“My pack love and adore you, Ava. This is your final time to be able to run wild. Come on out of the bathroom and stop being a big baby,” Fred said. Over a week had passed since he’d seen his sister. He visited her regularly and was helping the pack acclimate since their capture and torture.“I’m coming out. I’m not used to being naked, you know?”“It’s not like you have to get dressed, baby. Get your clothes on, and come on. We’ve got to go. Jane is already out there in wolf form.” He wasn’t going to tell her that Jane had gotten the chance to hide behind a bush to change. The pack had adopted little Jane as their own wolf, and she lived with him and Ava. He liked having the young girl around. Jane had a way about her that meant Ava gave her everything she wanted. He was using the girl to adopt the skill. So far he’d not been successful, but it had only been a week.“Whatever. I’m coming out.”The door to the bathroom opened, and his shining star stared back at him. Her hands cupped
Six Months LaterGlancing over the latest instructions in cot building Ava was at a loss. She listened to the pack working on the repairs she’d requested on the house. With the big day drawing near she’d been confined to the pack house in order to rest and not overexert herself. It was all right for Fred as he was still allowed to work. She’d been confined to rest by the pack doctor, James.Even though Fred asked her not to she’d checked James’s credentials. She didn’t trust a doctor who demanded bed rest from a woman seven months pregnant. Okay, she wasn’t a doctor, but she hated being put on bed rest, and it wasn’t exactly bed rest, just rest.Blowing the hair off her face she stared down at her rounded stomach. “I hope you come out soon, buddy. I need to get out and shift or do something. I’m getting bigger than an elephant.” Rubbing her stomach, she glanced down at the instructions.Making a cot shouldn’t be this difficult. It was her first time trying to make anything.Pushing he
Two months laterAva sat with her hands tied in front of her as the sounds of crying filled the air. This wasn’t a miracle.She didn’t even know what had happened. One moment the alpha had been hitting her for spilling coffee on his pristine shoes that were some kind of designer brand, then they were running. The entire pack had tried to save themselves as they were attacked.Seated in the center of the town, Ava tried not to look, but she had no choice as the lead man who attacked stood in the center, right near the torn-down statue of their alpha. Their present alpha whimpered on the ground like a coward.She didn’t care what happened to her alpha. He was poison, pure evil. The man who had his foot on the alpha’s chest, he captured her attention, and she wasn’t sure why.Her mouth went dry as she glanced from the top of his head, all the way down his body. He only wore a pair of pants and boots. His chest and arms were all bare, showing the sight of his muscular chest. There was no
Caspian had never sorted out a pack in his life.Raised in the foster care system of normal humans, he’d known at a young age that he was different. He had these keen senses none of the other kids had. They didn’t hear conversations feet away, especially those of whispers. None of them heard the rats or roaches in the homes.None of them were ready for an attack, but he always was.At the ripe age of sixteen, he found out exactly what he was. A wolf. Born to hunt, to lead.In the last twenty-nine years, he’d learned to adapt, to hunt, to survive. During those years, he’d found out exactly what happened to him, and the men and women with him now were like him, in a way. None of them were leaders. They had been looking for an alpha, and as much as he hated it, Caspian didn’t have a choice.Rogue wolves were … dangerous. He’d learned much during his time.Just like he’d studied this woman in front of him.Two months ago, he’d picked up a scent his wolf just couldn’t deny. He’d tried to c
One month laterAva let herself into her apartment, humming to herself as she closed and locked the door.After removing the scarf from around her neck, she hung it up on the coat stand she’d acquired when she first moved into her apartment.The money she had hidden over the years in the one part of the forest had helped her to set up. For many years of being in the pack, she had learned to hide her money in a secret stash until the time came that she’d finally get her wish and be able to leave.Never had freedom been so good.The money wasn’t much, but it had been enough to get her by. The apartment she rented was a small place. One bedroom and bathroom. A tiny kitchen. A small sitting room, but it was all hers.She’d also gotten a job at a small law firm, working to help crime victims. The pay was okay, but her newfound freedom was everything to her.So many years wasted and now she could finally be free. She had never slept so well or breathed so easily.Her life was finally her ow
Caspian had been watching Ava from afar. The two men who had followed her had kept a close eye on her. They had rented the apartment across from her, giving him plenty of time to deal with business so he could focus on his woman.At first, he’d wanted to drag her away from the life she’d known to have her all to himself, and then he soon realized, how selfish that was.He’d stayed back, giving Ava the month, watching her smile and flourish within a short time. She had planned for the full moon, and he’d go with her to the mountains. The cabin she’d rented was in fact his own, and he was looking forward to spending some uninterrupted time with her.His men and women were already aware of his plans and knew what to do for themselves. Living in the city was not a hardship. His people didn’t need to be close to him at all times to keep that connection to their alpha.He accepted them as they were.Watching Ava from afar had been interesting. He loved to watch her. Caspian had come to find
Ava quickly changed into sweatpants, checking how she looked in her cracked mirror before heading to her kitchen. Caspian wasn’t wrong. Her lasagna smelled amazing, and there was plenty for them to share.She often took her leftovers to work, but when it came to lasagna, she loved it piping hot with a salad.Entering the kitchen, she was surprised by how at home Caspian looked. She folded her arms across her chest, nibbling on her lip as she stared down the length of him.His body was covered, which was such a shame. A flash of him rushed through her mind as she pictured him back at the town square, looking every part the rogue alpha she thought he was.“You like what you see, little wolf?” he asked.“It’s rude to break into people’s homes.” She moved from the entrance and went to her fridge. She opened it to see the meager offerings. There were no beers, just a couple of spare bottles of water.Something itched beneath her skin. Rubbing at the flesh of her neck, she grabbed a bottle
“You’re in a mood,” Sean said, looking up from his game.Caspian glared at him. “I’m not in a mood.”“You’re pretty much vibrating. I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re dealing with anger management.”He wanted to slap his friend, but the bastard was right. Living in a human world, allowing anger to take control was never a good sign. He’d kill people in this condition, or raise alarm.Cops were not needed in this situation.“It is nothing.”“It is the woman again,” Sean said, going back to his game. “I can smell her on you. Perhaps next time, use the front door, or find a way to court her the way human women like.”“You mean meeting them in a bar?” Caspian asked, snorting.Drinking was useless to wolves. The smells were always … vile. He’d tried to drink away his pain many years ago, and all it had done was make him sick as a dog.He couldn’t help but chuckle. Nah, sick as a wolf.“You look like a crazy person again,” Sean said.“You’re not even looking at me. You’re too bu