๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Lady in the Lake
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2024-06-03 23:15:59
๊ด๋ จ ์ฑํฐ
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Epilogue of Book 7
IslaโDo you think we have enough?โ I ask my mate as I brace my hands on the kitchen island in our sprawling, but cozy, beachside home. We rebuilt the one Ella destroyed and added four extra bedrooms, which are needed at a time like this.The whole family is here for the Winter Solstice next week.Maddox turns from the stove wearing an apron with little flowers all over itโa gift from our grandchildren. Four messy little names are scrawled on its pale blue fabric. Sydney, Ryan, Kenna, and Misty.Had anyone told me that one day Iโd witness Maddox with a spatula in hand, wearing an apron while making pancakes shaped like animals, I wouldnโt have believed them.But look at us now.Maddox opens his mouth to answer my question but is interrupted by a shriek coming from beyond the double doors leading off the kitchen, which are open to the perfect day outside.I glance over my shoulder at the three children chasing each other in the backyard.โTheyโre going to wake up Misty,โ Maddox sighs, s
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-03The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Came Up Short
KennaItโs quiet here. The golden walls and spirling columns soak up the sun as I walk steadily toward my dadโs office. Beyond giant ceiling-height windows, the sparkling city of Moonrise, the capital of Eastonia, spreads out in a sea of cream and gold until it touches the banks of a lake the color of polished turquoise. On the opposite shore, at the base of a towering network of mountains, sits Old Moonriseโthe original witch coven native to the Roguelands. Once, twenty or so years ago, there used to be a palace built of crystal sitting on a ridge overlooking the old village and the lake. Until, well, my mother destroyed it. I smile softly at the thought of my mom and pick up my pace, my sandals clacking against the white marble tiles. I turn a sharp corner, nodding hello to a trio of maids who pass me, and slip into my dadโs office like a shadow. He looks up from the massive mahogany desk in the center of the room, his dark brow lifting as I gently close the door behind me. Be
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-11The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Ghost
EvanderThe nondescript warehouse in the Crescent City commercial center smells like cleaning solution and sweat. I rerack my weights, panting, catching my reflection in the dirty mirrors overlooking the makeshift gym in one corner of the massive building. Above me, light pours from several half-broken windows at the juncture of the galvanized roof. A single pigeon flies from one rafter to the other. I take off my headphones, the thrumming music giving way to the sounds of my colleagues, my brothers in the Ghost forces, continuing their workouts. Flynn walks into view, his reflection in the mirror coming to rest beside mine. His dark hair is brushed away from his face, his dark eyes locking on mine as he nods and asks, โYou still using those fifties?โโNo.โ I shake my head, motioning for him to take the dumbbells I just reracked. He pulls them off the shelf and sits on a weight bench, rolling his shoulders. โFuck, man. How are you doing curls with these?โโEvโs gonna need to buy s
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-12The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Meathead
KennaA sharp scraping sound pulls my attention from the book in my lap. I blink then whirl in the chair Iโve been lounging in for the better part of three hours to find my cousin Ryan dragging a massive grill across his back patio. โWhat the hell are you doing?โ I ask. โDinner.โ He grins then picks up the grill like it weighs nothing and walks to the far side of the patio where the concrete gives way to a stretch of emerald green grass before it meets the woods. I huff out a breath as Ryan continues his show of strength. โYouโre such a show off, Ryan.โItโs true, and he knows it. He simply winks at me and walks back into his houseโa large log home with several bedrooms, sparse furnishing, and an assortment of manly decorations like the mounted buffalo head over the fireplaceโฆ with a glittery blue thong hanging from one of the horns. This place is a party house, plain and simple, and Iโm not surprised in the slightest. Ryan has always been the wild one of the twins, and the pack h
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-13The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Is He My Mate?
KennaThe main temple of the Moon Goddess sits beside a lake which is currently illuminated by lanterns that make the water glow. Large tents cover the wide, grassy plain between the lake and the temple, and music rises to the star filled sky. Iโve never seen so many people in one place at one time. Eastonia is big, sure, but my people are more secluded than the packs that hug that territory surrounding the Alpha King of Crescent Fallโs lands. Over two dozen packs bleed into Crescent City, their territories separated by walls, or woods, or even just a single street. On the far side of the lake, I can just see the castle where my aunt and uncle live. I smile, my cheeks straining. Iโm glad I came here, even if I donโt find my mate. The city is intoxicating. Ryan and I lost Sydney some time ago as we moved from tent to tent, checking out the different music and entertainment. The main mating ball is taking place in the temple tonight, but we havenโt made our way there yet. Iโm too b
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-15The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Intervention
EvanderThe column at my back is smooth and cool to the touch, which is a welcome relief. In front of me, the crowded ballroom in the temple writhes with color and noise as the ball takes on a new vibe. Thereโs a darker edge to the music now compared to the soft, classical music that was playing before. The dancing has changed as well, and couples are glued to each other as they sway and grind to the music. I exhale deeply, crossing my arms over my chest, my feet firmly planted in place. A tall, dark haired man dressed similarly to meโall black, wearing a finely made dress shirt and matching trousersโmakes his way through the crowd clutching a bottle of what might be beer, his face shadowed and distorted by the strobing light now suffocating the dance floor.But then I realize whoโs walking in my direction.Flynn huffs out a breath as his back meets the wall behind us. โFuck, man. This place is getting rowdy. I had to wait twenty minutes to get this warm beer.โ He inspects the bottl
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-15The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Aunt Maddy
KennaMidday sunlight drifts through the open windows in my Aunt Maddyโs personal sitting room. The pale pink wallpaper glistens with delicate floral patterns that glow a soft gold in the sunlight, and all of the furnishings are pale wood and soft, creamy colored fabrics. The scent of Grandma Islaโs rose garden just outside the windows is thick and rich, and I find myself closing my eyes for a moment to breathe it all in. Ryan and I drove from his pack territory to the castle, where his parents live, after a quick breakfast. Ryan got a call from his dad, my uncle Isaac, that he needed to speak to him immediately, and I decided to tag along in hopes of seeing some of my family members. Unlike our yearly family gatherings in Maatua, this visit has been a little boring and lonely. My aunt, uncle, and cousins work, and I justโฆ sit around, smelling the roses, apparently. But I also need to borrow one of Maddyโs gowns for tonight. Just as my eyelids flutter closed, a sharp female voice c
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-16The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Suspicions
EvanderI normally donโt go on runs on bright, sunny days like this, but the swatch of forest beyond the city center is a shaded, welcome relief from the glaring heat as I sprint back into the neutral zone in my fox form. Itโs been ages since I was able to shift into my fox. I canโt do this often in Eastonia. Only me and my mom are foxes. Thereโs none of us left, from what I understand. My three brothers and two sisters donโt carry the ability, which would have shown up in their early childhood. Foxes can shift from birth. At least, thatโs what Mom assumes. I could shift from the age of two. My wolf abilities came later, in my late teens, like most wolf shifters. I guess having the ability to shift into either form is even rarer than being a fox. I dart through the trees and across the first paved road Iโve come across for miles. The city rises just down the road, the first gates leading into neighboring pack territories coming into view. While itโs common to see wolves running he
์ต์ ์
๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-06-17
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Washed Ashore... Again
BrieI open my eyes as Iโm falling through thin air. I donโt even have time to scream before my body drops into water. Deep, rough water that drags me under the second I suck in a salty breath. I flail against the waves, trying to find the surface, but the undercurrent drags me down again, pulling me by my dress and tossing me upside down. My head hits something hard, and I screech, but the sound is empty. I suck in water, choking, and realize quite suddenly that Iโm drowning. I go as still as possible, using the last of my energy to start moving with the current instead of against it, which turns out to be the best idea Iโve ever had, especially under duress. I open my eyes underwater, staring down at the shallows. Itโs sunny. Daytime. And below, seaweed waves between large, gray rocks. Pockets of sunshine dance through the water, illuminating seashells in shades Iโve never seen before. Another wave crashes over the top of me, sending me rolling into even shallower water, and fina
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย I Can Do This
MaeveCole and Misty have a beautiful suburban home in Shadowcrest. Itโs always the sameโalways smells like freshly baked cookies and the flowers she keeps in vases all over the house. Tonight, as my toes brush the ground, and my powers funnel back into my body, it smells likeโฆ popcorn. โYou pig! Youโre not going to eat all of that.โ Josieโs voice, so similar to her motherโs, drifts down the hallway. I landed in the foyer, which is dark, soft moonlight drifting in through the windows and casting the stairs and framed photos of the family in silver shadows. โIf you wanted more, you should have added it to the order,โ Adrian argues then yelps after a smacking sound reverberates toward me in the gloom. โGive me one of your tacosโโโOr what?โโIโll tell Mom.โโSheโs in Eastonia, dumbass. Hey!โ A scuffle ensures. I have two seconds to jump into the shadow of Mistyโs study just off the foyer when Cole walks down the stairs, still wearing his hospital scrubs. The sound of a shower running
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย One Little Hitch
LoganRyatt and Evander walk out of sight across the bridge connecting the barracks to the main streets of the city. I look out of my old bedroom window at the sunny glare casting shadows over the valley. The shadows move as the clouds dart across the sky toward the castle, toward my wife, who Iโd much rather be with right now than here. Iโฆ I donโt have anything to pack. Anything that meant anything to meโmy laptop, my fucking glassesโwere lost in the shipwreck. I have the clothes on my back, and even those were borrowed from who-knows-where, left on the dresser in Brieโs bedroom by the ghost that haunts her house. Sheโs all I have, and itโs not like I can pack her in my duffle bag and take her with me. I crank open the window to let in some fresh air to cut through the overwhelmingly male smell of the barracks. I turn to my empty duffle bag with a sigh, bracing my hands on either side of it on the bed, and hang my head, but a whoosh of air rushes out behind me, and I turn in time
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย The Marriage Bed
BrieThe moment my bedroom door closes behind us, Loganโs mouth is on mine. The lock slides into place with a soft click, and an even softer groan leaves his mouth when I reach up to run my fingers through his damp curls. He smells like rain and leather. Like the promise of warmth and comfort through another stormy night. And now this manโthis loud, obnoxious, opinionated manโฆ heโs mine. He presses a kiss to the ring he bought today on a whim. Itโs a simple band of goldโthatโs it. โI'll give you a better one when I return,โ he promises, kissing the palm of my hand before his lips find mine again. โA ring with a diamond the old gods can see from the heavens.โโI donโt care about that.โ I giggle as his hands glide down my sides, pulling me close. Outside, thunder booms, the room lighting in ribbons of blue as lightning splits the clouds, but in here, itโs warm. Itโs private. Itโs just us. He removes my cloak. It falls to the ground in a heap at my feet. Heโs careful with the dress,
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Into the Rain
MaeveBrie isโฆ radiant. She glows in her simple white dress of lace and satin, her hair falling loose over her back and shoulders as Logan slowly, tenderly, lowers the hood of her dark blue cloak. The temple is quiet and dim, moonlight flooding the altar. Logan knits his fingers in Brieโs and brings her knuckles to his lips, pressing a kiss against them. Theyโre bathed in silver, the windows behind them dancing in starlight. Itโs beautiful, really. Itโs what I envisioned for her, one day, what I thought would beโฆ years from now. I watch my sisterโthe person I love the most in all of the worldโintertwine her soul with someone else, forcing myself to unravel the ribbons binding my heart to hers. She doesnโt belong to me anymore. Logan looks at her as they kneel before the priestess in her silver robes. They lean into each other like being inches away is too far apart. And the look on his face as he brushes his lips over her templeโฆ he loves her. Heโs devotedโbody, and soul. My heart
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Always
BrieโTonight?โโYes, tonight.โโHow?โ I laugh, taking a step away from him. โWe-we canโt.โโWe can,โ he says breathlessly, shaking his head. โThe temple stays open all night. Weโd just need to find a priestess.โโWeโd need a witness,โ I whisper as the cogs in my mind start turning. โIโd need a dressโโโIโd marry you like this,โ he says, taking my hands. โBut please, for the love of the Goddess, marry me before I go.โI blink up at Logan, my heart swelling and squeezing simultaneously. Thereโs still a whisper in my mind that warns me that he could change his mind, that he canโt really want me, but Iโฆ banish it, giving myself to him fully. โAre you sure?โ I ask, scanning his eyes. โIโve never been more sure of anything. I want you to be my wife, Brie.โโIโm already your mate.โโItโs not enough.โ He brushes my hair out of my face and kisses me, but a rush of air alerts us to a visitor making their way up the stairs to the tower. I pull away as a soft knock sounds on the door. Neither
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย The Proposal
BrieLogan steps into my dadโs office. All eyes turn to him as he scans the menโSydney, Grandpa Ryatt, my father, a few others that serve both my father and grandfather as generals, captains, and commanders. Loganโs eyes are like polished, imperfect emeralds as he eyes my grandpa wearily, like heโs not entirely sure he understands what Ryatt just said to everyone in the room. โBrie, you donโt need to be here for this,โ Aviva whispers behind me, knitting her fingers in mine. But Logan growls, โShe stays.โA silent, heavy, creeping hint of tension scatters around the room. The entire castle would explode if someone lit a match right now, Iโm sure. My spine tingles as Logan turns to Ryatt and says, calmly despite the bite in his voice, โThereโs nothing in Emberfyll.โโQuite the contrary,โ my grandfather replies immediately, rounding my fatherโs desk, his shadow powers simmering and coiling around his fingers, โDebris has been washing up on the southern shore of Tarsian for decades now.
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย Now Lie in It
LoganBrie looks exhausted, but otherwiseโฆ happy, thank the Goddess, as she sits between her mother and Misty, listening to their conversation and picking at a sandwich. I lean my elbows on the table across the room where Iโm sitting in silence, alone, still waiting for my mind to catch up with my body after Maeve jumped with us from the middle of the ocean to Veiled Valley. A shadow moves into view, crossing through the doorway before a shadow breaches the informal living area. Ryan looks around before turning the corner, beelining for me, waving away several rushed questions coming from the group of women on the couches nearby. He braces his hands on the table beside me, leaning down to whisper into my ear, โI need to speak to you in private before Ryatt returns. Can you come with me?โI glance at Brie, whoโs watching us with her brows furrowed in worry. I suck my teeth before nodding, and Ryan moves back a step so I can stand. Brie and I have been using the mind-link as much as
The Alpha King's Breederย ย ย He's Not Like the Rest of Us
BrieI pull the stool out from under my vanity, sinking down and facing Blake. Iโm older than him by a few months. Weโve always been close, even when we were younger, and he tended to want to play rowdy boy games with Aris. He always sat quietly and played tea-party with me, though, without fail. Heโs also the pariah of the family and knows it. His powers rival Ryattโs, which is a terrifying thought. In fact, I often question whoโs more powerfulโhim or Maeve? But thatโs not a fair question at the moment, given that Maeveโs powers arenโt even fully developed yet. Blake, howeverโฆ he exudes energy that makes my skin tingle as he sits in my desk chair, resting his elbows on his knees. โYou found us, didnโt you?โ He nods, a flash of guilt darkening his irises. โI admit I didnโt even look until Maeve cornered me. She felt you, she said. Sensed your arrival back in our waters.โI wonder how much Logan told the family. Probably everything, Iโm sure. That man can talk, and I love that abou
