“Claudie, I have a business trip coming up. Can I trust you to behave?” Dad asks, looking up from his dinner plate as I dab my mouth with a napkin.
“Another one? You only just got back!” I complain. I know he’s doing it for the pack, but ever since Mom died, I hate it when he’s away for long stretches. We’re all each other has.
Dad’s bright blue eyes crinkle with amusement, his cropped salt-and-pepper hair catching the light. “I thought you didn’t want your old man cramping your style… didn’t you just tell me the other day how embarrassing I am?” he teases, raising an eyebrow. I scowl, flicking a pea across my plate. Must he remember everything?
I know he wouldn’t leave if it weren’t important, but lately, there’s been a strange tension in the air. Rumors about another pack disputing with ours keep cropping up, though no one ever tells me the details. Dad never shows
I head through the pack grounds, supposedly on a mission to find Erin. In truth, she’s fine; she just wants to catch up on some gossip about Mr. Fancy Pants. Someone has a crush. Sure, he’s super hot, but he knows it, and I can still feel the heat of his thighs pressing against mine under the table. As much as it pains me to admit, I kind of liked it.No, no, I didn’t. He’s an ass. A very pretty, smells-so-good ass. Wait, he does not smell nice! And now I’m talking to myself. Great.The streets are quiet tonight, a few pack members strolling around, setting up lanterns to cast a warm amber glow along the paths. I wander aimlessly, flicking my long dark braid over my shoulder, my mind buzzing with ideas on how to mess with Mr. Fancy Pants for his teasing earlier. He made me miss my chocolate mousse and time with Dad before he goes away. I’m not happy about that at all.As I walk through the hushed streets, nothing seems out of place, yet a strange tension lingers in the air, an instinct
All night, I’m bombarded with images of people I’ve never met. Each one feels less and less like a dream until I can no longer deny the truth there not dreams they're memories —and through it all, Asher is there. By the time dawn breaks, I’ve made my decision. I’m calling him. I need to know the truth.I pull on a pair of jeans and a loose, woolly sweater, leaving my hair down for once, something Braden wouldn’t like but to hell with him. In the kitchen, I grab my phone and Asher’s card, tapping it against the counter as the kettle rumbles. Can I really trust him?My father clearly did—he left Asher to watch over me. But other than a few fragments of my past, I know nothing about him. And then there’s the nagging suspicion: he might be the one responsible for killing another alpha... But who?The kettle clicks, startling me out of my thoughts. I pour the water, letting the tea steep, and decide: it’s worth the risk. Each time I’ve met Asher, he’s never hurt me. I was weak, vulnerable e
*** Trigger Warning Physical Assult ***My heart stutters as his words sink in: the sole heir. Does that mean… I’m an alpha? I almost laugh at the absurdity of it—I’m not an alpha wolf. But as if reading my mind, Asher’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts.“You are an alpha wolf, Claudia,” he says, his voice steady, final. “You were destined to lead. It’s time you came home.”Something in his tone silences my retort. He’s so certain, so confident in this truth. But if I’m really an alpha, then why can’t I remember? Why is my wolf so weak? If I were truly an alpha, I’d be able to resist the commands of others, even Braden’s. I shake my head, a hard edge of disbelief forming. “I don’t believe you. How do I know you’re not lying?”Asher’s sigh is low, almost frustrated. “What would I gain by lying to you? Claudie, there’s so much you need to understand, but I can’t do this over the phone. It’s dangerous. Please, come to me. You’ll be safe here.”He’s right in a way. I don’t believe
My mind is spinning, every nerve on edge as I stand in front of Braden, trying to keep calm, to tell him exactly what he wants to hear. He looms over me, eyes wild, darkened with fury, flickering dangerously between human and wolf. His anger is almost a physical force, thick and suffocating, pressing down on me.“It… it was no one, Braden,” I manage to whisper, my voice trembling. “Just a wrong number.”His eyes narrow, pinning me in place, unblinking and unyielding. “You expect me to believe that?” His voice is cold, every word cutting. “That some stranger would call, and you’d just sit there, chatting like old friends?”I force myself to meet his gaze, keeping my face as neutral as possible. “I didn’t even know who it was,” I say, scrambling to find the right words. “He just… he said something about a wrong number, and I was about to hang up.” The lie slips out smoothly, but my heart is pounding so hard I’m certain he can hear it.Braden steps closer, gripping the counter so tightly
"Why don’t you go for a walk, pop out to the pack center, and buy yourself something nice," Braden suggests, his fingers stroking my back as he absently plays with my hair, smoothing it in a way that feels oddly possessive. I can sense his disapproval of my appearance, even though he doesn’t say anything i'm not my normal polished self. Instead, he reaches into his pocket and hands me his credit card. "You know the number. It’s your birthday," he says, and despite the little flutter in my chest that he still remembers, I know what this really is—a way to buy my forgiveness.He plants a kiss on my cheek and ushers me out of the kitchen. I give him a faint smile over my shoulder, discreetly slipping Asher’s card with his number into my pocket. If Braden saw that card, he’d recognize the name, and that would lead to another argument. After the scene in the kitchen, the last thing I want is to spark another outburst.I grab my coat and shoes, glancing at Braden one last time as he waves go
I hurry along the path leading to the Alpha’s house, my heart pounding, hoping Gaia is still there. As I pass other pack members, I can’t shake the feeling that their eyes are on me, watching, judging. They aren’t even looking at my bruised cheek; their stares are different, sharper, filled with something that makes me uneasy. Have they always looked at me like this, or is my mind just racing after everything Asher said? This isn’t my home. The thought twists painfully in my mind. If Asher is right, and I really am the Alpha’s daughter from the Blood Moon Pack, then that would place a target squarely on my back. Asher never did say which pack killed my father, who his enemies were. Could it… could it be the New Moon Pack—my home pack? My legs go weak, and I stumble slightly, shaking the thought away. No. It can’t be. No one here has ever made me feel like an enemy. And why would they let me marry their Beta if I were one? What pack would allow an Alpha female from an enemy bl
Gaia whips her head toward me so fast that I almost stumble back. Her blue eyes are blazing, fierce as she narrows them. Her lips part in a low hiss. “What are you talking about?” She doesn’t yell, but the venom in her voice is enough to send a shiver down my spine. This isn’t how I wanted to handle this.I tuck my hair behind my ear, taking a cautious step back. Swallowing hard, I force myself to meet her gaze. “Gaia, Ansel… he made a pass at me. He wanted me to be his Luna, to bear him an heir. I refused him, Gaia, and I told him no. But I can’t, as your friend, let you mark someone who doesn’t deserve you.”I keep my voice steady, but my hands are shaking as I watch her. Her expression shifts rapidly—a storm of emotions flashing behind that glassy look in her eyes. It’s as if what I’m saying is breaking through, but not quite sinking in. Her face twists in fury, and I know whatever she’s about to say will hurt. She points a finger at me, baring her teeth, looking almost feral. Than
As I open the door, I’m greeted by a sea of red rose petals, scattered across the hardwood floor as far as I can see. The room glows with a warm, ambient light from candles in the chandelier above and candelabras on the walls. It’s almost stifling with the heat of so many small flames, and I feel a sudden flush come over me as I scan the space, searching for Braden.“What did you do?” I whisper, taking in the sheer volume of petals blanketing the floor, stretching all the way to the back of the house. There must be thousands—tens of thousands—of them. My heart skips a beat as I take off my coat, carefully hiding the package tucked beneath it. I’ll have to get rid of that discreetly; goddess, I’d die if he saw it now.A clatter from the kitchen breaks my train of thought, followed by Braden’s low mutter of frustration. I start walking toward the sound, passing the dining table, which is set beautifully for a romantic dinner—flowers, wine, and a small velvet box placed n
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