When Lyla threatens her Alpha's authority, she doesn't expect him to banish her from the pack. But he does, and only moments after stepping outside her door, someone attacks her and leaves her for dead. And then the Alpha of her rival pack arrives. But instead of finishing her off, he saves her . . . even though it's against the law. Now they're both in danger. But they can't seem to stay away from each other.
View MoreKalenI can’t avoid her for long.I spend a few hours at the lodge, finding food in the kitchen and purging myself in the sweat room, moody and snappy at the younger members of my pack. I feel Liam’s eyes on me, but it’s Cassie who approaches me. She settles herself down on the opposite side of my bench and studies me.“I’m not in the mood, Cass,” I growl.“I can see that,” she says. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”I glance over at the younger she-wolf, her calm hazel eyes focused on me. I sigh, my shoulders relaxing. Cassie has a way of seeing past my moods, which makes it difficult to hide anything from her.She’s the only one who knows the real reason I ended things with Elara.“Is it the rogue wolf?” she says, her voice quiet. “I heard there was another killing.”The wolf is a real concern, a threat to my wolves,
Kalen"Let's get you something to eat. You need your strength. I don’t have a kitchen, but this stockpot is pretty multi-purpose." I flash a smile as I lead her back to the hearth, and she rewards me with her own smile.Even if she’s just humoring me.I show her how to cook the venison stew I've been preparing. She watches me closely, her eyes following my every move, and a warmth spreads through my chest at her attention.We work together, chopping vegetables and adding spices to the pot, and I can't help but steal glances at her. Her skin is flushed from the heat of the fire, her hair falling in loose waves around her face, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and touch her. We're so close, our bodies just inches apart, and I can feel the heat radiating off her skin.What would it be like to kiss her? To hold her close? She’s a Blackwood. She can’t be my mate. So no harm would come from copulating with her.Would
KalenMy eyebrows rise so high I feel them in my hairline. "You were exiled?"That explains a lot. Why she was distraught. How she got so far from her territory.But does it explain the attack?She bites her lip, her expression pained. "Yes. For challenging the authority of my Alpha." She shakes her head, her voice bitter. "His father promised me as his mate, as if I were a prize to be won.""And you didn't want that?"She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "I tried. I love Ethan, and I thought maybe I could love him as his mate. But I don't feel the bond with him. And I—I don’t agree with the ways of the pack. They’re archaic, our women are suppressed, and our children are literally sold to the Slavers. I’ve spoken up before, but this time, I did it in front of the elders. Maybe Ethan felt he had no choice . . . But he banished me."A shudder runs through her, and she lowers her eyes, her fingers coming up to trace the wound
"Do you want to tell me what happened out there?"I'm standing by the window when Kalen comes in, his tattered clothing barely clinging to his body, and I can't help but admire the sight. I know I shouldn't, but the way his muscles ripple beneath his skin, the way the fabric hugs his form, it's hard not to.He looks up at me, his eyes dark, his jaw tense, and my own body responds, a delicious stir in my core that I quickly tamp down. I don't need this. I don't need the distraction, the temptation. I need to stay focused."Lyla," he says, his voice a low growl. "What are you doing by the window? You could have been seen!"I lift my chin, meeting his gaze. "I’m not that stupid. I kept out of sight.” I take a step closer, my eyes scanning his body, taking in the blood, the bruises, the torn skin. "What happened?""Nothing." He drops the pile of wood by the fire and shrugs out of his clothing, keeping his back to me as he yanks on a new pair of
Liam doesn't hesitate, his body shifting, his bones cracking and reshaping. In seconds, his clothes are in tatters around him, and a large gray wolf stands in his place, his eyes fixed on me.I follow suit, the familiar burn of the shift coursing through me. My vision sharpens, my senses heighten, and I hear the rapid thud of his heart, the subtle rustle of leaves in the breeze.The dull hum of the packs’ thoughts suddenly intensifies. A connection I’ve ignored swells to life, and I feel the life of each wolf under my care whispering through my blood.Liam’s right. I’ve ignored my duties.I’ll repent later. For now, I have a position to defend.We circle each other, our hackles raised, our growls low and menacing. I feel the adrenaline pumping through me, the primal urge to assert my dominance.He lunges first, his teeth bared, and I dodge to the side, my claws raking across his flank. He yelps, but he doesn't back down, hi
He walks with the others, his posture relaxed, his movements fluid. But there's something in his eyes, a sharpness, a focus. I see the way his nose twitches, the way his eyes narrow as he scans the area. He's alert, more so than the others.More so than me.I watch him, my heart in my throat. I know Liam. I know his keen senses, his sharp mind. He's always been the best at tracking, at noticing the little details. And he's always been suspicious of me, always questioning my decisions, my motives.Especially since Elara.I never should have bedded her.I can't let him find her. I can't let him find Lyla.I see him pause, his head tilting to the side. He sniffs the air, his nostrils flaring, and my heart stops. I grip the ax tighter, my knuckles turning white. He takes a step closer, his gaze fixed on the cabin, and I know he's caught her scent. It's faint, but it's there. And Liam doesn't miss anything.I force myself to breathe, to stay
I swing the ax, the blade biting into the wood with a satisfying thud. The rhythm of the task is soothing, a welcome distraction from the turmoil in my mind. The sun is high, the light filtering through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The scent of pine fills the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest floor.I lift the ax again, my muscles straining, and then I bring it down, splitting the log in two. I set another piece of wood on the chopping block, repeating the process, losing myself in the physicality of the task.And then I hear it. The soft crunch of footsteps on the forest floor. I look up, my heart skipping a beat, and I see her.Lyla.She's standing in the doorway of the cabin, her eyes wide, her hair catching the sunlight and turning it black as night. She's wearing my clothes, the shirt and pants hanging loose on her frame, but she makes them look like they were made for her. The fabric clings to her curves, the sleeves too
The wolf stays away all evening.It’s what I wanted. I told him to leave.But as the sun sets and darkness invades the cabin, I resent him for leaving me alone.Sleep doesn’t come easily. I’m restless. I don’t know how long I’ve laid here in this bed, and I kick myself for not asking him when he was here. My body aches. I touch the bandages on my neck, feel the rough stitches beneath.The wound was bad. I’m lucky to be alive. A shiver runs through me as I remember lying in the grass, staring up at the moon, bleeding out.Who fixed me up?Was it him?By the time Kalen returns in the morning with a basket of eggs and fresh bread, I’m ready with my questions.“Good morning,” he says. He puts the basket by my bed and moves to the hearth. He adds wood to the flickering embers, stoking the fire back to life. “Nice to see you awake.”His deep bl
Who attacked you?His words burst like a cannonball in my brain. Something claws at my memories . . . Something I'm supposed to remember.A flash of fur. Yellow eyes that glow brightly. The stench of urine, not from fear but as an alpha marking his territory.My body starts to tremble, and my breathing increases. Images assault me, and I clutch the blankets, willing them to be a shield.Yellow eyes.My fingers touch the bandages on my neck, and I recall Ethan's angry words to me. If it’s a fight you seek, a fight you shall have. You’re banished from the pack.A growl from the corner of my vision. Claws that rake my skin. Fangs that bury in my neck, a dominant display of aggression.My heart races with the memories, and I squeeze my eyes shut, shivering violently.Blood.I remember now. A wolf. A big, dominant wolf, one who meant me harm.I open my eyes and stare at the man
The grand hall of the rustic lodge feels stifling as I stand here, facing Ethan. My promised mate."Traditions be damned, Ethan!" My voice pierces through the air, echoing off the walls adorned with lunar symbols and pack artifacts.Everything packed with symbolism. Meaning. Everything meant to keep me down and perpetuate the ancient traditions of the Blackwood pack. But I refuse to marry Ethan.His sharp blue gaze locks onto mine, his eyes blazing with a fire that matches the hearth’s glow in the center of the room. "You will respect the ways that have kept us safe for centuries, Lyla," he snarls, the authority in his tone as unyielding as the ancient trees surrounding our home.We’ve attracted the attention of the other pack members. The door opens at the back of the lodge, and the elders enter. I feel more than see my younger sister Ana enter the lodge, but I don’t look at her. I know she’ll be judging me.This is between me and Ethan. I clench my fists at my sides. "Safe? Or s...
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