Arabella's POVAs I dialed Leo's number, my heart raced. When he answered, his voice was husky and trembling. "Hello?""Leo," I uttered softly, feeling a lump form in my throat."Arabella?" His voice broke. "Is that really you? Are you okay?"Tears welled up in my eyes at the sound of him crying. "I'm okay, Leo," I replied, trying to steady my own trembling voice. "But I before you say anything, I needed you to know that I need to stay here. There are things I need to do, things I need to figure out."Leo's voice wavered as he spoke, his concern evident. "The doctor said you were lucky to be alive, Arabella. How could you even consider staying after that?” There was a moments silence before he continued. “Please, come home. I can't bear the thought of you being in anymore danger."His words tugged at my heart, but I knew I couldn't abandon Trudy when she needed me the most. "Leo, I know you’re worried," I said, my voice shaky. "But I can't turn my back on her. She needs me."Leo's ton
Leo’s POVDespite my best efforts to contain my worry, the thought of Arabella alone at the hospital was unbearable. I tossed and turned in the bed we shared, her absence a constant reminder of my concern. The moonlight had always calmed me down, but this time as it filtered through the window, it did little to soothe my restless mind.I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was 2am, the rest of Spring Lake blissfully unaware of the turmoil I was in because we had made the decision to keep what happened between Sara and I. So, giving up on the pretense of sleep, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my mind made up. I quickly found a small bag in the bottom of the wardrobe and packed it, throwing in a few essentials. I knew this wasn't my place, that the boundaries between packs were not to be lightly crossed. Arabella could cross it with no worries because she was related by blood, whereas I should wait to be invited to Trudy’s pack. But this was Arabella we were talking
Leo’s POVAs the hours passed, the absence of one particular person began to gnaw at me. Trudy, the person that led to my mate being in this hospital, was nowhere to be seen. I found it odd, and a sense of unease began to settle in. I glanced at Arabella, who seemed lost in her own thoughts. "Has Trudy been to see you since the fight, Arabella?" I asked, my voice cutting through the silence of the room. She looked at me, surprise evident in her eyes, before her gaze fell to our intertwined hands. She was quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, she spoke, her voice quiet, "No, she hasn't."I waited, expecting her to elaborate, but she didn't. Instead, she continued to stare at our hands, her grip tightening around mine. “Arabella?”"She... she drank herself into a coma after we fought.”I felt my heart drop at her revelation. Trudy, in a coma? It was hard to comprehend. "What?" I stammered, my mind reeling. "Why would she...?""Guilt," Arabella answered quickly, her gaz
Arabella’s POVAs Leo turned and walked out of the room, my heart shattered into a million pieces. "Leo, please stop," I cried out, the desperation evident in my voice, but he kept walking away. The sound of his retreating footsteps echoed off the tiled floor, leaving me feeling lost and alone.Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him go, my pleas falling on deaf ears."Leo, don't leave me like this," I called out, my heart breaking. But he didn't turn back, his absence leaving a gaping hole in my chest.How could he just walk away like that? How could he not give me a chance to explain, to share my side of the story? The silence left behind was deafening, and it echoed the turmoil in my heart.I knew I hadn't done the right thing by keeping the pregnancy a secret. The moment I found out, I should have told him. It was his right to know, and I had robbed him of that. The guilt gnawed at me, adding to the pain of his departure.But I had my reasons for keeping it a secret. Reason
Arabella’s POVHaving finally shared what scared me with Leo, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. And finally, I couldn’t breathe.It was a conversation I had dreaded, one I had hoped to put off until much later. But as usual, life had other plans, and I found myself pregnant sooner than expected.Admitting out loud how the memory of my mother's loss had impacted my reaction to the pregnancy was hard. But seeing the understanding in Leo's eyes, feeling his reassuring grip on my hand, it gave me the courage to face my fears.As we made our way back to my room, I felt calm. Yes, the future was uncertain, filled with challenges we would have to face. But for the first time since I found out about the pregnancy, I felt ready to face them, knowing I wouldn't be facing them alone.As we reentered my room, I found Susie and Sara waiting by the empty bed. I was about to ask them what they were doing there when I saw the smile on Leo's face."Did you tell them?" I asked Leo, my
Leo’s POVAs the morning light filtered through the hospital room, I blinked my eyes open, slowly becoming aware of my surroundings. It took a moment for reality to sink in - I had spent the night on Arabella's hospital bed with her. I’d taken remaining by her side to a whole new level. Chuckling to myself at the absurdity of the situation, I carefully extracted myself from the bed, trying my best not to wake her.After freshening up, I returned with a tray of breakfast in hand, the aroma of coffee and croissants following my every step. To my surprise, I found Arabella sitting up in bed."Good morning," I greeted her with a grin, setting the tray down on the bedside table.Arabella raised an eyebrow as she eyed the cup of coffee I handed her. "Coffee? Really?" she quipped, a playful glint in her eye.I chuckled, defending myself, "It's decaf, I promise. Besides, the nurse said it was okay."She gave me a mock glare, but took the coffee nonetheless. "Fine," she teased before taking a
Arabella’s POVI couldn't believe it. Susie had always been open about dating men and women, but this took me by surprise. One of my best friends, someone I considered a sister, was mated to my cousin. It should have been a happy thing, so Susie’s reaction confused me.As Susie left Trudy's room, the look of devastation on her face was unmistakable. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t even know Trudy liked women. We’d always been open and honest with each other, but relationships she always kept to herself.Trying to break the silence, I began to speak. "I'm going to talk to her, she's just...""Arabella, please don't," Trudy interrupted. "She doesn't want me. If she did, she would have noticed me weeks ago." Trudy's words hung heavy in the air, revealing a deep sense of hurt and rejection.Having spent the afternoon with Trudy, exhaustion eventually crept in and so Leo, wheeled me back to my room. However, upon our arrival, we were met by Mara who handed me my di
Leo’s POVBeing back at Spring Lake without Susie was more challenging than I had anticipated. I understood her need to stay with Trudy, to help her mate heal, but that didn't make missing her any less significant.Arabella was back in her office, burying herself in her work. I admired her dedication, but I couldn't shake off the worry that gnawed at me. I feared she might overwork herself, potentially causing distress to the baby. So, as her mate and co-Alpha, I took over most of the face to face meetings.Every time I passed by her office, I would pause, listening for any signs of distress. Each time she skipped a meal or worked late into the night, my worry would intensify. I found myself constantly checking on her, reminding her to take breaks and eat properly. I would even sink to the level of hiding her office keys.I knew Arabella was strong and capable, but I also understood the toll that stress could take on both her and the baby. My attempts to get her to slow down were met
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