Lana's P.O.V. Every step we took, more people seemed to appear. Most were smiling with welcome, but others were staring with a look of open curiosity. I couldn't blame them though. I was examining them too. The man at the gate, Conner, had been right. Nudity was something that I would have to get used to, and so would Maddie. Several people we passed were wearing tank tops and shorts, but most people were in sports bras and shorts, or nothing at all. But, none of them seemed to mind. If Oliver's pack was the same way, I would have to adjust quickly. Besides their lack of clothing and their muscular build, they look no different than humans. I wasn't sure what I had been expecting. I knew from Oliver that when in their human form, there was nothing different about them. But I was still looking for something to stand out as I scanned the crowd. I had no doubt in my mind who the Alpha was. A beautiful black woman stood tall and proud in front of a large mansion. Her head of braids lo
Oliver's P.O.V. Walking away from Lana when I was aware of the fury boiling through her veins, felt like the wrong move. I didn't want anything planting a seed of doubt in her about me. If the alpha hadn't been watching, I would have pulled Nyla off me and told her to go to Hell. But we were guests, and insulting one of their pack members didn't seem like the best idea. Ignoring the Alpha's command for me to follow her would have been just as bad. I would be in trouble either way, but at least this way, the person who was mad at me wasn't the one offering my mate and daughter shelter, food, and safety. I could make things right with Lana, but pissing off the only people who could protect us right now was in bad taste. As the office door closed behind me, I tried to block out the emotions coming from Lana. Every second I was away from her, the worse they felt. Her anger grew deeper, and the feeling of betrayal burned further into my brain. "Please, take a seat." Alpha Jones request
Lana's P.O.V. Charlotte was quick to guide us away from her, Oliver's mate. I may have been new to his world, but I knew that animals mated. Hell, for the past few weeks, I had been 'mating' with him every chance I could. To think that he could have been here yesterday, fucking that model-worthy woman and then coming home to me and acting like nothing happened... I felt bile move up my throat as the thought reached me. Haf he been inside both of us yesterday? I felt dirty, but more than that, I felt betrayed. I tried to listen to Oliver when he asked me not to assume anything and to wait for him to explain, but it was hard. Why would a woman wrap herself around a man like that unless they were intimate? The fact that she claimed she was his mate, made it all the worse in my head. What was the difference between mating with someone and being their mate? I had felt like I was invading their privacy just by witnessing their intimate greeting. Maddie didn't seem to notice or mind, but
Oliver's P.O.V. My heart shattered as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her eyes were wide, red, pleading… begging me to tell her it wasn't true. "Not anymore," I said softly, but the rush of rage that I felt coming from her told me that wasn't the answer she was hoping for. "There is no one else for me, only you." Lana stood up, sliding out from between where I sat on my knees before her until she was free to pace the room. Rising to my feet, I patiently watched her for a moment before trying to explain again. "This is unbelievable," Lana whispered, but I could see her tensing even more. Her face was turning pink, and her tears had stopped. If there were room, I would have taken a step back as she turned to face me with a fierce glare. Her eyes narrowed in on me, and she took a step forward. "How dare you! You had the nerve to get mad at me because I ran away from a husband who had been beating me and Maddie for years, and you had a soulmate here waiting for you. Someone who was handp
Lana's P.O.V. I was being petty as we sat down at the kitchen island for lunch. Every time I heard someone moving, my hand snapped over to hold Oliver's hand, arm, or thigh. I wanted to be prepared the next time that woman, Nyla, came near. I wanted her to see that Oliver was mine now. Hell, if I were a wolf, I would walk him over to her and then piss around him. Although I doubted that was how their kind marked their territory, it was still funny to think about. Maddie was oblivious to the tension pouring from me, but Oliver seemed aware. He had turned his barstool at the island until he was facing me. He pulled my chair closer until I was seated between his legs with both of mine hanging over one of his. I was basking in the pride of knowing that he was mine and that he was open to showing affection toward me in front of other people. But no matter how close we were, if Nyla were to walk in, I would find a way to be even closer without scaring my daughter. Maddie had enjoyed h
Oliver's P.O.V. I could see it clear as day in the pain etched into Nyla's face. Seeing me with Lana was actually hurting her. She felt betrayed. It was as if she were telling the truth, and she still felt the mate bond. But that shouldn't be possible. "Nyla, I'm sorry. It's gone for me. I don't feel anything for you. There is no pull, no feelings…nothing. You still feel it?" The disbelief leaked into my tone. but the way her hands were shaking at her sides as tears silently slid down her cheek made guilt stab its way into my chest. "Were you just about to…" Nyla whispered with shock. Her hand moved up to touch her mark, the one that had been placed by Conner. The sensation of contact with her chosen mate's mark seemed to bring her back to reality, and she shook her head back and forth in disbelief and confusion. I watched her leave, unsure how to react or respond as she sprinted out of the room. The sound of the pack house door slamming shut met my ears only a second later, but t
Oliver's P.O.V. "I don't want to think about anyone else right now, and as for James, I will never let him lay a hand on you or Maddie again. I swear to you." I promised as I slid my hands up her hips to the curve of her waist, my thumbs sliding against the soft flesh beneath her bra line. "The only thing on my mind is how fucking good you taste, and how you sound when you cum for me." Lana's lips parted against the skin of my chest, and I smiled as she looked up at me. "Prove it." Her challenge sent a thrill through me and my beast. I felt him come forward, but I kept control. I lifted her from the ground, connecting our lips as she wrapped her legs around me. "I plan to," I said as I set her down on the bed and pulled her shorts off in one pull. Lana leaned up on her elbow, unclasping her bra with one hand behind her before tossing it to the floor. "I don't know if I've told you this, but I fucking love it when you don't wear any panties for me." Her desire was the sweetest thin
Lana's P.O.V. The control he seemed to be losing snapped right back as he stared down at me in shock. The black of his eyes vanished as he quickly pulled out and came on my clit. The warmth of it sent another shock of pleasure through me. My eyes were wide as I stared at him, wanting him to say it again… needing to confirm I had heard him right the first time. He had declared his love for me, something I hadn't heard a man say in years. It felt right to hear it from his lips. I had dreamed of him saying it night after night, but I never would have imagined that he would say it in real life. Especially given the situation. His soulmate had just been crying over him in the kitchen. Groups of rogues were hunting him down and trying to kill him. My husband could be anywhere, waiting for the chance to take me and Maddie back home, if not, kill me. But he was here with me, declaring his love… and I froze. I wanted to say it back, but my mind was screaming that it wasn't safe. As soon
Oliver's P.O.V - 14 years later There wasn't a single person who knew where I was. I had snuck away in the middle of the night and left. I needed to get to her, and that desperate need caused me to chase her over a hundred miles away. I had been lying in bed next to my beautiful mate, and yet all I could think about was her. There was a desperate need to see her. My wolf was on edge and sad with her so far away. I hated that she left me. So, we went after her. The sun was beginning to rise, and I sat in the tree line impatiently, waiting for her to leave for the day. The door to her building was just barely visible, but I knew that as soon as she stepped out, I would be able to see her. She hadn't been responding to any of my messages, and it was driving me insane. A simple 'hello' or 'I'm okay' wouldn't be that hard. I would even accept a, 'please stop messaging me'. One of the last things she said to me had broken my heart, but I would never stop
Lana's P.O.V. The pack had been over the moon when we announced our pregnancy. Having a baby who had been directly blessed by the Goddess was huge to our people, and I could only hope that they wouldn't put too much pressure on him. It had only been a few days, but I had already given up arguing with Oliver over the possibility that it could be a girl. He was so positive we would have a son, that he convinced me. We had picked out several names, prematurely as we hadn't even made it past the first trimester yet, but the excitement was driving us to do all the things they say you shouldn't. We told everyone, picked names, and started thinking about how we were going to design the nursery. The news that our house was next on the list to be worked on made me giddy. Everything was falling into place. The front door to the pack house slammed open, and I watched as several members of our pack split in different directions. The party was still in full swing, but no
Lana's P.O.V.For the past several months, I couldn't help but feel like I was failing Oliver. He was so calm and collected, yet each month when I took that test and received only one pink line in response, it broke me. He knew that it did.Oliver would come to find me, and he would hold me until the tears stopped, whispering that it would happen and that it just wasn't our time yet. But I wanted it to be. More than anything in the world, I wanted two pink lines to look back at me and tell me that our next child was growing inside me.Maddie was more impatient than I was, and her disappointment hurt me even worse. Her smile would fall when she would ask when her sibling would get here. We would tell her that we were still working on it, and she would get really quiet for the rest of the day. It was heartbreaking.But Oliver continued to insist. He would tell me that he knew for a fact it would happen when it was the right time and that we would have a whole litter of children by the t
I hope you enjoyed Oliver and Lana's story!Don't forget to follow me for updates on my new releases! Also, as I'm sure you know by now, any votes comments and positive book reviews are much appreciated! I'm feeling really good about the hard work I put into this book, and I am so grateful for the positive feedback! This was part of The Cards of Fate writing contest, and whether I rank or not, I want to thank you all for your support! Results are to come out in January, so please vote, comment, leave a review and share with your friends if you enjoyed it!I am still loving seeing the comments and votes on these. So, Im going to ask again. Whose story do you like best so far?Olivia and GabrielParker and KayleeOliver and LanaWith every book, I am doing my best to have it be better than the last. I read every comment for feedback! Stay tuned for bonus chapters!You are the best!
Maddie's P.O.V. Twenty Years Later My fingers pulled at the hem of my dress as I sat sipping my champagne. I had thought attending my college roommate's wedding would be fun, but it was pretty boring. While I had imagined, men and women our age drinking, dancing, and flirting, it was the complete opposite. The best part about it was the food. They had invited their entire families but only a few friends. I grabbed another roll of bread from the basket on the table, ripping it up before popping small pieces into my mouth. I had learned my lesson before, getting caught stuffing my mouth at functions that had a lot of cameras. Those photos would haunt me for the rest of my life. But this, this was not a wedding to remember for anyone other than the couple. Which was as it should be. This was their night and money. The guests didn't matter to them in the couple's blissful bubble. But as one of their attendees, I could vouch that their guests sure were bored. The couple was swaying ba
Oliver's P.O.V. As much as I loved Aspen, I had to get out of there. We had grown up together, almost as siblings since her dad was the Beta and mine, the Alpha. But even as a kid, I could only take so much of her dramatics or lack of a filter. Things moved through her brain and out of her mouth without considering whether it was appropriate or hurtful. As a teenager, I heard way more about her sex life than I wanted to, and the last thing I wanted was to get suckered into sitting down and having to listen to her go on about her lack of sexual freedom while I was trying to eat my breakfast. Instead, I packed up the majority of the pancakes into a Tupperware as soon as they left the frying pan, much to Hudson's annoyance, and stole the bottle of syrup before dashing after Maddie. She screamed with joy as I threw her over my shoulder and carried her away from that clingy little pup, Nicholas. He really wasn't so bad, but I resented him for the idea that he could one day take her from
Lana's P.O.V.There was still tension between Adeline and Oliver as we made our way to the kitchen at the insistence of my very pushy daughter, but Mr. Blake looked over the moon. Getting a second chance with his son seemed to be just what he needed during this hard time, and I knew Oliver needed it too.I don't think Oliver would have been able to live with himself if he went back to shunning his father. Especially after the man sacrificed himself for Oliver and lost his arm in the process.The guilt would have driven him mad.Kaylee and Parker were sitting at the kitchen island with Olivia, eating heaping piles of eggs, sausage, and several pieces of toast. They smiled widely at me as I entered with Maddie right behind me. But their excitement seemed to rise as Oliver entered, being dragged by Maddie's hold on his hand."Liv! I'm glad you're still here!" Oliver exclaimed as he lifted Maddie and placed her on the empty barstool ne
Oliver's P.O.V."I don't want to leave," Lana mumbled, her lips rubbing against my chest as she pressed her warm, naked body firmly against mine beneath the blanket. The morning sun beamed in through the edges of the curtain, reminding us that it was time for us to get up and get to work.I hated that while I had been sleeping for the past two weeks, my pack had been busting their ass to restore our homes and way of life. Even though I was injured and in a coma, I wanted to make up for it and contribute.I was disappointed when we entered our room yesterday evening to find it was occupied by multiple other people. Their mats and blankets spread out across the floor. But when I got out of the shower, Lana was standing in the middle of our newly vacant room with a wide smile.I didn't waste another second in swooping her up into my arms and taking her to bed. We had been apart for too long, and all I wanted was to be close to her. What star
Lana's P.O.V. There was a collection of us, at least a hundred, who were going from house to house, tearing out all of the damaged sections and rebuilding them back up as quickly as possible. A few homes would have to be completely demolished, but we would have to come back to them. For now, we needed to get as many as we could into livable conditions, and as soon as possible, so our people could have a roof over their heads. It was bad enough that I had multiple strangers sleeping on my bedroom floor. Maddie was having a blast sleeping in the room with the other kids. It was like a giant slumber party every night. But even if I wanted to rest for a minute during the day, my bed was out of the question. Having strangers in my space, in mine and Oliver's personal bedroom, made it feel compromised. It was no longer my safe space. They were diluting his scent, and coming in and out at random times throughout the day. I had tried to close my eyes once for a quick nap, and as soon as t