“Yes, indeed.” I fixed Lyon with an unwavering stare as I took my seat with Joel next to me. “First off, Mr. Lyon, I do not take kindly to threats. If you have a problem with me, why not contact me personally instead of sending your lackey to threaten a defenseless girl? I find your methods deplorable, to say the least.”His smile was supposed to be disarming but came across as cold. “A regrettable mistake for which Max was punished.” He went around his desk to place himself in front of me, so I had to look up at him.I didn’t like that, so I stood up, facing him. A movement at the door caught my eye. His bulldogs were ready to defend him, but he waved them down. Joel turned his head to snarl at them.“Let me explain,” he said, all the while keeping eye contact with me. “I purchased that property that same day you arrived there and Max thought you were trespassing.”I lifted a questioning brow, not quite believing him.He continued, “Let’s just say it was an unfortunate case of right
CassandraConnor was long gone when I finally forced myself awake. The side of the bed was cold, and the room felt lonely without his presence. I scoffed at myself for allowing myself to feel so needy, like I couldn’t breathe without him. I was just setting myself up for disappointment. But last night… Last night was awesome. I never knew sex could be so…heck, I couldn’t even find the words to describe it. He was amazing. Every muscle in my body was still tingling from our night of passion.‘Of course he was. He’s our mate. You feel the mate bond, don’t you, Cassie?’ Sage purred and sighed with contentment.“Don’t know if I can call it that. He is an experienced lover, that’s for sure.” Not that I had any experience. “But will he be faithful to us?” I was still worried about what he felt for Stacey. She was definitely not over him.‘He wasn’t lying when he told you he never slept with her. I told you he wouldn’t.’ Sage was annoyed with me. I felt her coat bristle with it. ‘Stop being
Connor“Fuck!” I screamed out my frustration and banged my fists against the SUV’s steering wheel. If only it was that bastard Lyon’s face, I was pummeling.Next to me, Joel sat fuming in silence.What the hell was I supposed to make of this? How far would I be able to go to make sure we didn’t lose our land? I don’t fucking know!“What in the seventh hell does he want, Joel?” I asked Joel, not that he would know. “We don’t have that much capital.”“Fuck him and his mind games. Let’s get in touch with the pack’s lawyer. Should have thought about that sooner. I’ve been meaning to see him about a personal matter as well.” Joel tugged at his unruly red beard.Robert H. Maxwell was our lawyer, a vampire who worked for my father. It wasn’t a bad idea per se, but knowing Maxwell, he would involve my father. But that wasn’t something I wanted. What kind of alpha would I be if I couldn’t take care of matters on my own?“You know what would happen, Joel. Maybe if I just went to the council mys
Joel“Joel, you’re home early.” Agnes greeted me, wiping her hands on her hips. She was arranging some wildflowers in a vase in the middle of the dining room table. Every time I returned home, seeing her there, breathing in her scent, it filled me with a sense of wonder. Part of me couldn’t believe that she was there. That if I blinked, she would have just been a figment of my imagination and gone in a puff of smoke.“Agnes.” There was still some tension between us. I was having a hard time with her refusal to let me help her get a divorce. But I’ve made my decision. I should have thought of it sooner. Locke wasn’t making any progress, or he was too busy chasing tail to help me. I’m taking Agnes to see Maxwell.“I’ll make you some coffee. Have you spoken to Cassie lately?” Agnes bustled about the kitchen, full of nervous energy.“Agnes, sit down.” I pulled out a chair for her. She left the mugs on the counter and did as I asked. When my hands rested on her tense shoulders, she gave a
CassandraConnor could go to hell for all I cared. I will not let him mold me into being someone like Stacey. What I don’t need is another daddy to tell me what to do, how to act and how to behave like a fucking lady. Gods, I was livid. I didn’t intentionally dress this way to seduce anyone, for fuck’s sake! He could be such a control freak, and I hated that.Maybe I was insecure, like Sage said, but I couldn’t help comparing myself to Stacey. Not that I was ugly or anything. It was the fact that she was Connor’s first love, and how was I supposed to compete with that? I didn’t get this whole mate bond thing. Stacey said it was a con and I could totally believe it. Because it sounded stupid. Fated mates. Like fate or a moon goddess could make you fall in love.‘You are in denial, Cassie.’ Sage grumbled. ‘I know you feel the connection to Connor. Like he is the other half of your soul. Why can’t you just accept it?’“I don’t know what I feel.” It was partly true. I felt horrible. My eg
ConnorMiles strutted back to the pack house and all the way up the stairs to my floor with Cassie clinging to his back like a limpet. The beast was overflowing with joy at having her close. At least it looked like she accepted him. Maybe it was too soon to speak of love. I shouldn’t have jumped the gun, and she didn’t say it back. Didn’t think it would hurt so much, but it did.But can I blame her? We hardly know each other. I had to give it time. Our mate bond would grow stronger when she had her first shift. I just know it. It’s like she doesn’t trust it. Stacey was right, though. Cassie was insecure and part of it was my fault. I had to assure her of my love and commitment to her and, unfortunately, Stacey’s presence wasn’t helping.However concerned I was about Cassie’s feelings towards me, I was just as worried about keeping possession of Wolf’s Creek. I owed it to my pack. Most of us were born here, it was all we knew. Where would we go if I lost it? Joel told me to call my dad
I woke Cassie with a gentle kiss. It felt wonderful to wake up and see her sleepy face smiling at me. I could wake up every morning with her in my arms for the rest of my life, and it would never be long enough.“Hey, sleepyhead. I’m going to train with the pack. You want to come?”She wrapped her arms around my neck and groaned against my mouth. “Ugh, you’re a morning person. I need coffee before I can function.”I laughed and nibbled her ear. “No coffee. Training first, then breakfast.”She pushed my face away, pouting. “You’re torturing me.”“I can do a lot more,” I chuckled, pulling off the covers revealing her glorious nakedness. My hand slipped between her thighs, and she squealed.“Connor!” she batted my hand away and fled to the bathroom. “God, you’re insatiable!”She wasn’t wrong. I wanted her all the time. But there were other matters to attend to.***“What kind of business do you have in town?”I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily. “Nothing big. I must see a client.”“
CASSANDRAWas there such a thing as destiny? I’ve often wondered about it. Were our lives really planned out from birth to our imminent death, or was it just purely coincidence and our own actions that determined our fate?Decide for yourself. I still can’t.But what happened three days ago was the turning point that changed my life, not just mine, but all of ours, even the people that I didn’t even know existed. All our lives changed as the result of one minor act of defiance. Well, alright, it wasn’t all that minor.*****“Hurry, Cassie! Before he wakes up.” The frantic woman screaming at me was my mother, Agnes Morelli, née Browne. She hurried from the kitchen, her heels rapping a tattoo over the tile floor. Two black bags in hand, she rushed upstairs, while I marveled at the blood pooling at my feet.I stared down at the inert body of my stepfather with mixed emotions. “Are you sure he’s not dead?” Would it be a loss for humanity if he were? Certainly not.The brass naked woman I
I woke Cassie with a gentle kiss. It felt wonderful to wake up and see her sleepy face smiling at me. I could wake up every morning with her in my arms for the rest of my life, and it would never be long enough.“Hey, sleepyhead. I’m going to train with the pack. You want to come?”She wrapped her arms around my neck and groaned against my mouth. “Ugh, you’re a morning person. I need coffee before I can function.”I laughed and nibbled her ear. “No coffee. Training first, then breakfast.”She pushed my face away, pouting. “You’re torturing me.”“I can do a lot more,” I chuckled, pulling off the covers revealing her glorious nakedness. My hand slipped between her thighs, and she squealed.“Connor!” she batted my hand away and fled to the bathroom. “God, you’re insatiable!”She wasn’t wrong. I wanted her all the time. But there were other matters to attend to.***“What kind of business do you have in town?”I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily. “Nothing big. I must see a client.”“
ConnorMiles strutted back to the pack house and all the way up the stairs to my floor with Cassie clinging to his back like a limpet. The beast was overflowing with joy at having her close. At least it looked like she accepted him. Maybe it was too soon to speak of love. I shouldn’t have jumped the gun, and she didn’t say it back. Didn’t think it would hurt so much, but it did.But can I blame her? We hardly know each other. I had to give it time. Our mate bond would grow stronger when she had her first shift. I just know it. It’s like she doesn’t trust it. Stacey was right, though. Cassie was insecure and part of it was my fault. I had to assure her of my love and commitment to her and, unfortunately, Stacey’s presence wasn’t helping.However concerned I was about Cassie’s feelings towards me, I was just as worried about keeping possession of Wolf’s Creek. I owed it to my pack. Most of us were born here, it was all we knew. Where would we go if I lost it? Joel told me to call my dad
CassandraConnor could go to hell for all I cared. I will not let him mold me into being someone like Stacey. What I don’t need is another daddy to tell me what to do, how to act and how to behave like a fucking lady. Gods, I was livid. I didn’t intentionally dress this way to seduce anyone, for fuck’s sake! He could be such a control freak, and I hated that.Maybe I was insecure, like Sage said, but I couldn’t help comparing myself to Stacey. Not that I was ugly or anything. It was the fact that she was Connor’s first love, and how was I supposed to compete with that? I didn’t get this whole mate bond thing. Stacey said it was a con and I could totally believe it. Because it sounded stupid. Fated mates. Like fate or a moon goddess could make you fall in love.‘You are in denial, Cassie.’ Sage grumbled. ‘I know you feel the connection to Connor. Like he is the other half of your soul. Why can’t you just accept it?’“I don’t know what I feel.” It was partly true. I felt horrible. My eg
Joel“Joel, you’re home early.” Agnes greeted me, wiping her hands on her hips. She was arranging some wildflowers in a vase in the middle of the dining room table. Every time I returned home, seeing her there, breathing in her scent, it filled me with a sense of wonder. Part of me couldn’t believe that she was there. That if I blinked, she would have just been a figment of my imagination and gone in a puff of smoke.“Agnes.” There was still some tension between us. I was having a hard time with her refusal to let me help her get a divorce. But I’ve made my decision. I should have thought of it sooner. Locke wasn’t making any progress, or he was too busy chasing tail to help me. I’m taking Agnes to see Maxwell.“I’ll make you some coffee. Have you spoken to Cassie lately?” Agnes bustled about the kitchen, full of nervous energy.“Agnes, sit down.” I pulled out a chair for her. She left the mugs on the counter and did as I asked. When my hands rested on her tense shoulders, she gave a
Connor“Fuck!” I screamed out my frustration and banged my fists against the SUV’s steering wheel. If only it was that bastard Lyon’s face, I was pummeling.Next to me, Joel sat fuming in silence.What the hell was I supposed to make of this? How far would I be able to go to make sure we didn’t lose our land? I don’t fucking know!“What in the seventh hell does he want, Joel?” I asked Joel, not that he would know. “We don’t have that much capital.”“Fuck him and his mind games. Let’s get in touch with the pack’s lawyer. Should have thought about that sooner. I’ve been meaning to see him about a personal matter as well.” Joel tugged at his unruly red beard.Robert H. Maxwell was our lawyer, a vampire who worked for my father. It wasn’t a bad idea per se, but knowing Maxwell, he would involve my father. But that wasn’t something I wanted. What kind of alpha would I be if I couldn’t take care of matters on my own?“You know what would happen, Joel. Maybe if I just went to the council mys
CassandraConnor was long gone when I finally forced myself awake. The side of the bed was cold, and the room felt lonely without his presence. I scoffed at myself for allowing myself to feel so needy, like I couldn’t breathe without him. I was just setting myself up for disappointment. But last night… Last night was awesome. I never knew sex could be so…heck, I couldn’t even find the words to describe it. He was amazing. Every muscle in my body was still tingling from our night of passion.‘Of course he was. He’s our mate. You feel the mate bond, don’t you, Cassie?’ Sage purred and sighed with contentment.“Don’t know if I can call it that. He is an experienced lover, that’s for sure.” Not that I had any experience. “But will he be faithful to us?” I was still worried about what he felt for Stacey. She was definitely not over him.‘He wasn’t lying when he told you he never slept with her. I told you he wouldn’t.’ Sage was annoyed with me. I felt her coat bristle with it. ‘Stop being
“Yes, indeed.” I fixed Lyon with an unwavering stare as I took my seat with Joel next to me. “First off, Mr. Lyon, I do not take kindly to threats. If you have a problem with me, why not contact me personally instead of sending your lackey to threaten a defenseless girl? I find your methods deplorable, to say the least.”His smile was supposed to be disarming but came across as cold. “A regrettable mistake for which Max was punished.” He went around his desk to place himself in front of me, so I had to look up at him.I didn’t like that, so I stood up, facing him. A movement at the door caught my eye. His bulldogs were ready to defend him, but he waved them down. Joel turned his head to snarl at them.“Let me explain,” he said, all the while keeping eye contact with me. “I purchased that property that same day you arrived there and Max thought you were trespassing.”I lifted a questioning brow, not quite believing him.He continued, “Let’s just say it was an unfortunate case of right
Early the next morning, I dragged myself away to go for a run and train with the guards. I let Cassie sleep in, seeing as I kept her up for most of the night. She was amazing as a lover. Her body responded so beautifully to my every touch. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in enthusiasm, and I was eager to teach her how to please me and give her immense pleasure in return. Both Miles and I were in high spirits when we finished our routine.I was on my way to meet Joel when I saw Stacey heading for the employee bus. Joel waited for me at the car as we were on our way to the offices of Mr. Lyon.“Stacey.” I called out to her.She turned around and greeted me with a smile. I beckoned her to come closer, which she did. I waved the bus driver off.“You can ride with Joel and me. We’ll drop you off.” I told her and kept my tone short. I didn’t want her to read anything else into it.“Oh, well thank you, Alpha,” she said, keeping the smile, but there was a wariness in her green
ConnorI don’t get it. There was no reason to be jealous of Stacey. If that was what all this was about. Was I about to let her walk away from me? Absolutely not!Three strides, and I was alongside her. I bent down and lifted her over my shoulder in a fireman’s grip.“Connor! What the fuck! Put me down.” No matter how she struggled and yelled, I wasn’t about to let that stop me.“Quiet!” I snapped at her, using my alpha command. It worked because her body wilted over my shoulder. Ignoring the grins and knowing glances from pack members I passed, I took the steps two at a time to my rooms.Once inside, I put her down and locked the door. She stood, arms folded and glared at me.“What do you think you’re doing, Connor?”“You’re not leaving here until you tell me what the hell is up with you. And let’s get one thing straight, Cassie. I am your alpha, and I will not tolerate your disrespect. Don’t you ever walk away from me like that again.”“Or what?” she snapped, her eyes glinting with