CALIFF Zarah appeared from the door. My hope rose up. I’d seen the impossible happen since I met my mate. Maybe, just maybe, Zarah could do something to help my brother. “Will you help us?” Shadow asked Zarah, more like begging her. “Is this why you missed your training?” Zarah turned to Shadow, ignoring Sebastien beside her. “Yeah. And I hadn’t slept since yesterday. I don’t think I can focus on our training when I know I have a job to do at the pack. I’m sorry, but I will be there tomorrow.” “Focus on your problem right now. What happened to him?” She finally faced my brother, lying on the bed with Everlee beside him. “Everlee Ross. Let me guess, he’s your mate.” “Yes. Can you help Calder?” “Of course she can,” Sebastien said confidently. “And you, Lycan, what are you doing here?” Zarah turned her head to him. Her tone was laced with disgust. “It’s surprising how you came running here helping a rogue.” “I know you’re upset. That’s why you are not taking my call.” Okay. So
CALIFF “She put a spell so Calder couldn’t escape and hurt us if he shifted.” “Now, come out, beast!” Zarah exclaimed. My brother stood up, his eyes transfixed at Zarah. One moment, he walked in our direction, and we stepped back. The next thing happened. He shifted to his wolf and lunged at us. He was thrown around by a strong force of the spell cast by Zarah. They yelped in shock, and I just stood there watching my brother in pain. He was literally in pain. His wolf was weak but fighting, exposing his fangs and drooling. He went on full feral, his blood-red eyes narrowing. This wolf was not the same Calder in his human side. This wolf before was somewhat pure evil and soulless. “Califf.” I felt Shadow’s arm wrapping around me. “Oh, boy.” It came from Zarah. “Guys, get out now!” We dashed outside the solitary room, including Everlee, and locked it from the outside. We came to the two-way mirror to watch him. He gouged through the wall, the bed, and the floor when the invisib
SHADOW You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! “What do you mean we should inject the blood while he’s in wolf form?” Califf burst out in surprise. “That’s exactly what I said, Califf. That’s the only way to treat a sick wolf, and the result would be immediate.” “And it’s also dangerous, father.” I managed to make my mouth work from the shock. “I didn’t say it’s a walk in the park, my dear.” He checked his watch for the umpteenth time. “You should hurry. Tonight is a full moon.” “Shit.” “I’ll do it.” I turned to Everlee. “No way. He will knock you down.” “But, he will recognize me. I can talk to him. I’m his mate, Shadow.” “I hate to break it to you, Everlee, but he doesn’t know anyone anymore,” Zarah said. She dropped her gaze as if Zarah just guessed it right. “I can’t feel him when he’s in wolf form.” “Then we have to hurry.” I turned to Califf. “What’s in your head?” “We will knock him down again, but we have at least five seconds before he returns to himself.” “Yeah.
CALIFF I didn’t know what I was thinking. It just happened so fast. When Zack was pinned down, only one thing came into my mind— to save everyone before it was too late. I couldn’t afford to get him hurt and see the pain in my mate’s eyes as she watched her best friend suffer from a sick wolf bite or, worse, die. I couldn’t let them hurt or lose anyone anymore. I had enough pain. The wound was still fresh— it was too much. And I trusted them to do their part, and it worked. I would deal with Shadow’s anger later. What was important was that we got the job done— Calder got Sebastien’s blood, and hopefully, he’d healed. It had already been an hour. Calder was still knocked out, but he seemed okay. I had already worn clothes I grabbed from the cabinet. I stared at the two-way mirror, hoping someone was watching us, and I knew they were. “Can anyone hear me?” I gestured to turn on the mic because I was still blocking everyone, including Shadow. “Finally. You and I will have this t
SHADOW “You’re here to read the guilty verdict? Go ahead.” “Nice pitch. And you’re being dramatic.” I snorted as I joined him in his favorite spot that overlooked the vast land Night Stalker Pack owned. “I’m sorry I overstepped. I disrespected you and Alpha.” “You didn’t. You almost died, Zack. I wouldn’t even help if I were you, but you did it for Califf and, maybe, for me. I understand why you said what you wanted to say. Getting it out of your chest always makes you feel good after.” “Thanks.” “I despised her since I met her. That was what I felt. I was in a new environment, I didn’t know anyone, and everybody looked at me as if I was a villain, a bitch, a wretch, and treated me like dirt while fighting the mating pull. Still, it hurt a lot knowing my competition was someone like Everlee, beautiful, sophisticated, and rich. How could I compete with someone like her?” “You’re more beautiful than her if I were to consider. And you’re my Alpha’s one true mate. That’s your bigge
CALIFF She was like drugs. Addicting. I couldn’t quit. Her little stunt made me hard. Then she decided to walk away. Did she really think I would just let her go because she said so? She should know by now that I was a greedy asshole. “Shut up.” I smashed my mouth against hers, dominating her. I instantly felt home, her warmth, the sensation, and the softness of her lips. Every cell in my body tingled. My cock went steel-hard. No matter how much she tried pushing me away, I knew she couldn’t deny her desire to get fucked tonight. And she could just use her super-enhanced strength to slam me against the wall and escape the shower room. Instead, as if she couldn’t get enough of me, she gripped my hair tight, my scalp stung, and the pain sent a spark down my balls. A fresh load of adrenaline rocketed through me, lighting up the fire inside me. We may be both exhausted, but at least we slept satisfied. I moved my lips against hers and slid my tongue into her mouth, tasting her.
SHADOW The air suspended in my lungs as Calder’s wolf ran in our direction. I could not sense his anger or predatory tendency in his blue-gray eyes but excitement and contentment. One thing was for sure— he could be the Pathfinder. I saw his eyes glow yellow for a second. “Don’t shoot him!” I yelled at the guys when I felt their fear shifting in the air. Calder threw himself onto Califf and grumbled as if asking to be a pet. Then he licked Califf’s face. “You, mutt.” Califf pet the back of the black wolf’s ears, making it purr in satisfaction. He then licked him again, causing Califf to laugh. “Stop it. Only my mate is allowed to lick me. Get off of me, Calder.” Calder made a friendly growl. “You look great, Calder.” I petted his head. Before he could come close to me, Califf growled possessively. “Don’t ever fucking lick her, or you and I will have a problem.” “He has no idea how territorial an Alpha can be,” Kairo remarked. “Oh, he knows,” Tor replied. Calder went back to
CALIFF “Do I look okay?” Everlee looked at herself. We went for a quick shopping last night. Right now, she was wearing a blue dress. She always looked beautiful and sophisticated, and she shouldn’t have doubted herself over her sense of fashion. Mason had always dreamed big for his unica hija. That was why he approved of her relationship with me, but having lunch with the Lycan royalty and the King who saved her mate intimidated her or could be one of her dreams, and she wanted to look nice. “You look beautiful, babe,” Calder said, who wore a two-piece dark Italian suit. “So, are you guys ready?” My gorgeous mate just walked downstairs, which took my breath away. She chose a simple white midi dress, which never looked simple. It popped out the color of her hair and eyes with an irresistible sparkle. She complemented it with white shoes and a clutch. “Aren’t you gorgeous?” I kissed her forehead. “So do you, Alpha.” I wasn’t supposed to buy for myself, but they forced me to do s
CALIFF One year later “Are you okay in there?” I knocked on the bathroom door when my hearing couldn’t grasp Shadow. “Just a minute.” “Since when did we lock doors, baby?” A growl of frustration escaped her throat as the toilet flushed. “I said just a minute.” When the door unlocked, she was wearing a deep frown on her face. “I’m sorry, but I promised you a romantic getaway, and Zarah would be pissed if we wouldn’t be late when the portal appears.” A sigh rolled over her lips as she fixed her summer dress. “You’re fussing over your outfit? You can wear a shirt and shorts, baby. Look at me.” I gestured at my jeans and shirt, but I had a feeling she was upset over something. My life couldn’t be any more perfect. Our pack had been peaceful, and I had almost two hundred werewolves in my protection. My allies were everywhere. My relationships with lycan and witches were strong. Kain’s pack of werecats and I became friends. Shadow and I worked tirelessly to keep the peace and
SHADOW After eight months, Califf and I just moved into our new house. We finally got our own home and privacy, but of course, these guys were my family, and our home was always open for them. I watched Kindra and Duke’s twins rolling over the grass from the patio. Sometimes, I felt a pang of jealousy in my chest that one thing was missing in our lives— kids. Now, the pack had been peaceful for more months. I’d been ready to have kids of our own, but every time we planned, it got interrupted. “You will have your own. Just work hard on it.” I rolled my eyes at Raven. “Shut up, will you?” “A little prince and princess playing with their kids would be nice.” “I can’t hear you.” “Oh, our mate just arrived.” She was right. Califf just pulled off the driveway. August opened the door for him. “Take the car. I don’t need it, and I will use the SUV if I want to go out.” “Are you sure?” August asked. He gained some muscles and color on his cheeks. If I noticed it right, he became more
CALIFF Surprised, we stopped in the middle when Everlee yelped as Calder carried her and spun her around. “I think she just said yes.” I smiled as I looked at them. “I thought she said it already. She’s been wearing the ring for a week now.” “No, baby. She wore it but hasn’t said yes.” “Finally. I can’t wait to attend another wedding.” “Guys.” Kain caught our attention. “Hey. You’re leaving?” Shadow asked as she noticed Kain looked ready to sneak out. “Yeah. I have to catch my flight in the morning. Your father found a pack of werecats in Hawaii, but I’ll visit soon.” “What about your other job?” I was referring to his Obsidian duties. “I took a vacation.” “Well, don’t be a stranger. And take care, Kain.” *** We barely made it inside the bedroom. Considering she wore a lot of things like a corset and stockings, it took us minutes to get rid of her clothes before she was bare-naked before me. “Spread your legs apart,” I said, throwing the last sock on the floor. My ja
CALIFF “God, this is ridiculous. Is this really necessary? I’d rather wear an oversized suit than this.” It wouldn’t be Shadow without complaining of her beautiful floor-length white gown and silver-white hair in a halo braid. “Leave us,” I ordered the staff of five women, making her beautiful. She didn’t need them. Shadow was already gorgeous. “Yes. Your father said it is.” “I missed my hair.” She touched her locks, still complaining, turning silver-white when she became Lycan and hybrid again. Getting her wolf back was one of the highlights of the night, but even Zarah couldn’t explain the changes in Shadow’s hair color. “I like this more. You look like a goddess.” “You’re just saying that because you love me.” I groaned. “I love you, baby, but I swear you’re beautiful in this color. It pops out the color of your eyes. I’m pretty sure Raven would agree.” “I look like Elsa, Califf.” That one made me chuckle. “So you’re on team Anna?” “Shut up. You’re not funny.” “I like
SHADOW “Hey. Are you okay?” Califf wrapped the robe around me as I had just come back from the run. Duke and Kindra rushed to us. They were still wearing the shocked look on their faces. “What just happened?” She looked at me from head to toe. Then she touched my hair. “You get your hair colored while going for a run?” What do you mean?” I touched and checked my hair. I had the same reaction as her. “What’s going on with me?” I looked at Califf, then to Duke and Kindra. “I will call Zarah,” Califf said. “Let’s go to the pack house and get you cleaned up. “Guys.” I felt so bad for them. “I’m so sorry I ruined your party.” “Are you kidding me?” Duke was even happy and relieved. “If I’d known that the party is one way to get your wolf back, I should have thrown a party months ago.” “Yeah. The party is almost over anyway, and it was a blast.” Kindra hugged me. “I’m glad you’re fine. Go and get changed. I’ll see you soon.” “Thanks.” Califf and I left for the pack house. He hadn’t
SHADOW “Fuck.” He grunted out a curse as he held my hips steady, thrusting his rigid cock deep inside me. I mewled as I felt helpless above him, watching him devouring in his own desire. The familiar pleasure rippled through my core in fast urges. My inner muscles clamped around him, making him groan loudly. I rode his cock, preparing to come undone around him. My senses soared, overwhelmed by how much he made me feel so good. “Califf, don’t stop!” I threw my head back. My eyes popped open, staring at the ceiling as the intensity of my pleasure became too much. “Fucking good,” he said through gritted teeth as he sped up his plunge. Each thrust sent me to my own euphoria. One moment I was writhing in pleasure as his hands cupped my breasts, pinching my nipples, his hand traveling down my abdomen, his finger massaging my clit as he pumped faster and harder. My body shuddered in sweet surrender. “Look at me as you come.” His command was my undoing as he continued pounding. “Yes!
CALIFF “Hey. Where have you been?” I held her hand as she leaned down to kiss me. Most of our enforcers came to join me for breakfast, which was a fantastic morning. “I was with Zarah and Kain.” She took a seat to my left and rubbed Kindra’s growing baby bump. “How’re the babies?” “Healthy, and they make me eat a lot.” Kindra’s reply made me smile. “I can’t wait for this Saturday. I will help prepare the picnic.” “You don’t have to do that.” Kindra smiled shyly. “You have the whole pack you help you, Kindra, and I don’t take no for an answer.” “Thank you. And I invited Calder and Everlee.” “The more, the merrier.” Shadow squeezed her hand. “Don’t stress it out. Show us what you like, and we will make it possible.” After breakfast, Shadow went up while I checked the progress of the house. When I got back into our room, she was staring at the dirt on the sheet, which I didn’t even notice was there. “I sleepwalked, and I don’t remember how it happened.” “Are you sure?” I came
SHADOW I woke up from a vague dream of walking to the cliff. That was the only thing I remembered. I got up from bed only to see my feet were dirty with mud. I also saw traces of dirt on the sheets. My heart pounded. Did I sleepwalk? It was only four in the morning. I cleaned my feet and texted Zarah. She would hate me to disturb her sleep at this time, but it was a kind of emergency. While changing into jeans and a shirt, I checked Califf, but he was still sleeping. I got out of our room, and the portal was already there. “What the hell is wrong with all of you?” I was met by the mad bull Zarah. “All?” “Yeah.” She walked away from me. “Your father just left for a business meeting.” “You don’t even wanna know what’s the emergency.” I followed her to the kitchen. “I take it you would tell me,” she said as she filled the kettle with water. Then she put it over the fire. “I think I’m sick.” I opened her drawers to check if she had a silver cutlery. I wanted to test the theory I
CALIFF “The boy is telling the truth.” Zack leaned against the opened window of the car. “I just dropped the medical supplies to their apartment. Two small bedrooms, not a good neighborhood.” “Is he here?” Zack tipped his head. “Yes. He’s working eight hours. Later, a dish-pig at the diner.” “Thank you.” “I’m thirsty.” Shadow had already got out of the car. “His mother was surprised, and she said thank you.” He pulled the door open for me. “She raised a good son and would do anything for his mother, even risking his life.” I got out and buttoned my suit. “What’s your plan with the boy?” He kept saying boy when August was an adult. “He’s twenty, Zack.” I entered the convenience store. “Well—” “Fill the tank, will you? And don’t worry, he’s human, and you’re a werewolf.” Zack just stared at me. I knew he had a special place in Shadow’s heart, and he might just scared of the undivided attention we were giving him. I looked around, and I didn’t find August. “He’s over there.