I wake to the sound of a roar, jolting upright in bed. My heart pounds as my surroundings come into focus. The tug of wires on my arm pulls me back to reality, and I realize I’m in a hospital, dressed in a thin gown. The roar echoes again, followed by a scream so sharp and shrill it makes my ears ache.What the hell is happening?I swing my legs over the side of the bed, surprised at how steady I feel. How long was I asleep? My movements are easier, my body lighter, though aches still linger. I shuffle toward the door, curiosity and unease driving me forward. The moment I pull it open, I’m greeted by chaos.A nurse is on the floor, tears streaming down her face as she screams uncontrollably. Several large men have burst into the room, struggling to contain someone—or something. Another roar shakes the air, and this time, I feel it in my chest. It’s not just a sound; it’s a vibration, a force that makes the walls tremble.My gaze shifts to the source of the commotion. There he is. A pai
I pick myself up off the floor, my movements mechanical. The steam still billows in the bathroom, fogging the mirror and reminding me the water is still hot. Without thinking, I step under the stream, letting it cascade over me. The heat should sting my skin, but I feel nothing. Numbness consumes me, though I can see my skin turning pink under the scalding water.Tears burn at the back of my eyes, and before I can stop myself, I’m scrubbing at my skin furiously, as if I can erase every trace of him—every touch, every memory. My hands move frantically, the loofah rasping against my flesh until my arms ache. A low, guttural sound escapes my throat—somewhere between a growl and a sob.I can’t believe this. I refuse to cry. That’s what he’d want—what he’d expect. But no matter how much I try to push the thoughts away, they keep coming, swirling like a storm in my mind. This changes everything.I hate Braden. He’s attractive, sure, but that doesn’t excuse what he’s done. It doesn’t give hi
I wake to the sight of Reid standing over me, his arms crossed, giving me a look that’s equal parts concern and exasperation. I growl low in my throat, swinging my legs off the bed as he raises his hands in mock surrender.“Tell me,” he says, his voice steady but laced with tension. I run a hand through my short hair, trying to find the words. How do I even begin to explain? My beast still claws at my insides, desperate to rip through the walls, to burn the New Moon Pack to the ground—and maybe even the Blood Moon Pack for giving up on her so easily.“He hurt her,” I finally manage, my voice cracking under the weight of the words.Reid’s posture stiffens, his eyes narrowing as his arms drop to his sides. “Who?” he demands, his voice sharp, his fists already curling in anticipation I know he's ready for a fight.“Her husband,” I grind out, pacing the room to release the restless energy building inside me. “That son of a bitch is more twisted than I thought.”Reid’s jaw tightens, his bo
I wake to the sight of the nurse from earlier standing near the door and Asher sitting beside my bed. My eyes widen as I take in his appearance. A kilt. He’s wearing a damn kilt. And yet, somehow, he makes it work, the soft fabric clinging to his muscled thighs, his broad chest filling out the snug white vest. It should look ridiculous, but on him, it’s almost criminally attractive. His tanned skin and storm-gray eyes only make the whole ensemble seem deliberate, like a calculated assault on my senses.I quickly look away, my throat tightening. Don’t trust him. He read your file. That pretty face doesn’t change anything. Even my wolf huffs in agreement before retreating back into my mind, leaving me to face him alone.“Claudia, we need to explain,” Asher begins, his deep voice smooth as silk. I hate how it momentarily soothes the storm in my chest, making me want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I can’t. I won’t.I narrow my eyes as he speaks, watching him cautiously as he le
The hours crawl by, each minute dragging on longer than the last. My focus is shot; Claudia consumes my thoughts like a relentless pull in my chest. The constant urge to get up and check on her gnaws at me, an itch I can’t scratch. By the time the clock strikes 6 PM, I’m already halfway down the staircase, my boots echoing in the empty corridor as I rush back to the castle hospital.I’ve long since ditched that ridiculous outfit Reid gave me, replacing it with black jeans and a black shirt that clings to my body. It feels more like me, more controlled. But Claudia—those jewel-blue eyes of hers—has a way of cracking through my restraint. I knew she would. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.When I reach her room, the sight of her sleeping freezes me in place. She looks so peaceful, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythms. Guilt tugs at me for what I’m about to do—for waking her when it’s clear she needs the rest—but I can’t leave her here. She said she wants to go back to
I follow Asher back to the rooms. It’s oddly familiar, and yet I’m not sure I could find it without him to guide me. I bite my lip, worrying if I’m going to spend the next few days wandering these corridors, lost and trying to figure out where I am in my own home. My ability to track my surroundings is made considerably worse by watching his ass in those jeans. I thought the kilt was sexy, but this is ridiculous. I don’t even want to notice him. I’m swearing off all men. The last one… well, I’m better off without them.But clearly the goddess has a sense of humor because now I get to ogle Asher all the time.I still can’t believe I changed in front of him, but I could smell him on me when I woke up the first time. He put me in that gown, so I figured it was futile to ask him to leave since he’d already seen everything. It’s annoying, but I can’t make myself angry enough to care. Regardless, he won’t see any more of me from now on. I hope the perv got his fill. Still, I can feel his an
When I enter my room again, I pause at the threshold, taking it all in. It’s exactly as it was before—the same pink bedding, the lace curtains, the vanity with its fairy lights. But none of it feels like me anymore. There’s a faint musty smell, the kind that comes from rooms left unlived in for too long, and it squeezes at my chest. It’s been cleaned, that much is clear, but it feels like stepping into a time capsule. A version of me frozen in place.I don’t know who I am now, but I know I’m not this.Restless, my mind still seething with how easily Asher bested me, I move to the large bifold doors leading to the balcony. The cold night air spills in as I push them wide open, but the fleece is warm enough to ward off the chill. I step outside, taking in the view.The ocean stretches endlessly before me, the dark blues of the sky merging seamlessly with the water. Stars shimmer like scattered diamonds, and the moon’s reflection ripples across the waves. It’s breathtaking. Peaceful. The
I wake up the next morning, disoriented, the unfamiliarity of my surroundings pressing down on me like a thick fog. Where am I? Goddess, what time is it? I glance at the clock—12:30 p.m.Shit.I never sleep this long. I sit bolt upright, energy coursing through me in a way I haven’t felt in ages. Whatever they gave me last night, it’s working because I feel… amazing. My body hums with a vitality that makes me uneasy in its unfamiliarity. When I catch my reflection in the vanity mirror, I freeze. My face—completely healed. No scratches, no bruises, nothing. I twist my ankle experimentally and then test my knee, both of which feel stronger than they have in days. There’s still a faint twinge of tenderness when I hop on the spot, but the difference is staggering.“What the hell?” I mutter under my breath, still staring at my unblemished skin. It’s unsettling—unnatural, even—but I’m not about to question a miracle.I decide to leave the dressings on, just in case, and cross the room to gr
Braden appeared suddenly, and I lunged at him, my fist driving into his gut with a forceful punch. As he staggered, my leg swung out, jamming into his thigh with a satisfying thud. He retaliated with a feral growl, his claws slicing into my ribs, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my side. "I'm not going to let you kill me," he spat, as I shoved him away with all my might.Amid the chaos, her scent reached me, and my eyes snapped to meet her jewel-blue gaze. She was trying to push through the fray to get to me, her face radiant with a smile that cut through the violence like a beacon. "Leo," her voice seemed to rise above the clamor of battle cries and snarls, but perhaps it was just my imagination. I turned my attention back to Braden, slicing his jaw and neck, blood pouring from the wounds like a crimson river. The urge to obliterate him was strong, but I had made a promise to let Claudia deliver the final blow. Knowing she was here, seemingly unharmed, brought me a sense of relie
I squeeze through the bars, my hips scraping against the metal, the sting immediate and sharp. Welts are already forming, the raw skin throbbing with each shallow breath. By the time I make it through, exhaustion claws at me, my body convulsing as another wave of unbearable heat ripples through my veins. My skin burns like an open flame, every inch drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking to me like a second skin.I stagger toward the desk where Braden left my blade and grenade. Sunlight glints off the compact disk beside them, a flash of silver that momentarily blinds me. Pulling myself up, the wood splinters beneath my fingers, sharp pricks piercing my palm. I swipe the sweat from my brow, sucking in air, my breath shallow and ragged. My legs tremble as I force them to hold my weight. The battle outside the tent rages on, steel clashing, wolves snarling. I don’t have time. I need to move.Leo.I have to get to him.Shoving the blade back into my boot and tucking the grenade into my ja
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