I stir at the sound of dripping water, my vision blurred as the slow trickle of blood slides down my skin. A soft purring vibrates through the silence, low and predatory. I try to turn my neck, but the movement draws a sharp hiss from me. A long, rough tongue sweeps over my pulse, igniting a fresh wave of pain that makes my body tense and spasm. The beast does not stop.“Please… let me go,” I whisper, my voice trembling, barely audible. I feel him stiffen. A heavy paw presses down, claws scraping lightly across my bare skin until it rests just below my ribs. The air grows thick as a faint whimper escapes me, but the beast’s chest rumbles with a snarl, vibrating against my back. The claws prick deeper—a silent warning. Any more movement, and I will be torn apart.“You’re hurting me,” I breathe, hoping my words will reach him. For a fleeting second, I think I hear a whine, but his tongue resumes its slow sweep over my throat.My skin burns and itches as the drying blood stiffens over the
Training with Erin goes better than I expect, and I actually manage to beat her several times when we spar. I know she isn’t just letting me win—her strikes grow fiercer, and she repeatedly has to block. Basking in my victory, my wolf swishes her tail in delight. I wonder if shifting might be easier now that I’m stronger. I want to test myself against her again—or Asher—before I try. I need to know it wasn’t a fluke.By the time I make it back to my room, dripping with sweat from another workout, Asher is waiting by my bedroom door. His face is pensive, and I can’t tell if that’s a good or bad sign.“The meeting with the Elders has been rescheduled for three days from now. Do you feel ready?” he asks, watching me closely as I open the door. He trails behind me, his gaze heavy on my back.“Yes, I’m ready.” I’ve made so much progress in the last few weeks. If I’m not ready now, I don’t know what difference a few more days will make.“Good, but I want to know your thoughts regarding the
The council meeting is tomorrow, and while Asher has tried to prepare me as much as possible, the last-minute cram session is giving me a headache and making my stomach cramp. In the end, he tells me to grab a jumper and coat, suggesting we go for a walk around the pack. He explains that sometimes, when things become too much, seeing and hearing the energy in the pack helps him find perspective—a reminder of what he’s living for.I race back from the office where we’ve been cooped up for hours. My eyes are sore from staring at so many screens and so much fine print that even my wolf struggles to keep up. When I head back down the stairs after grabbing a fluffy knit and thick coat, Asher meets me halfway.His black jacket clings to his body so perfectly that it’s distracting. He takes my arm as we descend the steps together, walking through the large corridor and entryway I let the heat from his body warm me as we walk together. Guards nod at us before opening the massive doors, allowi
“Don’t blame yourself. From the sounds of it, Ansel and Braden have planned this for years,” I say, trying to reassure him, but he captures my hands in his and turns to face me.“I wish it were that simple, love. Your father wouldn’t let me handle his business. He told me you were his and my priority. He knew the risks if I went, and he chose for me. After everything he’d done, I couldn’t not honor his wishes. You were such a rebellious teenager, grieving for your father... I should have kept a closer eye on you."There had been so many rogue attacks, and they stopped once your father was killed. I thought that meant you were safe. I wanted to protect you, to help you through your grief. We argued that day when they came. Months had passed since the last attack. You ran off, and as I tried to chase you, the mind link went—we were under attack. You didn’t have your wolf, so I couldn’t find you.”Asher lets go of me, his voice pained as his fists clench by his sides. My throat tightens,
His nose brushes my inner thigh as he sniffs me there, sending shivers skittering across my skin. Heat floods my cheeks, a rush of embarrassment mingling with the wild, desperate anticipation of what he’ll do next.“You smell delicious, love,” he murmurs, his eyes locking onto mine as he kneels between my legs, his head nestled intimately close. His voice is a low rumble, vibrating through me, and damn if that alone doesn’t make my body clench in response. His gaze flickers red, a telltale sign of his hunger if his wolf is pressing forward, as the heady scent of my arousal fills the air. He licks his lips, brief but deliberate, before diving in like a man utterly starved.“Oh, fuck,” I gasp, my breath hitching as Asher’s tongue finds my most sensitive skin. His movements are precise yet feral, dragging a hot, wet path through every fold and crevice, leaving no inch of me untouched.My fingers tangle in his thick hair, tugging him closer, while my other hand cups my breast, desperate f
Today is the meeting with the elders, and as I sit in the conference room within the castle, my hands wring together beneath the sleek mahogany table. Sleep would have been a luxury after how worked up Asher made me, but I doubt I could have managed it anyway. My thoughts had been a whirl of doubts—whether I’m prepared enough, whether I’ll need to challenge for my right to be alpha. The worst of it is wishing my dad were here.Asher has been amazing, always so supportive, but it’s not the same. Being back home has made me realize just how much I miss him. His presence is everywhere and yet if he were here todays meeting wouldn't even be happening. I feel like I'm failing him by the elders even questioning my position in this pack. I’ve dressed carefully, opting for black tailored trousers and a sleek matching jacket that hugs my curves without drawing too much attention. My high-collared blouse completes the look, and for a change, I’ve styled my hair in a high ponytail, its length f
The silence is so overwhelming that when George finally speaks, I nearly jump out of my seat. “Are you a spy for the New Moon pack?” he demands bluntly, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. The accusation hits me hard, leaving me momentarily breathless.“Are you insane?” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended.“Answer the question,” he says, his tone unyielding.“No!”The others exchange wary glances, the tension palpable, before George continues his interrogation.“I see. Asher told us your memory was altered. How can you be certain you’re not a spy sent here to infiltrate the pack? You didn’t want to leave with Asher when he first found you. He said you were married and expecting a child. If you were settled with this new pack, you should have informed us and relinquished your claim to the alpha title. But you didn’t. No one heard from you for five years, Claudia. Don’t you find that… suspicious?” His brows knit together as every eye in the room turns to me, the weight
The elders take their sweet time making a decision. Reid has already discovered the cupboard full of snacks and made a significant dent in the stockpile. Claudia doesn’t eat or drink anything. Instead, she keeps wringing her hands or bouncing up and down from her chair, as though sitting still is physically impossible. She keeps biting her red bottom lip, and it’s driving me to distraction.“Love, can you relax? It’s going to be fine,” I say, trying to reassure her. She nods, turning to sit again, but the moment my hand rests on her thigh, she’s on her feet once more. My jaw clenches but I don't try to push her further. Reid pours the remaining crumbs from his bag of crisps straight into his mouth, leaning back in his seat as if he hasn’t a care in the world. I drag a hand down my face, silently praying to the moon goddess for the elders to return quickly before I’m forced to smack some sense into one of them.Finally, the door creaks open, and the elders stride in. Claudia’s face pal
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,