POV: Echo “NOO!” I punched and kicked and clawed, fighting them off of me, desperate to keep my memories. When I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, pinning me down, I thrashed around, screaming louder to drown out whatever they were whispering in my ear. “No! I won’t let you! Get off of me!” Slowly coming to, I quieted down a bit as I felt tingles spreading throughout my body from everywhere that the wolf’s skin connected with mine. Still uncertain, I kept trying to break free, but now I was listening to the words they were saying. “Shhh, Little Warrior.” His velvety voice was like a sedative as he continued. “I’m here with you, Little Mate, you are safe with me.” “There we go, it’s okay, I’ve got you.” Atlas cooed as I stilled, taking deep breaths of his alluring scent. Sensing the change in me, he slowly shifted our position. We had been sitting in the bed with his arms wrapped around my torso and arms, restraining me as I attacked him. Once he was certain I wasn’t fighting his
POV: Echo Over the course of the next week, Atlas and I developed our own little routine. We would eat breakfast with our tier-one warriors together. While I was working on my strengthening exercises, Atlas was training with our elite warriors. Which I found to be slightly distracting at times. After training, we were all starving and sat together for what we called “second breakfast”. I was even impressed that I was now noticing times when I was hungry again and was eating what every called ‘snack’ sized portions. Once everyone was done, we’d all go our separate ways, with Atlas and I going back to our room for a shower. Of course, my mate was very keen on showering together, which almost always ended in bed, with both of us requiring a proper shower afterwards. I never thought that I’d crave the touch of a man, especially not like that, but I craved the feeling of his skin against mine, his hands on my body. It made me and my wolf hot and bothered to even think about it. Once we
Being WatchedPOV: EchoInstinctively ducking my head at the noise, I took a deep breath and watched the wolves around the table. They all looked equal parts amazing and confused, as everyone but Granny Maeve and Atticus tried to process what Atlas had just said as their mouths worked faster than their brains.Cassius was the only other one who wasn’t completely sputtering, but he had asked a question that was lost to the other voices before sitting back and contemplating deeply. I was thankful when the others realized their efforts were futile and the room faded back into silence.Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I waited for someone, anyone really, to speak. Looking at Atlas, I watched as he looked at the wolves sitting around the table as he gauged their reactions to the news now that they had calmed.He nodded at his grandmother, who grinned cheekily at him as he rolled his eyes at her with a grin.“I figured out rather quickly what you two were searching for information about i
Muscle MemoryPOV: EchoAs was my new routine, I was up and ready to go for training. I frowned as I noticed my mate was still sleeping, and I realized I didn’t know how late he was until last night. With a shrug, I let him sleep before slipping on my shoes and heading down for breakfast.Plopping my tray between Vesta and Tobias, I couldn’t help but tug on the feisty red head’s ponytail as I took my seat.“Hey! Hands to yourself, Echo!” she screeched, as she snuck a hand behind me and yanked on my braid. We burst into a fit of laughter as Benny rolled his eyes at our antics. I’d grown considerably more comfortable with the now familiar wolves around me over the last week.Vesta, her mate Benny, as well as Tobias, and his mate, Ragnar, have become my friends during our times together. While Vesta, Benny, and Tobias were friendly and easy-going, they were also hard workers. Ragnar was a complete contrast; hostile and distant, but fiercely loyal and protective of his mate and Luna. He e
POV: EchoBreakfast was filled with laughter, and a lot of jokes about me flipping Ragnar over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I think that most of the wolves there wouldn’t have believed I’d done it if they hadn’t been there to see it.Travis and Blaze certainly looked sceptical for a moment before everyone confirmed I’d done it. Everyone’s doubt made me feel a bit put off, but I know my small size of 5 foot nothing and being underweight weren’t helping. If I don’t think I would believe such a small wolf could flip a 6-foot 7-inch-tall wolf that was built like a brick wall, either. Shrugging it off, I simply gave a small smile to anyone who was surprised as they joined our table.“You know, one of the most dangerous things a wolf can do in a fight is to underestimate their opponent.” I looked up from my tray to find Ragnar was looking straight at me while he spoke. “Judging a wolf’s skills based on their appearance gets you killed out there. I’d have expected better of the warri
POV: AtlasRagnar’s comment about underestimating your opponent definitely put a lot of the wolves at the table in their place, including me. I knew right away I had let myself get carried away in the moment and hadn’t paid enough attention to my mate.Her dismay flowed heavily through the bond before she excused herself and rushed out of the dining hall. Knowing that I was most likely a major contributor to her distress, I followed her out and wrapped her in my arms.She turned to putty in my hands as I apologized, and all thoughts of her appointment disappeared from my mind as I carried her to the lift. Until she reminded me, rather insistently, that she had to go.I knew she was right though, as I had my meeting to attend, wanting to finish the setup of the personal guard detail we’d been discussing. We’d picked the six wolves who would be rotating shifts, now we just needed to solidify their duties, shifts, when we needed more or fewer guards, etc. The finer details, so that they
POV: Echo The silver cuffs had created oozing sores that wrapped all the way around my wrists. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t take enough pressure off them to keep the silver from contacting my skin, and now my wounds. The wounds provided the silver with the access to my bloodstream it needed to suppress Tala and physically weaken me. It also blocked my ability to mind-link, which meant I couldn’t reach out for help. After the beating that had brought forth my Alpha aura, Brady had kicked me in the head, effectively knocking me out so that he could freak out without letting me know I’d gotten to him. He was too late though, as I’d seen the briefest flash of fear before he’d gotten to his feet just before he delivered the kick. That had been what I could only assume was hours ago, as there was no sunlight or clock in view to track the time. He hasn’t been back since I’d come to, and I was thankful for the time to orient myself and reinforce my composure. It must have been just a
POV: EchoBrady opened and closed his mouth several times, ultimately ending with him simply closing it and staring at me in awe. Spencer simply gawked at me, unable to even so much as close his mouth as he tried to understand what he’d seen. They seemed to be stuck like that as they processed, and I had a feeling it might take them a bit.I was suddenly filled with a desire to jerk my hands apart, but with the cuffs still securing my wrists to the wall, it seemed redundant. ‘Echo, follow your instincts. They will rarely steer you wrong!’ Tala’s voice rang through my head, and I was relieved that she was still with me. Mentally greeting her and showing my love, I felt the last of my fear dissipate when she told me she had already reached out to our mate and told him where to find us.Deciding to listen to Tala and trust my instincts, I took a steadying breath and wrenched my hands away from each other as hard as I could. I was waiting for the inevitable painful jerking halt as the cuf
POV: Echo The day had finally come, and to say that I was nervous would be an understatement. Thankfully, Noira, Gwen, Cordelia, Granny Maeve, and Vesta had shown up at mid-afternoon to get me ready for the ceremony. It would begin as the full moon shone down on us with the Moon Goddess’s blessing. In a spare room on the first floor, they had run me a bath, filled with many things I didn’t recognize, while they prepared the room for creating ‘their masterpiece’. I was grateful to the five she-wolves who came to my aid, as I had absolutely no idea how to do anything with hair or makeup other than a few quick and practical hair styles I’d learned to keep it back while I worked. Each of them had been working their magic, and, mercifully, they had planned little ‘spa’ and snack breaks regularly to help keep me from becoming overwhelmed. I was a thousand times better than I’d ever been with my mental health, but I was so nervous about this evening, and they had not allowed Atlas and I to
POV: Echo The incident with Brady changed my outlook on life entirely. Having come into my own as a Guardian of the Light, and breaking down the rest of the block had allowed me to step free of the mental chains that were holding me back before. That’s not to say that my panic attacks and nightmares are completely gone, but I can speak without stuttering now, and have miraculously stopped flinching whenever someone moves. I felt a confidence in myself that had never existed before, and rightfully so. I’d experienced my worst nightmare. He’d done his worst, and I literally defeated him. Turned him human and banished him from the werewolf world. I was also able to identify the woman’s voice that helped me through the incident. It took some digging through the old texts in the back of the pack library and a chat with Granny Maeve to make sure I wasn’t insane before I’d believed it, of course. It turns out Guardians, being specially chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, had a direct link
POV: Echo Atlas stands up and sits me on the bed so that I’m facing him, maneuvering me as though I wasn’t growling, kicking, and pawing at him with everything I had to make him let go of me. Avoiding my attempt to nip his hand, he grips my chin and tilts my face up to force me to look at him. “Now, are you done throwing your little fit? You are sitting with me, and that is final. I need you close to keep us calm. If you do not stop, I will be forced to make you stop.” Atlas and Zev explained, and I could sense that they were merged the same as Tala and I were at that moment. “Let. Me. Go! I am not sitting with you! And you can not force me to stop!” I snarled low, narrowing my eyes, and swiping at him with my fingers curled to scratch at him. “Fine.” He growled, catching one hand and then the other before they ever touched him. Leaning forward, he easily pushed me back into the bed, pinning my arms above my head as I thrashed below him. His alpha aura rose, trying to force my wolf
POV: Atlas We made record time across the pack lands, moving as quickly as we could without exhausting ourselves entirely. It still wasn’t fast enough for me and my wolf, the only thing containing our rage being the confirmation of the bond that I was moving in the right direction, getting closer to our mate. Echo’s side of the bond was a hot mess, and the feelings coming through were jumbled and impossible to sort through. I only knew something big was going on with her, as I could feel the power within her awakening. Finally, Ragnar slowed down, cautiously approaching a dense patch of vegetation before pushing aside some plants and revealing the entrance to the cave system. Giving him a nod, I went ahead, inhaling deeply to scent the area, ears strained to pick up any sounds. Ever so faintly, I could smell the intoxicating scent of my mate that I’d been missing. Rushing in the direction it’s coming from, I just about crash face first into her as she comes stumbling out of a small
POV: Echo‘Wait’ I barely heard the faint voice, Raze gripping my hips tightly as the darkness released me into his grasp. His touch sent a shiver of disgust down my back as he smirked at me victoriously.“I told you, the likes of you will never be on equal footing with an Alpha like us!” He snarled, the darkness forming a cloud that engulfs us entirely. The shiver turned into a full-blown tremble as tendrils of dark wrapped themselves around me while Raze gripped me by the neck and pulled me into him, pressing my back into his chest as he scented my neck.Swallowing the rising bile, I bow my head submissively, falling back against him as I counted to ten slowly to bide my time, waiting for the right time. By the time I reached ten, I was coated in a layer of black mist, and the wolf behind me had just slipped his hand under my shirt. Thankfully, Tala and I are still merged, and she is able to block the flashbacks as they try to take over our senses.‘Now, child, now!’ The faint voice
POV: EchoBrady opened and closed his mouth several times, ultimately ending with him simply closing it and staring at me in awe. Spencer simply gawked at me, unable to even so much as close his mouth as he tried to understand what he’d seen. They seemed to be stuck like that as they processed, and I had a feeling it might take them a bit.I was suddenly filled with a desire to jerk my hands apart, but with the cuffs still securing my wrists to the wall, it seemed redundant. ‘Echo, follow your instincts. They will rarely steer you wrong!’ Tala’s voice rang through my head, and I was relieved that she was still with me. Mentally greeting her and showing my love, I felt the last of my fear dissipate when she told me she had already reached out to our mate and told him where to find us.Deciding to listen to Tala and trust my instincts, I took a steadying breath and wrenched my hands away from each other as hard as I could. I was waiting for the inevitable painful jerking halt as the cuf
POV: Echo The silver cuffs had created oozing sores that wrapped all the way around my wrists. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t take enough pressure off them to keep the silver from contacting my skin, and now my wounds. The wounds provided the silver with the access to my bloodstream it needed to suppress Tala and physically weaken me. It also blocked my ability to mind-link, which meant I couldn’t reach out for help. After the beating that had brought forth my Alpha aura, Brady had kicked me in the head, effectively knocking me out so that he could freak out without letting me know I’d gotten to him. He was too late though, as I’d seen the briefest flash of fear before he’d gotten to his feet just before he delivered the kick. That had been what I could only assume was hours ago, as there was no sunlight or clock in view to track the time. He hasn’t been back since I’d come to, and I was thankful for the time to orient myself and reinforce my composure. It must have been just a
POV: AtlasRagnar’s comment about underestimating your opponent definitely put a lot of the wolves at the table in their place, including me. I knew right away I had let myself get carried away in the moment and hadn’t paid enough attention to my mate.Her dismay flowed heavily through the bond before she excused herself and rushed out of the dining hall. Knowing that I was most likely a major contributor to her distress, I followed her out and wrapped her in my arms.She turned to putty in my hands as I apologized, and all thoughts of her appointment disappeared from my mind as I carried her to the lift. Until she reminded me, rather insistently, that she had to go.I knew she was right though, as I had my meeting to attend, wanting to finish the setup of the personal guard detail we’d been discussing. We’d picked the six wolves who would be rotating shifts, now we just needed to solidify their duties, shifts, when we needed more or fewer guards, etc. The finer details, so that they
POV: EchoBreakfast was filled with laughter, and a lot of jokes about me flipping Ragnar over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I think that most of the wolves there wouldn’t have believed I’d done it if they hadn’t been there to see it.Travis and Blaze certainly looked sceptical for a moment before everyone confirmed I’d done it. Everyone’s doubt made me feel a bit put off, but I know my small size of 5 foot nothing and being underweight weren’t helping. If I don’t think I would believe such a small wolf could flip a 6-foot 7-inch-tall wolf that was built like a brick wall, either. Shrugging it off, I simply gave a small smile to anyone who was surprised as they joined our table.“You know, one of the most dangerous things a wolf can do in a fight is to underestimate their opponent.” I looked up from my tray to find Ragnar was looking straight at me while he spoke. “Judging a wolf’s skills based on their appearance gets you killed out there. I’d have expected better of the warri