EMMA “You can say that again, doll. You handled it like you did this all the time. We’re highly impressed with our mate. Stop thinking that this is your fault. It’s Douchewad’s fault. Your father put this safety measure in place for this purpose. Now, why are they like me?” I ran my fingers through his hair, loving how it felt. I have always liked his hair. Shorter on the sides and longer on top. His hair had a slight natural wave to it, so it always looked messy but the type that looked like he styled it that way on purpose. My favorite was how it looked after sex. I loved anchoring my hands in his hair while we are together, just as much as I knew he loved having mine wrapped around his hand. It was one of many things we agreed on. Kai’s hands ran across my waist, giving me comfort from the sparks. It was pleasurable, but it also helped me center myself in reality and stay out of my head about Ezekiel. There were certainly many benefits to this mate-bond. “Ancient spirits were th

EMMA This was my first time visiting these cells. I was nervous but also curious to see them. The cells in every pack provided an important tool that protected the pack because it allowed for a safe location to house dangerous threats. The cells at Blacktree were dirty and disgusting, filled with mice and mold. From the beginning of his reign of terror, Ezekiel would throw me in them for days or weeks on end. He did not let me out even to go to the bathroom. It was incredibly degrading. But it never broke me. Many nightmares sprang from my time in those cells. The things they would do still haunted me from time to time. Hopefully one day it would no longer haunt me. I knew why I put up with everything that I did, but it was beginning to feel inconceivable that I used to be that girl. The punching bag, the slave, and the one who took beating after beating for a pack that did not care about her. What stopped me from hurting them back was how much the pack had meant to Papa. It was hi

EMMA “Thaddeus, Lucien,” I greeted, smiling at the guards as we approached the building again. They both looked happy that I remembered their names. They stood taller once they saw us before submitting themselves as well. I noticed that this pack desired to always show their best to their Alpha and now me by extension. When Xander took me to the clearing, he said that the wolves were showing off for me, trying to impress me. I wondered if these counterparts sensed what I was to become. Wolves typically had better intuition when it came to things like that. “Luna, Alpha,” they bowed their heads with smiles on their faces. ‘We knew you’d be the perfect Luna for us,’ Kai murmured happily. I blushed, remembering those words from earlier. ‘Doll, if you can keep your dirty thoughts under control, we’ll reward you,’ he promised. Fuck me. I reigned in every ounce of self-control I had. They both felt my determination, and I finally began feeling their emotions again. It was like a weight

EMMA I did not have much time to take in and figure out how I felt about the whole bonding thing because I heard the front door close and hopped down from the counter. Ezra came around the corner, looking much different than even an hour ago. I wondered if that was how it was when I came here before I felt comfortable. There were times when my thoughts wondered what transpired between them saving me and me waking up in this territory. I just never asked because I could not bear see either of their faces when they told me. I could only imagine what Ezekiel and Heath said. “Johnson got them the food?” I asked. I forced my negative thoughts away and gave him a smile. I wanted him to feel comfortable and welcomed here. I needed to make sure he had everything he wanted. I believed Xander when he explained about the bonding, so that automatically made me feel responsible for him. Even if there had not been the bonding, I would still feel that way because Ezra deserved kindness. “Yes, Lu

EMMA It took a few minutes, more like twenty minutes, to reign in my utter shock over the inheritance amount. One plus side was that I could now make very wise investments. I knew that Kurtis was Blood Moon’s resident expert on the stock market, so perhaps I could have him give me a few pointers and teach me how to manage large sums of money because I was determined that this money would benefit our pack as well as others in need. We had split up, and I shooed Xander off to get Ezra’s clothing and a few other things he might like. Xander seemed suspicious, but he placated me anyways. I knew he had a thing for first-edition books, and thankfully the order finally came in. It was a ten-book collection from his favorite authors. Kai helped me since I could not ensure Ethan would keep his trap shut and asking Xander would have been pointless in keeping it a surprise. I certainly owed Kai something big for this. I felt my cheeks heating, and Ethan’s laughter pulled me from my thoughts.