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
Angel’s POV Our eyes locked, and Dante came to an immediate stop. Peach shot me a triumphant smirk, as though she had just won a contest I didn't even know I had entered. Kira's whimpers echoed loudly in my head, intensifying the pain coursing through my entire body. Urgency to escape surged within me. Without a second thought, I spun on my heels and sprinted in the opposite direction, forcefully maneuvering through the dense crowd. I could feel him following me, but I had no time to confront him about what I just saw him doing. Why should I care anyway? He's not mine.You're about to shift, Angel! Kira warned urgently. Despite the lingering pain she felt from witnessing Dante with another female, we had bigger problems to worry about. I swiftly located the exit and pushed through the door. As I stepped outside, a gasp escaped me; it felt as though I could no longer breathe.I felt his presence right behind me. The pain was excruciating, but I was adamant about keeping him at a dist
Dante's POVAngel trailed behind me into the woods. Running in her wolf form proved challenging; she occasionally stumbled over her own paws yet managed to keep up with me. Quinn was happy to finally run alongside our mate. The air carried the scent of fresh earth and pine, and the nocturnal creatures began to stir. Sticks and leaves crunched beneath our paws as we raced through the trees, the moonlight casting a gentle glow on our thick fur.W-Where are we going? She panted through the mind-link.You'll see when we get there. Try to keep up, little wolf. I sped up a little bit, looking back to make sure she could keep up. This was nowhere near my usual Alpha speed, but since this was her first run, I would take it easy on her. We ran for a while until I found the area I was looking for; the place where I came to clear my head. The trees gradually vanished, giving way to smooth, solid rock. I brought myself to a stop as we reached my favorite cliff. Here, the moon seemed to shine the
Dante’s POV Jasmine immediately rushed out of the house. "Dante, who's here?" she shouted. About to step off the porch, she was knocked backward by a large, gray-scraggly wolf. The second wolf emerged from the left, prompting my poor little mate to shriek. Both wolves turned their attention to Angel and me, baring their ivory canines and growling viciously. Jasmine slowly stood up, holding her side.Are you okay, Jazzy? I asked my sister, concern lacing my words.She met my gaze and nodded. Yeah, probably just a broken rib. Thank Goddess they didn't seem interested in killing her; she would have been gone. Their attention was entirely focused on us. "Stay behind me," I ordered Angel. I wouldn't be able to mind-link the filthy pieces of shit since they weren't in my pack, so I needed to force them to shift. "Why are you here? What do you want?" I growled through my teeth, with Quinn ready to tear their throats out.Rashaad and Akira emerged from the side of the house, their teeth ba