Two today.
"I love that you're mine," he whispers between soft, teasing kisses against my lips."So, which surface do I get to pick?" I tease, arching a brow as our lips break apart.His smirk deepens, his eyes darkening to a dangerously seductive level. My breath hitches as my breasts grow heavy, my nipples hardening and rubbing against the fabric of my clothes, sending delicious friction through me."Any surface you want… Want me to eat your pussy now?" His voice drops lower, thick with sinful promise, as his hands wander down my body, tugging at my zipper.I gasp, heat flooding my core. "He could be back at any moment! And I thought that was to celebrate?" My words come out in a mixture of horror and undeniable arousal."So, that’s a no to me eating your pussy now?" His teasing is relentless, and I shake my head, biting my lip because, honestly, the way he goes down on me is euphoric! An out of body experice as my soul leaves my body. If he were to drop to his knees and lift my skirt in a cro
Life is a whirlwind. As soon as my results come through, the elders see them and approve me as the next Alpha. Asher sets the ceremony, and we spend most of our time celebrating—with a fair portion of that time spent tangled in each other, various parts of his body between my legs. It’s the happiest I’ve ever been. The only shadow over my joy is the guilt gnawing at me for not visiting Gaia.I’ve tried, but she doesn’t want to see me. And I haven’t pushed. In two weeks, I’ve only gone three times, and I know she needs someone to help her. Still, every time I reach out, she pulls further away. I tell myself I’ll try again after the ceremony.It’s not just Asher and me acting like starved animals, barely able to keep our hands off each other—we’ve also spent every waking moment planning the Alpha ceremony. Normally, my father would have handled this, but given the unusual circumstances, things have gotten... complicated. Asher doesn’t officially hold the Alpha title, so it’s not somethi
The grand hall stretches out before us, its opulence and grandeur woven into every inch of its gilded architecture. The high, vaulted ceiling arches above, adorned with intricate frescoes bathed in soft sunlight filtering through the towering arched windows. The room hums with energy, filled with pack members dressed for the occasion, their voices melding into a low, anticipatory murmur. My gaze drifts toward the majestic double staircase of pristine marble leading to the upper levels where Asher, Reid, and I will stand for all the pack to see. Its balustrades, adorned with golden filigree, guide the eye toward a set of gilded doors at the far end.A hush falls as people turn to face us. I hold my head high, shoulders squared, as Asher and I walk arm in arm through the crowd. My heart pounds like a war drum, but I force myself to take in their faces. Many of them look pleased. After five long years, they will finally have an Alpha once more. We walk along the rich crimson carpet, embr
This can’t be happening.I decide to go for a walk to stretch my legs, the walls of the hospital room closing in on me. It’s not like I’m locked up, but with a guard stationed outside my door day and night, it sure as hell feels that way. I haven’t showered since I arrived, and I know I look and smell like something dragged up from the bottom of a bog. I just wanted some air, just a moment to feel human again, but then the commotion outside caught my attention. Curiosity got the best of me.Everyone is dressed to the nines, the air thick with the scent of expensive colognes and perfumes. Claudia and Asher look like fire, commanding attention with their presence, but it’s not them who have my heart hammering against my ribs.It’s the man on his knees.My stomach clenches, nausea rolling through me. My breath catches in my throat.“Mate.”The word is a curse. Four letters that sour on my tongue even as my wolf stirs, begging me to say it back. But I can’t. Not after everything. Not afte
I watch as Reid leaves the hall after Gaia. Claudia shifts beside me, itching to go after them, but they need to figure this out on their own. Besides, this is her day, her moment, and I want her to enjoy it.“Who’s up for celebrating?” I announce, silencing the hushed mutters and stares of the pack as they gossip, their eyes still following Gaia and Reid's departure.Waiters sweep in, balancing trays of Moët, the golden liquid shimmering under the chandelier lights. Claudia steps closer, biting that sinful red lip of hers, her gaze fixed on the door. “Maybe I should check on Gaia,” she murmurs, concern shadowing her features.“No,” I say, catching her chin and tilting her gaze back to mine. “First, I think you should give me another kiss.” I smirk, stealing one anyway, swallowing the soft gasp she exhales as she melts into me. The way she molds against my body sends a thrill through my veins.When a waiter approaches, I release her, leaving her breathless and blushing as I hand her a
The zipper glides down beneath her nimble fingers as she palms my cock through the leather of my pants. Heat floods south as she licks those red lips, her eyes gleaming with devious intent. The moment she frees me, my cock nearly slaps her in the face, thick and eager. She drags her tongue along her palm, keeping those seductive eyes locked onto mine before wrapping her fingers around my shaft, stroking slow and firm. A groan rumbles from my chest, and I snap my hips forward, savoring the way she squeezes me, her grip possessive and knowing.“Fuck,” I growl, barely restraining myself.She licks me from the base to the tip, a shiver running like wildfire down my spine as she watches my every reaction. Her pink tongue flicks out, tasting the bead of precum glistening at my head, and it’s the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. The second her hot mouth swallows my tip, fireworks explode in my gut.She hums around me, the vibrations a sinful pleasure, her tongue swirling, her hand gripp
Dressed in my usual white shirt and black slacks, I run my hand through my damp hair, trying to dry it off from the shower. Claudia rummages through the wardrobe, and I smirk as I pick up her little thong between my fingers."Asher, we really need to go. I'm not going to be late for this meeting," she pouts, eyeing the scrap of fabric I'm holding.I grin, beaming at her, her cheeks still flushed, her lips swollen from all our celebrating. "I'm not saying you will be. I just don’t think you need to wear these," I tease, tucking them into my trouser pocket.She huffs but turns back to the dresses. I tut. "Get dressed, Claudie. They're waiting."She pouts at me, realization dawning on her face, but then a smirk tugs at her lips. "You owe me," she teases, and as I walk up beside her, I whisper in her ear all the ways I’m going to repay her.Her breath hitches, and though she pushes me away, I see the blush rising on her cheeks, the way her legs press together involuntarily.The mating haz
I watch Claudia, tension coiled tight in her shoulders. I know her well enough to understand that whatever she is about to ask of me, it’s only because she sees no other way. My chest still burns from where the bond tugs, pleading with me to go after Reid, but I can’t. I can’t even mark him. What’s the point?Asher watches me closely, his gaze sharp, calculating. He doesn’t trust me. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s probably right. If I’m bound to Braden, and he holds my powers, then he can control me just as he controlled Claudia. Karma is a bitch.When Braden first ordered me to manipulate her memories, I did it without hesitation. Call it the bond, call it jealousy—whatever the reason, I did it. And I slept soundly afterward. But then Braden flaunted Claudia in front of me. I never liked seeing them together, but I had Ansel. More importantly, I got to know her. And the more Braden demanded, the more I saw the toll my magic took on her until I hated myself for doing it. Whatever
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,