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
Gaia does her job beautifully, but I can tell Asher isn’t convinced. I tell Gaia we have secured a room in the guest wing of the castle for her so she doesn’t need to stay at the hospital. A guard will still be on hand if she needs one. We both know the real reason the guard is there. But Gaia doesn’t fight it. She’s trying to make amends, and this is what I hope Asher will see. She's a good person, I know he can trust her. Once she’s settled, I have the maid bring her a few items in her size and leave her to get comfortable. Asher remains distracted as we head toward the stairs. I message Erin to see if she’s free for training, but she has been moved to patrol the borders.“Asher, are you listening?”“Hmmm? What was that, love?” he asks, still completely distracted. His storm-grey eyes flick to his phone before slipping it back into his pocket. Something is wrong, but he won’t say what. Deciding to tease him, I go for the one thing that usually snaps him out of his head.“I said I’m
A shiver trails down my spine as I see him. It’s been months, and he looks so different from what I remember—gaunt, streaks of gray in his hair, and his jaw sagging as if the weight of time has finally caught up with him.“Don’t scream, Claudia!” he begs. His clothes are filthy and torn, no doubt from pushing through the dense trees. When this is over, I’m going to have to speak to Asher about the patrols—too many wolves are slipping through.“I’m surprised to see you here. What are you doing?” Of all the people, I never thought Ansel would dare to come here. His eyes flicker, restless, as he steps closer. I instinctively step back, my boot catching on a broken brick from the old ruins. The ground gives way beneath me, and I tumble, landing hard on my ass. Before I can even think about scrambling away, Ansel is on me in a flash. His hands clamp around my wrists, yanking me up with a frenzied urgency. His breath, hot and ragged, fans against my skin. A sickening weight drops into my st
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