Mia's POV"Madison," I greet my stepmother with a fake smile and gritted teeth. "I do wish that you would call me Mother while we are in public," she says as she tips a flute to her lips and drinks champagne. "Tell me," I whisper to Madison. "Were there no Alphas or Betas closer to my age that could have attended tonight's debacle?"My stepmother snorts loudly. She looks out over the crowd and refuses to meet my gaze. "None that would tolerate your reputation.""And exactly what reputation would that be?" I have to keep myself from snarling in her direction. "No one wants used goods for a mate," my stepmother hisses at me. "Now come and meet some of our most honored guests."The last thing that I want to do is meet anyone at this party. I looked stupid in this itchy dress and if I had to hold this fake smile for a few minutes longer, I was sure that my cheeks would fall off."So, you can humiliate me further. I don't think so," I hissed back at her through gritted teeth.My stepmot
Thomas's POVI sit in the car outside of the ballroom in the very center of the Moonshadow Pack. I can tell that Alpha Aiden spared no expense when it came to this particular matchmaking party for his middle daughter. From what I understand she is quite the wild child and not really Luna material. If I am honest with myself this is the last place that I want to be. If it weren't for the elder council breathing down my neck about producing an heir I wouldn't have even bothered to show up. But these old men have been relentless since I returned from the Paxton Pack without a mate on my arm. My Beta, Dylan, comes out of the ballroom and knocks on my window with a smirk on his face. Still refusing to exit my car, I roll my window down just far enough for him to speak to me. "Dude," Dylan laughs at me. "You have got to get out of the car. The elders are inside waiting for you to show up like you promised." "Did you catch a glimpse of her?" I ask Dylan. "I did," Dylan says but does n
Mia's POVAlpha Thomas's Beta grabs a hold of my elbow and tries to steer me out of the ballroom but I yank my arm out of his grasp."I am not going anywhere with you," I sneer at Alpha Thomas and his Beta."Perhaps we should just let the girl go," his Beta tries to be the voice of reason.Alpha Thomas pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a frustrated sigh. "I only want to speak with her in private. I do not plan on kidnapping her. After I speak with you, Miss Turner, you are free to leave."I look at the two men that are standing in front of me. They couldn't be any more different from one another. Alpha Thomas has a mischievous look in his hazel eyes. His dirty blonde hair is pulled back into a low, messy bun a the base of his head. I can see the definition of his muscles through his neatly ironed dress shirt. Even though I would never admit it out loud, he is really attractive for an older man.His Beta on the other hand is tall and lanky. He has a serious and worried look
Mia's POVThe ride home from the match-making party is silent. Madison must have informed my father about my actions at the event and he is fuming. I can feel the anger rolling off his aura in waves. He is gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. I know that I am in for a lecture when I get home, but I don't care. As far as I am concerned none of those men at the party are worth my time. As we pull up to the pack house, I try to get out of the car before my father even places it in park. "Not so fast, Young Lady," my father growls at me. "You will be in my office in ten minutes."Madison is smirking at me with a satisfied look on her face and so is my half-sister Cora. They both know that I am in trouble. I place a sweet smile on my face and push my lip out in a pout. "I hardly think that is necessary. I think that tonight was a great success."Madison scoffs loudly and crosses her arms over her chest. "You behaved like a common whore," she pract
Mia's POVPanic rages through my body as I leave my father's office. There is no way that I will be mated to Alpha Richard. The thought alone is enough to turn my stomach. But I refuse to let my father see the panic that he caused. I would never give him or Madison the satisfaction of knowing that they elicited any emotion from me. Racing through the Omega's corridors, I run into my little room and slam the door behind me. I feel like I cannot breathe. This ugly yellow dress feels too tight. Finally, I cannot take it any longer and I rip the dress from my body. The sound of fabric tearing cuts through the silence in my room and I am finally able to breathe. I know that Madison will have something to say about me ruining the perfect party dress that she purchased. But at this moment I don't care. She can kiss my ass. "I need to leave. I need to leave right now," I say. Hoping that saying it, hearing my own voice, will build the courage in me to flee. What was really stopping me?
Thomas's POVInstead of returning to the Red Moon Pack after that ridiculous match-making party for Mia, I chose to stay in a human city right on the outskirts of the Moonshadow Pack. Dylan pulls up the only hotel that we could find within a close enough driving range and I groan at the look of it. The roof looks like it could blow off with the slightest bit of wind. Windows are boarded up with plywood and the paint is peeling off of the siding. "You couldn't have found a nicer place," I snap at Dylan. "Not within the distance that you requested," Dylan smirks. "All of the nicer places have been booked for weeks because of the match-making party. Remember you weren't planning on staying for more than an hour?""Shut up," I growl at Dylan before I get out of the car. "You really know how to piss me off." "That's what I am here for," Dylan says as he puts the car in park. We step into the small hotel room, which is worse than I expected. There is only one large bed in the middle
Thomas's POVRain begins to pelt my windshield as I race down the road to the Moonshadow Pack. There is only one thing on my mind and that is saving Mia. It is well known that Alpha Richard doesn't treat his mates or his mistresses with any sort of respect. The man has been trying to produce an heir for his pack for the better part of three decades with no luck. His line will end with him. My headlights pierce through the darkness and the falling rain and land on a small blonde figure carrying a trash bag over her shoulder. Her thumb is stuck out as she walks on the other side of the road trying to flag down a ride to take her in the opposite direction that I am going. At first, I plan to ignore the small figure trying to hitchhike but I can't do it. Skidding to a stop in the middle of the road, I honk my horn to get her attention. The small woman runs up to the car, holding her trash bag over her head to shield herself from the rain. As she approaches my tinted window, I realize
Mia's POVPanic is surging through my body but I refuse to let it show. Reality has finally sunk in. I got into a vehicle with a man that I barely know. For all I know he could be taking me back to his pack to hold me hostage. I blatantly stare at Alpha Thomas as he drives down the road. The rain has finally slowed to a slow drizzle and the clouds have parted enough to provide some moonlight. The light from the moon shines off his face and I have to admit that he is terribly handsome. Even with his jaw clenched and water dripping down from his hair he is one of the most handsome men that I have ever seen. I can tell that he is irritated with me and I can't say that I blame him. It is my fault that he is wet and covered in mud. "Where are you taking me?" I ask boldly even though my nerves are turning my stomach. "Back to my hotel," he says shortly, not looking in my direction. More panic rushes through my body. "I don't know what you have heard about me," I begin, "but I am not th
Mia's POV Five Years Later I am an elephant or a hippo. Whichever you would like to compare a pregnant woman to. My ankles are swollen, and the doctor tells me I could be any day now. I am supposed to be resting to prepare myself for labor, but I really want to scrub this pack house from top to bottom. Nothing feels clean enough. Sitting by the window, I rest my bowl of Fruity Pebbles on my stomach and prop my feet up on the coffee table. Through the window, I can hear loud giggles coming from outside. Painfully I try to sit upright to see what is happening. And what I see gives me both scares me and puts a smile on my face. Thomas is in his wolf form with our son, Jacob, on his back. Our Beta Mark is in wolf form as well. Thomas and Mark's wolves are lined up, pawing at the ground like they are getting ready to race. That's when I hear Jacob's little voice ring out. "On your mark... get set... GO!" Jacob screams loudly, and I watch in terror as my mate takes off, running a
Mia's POV The doctor shuffles some of the papers on her desk as she smiles at me. What is it with everyone smiling at me? "Luna," she says, grinning brightly. "I have good news. You don't have a stomach virus." "Then why am I so sick? There must be a reason why I am so sick," I moan. "Luna, you are pregnant," the doctor tells me. "I'm sorry," I laugh uncomfortably. "I thought you just said that I am pregnant." "That's because I did," the doctor chuckles. My throat begins to feel thick, and I feel like I am going to vomit. "How far along?" I ask. "Without an ultrasound, I can't determine just how far along you are," the doctor says with a smile. "But I can check right now if you would like." "No!" I shout at her. "I want Thomas to be here." As if on cue, Thomas comes bursting in through the office door. His clothes are a mess and covered in teeth marks. He must have run here in his wolf form. He is breathing heavily and resting his hands on his knees, trying to cat
Mia's POV It has been two months since we arrived back at the Red Moon Pack. I have settled into my role as Luna. Without any formal training, it has been a struggle. Luna Renee has been by my side the whole time, teaching me what I need to know. Slowly, I am finding my place within this pack. This morning I am sitting in front of a mound of paperwork I have been putting off for a week. My second Luna ceremony is coming up, and it is up to me to plan this time. Luna Renee is sitting across from me, tapping her fingers impatiently on the desk, waiting for me to make a decision on colors for the upcoming ceremony. "Well," she says, watching me flip through the color swatches. "I already told you," I moan. "I want Red and Silver." "Those are very bold colors for a Luna Ceremony," she reminds me for the thousandth time. "I don't care," I groan. "I want those colors. Red is the official color of the Red Moon Pack, and silver matches my mark." I cross my arms over my chest
Thomas's POV I watch in awe as Mia transforms into her massive lycan form. Her lycan is lean but muscular, with shimmering silver fur that covers her body. I have never seen anything more beautiful in my whole life. As soon as she takes her new form, something changes within me. Mia's lycan stands on two legs, and she holds her hands up in front of her, trying to catch a glimpse of what she looks like. Without warning, her lycan takes off, running in the direction of the nearby stream. My wolf begins acting erratically in my mind, demanding that I chase after her. Stripping my clothes off, I leap into the air, shifting into my massive black wolf. I land on all fours, shaking out my fur. Lifting my nose into the air, I follow the strong scent of cinnamon. I race through the trees until I come upon Mia's lycan staring at herself in the stream. She twists her body from side to side, and I cannot help but think she is more beautiful than any werewolf I have ever seen. Suddenly sh
Mia's POV It is nighttime when I am released from the hospital, and my body is beginning to feel weird. My skin feels itchy, like it is trying to stretch over my body too tightly. As we walk to the car, I scratch at the skin on my arms, trying to alleviate the sensation. "Your body is getting ready to shift," Thomas tells me kindly. "The feeling will pass after you shift for the first time." We get into the car, and Thomas drives us to a secluded location in the Paxton Pack. Ethan and Emma told us this is where the young werewolves come to shift for the first time. Exiting the car, I notice a nip in the cool summer air. Goosebumps rise along my skin, and I feel slightly panicked. What if I am not a lycan? What if I am unable to shift? "You will be able to shift," Thomas says as he places his hand on the small of my back. "Stop reading my mind," I chuckle jokingly. Slowly I walk up the hill to the spot within the trees where the moon's light shines through the canopy.
Thomas's POV About an hour after Dylan left, I felt his tether to the pack break once again. This time it was more painful than the last time. The last time he left, I knew he would be back. This time I am not so sure I will see him ever again. Going rogue can be risky. Dylan runs the chance of losing himself to his wolf. He could become more wolf than man. He can become a danger to himself and others. Mia stirs a little in her sleep, and my eyes dart in her direction. "Mia, Mia, baby, are you awake?" She mumbles something in her sleep, and I watch her eyes move rapidly beneath her eyelids. She must be dreaming. "Mia?" I call her name again, trying to wake her from her slumber. "Mia, can you hear me?" "I can hear you," she mumbles grumpily. "Five more minutes." I cannot help but chuckle as she stretches her arms to the side and yawns. "Mia, my love," I say as I grab her hand. "You have been asleep since the battle." Suddenly, her eyes fly open, and she gasps. "It w
Thomas's POV Stroking the back of Mia's hand with my thumb, I lay my head on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to wake up. It has been hours since she killed Richard, and she is still asleep. The doctor said the stress of an early shift plus the shock of killing Richard is why she is sleeping. Her brain is trying to recover from the excitement of it all. I just hope that she wakes soon. I am tired of sitting beside this woman in a hospital, waiting for her to wake up. Mia is too headstrong for her own good. If she would have let me fight Richard on my own, none of this would have happened. But as stubborn and hardheaded as she is, I still love her and plan to tell her as soon as she wakes up. I have gone long enough keeping her in the dark. Once I profess my love for her, I will let her go just like I did Emma. Having already found my fated mate, I know how special that bond can be. I would never deny Mia the chance to have that with who the Moon Goddess made just for her.
Mia’s POV My heart swells when Thomas calls me his mate, but I am also nervous. See that Alpha Richard is covered in blood. He must have fought his way into the Paxton Pack. The decrepit old man who needed a cane to get around is no longer standing before me. Alpha Richard is standing tall, restraining Cora easily. He has been putting on an act all of these years. "Emma," Ethan's voice sounds desperate as he turns to his mate. "Get the kids out of here," he commands her. Emma runs to his side and kisses Ethan deeply before she runs to the other room to guard her children. "I have no quarrel with you, Ethan," Richard smirks. "I am just here for what is mine." "You brought this battle onto my pack lands," Ethan snarls. "You are making it my business." "Have it your way," Richard shrugs his shoulders. Thomas's chest is rumbling with anger beside me, and I know he is waiting for the right moment to attack. "Let Cora go," Thomas growls, and let's settle this like Alphas.
Richard's POV I show up on the front steps of the Moonshadow pack house in tattered clothes, with cuts and bruises all over my body. I have been in wolf form for days trying to get as far away from the Red Moon Pack as quickly as possible. I have been living off of rabbits and other small prey, and their blood and dirt are splattered over what is left of my clothes. Raising my hand, I weakly knock on the door. Alpha Aiden opens the door and takes one look at me before trying to slam the door in my face. Holding my hand out, I force the door open and make my way inside. Alpha Aiden looks at the trail of mud that I drug into the house with me and wrinkles his nose in disgust. "Do you have any idea how dirty you are?" Alpha Aiden says with an air of arrogance. "Do you have any idea what I have been through?" I snap at him. Alpha Aiden looks over me with disgust, "You are still alive." His voice is cold and heartless. "No thanks to you," I growl at him. "You promised