SKYLER'S POV
"Samuel! Slow down, stop running in the house. Where are your sisters and brother?"Samuel stops for only a second to look at me and reply. "Playing in the backyard of the packhouse, waiting for the party to start."
Today is Samuel and Emma's 5th birthday and we are having a big pack party for them. The backyard of the packhouse is all decorated for the party. Our family is complete for now. Even though there is always a small piece of my heart missing, Cole still hasn't returned. I occasionally get a hint of his scent while out on patrol, especially around my birthday, but I can never actually find him.It was hard, and it took Elijah, Nathan, and Katie a lot of patience, but I have finally come to terms with what Xander did that night. I still don't know how I would go if I ever saw him again, but I miss him. After all, he was the one that saved me that day from my father and gave me the family I have now.
I
NATHAN'S POV I knew as soon as Xander crossed over the border, not only did a message come in from the patrols that there was an intruder in the territory, I felt the slight shift in the pack link and our sibling link letting me know that he was near. Both Elijah and I have known every time he has entered the territory over the last few years, but as he has never ventured any closer than the edge of the woods, so we have allowed it to continue. After what happened that night between him and Skyler, Elijah and I agreed that we would never put her through that again. If there ever was a time that she was not comfortable with either of us, we would back off. It took a while, but we had finally helped her to move past that night and start to live, laugh, and be happy again. I feel a tug on my private link with Elijah. "Did you feel that?" "Yes, Xander crossed the border and is now sitting at the edge of the woo
COLE'S POV As Elijah and Nathan leave the cells without saying anything more, I get up from my knee and move over to the cot in the corner of the room. I lay down and look up at the ceiling, not that I can see it as it is now pitch black in here after they shut the outer door. After touching Skyler for just that short amount of time, I feel better and Xander, even though he had blocked me out, has calmed down as well. The rage that has been building has backed off, not by much but enough to allow us to think that little more clearer. Even though I asked them to allow me to return to King Noah, I know that they won't let me. We have always settled things between us in our own way. I don't know what punishment they will give me, but they will make it something that none of us will ever forget. I am not sure how long I have been laying here but I wouldn't be surprised if it was somewhere around the 4 to 5-day mark. I heard arguing at the cell's
SKYLER'S POV I can't believe they would do this to him. He is their brother and they are treating him like he is a rogue and shouldn't be here. I watch as his eyes return to his sapphire blue, and I get lost in them as he says, "I love you, Skyler. I always have. I'm just sorry it wasn't different between us..." I jump as an arm wraps around my waist and slowly starts to pull me back. I then hear Nathan whisper into my ear, "Come, Skyler, you need to move away from him..." I struggle in his arms as I say, "No... Nathan, wait... Please?" I then swap to our private mate link."Alice needs to talk to him, please Nathan??" I feel him sigh and then nod, loosening his hold around my waist just a little. I know they don't trust him and I know that they probably won't like whatever Alice wants to say to him. So we concentrate hard, allowing Alice to find the weak mate link b
NATHAN'S POV It has been 3 days since Cole has completed his punishment, but both Xaiden and I believe he deserves more than what he got. He attacked not only his mate but our mate as well. He then ran away like a little coward, not staying to face the consequences of his actions. I can feel that Skyler has forgiven him as there is no longer that extra pressure coming from her down our mate bond. I know both Alice and Skyler need him, as Alice has been showing more and more of the side effects from him starting the mate bond between them. The deprivation of a mate's touch for so long and so soon after the marking can have a really devastating effect on both the male and female. Not only does their temper start to become uncontrollable, but their wolf can also go insane. We were lucky that Skyler had Elijah and me, but Cole and Xander had no one. I don't know if I can trust him around her. I can't trust yet that he won't do it again. Skyler has bee
SKYLER'S POV It's been 2 weeks since Doc Isaac allowed Cole to leave the hospital. He has been staying in his room at the packhouse as both Elijah and Nathan won't allow him to stay at the house until he earns his place back in the family. Much to their dismay, I have been spending as much time as I can with Cole around all my other responsibilities. Which is what I am trying to do now, I am trying to spend some quality time with Cole, but as I look around, I see Nathan sitting on the back porch. I am getting tired of this. I now have no time to myself and I think even Cole is finding it hard, as we are always under constant watch. I know Nathan and Elijah still don't trust him not to hurt me again, but if we are to ever repair the damage he did with what he did, then he and I need some time alone together.
SKYLER'S POV I wake the next morning, still wrapped in Elijah's arms. I sigh, stretch a little, and smile as Elijah growls low and kisses the back of my neck and shoulder. I turn in his arms and kiss him, but pull back and push against his chest as he runs his fingertips over my ribs and tickles me. He stops and then gets this sly look in his eyes he always gets when he is planning something that I am not going to like to start with, but will enjoy. He then pulls me back to him and kisses up and down my neck and chest, making me let out a mix of a moan and a growl, which then turns into laughter as he tickles me once again. It takes me a little while, but I manage to squirm and wriggle out of his hold and off of the bed. I then head into the bathroom, turn the water on and step under the water as soon as it has warmed. I feel much better after the time with Elijah last night, and even Alice feels a little better. At least she is talking to me agai
SKYLER'S POV Six months after my father attacked me in my new pack, my brother made the attempt and the first move to try to repair our relationship. ***FLASHBACK*** I wake up to a crying Marcus. I go to get out of bed but 2 arms tighten around me, accompanied by a low growl. "Where are you going?" I laugh and sigh at the same time as I turn in his arms, "Elijah, Marcus is crying, I need to get up..." He growls again, "I had forgotten how much a young pup interferes with our private time together..." "ELIJAH!..." I slap him on the chest, "He didn't stop you last night..." "Trruueee..." He runs his hand down my side, growls low again, and then lets me go. I get out of b
SKYLER'S POV ***FLASHBACK CONT'*** I head into one of the baby stores, walk around for a little while, and then pick up a few things for Marcus. I also grab a couple of things for Samuel and Emma before picking up a couple of neutral-coloured items to surprise Katie with when I get back. I go to the counter and pay for everything and once I leave the store, one of the guards approaches. "Luna, may I take and carry them for you?" I smile. "You don't have to do that." "I know Luna, I want to." I nod and hand him the couple of bags full of the baby stuff I just bought. I then head to the formal store, knowing that I still need to find something nice for the Blood Moon Celebrations coming. When I get to the formal store, the guard with my bags sits down on one of the benches a