Eric POV Earlier that day... “I will let the building inspector know we are completed,” I said as I looked down the street of the small estate we had created on this once-barren wasteland. Years of hard work, sweat, and tears were now all wrapped up, and I was glad of it; this site had been a ball ache. But it was worth it as I looked at the perfect lawns and beautiful homes ready to be filled with families who would create lasting memories in something I had helped create. “So when do we start on the new site?” Jerry asked. “I don’t know,” I answered just as my phone began to ring in the breast pocket of my jacket. “Excuse me.” I turned around and began to walk back to my car. Freya’s name flashed on the screen, and my heart raced. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before I answered. I don’t know why Freya affected me like this; ever since the other day when I felt that blast of energy as my hand touched hers, I’ve been unable to get her out of my mind, and it was infu
Ayla POV The room was large but it felt so warm and cosy. The smell of fresh paint vexed my senses, but Callan’s aftershave helped keep the sting away. The walls were a light greenish-brown colour that reminded me of a mushroom, or the forest. Dark wooden beams ran across the ceiling, and a large stone fireplace took pride in the centre of the room. The mantle sat high above a large wood-burning stove, almost as tall as Callan, and I could just make out the pictures that sat proudly on top of it. “Freya is ok; she’s already beginning to heal.” Callan’s mother said. She strolled toward Callan, her heels clicking against the dark wooden floor, making the sound bounce around the large and barren room, she kissed him tenderly on his cheek before turning to me. She placed her hand on my arm and gave me a loving smile, her eyes looked red and swollen and her skin looked splotchy. “What happened?” “Rogues!” Eric growled. The growl that came from Eric sounded so primal and feral that m
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
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
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
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 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
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 The sound of birds singing outside drifts through the open window, which allows a cool breeze to flow through the room. Callan's skin feels warm beneath my cheek as I lay on his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating. “Good morning, beautiful.” He grumbles; his fingers brush through my hair. His arm tightens around my body as he holds me close against him. “Good morning,” “How are you feeling today?” He asks. His hand travels down my back, his fingers trailing up and down my spine; sparks of excitement flick across my skin. “I feel better.” And I did; lying like this with Callan made me feel good, amazing even. My skin didn’t feel like it was on fire, and I no longer felt lightheaded. I felt full of energy. Callan gently sat up, pulling me up with him. “I have to go to training; are you sure you're ok?” “I’m fine. I need a shower, though; is that ok?” His eyes flashed black, and I felt my lips curling up. “You make this so hard.” He grumbled. Callan
Ayla POV Callan’s aftershave wrapped around me in a cocoon of safety; tingles ran across my lips as I felt him pressing his lips against mine. My eyes fluttered open, relieved at seeing his handsome face hovering above me, safe and untouched by Runduc. As I swung my legs out of the bed, it felt like my brain was spinning around inside my skull. I stood up wanting to get some of the food Callan had brought me, but the floor felt strange; my feet felt so heavy, like I had two bricks connected to my legs, which felt like two strands of spaghetti. My knees buckled, but thankfully I fell back onto the soft mattress, but that worry that was etched into Callan’s eyes earlier today hit me hard in my head like a train had crashed into my brain, my throat felt tight, and my chest began to burn. I didn’t want Callan to worry; he already carried the weight of the world on his shoulders because of me, and I didn’t want to burden him more than I already had, but as I leaned down to give him a kiss
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