I’m chasing Ava through the forest. Why is she running from me? “Ava!” I yell to her. She runs even faster. Sprinting at this speed seems effortless. The earth feels so good under my feet. I look down and realize that I must have fully shifted. She’s running from me because I’m trying to kill her.
I wake up screaming in a cold sweat. Reed snaps up and scoops me up into his arms. I’m just sobbing uncontrollably. Seeing myself like that scares me half to death. I’m not a killer. I would never do anything to hurt Ava. She must be wondering where I am. What if she thinks I left?
She knows exactly where you are.
How is he so certain? “The last time I saw her was before I stepped outside for air. I need to go talk to her.” Reed grabs me by the hand as I stand up, “Don’t bother. She’s pissed at you right now.” How would he know that? Oh that’s right, “You can all hear each other but I can only hear your thoughts. How is that fair?” He looks puzzled, “Why is that?” He asks. “I guess I’m just different.” I say.
Ava needs time and you need to meet the Alpha.
I shuffle my feet, “What if he doesn’t approve of me?” Reed lifts my chin with his finger, “He has to.” Part of me actually believes him. The other half thinks he’s going to kill me. “Why would you think that?” Ugh, “I’m just a nervous wreck.” He pulls me in for a hug, “Alpha Wes is gonna let you join the pack.”
“What if he wants to make me the pack slave?” I look to reed. “He can’t do that now. You’re mine and I’m yours.” He points to his neck and mine, “These marks solidify our forever bond. We are fated mates.” While I feel assured, I’m still scared. My stomach is in knots thinking about Ava. “She’ll be fine.” He says.
I shave my legs in the tub. Reed sits on the floor by me. He hasn’t left my side since last night. I kind of like that. He helps me out of the tub and wraps a towel around my body. Reed bites his lip and lifts me up onto the counter top. The towel goes flying. I grip the counter as he finds his way inside of me. He’s looking right into my eyes. Reed moves in and out of me ever so slowly.
The cosmic energy is making me lightheaded. I throw my head back and moan. He goes deeper with every thrust. “Look at me.” He says. “I can’t.” I moan to him. “Aster look at me right now.” I shake my head no. He grabs the back of my head and forces me to look into his eyes as he pounds me harder. “That’s it.” He says. I close my eyes as I’m about to cum. “Look at me!” He yells.
It takes all the strength I have to focus on his eyes. I lose my breath as I’m about to explode. “Come with me.” Reed pulls me off the counter holding my ass with one hand. The other bracing himself against the wall. My head hits the mirror. He holds me down on him and pushes in harder.
Reed and I orgasm together while looking into each others eyes. It’s the most intense feeling. He slowly lowers himself down onto the floor. Somehow he’s still inside of me. He begins to bounce me up and down. “I’m not sure I can take anymore.” I plea to him. Reed flips me over onto my back and spreads my legs.
He puts two fingers into me. I’m so wet from before. He slides in a third. “Ow.” I cry. His hands are huge. Reed puts his tongue into me instead. He’s switching between his mouth and his fingers. “I want you to cum for me again.” He says to me as he rubs his thumb over my clit. “I don’t think I can.” I say. He laughs at me, “Oh is that so?” He fingers me and rapidly rubs my clit.
He flips me over onto my hands and knees. Reed’s ready for round two. He slams his cock into me. My chest is on the floor. I put my head in my hands to brace myself. He yells, “Are you gonna fuckin’ cum for me?” I scream, “Yes!” He slaps my ass hard. “Ow fuck!” He spanks me harder. I can feel my insides start to throb on his cock. “I’m gonna cum.” Reed stops.
I turn to look at him. “Lie down.” He demands. My body isn’t responding quick enough for him. He picks me up and carries me to the kitchen table. Reed clears everything off with one hand. Laying me down with the other. He takes a seat as if he’s about to eat a meal. I spread my legs for him. He reaches under me and pulls me into his face. “Oh my god. That feels so fucking good.” I yell to him.
Aster I want you to cum in my mouth.
I’m going to hell. I put my hand on his head to guide him. He likes that. I rub my clit with my other hand. Reed stops me and takes over. I prop myself up onto my elbows so I can watch him. I shake my head, “Don’t stop. Here it comes.” I fall flat onto the table. He moans and grunts as I explode all over his face. My whole body quivers as I scream, “Fuck yes. Oh Shit Reed… Damn!” I breathe.
He stands up and gently places his hands on my hips, “You taste so good. I could eat you all day.” I laugh, “Please don’t. I can’t take anymore.” He helps me sit up. Reed holds my head in his hands and kisses me so softly. “Go get cleaned up. It’s time to meet the Alpha.” He says. I look at him dumbfounded, “I just showered.” He smiles, “Now you smell like sex. Not a great first impression.”
Alpha Wes has deep green eyes with speckles of black and yellow. Reed and I stand together in the the middle of his stone chamber. Why did I agree to enter this man’s basement? It’s beyond me. Maybe this is where he sacrifices people. Shit. What if he can he hear me? Can you hear me? Alpha Wes says nothing. Either he’s got quite the poker face or he can’t hear my thoughts.Aster stay calm it’s going to be okay.I look at Reed. Does Alpha Wes know that we hooked up? Reed nods. I roll my eyes. Great. That’s just what I need. This guy is just gonna think the worst of me. I’m just some whore from the streets to him. Now he’s gonna think I’ll make a great pack slave for sure. Might as well just break out the shackles already.Aster!The energy in this room is dark. I nonchalantly move my eyes all around. I’m looking for my escape route. “What’s your name?” Alpha Wes is just a few feet in front of me. “Aster.” He steps a foot closer, “Where are you from?” Breathing in slowly, “Massachusetts
Reed is visibly upset with me. “I’m sorry.” I put my hand on his face. “You should have told me.” He turns away from me. “Ava told me not to. She convinced me that the pack would want me dead if they found out.” He looks at me and then back to the sky, “She’s right.” I walk towards the bar with fear in my eyes. “There’s only so much I can do to protect you Aster.”Instead of going in I walk around the side of the packhouse. “Where are you going?” Reed asks me. “The ocean.” I say as I head to my car. “But Alpha Wes just told you to work With Ava in the bar.” I look back to Reed, “I need to clear my head. The last twenty-four hours were a lot. I’m going.”Ava walks out of the back door. She looks at me and then to him, “Hey Reed you think you can cover for me for a couple of hours?” He looks confused, “Why where are you going?” Ava smiles, “To the beach.” My stomach just flipped. Reed looks at me. “It’s okay. We have some catching up to do.” He looks at us like we’re both insane, “Whate
Staring out into the deep blue sea. Thunder clouds begin to form in the sky. “Alpha Wes is my father?” Ava stands tall next to me, “Yes.” I question her, “You’re absolutely sure of that?” She nods once more, “Luna Bernie knew your mother when she was with Alpha Wes.” I’m trying to wrap my mind around all of this knowing I have to return to the packhouse. Pretending I know nothing.“Alpha Wes brought your mother here to meet his father. At the time Gavin was the Alpha. He knew your mother was a witch right away. He could smell it.” I recall, “My mother wasn’t a witch.” Not that I can remember. “She was born a witch. Clea didn’t have to practice magic. She had the blood of a Harlow.” I’m a Harlow too, “How did Alpha Wes not smell it on me?”Ava shrugs, “That I don’t know. But we should start heading back before they realize we’re gone.” She turns to walk back to the car. I grab her by the wrist to swing her back to me. “Is there anything else that you’re hiding from me?” Ava pulls her h
I’m pretty sure I’m dead. I prop myself up onto my elbow in a puddle of blood. There’s bits and pieces of torn up flesh surrounding me. I look down at my hands, and there’s dirt underneath my fingernails. Where the fuck are my clothes? There’s blood splatter all over me. My heart is beating out of my chest. I draw my hands near my face, and watch as blood trickles down my arm. That’s not my blood. My mind is racing, and I can only concentrate on one single action. Run. I’m barefoot running through the forest. I can’t remember how I got here, but I know I gotta get the fuck out. My legs are moving faster than my feet. I can’t keep up. Shit. I fall to the ground and quickly bounce back up into my sprint. The rocks and roots under my feet don’t even hurt. I reach the highway. My car is parked diagonally on the shoulder. The driver’s side door is open, and the interior lights are on. Thank God it’s barely sunrise. I pop my trunk, grab my skate bag and dig through my roller derby gea
Driving from coast to coast is as daunting as it seems. I feel trapped in this car. My skin itches in places I can’t reach. I feel both headstrong and psychotic at the same time. I’ve been driving for four days, sleeping when I can, barely eating or sleeping. I can’t shake the sight of all the blood. What happened back there? That wasn’t me. I would never kill anyone. The flashes could be dreams. Just figments of my fucked up imagination. My head hurts, and my eyes feel like sand was thrown in them. I’m exhausted, staring blankly out the window. Wondering what it is I could have done. I killed a person. An actual human being with a bleeding heart. What if I’m not human? Somehow I manage to put that thought out of my mind. There’s a gas station on the side of the highway up ahead. I’ll pull in there. I gotta take a piss, and grab some water. Maybe a bite to eat. There’s a strange man staring at me in the car next to me. He glances over and raises his eyebrows. Gross. I reverse o
Ava’s beast of a boyfriend is gaining on us. Every turn I take, I think I’m gonna lose him, but he finds me. It’s almost as if he knows where I am at all times. Not me, Ava. “Does he have a tracker on you or something?” I ask her in a fury. She doesn’t answer but it looks like she wants to. He’s right behind me now. I only have a few options here. Maybe this isn’t my mess, and I don’t want to get involved. I could stop right here and kick her ass to the curb. Ava grimaces in my direction. It’s almost as if she can hear what I’m thinking. “Yeah, I sure can.” She blurts out. “What the fuck?” I say back, confused. Something shifts in my soul. My head feels funny. I feel Ava’s presence in a way I’ve never felt before. “If we don’t get away from him, he’s going to kill me.” She stares out the back window. My car can go faster. “He’s not going to get to you Ava.” I throw my car in high gear. “I won’t let him kill you.” Rain starts to fall. Perfect. I’m cornering my ride like it’s on rails
Everything in my gut is telling me that Ava is special, but I need to be careful. She’s staring straight into my soul. It’s like we’re already connected. This has to be a dream. She shakes her head no. I look into her eyes, and I’m melting. We’re about the same height, she’s just a bit shorter than I am. Ava leans over the console. She carefully reaches her hand up and cups my face. This feels so natural, but I don’t even know her. She puts her lips on mine. I freeze in this moment. No thoughts. Just her tongue in my mouth. She bites my lip gently as she pulls away. Ava manages to act shy and tucks her hair behind her ears. “So where are you going exactly?” She asks me. I question whether she already knows. Perhaps not. “California. The ocean is calling me. What about you, where’s home?” Maybe she’s from here. Then again how could a dry ass desert produce such a precious gem of a mermaid? She curls her long red hair around her fingers, and smiles again. “I live in Malibu actually. I
The glowing yellow super moon shines bright over the mountains of the Mojave Desert. I feel like I’m on autopilot. Ava is fast asleep, her head rests on the window. I can’t stop thinking about her even though she’s right next to me. It pains me to think that beast wants to hurt her. I will always protect her. I’m trying to keep myself awake with music. My eyes keep drifting off the road. I may not be able to stay awake. She depleted my energy with her fingers. I pull into the Joshua Tree National Park. There’s a few dirt roads off to the side before the main park entrance. I roll my car quietly behind a cluster of rocks and trees. My head is swimming with thoughts. I turn off my engine, and carefully pull my tarot cards out of the glove box. Ava doesn’t even move. She’s out cold. I step out, and shuffle my deck. The Eight of Cups flips onto the hood of my car. The illustration is perfect. There’s eight cups stacked carefully on the ground. A man is walking away from them towards the
Staring out into the deep blue sea. Thunder clouds begin to form in the sky. “Alpha Wes is my father?” Ava stands tall next to me, “Yes.” I question her, “You’re absolutely sure of that?” She nods once more, “Luna Bernie knew your mother when she was with Alpha Wes.” I’m trying to wrap my mind around all of this knowing I have to return to the packhouse. Pretending I know nothing.“Alpha Wes brought your mother here to meet his father. At the time Gavin was the Alpha. He knew your mother was a witch right away. He could smell it.” I recall, “My mother wasn’t a witch.” Not that I can remember. “She was born a witch. Clea didn’t have to practice magic. She had the blood of a Harlow.” I’m a Harlow too, “How did Alpha Wes not smell it on me?”Ava shrugs, “That I don’t know. But we should start heading back before they realize we’re gone.” She turns to walk back to the car. I grab her by the wrist to swing her back to me. “Is there anything else that you’re hiding from me?” Ava pulls her h
Reed is visibly upset with me. “I’m sorry.” I put my hand on his face. “You should have told me.” He turns away from me. “Ava told me not to. She convinced me that the pack would want me dead if they found out.” He looks at me and then back to the sky, “She’s right.” I walk towards the bar with fear in my eyes. “There’s only so much I can do to protect you Aster.”Instead of going in I walk around the side of the packhouse. “Where are you going?” Reed asks me. “The ocean.” I say as I head to my car. “But Alpha Wes just told you to work With Ava in the bar.” I look back to Reed, “I need to clear my head. The last twenty-four hours were a lot. I’m going.”Ava walks out of the back door. She looks at me and then to him, “Hey Reed you think you can cover for me for a couple of hours?” He looks confused, “Why where are you going?” Ava smiles, “To the beach.” My stomach just flipped. Reed looks at me. “It’s okay. We have some catching up to do.” He looks at us like we’re both insane, “Whate
Alpha Wes has deep green eyes with speckles of black and yellow. Reed and I stand together in the the middle of his stone chamber. Why did I agree to enter this man’s basement? It’s beyond me. Maybe this is where he sacrifices people. Shit. What if he can he hear me? Can you hear me? Alpha Wes says nothing. Either he’s got quite the poker face or he can’t hear my thoughts.Aster stay calm it’s going to be okay.I look at Reed. Does Alpha Wes know that we hooked up? Reed nods. I roll my eyes. Great. That’s just what I need. This guy is just gonna think the worst of me. I’m just some whore from the streets to him. Now he’s gonna think I’ll make a great pack slave for sure. Might as well just break out the shackles already.Aster!The energy in this room is dark. I nonchalantly move my eyes all around. I’m looking for my escape route. “What’s your name?” Alpha Wes is just a few feet in front of me. “Aster.” He steps a foot closer, “Where are you from?” Breathing in slowly, “Massachusetts
I’m chasing Ava through the forest. Why is she running from me? “Ava!” I yell to her. She runs even faster. Sprinting at this speed seems effortless. The earth feels so good under my feet. I look down and realize that I must have fully shifted. She’s running from me because I’m trying to kill her.I wake up screaming in a cold sweat. Reed snaps up and scoops me up into his arms. I’m just sobbing uncontrollably. Seeing myself like that scares me half to death. I’m not a killer. I would never do anything to hurt Ava. She must be wondering where I am. What if she thinks I left?She knows exactly where you are.How is he so certain? “The last time I saw her was before I stepped outside for air. I need to go talk to her.” Reed grabs me by the hand as I stand up, “Don’t bother. She’s pissed at you right now.” How would he know that? Oh that’s right, “You can all hear each other but I can only hear your thoughts. How is that fair?” He looks puzzled, “Why is that?” He asks. “I guess I’m just
I’ve never believed something so complicated before. It sounds insane. He doesn’t even really know me. “I know enough.” Reed speaks but it’s not just his words that I hear. His soul is speaking to me on another level. I see his eyes glowing amber in the moonlight. I’m not as scared as I should be. There’s an instant trust between us. I can feel his energy in a way that I can’t with Ava.His brows furrow, “Ava?” Shit! I carefully say, “I’m still not used to everyone being able to hear my thoughts.” Reed looks to the moon in deep thought. I peer down to my feet trying to focus on the rain. Images from the past few days flash through my mind. “You can’t be with her anymore.” He looks down at me.“What do you mean? You don’t own me. You can’t tell me who I can and can’t sleep with.” He backhands me across the face, “I just did.” The pain I feel from the blow is more than just physical. All of my emotions are raging. I’m anxious and disappointed. I also want to knock him out. “Go ahead!” H
My anxiety is so bad that I feel like I’m going to throw up. “Aster close your eyes and breathe with me.” Ava takes my hands into hers. We’re standing at the end of a dirt road. She inhales slowly through her nose and exhales through parted lips. I take in a few deep slow breaths.My boots crunch through the gravel. Spectacular rays of orange and purple bathe clouds in color. This is a beautiful location for the packhouse. We’re about ten minutes away from the coast and thirty to the city. I like what I’m seeing but the energy is off. She’s attempting to sneak me into the packhouse slowly. I think about running back to my car to escape. But I breathe in my fear instead.“Welcome to The Barking Moon.” Ava says majestically. I throw a salty stare her way, “You didn’t mention a bar.” She smiles, “You never asked.” I could go for a drink. Ava douses me in her perfume. “What the fuck are you doing?” She sprays my whole body, “I don’t want any of them to pick up your scent.” I’m lost, “Do I
The thought of being a slave doesn’t sound appealing at all. I can’t believe that werewolves choose to do this willingly. I’m driving angry. I need to slow down. Ava stares out the window with her headphones on. I don’t want to be a pack slave if that really means I’d just be passed around. Sounds more like I’d just be the pack slut. I’m sure some girls would kill for that. Not me.Ava says I could be her slave, but would the pack be okay with that? Would they cut me a break and just allow me to be at the hands of the gamma. What if the Alpha doesn’t approve of me? Lots of questions are running through my head and I need them to be answered but I’m not even sure I’d get the whole truth out of Ava. There’s something about her that just seems so selfish.I’m head over heels for her, but I fear that she’s not exactly who she says she is. Or maybe that’s just how I feel because I have major trust issues. It’s probably because she can hear everything I’m thinking, and I can’t hear her at a
Ava is asleep in my arms. I carefully free myself from her. I’m feeling disoriented and sore. Looking in the bathroom mirror I can see that it clearly wasn’t a dream. There’s a few scratches and light bruising on my neck. I sit in the tub and let the shower water fall on me like a rain storm. For a moment I get lost in the thought of this being some kind of forever. I shuffle my tarot cards on the coffee table. My heart thinks it’s possible for me to have some kind of a happy life with Ava. The World and the Ten of Cups. I shake my head. It’s like these cards are mocking that very thought. They show me harmonious happiness along with achievement and completion. If only life could truly be that easy. I watch Ava sleep for a few minutes. She’s absolutely everything I never knew I wanted. I know I could love her. There’s a cosmic connection here for sure. Some people never know a love like this. Ava could leave tomorrow but yet ten years from now if I saw her, I know I’d feel the same.
My skin crawls. I don’t want to answer the door. Ava is naked standing right in front of me. The knocking gets louder. I’m caught up in the moment and the person on the other side of the door is uninvited. My fangs burst through my gums. I can feel my vision change. My claws launch out of my fingertips. The soap drops from my hands. Ava looks half worried but I’d never hurt her. I raise my hands to her waist. She slides the shower curtain open. I see my half wolf self in the mirror. “Holy fucking shit.” I can’t believe what I’m seeing. There’s no hair growth. No wolf snout. My eyes are glowing so bright I imagine they can be seen in the dark. The knocking on the door makes me growl. I didn’t know I could even do that. “I kind of like it.” She puts her finger on my nose, “Stay here. I’m going to answer the door.” Ava puts on a robe. When the fear of who could be at the door kicks in, I become human again. Or whatever I am. What am I? Am I even human? I don’t even know. The only thing