SallyAfter breakfast, my parents decided to use one of the guestrooms to get some sleep. I’m grateful for that since another minute around, my mom would kill me. She has always been old-school and bad at adapting, but I didn’t think she would be THAT shocked to learn my mate is a hybrid and that our baby might be one, too.Ryan yawns behind me while I dump all of the dishes in the sink. “I’m so tired…”I laugh at his pretend problems. “Then go and take a nap.”“Hmm…”I roll my eyes at my mate and begin scrubbing. That’s when he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. His chin rests on my shoulder, and he murmurs in my ear, “Don’t you want to go upstairs and pick up where we left off? I still need to mark you so that you’re mine. Forever.”A shiver races down my spine, but I manage to reel in my excitement. “Give me five minutes.”He chuckles. “Five minutes? Ouch. I thought you would be in more of a hurry.”My lips curl into a smirk. “Oh, I am, but if I give you five
SallyHis eyes widen, but he doesn’t protest. Instead, he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. I feel a rush of power at his reaction, and a tingle spreads across my skin.I feel beautiful with the way he gazes at me. I might be pregnant and huge, but that somehow only makes me feel even more like a sexy, hot woman. My smile widens and I slowly place my hands on his chest, tracing them down his abs. His eyelashes flutter closed as a small groan escapes his lips, encouraging me to explore more.And I’m going to.My fingers dance along the waistband of his pants, and then I tug them down. Ryan lifts himself off the bed just enough to help me. Once they join my clothes on the floor, I straddle him again, feeling exposed in both my body and soul.“Sally,” Ryan says in a voice that tells me just how much he wants me. His red eyes are dark with desire; it’s an intoxicating sight.“Yes?” I whisper back and stand up from the couch. He looks surprised—until I’m between his legs and
Lara After a sweaty practice with the other warrior wolves in my pack, I wipe some sweat from my forehead with a towel. I’m glad that I’m not as tired as yesterday. It means my body is getting used to this, and that’s exactly what my pack needs. Parisa is a real threat, and Ashton has been training us every single day. So, yeah, getting stronger is the goal. “Oh my god, you’re burning up, Lara! Here, have some water,” Daphne says as she hands me my bottle. “Thanks.” I smile at the red-haired werewolf, swing my towel over my shoulder, and drink from the bottle. Daphne smiles back, and when my thirst is quenched, I’m so grateful for our newfound friendship. She is younger than me, but that doesn’t matter. We train well together, which is needed since Sally is too pregnant to fight, and Lydia…well, I don’t know where she is. “Ashton sure worked us to the bone today, huh?” Daphne asks. I chuckle. “He sure did.” Her smile widens, but not a word leaves her lips. I expect this to be
Lara“Can you give me another pillow?” Sally asks. Her pregnant belly looks ready to burst, and I quickly hand her another pillow for her poor back.“Here.”“Thank you,” she slides it behind her and then gives me a thoughtful look. “No offense, but you’ve had this wide-eyed look ever since you came home. Did something happen at the warrior practice?”An image of Alpha Ashton stroking my upper thigh flashes across my mind, and my cheeks turn molten hot. Sally is my best friend, but I couldn’t possibly tell her that her rotten ex-mate made me wet after practice. She would never forgive me, so I should keep it to myself.“N-no…”She laughs. “Lara, you’re terrible at lying, and is that a blush? Wow. I’ve never seen you blush before.”“No, I’m just…angry,” I’m not exactly lying. I still feel mortified about how my own body betrayed me earlier.“About?”Crap. What do I tell her? A half-truth?Sally is looking up at me with her big, doe-eyes, and I sigh heavily. “Your ex-mate is a jerk.”Her
Lara I inhale the smell of the bar. It stinks like sweat and alcohol, but I love it! The mood is great, and there are only thirty minutes left until I officially turn eighteen! Daphne raises her beer in a toast, calling out “To Lara!” and the rest of our group joins in with cheers and hoots. I can’t help but laugh as we clink glasses together. Celebrating my birthday with the pack girls is nice, but damn, I wish Sally weren’t pregnant so she could be here. Oh well, I can eat cake with her tomorrow and party tonight. The other girls from the pack are all here—even Daphne and a few others who had to use fake IDs to get in. Just as I take another sip of my beer, the entrance of the bar swings wide open, letting in a drift of cool air. Everyone’s heads turn to see who just walked in. I squint through the haze and dim lighting to spot a group of guys from our pack, their eyes scanning the room. My heart skips a beat as I recognize Edwin among them, the usually stoic werewolf now wearing
Lara I keep my gaze locked on Ashton, waiting for him to break the silence. When he doesn’t, I take the initiative and ask, “So, where’s my rejection?” He stares at me with a look of confusion. “Rejection?” “Yeah,” I reply, growing frustrated. Is he seriously going to act like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about? Why is he pretending to be so clueless? “We clearly don’t get along, so where’s my rejection? Just spit it out already.” His eyes wander over my face, and I hate how my heart somersaults in response. Even though I dislike Ashton as a person, I can’t deny how attractive he is. He is wearing a simple black shirt, but it hugs his muscular physique and leaves little room to fantasize about what he might look like naked. I gulp at that and lift my eyes to his, but that doesn’t make the situation any easier. His blue eyes are scanning me with an inscrutable look so intense that breathing becomes harder. “Who said I was going to reject you?” His question hangs in the air, ma
LaraWe exit the bar, the noise of laughter and clinking glasses slowly replaced by the quiet hum of the city nightlife. The air is cool against my skin, but I can still feel the heat from Ashton’s hand on my lower back, guiding me towards the sleek black limousine parked on the curb. The street lights cast an eerie glow on everything, turning ordinary things into shadows and silhouettes. I can see our reflection in the car’s tinted windows as we move closer.The driver opens the door for us with a polite nod. Ashton climbs in first, then reaches out his hand to help me inside.I don’t take it.I step into the limousine without his assistance, putting some distance between Ashton and myself. I need to keep things under control; I can’t let him think he has won me over completely.Ashton gives me an amused look as he stretches out his long legs, arms resting casually on the backrest. His glinting eyes never leave mine as he leans back in his seat.“Feeling nervous?” He teases lightly,
LaraHis fingers pause in their exploration, and for a moment, an uncomfortable silence descends between us. Then he chuckles softly - not a derisive laugh, but one full of understanding and perhaps even tenderness.“Good,” he says simply. His lips kiss my neck once more as he places his hand over my heart, feeling its erratic rhythm. “I will take care of you.”With that said, there’s no turning back. The seductive promise behind his words fuels the flame burning within me into an inferno. My need for him is all-consuming, overpowering any hesitation or anxiety that plagued me before.His touch dives deeper, eliciting gasps from me that turn into moans as pleasure sears through me in white-hot waves.“This is what you want?” He asks huskily in my ear as another wave crashes over me.It isn’t a question that needs answering, though. He already knows I’m in deeper pleasure—I’m squirming in his lap, and my wetness is all over his hands and his expensive, black jeans. I’m vulnerable, nake