REID POVI inhale so fast I swallow my tongue and choke on my own saliva. My hands white knuckle the steering wheel, and my eyes water as I struggle to breathe and clear my throat from the spit that doesn’t belong there.Because the first thought that entered my mind after she said that was what it would be like to do that with her. To her. How would she taste? What sounds would she make? How would her face look as I brought her right to the edge and then pulled away, over and over again, until she begged me to let her finish? Would she writhe and roll her hips against my face, seeking more friction, forcing me to hold her in place so I could pleasure her the way I want, or would she be a good girl and hold still until I told her she could come?She stares at me from the passenger seat, her eyes twinkling with mischief, her hand in front of her mouth to cover her smile as she waits for my answer. My dick hardens again, and thank the goddess I am sitting down and can hide it easier tha

“There he is!” my dad exclaims, walking towards me with a broad smile, his blue eyes twinkling.His hair is clean and styled, his beard is trimmed and neat, and there isn’t a trace of imbalance in his aura. Today is a good day, then.Thank Selene.I force a smile back and close the door behind me just as he reaches me and roughs up my hair. “Where have you been, buddy?”“Oh, I was at Brewed Awakenings.”“With Taryn?” Seb asks, glancing at me as he buttons up his shirt.“Who is Taryn?” my dad asks, his brow furrowed.“Is that the girl you had to go on a date with?” Wesley asks, straightening his bow tie under his neck.“You went on a date?” My dad’s brow furrows even more.“It was just a one-time thing,” I say, shouldering by him to join Nolan at the rack of suits on the other side of the conference table. “It doesn’t sound like a one-time thing if you went to coffee with her too,” my dad points out.I huff out a sigh and shake my head. “She’s just a friend. I’m helping her train for

TARYN POVMy alarm blares, pulling me out of a dead sleep. My body is heavy, nestled into my bed under my warm, down comforter. On a normal day, I would press snooze on my alarm and let it wake me up again in five minutes. And then another five minutes. And then another. On a normal day, I would hunker down into my cushiony bed and savor its warmth and comfort until the last second.But today isn’t just a normal day. Today is an important day. Today will set everything in motion for the future I have been working for, the future I deserve.I roll over onto my back and take several long, deep, focused breaths before I get up and start getting ready. I quickly change, pulling on leggings and a white top similar to the one I wore yesterday while training with Reid. I remove my pink satin bonnet, and since I just did my hair last night, I leave my twists alone and just pull a section of them up and out of my face, then slip on a head wrap — my favorite tie-dye pink one — for good luck.As

TARYN POVThe silence that settles over the pack grounds after my declaration is heavy and pressing. Everyone on the training field freezes, their eyes locked on us, their breath held, their bodies frozen as they wait for him to react.“Excuse me?” Dominic asks, taking a step towards me again, blinking and shaking his head. “What did you say?”“You heard me,” I say.He scoffs and storms back over to me, his gray eyes flashing. “You can’t do that. You can’t just make demands like that.”“I can, actually. I am well within my rights to demand a warrior challenge.”“Says who?”“WL-176.59. Section B. As long as they have gone through a complete warrior training program, a pack transfer can compete in an official warrior challenge at their new pack to be granted warrior status. Once initiated, the challenge must be given within two weeks, or the werewolf will automatically be granted a position among the warriors of the pack.”“You’re lying,” he growls, staring down at me with a glare.“She’

TARYN POV The icy wind whips around me, slicing through each layer of my clothing to my skin, sending a shiver down my spine and goosebumps up my arms. I hug my faux fur coat tighter to my body, covering my chest and the small slivers of my stomach exposed by the criss-crossed bodice of my bodycon dress, and take a steadying breath before I pull open the door to La Dolce Vita. Inside, the Italian restaurant is warm, both in temperature and atmosphere. The little square tables are lit with candles, and the scents of garlic and fresh baked bread floating on the air tickle my nose and tease my taste buds, making my stomach growl in anticipation. At least I’ll get a meal out of this sham of a meal. That’s the only positive I can find right now. My feet move me forward, the heels of my over the knee boots clicking on the stamped concrete floor, but my heart and my mind are filled with lead, pulling me back to my car and up the mountain. Not to Silver Ridge. But to Crescent Lake. Which