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Olivia “You didn’t have to come with me.” I glance over at Kyle from the passenger seat. “Nothing about this is going to be fun.” “I want to be there for you.” He insists. “Besides, I have friends in Glass Lake I can visit when you’re busy.” “Well, thank you.” I reach over to squeeze his hand. The minute Mason explained what little mom told him about Brynlee’s condition, Kyle insisted on coming along. I appreciate the support. I truly do. But I can’t shake the guilt eating away at me. I just wish I knew what I felt guilty for, subjecting Kyle to the disaster that is my life in Glass Lake or bringing a man home when I still have mates. Not that I owe them any loyalty. Ugh! What is wrong with me? “So, do I get to meet these friends? Admittedly, I didn’t go out much so I don’t know a lot of people outside of my family. But I’d love to meet them now.” “Uh, Sure. I mean, if you have time. You might be too busy with . . . everything.” He hedges, and I don’t miss the uncertainty in
Kaden “Alpha, we can’t find a trail.” One of my patrol officers reports in. “There’s no scent, no footprints, no disturbed vegetation, nothing. Whoever he is, he’s like a ghost.” “A ghost didn’t assault Brynlee Cross!” I growl, more frustrated with myself than him. How could I let this happen to one of my pack? That girl was my responsibility and I failed her. “Keep looking, soldier!” I bark the order, brooking no argument. I look around for my “cousin” Rhett, and wave him over. He’s the Alpha heir to the Forest Trails pack but I called him here because his tracking skills are unmatched. If we’re missing something, he’ll find it. “Anything yet?” I ask when he jogs to my side. “Too many scents.” He shakes his head. “And most of them have faded. If I can spend some time with the victim, learn her scent, I’m sure I can isolate it enough to find a trail, maybe even find where she was being held, but right now, I don’t know which scent to follow.” “That makes sense.” I agree despite
Kaden “What are you doing here?” I ask, entering the office to find Declan sitting behind the desk. I’d gone back to the hospital but visiting hours were over for the day. No one remained in Brynlee’s room and even the scent of my mate had faded to just a wisp floating in the air. I plan to head straight to the ex-Beta’s home and demand her identity but the pull of duty has me stopping at the office to order increased patrols in the area where I’d overheard the stranger talking earlier. “Hiding.” He scowls. “I can’t take another minute of mom’s fussing or dad’s pep talks. Even Dani is in on the action, cooking and constantly bringing me food. I’m going to weigh a ton before I get out of this chair.” “The danger is real, man. Your little sister can cook!” I tease, ignoring the elephant in the room, that there’s no guarantee he will get out of the chair. As if he read my mind, Declan addresses the topic himself. “I moved my legs in therapy today.” He announces with a proud grin. “N
Olivia I notice the second Kaden’s eyes land on me. Of course I do, because I can’t look away from him if I tried. Freaking piece of crap mate bond! I’d expected it to have weakened after all these years, but the pull to them both is as strong as ever. I force the smirk on my face, force myself to appear unaffected, but the heat in his gaze makes me feel like I’m burning from the inside out. What I don’t understand is why. Why is he looking at me like he wants to possess my very soul when he hates me as much as I hate him?Then confusion colors his features and he whispers to Declan, whose eyes sear into me, setting me aflame all over again. Despite the fire licking at my skin, the truth is crystal clear. Kaden doesn’t recognize me. Unsure if that realization should hurt or fill me with pride, maybe a bit of both, I slip my hand into Kyle’s, letting his presence ground me. I need to remember who I am, not who my mates believe me to be. Kyle has always done that for me. “No!” Kaden’
Kaden “What are you doing in my room?” Her eyes are hard and her lips set in a thin angry line. That look on her face guts me, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I failed her. I deserve her contempt. “I couldn’t just let you walk away! Livvy, your scent . . . we’re-” “Mates. I’m aware.” Her admission is bitter, full of unspoken pain and resentment. It’s like a knife to my heart. All I ever wanted was my mate, that person made just for me to love and cherish. How did I get so lost? How did I end up destroying the one person I was meant to protect? Fuck! The things I said to her . . . “I’m so sorry, Liv. I know those are just words but I am. If I’d known, I’d-” I knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment it left my mouth.“You’d what, Kaden? You would have treated me better? You would have stood up for me instead of behaving like the other small-minded idiots, making you just one in a sea of dickheads instead of the Alpha, the someone special and set apart you were supposed to be?
Declan “Kaden!” My tone holds a warning that breaks through the fog of anger? Hurt? Regret? I’m not even sure what I’m feeling, let alone what’s going on in his head. “You’re scaring the pups!” I hiss. “Right. Excuse me.” He steps outside, hopefully to cool off. I know I should take the opportunity to say something, anything, to Olivia but I’m too busy staring in fascination at the little boy who looks just like me. Olivia has always been beautiful, and if I’m honest with myself, I wanted her more than I ever dared to admit. But seeing her now, mothering my pup, that shit leaves me speechless.I squirm in my chair, trying to hide my erection. My cock has been rock hard since I first caught her scent in the ballroom earlier, but here in this room, it’s like a bakery exploded, filling the air with sugary, cinnamony goodness.. I want to lick her until she drowns me in all her delicious slick, but it will be a long time before I earn that privilege, if I ever do.“How old are they?” I
Kaden Last night sucked! I went home alone, no mate, no pups, though every cell in my being screamed at me not to let them out of my sight. I’m spent, both physically and emotionally. The raging hard-on that refused to go down no matter how many times I jerked off didn’t help either. I tossed and turned all night, uncomfortable as fuck. So it comes as no surprise that this morning, I’m tired and extremely pissed off. I still have no idea how to make Olivia forgive me. The only thing I do know is that I’m going to have a fucking talk with my twin sister. It’s barely daybreak when I gun my car into the driveway of my parents home, the back tires skidding on the gravel as I slam on the brakes. They may not have known Olivia’s secret but Ellie sure as hell did. I thought we were close, thought I could trust her. How could she betray me like this? “Elena!” I bellow as I burst through the front door, heading toward the sounds of chatter in the kitchen. “Good morning, Uncle Kade.” Aspe
Olivia “Good morning, sunshine!” Kyle greets me with a beaming smile at the bakery where we’re meeting for coffee.. “Good morning!” I try to match his sunny disposition, hoping my face doesn’t give me away. I spent the entire night last night convincing myself I have nothing to feel guilty about. I didn’t ask to be kissed. But there’s only one problem with that theory. I liked it. Of course I liked it! It’s the bond. My body is built to crave my mates, to respond pleasurably to their every touch. And boy did I respond. A wave of shame washes over me at the memory. That and a gush of slick in my panties. I agonized all night over whether or not I should tell him. But no, I’m not even sure what Kyle and I are, so there’s no need to confess, right? So why do I feel like I’ve done something wrong?“I’ve missed you.” Kyle says, and I feel the knife twist a little deeper. “I should be at the hospital with you more. I came along to support you and all I’ve done is work.”“It’s okay. I u
Brynlee Who am I? It’s the last thing I ask myself before I fall asleep and the first thing that comes to mind the minute I wake up. Who am I now that the person I used to be no longer exists. Sweet, innocent Brynlee is gone. She died the moment Xavier cornered her in that coffee shop all those weeks ago, even if she didn’t know it yet. But when he, and then his son Xander, put their hands on me, brutalized me in unspeakable ways, there was no coming back from that. No, sweet, innocent Brynlee, the girl everyone loved, who never put a toe out of line, she burned to ash in those moments. But what’s awoken in her place is something I can’t begin to wrap my head around. Contemplating a question I can’t stop asking myself but that has no easy answer is hard. Going to sleep and never waking up would be easier. But I don't. I won’t. For them. Everything I do is for them, the people that love me. My family who would never recover from my loss. A sentence I can’t impose upon them, even if
Olivia "That's the last box," I announce, setting down a container marked 'Isla's stuffed animals' in what will become the nursery of our new packhouse. The sprawling structure sits perfectly between Glass Lake and Crimson Moon territories, a physical representation of the bridges we've built between our packs.Through the window, I watch Ryan and Reegan directing the placement of outdoor furniture while Kat and Declan’s mom, Isabella, supervise the unpacking of the kitchen. Having Kaden's and Declan’s parents move in with us feels right – the pups adore their grandparents, and after everything we've faced, keeping family close has become even more important.My own parents chose to stay in their home, a decision I understand completely. Brynlee needs the familiar comfort of those walls right now, needs the safety of the place she's known her whole life while she heals. The haunted look in my sister's eyes is slowly fading, but her recovery will take time. Time, and probably vengeance
OliviaSunlight streams through our bedroom windows as I drift awake between my mates. Every inch of my body tingles with pleasant soreness, marked and claimed exactly as it always should have been. Kaden's chest rises and falls steadily against my back while Declan's arms wrap around me from the front, both of them holding me close even in sleep.Last night was . . . transformative. The "do-over" of that pivotal moment didn't just create new memories, it healed something deep inside me I hadn't even realized was still wounded. Every word they spoke, every touch they bestowed, every mark they left replaced old pain with new joy.Memories of last night flood through me, making me shiver between them. The way Kaden's voice broke when he finally said the words he should have said years ago: "My wolf has been reaching for you since that first moment." How Declan's hands trembled as he traced reverent patterns on my skin, whispering "Our missing piece, always our missing piece."Kaden stirs
Declan I never considered myself much of a voyeur, never saw the appeal of watching others have all the fun. But with Liv, I could watch her in the throes of pleasure, her gorgeous body writhing in ecstasy all damn day. The only thing better is bringing her that pleasure myself. And now, it’s my turn. "My beautiful Luna," I breathe, crawling over her body where she reclines against Kaden’s chest. "I was lost without you, even when I didn't know what I was missing. Every instinct told me to protect you, to keep you close, but I fought it because I thought I had to." Kaden lifts her thighs, placing them on either side of his, opening her wide for me. Her pussy lips are swollen, her clit peeking out from under its hood. And a mixture of her slick and Kaden’s cum drips from her cunt. The sight is fucking erotic. "The day you left Glass Lake, something in me broke.” I whisper against her lips, kissing them softly and swallowing her moans when I scoop their cum onto my fingers and push
Kaden Olivia writhes beneath me as I eat her out like a man possessed. I lap at her folds, not wanting to miss a single drop of the delicious juices she’s making just for me. I won’t stop until she’s squirting all over my face. But not yet. I feel her struggling to focus as my tongue moves between her legs. She thinks I’m teasing her, taking my time, and it’s making her desperate. That’s how I always want her, desperate for me. But it’s not my intention to torture her, not tonight anyway. "I should have accepted you the moment you told us," I breathe against her skin, my warm breath over her sensitive nub making her cry out. "The way my wolf reached for you, the emptiness I felt when you left . . .” I trail off so I can circle her entrance with the tip of my tongue, missing the delicious taste of her. “I was so caught up in what I thought I needed that I missed what was right in front of me."I suck her hard little clit into my mouth and flick it with my tongue. She trembles benea
Kaden Listening to Olivia confront Kyle twists something in my chest. Her words about those lonely years, about crying herself to sleep knowing we were so close yet couldn't see her, they haunt me. Even though she's forgiven us, even though our mate bonds now pulse strong and true, the guilt gnaws at me."You're brooding," Declan observes as we wait for her outside the prison."I'm thinking," I correct him, an idea forming. "About that horrible fucking night. The first time she tried to tell us about the bond."Understanding dawns in his eyes. I don’t need a mate bond to feel his own regret surge, to see it in his eyes. "The ballroom, the night before we left for training.""We should have recognized her then. Should have felt what she was trying to tell us." The memory of her face that night, hopeful and terrified, makes my wolf whine. "What if we could do it over?"Declan raises an eyebrow. "You want to recreate that night?""But do it right this time. Give her the response she dese
Olivia “Where are you off to, rosebud?” Declan steps out of the office doorway just as I’m walking by. I was hoping to sneak out without having this conversation but apparently fate isn’t on my side today. I sigh, knowing I can’t lie to him and knowing he won’t like my answer. “I’m going down to the cells to see Kyle.” I answer honestly. “What did you say? Because I’m sure I must have heard you wrong.” Kaden’s gaze meets mine as Declan ushers me inside the office, anxiety radiating off of both men. "I need to see him," I say quietly, watching Kaden and Declan's expressions darken. "I need answers.""Like hell you do," Declan growls, pacing the room. "Kyle worked with Xavier, Olivia. He was part of everything that's happened. You know this. Why would you want to see him after everything he’s done?"Kaden's silence is almost worse than Declan's anger. Through our mate bond, I feel his rage warring with the need to protect me from more pain."He saved my life," I remind them softl
Olivia"I want to forgive them, my parents" I say quietly, curled between Kaden and Declan on our oversized couch after putting the kids to bed. "I need to."Kaden's fingers thread through my hair while Declan's thumb traces circles on my palm. Through our bonds, I feel their immediate support, though tinged with protective concern."Are you sure?" Declan asks, his voice gentle. "I know things have gotten better between you. But after how they dismissed your pain, can you really forgive them completely?""That's why I need to do this." I lean into Kaden's touch, drawing strength from his steady presence. "Watching Brynlee fight her way back, seeing how fragile life can be . . . I don't want to carry this weight anymore. And with Hester's chaos spell possibly influencing them . . .""It doesn't excuse everything," Kaden points out quietly. "Spell or no spell, they should have believed their daughter.""No, it doesn't excuse it. But maybe it explains some of it." I sit up, looking at bot
Kaden “I’m so sick and fucking tired of this shit!” I throw myself down in my office chair while Declan watches my tantrum with amusement. “Weeks, Dec! It’s been weeks we’ve done nothing but try to track Xander and we’re no closer to finding him. I miss Liv and the pups.” “Same.” Declan admits. “But what choice do we have? With what Brynlee shared, it’s more important than ever to find him.” "We've been neglecting her," I say, watching Declan pace our office like the caged wolf he is. "All this focus on tracking Xander, securing the territory, it’s our responsibility. But so is taking care of our Luna, our family.""She understands." Declan stops at the window, his shoulders tight. "But you're right. When was the last time we had a moment just for us? No pack business, no threats, no interruptions?"Through our restored mate bonds, I feel Olivia's exhaustion. She's been splitting her time between pack duties, the children, and visiting Brynlee. Always putting everyone else first. I