[Second Thoughts] SIERRA It had been two days since Sebastian and I returned to his pack and despite my longing to see my mother, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to adapt. After the dinner the other night, Sebastian took me on a walk around the grounds, showing me a few of his favorite places he liked to go to clear his head. Mostly the training arena. I had to laugh at how silly that was. I mean, who liked fighting that much. Then again, I suppose when you were the leader of a pack of wolves, knowing how to protect oneself and everyone else must be key. Madeline especially had been a Godsend. Since that first day I met her, I knew she would soon become a big part of my life in the pack. Taking me under her wing the way she did at the dinner, I could only imagine what else awaited me under her care. Then there was Rory and Kimberly—a match made in heaven. It was so easy to see their Goddess did not falter in pairing those two. Rory was goofy while Kimberly seemed somewhat shelt

[Protect Her] SEBASTIAN Sierra pulled out of my arms and slid to the opposite side of the bed, turning her face away from me. Did I do or say something to cause this? Folding her arms, she grew a cute lil' pout, pushing her full lips upwards. It was nearly impossible to believe that the behavior she displayed a minute ago had changed so dramatically. I heaved a sigh and stepped away from the bed, putting space between us against my desire to do so. "What’s the matter?” "I want to go home," she mumbled. "I don't belong here." Stunned, I glanced at my mother, silently begging for any hint as to what I had done wrong. Panic rose in my chest. What happened from the time she spoke to my mother to the time she disappeared for an entire hour and a half? My mother glanced between Sierra and me with a look that I couldn’t quite read. "You are home, dear," she stated matter-of-factly, approaching the other side of the bed. "Darling, this is your home now. Why would you want to leave?" S

[For Oliver] CASSIDY A floral scent of roses and buttercups filled the air around the garden. Heavy raindrops beat down on the glass of the greenhouse while thunder cracked and blinding flashes of lightning lit up the darkened skies. Believe it or not, it was past ten in the morning, and outside was still dark. Come to think of it, I couldn’t remember seeing the sun shining when I arrived. The castle seemed clouded by darkness whether day or night. I wonder why? After breakfast, I opted for a walk in the garden, away from the prince and as far away as possible from his father. They both repulsed me. Especially that so-called King Darien. The thought of being in his presence for another second made me want to vomit. Plus, having to marry his son, only so I could help to protect what remained of my family was worth the sacrifice of Zaiden’s hands on my body. My nostrils flared with rage and my hands balled into fists at my side, compelling me to punch something. Preferably that pret

[Training II] SEBASTIAN The following morning, Sierra and I met in the ring for her second day of training. Yesterday had gone better than I imagined. Although she hadn’t fought before, she had a determination I’d only seen in my fighters, and I loved that about her. Humans had no business fighting or training with werewolves, but my mate always seized the opportunity to impress me. To be honest, I didn't expect her to show up this morning. This was not a case of me being a jerk. It was reality. "Yesterday was a warm-up. From today onward, your training will only get more intense, but not too quickly. I won't want you to hurt yourself." I stated. Sierra nodded. I could already see the fire burning in her eyes, ready to kick my ass. That day wouldn't be today, though. She still had a long way to go. *** Yesterday, after Rory and Kimberly left my office, that hardened exterior she showed to our beta couple broke down and Sierra started sobbing. "I'm scared, Sebastian," she dec

[A Missing Bryanna] SEBASTIAN After Sierra had taken a shower to soothe her aching muscles, she joined me in my office to have lunch. Despite her being here almost a week now, she was still somewhat shy of the pack members and their welcoming nature. She would adapt but with time. Another thing I admired about my mate was her willingness to try. Afterward, we both sat down to do different tasks. I sat behind my desk to work on some reports that needed my utmost attention while she sprawled out on the couch with the laptop on her stomach, perusing online for brand-new office furniture. Currently, her office was in the process of renovations. Merely a few changes from what Sasha had requested from the décor my mother had when she was Luna. It was something everyone did when they took their new positions, whether Luna or Alpha. We had different tastes from the previous leaders, so it was a prerequisite. I had to do it after I took over as Alpha and now, she had to. Even though she wa