TABITHA POV "Bye, mom," I whisper as I place a rose on her freshly covered grave. Grief, pain, and longing twist my heart as I try to keep myself from breaking down again. It's been four days, and I still haven't accepted that this is really happening. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up, and there she will be. Happy and healthy. Every morning when that doesn't happen, I cry until I pass back out.I didn't help with any of the funeral arrangements. I couldn't bring myself to even think about it. When anyone would come to ask me a question, I would break down. My mother was my best friend. My entire life, it's been me and her against the world. Now she's gone. I have no family besides Sam, Angelica, and Stanley. I barely know them, and now they are all I have. "Sweetheart, do you want to ride back with everyone? They are about to leave. If not, that's fine. I was just going to let them know they didn't need to wait. We can walk home if you want," Stanley says gently from b

TABITHA POV I give Stan a tiny smile as he looks at me in the passenger seat for the hundredth time. I know I worried him. I worried myself. But over the past week, I have been eating, and I have gained some weight back. He really doesn't have to check up on me as much as he is, but I get it. "So the furniture is all set up," I ask to end the silence between us, and he nods. He turns onto a freshly poured driveway, and the automatic gate opens as he presses the button. "Yes. Just wait until you see. This house is a record holder. It's just over 90,000 sqft and it takes up almost 8 acres of land. There are five wings, and each wing has two separate areas that are the size of a four-bedroom home. So, for example, we are on the same wing as Dan and Sam. They have a four-bedroom area with a living room space and a small personal kitchenette. We have the same thing. Fin and Lewis are in the wing next to us with the same setup. Their areas will be rather lonely until they meet

MIKE POV If Sarah or Sydney sighs one more time, I might shift and jump from the window that can't open. "Two Queens in a shared room...Maybe we should call dad," Sarah whispers inside the bathroom, and Boyd's entire body temples as rage consumes him. He looks at me, and I nod my head once. Three months is quickly beginning to sound like an eternity. The girls finally come out of the restroom after another agonizing ten minutes of whispering, and it takes all of two seconds for my rage to dissipate. "What are you wearing," Boyd asks since my mouth is unable to form words. "A nightie," Sarah replies as my eyes trail over the see-through black lace covering my mate's lethal body. I have no idea what Sarah looks like, but I imagine Boyd's face probably looks like mine. "Are the two of you...umm...We might be close, but we aren't, you know, that close," Boyd says, and I manage to tear my eyes off Sydney's mile-long legs. I glance slightly toward Sarah an

TABITHA POV I place the plate down slowly as I secretly peek toward the living room. The twins haven't come back out of their wing, and the rest of us are becoming more curious.The rest of the guys had to go check the animals, and I decided to set the table for lunch. Sam and Mariah are cooking, but I can tell from their silence they are eavesdropping. "Spill," I whisper as I return to the kitchen. "This place makes overhearing conversations hard. But we caught some as they showed them around. Now we can't hear them," Mariah whispers, and I nod before glancing at Sam. "Do you believe her innocent explanation or..." I hint, and Sam rolls her eyes before shaking her head. "That..female...was hitting on Daniel. It was clear, and then she switched to Stan. I don't know how her father's pack operates, but it's clear they like to bedhop," Sam angrily whispers before slamming the tray of grilled ham and cheese sandwiches she made. Mariah shifts Trevor from her left hip to he

STANLEY POV "Today was weird and uncomfortable. I thought Boyd and Mike, were going to lose it," I mumble as Daniel, and I shovel out the remaining stall. "Those females are insane," Daniel grumbles as he throws a shovel full of manure into the wheel barrel. "I don't understand how they are fighting the pull of the bond. They act as if Mike and Boyd mean nothing to them. I couldn't imagine flirting with anyone other than my mate, but to do it in front of her. Craziness. These females either have a death wish or a plan. What do you think," I ask as I lean on my shovel? Daniel growls and looks towards the tackle room before responding to me. "I have heard about situations like this...Mom was saying Emma doesn't believe in old fashion mate bonds. She wants to go off to a human college and separate from the pack. It's happening more and more all over. But these pups don't consider the threat. The shifter gene is stronger than the human gene. We are going to have shifters ev