Arella's POV
“That sounds like a lovely idea.”
I snapped my head around, and there, stepping gracefully into the kitchen was Selena. She looked like those photo-shopped models that just stepped out of a magazine or something—gorgeous, poised, and effortlessly elegant. She didn’t belong in the kitchen, covered in flour and sugar. Yet there she was, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“You think so?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and wiping my hands on my apron. “I was just telling the kids about a little party we’re going to throw for them. Cain’s birthday is overdue, and Eva’s is right around the corner.”
Selena’s lips quirked into a smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of caution.
“Yes, a party sounds wonderful,” she agre
Arella's POVI was glad I wasn’t sipping on my wine right then because that didn’t sound like the Zane I knew. Sure, I’d seen some of the core things that she mentioned. He was kind, and being a good King was very important to him. He wanted what was best for the kingdom and he wanted to protect his kids – although he’d been going about that the wrong way entirely. He was now ruled by anger and because he constantly had to fight his wolf, he was unpredictable at best...Hearing Selena talk about this side of him—this past version of him—was something strangely heartwarming. Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. Which strangely didn’t bother me. I’d gotten used to this version of Zane and to be honest, I think the old version of him would have bored me. While infuriating, a small sad
Zane’s POV“… they’re so excited about it…”“...I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes when King Zane finds out…”“...all the planning goes through, Miss Garcia…”I’d been walking to my office when I picked up bits and pieces of conversation whispered in the corners by the omegas. It wasn’t until they mentioned Arella’s name that I stopped and listened. But the second the omegas saw me, they went pale and scurried away like I’d been the devil himself.Sighing, I couldn’t really blame them…Despite feeling better than I had in a year, my wolf was still unpredictable at best. And it wasn’t getting any better considering that I was trying to distance myself from my little angel. I hated that my body literally felt like shit when I wasn’t around her. What I hated even more, was letting her believe that o
Zane's POVFury, the likes I’d never felt before, colored my vision red. My wolf let out a howl of pure unadulterated wrath, his dominance like a whip cracking down on anyone close to him.I had to get out of there!I had to stop this!“Zane, Please!” I heard Selena beg, but she suddenly seemed so far away I could barely make out her words. “It’s for the pups! It’s---”“Where?” I asked although the sound that came out sounded like some kind of animal. “Where is Arella?”I wanted to believe that I could protect her, protect them, and keep everything inside these walls safe. But now I was confronted with the reality of it—an open invitation to the very monsters who had torn my life apart.I couldn’t!“The banquette hall,” Selena once again gave it up, unable to resist my alpha aura. I stormed off, ignoring the calls and plea
Zane’s POV“She’s a menace!”I slammed the door to my study shut with a force that made the hinges rattle. My blood was boiling, my fists clenched so tight I could feel my nails digging into my palms. Arella had gotten her way, and now, I was supposed to accept it. Because even if I didn’t want to, there was no way in hell I’d let myself be the butt of a joke where she fucking played me like a fiddle!Damned, stupid, Alpha pride!I couldn’t go back on my word! If I did, I’d look weak--- no, worse. I’d lose my respect. My pride was everything to me, but Arella was making me question every fucking thing I thought I knew.FUCK!Growling, I stomped over to my desk, turning it over and making my paperwork fly everywhere. Frustrating, inaugurating female! She had no idea what she was playing with—what this could mean for her, for my pups, for the entire
Zane’s POV“Weak,” I snorted at my son as he sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up after the harder-than-necessary blow I’d just delivered.“I-I’m sorry, father,” Cain whined, tears in his eyes. My wolf let out a snarl, and clawed my insides, making pain coil inside of me. Because a part of me did feel bad for doing this. A part of me wanted to reach out and comfort him. To tell him that he did well. That I could see the improvements and the efforts of his hard work---But then I remembered the price of those emotions. How they had made me weak. And who, in the end, paid the ultimate price…My Luna Queen…My mate!Her blood was on my hands because of that weakness…So I took those useless emotions and stuck them someplace where the sun didn’t shine. I didn’t show any weakness. I wouldn’t. Not in front of my pack and not in front of my children. I refused to let them suffer because of my weakness.Not anymore…“Don’t be sorry,” I snarled, spinning on my heels and heading back to
Zane’s POV“My King?” the delta said, causing me to stop and face him. I was heading back to my office after the fencing lesson with my son. Cain was a fast learner and soon he’d be able to beat even his seniors. Perhaps I should find him a private tutor or---“We have a problem,” the delta stuttered, clearly nervous. His hands were shaking slightly as he reached out for the tablet. Papers were a thing of the past and I for one hated the wasteful things. I liked my trees in the forest, not on my desk as clutter…“What’s the problem?” I growled, not in the mood to even out my voice. My wolf was in a foul mood – the beast always was these days. More feral than sane on the good days and today he was pissed. He was angry that Noah had been there to help our son.That should have been our job!And he was pissed because I wasn’t going to go to Eva’s kindergarten performance tonight. Like my son, my daughter would learn to be strong. She’d learn not to need anyone in her life – not even her
Warning: Any form of stereotyping is there for gags – not provocation…Arella’s POVWhen you’re alone in the woods--- sure, you fantasize about naked men all the time. Hell, my vibrator had been many different men – most of which were fictional characters in the steamy novels I read. But at the back of my mind, I’d always known that the moment the bliss was gone and I opened my eyes, they’d be gone too.This guy, however, didn’t go anywhere!And yeah, he was butt-naked too…Turning off the ATV, I took another glance at the man. Had someone spiked the bottles of Bailley’s I’d asked Donna to send me or was there seriously a naked man lying right in front of me?Because he was hot!What?I was a hot-blooded woman – sue me for noticing that a passed-out guy was hot! And after all the men I’d seen out here, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a wet dream. A very nice ass and broad shoulders, toned legs, and--- did I mention the nice ass?It was an exceptionally nice ass…Anyway---With
Warning: Any form of stereotyping is there for gags – not provocation…Arella’s POVOk, so--- NOT dead!That’s a plus…And the good news kept coming because, despite the severe break in his leg, nothing else seemed to be broken. Or infected, which was a miracle in my book, considering that the bear trap looked as old as Methuselah and as rusty as a Cuban automobile.Still disinfected the shit out of it…And this time the man remained still as--- well, the dead, but knock on wood for me, will you?I was sort of walking a thin line here…The huge guy continued to sleep soundly, while I wrapped his leg and unceremoniously got him onto the stretcher.And I do sincerely mean unceremoniously!The guy weighed a ton! And no matter what training I’d done in the past or continued to do every day out here, could have prepared me for the density of this being.“What did they make you out of? Clay?!” I panted, as I finally was done moving the mountain of muscles, aching in places I didn’t know I h
Zane’s POV“She’s a menace!”I slammed the door to my study shut with a force that made the hinges rattle. My blood was boiling, my fists clenched so tight I could feel my nails digging into my palms. Arella had gotten her way, and now, I was supposed to accept it. Because even if I didn’t want to, there was no way in hell I’d let myself be the butt of a joke where she fucking played me like a fiddle!Damned, stupid, Alpha pride!I couldn’t go back on my word! If I did, I’d look weak--- no, worse. I’d lose my respect. My pride was everything to me, but Arella was making me question every fucking thing I thought I knew.FUCK!Growling, I stomped over to my desk, turning it over and making my paperwork fly everywhere. Frustrating, inaugurating female! She had no idea what she was playing with—what this could mean for her, for my pups, for the entire
Zane's POVFury, the likes I’d never felt before, colored my vision red. My wolf let out a howl of pure unadulterated wrath, his dominance like a whip cracking down on anyone close to him.I had to get out of there!I had to stop this!“Zane, Please!” I heard Selena beg, but she suddenly seemed so far away I could barely make out her words. “It’s for the pups! It’s---”“Where?” I asked although the sound that came out sounded like some kind of animal. “Where is Arella?”I wanted to believe that I could protect her, protect them, and keep everything inside these walls safe. But now I was confronted with the reality of it—an open invitation to the very monsters who had torn my life apart.I couldn’t!“The banquette hall,” Selena once again gave it up, unable to resist my alpha aura. I stormed off, ignoring the calls and plea
Zane’s POV“… they’re so excited about it…”“...I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes when King Zane finds out…”“...all the planning goes through, Miss Garcia…”I’d been walking to my office when I picked up bits and pieces of conversation whispered in the corners by the omegas. It wasn’t until they mentioned Arella’s name that I stopped and listened. But the second the omegas saw me, they went pale and scurried away like I’d been the devil himself.Sighing, I couldn’t really blame them…Despite feeling better than I had in a year, my wolf was still unpredictable at best. And it wasn’t getting any better considering that I was trying to distance myself from my little angel. I hated that my body literally felt like shit when I wasn’t around her. What I hated even more, was letting her believe that o
Arella's POVI was glad I wasn’t sipping on my wine right then because that didn’t sound like the Zane I knew. Sure, I’d seen some of the core things that she mentioned. He was kind, and being a good King was very important to him. He wanted what was best for the kingdom and he wanted to protect his kids – although he’d been going about that the wrong way entirely. He was now ruled by anger and because he constantly had to fight his wolf, he was unpredictable at best...Hearing Selena talk about this side of him—this past version of him—was something strangely heartwarming. Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. Which strangely didn’t bother me. I’d gotten used to this version of Zane and to be honest, I think the old version of him would have bored me. While infuriating, a small sad
Arella's POV“That sounds like a lovely idea.”I snapped my head around, and there, stepping gracefully into the kitchen was Selena. She looked like those photo-shopped models that just stepped out of a magazine or something—gorgeous, poised, and effortlessly elegant. She didn’t belong in the kitchen, covered in flour and sugar. Yet there she was, eyes gleaming with curiosity.“You think so?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and wiping my hands on my apron. “I was just telling the kids about a little party we’re going to throw for them. Cain’s birthday is overdue, and Eva’s is right around the corner.”Selena’s lips quirked into a smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of caution.“Yes, a party sounds wonderful,” she agre
Arella’s POVThe kitchen was filled with the warm smell of sugar and cinnamon as I stood at the kitchen counter, flour dusting the surface in a messy pile. Cain and Eva were laughing, both covered in a thin layer of flour, their small hands grabbing at cookie cutters and dough with wild abandon. I grinned, finally feeling like there was some kind of normalcy back in my life. After all the chaos I’d been through – being shot, almost killed, and being turned into a werewolf – I wanted to hold onto this as tightly as I could.I love to cook!My mom had been the real chef in the family, but she’d always let me cook with her. Be it a huge feast for carnival or baking cookies for Christmas, she was always moving around in the kitchen. Hell, even now, I swear I could hear her laughter as Cain helped his sister with the butterfly cutter.This felt like home…“Are we making chocolate ones too?” Cain asked eagerly, his face covered in flour
Arella's POVOK, he got points for... you know, being the actual KING! But while every instinct in my body told me to submit to his authority, my stupidly stubborn self refused. I’d been subjected to the authority of domineering, selfish bastards my whole fucking life and I’d made myself a promise to never fall victim to that ever again. I had a fucking will of my own, I had autonomy and I was nobody’s bitch!“Let me get this straight,” I snapped back, raising an eyebrow and gaping at the fucking audacity of this man. “You want me to do everything you say, no questions asked?”“YES!” His voice was a low, forceful command. Hell, it was almost cute the way he looked all angry and flustered. I stared at him, utterly floored by the ballsiness of his words.“Have you had a doctor look at that problem of yours?” I asked, my brows furring in concern for his health. “It can&r
Arella’s POVThe road home felt like hours.Each minute dragged on, the silence between us thick and suffocating. I barely even noticed as the forest moved by, as I sulkily kept my eyes trained straight ahead, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why the hell was he so pissed that I’d left? Was it some kind of werewolf law? Surely, he couldn’t punish me for being ignorant!Right?My wolf kept working on her will…Ignoring my newly formed companion, I glanced up at Zane, wondering what was going through his head. The anger was like a storm that I couldn’t weather. The fury in his eyes when he found me outside his territory—like I’d committed bloody murder!—had left my head spinning. Hell, I’d only gone to my cabin to grab some clothes, for Pete’s sake! To feel something normal for a change. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong! Unless it was illegal f
Arella’s POVHe won’t notice, ha? My wolf sarcastically snorted, as the huge brown beast glared down at us. I gulped, my legs feeling weak as he stood before us. His aura felt like tar, pressing and overwhelming. His eyes were pitch black, looking nothing like Zane at all. Hell, there was even foam frothing at his mouth as he stood there, panting...In my mind, my wolf was suddenly scribbling something down on… paper?! And how the hell was she holding a pen with no potable thumbs? It was a weird image, but sure enough, it was happening. She even had on a pair of Dumbledore half-moon glasses and she looked cute!What are you doing? I mentally asked, wondering what kind of freakish acid trip I was on.Writing my will, she replied, not missing a beat. With this lifestyle of yours, I’ll need one soon enough!Jeez, thanks for the vote of confidence!Wi