FRANKI was having the most satisfying dream. In my dream, I had my hands around that spoiled little bitch’s throat and I was laughing while I watched the life drain from her eyes. I didn’t want it to end, but a persistent voice kept calling to me.Slowly, I opened my eyes. Carmine, my right-hand man, stood next to my hospital bed. I’ve been in this goddamn place for a week. If the cleaners hadn’t shown up like they did, I could have died. That bitch did a real good number on me, split my skull. If I ever get my hands on her…“What do you want, Carmine?” My head was killing me. “Did you find the money?” That was my biggest concern. I had to deliver it to my boss, Mr. Rossi, the kingpin of Miami. If I didn’t, I was a dead man.Carmine shook his head. “No, Mr. Frank. We searched the whole place. Our men are still searching for your wife and stepdaughter.” He cracked his knuckles. “I interrogated the cleaners myself. But they knew nothing about the money. Don’t worry, boss, we cleaned up
CassandraWhat a creepy place! No windows, no way out of here. This is unreal. There’s tinned food in the cabinets, bottled water, even some clothing. Have they prepared for a zombie apocalypse or what? I hate closed spaces. Hopefully, whatever is going on will soon pass and I could get the hell out of here before I lose it.‘Yeah, it’s likely not happening soon,’ Sage yawned. ‘Get some rest.’“Were those wolves in the woods really attracted to my scent, like Connor said?” It’s insane, right?‘What can I say? If you have it, flaunt it. Now hush, I’m sleeping.’This wolf! She was so, so annoying! I threw myself down on a bunk bed and covered my eyes with one arm. Ugh! Why must my life be so complicated?Before I could enjoy my pity party, the steel doors clanged open, and sunlight flooded the space.“Connor?” I sat up in a hurry, filled with expectation, which soon turned into disappointment when I saw who came in.“I brought you some things.” Joel handed me a backpack. “The meds are i
ConnorNow that Cassie was taken care of, I must concentrate on my business. My pack owns three restoration companies in Santa Barbara. It won’t make us billionaires, but we couldn’t complain either. The work was satisfying for those who loved to work with their hands, which a lot of the pack members did. Now that father gave his position as alpha over to me, it was also my responsibility to ensure that business ran smoothly.Every shop had a manager which father trusted implicitly, but I still had to show my face at least once a week to check on operations. I was on my way to my SUV when I ran into Stacy.“Connor, may I speak to you for a minute?” Stacy approached me. She looked stunning, as always, dressed in a light cotton pantsuit that molded her curves in all the right places. Her hair and make-up were faultless despite the sweltering California heat.She would have made an awesome luna. She was elegant, polite, and submissive. If it weren’t for her cheating on me, she would have
Not wanting to spend any more time with Stacey than was necessary, I introduced her briefly to the staff and hurried to my office to catch up on the administration. Not that there was a lot for me to do, because everyone took pride in their work and there were hardly any problems. I answered emails, ordered supplies where needed and read the reports on the undergoing renovations.A client contacted me regarding a historical building that he wanted us to renovate. I sent him a reply promising him to inspect the site today and let him know if I was interested. Keen to get out of the office and out of Stacey’s way, I finished up quickly and was just about to leave when Shelly called out to me.“Alpha Connor.” She was slightly out of breath when she came waddling over to me, being heavily pregnant. “Stacey will have to accompany you on your inspection. Alpha Troy requested a full report on all the sites.” She propped a checklist into Stacey’s hands and basically shoved her at me. “Have fu
Cassandra“What do you mean, you think you killed him?” Joel asked, “Cassie, you’d better explain. Are you running from the authorities?”Were we? I haven’t even given that any thought. “I… I don’t know, don’t think so.” Unless they discover his body. My fingerprints were all over that statue. The visual images of the police executing a nation-wide manhunt for my mother and me had my heart hammering in my chest, making it harder to breathe. Oh, God, I didn’t want to go to jail! Imagine wolfing out in a cell. They would sure as hell shoot me. Or worse, send me to a lab to experiment on.I sank to the floor, gasping for breath.“What’s wrong?” Joel asked, bending over me. “You need water?” He swung around to grab a bottle from the counter and handed it to me.I took careful sips, and gradually my wheezing breath returned to normal. He helped me up and made me sit on a bed.“I just hit him. With a bronze statue. It wasn’t planned or anything. He hurt my mother.” Words just spilled out of
ConnorStacey’s plump lips brushed against mine. Her body, so soft and pliant in my arms, was as I remembered. I had committed every detail of her to memory, from the sound of her laughter to the way her skin felt against mine, and it used to haunt me relentlessly after our breakup.I was tempted, I won’t lie. Thinking of how her body moved with mine when we used to make love, it was magical. But…“We can’t do this,” I said and pushed her away gently. “I am not a cheater, Stacey.”I ignored the hurt flooding her green eyes. She didn’t reply.Miles exhaled a deep breath of relief. ‘You had me going there for a while, Connor.’“We must head back to the pack.” I looked around for something to cover myself with. Couldn’t go driving around Santa Barbara naked. There were dust covers on the furniture in the living area. I grabbed one and draped it around me like a Roman toga. It was just large enough to cover the important parts. “Let’s go.”On the drive back to Wolf Creek, I kept thinking
CassandraI heard the steel doors clang shut, and it sent a jolt of heat and excitement through my body where I stood underneath the icy shower. He shouldn’t be here. But a part of me was ecstatic that he was, especially the part that was pulsating with want.‘He’s coming for us, honey,’ Sage purred. Her voice sounded smug, as if she planned everything.“You did this.” I accused her. “You made this worse.” My body felt as if I were on fire, the heat pulsing through my nerve endings, electrifying my most intimate parts. One touch and I would certainly combust.‘I might have amped it up a bit. But you’ll thank me later,’ she said with a giggle, and retreated.“Cassie,” Connor burst through the bathroom door, naked and oh, so gorgeous. His eyes glowing with his wolf near the surface. The grittiness in his voice sent a shiver through me, down to my pussy.“Connor…” I turned to him, begging him for help with my eyes. “I don’t know what’s happening,” I moaned. “I’m burning up.”The distance
I woke to find Connor sitting on the edge of the bed, his back facing me. Reaching out, I touched his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at me. What I didn’t expect to see was the dark frown marring his features. Self-consciously, I covered myself with the blanket. Was he angry? Did I not please him?“Connor?”“This shouldn’t have happened. Did you take your suppressant like I told you to?” his voice was distant, and it shocked me more than a slap in the face. “I hoped to the gods you took your birth control. Although I doubt it would be effective at this stage.”But along with the shock and the hurt came righteous anger and indignation. “Of course I did! Good God! You make it sound like I deliberately seduced you!” I jumped up, taking the blanket along and there it was, the bloodstain on the white sheet, like an accusation.His eyes traveled to the spot and back to me. “Didn’t you, though? Your pheromones were off the charts. I had no control.” His blue eyes narrowed suspicious
ConnorDisgusted with the blood coating my body, I watched the warm water flush it down the drain. The small comfort I felt as the water massaged my tense muscles was short-lived. Knowing that the rogue attack was just the beginning, there was no time to revel in minor pleasures like taking a shower, eating, or even sleeping. My body craved sleep almost as much as it craved Cassie. Her scent still lingered in my room and my overtired mind felt her presence as if she was right there with me in the shower and my cock ached with need.I pushed the desire back, got out, dried off, and dressed comfortably in shorts and a tank top. My pack warriors waited for me to speak to them. They needed to know what we were up against. I was positive Lyon would attack soon, now that his mercenaries had paved the way. We suffered some significant losses, and it was unfortunate. But my pack had powerful fighters that will defend their territory to the death. He won’t win. Not for as long as I was breathi
JoelLater that afternoon, I went to the basement where we held Frank. Troy had the space dived into four small holding cells on the rare occasion we needed to hold someone. Mostly, there were no survivors left to be imprisoned. It was dark down there, just the way I liked it. As I walked down the steps, his fear filled my nostrils, and I drank it in with pleasure. I wanted more than just his fear. Connor forbade me from killing Frank. I didn’t object. Killing him would be too easy. After what he did to Agnes, he needed to suffer. She didn’t have to tell me what he did. What he left on her body told me everything she didn’t want to say.He whimpered when he saw me standing in front of the bars, pushing himself further into the corner. I didn’t say a word. Watching him being terrified, sitting in his own filth, gave me some measure of satisfaction.“What do you want?” His voice shook. “W-who are you?” He narrowed his eyes, peering into the darkness.“You’re him, aren’t you? Cassandra’s
Connor“Maybe Lyon fled the state,” Joel offered his opinion. “He probably heard you escaped and knowing we would come after him, he fled.”I didn’t think so. “There’s no way news of Rossi’s death reached him this fast, Joel. No, he’s waiting until we drop our defenses and then strike.”Eric, Joel and I were in my office discussing further strategies. So far, nothing has happened. We haven’t been attacked, but I still felt uneasy. I didn’t want the females and elderly out of the bunker before I was sure there was no danger. I’ve sent out my best trackers to search for the shifter and his pack. Did he even have a pack? I didn’t have enough information on them and that was biting me in the ass. If my father were here, he would be disappointed. Know your enemy. That was the first rule of war.This was all my fault. I had allowed the mate bond to distract me, among other things. My pride got in the way. I might as well be honest with myself. I wanted to prove I didn’t need outside help t
CassandraI must have been in shock, or maybe I still was. Connor's act of ripping that awful man's dick off as if it were nothing forever seared itself into my brain. The look on Connor’s face – it was like looking at a different person. Not a person, a demon.‘He deserved it,’ Sage reminded me, her voice harsh.I sat quietly next to Connor at the back of the SUV, letting him hold me, my mind numb.It wasn't until we were driving away, watching that place burn, that Frank even crossed my mind. Where was Agnes?I clutched Connor’s arm in a panic. “Connor! My mother! Where is she? Where’s Frank? We must find them. They…” My chest felt tight, couldn’t get enough oxygen in my lungs. I gasped, my vision blurring.Connor pulled me onto his lap, pressing my head against his shoulder. “Cassie, breathe. Your mother is safe. She’s safe.” He kept repeating those words until it got through to my brain. “She’s with Joel.”“What about Frank? Is he dead?” I hoped not, because I wanted to be the one
ConnorTwo men with their firearms drawn came running around the corner of the old warehouse when they heard the SUV pull in. Simultaneously, Cassie’s petrified screams pierced the stillness of the morning, and my soul almost left my body.Miles took control, fueled by Cassie’s urgent cries, ignoring the shouts and chaos around us as I let my warriors handle the men. Nothing could keep us from our mate. No doors, no men with guns. Miles burst through the steel doors as if they didn’t exist.Our eyes took in everything at once. Cassie lay on top of a crate, her yellow dress torn, wrist and ankles bound. Helpless and naked. The sight was like a knife twisting in my gut. There was a man behind her, pants down at his feet, his erect cock in hand.“What the fuck…” He stared at Miles with open-mouthed disbelief.Miles lowered his head, red eyes fixed on the man. The rumbling growl started deep down in his belly and grew in intensity as he padded towards him.‘I will rip that thing off.’ Mil
CassandraAll this time I held onto the hope that maybe Sage was right, Connor would come to save us. But now even that slight hope was fading, and I feel fear tightening its steely fingers around my mind. Sage stayed quiet as well, and her silence scared me even more.I didn’t trust Frank. When he took Agnes, I knew that glint in his eyes. He was going to hurt her. I just knew. And she was terrified. I smelled it, and it was nauseating. What if he killed her? I got increasingly scared as time went on.No, no, he wouldn’t. I tried to convince myself that Frank was much too much of a narcissist. He valued his own life more than anything, and he needed to bring that money back to his criminal boss. Our only hope was that the pack would come to save us. Yes, yes, I held onto that sliver of hope. It was only a matter of time. Right?Alone with four horrible men that discussed me like I was their next meal, I sat huddled in a corner, my hands and feet bound with steel wire they found lying
ConnorEver since we left Lyon’s place, Joel acted differently. He insisted on driving, but his hands trembled on the steering, his face set in stone, keeping his gaze fixed on the road. He didn’t answer me when I asked him what the matter was, but it seemed as if he were in pain.The gate swung open as we approached, and the guard at the gate acknowledged us briefly. “Ms. Agnes and some strangers are at your house, Beta Joel. I’ve alerted the gamma.”He had hardly finished talking when the SUV sped off, spraying dust and gravel all over. Neither of us spoke. The boy didn’t mention Cassie, and I was going out of my mind. So, this was why Joel said the pack needed us. But it wasn’t the pack. It was Agnes.There was a large man standing next to the parked car on the front lawn. When he saw us, he made a beeline for the house, but Joel was out of the SUV before you could blink.Joel grabbed the man and smashed him with overpowering force onto the car’s roof. Bones cracked along with the
Agnes“Make yourself decent,” Frank said with contempt in his voice as he pulled his pants up. “Get in the car. How far is this place, anyway?” He was impatient, as if it were my fault we wasted time.Slowly, I slid down from the hood of the car and pulled my skirt down, fixing what I could of my blouse. What was left of my panties lay in the dirt, trampled, like Frank had trampled all over me my whole fucking life and I had let him. I let him do this to me, and that was the ugly truth.Strange, but while he was busy raping me, I felt a strange calm come over me. it was like an outer-body experience, watching from outside myself while he rammed his dick into me. It happened while I thought of Joel. Joel, the only man I’ve ever loved. And I knew that this was the last time Frank would ever do this to me again, because I was done being his punching bag.“It’s not that far anymore.” I said with a voice I didn’t recognize. “Just follow that road until you come to an iron gate.” I pointed
“Joel?” I shouted through the mind link. “What the hell are you doing here?” He was so going to pay for not following my orders. I felt sick to my stomach, thinking Cassie was still in Lyon’s clutches.“No time to explain,” he growled. “I brought back-up.”Rossi tried to crawl away while I was busy arguing with Joel through our link, but I caught him and pinned him down. Miles let out a fierce roar that shook the building, and the sour stench of urine reached my nostrils. The man had pissed himself from fear.‘Let’s get this over with,’ Miles snarled. ‘We must find Cassie.’ He hovered over the sniveling man, ready to rip through his throat. But I stopped him. Rossi didn’t deserve a quick death.Seconds later, Joel and other unknown wolves burst through the double doors. The sounds of gunshots and anguished screams followed them.I glared at Joel, who bared his neck for me. “No use acting all submissive while you disobeyed my order, Beta.” He wasn't off the hook, and he needed to know