Laura
Sleeping in a mansion that isn't yours is somewhat unsettling. I also think I've woken up like a billion times because it isn't nighttime.
Everything is bright. Ths sunlight is creeping in through a crack in the blinds. Birds are singing the song of their people outside, and I've heard many people stomp past the bedroom I claimed as my own.
Ugh, why can't they all just be quiet?!
I've been tossing and turning throughout the morning, but since I got no sleep in the car, can anyone blame me?
KNOCK
KNOCK
Some bastard knocks on my door, and I growl in response. I'm usually never this aggressive, but I was kidnapped. People got to understand I'm pissed about my situation!
And the only clothes I have is a freaking wedding dress that smells like ABSOLUT VODKA!
I growl in irritation. "What the fuck do you want, and why are you disturbing my sleep?!"
"Uh, it's me."
Me?
Is that a weird werewolf name around here, or is the man outside my door a complete tool?
"Who the hell is me?" My voice comes out hoarse and annoyed. I sound like I've smoked my entire life and might have to consider connecting myself to life support sometime soon.
"M-Marcus! Please don't castrate me, Miss Edgard! I'm just here to invite you to lunch. I mean no harm!"
"Lunch, huh?" I stretch in the bed. "I would love to eat, but I don't have any other clothes than this wedding dress. It would be embarrassing to strut around in this thing..."
"I bought you stuff. Bags from Chanel, GUCCI, and Burberry. You can pick and choose something to your liking."
Really?
Marcus got me stuff?
Good boy!
I smile. "Let's see... The Chanel brand is attractive for their bags. Burberry likes beige and checkered clothes, so that's not for me. GUCCI is cuter and more feminine. I want that bag."
"Uh, okay?" Marcus gulps. He sounds suspicious and fearsome of me for some strange reason. "Come and pick it up."
"One moment!"
Hastily, I leave the bed and hurry to the door. Marcus looks terrified of me and shoves the bag to my chest. I smile at him, but that makes him whimper and hurry down the stairs.
What the hell is his problem?
I mean, I only threatened to castrate him...
Whatever.
Regardless of the weird beta freaking me out, I close the door. I fish through the bag and choose to wear a beige Adidas and GUCCI jumpsuit. It sits tight enough to highlight my curves.
I love it!
Smiling, I head downstairs and use my nose to locate the kitchen. The scent of coffee and meat hits my senses—it seems like there are luxurious, juicy steaks for lunch!
I enter the kitchen, frowning when I catch Caleb sitting around the table wearing a navy suit. He is holding a newspaper and lifts a coffee cup to his lips, smiling when he sees me.
Gorgeous smile, killer eyes...
Fuck.
I swear the mate-bond phenomenon is already starting to get on my nerves—part of me is ready to kiss him. My knees buckle, but somehow I make it over to the table.
"Good morning," Caleb says. Like always, his tone is deep and a little more whiskey-like, as if he recently woke up. "Did you sleep well?"
Reluctantly, I take a seat as far away from him as possible. His lips twitch at that, but he doesn't comment on it.
"Better than I did in the car after you kidnapped me."
He chokes on a laugh and returns to his newspaper. There is an amused expression on his face. "Brutally honest."
"I'm just pointing out facts."
This time, he can't help but chuckle. "Well, at least you won't be starving at my mansion. The food will be served any minute now. We are just waiting for my beta and gamma."
"I haven't met your third in command yet," I pick up a sugar cube from the table and pop it in my mouth. "What is the name of your gamma?"
"Ryan."
I'm not given a chance to ask Caleb another question before Marcus strolls into the kitchen. He freezes upon seeing me and proceeds to take a seat far away from me.
Seriously, is that giant really THAT afraid of me?
The other man, who I assume is Ryan, is chirper and smiles upon seeing me. He is handsome with brown hair and chocolate eyes, totally gorgeous, but not very tall for a werewolf.
He is tall for a human, but werewolves are naturally larger and more muscular than humans.
I'm short, but Caleb is a giant. It wouldn't surprise me if he were like seven feet tall. Marcus looks to be six-foot-two, and Ryan might be five-foot-eight or something.
And since I'm only five feet tall, I shouldn't comment on Ryan's height. He is a giant to me either way.
"Ah, who is this cutie?" Ryan beams at me while taking a seat next to mine. There are dimples on his face.
Caleb looks up from his news magazine, and his lips curve into a slight smile. "This is my future wife and luna, Ryan. She just doesn't know it yet."
Despite my previously calm state, I almost choke when I hear Caleb say I'm his future luna and wife. My don't-give-a-fuck attitude goes up in smoke. Caleb can get under my skin, and I hate it!
Damn...
My cheeks burn hotter than the sun, and satisfaction washes over Caleb's handsome features.
I can almost see it in his eyes, how he seems to tell me, "Oh, you think you don't want me? Game on."
"Your future luna?" Ryan's eyes grow huge as he turns back to me. "Are you two mates? That's amazing! It's a pleasure to meet you—" he reaches out his hand for me, but Marcus shrieks.
"Don't touch her!" Marcus exclaims. "Miss Edgard doesn't like that, and I wouldn't upset her because—..."
He falls silent when I calmly shake Ryan's hand.
I might not like that I was kidnapped from a freaking parking lot, but Ryan seems to be a gentleman. He shakes my hand and then dips down his head as if to kiss my knuckles.
My eyebrows shoot into my hairline. Is Ryan about to kiss my hand in front of my alpha mate? Interesting. Perhaps this man is crazy and secretly wishes to die.
I sit back in my seat. Ryan's lips are inches from my skin, but he never gets to kiss me before Caleb snarls.
Within seconds, Ryan is pushed up against the wall by a furious Caleb, and I watch his feet dangle in the air.
Holy shit.
Caleb is fast.
My eyes swell huge. The sheer strength in Caleb's bulging arms is sexy, even though I would never admit that out loud. He holds up Ryan to the wall without breaking a sweat.
Hot.
Marcus sighs in frustration. "Why did you have to test him, you idiot? Everyone knows not to touch someone else's mate... Especially the one belonging to their fucking alpha."
Ryan manages to cough and speak. "I just wanted to ensure they were mates and that it wasn't a joke. I'm sorry!"
Caleb releases his gamma, but he seems to still be upset even after letting go of Ryan. When his eyes briefly touch mine, I see this possessive darkness within them, but he quickly averts his eyes.
"If you touch my mate again, I will murder you." Caleb brushes invisible dust off his clothes with a sour expression.
Ryan gasps. "But I'm your third in command!"
"Doesn't matter," Caleb sends him an icy glare. The aggressive aura surrounding him is miles away from the sweet guy he was on the phone. It's like someone pulled a switch. "You touch my Teacup, and I won't hesitate to rip you into shreds."
"Teacup?"
Caleb growls.
Ryan gulps. "U-understood."
I blankly stare after Caleb as he retakes his seat. Marcus tries to choke a chuckle, and when I look at him, amusement circles inside his eyes. He glances between Caleb and me, seeming to find my mate's overprotective behavior amusing.
"Looks like things are about to turn interesting," Marcus comments and dares to beam at me. "Caleb has found his mate..."
Ryan gets air at those words and snorts. "I know, right? It's funny because Caleb is already betrothed to Jenna. Oh boy, some drama is about to unfold."
Huh?
Betrothed?
I let my eyes travel to Caleb, who doesn't even look up. He seems intent on trying to read the news magazine, and I notice his nails aren't human but have turned into claws.
I pause.
Normal werewolves can't turn nails into claws. We turn into full-fledged wolves, which would mean...
Caleb lifts his chin, silently eyeing me. His eyes aren't their usual calm blue but have turned fiery red, which inserts fear into my heart.
It can't be, but there is no other explanation...
A violent bloodthirst surrounds Caleb's aura. I can sense power coming off him in waves, and he is monstrously tall.
Shit.
Caleb must be a hybrid. Is he part lycan? Vampire? I'm not sure what creature he is mixed with, but he frightens me. What if Caleb can't control his mixed blood, and he would hurt me?
Laura After eating lunch, I'm standing by the sink and pre-washing my plate for the dishwasher. The water is running, and Ryan and Marcus walk for the door to leave the kitchen. "That hit the spot!" Ryan's arms are behind his head, and a boyish grin plays over his lush lips. "I'm going to nap in the garden in my usual spot before practice starts." Marcus is patting his stomach, satisfied with the meal. "I might join you. Get some nice sunshine." I roll my eyes. Could those two idiots even be more obvious? The two werewolves only wish to leave Caleb alone with me. But they are dead wrong if they think I will yield. No matter Caleb's apology, I won't forgive him for kidnapping me, and what is this about becoming his wife? And what, who the hell is Jenna, and why is Caleb betrothed to her?! Damn. I swear I'm not in love with Caleb or anything, but... The fact that he is betrothed to someone else bothers me. I'm not jealous, though! Uh-uh, not me, not even a little bit! I continu
LauraI bitterly swallow coffee while watching Marcus gather the new recruits to become warrior werewolves. I was never allowed to join these training sessions back in my pack. Women weren't supposed to fight. We were expected to be calm and collected. Our alpha preferred we learned the piano instead of playing in the garden with swords like the boisterous boys did.The Rivermoon pack, however, is all about equality. Both teenage boys and girls look up at Marcus expectantly. They are smiling under the blazing sun, wearing shorts since the weather is warm. And me?I brought a sun chair and a bottle of coca-cola that I found in the fridge. I'm wearing a cap on my head that smells like Caleb, and then I stole a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.It's summer in Caleb's country, and I'm going to watch these werewolves train.I'm very comfortable and wave at Marcus when he stares at me. His face immediately turns pale, and I frown. The poor beta is either afraid of me, or he finds me strange. I
LauraI'm baffled when it hits me full force that Jenna is the sister of alpha Roger and that she belongs to the Sunlight Shiver pack.Okay. I didn't expect that.I can't even speak—what do you say in a moment like this?I'm sorry I left your brother and the altar and humiliated you and your entire pack by rejecting him?Pft, that would be terrible.As if reading my mind, Jenna snorts. "What's the matter? Did the cat steal your tongue? Why did you suddenly lose your confidence, huh? Is it because you feel guilty over what you did?"Her friends snicker. I'm not sure what their names are, but they must be twins since they look identical."Either way," Jenna whips her hair over one shoulder, ready to turn away but not without looking me up and down. "You're a dead woman, Laura. Caleb will throw you out of his estate. Your white wolf is the only thing that makes you special—that's why Roger wanted to marry you. But seeing your human form? Damn, you look like a pubescent child. Unattractiv
LauraI'm not easily agitated. Scary movies never made me jump back in high school. My friends never managed to startle me. I can't even remember being afraid of the dark, and I wasn't the slightest unnerved by tales of monsters and ghosts.But I'm terrified now. My pulse is drumming against my neck, and I shake as I lift my chin to face the most enormous creature I've ever seen. The legends said the Lycans were giants, but really?Caleb hunches his massive shoulders to face me. Every muscle on his body bulges, making me freeze.I can't move. My feet might as well have grown gnarled roots and stuck them into the ground. I'm petrified as those blazing eyes lock on mine.Caleb's lips are pulled over his teeth, and his warm breath hits my face.He is more than twice my height. His fur is darker than the night, and his body is swollen with strength. Every finger is equipped with a razor-sharp claw instead of a nail.Powerful. Intimidating.Scary.Yet I believe I can somehow reach him
LauraMy heart is racing, but I'm trying to remain calm. I thread lightly over fallen tree branches, stopping every few seconds to look and listen for any humans camping out here. Luckily, I'm only met with the sun dancing through the canopies far above me and the sound of birdsong.Still, I have to keep up my guard. The Rivermoon pack might own these woods. Yet humans tend to get curious enough to enter other people's lands. Humans can't smell and tell which territory belongs to which werewolf pack, and neither do they know about us werewolves existing. So it's not like I can blame them for coming here. But it would be tragic if Caleb ended up killing someone innocent."Caleb?!" I shout, circling my mouth with my hands. "Caleb? Are you here somewhere?"I hear rustling from a bush, but panic drills me like an arrow when I pick up the scent—it smells like the Sunlight Shiver pack!Before I get the chance to shape-shift, a large brown wolf jumps over me and snarls into my face. My b
LauraWaking up in the arms of a man feels great until I've fully opened my eyes. Caleb's beautiful face is in front of me. His eyes are closed, and those thick dark eyelashes are spread over his cheeks.Holy shit, he is back to his human self, and we are both naked!My cheeks go warm and hot, and I shriek, causing the man to tighten his hold of me. I'm hugged to his chiseled chest, dwarfed by Caleb, who keeps sleeping. "Caleb..." I hiss. "Let go of me!"Caleb stirs in his sleep and slowly opens his blue eyes. They stare into mine for the briefest moment before his eyebrows rise. "Sorry, but..." his voice is deeper after having recently woken up, and he smacks his tongue before speaking. "Where the fuck are we?"Oh.Caleb doesn't remember?"You turned into a lycan during practice after someone bit you..." I squirm to escape from his arms, but the bastard is strong. He doesn't even seem to notice I'm fighting him. "And is that a fucking erection?!"Five large fingers graze my back.
LauraWhen we return to the pack house, Marcus and Ryan are waiting for us outside in the company of Olivia, Caleb's mother. Marcus and Ryan seem uncomfortable in her presence. Marcus doesn't lift his head, while Ryan's smile is apprehensive. I guess Olivia still behaves like the luna around here, even if Caleb has stepped up as the alpha.She is smoking a cigarette but throws it under her shoe upon seeing us. The flame gets stomped by her boot, and then she lifts her chin, smiling at her son before frowning upon meeting my eyes. "So this is your mate?" Olivia questions her son without even looking at him. She is too busy glaring daggers at me. "Her stance isn't proper, and that body is too short and chubby—no, this one won't do. She lacks the good manners to become the next luna too. Please pay attention to her shoulders. They aren't proud and elegant."I arch an eyebrow, about to give this old lady a piece of my mind to defend myself. Surprisingly, Caleb steps between us. His br
LauraI'm exhausted.I practiced table manners and kept my back straight while sitting by the kitchen table for two hours with Olivia. She is a fierce woman and seems to take pleasure in slapping her whip over my fingers.Sighing, I enter the elevator. Caleb's mansion has plenty of floors that belong to his company. They are above the living area, and I press the second button for the second floor.I lean against the wall, surprised when the elevator stops at level four without me pressing anything.My eyebrows furrow, and I wonder if the elevator is broken. I'm about to talk out when the doors open, but Caleb steps on.Immediately, I back up from the giant alpha. Caleb is dressed in a navy suit and tie. It can barely even contain him. Muscular man. Every nerve in my body runs wild when he peers down at me. A smile spreads over his lips, and I press my back against the wall. My heart is racing inside my chest—I can literally hear it, and shivers start crawling up and down my spine.C