REIDThe shrill howl of a wolf echoes through the forest, followed by another. Tonight, the woods are crawling with wolves out running together under the light of the full moon. They’re running wild, free, answering the call of their most basic instinct at this stage in the lunar cycle, when the moon’s energy is at its peak. For many, it’s a time for cathartic release, to let go of the past and move into a new phase.Just a few minutes ago, I was out there running with them. As my pack’s Alpha, it’s my duty to lead the run every full moon- it’s a ritual that promotes pack bonding and solidarity. Us wolf shifters are always looking forward to the full moon run, but anticipation was particularly high for tonight’s run because it wasn’t just with our own pack; we joined in with the other five packs of wolf shifters that we’re aligned with for the run. The full moon run felt so different tonigh

REID“You’d better have a good reason for calling us over this early,” Theo yawns as he steps over the threshold into my packhouse. He and Jax are the last to arrive- Gray and Brock are already here. I sent out a text last night telling them we needed to meet this morning, and considering I don’t make requests like this often, they all showed up, no questions asked.“He’s got coffee,” Gray calls from the kitchen, holding up the pot.Theo scrubs a hand over his face. “Thank fuck.”I roll my eyes, clapping him on the shoulder and leading him and Jax into the kitchen where Brock is sipping on a cup of coffee and Gray is filling a few more for the rest of us.“You gonna tell us what’s so urgent, or are you gonna keep us hanging?” Jax groans, posting up against the kitchen counter. He’s got dark circles under his eyes and his hair is disheveled- I&rsq

REID I’ve always believed in destiny. While this current situation may not be ideal, fate doesn’t make mistakes when bringing people together as mates. I don’t know much about Serena yet, but I do know that I’m insanely attracted to her. I’ve never been like this around another she-wolf, not even hot-as-fuck Arabella who was basically a nympho and made a hobby out of throwing herself at me. I turned her down more times than I took her up on it, too busy to bother with getting invested in a woman. Yet here I am, not even twenty-four hours in, and I’m already obsessed with Serena Harper. When I’m not around her, she’s all I can think about. When I am around her, it’s hard not to imagine what it’d be like to rip her clothes off and claim her as my own. Given what she’s likely been through, I know I need to be respectful and handle her with care… but fuck, I’ve never had such a difficult time remaining in control of my own faculties. Aft

REIDI’m closing the front door behind my friends and their mates when I hear a creak on the stairs behind me. I don’t have to turn around to know it’s Serena- both because she’s the only person staying upstairs in my wing of the packhouse and because my wolf perked up as soon as her sweet scent registered. I keep discovering aspects to the mate bond that I never anticipated, like how my senses all seem heightened when it comes to her. I’ve been hyper-aware of her presence when she’s near, oddly attuned to her body language like I can almost read her well-hidden emotions.I turn to look her way, my eyes wandering her form as she hits the bottom step. She’s evidently gone through some of her new clothes- she’s changed into a pair of navy blue high-waisted yoga pants and a white cropped hoodie, her long red hair swept up into a neat ponytail. I’m not sure how it’s possible for her to be

REID   I don’t know what it is about a woman in red lipstick that I find so damn attractive, but when that flame-haired little vixen descended the packhouse stairs tonight in a tight little skirt and red lips, it immediately did something to my dick. I’ve been sporting a semi all night, barely able to think straight around Serena. Hardly able to breathe. I’m actually somewhat relieved when one of the girls suggests they go take shots and I’m given a little bit of a reprieve to collect my thoughts. “So how’s it been going?” Gray asks as soon as the girls are out of earshot, turning his attention to me. “Good,” I mumble absently, eyes glued to Serena’s ass as she heads for the bar. The crowd fills in behind her and I turn back to the guys, meeting Gray’s dubious stare.   “Yeah?” he asks skeptically. I shrug. “Sure. I mean… as good as it can be going?” I scrub a hand over my face, chuckling wryly. “Fuck