LOGINGrace's POV. The forest surrounding the pack house was quiet, sirene, and peaceful. A good place to clear my head, think, and work through my feelings about Rhyder and being back here again. As I quietly walked through the forest, memories of the time I had spent here so many years ago came flooding back in mighty waves. I remembered all the times that I ran through these trees as a wolf - sometimes with the entire pack, sometimes with Alexis, but mostly with Rhyder. I remembered how free I always felt on those runs, how connected I felt, not only to Rhyder, Alexis or the pack, but also to the Goddess and the earth around me. It was a feeling that I missed. And I hadn't realized how much until I felt the soft soil between my toes again. Suddenly, I was overcome with an overwhelming urge to shift and run through the trees once again - as fast as I could. I wanted to feel connected again. But mostly, I wanted to be free again...Free from my own mind, my own heart.Free from al
Rhyder's POV.There was a loud abnoxious knock at the door.I didn't have to guess at who it might be.I thought about ignoring her at first, but I knew that she wouldn't stop knocking until I let her in.And she's crazy enough to break the door down if she didn't get what she wanted.I exhaled sharply through my nose and dragged my hands through my hair as I rose to my feet. It had been a long day and the last thing I wanted was a confrontation with Alexis to ruin what had been nothing short of the perfect day.But it would be best just to get it over with...She looked pouty and sullen when I finally opened the door. Her eyes were puffy and red like she had been crying all night.But despite all of that, her make-up was perfect - like always. So was her hair and her skimpy outfit.Alexis was the only woman I knew that could have an emotional and mental break-down without a single lock of hair falling out of place or a smear of mascara anywhere on her face."What do you want?"I bit
Grace's POV. I stood on the other side of the door, quietly watching Rhyder and Tate. Rhyder gently ran his hand through Tate's thick hair before leaning over to kiss his forehead. Then, het sat down, interlaced his fingers, rested his chin on his hands as his elbows rested on his knees and just watched Tate as he slept. He was already infatuated with his son and I couldn't really blame him. Tate is wonderful - he's more than wonderful actually. He was the only ray of light during the darkest moment of my life. My only reason for smiling some days. The reason my heart beats the way it does. And he has this way of getting under your skin in the best way possible. He simply makes everything better. A single tear escaped down the curve of my cheek. I wiped it away with a small smile - it was a happy tear. And watching Rhyder with Tate today changed something inside me - opened up a scab that I always thought would hurt like hell, but instead, it was like covering it with a sooth
Rhyder's POV. "Daddy! Daddy, look how fast I can run!" Tate rushed by at an impressive speed - even for such a young wolf, with the other pups chasing after him, trying their best to catch up. He had the wind in his hair - hair that looked like mine: wild and unruly, and a grin that took over his whole face. I waved at him, with a grin of my own, as he circled around for the second time - my chest swelling with pride. Then, as I watched him continue to play with the rest of the pups, I thought about the word. Daddy... Such a simple word, yet so beautiful. A word that impacted me in such a profound way. A word that already held so much power over me. But perhaps... It wasn't the word at all, but rather the little boy that spoke it so easily and with such confidance. Like he has been saying it all his life. It wasn't until I heard it for the first time that I truly realized how desperately I've wanted to hear it - needed to hear it even, since the day I found out tha
Grace's POV.My mother walked over to me just as Rhyder set Tate down again. He knelt down in front of Tate and asked him how the drive was and if he liked pack territory so far."It's very cool, daddy! I haven't seen anything as cool as this place, ever. Not even in one of my comic books! It's the best! I never ever want to leave again!"Tate couldn't contain his excitement - not that he was really trying anyway.And he spoke to Rhyder as if he had known him his entire life. He seemed so comfortable in his presence."Hopefully, you never have to."Rhyder's eyes locked onto mine as he said it. The earnest, hopeful look in them almost broke my heart. I was glad for the distraction caused by my mother stepping into view. I couldn't hear Tate's response, but heard him start to ramble about all the awesome things he saw on the way here."I think I saw a wolf running through the trees, daddy! A really, really big one!"He stretched his arms as wide as they would go.I was sure that there
Grace's POV."Okay, baby. Grab your backpack, we need to get going."Tate still hasn't stopped grinning since I told him that we're going back to pack territory to visit his grandmother and so that he can finally meet his father and the rest of his family."You're doing the right thing."I turned to look at Meghan. She was casually leaning against the wall with her arms crossed."I really hope so."After my talk with Agetha, I was sure that this was something that I needed to do. I just didn't know if it was something that I wanted to do.My stomach twisted into painful knots and my pulse grew uneven anytime that I thought about it too long.At least Tate was excited enough for the both of us.He wouldn't stop talking about all the things that he was going to do once we arrived: all the games he was going to play with the other pups, the many questions he had for his father.I was exhausted just listening to him.Agetha, Rhyder, and the rest of the pack had no idea what they were in f







