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Kaden By the time I reach the east border where the fighting occurred, the rogues have been put down by my men. Unfortunately, not before they slaughtered the elderly couple whose home sits closest to the border. The carnage is so horrific, I have to pull my shirt over my nose to cover the stench of blood in the air. “Get this cleaned up!” I command the few warriors with me. “I don't want the family to see this.” I have no idea how the rogues managed to get in but I’m pretty sure I know who sent them. More and more, I’m convinced Alpha Xavier is after my pack and he’ll stop at nothing to get it, including using his own daughter. The problem is, I have no proof and the Council would never sanction a declaration of war without it. Knowing there is nothing more I can do here, I head for my parents’ house, anxious to be with Olivia and our pups. Declan and I should be spoiling our pregnant mate, not battling rogues and burying corpses. No sooner does that thought cross my mind than t
Olivia “They’re gone.” Auntie Kat says and it takes me a minute to process what she said. They can’t be gone! That can’t be real! An agonized scream erupts from my chest when it finally sinks in that my boys are missing. I collapse in Declan’s arms, soaking his skin with my tears. He does his best to comfort me but I can feel his fear and his fury so fierce he’s vibrating with it. Kat breaks down, unable to continue, so Kaden’s dad takes over. “We followed his scent but it just vanished. We’ve already got men out looking for them, including Rhett and your uncle Dillon. We’ll find them.”But somehow, I know they won’t find them. I feel like I’m falling to pieces, crumbling from the inside out. Then suddenly I feel a jolt, like a bolt of lightning firing through every cell in my body. Sparks like fireworks fill my vision, then fizzle out and with them, everything goes dark. My eyes flutter open again and a tsunami of memories threaten to drown me. And with them, the full spectrum of
Declan Olivia stares out the window as we make our way to the east wall. She’s sitting in the front seat between Kaden and I, each of us holding one of her hands. She allows the contact but through the bond I can feel that she’s miles away. Maybe I need the comfort of her touch more than she needs mine. If it weren’t for her memories returning, we wouldn’t have the first clue where to start our search for the boys. But now, not only is she terrified for our pups, she’s been hit with the full force of her mates’ betrayals all at once. It must feel to her like it just happened yesterday. I know we’re bonded now, I know that’s forever, but even bonded mates can live separate lives if they feel they made a mistake. I squeeze her hand just a little bit tighter, relief pouring through me when she squeezes back. I couldn’t stand it if she regretted accepting me. “They’re going to be fine, rosebud. Kyle may be delusional, but he wants you to be a family. He won’t hurt them.” I slide my
Oliva Mothers always say there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for their children. I used to wonder if that was really true. I always believed I’d walk through the fires of hell for my boys. Now, I know I would, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I hate breaking my promise to Declan. I promised him I'd never run from him again and that’s exactly what I’ve done. But if there’s even the smallest chance Kyle took the twins to Crimson Moon, I have to go. Even if it means risking my own freedom. As I pull up to the front gate in my stolen SUV, fear claws at my insides but I force my face into a neutral expression. “Welcome to Crimson Moon. How can I help you today, miss . . .” The guard trails off and I realize he’s waiting for my name. “Uh, it’s Ms. Connor,” I use Declan’s surname, hoping it won’t be familiar if they were told to flag Olivia Cross. “I’m here to visit a friend.” “Name, please.” He states flatly. He’s watching my face while tapping his pen against his clipboard impatiently. Why
Olivia “Where are we going?” I ask as I rush to follow Hester down the hall, my head on a swivel, afraid Xavier or one of his men are going to pop out at any minute and drag me back to my fancy prison. When Hester came for me, I didn’t think twice about going with her. Sure, I could be jumping out of the frying pan right into the fire, but at the time, anything seemed better than being trapped in that room, just waiting for Xavier to return. I’m not sure what she wants with me, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Xavier’s plans for me aren’t good. “Quiet!” She hisses. “Do you want to get us caught?” I huff but keep moving, not having a better option at the moment. We seem to be taking a back passage, different from the way I came in, Eventually it leads to a side exit at the back of the packhouse. The moment the cold air hits my face, I skid to a stop. If my pups are in that house, I’m not leaving no matter how dangerous it is. Hester finally notices I’m not following and
Olivia “Like I said, it’s a long story.” Hester dodges my question. “Well, apparently, I’m not going anywhere soon.” A thick layer of sarcasm coats my tone. “If you’re really sorry, then you owe me an explanation. “You’re not going to like it. Not that I blame you.” She sinks into a chair and folds her hand in her lap, focusing on something far away in her mind’s eye. “Please try to remember, everything I’ve done was done out of love for a man I considered to be my hero.” “I’ll try.” I nod for her to continue, knowing what she says next is going to rock my entire world but needing to hear it anyway. “My mother was a very powerful witch. I won’t get into her story except to say she let her power make her greedy and it didn't end well for her. She got on the wrong side of an Alpha and it cost her life. It almost cost mine too. It would have if it weren’t for Kyle.“He wasn’t in good shape when I met him, drinking a lot and starting fights. He was thrown in the cell next to mine t
Kaden“I don’t fucking care what the council says! I’m going to get my mate and pups back, even if it takes a war to do it!” I sweep my arm across my desk, sending the contents flying. “Son, I’ve been where you are.” My father, Reegan, says giving my mother a meaningful look. “I know how you feel. But we have to go about this the right way. “If Xavier has them and he intends to ransom them in exchange for the pack, he’ll have to keep them alive. If you show up with an army, who's to say he won’t hurt them before you can get to them. We need a plan.”He’s right. I know he's right, but I don’t want to accept it. I want to burn the world down to get to my family. Not sit here in this office and strategize. “I need to get some air.” I storm out of the room, leaving Declan behind to deal with our parents. They’re all there. My parents, Declan’s parents, and Olivia’s parents. Even my Uncle Dillon and Aunt Zoe came. I swear they have some kind of family phone tree. Tell one of them someth
Declan A loud crack reverberates through the open field. Kyle’s eyes turn rabid and his lips turn up in a maniacal grin as he swipes his thumb over the streak of blood where Aunt Sarah’s nail caught his skin when she slapped him. “What is wrong with you?” She screams, still swinging at him while Uncle Finn holds her back. “Why are you doing this? Where is my daughter?” “Why?” Kyle spits back, his tone incredulous. “Do you really need to ask me why? You were mine! MINE! Until he came along.” He shoots daggers at Finn over her shoulder. “I would have worshiped you! But you chose him over me. Nevermind he cheated on you, fucked an entire pack worth of she-wolves, broke your heart.” Finn and Zayne both growl menacingly but Kyle ignores them, chuckling wildly. “Shut the fuck up, now!” Finn snarls. “Is the truth too painful for you, Beta? You don’t like being reminded that you never deserved her, that she’s only with you because fate made her addicted to your scent and she was too weak
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