LOGIN"You're healing faster than any human I've seen," Dr. Chen said during my morning checkup, unwrapping the bandages to examine the wound. "The tissue regeneration is... impressive.""Is that code for weird?""It's code for 'your mate's healing abilities are more potent than expected.'" She prodded gently at the scar tissue — pink and raised, but closed. "Another few days and you'll be fully mobile. A week after that, the scar will probably fade to almost nothing.""A few more days," I repeated. "And then I can train?"Dr. Chen raised an eyebrow. "Train?""With the warriors. Fao said when I'm healed—""When you're healed, you can discuss physical activity with your mate." She gave me a look that said she knew exactly what kind of physical activity I was already engaging in. "But yes. A few more days, and you should be cleared for light exercise. Training, though... that's a different conversation.""But it's possible?""You're human, Alpha Elowen. Your body isn't designed for the kind o
When he finally slipped free — along with a rush of warmth that soaked the sheets beneath us — I mourned the loss of fullness immediately."I need to shower," I said, not moving."We both do." He still didn't move either. "In a minute.""In a minute," I agreed.It was fifteen minutes before either of us actually got up."Fuck, I'm going to be late," Fao muttered, finally rolling out of bed. "Garrett's going to make me run laps.""Worth it?"He looked at me — still sprawled on my stomach from where he'd taken me, his release slick between my thighs — and his eyes went dark again.His hands found my ass immediately — squeezing, kneading, spreading me apart to look at what was his."Fuck," he breathed. "You have no idea what you do to me.""I have some idea." I wiggled my hips, and he groaned.He leaned down and bit — right on the curve of my ass, hard enough to leave a mark. I yelped, heat flooding through me despite the fact that I was already wrung out."Fao—""Just one more." He bit
ELOWENFour days in, I could walk again.Not well — I still limped, still needed the wheelchair for anything more than short distances — but I could walk. Dr. Chen called it remarkable. Fao called it his saliva. I called it a miracle and tried not to think too hard about the mechanics.I woke that morning to Fao's mouth between my legs."Wha—" I gasped, my hands flying to his hair. "Fao—""Good morning." His voice was a rumble against my core, and I felt his lips curve into a smile. "Stay still."It wasn't a request.Something had been shifting in him over the past few days. The more time he spent with the pack, the more he trained, the more he stepped into his role as Alpha — the more that dominance bled into everything else. Including our bed.I wasn't complaining.His tongue flicked against me, and I arched off the mattress. He growled — actually growled — and pressed a hand flat against my stomach, pinning me down."I said still."Heat pooled low in my belly. "Fao, please—""Pleas
ELOWENWe moved slowly, carefully.My leg was still a consideration — would probably be a consideration for days yet — but we'd learned each other's bodies well enough by now to find ways around it.Fao helped me out of my clothes with gentle hands, pressing kisses to each new inch of skin he revealed. When I was bare beneath him, he just looked at me for a moment, his gray eyes dark with something that went beyond desire."You're beautiful," he murmured. "Every time I see you, you're more beautiful.""You're biased.""Extremely." He kissed me, deep and slow, while his hands mapped the familiar terrain of my body. "But also right."I tugged at his shirt. "Off. I want to feel you."He stripped quickly, efficiently, and then he was back, his skin against mine, warm and solid and real. I could feel the bond between us humming, that connection that went deeper than touch."How do we—" He glanced at my bandaged thigh. "I don't want to hurt you.""Straddle my bad leg," I said. "My good one
FAOI ordered dinner brought to our suite.We'd spent all day with the pack — meeting, greeting, learning — and I wasn't ready to spend dinner in the communal hall too. I just wanted her. My mate. My anchor. The one person who made any of this bearable.We ate on the bed, plates balanced on our laps. Halfway through, Elowen set her fork down and looked at me."I need to make some calls," she said. "Rowan. My parents. I left them messages from the road, but...""They need to hear your voice." I nodded, reaching for the phone Corvin had given me earlier. "Use this. Take your time."She took the phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialed."Ro? It's me. For real this time."A shriek came through the speaker loud enough that I winced. Even without enhanced hearing, that would have been painful. With it, I heard every word Ro screamed."ELOWEN MARIE WALSH, I HAVE BEEN LOSING MY ENTIRE MIND FOR TWO DAYS—"Elowen pulled the phone away from her ear, laughing despite herself. "And that
By late afternoon, we'd met what felt like half the pack.Warriors who wanted to assess Fao with sharp eyes, measuring him against whatever standard they carried in their heads. Elders who looked at him like they were seeing a ghost, something old and familiar returned. Pups who stared at both of us with unabashed curiosity, the smallest ones trailing after the wheelchair at a respectful distance before their parents called them back. And everywhere, the same greeting, one knee, bared throat, "Alpha.""Does it get less weird?" I asked Nina as we finally headed back toward the lodge, Fao pushing my wheelchair while Corvin walked alongside."The bowing? Yeah, eventually. The first time someone bared their throat to me, I had no idea what to do." She grinned. "I just said 'uh, thanks?' Declan was mortified.""I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." I glanced back at Fao. "He's learning to lead, but what's my role? I can't shift. I can't fight, not like them. I'm just human."Fao's ha
ELOWENThe shift had been a blur.Dancing, smiling, pretending everything was normal while my mind stayed fixed on the walk home. Carmen had noticed something was off, but she hadn't pushed. Mina had made her usual comments about my chest, and I'd laughed in all the right places. The tech bros from
ELOWENI was losing my mind.That was the only explanation. Stress, sleep deprivation, too much time alone in the woods — something had snapped in my brain, and now I was having a staring contest with a wolf the size of a small horse.Except I wasn't imagining it. I had photos. I had paw prints. I
FAOLANShe saw him.The curtain moved — a flutter of fabric, a sliver of golden light — and then her face appeared in the window. Pale skin, pink hair, those eyes he'd only glimpsed from a distance finally fixed directly on him.He didn't move. Didn't breathe. Didn't do anything that might break th
ELOWENThe paw print was the size of my hand.I crouched at the bottom of the porch steps, phone out, taking picture after picture like documentation would somehow make this less terrifying. The morning light was gray and flat, washing out the details, so I grabbed a measuring tape from the junk dr







