Sages wake up pressed against something solid. He blinks at the naked chest in his line of sight, rising and falling softly with slow breathings over his head, and the weight of an arm around his waist, holding him securely. He tries to move, but Rowan stirs; instead of letting go, he lifts Sage on top of him as if he weighs nothing, his arms going around his waist to trap him. Sage gasps, his palms landing on his chest to brace himself.“Rowan,” he rasps.The alpha slowly opens his eyes. “I like it when you call my name.” Sage fights back a blush. “Let go, I need to use the bathroom.”“Oh. Shame, I like having you like this,” Rowan says, his voice still hoarse with sleep.Sage huffs, pushing at his chest. “You’re annoying.”Rowan smirks. “You’re soft.”“I just nearly died, and you’re being flirty?” Sage snorts. “I expected you to at least care.”The look in Rowan’s eyes changes dramatically, growing darker and more intense. Suddenly, he pulls himself to a sitting position, pulling
“Alpha Rowan, we are being attacked by rogues!” Sage eyes widen.“There are too many of them; they’ve already crossed into the territory,” the guards continue, and instantly, the crowd breaks, and gasps of horror fill the hall as people turn to each other in panic and the murmurs grow louder.Rowan immediately looks over at Liam, and he nods before rushing out of the hall with the guards. Rowna turns to the crowd of panicked wolves; his voice booms loudly as he shouts. “Everyone, stay in the hall. No one is allowed to leave until we’ve cleared the territory. I repeat, no one goes in or out.”The people quieted down immediately. Then he turns to Sage. “You are to stay here.”Sage blinks, then immediately shakes his head. “No. I want help.”“You staying here is helping.”“I can fight,” Sage insists. “Don’t look at me as an omega.” His voice turns defensive, and his eyes turn into a glare.“I’m not looking at you as an omega,” Rowan replies simply. “I’m looking at you as someone who can
“The wine… something’s wrong with it.”As soon as the words leave his lips, the room falls silent for a lingering moment before whispers begin and the crowd stirs.The elder blinks rapidly; his gaze flickers from Sage's face to the glass of wine. “What do you mean there's something wrong with the wine?”Sage looks him in the eye and repeats. “There's something wrong with it, and I'm not drinking it.”The crowd gasps, and murmurs break out from everywhere.“What is he doing?!”“This is insulting to the pack.”“He thinks he's more important than everyone.”“An omega shouldn't rule.”Sage hears every whisper, but he blocks them out, and then Beta Callen steps forward from the corner.“Sage, this is a sacred ritual of our pack, and the wine is a symbol of loyalty and truth. Once you drink the wine in front of the whole pack, you officially become Luna.”“There’s something wrong with it,” Sage says firmly. “I can smell it.”An elder snatches the glass from his hand and brings it to his nos
It's the day of the ritual. Sage stands at the front of the human-length mirror while the maid ties the last ribbon on his robe. The sheer fabric is soft, flowing down his body like water, and gracing the floor. He feels like a stranger in those robes; no matter how many times he's been dressed up like a doll, he can never get comfortable because he's not that kind of omega, but this is just for the ritual. Once it's over, he's getting rid of it and probably banning it so no other omega experiences this torture. He runs a hand over the front of the outfit, trying to smooth it out. “Are you alright?” Bloom inquiries. Ssgs nods and offers a flat smile through the mirror. “Yeah, just nervous.” “You shouldn't be. The people of Bloodfang are nice; it's just that it's the first time an omega is becoming their Luna. They are scared of you,” Bloom assures him. Sage nods again. Suddenly, the door opens. Sage reels his head and watches as Rowan steps in, dressed elegantly in black, his
Kieran stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, and his green eyes and naked torso stare back at him. Slowly, his hand moves down to caress the marks on his body, the bite marks. Seth has been brutal even when Kieran insists on no marks, but for some reason, Kieran doesn’t mind.He traces the one on his shoulder, then the one right above his hip bone, then lower—until his hand pauses on his thigh. The bruise on his thigh throbs faintly, a reminder of what they did, of how Kieran had begged for more even when it hurt, and of how Seth hadn’t stopped until Kieran screamed his name like a prayer and a curse.Kieran’s face heats up at the thought, his heart racing but in a good way. He feels lighter in a way he hasn’t felt in a long time. He should think about the consequences of his action, think of what his father, the people, and the council will say, and think of Lena and how he is cheating on his girlfriend with the pack freak, but Seth is his mate; he is allowed to want and
As soon as Cassian is out the door, Kieran yanks himself free of Seth’s grasp. His green eyes drilling a large hole in Seth’s skull, his jaw clenched so tight, and his anger still boiling inside of him. “You let him touch you? You stood there and let him?”“It’s not like that—” Seth tries to say, but he gets cut off.“It’s exactly like that, you shameless piece of shit. What would you have done if I hadn’t shown up? Take him to your room and get tangled in the fucking sheets!”“Stop—” Seth starts again with a sigh this time, rubbing a hand over his temple, obviously tired of Kieran and his fucking bullshit.Kieran barks out a laugh. “Oh yeah, you want me to stop because you fucking enjoyed it—”“Kieran.” Seth abruptly cuts Kieran off by grabbing both of his shoulders, his cold, crimson eyes piercing through Kieran’s orbs, staring deep into his eyes as if he can see his soul, but Kieran can read the raw emotion of anger swimming in those eyes, the clench of his jaw, and how tightly he