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31
SERENA
“Hey gorgeous,” Reid drawls, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe of my bedroom.
I look up from my spot on the edge of the bed- I’ve got one leg pulled into my chest and I just finished applying a second coat of bright red toenail polish. Painting my toes may seem like a silly thing to do, given the fact that we’re on the eve of a war, but little menial tasks like this help to distract my anxious mind.
“Hey handsome,” I breathe, a smile instantly coming to my lips as I look up at him.
He’s wearing a simple white t-shirt and my favorite pair of grey sweatpants, his dark hair a little tousled and messy- and damnit if I’m not getting a little hot just looking at him. Don’t get me wrong, the man looks slick in his usual slacks and dress shirt, but there’s just something so sexy about him when he’s relaxed like this rather than all buttoned up a
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Alpha Reid 32
REID “What do you mean?” Serena giggles, but the way my dick’s pressing harder against her belly should be answer enough. Gotta love that shifter rebound rate; less than five minutes and I’m ready for round two. I know she’s ready, too- I could scent her arousal the entire time she was giving me that mind-melting blowjob. I didn’t think any feeling could compare to her pussy wrapped around my dick, until her mouth was. Fucking heaven. My dick twitches against Serena’s stomach and her lips form an ‘o’, her eyes widening in recognition as she gazes up at me. Now we’re on the same page. The look of surprise in her eyes quickly shifts to one of lustful desire, her wolf swirling silver in her irises as she sinks her teeth into her lower lip and drags her fingernails across my chest. Then she suddenly sits up, moving off of me to the other side of the couch and daring me with her eyes to make a move.
Alpha Reid 33
REID The light coming in through the window the next morning is uncomfortably bright, reflecting off of the blanket of snow covering the ground. It must’ve snowed all night- we got several inches, and it’s just cold enough outside for it to stick. The significance of the snow isn’t lost on me. It means that Astrid’s vision of the battle with the shadow pack was accurate; that it’s coming to fruition. We’re officially out of time. The mood is somber when we arrive at the Summervale packhouse for the council meeting. It’s our last sit-down with everyone before the battle starts, and it’s a packed house. All of the council members are attending- the alphas and betas of every pack- as well as the squad leaders and their mates, Chase, and the Denver alpha and beta. Lots of strong personalities in one room, yet nobody’s arguing for once. Not today. There are still a few more to arrive after Cy, Serena, and I get there, and w
Alpha Reid 34
Serena I can feel my pulse thrumming in my ears. Reid’s hand wraps around mine and I turn to look at him, my eyes wide and rimmed with fear. The gentle sparks from his touch do little to calm me. My mouth is dry, my heart hammers against my ribs. Nervous energy crackles through my veins, making my fingertips tingle and my head feel like it could float away. Ready or not, here they come. Reid yanks me in, arms encircling my body tightly. Grounding me when I need it most. He leans in closer, breath skating across my lips as his blue eyes search mine. Then he kisses me- softly at first, then building in persistence, like he’s trying to memorize the way my lips feel against his. Like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do. All around us, bones crack as our cohorts shift to their animal forms, readying themselves to take their positions. I just want to stay here and kiss Reid a little longer, pretend it’s only us and none of t
Alpha Reid 35
REID I’ve never enjoyed killing. It’s simply a means to an end; a necessary evil to keep my pack safe. As Alpha, it’s my duty to ensure my pack’s safety, and if that means taking the lives of those who threaten them, then so be it. It’s a burden I’ll gladly bear for the benefit of my people. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t come at a price. War is physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing, and no amount of preparation can truly prepare you for the sheer carnage of the battlefield. The smells, the sounds. The blood. The bodies that pile up underfoot. The awareness that some of them are from my own side, friends and allies we’ll be left to mourn if we emerge victorious, or soon join in death if we don’t. In order to focus and do what has to be done in battle, I have to turn off part of my humanity, in a sense. I tuck it away and let my wolf take over. I’m still there in the background, executing the strategy
Alpha Reid 36
SERENA “I don’t see why we can’t just walk up in there,” Theo grumbles. “Their boss is dead, what do they have to fight for?” “Now’s not the time to get cocky,” Reid warns, shooting Theo a look. “We need to stick to the plan.” Gray sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Reid’s right, we don’t want to take any chances. The most important thing is getting everybody out safely.” I nod emphatically in agreement as Reid slides his hand over mine, giving it a little squeeze. We’re gathered in the conference room at the complex, regrouping and getting ready to head out to the location where my sister and pack are being held. It’s about a forty-minute drive from here and if we leave soon, we’ll arrive before dusk. When Xavier drew his last breath up on that ridge, I let out a breath that I’d seemingly been holding for months. The shadow pack has felt like an iron fist around my throat since they crashed into m
Alpha Reid 37
SERENA When Reid tugs my hand, I quickly snap out of my own hesitation and back into warrior mode, hustling to get to the doorway with him before the shadow pack wolves catch up to us. Right as we slip through, I hear snarls from behind us as they’re thwarted by our friends who’ve shifted to cover our backs as we advance. “Brooke, any idea where this route leads us?” Reid pants as we continue sprinting down the corridor. “There’s an access door at the end to another wing,” she replies, her voice coming through the speakerphone in Reid’s pocket. “I’ll have it open for you in three… two…” I hear the latch to the door in front of me click right as I come upon it, yanking it open and stepping through. As soon as I do, a foul odor hits my nose- like mold and human excrement and death. I stop in my tracks, my blood running cold. “What’s wrong?” Reid breathes as he skids to a halt beside me. My jaw goe
Alpha Reid 38
REID I haven’t let Serena out of my sight since we left the bunker where her sister and pack were being held prisoner, and I’m not sure I ever will again. I thought I fucking lost her. I can’t even explain how desperate I felt in that moment; like my heart was torn from my body and locked behind that door with her. After we got everyone out, we brought in the bus that we had waiting nearby to load up Serena’s pack and bring them to our territory. Serena’s sister rode in the SUV with us and I don’t think Serena let go of her hand the whole way back. Then we got her pack settled into the bunkroom at the squad barracks and Olivia settled into Serena’s old room at our packhouse, since Serena wanted her close and she’s basically already moved into my room anyways. It's nearing midnight by the time we get everyone else taken care of and the two of us are finally able to turn in. “I need a shower so bad,” Serena groans as soo
Alpha Reid 39
REIDThe events of the day replay in my dreams all night like a horror movie that I can’t turn off. I’m back on that ridge, watching as Xavier staggers toward Gray, lunging in a last desperate attempt to fight him off. I see Gray tear out his throat again, hear the gurgling sound as Xavier struggles for air, blood spurting from the gaping wound in his neck and staining the snow. This time, though, when I go to turn away, something gives me pause. I look back to see Xavier rise again, still bleeding from the neck but still very much alive. Everyone else has their backs turned, and I open my mouth to warn them, but no sound comes out…My eyes fly open, the sunlight pouring in through the window stinging them as they adjust to the brightness. My heart is racing, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to my brow. I reach in front of me, then behind me, my hands meeting nothing but the silken bedsheets. No Serena.I
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