Valerian’s POVMy future partner was hilarious. That’s all I could think of at the sight of her.I meant that in the best way though. Humans were so young sometimes, they just didn’t understand how they appeared, thinking they were mature and wizened compared to other humans.They didn’t know that there was something else to compare to and in turn, oftentimes it felt like they were wearing too big shoes and wouldn’t be able to compare.Eleonore Everwood seemed to have the opposite of that problem. Rather than ill-fitting, the shoes were the right size, she knew exactly what she was, how she appeared to the rest of the world, and the conformity I usually saw in the race was lost on her.Not from a lack of care or even her father’s influence to keep her malleable and under his thumb, she was just well aware of how powerless she was and didn’t try to act like she wasn’t and was just living to the best of her abilities.Humans were funny like that, and for her, who had no ID
Missael's POVVampires.Fucking vampires. I wasn’t usually one for swearing but, taking a page from Gael’s book felt right in this instance.Could our mate not catch a fucking break? With us it was one thing, we weren’t threats to her, even if she couldn’t believe that, but almost becoming vampire prey? It was absolutely unfair and I was starting to worry that Eleonore might’ve been cursed when she was a child to have such poor luck.I could bring those worries up to Gabriel later though, right now I needed to get her back to campus where there was some relative safety in being among so many people.The book club was understanding when I explained that I was going to slip out to take Eleonore back to her dorm before coming back to help drive everyone back. The simple truth of someone having approached her and leaving her upset was enough to have them practically shooing us out for safer, more comforting halls.Then I was driving back, Eleonore in the passenger seat lo
Gabriel’s POVMy brothers were trying to kill me with stress. Before our cousin could assassinate me in a jealous rage. Before a rival pack could take me out, or even before I died of an ulcer, my brothers would do it, making me worry to death.Assholes.First Gael wouldn’t answer his phone during the party, now Missael was pulling the exact same crap. He at least sent me an automated text telling me that he was driving and would talk later, so there was that. But really, it shouldn’t take this long to drive the book club anywhere.They couldn’t be fine with the campus coffee house, no, they needed to go all the way to that little diner, which was admittedly good. Gael had dragged us there from time to time for after-party food but still.“You’re pacing again,” Gael called, sprawled out on the couch and on his phone. He was still up and hadn’t attended any parties that I knew were going on, meaning he was worried too.After he had texted us about Eleonore joining the boo
Eleonore’s POVMy father had forced me into rather tense and awkward situations before. Dinners, dances, charity functions and high-class parties to schmooze with the other powerful and rich, and having your children attend was usually a good look if they were behaved, which Thomas and I had to be.They weren’t fun, but we dealt with it.This situation was a bit different from a fancy dinner, but it felt just as awkward. I had texted Gael who handed off his brothers’ phone numbers while apologizing once more. It was his older brother, Gabriel who asked to meet with me first.I thought it’d be Gael who wanted to see me first, but Missael told me Gael was in trouble because he was supposed to give me space and… yes. That was fair, honestly. I hadn’t exactly been happy to be bombarded with so many texts after that, but it still felt a bit mean.Since Gabriel asked to meet me, and after everything that happened, I hesitantly agreed as long as it was a public space, which he co
Eleonore’s POV“El’s, I’m sorry but that sounds like the opposite of a problem,” Charlie told me, and I groaned into my coffee, deciding that I did indeed deserve the morning ice cream cone I had gotten for myself.Screw it being breakfast, I knew explaining to Charlie what had been going on in my life would be an emotional roller coaster.“No no, you’re missing the point.”“I don’t see how three hot dudes wanting to date you could be a problem.”“Because I’ve never dated before and now three people want to? Because they’re all brothers, which’ll cause drama at some point? Because if my father hears about this, I’ll probably be better off dead? The point is I am woefully unprepared to be dealing with this, but ignoring it’s not the answer.”Ignoring the situation left me with anxiety and inevitably I ended up with more questions after I pulled my head out of the sand.Now I was trying to navigate the complicated process of being the fated mate to THREE werewolves while
Missael’s POVWe needed to address the elephant in the room because it was starting to turn into a ticking time bomb and ignoring it was doing nothing for us but adding more fuel and waiting for it to go up.I was waiting for the right time to bring it up with my brothers because, Goddess forbid, if we had to talk about feelings, but this was starting to get to be a bit much.I knew Eleonore wanted to sit down and talk with all of us about this and that the longer we were sort of kind of together, the more it needed to be addressed. But that was a bit hard to do when not everyone was ready for that.Not from lack of trying on my part though, just the two idiots I called brothers were stalling. Eleonore was an incredible woman even if she wasn’t our fated mate, and it was hard to control ourselves. I knew Gael barely did with how touchy he was with her. Hand holding, hugs, and I knew it was killing him that he couldn’t outright kiss her.We were scared to press boundaries,
Eleonore's POVHaha. I was in trouble.I just hadn’t known how much trouble I was going to be in till now.I took the risk but God—Goddess, I still hadn’t expected… this! Everything!Our first semester was coming to a close. Finals week was on its way as everyone started to study more and feel the pressure.Professor Cross had called me in after my classes because he found something on the topic of multiple mates, and I was excited to learn what he found but I was also… scared to hear it?After the vampire scare with that man Valerian, I’d just been getting to know the Sined brothers and forgot when they met me for the first time. It felt like I was the one losing control!They were… wonderful, and that was starting to hurt.Gabriel was usually silent when we went out, feeling no need to start a conversation, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t caring or loving. It was all in his gestures, the way he walked on the side that was closer to the street like he was protecting you
Eleonore’s POVThomas’s warning had left me paranoid over finals week, doubling my stress but somehow, someway, I managed to pull through. I was a bit worse for wear and run ragged, but the first semester of university was over, and we were allowed to start choosing our courses for the next semester.Professor Sanderson had given me back my final project with a proud smile and told me I had some real talent and that he was hoping to see me for his next class, and I swore that I almost cried.I was really doing it, huh? Learning like my mother did. She never got to build anything, after college she met father and was practically married right away. I wondered if I’d get to build anything or if father was going to drag me back before that could even happen—but no.For now, for now I was happy, and I didn’t have to worry about him. For now I was just focusing on the trouble right in front of me.My pills, seemingly harmless little things with no label beyond ‘take two a day’. No
Eleonore’s POV Alpha Sined scolded his sons for their actions of preemptively marking me. I was let off rather lightly and given some reading material to go over while he had the guys train until they dropped. Despite that though, the marks remained, mostly covered by my hair and so faint you could barely see them but just brushing my fingers over them made me stupidly happy. After that, it was time to finally return to college. It felt like so long ago since I’d been on the campus, and even though winter was just around the corner the grass was still green as I stepped out of the car and took in the sights. Lush green, students milling about, and plenty of opportunities. So many opportunities that I didn’t know what to do, I was too excited. “I’ll see you guys later, alright!” “Don’t keep us waiting too long, alright?!” Gael called as I hurried off towards my dorm, well, my new dorm. I had already exchanged my keys. After my father cut ties, he pulled away from being a
Gabriel’s POVThere was never a sight more beautiful than Ellie. She was…absolutely everything, and I adored her so much. To think that day in the library would spiral into this. So much had changed in so little time but I already knew that she was IT.There would be no one else, no one else I’d want or love as much as her, I knew that deep within my soul.Lying there on the bed, sprawled out the way she was and looking so content it felt like a sin to disturb her. Gael and Missael ran her hard, not that I blamed them. We’d all been waiting so long to finally have her like this, as we so desperately craved.Wholly. Intimately. We couldn’t help such desires any more than we could help loving her.Watching had been a strange sort of pleasurable torture, and reassuring in the weirdest of ways, to know that they could take care of her so well when I would be busy and couldn’t be around.And that was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? When I was the alpha, I’d be busy, there was
Gael’s POVI owed Gabriel like, an entire week of me not giving him crap, holy shit. I hadn’t expected watching Ellie get fucked to be so inspiring but damn, I wanted to be there, doing those things to her.Before I’d been fantasizing about it, who wouldn’t when you had an absolutely gorgeous partner? However, that’s what it had been before, a fantasy, and now it wasn’t because I didn’t need to imagine how she looked without clothes or how she sounded like getting fucked.If I’d been desperate before then whatever I was now was probably going to die from the sheer need, not just to get off because I wanted to make Ellie feel good. Maybe it was just the people pleaser in me but I really, really wanted to make this good for her.I think Gabriel could see that, and Missael could definitely feel that which was why I was allowed to go next.Ellie was a sight, with flushed cheeks, chest heaving with every breath, and I joined her, tilting her head to kiss her, twirling our tongues
Missael’s POVThe mating ceremony was like the werewolf version of a wedding, along with a few almost ritualistic notes to it.In the evening under a full moon, you’d exchange vows, present yourselves to the Moon Goddess, and under the light of the moon, be blessed with a wonderful union. Then, you’d bite your mate and leave your mark deep enough to scar.Similar to wedding vows, standing before the pastor, then exchanging symbols of loyalty to each other, which was then followed by a big celebration. The Moon Goddess was the witness to the union. We had done something a little different with our bites and they were more akin to a promise ring, though, in the end, Father might still be scandalized by our actions.We had all talked about all our choices and what we wanted to do and decided that this was it. We agreed upon it and there was no second-guessing ourselves. We knew what we wanted. We didn’t want something as flimsy as paper getting in the way of our relationsh
Eleonore’s POVRecovery had been a bit slow going but as was promised, after a week of being laid up in the hospital and monitored, I was released.I was still a bit weak but other than that I was perfectly fine and was escorted back to the manor where I was placed in the east wing, all my things already moved.The room itself was lovely, and reminded me a bit of my old room, just a bit grander. The bed looked like it was king-sized with luxurious sheets while all the furniture seemed specifically chosen to go with the soft blue walls and white ceiling.It looked nice, like a place I could call home.The first thing I did after arriving home was call Thomas. He was beside himself with worry that I swore he cried for ten minutes after hearing my voice as I did my best to soothe him and explain what had happened.He explained that father had called him and that I’d been struck from the family records, so instead of just being handed over to Selene, I was no longer Eleonore Ev
Lillian’s POVEver since I was a child I was a proud person, I’d never deny that. Both of my parents had been rather affluent members of the pack, so I’d been proud of them and as a consequence of that, I became prideful of myself.I wanted to be someone as spectacular as them, so I held myself high and never looked back. There were times it got me into trouble, and I’d refuse to apologize, believing myself to be right.Sometimes they’d have to force me to apologize for a mistake I made when I was truly in the wrong—and I would, but Goddess did it hurt worse than pulling teeth when I had to.That should’ve been the first sign that maybe I had a bit too much pride, but it wasn’t like I didn’t work hard to have something to show for it, not just my parents’ accomplishments but my own.I had chosen to become a member of the Alpha’s guard. It was an extremely lofty position, very few people were able to acquire such a title. As a rambunctious kid who got into scraps and fights, I
Eleonore’s POVWords could not describe how relieved I was to not be staring up at a medieval stone ceiling the next time I woke up.I might’ve been hooked up to various medical machines, in a robe instead of the clothes I was previously wearing, and with a needle in my arm but it meant that I was no longer in Selene and Valerian’s hands, which was good in my book.Words could also not describe the sheer exhaustion I was feeling either, though.For a moment, things were too foggy, and I was just too tired to make sense of anything, but it slowly came back to me. What had happened at the vampire manor?I remembered…gravity pressing down on me. Of everything growing so cold as my blood and life were sapped away before I saw—I saw Gael and Gabriel and despite fighting Valerian again, Gabriel came and fought Selene.For me. They came for me, and even now I couldn’t help but tear up at that realization.After that and watching him get beat up I couldn’t stand it, so I crawled
Gabriel’s POVThere was something extremely upsetting about my little brothers being the ones to throw themselves straight into danger without hesitation and knowing there was no other option and that they were doing the right thing.I hated myself a little, but I had to trust them like they trusted me. They trusted me to save Ellie, to defeat Selene, and it was a lot of pressure. I didn’t know if I could defeat her when I had already struggled when facing Valerian, but the consequences of losing…No, I couldn’t think about that right now. As I sprinted up the stairs I only had one thing in my head. Save Ellie. That’s what we were here to do, that’s what we were GOING to do.Climbing the same damn stairs was starting to get old though, I’d even been close enough to hear Missael fighting which just fueled my determination to see things through.I was glad I didn’t have to kick the door down again. It wasn’t the most stealthy way to take care of things and I could finally see i
Gael’s POVDamn Missael for being cool as fuck in the most stressful moment of our lives!It hurt to leave him behind, but he was right, we had to save Ellie. Falling for their plans and distractions wasn’t going to cut it. A bunch of half feral vampires, while a bit overwhelming, was probably going to be one of the easier fights in this place.Gabriel and I had to trust that Missael knew what he was doing and could take on those vampires. Finding the place was only possible thanks to our father. He narrowed down the location for us and with Missael with us, it wasn’t too hard to find a place inside the forest where there were people using his empathic gifts.He’d been doing most of the heavy lifting on his own ever since we started this trip and I was starting to feel a bit lacking. But I’d make up for it with a damn good rescue like Missael had trusted us to do.So, while he was taking care of the mooks, Gabriel and I ran through the strange castle manor, following the feel