A hand on my face wakes me from my dreamless sleep. I crack my eyes open, realise someone put me to bed, and smile.“Mum,”Goddess, she looks so healthy, so beautiful. She’s wearing a dark green dress with a white jacket, her hair is loose and curled, and her makeup is light. I’ve never seen my mother look so stunning.“How did you know I was here?”Mum smiles. “There is nowhere you can go where I won’t find you. You’re in here, you see.” She points to her heart.I smile at that.“Baby girl, I just came to say goodbye.”My heart sinks, and I scramble to sit up.“Goodbye? Why? Where are you going?”Mum takes my hand in her own. “Jessie, Adam and I are leaving for my father’s Pride.”My jaw drops.Why didn’t I see this coming?I knew Mum and Jessie would be going to Adam’s pack, but I didn’t realise she’d want to go home – the place she was raised.I’m not surprised I wasn’t invited to join then; Adonis would never allow that.“I don’t want to leave you here, Melinda, but your mate is h
“So, they’ve just left?”Dad nods his head.When I entered Dad’s office, he explained that Adam and Alison had left with Adonis. Alison wanted to see her mother, so she left with her father. Of course, Jessie has gone with them, but they left Melinda behind.“Alison waited as long as she could, but Adonis didn’t want to be here any longer. Adam took Alison to the cabin to see Melinda. No matter what Adonis said to the girl, Alison wouldn’t leave without seeing her daughter.”Thank Selene for that!I’d hate to think Alison could be so cruel as to leave Melinda behind. It would have killed my mate to know her mother didn’t care enough. But Alison does care, and I’m glad she dropped by the cabin to say goodbye.I hope Alison won’t be gone long; I don’t think Melinda could handle that. Her mother is all she knows, and yes, Melinda has me now, but she needs her mum.I have every faith my cousin will want to take Melinda on as his own. Adam is a good man, and he has a big heart. His mate’s
“Jai, if you could just wait outside?”My eyes widen at the tall, dark-skinned man in front of me. Richie, so Jai told me is the doctor’s name. Not that I think Richie would hurt me, I don’t get that feeling from him, but I don’t know him either.I’m not a weak little girl who needs her man to hold her hand. But I’ve never been in this kind of situation before. When I said I was rarely around others, I meant it.I’m not going to be over my past in one day. It doesn’t matter how wonderful my mate is or how well I’m treated here. Mike put horrible doubts in my head about so many things that pushing them away is hard.Goddess knows I wish I could have lived an easy life. But I didn’t, and I can’t change that or my mindset, well, not in one day.I’ll learn to live a better life in time; I know I will. With Jai by my side, things don’t seem so bad, and I know we’re going to be good together. But right now, I need him here with me!Is that too much to ask?“No,” I clutch Jai’s hand in mine.
“Are you okay, baby?” Adam squeezes my hand gently.I look at him and smile. “I’m nervous, Adam. I’m a little scared, too; I haven’t seen my mother in nineteen years.”Nineteen years almost to the day, Mike Chambers abducted me while on a trip with my friends. Father had allowed me to go shopping for a dress, one I needed for my brother’s wedding, as long as guards were with us.I wasn’t often allowed to go shopping without my mother or a Lady’s Maid to keep an eye on me. But this day, my father wanted to give me a little bit of freedom. I can’t imagine what it’s done to him all these years, wishing he hadn’t given me that time without proper bodyguards. Those that came with me stayed away, hidden so as not to scare my friends.How was someone able to take me in front of a shopping centre full of people and Royal bodyguards?I don’t think I’ll ever know the answer to that. All I do know is one moment, I was laughing with my friends as we left the dress shop, the next, I was waking up i
“Adonis, tell me that’s not true!”I clutch Adam’s hand tighter in mine as Mum stands yelling at Dad. We settled Jessie into our room before Dad called Adam and me to his office. Mum wouldn’t wait a moment longer for Dad to tell her what the hell he thought he was playing at. I was worried about leaving Jessie, but luckily, she fell asleep. I was concerned because she hadn’t long woken up, but Adam said it was nothing but the travelling that had worn our baby out; I believed him because I had no reason not to.Mum, Dad, and all three of my brothers are here. I thought we were going to have family time, but Dad went right into how Melinda must be slaughtered for the good of the family and the Kingdom.It’s wrong! The only known cases of women being raped and getting pregnant recorded didn’t involve a child already born. When the crime is reported to my father right after the event, he forces the woman to take the morning-after pill. If the lioness is too scared to report the crime and
“So, he climbs the highest tree in the forest, foot slipping. . .” Jai rolls his eyes at Stella, making me laugh. “Ends up falling and breaking his wrist.”“It healed inside a minute,” Damien picks up. “Yet, he stood there screaming, causing everyone outside the family to fall to their knees, hands over their ears,”“That’s right,” I nod my head while looking at Jai. “You got the banshee from your mother.”Jai grumbles. “Who told you?”“Not you, obviously.” Stella laughs.“Adam.” I clarify. “When he was singing your praises and telling me to give you a chance.”Jai smirks, then leans in and kisses me softly. I laugh against Jai’s mouth when his siblings gag playfully.Jai and I recently moved back to the packhouse after three days at the cabin. It was beautiful there, and Jai and I had so much fun getting to know one another.We talked a lot about ourselves, played board games, cooked, baked, watched TV and even read old books. I loved lying in Jai’s arms each night while he read to me
“Drew, this is crazy!” I grab my brother’s arm as he storms towards Crimson Shadow packhouse.“Let go of me, Jai.”“You can’t do this,” Damien hisses at Drew.“Watch me!” Drew snarls, yanks his arm out of my grip, and keeps walking.This is not going to end well!Word reached Drew that Alpha Kyle of the Crimson Shadow pack had been bad-mouthing him. Worse, Crimson Shadow is Lana’s old pack, Kyle, her former Alpha.Kyle spouted shit about how Drew must have killed Lana in a fit of rage. There’s no way she’d take off alone, so the only explanation for her disappearance is that Drew killed Lana.I can understand, in a way, Lana’s old pack worrying and talking about what could have happened. But Drew did not physically hurt Lana! The Goddess knows Lana was everything to Drew. Of course, when one of Greenrock’s warriors heard the rumours, he went straight to Drew. We were supposed to be on our way to search a nearby pack for Lana. However, Drew lost his shit, his wolf took over, and now, h
The atmosphere in the house was tense this morning. If Jai hadn't told me what happened last night, I'd be wondering why everyone is tip-toeing around. However, Jai told me everything, and I was utterly shocked!Jai explained as we got dressed for the day that we'd be leaving Greenrock soon. Two weeks, to be exact. I'm nervous because I don't know what to expect as a Beta female. As Jai's mate, I'll be the female equivalent of his Beta status. I haven't yet had time to ask Jai what it all means for me, but I will later on.But I have to admit that I'm terrified I'll mess up. If I'm honest, I don't want to fail Jai or Drew. Drew will be my Alpha, and I want to make a good impression on him and the pack. I want Jai to be proud of me.'He is proud of you, Melinda.''Thanks.' I smile, grateful to my wolf for her kind words. 'I needed to hear that.''I love you, Melinda.''I love you, too, my dear best friend.'My wolf sighs contentedly inside my head.I haven't spoken to Mum yet, and I'm w