I walked down the dimly lit corridor, the soft glow of candlelight casting flickering shadows along the walls. Each step felt like an eternity as I approached Diana's chambers, the weight of my decision pressing heavily upon my shoulders. The scent of lavender lingered in the air, a delicate fragrance that seemed to heighten my senses, amplifying the significance of the impending conversation.As I reached the ornately carved wooden door, my hand trembled with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. I could feel the weight of the moment, knowing that this conversation would change the course of our lives forever. The polished surface of the door felt cool against my fingertips as I hesitated for a brief moment, my mind filled with doubts and second thoughts.Summoning every ounce of resolve within me, I took a deep breath, allowing the air to fill my lungs and steady my racing heart. With a determined exhale, I raised my hand and gently rapped my knuckles against the polished surface
“There is no escape. You promised you'd come with me and we both know you need to get out more. said Phoebe, Diana's best friend, her eyes following along as they passed. “You've barely been out since Drew died. Even with your current appearance, you will attract someone's attention. She flashed Diana a sympathetic smile. “Although I appreciate your effort not to overwhelm me with your beauty. I got the feeling it was more to hide than to help me in any way.Phoebe stifled a laugh at Diana's sad expression.Despite having agreed to accompany her friend to the club, she had cast a strong spell of repression over her appearance so that she would stand out from the crowd very much. She doesn't need a ruckus in her direction on her first night out.The magic dulled his gleaming golden blond hair to a dull blond and his natural skin to a dark tan.Features that normally made her heart stop are now roughened under the weight of magic changing her normally handsome features into a pleasant f
Still, Phoebe was right, she couldn't remain untouched for the rest of her life and werewolves were known for their sexual appetite.There was nothing Diana loved more than a steady hand. With that thought at the forefront of her mind, she looked around the hall with new eyes.Instead of trying to stay hidden, she assessed the others to see if any would appeal to her or her not-so-demanding friend.As if hunting with her friend Phoebe opened up new perspectives, the pair shared a sly smile and circled the room with intent....Michel walked into the club straight to the manager's desk. A moment later Erick, his beta joined him.“We have a good crowd tonight. he said with justifiable pride. It was his beta's idea to convert the old bar into a safe ground for mating encounters. A brilliant idea that brought the pack surprisingly large profits.Michel nodded, patting him on the shoulder. “Our profits and memberships are skyrocketing, even with our strict restriction on entry.Humans and
“Hmm. Guess I'll just have to drink then.Michel tried to look harmless, which wasn't easy for a strong pack alpha. What would you say to a woman who smelled so divine you wanted to attack her?Gently, he guided his afternoon snack and soon-to-be companion to a table on a dais beyond the dance floor. Currently empty, the table was reserved for him and his packmates.He pulled out a chair for Diana to sit in, before settling himself to Diana's left."Sweetheart, what does the tattoo mean?"Caramel eyes blinked rapidly."My beloved Andrew died three years ago, I was with him for two…" was the smothered tearful reply.Unable to help himself, Michel stroked a hand over the young woman's arm. She was so sweet that the alpha wanted to devour her as best he could. But the thought of scaring Diana off kept her wolf on the lookout. Claiming a mate was tricky business.— Did you really come here to discover a new love? Michel's voice didn't hold an accusing question. He wanted Diana to trust hi
Diana almost objected, but the look in the man's eyes stopped her.“You have been without a master for a long time, my beautiful one. You are tempted to think for yourself."Who said I needed a master?" Diana challenged. She wasn't going to give up to a complete stranger without some answers. The man might be the hottest thing in the club, but Diana was a cautious soul. Unfortunately, that wariness vanished before his silver gray eyes and a set of hot abdominal muscles that she could see outlined by his shirt.- I said. I can tell by the sweet longing in your eyes that you need someone to take care of you. Michel leaned down and took Diana's lips in a commanding kiss that demanded everything and gave even more. Fire licked up his spine as need burned inside him like a wildfire.Diana tugged reluctantly, withdrawing with a slight tug from Michel's tight grip.“I might like a man to control me, but I don't need something long term. Drew was my soul and I don't think I'm ready for a repl
Caramel eyes narrowed.“Sorry I don't look so attractive in the morning light. She started to climb, but Michel stopped her with a hand on her wrist.- I did not mean that. Why are you so…” He couldn't finish, not under the gleam in those pretty eyes.He thought for a moment when Diana pushed herself out of his grasp.“It was a nullification spell. Diana's cheeks turned red. “I gave myself a glamor charm so I wouldn't outshine Phoebe.A glamour? That meant...Erick was faster than him."What the fuck does he really look like?"Michel felt everything in him tense. He looked at Diana once more to confirm the awful truth. His new mate wasn't just a pretty young woman, she was an obscenely beautiful woman. Never in three hundred years had he seen anyone male or female more beautiful.He was totally screwed.Erick started laughing like an idiot.Michel wanted to kill something, preferably his beta.- There is a problem? I'm sorry if you felt cheated. I you ...Diana's sweet face turned to
Diana hurried to her office by taking the back stairs. She didn't want her employees to see her in her party clothes. Within minutes his leather pants had been replaced by a designer suit with a nice pair of Italian shoes.Diana took the elevator down to the conference room, but as soon as she walked through the door, she knew something was wrong. The men who were there when she entered radiated an uneven vibe. The vibe that told him they weren't human.There were three of them, all wearing dark glasses, all exuding danger.Ellen handed him the file.“Thanks, it's great. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?"Didn't you need to take a few minutes for this meeting?""I think we're going to get along just fine." This is just going to be an informal chat to get the ball rolling. Go ahead, now go spend some time with your family.Giving him an awkward look, she let him escort her to the door and close it behind her. Diana knew there would be questions later, but now the issue of sta
The telephone bell woke Diana from a deep sleep.Phoebe's cheerful voice called out as she picked up the receiver.— Hey woman, Hey pretty."I think someone better be dead." Diana snarled. She positively hated waking up. Especially when she was dreaming of hot sex with a certain dark-haired wolf.Phoebe huffed across the line.'Not yet, but I've been threatened by Michel if I don't have you here tonight.'It's been a week since her date with the handsome Michel. A hot week of dreams where they fucked like rabbits all the time, before bed tangled together like lovers tangled together. She woke up every morning with spunk in her chest and panting like she'd just finished marathon sex. She had only seen him twice before due to other commitments and honestly she was scared. It was one thing to enjoy a few hot moments with a dominant like Michel, but she was certain the man could become her whole world. After losing Drew, I didn't think I could go through that again.What if she fell in lo
AlloraJosh let Caleb drive back to the farm while he laughed in the backseat with me. He didn't seem able to let me go, which suited me just fine. Our lips met in a long, lustful kiss. I devoured him, the relief of still being alive and having him alive coursing through my veins. Adrenaline made me dizzy, and his tongue against mine felt like the most amazing thing in the world.“I was serious before,” Josh murmured against my lips. His arms tightened around me. “I love you, Allora.“I know you do. That scared me.- I understand.“But it doesn't scare anymore. I put my arms around him, losing myself in his kind green eyes. “Being kidnapped by Derek… showed me something, something I should have learned from Dad and Ben. Life can end in a moment, and all we have is what we are given. I don't want to waste a single moment of the life I've been given fearing to know what it might be or what might happen. I want to embrace all my feelings, all my dreams, even the scary ones.Especially th
josh“Her car is gone,” Caleb said, pointing to the empty spot where his Mini was parked.- Yes. She quickly fled after my little revelation."Any idea where she might have gone?"I made my brain work. Would Allora have gone deeper into the forest?No. I remembered what she had said about her previous boyfriend, how he had an accident and died in the woods. If she was upset, she wouldn't stay here among the trees and the memories. She would go back to town, find someone to talk to, maybe that guy she visited the other day."She's at DownMoor," I said. “She had a friend there, Derek. I bet she went to see him.- Let's go. Caleb opened the door to my truck and got in. - Keys?— Why are you driving?“Because you're too upset to think straight. And you are a shitty driver.“I can just feel that love, cousin,” I growled, but there was no time to argue. I climbed into the passenger seat and tossed him the keys.Caleb started the engine and we took off down the road. Behind us, Ruth came run
josh— The Anna! I yelled after the Mini started. She didn't look up, didn't stop the car. The Mini's wheels screeched as it sped around the corner, the tiny car carrying the only woman I've ever loved.My chest hurt. My entire body shuddered. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. She's gone. She's gone. The shock of it shivered through my veins.“Josh? Frances's voice cut through the pain slicing through my skull. I was vaguely aware that I was standing in the middle of the camp, stark naked. But I couldn't care. I ran my hand over my lip.I could still taste the sweetness of her kiss there.Allora left me. I told her I loved her and she left. Cum!Anger surged through me, an anger that purred from my feet to my entire body, a bubbling heat that burned me inside and out. Fuck her. Just a few minutes ago, she'd been telling Caleb these things, and now she's just walked away.My eyes burned with tears. I blinked angrily. I haven't experienced this feeling for a long time, since I was
- Boys! Allora jumped between us. I stopped, pulling my wolf back just as he threatened to explode. - Stop it. Caleb, Josh couldn't have destroyed the paintings. He was with me at the time. We were in town.- It saw? “I looked at Caleb.“But, Josh, I don't think Caleb did it either,” Allora spoke directly to me. “It doesn't make any sense. His whole purpose here is to establish his own pack. How can he do that when he destroys the only evidence of his claim to this place? Or when he has cops swarming all over the woods?"Well then, who else did this?" I demanded.“It was the other wolf,” Caleb whispered. “The black wolf.“I thought we established that the black wolf couldn't exist."No," Caleb snapped. “You established that because you're too desperate to believe I'm the culprit here. I know the black wolf exists because I've seen it with my own eyes. His scent is all over the cave."You mean your smell."“I don't need to hear that shit. Caleb fell forward and, with a snap, the spine
Allora's lips found mine, her tongue slipping between my teeth. My hands cupped her face, pulling her closer. My body ached for her, wanting to be as close as possible, right now.I reached out to unbutton my shirt, but Allora held it."Let me do this," she whispered. "You've already ruined two of my favorite shirts."I was going to protest, but she started undoing the buttons, starting at the neck and working her way down. She looked a little nervous, like a schoolgirl in the backseat of a car for the first time. It only heightened my desire as she unfastened the last button and opened her blouse.Her breasts were cupped inside a black bra. I reached behind her and released him, sliding the blouse off my shoulders. I cupped one of her breasts in my hands, loving how perky and firm it was. She gasped as I closed my mouth around the nipple and sucked gently, her nails digging into my back.As I suckled on her other breast, Allora fumbled with my buttons. I took my shirt off my shoulder
“This is Allora SanDiir,” Josh said, his hand resting protectively on my back. “She's working on the dig. She's one of the archaeologists.“Allora SanDiir? The officer frowned even more. "Then you too will need to testify." Your name appeared in our questions.- He appeared?“The victim was a reporter for the Daily Post. Her name was…' He consulted the clipboard. “Misty Sharpe. It looks like she was leaving the archaeological site to conduct more research. She stopped here, parked the car and walked a few meters before someone attacked her and ripped her throat out.My head spun. Was Misty dead? I spoke to her yesterday. Your ridiculous article was on the Internet this morning. How could she be dead? And who would have done such a thing? Rip out her throat, like a wild animal...The cop gave me a pointed look.“She was coming here to talk to you, Miss SanDiir. Apparently, there was an article about you published this morning, and Misty was hoping for a follow-up. Sounds like you're…”
“Shit. Josh crossed the room and scooped me up in his arms. - This is hard. I'm sorry, Allora. How old were you?- Eighteen. “I rested my head on his shoulder. - Everything is fine. It's old news now. I don't want to bother you by talking about it...“You don't bother me,” Josh murmured against my hair. "I think you're an inspiration." I'm still learning to live with this grief. But seeing what you did after losing not only your father, but also a boyfriend… you are much braver than me.- I doubt.Josh's words and the warmth of his arms brought a rush of emotion. A lump rose in my throat.- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset her. I… admire you, Allora. And not just because you're hot. And now I understand why you are so picky about security. You know firsthand what can happen when things go wrong.I sniffed.— The pasta is boiling.- Right. Josh pulled back, his gentle eyes searching mine. But I didn't want to break down at that moment. I wanted to keep floating in post-coital bliss. S
“I decide that. Before I go any further, I want to know exactly what I am to you.“Werewolves retain many of the primitive animal instincts of their wolf half. One of those instincts is to create and continue the genetic line, passing our wolf genes on to the next generation. Wolf genes are passed down the male line, but only females with certain genes can give birth to a werewolf.- That makes sense. Clara didn't tell me that.“We are guided to these females by scent. A potential mate gives off a very distinct odor. They are very rare, and it is not unheard of for a wolf to go a lifetime without finding a mate, especially when the genes are recessive and can disappear from a bloodline. Wolves believe there is only one mate for them in the world, and that mate is drawn to them as much as they are drawn to her. Josh's eyes met mine. “That's why we both ended up here. It's fate, the universe, as you call it, trying to bring us together."But we didn't know each other!" I didn't even kno
I was just starting to gain control of my life after Dad and Ben. I wouldn't let anyone take that away from me. Not even Josh. Not even if I secretly, deep down, desperately wanted to be his mate.I tried to force Josh out of my mind. I traded her pretty face for Ruth's smile. I drove back to DownMoor village, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel and imagining the look on his face when he revealed that the paintings weren't Neolithic.As soon as I emerged from the forest canopy and my phone rang to let me know I had reception again, I stopped and texted Derek. He texted back right away, inviting me to come over.For the first time, the weather was worse in DownMoor village than in the forest. The rain fell in cascades. There was hardly anyone on the road, and the main street was mostly deserted, many shops closed for the day. I pulled into a parking lot across from Derek's apartment, pulled my hood over my head, and hurried to the door.— Allora! He hugged me, his muscles tense.