Despite the challenges she faces it looks like our girl Mila is finally standing up for herself, but she has a long way to go. We all have to start somewhere right?
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
MILAIt was amazing how people were crammed into this house. I figured it would be like this after witnessing a parade of fancy cars dropping people off. I could barely get through the halls without bumping into someone. Halfway through the night, I felt eyes on me, heard whispers and saw people pointing at me. My stomach twisted with unease until I caught a scent of him. Tyler. Rayne moved through me every time I felt him near. She kept urging me to find him to be near his presence, but I had other plans. I pulled out my phone and sent Gabe another text, wishing he was here.Gabe: Getting the ole “responsibility of a Beta” talk. I’d rather be with you.I sighed, longing for his presence to drown out the judgemental stares from everyone at the party.Mila: At least you get to travel. How’s the White Fangs Pack? Any cute boys looking for a mate?Gabe: As a matter of fact, there’s one and he can’t stop thinking of you. Mila: Oh really? Well tell him I’m taken, but he can be my second
MILA“Jenna…” I stammered, my voice trailing off in confusion.What the hell was she saying? Was that even possible? My heart pounded as the noise from outside briefly drew our attention. Jenna pulled something out of her purse and handed it to me. It was a torn picture of my mom holding a man’s hand. She didn’t look happy but I could clearly see a wedding ring on her finger–different from the one I wore around my neck. I examined it and noticed the year written on the back.“I found this picture in my mom’s things when she used to work at the Mora’s residence,” Jenna said with a mixture of curiosity and concern. “I don’t know why it was there, but if you asked me, that seems pretty weird, right?”Fuck yeah, it did, but what could we do about it? It was just a picture dated a year before I was born. Not something that said my parents were actually murdered. The official story was that they died in an electrical fire on a boat, a fire so bad that nothing was salvageable.“Jenna, it’s ju
MILACamila was not lying about the line of people waiting to get their clothes. Some had already pushed past the receptionist area, arguing loudly with the store attendants, some glaring at the empty racks, while others had their phones out, no doubt taking pictures.I looked down at my phones at the numerous calls I made to Tyler and Gabe. Of course, now they didn’t pick up their phone.“There she is!” someone yelled as all eyes fell on me the moment I stepped out from the back room. A swarm of disgruntled customers rush toward me. Zeke and Tom immediately intercepted the mob.“Let’s keep it civil here, folks,” Zeke stated, raising his hands like a traffic cop. “No need to turn this into a Black Friday stampede.”“Or a mosh pit,” Tom muttered.“Civil?” A woman’s voice rose above the chaos. “I pre-ordered one of Emilia’s signature cocktail dresses weeks ago, and was told it will be here today.”Another customer waved her phone in the air. “Same here! I have an event tonight, and I’m
MILAI tried wrapping my head around what was happening, but the only thing I knew for sure was someone was blowing up my phone. Something bad was happening. Then I blinked, and the scene before me hit me like a freight train.My power flooded the room like a tidal wave, Alex was pinned beneath me, his face red and desperate. My clawed hand gripped his throat with an intensity I couldn’t remember summoning.“Rayne, let him go.” I watched as Alex fought to breathe. “Now!”Rayne growled before pulling her hand away. Alex rolled to his side, coughing and clutching his neck as he struggled to breathe. I touched the side of my neck, the burning sensation slowly dissipated as I touched the puncture wounds gingerly. My trembling hand came back with blood on the fingertips.“Mila… I didn’t mean to,” Alex rasped, his voice rough but pleading. “I’m…”The words felt like an insult. A feeble excuse for what he just did. Without a word, I bolted towards the bathroom. My reflection, in the mirror,
GABETrigger: ViolenceI hung up the phone with Tyler, suppressing the doubt in my chest. Mila. Something was up, but I didn’t have time to deal with that just now. Hopefully, I made it easy enough for Tyler not to fuck things up. He had a knack of complicating even the simplest task.“Delivery is on its way,” Yesmen informed me.Her calm voice was a contrast to the frustration that was building up as our little group followed the manager down the lavender scented hallway of Arianna’s favorite spa. So at least that was good news for once. Now, I had to figure out what to do with Alpha Gregory.Ever since yesterday, I knew she was going to do something to sabotage Mila, but I didn’t think it would include an early morning hookup. After everything I’ve sacrificed for her to be in this position and this was how she repaid me. I’m such a fucking idiot! I clenched my fists, and Spencer stirred restlessly. His anger surpassed mine, but I forced him to stay calm, my gaze locked on the door
TYLERI closed the storage door making a trip to the front and paying the guy to keep quiet. I wasn’t sure what I was going to with the storage but I knew I had to keep it away from Gregory. No telling what he would do if he knew where my Dad’s stash was. It wasn’t the best plan, but at least it was one crisis down. Now on to Mila.Her phone went to voicemail again. I’ve been calling her since yesterday to figure out a plan b if we couldn’t get her clothes here on time, but she was ignoring me again. It was starting to piss me off. No one ignored me.“Maybe we could pay her a visit,” Declan suggested.Though I already knew what kind of visit he wanted. How the hell did that woman have us both up in arms was beyond me? Even if I wanted to visit, I wasn’t sure where the hell she was. I thought of the orphanage, but the only people there were the construction workers. I was thinking she probably took up my brother’s offer to stay at his packhouse, but one call proved that to be false.S
MILAWater cascaded down my body like icy needles, doing little to calm the raging fire within me. I wasn’t sure how long I was in this shower. Or how or when I got there. All I knew was that it wasn’t working. My body was riddled with heat the moment Gabe touched me yesterday–a spark that ignited like a train on fire, consuming every nerve and refusing to let up. I barely made it back here, shedding my clothes in the car and the rest on the way to the shower.No matter how much I scrubbed and cleaned, I couldn’t wash away Gabe’s scent–that woodsy, chocolate spice that had wrapped around me when he helped me through my panic attack. “Why the hell did he touch me like that?” I muttered to no one in particular.“Because deep down you want him to,” Rayne answered. “Rayne,” I warned, not in the mood for her commentary.“Mila, you know I’m down with whatever choice you make,” Rayne continued. “But girl you have to make up your mind. This affects me too, you know.”“I know!” I screamed, g
GABEThe door to my office swung open, hitting the stack of boxes I’d neatly lined up along the wall. A couple toppled over, spilling the contents onto the floor.“What’s with all these boxes?” Arianna complained as she stepped inside. She didn’t so much as glance at the mess she’d just created. “Are you moving to a bigger office or something?”“Why hello to you too, babe,” I said, not bothering to look up from the paperwork spread across my desk.Noah, sitting in his play area, looked up at the sound of her voice. His face lit up, and he scrambled to his feet, his toy truck clutched in his hand as he ran toward her.“Mommy!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms wide to hug her. But Arianna took a graceful step back, halting him mid-stride. Her perfectly manicured hands smoothed the front of her designer dress as if his touch would leave a permanent mark.“Noah, sweetie,” she cooed. “What did Mommy say about touching her clothes, huh?”“Don’t get Mommy’s clothes dirty,” Noah answered obedi
MILAI felt his presence before I could fully register Tyler standing next to Leo. He gripped the wrist that held the knife with an iron grip. The tension in his muscles was visible, flexing beneath the tight fabric of his black button-down shirt. The sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal forearms corded with strength, and the shirt hugged his broad chest. His black pants and suede shoes completed the ensemble, along with a suit jacket draped casually over the other arm.The look was casual, but there was something very dominant about it. His jawline was shadowed with a light stubble, and the sharp cut of his golden eyes sent a shiver down my spine as they flicked to me for just a moment before returning to Leo. My legs seemed to wobble from the weight of his commanding presence.“Hot, holy hell,” Rayne purred her approval. I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from vocalizing a similar sentiment, but damn, she was right.“Control yourself, Rayne.”“You first,” she retorted.Tyler
MILABack at the hideout, we poured over all the data we had on everyone.“I still don’t get why Gregory would have Arianna send someone to attack Jenna if he wanted to abortion from the start,” I wondered out loud.“Maybe he didn’t believe her,” Camila guessed. “Or he wanted to get rid of her too?”“This is all too frustrating,” Laura complained. “Can we just take them down already?!”Alex exited one of the rooms where Jenna was resting. We decided to move her here to keep her safe and keep any eye on her.“I’m with crazy eyes over here. What’s the move?” Camila asked, staring at the screen on the table.“I want to hit them from all sides,” I said, holding
MILAMy stomach twisted in knots as I stood at the foot of the bed, watching Jenna’s chest rising and falling in a shallow rhythm. I tried to heal her bruises, but they wouldn’t. Alex told me we had to wait until the blood transfusion pumps out all the Wolfsbane in her system before I could heal her.A whimpering sound caught my attention as I turned to see Laura fighting sleep. Poor thing was the first one to get to Jenna. Even I couldn’t forget the scene I came upon when I got that night from our mystery hacker.***Unknown: Jenna. Orphanage. Hurt.I raced back, dodging Gabe and the security tail. By the time I arrived, Laura and Camila were already there, holding an almost unconscious Jenna.“Mila, please,” Laura cried. “Heal her, please!”Blood was pooling beneath her from cuts too deep to be accidental. She blacked out with a ring falling from her hand. At the moment I didn’t know if it was important but I picked it up anyway. Maybe there was a reason she was safeguarding it. **