As soon as Asher’s fingers brush through my soaked folds, I swear I feel him purr against my back. The sensation has me parting my legs, desperate to give him more access. His fingers delve deeper, and my chest heaves as I struggle to remember how to breathe.“You’re so wet for me, love. Do you enjoy my punishments?” he teases, his breath hot against my ear as he nips at the lobe. I shudder, arching into him.“Yes,” I moan as his fingers slide further. He teases, brushing them back and forth, and for a moment I’m terrified this might be the punishment—this light, maddening touch that feels so good but never quite enough.Relief crashes over me when his fingers find my clit, circling slowly until my legs tremble. My nipples harden painfully against the thin fabric of my sports bra, and I bite my lip to hold back a cry. Asher nibbles at my ear, his fingers relentless, and I swear I’m going to combust.“Asher,” I gasp, his name tumbling from my lips like a prayer. His hand pauses, and whe
The council meeting is postponed. Apparently, one of the elders isn’t feeling well, and Asher decides it’s best to wait until they recover. I’m fine with that. Lately, I’ve been visiting town and helping Asher with his work, but I’m not sure I’m ready to announce that I want the title of Alpha.It may be my birthright, but after being gone for five years and without my father here to help me transition, I know I have a lot of ground to cover. I won’t be childish about it. I know it’s my destiny. As much as I want this, I want it for the right reasons. This is my pack, my people — not an army to use for revenge against the New Moon pack.I wander through the grounds, greeting members as I pass. Faces blur together, but I force myself to remember names. I feel like I have forgotten so much and I want everyone to know that they matter to me. Most are happy to see me. Their smiles warm me, but I catch Sabrina in the distance, her gaze flicking away as if I don’t exist. She’s avoided me e
I sit in the glade for hours, letting the peace seep into my bones before finally heading back to the castle. The sun dips below the horizon, splashing the sky with streaks of fiery orange and gold, casting long shadows over the Bloodmoon pack. The land looks even more breathtaking in the twilight, as if the sunset itself blesses the territory.When I reach the castle's front doors, the guards nod in recognition, pulling the heavy double doors open without a word. Their armor clinks faintly, echoing in the entrance hall as I step inside.I take the grand staircase, my footsteps light against the stone as I climb higher, drawn toward the private quarters. Halfway up, footsteps sound behind me, and I turn just as Reid and Asher emerge from the dim corridor below. The faint glow from the sconces flickers across their faces.Asher’s gaze locks onto mine, pinning me in place. His smile spreads slowly, warm and unguarded, making something flutter inside me. “Claudie, you’re back,” he says,
Reid keeps me updated as more and more spies start to breach our borders. Thankfully, after the attack on the previous alpha, I put measures in place to stop them from entering our territory. While swarms of them gather outside the pack, none have managed to get past the entrance. I suppose that’s the benefit of only needing to defend three sides—the ocean deters most from trying the water route. Wolves aren’t known for their swimming skills, and lucky for me, it makes protecting our pack easier and keeps our resources pooled where we need them. I keep a few gaurds close by in case I don't want to get cocky with the packs saftey. But I push all that out of my mind because tonight is about Claudia. I need to tell her Braden is looking for her. I know she’s probably considered it, but it feels wrong to keep it from her. The problem is, after everything she’s been through, I want to shield her. I don’t want her to carry this weight. At the same time, I need her to trust me—to know I won
Dinner with Asher feels like a waking dream. He’s attentive, sweet, and even as we make idle chit-chat, I see the weight behind his eyes. He wants to tell me something. The words hover on his tongue, but he hesitates. I bite my lip, nervous. Is he going to ask about the ring? About Braden? About what finally made me pry that heavy band from my finger and heart? I won't answer that.The food is delicious, and we’ve only had the first course. I silently hope dessert will be the chocolate mousse I adore. Asher no doubt remembers these things. Tonight, I wouldn’t even mind if he fed it to me. The tether between us hums in my chest, restless with each smirk and the soft brush of his fingers against my skin. If he told me to come closer, I would. That’s how frayed and raw I feel. One look from those stormy grey eyes, and I melt like a damn puddle.I never felt this way with Braden. All the times I convinced myself I loved him pale in comparison but that isn't what this is. This dinner feel
The kiss is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s fire and ice, oil and vinegar. Two things that shouldn’t mix, but when they do, the world tilts off its axis.Asher's tongue grazes the seam of my lips, his hand tangled at the back of my neck while the other presses firmly against my lower back, binding me to him. My heart races as I part my lips, and his skilled tongue seizes control of my thoughts, scattering them like leaves in the wind.Each flick and twist unravels me, and before I know it, I’m kissing him back with a desperation I can’t contain. It’s euphoric—addictive. No matter how much I get, I crave more.I had only meant to give him a small thank-you kiss—a simple gesture for telling me the truth. For having the courage to stand before me without pretense, trusting I could handle it.But the second my lips touched his, everything shifted. My wolf stirs, purring in satisfaction, suddenly ravenous for Asher. She claws at the surface, urging me to surrender, to let her t
I don’t know how to respond to Asher. I stare at him like he’s grown another head. Witches don’t exist. I’ve never met one, and the fact that he’s looking at me so intently, so seriously—it terrifies me."No, I don’t know a witch," I breathe out, shifting to slide off his lap. His hands tighten, keeping me in place. His brow creases, his concern cutting through the dim light. His grey eyes lock onto mine, scrutinizing every inch of me, like he's peeling back the layers of my thoughts, searching for a truth I don't even know exists. He stares for so long it's like he is trying to read my mind. "Claudia, do you remember when I came to the Bloodmoon pack? How old you were?" His voice is low, but the weight of the question coils dread in my stomach. The faint glow of the room sharpens his features, casting shadows that make him look even harsher.I rake my brain, unsettled by the sudden shift. Where is he going with this? What does this have to do with anything? "Of course I remember. I
I lay Claudia down on my bed. I don’t know why I bring her here instead of her own room. Maybe part of me wants to see her sleep in my bed. Maybe I crave the small chance of waking up beside her. I know that would be a terrible idea—tempting fate a little too much.Still, the image of her sleeping etches itself into my mind. Her dark lashes kiss her cheeks, freckles scatter delicately across her nose, and her lips, rosy and soft, part faintly with each breath. I slip her shoes off, tucking her in carefully. My eyes drift to her dress, the way it drapes like liquid silk over her body, hugging each curve. Her hair sprawls over the pillow, and even in the dim light, I catch the faint, stiff peaks beneath the fabric. Yep. There’s no way I’m sleeping here tonight. I pull the blanket tighter around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before stepping away feeling a twitch in my pants.Her words still bother me. I know I’m right. The nagging thought follows me down the hall, pushing me towar
Braden appeared suddenly, and I lunged at him, my fist driving into his gut with a forceful punch. As he staggered, my leg swung out, jamming into his thigh with a satisfying thud. He retaliated with a feral growl, his claws slicing into my ribs, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my side. "I'm not going to let you kill me," he spat, as I shoved him away with all my might.Amid the chaos, her scent reached me, and my eyes snapped to meet her jewel-blue gaze. She was trying to push through the fray to get to me, her face radiant with a smile that cut through the violence like a beacon. "Leo," her voice seemed to rise above the clamor of battle cries and snarls, but perhaps it was just my imagination. I turned my attention back to Braden, slicing his jaw and neck, blood pouring from the wounds like a crimson river. The urge to obliterate him was strong, but I had made a promise to let Claudia deliver the final blow. Knowing she was here, seemingly unharmed, brought me a sense of relie
I squeeze through the bars, my hips scraping against the metal, the sting immediate and sharp. Welts are already forming, the raw skin throbbing with each shallow breath. By the time I make it through, exhaustion claws at me, my body convulsing as another wave of unbearable heat ripples through my veins. My skin burns like an open flame, every inch drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking to me like a second skin.I stagger toward the desk where Braden left my blade and grenade. Sunlight glints off the compact disk beside them, a flash of silver that momentarily blinds me. Pulling myself up, the wood splinters beneath my fingers, sharp pricks piercing my palm. I swipe the sweat from my brow, sucking in air, my breath shallow and ragged. My legs tremble as I force them to hold my weight. The battle outside the tent rages on, steel clashing, wolves snarling. I don’t have time. I need to move.Leo.I have to get to him.Shoving the blade back into my boot and tucking the grenade into my ja
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