Caden’s POV
I stared at the beautiful woman sprawled across my bed, feeling a sudden surge of heat I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Her auburn hair fanned out across my pillows, and even in the dim light of the hotel room, her features were striking. Her skin was smooth and pale, with a faint blush hinting at her tipsiness. Her lips, full and slightly parted, seemed to beg to be kissed, and her eyes—brown with flecks of gold—were wide open, staring back at me with a mix of surprise and something else I couldn’t quite place. My wolf stirred, the beast within me that I had managed to keep at bay during my years in the States. There, I blended in, lived among humans, and kept my true nature hidden. I couldn’t shake the strange sense of familiarity about her. She had to be around the same age as Ronan’s sister, maybe a little older, but not by much. I chuckled softly, the sound low and almost inaudible in the quiet room. The idea of Ronan’s sister being a stripper was laughable. Ronan, my best friend and Alpha King, was fiercely protective of his sister. He wouldn’t even let me see a photo of her once she turned thirteen, joking—or maybe not joking—that he didn’t want me looking at her with lustful eyes. The thought of her working as a stripper was absurd. Ronan would rather slaughter any man who dared gawk at his sister than punish her for it. Turning to the lady on the bed, I took a step closer, my gaze narrowing as I noticed her dress. It was a simple, knee-length red dress. The kind of dress a woman might wear to a nice dinner or cocktail party, not to seduce a man in a hotel room. It was nothing like what Peru’s strippers usually wore when they came to see me. I frowned. I’d just stepped off the plane when I dialed Peru’s number. Peru, my long-time contact in Silver Lake, had assured me he’d send one of his best girls tonight. “Caden,” Peru’s voice crackled through the speaker. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you this soon.” “I need someone tonight,” I said, cutting to the chase. “One of your best. I’ll be staying at the Silver Crest.” “Sure, no problem. I’ve got a few new girls who just arrived. They’re all eager to please. I’ll send someone over within the hour.” He replied after a brief pause-. I ended the call without further pleasantries. Peru had never let me down before, and I expected nothing less tonight. But now, standing in front of the woman who was supposed to be my distraction, I felt an unease that had nothing to do with the alcohol or the lateness of the hour. This woman wasn’t dressed like a stripper, and her gaze was too clear, too curious. She didn’t have the practiced look of someone who knew how to seduce on command. I frowned again, something not sitting right with me. “Strip,” I commanded, trying to push aside the doubts and focus on the reason I was here. For a moment, she hesitated, her eyes searching mine as if trying to figure out if I was serious. Then, with a small, almost imperceptible shrug, she stood up, swaying slightly on her feet. Her hands moved to the back of her dress, and she slowly unzipped it, letting the fabric fall to the floor in a soft rustle. She was not a stripper, but I couldn’t help admiring her as she stood there in nothing but lacy black panties. Her body was toned and slender, with curves that were subtle but undeniable. She was strikingly beautiful, the kind of beauty that made it hard to look away. “What’s your name?” I asked, my voice hoarse. She blinked up at me, her lips curling into a lazy smile. “Why, are you gonna call me later?” she teased, her words slurred ever so slightly. She’s drunk. “You’re not one of Peru’s usual girls,” I said, more to myself than to her. “No,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. I raised an eyebrow, but before I could say anything else, she stepped closer, closing the distance between us. Her fingers grazed my chest, sending a jolt of electricity through me. The connection between us was undeniable, the attraction magnetic. For a moment, I forgot about the strangeness of the situation. I forgot about the doubts and the unease. All that mattered was the woman in front of me, the way her body felt against mine, the way her scent filled my senses. “Don’t think too much,” she murmured, her lips brushing against my ear. “Just feel.” I didn’t need to be told twice. My hands found their way to her waist, pulling her closer. Her skin was warm beneath my touch, and I could feel the slight tremble that ran through her as our bodies pressed together. It was intoxicating, the way she fit against me, the way her breath hitched when I leaned down to kiss her neck. My hands roamed over her body, exploring every curve, every inch of soft skin. Her nails scraped lightly against my back, sending shivers down my spine. When I finally pulled back to look at her, her eyes were half-lidded, her lips parted as she panted softly. The sight of her like this, vulnerable and wanting, was enough to drive me over the edge. “Caden,” she whispered, her voice trembling with need. Hearing her say my name was all the encouragement I needed. I captured her lips in a searing kiss, my hands tangling in her hair as I pushed her back onto the bed. She moaned into the kiss, her body arching beneath mine as I settled between her legs. For a brief moment, I hesitated. A small voice in the back of my mind warned me that this was a mistake, that there would be consequences. But the fire in my veins, the need coursing through me, was too strong to resist. I took her small perfect breasts into my mouth and suckled while I let my other hand roam now to the black panties she wore. Damn it! She was already wet. I left her breasts and trailed kisses down her neck to her navel. I settled over her wet entrance and pulled down the panties she had on. I buried my face into her and licked all her juices. She moaned and grabbed my hair. Once I was sure she had orgasmed, I left her wet and fell the towel that clung to my waist down. My throbbing erection was staring right at her face and although she was not a stripper, she knew the assignment. She came towards me with her eyes looking at me seductively. She grabbed at my dick, winked at me and gave me the most exciting blow job I had ever had. “Fuck me,” I said hoarsely. I had been with several women, but something about her made me lose my sense of reasoning. I shoved my dick deeper into her throat and she took it well. I picked her up and we fell back into the bed. I kissed her as I settled myself between her legs. She widened her legs and began moving her wet entrance against my dick. As her hands slid down my back, urging me closer, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I buried myself in her, and we both gasped at the sensation. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before—intense, overwhelming, perfect. As we moved together, the world around us faded away. There was nothing but the two of us and the heat of our bodies. It was raw, wild, and everything I hadn’t realized I was missing. When we finally reached our peak, it was like an explosion—a release so powerful it left me breathless. I collapsed beside her, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. She lay beside me, her body still trembling with the aftershocks. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The room was filled with the sound of our breathing. I didn’t know her name, but I knew two things. I was going to have my fill of her tonight and I was going to have her again.Emily The moment Ethan and Caden stepped back into the room, I could feel the shift in the air. My heart stuttered for a second as I took in the sight of my husband, his expression softer but still lined with the weight of everything that had just happened. Caden, on the other hand, looked like a man who just put out a fire, calm and assured. He caught Lila’s eye and gave her a subtle nod, a silent message passing between them.Lila turned to me and smiled. “Emily, Caden and I need to grab some groceries. We’ll pick up the kids on our way back.”I knew exactly what she was doing. She was giving us privacy, a chance to talk. A warm appreciation swelled in my chest, and I nodded, smiling back at her. “Thank you.”She waved me off as she grabbed her purse, and with a final knowing glance, she and Caden stepped out of the house, leaving Ethan and me alone.The silence stretched between us, heavy and uncertain. Ethan shifted his weight, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. I stayed
EthanI slammed my fists into the steering wheel, the sharp sting running up my arms doing little to curb the frustration boiling inside me. I shouldn’t have let my temper get the best of me. I shouldn’t have snapped at Emily. But goddamn it, everything is falling apart, and I feel like I’m drowning with no way to get my head above water.I wasn’t supposed to make mistakes. I was supposed to take care of her, protect her, build a future where she’d never have to worry. Instead, I got swindled like a fool.Reuben. That bastard. He’d played me like a puppet, and I had danced to his tune, convinced that the deal would put us ahead. My financial advisor had warned me.“Ethan, this is too risky,” He said, but I had been arrogant, thinking I could handle it. Reuben must have been laughing behind my back, knowing full well what he was doing. And now? Now I was standing in the ruins of that stupidity, watching everything I worked for crumble.I rear back and punch the dashboard again.
Emily I knew something was wrong with Ethan before he even opened his mouth. The way his shoulders tensed when he thought no one was looking, the dark circles under his eyes from sleepless nights he never spoke about, the way he ran his hand through his hair when he thought too hard about something these were the little signs that only someone who truly knew him could catch.And I knew him. Knew him well enough to understand that he was keeping a secret. A big one.Lila and I stepped back into the living room, balancing the glasses of pineapple juice in our hands. I handed Ethan his glass, offering a soft smile. “Here you go, love.”He accepted it without looking at me. “Thanks.”Lila, ever the smooth one, slid onto the couch beside Caden and passed him his drink, shooting me a quick glance, almost as if to ask, Are you ready for this?I wasn’t. But I had no choice.I cleared my throat. “Ethan.”He sipped his juice. “Yeah?”I hesitated for a moment, gathering my thoughts, and then
LilaThe mood in the living room had shifted. The tension was palpable, as though the walls themselves were closing in on us. Ethan was unusually quiet, staring into his drink as if it held the answers to questions he wasn’t ready to ask, let alone answer. Caden and I exchanged looks, but neither of us dared to speak up. It had been a while since we’d all been together, and I could sense the heaviness that hung in the air, especially around Ethan.But it wasn’t until I caught Emily’s face, suddenly drained of color, that I felt a shiver of unease. She had been laughing just a minute ago, her usual lighthearted self, but now she sat there, a shadow of herself, her eyes flickering nervously. She was hiding something. I knew her too well.I didn’t want to push her in front of everyone, but I also couldn’t let it slide. I stood up, my feet carrying me toward her. "Emily," I called gently, "You good?"She froze for a moment, then forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Yeah,
EmilyTen years had passed and for two weeks now the rain had not let up. It was as if the clouds themselves were mourning, drenching everything in their sorrow. The funeral was anything but ordinary. Reuben had taken his own life, leaving behind a legacy as dark as the storm above. Pack traditions dictated that the body should be cremated, the ashes scattered to allow the soul to roam free. But for me, it wasn’t so simple. I’d known Reuben, and although his narcissistic and manipulative lifestyle had led to us going our separate ways and ultimately his sentence to the prison, I could not deny that I had once loved him and that he was also Ethan’s relative. “Ethan,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the howling winds, “Are you sure about this?”He didn’t answer immediately, his eyes fixed on the freshly dug grave. His jaw clenched, his brow furrowed. I could tell he was fighting with himself—struggling with a decision that felt so wrong but so necessary. Finally, he turne
Emily's POV Two years had passed since that life-changing day when everything seemed to fall into place. I stood at the kitchen counter, gazing out the window at the garden beyond. The sun was shining, a golden light spilling across the earth, painting everything in soft hues of warmth. The twins were playing outside, laughing as they chased each other around, their tiny feet kicking up little clouds of dust. Joan's son, almost two years old, was toddling along beside them, his innocent grin lighting up his entire face as he followed the twins’ every move. Lila’s baby, just a year old, was content in her arms, the tiny bundle snuggled against her chest, peacefully asleep.And then there was mine. My son. Our son. He had just turned one, and his bright eyes followed the others, his small hands reaching out to touch the world around him. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him, my heart swelling with a love that felt boundless. He was the perfect combination of Ethan and me, with