Edeline
The mate bond pulsed between us—quiet, gentle, but unmistakably alive. We lay there tangled in each other’s limbs, simply existing, and for the first time in what felt like years... I exhaled without a tremor. Peace. I was wrapped in it.
But a different kind of storm was brewing inside me, and I knew I had to say something. “Percival?” My voice cracked slightly, and he felt it instantly. His arm shifted, tilting me onto my back, his face now inches above mine, haloed in moonlight. His golden eyes scanned mine with immediate concern.
"What is it?" he asked, brows drawing together, tone dipping low.
“Can...” I hesitated, my breath catching. “Can you tell if there
EdelineTwo Weeks LaterI woke up to soft lips brushing against mine and a familiar voice whispering, “Good morning, beautiful.”My eyes blinked open slowly, landing on Percival’s face hovering above mine—messy dark hair, those piercing blue eyes, and that smile that somehow made mornings a hundred times better.I let out a big yawn, covering my mouth, and smiled back at him. Waking up like this—next to him—every day for the past two weeks? I could get used to this.“Morning,” I croaked, voice still heavy with sleep.That’s when it hit me—
MaximOur arousal dripped down my skin, soaking us both.She clawed down my chest, slow and dangerous, leaving red trails across my abs. I hissed, my own wolf stirring to life.I snapped my hips up to meet her, grabbing her hips hard and driving into her from below. She cried out, but it wasn’t pain—it was raw pleasure. She wanted it. She matched my pace with desperate moans, pushing back harder every time.But her eyes… something shifted.Her fangs were out. Her stare turned deadly serious, something ancient and territorial burning behind it. For one wild second, I wondered if I should be afraid—but I couldn’t be. I was too f
MaximHer mouth brushed my neck, and I froze. The feel of her teeth grazing over where a mate mark would go made me tremble. My body tensed, instincts roaring.I couldn’t lose control.I started to flip her, to take back the lead—but she slammed me back down with a wicked glint in her eye. A wild look. One that said she was done playing soft.She was going to ride me. And she wanted me to feel every damn second of it.“No, you don’t,” I growled, my wolf flashing in my eyes as my fingers clamped down on her ass, the thick curves spilling between my palms.She just grinn
MaximI eased her down onto her feet, slow and deliberate—mostly because I wasn’t ready to let go of the way her body felt against mine. Every curve pressed into me, setting fire to places I didn’t even know could burn.I kept her close. Couldn’t help it. Her eyes met mine, dark and wild, full of something that looked a lot like hunger.“You sure about this, Eden?” I asked, my hands roaming her body without shame, like I was memorizing her with my fingertips. “Because if I start… I won’t be able to stop.”I didn’t blink, didn’t pull away. I just moved forward, keeping her against me, guiding her back step by step until her feet were moving on their own.“I’m sure,” she whispered, her voice trembling just a little. Her golden curls slid over her shoulder, and those green eyes of hers widened with every breath she took—each one more shaky than the last.I couldn’t help the smirk that spread across my face.“I’ll try not to hurt you,” I murmured, my voice rough now. “But I don’t know how
MaximusMirabelle had known. I could see it now, in hindsight. At that picnic, when they kept whispering to each other, she looked so warm—so full of light—but there had been something in her eyes. A flicker of fear. Same with him.Like they’d both been bracing for the end.I unfolded my letter and let my eyes run over the words.…Cousin,My time here is up. I’ve gone to meet the moon.You’re probably with Mirabelle right now—or at least, I hope you were there for her when I passed. She deserves
Maximus“Tatiana,” Gaspar growled, voice rough and shaking with rage. “Let me deal with him. I know he killed your father first. But he killed my family too. My mate. My pup. I want him. I want him to suffer. I want to be the one to rip him apart, piece by piece, for what he’s done. You’re my niece. Let me do this. For you.”Tatiana was crying again, but something shifted in her. Her spine straightened. Her eyes changed. It was like a switch had flipped.She nodded slowly. “He’s yours,” she said. “But… I want to help. Before you take him back to Moon Stone.”She wasn’t asking.She was claiming her justice.And then Mirabelle stepped forward too, eyes sharp and blazing with a wicked glint that made my wolf shiver. “Me too.”Gaspar gave a single nod. “Done.”Then he hoisted Bane like a sack of trash, ignoring the bastard’s begging and sobbing, and dragged him off toward the front lot where the trucks waited. The crowd didn’t just watch—they cheered.Today, Gaspar didn’t just get land.H