-RAINA’S POV- “Is that why you came here?” Valen asked, roaming his emerald eyes on me, which flickered into black for a moment, letting me know that Zeus wanted to come out. They crudely undress me. Hera was lured enough to attempt to push open the doors of my mind. “No. I came here to see you.” I frowned that he had the wrong impression all this time. “But it seemed like you’d rather be around Mercedes than me.” A fierce jealousy gnawed at me. I turned and walked down the pathway, passing two recreational buildings. The voice from the brief phone call that we had yesterday replayed in my head. It was definitely Mercedes. “Don’t listen to rumors,” Valen said, trailing me. “You ran away from me. You always avoid me. Why?” I kicked up a fuss with my hands gesticulating my frustration in the air. “Some things are hard to explain, Raina.” It was a painful whisper that aggravated me. “I’m your mate. Try me.” I stopped at an intersection where the utility structure and maintenance an
-RAINA'S POV- Having a late lunch, Dad and Alpha Vance sat in the Captains’ Lounge on the second floor, which was reserved only for them. It was a fine day for sure, ambient and kind to the eyes as the sun's rays lit up the entire area in a crisp brightness that complemented the spacious seating arrangements and beautifully decorated tables and utensils sparkled in its glare. Pissed and heartbroken, my dour mood ruined the day for me. I stormed to an empty table and pulled a mink-gray bergère chair from it to theirs. Its gold metal legs rumple the moss-green carpet that covers the complete floor. Plopping down like an overworked woman who has had a bad day, the gloominess aired out with a prominent scowl on my face. "What's with the attitude?" Dad curiously asked while chewing, fixing his chestnut-brown eyes on me. When my eyes landed on Valen who entered the room and slid the triple sliding glass doors closed, I rolled my eyes and frowned deeper. His scent intoxicated me to no end
-RAINA'S POV- Tears. Only my heat made me cry. Other than that, I've never bawled like this. Well, there was that time at the hospital when I thought I would lose Valen because we were unfortunate soulmates, and right now that familiar despair dwelled like a house filled with rodents in my gut. Unwanted but hard to get rid of. Hyperventilate-crying, I sniveled miserably, wiping my face countless times with the back of my hand. Surrounded by various trees and the noisy inhabitants of the forest, I blocked the mind-link. I'll lay my back on the green grassy floor of nature for about five minutes to stop the flow of tears and recompose myself. Wispy clouds in the sky produced a soft golden filter. As though rooted to heaven's ether, the sun grounds itself in the blue. Around me, the world was vibrant due to the light of the sun, which accentuated the forest's most vivid hues. Like the pink carnation, the typically large, spectacular, and brightly colored tulips, and the elderberry sh
- RAINA’S POV- As much as my lower half was shielded by my dark gray jeans, his fondling fingers on my pussy delivered a sweet sensation. I could not help but moan with pleasure. He smirked deviously as though he intended to swallow me whole. Like I was the juiciest woman in existence. Raw and intense sex appeal seeped out of him, affecting the normalcy of my heartbeat. Those spellbinding eyes lost their green, totally submerged in a sphere of blackness and ardour. His deft thumb seemed to have found where my clitoris was and massaged the area over and over. Spasms of pleasure crept upon me. A compulsion to rip the jeans off and give him full access took over. "S-stop," I breathlessly whispered, but he kept doing it. Slightly raising, I grabbed his hand on my stomach to cease his ministrations. Unfortunately, I had to let go due to the piercing burning impact that my palms endured. I hissed from the pain which evaporated due to the pleasure in my lower regions and the healing eleme
- RAINA’S POV- Modestly, I gripped the waistline of my jeans. “We’re in the open and it’s daylight.” Hope festered that he would abdicate and let me get up from the grassy ground. Valen quickly reined in his wolf and shrugged. Regarding my flushed face, he whispered breathlessly in awe, "Beautifully mine," as he parted my legs to his heart’s content. His impression was completely altered by the earlier fear in my flitting eyes. His piercing eyes grew smaller, wonderfully curved, and his hard lips softened, making him look like an innocent boy. Though his lewd intentions corrupted that image in seconds. A curiosity surged about how it would feel to have his expertly enticing mouth sucking on my lips with his calloused hands on my hips. Although, I was not sure what exactly he was going to do with me trapped on the ground. “Do not fight me, mate.” His raw thick tenor surprised me and his hand pressed my body down. I swallowed hard and looked at him in perplexity. I desired him wit
- RAINA’S POV- When I expected him to help me up so that I could put myself together, he remained motionless. Enjoying me in this wanton position with his hand at the hem of my black top, on my abdomen. He was too animalistic to care about the public forest around us and the chances of anyone going on a run who might intrude. When I get up, I could imagine the amount of florets that I would toil to remove from my tangled burgundy hair. I was convinced that my hair was so messy that I probably looked like I was electrocuted. “Do you want this mate bond? Am I the man that you want to spend the rest of your life with?” His fingers tapped my knees, while his eyes searched my face. “Yes, I do.” Though I was a shameless disarray, I eagerly expressed, “I lov……” No. It was not the time to admit my feelings or how smitten I was, so I sealed my mouth. I couldn’t tell him when I was congested with many insecurities. Additionally, I was sweaty and feeling very dirty from previously writhing
-RAINA’S POV- Valen bit into the spongy upper inside part of my breast, then grated, “Do you think that is something you can get away with?” Pain replaced pleasure, then pain again. The cycle repeated as his ministrations continued with the sharp edges of his teeth leaving bite marks on my skin. Bitter tears streamed down my cheeks. I clamped my lips together to prevent a scream. Canines bit my perked nipple. Tightly closing my eyes, my hands dug into his shoulder blades. “Open your eyes, mate!” He growled. Rage red. I had threatened to let another touch what was his. Now his wolf would make sure that I patently understood not to cross that line by taking it out on my body. Cracking one eye open, I was afraid that seeing him nibbling on my rosy bud would sap even more of my volition, including my flurry brain’s receptors and my will to be a resolute, uncompromising woman. My body stiffened and then shook. His lips closed around my areola and roughly suckled my tit for four second
-RAINA’S POV- I was riding my high and feeling drained of all energy. One more orgasm and I might lose consciousness. Today's experience will give me wet dreams for a lifetime. "You are the most gorgeous woman on the planet but I'm pissed at you." Valen changed the mood although his voice was sexy. His mouth twisted into a sensual smile, confident and virile as he combed the sprawled strands of my hair. "Why?" My eyelids drooped with molten desire. I managed to ask through my mushed mind. I thought that I was the one who was angry at him. How did this turn around on me? "Did I reject you, Raina?" His hard glare studied me. "No." Truthfully, he might not have said the specific words, but I felt shunned, which had me assuming maybe soon he would do the rejection. "Did I tell you that I was leaving you?" I shook my head. Technically, he didn't. I do, however, firmly believe that one's actions speak louder than words. He flicked his tongue over my nipple, keeping the contact longe
VALEN’S POV“She attacked me and knocked me out. She has me strapped to a post like some damn hostage. I don’t even know where I am.” Venus’ hysterical voice became shaky with fear. “What the hell, Valen? Is this a drill? What’s going on?”My face twisted in confusion and utter disbelief. “Put-put Raina on. I want to talk to her.”“He wants to talk to you,” I heard Venus telling her, breath stuttering.There was a soft rustling, and Raina’s angry voice came on the line. “Now you listen real, real good. You will do as I say, or your sister gets it. No more fucking around. What’s it going to be?”A pang of longing hits me, missing her sorely.“No. You’re not going to hurt her. Vee’s your best friend.” I called her bluff. Hopefully, she didn’t mean it. “If you want me, I’ll come to you. This is between you and me.”“Get your head out of your ass. You think this is a joke?” Raina snapped, which ruffled Zeus. “Who do you think you’re dealing with?”She went silent, which pained me.Then th
VALEN’S POVGustav snickered. His tone was clipped and choppy when he said, “It’s not about a timeline. It’s about survival, and maybe once you’re gone, the bond will shift to me. I’ll become her new mate and treat her bet—.”A broiling anger surged within me, demanding release. My movement was quick, as I clawed the Worgen across the face, tearing off a chunk of his jaw. The force of it snapped his face to the right. He muffled a long howl.“Come on, tough guy. What? You aren’t gutsy anymore?” Devin steadied the guy’s face in my direction.Gustav released a mocking laugh as blood ran down his neck, trickling past his chest. “I was going to say—” He wrung his neck, wrestling his head sideways to spit curdling blood to the floor. “—pwah.” And then he gazed up at me. “We slept together, you know.”The pain and shock of his words slammed into me, nearly knocking me off my feet, but then, in a split second, Zeus surged to the surface. Fury charged through me like lightning, pushing me for
VALEN’S POV“No one has ever lasted this long,” Devin said, after we teleported inside the Worgen's holding prison under my guardian lion’s supervision.In the Spessiale Dungeon, various clear tubes strung from the ceiling were plugged into Gustav's back to drain his blood to keep him weak.This was very effective since he looked sickly pale. Silver and vampire toxins were easily absorbed by his system, making the usual torture measures useless.Underestimation was deadly, so I had to find other options.Stripped completely naked, he sat on the blue calcite floor with his knees bent and feet tucked towards his crotch, ankles in cuffs.His hands were behind his lower back in black and neon blue handcuffs that could only be unlocked by Nyx’s magical command. Sweat had drenched his hair and body. His putrid smell lingered in the air.Devin stood with his feet apart and his hands in his jeans pockets.Heat radiated off me, and my abhorrence for this crab-louse made my blood boil. A murder
VALEN’S POVA jolt of frustration ran through me. The ongoing search for Raina was long, complicated, and so painfully intricate that it hurt my brain.“This is insane,” I seethed, looking at the images on the large monitors before the Theta. “Patrol would have been able to stop Raina, but they never saw her. The magical barrier is intact. She has to be here, and I want her location now.”With one hand gripping the backrest of Jason's lofty chair and the other flattened on his office desk, I bent beside him as he nervously checked all the other video feeds from the drones. The computer trilled and beeped as his fingers worked deftly.Devin paced back and forth anxiously with his hands in his jeans pockets. “None of this makes sense. Raina is not invisible. We should have found her already. Huh? Venus is not here, and Azara hasn’t reported seeing her. Where could she have gone on foot?”“That slippery little Luna,” Theo grumbled, taking the tablet from his brother, and he slumped in hi
VALEN’S POV“Slap me.”Thwack!“Again,” Theo ordered his twin, turning his other pink cheek.Thwack! Thaines smacked him, but Theo’s disbelief refused to be whacked out of him.Repetitive growls sputtered from my chest as I paced the full length of Jason’s office, raking my hands through my hair.The impish Gamma spun around to address me, “Let me get this straight.” Perplexed, he scratched his elevated brow, probing, “Your Luna beat the crap out of you? Not only did she stab you, but she also whipped your ass and ghosted you.”Not answering, I shoulder-checked him with a deadly glare of utter annoyance. The Gammas, in their sweat-soaked gym shorts, gawked at me with wide cognac brown eyes, their jaws hanging open.A bloodthirst burned in my veins, and the air conditioning at the IT Hub did nothing to cool me down. Yet, Theo dared to peeve me with his buffoonery.With slow, menacing steps, Devin walked around the hi-tech rectangular table and hit Theo upside the back of his head, fed-
RAINA’S POVStiff as a petrified log, I couldn't scream as my world exploded in a kaleidoscope of stars. My heart thrashed a million miles a minute.The agony caught into a knot in my throat. My body tried to curl in on itself – to replicate a spider's dead dusk, but he kept my flailing limbs pinned. My body heaved.Then, Valen pulled his fangs out, licking the punctured flesh and clearing the blood. Sparks erupted. Fucking sparks shot all the way to my toes.Each lick of his tongue was like morphine. Like a kick. I basked in it. I loved it. The bond was like being controlled by an entity. It was making me want him. Dammit.My body tightened, lungs squeezed and butterflies raged uncontrollably inside of me as he flicked his sinful tongue and dragged it wetly across my sensitive flesh.Focus, Raina! Don't let him swoop you in again. This can’t go on. I must bust out of here.“I want to fuck you, overstimulate you, edge you on until you're in tears, chanting your safe word,” he crooned.
RAINA’S POVYanking my injured right hand, Valen twirled me around so that my back slammed against his hard chest. His large hand came straight for my face to rip the goggles off.The room, like my fate, suddenly got darker.“You’re not so bad without your sword now, right?” Valen said mockingly. “But you certainly aren't vanilla and innocent either.”Once he crushed the goggles, he flung it into the wall. His robust right arm circled my waist while his left hand settled above my breast, slowly traveling up to my throat. Electric sparks exploded everywhere our skin touched.“Let me tell you something, Bluebella. You've unlocked a dangerous side of Zeus that even I feared,” he whispered huskily into my ear, gripping my neck. “But since you want to keep this bratty behavior up all night, challenging me, that part of him is going to burst out of his cage.”All the while, his emeralds were fixated on mine. He dipped his head over my shoulders. My flitting eyes watched him as my heart drum
RAINA’S POVSlinking inside the Alpha suite with night vision goggles, I crept up to the king-size bed to see Valen tossing and turning in his sleep.Why wasn’t he dead yet?Moving surreptitiously to the side of the bed, I was thankful that my black leather catsuit blended well with the darkness. As quiet as ever, I held my sword tighter, angling it in a left-plow position with the long edge up.Committed to the assassination task, my blow had to be quick and precise, piercing the heart. I cannot miss this golden opportunity.Standing exactly beside the nightstand, I glanced down at the ripped muscles of his heaving chest. Grunting, his sweaty head shifted from side to side. His face twitched, and his closed eyelids flexed as he breathed jaggedly in his sleep.Cardamom and amber surrounded me, the potent scent wafted straight from the source into my nostrils. A mouthwatering scent, so maddening. Perilously beguiling. The bond beat against my chest like a bone-crushing drum. The physica
VALEN’S POV“Raina is hurting.” Penn interjected, finishing up and discarding the cotton in a bin.“I saw the pain in her eyes when she saw Snow with your baby.” She gazed sadly at Devin and added under her breath. “I can imagine what that feels like.”My Beta averted his eyes to the side of the room, avoiding hers, suddenly unsettled as he scratched behind his ear.I blew out a hard breath. I did not care about what was up with these two. Raina was priority. The mate bond wrenched at me in a silent cry from her that only I could hear. Missing the softness of holding her hands and basking in her endearing presence, hugging, touching, gazing—I just can't go on without it.“I'm pissed too because the future hasn't changed and at some point, you'll give the dick away.” Devin aired bluntly. “How could you? After all those times you swore to me…”“I'll never cheat on Raina.” I cut in sharply, darting daggers at him.Unconvinced, he huffed. Then he spoke again, his voice quieter. "She loves