Heheh.... Reid has definitely met his match with Taryn! I know some of you are a little annoyed with Reid right now and his mindset of rejecting her, but I promise you Taryn is going to make him work for it later. Don't forget to comment, like, or vote if you are enjoying Reid's book so far! Lots of love, Allie
REID POVI inhale so fast I swallow my tongue and choke on my own saliva. My hands white knuckle the steering wheel, and my eyes water as I struggle to breathe and clear my throat from the spit that doesn’t belong there.Because the first thought that entered my mind after she said that was what it would be like to do that with her. To her. How would she taste? What sounds would she make? How would her face look as I brought her right to the edge and then pulled away, over and over again, until she begged me to let her finish? Would she writhe and roll her hips against my face, seeking more friction, forcing me to hold her in place so I could pleasure her the way I want, or would she be a good girl and hold still until I told her she could come?She stares at me from the passenger seat, her eyes twinkling with mischief, her hand in front of her mouth to cover her smile as she waits for my answer. My dick hardens again, and thank the goddess I am sitting down and can hide it easier tha
REID POVOur drive back to Crescent Lake is uneventful. We chat the entire time, but it is mindless, mostly questions about mundane things like movies, food, and music. But I am not really paying much attention to the conversation.Instead, I am focused on her, on her presence and her scent, on how it fills up my car. I find myself glancing at her as she talks, watching her as she stares out the passenger window and watches the trees as we pass by them. I am thinking of how that sweet peony, strawberry, and peach aroma will linger in my car for days, and the conflicted emotions that thought elicits in my heart, soul, and brain.My heart beats for her. Every drum of the organ pumping blood through my body since the moment I realized she was mine has been for her. Not because I want it to be, but because that is what the mate bond does. Turns wolves into saps.And my soul — my soul longs for her. Both the wolf part and the human part.But my brain? My brain is the only part of me that is
“There he is!” my dad exclaims, walking towards me with a broad smile, his blue eyes twinkling.His hair is clean and styled, his beard is trimmed and neat, and there isn’t a trace of imbalance in his aura. Today is a good day, then.Thank Selene.I force a smile back and close the door behind me just as he reaches me and roughs up my hair. “Where have you been, buddy?”“Oh, I was at Brewed Awakenings.”“With Taryn?” Seb asks, glancing at me as he buttons up his shirt.“Who is Taryn?” my dad asks, his brow furrowed.“Is that the girl you had to go on a date with?” Wesley asks, straightening his bow tie under his neck.“You went on a date?” My dad’s brow furrows even more.“It was just a one-time thing,” I say, shouldering by him to join Nolan at the rack of suits on the other side of the conference table. “It doesn’t sound like a one-time thing if you went to coffee with her too,” my dad points out.I huff out a sigh and shake my head. “She’s just a friend. I’m helping her train for
TARYN POVI can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe I kissed him.Sure, it was only a kiss on the cheek. And sure, he said it didn’t count, that it wasn’t breaking the rules, since we’re not fucking or haven’t fucked or…or…whatever — but fuck.I don’t know what came over me. What possessed me to lean across the center console in his mustang and press my lips to his cheek? Maybe it was how helpful he’d been, finding that law for me and making sure I knew about it. Maybe it was the extra cookies he bought me because I liked them so much. Maybe it was because everything was just so damn easy with him, so natural.Or maybe it’s because I am just a crazy person. Or a glutton for punishment. Or both.“It’s fine, Taryn,” I say for the thousandth time as I pull into the parking lot in front of the Silver Ridge packhouse. “He said it was fine, so it’s fine. Totally fine.”And it was fine. It was more than fine. His cheek under my lips was warm, his scent inviting and comforting as I invaded h
TARYN POVMy alarm blares, pulling me out of a dead sleep. My body is heavy, nestled into my bed under my warm, down comforter. On a normal day, I would press snooze on my alarm and let it wake me up again in five minutes. And then another five minutes. And then another. On a normal day, I would hunker down into my cushiony bed and savor its warmth and comfort until the last second.But today isn’t just a normal day. Today is an important day. Today will set everything in motion for the future I have been working for, the future I deserve.I roll over onto my back and take several long, deep, focused breaths before I get up and start getting ready. I quickly change, pulling on leggings and a white top similar to the one I wore yesterday while training with Reid. I remove my pink satin bonnet, and since I just did my hair last night, I leave my twists alone and just pull a section of them up and out of my face, then slip on a head wrap — my favorite tie-dye pink one — for good luck.As
Hey Allie Cats! I just wanted to let you know there will most likely not be any updates this week. I severely misjudged the amount of time and energy needed to get The Alpha's Pen Pal ready for print. I spent over 30 hours this last weekend working on a final reread and formatting, and it still isn't quite finished. Needless to say, I didn't get much writing done on this book at all. I am unfortunately only one person trying to release my first book pretty much by myself, and after this weekend I am one tired writer. I will for sure be back with updates next Monday (October 2nd). If I can, I will post chapters later this week, but I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. But regular updates (MWF and occasionally Saturday) will start up again next Monday! Thank you for your support and your understanding while I get my feet back under me after this crazy busy weekend of editing and formatting!
TARYN POVThe silence that settles over the pack grounds after my declaration is heavy and pressing. Everyone on the training field freezes, their eyes locked on us, their breath held, their bodies frozen as they wait for him to react.“Excuse me?” Dominic asks, taking a step towards me again, blinking and shaking his head. “What did you say?”“You heard me,” I say.He scoffs and storms back over to me, his gray eyes flashing. “You can’t do that. You can’t just make demands like that.”“I can, actually. I am well within my rights to demand a warrior challenge.”“Says who?”“WL-176.59. Section B. As long as they have gone through a complete warrior training program, a pack transfer can compete in an official warrior challenge at their new pack to be granted warrior status. Once initiated, the challenge must be given within two weeks, or the werewolf will automatically be granted a position among the warriors of the pack.”“You’re lying,” he growls, staring down at me with a glare.“She’
REID POV For the second time this week, I pace the training grounds, waiting for Taryn to arrive. The last two days spent apart from her were even worse than the first two days I spent apart from her. My wolf was even more on edge, and I had to stop myself from snarling, growling, or snapping at more people than I care to admit. But I hadn’t heard one word from her. Not one. No text or phone call, nothing letting me know how everything went when she spoke to her alpha about the warrior challenge. I refrained from texting her — no news must mean good news, and I didn’t want to be too forward or come across as possessive and controlling — but I was dying to know. And my wolf wouldn’t calm down until we saw her again — until we could smell her again. Her scent had all but vanished from my mustang — my plan of not driving it at all was in vain, because her scent still dissipated into almost nothing. I couldn’t sleep. Not at home, or in any of the other places I had taken to crashing in
REID POV TWO MONTHS LATER — SEPTEMBER 30th Today is a perfect day. The sun is shining, its rays warming the grounds and the lake and the garden. There is a light breeze winding and swirling its way around the forest and through the flora, carrying the scent of pine, water, flowers, and sunshine with it. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and the air is the perfect temperature — neither too hot nor too cold. I woke up with my girl in my arms, and my other girl singing us the song of her people at the top of her little lungs, letting us know she was ready to start her day. I spent the day carrying Savvy around against my chest in her baby wrap while Taryn rested and had a spa day with Haven, Maya, and Blake. I soaked in all her gummy smiles and little coos and baby noises, only bringing her back to the house when Taryn needed to feed her. There is no broken, emotionally damaged hybrid after my mate and wreaking havoc on our lives — the crones made sure of that. Malachi extended an offe
TARYN POV SEVEN MONTHS LATER — JULY 21st After a grueling twenty-one hours of labor, our Sour Patch was born at home at 4:31 am on July 21st. Reid was the perfect partner and father through my entire pregnancy and birth. He brought me breakfast in bed in the mornings when I was too exhausted to get up, and he held my hair back for me on the rare occasion morning sickness hit me. He put together every piece of furniture in the nursery and the cradle that now sits in the sitting area of our room, and he held my hand and coached me through every contraction, rubbing my back and caressing my belly, sending me every ounce of love he has for me as I worked my ass off to deliver our pup. And now, he’s standing in front of the window, framed by the light from the early morning sun. He holds our sleeping daughter in his arms, his face ducked down close to hers as he tells her about Crescent Lake, and about the moon goddess, and about all the things he’s going to teach her as she grows up. I
REID POV As soon as we secure Merina to the chair in the cell, I turn around and leave, heading back the way we came in. King Malachi is questioning Merina, getting more details from her about her confession, and even with my distaste for torture, I’d love to watch her squirm, love to watch him get every piece of information out of her by whatever means necessary. She more than deserves it for what she did to my mate. But the ache in my soul pulls me out of the room and back towards the packhouse, back towards my distressed mate. Her pain is mine, growing stronger by the second, clawing up my insides, impossible to ignore. I shove the door to the building open and Taryn flings herself at me, heels in her hand, burying her face in my shoulder as she clings to my neck. Her tears soak my T-shirt, silent sobs wracking her body. My arms wrap around her on instinct and I turn to take her back inside, out of the cold and away from prying eyes. “I’m here,” I say, my lips right against her
TARYN POV I stare at myself in the full-length mirror of our walk-in closet, smoothing my hands over the knee length pencil skirt of my off-white outfit. Butterflies swarm in my stomach, fluttering and tickling my insides, and my hands tremble, but I exhale and close my eyes, putting up my mask for the event today. A low whistle sounds from behind me, and I peek out through my lashes to meet Reid’s stare in the mirror, his blue eyes scanning over my dress and lingering on how it hugs the curves of my ass, thighs, and breasts. Heat and longing rise within me, and I turn to face him just as he reaches me. He tugs on the peplum ruffle of my top, pulling me flush against him and lowering his lips to mine for a soft kiss. “You look delectable,” he says. I laugh against his mouth. “Thanks.” “But what if you need to fight?” he asks, his hands skimming my hips and thighs. “This skirt hugs you in all the right places, but there is no way you can move properly should things end in a scuffle
REID POV We sit around Dominic’s bed, Taryn in my lap on one side, and Maya and her mother on the opposite. King Malachi, Dr. Russo, and Wes all stand near the end of the bed, on standby, should things get hairy. Tensions are high and heart rates quickened, but none are faster than mine. The only thing keeping my heart from racing out of my chest is my mate in my lap and in my arms. Her calm demeanor in turn calms me, grounds me. For the most part. Neither my wolf nor I are comfortable entering this… astral plane or whatever Renée called it — but I’m more uncomfortable with my mate going in there without me, so I’ll do what I have to if it means I know she’s safe. I squeeze her and she rubs my forearms, her hands warm and soft against my skin. The protective bracelet on her wrist jingles and clinks against mine, and she looks over her shoulder at me, a soft smile gracing her beautiful face. Renée places the black tourmaline charm necklace around Dominic’s neck, and I stare at it,
TARYN POV Large hands roam my body, one skating over my ribs and up to my chest and the other traveling down, caressing the tops of my thighs. Warmth spreads through me from where Reid’s hands touch, snaking through my veins like tendrils of smoky incense, sensual and soothing, and just as intoxicating. His hand comes back to my hip, and he presses a little kiss to my mark, his thumb stroking in circles on my abdomen. I whimper and sigh and push back against him, closing the already nonexistent distance between our two bodies. My ass rubs against his groin, and his hard as a rock dick twitches, a groan falling from his lips as he pinches my nipple and slides his hand down between my legs. “Maya said we needed to sleep,” I say, even as I tilt my hips up, seeking his expert touch. “Maya isn’t part of our mate bond,” Reid says, brushing his fingers over my entrance. “And we did sleep. All night. And now I want to have my way with you.” His digit slips between my lower lips, not enter
REID POV “What the fuck just happened?” I ask, holding Taryn against my body. She trembles and her skin is colder than ice, her teeth chattering and her eyes squeezed shut. She presses herself closer to me, her hands gripping my sweatshirt, her face burying into the fabric as she takes in deep breaths. I keep one arm around her waist and cup her cheek with the other, my eyes scanning her face, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest, worry and fear rushing through me like a jolt of lightning in my veins. Her beautiful skin has a gray tinge to it, and her eyelids flutter in time with her shivering body. Her heart beats even faster than mine, and rapid breaths force her chest and shoulders up and down at an unnatural pace. I clutch the back of her head and hug her to my chest again, swaying side to side, hoping the calming movement will help settle her nerves. “I was hoping Taryn could tell us,” King Malachi says, letting go of Dominic and stepping away from the bed. “Not here, tho
TARYN POV Reid tugs me away from the bed and stands between Dominic and me, taking a protective stance, his claws out and his growl echoing through the hospital cell. “What the hell? I thought you said he would stay unconscious?!” Dr. Russo rushes to the IV stand, checking the drip line and preparing another dose of sedative from the cart nearby, his movements rushed but precise. “I underestimated how much of it would filter from his system as Taryn healed him. I can prepare another dose, but it will take some time and I’ll need to focus.” Dominic’s eyes bore into me, cold and unfeeling, harsher and more distant than I’ve ever seen them. Gone is the male I knew, the male who was a friend before he was ever anything more. The male I thought would still be my friend even after I told him I wouldn’t remain at his beck and call. Maybe he was never that male. Maybe it was all an act. I’d like to believe that’s not the case, but the proof is staring right back at me, his lip curled and h
REID POV I lower my lips to Taryn’s as my hand slides to the waistband of her leggings, her body quivering in anticipation. But I don’t kiss her. I just hover there, right above her mouth, my breath tickling her lips. Her throat bobs, her pretty neck still stretched and exposed, a feast for my eyes. Her complete submission to me in this moment awakens the primal instinct in me, the one I held back for too long after I met her. It prowls beneath my skin, demanding I claim her again and again, to make up for denying and fighting it. She shrieks as I rip her leggings from her body and toss the ruined garment aside, then reach for her boots to pull them from her feet. My claws slice down the middle of her sweater, and I push the halves aside to reveal her bare breasts, nipples already peaked and pointing straight to the ceiling atop her round tits. “Where’s your bra?” I growl, my eyes darkening. I don’t mind if she wants to free the titties, but the thought of another male seeing her