All Chapters of Alpha Step Daddy : Four Mates, One heart: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

RAVENFor a heartbeat, all the air was sucked out of the library, leaving my lungs screaming for oxygen. Then came the light—a blinding, white that didn't just hurt my eyes, it felt like it was trying to scrub my soul clean.Then, the world came back with a thud.I hit the floor hard. The shadow-chains that had been biting into my skin didn't just snap; they disintegrated into nothing. I lay there for a second, my cheek pressed against the cold, grit-covered rug. My ears were ringing with a high whine that drowned out everything else.Breathe, I told myself. Just breathe.I tasted blood and dust. The air was thick with the scent of something burnt sweet—like honey left to burn on a stove.A hand touched my shoulder. I flinched, my magic sparking weakly at my fingertips, but the touch was warm. It was solid. It felt like home."Raven."Dominic’s voice was a rough whisper, barely audible over the ringing in my ears. He pulled me up into his lap, his arms wrapping around me with a de

RAVENDominic had left an hour ago to oversee the reinforcements of the north gate. He hadn’t wanted to go, but I’d practically pushed him out the door. The man was full of protective energy, and if he stayed in this room any longer, he was going to start pacing holes in the floorboards.I sat by the window, my fingers tracing the marks on my wrist. They didn't feel like skin anymore. Every time the sunlight hit them, they shimmered.I was staring at a patch of dead grass in the courtyard when a sudden thwack hit the glass.I jumped, my heart leaping into my throat. For a split second, I expected to see a shadow-walker or a splatter of black ink.Instead, I saw a pinecone.It was wedged into the corner of the window frame. A second later, another one flew up from below, bouncing off the glass with a cheerful ping.I pushed the window open and leaned out.Cole was standing in the dirt three stories down. He wasn't wearing a shirt—he rarely did when the sun was out and his golden-brown

JAXI didn't move for a long second. I couldn't. My heart was slamming against my ribs, and the air in my lungs felt like it had been replaced by smoke. I’ve been in a hundred battles. I’ve seen men torn apart by teeth . I’ve looked into the eyes of death so many times I know the color of its iris.But I’ve never been as afraid as I was when that shadow-thing turned its white pits toward her."Raven," I rasped.My voice sounded foreign to me—cracked and raw. I pushed myself up from the stone wall, the pain in my chest a dull roar. The impact had probably cracked a couple of ribs, but I didn't give a damn. I crawled toward her, my boots sliding on the damp, cold floor of the mine.She was on her knees, her small frame trembling so hard I could hear her teeth chattering. The orange glow of her magic had faded, but the silver marks on her wrists were still pulsing with a faint, dying light. She looked fragile. She looked like a piece of glass that had survived a hammer blow but was cover

RAVENAfter the adrenaline of the mine and the heat of Jax’s embrace, a strange restlessness had settled into my marrow. I had slept for a few hours, tucked safely against Jax’s side, but the silver marks on my neck had begun to hum— I was restless.I slipped out from under Jax’s arm, moving silently. He didn't wake up, though his brow furrowed for a second as he felt the loss of my warmth. I tucked the blankets around his broad shoulders, lingering for a moment to watch the steady rise and fall of his chest. He looked younger when he was asleep, the hard lines on his face softened.I stepped out into the hallway. The air was cool, smelling of the fresh pine planks used to board up the library.I didn't head for the kitchen or the courtyard. I followed the pull in my chest, the invisible thread that led toward the back of the house, where the old stone archives sat nestled against the mountain’s roots.The door to the archives swung open without a sound.Inside, the room was bathed in

RAVEN.The others had drifted away.Cole had gone first, his laughter echoing down the trail as he challenged Jax to a race back to the barracks. Jax had lingered for a moment, his hand resting on the hilt of his axe, his eyes meeting mine with a silent promise before he followed. Merek simply faded, his blue light winking out like a snuffed candle.Now, it was just the house, the stars, and Dominic.He hadn't moved from his spot on the porch. He was leaning back against a pillar, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He looked like a king in a ruined palace, his gaze fixed on the valley below.I stood up from the edge of the porch, the cool wind catching my hair. I walked over to him, my bare feet silent on the boards."You’re thinking about the mine," I said softly.Dominic didn't look up, but he reached out, his large hand wrapping around my ankle, his thumb tracing the bone with a slow, possessive rhythm. "I’m thinking about how much I hate that I have to let you go back