~Dainin~ Memorizing the feeling of Tessa’s touch, and the way she felt in his arms, helped Dainin gain full control of his wolf. If the Moon Goddess was watching over them, this was a cruel joke she played. “A lifetime together isn’t long enough,” he thought, breathing in her scent, knowing they'd soon be scouring every inch of this forest for those filthy Rogues that dared threaten Tessa's life. "I will admit, they were barely a threat to her. Did you see the way she took them down?” His wolf was impressed and Dainin's chest swelled with pride. The strength and skill Tessa displayed were breathtaking, but she was still his mate. Anyone who wanted to harm her would pay with their lives. "How could John do this to her? He was her father's best friend and now he wants to take over Blue Ridge by any means necessary," Dainin questioned, but his wolf was silently trying to make sense of it all himself. One thing was certain, neither of them was willing to stand by and watch their mate be
~Tessa~ Tessa woke up to the blinding rays of the mid-morning sun. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and found she was alone in her eerily quiet room. “If only I never got out of bed this morning,” Tessa thought to her wolf, who only whined in a pained response. They both wished they remained safely in bed with their mate and were none the wiser to this new brutal truth. Stretching her limbs, Tessa’s body felt refreshed, but her mental state was sluggish and drained. Her heart was screaming at her to avoid everything and just get back in bed, but Tessa knew she couldn’t hide like a coward. With a deep breath, she threw the comforter off and rose from the bed. The soft, thick fabric of her robe fell around her body, hiding her shaking frame, but she welcomed the protective layer after being emotionally stripped raw earlier that morning. Thankfully, she already felt her courage being restored with the new purpose of revenge. Taking her first steps, Tessa’s damp hair skimmed her ch
~Tessa~ The air was thick with humidity as Tessa looked over the warriors who lined the staircase of the packhouse. Their expressions reflected the anger burning within, but for now, everything needed to appear business as usual. “Everyone listen up. Greet all of our guests and escort them to their rooms immediately. While they settle in, Zander and Elijah will brief you on the extra security measures we will be taking during the meeting. If you have any questions report to them. Then gather in the ballroom for the official briefing before dinner. Understood,” she asked, meeting their eyes. “Yes Alpha,” they yelled proudly in unison. Gravel crunching in the distance signaled the brigade of cars were approaching with bright glares from the sun reflecting off their windshields. Tessa moved to the bottom of the staircase as the first SUV pulled up, eager to convince her allies to help her pack win. The greetings and small talk seemed to take forever, especially with the elders. They
~Dainin~The ballroom boomed with conversation as everyone settled in. Dainin and his pack leaders sat at their designated table in the front of the ballroom. Alan tried to lighten the mood, but Dainin couldn’t help but still feel sour about the encounter with Alpha Davis.“We shouldn’t be surprised that our mate had potential suitors,” his wolf said as he tried, but failed, to find the bright side of things. He was strangely calm about this whole situation.“I was just beginning to accept Elijah and now there’s Alpha Davis,” Dainin grumbled with his fists clenched on the table, glaring at Ronan from across the dance floor. “He’s lucky he’s been placed at a distance,” he growled to his wolf, but the sweet voice of his mate entered his mind, calming his anger.“Dainin, please stop shooting daggers across my ballroom. You, and only you, are my mate. There was never a chance it would have been any one of these Alphas. I swear,” Tessa declared, and Dainin turned his gaze to the head table,
~Dainin~Over dinner, the ballroom hummed with soft conversation amongst the tables. Many debated how John’s Rogue army traveled through their lands undetected. It was impossible for any living being, especially a large group of Rogues, to have no scent and make no sound. A few Alphas, with packs closer to the human towns, reached out to their allies asking if they’d noticed anything strange.“Let’s hope someone will have information to share soon,” Dainin’s wolf sighed. He was eager to know exactly what they were up against.Dainin watched a group of the newly appointed Alphas approach Tessa’s table with grave expressions. “I’m sure they didn’t expect their first conference to drop a war at their feet,” Dainin’s wolf pointed out.“Well, I guess this is one way to put their leadership skills to the test,” Dainin added, admiring Tessa's patience as she gave each of them her undivided attention. Many Alphas would never bother with helping another pack leader. They hoped a pack would fail
*Mature Content*~Tessa~Tessa felt the back of her legs connect with the mattress as their kiss became filled with passion. She attempted to reach for Dainin’s belt, but his hand caught her wrist in a firm hold. Nipping her lower lip between his teeth, Dainin pulled away with a growl that made Tessa’s heart beat wildly.“I’ll tell you when you can play,” he spoke low, forcing her to meet his heated gaze. When his hand released her wrist, she obediently left it at her side and closed her eyes. As a reward, Dainin palmed her ass, giving it a firm squeeze that sent her hips surging forward. “Good girl,” he praised darkly with a kiss, and goosebumps rose on her skin in response to his dominance.Through hooded eyes, Tessa watched him slowly unbutton his shirt, exposing his toned body, before dropping to his knees before her. He guided her hands over his chest to rest on his shoulders, allowing Tessa to admire every exquisite feature Dainin had. He seemed to be admiring her as well.Dainin
~Tessa~ In the early morning hours, Tessa wandered into her office. She was skimming through all the reports Dainin’s pack sent over before they arrived in Maine. “There has to be something we’re missing,” she thought, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Tessa glanced at the clock on her desk to find it was only four am. She stretched, wishing she was still curled up with Dainin, especially after the night they shared, but her mind would not let her rest. It was buzzing with different motives John might have against Dainin’s pack and if they overlooked anyone as a suspect from White Sand. She was about to go through Dainin’s folder again when she heard a light knock on the door. “Come in,” she called out, already knowing who it was. Zander stepped in with a grim expression. “It’s a little early to already be down in the dumps, isn’t it? Is Cadence giving you the cold shoulder,” she teased, placing the folder down with a smirk. Her face immediately fell when her cousin remained
~Dainin~ It was the middle of the afternoon when the sky opened, releasing a light drizzle over the crowd. The onlookers in the stands, and the warriors on the practice field, rejoiced as the cool rain gave them a break from the relentless humidity. Everyone from Dainin’s pack joined Blue Ridge to watch hundreds of the region’s warriors work their way through the rigorous tests and obstacles. It was not only a test of strength but also teamwork. The Warriors taking charge of the group needed to prove they deserved a higher rank in the guard. Dainin wasn’t surprised to discover Tessa designed this system after forming her Elite squad. He overheard the other Alphas praising her methods. Dainin knew firsthand how stubborn males can be and for an Alpha to set aside his pride to give her credit was a big deal. “We should consider making one of those squads too,” his wolf chimed in with excitement as they watched a few wolves from his pack take charge. Some were even females. His warrior