CoitI tell myself I shouldn’t be nervous. Other shifters will be able to smell it on me like blood in the water. There’s no real reason for the Nightstones to object to me marrying Lydia except for any lingering bad blood because of my father. Alpha Gerald doesn’t seem to be holding my father’s sin
Coit“My business here involves Lydia.” I clear my throat and continue, “I’m here to ask for your blessing to marry her.”Alcide chuckles, crossing his arms over her chest. Her father is a few inches shorter than me, but he’s more muscular, his biceps large and intimidating. Despite being middle age
EmoryMikey is always hungry. His stomach is a bottomless pit that never seems to be full, no matter how much he eats. Whatever food is within his vicinity, he runs toward it with relentless determination, and when he’s not allowed to eat when he’s hungry, he erupts into loud tantrums that don’t sto
“I don’t regret how things went with Kane. I wouldn’t trade my life for anything, but that time was also hectic and full of danger. Having a child during a war was very stressful.”“Do you wish you could have waited? Taken your time with everything?” he asks me.“I don’t know. Maybe? It was a little
CoitThe weekend comes, and Lydia arrives in Moon Grove early in the morning. She is almost never late, arriving at least half an hour early to everything. While I was visiting her house, she showed me the thick blue planner that details out her schedule for weeks ahead. She uses different colored
CoitThe woods feel like home as much as the house. I’ve spent equally as much of my childhood out there climbing trees and exploring nature to my heart’s content. Camping out here had been a regular event when Emory and I were kids. Our father would stay up late with us and teach us about the stars
Her eyes widen slightly, and she smiles. It reminds me of the dawn after a long night.“That’s good,” she replies. “Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”I take her arms away from my neck so I can get down on one knee. She freezes in shock. I pull the right out of the pocket of my p
CoitThat weekend blurs together in a hazy dream. I can’t stop touching Lydia. We spend hours having sex and sharing stories in between. The stories range from funny and silly to sad and sincere.This isn’t just having another body to get lost in. I’m getting to know Lydia and all her little quirks.
Fractured memories of the night I nearly drank myself to death careen to the forefront of my mind. There was a woman. I don’t remember her face or her name. I was so far gone with drink and self-loathing that I gave in to whatever kind of attention and stimulations she had to offer. It was consensua
ColeThe letter came in the dead of night, rain-soaked and smeared, but I’d know her handwriting anywhere, in any condition. She’d written that she needed to see me, urgently, that it couldn’t wait, and she couldn’t explain why, not in a letter, not at the risk of what she needed to tell me going pu
EmeldaIt’s a quiet night. A long, silent walk from the castle. I needed this quiet, this stillness in the late summer air. Ravenfell comes into view beyond the trees, twinkling in the darkness. I smile, shaking my head as I look down at my shoes. I can still feel the weight of the twins in my arms
MichaelI haven’t been to Scarlet Thunder in… years. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until I pulled up to the back of the castle, somewhat startled by how small it looks compared to my memories from my childhood. Not that it's a small castle, but I'm much bigger now. I step out of my car, my fac
Faye“Oh, Faye, this is beautiful,” Emory says as she walks around the wide room on the second floor of the newly constructed manor. She runs her fingers over the pale blue and pink floral wallpaper and white trim, her jade eyes sparkling as she takes in the lace curtains and soft cream carpet. “I l
EmeldaIn the week since the twins were born, I’ve been busy with the final touches on my cottage. I spent days this past spring digging in the front garden, planting herbs and vegetables, and fixing the front path. I hired a group of shifters to replace the roof and update the inside, installing ne
Emelda“Thank you,” I say, hurrying at a near run as a maid takes my cloak. The castle is buzzing with nervous energy but remains quiet with even the maids tiptoeing around, trying not to make a sound. I’d remained in Ravenfell for the birth. I spent all night and most of this morning at Alma’s hou
FayeSomething’s wrong. Something has to be wrong. “You’re doing great. Keep pushing, Faye. You’ve got this,” Alma says, her face glistening with sweat and determination while I roar in pain. Michael clutches my hand, his other hand bracing my inner thigh as I bear down with all the strength I hav
Michael“It could be hours–or a day,” Alma says quietly as she arranges her tonics on a table just outside the bedroom where Faye’s finally getting some rest. “It’s been hours already,” I tell her, motioning toward the window in my suite in the castle where moonlight drifts through the panes, casti