HERA
I woke up with a smile on my face. I never wake up with smiles on my face. With the kind of life I was born into, the kind of family I was born into, I've had to be rigid and stiff. I've had to train and fit myself into boxes that are befitting of the role of a future Head Witch of The Shadow Claw Coven. Then Mother died when I was just 17 and I had to become the Head Witch, the youngest one ever. It was too huge a shoe to fit in. I had so many responsibilities, and so many things to oversee. It made me even more rigid. To cement my throne, I had to be sterner, I had to be cutthroat. I never had a moment to breathe, to relax, to be me. Until him. Aiden changed everything for me. He taught me love, he wore my defenses down, and he taught me that there's more to living than just being the head witch. Before him, men were scared to approach me. They were afraid of my powers. They were afraid of my person. Aiden was the first and even though I shunned him at first, he kept coming till he won, till he wore my defenses down, till I fell in love with him, till I got married to him yesterday. Till I allowed him to have full, unbridled access to my body last night. Memories of that made me moan in delight. The adoration in his eyes, the care in his touches, the carefulness in the way he worshiped my body. It was a slow, sensual lovemaking at first. He took his time to worship my body; kissing and learning all my curves and swells. Then it was a savage, animalistic fucking the second time. Where he pushed me face down on the bed and fucked me till I was a gasping, whimpering mess, till I had to bite into the bed frame to stifle my screams. He had told me that it was my punishment for making him wait for so long. It made me realize how much I loved to get punished like that, how I wanted to be punished every single moment. It was such an un-head-witch thing and it made me wonder what my subjects would think when they found out that their leader was like that in the bedroom. I finally peeled my eyes open and I expected to see Aiden beside me but his space was empty. I frowned and looked around my huge bedroom but he was nowhere in sight. Just then, the smell of fresh toast and coffee drifted to my nostrils. I smiled again. I gave all my staff the week off so we'd have my house to ourselves. So Aiden must be making breakfast for me; something to replenish my energy after he drained me of all of them last night. I stood and walked to the bathroom to freshen and the hickeys on my neck and chest were enough to distract me. I finally finished and I shrugged my bathrobe on before walking towards the living area. I started hearing voices. The closer I got to the living room, the louder the voices. And laughter. The voices were masculine and they seemed to be having a field day mocking something. "Aiden?" I called out softly. I got no answer. I finally stepped into the sitting room and the sight that welcomed me made my blood run cold. I stopped in my tracks, unable to move, unable to breathe. "Ohhh, and here comes the lady of the hour," one of the men said. He was a pack member who was at the bottom of the pyramid; someone who wouldn't dare breathe in my direction if I didn't marry Aiden. He was also a friend of Aiden. He danced and cheered the loudest yesterday. He clapped. The others followed suit. Only Aiden didn't clap. He was leaning against the wall, glass in hand. When our eyes met, he raised the cup to me, as if to salute me. I didn't recognize the man before me. He was a stranger. He looked nothing like the man I fell in love with. His eyes which always held warmth whenever he looked at me now looked bleak. There was no smile on his lips. He looked unfeeling. It scared me. "What... what is going on?" I asked, my voice shaking and sounding hollow. I knew what was going on. I could sense what was going on. But I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't believe it. "What do you think?" he asked, a sarcastic and mocking tone in his voice. He pushed himself off the wall and he slowly started to advance towards me; like a predator would advance towards a prey. "Just showing my friends how much of a nasty slut our head witch is." His tone was dead. The laughter that erupted from his friends filled the room. I clutched my hand to my chest. My heart was hurting so bad. A strangled sob escaped from my mouth. On the screen, a video was playing. A video of him pushing me against the headboard, of me begging and urging him to go faster. "Yesss, fuck me harder. Please, give it to me." I wanted to die. I wanted to dissolve into the ground and melt away. He got to me then. I couldn't tear my eyes off his face. He looked so cold, nothing like the Aiden I fell in love with. He casually threw his hand around my neck and turned my body around so I could face the screen. "You know, we all used to be afraid of you," he continued like he was giving a random speech, "Ohh, the almighty Hera, the future head witch, the first and only sorceress to master Kuusu. We all never could look at you in the eyes. Poor Williams there," he pointed to one of his friends, a short guy who has glasses on, "he summoned courage to write you a live letter in High School. Guess what you did to him? Corrected all his mistakes and played it for all the students to see." I couldn't remember. Not at all. "So many things to recount but one night, we all just thought? Why don't we just treat your fuck up?" a cheer was starting to bloom in his voice, "We considered our options, a gangbang? No other befitting way to punish a bratty bitch but that was too risky so we concluded on me making you fall in love with me. None of the guys believed I could do it so it became a dare of a $100k. I did it and even made you bleed all over my dick. The glorious Hera Volkov, Head Witch of The Shadow Claw Coven." He said the last part with so much mockery, so much taunt it appalled me. He hated me so much, hated me with this intensity, yet he played with me and made me believe he loved me. It was too much. "Head witch, why don't you let us sample you too?" one of his friends spoke. These were people who could never look me in the eyes, people who'd cower and shake whenever I was approaching. "If only Aiden's cock could make you scream and lose your mind like that, imagine what taking three cocks at the same time will make you feel? It'll be heaven, I promise." The others cackled loudly. The smell of their arousal was thick in the air. I didn't need to look at them to see the hard-ons. They weren't my business, Aiden was. I turned to look at him, body shaking, lips trembling, eyes wet from unshed tears. "Awww," he cooed when he saw the state I was in, "almighty Hera, so you're capable of this emotion too?" "How... what... what did I ever do to you?" "You exist, that's what you do to me," his tone was sharp, vicious, and angry. The intensity of the anger in his eyes and voice scared me and nothing ever scares me. "Almighty Hera, future head witch, with how you carry yourself, how you belittle others, how you made everyone beneath you feel like shit. You were born into wealth, you never earned it and yet, you act so pompously, like you're an almighty." Tears rolled down my cheeks. Aiden who loved me, who sang me lullabies till I sleep, who taught me how to live. He never loved me. He had always hated me. "Doing this was just to bring you down. I'm glad I succeeded. I know I'd be punished and frankly, I don't care. Glad to have brought you down. Glad to have ruined your life forever because you'll never trust another guy after me and your life will always be sad and miserable and cold." He spat out with so much venom and anger. He pushed me to the ground when he sidestepped me to walk away. "Not fair Aiden, I thought you were going to drug her so we'd have a taste too." "Yes, I want to feel her strangle my cock too." "She's not worth it, the maids are better to play with than her." They were walking away while I drowned in my tears. My heart was hurting so bad I wanted to rip it out of my chest. I couldn't feel anything. In place of the love Aiden had made bloom in my heart, something else was forming. Something dark, something utterly dark and dangerous. Terror and darkness slithered through my body as the powers bloomed in me. I recognized it as the deadly Kuusu. It bloomed from deep within me, spread through my body, and manifested in my claws and fangs. I screamed and everywhere went dark. "What... what is that?" I could feel the terror in their voice. It fuelled my powers more. It stretched more and more, filling me more. I've only used Kuusu once. I used it the day I mastered it to show the elders and that was the end. Now, I understand why it was banned, something this powerful, this intoxicating, it was too much. One was bound to get addicted to this kind of black power. "Isn't that Kuusu?" the guy's voice was full of fear and dread. I whirled around on the floor and grinned at them. They all recoiled when they saw the sheer display of my powers. "Run!" Aiden yelled but they didn't run enough. My powers grabbed them, tossed them, and tore their limbs off one by one. Their screams were music to my ears, their pains a source of energy for my powers. "You love me, Hera, please don't do this." Aiden was the last man standing and he was begging and cowering. "This is all a misunderstanding, let's..." He couldn't complete his statement because in place of his head was a deep gash that oozed out blood. He dropped to the floor. Dead. Kuusu retreated in that minute and the force of everything made me pass out on the floor of my now-destroyed living room. ****** I was banished from The Shadow Claw Coven. The pack I ensured remained the number one and most feared pack in Red Valley. It wasn't a surprise, Kuusu was forbidden. Completely. I was the first shewolf-witch to master it in almost a century and I was supposed to keep it hidden and unused until I had to use it to protect my people. But I used it. I used it against the very people I was supposed to protect. I killed seven of them. It doesn't matter that they hurt me, that Aiden treated me in the cruelest way possible. I was the Head Witch. I was supposed to be more logical but emotions got in my way and I murdered my people. So I was banished by the council of elders. They were from the founding families of The Shadow Claw Coven. As a bit of their last respect to me as their head witch, they did it privately and I was to leave the pack privately too. I was too numb to think about what banishment meant for me or maybe I was already resigned. I had nothing to live for again. To get banished from the Coven was to die, there was no two ways about it. No one has ever survived a banishment before. I was going to start the countdown to my death the minute I stepped out of our gates. The gate I was now standing in front of. I stared at it. Long and hard. I was never going to come back here. I was going to turn rogue out there and I was going to die. A tear escaped from my eyes at the realization of what I'd lost. All because I was foolish enough to trust a boy, I had lost every single thing I fought so hard to have and maintain. I walked closer to the gate. The guard on duty opened it. I stepped... "Hera!" The scream echoed loudly. It was midnight and everywhere was quiet. I recognized the voice. It belonged to Wanni, my assistant. She'd be the Beta just like I'd be the Alpha if our pack was an ordinary werewolf pack. I turned around and she was running wildly towards me. My heart soared. At least, I had someone who was on my side. She has been my assistant since I was crowned. She has put up with my excesses. She was the maid of honor on my wedding day. She was the closest thing to a sister that I had. She got to me and I sure was expecting any other expression than the triumphant smile on her face. "Ohhh," she sounded so relieved, so triumphant, so happy, "I finally got rid of you." "What?" "Come on, Hera," her smile was so coy and sinister, "do you think I played nice all these years just to remain your assistant for years?" she chuckled, "I was bidding my time to finally get rid of you." I was too drained to be shocked, too hurt to feel betrayed. "What did you do?" "What do you think? Found a group of guys who hated you to the brim, and sowed the idea of the dare into their minds. How did you think Aiden knew all your favorite things and why he was always running into you? Because I was feeding him information, of course." "How dare you?" "Don't raise your voice at me, Hera. You're addressing the future Head Witch of Shadow Claw. You should address me with respect." "You'll never be Head Witch as long as I live." "Good thing won't live for long then. You'll turn rogue in 48 hours after you've been packless and you'll die in another 48 hours. The last thing you'll hear before you die will be the sounds of the drums on my coronation." Wanni. Meek and docile Wanni was speaking to me like this. Wanni who danced to my tunes, who was always so eager to please me, who danced and gifted me "wicked lingerie" for my wedding night. She orchestrated everything to do this to me. To ruin me. "I'll survive, Wanni," I told her slowly, "and I'll make sure you regret the day you decided to cross me." "You won't survive," her time was final and certain, "how will you survive? No pack will take you in. You're the almighty Hera that made them cower at your feet, that made them afraid of you because of your powers. Have you forgotten the atrocities you've committed against these people just to maintain your sovereignty? Now that I think about it, there'd probably be a witch hunt this night. They'll kill you before you even turn rogue and you have no powers to save yourself." She was gleaming and she was right. I've made enemies of the other packs that make up the Red Valley. They'd kill me rather than offer me a membership that'd ensure my survival. But I smiled. I smiled even though my insides were rotting away. The smile surprised Wanni. She was surprised even more when I moved closer to caress her hair. She stilled under my touch. "Happy coronation in advance, Wanni. Enjoy it while it lasts because I'll be back and when I do, your skull will be my crown." I didn't wait for her to gather herself before I turned away. I stepped out of the gate and I walked away into the night. Into my death.ATTICUS"While we understand your pain, Alpha Atticus, rules are rules and our rules are sacred. We can't just break them. Failure to find your second chance mate before your 30th birthday, you'll be removed from the Alpha King line."The remembrance of those words, said to me during the last council meeting made my blood boil hotter than anything, it pushed my wolf to run faster in the forest. I was howling, tearing through bushes and trees."You have just six months left, Alpha Atticus. Six months to say goodbye to the palace if you fail to produce your second chance mate."I ran faster, my anger increasing. I wasn't angry at the elders for demanding that rules must be upheld. It was up to them. The rules are sacred and there'd be severe consequences for breaking them. I was angry at life, at fate, at death that snatched away my first mate, the love of my life, and our unborn child. I was angry at the people who killed it. Who tortured and tortured her till she died. I ran faster,
HERAThe powers shimmer from my fingertips, white flames lapping upwards. I closed my eyes and chanted. It was yet another forbidden spell; faking a mate bond. With great personal repercussions. But I had to do it. I have to do anything to survive. This arrangement with Atticus is evidence of how desperate I am to survive. In the whole of the Red Valley, no one hated me more than he did. I could see the glee in his eyes, the wheels turning in his head as I signed my life away to him. He must be thinking of how much he was going to take from me, how much he was going to make my life a living hell. I knew he'd do anything to ensure that. Yet, I wasn't going to stop.I needed to stay alive to fulfil my promise to Wanni.My chants increased. The white flame on my fingertips burnt brighter. I grabbed his free hand without opening my eyes and merged our souls with my spells. The flame broke out on his fingertips too. I pressed my palm to his chest. I pressed him to mine. We both winced in
ATTICUS"Are you for real?" Lilith asked as we entered my room. I ignored her as I took off the clothes I had hastily put on at the shed."You've really brought her here after buying the idea that she's your mate? Come on, Atticus, you know more than anyone how much of a conniving bitch that witch is. I'm sure she faked a mate bond with you because she knows how desperate you are to have a mate so she'd survive since she was going to die!"Her words were starting to irk me but I ignored them. My relationship with Lilith was complicated. She was neither someone I liked nor hated, she was someone that I had to hold on to, the only link to Rachel. She was Rachel's best friend, her childhood friend. She had known Rachel all her life and holding on to her was like holding on to Rachel. It was the only way I could hold on to the memories of my dead love.I felt that familiar pain I always feel anytime I remember Rachel. It was like a vice, tightening around my neck, squeezing and squeezing
HERAOutside, I was a mask of indifference.Inside, I was a crumbling mess.It was the second and last day of the Tanzu routine. My powers were enough to withstand the tests of the first day but today, I was getting drained from being made to sit on a spot for a whole day. My strength was slipping away, my powers draining while the lady I've now known to be Lilith was intensifying her efforts. "No matter what it takes, I'll prove that you used a spell on Alpha Atticus and after I do, I'll be the one to strip you naked, the one to first whip you."That was what she told me yesterday before we started. It was obvious she hated me just like every other person in Red Valley but hers was more intense and I couldn't tell why. Maybe she hated me because being mated with Atticus would mean she wouldn't be by his side anymore. "Is it still the same thing?" One of the elders, the one I now know to be Elder Ayo, the one who antagonized me yesterday asked after Lilith finished another ritual."
HERAI choked and I instinctively clutched at my chest as if that’d soothe the pain I was feeling. Wanni’s smile widened and her chants grew louder, fuelling my discomfort even more.This can't be the end. I can't go down like this.I tried to hold on, to reach for the core of my powers and fight this. But I couldn't. The feathers were changing colors and my mouth was opening to confess the crime I had committed.Before the words could leave my mouth, I felt a sudden overpowering energy. It drowned the discomfort I was feeling and soothed the pain in my heart. Instead of the pain, something else was growing, a gravitational pull, one so intense that my head whirled up and my eyes met the vicious ones of Atticus. From how his jaws were locked, it was obvious he was feeling this thing too. Whatever it was. The fake bond was getting strengthened and it was overpowering the effects of Wanni’s chants. Someone was helping me. Someone powerful was helping me.I looked around the room. Ever
HERAAtticus’s lips crashed onto mine with a ferocity that sent a shock wave through my body. His hand at the nape of my neck held me firmly in place, fingers digging into my skin as if he feared I’d try to pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. My mind screamed at me to shove him away, to stop this, but my body betrayed me—melting into him, welcoming the heat of his touch with a desperation that I loathed.What the hell is this hunger for him?The kiss was wild, a battle of teeth and tongues as his anger bled into every harsh movement. He tasted like fury and bitterness, each stroke of his tongue against mine leaving a searing imprint of frustration. It was a kiss that screamed of everything we didn’t feel for each other, all the hate we threw at each other and the hunger we tried to deny. I could feel his breath hot against my lips, hear the growl low in his throat as he bit down on my bottom lip, hard enough to draw blood.His hands were rough, pulling at the thin robe I wore, the
ATTICUSI stormed down the hallway, rage simmering under my skin. I couldn’t remember ever being this angry before—furious with her, furious with myself. My jaw was clenched so tight I thought my teeth might crack. How the hell had I let it happen? How did I lose control like that, especially with her?Hera.The same woman that was probably responsible for Rachel’s death. And I had touched her—worse, I had wanted her. My body had betrayed me the second I laid my hands on her. I couldn’t fight the pull, the attraction. I had kissed her like a madman, like I needed her. And I fucking hated myself for it. The fact that the first woman I touched in years was the one responsible for taking Rachel from me—it made me sick.And the worst part? The thing that made me want to punch something until my knuckles bled? I was turned on by the fact that I’d made her feel good. Her moans, the way she responded to me—it was burned into my mind.I stormed into my room, my chest tight with anger and
HERAI woke up the next morning to the sound of muffled voices. My head felt heavy, my body even more so, the events of last night still tangled in my mind. The trial. The moment with me and Atticus. The voice in my head. It all twirled in my mind like a whirlwind.I had barely open my eyes when I saw them—Lilith and three maids, standing by the foot of the bed, watching me like they were waiting for something.I sat up slowly, my body protesting, but I kept my face blank. "What’s going on?" I asked, my voice a little rough but steady.Lilith stepped forward, a smug smile on her lips, clearly enjoying whatever game she was playing. “I just wanted to personally welcome you to your new role here, Hera.” She responded smugly. I narrowed my eyes, but I wasn’t in the mood for her theatrics. "And what role would that be?"Lilith’s smile widened as she threw a bundle of clothes at the foot of the bed. "A maid. That’s all you’re worth here." She tilted her head, her voice oozing mockery
ATTICUSIt was evening, the setting sun sipping into the grand dinning room where I was having my dinner.More or less.My plate was untouched, the food growing colder by the minute. It wasn’t that I wasn’t hungry—I simply didn’t have an appetite, not without her.Hera hadn’t joined me for dinner. Again.I swirled the wine in my glass.She was still upset, and I couldn’t blame her. All I needed was to fix things between us. I couldn’t bare this silent treatment for long.Kai burst through the doors, interrupting my thoughts.“My Alpha,” he said, barely catching his breath, “the Alphas are here.”What? I frowned, confused. “The Alphas?”“Yes,” he said, his tone tight. “Logan, Vance, and Draven. They are in the council chambers as we speak with Elder Rowan and Malik.”I stood, my chair scraping against the floor. “Did I call for a meeting?”Kai shook his head. “No, My Alpha.”My jaw tightened. I hadn’t summoned them, which meant their arrival was likely calculated. Whatever their re
ATTICUS“Hera, wait,” I called as I strode down the hall, her sharp footsteps echoing in front of me.“Why?” she snapped, turning around swiftly, I feared she might fall. “So you can dismiss me again? Like you did in there?”I stopped at the door to my chambers, turning to face her. Her eyes were blazing, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked every bit the fierce woman I knew her to be, but beneath the anger, I could see the hurt. It twisted something inside me to think I might have caused that.“Hera, it wasn’t about dismissing you,” I said, my voice calm but still firm. “I was trying to avoid further conflict. The council is already divided, and Rowan—”“Rowan!” she cut me off, stepping closer. “That man’s ideas are a disaster waiting to happen, and you know it,” she jabbed a finger into my face and I veered back. “But instead of standing by me, you sided with him. You made me look like a fool in front of everyone.”I opened the door to my room and gestured for her t
HERA"My Lady," Anisha gasped out as she burst into my room, bowing slightly before straightening up. I was lounging on the chair, dropping the book in my hand on my lap as I looked up at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her wide eyes betrayed her panic. "Forgive my intrusion, but I need to speak with you immediately." "What is it, Anisha?” I asked, sitting up. “What’s happened?" She hesitated for a moment, glancing around as if to ensure we were alone. My brows quirked in confusion."I was in town earlier, running errands,” she began, taking a deep breath to catch her breath. “and I… I saw Elder Rowan and Elder Malik together. They were talking—loud enough for me to hear part of it." I straightened at the mention of Elder Rowan’s name. Ever since our last council meeting, I have been very wary of that man. “Go on,” I urged. Her hands twisted nervously in front of her as she continued. "They were speaking about the Alpha, about how he’s become weak and… and about restoring
HERAThe door shut softly behind me, sealing me inside Ben’s secret room. It was just as eerily quiet as I remembered, save for the steady ticking of a small clock on the desk. Ben was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped together, staring at the floor like it held all the answers.“Ben,” I said carefully, stepping further into the room.He didn’t look up, didn’t acknowledge me. I sighed. “Ben, I—”“Go,” he said flatly, his voice low but sharp.I froze for a moment, swallowing my frustration. “I’m not going anywhere. We need to talk.”“Talk about what, Hera?” He finally looked up, his eyes emotionless. “How you stood there and let him strip me of my powers? How you didn’t say a word while he took the only thing I had left?”“It’s not like that,” I said softly, taking a cautious step closer. “That and this is only temporary, Ben. You know that.”“Temporary?” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “You think that makes it better? You think that makes me feel less humilia
ATTICUSI entered the council chamber with Hera by my side, feeling the tension in the room thicken. The elders were seated, their eyes on us, some curious, others wary. Elder Aaron, the oldest and wisest elders of all, and my father’s oldest friend, gave me a small nod of acknowledgment, but Elder Rowan leaned back in his seat with his usual air of superiority, his lips curling into a faint smirk.This is going to be an interesting meeting with what I’ve got planned. Hers and I sat down, and the curiosity in their eyes doubled. They have never seen a Luna in the private council chamber before during a meeting, so I get it.All that is about to change. I took a steadying breath before addressing the room. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” I began. “As you’re aware, we’ve suffered a grave loss. Elder Ayo’s death at the hands of my brother, Ben, is not just a personal tragedy—it’s a loss to the entire kingdom.”“Yes,” Elder Zahrah added softly. “But Alpha, how do you
ATTICUSSoon, we were back to Feral Blood.When the car came to a stop, I got out first, moving quickly to Hera’s side to open her door.“Hmmmn, how chivalrous,” she teased as she took my stretched hand. I chuckled, threading my fingers through hers.“Only for you, my Luna,” I responded with a smirk as we started up the stairs together.The front doors swung open before we even reached them, and Kai strode out to meet us. His expression was serious, almost grim, and I knew before he opened his mouth that something was wrong.“Welcome back, Alpha,” he bowed to greet me, then did the same for Hera. “Luna,” he smiled faintly and she smiled back in response. “What is it?” I asked, my voice sharp and direct. There wasn’t time for pleasantries—not after the tension I could see in his posture.Kai hesitated, glancing at Hera briefly before focusing back on me. “Before you go in, I just want to let you know that we have some sort of… eh, situation.” He said and I frowned, my grip on Hera’s
ATTICUSIn the haze of sleep, my body stirred before my mind caught up.At first, I thought it was just a dream—one of those vivid ones where everything feels heightened. But then I felt it. A soft, deliberate stroke along my length, the sensation sending a jolt straight through me. My breathing grew heavier, the pressure building with every teasing glide of what I swore were fingers. I groaned low in my throat, thrusting my hips instinctively into the sensation. It felt so good—too good to be a dream.Then came the wet heat, soft and slick and entirely too real. My groan deepened, the sound raw and guttural. My hips jerked involuntarily, and my hand fisted in the sheets beneath me.What the hell—?Forcing my heavy eyelids open, my gaze trailed down my bare body. The sight that greeted me made my heart slam against my ribs. Hera.She was kneeling between my legs, completely naked, her beautiful and lush hair spilling over her shoulders as her mouth worked over me. Slowly. Torturou
HERA“Look at me,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.I locked eyes with him, helpless to look away, and when he buried himself fully inside me, a strangled groan tore from his throat. The sound reverberated through me, raw and primal. My nails dug into his shoulders as I adjusted to the fullness of him.Fuck.“You feel incredible… always so tight!” he rasped, his lips brushing against my jaw as he began to move. “So do you,” I forced out breathlessly and he smiled slightly. His hips rolled, slow and deliberate, each thrust sending ripples through the water and waves of pleasure through me. He filled me to the hilt, his pace unhurried yet intense.I moaned softly, letting my hands roam his back, feeling the muscles flex beneath my touch. As his thrusts grew deeper, I tilted my hips to meet him, taking him harder and earning a guttural groan from him. The sound sent a thrill coursing through me.“Take what you want,” he growled, his hands sliding to my hips to guide me.And
HERAThe night air was cool against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the heat coursing through me as I watched Atticus from the entrance of the tent inside the river a distance away. It was dark and I wouldn’t be seeing him if not for the moonlight.The moonlight kissed every ripple of his muscled body, water cascading down his chest as he tilted his head back, running his hands through his wet hair.I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Fuck! He is beautiful.The way his body moved, so strong and commanding, was hypnotizing. He was raw power and unshakable control—my mate, my Alpha.My husband. And right now, all I could think about was tearing that control away from him.I had tried to stay put in the tent, I really had. But this was our last night in the valley, and I couldn’t let it slip away without making it memorable. These past days had been different for us—no sex, just the two of us connecting in ways I hadn’t thought possible. It made me realize just how much I loved him.