Arabella’s POV
As the truck stopped at the security gate my heart froze in my chest. I hadn’t been back here in three years and knew not a soul would be happy to see me, not after the way I’d left things.
The first guard that appeared I recognised immediately. His name was Harry and we had once been friends with benefits. Though for a short time I wished we could be more just as I knew he did to. Something that changed once he found his mate.
They were part of the reason I didn’t want to be with who I was fated to. Harry couldn’t stand his mate Kate and the thought of being with her made him sick. After all she had been involved in numerous threesomes a few of which included Harry’s brother.
“Bella? What are you…”
“Harry who is… it?” And there she was, Kate.
“You!” As her eyes turned into slits, I couldn’t contain my laughter. The girls and Leo looked at me like I was mad but hey, they didn’t know this bitch. Getting out of the truck I walked around the front so she could see me clearly. I wasn’t about to let her have the last word, not this time.
“That’s right bitch, I’m back.” Leaning on the bonnet as I gave her my best darn fake smile just to make a statement. “Is that anyway to welcome me back?”
“Welcome you back? Don’t make me laugh.”
“I didn’t think that was possible. You’ve always looked so sour faced.” Hearing Sara snort as she tried to prevent from laughing, I struggled to keep a straight face. “Harry open the gates.” Shaking my head at the pair I walked back to the passenger door. The whole interaction could have run smoothly but she just couldn’t keep that gaping hole of hers shut.
“You’re not welcome here, not anymore.”
“Excuse me? Who the hell are you to say I’m not welcome in my family’s pack!” My eyes flashed as I felt Willow surge forward.
“Sorry to break it to you sweetie but this pack no longer belongs to your family.” Hearing the taunting tone in her voice Willow pushed me aside and shifted.
The feeling of bones cracking and popping into place was something I would never get used to. As wolves we were only granted the chance to shift during the full moon so becoming used to the pain was never an option. It was part of the reason so many wolves never shifted more than once in their entire lifespan.
Growling she made a beeline for Kate only for Harry to run in her way blocking her from his mate.
“Arabella stop! Joshua is Alpha now.” I could see the truth in his eyes. Even after we stopped sleeping together, he never once lied to me. Grabbing the reins, I forced Willow to retreat leaving me once again standing on two legs.
Out of nowhere Leo appeared at my side placing his leather jacket over my shoulders to obscure anyone’s view of my very naked body. With our kind nudity was never a problem but for Leo it certainly seemed to be. Though a part of me couldn’t help but flutter my eyelashes in thanks just to show this miserable pair that I had moved on.
“Where is he, Where’s Joshua?”
“Probably in his office. Go through Arabella it was nice to see you.” Offering Harry, a small smile I got back in the truck.
Leo restarted the engine and proceeded down the dirt road once the electric gates opened.
“Who was he?”
“Harry.” I mumbled as I pulled a set of leggings and training bra free from my bag before putting them on. I had half expected Leo to peak but he kept his eyes on the road the entire time. Perhaps I had been wrong to form my opinion of him before getting to know him.
“The one you…” knowing what Susie was about to say I turned instantly to glare at her. A message she was quick to heed.
“Yes, that one.”
“Were you guys a thing before you left?” That was when things got awkward. I hadn’t expected Leo to ask, not in front of the girls anyway.
“They were more than that Bella lost her virginity to him!” Clearly Sara hadn’t seen the warning shot I gave Susie. Hearing those words Leo’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. For a second, I thought I’d seen steam coming out of his ears as they turned red.
Thankfully the rest of short drive was silent, only the sounds of gravel crunching beneath the wheels heard. As we pulled up out front of the pack house, I took a deep breath. It was as if the building had been stuck in time, every detail remained the same. The same tulips in assorted colours lined the garden, the basketball hoop still hung to the side of the house, and even though our dog died just after I left his house still stood tall and proud. For just a split second I thought my dad would come walking round the corner his goofy smile on his face.
Biting on my lower lip I got out gently closing the door behind me. What I hadn’t expected was for Leo to stand beside me and hold my hand. Had I been in the right frame of mind I probably would have pulled away, but I didn’t. I let him hold it. Let the sparks of his touch calm my raging anxiety.
“Come on, you’re not alone Bels. We’ve got you.” Susie stood the other side of me her head on my shoulder while Sara wrapped her arms around my waist her head on my other shoulder.
Nodding my head together we walked inside.
Leo’s POV
I could smell Arabella’s fear as though it were my own. A feeling that left me uneasy. When I held her hand, I felt her jump but what shocked me was that she didn’t pull away. I’d half expected her too.
As we entered the foyer several omegas stopped in their tracks their faces paling like they’d seen a ghost. A few of them were quick to scramble but one didn’t think twice before approaching us.
“Oh, child I’m so, so, sorry.” Arabella pulled away from me and her friends throwing herself into the arms of the older woman. Her hair a bright silver and her face full of fine lines. Judging by the way they embraced each other it was obvious this woman was of some importance to Arabella. “I’m so happy to see you. I just wish it were under far better circumstances.”
“Margaret I…”
“Hush child I understand. I don’t blame you for leaving I never did. Pack life isn’t for everyone and neither is becoming Alpha.” Listening in may have been wrong but at least what the woman said confirmed my suspicions.
“Where’s mum?” I could hear the heartbreak in her words as they shook with each breath she took.
“She’s in the laundry room. Alpha Joshua put her on duty the same day. We haven’t even buried your father. I always thought they were close, but that man has no heart.”
“What!” As Margret released Arabella her tears instantly stopped. It was tradition for the fallen Alpha to be buried the same night. Though my pack were older our beliefs were mostly the same. If our bodies weren’t buried by sunrise the morning after our passing it was believed that our soul wouldn’t pass and gone was our chance at rebirth.
Arabella’s POV“Arabella calm yourself. Remember what your father said. Cooler heads always prevail.”“Do they though? Because dad never rushed into anything, he always planned every step he took and look where that got him.” I could see the hurt in Margaret’s eyes as I turned my back to her, but I didn’t have time to apologise. My father died shortly after speaking to me and was now lying on a cold metal slab instead of being put to rest.As I made my way to my dad’s office the sun was just beginning to rise. This had always been his favourite time of day. He would sit on the front steps a cup of coffee in his hand as he watched the big ball of fire grace the sky with her presence. When I was younger, I never understood the fascination with it until I moved away. The sun rising resembled much more than just the start of a new day. It bought a sense of peace to you all while giving you the opportunity to achieve something you had once been frightened to do.Having reached the wooden d
Arabella’s POV“What do you mean you weren’t his fated mate. You guys have always gone on about how it’s the most important thing. Between you guys and Harry what did you think drove me to my decision to leave.”“We did what we had to so you wouldn’t think any less of us. Given the chance I’d have done the same again.”“Did you not think I’d find out eventually? It’s not like secrets stay secret for long in this pack.”“We knew you would, but not like this. You see your father and I may not have been fated to each other, but we were in love. Back when your grandfather was Alpha he went to my own father and asked for an arranged marriage. It would be something to benefit both our packs. My father knew I’d never become Alpha to Dark Stone not unless something were to happen to my older brother. Little did our parents know we were already in love. So, for us it worked out. We got to stay together, and they got the alliance they craved.”“How is dad’s death your fault?” it may have been a
Leo’s POV “Why are you here? Do you know what, I don’t care, but you need to leave before Bella finds out who you really are.” “And what about you? I’m going to take a guess and say she doesn’t know your little secret.” “You wouldn’t say anything, not without ruining your own chances.” I raised my eyebrow as Susie crossed her arms while giving me the third degree. When the door knocked, she was the last person I expected to see. “What are you waffling on about?” “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you look at her. Watching her every move as if she might just up and disappear. She’s your mate, isn’t she.” My eyes widened as she spoke while sitting there looking all smug. “Who else knows?” “Nobody as of yet, she doesn’t even know that I know. Look, Leo…” I watched as Susie walked around me and sat on the edge of my bed. “If after all these years I could still catch his scent, what do you think Bels will do when she works it out? And believe me, she will, she’s clever. I know there
Arabella’s POVI tried my hardest to stay away from Leo, but as the minutes ticked away, I found myself thinking more about him. Grabbing another plate of food, I headed to his room and stood there for a second, double-guessing my actions. Was I going to look needy? Was he going to see me as clingy?Shaking my head of all the negative thoughts that danced in my mind, I finally found the courage to knock on his door. When he opened it, I began to babble, only stopping when my eyes spotted Susie sitting on his bed. My heart began to race, and my palms became sweaty as I thought of all the reasons why they could have been here together. Susie didn’t know he was my mate, but he did.Once Susie had left, I tried to get answers from Leo, but he protested that he had no intention of doing anything with Susie. I don’t know how, but I knew he was telling me the truth. I only hoped she felt the same way he did.The way my body betrayed me while in his presence was embarrassing, my cheeks blushi
Arabella’s POVI may have been stubborn, but now I knew what I wanted. And that was Leo. The only problem was that I’d pushed him away. I could have stayed quiet, but keeping secrets wasn’t the best way to start a relationship. Honesty has always been the best policy, and I would continue to believe that even with this hiccup.“Just tell me how I can prove you wrong, and I’ll do it.” Leo placed his hands on the edge of the sink, his knuckles turning white as he gripped it before lowering his head.“I don’t know, Arabella, I really don’t. What I do know is that you’ve got a big night tomorrow and should be focusing on that. Not me.” Turning around, he finally faced me. “You can hit, but can you fight?”“Hang on, what? Yes, of course, I can fight.”“Good, then meet me outside in ten minutes and show me.”I took it as my leaving queue as he stepped into the shower. After getting a fresh pair of shorts and a sports bra, I waited by the back door. Leo came up behind within seconds of arrivi
Leo’s POVJealousy is often an expression of a person's insecurity, but I wouldn’t admit that. Not out loud.Harry was becoming a rather large thorn in my side, one that was about to be pulled free and destroyed. Whenever I saw him, images of my wolf ripping his head from his shoulders would play in my mind. Being an Alphas son, my possessive nature was strong. So knowing he and Arabella had once been romantically involved bugged me more than it should have. Not only did it upset me, but it was now causing me to drop my guard. Something that could not only be dangerous but fatal.Arabella’s eyes widened when she witnessed how quickly I healed. She wasn’t scared, but I knew she wouldn’t let it go. She was the kind of woman that would keep digging until she uncovered the truth. The trouble is, I wasn’t ready for that, not yet. Not after the problems and the heartache our kind had already caused.At the moment, I was stuck in limbo. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was doing. Be
Arabella’s POVI didn’t sleep enough last night, so I knew I would be in a crabby mood today. That and tonight was a full moon. Our tempers were always worse on the day of. Every emotion we felt was heightened, something that made what we were both a blessing and a curse.As the hours passed, I spent most of them avoiding everyone. I wanted to be alone, but my friends didn’t understand that. No matter how many warnings I gave them, there was no way I could be angry at them. Other than my mother, they were all I currently had left.“Are you ready?” Sara stood before the window, her arms crossed over her chest as she gazed at the moon. Sara preferred to be in wolf form; she said she felt at peace—a feeling she couldn’t reach any other time of the month. Unlike some other wolves, I felt the same. If given the choice, I’d be on four legs and covered in fur any day. There was something about how it felt as the wind ruffled your fur and how we could explore further in less time. I just wis
Leo’s POVFuming didn’t begin to describe how I was feeling. Joshua knew the fucking rules. Everyone in every pack knew that no weapons were to enter the ring while a title challenge was taking place.Arabella’s mother, Linda, was a mess. Clearly, she loved her daughter, but the screams accompanying the waterworks were a bit much. Yes, her daughter was in a bad way, but she wouldn’t die. I wouldn’t let her.‘Do it… mark her.’ Shadow’s taunts echoed in my mind. Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths and tuned him out.We had the means to save Arabella, but I wouldn’t do it unless there were no other way. It would set in stone her fate, a choice that nobody should ever have taken away.“The doctors here, come on, Linda, let’s give them some space.” Susie and Sara escorted her from the room so the doctor could attend to his patient. Sara questioned me because I stayed rooted beside her best friend's bed, but Susie told her to drop it. I watched from the side of the room as the doc
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