Dakota Alone with Sara in the room, my headeservesdn't stop racing with guilt and fear. I had to find a way to escape this foolishness. Axton's muscles rippling beneath his shirt and how his light hazel eyes stared at me caused a burning desire between my legs. I shouldn't have such abominable feelings. My husband just died. He didn't deserve this. "Damn it," I groaned into my hands. My body was betraying me and the only way to push these feelings and keep myself in check was to leave this pack for good. I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sara sat beside me, lost in thought."What are you going to do?" Sara asked softly. "What else," I shrugged. "I can't do this to Marco."Sara's eyebrows twitched together and she tugged on her left ear. "But he's gone. You can't spend the rest of your life mourning him."My heart pounded with anger and I sat on the bed, wiping the sweat on my forehead. "Don't you dare tell me what to do? I'm not interested in having a mate. Not now, no
Dakota Standing before Axton, my heart raced. The hallway closed in around me and the scent of stale alcohol and cigarettes hung heavy in the air but my mating scent with Axton made it bearable. Other girls walked past, giving me the death glare.Axton stretched out his arm but I turned away. My body trembled with nervous energy, and sweat beaded on my forehead.His eyes, a swirling mix of desire and impatience narrowed and I could tell he was struggling to restrain his need for me. His smile was blended with a sensuous flame that made my courage crumble under the weight of his gaze.But I stood firm, refusing to give in to his charms. I'd never let my feelings for him cloud my judgment. This was all shades of wrong and sinful."What's the matter? Still, hate me?” “Definitely” I scoffed.His eyes twinkled like glassy volcanic rock and bore into me, revealing the raging beast of need within."Aren't you a stubborn little woman, Zina?" he said, his tone mildly condescending. "You know
AxtonWatching my mate flee my presence made my annoyance and impatience grow. The fact that she was a sight for sore eyes, a living work of art, yet rejecting me left a bitter taste in my mouth.There was more to her rejection. I could tell. Something was holding her back, but I couldn't figure out what. My heart went green with envy as I imagined another male in her life.I'd kill him with my bare hands. Thinking about it now, I wondered why she left her pack My fingers ached to touch her, to satisfy the longing in my heart. I sat in my van and stared listlessly outside the window. There was a burning desire to possess her and have her as mine, and it grew every second. But she was so stubborn and fearless with a maddening hint of arrogance.I wanted every part of her, from her ash blonde hair that cascaded down her back in loose waves, to her blue eyes that were clearer than the sea. And oh…her fucking curves. She was different from my pack girls, with their darker hair and skin
DakotaThe bell ringing echoed through the walls and I stirred, knowing all too well what that sound meant. Madame's voice cut through the buzz of excitement like a knife. "Get your lazy asses downstairs right now!" she screamed. "Tonight is the night!"I sat up and looked around the hall filled with chatter as the girls rushed to get ready with clothes and makeup scattered everywhere. Sara and I exchanged a look and my stomach rolled with dread. My eyes widened with curiosity, leaning in and watching as Olivia inserted something into her thigh. "What's that?" She showed me a small, plastic tube filled with a clear liquid with a thin needle at the end. "It's for vaginal cleansing."My mouth fell open. "Whoa, are you going to put that in there?""No silly," she laughed. The needle glinted in the light, and the sight of it made my stomach churn. "Well, we've got to protect ourselves.""Yuck," Sara said under her breath and she wrinkled her nose. I nudged her to stop.Olly walked in
Dakota It was way past midnight. My restless self couldn't sleep nor was my brain unable to shut off the racing thoughts that filled my head. My mind burned with the memory of that kiss with Axton. The taste of sweetness, like honey, still lingered on my tongue. I could feel the heat of his breath on my lips as if the kiss just happened moments ago. My mattress creaked with each movement and my body was awash with overlapping waves of pleasure. Quickly, I banished my thoughts and shifted my pillow, unable to find the right balance of comfort. The room was dimly lit with a single lamp on a nightstand casting a warm glow on Sara's sleeping face. The room was almost empty except for myself, Sara, and some other girls who weren't working that night. Sara was curled up in her bed, her breathing steady and rhythmic. The not-so-faint sound of laughter and chatter floated upstairs from the bar. Music seemed to grow louder, the beat pulsing through my body. I shut my eyes, trying to b
Dakota The guards forcefully dragged us into the dark, dreary room, slamming the metal doors shut behind us. My stomach rolled with fear and my skin tingled with sweat but I kept still. Sara was hyperventilating and I didn't want to worsen her fear.The dimly lit room cast shadows across the walls that moved and danced and the air was thick with the musty smell of dampness and neglect, making it hard to breathe. "D…D… Dakota, what are we going to do?" Sara stuttered with a hush. Her eyes were so wide, showing the whites and she gripped my hand so tightly. She was freaking out. "Those guards… are evil. They'll hurt us and dispose of our bodies in the forest." A pin of terror stabbed at my heart and my breaths burst in and out. This wasn't going to end well. Those guards were sexually starved men who wanted to have a taste of our bodies. Attempting to keep my voice light, I made Sara lean against me."Relax, Sara. I'll find a way out of here.""How?" Her voice rose an octave higher
AxtonEarlier, Elias and I sat in the van and I drove through the desolate desert, the headlights cutting through the pitch-black night like a knife, illuminating the endless expanse of sand and rock. Our eyes scanned the landscape for any signs of trouble. Ever since I killed Blake's son, I couldn't afford to let my guard down, not even for a second because Xavier was going to gloat about it. So tonight was one of the many nights I sacrificed sleep to guard the border. Elias sat beside me, his eyes focused on the road ahead. "We need to recruit more warriors, Axton," he broke the silence. "Our pack is no longer safe. The threats are growing, and we can't afford to be outnumbered.""Recruit more soldiers? We can't just bring in anyone. We need strong fighters, not children or weak omegas. Building a stronger fortress is the key, not diluting our ranks with the feeble."Elias's brow furrowed and he jerked his chin in agreement. "I understand your concerns, but our enemies are closing
Dakota My heart palpitations grew erratic and I broke into a nervous sweat. Pretending that Axton's question didn't shake my core, I shut my eyes and took deep, controlled breaths, trying to come up with an answer. The tension in the room was a massive elephant and Axton stared at me with a longing. Every time his gaze met mine, my heart turned over in response. This was the perfect time for me to tell him the truth about myself which I knew he wasn't going to take lightly, but somewhere in my heart was an unwillingness to expose myself to him. Standing too close for comfort, he ran his gaze across my body, lingering for a moment on my lips, before returning to initiate prolonged, intense eye contact. "Go on. Cat got your tongue?" he smirked, mocking me. "Do you want me or not?" His eyes saw right through me, making me exposed and vulnerable. I looked away, trying to gather my thoughts. A part of me wanted to ask him to reject me and be free of these confusing feelings, but a
Sara Four months later. With my pregnancy showing, I wore a loose beach-colored gown together with other bridesmaids. Pumped and happy for the big day. Today was Dakota's wedding, and I was so happy as though it were my wedding. Dakota was experiencing back-to-back victories, and my emotions overflowed with tears streaming down my cheeks. It was a good decision for me not to wear makeup because I knew in the end, it was going to get smudged. My hands roamed my belly. My tiny miracle was growing every day, but the cravings that hit me were often crazy. While Dakota was getting ready with Olivia, Imani, and Sloane dolling her up, I reached for a slice of cake nearby and stuffed it into my mouth, enjoying the smudges of frostings. "Goodness gracious," Dakota laughed. "Somebody remind them to take my wedding cake far away from you." The wedding was the biggest talk in town as the merging of Wild Fangs and Desert Canines. It was the biggest event I had ever encountered, filled with
Sara My mornings were filled with overwhelming nausea washing over me. Getting sick in the morning had become my constant companion, and I felt a change taking place inside me. Everything was happening so fast, and Axton's betrayal threw us off balance. I couldn't believe that he cheated on Dakota with that bastard, Erika. I had never liked her, although I didn't have the guts to tell Dakota. The pain Dakota was experiencing was unfathomable, and I hated that bad things kept happening to someone with such a good heart. Axton, her own mate, had hurt her deeply. I made my way to the bathroom, and my stomach churned as I emptied its contents. Dakota watched me as I lay on the couch, covering myself with a blanket. "Are you okay?" she asked softly. I could see the sadness in her eyes, yet she was concerned about me. She had lost so much weight and was looking like the ghost of her former self, reminding me of the sad times before she met Axton. "I don't know," I managed to say. "I f
Elias My honeymoon with Sara was a fucking disaster. I was frustrated, confused, and annoyed that no matter how I tried to salvage the situation, nothing worked. All she wanted to do was return to Desert Canines to meet Dakota. The bond between both ladies was unbreakable, but I needed my time alone with my wife. It didn't help that I was getting blue balls after the failed attempt to make love with Sara. Sex had never been a problem for me. Although I was quite big, the girls at the Academy and my ex-flings had no issues with my size, but Sara freaked out when she saw me for the first time, making it seem like I was abnormal. She still hadn't returned from the pack house. I needed an outlet and went to Axton. He was busy with alpha duties, but when we took a break, I shared my feelings with him, hoping he would provide some relief. Instead, the idiot was amused and burst out laughing, which only fueled my annoyance. "It's not funny, dude. I don't think I can handle it a
Sara My wedding day had arrived. The whole thing seemed like a dream. I couldn't believe that I was getting married. I was ecstatic and scared at the same time. I sat in front of the mirror, and Dakota and Imani stood by my side, helping with my makeup. "I can't believe my baby girl is finally getting married," Dakota beamed, curving my brows. "You, my dear, are such a beautiful bride." "Adorable," Imani agreed. "I'm nervous, Dakota," I said to her. "What if something goes wrong? What if my wedding isn't perfect? Or what if I trip on my dress? What am I even going to do after the wedding? I know nothing about sex." Dakota and Imani exchanged glances, chuckling softly. "You're worrying too much. Everything will be fine. It's your day, and it's going to be amazing." I slipped into my wedding dress, a shimmery soft tulle gown adorned with intricate beadwork. Imani had gifted me the dress, and I had to work on it considering that it was meant for someone chubby like her. It turned
Sara I sat with Dakota in the back of the van, my heart racing with raw fear that compressed me like a vice, making me faint and feverish. Our hopes of escaping were shattered. Axton looked so pissed, like an angry bull. His reaction confused me, making me wonder why he was angry, considering that they had already labeled us murderers. But knowing how strong the mating bond was, I couldn't blame him, because somewhere in the back of my mind was dancing and rejoicing that we weren't leaving anymore. Now we had to face the consequences of our actions. Dakota sat beside me, her mouth on a white slash and anger simmering beneath the surface. Elias had no emotion on his face, and I wondered what he was thinking. He must hate me so much now. We returned to the cabin and Axton headed upstairs with Dakota, leaving Elias and me alone. The silence felt as though somebody had just died. I couldn't meet his gaze. I stared at my feet instead. He stood opposite me, not moving or saying anyt
Sara All night, I couldn't sleep. My limbs weakened, feeling Dakota's raw betrayal. I couldn't believe she would think so low of me. She blamed me for her circumstance and I didn't think I'd ever forgive her. The next morning, I sat outside the cabin, staring at the desert landscape. A small part of me wanted to run away because it took her getting angry before she said what was on her mind. If she didn't trust me, why were we pretending to love each other? Despite how angry I felt, I knew I couldn't leave her. We were all we had. I felt her presence behind me and went completely still. When our gazes met, I saw the remorse etched on her face. "Sara, I honestly didn't know what came over me last night. I'm so ashamed of myself. I shouldn't have said what I said. You know that I didn't mean any of those things, right?" My tongue lay like a stone in my mouth and a thick silence passed between us. "Sara, please say something. I was so worried when I returned to the cabin and cou
Sara When Axton drove us to the cabin. I was so scared and silent tension filled the air in the van like gas, choking me. I watched helplessly with nerves fluttering in my tummy. When Elias's fingers brushed my thighs, I luxuriated in the sweet sensation and the wave of desire hit me from my head to my foot but I'd rather fry my brains out than admit it. We all headed inside. Dakota looked away from Axton and avoided meeting his gaze like the plague. Axton seemed more pissed than Elias and didn't fail to show it. He shot Dakota a nasty look, his eyes like flint stones. Elias tried to infuse some humor and cleared his throat. "Anyone hungry?" No one answered him. Silence descended upon the cabin like a black-winged bird. "I want to speak with you alone. Upstairs," Axton said in a stormy voice to Dakota. The Dakota I had known and lived with for years would never acknowledge anyone who spoke to her in such a rude tone. But now, she did the opposite of what I expected.
Elias POV In my wildest dreams, I never knew the moon goddess would give me a mate. I'd always felt different, like an outsider. This mindset developed when I was a student. I didn't give a crap about school at all. It was worthless, soul-sucking, with distant monsters as teachers who ignited any spark of passion within me. It didn't help that I was doing very badly in school. Axton, my best friend, always thought I wasn't dumb, and always consoled me whenever the teacher yelled at me for having a coconut for brains. "You're street smart," Axton always said to me. "You're very good at solving problems most of the time. Maybe you're not functioning well because this place is a regimented learning system, or maybe the teachers are crap sacks." Axton was very different from me. He was a genius, loved by everyone. He had a dad, mum, and brother even though his brother was an asshole. My mum died while giving birth to me and my dad mourned her by busying himself with work. I was alwa
Sara Days and nights passed. Hopeless and defeated, Dakota and I continued our nomadic existence, surviving each day as it came. Our lives had been forever altered and we were stripped of everything we had. I watched Dakota sadly deteriorate from an Alpha to a rogue and after a series of rejections, we had no choice but to seek refuge in the northern deserts. My mind raced like a clock when we stepped into the brothel. I hated the place with everything in me and felt a bitter tang of disgust in my mouth because of their questionable character. It was a whorehouse. Somewhere I wasn't used to. The ladies of the night did their business here, making their rounds around. They were all young girls of varying ages. I had never had sex before, nor did I want to have sex in such a disgusting way, where my body would be on full display, fucking different sizes of dicks, ranging from the ones as tiny as my thumb to long as my forearm. I didn't want to be used as an animal. No female's