로그인Something is happening to me. And it’s not just the grief that sometimes overwhelms me, or the depth of feelings I have for the four boys who walk me into school for the first time since Alpha Rick died. It’s not even this half-bond I still have to Nester Rist. It’s something else. Something twisting my bones inside-out. I look up at Lycroft, just like I did all those months ago when I first came, and shudder from the strain of holding back my tears. I’d been here with Alpha Rick that first day. He’d been pulling my box toward the door. Hunter settles beside me, taking my hand in his. “Are you sure you want to do this?” “No,” I say simply. Why would I want to do this? We have an assembly for Rick’s funeral since he was the star student, and every time I see a picture of him, my heart catches. But I need to be here; I have a month to graduate, and I owe it to Ricklan to see school through. Plus, the rose is here—Dillon took it and has been waiting for me to feel better so I ca
The funeral takes a day. I’d always known Ricklan was legendary, but I thought after he was kicked off the council, people would have forgotten just how important he was. But the hall for his wake was so filled that some people had to sit with others in their lap. Many stayed outside to honor the man who raised Olivia all those years. So many people had stories about him, about how incredible he was. At the burial, me and the boys get to stand in front of the church with Olivia in the middle of us. She has always been small, but today, she looks fragile. Breakable. She rests on Hunter’s shoulder as Ricklan is lowered into the ground, and I want nothing more than to be the man holding her. We all sit at the grave, Olivia quietly crying as we try to comfort her. It’s when the sun is finally setting that she mutters, “We can go.” Hunter runs a finger over her shoulder, “You sure?” “Yeah.” She says, sounding tired as she wipes her eyes again, “I’ll come back.” “Will you go to yo
Step after shaky step, I head over to Ricklan’s hospital room.Talon and Hunter are flanked on either side of me, while Axel and Ryker walk ahead, as if they’re clearing a path for me.I’m sandwiched between the four tallest men in the world. I should feel safe, but all I can focus on is my wild beating heart.“You’ve got this,” Talon whispers by my ear, but the only thing I feel like I’ve got is his arm. If not, I’d have hit the floor by now.I can’t do this. I can’t face my father dead.“Livvy.” Hunter’s gentle voice joins the conversation. “This will be good for you, for us. Closure and all.”We get to Ricklan’s room door, and I stare at him. His blue eyes swirl with unspoken emotion, and it hits me that he’s also grieving.Chest tightening, I pull my hand out of his and rub a hand down his chin, feeling the prickle of stubble growing in. “Oh, Hunter.”“Don’t worry about me.” He smiles sadly, pressing his cheek into my hand. “This is about you and Ricklan.”I don’t know what I did
Every time I wake up, I’m on a different boy’s shoulder. Talon. Hunter. Ryker. Axel. Talon. Hunter. Ryker. Axel. Talon. Hunter. Ryker. Axel. Each of them caring for me in their own unique but wholehearted way. If my eyes didn’t sting from weeping, and if I didn’t feel so drained from all that has happened, this would have been paradise. This time, it’s Ryker, mindlessly running a hand over my hair, sitting with me on the bed while the rest of the boys have a quiet conversation in front of us. “Are we alive?” he mumbles into my hair. No. Not really. But I’d never break his heart by telling him that. “As alive as I can be right now.” “That’s more than enough for me.” I muster all my energy to try and joke with him. “You know, for a premium fuckboy, you’re really good at this whole caretaker thing.” Somehow, his touch becomes even more gentle. “Oh, trust me, darling, my fuckboy days are in the past.” I shouldn’t look into his eyes—seeing any emotion in them makes me even more
I come into the room, kissing Olivia’s forehead, and frown—her skin is burning. “Grief fever,” Axel grunts. “The doctor prescribed her some ibuprofen.” I nod, going over to the single metal chair in the room and slumping into it. “And you? What were you prescribed?” “Painkillers, mostly. You?” “Same.” He looks up at me. “You threw that shit away, right?” “Of course. I’m not making my parents pay for painkillers. I can handle some pain.” His lip twitches, hiding his smile. “Same.” We stare at each other for a moment. He looks as he always does, maybe with some bags under his eyes. I, on the other hand, must look like shit. He turns back to Olivia, muttering, “It suits you, you know?” “What does?” “Being Alpha.” I sit up, shock coursing through me. “Axel—” “I’m not giving you shit,” he insists. “I mean it, and I think deep down you know it too.” I gulp, not sure if I want to run from this conversation or use it to distract myself from Ricklan’s death and Oliv
Leaving Talon felt cruel, but I don't think Ryan Darlington would have wanted to see me right now if he knew what his son and I have gotten up to. I barrel down the white halls, the rose in my hand, with a single destination in mind—my dad’s room. But as I'm about to enter, a woman bursts out, looking paler than ever. I do a double take. “Mum?” Diane West’s eyes land on mine, and my heart breaks the second I see her worried brown eyes. “Hunter!” She breathes out the heaviest sigh of relief, wrapping me in her arms. “Baby, I was so worried about you. I got the message about what's been going on.” I'm a whole head taller than her, but I bend down and return the hug as tightly as possible. I rake my hands through her bobbed hair. “I’m sorry we scared you.” She pulls me back, eyes boring into mine. Anyone else would have yelled my head off. In fact, she should yell my head off. But my mother doesn’t have a single angry bone in her body. “Is Ricklan really dead?” she asks
The door closes behind them, but the threat rings in my ears.*Trust me, human. I haven’t even begun with you.*All I wanted was to meet Talon, and the person who was meant to introduce me to him just walked out with the wolf that assaulted me.My chest constricts with panic. What if there is
This was a mistake.Someone pushes his girlfriend behind him, growling at me like my disgusting human genes will corrupt her.But his hatred doesn’t even match the one from the large, tattooed Lycan standing in front of me. We lock eyes.“Human.” He snarls, making goosebumps flare over my skin. W
Fuck, she smelt so good. “You’ve outdone yourself, Rye!” Clarissa shouts over the music. We grind in sync with other couples on the dancefloor. I control her hips, bucking against her ass with my hardened dick. But she’s not the one I want to sink my erection into. Olivia. It doesn’t make sen
“We’re here,” Dillon says brightly. He pushes open my dorm room door, and if I weren’t so tense, I might have admired my new space. There’s a small bed pushed to the wall, a sturdy-looking desk beside it, and a large window overlooking the whole setup. It’s nothing special, but I'm just grateful







