~∆~ Rain's POV ~∆~When Mariah closes her apartment door behind us, I turn on my older sister with all the anger I've been holding in."What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I snap.Luna raises an eyebrow, completely unfazed by my tone. She's always been the calm one in our family, who could stare down our father when he was in full Alpha rage. "I think I'm helping you, little brother. Something you seem incapable of doing for yourself. You should thank me.""Helping?" I scoff. "You call telling her she's my mate helping? You had no right to do that, Luna. No fucking right.""Oh, I had no right?" Her voice rises slightly, the first tear in her composed facade, "So what was your plan, Rain? Keep denying it? Keep letting her think she's crazy for feeling the pull? Keep letting that bastard Ethan manipulate both of you because you're too scared to admit the truth?"Her words hit home, but I'm too angry to back down. "You don't know anything about my situation. You left, remember? Y
~∆~ Mariah's POV ~∆~I can't believe this is my life right now. What the actual fuck is happening with my life right now?Why am I standing in the hallway with my neighbor who I just found is a werewolf? Why am I planning some kind of supernatural revenge against my abusive ex-fiancé and Rain's crazy ex?A month ago, my biggest problem was choosing between color schemes for a client's website. Now I'm apparently under the protection of a pack I didn't even know existed."I don't understand any of this," I say, slumping against my doorframe. "I don't understand why Ethan targeted me in the first place. I don't understand why Natasha is so obsessed with Rain. I don't understand why I'm in the middle of some supernatural war I never asked to be part of."Luna steps closer, and I am not going to there's something about her presence that's oddly comforting. If it had been just Rain, I would have freaked out.Maybe it's because she was the first person to offer me help without expecting a
~∆~ Rain's POV ~∆~My heart pounds when I see Luna standing in the hallway with Mrs. Chenel and a shaking Mariah.What is my older sister, who left our pack seven years ago to build her own life in the human world doing here? I haven't seen her in months, not since our last awkward coffee meeting where we barely talked about anything real."What are you doing here, Sister?" I ask, my voice tense.Luna's eyes became soft as she looked at me, then at Mariah, who was still wrapped in Mrs. Chenel's arms. "I came to check on her," she says. "She came to my store yesterday. She looked scared, desperate. I could smell the fear on her. I thought she was in trouble so I wanted to help."I watch as understanding dawns in Mariah's tear-filled eyes. She's putting the pieces together, realizing that Luna isn't just some random supernatural store owner who happened to help her."I've been watching her since then," Luna continues. "When I heard the commotion, I knew I had to intervene."Mrs. Chene
~∆~ Mariah's POV ~∆~After two weeks of hiding from the world, I finally force myself to open my laptop.Working from home, has been both a blessing and a curse lately. A blessing because I haven't had to face anyone while looking like I went to hell and came back.A curse because my isolation has been absolute, cutting me off from the one thing that usually grounds me, which my work.I know my clients are probably worried. I've ignored emails, missed deadlines, and haven't updated my social media in a week. I'm probably going to lose contracts because of this, but I can't keep hiding forever. I need some semblance of normalcy, something to remind me who I was before Ethan came into my life.The moment my laptop finishes loading, my heart stops. It began popping with notifications, my email inbox is exploding, and my social media accounts are flooded with notifications. But it wasn't concerned messages from clients or friends checking on me as I have expected. They were hate messag
~∆~ Rain's POV ~∆~I'm completely off my game today. I tried my best to concentrate, but I just couldn't do it when all I and my wolf could think of was how to keep Mariah safe.Coach blows his whistle for the third time in ten minutes, and I know it's because I just missed another easy pass. My teammates are getting frustrated, I can see it in their faces, but I can't seem to focus. It's been a week since I heard her fight with Ethan, since I heard that bastard hit her, and the not knowing is killing me. My wolf is restless, fighting me constantly demanding that I check on her, that I protect her from whatever threat is keeping her locked away.But every time I approach her door, I remember Natasha's threat. One step out of line, and she destroys not just me, but every werewolf trying to live peacefully in this city."Cross!" Coach's voice brings me out of my spiraling thoughts. "My office. Now."The rest of the team exchanges glances as I skate off the ice. Jackson gives me a look
~∆~ Mariah's POV ~∆~I've been crying for three days straight. My eyes are swollen, my throat is raw, and I can't remember the last time I ate something good that didn't feel tasteless in my mouth. The bruise on my cheek has faded from purple to a sickly yellow-green, but every time I catch my reflection, I always see his hand connecting with my face all over again.The anger comes at me again. The bastard had dared to hit me after cheating on me.My phone rings for the hundredth time today, and Ethan's name flashes across the screen. I let it go to voicemail, just like I have every other call from him, from my Mom, from Sophia, and even Rain. I just can't risk talking to them. They may catch onto something and then do something stupid and right now, I know what he's capable of. I thought away from my ringing phone.The voicemail notification pops up again, and against my better judgment, I decide to listen. "Ria, please. I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. You know