“I just… need more time.” Everly says to me, a worried look on her face. I can feel the burn of rejection in my throat, but I try to remind myself she had said she liked me. This wasn’t like before, when she straight up picked someone else over me. And she wasn’t asking to move into her own place like she had last time I’d lost my cool on her. I just kept trying to tell myself that these were all good signs. “Yeah, sure.” I stood up, feeling the need to leave before I pushed her too hard, or said something I would regret later like I always seemed to. I could feel the toxic part of my brain getting pissed, wanting to grab her and demand to know why she wouldn’t just admit she loved me. Doing that would erase all the work I’d been putting in to convince her I’m not a monster since she’s been with me this go around.I head back into the house, sighing heavily once I’m out of earshot of Everly. “Hey, everything good?” I glance up as Camilla comes out of the living room then, leaning ag
That night, I get dressed in the overly fancy getup my mother had given me to wear, and leave my room to get Camilla from hers. I glance longingly at Everly’s closed bedroom door as I knock lightly on Camilla’s. I wish I was taking Everly. Hell, I wish I wasn’t going at all. I wish we were going on a walk together, or curled up on the couch watching a movie. Even though I don’t think she would do that with me. A man can dream. “Evening.” I refocus as Camilla opens her door. She was wearing a skin tight shimmery blue dress that dipped dangerously low in the front. I shook my head a little at my mother’s obvious tactics. I wonder if other sons had to deal with stuff like this.“You ready?” I ask, looking her in the eye, mostly so I wouldn’t stare at her chest. She nods, and I hold out my arm for her. My mother has her in very high heels, and the last time we’d spent some time together, she told me never used to wear them so she was having a hard time walking these days. Even now I coul
The night ended up not being that bad. Adam and my mom “snuck” off somewhere about halfway through our little party, and the rest of us started playing poker. The more drunk we got, the more comfortable we got, and we ended up playing strip poker.One of the guys, Alan, had scars all over his body, which I saw when he was forced to remove his shirt. I ended up talking to him for almost four hours, drinking and asking him questions. Guys like Alan were my preferred method of advice seeking; leaders who have been through it, who have worked hard and bled for their pack. Camilla had gotten sucked into a conversation about her family's pack with the other committee members. I had tuned in when I realized she was telling them about projects she had been working on when she was forced to leave, and I started to wonder again about why Camilla was here. It sounded like she had plenty going for her back home.But that night, as I listened to her talking with passion about the cars she had b
“Why would I be jealous?” Everly mumbles under her breath, moving away from my hand that lingers near her face. I shrug. “Maybe because you don’t like seeing me with another woman.” I test. Her face blushes, and she shakes her head furiously. “No? So what, if I pick Camilla to be my mate tomorrow, you’ll be okay with it?” This question seems to send Everly’s mind into overdrive. I can literally see her thinking about it, probably picturing it and everything that will come with it. Finally, she peeks up at me and mutters a quiet, “It would bother me.” She admits, and I feel my heart racing in happiness. “And why would it bother you?” I press, my eyes desperately searching over her face and body language.“Because.” She grumbles. “Because I have feelings for you, okay Sebastain?” She glares a little at me. “Despite the fact that you’re a slightly murderous child stealer, I can’t help it.” She looked a little defeated as she finally admitted how I knew she was already feeling for me.
I sat in a chair on one side of Sebastian on the day we would find out who would be helping him run his pack from now on. Despite the somewhat passionate moment Sebastain and I had yesterday, there was still a large part of me that wondered if it would be me or Camilla who was chosen. Sebastain might disagree, but I had a sneaking suspicion his feelings weren't the only factors going into this decision. Camilla was on the other side of him, talking to one of the committee members who had approached her and started going on about something they were previously discussing the other night. Sebastian had joined in, so I was just kind of awkwardly sitting here, waiting to get this thing over with. Serena hadn’t yet arrived yet, and so far it seems like she was the only reason we're waiting around.I fiddle with my hands a little in my lap. Camilla seemed quite close to all of the committee members, I had to say that much. They seemed to have inside jokes and banter that I wasn’t includ
“Killian!” I hiss as I approach him once the meeting has been called to an end. The committee members are all already talking in excited tones about what just happened, arguing over who they think will come out on top. I ignore Sebastain’s eyes on me as I grab Killian’s arm and drag him into a corner. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I ask him with panic in my voice. Killian’s eyes flick over me, and his nostrils flare a little. “I can smell it, you’ve been with him more and more.” He says, ignoring my question. “What are you talking about?” I growl, crossing my arms across my chest in embarrassment. He couldn’t actually smell something like that, could he?He clenches his jaw a couple times and looks away from me. “I’m not an idiot, Everly. And I’m also not just going to let that sociopathic creep take you away from me without a fight.” His gaze fixes back on me then, and it’s intense and a little angry looking. “Killian, come on. You said yourself not that long ago you
I stumble into my bedroom, collapsing against the door and gasping for air. Had that really just happened? I hold my hand against my still slightly bleeding neck, swallowing thickly and shaking my head in pointless denial.Sebastian had just marked me, so I now bore two marks, which was not what I would call a good look. I rush over to my mirror, grimacing at the state of my neck. He had really tore into me, I’m assuming to make sure it was more prominent than Killian’s on the opposite side of my neck.Tears fill my eyes as I grab a tissue and try and wipe the remaining blood off of me. I hear a knock at my door and I curse under my breath. “What?!” I call, an edge of irritation in my voice. I turn around with a glare as my door opens. I’m surprised when it’s Camilla who enters my room. I softened my face a little, because at least it wasn’t who I had thought it was, Sebastian. I was ready to strangle him right now, so he’s lucky it wasn’t him knocking on my door.“Everything oka
I sigh as I’m dragged away from where Camilla and Lucas are now talking to be apprehended by Killian. I had thought about wearing a scarf or something until I had the mental capacity to deal with Killian’s reaction to my new, very permanent mark, but had decided against it. Now I was regretting that choice a little.“What is this?” He demands again when we stop, and he shoves my hair out of the way to glare at the new mark on my neck. I had cleaned all the blood off, but it was still brand new, so there was plenty of bruising around the bite marks.“Sebastian marked me.” I say evenly, crossing my arms and watching his face for a reaction. Saying anything different would just make him think I thought he was stupid. Might as well rip this bandaid off, I guess.“I can see that.” He growls, his eyes flashing with anger. “And you let him?” “He didn’t really ask me, but it’s not like he forced me either.” I say a bit lamely. While it was true that Sebstain didn’t talk to me before sinking
I sigh heavily, letting another file I’d built for a new potential Alpha fall into the trash can. This one’s name had been Andrew Powell, a long residing pack member with good combat skills. When I'd asked around about him, all anyone had to say was good things, and everyone seemed to know him. With that in mind, I had eagerly pursued him, and of course, he was just as eager to accept the challenge.He’d started off great, doing his best to make a good impression. Then it was like something changed, and he let the mask drop. He started acting like he already had the Alpha title, parading around telling everyone what to do. So this morning, I’d brought him into what I was currently using as an office, and told him he was no longer being considered for the Alpha position. Of course he had gotten pissed, started telling me I wasn’t even qualified to make this kind of decision, and that maybe he would just take the title without my blessing. At least I knew now I was right in my choice.
Was this how Everly felt when I had been unfaithful in our marriage? Did she too feel this sadness, this envy, this anger?All I could think about was hearing those words from her, “I’m pregnant. And it’s not yours.” Over and over again like a broken record.Pure, unfiltered rage courses through my veins as I stomped out of our house, swinging the door open so hard it cracked against the wall behind it. I ignored the stares from the pack members I’d had outside with Ella and Eli, and didn't stop to answer their questions of where I was going and if I was okay. The twins would be fine with them for a little, maybe better than if they were left in my care.Because I was anything but okay. My woman was pregnant with another man’s child, and I had a very good feeling on who’s it was. I could tell by her hesitation, the tone in her voice. It was that bastard’s, Sebastain’s. The image of them screwing pissed me off, and made bile rise in my throat. I didn’t even want to think about them
“Hey, babe. How’d it go today?” Killian’s voice says in my ear through my phone. I swallowed thickly at his question, clenching the phone in my hand so tightly I was scared it was going to break. This was the part I was dreading. Killian and I were just reconnecting, and now I was about to tell him I was going to be gone for some undetermined amount of time. Not to mention… There was a baby growing in me right now. What if I was gone for months? I would show back up with a swollen belly. That would be nothing if not jarring. I mean, it’s not like I had cheated on him or anything. But I still felt guilty, horrible even, at the life growing inside of me. “It was okay.” I say, then fall silent. I know he’s waiting for me to tell him more, what I chose to do, because I hadn’t even told him my plan. It was kind of a last minute call. That, and I’m too weak. He had hugged me with such warmth before I left, kissing my cheek and telling me he couldn't wait for me to come home. “Uhm. I gues
Three days later…For some reason, Sebastian’s pack land looked different to me this time around. It seemed less foreign, for sure. I had lived there for a while, and spent plenty of time wandering around. Less intimidating, maybe, now that I knew there was no scheming man waiting around the corner. I walked behind Adam and a couple other committee members who had tagged along, a woman named Marlin, a man named Thomas. This morning, Adam and them had shown up at my door, and told me we would be travelling here today, to announce my decision to the pack and appoint a new Alpha if my choice was to leave. He told me I could have them fight me or each other, do a poll, whatever I felt was the best call to pick the new leader. Sebastian didn’t have an official Beta, so while that would normally be the first logical choice, unfortunately it wasn’t an option this time around. Strangely enough, none of them had asked what I was going to do yet today. Adam kept eyeing me, like he was doubti
Since returning to Kilian’s pack things had been… different. I was happy to be back with Killian and our kids. We were finally together, able to raise them side by side. I wasn’t having to look over my shoulder because I had to be on guard all the time, and Killian was paying me more attention than ever before. Apart from that, there were a few more serious things going on. For example, Sebastian’s pack was left without an Alpha. The committee members were breathing down my neck, telling me I either needed to relinquish my position over to someone else, or step up and take charge of the dozens of wolves looking for a leader. And don’t even get me started on Felix’s pack. They weren’t in my top list of priorities, I can't lie. Most of them had run off, only a few of the new members who had been forced into Felix’s pack had stuck around. Honestly, I had kind of been hoping Sebastain would show back up. I would be more than happy to hand his pack back over. I didn’t want it. I hadn’t
The ride back to Killian’s pack was mostly quiet; he’d ask me something every once in a while, about the twins or his pack. But I think we both had a lot on our minds. I know I did. The car had dropped us as close to the pack lands as it could, and we walked the rest of the way. “God, I’m glad to be back in these woods.” Killian said as we walked along. He had his face tilted to look at the tops of the trees, and was smiling a little for the first time in what felt like forever. It was kind of cute, the way he was acting like he was literally being recharged just by being in his woods again. “What are you smiling at?” He asks me, bumping his shoulder against mine a little. I shake my head, and look up at him. “Just… happy we both got to come back here together.” I say. “Did you miss this place at all?” He asks, looking down at me. I nod a little. “Yeah, I guess I did. Or really I missed the good memories I had attached to it.” He nods along. “Like… Do you remember that one nigh
A lot had happened since I had beaten both Sebastain and Felix. Most of which I wasn’t currently letting Killian in on. It’s not that I didn’t trust him or think he wasn’t capable anymore, but I knew he was hurt. And I knew only half of the pain he was feeling right now was physical. First of all, May reared her annoying ass in again. It makes sense, as she had been spotted previously hanging out with Felix, and had been acting suspiciously close with him before. But I was a bit surprised when his body was taken away by his pack members, and she surfaced through the crowd, like she’d been there the entire time. “Look who’s leveled up in the world.” she had sneered at me as she glared down at the unconscious Felix. She looked at me bitterly, like I had taken something from her. She had gone on about how this and this were supposed to happen, but now everything was ruined since I’d stuck my nose into everything. She said I was in the way, like always, and should’ve just learned my
I always thought Everly had such a pretty side profile. I remember when I first started getting to know her, I would stare at her across the courtyard at our college, just watching her read or talk to someone. I liked the curve of her lips, the way her lashes brush the tops of her cheeks when she blinked.That’s what I was thinking about as I watched her talk to the doctor who had been taking care of me for the past couple of days. I was being released. My injuries weren’t all the way healed, but I was good enough. The doctor had actually said that. I wasn’t upset about it or anything, I was ready to get out of here as it was. I was still in Sebastain’s pack. Or I guess, Everly’s pack. We hadn’t actually talked too much about that little fact yet. I’d tried to bring it up a couple times, to find out what exactly happened. I knew the outcome of everything, but I still felt like I was missing a lot of important details. But whenever I did bring it up, suddenly Everly had to pee so
Failure. You lost. Pathetic. You don’t deserve to be Alpha. These words are the only ones that fill my head as someone carried my unconscious body like a sack of potatoes. I didn’t know who it was, if they were taking me to finish me off or help me, but I didn’t care. I can’t believe I lost. My mind can’t quite put everything that happened in order, not yet at least. I remember the beginning of the fight, flashes of Everly’s anxious face watching me get my ass kicked. I remember… getting knocked down. Lots of yelling. But I’m not sure why… I couldn’t pick out what they had been saying. Sounded like a woman, calling someone a monster. But who would be yelling that, and why? And I remember opening my eyes for a moment, and seeing Everly kneeling above me, blood on her chin, and her eyes so, so worried for me. Why was there blood on her chin? “...you gotta open your eyes buddy.” Whoever that is sounds familiar. Lucas? He was the only one who would call me something like “buddy.”