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
I clear my throat because there’s no easy way to break this news. “As you are marked—and marked by Claudia’s husband—that raised a few red flags, shall we say.”Gaia’s face tightens, her features pinching as if she’s swallowing something bitter, but she doesn’t respond. Claudia flinches at the mention of Braden’s name. Her hands tremble slightly, betraying the storm I know is raging inside her. She’s still carrying wounds that haven’t healed. I hate that this conversation is dragging them to the surface, but it’s necessary.Gaia exhales sharply, shaking her head as she sits up straighter. The restraints on her wrists catch her movements, the metallic clink of the leather cuffs against the bed frame sharp in the still room. “Braden and I aren’t mates. How many times do I have to say it? He rejected me.” Her voice is steady, but there’s a flicker of something beneath the surface— possibly denial I'm not certain yet. She looks at Claudia, searching for an ally, and my mate bites her bott
“Claudia, please know I’ve never told anyone this. My mother told me never to speak of it. I don’t know how he knows, but please, it’s not what you think,” Gaia pleads, her wide eyes flickering between Claudia and me. I feel a pang of guilt for her. She truly has no idea what I’m about to reveal. My gut tells me to stop treating her like a suspect and start seeing her as a victim because, despite my reservations, she very well might be.Claudia turns her jewel-blue eyes to me, anguish written in every line of her beautiful face, and it breaks my heart. “Asher, what is she talking about?”I drag a hand down my face, steadying myself. If Gaia truly doesn’t know where I’m going with this, then she isn’t complicit. Which means Braden didn’t just abuse his wife—he abused his mate, too. “Love, do you remember that story I told you the other night when we were up on the hillside, drinking hot chocolate?” I ask gently, softening my tone, pulling back the force of my aura.Claudia’s brows kni
Bile crawls up my insides, burning a path until it lodges at the base of my throat. My body trembles, unable to cope with yet another lie, another betrayal."What? You used your magic on me? When?" I demand, storming toward her bed, towering over her. Gaia flinches, guilt flashing in her eyes. Her lips part, but her voice is barely above a whisper—too soft for me to catch. But Asher hears it. I know he does because his growl rumbles through the room like a warning shot."What did you say? Don’t get shy now!" My nails dig into my palms, a futile attempt to stop the urge clawing inside me—to tear at her pretty face, to make her feel the same pain she’s inflicted on me. I thought I knew her. I thought she was my friend, my best friend. I trusted her with everything, and now I find out she’s been manipulating me? A bitter laugh rises, jagged and raw. I can’t believe this."The first night you came to the New Moon Pack…" she confesses.The words slam into me like a wrecking ball, splinteri
*** Trigger Warning reference to rape and manipulation ***Gaia blinks, her focus snapping back to the room now that both Asher and I are standing, staring at her.“Take off her restraints,” I demand, because honestly, I have no idea what to do with her. I want to believe Asher is right, but at the same time, I really don’t. I don’t want Gaia to have suffered more than this. Part of me rather that she did just betray me. But deep down, a sinking feeling tells me that with Braden, there are no lines that can’t be crossed. There is only his insatiable drive for power.Asher steps forward and easily snaps the restraints off her wrists as if they’re made of paper, not even leaving a mark. I have to admit, it’s impressive. It makes him even hotter than he was before. Especially since Gaia has been struggling against them for the past half hour.“What’s going on? Why are you looking at me like that?” Gaia asks, her voice tight with unease.I press my lips together. I shouldn’t be the one to
“What? Why? I told you I can’t mark him because I’m a hybrid,” she snaps, a flicker of life returning to her eyes as anger takes hold.“I know. Can you just humor me?” I plead, my voice soft but urgent. If I point out the fact that she and Braden marked each other... She narrows her eyes at me, suspicion flickering across her face, but eventually, her mouth pops open.After a few tense moments, I see it—where her canines should be, there are only empty gaps. I swallow hard, fighting to keep my expression neutral. I can’t even glance at Asher, but I feel his stare burning into the back of my skull, searing with unspoken fury down the bond. “Thank you,” I say as she closes her mouth. She studies me, waiting for an explanation, and I know I owe her one. But how much more can she take? Still, I step closer and gently sit on the edge of the bed beside her giving her a warm smile.“I told you I found out things about Braden—what he did to me. It’s not like he confessed his sins. I found th
I don’t sleep well. I spend most of the night tossing and turning, my mind tangled in shadows, only to wake in the middle of the night and find Asher awake too. He doesn’t want me sleeping alone, convinced that learning more of Braden’s secrets will unsettle me further.Knowing that the man I once believed I loved more than anyone has been cheating on me should hurt. And maybe it would—if I didn’t already know the full extent of his betrayal. Now I'm numb to it. “What’s wrong?” I mumble, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I sit up. I’m wearing Asher’s t-shirt again, the fabric oversized and warm against my skin. He looks at me, his jaw tightening before he drags a hand through his hair—a habit of his when he’s deep in thought. From the tousled state of it, he’s been doing it for a while. I don't think he has gone to sleep yet. “I’ve just been thinking about today,” he says, voice low and edged with something unreadable. “While Braden would have a portion of Gaia's magic, I think she
I find Claudia in the hallway just as she steps out of the hospital wing. My chest loosens at the sight of her, relief flooding me the moment I see her beautiful face. She lights up when she spots me, and before I can think better of it, I close the distance, pulling her into my arms and claiming her lips. She lets out a small noise of surprise before melting into me, matching my kiss with equal intensity.I force myself to break away first, breathless. If I don’t, I’ll have her pinned against this wall in seconds. I'm still waiting for her to tell me this is what she wants. “How’s Gaia?” I ask, my voice still rough with the taste of her.Claudia bites her lower lip, hesitation flickering in her eyes. “She’s not good. There hasn’t been any change, and I just—I wish I could do something more to help her.”I cup her cheek, running my thumb over the soft curve of her skin. “You already are, love. Don’t overthink it. These things take time.” And I know better than most just how long heal
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
Her lips curl into a smirk that could make the devil himself drop to his knees, and I growl low in my throat, the sound rumbling through my chest like a predator stalking its prey. She’s mine— mine—and I’ll be damned if I don’t claim every fucking inch of her tonight. My fingers work at the clasp of her finery with a fury, tearing the fabric away like it’s an insult to her divine body. The sound of it ripping echoes in the dimly lit room, and her breath hitches, those jewel-blue eyes of hers flashing with a hunger that matches my own.Her curves are a fucking masterpiece, and as her attire falls to the floor, I take her in like a starving man at a feast. Her tits are perfect—full and heavy, the nipples already pebbled and begging for my mouth. I can’t help but reach out, my rough palms grazing over her soft skin, and she shivers under my touch. “Leo don’t tease me,” she begs but she will be begging far more before she gets what she wants. Her hips sway as she steps closer, her pussy s
I pull back, giving Leo another slow, lingering smile. The fire crackles beside us, its flickering glow casting shadows over his sharp features, but worry still lingers in his eyes. I don’t want that. I refuse to let him carry it tonight.Biting my lip, I feel the undeniable pull between us, the electric charge humming in the space where our bodies almost touch. Leaning in, I brush featherlight kisses along his cheek, trailing down to his jaw. A low groan rumbles from his chest, his breath hitching as I shift, straddling his thighs. His hands find my chin, his grip firm yet reverent as he tilts my face to meet his.Then his lips crash into mine.The kiss is searing—possessive, commanding—like he’s trying to reclaim control, to remind me exactly who he is. I let him. My fingers thread through his thick, tousled hair, loving the way it feels against my skin, soft yet untamed. His tongue tangles with mine, the heat between us rising with every breath, every press of our bodies molding in