Lorenzo sat on the bench seat overlooking Arla’s garden, with his head in his hands. The once vibrant and beautiful garden was now mostly shriveled and dying. Withering in the same manner he felt inside his chest.  Felix came by every few days to tend it as best he could, and the packhouse gardeners helped, but without Arla’s magic touch, it failed to flourish as it once had.  He felt her loss more and more each day, and now the day he’d been waiting for, five and a half years in the making, was finally here…and he was miserable. Her eighteenth birthday. She was supposed to be here with him. He’d had it planned out in his head for years. This was the day she would finally call him mate.  Instead, he was alone, not knowing where she was. He didn’t know if she was safe, or if she was even alive. He f

Back in the cabin, Arla could barely contain her nervous energy. Lewis had just given her the first real opportunity for escape since she’d been here, and she needed to think through every possibility before making a decision. This was her only chance and she couldn’t waste it.  Sadie and Victor were sitting on her bed as she explained what had happened with Lewis in a whisper, not wanting any of the other witches to know. “What are you waiting for, Arla?” asked Sadie, whisper-squealing. “I can’t just take the bracelet off and shift,” she explained. “My wolf has been suppressed for so long now, it’s going to take her a while to gain her strength back.” She moved to sit with them on the bed. “There’s always the possibility that she won’t come back,” she added sa

Maeve opened her eyes seconds later, finding herself in the packhouse foyer, and howled loudly, voicing her pleasure. Millie and Granny Elsie came rushing from the kitchen, overjoyed and shouting Arla’s name.  Drew appeared next, hugging Maeve tightly and patting her fur. Maeve purred in delight. It had been so very long since she’d been touched, and to have Drew and Dusk so close helped forge their connection once again.  Granny Elsie walked into the living room and returned holding a blanket. She held it in front of Maeve as she shifted back, and wrapped it around Arla’s naked body, leading her into the living room where Millie had rustled up some leggings and a t-shirt. She hugged and kissed them both, then flew out of the room at a rate of knots and straight into Drew’s waiting arms. He picked her u

Lorenzo ran his hands under her shirt and up and down the sides of her waist, goosebumps erupting across Arla’s flesh in the aftermath of the blissful feeling of the sparks. Arla began unbuttoning his shirt. The need to feel his skin was growing stronger, making her bolder.  He bent his head, kissing and licking her neck until he reached a particular spot lower down that made her let out a moan of pleasure. He instantly knew that was where he would mark her. “Tell him to mark you,” purred Maeve. “Maeve, I can’t just blurt that out. I don’t even know what I’m doing.” “He needs to mark you. I don’t want to push you, but I am going to anyway. You need to complete the bond.” 

Lorenzo opened his eyes slowly. His entire body felt stiff and sore, as though he hadn’t moved a muscle in quite a while. The early morning sun was streaming through the curtains, casting an orange glow over the room.  Isn’t it night time? He thought, confusion clouding his brain as he tried to recall what had happened.  Arla! He turned his heavy head to see her platinum waves fanning over his chest, and wiggled his fingers, feeling her small hand in his. He sighed with contentment and smiled to himself, the delicate sparks dancing on his skin where she lay. Fuck, he suddenly thought.