My birthday is at the very end of August, causing me to be held back a year. My parents didn’t want me to be the youngest in my class, even though I am an alpha. Plus, I think my mother just wanted to keep me at home a little longer. I was her only child until I was in first grade and she wanted to have just one more year where I could be her “baby.” That means that when I did finally go to school, I was the oldest in my class. It made me 19 when I graduated, nearing 20. It meant that I wasn’t in Iraq for long when I turned 21. I was lucky enough that my birthday happened to be on my day off. I got to have a long video chat with my family back home and got two care packages. One was from my family. It was filled with three king sized Snickers bars (my favorite candy), a new razor and shaving cream, pictures from family parties and pack events, air fresheners (thank the Goddess, cause Nick’s feet fucking stank!), playing cards, sunscreen, travel toiletries, and my two person
The scent that I wake up to, mint mixed with cedarwood and bergamot, is the most delectable scent I’ve ever smelled. Comforting and intoxicating and…familiar? Why do I know this scent? Ok, obviously it’s because my mate is someone I know. I’ve smelled this scent my whole life. But I can’t quite place it. Something in the back of my mind is niggling at me, trying to tell me something, but I can’t bring it to the forefront of my brain. And it doesn’t really matter. Nothing does but finding the source of that smell. I jump out of my bed, not caring that I’m wearing a form fitting tank top and extremely short pajama pants, my hair unbound and flowing down my back. It doesn’t matter who sees me like this. I just have to find the source of that smell. I fly out of my house, not caring how much noise that I’m making. I know that I’m waking up the entire household, but I don’t care. The door slams open as I run down the steps at the front of the house. My nose is in the air, sea
I have never been so nervous in my entire life. You would think that as a werewolf, an alpha, and a Marine who has seen combat, not much would faze me. But knowing that I’m about to take my mate and the she-wolf of my dreams on a date for the very first time…I’m a nervous wreck. I stare at myself in the mirror, fumbling in my attempt to tie my tie. Nick’s idea was a good one, I have to give it to him. It’s one of the reasons that he’ll be my beta. He’s a really smart guy. And if this works, I’ll be forever in his debt. Nick’s idea is that Bhakti and I date for six months. That way, we can get to know each other since we haven’t really talked in years. At the end of that time, the decision of being mates can be made. It’s brilliant and seemed to calm everyone’s nerves the second he said it. Well, everyone’s but mine. Cause now…now I have to convince the she-wolf that I’ve loved from afar for so long that we should be together. I don’t know what to do with my hands.
Throughout our time at home, Liam and I didn’t spend a day apart. Honestly, if it were up to him, I don’t think that we would spend an hour apart. I’m having a hard time not giving in. My wolf wants to be with her mate and anytime that we’re together it’s all that I can do not to jump him. But I can’t do that. There’s still this niggling fear in the back of my mind that says that he’s going to do it again. That he’s going to make me feel like crap again and it makes it so that I can’t give into the matebond fully, even though I desperately want to. Liam has been extremely sweet and understanding. He goes at my pace, even though I can tell that he wants more. I can tell that he wants me to be his mate in every way that word entails. He’s slowly wearing me down. Honestly, I want it, too. If I could just shut that stupid voice up, I would be. I think…I think I need more time. The male that Liam is showing me is the guy that I have seen him be with others. It’s the guy that
We were supposed to have a month at home. I know that sounds like a long time to other people in the military, but we had just spent 13 months out in the battlefield and we were going to be heading back for another tour. We needed the time to reconnect with our families, get our heads on straight, and prepare to be sent back. But things were starting to heat up in Fallujah again after the first battle. There had always been daily skirmishes and many of our soldiers were involved in operations and trying to keep people safe. But small scale attacks were multiplying throughout the region from the insurgents that were left behind from the battle in Fallujah back in May. It looked like there was going to be another battle that we were going to face soon. A week before we were supposed to return to base, this time to Camp Pendleton in California, we received a call that said that we needed to return early. They wanted to get us back in the system, recheck training, and prepare to
“We got injured coming in!” Commander Clove barks through the medical tent. “ETA five minutes. We got three reds, two yellows, five greens, and two blacks. They’re a mix of human and wolves, so make sure you check the tags before you treat. Paribartana, take your team and set up the triaging stations and then you get scrubbed in for surgery. Fleet, get three surgical suites ready. You all know your assignments. Now get to it!” “Aye, sir!” we echo throughout the tent. This has become increasingly frequent with everything that’s going on in the city. Operation Phantom Fury started on November 7th and is the American offensive to root the rest of the insurgents out of Fallujah so that the people could safely return. There’s also a lot of political shit that goes with it, but the main reason that we wolves are here is to help the people in the city. My team of 10 wolves move about setting up the three different stations. Fleet is in charge of the reds, her team working to se
Consciousness comes back to me slowly. First it’s the smell. I mixture of cleaning solution, blood, and this amazing smell that reminds me of something that I just can’t recall but makes me feel safe and comforted. Then it’s sound. The soft whoosh of someone walking past my bed, the murmur of voices that I can’t quite catch, the beeping and whirring of machines. Then it’s touch and the feeling of heat along one side of my body. And finally, finally, my eyes flutter open. It takes me a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the light. When I’m finally able to see, I glance around the room I’m in. It must be evening, because the large halogen lamps above me are blazing. I’m in the medical tent, hooked up to all kinds of IVs and machines. My bed is separated on three sides by large curtains for a semblance of privacy, but you can easily see through the gaps. I try to shift myself into a more comfortable position and immediately notice two things: 1) pain laces through the ri
Liam had no idea of my plan when we arrived at couples housing on base in Germany. Our supervisors know. Base command knows. Hell, seems that the kid that drove us to our house knows. But Liam hasn’t put two and two together. I guess I’m to blame for that. We had agreed that we wouldn’t mark or mate each other until the 6-month timeline was up, and we aren’t even half way there. I think that he was too afraid of what I’d do if he presumed that we were here for the original purposes of these houses. I’ll have to dispel him of those thoughts really quickly. The second that the driver leaves, Liam starts talking. “Little shit! I don’t like how he looked at you - “ But I can’t wait any longer. I pull on his uninjured shoulder, bring his lips to mine and devour him the way I’ve been longing to do since he woke up in the medic tent. Pushing him against the wall, I rip his clothing off of him. He won’t be needing clothes for the rest of the time we’re here anyway. I rub