I stand outside the hospital, my foot tapping against the cold concrete as I lean against the wall. The chill seeps into my back, but it’s nothing compared to the ice in my chest. I can’t believe Asher. He said he’d help me get revenge, that we’d strike back at everyone who had hurt me. But now, as soon as I’m ready to pull the metaphorical trigger, he demands mercy. The bond tugs painfully, a sharp reminder of his betrayal—not siding with me, his mate.Through the glass, I watch as he whispers to the nurse and doctor. Two other nurses pin Gaia to the bed as she thrashes, screaming my name like her life depends on it. My chest tightens, but I shove the feeling aside. Asher’s eyes find mine through the glass. His gaze is steady, unwavering, but I can’t bear it. I turn away. He even insisted I stay out here, separated from Gaia. It’s as though he doesn’t trust her—or me. Maybe this is just how he treats unknowns in his pack. Guilty until proven innocent. Either way, I’m furious.The scr
We step inside, hand in hand. My anger simmers beneath the surface, but I let Asher keep his hold on me. Something about his presence clears the fog in my mind. I don’t want to be impulsive, to act in a way that will brand me as a cruel alpha—the broken leader who rules without care or mercy. The thought makes my chest tighten.A nurse pulls up two chairs beside Gaia’s bed. Asher and I sit, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling the air, mingling with the faint coppery tang of blood. My fingers fidget in my lap, twisting and untwisting as I study her face. The more injuries I notice—the bruises shadowing her skin, the faint tremor in her shallow breaths—the heavier the guilt weighs on me. I was going to send her to the cells without even having her looked at? My stomach churns at the thought. I don’t want to be a monster. I don’t want to be like Braden.Asher’s presence anchors me, even as my thoughts spiral. I hate admitting it, but I’m glad he stopped me from throwing her into a ce
“Yes, but those are just stories, Asher. Fairytales,” I reply, smiling faintly. Lycans don't exsit. They never have and even if they did how is it possibly that no one has seen one for hundreds if not thousands of years? He smirks, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Even fairytales carry warnings.” I note something in his voice that makes me shift uncomfortably. The wind whips through my hair as he cups my cheek, his thumb brushing back and forth in a soothing rhythm. His storm grey eyes focus on me mapping out my face as we gaze at each other the bond flickering as I fight the urge to press my lips to his. Asher smirks again as if knowing my thoughts better than I do before his face turns serious and distant. “When the Moon Goddess created her first werewolves, it was chaos,” he begins. “Greed for power led to endless battles, lives lost in the thousands. The Goddess tried everything to bring peace, but nothing worked. After years of watching her creation kill each other she had to s
Asher and I walk back to the castle. Part of me aches to be dropped off at my room so I can sneak out to see Gaia. I've been alone with her so many times, and despite his story about witches and lycans, I know Asher only told it to scare me. My father used to tell the same stories for the same reason. I understand what Asher meant—I acted rashly trying to throw Gaia in the cells. If I had succeeded, it could’ve jeopardized my title and ruined our friendship. What kind of best friend would I be to toss her into the cells? He’s right to worry since Gaia did try to take me back to the New Moon pack, but I know his concern runs deeper. He wants to protect me, and I love him for that, but there are questions I need to ask Gaia, truths I need to uncover, that I don’t want Asher to hear. His protectiveness is a shield, but it’s also a wall.As we approach the quarters, our hands intertwined, Asher doesn’t stop at my door. He doesn’t kiss me goodnight like he normally does. Instead, he keeps
Erin gives me that smug look, the one that screams Asher knew I’d come and that she was stationed here to keep watch. My shoulders sag as I take in her fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She smirks, strolling toward me with an air of victory.“What are the odds we can keep this between us?” I ask, trying to sound hopeful, though I know it’s futile. The thought of sneaking out of Asher’s bed to come here does sound stupid in hindsight.“Yeah, not a chance,” she laughs, and I frown, channeling my best stern alpha expression—the one I’ve seen Asher use a thousand times.“Sorry, but until you officially take over, that’s not going to work. And stop pulling that face; you look constipated,” she says, her laughter bubbling out like a taunt. My mouth drops open, heat rising to my cheeks, as she steps closer and spins me toward the exit.“You could come with me,” I plead, digging my heels in to resist her. “Then I wouldn’t be alone. I just need to ask a few questions.”“No, Claudie,” she r
Asher pulls back from the kiss, his gaze locking onto mine, and it sends a flutter straight through my chest. “Alright, go to sleep now,” he says, his voice low and soothing. His lips curve into a lazy smile, his half-lidded eyes heavy with exhaustion, yet he pulls me closer. The hard press of his arousal nudges against my lower belly, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face.The thought that Asher wants me in the same way I want him sends a delicious warmth coursing through me. Moments like this make me ache for more, but he always pulls back, leaving me wondering. I’m not a virgin by any stretch, but I want us to take that next step, to feel the bond deepen.Asher falls asleep almost instantly, his breathing evening out, but I lie awake, wide-eyed and restless. The room is dim, moonlight slanting through the curtains, casting soft shadows over his face.I let my gaze wander across his features—his strong jawline, the elegant slope of his high cheekbones, the straight
This is the best sleep I’ve ever had. I’ve spent countless nights beside Claudia, but this one feels different. Holding her, kissing her—it feels right, like something I’ve been waiting for without even realizing it. I wake up with a smile tugging at my lips, her body wrapped around me like a cobra. The warmth of her curves pressed against me stirs something primal, and I’ve got a hard-on that has nothing to do with the morning and everything to do with the woman lying in my bed.Claudia, however, is out cold, her soft breaths brushing against my chest as she nestles closer. A part of me knows we’ll seal our bond eventually, but I don’t want to rush it. Not until Claudia knows—and accepts that I’m her mate.Today is going to be hard for her. I can feel it in my gut. There are truths that need to come out, revelations I’ve kept at bay, and I’m not sure how she’ll handle them. It’s been months since I found her, and layer by layer, the secrets have unraveled. But this is the final stone
I clear my throat because there’s no easy way to break this news. “As you are marked—and marked by Claudia’s husband—that raised a few red flags, shall we say.”Gaia’s face tightens, her features pinching as if she’s swallowing something bitter, but she doesn’t respond. Claudia flinches at the mention of Braden’s name. Her hands tremble slightly, betraying the storm I know is raging inside her. She’s still carrying wounds that haven’t healed. I hate that this conversation is dragging them to the surface, but it’s necessary.Gaia exhales sharply, shaking her head as she sits up straighter. The restraints on her wrists catch her movements, the metallic clink of the leather cuffs against the bed frame sharp in the still room. “Braden and I aren’t mates. How many times do I have to say it? He rejected me.” Her voice is steady, but there’s a flicker of something beneath the surface— possibly denial I'm not certain yet. She looks at Claudia, searching for an ally, and my mate bites her bott
Just as I step out of my office, a deafening siren slices through the air, signaling danger. The pack walls have been infiltrated.I sprint forward, my legs burning as I push myself faster. Over the hills of the pack grounds, swarms of warriors descend from all directions like a flood of shadows under the sun. Shit."Reid, make sure there's a team to get to Claudia!" I command through the mindlink, my voice edged with urgency. I don't need him to respond I need him to find her. Then, I shift, bones snapping and reforming as I surge into my wolf form. The moment my paws hit the ground, I charge toward the trees. The scent of rogue wolves fills my nostrils—wild, unhinged, bloodthirsty. Their snarls vibrate in the air, a chaotic symphony of hunger and rage.Two colossal gray wolves lunge at me, one veering left, the other right. A distraction. A trap. I keep my eyes sharp, scanning for a weakness. But I don’t wait for them to make the first move—I strike.I launch at the one in front of
I wake with a jolt, a sharp twist in my gut telling me something isn’t right. The weight of the room presses down on me as I blink against the dim light filtering through the curtains. A few breaths pass before I realize—I’m still in the lounge. Memories from last night surface, fragmented and raw, but I shove them aside as an unsettling void tugs at my consciousness. Something is missing.Claudia.Panic doesn’t grip me immediately—her clothes are still here. For all I know, she could have just gone back to the room to shower. But then, my gaze snags on a note resting atop one of her shoes, and an icy dread coils around my spine.I knew something was off in the way she looked at me last night, but the moment her lips wrapped around my cock, nothing else mattered. Now, as I stare at the note in her elegant scrawl, I wish I had listened to my instincts.I crush the paper in my palm and hurl it into the dying embers of the fireplace, watching as the flames lick at it hungrily, turning he
The ground vibrates beneath me as the rhythmic stomp of boots closes in. The troops march one by one toward my pack, their movements a relentless drumbeat of impending doom. If I make it out of this, Leo is going to kill me—for real this time—for going off on my own.Lying here in my cell, my body throbs with the pain of my own recklessness. What I thought was an act of bravery now feels like pure stupidity. I should have challenged Braden for the pack the second I was thrown into his tent. That was the plan. But it all went wrong. Horribly wrong.Barking orders ring out from the guards outside, their voices sharp and grating. I try to force through the haze of pain of the heat to reach Leo through the mind link, but it’s useless. I’m too weak. My breath catches as the flap of the tent rustles, signaling someone’s return. My heart pounds harder, slamming against my ribs. I want out of this cage, but I also don’t. The idea of someone finding me like this—vulnerable, helpless—is terrify
"What did you just do?" I ask, my body igniting in seconds, heat flooding every vein. My vision blurs as sweat drips down my back. Braden sways in front of me, something small and glinting in his hand. My body wobbles as he lets me go, and I claw at my hair, fingers fumbling for the vial of liquid silver. My hands shake too much to grip it. I just can't reach it. "Heat serum. If you're going to act like a whore, then I'll treat you like one," he groans, voice thick with amusement.A smolder ignites between my legs, molten and all-consuming. Fuck. I don’t know how much he gave me, but my body betrays me instantly, my movements sluggish, my mind drowning in the haze of unbearable heat pulsing through my core.My fingers slip from my hair, every thought narrowing down to a single need—I have to get out of these leathers and this jacket. Too hot. Too tight. Every beat of my heart pumps more of the serum through my bloodstream, and my panties are already soaked. The thick scent of my arou
I'm thrown onto an old wool rug, the rough fibers scraping against my bare hands. I sneer, because even in the midst of battle, Braden refuses to go without his creature comforts. Though a small part of me is grateful—at least I'm not being smushed into the dirt again.Several pairs of black boots surround me before two gleaming black brogues step into my line of vision. "Baby, is that really you?" His voice carries an almost genuine concern, but I know better. I adjust my position, craning my neck to look up at him.Those dark blue eyes are as cold as ever. But everything else is different. He’s massive, his muscles stretched tight over his frame as if he’s been pumping himself full of steroids. He could crush me like a bug."Braden... thank the goddess," I breathe, forcing bile down as I summon a few well-placed tears to trickle down my cheek. He's the one man that has haunted my dreams for months, I never wanted to see him again. I try to stop my body from shaking from fear grippin
I make it to the top of the cliffside, my heart pounding like a war drum as the sun scorches my back. The air hangs heavy, thick with the kind of stillness that only comes before battle—that electric pause before chaos erupts. Even the birds have fallen silent.I tread carefully along the ridge, peering over the other side where their camp sprawls below. From here, I'm just far enough beyond our borders that no guards should detect me. I suppress my aura, unwilling to risk Braden sensing my presence. Lowering myself into a crouch, I inch forward until I can lie flat behind a boulder, my breath shallow, controlled.The camp is a storm of movement, warriors swarming in organized precision. Hundreds, maybe even thousands. It’s as if the entire New Moon Pack has assembled for this. My stomach tightens as I spot Uncle Leon moving through the front line, barking orders. So this is how the rogues are involved. Disappointment stabs through me. One of my father’s most trusted allies, now worki
I wake up tangled in a mess of limbs on the floor, the fire now reduced to glowing embers, and a pleasant ache thrumming between my thighs. Leo lies beside me, his soft snores blending with the distant chirping of birds, signaling the break of dawn. Carefully, I peel myself away from where our bodies are molded together. I can’t wake him. Every movement is slow, calculated, as I inch my way free.Once I’m loose, I jump up, the dim morning light seeping through the curtains now that the candles have long since melted into pools of wax on the floor. My fingers fumble for a pen, hastily scrawling a note explaining where I’m going and why. He’ll be furious—I know it—but he’s my mate, and I will protect him no matter what. This way, at least, he’ll be mad but not worried. Or at least, I hope not.I sprint down the hallway, my bare feet slapping against the cold wooden floor. The scent of burnt-out wax lingers in the air, mingling with the remnants of last night. Clothes and forgotten items
Her lips curl into a smirk that could make the devil himself drop to his knees, and I growl low in my throat, the sound rumbling through my chest like a predator stalking its prey. She’s mine— mine—and I’ll be damned if I don’t claim every fucking inch of her tonight. My fingers work at the clasp of her finery with a fury, tearing the fabric away like it’s an insult to her divine body. The sound of it ripping echoes in the dimly lit room, and her breath hitches, those jewel-blue eyes of hers flashing with a hunger that matches my own.Her curves are a fucking masterpiece, and as her attire falls to the floor, I take her in like a starving man at a feast. Her tits are perfect—full and heavy, the nipples already pebbled and begging for my mouth. I can’t help but reach out, my rough palms grazing over her soft skin, and she shivers under my touch. “Leo don’t tease me,” she begs but she will be begging far more before she gets what she wants. Her hips sway as she steps closer, her pussy s
I pull back, giving Leo another slow, lingering smile. The fire crackles beside us, its flickering glow casting shadows over his sharp features, but worry still lingers in his eyes. I don’t want that. I refuse to let him carry it tonight.Biting my lip, I feel the undeniable pull between us, the electric charge humming in the space where our bodies almost touch. Leaning in, I brush featherlight kisses along his cheek, trailing down to his jaw. A low groan rumbles from his chest, his breath hitching as I shift, straddling his thighs. His hands find my chin, his grip firm yet reverent as he tilts my face to meet his.Then his lips crash into mine.The kiss is searing—possessive, commanding—like he’s trying to reclaim control, to remind me exactly who he is. I let him. My fingers thread through his thick, tousled hair, loving the way it feels against my skin, soft yet untamed. His tongue tangles with mine, the heat between us rising with every breath, every press of our bodies molding in