Mila's world may be shattered but sometimes in our darkest moments we find a way to persevere. Let's move along and see what that actually looks like. Thanks for reading and following this beginning with all the characters. I hope you continue to read and comment as we begin the next part of their journey.
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
ARII moved to Gabe’s side, smoothing my dress as my father stood there with my stepmother standing slightly behind him. He was impeccably dressed as always, his dark suit and perfectly styled hair giving him an air of confidence and authority that made my blood boil. Growing up under his thumb, I learned that his appearance often masked the ruthless and manipulative person he truly was.“Alpha Gregory,” Gabe said, keeping his tone civil. “I didn’t know you were coming.” I could clearly see the tension in Gabe’s shoulders, so I stepped closer, hoping my scent would calm him.“Arianna didn’t tell you,” my father smiled, his eyes flickering between Gabe and me. “I thought you two were thick as thieves.”I started to say something, but Gabe stepped forward in a protective stance. “We are, but unlike some, I like for her to have her freedom.”If I was brave enough, I would’ve laughed in my father’s face. Instead, I placed my hand on Gabe’s arm, a gentle reminder that eyes were still on us
MILAI remembered trying to count the number of stars in the sky, listening to the water hitting the side of the boat as it swayed in the dock, and the people gathering on the dock to see the fireworks. The night felt perfect. My mom’s laughter rang out, and I turned to see my parents in a loving embrace. At that moment, I was truly happy. I sat up, quickly taking a picture of the moment.Then, the first few fireworks started, their vibrant colors illuminating the sky. The distinct smell of the water mingled with the smoky aroma of the fireworks in the air. But then, the unthinkable happened. There was an explosion, and chaos erupted. I heard my mom scream, my dad shouting for me, and then another explosion. The boat rocked and I was thrown into the cold, dark waters. I could swim, I remember trying, but something was pulling me down. I thrashed and panicked, swallowing way too much water. I was sinking, the lights from the fireworks growing dimmer. I thought I was going to die when I
GABEThe conference room seemed to be the only place for solace nowadays. I sat at the head of a long mahogany table, my laptop opened, and documents and photos spread around me in neat piles. Despite my intervention, my dad’s company was barely staying afloat. I sighed and leaned against the table. This job was as demanding as being an Alpha. Now I see why my dad was barely at home, and it sucked that I felt like I was doing the same to Noah. As I continued to review the documents, I heard the door creak open. I expected it to be my assistant, but instead I was greeted by a heavenly scent.“There you are,” Arianna said, standing in the doorway, holding our little Noah by the hand. The sight of them instantly brightened my mood. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”“Well, this is a nice surprise,” I said, walking over to them.Noah ran the rest of the way to me, jumping into my arms. “Hi, Daddy! Mommy said we needed to come and save you from the office monster,” he said, wrapping hi
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