Diana POV The morning was like any other morning; walking into the forest, I couldn't help thinking how beautiful our land was. I watch Nathan and Drew race each other up the mountain, laughing at their antics. Suddenly I smell the coppery scent of blood in the air. Inhaling deeply, I follow the smell until it gets stronger. Walking closer, I see Damian and Anthony, two of our scouts who have been attacked and killed inside our borders. Not understanding how our sentinels didn't pick up another pack or rogues scent entering our land, I try to mindlink Jonah, But I am too far away from him. Panicking, I turn and run; I need to find Jonah. Another scent hits me, making me stop and freeze, a witch. I see a witch being pushed towards me, badly beaten and hands bound. Fear courses through my body as I know who is with her. Alpha Michael has used a witch to mask his pack's scent. Smiling cruelly, he shoves the witch towards me. Grabbing me, he tied my wrists together, then turned to fou
Diana povI have been here for a week. I am not allowed to leave the packhouse; Michael won’t let me see Amy; he said I have to prove myself as his Luna before I get any privileges like visitors. What the fuck does that statement mean?. Michael is not like normal werewolves; there is something unbalanced about him, and his behavior is erratic. The mate bond means nothing to him except the belief that he now owns me and can do whatever he wants. Michael alternates his nights between another female and me. Every time he touches me, I feel sick, and my self-loathing grows. My mind screams no, and my body melts at his touch. The bond makes it painful for me when he isn't with me.Michael's side of the bed sinks as he lays down; the stench of pineapple sage and honey clings to him. I don't say anything to him. I am a quick learner; it took me two days to heal after the first time I questioned him about her scent.I lay awake until the sun rises, then quickly leave the bedroom, ensuring I
Layla POVI have been living with Marian for three years. Amy should be here soon; she comes every morning before school. I roll over in bed, saying “NO” and covering my head with my pillow as I hear the excitement in Amy’s voice; I don’t want to get out of bed.“Wake up, Layla. It’s our first day back at school. We are going to rule.” “I hate school, Amy.”“But it's high school, Layla.”“Fine, Amy, I am getting up.”She laughs as she walks out of my room. It is not unusual for Amy to have breakfast with Marian and me; she is here early most mornings. I put on my favorite blue jeans and a t-shirt, slipping my feet into my sneakers.I can hear Amy chatting to Marian in the kitchen; Amy stops when she sees me with a horrified expression on her face.“You can't wear that; it's our first day; we need to make an impression.”Marian laughs as Amy drags me back to my bedroom; she digs through my clothes until she finds a white tank top. I snatch it off her and put it on. she hands me a pair
Jackson POVThe female wolf screams when I ask her who she is and what she does on my territory. She has bruises covering her body where someone has beaten her. Jace, my wolf, growls in my head. He hasn't stopped prowling inside me since I first picked up her scent.“What is your name?”She keeps her eyes lowered as she answers,“Nicole”“Where are you going, Nicole?”“I don't know.”I can smell the fear coming from her. She looks at the cave's opening. I smile. She is thinking of running, so I try a different approach, “My name is Jackson.” she shrugs her shoulders, putting her head down.She is not a rogue; that would have been the first thing I would have noticed. “Why don't you come with me so I can help you?”She shakes her head. “No.”“I can make you Nicole.”She glares at me, growling as she tries to stand. I put my hand out to steady her when she flinches, backing away from me. Who the fuck could have done this to her? She is terrified. I keep my distance from her as I say,
Diana POVIt has taken four years, and I finally got to know a few pack members. Michael still controls my movements by demanding I tell him what I have planned for the day. I have his permission to help out at the clinic and see if the pack's elders need anything. I can speak to Amy and Layla now, but only when Marian is with them.Michael left with Grayson and fifty of his warriors earlier this morning. I smirk to myself. He said there had been trouble with rogues attacking smaller packs. I call bullshit on that one. It is Michael attacking the smaller groups and blaming the rogues.I will make sure I am at the clinic when they get home, as they will have wounded wolves that require treatment. I watch as Amy and Layla walk through the school gates; they have become closer as they get older; watching them reminds me of Bethany, my sister, and myself when we grew up.I smile when I see Elder Josie hobbling over to me; she is a lovely old wolf. She would have been a great beauty when
Layla POVI am waiting on the porch for Amy to turn up; we want to celebrate our sixteenth birthday early. Amy was right; we rule the school; it didn't take much to put Sasha and her friends in their place; once they realized I was not going to take shit from any of them anymore, they did what most bullies do and ran. Hearing someone yelling, I see my father leaving Sasha’s house; he is pissed off about something. I duck back inside the house, hoping that he doesn't see me. I survive by keeping out of his sight as much as possible; living with Marian helps keep me safe.Marian is back from her walk, her face is red, and she looks upset,“What’s wrong, Marian?”“Alpha Michael spoke to me, and he insists you move back to the packhouse.”“Why would he want that? Michael doesn't give a shit about me.”“Don't let your father hear you call him by his name Layla. It will make him furious.”I don't intend to let him hear me; it's just my way of telling him to go fuck himself without Michael
Diana POVMichael's last raid was successful, meaning he killed any wolves that did not submit to him. We were busy at the clinic treating the wounded warriors; not one of them would answer any of my questions about where they went or what happened. A few of the older warriors had the decency to look ashamed when I asked them. Michael was furious when he returned home after speaking to Rose. She found her mate amongst the warriors he brought back. I am not sure how I feel about Rose being happy; she has done so much to make my life miserable. Michael and I can't mend the mate bond; it is fractured because of Michael's actions. I would not give Michael a second chance if he begged me.I had mixed emotions about Layla coming home; I wanted her with me, but it will be harder to protect her from Michael. Layla can't do anything right in her father's eyes; he treats her with contempt, trying to crush her confidence every chance he gets. His behavior towards Layla is disgusting.Layla com
Layla POV Amy and I shifted within a week of our sixteenth birthday. My wolf Lea has silver-white fur and emerald green eyes; she is larger than the other female wolves in our pack. If Michael could hear what she thought of him, he would kill me. Lea is sassy and is always up for some mischief. Amy’s wolf is just like her; Ava has black fur and blue eyes, she is smaller than Lea, but her fiery nature makes up for her small stature. It took a while to get used to Lea’s voice constantly in my mind talking to me; she never shuts up. I love the pack runs on a Friday night, Amy and I stay together when we run. We have tripped over so many wolves going at it on the run that we no longer get embarrassed when we see them. Not getting home till late last night, Diana's mind linking me wakes me up, “Layla, you need to wake up; I will come to your room.” “It's Saturday, Diana.” Diana walks into my room, closing the door behind her; she doesn't waste any time. “I wanted to warn you that
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