ADRIANAI wake up to a cold and empty bed, my body feels like it’s been hit by a freight train and my arms are twisted above my head. I find them cuffed on the headboard and the realization that last night was real and not a nightmare dawns on me.Hurt, shame and numbness fills me. How could he, I’m his mate, what did I do wrong? Why would he hurt me like this and why did my body like it? Tears start slipping from my eyes and I curl up again, utterly naked on the bed and silently crying. If the world could just swallow me whole and forget me, I wouldn’t be regret it if it did.I sit up when I hear heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and I feel for my wolf, I need her now, need her strength. Alexis whimpers, beat down by the events of last night, beat down that he really raped us. “I’m sorry.” Is all she can muster and she curls up, hugging the part of me that resides next to her.When I hear the doorknob twist I sit up

ADRIANA I panic, his hold on my arm is unforgiving and the look he gives me makes me want to fade away. “You better not tell anyone, because I will hunt you down and everyone you love. Now be a good girl and pour me a cup.” He pushes me away from him and I stumble to his desk, looking for a cup. When I can’t find one he comes over and takes one out of the large cabinet behind his desk. It’s dark grey and industrial like the one in his bedroom, in fact the whole office is a loose copy of the bedroom, dark colors and heavy furniture and all. “You can find cups, glasses, liquor and cigars in here. The rest is filled with stuff you don’t need to know about yet.” He sets the cup on the desk and sits back in his chair, watching me while I pour him some coffee, my hands visibly shaking. “I want to start with learning you the basics from my pack and business tomorrow.” I look up, not expecting this. “You want to teach me how everything works? Why?” He meets m

SANTIAGO“Don’t let me regret giving you this.” I breath into the crook of her neck. My teeth scrape along her mark and to my delight a shiver takes her body, my gatita, so responsive.“I won’t.” She breathes and watches me with open eyes, leaning back against the desk. I study her face. The open book it was a week ago long gone, dark circles around her eyes that have turned a dull shade of brown and green, her cheeks hollow from the weight loss. It’s worth it though, she finally listens to me now, she dresses how I want her to dress and doesn’t whine or cry anymore whenever we have sex.She’s finally becoming what I imagined her to be. Diego hates me for it however, hates what I have done to her, how I broke her down. The mutt hasn’t spoken to me since and it’s becoming more and more annoying.I lean back in my chair, thinking. I do need to get her to eat more, become healthy of body again

ADRIANA When everyone is back at the packhouse Santiago leads the way to the dining room. He has his arm wrapped around my waist the entire time, holding me close to him like he is scared to lose me to Farkas or Brjent. The sparks from where his hand touches my back take the edge of this meeting for me, soothing the nervousness that is brewing on my insides. I was dreading to be in one room with all of them, Johanna and Brjent being the only exception. He opens the door and reveals the transformed dining room. The rectangular table we normally dine at has been replaced by a big, round one made from salvaged mango wood and brushed steel. The chairs are still the same though, dark brown leather seats and brushed steel undercarriage. The table has already been set and all the plates have nametags, making sure everybody is seated in varied seats instead of next to one another. I internally cringe when I see I am seated between Sophia and Emerson, the only worse o

SANTIAGOAdriana blossoms under the attention of the other council members, it’s wonderful to see and also a bit unsettling. It seems so easy for her to find her footing again, so easy to find a comfortable rhythm among this kind of company, especially now she knows they hold no grudges from what happened before.To say I’m relieved that it didn’t escalate in a full blown fight is an understatement.Diego has been happily chatting with Alexis the entire night. He is unbearably content with himself now she is willing to talk to him. It cost him a whole lot apologizing, crawling and practically begging, but when she finally gave in, he was so happy I couldn’t even be mad at him for his behavior.So now their bonding, talking about life here, talking about our pack, what they want for their humans. Something like jealousy courses through my body every time I hear Diego’s roaring laugh, I know I want that too, want that with Adri