Alastor POV - Something had changed. Alastor couldn’t quite put his finger on what, but he felt its effects deep in the marrow of his bones. The change had stirred the moment Mina permitted him that sweet kiss in the lake, the one he could still feel tingling on his lips. Her confession had burned through him, melting his hesitation, and he saw the same in her. Now they both admitted to accepting their mate bond, the tension and the uncertainty between them had eased. The change surrounded them through the day, fuelling soft touches and chaste looks. It was different, but nice.The new feeling allowed him to tease her into helping clean his wounds, just as it gave her the confidence to linger her touch a little too long to be innocent. Though, he also kept his hands at her waist the entire time, to keep her steady in the water, of course. Or at least that was the excuse he gave to hide his glee at seeing her cheeks heat each time his thumb danced a circle over her skin. He had never
Alastor POV - Though they had both agreed to sleep that night, in preparation for their travelling in the morning, Alastor only kept his eyes closed until Mina's breaths softened. He didn’t have to wait long. She was tired from keeping watch the previous night, keeping guard as he slept and recovered. He intended to do the same. It unnerved him that there were already wolves sniffing around her, and he didn’t want to leave them open to being attacked again. With the group’s leader shouting for a retreat when Mina got involved, calling her their Luna, it was clear she was their target. It wasn’t a surprise; she was a Legacy Luna, but it had only been a few days since they left Clear Blue. How had word spread quick enough for enemy wolves to have tracked them down already? Alastor had hoped they’d have at least a week to fortify their position before the first attempt to take her. He had been wrong. His arms tightened around Mina, drawing her tighter to his side. No one was going to
Alastor POV - Alastor lost himself to the taste of her, his tongue flicking across the seam of her lips, accepting the invitation when they parted for him. He deepened their kiss, exploring every part of her mouth, rumbling an approval when she did the same. Mina moved with him; their kiss perfect, uncontrolled, wild. Her fingers twisted in his hair, as if she couldn’t get close enough, pulling his head this way and that, satisfying whatever urge rose within her. He splayed a hand over her back, keeping her locked to his body, while the other dipped beneath the hem of his t-shirt, that looked far better on her. His fingers played across the warm skin of her waist, the feel of it addictive under his palm. He loved the sweet hitch of her breath at his simple touch, but he restrained his need to hear more. This wasn’t the time or the place to share their first time together. “Lean forward and tilt your hips up.” When she didn’t do it, he nipped her lip. “Now, Princess.” Mina complied
Mina POV - “You know I don’t know where I’m going, right?” Mina grumbled as the familiar prickle of Alastor’s gaze danced up the back of her legs. “I know, but I can’t resist the view.” She didn’t have to look behind her to know exactly which part of her body had his attention. Her skin reacted to his gaze as fervently as his touch, tingling with a need to close the gap between them and feel the heat of his body against hers. She had only noticed the new feeling while they were walking, its presence a testament to their developing mate bond. The more she was around him, the more drawn to him she was getting. She couldn’t deny it, and had no inclination to either. If they didn’t have to move on, she wasn’t sure she would’ve even let him leave their shelter that morning. A deep satisfaction had welled within her when she woke in his arms, a pleasant ache between her thighs. Though Mina remembered what they had done last night, she didn’t know where her confidence had come from. It
Mina POV - Her cry was piercing, slicing through the air, fuelled by the depths of her soul. The enemy wolf stopped in its tracks, all eyes turning on her. Alastor included. He recovered first shouting at her to run and she did just that. She abandoned her escape and charged towards him, shifting as she did. The enemy growled at her, warning her back, but two fast slashes from the silver blade had them revert their attention to the danger in front of them. Mina watched, pushing her legs forward as they lunged for Alastor. He dodged and swiped again, but wolf instincts were hard to challenge. His attacks missed and left him off balance and open. Claws, that glinted with the last embers of the evening light, slashed across his chest with such force he staggered back into a tree, his feet giving out. Mina growled low in her chest as the enemy veered back to attack again and barged into its chest. It fell of course, crashing into its comrade, giving her a brief moment to look at Alasto
Mina POV - Roman Lynn. Mina hadn’t heard that name in years, and only whispered behind closed doors when no one thought she was listening. Him and his family were pariahs, a disgrace and an embarrassment to the Clear Blue pack. Their names were never uttered in front of the Luna and, as time went on, they were forgotten. She couldn’t feel the same anger towards the Lynns. They were banished for failing to protect the Luna’s unit, but it was hard to feel sorrow for wolves she had never met. Even her fathers. Her mother felt that rage for both of them, swiftly cutting off the family that had protected Clear Blue for generations, and replacing them with the Hayres. Despite the rumours that kicked up, no one knew where the Lynns had gone, or so she had thought. Alastor clearly did. Her heart ached thinking about her mate. His wounds were bad, and the silver in his system only made them worse. She wanted to be at his side, to help him, but the Lynns were taking care of him. Mina had
Roman POV - He looked older. It had only been a few years since Roman had last seen Alastor, but maturity had strengthened his features. He hadn’t even recognised him at first glance, though his battered bloodied body on the floor, a growling Luna guarding him, wasn’t the reunion he had expected. He was days from his Twenty-fifth birthday the last time they spoke, both knowing it would be a while until the next visit. Clear Blue must’ve kept him busy since then. It wasn’t a surprise. Alastor was the heir of the Hayre family, next in line to lead the pack’s warriors. He was a great one himself, but that was no great surprise either, not when Roman had helped to train him. It had been a long few years with no word from Clear Blue. He only got brief snippets of information when trading with the nearby packs, nothing of any depth. It was a sign the Hayres were doing a good job protecting their pack, he supposed. The last news they heard was of Williamina planning to take a seat at cour
Mina POV - Roman held her gaze, a depth to it that resonated within Mina. Warmth spread through her chest like liquid sunshine, fanning out through her body and coaxing a smile to her lips. It brushed away some of the exhaustion, some of the worry, leaving a lightness she hadn’t felt in days. One look couldn’t fix everything, but it made her feel less alone. In a strange place, away from her home, with Alastor recovering, it was nice to have someone else standing with her. An unexpected support that came at just the right time. Alastor’s fingers twitched, jerking Mina’s attention. His brow was furrowed, trying to rouse from his sleep, fighting against the exhaustion, pain and drugs that kept him under. She smoothed her thumb over his forehead, letting some of her pheromones slip free. A sigh escaped parted lips, easing him once again, but she was sure it wouldn’t be long before he tried to wake again. Not when his last memory would’ve been the attack. “He’s a stubborn one.” Roman