Thank you for journeying with Gabe and Mila through this emotional chapter. The complexities of relationships, personal aspirations, and unexpected betrayals have always fascinated me, and I hope I've captured the essence of those feelings here. Eager to know your thoughts on the characters so far
TYLERThe tension in the room was palpable as my mom rushed over to pull Gabe off of me.“What the hell are you doing Gabriel?” my mom asked, her voice trembling with anger, but Gabe barely acknowledged her. His eyes followed me as I got up, cautiously watching him in case he decided to blindside me again. I sat behind the Alpha’s–well, my—desk, nursing the busted lip my brother just gave me. He must’ve found out about the party from Mila. Of course she would tell him the truth. It was the only reason I didn’t fight back. “You should ask him,” Gabe growled, pointing an accusing finger at me. “Ask him what he did to Mila–”“Mila?” my mom harshly cut him off with a quick swipe at his shoulder to shut him up. “You’re telling me she’s the reason for this violence? You’re fighting your brother over some… girl? That is not how I raised you.”I laughed at the fact that she believed she raised us. We had our fair share of nannies over the years while she focused on building the business with
GABEThis room was starting to feel like it was suffocating me. Everything was so fucked up. Mila briefly told me what happened at the party. The moment she said she ended up in a cave with Tyler, her heat raging, I already knew what happened. I didn’t even let her finish before bolting to Tyler’s office. Now this shit. What the hell was going on? How did me and Ari become the subjects, and how did my mom know about us being mates? I looked at Tyler and saw he was just as confused as I was..“Wait a minute,” Tyler said, walking around the desk. “He’s not taking my position, right?”My mom raised a hand. “Of course not,” she said. “Tyler, you will remain Alpha here, and we will find you another suitable mate. For now, just focus on school and your alpha duties.”“So what does that mean for me?” I asked, but I already knew when she looked away.“That means you will be leaving to become the Alpha of MoonCrest pack,” my dad said matter- of-factly. “Why do you think we brought you along wi
MILAMy world shattered the moment Gabe said those words. Everything was falling apart. My things were left on the curb of the packhouse yesterday, and this morning Luna Emily told me I was kicked from the scholarship competition for attacking Arianna. The one time I finally stick up for myself, I get punished for it. And now this–the one person who has always been on my team was speaking nonsense.“I’m sorry, Mila,” Gabe said, glancing around nervously. “But I think it’s best if we break up.”“I don’t underst–”“Gabriel, we should go,” Ari said, walking by us. “Your mother is expecting us, remember?”“I’m coming,” Gabe said harshly before looking at me. “I really am sorry, Mila. I… have to say goodbye.”I watched as he turned to leave the school right behind Arianna. I couldn’t accept it. Not after everything we’ve been through. Something wasn’t right. I followed him outside and grabbed his arm before he got into the car.“What the hell, Gabe? What’s going on?” I searched his face and
TYLERIt was New Year’s Eve, and I could hear the party roaring upstairs. The house was alive with laughter, music, and the buzz of people eagerly anticipating the new year with its new possibilities. But for me, the festivities felt distant, a contrast of my foul mood. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but I knew being around everyone was unbearable tonight. My parents were chumming it up with the Mora family, expressing their gratitude and celebrating the upcoming mating ceremony between Gabe and Ari. I guess I was still pissed about that happening. All this excitement was just a reminder of everything I was losing.“Well, my Amber still needs to find a suitable mate,” Luna Franesca joked, looking my way. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have two brothers with two sisters? It would make family functions run so much smoother.”I nearly puked in my champagne glass, sharing a look of disbelief with Gabe. This wasn’t how I was expecting to end the year. Becoming the Alpha was already in the bag,
MILAIn the chill of the early morning, I stood in front of my parent’s graves. The new year had just begun, and I was preparing to leave for the airport. I clutched the acceptance letter to my chest, thinking of my new beginning, and trying not to remember the heartache from last month. I placed the flowers and the letters on my parents’ graves, melancholy sinking in as I realized this might be the last time. I had visited this place countless times, seeking comfort and guidance from the memories of the only people who loved me unconditionally. I knelt down, tracing my fingers over their names etched in stone. “Hey Mom, Dad. I’m… leaving today. It might be a long time before I come back, but I’m finally getting out of this place. It hasn’t been the same since I lost you two. Honestly, every day it's getting harder and harder to remember the good times we’ve had.” I stopped to wipe the tears that fell down my face. “But don’t worry. I will do better and make you both proud. I will be
MILATen Years LaterI, Mila Amelie Davis, am back at the Grandfur Mountain Pack.It took me a while to come back, but plans like these needed time, especially if I was taking on two of the most powerful families in these parts. There was no room for error or distractions.My driver pulled out in front of the orphanage and helped me out. The crisp air greeted me the same as it did when I left this place. Time had not been nice to the place that once served as my sanctuary. It looked as if one strong gust of wind could knock it down. The front had overgrown hedges, some of the windows were boarded up, and the entrance was covered with fern. The place definitely needed some fixing, but even in its dilapidated state, it looked perfect to me. As my driver gathered my things, the door to the orphanage burst open, and Laura ran out, her face lighting up at the sight of me.“Mila, you made it!” she screamed, nearly jumping into my arms. It took me by surprise since this was the first time I’
MILAIt didn’t take me long to get on to their property. The light from the moon above cast an eerie glow over the landscape, illuminating the packhouse with its manicured lawns and towering stone wall. Clearly they had a huge upgrade to the decor. Luckily, the layout hadn’t changed at all, but Jenna wasn’t kidding–the patrol was thick. Pack members, in both human and wolf forms, crisscrossed the grounds with precision. The sounds from the party inside masked my movements through the bushes.I kept to the shadows, the scent blocker spray masking my presence, hoping it wouldn’t wear off too soon. I made it to the side of the house where Gabe’s room was, relieved they hadn’t cut down the massive oak tree near it. That tree had been our secret passageway, a relic from our past when sneaking around was a thrilling game. I hid my bag in a nearby bush and started the climb, my muscles barely straining, the familiar path both a comfort and a burden.It was only a small leap from the branch to
GABEI wish this day was already over. I thought as I walked to the Alpha’s office with Tyler trailing behind me. The entire day has been a blur of business meetings and investor pitches, and the only notable moment was catching an unfamiliar yet strangely familiar scent in my room. At first, I thought it was my brother’s new conquest, but there was something about it that sparked the edge of my memory. Either way, a deep clean of my room was imminent.Opening the door to the Alpha’s office, I was met with an unexpected sight–my dad and mom wrapped in an intimate embrace.“Come on,” I groaned, shielding my eyes. “There are other rooms for this kind of display, you know.”“Geez, talk about trauma,” Tyler chimed in from behind me. “Now, I can’t work in here either.”My mom laughed, stepping around the desk. “Oh please, you act like you’ve never seen me kissing your father. I’m sure you’ve seen worse.”“And there’s nothing wrong with showing your mate some love,” my dad added. “Tyler, you
GABEThe scent of blood filled my nose as Spencer growled low, his presence pressing against my mind. We moved forward, eyes scanning the women’s torn attire, and the red streaks on the floor. Mila.She’s hurt. The realization hit hard, the pull to her undeniable. She must’ve seen it in my face because she shook her head slowly, her eyes a silent plea. I couldn’t move to her anyway as Arianna practically flung herself into my arms.“That beast attacked me,” she cried, her arms wrapped around my neck, face buried into my chest. Even as she did this, my eyes were on Mila. The need to comfort so strong, I felt myself pulling Arianna’s arms off of me. That didn’t stop her from clinging on as her hands gripped my arm. She continued. “She has to be banned from this pack immediately.”“Banned?” That word felt heavy in my mouth. “Really, Ari?” I looked at Arianna as if she was crazy and she almost took a step back. She recovered and a hateful look spread across her face when she looked at M
ARIThe gala was dead, my parents left with no word, Julia was found beaten in the women’s restroom, and Gabe was still a no-show. I called the packhouse and everyone kept saying he was in the office. So I decided to check myself. When I opened the door to his office, I was surprised to see so much had changed and Mila was standing near the desk. Of course it was her. That huge silhouette was unmistakable in the low light.“Oh,” she said, her lips curving into a smile that made my stomach churn. “Luna Arianna. Fancy seeing you here.”“Really?” I asked coolly, stepping fully into the room. “I would think out of the two of us, I would make more sense. What are you doing here?”She leaned against the desk with her arms crossed. “Not that it’s any of your business, but this is my office now. This is what happens when you’re a success, ya know.”This girl was starting to become a real headache. “You can’t be serious? Gabe wouldn’t just give you his office.”“More like he decorated it himse
MILAThe moment I kicked them out, I took a tour of my new office, feeling a sense of belonging. I won’t lie and say the personal touches were amazing, but the fact that Gabe was the one who did it made everything a bit complicated. What’s so complicated? He’s an asshole just like the rest of them. I thought, staring at the colored pencils on my desk and the treadmill tucked underneath it. Seriously, Camila must’ve had something to do with this. No one and I mean no one knew about the treadmill.I shook my head not wanting to delve into it deeper. I had to stay focused on the plan. The night was still young and there was still some damage I could do. I texted Camila to deliver the little gift I had for Luna Emily and Alpha Troy, while I tried to stir up some drama on the news. I pulled out my phone and called Laura.“Hey, I think it’s time to leak some information?”“Already ahead of you,” Laura answered happily. “Looks like our little hacker already did it. The news should be reporti
GABEI stepped away from the window in my old office after watching the flashing lights of the van taking Leo away. “Guess the party’s over.”I closed my laptop, taking a look at the redesign I did for Mila’s office. I tried to make it as personable as I could. Granted she had changed much, so hopefully I remembered enough to get her going.“We should tell her who she is to us,” Spencer urged.He’s been bugging me to tell ever since he found out. Wolves were so one-track minded. Let’s not worry about the fact that we were still mated to Arianna, right? None of this made sense.“Do you remember what she said to us the first time we saw her?” I reminded him. “I broke her heart, Spencer. I can’t just expect her to forgive us because there’s a possibility she’s our mate.”Even saying it sounded strange. I continued to decorate the room, carefully placing pictures of her older designs and textiles on the wall. Suddenly the door opened and Tyler rushed in like he was running from someone.
MILAJulia watched me with a confident look on her face, but I could smell the fear coming off her skin. She tried to laugh it off. “What is this? Some kind of fantasy of yours? A little girl on girl action?” I moved to block the door when I saw her eyeing it. “Not quite,” I smiled. “But it will be.”Before Julia could say another word, I lunged for her, grabbing her head and bringing it down into my knee. She stumbled back, holding her nose and looking at me with a shocked expression.“What the fuck!”“That’s for Jenna.”Julia distanced herself from me as I slowly approached. Surprisingly, she stood her ground when she noticed I wasn’t going to let her escape.Good girl. Julia grabbed her broken nose, and popped it back in place, her hand trembling as she wiped the blood from her lip.“Jenna? How is little ol’ Jenna doing?” she asked with a bloody grin. “Heard she lost a piece of herself. Maybe I should send her a ‘Get Well’ card.”I stalked forward, the edge of my vision blurring
MILA“Alpha Tyler! I’ve been trying to get your attention all night.” Mirabella practically squeezed between us, making a point to size me up, which I didn’t mind. I had to keep Tyler at a distance for Rayne’s horny sake.“As you can see, I’m a bit preoccupied,” Tyler began. “So…”“Yeah, I can tell,” Mirabella interrupted, her voice carrying the kind of sweetness that could make my teeth ache. “Someone’s been monopolizing all your time.”She shot a glance in my direction.“It’s not monopolizing when they’re here willingly,” I said, matching her fake sweetness. “But I can understand why that concept might be… unfamiliar to you.”Mirabella faked a laugh before grabbing onto Tyler’s arm. “Ty, would you give me a moment please? Girl talk and all. Maybe a few drinks?”Tyler looked at me as if he wanted confirmation. I didn’t want to waste my time with her but whatever. She was on my shit list anyway. I gave him a subtle nod and we both watched him disappear into the crowd before Mirabella
MILAOne thing I could say about the rich: they knew how to throw a party. If this was a typical night, I might have been content sipping champagne, nibbling on canapes, and pretending not to eavesdrop on the secretive whispers of the elites.But tonight wasn’t about enjoying myself. At least not in the normal way. I had too much to do and people to fuck with. The moment I saw Arianna and her entourage, I pushed the button in my purse and just waited.And waited.I started to excuse myself, but Tyler had other plans. He practically dragged me around the party introducing me to people in the industry, his charm on full display. Every conversation turned into some wild story about him that, without fail, ended with him in his boxers–or less.“I can’t help that fact that I have a natural affinity for being naked,” he laughed, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd. Then he leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Want me to prove it?”I narrowed my eyes at him, fighting the smil
MILAI walked down the stairs at the orphanage, impressed by the progress of the construction team. This place was finally coming together, feeling like the sanctuary I remembered. All except for the garden on the roof. I made a mental note to hire a professional to breathe some life into it.“Well, hot damn,” Camila said the moment I walked into the living room. “You and red are made for each other.”Laura glanced up from her laptop, her eyebrows shooting up. “Whoa, Mila. That’s… different. In a good way,” she quickly added, as if I’d take it the wrong way.I smoothed the fabric of my gown, glancing down at the deep crimson silk. The dress hugged my curves, the high slit exposing just enough leg to make me feel… powerful, daring anyone to challenge me. “Well, I wanted to be sure to wear something in case it gets bloody tonight,” I smiled. “You don’t think I’ll stand out too much, do you?”Camila snorted. “Girl, you’ll be the talk of the night. Not because of blood–hopefully–but beca
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