The week after the incident with Serena was weirdly quiet. Every morning I half expected to wake up with gum stuck in my hair or something, and I’d always check my surroundings when I approached the staircase. Didn’t want to end up getting pushed down by the bitter mother in law like I was in a cheesy day time TV show. Sebastian hung around me a lot, and I can’t lie, I kind of liked it. But he also was still going on dates with Camilla, which was bothering me more and more each day. If he didn’t plan on being with her anyways, why was he still hanging around her? He had told his mother he had no interest in her, but for some reason he was still entertaining her. One morning, I was sitting at the kitchen island, eating a bagel. Sebastian comes down the stairs and joins me, ruffling my hair a little as he passes by me to the fridge. “I have a surprise for you today.” He says to me. I turn around to look at him and raise a brow. He smiles a little and moves to sit beside me with a
I am more than aware I am losing Everly every day she spends with Sebastain. There was a part of me that hoped she would wait for me when I realized she was the one who would be staying behind, that the things he had done for would overpower the pull of the mate bond. But there was a bigger part of me that knew from the start it would be impossible for her to stay completely away from him, especially considering the whole reason he was keeping her here was to make sure he got an heir one day. There was no way he wasn’t laying it on thick with her to try and get back into her good graces.I could see it when I approached the pair with the twins in my arms. She looked guilty, and had taken a step away from Sebastain like she had been caught doing something. And the way he kissed her forehead when he was leaving? She hadn’t even tried to stop him or move away. It was hard to be mad about my assumptions, since I’d been the one to actually cheat when we were still together. I had to rem
“How was your day?” I glance up at Sebastian as he sets a cup of tea in front of where I sit at the table in the back area of his house.It was seven in the evening now, Killian and the twins had left a couple hours ago. Not before he reminded me plenty of times how we were meant to be together, and to not forget about what we have while he works to get me back.I had walked back to Sebastain’s slowly and quietly, just thinking about everything Killian had said to me today. “Oh… it was good.” I say carefully. I wasn’t actually with either man, but I still felt like I was two timing both of them. I definitely had feelings for both, and it came through when I was interacting with them. I couldn’t help it. “It was nice seeing the twins.” I add. “Yeah? Must have been hard to send them off.” He says as he sits next to me with his own cup of coffee. I roll my eyes at his obvious attempt to entice me into keeping them here with me. If the day ever came where I felt comfortable leaving my
The day it would be decided who would be staying with Sebastain and becoming his Luna was tomorrow. It had been three days since Sebastain and I had our little conversation, and I gotta be honest, it was becoming more and more clear to me I had upset him more than he’d let on.I hadn’t seen him at all the day after; apparently he’d been busy with committee work all day, and would be for the following days. Or so he said. I believed him at first, since the same members who had questioned my motives behind wanting Sebastain now were starting to pop back up. I had seen Serena leading them somewhere when they’d first arrived, I’m assuming to the guests' houses. She had been smiling and chatting them all up, ever in schmooze mode.But on the second night, I had left my room to use the bathroom around eleven o’clock. I hadn’t been noticed, but I had seen Sebastain and Camilla leaving, both wearing nice clothes, and their arms were hooked together. I still remember how it had felt when my
“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 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.”