Amara’s POV Ryder’s kiss was hungry, raw with emotions he had been holding back for far too long. His hands gripped my waist, fingers digging in just enough to remind me that he hated sharing.And honestly? In this moment, I didn’t care about anything but him.I slid my hands up his chest, feeling the rapid thump of his heart beneath my palms. He groaned against my lips, pressing me back against the cool brick wall behind the school.“Damn it, Amara,” he murmured between kisses, his forehead resting against mine. “You make me crazy.”I was breathless. “I think you were already crazy.”He let out a rough chuckle, his thumb brushing over my lower lip. “Maybe.” His voice dropped lower. “But only when it comes to you.”I bit my lip, and his gaze darkened.Ryder didn’t waste time—his lips were back on mine, his hands sliding down to my hips, pulling me closer, until there was nothing between us but heat and frustration.He kissed me like he owned me. Like he had been starving for this.An
Amara’s POV The ride back to the house was… tense.Caden’s fingers were still laced with mine in the front seat, his touch warm, grounding—but his jaw was tight. His golden eyes kept flicking to the rearview mirror, where Jaxon sat sprawled in the back, watching me with that infuriating, unreadable smirk.The air in the car felt thick with everything unsaid.I leaned my head against the window, trying to steady my heart. I could still feel the ghost of Ryder’s lips… and Caden’s. And the way Jaxon had looked at me before we left—like he was next.This bond between the four of us—it wasn’t just complicated. It was dangerous.“Amara,” Caden said suddenly, his voice low.I turned to him. “Yeah?”His gaze softened just slightly. “You okay?”I nodded, but it was shaky. “I just… it’s a lot.”He brought our joined hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “I get it. But we’re not going anywhere. Not Ryder. Not Jaxon. Not me.”I glanced in the mirror, locking eyes with Jaxon. He tilted his head
Amara’s POV The house was full of electricity that morning. Not the literal kind—but the kind that simmered under the surface. Charged glances. Lingering touches. And too many unspoken words between four people tangled in something too big to name.After grabbing my smoothie from Jaxon and kissing Ryder goodbye on the cheek—though he tried to pull me back into bed—I followed Jaxon out to his car.He was already leaning against the passenger side, sunglasses low on his nose, smirk firmly in place.“Took you long enough, princess,” he teased, opening the door for me like the cocky show-off he was.“Sorry,” I said, brushing past him. “My other boyfriend was being clingy.”He let out a low chuckle, shutting the door behind me. “Mm. So it’s like that now, huh?”I looked at him as he slid into the driver’s seat. “Like what?”He shot me a sidelong glance, something dark and playful dancing in his eyes. “Like you’ve accepted that you’re ours. All of us.”I didn’t answer.Mostly because I was
Amara’s POV By the time I got home from school, I was emotionally wrecked. Jaxon’s car ride, Ryder’s warmth, and now Caden’s soft kiss in the library—all of it tangled inside me like a storm with no end.I dropped my bag by the front door and sighed, running a hand through my hair.“Rough day?” Ryder’s voice floated from the kitchen.I turned to see him leaning against the counter, a soda in hand, hair messy, sleeves rolled up. He looked like sin and safety all in one breath.“You could say that,” I muttered, stepping into the kitchen.Before I could even process it, he set his drink down and pulled me into a hug—arms wrapping tight around my waist, face buried in my neck.“You smell like Caden,” he murmured, voice low. There was no anger in his tone. No bitterness. Just quiet hurt.I stiffened.He pulled back slightly, eyes dark and unreadable. “I know he kissed you.”I bit my lip. “Ryder…”“I’m not mad,” he said, brushing his fingers along my cheek. “Not really. I just…” His jaw te
Amara’s POV The first thing I felt was the heat—a slow, languid warmth radiating against my back, steady as a heartbeat. Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, painting golden streaks across the tangled sheets and the arm draped possessively over my waist. Jaxon’s breath tickled the nape of my neck, his lips grazing my shoulder even in sleep. His fingers, calloused from years of wielding blades, were interlaced with mine, a rough contrast to the tender way he held me. I didn’t dare move, afraid to shatter the fragile peace of this moment. Here, in the quiet, there were no wars to fight, no secrets gnawing at my ribs. Just his scent—cedar and smoke—and the safety of his body curved around mine. “You’re thinking too loud,” Jaxon murmured, his voice gravelly with sleep. His hand slid up my side, leaving a trail of fire beneath the thin fabric of my camisole. I smirked, tilting my head to glance at him. His storm-gray eyes were half-lidded, his dark hair tousled from my fing
Amara’s POV We were still a cozy mess of limbs and blankets when Jaxon stirred again, stretching like a cat. “Alright,” he groaned, “if we’re doing this whole ‘four in a bed’ thing, I call dibs on the blanket.”“You’re literally already hogging it,” Ryder grumbled, tugging the sheet toward himself.Caden sat beside me, sipping his coffee like the calm center of the storm. “If you two start a tug-of-war, you’re both getting kicked out.”I bit back a laugh, hiding my smile in my mug. “You all act like brothers.”Jaxon grinned. “Hot, sexy, emotionally scarred brothers who happen to be in love with the same gorgeous girl?”I choked on my coffee, and Caden patted my back with a chuckle. Ryder rolled his eyes but smirked. “He’s not wrong.”“You guys are ridiculous,” I mumbled, cheeks burning.“But you love it,” Ryder said, leaning over to kiss the tip of my nose. “You love us.”I didn’t answer right away. I looked at each of them—Jaxon, still smirking with tousled hair and sleep-heavy eyes
Amara’s POVThe weight of the world seemed to lift with the deepening silence of the night. Outside our window, the sprawling academy grounds were bathed in the ethereal glow of the full moon, casting long, silver shadows from the ancient trees. The usual cacophony of nocturnal creatures was muted, a distant hum that only emphasized the stillness within our room. Caden, ever the anchor, was curled spoon-like behind me, his arm a comforting weight across my waist, his breath warm against the nape of my neck. At the foot of the expansive bed, Jaxon was a study in unconscious relaxation, limbs splayed out, a soft snore escaping his lips as he somehow managed to pilfer a significant portion of the shared blanket.But Ryder… Ryder was a different kind of presence in the quiet darkness.I felt the subtle brush of his fingertips against the back of my hand, a slow, deliberate caress, as if he were trying to tether himself to the present. His touch was feather-light, yet it resonated through
Amara’s POV We stayed in that embrace for a long time, my head resting against Ryder’s chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart beneath me. His hands traced slow, absent-minded circles on my back while my fingers toyed with the collar of his shirt.The world outside was hushed, the car windows fogged with our shared heat and secrets, but inside, everything felt perfectly clear.“I missed this,” I whispered.Ryder tilted his head down, brushing his lips over my temple. “Yeah?”I nodded against him. “I missed you like this. Just us. No noise. No chaos.”He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, and his voice was rough with emotion. “You still have me, Amara. Even when I’m being a jealous ass.”I smiled. “Especially then.”He groaned softly, dropping his head to my shoulder. “You’re trouble.”“You love it,” I teased.“I really, really do.”He cupped my face again and kissed me—this time slower, like he was trying to memorize the shape of my mouth. My hands gripped the collar
Jaxon's POV And in the darkness, with no one watching, I finally let go. My touch roamed, possessive and demanding, learning every inch of her body like a map, committing every curve and gasp to memory. My control slipped. My fingers dug into her hip, marking her soft skin. But she only arched closer. It wasn’t enough. I couldn't get close enough, couldn’t taste enough, couldn't give her enough of what I felt. It would never be enough. And in that moment, I knew. I knew I would burn the whole world to ash before I gave her up. I would break every rule, tear down anyone who dared try to take her away, and keep her safe no matter the cost. Because Amara was mine. And I would rather die than lose her. --- Amara's POV I couldn't breathe. His lips, his touch, the way his hips moved against mine—every part of him was fire, and I was burning. His touch was rough, desperate, his control slipping. I wanted it to slip. I wanted him to stop hiding, to show m
Jaxon's POV I stayed with her until her breathing evened out again, until the tremble in her hands stopped. But even then, I couldn’t shake the image of Alex’s hand resting on her lower back, the way he looked at her like she was something he had a right to touch.He didn’t.She wasn’t his to lean toward, to whisper to like he knew her heart.She wasn’t mine either. Not really.But God help anyone who thought they could take her.The second Amara excused herself to head to the infirmary for a quick check, I stood. My body was already tense, fists tight at my sides as I tracked Alex down the hallway that led to the east courtyard.He was alone—good. I didn’t want an audience.“Alex,” I called out.He turned, surprised to see me. “Hey, Jaxon. What’s up?”I didn’t respond. Just kept walking until I was toe-to-toe with him.He looked at me carefully. “Everything okay?”“No. It’s not.” My voice was low, steady. Dead calm—the kind of calm that comes right before the storm.His expression t
Jaxon's POV The sun bore down on the academy training grounds like it had a personal vendetta. Heat shimmered off the concrete in waves, and the clang of steel-on-steel rang out like a war drum. Students lined up in pairs, sparring and barking at each other like rabid dogs under the instructor’s glare. Dust clouded the air with every scuffed boot.But none of that mattered to me.Because all I could focus on was her.Amara.She stood across the field, squared up against a taller opponent, sweat dripping down the side of her temple. Normally, she’d be focused, graceful—even lethal—but today?Something was off.Her steps were slower, her reactions a beat late. Her face was pale, like someone had drained the life from her skin. I watched her sway slightly, blink too long between parries.My gut clenched.“Switch!” barked the instructor, and Amara stumbled back from the next attacker.No. This wasn’t right.I started moving before I even made the decision, weaving past students until I r
Amara’s POV The dawn broke over the pack territory, painting the sky in hues of bruised purple and hesitant gold, a reflection of the uneasy truce that had settled over us. The immediate threat of the entity’s direct influence had been severed, but the lingering tension remained, a palpable awareness of the storm that was yet to break. The raw line across my arm throbbed, a constant reminder of the price of our temporary reprieve. Weakness still clung to me, a lingering drain from the magical exertion and the severing of the unnatural bond. But beneath the physical fragility, a new resolve began to solidify, forged in the crucible of fear and sacrifice. We knew the entity would not remain silent for long. Its enraged shriek still echoed in our memories, a promise of retribution. The time of desperate defense was over; we needed to prepare, to gather our strength, and to meet the coming darkness head-on. Lyra and her warriors, their commitment unwavering, pledged to remain with us
Amara’s POVThe air in the library crackled with an almost unbearable tension, the chanting of Lyra’s mages a resonant hum that vibrated through the very floor beneath our feet. The swirling energies intensified, bathing the room in an ethereal glow, the ancient symbols on the floor blazing with an inner light. The weight of the moment pressed down on us, the precipice of hope balanced precariously against the abyss of potential failure.My hand trembled as I held the ceremonial dagger, its silver blade reflecting the frantic dance of candlelight. The unwavering gazes of Ryder, Caden, and Jaxon were fixed on me, their love a tangible force, a silent offering of courage and support. Tears streamed down my face, a torrent of fear, love, and a desperate grief for the sacrifice they were willing to make.“There has to be another way,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. “I can’t…”“You have to, Amara,” Ryder said, his voice low but firm, his silver eyes filled with an unyielding re
Amara’s POV The discovery of the severing ritual ignited a fragile spark of hope amidst the encroaching darkness, but the ancient text’s ominous warnings cast a long shadow over our preparations. The need for a convergence of powerful magical energies immediately turned our thoughts to Lyra and her pack. Their inherent connection to the wild, their unique blend of elemental magic, could be the key to fulfilling the ritual’s demanding requirements.A tense message was sent to Lyra, outlining the dire situation and the perilous ritual we intended to undertake. The inherent risk was undeniable, and the potential consequences of failure were catastrophic. We held our breath, the weight of our desperation hanging heavy in the air, unsure if she would be willing to risk her pack, and potentially herself, for our sake.Lyra’s response, when it finally arrived, was a testament to the strength of our fragile alliance and the depth of her own courage. She agreed to come, bringing with her her
Amara’s POV The discovery of the mark sent a shockwave of fear and a fierce surge of protectiveness through our small circle. The tangible evidence of the entity’s growing influence, the cold, alien symbol etched onto my skin, served as a stark and terrifying reminder of the danger we were facing. The whispered claim, echoing in the silence of our bedroom, felt like an icy tendril wrapping around my soul.My mates reacted with a primal intensity. Ryder’s protective instincts went into overdrive. He positioned himself physically between me and any open space, his silver eyes constantly scanning for unseen threats, his body radiating a fierce, possessive energy. Caden’s alpha command, usually reserved for pack matters, now extended to me, a low, insistent urging to stay close, to not venture out of their sight. Jaxon, his playful facade completely shattered, became a silent, watchful shadow, his dark eyes narrowed with a dangerous intensity, his hand often resting protectively on my ar
Amara’s POV The seed of suspicion regarding Gareth, once planted, began to take root and send tendrils of doubt throughout our perceptions. My mates and I observed him with a newfound scrutiny, every interaction, every subtle gesture now viewed through the lens of potential betrayal. His fervent pronouncements against the alliance with Lyra, his almost frantic insistence on isolating ourselves, took on a more sinister hue.We began to notice inconsistencies in his stories, gaps in his whereabouts during some of the “accidents.” He seemed overly eager to deflect blame, his denials too vehement, his gaze often shifty and evasive when questioned directly. The more we observed, the more a chilling picture began to form – a picture of a man subtly influenced, perhaps even controlled, by the malevolent entity.The realization was a sickening blow. Gareth was not just a pack member; he was someone we had trusted, fought alongside, shared meals and laughter with. The thought that he could be
Amara’s POV The escalating strangeness around the pack territory, coupled with the chilling weight of my nightmare and Elijah’s unsettling revelations, began to sow seeds of unease and even suspicion within the pack. The once-unquestioning trust that bound us together began to fray at the edges, replaced by nervous glances and hushed conversations.The withered section of the forest remained a stark and disturbing reminder of the encroaching darkness, a palpable manifestation of the malevolent entity’s growing power. The animals continued to behave erratically, their fear a contagious wave that rippled through the pack. Even the most steadfast warriors seemed on edge, their usual confidence replaced by a nervous tension.Whispers began to circulate, quiet at first but gradually growing louder. Some of the pack members, their fear overriding their loyalty, began to question the alliance with Lyra’s pack. The shared strangeness in the forest, the unsettling feeling of being watched – i