I inwardly groan. Colin has met Paige, his mate. Our plan for the Alpha just got a lot more complicated. He’s head over heels for her too. I could see it the second he saw her. I need to talk to James. The plan needs to be changed. This girl is innocent and doesn’t deserve what we have planned for Colin. I’m not so sure Colin deserves it either, if I’m being honest. The nerves are getting the better of me. I just need to remember that this is the only way to get Charles out of the way.“You okay, little brother?”“I’m fine. It’s great that Colin has found his mate.”“I don’t know. She seems to be opinionated and strong-willed. You know submission is needed in a good Luna,” he says, taking a big swig of his whiskey sour.The anger boils in my blood again as the memories of Charles breaking Nicole’s spirit. She, too, was once opinionated, but as time went on, Charles made her submit. He violated the mate bond in the way he treated her. He sleeps with other she-wolves to keep Nicole in l
My mother decides to stay with Tasha’s family to help them plan a memorial while the rest of us head home. Each of us trying to wrap our brains around what just happened. As we reach the house, my father resigns to his office, slamming the door hard enough to knock a picture from the wall. Peyton to his room. Colin walks me to mine. “Stay, please.” I ask as Colin turns to leave. You do like him! Ash barks. I just don’t want to be alone. I lead him into my large bedroom. Mentally high-fiving myself for making my bed this morning. “Did you know her?” he asks. “We trained together. She’s a pack warrior, though we weren’t close outside of that.” He wipes my tears from my cheek, and his warm hand sends shocks to my skin. He feels so good. I’m not sure I have the restraint to avoid kissing him. I stand up from the bed, trying to put some distance between us. “I’m, uh, going to change. I just realized that you have nothing to wear to bed. So run to your room and grab something.” “W
Our first night wasn’t the magical one I had hoped for. But waking up next to her almost makes up for it. Dom hounded me all night to mate her, but I resisted. Paige wasn’t ready for that, and I want it to be special. I wrap my arms around Paige as she stirs next to me, wanting to feel her as much as I can before she pushes me away. She opens her giant green eyes and inhales a deep breath, breathing in my scent. I wonder what I smell of. “What are you thinking about?” she asks. “What my scent smells like to you. You smell of vanilla with a smidge of cinnamon.” “You smell like a rainy spring day.” She laughs. “More specifically, it’s mint and cypress.” Her laugh sounds like a perfect symphony. I lean down to kiss her lightly on her lips, pulling away to resist deepening the kiss and making Paige feel pressured. I find my way out of bed, not missing the glimpse of sadness in her eyes. Dom tries to push me back, but I fight him. “I’m sure you’re getting hungry. I’ll go change, and t
I wake up with a heavy mind because of last night’s events. I waited all night for Claire to show up, but she never did. She never responded to my texts or calls, either. I was drowning my sorrows when I first heard the howls. Following my father to Tasha’s body, I sobered up exceptionally quick. The sight of Tasha’s body made my stomach churn. I stood frozen, just staring at her.My father and Colin went into Alpha mode, my father ordering everyone to do something, including ordering me to find a sheet to cover her with. I also accompanied him to tell Tasha’s family. The entire night left me feeling even more unprepared to be Alpha. I’m just an eighteen-year-old kid. My wolf is worried about the position, too. Neither of us feel like an Alpha.A light knock on my door pulls me from my bed. The scent of the person behind the door has me throwing the door open with more force than I meant to.Mate. Mate. Mate!Claire stands before me, her eyes cast down as she tries to explain herself.
It’s lunchtime before I push myself off the bathroom floor. My face is still puffy from my pain. I was considering skipping lunch when I hear a knock at my door.My father pops his head in. “Meeting in the dining hall.”“I’m not feeling well. Save me the cliff notes.”“It’s mandatory,” my father orders.He never speaks to me that way. Something must really be going on. Announcing Tasha’s murder wouldn’t have him so angry. Curiosity pulls me out of my bed and out the door. Following my father to the dining hall, almost everyone has gathered, but I don’t see Colin. My father pulls me to the front of the dining hall to join my mother, brother, and Claire. I smile at them. I knew they were mates. I’m glad that is working out for one of us. I swallow the hurt that pierces my chest when I see Peyton and Claire looking so happy. My father waits for Colin’s family to enter the room and settle. His body tenses, but his eyes never meet mine. I guess the guilt is eating him alive. Good.My fathe
Paige blew me off this morning and then proceeded to ignore me at the meeting. My annoyance builds with each second that I’m away from her. This girl is destroying me little by little. I’ve been waiting outside her bedroom for ten minutes when I see her walking up the stairs. She stops when she sees me, and I feel her rage flood into me.“We need to talk,” I say.“Go talk to Amber.”I raise an eyebrow. What is she talking about?“What? Why would I want to talk to her?”“Why wouldn’t you talk to the half-naked girl you took to your room right after leaving mine?” She sheds one tear before she opens her door and slams it shut.My heart hurts, partially because whatever Paige thinks I did is hurting her and partially because she
I held Paige in the dining hall for as long as she would let me. I only let her go to help her to her room. Now, we lay here in her bed. She’s asleep with her head laying over my chest and my arm wrapped around her. After Val’s big show in the dining hall, I realized I was being just as stupid as Paige was. I was choosing not to communicate with her, and that was hurting her more. My heart stopped when I saw her cry. I couldn’t take it anymore. She believed me when I said I never touched Amber. That put me and Dom both at ease. We’re going to have to work on communication. We lay wrapped up together until the early afternoon. “Wake up, love,” I say. Paige stirs and opens her eyes. “That was the best nap I’ve had in a long time.” “I hate to cut this short, but I have to pack.” I’ve been dread
I wake up to a cold bed, so cold my body is shivering. My suspicions are confirmed with the flick of the light. Colin is gone. A toxic mixture of anger and sadness fills me. Stupid freaking mate bond! Stupid freaking Colin! We were supposed to spend today together so that I could make a choice about leaving. My stomach growls as the clock reads 6 pm. I skipped breakfast and lunch with all the excitement. I sigh as I push the plush comforter from my body, catching a whiff of myself. Eww. Shower first, then food. I stand from my bed, taking my clothes off as I walk to my shower. As fate would have it, my door opens the second I yank my top off. I freeze, my breasts dangling for all to see.“I like the way you think, though you should buy me dinner first.” Colin smirks.“Huh, who would’ve thought that a big strong Alpha like you needed to be bought?”