I watched her the night her father tried to kill her. I knew what he was planning to do, and I stood there in the shadows watching, unsure if I wanted to intervene. I decided to wait and see how things played out. If I end up being needed, I can always change my mind.Her wolf was interesting. I saw it a few days ago, and the color is different on her birthday, though, which is intriguing. I'll have to let them know. I followed her to her new pack. She was settling in so well. I almost reached out to her at the diner until she started talking to Stephanie and Alice. What a shame that was. It was probably best, though, as I don't know where things will end when we talk.Sweet little Lila's mate is the alpha. I've continued to watch her, and she is settling in as well as they expected. I need her to get very comfortable and learn all that she can. To my surprise, she agreed to marry Luke. She moves fast; maybe she isn't quite as sweet and innocent as we all believe.Lila and little Ezra
I am going with Stephanie, Betty, Donte, and Jake to pick out my wedding dress. Donte and Jake have become some of the best friends I could have asked for. They will help make sure I choose a dress Luke will love. They are also coming for protection in case my dad is looking for me. Margot, Luke's sister, is also meeting us at the dress shop. It will be my first time meeting her in person. So far, we have only met through Facetime. We're going to Scottsdale to look for my dress.I tried on too many dresses at the first shop; none were right, though. I need something that fits and doesn't need any alterations as we won't have time for the wedding in a week. I finished my classes, and we set a date as soon as possible. I am so ready to marry Luke that it scares me a bit. I don't think there is anything I have ever wanted more. I'm a bit scared because I have never been this happy. Luke is perfect for me, and I am terrified I might somehow mess it up.The second shop we go into is smalle
I don't think I have ever felt the way I did getting the call from my mom that Lila had been attacked. I don't know how this happened. I don't know what would have happened if the doctor couldn't get to her as quickly as he did. Her heart rate was low, and her breathing was shallow.Being back at the pack hospital means she has the best treatment. Unfortunately, we don't know what happened and what she was given, but she is still unconscious. If there is anything to find, Jake will find it. My mom and Margot were just here checking on Lila. They brought me breakfast and a change of clothes as I refused to leave her side last night. I thought she would have woken up by now."Luke, the toxicology test came back," stated the doctor as he came into the room. I was on my feet and beside Lila."Morning glory" The doctor's eyes locked on mine.This was an answer I wasn't prepared for. You don't see poisoning by morning glory."What do we do now?" I asked, looking for anything the doctor's fa
I heard that our new Luna had returned from dress shopping by ambulance. That was the signal I needed to know that the plan had been set in motion.I saw Jake in the park eating lunch with little Ezra and decided this would be the perfect time to gauge what they knew if anything."Hey Jake, how is Luna doing?" It makes me sick knowing she is the Luna. She doesn't understand the responsibility it requires and isn't worthy. Lila is weak and trusts too easily what Luna, in her right mind, accepts a bunch of rogues into their pack. She didn't even question any of us; she just welcomed us all in and assumed we were loyal to her. Her idiot of a mate didn't even attempt to stop her. He's a moron too."Hey, man! She is doing okay." Jake answered in between bites.This whole d*mn pack is too relaxed. They seem to think they're above any of the issues that other packs face regularly. This is going to be easier than we thought. Even with Luke having increased security, it's still more relaxed th
When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was how uncomfortable the bedsheets they were almost like parchment paper. I sat up slowly, my body feeling weak, looking around and adjusting my eyes to the light that shone through the large window. I saw Luke sleeping on a chair. He looked very uncomfortable, and I heard a little snoring from the boy who had curled up in the bed beside me.I tried to sit up further, but I realized I was connected to an IV. I suddenly felt very sick. I saw the trash can and woke Ezra to hurry and bring me the small garbage pail. Ezra hurries, bringing it to me. The noise woke Luke up, who was by my side instantly, holding back my hair."Lila, are you okay?" Luke asked, seeming so unnerved. Ezra, on the other hand, was just happy to see me awake. He walked over to the door of the room and yelled."Leela is up!" he closed the door and ran to my bed.The doctor was in the room within minutes. I read the name tag Dr. Lumen"How are you feeling, Luna?" Dr. Lumen
I was getting ready to go to training when I decided to check in on Lila by opening my laptop. I watched, and my heart sank as I heard Ezra start to answer questions. Gemma is going to be p*ssed. This throws off the entire plan. We will need to find another way. I hurry to unplug my laptop and throw my stuff into a duffle bag, and I am out the door in just mere minutes.I am in the safe place I had scoped out when I first arrived here. It doesn't have the scent of any wolves and is far enough from the little cabin that no one would think of looking for me here. I covered my trail as well. Luckily for me, mom taught me well. I stocked it over the last couple of weeks, just in case. Mom always said it's important to be prepared. You hope for the best while preparing for the worst, and luckily, I have always followed that advice. That's why I made sure to find a place where I could lie low for days or even weeks if I needed to. This hideaway is an old underground lava tube. They have tho
Luke had his men looking for Hudson, but it was as though he had just disappeared, with no trace of him to be found. Jake was still trying to learn more about Hudson and had reached out for help. Luke and I discussed putting off the wedding, but we didn't want to wait any longer, and today was the day.My long dark hair was done in intricate braids, coming together for an elegant updo. My make-up was done naturally, except the smokey eye green was added to the eye shadow to make the green in my eyes stand out even more. My dress was beautiful. I felt beautiful. I dreamed of this day as a little girl. Meeting someone and falling in love, knowing I wouldn't ever feel lonely or unwanted because someone chose me. They loved me because they wanted to love me, not because they forced me to.I was giddy with excitement, knowing I would soon be married to Luke. After the ceremony in a private room, we had the paperwork in order to officially adopt Ezra as well. The council had already approve
Anticipation and excitement surged through me as Luka and I entered our bedroom."Do you need help getting out of your dress?" already coming behind me and helping to unfasten the delicate button. His warm fingers brush slowly along my spine with each button he releases, and it causes a warmth to pulsate into my core. I can already feel my panties become damp with my desire. I hear Luke inhale deeply, and I can scent my arousal. My dress falls to the floor, and Lukes turns me gently so I'm facing him in just my strapless bra, lacy panties, and high heels.I feel so connected to Luke in a way I couldn't have imagined. He smiles at me with his luscious lips, and he leans down, taking my mouth in his. His breath is warm and tastes of chocolate and champagne. His tongue moves along my lips as I grant him access. I return his kiss, and he wraps one hand around my waist, the other finding its way into my hair. He pulls gently, causing my head to tilt back, granting him better access to my m
I don't think I have ever been so furious as when I saw my father taking my son. The rage that coursed through my vends was like nothing I had ever felt before. My dad could hurt me. I'll deal with it, but no one, and I mean absolutely no one, will hurt Ezra again as long as I am breathing. My son has been through more than enough already.As I screamed for Luke, I charged at my dad. I saw his eyes widen in fear. He only knows the old me, the docile daughter he raised, the girl who catered to him, and all of his stupid demands. I'm not that same girl anymore. I have been training with Donte and gained a confidence that I didn't know was possible.As I could close the door, he pushed through it. I was mere seconds behind them, flying through the door in pursuit of my son, willing to do anything needed to keep me safe. As I came out the door, I saw Chelsea and Brendon. Brendon was at the back of a van, holding the door open, and Chelsea was in the driver's seat.I wasn't surprised my dad
I am beyond excited to be going home to our pack today. It feels like we've been away for a lifetime. I know Ezra will be happy to be back home, too. Unfortunately, we couldn't bring many toys, and he's bored. The new pack members have already started training and are settling in well. One of the first things we will do is announce that I will be selecting a Beta and Gamma. We are opening up a trail of sorts to see who is interested and would be best in these roles. The two things I am most excited about, though, are planning Ezra's birthday, which is in just a few weeks, and telling Luke I'm pregnant. We haven't talked about children yet, and there hasn't been time. With everything happening, we may not have planned to have a baby right now, but we haven't done anything to prevent it. I have ordered a cute shirt for Ezra that says - Currently Training For My New Position: Big Brother. I plan to get him ready for the day and put on a zip-up sweater over the shirt. I will take Luke an
"Hmm... Did you believe everything Margot said?" I asked Lila while kissing her neck just below her ear. We were lying in bed, discussing her private conversation with Margot. A less confident alpha might be upset that Luna snapped it in front of others and ran off to speak privately, though I love my mate's confidence. I find myself being proud of Lila and her fierce determination."I do believe her. She told me her story, and it was devastating. She also shared a lot about Hudson. If I'm honest, he sounds like a bit of a creep. He gave her drugs for s*xual favors. It's gross to think my brother is willing to do that to someone who uses someone's weakness for his self-satisfaction. I also learned it's really Gemma who is in charge of everything. People are terrified of her. I don't really know why they are all following her orders." Lila was deep in thought over this information. Her face is furrowed in concentration as she tries to work through her thoughts."Hudson is a creep, and
Donte called Luke and me to update us on Margot. I can not believe she is his mate. She is struggling, though, and needs to get clean, so Donte took her to Sedona Sky Recovery. It is a drug rehab center for shifters. I don't know if getting sober is different for sifters than it is for humans. They have only been at the facility for a few weeks, which seems fast, but they should be meeting us tonight at the Red Oak Pack in Oregon. I made a mental note to ask Luke about this later.Donte did read the note Hudson wrote me, though. Margot contacted one of the people she knew who also went back and forth getting Wolfsbane from Gemma. I am sending my brother a letter that simply contains a cell phone number. It's a burner phone. Jake didn't want me to give him my real number; he didn't want someone tracking me or hacking into my regular phone, so this is one I could toss if needed. I'm hoping to hear from him any day now.Later that night, after dinner, Luke and I laid Ezra down for bed, a
This chapter contains Margot's story. It can be triggering. Read with caution. If you are in the U.S. and have been a victim of sexual assault, help is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline. 1-800-656-4673 I'm sorry, I don't know the resources available in other locations. I didn't have the money to get a hotel to sleep at. I could have shifted and slept in the woods, but I learned my lesson long ago that it is not safe for women to be alone in the woods, even in wolf form. There are plenty of rogue wolves who look for females, and that is why I ended up sleeping on a park bench. The last thing I expected was to be woken up by my mate. Mate? I didn't think I would ever find a mate. I am broken and have been for a very long time. My cousin knows I'm an addict. She doesn't know how I ended up this way, though, and I will never tell her. We weren't close and never have been. When I was ten, my dad passed away, protecting the pack. When someone loses their mate once bo
We have been to five packs so far, and four of them are taking the information seriously and have agreed to stand by us. Today, we are on our way to a pack in California. The travel locations are sporadic based on who agrees to see us. I can't say I'm upset that in just another three hours, we will be at the Chimariko pack, and we plan to stay for a couple of days, so if anyone needs me, they'll have to come find me at the beach. I'm in the driver's seat of the large eight-passenger SUV. Luke is sitting next to me in the passengers seat. Lila and Ezra are in the back seat, and we are followed by two other SUV's. When I heard Lila's phone ring, she was a little on edge lately. I can tell it is Abigail on the phone based on the excitement and hesitation I see on her face when I look into the rearview mirror. I know she's been waiting to her back from her brother or at least hoping to hear from him. I heard Lila's side of the conversation. "Really?! That's great news." "Yeah, I just c
Please, before you read this chapter, mention sexual assault with a very brief flashback. The scene is brief and doesn't go into terrible detail, but this can be triggering, and I want to ensure you know you can skip to the second paragraph and avoid this scene.I am sitting in my room reading the letter that the dumb sl*t brought me. Margot told me about the letter as she was kneeling in front of me; that girl would do absolutely anything for her next fix. It's hard for me to say no when she offers herself. She is beautiful with dark brown hair and mocha skin. I know many wolves wait to have sex until they meet their mate out of respect because our wolves are so jealous. I thought I would wait, but mom sent two girls, well, two women, to my room when I was thirteen. I tried to hold out against the temptation, but mom fed me a little blue pill after one of the women went back out to tell her I wasn't performing, and now look at me handing out drugs to get my d*ck wet.The letter Margo
The room Ray and Abigail let us stay in was gorgeous. It's different from my personal taste, but you can't deny the beauty. The room had three white walls, and the one that paralleled the foot of the bed was a dark navy blue. The furniture was all white. A four-post canopy bed was a feature of the room. The fabric draped on it was a sheer, almost silk-like tulle that was also navy but so sheer you only see that dark navy where it bunches together. A small living space hosted a white rocking chair, a love chair, and a coffee table. On the coffee table was a clear vase filled with blue flowers, cornflowers, and white roses. There was a stack of three books and a stationary set with a pen. On the stationary sat a small note-card. Lila, I thought you might need this. -Abigail My breath caught at Abigail's kindness. The fact that she sent this to the room for me meant so much. Luke read the note over my shoulder, kissing and nibbling along my neck and collarbone. A shiver went through m
As Luke finished telling Ray and Abigail all that had happened up until now, Ray turned to look at me."I am so sorry you have had to go through all of this." I could hear the pity in his voice, and I despised that. I haven't had the best of luck times, but I don't need anyone's pity. I have a beautiful life, even if it is unconventional. I have an amazing husband and the most beautiful son. I am nothing if not blessed in the family I have found. I sat up straighter and squared my shoulders."Alpha Ray, I am so grateful you are hosting us, but I don't need your pity. I need your help. As Luke said, we are building an army. I want you as an ally because what Gemma is doing won't just affect our pack. Gemma may be the woman who birthed me, but she is not my mother. She is a cancer, and she will spread her vile poison if not dealt with soon." I pick up the water before me and take a long drink, hoping to swallow back any emotion that may try to break through."I don't pity you. I apologi