WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW Ah! Goddess! Holden’s tongue is a gentle caress to my soul. He brings me so close to the edge I’m about to scream his name, and then he detaches his mouth from my pussy, looking up at me with heavy-lidded eyes. Fucking tease. His eyes are glassy, lips swollen, cheeks flushed. “I need you inside me,” I plead breathlessly. He pulls me towards the edge of the rock and stands between my legs. His cock brushes lightly against my inner thighs, and I moan softly in anticipation. Before he can act on my request, a distant howl cuts through our lust-filled haze, sending a shiver down my spine. It’s close. Too close. Holden stiffens. “Not now,” he snarls, looking around. “Fucking shit,” Jamie protests in my head, and I growl out loud. Holden chuckles at my reaction, and I stand up. He helps me fix my dress, his face a mix of disappointment and worry. “We’re not safe here,” he says. Once we’re back in the car, the tension is palpable. We’re both on edge, l

WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW In wolf form, Jamie and I are more connected to nature and to the Goddess. We’re even more connected to each other, and sharing our feelings and thoughts feels both terrifying and comforting. I don’t know what I would do without her to lean on. The horrible sight of the defaced Altar of Selene hurts even worse this way. I don’t want to face it, to face reality. I don’t want to face the thoughts of what this means for my pack, for wolfkind as a whole. Every step, every breath feels heavier with the weight of the thoughts racing through my mind, so I try to outrun them. The cool earth underneath feels soothing against my paws, almost like the earth is trying to absorb some of the chaos within me, some of the grief. The wind rushes past me, brushing against my fur as I sprint through the forest. The trees blur around me as we remember the gut-wrenching sight of the Shell. The sacred place of our ancestors, violated. I hear distant howls and feel how heavy th

WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW Holden pulls back and stares into my eyes so intensely that I’m sure he can see into the very depths of my soul, he can see my innermost dreams and desires. His eyes are filled with adoration and a heat that makes my heart race. Yet, despite that, I see a glimmer of vulnerability in his gaze, like he’s on the edge of a precipice, grappling with feelings he’s yet to fully understand. “I was wrong,” he whispers huskily. “What do you mean?” I ask confusedly. “The Goddess is real. You’re it. And I’m going to worship you now.” A shiver of anticipation runs down my spine at his words, and my eyes flutter shut as his hand tenderly caresses my cheek. Our lips meet in a fervent kiss, the world fading away as we lose ourselves in each other. The connection between us deepens, and I can feel the walls he built around himself starting to crumble. I hear his heartbeat thundering, matching the tempo of my own, and I know desire is coursing through his veins just as

HOLDEN’S POINT OF VIEW A chill runs down my spine as I stare at my reflection. Dressed in casual jeans and a dark shirt, I can’t help but feel nervous about the upcoming evening with Willow. I had the entire morning in class to daydream about every single possible outcome, and I can’t tell which ones I like most, and which ones I dread most. This is the first time I’m going unguarded to a meeting with her since the welcoming dinner. Last night, she beat me at my own game. Her argument struck a chord with me. I’m starting to entertain the thought that giving in to the bond and joining forces with her might be the most sound, rational idea. “You’re learning,” Hendrix says, pacing around in my head in anticipation. I never expected to find myself on a date, especially not with Willow. She’s the antithesis of everything I am – mystical where I’m logical, fiery where I’m cold. Or where I try to be cold. “You didn’t use quotation marks,” I ignore Hendrix’s banter. Yet, here we

WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW I wake up to a sweet ache in my body, reminding me of how hard my mate fucked me last night, marking every part of me as his. Well, except for ACTUALLY marking me. But I’m more convinced than ever that we’re on the right path to fully becoming mates, to fully accepting our bond—step by uncertain step. Last night, everything changed. I could see it in the way Holden acted throughout our date, I could hear it in his words as he opened up to me about things I’m not sure he had even admitted to himself, and I could feel it in the way we fucked passionately. “It was a wild ride, huh?” Jamie nudges me cheekily. “Oh, I hope I get to ride that cock soon…” I muse. As I go through my morning routine, I look back on everything that happened with a smile on my lips. Every gesture, every kiss, is an echo of our deepened connection. Yet, amidst all the warm fuzzy feelings, a shadow of doubt creeps in. I have to hold on to the belief that things changed so much that not