SHADOW What Zarah told me had been bugging me all the way back to the compound. Nothing happened back there that she hadn’t predicted. She was a witch, after all. Either she was trying to manipulate me or telling the truth, but nothing could stop me from saving these people or the one I loved, even if it meant giving up my life. And here I was, giving everything I could offer to Califf because he was the only thing that mattered to me— the half of my soul that completed me. Standing naked before me was the hottest fucking man with a body of a god, a cock so big, long, and rigid, proudly erect between his thighs. How could I take him all in? I knew it would hurt the first time, but it was all worth the pain. I was his to give what he desired, and he was mine to make me feel good. He met me in the eye with his burning gaze. I didn’t know where I got all the confidence in me tonight. I came in the middle as he prowled and crawled into the bed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, stra
SHADOW “Can we do it next week?” I was still negotiating despite the distraction before me. “Uh-uh.” He shook his head. With my thighs spread before him for his feasting, he began swirling his tongue around my entrance. “Cal— Goddess.” My feet pressed against the mattress, toes curling as he sucked my folds into his mouth and flicked his talented tongue on my clit. My muscles strained. My chest rose and fell as I started panting when his hands came to my breasts, cupping them and pinching my nipples until I squirmed. I only had a chance to drink water after we completed the mating, then he fucked me again, made love to me, fingered me, then again spread and exposed me before him. He wasn’t done, and it was already four in the morning. I wasn’t tired, though, just my pussy a little sore, but with the pleasure he promised to give me, I wouldn’t resist even if I could. He continued laving my entrance like his favorite flavor of ice cream, occasionally sucking from my forbidden hole
CALIFF “What’s wrong? I can feel your sudden anxiousness.” Shadow was edgy. I felt it through our bond. When she turned around, she was holding the pendant of her necklace. The last time I saw it, it was blue, and now it changed to a liquid red. “Are you okay?” I asked again when she hadn’t responded to me. Her eyes were wide, somewhat shocked. “Um, yeah. You were calling me?” “Yeah. I want you to meet my dad.” “Oh.” She blushed. Her hand on her heart. “Of course, I can’t wait.” She hadn’t seen my father in a wheelchair behind me. Since Dad had been sick, I’d done everything— met doctors and healers to ask their opinion of his case, but all they could say in the end was he was dying. I talked to a witch I knew, but she couldn’t do anything either. I moved to my side to introduce my father. “Dad, I want you to meet my—” Her gaze ascended to my father, and her eyes grew wider as she stepped back. “Oh, Goddess.” Her face was ashen as she stared at my father in shock. “He’s your f
CALIFF “I refused to believe that. You have so much compassion in your heart. You know it. You healed Tor, and you stopped me from killing the refugees. You did your task and ignored those bullies because deep in your heart, you are stronger than you give yourself credit. You are stronger in defending our pack, not killing one of our own. Look at these people behind you. They trust and believe in you. Prove those who underestimated you wrong.” She dropped my father. Her chest was heaving. Her eyes were still glowing. “He killed the only family I had. I have been an orphan since I was eight. I don’t have a father to teach me how to shift. I don’t have a mother to teach me to cast a spell. No one. I was rogue for years, hoping to find whoever did that slaughter to my pack. My father gave his life so that an eight-year-old future alpha could run and seek revenge. And now, it was just right under my nose, and I still could not do anything for them. They died unavenged. They lost their l
SHADOW My wolf howled in me, empathizing with the pain I felt. It was excruciating knowing the man I'd been looking for revenge on was the same man who brought Califf to this world. How fucked up is that? Goddess must have been rolling on the floor laughing her ass out loud at me right now. I’d been through a lot, lost my family and my pack, and struggling with the human life. I could have gone crazy if it wasn’t for my adopted father. Right now, I was alone in the middle of nowhere. This time, the pain was different. I felt him, and he felt mine. I was mated and bound to be forever with the man I’d never expected to be so kind and generous, and it turned out to be the son of a pack murderer. This truth was a million times more fucked up. For the first time, I didn’t know what to do. I felt trapped in this bubble—the life in a werewolf world. After I stole the Wrangler, I drove off the compound and didn’t know where to go. Thankfully, I had my phone stuck in my dress. I dialed
CALIFF “That’s the fifth time in one minute.” “What?” My eyes narrowed at Duke. “You, sighing. Shadow will come back. She’s probably just running into the forest.” “You’re not helping.” Kindra sat on the armchair and wrapped her arm around him. “Tor and Zack are back, and she wasn’t there when they woke up. Those two idiots slept when it was their duty to safeguard Shadow. Fucking awesome. Truly reliable!” “Calm down before you shift in front of us.” “I trusted them. If something happens to Shadow, I swear they will see my wrath that they haven't seen before." I blew out a breath. "The problem is, she left the car, Duke. Lyon can send men to look for her, but she clearly doesn’t wanna be found.” “Do you feel anything?” “Other than my wolf is fucking annoying, I’m pissed off, Duke. Why did Dad do what he did?” “I don’t know, man. I didn’t even notice you were small and weak. There must be another reason.” “Yeah, aside from the witches being scared of a Lycan and a witch ruli
SHADOW I hid my smile as soon as the elders left, leaving me just Califf, Duke, and Elder Eleanor. “What just happened?” Duke asked. “I think I just did my job on my first day as Luna.” I grinned at him, and he grinned back. I laughed silently. “Did I just threaten those Elders? They will plan a payback, will they?” “May I ask why did you do that?” Oh, gosh. I forgot Elder Eleanor was still in the office. My face heated. “I apologize for how I acted last night. It was just the rush of anger and a lot of emotions, and my wolf saw red.” “Please, don’t apologize.” She held my arms. “I should be the one apologizing on behalf of my mate. He just did what he thought was good for our son.” “That’s not an excuse, Mom. He murdered a pack. I can’t just ignore it and leave it unpunished.” “Do what you must, son. Your father would understand.” She smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek. “You will be a great Luna, my dear. You already are.” “Thanks, Elder Eleanor.” She nodded before she
CALIFF “Are you sure you wanna do this?” She was sitting on the passenger seat, focused on her phone, and hadn’t answered my question. “Shadow, I’m talking to you.” I put my hand on her thigh, squeezing to get her attention. “I heard you, Califf. And yes. If you’re concerned that I might snap his neck. No, forget about it. I won’t do that. You just have to trust me.” “I trust you. You know that.” Dad was already at home, resting. His disease was like cancer in humans. I’d never heard of a werewolf catching a disease like him. How would I fund research like this without exposing us? It was hard to accept his fate, but maybe he was paying for what he’d done as his way to repent all his sins. “Then why do you keep asking me if I wanna do this? Of course, I want to do this. I won’t lay a hand on your father and look at these two behind us. They will break my jaw before I can raise my hand.” “Where did you go when you woke up, Luna?” Zack asked. “I should also report my errands to