Reid and I manage to push back the mob of savage rogues as they try to breach one of the borders near the old ruins. Just as I start heading back to the castle, a sharp tug pulls at my chest. It’s Claudia. I can feel her distress through the bond, an ache so deep it steals my breath. Without a second thought, I sprint into the forest, letting my wolf guide me.The trees blur past as I push harder, my heart pounding with every step. She’s close, but the sinking feeling in my stomach tightens like a vice. What if someone took her? The thought sends icy fear coursing through me, gripping my chest like a steel trap.Then I hear it—growls and snarls echoing through the trees. She’s still here. Relief washes over me when I catch a glimpse of her: black hair cascading over her shoulders, porcelain skin almost glowing under the faint moonlight, and those red, plush lips that could command armies. My wolf settles, but only slightly. My eyes sweep over her, scanning for any injuries. Nothing. S
I stand outside the hospital, my foot tapping against the cold concrete as I lean against the wall. The chill seeps into my back, but it’s nothing compared to the ice in my chest. I can’t believe Asher. He said he’d help me get revenge, that we’d strike back at everyone who had hurt me. But now, as soon as I’m ready to pull the metaphorical trigger, he demands mercy. The bond tugs painfully, a sharp reminder of his betrayal—not siding with me, his mate.Through the glass, I watch as he whispers to the nurse and doctor. Two other nurses pin Gaia to the bed as she thrashes, screaming my name like her life depends on it. My chest tightens, but I shove the feeling aside. Asher’s eyes find mine through the glass. His gaze is steady, unwavering, but I can’t bear it. I turn away. He even insisted I stay out here, separated from Gaia. It’s as though he doesn’t trust her—or me. Maybe this is just how he treats unknowns in his pack. Guilty until proven innocent. Either way, I’m furious.The scre
We step inside, hand in hand. My anger simmers beneath the surface, but I let Asher keep his hold on me. Something about his presence clears the fog in my mind. I don’t want to be impulsive, to act in a way that will brand me as a cruel alpha—the broken leader who rules without care or mercy. The thought makes my chest tighten.A nurse pulls up two chairs beside Gaia’s bed. Asher and I sit, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling the air, mingling with the faint coppery tang of blood. My fingers fidget in my lap, twisting and untwisting as I study her face. The more injuries I notice—the bruises shadowing her skin, the faint tremor in her shallow breaths—the heavier the guilt weighs on me. I was going to send her to the cells without even having her looked at? My stomach churns at the thought. I don’t want to be a monster. I don’t want to be like Braden.Asher’s presence anchors me, even as my thoughts spiral. I hate admitting it, but I’m glad he stopped me from throwing her into a ce
“Yes, but those are just stories, Asher. Fairytales,” I reply, smiling faintly. Lycans don't exsit. They never have and even if they did how is it possibly that no one has seen one for hundreds if not thousands of years? He smirks, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Even fairytales carry warnings.” I note something in his voice that makes me shift uncomfortably. The wind whips through my hair as he cups my cheek, his thumb brushing back and forth in a soothing rhythm. His storm grey eyes focus on me mapping out my face as we gaze at each other the bond flickering as I fight the urge to press my lips to his. Asher smirks again as if knowing my thoughts better than I do before his face turns serious and distant. “When the Moon Goddess created her first werewolves, it was chaos,” he begins. “Greed for power led to endless battles, lives lost in the thousands. The Goddess tried everything to bring peace, but nothing worked. After years of watching her creation kill each other she had to s
Asher and I walk back to the castle. Part of me aches to be dropped off at my room so I can sneak out to see Gaia. I've been alone with her so many times, and despite his story about witches and lycans, I know Asher only told it to scare me. My father used to tell the same stories for the same reason. I understand what Asher meant—I acted rashly trying to throw Gaia in the cells. If I had succeeded, it could’ve jeopardized my title and ruined our friendship. What kind of best friend would I be to toss her into the cells? He’s right to worry since Gaia did try to take me back to the New Moon pack, but I know his concern runs deeper. He wants to protect me, and I love him for that, but there are questions I need to ask Gaia, truths I need to uncover, that I don’t want Asher to hear. His protectiveness is a shield, but it’s also a wall.As we approach the quarters, our hands intertwined, Asher doesn’t stop at my door. He doesn’t kiss me goodnight like he normally does. Instead, he keeps
Erin gives me that smug look, the one that screams Asher knew I’d come and that she was stationed here to keep watch. My shoulders sag as I take in her fiery red hair and bright green eyes. She smirks, strolling toward me with an air of victory.“What are the odds we can keep this between us?” I ask, trying to sound hopeful, though I know it’s futile. The thought of sneaking out of Asher’s bed to come here does sound stupid in hindsight.“Yeah, not a chance,” she laughs, and I frown, channeling my best stern alpha expression—the one I’ve seen Asher use a thousand times.“Sorry, but until you officially take over, that’s not going to work. And stop pulling that face; you look constipated,” she says, her laughter bubbling out like a taunt. My mouth drops open, heat rising to my cheeks, as she steps closer and spins me toward the exit.“You could come with me,” I plead, digging my heels in to resist her. “Then I wouldn’t be alone. I just need to ask a few questions.”“No, Claudie,” she r
Asher pulls back from the kiss, his gaze locking onto mine, and it sends a flutter straight through my chest. “Alright, go to sleep now,” he says, his voice low and soothing. His lips curve into a lazy smile, his half-lidded eyes heavy with exhaustion, yet he pulls me closer. The hard press of his arousal nudges against my lower belly, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face.The thought that Asher wants me in the same way I want him sends a delicious warmth coursing through me. Moments like this make me ache for more, but he always pulls back, leaving me wondering. I’m not a virgin by any stretch, but I want us to take that next step, to feel the bond deepen.Asher falls asleep almost instantly, his breathing evening out, but I lie awake, wide-eyed and restless. The room is dim, moonlight slanting through the curtains, casting soft shadows over his face.I let my gaze wander across his features—his strong jawline, the elegant slope of his high cheekbones, the straight
This is the best sleep I’ve ever had. I’ve spent countless nights beside Claudia, but this one feels different. Holding her, kissing her—it feels right, like something I’ve been waiting for without even realizing it. I wake up with a smile tugging at my lips, her body wrapped around me like a cobra. The warmth of her curves pressed against me stirs something primal, and I’ve got a hard-on that has nothing to do with the morning and everything to do with the woman lying in my bed.Claudia, however, is out cold, her soft breaths brushing against my chest as she nestles closer. A part of me knows we’ll seal our bond eventually, but I don’t want to rush it. Not until Claudia knows—and accepts that I’m her mate.Today is going to be hard for her. I can feel it in my gut. There are truths that need to come out, revelations I’ve kept at bay, and I’m not sure how she’ll handle them. It’s been months since I found her, and layer by layer, the secrets have unraveled. But this is the final stone
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,