A violent shiver went up my spine as my human and lupine sides fought. Conri's aura crushed against me, pushing all the air out of my lungs as he commanded all his dominance to cloud me, forcing me to stop. I dug my nails into his shoulders, grinding my teeth as I buried my face in the crook of his neck and panted heavily. My human and wolf sides were battling with each other, one wanting to run away and hide like a scared little girl and the other wanting to devour Conri and let lust run the show. The war raged endlessly inside my head, and I whimpered as I struggled to decide which side to pick. My entire body trembled as I fought to control my urges. He ran his hands up and down my arms as his dominating aura turned into a soother, gentler energy. "I'm sorry, Rieka. I know I told you not to fight it, but you're still hurt and not fully healed. I don't want you to injure yourself any further." Conri sighed heavily as if he was fighting his own battle, and his chest began to vibrat

I sat on Conri’s back, in his wolf form, just behind his shoulders. My fingers dug into his midnight fur, holding on tightly, so I didn’t lose my balance. I didn’t know how long we had been walking through the woods. I was never good at telling time. The rest of the pack surrounded Conri as we moved, the king’s massive form making the rest seem average size for a wolf. We walked in silence as I took in my surroundings. I had never been able to sit back and enjoy the view. I was always on the run, always trying to find my next spot to lay low. The trees were close together, their branches brushing against each other. The further we traveled, the tighter the tree canopy got, barely letting in any sunlight. Despite the lack of light, it was almost—peaceful. The forest's quiet was serene and calming, with a few birds chirping here and there. It got darker and eerie as the trees and undergrowth grew thicker and closer together. Whenever Conri had to jump over a fallen log, I clutched tig

“Varjo. They’re literally made of shadows and will drain you of your life essence.” An ear-splintering howl sounded in the distance, causing me to jump in shock. Conri nudged me to my feet, allowing me to lean against him. “It’s okay. It’s just Connor.” Conri threw his head back, and a soulful, long howl vibrated through his chest as he answered his beta. It amazed me for a moment that he could make such vicious-sounding snarls and then, moments later, let out a beautiful howl that warmed my core. Moments later, crashing sounded through the woods, and the rest of the pack surrounded us. Cody and Connor stopped near Conri. “Are you okay, my king?” Connor asked breathlessly. He had a gash on the corner of his right eye. It had begun to heal; the tip of Conri’s left ear was torn. Cody’s pure white fur was no longer pure. It was stained with not only Varjo's blood but his blood. “We’re fine. And the pack?” “No fatalities. Just some bumps and bruises. Nothing we couldn’t handle, my k

“What did you just say?” Devil cowered away from Conri as his aura flared. I looked at Conri for an explanation, but he paid no attention to me. “Phoenix is looking for the Malikah, my king.” “For what reason?” “That would be a question for the Blood Moon Pack, my king. But the Malikah is just a legend, a myth, right?” Conri stared at Devil for a long moment as if trying to decide if he was lying. “Right.” Without waiting for a response from Devil, Conri stood up, gently grasped my arm, and pulled me to my feet. We walked out of the hut, and he stood in the doorway, observing the activity in the camp. “Is this everyone that you have?” “Yes, my king. We have every Shifter we have on patrol, but we still have a lot who are under eighteen.” Meaning that they didn’t have their first shift and they were powerless. Conri nodded his understanding, his eyes still scanning the area. “Cody.” Conri’s voice was sharp and clear. Without hesitation, Cody sauntered to us, towering over us in h

“Do you trust me?” I nodded my head without hesitation. “Lay down.” I fell onto my stomach, kicking my legs out down the bed as Conri straddled me. The intensity in the apex of my thighs grew stronger as he hooked his fingers under the seam of my pants and began to pull them down along with my undergarments, tossing them to the floor with my other clothes. He ran a hand up the inside of my leg toward the apex of my thighs. “Just like the first time, Rieka, relax. Don’t fight your instincts. Your body knows what it wants.” Between his gentle words and his purring, I would have let him do whatever he wanted to me. A moan slipped between my lips as he brushed the apex of my thighs, and my hips involuntarily bucked, wanting more. Conri chuckled. He leaned forward to trail kisses down my spine, nipping at my shoulder blades as he passed them. I groaned. He cupped my pussy, and I moaned again as he placed little nips along my skin. Not enough to break the skin but hard enough to make me gas