A sense of dread washed over me when we parked just inside the pack land borders. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, no guideline for how you tell someone you've been lying about who you are. Well, I'm not lying exactly, but I definitely omit a crucial part of my identity. And not just my identity, but the essence of everyone who lived on this land."Promise me something?" I looked over at her, fidgeting with the car keys in my hands. "Keep an open mind about all of this, and if you don't want to be here anymore at any point, just say so. I'll take you back to the city, no questions asked."She stared back at me, bewildered. "Open mind? Clay, what's going on? Why are you acting so strange?"I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just...promise me, okay?""Fine, I promise. Now, tell me what's happening."My heart pounding in my ears, I killed the engine. "Let's get out of the car. There's something I need to show you."She followed me out, her brows furrowing, eyes filled
The car rumbled over the uneven terrain, and my fingers tightened around the edge of the seat. I took a deep breath, trying to slow the rapid pulse of my heart. Everything felt overwhelming, from the revelation about werewolves to my inexplicable connection with Clay."Lexi, you don't have to worry," Clay said, his voice tender as his hand reached over to rest on mine. The warmth of his touch sent a calming wave through me, but my brain stubbornly clung to its state of alert."I want to believe you, Clay, but it's just—everything's changing so fast. I have to worry a little, right?" I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily, grappling with the maze of thoughts crowding my head.He chuckled softly. "You're not wrong to worry. But I promise, you've got nothing to fear."The vehicle finally came to a halt, and I opened my eyes to see a grand mansion silhouetted by the setting sun. It looked like something out of a fairy tale but also seemed intimidating. Before I could gather my thoughts, Clay
I nodded, taking in her words like a lifeline. If she could navigate these bewildering waters, then I could too.Clay's fingers gently interlocked with mine, as if silently saying, 'We're in this together.' That simple touch stirred a blend of emotions within me, churning like colors on an artist's palette. Excitement, trepidation, and, strangely enough, a newfound sense of peace."So," his mother broke the contemplative silence, "I think we've had enough heavy conversation for one day. How about something lighter?"She rose and opened a cabinet, pulling out a large tin filled with cookies. "These are my famous chocolate chip cookies," she said, offering the container to us. "Nothing solves life's problems like homemade cookies."As Clay eagerly grabbed a cookie, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, if this is part of the Luna training program, count me in."He winked at me as he took a satisfying bite, the chocolate melting and mixing with the emotions that colored the moment. "Trust
My heart was pounding as I looked at Lexi. The conversation had already left her shaken, yet something else was even more challenging for me to say. I could feel my wolf circling restlessly at the edge of my consciousness. "There's... there's more, Lexi," I finally blurted out, my voice tinged with a note of desperation. She looked at me, her eyes searching my face as if trying to read the words I hadn't yet spoken. "Okay, Clay, just say it. Please." Taking a shuddering breath, I forced the next sentences out. "When Luke bound his energy to yours, he inadvertently connected you to the energy of all Alphas, myself included. You weren't just more attracted to him, but theoretically, to me as well." My wolf was stirring violently now, pacing and growling within me. The gold in my eyes started to override the brown without my control, a sign that my wolf was getting too close to the surface. I was losing my composure. Lexi reached over and grabbed my hand. I looked down at her hand en
As we drove back toward the city, a quiet unease settled within me, an unspoken acknowledgment that things were going to change for Lexi, and in a way that was far from subtle. The shimmering skyline grew more prominent in the windshield, and with it came a flurry of questions I had yet to ask."How long before you graduate?" I broke the silence, flicking my eyes briefly from the road to her face.She seemed to come back from wherever her thoughts had taken her. "I only have two classes left after the one I'm in now.""Ah, the end is near then," I said, grinning. "I actually graduated from there, too."Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? I had no idea.""Yeah," I chuckled. "I have a Masters in art history.""And what do you do with a Master's in art history?" Her eyes sparkled, teasing yet genuinely curious."I own the contemporary art gallery in Radenfield.""Wow, I had no idea." She looked both surprised and impressed.I laughed, a genuine, hearty sound that echoed my wolf's
Sitting in Clay's lap, the gentle evening air swirling around us, I was hit by a sudden wave of intense emotion that nearly took my breath away. The realization that I already felt so much for him filled me like a cup reaching its brim, but this wasn't spilling over—it was a growing warmth within me, an emotional gravity that I had never experienced before.In a heartbeat, I shifted my position, swinging a leg over to straddle him, the action followed by a shared breath, a moment of silent understanding. As my lips met his, the kiss became the epitome of everything I felt, a tangible confirmation of the abstract emotions that had woven their intricate patterns around my heart. The kiss was raw, our lips pressing together as if to fuse our souls, intense enough that I felt like I could dissolve into him.His arms tightened around me as if afraid I'd vanish into thin air, pulling me so close that there was no space left for doubts or hesitations. His grip was so fierce and possessive th
A cataclysm of emotions swirled violently in my mind, each thought like a sharpened blade, cutting through the fabric of my composure. My wolf was on high alert, bristling with a primitive urge to protect what was ours. Lexi. The idea of just crossing the hall and putting an end to all this—to Luke—felt like an easy solution, a direct path to quelling the turmoil inside me.But there she was, right in my arms, her body softly pressed against mine, her breath warm and sweet. She was trying to calm the storm inside me, oblivious to the fact that she was its epicenter. The irony was almost unbearable. I loved the feeling of her against me, the way she tried to comfort me, even as I grappled with the unspoken reality that my emotional tempest had her at its eye.Hearing her confess, even a fleeting interest in Luke had pierced through me. Each word was a claw that snatched at my heart, making it difficult to breathe, like her voice had metamorphosed into a noose that tightened around my n
I watched as Lexi let out a tired sigh, her eyes looking slightly glassy from the weight of exhaustion. "I'm so tired," she admitted, a vulnerability in her voice that made me want to shield her from the world."Go lay down, take a nap for a while," I suggested, my voice softer than usual. "I've got some pent-up energy to burn off. I'll work out."She gave me a grateful smile and disappeared into the house. I moved to a part of the balcony where I had a clear view through the window. I saw her climb into my bed and curl up, hugging my pillow close to her. My heart felt like it was melting, pooling into a reservoir of affection for this woman. At the same time, a certain tension pulsed in my jeans. God, how I wanted her. But it was precisely that urgency that kept me from joining her in bed.Taking a deep breath, I turned my focus to my workout. I started with pull-ups, gripping the bar tightly as I hoisted myself up. Each movement was a battle, my muscles straining, fibers tearing, a