Grayson was in town early the next morning, checking up on everyone. He dropped by the office to see if anyone reported any injuries. The night deputy reported a very uneventful evening. This was weird because even though Silvercreek was a small town, there was always something happening to people in the area.There were always missing dogs and cats. Neighbors had disputes and the local bar always had people brawling.Next, he went to the cafe that was right beside the bakery and both women seemed cordial to each other. They were competing businesses and on regular days, they would annoy each other as soon as they opened the shop. But today, the owners were smiling and complimenting each other.“Ladies, is everything good today?”“Oh yes sheriff, we have more of those pastries I sent you yesterday. I hope you didn’t finish them yet.”“No, Patrice, but I will get two boxes of baked goods. Can you deliver one box to the station?”“Definitely, Sheriff.”“Do you want anything from the caf
Marina had been spying on Brianna the last few days and every time she came home, Marina noticed a shadow had been following her. At night when she lays in bed she pretends the shadow transforms into a man and makes love to her. Pathetic, right? But ever since Grayson found his mate, her fantasies about him weren’t giving her the same satisfaction. Marina sighed. When did she become such a shallow creature? Sure, she always pinned for Grayson, openly flirted when they were together, and tried to sneak in once or twice into his bedroom to give their relationship a jumpstart, so ever since Brianna came into the picture, she had become desperate. It was not something she was proud of.Marina did not want to be that person everybody despised, but jealousy and hate had taken over, and she couldn’t stop the hateful feeling she had for the other woman.Marina had been the town’s favorite before Brianna arrived, and though she must admit Brianna trumps her in her accomplishments in life, th
Brianna was nervous.How do you date someone you’ve slept with before? How does one step back and restart a relationship?Grayson instructed her to dress nice as they were going to dinner at a fancy place out of town, so she went to the only boutique in the area to find a pretty dress.She had been happily looking at the selections when disaster struck. Bree remembered her wallet was still missing and none of the credit card companies wanted to send her a replacement card in Silvercreek. They sent all the cards back to her address, but how would she pick them up when she was thousands of miles away?“Did you find what you’re looking for?” The lovely owner asked. They had met before when she was searching for Bran and she thought Violet had a very calming presence about her.“Well, I have a problem.”“I know. Your wallet is missing and you want that dress but don’t have money to pay with?”“How? Did Grayson tell you I was broke?” She leaned in to whisper.“No, I’m clairvoyant, plus I
Dinner at a fine dining restaurant where food was served in different entrees, in names she could not repeat, or tastes she could not describe, was not her ideal evening. But Grayson took her out on a very nice date, so Brianna said nothing to disappoint him.They had pleasant conversations during the meal, trying to identify the items on their plate. Some of the food came in fancy little spoons, in clouds of smoke, under flavored bubbles, and so little bites that she did not have enough to savor it.They were served 15 courses and by the end of the meal; she was more tipsy than full. Her tummy grumbled after Grayson paid the bill, which embarrassed her more than anything.She did not want to appear ungrateful, but she was still hungry.“What do you say about going to the diner around the corner and getting burgers and a milkshake?” Grayson asked while ushering her to their vehicle. “I’m sorry about dinner. It was a very wonderful experience, and I bet they worked hard to come up wit
Outside, Bree could feel the temperature cooling down as they sipped their tea. She had ditched Grayson’s coat when she came into the house, and though she felt the cool breeze on her skin, it didn’t feel cold, thanks to the hot beverage that kept her warm.They talked about her mother, and Bree appreciated Grayson for being observant. She was bothered that there was so much of her father in her that her mother had disappeared.“Did I tell you that my parents aren’t both wolves, either?”Bree’s eyebrows narrowed. “They’re not?”“No, my mother and grandmother are both human.”“Do you think you have more werewolf or human blood?”“I’ve thought about that, and I think the werewolf blood is more dominant only because it allows me to shift and have all these exceptional abilities, but I’m still human. I have the same feelings and get hurt the same way. Why do you ask?”“Because I’m scared, there is no more of my mother left in me. I think Bran has some of her skills. But I acquired nothin
Grayson laughed. “I can manage. Don’t worry about me.” He reached over and kissed her temple. “I’m going before I embarrass myself.”Bree reached out and held his wrist. “No. I don’t want you to go.” Her eyes swirled golden, and when a slight breeze came through the open windows, he got a whiff of her arousal.Brianna took control. Pushed him to the bed and crawled on top. Ever since she said yes to pursuing their relationship, she had been feeling more empowered. That night, she felt like all her pent-up emotions were released, giving her the chance to fully harness her newfound strength.“You are not leaving until I get what I want.” She warned.He grinned. “And I accept.” His eyes shined silver as he felt the warmth of her body touch his. Everything about her felt silky and smooth, he thought, as his hands glided over her skin.Grayson kissed her with so much tenderness Bree felt as if they were caught in a dream where everything moved in slow motion.She enjoyed the way he swirle
Last night, just like the past few nights, had been made of dreams and moonlight. She sometimes wondered if they would always feel the same.Everything about Grayson was perfect. He was thoughtful about giving her little tokens every time he came home. There were flowers he picked from the side of the road, a wreath he shaped out of herbs, twigs, and pinecones he found when he ran through the forest to get to her house. And then stones that had shiny things inside them he picked up when investigating another animal attack.They weren’t expensive gifts, but it was the intention behind the acts that counted. And he always brought food, knowing the appetite she had.After their first night together as a couple, Bree asked him to stay every night.She still did not believe they were fated mates, not yet, but she wanted to find out more about the attraction that happened between wolves. Or even the one between her parents.Grayson’s grandparents were also mated pairs, but they were on vac
“NO! It’s what I felt at that moment, so I said it.”“Felt? Past tense?” She crossed her arms under the breasts, and he lost his train of thought.“Feel… Brianna. I feel that way, even now.” He squeezed his eyes shut. Looking at her breasts made him want to place the globes in his mouth and suck on them until she granted him her forgiveness.“So, why did you accuse me of lying? It’s easier to just tell me the truth. I understand if it’s all too much to handle—”“It’s not—I got pissed off because the last few nights we had were very special, but then Maggie called me very early this morning to tell me that your husband came to collect you himself.”“I don’t have a husband! And you know it.”“I know. My wolf has been trying to chew me out for doubting you.”“Good job, Slate. Kick him in the balls if you can.” “Ouch!” The thought alone brought him pain. “I’m sorry for hurting you.”“You didn’t—” She looked away with her mouth pouted like a sulky child.“I did. Even I can smell the sorro
“We’re leaving,” Brandon declared when the buzzing of conversations around them continued. Pack members introduced themselves and found something interesting to talk about. Each group cautiously treaded the waters to see if the intention behind the visit was real.The Silvercreek pack alpha was cautious. They’ve had visits from other groups before wanting to take over their land, and most of them came with good intentions, only to betray them when they slept.Bree needed a break. She was more reserved than Grayson, and having too many werewolves she didn’t know made her feel uneasy.“So soon?” Bree asked, looking over at Marina and noticing she looked agitated.‘What’s wrong with her?’ She asks Bran through their twin telepathy and nods in Marina’s direction.‘She has a name.’ Bran sounded offended, but Bree just smirked.‘Whatever. Why does she look like she’s about to throw up?’‘She’s not pregnant if that is what you’re asking.’‘It’s not, and that is good to know, but her eyes ar
Marina’s mouth shaped an O as she glared at Bran. ‘Are you kidding me? I’m not sleeping with you in a house full of werewolves. They’ll hear what we’re doing.’Bran smiled, lifted her chin to close her mouth, and kissed her cheek. He was getting bolder with his actions. ‘I didn’t say anything about sleeping together in my bed, but sure, we can do that too.’‘You’re horrible,’ Marina blushed. Obviously, she was getting ahead of herself and didn’t even know if Bran wanted the same thing she did. Sure, he held her close with all the male werewolves around trying to check her out, but that meant nothing. He could be like any other male staking his claim when other men were about.Bran grinned and his eyes lit up. ‘Not funny!’ She added, even though her smile said something different. His smile alone melted her resolve. Marina stopped talking to Bran when Grayson spoke. Bran held her close as she faced the alpha and the visitor.Tension was so thick it could be felt in the air, thus push
“Hey, Marg,” Bran and Marina enter the bar, followed by ten of their new friends. “Can you give my new friends their first drink and charge it on my tab.”Marg raised her brow. “Friends of yours?” She was suspicious. Since when did Brandon have friends the pack didn’t know about?She tried to catch Marina’s attention, but the younger woman escaped to the ladies’ room. Who were these people and why were there so many of them? Why did they come?Are they here for peace or to cause problems?These are just some of the questions she needed answered. However, it was not her place to confront the individuals involved.Marg sent a message to Grayson through the pack link to alert him of the newcomers. Ten werewolves on a motorcycle can mean anything, and she wanted to err on the side of caution.Several minutes later, Grayson and Brianna appear at the bar as if they came casually. Like they were out on a date and had come to the pub for drinks.The jukebox was blaring an old song about the
“Brandon! Get out of the way! A truck is coming.” She yells while pulling him toward the trees. But Brandon did not budge and kept his ground. He did not want to confront the creature lurking behind the shadows unless necessary.It was too late, Marina thought. When the truck hit the rock, the momentum would crumple the vehicle and them at the same time. She did not want to lose Bran to an accident they could have prevented, so she decided to stay with him. Better die together than cry because of his loss.‘It’s okay. It’s not a truck.’ He communicated through their link as the lights came closer, halting a couple of feet before the rock, the sound of machinery louder than before.His range to hear and see things around him was more enhanced than Marina’s because of his alpha blood. So he knew way before she did that it wasn’t a big vehicle that was approaching.“Need help there young werewolf?” A deep voice boomed behind the light and Marina’s eyes widened in fear as she scented at l
Inside the vehicle, Marina could not sit still. How did Seth know where she was, and how did he know she would be on a date with Brandon?Brandon asked her about a song and she said yes instead of telling him she’d heard it before. She could not focus. Seth just thanked her for luring Brandon away from the pack and threatened to kill him.Marina needed all her faculties to detect any coming danger, so she tuned Bran out, slid the windows down, and listened to the sounds outside.They were halfway to the border between Silvercreek and the next town when her fears finally manifested.She saw glimpses of a werewolf running alongside their car hidden behind the treeline. He was running so fast she could hear him grunting as he ran. Like in a horror film, the hair on her arms stood on end and she knew it was only a matter of minutes before they met this wolf in person.The action was easy to miss by a regular human, but since she had enhanced hearing and could see in the dark, she was su
Marina walked down the stairs, and Brandon couldn’t help but hold his breath. He always knew she was beautiful, but with minimal makeup and her hair down, she looked younger.The thick foundation, black eyeliner, and red lipstick she wore most of the time made her look more mature, hiding her soft, smooth skin. Having all that armor made him wonder what she wanted to hide under all that facade.“You look so—” Brandon hesitated. He had no words to describe her.“I need to change.” Marina felt conscious and retreated up the steps, but before she could reach the top, Bran’s arm shot out to stop her.“You don’t,” he said after pulling her to his chest, lifting her off the ground and making her feet dangle.His face was positioned right on top of the V of her neckline, and he gave her a naughty smile. “I like this view too.” His eyes lowered, and she covered her breasts with her hands.“Let me go. This is inappropriate.”“Okay, I will let you go if you promise not to change. I like your o
The answer was yes. She wanted to have sex with Bran, to risk the wrath of their alpha and his mate, to try her chance at happiness. If she would get exiled, why not for her happiness? But now was not the right time and place, not at the barracks, where it felt impersonal and hurried.‘Let’s go on a date first, like you suggested.’ Brandon groaned silently against her neck, but the rumble in his chest told her how disappointed he felt.‘Then we can do all this and more after the… third date?’‘Third date?’ He whined through their link, yet his hand never stopped moving.‘Isn’t that the norm?’‘How about I show you what I can do with my mouth now?’‘Oh…’ How was she supposed to say no when his hands alone brought her to her knees? ‘I have no doubt it’ll be—aghhh…good—aghhh… Brandon, don’t stop.’ Marina fused their lips and clutched his hair as the feeling in her core intensified. There was no sound anyone could hear, but Bran could feel what she did through their link. She was about t
The couple awoke in the dark at the same time, clothes covering their bodies, and sweat running down their backs. They were back at the barracks on the bed they slept in, arms wrapped around each other.The dream had been so real he felt the slickness when their naked bodies glided against each other. He was having an erotic dream about Marina and he wondered if he walked into her dream or if he dragged her into his.Bran looked into Marina’s eyes as she rubbed their legs together, noticing they were clouded. Was she still asleep? Should he wake her up?He sniffed the air and scented her arousal. It was a big possibility that they had just shared every part of his sexually charged dream.‘What were you dreaming about?’ He touched the tip of their noses together and asked through their link. Her answer would mean she was awake.Marina shook her head. She had to erase the image of Bran covering her with his naked body. The dream was too racy to be shared.‘You were there.’ He captured h
Bran was in the shadows listening to their conversation, so when Marina stepped out to head to the barracks, he surprised her by appearing out of nowhere.“Is that true?” He asked.“What is true?” Marina feigned ignorance.“That you were in love with him before?” She walked away before speaking.“It was a childhood crush. He was the only handsome guy in town, so it was only right that every girl in this area was infatuated with him.”“And now?”“Now…” She looked over at Bran and smirked. “I have to check my options. Let me look at your face and check if you’re handsome enough.”Bran grabbed her arm and pulled her to his chest. “Are looks really that important?” He asked while tipping up her chin. He wanted to stare into her eyes while she gave her answer.“Yes... No...”“Are you saying you’d settle because there’s no one else but me?” Marina raised her brow as if insulted.“I have standards.”“And I’m below that?” Brandon wasn’t vain. He had no delusions he was handsome but didn’t thi