Early the next morning, I dragged myself away to go for a run and train with the guards. I let Cassie sleep in, seeing as I kept her up for most of the night. She was amazing as a lover. Her body responded so beautifully to my every touch. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in enthusiasm, and I was eager to teach her how to please me and give her immense pleasure in return. Both Miles and I were in high spirits when we finished our routine.I was on my way to meet Joel when I saw Stacey heading for the employee bus. Joel waited for me at the car as we were on our way to the offices of Mr. Lyon.“Stacey.” I called out to her.She turned around and greeted me with a smile. I beckoned her to come closer, which she did. I waved the bus driver off.“You can ride with Joel and me. We’ll drop you off.” I told her and kept my tone short. I didn’t want her to read anything else into it.“Oh, well thank you, Alpha,” she said, keeping the smile, but there was a wariness in her green
“Yes, indeed.” I fixed Lyon with an unwavering stare as I took my seat with Joel next to me. “First off, Mr. Lyon, I do not take kindly to threats. If you have a problem with me, why not contact me personally instead of sending your lackey to threaten a defenseless girl? I find your methods deplorable, to say the least.”His smile was supposed to be disarming but came across as cold. “A regrettable mistake for which Max was punished.” He went around his desk to place himself in front of me, so I had to look up at him.I didn’t like that, so I stood up, facing him. A movement at the door caught my eye. His bulldogs were ready to defend him, but he waved them down. Joel turned his head to snarl at them.“Let me explain,” he said, all the while keeping eye contact with me. “I purchased that property that same day you arrived there and Max thought you were trespassing.”I lifted a questioning brow, not quite believing him.He continued, “Let’s just say it was an unfortunate case of right
CassandraConnor was long gone when I finally forced myself awake. The side of the bed was cold, and the room felt lonely without his presence. I scoffed at myself for allowing myself to feel so needy, like I couldn’t breathe without him. I was just setting myself up for disappointment. But last night… Last night was awesome. I never knew sex could be so…heck, I couldn’t even find the words to describe it. He was amazing. Every muscle in my body was still tingling from our night of passion.‘Of course he was. He’s our mate. You feel the mate bond, don’t you, Cassie?’ Sage purred and sighed with contentment.“Don’t know if I can call it that. He is an experienced lover, that’s for sure.” Not that I had any experience. “But will he be faithful to us?” I was still worried about what he felt for Stacey. She was definitely not over him.‘He wasn’t lying when he told you he never slept with her. I told you he wouldn’t.’ Sage was annoyed with me. I felt her coat bristle with it. ‘Stop being
Connor“Fuck!” I screamed out my frustration and banged my fists against the SUV’s steering wheel. If only it was that bastard Lyon’s face, I was pummeling.Next to me, Joel sat fuming in silence.What the hell was I supposed to make of this? How far would I be able to go to make sure we didn’t lose our land? I don’t fucking know!“What in the seventh hell does he want, Joel?” I asked Joel, not that he would know. “We don’t have that much capital.”“Fuck him and his mind games. Let’s get in touch with the pack’s lawyer. Should have thought about that sooner. I’ve been meaning to see him about a personal matter as well.” Joel tugged at his unruly red beard.Robert H. Maxwell was our lawyer, a vampire who worked for my father. It wasn’t a bad idea per se, but knowing Maxwell, he would involve my father. But that wasn’t something I wanted. What kind of alpha would I be if I couldn’t take care of matters on my own?“You know what would happen, Joel. Maybe if I just went to the council mys
Joel“Joel, you’re home early.” Agnes greeted me, wiping her hands on her hips. She was arranging some wildflowers in a vase in the middle of the dining room table. Every time I returned home, seeing her there, breathing in her scent, it filled me with a sense of wonder. Part of me couldn’t believe that she was there. That if I blinked, she would have just been a figment of my imagination and gone in a puff of smoke.“Agnes.” There was still some tension between us. I was having a hard time with her refusal to let me help her get a divorce. But I’ve made my decision. I should have thought of it sooner. Locke wasn’t making any progress, or he was too busy chasing tail to help me. I’m taking Agnes to see Maxwell.“I’ll make you some coffee. Have you spoken to Cassie lately?” Agnes bustled about the kitchen, full of nervous energy.“Agnes, sit down.” I pulled out a chair for her. She left the mugs on the counter and did as I asked. When my hands rested on her tense shoulders, she gave a
CassandraConnor could go to hell for all I cared. I will not let him mold me into being someone like Stacey. What I don’t need is another daddy to tell me what to do, how to act and how to behave like a fucking lady. Gods, I was livid. I didn’t intentionally dress this way to seduce anyone, for fuck’s sake! He could be such a control freak, and I hated that.Maybe I was insecure, like Sage said, but I couldn’t help comparing myself to Stacey. Not that I was ugly or anything. It was the fact that she was Connor’s first love, and how was I supposed to compete with that? I didn’t get this whole mate bond thing. Stacey said it was a con and I could totally believe it. Because it sounded stupid. Fated mates. Like fate or a moon goddess could make you fall in love.‘You are in denial, Cassie.’ Sage grumbled. ‘I know you feel the connection to Connor. Like he is the other half of your soul. Why can’t you just accept it?’“I don’t know what I feel.” It was partly true. I felt horrible. My eg
ConnorMiles strutted back to the pack house and all the way up the stairs to my floor with Cassie clinging to his back like a limpet. The beast was overflowing with joy at having her close. At least it looked like she accepted him. Maybe it was too soon to speak of love. I shouldn’t have jumped the gun, and she didn’t say it back. Didn’t think it would hurt so much, but it did.But can I blame her? We hardly know each other. I had to give it time. Our mate bond would grow stronger when she had her first shift. I just know it. It’s like she doesn’t trust it. Stacey was right, though. Cassie was insecure and part of it was my fault. I had to assure her of my love and commitment to her and, unfortunately, Stacey’s presence wasn’t helping.However concerned I was about Cassie’s feelings towards me, I was just as worried about keeping possession of Wolf’s Creek. I owed it to my pack. Most of us were born here, it was all we knew. Where would we go if I lost it? Joel told me to call my dad
I woke Cassie with a gentle kiss. It felt wonderful to wake up and see her sleepy face smiling at me. I could wake up every morning with her in my arms for the rest of my life, and it would never be long enough.“Hey, sleepyhead. I’m going to train with the pack. You want to come?”She wrapped her arms around my neck and groaned against my mouth. “Ugh, you’re a morning person. I need coffee before I can function.”I laughed and nibbled her ear. “No coffee. Training first, then breakfast.”She pushed my face away, pouting. “You’re torturing me.”“I can do a lot more,” I chuckled, pulling off the covers revealing her glorious nakedness. My hand slipped between her thighs, and she squealed.“Connor!” she batted my hand away and fled to the bathroom. “God, you’re insatiable!”She wasn’t wrong. I wanted her all the time. But there were other matters to attend to.***“What kind of business do you have in town?”I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily. “Nothing big. I must see a client.”“
ConnorMy dad occupied my office like he owned it. Partly, it irritated me because it was my office. I was the alpha of Wolf Creek now, not him. I shouldn’t feel intimidated by him, but I did. It was like I was sixteen again, standing in front of him to be scolded.He sat behind my desk, dark eyes glaring at me over his steepled fingers. “You’d better come clean with me, son. I want to know every detail.” His deep voice held a dangerous undertone.“How do you know Zachariah Lyon?” I challenged him, despite my whirling emotions. “Explain that to me first, then I’ll tell you what happened.”His reaction was immediate with barely contained violence. “Don’t test me, Connor!” He slapped his hand on the desk and papers and pens flew off. I ground my teeth together to keep from flinching. “I trusted you to handle the pack and from what I’ve heard…”I knew I was poking the bear, but…. “You shouldn’t listen to malicious gossip, Dad.”“And you’re stalling, Connor!” The chair fell back with a cr
Cassandra“Hey, Cassie, haven’t seen you in a while,” Henna plopped down on my bunk. “Where have you been all this time?”The sisters, Julie and Marci, joined her, and we exchanged hugs all round. I beamed a warm smile at them.“Gosh, I am so happy to see you guys.” And I was. I missed having friends a lot more than I realized. The only one missing was Tracer. I saw Locke sitting with some younger children and waved at him. he waved back, smiling shyly.“We thought you were too good for us now that you’re going to be luna.” Marci said with a hint of envy. Julie rolled her green eyes at her sister.“What? Are you kidding me? I could never forget you.” I felt bad for not trying to mind link with them. Connor had taken up so much of my thoughts that everyone else faded into the background. Of course, not to mention all the other drama… “So much has happened. I’ll tell you all about it, but I want you to meet my mom.” I waved to Agnes and scooted over for her to sit next to me, which she
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