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 “I will see you tomorrow,” Callan whispered as he kissed me goodbye once more. I closed my eyes as his lips brushed against mine softly. The world seemed to come to life when his lips touched mine. It was like I was in the darkness before I had known his touch, and now I had been brought into the light, I wanted more. My hand slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck as his arm pulled me closer, and he deepened the kiss. Sparks of electricity hummed across my body as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, making my brain explode with lust and desire. I wanted this man more than I needed my next breath. He pulled away but never took his eyes off mine. I could feel myself panting for breath. I had never been kissed the way Callan kissed me and I never wanted to feel another person's lips against mine again. He consumed me. “Goodnight Callan.” I slipped inside and closed the door, resting my back against it with the biggest, goofiest smile you could imagine. Today has bee
Ayla POV Fire covered my skin, burning me from the inside out. My body felt drained of all its energy after today, and the fight to keep my eyes open was like fighting against a cyclone, useless. I climbed into Callan’s bed, grabbing his pillow and pulling it close to my body so I could smell him. God, I was so needy, but his aftershave made me feel calmer; it made my body uncoil, and all my muscles felt relaxed instead of tense and sore. I curled my legs up as an icy chill began to creep over my burning limbs, making my body quiver. My lips began to tremble as my teeth began to clang together. I pulled the duvet up, spinning around so it wrapped around my body like a burrito. As the coldness dissipated from my body and Callan’s aftershave settled my anxiety from not being near him, I soon drifted off into a restless sleep. My dreams feel so real once again; I can almost taste the fresh air on my lips and feel the breeze against my face. I look around to see I’m standing in the cle
Callan POV I could hear Micha behind me, following me back up into the pack house. I glanced back, noticing his brow wrinkled with worry. My phone began to vibrate against my chest. I slipped my hand into the inside pocket of my jacket, pulling my phone out and seeing John’s name. With everything that had happened today with Alister and his band of rogues, I had forgotten I had arranged for him to come and help upgrade the security of the pack house and the territory. But I was glad he hadn’t; I needed to make sure Ayla was safe from Runduc, especially now that he was recruiting wolves, and that if the witch's magic failed, I could still keep her safe. “John, are you here?” “Yeah, your guards won’t let me in, though.” He answered. “I’m on my way now.” I hung up the phone, stopping when Micha said my name. He lingered on the top step, unwilling to cross the threshold into the foyer of the pack house. “Cal, I’m gonna stay here and watch Alister; I don’t trust the slimy wanker. One
Callan POV I walked down the steep steps of the narrow hidden passage that connected the private quarters of the higher ranks upstairs to the foyer of the pack house downstairs; the exit to the hidden passage was concealed by the wall; on the outside, you couldn’t even see the join where the door was. My shoulders brushed against the stone walls, and I had to duck down so I didn’t bang my head on the ceiling. Most of the hidden passages are just as narrow and low as this one, but it makes moving around the pack house without being seen so easy. All the pack knows we have secret passages throughout the house, or at least they have heard stories about the secret passages, but only my family, closest friends, and most trusted guards know where they are exactly. I slip out without being seen; the door is hidden behind the stairs, making it harder to find and less likely to be spotted. I walk around the grand staircase, my footsteps echoing on the sandstone tiles that line the floor of
Callan POV An oppressive silence filled the room; the air felt heavy, and I could feel the weight of it pushing against me as I waited for the high priestess to explain her remark, my anger bubbling beneath my skin more and more with each silent second that ticked past. Good, what kind of an answer is that to her question? Of course I would give anything to save Ayla; if I had to move the fires of hell to make sure no harm would come to her, I would do it in a heartbeat, but the high priestess’s one-worded answer and her silence afterwards make all my alarm bells ring; it is like a siren going off inside my head, with a red flashing light and all. Rosie shifted on her feet, also feeling the heaviness of my fury that filled the room at the witch's blasé attitude; the material of her pants rustled loudly as she moved from one foot to the other. It was the only sound I could hear other than the witch’s heavy breathing. “Are you going to tell us how to protect her or not?” Eric asked th
Callan POV The banquet hall is warm, with all the bodies crammed inside, waiting for the pack meeting to begin; chatter from the pack fills the room. I stand at the front where the alphas from the past have, the housemaids had set up Alister’s throne on the small stage, probably from habit, but I refused to sit in it; all it stood for was tyranny and hate; as soon as this was over, I was burning it. I look to my right and see my mother standing proud with Freya, Eric, and Ron. And to my left are Micha, Pedro, Minister Robert, and my beautiful mate, the other half of my heart. Today had started amazingly; she had told me she loved me, but then Runduc and Alister soured my happiness. At least I could take comfort in knowing I had Alister locked up, and there was no way he was getting out this time. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice; this meeting has been a long time coming. I have a few things I would like to say. First of all, I want to pay everyone who works in the pack
Callan POV My heart stops beating, and time slows down as I watch a filthy fucking rogue dragging my beloved mate toward the forest, and I am powerless to stop him, unable to rip his throat out for touching my sweet Ayla, unable to kill him where he stands for scaring her half to death. My supposed half-brother stands in front of me, a red orb of magic hovering above his hand; he’s blocking my way to Ayla, mocking me for not being able to save her. If it weren’t for the 9 rogues holding me down, I would tear him limb from limb along with everyone else here; the stench of the rogues is overbearing; they smell like death, but their horrid smell doesn’t hide the smell of fear that is coming from Ayla. I don’t look at the man who shares the same blood as me; I don’t listen to his mocking words; I look at Ayla. If I die today, I want her to be the last thing I see. Her eyes go wide as she turns toward me; the beautiful purple flower that surrounds her pupil begins to glow, engulfing her b
Ayla POV My body froze as fear seized me. Callan walked toward the group of men; each one seemed feral and unstable. A few of them bared their teeth toward Callan, and some just glared at him, but the one thing all of them had in common was their hatred for Callan; I could feel it coming off them in waves of nauseating repulsion, and the feelings surged toward me, making my body burn. “He’s ordered me to stay in the car with you!” Micha growled. He punched the steering wheel, making me flinch, but I wasn’t afraid of Micha, just startled and thankful; his outburst seemed to help me shake off the feelings of the men standing in front of Callan; now I could focus on Callan and the situation. “Micha, who are all those men?” I asked. “Pack warriors, rogues, and Callan’s half-brother, who happens to be a witch.” My heart stopped beating as all the blood rushed to my ears. I finally managed to unbuckle my seatbelt, and before I could even think, I opened the car door. I heard Micha’s d
Ayla POV As I stepped into my bedroom, I froze in the doorway as I scanned my sanctuary; my stomach turned to stone, and I could feel my heart banging against my chest, causing pains to ripple with every beat. The air smelled stale, which was strange considering the curtain was wafting back and forth in the breeze from the open window letting fresh air into my room. All of my belongings were scattered across the room, every draw was opened and empty, and white fluff that looked so soft filled the floor, all of my clothes were thrown across the room, and my body began to shake as coldness washed over me, I carefully stepped over the threshold, tripping on one of my running shoes, but as soon as I entered the room that coldness that had clouded me turned to ice chilling me to my bones, the mirror that I kept covered up was empty of it sheet, fear clawed at my heart as my legs began to tremble, threatening to not hold me any longer, scribbled in my lipstick on my mirror where the words
Callan POV “That’s ok, Callan. I could see the way they were looking at me before, and their confusion was overwhelming.” My brow furrowed; the pack’s confusion was overwhelming for Ayla. “I could sense it.” She answered. “You really don’t mind if I tell the pack?” She smiled up at me, making my heart flutter. “No, I don’t feel afraid anymore. Ever since you gave me this, and I’ve been able to feel you. I feel like I could conquer the world.” My lips curled up as she placed her fingers against my mark on her neck, and a shudder ran down her spine. Seeing it on her beautiful skin made pride swell inside my chest. “We will tell them tonight. I will call a pack meeting.” She nodded her head and leaned against me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, holding her close to my side. She weaved her fingers through the hand that was resting over her shoulder, and we made the rest of the journey back to her parent's flat in blissful silence; there was no need to fill the quiet with w