My bedroom suddenly started to feel like a prison as all sorts of negative emotions clouded every fiber of my being. Anger, confusion, and hurt. Those emotions churned inside me like a raging storm, threatening to tear me apart and at the same time, making me feel the urge to tear something apart. I had been trying so hard not to think about Lucas, trying hard to get my wolf to accept the reality of the situation we were in, and distancing myself from him in every way possible to avoid the messed-up emotions I'd feel when he was around me. But Lucas, that crazy bastard, in one day, without thinking of the consequences of his actions, had shattered my fragile resolve and turned me into a complete mess. I paced back and forth, my wolf pacing with me, a low growl rumbling in the depths of my mind. My fingers clenched into fists as I replayed the scene in my head over and over again as if trying to relive the moment that shouldn't have happened. I recalled his lips on mine, and the t
Lucas As I returned from the Dawn Pack, my thoughts were all over the place, and no matter how hard I tried to dismiss my chaotic thoughts, it just wasn't working. I couldn't get the memories of the day out of my head, especially the moment I impulsively kissed Luna. It was a reckless act on my side, prompted by the irresistible pull of the mate bond, and now I couldn't stop replaying the scene in my head, scrutinizing every detail of our conversation. The kiss had been passionate, unexpected, and hungry—a passionate collision of our lips that had left me dumbstruck. It had felt like I'd lost control, as if the mate bond's raging current had taken over my senses. I'd been unable to think in that stolen moment, unable to resist the pull that had drawn me to her. And then, as abruptly as it had started, it had ended, and I had pulled away, realizing the gravity of what I had done. The look on Luna's face had been a mixture of surprise and disappointment, a very clear reminder that w
Ava I climbed the path to my Boston, Massachusetts, studio apartment, letting out a frustrated sigh as the day was unusually warm for late September. I had just left Lucas' pack when I realized how many emotions were battling inside me. Over my head, I could hear the rustling of the leaves and a quiet chorus of whispers from the trees that seemed to reflect the same confusion I felt in my head. I arrived at the front door with heavy footsteps and pushing it open, I was greeted by the familiar scent of our cozy living room—a mixture of the vanilla candles my mother loved and the faint aroma of the homemade lasagna she most likely made last night. The warm atmosphere in the room stood in great contrast to the unsettling reality that had just rocked my world."Where have you been, Ava?" My mother asked, her voice sharp with concern and laced with frustration. I winced, surprised for a split second. Although I had anticipated this, her directness and obviously irate tone still hit me
Ava As I entered the café to escape the cool morning autumn air, the entrance bell's tinkling chime welcomed me. I looked around the cozy, dimly lit room; the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the gentle murmur of conversations embraced me. My eyes immediately landed on Amelia, my best friend since kindergarten, who was skillfully moving through the crowded tables with a tray expertly balanced on her palm. Her golden-brown hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes sparkled with warmth and mischief as she spotted me. She called out, her smile as bright as ever, "Hey, Ava!" She waved for me to join her by the window, where the small round table was softly lit by the late afternoon sun. As I made my way through the crowd of customers, I returned her grin, feeling my heart lighten. "Hey, Amelia! I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." We hugged each other as I approached her before taking our seats. The café's setting was ideal for a heart-to-heart conversation, and I was aware
Lucas I was in my office, organizing some files while taking the time to collect my thoughts and maintain my focus. Today was supposed to be a wonderful and peaceful day for me, but the peace was disrupted when my Beta, Helene, stormed in with a look that said it all. There was trouble somewhere. "What's going on, Helene?" I asked, my curiosity piqued as I sat up straight. Helene's stormy gray eyes bore into mine. "We've got a situation, Lucas. A big one," she replied. I frowned, my head racked with concern. "Spit it out." Mateo, one of my men, had informed me earlier about some issues at the Western border, but I had assumed it was just another routine report. Seeing how Helene walked in here with that tense look on her face hinted at something far more serious. "Lucas, the Dawn Pack has pulled their guards from the Western border, and not just there. They've withdrawn protection from several other regions too," she informed me, and I was temporarily confused. "What? Why woul
Luna At his office, I found myself in front of my father, and I couldn't help but feel a mixture of worry and frustration nagging at me. From behind his large oak desk, my father, a tall and commanding man with graying hair and a serious look, stared at me. His eyes held the level of wisdom that only a lifetime of leadership could offer. "Dad," I said calmly, my voice heavy with the burden of my thoughts. "I'm not sure why you had to stop trade and withdraw border guards only to annoy Lucas and the Grayson Pack. Didn't we agree? You stated that you would not interfere in my business with him." My father made a familiar move with his fingers curled behind his chin as he sighed. "It's not exactly that simple, Luna, my dear. I came to this conclusion as a result of Lucas's actions—or rather, his lack of any action." I could not hide my frustration. "But what did he do, Dad? Even if you don't agree with his actions, I don't think involving pack business was really the way to go abou
Ava For some reason, I was feeling extremely restless all through the night, and I could barely get any sleep because of how restless I felt. There were several thoughts in my head at the same time, and no matter how hard I tried to disregard my thoughts and get some rest, it wasn't working because my mind would automatically go back to the things that were bothering me, and I couldn't help but question a lot of things that I usually don't use to question. After tossing and turning all through the night without getting any sleep, it was finally morning, and the first thing I did as soon as I realized it was morning was head downstairs, hoping that I'd run into my mom, with whom I haven't spoken in over two days. Thankfully, she was in the kitchen like I hoped she'd be, and as soon as she saw me, she threw me a dirty look, which wasn't surprising since this was a typical reaction I got from her whenever she was upset about something. "Good morning," I managed to greet her, n
Lucas I was in my office, processing my thoughts on how to go about dealing with Ava when she gets back. She already believed that I and Luna were going to go through with the rejection ceremony, and I had no idea how I was supposed to break it down to her that it wasn't going to happen.Regardless of the deal I made with Luna, just to temporarily sort out the alliance issue, I still didn't have any true feelings for her outside of the mate bond.As far as I was concerned, she and I were still strangers, and no matter how many times I try to see her in a positive light, I'm always going to be reminded of the crazy Luna I knew as a child and the heartless one I met as a teenager before finally meeting her as an adult and finding out she's my mate.The truth is, no matter how many times Luna and I deny it and claim that we've always hated each other, we both know the real reason why we started to hate each other in the first place.On my end, I believed my hatred for her was justified.