A few hours later, the usually empty farmhouse was busting with life. Flames danced in the open fireplace, and the smell of wood and the crackling sound as it burned gave the living room a warm and cosy ambience.Nueva was sitting in the middle of the tanned leather couch with Evie and Mira on each side. They were all talking in each other's mouths, trying to catch up on everything they missed during the last weeks.Miranda was in the kitchen making lunch, and the aromas from her motherly cooking skills filled the house.Grim and Asher were glued to the large smart TV, watching an action movie."I can't get over how stunning you look." Mira sighed and eyed Nueva's snow-white hair and glistening skin."I guess it's OK while I am here with other supernatural beings, but what will people say when I return home?" Nueva said apprehensively."Um, maybe if you use a lot of powder and foundation?" Evie said seriously but in a way that made them all laugh.

They stayed in the garden, embracing each other in silence. It was something so peaceful standing under the dark canopies of the many fruit trees with the radiating orbs peeking through the thinning foliage. The yawning wind made Nueva shiver slightly, and Alpha Gray pulled her closer to his warm chest.She felt so deeply connected to him, and she knew that a genuine relationship should challenge you to move from selfishness to giving and grow beyond your source of solace.And regardless of her and Alpha Gray's relationship being only a ships-in-the-night experience, Nueva would embrace it as a treasured "soul crossing."Even if brief, this chance meeting of their path crossing would have a lasting impact on her life. Nueva knew she would love him unconditionally with all of her heart, either as his mate or not.And almost like he could read her thoughts, Alpha Gray whispered in the crook of her neck, "I don't know how the universe gave me the chance to be

They had stayed for a few more hours helping Ryan and Marigold to clean up. As a pack community, they helped each other whenever needed. Everyone focused on their tasks to get the job done quicker. After boarding up the window and cleaning up the living room, Ryan called it a night and sent the people home.Nueva had caught him more than once glaring at her in a way that made her hair stand on end.Alpha Gray had told her Ryan was the one who called him about the attack as soon as he had come too from the wolfsbane poison.Nueva wanted to ask Marigold what was up between her and Ryan. But then, she had been too worried to cause them more trouble. Nueva just had this feeling she needed to keep her eyes on the couple.It was clear now that the attack happening elsewhere on the pack territory had been a distraction to remove Alpha Gray and Declan from the house.The more Nueva thought about it, the more confident she became that this whole thing had bee

In one swift move, they jumped into wolf form, ripping Nueva's wet clothes in half like a second skin.The rain was teeming down in a biblical deluge, flooding the street, drowning the ice, and overflowing the drains.Eira's paws thundered over the water-filled and ice-glazed asphalt. Her sharp claws effortlessly gripped the slippery surface.The older man used his crooked time-worn body to shelter his wife from the mauling Rogue's deadly claws and fangs. Nueva could hear the wife's desperate screams as the woman realized her husband wouldn't make it without help.Eira gave no warning as she launched herself at the feral animals with eyes wide glowing blue, tail tucked in, and her ears flat. Eira's sharp claws sunk through fur and flesh like melted butter.Nueva shivered at the puncturing sensation and the stickiness of the blood but let Eira finish them off however she pleased. She would never get used to killing, even at the crucial moments.

After Evie and the twins had safely been brought to Evie's parent's house by Declan and a group of Moonfall soldiers. Nueva could finally relax enough to start planning on how to rescue Mira and her mum. She and Alpha Gray had gone to Perla's house for advice. If anyone could help them, it was this wise sage woman. Perla's cottage smelled of freshly brewed coffee and homemade apple and cinnamon pie. Nueva looked at Alpha Gray's face as they walked through the small house towards the kitchen. She could see how his features relaxed and turned into a boyish grin as the fragrances of his childhood enveloped him. Perla waited at the kitchen table, sipping on her coffee as they entered the warm and cosy room. "Come, sit down." Perla smiled and waved them over. She started to cut large pieces of the steaming hot apple pie and placed them on the plates in front of them. She added a big blob of fluffy ivory-white whipped cream on top. The scent