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Mina POV - “I don’t understand.” Mina couldn’t keep the edge of panic from her voice as she looked over Alastor’s wounds in the morning light. “Why aren’t you healing?” She glossed her fingers over the claw marks on his back, the bite on his leg and the stab wound in his shoulder. Though they had stopped bleeding, they were still open wounds, the skin purple and swollen around them. They should’ve been well on their way to healing after she cleaned and wrapped them last night. Her unease had grown as she watched him sleep, gently checking on the healing process as he rested, but now it struck sharp in her chest as she tried to figure out what was wrong. Alastor tensed under her touch, a muscle flickering at his jaw, his lips in a firm line. “Now you’ve established they aren’t healed; can you stop poking them?” “Sorry.” Mina forced her hands to her side, fisting the t-shirt she had claimed from Alastor. It eased the urge to touch him, to explore his wounds again, however, her ey
Alastor POV - Something had changed. Alastor couldn’t quite put his finger on what, but he felt its effects deep in the marrow of his bones. The change had stirred the moment Mina permitted him that sweet kiss in the lake, the one he could still feel tingling on his lips. Her confession had burned through him, melting his hesitation, and he saw the same in her. Now they both admitted to accepting their mate bond, the tension and the uncertainty between them had eased. The change surrounded them through the day, fuelling soft touches and chaste looks. It was different, but nice.The new feeling allowed him to tease her into helping clean his wounds, just as it gave her the confidence to linger her touch a little too long to be innocent. Though, he also kept his hands at her waist the entire time, to keep her steady in the water, of course. Or at least that was the excuse he gave to hide his glee at seeing her cheeks heat each time his thumb danced a circle over her skin. He had never
Alastor POV - Though they had both agreed to sleep that night, in preparation for their travelling in the morning, Alastor only kept his eyes closed until Mina's breaths softened. He didn’t have to wait long. She was tired from keeping watch the previous night, keeping guard as he slept and recovered. He intended to do the same. It unnerved him that there were already wolves sniffing around her, and he didn’t want to leave them open to being attacked again. With the group’s leader shouting for a retreat when Mina got involved, calling her their Luna, it was clear she was their target. It wasn’t a surprise; she was a Legacy Luna, but it had only been a few days since they left Clear Blue. How had word spread quick enough for enemy wolves to have tracked them down already? Alastor had hoped they’d have at least a week to fortify their position before the first attempt to take her. He had been wrong. His arms tightened around Mina, drawing her tighter to his side. No one was going to
Alastor POV - Alastor lost himself to the taste of her, his tongue flicking across the seam of her lips, accepting the invitation when they parted for him. He deepened their kiss, exploring every part of her mouth, rumbling an approval when she did the same. Mina moved with him; their kiss perfect, uncontrolled, wild. Her fingers twisted in his hair, as if she couldn’t get close enough, pulling his head this way and that, satisfying whatever urge rose within her. He splayed a hand over her back, keeping her locked to his body, while the other dipped beneath the hem of his t-shirt, that looked far better on her. His fingers played across the warm skin of her waist, the feel of it addictive under his palm. He loved the sweet hitch of her breath at his simple touch, but he restrained his need to hear more. This wasn’t the time or the place to share their first time together. “Lean forward and tilt your hips up.” When she didn’t do it, he nipped her lip. “Now, Princess.” Mina complied
Mina POV - “You know I don’t know where I’m going, right?” Mina grumbled as the familiar prickle of Alastor’s gaze danced up the back of her legs. “I know, but I can’t resist the view.” She didn’t have to look behind her to know exactly which part of her body had his attention. Her skin reacted to his gaze as fervently as his touch, tingling with a need to close the gap between them and feel the heat of his body against hers. She had only noticed the new feeling while they were walking, its presence a testament to their developing mate bond. The more she was around him, the more drawn to him she was getting. She couldn’t deny it, and had no inclination to either. If they didn’t have to move on, she wasn’t sure she would’ve even let him leave their shelter that morning. A deep satisfaction had welled within her when she woke in his arms, a pleasant ache between her thighs. Though Mina remembered what they had done last night, she didn’t know where her confidence had come from. It
Mina POV - Her cry was piercing, slicing through the air, fuelled by the depths of her soul. The enemy wolf stopped in its tracks, all eyes turning on her. Alastor included. He recovered first shouting at her to run and she did just that. She abandoned her escape and charged towards him, shifting as she did. The enemy growled at her, warning her back, but two fast slashes from the silver blade had them revert their attention to the danger in front of them. Mina watched, pushing her legs forward as they lunged for Alastor. He dodged and swiped again, but wolf instincts were hard to challenge. His attacks missed and left him off balance and open. Claws, that glinted with the last embers of the evening light, slashed across his chest with such force he staggered back into a tree, his feet giving out. Mina growled low in her chest as the enemy veered back to attack again and barged into its chest. It fell of course, crashing into its comrade, giving her a brief moment to look at Alasto
Mina POV - Roman Lynn. Mina hadn’t heard that name in years, and only whispered behind closed doors when no one thought she was listening. Him and his family were pariahs, a disgrace and an embarrassment to the Clear Blue pack. Their names were never uttered in front of the Luna and, as time went on, they were forgotten. She couldn’t feel the same anger towards the Lynns. They were banished for failing to protect the Luna’s unit, but it was hard to feel sorrow for wolves she had never met. Even her fathers. Her mother felt that rage for both of them, swiftly cutting off the family that had protected Clear Blue for generations, and replacing them with the Hayres. Despite the rumours that kicked up, no one knew where the Lynns had gone, or so she had thought. Alastor clearly did. Her heart ached thinking about her mate. His wounds were bad, and the silver in his system only made them worse. She wanted to be at his side, to help him, but the Lynns were taking care of him. Mina had
Roman POV - He looked older. It had only been a few years since Roman had last seen Alastor, but maturity had strengthened his features. He hadn’t even recognised him at first glance, though his battered bloodied body on the floor, a growling Luna guarding him, wasn’t the reunion he had expected. He was days from his Twenty-fifth birthday the last time they spoke, both knowing it would be a while until the next visit. Clear Blue must’ve kept him busy since then. It wasn’t a surprise. Alastor was the heir of the Hayre family, next in line to lead the pack’s warriors. He was a great one himself, but that was no great surprise either, not when Roman had helped to train him. It had been a long few years with no word from Clear Blue. He only got brief snippets of information when trading with the nearby packs, nothing of any depth. It was a sign the Hayres were doing a good job protecting their pack, he supposed. The last news they heard was of Williamina planning to take a seat at cour
Mina POV - The room was a rush of excitement, everyone moving around, getting ready, beaming with joy. Mina watched them all from the nest, pillows carrying her mates’ scents propped all around her. She inhaled it, letting the familiarity wash though her, soothing any lingering nerves for the day ahead. Two new scents mingled with her unit’s. They were fresh and clear like the morning air after a night of rain, but crisp and warm like a dry heat in the middle of summer. They warmed her with a love she didn’t know she could feel, one that was buried deep inside her, unlocked the moment she realised she was pregnant. It had been three days since her daughters were born. Three days to recover and bond. Three days for her love for them to grow so unbearable strong that she didn’t think she could contain it all. Small faces peaked out from yellow blankets, staring up at her with inquisitive eyes like they knew there was something different about that day. For young pups, intelligence
Mina POV - Concern for Blake swamped any grief that Mina had for Sam the moment he died. She raced to her mate, her eyes widening at the gash that carried the length of his body. She had seen him twist away from Sam’s blow, likely knowing he’d be the one targeted out of the three of them, but to see the amount of damage that had still been done made her feel sick. The cut was shallow but carried from his shoulder to his rump, in one straight slice that threatened to be so much worse. If he hadn’t anticipated Sam’s response, if he hadn’t twisted enough, if he hadn’t... A wet nose pressed to her cheek. ‘I’m fine.’ Then he rumbled a chuckle and gently pushed her to make her turn. ‘Though maybe the others need some attention.’ Mina spun on the spot, panic slicing through her, but it eased the moment she saw Roman and Alastor’s pout. She’d expect it from Alastor, but Roman’s bottom lip was firmly popped, eyes averted. They had shifted back into their human forms, leaning on each other
Roman POV - Given the look on Blake’s face, the wound was bad. It hurt like hell, but Roman had held a slim hope that his body was exaggerating the pain. The iron tang of blood and the wet heat coating his shoulder told him otherwise, but it was the worry etched into his mate’s features that convinced him. Not that it mattered. He could’ve lost his entire front leg, or been knocked unconscious, but would still get back on his paws and keep fighting. He did that now, forcing his legs beneath him, letting his unharmed three take the majority of his weight. A searing heat sliced from his shoulder to his front paw when he attempted to put any weight on it. He whined, but Blake was there, giving him a solid form to lean against, helping him to stand. Roman appreciated his lack of arguing, but it would’ve been hypocritical. If the unit had demanded the others to rest every time they were injured, Blake would still be in the packhouse cells and Allie would’ve clocked out after Derren’s hit
Blake POV - The brutality of Sam’s actions made Blake jerk. If how he treated Chloe, his own mate, wasn’t bad enough, he was trying to bond with another wolf just after she lost her own mate. Whether it was an act of desperation or pure cruelty, it was wrong. The anguish contorting Chelsea’s face twisted further as pain ripped through her. A forced marking was unpleasant, but it must’ve felt a lot worse coming from someone she had trusted. Blake knew it did from the way she struggled, the way she screamed. She tried to pull free of Sam’s hold, but his arms locked around her, holding her in place. Even the Diamond Ridge wolves around them, those who had ignored their Luna’s pleas to help Derren, looked uncomfortable. Finally, Sam pulled back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, matching the red line that slid across the Luna’s throat. “Accept it.” He snarled. “You promised me this, now’s the time to pay up.” Tears were already streaming down Chelsea’s cheeks, cries tur
Chapter 103 – I’ll do it myself Roman POV - The tightness in Allie’s jaw worried him. Derren’s blow had been hard and, if they were right about his ability, the hardest punch Allie had ever received. Roman was certain he had heard a crack, yet his mate was back on his feet again, walking into formation. He wanted to tell him to him to go back to Mini, to protect their Luna, but Taylor was already there, keeping an eye on her, Oliver and a still whimpering Owen. Besides, against a foe they didn’t know much about and already were struggling to face, the full force of their unit would be needed to kill him. With the cuts and bites on his own body, Blake still being weighed down after the poisoning, and Allie’s jaw, Roman wasn’t sure they could muster their full strength, but they had to try. Their packmates were fighting around them, keeping the bulk of the enemy away while they took on the leaders. They couldn’t let them down. They had to try and end this fighting before any more unn
Alastor POV - “Isn’t this sweet? A little family reunion. Two Hayres close to dead, and one soon to be.” Sam’s voice grated on Alastor as his attention flickered between his father and the bastard responsible for this mess. He avoided looking at Owen, his brother’s screams lessening to whimpers as the silver took root in his body. The knife Taylor used wasn’t pure silver like the blade that Owen had stabbed their father with. His brother would be able to bare the pain for a few hours before the poison would kill him. Alastor intended to leave it until the last possible second, so Owen would feel a small amount of the pain he’d caused Mina. “Your mother is going to be utterly heartbroken about the death of you three, and that’s before I let slip about the infidelity.” Sam laughed, the sound cruel and haunting. Alastor was sure he didn't care about the Hayre head cheating on his mate, but there was still some satisfaction to the words that let him know he relished every ounce of ang
Mina POV - Lover? Mina was struck immobile with the urge to recoil and surge a protest all at once. Her brow furrowed as she tried to picture her mother on Oliver’s arm, but she couldn’t do it. Not just because it was Oliver, but because it was anyone. Not once had her mother discussed having a partner, nor had she ever had a date. In all the years she had spent with her mother, Mina hadn’t even seen the woman look twice at another wolf. Not unless they had said something rude and she had to make sure they felt the full wraith of her glare. Surely, Mina would know if her own mother was keeping the company of another wolf under the packhouse roof? Yet, Sam seemed to know, and he had lived there just like her. But what about Oliver’s mate? Alastor’s mother? Did she know he was cheating on her, did she care? Mina was pulled from the questions flooding her mind at Oliver’s wheezes. Before he had cast her out of the pack, she had considered him something of a father figure. Despit
Mina POV - As Sam and Chelsea whipped around to face the oncoming threat, her unit pounced. As one, they charged forward in a blink, hitting the front line of the enemy wolves. They moved so fast, no one reacted before three throats were torn out, the first blood of this battle splattering across the floor. Mina winced. Two of those wolves were Clear Blue, but she hardened against the discomfort, knowing they were choosing to side with Sam. If they hadn’t known the truth her guilt would’ve eaten her alive, but she couldn’t feel bad with her unit protecting themselves. These wolves would kill them if given the chance and she knew her mates would give them the same consideration. However, they were trained wolves and wouldn’t go down easily. Alastor, Roman and Blake only took out one wolf each before the others reacted. They pulled around the closest member of her unit and battle ensued. The clash of warriors was a grating sound, the stench of blood slicing through the air immediat
Blake POV - Though a heavy weight riddled his body, Blake stood tall behind Willi. His canines were bared and he stared out at the mixture of Clear Blue and Diamond Ridge wolves that came to do Chelsea and Sam’s bidding. Though their presence was a threat, he was more concerned about Willi. She was still standing strong, challenging the enemy, but he could feel her through their bond. A deep, welling ache was growing beneath her composure as she faced the betrayal of her brother. Blake hadn’t known her when she had been close to Sam, but he knew how it felt to be discarded and used by family. He hadn’t even liked his, yet their betrayal cut deep. He couldn’t imagine the pain she was forcing herself not to feel in that moment. “So, you want to cut me off? You’re doing all this, so I won’t rely on you?” Willi called out. “Rely on me? You did more than that. I was your support for everything and what did I get for it? A whiny sister who didn’t know how good she had it and no credit