Emily's POV
The cool autumn breeze shook me out of my trance, and I yelped out in fright as the door shut closer behind me. I shook my head, confused, looking over the gardens. Why did I have the urge to come here? There was nothing out of the ordinary out there. Everything was quiet, except for my racing heart. The immense pull was unavoidable, and I took a step forward. I ended up making my way down to the huge fountain centered in the gardens and sitting down on the cold white marble bench, overlooking the water and fountain. I sighed. Was I losing my mind? I lifted my gaze toward Mother Moon's sculpture standing in the center of the huge bowl. She stood protectively among powerful wolves who were howling at the moon. "Why have you kept my wolf from me?" I whispered. An unnerving silence answered me back, and my temper flared out of control. I jumped to my feet as anger and pain rippled through my chest. "Why did you punish me like that?" I cried out and dropped to my knees. "Am I not pure enough to be blessed with one of your creations? Am I not strong enough to have one?" I sobbed uncontrollably, releasing every bottled-up emotion of the last few weeks. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked, whipping my face. The cold statue stared back at me with the same kind of cold smile as every other day. "Tell me!" I demanded angrily. "Tell me why I am here!" My yelling echoed through the silence of the night, disturbing the wildlife in the forest. I sighed, getting to my feet. "I should have known you wouldn't answer me!" I spat angrily. I turned to leave, starting back at the packhouse. I rushed down the path through the gardens, my eyes blurry from my tears. I went at a slower pace when the packhouse came into view, wiping my tears with my hands—my make-up must have been smeared from all my crying. I reached out to open the door when the same intoxicated scent of apple crumble assaulted my nose. I froze in my tracks with my hand firmly on the door handle, and my breathing started to race. "Mate!" Alex's familiar, husky voice sounded behind me, sending pleasurable shivers down to my core. "This can't be," I whispered, closing my eyes and swallowing the lump in my throat. This must be some kind of dream. I must be imagining things! I could hear Alex getting closer, and I yelped out of fright when he suddenly stretched his arms out, holding the door. I visibly shivered, feeling his warm breath fanning over the side of my neck. For a few odd seconds, we both stood frozen. I wasn't sure what to do. Was Alex waiting for me to answer his call? I didn't have a wolf to tell me if it was true! I slowly let go of the door handle to turn to face him. I gasped, surprised, seeing his huge body tower over my small 5'5 frame. His enormous biceps flexed under his black stretch shirt. He had his eyes closed with a small, teasing smile playing on his lips. Was he happy to have found me? Alex's eyes snapped open, and I was met with deep pools of darkness staring back at me. Startled, I took a quick step back, hitting the door—his wolf must have taken control. Alex made no effort to move out of the way or let me go. Instead, he knitted his eyebrows together and shifted his head to the side. Was he trying to read me? Was he going to reject me? "What's the big rush, little mate?" He asked, shifting his head from side to side. "No, no, no big rush?" I muttered nervously under my breath. Alex's closeness was welling up unknown feelings inside me. Alex's hand moved to the side of my face, and I flinched at his touch when he carefully removed stray hair from my face. Did I just feel sparks? "Why are you scared of me, little mate?" he asked, his husky voice full of emotion. "I-I-I am not," I stuttered nervously. "I-I-I am just..." Alex moved his head to my nape, extended his canines, and scraped my marking spot. I shivered, feeling my legs giving in under my weight. He slowly pulled his head back and openly took a deep and long whiff of my scent. "Ahh," he said excitedly, licking his lips. "You smell so bloody delicious." For a second, I was wondering what I smelled, but before I could ask, he flung me over his shoulder and ran off toward the forest. He didn't run too deep into the forest. I could hear the rumbling of the waters close by. A couple of minutes later, a cottage came into view, and Alex ran up the few steps to the door. He carefully set me down, snaked his arm around my waist, and pushed the door open. Alex picked me up in bridal style and carried me inside. "Where are we?" I asked when I found my voice. I was too shocked to ask any questions or even yell when he ran off with me. Alex switched on a light. "The Alpha cottage," he said, setting me down on the couch. "I used to come here when I needed a break from reality." I nodded in understanding. I used to have a special spot down the river where I used to hide, and only Mila knew where to find me. Alex pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the floor, then headed to the fireplace, squatted in front of it, and started the fire. For a few minutes, Alex just stared into the fire, not saying a word. What was he thinking? Was he thinking about rejecting me? My gaze moved toward the window, hearing the wind picking up outside. Was a storm brewing? A couple of minutes ago, the skies were clear, and the moon hung low against the sky. "Alpha Alexander," I called nervously. "Alex," he said, getting to his feet. "Call me Alex." "Uhm, Alex," I muttered. "I think you should take me back to the packhouse. It looks like it is about to rain." Alex shook his head and got closer. He pinned his arms on the couch's armrest, caging me in. "It is about to snow," he said happily. "Snow?" I shrieked, my eyes widening. "Yes, snow. Take a look," he urged, smiling. Alex moved away from me, giving me room to get up. As soon as I was on my feet, I ran to the door and threw it open. I gasped, surprised—everything was already covered in at least three feet of snow. "How is this possible?" I squeaked. It had never snowed here before. Alex gave me a cheeky grin, and for some reason, I already knew the answer. His wolf must be responsible for this. "It only happens when our bloodline finds our true and fated mate," he said proudly, and his eyes shifted back to his beautiful gray color. "Alex?" I whispered, enjoying the way his name rolled over my tongue. "Yes, my love," he said, opening his arms for me. "Come to me." I hesitated for a moment before my legs dragged my body towards him as if they were compelled to do so. As soon as I was in his arms, he pulled me closer to his chest, and his warm apple crumble scent enveloped me. This was pure bliss; this was home. I sighed in contentment, feeling accepted and loved. Alex carefully lifted my chin with his index finger, searching my gaze. Was he searching for approval? His eyes shifted to my lips, leaving me nervous and quivering. Was he about to kiss me? I so wanted to taste him. "Sh*t!" I groaned inwardly, becoming intoxicated by Alex's scent. It was numbing my senses and making me feel and want things. My breath hitched when Alex dropped his gaze lower, his minty breath fanning over my face and leaving his lips inches from mine. I could feel his heat radiating from them. My core clenched out of anticipation, making my juices willingly spill into my panties. Alex's eyes darkened, and he licked his lips. He must have sensed my arousal. "You smell so mouth-watering," he huskily whispered. "I want you! All of you! I want to be inside of you!" My face warmed, spreading the heat down to my core and making my p*ssy throb. I so wanted him to touch me. I wanted to feel his hands roaming over my body, lining every curve I had. "Can I?" Alex asked, and for a moment, I was left confused. Was he asking if he could kiss me? Or f*ck me? Or both? Before I could answer, Alex's lips crushed on mine, stealing my first kiss, and I melted into his arms. Alex lifted me without breaking the kiss, carried me up the stairs, into a room, and laid me down on a bed. I whimpered when he pulled away—I wanted more! "Relax, little mate," he said, chuckling. "I am not going anywhere!" Alex turned toward the dresser and removed his jacket, while my gaze scanned over the interior of the room. The room was clean and neat, and only simple things decorated the walls, but interesting enough, there was no scent of another she-wolf. Alex came closer and sat next to me, taking my hands in his, and I hesitated for a moment. "What is it?" I asked. "I'm not sure how to say this," he said, rubbing the back of his head. Did he get to his senses and notice that I didn't have a wolf? Was he-? "I have never made love to anyone before," he said, looking up through his eyelashes, embarrassed. My heart leaped out of my chest. Alex waited! He waited for me! My hand instinctively cupped his face, and a small, relieved smile followed on my lips. "So have I," I said, my cheeks burning. Alex pushed his lips against mine and softly pushed me back on the bed. He looked like a boy opening a long-awaited Christmas present, his hands roaming and exploring my body. This felt so good. This felt so right. This made me so happy! If only I had known that this happy moment would end in the blink of an eye. ****Emily's POV I woke up with a bang, with my alarm clock screaming his red numbers next to me. 8:30 a.m. My eyes widened. I was late for training! I jumped out of bed and landed on my feet with a groan. "F*ck!" I swore under my breath. My body felt like a bulldozer had run over it. It was sore all over, and my breasts were tender and swollen. I knitted my eyebrows together, confused, trying to remember what had happened last night. I slowly moved toward the bathroom, feeling the tenderness between my legs. Did I have..? I shook the thoughts off just as fast as they came. I couldn't have—did I? "Sh*t!" I gasped under my breath, startled, when I saw my painted reflection in the mirror. My nape was covered in all colors and sizes of bruises, running down my breasts and stomach. Hickeys! What the f*ck! Who did this to me, and why? I sighed, frustrated. There was no way I could go out to training looking like that. I wiped my hand over my face, shaking my head in disbelief. "
Emily's POV The pack house was fairly quiet when Mila and I arrived. My parents, the Beta pair of the pack, asked me to come and help clean the community center. It wasn't a normal occurrence for the Beta family to be involved in helping clean after a pack function. I guess Alpha Cole must have asked them to help after he gave everyone a day off. "Where is everyone?" Mila asked, surprised when no guards were stationed at the front door of the pack house. "I think everyone went down to the clearing to enjoy their snow day," I said, gesturing to the cold, wet, fluffy stuff lying all over the place. Mila sighed. "Why did you talk me into helping?" She asked, shivering. "I could have been lying under the blankets with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, watching a movie." "Because I needed help," I said, shrugging. "And you are my only friend." Mila rolled her eyes as she entered the pack house. The main reason Mila was sulking was that she was a bit disappointed that Jax went s
Emily's POV Mila and I headed back to the kitchen, taking a shorter route through the square. "No cheating this time," I called behind Mila. "Oh, come on, Em!" she yelled over her shoulder. "We both know that you will beat me by far if I don't use my wolf's abilities." I chuckled, knowing she was right. Mila's parents were only high-ranking warriors, but everyone knew that her father came from Delta rank. He forfeited his title when he decided to switch packs to be with Mila's mom. I watched as Mila grabbed the door handle, swung the door open, and ran inside. She only had a two-second lead. I swung the door open, seeing Mila sprinting down the hall, and she disappeared around the corner. There was no way I could catch her now. I started running at a slower pace, passing my father's office. I knew that Alpha Col's office was situated next to his, and I didn't want to disturb an unknown meeting. I quickly, but as quietly as possible, tried to pass them. I froze in my tracks,
Emily's POV I shifted the truck's gears back into third as I took the steep, rocky turn-off towards the White Moon Pack, my home for the last five years. I have been on an assignment, and it felt good to be able to come home again. It was Mila's idea to come to live here, and even though it was hard in the beginning to leave my family behind, I was proud of what I had accomplished by myself. My thoughts wandered off to that night. My mom had mind-linked Mila, telling her that I wasn't feeling well and that I needed a friend. Mila didn't even wait for my mother's scent to fade from my room when she sneaked in through my window. "Em," she whispered. "Are you awake?" I nodded my head, unable to utter a word. "Are you okay?" She asked, climbing through the window and into my bed with me. Mila pulled me to her, and I rested my head on her chest. She gave me a moment before she started asking questions. "Can you tell me what happened?" She whispered. I shook my head as tears welle
Emily's POV A huge white building greeted me as I drove up the driveway. I lived in the building—the pack house—for almost a year and knew the place like the back of my hand. A youngish blond guard rushed closer as I set foot out of the truck. He looked about nineteen. "Morning Parker," he bowed. "King Xavier is waiting for you." I nodded and handed him the truck keys. "Parker?" He asked, looking at me confused. "I'll be running back in wolf form," I said, smiling. "Willow wants to stretch her legs." The guard nodded and opened the driver's door. He looked quite happy to be driving my black truck. "Don't scratch her," I warned, and I ran up the stairs. As suspected, Xavier waited for me in the gardens, and a tender smile followed on his lips as I made my way down the steps to meet him. "Welcome back, dear!" He said, throwing his arms wide open for me. I didn't shy away from the embrace and ran into his arms, hugging him back. Xavier is Mila's uncle, and he has become a fat
Emily's POV Mila took an urgent step back, her hands moving to her lips as she gasped wide-eyed. She looked terrified, yet she refused to leave my side. The doctor rushed in and froze in his tracks when he saw me partly shifted. "What the f*ck!" he yelled out. I assume he never saw a she-wolf give birth and shift at the same time. "How the f*ck did this happen?" He rushed to my side, unsure what to do. "The pup!" I yelled, grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward me. "Get him out!" I suddenly had the urge to push... Mila stepped closer, sensing the time had come to deliver the pup to the world, taking my shifted hand in hers. She had no idea how much that meant to me. "Em!" Mila called my name over my moans. "It's time for you to push!" Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours—I whimpered and yelled, and everything around me became one big blur. The second the doctor freed the pup from me, I let go and handed all control over to my wolf; she took control and completed
Emily's POV "We're here." Willow's voice pulled me back out of my thoughts. I lifted my gaze to the exit of the forest overlooking my home. My four-wheel baby is already parked in his spot in the driveway. Willow handed me control, and I shifted back to human. Just four feet further, I found the clothes hidden in a hollow stump. Mila must have placed them there; they were still crisp and smelled like laundry detergent. I got dressed while making my way down the forest path toward my home. I lived in something similar to a duo home, sharing the house with Mila and Jax. We shared the same garden and driveway, but our entrance was allocated to the opposite side of our home. When I first decided it was time to move out of the pack house, Mila wanted me to live with her and Jax. I refused. I knew Mila didn't want me to be alone, but I didn't want to invade their privacy. Yet Mila pushed; she was determined to have me live close to her. After numerous arguments, Jax came up with
Emily's POV "Slow down, Lex!" I said, giggling behind him as he dragged me toward my room. He came to a stop and raised his head. "Close your eyes, mommy," he said seriously. Milan and Jax had followed us in, curious to see how I would react to the dress they picked for me. I turned my head toward the two, unsure what to do. Jax, who was holding Lilly in his arms, gave me a smile and nod of the head, which made me flinch. He was never one to get excited about anything. I turned to Lex, and I closed my eyes. He opened the door and took my hand, leading me inside my bedroom. "Okay, mommy," he said. "You can open your eyes now." My gaze landed on the dress hanging on my closet door, and I blinked a couple of times to process what I was seeing. "Wow!" I gasped. I have never seen such a beautiful dress. I carefully lifted the dress off its hanger, hanging it open against my body. The skirt hung touching the floor, but a pair of 6' stilettos would do the trick and would lift the d