The ride to the house was quiet, but I caught Slade watching me through the rearview mirror even though I pretended not to notice. I tried to decipher the meaning of Allegra’s words, but it didn’t make any sense. I thought of telling Slade everything she said, but I decided not to since he didn’t ask. I figured if she wanted him to know, then she’d not have asked him to excuse us in the first place. When we got to the house, I noticed Slade being weird. He literally followed my every move and was even nice enough to offer me a massage, which I turned down. When he wasn’t watching me, he was texting on his phone, his brows drawn together with suppressed anger. What if he was texting Sapphire?A part of me wanted to ask what was wrong, but knowing Slade, I doubt if I’d get an answer. I watched him angrily toss the phone away while I made my way to the bathroom. Allegra said he’d hurt me, but she’d not exactly told me how. Could he hurt me anymore than he already has? She’d asked me t

DARYL“You know we are going to have to do something soon, I can’t keep hiding here forever,” I groaned. Sapphire glared at me, so much so that I had the urge to cringe. Why did she hate me so much? The way I see it, she is stuck here with me till she comes up with a better plan, but I’m not sure how long I can remain within proximity of her and not touch her. My wolf still wanted her, despite all she’d done to us. She’d rejected us, treated us like dirt, and at some point, I was convinced I hated her, but after spending the last week locked in here with her, my wolf was getting addicted to her scent again, he still craved her, especially now that it looks like we might still have a chance with her. “You think I don’t know that?” She scoffed “It is so unfortunate that I’m stuck with you! Believe me I want nothing more than to be out of this space with you Daryl! My life would have been so much better if I’d just let you rot in that cell,” she spat with venom, her eyes flaming up. M

I pulled out of my mom’s tight hug to be enveloped in my father’s large arms, and then Audrey’s embrace lasted the longest. Everything feels different. That glow was back in mother’s eyes, she looked better, as did Audrey and father. I was glad when Slade and the others excused themselves to give us some time alone. Mom had tears in her eyes as usual, and I don’t think I ever saw father this happy, or well kept. I didn’t realize I was crying myself until father wiped a tear from my eyes with his thumb. I’d missed them so much. Never would I have thought it possible to stay away from my family for this long without any means of communication. I looked around the house, admiring its beauty and furnishings. It felt like just yesterday when we’d been living from hand to mouth and struggling to pay off father’s debts. “Ari, you are starting to show,” mom squealed like a schoolgirl, her eyes fixed on my stomach. My cheeks reddened and I rested my left hand on my stomach. “Really?” I loo

SLADE“I want you. I – feel things for you,” The words were clear, but they weren’t hers, they were Xaria’s, her wolf. I felt Asher leap with joy at the confession, even more so to finally be able to connect with his mate. He was riding me hard to take her, rip this dress off her and claim her in several positions. She’d look better without the damned dress. My groin was straining against my pants as I stared at her chest rise and fall rapidly while she tried to regain her breath and her body. Her slightly parted lips looked like they needed mine on them, and I wanted to continue nibbling on her neck, get her to tell me exactly how she felt without holding back, just like she’d told her mom and sister.It pleased me to hear those words, and it pleased my wolf even more. I didn’t just want it to be her wolf speaking, I wanted to hear it from her too. I wanted her to say it to me, but pushing it was going to embarrass her further, and I was trying to be a gentleman, so I pulled away

The days that followed were very busy ones for Slade and I. I had regular appointments with the pack doctor that Slade made sure I didn’t miss, and I want to make sure I also help with the pack work as much as I can. On the days I was too tired to show up at his office, Gwyn was around to keep me company, and Slade would usually return home early. Luna Evelyn was constantly fretting about the arrival of her ‘grandchild’ and we already started baby shopping. I thought we were spending too much and buying unnecessary things, but to Luna Evelyn, nothing was unnecessary as long as the child was concerned. She’d asked me to come spend a few days in her house with the former alpha, but Slade will hear nothing of it, and I wouldn’t deny that Slade’s father still scares the shit out of me. After that first encounter, he’d hardly said any word to me. Just like his son, the past Alpha was a man of very little words. It is for this reason, I felt highly uncomfortable when Slade announced that h