The floorboards creak under heavy boots, each step like a countdown to disaster. My breath catches, my wolf surging forward in panic, but I shove her down. Don't panic. Panic will get us caught. Panic could get us killed.The voices carry from the front of the house.“She has to be here,” one growls, low and guttural. “I caught her scent outside.” Damn it, I look down at my coat unease filling my stomach. I hope the guys clothes I have stolen will help cover most of it. As silently as I can I try brushing myself up against the wall of the guys house to help smother my scent. Although its a little late for that.“Check upstairs. She couldn’t have gotten far.” I hear a gruff voice say as freeze trying to think of a plan. I grip the duffle bag tightly and glance around the room. My eyes land on the small, dirty window near the corner. It’s barely wide enough to fit through, but it’s my only chance.Footsteps thud on the stairs, closer now. My pulse pounds in my ears as I race to the win
The wolf lunges, and instinct takes over. I dive to the side, hitting the ground hard as the beast’s claws rake the air where I’d stood a second ago. My wolf snarls, clawing to the surface, but I hold her back. The guard steps closer, his smirk widening as he gestures toward the wolf. “Tear her apart,” he commands, his voice dripping with cruel amusement. Guess Braden will find a way to heal me so he can continue to use me. Unless of course he's keeping his options open. The wolf spins, lunging again, but this time I’m ready. I roll forward, my fingers finding the switchblade in the duffle bag. The blade flicks open with a sharp click, and as the wolf comes at me, I thrust upward.The blade grazes its shoulder, not deep enough to wound but enough to make it yelp and back off. My chest heaves as I scramble to my feet, gripping the knife tightly. My hands tremble, but I force myself to stay steady. I'm not helpless. “Cute,” the guard sneers. “But you won’t last long with parlor trick
The figure’s presence is both unsettling and oddly familiar, though I can’t place why. As they step closer, the faint light of the moon catches their face—a face I haven’t seen in years. As if from one of my dreams it all clicks into place. My breath catches.“Uncle Leon?” I whisper, my voice trembling.The man smiles faintly, his eyes softening. “Claudia. You’ve grown.”Uncle Leon wasn’t my real uncle, but he’d been close to my father, almost like family. His sudden appearance now is jarring, and the flood of emotions—hope, suspicion, fear—leaves me dizzy.“What are you doing here?” I ask, my grip on the duffle bag tightening. Its the middle of the night and he is out here in the forest alone. How did he know I would be here? Or did he just get lucky? Is Asher involved? Is Braden? “I could ask you the same thing,” he replies, his tone measured. “Running through rogue territory, hunted by your own pack… Your father would have never let it come to this.” He sounds dissapointed, filled
I can’t believe Uncle Leon. The sheer audacity of his proposal churns in my mind as I stumble through the forest. More memories of him resurface with each step, memories of him as a family friend, a constant presence during my childhood. And yet now, he had the gall to suggest marriage—to claim me and my title as if I were some prize.Branches snag at my hair, my ankle throbs with every movement, and the straps of my backpack dig into my shoulders, adding another layer of discomfort to my already aching body. The night has fully settled, wrapping the forest in a suffocating darkness. I’m desperate for rest, but the thought of stopping sends a shudder through me. I can feel unseen eyes tracking my every move. Whether it’s Leon, rogues, or Braden’s guards, I don’t know—and I don’t want to find out.The thick underbrush tempts me. I could nestle down and hide there, but my scent would be too easy to pick up. My heart races as I scan the swaying canopy above me, the faint moonlight flicke
I look back up at the tree, its towering branches swaying slightly in the breeze. My body aches, my ankle screams with every step, and exhaustion tugs at the edges of my resolve, but I force myself to hobble around to the other side. Maybe this side will be easier to climb.A sudden flutter of wings startles me as a cluster of birds takes flight from a nearby tree, their shrill cries cutting through the night. My heart pounds. The wolves must be close. It’s now or never.Swallowing hard, I place my injured foot gently on the notch in the trunk. Tears prick my eyes as I try to shift my weight onto it, every nerve ending in my body screaming in protest. My breaths come fast and shallow. Don’t think about it. Worry when you get to the top.I add more pressure moving my weight a little as I wince through the pain. Fuck it hurts. On this side, I spot a slightly lower branch. Using it as a foothold, I push off and haul myself upward. The rough bark scrapes against my palms as I reach for t
The cold bite of dawn pricks at my skin, and I stir, groggy and disoriented. My muscles ache, stiff from being tied to the tree all night, and for a moment, I forget where I am. Then the events of the previous day flood back—Leon, the wolves, the climb. I blink against the soft glow of early morning filtering through the canopy. I feel as if a bird has been peeking at my head for most of the night as I feel a headache pounding away. My throat feels like sandpaper and as I go to reach for my backpack for the flask of hot water I can't find it anyway. Shit did I drop it in the middle of the night. I glance down seeing the earth look miles away. My eyes are still blurry but I can't see the bag anyway. I hear the sound of chewing which pulls me back to where I am. That’s when I see her. A woman with bright red wavy hair sits at the far end of the branch, perched with an unsettling ease. Her legs dangle over the side she wears all black jeans and a vest top with her sleeved tattoo arm
I swallow hard as the woman with fiery red hair lands gracefully on the ground, her presence like a spark in the growing darkness around me. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat a reminder of how unsafe I feel despite everything. Out of the frying pan and into the fire—that’s what this is. I cling tightly to Asher’s frame, my fingers trembling as the woman strides up to me with a predatory grace.“I’m keeping this, by the way,” she says, her teeth gleaming in a sharp smile that sends a chill down my spine as she flicks the knief once more. Her voice is smooth, almost playful, but there’s something unhinged about it. Dangerous. Deadly. My throat feels dry as I try to swallow the lump of fear lodged there. She’s insane.I feel the low rumble of Asher’s growl vibrating against my body as the woman moves toward my bag. Panic explodes in my chest. “Don’t!” I scream, my voice breaking, but she doesn’t stop. She’s rummaging through it with no regard, her hands digging through my belongings
The journey to the Blood Moon Pack feels like it stretches on forever. Every jolt on Asher’s wolf’s back sends a sharp ache through my body, and I bite my lip to stifle a groan. Riding him is like sitting on a vibrating washer-dryer, except it’s massive, living, and unyielding. His size makes it impossible to close my legs, so I cling tighter to his soft, inky fur, hoping to distract myself from the steady, maddening rhythm between my legs.I don’t even know why my mind veers there when the weight of my medical files digs into my back, a sobering reminder of what’s at stake. The forest rushes past us, trees blurring into a dark green haze as the cool night air presses against my skin. The brown wolf running beside us lets out a faint whine, and relief washes over me as we finally slow to a stop. My body is sore and trembling from hours of holding on, every muscle taut with exhaustion.The crisp air immediately settles into my bones as I consider my predicament. I have two choices: cli
Epliogue Part 2Thirty Years LaterToday is the day Grey finally moves out of the castle. My youngest is ready to explore the world on his own. None of the other kids have moved far, not really. But this feels different. This is him leaving. He won’t be under our roof anymore. And even though we have centuries together, it doesn’t make this any easier. My heart still aches at the thought of his absence echoing through the halls.What doesn’t help is the fact that Gaia and I both believe his mate is her daughter, Summer. Which means he’ll be hours away from us, living at the New Moon Pack. Gaia and Reid are thrilled at the idea. Honestly, I sometimes suspect Gaia’s been nudging fate with her magic… except her spells have no effect on Summer, and Grey never seems to react to any of Gaia’s not-so-subtle hints that they should mark each other.Summer and Grey have been inseparable since they were little. Every year, we’d spend the summers with the New Moon Pack, or Gaia, Reid, and Summer w
Epilogue Ten Years LaterThose years with Braden feel like nothing more than a distant memory. There was a time I couldn’t imagine being happy or free like I am now. That’s not to say the nightmares don’t still come—those nights I jolt awake in a cold sweat, heart racing, lungs gasping for air as if I’m still trapped in that hell. But all it takes is a glance into the storm-grey eyes of my mate, and the past fades like smoke. I’m here. I’m safe. It’s over.The last ten years pass in a blur. It’s only when our son arrives that I truly feel the weight of all the children I lost. Pregnancy, as joyful as it is, terrifies me. I dread something going wrong, haunted by the possibility that Braden’s poisons still lurk in my blood, waiting to strike. That's really when the nightmares came once again. The birth is… intense. I’d like to say it went smoothly. But Leo, on the other hand? I see clumps of his thick dark hair littering the hospital floor by the time the nurse is telling me to push.
Things are finally settling down and becoming normal again. Leo and I work hard, but we play hard too. It’s exactly how I always pictured my life would be when I was younger—only now, it’s my reality.“There you are, baby. I’ve been looking for you.”I’d know that voice anywhere. Every hair on my arms and along my neck prickles to attention. My stomach drops.“No… no, you’re dead.” I whisper because it's the only thing that makes sense. I spin around, heart thundering in my chest. He stands there—Braden—his dark blue eyes gleaming with a sinister glint, his wolfish grin carved across his face like a predator who’s already won. I know that look too well now. Nothing good comes from that look. He strolls toward me, each step slow, measured, powerful. I stumble backward until the wall presses into my spine. My breath stutters. It doesn’t make sense. He’s dead.He stops just in front of me, reaching out to toy with a strand of my hair. His fingers are deceptively gentle until they tight
I feel a squeeze on my hand as silence creeps in, thick and heavy like a storm about to break. Even Erin glances our way, her eyes narrowing as if she can see straight through me—like there’s a neon sign on my forehead flashing the word Lycan.The crowd shifts subtly, a ripple through the mass of bodies. I follow it with my eyes until I see him—a man at the back moving with unnatural smoothness, like a shadow cutting through the haze of murmurs and hushed breathing. One of the guards. I recognize him; he usually works the front gate, stopping intruders from ever getting this far.He’s coming closer. Step by step.My pulse thunders in my ears.Should I pull Claudia behind me? Should I shift? Should I fight?I count the seconds, heart pounding, my beast snarling just under the surface. Claudia’s grip tightens on my hand—iron strong. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.The man climbs the stairs to stand before us. My beast pushes forward, hackles rising, claws itching to tear through
We’ve called a pack meeting, and nerves twist in my gut like a coiled serpent. Claudia told me to come clean—about who I really am. It’s not that I don’t want to. This has been my pack for years; it’s my home. I know these people. I trust them. They’ve had my back through everything. But knowing I’m a lycan means other packs might come for us. They always do. No one likes someone stronger, faster, who heals quicker than the rest. Envy breeds discontent, and I don’t want to paint a target on my back—not when we’ve finally found peace. Not when we are about to have a family. At the same time, we need to explain what’s happened—why Gaia and Reid have left the Blood Moon pack, and why we’ve both been missing for the last few weeks. I’m getting ready now, trying to tame my hair from where Claudia’s fingers pulled at it through the night. I smooth down my shirt, ensuring it’s pressed just right before tightening my belt.Claudia appears in the doorway, her long, dark hair cascading like in
She sucks me deep, taking me into her throat with a moan that vibrates through my entire body. Her tongue swirls around the sensitive head, lapping up the precum already leaking from me. Her hand works in perfect rhythm with her mouth, pumping and twisting as she sucks me off like it’s the only thing she’s ever wanted to do.“Fuck, love,” I growl, my hands tangling in her hair as I thrust into her mouth, fucking her face with a desperation that matches her own. She gags slightly but doesn’t pull away, taking every inch of me like a fucking champion. The heat of her throat squeezes me, and the pressure coils tight in my gut, my balls heavy and aching.But she’s not done yet.She pulls off my cock with a wet pop, her lips swollen and shining with spit as she crawls up my body. Her tits brush against my chest, soft and maddening, leaving streaks of heat on my skin. She kisses me deep, and I taste myself on her tongue—salty, musky, and so fucking her. She reaches between us, guiding my co
We make it back to the Blood Moon pack in record time. Claudia falls asleep early into the car journey, with Erin joining her shortly after. Erin snores the entire way home, the sound sharp and grating, but it keeps me awake.It may have taken us a long time to get here, but I know now—nothing is going to come between us again. We are having a pup. Something I hadn’t dared to dream of, especially so soon. After everything Claudia has been through—every miscarriage, every tear, every ounce of pain—I had no expectations. I was happy just having the two of us for a while. But now? Now, everything is different.It does put a slight hitch in my plans, though. I need to check the library to see if it’s still possible. I want to change Claudia into a lycan. It’s a grueling process and there are risks, but after the time I spent away from her—after how Braden altered her mind so she no longer recognized me—I can’t risk anything like that happening again. More than anything, I want time with h
The BBQ goes well — the pack loves Gaia, and maybe they always have. She’s been here from the beginning, after all. She is one of them. With Reid by her side, I know that whatever lingering trauma she carries, he will be there to catch her if she stumbles. The two of them are annoyingly cute together.Leo’s arms are wrapped around me as the five of us settle into the quieter part of the garden, drinks in hand, our bellies full — probably more than full. I swear we’ve eaten twice our body weight. The smell of smoked herbs and charred vegetables still hangs in the air, making my mouth water despite the feast. And I’m eating for two now, so there’s always room. At least that is my excuse.“I think I’m going to like it here,” Reid muses, scratching his chin. Gaia is draped lazily across his lap, gazing at him like he’s hung the moon itself. He toys with her wild hair, curling it around his fingers, and the two of them look so achingly content it almost feels like we’re intruding.“I guess
There is a pack BBQ being set up in the garden of the Alpha mansion. The intricate bushes, towering trees, blooming flowers, and the gentle trickle of the pond all add to the loveliness of the day, but there is a hum beneath it, something stirring beneath the surface. To my surprise, Gaia is already in the thick of it, directing where the marquee and BBQ station are to be placed. She even has a few guards digging up part of the garden for a hog roast, their shovels biting into the earth with sharp, rhythmic thuds. There’s a pep in her step as she waltzes through the preparations, her eyes scanning every detail to make sure the decorations are just to her liking.I can’t help but wonder if everyone in the pack is secretly relieved now that Braden is gone — or if Gaia is using her persuasion magic to ease them into the transition. I can’t be sure. The energy feels too smooth, too compliant. But perhaps I am overthining it. When she spots me walking across the lawn, she runs toward me,