CamilleHis arms circle around my waist and my body stiffens at his touch for a moment. I’m still not entirely sure if I want to go there, but I know we have to eventually. If either of us so much as thinks about another in that way, it will hurt or, even worse, it could kill us.Once you are part of a marked pair, that is it. I think that is why I’m so incredibly furious. Not because it wasn’t a part of my plan, but because that mark that he gave me means forever. If I’m going to make a life for myself, I have to find my way through everything that’s happened.I turn around in his arms and take another deep breath with my eyes closed for a moment. His scent envelops me and I feel those same feelings I had on the night that changed both our lives. When I’m inside that little bubble, it is as if all my worries just disappear.It is as if none of the things that have been holding me back exist. I look into his eyes and I feel the bond pulling me even closer. I blink, and our lips are to
OliverI am simply bowled over by her sudden change, but I just go with it in the hopes that it is permanent and that she really has forgiven me. For our pup’s sake. At least. I wake up feeling more excited than I ever felt before and just look at her sleeping beside me for a moment.I don’t want to leave her on our first real morning together, but since I didn’t think this would happen, I arranged to meet up with my beta early so we can get her pack sorted out. After a brisk morning run to her old pack territory, I give the team orders, and they start preparing the homes to be taken apart.I order my beta to keep an eye on the team that has to take her home apart because I want them to make sure it is put back together the exact same way when it reaches my territory. Once I’m done there, I check in with Lizzie.She informs me that Camille is still asleep, and I rush to get back to my territory, where I start ordering teams around to clear the grounds. If we are lucky, the homes can b
CamilleIt takes a couple of weeks for the cabins to be rebuilt, and thankfully, Oliver leaves me be as I start to fill my role as the pack Luna. I try my best not to overrule him, but sometimes it is difficult not to take complete control.The pack has been my responsibility for a while, and it is really difficult to just let go of that feeling that I need to take care of them. When everything is done, though, I am very happy with the results. I had to give Oliver a list of my pack and who had their own homes.We decided who would be getting a brand-new home and who would be getting the older buildings and the day everything was done, both packs got together to celebrate the completion of the project. It seemed my pack was happy.It takes three days to get everyone moved into their homes, and I feel a little sad that my old home will be standing empty. Oliver suggests that we make it a museum-type thing, and at first, I don’t like the idea, but it eventually grows on me.My old home
CamilleWhen Paul is put in my arms, and he scrunches up his little nose, everything else just disappears. Our little pup is healthy. He has all his fingers and all his toes, and only then to I realize that, in the back of my mind, I was still worried about the lie that the council told.“He is beautiful. You are beautiful.” Oliver kisses my forehead and I smile at him. All the pain I felt is instantly forgotten, and it feels as if my heart has burst open with love for the little pup in my arms. Oliver pulls us into one of his bear hugs and I have never felt as much loved and safe as I did at that moment.Paul and I spend the day and night in the hospital wing, and in the morning, I’m completely healed, and the doctor announces that we can go home, but not without a warning.“Both of you have gone through a lot. You might have healed, but being born and giving birth takes its toll. Don’t let the visitors overwhelm you.” He raises a brow.“I will stand guard at the door.” Oliver looks
Isabella“I’m not stupid! Who was she?!” My sister-in-law, Clair, screams at my brother, Adam, and I turn right back around in the hopes that they wouldn’t see me. They are glaring at each other. That only means they are having one of their bigger fights, and I really didn’t want to be around them when that happened.I hide around the corner, trying to calm my rapid breathing and racing heart. Why did I have to walk in at that very moment? I swear, I have the worst luck in the entire world! Somehow, they always found a way to make their fights my fault, and then I was the one who was punished. I nervously rub my bruised wrists that were still aching from the last time.“Don’t do this here! You are making a scene.” Adam sighs deeply, and I can hear their footsteps coming closer. I try to run, but it’s too late. My hair is pulled back so quickly that I lose my balance and hit the floor with a loud thud. I feel my ribs crack the moment Clair’s stiletto hits my side.I fight not to cry, b
AsherI am out for a run, minding my own damn business and trying my best to get rid of some of my frustration when I smell a strange scent coming from the border. Nights are becoming more difficult after the loss of my mate. It has been over three years, but it is not getting any easier, and I just can’t sleep in that bed anymore. The closer I get to the border, the more the strange scent pulls me in.It’s not exactly human and it’s not entirely wolf. While I try to find tracks or evidence that I’m not going entirely insane, a small pale girl comes running out of nowhere, and before I can stop her, she runs right into me. She bounces back, looking just as astonished as I feel, but I am so stunned that I don’t think to catch her in time.I hear her skull crack when it hits the rock on the ground, and I can instantly smell blood all over her. She looks as though she has been a prisoner of war. She just ran straight into me out of nowhere! In the blink of an eye, I pick her up and rush
IsabellaI open my eyes and close them again immediately. From the little I saw, I gather that I’m in a hospital, but I don’t know where and as I search my mind, I realize something is missing.“Good morning, honey. I’m very glad to see that you are awake. We’ve been very worried about you.” I open my eyes and see a smiling woman dressed in a white coat. A frown forms on my brow while she moves around me with a clipboard in hand. She jots down some information and puts down her clipboard.“Where am I?” My voice sounds rough, and I find that my throat feels very raw. She hands me a glass of water as though she already knew I would need it.“I am Lisa, your doctor. You are in our little local hospital. Do you remember what happened to you?” Worry floods her eyes, and I can see that whatever happened to me is probably serious. I try to remember.“No.” I frown. My head starts to ache. “Who am I?” My heart starts to race and the machine behind me beeps, making me slam my hands over my ears
IsabellaIt is infuriating. I could remember normal everyday things. I could remember how to eat, for instance, but I couldn’t remember something as simple as my own name. I don’t know who I am. If I have family that are worried about me, or even how old I am.The more doctor Lisa tells me not to try and force it, the more I try to remember. I can’t help it. It was so frustrating to be taken care of by these strangers and not know who I am. Seeing my reflection in the mirror is the worst. My face doesn’t look like mine. Each time I catch a glimpse of my reflection anywhere, a shiver runs up and down my spine.I stay in the hospital for about a week and all the while Lisa’s son hangs around outside my bedroom. I can swear I sometimes see him watching me, but that is just too weird to even think about. Not that he gives me weird vibes or anything. In fact, having him outside my door kind of makes me feel safe.That is another thing that bothers me. I have this incredible feeling that I’
CamilleWhen Paul is put in my arms, and he scrunches up his little nose, everything else just disappears. Our little pup is healthy. He has all his fingers and all his toes, and only then to I realize that, in the back of my mind, I was still worried about the lie that the council told.“He is beautiful. You are beautiful.” Oliver kisses my forehead and I smile at him. All the pain I felt is instantly forgotten, and it feels as if my heart has burst open with love for the little pup in my arms. Oliver pulls us into one of his bear hugs and I have never felt as much loved and safe as I did at that moment.Paul and I spend the day and night in the hospital wing, and in the morning, I’m completely healed, and the doctor announces that we can go home, but not without a warning.“Both of you have gone through a lot. You might have healed, but being born and giving birth takes its toll. Don’t let the visitors overwhelm you.” He raises a brow.“I will stand guard at the door.” Oliver looks
CamilleIt takes a couple of weeks for the cabins to be rebuilt, and thankfully, Oliver leaves me be as I start to fill my role as the pack Luna. I try my best not to overrule him, but sometimes it is difficult not to take complete control.The pack has been my responsibility for a while, and it is really difficult to just let go of that feeling that I need to take care of them. When everything is done, though, I am very happy with the results. I had to give Oliver a list of my pack and who had their own homes.We decided who would be getting a brand-new home and who would be getting the older buildings and the day everything was done, both packs got together to celebrate the completion of the project. It seemed my pack was happy.It takes three days to get everyone moved into their homes, and I feel a little sad that my old home will be standing empty. Oliver suggests that we make it a museum-type thing, and at first, I don’t like the idea, but it eventually grows on me.My old home
OliverI am simply bowled over by her sudden change, but I just go with it in the hopes that it is permanent and that she really has forgiven me. For our pup’s sake. At least. I wake up feeling more excited than I ever felt before and just look at her sleeping beside me for a moment.I don’t want to leave her on our first real morning together, but since I didn’t think this would happen, I arranged to meet up with my beta early so we can get her pack sorted out. After a brisk morning run to her old pack territory, I give the team orders, and they start preparing the homes to be taken apart.I order my beta to keep an eye on the team that has to take her home apart because I want them to make sure it is put back together the exact same way when it reaches my territory. Once I’m done there, I check in with Lizzie.She informs me that Camille is still asleep, and I rush to get back to my territory, where I start ordering teams around to clear the grounds. If we are lucky, the homes can b
CamilleHis arms circle around my waist and my body stiffens at his touch for a moment. I’m still not entirely sure if I want to go there, but I know we have to eventually. If either of us so much as thinks about another in that way, it will hurt or, even worse, it could kill us.Once you are part of a marked pair, that is it. I think that is why I’m so incredibly furious. Not because it wasn’t a part of my plan, but because that mark that he gave me means forever. If I’m going to make a life for myself, I have to find my way through everything that’s happened.I turn around in his arms and take another deep breath with my eyes closed for a moment. His scent envelops me and I feel those same feelings I had on the night that changed both our lives. When I’m inside that little bubble, it is as if all my worries just disappear.It is as if none of the things that have been holding me back exist. I look into his eyes and I feel the bond pulling me even closer. I blink, and our lips are to
CamilleI know what he is trying to do, and I appreciate it. I just can’t bring myself to say more than, thank you. I’m not sure if it will feel the same even if he rebuilds the entire house the same way it was. It won’t be home ever again.After checking all the houses, and determining that we can actually use most of them, the team can start with the tear down. I take one last look at what used to be my home and decide it is the last time I will ever see it.As I get into the car, I take a deep breath and decide never to look back again. On the drive back home, I could see that Oliver is trapped in his own thoughts and I just let my mind drift over the past couple of years. For some strange reason, the abandoned human town comes to mind.My pack survived back then. We made a home for ourselves there, and we even lived with humans coming in and out of our little town. If we can survive that, we can survive anything life throws our way. I can even survive being marked and made pregnan
CamilleOne mistake and one time has ruined my life. My entire damn life and now I have to accept it and do what is best for my child.“The construction team is going out to your old territory today to see what they can salvage. Your old homes really took a beating when they were left open like that.” I know he doesn’t mean to sound offensive, but I feel offended.“If your pack didn’t put us in that precarious position, we wouldn’t have left our homes.” The words are out before I can help myself. I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry. I hope we can salvage some of it. We don’t really have the funds to rebuild all the homes from scratch.”“That is one of the perks of not being the alpha anymore.” He smiles, and I’m not entirely sure if I should be offended by the remark. This is not going as well as I thought it might. There are just too many feelings involved that aren’t good ones.“What do you mean by that?” I try to bite my tongue as much as possible. I rea
CamilleI understand the sheer shock that he is in. I felt that same way when the doctor told me about our little bun in my oven. My first reaction was also that it only happened once! It is overwhelming, but I can’t keep how I feel any longer.“Look, I don’t expect anything from you. I would raise this kid on my own if I could, but thanks to your little mark, I’ve lost everything.” I sigh deeply. This really is the last straw. I feel completely violated even though I was a consenting adult.If we had just done it, and I found out I was pregnant without him marking me, things would have been a lot different. Unfortunately, there is no turning back now and with the baby on the way, there is no use in dwelling on what we could have done differently.“Camille, I want you. Don’t you get that? I want us to build a life together. I want us to have a family. I didn’t want it all to happen so quickly, and I know I’m to blame for some of it, but I want you and our baby.” He looks really hurt,
CamilleLizzie has given me a new perspective on Oliver, even if I don’t want to see it. I’m not ready to admit that what happened might have been an accident. How do you mark someone by mistake?!“Would you like to come and see where we put everyone?” Oliver walks into the kitchen and I frown.“Are you actually asking me something?” I snap, instantly regretting it when I see Lizzie’s disappointment. I sigh and nod without Oliver having to say another word. He tries to take my hand, but I snap it back so quickly that he just frowns before stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking on.He shows me where everyone will be staying temporarily, which seems to be a huge dining area and I wonder if their pack gets together for all of their meals like some packs do. I don’t ask, however. I just nod and walk on with my arms crossed tightly over my chest.After checking with my pack that they are okay, Oliver takes me on a tour of his entire territory. He shows me where he thinks my pack’s
CamilleI know what she’s saying. I don’t need a long explanation, but I just can’t bring myself to do that. Not yet. Unable to say anything, I nod, and she helps me to pick up my things before showing me to Oliver’s room.“Where is the Luna room?” I look around and she sighs.“That my dear was never built. I also found it very strange when I was brought here all those years ago. This house only has one main bedroom and one spare for children. It’s actually a small house if you think that it’s the alpha house.” She laughs, and I find that I like her laughing.I put my things on the bed, wondering if I would be able to convince Oliver to sleep in the spare bedroom. I’m about to ask her if I can move to the spare bedroom when she shakes her head as though she already knows what I’m about to ask.“Like I said, sweetheart. Give it a chance. I also came here against my will. I felt like a slave thanks to the council. Only when I gave in to my feelings did my life change. I’m not saying you