Lino의 작품

RainI pressed my forehead against the nursery window, staring at the twins sleeping inside their little bassinets. Their tiny hands curled into fists, their soft breaths making their chests rise and fall. They were so small. So perfect. A lump caught in my throat out of nowhere, and to my horror, my eyes started to sting.Rowan and Gemma were finally here! It was about time.I didn’t know if either of them was biologically mine, or we honestly didn’t care to check right now. Eventually, we might, so we could find out for paperwork purposes, but until then, we were going to remain ignorant of their biological parents.Or biological fathers, I should say.Lia was their mother.The babies yawned, pumping their little fists in the air as they slept on and on.God, they were so cute. Too cute.How could something so cute even exist?It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen babies before. I had been around babies a lot, including some of my younger cousins and siblings. But this was different.These w

LiaI was a week overdue.Yes, a week.It didn’t seem real.My mates didn’t want to leave me, but they needed to go to work and do what they had to do. I didn’t want to prevent them from going to work or keeping the household functional.Besides, Simone was home and right next door. She was set to come over within thirty minutes and keep me company, so it wasn’t like I was going to be alone.Shifting on the couch, I glared at my swollen stomach.“Gemma, Rowan—you two need to get the hell out of here.”We were also having a boy and a girl. The five of us went to the doctor and got the results of the scan—we were having a girl and a boy. It felt good to know that we were having one of each.Perhaps one day we will have more of the same gender.But I wasn’t going to think of any more kids right now. The two kids we were having now were the only ones I wanted to think about. They were going to be enough of a handful for the five of us to handle.I rested my head against the back of the co

MattI sat on the edge of the stupid plastic chair, my head in my hands.How had this happened? We were acting like assholes and worrying for nothing. It seemed truly fitting that nothing ended up being wrong, and who was to blame? Well, all of us.I couldn’t even blame it on Rain for jumping to conclusions because we all were acting like it."False labor," I muttered, feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet. "We nearly broke land-speed records getting here for false labor."Or as they were technically called Braxton-Hicks contractions. When we were going to the classes with Lia, we just assumed that labor was going to be the finale. A few hours later we would be holding the twins in our arms.Except, we had been fooled by these false contractions. Lia seemed to be handling it well. I think I was the one who mostly felt like an idiot. What happened when she gave birth? I needed to make sure I had my wits about me and didn’t allow myself to get overwhelmed or worried.Rain patted

Colby A few months has passed since we learned Lia was pregnant and it was crazy how close we were getting to her giving birth. The Werewolf pregnancies didn’t last as long so she was in her six month, ready to give birth any day now. There was a set date the doctor had marked, but they could always come early.Or late.When the doctors said they came late she was very angry. She glared at every one of us.I was halfway through a sandwich when I heard Lia gasp from the couch.Rain shot up like he'd been electrocuted. "What was that?! Was that a contraction?! Was that a baby contraction?!"Lia winced, gripping the edge of the couch. "I don't know! Maybe? It hurts!"Matt practically fell off the armchair. "Define 'hurts'! Like normal hurts? Like stubbing your toe hurts? Or like—' call an ambulance' hurts?!"Rain was already pacing in wild circles. "Oh god. Oh god. We’re not ready. We’re not ready! We don’t have the bags packed, we don’t have a route to the hospital mapped out, we don’t

JesseLearning Lia was pregnant was amazing but also fucking scary. I never imagined myself as someone who would be a father. After the two of us were together, I knew it was bound to happen, but the fact of the matter is, I never thought I would be a parent.Sighing, I finished gathering the groceries and headed home. It was truly annoying to go about the day-to-day things you needed to live. I had gone for a run last time, realizing that we all had been missing out on this.It was a good run, but when I got home, I realized I had to get back to normal life. AKA getting groceries.Huffing, I pulled into the driveway and then took the bags to the front door. It was a bit of a balancing act, but I was able to do it.I pushed open the door with my shoulder, balancing a couple of grocery bags. "Lia? You home?"Silence.Then I heard it—the soft sounds of... something. Shuffling. Rustling. A thump.Frowning, I kicked my shoes off and followed the noise upstairs. "If you're hiding and plann

RainAfter learning Lia was pregnant, I became even more anxiety-ridden and neurotic. I was always like this, but when I was stressed, it was a hell of a lot worse.Right now, I was determined to make Lia’s life as uncomplicated as possible. I was doing my best and probably overreaching, but there was no stopping me now. Every part of me was determined to help Lia as much as I could.If I ended up acting crazy during this point, then so be it. I was willing to do it.I raced back into the living room, nearly slipping on the hardwood floor. "Lia! Where’s your water bottle? You need to stay hydrated!"She gave me a look over the mountain of pillows she was lounging on. "I drank it already."I froze. "You finished it?! That fast?! Oh my god, you’re dehydrated. You're going to shrivel up. I’ll get more—""Rain!" she snapped, cutting me off. "I’m fine! Sit down for five seconds before I throw this pillow at your face."I blinked, halfway to the kitchen. "But—""Sit. Down."I shuffled over

Chloe“You’re late,” Father clucked from his chair by the window.I rolled my eyes. “Barely, Father. I have a country to run, after all.”Father turned to me with a big smile. “I know. You and Adrian are doing an amazing job.”I softened at this and plopped down into the seat next to his. He already had my tea poured into my cup.We’d been meeting, just the two of us, at least once a week since I’d moved back to the palace with my husband and children. Slowly we’d built a real father-daughter bond, and I treasured having him in my life. I loved meeting with him and sharing my days.He looked preoccupied today. “What’s wrong?” I asked.He turned to me, his eyes sad. “Do you know what day it is?”I frowned, going through my mental calendar. I hadn’t missed an appointment, had I?“It’s your mother’s birthday,” Father said gently.I reared back in surprise. How could I have possibly forgotten that?“Don’t be too hard on yourself, sweetie,” Father said with a bittersweet smile. “Your mothe

Caden“You really need to get over her,” my Beta, Jared, said, sitting down next to me. “It’s been years, Caden.”I ignored him and downed the rest of my beer. When I was done, I finally spoke. “I fucked up the best part of my life, Jared, allow me to mourn it as I see fit.”“I’m not arguing with you on that point,” Jared said, signaling for a beer from the bartender. “I’m just saying that you have to accept at some point that you were the one who broke the mate bond with Chloe, which means that you are responsible for no longer being with her. I get it; it sucks. But she’s married and has a couple kids. She’s never coming back.”I stared morosely into my empty mug. “I’m scared that I’m never going to find my second chance mate. I want my Luna, Jared.”

Adrian“You know I don’t remember being Crown Prince as this exhausting,” I sighed, tearing off my tie.Chloe lounged in bed already, half asleep. She’d been in meetings all day and I knew she was exhausted. “I think being Crown Prince and being King Alpha are two different things, Adrian.”“Well, I’m tired.”Chloe shot me a sleepy smile. “Me too. Are you ready to come to bed yet, oh great one?”I chuckled. She’d started calling me that after I’d been crowned and while I normally would have balked at someone calling me that, with Chloe it was different. I knew she meant it only with love, not mocking at all. “I am ready.”I crawled into bed and collected Chloe in my arms. She felt so right pressed against me. If I wasn’t so tired I’d be all ov

KnoxI came home from my travels just long enough to watch Chloe and Adrian be crowned King and Queen. Over the last couple of years, I’d traveled to 43 countries and met more shifters than I’d ever imagined. Some were werewolves like me, but I also met leopard shifters and dragon shifters, entire cultures with their own legacies and rules. It was incredible, and I felt like I’d grown so much as a person since I’d left.“I guess I have to call you Your Highness now,” I laughed, patting Adrian on the back.He shot me a bright smile. He looks happier than he has in years. Alexander and I made the right choice; Adrian should have always been on the throne. It was never our place. “You can just call me Adrian.”“Not brother?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.He rolled his eyes. “That works too, I suppose.&r

Chloe"You don't usually ask to see me without the kids," I teased Alexander as I sat down next to him on the bench. We'd agreed to meet at our favorite spot in the gardens, one we’d frequented often in the years since Adrian, and I moved our family back here at Father’s request. He hadn’t really needed to convince us; we loved the idea of our children being raised with their grandfather and uncles."There's something I need to speak to you about," Alexander sighed, unusually serious. He seemed more and more serious as of recently and I worried about him. He seemed to be wearing thin."Is everything alright? Did Father's cancer return?" I knew he'd just had some routine scans done and no one had mentioned the outcome. Maybe they’d been keeping them from us on purpose?"No, nothing like that. No, it's something completely different." He closed his eyes for a moment as if he was gathering himself."I'm all ears," I said, leaning back. I was nervous about what he wanted to speak about.A

ChloeI debated for hours on whether or not I wanted to take the pregnancy test on my own or tell Adrian what I suspected. I’d been alone the first time with Charlie, and I’d been terrified, but things were different this time. I was married to my mate, and we lived in the Capital City near my father who doted on his grandson. In fact, both Alexander and Knox took their roles as uncles very seriously. I had a whole support system this time instead of just Caden.I almost told him I was going to take it but before I did I called Caden. He’d been around the first pregnancy, and I knew he’d give me good advice.“What’s up, Chloe?” Caden said when he answered the phone.“I think I might be pregnant,” I said in a rush.Caden was silent for several heartbeats. “Am I supposed to be happy or… supportive?”“Happy,” I laughed. “I’m happy about the idea. But I don’t know whether I want to take the test with or without Adrian.”“Oh,” Caden said, understanding. “I see. Well, there isn’t one right a

ALLISON.“Yes,” I answered breathily.Wesley didn’t waste any more time and pushed his cock inside my mouth. I whimpered around his girth as Daniel’s pace grew faster. The bed shook as he pounded on pussy. He pulled his member out until only the tip remained before plunging it back inside, balls deep.“Uhhmm!” I moaned deliriously as Wesley did the same with my mouth. He grabbed my hair while slid his cock in and out of my lips, using my mouth as his own pleasure toy. I loved it so much, how they used my body to feel good and at the same time, making sure that I would get the best pleasure of my life.Daniel growled as his tempo grew faster, his thumb rubbing on my clit while pistoning his member into my folds in frantic thrusts. On my side, River was still using my hand to jack himself off, making me lose my mind.My body tingled with unbearable pleasure. I screamed around Wesley’s cock as I felt another mind-blowing orgasm ripping all over my body. I tensed, my toes curling as I cam

ALLISON.By the time we returned home, I was tired. I barely had time to process everything before Emily greeted us at the door.“Amaris is already asleep. She spent the entire evening doing a SpongeBob marathon,” she informed me with a small smile.Wesley clapped his hand.“I knew she’d grow up loving cartoons. I should’ve bought her that SpongeBob onesie when I had the chance,” he said.“You still haven’t let that go?” River shook his head.I smiled at their banter before turning to Emily. “Thanks for watching her. I owe you one.”She waved a hand.“Nah, just make sure to invite me over for dinner next time.” She winked and made her way out, leaving me alone with my five men.Moments later, I found myself submerged in warm, soapy water. Daniel worked shampoo into my hair, his fingers massaging my scalp, while Wesley soaped my right leg gently.“You did great today,” Wesley said.I smiled, leaning into the sensation of River gently scrubbing my back.“I didn’t do much. I just accepte

ALLISON.Later, we went back to our old house to eat some lunch. Liam stood by the stove, his sleeves rolled up while he was cooking. Meanwhile, Amaris was sitting on the kitchen stool while playing with her doll. She swung her legs while watching Liam stir some vegetables.“Daddy Li, I want waffles!” she announced.Liam paused, his green eyes widening slightly as he turned to face her.“You want waffles for lunch?” He glanced at me, silently asking if this was okay.I leaned down and kissed Amaris on the cheek before ruffling her soft curls.“Why don’t you try eating some veggies for a change, Ami?” I asked.She scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out. “Yuck!”Liam snickered, clearly amused. “Alright, alright. I’ll make you some waffles.” Then, he turned to me with a smirk and winked. “I’ll just add some fruits to make it… uh, healthy?”I sighed, pressing a hand to my face.“She totally takes after me,” I sighed.Daniel chuckled from across the kitchen, nodding as he looked at

ALLISON.Somehow, I was reminded again of the question our father asked us in that fateful day at the river…“What are you willing to do for the person you love?”As I stared at the stones and wooden cross that marked his grave, I found myself smiling because after everything, after the battles, the sacrifices, the loss, and the victories… I knew my answer had remained the same.“I did everything I could for love, Dad,” I whispered, gently laying down a bouquet of yellow tulips, his favorite.Beside me, Sullivan knelt and did the same, only his bouquet was of amaryllis flowers which was our mom’s favorite. He stayed silent for a moment, his fingers brushing against the wood of the cross, before he exhaled deeply.It has been two years since the war ended. The bloody battle that tore through the Outworld, leaving scars on both the land and the people. It took time, so much time to rebuild everything that has been broken. Many people died, but a lot of them survived. Still, it didn’t me

ALLISON.“Allison, stop!”Somewhere, I could hear distant voices, calling me. But the rage I was feeling inside was louder than anything I have ever heard before. So, I didn’t stop. My flames grew hotter as my anger.“Allison!”Then, suddenly, I felt an arm around me, wrapping me, pulling me. At first, it wasn’t enough to stop me. But another pair of arms latched around me, forcing to stop. There were too many of them, strong big arms that wrapped in a tight embrace. I shrieked. I struggled, clawed, lashed out. But they didn’t let go. They held on, even as my fire burned them.Then I heard their voices growing louder and louder…“It’s okay, Allison. We’re here.” Daniel.“Come back to us.” Liam.“You did it, baby. It’s over.” River.“You’re safe now.” Mason.“We love you, Allison. Please.” Wesley.Their names rang in my mind as they continued to whisper soft words in my ear.“Allison…”The word sliced through my rage like a silver bullet. I gasped as reality crashed back into me. The f

ALLISON.Quinn was already there, clutching Sullivan’s twitching form, tears streaming down her face. Celestine ignored me. She took a slow step forward, tilting her head as if considering something.“He is at my mercy now. And I can make this agony last for as long as I want.” Her lips curled into a ruthless grin.She lifted her hand and curled her fingers into a fist, tugging to some invisible strings in the air. Sullivan screamed. His body arched, his hands clutching at his chest as if something were ripping him apart from the inside. It broke me to see him like this.Quinn sobbed, tightening her hold on him. “Stop it! Please, stop!”But Celestine wasn’t done. She turned her piercing gaze to me.“Come with me, Allison. Do that, and I will end his suffering.” Her voice was almost gentle now, coaxing.I shook my head, my entire body trembling. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that I could save him. For the past few days, that was what I have been clinging to. I thought I

Nina’s POVI stir awake to the warm press of Jaxon’s body behind me, his arm draped over my waist. His breaths are slow and steady, his chest rising and falling against my back. For a moment, I let myself linger in the stillness, the kind that’s familiar these days.The room smells faintly of cedar and lavender—Jaxon’s scent mingling with mine, comforting in a way I didn’t expect after everything we’ve been through. I glance at the window; the pale hint of morning sunlight filters in through the curtains, softening the sharp edges of the world outside.“Are you awake?” Jaxon’s voice is husky, laced with sleep.“Barely,” I murmur, tilting my head back to catch his gaze.His lips curve into a lazy smile, and before I can say anything else, he rolls me onto my back, his body pressing over mine. “Good,” he mutters. “Because I’m not done with you yet.”I laugh, the sound muffled as his mouth captures mine. It’s soft at first, a whisper of a kiss, but it quickly deepens, his hand tangling i

NinaThe house is quieter than I expected for a morning like this. The kind of quiet that wraps around you, soothing and heavy at the same time. I lean against the kitchen counter, watching the sun spill through the windows, painting the room in gold.Jaxon’s voice filters in from the living room, a low hum of conversation with Dominic. They’ve been working on some kind of strategy for the pack, a way to integrate the remaining members of the Silver Crescent seamlessly. Hearing him talk like that, so sure and steady, sends a warmth through me I didn’t think I’d ever get back.“Morning,” Callie says, slipping into the kitchen with a grin, her hair still damp from a shower.“Morning,” I reply, pouring her a cup of coffee. “You’re up early.”She shrugs, taking the mug with a small smile. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d check on Griffin before breakfast.”“How is he?” I ask, even though I already know the answer. I saw him last night, and he was fine—better than fine, really, but I still nee

JaxonThe air is thick with tension, every breath I take tasting like the promise of blood and chaos. I stand at the edge of the tree line, staring at Elijah’s stronghold. It’s a fortress, tall and imposing, and every instinct I have tells me we’re walking into a trap. Doesn’t matter. We don’t have another choice.It is only three days since he last gave us the slip, but Nina and I agreed that the longer we wait, the more he reinforces. This is the right time to hit again.I glance at Nina beside me. She’s all sharp lines and cold determination, her jaw set, her hand gripping the syringe so tightly I’m worried it might snap.“Ready?” I ask, my voice rough.Her eyes flick to me, and for a second, the mask slips. I see the fear there, the weight of everything riding on this moment. “Ready,” she says, her voice steady despite it all.Rylan steps forward, his usual cocky grin replaced with something grim. “We’ve got this,” he says, his eyes scanning the treeline behind us. “They don’t sta

NinaJaxon moves to my side, his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out,” he says, his voice steady.I nod, but inside, I’m falling apart. Elijah’s right about one thing: time is running out.The smug bastard had slipped through our fingers like smoke, leaving behind nothing but chaos and a threat that sticks in my mind like a thorn.Jaxon sits across from me, his shirt ripped and bloodied. His knuckles are bruised, and there’s a cut across his jaw that’s still bleeding. He leans back in his chair, eyes shut, breathing heavily. For a moment, he looks like he might pass out.“Let me see that,” I mutter, grabbing the first aid kit from the table.He opens one eye, his lips quirking into something that might have been a smirk if he weren’t so exhausted. “You’re bossier than usual.”“Shut up and sit still.”I dab at the cut, my movements harsher than they need to be. He hisses but doesn’t pull away. “You don’t have to take it out on me.”“I’m not.” My voice shakes. Damn it. “I’m just

NinaThe tension in the air is so thick, it feels like we’re moving through molasses. The SUV stops just short of the perimeter of Elijah’s territory, and everyone’s quiet. Dominic’s hands grip the wheel tightly, his jaw clenched. Lucas is in the backseat, checking the weapons one more time, his movements too sharp. Rylan is silent, his gaze fixed out the window, as if willing himself into a different headspace.Jaxon’s beside me, close enough that I can feel his warmth. He leans in slightly, his voice low. “You good?”I nod, my throat dry. “Yeah.”He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t push. “Stick close to me,” he murmurs. “If something goes south—”“It won’t.” I cut him off, sharper than I mean to. “We’ve got a plan.”He stares at me for a second before nodding. “Alright. Let’s stick to it, then.”Dominic kills the engine, and the darkness around us feels alive. It’s like the trees themselves are holding their breath, waiting. We step out, weapons in hand, moving silently. Elija

JaxonI’m not sure what I expected when we came together tonight. Maybe a few more words, more arguing about how stupid this whole thing is. But it’s just the two of us, sitting in the quiet of Nina’s room, and I can feel the tension hanging between us. She’s not ready to forgive me. I know that. But right now, I don’t care. We’ve got bigger shit to deal with.“Jaxon.” Her voice is quiet, like she’s trying to keep everything in. I can tell she’s thinking a million things, but she won’t say any of it. She never does when she’s worried.I turn to face her, shifting on the bed to face her fully. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”She hesitates for a moment before looking me in the eye. “I’m scared. You know that, right?”I nod slowly. “Yeah. I can tell. Hell, I’m scared too.”She rubs her eyes, looking worn. I wish I could take all the weight off her shoulders, but I know I can’t. Not now. Not with Elijah breathing down our necks. “I’m not afraid of the fight,” she says, her voice