Falling for my bestfriend’s Alpha brother

Marilyn’s POVThe library smelled like dust and old pages, a scent I secretly enjoyed even though I never admitted that to Caroline. She was already stacking books in her arms, her blonde curls bouncing as she moved shelf by shelf. I laughed knowing she would never be able to finish reading all those books today.“Take a look at this one, are you sure you don’t want it?” She called out, waving a massive hardcover book titled “ lunar legends and lore”I raised an eyebrow. “ Come on Caroline, you know I don’t go for such.”She laughed, the sound echoing through the almost empty library. “Come on, it’s about our history, you could use a reminder.”I shushed her immediately.We didn’t want those humans knowing what they were not supposed to.“That’s not my history anymore, I stopped keeping up with all those stuffs years ago.” I said, flipping through the pages of the book.Caroline sighed heavily, and I immediately knew what would follow, but I wasn’t ready for it. “ You can’t just prete

I spent the entire afternoon pretending I wasn’t nervous. Caroline had warned me that dinner at the pack house was a big deal, but she left out the part where everyone apparently dressed like they were attending a royal banquet instead of a normal dinner. I stood in front of the mirror tugging at the hem of the sweater I had picked, wishing I had brought something , anything less city casual. My reflection looked completely out of place already. Caroline popped her head through the door. “ You ready yet?” “I don’t have a choice do I?” I muttered. She smiled. “ Don’t worry, no one bites at dinner.” “Thanks, that helped.” I bluffed, following her down the long hallway. The dining hall was huge with timber beams, a huge chandelier hung above the table, with a fire roaring at the far end. The smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air. Dozens of wolves, most of which were in human form , were already seated at long tables. The food laid on the table, but no one was eating yet.

Liam’s POVDawn crept through the trees like a slow breath, the morning soon shining on the snowlike dew on the trees. I preferred the forest quiet, allowing me to connect with nature. I preferred to take strolls alone, the stillness making me think.An alpha who doesn’t think is a danger to his pack.My boots sank into the mud as I followed the now familiar path up the river. Every scent, every sound, belonged to me and every one in this pack.Yet this morning, everything felt thrown out of balance. Her scent lingered on the breeze, but I hated it. It was filled with faint city soap, with a mixture of perfumes.Marilyn Hale.I had felt the pull the moment she stepped into the dining hall last night. It had struck me like lightning, sharp and deep. The wolf inside me had recognized her before my mind did. I had forced it down, calming the desire and urge to claim her. But there will be no claiming.She wasn’t ready.She hadn’t even shifted yet.I told myself that was reason enough. An

The world spun around me. My breath came in short, broken gasps as I clutched the earth beneath me. The pain had been sharp,bone-deep, tearing my tissues and then it was gone. The fur that had sprouted along my arms had vanished, the ache in my jaw where fangs had pressed forward now only a dull throb. Whatever had started inside me had faded like smoke. I stared at my shaking hands, bare and human again. “No,” I whispered. “Come back.” But there was only silence. Leaves rustled behind me. I froze, still on my knees, heart pounding as a familiar scent reached me. pine, rain, and something darker that made my chest ache. Liam. He stepped into the clearing, his eyes immediately scanning the area like he expected to find danger. When his gaze fell on me, some of that hard vigilance softened. “Marilyn?” I swallowed, unable to speak. My throat felt raw, my skin too tight. He crossed the distance between us in a few strides, kneeling in front of me. “You’re shaking.” His voice

Marilyn’s POVThe drive back to the city felt longer than the one to the pack ever had. Caroline didn’t blast music the way she usually did. She didn’t talk, didn’t joke, didn’t even hum under her breath. She just kept her eyes on the road, hands tight on the wheel, like if she loosened her grip she might break.I didn’t say anything either. I stared out the window at the forests passing by ,tall, ancient things that looked like they held secrets I would never be allowed to hear. Every now and then, the trees would thin, and I’d catch a glimpse of moonlight flickering between them, like a reminder of everything I was leaving behind.Or everything that was leaving me.When we finally pulled into the familiar streets of the city, it didn’t feel like home. The tall buildings, the headlights, the hum of traffic ,they all felt too loud, too sharp. Like the world had changed its tune while I was gone.And maybe it had.Caroline parked in front of my aunt’s building and turned off the engine