LOGINEmma’s POVMy name’s Emma. I’m eighteen years old, a high school senior, and this weekend was supposed to be quiet. My parents had to leave town for some work thing, and they told me I had to stay with Aunt Chloe. She’s my mom’s younger sister, only about ten years older than me, and she’s always been the cool one. The one who lets me stay up late and talk about boys and college applications. I’m getting ready to apply to a few schools in the fall, and Aunt Chloe said she’d help me with my essays if I wanted. I thought we’d just hang out at her place, maybe watch movies and eat junk food.I was wrong.When Aunt Chloe told me we were going camping with her boyfriend Jake, I almost said no. I didn’t want to be the third wheel. But she smiled that easy smile of hers and said it would be fun, that Jake didn’t mind, and that the lake was beautiful. So I packed a small bag—halter top, denim shorts, a couple of changes of clothes, my toothbrush—and waited.Jake pulled into the driveway in hi
DAMON We shower together—which takes longer than it should because I can’t keep my hands off her and then get dressed. I watch her pull on jeans and a soft sweater, admiring how comfortable she looks here. Like she belongs. Because she does. This is her home now. We head downstairs and the smell of coffee and breakfast hits us immediately. In the kitchen, my Beta Garrett is cooking, along with his mate Rachel. “Morning, lovebirds,” Garrett grins. “Figured you’d be hungry after last night.” Maya blushes. “The walls aren’t soundproof, are they?” “Not even a little bit,” Rachel says cheerfully. “But don’t worry, we’re all happy for you. It’s nice to hear our Alpha so… satisfied.” I growl playfully at Garrett. “Watch it.” “Just speaking the truth, boss.” We sit down to breakfast—eggs, bacon, toast, fruit. Maya eats like she’s starving, which makes sense given how many calories we burned l
DAMON His hands spread my legs wider, and I can feel his breath on my most intimate parts. I’m already wet, already aching for him. “Look at you,” he groans. “So wet for me already. Did wearing this lingerie turn you on, little wolf? Knowing I’d see you in it?” “Yes,” I whimper. “Good girl.” Then his tongue is on me and I cry out. He licks a long, slow stripe up my center, from my clit to my entrance and back down. Taking his time, savoring me. “Damon, please…” “Shh. I said I was going to take my time. And I meant it.” His tongue circles my clit, teasing, never quite giving me enough pressure. When I try to grind back against his face, his hands grip my hips, holding me still. “Patience,” he warns. He continues his torturous exploration, licking and kissing and tasting every part of me except where I need him
DAMONAfter two weeks of tension, Rob’s reluctant blessing feels like a miracle.Maya hasn’t let go of my hand since I arrived. The bond sings between us, whole again.“Can I take her for a walk?” I ask Rob. “We need to talk.”He looks like he wants to say no, but Mom elbows him.“Two hours. Stay on the grounds.”The second we’re alone, I pull her into my arms and just hold her.“I thought I was going to die,” she whispers. “Without you, I thought…”“I know. I felt it too.” I press my lips to her hair. “I’m sorry.”“It doesn’t matter now. We’re together.”We walk through the gardens, and I tell her what comes next — weekend visits, Silver Ridge, and after two years, a proper mating ceremony in front of both packs.“I want pups,” she says suddenly. “Someday.”My wolf howls. “More than okay.”She smiles. …The claiming ceremony is three nights later, under the full moon, on neutral ground.Maya is stunning in white silk,
MAYAThe next two weeks are hell.Dad has me on lockdown. Guards outside my door, constant supervision, nowhere to go without an escort.I’m a prisoner in my own home.He thinks if he keeps me away from Damon long enough, the bond will weaken. That I’ll “come to my senses” and realize I made a mistake.He doesn’t understand that it’s doing the exact opposite.The bond is agony when we’re apart. It’s like a constant ache in my chest, a piece of me missing. I can feel Damon through it—his pain, his frustration, his longing. And he can feel mine.We can’t communicate through the bond yet. That takes practice, time together to strengthen the connection. But we can feel each other’s emotions, and right now all I feel from him is desperate, helpless rage.I’m not eating. Barely sleeping. My wolf is going crazy, howling for our mate, clawing at my insides trying to get out.Mom’s worried. I can see it in her eyes when she brings me meals I don’t touch.
DAMONThe second I hear the footsteps, I’m on my feet, pulling Maya behind me.My wolf is snarling, ready to defend our mate from any threat.The door slams open and Rob storms in, flanked by four of his pack warriors.His eyes immediately find Maya—naked, marked, clearly just claimed and his face goes purple with rage.“What the FUCK is going on here?!”Maya scrambles to cover herself with the blanket while I stand between her and her father, still naked but not caring.“Rob…” I start.“DON’T.” His voice is pure Alpha command, and his eyes are blazing gold. “Don’t you dare try to explain this. I can smell exactly what you did.”“Dad, please…” Maya tries.“You.” He points at her, his hand shaking with fury. “Get dressed. Now. You’re coming home.”“No.” Her voice is quiet but firm.“That wasn’t a request, Maya.”“I’m not leaving him.” She stands, wrapping the blanket around herself, and comes to stand beside me. “We’re mated, Dad. Bonded. It’s done.”Rob’s eyes move to the fresh bite m
MAYA’S POVThe thing about being the daughter of two pack Alphas is that everyone treats you like you’re made of glass. Breakable. Precious. Something to be protected and kept safely tucked away behind iron gates and armed guards.It’s suffocating.My father, Alpha Rob Ashford, leads the Crescent F
DAMONI stay out until after midnight, running patrols I don’t need to run, checking security protocols that are already perfect, doing anything I can to avoid going back to that house.Because if I go back while Maya’s still awake, I’m going to do something we’ll both regret.The way she looked at
DAMONShe pulls out her phone and starts scrolling through options, leaning against me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I let her, because I’m weak and she feels too good against my side.We end up ordering from a local grill that delivers to the estate. While we wait, Maya disappears
DAMONI am so completely fucked.Standing in Rob’s Alpha suite, surrounded by his scent and his authority, trying to will my cock to calm down after his daughter just pressed every single one of my buttons.When Rob called me last week and asked if I could stay at the estate while they dealt with M







