As my head snapped up and I looked into those painfully familiar eyes, I hurried to compose myself. Lighter than Liam's eyes, Atlas's blue eyes were nearing the verge of white--like a sky filled with fat tufts of clouds.  My heart hammered in response, but I refused to look anywhere other than his eyes. I knew that if I traced the grooves on his face, or looked over each strand of platinum hair, that I would be lost entirely. I had never held so much hate for the mate-bond until now. Even after everything Atlas had done, the mate-bond was still working to pull us together. I clicked my teeth together and fought against the pull, grimacing when one of Atlas's blonde eyebrows raised.  "A stray kitten wandering around my house." Atlas commented, the corner of his sinfully full lips twitching. His voice had been everything I remembered, and so much more. His voice alone could be my undoing, if only he knew the right words to say. Deep, and somewhat ra

Seems like partying isn't really your thing." A familiar voice called out.  I turned and met Duke's hazel eyes, void of the malice that used to haunt me. Duke stood against the doorframe; his arms crossed over his chest. He watched me with that blank, guarded gaze. It felt like being looked at under a microscope, like Duke was trying to figure out what made me tick.  "How would you know?" I asked, turning my attention away from Tyra and Dustin. Tyra was dancing with a guy her age, dark hair and rich, golden skin. Dustin was still in the midst of a heated conversation with a group of guys. Duke was right, partying wasn't my thing. "Well, you are just standing here." Duke shrugged; the corners of his lips twitched.  The Duke I remember wasn't so solemn, so--in control. Duke had once been the worst of my bullies, constantly spilling a wide array of liquids on me. In sixth grade, he had spilled fruit punch all over my wh

Her curly hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she had traded her workout clothes for a tight tank top and a pair of shorts. Her breasts spilled over the top of the tank top, and I couldn't ignore the familiar and intimate way she grinned at Atlas, placing a manicured hand on his bicep.  "I saw you watching us train." She squealed, "I'm so glad you came." I walked away as Alyssa continued speaking with Atlas, inching closer and closer to him. Despite the size of the training building, I felt as though the room were too small. The intimate look on Alyssa's face was the same one Michelle had when she looked at Atlas. The sight strengthened my resolve, and again, I reminded myself why I had come here. Duke stopped by the house later in the evening to tell us about an event some of the townspeople were throwing. Much like Liam, Atlas knew his people needed some down time after the rogue attack. Tensions were still high, but he couldn't let

"You're not going to tell me what that was about, are you?" Tyra chuckled dryly, raising her eyebrow in my direction.  "Not at the moment, no." I shook my head. I wasn't sure what to make of it myself, and the last thing I wanted to do was jump to conclusions. Michelle and Atlas could have easily broken up, or maybe she found her mate and left him. That thought sent a wave of sickening approval through me. It wasn't uncommon for mates to start families early. The other option was one I didn't want to think about, that the child she carried might belong to Atlas. It took a minute to force the thoughts from my mind, bottling them down tightly.  I gave Liam a call that night, giving him a rundown of everything that happened this week. I could've had Dustin make the call, but I felt like Liam and I were growing distant. Things had been strained since he lied and sent Atlas away, but I was beginning to no longer blame him. I conveniently l

The cool nighttime breeze was replaced with warm gusts of spring wind, carrying the scent of flowers and something sweet. The speckling of stars that danced across the sky vanished, leaving a bright sun and two faded moons in its wake. Sunlight danced through the clearing I stood in, peering through the trees that seemed much larger in this world. The trees were full of leaves, all varying shapes and sizes. The leaves were a bright emerald that drew my full attention. These trees were nothing like the ones back home. All of the colors here were brighter, like someone placed a filter over the world.The tugging in my stomach had finally stopped, and it took me a minute to realize what I had done. Portals were tricky, never staying in one place for too long. Liam had tracked portal openings all over the country by pinpointing the random attacks, each one more different than the next. One would open on the East coast, only to close and end up in Alaska three years later. There w