Look at Dane being all smooth. Thanks for reading. <3
DENVER.I had kept my head down for the past couple of years because it was the only thing that could save my family. Silence and obedience had become my armor, a cage I willingly stepped into if it meant shielding the ones I loved.An Alpha heir had been my designation once upon a time, destined for power, groomed for it since the day I could walk. But destiny had a way of unraveling with a single moment. For me, it happened on the night of my eighteenth birthday.That was the night I met my mate.Carmen Garcia.I had always admired her from afar, even before the bond snapped into place. She carried herself with a quiet strength that didn’t need to roar to be heard. Her smile lit up rooms she never intended to brighten, her kindness softened edges no one else could reach. She was breathtaking. Beyond gorgeous with a heart so pure it made me wonder how someone like her existed in a world ruled by rank and cruelty.And she was mine. The Goddess had chosen her for me.I didn’t care that
SELENE.I moved slowly through the garden, letting the silken warmth of the breeze caress my skin. The sunlight painted every petal, every blade of grass, in a warm glow. Roses in shades of midnight violet and pearl-white were mixed in with flowers of all colors, their perfume mingling with the sweeter notes of jasmine and honeysuckle. Delicate vines clung to ivory arches, their blossoms swaying in the gentle breeze.This garden was one of my favorite places here in the Godly Realm. Each of us had our own areas that we ruled over. It was safe to say that we were preferential to our own.Beyond the garden walls, the woods beckoned, alive with the sound of wolves. Their howls threaded through the air like the sweetest music ever composed. I stepped closer, lifting my gaze just in time to see them darting between the trees, coats of varying colors glinting in the sunlight. They chased one another with a wild joy that stirred something deep inside of me. I knew each of them by name, for I
ARIA.I knocked on Serenity’s door and waited. I could hear the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat on the other side. Beneath that was the faint but unmistakable scent of fear. It was enough to make me ache for her.I didn’t knock again. I didn’t press or rush her. Rogues lived in constant fight-or-flight, and patience was the only language they trusted. Who knew how long Serenity had been wandering alone? The scars on her arms, the half-healed wounds marking her skin like maps of survival, told me it had been too long. She’d no doubt faced more in her sixteen years of life than many people would in their entire lifetime.The door creaked open, just a fraction at first. A pale face peeked through. Something eased in her shoulders when her eyes locked onto mine. The tension didn’t vanish, not completely, but it softened, just as her eyes did when they flicked to the small figure beside me.My sister gave Serenity her signature megawatt smile, the kind that was too innocent for this harsh w
ARIA.“Please, Dane, I’m so close,” I gasped, voice breaking. “I can’t—”He ignored me. Instead, his fingers traced teasing, impossible patterns that sent shivers spiraling through me, winding the tension higher, until every inch of me felt electric, taut, ready to snap. His breath skimmed along my skin, hot and deliberate, lips brushing just enough to make me ache with want.“Come for me, Aria,” he whispered, low and commanding, a growl wrapped in velvet fire.And I did. The world shattered into streaks of heat and light, my body convulsing as waves of sensation tore through me, each crest pulling a cry of his name from my lips. Pleasure roared like a storm, relentless and overwhelming, leaving me trembling, gasping, and utterly undone.Dane held me steady, a cliff against the crashing tide, grounding me even as the storm of sensation wracked my body. His grip on my hip was possessive, unyielding, a tether that let me lose myself entirely, riding the waves until they softened into mer
ARIA.I wasn’t certain why the thought of being along tonight pressed so heavily on me, only that it did. Perhaps it was because Serenity’s pain had crawled through me when I healed her, the echo of it still clinging to my ribs, raw and unsettled. I felt phantom aches of it underneath my skin, and I didn’t want to face it alone right now.I wanted warmth. I wanted the steady thrum of his heartbeat beside me. Dane had become an anchor to me, a tether that I wasn’t certain of how to navigate. I didn’t want to admit how well I slept in his arms, how the restless twisting in my chest eased as his scent surrounded me.The mate-bond made his presence feel essential. Still, part of me whispered warnings. I still carried some of those scars on my heart. That voice told me that I should move carefully and guard myself. But the other part of me—louder, needier—didn’t care for caution. It craved the sparks that danced whenever our skin touched. It ached for the way his scent wrapped around me. A
ARIA.Relief swept over me when I saw a golf cart waiting for us. Thankfully, someone had the forethought to bring it so Serenity wouldn't have to walk all the way back to the packhouse. She looked worn to the bone. Forcing her to trek across the grounds would’ve been cruel, and I wouldn't allow that.The ride was silent. She sat with her hands folded tightly in her lap, eyes fixed ahead. I didn't press her. Sometimes silence was kinder than questions.When we pulled up to the packhouse, Bex got things sorted. Without missing a beat, she arranged a room for Serenity right next to mine. The choice eased the gnawing tension in my gut. I didn't want Serenity isolated. Not tonight. I wanted her close, where I could check on her, where she wouldn’t have to carry her burdens alone in the dark.Inside her new room, Serenity moved tentatively, her gaze drifting over everything as though it was foreign luxury. She touched the bedspread with the tip of her fingers, hesitant, reverent, and I real