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
The full moon was fast approaching.It was the only reason Ava could give for these feelings. The way her body seemed flushed.Work was … challenging.She was surrounded by men. The law firm she worked at had so many men, young and old. All of them fighting to help the victims.Thomas was one of those men. He was a good man, but when he pressed his body up against her at the copier, she knew she needed to leave.Men were affected by her. She didn’t understand it.No one stopped her as she left the office.Passing people in the street, she tried to keep her head down, but random strangers were bumping into her. Men were leaning in close, trying to sniff and touch her.She had no idea what was going on, but by the time she got back to her apartment, fear had clawed its way inside her.“Are you ready to admit the truth now?” Caspian asked.She gasped, looking up to find the pain in her ass sitting in a single chair a few feet in front of her. One leg was crossed over the other, and she h
Caspian hated being the voice of fucking reason.He was considered the alpha of the pack, but he had fought it every single step of the way because he hadn’t wanted the title. All he’d wanted to do was party and live life to the fullest.He was a fucking wolf.Powerless to no one.He controlled his own life.Then he started to find the unwanted. After Sean, it was like a catalyst for people. So many unwanted wolves.Rumors about him began to flood the wolf community. He heard the tales from wolves he picked up along the way.He couldn’t seem to help but want the dumped. That was what it felt like, anyway.Staring at Ava right now, he saw her hair was wild, her face flushed. The smells coming from her body were intoxicating.He wanted to go and rub his nose all over her body, but he was a good boy. He held himself back.At the apartment, he’d been ready to be fucked. He had no problems with a woman taking control, and if Ava wanted to use him, then his body was for her. His whole life
“You don’t have to stay with me,” Ava said.She was so tired. The moment they arrived at the cabin, she’d not had the energy to look around and had ended up back in bed. Now, the following morning, she sat with a blanket wrapped around her, feeling the cold.She’d never felt the cold before.Across from where she sat, Caspian was in the kitchen, cooking them up a breakfast. The scents coming from him were making her mouth water.Ava recalled waking up in the middle of the night a few times, only to have Caspian there, his arms wrapped around her. She didn’t want to rely so heavily on him.“Why wouldn’t I stay with you?” he asked.“Don’t you have other important things to do?”He shrugged. “Nothing is more important than spending time with my mate.”There he went saying that dreaded M-word again.Mate.Ava rubbed at her chest as she felt a sharp pain flooding her body.She didn’t feel … anything.Arousal, yes.The mating hormone? Her body was in complete overdrive, but the mating bond?
Breakfast had been going so well until Ava decided to freak out the pack.Caspian saw them all out, and they stepped further away from the cabin, going toward the much larger one that was designed to house multiple people. This was where the guys were living. Melissa and Raine had another smaller cabin just opposite.“Holy fucking shit,” Liam said. “Did you guys see that?”“I saw,” Raine said, arms folded. “She considers herself a freak? Does she realize how strong she is?”“You’ve seen this before?” Books asked.“It’s rare, but it happens,” Raine said. “I’ve only known of one other, and that was in my old pack, but they were revered. It was an elder.” “An elder?” Melissa asked.“Yes. No one knew their exact age. Their ability to heal slows down their aging process.”“Wait,” Sean said. “You’re saying that she could be a lot older than she is?”“She looks about twenty years old,” Raine said. “But … this could have been going on for a lot longer.”“How old was your elder?” Caspian asked