Dakota Sloane's body went limp, completely still, which was the last thing we needed. Rolling my eyes, I watched her, my shoulders trembling with unshed tears. Axton's hand gently rested on my shoulder, and I gave him a side glance. "We need her, darling. We need her because she's the only guide we have to Erika," I said, my heart heaving with sorrow for the pain caused by Sloane and Erika, two betrayers. How could I forgive Sloane for what she did? "This is going to be hard," I cried to Axton. "She hurts me." "I know," he sighed. "Forgiveness can come later. Right now, we need to save your pack and put an end to all the chaos Erika has unleashed." I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "Come here," Axton said softly, "don't cry, baby." He pulled me up from the floor, enveloping me in a tight hug and rubbing my back in soothing circles. "You have to be strong for the sake of your people, for us and our unborn babies." "What people?" I snapped. "The same people who ban
Axton My mouth fell open in surprise as I edged closer to the driveway where Elias and the warriors from Desert Canines had gathered under a huge mango tree with ripe fruits waiting to be plucked. They looked tired and the dirty khaki color of their uniform was a stark contrast to the brighter colors of the Wild Fangs warriors. "Elias, you silly ass. What the hell are you doing here?" Elias laughed infectiously and I ruffled his forehead before hugging him and waving at the warriors. "I can't believe you guys are here." "Did you think we'd sit back and watch our alpha head to a strange land and fight? We are doing our responsibility of taking care of you." I swallowed my laughter, snorting instead. "But I never asked you to come. Dakota and I can handle this on our own." Elias tipped his head to the side, narrowing his eyes with no trace of annoyance on his face. "We took an almost twenty-hour train here, and we're not about to go back without satisfying ourselves with the
Sloane Achy and exhausted from getting locked up in the confines of the pack house, I sighed for the hundredth time in ten minutes, staring at the glass of choco liquor sitting before me, and brought the glass to my lips. My thoughts raced dangerously. It was annoying that there wasn't anything I could do to salvage the situation. Dakota did not trust me. Not that I blamed her anyway. I gave her every reason to doubt me, broke her trust in me, and deserved everything I was getting. "Fool," I whispered to myself, sipping the tropical blend of chocolate and coconut soaked in liquor. "You're a nasty dunderhead, dumber than an ass. Nothing's worse than you." The liquor enveloped my senses, teasing my taste buds. I was mad. Mad at myself for being so daft. For the first time in over five hundred years since the inception of the pack. The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma positions were vacant. "This is all your fault," I muttered loudly, on the verge of tears. "Are you happy now? You messe
Dakota The warriors from both packs were getting ready, loading their ammunition with guns, swords, and several other weapons. Over thirty vans were parked in a big, open field, with the head warrior already at the door giving out instructions and pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. I was surrounded by strong, fearless fighters, ready to help me capture Erika, but the recent events of how she outsmarted me made me doubt. Scratch that. I was terrified. So terrified that I felt dizzy. I looked around trying to remember my battle strategy, but everything seemed blurry. It wasn’t my fight. Not anymore. It was for Ivan's revenge, for my pack, for Sara. The warriors strategized, discussing the mission carefully and stopping where we'd wait for Erika’s signal to attack. We split into four parts, with Axton, Elias and I traveling together. "Sara threatened me to never return home until you are safe. My pregnant wife is willing to become a single mother for your
Dakota My eyes fluttered open. A nerve-wracking pain hit me from my head to my foot and I ground my teeth, wincing and attempting to calm myself. A thunderbolt of confusion sent my pulses spinning and I struggled to remember where I was. I was now in my human form in a strange house and it was raining heavily, beating against the rooftop and window panes. I had no damn idea where I was. Lifting my head, my neck craned about, staring at my surroundings. I was in a wide, empty room with a high ceiling chained against a chair. The sizzling pain I felt took my breath away, sending tension throughout my body. Squeezing my eyes shut, I cradled my wounded arm, attempting to ignore the nausea that rolled in the pit of my stomach. The room was empty except for a black shelf by my left. I couldn't think straight. Axton must be so worried about me. It dawned on me that this was all Erika's doing and I needed to leave as soon as possible. The chains rattled against themselves as I moved.
Dakota I was confused about whether to break the magic box or not to break it. If I broke it, Erika would kill Axton, and if I didn't, she'd kill us all and continue with her evil. Erika's sinister grin plastered across her face, holding Axton captive with a sword pressed against his side. My thoughts froze and I became disoriented with a loud, critical inner voice yelling at me to break it. My breaths became short and fast due to the tightness in my chest. "Dakota, break the damn box!" Axton cried. "Set us free!" I side-glimpsed Axton. He begged me with his eyes but the dagger's blade glimmered with an intense, searing light with vibrant orange flame licking along the edges. Axton had been poisoned before and he almost lost his life. I was between crossroads, the devil, and the deep blue sea. "Do it, baby!" His eyes pleaded with me, going frantic as he desperately called my name. His dead body lying on the floor flashed in my mind and I winced. "Shut up, you idiot!" Erika
Dakota I was confused about whether to break the magic box or not to break it. If I broke it, Erika would kill Axton, and if I didn't, she'd kill us all and continue with her evil. Erika's sinister grin plastered across her face, holding Axton captive with a sword pressed against his side. My thoughts froze and I became disoriented with a loud, critical inner voice yelling at me to break it. My breaths became short and fast due to the tightness in my chest. "Dakota, break the damn box!" Axton cried. "Set us free!" I side-glimpsed Axton. He begged me with his eyes but the dagger's blade glimmered with an intense, searing light with vibrant orange flame licking along the edges. Axton had been poisoned before and he almost lost his life. I was between crossroads, the devil, and the deep blue sea. "Do it, baby!" His eyes pleaded with me, going frantic as he desperately called my name. His dead body lying on the floor flashed in my mind and I winced. "Shut up, you idiot!" Erika
Dakota I sat by Axton's bedside in the quiet room, the master bedroom upstairs. He was still very weak and unable to walk, only fed on liquids. "How's your leg?" I asked him, kissing his forehead. "Do you need me to give you a massage?" "No," he broke into an easy smile. "Just give me some of the broth and make it warm. It's the only thing I can stomach for now." "Okay, my love," I whispered, propping up his pillows and heading downstairs to the kitchen. I returned later with the broth, urging him to drink. "My mouth tastes like shit," he grimaced, and I helped him to the bathroom to brush his teeth. "That bastard must be so stunned that she's languishing in the pack's dungeon," Axton started to say. "I don't even want to talk about her. She's bad news," I said, staring at my staff of authority placed on top of the dresser, ironically in the same place where I kept it before it got stolen. "Tell me how you feel," Axton said, making me lie beside him. "I feel relieved, but I d
Sara Four months later. With my pregnancy showing, I wore a loose beach-colored gown together with other bridesmaids. Pumped and happy for the big day. Today was Dakota's wedding, and I was so happy as though it were my wedding. Dakota was experiencing back-to-back victories, and my emotions overflowed with tears streaming down my cheeks. It was a good decision for me not to wear makeup because I knew in the end, it was going to get smudged. My hands roamed my belly. My tiny miracle was growing every day, but the cravings that hit me were often crazy. While Dakota was getting ready with Olivia, Imani, and Sloane dolling her up, I reached for a slice of cake nearby and stuffed it into my mouth, enjoying the smudges of frostings. "Goodness gracious," Dakota laughed. "Somebody remind them to take my wedding cake far away from you." The wedding was the biggest talk in town as the merging of Wild Fangs and Desert Canines. It was the biggest event I had ever encountered, filled with
Sara My mornings were filled with overwhelming nausea washing over me. Getting sick in the morning had become my constant companion, and I felt a change taking place inside me. Everything was happening so fast, and Axton's betrayal threw us off balance. I couldn't believe that he cheated on Dakota with that bastard, Erika. I had never liked her, although I didn't have the guts to tell Dakota. The pain Dakota was experiencing was unfathomable, and I hated that bad things kept happening to someone with such a good heart. Axton, her own mate, had hurt her deeply. I made my way to the bathroom, and my stomach churned as I emptied its contents. Dakota watched me as I lay on the couch, covering myself with a blanket. "Are you okay?" she asked softly. I could see the sadness in her eyes, yet she was concerned about me. She had lost so much weight and was looking like the ghost of her former self, reminding me of the sad times before she met Axton. "I don't know," I managed to say. "I f
Elias My honeymoon with Sara was a fucking disaster. I was frustrated, confused, and annoyed that no matter how I tried to salvage the situation, nothing worked. All she wanted to do was return to Desert Canines to meet Dakota. The bond between both ladies was unbreakable, but I needed my time alone with my wife. It didn't help that I was getting blue balls after the failed attempt to make love with Sara. Sex had never been a problem for me. Although I was quite big, the girls at the Academy and my ex-flings had no issues with my size, but Sara freaked out when she saw me for the first time, making it seem like I was abnormal. She still hadn't returned from the pack house. I needed an outlet and went to Axton. He was busy with alpha duties, but when we took a break, I shared my feelings with him, hoping he would provide some relief. Instead, the idiot was amused and burst out laughing, which only fueled my annoyance. "It's not funny, dude. I don't think I can handle it a
Sara My wedding day had arrived. The whole thing seemed like a dream. I couldn't believe that I was getting married. I was ecstatic and scared at the same time. I sat in front of the mirror, and Dakota and Imani stood by my side, helping with my makeup. "I can't believe my baby girl is finally getting married," Dakota beamed, curving my brows. "You, my dear, are such a beautiful bride." "Adorable," Imani agreed. "I'm nervous, Dakota," I said to her. "What if something goes wrong? What if my wedding isn't perfect? Or what if I trip on my dress? What am I even going to do after the wedding? I know nothing about sex." Dakota and Imani exchanged glances, chuckling softly. "You're worrying too much. Everything will be fine. It's your day, and it's going to be amazing." I slipped into my wedding dress, a shimmery soft tulle gown adorned with intricate beadwork. Imani had gifted me the dress, and I had to work on it considering that it was meant for someone chubby like her. It turned
Sara I sat with Dakota in the back of the van, my heart racing with raw fear that compressed me like a vice, making me faint and feverish. Our hopes of escaping were shattered. Axton looked so pissed, like an angry bull. His reaction confused me, making me wonder why he was angry, considering that they had already labeled us murderers. But knowing how strong the mating bond was, I couldn't blame him, because somewhere in the back of my mind was dancing and rejoicing that we weren't leaving anymore. Now we had to face the consequences of our actions. Dakota sat beside me, her mouth on a white slash and anger simmering beneath the surface. Elias had no emotion on his face, and I wondered what he was thinking. He must hate me so much now. We returned to the cabin and Axton headed upstairs with Dakota, leaving Elias and me alone. The silence felt as though somebody had just died. I couldn't meet his gaze. I stared at my feet instead. He stood opposite me, not moving or saying anyt
Sara All night, I couldn't sleep. My limbs weakened, feeling Dakota's raw betrayal. I couldn't believe she would think so low of me. She blamed me for her circumstance and I didn't think I'd ever forgive her. The next morning, I sat outside the cabin, staring at the desert landscape. A small part of me wanted to run away because it took her getting angry before she said what was on her mind. If she didn't trust me, why were we pretending to love each other? Despite how angry I felt, I knew I couldn't leave her. We were all we had. I felt her presence behind me and went completely still. When our gazes met, I saw the remorse etched on her face. "Sara, I honestly didn't know what came over me last night. I'm so ashamed of myself. I shouldn't have said what I said. You know that I didn't mean any of those things, right?" My tongue lay like a stone in my mouth and a thick silence passed between us. "Sara, please say something. I was so worried when I returned to the cabin and cou
Sara When Axton drove us to the cabin. I was so scared and silent tension filled the air in the van like gas, choking me. I watched helplessly with nerves fluttering in my tummy. When Elias's fingers brushed my thighs, I luxuriated in the sweet sensation and the wave of desire hit me from my head to my foot but I'd rather fry my brains out than admit it. We all headed inside. Dakota looked away from Axton and avoided meeting his gaze like the plague. Axton seemed more pissed than Elias and didn't fail to show it. He shot Dakota a nasty look, his eyes like flint stones. Elias tried to infuse some humor and cleared his throat. "Anyone hungry?" No one answered him. Silence descended upon the cabin like a black-winged bird. "I want to speak with you alone. Upstairs," Axton said in a stormy voice to Dakota. The Dakota I had known and lived with for years would never acknowledge anyone who spoke to her in such a rude tone. But now, she did the opposite of what I expected.
Elias POV In my wildest dreams, I never knew the moon goddess would give me a mate. I'd always felt different, like an outsider. This mindset developed when I was a student. I didn't give a crap about school at all. It was worthless, soul-sucking, with distant monsters as teachers who ignited any spark of passion within me. It didn't help that I was doing very badly in school. Axton, my best friend, always thought I wasn't dumb, and always consoled me whenever the teacher yelled at me for having a coconut for brains. "You're street smart," Axton always said to me. "You're very good at solving problems most of the time. Maybe you're not functioning well because this place is a regimented learning system, or maybe the teachers are crap sacks." Axton was very different from me. He was a genius, loved by everyone. He had a dad, mum, and brother even though his brother was an asshole. My mum died while giving birth to me and my dad mourned her by busying himself with work. I was alwa
Sara Days and nights passed. Hopeless and defeated, Dakota and I continued our nomadic existence, surviving each day as it came. Our lives had been forever altered and we were stripped of everything we had. I watched Dakota sadly deteriorate from an Alpha to a rogue and after a series of rejections, we had no choice but to seek refuge in the northern deserts. My mind raced like a clock when we stepped into the brothel. I hated the place with everything in me and felt a bitter tang of disgust in my mouth because of their questionable character. It was a whorehouse. Somewhere I wasn't used to. The ladies of the night did their business here, making their rounds around. They were all young girls of varying ages. I had never had sex before, nor did I want to have sex in such a disgusting way, where my body would be on full display, fucking different sizes of dicks, ranging from the ones as tiny as my thumb to long as my forearm. I didn't want to be used as an animal. No female's