-CLEO'S POV- “You beast!” Even though I cursed him, my hands stretched out for him to take me into them. When tears misted my eyes, he misunderstood, thinking that he had hurt me. “Baby, I’m sorry but you’re the one doing this to yourself. I’m yours and you’re mine.” He cups my core, massaging it. “Why won’t you admit it?” He searched my face for an answer and I refused to give him one. At last, he came into my arms and lifted me. He meanders to the tub. I stiffened, tightening my legs and arms around him in refusal to be dipped into another round of freezing water. “No. Don’t.” My head and joints hurt and I hardly had the energy to argue with him. Right now, I desire him. And he was being a jerk about it. It was unfair of him to take advantage of my heat to make me utter such words. “It’s the only way to take care of you.” He sounded very caring but then shifted straight to the dominant persona that he displayed a few minutes ago. “Your eyes show that you are in a lot of pain. I

-CLEO’S POV* The throbbing of my head awakened me. Then I became painfully aware of the strange surroundings as well as deep, regular breathing somewhere nearby. Turning toward the sound, I groaned because the slight movement made the headache worse. By the time I glimpsed him sprawled in the gray leather armchair to the left of the room door, my eyelids were already fluttering. For a moment, he smiled at me with his handsome face entrancing me. His long brown fringes ruffled messily from his forehead. The tight-fitted black shirt he wore with the number 23 on it was rumpled with the middle ripped open like he was in a fight with someone. Stupidly, I started to return the smile due to the butterflies that churned in my stomach. Then, as recollections of the situation came to light, I frowned. My face contorted into the wickedest sight. The son-of-a-bitch abducted me and brought me to his house. That’s right. He knocked me out with the classical chop spot on the neck. My temper eme

-BLAYNE'S POV- I avoided Duke and Vance for the rest of the day. I spent the majority of the day visiting all four central patrol stations and searching extensively for clues. As the sun retreated and freed the sky from its sweltering beams, it was time to pick up Zoe from elementary school and head home. For the first time, I felt like I had a family and intended to manifest this feeling into reality. Luna Sianna thought that it was best to have Zoe attend school to be around other children of a similar age group to cope with being away from Cleo. Besides, she was bound to join our pack soon and be integrated into the system. Making friends would help her to settle down faster. While Cleo was in jail, I visited Zoe every day and ensured that she was alright. I had been trying to bond with her and she started to let down her barriers. When I parked in front of the elementary school in my Ford Bronco, Zoe was not at the front as I had instructed her. I marched through the corridor a

-CLEO’S POV*Daddy?That happened way too fast. How did he get Zoe to accept him? I might have underestimated this brutish Gamma. My face tightened with anger. My fist clenched at my sides as I fought the urge to strangle him. At least, not in front of my daughter.“Eh-heh-heh,” he grinned nervously. To seek cover from my cat-o'-nine-tailed tongue, he suggested. “Shall we eat?”He sauntered over to the chic marble-clad kitchen and stepped behind the white island with seating of gray woven counter stools at a white and gray marble waterfall countertop lit by faceted glass lights suspended above a sink with a polished brass gooseneck faucet.I acquiesced.“Our mate is a good guy,” my wolf voiced victoriously. To her, he was a prize. Contrarily, he was a charlatan to me.“Our mate is conniving and insufferable,” I lashed at her."We should be with him. You're too damn stubborn, Cleo. Don't forget that I have a say too." She vocalized whines and lay with her head and ears flopped down bet

-CLEO’S POV* “Going somewhere?” “Yes. I’ll be back soon.” He came to my side of the bed and bent to kiss my forehead. My heart twinged because he was going away. I clung to his shirt to stop him from pulling back. “Why are you leaving?” Staying in the bending position and looking down at me, he explained, “Something happened. Hailey’s in the hospital.” “Oh, goddess! I’ll come with you.” I flung the sheet aside to get out of bed, but he ceased my actions with his leaden hand on my shoulder to keep me stationary. “No. You are staying here.” He authoritatively said in a low voice, “You are housebound, remember?” “I want to help,” I offered with hefty persistence. A thin frown line appeared on my forehead. Being a leader, I was accustomed to getting things done and being active. Not a dreary housewife. On top of that, the gravitating pull of the mate bond was getting stronger. He was the gravity that was holding me to the earth. Nagging me to be around him, consistently. This was