I don’t object. Every cell in my body is in full agreement with me going to see Liam.“She can’t just waltz in through the front door and knock on his bedroom door.” Ricky objects, crunching the snack bar wrapper into a tight little ball.“I don’t have to.” I find myself smiling, hope blooming inside my chest for the first time since we entered the pack lands. “I just need to get to the back of the house without being seen.”Both Silas and Ricky look at me skeptically, as if I’d suddenly gained the ability to walk through walls or something.“I will need a change of clothes though.” I point out my stark white blouse, clearly visible in the dim light.A few hours later, I look up at the rose covered trellis and feel as if I have been transported back in time to the first time I had climbed the obstacle.I had snuck into my old cabin and stole a black shirt from the pile of clothes hanging over the chair where a sleeping Ashley had

Kane, Ricky and I watch the sun set from our vantage point at the top of the hill which overlooks the Dark Moon pack homestead. From up here it seems like a picturesque village, all the inhabitants going about their day as if they don't have a care in the world. Only we know the ugly side, the side plagued with intimidation and corruption. We watch in silence as the guards change over, night shift taking the place of the day shift with a shared joke and a slap on the back. They are all young men, all unknown and almost definitely from Lorenzo’s old pack. He would never trust a Dark Moon member to guard their own Beta. Ricky looks over at Kane and myself, a sadness in his eyes which seems misplaced in the man who has always been so happy-go-lucky. The way he has changed since he left the training program is hard to comprehend. It almost feels as if I no longer know my own brother anymore - although I'm sure that once his wolf returns to him we will regain some of

It may not have been how I had always pictured my mind, but our marking had brought Liam back to me. I stare down into his eyes and feel every single emotion that rolls through him as he tries to make sense of what has happened. "What the fukk, Natalia!" Ricky fumes as he paces toward us. "What would have happened if that aconite in his system affected you? Huh? You would have lost Ember again. Did you think about that?" I glance briefly over to my raging brother, ignoring his tirade as I look back down at my mate. "I missed you." I whisper, kissing his lips briefly before I climb off of him and sit down beside him instead. It won't do to be in such an arousing position when the room is full of people. As much as I'd love to make out with my man… and go much further… I don't think our witnesses would appreciate the show. "Nats, babe… what happened?" Liam croaks, clutching my hand in his. I fill him in as quickly and efficie

It didn't take long for the recruits to discover that something secretive was happening in the training hall. Although with the guys, Megs and Doc coming and going, it can't exactly be termed secretive anymore. We decided that if I was ever going to ensure that my challenge was both well received by the pack and fair, we would need the recruits' help. They know me better than any of the pack members so will need to vouch for me when it comes to the legitimacy of my claim to the alpha title. "Hey, isn't that my shirt?" Ashley eyes my attire with obvious suspicion. I strike a pose like some fancy runway model and stick my tongue out at her before returning to my task of cutting and buttering bread rolls for the hungry wolves who were passing through for lunch before they resumed their duties. "You shouldn't leave your clothes lying around." I retort with a grin. "You try working eighteen hour shifts and have the energy to tidy up your living quarters. You're just lucky that shirt wa

The morning of the challenge arrived too quickly for my liking, and while I was as ready as I was ever going to be, I wasn't confident that I was going to win. Jaydon and Silas had taken personal responsibility to ensure I was "battle ready" as Silas termed it. Basically, they challenged me and tried to correct my weaknesses over and over and over again until I felt like I was going to break. I can't say how much it helped though. I caught a glimpse of Lorenzo fighting with Beta Wyk and he isn't as awful as I was hoping. What did help strangely, was being able to fall asleep in Liam's arms each night. We ended up moving back into my old cabin with the girls and, even though it was a tight squeeze, cuddled together each night in my bunk. Megan initially complained, believing that the top bunk would fall on her along with us while we slept. Her theory was quickly disproved when we managed to squeeze Liam, Amy, Ash, Kane, and myself on the bed without any sign of it