Axton Dakota and I walked side by side down the dusty desert road in the warm evening light. The sun set and cast a warm golden glow over her hair as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings of this part of the pack. "Axton, I'm not sure I can do this," she said. "Why not? Stop overthinking this." She remained silent, and the sound of our footsteps crunched against the sand and rocks. "I don't know, I feel exposed and vulnerable, you know, without my golden staff. I think I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I don't like feeling less than enough." I turned to face her, hearing the distant howl of a wolf in the desert. "Well," I started with a reassuring gentle hand on her back. "I know it might be intimidating, but Elder Timothy is one of the most powerful people in our pack, blessed by the moon goddess, and has a wealth of knowledge to share with you." "I know," she groaned. "Look, I understand how you feel, but do you know that without your golden staff, you can regain your power
Dakota In the still of the night, Axton lay soundly sleeping, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath with a peaceful expression on his face. My hand tousled his dark hair and the light dusting of stubble graced his chin, giving him a rugged yet endearing appearance. The fan blades sliced through the still air, causing the curtains to flutter softly. I sat up with Xavier's diary resting in my lap, and the pages illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. A knot formed in my stomach as I read about the young boy's struggles. Dear Diary, Daddy hates me. He always treats me so badly. Every time I do something wrong, he hits me and yells at me. But when Axton does something wrong, Daddy just buys him a gift and never scolds him. I don't think it's fair. My body hurts. Earlier, he whipped me senseless with a belt, and held my head in the toilet till I was begging for mercy! He said. "I'm ashamed of you, Xavier. There's nothing special about you." He gets colder a
Dakota Axton and I lay on the cool, grassy ground beneath the twinkling stars. Axton's hands clasped firmly in mine and his presence was so comforting, and he was back to his normal self. "Train with me," he chuckled, his handsome face breaking into a grin as he squeezed my hand. I rolled my eyes "I still feel sore from Elder Timothy's punishment. If I had my powers, I'd have given you a badass kick." Axton raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "But what if I was a thief trying to steal from you? Would you just let me go because you don't have your powers?" I sighed, knowing he had a point. "That's different," I said. "The golden staff was a blessing from the moon goddess and it was stolen from me. I'm like a door and the staff is the key. Without it, I can't function." Axton listened patiently and then smiled. "Pretend that the moon goddess never gave me the staff in the first place. Approach your powers as a newbie, learning the ropes and discovering your abiliti
Axton Standing in the clearing, panting and covered in sweat, my fists clenched at my sides. Xavier and his supporters gloated in victory. The sun beat down on me, making me sweat profusely. Xavier stood across from me, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath and had an evil glint in his eyes. Fucking bastard. I almost shifted into my wolf but held myself back because Xavier usually went through extreme pain while shifting. My dad called his wolf cursed, and this was the major reason he couldn't lead the pack. It was a weakness that I was well aware of, one that I had initially planned to use against him. But matter how much I disliked him, this secret was going to remain in our family. I took a step forward, ready to continue the fight when Xavier suddenly lunged at me. I quickly dodged to the side and swung my fist, connecting with his cheek with a satisfying thud. He stumbled back, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs. I followed up with another punch, but h
Dakota Lust burned in my brain and I could think of nothing else. Axton was all I wanted, all I could ever think about His hands cupped my backside as he caught me by the waist and carried me upstairs. "Who gave you the right to be so fucking sexy?" He whispered into my ear as I touched his lips with a playful finger. "You should see the throbbing boner I have right now " "The amount of unholy things I want to do with you is shocking," I responded with a chuckle and he increased his pace on the staircase, going two at a time. "You're so impatient," I laughed as he kicked the door open. Raw desire made my tongue thicken. His scent was doing things to me, things I could not resist. After we both got inside and he led me by the hand to the bedroom, I felt his energy shift. "Kiss me, Axton," I whispered over his lips. His breath was a hot caress and it mixed hotly with mine. "How much do you want me, angel?" "Badly, I need you right now." His mouth was on mine, telling me w
Dakota After the hot, make-out session, Axton and I got ready for the after-party downstairs. I chose a grey pleated dress with a plunging neckline while Axton wore a crisp white shirt that had two buttons undone and matched it with black pants. Axton whistled, his hand grabbing my butt and pulling me closer to him and giving my lower lip a hungry nibble. “Damn Dakota, let's play carpenter so I can nail you." I pulled away from him, letting a laugh come full and free. "Not interested, thanks. We can't be having sex like horny rabbits." Sloping his head to the left, he winked at me and trailed his finger up the inside of my thigh. "I don't mind. I don't care about the damn party. Parties get me bored and weary, so much that my eyes burn." "In that case," I gave him a fleeting smile, adjusting the collar of his shirt that fit him perfectly. "You'll have to beat your meat because I'm heading downstairs." Axton's mouth formed a pout and hand in hand, we made our way down the st
Axton Dakota and I headed to the desert Oasis nestling in the heart of the sandy desert. The early morning light cast shadows on the dunes. Hand in hand, we walked through the oasis, dodging sand drifts that had formed since the last time I was here. There wasn't much going on in the desert this early morning, just birdsong and crickets chirping away. The sound of running water and the calm and peaceful atmosphere were enchanting. Birds sang in the background and lizards ran about. Dakota's jaw slackened in awe, her fingers clamping over mine. "Oh my God, this place is beautiful," she spoke softly as if trying to not break a spell. "I knew you'd like it," I smiled, loving how her crystal blue eyes glowed with excitement and sunbeams reflected off the smoothness of her face. "It's the only beautiful thing we have here and I saved it for this moment." Her hair fell over one eye and I pulled them behind her ear instead. We moved closer admiring the tall palm trees and fragran
Dakota Dear Diary, Dad hit me again. He treats me as if I'm not even his son, let alone the one he gave birth to. It's tiring, and I don't know how long I can cope with this. I'm so forgotten in this house. I need to get out and escape this nagging and belittling from Dad. I love staying at Reggie's house. It's my escape. His dad and mom accept me for who I am, and they don't judge me. I wish I could live in his house, but Dad wouldn't let me. I can't wait to become an adult so that I can leave Dad's oppressive house. Axton keeps getting all the accolades, and Dad loves him more than anything in the world. I don't want to hate Axton, but right now, I think I have no choice. I try to be like him, talk like him, walk like him, and do his hobbies, but that's never going to be enough. I can never be him. I wish some magic could make me grow up into an adult overnight, so I would leave and never return. Xavier. Reading Xavier's diary, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart pie
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