Two chapters today xxx
I feel the distinct buzz of sparks—and something far more enticing. Hot steamy water.It patters gently against my skin as hands massage rose-scented shampoo into my hair. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel like myself again. The grime, the filth, the weight of captivity—washed away. Sunlight warms my skin, and as my eyelids flutter open, they’re assaulted by the blinding brightness. Still, I don’t care. The shimmering rays piercing through the steam feel like a promise—like the nightmare I’ve been trapped in is finally lifting.Like I can put it all behind me. Trauma lingers, though. I definitely have issues now—being in the dark, being alone. I’m going to cling to Reid like a limpet when I see him again. Beg him to let me sleep with a lamp on. The thought pulls a smile to my lips, imagining the way his face would scrunch with reluctant acceptance. My warrior of a mate—such a soft-hearted bear when it comes to me.I glance back, half-expecting to see him.Instead,
The car jolts violently over every pothole, sending dust and debris spiraling into the air behind us. Exhaust fumes choke the interior, clinging to the upholstery and my lungs. Braden’s grip on the steering wheel is iron-tight, his jaw clenched in a mask of focused rage as he weaves through traffic like a man possessed. Trees blur past in smeared shades of green and brown, blending with the chaos in my head.The past few hours are a blur, and one question keeps looping in my mind—where is Claudia? I haven’t seen daylight since the battle. And now, suddenly, he’s parading me through the house, dressing me in her clothes like a doll he can manipulate.It’s hard to swallow the dread crawling through my gut as we put more and more distance between ourselves and the New Moon Pack.Sunlight catches on the iron shackle around my wrist—a deceptively delicate bangle, but we both know the truth. It’s a chain. A tether. A dampener for my magic. Braden clasped it on me before we left, and now it
“Lovely to meet you, Erin. Now, if you do as Gaia tells you, there won’t be any need for me to use my little tools, will there?” Braden chirps, practically high off the tension swelling inside the cramped, dimly lit hut. The air is thick—humid and metallic, like the moment before a storm breaks. Pressure builds like an overfilled balloon, ready to burst.Across the room, his “tools” lie in meticulously straight lines, gleaming under the weak shaft of light filtering through the slats. Each one more menacing than the last, their cruel edges catching the light. Some of them are speckled with rust or dried blood. Infection is guaranteed. If the injury doesn’t kill you, the rot surely will.Braden glides toward Erin, the way a puma stalks before a pounce—calculated, graceful, deadly. She shrinks away, pressing herself tight against the grimy wall, trying to make herself smaller. Her body coils in on itself, but her green eyes burn with fury. Erin’s a fighter—a warrior. She doesn’t fear de
The drive back is far calmer than the way here. I sip my water slowly, savoring the last of the daylight and the breeze brushing across my skin. Braden is practically giddy with excitement, his guard lowered in the afterglow of triumph. He still hasn’t returned my iron bracelet for which I am eternally gratefull for. The mask sits smugly on the dashboard, a silent threat. If I don’t play this right, I know exactly where I’ll end up. I glance at Braden, keeping my expression soft, an easy smile tugging at my lips. He looks over, mirroring it.“I forgot how fun it is to use my magic again,” I tease, my voice light, eyes locking with his as I slowly turn my focus on him. It would be easier if we weren’t in a moving vehicle, I need to maintain eye contact long enough for my powers to take root. It's rather dangerous to do this at speed, but I don't have another opportunity. If I wait to the house he may place the bangle of the dreaded mask back on me and then my moment has passed. I can
Braden stands in the foyer, brows furrowed as he studies my injured hand like it’s something delicate he might break. The suggestion of the spa lingers in the soft curve of his lips, the gentle tilt of his head, and the hand that reaches out to brush lightly against my shoulder. Behind him, the grand staircase spirals elegantly toward the second floor, while the tall, looming front doors wait behind me like sentinels. I almost laugh at how easily he believes the lie — that I managed to injure myself while cooking. Maybe I’ve played the fragile wife too well.Still, I’m grateful he believes me.I pack a small bag, kiss his cheek with practiced affection, and step out the front door. The guards nod as I pass, and I force a wave and a tight-lipped smile, though every step away feels like a weight lifting. The crunch of gravel beneath my boots feels sharp in the quiet, and as I move around to the garden, the tension in my chest begins to ease, but never fully.The private garden is Braden
“Just because it’s something your father believed in doesn’t make it right,” Leo says, his voice strained, barely holding back the storm beneath. It’s not sharp or cruel — it’s aching. His breath comes too fast, uneven, as though every word costs him. His jaw tenses, not with anger but with grief, and his storm-grey eyes glisten, shadowed by memories he clearly wishes he could forget.“He should’ve sent guards after Ansel, not gone himself.” His voice wavers but steadies. “There was no one left to secure the succession, and by the time you were ready to lead, Braden had already stolen you away.” He lowers his head slightly, the fight draining from him for just a moment. “None of this would’ve happened if he hadn’t... chosen to die for the pack.”The words hit like a dagger. I stumble, breath catching as I spin to face him. My hands tremble uncontrollably, and our mate bond pulls taut, reacting to his distress, to mine.“Don’t say that, Leo,” I whisper, voice cracking. “You don’t know
I manage to quickly grab my bag from the bushes, spotting it easily thanks to the soft sunlight filtering through the leaves. As I loop around the garden, flashes of bright flowers and thick, lush greenery catch my eye. I spritz some essential oils onto my skin, the sharp scent of lavender and cedar grounding me, if only for a moment. I have to make it seem like I actually went to the spa after all.The guards outside the Alpha mansion stand stoic and tall, their dark uniforms like shadows against the vibrant landscape. I give them a quick wave as I pass the front side of the mansion, its grand exterior towering over me — stone and marble etched with age and power. I slip inside through the front door, the cool air immediately brushing against my skin. My bag slides down onto the floor, and I kick off my boots, exchanging them for soft slippers that mute my steps. The scent of herbs and essential oils weaves through the air, curling around me like a whisper, easing the nerves prickling
“Two packs, as capable as I am of running them, require more leadership. It might be that, in the future, the packs wish to separate. I think it’s important that we put steps in place to ensure loyalty and succession.”He grips my chin tight, making it impossible to look away or even flinch. His fingers dig into my skin, cold and unyielding, as his eyes bore into mine with an unnatural intensity. The air grows thick, every breath landing heavy and tense, filling the silence like fog. I shift my gaze to the point between his brows — a trick Gaia taught me. It gives the illusion of eye contact without truly meeting someone’s eyes. I sense his magic, like tendrils of smoke, reaching for me but struggling to find purchase.“I think that’s smart. What do you suggest we do to help bridge the packs?” I force a small, steady smile. His grip loosens, and I almost sigh with relief. Thank fuck for that. The magic slips off me like silk sliding from bare skin, and from the way Braden’s shoulders
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,