The struggle is real between desire, loyalty, and self-control, especially with Gabriel. Looks like he is torn between his physical desires with Ari and his emotional commitments to Mila. Now we have to add in his mother. Let's see how he deals with it in another point of view.
TYLERIt took me a moment to shake out of my stupor. I didn’t even realize I was on the floor, staring at my mom, who I’d never seen this livid before. Mila was slumped against the wall, tears streaming down her face as she held her cheek. She glanced at me before looking down the hall. I followed her gaze to see Gabe standing there, shock etched across his face.“You little slut,” Luna Emily spat, her voice cold and controlled. “How dare you put your lowly hands on my son? Do you actually think you’re on the same level as him? Look at you—pathetic and manipulative, just like your mother.”Mila looked up at my mom as if my mom had slapped her in the face again. I had always known how my mom felt about the girls we were supposed to mate with, but still, I’d never seen her like this. Something else was driving this hatred.“First, my Gabriel, and now you’re trying to force yourself onto his brother. How despicable can you be?”Gabe placed a hand on our mom’s shoulder. “Mom, I’m sure it’s
MILADear, Mila Davis,We want to congratulate you on being selected as one of the three designers for the Aliz Women in Arts Scholarship.Every word after that fell to the back of mind as I screamed and jumped around at my locker. The halls of the school seemed to blur around me as my joy bubbled over uncontrollably. I didn’t care about the curious and startled looks from the students passing by; this was a dream come true. Dean Forrester told me earlier that F.I.T and Parsons would accept me for earlier admission this spring, since after this semester I would have all the credits needed to start. The only thing left was funding. I needed to win the scholarship.I reread the letter way too many times, the paper crinkling slightly under my trembling fingers. I had to create three signature looks to be modeled at the Winter Fashion Show. Piece of cake. I thought, though my heart was pounding with both excitement and nerves. I noticed a note on the back of the envelope. I will protect yo
I was a fool in love. I told myself to stay away from the Aliz brothers but Gabe was persistent. When he saved me from Ari the other day, we practically spent the whole day together.We can save ourselves! Rayne said. We just need to get stronger. We need our mate.Rayne, my wolf, finally made an appearance. Well, I couldn’t see her but I felt and heard her and boy was she a talker. She didn’t like how people treated us and wanted to fight everyone who spoke down to her. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fighter and luckily she wasn’t strong enough to take over.For now. Rayne reminded me repeatedly.I sat up from the bench, looking out at the sunset on the horizon. I hated every time she brought up Tyler. We didn’t need someone like him. He was nothing but a bully. Just like Ari. The thought of standing up to either of them was terrifying. Either way I was glad to have someone other than Gabe taking it for me. I wish I was strong enough to–You are! Rayne interrupted. You just have to believe
MILA**Foreplay ahead**The moment Gabe pulled me inside, he placed an eye mask over my face. He sat me down on the couch and started moving them around the room. He wanted to set the mood, saying he wanted it to be special. Honestly, I wasn’t into the whole romance surrounding the first time. That was for the movies. Besides, every girl that talked about it made it seem like the place didn’t matter as much as the person, and Gabe was that person for me. A crash and a few curse words took my attention.“Gabe?”“Don’t,” he said when he noticed me touching the eye mask. “I’m almost done.”Mate, Rayne said softly before an image of Tyler flashed in my mind. A part of me wanted to find him instead of staying here with Gabe. I kept thinking about Tyler and what he would do in this situation. If it was anything like that kiss in my room, I knew I would lo– Fuck, stop thinking about Tyler.Why? Rayne asked. He is our mate. We should be with him.No, he’s an asshole. So just shut up and enjoy
MILA**Sexual Intimacy Ahead**What the fuck Rayne? It was more like an impulse than a reaction, and the fact that I pushed him that far away surprised me. I spent half the time being present in the now and keeping Rayne from replaying memories of Tyler in my head that I was sure it was all her. I got no response from Rayne but I felt her irritation. Laughter took my attention as I looked over the edge of the bed to see Gabe smiling up at me.“Gabe, I’m so sorry,” I said, helping him back to the bed. “I don’t know why I did that. You kissed my neck… I don’t know… there was a shock and…”Gabe gently grabbed my hands. “Hey, it’s okay. Maybe I was going a bit too fast, yeah?”He wasn’t about being too fast. Actually it wasn’t fast enough. My body felt like it was burning with desire, so I needed–no–wanted him. Mate, Rayne said repeatedly in my head. I grabbed my hair in frustration, trying to silence her. Gabe touched my arm, bringing my focus back to him.“Mila, are you okay?” Gabe as
ARI“That fucking low-class bitch!” I seethed, trying to hold on to my composure as I replayed the hallway showdown between Luna Emily, Mila, Gabe and Tyler in my mind. Seeing Gabe, my mate, protect Mila was a travesty. I had to cover my mouth to keep from growling out loud. Serena was just as pissed, but there was nothing we could do right now. I had to find a way to get rid of Mila for good. Gabe would completely see me with her out of the way, and he was mine. Hell, I was feeling selfish; I wouldn’t mind having Tyler too.For now, I had to watch Gabe hovering around Mila like a moth to a flame. I wondered if he knew how painful it was to watch him with her. To feel pain whenever he touched her in an intimate way. I knew the moment they were together I was in the worst pain. It felt like there were knives twisting in my heart. Even the thought of it had me subconsciously touching the mark on my neck.The only thing keeping me from going insane were the inhibitor pills I had stolen fr
TYLERI stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the green and gold ceremonial attire that has been passed down generations. The Alpha markings on the sleeves represented our pack’s heritage. The Alpha’s Ceremony came faster than I thought, and I could only think of what Ari told me. I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty for her. She was my brother’s mate but he wanted Mila, who was intended for me but all I could think of was Mila. Rejecting Mila had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. Just thinking about the pain I woke up to the day after gave me chills. Yet, the bond between us refused to let go, making it impossible to stay away from her too long. Seeing her with Gabe was like a punch to the stomach every time. Now knowing Ari felt the same thing, I knew she had her sights on making things worse for Mila.When Ari brought up Mila being my mate, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Of course, she would figure it out, but now I was wondering who else could see it. If my mom found out,
ARII stood in front of the full-length mirror while my makeup artist put on the finishing touches. Yesterday was a celebration for Tyler finally becoming the Alpha. The ceremony was huge and, quite frankly, very boring and formal. Luna Emily suggested a party just for the “young folks” today. I couldn’t wait to get away from my parents and actually have a good time. “Now, make sure a lot of your friends see what you’re wearing,” my stepmom said, moving around me. “The more exposure for your brand, the more exposure…“...for my father’s line,” I finished for her, rolling my eyes. “Your line,” she corrected, her voice dripping with forced sweetness. Bullshit. My father always used me to promote his brand, disguising it as mine. I heard the music blasting from the party outside and I was ready to go.“Come on, Francesca. I know the deal. I can sell this in my sleep.”My stepmom floated around me, making sure everything was in place, while I noticed Amber sulking in the corner. Jealousy
MILAReaching down to free his cock from his boxers. I gripped Alex harder, feeling him press up against me, his breaths coming faster as I guided him in. The initial stretch brought me back into the moment, grounding me in the weight of his body beneath me, the way he filled me. I let out a shaky exhale, trying to lose myself in the heat building between us, desperate to drown out the memories clawing at the edges of my mind.“Touch me.”Alex's hand slid up my side, fingers tracing the curve of my waist. His mouth found my neck, nipping at my skin in a way that usually set me on fire, but tonight, the sensation felt muted, distant. I bit down on my lip, rolling my hips to match his rhythm, trying to force myself to feel more, to shut out the chaos spiraling inside me.But Gabe’s face wouldn’t leave me alone, haunting me. He’d looked at me that night with a mixture of frustration and longing that mirrored my own. And my father… how could he not know who I was? How could he just look th
MILA“Argh!!!”I threw the stack of sketches off my desk in frustration. I could barely focus on anything with my mind going over everything that has happened. I stood up, pacing, feeling my skin starting to heat up. I just wanted a moment of peace, a moment to forget it all.I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together, but I couldn’t forget that my dad was alive. And yet, he looked at me like I was no one–a stranger. It hurted more than I realized, and Rayne’s simmering fury under my skin made it hard to keep it all contained.“I’m not angry,” Rayne protested. “I’m horny, and staying near HIM is not making this easy, Mila.”I scoffed at her, rolling my eyes. “I thought you were strong, Rayne.”Rayne huffed in frustration. “Strong? Oh, I’m plenty strong, Mila. But even the strongest of us have needs.” Her tone was edged with a dangerous hunger, a barely-contained desire that made my pulse quicken. “You keep holding back, pretending you can handle all this alone,” she continued,
GABEMila was amazing–for the company that is. I skimmed over the reports again, marveling at the publicity and revenue her spring show had generated. Not to mention how she was able to get her clothes to smell like the actual flowers without the overly use of perfumes. If she kept this up, we’d be out of the red and above ground by next quarter. It was a miracle, really. I should have been fully focused on the documents in front of me, but my mind kept wandering.From the corner of the room, I could hear Noah humming softly as he watched his shows and scribbled with crayons. His quiet presence was a constant reminder that life had shifted in ways I hadn’t quite prepared for. It was spring break for the kids, and while most of his classmates were probably out climbing jungle gyms or chasing each other around playgrounds, Noah had chosen to spend his time in my office. Part of me wanted to push him outside, tell him to go play, to run wild and be carefree like other kids his age. But a
MILAAri flashed a smug smile, glancing around the room like she owned it. Well, I guess she did since she was Luna of this pack. “Milan, your show seems to be going well,” she said, her eyes still scanning for someone.“And you’re back here because…?”“I wanted to wish Chelsea good luck,” Ari said, her smile growing wider, “but it seems I can’t find her. I do hope there wasn't any... drama that made her leave.”“Oh, I have something that will make her leave permanently,” Rayne growled in my mind.Ignoring both the urge to respond and the sharp retort on my tongue, I shifted my focus to the one I actually needed.“Amber,” I said, sidestepping Ari, “just the ‘it’ girl I was looking for,” “Me?” Amber blinked, glancing around nervously. “Why?”“It seems as if we lost a model,” I said, noticing her reaction as if she already knew.Amber raised her chin, nose in the air. “What’s that got to do with me? I had nothing to do with it.”“I don’t care about that.” I waved off her comment. “Right
MILASo far so good. I thought, checking that everything was ready for the show. Transitioning everything to the greenhouse was seamless, especially with Gabe helping out. He was the brains behind the entire construction, so he picked the prime location for each of the models. Each location had a model staged by a specific flower that was perfectly paired with my dresses, scented to match.There was a satisfied smile playing on his lips and my heart did a flip as I watched him work. I couldn’t help but admire the way his expression shifted when he was thinking deeply, how every thoughtful "hmm" seemed to weigh the world around him. He was so in control, effortlessly authoritative, and it took everything in me not to get distracted.This is pathetic, Mila. Why are you even pinning for this guy? Just reject him already. My internal monologue was relentless, but there was no escaping the memory of that night. The moment our lips collided, the surge of heat that followed–it wasn’t somethin
MILAGabe was still crouched by the tombstone, his brow furrowed as if trying to puzzle out the same haunting riddle. I couldn’t stay there anymore. The weight of the truth was suffocating, and I needed space. Away from Gabe. Away from everyone.I turned and started toward the woods, my footsteps quickening, but Gabe was fast. He caught up, his hand clamping down on my arm once more. “Mila, stop. You shouldn’t be alone.”“I have a safe place, Gabe,” I snapped, jerking my arm free. I wasn’t really mad at him, just this whole situation. “I just… I need to get away from here, Gabe. I need space. From you. From this pack. From everything.”“And you think that hideout is safe?” He challenged me. “At least, at the packhouse, you’ll be surrounded by people who want to protect you.”I let out a hollow laugh, stepping back from him. “Protect me? I’ve never truly been protected, Gabe. Not with you. Not within the pack. If I were, I wouldn’t be here, standing over my own grave, would I?”That hit
MILAAnd neither did my body. Even running back to the packhouse, Rayne couldn’t resist brushing against Spencer who didn’t seem to mind.Rayne, stop instigating before things heat up,” I reprimanded her.“What? It’s not like he minds,” Rayne joked. “It’s not like his stupid Luna’s satisfying him.”“So what? We’re not looking to fill that position.”The moment we shifted back when we made it to the packhouse, I could barely take my eyes off of him. I never took Gabe as a domineering kind of man, but more susceptible to ideas and ‘do-whatever-I-wanted’ kind of man. Though, the way his muscles moved when he stalked up the steps, commanding his warriors had me, or rather I say, Rayne feeling way too hot and bother. Even with Alex and Tyler at my back, I could feel Gabe’s presence tingling all over me. I tried ignoring her, but the next part nearly threw me at his feet.The door to the packhouse and Beta Brian rushed out, looking a bit panicked. “Alpha, I was just about to–” In a flash,
MILAAs we approached the cemetery, we saw him–a man crouched over a grave, his back to us. The idea of a rogue risking his life to be here struck me as odd. Though, the fact I still felt strong enough to take him on was odd too. Using Rayne’ healing powers usually took a toll on us, but we were able to heal three people and only felt a little weak. Hell, I was sure we could take down a small army if needed. “His scent is familiar,” Rayne said. “Maybe there's a connection.”As I drew closer, I watched as he placed flowers carefully on the grave. I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling crawling up my spine. My instincts kicked in. Rogue or not, we had no idea what this man was capable of. I saw Tyler readying himself to step forward so I beat him to it.“Hey!” I called out.The man didn’t flinch. Just kept his gaze on the grave. “I’m not your enemy,” he said, his voice quiet, but filled with sadness. “And the others are not my friends. I just wanted… to be in her presence.” Slowly, he
TYLERMy heart clenched as I slammed on the brakes. I cursed under my breath and threw the door open. The smell of rot and decay hit me like a punch to the gut, and that’s when I saw it–well, them. Rogues moving through the trees toward Mila’s direction. Rogues were known for their chaotic nature, but lately, their attacks had become more coordinated, more calculated. Someone was pulling the strings, and I’d bet my rank Alpha Gregory was involved.My instincts flared, the beast inside me rising to the surface. I had to get to her before more of them showed up. Without hesitation, I shifted mid-stride. My bones snapped and rearranged in the familiar yet painful shift, my skin giving way to fur and muscle as Declan took over. The rush of power flowed through me like fire in my veins, and Declan hit the ground running, paws digging into the dirt as I sprinted toward the wreckage.Two rogues were moving around her car which had been flipped upside down. Declan bared his teeth, his growl ru