"I made your favourite muffins, Ari. Choc chip," Lexi said with a smile as she pushed the plate toward Ariella, a silent look of concern and pleading in her bright eyes."Thank you." Making no move to take one, Ariella just kept staring out the window, her chin in her palm as she spent the third morning in a row not eating breakfast. How could she feel like food when her stomach was in a knot and her heart was filled with emptiness?With a heavy sigh Ariella got up and left the kitchen, unaware of Lexi's frown lovingly trained on her as she pushed out the front door.Sitting in the swing under the oak tree, Ariella tried to think positively but it was impossible to forget the feeling of her mate.Of his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away.He had pushed her away into the cold stream with an even colder expression in those icy blue eyes of his, where before he had stood so closely. She had felt his warm breath on her face, had seen the light dusting of freckles across his nose and
Looking out the window, Ariella was surprised to find him climbing the tree."No, wait. I'm coming down," she whispered as she scrambled over the ledge and onto the branches. They dropped to the ground at the same time."My parents..." Ariella began and Mal nodded in understanding, his dark fringe falling over his brow and concealing his eyes.Without saying a word, he held out his hand for Ariella to take, and she hesitated a moment.Did she really want this? Did she really want to take this risk of going with her mate whom she knew nothing about? Remembering that she was giving him a chance to apologise, and wanting to know more about him, she slipped her fingers in his.The sparks that jumped between their skin made her smile and a warmth filled her heart. As she followed him down the forest trail, not knowing where he was taking her, she couldn't seem to shake the conflict inside. It felt so wrong to be sneaking about with him. He was dark and dangerous, he'd shown her that much a
I sleep in late and only pull myself from my warm bed sometime after ten.My mom has already gone into town with my dad, explaining on a note that Alpha Kaiden has called them for a meeting. With the house to myself, I practice my violin, dust the lounge, hum romantic love songs while baking heart shaped cookies, and prepare potato casserole for lunch. I can barely keep my mind on the tasks for very long as I keep going back to one thing—I'm going to be seeing my mate again tonight, after spending a beautiful time with him last night under the stars.He apologised so thoughtfully for what he did when we first me, and he took me onto his territory to sit and talk together. I can still feel his arms around me, and most importantly I can feel the soft sensation of his tongue on my lips. It makes my heart nervous all over again, but though it surprised me I can't dismiss the thought that I wanted to do the same. His skin just looked so beautiful, I wanted to explore it with not only my ey
The car ride is short as we cross the boundary line between ForgedHearts and DoubleEdge packs. Instantly I feel the strange tingle, like an electric pulse, that warns me of passing onto another Alpha's territory. It makes me wonder why I didn't feel anything the first time I crossed, before I was chased away by the frightening Beta of the pack.My nervousness grows as we draw closer to the Alpha's estate, which sits on a hill that rises in the middle of his territory. I can see the large mansion from a distance, and it is cold, harsh, and seems to be aching for love. The impression it gives me is one of loneliness. This place hasn't seen kindness or attention for a long time, and I frown at what my senses are telling me. This is just a mansion, an inanimate object, so why is it reaching out to me? It is afraid, and I too become afraid of it.The structure's details come into focus as we drive up the long driveway. The walls are made of grey stone, shaded gargoyles peer down from each
"Dinner is ready, Alpha. Your mother has just summoned the guests to the dining hall."I feel Malachi tense, and I begin to wonder why. He leads me inside, but before we enter a gilded door into what I assume is the dining hall, he releases my hand and whispers in my ear, "Perhaps it is best if we don't present as mates tonight. Everyone is here to discuss some very important matters, and I don't want to distract from the proceedings."I nod, and when we enter, it is the Beta who leads me to my seat beside my parents while Malachi takes his position at the head of the table."Thank you all for responding to my invitation and joining me tonight for dinner. As you may have heard, my pack has recently been troubled by some unexplained killings. I am humbly asking for your insight and advice, which we will discuss shortly."This admission and request for help takes courage, and though it shows just how young and inexperienced this Alpha is, it also conveys a certain strength and humility
"Malachi!"Ariella breathed his name and shoved him back at the same time, gasping for air as pain shot across her skin and down her spine.The open wound on her neck throbbed as warm blood spilled out, and she glared at her mate in shock. "What have you done?" Lifting tentative fingers, she touched the mark and pulled back with blood-covered fingers, her breath coming out in pants and her veins burning with a fire. It felt as if his toxin was coursing through her blood streams, consuming her, ravaging her with his Alpha intensity."You are mine now," the Alpha growled lowly, and when Ariella looked up at him she saw flecks of red appear in his dark eyes. His fringe hung menacingly over his eyebrows, and his jaw clenched as he came closer once more."No, wait," Ariella held up a hand, a tear slipping from her eye. "Please, just...just don't..." She hated how shaky her voice sounded, and even more she hated how confused she was. Had Malachi really just marked her? Was it what she wante
"Mom! Mom! My bike is missing!" The future Alpha came rushing into the kitchen and exclaimed, pushing her light brown hair out of her face with both hands.Chesca looked over the bowl of chopped fruit at her expressive daughter, and frowned. "Did you remember to bring it in last night? You were out playing till late.""I know, I know. I put it behind the garage like you told me to, but it's not there! And I think Justin stole it!" Savannah walked in circles around the kitchen, too distressed to sit down."And what makes you think he did that? It's not good to accuse someone without any proof," Chesca scolded gently, hoisting Isaiah to her other hip before putting the kettle on to boil. Her other daughter Emerald pulled out a few plates from the cupboard and placed them on the table, before getting sliced cheese from the fridge. Lunch in the Alphas' household was always a noisy affair, and Chesca didn't need Savannah's dramatics this early in the day. Already yesterday there had been s
I grip the shower handle and squeeze my eyes shut. This warmth that envelops me is barely tainted by the cold water streaming down my back.I make the water colder, but it is a waste of time, for the heat is springing from inside me and there's nothing I can do to stop it. The fullness of the moon demands it; the virgin state of my body despite the mark on my neck goes against nature, against the natural plan for mates.If by the first full moon after marking, mates haven't mated yet, the female goes into heat. The pain drives her into the arms of her mate, of the male who won't be able to hold back any longer so great becomes his desire for her.The fact I'm in this situation all because of Malachi angers me.Slowly turning the water off and drying myself, I climb out of the shower and stare at my mark in the mirror.When I first showed my friends, Gabby remarked upon how savage it looked, with a deep and jagged tear in my otherwise flawless skin. She commiserated that it must have h