What a POS!
Iโm pushing the hospital food around on my plate, trying to make it look like Iโve actually been eating something. I mean, I know I need to eat. I need to build up my strength and all, but holy shit is this stuff bad. Thereโs like no seasoning. Everything is the texture of mush. I didnโt know that it was possible to burn something and have it partially frozen at the same time. Unfortunately, Dr. Fern is going to be pissed if I donโt eat. He said that me getting strong is the only way that heโll let me out. And part of that is me eating my meals. Maybe I can order some food to my room? Pizza would definitely make me feel stronger. Iโm trying to figure out if I can stomach a few more bites or if I should just risk flushing it down the toilet when there is a knock on the door to my room. Confused, I call, โCome in.โ Itโs weird that someone would be knocking on my door. The nurses knock, but they come right in, not waiting. And Ivan, the only other per
The bastard managed to hold out a lot longer than I thought he would, but after finding out that heโs a beta blood, that makes sense. Heโs tougher than the typical wolf, able to heal damage faster and withstand more damage than the typical wolf. I have two advantages over him. One, Iโm an alpha, pissed off over the pain and suffering that this asshole has caused my mate her entire life. That is the other half of my soul and he damaged her just because he could. And there is very little a wolf wonโt do for their mate. Add to that the fact that I have an alphaโs strength and temper and Roy was in for a whole hell of a lot of pain. Two, those hot shots might heal all of the physical injuries that heโs experiencing from the torture that Iโm putting him through. But it does nothing to heal the mental damage. Thereโs only so much continuous pain that you can take before you start to crack. Iโm pretty sure that he was catatonic by the time that I lef
I havenโt seen Nova all day and Iโm excited to get to her room. I slept in my bed for a few hours, but it was shit sleep. Now that I know what itโs like to have my mateโs scent in the room with me as I sleep, I donโt know that Iโll ever be able to sleep without it again. Iโm excited to see Nova, so when I walk into the room, Iโm smiling as big as I can. Even more so since the nurse told me that she was awake. Turns out, the nurse didnโt tell me everything, because I see movement to the side of the room and I look over to see my parents sitting on the couch. โHey Mom and Dad. What are you two doing here?โ I ask with a furrowed brow. โI came to apologize to her, son. I need her to forgive me. I need her to know that I never meant โ โ Dadโs voice cuts off as he starts to cry, his face in his hands and his shoulders shaking. Fuck! Fang curses in my head. Sheโs not ready for this shit. They couldnโt hold on to it for a few days so tha
Alpha Derek and Luna Annalise are staring at me from the couch like Iโm the missing link in their world to finally attain peace. Iโm assuming that Ivan told them that Iโm his mate, though I still donโt quite believe that. My wolf didnโt recognize him. I mean, there is something about him that I canโt quite seem to be able to let go of. As much as he scares me, I also long for his touch. And with my wolf not recognizing himโฆwell, Iโve heard people say that their wolf has talked to them. That their wolf has a name. Things that their wolf thinks and feels and wants. My wolf has never done that. I mean, every once in a while, Iโll get feelings of anger that seem to come from more than me. Especially when Roy was beating me. Thatโs when I would have bursts of defiance. Sometimes I would fight back. Sometimes I would partially shift. It was inconsistent and I could never predict it. But it was there. It made me wonder i
โSheโs his mate?โ Bryson asks for the third time since weโve been out going to the rogue encampment that was found years ago. Weโre on quads rolling through the woods since the terrain is too difficult for our trucks to get through. The woods are too dense as well. Easier to use the quads instead of hoofing it.Weโre talking on the headsets in our helmet. Itโs just me, our gamma Bryson, our delta Erick, and our head warrior Jakobi. Minus Ivan, weโre the strongest, most powerful, and best fighters in the pack. The fact that all four of us are out here means that this is an important mission.The thing that always rankled Alpha Derek and the rest of our fatherโs is that our land is so vast and there are so many hidden areas that these rogues had an encampment just a mile INSIDE our borders. They were able to rush over the border whenever we were near and had a secure place to hide from other packs and rogues. The only way in an out of their encampment was through a crevice betwe
I come out of the bathroom and heโs there. I come back from getting x-rays and an occupational therapy checkup and heโs there. I open my eyes and hโs fucking there. The goddess-damned alpha will not leave me alone. โDonโt you have something to do?โ I ask, trying hard not to whine. He smiles up at me from the foot of my bed. โLike what?โ He has to know that heโs annoying me. Is he getting pleasure from annoying me? Is this fun for him? Because it is SO NOT fun for me. โI donโt know,โ I say, throwing my hands up in the air before waving towards the door. โAlpha things. Alpha things that make you leave this room and away from me. Preferably far away from me and for a long time.โ He just chuckles and looks at me like I have rainbows shooting out of my ass. โYouโre not used to having other wolves around much, are you?โ I throw a glare at him, but itโs just when he starts stretching. With his arms way over his head, his shirt rides up showing a swath of tanned six p
That almost kiss, that teasing brush of our lips against each other, that fucking interrupted teasing taste of my mate has been fucking with my head ever since Sean interrupted us. I can tell that Nova has been thinking about it just as much as I have by the number of times her fingers go to her lips or she absently sucks on her bottom lip into her mouth. I want to touch her, claim her, kiss her so she knows exactly what I feel for her. But I also felt her body stiffen when she realized what I was doing. She isnโt ready for that. And Iโm not allowing myself and my desires to scare my mate away. Iโll give her as much time and patience as she needs.Sheโs worth it. I can already tell that.She was still feeling some pain from the two broken ribs that she had, so walking was difficult for her. Hello, with broken ribs, just breathing hurts, but so do large body movements. So, she allowed me to push her in a wheelchair, to help her in and out of the car, and to get her into our ro
I wake up to the sound of banging on the door to the bedroom Iโm in. โLuna! Luna! Open the door! Itโs Ivan!โ I kind of recognize the voice, but itโs not one that I know really well. Iโm really groggy and I know itโs because of pain meds for my ribs. But the insistent banging on the door will not let me sink back into the oblivion that I had been a part of. I groan as I pull myself into a sitting position. The pounding hasnโt stopped. If anything itโs gotten more urgent. โLuna! Please open the door!โ I call out, โJust come in! Geez. Youโll break the door down.โ The pounding stops for a long beat before the door opens. And there is the huge giant of a man that is Beta Jude standing in the doorway. โShit! I mean, Iโm so sorry, Beta. I didnโt mean to be so disrespectful!โ Iโm trying to bend my neck to him while standing and maintaining my balance and thereโs no way that I can do all of those three at the same time. I start to fall and the Beta runs into the roo
Weโre staying in the cabin we got each other for an anniversary present last year.While still with the rogues, Cody and I would comfort each other by saying that once we got free, weโd find each other, build a cabin in the woods, and stay there together for the rest of our lives.Itโs what I had been saving money for when Ivan and I found each other โ so that we could have the land and the house free and clear.Admittedly, the cabin we have nowโtwo stories, five bedrooms, a basement playroom for the kids, a pool, and a half basketball courtโis a far cry from what Cody and I would have managed on our own.Still, itโs nice to get away and return to what we always dreamed of.To bring our other mate and our children here with us.We come as often as we can โ for a week, for a long weekend.A little home away from home.We had the kitchen stocked and the whole place cleaned and ready, so there would be no interruptions.Which is good, because after all the teasing we did on the way here,
Checking my watch, I turn to our little girl."Do you know which one you want to wear, Lenita? Kiki and Harley are going to be here soon. And you donโt want to miss the petting zoo."My little princess is standing in front of her closet, arms crossed and her lower lip sticking out in a full pout."I wanna wear my pwincess dwess!""Chiquita (little one), weโve already talked about this. You canโt wear it to the fair, but you can wear it later," I say, pleading with her.Weโve been at it for twenty minutes, trying to get Elena ready to go out with Kamryn and Harley before a birthday party for one of her pre-school friends later today.The party is princess-themed, hence the dress sheโs insisting on wearing.Unfortunately for herโand us at this pointโif she wears the dress to the fair, itโs guaranteed to end up covered in dirt and food, ripped from a skinned knee, or chewed on by a goat at the petting zoo.So, she canโt wear it.Not that sheโs listening."I wanna wear my pwincess dwess,
5 years laterโฆ I wake up to an elbow in the gut. โWhat?โ I ask, bolting upright immediately. โWhatโs wrong?โ โItโs your turn,โ Nova murmurs, her voice heavy with sleep. Itโs only then that I hear one of the twins crying. Glancing at the alarm clock, I see that itโs just after 2:00 AM. Fuck. I roll out of bed, stumbling to the bedroom door and next door to the twinsโ room. โHey, buddy. Itโs okay. Dadaโs here,โ I call, my voice rough with sleep. In the glow of the nightlight, I see Ronan standing in his crib, crying, his nose impossibly snotty. His cheeks are bright red, and drool soaks the front of his pajamas. โDa! Da!โ he cries the second he sees me. โHey, Ronan. Are those teeth bugging you, bud?โ I ask, picking him up and pulling him to my shoulder. His skin is hotโheโs definitely running a low-grade fever. Both boys are teething hard right now, reacting just like human babies: colds, fevers, pain, the whole nine yards. His cries quiet the moment heโs in my arms, sniffli
โHoly shit, that was a long day,โ I say, falling onto the sofa next to my mates.Weโre in the first-floor common area with everyone in our leadership crewโminus Jakobi.He found his mate today. A she-wolf from a neighboring pack, second daughter of a delta. Maureen seems nice. We didnโt really get to talk to her much, thoughโJakobi whisked her off, and theyโve been... indisposed in his room ever since.We might see them tomorrow.Or in a couple of days.โFuck, yeah it was,โ Jude groans. โIโm just happy to be out of that monkey suit.โโI donโt know,โ Lucy murmurs, running her fingers down his jaw and pulling his attention. โI wouldnโt mind having you in it more often... and helping you out of it.โโWell, this was fun, guys, but my mate and I need to be getting to bed,โ Jude says as he stands and throws Lucy over his shoulder.Lucy squeals and props herself up on his back, waving at us. โSee you guys at breakfast!โโNot if I have anything to say about it!โ Jude calls from the hallway.
My mates and I are standing on a large floating platform in the center of the harbor. All the boats have been cleared for todayโs ceremony, and the entire pack has gathered along the shore to witness the official welcoming of their Luna and Lune. The platform is made of strong, transparent plastic, giving the illusion that weโre standing directly on the water. Flower petals and floating candles drift both on the surface and around the edges of the platform. A camera positioned at the far end captures the event and projects it onto screens placed throughout the crowd so everyone can see whatโs happening. Nova looks stunning in her midnight blue ball gown, her hair swept into a messy bun. Thin straps frame her exposed matemarks, and the dress is low-cut in both the front and back, revealing creamy swaths of skin. The bodice hugs her tightly, while the skirt flows freely into a long, lacy train that shimmers in the sunlight. Cody wears fitted pants and a tailored gunmetal gray vestโno
โI really donโt want to do this,โ I murmur, tugging at the hem of my skirt again.โGirl, if you donโt stop messing with that skirt, youโre going to unravel it. Stop it!โ Lucy punctuates the last word by smacking my hand.I stick my tongue out at her but stop fiddling. Honestly, I think the only reason Lucy isnโt as nervous as I am is because sheโs too busy managing me.At least, she doesnโt seem outwardly nervous.But I know her butterflies are causing a full-blown tornadoโjust like the one twisting in my own stomach.Weโre heading to the Hartwood Pack, where Lucy and Cody are from. Itโs been two weeks since we brought Cody home.Alpha Timothy was pissed when he realized we had โabsconded with one of his most valued packmates.โ He threatened to call down the Council of Alphas, press charges against our pack, and even force Ivan to step down as Alpha.All of that might have been intimidatingโif it hadnโt taken him four days to even realize Cody was gone. Add in the fact that the three
The second Ivan and Cody establish their matebond, a ripple of power, connection, and pleasure sweeps through all three of us. Bite howls in my mind, the sound echoed by two other wolvesโFang and Howl. Our bond is complete. The three of us are tied together, not only by fate, but by our marks. There is no oneโand nothingโbeyond the Goddess herself that could tear us apart. โHoly shit,โ Cody says. Ivan chuckles. โYou can say that again.โ โHoly shit,โ Cody and I both say at the same time. We all laugh at that. Looking at my mates, I canโt help the affection that thrums through my heart at the sight of them happy together. โLet me get you guys a towel,โ I say, slipping off the bed. โAnd the wet wipes,โ Ivan calls after me. I grab both from the bathroom and bring them back so Cody and Ivan can clean up. โThanks, Estrella,โ Cody says as Ivan leans forward to kiss the top of my head. I move to the head of the bed, watching them as they get themselves together. Ivan heads into the
I watch Codyโhis chest rising and falling as he catches his breath, eyes glazed over from orgasm. His shoulder-length black hair is fanned out across the bed, giving him a dark halo. His bronze-colored skin shines with sweat, and those chocolate brown eyes are begging for me to touch him.So beautiful. I mean, fucking gorgeous. Itโs why I called him lindo.Iโd thought hard about what nickname to give him. Novaโs was easy. Seeing her that first time at The Warren in the bunny costume, all timid and shyโshe reminded me of the little rabbit she was dressed as. Sheโll always be my little rabbit.But Cody and I didnโt have that kind of โmeet cute.โ Not even close. Still, I needed a name for him, something that felt right.It was Fang who suggested lindo. Clearly, our mate has Hispanic roots, and using that in his nickname felt like a way to honor that.Look at him, Fang says in my head, voice thick with awe. Spread out and waiting for us.Letโs not make him wait, I reply, and lean down to
Howl is going insane inside of me. He wants Ivan. I want Ivan. And weโre finally going to get him.I suck at Ivanโs skin, making a hickey in the spot where I want to put his matemarkโright next to Novaโs. One of his hands grips my hair, the other wraps around my back.โBedroom. Lube.โ The words come out strangled with need.Mate! Fuck mate! Bite mate! Make him ours! Howlโs words echo through my mind, getting lost in the frenzied need that pulses between us.Iโm working on it, Howl. Calm the fuck down so I can focus on him, I snap back.He smells so good. Feels even better. Fuck, Howl moans, and I know exactly what he means.I know Ivan wants us in the bedroom, but I canโt make myself move. Canโt stop touching him, kissing him, losing myself in him.Thank the Goddess for Nova.โCome on, boys,โ she says, grabbing both our hands. โLetโs get to the bedroom. I want to see the two of you laid out before me.โItโs her touch that finally breaks the trance. Her words remind me thereโs more t