*MARY'S POV*Walking into the room, I felt my chest tighten at the sight of him. Josh was lying on the bed, his face pale, his breathing steady but shallow. Bandages covered his arms and chest, and there was a faint bruise along his jawline.I pulled up a chair beside his bed, my eyes welling up with tears. “You idiot,” I muttered, my voice shaking. “Why did you have to be so reckless?”He didn’t respond, of course. He was unconscious, his body working overtime to heal itself. I reached out, hesitating for a moment before taking his hand in mine.“You’re going to be fine,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. “You have to be. I’m not done yelling at you yet.”*** Hours passed, though it felt like days. Brianne came in to check on me a few times, offering food or water, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Josh’s side.As the first rays of dawn filtered through the window, I felt a slight movement in his hand. My heart leaped, and I leaned forward.“Josh?” I whispered, my voice ba
*MARY'S POV*I stood outside Josh’s room in the clinic, the door slightly ajar. It had been two days since the accident, and though his wounds were healing, I still couldn’t shake the image of him lying unconscious and bloodied. I’d barely slept since Brianne called me with the news. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him in that state.The sound of his voice pulled me from my thoughts.“Mary, you planning to just stand there, or are you coming in?”I pushed the door open, trying to mask the relief that flooded through me at seeing him awake and smirking. Typical Josh—always ready with a grin, even when he was banged up.“How long were you watching me?” I asked, stepping in and closing the door behind me.“Long enough to see you pacing like a worried mom,” he teased, his voice hoarse but warm.I rolled my eyes, pulling the chair closer to his bed. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”“And yet, here you are.”I couldn’t argue with that.*** *JOSH'S POV*Mary looked tired, like she ha
I could still hear Mary’s voice in my head, teasing me about how I owed her a proper date. It played on repeat as I sat on the couch, flipping through ideas for something special. I wasn’t the type to go all out—fancy dates and grand gestures weren’t really my thing—but for Mary, I wanted this to feel different. She deserved different.The past few days in the clinic had been torture, not because of the pain, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The memory of her hand in mine, the way her cheeks flushed when I’d asked her to be my girlfriend, was burned into my mind. She’d told me to wait, to get better first, but that didn’t stop me from imagining her answer.With a plan finally forming in my head, I grabbed my phone and sent her a quick text.Me: Don’t forget, Friday night. Dress fancy.Her reply came almost instantly:Mary: It better be worth it.I laughed under my breath, shaking my head. She always knew how to keep me on my toes.*** Friday rolled around faster than I
*JOSH'S POV*She was frozen, her eyes wide and glistening under the lantern light.“I’m not asking for forever—at least not yet,” I said, a grin tugging at my lips. “But I am asking you to be mine. Will you be my girlfriend?”Mary blinked, her expression shifting from surprise to something softer, more tender. And then she laughed, shaking her head.“You really went all out for this, didn’t you?” she said, her voice thick with emotion.“Is that a yes?” I asked, still kneeling.She stepped closer, pulling me to my feet and into her arms. “Yes, you idiot. Of course, it’s a yes.”Relief and joy washed over me as I held her, the weight of anticipation lifting from my shoulders.“But,” she added, pulling back slightly, her lips curving into a smirk, “you didn’t have to go this big just to ask me to be your girlfriend.”I grinned. “I wanted to make sure you couldn’t say no.”“Like I ever could,” she whispered, leaning up to press her lips to mine.The kiss was soft, lingering, and full of p
*JOSH'S POV*The next morning, I woke up early, my mind already buzzing with ideas. I couldn’t let this be a one-off thing. If Mary thought last night was romantic, I’d have to step up my game. She deserved more than just dinner under lanterns.But first, there was pack business to deal with.I sighed, pulling myself out of bed and heading for the shower. By the time I was dressed and on my way to the pack house, the warm glow of last night had been replaced with the usual weight of responsibility.When I arrived at Jordyn’s office, I found him already buried in paperwork. He barely looked up as I walked in.“Morning,” I said, dropping into the chair across from him.“Morning,” he replied, not missing a beat as he flipped through a file.For a while, we worked in comfortable silence, the only sounds the scratching of pens and the rustle of papers.But, of course, Jordyn being Jordyn, he couldn’t let me off that easily.“So,” he said, leaning back in his chair and giving me a pointed l
*MARY'S POV*Josh was fine. Of course, he was fine. I should’ve known better than to take his text seriously.“You’re really milking this, aren’t you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.“Maybe,” he said, that signature smirk tugging at his lips.I huffed and crossed my arms. “I should’ve just ignored you.”“But you didn’t.”That smug grin of his—it was equal parts infuriating and charming.Later that day,Josh insisted on taking me out. "It’s not a big deal,” he said, his smile disarming. “Just trust me.”When I showed up that evening, I half-expected another casual hangout. But he surprised me. Instead of his usual playful demeanor, there was something different about him—something deliberate.“Ready?” he asked, offering his arm.“For what exactly?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.“You’ll see,” he said, leading me outside.The walk to the secluded spot took a while, but when we arrived, I was speechless.Josh had set up a cozy little space right on the beach, with lanterns lighting the
*MARY'S POV*It had been one of those days—the kind where you’re running around so much, you forget to breathe. Between errands, Brianne’s endless chatter about wedding plans, and my job commitments, I was exhausted.By the time I got home, I flopped onto my bed, glaring at my phone as it buzzed.Josh: “What’s the probability of you burning dinner again tonight? Asking for science.”I snorted, my fatigue momentarily forgotten.Me: “Zero. I ordered takeout. Bet you didn’t see that coming, Mr. Assistant.”Josh: “Well, well, look at you. A true culinary mastermind. What’d you get?”Me: “Sushi. But not sharing, so don’t even ask.”Josh: “You’re cruel.”Me: “But I’m cute, so it balances out.”Josh: “Debatable.”I rolled my eyes, tossing my phone onto the pillow beside me. Even when we weren’t together, he had this way of sneaking into my day and making it better.***Later that evening, as I lounged on the couch with my sushi, my phone buzzed again.Josh: “Let me guess. You’re in your PJs,
*JOSH'S POV*The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when my phone buzzed. I groaned, rolling over to squint at the screen.Jordyn: “My office. Now.”That was it. No explanation, no context, just an order. Typical Jordyn.I dragged myself out of bed, running a hand through my hair as I moved toward the bathroom. The night before had been decent—pizza with Mary, teasing her about everything under the sun—but this abrupt message killed whatever lingering good mood I had. Something serious was up.Thirty minutes later, I was walking into Jordyn’s office. His expression gave nothing away, but the tension in his shoulders told me he wasn’t in the mood for small talk.“You wanted to see me?” I asked, closing the door behind me.He looked up from the stack of papers on his desk, his jaw tight. “Sit down.”I obeyed, leaning back in the chair opposite him. “What’s this about?”Jordyn rubbed his temples before meeting my gaze. “We have a problem.”“Define ‘problem.’”“There’s a traitor in t
The story of Jordyn and Brianne has finally come to an end. to all my readers, I want to say the biggest thank you for your support throughout my first book. your kindness and support has been my biggest drive force and motivation. thank you and God bless!
*MARY'S POV*We stood there for a moment, wrapped up in the quiet understanding between us, the noise of the celebration around us fading into the background. It was just the two of us, finally on the same page, finally admitting what we had known all along.Josh pulled me into his arms then, holding me tightly, and for a moment, it felt like the world outside of us didn’t exist. There was just this feeling of completeness, of knowing that we had found something rare, something worth holding on to.“Mary,” Josh murmured against my hair. “I don’t care what happens or how crazy life gets. As long as we’re together, nothing else matters.”I nodded against his chest, my heart full. “Together,” I repeated, the word feeling like a promise, like something unbreakable.We stood there, holding each other, the world going on around us, but for a brief, perfect moment, it felt like time had stopped. And when I pulled back to look at him, his eyes were filled with something deeper than just affect
*BRIANNE'S POV*We moved closer to the altar, where a silver chalice sat filled with sacred water blessed by the elders. Elder Marla raised the chalice, her voice steady as she began the invocation.“Moon Goddess, protector of the packs, guardian of our bonds, we call upon you to witness this union. Bless this Alpha and his Luna, guide them with your wisdom, and strengthen their bond so that it may never be broken. May their love bring prosperity to this pack and honor to your name.”As she spoke, the energy in the clearing seemed to shift. The air grew still, heavy with an almost tangible presence. My heart thudded in anticipation as Jordyn turned to me, his eyes filled with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.“This will only hurt for a moment,” he murmured, his voice gentle yet firm.I nodded, tilting my head to expose the curve of my neck where his mating mark already rested—a mark that had bound us in the past but would now be renewed in front of the pack and the Moon G
*BRIANNE'S POV*The day dawned brighter than any I’d ever seen, as if the sun itself knew this was no ordinary morning. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection of the woman I barely recognized—dressed in a gown that shimmered like moonlight, hair pinned into soft waves, and eyes lined with the faintest hint of gold. It was me, and yet it wasn’t.The house was alive with a flurry of excitement. Women rushed around, pinning flowers into my hair, adjusting the folds of my dress, and murmuring compliments that barely reached my ears. My heart was pounding too loudly to process anything fully.“Brianne,” my mother said softly from the doorway, drawing my attention. She stepped inside, her eyes misty but filled with pride. “You look radiant.”I turned to her, feeling a lump form in my throat. For all the ups and downs we’d been through, having her here today meant the world to me.“Thank you,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.She came closer, reaching out to adj
*BRIANNE'S POV*The council chamber was a room of immense power, its high ceilings and stone walls almost intimidating. I stood just outside the heavy oak doors, my palms slightly damp with nerves. Jordyn’s reassuring hand rested on the small of my back, steadying me, but it did little to quiet the storm of thoughts in my head.Why was I even here? The council had never been my ally. Their opposition to Jordyn choosing me as his mate was no secret. They thought I wasn’t good enough to be Luna. I wasn’t born into privilege or power, and their disdain had been a constant shadow since our relationship began.Jordyn leaned closer, his warm breath brushing my ear. “You don’t need to worry about what they think, Brianne. If they say anything disrespectful, I’ll shut it down.”I smiled weakly, appreciating his confidence. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”The doors swung open, revealing the circular council table where the elders were already seated. Each of them turned their heads towar
*JORDYN'S POV*The moment Brianne said yes, my world shifted. It wasn’t just the joy of hearing her acceptance; it was the realization that everything I’d worked for, everything I’d fought to protect, finally had a deeper purpose. She wasn’t just my mate—she was my future, and I wanted the entire world to see it.The day after the proposal, I summoned Mary, Janette, and Josh to discuss the wedding. It wasn’t going to be just any wedding—it would be a mating ceremony, too. A powerful display of unity for both Brianne and me, and for the pack as a whole.“Do you think she’ll be okay with it being both?” Mary asked, leaning back in her chair.“Brianne doesn’t do things halfway,” I replied confidently. “And neither do I. This is our moment, and I want it to reflect everything we are—mates, partners, and leaders.”Janette smirked. “You’re really pulling out all the stops, huh?”“Absolutely,” I said, my tone firm. “This isn’t just for us. It’s for the pack, too. After everything we’ve been
*BRIANNE'S POV*When I arrived at the location Mary had texted me, I was taken aback. It wasn’t the cozy café or lively bar I’d expected. Instead, I found myself standing outside a beautifully decorated venue. Soft fairy lights adorned the entrance, and a path lined with rose petals led the way inside.“What on earth…?” I murmured, stepping cautiously forward.The interior was even more breathtaking. The space was bathed in warm, golden light, with elegant floral arrangements and candles scattered throughout. It felt intimate, magical, and entirely unlike anything I’d anticipated.“Mary?” I called out, glancing around.But she was nowhere to be seen.My heart started to race, a mixture of confusion and anticipation swirling within me. And then, as if drawn by an invisible force, my eyes found him.Jordyn.He stood not too far away, dressed in a sharp black tuxedo that made him look like he’d stepped out of a dream. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his piercing eyes locked onto min
*BRIANNE'S POV*The days after the war felt like a blur of activity and grief. The land bore scars of the battle—scorched earth, shattered buildings, and a heaviness in the air that was difficult to shake. But the pack was resilient, even in their pain.Jordyn wasted no time organizing efforts to rebuild. Under his leadership, everyone pitched in—repairing homes, clearing rubble, and tending to the wounded. It was a collective effort, and though the mood was somber, there was an undercurrent of determination.Jordyn had barely stopped to rest, throwing himself into the work with a single-minded focus. I stayed by his side as much as I could, offering support wherever it was needed.A week after the battle, the pack gathered in the main square. The sun shone brightly overhead, as if trying to wash away the darkness of the past few days. Jordyn stood on a makeshift stage, his posture straight and commanding, but I could see the weight he carried in the set of his shoulders.Josh stood n
*BRIANNE'S POV*The next morning, I found my father in the study, his back to me as he stared out the window.“Do you need something?” he asked without turning around.I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. “We need to talk.”He sighed, finally facing me. “About what?”“About why you can’t seem to support me,” I said, my voice steady but firm.“I support you,” he said, though his tone was dismissive. “I just don’t think throwing yourself into danger is wise.”“I’m not a child anymore, Father. I can make my own decisions.”“And what happens when those decisions get you killed?” he demanded, his voice rising.“That’s enough!” my mother’s voice cut through the tension as she entered the room. She placed herself between us, her gaze stern. “Both of you, stop this. You’re family, not enemies.”My father muttered something under his breath and left the room, leaving me and my mother alone.She turned to me, her expression softening. “He loves you, Brianne. He just… doesn’t know how t