SIENNA It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the new brightness in the room, making me wonder how long I had slept. I worried about the things that I would have to do this morning for a second before remembering I was placed on bed rest. Turning on my side, I came face to face with the black-haired man sprawled across the length of my Queen sized mattress. His arm was slung over my torso and his body was bare up until the dip of his muscles into the waistband of the grey sweatpants he had on. His tanned olive skin glistened a rich gold under the rays of the morning sun, and his lips puckered and unpuckered as he murmured something in his sleep. Long eyelashes that curtained his juniper-shade green eyes were shut, casting their shadows on his cheeks. On a regular day, I would panic, wake him up, and have him out of my room as fast as possible, but today wasn't that day. Oddly, I felt at peace. Both of us being like this was something I could totally get used to. Using the back o
SIENNASylvester and I sat in an extremely loud silence like that for a few minutes. I looked up, and my eyes met the now forgotten tray of food that was sitting untouched on the table. "I brought you breakfast," I muttered grudgingly, turning my head to the side and his gaze fell on me. "Thank you,” he simply said.Again, the room fell silent, except for the clanging of cutlery while he consumed the entire breakfast in a few minutes. I just remained glued to the seat, my mind running through the scene from a few minutes ago. How had I allowed myself to fall this deep in the first place? I knew my father would rather die than approve of us. I just wished he would tell me why. "Look," I heard Sylvester's voice, and in a second, he was on his knees in front of me. "I love you, Sienna. Really, I do."I hated that I knew he wasn't lying. I just wished I didn't believe him. "And I'm not rushing you, I promise. I understand that you're not ready to tell your father about us, and that's
SIENNAThe feeling of his hands against my skin ignited my body into flames. It was difficult to think about anything else apart from our close proximity. As our bodies entwined, each touch carried the weight of longing and the forbidden, creating a symphony of sensations that drowned out the outside world. The torment that had clouded my peace of mind seemed to dissipate in the moonlit sanctuary we had created—a realm where it was just him and me.I always made a mental note to offer a little prayer to the moon goddess for being so kind and offering me a second chance by bringing someone like Sylvester into my life. Each place his lips touched ignited a fiery response within me. It was like a trail of warmth that consumed my senses. The kiss deepened, and I couldn't resist the magnetic pull, drawing him closer as if any distance might lead to my surrender. Sylvester was like an intoxicating elixir, and every moan that escaped my lips was a testament to the addictive nature of our con
SIENNAIt was hard to focus. It was nearly impossible and I tried to think about the fact the possibilities were endless about Sylvester and I not being able to work. At least now I knew that he genuinely didn't love Tamara and I knew the story behind his engagement to her. But somehow, I couldn't help but feel that she had still won. Yes, his heart was with me but she was the one who was going to get to spend the rest of her life with him. She was the one who was going to have the luxury of waking up beside him every morning and eventually, she was the one who was going to give him a child. I was beyond tired and the more I thought that my life couldn't get worse, the more it did. I couldn't understand what life could possibly want from me at this point. I sighed, feeling my nerves get the better of me. At this point, I was not sure I knew what I was supposed to do. My life had taken such a drastic, chaotic turn and I was at a loss on how to salvage what was left of it. I thought
SIENNAMy forehead was beaded with sweat as I took swing after swing at Benjamin which he dodged easily. He refused to retaliate my punches and he was very careful not to hurt me. I couldn’t begin to describe the nostalgia that made my insides flutter. Somehow having Benjamin pin me against the wall effortlessly with my behind pressed into his back made butterflies erupt within the confines of my belly. I told him I didn’t feel the same way for him and then my body was reacting to him in ways that I couldn’t simply understand. I closed my eyes and sighed as I tried to navigate through my feelings. They were so chaotic these days. It was really hard to tell what I was feeling and how I felt it. I could never understand why the hell my body thought that it was a good idea to respond to him in this way. I couldn’t help the rush of heat that burst through him as I felt his hard body against my back. And even if I didn’t want to admit it, he made me feel a certain kind of way that I coul
SIENNA“So what was your reason for avoiding me then?” I asked.I hated that I sounded breathless and I was giving away my anxiety. But with Benjamin it was complicated. I didn't always know what to do. I was always at a loss for the right things to say. “It was all you. I didn't want you to make you feel uncomfortable or make you obligated in any way to put up with me. I also didn't feel want you to feel as if I was pressuring you to do anything you didn't want to do,” he said.All I had done was hurt him and yet here he was being intentional about my feelings and trying not to hurt me. I didn't deserve him. I was aware of it and at the same time, I didn't want him to leave. I wanted him to stay. That was selfish but it was the way that I felt. I didn't want him to leave me. “And yet It felt like it. You steered clear of me for days,” I said. “That doesn't mean that it's because I wanted to. Something happened,” he replied. My brows furrowed almost immediately. Then I watched the
SIENNAThe warm water felt very refreshing against my skin as I showered. I knew the exercise would be enough to occupy my mind to some extent. What I didn't expect was for me to bump into Benjamin. I was anxious, and the burst of heat that I felt against my skin when he touched me made me even more anxious. I told him one thing and then when he touched me, all I wanted to do at that moment was jump his bones. How does that even work? How can it possibly even work? I wondered to myself as I closed my eyes and scoffed in frustration.I knew that a ridiculous amount of time had passed because I ridiculously spent so much in the bathroom. But hiding myself in the bathroom wasn’t going to take away any problems, neither was it going to make me feel better about myself. Somehow, I knew that I would have to leave the safe confines of the bathroom and I would return to my problems eventually, so what was the use of delaying it?My mind returned back to what Benjamin had told me this morning
SIENNAI was barely able to enter the office when he slammed the door closed. I was suddenly reminded of how the feel of his hands against my skin felt like. The feel of his lips against the long expanse of my neck was something I was certain that I would love to remember each day. I closed my eyes and released a long sigh. I hadn't imagined the fact that back in the dining room, he had really wanted to devour me on the spot.Throwing caution to the wind, I leaned forward and captured his lips between mine, my fingers becoming lost in his hair as our lips entwined. My heart raced frantically within the confines of my chest, almost threatening to leap out, possibly even explode. I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn't know whether to call it a sigh of contentment, only that I knew I wouldn't have it any other way if I were to make a choice. I wanted to spend whatever time I had kissing and touching him to my heart's content. He finally pulled away so that I could catch my breath. Even
SIENNAI was beyond overwhelmed and yet I clutched my weapon closed to the side tightly. The muscles in my body were knotted into tension and no matter how tired I was, I couldn't bring myself to stop. One way or another, I needed to find Benjamin. “I can hear your heartbeat from here,'' Sylvester whispered. I could feel his lips against the lobe of my ear. I could see that some of the soldiers were searching in their human forms while some were in their wolf forms. This wasn't the time to be thinking about how he smelled or what his lips against my body was doing to me.My father had decided to stay back home. Apparently, we might have to conduct another search party for Clara. My father had said that she ran to her room when the attack started. The rogues didn't come anywhere near the house so how was it even possible that she would disappear without a trace? I couldn't even make sense of it. “You think they took her?” I blurted out the question that had been on my mind for some
SIENNASylvester and I left the den, ready to confront the return of the rogue attacks on our pack. The air outside crackled with tension, and the scent of anxiety lingered as we approached the site of the disturbance.Drawing near the borders, I observed my father who was encircled by a few pack soldiers. His stern expression betrayed a mix of anger and concern that was apparent in him. The gravity of the situation hung heavily in the air, and I steeled myself for the challenges awaiting us. I saw the force of their destruction up ahead and I crumbled as a wave of despair washed over me. This wasn't supposed to occur if we had been vigilant enough. If I had behaved like a true Alpha was supposed to, these rogues would never have breached our territory. “Sienna, you've got to stay strong. Calm down," Sylvester urged."Easy for you to say; you're not the one whose territory is being destroyed," I snapped, but I regretted my words almost immediately. Swiftly, I apologized, "I'm sorry, I
SIENNAI sighed, realizing that this was the difficult situation I had put myself in "Dad, let me explain. Sylvester—""Explain? Explain why you're associating with a Lycan. Do you know what they're capable of?" His voice grew louder with each word."Dad, Sylvester is not like the others. We've formed a bond. There is a connection between us. He's different," I insisted, the desperation I felt evident in my voice.His eyes flickered between Sylvester and me, and the disapproval he was feeling was quite obvious on his face. "Different? What in the name of the Moon Goddess is he different from all the others? So far he’s the Alpha.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Sienna, you're risking everything by involving yourself with him."“If you would calm down and let me explain to you, you’ll see how different he is,” I implored him.“Did he hurt you?”As my father continued his stern warnings, Sylvester remained silent, his demeanor composed. He looked so calm. Wasn’t he w
SIENNAThe moon was gradually surrendering its luminous glow to the impending dawn as Sylvester and I lay entwined in the quiet haven of the cottage. My fingers traced idle patterns on his chest, and I could feel the rhythmic beat of his heart beneath my touch. The silence between us held the weight of unspoken words, echoing the complexity of our intertwined destinies. If anything, I was glad and relieved that we had cleared everything between us and that the tensions were all ironed out. And I was calm now.I knew that Tamara held no place in Sylvester's heart. She was inconsequential to him, and she shouldn’t dare overstep. If she did, I was quite capable of meting out the treatment that such intruders deserved. And I was ready to go home. Back to my pack and back to my dad. I was ready to tell my dad about Sylvester. "Sylvester," I whispered, breaking the silence that lingered in the air. He looked down at me, his gaze tender yet guarded."What is it?" His fingers brushed a stra
SIENNA“But if he doesn’t?” he asked softly“I don’t care what he thinks anymore. It’s either you or no one. But you’re never getting married to Taylor or whatever her name is”“Tamara,” he corrected, a teasing grin spreading across his face.“I don’t care what her name is, and I don’t care who she is either. She’s an Alpha’s daughter, but I’m an Alpha. If she crosses my path one more time, she’s gonna know what this Alpha can do,” I said defiantly. His eyes held a mix of admiration and pride. "Damn, you can’t imagine how turned on I am by this.”“W-wh-what?” I blushed, my face getting beet red and hot at the same time.“You want to see?” He smirked. I slapped his arms in embarrassment. “Stop it, love. You can’t say things like that.”“Are you kidding me?” He chuckled. “Stop pretending like you haven’t seen what it looks like.” He raised an eyebrow at me, the mischief glinting in his eyes.“Oh my goodness!” This was so embarrassing “You can beg. I’ll show you if you beg.” He chuckl
SIENNASylvester stood by the counter of the kitchen with a soft smile on his face as he watched me emerge from down the stairs. I wanted to watch him smile this way at me forever but at the same time, I wanted to go away from him because what he did hurt me. I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, but at that moment, I chose to focus on the calmness I felt after the bath, which was really nice, by the way. "Feeling better?" he asked, his eyes filled with genuine concern.I nodded, still unable to find the right words to express my gratitude. The clothes he provided may have been a bit oversized, but they carried a comforting warmth that seemed to extend beyond just the fabric. It was his, and wearing whatever was his just gave me this sense of comfort. "I appreciate this," I finally said, my voice a gentle acknowledgment.He nodded in return, his gaze lingering on me. "It's the least I could do,” he said.“Of course.” The air held a fragile tension, a silent acknowledgment of t
SIENNAThese days I had come to the conclusion that maybe the only person that I put into consideration was myself. I felt selfish, I felt blind, and I felt stupid too. I couldn't make it go away. As if he was only just realizing the impact his words had on me, Sylvester crouched down and stared up at me with sad eyes. “Sienna,” he said softly but I wasn't so sure that I had in me to give him a response. “I'm sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have said what I said. I lost control for a moment,” he said as he looked up at me. I wondered how he could bear to look up at me with the affection in his eyes when all I ever did these days was hurt him, and make it more and more obvious how much I resented him. I knew he didn't mean what he said. Yes, but that didn't mean it wasn’t true. Every bit of it was. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying very hard to put my emotions under control, to gain some sort of composure. But for some reason, I couldn't seem to do that. “I'm having a headach
SIENNA“What do you mean you were running out of options?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. My hands were starting to become clammy with sweat. I was beginning to become more and more conscious of my panic as I looked at him. So I pressed my finger against my temple just to calm myself down.He dropped the cup of tea against the bedside table as he looked at me. I didn't know what to do. “I just wanted us to be alone. The two of us needed some alone time,” he replied.“What alone time are you talking about? How do you think it's possible that I could stand to be in the same room with you, knowing that you're going to be married in less than a week!” I snapped. I was trying to let the anger and rising panic not take over me. But this was Sylvester I was dealing with. No matter how I tried to escape from my emotions, from my feelings, he sure did have a way of invoking them and they always came rushing back, no matter how much I tried to escape them. “I'm not getting married," Syl
SIENNAI wanted to die rather than feel this pain that was making me suffer. It was happening gradually and that was what I hated about shifting. It was too slow and gradual. “Sienna,” Sylvester called out again as he made his way over to me and crouched down in front of me. His face was contorted in pain, and it was just as if he was going through something similar. I didn’t think it was possible for him to feel whatever I was feeling. It just wasn't possible. I closed my eyes and sighed. Then I started to breathe in and out. I kept breathing in and out again and again. Maybe that was going to help.But I knew that I was deceiving myself. Nothing ever helped when this was happening. All I could hope for, all I could wish for was for the pain to go away. But all I did was internally count as I looked forward to the time that it would be dawn again. “I'm here,” Sylvester said softly. His hands went through my hair in tender soothing motions and I found myself leaning into his touch