Semua Bab Hide and Seek: Bab 91 - Bab 100

It’s the night before our birthday—Alexander and I—and tomorrow, everything changes. He’ll become Alpha of our territory, and I’m set to become Beta.Well… depending on who my mates are.Because if Jared and Summer turn out to be my mates, I don’t know if I can stay here. I can’t imagine being apart from them, but I also can’t imagine staying if they aren’t mine.Maybe I’m just setting myself up to fall. The Goddess knows what’s coming, but I don’t. All I know is that everything I’ve ever wanted—every breath of hope I’ve dared to take—hinges on who I scent tomorrow.Alexander’s in the same boat, only we think we know who his mates are. And if we’re right, he’s walking straight into a damn mess: JoJo and Jacob. He’s practically begging the Goddess to be wrong.We’re both wrecks.We haven’t even seen our potential mates tonight. We couldn’t. It wouldn’t feel fair—not when everything might change in a heartbeat.And it’s not just us feeling the tension.“Okay, I can’t do this anymore!” Ma

We stayed with Dad throughout the night, laughing about old times, talking about the responsibilities that will come with our new positions, and discussing the matebond. I can’t wait to get back and wake up to find my mates. The fact that I already know exactly who they are—that they’re the ones I’ve wanted my entire life—takes away all the anxiety I’d been carrying up to my birthday. Now, I’m just filled with excitement and impatience.“Am I allowed to tell Summer?” I ask Dad as we’re getting ready to leave.“Yes,” he replies, grinning wide. “You can even mark her if you want. She’ll feel the sparks.” His face suddenly shifts to a worried expression. “Selene was supposed to be here to tell you that. She swore me to secrecy a long time ago—hell, before Jared’s birthday. She said she arranged it this way because the three of you are Elite warriors and will be needed in the war to come. She wants you at your strongest. But she isn’t here, and we can’t find any sign of her or Hecate.”Tha

We collapse forward in a tangle of limbs and tangled sheets, breathless and flushed. But the rest doesn’t last long. Rowen’s wolf, always the closest to the surface, ignites something wild in both Summer and me—especially in bed. And now, with one mate still unmarked, our wolves are clawing at our insides, practically howling to complete the bond.And I, for one, am more than happy to oblige.I shift behind Rowen, gripping his hips and guiding him up onto his knees.“Mmm, what are you doing back there, Jare?” he asks, voice thick with lust.“Fucking my mate,” I growl, thrusting into him in one brutal push.“Holy shit!” he gasps, voice pitched with pain and pleasure. I know his wolf loves the savagery—and so does Rowen. He’s dominant by nature, but when we flip the script? He thrives.“Fuck, you’re tight,” I grit out, frozen in place to keep from coming too fast.“That’s hot as hell,” Summer moans. I glance over and see her spread wide, fingers gliding through slick folds before circlin

Alexander and Jared ask to speak with me in the Alpha suite after the ceremony. I wait until the party winds down and let Mémé Clara take Lily up to our rooms. Esteban and I ride the elevator to the fifth floor of the packhouse.“Why do you think they want to talk to you?” Esteban asks, though I know he already suspects the answer.“There’s only one reason they’d call me the night they discover they’re mates,” I reply, dry as dust.“The same reason Jacob didn’t take his role as lune tonight?” His face mirrors the anxiety I’ve been trying not to drown in. This conversation won’t be easy.I nod. “JoJo.”Jacob greets us at the door, already changed out of his formal wear. I hug him.“Hey, cuz. How’re you holding up?”He hugs me back, strong but sad. “Reaping the consequences of my rash decisions,” he says quietly.He hugs Esteban too.“Hey, Jacob. Congrats on finding your mate,” Esteban says, doing the classic male hug with a back pat.Jacob offers a weak smile before Alexander walks in f

I’ve been hanging out with some of the acolytes from the Crone, Maiden, and Mother covens since we arrived in Arcadia. It’s been... fine. Being around witches again felt like breathing fresh air after living in a bunker. I missed the sisterhood.At first, the younger witches were wary of me. Understandable. But once Nora, Citra, and Bella vouched for me, the tension eased. Sort of. They still treat me like a cautionary tale with cool magic tricks. Not exactly friendship, but close enough to fake it.My power’s way beyond theirs—that’s not a brag, it’s just facts. I told Kayla that I was stronger than most witches, and I wasn’t exaggerating. But power doesn’t equal belonging.They’re nice. They’re sweet. They’re not my people.I don’t have their stories. I wasn’t raised in covens, giggling over spells and gossip. I grew up underground with ancient hags and no sunlight. My accent’s different. My energy’s different. Hell, I’m different.And whether they admit it or not, I’m still a Riding