The car started with a roar, Luca's radio coming on as it did. He backed down the driveway, putting a hand on my thigh as we drove off."It was a good party," he said."I think the girls really liked their gifts," I added.He nodded in agreement. I watched his hand as it sat stationary on my thigh, his focus now on the road in front of him.His mom's not fifteen feet away anymore, I thought.A few moments passed before I could gather enough courage to reach out and take his hand in mine, beginning to slide it up my thigh.I watched as his jaw clenched and he shifted in his seat, though his eyes stayed forward.The hem of my dress rode up as our hands movedfarther up my leg. I pressed my hand to the back of his as I spread my legs, exposing myself.God, I'm glad it's dark out, I thought.Luca's hand needed no further encouragement. He knew exactly where I wanted it to be.My hand left his to grip the side edge of the seat as I felt his cool touch at my core, his index finger slipping

I woke up to a bright light in my eyes.Squinting, I pulled away from the light, pressing my head further back into the pillow."Good morning," a voice said softly.I opened my eyes back up to see Dr. Witt's face hovering above me as she put her flashlight into the pocket of her scrubs.Sitting up, I immediately felt a wave of nausea wash over me before a hand against my shoulder pressed me back down onto the bed."Take it easy," she said."You're going to give yourself a headache.I already had one. It felt like it was splitting my skull in half."Can you remember anything?" She asked.I nodded slowly as the recollection began, playing in my mind like a movie reel. I could remember what had happened, just not why it had happened.Gulping, I winced as the saliva slid down my throat; burning the whole way as if I'd taken a shot of hard liquor."You likely have minor tracheal trauma," she told me, noticing the pain that registered in my expression."It doesn't look like you have a concu

Three weeks and three days earlier.…"What you're suggesting is absurd and outdated," Philip argued, defending his stepson.Luca sat at the head of the table, his elbow propped against the chair's armrest as he twirled a pen between his fingers. Though he appeared calm and collected, he raged inside.The thirteen men sitting around the table-not including Bates, Blaine, and Lincoln-were elders he had chosen himself. Accountability and distribution of responsibility had been his reasons for their appointment, but he suddenly remembered why his grandfather hated the idea of a council that held anAlpha responsible: they held the Alpha responsible.While tradition clearly dictated that an Alpha was to only mate with a woman within his pack, there were no formal consequences for not following it. It was done only because it had been done for generations, many modern packs having abandoned the practice entirely.Of course they did. Their packs were run by Alphas who made their pack's rules

Morning sex was everything it was cracked up to be.Luca cuddled me onto his naked chest afterwards. I could hear his rapid heart rate slowing as my ear pressed against his skin. I looked down at where my hand was resting against his torso, seeing the diamond ring. Wiggling my finger, I watched the sparkle of the radiant-cut gem in the morning light that filtered in through the window behind the bed."Do you like it?" Luca asked me, his voice drowsy and deep.Those were the first words he'd spoken that morning, despite the fact that we'd been awake for several minutes.I looked up at him and smiled, nodding my head before looking back at the ring."It's mesmerizing," I admitted."Now you know how I feel when I look at you."I poked his abs at the cheesy comment, making him chuckle. Just before he could say something else, we both heard his phone vibrating on the nightstand where it was. He turned over to look at the screen, putting the phone back down unanswered."Who is that?" I aske

"Do you want to come and stay here?" I asked her."You're joking," she said slowly."I'm being one-hundred percent serious. I could leave right now and you would be here by tomorrow morning.""I don't think that would help," she said."My dad is already losing it. I doubt me disappearing suddenly would aid the situation."But if you don't feel safe there-""I'm okay, Carrie. Really. Besides, I can't imagine Luca's pack would be any safer. Especially if my dad agrees to the raid.""What do you mean if?" I asked."He's not going to, right?""I don't know anymore. I see his resolve diminishing a little more every day. I'm not sure what your dad is telling him, but he seems to be convincing," she said."Mady, that's a bad idea," I warned."They can't do that. Luca's wolves here... they're not like our wolves at home. They actively train for things like this. They're prepared.""I know that. My dad knows that. He's tried to tell your dad, he's just not getting through to him. I guess your