Braden leads me to where we are staying. Our new home. I had hoped we would go away for our honeymoon, but Braden said he wanted us to create our best memories where we live, not somewhere else. As I step inside for the first time, I take in my surroundings. I can’t really see much of the place, as it is covered in dark red flower petals and candles. “Braden …” he smiles, lifting me into his arms as he begins to walk me through the huge place until he walks us into the bedroom.The faint flickering light dances off the walls as every surface is covered in petals. The scent of roses hanging heavy in the air. I watch as he shrugs off his jacket, releasing his tie, his muscles flexing beneath the fabric of his shirt until layer after layer they pool at the floor. When he pulls out his belt, his eyes gleaming, his slacks sitting low on his hips my eyes don’t know where to look with how handsome he is.“Take off your dress Claudia,” my gaze shifts back to his as I realise I have just been
I had a procedure to remove the baby, and after three days of tests, observations, and taking blood, I was finally ready to leave. My mind wandered to the handsome stranger I had met that fateful night. I was so sure it had been real, but after all my time in the hospital, it felt like a distant dream. Even my wolf couldn’t be sure anymore.Everyone kept telling me I had fallen, the impact jarring the baby. As a result, when I walked home... well, I know how it ended. Braden helped me shower at the hospital. His touches were soothing and gentle as he helped me wash my hair and bathe. He was so kind that I felt tears well up as the hot spray warmed my back. I had wanted to give him a child more than anything. He would never say it, but I felt as if I had disappointed him somehow. Despite his care, I found his touch distant. When he turned me to face him, he looked detached."It's probably his own way of coping with the loss," I thought. Everyone responds differently. Maybe he’ll feel b
Gaia responded swiftly, and I headed downstairs, slipping on my heels. I debated driving but decided to walk. The last time I walked, things didn’t go well, but I shook off the feeling and started toward the orphanage. Gaia helped out there often, always reminding me how important it was to remember those who are often forgotten.As soon as I reached the door, Gaia burst through with a beaming smile. “You made it!” Her golden hair flowed around her face, braided and clipped by the kids, no doubt. She looked stunning in her tailored suit, though I could see the kids' handprints in paint on her sleeves.“Come inside, it’s freezing,” she said, ushering me in.The lump in my throat grew as I saw the children running around, laughing and playing. This had been a terrible idea.“Do you mind holding Charlotte?” Gaia asked, already running to organize the kids for storytime. Mechanically, I nodded and took the one-year-old in my arms. She sucked her fingers and looked at me inquisitively.Gai
When I arrived back at the house, it was dark. The eerie quietness of the large home greeted me, the grand halls and high ceilings making it feel even more empty. I took a deep breath, my heels clicking against the stone floor as I made my way inside.Braden’s office door was shut, a thin line of light glowing from underneath. I paused, wondering if I should knock or if it was better to give him more space. The memory of his distant touch in the hospital played in my mind, and my chest tightened. I hadn’t felt connected to him since we lost the baby, but I also hadn’t really tried to break through the wall he’d built around himself.Steeling my nerves, I approached the door and knocked lightly.“Come in,” his voice called out, muffled but firm.I pushed the door open to find him sitting at his desk, papers scattered around him, his laptop open and glowing on the surface. He glanced up briefly, his eyes tired but composed.“You’re back,” he said, not unkindly, but not warmly either.“Y
Two weeks have passed, and Braden seems married to his office. I’ve tried everything—giving him space, talking to Gaia, even heading into the office to drag him out for food or sleep.Worse, not only does he leave me alone every night to cry myself to sleep, but he also won’t tell me what’s going on with the pack. I’m his wife; we don’t keep secrets from each other. After many futile attempts and receiving only one-word responses or grunts, I’m going to try something I know has never failed to get his attention before.Up in the bedroom, I’m wearing my black lace robe. My black hair cascades down to my waist as I apply my signature red lipstick. My eyes still hold dark circles underneath, but I can’t go through this alone. I need him. I dust a light blush over my freckles and apply mascara to my clear blue eyes. Under the robe, I’m wearing the matching black lace set I know Braden likes—he’s asked me to wear it often enough.Heading downstairs to the kitchen, I grab two wine glasses a
Unable to stay in the house a minute longer, both for shame and for something else I don’t want to think about in too much detail, I’m grateful when I hear my phone beep. It’s Gaia, asking if I can help her with the kids at the orphanage as she’s not feeling well. I quickly send her a message, checking if she’s okay. She replies that she’s fine, just going for some checkups because she thinks she might be pregnant. A pang shoots through my chest at her words, but I manage to wish her congratulations.Even nearly a month later, I’m still struggling to cope with the loss. Although, it feels like I lost more than just the baby that day.Pushing away the dark thoughts, I quickly dress, ensuring I look presentable. A white shirt, tailored slacks, my hair pinned up, and my signature red lipstick. I look like me, but as I gaze in the mirror, I wonder when I’ll feel like myself again.Descending the old, creaky stairs, I hover near Braden’s closed office door. My hand rises to knock, tempted
I can feel the hush of voices in the air, a quiet buzz that fills my ears and begs me to listen. Despite knowing it’s not right, I can’t resist the pull to eavesdrop.My breaths come slow and shallow as I inch closer, my ears straining to make out the words floating through the air. But as I peer through the narrow crack, my heart is pierced with a sharp sting of betrayal. The bitter taste of shock and hurt spreads across my tongue as I see Braden standing just inches away from... Gaia?The sight is like a punch to the gut, leaving me reeling.My eyes widen in disbelief as I struggle to comprehend what I am seeing. Worse, I notice that Braden has her face cupped in his hand, his thumb dragging along her lower lip in a way that is far too intimate. The two of them are locked in a deep, intense gaze, completely oblivious to anyone else around them.I can’t make out Gaia’s face as she is turned to face him as they gaze at each other. I jump back, far too shocked to even process what I’m
When I arrive at the orphanage, the noise and chaos hit me immediately, but it’s a welcome distraction. Sia waves at me as I step inside, a warm smile on her face.“Glad to have you back,” she says, passing me a clipboard. “We’ve got a lot of little ones to care for today.”I nod, slipping into the familiar routine. As I feed, change, and play with the children, the ache in my chest begins to dull. There’s something soothing about caring for them, their innocent faces oblivious to the turmoil I’m going through. I focus on their needs, on the simple tasks that keep my mind from spiralling into darker places.At some point, Gaia appears. She looks a little pale, her long blonde hair tied in a messy bun and even her clothes look less chic than normal, but she smiles when she sees me, her entire face lighting up. “Hey, thanks for helping out again,” she whispers. I stare blankly at her for a moment … is she really going to pretend that she didn’t do anything wrong? She doesn’t know I caug
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,