Ayla POV “Hurry up Callan, we’re gonna be late!” Eric shouted, making me look over toward the house. I glance at my watch and see it’s only 5.20 am. Callan walks out of the house and his head snaps up and over to me. I duck down so he doesn’t see me, but it’s too late. “Ayla, what are you doing out here at this time?” He asked as he walked over the small wooden bridge toward me. “I had a bad dream and I like it here. It feels calm and peaceful.” “What happened to your head?” He gently lifts my head and looks at the small cut, those pleasant tingles ripple across my skin. “It was nothing. I banged it whilst I was asleep.” His eyes connect with mine and I feel my heart race, his rich brown eyes seem alive. “You should go inside, it’s not safe out here.” “Why?” I asked. “You don’t know who could be lurking around watching you.” I stand up to make my way inside when I notice his clothes, he has some jogging pants on and a vest that clings to his body, the muscles on his arms ar
Freya POV I can’t breathe, I feel like I have been smothered with a blanket of loose dirt. The more I move, the more it engulfs me, pushing me deeper into a deep pit with no way out, and my chest feels tight. Every time I try to suck in some air, the invisible bindings that are wrapped around my body pull tighter. Alison passed me a glass of water. The condensation from the ice runs down the glass. I lifted my hand to take the glass from my friend, noticing the slight tremble. The ice clangs against the glass as I lift it to my mouth. “What happened, Freya? I have never seen you like this?” She says as she sits down opposite me. Alison is a friend from college. She lives in the next town over, which is perfect. My father would never think to look for me here. In fact, he doesn’t even know Alison exists, which is exactly how I wanted it. As far as he’s concerned, I have no friends, I’m a loner who’s scared of her own shadow. “It’s my dad, we got into a huge fight.” “What about?”
Callan POV I waited for Rosie to say more, but the phone remained deathly silent. “Would anyone help Alister?” Rosie, like so many others, despised Alister. He was a narrow-minded man who thought of witches as fleas, but he had used the witches in the past. That’s how I know Rosie and her coven, so what's to say he isn’t using them once again? “Honestly, I don’t know Callan, my coven has cut all ties with your father, they aren’t too happy I’m helping you, but they know you're a good man, so they don’t say anything. Why, what’s wrong?” “It’s nothing. Look, can we talk tomorrow? I have some things I have to deal with.” “Sure.” I didn’t wait for pleasantries like goodbye. I hung up and immediately called Pedro, noticing a message from Eric saying he had Freya. At least I had one less thing to worry about. “He could have had the help of a witch,” I said as soon as Pedro answered. “I was thinking the same, we have 15 warriors missing as well, everyone your father favoured. I th
Callan POV “Are you busy tonight?” I asked. There was no chance I was leaving her alone, not after that mother fucker attacked her in her own home. “I’m free.” She answered with a smile. “Can I take you out? I have to make a quick stop if that’s OK. Then how about a movie and takeaway at mine, your choice.” She smiled at me, and it felt like the world stopped moving. “I would love that.” She whispered. “Good, sit down, I will go and get your work for you.” I placed my fingers beneath her chin, lifting her face, so I could gaze at it properly. I leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. She tasted so sweet and fresh, I went to pull away, but I felt her pulling my tie stopping me from moving, her fingers weaved through my hair making my chest vibrate with a satisfied growl. I felt her grip loosen, and she slowly pulled back, but I wanted more. I reluctantly stood up straight and quickly slipped out of my office to grab her work off the desk. I could see Micha in his office, he
Ayla POV I couldn't help looking around in awe at the magnificent house in front of me. It seems so grand. Red and green leaves climb up the walls and creep over the windows blanketing the enormous house. Three large arches run along the right side of me. Above the arches is a wall that has intricate shapes cut out of the stone, creating a lovely pattern on the ground from the light shining behind it, and I can just about make out a person walking back and forth behind the wall, leading me to believe it’s a balcony. The space between the arches is black, but I can see a soft glow coming from beautiful stained-glass windows on the opposite side of the arches. Besides the three beautiful arches, there is a large stone staircase that leads up to large perfectly shaped bushes with soft light illuminating the sculpted shrubbery. The ground floor windows are large, beside each window is a large bushy hedge. Callan was standing in front of a large arched door talking to an older woman who w
Ayla POVMy feet stumbled as I was pushed forward, but I managed to steady myself. The wolf that was once Callan stepped forward snarling, white pointed teeth that looked sharper than Freddie Krueger's claws flashed as his mouth pulled back and he bared his teeth, drool dripped from his mouth onto the floor beneath him, my body went cold with fear as my stomach clenched. I slowly stepped back, holding my trembling hands out in the hopes the beast before me would see me as no threat. The monstrous wolf stepped forward, changing into Callan in all his glory right before my eyes. “Ayla, I won't hurt you,” he whispered.“Stay away from me!” I cried, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears. I could feel a coldness slipping down my face, and taste the salty sting of the tears that leaked of their own will.Callan’s eyes flashed with pain as I teetered backwards until I felt the car on the back of my legs. I stumbled around the bonnet and jumped into the car as soon as I felt the handle ag
Callan POV The look of fear that swept across her beautiful face as she saw my true identity would haunt me until the day I die. Her eyes went wide, letting me see the terror swarming in them, her face went pale, and her body trembled. I could hear her breathing becoming heavy as she desperately tried to step away from me. The beast that I had tried to keep hidden from her was the thing that drove her away from me, and now I don’t know what I will do without her in my life. But watching her drive away leaving me in her rearview mirror was heartbreaking, it felt like Alister had just torn my bleeding heart from my chest whilst it still beat for her. *Micha, Ayla knows. She knows what I am and she ran.* Even saying it, even though it wasn’t aloud, hurt more than I could have imagined, this was it, I had lost my mate, the best part of me, the other half of my heart and soul, my reason for waking up every morning had just driven out of my life, and now I was lost, drowning in an ocean
Callan POV The sun rose, casting its warming rays across the land, beautiful orange clouds filled the sky, and the sound of the early bird filled the quiet void that encapsulated me. The world looked peaceful, the complete opposite of the storm that was raging inside my heart. The room below me was silent, it had been for hours now, but I still couldn’t sleep. I quickly got dressed hoping that Ayla would talk to me today at work, that she had had enough time to process what she saw, what that mother fucker made me do to scare her away and that she needed answers to the million questions she probably had. Walking past her front door was like torture, her mouth-watering scent lingered in the hallway outside the flat, making my heart feel heavy. Her tiny red mini was still parked in the garage, but I was early. I needed to check in at the pack house first and see if Alister had said anything about how he managed to escape the first time, and what his traitorous wolves had planned next.
Callan POV I wrap a towel around my waist and walk down the hallway back to my room and my sleeping mate. Fuck, I loved saying that, my mate. Today felt exciting, even though I had two powerful enemies threatening to take my mate away from me for their own selfish reasons. The day held promise and hope; my future was now something I could see, and I would be damned if I was going to let Alister or Runduc take Ayla from me because that’s what she was—my future. Her sweet voice swirled around inside my head, making my heart hammer against my chest, and my stomach flipped with excitement, and I knew that no matter what was thrown my way, nothing could take away how she made me feel, how I finally felt alive. *Callan, where are you?* “I’m here,” I answer as I walk into my old bedroom, closing the door behind myself. Ayla sits up, letting the duvet drop, revealing her beautiful body. Desire stirs seeing her ample breasts so perky as the cold air hits her nipples. “What time is it?” sh
Callan POV I strolled down the stairs of the pack house with a bounce in my step and the biggest smile on my face. I had never felt so positive about life as I did right now. The pack house no longer felt like a prison of my torment; the halls were no longer filled with memories of my father chasing me down them, and the rooms no longer held the memories of the beatings he would rain down on me for just being alive. Ayla had changed that; she had given me the greatest memory that I will forever cherish, and it was here, in this house I was once afraid of roaming. Now the house felt warm and full of love; the walls didn’t echo the reminiscence of a bad childhood; now they reflected her love and her kindness. The halls didn’t seem gloomy and obsessive; now they were bright and full of life. Not only did it feel like home now, but Ayla had agreed she would stay here until her life was no longer in danger, and the thought of spending every waking moment with her filled me with immense jo
Ayla POV “Alister went to your parent's flat looking for you; that's how Eric got hurt. If you had been there, he would have killed you, Ayla. I can’t live in a world without you.” His voice cracked. I leaned back so I could see Callan. His deep, rich eyes glistened with the tears he was holding in, and my heart wept to see this beautiful man looking so sorrowful. “Callan, nothing is going to happen to me. I will stay with you until we get this all sorted out.” “Really?” He asked, a tear slipped from his eye and rolled down his cheek. “Yes, if it will take one worry away from you, then yes, I will stay here until your father and Runduc are no longer a threat.” His lips captured mine, and his tongue pushed into my mouth, sweeping across mine and sending my mind into an explosion of excitement. His hand ran up my back, sending a shiver through my body. “We need to keep your parents away from the flat; Alister will use them to get to you. Micha knows someone who can extend their c
Ayla POV The sound of timber creaking around me created an eerie atmosphere in the room; it sounded like unseen people were moving all around me. The wind outside gently rattled the windowpane, and a very soft whistle emitted from the window area. Pedro's rage suffocated the large room, taking away all the oxygen and filling it with a heat that burnt my lungs as I inhaled. The rage that burnt in his eyes made me shrink back into the sofa, afraid his fury would be unleashed at any moment, but I knew Callan would never let any harm come to me, even though I hadn’t known Callan for very long. I felt like I had known him my whole life and in the life before this one. Just looking at him made me feel safe; I could feel his arms wrapping around me even though he was standing across the room comforting his mother. Cora looked up at the sound of the door slamming against the wall, and the look in her eyes as she realised Pedro had left the room made my heart jerk; I could literally see her h
Freya POV I can feel my heart pounding against my chest, my stomach is churning like there’s no tomorrow, and my hands won't stop trembling. Sickly saliva keeps flooding my mouth, so I swallow it back down, refusing to let my nerves get the best of me. The smell of mildew is drowned out by Eric’s scent, which is driving me wild; I can see why Callan is always sniffing Ayla now. An awkward silence fills the room; I keep opening my mouth to say something, but I quickly close it, afraid my words will come out all jumbled. It’s just me and Eric now. Doctor Whitelock left Eric in my care 30 minutes ago, and all I have been able to say since then is erm, when Eric asked me how I was after my father arranged to have me beaten to a pulp. I still have nightmares of that day; faceless people haunt my every thought. Well, that is until Eric is close by; he chases away all my fears. “Freya, I will be okay if you want to go and check on your mum.” His words seem to snap me out of my own mortify
Micha POV Silence filled the room as the curling wisps of scarlet mist rose from the vial in Rosie’s hand. I glanced across the room at Cora; her mouth was open, and her deep, shallow breaths made her chest rise rapidly. I turned to look at my dad; his eyes were locked onto Cora, watching her carefully, but I could see the rage ticking in his jaw as he clenched it. Callan sat beside Ayla; he had his arm wrapped around her protectively, and I could see the way he kept glaring at Rosie; his back was rigid, and I knew Callan better than I knew myself; he wasn’t just worried about finding out we had all been lied to our entire lives and that Cora had been under a spell created by his father so he could take over our pack; something else was going on with him. Ayla gave him a small nudge, making him look down lovingly into her eyes. I never thought I would see the day of Callan truly happy, but Ayla made him smile without even trying. She made him happier than I had ever seen before, and
Callan POV Deafening silence filled the room; the only sound I could hear was the rustling of Dr Whitelock’s shirt as he gently moved around Eric, meticulously checking his wounds, which were now healing fast, much to my relief. “You think he used a spell to replicate the mate bond?” Freya asked our mother, her eyes never leaving Eric, though, as she watched what the doctor was doing. “I am positive. I never really loved your father; it was more of an infatuation in the beginning. It was nothing like what I felt for Pedro. As soon as your grandfather found out about it, he insisted I accept him, telling me how blessed I was to be given a fated mate by the goddess herself, and that was when the feelings came, after I accepted him as my mate, but the feelings I had for him felt unnatural, like they had been planted inside my mind.” “So you and my dad were a thing?” Micha asked. Mum nodded her head, swallowing what seemed to be a large lump in her throat. “Then how did he end up bein
Callan POV A fresh swell of fury pulsed through me, racing through my veins, making my blood boil, and causing my skin to sizzle. Alister stood smiling at me while the stranger he called son began to pace in front of me. His hand flicked forward, sending the red spark that flickered across his fingers just a second ago toward me, but because Minister Robert had spent the last month training us how to defend against magical attacks, I expected that and slid to the left, letting the red spark skim past my body. I could feel the heat from it grazing against my fur, and the smell of burning plastic stung my nose. “Enough. No one will be fighting today. I just wanted to come and see how my pack was doing and to return something to you.” Alister interrupted. I didn’t take my eyes off Alister’s other son; the corner of his lip twitched into a half-smirk, and his eyes had an inner glow that screamed wickedness. I bolted toward him, crashing my large frame into his skinny one, sending him
Ayla POV The large man's hands gripped my arms firmly, but he didn’t squeeze as he pulled me away; he was quite delicate, which surprised me. We began our walk back toward the house, the smell of the wildflowers and the woodsy scent of the trees becoming fainter the closer we got, and as the trees began to thin out, replaced with the smell of freshly cut grass and roses. I glanced over my shoulder hoping to get a glimpse of Callan but instead saw the hulking black wolf I had met once before when Callan’s father had made him turn to stop him from hurting me. That ferocious beast flashed through my mind, but the fear I felt that night no longer accompanied the memories; now I felt awe when I gazed upon it. Callan’s wolf was enormous; his paws looked bigger than my head, and the muscles on his legs showed that Callan was powerful, but I had heard all about Callan’s father, and the fear that had been pushed deep down into my stomach because Callan had chased it all away by being with me,