked as she hit the wall. “What’s wrong?” She staggered to her feet, but more blood dripped out of me and I closed my eyes.
“You lied!” He screamed, shaking the walls as his aura struck out, but I could barely feel it. I felt the silver travelling in my veins getting closer to my sluggish heart. “This was my pup. I can smell me on him. He was mine.” Brandon's eyes grew redder as the tears gathered. “You said she cheated on me and that it wasn’t my pup.”
“She did cheat on you. I guess I was wrong about the pup.”
“You said you smelt it.” From the sound of it, he lunged for her again, but him clutching our baby in his arm was the last thing I saw. And I wanted to never see it again. He did this to us. Not Shannon.
She played her part well, sure, but him not believing me, not waiting for a few more days to smell the pup, that was his fault. And all of our downfalls.
I prayed for the moon goddess to take me. I no longer wanted to be here. I wanted to be with my pup.
“Save her.”
“No!” Shannon screamed. “I am the Luna now, you marked me last night.” Ah, so that was the pain I felt last night. His betrayal had bile shoot into my mouth. “I am bearing your pup.”
I started to laugh again. I cracked my eyes to see my mate, Brandon, hovering next to me. “Stay with me Amy.”
“Beta’s baby. She is fucking…the beta.” I choked out the words and laughed as horror bloomed in his eyes. Blood flew from my mouth as I smiled again.
“Save her.”
“No!” I slammed out, putting all of my power in it. “Don’t move.” I used my Alpha strength to freeze everyone, including my mate.
“How?” Brandon looked down at me, pleading. “Let me save you.”
“I am descended from the Moon Goddess, and you don’t deserve to save me. You don’t deserve our pup. You were weak. And now you lost everything.” I smiled up at him as I felt my life from my body.
And then I was free.
I opened my eyes to find myself surprisingly alive. “Amy hurry, you’re going to be late.” I jolted up and look around, confused. What was going on? Where was I? “Amy!” The voice called again and I shook myself. I stood up from the bed and looked around again. I recognized this room. It was my childhood bedroom. I hadn’t stepped foot in this room since I found my mate, Brandon. I heard a knock on the door and my mother opened it. Before I could process what was happening, I ran into my mother’s arms. “Mom, you’re here.” I started to cry. “I’ve missed you so much.”“Amy. My girl.” She laughed as she patted my back. “I saw you yesterday.” She pulled back and I looked into her amber eyes that matched my own. “Happy birthday, baby.”I leaned into her hands and realized that today was the last day I spent at home. I found my mate on my eighteenth birthday. “Thank you, mom.”“Hopefully, you will meet your mate today and start your new life.” She smiled at me and I felt my blood freeze. I di
“Pack your bags, Amy.” My mom came in, surprising me from the list I was making. “What?” I looked up. “Why?”“You are going to spend the summer with your father. I already got the approval from the Alpha.” Mom smiled down at me. “Come on, baby. Pack your bag and get ready.”I jumped to my feet and ran to my mom. “I can go?”“Just for the summer, baby, then you will be back here with me. I had to promise that you would be returning here.”I pouted. “Mom, I really don’t want to be here.” I wanted to make them pay, but I wouldn’t risk him finding me.“It’s okay baby, you will understand once you see your dad.” She patted my hair and kissed my cheek. “Now get ready.”“Okay mom.” I kissed her back then she left me alone. I grabbed my phone to lock it and then turned back to my closet. I packed my bag and then headed into my bathroom when I heard the downstairs door slam open. “I fucking knew it.” I heard Shannon scream down stairs. I ignored her as I grabbed everything from my bathroom a
I slipped into the back of the car after putting my bags in the back and buckled in. I had barely takin a breath before I launched myself over the seats and into the driver’s arms.His laugh made my eyes prickle. “Hey love bug.”“Uncle Ronnie. I’ve missed you.” I climbed over the seats and sat up front. “What are you doing here?” Ronnie was my dad’s beta. Not related, but he had been there for most of my life. “You think I was going to let my cheeky niece come to pack lands alone? Not on your life.” “Dad sent you?” I laughed.“Dad sent me. He is a worry wart your da.” He smiled over and laughed with me. “As soon as your mom called, he sent me with the jet.” “He didn’t have to.” I just shook my head and buckled my seatbelt. “Of course he did. He never gets to see you enough, and now you’re sending in the summer. What’s going on?” My uncle looked at me and I just shook my head. “I don’t want to be here.”“Why?”I looked down at my hands that were twisted. “I’m afraid that my mate i
“I lived another life, and I died.” I stumbled over my words and I felt my father freeze. A quick look to Ronnie had him locking the door and waving his hands. I felt the air still, but I was focused on my father’s eyes. “This morning I woke up six years in the past after living until I was twenty-four, and growing my own pup only to have my mate to rip him from my body.” My father’s and Ronnie’s snarl shook the walls, but I raised my hands. “He betrays me for my step sister who convinced him that I cheated and the pup wasn’t his, so he killed us both using silver scalpels, and killing any love I had for him at the same time.” I looked up at my father and the tears rolled down my face. “Pup.” His voice was choked up, but I raised my hand. “I don’t want him to be my mate, daddy. I know I won’t survive it. I need to change it. Everything, and it starts with hiding my scent. I told mom what I needed, and she called you. How are you going to help me?” I was starting to panic. “I don’t
I walked to my room and screamed when I was tackled to the ground. I started laughing as Cassie got off me. “Why the heck didn’t you tell me you were coming?” She punched my shoulder as I stood. “I didn’t know until this morning.” I hugged her to my side. “I missed you.”“I missed you too.” She pulled back and tossed me a small box. “Happy birthday.”I laughed again. “With everything that has happened, I had pretty much forgotten that it’s my birthday today.” “The big eighteen. Have you shifted yet?” Cassie jumped up and down with excitement. I just shook my head. “I don’t shift. You know that.” My face fell. I heard chuffing inside of my head. “I think you are just blocking it. You have a wolf. We all feel her.” She bumped her hip into mine. “I can feel she wants out.” My wolf chuffed in agreement.Cassie is smarter than you. My wolf’s voice ricochetted in my mind and I just smiled. There are things I cannot tell you, even now, but eventually, if we are lucky, you will find out y
When we got to the mall, we walked into the clothing store. “I need a new dress.” Cassie pulled me to the back and started to go through the racks. “Why do you need one of these dresses?” I pulled a dress off the rack and held it to my body. The form fitting dress flared out at the bottom. It was a beautiful mermaid formal dress, but white wasn’t my color. “Your homecoming ball.” Cassie grabbed a short pink number that would look horrible with her skin tone. “Put that down and what do you mean homecoming ball?” Cassie froze and then slow turned back to me.“Don’t tell your dad I told you.” She rushed back to me and grabbed my hands. “Frick, I knew I was going to mess this up. You are my best friend and I knew I would mess this up.”“Calm down.” I laughed. “I would never tell my dad you messed up.” I wrapped my hands around her shoulders and shook. “Cassie, calm down and just tell me.”She smiled and nodded. “I was supposed to take you dress shopping for a surprise home coming party
“So, do we walk to talk about it?” I looked over at Cassie, but she was staring straight ahead. “Cas?”“Can we pretend like it never happened?” Her voice was small when I pulled her over to the side of the mall and leaned in. “Talk to me.”“What do you want me to say?” She threw up her hands. “It’s miserable being this weak. Every she wolf with more power out of the ranking demands we do their work, or their chores, or if we get nice stuff, they take it.” Cas looked at me and I could feel her pain. "We have no alpha female that protects us here. The beta and gamma try, but they have their own duties.” Cas wiped her face. “We have learned to deal with it, and when it really gets bad, then you dad gets involved.”“Cas…”“You aren’t here, and neither is your mom. If you get too involved, then we just suffer when you leave.” She looked at me and then shook herself. “C’mon, let’s go pick out jewelry for your dress. Which one are you going to wear?”“Don't worry about it. You are going to
“There are my two favourite girls.” My dad walked into my room as we just got back.“Hi Daddy.” I walk over and hugged him and bowed her head. “Hi Alpha Devlin.”“None of that Cassie, when it’s just us, I’ve told you just to call me Dev.” Cas blushed and nodded. “Can I speak with my daughter alone for a minute?”“Of course, Alpha.” Cas looked at me with a tiny bit of panic in her eyes as she turned away. I tried to reassure her, but I couldn’t do much. She knew exactly what this conversation was about. I followed my father to his office and sat down with Ronnie and him. “Talk.”“What is going on in this pack, Dad?”“What do you mean?”“Why are unranked she-wolves lording their power over the weaker wolves?” I looked over at Ronnie and he looked away. “You obviously know what I am talking about. The beta and gamma female here are doing what, exactly?”“Hey!” Ronnie looked at me. “That isn’t fair.”“I’m not saying it’s fair.” I looked back at my father. “You are letting your pack crumb
Seventy-two. The floor fell out from under my feet. “How could you face that alone for seventy-two times?”She sighed. “I didn’t have a choice.”“That doesn’t make sense.” I was grasping at straws. “That’s like…”“Once a month from your eighteenth birthday, when you met Brandon, until we became pregnant. It would have been more, but we made our pup on your birthday. So that year I only have the one.” She answered softly. “We were almost twenty-five when we died.”The truth hit me like a punch in the gut. She survived so many times, all alone in the forest. “I am so, so sorry.”She took a deep breath and stood. “They get easier. And I had my mates touch to temper the burn. You both just went through you first without any help other than me. I took the heat, so you had those few breaks to collect yourself.”I wrapped my arms around her. “You are the strongest wolf I have ever met.”She laughed. “You’re only saying that because I’m your wolf.”“No.” Nix came over and sat next to her. “Sh
The world stopped for a minute, and then my wolves were lunging for each other. I slipped on the tub, slicing my leg as I struggled to reach for them. I turned inwards, sending myself into my mind, chasing after my wolves. “Stop.” I called as I reached the carrier, but they were fighting each other, and they were vicious. I pushed through the separation and ran to my clearing, diving between the two, earning myself a few bites in the process before they realized I was there. “I said stop!” I screamed as both latched onto me, and then jumped back. “Amy!” both of them called as they realized, and I dropped to my knees. Blood poured from my shoulder and my hip where they bit. Nix circled. “You are so fricken stupid.” She licked the wound at my shoulder, the one higher up where she got me. The blood slowed and Megan stepped up, cleaning the wound on my hip. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice you jumped in.” Megan went back to cleaning the wound. “Don’t apologize.” Nix hissed. “She knows better
“Yeah, I think it’s time we do.” I grabbed the shampoo and start on my hair. “Obviously, this last week has been hell.” Both of her wolves agreed. Nix and Megan stumbled over to the clearing where my magic lived. Once they were close, they laid down, as if drawing strength from her center. We are tired. Megan sighed. This has been hell. Nix snorted and rolled her eyes. “Say what you need to say.” I rinse my hair and focused on my Lycan. “I know you have something to say.”She sighed. I like Rowan, we both do. She started and I could feel it. She was holding back. “Come on Nix. Just say what’s on your mind.”She took a deep breath. Okay. Fine. When we woke up after dying, we swore we would never allow another man to make us beg. We agreed we would push men to the side and focus on what matters. Nix stop. Megan shook her head. “No. It’s fine.” I shook my head. I took a giant glob on conditioner and threaded it through my curls. “We need to be open and honest with each other. Otherw
My heat took a full week to disappear. And the entire time I cried for Rowan, I needed his touch, but I was left alone chained to the wall of my bedroom. The pain was excruciating, but it still never compared to the pain of giving birth, which I still remembered viscerally. But both now and then paled to having my new born pup laying on my chest struggling to breathe only to be ripped from me.I wanted to be mad at Rowan. I actually wanted to hate him. I laid in my bed, burning from the heat, the pain setting my nerves on fire, knowing that his touch, anyone’s touch, would save me. But he was right. I would have regretted it after it was said and done. I screamed all day, all night. I couldn’t eat, I barely slept. Wendy and Toya were there to help with anything I needed. Micca and Hanna came and visited, but they handled everything out of the apartment for me. Ensuring everything was in place for the start of the second year. They handled the shopping, the rumors, everything that mig
That made me stop. He always forgets. Just like he never saw my emails. My texts or calls. I close my eyes and drop my head to my knees. “I am stupid.” “What do you mean?” Wendy crouched. “He hasn’t seen any of my calls, my text, my emails all disappeared.” I turned my face towards her. “I thought it was just someone hacking his stuff. But what if it’s more?”“More how?”“What if it’s magic? Or what if it is someone close to him and magic? Because Toya is right. I have made it clear I like him, and now he’s questioning who I want to be with. It doesn’t make any sense.”“Unless magic is involved…”I nodded and wiped my face as the door opened again. I closed my eyes and took a breath before I faced him. “It’s me.” His words were soft, and I just nodded. He staggered closer. “Toya said you told me you liked me…”I bit back a moan as the heat came surging back. I drew in a shaky breath and up, slipping deeper into the water. “Yeah, in a way.”He looked confused as he came to the edge o
We all froze. The words, the voice, it all connected to a deep part of our consciousness that told us to flee. I looked to the door and I saw Rowan standing there, nearly vibrating. “I said get out.” His voice was low, his need burning right under the surface of calm he was trying to project. Nix and Megan both started to pur. They were content with this choice. Rowan could help with our heat, our need. I tried to stay a little clear of it, but their need lapped at my resolve. I grabbed for Toya and Wendy. “What should I do?” My whisper broke the thick silence, worry clear in my voice. Toya turned. “My King, Amy, isn’t in her right mind. Please leave before you both make a mistake.”His eyes shifted to his wolf and his voice dropped to a level that made my skin shiver. “I won’t take advantage of her.”“I never said you would. But she might force the…um, potential mating.” Wendy tried to smile. His eyes met mine and I could see his needs. It matched my own, and in that moment I was
My eyes snapped open, and I saw Wendy and Toya staring at me from the end of my bed, and Sterling’s back running out the door. “No!” I screamed after him. “Come back.” But I heard my front door shutting, and I wanted to cry. “What do you need, Amy?” Wendy came closer. “We will get you anything.”In my mind, I knew she was trying to be helpful, but my heart, my body, wasn’t listening. I just started crying. “It hurts.” The heat became unbearable, and I rolled over my bed, doing my best to relieve a tiny bit of of the pain. I snapped my eyes open to my friends. “Water.” I was parched, the need was burning through every ounce of actual thought. I just needed to be cooled. To get relief in any way possible. Wendy nodded and ran out of the room. She came back with a big glass of cold water and helped me drink it. The cool water gave me a tiny bit of pleasure. The dryness of my throat disappearing for a second, before coming back stronger. I moaned longer and pushed her away. I looked at T
“Alpha Brandon. While I appreciate you wanting to help your…friend. Toya and Wendy have Amy covered. If you want to help so much, you can stay here with me and the others to help Amy close out the table.” I nearly sagged with relief when he finally understood. I felt Brandon tense, because he didn’t want to let me go, but once Rowan said he was staying here too, he relaxed. “Sure, my king, I would do anything to help Amy.” He reluctantly let me go, then turned to me. “I’ll help everyone close down the table, then I’ll stop by your place with everything.” He was so sure that I would let him up. Nix panted some more. If we were weaker, this would work, but Megan and I are fighting the kudzu. Be alone by the time we lose control or else you will lose all your self respect, regardless of the male. Her words were a warning that I knew I had to take seriously. “Thank you.” But I won’t be answering. I kept those words to myself. Then Wendy and Toya led me out of the building. As soon as w
The rest of the day passed in a rush. Guards showed up to take care of Thinius and Rowan stuck around to talk to the ladies, applying to be his wife. I did my best to ignore him, and Brandon did his best to always be in between us. The effort he put in to keeping us separate was almost amusing. I kept an eye on him, not trusting him for a minute, but the day got busy. “Here.” Toya handed me a drink, and I nearly cried. I was so thirsty.“Thank you.” I chugged the bottle down. “Who knew this was going to be this busy?”Toya leveled me with a look, and I just laughed. “Come on. This was always going to be a huge event, but with Rowan actually here, it was bound to get insane.” I chuckled. “Your right. Thankfully, we are almost done.” I stretched, then I looked at the last of the girls at the table. A few were still filling out the form, and the rest were hanging around at Rowan, seated at the end of the table. “Yeah. I just want to crawl into my bed.”I shook my head. “I’m going to h