Ayla POV “Ladies, come on, let's go!” Jack shouted up the stairs. I was already feeling tipsy after we had drunk a full bottle of wine, but as I looked in Nicolas' mirror one last time, I had to admit I looked good. I was wearing a pair of tight black jeans that had a hole above each knee, a sheer lace black top with a dipped neckline, meaning I couldn’t wear a bra, with long lace sleeves, a pair of black high-heeled sandals and a black belt wrapped around my waist. Nicola had done my makeup dark and smoky and my hair was waved and hung down over my shoulder. “Wow!” Jack said as I made my way down the stairs. Thanks to the bottle of wine I had helped finish off, I was feeling brazen. “Thanks, Jack.” I smiled as I walked past him and climbed into the taxi waiting for us. We bounced around a few of the bars, but my cheeks were starting to hurt from all the laughing I had been doing. Jack seemed like a fun guy and I found myself flirting with him. I couldn’t remember the last time
Callan POV My body quivered with anger, I had left Ayla in Micha and Eric’s capable hands, but she had somehow slipped through their fingers. Instead of coming home after work, she disappeared into thin air, but I had to trust she was safe and that she would be home soon, because if I didn’t, I would lose my mind and the hold I had on my wolf. The penthouse was silent, Eric was on pack house patrol tonight and Micha had a date, so I paced the floor waiting to hear her car pulling into the garage, or her footsteps as she ran up the stairs to her parents' flat, but waiting for that to happen seemed to be taking forever. RING RING RING “What!” I snarl. I’m still annoyed with Micha for losing Ayla, but it’s more with myself for not trusting my gut and keeping her close to me. “I found her, she’s in a bar. I think you need to get down here, Cal, she is getting a lot of male attention.” “Where?” I growled. My wolf didn’t like that Ayla was getting attention from other men and I didn’
Callan POV I wanted to stop her from leaving and keep her locked in here with me whilst I worshipped her body, but I could see she was confused. I had made her feel that way, my hot and cold attitude toward her had made her doubt herself, but that was the last thing I wanted. I just thought I was doing what was best to keep her safe. I let my body drop back onto the bed as I waited to hear her walk into her bedroom. I heard her door open and close and the sound of something buzzing. I sat up intrigued when I heard her soft moans drifting up through the floor. “Fuck.” I groaned as I realised what was going on. I leapt out of bed and quickly made my way downstairs and outside. I couldn’t sit and listen to her as she pleasured herself, it would drive me wild. I ran to the forest letting my wolf take control. We ran hard and fast, going deeper into the forest. I found myself heading toward the pack house. I felt it the moment I crossed the border into our pack territory, I ran throug
Ayla POVI felt like I was having the most amazing dream, I felt warm and safe, like I was wrapped in a blanket of love. But then, when I realised I was wrapped in someone’s arms, I panicked. My eyes flew open and landed on his sweet face. It was so close to mine. My stomach danced, and my heart raced as his grip around my waist tightened, pulling me closer to his body. He felt so warm and the urge to run my fingers across his skin just so I could feel it was too much. As much as I wanted to stay in this moment for the rest of my life, I couldn’t be here when Callan woke up. That would just be awkward. I gently slipped my fingers under his hunky arm and tried to lift it, but his grip became tighter. I held my breath as he pulled me closer and my heart pounded in my ears. The skin on his face looked smooth, but his jaw was peppered with stubble. God, he was beautiful. I tried to pull out of his hold carefully, but he had a firm grip on me. His eyes fluttered open and for a moment I got
Ayla POV The day seems to drag by, Nicola is dying and refuses to leave her bed and the only other people I know are Callan, Micha and Eric. I ponder to myself if I’m brave enough to go up and see if they would like to do something when three loud bangs pull me from my thoughts. I open the door and see Micha and Eric both standing there with some board games in their hands. “We figured you were just about competitive enough for a game of Monopoly?” Eric said with his cheeky smile. “Sure, come on in.” I opened the door, holding it open so they could both walk in. “Just a sec,” Micha said, walking back down the hallway with his phone to his ear. I left the front door open for Micha and went to help Eric set up the board. Luckily, my parents had a large coffee table that we could play on, and we could all sit around. “OK, I'll take the car before Callan gets here and takes it,” Micha said as he walked into the flat, closing the door behind him. I felt my cheeks flush at the mentio
Callan POV Last night being so close to Ayla like that, all I wanted to do was to take her in my arms and never let her go, my body subconsciously did it and fuck did it feel amazing holding her so close to me. I felt so refreshed and energised, who knew having your mate sleep soundly in your arms would make you feel so good. It took all the strength I had to not kiss her plump lips because I knew as soon as I did kiss Ayla, that would be it for me, I would never be able to let her go again, I would want my day to start and end with her and what I needed right now was to keep a clear head. I needed to think of what my mother had said after Ayla had left and how I was going to take the pack back to ensure her safety. *What the fuck was that Callan? Ayla looked really upset.* *I can’t risk her, Micha, she’s too precious to me.* *Where are you?* *I had to let my wolf out. He's raging. Please watch over her for me.* *We will. You know we will, but you can’t keep leading her on like
Callan POV I couldn’t fight against myself any longer, the internal battle that was raging inside me came to an abrupt stop as I leaned down and seized her lips. The world stood still as her arm slid up my chest and wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer. Her tongue swept against mine, and it was like an explosion of colours in my mind, she tasted sweeter than I ever imagined, like freshly picked strawberries with a sprinkling of sugar. I wanted the world to know Ayla was mine and only mine. My wolf began to howl with delight in my head as she pulled my body closer to hers and kissed me deeply and passionately, her fingers combed through my hair sending sparks of pleasure rushing through my body. It was like I had lived my entire life for this moment, and now I had tasted how sweet she really was, I was never letting her go. “I thought you hated me.” She whispered breathlessly as I pulled away. I ran my fingers across her cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her eyes as I
Callan POVThe air felt fresher here, and the wind felt colder. Ayla pulled her jacket around herself, but her smile was big and bright. “Let’s go this way,” I said as I pulled her along through the tall grass.The forest of Bowland wasn’t too far away from where we lived but far enough that I could relax with Ayla and not worry about anyone from the pack seeing us. Yes, I had accepted Ayla as my mate, but she was still at risk from Alister, so I wanted to take precautions. I could hear the river up ahead and smiled. Ayla kept her hand locked in mine as we walked. Even though this place was called a forest, it was more of a natural landscape showcasing the beauty of nature. Sheep freely roamed the grassy area, but there was not a single person out here which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted Ayla to myself. The river was wide. Ayla looked at it and smiled.“We have to keep walking,” I said, pulling her along the river bank.I could see the waterfall just ahead of us. The sound of it
Ayla POV Callan’s voice was like velvet. I never thought of a man’s voice as being soothing, but his voice was just that; just one word from him and my whole body uncoiled, and his touch ignited a wildfire of warmth that smouldered throughout my body. Every nerve felt like it had been caressed with pure ecstasy. “I saw Queen Duscellis; she said I have to save the nymphs.” His arms around me loosened, but they remained wrapped around me, which I was glad of. I enjoyed being tangled up in Callan. “Queen Duscellis?” He asked. His brows pulled together, making his forehead furrow, and the urge to protect myself suddenly overwhelmed my thoughts, but Queen Duscellis wasn’t a threat to me. I quickly shook those thoughts out of my head and looked up into Callan’s eyes. “She is the queen of the dryads. She told me I would come into my power now and that Runduc would feel it. She said wolves and nymphs have always protected each other and that you are my protector. She told me that she
Ayla POV Excruciating pain shot through my neck, burning my skin and seeping into my veins. With every pump of my heart, it felt like acid moving through my body, scalding my body from the inside. My skin felt itchy, and all I wanted to do was scratch until I was a bloody mess and free from the painful prickle. I squeezed my eyes closed, silently praying for the pain to ease when suddenly I felt nothing. My body felt weightless, like I was floating above the world. I opened my eyes so I could look at Callan and reassure him I was ok; his voice sounded panicked. As my eyes blinked open, I glanced around confused. I was standing in front of the tree, the mystical tree with the twisted trunk in the forest beside the flats. The grass felt soft beneath my bare feet, and I could feel a soft breeze brushing against my skin, bringing with it the sweet scent of flowers. Above me, I could hear the wind blowing through the large leaves of the magnificent tree, creating a soft rustle that mad
Callan POV This was supposed to be a moment in time that I would cherish for the rest of my life. I had a true mate, chosen by the moon goddess herself, and she wanted to be mine just as much as I wanted her. She chose to entwine her life with mine, making me feel complete; she had chosen to stay with me until our hearts beat as one for the last time, and I couldn’t have been happier. I had spent hours picturing the moment when I finally got to place my mark on Ayla’s neck; even when I tried to fight against our bond, I still couldn’t stop the fantasies of the moment I officially made her mine. This was supposed to be special. A magical moment when our souls connected as one. This is supposed to be one of the most memorable moments of our lives, but I never thought it would be memorable for this reason. She let out a chilling scream as my teeth pierced her neck. Her body went limp, and her head rolled forward, resting against my shoulder. “Ayla! AYLA!” I shouted, shaking her slightl
Ayla POV Callan leaned over me, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. This kiss was harder than before; it made my head spin and my heart race. He pulled me up off the bed and abruptly pulled his lips away from mine; my chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. His lips curled up into a sulty smile as he ran his hand up my arms, sending pleasant shivers through me as he skilfully slipped his T-shirt up and over my head. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered as he cupped my cheek and tilted my head to the side, his lips pressed against my neck, and Callan moved down, leaving a trail of soft kisses and small explosions of pleasure. I let my head roll to the side as I bit down on my lip again to stop my moan. His hand grazed across my cheek, his thumb gently tugging on my lip, freeing it from my teeth. I opened my eyes to find his rich brown eyes staring into mine. “I want to hear every moan you have for me.” He grunted before kissing my lips hard. My head began to spin, but I di
Ayla POV I hated feeling so needy as I watched Callan leave the room, but I needed him more than I needed my next breath. The front door clicked shut, and as soon as I was alone, the walls around me began to close in. My breathing became laboured as all the air began to leave the room, and I found myself hyperventilating, desperately trying to suck air into my mouth. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and began to count to 10 slowly in my head, but I became distracted by the mouthwatering smell of Callan’s aftershave that filled the air in his bedroom. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now the smell was overpowering and so calming. I knew I was safe in here, but I couldn’t help but feel safer when Callan was with me, when his hand was touching mine or when his arms were wrapped around me, shielding me from the world, his touch seemed to calm all the raging storms that flurried around inside my head. When my eyes fluttered open, they landed on his T-shirt, which was lying on the f
Micha’s POV The penthouse is eerily quiet without Callan or Eric; growing up in a pack, I was used to being surrounded by people, and as soon as Ayla becomes Luna, I will move back into the pack house and say goodbye to this sweet bachelor pad and the quiet life I was still unaccustomed to. Waking up every morning without the hustle and bustle of the pack getting ready for the day was still taking some getting used to, but I will miss the peace of not being needed and my late-night booty calls. *I’m almost there.* Callan informs me just as the toaster pops up, filling the penthouse with the first sound I've heard all morning other than myself. I grab my toast and shove it into my mouth while grabbing my phone, keys, and wallet and shove them into my pocket. The door below me slams shut, and I know Ayla has just left for work. *Ayla is on the move; I’m right behind her though.* *Thank you, Micha.* I bounce down the steps, chewing on the toast, when the bottom door opens and Mr
Ayla POV “Marcus, what are you doing here?” My stomach felt like it was plummeting to the earth; chills ran down my spine as Marcus emerged from the shadows; the darkness seemed to shroud him, and the air in the garage felt cold, making goosebumps ripple across my skin. His usual perfect hair was dishevelled, and his bright blue eyes looked dark and demented; large dark circles encased his eyes, making them look sunken into his face; his smooth, clean-shaven jaw was coated with a dark beard that looked scraggly and unkempt; and his expensive clothes that he took great pride in keeping pristine looked wrinkled with ketchup and gravy stains down his front. If I saw him down the street and I didn’t know how vein he was, I would have thought he had been sleeping in them for a few days. A sour taste filled my mouth as my eyes darted around the garage and the dread of knowing we were alone hit me. “Ayla, I miss you; please come back.” I had never been afraid of Marcus, but right no
Ayla POV I felt paralysed; fear had taken hold of my body, and I was unable to move. The room was dark, so dark I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face, but I could see his eyes; they peered out from the darkness burning into my soul. His raspy breathing echoed all around me, and my heart pounded hard against my chest. I could hear the sound of his bones creaking as he stepped out of the darkness, the ceiling stretched up or I shrunk in size, because Runduc looked like a giant now; his face was gaunt and his skin a deathly white, but his eyes glowed brightly, like searchlights seeking me out. His bony fingers reached out toward me; they moved like vines as they weaved their way toward me. All I could do was watch as his vine-like fingers coiled around my feet, tightening as they moved up my body, engulfing me. “Hey, it’s ok. It was just a bad dream. I’m here.” As I jumped up, I felt his arms wrapping around me. I had never felt as safe as I did in his arms in my entire life
Eric POV Now… The door to the living room opened, and Callan walked back in after taking Ayla to his old bedroom. Even though he was beside himself with Freya being attacked, I could tell that having Ayla here made him happy, and he deserved some happiness after a lifetime of abuse. He could concentrate fully on Freya knowing Ayla was safe because this part of the pack house was for the high-ranking members of the pack; no members of the pack were allowed in this part of the house unless invited, meaning we had total privacy and no one would disturb Ayla. Cora had just had the room redecorated, removing all traces of Alister. The furniture had been dumped and new furniture was arriving soon, meaning we only had the floor to pace whilst we waited, but I didn’t mind; moving helped my mind from slipping back to that dreadful moment of finding Freya beaten and bloodied on the forest floor. Callan cleared his throat, making my legs stop moving to look at him. “Do we know what happened