"I'm not sure what to make of that," Camden admitted, a little confused and uncomfortable. "It scares me a little, if I'm being honest." "I'm also not sure what it's supposed to mean," Clayton said, his brows furrowed in contemplation. "Maybe it's nothing. Just a coincidence." Camden's eyes darted back to the tattoo, gently tracing the delicate script with her finger. "Maybe," she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "but it feels like a pretty significant coincidence."After a few moments of silence, both of them lost in thought as to what this might mean, Camden asked, "What was his name?" Clayton's smile bloomed across his features as memories came flooding back to him. "Bingo," he said softly, the nostalgia evident in his voice. "Bingo?!" Camden exclaimed with a small laugh. "What kind of dog was he?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. "A rottweiler," Clayton replied. "He was the best. So strong and protective, but at the same time, so gentle and patient with me." "He sounds a
Clayton nestled back into Camden's chest, finding solace in her arms and the feel of her soft skin against his own. "What a fucking day," he mumbled, his voice muffled against her skin. Camden chuckled softly, her fingers tracing soothing circles on his back. "Tell me about it," she replied, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and relief. "Quite the emotional rollercoaster. I'm actually exhausted." Exhaling deeply, Camden released the tension from her body, savouring the weight of Clayton resting against her.Clayton, lying against her chest, listened to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. His fingertips gently stroked her ribs, his touch tender and loving. Breaking the comfortable silence, he turned to face her. "So, no tattoos for you?" he asked playfully. "I mean, I didn't see any on you, and I did a pretty thorough search." Camden smiled, her eyes filled with amusement. "No, no tattoos for me," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of contemplation. "It feels like a real
Camden awoke to the sound of rain gently drumming on the windows. She reached her arm out to Clayton's side of the bed, searching for him, but he wasn't there. Camden sat up, confused and a little cold. She pulled the covers around herself and rubbed her eyes, looking around groggily. She stretched and yawned, trying to wake herself up. Just then, Clayton opened the door and strode in. "Ah, you're up," he announced with a smile. "Mmmm..." She groaned, her eyes still sleepy. "We need to talk." Clayton said, his good mood evident in his chirpy demeanour. Camden looked up at him through bleary eyes, her confusion clear on her face as she tried to understand what he could possibly want to discuss so early in the morning. "Can I wake up first?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep still. "Oh, right, sure," Clayton replied with a small apologetic smile. "Can I get you anything?" he suggested, looking for a way to jolt her into wakefulness so that he could tell her what was on his mind. "So
Camden was standing in the kitchen, washing the dishes in the sink as her mind buzzed with underlying uncertainty as she thought about the possibility of moving to the Blood Moon Pack. She had heard about them before. Her father was an Alpha after all, and had connections with packs around the globe, though she had never had any dealings with them personally, nor had she ever set foot in their territory. She didn’t want to leave, but at the same time, she wanted to support Clayton and she agreed that a fresh start would probably be good for them. Somewhere they could call home. But right now, this was home, and she had never been happier, so why did he want to go and change things?She had to stop herself from tumbling any further down the rabbit hole. She mustn’t get ahead of herself. Clayton said he would still need to think about it, so there was no point in mulling it over endlessly when nothing was set in stone yet. Clayton, sensing her restlessness, approached her from behind, h
The sun was out and now Camden had to think of something to do with this gift from nature. She took a moment to weigh her options, contemplating what activity they could do on this beautiful day. She considered a swim at the waterfall, but while the sun was out, the air was still cool and she didn't feel like freezing in an icy lake today. "How about a hike or a wolf run?" Clayton suggested, a spark of enthusiasm in his eyes. She pondered for a moment, recalling the bear trap, then replied, "Hmm... Maybe a hike?" Clayton grinned, pleased with her choice. "That's a good call," he agreed, nodding. "I’m going to take you up the mountain. I think you'll appreciate the view." With a plan in motion, Camden slipped into a pair of comfortable shorts and laced up her new hiking boots. Clayton, on the other hand, decided to go barefoot, preferring the feeling of a connection to the earth beneath his feet. They packed a few snacks and filled their water bottles before setting off. Camden noted
The sun had begun to set when Camden returned from her shower, and she felt a surge of gratitude upon seeing clean pyjamas laid out for her on the bed. A steaming cup of hot chocolate sat on the side table beside them and Clayton was busy finishing up the dishes in the sink. "I wasn't sure if you would want to eat. I know you were nauseous earlier, so I didn't know if I should make you something. Are you hungry?" he asked with genuine concern. Overwhelmed by his attentiveness along with a surge of hormones, Camden's eyes welled up with tears. "You're so thoughtful," she murmured, her lower lip trembling, "Thank you." Clayton gave her a sympathetic look and wrapped an arm around her wet shoulders as he kissed the top of her head, offering her comfort. "Come on, why don't you get dressed. I just need to check something outside," he lied, thinking she may want some privacy in the small cabin. She knew he was lying, but she appreciated the considerate gesture, and nodded tearfully. "Think
Camden had endured a restless and miserable night, her cramps persistently waking her up, causing her to toss and turn in discomfort. An intense cramp jolted her awake before the sun even came up, prompting her to get up in search of some kind of relief. She decided to take some more painkillers and do a bit of yoga, hoping that might help. Doing her best not to disturb Clayton, she pulled on a pair of comfortable leggings, a t-shirt, and an oversized sweater to combat the chilly morning air. As she readied herself she glanced out the window, observing the world in grayscale, waiting for the sun to paint it with colors. A smile tugged at her lips. She relished the feeling of being up so early, as if she was in on some secret no one else knew. But at the same time, she knew there was no way she would be making a habit out of this. She enjoyed her sleep far too much.Eager to make the most of her early start, Camden ventured outside for her yoga session. The air was crisp, but at least
The days turned into weeks, and Camden and Clayton found themselves falling into a comfortable rhythm with each passing moment. Together, they delved deeper into their connection, discovering new facets of each other and strengthening their bond. They revisited the magnificent waterfall a few more times, they finally completed the hike they had once abandoned, and they engaged in countless card games where Camden's poker skills shone. Amidst the idyllic days, Camden began to miss her sword fighting, but vowed to take it up again when the opportunity presented itself. She attempted to practice with a makeshift stick, but it paled in comparison to the exhilaration she felt with a real, albeit blunt, blade in her hand. Nonetheless, the days were filled with quiet evenings under the stars and passionate mornings entwined together in bed, a simple joy that made life feel complete.During this time, the memory of her encounter with the wolf slipped into the back of Camden's mind, faded by t
Matt let out a sigh, wanting to be done with the conversation now. "Just make sure you keep your end of the deal. I'm doing this for Cam... and for what we used to have," he said, his gaze drifting off momentarily as if lost in memories. "You know, I considered going with you, but I know how threatened you feel by me," Matt teased, trying to keep a straight face but unable to do so. Clayton scoffed and chuckled. "I might actually miss you, Matt. Not the part where you trailed after Cam like a lost puppy, or the way you'd watch her move, or the way your hands lingered on her a little too long..." Clayton went on, leaving Matt with a sheepish expression on his face. "But I'll miss you.""God, Clayton, I'm not going to die! Well, actually, I might if they ever find out that I knew about this and never said anything... But let's hope that doesn't happen. Just figure this shit out, okay? If I can help the two of you in any way, let me know, but something tells me this journey doesn't involv
Instead of leading him to the lounge, as Clayton had anticipated, he led him back to the kitchen. The change in setting made the conversation seem more serious. More threatening.Matt took a seat, followed shortly by Clayton, who sat directly opposite him. Matt didn't beat around the bush. "You know I know," he stated. It wasn't a question. Clayton shrugged, seemingly unfazed. Matt sighed before continuing, "Where are you guys going?" he asked, his tone firm and serious. "We don't know yet. We still need to decide. I only just found out about all of this," Clayton replied, feeling a bit annoyed. It was pretty unreasonable of Matt to expect them to already have a plan when he had literally only found out all this life-changing stuff a few minutes ago. He felt like he needed a minute to reflect and to think it all through."Clayton, I'm not fucking around when I say this... If you hurt her, I will fucking end you. We might not be mates anymore, but I still feel responsible for her and p
Camden couldn't help the tiny sob that escaped her lips. To think that Clayton had wondered his whole life whether his parents had loved him broke her heart. Her pregnancy hormones were kicking into overdrive and she could feel that she would start to spiral soon if she didn't regain her focus, so she pressed on, hoping to lighten the situation with a little levity. "Also," she went on, wiping a tear from her eye, "I figured while I was getting the inside scoop on your family history, I'd ask about your real name," she explained. Clayton perked up, very interested to hear what she was about to reveal. "Well, I didn't ask about your first name. I don't know... I felt weird about it. I felt like too much would change if I had to start calling you something else now on top of all this other stuff and I know you as Clayton and it—" she was rambling on when Clayton cut her off. "What is it?" he asked, unable to disguise his curiosity. "Wolfe," she revealed with the tiniest hint of a smile.
Clayton couldn't help the smile that spread across his features. Despite everything Camden was telling him, he couldn't help but feel joy in this one, singular moment.Camden was also wearing a small smile, happy to see his happiness, but simultaneously worried about what the future held for them all."I knew it was a boy," Clayton whispered softly, gazing into Camden's eyes which looked back at him with uncertainty. She nodded. "She said we'll have a girl too. But the girl won't have this... gene, or whatever you call it," Camden replied, sounding a little relieved. Clayton's smile grew even wider and Camden's heart all but burst as she saw his eyes twinkle with excitement at the prospect. "How lucky are we?" he asked, his voice low but filled with anticipation and love. "Well, that has yet to be determined because there are so many things we need to take into consideration here, Clayton," Camden replied, grounding Clayton back in reality. "Like what?" he asked, the momentary high be
Camden followed, trailing behind him as he settled back down at the kitchen table once more. His anger and frustration were all but palpable and Camden felt guilty for having brushed him off and ignored him just now. "How much did you hear?" she asked as she settled back down in her seat. "It doesn't matter. Start from the beginning," he instructed, taking a deep breath as he tried to relax. Camden figured there was no point in trying to sugarcoat things or beat around the bush. It was his truth and he deserved to know. "I told you, I had an... experience. I don't know if it was a vision, or if it was a dream, or if it was something that really happened, just on a different plane of existence. To be honest, I don't want to get too philosophical about it, because it makes me uncomfortable. But I know it happened, and I know it was real because Matt just proved it," Camden explained, fiddling with the sleeve of her wet hoodie. Clayton said nothing, only watching her, waiting for her t
"Sorry... I'm sorry," Clayton immediately apologized, seeing how his reaction had startled Camden. He quickly got up and went to the sink, grabbing a cloth to stop the beer from dripping down onto her lap. "I'm so sorry, babe," he continued to apologize as he soaked up the spilled beer from the table, "I was frustrated. You guys aren't telling me what's going on," he tried to explain, but he knew it was a poor excuse."I need to make a call," Matt announced as he headed out of the kitchen. Light lightening, Camden was up, chasing after him desperately while she left Clayton to mop up his spilled beer and mope as he continued to be ignored."Stop!" she cried, tugging at Matt's arm as she caught up with him in the lounge. "Camden, please... this is hard enough as it is..." he said in a small voice. It was then that she noticed that his eyes were glistening as if he were on the verge of tears. Her anger and panic began to dissipate as he stood in front of her, unmoving."Please..." Camde
"So, when are we leaving?" Matt asked as he stripped off his soaked sweater and pulled a beer out of the fridge. "Want one?" he offered Clayton. "It's not even 6am!" Clayton exclaimed in disbelief. "It's been a rough night," Matt replied with a shrug as he snapped the can open. Clayton regarded him for a moment then relented. "Okay, fine," he agreed, gesturing for a beer from the fridge. Matt smiled and handed him one before taking a long drink of his own.All the while, Camden sat at the kitchen table, fiddling with a pamphlet about the Standing Stones. "You alright?" Clayton asked, resting his hand on her shoulder as he stood behind her. "I dunno..." she admitted, continuing to toy with the pamphlet. "You're soaked, why don't you go take a shower or at least get changed into some dry clothes?" Clayton suggested, brushing a drenched lock of hair behind her ear.She sighed, but made no effort to move, still pressing and folding the paper in front of her. "Baby?" Clayton murmured, brus
"Matt?" Camden whispered, shaking him lightly. He groaned and furrowed his brow, as if annoyed by the intrusion. "Matt?" she whispered again, but suddenly she heard Clayton's voice ringing through the air. "Camden?"She looked up, searching the perimeter of the circle for Clayton. Spotting him, her heart skipped a beat. He stood beside the circle, torn between rushing in and waiting for some kind of confirmation that the ritual was over.Camden wasted no time; she rushed to him as fast as her legs could carry her. Leaping over the salt circle, she jumped into his arms. He caught her eagerly, but his face suddenly fell as he exclaimed, "Babe! The circle!" worry etching his features. "It's fine," she said. "She broke it. There," Camden pointed behind them to a clear break in the salt before smothering him in kisses."I was so worried about you," Clayton murmured, holding her cheeks and looking into her eyes before pulling her to him in a fierce hug. "I'm here. I'm fine," she assured him
Camden sat quietly, contemplating everything she had just learned about her mate and what the implications were for her. She drained her glass of wine with a series of long, deep gulps, only to find that it had been refilled as soon as she moved her hand away from her lips. She let out a small incredulous laugh. "Okay, so quick recap here. Clayton is from a bloodline that dates back to the beginning days of werewolves, he can shift into a werewolf, in the traditional half-man, half-wolf sense, my son will also have this ability, and the whole world will want to kill them for this? Did I miss anything?" she asked, pursing her lips as she waited for Selene's response."Yes. The bloodline cannot die. The end of the Lupi Noctis bloodline will be the beginning of the end for all werewolves," Selene added gravely, her gaze piercing through the dim light of the stone circle. "Their existence is intricately tied to the balance of the natural and supernatural world. Without them, the balance w