(Aiden POV)I don’t want to leave Bria behind in her room. I always want her by my side, but at the same time, I can’t stand to be around her right now.The recollection of her sighing out Raul’s name when she was in the throes of passion haunts me. Every time I look at her the sound plays on a loop in my head. Taunting me, telling me I’m not good enough. Not only her second chance mate, but also her second choice.Maybe mother has been right all along and I’m not smart enough to rule. Not interesting enough to attract a strong mate. All I’ve ever had has been brought about by her. I’m trying to rally the packs behind me, but even I doubt whether I should lead them.Bria is a phenomenal woman. I want to be worthy of her. I want to know that I’m the only one she wants. It’s probably my own fault that she’s still thinking of Raul. I must not be giving her everything she needs. The thought that I’m a sub-par lover in her eyes hurts like hell, but maybe it’s true.I’m nothing. I don’t hav
(Bria POV)When I wake up, the first thing I see is Aiden’s emerald gaze, studying me intently. “How are you feeling?” I ask and he grimaces. “Embarrassed that you saw me in that condition.”I reach out carefully to touch his face. I’m not sure how angry he still is at me. “You don’t need to feel that way. I hurt you and I’m so sorry.” He leans his forehead against mine, closing his eyes in pain. “You made a mistake, Bria. I made a choice. You’re not responsible for that.”I’m strangely turned on by him taking responsibility for his own actions. “I think that’s a choice we’ve all made at one time or another in the hopes that it will numb our pain,” I tell him honestly. He doesn’t look convinced, but he refrains from arguing. “You’re being very kind,” he says softly. “You’re my mate, I hate hurting you,” I respond. His pupils flare before shrinking down again.I’m surprised, and more than a little disappointed, that he hasn’t tried to kiss me yet. I’ve been craving him sorely since our
(Bria POV) Aiden looks unbelievably hot, in every sense of the word, when he comes over to me at the end of training. His white shirt is plastered to his torso, outlining every delicious line and dip, and the wild, musky scent coming from his skin is scrambling my thought processes.I can pinpoint the moment my arousal registers with him. His nostrils flare and the corners of his mouth tick up. “There’s a hot spring in the woods,” he tells me softly, “It’s very secluded. Would you like to join me there for a nice, long soak?”I can only nod mutely. We’ll be naked and I’ll get to touch him as much as I want to. He takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, before tugging me along. It’s a fair trek into the woods and we don’t talk much on the way.Anticipation is something alive and breathing between us, growing heavier and bigger with every step we take. I want to wrap myself around his body in the water and let all the thoughts slip quietly from my head while he works his magic
(Bria POV) As much as I want Aiden, my thoughts still wander to thoughts of tomorrow. What if he doesn’t see what’s really there? It’s the best opportunity I’ll get to try and free those women. If Aiden doesn’t help me, I’ll be forced to call in Raul and Vesper. Showing my hand and proving to him that I’ve been conspiring behind his back.I’m suddenly aware of air on my lips, where moments ago there’d been soft skin and warm breath. “I don’t fucking believe it!” Aiden snarls. “You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?”“No! I’m sorry, I was thinking about tomorrow. Worrying about what we’ll see in the garden. I’m not thinking about Raul. I’ve never once thought about him while we were being intimate. Aiden, you knock my feet out from under me when you touch me. I swear, there’s no space for anyone else when we’re together.”He’s still glowering. “Right, I’m so incredible you completely forget you’re busy kissing me and zone out. That’s very convincing, Bria.” My temper is startin
(Bria POV)When I come to, I’m in my own bed and morning light is slanting through the window. Lucille and Tyra are sitting side by side, staring at me worriedly. My body aches, but I feel so calm that it borders on being sedated.Scenes from the hot spring come back to me and I break out in gooseflesh. Aiden was very rough, but I can’t deny how eagerly I responded to that. I’m sure his own flesh was scored more than once by my nails. He must have dressed me and carried me back here after I blacked out. I came so hard I lost consciousness. The thought seems ridiculous, but I know it’s true.“Bria, are you alright? Should we fetch a healer?” Lucille asks anxiously. “Did the two of you fight? I can’t believe Aiden would batter his mate this way. No matter what he and Adrienne may be up to behind the scenes, he’s always maintained the façade of being the perfect gentleman,” Tyra adds.“We didn’t fight,” I say, blushing deeply. Lucille looks confused, while Tyra gapes at me open-mouthed.
(Bria POV) I keep expecting Aiden to knock on the door, but the sun moves across the sky and there’s no sign of him. There isn’t all that much time left before we have to go to his mother’s garden, so I figure I’d best go and find him.If he’d only taken me back to his bed last night, we could have spent the morning languishing in each other’s arms. I wince when I consider what would happen if Raul pops into my mind while I’m making love to Aiden. Perhaps it’s best that he took me to my own room.My heart sinks when I find him passed out with his head on his desk, a glass of whiskey clutched in his hand again. Why does he keep doing this? I’d rather have dealt with a mind link from Raul while being held in Aiden’s arms, than see him this way.Does Adrienne have something to do with this? Maybe he drinks to escape the grip she has on his mind. Maybe she forces him to drink in order to keep him off-balance. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I have no way of knowing and he’d only deny any culpabilit
(Raul POV)Lucille and Tyra find us not long after Bria let me know she’s found Aiden and they’ll be going to the garden soon. “One of our men will escort the 2 of you back to my territory,” I tell them. “The hell they will,” Tyra tells me aggressively. “We’re not leaving without Bria. I don’t trust either of you to keep her safe. I’ll go with you when the time comes and make sure she gets out unharmed.” Vesper eyes her with a curled lip, “If I’m not mistaken we’re saving your asses here. Perhaps a bit more gratitude is in order.”“I’m sorry, aren’t you the bastard who thought it’s okay to hunt down a single, wounded female who’d done nothing to provoke you? Excuse me if your opinion means nothing to me. We’re staying.”I can see why Bria likes Tyra and I appreciate her loyalty to her friend, but I still don’t trust her. Even as shame burns in my chest knowing that Bria must have told Tyra everything about me and how I treated her.The younger female, Lucille, is wary and quiet, but
(Bria POV)“See, love, there are only beautiful flowers here,” Aiden tells me with a hopeful smile. I see the tension around his eyes, caused by fear that I’ll insist that there’s a nightmare scape in front of me.Hope flickers and dies in my chest and I force myself to smile. “I see,” I tell him quietly, loitering in front of the despicable tree stump for a few more moments. “What do you call those flowers?” I ask in a whisper-quiet voice, not wanting to disturb the women if it can be avoided.He stares for so long that I nearly rekindle that tiny spark, but then he shakes his head ruefully. “I’m not sure. They remind me of forget-me-nots, but they’re not exactly the same.” The irony sets gooseflesh popping out along my arms.Even without Adrienne here, Aiden can’t see past the illusion she planted in his mind. It just about kills me to do it, but I mind link with Raul and tell him to bring his people in.“I’m glad I’ve been able to set your mind at ease about mother’s garden,” Aiden
(Bria POV) “Stand down,” I shriek, dropping my bow and sliding down the tree so I can reach the ground faster. I don’t feel the bark biting into my skin, or the cuts opening along my arms and cheek.Aiden. I have to get to Aiden. If I thought there was any possibility of her turning on him, I never would have allowed him to set foot in there. He’s my heart. My life. He’s her fuckin son, how can she do this?“Don’t hurt him! Please, Adrienne, I’m begging you. Take me, put me in your tree, just don’t hurt him.” Aiden roars at my words, the wicked knife slicing deeper into his throat. “No! Run Bria. Run away right now. I won’t live without you!”Adrienne laughs cruelly, but her face is distorted in anger. “You turned my son against me,” she hisses. “You won’t be leaving here alive. Don’t worry darling,” she jeers when Aiden struggles against her grip, “You won’t miss her. Most of you will be erased and replaced with what I’ve always wanted you to be. I kept clinging to the hope that you
(Bria POV)She’s gone! Adrienne has her. I’m on my way there. I’m going to tear her apart! Raul bellows into my head. He’s in a blind panic, something I’ve never witnessed before.Did Tyra take her? I ask. There’s a beat of silence and then a roar so full of misery and pain follows that I sink to my knees as it overwhelms me. No. She was with me. I was there and I failed to protect her. It’s all my fault, Raul keens.There’s no time to find out details right now. I need to get to Adrienne’s garden and stop her before she does anything irreversible. She’ll have a full complement of 12 again now. I’m going there right away, I tell Raul, who hesitates only a moment before agreeing.The knowledge that he’s fully let go of me is bittersweet for only an instant, before it melts into pure, creamy milk chocolate from a master Swiss chocolatier. No guilt or uncertainty holds either of us back anymore. The memories will always be beautiful, but not as enticing as the future.I’m going to do eve
(Aiden POV)Mother seems less than thrilled to see me. It appears I’ve interrupted something. She’s doing her best to hide her irritation, but pretending to be patient has never been a strength of hers.“Now that you’ve come to see the garden for the first time it seems like you can’t keep away,” she comments with barely masked annoyance.She keeps glancing at where I know that horrific tree stump is and that worries me. Has she found a new victim? If so, the girl’s absence hasn’t been noted yet. I’m keeping a very close eye on missing persons in the kingdom.I’m back to not being able to see the tree, but I can feel her in my mind, willing me to see what’s not actually there. She’ll never be able to root around in my brain without my knowledge again. Bria’s love, and our mating bond, is making me stronger than I would have believed I could ever be.For the sake of Bria’s safety I keep every trace of mistrust and hatred from showing on my face and I bury my emotions deep. Projecting o
(Adrienne POV)“I have the woman here my lady,” Niall tells me in his annoying, nasally voice. He was my first little experiment with mind control and things had gone very awry. I squashed his faculties like an overripe grape in my eagerness. I’ve learned to exert self-control since those days.At the time I’d been furious at my failure, but it turned out to be very fortuitous indeed. Niall’s single-mindedly devoted to me and follows my every command without thought or complaint. The perfect weapon when I need a more physical approach to solving my problems.If Aiden doesn’t give up his ridiculous infatuation with Briana soon, Niall will be dispatched to take care of her. I’ve attempted to ride her mind, but while I could plant concepts of blindness and fear, I’m stymied when it comes to taking over her thoughts. I suspect the mating bond she shares with my son has something to do with that. The sooner I break it the better.One side of the wispy little blonde’s face is a bloody mess.
(Raul POV)I’m going out of my mind with worry about Valerie. I cannot lose her. It seems there’s nothing quite like a bit of mortal danger to clear the mind and straighten out the heart. Bria will always be dear to me, but Valerie is my mate.I have to get to her before Adrienne tries anything. I know the pain of losing a mate, I never want to suffer that way again.Guilt churns in my chest, relentless and heavy. I know my long history with Bria makes it difficult to just put aside the feelings I held for her for so many years. She’s dazzling and exciting and a fantastic woman. I’m glad she didn’t die. I’m sorry we didn’t have time to say goodbye to each other properly. I don’t regret having my new mate.Valerie’s love is the warmth that fuels me now, she’s the place where my soul finds peace. I can’t be too late. I owe Bria for this. Anything she asks will be hers, as long as Valerie is safe.“Where the hell are you running to?” Vesper asks, sprinting after me. I have no time to sto
(Bria POV)To my chagrin I yelp and jump in fright. I’m immediately furious with myself for not hearing Adrienne’s approach. The amused smile on her face mocks me relentlessly. “What would my poor Aiden think if he saw you spying on his mother?”“I wouldn’t call it spying, Adrienne. I was out for a walk with my guards and decided to come in for a quick soak. Then I heard a voice speaking and wanted to make sure it was safe before I entered the chamber. You really shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.”“Oh, Briana. You think yourself witty and sharp as a whip, don’t you? I know you have my son pussy whipped right now, but it won’t last. I’m his mother. And your pathetic excuse holds no water. You were mind linked to someone when I came upon you and I’m willing to stake your life on it that it was your dearest Raul you were talking to. It won’t be long before Aiden sees through all your deceptions.”“Oh you’re one to talk! What did you do to Christopher? It must have killed you
(Bria POV) I wake up to hungry kisses in my neck and Aiden’s hands roaming all over me. My body is exhausted from the night before, but more than willing to push past its limits. “Good morning love,” Aiden says gruffly, taking my nipple into his mouth and grinning devilishly at my helpless moan.“Good morning baby,” I respond tenderly, pulling his head toward mine for a deep kiss. There is no more duality or uncertainty. I love Aiden and nobody else can ever make me happier. My love for Raul was very real and nothing will ever detract from that. It’s in the past though and I’m happy to be living my future.He must see something in my eyes, because he cradles my face between his hands and tells me emphatically, “I love you, Bria, with all my heart.” My eyes glisten with tears as I nod and choke out, “I love you too,” before burying my face in his neck.His joy is palpable, wrapping around us like a cocoon. He makes love to me slowly and thoroughly, before fetching us coffee and breakf
(Aiden POV)Bria’s golden gaze spears me to the bed as her tongue curls around my balls and her lips gently brush over my inflamed skin. She doesn’t look away from me when she sucks them into her mouth one by one, rubbing her tongue across the throbbing globe and suckling softly.I am on the verge of losing control. My fangs have started to come in and my nails have grown sharp as the beast roars inside of me, demanding to be let out to mate freely.I’m fighting to remember that this is the punishment I agreed to. Losing control would negate exactly what I’m trying to prove to Bria. But I’m a werewolf. An Alpha. A dominant male with extremely strong desires and she embodies all of them to me. The drive to claim, breed and protect her is stronger than anything else. Except my love and respect for her.Fuck. She’s moving that delectable mouth in a northerly direction now. Her tongue lapping firmly at the underside of my swollen cock. Long, slow licks running from base to tip repeatedly,
(Bria POV)I’m doing my best not to let Aiden see how shy it’s making me feel to masturbate in front of him. I’ve never done anything like this in my life. Embarrassment is quickly making space for an electrifying thrill as I watch his body and eyes reacting to me.I am Aphrodite in his mind. Goddess of love and sex. Ripe and delicious and out of his reach. He can look, but he can’t touch. One hand slips down to my vulva, my middle finger rubbing over my slick, swollen flesh. My hips arch into the touch spontaneously and a sigh bursts from me when my finger presses against my clit.“I’m so wet and needy, Aiden. Do you see?” I dip two fingers into my well of moisture and slowly drag them down the length of his cock, between his expanding testicles and down to his perineum. Aiden chokes on an awestruck gasp and his penis seems to be vibrating. It’s rock hard and fully erect, pressed against the soft skin of his abdomen.Soon I’ll indulge my desire to lick that gorgeous, velvety sheath.