I hope you have enjoyed the last few chapters please drop a gem or a review on the main page if you can. I have two chapters for you today so enjoy. x
I pick myself up off the floor, my movements mechanical. The steam still billows in the bathroom, fogging the mirror and reminding me the water is still hot. Without thinking, I step under the stream, letting it cascade over me. The heat should sting my skin, but I feel nothing. Numbness consumes me, though I can see my skin turning pink under the scalding water.Tears burn at the back of my eyes, and before I can stop myself, I’m scrubbing at my skin furiously, as if I can erase every trace of him—every touch, every memory. My hands move frantically, the loofah rasping against my flesh until my arms ache. A low, guttural sound escapes my throat—somewhere between a growl and a sob.I can’t believe this. I refuse to cry. That’s what he’d want—what he’d expect. But no matter how much I try to push the thoughts away, they keep coming, swirling like a storm in my mind. This changes everything.I hate Braden. He’s attractive, sure, but that doesn’t excuse what he’s done. It doesn’t give hi
I wake to the sight of Reid standing over me, his arms crossed, giving me a look that’s equal parts concern and exasperation. I growl low in my throat, swinging my legs off the bed as he raises his hands in mock surrender.“Tell me,” he says, his voice steady but laced with tension. I run a hand through my short hair, trying to find the words. How do I even begin to explain? My beast still claws at my insides, desperate to rip through the walls, to burn the New Moon Pack to the ground—and maybe even the Blood Moon Pack for giving up on her so easily.“He hurt her,” I finally manage, my voice cracking under the weight of the words.Reid’s posture stiffens, his eyes narrowing as his arms drop to his sides. “Who?” he demands, his voice sharp, his fists already curling in anticipation I know he's ready for a fight.“Her husband,” I grind out, pacing the room to release the restless energy building inside me. “That son of a bitch is more twisted than I thought.”Reid’s jaw tightens, his bo
I wake to the sight of the nurse from earlier standing near the door and Asher sitting beside my bed. My eyes widen as I take in his appearance. A kilt. He’s wearing a damn kilt. And yet, somehow, he makes it work, the soft fabric clinging to his muscled thighs, his broad chest filling out the snug white vest. It should look ridiculous, but on him, it’s almost criminally attractive. His tanned skin and storm-gray eyes only make the whole ensemble seem deliberate, like a calculated assault on my senses.I quickly look away, my throat tightening. Don’t trust him. He read your file. That pretty face doesn’t change anything. Even my wolf huffs in agreement before retreating back into my mind, leaving me to face him alone.“Claudia, we need to explain,” Asher begins, his deep voice smooth as silk. I hate how it momentarily soothes the storm in my chest, making me want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I can’t. I won’t.I narrow my eyes as he speaks, watching him cautiously as he le
The hours crawl by, each minute dragging on longer than the last. My focus is shot; Claudia consumes my thoughts like a relentless pull in my chest. The constant urge to get up and check on her gnaws at me, an itch I can’t scratch. By the time the clock strikes 6 PM, I’m already halfway down the staircase, my boots echoing in the empty corridor as I rush back to the castle hospital.I’ve long since ditched that ridiculous outfit Reid gave me, replacing it with black jeans and a black shirt that clings to my body. It feels more like me, more controlled. But Claudia—those jewel-blue eyes of hers—has a way of cracking through my restraint. I knew she would. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.When I reach her room, the sight of her sleeping freezes me in place. She looks so peaceful, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythms. Guilt tugs at me for what I’m about to do—for waking her when it’s clear she needs the rest—but I can’t leave her here. She said she wants to go back to
I follow Asher back to the rooms. It’s oddly familiar, and yet I’m not sure I could find it without him to guide me. I bite my lip, worrying if I’m going to spend the next few days wandering these corridors, lost and trying to figure out where I am in my own home. My ability to track my surroundings is made considerably worse by watching his ass in those jeans. I thought the kilt was sexy, but this is ridiculous. I don’t even want to notice him. I’m swearing off all men. The last one… well, I’m better off without them.But clearly the goddess has a sense of humor because now I get to ogle Asher all the time.I still can’t believe I changed in front of him, but I could smell him on me when I woke up the first time. He put me in that gown, so I figured it was futile to ask him to leave since he’d already seen everything. It’s annoying, but I can’t make myself angry enough to care. Regardless, he won’t see any more of me from now on. I hope the perv got his fill. Still, I can feel his an
When I enter my room again, I pause at the threshold, taking it all in. It’s exactly as it was before—the same pink bedding, the lace curtains, the vanity with its fairy lights. But none of it feels like me anymore. There’s a faint musty smell, the kind that comes from rooms left unlived in for too long, and it squeezes at my chest. It’s been cleaned, that much is clear, but it feels like stepping into a time capsule. A version of me frozen in place.I don’t know who I am now, but I know I’m not this.Restless, my mind still seething with how easily Asher bested me, I move to the large bifold doors leading to the balcony. The cold night air spills in as I push them wide open, but the fleece is warm enough to ward off the chill. I step outside, taking in the view.The ocean stretches endlessly before me, the dark blues of the sky merging seamlessly with the water. Stars shimmer like scattered diamonds, and the moon’s reflection ripples across the waves. It’s breathtaking. Peaceful. The
I wake up the next morning, disoriented, the unfamiliarity of my surroundings pressing down on me like a thick fog. Where am I? Goddess, what time is it? I glance at the clock—12:30 p.m.Shit.I never sleep this long. I sit bolt upright, energy coursing through me in a way I haven’t felt in ages. Whatever they gave me last night, it’s working because I feel… amazing. My body hums with a vitality that makes me uneasy in its unfamiliarity. When I catch my reflection in the vanity mirror, I freeze. My face—completely healed. No scratches, no bruises, nothing. I twist my ankle experimentally and then test my knee, both of which feel stronger than they have in days. There’s still a faint twinge of tenderness when I hop on the spot, but the difference is staggering.“What the hell?” I mutter under my breath, still staring at my unblemished skin. It’s unsettling—unnatural, even—but I’m not about to question a miracle.I decide to leave the dressings on, just in case, and cross the room to gr
I had fucked up. I knew it the second the words left my lips.“You’re weak!”The second the words hit the air, I cringed. But for the briefest moment, I saw it—the fire in her eyes. That spark of defiance. It was then I knew the only way to bring Claudia back would be to antagonize her. It was a risky move. I wasn’t sure if she’d thank me by the end or if I was just handing her the hammer to nail my coffin shut.I was going to be an asshole. An asshole to save her. I just hoped it worked.I spent the entire night replaying the moment in my head. She’d been through hell, and I had the audacity to call her weak. Weak, when I knew exactly why. After everything—the trauma, the blood siphoning, the drugs—I still called her weak. Part of me wanted to apologize, but I knew that wasn’t what she needed. She needed to fight back. And for that brief flash of fire, it had been worth it.Fate, it seemed, decided to give me another opportunity. I found her dithering by the castle gates, muttering t
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,