JULIETMy heart’s beating so fast that it feels like it’s going to lurch out of my chest. The interior of Atlantis nightclub is dimly lit in hues of blue and purple, the bass beat from the music pulsing into the soles of my feet as I stride through the main floor toward the VIP area. Although this whole plan was hatched from my idea, every angle examined to ensure it’ll be executed seamlessly, I’m still jittery with anticipation as I take the first steps to put it in motion.The bouncer at the entrance to the VIP section is tall and stocky, dressed in a well-tailored suit with his hair slicked back neatly. He gives me a once-over as I approach with confidence, my tight red dress accentuating every curve and my stiletto heels clicking against the floor, then angles his chin down to murmur something into the microphone on his lapel. Pressing a finger to the earpiece he’s wearing, whatever response he receives has him drawing back the black velvet rope and stepping aside to grant me entr
COLEThe shrill scream that pierces the air makes my blood run cold.I was just thinking that it was taking Juliet way too long to come outside, but I wouldn’t allow myself to jump to the conclusion that something had gone wrong.Then that scream…Something primal deep within me knows right away that it’s her. My wolf thrashes within my chest, biting and clawing to get free. My body trembles with the effort it takes to keep him contained as I throw open the door of the Camaro, leaping out and abandoning my vehicle on the curb.I take off in a dead sprint around the dark building beside Club Atlantis, guided by the sharp tug of the mate bond being pulled taut. Even though we haven’t sealed it yet, the bond snapping into place on the night of the full moon is strong enough to guide me to the side alley between the buildings. Just as I round the corner, I hear Juliet cry out in pain again, and the sound of it is enough to send my wolf hurtling forward again, my shift imminent.It’s a mir
JULIETMy adrenaline must finally be waning, because exhaustion hits me like a lead weight when I park the Camaro in the underground garage at the packhouse and head inside. My mind feels a little fuzzy, my neck and shoulders stiff. The muscles in my thighs burn as I ascend the stairs from the garage, my breathing labored by the time I reach the landing at the top. I practically sigh in relief when I step through the door into the familiar foyer, hardly remembering a time I felt so glad to be home.Home.If Cole and I seal our bond, that’s what this packhouse will become to me, permanently.No more Westfield. No more six-pack. When I return there, I’ll merely be a visitor. An outsider, like I was when I came here. Like I still feel I am.On the precipice of such a major life change, I feel like I’ve got one foot in each world, struggling to decide which way to jump. I know how I feel about Cole, but it’s everything else that goes along with being his mate I’m unsure about. As Alpha, h
COLE“What do you have for me, Rico?” I ask as my head of IT steps through the threshold of my office at the packhouse, pausing from my discussion with Sam to give him my full attention.“We wiped everything,” he replies, a flicker of pride shining in the rich brown of his eyes. “Shame it turned out that way, because we pulled some pretty damning evidence off of the guy’s phone. For a man involved in organized crime, Holley sure was sloppy.”“Prison would’ve been too good for him,” I mutter, tossing a crumpled piece of paper into the wastebasket. “You’re sure you got all the cameras?”Rico arches a brow. “Do you really have to ask?”I don’t. The IT team that works for my pack is good at what they do; they leave no stone unturned when I set them on a task. This time, it was locating and hacking into any surveillance cameras in the area of Club Atlantis last night to wipe the footage. If the bodies are ever found, the cops will have a hell of a time trying to piece together what happene
JULIETI should’ve known Cole had something up his sleeve when he told me to dress to the nines for dinner tonight. Even more when I walked into the living room to find him looking all dapper in a suit- not just his usual slacks and a button down with the sleeves casually rolled to the elbows- a full blown suit: black pants and jacket with a charcoal grey dress shirt underneath and a black silk tie around his neck.Cole always looks sexy as hell, but when he rose from the sofa dressed in that suit, I swear my heart stopped beating for a few seconds, the sight of him stealing my breath. Then he started devouring me with that dark-eyed gaze, smoldering eyes assessing me until heat burned through my veins and I felt like I could catch fire at any moment.When our eyes locked, the emotions that crashed through me- desire and fierce possessiveness and love- suddenly had my insecurities screaming to the surface, Tayla’s words from last night echoing in my brain. They flew out of my mouth li
COLEI didn’t tell Juliet there was a step four.I’m a planner, and it was no accident that I chose last night for my grand gesture to make her mine. It was in hopes that if all went well, I could officially introduce her to the pack today as Luna at our annual end of summer gathering. Rumors have already been swirling since the morning I staked my claim in the packhouse kitchen, and if I’m being honest, the whispers started long before that.Guess I wasn’t exactly subtle about wanting her. But now I get to officially announce the news; that we’re fated, marked, bound to one another for the rest of our lives. That Juliet will be joining our pack and leading it alongside me.I could’ve told her about today, but then she would’ve had time to worry about how the news may be received rather than just embracing her moment. She might’ve taken Tayla’s cruel words to heart instead of allowing the rest of the pack to speak for themselves.So yeah, I’m springing it on her. But it’s with the be
JULIETTwo Months LaterIt’s not a traditional wedding by any means. There’s no bridesmaids or groomsmen, no towering wedding cake with roses made of icing. No real pomp or circumstance. I do wear a white dress, though, looking every bit the blushing bride, and Cole looks so handsome in his suit I can hardly stand it. The ceremony isn’t one you’d see at a typical wedding, either. The vows I take aren’t just to Cole; they’re to the entire pack, to swear me in as their official Luna. We mix in a few of our own vows to each other and sign a marriage certificate while we’re at it, though, and it’s still beautiful and meaningful and perfectly us. The ceremony itself is brief, only for the members of the Denver pack, but the reception afterwards is far less intimate.Everybody’s there. Cole’s parents traveled in, my own family made the trip, and all of the six-pack alphas and lunas are in attendance, too. In lieu of some stuffy, formal reception, we host it at Jokers nightclub, closing it
COLEMy mind conjures up the memory of the stench of acrid smoke in the air as I thumb through the photographs of the charred, skeletal remains of the Sparrowhead apartment complex. Two months ago, a fire took down the entire building, blazing out of control until only ash and rubble remained. The destruction was so severe that the cause of the fire was only recently determined, and this file landed on my desk this morning courtesy of my connections with the local P.D.The police chief knows I like to keep a pulse on what goes on in the city, so he doesn’t question when I request files from him. Not that I would disclose the reasons behind my requests if he did. As long as I grease his palm with quarterly donations, he seems satisfied with our arrangement and doesn’t pry into my personal business. Why would he when I’m a respected figure in the community, the proprietor of a dozen bars and night clubs with a well-rounded real estate portfolio to boot?I didn’t amass all of this on my