Romans de Royal Allen

Shifter pregnancies lasted only seven months instead of nine, and I was nearing the end of my seventh month. The weather outside was starting to cool—well, as much as it ever did in Florida. There was a light, refreshing chill in the air, and I was growing more excited by the day to meet our baby. With just one week left until my due date, it could happen at any moment.I went into the nursery to go over my hospital bag one more time. It sat on the changing table, perfectly packed. Everything was in place. I let out a contented sigh as I looked around the room. We had chosen Winnie the Pooh as a gender-neutral theme.Atlas, surprisingly, turned out to be an incredible artist and had painted a stunning mural of a Pooh scene. It was so beautiful that I knew I’d have to find a way to preserve it someday when our child inevitably outgrew it.I was halfway through checking my bag when I heard raised voices outside—Mira and Rowan again. I rolled my eyes and headed downstairs to see what the

Mira had been organizing our baby shower, and when she found out we were planning to wait until delivery to learn the baby’s sex, she reacted with playful annoyance. She’d been wishing for a girl so she could decorate everything in pink—an over-the-top pink celebration. Instead, she had to rethink everything and go with neutral tones. Saying she disliked the safe choices of yellow, green, and gray would be putting it lightly, but she still managed to plan an amazing party over the following months.During the baby shower, as I was loading my plate with finger foods and snacks, she casually moved up beside me.“Are you two still serious?” Mira asked.“About what?”She rolled her eyes. “Really? The gender, you goof. You and Leo are still waiting?”I laughed. “Yes, we’re waiting. It’s going to be a big surprise.”“Ugh, you guys are ridiculous. What’s fun about that?”“I don’t know,” I replied. “I think it’s exciting.” I glanced over at Rowan, who was stacking his plate with food. “When y

Lyanna leaned her head back against the pillow and slipped her hand between us, her fingers finding her clit. The sensation made everything feel more intense, and I hardened further. Desire pushed me forward as I met her gaze, increasing the pace of my thrusts. My heavy breathing mixed with her soft moans of pleasure.I was getting close. The pressure building in my balls and cock grew stronger with every second. I was on the verge of losing control, but I forced myself to hold on. Lyanna’s pleasure was all that mattered. Then she gasped, her hips rising to meet mine.“I’m gonna come,” she whispered.A grin spread across my face as I moved faster, driving into her without restraint, chasing my own orgasm.“Look at me, Lyanna. I want to see you when you come.”Our eyes locked. I held her gaze as her lips parted and her body trembled, shaking as her orgasm overtook her. Her cheeks flushed as the intensity of it washed through her.The connection between us—the way we looked at each othe

A week after Lyanna and I had gone for that run in the woods, we held the memorial ceremony. Dad, Lyanna, and I agreed it wouldn’t just honor those who died in the battle, but everyone who had lost their lives during the royals’ reign of terror. I sent out invitations to all shifter packs and clans across the world who wished to attend. I thought the turnout for the battle had been massive, but in the days leading up to the ceremony, every hotel and rental within a two-hour radius was completely booked.I hadn’t truly realized how far the royals’ influence had spread until shifters came from places as distant as Tokyo and South Africa. Their destruction had stretched across centuries, starting in Europe and spreading worldwide like a disease.We held the ceremony on my land. The energy of the land itself flowed through everything, reinforcing that this was the right place. It was one of the few places that still held the true essence of shifter power, and it felt fitting for something

Leo and I finally left our bedroom and rejoined the pack. Sinthy had come back, her task finished—or at least, that’s what she claimed. The news reported that several factories and office buildings had been mysteriously destroyed overnight, and Sinthy only offered small, knowing smiles whenever those reports came up.The best way to describe those first few days was… strange. Ever since the night I’d been attacked in my bar, everything had revolved around the royals—around Viola and her organization. We had spent so long running, hiding, investigating, planning, and preparing for them that it felt unnatural not to have some kind of crisis looming. To keep ourselves occupied, we focused on something we wished we didn’t have to do.Many shifters had died. Members of our pack, along with those who had come to support us, had lost their lives, and Leo was organizing a memorial service. His father agreed it was a good idea and offered to handle the arrangements.Donatello returned as well,

It was over. Finally over. I would have leapt in excitement, but I was still trapped in that massive, beast-like form. All I wanted was to run and throw myself into Leo’s arms, but shifting out of… whatever I had become was far more difficult than a normal shift. Something about that body felt natural. My wolf felt completely at home in it and didn’t want to let it go. As calmly as I could, I reached out to her.The power thrilled her, just like the awareness of what her father had been. I understood that, and I let her feel that understanding. I pushed my thoughts toward her, showing her how much I loved Leo, my family, and my friends—and how badly I needed to return to my human form to be with them. We weren’t just wolves—we were both human and wolf, sharing one body. We had to meet halfway.A deep sense of understanding flowed back to me. Her hold on that form loosened, allowing me to shift back. Even that felt strange. It wasn’t smooth or effortless like usual. Instead of flowing

Alphas were usually much harder to handle as they got closer to their first shift. I had been exactly the same way. My parents had struggled a lot with me, and they had at least known what was happening. I could only imagine what Elara had been dealing with all this time. “Yeah,” I muttered quietly. “It must be really hard for her.” For a few moments, I stared off into space while Jaxon mixed the salad inside a large bowl. Then, in a low voice, I asked, “Do you think he’s going to like me?” My best friend paused and looked over at me. “Well, you’re ugly as hell, but you’re not a bad person. Hopefully, the kid can ignore the ugly part.” A laugh escaped from me. “You asshole. Since you said that, you’re the one cooking the steaks.” “Fuck off. I was already planning to cook them. I’ve seen the dry shoe leather you make whenever you use the grill.” The doorbell suddenly rang, the dull electric sound instantly making my body tense. Jaxon’s eyes widened. “I thought you said we still

The knife slipped slightly in my hand because my palms were sweaty, making it difficult to chop the onions for the baked potatoes. According to Elara, baked potatoes were Kael’s favorite, and I was determined to make sure this dinner turned out perfectly. I had already placed the cheese, sour cream, and butter into small serving bowls, and bacon was sizzling in a frying pan so I could crumble it over the potatoes later. I could not think of anything else people usually liked on baked potatoes. “I’m back,” Jaxon called as he walked into the kitchen carrying several grocery bags. “Did you get everything?” I asked, and even I could hear the nervousness and stress in my voice. Jaxon placed the bags down and looked at me. “Man, calm down.” He nodded toward the cutting board. “Before you accidentally slice your fingers off.” I set the knife down and nodded to myself. I was a complete nervous mess. He was right. The last thing I needed was to look like some unstable disaster when Elara

He stopped moving and looked at me. “Okay.”“When you start dating someone…” I paused while trying to think of the right way to say it before continuing. “Be careful with people’s feelings. When two people fall in love, there are two hearts involved. Yours, and the other person’s heart that has been placed in your hands. Always remember the other heart that was trusted to you, and don’t make foolish choices that could break it.”He nodded, though I was not completely sure he understood what I meant. As far as I knew, Kael had never had a girlfriend before. Still, I hoped those words would stay in his mind. Maybe years later, he would remember them and treat the person he loved with kindness.After he finished washing the dishes, he went to take a shower, leaving me alone to tell Orion the news. Sitting there, I stared at my phone for several minutes, delaying the unavoidable. I wondered how long Orion had sat outside my house the night before, watching me. The only reason it did not f

“No idea.” I sighed deeply. “My instincts tell me he will stay. He really wants the connection to a pack that I was never able to give him, and this is probably his best opportunity. The problem is that I don’t know if I can handle being around Orion again. I believe he’s telling the truth about not knowing Kael existed, but it’s difficult to throw away fifteen years of pain and bitterness.” “Right. Well, no matter what Kael chooses, I’m on your side. Just say the word, and I’ll punch Orion right in his pretty-boy face.” “I might actually accept that offer if things go badly. I’m honestly scared, Stormy. I’m terrified of staying here, but leaving scares me too. I don’t have anywhere else to go. I can’t return to Travis after what he did. This is the only home Kael and I have left, unless we become people wandering around with nowhere to belong.” “Everything will work out. I truly believe that. Now go to sleep, girl. You clearly need some rest.” “Okay. I’ll probably see you tomorro

“Yes, but sometimes the truth can hurt,” I said. “And I didn’t want to hurt you. Now that I’ve spoken to your dad, it turns out that, in a strange way, it was true. I believed he knew about you and simply didn’t care, but he honestly had no idea you existed. I’m not sure if that even makes sense.” I placed a hand against my forehead. “What does that even mean, Mom?” Kael asked as he pushed his plate of mostly untouched pizza away from him. “Okay. You’re still my baby, but you’re not a little child anymore. This story is partly about you too, and you deserve to know the truth.” Then I told my son everything. I explained every detail, starting from the moment Orion left town up until the conversation we had outside on the porch. As I spoke, the anger on Kael’s face slowly disappeared. “So,” I said, “your father said you’re welcome to join the pack, and they’ll gladly accept you, but the decision is yours now. It’s completely up to you. You’re not eighteen yet, but I can’t choose t

After Orion left, Kael stayed locked inside his room for many hours. I did not have the emotional strength to speak with him, so I remained on the couch, thinking deeply about everything that had happened. For a very long time, I had believed that I would never see Orion again.Opening the front door had felt like opening a doorway into the past. He had not changed much in the last fifteen years, and for a brief moment, it truly felt as if I had traveled back in time. What annoyed me the most was his smile, like a part of him had expected it to be me standing there when the door opened. Now, I needed to explain everything to Kael.I let out a groan. Dear God, I had not experienced this much stress since the time I lost both my grandmother and Orion.When the sun finally began sinking toward the horizon and the shadows in the living room grew longer, I slowly stood up and walked into the kitchen. I did not feel like cooking, so I placed a frozen pizza into the oven. I leaned my hands a