Kaiden’s Point Of ViewBlood dripped from my fingertips, soaking into the grass beneath me. I didn’t even remember when I did it. Didn’t even feel it when my claws tore into my own flesh. I only knew one thing, I’d rather die than be the one to hurt my mate.The pain, the self-inflicted wounds, were nothing compared to the war raging inside me. I had thought that staying away would keep her safe. That keeping my distance would be enough. But the bond… The fucking bond. It refused to be ignored.I had pushed. It had pulled. I had fought. It had clawed back. Now here I was, slumped against a tree, my breathing ragged, my vision blurred.Weak.Pathetic.I closed my eyes, but then a scent… Her scent. It crashed into me like a tidal wave, invading every cell in my body.Fresh roses… soft and delicate.Vanilla… warm and intoxicating.And something else… Almond, honey, and wild fruits.A scent so uniquely hers, so dangerously addictive that it made my pulse skitter. Slade, stirred. His restl
Warning: Explicit Content Ahead. Avery's Point Of View "His smirk was sinful. His emerald eyes burned into mine, dark with hunger, his breath ragged as his hands gripped my waist with a force that sent a shiver down my spine. God, he looked like a man on the verge of losing control. And I wanted him to lose control. I barely had time to catch my breath before he dipped his head again, his lips brushing over the exact spot where his mark already sat on my neck. A low, satisfied growl rumbled deep in his chest, the sound vibrating through me. "Look at this," he murmured against my skin, his fingers tracing over the mark. "Mine." The possessiveness in his voice made my stomach tighten, made my thighs clench around his waist. Then, before I could respond he latched on. A broken gasp escaped me, my back pressing harder against the tree as his mouth claimed me all over again. His tongue flicked, his lips sealed around my mark, and then he sucked. Hard. My entire body a
Warning: Mature Content Ahead Avery's Point Of View A choked cry tore from my throat as my back arched off the bed. My hands fisted in his hair, pulling him closer, needing more, needing everything. He growled against me, the deep vibration sending a fresh wave of pleasure crashing through me. "Look at you," he murmured, his breath hot against my skin, between slow, sinful strokes of his tongue. "Falling apart for me." I couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't do anything except feel. His fingers dug into my thighs, holding me in place, his tongue relentless, teasing, exploring, pulling me higher with each calculated movement. "Avery," he rasped, his voice rough with desire. "So sweet… so perfect for me." I trembled against him, every nerve in my body burning, tightening, begging for more. His fingers traced slow circles over my most sensitive spot, drawing another desperate moan from my lips. The way he played with me, the way he knew exactly how to unravel me, was intoxicat
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe first thing I felt was warmth.Soft, delicate warmth, pressed against me as if she had always belonged there. I inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent that was now imprinted on my very soul—wildflowers, honey, and something purely Avery. It filled my lungs, wrapping around my senses, sending a possessive hum vibrating through my chest.She was still here.Slowly, my eyes opened, greeted by the soft glow of morning light filtering through the canopy of trees above us. The forest was peaceful, the air crisp, carrying only the faint rustling of leaves and distant birdsong. But none of that mattered.Not when I had my mate in my arms.Avery was curled against me, her cheek pressed to my chest, her breathing slow and even in deep sleep. My mark stood out against her skin—a faint, reddish-purple crescent on the curve of her neck where my teeth had sunk in last night.A surge of primal satisfaction roared through me at the sight. I had marked her. Claimed her. And no
Avery’s Point Of ViewThe air was still thick with the scent of our passion, mingling with the crisp freshness of the forest. My bare skin tingled against the cool grass beneath us, but the warmth of Kaiden’s body enveloped me, keeping the chill at bay. I lay sprawled across his chest, his steady heartbeat drumming beneath my ear, a rhythmic lullaby that calmed the chaos within me.For the first time in my life, I felt safe.Was this what it felt like to have a mate who truly cared? Who held you like you were the most precious thing in the world?I exhaled slowly, afraid to hold onto the thought for too long. It felt fragile, like a dream that would shatter if I clung to it too tightly. Yet, at the same time, I never wanted to let go of him. Not now. Not ever.‘I can see someone is starting to feel all giddy,’ Lynexia’s voice echoed in my mind, teasing and full of amusement.I rolled my eyes mentally. ‘I’m not gushing over him,’ I muttered back, shifting slightly against Kaiden’s ches
Avery's Point Of View I shifted under the soft sheets, the warmth of the bed and the lingering scent of Kaiden surrounding me. My body ached deliciously, a reminder of everything that had happened. My skin still tingled where he had touched me, and I could feel the phantom sensation of his lips on mine. I blinked, Kaiden was standing by the dresser, his arms folded across his bare chest, watching me like a predator who had just finished a feast and was already hungry for more. A lazy smirk stretched across his face. “Morning, Snowy.” My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I squeaked, gripping the blanket and yanking it up to cover myself, my face heating instantly. “Stop looking at me like that!” Kaiden tilted his head, pretending to think. “Like what?” “Like you’re about to devour me,” I snapped, tightening my grip on the blanket. His smirk widened. “Too late for that.” My face burned even more. “You...” I groaned, throwing a pillow at him, but he dodged it effortlessly, l
Avery’s Point of ViewMy entire body felt boneless. Weak. Like I had melted into Kaiden’s arms, and there was no strength left in me to even lift a finger.I gasped, my chest rising and falling rapidly against his. The heat of his body, the rapid thump of his heartbeat against my cheek... it was all too much. Too overwhelming.I hated how safe I felt in his arms.Minutes passed before I could even think straight again. My breath slowly evened out, but my legs? They were useless. I doubted I could stand even if I tried.Kaiden’s strong arms tightened around me, holding me effortlessly as if I weighed nothing. I would have rolled my eyes if I wasn’t too drained to even move.“You okay, Snowy?” His voice was husky, deep, laced with amusement.I could only glare at him. “Do I look okay to you?”His lips curled into a smirk. “You look…” He dragged his fingers lazily down my spine, making me shudder. “Completely wrecked and ravished.”Heat flared across my face. “Shut up.”He chuckled, shif
I stepped out of Avery’s room, the door clicking shut softly behind me. I could still feel her warmth lingering on my skin, the soft aftershocks of what had just happened between us. But I couldn't let that cloud my thoughts. No, I had to be focused. The moment I left her to rest, I knew it was time to start preparing her. She had just awakened her wolf, and with that power came a responsibility, a weight she wasn’t even aware of yet. My chest tightened at the thought. Avery was stronger than she realized, but she was far from ready for the world that awaited her. She needed to train, to be strong, and I was the one who had to help her get there. But it wasn’t just training that kept me up at night. My mind kept flashing back to the haunting vision I had of me, standing over her, my hands stained with her blood. The thought of causing her harm, even accidentally, made my gut twist in agony. I’d always been a warrior, a ruthless Alpha who led with strength, but I couldn’t bear th
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewHer hands clutched at my shirt, and she made a small, wounded sound that shattered me from the inside. "I swear it, Snowy," I murmured, moving my lips to her forehead, placing a reverent kiss there. "Even if the world falls apart, I will always find my way back to you.""You better," she whispered fiercely, her fingers fisting tighter against me. "Because if you don’t, I'll come drag you back myself." I laughed, a rough, broken sound, and crushed her closer, my arms aching with the need to keep her safe."Deal," I breathed.We sat like that for a long time, just holding each other, as if afraid the other would disappear if we let go. She pulled back a little after a while, eyes searching mine, vulnerable and fierce all at once."You scared me," she said, voice cracking again. "You idiot." I smiled sadly and pressed my forehead back to hers. "I know. And I'm sorry. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."She blinked, a few more tears spilling free. I
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe night air still clung to my skin as I dashed through the thick woods, each stride devouring the distance between me and her.My heart beat with a wild rhythm, not from the exertion… gods, no, but from the anticipation curling tighter and tighter inside me.I burst through the last stretch of forest, leaves scattering in my wake, and there it was — the small house tucked neatly under the starlit sky, warm lights glowing from inside like a beacon.My chest ached just looking at it. At what waited for me inside. I slowed my pace as I approached the door, brushing a hand down my clothes half-heartedly to knock off the dirt. I gripped the doorknob, twisting it open.The living room was… Empty. The lights were still on. The faint golden hue cast soft shadows against the furniture, the walls, and the forgotten blanket draped over the couch.It screamed of waiting. Of someone sitting up, long past when they should have slept, hoping — praying for someone to walk thr
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe color drained from her face. Her lips parted, a soft whimper escaping as the full weight of her mistake slammed into her. "N-No…" she whispered, stepping back. I stalked toward her, slow, deliberate, every step like a drumbeat of doom."You touched her," I said, my voice low and deathly calm. "You dared to touch what belongs to me.""She betrayed us!" Maya cried, her voice shrill and broken, desperate now. "She betrayed you!""No," I said simply, as if I were correcting a child's math homework. "You betrayed me." The room felt like it was shrinking around her. Her back hit the wall, and she pressed herself against it, as if she could disappear into the stone.Her eyes darted toward the door, calculating, desperate for escape. "Kaiden, p-please," she stammered, her tears falling freely now. "I-I only did what I thought was right! I did it for you!"I loomed over her, my body blocking out the light, casting her in shadow. "For me?" I echoed, almost amused. "Yo
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe night was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of the wind against the stone walls of the fortress. I stood by the massive arched window of my chambers, staring out at the endless stretch of wilderness beyond. The moon was high and full, casting a silver glow across the jagged landscape, but even its light couldn’t reach the darkness pooling in my chest.Avery.Her name was a prayer on my lips, a ghost in my mind. I could almost see her now — curled up in my bed, clutching my pillow, maybe huffing out a frustrated sigh because I hadn’t returned yet. The thought of her missing me, of her arms open and waiting for me when I returned, wrapped around my heart like a comforting flame. I smiled to myself, a soft, fleeting thing that barely brushed my lips.A sharp knock at the door shattered the fragile moment.I didn’t move. I already knew who it was… the guards. Their presence was as loud as a war drum even when they tried to be discreet. Wi
Avery’s Point Of ViewThe weight of exhaustion pressed down on me, my mind foggy and clouded as I settled into Kaiden's bed. I tried to push the worry from my mind, but the darkness in my heart refused to let me rest. I curled up on his side of the bed, inhaling deeply, hoping to feel some sense of peace in his absence. His scent… earthy, comforting, undeniably him, filled my senses, and for a moment, I allowed myself to be lost in it.But the moment of solace was fleeting. My eyes fluttered shut, and before I knew it, I was drifting away.The world around me twisted, fading, until everything seemed to blur together, and the dark void swallowed me whole. I found myself standing in an open field, the wind biting at my skin. The night sky above was suffocating, filled with dark clouds swirling with angry energy. The air crackled, heavy with tension, as if something… someone, was about to come.My heart pounded in my chest, and my stomach churned with a sense of dread that I couldn’t sh
Avery’s Point Of ViewThe cool night air brushed against my skin as I stood just outside the house, staring into the dark abyss of the forest. The trees loomed tall and silent, their branches swaying with the wind. I could almost hear them whispering secrets in the night, the rustle of leaves and the occasional distant howl from creatures roaming the shadows. But none of that registered in my mind. My thoughts were a chaotic swirl of uncertainty, fear, and anticipation.Kaiden still hadn’t come back.I’d been waiting for what felt like hours, pacing through the quiet halls of the house, trying to keep myself occupied with anything other than the growing knot in my stomach. He’d said it wouldn’t take long. He promised me it wouldn’t. So why was it taking so long? Why hadn’t he come back yet? What was keeping him?“What's keeping him?” I muttered to myself, barely louder than a whisper, as the weight of my thoughts pressed down on me like an invisible force.I looked up at the moon, its
Maya’s Point Of ViewThe words hit me like a slap. The mist around us seemed to freeze in place. I just stared at Dal, blinking, my breath hitching in my throat as I tried to make sense of what I had just heard.A ball. Next week. The Alpha revealing his Luna. To the entire Aethoria.My mind reeled, staggering under the weight of it.Wait… Wait, wait, wait.Kaden was back. Kaden, the man I had loved with every breath in my body. The man whose absence had carved a hollowed-out ache inside my chest so deep it sometimes felt like I wouldn’t survive it. The man whose name had been the only thing keeping me tethered to the ground during the darkest nights.And now… Now he was back, and his first act was to announce his Luna? Not just to the pack… no, that would have been bad enough, but to the whole of Aethoria? The entire kingdom?"How?" I whispered hoarsely, almost to myself. "How is that possible?"The air grew heavy, pressing down on me until it felt like I was drowning in it. I swayed
Maya’s Point Of ViewThe rain was tapping against my windowpane, a soft, persistent rhythm that filled the heavy silence of my room. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast a muted golden glow across the room, stretching long shadows along the walls. I sat there on the edge of my bed, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring blankly at the floor.I should've been sleeping. I should've at least tried to rest. But Kaiden’s face haunted my mind, those dark, emerald green eyes, the set of his jaw, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world that mattered. Damn him. Damn him for getting under my skin, for making me feel this way.I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memories away, but it was no use. Every breath I took, every beat of my heart seemed to echo his name. A sharp knock shattered the stillness. I flinched violently, my heart leaping into my throat. My head snapped toward the door. I sat frozen for a second, staring at it as if it might burst open at
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe silence after Dalton’s humiliation still clung to the air like smoke. I remained standing at the foot of the throne, arms loosely at my sides, gaze sweeping over the Elders seated before me.None dared speak first.Good.I allowed the silence to stretch, to remind them all who commanded this room—not just by title, but by right. When I finally moved, it was with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator who had already decided the outcome of the hunt."Now," I said, voice low, "let us proceed."Lucia, the eldest among them, cleared her throat lightly. "Your Highness," she began cautiously, "regarding the Luna... have you considered the arrangements for her presentation?"A few Elders nodded eagerly, desperate to move away from the tension Dalton had dragged in. Elder Roman spoke next, voice slightly strained. "It is customary, Your Highness, that the Luna be presented with all honor and grandeur befitting her station.""And perhaps," Elder Winona added quickl