Leo’s POV "Is that a threat, Leo?" He attempted to taunt, skirting around the use of my title to feign superiority.I could only respond with a smirk. There would be no escape for him this time, no throwing around his wealth to buy his way out of trouble. He was going to face the consequences of his actions, like a man should, for the first time in his pitiful existence.I took a small, calculated step towards him, but before he could blink, I was towering over him, pushing him back against the wall. He made a vain attempt to conceal his fear, but it was leaking out of him like a putrid stench.Shadow, stirred with excitement as I began to partially shift. Mr. Gance however, didn’t. His eyes bulged as he witnessed my arm morphing from human to Lycan. As my claws extended, I wasted no time in seizing his neck, hoisting him up against the wall until his feet were left dangling in the air.Bringing my face closer to his, I sneered, "Are you frightened now?"His breaths turned labored un
Arabella’s POVSitting beside Joel, my mind raced with thoughts that made my toes curl. What was Leo going to do? What if he himself was hurt in the process? Torture had never bothered me, but now that I was pregnant, the mere thought made me want to hurl."Sorry, Alpha, I was wondering if I can get you anything?" The nurse's voice snapped me back to reality."Hm? Sorry, erm… tea please. Oh sorry decaf please," I responded, my mind still preoccupied with worries."Of course," the nurse smiled before turning and walking away.As I settled back into my seat, I heard footsteps approaching and hoped it would be Leo. However, it wasn't him."I know I shouldn’t… but I had to see him," she said, standing there in front of me, igniting a fire within me. I was on the verge of shouting, but then I caught a whiff of a familiar scent."He made you rogue, didn’t he," I all but chuckled, my voice laced with anger. "What about your mate?" I asked through gritted teeth.“Your mate took him. Dragged h
Leo’s POVAs the doctor spoke, I felt Arabella’s heart break. Feeling her hurt and sadness, Shadow filled my mind, ‘We can save him.’‘How?’ I asked, holding Arabella as she sobbed into my chest.‘You already know the answer to that.’ Poxy Lycans were always so cryptic."How am I supposed to... clever bastard," I muttered under my breath."What?" Arabella looked up at me, her eyes filled with concern."I think I can help Joel," I declared, turning to the doctor standing before us. "I need you to draw some of my blood and put it into Joel."The doctor hesitated, starting to protest, but Arabella interrupted, "Leo..." her voice trailed off."When Joshua stabbed you during your challenge, my marking you saved you. I think my blood can save Joel," I explained, the pieces falling into place in my mind.“But if it could, then the crazy scientists would have had what they wanted a long time ago. What makes you think this time would be different?” Arabella voiced her skepticism, pointing out
Arabella’s POVWhen Joel finally woke up, he was a mess. Leo and I, had tried to explain everything to him in the best way we could, but it only made things worse. Joel was only a teenager, and like most, he wanted the comfort only his mother could offer. Except, that wasn’t a solution.When he was allowed to leave the hospital, he refused to come home with us. He screamed from the top of his lungs, that we weren’t his parents. And no matter how many times we told him we didn’t intend to be, it made little, to no difference.Today was supposed to be our babies gender reveal, and as much as I wanted to enjoy the effort Leo and the Sara had put into it, I didn’t think I could. I felt hopeless. If I couldn’t comfort a fifteen year old boy, then how the hell was I supposed to look after and comfort a baby. A freaking baby."Bels?" Sara's voice called out as she leaned into my room. "You're not ready yet, what's up? You've been looking forward to this for ages," she asked."I'm just not fe
Arabella’s POV"LOWER!""DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, AIM HIGHER!" I leaned forward and chuckled as the pack members shouted conflicting instructions at me, while I tried to place the dummy pin on the poster."NO!" Someone's voice cut through the commotion, prompting me to rip off the blindfold. To my surprise, I saw that I had managed to get the dummy pin just a few centimeters away from its intended spot.Everyone erupted in laughter as I broke out into a little victory dance, I mean why not, I came closest to anyone else.My victory dance was interrupted by a playful taunt, "Don't get too excited, I haven't had my go yet. Oh, and we wouldn't want that pup to be born just yet!"I spun on my heel and found myself face to face with Susie, a mischievous glint in her eyes. However, my attention was quickly drawn to the mark sitting in the crook of her neck. My excitement at seeing her grew knowing what the mark meant for her and Trudy."FUCK OFF!" I screamed in surprise and excitement as I push
Arabella’s POVI couldn’t believe it... a boy. A baby boy! Despite always envisioning myself with a daughter, the overwhelming happiness of expecting a son filled me with joy.As the blue confetti settled on the ground, I sank to my knees, my hands immersed in the vibrant colour, feeling the excitement and love that surrounded me.“Congratulations.” Susie's voice came from behind me. “Sara wanted you to pop a balloon, but I convinced Leo this would be better. I hope you enjoyed it.”“I love it. Thank you so much,” I replied, turning to look up at her. Susie extended her hand, helping me to my feet.Placing a hand on my belly, I shared with Susie that this would surely be a tale to tell our son when he grew older. The unexpected joy of discovering the gender of our baby boy had created a memory that would be cherished and shared for years to come, a reminder of the love and excitement that surrounded his arrival.As the gender reveal came to an end, I was beyond worn out. My face achin
Leo’s POVOnce Arabella drifted off to sleep, I carefully extricated myself from her embrace and slipped on a pair of shorts. Walking towards the bedroom door, I paused and smiled as she whispered in her sleep.Today had surpassed all my expectations. Joel had agreed to our adoption proposal, the pack had a great time, and learning we were having a son was the cherry on top.Stepping out into the corridor, I closed the door gently behind me. A glass of warm milk was something I had developed a craving for, thanks to Arabella’s pregnancy and the bond we shared as mates, but I also wanted to check on Joel.Reaching his door, I tapped into Shadow's senses, listening through the wood that separated us. I could hear his soft snoring and steady heartbeat, indicating he was deep in sleep.Carefully turning the door handle, I pushed it open and stepped inside.‘My son,’ whispered Shadow as he peered out through my eyes.I crept towards his bed and just stood there quietly, listening to him br
Arabella’s POVI could see the fear in his eyes as the pain radiated through him. But I didn’t care. All I cared about was making sure he felt the same fear he instilled into his son and wife, every time he raised a hand to them.Dropping the bone to the floor, I thought about what else I could do to him. Looking over at the table that sat to the side, I noticed some wolfsbane.Picking it up, it burned, but it would burn him more. Walking back to where the sorry excuse of a man sat, I forced the wolfsbane up and into his wound.As his screams became more desperate, Leo stepped behind him and placed his hands over his mouth to muffle out the noise.His eyes began to droop as the wolfsbane flowed through his bloodstream. But I wasn't about to let him fall unconscious.Taking a small knife from the interrogation tool kit, I placed the tip on his other thigh. I trailed it up gently, and just as his eyes were about to close, I plunged it into his scrotum. As the adrenaline kicked in, his e
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