That afternoon, after another visit to the pack’s gym, Sophie decided to venture into the wilderness at the back of the pack house. It was like calling for her; the wind whispered, the magic from beyond was calling, and with a sudden courage and some renewed curiosity, she dressed well for her journey, after all, she doesn't want a repeat of what happens on her grandfather’s mountain. So with a cotton yellow sweatshirt, a comfortable overall, and hiking shoes, she was now ready to embark on a journey in the woods. Well, nothing could go wrong, right? She was now stronger than any normal werewolf, though without a wolf. But then, she was a hybrid demon; maybe it wouldn't be too risky. She was, after all, a predator. With a water bottle in hand, she started her excursion. Anyway, the asshole Alpha was gone for meeting with his father, so no, he wouldn't mind this little adventure. Besides, she was bored as hell, and she wanted to see the woodland. Nothing could go wrong. Right? She t

Sage smiled to himself while he listened to Sophie’s laughter. Her laughter was the summer rain and the birdsong too, and every time he heard it, no matter the weather, the sun brightened. It was as if her sound lifted a veil from their eyes and allowed them to see the world more clearly. It was funny how her laughter could do that—those honest rumblings of her soul. He was lost in it. Sophie's laughter was always a kind of laughter; it was like a song to a bird and came in happy moments. Fresh and new every day. So childish and so pure. It was the sound of her soul, something that came when the smile of her eyes overflowed into the air. So when he heard her giggles and her soft expressions of joy, they were as much a gift for her and this pack house as they were a sign of their growing bond. Though they were sleeping separately, nobody except Greg knew about their arrangement; in fact, no one was allowed on the east side of the pack house where the three of them occupied. Greg had b

"Sophie, I think you're doing it wrong. Tell me, what are you picturing in your mind now, hm, imagining?" "Well, I'm trying to summon a beach." She blurted in a good practice, duh tone as she began to waver.Sage's eyes widened. "What? Are you crazy?" he shook his head, "in my fucking backyard? That's not even possible." Despite her nonsense, Sophie put a reassuring hand on his hand and smirked at Sage.He wrinkled his nose in annoyance. "A beach? Sophie, really?""Why Sage? Are you judging me again? I want sea air and to take a swim. So sue me!""The hell are you thinking? That's not even possible, woman. How about you start using your brain and lift this fuckin stone in t

"Hey, woman, let me explain, okay?" Sage said this while Sophie stood up, and her demon fangs suddenly elongated as if telling him that she was not happy with what she heard. Her heart was pumping, lungs were burning, and her demon heart was flailing in her throat. "Sophie—" She growled at her alpha. She extended her hand. A slender tree plucked from the garden ground slowly floated towards Sage from either side with nimble, spidery fingers, slowing him down, and the ground turned soft under his feet. "Stop this."Behind Sage, the wind screeched and cackled at the delighted triumph. Dark, hidden eyes watched from every egress, waiting patiently. Bones, human and animal, lay scattered among faint rust-brown stains and pitted black scorch marks beneath heartless rockslides. The forbidden woodland knew nothing of forgiveness, of mistakes, or of second chances. Suddenly furious, Sophie’s fire surged from h

With the keen, aching desire of her "You say you don’t play games, but you’re a master at it, Sage. In fact, I think you’ve been playing at them for so long you can’t remember how to be real anymore." Sage was hardly aware of his own movements as he whirled back on her with a furious roar. Distance closed in fractional seconds—a blink of time between the moment he’d been turned away from Sophie and the next, when he was bearing down on her like a train in motion, pushing her with both the force of his will and his body until they both slammed up against the closed door. He pinned her there, between the hard, unyielding length of him and the thick plank of oak at her back.&nbs