I’m not sure why I agreed to dance with Luca, but perhaps I’m too easily convinced into things these days. He’s been a constant around the medical centre for the last few weeks, in Kylar absence. At first I was worried that he might have an ulterior motive, wanting to get closer to me. But after the first week, I realised that he has no romantic interest in me. In fact, he’s quite clearly in love with Kylar’s Sister, Kate. She bought her young daughters in for a standard check up appointment at the end of that first week. He had been helping out in the store room, cataloguing. I understood that he wanted something to do, whilst he recovered from the venom in his bloodstream. He was disappointed that Kylar and the others had shipped out without him. I’m impressed with the members of this pack, when they’re displaced from their usual routines. They work, they find other ways to fill their time productively rather than spending all their time and money in Eclipse. When Kate came in
It seems so strange, that despite everything, Kylar still wants to be with me. This gorgeous, enigmatic and powerful man wants to claim me. Afterall, that’s what he is doing, bending down to kiss me in front of the entire village. There can be no denying his possession as his mouth moves over mine. The initial touch was soft and sweet, testing the boundaries. But I kissed him back and there’s nothing but heat between us. I can feel his grip on my ass as he slides his hands over my denim cut offs. Pulling me with aggressive desire against his body. I’m gasping, thoughts spiralling already as I lose sense of where we are. Revelling in the sensation of him. The scent of alpine trees and something deep and musky that is Kylar’s alone. Seren has been moping again and she’s always so delighted when his wolf is nearby. When we’re in harmony. It’s hard to believe that he wants to try again. That he wants to be with me. But then, I feel the same. Yes, he was an arrogant arse when he foun
‘You know that man?’ Kylar had moved towards me, his actions instinctive, protective. I find myself leaning into that protection. Even if it’s new. I feel safer with Kylar than I did with my own pack. Afterall, they banished me.‘I know him,’ I agree with a voice that’s a shiver. ‘He’s from my old pack,’ I explain, ‘Silver Stream.’Kylar looks down at me, searching my face as if we have all the time in the world. We take a pause together and I already miss our sense of calm and security. With only his presence, Josh has shattered that. The past has intruded on the present. They rejected me. They banished me. How dare he arrive on my doorstep. I can’t breathe.‘We need to have that talk,’ Kylar says for my ears alone before he strides forward towards Josh. Josh is just how I remembered him, dark haired with blue eyes. He has an angular face and high cheekbones. Josh looks between me and Kylar as I step up alongside the future Alpha of Midnight Forest. I always thought Josh was kind o
‘It’s…’ I look down at my hands. Then I close my eyes. As if I could shut out the memory of that day, and the choices I made. The night I spent with Kylar. I can’t regret my children, and it feels now as though life is turning out the way it was meant to be somehow. But I can’t help but wonder if I could go back in time, what I might have done differently.Kylar tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers warm as they linger on my skin. He wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his chest. I can hear the steady beat of his heart. I feel the strength of his arm around me and I feel some of the walls that I’ve built to protect myself, come tumbling down. ‘My father is the Alpha of Silver Stream,’ I start slowly, with just the facts. Wrapped in the strength of Kylar’s arms, it’s time I found the courage to share the story of what happened. But it feels like unlocking doors within myself. Big, dark doors that have been shut away and sealed up tight. I’m afraid
KylarI’ll do anything I can to take the pain away from Ava. Objectively, I know that I’m not the one who Banished a young woman from my pack for getting pregnant. That’s not something I would ever do. But I can’t help but feel responsible for what happened to her. I can’t believe her Father did that to her. It’s unimaginably cruel. Now I know why she’s so guarded. Why she’s built all the walls around her heart to protect herself, why she only seems to have one good friend in the Human, Lou. I knew that Ava was hurt, but it was a betrayal of her entire family and pack. I’m clear in my mind that she did nothing wrong. They betrayed her. They made a vulnerable young woman a Rogue and sent her out into the world, alone. I want to tear them all apart. Part of me, the darker part of my Spirit, is sorry her Father has already passed, so I can’t kill him myself. I feel a sickening desire to ruin them all, to bring the Silver Stream to its knees. I understand, completely, why Ava doe
AvaThere is something magical that takes place whenever Kylar and I make love. Something spiritual. I want to put it down to my lack of experience. Other than Ryan, there’s only been Kylar. So maybe this is just good sex. Or sex between adults instead of fumbling teens trying to learn from each other. I know that I’m lying to myself. That I could sleep with twenty men and not feel the same connection. The same movement of Seren against his wolf. He has this way of making me feel safe whilst still challenging my boundaries. When I wake the next morning, my cheeks are red from blushing. I blink, realising that he’s still lying beside me, wrapped up in the blankets. His heavy arm over my waist. My eyes are blurry, and I don’t want to face Josh. I don’t want to face the past and my banishment or hear what he has to say. Although, having shared everything with Kylar, I feel different. As though some part of my heart has healed.He didn’t reject me when I told him my story. He just h
Sure enough, by the time Kylar moves away from me, I can see the shadow of Lou at the door. I pull it open and she steps in, giving me a hug. I squeeze her back and she offers up a half-smile. At the moment she has a dark blue pixie cut, she’s gorgeous as always, but having met the Alpha of the Pack, it’s like they’re opposites.‘You going to be okay?’ Lou pats my shoulder, looking up at me with big blue eyes. ‘Yeah,’ I glance at Kylar who’s pulling on his boots behind me, ‘going to be okay.’Lou kisses my cheek before stepping past the pair of us. She waits at the bottom of the stairs till we close the door. I let out the breath that feels like it’s trapped in my body. Taking hold of Kylar’s hand as we walk through the village together. There’s a light breeze and I can feel it pulling my hair out of the simple ponytail I’m wearing. Kylar squeezes my hand and I look at him, reassured. Even if it feels like my heart is sinking into my sneakers. I’m dressed in simple jeans, a tank
AvaI can only stare at Josh as I feel my heart breaking all over again. This time, not just for myself but for him. I’m not sure when my Father passed away, but he lost Bella at the start of their marriage, and now he’s lost his kids.‘We’ll ship out tomorrow,’ Kylar leans back in his chair and I look at him, with a pang of regret. He is the leader of the Mercenaries that Josh was talking about. So I guess it’s his decision. I’m going to miss him. How long was he away for last time? I’m being selfish and I look back at Josh who is nodding before he looks at me again.‘Will you come too?’ He asks quietly and Kylar speaks up again,‘No,’ my future Alpha replies and I glance at him. No? I don’t appreciate him answering on my behalf. I let out a breathe and look between the two of them again. Eager to answer on my own terms. I’m tongue tied and find myself staring at my hands. Trying to process everything that happens.‘I’d really like Ava to come back,’ Josh replies and I want to si