Jackson POV My brother met my Beta Carter and me just outside Lucian's border; I didn't want to be here for too long; Lucian and I have never agreed on anything. He is a pathetic Alpha, and his views regarding she-wolfs are outdated, bordering on slavery for all females except his precious Luna, who I am yet to meet. Leon growls when I approach him, saying, “About fucking time you showed up, Jackson.” “You could have gone in without me, Leon; you didn't have to wait.” “Not a chance in hell I am not listening to that stupid prick by myself.” We are surrounded by his warriors as soon as we enter Lucian's border. I laugh and mind link Leon, “Something has got him riled up. Has he never put on a show of strength like this before?” “Pretty piss poor one at that we could take these pricks out with our hands tied behind our backs.” I laugh. Leon already knows I will fade into the background and leave the talking up to him. That way, I can observe everyone in the room without them
Layla POVI don't have a destination in mind when I leave the hospital; Lea’s voice enters my mind. It's obvious she is pissed off at me when she says,“You should not have walked out on our mother, Layla.”Rolling my eyes at her, I don't answer. She growls deep in my head before moving to the back of my mind.Lea is correct, but I always need time to process new information. Rushing into things has never been my style, and if I get too angry with no outlet, I usually cry like a baby.When I reach the stream behind Nathan's parent's cottage, I remove my sneakers and put my feet in the water. It is so peaceful here; the animals playing in the woods and the water from the waterfall are the only sounds that reach my ears.I need to put my big girl panties on and take control of my life; the first thing on the agenda is to get my mother and Alec out of that hospital; keeping a little boy locked in one room is cruel. I pick my shoes up and make my way to Marian’s house.Diana is smiling as
Sasha POV Dating Jacob was the best thing I could ever have done. Like most unmated male wolfs, he always thought with his dick. Because of Jacob, I have met most of the scouts from surrounding packs, so I can enter many territories without being stopped. On the odd occasion, I get questioned, it is easy to manipulate the situation. I am an incredible lay, good-looking, and with a great body. The small head always clouds their judgment. I followed Drew once the attack was over. When I saw Amy was still alive, I was irritated but willing to let it go as she is a nobody, it irked me a bit that Drew seemed interested, but again I am adaptable and set my sights higher. Nathan will do; he is good-looking enough, and being an Alpha definitely adds to his appeal. Winding my way through the trees, I pick up the scent of wolves; I slow down as a male-female and pup approach Nathan’s border. It isn't long before Nathan and Drew come; Drew leads the female away. The male doesn't get to say any
Nathan POVI have doubled the patrol around our territory and sent my scouts further afield, so we are warned when Nicole's mate turns up. He is coming; there is no doubt in my mind. I can't fault him for wanting to find his family; I would move heaven and hell to find Layla if someone took her. I rub her back as I say,“Layla, sweetheart, wake up.”She moans, moving closer to me,“It's too early, Nathan; come back to bed.”I would love to crawl back into bed with her, but trying to stop Neo from claiming her is torture. I shake her again. My voice is rougher than I intended when I say,“Layla, you need to get up; I only have a couple of days to show you everything you need to know before Jackson attacks.”She sits up, rubbing her eyes, “I’m awake. Just let me have a shower, and I am all yours.”I groan. My eyes travel along Layla’s body; not yet, you aren't, but you soon will be. Neo’s laugh fills my mind; Layla thinks I’m bad. If she knew what Neo wanted to do to her, she would run
Maree POV“I am not coming with you, Lucian.”The muscle in his jaw pulses as he growls,“You have no choice, Maree; Isaac is our son.”“Isaac is not my son Lucian; he is your son. There is no need for me to go with you.”He growls, grabbing me by my arm and pulling me roughly against him as he sneers,“Just remember you are fucking dispensable, Maree; if you don't come, I will reject you, and you can get the fuck off my territory.”He laughs as he cups my face in his hand and slaps my cheek repeatably; it doesn't hurt; he means it as a warning. He moves his hand, gripping me under the chin, forcing me to look up at him as he sneers,“You have one week to pack your shit; if you are not ready, I will drag you out of this fucking house by your hair and throw you in the fucking car myself.”I sit in his office and bow my head, hiding the tears pooling in my eyes; my body trembles with fear; my life is falling apart. It's not fair; Lucian has never treated me like this. He can't find out
Sasha POV The shock on Isaac's face is the reaction I was hoping for; I let my shirt slip off my shoulder, exposing more of my scar, and clutch at his chest. “Please help me, Isaac.” He runs his hand through his greasy black hair before he sits next to me, asking, “Does anyone else know your Michaels daughter Sasha?” “No, Michael said he would kill me if I told anyone.” “What about Layla?” My voice trembles with fear as I say, “She treated me like her personal slave Isaac; the lies she told about me caused everyone in our pack to hate me.” He looked puzzled, frowning at me, and asked, “Then why not leave her where she is and let her suffer? Why should we help her?” I whimper and whisper, “I thought you loved me?” “I do, Sasha, but we can claim this territory as ours.” I smother the growl that rises from my chest, gritting my teeth. Losing my temper won't get me anywhere, so I cover my face with my hands and sob loudly. Isaac moves closer to me, and I sink into his arms a
Jackson POV Jace growls when we lose Nicole's scent again, it feels like I have been running around in circles for days. My head feels like it will explode; controlling my temper is impossible. Where the fuck has the mutt taken my family? It would have damn near killed Nicole if she had to carry Alec all this way. Kyle’s voice enters my head, “We have something over here, Alpha.” I shift, running to his location; he is bent over, looking at something on the ground. As I get closer, the scent of Nicole's blood fills my nose. Jace knocks Kyle out of the way. His fur bristles as he growls; I take back control before he attacks Kyle and shift back into my human form. The ground has been disturbed, showing signs of another struggle. Fear for my mate and pup gnaws at my insides, causing a knot to form in my gut. The only thing that keeps me sane is the blood on the forest floor is fresh, and it's a small amount. Jace settles back down again as Kyle motions me to his side; he has found N
Layla POV Nathan and I have not been able to spend any time alone since he started preparations for Jackson's attack. Lea's voice has been grumbling in my head all morning. “We should just mark him and be done with it, Layla.” “No, Lea, he can't afford any distractions right now.” She snorts, rolling her eyes as she recedes to the back of my mind. I understand her frustration. Nathan's scent makes my mouth water; the thought of not having him beside me is terrifying. I just want all this over and done with so we can start our life together, the idea of having a pup of my own has never been something I had thought about before I met Nathan, but now I cant wait to have a family with him. I won't lie; I am still angry about not fighting alongside him, but mom has assured me she will be able to stop Jackson from attacking us. My heart starts to race; my breathing quickens; fear consumes me. I know it because I am scared that I will lose Nathan. I whisper a little prayer to the moon-g
Darius POV Ellie and Beth have just turned five, and watching my daughters interact with the other children in our pack never ceases to surprise me. Whenever the older pups get into an argument, you can guarantee that Ellie is standing in the middle of them, trying to calm everyone down. Beth always stands beside Ellie with her fists clenched, ready to step in if anyone gets too close to her sister. We always knew Ellie would be our diplomat; her calming nature can diffuse just about any situation in which the girls may find themselves. If Ellie can't get through to the other pups, you can guarantee Beth; our warrior, will take control and step in. Beth watches her mother train with the warriors every afternoon, mimicking Layla’s movements; we are trying to delay letting her train with the older pups. But it is getting harder and harder to refuse her, especially when we know what our daughter's future holds for them. Ellie and Beth are highly protective of their little brother; they
Layla POVAll the pups that Willow brought with her now have homes; it never ceases to amaze me how quickly children can adapt to new surroundings. Willow and Riley have marked each other. Willow is a beautiful she-wolf with a loving nature; Riley and Willow are perfect for each other. Darius and I are on our way to my territory; Anita has gone into labor, and Diana is there, but both Zach and Anita have asked if I could be with her in case Zach passes out as Drew did. Our baby is due in a couple of weeks; I feel like a baby elephant these days; my feet are swollen most days, and getting up off the floor never ceases to have Ellie and Beth giggling uncontrollably. We have everything set up for when our pup arrives; I don't mind admitting that I have told Diana to bring any pain relief she can get her hands on when my time comes. I smile when we pull up out front of the packhouse; Zach's pacing frantically in the front yard; he turns toward us and approaches the truck opening my door
Darius POV I wake up in a foul mood; my eyes feel like someone has tipped a bucket of sand in them. Layla is sound asleep beside me; I untangle my body from hers and throw a pair of jeans on before going downstairs. No sound comes from the loungeroom where the pups and Willow are sleeping. I go to the kitchen and make a coffee before going to my office. I go to stand when I hear footsteps getting closer to my office; the door opens, and my eyes widen in shock when Riley enters and sprawls out on the couch opposite me. He rakes his hand through his hair as he says, “I need to talk to you.” I smirk at him and reply, “That's obvious, or you wouldn't be here this morning.” He shakes his head and chuckles nervously as he says, “I need your advice.” I groan, “Please don't tell me you have gotten one of the she-wolves you sleep around with pregnant.” Riley snorts as he says, “If only it were that simple.” I frown; this is serious; it looks like I am not the only one who
Layla POV It had only been a couple of weeks since Soren, Nathan, and Teena came to our territory. It's early on a Saturday morning, Darius and I are still in bed, our pack run was the previous night, and as always, after our packs ran together, we had a bbq. It was a bit of a struggle getting so many wolves in one place, but somehow we always managed to pull it off. Since it's not safe for pregnant females to shift, I waited at home with Ellie, Beth, Amy, Abbie, and the younger members of our packs. Darius and I usually lead the run, he wanted to stay at home, but I didn't see the sense of both of us missing out on one of the things we loved. We have added two toddler beds in the nursery for Ellie and Beth; Darius and I are lying in bed arguing over baby names; we have only just agreed on Bohdi as a boy's name. Choosing a girl's name is becoming impossible. I chuckle when I hear the pitter-patter of two pairs of feet as they run toward us. Ellie and Beth have started climbing int
Layla POV I froze when Teena stood up and went to follow me inside. Did I want this woman in my home? Lea’s voice entered my mind as she said, “Teena and Soren won't harm Ellie and Beth.” I nod and motion her to follow me; Alec is playing with the girls in the lounge room. I pick Ellie up. Teena looks at me and asks, “Can I pick this little one up?” I can see the shock in Darius’s eyes when I say “Yes” Lea had already told me Teena was a witch; as long as she wasn't here to harm my babies, I couldn't care what species she was. When we entered the kitchen, Teena said, “You are pregnant. Would you like to know if you are having a boy or girl?” I shake my head and answer, “No, Darius and I are happy to wait until our pup arrives.” She nods, helping Diana, Abbie, and I carry the food to the porch. Darius has already taken the girl's chairs outside; mom pulls a chair close to her and narrows her eyes at Alec as she says, “Behave yourself, or you will be eating inside
Darius POV We knew Soren and his companions were coming; our patrols spotted them two days before they reached our border. I mind-linked our warriors and told them not to stop him from crossing the border. Alec, Beth, and Ellie were to remain inside the house with Diana and Abbie while they were here until told otherwise. Sebastian was staying on Layla’s territory with her wolves. Everyone was to remain on high alert in case of any trouble, we weren't expecting any, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Lea has already alerted Layla that Alpha Soren would arrive within the next thirty minutes. Layla has set up a meeting area on the porch, she refuses to allow him to enter our home. Zach, Riley, Jackson, Nicole, Leon, and Kyra are already here, and Drew and Amy are on their way over now. Its have been raining non-stop since yesterday, so they would have to walk a fair distance up the mountain; my patrol mind links me and says, “They have pulled the cars off the road and coming
Soren POV The wolves Teena let into my territory have been here for two days; they have recovered from the wounds, and I intend to speak to them today. Teena and I have been in my office since dawn; she sits opposite me, holding a cup of coffee in both hands. I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest and ask, “What did you see?” She frowns as she says, “Nathan was an Alpha before he came here; he has made terrible mistakes in his past and is trying to compensate for the hurt he has caused the ones closest to him.” I nod, looking at her; Teena seems tired. I growl before saying, “And you still want to claim him as your mate?” She nods her head “Yes” and replies, “Everybody makes mistakes, Soren; you know that.” I snort, “That may be so, but it's too dangerous for you to leave here without me.” She chuckles as she says, “Mark my words Soren; Nathan will denounce his title as Alpha and stay here with me.” I roll my eyes at her and say, “Your very con
Layla POVIt's been a couple of days since Josie’s visit. Darius and I have been awake for hours, I get out of bed, and as soon as I place my feet on the floorboards, the room starts spinning. I run to the bathroom, kneel in front of the toilet, and empty the contents of my stomach. I groan, resting my head in my hands until the room stops spinning. I use the vanity to pull myself off the floor and step gingerly into the shower turning the water on so I can have a shower. I stay under the water until I feel better and wrap a towel around myself as I leave the bathroom.Darius is resting against the headboard of the bed with a frown on his face as he asks,“Are you ok, sweetheart, your not making yourself sick worrying about what Josie said?” I sit beside him and rest my head against his shoulder as I say, “Maybe I don't know Darius?”He wraps his arms around me as he whispers, “I wasn't joking when I said I would kill anyone who hurt our girls, Layla.” I sigh, looking up at him, a
Alpha Soren I haven't had anything to do with my family for years; I left home at sixteen and have remained hidden for the last twenty years. The politics of my brother's court sickens me; I had many wolves loyal to me and have built my pack from two thousand wolves to five thousand wolves; we choose to stay hidden. My brother has no idea where I am, and I intend to keep it that way. My brother Phillipe is an evil prick and wouldn't hesitate to kill my mate and my children if he knew our whereabouts. I wrap my arms around Tatiana, holding her close to my chest as the sobs wrack her petite frame; I can smell the fear seeping from her as she murmurs, “What are we going to do, Soren?” I kiss the top of her head as I reply, “I will never let anyone hurt our daughter Tatiana.” My sister Teena has just placed Octavia in her cradle; she smiles at me sadly as she leaves my bed chamber. Octavia is a beautiful baby. She will grow into a beautiful woman just like her mother; the corners