Lara I inhale the smell of the bar. It stinks like sweat and alcohol, but I love it! The mood is great, and there are only thirty minutes left until I officially turn eighteen! Daphne raises her beer in a toast, calling out “To Lara!” and the rest of our group joins in with cheers and hoots. I can’t help but laugh as we clink glasses together. Celebrating my birthday with the pack girls is nice, but damn, I wish Sally weren’t pregnant so she could be here. Oh well, I can eat cake with her tomorrow and party tonight. The other girls from the pack are all here—even Daphne and a few others who had to use fake IDs to get in. Just as I take another sip of my beer, the entrance of the bar swings wide open, letting in a drift of cool air. Everyone’s heads turn to see who just walked in. I squint through the haze and dim lighting to spot a group of guys from our pack, their eyes scanning the room. My heart skips a beat as I recognize Edwin among them, the usually stoic werewolf now wearing

LaraWe exit the bar, the noise of laughter and clinking glasses slowly replaced by the quiet hum of the city nightlife. The air is cool against my skin, but I can still feel the heat from Ashton’s hand on my lower back, guiding me towards the sleek black limousine parked on the curb. The street lights cast an eerie glow on everything, turning ordinary things into shadows and silhouettes. I can see our reflection in the car’s tinted windows as we move closer.The driver opens the door for us with a polite nod. Ashton climbs in first, then reaches out his hand to help me inside.I don’t take it.I step into the limousine without his assistance, putting some distance between Ashton and myself. I need to keep things under control; I can’t let him think he has won me over completely.Ashton gives me an amused look as he stretches out his long legs, arms resting casually on the backrest. His glinting eyes never leave mine as he leans back in his seat.“Feeling nervous?” He teases lightly,

LaraWhen I step out of the car, I almost stumble over my own feet, which isn’t surprising. After Ashton made me come with only the help of his hand, I downed an entire bottle of wine all by myself. And since werewolves don’t stay drunk for long, I also had a few ciders to maintain the buzz.“Need my help?”I glance up at Ashton as he exits the car. Unlike me, he didn’t indulge in more alcohol during our ride to his mansion. However, this doesn’t mean he is a saint. The bastard didn’t stop me from drinking more. If anything, he watched with intense curiosity, much like how he is looking at me now.“I’m fine,” I tell him as I try to stand straight. I’m wearing high heels so it isn’t easy, though. My arms are spread on either side of me for balance, so I probably look like a penguin.Ashton chuckles with his hands deep in his pockets. I kind of hate the look he is giving me, like he wants to devour me. It honestly frightens me. This man is done with romance. He is done with trying to ge

LaraI’m trembling as I walk down the staircase. I can hear Sally and Ryan laughing inside the kitchen. They have probably made breakfast for me already, and guilt gnaws at me.What happened on the night of my birthday has changed everything. I’m a slut now. No matter how hot and handsome he was in my room yesterday, I shouldn’t have slept with my best friend’s ex-mate. It was wrong.…or was it?Sally is perfectly happy with Ryan. He is her second chance mate, just like I’m Ashton’s second chance mate. So, is it really a crime for me to be drawn to him? He is also my Alpha—I’m naturally drawn to him.“Lara?” Sally calls my name. “Do you want pancakes? There are some left.”I walk inside the kitchen, and my heart thuds inside my chest. Sally isn’t a mind-reader, so she won’t figure out what’s going on unless I tell her, but her mate…My eyes meet the red ones belonging to Ryan. He shoots me a friendly smile, and under normal circumstances, I would grin like the Cheshire Cat himself. I’

Lara“Look at the cake!” I exclaim and look at Lydia and Sally in excitement. “Isn’t it wonderful?!”“Beautiful!” Sally says. She is sitting by the table. Her heavily pregnant belly makes it difficult for her to do much, but she still insisted on helping us bake.“It’s perfect!” Lydia says, clapping her hands together. “You did an amazing job on the frosting, Lara.”“Thanks,” I reply, grinning from ear to ear. “Couldn’t have done it without you two.”Just then, Ryan walks into the kitchen with a wide smile on his face. He strides over to Lydia and kisses her cheek tenderly before turning to me. “Happy birthday, Lara!”“Thank you, Ryan!” I beam at him as warmth spreads through my chest.Our little group feels like a family, and being surrounded by people who care about me means so much. But even in this happy moment, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness that Ashton isn’t here with us. No one knows he is my mate, and I don’t plan on telling them, but…I really wish he was here.“Time t