TALIA I was numb. My visible injuries were fully healed by now, but the invisible wounds within me still had blood pouring from them. After I scrubbed my skin of all the dried blood and filth from that jail cell, I wrapped myself in the very soft T-shirt and cotton gym shorts Alex left me, relieved that they were freshly washed so his scent was not so strong on them. I didn’t want to smell his scent. I wanted to forget I’d ever met him and that I had a mate. His family had caused nothing but pain and suffering for me, and I wanted out. Too weak to leave, I crawled into the bed in the room where he left me, snuggling under the comforter and drifting into sleep. I was exhausted. I’d barely slept while running here, and I definitely didn’t sleep in that horrible place where Alex’s pack had put me. It was a restless sleep. I could feel myself tossing and turning until I awoke to a soothing feeling on my head, and that enchanting, exasperating scent filling my nostrils. My eyes shot open

JASMINE After a horrible week of training, I was so happy to finally have a day off. Because it was the first weekend day off since my birthday, my mom planned for us to look at wedding gowns that day. Blake had his office manager and an event planner taking care of most of the wedding details, due to the importance and size of the event, so I only had a few things I had to do to prepare. Of course, I would have preferred something small, similar to the wedding I had grudgingly attended for Luke and Lucy earlier in the year, but it was out of my hands. Because Luke and Lucy’s mate bond and marriage were considered shameful, they had opted for a small affair, getting married in the local human town hall. On a cold Valentine’s Day afternoon, the two of them spoke their vows, Lucy’s huge belly squeezed into a wedding gown a month before she gave birth. Afterward, the small group of us (which wasn’t actually that small considering the size of both Lucy’s and Luke’s families) went to a re

TALIA Things were awkward. Very awkward. Alex kept trying to make an effort at conversation with me, ask me on dates, eat meals with me, and I kept having to reject his advances. When he’d leave to do whatever he did all day, relief would flood my body. There were times that I’d lose control of my thoughts and think back longingly on the five perfect days we’d spent together, softening me to the idea of him. But I’d instantly shove them from my mind when I caught myself slipping. There were many things I forced myself not to think about. It was the only way I could continue to function like a normal person. Things like catching my mom doped up on painkillers and later finding out she’d spent all of her money again. Or being twelve years old and sprouting breasts, suddenly being touched and noticed by different men who worked at the brothel, feeling powerless and defenseless. I’d still sometimes have nightmares about Old Man Joe, who used to fondle my breasts every day. He was one of

TALIA I woke up much later than usual the next morning. My body was uncomfortably hot, the blood pulsing through me possibly boiling. I threw the covers off my hot, sweat-covered body, and luxuriated as cool air touching my flushed skin. My nerves were so sensitive. I let out a moan as my fingers traced the outline of my ribcage, electricity sparking under my fingertips with every slight touch. When I slowly began to gain consciousness, I started recalling the vivid details of the dream that I’d awoken from. It’d been a nice dream, of Alex’s muscular, naked body—his very broad shoulders, strong and protective arms, massive pecs planted above the sculpted ridges of his abdominal muscles. The dream was so realistic—I even recalled how it felt as he pressed against me, his skin rubbing against my stiff, peaked nipples as his body slid over mine, his hips gliding between my legs as, oh God, as I finally felt his huge— Damn, I was so horny recalling all of those vivid details. I’d even or

BLAKE She immediately brought her hands to my torso and kissed down the center of my chest, making her way to my belt. She unfastened it and began pulling off my pants. I slid them off and turned my attention to her, pulling her shirt off and unhooking her bra, revealing her beautiful, perky breasts, with the most perfect, erect nipples. Goddess, I fucking love everything about her. I quickly kissed my way down her right breast, placing my hand on her left one and gently rubbing the nipple between my fingers, licking the right one, savoring it as I lapped my tongue against it and sucked lightly. Jasmine moaned softly, and I continued what I was doing, reveling in her reaction. Her hands wove themselves through my hair, moved down to the nape of my neck, and I lifted my head, peering in her eyes. I brought my hand to her hair, gliding my fingers through it and moving my hand softly down her neck, shoulders, and arms. I loved the feeling of her skin on my fingertips as I touched ever