CLAIR
I turned the radio a notch higher and let myself get lost in the blasting music as I drove on the freeway. With my window down, I basked in the warmth of the sun against my skin, loving the feeling of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair.
I had been driving for five straight hours, and I still had two more hours to go before I reached my destination. Fourteen hours of driving were too much to bear, but I had no choice.
My name is Absaline Clair Montrell.
I am a shifter. I spent the last five years of my life living among humans, except for my werewolf uncle. Uncle Theodore found his mate, who happened to be a human, and decided to leave the pack life for her. And from what I witnessed, he has no problem living the human life.
After my mother died from an attack while visiting her friend from another pack, my father decided he didn't want anything to do with me and sent me away.
Maybe I reminded him of my mother. They said I had her blue sapphire eyes and slightly wavy chestnut brown hair. But it wasn't a valid reason to send me away. My father might have lost his mate, the love of his life, but in turn, he made me lose not just my mother. I lost him too, my brother and the pack that should have been my home.
Now, the pack holds no meaning for me. I was still part of the pack - not being able to break the bond, but I felt alone, and going back there didn't feel like going home.
My uncle's mate, whose name is Laura, is a fine and lovable woman. She would make a great mother, and I hoped that one day the Goddess would give her a child of her own. Laura was very patient with me through my rebellious stage, and I will always be grateful for her presence in my life.
It wasn't easy living with my uncle and his mate at the beginning. But after a year of crying and begging for my father to take me back, I finally gave up. I started to not care anymore and embrace the human life I was given.
I have my own life now, and if it were up to me, I would've stayed hidden among the humans. Unfortunately, the Moon Goddess has a different plan. I would be turning eighteen in a couple of weeks, and for that reason alone, I found myself driving back to my pack's territory.
On the last full moon before a wolf turns eighteen, shifting happens, and that would be five days from now. For obvious reasons, I cannot shift around humans. Humans were oblivious to the fact that werewolves existed. Or maybe they weren't, but no one seemed to acknowledge or talk about it.
But once I was done with my first shift, I would leave and sever my bond with the pack. I don't want to be a part of them anymore, the same way they never wanted me.
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JAKE
'Alpha?' I received a mind-link from my Gamma, Aaron.
I´d been waiting for him the whole day, and I silently hoped he was sending the information I would like to hear.
'Yes? Where are you?' I asked without any emotions.
'I'm on my way to pick up Clair. She's already waiting by the border.' He answered.
'Good.' I cut my response short and waited for him to cut the mind link, a smile curling on my lips as I got the confirmation that the little princess had finally decided to return home after five years.
I knew she hated me for abandoning her, but knowing Clair, she always had a soft spot for me. I only hoped that she was still the same feisty little girl I knew and that the humans didn't destroy her spirit.
'Alpha,' Aaron's mind-link startled me. I didn't notice that the mind link wasn't cut off yet.
'Hmmm..' I replied, not really in the mood to converse with anyone.
'Do I need to take Clair there as soon as we arrive? Or can I take her home to meet Dad first? You know, Dad has been anxious to see her, and the wait is killing him.' Aaron asked politely. He knew the protocol, but it seemed he was trying to get around it this time.
'You know the rules, Aaron.' I replied, again void of emotion. 'Bring her here.'
'I know, Jake. But she didn't change packs. I believe she didn't do anything to sever the pack bond. Or I can ask her along the way.' His tone was respectful but determined.
I closed my eyes and squeezed my temples before answering. This annoyed me, and I know Aaron could sense I was pissed off already.
'She was twelve when she left, and if she severed that bond, I would not feel it. I need to know if she still belongs to this pack, otherwise, a ceremony needs to happen right away. I don't want non-pack members roaming around my territory. And just because she is your sister, doesn't make her an exception. Just do your job and bring her here. Am I clear, Gamma?' I retorted, leaving him no space for any argument.
'Yes, Alpha. I will soon reach her and will let you know when we have arrived at the pack house.'
I cut the mindlink right away without giving any response.
A smile played on my lips again. I could have easily let Aaron take her home and meet her tomorrow. She was no threat to the pack. But I wanted to see her. I didn't know I missed my little princess until the idea of her arriving sank in.
What would you do if you had been saving yourself for your mate? Only for him to choose another Alpha Female right in your face? Reciprocate the act. Avenge. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Easier said than done. Because whenever he was around me, my body betrayed me. "Alia, do you trust me? Even just for tonight?" His voice came out low and rough that it sent shivers of pleasure direct to my core. I know I should not trust him. But my body and my mouth have a mind of their own. "I trust you, Gavin..." I whispered as I pressed my back to his naked chest. He took a deep breath and dipped his head into my neck, slowly brushing his lips against my burning skin. I angled my neck, giving him more access while a sultry moan escaped my throat when he started nibbling and sucking the soft spot on my neck. This was all wrong, but I don't want to be right this time. Just for tonight.
CLAIRI stirred awake at the pleasure running through my body. A hand trailed on the skin of my thigh, and from the sparks emitted from the contact, I knew my mate was freely roaming his calloused palm all over my nakedness again, which he would always do once in a while. And I never complained. And I didn’t think I would ever complain.I raised my hand and coiled it in his hair, gripping it and letting him know I was already awake. His lips brushed against my stomach, and the hotness of his breath fanning against my skin and the intimacy of the act was enough for wetness to start pooling in my core."Jake..." I moaned his name, my throat still dry from sleep. "Love, do you even sleep?" I asked him with a hoarse voice while my hand continued to caress his dark hair which seemed to grow thicker and darker with each year.He tilted his head and adjusted his body to be parallel to mine. We were lying on our sides, and with smiling eyes, he raised his hand to my face and brushed my cheek w
CLAIRI woke up today with gratitude for the precious privilege of being alive, being able to enjoy life, and loving the people around me.It was a beautiful spring day, but it was nothing short of ordinary.It was early morning, and the sun cast its glorious rays upon the garden outside of the pack house. The sight of our backyard made me realize how big my world was and how blessed I truly was.The ground was buzzing with male pups who tried to outdo each other, while the females, including my daughter, Catherine, tried to mess up their games.At eight years old, she reminded me of myself in many ways. She was a carbon copy of me, only her hair was straight and black. Something she got from her father.And just like when I was younger, she would always come running around with pastries to bribe the boys to let her join their games, and with her charm and wit, she would always get what she wanted.I shook my head as a smile graced my lips. I saw my little Catherine jump at the back of
"It is a blessing and a curse to feel everything so deeply." 2 YEARS AFTER JAKE. Her scent reached my nose even before I felt her presence. Twigs snapped as small footsteps echoed around us as she approached the place I was resting in. I turned my head in the direction of the noise just in time to see my lovely Clair emerge from the bushes with a small plastic bag that she kept close to her chest. Her eyes were beaming with happiness. It’s been two years since I made a vow under the blue moon to protect and love my fated mate. It has been two years of waking up every day with the fear that something might go wrong. That all I had and all I ever wanted would be snatched right before my eyes. I tried to live with that fear by living my life to the fullest. I made sure that I gave my all to my pack and to her. I never wasted any moment with Clair. Deep down inside, I knew our days were numbered. One thing might happen, and I might never get the chance to be with her for longer t
JAKE. "I came here not to tell you to forgive me. I have already accepted that you won’t. I came here to tell you that I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped caring. I always had my eyes on you." He threw a manila envelope on the desk but didn’t say anything. My curiosity got the best of me as I grabbed and opened the envelope. There were pictures. All of me - from my childhood until my union ceremony a week ago. I flipped the pictures that I had in my hands, and there were dates on them, and I knew it was my father’s handwriting. It had a detailed description of the event and where the photos were taken. "I wasn’t here, but those photos — I watched you grow up in those. I had people within the pack who would send me those, and if they forgot, I would bother them non-stop." He chuckled at his own words. "You made me proud, son. This pack loves you. They worship you, and I know that leaving you here was a good choice I made. So I don’t regret it. I took an Alpha away
CLAIR. It has been a week since my union ceremony with my mate. I started to find my place in the pack, although the real Luna work has not yet begun. On the other hand, Jake had his head pressed against his work, especially now that his Beta wasn’t around. After the revelation that Alia, Alpha Caspian’s sister, was the Beta’s mate, Jake decided to send him to their pack instead of Aaron’s second-in-command to administer the training for their pack warriors. It was supposed to commence next month, but unfortunately, during my Union Ceremony, the Blue Meadow’s pack — Alpha Caspian’s territory — was attacked by a number of rogues. They had few casualties and many were injured, so Alpha Caspian requested to have the retraining scheduled immediately. Seeing this as an opportunity for the Beta to fix his bond with Alia, Jake sent him off there. I, on the other hand, was still adjusting to my life as Jake’s mate. I was expecting that I would be pushed to attend meetings and review files