“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 and then I grabbed my laptop and chargers. I stuffed everything in to my backpack and headed downstairs. “Shannon, why are you screaming?” Morgan was at the table with his coffee, and my mom was running around when I pushed my suitcase into the room. “I’m not Brandon’s mate, daddy.” Shannon flew into the room and dove into his arms. “How are you so sure?” Morgan wrapped his arms around her, but I just snickered. She snapped her eyes to me and she flew at me. “It’s you. You stupid whore.” Shannon tried to claw out my eyes. But I just sent her flying with a backhand. “Amy!” Morgan got to his feet but my mom tsked. “Morgan, you can’t yell ay Amy for protecting herself. Shan attacked her first.” My mom placed my breakfast on the table. “Amy, come eat. You have a long day ahead.” “Babe? Why does Amy have a suitcase?” “She is going away for the summer. To her fathers.” My mother turned to me and opened her arms. “Come baby. Come eat. The car is coming and you need to be ready to go.” I walked over and sat down, and dug in. “Why is she going to her dads?” Morgan walked over to pick Shannon up. “She wanted to spend the summer with her dads before college and who am I to say no?” My mom smiled down at me and I smiled back at her. I didn’t know what was going to happen this summer to protect me from Brandon finding out I was his mate, but I needed it. Whatever it was, I needed it. “Yeah, my dad called me this morning and since I haven’t seen him since Christmas break and when he offered to fly me out, I asked my mom.” I smiled sweetly over at Morgan, and Shannon smiled. “You’re leaving?” Shannon stood up. “Yup. I’ll be gone the full summer.” I smirked over at her. “But my room is locked, and it will stay that way.” My smile dropped away as I stared at her and used my alpha command. “Amy!” Morgan yelled out. “You know you’re not allowed to alpha command your step sister!” “And I wouldn’t have Morgan, if I hdn’t found her in my room this morning, trying to take things out of my closet.” I turned and raised my eyebrow, daring her to try to lie. “Is that true?” Morgan looked down at Shannon and I just stared at her. I watch her open her mouth to deny it. “I wouldn’t lie. I’ll just command you to tell the truth.” She screeched and stomped her foot. “Yes!” she screamed. “Are you happy? Yes, I went into her closet to steal some clothes because I know she is Brandon’s mate.” “How?” I threw up my hands, playing like I didn’t know the truth. “How could you possibly know that I am his mate? Neither of us has scented each other.” “Because he scented you on me!” Her voice was hitting a higher octave, and my ears were starting to hurt. “Calm down. You’re hurting everyone’s ears and just explain yourself.” My mom sat next to me at the table, rubbing her head. “Last month, Brandon turned eighteen, and I was wearing Amy’s dress. He scented around me and said I smelt divine. But when I’m not wearing her clothes, he has zero interest in me.” Shannon pouted. “So he likes the way I smell, doesn’t mean we are mates.” I pointed out. Completely and utterly denouncing Brandon as a mate. If I didn’t accept him, he would never be my mate anyway, and I would never accept him. That was the only thing I was sure of. Brandon would be the last male I would ever touch this time around. “Stop being obtuse Amy. We all know what it means when a wolf likes your smell.” Shannon started to cry and buried her head in her hands. “He’s the male I want, daddy. The only one I would ever accept. But he wants her.” She pointed to me. I scoffed. “I don’t want your sloppy seconds, Shannon. Even if he was my mate, and I am not saying he is. It would be a cold day in hell before I accepted him as a mate. I would take the Lycan King over Brandon.” I threw my head back and laughed when she gasped. The Lycan king was the bogeyman of all wolves. The last Lycan to exist and one who lives in the wild. It’s said the only wolves that ever see his face are the council that oversees the packs. But either way, I wasn’t lying. I would take the King as a mate before I would even look in Brandon’s vicinity. “You’re lying. He’s the alpha.” “And?” “Everyone wants to be the luna.” “Idiots want to be the luna.” I turned back and finished my food as Morgan calmed her down. My mom stood when she heard a horn. “That’s for you.” I nodded as I stood and kissed my mother goodbye before I left.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
I walked back to my bedroom with everything just whirling in my brain. The she-wolves were staging a coup. My father was looking the other way to lure back my mother. Now there was a she-wolf that was doing something fishy. Knowing witchcraft is real, maybe there is something is going on with that.I walked back into my room to see Cas in tears. “What happened?” I rushed over to the bed.“Nothing. I just don’t want you to leave.” I wiped her face and laughed.“Why are you already worried about the end of summer when I just got here?” I collapsed next to her on the bed and I listened to her sniffles.“I know, it’s stupid.” But I could scent the slight tinge of fear in the room, and I knew something was said. “Who came here while I was gone?” I watched her tense, but she relaxed.“No one.” She looked away and the fear disappeared. Like she got control of her emotions.“Talk to me. I can’t help unless I know.” I whispered to her as I wrapped my fingers through hers.“You can’t help, any
The room was full of wolves and my scent glands were going haywire. Gathering so many wolves in one place always did this to me. My nose was sensitive, and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm myself. “You girls ready?” I looked up at my father and nodded. “Can we enter without you guys?” I asked my father.“Why?”I smiled over at Cas, who was on Ronnie’s arm. “I…”“You are planning something with the she-wolves, aren’t you?”“Yup.” I smiled up at him and slipped my arm out of his. “If you hear a large fight, show up. But I swear, dad, if you fawn over another she-wolf in front of me, I will hit you.”My dad laughed at me. “I promise I won’t and if by the smallest chance I do, you have full access to punch me in my face.” He smiled down at me and I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thanks daddy.”“You’re welcome, my girl.” I pulled my arm from his and held my hand out for Cassie. “Let’s go.”“Are you sure Amy?”“Yes, yes I am.” I smiled down at her and she shook her he
I walked into the pack house early the next morning and waited near the door for someone to stop. An omega approached me with her head turned down to the ground. “Alpha Amy?” Her voice was a soft whisper. “Yes?” I turned to face her fully, but she refused to look up. “Can I help you?”“Yes. The Alpha’s sent me here to get you.”“What’s your name?” “Winnie.” She was still focused on the floor.“Do you not look up, Winnie?” Even to myself, I sounded confused. She looked up in confusion. The black eye stood out on her pale skin. “I’m sorry?”I reached out, and she shied away from my touch, but I followed her with quick steps. I wrapped my fingers around her chin. I tilted her head up, staring at the bruise on her face. “What’s this?” She tried to pull away, but I held her close. “I would stop pulling away, Winnie. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you as I figure this out.” She froze in my hand and her eyes grew wide. “There’s a girl.” I turned her face, this way and that, looking at
I sat on the porch with a glass of wine, watching the sunset over the water. The sky was a dark blue with a dusky pink over by the fading sun. The door opened, and Wendy and Toya settled next to me. “Carly?” Toya took a deep drink from her wineglass. “In bed.” I sighed and wiped my face. “Back in her make shift canopy bed?” Wendy took a smaller sip from hers.“Yeah.” I sighed. “My mother went crazy with the blankets.” Wendy and Toya laughed. “She used to do the same in my room when I missed my dad. She sent for blankets and made this blanket fort over my bed.” I closed my eyes and I could still smell it. “It made me feel safe, and like I was back with my dad.”“It helped that much?” Toya swirled her wine and looked over at me. I nodded. “The tents layer the scent inside. You are surrounded by it.”“And she has her bear.” Wendy sniffled. “Are you crying?” Toya turned to her, and she nodded. “Why?”She laughed. “Is it bad to say that I’m jealous?”We both turned to face her, and she
I ran my hands along the table. “So they are trying to use the kudzu again. Morgan is going to try to slip some into a drink for my mother that I hand her, so she doesn’t question it. And Brandon is going to try again, now that I work at the pack house. They want me to mate him and get pregnant because they know if I have a pup, then everything would be given to the baby.”“And Brandon and Vince would have access to your money,” Wendy finished, and I pointed to her. “Exactly.” I looked at my friends. “Then they said they would kill me. Shannon asked if Vince would be able to kill me, because I was so strong and Morgan, the dumbass that he was, laughed. He said that Vince killed my dad. He could kill me.”Wendy waved her hands. “Wait.” We both turned to her. “Your dad’s pack was supposedly taken out by rogues.”I smiled. “Exactly.”Toya stared down at the tabletop for a minute before she looked up. “So you are saying that Vince is somehow behind the rogue attacks?” I nodded. “I mean,
My blood ran cold when I heard her words. My mind flashed back to my first life. Strapped to a table while my child was ripped out of me. That will never happen. Nix growled out. Megan ran her side down the barrier. We are smarter and more prepared than they are. We will not fail in our mission. Their calm, matter-of-fact voices helped me shake myself from that life, that nightmare I lived before. “Amy isn’t stupid. She would ensure most of her wealth would go to her mother.”“You are married to Ainsley.” Shannon was confused, and Morgan sighed. “Yes, but if she inherited billions and Amy was dead, she would disappear. Specially now.”“Why?” Morgan sighed again and I had to stop my laugh from escaping. “Because she doesn’t love me anymore. She might have stuck around before I fucked up, but not anymore. She would have no reason to. Vince’s only bargaining chip is Amy. It’s how he threatened her when she first came, and early this year. If Ainsley doesn’t perform basic wifely dut
He grabbed her and pulled her into her room, and slammed the door. I pretended to go into my room, closing the door loudly, but then I mumbled a spell that deadened my steps and I crept closer to Shannon’s door. “Daddy, how could you ask her? Why are you doing this to me, over and over?” She cried as Morgan paced. “Just stop Shannon.” He screamed, and I heard her whimper. His voice softened, and he walked closer to her. “I already told you.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “We have to play nice. We have to cater to Amy.”“But why?” She whined, and I heard her hit his chest. “Shannon!” He screamed. “Just stop. Honestly. Just fucking stop. You will not mate with Brandon.” The frustration filled his voice again. “I am tired of this,” Shannon howled, and his voice dropped to another whisper. “She owns this house, Shan. And Vince needs her close.”“Why?” she cried, but I knew this was now more of a show than anything else. “Because he’s the alpha.” His voice boomed, but then he f
The air in the hallway froze. Her breathing became ragged. “You’re lying.” I shrugged my shoulder. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.” I tilted my head. “But does it matter? You are going to think about my words over and over until you find out the truth. Am I telling the truth, Shannon? Does the truth actually matter to you?” I smiled. “Actually, that is the question I want to know. If I was telling the truth and said Brandon chose me to be his mate…would it matter to you? Or would you still mindlessly chase after him and come up with reasons that he should leave me and choose you?”Shannon snarled. “Brandon is mine.”I sighed. “I think we both know that isn’t true in the slightest.” My mom opened the door wider than she should have. But she just smiled.“I put all of your stuff away in your closet.” I nodded. As she slipped past me and headed down the stairs. “I’m going to get started on dinner.” Then she was gone. I groaned as Shannon was still there, glaring at me. “I’m over this Shan.
Two hours later, we were pulling back into the driveway and I was exhausted. I was running on a few hours of sleep and breakfast was my last meal. I was hungry and annoyed at everything. We parked, and I heard a door open, and I wanted to cry. “No.” My mom looked over her shoulder and I saw her slump. “Deal with this now, or else you won’t have peace.”I sighed as I hopped out. “Hey Brandon.” I looked at his father. “Alpha Vince.” I turned to my mom. “Do you need my mom?” Vince shook his head. “No, we are here to talk to you.” He looked at my mom. “Hey Ainsley.” She nodded. “Hey Vince.” She opened the back door. “Mom, you can just drop everything inside.” I walked over to hand her my key, but she smiled and jingled her own. I just nodded and turned back to Vince. “What’s up?”He looked over the bags my mom was bringing into the house. “You went shopping?”I nodded and smiled. “I haven’t been able to have a shopping date with my mom for a few years. We figured we would do it today
“Where are you going?” I laughed as she swerved around another car. “The mall.” She swerved again and I slammed against the door, making me laugh again. “Why the mall?” “Because I have an idea.” She pulled into the mall and parked. “About what?” I looked around confused. “Mom, I don’t really have a lot of time here.” I checked my watch. “I have a kid to feed.” I paused. “That’s a weird thing to say now.”She laughed. “It’s weird to hear. But I swear we are here for a reason.”“And what’s the reason?” “We are here to get things we need.” She hopped out, and I followed. “Has Toya messaged yet?” I checked my phone, then shook my head. “That’s alright. We can figure it all out.” I was so confused. “Okay…” I just followed. We headed inside, and she headed to the first store. She went around and grabbed a shirt and a pair of jogging pants. She held them up to my body and then nodded. “These will work.”Then went to the cashier. “Did you find everything you needed?” The girl asked wit
Everyone froze. I looked around and everyone, even my mother, had their mouths hanging open. “Well then.” She whispered as she walked over. We looked back to Carly, who blinked, and once again her bright brown eyes were staring back at us. I crouched down to her level. “Does that happen often?” “The goddess?” Her voice was bright once again. She shrugged. “Daddy said she comes when she has a message to deliver.” Carly giggled. “When I have visions, I remember what I see, but when the goddess comes, I don’t.”“Why?” “Because she has to put me asleep so she can speak through me. Daddy said it so it doesn’t hurt me. But I don’t don’t mind. She is the goddess.” Carly spun around and walked back to my mom. “Thank you for helping me hang my curtains.” Then she skipped off to her room.I stayed crouched and I looked up at my mom. “I am out of my depth.” She laughed. “Every parent feels that way some day. You just happened to feel it on the first day.” She kissed me. “Get Lynn situated, t