~Gemma~ I held my cup of coffee as if it could rescue me from my life. It was Tuesday. Tuesdays meant listening to the most intimate details of some very dysfunctional relationships. I swallowed the remaining contents in my mug before promptly refilling it. I had two minutes before my next headache walked in the door. I filled this relationship guru position out of pack desperation. My pack ran off last qualified individual. Alpha Devlin seemed in no hurry to find a replacement. I’m stuck in the shit until then. “Good morning!” I greeted cheerfully. And they said I couldn’t act. Ha! “Hey, Gemma.” Layne grimaced. Geoff trailed closely on her heels, similar grimace in place. My worries that it would be another boring hour were completely unfounded. “Take a seat. How is it going?” I struggled to remember where we left off from last week. I really should consult my notes prior to these sessions. That would require me to start taking notes! As the loving couple immediately began bic

~Gemma~ I came into awareness with a slight feeling of distortion. Ugh! Of course the goddess would leave me smack in the middle of a spectacle. I did my part, vessel. I played your champion. Her voice rippled through my conscience. I smirked. The goddess was ever practical. “Gems? You in there? Are you really laughing right now?” Tyson nudged me. "Are you really naked right now? What do wolves have against clothing?" I ruffled his hair and avoided looking at the elephant in the room. That's right. His cock. He shruggrued with a rueful grin. "I had wolfy things to do. " “Thank the gods you are well.” Alpha Devlin interrupted our conversation, pulling me into a rib-crushing hug. “Okay. I’m okay.” I patted his shoulder and tried to disengage from his embrace. Everyone was staring. Again. “Do you think now is an appropriate time to proceed?” Corbin inquired. His expression was severe, his face lined with stress. He reminded me of the grave circumstances at hand. “I suppose

~Gemma~ Sounds of my own screaming tore me from sleep. My heart thudded in my chest. I tasted the taint of the wicked witch and her twisted alpha. Shit! Weeks later I still woke with night terrors. My tank top was drenched with sweat and clung to my body. Gross. I rolled over to look at the alarm clock and groaned. Usually if I was up at three am, it was because I never went to bed. Fat Kitty cuddled me, giving me his own special flavor of love. I wished it was enough. Love never saved me from a damn thing. Sorry if that hard truth made me out to be a heartless hag. Sleep evaded me, refused to entertain my pleas for a comeback. I tried. I tried so hard. Some days were rougher than others. “Gems? Do you need me?” Alpha Devlin’s voice cut through the misery that was my life. His sleepy voice carried through the distance. Of course he never had trouble with sleep. And most unforgivable, he was a morning person. “Gemma? I know you're awake. Stop avoiding me.” I gritted my teeth. Ever

~Gemma~ “I miss you so much.” I reached for the beautiful man with such longing. Imagine trying to touch a treasure you had no business coveting. He stared at me with those empty, soulless eyes. “Why won’t you come to me?” “I’m sorry! I can’t!” I explained. Flames danced in his eyes. “Come to me!” His hand caressed my face. I woke trembling and confused. Shit! I dreamed of him again, of Damon, my former vampire lover. This dream marked the third in the past week. My night terrors about the tainted witch and her alpha finally stopped. And now this fresh hell. It had only been a few months and I still missed him. Besides the physical connection, I missed his company and our stimulating conversations. I know it may be hard to believe, but we were friends before lovers. I sighed and pulled the blankets up to my neck. Somewhere in the hidden corners of his mind, did he miss me? Unlike with Alpha Devlin, Damon and I had no sordid past constantly getting in our way. Well, that was unt

~Sammie~ Fucking ladies’ night! It dutifully rolled around every other week without fail! Tonight, Megan, Gemma, and I sat in a circle on the floor in Gemma’s front room. Macy bowed out. Chicken-shit little bitch. “Are you sure this is a thing?” I wasn’t convinced. I gestured to us grown ass women dressed in our pajamas. “Definitely. I watched it on 13 Going on 30!” Megan squealed with excitement, much to my horror. “She was a 13 year old girl! Trapped in a 30 year old body!” I shot back. Megan stuck out her tongue and continued her conversation with Gemma. I knew it! The damn night was doomed to drag on. The expression on Gemma’s face did nothing to alleviate my stress. Nope! I was not experiencing FOMO. More like dread. I glanced at the clock, wondering when it would be socially acceptable to fall into slumber at this slumber party. “Never mind all that.” Gemma interrupted. “Are we doing the Pitch Perfects, or The Three Musketeers?” Lucky for us, she didn’t suggest any of