Dante's POVThree days had passed since I last saw Angelique. Tonight, she would be getting her wolf, and I would finally discover if she was my mate or not. I had been checking in daily with David to inquire about her well-being, but his response remained consistent.She had locked herself in her room and refused to come out, even to eat. David claimed that he kept slipping granola bars underneath the door, but they were starting to pile up on the other side. She was starving herself, and who knew if she was getting any sleep. If she continued down this path, she would end up in the pack hospital. Shifting for the first time was excruciating and exhausting, and it would be even worse for her if she hadn't slept or eaten in three days.Jasmine and I had arranged to visit her after my pack meeting this afternoon. The Alpha from our neighboring allied pack, the SilverClaw Nightwalkers, was in town to discuss the recent surge in rogue attacks. I felt a growing sense of concern as the att
Angel's POVToday was my birthday. Every child grows up wishing and waiting for the day they turn eighteen, but the last week only made me dread it. I spent the last three days telling myself that I couldn't just sleep until this significant change that would potentially ruin my life happened, but the more I said it, the more depressed I felt. I didn't understand how I could sleep so much and still feel like shit. Glancing from my bed, I spotted the stack of granola bars piled near my door. The notion of eating didn't exactly excite me, but my stomach's growls were relentless. Summoning the will to get up, I plopped down on the floor and reluctantly unwrapped one of the bars. With a hesitant bite, I couldn't help but emit a quiet moan of satisfaction. Either I was starving, or this was the best fucking thing I had ever tasted!In no time, a pile of wrappers had accumulated on the floor beside me. I marveled at the fact that I had devoured over ten granola bars in a matter of minutes.
Dante's POVAs we approached the driveway, an intoxicating scent enveloped me, striking me like a brick; it was a delightful combination of strawberries and cream.Mate! Quinn growled possessively in my head. I was frozen in place. Did Angelique get her wolf already? Was she really my mate after all?Yes Dante, she is your mate. Her wolf, Kira, is calling out to me, he confirmed. A surge of warmth spread through my chest. After more than a year of searching, I had finally found my mate. The only concern lingering was how well Angelique would take the news. David had already granted us permission to enter upon our arrival. Jasmine opened the door, and I anxiously trailed behind her. We made our way through the living room, heading towards the kitchen where David was preparing something that emitted a questionable burning odor. I sincerely hoped that whatever the fuck it was, he didn't have plans to serve it to my mate.Suddenly, Angelique appeared at the bottom of the staircase, dr
Angel's POVThe sun had finally set, signaling that I only had a few hours before my first shift. Seated at the kitchen table with Dad and Jasmine, I contemplated the burnt French toast in front of me. Dad side-eyed me, waiting for me to take the first bite. My lack of interest in eating went beyond the inedible food; the look on Jasmine's face mirrored my reluctance. Dante's inexplicable reaction lingered in my mind, leaving my heart shattered and Kira mysteriously absent. I knew it wasn't a good idea to ask Jasmine about it, she was probably upset that we were mates, so I just drowned in my inner turmoil alone. Dad cleared his throat, his gaze curious and expectant. "So, honey, what are you doing for your birthday?"I couldn't suppress a wry grin. "You mean besides transforming into a giant animal?" I replied, a touch of sarcasm coloring my words."We're actually going to a club tonight," Jasmine blurted out. My head snapped in her direction. "We are?" I asked, my brow furrowing
Angel’s POV I halted in my tracks when I noticed Dante's car in the driveway. Was he truly so repulsed by the fact that I'm his mate that he just abandoned his car here? To make matters worse, we were not only riding in his car, but we were also heading to the very house where I might run into him again, inevitably facing more embarrassment.My bottom lip quavered as I tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. "I-I don't think I can do this," I whisper. Despite being in the process of opening the door on the driver's side, she sighed and abruptly slammed it shut. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me towards the passenger door. "I really don't want to get in the middle of this, but there's no way you're not going to enjoy your birthday because my brother is an idiot." She swung the door open and gestured towards the seat. "Get your ass in the car right now.""But-" Her contorted expression halted the next words on the tip of my tongue. I sighed and slid into the seat. Althou
Dante's POV After completing our patrol with no noteworthy incidents, Rashaad and I returned to the packhouse to get ready. Despite lacking any desire to go out tonight, I knew if I didn't, I would spend all night resisting the urge to run to Angelique and claim her as mine. I shifted back into my human form and quickly pulled on a pair of gray sweatpants. As we strolled through the backdoor into the house, my head snapped in the direction of her captivating scent. It felt like she was nearby—wait, she was here! Was she coming to confront me about what happened earlier? Quinn perked up inside my head. Do you think mate has forgiven us? I don't know Quinn, but I'm begging you...try to control yourself this time. The soft footsteps of Angelique and Jasmine echoed as they descended the stairs. We stood at the bottom, awaiting their arrival. As Angelique came into view, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. The outfit she wore mirrored the one from the mall a few days ago, but she s
Dante’s POV Find our mate now. Quinn growled. She isn't marked, another male could steal her from us! Chill Quinn, no one would be stupid enough to try that, I said, attempting to reassure both him and myself. How would they know she belongs to us? Our scent isn't even on her, he retorted. I sighed aloud. Look, we'll figure it out as we go. Angel isn't the kind of girl to go around looking for attention, so I doubt that will happen. You're playing a dangerous game, Dante. I don't want to have to kill one of our pack members tonight. I know, I snapped, pushing him to the back of my mind. Judging by the looks exchanged by Rashaad and Akira, I realized the heated conversation between me and my wolf had allowed our Alpha aura to seep out. Swiftly, I reined it back in, preventing the room's atmosphere from growing heavier. The waitress returned with our drinks, a tall and slender woman with long, blonde hair and blue eyes. Her gaze was filled with lust as she set down the si
Angel's POVHe's here! Kira exclaimed in my head.I was starting to get used to welcoming his scent. It was becoming a comforting familiarity, a sense of home. I knew that was crazy saying that about a guy I just met a week ago, but the mate bond was corrupting my mind. After our encounter in the packhouse, it was his turn to make a move. Even though he was holding back, I knew he wanted me just as badly.I hoped that he would come talk to me tonight. There was obviously a lot we needed to discuss if we wanted to make this thing between us work. Jasmine and I were sitting at our booth when Peach and Mya joined us. All of us were wearing the new outfits we got from the mall the other day. "Sorry we're late, it's packed in here tonight," Mya yelled, quickly sitting down next to me. I could feel Peach's gaze as she scooched in beside Jasmine, but I avoided looking her way. Jasmine enthusiastically applauded, exclaiming, "We all look so fucking hot tonight! We definitely need to take a
Two years later*Dante's POV "Daddy! Daddy!" Aiden squealed as I lifted him into the air. He had my hazel eyes, brown-curly hair, and the cutest button nose. An urgent knock on my office door interrupted our play. "Dante, there has been news of another attack," Akira announced. From the worry lines on his forehead, I could tell this was a big one. "Alpha Brock's entire pack is dead.""Great," I muttered. "Again, Daddy!" the little boy in my lap demanded, pouting his full lips. "Daddy will play with you in a little while. Why don't you go find Mommy and Norah?"I set him down, and watched his cute, little legs carried him out of the room. I waited patiently for a few minutes before mind-linking my queen. You got him? Yep. We're heading to the garden with your mom. So don't get too paranoid with me being gone, okay? There was playfulness in her tone. Okay, be safe. Come inside immediately if you see anything. I love you. I love you too, forever and always. I knew I had been a bit
Justin's POV My fallen brethren lay scattered on the ground, many of them headless or shredded into pieces. The stench of death was horrific, yet no worse than what I endured in the caves. King Jett was a merciless leader, killing anyone who dared question or defy him without hesitation. Although, it did mean plenty of food for us. He never anticipated losing this war. He was too cocky, too blind to see the errors in his plan. Finally, I came upon his body, which was badly burned. I searched for a spot that hadn't been completely barbecued. "You poor, stupid bastard," I muttered, crouching down and shoving the long, thick needle into the back of his thigh. Pulling up the plunger, I drew the dark liquid into the barrel of the syringe. It's finally mine! How dare Jett try to keep this power all for himself!Wrapping a rubber band around my arm, I inserted the needle into a vein. I pushed the plunger down and immediately felt power flowing through me. It was excruciatingly painful ye
Angel’s POVThe weight of betrayal pressed heavily on my heart as a single tear trailed down my cheek. Swiftly, the knife flew from my hand and sliced across David's jugular, and he fell to the ground. Thankfully, Mom landed softly in the grass. David's dark eyes bore into mine, their life quickly fading. "What did you do?" Mom sobbed loudly and uncontrollably as she wrapped her arms around her dead mate. "Mom, are you okay?" I rushed to her side, panic coursing through me. "Somebody call Doctor Johnson! She needs to go back to the hospital now!" Jalen ran a hand through his hair, frowning. "Uh, about that...he's dead. David killed him." "I know damn well with this large pack, we didn't just have one doctor, right?" I screamed, my frustration boiling over. I can't lose her too! I just can't. But Mom's grip tightened on my hand, drawing my attention back to her. "It's okay, honey.""W-What are you talking about?" I stammered. She...she wants to die?"I want to be with him."With
Angel’s POV The adrenaline kicked in as an ear-splitting growl rippled up my throat. I crouched down and launched myself at Jett, determined to free my mate. Jett released Dante and grabbed me just as I was about to maul his face off, holding my face back as I viciously snapped at him. His claws slashed across my cheek, drawing blood, before he flung me aside. I skidded across the forest floor, stopping just before I hit a tree. Through the pain, I gritted my teeth and pushed myself upright, already feeling the wound heal.Dante snarled. Are you okay? I nodded. Just because Jett used my mom's blood to turn himself into a giant demon wolf didn't mean he was invincible. His silver claws still had no effect on me, I just had to keep them away from Dante. Dante, I want you to stand back now. I promise I can take him. Do you trust me? My voice was steady as I met his gaze, willing him to let me do this. A glint of fear flashed in Dante's eyes, but he nodded and retreated to the edge of
Angel’s POV"Where the fuck did Jett go?" Jalen demanded as he jogged back over to us after removing everyone's cuffs. Peach and Mya went to aid the other warriors. The fighting had finally subsided as the remaining rogues were taken to the dungeon. Now, we only had two more bad guys to deal with. Dante, Jalen, Rashaad, Akira, and I followed David's scent trail. The Moonshine spray must've worn off him because I could smell it clearly. Whether I was going to capture or kill him, I hadn't decided yet, but I had time to figure it out. It was surreal being naked around all these men, yet I still felt confident. I guessed this was normal for werewolves anyway."Eww fuck, I just stepped on a dick with my bare foot!" Rashaad suddenly exclaimed. Akira grimaced. "You might want to burn your foot off, man."I glanced down and shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. I pictured it in flames, hoping Jett would soon face the same fate when I sent him back to hell where he belonged
Angel's POVWar broke out right before my eyes. I needed to free Dante and find out where Jett and David ran off to, but the rogues wouldn't stop attacking me. There was an overwhelming number of them everywhere. Our side was working hard to take them down but avoiding their claws made killing them take longer than usual. Dakari and Brock defended the pack members that couldn't shift. Many of them ran into the forest once the fighting started, but Rashaad, Akira, Peach, Mya, and Cassidy remained by the cage, refusing to leave Dante's side. Mya had somehow found Jett's dick knife and started stabbing any rogue that tried to get past to hurt the others. Noah, I can handle myself. Get all of the wolves who can't shift into the dungeon, so they won't get hurt, I ordered. Giving me one last conflicted glance, Noah yipped and took off into the forest. I continued clawing and tearing into flesh, ripping out throat after throat. Blood was being spilled everywhere from both sides, but to my
Dante’s POVAfter Noah bandaged my abdomen, he was in charge of watching us along with another rogue. Nobody had said a word since we were locked in the cell. We all just waited for our inevitable doom that was fast approaching. Hours seemed to past before David came down. "It's time for the ceremony," he announced coldly. Nobody moved a muscle as he entered the cell. He gave everyone another dose of wolfsbane, besides me. Katherine's heart rate had slowed as soon as we came down here, so they finally had Doc take her to the hospital. Who knew if she would survive or not. If she wasn't Angel's mom, I would've wished death on her just so he could suffer. I glared up at him. "How the fuck could you let him do this to your daughter?" I growled, feeling the muscle in my jaw jumping up and down. "It's not personal, punk. I just need my mate back. I would say you'd never understand, but you will after tonight," he snickered. Not persona
Dante's POV "Alpha, are you okay?" Peach asked softly. She was staring at the dark liquid pooling from my wound. "No, he's not okay. We're all going to die!" "Shut up, Rashaad," Akira hissed. I ignored their bickering and even my own searing pain, focusing on the only thing I cared about. My mate and pups were in danger, and there was nothing I could do about it. We were all chained up to the floor in a black van heading back to North Carolina. Jett, David, and Angel rode in a separate van that was leading the way. He sent the rest of his army on foot. I knew Jett wouldn't try to touch her until the mating ceremony, but just knowing that he was alone with her drove me fucking crazy. There was no way I was letting her go through with this. I'd rather die than let her be raped and mated with the devil himself. The sound of Katherine's moans snapped me out of my thoughts. "Angel," she whimpered. "
Angel’s POVA figure came of the shadows, red eyes piercing through the darkness. He was tall with espresso brown skin and long, black dreads. His nude body was rippled with unnatural muscles, even his ankles were bulging with them. He held a silver blade to Dante's throat while maintaining a tight hold around his neck. Kira lurched forward in my mind, ready to tear them apart, but I pushed her back. Growls erupted all around me, everyone's instincts kicking in from the sight of their Alpha in distress. "Don't attack," I said sternly. They only wanted me, so they had nothing to lose killing Dante. More wolves appeared. There was one I recognized, Justin. His hand was gripping Akira's neck while holding a knife at his side. He forced Akira down onto his knees, but he only looked down at the ground. There was not a single trace of fear in his calm and collected features. Noah growled at his brother. He sneered in response. "I'm just finishing the job that you c