***Trigger Warning*** This chapter contains descriptions of sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised. From Arina's POV "Welcome to the family," Aella says before embracing me. I could feel her warmth and sincerity through her hug. Aella stood about five feet five inches tall, had a body rivaling Salma Hayek, and was completely natural. Her blonde waist-length hair was tied in a high ponytail. She wore teal-colored Victoria's Secret sweatpants, a white crop tank top, and a fuzzy white cashmere sweater. Long, thick eyelashes framed her blue-green eyes. Her olive-colored skin looked like it had never been exposed to the sun. She had a soft, gentle smile that lit up her entire face when she talked. Her makeup was minimal, just enough to accentuate her features. I could tell she was naturally beautiful and didn't need much makeup to enhance her beauty. "Come inside. You must be starving," Aella said as she pulled me upstairs and led me to the front door. I glanced over my shoulde
From Arina's POV "Andre, calm down," Thiago said as he rushed to his side and tried to calm him. "WHY DID HE HIDE THIS FROM US? WE WERE BROTHERS. I COULD HAVE HELPED HIM!" Alexandre yelled. "Andre, you aren't the only one he betrayed, but now is not the time. Calm down; let us get all the details first," Bryan said as he rushed to Alexandre's side, trying to calm him. I watched in horror at what was occurring before me. When I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned to find out it was Aella. "Everything is alright. D'Artagnan is just a bit cococaho," Aella said with a slight smile. I smiled back at her and turned my attention back to Alexandre, who was now staring at me. My father's betrayal was painful to him, as I could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Forgive me, Arina, I didn't mean to frighten you," he said. I smiled and nodded at him as everyone retook their seats. "We can stop if you like?" Alexandre said. "No, it's OK, I can finish," I replied with a sigh as I began ag
From Alexandre’s POV Listening to her talk about her past was the hardest thing for me. Besides living through it, this was probably the most challenging thing she ever did. All I wanted to do was hold and comfort her, but how? What could I say to her that she hadn't already heard? She told us what she had endured at the hands of the people who were meant to love and protect her. I thought I was lucky to have parents who showed me love and affection, parents who would kill anyone who hurt me. The biggest shock of all was that she turned eighteen today. As soon as she mentioned that, I decided we should take a break from the discussion and showed everyone where they would sleep. Aella was elated to have Arina here. Growing up, she was always in the house alone, and now she would have someone to keep her company. I didn't want to push the whole mate bond on her because of all her traumatic experiences, but I was willing to accept her rejection if she refused. "Let us take it day by
From Arina’s POV After I told them today was my eighteenth birthday, everything changed. Despite not understanding the sudden change, I was glad not to have to talk about my past anymore. Walking upstairs, I couldn't help but notice every muscle in Alexandre's back. Every aspect of his build was perfect. I took notice of every feature, from his light five o'clock shadow to the small frown lines on his forehead. He looked so handsome if such a thing could be said of a man. “I recommend giving him a chance, Arina," Zakara said as we stopped in front of Bryan and Maribelle's bedroom. "Don't push him away or close yourself off." Considering her words, I was about to respond when Alexandre's voice snapped me out of my reverie. “Your room is this way,” he said, motioning for us to continue. I followed behind Aella and Alexandre as we walked down the hallway. When we stopped at the door, Alexandre stepped aside and pushed open the door to reveal a beautiful bedroom. The room was painted
From Arina's POV Telepathy - I was fascinated by the fact that Aella could read minds. I didn't know it was possible. I couldn't help but be in awe of her. "Do you hear everyone's thoughts?" I asked. "Uh, yeah. Pretty cool, huh?" Aella replied with big eyes. "It's tricky to control it sometimes, but I use it when I'm in school, especially when there are tests," she winked as we walked into her room. As I walked into her bedroom, I was astonished by its beauty. Her room was just as grand, if not more. The walls were black with gold trim, creating boxes as decor, and the royal purple headboard made the room lively with just the right amount of color instead of white. The plush gray carpet was just as soft as it looked. As I stood in front of the window overlooking her backyard, she came up behind me and handed me a black pair of leggings, a white, black, and teal Victoria's Secret sweatshirt, and matching teal Ugg boots. "Here," she said, handing me the clothes and a shower caddy f
From Arina’s POV I was mortified. The only thing I could do was avoid eye contact with him. When I saw him next to me, I only wanted to disappear. It was unclear what prompted those thoughts in my head. Yes, he was handsome, and who wouldn't want a piece of him? But he was way beyond my reach. Despite the fact that Aella helped me stand up, I couldn't even look at her. I was sure she knew what had happened by now, especially since she could read minds. My only hope was that Alexandre would not hear about it from her. Once I finally dared to look at them, I noticed they each had two distinct looks. Compared to Alexandre's look of concern, Aella's was one of knowing. She knew what I was dreaming about. "Goddess, Kill me. Spare me the embarrassment of explaining", I thought to myself as Alexandre stepped closer, placing his hand on my forehead to check my temperature. As I pushed his hand away, I saw the pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry," I replied. It's just... I'm okay. When I came o
From Arina’s POV The drive into town with Aella and Thiago was unsettling, especially since I didn't know them. While they tried to include me in the conversation, I wasn't sure what to say. The only thing I could do was gaze out the window and take in the surroundings. All the autumn trees displayed beautiful burnt orange, red, and yellow leaves, like postcard pictures. As I stared out the window at the big blue sky, I thought of the times when Father and I would go to the park after training with our ice cream in hand, and we would sit under the vast Acacia trees staring at the sky while talking about his trips to other cities, states, or countries. Among his favorite places were the French Polynesian islands. I remember he talked about a small island known as Papiete with its beautiful blue skies and crystal-clear waters. “One day, I will take you there, and you will fall in love with it,” my father would say. A tear rolled down my cheek as I remembered his story. Our car sudd
From Alexandre's POV As the full moon approached, I knew Arina had a good chance of shifting for the first time. I was sending out my last email when Thiago walked in. "Hey," Thiago said. I lifted a finger to signal for him to give me a moment. I quickly hit send, stood from my desk, and headed for the door. "You were saying,” I asked as I walked out of the office and headed toward the kitchen. “Well, before I was rudely interrupted, I was going to ask how long I was supposed to suffer before we could come home, but Bryan informed me you two are heading into town to pick up a dog?” he asked. I laughed at how he said "dog" as if it was the worst thing in the world. “Yes, we are picking up a French Bulldog puppy for Arina. You can head back at three-thirty. It gives the girls time to rest a bit on the way home, not to mention I can give her the puppy,” I replied. “Why a dog? You couldn’t get her a fish?” Thiago questioned. I was taken aback by his response and asked, "What is w