Arabella’s POVAs the priest gave his final blessing, I stood with Margaret at my side. With my mother not turning up, I didn’t want to do this alone. I couldn’t. Together, we walked up to my father's coffin and placed our roses on top, Margaret’s hand growing tighter around mine as I began to tremble.Throughout the entire service, I had somehow remained strong, but now, as I stood by his side, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Bringing my fingers to my lips, I kissed them before lowering them to the pine box that would forever house my father.A part of me wished I’d had the chance to see him in his final moments, but I know in my heart it was better to remember him through my memories. To remember him as the handsome, kind-hearted man he was and would always remain. As I looked out over the faces of our pack members, it was clear they felt the same. There wasn’t a dry eye in sight.He should have been buried before now, but I couldn’t change that. All I knew was that now, in
Arabella’s POV“He’s a friend, happy?”“No, Susie, I’m not happy. There’s more going on, and you know it.” We stood there in silence, but another question sat on the tip of my tongue. It was one I didn’t want to ask but knew I had to. If they had a past, I needed to see if I would have to compete against my friend. “Have you slept with him?”“ARABELLA, NO! That’s disgusting!” I could see her disgust as plain as day, which eased me a little, but that only meant something else was happening.“I’m sorry I needed to ask. If that’s not the secret you’re hiding then what is it? Because I know there’s something.” Shaking her head, she turned her back to me, which left my blood boiling. Letting my temper get the better of me, I gripped her shoulder and forcefully spun her back around.Susie, unimpressed, swung her fist in my direction. Before it could touch me, I grabbed and twisted her arm. As Susie winced, she swept her leg under mine, knocking me down. Growling, I jumped back up and floore
Leo’s POVThe inside of the house was just as quiet and dark as the outside. Before I left for my meeting, the place was more alive than ever, but I had never seen it this way.A flickering light caught my eye as I walked through the foyer and into the corridor that led to the back of the house.“Took you long enough.” His low, gruff voice came from the lounge. Following his voice, I flicked the switch on the wall, allowing the light to illuminate him.My father sat in the leather armchair, an ashtray on one arm and a glass of amber liquid on the other. His hand was tight around it as he held his cigarette between two fingers. The smoke creating a fog-like veil.“I expected you back days ago.” Bringing his cigarette to his lips, he took a long drag, his eyes never leaving mine. His eyes were cold and dark, their warmth gone with my sister.“Something came up.” My father's lips raised at the corners as he huffed, the smoke leaving through his flared nostrils.“You mean your mate? Or yo
Leo’s POV“So why do this to her? She wasn’t the one that wronged you; he was, and you killed him. Why not let that be the end of it?”“Have you not listened to a word I have said? He chose HER OVER ME!” My mother's eyes bulged as her anger grew.“Mother, please… Linda has suffered enough. You lost your fated mate, and it hurt you in ways I wouldn't want to imagine. But you got your revenge when you ended his life. You wanted to hurt Linda because he had a life with her, and you have done that. So please, Mother, just let her go.” Before I could blink, I found myself falling to the ground. Her blade now embedded in my stomach.I tried to remain conscious as my vision began to blur. Every breath I took sent a new wave of pain throughout my body. I hadn’t even noticed my mother standing over me until she pulled the blade free. “You wished to save the enemy, to offer her your sympathy. And now you will suffer beside her, but dear boy, don’t fret, I’ll allow you your chance at saying goo
Arabella’s POVTonight’s full moon was a reminder that no matter how dark things got, there would still be a glimmer of light to shine brightly through.Everyone had something they feared. Loss, love and many other things, but these were all natural reactions, which meant we could overcome them. I had recently experienced loss, and if I were being honest with myself, I’d also found love. Each fear triggered different emotions within us. Some might hide away, cry or even lash out, while others used it to power on and push forward. That’s what I intended to do.I would use the fear of losing those who remained close to my heart to spur me on by turning it into anger—an anger that would give me the strength and courage I needed to get back what was taken.The three of us had remained quiet for the entire journey. Susie’s jaw had twitched non-stop since we left, and each time I looked back at Sara, I found her twiddling with the locket she wore around her neck. However, the silence was sh
Chapter Twenty-One I will fight for you.Leo’s POVThe sounds of howling were short-lived before several loud bangs. It took a while before I realised that the bangs were explosions.The door to the cell flung open as my mother stormed inside. Her white shirt and blue leggings were covered in blood. Whether it was hers or not, I couldn’t tell. Growling, she grabbed the chain around my neck and pulled me to my feet.“This is all your fault! You orchestrated this!” I could taste the venom as she spoke. “It seems your pretty little mate has found our home. How do you think she did that?”“I didn’t…”“LIAR!” She threw me against the wall and turned her attention to Linda.“Please… I beg you.” Linda burst into tears the moment my mother gripped her hair.She pulled her towards me before stepping behind her. Linda’s eyes widened as my mother's fist smashed through her back.“Now this, boy, is all your fault. Should you be lucky enough to see your mate before I end her life, be sure to tell
Chapter Twenty-TwoLeo’s POVIn the midst of the excruciating pain caused by the fracture of our bond, I managed to summon the courage to break free from the suffocating chains that held me captive. A whirlwind of emotions engulfed my being, but anger surged through my veins with an unparalleled intensity. Anger and heartbreak intertwined, threatening to consume me entirely. However, deep down, I understood that I couldn't allow this tumultuous chapter to mark the end of my journey.My mother's petty jealousies orchestrated the chain of events that led to this desolate state. Her inability to let go of the past has left me standing here, a mere fragment of the man I once was. I have lost the one woman who held profound significance in my life, the woman I cherished and adored. But now, she has vanished from my grasp, leaving behind an agonizing void.As my vision blurred with a haze of fury, I charged towards the door that offered an escape from this wretched prison. My chest rose and
Arabella’s POVThe two weeks of enduring my heat had taken a toll on me, physically and emotionally. As the intensity subsided, I began to regain a sense of normalcy, or at least what I thought was normal. But as I pondered the concept, doubts crept into my mind. Is there truly such a thing as being normal? And if so, what does it even mean?The weight of my losses pressed heavily upon me. My parents were gone. My soul mate, the one who was supposed to complete me, was gone. In the midst of this grief and turmoil, I was expected to continue leading my pack as their Alpha. But how could I fulfill that role when I no longer knew who I was?The identity I had built for myself, the confidence and strength that once defined me, felt shattered. I questioned my ability to guide and protect my pack when I felt lost and broken inside. How could I be their leader when I couldn't even lead myself?In the midst of this uncertainty, I knew I had to find a way to rediscover myself, to rebuild my se
Arabella’s POV“Sit on there.” I told Leo pointing to the suede armchair in the corner.Leo didn’t hesitate and sat down as quick as he could having left his suit trousers scattered on the floor.It didn’t matter how many times I’d seen this man naked, I still found every inch of him attractive. If anything after all these years, I loved him more.With Leo sat in the chair, his legs parted, I climbed onto his lap.“I love you.” I whispered against his lips, before lowering myself on to him.Hearing my words Leo leaned forward in the chair wrapping his arms around me, and held me close while I rode him. He matched my rhythm with thrusts of his until I fell from the cliff of pleasure. And then, his thrusts became more desperate as I felt him twitch within me.Having gotten cleaned up and reclaimed our place by the roaring fire, I feel into a deep sleep in the arms of the man I loved.Fifteen years later…15 years later…Many years had passed and our lives had changed in ways we never co
Leo’s POV As I sat there and watched the transfer of Alpha ceremony, memories of the past flooded my mind.The day that Joel came and told me that Ankaras father had chosen him to take over his position as Alpha. Proud didn’t even begin to describe how I felt.But then another, more gruelling memory gripped me, transporting me back to the hospital room where Joel lay battered and broken, fighting for his life after the vicious attack by his own father. The sight of him, bruised and bloodied, had stirred a deep well of anger and sorrow within me, a helpless ache for the pain he had endured. Just thinking about it had my knuckles instantly turning white.The journey from that dark and harrowing day to the present, where Joel stood as a beacon of strength and resilience, had been a tumultuous one. The scars, both physical and mental, bore witness to the battles he had fought, the demons he had faced, and the strength he had summoned to rise above his past.But now, to witness the young
Arabella’s POVFive years later….“We are going to be so late!” I called out, hoping Leo could hear me.“I’m out, and we have time.”“But not a lot. We need to make sure that Miles is ready, and that…” My words were cut off as Leo’s lips suddenly met mine. I had been so focused on rushing around that I hadn’t even noticed he was standing right in front of me.His kiss took me by surprise, but it was a welcome distraction from the chaos of getting ready for the ceremony. As we pulled apart, I couldn’t help but smile at him.Leo grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just trying to calm you down, Arabella. We’ll make it in time, I promise.”I felt a rush of gratitude for him in that moment. Despite the craziness of our lives, he always knew how to bring me back to the present.Taking a deep breath I turned to quickly checked on Miles, who was surprisingly calm and ready to go. His earlier meltdown seemed like a distant memory, as he sat there watching the t.v.As we made our way to
Chapter Ninety-TwoArabella’s POV"Are you sure you're okay about not having a dress?" Sara asked as she finished curling the last strands of my hair."I really am. I love Leo, I love him more than life itself. I don’t want to wait to marry him," I reassured her, smiling at my reflection in the mirror."Well, that's good because he hasn't stopped bloody calling me," Susie's unexpected entrance startled me."I'm sorry I'm late," she added, looking apologetic."We would have been here earlier, but moving cripples me," I heard Trudy's voice before I saw her. And man did my eyes pop."You’re pregnant!" I screeched, spinning in my chair, unable to contain my surprise."I certainly am, and I don’t regret the decision at all," Trudy responded, her gaze locking with Susie's."How? When?" I stammered, still in shock and struggling to process the information."Long story short, we used a sperm donor. Because we both wanted a baby, we implanted one of my eggs into Trudy's womb before the sperm,
Arabella’s POVJoel and I were in the office for ages. At first he ignored me, but when he realised I wasn’t going to leave, he began to listen and we talked. He told me that coming into our family was a mistake, that if Leo and I truly wanted him, then we’d have allowed him to remain in wolf form until after the run. I got what he was saying, but he also had to understand that being given a wolf like Bax… a wolf that can communicate with us at will wasn’t something that happened all the time.Until Leo marked me, I couldn’t communicate with Storm.When I told him of Leo’s fears, Joel began to let up. He began to understand why we asked him to shift back. That, and the fact he was now no longer skinny shocked us.With Joel calmed down, we left my office and headed back into the garden where everyone was waiting.My eyes found Leo within seconds. I watched as he stood from his chair and walked straight over to Joel and I. With our eyes still locked, I glared at him. But thankfully, he
Arabella’s POVThe moment Joel's shift was complete, I sank to my knees. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I took in the sight before me.Joel’s wolf approached me, taking a few steps closer before gently laying down and placing his paw on my lap."Oh sweetheart, you're beautiful," I managed to choke out through my sobs, that were filled with nothing but love and pride for the magnificent creature he had become.I turned to Leo, who was standing behind me, and asked, "Doesn't he look amazing!" Leo nodded in agreement but then took a step forward. With his gaze fixed on Joel's wolf, he gently pulled me back."Can you sense it?" Leo asked, his words leaving me puzzled."Sense what? What are you talking about?" I questioned, rising to my feet."His wolf, its aura," Leo clarified. In that moment, I understood. I had felt a shift in Joel’s aura, but neither I nor my own wolf sensed any threat."Joel, it's time to shift back now, buddy," Leo's voice sounded tense as he called out to Joel.I
Leo’s POV"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Joel, happy birthday to you!" We all sang in unison, our voices filling the room.Joel's face flushed with embarrassment as Kate dimmed the lights, and Arabella emerged, carrying a cake topped with a flickering candles."Make a wish!" Kate called out enthusiastically, but Joel responded with a playful glare. We all shared a laugh as Kate playfully raised her hands in surrender, knowing that the birthday boy was not one for making wishes.Arabella had reluctantly agreed to celebrate Joel's birthday at home, but she made no promises about not participating in the traditional singing over a cake.Cheers erupted as Joel blew out the candles on his birthday cake, a small smile gracing his face. I took the cake from Arabella's hands as Miles began to cry, allowing her to tend to him, but Joel beat her to it."I'll take him, and you go get yourself some cake," Arabella suggested, but Joel declined.“I'll get some in
Arabella’s POVAs time flew by, Joel's sixteenth birthday was just around the corner. While for humans it might have been just another birthday, for our kind, it held far greater significance.His birthday coincided with a full moon, signifying that he would undergo his first shift. Leo had been preparing him for the transformation, emphasising the potential pain that accompanied it. However, we held onto hope that with Leo's Lycan blood coursing through his veins, Joel wouldn’t suffer too much.Despite our initial excitement about throwing a party to celebrate his birthday, he seemed to avoid the topic whenever it was brought up. It wasn't until we sat down as a family to discuss the idea that Joel finally opened up about his reluctance.He revealed that every party he had ever had in the past had been ruined by his father's drunken behaviour. My heart sank as I realised the pain and disappointment that Joel had carried with him from those past experiences.We understood his feelings
Leo’s POVThe following morning, I awoke to a sight that brought a smile to my face. Arabella was leaning over the baby's basket, her finger hovering near his tiny nose as she checked for signs of life. The baby was sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, his heart beating strong and steady.I couldn't help but chuckle at Arabella's motherly paranoia, her need to ensure our son's well-being even in his most peaceful moments. The love and protectiveness she felt for him were evident in every action, every gesture.My laughter caught her attention, and she turned around to find me watching her. In response, she playfully punched my shoulder. With a playful grin, I reached out and gently grabbed Arabella's shoulders, pulling her back towards me. As she turned in my arms, a smile lighting up her face, she snuggled close against me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight, and feeling the steady beat of her heart against mine.“I suppose we should get