TESSA“Slow down, puppy,” I said, breathless after he had finished devouring my lips. He was still grinding against my body, and even though he wasn’t in his rut, it felt like he was. I looked down at his pants and saw that the tent had grown even bigger. I was sure my chest was flushed from embarrassment, reality hitting me all at once when I realized I was basically doing such intimate things with a man who thinks this is a dream. “More,” Rowan pleaded, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I want more.” I bit my lip and wondered if I should continue this. I let out a deep breath and gathered enough courage to say the next words. “Remove your clothes then,” I said, trying to smirk. He wasted no time sitting up, with me still on his lap. He removed his shirt and showed off his body. Did he get bigger? His once flawless skin, I once remembered, was also peppered with scars now. Then, he pulled me closer to his body, our bare chests touching each other. I gasped in shock when he took
TESSA Fate really had a way of laughing in my face.At the wedding, it was the cursed seat next to him. Now, here I was—pressed against a bare wall, in a half-finished house, with Rowan’s breath hot over my lips.I should’ve been terrified. Maybe even furious. But all I could think as my eyes darted around was how ridiculous this place looked. The house was stripped down to its bones. There was no furniture in sight, no lights hanging in the living room. It honestly looked like a warehouse. I clicked my tongue. Is this where he was taking Zaria to? Rowan’s eyes didn’t move from me. That was when I realized that his gaze wasn’t just on my face. It was everywhere. Roaming, devouring, taking in every bare inch of me.Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I cursed silently. Damn it. I nearly forgot I was completely naked. Climbing through that damned stream had also left my skin slick, glistening with water that clung in droplets along my collarbone, thighs, and hair. I tried to play it off
TESSA I was already tired of her, but Zaria recklessly lunged again. Her nails barely grazed the air before I caught her wrist and twisted, forcing her to take a step back. The sound of her breath told me enough. She didn’t have the strength anymore, not the way she used to.“Goodness,” I exhaled, shoving her away. “You’re weak now.”Her eyes flared, but instead of charging again, she laughed like a lunatic. “Just go,” I sighed, rolling my shoulders. “I don’t have any plans of going between you and Rowan, if that’s what you’re worried about. I just came here for Arden.” Zaria smirked, appearing like she had been waiting for me to say that. “Good.” She crossed her arms, chin lifting high. “Because we’re happy now.”“He treats me well,” she added, her lips curving into a cruel little smile. “Even if you two are mates, he acts more like a mate to me than he ever will to you. And he—” she stepped closer, lowering her voice so her words could pierce deeper— “can use his body really wel
TESSA Arden cleared her throat. “It’s only gotten better because Cade and the Alphas of the different factions are controlling it within our borders. But even then, it’s so difficult. We thought it was over, for the past year, but they recently came back, and now they’re harder to control—not only because of their number but because of their traits.”“Traits?” I asked, frowning.Arden sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I can’t explain it. It’s like the rogues are… evolving.”I bit my lip, my thoughts immediately running wild. Rogues evolving? That wasn’t something I’d ever heard before, not even in the old books I found in Edith and Winston’s place. Evolving meant adapting, surviving longer, and becoming more dangerous. I didn’t like the sound of that. I lifted the glass to my lips and drowned another gulp, letting the sweet taste coat my tongue.Then Arden shook her head, trying to dismiss her own words. “But don’t think too much about it,” she said softly. “If you’re with a pack not
TESSA I told myself I wouldn’t stay. That was my condition for going. Spoiler! I stayed. How could I leave when Arden pleaded with me? I can’t just deny the bride’s request. And now, somehow, Arden was glued to my side instead of her groom, though it appeared they were both happy about it. Cade kept glancing at us from the head table, his grin so obnoxiously proud. “Arden,” I whispered, nudging her arm lightly with mine. “Shouldn’t you go back to your seat? You know, the one beside the man you just vowed forever to?”She shook her head without hesitation. “Oh, I’m going to sit here until the end of dinner. The speeches are done anyway. Besides, we’ll be together forever after this one.” I chuckled and shook my head in amusement. Her tone and way of speaking were still the same, which was comforting. It felt like the distance and time hadn’t changed us. Somehow, despite her tears earlier, her makeup hadn’t budged. Her lipstick was still untouched, her cheeks glowing with just the
TESSA“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” “You may now kiss the bride,” the Pastor ended the ceremony with a bright smile, watching as Cade slowly unveiled Arden and placed a kiss on her lips. Well, it was a kiss at first. However, he couldn’t control himself in the end and devoured her lips like they were in the bedroom. I giggled to myself when the elders began covering the eyes of the children. Goodness, Cade. He couldn’t have reserved this for their honeymoon? Although I was sure the honeymoon happened every day in their house. I heard from Owen that the United Factions knew whenever they did it because Cade would be super happy. And Cade was often super happy. Good for him. I mean, good for them. As they parted and looked into each other’s eyes, appearing like they were the only people in the world, I decided it was time to go. I could still feel Rowan’s gaze on the side of my face, but I decided to ignore it. My wolf continued whimpering inside my mind to let him hold