All Chapters of Bound to Reign: A Luna's Exile to Painted Ridge: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The drive into Billings felt different than the high-speed trek from Georgia. With the sun high and the pressure of the morning’s "lesson" behind them, the landscape seemed to open up, the sky stretching out in an endless, pale blue. Caleb didn't take her to a sprawling mall; instead, he pulled the SUV up to a quiet, tree-lined street in the historic district, stopping in front of a small boutique with a hand-painted sign and a welcoming, homey vibe. Inside, the air was cool and smelled of dried lavender. Caleb moved through the racks with a surprising amount of focus, his large hands looking out of place but steady as he flipped through hangers. He pulled three sundresses—all light, breathable cotton. One was a deep forest green, another a soft cornflower blue, and the third a pale teal with tiny white embroidery. “Caleb, I can only wear one at a time,” Sadie pointed out, her lips twitching with a smile as she looked at the armful

The joy of the run was howling through every fiber of her body. Her wolf was a gray streaked with white, with one large white splotch on her hind leg that flashed like a signal fire through the trees. Not being familiar with this trail hadn't slowed Sadie in the least. If anything, it sped her up as she was taking in the new sights and smells with reckless abandon. Sadie let loose an exuberant howl as she found another gear, leaving Caleb in her dust. Tess and Nash had taken a different fork, promising to meet them. There was some sort of barn behind her, but Sadie wouldn't slow. If the cost of this ecstasy was shaking a dress from her shoulders, Sadie would readily pay the price. The others were so nonchalant about it; following their lead was easy, like breathing. Soon the path let out onto a rocky expanse of creek. It was mostly shallow with bubbles and whirls, and one section even had a small waterfall as the creek changed levels. Sadie couldn't resist.

The house was quiet, the only sound the distant, lonely cry of a coyote out on the Ridge, but sleep was a mile away for Sadie. She shifted again, the heavy cotton sheets dragging against her skin in a way that felt like fire against a raw nerve. She was restless, her body humming with a low-frequency vibration that started in her core and radiated out to her fingertips. Every time she moved, the scent of Caleb—vanilla, pine, and pure, heated male—washed over her, making the ache between her thighs pulse. Caleb was silent beside her, but she knew he wasn't asleep. He was a predator; he knew the rhythm of her heart better than she did. Finally, he shifted, his massive frame radiating a heat that felt like a furnace in the dark room. “You’re doing a lot of tossing and turning, Sadie,” he murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that made her stomach flip. “Is there a particular... need... you’d like to discuss?” His tone was teasing, but there was an edge to it—a hunger that ma

Caleb didn’t answer immediately. His hand, which had been resting warmly against Sadie's, tightened just a fraction—a subconscious tell that he’d recognized the scent long before Sadie had.The blonde woman was leaning against a timber pillar, a drink dangling carelessly from her fingers. She was beautiful in a jagged, hungry sort of way, her eyes locked onto Caleb with a proprietary intensity that made Sadie’s skin prickle."That," Caleb said, his voice dropping into a low, flat rumble that lacked any of the warmth he’d used with Sadie, "is Chloe."As they moved closer in the buffet line, the scent Sadie had picked up—that echo of Caleb—became clearer. It wasn't a family connection; it was the lingering, faded ghost of proximity. The smell of someone who had spent a lot of time in his space, hoping some of his scent would finally stick for good."She was... a distraction," Caleb muttered, leaning down so only Sadie could hear him over the music. "I told her a thousand times a mate bo

The routine was Caleb’s way of grounding himself before the storm. He moved through the house with practiced efficiency, checking the deadbolts and hauling the groceries onto the counter. He fired off a series of rapid-fire business notes to Nash, ensuring the pack’s logistics were handled so his mind could be entirely present for what came next. After setting the phone aside, he gathered a basin of water, the scent of pine and sweet, warm vanilla clinging to him—a scent that usually promised comfort but now signaled a predatory intent.In the bedroom, Sadie had long since abandoned her clothes. She lay waiting, her body humming with a kinetic energy that made her skin feel like a live wire.When Caleb entered, he stopped at the foot of the bed. His eyes locked onto hers as he reached for the hem of his shirt. He stripped with slow, deliberate movements, tossing his clothes aside until he stood before her completely naked. Sadie didn't look away; she let her gaze r