AMBER POV
"Why hasn't she woken up? The healer left over an hour ago. She needs to wake up, Kohn. I am seconds away from going on a rampage," The monster snarls, and my brain immediately responds by becoming scared.
All my senses go on full alert, and I do a quick evaluation of my body while they talk. I mentally focus on each part of myself from my feet up. The only thing I can find wrong is my head. It hurts, especially in the back. I must have fallen when I fainted.
"She is weak, Lucian. He said it looks like she hasn't eaten in about three days...pair that with the blood loss, concussion, and stress..... Wait, you hear that," the guy named Kohn asks, and I go cold.
"Yes! Little mouse, open your eyes," the monster orders, and I immediately want to shout no. I want to shake my head and stick out my tongue, but instead, I comply.
LUCIAN POV ( rated R) How fucking dare she talk to me like that. First, she calls me a monster, and then she blatantly refuses to eat? She must have a death wish. "Ruben," I call, and feet sound on the floor below. He runs up the stairs quickly, and I look him over. He reeks of the servant, Dany, but I don't comment. Now that I know my third's story, I feel ashamed I hurt the girl... A feeling that is becoming more and more frequent now that I have Amber. "Gather everyone. I have an announcement to make," I order, and he nods his head before spinning on his heel. Irritation is coursing through me as Amber's face remains the focal point in my mind. She has found a weak point in my armor, that's for sure. How do I force a human to eat? I need her healthy...she is my mate. I hate seeing h
AMBER POV"Ready to explore," Kohn asks, and I shrug.I honestly don't have the energy to be excited. Last night in the shower, I had drunk a good amount of water, but that is all I have been able to force down since my cannibalistic dinner."Well, I am. First, I am going to walk you through the house. Make sure to keep your eyes up. Last night Alpha announced you as his mate, so every wolf you see will be judging you. They know you are physically weak, so try to intimidate them with your attitude," Kohn says, and my eyebrows lift to show him my surprise.He nods in understanding before responding."I think he did it because he agreed to let you out today. He didn't want you walking around unprotected, and he probably didn't want everyone wondering why you were receiving a special tour," Kohn explains. I nod again, but this time in understanding."Why aren
LUCIAN POV "You can put me down," Amber whispers, and I accidentally growl. She flinches, and I sigh as I reach our room. "Sorry," I mumble, and she stiffens even more. "It's okay," she whispers, and I barely manage to hold back my grin. Her voice is so light now. Not like it was downstairs when she was defending that whore of a wolf. I get the door open easily since Amber weighs even less than when she first arrived. I set her on my bed and head for my closet without saying a word. I need to get on clothes before I try to sort through the mess going on in my head. First, I need to decide what I'm going to say to Amber, and then I need to decide what I'm going to do with Jolene. Her injuries are extension, but since I didn't reach her heart, she should recover.
AMBER POV"How you doing," Kohn asks as he sits down next to my spot on the floor.I shrug. I don't really know how to feel. It's been a few days since Lucian choked me so hard he had to bring in a real doctor. For the most part, he has been MIA, so my fear has dropped a little. But I can't seem to erase the wild look in his eyes from my mind. I see it when I sleep. I see it when I shower. I even see it when I try to drink the cold soup the servants now serve me."That's understandable. I...well, I came by to check on you and see if you were up to finishing your tour. Jolene and Tabitha are gone, so no one should bother you," Kohn says, and my eyes widen as I remember the conversation that led to my swollen vocal cords."D..id you cut...them," I manage to rasp out, and he nods."I know it doesn't make sense in modern times, but when that tradition started, there weren't ce
KOHN POVSeeing a pup mate-claim, Amber is pretty funny. I know he is doing it because his pack needs higher members, but Amber. She can't even be deemed fit by human standards. Her body is extremely weak from lack of food and the abuse she has suffered at the hands of Lucian.I didn't even put two and two together. I thought they were claiming her due to their protective natures. I mean, she is bruised, skinny, and just giving out an overall sad aura. But mate-claim...Lucian growls louder, and Malcolm roars. Both begin to size each other up, and the rest of the pack moves to protect their Alpha's mate. As the atmosphere grows tenser and tenser, my attention shifts to Amber.She looks terrified and helpless as she watches Lucian and Malcolm begin to circle one another. And I second her emotions. If Malcolm keeps pushing, Lucian will have no choice but fight him...and their size difference
LUCIAN POV "NO," I scream as Amber's chest goes silent and the pups howl. Gavin frantically takes towels away from a female servant and gently moves my hands out of the way before pressing the towels against Amber's back. He turns her over, and my eyes search her face for signs of life. Almost as if they think my ears are lying. Her blue eyes are closed, and her face is drained of color. My mind immediately begins to engrave her features into my memory as Gavin begins chest compressions. Her pixie-like nose, her pouty lips, her blonde roots growing out from under the fake brunette box dye.....the bruises around her neck from where my hands squeezed. "He said ten minutes," Kohn announces as soon as he comes back outside at a sprint. He freezes at the backdoor, and I force my gold eyes to look at him.
LUCIAN POV "Lucian, the doctor would like to talk to you," Kohn says through my door after knocking, and I grunt loud enough for him to hear. Last night was awful. I slept for about an hour, but I was too scared to sleep for longer than that. Anxiety has all but taken over my senses. Any slight change, whether it be her heart rate or her breathing, I panic. "Come in," I answer, and Kohn opens my door. I glance over to look at the doctor that saved my mate and give him a nod. I owe him, but I don't like him. "Mr. Bishop, how is our patient," he asks, striding in as if my bedroom is his personal office. I bite back my growl and glance down towards Amber's peaceful face. "She is alive. Her heartbeat is strong," I reply, and he nods while taking a listen for himself.
LUCIAN POV "Lucian, there's an issue," Kohn says as he and Ruben slowly walk into my office. "I will deal with it when I get back. I'm about to go sit with Amber," I reply as I finish typing out the latest petition I am sending the SNCA. Since I discover Agent Tran helped hide my mate three months ago, I have filed every suit I can think of. And the latest is a doozy. "Alpha, this can't wait... Umm, Senator Gavens....he uh...he outed werewolves today....him and the loner from Alaska.....He shifted on live TV," Ruben stutters, and the blood drains from my face. "What," I growl so low it sounds like a whisper. Kohn steps towards me as Ruben takes a step back, and my eyes shift to him."It happened three hours ago....humans are already starting to panic. Qu
"Please, Selene, slow down. Where are we going," I ask as the Goddess in front of me practically sprints down the wide corridor? Selene makes no sign of hearing me and presses forward at the same speed. Forcing me to run to keep up with her. It continues like this for a while until she reaches a door that looks like it has been carved out of the night sky. Stars included. "Wow," I breathe out in amazement. Selene stops and brushes her hands over her long white dress before finally looking at me. The stark difference in her Goddess appearance and her mortal appearance is still a little unnerving to me, but I am adjusting. Gone is the brunette hair and blue eyes I met in the fairy pit. In their place is nothing but black. Black hair. Black eyes. The angelic face is still the same, but the colors are all wrong. But I must admit I have grown to like the pitch-bl
LUCIAN POV "What was mommy like," Octavius asks as he skips next to me excitedly. I look down at my five-year-old son as thousands of memories begin to play over in my mind. His light blue eyes stare up at me, waiting, and I gulp before answering him. "She was wonderful. She had a kind heart and cared about the wellbeing of others more than she cared about herself," I manage to whisper, and he gives me her signature smile. "I wish I got to meet her," he says, and I smile at the innocent wish before continuing down the familiar path. "You did meet her. You just don't remember her. You and her were both very special to the werewolf species, so she had to leave us after bringing you into the world. But you did meet her, son," I explain for what seems like the millionth time. He nods, already knowing my words are true
LUCIAN POV "I don't know, Kohn. She's only nineteen. How can her body do this? I mean, have you seen Mouse. She is tiny. I don't like it. I should have never knotted her. She can't do this! And if my child kills her, I will never be able to love it," I growl as I pace back and forth in my office. All my fears over the past few months are exploding out of me. Something about the labor is terrifying me. I don't know if it's the pain she will experience or something else. But I am scared of my pup coming. I glance over at Kohn and grit my teeth. He is watching me sympathetically, but he is just like all the others. He has held off having a pup with his mate, just so his wouldn't be born cursed, just like all the other members of my pack. They are all excited to have my Little Mouse go through childbirth. They don't care that it has been a difficult pregnancy for her. They don't care that her
AMBER POV I can't stop pacing. Three minutes has never felt so long. I mean, it's only 180 seconds. Why does it feel like I have been pacing this bathroom for an hour? Probably because I have. I mean, it took me at least an hour just to work up the courage to take this damn test. Another fifteen minutes to convince my bladder it was okay to pee. Then another thirty minutes for me to drop that pee on the test. I glance down at my timer and groan when I see that I have 36 more seconds. I need to know now. I need to know if the miracle that will free all werewolves is growing inside of me. "Knock, knock," Marie says from the other side of the door, and I pull it open. She quickly slides in and shuts the door behind her. "Does he know," I ask, and she shakes her head. "I told him you we
AMBER POV R-Rated My hands slide over the small silky piece of fabric I chose to wear tonight nervously. I can't believe it's happening. Tonight the ache in my chest will be connected to Lucian. We will experience the same type of connection Lupin had with his mate. We will become one! A special bond meant to repair all future werewolves. I meet my own gaze in the mirror and smile. My graduation makeup has held up pretty well, and my hair still looks nice. I can do this. I can accept my mate's knot and get marked. I have experienced being marked before, and Marie said that when it happens, you are too consumed with pleasure to feel the pain. I can become a true Alpha female. I have trained for this position. And it isn't like Lucian, and I haven't touched and kissed before. This is just the next step. The rightful step. "Mouse, are yo
THIRD-PERSON "I can't believe my baby sister is graduating," Kenny yells as he grabs Lucian's shoulders and shakes them excitedly. Lucian grins but keeps his excitement to himself. Today his mate finishes high school. Marie graduated last year, so Lucifer isn't here to enjoy this moment with his brother, but Lucian is happy about that fact. He has been waiting for this day for two years, just as Senator Gavens has. Gavens didn't have any faith in Lucian's self-control for one second during these past two years. He thought his daughter would graduate mated to a werewolf, but he was wrong. Lucian held true to his promise to wait, and that fact has built a good foundation of friendship between the two. "She looks so grown up down there," Kenny squeals before screaming out Amber's name and waving. Lucian smirks as he w
AMBER POV My leg is bouncing up and down faster and faster as my excitement builds and builds. I can't believe I am about to see my dad and Kenny after all this time. I knew I would never see my dad again, but I thought Kenny was lost to me as well. "Excited," Other -Amber asks from the backseat, and I nod before looking back towards her. "Very. I know to them it's only been five days, but for me, it's been three years. I am so excited to see them I could dance. I am worried about Lucian explaining what he did...but don't worry, my dad is amazing, and my brother, Kenny, is a sweetheart. All their anger will be directed at these two," I say, gesturing towards our two quiet mates, and she smiles. "Telling your father the truth is the best option. The two of you completing your education is important, and if we are to see you every day....your father n
LUCIAN POV How could I have ever harmed her? She looks so fragile. She can't weigh more than one hundred and fifteen pounds. All it took was an hour in her presence for me to come to my senses. This little female is mine. She was made to be mine. No matter if she is a human or leopard. Yesterday I was cursing the Goddess for giving me such a young human for a mate, but now none of that matters. I only had to be around her for an hour for me to feel nothing but compassion for this tiny creature. How could I have possibly hurt her? How did I stand to make her cry? Even if I lost Lucifer, I shouldn't have been able to stand it. It must have been because I met her while I was already grieving. But that doesn't matter now. She is mine. Her timeline doesn't exist. Her timeline has vanished, along with my lust for anyone but her. I can't even imagine touching another female now that I have
AMBER POV "After you made me eat, my friend, I wasn't able to eat anything, so I got real weak. I guess I freaked you and Kohn out because you actually called a human doctor here to check on me...The next part is a little rough, but it was the turning point in our relationship," I say softly as I meet Lucian's eyes again. His deep brown eyes lose a little bit of their hardness, and I sigh before continuing. "I don't know if it was Kohn or you, Lucian, but after the doctor came, you decided I needed to see the house and learn about werewolves. You wanted me to meet the pups to properly understand where you come from also. So Kohn explained how Selene cursed her ex-lover, Lupin. And then he took me on a tour of the house. During the tour, I met Jolene and Tabitha. Your little bed partners...they growled at me, and you attacked Jolene. I begged you not to kill