《Three Fated Hearts》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    ~Portia~


    I¡¯ve been dreading today for weeks now. I hate that I have to go back home, but I have no choice. My


    name is Portia Colby, but I go by Tia. I¡¯m a part of the Emerald Lake pack, where my father is the head


    warrior, and my mother is a pack doctor. I have older twin sisters that are the apple of everyone¡¯s eye.


    They are four years older than me and my father¡¯s favorite. He dotes on them and spoils them. To him,


    they are his everything, and I¡¯m just a mistake.


    No, he literally told me that I was a mistake. He said he didn¡¯t want any more pups after my sisters


    because they were already perfect. He and mom have gotten into many arguments over this. She says


    that is an ugly attitude to have. She loves all of her kids, though I think she likes me better. I¡¯ve never


    asked because I don¡¯t want to put my mom on the spot like that.


    My sisters have always been indifferent to me. They only acknowledge me when they have to, never


    going out of their way for me for any reason. I honestly think if I were to die right in front of them, they


    wouldn¡¯t bat an eye.


    That describes the rest of the pack as well. It seems as if I¡¯m invisible to most. My Alpha, Alpha Paul


    Attwater, is usually kind to me, though I bet that is just because he¡¯s the Alpha. Then there is the Beta


    family. I have spent so much time with Beta John and his mate Celina. Their kids, Lynn and Mark, are


    my only friends. Lynn is my age, 21, and Mark is 22. He treats me as if I were his other sister. I¡¯m


    grateful for them because, without them, I would have been lost long ago.


    As soon as I graduated high school, I went straight to college. There was no point in staying around. I


    knew I would miss my besties, but they understood my need to go away. I started college at 18 and


    have been gone since. I would meet up with Lynn and Mark over the years. We would meet halfway


    between the school and the pack. Now I¡¯m being called home and what¡¯s worse is that I can¡¯t say no. It


    is an Alphamand, and if I ignore it, there will be serious consequences.


    My phone rings, and I know it¡¯s my mom before I answer. I was supposed to leave the night before, but


    I didn¡¯t, so now I¡¯m a bitte. ¡°I¡¯m making my way to the car now, mom.¡±


    ¡°You were supposed to be homest night. You know that all pack members have to be at this


    ceremony. We are weing the new Alphas.¡± Ah, yes, the new Alphas. While Alpha Paul was always


    nice to me, Luna Kimberly didn¡¯t spare me a second nce, nor did their sons. They are identical twins


    and the next in line for the pack. They are my sisters¡¯ age, 25, and they never really paid any attention


    to me. There was no reason for them to anyway. We were never in the same grade and didn¡¯t have the


    same circle of friends. Being a pack member, it is vital for me to be in attendance for all major events,


    and this ssifies as a major event.


    ¡°Mom, I will be there, I swear. There was really no need for me to make it homest night. The less


    time I¡¯m around dad and my sisters, the better.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of your sisters¡­¡­.¡± My line beeps, and I notice it¡¯s Lynn. Since I¡¯d much rather talk to her, I


    quickly tell my mom I will see her when I get there.


    ¡°Hey girl!¡±


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    ¡°How far away are you, Tia?¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯m just now getting on the road.¡± Lynn whistles at that.


    ¡°You are cutting it very close.¡±


    ¡°You know that if I didn¡¯t have toe, I wouldn¡¯t even bother.¡±


    ¡°So did your mom tell you?¡± Since I cut my mom off, she probably wasn¡¯t able to tell me whatever it is


    that Lynn is talking about.


    ¡°I barely spoke to her. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well, the word is that your sisters will be named Lunas at the ceremony today.¡± That¡¯s interesting. My


    sisters and the Alpha twins started to see each other in high school. It was the talk of the pack; two sets


    of twins together. The Alpha twins are identical, whereas my sisters are not. One has a birthmark under


    her right eye, while the other does not. It¡¯s pretty easy to tell them apart in other ways.


    Everyone thought they might be mates, which would have been kind of weird. It has always been that


    identical twins share a mate. My sisters will be blessed with their own mates, but not the Alpha twins.


    When they turned 18, the age we can find our mates, they realized they were not fated mates but


    stayed together. I always thought that was weird. Why put yourself in so much potential heartache? If


    they find their mates, the rtionship will be like it never existed. ¡°So, did they even try to find their


    mates?¡± Lynnughs.


    ¡°Much to your sisters¡¯ dismay, yeah, the Alphas did try. They traveled all over training and trying to find


    their mates, but nothing came of it. I guess since they want to take over so badly, they have quit


    looking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I could do that to my fated mate. What if I were to meet him down the road? Do I give up


    my chosen or my fated?¡± Had my sisters and I been close, I would have told them my opinion on the


    matter. As it is, I didn¡¯t even know they were still dating, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter what I think. Lynn


    and I stayed on the phone most of my drive back to the pack. It is a 4-hour drive from school. I really


    should have leftst night or at least super early this morning, but I really, truly didn¡¯t want to have to


    come back.


    ~Landon~


    My brother and I have waited for this day since we got our wolves at 14. We have always wanted to


    take over the pack ever since we understood what this was all about. We decided to run the pack


    together.


    Our dad sent us to get trained in different packs, allowing us to learn various skills. While we trained all


    over, we took online courses and searched for our mate. It was hard for us, in the beginning, to wrap


    our heads around having to share a mate. I mean, who honestly thinks that they will have to share their


    love with someone else? After we discussed it for a while, we realized that it wouldn¡¯t be too bad since


    we shared mostly everything else anyway.


    When we didn¡¯t find her, we decided to take the Colby twins as our mates. We had already dated them


    in high school, and they were strong. They would make okay Lunas, but I have to admit that my wolf,


    Goliath and I would much rather tie ourselves to our fated mate as opposed to a chosen mate. Lincoln


    convinced me to give the chosen mate thing a chance, and I couldn¡¯t really say no. What if Ie


    across my fated mate or Ades across hers? Would our union be thrown away? ¡°Are you ready


    for this?¡± I turn and look at my brother and shake my head.


    ¡°No, not at all. I just¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°We have talked about this. I don¡¯t want to keep waiting for some fated mate. Ad and Aida are good


    she-wolves. They are strong and smart. They will be good Lunas for this pack. We need to take over


    and if we wait for our fated, we won¡¯t be able to do it anytime soon.¡± My brother is right, of course. I


    guess I have to let the fairytale go and do what¡¯s best for the pack.


    My brother leaves my room, and I get back to getting ready. Our pack colors are ck and gold. My


    brother and I are wearing a ck, three-piece suit with a gold tie. Both my brother and I cut our hair


    short, letting the natural waves shine through. We are clean-shaven with the same light brown eyes.


    The only real way most can tell us apart is when they see us casually dressed. Our tattoos give us


    away. I have a sleeve on my left arm, while my brother only has a tattoo on his back. It was always fun


    to confuse people when we were younger. I must admit that we have done it a time or two as adults,


    but not too much.


    The Colby twins are not identical. I¡¯m with Ad, who is the older of the two by 5 minutes. She has a


    stronger will and a tougher attitude. Aida is with my brother. She has a birthmark under her right eye,


    and she is the more sensitive one. They are both amazing warriors, thanks to their dad. He has trained


    them all of their lives. I guess when ites to picking a worthy Luna, they aren¡¯t a bad choice.


    I take onest look in the mirror and head downstairs to meet with the family. My dad is sitting with my


    mom while talking to my brother. He considered wearing a gold suit to offset my ck, but the girls


    decided they would wear gold dresses. My mom looks at me and smiles wide. ¡°Look at my handsome


    boys! I can¡¯t believe how fast you two have grown.¡± Mom gets up and pulls me into a big hug. ¡°I am so


    proud of you both.¡± My dad gets up and ps me on the back.


    ¡°We are both proud of you.¡± A throat clears from behind us. Stuart Colby is standing in the entryway


    with his mate, Nikki, and his twins. They look wless with their gold, A-line, off-one-shoulder dresses.


    They are floor-length and soft gold. I have to say that they look gorgeous, and I do feel a bit lucky.


    ¡°Gentlemen. Alpha¡­.Luna¡­¡­.it¡¯s nice to see everyone.¡± Stuart has always been a smooth talker, and


    he is a great warrior. I never really liked him, though not really knowing what it is about him that rubs


    me the wrong way. He dotes on the twins, but I have seen how he treats his youngest daughter. The


    twins have a younger sister that they don¡¯t really deal with. As a matter of fact, not too many people


    deal with her. I never understood why that was. I¡¯ve asked around, but no one can really answer the


    question. Stuart will go to the wall for his twins but rarely entertains his other child, Portia.


    I have seen her mother, Nikki, with her a lot, though. Nikki is one of our pack doctors, and I always liked


    going to her when I was growing up. There were many times that I saw Portia in the office with Nikki.


    She would help her with the little things around the office and hospital. I was always a bit jealous


    because I wished that I could have moments like that with my parents and not have everything be


    about training.


    My parents give the twins a hug and shake hands with their parents. I have always noticed how my


    mom seemed to love the twins, yet my dad¡­¡­not so much. He is always polite, but he never really


    interacts with them as mom does. I have seen him with their sister, Portia, on many asions. I had


    always nned to ask him about that but never got around to it.


    ¡°You look amazing, baby,¡± Ad says while straightening my tie. I give her a small smile and kiss her


    cheek.


    ¡°Beautiful as always.¡± Ad puts her hand in mine and faces everyone else. I have to admit that I


    haven¡¯t been feeling the same about hertely, especially today. I like her and everything, but my


    feelings have been weaker than before. I spoke to Lincoln about this, but he said it¡¯s probably because


    we haven¡¯t slept with them. He and I decided not to rush that because we wanted to find our fated


    mate. If we had found our mate, if we had made this physical with the twins, it would be harder for them


    to let us go.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go everyone. The pack has gathered.¡± My dad leads us out, through the dining room to the back.


    We have a stage set up off to the side, and the pack members are gathered in front. We usually have


    our ceremonies outside to amodate the size of our pack. I take a peek around the corner and see


    the seats filled with our pack members. I can¡¯t wait to be made the official Alpha of this pack. It will be


    my greatest honor to take care of this pack and protect the members with my life.


    Stuart and Nikki head to the area where the other pack members are to take their seats. My parents


    hold hands and head to the stage. The n is to have us introduced first and then the girls. We will


    then take our oaths together.


    My brother and I listen to our father¡¯s speech, which is a bit long. That¡¯s our dad, though, he is usually


    wordy. Goliath starts to stir in my head. He is usuallyid back unless we are in the midst of a real


    problem.


    What¡¯s up, Goliath?


    I¡¯m not sure, but it feels like something is going to happen.


    Lincoln mind links me: Hey, is Goliath a bit worked up right now?


    Yeah, he is. What¡¯s going on with Brutus?


    He is as well. He says he feels as if something is going to happen.


    That¡¯s what Goliath said. Maybe they are excited about bing Alphas of the pack.


    Lincoln slightly nods at me, and we focus back on the scene before us. Dad finally wraps up his speech


    and looks toward us. ¡°Please allow me to introduce your new Alphas: Landon and Lincoln Attwater.¡±


    The crowd erupts, and we walk up to the stage, hugging both our mom and our dad.


    A strong scent hits me, and I stop in my tracks. It smells like lcs and sandalwood. I have never


    smelled that before, and it¡¯s making my mouth water. I look at Lincoln and can tell he smells it too. If we


    are both smelling the same scent, that can only mean one thing. Our mate has to be here, but who


    could it be? I don¡¯t really see anyone in the crowd that is new to me.


    The scent is getting stronger, and I notice some activity at the back of the area; someone is entering


    late. She quietlyes up the side to find seating along the back row. She starts to make her way,


    along the row, to an empty seat in the middle. She stops mid-stride and looks up, sniffing as she does.


    Her head turns to the stage, and my eyes catch her.


    MATE!!

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Three Fated Hearts ¨C Chapter 2


    ~Tia~


    I finally make it to our territory and drive through the gates. I can see a slew of cars in the distance, and


    I know that we will be meeting out back, off to the side. It will be outdoors, which is the best location


    because we are a pretty big pack. Any event where the entire pack has been invited always takes


    ce outside. We usually have a small stage set up, and seating is avable.


    I quickly park close to my parent¡¯s house since it is pretty close to the packhouse. I don¡¯t want driving


    up in my car to be a huge disruption to the ceremony that I¡¯mte for. My mom won¡¯t be very pleased,


    and my dad may actually be upset since I would be messing up his golden children¡¯s day.


    I quickly take off to the packhouse, cursing myself for beingte and also wearing what I¡¯m wearing.


    Swearing in a new Alpha is a big deal, and you have to look nice at the ceremony. I opted for a knee-


    length, sleeveless ck dress with red pumps. I always like to have an item stand out from everything


    else. Now, running in these pumps was just not the best idea for a dress. Then again, I didn¡¯t n to be


    late for the ceremony.


    When I get to the side, the Alpha is speaking, so I decide to wait. I don¡¯t want to interrupt, and I don¡¯t


    want to draw attention away from him. As I stand out of the way, Andricia, my wolf, is running circles in


    my head. She has been a bit crazy since we found out we had to go back, but right now, she is being


    too much.


    What the hell is wrong with you?¡­¡­¡­ Andricia?¡­¡­¡­


    She isn¡¯t responding, but she isn¡¯t relenting either. I try to focus on the Alpha¡¯s words in the hope of


    distracting myself from my wolf¡¯s behavior. Alpha Paul Attwater. I have always liked him. He is a fair


    and kind man. He never made me feel unwanted or invisible. He has actually called me a few times to


    check on me since I¡¯ve been away. I¡¯m sure it is only because he is my Alpha, but it¡¯s nice, just the


    same. Luna Kimberly is another story. She seems to hate me and has made it no secret. I always try to


    avoid her if possible. She doesn¡¯t abuse me or anything, but she isn¡¯t Luna-like when ites to me. I


    guess my dad has a hand in that. He and the Luna grew up together and were friends. They still have a


    fairly close rtionship. I¡¯m sure he has said things about me to her.


    I hear the Alpha introduce his sons, so I use this opportunity to grab a seat. I decide to stay at the back


    to minimize disruptions. I start to walk through the back row, noticing a vacant seat, and Andricia is


    losing her s**t. I swear we won¡¯t be here that long, so there is no need for the panic. I¡¯m walking past


    people¡¯s legs and getting looks while doing so when I stop in my tracks. A scent like no other practically


    smacked me upside my head. I start to sniff the air. I can smell peppermint, but there are two other


    scents with it. It¡¯s like a strong peppermint with grapefruit and lemon. Such a weirdbination, but I


    have to say that it¡¯s doing things for me.


    I let my nose guide me, and I look around, but nothing is grabbing my attention. I could feel eyes on


    me, and I follow the tug. My eyes cast over the spectators andnd on the stage. My eyes meet the


    most choctey brown eyes I have ever seen. They are staring back at me, and I hear that fateful


    word:


    MATES!


    Holy s**t! Mates¡­¡­as in mates? Two mates instead of one? I focus on the stage, and it hits me. My


    mates are the Alpha twins?! There is no f**king way this is real right now! I did the only thing I could


    think of doing. I run through the rest of the row, bumping people in the legs as I go. I turn and run back


    toward the side of the house and back toward my car.


    I run through the grass as fast as I can. I have to get out of here. I don¡¯t know where I¡¯m going to go, I


    just know that I have to go. I¡¯m sure one or both of the twins are running after me, but I can¡¯t stop. This


    is a s**t situation that I¡¯m not prepared for.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I can see my car in the distance and try to increase my speed. Andricia is pleading with me to stop.


    She wants her mates, but I just can¡¯t face this all right now. She wants to take over, but I know that if I


    let her, she will run right back to where I¡¯m trying to avoid. I push forward, running with all I have, then I


    fall t on my face. I pop my head up a bit and look back, noticing my heel stuck in the ground and my


    ankle throbbing. Damn!


    ~Third Person~


    Everything happened so fast. One minute, the twins are on stage, ready to ept their role as Alphas


    of the Emerald Lake Pack and introduce their Lunas and the next minute, Landon is running one way


    with Lincoln running the other. Landon and Lincoln, both, recognized their mate in the audience, but


    only Landon was ready to ept his fate. It isn¡¯t that Lincoln was against the idea of fated mates, he


    just wasn¡¯t ready for it. He has always been iffy about having to share a mate with his brother. He


    understood the fact that identical twins shared a mate because they were halves of the same egg, but


    he never really felt okay with him. He had always been afraid that he would be insanely jealous


    any time his mate and his brother spent their private time together. He didn¡¯t want to be that way and


    have ite between them.


    When he and his brother started to date the Colby twins, he was okay with that. His wolf wasn¡¯t


    necessarily interested, but he pushed on. He dreaded trying to find his mate, but Landon convinced


    him that it was the best thing to do. While his wolf was disappointed when they kepting up empty,


    Lincoln was actually okay with the oue. He felt confident that he could create a life with Aida. He


    could grow to love her¡­¡­¡­like truly love her, and marking her would intensify those feelings. He


    knew that Landon always pined for their mate, but he convinced him that they needed to take a chosen


    mate to take over the pack.


    The scent of lcs and sandalwood hit Lincoln like a ton of bricks, and deep down, he knew that it was


    the scent of his mate. When she and Landon caught eyes, and she took off, Landon took off after her.


    The twins were calling out to him, not understanding what was happening. Aida was wing at Lincoln,


    asking for an exnation, but he couldn¡¯t handle it. He took off in the opposite direction, determined to


    gain some rity while Brutus was begging him to go back and go after their mate.


    Landon jumped off the stage without hesitation, hearing the girls call after him. He didn¡¯t care; he didn¡¯t


    even stop to turn around. He had to get to her as soon as he could. He had been waiting and praying


    for this day toe. It is crazy that it came during his Alpha ceremony, but to him, that was just proof


    that naming the twins Luna would have been a mistake.


    He noticed exactly who the she-wolf was when their eyes met, and he was astonished. Their mate is


    none other than Portia Colby, and he couldn¡¯t be happier. Landon has always noticed Portia while


    growing up, even though she is four years younger than him. He watched her grow from an awkward


    kid to a beautiful woman. Well, actually, thest time he saw her, she was a teenager, but she was still


    gorgeous. He never really spoke to her, but then many didn¡¯t. For some reason, the pack greatly


    ignored her, except for the Beta¡¯s kids.


    Lynn and Mark were always with Portia, and he would notice that. He didn¡¯t really grow up with them,


    minus the asional gathering with their parents. Mark is meant to be the next Beta, taking over for his


    father. He has trained hard for the position and is the best for it. They aren¡¯t as close to Mark as they


    would like, but they figured that they had time to get there.


    Portia is running pretty fast, but he isn¡¯t surprised. She has always been strong and fast, even though


    not many know that. He used to quietly watch her train, and she was extremely good. She never got to


    show anyone because all of the focus had always been on her sisters. Her father didn¡¯t even help her


    train, but his second-inmand did. She would even have sessions with Lynn and Mark, and it was


    always done in secret. She may be fast, but he was gaining on her.


    Landon thought that maybe shifting into Goliath would be better, and he could get to her quickly. Just


    when he was about to shift, Portia fell face down. He noticed her shoe was stuck in the ground, and her


    foot hade out. She looks back to the shoe and grimaces as she moves her leg. She must be hurt,


    and that worries him. He slows down, seeing how she can¡¯t move right now and walks up to her.


    Landon towers over her, and she slowly looks up into his eyes.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    ~Landon~


    ¡°Portia¡­..Portia Colby.¡± She sighs and looks down at her ankle, inspecting the damage.


    ¡°Tia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said, it¡¯s Tia.¡± She sighs again and tries to get up. I quickly move to her side, grabbing her hand. She


    pulls away at first but then ces her hand in mine, and the sparks fly. My body shivers at the contact,


    and I have to take a deep breath to stay focused. I ce my other hand on her elbow and help her off


    of the ground. She leans into me, trying to keep pressure off of her ankle. I know it will heal pretty soon,


    but it looks kind of bad right now.


    ¡°Why ¡®Tia¡¯?¡± She turns her head to me and raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Why do you go by Tia?¡± She chuckles a bit, but there is no humor in her voice.


    ¡°Do you know what the name Portia means?¡± I shake my head. Truth be told, I never really thought


    about what people¡¯s names mean. ¡°It means, well, in many circles, it means pig or hog. Shakespeare


    meant it in a different way, but that wasn¡¯t the intended meaning when the name was given to me.¡±


    Now I wonder how the hell she knows all of that. ¡°And how do I know that, you wonder? My father told


    me so. He named me Portia specifically because of it¡¯s meaning. So I go by Tia.¡± Damn, that¡¯s just


    f**ked up. Why would a parent do that to a child, and why tell them that they did that?


    Son, what the hell is going on? Everyone is confused and waiting for you two. Both of us? I look


    around, but Lincoln is nowhere to be found. I wonder where he went.


    Dad, it¡¯s a bitplicated, but¡­¡­..we found our mate. Please postpone things for us. I will exin


    everythingter.


    Say no more. Take your time, and we will talk tomorrow.


    ¡°Who was that you were talking to?¡± I look down at Tia.


    ¡°Just my dad. He will have to postpone the ceremony. We¡­..we should talk.¡± Tia sighs and looks down


    at her feet. She nods slightly before looking back up at me. She is f**king gorgeous. She has big, light


    brown eyes with long, naturalshes. Her lips are thick and pouty. She has wless brown skin, and


    her hairstyle is cute on her goddess braids in a brown/blonde color. The coloring suits her skin tone


    very well. She is about 5¡¯7 with a body to die for. She has a nice round a*s and a big-sized chest,


    though not too big. Everything looks well proportioned with her toned body. You can tell that she still


    works out even though she has been away. My body is starting to respond to hers though now is not


    the time for all of that.


    We start to walk back toward the packhouse, and I notice Tia limping. I quickly pick her up bridal style,


    making her gasp. ¡°Hey I can walk, you know.¡±


    ¡°You can, that¡¯s true, but you¡¯re limping. You need to give your ankle time to heal. I wouldn¡¯t be a


    gentleman if I didn¡¯t try to help you along.¡± I wink at her and notice a bit of a blush appear on her


    cheeks. She looks away and timidly wraps her arms around my neck. I take a deep breath, trying to


    savor her scent without being a creep about it.


    ¡°Where is your brother? I assume I¡¯m fated to you both, correct?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where he is, but I¡¯d imagine he¡¯ll be along at some point.¡± We continue to head back to the


    packhouse.


    ~Lincoln~


    I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been running. I stripped off my coat and tie along the way. I put up my mind


    block and took off. I wish I could shift, but if I shift, I will end up right where I don¡¯t want to be. I end up


    at theke we have in the back of our territory. It is a beautifulke that not a lot of people frequent. It is


    the perfect ce to have a quiet moment.


    I kick my shoes off and let my feet breathe. Running in dress shoes wasn¡¯t the smartest idea, but it¡¯s


    toote now. I sit close to theke¡¯s edge and ce my head on my knees. What am I going to do? If I


    ept Portia as my mate, that means that my brother and I will have to share her. I¡¯m not sure that I¡¯m


    strong enough for that. I don¡¯t want to get jealous or angry with my brother. Choosing the twins would


    have been perfect, and I¡¯m sure that eventually, the bond would be strong there.


    Truth be told, I have always had a bit of a crush on Portia, I just never told anyone, not even my


    brother. She is gorgeous and such a fierce fighter. I would say she may be better than her sisters.


    Where they have been coddled, she has pushed herself to the limits of her skills. She would be an


    amazing Luna.


    As I sit and look out over theke, I hear a twig snap behind me. I pretend that I don¡¯t hear anything


    and wait a bit. Sure enough, the scent of the person hits me, informing me of exactly who it is. ¡°What


    are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°You and your brother left so abruptly. You parents wouldn¡¯t tell us what¡¯s going on, just that the


    ceremony is postponed.¡± The intruder sits next to me and ces a hand on my arm. In the past, this


    would please me, this personal contact. Today, it just feels so wrong. It feels as if I¡¯m cheating on my


    mate. I sigh and turn to Aida. I take in her perfect coif and her manicured nails. Her makeup is always


    done to perfection, but she uses too much around the eyes. Her perfume is always loud and piled on.


    Her dark brown eyes bore into me, imploring me to make her feel better. I just can¡¯t seem to do that.


    ¡°Everything is fine. It¡¯s just that something came up and we have to deal with it.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Something came up? What could have possiblee up just as you were about to be sworn in as


    Alpha?¡± I close my eyes. I know this will keep going until the truth is out. Aida has never been known to


    let things be. Then if she gets information that is too much for her, she is devastated.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­..just something. Please, we don¡¯t need to do this now.¡± I open my eyes and see the tears


    start to form in her eyes. She is always emotional though I would imagine half of the time, it¡¯s fake.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell her what she wants to know? There is no point in hiding it. We are to be the


    Lunas of this pack, are we not?¡± Ah, Ad. I should have known that she wasn¡¯t far behind. Wherever


    one is, the other is close by. I put my head back down to rest on my knees. I didn¡¯te out here to be


    interrogated. I just wanted to be left alone so that I can think.


    ¡°Please, baby. Tell us what¡¯s going on.¡± Aida softly kisses the top of my earlobe, which pisses Brutus


    off. He wants to rip her tongue out for touching me with it. I struggle to keep him at bay. They don¡¯t


    deserve the punishment. It isn¡¯t like any of us knew that this was going to happen.


    This may not be the best way to do this or the best time, but the truth needs toe out. I stand up


    and look between Aida and Ad, who is standing behind her. I run my hand across my jaw, sighing


    deeply. ¡°We¡­¡­.we seem to have found our mate.¡± Ad looks pissed, and Aida looks heartbroken.


    F**k, this is too much to take in right now. I have so much to consider.


    ¡°You two are rejecting her, right? You love us and told us we would stand next to you. She is going to


    be rejected. RIGHT?!¡± Always straight to the point, that Ad. What am I supposed to say? I can¡¯t tell


    them yes because I know for a fact that Landon will not be rejecting her. I can¡¯t tell them no because


    that would create a s**t storm that no one wants to deal with right now.


    ¡°Things will¡­¡­..work out. Just give us time to get there.¡± I turn and walk away, unable to take the


    looks anymore. I can hear Aida sob, and Adforts her. I slowly walk away from the pair, heading


    back into the forest. I still need time to think and figure out what I¡¯m going to do.


    ~Ad~


    What. The. F**k. This can¡¯t be happening. Who the f**k is their mate? It has to be someone who was at


    the ceremony, but who? It can¡¯t be someone in our pack. They have been back, from their training, for


    about a year now. When they returned is when we started to see each other again, and they told us


    that they nned to make us their chosen. Dad was ecstatic when we told him the news. He always


    said that we were meant for greater things. He is proud to be a warrior, but his princesses deserve


    better. And we do deserve better. We are smart and amazing warriors. Dad trained us personally, and


    there isn¡¯t really anyone who can defeat us.


    Aidays her head on my shoulder and cries softly. She has had this dream for a long time being


    mated to Lincoln. She has always had a crush on him and dared to call it love. I always thought the


    twins were attractive but wondered if I were to be mated to someone in my own pack. There is never


    that guarantee. I prefer to be the Luna here since I know everyone and vice versa.


    Truth be told, we found our mates while the twins were off training. Aida and I were in a neutral territory


    shopping together. We met two best friends at the mall and immediately knew they were our mates.


    After speaking to them, we realized they were warriors in their pack but not head warriors or even up


    for any promotions. They didn¡¯t even want more. They were content in their position, seeing no need to


    get more. That didn¡¯t work for me, it wasn¡¯t enough. Aida couldn¡¯t handle the fact that Lincoln wasn¡¯t


    hers. We rejected the two and left the mall. We only ever told our dad, and he told us that we did the


    right thing. There is no one else for us other than the Alphas. We have to make this work.


    Dad?


    Yes, Honey? Are you and Honeybun okay? Do you know what¡¯s going on?


    Lincoln told us. We have a problem.


    Just tell daddy what it is, and he will fix it.


    Lincoln said¡­¡­.they found their mate. My father growls through the mindlink, causing me to shudder.


    You two get home. I will handle it.


    ¡°Come, Aida. Let¡¯s go home.¡± She lifts her head and looks at me with damp eyes.


    ¡°But what about them? What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. We do nothing. Dad said he will take care of it.¡± That perks Aida up, and I help her to her feet.


    We walk home, hand in hand.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    ~Landon~


    I make it to the packhouse with Tia in my arms. I take her up to my room and set her on the bed. I


    watch her look around the room, taking in all the details. I have a king-sized bed in the room against


    the back wall. A big screen television is mounted on the opposite wall, big enough that I can see it from


    several different locations. There is a small eating area in the room with a love seat and a small, two-


    seater table. I have a huge 4-door armoire with matching end tables on each side of the bed. My room


    has a walk-in closet as well as a luxury bathroom. My brother¡¯s room is pretty much the same, though


    with different color schemes. Actually, there is a door that leads right to his room from mine.


    I ce Tia against the headboard and prop her foot up on the pillows. I know she will heal soon, but


    this should ensure that she heals properly. ¡°Hang on, and I will get you an ice pack.¡± Tia grabs my arm,


    and I look at her.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to go through the trouble.¡± I shake my head and continue out of the room for the


    ice pack, When I return, Tia is asleep, snoring softly. I ce the ice pack on her ankle and take off my


    shoes, jacket, and tie. I unbutton a few buttons of my shirt and slide in next to Tia. I sit next to her and


    wrap my arm around her shoulders, trying not to wake her up. She stirs a bit and snuggles into my


    shoulder, cing a hand on my stomach. I could really get used to this. I close my eyes and let her


    scent take me into dreand.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I hear the door open and look around. It¡¯s dark outside, and some way, Tia and I scooted down on the


    bed. Our arms are wrapped around each other, and her head is on my shoulder. I look toward the door,


    my vision picking up the intruder.


    Where the hell have you been?


    I had to think.


    Think?! What the hell did you have to think about? She is our mate¡­¡­..our fated mate.


    I know, but we promised the twins.


    F**k that! That promise became void the minute we found our mate. Lincoln moves closer to the bed,


    taking Tia in. Why did you really run away? Lincoln pulls his head back, looking at the ceiling as if


    something is fascinating there.


    I¡­¡­I don¡¯t know that I can share. I don¡¯t know if I can be okay with that. I don¡¯t want jealousy and


    anger toe between us. My attitude softens at this. I remember that Lincoln has always been


    hesitant about epting one mate between the two of us. He never really told me why.


    Linc, she was made for us¡­¡­.for US. The Goddess wants us to have just her, and she needs both of


    us. I sigh, You know she asked about you. She wondered where you were. She won¡¯t beplete with


    just one of us, and we won¡¯t beplete with anyone but her. We look at each other in the darkness,


    me trying to convey everything through our twin bond. That bond is almost as strong as the mate bond,


    and we have always had it.


    Lincoln sighs and takes his clothes off, leaving just his boxers on. His clothes look dirty, making me


    guess he has been in the woods all this time. He throws on a pair of my sweatpants with a t-shirt and


    slips into bed next to Tia. Lincoln tentatively reaches out to her, cing a hand on her thigh. He scoots


    in closer, but not too close. Tia sighs and scoots backward a bit. The minute her body makes contact


    with his, she snuggles up to him, cing a hand on his thigh. A sigh of contentment leaves her lips,


    and Lincoln¡¯s eyes widen in surprise.


    I told you she needs both of us. Don¡¯t fight this, Lincoln. We have our fated mate now, our Tia. Let¡¯s


    enjoy our blessing.


    Tia? I chuckle through the mindlink.


    Yeah, she goes by Tia. I will let her exin it to you. Lincoln nods and ces his nose on her head,


    inhaling her scent. I scoot closer to Tia and close my eyes again, reveling in how right this feels.


    ~Tia~


    I yawn and stretch a bit, feeling the warmth on both sides of me. The scent of peppermint is so strong I


    can practically taste it. The lemon smell is still there from yesterday, but I can also smell grapefruit. I


    turn to look behind me and notice Lincoln on his back, asleep. I look in front of me, and Landon is


    facing me, his face calm as he breathes heavily. I slide down to the end of the bed and slowly extract


    myself.


    I tentatively step onto the floor, testing out the strength of my ankle. Everything is fine, and it doesn¡¯t


    even feel sore. I stand and stretch, making my way to the restroom. After I relieve myself, I look in the


    mirror while washing my hands. I don¡¯t look half bad, considering everything. I have to admit thatst


    night was the best sleep I can remember having.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I stand in the doorway, looking at the sleeping Alphas. They are so beautiful. They have dark brown


    skin and clean, shaved faces. They have short hair, waves evident throughout. They are taller than me


    at 6¡¯0 and are extremely muscr. I can admit that I had a crush on them at one point in my life, but I


    didn¡¯t think of it much. There was no way that they even noticed me, nor would they ever be interested


    in me. I would never have imagined that they would end up being my mates.


    PORTIA! I had my block up once I realized I had seen my mates yesterday. I decided to put the block


    down once I woke up this morning. I¡¯m sure Lynn and Mark have been trying to reach me.


    Y¡­y¡­.yes father?


    Why haven¡¯t I been able to reach you?!


    I¡­¡­.I¡­¡­. He growls in the link.


    Get your a*s home now!


    I tiptoe into the bedroom, grabbing my purse. I check my phone and notice it is dead figures. I quietly


    open the door, take onest look at the men on the bed, and quietly close the door behind me. I rush


    out of the packhouse and head over to my family home. I don¡¯t know what this is about, but I dread it


    just the same.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I arrive at my family¡¯s house, and I stop at the door, trying to gather myself. I hate being here, which is


    why I¡¯ve been gone all of these years. This ce holds no real fond memories for me. My good


    memories are of other ces, just not this home.


    The door opens just as I¡¯m about to reach for the handle. My mom steps outside, engulfing me in her


    arms. Her hug is warm and strong, and I have missed it so much. The bad part about staying away is


    being away from her. I love her fiercely, and she is the only family member that has ever shown me an


    ounce of care. ¡°I love you so very much, Tia. Never forget or doubt that.¡± I breathe in my mother¡¯s scent


    as I wrap myself around her even tighter.


    ¡°Get the hell in here already. I have other things to do.¡± My mother sighs and lets me go, stepping out


    of the way so I can walk inside. She walks in behind me and closes the door. My father is sitting in the


    front room, on my right, in a big armchair. Ad and Aida are sitting together on a couch near my


    father. Ad and my father look pissed, which is not really anything new. Aida looks hurt and lost. I¡¯m


    going to go ahead and guess that they are aware of what happened yesterday, so this is not going to


    bode well for me.


    I stand in the room¡¯s entryway, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. My mom stands behind me,


    off to the side. I know this is a lot for her to deal with, and I hate this for her. Ad walks close to me


    and takes a big breath in. Her eyes sh ck, and she stomps back to the couch. ¡°She was WITH


    them!¡±


    ¡°So you ignored my mindlink all night, and now I find that you were with them?¡± Aw, hell, this is just bad


    off the top. No easing into it, I see.


    ¡°I was with¡­¡­¡­who?¡± My father growls, shaking the room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t f**king y with me! I¡¯m not in the mood for games.¡± I try not to sigh loudly.


    ¡°We know¡­¡­.¡± Aida says quietly. I turn my head toward her and say nothing.


    ¡°Damn it! We know you are the supposed mate of the Alphas¡­¡­¡­of OUR Alphas!¡± Ad screams in


    frustration, but I keep my face emotionless. They may know the truth, but I don¡¯t need to confirm


    anything.


    ¡°You will reject them.¡± My head snaps forward, and I stare at my father with my mouth hanging open.


    There is no way he can be serious. He can¡¯t honestly think I would willingly do that. They are my fated


    mates, for Goddess sake. How the hell could I reject them like that?


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Excuse me?!¡± My father rises out of the chair and stares me down. He is taller than me at 6¡¯0, and his


    natural anger toward me makes him seem all that taller.


    ¡°They are my fated¡­¡­.I won¡¯t reject them.¡± My father takes menacing steps toward me until he is right


    in front of me. He pulls his hand back and lets it go, pping me so hard that I fall to the floor. My ears


    are ringing a bit, and I feel dizzy. I hold my cheek, looking at my father with terror in my eyes. I hear my


    mother¡¯s rapid breathing and increase in heartbeat. I hope she stays where she is. She doesn¡¯t need to


    try to defend or save me. I need her to be safe.


    ¡°You sisters have been with the Alphas for years now. They have been named future Lunas. They


    deserve the title and everything thates with it. You WILL NOT take that from them. You will reject


    the Alphas and you will leave this pack and never return. This is NOT up for debate nor do you have a


    choice.¡±


    I look up at my father, tears starting to fall down my face, and I¡¯m pissed. I always told myself never to


    cry in front of him. Ad is smirking, and Aida is looking satisfied. I scramble to my knees and fly out of


    the door, hearing my father scream my name behind me. I run to my car and hop inside. I can see


    Ad not too far from the car. I hurry and start the car, throwing it into reverse, putting more distance


    between my sister and me. I throw the car into drive and fly down the street. The gates, thankfully, are


    already open, and I fly through them, trying to put as much distance as I can between myself and this


    pack. Andricia is whimpering in my head, wanting me to go back to my mates, but I can¡¯t risk it. I need


    to be as far away as possible.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    ~Landon~


    I feel the bed next to me, but it¡¯s empty. I open my eyes ande face to face with the eyes of my


    brother. Tia isn¡¯t there. I sit up and look around the room, but there is nothing to see. Lincoln heads to


    the restroom butes back quickly and shakes his head. I have no idea where she went or how long


    she has been gone.


    Trent?


    Yes, Alpha Landon.


    I need you to find someone. Find Portia Colby. See where she is. Check with her family if need be.


    Yes sir.


    ¡°Trent is going to look for her.¡± Lincoln nods and sits on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°For?¡±


    ¡°For talking to mest night. I really needed that. I don¡¯t want to lose out on our mate.¡± I reach over and


    pat Lincoln on the back. I head into the restroom to shower and get dressed. I throw on some jeans, a


    long sleeve v-neck sweater and a pair of Timbends. When Ie out of the closet dressed, Lincoln


    is sitting on the bed, having changed as well. He has on a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt with Air


    Forces.


    Son?


    Yes.


    We need to talk. Your mom and I are in my office waiting on you and your brother.


    I look at my brother and realize he got a simr message. We head out of my room and down the


    stairs. This packhouse has four floors, with the Alpha floor being on the top. My parents have a house


    next to the packhouse, but my brother and I opted to stay on the Alpha floor. The floor under us houses


    the Beta on one end and the Gamma on the other. The second floor has various offices and meeting


    rooms. The bottom floor has the general areas for all of the pack: game rooms, kitchen, sitting rooms,


    dining room, etc.


    We make it to my dad¡¯s office, soon to be our office. My mom sits next to him, and we sit across from


    him at the desk. We all sit and look at each other, no one speaking. ¡°Well?¡± My mom says, looking


    between Lincoln and myself. My dad puts a hand on her arm, patting it. I clear my throat, but Lincoln


    beats me to it.


    ¡°We found our mate yesterday¡­¡­.our fated mate.¡± My dad looks interested, and my mom looks


    suspicious.


    ¡°And exactly who is she?¡± Lincoln and I look at each other, realizing this may not go over well. I take a


    deep breath.


    ¡°Portia Colby.¡± A small smile appears on my dad¡¯s face, and he nods.


    ¡°Absolutely not! I will not allow it.¡± Lincoln looks at my mom with surprise written all over his face, and


    my dad looks at her with an eyebrow raised. ¡°Isn¡¯t it interesting that at your very ceremony, when you


    were about to announce her sisters as your mates and Lunas, all of a sudden, she decided just to show


    up and announce you as mates?¡± Lincoln growls, and he looks like he is trying to contain his wolf. ¡°Why


    haven¡¯t you realized her as your mate sooner?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because she is never here mom. Are you serious right now? You honestly think that Tia is


    trying to trick us in some way?¡±


    ¡°Tia?¡± My dad looks at me.


    ¡°Yes, Tia¡­..Portia¡­¡­You know who I mean. She hasn¡¯t been here since she got into college. She


    was only here yesterday because you guys made every pack member be in attendance. How would


    she know what was going on to n such an borate rouse?¡± I look at my mom, willing her to


    respond to that, but she doesn¡¯t. She knows that it isn¡¯t logical to think that this is all some trick at the


    hands of Tia. It just makes no sense.


    ¡°So what now? You are going to break up with the Colby twins and take Portia as your mate?¡± My mom


    laughs out loud though the humor is missing. ¡°You can¡¯t seriously think that girl is Luna material. I won¡¯t


    have her messing up all of the work I have been putting into this pack over the years.¡±


    Lincoln stands up, hands clenched at his sides. ¡°What exactly is your problem with Tia anyway? Why


    are you so against her? What has she ever done to you or to this pack?¡± My mom scoffs but doesn¡¯t


    answer.


    ¡°Sons, what is your n now? That is a valid question.¡± I look at Lincoln, and he nods. I turn to my dad.


    ¡°We want Tia. She is our fated mate, and we need her. We know we will need to talk to the twins and


    tell them of our decision, and we will. I think we sho-¡± A knock on the office door interrupts us. My dad


    wees them in, and it¡¯s Trent. ¡°What did you find out?¡±


    Trent looks nervous, looking between Lincoln and me, so this can¡¯t be good. ¡°Her father and sisters


    said they haven¡¯t seen her. I tracked down Doctor Colby, and she admitted that she fled back to


    school.¡± She left to go back to campus. Why would she do that so hastily and without saying anything?


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There, you see? She doesn¡¯t want to be here and im the title or you two, it looks like.¡± My mom has


    a smirk on her face, and it¡¯s pissing me off.


    L, I mindlinked Lynn and Mark.


    What did they say, Linc?


    They didn¡¯t see her, nor did she say anything to them. Thest Lynn heard from her was on her way


    out here yesterday.


    That is odd. Lynn and Mark are her best friends¡­¡­.her only friends. There is no way she woulde


    to the pack and not go to see them. I doubt she would leave without talking to them at all. Something


    seems off.


    ¡°Dad, can we postpone the ceremony to give Lincoln and I time to see about Tia?¡± My dad nods in


    agreement quickly. Maybe he thinks there is something not right here too.


    ¡°We can do that, but you need to talk to the twins first.¡± Lincoln and I nod in agreement, and we leave


    with Trent in tow.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    ~Ad~


    That ugly b***h! I hate her; I hate her; I HATE HER! How dare she interfere in our lives like this? Why


    didn¡¯t she just stay gone? How could Lincoln or Landon even consider taking her as a mate? She is


    weak and useless; she always has been. Landon and Lincoln belong with myself and Aida. We are


    stronger, smarter, and will make better Lunas. This pack knows us and will support us over Portia any


    day.


    I watch her drive off, contemting going after her. I figure there would be no point. Soon, I¡¯m sure,


    either she will do what daddy said, or the boys will reject her for us. Either way, Aida and I will take our


    rightful spots as the Lunas of the Emerald Lake Pack. I couldn¡¯t believe it when Luna Kimberly told us


    that the twins had not only found their fated mate, but she believed that it was our sister. Smelling her


    on them and her silence this morning was the confirmation needed. This must be some sick joke, but


    I¡¯m notughing.


    While training, I see Trent approach daddy. I assume he¡¯s asking about Portia, but daddy already told


    us to deny seeing her. No one needs to know about the conversation we had this morning. Trent asks


    Aida and me if we have seen Portia. We both deny seeing her, and Trent leaves quickly after. Daddy


    nods at us, and we continue to train.


    After training, Aida and I head home to shower and change. We are trying to figure out if we should


    head to the packhouse or call the boys. I tried mind-linking Landon, but his block was up. He must be


    meeting with someone. Aida is trying to keep it together, but I can tell this is taking a toll on her. The


    unknown can be worse than knowing.


    The doorbell rings, and I jump up to answer the door. Much to my pleasant surprise, Lincoln and


    Landon are standing there. I step back to let them in, and Aida quickly jumps up and onto Lincoln.


    ~Lincoln~


    Landon and I decide to be honest. There is no good way to break this news, but it needs to be done.


    We can¡¯t start fresh with Tia if this hangs over our heads. It sucks to take a title away from someone,


    but what can we do? It would be worse to reject our fated mate.


    When we get to the Colby house, Aida jumps on me in her excitement. I know that Aida has been into


    me for some time now. I almost didn¡¯t want to start anything with her because her infatuation was too


    intense. She is a sweet girl but can be way too much.


    I hold Aida for a minute before carefully cing her on her feet. She pouts a little at the loss of contact,


    but I don¡¯t give in. That has been my problem with Aida; I tend to give in to her emotional outbursts way


    too often. That is kind of how we got started. I felt bad about hurting her and she kind of sucked me in.


    ¡°Good morning,dies. May wee in?¡± Aida grabs my hand and pulls me into the house. Ad


    wraps her arm around Landon¡¯s waist and walks with him inside. We sit on the couch, with Aida sitting


    on myp and Ad wrapping her arm around Landon¡¯s.


    This is going to be tough.


    I know it is, brother. We either do this, or we reject Tia.


    Landon, I won¡¯t let Tia go.


    ¡°So¡­..care to tell us what happened yesterday?¡± Ad is always no-nonsense and straight to the


    point.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter ¡®D. They are here now so we can just redo the ceremony a different day.¡± I roll my


    eyes internally.


    ¡°Aida, don¡¯t be stupid.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Ad is right, and we should exin.¡± I look at Landon and give him a nod. He will better put


    the right words together to break this news. He turns to Ad and looks her in the eyes.


    ¡°As you know, during the ceremony, we¡­¡­Lincoln and I found our fated mate.¡± Neither Ad nor Aida


    speaks. I can see the tears starting to gather in Aida¡¯s eyes. I would usually wipe them away and try to


    appease her, but I can¡¯t this time. ¡°You two know how long we have looked for her. We have trained all


    over with the hopes that we woulde across her. We were as shocked as everyone else when we


    stumbled upon her at our Alpha ceremony.¡±


    ¡°So, what does that mean?¡± Aida whispers, and it is clear that she is trying to keep her tears in. I turn to


    Aida and rub her back gently.


    ¡°It¡­.it means that we will be joining with her. We want to be with our fated mate.¡± Aida lets a sob free,


    and tears fall down her face. I hate to see her this way, but I have to stay strong. I look over at Ad,


    and she looks pissed.


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Landon. It matters! Who the f**k is she?¡± Landon sighs, and I decide to take this one.


    ¡°It¡¯s your sister, Portia.¡± This causes Aida to break downpletely. I hate seeing women upset, so this


    is starting to get to me. Ad¡¯s demeanor changes once I announce who our mate is. She looks a bit


    smug.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°There is no need to cry, Aida. They will realize that they are wasting their time with her. She is weak


    and useless. They will see that, and they will be begging toe back to us.¡± Landon lets a growl rip


    through the room while I try to hold mine back.


    ¡°Do not speak of our mate that way.¡± I try to send calmness through the bond, so Landon doesn¡¯t lose


    control of Goliath. Ad throws her head back andughs.


    ¡°Look how protective he is being of our sister,¡± she spits out. ¡°It would be funny if it weren¡¯t so pathetic.


    Mark my words, you will be back. The question is, will we ept you?¡± Landon is pissed at this point.


    He jumps off of the couch and heads out of the house, mming the door open. I stand up to follow


    him.


    ¡°We are truly sorry. We never wanted to cause you two any pain. You will understand when you find


    your mates.¡± I turn and start to walk toward the door when I feel something wrap around my leg.


    ¡°Stop! Just stop, Lincoln. Don¡¯t you know how much I love you? How much I¡¯ve always loved you? I


    need you, and you need me. Let me show you.¡± I was afraid this would happen. Aida can be so clingy,


    and it isn¡¯t the cute type of clingy. She never wants to take no for an answer.


    I lift Aida¡¯s arms off of my leg and try to separate her from my body. This is sad and pathetic. This isn¡¯t


    a surprise; I knew she gets like this. ¡°Aida, don¡¯t do this to yourself. There is nothing left to say¡­¡­.we


    are done.¡± I continue walking out the door, listening to Aida¡¯s cries as I go.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    ~Tia~


    I swear I cried the entire way back to my apartment. The four-hour drive was filled with sniffling and


    wailing. I have no idea what went through the minds of anyone who noticed me while I was driving.


    I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised at what happened. I could have guessed the oue would have been


    something like that. My dad only wants the best for his amazing daughters, and here I am, just getting


    in the way of that. I¡¯d imagine that I will get a rejection letter or something in the next day or two. Let¡¯s


    face facts. There is nothing I can offer the Alphas that my sisters couldn¡¯t provide tenfold.


    Times like this, with high stress and anxiety, I usually shift into Andricia and let nature bring me back to


    a more manageable state. There is no way I can do that today because if I shift into Andricia, she will


    just hightail it right back home to the pack. She has been whining for her mates since I got on the road,


    and it has taken everything in me to fight the urge to turn back. I will have to figure out a way to prepare


    her for what wille next.


    I finally make it to my apartment and can¡¯t wait to get in a steaming hot shower. Maybe I can wash all of


    this pain and anger away. I pull my phone out of my purse, remembering that it is dead. I never tried to


    charge it or turn it on. I set it up on the charger and get what I need to get in the shower.


    I stay in the shower until the water turns cold and my fingers start to prune. The shower wasn¡¯t as


    refreshing as I hoped it would be since I spent a huge portion of it in tears. I¡¯m never one to question


    the Moon Goddess, but I just don¡¯t understand any of this right now. Why have I been treated this way


    all my life by my family? Why mate me to the twins who are dating my sisters? I just don¡¯t understand.


    I haven¡¯t eaten in more than 24 hours, but I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯m actually exhausted, whether that be from


    ack of proper sleep or just the emotional toll of all of these recent events. I just know that I need to


    recharge. I throw some pajamas on, fix the blinds, and fall out in the middle of my bed. The sleep


    comes, but it isn¡¯t a restful one.


    ~Landon~


    I¡¯m furious. The way Ad was talking about my mate¡­¡­hell, the way she was talking about her


    sister. I¡¯m just furious. I almost shift and let Goliath take over, but I know that Lincoln and I have things


    to do, so I just don¡¯t have the time.


    When I leave the Colby house, I start to walk slowly toward the packhouse. I¡¯m sure Lincoln will catch


    up with me soon. I try to use the time to figure out what to do next. Regardless of the response, the


    twins now know what¡¯s going on and what we n to do. Tia isn¡¯t here anymore, but no one knows


    what made her leave. What if she left because she didn¡¯t want us? What do we do if that¡¯s the case? I¡¯d


    rather walk through fire than beg the twins to take us back. I just saw a side of them that I didn¡¯t like. I


    won¡¯t lie and say I didn¡¯t know that side was there; I just never really had to see it before. ¡°So, how did


    you leave it?¡± I could feel Lincoln strolling up behind me; it¡¯s a twin thing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know. Aida went into her usual hysterics and I never know what to think about


    Ad.¡± I sigh and say nothing. I really don¡¯t want to talk about them anymore. I want us to figure out


    what to do about Tia.


    ¡°We need to go to her.¡± I was going to suggest that, so it doesn¡¯t surprise me to hear Linc say it.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How will we find out where she is? I doubt she would still be living on campus.¡±


    ¡°Dad has to have the information in his files. He did send her the invite to be at the ceremony.¡± That¡¯s


    right. We always have to have a current address on file for all pack members. There are times when


    they have toe back to packnds, and we need to be able to reach them when that timees.


    We head into the packhouse and to the second floor. I knock on the office door and hear a muffled


    ¡®Come in.¡¯ Much to my joy, dad is alone in his office. I really didn¡¯t want to have to deal with mom again,


    especially after dealing with the twins.


    ¡°Where are you twoing from?¡±


    ¡°We just went to talk to the Colby twins,¡± Linc responds as I sit in the chair opposite my father. I spread


    my legs out and lean my head back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t bother to ask how it went. Judging by the looks you two have, I can pretty much guess.¡± I give a


    dry chuckle. He isn¡¯t wrong, and I¡¯m sure whatever he could guess would be urate.


    ¡°Dad, we want to go see Ti-¡± Linc is interrupted when dad hands him a sheet of paper.


    ¡°That is her address as well as her phone number. I already had some clothing packed up for you two,


    and the suitcases are already in the Jeep. Everything will be covered while you are away; just


    remember that you two have toe back.¡± I lift my head up to look at my dad. He has a spark in his


    eye and a faint smile on his lips. He must really be for this matchup, and I truly appreciate having


    someone on our side. Linc is hugging dad. I stand up and do the same. Lincoln and I walk toward the


    door. ¡°Sons, bring our Luna home.¡± We nod and head out to the waiting car.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    The four-hour drive went by pretty quickly. Lincoln and I took the time toe up with a n, and it


    was simple: talk and listen. We don¡¯t want to force or trick her. We want Tia to want us as much as we


    want her. Clearly, something made her run away without so much as a goodbye. We need to figure out


    what that was, and we need to be mindful of her situation and how she is feeling about things.


    It¡¯s true that if she decided to reject us, we would be devastated. We still won¡¯t force anything on her. I


    want her to wee us with open arms, and I know Lincoln wants the same. We also need to get to


    know her and let her know us. She wasn¡¯t someone we really spent time with in the past, and that will


    all need to be remedied for anything substantial to happen.


    The apartmentplex Tia lives in is average at best. I would guess that she wasn¡¯t getting any


    money from her parents to live out here, so she did what she could. She deserves so much more than


    what she has now, and I hope we are able to give that to her. Lincoln parks the car, and we find her


    apartment door. We look at each other and take a deep breath. I raise my hand and start to knock.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    ~Tia~


    *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*


    *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*


    *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*


    At first, I thought it was a part of my dream, this annoying knocking. I turned over multiple times, hoping


    it would go away. It was the knock on my bedroom wall that got me moving. ¡®WOULD YOU ANSWER


    THE DAMN DOOR?!¡¯


    ¡°So¡­.sorry.¡± I swear, sometimes I hate living in an apartment, and I hate living around so many


    humans. Don¡¯t get me wrong; I have no issue with humans at all. It¡¯s just we are different creatures,


    and some of the things that irritate them are small and petty, in my opinion.


    I throw the covers back and try to put my feet into my teddy bear slippers. I¡¯m groggy and still sleepy.


    There is too much on my mind to be able to sleep soundly. I make my way to the door, the knocking


    getting louder with each step. I have no idea who the hell would be at my door. Maybe it¡¯s my dad, and


    he will sit here and force me to reject the twins. Maybe it¡¯s the Alpha and Luna, and they will demand


    that I reject their sons.


    I reach the door and start to undo the locks and chains. ¡°Okay, okay¡­¡­keep your pants on. Give me a


    minute.¡± The knocking finally stops, and I send up a silent thank you. I open the door, and my voice


    gets stuck in my throat. I must be seeing things, or I must be asleep still. How is it that I open the door,


    and those two are standing in front of me? Lincoln and Landon¡­¡­..my mates¡­¡­at my apartment. I


    look down at myself and squeak. I quickly m the door shut and run back into my room. There is no


    way I can talk to them looking like this.


    ~Lincoln~


    I have no idea how long we have been knocking, but it feels like forever. Landon and I are taking turns,


    but she hasn¡¯t appeared yet. Her car is parked in the parking lot, so we figure she is here somewhere.


    We annoy the neighbors with the noise, but neither of us cares.


    Finally we hear the locks and her sweet voice telling us to give her a minute. The door swings open,


    and her scent hits me like a freight train; lcs and sandalwood. I take a deep breath and take in the


    sight in front of me. Tia has on the cutest teddy bear slippers. I¡¯m sure on anyone else they would look


    childish, but not on my mate. She is wearing a silk short set, deep blue in color. The shorts are short,


    and the top looks like one of those camisoles or something. I have no idea about woman¡¯s fashion; I


    just know her n*****s are hard and pushing against the fabric. One of her straps is hanging down her


    arm, which is dropping the front of her top. Her braids are up in a messy bun on top of her head. She


    has sleep in her eyes, and she is yawning.


    Tia looks up at us and seems to freeze. Next thing we know, the door is shut in our faces. I look at


    Landon, and he looks as mesmerized as I just was. Landon shakes his head a bit and looks at me.


    Neither of us quite knows what to do at this point. Do we force our way in, or do we wait and hope she


    comes back to the door? We don¡¯t have to think about it for long because a minute or twoter, the


    door opens again. This time, Tia has on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans with a ck, long sleeve shirt.


    She ditched the slippers for a pair of long ck socks. She looks just as good now as she did a minute


    ago.


    ¡°Wh¡­.what are you two doing here?¡± I lean against the door frame, looking Tia up and down. I can feel


    my body responding to the sight, and my mind is going wild with everything I would love to do to her.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You left without so much as a goodbye and we wanted to find out what was going on.¡± Thank the


    Goddess for my brother because I¡¯m not sure that I could have formed a coherent sentence just then. I


    clear my throat and try to shake the dirty thoughts from my mind.


    ¡°Can we, please,e in?¡± Tia turns her head to me and then back at Landon before stepping back


    and opening the door wider. I step in first and take a look at the ce. It is decent, I guess. There isn¡¯t


    much in terms of decorations. She has her basics, and there are pictures of her, Lynn, and Mark. I did


    notice one picture of her and her mom but no other pictures of the family.


    I walk toward the couch and plop down. Landon takes a seat in the armchair off to the side. Tia stands


    by the door with her arms crossed, staring at us. I smirk at her. ¡°Uh, maybe you want to close the door


    and sit down. You can sit next to Lincoln or myp is avable.¡± The shocked look on Tia¡¯s face is


    priceless.


    Good one, L. He chuckles back in the mindlink. Tia closes the door andes into the room. She


    doesn¡¯t sit; instead, she stands in the middle of the room, looking at both of us.


    ~Tia~


    Okay¡­.okay! Just be cool, Tia. No need to do anything crazy and no need to flip out. The future


    Alphas of my pack are sitting in my living room. There are also my mates¡­¡­my sexy a*s


    mates¡­..STOP! Just stop¡­..just be cool.


    ¡°Uh, are you okay over there? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sit down?¡± Lincoln is looking at me with


    concern. I guess my internal monologue put a look on my face that causes worry. Landon has leaned


    forward in the chair, looking at me with concern as well. I swallow and try to put a neutral look on my


    face.


    ¡°I¡¯m, uh¡­.I¡¯m fine. So wh¡­..what are you two doing here?¡± The twins look at each other and look back


    at me. ¡°Look just do it and be done already. There is no point in drawing this out.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Draw what out?¡± Landon settles back in the chair while Lincoln starts to


    look a bit panicked.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Linc. She thinks we are here to reject her.¡± Lincoln looks at Landon, then settles back on


    the couch. I look between the two of them, wondering what their n is. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us why you


    left without a word.¡± I sigh and start to pace back and forth. I guess there is no reason not to tell them


    what¡¯s going on. Maybe they will hurry up and do what they came here to do. There is no need to


    procrastinate. I want to get the pain over with as soon as possible.


    ¡°My¡­¡­my dad found out we were mates. He ordered me to reject you two.¡± Two growls, strong


    enough to shake the walls, pierce the quiet room. I don¡¯t look at either of them; my eyes are stuck on


    my feet instead. ¡°Look, I get it. You two love my sisters and want them to be Lunas. That¡¯s fine.¡± I look


    up and regret that choice instantly. I can feel the tears gather in my eyes, and looking at them threatens


    to break the dam and have them fall down my face. I look up at the ceiling, hoping to hold it all in. ¡°Let¡¯s


    just get this over with quickly,¡± I mumble.


    Sparks erupt on my arm driving heat to my core. I look down to see a set of hands rubbing my arm.


    The scent of lemon is strong, and Landon kisses me on my temple. My head is gently pulled away from


    Landon, and a kiss is ced on my forehead, grapefruit filling my nose. ¡°We did note here to


    reject you.¡± I look Lincoln in the eyes and see nothing but sincerity.


    ¡°We were worried when we awoke and you weren¡¯t there. We have already told our parents as well as


    the twins that we have found our mate. The ceremony has been postponed until we can get you back


    home where you belong.¡± Home? When has that pack ever been home to me? My father and sisters


    made it impossible for that pack to feel like home.


    I step away from my mates, Andricia whimpering at my action. ¡°That ce is not my home. It never has


    been. No one cares that I haven¡¯t been there in years, and no one would want me as Luna.¡± I walk


    away from the twins and head to the kitchen. This is all a lot to deal with, and I need a drink.


    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any alcohol in my house. I¡¯ve never been one for drinking, and regr


    alcohol does nothing to me anyway. I sigh and grab a soda from the fridge. It isn¡¯t liquor, but it will


    distract me for a while.


    I turn away from the fridge to be met with two pairs of chocte-brown eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t care what


    anyone thinks. You are our mate and we n to have you by our side. Anyone who doesn¡¯t agree can


    leave our pack.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t promise that, Lincoln. You can¡¯t make people ept me.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    ~Lincoln~


    I step toward my mate, wanting to grab her and show her exactly how I feel about her. I want to prove


    to her what I can really do, what I can make happen.


    How could she tell us apart?


    I have no idea, L, but I guess that¡¯s a good thing.


    ¡°How could you tell it was me and not Landon?¡± Tia seems surprised by my question. I know it doesn¡¯t


    pertain to our discussion, but I¡¯m curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. Your scents give you away.¡± Landon and I look at each other, confused. Tia


    chuckles. ¡°Both of you have a strong peppermint scent. Lincoln, yours is mixed with grapefruit, while


    Landon¡¯s is mixed with lemon.¡± Tia shrugs her shoulders as if the exnation is obvious, and maybe it


    is to her.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s a weirdbination, but it does¡¯t matter. We are here to get to know you and we want you to


    get to know us. We have been waiting for you and we won¡¯t let you go. Linc is right, anyone who


    doeesn¡¯t approve can leave the pack.¡± Tia looks over to Landon and back at me. Her stomach


    grumbles loudly, causing my brother and me tough.


    ¡°Excuse me. I haven¡¯t eaten all day.¡± I take Tia by the hand and start to head to the door.


    ¡°Let¡¯s remedy that, shall we?¡± Tia tries to pull her hand from mine, and I grab on a bit tighter.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to do that. I have food here I can eat.¡± I turn to look at her, noticing my brother


    right behind her.


    Are we giving her a choice, L?


    Nah, not at all. She will thank uster.¡±


    I don¡¯t respond and continue to pull Tia with me to the door. I pull her outside while Landon pulls up the


    rear. Once we get outside, Tia stops fighting me. I¡¯m sure she realizes that she is simply wasting her


    time and energy. I open the passenger door and ce Tia inside. Landon gets in the driver¡¯s seat, and


    I get in behind Landon.


    ¡°You know this is a human town. They won¡¯t exactly take kindly to seeing us out like this.¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, beautiful,¡± Landon tells her. ¡°I know exactly where we can go, and we won¡¯t have to worry


    about anyone looking at us funny.¡± Tia doesn¡¯t respond, instead looking out of the window. I think it will


    take some work to get through to Tia, but I¡¯m ready to put that work in.


    We drive about 30 minutes before arriving at an out-of-the-way restaurant. It was established by a


    werewolf family and set up away from humans so we could be free to be ourselves. Landon and I had


    heard about this restaurant a while ago but never made the time to check it out. I can¡¯t wait to get to


    know our mate better.


    ~Landon~


    We pull into the parking lot, and Lincoln helps Tia out of the car. She was pretty quiet on the way here,


    making me wonder what she has been thinking about. I just hope that she can give us a chance. I


    know things haven¡¯t been the best for her over the years, but I want to help make things better for her.


    We are seated in the back, in a half-circle booth. Lincoln made sure to ask for as much privacy as


    possible. He already ordered as well, making sure to pick many different dishes, so we have a lot to


    sample from. He didn¡¯t want us to have any interruptions. Tia sits between the two of us, and the staff


    starts to set up the tables and tes that contain our food.


    ¡°So Tia,¡± I start once all staff has left the area. ¡°Tell us about yourself. I hate to admit that we don¡¯t know


    much about you. We weren¡¯t exactly running in the same circles growing up.¡± Tia looks between the


    both of us and shrugs her shoulders.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to tell, honestly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that, love. What about your training?¡± Tia looks at Lincoln with a shocked expression, much


    like my own. I thought I was the only one who knew about Tia¡¯s training. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, L. I


    have seen Tia train many times. Actually, I¡­..I¡¯ve always had a bit of a crush on her.¡± Tia scoffs.


    ¡°There is no way you had a crush on me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I sit back and watch their interaction with amusement.


    ~Tia~


    Lincoln¡­¡­had a crush¡­..on me?! There is no way that can be real. Why would he have ever looked


    at me twice, let alone actually liked me? It is mind-boggling, to say the least. I also can¡¯t believe that


    they both know about my training. I always trained in private with Mark and Lynn. Dad said there was


    no reason for him to teach me anything because I could never be good enough. I always wanted to be


    a strong warrior regardless of what my dad thought, even though I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be able to


    aplish that while still in this pack.


    Landon is sitting back, watching Lincoln and me. I wonder if he knew about this supposed crush


    Lincoln says he had on me. I wonder if he ns to tell me he has felt the same at some point. HA!


    Unbelievable!


    ¡°Did you or did you not wear a silver, strapless, floor-length gown to your senior prom along with a


    diamond and sapphire tiara?¡± Ok, so he saw me prom night. That is really no big deal. I nod at Lincoln.


    ¡°And isn¡¯t it true that that said tiara randomly showed up at your doorstep the morning of the prom?¡±


    Wait a minute. How the hell would he know that? I didn¡¯t know who had left that for me at the time. I


    figured it was a gift from my mom, but when I thanked her for it, she had no idea what I was talking


    about. She said she wish she had thought about it but wasn¡¯t the one who left the gift.


    I look at Landon, and he has an eyebrow raised, clearly not knowing about this beforehand. I look at


    Lincoln, and he has a smirk on his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­..you couldn¡¯t have¡­¡­there is no way¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh I did. I thought it would look amazing with your dress so I bought it and left it on your doorstep.


    Truth be told, I was too nervous to give it to you outright, but I had to make sure you had it.¡± I could feel


    a few tears build up in my eyes. I don¡¯t think anyone has ever done anything that sweet for me in my


    entire life.


    I close my eyes, willing the tears to go back where they came from. I feel sparks on my hands, and I


    open my eyes to see Landon grabbing one hand and Lincoln having the other. I give them a small


    smile and get one back from each of them. I clear my throat, feeling awkward and remove my hands so


    I can try to eat. We fall into afortable silence, all of us enjoying our food.


    ¡°How did you two know about my training?¡± The brothers look at each other and look back at me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Linc knew about your training. I also didn¡¯t know about the tiara or crush.¡± Lincoln


    blushes a bit. ¡°I stumbled across you training one day with Mark and I stopped to watch. You were


    amazing.¡±


    ¡°I thought your dad had taught you all he knew, but when I asked Lynn, she told me that he wouldn¡¯t


    teach you anything.¡±


    ¡°No, he has never bothered with me. It was always about my sisters. He said I was a mistake.¡± I hear


    simultaneous growls, and I look down at my te. I figure they would probably be mad at that, but I


    refuse to keep the truth in. ¡°Actually, the entire pack dotes on my sisters, so I wasn¡¯t surprised to find


    out they would be named the Lunas. The pack already loves them, and that¡¯s important for that


    position.¡±


    ¡°STOP!¡± Landon¡¯s eyes are ck as night, and his voice shakes the table. I turn to Lincoln, seeing he


    looks almost the same as his brother. I gulp but say nothing else. Lincoln speaks first.


    ¡°We are very much aware of how the pack views the Colby daughters. I don¡¯t know how it came to be


    that way, but their opinions mean nothing to us. We want our fated mate and if the pack has a problem


    with that, they can leave.¡±


    ¡°Leave?!¡± I scoff. ¡°Yeah, like you will be okay with an empty packhouse, with a pack of 1 or 2.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will be okay with that,¡± Landon grabs my hands. ¡°Having the woman who was made just for us


    is way more important than running a pack. We would dly give it all up if that means having a happy


    life with you.¡± I can feel Andricia twirling around in my head at those words, and I truly want to believe


    them. It¡¯s hard for me to fully give in because no one has ever wanted me for anything before, yet now


    things are supposed to be different. Now I¡¯m supposedly wanted by these two men, these Alphas. It¡¯s


    hard to wrap my head around all of that.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    ~Landon~


    I¡¯m surprised, yet not surprised, by Tia¡¯s thoughts. I should have seen that she would be worried about


    the pack¡¯s reaction to her being Luna. Her concerns are valid, but Lincoln and I agree. If the pack can¡¯t


    support the fact that Tia is our mate, then they can leave. Neither of us will tolerate our mate being


    treated poorly or with disrespect. Besides, if they do treat her poorly, it won¡¯t be because she is a


    horrible person. It will be due to the gossip that would fly around the pack about her; gossip that would


    be false.


    We spend the rest of the meal trying to get to know each other. It¡¯s something that we didn¡¯t do growing


    up. Even though my brother and I have always had eyes on Tia, we never took the time to really see


    who she is. She is incredible, and I feel more blessed with each passing minute.


    We head back to Tia¡¯s ce after a filling meal. It was hard to keep my hands to myself while we were


    out. I tried to remain respectful since we are in a human town. They wouldn¡¯t understand the idea of


    two men with one woman and being so open about it. I didn¡¯t want to have eyes on us or have any


    unneeded pressure on my mate.


    ¡°So, where are you guys staying?¡± Tia addresses us as we step into her apartment. Lincoln is thest


    person in, and he closes the door behind us. I hear him chuckle a bit, but I work on keeping a straight


    face.


    ¡°We will be staying right here,¡± I answer while stepping closer to Tia. Her eyes get big, and she starts to


    look around the room in a panic. I¡¯m having a harder time keeping my face neutral. Tia, in a panic, is


    super adorable. Lincoln quietly walks up behind her. Tia takes a step back and bumps right into him.


    He ces his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. I walk up to Tia until I¡¯m inches away from


    her. I caress Tia¡¯s cheek while I stare into her eyes.


    ¡°I¡­..I don¡¯t think there will b¡­.be¡­..enough room here for all three of us.¡± I quickly nce around, and


    she does have a point. Chances are, though, that if I suggest a hotel room, she will send us on our way


    while staying put. I can¡¯t have that.


    We probably should get more space, L.


    I agree Linc, but if we say that now, she will send us to go alone. Lincoln nods slightly and starts to rub


    her arms up and down.


    The air is starting to get thick, and Tia¡¯s arousal is evident. The sweet smell makes my head spin, and I


    close my eyes, trying to steady myself and my wolf. I take a step closer to Tia, causing her to ce her


    hands up. Theynd on my chest, and I look down at them. I start to flex my muscles, just to see what


    she will do.


    ~Tia~


    They n to stay here with me?! There¡¯s barely enough space for myself. My ce is small and barely


    fits me. It is way less luxurious than amodations in a pack. How do they n for all of us to stay


    here together? Do I even want them to stay here with me?


    Lincoln is behind me, rubbing my arms, and Landon is standing directly in front of me. My hands are on


    his chest, and I can feel him flexing his muscles. I can¡¯t help myself and start to run my fingers across


    his chest. He is so well built; it makes me quiver inside. I can feel my wetness pool in my panties. My


    mouth feels dry, and I catch myself licking my lips. This causes a growl toe out of Landon, making


    me wetter.


    Sparks appear on my neck; Lincoln kissing, licking, and nipping. I lean my head back and over to the


    side to give him more ess. The sparks are amazing, and I can feel my ni**les harden. I close my


    eyes just as Landon¡¯s lipsnd on mine. The kiss quickly goes from soft to passionate. Lincoln¡¯s


    assault on my neck intensifies, and I swear I¡¯m melting. Lincoln¡¯s hands move from my arms to around


    my body. He starts to stroke my thighs and my hips. Landon¡¯s tongue has forced itself into my mouth,


    and I¡¯m moaning uncontrobly. I put my arms around his neck and let my tongue wrestle his.


    Landon tears his lips away from mine, and I whimper at the action. Lincoln turns me around and quickly


    reces his brother¡¯s lips. His tongue quickly enters my mouth, caressing every surface. I moan into


    Lincoln¡¯s mouth while I feel hands caress my a*s. Those hands go from my a*s, around the front, to my


    inner thighs. I part my feet slightly, allowing my legs to lose contact. Landon takes the opportunity to


    stroke my inner thighs from my knee up to my center and back again. The heat from his hands makes


    me want more. I haven¡¯t even decided to ept them, yet I¡¯m yearning to have them inside of me.


    I can feel the button of my jeans being undone along with the zipper. Lincoln is kissing my jaw and


    down my neck, which I¡¯m grateful for because I think I was about to suffocate with that kiss. I can feel


    my jeans being pushed down my waist while hands have found their way up my shirt. The sparks on


    my skin make me feel like an ocean is between my legs. Lincoln¡¯s mouth finds its way to my stomach,


    kissing slowly around my belly button. I can feel my panties following the way of my jeans.


    Lincoln¡¯s warm mouth is removed from my body, and I open my eyes to see what happened. Lincoln is


    on his knees, looking up at me with lust in his eyes. ¡°These need toe all the way off; help me


    brother.¡± Without warning, I¡¯m lifted in the air, sitting on Landon¡¯s arms as if they morphed into a chair.


    My legs are dangling, and Lincoln is standing in front of me, removing my shoes, jeans, and panties.


    My entire body starts to move as Landon starts to walk with me. We make it to the couch, where


    Landon sits down and ces me next to him on my back. Before I can get settled in, he pulls my shirt


    off of me but leaves the bra.


    Lincoln spreads my legs so one is over the top of the couch and the other is hanging off of the edge.


    He gets down low, but I can see him looking at me between my legs. I can¡¯t believe this is happening,


    and a small part of me worries that this is something they have done to my sisters. I would hate to have


    to follow them like that. I can¡¯t think too much more about it because Lincoln¡¯s tongue makes contact


    with my button, causing my back to arch off of the couch.


    Landon¡¯s hands are in my bra, caressing my breasts. He is kneading them and pinching my n*****s. I


    can hear moans leave my mouth, but they don¡¯t sound like me. Lincoln¡¯s tongue is relentless, like he is


    starving, and I¡¯m the food. He is licking up and down. His tongue is swirling around my button, and he


    takes the time to suck on it here and there. I vaguely hear a zipper in the distance and wonder which


    twin it is. I look down and see Lincoln¡¯s eyes closed as he feasts on my soul, but I notice his hand


    moving up and down. I look up and see Landon¡¯t eyes closed. His hand is still in my bra, but the other


    pumps up and down. I look down and see he has himself in his hand. I shift slightly, not wanting to


    break Lincoln¡¯s concentration. As soon as I can, I use my tongue and move it up Landon¡¯s piece,


    running it across his fingers too. His eyes shoot open, and he looks down at me, almost surprised. He


    shifts toward me a bit so I can suck him into my mouth easier, and I do. I moan with him in my mouth


    and start to move him in and out. Landon seems to be ovee with desire because he starts to buck


    his hips. I keep pace with him as much as I can before I give up and give him the open field to do as he


    likes. He grabs the back of my head and continues to drive into my mouth before I feel him tense up,


    and I can feel his seed shoot down my throat. Landon groans as he finishes, and I make sure I get it all


    up.


    Lincoln¡¯s mouth then intensifies in its action, and my eyes roll to the back of my head. I reach down and


    pull Lincoln¡¯s head in so he is flush with me. I should probably care if he can breathe, but I can¡¯t say


    that I do. I start to grind my hips against his face, and he moans. His moan vibrates through my core,


    and I can¡¯t take it anymore. I scream out in ecstasy while Landon pinches my n*****s. Coming down off


    of my high, I struggle to open my eyes. I can feel Lincoln kissing my inner thighs, but I notice that his


    hand is still pumping. ¡°Do you need help with that?¡± My voice is gruff. Lincoln looks up and smiles. He


    moves up my body, straddling my chest so that his member is directly in front of me.


    ¡°While you do that, I think it¡¯s my turn to have a taste.¡± I want to protest; tell Landon no. I¡¯m not sure


    that my body can take another o****m like that. I have been with a few men before, but they never


    brought me topletion. Anything I have done myself has never been on that level. I open my mouth


    to speak, but Lincoln takes that as an invitation to put himself inside. I promptly feel Landon¡¯s mouth on


    me, and all reason flies out of my head. It doesn¡¯t take long before I swallow what Lincoln leaves in my


    mouth while floating high after Landon¡¯s assault.


    The three of us tumble to the floor and look up at the ceiling, breathing heavily. ¡°Sorry we didn¡¯t clear


    that before hand. I, for one, couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± I look at Lincoln, and he has a sexy smirk on his face.


    Landon clears his throat next to me.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t nned, but damn, was it good.¡± I look at Landon and watch him kiss my sides and


    stomach. I really hate to kill the afterglow vibe, but I just have to know.


    ¡°Di¡­.did you do that stuff with my sisters?¡± It¡¯s as if ice water is thrown over us at my question.


    Everyone tenses up and gets very quiet.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    ~Landon~


    I can¡¯t be surprised that Tia asks that question; I guess I just hoped it wouldn¡¯te. She has every


    right to wonder if we have slept with her sisters. It is honestly something we should have discussed


    before we went this far, but how much longer was I expected to keep away from my mate?


    I clear my throat, and Tia looks at me. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how Ad is; very practical and prudent. We


    discussed things and decided that it would be better if we waited.¡± I sigh. ¡°Truth be told, I was still


    hoping to meet my fated mate, so I had no trouble deciding to leave things at just kissing.¡± Tia nods in


    response, and I let out a breath I was silently holding in. I was scared that she would be upset or not


    believe me. This entire situation is not the norm, and it will take a lot of sensitivity to navigate it.


    Lincoln is still silent, and I wonder what¡¯s going through his head. I¡¯m not aware that anything had


    happened between him and Aida, but I¡¯m not with him 24/7. ¡°And you?¡± Tia doesn¡¯t hold back, and I


    like that. I always wanted a mate that was able to take control when needed and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to


    put me in my ce.


    ¡°I¡­..I didn¡¯t really do anything with Aida.¡± I have to admit that I¡¯m somewhat surprised. I had to


    convince Lincoln to look for our fated mate, so I just figured he wouldn¡¯t turn down a woman¡¯s


    advances if it came to that. ¡°Aida tried to do things, many¡­¡­.many times.¡± Lincoln shuts his eyes, and


    I catch Tia trying not tough. ¡°Some days, she was relentless, but I always managed to get out of it.


    She¡­¡­she even appeared in my bed one morning. I still don¡¯t know how she get in. I haven¡¯t done


    anything with her, though. There was always something that held me back.¡±


    I set my eyes on Tia, and she isn¡¯t looking as confident as she was just a minute ago. She actually


    looks a bit¡­.guilty? ¡°What¡¯s going with you, Tia?¡± She says nothing, so I sit up on my side and look at


    her. Lincoln follows my actions. When Tia notices we are both waiting for her to speak, she closes her


    eyes and ces a hand over them.


    ¡°Well?¡± Lincoln says, nudging her arm with his nose. Tia sighs and uncovers her eyes. She looks up to


    the ceiling, and I can see tears forming.


    ¡°I¡­..I didn¡¯t wait for my fated mate. I have dated a few guys and been with them,¡± she responds in a


    whisper. I¡¯m not going to lie, but that did hurt a bit. The thought of someone else touching my mate was


    almost too much to take. The truth of the matter is that I never expected my mate to have waited for


    me. That isn¡¯t even something fair to expect.


    I watch a tear fall from the corner of her eye, and Lincoln quickly wipes it away. I kiss the corner of her


    eye, and Lincoln kisses the other. ¡°Tia, that isn¡¯t important. I mean, I will be honest and say that the


    idea of a man touching you does get to me¡­..but I never expected my mate to have waited. I¡¯m not at


    all upset or disappointed. You are perfect just as you are.¡± Lincoln kisses her cheek, and I do the same.


    I would never let something so triviale between my mate and me. So she is more experienced. I


    can confidently say that I know that my brother and I are the best she has ever had. We are the best


    and thest.


    ~Tia~


    Well that went a lot better than I could have hoped. I was sure that once they found out I had been with


    others, they would be upset, to say the least. They are Alpha males, and Alpha males can be very


    possessive. I¡¯m just d that we see eye to eye on this issue.


    The floor is quickly bing ufortable, making me want toy in my bed. The issue is that my


    bed isn¡¯t big enough for the three of us. My bed may only fit two of us semifortably. These are big


    guys and will take up a lot of the room. I don¡¯t want to be the one to suggest getting a room, but that


    may be the best option at this point.


    Before I could bring the topic up, my phone rings; I scramble to find my pants to get my phone. I swear


    I didn¡¯t notice where articles of clothing fell while we were doing what we were doing. I look up to see


    Landon waving my phone in my face with a smirk. I notice he is still hanging out of his pants, making


    my cheeks burn. Landonughs a bit at my response, and I turn my head, answering my phone.


    ¡°B***H!!!!¡± S**t¡­..it¡¯s Lynn. Ipletely forgot to call her and let her know what was going on.


    ¡°Hey, Lynn. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious right now? What¡¯s up?? S**t! What the hell is going on with you? I¡¯ve been hearing


    some talk, but it¡¯s too scandalous to believe.¡± I look at Lincoln and Landon, who are curiously looking at


    me. I guess it would be helpful to know what¡¯s being said among the pack members in light of what just


    happened.


    ¡°Uh¡­.what¡­.what¡¯s being said?¡± Lynnughs.


    ¡°Did you reach her?¡± I can hear Mark in the background.


    ¡°Hey Mark! How are you?¡± I can hear shuffling and movement.


    ¡°Tia! Finally! We have been trying to reach you since yesterday. Your phone kept going straight to


    voicemail.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­..it kind of died on me and today has just been crazy.¡±


    ¡°We were trying to find out what¡¯s going on. The Alpha twins running off during their ceremony and you


    disappearing¡­¡­are the two rted??¡± I can hear Lynn giggling in the background, making me


    suspicious about what she has heard.


    ¡°Mark, we should just drive out there so we can find out in person.¡± Before I can respond, Lincoln takes


    the phone out of my hand.


    ¡°You may not want to make that drive. Tia will be pretty busy the next few days.¡± I can hear a gasp on


    the line while I groan into my hands. Landon is chuckling at the entire situation.


    ¡°A¡­Alpha¡­..uh¡­.Landon or Lincoln¡­..I¡­.uh¡­..I¡­..¡± Lynn is a stuttering mess, and Mark is not


    helping her out of things. I snatch my phone back just to watch Lincolnugh at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I will call you back when I get a chance.¡± I hit the hang-up button and re at


    Lincoln. I can¡¯t believe he would make things so damn awkward like that. He bends down and kisses


    my lips, making my frustration dissipate much to my irritation. Damn, mate bond.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°So we need to get going to get to the room I¡¯ve booked.¡± I look at Landon like he is growing two heads.


    When the hell did he have time to book a room for us? I swear he was just standing over there, and I


    didn¡¯t see him get on the phone.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay with us?¡± Lincoln looks a bit heartbroken, which causes pain in my heart.


    ¡°We can always stay here.¡± Landones closer to me, offering his hand to help me up. I tentatively


    take his hand but don¡¯t answer. ¡°We can just rotate who sleeps in the bed with Tia. I volunteer myself


    for tonight.¡± Landon gives me a wink, Lincoln growls at him, and I struggle to hold in my smile.


    ¡°Uh, I will just pack¡­..I guess. Give me a minute.¡± Landon and Lincoln smile from ear to ear, and I


    head off to the bedroom. I decide to have a quick shower and pack a bag. I guess my mates and I will


    be spending some one-on-one time together.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    The drive to the hotel was quiet; everyone seemed to be in their thoughts. The hotel was a bit outside


    of the human town, and I had only heard of it before. It is really tall and looks super expensive to stay


    in. Landon helps me out of the car, and I can¡¯t help but gawk at what¡¯s in front of me.


    Walking inside didn¡¯t dampen my shock. Everything inside is so elegant and expensive looking. It¡¯s


    hard to take everything in because there is so much to see. I don¡¯t know how, but when I finallye to


    terms with what I¡¯m seeing, we are already in the elevator. A ss elevator at that, so I can see


    everything as we ride up.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Landon¡¯s question catches me off guard while I¡¯m examining the floors below,


    watching everything get smaller the higher the elevator goes.


    ¡°I think that i¡±m worried I will break something. If that were to happen, I wouldn¡¯t be able to be the


    Luna¡­..I would spend all my time working here to pay off my debts.¡± Lincoln and Landonugh at this,


    and I blush a bit. Sometimes I tend to say whatever is in my head without taking a second to think first.


    ¡°We can stay here whenever you like. This is can be one of our homes away from home when we just


    want a break.¡±


    ¡°What do you have stock in thepany or something?¡± Lincoln smirks.


    ¡°Or something,¡± he replies with a small shoulder shrug. I know that the pack has businesses that they


    use to pull in funds for the pack itself, but we weren¡¯t in the hospitality business. Maybe I need to do


    some more research before taking the oath. How horrible would it be for the Luna not to know much


    about her pack? I look between Lincoln and Landon waiting for someone to exin.


    ¡°We kind of¡­¡­.own this hotel.¡± Landon has his eyes on the view behind us, watching the floors pass


    by as we ascend.


    ¡°When did the pack get into the hospitality game?¡± Landon chuckles, but it¡¯s Lincoln who responds.


    ¡°Not the pack¡­..us. Landon and I own this hotel, and it¡¯s separate from the pack businesses.¡± My eyes


    get really wide, and I¡¯m at a loss for words. The twins have a separate business, and from the looks of


    it, it¡¯s widely sessful. Landon speaks up this time.


    ¡°We wanted something separate, just in case. YOu never know what can happen, and we wanted that


    extra security. Besides, the pack has been dealing in security for so long that it would make sense for


    us to want to tip our toe on the hospitality side of things.


    The elevator dings, and we are on the 50th floor. Fifty floors! That¡¯s just extremely crazy. Lincoln steps


    out and holds his hand out to me while Landon makes sure to stand in the doorway to keep the doors


    from trying to shut. I look around at this elegant entryway; it reminds me of the lobby. There is a lot of


    ss and modern pieces. The running colors are white and gold.


    I look around and only see one door. ¡°Wee to the penthouse. Our penthouse.¡± Lincoln opens the


    door in front of me and holds it open for me to step through. The minute I¡¯m inside, I check my


    surroundings and try not to faint. This is a lot to take in. I had no idea the twins would own anything this


    extravagant. This promises to be an interesting few days.


    ~Ad~


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    They left! They really just packed up a car and took off¡­¡­to her! Just the thought of that makes me


    cringe, and it doesn¡¯t make my wolf, Be, happy either. Be and I have always been on the same


    page when ites to different things. I never really had to fight her on anything. I thought I would


    have lost her when I rejected my fated, but she was okay with my choice.


    I¡¯ve been walking in the woods, trying to figure out how to get us out of this mess. Aida took to tears


    and the bed with dad trying to get her out of both. I can only take oh so much when Aida is acting like


    that, and I reached my fill some hours ago. I rather take action and make some changes while Aida is


    content to let things happen and wait for someone else to change things for her.


    ¡°Looking a little lost there? Could you use somepany?¡± I know who it is without turning around.


    Neal is a warrior here, and we tend to hook up from time to time. I had Landon believing that I was pure


    and wasn¡¯t ready to let that go yet. The truth is that I just didn¡¯t want to be with him unless I absolutely


    had to be. The only purpose would be to have an heir, and I had no issue doing that duty; I just didn¡¯t


    want to do anything for ¡®fun.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m not really in the mood.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. You look like you could use a distraction, and you know how good I am with being a


    distraction.¡± I don¡¯t respond but continue to walk. ¡°You know, you did look gorgeous up there


    yesterday.¡± I falter in my steps. He is right; I did look really good in my dress. I feel Neal grab my hand,


    and I don¡¯t fight him.


    He leads me to a big tree and pushes me against it. He starts to kiss my neck while grabbing my


    breasts. I don¡¯t really care for the forey, but Neal usually seems to need it. All of a sudden, an idea


    hits me. There is a great way to get the twins out of the way so I can appeal to Portia directly. It¡¯s so


    perfect that I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of it sooner.


    With my newfound energy, I grab Neal and push him up against the tree instead. A wicked gin appears


    on his face as I start to kneel. He knows what¡¯s about to happen, and I¡¯m happy to give to the person


    who inspired me.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    ~Tia~


    The three of us get settled in the room, ordering some room service. This penthouse is pretty


    ridiculous, but then again, it isn¡¯t like I¡¯d have anything topare it to. There are three bedrooms in


    the penthouse, but the master is crazy. It has a bigger-than-usual king-sized bed along with a huge


    screen television on the wall. The bathroom has a jacuzzi tub big enough to fit five people, and the


    shower isn¡¯t too different. It is equipped with two rain showerheads on each end and smaller spouts


    around the walls.k


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Imagining how it will be to shower with us?¡± Lincoln¡¯s hot breath is against my neck, and I can feel my


    body responding. I step away from him, trying to calm myself and my libido. Of course, Landon walks


    up to us at the same time, making it almost impossible to get space.


    ¡°Uh, we should talk.¡± Landon and Lincoln have their eyes on me with a look of interest and concern. I


    take a deep breath. I¡¯m not sure how this will go over, but I made a decision, and I¡¯m sticking to it.


    ¡°I¡­¡­I don¡¯t want anything to happen between us.¡± I can hear a growl from one and a sharp intake of


    breath from the other. I quickly put my hands up, my eyes pleading for them to let me exin. ¡°You two


    haven¡¯t been with anyone before, and I have. I think that you each should have your first time alone.


    Just you and I enjoying the moment. After that, we can visit things as a¡­.group.¡± I swallow, noticing the


    smirk Landon gives me. ¡°I think we should focus on getting to know each other better right now and not


    being intimate. I don¡¯t want anything to overshadow our attempt at a foundation.¡± I look between the


    brothers, wondering what their reaction will be.


    Landon speaks first. ¡°I thnk that¡¯s a good idea. Wherever you are ready, I know will be as well.¡± I smile


    at Landon and turn to Lincoln, awaiting his response. He says nothing, and I wonder if I should worry.


    The more time that passes the more nervous I be. Finally, Lincoln walks over to me and caresses


    my face. He leans down and gently touches his lips to mine.


    ¡°You are amazing, and I¡¯m so lucky that you are ours.¡± I smile and hug him tightly, with Landon joining


    in on the fun. ¡°Room service should be here soon, so let¡¯s getfy and watch movies.¡± Landon nods


    in agreement, and I head to the shower to get things going. This may actually be a good couple of


    days.


    The snacks appear in the room, and we have all showered and changed. We decide to getfortable


    in the master room for our movie night. Lincoln moves the cart into the room and sets it up in the sitting


    area. The couch is a luxurious corner piece with big, fluffy pillows.


    I sit myself in the middle of the couch with a te of desserts. Landon getsfortable on my left and


    Lincoln on my right. Lincoln decides toy his head on myp while Landon gets in close and snuggles


    against my shoulder. This is life; my mates, desserts, and a good movie. I could get used to this.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I wake up to a shrill ring. It is continuous and driving me crazy. When it stops, I snuggle back in and try


    to summon sleep again. The ring starts again, making me grate my teeth. It seems as if the twins are


    oblivious to the sound, but I can¡¯t take it. I¡¯m sandwiched between Landon and Lincoln, our legs


    intertwined. I try to twitch my legs, but I can¡¯t move them. I keep trying to twist and turn, but the boys


    weigh a ton. I guess that¡¯s all thanks to the solid muscle they have.


    The ringing stops, and I breathe deeply. I decide to stop moving and try to get settled again. Before too


    long, the ringing starts back up, making me want to scream. ¡°Boys¡­..¡± No one moves an inch.


    ¡°Boys¡­..¡± I say a bit louder, but nothing changes. ¡° BOYS!¡± I swear if there were a freight train, it would


    be able toe into the room and im us all. They are deaf to the world, which is crazy. I keep


    moving around, and I find that I can move my free arm. I send up a quick apology before pulling my


    arm forward and quickly letting it shoot back. My elbow makes contact with skin; the sparks are flying.


    ¡°F**k!¡± The body behind me starts to move and groans. I remain still, hoping this was enough to get


    them moving. ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± Landon is grumbling and groaning. He sits up and feels behind him


    on the nightstand. I hear a beep, and the ringing stops. ¡°Hello?¡± I take this opportunity to wiggle free


    from the two and head to the bathroom.


    While doing my business, I realize that I forgot my backpack at my ce and I really need to take care


    of an assignment. Myptop is in the backpack, and I forgot it. I open the bathroom door to head out,


    and I notice the boys are up and practically dressed. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Lincoln walks up to me,


    cing his shirt on his body. He kisses my forehead.


    ¡°We just got a call from home. There is some issue that we need to go help with.¡±


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t sure. We need to check. You can stay here and we will be backter.¡± I head to my bag to


    get some clothes out.


    ¡°Can you take me by my ce on your way back? I forgot my backpack. I can stay at my ce and do


    some work while i wait for you two or I can just drive back here on my own.¡± Lincoln and Landon look at


    each other and nod. I hurry and get dressed so we can go.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    ~Ad~


    ¡°Did you call? Are they on their way? Good, you know what to do.¡± I hang up and start the car. The n


    has been put into motion, and now I just have to do my part. Aida and I are on our way to our dear


    sister¡¯s apartment. We have to go a back way to make sure we don¡¯t run across the twins on their way


    back to the pack.


    ¡°Do you think this is a good idea?¡± I swear this is the 100th time that Aida has asked me this question. I


    get it; we usually just stay away from Portia. We tend to just ignore her existence and continue with our


    lives. This is different; this is important. She needs to understand what will happen if she doesn¡¯t back


    off and leave what is ours alone.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go back home. We can leave Portia alone, and she will mate and be marked by


    Landon and Lincoln. She will be the Luna of our pack, and eventually, she will have their heirs. We can


    just find chosen mates somewhere and forget this ever happened.¡± I nce at Aida while driving and


    see that my words had the desired effect. She has gone from worried to angry to determined. I know


    that it¡¯s the idea of Lincoln being intimate with Portia and even her having his baby that will set Aida off.


    She will side with me to keep these things from happening.


    ¡°How long until we get there?¡± I smile and keep my eyes on the road. We will just go and remind Portia


    of who she is and her ce in this world. There is nothing wrong will giving a reminder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister; we will be there soon enough, and we will make sure Portia understands what she


    needs to do.¡± We continue the trip in silence, lost in our thoughts.


    ~Portia~


    The twins dropped me off some time ago. I was originally nning to grab my missing things and drive


    back to the hotel, but my car decided not to start. My care is severely used; it was all I could afford at


    the time. I was working part-time and have been saving up money. My mom wanted to give me some


    money for the car, but I told her no. I didn¡¯t want her to get in trouble with my father for sending me


    money. I texted Landon to let him know that they needed to pick me up on their way back to the hotel.


    They didn¡¯t tell me what happened or what the call was about, but it seems that it was an emergency. I


    hope everyone is alright. I figure it may not be that bad since neither my mom nor Lynn have reached


    out. It¡¯s probably just something they need to take care of since they are the future Alphas. They are


    the future Alphas, and I¡¯m the future Luna. That is crazy, me being the future Luna.


    Why is that so crazy? Do you think we don¡¯t deserve that?


    It isn¡¯t that, Andricia. It¡¯s just¡­¡­.I don¡¯t know. I would have never thought it would be us.


    Well, you should have. We are great, and we deserve no less that greatness. Andricia is the best, and


    when I was old enough to get her, my life was that much less lonely. I love her to pieces and strive to


    make sure she doesn¡¯t regret having me as her human.


    I have been working for a few hours now, trying to get work done so I can be free to hang out with the


    twins. I¡¯m in graduate school, and truth be told, it isn¡¯t really vital. I decided to continue with school


    since I didn¡¯t want to return to the pack. I¡¯m working on my Master¡¯s degree in Psychology. It is just an


    interest I fell into after taking my first Psychology course in school. I love the idea of examining why


    people do what they do and think how they do. I have a paper due, and I¡¯m almost finished with it. A


    knock on the door pulls me from my work. It¡¯s probably the twins.


    I get up from the couch and look out the peephole. There is no one out there, but I¡¯m sure that I heard a


    knock on the door. I open the door, but no one is waiting outside. Just as I¡¯m about to close the door, I


    hear my name in the wind. I step out and look around, but I don¡¯t see anyone. I hear my name again


    coming from my right. I turn that way and start to head toward the stairs. I¡¯m on the second floor,


    though I really tried to get on the ground floor. They have units that have a back door, and that would


    have been perfect for me when I shifted. I haven¡¯t been able to get into those units, unfortunately.


    I get to the top of the stairs and use my enhanced hearing. I hear my name whispered again, and I


    decide to follow it down the stairs. Now I¡¯m sure most people would call me crazy since I¡¯m walking


    around with no idea what¡¯s out there. I¡¯m used to the area already, and I canpletely defend myself.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    I make it downstairs but still see nothing. I look toward the woods that are just behind my apartment


    complex. I see nothing, but I hear my name again. I slowly walk toward the woods, keeping my eyes


    and ears open for anything and everything. I make it to the treeline and stop. I see a sh in front of me


    and head to it. I hear something that sounds like a woman crying. I hope no one is hurt. The things that


    some of these people can do to others are disgusting.


    I step into an open area and look around. I don¡¯t see anyone or hear anything. Just as I¡¯m about to turn


    around and head back home, I feel something strike my head. I drop to my knees and hold my head in


    pain. I try to turn around to see what it was, but I feel a kick to my side that leaves me holding my


    stomach. I feel another kick to my side that makes me double over. Two more hits to my head leave my


    vision blurry, and I fallpletely to the ground. I pass out, feeling hits and kicks all over my body.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    ~Landon~


    Lincoln and I rush back to packnds after the phone call we received. The call itself was vague, but it


    seems there was something serious going on at home, and we are needed. It made us even more


    nervous when we factored in how it wasn¡¯t our parents who called. They must be really busy or unable


    to reach out.


    We head through the gate, and everything looks quiet. Lincoln and I decide to do a perimeter check


    before going to the house. We may not be able to see any issues from here, but that doesn¡¯t mean all


    is well. I hastily park the car, and we both jump out. Lincoln and I shift into our wolves, and we take off


    in opposite directions, having agreed to meet back at the car.


    I¡¯m not sure how much time has passed, maybe an hour or more, when we finally meet back at the car.


    Lincoln throws me a pair of shorts, and I get behind the wheel. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything wrong, L. I spoke


    to warriors that were on duty, and they had nothing to report.¡±


    ¡°Exactly the same for me. There was no disturbance, and everyone said that things have been fine.


    Maybe there wasn¡¯t an attack on the pack. Maybe the issue is with our parents. Let¡¯s go, so what¡¯s


    going on.¡± I start the car, and we hurry down the road and skid to a stop in front of the pack house.


    Lincoln is out of the car before I canpletely stop. I hop out right behind him, and we rush into the


    packhouse. Nothing seems out of ce, and there doesn¡¯t seem to be any disruptions.


    We rush up to our father¡¯s office and bust in the door. Dad is sitting at his desk, and he looks up with


    surprise all over his face. It doesn¡¯t seem that he was expecting us, or anyone for that matter. ¡°What


    are you two doing here? Is everything okay? Did you bring Portia back?¡± Lincoln and I look at each


    other, but before we could respond, mom walks in.


    ¡°Ah, my boys are back. I¡¯m so d to see you two. I was just about to call you.¡± She walks to us and


    grabs each of us by the hand. ¡°Come with me; let¡¯s have lunch.¡± Mom starts to pull us toward the door.


    I¡¯m dragging my feet, trying to get away.


    ¡°Kim, maybe they don¡¯t have time for that. Let¡¯s see what brought them here.¡± Mom shoots dad an


    exasperated look but continues to pull us with her. It really doesn¡¯t seem as if there was even a


    problem here at all. If that¡¯s the case, who called and lied to us and for what reason?


    L, what do you think all of this is about? I was expecting¡­.well, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting, but


    this definitely isn¡¯t it.


    Agreed, Linc. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I want to get to the bottom of it.


    Mom pulls us outside of the packhouse and into the garden. Lincoln and I grab shirts on our way. We


    always have clothes stashed all over the pack and woods because we shift at any given time. We walk


    to the center of the garden, where there are tables and chairs set up. We choose a table, and mom


    sends an Omega to get us food. I¡¯m not really hungry. I really just want to find out what¡¯s going on.


    We all sit at the table in awkward silence. Lincoln and I would love nothing more than to go back to our


    mate. Whatever is going on here doesn¡¯t need our help. I smell the food as it gets closer to the table. I


    look up, and my face drops. Carrying a tray of food is Ad, and she has a sly smile on her face.


    Behind her, carrying a tray of drinks, is Aida.


    Lincoln jumps out of his seat at the sight of them. ¡°What the f**k is going on here?¡± A small smile


    appears on my mom¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± Ad puts the tray on the table and starts to walk toward me, and Aida


    is doing the same to Lincoln.


    ¡°I missed you baby, even though you had only been gone one day.¡± Ad attempts to sit on myp, but


    I quickly stand up. She puts a pout on her face, but her eyes are shing anger. I turn to my mom.


    ¡°Last time I will ask¡­.what is going on here?¡±


    ¡°We are just enjoying lunch.¡± Mom directs her attention to the twins. ¡°Please have a seat.¡± So many


    questions are swirling around in my head, but I can¡¯t focus on them all. Ad sits in a seat next to the


    one I was sitting in, and Aida sits in the seat next to Lincoln¡¯s.


    ¡°Cut the crap, mom. What are they doing here? Why were we called here as if something was wrong?¡±


    Mom tried to put an innocent look on her face, and the twins are avoiding eye contact.


    ¡°Answer him mom! What the hell is all of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not aware of any phone calls.¡± She looks down at her te when she says this, so I know she¡¯s


    lying. ¡°I just wanted to enjoy a meal with the future leaders of this pack. Is that such a crime?¡± I scoff.


    She can¡¯t be f**king serious!


    ¡°Future leaders of this pack?! That would be Linc and I so what the hell are the twins doing here?¡±


    ¡°F**k you, Landon! Up until a few days ago, my sister and I were to be the Lunas of this pack. You told


    me that you chose me to stand next to you. My slut sisteres to town, and now you are pushing us


    aside?!¡± Ad is furious, and Aida is trying to grab hold of Lincoln, tears starting to fall down her face.


    ¡°Oh, give it a rest. We told you that we found our fated mate. We wanted our fated mate; that¡¯s why we


    went away to find her.¡± Ad snorts, and a smirk appears on her face.


    ¡°You, both, wanted your fated mate? That is crap and you know it. Lincoln here never wanted your


    fated mate. He always wanted a chosen, and he had chosen Aida. So exin to me how you


    convinced him to let my sister go?¡± Ad sits back and crosses her arms across her chest. She looks


    between Lincoln and me, waiting.


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    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I never told you-¡± Ad interrupts Lincoln.


    ¡°You may not have told me that, but you told my sister that you only wanted to take a chosen mate. Do


    you deny saying that?¡± Lincoln looks away, the guilting through our bond. Aida stands up and


    grabs Lincoln¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I know you love me. You love me just as much as I love you. You nned to make me your chosen


    mate. We can still have that. I forgive you and I ept you.¡± Lincoln pulls his arm out of Aida¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Aida, you are a wonderful person, but¡­¡­but I never told you that I loved you. Yes, I was going to take


    a chosen, but I have always wanted my fated mate. I was just¡­.scared. I was scared that I couldn¡¯t be


    what I needed to be. I¡¯m sorry Aida. I¡¯m so sorry all this has happened, but I know what I want.¡± Aida


    sits back in her chair and starts to weep. Ad growls at her sister¡¯s pain and moves to console her.


    I shake my head and look at the table. ¡°Like I said, you knew we always wanted our fated mate. It just


    so happens to be your sister. We didn¡¯t n it that way, but it is what it is. At some point, you three will


    have to get over it. The future Luna of this pack will be Portia.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body! That girl will not run this pack! She will not take my ce as the Luna here!¡± Mom


    stands up and ces her hands t on the table. ¡°You two had better get your heads out of your asses


    and fast. Ad and Aida have been training as warriors and Lunas. You will find no one better


    equipped to fill that role. The sooner you ept that, the better off this pack will be.¡±


    I clench my fists, again and again, trying to get Goliath under control. He wants out and wants to rain


    hellfire all over this garden, this being my mom be damned. I close my eyes and take a few deep


    breaths. My mom sits down and straightens out her clothes. ¡°Be a dear and have a seat. Lincoln, you


    too. Let¡¯s enjoy this meal, shall we?¡± I hope my eyes and look at my brother. Nothing needs to be said;


    the bond is speaking for us both. We step away from the table and start to walk toward the packhouse.


    I can hear the three calling for us, but I refuse to turn around. There is no way in hell I will allow my


    mom to manipte me into giving up my fated mate. I will not settle for less when I can have the one I


    was blessed with.


    Dad is waiting for us at the back door. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you two here?¡±


    ¡°We will talkter dad. We need to get back to Tia.¡± Dad nods in understanding and walks us around


    the side of the packhouse to the car.


    ¡°Be careful going back.¡± Lincoln hops in the driver¡¯s seat, and I get in the passengers. I¡¯m already


    exhausted, and all I want to do is wrap my arms around my mate.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    ~Lincoln~


    The ride to Tia was silent and took way too long. I tried my hardest to drive as fast as possible without


    getting pulled over by human police. I hate that we have been away for as long as we have, and I hate


    that we were away for the reason we were.


    That was an ambush, pure and simple! The question is, who was behind it? I would bet it was mom


    because she clearly stated that Tia is not who she wants our mate to be. A part of me is wondering if it


    was the twins and not mom, though. I have no idea who it was, but I want to find out so they can be


    taught never to try me like that again, even if it was my mom.


    We finally pull into the apartmentplex, and I park next to Tia¡¯s car. I wonder what happened that it


    won¡¯t start. Then again, it is an old car, so it¡¯s no surprise. I will have to talk to Landon and see about


    getting her something new and more reliable. Just as I¡¯m about to get out of the car, a shiver goes up


    my back, and I¡¯m instantly on alert. Something doesn¡¯t feel right. I step out of the car and take a look


    around while sniffing my surroundings. Nothing really smells off; no rogues or anything.


    Landon got out quickly and headed up to Tia¡¯s apartment as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. I know


    he is dying to see her, but maybe he is just as on edge as I am. I close my eyes and tap into the twin


    bond that we have. I can feel anxiety and fear. Something has to be up if Landon is feeling off like I am.


    I start to walk away from the car and head toward the apartment building. I walk slowly so I can keep


    track of my surroundings. I don¡¯t want to miss anything or anyone. Landon runs right up to me and


    looks terrified. ¡°She isn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When you pulled up, something felt off, so I ran upstairs to check on Tia. The door was slightly open,


    and herptop was out on the table, along with some books and papers. Her car and apartment keys


    were on the counter, but no Tia in the apartment.¡± My heart starts to beat fast, and my mouth gets dry.


    Tia isn¡¯t inside? She told us toe to get her on our way back, so she should be here. From what


    Landon described, it seems as if she left in a hurry.


    ¡°Can you smell her?¡± Landon closes his eyes and walks around the parking lot slowly. I haven¡¯t been


    able to catch her scent yet, and I¡¯ve been sniffing the air for a while. There is no telling how long she


    has been out of the apartment. I look at the asphalt to see if there are any visible signs of a struggle,


    but nothing is there. There is no blood, no ripped clothing, no hair, nothing. This entire situation is


    extremely concerning.


    Landon opens his eyes and sighs. I don¡¯t think he is having any luck. I can feel the frustration through


    the bond, and I know that I feel the exact same way. Where is Tia? What happened while we were


    gone?


    Mate¡­¡­mate needs us.


    Can you feel her?


    Mate¡­..hurt¡­¡­hurry!


    WHERE IS SHE?! Brutus seems to be able to feel Tia¡¯s wolf, so she is alive, but if she is hurt and


    alone, I need to find her. I close my eyes and concentrate on the bond I share with Tia and my wolf. I


    snap my eyes open, and I know where to go.


    I take off toward the tree line that¡¯s behind the apartmentplex. ¡°What is it? Where is she?¡± I don¡¯t


    stop to answer Landon. Something tells me that we are on borrowed time. We need to get to Tia


    immediately, or things are not going to be good.


    I hit the tree line and look around. I don¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary then it hits me. I can smell a


    trace of Tia¡¯s scent, along with a rusty smell. Blood! I take off running into the forest. I follow the scent


    of blood and my mate, praying to the Moon Goddess that the blood isn¡¯t hers. Something inside of me


    is telling me to be prepared because I¡¯m not going to like what I¡¯m about to see.


    I continue to run into the forest, and the smell is getting stronger. I turn to the left, then to the right. I run


    a bit more until Ie to an open area where the trees are sparse; there are just a few fallen logs. On


    one of those logs is my mate. She is barely recognizable, with open wounds and blood everywhere.


    I run to her and fall next to her. I gently touch Tia, afraid to hurt her more. I can barely hear her


    heartbeat, and her breathing is much too shallow. I gently stroke her cheek, tears pooling in my eyes.


    ¡°T¡­.Tia? Tia can you hear me?¡± There is no response. I look up just as Landon makes it to the


    clearing. He takes the sight of us and immediately pulls his shirt off and brings it over. Heys it on top


    of Tia and presses his fingers to her neck.


    ¡°She is still alive, barely.¡±


    ¡°We¡­¡­we have to get her back home. She needs help.¡± I¡¯m having trouble speaking with the lump


    that is in my throat. I want to scream and cry, but I want to help Tia.


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    ¡°We can¡¯t make it back to our pack with her like this. She may die on the way.¡±


    ¡°DIE?! She can¡¯t die! We have to help her¡­.we have to do something!¡± I¡¯m starting to get hysterical,


    and I can feel Brutus bucking in my head. He is itching to get out, but he¡¯s torn between finding who did


    this and dragging his mate to a hospital to be saved.


    ¡°Calm down brother. We won¡¯t let her die. The Moonlight Pack is not far from here, 20-30 minutes


    West. Let me call Alpha Brenner and see if we can bring her there.¡± Landon steps away, and I hear his


    phone beeping. I trail my fingers down Tia¡¯s arm to grasp her hand in mine. I hold her hand gently, not


    wanting to let go but also not wanting to hurt her.


    ¡°It¡¯s done. He said we can head there. He will alert the guards to let us in and lead us straight to the


    clinic. We need to hurry though because we don¡¯t know how long she has been like this. All of these


    open cuts are concerning; they should be healed or healing by now.¡± I don¡¯t respond. I stand up and


    gently pick Tia up. I hold her close to me, careful not to exacerbate her injuries. I hurry through the


    trees to get to the car. We have to get her to the clinic as soon as possible. I put Tia in the backseat


    with me,ying her head on myp. Landon jumps into the driver¡¯s seat and takes off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    baby. I won¡¯t let you go. We will get you help.¡±

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    ~Landon~


    I¡¯m not sure that I¡¯ve ever driven as fast before. Lincoln stayed in the backseat with Tia, and I focused


    on getting us to the Moonlight Pack as quickly as possible. Someone hurt our mate, and I was


    seething. It was taking everything in me to keep Goliath at bay and keep myself level-headed. I want to


    freak out¡­¡­I want to scream and cry. I want to find those responsible and rip their hearts out.


    Instead¡­..instead I stay focused and logical. Instead, I take control and make sure we can get to the


    pack in one piece so Tia can be helped.


    We are allowed right through the gates, and we make our way straight to the clinic. There are nurses


    waiting out front with a gurney. As soon as I park the car, the nurses approach the back door to get Tia


    out of the car. They load her up, and Lincoln and I follow her inside. We part ways with her when the


    doctor joins the procession into the operating room.


    Lincoln and I are tempted to go in and make sure our mate is taken care of, but we know that we need


    to let the medical staff do their job. ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m d you guys could make it safely.¡± I turn and look


    right at Alpha Brenner. He had weed us into his pack to train when we took our time out to look for


    our mate. We developed a good rapport with him despite his daughter. Jenna is Alpha Brenner¡¯s


    daughter, and she is two years younger than us. The minute we arrived, she was determined to make


    her presence known and get us to see her as a potential mate.


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    Jenna is an attractive she-wolf. She has light blue eyes and long blonde hair. She is about 5¡¯10 and


    thin. She is a typical Alpha¡¯s daughter, you can say. She is used to being important and idolized. I hate


    to say that ¡®humble¡¯ isn¡¯t part of her design, though her father doesn¡¯t know that. She is very skilled at


    being two different people. She was always very sweet and demure around her parents, but when they


    were gone, then her true nature shined through.


    I nce around the waiting room, but Jenna is nowhere to be found, much to my joy. ¡°Thank you so


    much for allowing us toe here; being willing to help our mate.¡±


    ¡°There is no reason to thank me. This is the right thing to do. What happened?¡± Lincoln flops into a seat


    and sighs. I look at him and can feel his pain and sadness through our bond.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know. When we found her, she was already like¡­¡­like that. There were no clues or


    evidence to point us in any direction.¡± Brenner sighs and sits next to Lincoln. I start to pace the room,


    and we wait. Each second feels like forever and never-ending. I keep watching the doors, praying for


    the doctors to walk through and tell me that everything is fine. Hearing that would put me out of my


    misery. It would help me be able to breathe again because right now, I¡¯m suffocating.


    People are walking in and out of the waiting room. Some are waiting themselves, and others simply


    work in the clinic. Some havee to speak with Brenner, who has been nice enough to sit with us. I


    know he has pack duties to attend to, but he is here instead. Some people give us sympathetic


    nces, and some look at us with wonder. A few people who recognize us from our stay have given a


    wave or a nod but seem to realize that it would be best not to approach. Lincoln shifts from time to


    time. He is either sitting back, or he is leaning forward with his head in his hands, but he never leaves


    his seat. I continue to pace back and forth. I can¡¯t find it in me to rx enough to sit down in a seat, so I


    choose to stay on the move.


    I¡¯m mid-stride when a throat clears behind me. I turn around to see a doctor standing with a solemn


    look on his face. This doesn¡¯t bode well and makes my stomach clench. I can¡¯t move; my feet are glued


    to the floor. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I rx a bit. I can get through anything with my brother


    by my side. I look at him, and he gives me a slight nod, even with the fear evident in his eyes. We walk


    towards the doctor and stop a few feet in front of him.


    ¡°She seems to be stable, but¡­¡­.¡± S**t, there is a ¡®but.¡¯ ¡°Her body has gone through substantial


    damage. There was wolfsbane in her blood stream and we had to filter it out as best we could. Her


    wounds were made with silver which is why they weren¡¯t closed, along with the wolfsbane. We stitched


    those closed. There was swelling on the brain, and the extent of that is unknown at this moment.¡± The


    doctor sighs, and I can feel tears falling down my face. I can¡¯t believe this; it¡¯s all too much. My brother


    asks the question that I can¡¯t bring to my lips.


    ¡°Will she be okay?¡± The doctor sighs again.


    ¡°It will be touch and go for a while. She needs her wolf to heal her, but her wolf isn¡¯t here at the


    moment. I suggest you two stay with her. She may not have her wolf right now, but her mates should


    help her heal.¡± The doctor walks toward us and ces a hand on each of our shoulders. ¡°The next 24


    hours will be critical.¡± He pats us and walks away. A nursees and takes us into Tia¡¯s hospital room.


    She is hooked up to monitors that are beeping. She looks to be simply resting. When we get closer,


    she looks so pale and sickly. A sob escapes my lips, seeing my mate this way. There are already chairs


    on each side of her bed. Lincoln takes one, and I take the other. We both grab her hand and prepare


    for the long day ahead.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    ~Tia~


    Every inch of my body is in pain. I try to move, but the pain is too much. I can hear beeping around me.


    I crack my eyes open a bit, but all I see is white. I wonder if I¡¯m dead. I try to focus on my surroundings


    to get an idea of where I am. The first thing I notice is the sparks on both of my hands. I take a deep


    breath, and I can smell the peppermint, lemon, and grapefruit. My mates are here, wherever here is.


    I move a bit, trying to squeeze my hands. I can¡¯t speak with this tub down my throat, but I want the


    twins to know that I¡¯m awake. I move my fingers around to elicit a response. Lincoln groans and moves


    his head, but he stays asleep. Landon shoots right up and looks around the room beforending his


    eyes on me.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, love! Let me get a doctor.¡± Landon kisses me on my forehead before opening the door


    to see a doctor. I don¡¯t try to move anymore or try to think about how I ended up here, wherever here is.


    In no time, Landones back with a doctor who checks my vitals. He asks how I¡¯m feeling, but I am


    still not really able to respond. The doctor seems as if he understands and takes Landon outside to


    talk. Lincoln still does not stir, which amuses me a bit. He sleeps so hard; it¡¯s cute. I try to stay alert for


    when Landones back, but the darkness is too inviting. I can¡¯t help but submit to it.


    ~Landon~


    ¡°How is she doctor?¡±


    ¡°Well, the fact that she woke up is a great thing. We need to do a few more tests, but it can wait a few


    hours. I want to make sure there is nosting damage and take an image of her brain. I think she will


    get better once her wolfes back. With you two at her side, her recovery will be that much faster.¡± I


    nod and walk back into the room. Lincoln is still asleep at Tia¡¯s side, and Tia is passed out. I know she


    will probably sleep a lot since her body is trying to recuperate.


    I sit back in my chair and run my fingers down Tia¡¯s face. She moans quietly but stays asleep. She is


    so beautiful, and we came so close to losing her. I can¡¯t imagine being without her, even though we just


    found her to be our mate. I know it¡¯s hard to believe the sincerity of my words, but they are real as I am.


    I have always had an interest in Tia, I just never voiced it, and that¡¯s my shoring. I should have


    been bolder and had more courage. Instead, I let my fears ovee me and didn¡¯t speak about my


    feelings for Tia. The Moon Goddess has given me a second chance, and I don¡¯t n to throw it away.


    My thoughts are interrupted by my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out and notice it¡¯s my dad.


    ¡°What¡¯s up dad?¡±


    ¡°Hey. I just wanted to make sure you two are okay. I was wondering what happened when you two


    were here¡­¡­why were you even here?¡± I sigh and rub my forehead. I get up and head out of the


    room.


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    ¡°A lot has happened snce we left yesterday. Right now we are at the Moonlight Pack.¡±


    ¡°What are you two doing there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Tia.¡± Iunch into the story about us finding Tia hurt and dying. I also tell him about the phone call


    that got us to rush back home and what happened with mom while at home. Dad listened quietly until I


    was finished.


    ¡°Son, that is a lot to unpack. I can¡¯t say that your mom did or didn¡¯t have a hand in the call to get you


    back home, but it was definitely a plot. I will look into things on my end and see what I can find out. We


    need to figure out who called you in the first ce.¡± Dad sighs. ¡°How is Tia?¡±


    ¡°She woke up for a bit earlier. The doctor says she is healing well, but it will be better once her wolf


    gets back.¡± I can feel myself get choked up. ¡°We¡­..we almost lost her dad. I can¡¯t imagine what we


    would have done if she hadn¡¯t made it. We need to get her home, but I¡¯m not sure how that will go.¡±


    ¡°Your biggest issues will be your mom and her family. You and your brother will be Alphas soon, and


    you will be able to control how things go. In the meantime, I¡¯m in your corner, and I will do all I can to


    make sure that Tia is happy andfortable. Bring her home, son¡­¡­everything will be okay.¡± I hang


    up the phone and take a minute, looking into the door¡¯s window. Tia is sleeping peacefully, and Lincoln


    still has not woken up. That is my family in there; my brother and my mate. I have to do anything and


    everything to make sure we are happy and stay safe.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    ~Lincoln~


    My neck and back hurt. I sit up and stretch out, looking around the room. I fell asleep at Tia¡¯s side, and


    sleeping like this is ufortable. I look across from me, and Landon is sitting in the chair, head back,


    snoring lightly. He has Tia¡¯s hand in his, and Tia is still asleep. I wonder if she¡¯s woken up at all since


    we have been in here with her.


    Andricia is back.


    Have you spoken to her?


    Yes. She has made it back, and she is healing Tia now. That is a relief, for sure. Tia¡¯s wolf is back, and


    Tia should be healed in no time.


    L¡­..L, wake up.


    Hmm¡­.what is it? Landon pops up in his chair, looking around frantically. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have


    woken him up like this.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Everything is okay. I just wanted to tell you that Brutus has contacted Andricia. She is back and healing


    Tia. Landon takes a deep breath and sits back in his chair. He stretches a bit before sitting back in the


    chair.


    That¡¯s good to hear. The doctor said it would be best if her wolf came back and helped to heal her,


    though her healing is going well. Maybe she will be able to talk next time.


    She woke up?!


    Yes, she was up for a bit. The doctor came to check on her to make sure everything was going well.


    Damn! I can¡¯t believe I missed Tia being awake. I have always been a heavy sleeper, while Landon will


    wake up with the wind change. I look at Tia and stroke the back of her hand. I have had feelings for her


    for so long that I never once thought I¡¯d be lucky enough to have her as a mate or even have her at all.


    Brother, we need to take her home. She can¡¯t stay out here¡­..we need to get her to go back.


    I know¡­..I know¡­¡­. The truth of the matter is that we need to take over the pack. It has been a long


    enough wait for us to be ready. We¡¯ve been ready for a while, but we wanted to train and look for our


    mate. We have her now, and we need to push forward. The issue is the pack when ites to Tia. I


    understand her reasoning for staying away from the pack, but we have to go back. Being back on


    pds will also allow us to keep her safe, better than her being all the way out here.


    ¡°Dad said that he was in our corner and he will help us in any way possible to make sure TIa is


    comfortable.¡±


    ¡°Make sure I¡¯mfortable with what?¡±


    ~Tia~


    Landon and Lincoln both look at me with shock. I guess they didn¡¯t expect me to wake up yet; hell, I


    didn¡¯t expect to wake up yet, either. Andricia came back, and that has helped greatly to heal me. I¡¯m


    d to be alive right now, that¡¯s for sure.


    ¡°Baby, you¡¯re awake and talking. We were so scared when we found you.¡± Landon strokes my cheek


    while talking to me, while Lincoln squeezes my hand.


    ¡°We thought we lost you. I couldn¡¯t handle losing you when I just found you.¡± I squeeze Lincoln¡¯s hand


    back. I still can¡¯t believe he has liked me for so many years but never said anything. I would have never


    thought that either of these gorgeous men would have known who I was. I definitely would have never


    thought that I¡¯d be mated to them.


    ¡°Baby, what happened?¡± I have been trying to think about this, but I don¡¯t know what truly happened.


    ¡°I¡­.I don¡¯t know. There was a knock on the door, but no one was there. When I opened the door, I kept


    hearing someone say my name, but no on was there. I followed my name all the way to the woods.


    Before I could react, I was being hit, repeatedly. After a while, I lost consciousness. I have no idea who


    it was or why.¡± I can feel the anger pouring out of Lincoln and Landon. I rub their hands in an attempt to


    calm them down. Thest thing we need is for them to lose control and allow their wolves to take over.


    ¡°I¡¯m just so grateful you made it through that,¡± Lincoln says while kissing my hand. I smile at this but


    remember what I heard them say before.


    ¡°Back to my question though. What is your dad going to make sure I¡¯mfortable with?¡± Lincoln and


    Landon look at each other before looking back at me. I have a feeling this is going to be something that


    I¡¯m not going to like. Lincoln sighs and turns to me.


    ¡°I know you have reservations, and Ipletely understand them. We¡­.we need to go back to the


    pack.¡± My heartbeat starts to increase, and the monitors start to beep more. Go back to the pack? Go


    back to where my father and sisters are, the ones who hate me and don¡¯t want to see me with my


    mate?


    ¡°Baby, please calm down. We understand what we are asking, but it¡¯s important. I already talked to


    dad, and he said he would support us in any and every way. Once Lincoln and I take over, we can


    make whatever changes that we need. We really need to be able to protect you, and we can¡¯t do that


    with you out here.¡± I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I understand what they are saying,


    but I can¡¯t see myself going back there to live. I have been away for so long on purpose, and I don¡¯t


    know if I can live there again.


    ¡°Tia¡­.Tia can you look at us?¡± Lincoln¡¯s voice is pleading, and I can¡¯t really deny him. I open my eyes


    and see them both look at me with concern.


    Andricia, I don¡¯t think I can do this. I can¡¯t go back to the pack.


    We have to. We have to be with our mates. Andricia is right. I can¡¯t imagine being without the twins,


    and I can¡¯t see myself rejecting them. If I want to be with them, I have to go back to the pack. I have to


    go back to the ce that brought me so much pain.


    I can feel tears drop from my eyes, and each twin is wiping them away with their thumbs. I close my


    eyes again and take several deep breaths. When I open my eyes, the twins are looking at me but not


    speaking. ¡°I¡­.I guess I can try.¡± I don¡¯t know how this work, but I guess if I want my mates, I have to


    give it a try. I will have to go back to the Emerald Lake Pack, and it won¡¯t be easy.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    I spent one more night in the clinic, which gave Andricia the time to heal mepletely. The twins


    stayed with me, only leaving my side when they had to pee. I slept on and off, and when I wasn¡¯t


    asleep, we took the time to get to know each other more. I met Alpha Brenner of the Moonlight Pack


    and thanked him for giving me the care that saved my life. The twins told me that we already have an


    alliance with this pack, so there wasn¡¯t anything to offer other than my gratitude.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Lincoln and Landon packed me up into their Jeep, and we started the journey back. When I asked


    about my apartment, they told me that they had it packed up and things were going to be moved. I


    guess I can¡¯t reallyin since I didn¡¯t have to pack anything up myself. Moving is always the worst,


    and this way, I don¡¯t have to deal with it.


    The drive back to Emerald Lake was pretty quiet. My mind was spinning with so many scenarios and


    possible issues that I really didn¡¯t have anything to talk about. The twins seemed to be lost in their


    thoughts that I didn¡¯t care to see about. I¡¯m not going to lie; I¡¯m super nervous about returning to


    pds and what that may mean for me. I know I have to trust my mates and the Moon Goddess,


    but it¡¯s hard not to consider the ¡®what ifs.¡¯


    We finally arrive back on pds and pull up to the packhouse. I notice that Alpha Paul is standing


    outside of the packhouse, but Luna Kimberly is nowhere to be found. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised, but


    it does make an impression.


    Lincoln stops the car, and I take a few deep breaths to try to get myself ready for what¡¯s toe. I feel


    sparks on my arms and look up to Landon standing over me, having already unbuckled my seatbelt. I


    don¡¯t remember him opening the door at all. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need to see the pack doctor?¡± I


    really need to try to stay out of my head, but it¡¯s really hard.


    I quickly shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I just got a bit lost in my thoughts.¡± Landon moves to the side to let


    me out of the Jeep. I stand on shaky legs but try my hardest to keep anyone else from noticing my


    extreme nervousness. Alpha Paul walks toward us with his eyes set on me. He stops when he gets two


    feet away from me. I stand still and just look at him, not knowing what I should say or do. Alpha Paul


    grabs me and wraps me in a big hug. I¡¯m stiff at first, but I eventually rx and hug him back. ¡°I¡¯m so


    d you¡¯re okay, and you¡¯re back here.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­thank you, Alpha.¡± I didn¡¯t expect this type of reception, and I plead with myself not to mess this


    up.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Alpha? You can call me Paul and, maybe one day, even dad.¡± I can feel my cheeks heat up,


    and I look down at the ground in an attempt to keep my reactions to myself. I nod, and the Alpha puts


    his arm around my shoulders, and we head into the packhouse.


    I half expect the Luna to jump out of a room, ready to attack me. I know that would be crazy, but it


    could actually happen. The Alpha continues to walk me until we get to Landon¡¯s room. He opens the


    door and lets me in. ¡°I know you probably need some more rest. I can¡¯t wait to get to know you better.


    Perhaps at dinner¡­¡­..¡± Alpha gives the boys a wink, and he heads off, making his way back


    downstairs.


    ~Ad~


    It has been days since we saw the twins, but there has been no information about them. Luna Kimberly


    has not heard from them, but she suspects that the Alpha knows something. They haven¡¯t really been


    talking, so she isn¡¯t really sure. There hasn¡¯t been any news about Portia either, so at this point, it is all


    hope and wishing.


    The front door ms open, and Aida rushes into the kitchen, where I¡¯m enjoying a cup of coffee. She


    stops before me and tries to suck in the air. Aida has her hands on her knees, looking like she just ran


    for days. The sound of her haggard breathing is actually starting to get on my nerves. ¡°What is it


    already?¡±


    ¡°They¡­..they¡¯re back. The twins are back on pds.¡± I ce my coffee cup down and stand up.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Aida sighs in frustration and stands up straight.


    ¡°Do you think I would tell you without being sure? Luna Kimberly just told me that they are back. She


    wants us over there as soon as possible.¡± I can feel the smile grow on my face. I allow Aida to grab my


    hand, and we head out of the house toward the packhouse.


    Luna Kimberly is waiting out back for us, and she looks impatient. ¡°You two took your sweet time. They


    have been back for an hour already. I haven¡¯t seen them yet; I was waiting for you two.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t at the house when you mind linked me. I had to run home and grab Ad.¡± Luna


    Kimberly waves us off and grabs Aida¡¯s hand. We head into the packhouse through the dining room. It


    is between meals, so there aren¡¯t a whole lot of people in the room. Luna Kimberly is in the lead, with


    Aida behind her and me behind them both. We have a bit of a caravan going on that probably looks


    comical.


    As I¡¯m musing about how we probably look to others, we are weaving our way through the dining room


    into the kitchen. The kitchen has a long counter with stools against it. Many times, if youe in for a


    quick meal, you can sit up at the counter to eat. Before I¡¯m able to make it into the kitchen and see the


    counter, I run into the back of Aida. She has stopped behind Luna Kimberly, and it makes me wonder


    what happened.


    I step around Aida and walk up to the doorway that leads to the kitchen where the Luna has stopped. I


    step in front of her and can instantly feel my anger rise. Lincoln and Landon are behind the counter,


    making some food. Sitting at the counter,ughing and joyful, is none other than my b***h of a sister.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    ~Tia~


    I have to say, I never thought of the twins as being domesticated, yet here they are, cooking me a


    meal. I could truly get used to this. There is something about watching men cooking or cleaning that is


    a real turn-on. I love watching their muscles as they move and how they glide through the kitchen.


    I hear a small gasp behind me, but I hesitate to turn around. This pack has not been overly friendly to


    me in my lifetime, and I really don¡¯t want to see what¡¯s behind me. The twin¡¯s backs are facing me, but


    before they can turn around, a body wraps around Lincoln. ¡°Hi babe! I missed you so much!¡± Aida turns


    to look at me while stroking Lincoln¡¯s front up and down. Andricia starts to growl in my head, and I can


    feel the anger start to build up. I try to keep my face emotion free because I won¡¯t give them the


    satisfaction.


    Lincoln grabs Aida¡¯s arms and pushes them down as he turns toward me. The look on his face says


    he¡¯s ufortable, but he hasn¡¯t actually pushed her away. Ad walks up to Landon, but he


    sidesteps her before she can grab him. ¡°Hello, Portia. So d you could visit. I wish we had known you


    would being so we could wee you as proper Lunas.¡± I scoff in my head, and Andricia is


    begging for blood. I say nothing and keep all emotion off of my face.


    ¡°Yes, you should have let it be known that you wereing back. Will you be staying with your


    parents?¡± Luna Kimberly had walked into the kitchen and is standing next to the refrigerator. Landon


    looks at his mother, anger in his eyes.


    ¡°She will be staying with her mates.¡± Anger shes across the Luna¡¯s face with those words. Lincoln is


    still struggling to get away from Aida, and Ad is staring daggers at me.


    ¡°Clearly, we have things to discuss. Why don¡¯t you two and the twinse to my office so we can talk.¡±


    I stand up abruptly from my seat with so much force that the stool falls behind me and tters on the


    floor. Everyone turns to look at me.


    ¡°No, let me give you all time to talk,¡± I saw through clenched teeth. I¡¯m seething, but refuse to let them


    see what they do to me. I head out of the kitchen, ignoring my mates calling my name. I turn to go


    upstairs. Maybe I should pack a bag and stay elsewhere, though I¡¯m not sure where that would be.


    I¡¯m thinking so hard that I¡¯m not paying attention in front of me. I walk into a wall and start to fall


    backward. An arm wraps around my waist, and I¡¯m pulled back up. Alpha Paul has grabbed me, and


    I¡¯m all kinds of embarrassed. He is my Alpha, first and foremost. This is a hard situation to deal with.


    Alpha Paul pulls me up and sets me down on thending. He releases me and steps back. ¡°Thank


    you,¡± I mumble. Alpha Paul puts his hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up at him. He is an


    attractive man, an older version of the twins. His hair is low cut with sprinkles of gray. His dark brown


    eyes burn into me, and I just want to disappear.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°You shoulde with me.¡± Alpha Paul turns and heads down the hall. I assume I¡¯m supposed to


    follow him, so I do, but at a slower pace. He opens the door to his left and walks inside. I slowly walk to


    the door and take a peek inside. This must be his office. There is a wall of huge windows across from


    me. Arge oak desk is sitting against an adjacent wall. Across from that wall are a big screen on the


    wall and a bookcase filled with books and pictures.


    Alpha Paul sits at the big desk and looks at me as if to convey that he¡¯s waiting. I hurry into the room


    and sit across from Alpha Paul. I keep my head down and advert my eyes to any and everything. He


    clears his throat, forcing me to look at him. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend that I know how it has been here for you. I


    always tried to look our for you the best I could because you just weren¡¯t treated fairly. That¡¯s when you


    were younger, though. Now, you are an adult,¡± He shifts in his seat. ¡°What happened downstairs is


    nothingpared to wha¡¯t going toe. I know you are used to avoiding because that made things


    easier to deal with. These days you are going to have to do more. You have to be vocal and stand up


    for yourself. That is the only way to get trough this.¡± I can feel the tears gathering in my eyes. ¡°I know


    you can be strong as well as giving. I don¡¯t want you to go through more than you need to. You are the


    Luna to be that gives you a powerful position of authority, so use it.¡± All I can do is nod in response


    since I don¡¯t trust my voice. ¡°I will help you as much as I can, but you will need to establish your


    dominance yourself, even against my mate.¡± Alpha Paul winks at me. I guess he¡¯s right. I need to be


    bolder and more assertive, or I will be leaving rooms every chance I get. I need to establish who I am


    and what my role is in this pack.


    Alpha Paul gets up, and I move with him. He walks from behind his desk to where I¡¯m standing. He


    puts his hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m interested to see what type of Luna you will


    be. I will leave now, feel free to stay in here as long as you like.¡± Alpha Paul squeezes my shoulder and


    strolls out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    ~Landon~


    I would like nothing more than to run after Tia. I could feel the anger rolling off of her even though she


    didn¡¯t say anything. I can¡¯t believe they would do this, but then again, I¡¯m not that surprised.


    Aida is still tugging on Lincoln, trying to get him to let her in. He keeps looking at me for help, but I¡¯m


    trying to deal with Ad. Mom is going on and on, and it¡¯s all starting to be way too much. ¡°Baby,


    please. I know you love me just as much as I love you. Let¡¯s go talk, just you and me.¡±


    L, I¡¯m trying to keep calm, but she¡¯s pissing me off. I shake my head. I don¡¯t know how I can help him.


    I¡¯ve been telling him to stop cating her, but he never really listened. He always said that he couldn¡¯t


    help himself.


    ¡°Are you listening to me? You two need to stop this foolishness. You need to do what¡¯s best for the


    pack and that isn¡¯t Portia.¡± Goddess, does she ever stop? I have always known that there were a few


    sides to my mother, but she usually only shows certain ones at certain times. I have never seen her be


    so conniving and hateful as she has been since we found that Tia was our mate.


    I can feel Goliath getting angrier and angrier in my head. I¡¯m trying to hold on to my control and keep


    him inside. He wants to bust out and go after the twins as well as my mom. I can¡¯t let that happen; that


    would kill my dad.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The sounds of the voices in the room are starting to hurt my head and make me dizzy. I wish I could


    just shut them all up, but if I start to yell, it would just add to the noise. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± The room quiets,


    and I look up to see my dad in the doorway. All eyes are on him, and I¡¯m extremely grateful that he


    came when he did. That Alpha voice does wonders when you are dealing with chaos.


    ¡°This is ridiculous! To have such drama in the kitchen of the packhouse. Anyone and everyone can see


    the mess that is going on right now.¡± My dad walks further into the kitchen. The twins are struggling to


    stay on their feet with him in the room. He hasn¡¯t fully pushed his aura out, but he has enough in the


    room to make them feel the pressure. This is one of the many times I¡¯m d to be of Alpha blood, so


    things like this don¡¯t affect me. ¡°Kimberly¡­.upstairs now!¡±


    My mom doesn¡¯t submit to my dad¡¯s authority since she is his mate, but his tone and the power in it


    does make her flinch. She doesn¡¯t argue but turns toward the doorway and makes her way out of the


    kitchen. My dad looks at the rest of us and follows after my mom. I turn to Ad and watch her stretch.


    There is sweat on her brow from when dad had her under his aura. ¡°You two need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Why? So you can go running to that b***h?!¡± I let a deep growl rip through the room, making the walls


    shake.


    ¡°I said leave, NOW!¡± Ad gives a slight growl and stalks out of the packhouse through the back door.


    Aida turns to Lincoln with tears running down her face.


    ¡°Please, please talk to me. What harm can that do?¡± Lincoln sighs and runs his hand down his face. He


    looks at me, and I shrug my shoulders. I think it would be a bad idea, but Lincoln is going to do


    whatever anyway.


    ¡°FINE! I will give you five minutes.¡± Lincoln stalks out of the kitchen with Aida on his heels. Her face


    looks like the cat that caught the canary, but I¡¯m sure he can handle her. I decide to find Tia and have a


    talk with her.


    I head up to the Alpha floor, letting my nose guide me to where Tia is. I head to my room door, and I


    can smell her behind it. I open the door, and Tia is lying across the bed, looking up at the ceiling. ¡°I see


    you are back. I guess speaking with my sisters went well.¡± I walk over to the bed and plop down on it.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± Tia scoffs.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that? Neither you or your brother said anything to them to make them back off. You two


    seem to have no problem entertaining them. You guys tell me that I need to be back home for my


    safety, and then this happens. How is this supposed to make me feel at ease?¡± I say nothing because


    Tia ispletely right. We have to have a tighter reign on the twins, for Tia¡¯s sake. They can¡¯t keep


    running wild around the pack with my mom, doing whatever they like. They need to ept the fact that


    Tia is our mate, or they need to make other ns.


    I get settled on the bed next to Tia. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t let the twins thing they are allowed to act liek


    they did today. I know it isn¡¯t fair to you and it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Tia sighs.


    ¡°Where is Lincoln?¡± I gasp a bit, forgetting that Lincoln is with her sister. This is not going to go over


    well, I¡¯m sure.


    ¡°Uh, he is talking with Aida.¡± Tia turns her head and looks at me. She has tears gathering in her eyes.


    ¡°Wh¡­what is he talking to her about?¡± Damn! This is bad. I should have known that any type of close


    contact with the twins may cause this reaction.


    Linc, you had better finish up with Aida. Tia needs you right now.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. She asked if they could talk, and he gave her five minutes.¡± Tia turns her head back, and


    I can hear her sigh. I know she¡¯s hurt right now, and I get why what would be. Hopefully, Lincoln gets


    up here fast so Tia¡¯s mind can be put at ease. We knew that bringing her back here was skiing a lot


    and would be difficult. Lincoln and I arepletely messing this up already, and we haven¡¯t even been


    back for a day yet. I feel bad putting her through this, and I need to make sure things don¡¯t get worse.


    I read out my hand and grab Tia¡¯s. She hesitates at first but eventually gives in and allows me to hold


    her hand. I hate that she feels this way, and I need to make sure I keep this from happening again. I


    bring Tia¡¯s hand up to my lips and gently kiss the back. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about all of this Tia. We aren¡¯t


    doing a good job keeping the drama from you. I swear Lincoln and I will do better and you will be abel


    to befortable in your home.¡± Tia doesn¡¯t respond, but I hear her breathing even out. She has had


    an eventful few days, and I¡¯m sure she is tired. I continue to stroke her hand, and her breathing gets


    deeper and deeper.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    ~Lincoln~


    I walk to the sitting room and plop down on the couch. I lean forward with my elbows on my knees and


    my head in my hands. I don¡¯t have the energy for this right now. I really just want to find my mate and


    snuggle up to her. She has been through an ordeal, and I just want some time with her where she isn¡¯t


    trying to fight for her life or heal from injuries.


    The couch dips next to me, and I can feel Aida¡¯s body heat next to me. I feel her hand on my thigh, but


    I push it away. I sit up and lean my head back on the back of the couch. ¡°You have five minutes, Aida. I


    suggest you don¡¯t waste it.¡± I can feel Aida¡¯s upper body closer to mine, and I figure she has leaned


    back close to me.


    ¡°I¡­.I miss you, Lincoln. I know you miss me too. We had a good thing and I know you are just


    appeasing Landon by epting Portia.¡± I sigh internally. I knew this would be bad, but experiencing it is


    something else. ¡°You know I love you and I know you love me too. Don¡¯t fight it¡­¡­we are meant to


    be.¡± This is ridiculous, I swear.


    ¡°Aida, you have to stop.¡± I sit up and scoot away from her so I can look at her. ¡°Yes we have had


    something since high school and at one point, I nned to make you my chosen. I know that I said that


    I didn¡¯t want my fated, but that was never really true. I¡¯ve always wanted my fated mate, I was just


    scared.¡± Aida opens her mouth like she wants to speak, but I shake my head to stop her. I get a


    mindlink before I can respond.


    Linc, you had better finish up with Aida. Tia needs you right now. I need to wrap this up and get to


    mate.


    ¡°I need you to hear me right now. I¡­.I never fell in love with you, not like you were with me. I always


    thought that I¡¯d fall for you one day. I¡­..I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s true.¡± The tears are building in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve


    found my fated mate and¡­..and I want her. I want her more than I want to be the Alpha of this pack. I


    know that hurts you, especially since she is your sister, but that wasn¡¯t my doing. The Goddess has


    paired your sister with my brother, and me and I¡¯m thankful.¡± I stand up and take a few steps away from


    the couch. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Aida, but this is just how things are.¡± Aida starts to sob behind me, but I find


    the strength not to look back. I continue out of the room and up the stairs.


    It doesn¡¯t take me long to reach Landon¡¯s room. When I open the door, I see Tia on the bed, asleep.


    Landon is next to her, stroking her hand. They aren¡¯t cuddled up together, and I hope that isn¡¯t a bad


    sign. Landon looks at me as I walk closer to the bed. He gives me a look of frustration which makes my


    stomach turn.


    You smell like Aida.


    She was sitting next to me on the couch. What¡¯s wrong with Tia? You said she needed me. I start to


    take my clothes off and grab some of Landon¡¯s to change into. I don¡¯t want to smell too much like Aida.


    Landon gets up from the bed and stops in front of me. He puts a hand on my shoulder and walks out of


    the room. I¡¯m not quite sure how I should feel; Landon is acting weirdly.


    I sit on the bed next to Tia¡¯s head and just look at her face. I love watching her sleep. She looks so


    peaceful and sweet. I reach out and stroke her cheek, the sparks erupting between us. Tia moves a bit


    and moans. I swear I love every sound that she makes. She squirms some more and opens her eyes,


    her light brown eyes staring into mine. I smile at her, but she doesn¡¯t return it. Oh s**t! What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°Hey, beautiful.¡±


    ¡°You were with my sister.¡± The way she says this is more of an usation than just making a


    statement. I hope she didn¡¯t read anything into me talking to Aida.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. She asked me for five minutes.¡± Tia closes her eyes and sighs while moving her face away


    from my hand. This is really not looking good.


    ¡°First you let her hang all over you in the kitchen and then you go off alone with her.¡± WTF?! I never


    expected this attitude from Tia. I wonder where it¡¯sing from. She has to know that she is the only


    woman I care about.


    ¡°You saw me try to get Aida off of me. What is all of this about?¡± Tia sits up and res at me. It¡¯s like a


    light switch was flipped, going from quiet to angry instantly.


    ¡°You tried to get her off of you?¡± Tia gets up from the bed and starts to pace back and forth. ¡°Ok, you


    made ame attempt to get her hands off of you, but did you actually make her leave? Did you actually


    stop her or Ad from starting their mess. You are one of the future Alphas, yet you let them do


    whatever they wanted to.¡± I can see the anger build in Tia; it is all over her face. I would never have


    thought she¡¯d be this upset. ¡°Then, on top of everything, you go off alone with my sister. Why am I


    here, Lincoln? Why tell me that I need toe here for my safety, yet you let my sisters and your


    mother do whatever the hell they want to around here? At what point will they try, and seed, in


    destroying me?¡± The tears that were gathering while she was talking have now started to fall down her


    face.


    She¡¯s right, you know.


    What do you mean, Brutus?


    You and Landon didn¡¯t do much to keep what happened today from happening. Those three feel they


    can do whatever, and that¡¯s what they are doing. How can we keep Tia safe like that and make her feel


    at home?


    I didn¡¯t think of things like that. I, honestly, wasn¡¯t thinking about how we got to the point where it seems


    to be okay to cause a scene like that in the kitchen. Tia has stopped pacing and is looking out the


    sliding door window. She has her arms across her chest, and the tears have stopped falling. Landon


    and I screwed up big time, and we need to make sure something like this is able to happen again.


    I get up and walk around the bed until I¡¯m behind Tia. I ce my hands on her hips and lean down to


    let my lips softly touch her neck. I can feel the shudder that goes through Tia¡¯s body at my touch.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We screwed up. We should have made sure that everyone understands that any type of


    disrespect or foul word against you will not be tolerated for even a second.¡± I kiss Tia¡¯s neck a few more


    times before turning her around in my arms to face each other. ¡°I swear to you that I will do better and


    that you are the only woman I want in my life.¡±


    I slowly lean into Tia until our lips touch. The sparks that ur are enough to make me hard as a rock.


    I continue to kiss Tia softly, our tongues ying with each other. Tia moans in my mouth, making me


    growl. I swear I love every sound that she makes. I run my hands down her back and grip her a*s


    tightly, pulling her into me. We both have too many clothes on. I pick her up by her a*s, and she wraps


    her legs around my body. I take a few steps to the bed and softly drop her on it. I¡¯m hovering over Tia


    instantly, putting my lips back on her. This time the kiss is much more passionate; I want to drink her


    up.


    Tia starts to move her hands under my shirt, wing and gripping my back and arms. I ce myself at


    her core and start to grind against her, the friction enough to make mebust. I want to taste her


    again. I want her to taste me again, but above all of that, I need to be inside of her. I feel like if I don¡¯t


    get to feel her soon, I will die a slow death.


    Tia must have been reading my mind because she starts to pull my shirt up. I sit up from her and


    quickly pull it over my head. I lean back down, cing my lips all over Tia¡¯s neck, each point of contact


    causing her to moan and squirm. I don¡¯t think I have ever been this hard in my life, and a part of me


    worries that I may burst a blood vessel or something.


    I extend a w and run it along the seams of Tia¡¯s shirt and shorts. In the future, I want to be suaver


    about things, but I just can¡¯t wait that long today. Her clothes fall away from her body. I sit up to take a


    look at what¡¯s in front of me, and I swear my breath left my body. Tia is exquisite, and I¡¯m so thankful


    she is mine. Without me noticing, Tia has wed away my pants, and we are both naked. ¡°I want to


    cherish every bit of you, but¡­¡­.¡± Tia ces a finger on my lips and smiles sweetly.


    ¡°If aren¡¯t inside of me soon, I¡¯m going tobust.¡± I chuckle, loving that she needs me every bit as


    much as I need her. I help Tia scoot up a bit, and I position myself on top of her at her entrance. I look


    into Tia¡¯s eyes, looking for anything that would tell me she may have changed her mind. I didn¡¯t see


    anything that would tell me that, so I grab my length and put it right at her entrance. I let my hand glide


    it in, and I swear I wanted to c*m immediately at the sensation. The warmth and wetness are almost


    overwhelming, but I don¡¯t want to be known as a one-minute brother.


    I push myself all the way into Tia and watch her eyes start to roll back. Mine did the same at the


    sensation of being inside of her. I never knew anything could feel like this. I slowly start to move in and


    out of Tia, her wing at my arms while I go. I pick up my pace some, gliding in and out of her. I never


    realized this could feel so damn good. ¡°Harder¡­..faster,¡± Tia moans under me. I can¡¯t do anything but


    oblige her. I start to hit into her harder and harder, making sure I pick up my pace as I pound her. In and


    out¡­..again and again¡­¡­the sensation of being in my mate is everything. ¡°Fuuuuuuu¡­¡­..¡± Tia


    screams out, and her walls tighten around my shaft. I feel like Tia¡¯s choking my length, and I love it. I


    pump a few more times and cry out her name when I empty myself inside of her.


    We are both breathing heavily as I remove myself from inside Tia andy down next to her. I just lost


    my v*******y. I just lost my v*******y to my mate. I feel like a brand new man, and I can¡¯t wait until we


    can do that again.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    ~Landon~


    I hope they don¡¯t get into an argument. Tia made some good points when we were talking. Lincoln and


    I haven¡¯t been as tough on the twins as we should be. We need to get tough on mom as well. We can¡¯t


    expect Tia to getfortable here with those three charging her up anytime they feel the urge. We also


    will need to make sure her father is prepared to treat her ordingly or leave her alonepletely.


    I head downstairs in search of my dad. He and I need to talk about this situation and what needs to be


    done. Lincoln needs to be included as well, but it¡¯s more important that he speaks to Tia and makes


    things right.


    I get to the second floor and start to walk down the hallway. We have conference rooms and ranked


    member offices on the second floor. I¡¯m sure my dad is down here somewhere. As I walk further down


    the hall, I begin to hear raised voices. I¡¯m getting close to my dad¡¯s office, and I¡¯m pretty sure the


    voices areing from there. The door is slightly ajar, and I stand in front, listing to the conversation.


    ¡°Dammit, Kimberly!! What exactly did you hope to aplish with that little disy downstairs? As a


    matter of fact, let¡¯s talk about thest time the boys were here and what happened then. What the hell


    is going on in your head?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak to me like that, Paul! That girl has no business with my sons, let alone the Luna


    of this pack. I didn¡¯t do everything I have done just for her to screw it all up.¡± My dad sighs.


    ¡°What is your issue with her? What the hell has she done to you for you to treat her this way?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean what has she done? She¡¯scking in so many areas. That¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    ¡°Is this about her father, Stuart?¡± There is a gasp and a long pause. ¡°I know you two dated in school


    and even though we are mated, you have always had a soft spot for him. Is this what¡¯s going on? Are


    you against Portia because of things that Stuart has told you?¡± Well, this is interesting. I would have


    never guessed that my mom had dated Tia¡¯s dad when they were younger. Mom never really talked


    about her life before finding out dad was her mate; well, not her love life anyway.


    ¡°How dare you use me of¡­.of¡­.what exactly are you using me of? Are you using me of


    being unfaithful?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. I see it now. You have always thrown that back in my face and now I know why. You are


    using me of being unfaithful to you. How dare you use me of such a thing! How dar-¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°ENOUGH!! That isn¡¯t what I said and you know it! You can¡¯t keep treating Portia the way you have


    been. She is mated to our sons and she will be the Luna of this pack. There is nothing you can do


    about it so just let it go. I¡¯m tired of the games you are ying and they need to quit.¡±


    ¡°Portia is irrelevant and soon enough you will see that.¡± I¡¯m sick of hearing this. I push the door open


    and stalk into the room.


    ¡°Is that a threat, mother? Are you threatening our mate?¡± Dad says nothing, and mom looks shocked


    that I¡¯m in the room. ¡°Let me say this now. Neither Lincoln or I will tolerate anyone treating or mate


    badly or with disrespect. That includes you.¡± My mom gets out of the seat she had been sitting in and


    walks over to me.


    ¡°Are you the one making threats now? Would you really do something to your mother over


    that¡­..that¡­.¡± I growl so loudly that the room shakes. I see the fear sh in my mom¡¯s eyes before she


    puts on a stoic expression. ¡°I see how things are. I gave you life and loved you all these years, but


    some trampes along, and I no longer matter.¡±


    ¡°For Goddess sakes Kimberly. Would you get over yourself?! The boys have found their mate and you


    won¡¯t make them feel guilty about it.¡± Mom shoots dad a murderous look before turning back to me.


    ¡°I want this to be clear. I want to hear Landon say it¡­.to say that he will do something to me over that


    harlot.¡± I take a long look at my mom. I remember always thinking she was beautiful and wishing that


    my mate was as gorgeous as she is. My mom is 5¡¯10, which is a nice height for a she-wolf. Her skin


    has a darkplexion, and it always glowed. Mom has always been a major patron of all things


    beauty, including spas. My mom has an elegant way about her that always lights up the room. She


    wears a lot of wigs even though she has gorgeous hair that is past her shoulders. I asked her once why


    she wears wigs all of the time. She told me it was because she could constantly change her hair color


    and style without doing damage to her actual hair. I guess that makes sense.


    As beautiful as I¡¯ve always seen my mom, right now, her attitude is diminishing her beauty. I always


    thought my mom was loving and kind-hearted. This is not loving or kind-hearted; this is downright cruel.


    I love my mom with everything I have, but I won¡¯t allow her to hurt my mate. ¡° No one¡­..including you,


    will be able to hurt my mate in any way lest they have to deal with Lincoln and me in return.¡± Mom


    starts to take small steps backward from me. I know she didn¡¯t expect me to say this, but I won¡¯t lie to


    her. If she is the one to cause my mate harm, then I will be the one to dish out the consequences.


    Mom looks at dad as if waiting for him to respond. Dad sits behind his desk with his hands folded in


    front of him. ¡°You won¡¯ t say anything to that? You won¡¯t defend me at all?¡±


    ¡°What would you have me say? The boys will be taking over very soon, and it will be up to them to


    make these choices. You wouldn¡¯t have wanted me to be the same if someone had beening for


    you when we first found each other, so why should you be treated any differently? You have now been


    warned, and I think you should take that warning seriously.¡± I can see tears form in mom¡¯s eyes, but


    they don¡¯t fall. She looks between dad and me before turning around and storming out of his office.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to put you in that position dad.¡±


    ¡°No, there is nothing to apologize for. What you told her was right and she needs to understand that. I


    spoke with Portia and told her that she will need to defend herself even against your mother.¡±


    ¡°This can¡¯t be easy for you though, dad. I mean, it¡¯s mom. I never would have thought she¡¯d be like this,


    but here we are. I don¡¯t like you being in the middle. I don¡¯t want to cause issues between you two.¡±


    Dad waves me off and sits up in his seat. He starts to shuffle through the papers on his desk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your mom and me. We will figure things out some kind of way. You just worry about


    taking care of your mate and getting herfortable. I want you guys to take over as soon as possible.


    She needs to be ready; all three of you do.¡± I sigh and sit across from my dad. I figure I will just get


    some work done with him since I¡¯m here. I¡¯m going to have to start doing this soon anyway.


    My mind drifts off while my dad and I work. I start to think about Lincoln and Tia. I left them alone a


    while ago, and I know Tia wasn¡¯t happy with either of us. I wonder if she woke up and how things have


    been with them while I was gone.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    ~Tia~


    Amazing, just amazing! That had to be the best encounter with a man that I have ever had. I realize


    that the mate bond changes things, but I think it¡¯s even more than that. Every touch and every kiss set


    my soul on fire.


    I can hear Lincoln¡¯s heartbeat while I¡¯m lying on his chest. He is running his hand up and down my


    back. This is a wonderful moment, but something is missing. Landon should be on my other side, and


    we should all be basking together. I turn to look at Lincoln. His eyes are closed, and there is a small


    smile on his lips. I guess that¡¯s to be expected since he just experienced his first time. ¡°We should find


    Landon.¡± Lincoln nods but keeps his eyes closed. ¡°I hope he won¡¯t be upset that you went first.¡± Lincoln


    chuckles.


    ¡°We discussed this after you said you wanted us each separately the first time. Neither Landon or I


    cared about the order, and we agreed to let things happen naturally.¡± That actually makes me feel


    better. As great as being with Lincoln was, I was worried that Landon would be angered that he wasn¡¯t


    involved or informed of this before it happened.


    I stretch and start to move from the bed. Lincoln grabs my arms and pulls me back down to him. We


    start to kiss, and Lincoln rolls us on the bed so that I¡¯m under him. He kisses me so fiercely that I¡¯m left


    breathless. Lincoln sits up, smirks at me, and heads to the closet. Damn tease!


    Lincoln and I are dressed in no time, and we head out of the room in search of Landon and/or food in


    no particr order. When we get to the second floor, I catch Landon¡¯s scent faintly in the air. He was


    here at some point. We head down the hall, and his scent gets stronger. We make it to the Alpha¡¯s


    office, and Lincoln knocks on the door. ¡°Enter.¡±


    Lincoln opens the door, and we walk through; Alpha Paul is at his desk, and Landon sits across from


    him. They are deep in paperwork, and it¡¯s actually cute to see Landon¡¯s concentration face. His brows


    are scrunched up, and his lips are pursed. ¡°Dont¡¯ concentrate too hard; you may hurt yourself.¡± Lincoln


    chuckles next to me, and Landon¡¯s eyes shoot at me as if I woke him from a trance.


    Landon¡¯s eyes light up when they meet mine. He extends an arm toward me, and I release Lincoln and


    grab onto Landon. He wraps his arms around me, and I stroke his back. Landon takes a deep breath


    in, and his head shoots up, his eyes staring into mine. A smirk appears on his face before he looks at


    Lincoln. He must have smelled my change, the fact that Lincoln and I mated. Landon stands up,


    holding me to him tightly. He leans down so his mouth is against my ear; his hot breath wreaks havoc


    on my core. ¡°I guess I¡¯m next.¡± I can feel my entire fire start to burn, and I bury it into Landon¡¯s chest.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Portia?¡± I clear my throat and lean away from Landon. I can hear Lincoln


    snickering, and I¡¯m tempted to silence him with a look, but I don¡¯t want Alpha Paul to catch on. I step


    back from Landon and look at Alpha Paul.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing better, thank you. I feel a lot better. Thank you for talk before, it really helped.¡± Alpha Paul


    smiles and nods. ¡°Have you eaten, Landon?¡± Landon is rubbing my arms up and down.


    ¡°No, dad and I have been busy working.¡±


    ¡°We should go eat, L. Tia and I are hungry as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, Linc.¡± I p Landon¡¯s chest, and he throws his head back inughter. I hurry and turn toward


    the door, walking out of the office. So embarrassing, and in front of the Alpha, no less. Landon and


    Lincoln catch up to me, and we walk downstairs and into the kitchen. I peek into the dining room, but


    it¡¯s empty. I guess we missed lunch, and dinner hasn¡¯t started yet. I¡¯m okay with that because I¡¯m not


    sure I¡¯m ready for the entire pack yet.


    I sit at the ind while the twins rummage in the kitchen. ¡°Do you want anything in particr?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I will eat whatever you and Landon decide to cook. I¡¯m still not too sure about your cooking


    abilities anyway.¡± Lincoln shoots me an offended look while Landon rolls his eyes. I hold in myughter.


    This feels right; just the three of us enjoying each other¡¯spany. I think I would enjoy life like this.


    Lincoln and Landon start to cook our meal, and I start to scroll through my phone. I hear the back door


    open and footsteps in the dining room. ¡°YOU B***H!¡± Before I can turn around, arms are wrapped


    around me. I¡¯m pulled off of the stool and into a bone-crushing hug. When my feet finally hit the ground,


    I turn around and am face to face with a grinning Lynn. Mark walks up to my side and puts his arm


    around me, pulling me in for a side hug. Two growls erupt behind me, and Mark quickly pushes me


    away and removes his arm. I turn to the twins and roll my eyes.


    ¡°We are just friends; more like brother and sister. Let it go.¡± I turn back to Lynn and Mark. ¡°Hey guys.


    How are things?¡±


    ¡°How are things?! Are you serious right now?! B***h, you have some exining to do!¡± Iugh,


    watching Mark roll his eyes at his sister. Lynn has always been a big personality, while Mark and I are a


    bit more reserved, though Mark isn¡¯t as reserved as I am. We have learned to deal with Lynn and all of


    her craziness.


    ¡°Yes, we do need to catch up, but we were just about to eat.¡± Lynn looks past me, and her eyesnd on


    the twins. Instantly, her demeanor changes, and she bes meek and quiet.


    ¡°Uh¡­.sorry Alphas. I just got excited when I saw Tia.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, we get it. We have been monopolizing her the past few days.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lincoln chimes in. ¡°Sorry about that. Why don¡¯t you two join us.¡±


    ¡°A¡­.are you sure?¡± Lincoln scoffs, and Landon smiles.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. Any friend of our mate is a friend of ours. Besides, this will allow us to get to know you guys


    better. Mark will take the Beta position, and we should try to be closer.¡± Mark and Lynn nod in


    agreement, and we all sit at the counter while the twins finish cooking and start to te the food. We all


    sit and enjoy getting to know one another over a meal.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    ~Ad~


    Everything is going to s**t, and I¡¯m not happy. I can¡¯t believe that b***h is here and walking around as if


    she belongs. The thought of Portia makes my blood boil.


    I¡¯ve been out running since the kitchen incident. I wanted to do other things, try to get the twins to


    change their minds, but I couldn¡¯t focus. I couldn¡¯t stand the fact that everything I had worked so hard


    for was slowly slipping through my fingers.


    I walk into the house after running for hours. I walk past the living room, heading to the stairs. ¡°Why has


    my baby been crying for hours?¡± I jump out of my skin at the voice. I turn and see dad sitting in his


    armchair with a drink in his hand.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I get home, and your sister is distraught, spending hours crying and whatnot. What happened?¡± I sigh


    internally, really not wanting to deal with this right now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, daddy.¡± My dad stares at me, scrutinizing me.


    ¡°How don¡¯t you know?¡± This time I sigh loudly. I recant the events from the kitchen this morning.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened after I left.¡± Dad takes a drink from the ss in his hand and leans his


    head back.


    ¡°I thought I told you that I¡¯d handle things.¡± I scoff at this.


    ¡°You ordered Portia to reject them and she didn¡¯t listen. How else were you nning to handle this?


    What was your backup n when Portia defied you?¡± A growl is heard throughout the room.


    ¡°You watch who you¡¯re talking to. I¡¯m still your father and you will show me respect in my own home.¡± I


    sigh and close my eyes for a bit. I open them back up and look right at dad.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry daddy, but this makes me crazy. You say you will handle it, but you aren¡¯t doing anything and


    we don¡¯t have the luxury of waiting around for the perfect opportunity.¡±


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°I think we should focus on breaking them apart. How to do that, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Daddy nodded and


    threw back the rest of his drink. He ces his ss on the coffee table and rises from his seat.


    ¡°I promise that we will do whatever it takes to fix this mess and get you two with the twins, where you


    belong.¡± I give daddy a stiff nod and head upstairs. I walk past Aida¡¯s room and can hear sobbing


    mixed with sad musicing from that room. Of course, Aida is very emotional right now. She usually


    always is a bit emotional.


    I get to my room and throw myself across my bed. This is bing more work than I initially thought it


    would be. I need to figure out how to solve this problem, and I need to figure it out fast.


    I lie there for a while and pop up when inspiration hits. I think I know what to do, and I just need the


    right yers to pull it off. I dig my phone out of my pocket and start to dial. ¡°Hey beautiful. I guess you


    require some assistance.¡± I smirk, happy that Neal can¡¯t see my face right now.


    ¡°Actually, I do need some help, though not in the way that you think. I need you to do me a huge favor,


    and your the only one who can get this done.¡± There is no harm inying it on a bit thick. I need to get


    him to do what I can, and that would go better if I were in his corner.


    ¡°What do you need, love? Just ask and I will deliver.¡±


    ¡°I need to find a way to get Portia away from the twins. I need everything to be public so there is no


    denying what is going on. I need to make sure that Portia is undesirable to her mates.¡±


    ¡°You want me to go against the future Alphas? I¡¯m not sure that is something I should do. I don¡¯t want


    those consequences.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, Neal. You know, once I take my rightful ce, I will be able to get you anything; I will be


    abel to get you everything you might need.¡± There is silence on the other end of the line, and it¡¯s torture


    trying to wait for a response.


    ¡°How can I trust you? How can I be sure that you wil follow through on your end?¡±


    ¡°What are you using me of? Haven¡¯t I alwayse through when I said I would?¡± I am waiting for a


    response, hoping that we can hurry up with this call and get the ball rolling.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if I should go along with his.¡± There is silence on the other end, and it¡¯s actually


    starting to drive me crazy. He knows that he will end up helping me, so I¡¯m not sure why he is taking so


    long to get to the end call.


    The clock is ticking, and time is passing by at a quick pace. If I don¡¯t get an answer soon, I may have to


    employ some tactics which really should remain hidden rather than exposed to the night. Neal clears


    his voice, and I wait breathlessly for his answer.


    ¡°I have done many things for you. I want to always be there for you. You can count on me.¡± I smile and


    have to reel myself in because I don¡¯t want to seem too eager. ¡°What is it that you want me to do?¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    ~Tia~


    Goddess, it¡¯s so warm right now. I wonder if my furnace is broken again. This happened once before,


    and I had to call the super to fix it. It was way too warm in my apartment, and I was walking around


    practically naked. I guess I will have to go through all that again.


    I sigh and stretch; well, I try to stretch until I realize that I can hardly move. I open my eyes and


    remember that I¡¯m not at my apartment. I moved out and am now back at Emeral Lake Pack. I can hear


    the soft hum of my mates breathing around me, and I settle back into the pillow. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I jump


    a bit, not thinking anyone else was up with me.


    ¡°Landon, why are you awake?¡± Landon nuzzles his nose in my neck and tightens his hold on me.


    Lincoln is lying on my shoulder, sleeping away.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m a pretty light sleeper. I felt you as soon as you woke up.¡± I start to turn toward Landon, and Lincoln


    wiggles next to me. He moves his head off of my shoulder, and I fully turn to Landon. We stare into


    each other¡¯s eyes while he strokes my back.


    Landon¡¯s eyes ze over for a bit then he refocuses. ¡°Training calls, love.¡± I nod and kiss Landon


    sweetly before he gets out of bed. He leans over and smacks Lincoln on the head, causing him to


    growl and sit up quickly. I try to stifle myugh as Lincoln gets out of bed, grumbling along the way.


    They both get dressed and kiss me goodbye.


    I stay in bed for a bit before deciding to get dressed and head to training. I can¡¯t hide in the room


    forever. I will have to deal with this pack, including anyone who doesn¡¯t want me to be here. I put my


    braids in a high ponytail and throw on a sports bra along with leggings. I tie on a pair of athletic shoes


    and head out of the room.


    I make it outside without running into Luna Kimberly, much to my relief. I make my way to the training


    grounds and find everyone hard at work. Lincoln and Landon are walking around, watching everyone


    spar. They are barking orders and correcting positions. I see Mark and Lynn sparing with people. I


    notice my father on the field, but he doesn¡¯t look my way. I¡¯m sure, at some point, we will cross paths,


    but I¡¯m not looking forward to it.


    I haven¡¯t trained for a while and haven¡¯t trained officially for years. I do miss being out on the field and


    fine-tuning my skills. I have never experienced training with arge group, but it looks like something I


    will enjoy. I will need to speak to the twins to see when I can start training. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to get out


    there today?¡± I turn to the voice, but I don¡¯t recognize the man. He stands at 6¡¯0 with piercing blue eyes


    and jet-ck hair. He has muscles like the twins do, though a bit less defined. He has his shirt off and


    sweat on his brow. I don¡¯t think he was training with everyone else, but he has clearly been doing some


    sort of workout.


    ¡°Uh, no. I¡¯m just watching today. Why aren¡¯t you out there?¡± He smiles, and I have to say it is a panty-


    dropping smile. I would be extremely affected if I weren¡¯t mated to the twins.


    ¡°I just finished an overnight patrol. After that, I go for a long run and do some workout in the gym. I


    training midday, usually.¡± I nod in acknowledgment but say nothing. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time.


    Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Who are you exactly?¡± He throws his head back andughs. I watch him with a keen eye.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember me? We were in school at the same time, though two years apart.¡± That doesn¡¯t


    jog my memory in the slightest. I have no idea who this is or how we would know each other. ¡°I take it


    by your silence that you don¡¯t remember me. Neal Woods,¡± He says with his hand extended to me. I


    look at his face, then his hand, then back again. I reach out and shake his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in school. I went away for college.¡± Neal nods and sits on the grass, looking up at me. I¡¯m at


    a loss for what to do. I really didn¡¯t expect anyone to reach out to me in any capacity, so I feel a bit lost.


    ¡°Are you nning to sit down, or would you rather just stand?¡± Neal chuckles a bit and looks up at me,


    waiting for me to do something. I decide to take a seat next to Neal, but far enough away so that my


    mates won¡¯t go ballistic if they see us. ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually d that you¡¯re back. I regret not getting


    to know you when we were in school. Now I can remedy that.¡± Why in the world would he want to get to


    know me now? Does it even matter at this point?


    ¡°Why now?¡± Neal shrugs his shoulder.


    ¡°Why not now? We should go ahead and get to know one another, especially since you are back here.


    Let me make up for myck of courage when we were younger.¡± I guess it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to


    get to know Neal a bit. We are talking about me bing Luna, and at that time, I will need to be fully


    aware of my pack members.


    ¡°I guess we can do that. Let¡¯s get to know each other.¡± I¡¯m rewarded with a huge smile, and I can¡¯t help


    but join in. It will be nice to actually make friends, well, make more friends than I already have. Neal


    and I spend the rest of training getting to know one another. I have to say he is a funny guy, and I think


    I can see us having a lifelong friendship. It will be nice to have another ally in this pack because it will


    only be a matter of time before things get really crazy for me here.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    ~Third Person~


    Ad looks on, hidden by the branches of a tree. She is pleased with what she is seeing. Portia is


    going along with everything much easier than she originally thought. She figured it would take a lot of


    persuading to get her to warm up to Neal.


    The only thing that would make this better is if Aida was here to enjoy the show. Aida hasn¡¯t been out of


    her room since she spoke with Lincoln one on one. She won¡¯t eat, and she won¡¯t talk to anyone. If she


    spends any longer in her room, Ad will be forced to drag her out.


    Ad looks forward, toward Neal and her sister. If she can just get Neal to sweep her off of her feet,


    the Alphas will be free, and they can be hers and Aida¡¯s again. Ad has always felt she was meant


    for great things, and she will do whatever it takes to get what she feels she deserves.


    Closer to the two, Landon and Lincoln have had trouble focusing on training when they see Tia


    spending her time with an unmated male. They know the young man as Neal Woods. He is a decent


    warrior and a pretty quiet guy. He hasn¡¯t met his mate yet, but he is looking forward to that day.


    As nice as Neal seems, he has no ce speaking to Tia like he is. It may be innocent, but neither


    Lincoln nor Landon are interested in any exnation. The Alpha blood of theirs is starting to boil over,


    and their wolves are itching to spring forward to show everyone who Tia truly belongs to. The only thing


    keeping the twins focused is the fact that they need toplete training, but even with that, they are


    hanging on by a thread.


    Tia and Neal are enjoying a light conversation though Tia continues to wonder why Neal is suddenly


    taking an interest in her. They have been in the same pack all of their lives, and he has never once


    been interested in getting to know her. It isn¡¯t as if he is any different from anyone else in this pack;


    they didn¡¯t take an interest either. It is just weird that with her return hase an interest from


    someone who didn¡¯t have as much before.


    Tia could sense eyes on her while speaking with Neal. She decided not to look up to see who it was. In


    her heart of hearts, she already knew, and there was no reason to confirm it. The twins keep stealing


    nces at her, and she is wondering how much longer until she needs to worry about what they will do.


    She may be mated to them, but they have notpleted the bond. She has to be careful with who she


    socializes with lest she jumpstarts their animalistic possessiveness.


    ~Tia~


    My body prickles every time one of the twinsys eyes on me. I can only imagine what¡¯s going through


    their minds while I sit and chat with Neal. I guess it would be smart to walk to Neal another time and


    focus on making sure the twins know that there is no one else for me.


    We may not discuss it much, but I know I¡¯ve already weed them into my heart. I guess my


    reservations weren¡¯t enough to push the mate bond back. I never really considered rejecting them, to


    be honest. My issues are the same as it when I first found out I was mated to them; can I be back at


    Emerald Lake Pack after everything I¡¯d been through?


    ¡°It was nice chatting, but I think I will stop here.¡± Neal chuckles next to me.


    ¡°The Alphas-to-be have you on a short leash huh?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that. I just need to take care of somethings.¡± Neal nods his head, but his face says that he isn¡¯t


    buying it. We stand up, and he takes my hand. He ces his lips on the back before I can pull my hand


    out of his grasp. I hear two growlse from behind me, and rather than be scared, Neal smirks. This


    won¡¯t end well if I let it continue. I pull my hand out, and I take a few steps back. ¡°Goodbye, Neal.¡± He


    nods and turns toward the packhouse.


    I take a deep breath to try to put calmness into my veins. I turn toward the training ground, and I see


    that straining is wrapping up. I walk to the edge of the area and wait. I don¡¯t want to wade into the


    middle of the group and cause a scent.


    I wait for everyone to leave the area. For the most part, people walk past me without so much as


    sparing me a nce. The only people who take the time to greet me are Mark and Lynn. I have gotten


    older and have even left for years, yet nothing has changed. How exactly am I to be the Luna to a


    group of people to who I seem to be invisible? I may not have nned to reject my mates, but it may


    end up being the best choice for the pack.


    Hands are on me quickly, touching me all over and pulling me to a hard body. I feel the sparks


    everywhere, and I can feel myself getting wet. A nose nuzzles into my neck, and I start to go weak in


    the knees. Rough hands grab the sides of my face, and lips are pressed roughly against mine. A


    tongue invades my mouth, traveling along every inch. My neck is being attacked with nibbles and


    sucking, and I feel myself turn to jelly. I¡¯m quickly whipped around and, once again, find a tongue


    fiercely tasting my own and the inside of my mouth. The other side of my neck is being attacked, and


    every inch of my arms and upper body are being felt.


    I¡¯m finally released, and I almost fall to the ground. Two strong arms wrap around my waist, keeping me


    right side up. I¡¯m pulled flush against a body, my back against a front. I open my eyes to find Lincoln


    ring at me. Landon is holding me tight, and his mouth is close to my ear. ¡°Next time, we won¡¯t be so


    gentle.¡± If that was gentle, I truly don¡¯t want to see what rough would feel like.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°You are ours only.¡± Lincoln steps closer to me and grabs the back of my neck, pulling my face to his.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever forget that.¡± I mp my thighs together in a half-assed attempt to keep my arousal out of


    the air. I¡¯m so wet; it¡¯s as if I¡¯m made out of ice and am melting. Lincoln pulls my head back and takes a


    deep breath. He looks at me, and his eyes are ck. Landon growls in my ear, his hardness pressed


    against my lower back. These two may end up being the death of me.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    ~Lincoln~


    I swear, if I have to watch my mate fawn over another man again, I¡¯m going to go on a killing spree. It


    was the most frustrating thing in the world. Even though Tia and I have mated, we are still unmarked


    and watching her talk to Neal left the worst taste in my mouth.


    The three of us head back to the packhouse, and I¡¯m sure Landon ns to finish what we started in the


    training area. Tia was so aroused from our little warning and I¡¯d imagine Landon is ready to ride that


    wave. I would love to join them, but fair is fair. I lost my v*******y to Tia alone, and Landon is allowed


    that same opportunity.


    We are about to walk up the deck to the backdoor when we are met with a very unpleasant sight. Ad


    is sitting on the steps of the deck, and when she sees us, she springs up. I swear it has only been 24


    hours since thest bout of drama from her and her sister. No one is ready for round 2 this soon. I can


    feel Landon¡¯s anger through the bond, and I just hope she doesn¡¯t sign her own death certificate, being


    here right now.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Ad looks at the three of us before setting her sights solely on me. Just my luck


    that whatever this is has a focus on me.


    ¡°I need to speak to Lincoln.¡± Landon scoffs, and Tia says nothing.


    ¡°Anything you need to say to me, you can say in front of my brother and our mate.¡± Thatst bit gets to


    Ad, making her make a disgusted face. She quickly puts her face back to its neutral state in an


    attempt to seem on board.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aida¡­¡­¡± I hold my hand up to stop Ad before she even starts.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for one of her games. I spoke with her yesterday and I made things perfectly clear.


    There is nothing left for me to do or say.¡± I make a move to continue walking, but Ad gets in my path.


    ¡°That¡¯s just it. She hasn¡¯t been seen since after your talk yesterday. She has been in her room since


    she got home. She won¡¯t even let our dad in the room. You need to see if she¡¯s okay. She will answer


    you for sure.¡± Damn it, Aida. She could be in trouble; then again, she could be ying a game right


    now. Aida will go to interesting lengths to get someone¡¯s attention or to get what she wants. Either way,


    I can¡¯t fall prey to her and her schemes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m sorry. One of you will have to figure out how to get to her. I¡¯m done.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you serious?! You are the future Alpha of this pack, and this is your answer when one of your pack


    members is in need? It doesn¡¯t matter what you two were in the past. She needs help, and you are


    turning her down?!¡± I have to admit Ad does make a reasonable point, and I hate it. I am soon to be


    Alpha of this pack, and I¡¯m meant to care for all pack members no matter what. I shouldn¡¯t hesitate to


    see about Aida and make sure she¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just that a part of me feels like this is some trick, and


    seeing Aida will be very bad. How do I do my duty as an Alpha yet still be safe and cautious?


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Tia responds before I have a chance to. Landon and I both turn to look at her with


    dumbfounded looks on our faces. Tia chuckles. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Aren¡¯t I to be the Luna of


    this pack? This is the type of things that a Luna would take care of, correct?¡± I nod but am still amazed.


    Just 24 hours ago, Aida was trying to poach me from Tia, and if she got hurt in the process, so be it.


    Now, here Tia is, trying to help her sister out of a tough spot.


    I turn to Ad expecting some type of pushback. That would solidify that this is all some borate


    rouse. Much to my surprise, Ad doesn¡¯t argue. You can tell she isn¡¯t fond of the idea, but she doesn¡¯t


    argue with it either. ¡°Fine, you can do what you want. I just need my sister to be okay. I won¡¯t go with


    you since you know where to go. I have other things to take care of.¡± Ad walks off, not sparing us a


    second nce. I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy or suspicious.


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to do this. I¡¯m sure that your sister is okay.¡±


    ¡°I know I don¡¯t, but at the same time I do. I have to be the Luna, and that includes everyone that is a


    member of this pack. You and Landon, go ahead and get cleaned up. I will be back in on time.¡± Tia


    kisses us on the cheek and heads off to her family home.


    I don¡¯t like this, Linc.


    Neither do I, but who can argue with her logic?


    I¡¯m going to send a warrior with her and just have them stay far enough behind that she doesn¡¯t


    suspect anything. I nod in agreement. That isn¡¯t a bad idea. Hopefully, things go well for Tia, but she


    will have backup just in case.


    ~Tia~


    Stupid, I know, but what was I supposed to do? Let Lincoln head over to Aida only to find himself


    caught in a trap? Let Lincoln ignore Aida, and that is an argument that can be made against him being


    an effective Alpha. The best thing to do is to go myself and see what¡¯s going on. Either Ad¡¯s worries


    are valid, or she is ying us. I guess time will tell.


    It takes me no time to get to the house from the packhouse. Since my dad is the head warrior, we have


    always had the benefit of living pretty close to the Alpha family. Mom¡¯s status as a pack doctor doesn¡¯t


    hurt, either. Speaking of which, I need to see mom. I haven¡¯t spoken to her since I¡¯ve been back with


    everything that has gone on.


    I stop at the front door to get my bearings and take a deep breath. I hope dad isn¡¯t here right now


    because I don¡¯t have the energy for an ambush. I ce my hand on the knob and slowly turn, making


    sure to take the time to listen as I do. I hear nothing out of the ordinary, so I push the door open and


    step into the house.


    Closing the door behind me, I take a look at my surroundings. Nothing has really changed in all of


    these years. The furniture andyout are still the same. There are family pictures everywhere which


    mostly consist of the wonder twins. I may be in a picture here or there, but that¡¯s purely by ident. I


    head up the stairs wanting to get this over with quickly. The first door to the left is Aida¡¯s room. She and


    Ad have always had grand rooms with bathrooms inside. I had to make the attic my room and use


    the guest bathroom downstairs. Thankfully that one has a full shower and tub.


    Yeah, my life kind of sucked, but I know some people had it worse, so whyin. I notice Aida¡¯s


    door is ajar, but I knock on the door anyway. I don¡¯t want to be used of anything. I wait a bit for an


    answer to my knock, but nonees. I peep into the room, using just one eye, but I don¡¯t see Aida


    anywhere.


    I slowly push the door open and take a few steps inside. That¡¯s when I hear water falling and notice a


    door closed with a light shining underneath the door. She must be in the bathroom, and I take that as a


    good sign. If she has the strength to bathe herself, she may not be in too deep of a funk. When I turn to


    exit the room, a few things catch my eye. There are unframed pictures all over the walls. The pictures


    are of Lincoln. Every single picture has Lincoln in it. Some have Aida with Lincoln, some have Lincoln


    and Landon with Lincoln blown up, and yet some are just portraits of Lincoln. This is actually creepy, to


    be honest. It is almost like a shrine to Lincoln.


    Just as that thought enters my head, I notice a big frame on the wall next to me. It holds a football


    jersey from the high school that we went to. I look a bit closer, and it¡¯s the number that Lincoln wore


    when he yed on the team. Taped all around the jersey are pictures of Lincoln in high school doing


    various things. A shiver runs down my back, and I¡¯m creeped out.


    I take a small step toward her desk and notice a very recent picture of the twins and me. How Aida


    found time to get this, I¡¯ll never know. In the photo, my face is scratched out so badly that there are


    holes in the picture. It seems that my sister has turned into a crazy person, and that just isn¡¯t healthy. I


    can hear the water start to ease up, the pressure not as much as when I walked in. I hurry to the door


    and step out quickly. I leave the door as I left it because I don¡¯t want Aida to think anything.


    I hurry down the stairs with my single intent to inform the twins of what I saw. My sister has to be


    examined by a therapist at this point. Nothing I saw in that room is healthy by any means. I run to the


    door, not looking in front of me. I make contact with a brick wall, falling on my a*s. I look up, and my


    breath is caught in my throat.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing in my house?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    As if this couldn¡¯t get any worse. My sister is upstairs with a creepy shrine to one of my mates, and


    here I am, running into the one person I have wanted to avoid the most. I truly don¡¯t have the energy to


    deal with my father right now, but I guess, at this point, I have no other choice.


    I stand still and take a few deep breaths. ¡°I said: what the hell are you doing in my house?¡± I gulp, but


    no words are forming in my mind, let aloneing out of my mouth. I can feel my heartbeat increase,


    and I have to say that I¡¯m pretty scared. I don¡¯t know what is going to happen with my dad.


    ¡°I came t¡­..to ch¡­¡­check on A¡­.aida.¡± Goddess, I sound so pathetic, but I can¡¯t help it. My father


    has always made me nervous, and there are times that I¡¯ve been terrified, and this is one of those


    times.


    ¡°Check on Aida? Why would you care enough to check on Aida? You are the reason why she is as


    withdrawn as she is. You took away her future, and now you want to check on her.¡± My dad shakes his


    head in disgust, and I can feel myself shrinking away from my dad. In a way, he¡¯s right; if I hadn¡¯t been


    fated to the twins, my sisters would be in a better ce.


    ¡°Either way, I¡¯m meant to be the Luna and Lunas look out for their pack members and make sure things


    are okay. I¡¯m just doing my duty.¡± I sigh softly and try to walk toward the door. If I can get out of the


    house without this blowing up, I will be extremely grateful. Dad must be paying close attention because


    he stops me before I get too close to the exit.


    My back hits the wall beside me, and my dad has his hand around my neck, applying pressure that is


    causing my breathing to be shaky at best. ¡°I could end you right now. I could make you cease to exist,


    and then my daughters would get everything they deserve.¡± My dad leans in closer so that our noses


    are almost touching. ¡°Give me one good reason to keep you living.¡±


    My hands are wing at my dad¡¯s, and for a brief moment, I contemte shifting. The issue is that I


    know shift won¡¯t do anything but cause more issues, and it won¡¯t guarantee that I would get my neck


    broken in wolf form. When ites down to it, my father is stronger than I am. He has been training all


    his life in wolf and human form. I really don¡¯t have much of a chance to win against him. ¡°Now, daddy,


    you really don¡¯t want to do that.¡± My eyes dart to the side, and I see Aida standing on the bottom step


    of the stairs. She looks pretty calm and not like the type of person who would have the shrine I found


    not long ago.


    I¡¯m quickly let go and hit the ground with a thump. Dad starts to walk toward Aida. ¡°My baby! How are


    you feeling?¡± He reaches out and grabs Aida¡¯s hand, pulling her to him. He wraps his arms around her


    while her arms find their way around his waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay daddy. I¡¯ll be better when she leaves the house.¡± I watch the scene while gasping for breath


    and trying to run the pain out of my neck. I slowly get to my feet, not knowing if I should speak or just


    leave.


    ¡°You heard my daughter¡­.get the hell out.¡± I waste no time running out of the house and heading to


    the packhouse. I don¡¯t know how close I was to losing my life today, but I don¡¯t want to be that close


    again.


    ~Landon~


    I¡¯ve been trying to keep busy while Tia was gone. It¡¯s been hard trying to focus on all of this paperwork.


    I know I have warriors following her, but it¡¯s not the same as being able to watch her myself. Lincoln got


    lucky and won our rock, paper, scissors; he got to do a patrol to keep his mind off of things.


    ¡°Son, I think you may want to head outside.¡± I look up, and my dad is watching me. I wonder why I


    would need to go outside. A small smile forms on his face, and I know exactly where I need to be. Tia


    is making her way back, and I need to make sure she is okay.


    I run down the stairs and out the front door. I stop on the porch and look out. I can see Tia walking


    toward me at a slow pace. I want nothing more than to run to her and scoop her up in my arms, but I


    don¡¯t want to seem too eager. I impatiently wait on the porch, wishing I had to power to speed up time.


    The closer Tia gets, I can see her features. She looks a bit upset and scared. She is rubbing her neck,


    making me wonder if everything is okay. I step off of the porch steps as Tia walks closer. I hold my


    arms open, and Tia walks right into them, wrapping her arms around my waist. I lean my head down on


    hers, and I can hear her sobbing. ¡°What is it love? What happened over there? How is your sister?¡± Tia


    continues to sob, and I rub her back gently. Her sobs start to diminish, and I rub my hands down her


    arms, pushing her back at her elbows.


    Looking at Tia, I can feel the anger surge through me. There are finger marks on the sides of her neck.


    Who dared to touch my mate?! I feel a growl in my chest. ¡°Who touched you?!¡± Tia looks at me with


    watery eyes, but she doesn¡¯t open her mouth to speak. I ce my hand on her face and run my thumb


    over her cheek. ¡°Tell me who hurt you,¡± I say in a calmer voice.


    Tia clears her throat and ces her forehead on my chest. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t want to talk about


    it.¡± I sigh and wrap my arms around her again.


    ¡°It does matter, but I will let it go¡­¡­.for now.¡± Tia looks back at me and reaches up on her toes to


    touch her lips to mine. The sparks take over my mind, and I forget about her neck and who I may need


    to punish. Tia moves her head to the side and deepens the kiss while her tongue seeks entry. I grant it,


    and Tia wastes no time in painting the inside of my mouth with her tongue. I can feel the fire build


    inside me, and my hardness increases.


    I hear a car in the distance. It stops, and a door opens and closes. I hear a door open behind me, but


    Tia¡¯s kiss is taking my focus. ¡°What I¡¯ve seen so far, this ce is gorgeous,¡± a voice says in front of me.


    The voice sounds a bit familiar, but I can¡¯t ce it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you made it. I can¡¯t wait to show you the rest of the pack.¡± That voice definitely belongs to


    my mom. I remove my tongue from Tia¡¯s mouth and kiss her lips a few more times before lifting my


    head and looking in front of me. My blood runs cold at the sight.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Landon, are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tia¡¯s voice is almost drowned out by the ringing in my ears.


    Never did I think this would happen, but here we are. My mouth has gone dry, and I can¡¯t answer Tia.


    She turns and looks behind her. Tia steps away from me and extends her hand. ¡°Hi. Wee to the


    Emerald Lake Pack. I¡¯m Tia Colby and you are?¡±


    My mom has made her way from the front door to stand next to me. ¡°Why that is my visitor. She is


    Jenna Brenner from the Moonlight Pack.¡± Mom turns to me with a smile on her face. ¡°Landon, honey,


    say hello to Jenna.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    ~Tia~


    Landon looks stuck, Luna Kimberly looks smug, and who the hell is Jenna? I can feel Andricia pacing


    in my head, her anger growing. The way Jenna is looking at Landon is pissing her off. She is looking at


    him as if she is hungry and he is the meal.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Jenna. I met your father not too long ago. He is a great Alpha.¡± Jenna nces at


    me quickly and moves past me to stand in front of Landon.


    ¡°Hi there, handsome. How have you been?¡± Landon looks at Jenna and then at me, but he doesn¡¯t


    respond. Jenna steps closer to him and slides her hand down his chest. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± A growl


    rips from my throat, and I can feel the blood rushing to my head. It feels like my head will explode at


    any minute. Just exactly who the f**k does she think she is?


    Landon steps away from Jenna while pushing her hand away from him. Landon looks at me with a


    pleading look, but I have nothing for him. She is beyond disrespectful, but I¡¯ve never been so


    compelled to respond to such behavior before now. I turn to the door and catch the Luna¡¯s face; she


    looks way too giddy. I guess it¡¯s decision time. I can give into my feelings and react, which will feed


    Luna Kimberly¡¯s foolishness. On the other hand, I can y as if I¡¯m unbothered and make my mark.


    Think, Tia¡­..you have to make a choice.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I turn to Landon and walk up to him, wedging myself between him and Jenna. I ce my hand on the


    back of Landon¡¯s neck and let it trail down to his chest. I press myself against him and ce my lips


    gently on his. I can feel Landon suck in air, and he ces his hands on my hips. Landon pulls me in


    impossibly close. Landon presses his lips against mine with more passion, and I run my hands up and


    down his chest. Before he could plunge his tongue into my mouth, I pull back and give him my sexiest


    smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get cleaned up. Find meter?¡± Landon nods, looking like a love-sick puppy. I nod to Luna


    Kimberly and walk to the front door without sparing Jenna a nce. I refuse to let Jenna have any type


    of power over my life. I have enough to deal with that I won¡¯t add Jenna to the mix as well.


    ~Landon~


    That kiss was something, and I¡¯m sure the point of it was to stick it to Jenna. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m mad


    about that. The fact that Jenna is here right now is crazy, and I¡¯m sure it was a plot from my mother.


    There is no logical reason for Jenna to be at my pack right now. I will have to put a call into Alpha


    Brenner to see what he knows about things.


    How much longer do you have on patrol, Linc?


    Uh, about another 20 minutes or so. What¡¯s up?


    Heads up. Jenna is here?


    Hahaha, you are so f**king funny!


    Linc, I¡¯m deadass! Jenna is standing outside of our pack house right now.


    What the f**k is she doing here, L?


    I have no f**king clue, but I know Tia isn¡¯t happy.


    Oh s**t, Tia knows too.


    Linc, Tia was there when she stepped out of the f**king car.


    S**T! I¡¯m going to wrap this up now, and I will be back soon.


    ¡°How¡¯s Lincoln doing?¡± Damn, I forgot that Jenna was standing near me. I really need to get out of


    here.


    Rather than respond, I turn away from Jenna and start to head to the front door. ¡°Landon! I know I


    raised you better than that. Answer Jenna.¡± I hear Jenna chuckle behind me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Luna Kimberly. I¡¯m sure Landon needs to run and check on his precious mate.¡± Yeah, this


    isn¡¯t going to work. I turn around and head back to where Jenna is standing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get something straight. I don¡¯t know why your here because I didn¡¯t invite you, but you are on my


    pds. You will not disrespect my pack, pack members, or my mate. If that was your n, you can


    just turn right around and get back into your car.¡± Jenna¡¯s mouth is hanging open, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s


    never been spoken to like that before. I start to head to the front door. My mom reaches out to grab me,


    but I step away from her grasp. ¡°Mom, I suggest you don¡¯t push it.¡± I head into the packhouse to wait


    for my brother.


    ~Lincoln~


    As if things weren¡¯t already messed up around here, Jenna has to be thrown into the mix. I bet my


    mom brought her here in an effort to get us to walk away from Tia. What she fails to understand is not


    only are we not at all interested in Jenna, but we aren¡¯t giving up Tia for anything. She is our fated


    mate, and that means everything.


    Jenna tried her hardest to seduce Landon and me while we were staying at her pack. She would


    always be so sweet and innocent in front of her family, but once they were gone, she became her real


    self. Jenna is selfish, mean, and a bit of a narcissist. I could never be with a woman like that, even if


    she were my fated mate.


    I walk into the packhouse from the backdoor, adjusting the basketball shorts that I grabbed once I


    shifted back into human form. My walk through the dining room and kitchen lead me to the stairs and a


    very angry Landon.


    I p my hand on his back, and he gives me a terrifying look. ¡°Calm down, brother. We will figure this


    out.¡± I don¡¯t respond, but I head upstairs with Landon. I decide to use my nose to see if I can catch her


    scent. It¡¯s strongest on the second floor, so I head out that way. I sniff my way up and down the hallway.


    I finally catch Tia¡¯s scenting from father¡¯s office.


    Tia is sitting on the couch in his office, knees on elbows. I drop my speed as I walk closer to Tia, not


    wanting to scare her off. Landon is next to me, and we stop in front of Tia. She doesn¡¯t look up or move


    at all. I look at Landon, and he shrugs his shoulders. ¡°Is the b***h still here.¡± I¡¯m sure she¡¯s referring to


    Jenna.


    ¡°Uh yes, Jenna¡¯s still here,¡± Landon says quickly.


    Tia looks up at the two of us, and there is venom shooting out of her eyes. ¡°We need to talk¡­.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ~Tia~


    This day has been crazy, and it isn¡¯t letting up. There has been one crazy thing after another since I


    found out I was mated to the twins. Maybe this is a sign that this pairing is not the best idea. I push that


    thought aside and figure the best thing, for now, is to find out the truth; what¡¯s really going on.


    ¡°What is she to you?¡± Landon and Lincoln look at each other, but before they can start to mindlink, I let


    a growl rip through me. I immediately get four eyes on me, and I sit up straight on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m not


    interested in bulls**t, nor do I n to sit here while you two have a conversation amongst yourselves. I


    want to know¡­..what is she to you?¡±


    Lincoln clears his throat. ¡°She is nothing to us, I swear.¡± Landon nods his head vigorously, and I lean


    back with my arms crossed, waiting for more.


    ¡°She is Alpha Brenner¡¯s daughter and she did express her interest when we were staying at the


    Moonlight Pack.¡±


    ¡°We never reciprocated her interest. I will admit that she did turn up in my bed one night, but I quickly


    kicked her out.¡±


    ¡°She did that to you too, Linc?¡± Landon shakes his head. ¡°She isn¡¯t a good person on the inside. That is


    one of the biggest reasons why we weren¡¯t interested. That and the fact that she isn¡¯t our fated mate.¡± I


    guess that isn¡¯t hard to believe. The twins are extremely attractive, and they are future Alphas. It


    wouldn¡¯t take much for a she-wolf to be interested in them and want more than being acquaintances.


    ¡°I know she¡¯s here at your mother¡¯s request. I¡¯d imagine the n is to have her capture one of your


    interests so I can be pushed to the side.¡± I stand up and start to pace in front of the couch. ¡°This is all


    too much. As it is I have to deal with my dad who has never wanted me, my sisters who hate me, your


    mom who is determined to get rid of me, and anyone else in this pack that feels some sort of way about


    me. It¡¯s all too much.¡± I flop on the couch and throw my arm across my eyes. I¡¯m trying to keep the


    tears from spilling down my face. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°No, love¡­.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­..¡±


    I can feel the body heat from the twins intensify as they move closer to me. They are kneeling on the


    floor, hoving over me. I shake my head and try to push myself into the couch. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.


    Just¡­..please leave me alone.¡± I hear them sigh, but they respect my wishes, and I listen to their feet


    retreat. I wait a few minutes before uncovering my eyes. I¡¯m, indeed, in a now empty office. I sit up and


    run a hand over my face. I need to see my mom.


    ~Lincoln~


    F**K! F**K! F**K!! I¡¯m in Landon¡¯s room, pacing back and forth. ¡°She can¡¯t leave us, Landon. I don¡¯t


    think I could survive without her by my side.¡± I can feel the panic and fear rise up, and I know that part


    of those feelings are from Landon.


    ¡°We will figure it out; we will get her to stay.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°How? How do you suppose we pull that off?¡± Landon is seated in his chair with his head in his hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replies with a muffled voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but we have to figure it out. I know


    that we won¡¯t be able to be without each other, but¡­..¡±


    ¡°But this is a lot to ask her to deal with. We asked her toe back home and told her that we would


    take care of her and keep her safe. We told Tia that we would make sure she is happy and taken care


    of. Now we are asking her to stay in a pack where there was animosity toward her in the first ce.


    Add in our mom, her dad, sisters, and Jenna¡­¡­what can we say to that? I¡¯m not surprised that she


    wants to leave.¡± A strangled cryes from Landon.


    A knock on the door interrupts us. Landon wees them in; I¡¯m sure hoping that it¡¯s Tia. Mom is


    standing in the doorway, sweeping her eyes from one end of the room to the other. ¡°I see you two are


    alone; that¡¯s good. I need you two to help Jenna get limated to the pack. I already showed her to


    her room, across from yours. She will be here for a while, and I want her to befortable.¡±


    ¡°What the f**k is your problem?¡± Landon springs from the chair and is standing a few feet in front of


    mom. She looks shocked at his reaction, but she shouldn¡¯t be. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just stay out of things;


    leave us alone? Why do you think you have a right to interfere in our lives?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you mean. Jenna called me to a if she could stay here for a while and I agreed.


    Do you two honestly think I would do something so underhanded?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom, yes we do,¡± I chime in, moving next to Landon. ¡°You have been against this pairing from


    the start. You have made you position extremely clear. Just know this¡­.¡± I take a few steps closer to


    mom so that we are inches away from each other. ¡°If Tia leaves this pack because of all that you have


    done, we will NEVER forgive you. We will never speak to you again; you will no longer be our mother.¡±


    Mom ces a hand on her chest as if she was just struck.


    ¡°Lincoln, how could you say that?¡± I let a low growl escape.


    ¡°I meant everything I said.¡± I step back and m the door shut in my mom¡¯s face.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    ~Tia~


    I¡¯m not sure how long Iy on the couch, but I eventually get up, not wanting Alpha Paul to catch me in


    his office. It isn¡¯t that he would be angry about it; I just don¡¯t want to have to exin why I took refuge


    here. Itpletely goes against what he and I discussed just the other day. I AM letting people get to


    me, but I don¡¯t see how I can avoid that.


    I stand still in the hallway for a while, unsure of where to go or what to do. I take a deep breath and let


    my body guide me. After a bit of a walk, I realize that I send myself to the pack clinic. I head up to the


    front desk and ask for Dr. Nikki Franks. I¡¯m led to an office down the hall, and I sit and wait.


    Twenty minutes pass before the door opens, and I¡¯m pinned to my chair in a hug. ¡°A, baby girl, I


    have missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, mom.¡± My mother, the wonderful Dr. Nikki Franks. She is a strong and proud


    woman but also very soft and meek. My mom has always been my number one fan, my supporter. She


    pulls back from me and looks me over. I don¡¯t me her, it¡¯s been about a year or two since we¡¯ve


    seen each other, and that¡¯s not counting the day I came back for the Alpha ceremony.


    My mom is as gorgeous as ever with her lightplexion, chocte brown eyes, and her salt and


    pepper hair. She keeps her hair cut short in a pixie, and it always makes her stand out. I can¡¯t wait to


    get my mom¡¯s age because I know I will still be a looker. ¡°How have you been, babygirl?¡± I sigh and


    lean my dead back in the chair. I don¡¯t know what to say at the moment. So much has gone on, and


    I¡¯ve felt a wide array of emotions.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know mom. I think this is all too much.¡± Mom leans against the edge of the desk and gets


    comfortable.


    ¡°What¡¯s all too much?¡±


    ¡°This, everything.¡± I gesture toward myself. My mom shakes her head and ces both hands on the


    edge of the desk.


    ¡°Tell me everything.¡± I did; I told mom everything that had been going on, sparing no details. She listens


    quietly, nodding here and there. When I¡¯m done, mom says nothing but walks to the other side of the


    desk and sits in the chair. She ces her hands on the desk and looks at me for a bit without speaking.


    ¡°So you are just going to run away again?¡± Um¡­..what?!


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean. You ran away to college and have been running since.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t run away to college. I went to college like nned.¡± Mom shakes her head and rolls her eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Ok, sure. You did want to go to college, but you didn¡¯t even let the ink dry on your diploma before you


    ran off to school. You have barely been back since.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious right now?! Do you not remember how my life has been in this pack? Of course I


    wouldn¡¯t want to stay where I¡¯m clearly not wanted.¡± What exactly was mom thinking, and what was she


    trying to say?


    ¡°Look, I know things have been crappy here for you. I wish I could have changed things, made things


    better. I know your father treats you like crap and so do your sisters. I realize that the pack really just


    keeps their distance rather than interacting. I get it Tia, but when did you ever fight? When did you ever


    take a stand and fight? You have spent all of these years hiding, just trying to not be seen.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I hide? Why would I want to bring unnecessary drama into my life? I don¡¯t have anything


    to prove to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine. You don¡¯t have to prove anything at all.¡± Mom ces her hands on the desk and looks me


    in the eyes. ¡°Now you¡¯re mated to the future Alpha twins and will be Luna. That is tough position even if


    you had had a better childhood. Do you n to give it all up simply because it¡¯s getting tough?¡±


    ¡°Getting TOUGH?!¡± I jump out of the chair and start to pace in front of the desk. ¡°You call everything


    I¡¯ve been through tough? My sisters are out to get me along with dad. The Luna doesn¡¯t like me and


    she even brought in someone to try to get to the twins.¡± Mom leans back in the chair and crosses her


    arms over her chest.


    ¡°Right, and here you are going to give them exactly what they want. They all want you to walk away.


    They want to break you and watch you leave what belongs to you, and here you are, ready to do just


    that. Make it make sense.¡± I can¡¯t believe my mom right now. She¡¯s acting like this is nothing, like I¡¯m


    talking about getting a wrong order or something. These people are messing with my life. ¡°If you aren¡¯t


    strong enough to stand up for yourself¡­..well, you should just reject the twins now and let them find


    someone who will be who they need. They will be running a pack, and they need someone who is able


    to stand by their side no matter what the situation is. The Moon Goddess felt that person was you, but if


    she was wrong, let that be known now. There is no need to let everyone get worked up over something


    that will never be.¡± I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing right now. This can¡¯t be the same mom that I¡¯ve


    grown up with. She has always been my shoulder when I needed one, always by my side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you right now. I don¡¯t understand how you are acting like I¡¯m messing up.¡± Mom


    sighs and gets out of the chair, heading straight for me. She grabs my arms and turns me toward her.


    ¡°Tia, I love you more than I can say. You are an amazing woman, but I messed up by never making you


    live up to that. I know things have been hard for you, but you are so much stronger than all of that crap.


    You are capable of lighting the world on fire, but you are never going to be able to until you take a


    stand. You have to stand up for yourself and force people to treat you how you deserve to be treated. I


    did a disservice to you by not making you face this sooner and I¡¯m sorry.¡± She runs her hands up and


    down my arms. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I failed you, but I want to fix that. I want to do better and be the correct


    influence that you need. You deserve everything you are getting, but¡­..¡± My mom steps back from me.


    ¡°If you want to give it all up, do that, but do it sooner rather thanter.¡± Mom kisses me on my forehead


    and walks out of the office.


    I plop in the chair, dumbfounded. I have never, in my life, had anyone tell me to¡­well, basically s**t or


    get off the pot. I, honestly, came here thinking that mom will tell me to do what needs to be done and


    go back to school if needed. Instead, she tells me to stand up and fight.


    She isn¡¯t wrong, Tia. We can¡¯t keep walking away, and I refuse to leave my mates. I shake my head


    and leave the office, determined to take some time to figure out what the hell I need to do.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    ~Ad~


    Once I left the trio, I started to look for Luna Kimberly. I really needed to see her to figure out what we


    will do next. Since the incident in the kitchen, I haven¡¯t been able to reach her. I had no idea where she


    would be at this time, but I would need to search.


    I was tempted to stop by the house and see what was going on with Portia and Aida, but I decided


    daddy would be best for that. I sent him a mindlink to let him know Portia would be at the house, and


    he told me not to worry; he would take care of it.


    After I talk with the Luna, I should find Neal to see what he has nned next. After considering it for a


    bit, maybe seeking him out wouldn¡¯t be the best idea. We really shouldn¡¯t be seen together. I need to


    keep as much distance from this as possible.


    The search for Luna Kimberly was torturous. I was sent all over the pack in an attempt to find her.


    Everywhere I looked, I came up empty. I was walking to the front of the packhouse when I saw a car


    pull up. A beautiful woman got out of a car. She had long, reddish-brown hair. She looked about 5¡¯9


    and had on a designer outfit,plete with a pair of heels. I could only guess the name that was on


    them. Portia and Landon were out front when the woman walked up. Luna Kimberly came out of the


    packhouse, and things seems to get tense. I have no idea what was said, but it didn¡¯t look good.


    I went inside the packhouse after everyone dispersed and decided to wait for the Luna in her office. I


    need to see who that woman was because I have a bad feeling about the whole thing. I don¡¯t want to


    jump to conclusions, but it¡¯s hard not to be worried.


    I was waiting in the office for a long while before the door finally opens. Luna Kimberly walks into the


    office with that woman walking behind her. They are talking in hush tones andughing. Theughing


    stops abruptly the minute they realize they are not alone in the room. ¡°Uh, Ad, what¡­.uh, what a


    surprise. What are you doing here?¡±


    I stand from the chair I had been waiting in. I look between the Luna and the woman, who is giving me


    a look of disdain. ¡°I came to talk to you. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, I was showing Jenna here around the pack.¡± I turn to the woman and raise an eyebrow. She is


    checking her nails, looking bored.


    ¡°Jenna?¡± I¡¯m still looking at her, but I¡¯m getting no response.


    ¡°Kim, I¡¯m going to go freshen up and maybe rest a little. I have a lot to do.¡± She winks at the Luna, and


    that makes her giggle. ¡°I will meet up with youter.¡± Jenna doesn¡¯t spare me a nce as she walks out


    of the door. I watch the door for a while, not knowing how to proceed. Luna Kimberly walks around the


    desk and sits in her chair.


    ¡°So you were looking for me?¡± I clear my throat and turn to Luna Kimberly.


    ¡°Yes, we haven¡¯t spoken since the incident in the kitchen. I wanted to get with you and see what¡¯s


    next.¡± Luna Kimberly sits back in her chair and starts to tap on the desk.


    ¡°Jenna is what¡¯s next.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, Jenna is an old family friend, and she has taken an interest in the boys. I invited her here so they


    can reconnect.¡± I can feel the anger boiling under my skin. What the hell is she talking about?


    ¡°I thought we had discussed my sister and I taking over with the boys,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°We did. In light of recent developments, it may be best to look outside of the pack for the next Luna. It


    may go over better rather than having such a public family squabble.¡± I m my fist down on the desk


    and jump out of my chair. I lean in close, but the Luna doesn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°How dare you! My sister and I have put years into your sons, and you are going to try to get someone


    else toe into the mix? We can handle weak a*s Portia; that isn¡¯t a problem. You can¡¯t just abandon


    us.¡± Luna Kimberly looked amused the entire time I was talking. She now loses the humor she had on


    her face and reces it with one of determination. She leans on her desk to get closer to me.


    ¡°You listen to me little girl! I let you have you little tantrum because your father and I are friends, but you


    will NOT disrespect me. I can do whatever the hell I want, and I don¡¯t have to check with you or anyone


    else. Portia will NOT take my ce, and I don¡¯t care if that¡¯s because of the Colby twins or Jenna.¡± We


    are both breathing deeply, but I say nothing. Truth be told, I just lost it with my Luna, and that could


    have serious repercussions. Luna Kimberly straightens up and sits back in her chair. ¡°As a matter of


    fact, why don¡¯t you do your best to get the boys¡­.I know that Jenna will. May the best woman or


    women win.¡± Luna Kimberly smirks at me and then shuffles through papers on her desk. ¡°You can


    leave now.¡± I huff and storm out of the office. As soon as I leave the packhouse, I mindlink my dad.


    Where are you, daddy?


    I¡¯m here with your sister. What¡¯s wrong, Honey?


    I¡¯m leaving Luna Kimberly¡¯s office. Things are taking a turn.


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    What does that mean?


    She brought some b***h here; some Jenna, somebody. She is supposedly interested in the twins.


    Honey, you must have misunderstood. Kim wants you, girls, in her spot, not some Jenna someone.


    Ahhh! Daddy, listen to me. I just spoke to her, and she told me exactly what I just said. She doesn¡¯t


    care who takes over as long as it isn¡¯t Portia. That Jenna chick is staying in the packhouse!


    I will talk to her; I promise I will fix this. I cut off the link and start to head home. This entire situation


    pisses me off. It was supposed to be the Luna helping my sister and me get the twins and take over.


    This Jenna b***h just gets in the way, and she was brought here by the Luna?! Something has got to


    give. Aida and I need to make a n, and we need to make it quick.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    It doesn¡¯t take me long to get home. Dad isn¡¯t here, and I¡¯m not sure where Aida is. I search the living


    room and kitchen, but she isn¡¯t there. I head upstairs to see if she¡¯s in her room, and I find her door


    locked. We don¡¯t usually lock our doors. Being twins, we don¡¯t hide much of anything from each other.


    I knock on the door, but there is no answer. I wait a bit and put my ear to the door to see if I can hear


    anything. I hear what I think is some shuffling, so I knock on the door again. The doorknob jiggles, and


    the door opens slightly. ¡°What¡¯s up, Ad?¡± Aida looks a bit flustered and slightly out of breath. I try to


    look into the room, but that prompts Aida to squeeze through the door and close it shut behind her.


    ¡°Uh¡­.how are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing okay, I guess. I¡¯d imagine that¡¯s not what you came to talk to me about.¡± I tell Aida all about


    the talk I had with the Luna and about Jenna. Aida says nothing while I ry everything, and when I


    finish, we share a deep silence. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s it¡­¡­.¡± Aida turns to her door, but I grab her arm to stop


    her.


    ¡°What the hell is going on with you? Did you hear anything I said? Luna Kimberly is not backing us


    anymore. She has her eyes set on this Jenna b***h and wants us topete with her. Do you not see


    a problem with that?¡± Aida sighs and turns to face me.


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s a problem, but what can we do about it? We can either go with what she wants or


    walk away. To be honest, I really don¡¯t have time for this right now. Whatever you want to do is fine with


    me.¡±


    ¡°Damnit, Aida! What has gotten into you? Ever since you and Lincoln had that talk, you¡¯ve been


    different. You came home crying your eyes out, and then you have just been¡­..gone. Now it¡¯s like you


    don¡¯t care what happens, but I find that hard to believe. You are the same person who has been


    hopelessly in love with Lincoln for years. I don¡¯t believe that you all of a sudden no longer care.¡± Aida


    looks at me but says nothing. I can¡¯t even feel her through our bond. It¡¯s as if she has shut it down on


    her end because nothing ising out. I sigh and take a step back. ¡°Whatever, Aida. I don¡¯t know


    what¡¯s going on with you, but when you are over it just let me know.¡±


    I turn toward my room. ¡°Whatever you decide, I got you.¡± I don¡¯t respond because there is nothing to


    say. Something is seriously wrong with my sister.


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    ~Lincoln~


    Landon and I have been a mess these past few hours. We don¡¯t know where Tia is or if she is even


    coming back. I¡¯m not sure I can take over this pack without her by my side. I know that the pack needs


    Landon and me and is looking for us to take over, but without Tia, what¡¯s the point?


    Landon has said few words, and I¡¯ve been the same. Both of us are terrified that Tia will take off or that


    she will request to leave and note back. Neither scenario is one that we want toe to fruition. If


    we could just sit down and talk, I think we could findmon ground.


    I try to keep upied by nning what would need to happen to our bedrooms. Landon and I have a


    connecting door between our rooms, but that still doesn¡¯t make it the room for the three of us. I think


    everything needs to be extended. I feel stupid thinking about such trivial matters, but it¡¯s all I can do to


    keep my cool.


    The bedroom door opens, and my head shoots to the door. Landon is on his feet in no time. Tia walks


    through the door, and I swear my heart is practically beating out of my chest. I have missedying my


    eyes on this beautiful woman. You would think that we have been apart for years and not just hours.


    ¡°We should talk,¡± Tia says with a tone of finality. I look at Landon, who is looking at me. ¡°You two should


    sit.¡± I can feel my knees getting weak, but taking a seat is thest thing I want to do. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I


    have to worry about my sisters, father, Luna Kimberly, and now this Jenna character is here to try to get


    rid of me, I guess. I just can¡¯t do this.¡±


    I can feel tears start to build in my eyes. This is exactly what I didn¡¯t want to happen. Tia will leave us,


    and I¡¯m not sure how we will be able to survive. ¡°If I am to stay, I need to do so on my terms. I need to


    befortable here, and that means saying and doing whatever I feel is necessary, Luna-to-be or not.¡±


    I look at Landon, wondering if he knows what that means, but he looks just as confused as I am. I look


    back at Tia and wait for more. ¡°I will need to tap into another side of ¡®Tia¡¯, and I need you two to be


    supportive. If there is any issue in the way I handle things and people, I will insist on leaving this ce.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re staying?¡± I love when Landones in with the needed questions. I don¡¯t care


    anything about what Tia does or says or how she handles anything. I just need to know that she will be


    here. I need to know that she will continue to stand by my side through all of this mess and more.


    Tia sighs and walks over to us. ¡°Yes, I will stay. I can¡¯t imagine being away from the two of you.¡±


    Landon reaches for her first, and she pulls back a bit. ¡°Just remember, I need to do this how I see fit. If


    it bes an issue, I will go.¡± Landon and I both nod in agreement. Landon wraps her up in his arms


    while I stroke her hand between mine. I missed the sparks thate from our touch.


    ¡°Tia,¡± she looks at me while she is wrapped in Landon¡¯s arms. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do around here, I


    just want you around. You can do whatever you feel is necessary and if that isn¡¯t enough, then you can


    let us know. We¡­..I love you, Tia.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    ~Tia~


    I reach out for Lincoln and wrap him up in my arms. I can¡¯t believe he said that he loves me. A part of


    me wonders if it¡¯s too soon for those words to be spoken, but another part of me believes that it is


    exactly the right time. I think I love them as well, but I hesitate because I want to be sure.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it back; I just want you to know how I feel.¡± I nod and pull back, reaching behind


    me for Landon¡¯s hand. I make that connection, and the sparks are flying everywhere. Lincoln¡¯s eyes


    gloss over, and I keep as quiet as I can. When Lincoln¡¯s eyes clear up, he doesn¡¯t look pleased. ¡°I have


    to go check on a few things. I will be back, love.¡± I nod, and he kisses me on my cheek before leaving.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t love you¡­..I mean I don¡¯t really know how I feel. I want to be sure before I say it. It¡¯s


    nothing to be lukewarm about. I me-¡± I ce my lips on Landon¡¯s to stop the word vomit he is currently


    experiencing. Ipletely understand where he ising from, but the way he¡¯s saying things doesn¡¯t


    make anyone feel good.


    The kiss goes from sweet, attempting to quiet him, to extremely passionate. Landon has his hands at


    the back of my head, my braids tangled with his fingers. His tongue is exploring my mouth, making me


    moan into his repeatedly. I can feel myself get wetter and wetter, my fingers stroking Landon¡¯s tight


    chest and abs. He is so muscr under his clothes. I can feel his muscles flex every time I touch them.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    I feel my back hit the wall, but I don¡¯t remember moving. Landon¡¯s kisses are intoxicating and mind-


    numbing. He leaves my lips and starts to kiss me down my jaw, onto my neck. He gets to the ce


    where his mark will reside, and I damn near lose my s**t. The sparks are unreal, and I can feel them all


    throughout my body. Landon¡¯s hands start to travel up my christ until he has my b****t cupped. He


    starts to squeeze and knead my b****t. Landon moves to my n***le and starts to tweak it. Every time he


    runs his thumb along my n****e, my core quivers.


    I start to w at Landon¡¯s shirt, not able to get it off quickly enough. I run my hands up his shirt and


    across his body, letting the sparks ignite as I go. Landon¡¯s shirt disappears, and I couldn¡¯t be happier. I


    start to ce my mouth all over his chest, trailing his body with my tongue. Landon grabs the back of


    my head and moans as I go. I travel down his body and pull his shorts down as I do.


    Landon is ready for me, standing at attention. I run my hand along his thickness and marvel at how it


    feels. I gently kiss the tip and watch his head fall back. Landon moves his hands into my hair as I suck


    him into my mouth. I swirl my tongue around the tip before using my tongue up and down the length. I


    suck him into my mouth and start to move him in and out. I can feel his thigh muscles flex under my


    hands, and Landon¡¯s hands are tightening on my head. The more I suck on him, the wetter I get, and I


    can¡¯t wait to have him inside of me.


    Landon starts to move his hips back and forth while in my mouth, and I¡¯m loving every second of it.


    Landon grabs me by my arms and pulls me up, covering my mouth with his. His tongue is having a free


    for all in my mouth, making me moan into his. Landon pulls my shirt off, and my bra quickly follows. He


    starts to unbuckle my jeans and pushes them down. He lifts a leg and ces it onto his hip. Landon


    moves his fingers down and finds my button. He drawszy circles around it, and I throw my head


    back, breaking our kiss. Landon¡¯s fingers find their way to my hole, and he pushes two in at once. I


    grab the back of his head and moan his name. Landon takes that opportunity to start to attack my


    marking spot with his lips and tongue. I¡¯m quickly bing undone, but I don¡¯t want to finish this way.


    ¡°L¡­.llet¡¯s mmmmove ttttto the bbbeeed¡­¡­.¡± Landon chuckles against my neck and picks me up


    quickly. He ces me on the bed gently. He spread my legs and moves down my body until all I can


    see are his eyes. The minute Landon¡¯s mouth touches my core; I cry his name. The heat from his


    mouth, along with the sparks, is enough o make a grown man cry. Landon uses his tongue expertly


    against my button, circling it and sucking on it. Landon puts his tongue in my hole and starts to move it


    in and out. I start to grind against his mouth at the same time, quicklying to my end. Landon must


    have sensed that because he abruptly moves his mouth and pops his head up. He wipes his mouth


    and smirks, ¡°not yet.¡± I groan and push my head further into the pillow. Landon is such a damn tease.


    Landon takes the time to remove thest remnants of our clothes. He slides his hands up and down my


    legs while sucking on my breasts. He takes in one n***le after another, nibbling and teasing. My eyes


    roll in the back of my head, and I¡¯m grinding my body against Landon¡¯s. Landon¡¯s hand travels down,


    stroking my core. ¡°You are so very wet for me. I love it.¡± I bite my lower lip and look at Landon work.


    Just watching him use his hand mouth on me is enough to send me into a tailspin. I don¡¯t want this


    moment to end, though I do want to c*m.


    Landon moves so his face is equal to mine. He starts to stroke himself while he lines himself up with


    me. I¡¯m salivating, waiting for the second that Landon enters me; that¡¯s my favorite part. I can feel


    Landon at my entrance. Right before Landon can push it in, the door ms open. Landon and I pop up


    and turn in that direction only to see that b***h Jenna. Her eyes are big. ¡°Oh my. I¡¯m so sorry. It seems


    that I have the wrong room.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    ~Landon~


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    What the entire f**k?! How the hell did Jenna walk into this room right at this moment? There is no way


    this could be a coincidence. Tia pushes me off of her, and I fall on my back, scrambling to pull the


    nkets over me. Tia sits up on the bed and stares right at Jenna. ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. I guess I got a bit turned around.¡± Jenna has a smirk on her face, yet there seems to be a bit of


    anger in her eyes. She hasn¡¯t moved from the doorway or tried to close the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Tia responds with sarcasm dripping over each word. ¡°You really need to get the f**k out of


    here. NOW!¡± Jenna huffs and looks at me. I close my eyes and try to will her away. I hear a sigh and


    the door m shut.


    The movement of the bed makes me open my eyes. Tia is scrambling to grab her clothes and put them


    on. I was so close to losing my v*******y with my Goddess-given mate, and Jenna ruins it. I sigh and


    watch Tia pull her clothes on. ¡°Baby?¡± Tia doesn¡¯t respond. ¡°Love?¡± Still nothing. I push the nket


    back and throw my legs over the side of the bed. I walk toward Tia and turn her to face me. ¡°I¡¯m so


    sorry that happened. She shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Tia looks down but doesn¡¯t respond. I wrap her up


    in my arms and kiss the top of her head a few times.


    ¡°I WILL NOT be made a fool of or treated like s**t in my own home.¡± Tia pushes away from me. ¡°Either


    you get her under control or I will.¡± Tia pulls herself from my grasp and storms out of the room,


    mming the door on her way out. I sigh and run my hands down my face. I can¡¯t believe this is


    happening right now. It isn¡¯t like we didn¡¯t already have a mess to deal with; now there¡¯s Jenna.


    I find my clothes and put them on. I guess I should try to do some work since my private time with my


    mate has been interrupted. I walk out of the room and start to go down the hall. ¡°You¡¯ll thank meter.¡± I


    turn to my right and see Jenna standing in a doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. She is


    looking at me with a smug look.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jenna pushes herself out of the doorway and starts to walk toward me.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t for you. It would have been a mistake to sleep with her. You¡¯ll thank meter.¡± Something in


    me shes, and I grab Jenna by her throat. I have her pinned against the wall in no time. She is


    wing at my hand, gasping for air.


    ¡°Let me make something clear to you. Tia is my Goddess-given mate, and you are nothing to me. You


    will not interfere with my life in any way. If you continue down this path, it will not end up nicely for you. I


    may be friendly with your father, but I will not sit back and let you disrespect my mate or me.¡± I open my


    hand, which makes Jenna fall to the ground with a thud. I turn and continue down the hall, listening to


    her choking behind me.


    ~Jenna~


    Damn! I knew Landon may be a bit upset at my stunt, but I didn¡¯t expect him to try to kill me. Landon


    has a tight grip and is a very strong Alpha. To be honest, that just turns me on even more. I want


    Landon or Lincoln; hell, I will take both of them.


    I haven¡¯t found my fated mate yet, though I¡¯ve been trying so hard. I have been traveling to different


    packs in hopes that I would run into him. When that didn¡¯t happen, I returned home with my tail


    between my legs. Then, the twins showed up, and my hope was renewed. They aren¡¯t my mates, but


    they are strong Alphas, and I should be a Luna.


    I tried my hardest to get to them when they stayed in my pack, but my efforts were in vain. They just


    wanted to find their fated mates and didn¡¯t want to experience anything else. I gave my best moves and


    offered my body, but they refused me. I missed them when they were at my back a few days ago.


    When Luna Kimberly called and told me that she wanted me to take her ce, I couldn¡¯t believe it. I


    was given another chance to get the twins, and I n to make the most of it. That b***h Tia seems


    pathetic. How could she be fated to the twins, meant to be a Luna? Luna Kimberly told me that no one


    even likes her. She is the daughter of the head warrior and is weak as hell. Her own father doesn¡¯t


    even want her. How could someone like that be fated to these powerful twins?


    I pick myself off the floor and head into my room. I need to shower and regroup. I need another angle


    to make use of. I can¡¯t expect to be in the area every time they are close to getting intimate. Maybe


    Lincoln will be the better path to travel. I hop in the shower, trying to figure out what my next n


    should be.


    One thing I¡¯m sure of is if Tia tries toe after me, I will end her. Many people see me as a spoiled,


    stuck-up princess, but that isn¡¯t my entire story. I have been training for much of my life for the


    possibility of taking over for my father one day. I could be a top warrior in my pack if I choose to. This


    Tia chick won¡¯t be able to handle me, and that means I can be as bold as I want to be.


    I get out of the shower and stand in front of the sink. I wipe the condensation off of the mirror and


    inspect my neck. The marks from Landon are already disappearing. I tuck a strand of hair behind my


    ear. ¡°Look out Tia, I will take what is mine.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    ~Kimberly~


    I wonder how long it will take before one or both of my sons go for Jenna. I hated to resort to such


    actions, but I really had no other choice. If I continue to wait for the Colby twins to take care of things, I


    may be waiting forever. There are too many people against the Colby twins, and I have to have a sure


    thing.


    A knock on my door interrupts my thoughts. ¡°Enter.¡± The door opens, and Stuart walks into the room. I


    guess I should have expected this visit. The minute I spoke with Ad, it was inevitable for Stuart to


    come to me about all of this.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡± I nod slightly, and Stuart sits across from me at my desk. Neither of us says anything


    at first; we just sit and start at each other. I clear my throat in an effort to get things going, but Stuart still


    doesn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°What can I do for you Stuart?¡±


    ¡°You can cut the s**t.¡± Well, this is a slightly different side of Stuart. We have known each other forever,


    and I have never been the recipient of his harshness. Never until now, that is. ¡°What exactly do you


    think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Stuart rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair.


    ¡°You know exactly what I mean. I spoke to Ad.¡± Of course, he did. Those girls don¡¯t do much without


    putting their daddy in the mix. I keep my facial expression as neutral as possible. ¡°She told me all about


    Jenna.¡± I shrug a shoulder. I¡¯m not sure the direction this is meant to go in, but I won¡¯t help it along. ¡°Do


    you have anything to say?¡±


    ¡°Say about what exactly?¡± I shift in my seat and cross my legs. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re here. What


    exactly is the issue?¡±


    ¡°F**k me, Kim! DO NOT do that s**t; you know I hate it. Just be straight with me. Why would you have


    Jennae here? We already discussed my girls with your boys and that was still the n even after


    Portia¡¯s interference. What changed?¡± I sigh.


    ¡°What do you expect me to say? I need to ensure the future of this pack. I have put too much work into


    it to throw it all away. There is no guarantee that your daughters can pull this off so I needed a second


    option.¡± Stuart looks truly offended. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, but I guess I underestimated things.


    Stuart and I have an intense stare-off for a few minutes. Neither of us moves or speaks at all. I¡¯m not


    quite sure what is supposed to happen now. I¡¯m not too worried that things will turn violent. Truth be


    told, Stuart isn¡¯t really the violent type. His skills leave much to be desired.


    Stuart takes his watch off and ces it on my desk. He gets up and starts to walk toward me. I watch


    his every move, not moving myself. Stuartes around the desk and pushes my chair back, so I¡¯m


    facing him. He leans against the desk and gets closer to me. Stuart runs his fingers up and down my


    cheek, and the sparks are amazing. I forget how powerful they can be sometimes.


    Stuart leans in closer so that our noses barely have any space between them. Our eyes are locked,


    and Stuart has a hold of my chin. ¡°You are ying a dangerous game right now. If I turn my girls loose


    on your precious Jenna, that would be a problem. I will do anything for my girl¡¯s happiness, even if that


    means going against you.¡± I can¡¯t answer because Stuart¡¯s lips smash onto mine, and the sparks make


    me weak. His tongue starts searching for an opening into my mouth, and I make one appear.


    Stuart¡¯s tongue makes contact with every inch of my mouth, and I moan into his. His hand leaves my


    face and makes its way to my b****t, where he starts to knead it and pinch the n***le. I groan and start


    to run my hands up and down his thighs. I can feel his muscles flinch under my touch, and I lightly run


    my hand over his bulge. That gains me a growl, and I feel a shiver throughout my body.


    Stuart moves his hand down, trying to make contact with my core. I part my legs slightly so he can get


    better ess to me. I¡¯m already wet with desire and would love nothing more than for him to take me


    on my desk.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Kim, baby? Where are you? I push against Stuart, separating our lips. Stuart¡¯s hands fall from me, and


    he looks at me with concern.


    Uh, I¡¯m in my office. Is everything okay?


    Yes, I wasing to find you so we can eat lunch.


    Oh. Don¡¯t worry; I wille to you. Just give me 10 minutes.


    Ok, baby. When my eyes refocus, I see Stuart getting up and fixing his clothes. He must have noticed


    my mind linking and could probably guess who it was. Stuart ces his watch back on his wrist and


    steps away from the desk.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over. If you continue down this path, I will have no choice but to advise my daughters to help


    themselves.¡± Stuart walks out of my office before I can get rification on what he meant. I really can¡¯t


    dwell on that now since Paul is waiting for me. I go into my half bath and clean myself up so my arousal


    isn¡¯tpletely evident. I then leave my office in search of my mate.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    ~Tia~


    Each punch I deliver is harder than thest. The bag sways with the contact. I didn¡¯t bother to wrap my


    hands or put any gloves on. I came down here and just got started beating the bag as if it were


    someone I wanted to hurt. I beat the bag as if it were Jenna, Ad, Aida, Luna Kimberly, my dad¡­¡­


    The gym emptied out pretty quickly once I got started, and I¡¯d imagine that was out of safety. I know I


    look like a maniac, a killer, and no one wants to get involved with that. I knew it would be a challenge to


    be back home, but I never considered it would be this hard. I know that I can¡¯t give up and walk away,


    but I¡¯m not sure how much more I can take.


    I hate that Landon¡¯s time with me got interrupted, especially since Lincoln was able to have his time. I


    just want to be with my mates and figure out how to be what I need to be for them. It seems that no


    matter what I do, there is always someone or something in the way. I know these things are out of my


    hands, but I wish I could just make it all stop.


    ¡°I guess we will need to order a new bag, huh.¡± I turn to see Neal leaning against the doorway with his


    arms crossed. He has a smirk on his face, and I guess this would be considered a funny view.


    I throw onest punch and stand up straight. ¡°Hey Neal. I didn¡¯t notice you there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I got that. I think the ceiling could fall on your head, and you wouldn¡¯t have noticed that either.¡± I


    laugh, augh that I desperately needed. ¡°So what has you so riled up?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just something I will have to deal with¡­¡­.and I will.¡± Neal nods and pushes off of


    the doorway. He walks over to me and grabs my hands. Neal examines my hands and shakes his


    head.


    ¡°When you decide to use your fists, you really should wrap them up or wear gloves.¡±


    ¡°I know. I just came down here on a whim and didn¡¯t think much about taking those precautions.¡± I pull


    my hands from his as if the twins were watching me. I know he is just being friendly, but it can be easily


    misinterpreted.


    ¡°I think you need to get those weapons looked at. Let me walk you to the clinic.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t need to do that. I can get there.¡± Neal smiles at me.


    ¡°I know you are capable, but I won¡¯t be able to live with myself if I sent my future Luna off on her own.


    You know anything can happen out there,¡± he says with a wink. I shake my head and follow Neal out of


    the gym.


    ~Ad~


    I knew it was good to have Neal help me with this. He is making headway without really trying. It will be


    easy to have everyone think that my dear sister is being a bit too friendly around those who are not her


    mate. Eventually, I will have caused a rift between the love birds and Aida, and I can move in from


    there.


    I decide to head to the training area to get some practice in. Maybe I can spare a bit and have some


    fun after. Neal probably won¡¯t be at the clinic that long, and he deserves a reward for his hard work. I


    may not be fated to Neal, but he is good for a good time. I knew he will eventually find his mate, and


    I¡¯m pretty okay with that. I figure even when that happens, I can still get him to do what I want. I will be


    the Luna, after all.


    ¡°Ad, honey.¡± I look up and see daddy walking toward me. I wonder where he wasing from since


    he isn¡¯t dressed for training.


    ¡°Hey daddy. Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°I just finished speaking with the Luna.¡± That makes sense. He did say he would talk to her to get her to


    honor our original agreement.


    ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡± Daddy sighs and rubs the back of his neck.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What she said doesn¡¯t matter. We need to have a workable to n, and I think I know what it should


    be.¡± I nod, and he takes my hand. We head to the training center where my dad has an office. He has


    to keep track of some pack business that pertains to warriors. I sit across from my dad and wait for him


    to enlighten me. ¡°We need to find a way to make this Jenna person irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°How do we do that? She is the daughter of an Alpha.¡± Dad sits back in his chair and crosses his


    fingers under his chin.


    ¡°The daughter of an Alpha. We all know what that means; she¡¯s spoiled. She probably hasn¡¯t had the


    training that you have had. If you can get her to challenge you, you can eliminate her.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t to kill her nor do I want her to die. I just want her to go home.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is all great, but I still say challenge her. What do you think the twins would say if they saw


    how weak she is? You and your sister are the strongest here, and that, alone, makes you a great Luna.


    If you push her, get under her skin enough so she will challenge you¡­¡­.who knows how great that will


    make you look.¡± Daddy has a point. The daughter of an Alpha is expected to act a certain way; carry


    themselves a certain way. It would be horrible if that Jenna starts to act out of character. What if she


    starts to bring shame to her father¡¯s name? Maybe if I push her enough, I can get her to be off bnce,


    and she can eliminate herself.


    ¡°Yeah I think that will work, daddy. I can¡¯t wait to try that.¡± Daddy smiles, and I smile back at him.


    Getting rid of Jenna may end up being easier than I thought.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    ~Tia~


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Neal states as we stop in front of the clinic. We took a nice, leisurely walk to the clinic,


    chatting andughing on the way. ¡°I suggest you get that hand looked at, just to be sure that everything


    is okay.¡± Neal reaches out and runs his hand down my arm before griping above my elbow and giving it


    a squeeze. As Neal walks away, my mom walks out of the clinic.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s that all about?¡± My smile falters a bit.


    ¡°What do you mean? That was Neal, he walked me down here.¡± My mom walks up to me, stopping


    right in front.


    ¡°Yeah, I got that part. I was more wondering why that would be.¡± Mom gives me a quick hug and steps


    back. ¡°Where are your mates?¡± I sigh and shrug my shoulders. I really didn¡¯t want to revisit all of that


    right now. I finally got my anger under control.


    ¡°I came to get my hands checked. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re fine though. I spent some time with the punching


    bag without any barrier.¡± Mom grabs my hands and starts to inspect them while making eye contact


    with me here and there.


    ¡°Everything looks fine. I¡¯m sure you will be okay and if there is anything wrong, Andricia will take care of


    it.¡± Mom starts to rub the back of my hands. ¡°Is there anything you want to tell me?¡± I really didn¡¯t want


    to get into all of this with my mom. I don¡¯t know what she would say, but I¡¯d rather figure things out


    myself.


    ¡°No. Everything is okay.¡± Mom sighs.


    ¡°Let me just say¡­¡­.be careful. You have two mates who adore you and it would be easy to let outside


    influences interfere. Just be mindful of who you spend your time with.¡± Mom kisses my forehead and


    walks back into the clinic.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    She¡¯s right. I don¡¯t like being around Neal. Something about the entire thing feels off.


    What do you mean? He just wants to be friends and try to make up for when we were kids.


    Just be careful. Something doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Andricia has always been less likely to forgive


    people. We have always had a back-and-forth about it. She¡¯d rather scorch the Earth and rid us of


    anyone who even looked at us funny. I prefer to see what people are about because sometimes people


    can change. I¡¯m in desperate need of a shower, so I turn back toward the packhouse. I don¡¯t get far


    before a mindlinkes in.


    B***H!!!!! Where the f**k have you been?! Damn! Ipletely forgot about Mark and Lynn. I think it¡¯s


    because I¡¯m used to not seeing them regrly that I forget that they are around. I can spend as much


    time with them as I like these days.


    I was just leaving the clinic. I was going to take a shower.


    You have been neglecting us, and that¡¯s not cool. Mark and I have had to hear things through the


    grapevine. Who the hell is Jenna? Why is there a ¡®Neal¡¯ in the mix? You have a lot of exining to do. I


    guess I can¡¯t be surprised that secrets aren¡¯t kept around here. Too many eyes to see and too many


    mouths to report.


    I wille find you after my shower. I swear.


    You better, b***h!


    ~Lincoln~


    I stayed away a lot longer than I wanted to, but being an Alpha, what choice do I have? We had a


    couple of issues that needed to be attended to. I figured it made more sense for me to do it and give


    Landon time alone with Tia. She needs the one on one time just as much as she needs time with us


    together.


    I walk through the woods to get back to the packhouse, and a wave of anger hits me in full force.


    Something is not right with Landon, and I can feel it. I hope that he and Tia didn¡¯t get into an argument.


    I make my way to the treeline and shift into my human form. I find a pair of shorts in a tree trunk and


    throw them on. I find my twin in the office and take a look around the room.


    This is a small office that we have been using until our father steps down. The office is now destroyed;


    the desk is split in two, and the chairs are smashed against the walls. Papers are thrown everywhere,


    along with anything you can imagine. In the middle of the mess is Landon. ¡°Uh¡­.what¡¯s up L?¡± He


    looks at me with wild eyes, and I can see the battle he¡¯s having with Goliath. Landon has control now,


    but it isn¡¯t that strong.


    I step toward Landon and kneel down to his level. I put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Goliath, you need to


    stop fighting Landon. Let him have control.¡± Landon closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.


    When his eyes open, they are no longer shing between ck and brown.


    ¡°Thanks brother.¡±


    ¡°Any time. Now do you want to tell me what this is all about?¡± Landon¡¯s expression changes to sadness


    and frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jenna.¡± Jenna? What does Jenna have to do with anything?


    ¡°What happened with Jenna?¡± Landon fills me in on what I missed when I left. I sit on the floor, stunned


    at how brazen Jenna is.


    ¡°What can we do? There is no way we can let Jenna do anything more like that to Tia. I know we told


    Tia she can deal with all issues any way she likes and I did mean that. I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair for her to


    be put into these crazy situations continuously.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Maybe we need to talk to Alpha Brenner and dad. Maybe we cane up with a solution that


    way.¡± That isn¡¯t a bad idea, actually. Alpha Brenner wouldn¡¯t want his daughter doing what she¡¯s doing


    right now, and dad is rooting for Tia and us. If we go to them to help us, we should be able to eliminate


    one issue. Between the three of us, we should be able to take care of the rest with minimum issues.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this mess cleaned up.¡± I stand up and hold out my hand for Landon. I pull him up and pat him


    on the back. ¡°Next time you want to vent, please think about taking a run outside instead okay? I don¡¯t


    want to have to clean our office often.¡± Landon hits me in the back of my head as I head out to find a


    few Omega to give us a hand. Landon may be the logical one, but when he¡¯s pushed too far, he can be


    brutal.


    I head down the hall with the intent to see if anyone is avable to help us. ¡°Well, well¡­¡­I¡¯ve been


    wondering where you¡¯ve been hiding.¡± I turn around ande face to face with Jenna.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    ~Jenna~


    Going after Landon first probably wasn¡¯t the best idea, but the opportunity presented itself. I really just


    didn¡¯t want Landon and Portia to mate. I figure that if I dy that, I should be able toe up with


    some way to get one or both of the twins to fall in line.


    Landon has always been the stronger of the two, whereas Lincoln is a bit more impulsive. I can say


    that I was able to flirt a bit with Lincoln when they first got to the pack. I took that as an indication that I


    had a clear path to get to him. If you want to have a chance, oopsie, encounter, then Lincoln is the one


    you want to go after.


    I watched him go into the office and heard him speaking to Landon. I¡¯m not quite sure what they were


    talking about, but I¡¯d imagine it has to do with me. There is no way Landon wouldn¡¯t inform his brother


    about what happened earlier. I do hope that is the case, though; I¡¯d rather get a fresh run at Lincoln.


    It felt like I had to wait forever for Lincoln to leave the office, but I was ready when he did. ¡°Well,


    well¡­..I¡¯ve been wondering where you¡¯ve been hiding.¡± Lincoln turns and looks at me with a sour


    expression. ¡°How have you been? Still as sexy as always.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Jenna? I really don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I walk toward Lincoln and expected him to


    walk away, but he stays put. Maybe there is a chance after all. I stop in front of Lincoln; we are mere


    inches apart. I¡¯m tempted to reach out and run my fingers along his body, but I decide to wait until I¡¯m


    invited.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s been a while since we have talked. We should catch up or we can skip that and


    finish what was started in that guestroom.¡± I was so close to having Lincoln when they were staying in


    our pack. I got lucky the night I convinced an Omega to slip me his room key. I waited until he was


    asleep and slipped into the room and into his bed. I had no clothing on and was able to snuggle up


    against him for a bit. Lincoln did get roaming hands, but not long enough to be of use to me. He was so


    close to grabbing my breasts, but he woke up abruptly and kicked me out upon realizing it was me.


    I was angry when I left. I just know that if he has stayed asleep just a bit longer, I would have been able


    to have my way with him. I still don¡¯t know what woke him up when did. Maybe I could have gotten


    pregnant, and he would have had no choice but to make me his chosen mate. I know, an Alpha¡¯s


    daughter talking about getting knocked up to get a man. I¡¯ve never been one to shy away from things


    like that. It isn¡¯t like I care how I get him; I just need to get him.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°There is nothing to finish and nothing to catch up on. We have nothing between us, Jenna and the


    sooner you ept that, the better.¡± Lincoln turns and starts to walk away. I grab his arm and turn him


    toward me. Before he can react, I quickly jump on him and nt my mouth on his. His lips are soft, and


    I moan, running my hands up and down his back.


    I feel Lincoln¡¯s hand on the back of my head, and I smirk. I knew he just needed to feel me, and he


    would fall in. I focus back on the task at hand and start to move my lips against his, trying to use my


    tongue to part his lips. My head is yanked back with so much force I thought my hair was being pulled


    out of my head. I feel a tear fall down my face. I try to cry out, but a hand wraps around my throat, and I


    can barely breathe. I¡¯m mmed against a wall, and I try to w at the hand.


    ¡°If you ever so much as breath in my direction, I will end you and deal with the consequences after,¡±


    Lincoln growls out. I have to admit, he is a bit scary like this, but I can¡¯t let him see that. I use one hand


    to stroke up and down Lincoln¡¯s forearm. I hit the ground in a heap, my back yelling out in protest. I


    look up at Lincoln just to see him walking down the stairs. I have toe up with a better n because


    this is not working. I may just have to resort to tricking these twins. I have to make them sumb to me


    in a way that will ruin what they have with Portia. If she leaves them, they will have no choice but to


    come to me.


    I pick myself off the floor and stretch out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your n is, but I suggest you let it go. We


    aren¡¯t going to be with you no matter what you do.¡± I turn and look at Landon over my shoulder. I give


    him a smirk and head to the stairs, shaking my a*s as I go.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    ~Tia~


    As badly as I need a shower, I don¡¯t want to return to the packhouse to take one. Luckily for me, Lynn


    and her family don¡¯t live in the packhouse. I head over there, and after promising to tell her everything,


    Lynn lets me take a shower and gives me clothes to wear.


    The shower is refreshing and allows me a lot of time to think. My situation isn¡¯t going to get any better,


    so I need to be proactive. I need to put everyone in their ces, so they understand that I¡¯m not one to


    y with. I just don¡¯t know how to go about doing that. My mom was right; I have always just run and


    avoided. That is the wrong strategy here. I¡¯m not a kid anymore, and this will impact more than just me.


    The pack needs a Luna and the Moon Goddess meant for her to be me. I have to step up to the te


    and do what I have to do.


    Once I finish showering, I put on the clothes Lynn gave me and head downstairs to find her. She is


    sitting at the table with her brother. Lynn and Mark are my best friends since we were little. I still have


    no idea how it happened, but I have appreciated it ever since.


    I peer into the room and take a look at my besties. They are messing with each other like they always


    do. Lynn has a tan skin tone with super thick and curly hair. Mark has a bit of a darker skin tone with a


    shaved head. They both have light green eyes, which they get from their mother. Lynn and Mark have


    always been popr with the opposite s*x since they are light-skinned. I always said it was the eye


    color, but they swear they are just average.


    ¡°Finally! I though you¡¯d never get out of the shower.¡± I walk over to Lynn and sit next to her, facing


    Mark.


    ¡°How are things, Mark? Anything new to tell me?¡± Before Mark can respond, Lynn chimes in.


    ¡°Oh no, b***h! You owe me some information, asap. That was the deal for you to be able to avoid your


    mates ande here.¡± I sigh and shake my head.


    ¡°Come on sis. Give her a minute, she just sat down.¡± Lynn puts her hand up in protest.


    ¡°No Mark. We had a deal.¡±


    ¡°FINE! You are so damn impatient.¡± I proceed to fill them in on everything that has been going on. The


    more I tell, the bigger Lynn¡¯s eyes get, and the more Mark hangs his head. When I¡¯m done, they look at


    each other and then back at me.


    ¡°F**k me! That is a lot of s**t!¡± I give a dry chuckle.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you going to do, Tia?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mark. Well, I take that back. I know what I need to do. I need to put everyone in their


    ces and get them to understand that I¡¯mnot going to be pushed over. The only problem is¡­..I don¡¯t


    know where to start.¡± Mark nods and starts to chew on his lip in thought.


    ¡°Just challenge them all to a fight and shut them up that way.¡± I start tough. How absurd. ¡°What? Tia,


    you know damn well you can beat them all. Just do what you need to do.¡±


    ¡°I want to resolve this without getting physical if possible.¡±


    ¡°As crazy as my sister sounds, she may be right. This may all be best resolved with a challenge. It¡¯s


    definitely something to think about.¡± Mark and Lynn are probably right, but I don¡¯t want to think about


    fighting right now. I just don¡¯t have it in me to take it that far.


    Mark¡¯s eyes ze over. When his eyes adjust, he starts to stand. ¡°Your mates have called me for an


    unofficial meeting. I guess it¡¯s time to get serious about taking over. Need me to give them a message.¡±


    I look at Mark and roll my eyes. Heughs as he heads to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®no.¡¯ See you


    guyster.¡± Marks walks out, and I¡¯m left with Lynn.


    Lynn and I spend some time reminiscing about growing up and the things we used to do. There isn¡¯t a


    whole lot to discuss since I have always been so isted. Lynn, Mark, and I made some good


    memories over the years, but I did very little inparison to others. Weugh and talk, allowing a


    silent moment to pass between us. Lynn looks at me and ces her hand on mine.


    ¡°You know, you finding your mate or mates is a great thing. Your mates being the future Alphas is really


    great, but all of this other mess just sucks.¡±


    ¡°I know and I¡¯ve been thinking about that. I was close to packing up and leaving.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hello no! You can¡¯t just leave. I know you don¡¯t like dealing with mess, but this is your fate. You are


    meant to be the Luna of this pack. Don¡¯t let anyone run you away from that.¡±


    ¡°I know. Mom shocked me when I went to talk to her. She told me that I always run away, but I needed


    to stop doing that. Can you believe that?¡± The silence makes me look at Lynn, who is looking


    everywhere else. ¡°Is there something you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡­.she isn¡¯t wrong. You have always ran away from all problems. You have never been one to


    confront anyone or anything. I never said anything before because you are my bestie and I want to


    support you always. You have to take a stand at some point in your life and I can¡¯t think of a better time


    than now.¡± If she wasn¡¯t right, I¡¯d be pissed with Lynn right now. She is right, and so was my mom. I


    have to take a stand, and there is no better time than now.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± I say, standing from the table.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to our spot. We haven¡¯t been together in a while.¡± I nod and follow Lynn out to her car.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    ~Landon~


    Yeah, I had a breakdown. I couldn¡¯t help the emotions that have been building up inside of me. I tore


    the office up, wasn¡¯t the first time and won¡¯t be thest. Lincoln, as always, was able to help me


    through.


    We helped a few Omegas get things cleaned up after our run-ins with Jenna. Now we are waiting for


    Mark to show up so we can have a meeting. We will be officially taking over in no time, and we need to


    get some things straight between us. We also need to figure out what we will do about a Gamma, but I


    kind of have an idea about that.


    Lincoln and I are sitting in the office with the door open for Mark. Neither of us has said anything for a


    while, but I¡¯m sure that we are thinking the same thing; what are we going to do about Jenna? We need


    to figure out how we will survive her visit without causing our mate any more pain.


    Mark slowly walks into the room, looking a bit confused, and his scent is mixed with Tia¡¯s. I should have


    known that Tia would end up with her best friends after what happened. I have to say that I¡¯d rather her


    end up there than with Neal or anyone else. ¡°Hey¡­¡­..do you guys smell that?¡± Lincoln and I look at


    each other before looking at Mark. The only thing I smell is my mate on Mark.


    ¡°Smell what, exactly? The only thing we smell besides you is our mate.¡± Mark looks at us with a


    sheepish look and scratches the back of his head. He takes a few deep breaths before sitting down


    across from us.


    ¡°Yeah, she was at the house when I left. Seems like things have been¡­¡­interestingtely.¡± Mark leans


    back in his chair and ces an ankle on his knee. ¡°It smells like apples and cinnamon out in the


    hallway. Is there going to be something special for dessert today?¡± I look at Lincoln and shake my


    head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of anything special being made today. Maybe they are cooking something up in the


    kitchen. We need to figure a few things out before we officially take over. I know that will being up


    really soon; dad doesn¡¯t want to wait too long.¡±


    We start to discuss pack matters and the things that we want to change. I want this pack to be inviting


    and inclusive. My dad is a great Alpha, so I want to continue what he has been doing while putting our


    own spin on it. A knock on the door interrupts our meeting. ¡°Hello, Alpha Paul.¡±


    ¡°Ah Mark¡­..boys¡­¡­how¡¯s everything going around here?¡± Neither Lincoln nor I respond. We aren¡¯t


    sure how much dad knows about the issues with Jenna.


    ¡°We are getting a lot done. I¡¯m excited to be the Beta to your sons.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡­have you guys decided on a Gamma?¡± It would be a lot easier if our current Gamma


    had any children. Her mate died a few years after they marked each other. Gamma Kate stayed with


    the pack and kept up her duties, but she never took a chosen or had any children. The Gamma position


    is free for anyone we deem worthy.


    ¡°I know this will sound crazy and we may have some issues, but,¡± I speak up. ¡°What about Lynn being


    Gamma. I know she is of Beta blood and we can make it a temporary thing, but I think she would do


    well with the position.¡±


    ¡°We can definitely speak to my sister about it. I¡¯m not sure what she will say,¡± Mark hunches his


    shoulders. My dad looks between us with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely something to look into.¡±


    ¡°Look at all of these handsome men in here. This is definitely the ce to be.¡± I look up, and of course,


    Jenna is in the doorway. I swear she is like a fly, always around when not wanted. My dad gets up to


    greet Jenna. She gives him a warm smile and a small hug. ¡°Alpha Paul, it¡¯s been so long. How have


    you been?¡± I watch Lincoln roll his eyes, looking sick, and Mark is silent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been good. I heard you were on the premises. We should catch up soon. I¡¯d love to know what


    you are into these day.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡± Jenna smiles up at him, and those who don¡¯t know would think she is a prim and


    proper youngdy. Jenna looks past dad at us. She tries to give Lincoln and me a look that maybe is


    supposed to be sexy, but when she looks at Mark, the color starts to drain from her face.


    I look between the two of them, but I have no idea what¡¯s going on. Jenna turns on her heel quickly to


    leave the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go and give my dad a call. I will find youter Alpha Paul.¡± He nods


    after her, watching her take off like her pants are on fire. Something weird is going on.


    ¡°I will be going as well. I have some things to do. Let me know what Lynn says after you talk to her.¡±


    Dad walks out of the office, and it¡¯s silent.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask, looking right at Mark. He looks confused and scared. He hasn¡¯t said a word


    since Jenna was in here.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure. I think¡­..I think¡­..¡± I look at Lincoln, but he looks just as confused as I am. ¡°I think I


    just met my mate.¡± Mark met his mate, that is amazing. Meeting a mate is always a good thing. Then it


    hits me. Only one person has been in this room since we have been here. Mark says he thinks he just


    met his mate, so that makes his mate¡­¡­.Jenna.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    ~Mark~


    MATE! MATE! MATE! MATE!


    Stop, Cato! You have to stop.


    I want mate. Go to mate. I throw a wall up to block my wolf. He is going to give me a splitting


    headache, and I have to think. I have to figure out what to do because this is crazy.


    So the apples and cinnamon sent that I detected earlier belongs to my mate, and my mate is Jenna.


    Oh, my f**king Goddess! What type of horrible turn of events is this? This woman doesn¡¯t want me.


    She is out to rece my best friend. How can she be mated to me? Why would the Moon Goddess


    think it¡¯s a good idea for her and me to be together? I know I don¡¯t know her personally, but just looking


    at her actions tells me more than I need to know.


    ¡°MARK?!¡± I whip my head toward Lincoln, who is in shaking a hand in my face. Landon is looking at me


    with concern and sympathy. ¡°Are you okay, man? What¡¯s going on with you?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, Linc? Mark has found his mate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah he said that. So what?¡± Landon runs his hand down his face in exasperation.


    ¡°There was only one person in this room with us, doofus.¡± I watch Lincoln¡¯s face and see when the


    realization hits him.


    ¡°Oh s**t! Oh man.¡± Lincoln sits in the chair next to me. ¡°F**k man, I¡¯m sorry.¡± S**T! Even Lincoln feels


    sorry for me. This is horrible. Is she really that terrible? I mean, putting aside the problems she¡¯s


    causing here, is she really such a horrible person?


    ¡°Let¡¯s just take a minute and breathe.¡± Landon for the save because I have no words at this point. I


    have no idea what to say or what to think.


    The silence stretches for a while; everyone is lost in their thoughts. I would love to discuss this with


    Cato, but I already know what he will say, so there¡¯s no point. I need to talk about this to someone, but I


    have no idea who. I can¡¯t talk to Tia because it just wouldn¡¯t be right. I can, maybe, talk to my sister, but


    I¡¯d have to swear her to secrecy. She can be hit or miss in that department.


    I really need to clear my mind. The air in the room seems to be disappearing at a rapid rate, and I¡¯m


    having trouble with my intake. I need fresh air¡­¡­I need open spaces¡­..I need out of this room! ¡°I¡­.I


    have to go. I¡­..I just can¡¯t right now.¡± I jump up from the chair and make my way out of the room,


    ignoring the cries from the twins.


    I make it out of the office and out of the packhouse. The minute I hit open air, I take the biggest breath.


    I feel like my lungs are deted, and I¡¯m struggling to fill them with air. My knees hit the ground, and I


    grab the grass as if trying to anchor myself against a raging wind. My chest feels heavy, and I don¡¯t


    know how to release the pressure.


    I¡¯m starting to feel dizzy and fearful of passing out. What the hell is happening to me? Finding your


    mate is supposed to be a joyous time. It¡¯s supposed to be the best thing that happens to you. I can¡¯t


    honestly say that¡¯s how I feel right now.


    I know I start to move, but I can¡¯t remember how. I feel myself moving in the wind, and there is no way


    it¡¯s strong enough to be pushing me. I have no idea what direction I¡¯m moving in. I feel I¡¯m not on my


    feet, so I must be crawling. It feels as if I may be about to die, but that would be crazy. I hear nothing


    other than the beating of my heart thundering in my ears. I swear I can hear the swooshing of my blood


    as it rushes around my body.


    I¡¯m trying my hardest to stay alert, but I just can¡¯t do it. I¡¯m teetering on the edge of reality and


    darkness, and I don¡¯t want to tumble. I struggle against the darkness trying to use everything to help


    me. I try to focus on how the ground feels beneath me. I try to focus on the air around me. I even try to


    grab onto the sound of my heartbeat. I think I¡¯m losing the battle because the darkness is getting bigger


    and bigger.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    ¡°Mark? MARK!¡± I feel my body shaking and hear my name in a piercing tone. I crack an eye open and


    look around. I can see the sky; it¡¯s a bit dark but notpletely nighttime yet. I can feel a few taps on


    my face, and when I move my eye around, I see the assant, my sister.


    ¡°Lynn?¡±


    ¡°Mark, what the hell?¡±


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on the porch, at home. Why are you passed out? What happened?¡± So I made it home. I have


    no idea how I did that, but I¡¯m d I did. I struggle to sit up with Lynn¡¯s help. I put my head in my hands


    and just breathe. ¡°What¡¯s up with you, Mark?¡± I have to talk about this. I can¡¯t just ignore it. I have to try


    to trust Lynn with this.


    ¡°Lynn, I have to talk to you. I have to tell you something, but you have to swear to keep it to yourself.¡±


    Lynn looks at me with confusion. ¡°I¡¯m serious Lynn. You can¡¯t talk about this to anyone, especially Tia.¡±


    Lynn slowly nods at me. I shake my head. I grab Lynn¡¯s shoulders. ¡°No, I need to hear you say it. I nee


    you to promise me¡­..promise me you won¡¯t say anything. PROMISE ME!¡±


    ¡°Okay Mark, f**k! I won¡¯t tell anyone, I swear.¡± I sigh and swallow the lump in my throat.


    ¡°I¡­.I found my mate today.¡± A smile springs onto Lynn¡¯s face.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful Mark! OMG! Mom and dad will be so excited. Who is she? What¡¯s her name? What¡¯s


    she -¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°It¡¯s Jenna. Jenna is my mate.¡±


    ¡°WHAT. THE. F**K?!¡±

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    ~Tia~


    It turned out to be a better day for me. Hanging out with Lynn was exactly what I needed, and it gave


    me time to think. I have a lot of things that I need to do and points I need to make, but there is one


    thing that has to be done before all of that.


    Hey, what are you and Landon doing?


    Hey, beautiful. We are just getting some work finished up. What¡¯s up? Is everything okay?


    Uh, yeah. Everything is fine, but I have a favor.


    What¡¯s up?


    I need some time with Landon¡­¡­alone. Can you send him up in 10 minutes? Lincoln chuckles in the


    mindlink.


    I got you, boo.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do because I really don¡¯t want this to be cheesy. I mean, this is real life and all,


    but I also want to make Landon¡¯s first time special. I decided to keep it simple; hopefully, it¡¯s enough for


    him.


    I set up candles in the bedroom so that the mood will be set when he walks in. The real action will


    happen in the bathroom, though. I want to show him how much I care, and I want the intimacy to be


    next level. I figure a shower would aplish that. It¡¯s crazy, I know, but think about it. To shower with


    someone, to help wash their body, so intimate. I n on cherishing his body and showing him how


    much he means to me.


    I¡¯m waiting in the bathroom, lighting thest few candles in there. I don¡¯t want to use the main lights;


    they would be too bright. I fix the towel around my body, and I wait, but I don¡¯t have to wait for long. I


    can hear the door open to the bedroom. ¡°Tia, love, where are y-¡± Landon must have noticed the


    candles everywhere. ¡°Wow. Where are you, love?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the bathroom.¡± I have to admit that I¡¯m a bit nervous. This isn¡¯t my first time, and Lincoln and I


    have already been together, but I want this to be good for Landon. I want him to enjoy his first time.


    That¡¯s a lot of pressure if I¡¯m being honest.


    The bathroom door is pushed open, and Landon stands in the doorway. His eyes sweep the room


    beforending on me. I can see his eyes turning ck, and his hands reach for the hem of his shirt.


    ¡°No,e here.¡± Landon stops his movements and slowly walks over to me. I¡¯m standing in front of the


    shower, and the water is running. ¡°Let me undress you. Just take your shoes off.¡± Landon obliges and


    stands still while I run my hands up his thighs. When I get to the hem of his shirt, I grab hold and pull


    his shirt over his head. I toss it aside and take him in. If this man isn¡¯t sexy as hell, I don¡¯t know who


    is¡­.well, besides his twin.


    I run my hands up and down his chest. His muscles are tight and contract under my touch. I move my


    hands down to the waist of his jeans and follow around his waist. I caress his entire middle section, and


    Landon¡¯s eyes close. I slowly undo the button and unzip the jeans. I watch Landon¡¯s face as I push his


    jeans down his waist and legs. He has on a pair of ck boxer briefs and is already standing at


    attention.


    I slowly pull his boxer briefs down, and damn, I¡¯m tempted to run my tongue along his length. I fight the


    feeling because I want to take care of him first. I let Landon step out of his clothes and open the ss


    door to the shower. Landon steps in, and I let my towel drop before stepping in behind him.


    Landon reaches for me in the shower, but I step out of his reach. ¡°I just want you to enjoy this and let


    me take care of you.¡± Landon puts his hands down, and I grab a sponge. I put some of his body wash


    on. I start at his back, running the sponge up and down. Landon¡¯s back is getting covered in suds, and I


    reach around and start to run the sponge across his chest and along his abs. I have my chest pressed


    up to Landon¡¯s back, and his head falls back.


    I make sure to get to his neck and arms and let the sponge trail down his hips. I kiss Landon on his


    shoulder and step back. I kneel down and start to use the sponge on Landon¡¯s legs. I make sure I


    cover every inch, front and back. I stand up and use the sponge in Landon¡¯s private area. I make sure I


    run the sponge along his length. I use my other hand to cup his balls and massage them. A moan


    comes out of his mouth, and I love it. I drop the sponge and use my hand to stroke Landon. I start


    slowly, from base to tip and back again. I circle the tip with my hand each time I get to the tip. Each


    stroke elicits a moan from Landon, and I get wetter. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long I can hold off.¡± I smirk


    against Landon¡¯s back.


    ¡°We shoulde out of here. I don¡¯t want your first time to be in the shower.¡± Landon turns in my arms


    and smashes his lips to mine. His tongue pushes into my mouth, and he lifts me up by my thighs. I


    wrap my legs around his body, and he carries us out of the shower and into the bedroom.


    Landonys me on the bed, soaking wet. Our kiss never stops and bes more passionate and


    hurried. Landon¡¯s hands are all over my body, and mine are doing the same. Landon starts to kiss


    down my neck, and he sucks on my marking spot. The wetness is dripping down my leg, and my body


    is shaking. Landon moves from my marking spot and starts to kiss down my chest. I stop him before he


    gets too involved. I pull his face up to meet mine. ¡°This is my show, remember?¡± I flip us over so he is


    lying on the bed with me on top. ¡°I just want you to enjoy.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    ~Landon~


    I never really thought about being with Ad intimately. I mean, it crossed my mind, but it was always


    in terms of doing a duty. I would be fulfilling my role in order to get an heir. When I thought about finding


    my mate, s*x was always more than a duty in my mind. Being close to Tia these few times has blown


    any thought or fantasy I¡¯ve ever had right out of my mind. Nothingpares in the slightest.


    Right now, my beautiful mate is on top of me, kissing my neck up and down. Tia has moved to my


    marking spot and is going to town. I swear my toes are curling so much that I feel like something is


    going to break. I wonder if it¡¯s possible to find a release just from someone sucking on your marking


    spot.


    Just when I think I can¡¯t take anymore, Tia starts to move down my chest. She is kissing and licking as


    she goes. My eyes are squeezed shut tightly, not because anything is wrong, but because I don¡¯t want


    to finish before things start.


    The closer she gets to my lower section, the hotter my body bes. Saying I¡¯m hard is an


    understatement. I feel as if I could put a fence together, using myself as a hammer. Crazy image, I


    know, but I mean every word of it.


    Tia¡¯s mouth is removed from my body, and confusion sets in. I open my eyes and look down to see Tia


    watching me. She gets a mischievous look on her face as she lowers her mouth to my member. Tia


    swirls her tongue around my tip, and I swear I¡¯m going to explode. Her tongue flicks back and forth


    before finding the bottom of my shaft and running up the length. As she gets to my tips, she sucks it in,


    swirls her tongue around, and goes for the base again. Tia repeats this so many times I can¡¯t keep


    track. As if that isn¡¯t enough, her hand has found my ball sack and is rubbing and stroking it.


    My breathing is heavy anding out in spurts. I have moans tumbling out of my mouth mixed with


    Tia¡¯s name. My hands are gripping the sheets. I imagined grabbing her head, but I didn¡¯t want to cross


    any boundaries. My heartbeat has quickened, and it¡¯s pounding in my chest.


    Just when I think I¡¯m about to let go, Tia releases me and travels back up my body. Her mouth attaches


    to mine, and our tongues sh. My hands find her a*s, and I grip each one, squeezing every few


    seconds. My hands travel from her a*s to her breasts. I take one in each hand to squeeze and knead. I


    can feel Tia¡¯s wetness drop on my torso, and her arousal is thick in the air.


    I quickly turn us, so Tia is underneath me. I give her onest kiss before I slide myself inside of her,


    and GODDESS! I never imagined anything could feel this way. The warmth, the softness, the tightness


    around my length, the wetness¡­¡­.it all just rolls in together, creating an explosion of pleasure. Each


    push-in makes me shudder, and pulling out is like a build-up. It¡¯s hard to put the pleasure I¡¯m feeling


    into words. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Tia¡¯s hands are all over me, rubbing and wing. Her breaths


    change as I work my way into her and her moans tell me how much she likes what I¡¯m doing.


    I¡¯m trying to concentrate on things around me as well as what I¡¯m doing to her. I can¡¯t put all my focus


    on Tia because that would cause me to erupt in 2.5 seconds. I close my eyes and feel her under me,


    feel myself in her, revel in her scent and just every aspect of her and what we¡¯re doing.


    Tia is pushing against me as I¡¯m pushing into her, so our bodies are meeting with each thrust. The


    thrusts be deeper and faster; Tia is hanging onto me, wrapping her legs around my body. We are


    moaning each other¡¯s names and are lost in the ecstasy.


    I want to try so many things, but I don¡¯t want to move. I don¡¯t want to stop what I¡¯m doing and lose the


    feeling that I¡¯m feeling right now. I realize that everything and everything we could do to each other


    would be amazing, but this is more than what I have ever dreamt of. This is everything all at once, and I


    don¡¯t want to stop.


    I press my lips to Tia¡¯s and look at her. ¡°Look at me, baby.¡± Tia struggles to open her eyes. We lock


    eyes, and I slow my thrusts down. I watch her face every time I push in. Her eyes get big, and she bitesC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    her lower lip. Her head moves from side to side. I start to thrust harder, and Tia¡¯s grip on my body gets


    tighter. She is wing at my back, and I wonder if I would like it if she were to use her actual ws. I


    thrust even harder, making a pping sound when our bodies meet together. Tia¡¯s eye roll to the back


    of her head, and her mouth hangs open. My name on her lips is like the best sound that was ever


    created.


    I close my eyes and focus on my thrusting, in and out, in and out, harder and faster. Tia is screaming


    my name over and over. ¡°I¡­.I¡¯m cumming¡­¡­..¡± Tia¡¯s body tenses up, and I can feel her core


    strangling my shaft. The pressure she is putting on it is slightly painful but mostly feels amazing. I know


    that I won¡¯t be too far behind her. I continue to plow into her while she is riding her high. I can feel my


    balls start to tighten up, and I thrust even harder and faster. I can feel my body get hotter, and my


    muscles tense up.


    ¡°TTTTTIIIIIAAAAAAA!!!!!¡±

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    ~Lincoln~


    It¡¯s been a couple of hours since I¡¯ve seen or heard from Landon or Tia. I¡¯m guessing that her n was


    a sess. Landon cut our link, suppressing his emotions so I couldn¡¯t feel anything through our bond. I


    decide to check on them.


    I make my way to Landon¡¯s room and quietly open the door. I see a few candles lit around the room,


    but they have been burning for a while. I quietly put the candles out, so we don¡¯t have any fire issues.


    Landon and Tia are curled up together in the bed. Landon looks like he is on cloud nine, and Tia looks


    as peaceful as ever.


    I still can¡¯t believe that the girl I have longed for all these years ended up being my fated mate. I don¡¯t


    think I¡¯d ever imagine being so lucky. I strip down to my boxer and slide into the bed next to Tia. This is


    a king-sized bed, but we are going to need to consider getting something just a bit wider. We will need


    the extra room.


    Next Morning¡­¡­


    Man, what an e****c dream. I can still hear the moaning from my dream. It sounds so real, but I know


    it¡¯s all just wishful thinking. I stretch a bit and open my eyes slightly to see my brother having a morning


    meal. Tia¡¯s eyes are clenched shut, and her back is arched. The moaning I thought I was dreaming is


    real, and it¡¯s happening right now. Landon is going to town, and Tia loves it.


    Tia turns her face toward me, and I reach out and caress her cheek. Tia opens her eyes and looks at


    me, lust almost jumping out of her. She gives me a small smile before her eyes roll back into her head,


    and her back arches again.


    Tia¡¯s hand finds its way into my boxers, and she squeezes and strokes my shaft. I close my eyes and


    give in to the feeling of Tia¡¯s hand on me and the sparks that areing from our union. ¡°Come here,¡±


    Tia whispers, and when I open my eyes, she looks right at me.


    I get on my knees, letting the covers fall from my body. Tia grabs my boxers, pulls me closer to her, and


    then pulls the shorts down my body. She grabs my length and runs her tongue along it, making sure to


    circle it around my tip. My head drops back, and my eyes shut. This feels so good.


    Tia is moaning on my length here and there, with my brother still feasting on her. I¡¯m not sure how


    close she is, but she is getting me near the edge. Tia has taken me into her mouth and is moving me in


    and out. The sparks, along with the wetness of her mouth, are overpowering. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Tia has pulled me out of her mouth and is addressing Landon.


    ¡°Just trust me.¡± Tia nods and goes back to her task.


    I¡¯m getting her ready, Linc. I think it¡¯s time we share her. I knew this would happen, and honestly, it¡¯s


    expected. I know it isn¡¯t something that we will do all the time. Landon and I will want our private time


    with Tia when possible, but every so often, we will want toe together as one.


    Tia continues to suck on me, sometimes stopping to readjust her body or moan in pleasure. I close my


    eyes and enjoy the feeling that Tia is giving me. I can feel my body tensing up, but Tia stops before I


    reachpletion.


    Front or back, brother? I grin a mischievous grin, and Tia looks between the both of us, not knowing


    what we are talking about.


    Landon scoots up on the bed andys on his side. I turn Tia to her side, her backside facing me. I grab


    some lube out of the drawer and pour a bunch into my hand. I stroke my length, spreading the lube all


    over. Tia is moaning as Landon enters her. They stay on their side a bit, then Landon pulls Tia on top of


    him.


    I maneuver myself so that I¡¯m behind Tia. I push her down toy t on Landon, and I position myself


    at her backdoor. I slowly start to push into her, and Goddess, is she tight. Her muscles clench so hard


    that she pushes me out of her. ¡°Just breathe, baby. Breath and rx.¡±


    I start to stroke her back while Landon strokes her thighs. They are kissing, Landon attempting to rx


    Tia for what¡¯s going to happen. I position myself at her backdoor again and start to push into her. This


    time, I get in further with minimum pushback. I continue to push into her until I¡¯m inpletely. I stop


    and let Tia get adjusted to my size and intrusion.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Tia sits up as much as she can, and I start to move along with Landon. We both find a rhythm and lean


    into it. We pound into Tia, making her cry out. She has both of us inside of her, and she is taking it very


    well. I¡¯m getting close to finishing, so I push Tia back down and grab her hips. I start to m into her


    again and again, feeling my body tense up. I scream out Tia¡¯s name and empty inside of her. My o****m


    is out of this world, causing me to convulse. I roll onto my back, and I hear Landon and Tia continue.


    My eyes get really heavy, and I fall into the darkness.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    ~Jenna~


    A sleepless night and still no solution hase to me. How is it that I have met my fated mate? I have


    looked all over for him, but I never thought he would end up in the pack that housed the twins I have


    been longing for.


    I sessfully kept my finding to myself yesterday. I was able to leave the office without drawing


    attention to myself, and I stayed in my room for the evening. I spent the rest of the day and the night


    going over all of my options.


    I have met my fated mate. I don¡¯t know who he is, his rank, his name, or anything. He is a member of


    this pack, and he, obviously, knows the twins personally. The issue is that he isn¡¯t the twins. I have


    been after them for some time, especially after realizing that I may never find my fated mate.


    I don¡¯t know what to do. Do I ept my mate, no matter his rank/status? Do I reject him and keep with


    my n to seduce the twins? I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be too hard to get the twins to walk away from Portia. I


    mean, look at her; she is a nobody. I bring more to the table and the position than that girl ever could.


    My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door. I pull out my phone and notice that it¡¯s almost noon.


    I have been so lost in my mind that I lost track of time. I throw the covers back and struggle to my feet. I


    make it to the door and slowly open it. ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡± I really don¡¯t have the mental


    capacity to deal with Luna Kimberly at the moment. I don¡¯t know what decision I will make regarding my


    mate, and I definitely don¡¯t want to tell her that I found my fated mate. The Luna thought up this entire


    n, and I don¡¯t want to see her reaction if I decide to renege. ¡°Hello?! Do you hear me?¡±


    I sigh and walk back to the bed. I hop in and throw the covers back over my body. ¡°I¡¯m tired. What do


    you want?¡± I hear movement in the room, and the covers are ripped away from me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you here for you toy in bed all day. We have things to do, and you can¡¯t do them from


    here. Unless¡­¡­¡± I see a spark in the Luna¡¯s eye, and she starts to sniff the room around me. Her face


    falls, and she res at me. ¡°I was hoping your were in bed because you were exhausted from a


    strenuous workout with my sons. I see that isn¡¯t the case, so you need to get your a*s out of bed.¡±


    Damn, I really can¡¯t deal with this right now. I need to figure out what I¡¯m going to do.


    _I WANT MATE!_ Yeah, that¡¯s the other reason I¡¯ve been in bed all this time; my splitting headache.


    Iris, my wolf, has been yelling and yammering all evening and nightst night. All she says is, ¡®I want


    my mate,¡¯ ¡®Find my mate,¡¯ etc. I¡¯ve been keeping a block up with her, but that takes energy. The more


    time I spend no resting, the less energy I have for the block. Iris has been able to break through here


    and there and yell her message at me.


    ¡°I¡­.I just need to rest. Please leave me alone.¡± I¡¯m facing away from the Luna, but I can feel her


    getting close to me. Her body heat is starting to overwhelm me, and I can feel her trying to push out her


    aura. I find it funny because I¡¯m an Alpha by birth. Her aura has no impact on me. I hold back myugh,


    not wanting her to know that all of this is futile.


    ¡°I want you out of this damn bed and back on track with our n. I won¡¯t hesitate to out you to your


    father if you don¡¯tply. We had a deal, and I expect you to fulfill your end of it.¡± I don¡¯t respond, and I


    can feel the Luna ring at me. After a while, I feel her heat and aura retreat. I hear movement in the


    room, and the door ms. I slowly pop my head up and scan the room, noticing that I¡¯m the only one


    there. I plop my head back down and close my eyes, hoping I can finally get some sleep.


    ~Mark~


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Lynn and I spend the evening together. We didn¡¯t talk much because there wasn¡¯t much to say. She did


    encourage me to speak with Tia before I made any type of decision. I took some time to talk to Cato,


    but that didn¡¯t really go anywhere. His only argument was the fact that Jenna is my fated mate, and we


    are meant to be. The discussion surrounding Tia and what was going on with that was irrelevant to him.


    He felt Jenna would be more willing to leave all that alone because she now has us. I think that


    sentiment is a bit naive.


    Needless to say, I didn¡¯t get much sleep through the night. I was up early, and I got a mindlink from


    Landon to take over morning training. I usually hate to do that, but today I didn¡¯t mind because it would


    be easier to keep my mind upied. I didn¡¯t anticipate how hard it would be to keep Cato at bay and


    not go after Jenna.


    I didn¡¯t see her at all while I was around the packhouse; part of me was yearning to find her, and the


    other part of me was happy that I couldn¡¯t. As soon as I finished training, I headed back home to


    shower and eat. I would usually catch lunch at the packhouse, but the possibility of running into Jenna


    and Tia is too great. I¡¯m not ready to talk to Tia yet, and I don¡¯t even know if I will. I mean, I know I


    probably should, but I don¡¯t know if I will. I mean, what would I say? How can I tell my best friend that


    my fated mate is the woman who is purposely trying to take her mates away from her? I don¡¯t know


    how she will react, and I¡¯m not sure that I wouldn¡¯t reject her if she asked me to. What if she asks, and I


    refuse? What would that mean for our friendship?


    There was a time that I had a huge crush on Tia. She used to always be at my house, being friends


    with Lynn, and I loved it. I loved talking to her, hanging out with her, ying games with her, everything.


    Deep down, I knew she would never be mine, and I tried my hardest to let that be it. I tried to let her go


    and realize that she and I would never be. It was easier for me to do when she went away to college.


    She wasn¡¯t around as much, and I was able to let her go. Lynn helped me a lot. She has always been


    my best friend, though, and I don¡¯t want to do anything to hurt her.


    I hear a knock at my door. I wait for someone to answer it then I remember that I¡¯m the only one home


    right now. I make my way downstairs and hear the knock again. I don¡¯t bother to look to see who it is,


    and I throw the door open. Standing in front of me is the angelic face of my best friend. ¡°Hey, Mark. I


    wanted to thank you for filling in this morning.¡± I¡¯m at a loss for words. I didn¡¯t expect to see Tia at my


    door, and I definitely wasn¡¯t ready to talk to her. ¡°Mark, are you okay?¡± I think I finally blink, and I start to


    look around.


    ¡°Uh¡­.e in. We should talk.¡± I guess there is no time like the present, and as much as I don¡¯t want


    to have this talk, I know it needs to happen. I step aside and let a confused Tia walk in.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    ~Tia~


    After untangling myself from my s*x mates, I got a text from Lynn. She said that I should talk to Mark. It


    seemed to be important. I would have found him sooner, but I had a time getting out of the room. My


    mates decided that we needed to have another round in the shower, then another one when I tried to


    get dressed. I felt satiated but also drained. I guess this is what life will be like with twin mates.


    Mark is acting funny, and I¡¯m not sure what to make of it. I slowly walk into his house, looking around


    the room. I wonder if something is going to pop out at me with the way Mark is acting. Nothing popped


    out at me, and I was relieved for a bit.


    I walk into the living room and sit on the couch. Mark sits on the other end of the couch and keeps


    fidgeting. He is looking all over the room and not speaking. ¡°Mark, is everything alright? You really have


    me worried right now.¡± I look closely at Mark and can see the sweat on his brow. Something is going on


    with him, but I can¡¯t help until he talks to me.


    I scoot closer to Mark and reach out to touch his arm. Mark flinches at my touch and jumps off the


    couch. Mark starts to pace back and forth, and all I can do is watch him unravel. I lose track of time,


    watching Mark go through the distress he is experiencing. ¡°I¡­..I¡­..¡± Mark struggles to speak, and my


    heart breaks for him. I¡¯m not sure how much longer I can watch him go through this.


    I start to stand up, but Mark shakes his head. ¡°No, please. Don¡¯t do that¡­..don¡¯tfort me. I¡­.I need


    to get this out.¡±


    ¡°What it is Mark? It can¡¯t be all that bad.¡± Mark looks at me with so much sorrow and fear. I can¡¯t


    imagine what has happened that has Mark acting like this.


    ¡°I¡­¡­.I found my mate.¡± Mark found his mate?! That¡¯s amazing! I found out years ago that Mark had a


    crush on me. I guess I kind of always knew, but I pretended that I didn¡¯t. I never wanted to ruin our


    friendship. It would have made things awkward for all of us, especially when we found out we weren¡¯t


    mates. I didn¡¯t know it at first, but I kind of always felt that he wasn¡¯t the one.


    Mark found his mate, and I know the joy and excitement thates with that. I can feel the smile grow


    on my face as I think of my mates and imagine all of the feelings that Mark must be feeling right now.


    Wait¡­.if Mark found his mate, why all the awkwardness? Why all of the sorrow and fear in his eyes?


    Why is he wearing a hole in his floor? ¡°Mark, this is a good thing. What¡¯s the issue? Why does it seem


    as if you aren¡¯t happy with this news?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mark turns to me, and I see a tear travel down his face. ¡°I had no idea, I swear. I¡­.I¡­I don¡¯t


    know what to do. You¡­¡­.you are my best friend.¡± I swear I thought Mark didn¡¯t have those feelings for


    me anymore. It seems as if he still does, and that could be a serious problem. I have found my mates,


    and Mark is meant to be their Beta. There is no room for Mark to have romantic feelings for me.


    Mark drops to his knees in front of me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t know what the right choice is.


    I¡­.I¡¯m not sure if I could reject her if you ask me to. I want to do be that person for you, but I don¡¯t


    know if I¡¯m strong enough.¡±


    I have to stop this before it goes any further. This is not okay; Mark harboring these feelings for me. He


    has to let me go, or else things are going to get very bad. ¡°Mark, I¡­.I¡¯m ttered I swear. You know I


    love you¡­..as a brother.¡± I stand up and walk to the window. ¡°I¡¯ve known for sometime that you have


    had feelings for me, but I always hoped they would just go away. I never wanted to risk our friendship.


    You are meant to be Beta to my mates. You can not have feelings for me beyond friendship. You have


    to let this go. ept your mate and let me go.¡±


    I turn to Mark in time to see a smile on his face. A chuckle slips out of his mouth, and he quickly covers


    it. I watch his shoulders start to move up and down, and heughs. Mark throws his head back and


    laughs boisterously. I have to say I feel a bit offended. How is it that Mark is nowughing at me? Mark


    doubles over, hands holding his stomach,ughing uncontrobly. ¡°Just what the hell is so funny?¡±


    Mark sits up and wipes his eyes. ¡°I needed that. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I did have feelings for you at one


    point. I did get over them and let you go years ago.¡± I can feel my face get hot with embarrassment. I


    completely misread that situation.


    ¡°Mark, if you don¡¯t have feelings for me, then what¡¯s the problem with epting your mate?¡± Mark


    sighs and stands up. He walks over to the window where I am and faces me.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tia, I¡­..¡± Mark breathes in deeply. ¡°My mate¡­..she is¡­..well, its¡­..¡± I¡¯m starting to get frustrated. I


    feel like Mark has drawn this out long enough, and I just want to get to the point.


    ¡°MARK! Spit it out already. You are making me nuts right now.¡± Mark grabs my hand and looks me in


    the eyes.


    ¡°My mate is¡­¡­.well, it¡¯s Jenna.¡± His mate is Jenna¡­¡­like the Jenna that is running around this pack,


    trying to take what¡¯s mine¡­..that Jenna? What. The. f**k!

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    ~Mark~


    The seconds ticked by, and my anxiety was growing. I came out with it; I told Tia that Jenna was my


    fated mate, and I was met with silence. I swear I could probably hear a pin drop if there were one


    dropping.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Tia is standing at the window, looking out onto thend. She hasn¡¯t made any reaction; she hasn¡¯t


    spoken, and she hasn¡¯t really moved. I have no idea what she is going to say to me, and that makes


    me anxious. Tia is my best friend, and I want to do anything I can for her. I know Jenna, and she has


    had some major issues, but I¡¯m not sure if I will be strong enough to let Jenna go if Tia were to ask me


    to do so.


    Tia starts to pace a bit, and I take a step back and watch her. She looks at me, then looks away again.


    She paces a bit, then repeats the looks. I can¡¯t decipher what the looks mean or if I should be worried.


    Tia stops packing and walks over to the couch to have a seat. I¡¯m not sure what to do, so I stay at the


    window.


    ¡°Mark?¡± I look over at Tia, and she gestures for me to sit next to her. I slowly make my way over to the


    couch, preparing myself for the worst reaction. I¡¯m so nervous about what she could say, but there is no


    way to push it off now.


    I take a seat on the couch, keeping some distance between Tia and me. I don¡¯t want to sit too close


    just in case Tia wants to do some physical damage. I try to sit back but am too anxious to rx. I keep


    shifting around on the couch, not knowing what to do with my hands or my body. I feel a hand on my


    arm, and I look at Tia.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± I nod, not trusting myself to speak. ¡°She is trying toe between myself and my


    mates, and it isn¡¯t right. I don¡¯t even know her, but she hase here and is causing problems. I don¡¯t


    trust her, and I¡¯m not even sure that I want to ever get to know her.¡± I can feel my heart sinking with


    each word that Tia speaks. She isn¡¯t wrong at all, and there is nothing that can be said in Jenna¡¯s


    defense. ¡°That being said,¡± Tia is rubbing circles on my arm. I turn my head to look at her. ¡°She is your


    Goddess given mate, and you owe it to yourself to see it through. You should try to talk to her, get to


    know her.¡±


    I let a breath out and look up to the ceiling in an attempt to keep my tears at bay. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose


    you.¡± Tia lightly chuckles.


    ¡°You silly boy. You could never lose me. You are one of my best friends; my brother. There is nothing


    that can keep you out of my life.¡± I sigh with relief. I was so concerned that this woulde between


    the two of us. A fated mate is everything, but so is a best friend. ¡°I¡¯m telling you now though¡­¡­she


    and I may never be friends.¡±


    ¡°Ipletely understand that. I won¡¯t ever try to force you two together. Hell,¡± I get up and walk back to


    the window. I¡¯m not even sure that she and I will evere together. She seems hell-bent on having


    your mates. She didn¡¯t even acknowledge that we are mates. I know she felt the bond; I mean, she¡¯s


    an Alpha. I felt it, and I¡¯m barely a Beta.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯te around, it¡¯spletely her loss. She¡¯d be a fool to ignore you.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d say that. We are friends.¡± I see Tia move out of the corner of my eye. She is next to


    me quickly and has a hand on my back.


    ¡°We may be friends, but you know I never lie to you about anything. I will always tell you the truth and if


    you were horrible, I would have told you so. You¡¯re an amazing guy and she¡¯d be lucky to have you in


    her life.¡± I wrap an arm around Tia¡¯s waist and give her a squeeze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe we will figure this all out and maybe we won¡¯t. I¡¯m still trying toe to terms with


    everything.¡±


    ¡°I understand and you should take your time. There is no time limit on the mate bond. I wouldn¡¯t try to


    push anything; let things flow.¡± I lean down and ce my head on Tia¡¯s. Even though I prepared myself


    for the worst, I don¡¯t know what I would have done if Tia had been against this union. ¡°I will say, if she


    hurts you, I will f**k her up.¡± I throw my head back andugh. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°I know you are and that¡¯s why it¡¯s so funny. The image of you and Jenna fighting; I can totally see her


    losing to you too.¡± Tia starts to chuckle as well as she wraps her arms around my torso. We stand at


    the window for a while, just enjoying the quiet between us and the view outside.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    ~Aida~


    Thest few days have been crazy. I would have never imagined this is where I¡¯d be right now. I


    thought we would be getting settled into our new roles and maybe nning a wedding ceremony. I was


    so close, almost getting precisely what I always dreamed of, and it was taken away from me without


    hesitation. ¡°I know I deserve all of that and more.¡± I need to get out of this house. I need to get some


    fresh air and just figure some things out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I walk down the hall slowly, paying close attention to my surroundings. ¡°I¡¯m just not sure


    that it will work.¡± I head outside, letting the sun beat down on me. ¡°I can¡¯t just do that. It¡¯d be too


    suspicious.¡± I walk toward the treeline so I can take a run in wolf form.


    I hear a branch rack behind me. I whip around quickly and survey my surroundings. I don¡¯t see anyone


    in front of me. I thought I saw a sh of color, but there is nothing there and nothing moving. I must


    have imagined it. ¡°I do want that; I always have.¡± I turn back and continue on my journey. Hazel needs


    to stretch out, and I would love to let her take over for a while.


    I walk past the tree line and walk until I¡¯m hidden from the packhouse view. ¡°I supposed you¡¯re right.¡± I


    stop at arge rock and step out of my sandals. I take off my shorts and tank top, fold them and ce


    them on the rock. ¡°Ok, ok. I will make sure that¡¯s what I do next.¡± I close my eyes and feel my bones


    snap into ce. I shake out my fur before letting Hazel take over. I have some things to think about.


    ~Jenna~


    That was close. I thought I¡¯d be able to escape my room and go for a quick walk without bumping into


    anyone. I figure I¡¯d be out far enough that I¡¯d be able to think. I really didn¡¯t want to run into Luna


    Kimberly again.


    I made sure to wear an oversized hoodie so that if I dide across someone, they¡¯d be more likely to


    disregard me. I just don¡¯t have anything to say to anyone until I figure all of this out. Then I almost run


    into one of the twins. She was on the phone talking to someone. Strange that I couldn¡¯t pick up who


    was on the other line, but it isn¡¯t as if I cared that much.


    I quickly run away from her before she could fully turn and look at me. I¡¯m not sure if she caught a


    glimpse or not, but I¡¯m hoping she didn¡¯t. I duck around a corner and lean forward to catch my breath. I


    wait for a while to see if she catches up with me. When she doesn¡¯t, I keep walking ahead. I have no


    clear destination, but it doesn¡¯t matter.


    The sun starts to go down, and the air gets a bit cooler. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been going or in


    what direction. I just took off with no consideration for an intended destination. I should stop and head


    back, but the thought makes me nauseous.


    I stop and look around me. I¡¯m in the forest. I know I¡¯m still on pds, but I¡¯m not sure how far from


    the pack house I am. I see a small pond, and I make my way to it. It is a fairly big pond, and I can see


    frogs sitting on lily pads. The grass is a gorgeous green with specks of color (flowers). There are a few


    logs covered in moss along the side, and I decide to sit against one to rest.


    I look over the pond, trying toe to terms with the recent news. I really don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯ve


    been after the twins for a while now, and I feel as if they are just my speed. They are future Alphas and


    sexy as hell. Being an Alpha¡¯s daughter, I deserve nothing but the best. Then there is my fated mate.


    He isn¡¯t who I¡¯ve been after. What if he is nothing but a lowly Omega? I can¡¯t be tied to someone who


    isn¡¯t worth my time. I need someone to match me.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I can hear leaves crunching, and I know someone ising toward me. I hear no voices, so they must


    be alone. I seriously contemte running away as I did earlier, but truthfully, I¡¯m toofortable. I


    really don¡¯t want to get up right now.


    I hear a gasp, and my nose fills with the sweetest scent, lemongrass and leather. Oh s**t! I slowly turn


    around ande face to face with the most brilliant light green eyes I¡¯ve ever seen. My breath seems


    to catch in my throat. I don¡¯t move¡­¡­I feel like I¡¯m frozen.


    My heartbeat picks up and starts to pound. My body starts to shake a bit. I want to escape; I want to


    run away and hide. My mind may want that, but my body isn¡¯t responding. My body won¡¯t move at all.


    ¡°I¡­..I didn¡¯t think anyone would be out here. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to be left alone. I want thepany; I want the conversation. I want to call out and say


    something, but it feels as if I forgot how to speak. My mouth feels dry, and my tongue is sticking to the


    roof of my mouth. I close my eyes, and I take a deep, shaky breath. It¡¯s now or never, I guess. I¡¯m not


    sure what this may lead to, but it has to start somewhere. ¡°Wh¡­.what¡¯s your name?¡± My voice sounds


    weak as hell. I open my eyes slowly and see those green eyes staring back at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­¡­¡­my name is¡­¡­it¡¯s Mark. I¡¯m Mark Ross, soon to be Beta.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    ~Mark~


    The silence is deafening. Jenna is staring at me, and there is nothing I can do other than stand here


    and take it. I honestly didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into anyone out here. After talking with Tia for a while, I just


    needed to get some fresh air. I needed time to think about everything, and it wouldn¡¯t work if I stayed


    home. Too many people cane and disturb you.


    I oftene to this pond to think and get away from the pressures of my future positions. It is calm and


    quiet out here, and I always love to sit at the pond and take in the surrounding nature. I decided to


    come out here, thinking I would be alone, but here Jenna is.


    Looking at her, I can¡¯t deny how gorgeous she is. Jenna stands at about 5¡¯9, and she has long reddish


    brown hair. Her eyes are emerald which just makes her hair color bolder. She keeps herself put


    together in designer clothes, usually, though today she has on an oversized hoodie. You can tell Jenna


    spends some time at the gym, though I¡¯d imagine it isn¡¯t to learn to fight for her pack.


    This is starting to get awkward. Jenna¡¯s staring at me and not speaking. I can either go back to the


    house or take a seat and see what happens. I look out over the pond with longing. I was truly looking


    forward to sitting in my spot and figuring some things out.


    I take a deep breath and start to walk past Jenna. I make it to a moss-covered log, the one I usually sit


    against, and I dig into a hole on top. I pull out a ziplock bag and getfy against the log. ¡°What are


    you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like? I¡¯m sitting down with a snack.¡± I open the bag and pull out a piece of beef jerky


    and go to town. I find that beef jerky is a good snack when you want to contemte things. You have to


    chew on it a bit before it can go down. It also tastes really good, depending on the vors you get.


    I look out over the pond and chew on the jerky, letting the movements lull me and allow my mind to


    explore. I hear a huff behind me. ¡°I was here first. I really don¡¯t want you around right now.¡± That¡¯s


    interesting. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think this is her territory, her private property. That¡¯s exactly


    how she¡¯s acting as if she has all the authority to tell someone where they should and should not be.


    ¡°Look, princess¡­¡­.This is actually open to the public, well the pack anyway. This is my pack and I¡¯ve


    beening here for years. There is enough pond here that you can sit away from me and we can do


    our own thing.¡±


    ¡°You need to leave now. I don¡¯t want you here. I came here to have some time away from others, and I


    intend to do just that.¡± I chuckle and shake my head. She is an entitled little thing, isn¡¯t she? I have to


    admit, though, the more she goes on, the more she changes my mind. Her little attitude leaves much to


    be desired when ites to her personality. This may just be an easier decision than I thought. ¡°Well?!


    You aren¡¯t moving.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t.¡± I don¡¯t move or try to look at her. I continue to eat my jerky and think. I hear rustling


    behind me and see Jenna out of the corner of my eye. I guess she finally figured out I wasn¡¯t going to


    budge. She takes a seat on a separate log and faces the pond. She¡¯s a stubborn thing; I will say that.


    That can be an endearing quality, but it can also be a pain in the a*s.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re chewing loudly; do you mind?¡± Now I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not that loud, seeing as how my mom used to


    go ballistic whenever Lynn or I would smack during meals. Growing up, mom made it a point to get us


    to learn how annoying that was. I break off another piece of jerky and pop it into my mouth. ¡®Please


    forgive me, mom,¡¯ I say to the universe then I smack the hell out of the jerky. I make sure every chew is


    announced along with all movements inside my mouth. I can see Jenna flinch and cringe with each


    sound.


    I finish up the piece of jerky in my mouth. I reach into the hole again to pull out a bottle of water. ¡°Now


    that¡¯s what chewing loudly sounds like¡­..just so you don¡¯t get it confused again.¡± I take a few sips of


    water and sit back against the log.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to offer me some water?¡± Jenna speaks after a while of silence. I really thought


    my little disy was enough to have her quiet for a while.


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t nning on it.¡± Jenna scoffs.


    ¡°That¡¯s rude, you know. What kind of gentleman doesn¡¯t offer ady water? And add to that the fact that


    I¡¯m your mate¡­.¡± Hell no! She isn¡¯t about to use our bond against me.


    ¡°What kind ofdy tries to pursue men who already have their fated mate in their lives?¡± A small shriek


    escapes Jenna¡¯s lips, and I smirk a bit. I guess thatnded precisely how I wanted it to.


    ¡°Just who the hell do you think you are? You don¡¯t question me in any way. I AM ady, and you¡¯d do


    well to remember that. As if your opinion carries any weight anyway. You¡¯re just a Beta. I¡¯m an Alpha of


    the highest caliber.¡± Now I¡¯m just getting mad. She really thinks very highly of herself, and it¡¯s sickening,


    to be honest. I¡¯m not sure what the Moon Goddess was hoping for with this pairing, but I¡¯m no longer


    interested in finding out.


    ¡°You have a lot of nerve, you know. I came out here to think about what I should do about our situation,


    to decide if I should stay with it or let it go. Your attitude is enough for me to know what to do now.¡± I


    stand up and dust my shorts off. ¡°I, Mark Ross, future Beta of the Emerald Lake pack, reject you, Jenna


    Brenner, Alpha female of the Moonlight Pack, as my mate.¡± I feel a sting in my chest, and I turn to walk


    back to the packhouse.


    ¡°Whaa¡­..where are¡­¡­I¡­..I DO NOT ACCEPT YOUR REJECTION!¡± I turn and look at Jenna. She is


    standing with her hands on her hips. Her face is red, she looks flustered, and she¡¯s breathing heavily.


    She has to ept my rejection. I was about to argue that point but decided against it. She wille


    around soon enough. I turn and walk back to the packhouse alone.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    ~Tia~


    What a day! First, I wake up to a delicious few rounds with my mates; then I have a crazy serious talk


    with Mark. Who could have guessed that his mate would end up being Jenna, the pain in my a*s?


    After speaking with Mark, I decided to take a walk and reflect on everything. Being back home has


    been a whirlwind, starting with finding out I¡¯m mated to the twins, the future Alphas of the pack. I would


    have never imagined this to be the case, but here we are.


    So many things have gone on in such a short amount of time. There are so many changes in my life,


    but I guess that¡¯s what it¡¯s about. The important thing now is to figure out what to do and how to roll


    with the punches.


    I walk for some time, not really keeping track of the time or looking to end up at any particr


    destination. I watched pack members so about with their everyday lives, not many sparing me a


    nce. The sun starts to set on me, and the view is beautiful.


    Love, where are you?


    I¡¯m just walking.


    We are heading to dinner if you want to join us. I sigh and don¡¯t respond. Dinner at the packhouse will


    mean dinner with the rest of the pack members. I¡¯ve been avoiding these meals as much as possible,


    though some were avoided with just simple luck. I guess I can¡¯t keep avoiding this since I¡¯m meant to


    be the next Luna. It¡¯s time to put on my big girl panties and face the world, so to speak.


    I head to the packhouse, trying to sike myself up as I go. I want to be collected and focused when I get


    in the dining room. I know there will be people there who would love nothing more than to see me fail,


    and I can¡¯t give them the satisfaction.


    I walk through the front door of the packhouse and head to the back toward the kitchen. This isn¡¯t the


    only way into the dining room, but I wanted to have that extra time to gather myself. I walk through the


    kitchen, nodding to the staff as I go. I get some nods back, but things are still a bit rocky with the pack. I


    need to remedy that.


    I walk into the dining room, and eyes immediatelynd on me. The ranked member¡¯s table is pretty full


    at the moment. The twins have just sat down at the head of the table with an empty chair between


    them that I¡¯m sure is meant for me. The Luna and Alpha are on Lincoln¡¯s left, which is weird since they


    are still running the pack. Mark and Lynn are on Landon¡¯s right, with their parents sitting beside them.


    Surprisingly, my parents and sisters are at the ranked table toward the other end. I see an open seat,


    and I¡¯m guessing that must be for Jenna. I walk toward my mates, smiling at my mom as I go. I know


    she won¡¯t be able to greet me like she would want to with my dad there. He hates when she shows me


    affection. Daddy ignores mepletely, looking at the te in front of him, and Ad gives me a dirty


    look. Aida looks at me but seems to be looking through me. It¡¯s good to see her out and about, but


    something seems off about her.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Luna Kimberly sneers at me as I walk past, but Alpha Paul gives me a full smile which I return. Lynn


    and Mark give me a reassuring pat on the arm, and the twins stand, waiting for me to join them. ¡°You


    guys don¡¯t have to do that. You could have kept eating.¡±


    ¡°We just started, love. We really just sat down not too long ago,¡± Landon says, kissing me on the


    forehead. I reach my seat, and Lincoln takes me in his arms, pushing his nose into my neck to take a


    big sniff.


    ¡°You smell so good baby.¡± I can feel my face get warm, and I know I¡¯m fully blushing. I can hear Lynn


    giggle, and I shoot her a look while I settle in my seat. A te is ced in front of me, and my stomach


    starts to grumble. I didn¡¯t realize how hungry I was. I start to eat while listening to the conversations


    around me.


    After a few minutes, Alpha Paul stands up and taps his fork to his ss. The room quiets down, and all


    eyes are on him. ¡°Thank you for attending this dinner. I know we aren¡¯t usually so formal, but I wanted


    to make this announcement. As you all know, my sons have found their Goddess given mate.¡± He turns


    to us, and I try to shrink into my chair.


    Lincoln, Landon¡­..did you guys know about this announcement?


    No. They respond in unison, and I close my eyes briefly. I wish I had known this is what I would be


    walking into. I would have prepared myself.


    ¡°Landon and Lincoln will be taking over as Alphas of this pack, and I know they will be great. They will


    be running this pack with the lovely Portia Colby, their fated mate.¡± The room erupted in grumbles and


    whispers. I could focus and hear what is being said, but the truth is that I really don¡¯t want to know.


    Alpha Paul clears his throat, and everyone bes silent again. ¡°We are lucky to have these three


    take over, and I know things will go smoothly with them in charge.¡± I hear a huff and notice Luna


    Kimberly¡¯s jaw clench. She is working overtime to keep her reaction at bay. ¡°We will have the ceremony


    in a week¡¯s time, so I want everyone to be prepared to wee our new Alphas and Luna.¡± Alpha Paul


    looks around the room, but I keep my eyes focused on him, too scared to see the reactions in the


    room.


    The back door ms open, and an angry Jennaes stomping into the dining room. She is oblivious


    to the silence in the room and the fact that Alpha Paul is addressing the pack. She marches right up to


    Mark and ps him. Lynn jumps up and starts to growl, but Mark puts his hand up in front of her,


    silently asking her to stay put.


    ¡°How dare you! Who the f**k do you think you are? You are nothingpared to me.¡± Mark makes no


    move or noise. He just looks at Jenna with an icy re. ¡°You don¡¯t get to reject me. If anyone hands out


    a rejection, it will be me rejecting you. I DO NOT ept your rejection, I won¡¯t give you the satisfaction.


    You WILL ept me, whether you like it or not!¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    ~Kimberly~


    No, no, NO! This can¡¯t be happening. It can¡¯t be¡­.Jenna is mated to Mark?! There is no way. There is


    no way I brought her here to remove Portia; instead, she has found her fated mate. And what the hell is


    Paul thinking? He wants to have the ceremony this fast? He is really entrusting our sons with this pack


    when their mate is Portia?! This can¡¯t stand.


    The dining room is dead quiet. Jenna is ring at Mark, huffing and puffing. Mark is looking very


    unimpressed and passive. Lynn looks as if she wants to rip Jenna¡¯s head off. Neither Landon, Lincoln,


    nor Portia looks surprised at this turn of events, so I wonder how long they have known this to be the


    case.


    I look at Paul, and he seems surprised and confused. He keeps looking between Mark and Jenna as if


    waiting for some more news to drop.


    Love, did you know about this? Is this why you brought Jenna to the pack? I growl into the mind link


    and cause Paul¡¯s look to change.


    That isn¡¯t what we should be concerned with. You and I have more pressing matters to get into. I put up


    a block, and I notice the irritation start to appear on Paul¡¯s face. He must be trying to talk to me more,


    but I won¡¯t make this that easy. Things are too quiet, and I¡¯m getting fed up.


    I m my hands on the table, and all eyes fly toward me. ¡°This is improper, and it won¡¯t stand, not while


    I¡¯m still Luna of this pack. We will sit down, and we WILL eat this meal that was prepared for us. After


    the meal, Jenna and Mark will join me in my office.¡± I look around the room, daring anyone to speak


    against me. ¡°Now eat!¡± Utensils start to tap and scrape against tes again, and Jenna leaves the


    dining room.


    No one makes small talk during dinner, and that¡¯s fine with me. I don¡¯t really have an appetite, so I


    decide to head up early. Maybe I can speak to Jenna before Mark is finished with his meal. I know Paul


    will also expect to join our little meeting, so I need to be prepared for that.


    I have to admit that once everyone started to eat, I stopped paying attention to what was going on in


    the room. I was too focused on my next move and how I could salvage my little n. I should have


    been more aware of what was going on. If I had been, I would have noticed Stuart leaving the room


    before I did.


    I stand up from the table and turn to leave the room. Paul puts a hand on my arm, stopping me. ¡°Is


    everything okay?¡± I move slightly, so his hand falls from my arm.


    ¡°Everything is fine.¡± I continue out of the dining room and then the kitchen. I start to head down the


    hallway toward the stairs when, all of a sudden, a hand grabs my wrist, and I¡¯m yanked into a dark


    room.


    ~Stuart~


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Well, s**t just got interesting. That¡¯s the first thought that popped into my mind when Jenna made her


    little announcement. I find itical that Kimberly brings her here to usurp my daughters, but it bites


    her in the a*s. I¡¯m sure she never thought Jenna¡¯s fated mate would be in this pack.


    Jenna has made clear that she wants her mate to choose her, so that should mean she won¡¯t bother


    the twins anymore. That leaves my Ad and Aida to return to their original n, getting the boys to


    drop Portia and im them.


    I watch as Jenna leaves the room and everyone goes back to eating. Kimberly looks distracted, and I


    decide to use this to my advantage. I leave the dining room and wait in a closet in the hallway for


    Kimberly to walk past. I know her well enough to know that she won¡¯t be finishing her meal. I just need


    to be patient.


    It doesn¡¯t take long for me to sense her presence. I grab her wrist and pull her in as she walks past the


    closet. I quickly close the door and slip my watch off, cing it into my pocket. I put my hand on


    Kimberly¡¯s face, letting the sparks jump everywhere. Kimberly breathes in sharply, and I chuckle at her


    reaction. I bend down so that our lips are barely touching. ¡°It looks like your n isn¡¯t going very well


    now, is it?¡± A growl erupts from her chest, and Iugh. ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t be bitter. You had to have


    known that I wouldn¡¯t let it stand. This way, no one is hurt, and I get what I want.¡±


    ¡°Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°Aww,e on, Kim. I know you¡¯ve missed me. I¡¯ve missed you.¡± I slide my hand down her body until I


    get to her center. I part her legs with my hand, and I start to rub her. Kimberly throws her head back,


    and I ce my lips gently on her neck, causing her to moan out. ¡°We should be on the same page with


    this. Let¡¯s focus on getting Portia out of this pack and then go from there.¡± Kimberly runs her hands up


    my sides to my neck. She ces her hands on the back of my neck and grips my hair. I close my eyes,


    looking forward to what wille next. Kimberly yanks my head back, and I moan at the assault.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t given up. If you though it would be this easy, you had me mistaken. I¡¯m sure after I speak


    with Jenna, my n will be back on track.¡± She ces her lips on my neck. ¡°Nice try, though.¡± Kimberly


    lets me go and swiftly opens the door, and exits. I growl after her and take a minute to catch my breath.


    I should have known she would be using a tactic like that, silly me. I put my watch back on, and I open


    the closet door. I exit after I determine that no one is watching.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    ~Jenna~


    Fuming. I can honestly say that I¡¯m fuming. How dare Mark fix his face to reject me! Then go silent


    when I confront him. Just who the hell does he think he is? Why does he not know who he¡¯s dealing


    with?


    My emotions are all over the ce. I¡¯m feeling everything at once, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. I can¡¯t get


    help from my wolf because she has basically shut me out. She wants our mate, and nothing else will be


    eptable.


    I¡¯m impatiently waiting for this meeting to start. I don¡¯t know why Luna Kimberly wants to see Mark and


    me. I know what she wants from me, but Mark has nothing to do with that. I really just want to get this


    meeting done already so I can figure out what to do with Mark.


    I have been pacing around the room I¡¯m staying in. My anger and anxiety are not allowing me to settle


    in on any one thing. I feel like I¡¯m about to explode at any minute. I want to break something so badly,


    and if I were at home, I probably would. Daddy would only be mad for a second before he would be


    scrambling to get me anything I desired.


    I finally leave the room and head to Luna Kimberly¡¯s office, not being about to contain my agitation


    anymore. The door is slightly open, and I push it all the way in, noticing Luna Kimberly at her desk and


    Mark sitting across from her. I sit in the seat next to my mate with a huff and cross my arms across my


    chest. ¡°You wanted to see us¡­..¡± Luna Kimberly gives me a look.


    ¡°I would watch my tone if I were you.¡± She leans back in her chair. ¡°Thank you to foring. Let¡¯s cut


    to the chase.¡± She looks directly at Mark. ¡°You rejected Jenna?¡± Mark nods his head in response. Luna


    Kimberly turns in her chair and looks at me. ¡°ept his rejection.¡±


    I straighten my spine to sit up in the seat. I lift my head up high; I¡¯m an Alpha¡¯s daughter damnit. ¡°I


    won¡¯t.¡±


    If looks could kill, it¡¯s safe to say I¡¯d be on my way into my grave right now. ¡°You ept his rejection,


    Jenna. ept it now.¡± I know why she is insisting on this, but I won¡¯tply. I can¡¯t give in.


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t do it. He doesn¡¯t get to decide if we are together or not. That is my dec ision and mine


    alone.¡± Luna Kimberly looks like she is hanging on by a threat. I want tough, but I know that will


    make things much tenser than they already are.


    ¡°Mark, could you leave us?¡± Mark says nothing, but he gets up and walks out of the office. My wolf


    whimpers at her mate leaving her presence. Luna Kimberly stands up and walks to the front of her


    desk, leaning against it.


    ¡°What the f**k do you think you¡¯re doing, Jenna? You need to ept his rejection, You already know


    what you were brought here for, and that hasn¡¯t changed. ept his rejection like I know you want to.¡±


    I scoff. I know she¡¯s a Luna, but the hell with that. No one is going to tell me what to do when ites


    to my own mate. ¡°You don¡¯t know what I want to do.¡±


    ¡°You came here for my sons. You expressed an interest and I invited you here so you could pursue


    them. I know you don¡¯t want that damn Beta. I know you want more for your life and you can still have


    that.¡±


    ¡°Oh so now you¡¯re some sort of expert when ites to me? You brought me here for the twins and I


    agreed with that. I came even though they have found their fated mate. Now, I¡¯ve found mine and I


    don¡¯t n to let him go that easily.¡± I stand up and face Luna Kimberly.


    ¡°Why are you being this way? Why are you going against our ns?¡±


    ¡°Because I can! I¡¯m not obligated to you or this pack. I have my own pack to be concerned with.¡± I can


    see Luna Kimberly getting angrier and angrier as time passes. I want to throw back my head and


    laugh, but I know that now isn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°You need to think about what you¡¯re supposed to be doing here, or¡­¡­¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Or?!¡± I challenge the Luna, and I know this could spell out big trouble for me. The fact is that she


    wants something from me, so I n to use that to my advantage as much as possible. Luna Kimberly


    scrunches her face up and crosses her arms.


    ¡°Just figure it the f**k out!¡± I turn on my heel and rush out of her office. I need to find Mark, but a run


    would do me better right now. I head downstairs so I can go for a much-needed run.n

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    ~Tia~


    I swear my head hurts. This is all too much drama for anyone, especially someone like me who HATES


    drama. I want things to mellow out, and I can get on with my life with the twins. Life with the twins,


    that¡¯s something to really think about. We will need to figure out what that needs to look like.


    Landon and Lincoln went to their office once dinner was over, and everyone else went to do whatever it


    was they nned to do. I decided to go out looking for my mom. I have a ceremony to prepare for, and


    I want my mom¡¯s help.


    I make it outside the packhouse and see my mom hugging my dad before they part ways. Dad seems


    to be going to the warrior center. He has an office there since he¡¯s the head warrior and spends a lot of


    time there.


    I wait until he is out of view and run up to catch mom. I wrap my arms around her, and she jumps. ¡°Tia,


    you scared me to death.¡± I click my tongue and roll my eyes.


    ¡°Mom, we are wolves. There is no way that I scared you.¡± She wraps an arm around me and chuckles.


    ¡°Remember when I used to tell you that when you were little? You would always run up behind me or


    try to scare me, and I would always make you think you aplished that task.¡± Iugh with mom,


    remembering how that was. She was always there to give me love growing up. There were many times


    when it was just her and I, my sisters, off with dad somewhere.


    ¡°Are you on your way home?¡±


    ¡°I am. Your father went to take care of some work and I have no idea where you sisters are.¡± Mom pulls


    me in closer to her. ¡°I¡¯d think you¡¯d be with your mates doing what young mates couples do.¡± I sigh


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to talk about that with you. That¡¯s too awkward.¡± Mom justughs and gives me a


    squeeze. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you if you would help me find a dress for the ceremony. Your


    daughter is about to be a Luna.¡± Mom stops us and turns me to face her. I can see the tears building in


    her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, you know that? You are such an amazing girl and I know you will be an amazing


    Luna.¡± I look down, feeling my face heat up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about all of that. I will do my best, but this pack isn¡¯t really fond of me.¡± Mom lifts my face


    and strokes my cheek.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that they aren¡¯t f ond of you¡­..it¡¯s that they don¡¯t know you. You need to show them who you


    are and once they know, they will love you. Just as I do.¡± Mom bops me on my nose and pulls me in for


    a hug. ¡°I would be happy to help you get a dress. We can go tomorrow morning before my shift at the


    clinic.¡± I squeeze my mom back and kiss her on the cheek.


    I watch my mom walk off toward my family home. I would love nothing more than to go with her and


    spend the evening talking to her, but I fight the urge. I have no idea when mom or my sisters will be


    back, and I don¡¯t want to get caught in the middle of any mess.


    I head back to my mates, hoping we can have a bit of fun before we end the night in sleep. I¡¯m


    incredibly excited about this shopping trip with my mom. I pull my phone out and text Lynn to see if she


    wants to join us. Lynn jumps at the idea, and I put my phone away. Tomorrow will be a great day.


    ~Aida~


    Dinner was a true s**tshow. I couldn¡¯t have guessed that Jenna would be mated to Mark. I don¡¯t really


    know Jenna, but I never liked how she looked at my Lincoln. It was as if she was dying of thirst, and


    Lincoln was the water.


    Once dinner was over, I decided to make my way over to the training area. Dad has always been strict


    with our training. He always said that we should be at the top of our game and, that way, be the


    best candidates for a top role in any pack. Ady has to be more than beautiful.


    I take my time walking to the training area, letting my mind wander. ¡°True, it should make things easier.¡±


    I feel a hand on my back and jump out of my skin.


    ¡°Who the hell are you talking to?¡± Damn, how long has Ad been behind me? I didn¡¯t smell her or


    hear her. I really need to pay more attention.


    ¡°No one, what do you mean?¡± Ad looks at me like I¡¯m crazy as hell.


    ¡°You just said something, but there is no one around. Who were you talking to?¡± I shrug my shoulders.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you these days? You¡¯ve been acting so weird. You barley talk to anyone


    any more. You are never even around.¡± I take a step back from Ad.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Ad looks me up and down and shakes her


    head.


    ¡°Perfectly fine? At one point, we were trying to figure out how to get the boys back. Now, we don¡¯t even


    discuss it. Do you even want them back? Do you still want Lincoln?¡±


    ¡°Of course I want Lincoln, I always will. He doesn¡¯t want me¡­¡­I can¡¯t force him.¡±


    ¡°No said anything about¡­¡­so you just give up?¡± Ad stands in front of me with her arms held open. I


    don¡¯t really know what to say to her. I can¡¯t really exin how I feel right now. I sigh and put my head


    down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go meet day. We can discuss thister.¡± Ad scoffs and walks off while I trail behind her.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    I wake up early the next morning, eager to spend time with my mom. A little shower y almost made


    mete to meet up with her. My mates can be insatiable, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d have it any other way.


    Mom wasn¡¯t in the dining room for breakfast, but I wasn¡¯t worried. I figured she may have eaten at


    home, and we would meet upter. The twins kiss me on the cheek and head upstairs to get some


    work done with the Alpha. I decide to wait for mom in the lounge downstairs.


    There is more hustle and bustle in the packhouse than usual. I guess everyone is in overdrive trying to


    get ready for the ceremony, but I¡¯m surprised that anyone would be working this hard. I know Luna


    Kimberly doesn¡¯t want me to step into her role as Luna, but she doesn¡¯t really have a choice. I¡¯m mated


    to her sons, who are to be the next Alphas of this pack. She can¡¯t circumvent the Goddess¡¯ wishes.


    I check my phone and see that I¡¯d been waiting for about an hour. It¡¯s easy to lose track of time when


    you are engrossed in social media. The things that people post online for public consumption can be


    mind-boggling. I wonder what¡¯s taking mom so long to meet with me.


    Mom? Are you okay?


    Uh¡­.hey Tia. I¡­.I¡¯m fine.


    Where are you? I¡¯ve been waiting.


    I¡­.I¡­..I won¡¯t be able to go with you, I¡¯m sorry. I try to respond, but a block has been put up. She can¡¯t


    come with me? What¡¯s going on? Justst night, mom was excited toe dress shopping with me,


    and now she can¡¯t go.


    I slowly get up and head upstairs to see my mates. My heart is heavy, and I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on


    or what to think about this. I drag myself up the stairs, lost in heartbreaking thoughts.


    B***H! Where are you?!


    Oh, hey, Lynn. Mom said she couldn¡¯te.


    Can¡¯te? What the hell is that about?


    I have no idea. I¡¯m on my way to see my mates.


    Look, I¡¯m sorry, baby girl. I know you wanted your mom there to help, but you still got me. You really do


    need to get a dress. I sigh in the link.


    I know you¡¯re right; I need some time. Let me talk to the twins, and I will hit you up.


    Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting. I walk into the Alpha office without knocking, lost in my mind link with Lynn.


    ¡°Baby, what are you doing?¡± I look up quickly to find four sets of eyes on me. I gulp and look around the


    room. Alpha Paul, Beta Joh, Landon, and Lincoln sit around a desk, looking over various papers. I can¡¯t


    believe I just walked into the office without knocking. My mates aren¡¯t the Alphas yet, which can be


    seen as disrespectful. I slowly start to back toward the door.


    ¡°I¡­.I¡¯m so sorry. I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± I turn to walk out of the office when a voice stops me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be embarrassed. Pretty soon, you will be able to walk into this room whenever you like, so why


    not start a bit early. Come in, P- Tia. Have a seat.¡± I turn to a smiling Alpha Paul. He is such a nice guy,


    and I¡¯m surprised I never knew that before. I look at Landon and Lincoln, both giving me a slight nod. I


    walk toward the desk and stand next to the twins. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you aren¡¯t out shopping for your dress.


    I figured that would be the n today.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, little Lynny said she was going with you and Doc to get your dress. Is everything okay?¡± I didn¡¯t


    realize I was so emotional about the situation until I felt arms wrap around my waist and a thumb


    clearing away a fallen tear.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Alpha Paul looks at Beta John and then back at me. ¡°I think we should given them a few minutes to


    talk. Let¡¯s head to your office; I want to ask you something anyway.¡± Beta John nods, and they leave


    the office. Landon walks over to his father¡¯s chair with his arms around me. Lincoln follows behind us


    and leans against the desk, facing us, while Landon sits in the chair, pulling me on hisp.


    Lincoln grabs my hands and rubs his thumbs along my fingers. ¡°What happened, beautiful? Why the


    tears?¡± I sigh, lean against Landon, and am rewarded with a few kisses on my temple.


    ¡°Mom told me that she can¡¯te with me to get my dress. I waited for her for about an hour before


    mind linking her. She didn¡¯t even tell me why she couldn¡¯t go. I tried to ask, but she has blocked me.¡±


    Landon¡¯s hold on me tightens, and I burrow into him a bit more. Lincoln tightens his hold on my hand,


    and I feel a few more tears fall down my face.


    ¡°What do you think happened? Do you think she¡¯s hurt?,¡± Landon is in my ear, and his warm breath is


    fanning my cheek. I can¡¯t find my voice, so I shrug.


    ¡°You should go talk to her. Maybe she will be able to exin face to face.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go over there and run into my sisters or dad.¡± Lincoln nods at me, and his eyes ze


    over. When his eyes refocus, he has a slight smile on his face. ¡°Your dad is running a training, and your


    sisters are training with him. It¡¯s safe to go there and talk to your mom.¡±


    Landon squeezes me and kisses my cheek. ¡°Do you wantpany?¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°I think I need to see her on my own.¡± I stand up to have Lincoln pull me into a big hug.


    ¡°Just talk to her and get her side. It could be something small. I know your mom loves you.¡± I breathe in


    Lincoln¡¯s scent to calm my nerves. I kiss him on the cheek and kiss Landon before walking out of the


    office. I need to go see my mom and figure out what happened overnight. If I had to guess, I would say


    it has something to do with my sisters, but I don¡¯t want to make any assumptions. I walk down the stairs


    and out of the packhouse, setting sights on my childhood home.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    I stand in front of the door of my childhood home, memories rushing back to me. It¡¯s always hard to


    come here because, growing up, this house was just not warm. There was love here, not love that


    included me. My mom loved me as much as any mom could love their child, but that love tended to be


    stifled by my dad. He only had eyes for my sisters and often tried to keep my mom from focusing on


    me. She did what she could whenever she was able, but there were many times that she had to


    pretend as if. She had to pretend as if my pain wasn¡¯t important, as if my feelings didn¡¯t matter, as if I


    was less than a member of this family.


    If I hadn¡¯t had Mark and Lynn, along with their parents, I¡¯m not sure how I would have gotten through.


    When my mom couldn¡¯t be a mom to me, I would go to their home. I was like the second daughter to


    them, their third child. I loved every moment that I spent in that house and the love that they showed


    me.


    I¡¯m sure many would wonder why I didn¡¯t just move into their home when I graduated high school. If I


    was such a part of their family, why didn¡¯t I join them officially? To be honest, I did consider doing just


    that, but I never followed through. I didn¡¯t want there to be any more tension in this pack surrounding


    me. The truth of the matter is that showing interest in me caused tension in the ranks. Since my dad is


    the head warrior, he always works closely with the ranked members. My dad would be hateful toward


    anyone who showed me any interest, including Beta John and his family. I felt it would be better to


    break away from the pack so everyone could livefortably. My decision hurt Mark and Lynn, but


    they understood.


    I gather my courage and knock on the door, holding my breath. I know my mates said mom should be


    here alone, but you never know. I wait impatiently, shifting from foot to foot. I hope mom is here and I


    don¡¯t have to search the packhouse for her. I finally hear rustling behind the door and the click of the


    knob. The door opens slightly, and I can see darkness on the other side. My mom¡¯s head pops through


    and gives me a solemn look.


    I don¡¯t say anything; I take in her appearance. She has dark circles around her eyes and looks a bit


    ashen. Her lips look dry, and her clothing is disheveled. Mom steps back and opens the door wider. I


    cautiously walk into the house, taking in the dark room. There are no lights on and no curtains open. I


    step to the side and allow mom to close the door. She takes a few awkward steps until she is standing


    in front of me.


    Mom starts to wring her hands and looks around the room, taking care not to catch my eye. I don¡¯t


    really know where to start or what to say. I¡¯m hurt by the fact that mom canceled on me, but this


    wouldn¡¯t be the first time. In the past, when we did things like this, important bonding things, it was


    often when my dad was distracted or away. We had to be loving mom and daughter silently in most


    cases. I never understood why, but I never asked either. I always took, for a fact, that my mother loved


    me unconditionally and left it at that.


    ¡°Mom, I-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sor-¡± We both try to talk at the same time and quickly stop. I chuckle ufortably, not


    understanding why this is so awkward. I walk to the living room and have a seat on the couch. I notice


    a ss filled with an amber liquid on the coffee table, but I don¡¯tment on it. Mom follows me into


    the room and sits in an armchair.


    ¡°Are you okay, mom?¡±


    ¡°I¡­..uh, yeah. I¡¯m o¡­.okay.¡± I sigh. I want to say many things, but I can¡¯t find the words.


    Mom¡¯s wolf is reaching out to me. They are in pain.


    I can tell there is something off, but what can I do if she doesn¡¯t want to talk to me? Andricia just huffs


    andys on her stomach in my mind. At least mom¡¯s wolf is reaching out, but I don¡¯t know if mom will


    do the same.


    ¡°What happened mom? Why did you cancel? Last night, you were excited to do this with me. What


    changed?¡± Mom takes a deep breath, but a sob escapes her lips instead of words. She ces her


    hand to her mouth, but it¡¯s toote.


    ¡°I¡­.I was set to go with you this morning. My baby, bing Luna. My baby needed me and I couldn¡¯t


    be happier. Your¡­.your father¡­..¡± Daddy? What could he have done or said? ¡°He didn¡¯t want me to


    go. He used me of supporting you more than the twins. He¡­..I told him that you needed me and


    this was important. I siad that I¡¯m your mother and I needed to support you. He blew up¡­.¡± Mom gets


    up and starts to pace the room. I watch her silently, wondering what more there is. I caught mom


    rubbing her hand again and again.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What did he do?¡± Mom stops walking for a second before starting again and picking up her pace. I wait


    a bit, watching mom get more and more agitated. ¡°Mom, what did he do?¡±


    ¡°He¡­.your father¡­.you have to understand that he¡­well¡­..¡± I can¡¯t take too much more of this. I


    know he did something, but mom won¡¯t say.


    ¡°MOM!¡± She stops and looks at me. There are unshed tears in her eyes. ¡°What did he do?!¡± Mom


    expels a huge breath, and a few tears start to fall.


    ¡°He said that is if were to go with you, if I continue to entertain you and this union¡­..well he said that


    he I would pay. I told him I was going and he took a knife to my hand.¡± My father attacked my mom?!


    This is crazy. I mean, I know he has issues with me, but I don¡¯t think he has ever taken it this far before.


    I sit back on the couch, stunned. I can¡¯t believe that this man would do such a thing. Mom quickly sits


    next to me on the couch and takes my hand in hers. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know what to do. He has


    never gone that far before and it scared me. I love you with all of my heart and I couldn¡¯t live with


    myself if someone did something to you because of me.¡± I feel tears on my cheeks.


    ¡°Why does he hate me so much?¡± Mom sighs and sits back next to me.


    ¡°In the past, I would tell you that he doesn¡¯t hate you, but I¡¯m no so sure. I don¡¯t know what it is; I


    mean,,, I proved that you were his.¡± I sit up at this. I¡¯m sure mom didn¡¯t mean to say anything, but she


    did. I look at her, and she looks scared, realizing what she had let slip.


    ¡°What do you mean you proved that I was his?¡± Mom put her head down and shook her head.


    ¡°Your father and I¡­well we aren¡¯t fated mates. We met in highs school and started to date. I fell for him


    and I was excited to see where things would go. Your father was my first and I was¡­.well I didn¡¯t know


    everything I should have. I got pregnant with your sisters and I was terrified. I didn¡¯t know what to do


    because what about my fated mate. Your father and I talked about it and decided to be chosen mates.


    We marked each other and had your sisters. When your sisters were young, I went back to my home


    pack to visit family. I¡­.I met my fated mate there.¡± I turn to my mom, eyes wide in shock.


    ¡°You met your fated mate? What happened? Why aren¡¯t you with him?¡± Myughs a bit.


    ¡°I chose your father. We had a family and I couldn¡¯t ignore that. Besides, my fated mate had a family of


    his own. We decided to stay in our present lives and reject each other. While I was there, I felt sick and


    when I went to the clinic, I found out I was pregnant. When I came back and told your father, he was


    angry. He used me of sleeping with my fated mate and swore the baby was his. I denied it, telling


    him that if we had slept together, he would have felt it. I got a DNA test when you were born and


    showed him that you were his, but that didn¡¯t change anything. He never paid you much attention,


    always doting on your sisters. I honestly think he believes that I had the test results altered. He doesn¡¯t


    truly believe that you are his child.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you and dad were chosen mates?¡± Mom shrugs her shoulders.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it mattered. We chose each other and love each other. There was no reason to tell


    anyone the truth.¡± I nod and say nothing. Mom continues to stroke my hand, and we sit in silence for a


    while.


    ¡°We have to tell the twins. He can¡¯t get away with this.¡± Mom shakes her head; fear shes across her


    face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell your mates that what your dad did. They will have him locked up. He¡¯s the head warrior,


    and that would be bad. This is the worse thing he has done to me, but I don¡¯t want to make it a thing. I


    know he was wrong, but I love your father.¡± Dad has always had a bad temper, and there has always


    been a lot of yelling in the house. He would get angry and break things, and yell at people. The most he


    would do, physically, is p you or punch a hole in the wall by your head. None of that is okay, but it


    happened so rarely that we all just dealt with it. By us all, of course, I mean just my mom and me. He


    never lost his temper with my sisters. Dad stabbing mom in the hand is worse than he has ever done


    before.


    I take my mom¡¯s hand in mind and rub it, checking it over. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it healed a couple of hours ago. You don¡¯t need to worry about my hand.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t stay here. You have toe with me. I know you don¡¯t want me to tell my mates, but I


    can¡¯t let you stay here. Please, tell me you wille with me.¡± My eyes are pleading with my mom.


    She sighs and nods her head.


    ¡°Let me get some things together and we can go.¡± I watch her walk out of the room. I don¡¯t know how I


    will exin to Lincoln and Landon without telling them what happened. I have to figure out how to keep


    mom safe without blowing things up.


    Mom returns to the living room with a bag in her hand. I stand up and hold my hand out to her. Mom


    takes my hand, and we head to the front door. Before I can open the door, it opens in front of me, and I


    step back in shock. Aida stands at the door looking between mom and me. She notices the bag in


    mom¡¯s hand and looks up at her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    ~Aida~


    I swear trainingsted forever today. I really just wanted to be home so I can fine-tune things. I have a


    lot to do, and I need the time to make sure I get it right. As much as I wanted to be home, missing


    practice is never an option when ites to daddy. We had to train every day unless we were sick.


    Since we are wolves, getting sick really doesn¡¯t happen.


    As soon as training was over, I grabbed my bag and headed home. Ad tried to mind-link me, but I¡¯ve


    been blocking her out. I can only deal with so much, and right now, I don¡¯t have the capacity to deal


    with her. ¡°I know, I know. We will have things finalized soon, I promise.¡±


    I shake my head and find my way home. I step to the front door and turn the knob. The door opens,


    and I¡¯m shocked at what is in front of me. Mom and Portia are standing at the door. Portia has her hand


    out as if she were about to open the door. I look at both of them and notice that mom has a bag in her


    hand. I¡¯m not aware of any trips that mom is supposed to be taking.


    I look at mom, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Mom nervously looks at me, Portia, then back at me. She licks


    her lips and takes a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡­.uh¡­¡­well¡­..¡± Mom stumbles over her words. I truly don¡¯t have time for this. Portia pushes mom


    behind her and stands up tall, focusing her eyes on mine.


    ¡°Mom ising to stay with me.¡± Portia is standing tall as if daring me to fight her on this. I, honestly,


    don¡¯t care where she stays. Daddy has always been our favorite parent, and Mom has always just


    been there. I have to admit that my life wouldn¡¯t change if she were not here. I know, though, daddy will


    not like it.


    I push the door open all the way, and I step inside the house. I step around the two and head toward


    the stairs. I hear shuffling behind me, I assume that they were leaving the house, and I wasn¡¯t inclined


    to stop them. ¡°Just a piece of advice,¡± I start without turning around. I hear the movements pause.


    ¡°Daddy will be upset when he finds out, so I would be prepared if I were you.¡± I continue up the stairs


    and into my room. I close the door behind me. ¡°Let¡¯s figure this out.¡±


    ~Tia~


    I¡¯m surprised that Aida didn¡¯t stop us. I figured she would be more than happy to keep us at the house


    until dad could show, and we would have it out. Aida just lets us leave without a fight; strange just


    doesn¡¯t cover it.


    After her warning, I pull mom from the house. I usher her quickly to the packhouse. I didn¡¯t want to take


    more time than necessary to get away from there. I had no idea when dad would return or even Ad.


    Something told me that Ad would not be asid back about mom leaving as Aida was.


    The trip back to the packhouse had me on edge. I couldn¡¯t be sure that Aida didn¡¯t decide to alert my


    dad once we left. I kept checking our surroundings as we walked, half expecting him to jump out at us. I


    didn¡¯t rx until the packhouse came into view. I guess I can rx because dad would be stupid to try


    something with so many witnesses avable.


    Lincoln¡­..Landon?


    Yes, beautiful?


    Are you okay, Love?


    Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m almost back at the packhouse. Uh¡­.mom is with me. She needs to stay with us for


    a bit.


    Is everything okay?


    Yes, everything is fine.


    We will make sure a room is ready. I cut the mindlink. I doubt they will let it go so easily, but so far, I¡¯m


    not being questioned. I¡¯m not sure if I will be able to lie to my mates, but I¡¯m not eager to out my


    parents either.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    I walk my mom into the packhouse and to the room cleaned up for her. I leave her to get settled and


    head out to find my mates. They are in the office like before, but this time, they are alone. I walk into


    the office and sit on the couch with a sigh. I lean my head back and close my eyes.


    Sparks erupt on my hand and along my temple. I open my eyes to see Landon standing over me, and


    Lincoln is next to me, holding my hand. I sigh and lean on Lincoln. He wraps an arm around me, and I


    hear shuffling before feeling the couch sag next to me. Landon ces an arm on my thigh.


    ¡°Wanna talk, Love?¡± I know I have to tell them something. There is no way that dad will be okay with


    mom leaving home, but mom doesn¡¯t want me to tell them what happened. I look between the two of


    them and wet my lips.


    ¡°I¡­.my mom needs to stay here for a while. She needs to be way from dad. I¡­.really can¡¯t go into


    details. Please, just trust me when I say it¡¯s important.¡± I can feel tears build in my eyes, and I pray they


    don¡¯t fall. This is a lot, and if I tell them this, it would be too easy to tell them about everything I went


    through growing up. I just can¡¯t do that right now.


    ¡°Beautiful, anything you need, it¡¯s yours. If your mom needs to be here, then that is what will happen.¡±


    ¡°It will give us time to get to know her better. You know, since she is our future mother inw.¡± I look at


    Landon with my eyes big. Future mother inw¡­.as in marriage? I have no idea if that¡¯s what he


    meant, and he isn¡¯t giving it away¡ªjust a smirk on his face and a kiss on my cheek. I smile weakly and


    lay my head on Landon¡¯s chest. I never thought being back home would be so emotional. Actually, I


    never expected to be back home. I feel safe, though; I feel like this is where I¡¯m supposed to be.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    ~Landon~


    Tia left a while ago to sit with her mom. While her mom staying here isn¡¯t an issue, Lincoln and I are


    aware that there is something going on that Tia hasn¡¯t told us. I don¡¯t want to pry, and I¡¯m sure Tia will


    tell us everything when she¡¯s ready. I just want to make sure we are prepared for the consequences of


    her mom staying with us.


    Lincoln left a bit ago to speak to some of the warriors while I¡¯m toiling away in the office. Anyone who


    thinks being Alpha is all glitz and mour has no idea what this job really entails. It takes a lot to make


    sure those around you are safe and healthy. My pack members will be relying on my brother and me to


    take care of all of their needs. That is a tall order, and it¡¯s an extremely important job to have.


    The door ms open with a loud bang. I look up to see a furious Stuart in the doorway. He must have


    been training because there is sweat all over his face, and his shirt is sticking to his body. He has his


    legs spread, and his hands are fisted at his side. He is breathing heavily, his chest moving up and


    down.


    I slowly stand from my chair, my hands fisting at my sides. How dare he barge into my office as if he


    owns the ce. I should rip his head off from his body. I stare Stuart in the eye, and we stand there,


    sizing each other up. ¡°Where is she?¡± Stuart is using a low, guttural voice. If I were anyone else, I might


    be a bit intimidated or even scared. I¡¯m a f**king Alpha; Stuart hasn¡¯t got s**t on me, head warrior or


    not. ¡°You hear me, boy? WHERE IS MY MATE?!¡±


    I slowly start to stalk over to where Stuart is standing. I make it a point to show my size by walking tall.


    I¡¯m some inches taller than Stuart, and I make sure to look down on him when I get in front of him.


    ¡°Who the f**k do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡± Stuart scoffs.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you! You haven¡¯t taken your vow yet; you aren¡¯t the Alpha.¡± I shake my head. It doesn¡¯t


    matter whether I¡¯m official or not, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°You had better watch yourself. I¡¯m soon to be Alpha andmand the same respect as a sitting


    Alpha. I¡¯d hate to have to take out my own head warrior because he lost his f**king mind.¡± Stuart takes


    a step toward me.


    ¡°I want my mate back now! She doesn¡¯t need to be anywhere but with me, in my house.¡± I say nothing;


    I just watch Stuart. I expect him to start swinging at some point, and I want to be ready when he does.


    He may be the head warrior, but he isn¡¯t unstoppable. ¡°Just what did Portia say to get you to take her


    in?¡± He says his daughter¡¯s name as if it¡¯s the most disgusting thing that could cross his lips.


    ¡°She said she needed somewhere to stay.¡±


    ¡°She has somewhere to stay¡­..with me.¡± I roll my eyes. Stuart continues to take small toward me,


    expecting to get me to move back. I¡¯m standing my ground regardless of the tough eyes he keeps


    giving me. I wish I could just p him right now, but anything between us would have to happen by his


    hand, not mine.


    Before I could get a response out, I hear humming down the hallway. I don¡¯t bother to look and see who


    it is. I can smell her scent as clearly as I can smell my own. She gets right next to us, looking between


    both of us. Neither of us breaks eye contact to greet her. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Neither of us


    answers her, too busy trying to tear the other down with their stare. ¡°What are you doing here, Stuart?¡±


    ¡°I came to get my mate back, Luna Kimberly.¡±


    ~Stuart~


    Her scent is driving me wild; honeysuckle and vani. Why is it so strong? Why am I having a hard time


    focusing on this weak b***h in front of me? I can feel my wolf stirring in me, but I refuse to give in. I look


    down briefly, and the issue immediately bes apparent. I left my watch in my office. I hate to train in


    my watch, and she neveres to training.


    I try to focus on the issue at hand. I had just finished up training and was giving a few individuals some


    specific tips when ites to sparing. I get a mindlink from Ad telling me that her mother is gone. Of


    course, I figured it was just to the store or even work. I knew she couldn¡¯t be with Portia since I forbade


    her to go. Imagine my surprise when I find out that she is with Portia and has every intention of staying


    there; Goddess knows how long.


    I was pissed. Who the hell does she think she is to just leave the house? To just up and decide that she


    will be staying somewhere that isn¡¯t our family home? And Portia¡­..oh, I¡¯m so sick of her s**t. She just


    comes to my home and packs my mate up? Hell no! None of this will stand.


    All I want to do is grip her by her throat and toss her around a bit. There would be no need to kill her. I


    can get her to submit without violence; I just need to take away everything that she loves. The thought


    is tempting, but again, that isn¡¯t what the focus is here.


    No one is saying anything, and it¡¯s taking everything in me to keep my anger and my wolf at bay. That


    prissy a*s b***h is eyeing me as if he could take me. Kimberly is looking lost, as she often does,


    instead of ordering her kid to give me my mate. ¡°Maybe we should all go into my office to talk about


    this.¡± As Kimberly speaks, she touches my arm. The sparks are real, and I snatch my arm away as


    quickly as I can. I can¡¯t afford to get caught up in this right now.


    Kimberly notices my movement and a slight frown graces her face for a second before she pulls it


    away. Her hand drops to her side, and she turns slightly to face her son. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no reason to


    talk in your office. Dr. Colby is where she needs to be at the moment.¡±


    ¡°WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE?!¡± I could feel the blood rushing to my head. I want to rip his f**king


    head off once and for all. What the f**k is going on right now?! Why does he think he can interfere in


    my life like this?


    I feel her presence before I see her, and I¡¯m set off all over again. Portia is walking toward us, having


    come from upstairs. There are stairs in the back that lead up, but only a select few can make use of


    these. The majority of the pack is expected to use the main stairs. ¡°I imagine all of this drama is your


    doing?¡± Kimberly hisses at Portia. This causes Landon to growl and position himself in front of Portia. I


    growl in return and shift to put Kimberly behind me as much as I can without being obvious about


    things.


    ¡°You leave her out of this. This is between him and I.¡±


    ¡°The hell it is! You have Dr. Colby here? For what reason? Is she giving an exam or something?¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t,¡± Landon said as a warning, and it¡¯s a warning that I don¡¯t care for. He shouldn¡¯t be talking


    to her like that.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, babe.¡± Portia walks up to Landon and ces a hand on his back, rubbing it in circles. ¡°I can


    handle this.¡± Iugh from deep inside. She can handle what, exactly? She would have no chance


    against me. ¡°My mom is here and she¡¯s staying here.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The hell she is! I want my mate back home and it needs to happen now!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going back with you, Stuart.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    ~Tia~


    This was unexpected, yet very expected. I told mom to stay upstairs and let me handle things, but she


    could feel the fury and tension through the bond. I had a feeling that she would end up following me


    downstairs, but I knew, deep down, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her back.


    Momes to stand next to me, and I gently ce my hand on her back. I don¡¯t want her to think she


    has to sumb to his demands, nor do I want her to feel threatened. Mom steps forward a bit, and dad


    turns to face her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Nikki. You need toe home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying here, Stuart. We need a break from each other for a while.¡± I can see my dad¡¯s face


    scrunch up, and the veins in his neck pop out.


    ¡°COME HOME, NOW!¡± Dad¡¯s eyes are ck, and his voice drops a few octaves and took a husky tone.


    Dad¡¯s wolf, Caesar, is in front now. I can hear my mom whimper. I step forward and look at her, noticing


    her eyes have gone ck as well. Caesar is reaching for mom¡¯s wolf, and if he seeds, she will go


    home and be lost to me.


    ¡°You need to leave Caesar. You¡¯ve hurt me for thest time.¡± Dad growls, and the walls shake a bit.


    Luna Kimberly takes a step back, and Landon steps forward to put himself between my dad and us. He


    crouches to get into a defensive position.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    We stand there for what seems to be hours, waiting for something to be said or done. Caesar huffs and


    shifts his feet. ¡°This isn¡¯t over, Aluma. You wille home whether you want to or not.¡± Caesar turns


    around and starts to walk down the hall to the stairs. He stops at Luna Kimberly and looks at her for a


    beat. It¡¯s weird how he looks at her, as if there is a longing there. Maybe I¡¯m just seeing things at this


    point. I¡¯m tired, and the situation is very emotional. Caesar continues past the Luna and down the


    stairs.


    ¡°Was all of this really necessary?¡± I ignore her. She will only be Luna for a few more days, so what she


    thinks really doesn¡¯t matter. I grab my mom¡¯s arm and turn her toward me. I notice her eyes have gone


    back to their brown hue, and she is breathing a bit heavily.


    ¡°Come, mom. Let¡¯s get you upstairs so you can rest.¡± Mom nods, and she follows me to the back stairs.


    I¡¯ll be up soon, love. I nod and take my mom up the stairs.


    ~Ad~


    I couldn¡¯t believe it when Aida told me that Portia had helped mom leave the house. Who does she th


    ink she is to disrupt a mating situation? What, exactly, is going on these days? Everything has been


    upside down and topsy-turvy. This is not how things are supposed to be right now. My sister and I are


    supposed to be the Lunas of this pack right now, and we should be mated and marked by the twins.


    Instead, their fated mate is Portia, of all people. She is going to be the Luna in a few days¡¯ time. Luna


    Kimberly, who had always been in our corner, has sent some rich b***h here to try to take the twins


    from us. Now our mom is leaving the house, following behind Portia. The entire situation is making my


    head hurt.


    On top of everything, I haven¡¯t heard from Neal. I told him what needed to be done, yet here we are,


    and things haven¡¯t changed. If the twins see that Portia is open to others, they will be quick to toss her


    aside. Portia getting tossed aside will leave the spot open for Aida and me.


    I grab my phone and dial Neal¡¯s number. We are quickly running out of time to make things happen.


    Once the ceremony happens, it will be a lot harder to get to the Luna, and I¡¯ll be damned if Portia


    bes the Luna of this pack.


    Neal answers on the second ring. ¡°Hey, beautiful. Are you missing me?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Portia?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡± I scoff, and I hear Neal sigh. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be jealous. It¡¯s fine to admit that you


    have feelings for me. We have been dealing with each other long enough that it would make sense.¡±


    What the hell? This isn¡¯t supposed to be him trying to get with me. Neal is supposed to be trying to get


    to Portia. I close my eyes and open them back with new resolve.


    ¡°What about Portia?¡±


    ¡°Portia is mated to the Alphas. I doubt they want to add a third to the mix.¡± I don¡¯t respond. ¡°Don¡¯t get


    me wrong. I kind of like Portia to be honest. She¡¯s beautiful, smart, funny¡­¡­.¡± Ugh! I swear I¡¯m going


    to gag right now. Portia is none of those things.


    ¡°Oh¡­.have they marked each other yet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. I didn¡¯t see a mark, but you should have seen them when I was talking to her. If looks could


    kill,¡± Neal startsughing into the line while I roll my eyes.


    ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t tell you this, but,¡± I stop to build up the suspense.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t say anything. Portia told me this in confidence. She¡¯s unmarked because she is having


    doubts. She said that she feels the bond, but there is someone else that has captured her interest.¡± I


    wait for a response, but I didn¡¯t get any. ¡°She¡­.well she told me that she was interested in you.¡± I hear


    the small intake of breath, and a smile breaks out on my face. I think I got him. ¡°Maybe you should


    explore that with Portia. At the very least, you should talk to her about it. If you are both feeling the


    same for each other, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to the twins if she were to continue with the ceremony. Just think


    about it.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for a response. I hang up the phone and lean back on the bed. Neal is definitely


    intrigued, and that¡¯s all I need for him to take the initiative with Portia. It shouldn¡¯t take long for the twins


    to be mateless again.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    ~Tia~


    *Phone Dings*


    N: Hey


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    T: Who¡¯s this?


    N: lol¡­..guess


    T: Or you could just tell me¡­.


    N: I could, but that wouldn¡¯t be as much fun¡­.


    T: This may be fun to you, but not to me¡­..


    T: Who is this?


    N: Ok¡­.ok¡­.you twisted my arm¡­¡­it¡¯s Neal


    T: How did you get my number?


    N: I have my ways


    Okay, this is weird. Why is Neal texting me? How did he get my number? I won¡¯t lie; Neal texting me


    makes me feel some type of way. It¡¯s almost as if I¡¯m being unfaithful or something. I know how


    ridiculous that sounds since it¡¯s just texts. I don¡¯t feel that way about Neal at all, but it feels as if there is


    supposed to be something more there.


    N: Hello??


    T: Yes, I¡¯m here.


    N: Are you not happy to hear from me?


    T: I mean¡­..a text wasn¡¯t really necessary¡­.who really uses their phones around here


    N: True¡­lol¡­.I just wanted to do something different


    T: Well, it IS different¡­.


    N: Let¡¯s hang out¡­..


    T: Uh¡­.now?


    Oh, Goddess! Is it me¡­.did I cause this? I will admit that Neal and I had a few great conversations, but


    I don¡¯t think I did or said anything to get him to think there was more between up. I¡¯m mated to the


    Alpha twins and have no eyes for anyone who isn¡¯t them. I have to let him know there is nothing there.


    But¡­..what if I¡¯m seeing something that isn¡¯t there? What if he doesn¡¯t see me like anything more than


    a friend? I mean, what would he see in me anyway?


    N: Not now¡­.lol¡­.but soon


    T: I have a lot going on¡­.getting ready for the ceremony and all


    N: Which is why this will be perfect. Hang out with me and take a break from nning¡­..


    T: Um¡­.we¡¯ll see¡­.


    N: Let me know¡­¡­ttyl


    I hang up the phone and shake my head. This could be a tricky situation. I have to admit, though, the


    idea of hanging out with Neal is not appalling. He¡¯s fun to be around, and I enjoy our conversations. I


    just don¡¯t want him to think there is something there more than a passing friendship. Maybe I can avoid


    setting anything up before the ceremony. I just won¡¯t text him, and I will avoid him around the


    packhouse.


    My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. I indicate that entrance is permitted, and my mom


    walks through. ¡°Hey, Tia. Was I disturbing you?¡±


    ¡°No, mom. I was just sitting. You should be resting.¡± She shakes her head and sits next to me on the


    bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­.Aluma nd I are doing okay.¡± I ce my hand over my mom¡¯s as she has it resting on the


    bed. I can¡¯t imagine how it was for her and her wolf to ignore my father¡¯smand. I¡¯m really proud of


    her for putting herself first for once, rather than falling to him each time. I give mom¡¯s hand a little


    squeeze before getting off the bed.


    ¡°You know, I still need a dress for the ceremony.¡± Mom squeaks and ps her hands.


    ¡°We can go shopping tomorrow. I will take the day off clinic duty and we can have a do-over for our


    messed up outing from this morning. ¡° I nod, excited about the uing day. I get to spend some


    quality time with my mom and shop for my dress. That all sounds great to me.


    ~Aida~


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got it!¡± Exasperated, I recite the list again as if I haven¡¯t just recited it at least 1o times in the


    past 30 minutes. These are all the things I need to make the mixture we were told about. This mixture


    should give me everything that I need to get the job done.


    I continue walking through the packgrounds, trying to make sure I have everything I needed. Last thing


    I want is to have toe back to get something that I left. I¡¯m about to turn a corner when I hear raised


    voices. It¡­.it kind of sounds like my dad and my Luna. I must be wrong, though, because they would


    have no reason to sound so¡­.so personal with each other.


    I take a chance, and I peer around the corner. Their backs are toward me, but there is no mistaking


    their identities. My dad is having a heated discussion with our Luna. They are in an isted corner but


    are trying to be quiet and keep things hush.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t have my watch on. Your scent and those sparks¡­.I couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±


    ¡°Where was your watch?¡±


    ¡°I left it on my desk while I was training.¡±


    ¡°Why should your watch matter? I had my ne on so that should have been enough.¡±


    ¡°UGH! I¡¯ve told you before¡­..you having your ne or me having my watch is not enough. In order


    for us not to feel the impact of the bond and our mates to not feel any pangs of betrayal, we both need


    our talisman on. That¡¯s the only way we have full protection.¡± I hurry away once the voices sound like


    they are on the move.


    What the hell was that? My dad and the Luna have a¡­a bond? They have a mate bond? How could


    that be? My dad is mated to my mom and the Luna to the Alpha. I don¡¯t understand what I heard


    exactly, but I¡¯m not too distracted by that mystery. There is another aspect of their conversation that is


    much more intriguing.


    A talisman that keeps the mate bond from being felt, and mates won¡¯t feel betrayal. That¡¯s very


    interesting. Maybe it¡¯s not as interesting as the fact that it seems like there is a bond between my dad


    and Luna, but that doesn¡¯t really concern me at the moment. If I could get my hand on those


    talismans¡­¡­. ¡°I KNOW THAT! I just said I needed those. I just have to figure out how to get them


    undetected.¡± I take a few quick steps. ¡°You really piss me off sometimes.¡± Goddess, I have so much to


    do, but my time is limited.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    ~Tia~


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    It¡¯s cold. I feel the bed on my left and right, but the bed is empty. I guess that¡¯s where the cold is from. I


    don¡¯t think I can ever get used to being in a bed alone again. The body heat that I get from the twins is


    beyondforting.


    I stretch and hop in the shower to get ready for the day. I¡¯m actually going to go dress shopping today.


    Mom is at the clinic this morning. She said she would take an early shift so she could have the


    afternoon avable for me. Lynn is going to go shopping with us. I¡¯m beyond excited to spend this time


    with the girls and have this experience with my mom.


    I throw some exercise clothes on so I can hop into a training session this morning. I really have enjoyed


    training with others again. Surprisingly enough, I haven¡¯t lost much skill over the years. I guess the bit


    of solo training I¡¯ve been doing has kept me going.


    When I reach the training area, I start to stretch, waiting for training to start. I made sure to go to the


    second training. My mates don¡¯t run the training. I really don¡¯t want to have to deal with that. There is


    no way I could train properly with my mates watching over me. The minute anyone was to touch me,


    they would end up having to run from my mates. It just isn¡¯t worth the headache.


    Training starts with a 10-mile run. I stay ahead of the group, able toplete the run in amazing time.


    Once everyone gets back from the run, we are paired off for sparing. ¡°Hey there. Nice to see you.¡±


    Damn, Neal is my sparring partner. I guess the only thing to do is take it in stride.


    ¡°Hey, Neal. How are you?¡± Neal smirks at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay for now. We¡¯ll see how I am once this sparring is over.¡± We start to spar, and I have to say


    that Neal isn¡¯t bad. He didn¡¯t treat me with soft hands, and I appreciate that. We went back and forth,


    knocking each other down again and again.


    I grab my water and towel once training ends. ¡°Damn, kid, you¡¯re tough.¡± Iugh and drink my water.


    ¡°How is it that no one knows this? I¡¯d imagine you may even be tougher than your sisters.¡± I cap my


    water and wipe my head with my towel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. They were trained by our father. He is the head warrior so I¡¯m sure they have


    skills I couldn¡¯t even imagine.¡± Neal looks at me as if I¡¯m growing a second head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you get that from, but whatever. All I know is that it was a job to keep us with you,


    and I¡¯ve been training for a long time.¡± Neal and I start to walk back to the packhouse. We walk into the


    dining room, where I grab some fruit. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    I head upstairs to shower and change. I¡¯m ready to get this shopping started. I throw on a pair of ck


    jeans and a dark blue button-up shirt. I slip on ck ballet slippers and grab my purse. When I get


    downstairs, Lynn and mom are waiting for me. The twins gave me a card and told me to go crazy. I


    know I won¡¯t go crazy, but I agreed to make them happy.


    ¡°My beautiful daughter.¡± Mom grabs me and gives me a big hug. Lynn wraps her arms around the both


    of us, and weugh. We walk out to the waiting SUV, and I¡¯m shocked at what I see. Neal is holding the


    door open for us, and there is another warrior in the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Ladies! I will be your escort this afternoon. Let¡¯s head out and get you guys in dresses.¡± Mom heads


    into the SUV first, patting Neal on his arm. Lynn gives him a smirk as she gets inside. I¡¯m thest


    person in the car. Now I may be crazy, but I swear that Neal touched me as I got into the car. Not a ¡®let


    me help you up¡¯ type of touch, but a touch along my back, almost a caress. I shake it off and chalk it up


    to my paranoia.


    We head to a za with a few different stores, one being a specialty shop. It¡¯s filled with amazing


    dresses, and I¡¯m excited to see what they have. We walk into the shop, and Neal takes up post at the


    door. We walk around the racks, picking out different dresses and having fun.


    I take a few dresses into the dressing room to try on. The first is cute but doesn¡¯t fit the best. The


    second is a bit too long, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯d have time to alter it. I put on the third dress, and I¡¯m


    stunned. ¡°This is it! This is it!¡±


    ¡°Let me see it.¡±


    ¡°Come out and show us.¡± I step out of the dressing room to show mom and Lynn the dress. The minute


    they see me, their eyes light up. Mom has tears in her eyes, and Lynn¡¯s smile is so big. I stand in front


    of the mirror, fixing the material and straightening creases. I found a midnight blue floor-length A-Line,


    princess dress. It is sleeveless with one shoulder and has a slit on the right that goes past the knees.


    Mom walks up behind me.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. You look so beautiful.¡± Lynn stands next to me and grabs my hand.


    ¡°All essories and your shoes need to be silver. That would be perfect.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get her some choices while she changes.¡± Mom and Lynn head to find my essories while I go


    back to the dressing room. I unzip the dress and let it drop. I step out of it and ce it back on the


    hanger. I hear the handle of the dressing room door and figure it¡¯s my mom. The door opens, and I turn


    to see Neal slipping into the room.


    ¡°What the fu-¡± Neal ces his hand over my mouth.


    ¡°Shhhh. I just wanted to talk to you.¡± He slowly removes his hand from my mouth. I quickly grab my


    shirt and throw it over me while turning my body around. I fumble with the buttons, trying to cover my


    body.


    ¡°You wanted to talk to me?! So your solution is toe into the dressing room? What are you


    thinking?¡± I turn, having buttoned my shirt.


    ¡°I was thinking that this ceremony is a mistake and we both know it.¡± The ceremony is a mistake? What


    am I missing?


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Look¡­.your¡­.your sister told me everything and I feel the same.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Neal steps toward me and reaches for me. I quickly step back, but the dressing room isn¡¯t big.


    I really had nowhere to go to escape Neal. I back into the wall, and Neal traps me there. He reaches


    out and runs his hand down my face. I flinch at his touch, and he genuinely looks surprised.


    ¡°I know you have feelings for me. You don¡¯t have to settle. You don¡¯t have to go through with the


    ceremony. I think we have something here.¡± Where did thise from? How could a few conversations


    be seen as an active interest?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were told, but I¡¯m not interested in you like that. I only want my mates, the


    twins.¡± Neal¡¯s hand stills, and he looks me in the eye. We stare at each other for a while, and I wait for


    him to step away and out of the room. I was waiting for nothing because that wasn¡¯t what would


    happen. Neal leans down, and his face gets closer to mine. I have nowhere to move to and no real way


    to avoid what seems to be about to happen. I prepare myself to knee him in the groin so I can escape. I


    will only get one try, so I have to make it count.


    Neal gets so close that I can feel his breath on my face. I close my eyes and snap my knee back and


    forward. I hear a thump, hear a groan, and hear a thud. I open an eye to see Neal on the ground,


    holding his groin, face scrunched up in pain. I push him aside, and he falls on his back. I grab my pants


    and run out of the dressing room, right into a wall that wasn¡¯t there before. I fall on my a*s and look up


    into the angry eyes of my mates.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    ~Lincoln~


    The morning light shines through the curtains, and I try to cover my face. I really don¡¯t want to get up


    right now. My mate¡¯s scent surrounds me, and it is the best cocoon anyone could ask for.


    GGGEEEETTTTTT UUUUUUPPPPP!!!! I growl and throw a pillow across my mate, listening as it


    bounces off the wall. You know you missed me, right? Landon chuckles in the mindlink, and I silently


    roll my eyes. I throw the cover back and rise from the bed.


    Of course, Landon is already dressed for training,cing up his shoes. I jump into the closet and get


    some shorts along with a t-shirt. I step out of the room, throwing my sock and shoes on while Landon


    kisses our mate. I stride over to do the same as Landon points to his wrist impatiently.


    I shake my head and follow my brother out of our room. Morning training, ugh! I like to sleep, and I love


    to sleep next to my mate. I hate getting up and leaving her in bed, but it¡¯s what a leader does.


    Landon and I take turns leading training and do it together 2 or 3 days a week. We like having our pack


    see us involved so they know we are not asking for anything that we wouldn¡¯t give ourselves. A strong


    leader leads by example, not just dictation.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Landon grabs us some water from the kitchen, and we make our way to the training area. Our elite


    warriors are ready for us, stretching to get their bodies loose. Stuart is on the stage watching over the


    group. He eyes Landon and me but says nothing. Landon told me all about their interaction yesterday,


    and I¡¯m sorry I missed it. Landon tends to be the cooler head between us, so that we would have


    definitely handled it differently. I, for one, have no qualms about throwing hands with Stuart. I¡¯ve never


    been fond of him, and, to be honest, something about him I don¡¯t trust.


    Stuart sends the group off on their 20-mile run, and we follow, taking the time to encourage any


    stragglers. We could be upfront and lead the group, but we¡¯d rather make sure everyone knows that we


    are supposed to be here for one another in support. We encourage those who are behind and will even


    run with them.


    We finish the run and set up the sparring partners. Between me, my brother, and Stuart, we make sure


    to give tips while the warriors are sparring. We walk among the groups and correct any positions or


    moves that are off. We offer alternatives if an individual is having trouble executing. My brother and I


    stay away from Stuart, and he does the same.


    We finish the run and set up the sparring partners. Between me, my brother, and Stuart, we make sure


    to give tips while the warriors are sparring. We walk among the groups and correct any positions or


    moves that are off. We offer alternatives if an individual is having trouble executing. My brother and I


    stay away from Stuart, and he does the same.


    We don¡¯t often lead training with Stuart. It only happens about once a week or so. I¡¯m sure that from


    now on, we will make sure that we don¡¯t lead training with him anymore. I have seriously discussed


    removing him as head warrior with my brother. Honestly, Neal has been looking extremely promising,


    and he would be a good fit.


    Training seems to pass by slowly, but I¡¯d imagine it¡¯s because I¡¯m anxious to get back to my mate. I


    have been thanking the Moon Goddess each and every day for pairing me with Tia. I have been


    interested in her for so long, but I never thought I¡¯d be lucky enough to have her. She is everything I


    could want in a mate and even more. I just want to spend all of my time with her, which I know is


    impossible since we have a pack to run. Landon and I should consider taking a trip, just us and Tia. We


    need some one-on-one time together. Since Tia has been back home, it¡¯s been one thing after another,


    and we could all use a break. Training finally wraps up, and Landon hands me my water. I can feel


    eyes on me, and I find Stuart ring at the both of us.


    Please let that bastarde for us¡­¡­.I¡¯m feeling froggy!


    Whoa, Brutus. Chill out. We won¡¯t be fighting him today. Brutus grumbles in my head andys on his


    stomach, not taking his eyes off Stuart. To say that Brutus doesn¡¯t care for Stuart is an understatement.


    At the end of the day, he¡¯s still my mate¡¯s father, and we are the future Alphas. We can¡¯t go around


    beating people we don¡¯t like.


    Boys¡­.are you busy? Landon looks and me, and I give him a nod.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    ¡°WHAT!? What do you mean?¡± I¡¯m stunned, just stunned. I always thought they were fated; there was


    never a reason to think otherwise. I swallow the lump in my throat.


    ¡°What happened dad?¡± He sighs again and runs a hand down his face.


    ¡°When I was around 17, I went to a different territory and visited a friend of mine. At his pack, I was


    drawn to this beautiful girl. Her name was Naomi and she was gorgeous. She was funny and fierce. I


    was able to get to know her a bit while I was visiting and I had nned to return when I turned 18 to


    see if we were mates. About a week after the visit, I got a call from my friend¡¯s father. Their school was


    attacked by a rogue. My friend and Naomi were killed, along with other students. I never went back to


    the pack and I never felt a pull toward anyone else.¡±


    I can feel the pain in the link from Landon, and my feelings mirror his. That has to be painful, and the


    fact is that my dad never really knew if she was his mate or not. ¡°I will say, I did feel a loss in my soul


    which happens to coincide with the attack at the school. At the time, I paid it no mind, but every so


    often, I wonder if that was the moment that Naomi¡¯s life ended and if she were my fated mate. I will


    never know the truth.¡± Dad sits back against the couch and leans his head back. ¡°Anyway, everyone


    was looking for me to find my mate, but nothing happened. When I was around 20, your mom and I


    decided to be chosen mates. I mean, we dated a bit in school, and she said she had always liked me.


    Your mom is from a good family, and I knew she would be a good Luna.¡±


    ¡°Dad, what about mom¡¯s fated mate?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. She¡¯s never told me what happened. All she would ever say is that he wasn¡¯t in


    the picture and she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. I always assumed she went through a simr situation


    as me and left it alone.¡± If mom lost her mate to death before they could have a life together, that would


    just be tragic. I am grateful that mom and dad could findfort in each other rather than be alone.


    ¡°So dad,¡± he turns and looks at me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys ever say anything? Why keep it a secret?¡±


    Dad sits up on the couch.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a secret, really. It was ju-¡±


    ¡°Just none of your business!¡± We all turn to see mom in the doorway, fuming. There is a door that goes


    from her office to dad¡¯s, and she must have walked in when dad was telling us his story. The door is


    actually behind us, and in a corner, so it¡¯s easy to miss if you don¡¯t know it¡¯s there. Mom steps into the


    office, anger all over her face. ¡°How could you, Paul?! That wasn¡¯t for them to know. It doesn¡¯t even


    matter.¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay-¡±


    ¡°Mom, we are-¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± She stops Landon and me mid-sentence and res at dad. ¡°This is between your father and I. It


    has nothing to do with either of you.¡± I look at Landon and then at dad. He seems surprised at mom¡¯s


    reaction; we all are.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay-¡±


    ¡°Mom, we are-¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± She stops Landon and me mid-sentence and res at dad. ¡°This is between your father and I. It


    has nothing to do with either of you.¡± I look at Landon and then at dad. He seems surprised at mom¡¯s


    reaction; we all are.


    Hey L, let¡¯s get out of here and let them talk. Landon nods, and we quietly get up, heading for the door.


    Before we close the door, we hear mom start to yell. That is a conversation neither of us wants to be a


    part of. It¡¯s just crazy, though; mom and dad are chosen mates. I would have never guessed.


    We head up to our floor to shower, and Tia¡¯s scent hits us as soon as we open the door. She was here


    recently. She probably went to training. I decide to hurry and get in the shower so I can meet her after


    training.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Linc.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go hurrying to Tia right now. We have schedules to make, remember. You will have to see


    her when she gets back from shopping.¡± I roll my eyes and grumble all the way to the shower.


    ~Landon~


    I quickly shower in my brother¡¯s room while he uses ours. We really need to design our expanded


    room. This setup is okay for now, but if webine the two rooms, it would be much better and much


    roomier. I guess that¡¯s something to discusster.


    As I get dressed, the talk with dad runs through my mind. Mom and dad are not fated mates. I guess I


    should have at least suspected. Whenever we asked mom about growing up and dating, she would


    always evade or change the subject. As kids, we didn¡¯t give it much thought. We figured she didn¡¯t


    want to discuss anyone who wasn¡¯t dad. Why would she want this to be a secret? Was the loss of her


    fated mate too great for her to deal with?


    I grab Lincoln out of our room, having caught him breathing in Tia¡¯s scent from her pillow. I swear he is


    worse than a lovesick teenager. It¡¯s such a job just to keep him focused on our jobs and not on our


    mate. Don¡¯t get me wrong, our mate is everything, but we do have tasks to take care of.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    ~Ad~


    I swear they are too predictable. I, honestly, expected that to take more convincing, but no¡­..not for


    those two. Just the idea that I nned to meet with my sister was enough to set them off. I¡¯m both parts


    d and disgusted. I will no longer have to see her and pretend to care, yet they are so quick to save


    their precious mate.


    I sigh and pull my phone out, for probably the millionth time, just to be met with silence. Of course,


    there is no message. I¡¯m not sure exactly what I¡¯m waiting for, but I have nothing either way. It would be


    nice to hear from Neal, just so I knew that things were going how they should be. If Neal listened to me


    even a little, he should have made a move by now, and possibly it has been reciprocated. Maybe they


    catch them having s*x or maybe just kissing. Is it wrong for me to hope for the s*x? Ah, it doesn¡¯t really


    matter, just as long as Neal has followed through as I told him to.


    It was so time-consuming to hold his handst night and talk him through this. He was so unsure and


    so worried about what to do. It took hours to convince him to go for it and make a move on Portia. I just


    hope hemitted to his decision. I don¡¯t even care if Portia returns his interest or not, even though


    that¡¯s how I sold it to him; that she was definitely interested. I need the twins to catch her in a


    compromising situation, which will be more than enough. I need the twins to see Portia for what she


    really is, and then they wille crawling back to us. The question is: what do I do with Portia after


    that?


    ~Tia~


    S**t! This is not good andpletely not what it looks like. I try to make that argument, but nothing


    comes out of my mouth. It¡¯s almost as if my voice has been lost. I know how this looks; I know this


    doesn¡¯t look like there is a good exnation. I have run out of a dressing room with my pants in my


    hand. I¡¯m sure I look flustered and sweaty. There is a moaning man on the ground, and if you can¡¯t see


    his state, well, let¡¯s say th at moaning can be misconstrued.


    I stand before my mates, but they aren¡¯t looking at me. They have murder in their eyes and are looking


    at the dressing room. I know what happened was wrong, but I don¡¯t want Neal killed. I know there has


    to be a reason for his actions. We need to figure that out before any punishment is handed out.


    The twins have their hands fisted at their sides, and their necks are strained. The anger and fury are


    evident, and I¡¯m a bit scared. I don¡¯t know how they act when they get like this, and I really don¡¯t want


    to find out. I don¡¯t know where I find the courage, but I swallow the lump in my throat and take a slight


    step forward. ¡°Guys¡­¡­¡± A growl erupts from both of them at the same time. S**t!


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The twins take a step forward, still not looking at me. I know how this all looks, but I swear that if they


    give me a chance, I can exin everything. Of course, at the wrong possible moment, Neales


    stumbling out of the dressing room. Stupid i***t! He just had toe out of the dressing room at this


    time¡­.before I could even talk to the twins?! I swear he has done nothing but f**k up today, and it


    doesn¡¯t seem to be getting any better. Please, please don¡¯t open your mouth and speak.


    ¡°TTT¡­.tia¡­.whe¡­..where ar-¡± The rest of his words are stopped. Landon moved lightning-fast the


    moment he walked out. I turn to see Neal pinned against the wall, Landon¡¯s hand around his neck.


    Neal is wing at Landon¡¯s hand, gasping for breath. I told you not to open your mouth and speak.


    ¡°You will die for what you have done.¡± Landon looks at me. ¡°You both will.¡± I take a few steps back. I


    can feel the tears forming, and my heart is beating out of my chest. I want to defend myself; I want to


    tell them what happened. My mouth isn¡¯t working; there is no sounding out. I continue to step back


    until I hit something solid. I feel the sparks all over my backside. I stop and look up in the face of


    Lincoln. He is angry, but he is also confused. I turn around and face him, cing my hands on his


    arms.


    ¡°Please, Lincoln, please. Just¡­..just hear me out. Don¡¯t let Landon kill either of us. I would never hurt


    you two; I know you know that. Please¡­¡­please trust me.¡± The tears have fallen and continue pouring


    out of my eyes. It¡¯s starting to get hard to see Lincoln, but I can¡¯t stop crying to save my life. I can hear


    Lincoln¡¯s breathse out in huffs. I notice his hand rising from his side, and my fear heightens. I just


    know that he¡¯s going to put me in a simr position that Landon has Neal. I can¡¯t believe that it¡¯se


    to this; our rtionship has hit this wall. Lincoln¡¯s hand reaches for me, and I flinch. He stops for a


    second, then continues, running his hand down my face. I close my eyes at the contact and relish the


    sparks, not knowing if I will ever feel them again.


    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s take Neal to the cells and¡­¡­and let¡¯s talk to Tia. We owe her that much.¡± I open my


    eyes to find Lincoln¡¯s eyes on me. They are swirling with love and hope. I ce my hand on his and


    lean into his touch. I will make sure they know exactly what happened; I will make sure they know how


    much I love them and could never betray them.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    ~Landon~


    I know¡­..I know¡­..I¡¯m usually the level-headed one, but in this case¡­¡­this instance¡­¡­. I can¡¯t


    believe that Tia would betray us like this. She never struck me as that person. I could have never


    thought that she would be someone I¡¯d have to watch out for. And the fact that my brother wants to ¡®talk


    to Tia¡¯¡­..WTF?!


    I block my brother out of my mind as well as Tia. I just can¡¯t deal with either of them right now. I take


    the traitor Neal and the car they came in back to the packhouse. I just want to have some time to


    myself before shees with all her lies and excuses.


    The car ride is quiet, though I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised. Neal says nothing, but he does sniffle here


    and there. A part of me was hoping that he would say something, dere his love, try to ask


    forgiveness¡­..anything! At this point, it wouldn¡¯t take much for Goliath and me to rip his throat out. Of


    course, he did none of those things; he just stayed quiet in the backseat.


    We finally arrive at the packhouse in what felt like hours, though I know it didn¡¯t take that long. I instruct


    the warriors to take Neal to the cells and take care of the car. I know I beat everyone back, and I¡¯m d


    I did. I just need some time to myself to think and to calm down. I know Mark should be in our office


    handling the pack business we dropped on him unexpectedly. I decide to go for a walk.


    I walk slowly, trying to give myself time to reign in all of my emotions. If Lincoln wants to hear her out, I


    guess I have to; I just have to make sure I won¡¯t kill her before she speaks. There is a spot I like to go


    through the woods a bit, so I head there. It isn¡¯t spectacr with a breathtaking view or anything. It¡¯s


    simply a ce many don¡¯t visit and is just the quiet I need. It is a small, open field amongst masses of


    trees. The branches and leaves make a perfect umbre. There is arge boulder that sits in the


    middle of the area.


    I easily make my way there and take a seat on the boulder. I take a few deep breaths, and the tears


    start to flow before I can stop. I waited my adult life for my mate, believing that she would be my eternal


    happiness, my peace. I finally find her just to have her betray me in the worst way. My soul is crying


    out, and my heart hurts. I don¡¯t know how I can ever put this behind me.


    I hear twigs snap behind me. I quickly wipe my face clean and slowly let some of my aura seep out.


    Just enough so whoever it is knows they will not make it out of here alive if they mean me harm. ¡°You


    look like you could use a friend.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I can¡¯t smell her, but I know her voice. I really don¡¯t want to deal with her right


    now.


    ¡°Like I said, you look like you could use a friend.¡± I scoff.


    ¡°I¡¯d hardly think to call you a friend, no offense.¡± She chuckles behind me, but I¡¯m starting to feel the


    heat from her telling me that she is walking closer. I don¡¯t move from my spot, nor do I turn around.


    ¡°I get it; I understand. We do have a past, but that doesn¡¯t mean that we can¡¯t be friends now. I can be


    a friend to you if you let me.¡± I don¡¯t have a response for that. As great as it would be to have a friend


    right now, I know she can¡¯t be her.


    ¡°Ad-¡± I feel her heat rough up against my back. I notice her legse into view right on the sides of


    mine. Her arms encircle me, and she buries her head in my back as she embraces me. She starts to


    stroke my arms from my elbows to my shoulders and down again.


    ¡°Shhhh. Just lean back and let me help you. You can talk, vent, cry, whatever you need. Let me be here


    for you.¡± I can feel myself leaning back, scooting my bottom out to getfortable against her chest.


    I¡¯m almost settled against her; her heartbeat gets stronger the closer I get. I¡¯m almostying against


    her¡­¡­¡­


    ~Lincoln~


    I know Landon is pissed; I get that. I try to exin through our link, but he blocks me. I guess I


    understand that. I know I surprised him because usually, I would be the one to be quick to judge and


    call for punishment. I can¡¯t exin it, and maybe it¡¯s just the mate bond, but something is telling me to


    get all the information first.


    Landon storms out with Neal in tow, and I get a mindlink from the driver that he is taking the car the


    girls arrived in. That leaves me to drive everyone back. Doc and Lynn don¡¯t really know exactly what¡¯s


    going on, and I don¡¯t make a move to fill them in. Tia is extremely quiet, and I can see they did make


    some purchases. They have three garment bags and another two big bags with them. Everyone piles


    into the car; Doc and Lynn get in the back, and Tia reluctantly gets in the front seat. I guess she didn¡¯t


    want to make things awkward by sitting in the back.


    The ride back to the packhouse is silent. I keep catching the eyes from the back, looking at Tia and me,


    and I¡¯m sure they are wondering why we seem to have an ocean between us. Tia is making sure she


    spends the ride looking out of the passenger window, and I¡¯m careful not to make it obvious that I¡¯m


    sneaking nces at her. I have no idea what¡¯s going on in her mind or what really happened in that


    dressing room. I¡¯m not even sure that Landon was wrong in wanting to end them all right then and


    there. I just know something inside of me is begging me to let her talk.


    When we return to the pack, I¡¯m informed that Landon has returned, and Neal is in the cells. I knew he


    would beat us back, and I guess he needed the time to himself. I wait for thedies to get out of the car


    before I get out myself. Doc looks at Tia and me, seeming confused about what to do. ¡°I¡­.uh¡­.I think


    Lynn and I will go put these things away and get some lunch.¡± I say nothing but watch them move


    toward Tia. They whisper something to her and head into the house.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I really don¡¯t know what to do at this point. I want to say so much, but I should say nothing at all. I¡¯m not


    the one that was caught in apromising position, and I¡¯m not the one who needs to exin. Tia


    looks at the house as if all the answers are there somewhere. I clear my throat. ¡°We need to find


    Landon so we can talk.¡± Tia slowly turns to look at me, and I swear I see the heartbreak in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡­..I can¡¯t reach him through the link.¡± I nod. He has me blocked as well, and only he can undo it. Just


    as I¡¯m about to mindlink Mark to see if he¡¯s seen him, I get interrupted by Brutus.


    You need to find Landon now! Goliath says he is about to do something he shouldn¡¯t.


    Well, what the hell does that mean? And how am I supposed to just find him? He has me blocked.


    I don¡¯t have all the answers! Just do it and do it now. Goliath says time is running out. I have no idea


    what these wolves are talking about! I start to send mind links to warriors to see if anyone has seen my


    brother when I get interrupted again.


    NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! It¡¯s so loud that I grab my ears in pain and drop to a knee. I


    notice Tia¡¯s feete closer to me, but she hesitates and doesn¡¯t touch me. I ce both hands on the


    ground and give my head a slight shake. That was the strangest thing. That was Goliath, and he,


    somehow connected to me through Brutus. I don¡¯t know what got him going, but whatever it is, it can¡¯t


    be good.


    I get to my feet and take a few deep breaths to steady myself. Tia is looking at me with concern all over


    her face. I understand why she fell short of helping me. We are in this weird limbo and can¡¯te out


    of it until we talk.


    Linc¡­¡­ Landon sounds shaken and out of breath. I hope everything is okay. Where are you?


    I¡¯m in front of the packhouse with Tia. What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with Goliath? Are you okay?


    You heard that? Landon sighs in the link. Nevermind. We all need to talk, so let¡¯s talk in our room. He


    isn¡¯t filling me in, but I will give him time to do so on his own.


    We will meet you there. I start to walk toward the front door, and I notice that Tia isn¡¯t moving. ¡°Landon


    is meeting us in the room.¡± She nods and starts to walk. I step to the side so she can walk ahead of


    me. I stop at the door and take a deep breath, closing the door behind us.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    ~Tia~


    I wanted so badly tofort Lincoln, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do so. I know that the situation at the


    dress store looks horrible at best, and he is fighting his urge to toss me aside. I¡¯m amazed that I could


    convince him to just listen to me before making a decision. He is the impulsive one, yet it was Landon


    whoshed out without hearing my side.


    The walk to the room is agonizing. I don¡¯t know what to say or what to do. My only n is to tell the


    truth, but that doesn¡¯t mean I will be believed. The truth sounds fishy at best, but it¡¯s the only truth I


    have. I would never cheat on my mates for any reason, and I don¡¯t even have an interest in Neal like


    that. I¡¯m more interested in finding out what happened to make Neal think I wanted him.


    I walk into our room and stand in the middle. I don¡¯t really want to sit down because I¡¯m too anxious.


    Honestly, I may need to run; if I sit down, it would be hard to do. If anyone had asked me before, I


    would have said that my mates would never hurt me, but after seeing the look on Landon¡¯s face, I¡¯m


    not so sure anymore. If I had betrayed them, I would dly drop to my knees and take whatever I had


    coming, but I didn¡¯t.


    Lincoln walks in behind me and sits on the couch. We don¡¯t speak, and the tension is thick. I can¡¯t even


    bring myself to look at him, which, I¡¯d imagine, makes me look guilty as hell. I can¡¯t help that right now,


    though. I don¡¯t know what to do with myself because I don¡¯t know what will happen once I tell them


    what I need to say. I don¡¯t know if they will believe me, and that, the unknown, is unnerving.


    The door opens, and I smell him; peppermint and lemon¡­¡­.and something else. I turn around quickly


    and look at Landon. He is looking me up and down, anger in his eyes. I don¡¯t care about that at the


    moment. I have more pressing matters. ¡°Where were you?¡± Landon doesn¡¯t answer but continues to


    stare. ¡°Were you with her?¡± I recognize that scent. I have known that scent all my life, that cherry scent.


    I¡¯ve actually grown to despise that scent and most things associated with it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to question me. You¡¯re the one who has to answer for their actions.¡± Landon¡¯s voice is


    gruff and sounds like he is a bit out of breath. I take a few steps closer to him and really look at him.


    That¡¯s when I see it; a bit of blood on his neck. I sharply inhale and feel the tears build in my eyes.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ~Ad~


    Landon has been gone, but strangely, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m still sitting on the boulder, going over everything in


    my head. I stretch, reaching my arms out far and arching my back. I slowly slide off the boulder and


    head back toward the packhouse.


    Once the warriors told me that Landon was back on the territory, and had thrown Neal into jail, I knew it


    was my chance. I knew where he would end up. He showed me the spot years ago when we were in


    high school. He always goes there when he just needs time to sort things out, no matter the emotions.


    I know he ran back to her and his brother, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Damn, I wish I could be a fly on the wall


    right now. Imagining that conversation gives me so many goosebumps and, I have to admit, gets me a


    bit aroused. I shake my head and skip through the woods.


    I see something move fast up ahead, and I quicken my pace to catch it. What the- where is Aida going?


    She is heading through the woods, but I don¡¯t know where she¡¯s going. A part of me thinks of following


    her, but I decide not to. I have to be avable when s**t hits the fan, so Aida will have to wait.


    She has been acting so strangetely and has had me blocked, which she never does. I hate this


    because I miss my twin. We have always clung to each other and have always been in each other¡¯s


    minds. I know this has been harder for her because she¡¯s been in love with Lincoln for years. It sucks


    for me too, but more so because I¡¯m missing out on my title. Once I handle this mess, I will check in


    with Aida and get us back where we used to be.


    I continue to the packhouse and stand outside for a bit, breathing in the fresh air. I want to be close to


    pick up the pieces. I guess I will hang out downstairs in one of the lounge rooms. I¡¯m tempted to listen


    outside the door, but that would get me nowhere. I head inside and into a room to getfy on the


    couch and wait.


    ~Landon~


    L¡­.what¡¯s going on? What happened? I don¡¯t respond. I can¡¯t respond. I¡¯m so f**king angry at Tia, at


    Neal, hell, I¡¯m angry at myself. The hurt in Tia¡¯s eyes is the same hurt I¡¯ve felt since I saw her stumble


    out of that dressing room. A part of me is satisfied that she feels what I feel, and another part of me is


    breaking down at the pain my mate is feeling. S**t!


    ¡°Answer me, Landon¡­..what did you do?¡± Tia¡¯s voice is quieter now, the pain clinging to every word. I


    close my eyes and breath.


    *shback*


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I¡¯m lulled by Ad. My heart hurts so much, and my head is clouded. I¡¯ve blocked out my brother and


    Tia just so I can think. I¡¯m feeling soforted that I forget where I am and who I¡¯m with.


    Her touch is soothing; to be honest, she¡¯s always been able to calm me. It isn¡¯t like Tia¡¯s touch or even


    just her scent, but at the moment, it¡¯s working. I guess my heart is just so broken that any care is


    appreciated.


    I lean into Ad, and she continues to stroke my arms; up, down, and back again. I getfortable


    against her chest, and I close my eyes. I can feel her breath on my face and neck. The quiet and


    stillness of the woods add to my ease. I¡¯m taking deep breaths and clearing my mind of everything.


    I can feel my eyelids get heavier, and my body is getting more rxed. I could stay like this for a while,


    which would suit me just fine. The sounds of the forest always get me; I could listen for hours.


    I don¡¯t know how much time passes, but I can feel myself drifting off. I start to give into the darkness


    when I feel a scratch on my neck, and Goliath yells simultaneously. That snaps me out of my


    rxation, and I jump off the boulder. I look around the area, seeing nothing, before my eyesnd on


    Ad. I ce my hand on my neck, and it feels wet. Ad is looking at me innocently, fluttering her


    lashes. I pull my hand in front of my face and take steps away from Ad. My hand has blood on


    it¡­..I¡¯m bleeding.


    ¡°Whaaaa¡­..what were you doing?¡± Ad doesn¡¯t answer; she just smirks. I turn and run back toward


    the packhouse, mind linking my brother on the way.


    *End of shback*


    Goliath was pissed that I let us get into that situation with Ad, of all people. She almost marked us


    because of my carelessness. No matter how I was feeling, I should have never let her get so close or


    gotten sofortable. I let myself get into a bad situation that could have cost me everything. Thinking


    about that on my walkover made me want to actually hear Tia out. Maybe she had the same issue as


    me, allowing herself to be in a bad situation. I should at least hear her out before passing judgment.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    ~Mark~


    *TAP*


    *TAP*


    *TAP*


    *TAP*


    This is so damn annoying. Jenna has been sitting in the back of the office, staring at me since I¡¯ve


    been here. When the twins left, I figured the door opening was the first meeting they wanted me to


    handle in their ce after putting me in charge. I was very wrong; it was Jenna. She walked into the


    office, didn¡¯t say a word, and sat in the back of the room.


    Jenna has been sitting there through 3 meetings, saying nothing. The tapping just started about 20


    minutes ago. Jenna is tapping her nail on the back of her phone. It¡¯s a bit annoying, but I¡¯m more


    interested in what Jenna will do next.


    I continue to work, not looking or speaking to her. I make sure the patrol schedules are taken care of


    and factor in the specifics from my earlier meetings. I want to make sure the twins are set up with


    everything when they get back. A throat clears, causing me to look up.


    Jenna¡¯s eyes are burning into me, but she says nothing. I look at her for a bit before returning my eyes


    to the paperwork. A throat clears again, and I slowly look up at Jenna. She continues to stare and say


    nothing. Jenna finally speaks before my eyes drop back down. ¡°Well?¡± I shrug my shoulders and start


    to drum my fingers on the desk. ¡°Are you going to speak?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you expect me to say.¡± Jenna sighs and shifts in her seat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting here this entire time-¡±


    ¡°No one asked you to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯VE been sitting here this entire time, waiting for you stop being busy.¡± I nt my head and look at her.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why? So you can admit your mistake and fix things.¡±


    ¡°My mistake?¡± Jenna looks up and huffs. When she looks back at me, I can see a fire in her eyes. She


    stands up, steps to the side, and ces her hands on her hips.


    ¡°You tried to reject me. I¡¯d say that was a pretty big mistake.¡± I put my pen down and push my chair


    from the desk. Jenna¡¯s eyes stay on me as I stalk toward her. I push her into the wall gently. Jenna¡¯s


    hand automatically grips my arms, and I run my nose up and down her neck.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I can feel Cato¡¯s excitement, him twirling around in my head. Cato has been whining for his mate, even


    knowing who and how she is. It has been quite a struggle with himtely. The sparks I feel on my nose,


    and lips feel so good and are making me so hard. I gulp but continue my movements. I¡¯m watching


    Jenna, and her eyes are closed. Her breathing is getting heavier, and she is letting small moanse


    out.


    My hand grips her neck, allowing me to run my lips along her jaw. I move my hand down her


    corbone, grabbing her left b****t. I knead it and pinch her n****e a few times. Jenna¡¯s hands get tight


    around my biceps. I let my hand fall further down her slim torso. I can hear her breath catching as I


    make my way further. She is wearing shorts with an stic band which makes things much easier.


    I drop my hand to her thigh, running it up to her core slowly. I dip my hand under her waistband and


    into her panties. Jenna is so wet for me; I can feel myself getting harder. I slip my finger between her


    lips and stroke her c**t. My finger is slick, moving up and down. Jenna is moaning in my ear, and my


    face is buried in her neck, keeping my sounds muffled.


    I slip my finger further down until I find her entrance. I slowly push my finger into her, causing Jenna to


    tense up briefly. I move my finger in and out while letting my mouth caress her neck. I insert another


    finger and continue to stroke the inside of her. Jenna is moaning openly and meeting the thrust of my


    fingers. I let my tongue graze her neck before targeting her marking spot. I start to suck and nibble at


    the marking spot while my thrust gets faster. I can feel Jenna clench around my fingers, and I think


    she¡¯s getting close. ¡°I¡­.I¡­.I¡¯m going to¡­¡­.¡± I stop immediately. I pull my fingers out of her and take a


    few steps back. Jenna¡¯s hair is mussed, her lips are parted, her eyes are ssy, and she looks


    confused. ¡°Wh¡­.why did you stop?¡±


    ¡°I DID make a mistake. I forgot you wanted the twins and not your mate.¡± I wipe my fingers on my jeans


    and walk out of the office, listening to Jenna¡¯s exasperated cries. Cato is whimpering in my head, so I


    put a block up. I need a cold shower.


    ~Tia~


    No one is speaking, and it¡¯s unnerving. I take a step back from Landon, but I stumble. Landon reaches


    for me to help, but I p his hand away. There is blood on his neck, and he smells like her. Did Ad


    mark him? Is my mate gone; is he already imed? I swear I¡¯m going to start to hyperventte, and I


    try hard to keep it down. I close my eyes and take deep breaths. I open my eyes and can see the tears


    in Landon¡¯s while feeling the tears build in mine. I really think she marked him¡­.oh Goddess!


    ¡°T¡­.there¡¯s blood because of Ad. She¡­.she wasforting me and she¡­..she¡­.¡±


    ¡°She marked you,¡± I whisper. I can hear Lincoln¡¯s sharp intake of breath, but I can¡¯t look at him.


    ¡°NO! NO! No, no, no, I swear, no.¡± I start to breathe heavily, gasping for breath. I see the twins reach


    for me, but I just can¡¯t handle that right now. I stumble back until the couch seat hits the back of my


    legs. I fall back on the couch and clutch my chest, trying to get my breathing settled.


    Lincoln kneels in front of me, rubbing my back and whispering calming words. Landon watches the


    both of us, not moving. He¡¯s breathing heavily as well. ¡°I was wrong. I let her get too close. She


    appeared out of nowhere, and I didn¡¯t tell her to leave. I let her touch me, and I let herfort me. I


    was just so angry and hurt, but that isn¡¯t an excuse. I don¡¯t know if she was trying to mark me.¡± Landon


    runs his hand down his face. ¡°If Goliath hadn¡¯t broken through, I¡¯m terrified of how things would have


    turned out.¡± I swallow but don¡¯t look at Landon. A part of me is furious. He knows how she is and what


    she wants, yet he allows her to get so close. She almost took everything from us.


    A bigger part of me feels so f**king guilty. This happened; Ad got her opportunity because of me. I


    caused this and almost lost everything. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. Neal was fine. We spoke this


    morning at training, and he was our guard for shopping. Everything was fine. I¡­.¡± I shake my head,


    trying to figure out when everything changed. ¡°I went into the dressing room to change back into my


    clothes and Neal slipped in. He started talking about how he liked me. He said he knew how I felt about


    him and how I should give into it. I have no idea where he got that idea from, I swear. I¡¯ve only ever


    been friendly to him, nothing more. I even told him that he was wrong and I only wanted my mates. He


    backed me into a corner, and when he got close to kissing me, I kneed him in the groin.¡± I can¡¯t look at


    either of them. I feel so guilty and so sad. My entire future was almost taken from me today in multiple


    ways, and it¡¯s just too much to wrap my head around. I can feel the tears falling from my eyes, but I


    make no move to wipe them away. ¡°I swear, I don¡¯t want him. I only want you two. I¡¯m so so sorry. I


    don¡¯t know why he did this¡­I just¡­.¡±


    Sparks erupt on my hands. I can see Lincoln holding my hands and kissing my knuckles through the


    tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. We will figure this out. I¡¯m sorry I doubted you.¡± A sob is heard through the room.


    I look over to see Landon on his knees, hands t on the floor. He is sobbing, tears rushing from his


    eyes. I rush over to him and ce my hands on his face. I kiss the back of his head a few times before


    pulling it up. We lock eyes, and the pain in his is breaking my heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m sorry I even thought you could be unfaithful. I almost lost everything because I let my


    emotions take over instead of trusting you.¡± Landon¡¯s crying is making me cry. He is sitting back on his


    heels. I climb into hisp, and his arms instantly wrap around me. I grab his face and ce sloppy


    kisses everywhere.


    ¡°I love you¡­.I love you.¡± I keep telling him between each kiss. I quickly kiss his lips once, then again. I


    pull back and look at Landon. I lean in and capture his lips again. He moves a hand to the back of my


    head and deepens the kiss. I feel like I can finally breathe again, and it feels good.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Landon¡¯s lips are still on mine; our tongues are wrestling with each other¡¯s. I can feel his hands along


    my back, sparks igniting everywhere he touches me. I feel hot breath on my neck before a tongue


    sweeps over it. A shiver goes up my spine. Lincoln hase up behind me and is teasing my neck


    with his tongue and lips.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Landon breaks our kiss and starts to attack the other side of my neck. My n***les are hardening, and I


    can feel the wetness between my legs. My arousal is in the air, and I know my mates can smell it.


    I lean back into Lincoln to give Landon more ess to my neck. Lincoln¡¯s hands snake around and tug


    at my shirt, causing buttons to fly everywhere. Once open, Lincoln grabs my breasts, squeezing and


    kneading. I throw my head back and moan loudly. Landon kisses me down my neck to my right b****t.


    He sucks on my n***le through my bra, and my eyes roll back into my head. I can feel his hands


    unbuttoning and unzipping my pants. I barely register fabric ripping over the sounds of our heartbeats


    in the room.


    Lincoln runs his hands down the sides of my legs, and my pants follow downward. I guess Landon


    decided to disconnect my pants rather than have me move. I¡¯m okay with that. Landon pulls me


    forward, so I¡¯m resting against him as he puts his mouth against mine, engaging me in a passionate


    kiss. I can hear clothes rustling and feel material fall away from my a*s. I feel my bra loosen, and I¡¯m


    pulled back. My bare skin touches Lincoln¡¯s, and the sparks cause me to leak down my thighs.


    I can make out Landon ridding himself of clothes, and I start to move my bottom up and down, grinding


    against Lincoln¡¯s length. He moans in my ear and turns my head to capture my mouth. My bra is


    removed from my arms, and I feel a hot tongue on my left n***le. Landon is sucking and nibbling, and


    I¡¯m leaking even more. Lincoln¡¯s hand moves around my front, and his fingers find my nub. He starts to


    rub my nub using small circles, and I can¡¯t stop the moans from falling into his mouth.


    Landon removes his mouth and stands up. I watch him grip his shaft and start to stroke it up and down.


    He steps closer to me, and I lean forward, running my tongue over his tip. Landon¡¯s head falls back,


    and a moan escapes his lips. I run my tongue down his entire length, then up again. I suck his tip into


    my mouth and start moving him in and out. Each time I pull Landon in, I move his further into my


    mouth. I let the salvia umte and wrap it around his girth as best as I can. Landon¡¯s hand finds the


    back of my head, and he grips me tightly while he starts to pump in and out of my mouth.


    I continue to suck and lick while Landon pumps in and out. All too suddenly, he pulls himself out of my


    mouth. Landon gets back on his knees, and I¡¯m passed over to him. Lincoln moves his hands to my


    thighs and lifts me, causing me to wrap my arms around Landon¡¯s neck quickly. Landon maneuvers a


    bit, and when I get lowered down, I get lowered onto Landon¡¯s length. I moan as I feel him enter me.


    I lean my upper body back a bit as I start to move my hips. I move forward and back, up and down.


    Landon¡¯s moans are causing me to get even wetter. Lincoln moves until he stands in front of me,


    member in hand, pumping it. I sit up straight on Landon and lean over to the side to take Lincoln into


    my mouth. I put him in as far as I can each time Ie down on it, and I moan, loving how the vibration


    makes Lincoln shiver.


    ¡°S**t, Tia¡­..suck it¡­..¡± Have I mentioned how turned on I get when I hear my mates moan and talk


    dirty? I try to keep up with them, rotating my hips on one and pumping the other in and out of my


    mouth. This goes on for a while, and even though I can feel my jaw tighten and start to ache, I can¡¯t


    find the will to stop. Landon starts to y with my back entrance, gliding his fingers in and out. Lincoln


    pulls out of my mouth and disappears.


    I feel hands on my back, and Lincoln¡¯s warm body pushes up against mine. I can feel his tip at my back


    entrance, and I know what¡¯s about to happen. I stop moving on Landon and let Lincoln slide himself


    inside of me. Once they are both in, they give me some time to adjust. I swear I have never been so


    filled up in my life.


    The twins are both on their knees, holding me up between them. One starts to pump in, and as he


    pumps out, the other one goes in. It¡¯s almost like how a seesaw moves. I have each one moving in and


    out of me in an alternating pattern, and I can feel my lower body get weak. I¡¯m a moaning, sobbing


    mess. I have called out each other their names along with many swear words. I feel my core get tighter,


    knowing I¡¯m close to finishing. The twins can sense this because they both start to attack my neck


    where they n to mark me.


    I continue to suck and lick while Landon pumps in and out. All too suddenly, he pulls himself out of my


    mouth. Landon gets back on his knees, and I¡¯m passed over to him. Lincoln moves his hands to my


    thighs and lifts me, causing me to wrap my arms around Landon¡¯s neck quickly. Landon maneuvers a


    bit, and when I get lowered down, I get lowered onto Landon¡¯s length. I moan as I feel him enter me.


    The twins are pumping in and out, and my body¡¯s sensitivity is pushing me over the edge, and right


    when I¡¯m about to fall, I feel my neck punctured on both sides. I scream out, my body shaking and stars


    behind my eyelids. This has to be the most intense o****m I have ever had.


    Lincoln and Landon retract their teeth and lick my neck. They are both still pumping into me, but I can


    tell by the look on Landon¡¯s face that he¡¯s close to finishing. His face is scrunched up, and he¡¯s biting


    his bottom lip. I lean forward and start to nibble on the ce I n to mark. I feel his hand tighten on


    my waist, so I waste no time pushing my fangs into his neck. Landon screams my name, and his body


    shudders under me. I remove my teeth and lick his wound clean.


    Lincoln pulls out of me and sits on the couch, stroking himself. I gently stand up, Landon falling out of


    me. I turn and walk over to Lincoln. He sits back on the couch, and I straddle him. He guides himself


    into me, and I capture his lips in a passionate kiss. I start to roll my hips around and around, then start


    to bounce up and down. Lincoln breaks our kiss, leaning his head back. I continue my assault, and I


    can feel my core start to tighten back up. I really want to mark him before I get lost in my own climax.


    It¡¯s almost as if I pushed that thought right into his mind. ¡°F**k, Tia¡­.I¡¯m about to c*m.¡± I increase my


    speed, and Lincoln¡¯s hands tighten on my a*s. I lean forward and find that spot that I will mark. My


    teeth elongate, and I push them into his soft flesh as he cries out and shakes under me. That¡¯s enough


    to push me over the edge, and I throw my head back in ecstasy. If this is how life will be with my mates,


    I may need to find a good source of extra energy.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    ~Landon~


    We, somehow, made it to the bed. We aren¡¯t sleeping, just trying to catch our breaths. That was


    amazing and tiring at the same time. Marking can take a lot out of you. Marked¡­¡­we are marked.


    Can you believe it, Goliath? She marked us. Goliath huffs,ying on his back, trying to rest. I can¡¯t help


    but chuckle at the sight. I¡¯m a marked wolf. Not only am I marked, but I was able to mark her.


    Wait¡­.I¡¯m marked. Tia marked me. After everything that happened today, Tia marked me. Why? Why


    the hell did she do that? I can hear all of us breathing, and I know that no one is asleep. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­.L, is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Why, Tia?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Her soft voice is a bit raspy and sounds like she may have let sleep take over at


    any minute.


    ¡°After everything that happened today, why did you mark me? There is no way that I¡¯m deserving of


    that honor. Why did you mark me? Why did you forgive me?¡± My heart is pounding in my chest. Goliath


    is growling in my mind, hating that I¡¯m ruining the moment. I probably am, but I have to know. I have to


    have an understanding; it¡¯s just who I am.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± I turn to Tia, who¡¯s looking at the ceiling. Lincoln is next to her, propped up on his elbow,


    looking at me.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t forgive you.¡± Tia sighs. ¡°You are NOT forgiven at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Tia turns her head to look at me.


    ¡°You were wrong. You, not only, questioned my loyalty, but you also let yourself end up in a intimate


    situation with someone that you know means me harm. None of that is okay, but¡­..¡± Tia turns her head


    back to the ceiling. ¡°I did the same thing. I put myself in a situation that I shouldn¡¯t have. Neal had been


    texting me and I wasn¡¯t feeling reallyfortable with how things were going.¡± Lincoln¡¯s growl rips


    through the room, and I see Tia ce her hand on his back.


    ¡°He made me ufortable today and I should have told him to stay home, but I didn¡¯t. Telling you


    that doesn¡¯t absolve you. The difference here is Neal hasn¡¯t proved himself to be a threat, but Ad


    has.¡± Tia sits up on the bed and scoots back against the headboard. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the facts. We have


    so much against us right now. Your mom, my dad, Jenna, my sisters¡­..they all want nothing more than


    to pull us apart. We can only make it through if we are strong and we are strongest together. We need


    to be together, as one, in order to fight our enemies. I marked you for that reason, so we can be strong.


    Once things die down, you will need to work for my forgiveness.¡±


    The tightness in my chest loosens at her words. She¡¯s right; we have so much against us that we need


    to be on the same page. I reach up and caress Tia¡¯s cheek. ¡°We don¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    ¡°I know, but here I am anyway.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, brother. I, totally, deserve Tia.¡± I throw my pillow at Lincoln, making Tia quickly


    move out of the line of fire. Everyone takes a minute tough and breathe.


    ¡°We need to speak with Neal.¡± Lincoln and I growl at that while Tia sighs.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t solely his fault. He received some false information and acted on it. It¡¯s only fair that we go


    talk to him to get the whole story.¡± Lincoln starts to get up, grumbling along the way.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no time like the present.¡± I sit up and kiss Tia on the lips before getting out of bed to get


    dressed.


    ¡°Oh and even though you aren¡¯t forgiven, this¡­..¡± Tia motions between the three of us. ¡°This will still


    happen, mama has needs.¡± I can¡¯t help butugh. I really don¡¯t deserve her.


    ~Ad~


    Goddess! How long have I been sitting here already? What the hell is taking so long? I bet she is


    pitching a fit, crying and blubbering. She¡¯s probably begging them to stay with her, begging them not to


    throw her in the cells. I can see the tears and snot running down her face and the anger on the twins¡¯


    faces.


    ¡°He made me ufortable today and I should have told him to stay home, but I didn¡¯t. Telling you


    that doesn¡¯t absolve you. The difference here is Neal hasn¡¯t proved himself to be a threat, but Ad


    has.¡± Tia sits up on the bed and scoots back against the headboard. ¡°Let¡¯s look at the facts. We have


    so much against us right now. Your mom, my dad, Jenna, my sisters¡­..they all want nothing more than


    to pull us apart. We can only make it through if we are strong and we are strongest together. We need


    to be together, as one, in order to fight our enemies. I marked you for that reason, so we can be strong.


    Once things die down, you will need to work for my forgiveness.¡±


    The thought of my sister in distress causesughter to bubble up in my chest. I have to work hard to


    keep it inside. I don¡¯t want people looking at me funny. Movement catches my eye, and I sit up quickly,


    hoping that it¡¯s the twins. I turn my head slightly but am disappointed. It¡¯s just some packhouse


    Omegas. It¡¯s their conversation that intrigues me.


    ¡°Guess what I just saw?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I was just upstairs cleaning up. Guess what I just saw!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The twins¡­.the twins are marked!¡± I heard nothing else that the two Omegas were discussing. There


    is a noticeable ringing in my ears, and I can feel my legs getting weak. Marked¡­..they are marked¡­¡­


    marked¡­¡­.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I can¡¯t seem to focus on anything. How the hell did this happen? How did all of my nning go to s**t?


    My breathing is bing erratic, and my vision is slightly blurring. I have to get out of here; I have to


    get out of the packhouse.


    I look around and see that I¡¯m alone. I start to head to the doorway and pop my head out to see who¡¯s


    around. I find no one, so I quickly dart to the front door, closing it quietly behind me. I don¡¯t know what


    to do or where to go. Everything is messed up, and I don¡¯t know how to fix it. I thought I had it; I thought


    I had Landon where I wanted him. This should have been a no-brainer.


    So they are still together. They aren¡¯t just still together, but they are marked. Thispletes the mating


    bond, and I¡¯m not sure what to do. One thing is for sure, if they talk to Neal, he might give me up. I


    have to figure out how to keep that from happening. I run into the woods so I cane up with a n.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    ~Tia~


    The three of us dress and head out of the room. We are met with curious nces as we make our way


    downstairs. I¡¯m sure that nces are due to the fact that we are sporting marks on our necks. I know


    I¡¯m still looked at warily by most of the pack, but the twins are loved.


    We make our way out of the building and out to the cells. I¡¯ve never been out here myself, and I¡¯m not


    really looking forward to what I will encounter. There is a cer door behind what looks like a barn. It


    isn¡¯t since we don¡¯t do farm activities here, but that¡¯s what it looks like. The steep steps lead from the


    cer door to the area below. We have guards, but you can¡¯t see them. Rather than have them posted


    at the cer door, alerting people that there is something there, they are in the woods across the way.


    They can see any movement around the barn-like structure this way.


    We quickly head down the stairs, Landon in front and Lincoln behind me. It¡¯s pretty dark and dank


    smelling. The outer room is nothing but dirt and roots, making it seem as if there is nothing there worth


    noticing. We head down a long hallway before reaching huge steel doors. Landon puts in a code along


    with his fingerprints, causing a clicking sound and the door to open. Only a few members have their


    fingerprints in the system. If anything were to happen, it would be easy to trace the cause.


    Once we step through the doorway, the stench is potent. It smells of old blood, burnt skin, urine, and


    feces. I almost gag once the smell hits me. Lincoln hands me a small jar and tells me to put it under my


    nose. The best I can describe it would be that Vicks stuff that humans tend to use. It¡¯s a strong smell


    that is intended to keep out all of these other odors. There are many empty cells; we tend not to keep


    too many prisoners. Some will get their sentence quickly, and we move on. Some have to stay much


    longer, but it isn¡¯t the norm.


    The inner room is stainless steel from top to bottom. The bars of the cells are filled with silver, with the


    outer shell being stainless steel. We like to make sure that prisoners can¡¯t mindlink or shift. There are


    cells on both sides of the wall and a few rooms in the back. Two interrogation rooms are on the left, and


    two rooms used for torture are on the right. Thankfully, I¡¯ve never had to be involved in any torture.


    We head down the hall until we get to thest few cells. To the left, in the second tost cell, there is a


    huddled mass in the corner. The lights are dim, so you have to really focus on making out the person in


    the cell. Neal looks up as we near his cell. He looks so broken and scared. It¡¯s crazy to me that he


    woke up this morning like it was any other day, and now he¡¯s sitting in our cells.


    Neal, luckily, looks the same as he did when we were at the store. He hasn¡¯t been tortured or beaten


    up, and I¡¯m d about that. Neal hangs his head, not able to meet any of our eyes. ¡°Get the f**k over


    here.¡± I hit Landon in his chest. I get he is still upset, but there is no reason to be t-out hostile. Neal


    didn¡¯t do anything, and, at this point, he can do noth ing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk, Neal.¡±


    ¡°Talk about what, Tia?¡± I sigh.


    ¡°We need to talk about why you did what you did. I don¡¯t understand what you were thinking.¡±


    ¡°Obviously, I wasn¡¯t thinking at all.¡± I reach out to touch the bars, but Lincoln pulls my arm back. I


    almost forgot there is silver in there. I won¡¯t die or anything, but it would be a bit ufortable. I sit


    down in front of the bars.


    ¡°Please, Neal. Please talk to me.¡± Neal sighs and pulls his head up. We briefly meet eyes before he


    closes his eyes and leans his head back on the wall.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I messed up, Tia. I thought there was something between us, and I was wrong. Truth be told, I would


    be a lucky wolf if you felt anything for me.¡± Growls erupt around me, and I know the twins are getting


    upset. They will just have to deal with it. ¡°She told me you were into me, you know.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Your sister, Ad. She told me that you told her that you were interested in me, and you weren¡¯t sure


    about the ceremony or epting the bond with the twins.¡± Another growl goes through the room; this


    time, everything shakes under its weight. I reach out and touch each twin¡¯s leg, trying to calm them.


    We head down the hall until we get to thest few cells. To the left, in the second tost cell, there is a


    huddled mass in the corner. The lights are dim, so you have to really focus on making out the person in


    the cell. Neal looks up as we near his cell. He looks so broken and scared. It¡¯s crazy to me that he


    woke up this morning like it was any other day, and now he¡¯s sitting in our cells.


    ¡°I¡­.I never said that. I don¡¯t even talk to my sisters like that and I definitely never confided in Ad.


    She lied to you, Neal. I¡­.you are a friend to me. I enjoyed talking to you, but that¡¯s as far as it went. I


    never considered denying the mate bond. I¡¯m sorry she lied to you.¡±


    ¡°Even if she did lie to you,¡± Lincoln starts. ¡°What made you think it was a good idea to go after your


    future Alpha¡¯s mate?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I was so stupid. I wasn¡¯t thinking. I¡­.I¡­..¡± Neal says nothing else, but the pain can


    be felt throughout the room.


    ¡°Just how close are you with Ad?¡± I¡¯m surprised at how calmly Landon asks that question. I know he


    would love nothing more than to rip Neal¡¯s throat out.


    ¡°We¡­.well, we have been intimate,¡± Neal whispers, but we hear him.


    ¡°Intimate, as in s*x?? She told me that she was saving herself for after the ceremony.¡± I¡¯m actually not


    surprised to hear that my sister lied about that, but it makes me wonder why. ¡°How long have you been


    sleeping with her?¡±


    ¡°On and off since high school.¡± Landon lets out a huff, and I see him shake his head.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t at all who I thought she was.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else we should know?¡± Lincoln¡¯s tone tells the story that he is through with this


    conversation.


    ¡°I¡­.um¡­..¡± Oh no, I think there¡¯s more. I almost don¡¯t want Neal to say anything else, or the twins may


    just lose their s**t. ¡°She had me make the call to bring you back to the territory.¡± The call¡­what call? I


    stand up and look at my mates. I can see their minds hard at work, and so many emotions pass


    through their eyes. They look at each other simultaneously, and I swear they would shift right here and


    now if they could. Landon turns to head down the hall, grabbing my wrist and pulling me with him.


    Lincoln is right behind me, basically pushing me back the way we came. It seems like they couldn¡¯t


    make it back to the surface fast enough. We finally make it above ground, and the twins immediately


    shift into their wolves and take off running. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but whatever it is doesn¡¯t bode


    well for Neal.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    ~Lincoln~


    SON OF A B***H!!!


    THAT F**KING ¡ª


    I SWEAR I WILL¡ª


    The shift was fast, and no time was spared while our wolves barrel into the forest. We are mind-linking


    each other, but we are also trying to gain control. Brutus is apocalyptic, and I¡¯m sure Goliath is the


    same. Our mate almost died because these b***hes decided to try to y Goddess. They thought it


    was their ce to decide someone else¡¯s fate, and they used someone else to do so. I don¡¯t think


    anyone will be safe if we don¡¯t get control back.


    I don¡¯t know where Brutus is going, but he is zooming through the brush and trees as if there is nothing


    there that could stop him. I¡¯m begging and pleading for him to give me back control, but I¡¯m not sure he


    hears me. I can feel branches and rocks cut into us; we zoom past, and it hurts. Brutus is eating up the


    pain, not willing to stop for anything.


    We careen through arge bush and tumble into open space. We are at the meadow where theke is.


    Emerald Lake is what¡¯s it called and where we got our name from. When this pack was created, we


    lived at the water¡¯s edge. As we expanded and gained morend, we moved inward, away from the


    lake. We made sure theke always stayed on our territory.


    We find ourselves in the meadow and on our paws. Brutus rears his head back and lets out a soul-


    shattering howl. The trees shake, and birds and other animals scatter from the area. Brutus drops to


    the ground and howls again, this time a howl full of pain. I take his distraction as an opportunity to shift


    then I put a block up.


    I look behind me and see Landon shifting as well. I stand on shaky legs and feel something wet on my


    face. I rub it, expecting blood, but my hand¡¯s just damp. I have tears on my face, and I didn¡¯t even know


    I had been crying. My heart hurts; it hurts that someone can be so cruel to their own flesh and blood.


    No matter their rtionship, the twins are sisters to Tia, yet they almost killed her. Was killing her the


    n, or were they just supposed to scare her? At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­what they did is treason


    at best.


    I walk to stand next to Landon, his feeling as strong in me as my own. We both know and agree with


    what needs to be done. I will be the one to do it because Landon tends to be the more sensitive twin,


    while I cane off cold and harsh. There is no hesitation for me; the sooner I can get this done, the


    better.


    Mark!


    Alpha?


    Get the warriors and find Ad and Aida. They are to be ced in the cells. A gasp and silence greet


    me on the other end of the mindlink.


    Right away, Alpha.


    Mark?


    Yes?


    Keep Stuart out of this! I cut the mindlink and nod at Landon. It¡¯s done. We will find the twins, and they


    will face the consequences of their actions.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ~Jenna~


    I¡¯m losing my f**king mind! I can¡¯t focus on anything. The only thing I can think of is Mark¡¯s hands all


    over me, his nose in my neck, his fingers on my¡­¡­


    ¡°URGH!!!!!¡± I toss the pillow across the room. I start to throw my fist into the mattress, kicking my feet


    and twisting my head back and forth. If no one knew better, they¡¯d think that I was possessed.


    Mate, Mate, MATE, MATE!!!


    ¡°I know, I know¡­.mate, mate, mate, F**KING MATE! For f**k¡¯s sake, Iris! SHUT THE F**K UP!!!!! I


    swear, having Alpha blood can be a real pain in the a*s sometimes. If Iris doesn¡¯t cool it with this ¡®mate¡¯


    s**t, I¡¯m going to f**king lose it.


    The crazy part is¡­.I want Mark too. I swear I want him as badly as Iris wants her mate. What the hell is


    going on with me? He is only a Beta and has been an a*****e to me. I came here to get the twins and


    find my mate instead. I never thought I¡¯d find my mate, let alone find him in the pack of the men that I


    was trying to seduce. Goddess, help me!


    I¡¯ve been in distress since earlier today after my rendezvous with Mark. I¡¯ve been confused about


    everything since I found out he is my fated mate. I¡¯m a wreck, and I don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t have


    any close friends to talk to; everyone sees me the same and keeps me at arm¡¯s length. The only


    person I have is my dad, and I try not to have him see certain sides of me. I sigh and pull my phone off


    the nightstand. The phone rings twice before it connects, and a gruff voice answers the phone. ¡°Hey,


    daddy, can we talk?¡±


    I walk to stand next to Landon, his feeling as strong in me as my own. We both know and agree with


    what needs to be done. I will be the one to do it because Landon tends to be the more sensitive twin,


    while I cane off cold and harsh. There is no hesitation for me; the sooner I can get this done, the


    better.


    ¡°Sure baby girl, what¡¯s up?¡± Iunch into everything: why I came here and everything that has


    happened since I got here. ¡°I¡­I know you must be disappointed in me daddy. I never wanted you to


    know this side of me.¡± My dad sighs on the line.


    ¡°Baby girl, do you honestly think that I haven¡¯t heard things about you over the years. I always hoped


    you would find your fated mate and your actions would change for the better. I couldn¡¯t be more happy


    that you¡¯ve found him, but that leaves a question. What is it that you want? Deep down in side, what do


    you truly want? Only you can answer that questions. I love you and will always be there for you, but


    you¡¯re an adult and you have to make your own choices. Not only that, but you have to be able to live


    with the consequences of those choices.¡±


    Dad is right; I need to figure this out on my own. I need to decide what it is I really want. I just don¡¯t


    know if what I want will be avable to me. I have done some not-so-nice things in my past, and I don¡¯t


    know if I¡¯m worthy of anything for my future. ¡°I¡¯m going to being home for a bit.¡±


    ¡°The ceremony ising up and you¡¯re already there. Don¡¯t you just want to stay until then?¡± I sigh.


    ¡°No, daddy. I think I need toe home for a bit and figure some things out. Besides, you will need an


    escort to the ceremony.¡± My dad chuckles, and we get off the phone. I need to go home and think for a


    bit. Maybe things will be clearer when I return.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    ~Tia~


    I ate dinner alone and was waiting for the twins in the room. They have had their blocks up, and I¡¯m


    starting to get worried. I have been trying to figure out what set them off. Clearly, Ad was influencing


    Neal, but I don¡¯t understand why the twins got so unsettled.


    I toss my book on the nightstand and get off the bed. I guess I should check on my mom. That will


    distract me. I head down to the guestroom where she¡¯s staying and softly knock on the door. I hear


    rustling on the other side before the click of the door opening.


    Mom doesn¡¯t say a word, she opens her arms, and I step into them. I have rarely been able to have


    moments like this with my mom, and I n to soak up every second of it. We hug this way for a while


    before she lets me go. Mom steps aside and allows me to walk into the room. We sit on the couch, and


    I tell her everything that has happened since the dress shop.


    Mom gets up and paces the room, looking worried. ¡°If your sister had marked Landon¡­.¡± She takes a


    deep breath and shakes her head. I sit back on the couch and stare off into space. I don¡¯t know what to


    say to any of this, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with my mates. Mom stops moving and sits next to


    me on the couch. She grabs my hand and holds it close. We sit on the couch together in quiet


    contemtion.


    A loud knock on the door makes me jump. Mom and I look at each other before she¡¯s up and opens the


    door. Landon and Lincoln walk into the room. They wear sweatpants and tank tops, water falling down


    their chests and arms. I can feel the heat start to pool between my legs. I clench them tight, hoping the


    smell of my arousal doesn¡¯t spread through the room. The look on their faces sober me up quickly.


    They look angry and concerned, and I have no idea why.


    Landon runs a hand down his face, and Lincoln reaches for me. I step into his arms, allowing him to


    squeeze me. The hug is tight, but I won¡¯t darein out loud. When Lincoln lets me go, Landon


    grabs me in the same bone-crushing manner. Lincoln steps into the room more and looks between my


    mom and me. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    Landon sighs, kisses the top of my head, and then lets me go. ¡°It has to do with what Neal said.¡± I take


    a seat next to my mom and look at the twins. Landon seems lost, so Lincoln begins.


    ¡°Neal, well, he mentioned the phone call to get us toe back here. The phone call that made us


    leave you¡­..¡±


    ¡°Right before you were beat up¡­..¡± I looked between Landon and Lincoln. Mom grabs my hand and


    squeezes it. Neal said that Ad had him make the call to get the twins back to the territory. I was


    lured into the woods and beaten almost to death. That has to be a coincidence, right? My sisters


    couldn¡¯t have orchestrated that, right? I can feel my heartbeat pick up, and my mouth goes dry.


    Landon kneels in front of me and takes my free hand into his. ¡°We¡­.we think that your sisters nned


    your incident. They may have even been the ones to carry it out.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± my mom gasps and squeezes my hand. Lincoln walks over and sits next to me on the couch.


    ¡°We have warriors looking for the twins so they can bring them to the cells. We will question them and


    see what really happened. We¡¯re sorry, Doc.¡± I can hear my mom weeping, but I can¡¯t look at her. I


    can¡¯t wrap my head around what my mates are saying. I know my sisters and I never really got along.


    They lived life like I didn¡¯t exist growing up, following after my dad. We never really got into many


    arguments because they didn¡¯t talk to me. I never, in my wildest dreams, would have thought they


    would harm me or wish me harm.


    I didn¡¯t realize I was crying until I feel sparks under my eyes. Lincoln pulls his hand back, and his thumb


    is wet. I have no words; I can¡¯t seem to work my mouth. What did I ever do to them? How could they be


    so hateful? The sobs erupt from my chest, and I can¡¯t stop them. I feel my body shake with each sob.


    Landon pulls me to him and starts to stroke my back. Lincoln is running his hand up and down my arm,


    and my mom is rubbing circles on the back of my hand. I cry until darkness consumes me.


    ~Landon~


    I pick up Tia and carry her to our room. She passed out from crying, and I can¡¯t me her. Her mom is


    just as devastated and spent time apologizing over and over again. She feels guilty because her own


    children have tried to hurt our mate. Lincoln and I kept telling her that it wasn¡¯t her fault. I left Lincoln to


    try to console her.


    I ce Tia on the bed and cover her with nkets. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. I could


    watch her for hours, but we have work to do. I walk out of the room and quietly close the door behind


    me. Lincoln is leaving the guest room at the same time. We walk to our office without speaking.


    I asked our dad and Mark to meet us in the office. They are seated on the couch when we walk in.


    Lincoln and I sit at our desks, and no one speaks for a while. ¡°What¡¯s going on sons?¡± Mark and dad


    have no idea what happened. Mark only knows that we want the twins in the cells. Lincoln starts to


    update them while I stare off into space. I can¡¯t believe I almost made Ad my chosen mate and


    Luna. She tried to kill her own sister. How could someone like that be Luna material? We almost lost


    our mate over simple jealousy.


    Mark reacts first, his growl sounding throughout the room. Dad took to pacing while Lincoln was


    exining everything. He stops walking and looks at us. ¡°This is¡­.we need to talk to Stuart.¡± I knew he


    would say that; I just couldn¡¯t yet. I can¡¯t face that man knowing what he has done to my mate and what


    he may have had a hand in.


    ¡°Have you found the twins yet?¡± Lincoln¡¯s voice has an edge, and I know they are in for it when they


    are found.


    ¡°No. The warriors are looking all over the territory, but neither have been seen.¡± I sigh and look down at


    my hands.


    ¡°Son, you have been quiet this entire time. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± I look at my dad, and the tears make


    it hard to see him clearly. He sighs and walks over to me. Dad grabs me into a big hug, and I let the


    tears fall, silently crying over what my mate has gone through at the hands of those who should have


    loved her.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    A knock on the door causes me to clean my face and sit up quickly. Dad walks over to the chair


    opposite me and takes a seat. ¡°Enter.¡± The door opens, and Stuart walks in. He looks around the room


    and puts a hard mask on his face.


    ¡°You wanted to see me¡­.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    ~Stuart~


    I¡¯m summoned to the pack office as if I¡¯m some schoolboy about to be reprimanded by the principal. It


    irks me that these boys think so highly of themselves. They feel they are above everyone else and


    untouchable. I wasn¡¯t even happy when my twins expressed their interest in them. I went along with it


    because they deserve the best, and having the Luna title gives me that.


    As I walk into the room, I see all eyes on me¡ªPaul with Landon, Lincoln at his desk, and Mark on the


    couch. I have no idea what the hell they want from me, but they better make it quick. I have things to


    do, and I¡¯m still pissed about my mate being allowed to be away from me. ¡°You wanted to see me¡­¡­.¡±


    I make eye contact with Paul, hoping he will speak quickly.


    ¡°No, not me. My sons called for you. Have a seat, please.¡± As if I didn¡¯t know it was his bratty sons who


    called for me. I pretend to act as if I¡¯m someint member of the pack when I really just want to rip


    their throats out. I make my way to the chair in front of Landon and have a seat. No one really says


    anything; everyone just looks at each other.


    ¡°Well?! Is this about my mate? Are you apologizing for interfering in matters that aren¡¯t your damn


    concern?¡± I can hear an intake of breath, and I figure it¡¯s Mark. I¡¯m sure he lets them intimidate him all


    the time, but not me. I can take them in a heartbeat and would love to prove as much. A low growl rips


    into the room, which causes a smirk to appear on my face. Anything to get under their skin makes me


    beyond happy.


    ¡°We want to talk to you about the girls and update you on some things.¡± Although Lincoln is speaking, I


    keep my eyes on Landon. He seems to be dealing with something right now, making him the weaker


    twin. If I need to, he will be the one to break.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lincoln sighs, and it¡¯s filled with irritation. Another point for me, none for them.


    ¡°We have recentlye across some vital information regarding the girls. Ad had a warrior call us


    to return to teh territory under the guise that there was trouble. When we arrived, everything was fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, and¡­..¡± Did they really just call me here for some stupid gossip? A throat clears next to me, but


    I refuse to take my eyes off Landon.


    ¡°Watch yourself, Stuart. I may still be Alpha, but the boys are soon to take my ce. They are to be


    given the same respect as me.¡± The funny thing is that I don¡¯t even respect him. He is weak to me, and


    I could do his job better than he does it. I simply nod so they can hurry and get to the point.


    ¡°The issue is, while we were gone, Tia was purposely attacked and almost killed,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°Is that what she calls herself¡­.¡¯Tia¡¯ ?¡± Landon¡¯s nostrils re, and that makes me chuckle more.


    ¡°WE CONCLUDED that the phone call was meant to get us out of the area so TIA could be attacked.¡±


    Where are they going with this? ¡°It¡¯s probable that the girls orchestrated the attack some way or even


    did it themselves.¡± I shoot out of my chair, making it fall on its side with a bang. I m my fist on the


    desk and growl.


    ¡°Are you using MY GIRLS?!¡± I¡¯m breathing heavily, the anger threatening to take overpletely.


    How dare these weak boys to use my girls of anything! Even if they did have something to do with


    the attack, who the f**k cares?! She¡¯s weak and pathetic anyway. They should be thanking them for


    helping rid the world of such filth.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I keep my eyes on Landon but direct my inquiry to Paul. ¡°You expect your boys to be given the same


    respect you are, yet you say nothing about them speaking of pack members this way.¡±


    ¡°It seems like they are warranted in their questions and opinions. The burden is on your daughters to


    prove they had nothing to do with this. As the moment, they are looking quite guilty and aren¡¯t making


    you look all that innocent either.¡± I f**king can¡¯t stand this weak b***h.


    Landon slowly stands up from his chair and looks directly at me. ¡°What do you know about this? Were


    you apart of this as well?¡±


    ¡°How dare you use my girls! None of us had anything to do with the attack on your precious mate.


    All one has to do is meet her once and they are ready to rid the world of such a-¡±


    ¡°YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OF TIA THAT WAY!!!¡± Each word spoken had the room vibrating. So the little


    boy has a little fire under his belt. Who knew?


    ¡°Just know that we are looking for the twins, and once found, they will be thrown into the cells for


    further questioning.¡± The anger overrides my control, and I jump across the desk, going for Landon¡¯s


    neck. What I didn¡¯t anticipate was what his response would be. Landon quickly meets me in the middle,


    with his hand wrapped around my neck. I¡¯m flipped quickly and mmed on my back. I hear the crack


    of some bones as pain shoots all through me. I¡¯m struggling for breath, and Landon is over me.


    ¡°You better pray to the Moon Goddess that we don¡¯t find any information that points to you. If I find out


    that you had anything to do with what happened to Tia, I will skin you alive myself.¡± Landon¡¯s face is so


    close that I can feel spittle fall on me as he speaks. I swear this little prick has just signed his death


    certificate. No one talks to me like that nor treats my children that way. I vaguely hear footsteps before I


    feel hands on my arms.


    ¡°Landon let him up. Take him to the clinic so he can get checked out.¡± My neck bes free as I¡¯m


    carried out of the office.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    ~Ad~


    F**K!! What the f**k just happened? One minute I¡¯m close to getting Landon back, and the next, I¡¯m


    hiding from my pack. I¡¯m grateful that I have always kept a few warriors in my inner circle. I was given a


    heads-up that they were tasked to find Aida and me and throw us in the cells. Can you imagine me in


    the cells?!


    F**king Neal! I knew he would spill the beans if given a chance. Now the twins know that I put him up to


    making the phone call that took them away from Portia. I¡¯m sure they suspect that we either


    orchestrated her attack or attacked her. I wish we had killed her. Had we done that, we wouldn¡¯t be in


    this mess right now. The twins would have grieved, but they would have taken us as Lunas since they


    would have needed to have someone by their sides.


    I¡¯ve been on the run for days and days. It was a task getting off our territory without being seen. I


    haven¡¯t gone too far from the territory. I don¡¯t know how much longer I need to live like this, but it isn¡¯t


    easy. I¡¯m not built to go, living like a rogue. I will return once I have a n in ce. There is no way I¡¯m


    going to let this stand. I can¡¯t even reach out to my dad because I¡¯m sure they are monitoring his


    communication. He has gotten a few messages to me along with some money. I can always count on


    my dad.


    I have no idea where Aida is. I know she hasn¡¯t been captured, but that¡¯s all I know. Our link has been


    blocked since before all of this even happened. I have no idea what¡¯s been going on with her, but I


    can¡¯t worry about that now. I have to survive what¡¯s going on, so I need to be able to focus. Once I get


    settled, I will look for Aida. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s okay right now. If something had happened to her, I would


    have felt the loss. I just hope she is being as careful as I am.


    I check my surroundings and take a minute to listen. I hear nothing other than the hustle and bustle of


    the city. I lift my nose in the air and take a breath. There are so many scents, being around these


    humans, but the one thing I don¡¯t smell is wolves. I zip up my hoodie, pull the hood lower on my head,


    and walk across the street.


    ~Aida~


    The rustle of the leaves is unsettling, but I don¡¯t move a muscle. I hear footsteps and hold my breath in


    an attempt to make myself invisible. I listen to the footsteps retreat, and I make a move. I knew it was a


    risk to go through the forest, but I had no other choice. I have to get in and get these things for my n


    to beplete. I can¡¯t get scared now; there¡¯s too much on the line.


    I quietly run through the woods; I step over logs and twigs. If Ind too heavily, I could make a noise I


    don¡¯t want to make. I stop at the treeline and peer out to thend in front of me. It¡¯s empty, and I can


    make a straight line to my destination. I need to make sure I¡¯m quick enough not to get caught. Getting


    caught will kill everything I have been working on, and I¡¯ve put too much time in to do that.


    I take a deep breath and take off. My feet barely graze the ground underneath me. My lungs are


    starting to burn, but I can¡¯t stop. I make it to my destination and pull the window up, praying that it will


    give way. Luck is on my side tonight, and I¡¯m grateful. I bet all of those years of training areing in


    handy with this task. I used toin to Ad all the time about the training, but it was useful in the


    end.


    Ad¡­¡­I miss her. My twin and I have been estranged for a while now, and I hate it. I just need to do


    this, and once it¡¯splete, I can be with my sister again. I¡¯m doing this for us, and I know she¡¯ll


    appreciate the effort.


    I step through the window and head upstairs. I stop on the stairs to listen to my surroundings. There¡¯s


    no noise, so I¡¯m pretty sure that I¡¯m alone. I slip into the room and take what I¡¯vee to get. I head


    back downstairs and out the window, closing it behind me.


    I set out across thend again. This location is going to be much harder, but I have to make it there. ¡°I


    know,¡± I whisper harshly. ¡°I need to make it over there so I can get it. I don¡¯t need you hassling me.¡± I


    swear I don¡¯t need to the backseat driving. I know what I¡¯m doing.


    My n was almost foiled when I found out warriors were looking for me. I had toy low for a few days


    to gather a new n. I just need to get through tonight sessfully, and I can continue with my original


    n. ¡°Would you shut the f**k up?! I got this, get out of my head!¡± I stop behind a tree and listen. There


    is no noise, and I know I need to do this now, or my moment will be lost. I take a look around to confirm


    that I¡¯m alone. I quickly take off into the night. It¡¯s time to finish this and get what¡¯s mine.N?velDrama.Org content rights.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    ¡°Well?! What do they do?¡± I¡¯m pacing back and forth while keeping an eye on all exits. I¡¯m deep in the


    forest in an unknown cabin, but that doesn¡¯t mean people haven¡¯t followed me. I look up, and the


    silence is bing unbearable. ¡°I don¡¯t have all day! It¡¯s almost time.¡±


    To be clear, the Alpha ceremony is tomorrow. I have to be sure about these items before then. I have


    waited for an answer for days, and my patience is running out. This is the final piece to the puzzle. ¡°You


    were given a bit of the wrong information.¡± I stop in my tracks.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The witch sighs.


    ¡°These were created for fated mates. If are in the same area, this keep their wolves from seeking the


    other out. The bond will be dampened so teh desire will be gone.¡± I swear that¡¯s the same thing I told


    her in the first ce.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I told you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She shakes her head. ¡° For one to wear this, they make their wolf almost indetectable to their


    mate. They won¡¯t be felt through their bond if marked. If not marked, they aren¡¯t able to detect the


    scent. The draw is not avable. When both mates wear these, they can be with others without


    allowing the betrayal to be felt.¡±


    ¡°Felt by anyone marked, like a chosen?¡±


    ¡°How is it that you know so little about your own kind? Fated mates are tied, down to their souls. When


    one is unfaithful, that pain is felt because of the souls being tied. A chosen is marked and they mate,


    but their souls are never tied together. How can they be when the bond wasn¡¯t formed by your


    Goddess?¡±


    I feel a smile form on my face as I reach for my items. The witch pulls her hand back, causing a growl


    to escape my lips. ¡°This is powerful dark magic, and it goes against your Goddess. You have to be


    aware of the problems you can cause using these.¡± I snatch the bag and ce it into my pocket.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice. I know exactly what I¡¯m doing. You just make sure you keep your mouth shut!


    You never saw me.¡± I run to the door and pop my head out to make sure the coast is clear. I run into


    the woods and head to my next destination. I have a few hours to finalize my ns.


    ~Jenna~


    Our cars pull up to the packhouse, and my stomach is doing summersaults. I almost chickened out and


    had my dade for the Alpha ceremony on his own. Mom has been gone for a while, but dad was


    able to push through. He always said it was because he had me in his life.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I came here to make some things right, not for my father. I have to be a better person. I¡¯ve gone too


    long messing around and being self-centered. At least, that¡¯s what I wanted people to see. I never


    showed my true self because I knew no one would ept me. Everyone has an idea of what the


    daughter of an Alpha is and how she acts. It was always easier to let them have those assumptions


    rather than try to get people to see me for who I really am.


    The car door opens, and my dad¡¯s hand appears. I take it and walk with him to face Alpha Paul and


    Luna Kimberly. The look she is giving me is one of pure anger and disgust, but I can¡¯t help that. She


    will just have to be mad. She shouldn¡¯t be trying to interfere with her sons and their mate.


    ¡°So d you two could join us. This time we should be able to see it through.¡± Alpha Paul and my


    father chuckle at that. I missed the first ceremony, but it sure was talked about by everyone. Luna


    Kimberly smiles at my dad, then turns to me.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to see you. I wasn¡¯t aware you had left. What can you expect from someone-¡± Alpha


    Paul squeezes Luna Kimberly¡¯s arm, and I try to hide myugh. Thankfully, my father had made it up


    the stairs to the door before she started. He¡¯s speaking to the twins and their mate, and now it¡¯s my


    turn.


    I nod to Alpha Paul and take a deep breath, taking the steps needed to face my fate. Standing in front


    of the trio feels like standing in front of the open freezer, and I can¡¯t me them. ¡°Uh¡­hi. Can¡­.can I


    speak to you guys?¡± I can see Tia¡¯s jaw clench, and Lincoln rolls his eyes.


    ¡°Anything you need to say, do so now. Make it quick; we have others to wee.¡± Landon, straight to


    the point, and he isn¡¯t wrong. I swallow the lump in my throat and send a quick prayer to the Moon


    Goddess.


    ¡°I just want to apologize to you two for everything. I was wrong when you were on my territory and I


    was wrong when I was on yours. I had no right to push myself on you both.¡± Landon and Lincoln¡¯s eyes


    are huge, and they look genuinely shocked. I turn to Tia and reach out, brushing my fingers along her


    arm. She looks at the spot I touched and then at my face. ¡°I was beyond wrong and sorry doesn¡¯t cover


    everything I put you through. I truly apologize and I¡¯m happy that you found your fated mates. I don¡¯t


    expect your forgiveness, but I am truly sorry.¡±


    Tia looks at me¡­..I mean, really looks at me. It¡¯s like she¡¯s trying to peer into my soul. I hold her gaze


    even though it¡¯s extremely ufortable. ¡°I don¡¯t like you; you¡¯ve given me no reason to.¡± I hold my


    breath and wait for what wille next. Tia sighs and steps toward me. She leans in close so that her


    mouth is at my ear. ¡°Mark is at home. If you follow the path to your right, his house is the yellow door.


    You can¡¯t miss it.¡± Tia walks back to her mates, and I¡¯m floored. I never expected her to forgive me, but


    I also never expected her to point in Mark¡¯s direction. I don¡¯t deserve it, but I will dly take it.


    ¡°If you all will excuse me.¡± I nod to the trio and turn to my right, determined to find the house with the


    yellow door.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    ~Mark~


    I feel wretched! I swear my body is sluggish, and my mind is hazy. I¡¯ve felt this way since Jenna left the


    territory. I¡¯ve been struggling with training and my duties as the future Beta of the pack. I¡¯ve tried to


    keep the twins out of it as much as possible, relying on Tia to talk it out with me.


    She has been off as well. I guess finding out that your sisters wanted to, possibly, kill you is enough to


    have anyone acting off. We have relied on each other to get gain some sort of semnce. Lynn has


    also been helping us, and I couldn¡¯t be more grateful.


    Our parents are in front of the packhouse now, weing the guests for tomorrow¡¯s ceremony. I had


    nned to join them, but I just couldn¡¯t put the fake smile on my face and pretend. I¡¯d have to pretend


    that my heart and soul aren¡¯t hurting. That angers me! Why should I be hurting? Why should I want


    someone that is clearly no good for me? It isn¡¯t just Cato who yearns for her; I hate myself for that. Out


    of all of the she-wolves I could have been fated to, it just had to be her, Jenna.


    A knock on my door brings me out of my thoughts. ¡°Yeah?¡± My door is pushed open, and Lynn stands


    in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did mom and dad need me?¡±


    ¡°No, they are still performing theirst duties as Beta male and female. Look,¡± Lynn shifts from foot to


    foot. She looks a bit nervous.


    ¡°What?¡± Lynn sighs and walks into my room, sitting on my bed next to me.


    ¡°I know that Jenna isn¡¯t the best example of a loving mate that there is, but there is something about


    her. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s as bad as she seems.¡± I scoff. My sister, always so sentimental.


    ¡°Are you kidding me right now? She came here to break up a union, to get the twins to ditch Tia and


    pick her. How is that not horrible?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that what she did wasn¡¯t bad. I said she isn¡¯t as bad as she seems.¡± I roll my eyes, causing


    Lynn to hit my arm. ¡°I think you should at least talk to her; let her show you who she is.¡±


    ¡°Yeah let me open myself up and let her use me to get to the twins.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°URGH! Seriously?!¡± Lynn stands up and starts to pace. ¡°You act like she kept going after the twins


    once she found you. You act as if she didn¡¯t leave the territory abruptly, I mean how can she get the


    twins if she isn¡¯t here? You can¡¯t really be so dense that you don¡¯t see the change in her all since you


    made yourself known to her.¡±


    ¡°She should have just epted the rejection. It would be easier that way.¡± Lynn stops pacing and looks


    at me.


    ¡°Easier for who exactly? You may have rejected her, but you sure don¡¯t act like a wolf that wants


    nothing to do with their mate. You can at least talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let me call her so we can talk.¡± I used the air quotes for ¡®talk¡¯ because I¡¯m pretty sure that isn¡¯t


    how things would go.


    ¡°I mean, you could call her, or you can go downstairs¡­.¡± My head snaps up, and I look at Lynn who¡¯s


    sporting a slight smirk on her face. I can feel my heartbeat get fast, and my palms are getting sweaty.


    ¡°Do¡­.downstairs?¡± Lynn nods and tries to hide her smile. I jump out of bed and run to my closet. I start


    to shuffle through the clothes before I stop. What the hell am I doing?! She doesn¡¯t deserve my best. I


    slowly make my way out of the closet, and the minute Lynn¡¯s eyes meet mine, she falls on the bed


    laughing.


    ¡°Oh yeah! There¡¯s a wolf who wants to reject his mate.¡± Lynn isughing hysterically, and I p her a*s


    as I walk past her. ¡°Ow you a*****e. You¡¯re going to pay for that one.¡± I can hear the rustling of the


    nkets, so I start to run down the hall and down the stairs. I slide into the hallway, stopping in front of


    the living room where that scent hits me like a truck; apples and cinnamon.


    I clear my throat and walk into the room. Jenna is standing in front of the firece. She was looking at


    the family photos we have up until I got to the hallway. I sit on the couch and watch her. I missed her


    beauty and her body, to be honest. She looks nervous, and I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s sweet or should be


    expected. ¡°He¡­.hey.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, Jenna?¡± She sighs but doesn¡¯t move from her spot.


    ¡°I mean, I came with my father to watch the ceremony.¡± I nod, not expecting her to say anything else.


    ¡°Also¡­.¡± I look at Jenna, waiting for her to finish her sentence. The nervousness and anxiousness are


    heavy in the air, and it¡¯s getting a bit hard to breathe.


    ¡°Also¡­.¡±


    ¡°I, also, came to see you. I came to¡­..¡± I cross my arms across my body.


    ¡°You came to ept my rejection, finally.¡± Jenna¡¯s face falls, and I can feel a pang in my heart. I


    swallow, trying not to show that I¡¯m affected.


    ¡°I¡­just let me say what I came to say and if you want me to ept your rejection after, I will. I won¡¯t


    fight you anymore.¡± I look at her, trying to find any untruth in her words, but I detect none. I nod,


    indicating that she should continue. Jenna sighs and turns back to the mantle. ¡°I lived my life acting.


    You know people have a certain view when ites to Alpha children. Many see us as spoiled and


    arrogant. Many want to be friends with us because of our status, not really caring about who we really


    are. I pretended that all of those views that others had of me were the real me and conducted myself in


    that way. I was the prissy, spoiled, arrogant b***h that ran to daddy to get whatever she wanted. That


    was never the real me though.¡± Jenna turns to face me. ¡°The problem is that I pretended for so long


    that I forgot I was pretending.¡± Jenna sits in an armchair adjacent to the couch.


    ¡°I know I came here for the wrong reasons the first time. I¡­..I thought I wasing here to get what I


    wanted, what I deserved. I was so wrong. I had no right to try to break up a couple just because of what


    I wanted. I should have never made a deal with the Luna or came here to cause any trouble. I¡¯m¡­.I¡¯m


    d I did though.¡± My back straightens, and I look at Jenna like she¡¯s crazy. She chuckles and closes


    her eyes. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t have showed up, no matter the f**ked up reason, I wouldn¡¯t have found you. I¡¯m


    grateful for that. I¡¯m so sorry that you are fated to someone who doesn¡¯t deserve you. You are way too


    good for me and I know you¡¯ll want to have all that you deserve.¡± Jenna gets up and walks toward me,


    cing a hand on my shoulder. The sparks under her hand make butterflies appear in my stomach,


    and I inhale sharply.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I want you to know that I apologized to the twins and Tia. If you want me to ept your


    rejection, I will. Just¡­.just don¡¯t make me do it right now. I don¡¯t think I can take it right now. I know I


    don¡¯t deserve to ask anything of you, but just¡­..just give me some time.¡± I see a tear fall from Jenna¡¯s


    eyes while she runs to the door and disappears through it.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    ~Jenna~


    I tossed and turned all night. I just couldn¡¯t get settled, and it didn¡¯t help that Iris was off on her tangent.


    She kept calling for her mate, and it was driving me crazy. She acts like I don¡¯t want Mark. Actually, I


    can¡¯t be mad at her. I did act as if he wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but that simply isn¡¯t true.


    I grab my phone off the nightstand and see it¡¯s 3:15 in the morning. I know sleep will not be visiting me


    at all, and I wish I were back home. If I were, I would go for a run and try to tire myself out. I¡¯m visiting a


    different territory, and it isn¡¯t smart to take off for a run under those circumstances. Not only that, but if I


    let Iris out, I know exactly where I¡¯d end up. I asked Mark to give me time before he asks that I ept


    his rejection. I just need to build my strength and be mentally prepared for the loss.


    I sigh and turn to my side. I stare at the wall for a bit, watching the movie that isn¡¯t my life y out. I


    scroll through my phone, looking at different videos and memes. Nothing is pacifying my wolf or me,


    but I¡¯m not surprised. I sigh again and lock my phone. I ce it back on the nightstand and lie on my


    back, looking up at the ceiling. I could try counting sheep, but I¡¯m not sure that would work.


    I make a choice to go work out. I¡¯m sure that I can make it to the gym, and maybe a vigorous workout


    will help me sleep at least a bit. I finishcing up my shoes, having put on a workout outfit. I grab a


    small towel out of the bathroom and head to the door. I pull the door open, and the shock almost


    knocks me on my a*s. Standing at my door is Mark, and my voice disappears, my throat bing dry.


    Mark clears his throat, looking everywhere but at me. ¡°Uh, was I disturbing you?¡±


    ¡°N¡­no. I¡­I was just going to go work out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty early for that, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Mark nods but doesn¡¯t respond. ¡°Did¡­.did you need something?¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Yeah, uh¡­..did you have a minute?¡± I quickly nod, not trusting my voice. ¡° Maybe I can go to the gym


    with you. I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to you while you were on my territory.¡± I give Mark a small


    smile and step toward him, closing the door behind me. We turn to the stairs and start to walk. I feel a


    flutter in my stomach as Mark gently takes my hand.


    ~Tia~


    I can feel the sun¡¯s rays on my face, and I take a deep breath. Today is the day! Today is the day that I


    be the official Luna of this pack. I know a lot of people aren¡¯t happy with that fact, but there¡¯s


    nothing they can do about it. My mates and I have marked each other, and the ceremony will make my


    status official.


    I stretch out my arms, and sadness sets in when Ie up empty. The bed is cold on either side of me,


    causing me to sit up and look around the room. My door is thrown open with my mom and Lynn walking


    in. They are smiling ear to ear.


    ¡°GET UP B***H!!! Your day is finally here.¡±


    ¡°Language, Lynn,nguage.¡± Lynn covers her mouth.


    ¡°My bad.¡± Lynn jumps on the bed and cuddles next to me. ¡°It¡¯s time to get up girl. We have an entire


    day of beauty ahead of us.¡±


    ¡°Where are my mates?¡± Mom chuckles and shakes her head while going into the closet.


    ¡°They are doing what Alphas do. You need to get dressed so we can get started with our day.¡± I sigh


    and grumble, with my mom chuckling at me. She hands me some clothes to throw on, and we head


    downstairs for a quick breakfast.


    We head to a waiting SUV after breakfast. Our driver is taking us to the spa for the day of beauty that


    my mom had nned. The only thing missing is the Luna, but I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised. She didn¡¯t


    want me to be mated to her sons or to take over her position, so she definitely wasn¡¯t going to help me


    get ready for the ceremony. I take the car ride to mindlink the twins.


    You guys couldn¡¯t have given me a heads-up?


    A, love. You¡¯ll be fine. We want you to enjoy your day.


    We can¡¯t wait to see youter! The mindlink was cut, and I¡¯m in shock. Why does it feel like they are up


    to something? I can¡¯t dwell on it too long because we have arrived, and they are waiting for me to get


    out of the car. I decide to make the best of the day and make sure I look amazing for my matester.


    ~Stuart~


    WHERE IS IT?! I¡¯m currently tearing up the downstairs of my home, and the frustration has been


    permeating. It¡¯s been more than 24 hours since I notice it missing, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. I have


    made sure to keep to myself while I search for it.


    The first ce I looked for my watch was in my office in the training area. I don¡¯t like to wear it when I¡¯m


    training, so I take it off and ce it on my desk. There have been times when I left it in my desk and


    had to go back and get it, but this wasn¡¯t that.


    I searched the entire upstairs of my house but still came up empty. I¡¯m searching everywhere


    downstairs: couch cushions, kitchen, chairs, etc. I have no idea what happened to that watch, but I


    really need it. I have duties toplete today as head warrior, and I can¡¯t do them to the best of my


    ability without that watch.


    I stand in the middle of the living room, looking at the mess surrounding me. I haven¡¯t seen the watch


    yet, and I¡¯m starting to get extremely anxious. I know the anxiety is not because the watch is missing


    but because of what the missing watch means and what it could lead to. Goddess, help me if I don¡¯t


    find that watch. I take a deep breath and head back upstairs, determined to use the time left. I have to


    find that damn watch.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    ~Kimberly~


    I sit at my vanity, getting myself ready for this sham of a ceremony. That girl has no right to take over


    my spot in this pack. Jennapletely failed and went against our agreement. The Colby twins are


    missing and are destined for the dungeon. I wish I could just go back a few weeks, and I¡¯d make sure


    things went my way.


    The closet door opens, and Paul walks out, looking as suave as always. His brown skin is glowing, and


    I notice he just got a fade-up along with his beard cleaned up. I can feel moisture start to pool between


    my legs. Paul¡¯s fixing the cufflinks on this white dress shirt. He looks up, and we lock eyes. I give him a


    smile to be met with a frown. ¡°You really should have joined them at the spa today.¡± I roll my eyes


    internally. We have gone over this again and again.


    ¡°They had more than enough people if you count the guards that went as well. My presence wasn¡¯t


    missed.¡± Paul walks toward me as I put lotion on my arms.


    ¡°Why would the number of guards matter? It was Tia, her mom, and Lynn. You should have made an


    appearance since it¡¯s your sons mate¡­.if nothing else since you are the current Luna.¡±


    ¡°And as the current Luna, I had things to look after here.¡± Paul ces a hand on my shoulder as I fix


    the bracelet on my wrist.


    ¡°You will have to ept her at some point. The boys have marked her so she isn¡¯t going anywhere. It


    would go a long way for when we have grandchildren.¡± I will love my grandkids, but I don¡¯t have to like


    their mother. Paul rubs my shoulder before reaching for his suit jacket. ¡°Where is your ne? I


    swear I haven¡¯t seen you without that since before the twins were born.¡± I touch my chest to find it


    empty. I look around my vanity, where my jewelry is kept, but I don¡¯t see it. I told Paul the ne was


    a family heirloom that had been passed down. He never questioned me, and I never take it off.


    ¡°Oh, I had to have it sent to the shop. The sp broke.¡± Paul nods and walks behind me. He kisses the


    top of my head and straightens up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will take good care of it. I¡¯m going to head down, see you out there.¡± I give him a small


    smile, and the minute he leaves the room, I start to tear my vanity up. Where the hell is that ne? I


    know the sp is strong, so it didn¡¯t fall off. Thest I remember seeing it, I had taken it off and ced


    it on my vanity, but it isn¡¯t there.


    My heartbeat is going a while a minute, and I¡¯m starting to breathe heavier. This could be disastrous.


    Without the ne, I¡¯m wide open for that mate bond, and it¡¯s going to be hell keeping my wolf at


    bay. The only bright spot is that Stuart will have his watch. That should somewhat help. I sigh, looking


    at my watch. I don¡¯t have the time to keep looking. I have to get downstairs and help greet everybody. I


    do a final check in the mirror and get up, making my way out of the room.


    ~Tia~


    The day of beauty really wasn¡¯t that bad. I enjoyed the time with my mom and Lynn. I¡¯m not surprised


    that Luna Kimberly didn¡¯t join us, but I also felt kind of bad about it. I¡¯m mated to her sons; we¡¯re


    marked. Like it or not, I¡¯m in her life for the duration. At some point, we will need to figure out how to get


    along for the sake of the twins as well as any children we have.


    I take onest look in the mirror and head out the door. A warrior is waiting on me so he can escort me


    outside. We will be behind the packhouse for the ceremony. Everyone is already seated.


    I¡¯m escorted behind the stage that has been set up. I will walk onto the stage once my name is called.


    The twins will be sworn in first, then the Beta, and I will best. I¡¯m so nervous because I don¡¯t


    anticipate a positive reaction from the pack once I get up there.


    Alpha Paul begins to speak, and I stand, waiting for my turn¡­¡­.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    ¡°Please wee your new Alphas: Landon and Lincoln Attwater! Sons, please take the dagger¡­.¡±


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    ¡°With that being said, we are eager to introduce our new Beta. Lynn Ross, please step to the front of


    the stage¡­..¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    ¡°It is our great pleasure to introduce our mate and Luna, Tia Colby¡­¡­.¡±


    ~Stuart~


    I don¡¯t know how much longer I canst. I¡¯m going crazy and want nothing more than to grab Kimberly


    and have my way with her right now. Her scent is all around me; honeysuckle and vani. It¡¯s so soft


    and so sweet at the same time. I wonder how sweet she tastes right now¡­..


    I¡¯ve been struggling the entire ceremony, trying not to keep my eyes on Kimberly. It¡¯s been so difficult.


    Her dress hugs every single curve that she has: her plump a*s¡­.her perky breasts. Her dress is a


    beautiful gold color and goes slightly past her knees. It isn¡¯t skin-tight but isn¡¯t too loose, either. It has a


    halter top, so her breasts are pushed together. The moment I saw her, I wanted to get out of there.


    As the head warrior, I¡¯m expected to be front and center for these events. There is no hiding behind


    others or staying home. I had nothing to distract me from those ebony legs that seems to go on for


    days or those plump lips that kept moving up and down. I kept imagining those lips wrapped around my


    hard d**k. I want Kimberly, and I want her bad. Caesar has been howling incessantly in my head,


    crying for his mate. It¡¯s a struggle, but I must get through this ceremony without giving anything away.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    ~Tia~


    The ceremony was amazing, and the celebration is in full swing. Landon, Lincoln, and I are receiving


    well wishes. The music is ying, and the drinks are flowing. Tables are set up all around, and pack


    members enjoy their time together and with the guests.


    Lynnes over with her family in tow. ¡°Surprise, b***h!¡± I grab her and give her a bear hug. I pull back


    and look between her and Mark.


    ¡°What the hell, guys? When did this change get decided?¡± Mark gives me a sly smile.


    ¡°This morning, I spoke to the twins and told them that as grateful as I was for the honor to be Beta, it


    would be hard to do since I would be at an entirely different pack.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s going to be the Alpha.¡± Jenna walks up to Mark and wraps her hand around his arm.


    ¡°Wait, Jenna I thought you would take over from your father,¡± Landon asks. Jenna smiles and shakes


    her head.


    ¡°To be honest, I never really wanted to be Alpha. I have trained for both, but have trained harder for


    Luna. I always just wanted to meet my mate and hand him the reigns, provided that he was a good


    man. I am perfectly happy in a supporting role.¡± Mark rolls his eyes and clears his throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s talking about, but she will be working with me. We will both take part in running


    the pack. It¡¯s her legacy, I just want to help out the best way I can.¡± Mark turns to me. ¡°But, yes, I will be


    the Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Well congrats-a-f**kingtions! I¡¯m super proud of you, but I¡¯m going to miss you so much!¡± I wrap my


    arms around his waist andy my head on his chest. Mark kisses the top of my head while hugging me


    back.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you too, but we will see each other as much as we can. You¡¯re my best friend. I won¡¯t


    be able to go through life without you.¡± I give Mark another squeeze before stepping back.


    ¡°Jenna, I still don¡¯t like you much, but take care of my bestie. If you don¡¯t-¡± Jenna holds her hands up in


    surrender.


    ¡°I know, and if I were to hurt him, I would dly wee whatever were to happen. You may not like


    me now, but I¡¯m going to work on winning you over.¡± Jenna gives me a nod, and Mark takes her to get


    some food.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t that bad, you know. I¡¯m pretty sure she will make my brother happy.¡± I nod and get


    bombarded with a new group of people congratting us on our new titles.


    ~Lincoln~


    We have been chit-chatting and thanking people for a while. We finally had to take a break so Tia could


    eat. I know her feet have to be killing her, and I n to give her a massage as soon as I sit down. I just


    have a few things I need to take care of.


    L, what¡¯s left to do? I can handle it while you and Tia eat.


    You need to eat, too, Linc.


    I will as soon as I¡¯m done.


    I think you just need to get thosest items we were talking about. Everything else is set up. Landon


    and I have nned a night and subsequent trip for our mate. We aren¡¯t going too far since we have the


    twins in the wind, but we decided that we need to spend some time together.


    The bags are already packed and have been loaded into the SUV that we will be taking. I can¡¯t wait to


    surprise Tia with this trip. We really need to get away from the mess and the drama. We need some


    time alone with our mate. I sneak away from Tia and head to the tree line. We have a shed where we


    keep different items. I open the shed door and turn on the light. Thankfully everything stays organized


    and inventoried. Anyone in the pack can borrow anything as long as they check it out and put it back


    after.


    I make my way down the rows, looking for thest few items we need for this trip. A tter rings out,


    and I stop, looking around the area I¡¯m standing in. I don¡¯t see anything, and I don¡¯t hear any other


    noise. I must have made something fall.


    I continue and finally spot what I need. I grab it, making a note that I will be taking it and head back to


    the door. I turn the lights off and close the shed. I just need to get these packed then I can eat. I¡¯m


    actually starving.


    I make my way to the front of the packhouse. I need to get these things into the SUV so that we can


    leave early in the morning. With everything packed now, our departure will be that much easier. Dad


    already agreed to stay on for a few days so we could make this trip. When we return, we will be in our


    official roles and working hard for the pack.


    I get to the SUV and open the back. The car is unlocked to make it easier for us to load. We have been


    working on this all day. I¡¯m pretty sure the keys are inside somewhere, but I can worry about thatter. I


    ce the times in the back and feel something on my ankle. I reach down and run my hand over my


    ankle before repositioning the items in the back.


    I step back and pull the trunk down. I turn to head back to the celebration, but my leg isn¡¯t moving. My


    right leg is stuck in ce, and that¡¯s weird. It¡¯s the leg I felt a pinch in, but nothing was there when I


    checked. I tug and pull, but my leg doesn¡¯t move. I have no idea what¡¯s going on. I try to mindlink


    someone, but I seem to be blocked out.


    My leg is feeling numb, and my left leg is joining. Damn, did something bite me, something poisonous?


    My body feels as if it¡¯s shutting down. My vision is blurring and getting dark. The numbness feels like


    it¡¯s traveling throughout my body, and I wonder how long until I fall out. I hear clicks, and the trunk


    opens in front of me. Thest thing I can make out is a dark shapeing out of the SUV.


    ~Kimberly~


    F**K! This has been the longest ceremony and now the celebration, and I just can¡¯t deal. My mind is


    swimming, and my wolf, Angie, is in a frenzy. It has been hell this evening, and it isn¡¯t getting better.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    The minute I saw Stuart, his scent knocked me out; musk and pine. Such a manly scent, and boy, did


    the look match. Stuart wore a ck suit that fit him like a glove, muscles bulging. His dark blue shirt


    had about three buttons unbuttoned, giving a peek at his chiseled chest. The minute I scented him, I


    started to get wet, and it didn¡¯t get better afterying my eyes on him.


    Angie kept calling out for her mate, and I had to fight the urge to keep a neutral face throughout the


    ceremony. I imagined running my fingers down his chest, popping the other buttons. I imagined how


    those rock-hard thighs would feel against my a*s, his hands on my b****t¡­..let¡¯s just say it took


    everything I had to keep my arousal at bay. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know I was being a horndog


    throughout the ceremony.


    I¡¯m walking around the ceremony, trying to be a good host, but it¡¯s hard to do. I keep smelling him


    throughout the crowd, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. I can feel my n*****s harden, and I just want to rip my


    clothes off and sink myself onto him. S**T! I really can¡¯t do this right now.


    I look around the crowd, and everyone is eating and talking. I¡¯m sure I can sneak out of here, and no


    one would notice. I slowly make my way to the back door of the packhouse, making small talk with


    people as I go. I finally make it to the door, taking onest look around before I open it. I feel eyes on


    me, and it¡¯s making my center wet. I don¡¯t look; I just walk through the door, making sure I swing my


    a*s as I go. Maybe I can get something out of this ceremony after all.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    ~Stuart~


    We¡¯ve been watching her all evening; Caesar has been hard to keep contained. He wants to be let free


    to mark her, mark her and ravish her. We are in agreement at this point, but there is no way that we can


    act on anything. She has a chosen mate, as do I. On top of that, her chosen mate is the Alpha, my


    Alpha.


    I have eyes on her from afar, and I watch her walk to the back door of the packhouse. I think she


    senses me watching her because she stops as if she¡¯s trying to feel for me. F**K! I swear I can smell


    her arousal from here, and I bet it¡¯s just for me. Damn, the way her a*s moves in that dress¡­..


    I wait a few minutes and head into the packhouse through the same back door. Her scent hits me as I


    close the door. I take a deep breath, letting it coat my lungs, and I look around, noticing that no one is


    there. I walk through the dining room, the kitchen, and into the hallway. I stop to listen, but there is no


    one, and I see nothing. I follow her scent upstairs to the second floor.


    I bet she went into her office. I make my way there but stop abruptly before reaching her office door.


    Her scent is heavy in front of the Alpha¡¯s office. The entry is ajar, and I push it open, walking into an


    empty room. The scent calls for me, and I find myself walking through the office to the back. The wall


    looks like it¡¯s moving, and a low light is glowing on the other side. I peek through and see that it¡¯s


    Kimberly¡¯s office. I never knew there was a hidden door to connect the two offices.


    I walk into her office and grab the wall, pulling it behind me. I scan the room and am stopped dead in


    my tracks. Kimberly is at the door of her office, and she is unzipping her dress. I can feel myself getting


    harder by the second. I let my suit jacket fall from my shoulders. I start to unbutton my dress shirt.


    Kimberly lets her dress fall, and the sight is amazing. Her perky breasts are standing at attention, and


    her n****es are hard. She is wearing a ckce thong that I want to rip off.


    I let my shirt fall from my body and start to undo my pants. Kimberly leans against the door and runs


    her hand, slowly, down her body: over her b****t, down her stomach, and into her panties. She uses her


    hand to rub her nub, and her other hand reaches up to pinch her n****e. Her eyes are hooded, and her


    lips are parted, letting a moan escape.


    I run my hand over my member and start to stroke it up and down. F**k, watching her y with herself


    is amazing. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over here and suck my d**k.¡± Kimberly nods and starts to walk over.


    ¡°No, no. I want you on your f**king knees¡­..crawl over here.¡± Kimberly smirks and gets on her knees.


    She makes a big show of lowering herself onto her hands. Kimberly keeps her eyes on me as she


    slowly crawls to me. She makes sure her hips sway from side to side¡ªher b****t bounce with each


    move she makes. I can feel the precum on the tip of my d**k as I continue to pump it.


    Kimberly finally makes it to me and runs her tongue along my tip. The sparks, GODDESS! I can¡¯t even


    describe the feeling. I let go, and my hand is reced with her mouth. Kimberly slurps my d**k as if


    she¡¯s using a straw, and my head drops back. I feel my eyes roll into the back of my head, causing a


    growl from my chest. Kimberly moans, the vibration making my balls tighten up. She continues to suck


    and slurp, and I can feel my toes curl in my dress shoes. If I let her continue, I will let loose in her


    mouth.


    I ce both hands on the sides of her head to hold her steady. I slowly stroke her mouth


    once¡­..twice¡­..then I start to m into her mouth, my tip hitting the back of her throat. Kimberly¡¯s


    tongue is out and running the length of my member every time I m into her. She¡¯s starting to make


    that sound that you hear in the ¡®flicks,¡¯ and Goddess, does that sound turn me on. I quickly pull out of


    her mouth and pull her arm to stand her up.


    ¡°Do you want me?¡± Kimberly nods. I grab her by the throat and pull her closer to me. ¡°When I ask you a


    question, I want you to use words to answer. Do you understand?¡± Kimberly nods again, making me


    squeeze my hand a bit. I let go and wait for her reply.


    ¡°Yy¡­.yes, I understand.¡± I smile.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, do you want me?¡± Kimberly gives me a small smile.


    ¡°Yes, I want you.¡± I lean in closer, bending down so I can speak in her ear.


    ¡°What do you want me to do to you?¡± Kimberly¡¯s hands start to feel their way up my arms, and the


    sparks make me grow harder.


    ¡°I want you to put your d**k in my p***y.¡± I turn Kimberly¡¯s head to the side and lick her from her chin to


    her ear.


    ¡°You are a naughty girl. Did my d**k taste good?¡± Kimberly nods, making me squeeze my hand again. I


    let go quickly and look her in the eyes.


    ¡°Yes, you taste so good.¡± I nuzzle my nose into the crook of her neck and breathe her scent in deeply.


    ¡°Do you want to taste yourself from my d**k?¡± I look at Kimberly and can see the thoughts fly through


    her head. A smile grows on her face.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I walk Kimberly backward and shed my pants as I go. When her legs hit her desk, I lift


    her up and sit her on the edge while I step between her legs.


    ¡°I n on tasting you, but not yet. I want to feel you first.¡± I slide my hand from her neck to her b****t,


    tweaking the n****e and use my other hand to wrap her leg around my waist. I can feel the heat from


    her core on my d**k, and it feels amazing. I lean Kimberly back a bit and line myself up with her box. I


    catch her eye, and I push into her, damn near cumming as I do. Her p***y is amazing! Her warmth


    surrounds my shaft, and the wetness is out of this world. Mixed in with that are the sparks you would


    think feel like pinpricks, but it doesn¡¯t. I start to move in and out of her, not too hard, but I find a good


    rhythm. I swear she fits me like a glove. Her p***y grips my d**k just right, almost like a suction cup,


    pulling me back into her when I try to leave. As I pound into her, I realize that this is going to be a long


    night.


    ~Paul~


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Father, father¡­..


    Landon? What¡¯s wrong?


    Have you seen Lincoln?


    No, not for a while. I thought he was with you and Tia.


    He was, but while we were eating, he went to finish getting what we needed for our trip. Tia and I


    haven¡¯t seen him in a long time. I sent warriors out to look.


    Sit tight. I will get with the warriors and see what¡¯s going on. Right on cue, a group of warriors is


    walking toward me. I notice that Stuart is missing, which doesn¡¯t sit well with me. I have the group


    follow me to the side of the packhouse. I don¡¯t want anyone to know what¡¯s going on until we know.


    ¡°What do we know?¡±


    ¡°We checked the forest and the borders and there has been no sign of him. His scent was faint in the


    shed, but it had to have been from earlier.¡±


    ¡°We checked the front of the packhouse and we found nothing.¡± I step forward and look at the warrior.


    ¡°What do you mean you found nothing? Earlier today, there was an SUV out front. The twins had been


    in and out of it, packing it for a trip.¡± The warrior looks nervous and shakes his head.


    ¡°No, there was nothing. No SUV was out front. We only found his phone and one of his shoes.¡±


    ¡°There was nothing to follow. Lincoln¡¯s scent disappeared, and there were no other traces.¡± F**K!


    Where is my son? Another warrior runs up to us, waving a piece of paper.


    ¡°I found this at the front door.¡± I grab the paper and read it, crumpling it in my hand. This has to be


    some sort of sick joke. There is no way this could be true.


    ¡°Have the Alpha and Luna meet in my office. And where the f**k is Stuart?!¡± I look around at the faces,


    and no one has an answer for me. I shake my head and stomp off, heading to the training center.


    Maybe he¡¯s in his office, deciding that this entire ordeal is too much to handle.


    I make my way over there quickly, but I don¡¯t go in. I can see that there are no lights on, so I know he


    isn¡¯t in here. Where could he be? He¡¯s the head warrior, and we are in a crisis. I make my way back to


    the packhouse and to my office. I run into Landon, Tia, and Doc in front of my office, realizing that I


    moved faster than I thought.


    ¡°Come in so we can discuss this. Landon, where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea, dad. I really haven¡¯t seen too much of her since the ceremony.¡± I allow everyone inside


    the office and head for my desk. I notice that the wall door to Kimberly¡¯s office is slightly open. Maybe


    she retreated to her office.


    I head over to the door and pull it a bit so I can step inside. I can hear soundsing from her office


    that sounds a bit like moaning. I would think this is one of the times that she¡¯s watching one of our


    home videos, but the smell is telling me otherwise. It smells like s*x in here, and not just one person. I


    step into the room and can¡¯t believe what I see.


    A man is lying on the desk, on his back. Kimberly is on top of him, riding him like a horse. ¡°F**k, yeah,


    that p***y is so good. Ride daddy¡¯s d**k, baby.¡± I step closer and realize it¡¯s Stuart; Stuart is the horse. I


    lose my s**t and can only see red. I pull Kimberly from Stuart so fast that she falls to the floor. I turn to


    her, towering over her. Her eyes are big with shock and fear.


    ¡°What the f**k are you doing?!¡± Spittle is flying from my mouth, and my heart is beating a mile a minute.


    It¡¯s taking everything in me not to rip her head off.


    ¡°GET THE F**K AWAY FROM MY MATE!¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    ~Landon~


    What the hell is going on? We are trying to find Lincoln, and now there¡¯s some kind of issue in mom¡¯s


    office. I run to the door first, pulling the wall out, and stop short. Mom is naked on the floor; dad is


    standing in front of her, and Stuart is facing him. He is naked and looks like he¡¯s about to shift.


    I slowly walk into the room, trying not to drop under the weight of my dad¡¯s aura and the anger in the


    room. Mom picked up a men¡¯s shirt and put it on in an effort to cover herself, and I¡¯m pretty sure the


    shirt belongs to Stuart. I hear a gasp behind me, and I¡¯m sure Tia and Doc have entered the room.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Stuart?¡± Thedies each whisper, but I keep my eyes on my dad and Stuart. I continue to make my


    way closer to them slowly. I don¡¯t want anyone to flip out and attack.


    ¡°Touch my mate again, and I¡¯ll rip your throat out.¡± Stuart¡¯s eyes are pitch ck, and his chest is


    heaving. I look at my mom, and everything clicks. Dad told us that mom was his chosen mate, and he


    didn¡¯t know what had happened with her fated mate. Holy s**t! Tia¡¯s dad and my mom are fated mates.


    ¡°Your mate?¡± Dad looks at mom. ¡°You always said your fated mate wasn¡¯t in the picture. This,¡± he


    motions to Stuart, ¡°doesn¡¯t look like he isn¡¯t in the picture to me. What the hell is going on?¡± Mom looks


    between dad and Stuart, but she doesn¡¯t speak. ¡°ANSWER ME!¡± Mom still says nothing. Dad moves


    closer to mom and grabs her arm. ¡°YOU WILL ANSW-¡±


    Dad is stopped mid-sentence when Stuart rips him away from my mom. Dad stumbles backward and


    looks stunned. Itsts just a few seconds before dad punches Stuart so hard in the chest that he flies


    into the wall behind him. ¡°YOU DARE TOUCH ME, YOUR ALPHA?!¡± I can feel dad pushing out his


    aura and hear Tia and Doc groan. I¡¯m having trouble staying on my feet, but I¡¯m trying my hardest.


    Mom reaches out and touches dad¡¯s arm. His aura recedes as he pulls his arm away from her grasp.


    ¡°Paul, please, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°Talk¡­.talk¡­..you want to talk?!¡± Dad throws his head back andughs. Mom looks more than


    nervous, and Stuart looks livid, but he seems to be calming down. ¡°I catch you with another man, your


    supposed mate, and now you want to talk.¡± Dad turns to us and starts to walk away from mom. ¡°We are


    going to go back into my office and ¡®talk¡¯ about what¡¯s important, like where the flying f**k Lincoln is.


    You remember Lincoln, right? Your son¡­¡­we are going to talk, and you, well, you can continue to do


    what you were doing.¡± Dad stops and turns to Stuart. ¡°But you will get the f**k out of this packhouse! I


    don¡¯t want to see you anytime soon.¡± Dad walks past us and back into his office. I look at Tia and Doc,


    motioning with my head for them to follow.


    ¡°Wait, Paul¡­what do you mean about Lincoln? Paul?!¡± I don¡¯t turn around because I just can¡¯t set my


    eyes on my mom yet. This is all too much, and Lincoln is more important.


    ~Tia~


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m lost. I really don¡¯t know what end is up. What the hell is going on right now? I swear this is some


    kind of mind trick, or I¡¯m being punked. I can¡¯t even begin to wrap my mind around this mess, but I¡¯m


    not even going to try. Right now, I need to focus on my missing mate.


    We make it back into the Alpha¡¯s office to find him pacing the room. Landon is lost, and mom looks


    stunned. I don¡¯t know what to do or to think, but someone has to get things started. ¡°I¡­..I can¡¯t feel


    Lincoln. I can¡¯tmunicate with him, and I just can¡¯t feel him.¡± Landon looks at me and clears his


    throat.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel him either. It¡¯s liek our bond is blocked. Goliath said he can¡¯t reach Brutus.¡± Alpha Paul


    stops pacing and pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket. He passes the paper to Landon, who scowls


    while reading it.


    ¡°A warrior found this note. It was supposed to have been left in front of the packhouse and not other


    clue was found. I just can¡¯t believe what¡¯s written on it. It says that he¡¯s sorry, but he just can¡¯t do the


    mate thing. He never wanted his fated mate or to share his mate with his brother. It all became too


    much and he had to go.¡± I can feel my heart break into a million pieces. This can¡¯t be real. Did he really


    decide to walk away from what we have?


    It isn¡¯t true.


    How do you know, Andricia? He had an issue about the mate bond in the beginning, remember?


    I know, but he was over that. He wanted this, wanted us. He didn¡¯t leave us, don¡¯t believe it. I know that


    Andricia wants to be optimistic because she wants her mate, but I can¡¯t be so sure. His note fits with


    his mindset in the beginning. Maybe the reality became too much for him, and he wanted a way out.


    ¡°Stop it, Tia.¡± I look up at Landon. ¡°This note is bulls**t and you know it. He didn¡¯t want to have anyone


    but you. Deep down you know that to be true. We will find what happened to him and we will bring him


    back.¡±


    ¡°Seems as if he has been taken, at least that¡¯s what I think.¡±


    ¡°I agree, dad. The question is, who took him.¡± I notice mom walking toward me. She wipes my cheek,


    and ites up wet. I didn¡¯t even realize that I was crying.


    ¡°Come, my daughter. Today has been a day, and I think we need to go rest.¡± She turns to Alpha Paul


    and Landon. ¡°I will take her toy down in my room. Please let us know if anything changes.¡± Mom


    pulls me along with her, and somehow, my feet start to move. I look back at Landon right before I walk


    out of the office.


    ¡°I swear, we will find him and bring him home my love.¡± I slowly nod and follow my mom out of the


    room.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    ~Kimberly~


    Lincoln¡­..he said he had to find where Lincoln was. Where¡¯s my baby? What happened while I was up


    here satisfying my urges? If something happens to Lincoln, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever forgive myself, and I¡¯m


    not one to feel badly about my choices, no matter what they are.


    I hastily grab my dress, peeling off Stuart¡¯s shirt. ¡°We need to talk.¡± I hurry and fix myself, grabbing my


    shoes so I can head to Paul¡¯s office. I walk past Stuart, and he grabs my arm, forcing me to look at him.


    ¡°I said we need to talk.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t talk right now. Something is going on with my son.¡± I pull my arm out of his grasp and head to


    the wall door. I stop and turn back. ¡°You may want to get out of here like Paul said.¡± I head through the


    door, putting a block up to keep Angie out of my ears. I can¡¯t deal with her whimpering right now.


    Landon and Paul look up from whatever they are looking at on his desk as I walk into the room. Now


    isn¡¯t the time to be embarrassed. What happened, happened, and I need to own it. I straighten my back


    and hold my head high as I walk over to the desk. I stand quietly, waiting to be addressed, but nothing


    happened. Paul continues to talk as if I¡¯m not in the room. ¡°I sent some warriors to these areas,¡± he


    points to the map. ¡°Maybe he isn¡¯t too far.¡± Landon is looking between us; I¡¯m sure there is so much


    that he wants to say.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. They should, uh, they should look for abandoned buildings and homes. Dad, you have to


    know that note is a lie. Lincoln was past all of his fated mate issues. He full epted the bond, Tia, us


    sharing, everything. This isn¡¯t Lincoln running away.¡± Paul ces a hand on Landon¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I know, son, I know. Something isn¡¯t right, and we will figure it out. We will bring Lincoln back to you


    and Tia.¡± Lincoln nods, and I, honestly, can¡¯t take the silence anymore. I clear my throat loudly and


    wait.


    ¡°I, uh, I think I will go check on Tia.¡± Landon gives me onest look and walks out of the office. Paul


    continues looking over the map, making marks and notes while ignoring me.


    ¡°Not speaking to me isn¡¯t going to make me go away.¡±


    ¡°Did your ¡®mate¡¯ leave yet?¡± Paul spits out with an obscene amount of hate. I walk a bit closer to him.


    ¡°I guess so. I didn¡¯t really wait around to find out.¡± I close the gap between us and run my hand along


    his back. Paul jerks away and backs up, looking at me with disgust.


    ¡°You have a lot of nerve. Don¡¯t touch me¡­..ever.¡± He sighs and starts to pace. ¡°What the f**k, Kim?!


    This is bigger than you cheating on me. You literally, had your fated mate here this entire time and said


    nothing. You didn¡¯t im him or anything. You went ahead and mated with me, let me mark you, and all


    the while, your fated was right here. Why didn¡¯t you just im him, huh?¡± Paul stops and looks at me,


    but my voice is caught in my throat. ¡°You knew what happened with me. You knew most likely my fated


    mate was gone. I told you that I wouldn¡¯t take you away from yours. I told you that I could find someone


    who was in the same situation as me, and we could make a go of it. You told me that your fated mate


    wasn¡¯t in the picture. Well s**t Kim, that looked pretty ¡®in the picture¡¯ to me!¡± Paul starts to pace again.


    ¡°When we went in front of the elders and asked them to bless our union, they asked if we were sure


    that our fated mates weren¡¯t avable. They said if we were to find themter, it could be problematic.


    You took the same oath as me, reassuring them that all would be well, that our pack would be okay.


    Does this look okay to you?¡± Paul stops pacing again. ¡°Say something, dammit!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡­¡± I swallow the thickness in my throat. I close my eyes and open them. ¡°I¡­¡­Stuart is a warrior,


    just a warrior. I wanted more, I deserved more. You lost your mate before anything could even happen.


    We had dated before¡­..¡± I shrug my shoulders. ¡°I deserved to be more than some warrior¡¯s mate. I


    made a decision for my future.¡± Paul¡¯s mouth drops open.


    ¡°Do you hear yourself right now? Do you hear how disgusting and shallow and¡­¡­and selfish you


    sound right now? Your decisions impacted so many lives and all so that you had a title? All so you


    could be more than a warrior¡¯s mate? Who, even, are you right now? Who is this Kimberly standing in


    front of me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡­..don¡¯t you dare look down on me like that!¡± I can feel the anger recing the


    embarrassment. ¡°I helped you run this pack all of these years. I gave you two sons. I was always by


    your side. I helped you get over your pain and kept you from loneliness. How is any of that selfish?¡±


    Paul takes a few steps back before shaking his head and turning his back on me. He starts to walk to


    the door, and I start to go after him.


    ¡°You disgust me.¡± His voice stops me dead in my tracks. ¡°Youpletely disgust me. Be gone by the


    time I get back.¡± Paul walks out of the room, never looking back. I slump to the floor, not knowing what


    to do.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ~Lincoln~


    I¡¯m hard and standing at attention. I can feel the wetness on me and a tongue on my tip.


    Mmmmmm¡­..I don¡¯t remember making it upstairs, but I like where Tia¡¯s mind is. I settle in to enjoy


    what my mate is doing to me, but something feels off.


    Brutus¡­¡­is everything good? I hear nothing, no huffing, breathing, and no response. Brutus usually


    loves when we are with our mate, so something is strange.


    I take a minute and try to be aware of my surroundings. I¡¯m sitting up, but it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m


    sitting on anythingfortable. I take a few breaths in, but no smell stands out, which is odd. I focus on


    what¡¯s happening below and realize something is missing. I take a minute to concentrate then it hits


    me. I feel no sparks. I¡¯m getting a decent bj, but there are no sparks.


    I slowly pry an eye open and look down. That isn¡¯t Tia¡¯s hair¡­..not her hair, and no sparks. I slowly look


    around; this isn¡¯t our room or any ce in the packhouse. None of this is right.


    BRUTUS!!!! There is still no response, and I have no idea why. I have to get this person off of me, but


    how? I start to think about sports. I was an athlete in school, ying football. I think of all of the ys I


    had to learn. I think about the paperwork thates with running a pack and the tedious activities. I


    think about throwing up and blood. I think about thatdy I saw handling pizza when I went to a human


    mall. We went to the food court, and while trying to find something to eat, I noticed this woman behind


    the counter. She had dug into her nose and scratched her b**t (inside the pants). She had her gloves


    on and then proceeded to handle the pizza.


    That was it; that was the memory that did it. I felt myself quickly go limp, and I pop out of the woman¡¯s


    mouth. She whimpers a bit and looks up at me. Son of a b***h! It¡¯s Aida. ¡°Aww, maybe I used too much


    wolfsbane.¡± She stands up and straightens her clothes. ¡°That¡¯s okay. It happens to everyone at some


    point. We have the rest of our lives for this.¡± What the hell is she talking about? Oh my Goddess, where


    is Tia? Where is Landon? I try to move my arms and realize I can¡¯t. They are on the arms of the chair,


    and I notice the zip ties that are keeping them there. I look down and see zip ties on my ankles as well.


    This b***h has me captive! ¡°It does happen all of the time! No it wasn¡¯t because of me!¡± Who the hell is


    she talking to? I look around, but we are the only ones in the room. My eyesnd back on Aida, and


    terror sets in. I¡¯m being held hostage by my ex, and the b***h is crazy!


    ~Ad~


    I¡¯ve been moving through the woods as quietly as I can. I haven¡¯t heard from daddy in a few days, and I


    desperately need help. I have no money and nowhere to stay. He is supposed to be helping me, but I


    can¡¯t reach him.


    I¡¯m actually looking for Aida right now. I ran into a witch acquaintance we know, and she said she had


    just seen her. She said Aida was acting weird and had brought her talismans that had to have been


    made by a powerful witch, dark magic type of stuff. She has been acting offtely, and I want to try to


    find her to make sure she is okay.


    Honestly, we should be out here together. It would be harder for them to find us if we were, and it would


    be easier for us to devise a n. We have always been better together than we ever were apart.


    I slow my steps and start to feel nervous. I know I¡¯m getting really close to the Emerald Lake territory. I


    must be in the wrong area. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d be that bold and hide so close. I continue forward,


    keeping an eye on my surroundings. I see an abandoned cabin in the distance and make a beeline for


    it.


    ¡°We won¡¯t be here much longer. We will be gone tomorrow night.¡± I move closer, making sure to keep


    my movements quiet. ¡°He¡¯s going to have to stay on the wolfsbane for a while. There¡¯s no way we can


    keep him contained without it. He¡¯s my Alpha man!¡± I creep forward until I¡¯m right under an opening


    where I¡¯m sure a window used to go. I peer up and take a quick look before ducking back down. Aida is


    in the room, but I don¡¯t see anyone else. It¡¯s just likest time; she¡¯s talking, but who¡¯s there?


    I creep to the side of the cabin and stand straight. I walk to the door and knock. All sounds stop, and I


    wait for a word or some movement. Finally, the door creaks open, and I see an eyeball pop out; looking


    around. The door is thrown open, and Aida jumps on me, wrapping her arms around my body.


    ¡°SISTER!!!¡± I return her hug and look past her into the cabin. What I see makes my breath leave me.


    Lincoln is tied to a chair, looking like he would sell his soul to me to get free. Aida lets go and steps


    back. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here;e in.¡± She steps aside so I can walk into the cabin. Once Aida


    closes the door behind me, I turn to her.


    ¡°Aida, what the hell have you done?¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    ~Aida~


    Never did I think I would be able to see my sister again before we disappeared. I have to admit that I¡¯ve


    missed her so much. We are twins who have always done everything together. There has never really


    been a time that we have been apart until recently. Maybe I can get her to go with us. I would love to


    have my sister by my side. ¡°Come and sit down. How have you been?¡±


    ¡°You heard me, Aida. What have you done? Why is Lincoln here and tied up?¡± I turn to Lincoln and


    blow him a kiss. Maybe I should have gotten Landon too. That probably would have made my sister


    happy. Perhaps we can get him before we leave tomorrow night.


    ¡°I got my man. Wasn¡¯t that the n¡­¡­to get our men back? Well, mine is sitting right there.¡± I look


    back at Lincoln, and my smile grows while I imagine how our life will be once we get away from here.


    We are going to be so happy.


    Ad walks over to Lincoln, looking him over. I watch her movements while she walks around him.


    ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± I whisper. ¡°She¡¯s my sister and she wants me to be happy.¡±


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± Ad looks at me with her hands on her hips. I clear my throat.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything. Anyways, maybe we can snatch Landon for you tomorrow night. We can all


    head out together.¡± Ad eyes Lincoln once more before making her way to me. She sits in a chair


    next to mine.


    ¡°Tomorrow night? Head out where? Why is Lincoln wearing daddy¡¯s watch?¡± Oh, Ad must not know


    about dad and the Luna. I wonder how she¡¯ll take the news.


    ¡°Yes, tomorrow night. We are going to go far from here tomorrow night and start our lives together. It¡¯s


    everything we discussed. I mean, we won¡¯t be the Alpha and Luna to Emerald Lake, but I¡¯m sure we


    can create our own pack when we get to where we¡¯re going. You and Landon should joining us so we


    can do it just like we always said we would.¡± I lean in closer to Ad. ¡°The watch is another story, and


    you will never believe what I found out.¡± Ad looks at me, waiting for me to tell, but I hear Lincoln huff


    behind me. I don¡¯t know if he should know about this. As it is, I will have to keep him subdued for a


    while, and this news might make it that much harder to do. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. The watch, actually, is a


    talisman. It keeps the fated mates from feeling betrayal and dampens the bond between the wolves.


    Eventually, they will forget their fated mates all together. It doesn¡¯t take long at all; then it¡¯s like the bond


    never happened!¡± I remember the ne, jumping up with a p. I head to my duffel bag to get the


    little bag I keep the talismans in. ¡°When we get Landon, I have another talisman for him. He will forget


    all about Portia and, eventually, only have eyes for you. This is perfect! I¡¯m so d I got both of them.¡± I


    reach into the bag and pull out the ne. Ad reaches out to touch it and looks at me.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Uh, that actually sounds like a good n. I have some things I need to do so I should do that. I will be


    back, and we can figure out how to get Landon. Do you know where we are going to end up?¡± I nod my


    head enthusiastically. I¡¯m even more excited than I already was.


    ¡°Yes, I have everything ready. I have enough wolfsbane to keep Landon and Lincoln calm until they


    forget about the mate bond. Everything is perfect.¡± Ad stands up and hugs me.


    ¡°Ok. I will go, but I will be back sometime in the morning. I just need to get a few things. Aida, this is


    going to be great.¡± Ad kisses me on my cheek and walks to the door. She looks back at Lincoln and


    me, then closes the door behind her.


    ¡°See, I told you it would be good. She¡¯s my sister and she wants me to be happy.¡± I walk over to Lincoln


    and sit at his feet. I move between his legs andy my head on hisp, taking a deep breath and


    closing my eyes. I should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day.


    ~Tia~


    Mom walks me to my room, but I can¡¯t seem to focus on anything. What the hell is going on? The Luna


    and my dad are, what? Fated mates? If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t they reject each other, or did they? If


    they did, why did that bond seem to be intact still? I swear I don¡¯t know what to think and on top of all


    that one of my mates is missing!


    I take a breath in, and dread ovees me. I know that scent, and this may not be good. I look at


    mom, and she has fear all over her face. I have to protect her no matter what. ¡°Nikki, can we talk?¡± I


    slowly turn around, and there stands my father. His suit is wrinkled, and he didn¡¯t bother to button his


    shirt back up. His scent is mixed with the Luna¡¯s, and that¡¯s a hard pill to swallow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what we have to say to each other. You should just go home, Stuart.¡± I watch dad as he


    starts to get angry. His chest is moving up and down due to his hard breathing, and I can see his eyes


    flicker back and forth. I¡¯m ready to defend my mother to death if need be. He¡¯s caused her enough


    pain.


    ¡°The least you can do is hear me out. You owe me that much.¡± My whips around so fast, I can¡¯t keep


    her behind me. She¡¯s in front of dad before I can move, and a p echoes throughout the hallway.


    ¡°How dare you! I don¡¯t owe you s**t!! Just who the hell do you think you are to demand anything of me?


    Here we are, all of these yearster, three kids down the road, and I find out that you have been


    keeping your fated mate as a what? A side piece?¡± Mom steps back a bit. ¡°Hell, maybe I was the side


    piece all of these years. I owe you? You owe me my life back. You owe me my youth, my happiness,


    you¡­¡­ UGH!¡± I step behind mom, ready to pull her away if I need to. That p was so fierce that


    dad¡¯s head snapped to the side. I know he has to be even angrier than he was before.


    ¡°She was never in the picture. We weren¡¯t together. I made you my chosen mate and I stayed


    committed to you and our family. I¡¯ve never gone behind your back and entertained the bond until


    tonight.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe that? What¡­.am I supposed to be thankful? Well, thank you so f**king


    much!¡± Mom starts to do a slow p, and I fight to keep myughter inside. ¡°You waited until now to


    cheat. How very gentlemanly of you. Give me a f**king break! Why weren¡¯t you with your fated mate,


    huh? Why chose me when she¡¯s been here the entire time?¡±


    ¡°Because you were PREGNANT remember?! You got pregnant with the twins. What was I supposed to


    do, leave you to do it alone? What kind of man would I be then?¡±


    ¡°I definitely could have done it alone and I would be happier. Maybe my twins would even have better


    attitudes and personalities had I done it alone.¡±


    ¡°Watch how you talk about my girls,¡± dad replies with a menacing growl.


    ¡°I can say anything I want about MY girls because I¡¯m their mother and I will tell the truth abou them.


    Why didn¡¯t you just reject her? If you were somitted to me and those girls, why not just reject her?¡±


    Dad looks down.


    ¡°I¡­.I just couldn¡¯t. Caesar wouldn¡¯t allow it and I just couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°F**k you and f**k Caesar! F**k your mate too! I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± Mom stomps off to her


    room and ms her door. I stand and watch dad, not sure what will happen now. He only looks at me,


    to my surprise, then turns around and heads downstairs. I walk into my room and fall on the bed


    wishing that this was all a bad dream I just need to wake up from.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    ~Kimberly~


    I can¡¯t believe that Paul would just walk out on me like that, walk out on us. After everything we¡¯ve been


    through, after everything I¡¯ve done for him and this pack. It can¡¯t all be reduced to ¡®I¡¯m disgusting¡¯; there


    has to be more.


    Before I can leave his office and go after him, Landon walks in and closes the door. He looks at me but


    says nothing. Landon walks over to the bar and pours himself a drink. He sits in the armchair next to


    the bar and leans forward, elbows on his knees, drink in hand. I lean against the desk, waiting for him


    to speak. I¡¯m not sure how this will go, but I¡¯m here for it.


    ¡°You could have just rejected him, mom.¡± I say nothing but watch Landon take a sip from his ss.


    ¡°You could have rejected him, and this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Landon looks up at me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t


    you reject him?¡± I sigh and walk over to the chair on the other side of the bar. I slump in it andy my


    head back.


    ¡°You have your fated mate now. You know how it feels to even think of rejecting them. Imagine trying to


    actually do it, trying to get the words out of your mouth.¡± Landon scoffs.


    ¡°So why not just be with him then? Why dad?¡± I sit up straight and look at Landon.


    ¡°How could you ask me that? If I hadn¡¯t been with your father, you and your brother wouldn¡¯t be here. If


    I had epted Stuart, you wouldn¡¯t have your mate.¡± I stand up and kneel in front of Landon. ¡°If I


    hadn¡¯t made the choices I did, where would we all be now?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t made the choices you did, dad wouldn¡¯t be hurting so much right now, and my mom


    wouldn¡¯t be a whore.¡± I p Landon so hard that his drink flies out his hand and crashes to the floor


    away from us. ss and amber liquid ssh everywhere. I stand up and face Landon with a fury I¡¯ve


    never felt before.


    ¡°How dare you talk to me like that, call me that! I¡¯m your mother, and you will show me some damn


    respect. One day you will regret saying that to me, and you better hope that I¡¯m in a ce to forgive


    you.¡± Landon stands up, and I have a take a few steps back. He towers over me, but he has since he


    was in high school.


    ¡°I will never regret telling you the truth. I keep thinking about the way you treated Tia and everything


    you tried to do to break us apart. All the while, you have been lying to everyone, and your fated mate


    was right under your nose. You are not who I thought you were. You¡¯re definitely not someone that


    should be called ¡®mom!¡¯ I stumble back, shock coursing through my body. I can¡¯t believe my own child


    would say these things to me, and he seems to mean them. This has to be him just at the moment and


    nothing thinking about the consequences of his words.


    Landon gives me a long, hard look, then makes his way to the office door. He ms it on his way out,


    and I copse. The tears start to pour down my face, and my body starts to shake. All of this wasn¡¯t


    something I ever thought woulde out. I didn¡¯t n it to, and I didn¡¯t want it to. I still don¡¯t even know


    what¡¯s going on with my Lincoln. I smell him and look at the door, seeing a shadow at the bottom. A


    part of my body, and Angie, are begging him to walk through that door and scoop us up. We are


    craving him and his touch. The shadow leaves, and the other part of me sighs in relief. I can¡¯t lean on


    the man I ruined everything with.


    ~Ad~


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    My sister haspletely lost it. I swear I don¡¯t know when or how, but she is totally crazy. I want to


    know more about that watch and dad, but the idea that a watch will have someone forget the mate


    bond; that¡¯s nuts. Lincoln did look healthy, and he didn¡¯t look hurt. There was only one thing I could do,


    but only one n I could get behind, and I left to do just that.


    I move through the forest as fast and as quietly as I can. I know it¡¯s dark, but that doesn¡¯t mean there


    aren¡¯t people out there looking and waiting. I keep stopping to make sure that I¡¯m keeping safe. I¡¯m


    exhausted, though. Traveling like this takes a lot out of you. I just need a little rest; then, I can continue.


    I only have a limited amount of time to pull this off.


    I find a fallen log on the forest floor. It is long and big enough to fit a person inside. I peer inside, and it


    doesn¡¯t look to be too bad. There are no other animals in it, and I will fitfortably. I scoot into the log


    and use my hoodie as a pillow. It could be considered a bit chilly out here at night, but my werewolf


    heat keeps the chill away. I settle in and getfortable, closing my eyes and nning as I drift off to


    sleep.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I hear the birds chirping, and I try to stretch out, forgetting I slept inside a log. I scoot out of the log,


    stretch, and shake out my hoodie. I look at my phone, and it¡¯s almost 6 in the morning. I can¡¯t dy this


    trip, so I am taking off. Ignore my grumbling stomach and the fact that I¡¯m super thirsty. If everything


    works out as I hope, I can have all of that very soon.


    I carefully make my way through the forest, avoiding making loud noises and being seen. I make it to


    my stopping point and look around. There is no one. I sniff the air and stand still enough to use my wolf


    hearing. No one is around, and the only noises are the natural ones in the forest. From this point on,


    speed will be vital, and I take a few minutes to stretch my body outpletely.


    I send a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, take a deep breath, then take off as if I were shot out of a


    cannon. I run as fast as I can; my destination is in front of me. If I can just make it there, I can go from


    there. I start to catch different scents that are beginning to follow me. Damn, I¡¯m almost there, just a


    little bit more. ¡°STOP!¡±


    ¡°GET DOWN NOW!¡± My heart is pumping in my ears, trying to drown out the yelling I¡¯m hearing. I gulp


    and keep running, trying to use as much speed as my body allows. My legs are starting to ache, and I


    feel like passing out. I haven¡¯t eaten in a while, and my body¡¯s fatigue is beginning to impact me.


    Finally, I see my destination. It¡¯s just feet in front of me. I can hear heavy breathing and feet hitting the


    ground all around me. They areing from all sides, and if I don¡¯t hurry, I won¡¯t be able to make it. I


    put myst bit of energy into my run, pumping my arms even more than before.


    ¡°DAMNIT WE SAID STOP!¡± I abruptly drop to my knees, breathing heavily, trying to get air into my


    lungs. I can feel eyes on me and see feet all around my body. I ce my hands up slowly and put them


    behind my head. I try to show that I¡¯m harmless and have no ill will.


    ¡°GET HER UP!¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± I can hear the surprised murmurs around me.


    ¡°You are in no position to talk. Get up!.¡±


    ¡°NO! I won¡¯t move until I talk to the Alpha. I have to talk to Alpha Landon; it¡¯s about Alpha Lincoln!¡±

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    ~Tia~


    I move around; the sun is starting to shine in the room. I groan, feeling sore and cold. My head is


    hurting, and Andricia is silent. I move my left hand, and it hits something hard. I turn my head, and


    Landon is sleeping next to me. ¡°That hurt a bit.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I turn to the right, and the bed is empty and cold. That¡¯s when it hits me; everything that


    happenedst night hits me, and I¡¯m sad. My mate, my Lincoln, is missing. I feel like a piece of me is


    missing, and I don¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°We will find him. I feel iplete as well.¡± I sigh and snuggle into Landon as he holds me tight. I didn¡¯t


    even changest night, but I¡¯m only in my bra and panties. Landon must have taken my dress off. He is


    so sweet and would definitely do something like that. I can feel my emotions taking over, but I don¡¯t


    want to spend the morning crying. I need to figure out how to find my man.


    Landon jerks up, causing me to tumble off of him. Thank Goddess, I sleep in the middle, or I would


    have hurt myself. ¡°What the hell, Landon?!¡± His eyes are clouded over. When they focus again, he


    whips his head to me.


    ¡°We have to go. There may be some news about Lincoln.¡± It only takes a second for things to register. I


    jump off the bed and run into the closet, looking for clothes to throw on. I opt for a simple pair of jeans,


    a tank top, and one of Lincoln¡¯s hoodies. I need his scent close to me right now. I throw on a pair of flip-


    flops and am ready to go. Landon has on a pair of sweats with some Nikes, and he grabs my hand,


    hurrying out of the room.


    We make it downstairs and out of the front of the packhouse in no time. We were moving so fast I was


    afraid we would tumble down the stairs, but anytime I was close to doing that, Landon was there to


    steady me. We head out to the side of the packhouse, where I see someone on their knees with their


    hands up. Warriors are surrounding them.


    ¡°Alpha, Luna. She refused to move until she spoke to you Alpha Landon.¡± I move behind Landon and


    the circle parts to let us through. I suck in my breath once I notice who it is, Ad. Ad knows


    something about Lincoln? Was she a part of whatever happened? What is she going to demand in


    return for her information? Is this even anything other than a scam?


    So many questions are rolling around in my head that I almost missed the growl that left her and was


    directed toward me. I focus on what¡¯s going on and look at Ad. She is looking right at my neck. I


    guess she notices the marks, but she shouldn¡¯t be surprised at all. This was going to happen no matter


    what anyone tried to do to us.


    I stare at Ad, waiting for her to speak. Her re at me would be ufortable if there weren¡¯t more


    important things going on. The waiting is starting to piss me off, though. ¡°Well?!¡±


    ¡°I requested to speak with Alpha Landon, not the floozy he calls a mate.¡± No, this b***h didn¡¯t! I swear if


    she didn¡¯t, maybe have important information about my mate, I would rip her damn throat out. I¡¯m so


    sick of her and her s**t, especially after discovering what she did to me.


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Landon roars, causing everyone to drop in submission except for me. He looks around


    before letting his eyes settle on Ad. ¡°Tia is my mate and my Luna. PERIOD! Anything you want to


    say to me, you will say in front of her. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned my brother, the warriors would have


    forced you into the cells, and I¡¯m sure you know how that would have gone. I don¡¯t have time for you


    games. What about my brother?¡± Ad looks fearful, but she hides it well. She gives me one more


    scowl, then turns her attention to Landon.


    ¡°I know where he is.¡± Landon crosses his arms over his chest and starts to tap his foot, waiting. The


    silence is bing unbearable As we all wait for the rest of her information.


    ¡°Well?¡± Ad doesn¡¯t open her mouth to speak, and I can feel the anger rise in Landon. He leans down


    a bit. ¡°What is it you want?¡±


    ~Landon~


    She¡¯s really pissing me off, and the only reason I haven¡¯t ended her is that she ims to know where


    my brother is. I don¡¯t want to know what she wants. I¡¯m sure what she wants is something she can¡¯t


    have, but what else am I supposed to do? I need her to tell me about my brother. I just won¡¯t promise


    her anything, or I will lie. I will do what I need to do to get my brother back, but I won¡¯t sell myself to her.


    When I asked what she wanted, I could feel the unease through the mate bond. I¡¯m sure that Tia


    worries about what Ad will request, and I can¡¯t me her. I should have banished her a while ago,


    but she hadn¡¯t don¡¯t anything wrong¡­¡­that we knew of. If we had known about her attack on Tia, I


    could have handled her a lot differently. I refuse to let her ruin the good thing I have.


    Ad¡¯s face gives nothing away as she continues to stare at me. I may have to get physical with her if


    thissts much longer. She finally clears her throat and closes her eyes. When she opens them again,


    she actually looks sad and scared. I have no idea what that¡¯s about, but I put nothing past her; it could


    all be a game.


    ¡°Aida¡­..she¡¯s not well. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on with her, but she hasn¡¯t been right for a while now.


    I just¡­¡­¡± Ad sighs. I can feel fear, and is that¡­.regret through the bond, but I don¡¯t know what that


    would be about. ¡°Aida has him and they aren¡¯t far from here. She ns to take him away tonight for


    good. She¡¯s under the impression that daddy¡¯s watch is going to make him forget his mate. I don¡¯t


    know,¡± Ad shakes her head. ¡°As I said, she isn¡¯t well. I just ask¡­..I just want¡­..please, please don¡¯t


    hurt her. Let her get the help she needs; send her to a mental hospital. Just don¡¯t kill her, please.¡±


    Tia wraps her arm around me and squeezes me. If she kidnaps the Alpha of the pack, she deserves


    death. Her mental health status is of no concern. The feeling of regret gets stronger through the bond


    and is mixed with pain and sadness. I will need to talk to Tia about what that means.


    Before I can respond to Ad, Tia speaks. ¡°If that is all you ask, we will do that. I promise that Aida will


    have no harme to her. We can contact the elders about putting her in a facility. They probably


    know somewhere she can go.¡± What the f**k?! Why does Tia agree to this? I can¡¯t even fix my mouth to


    speak on it. So what that that¡¯s her sister; shemitted a crime.


    Tia turns and starts to walk back to the packhouse. ¡°Get the information from Ad and then meet me


    in my office. I want to leave once we have a n. I want to get Lincoln back. Don¡¯t hurt Ad, but she


    is to be put in the cells.¡± I look at Ad, and I notice tears falling down her face.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to thank me. You owe Tia your gratitude, not me.¡± I turn and hurry after my mate. I


    grab her arm before she touches the door and spin her around. ¡°What the hell, Tia? How could you just


    give into her like that? Your sister took Lincoln! Shemitted a crime and the punishment for that is


    death. You know that. I know she¡¯s your sister, but¡ª¡± I stop talking when I hear a sobe from Tia.


    She has tears falling down her face, and her head is down. I gently lift her head so she can look at me.


    ¡°If Aida is meant to be put to death for this, then you have to kill me as well.¡±

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    ~Tia~


    ¡°¡­..you have to kill me as well.¡± I can feel the confusion through the bond, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t look at


    him¡­..I can¡¯t face him. I can barely breathe, barely stay on my feet. What did I do? How could I be so


    careless and self-centered?


    I went to that house to check on Aida. I saw what was in her room; the shrine she had to Lincoln.


    Anyone who saw that would know that there was something not right with Aida. Anyone else would


    have taken the time to tell someone to get her some help. I did none of those things. I told no one and


    didn¡¯t try to get her any help. Instead, I went about my life as if I had never seen it.


    Lincoln is missing. He has been taken, and if not for Ad, he would be moved tonight. He probably


    would have never been heard from again. Aida took Lincoln, and she could do so because of me. I did


    this to us, to my mate.


    I turn and struggle to get the door open. I can barely see with all of the tears in my eyes. I¡¯m trying not


    to break down right here where others could see it, but it¡¯s a struggle that I feel I will lose. I feel the


    sparks on the hand trying to open the door. I pray that he lets this go, but it goes unanswered.


    Landon turns me around and wraps me up in his arms. He starts to walk with me, pulling me down the


    steps and to the other side of the packhouse. I¡¯m stumbling as I walk and decide to let Landon guide


    us. I¡¯m sniffling and sobbing, yet Landon says nothing.


    Landones to a stop and stands in front of me. He lifts my head, so our eyes meet. ¡°Exin.¡±


    I swallow the lump in my throat and close my eyes. ¡°When I went to check on Aida that day, I saw


    something disturbing. I saw a type of shrine to Lincoln. I didn¡¯t say anything to you or anyone else. Aida


    took Lincoln, and it¡¯s all my fault. Iii¡­iiiiiffff I had jjjjjust said ssssssomething¡­¡­iiiiiiiffffff¡­..¡± I couldn¡¯t


    finish, emotions taking hold of me. Landon pulls me into him and rubs my back. I bury my face into his


    chest and let it all out.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know, no one knew. Even if you told someone what you saw, she probably would have still


    tried to take him. You can¡¯t me yourself. You can¡¯t assume that you telling someone would have


    gotten her help. Would your dad have listened and gotten her any help?¡± Landon lifts my face and


    wipes the tears away. ¡°This is not your fault. If anything, me can be passed around. It isn¡¯t all on


    your shoulders.¡± Landon¡¯s eyes gloss over. He refocuses and looks at me. ¡°The warriors are waiting for


    us. Let¡¯s go get Lincoln.¡±


    ~Lincoln~


    Morning has alreadye through the windows of this cabin, but I guess Ad was lying. When she


    was assessing my health, she was actually talking to me. I have to admit; I was very surprised.


    *shback*


    What the¡­..are you okay?


    Do you really care?


    Hey, I know I¡¯ve done some messed up things, but this wasn¡¯t ever a n.


    As if this is worse than beating up your own sister. Silence follows that statement. Ad has her back


    to Aida, so she doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re talking.


    I need to get my sister some help. I will bring them to you; I just need to make sure my sister will be


    safe.


    *End of shback*


    I guess I misread that conversation. I took it to mean that she would bring the pack here to get me


    while trying to get her sister help. Then, the conversation with Aida made me feel like my brother would


    be joining me really soon, just not to rescue me. I miss him, and I miss my mate.


    I¡¯m so ufortable right now. Aida has been asleep on myp for hours now, and myp is extremely


    numb. I swear I can¡¯t feel where myp stops and her head begins. I never thought she was this


    obsessed, but I guess I was wrong. I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯m tired, I¡¯m sore, and I have to piss. I really hope they


    find me before tonight, or I may never see my family or mate again.


    I think the wolfbane is wearing off because the room smells mustier than it did when I first got here. I


    can smell the dead animals that are around here, and I can smell the dirt that is in the room. I never


    realized how irritating Aida¡¯s scent is, but I guess that¡¯s because I found my true mate. No scent can


    compare to hers.


    I hear a twig break in the distance and leaves rustling. I¡¯m probably hearing things; just hoping that my


    rescue is about to happen. I look down, and Aida is still asleep, so I must be hearing things. I close my


    eyes and try to breathe. I won¡¯t kid myself and think that I could sleep. I haven¡¯t slept since I work up


    here. I¡¯ve been trying to free my hands, but this girl has tied me to the chair so tightly.


    My head perks up when I hear a sound that is simr to footsteps, but I know that can¡¯t be. No one


    knows that we are here unless Ad actually said something. I don¡¯t really trust her, so I don¡¯t believe


    it. A few different scents hit me all at once, and I pop my eyes open. I take a few deep breaths to try to


    figure out what I¡¯m smelling. Truth be told, rogues could be in the area, and that would not be a good


    thing for me.


    I smell nothing that reminds me of rotting trash or anything spoiled. I breathe in again, and I can feel my


    heart start to beat fast in my chest. I can smell my brother. He¡¯s out there; he came here to get me.


    Ad actually did something right. I look down and notice that Aida is still sleeping soundly. I guess


    that¡¯s a good thing. I would hate for her to be the ¡®if I can¡¯t have you¡­.¡¯ type. I definitely don¡¯t want to


    go out like that.


    The noise settles down, and my body is anxious. I know something big will happen, and if I¡¯m correct, it


    will result in me going home. Without warning, the door bursts open, and Aida jumps up, looking


    disoriented. Warriors file into the room and surround us. She looks around, the fear evident on her


    face. Landon appears at the door. ¡°Take her, but don¡¯t hurt her. She can join her sister in the cells for


    now.¡± Warriors grab Aida, and she tries to fight them.


    ¡°NO! NO! You can¡¯t be here! Where¡¯s my sister? What happened to her? He¡¯s mine! He¡¯s mine¡­..he


    loves me¡­.we are meant to be together!¡± Warriors carry Aida out of the room, and Tia appears,


    rushing to me. She grabs my face, kissing me all over. I missed her, but¡­.I feel nothing. I don¡¯t feel the


    bond. I feel faint sparks when she touches me, but that¡¯s it. I can¡¯t catch her scent. What the hell is


    wrong with me?


    ¡°Lincoln, I¡¯m so sorry. This is all my fault; please forgive me.¡± What the hell is she talking about? A


    warriores over and cuts the zip ties at my wrists and ankles. I stand up, stretching my aching body


    as best as I can. I stand and look at Tia. I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her close to me. I


    smash my lips onto hers, pushing my tongue into her mouth. We finallye up for air, and Landon


    ps me on my back. I may not feel the bond right now, but I don¡¯t care. Tia is mine, sparks or not, and


    I am so d to have her back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you home brother.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    ~Stuart~


    It¡¯s so dank down here. I never likeding down here, and once I got the head warrior position, I


    made sure I never came down here if I could avoid it. The horrors that can take ce here are strewn


    across the walls and embedded in the ground. When I go back home, I will need aplete shower,


    maybe 3.


    I make my way down the hall, walking past empty cells. One cell holds Neal, a trusted warrior. I have to


    admit that I admire his bravado, and it¡¯s too bad that Portia didn¡¯t go for his advances. If she had, that


    would have made things easier for the twins. Heid out on his cot, not moving.


    I continue down the hall until I reach the cell I¡¯ve been looking for. My baby is sitting in the corner of the


    cell, knees drawn up, and her head resting on her knees. I can hear small sniffles, and it breaks my


    heart to see her like this. ¡°Honey?¡± I call her softly, unsure if she¡¯d answer and not wanting to scare her.


    Ad answers but doesn¡¯t look up.


    ¡°Daddy? What are you doing here?¡± I step toward the bars, being careful not to touch them. Some have


    silver inside, and others don¡¯t, but I¡¯m not trying to find out which is which.


    ¡°Why do you sound surprised? Where else would I be right now?¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡­.¡± A sob escapes her mouth, and I swear my heart breaks. ¡°I messed everything up. I¡­.I


    should have let things go.¡±


    ¡°No! You and Aida were just trying to get what was due you. You should never apologize for that. You


    have always known what you were meant for. I¡¯m just sorry that I couldn¡¯t give it to you and your sister.


    I¡¯m sorry that you had to deal with¡­..with her.¡± Ad slowly lifts her head and looks at me, tears falling


    from her eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s your sister?¡± Her lip trembles, and a sob escapes.


    ¡°I¡­.I had to tell them where she was. I h¡­had to help Lincoln.¡±


    ¡°You what?! What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Something is wrong with Aida, daddy. She¡¯s been talking to the air, and she kidnapped Lincoln. She


    had him tied to a chair. She kept talking about some watch that was going to make Lincoln forget his


    mate bond. As if that were even possible! Daddy, she needs help. I begged Landon to be careful with


    her and to get her help. I just hope he follows through.¡± I sigh, hanging my head. Something was wrong


    with my honey bun, and I had no idea. I¡¯ve been so caught up with my own mess that I haven¡¯t been


    paying attention to my children. I could be mad at Ad, but if Aida is going through as much as she


    said, she really does need help.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. You did what you felt was right. I just hate all this stuff that has been happening to us.


    Ever since Portia returned, things have been bad. If she had just stayed where she was, we would


    have everything we¡¯ve been working so hard for.¡± Ad sighs and lies on the stone ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, daddy. I just want to sleep.¡± I nod and watch her a bit, wishing I could reach out and hold her.


    I slowly turn and head back down the hall. I have no idea if they even have proof to keep her here, but


    there she is, nheless.


    I rey what Ad told me, and I stop in my tracks. Aida was talking about a watch that she thought


    would help Lincoln forget the mate bond. Crap! Aida must have my watch. She must have taken it and


    thought it would help her win over Lincoln. Damn! Not only is that not how it works but not having the


    watch got me caught up with Kimberly at the worst possible time.


    I head toward the packhouse, determined to get my child out of that hellhole. I see the twins and Portia


    walking through the open field. I notice a bunch of warriors walking toward the cells, dragging


    someone. ¡°Stop! Let me go! I need Lincoln¡­..he misses me!¡± Aida is sobbing and kicking her feet in an


    attempt to break free. My heart is breaking watching her, and I feel so helpless.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± I run up to the warriors, but they turn her from me. ¡°I¡¯m your superior. You let her go right


    now!¡± The warriors push past me and continue to the cells. How dare they defy an order from me!


    ¡°DADDY! Daddy, tell them I have to get back to Lincoln!¡± The warriors tightly grip her, and she


    continues to kick her feet.


    ¡°Let me speak with her! Give me a minute with my daughter!¡± The warriors continue as if they couldn¡¯t


    hear me, and I can feel the anger build. I start to run after them when two warriors block my path. I get


    ready to push them out of my way when two more warriors get in front of them and push me back. I¡¯m


    furious and know this has to be an order from those f**kwads.


    I turn back to the open field and see them looking in my direction, watching everything unfold. They are


    almost at the packhouse, and I need to reach them first. I approach them, walking faster to get to them


    before they enter the house. ¡°YOU!¡± All three of them turn their heads to me. I walk until I¡¯m inches


    from Portia. ¡°You have done all of this!¡± I gesture around me and take a step closer. Landon pushes


    Portia back and stands in front of her. ¡°Yeah, let your guard dogs try to save you instead of facing me.


    You¡¯re so grown and everything, but want to let others rescue you.¡±


    Tia steps from behind Landon with her head held high. ¡°It¡¯s okay, babe. I got this.¡±


    ~Tia~


    I¡¯m so sick of this crap. I¡¯ve had to take crap from my dad all my life, and I¡¯m over it. These past few


    weeks have been crazy, but I¡¯ve been able to see who my family truly is. I¡¯ve always known they were


    indifferent toward me, but it¡¯s deeper than that. My sisters attacked me because of who I was fated to.


    My dad has pped me and tried to make me reject my mates. Lincoln has been kidnapped, and


    Landon is almost marked against his will. This has been too much, and I can¡¯t take it anymore. I¡¯m tired


    of him thinking he can run me down whenever he feels like it, especially after everything I¡¯ve learned


    about him.


    ¡°Oh, here she goes, the Luna to Emerald Lake Pack. Such a pathetic choice. You could have had two


    of the strongest Lunas, but instead you have her, disgusting.¡± Landon and Lincoln both release a growl,


    but dad looks unphased. ¡°All you had to do was stay gone¡­¡­stay at that school you ran off to, and


    things would have been so much better. Your sisters wouldn¡¯t be sitting in cells, and your mother would


    be home where she belongs!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I continue to stand my ground but say nothing. I notice people are starting toe where we are,


    surrounding us. Some areing out of the packhouse, including mom and Alpha Paul. I see Kimberly


    coming from the side of the packhouse. I guess we¡¯re doing this in front of everyone. ¡°Are you going to


    speak, or are you waiting for them to speak for you?¡± Another growl rips between my mates.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He looks confused.


    ¡°Why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?¡±


    ¡°Why do I hate you? You want to know WHY?!¡± I don¡¯t respond. He heard what I said and will either tell


    me or not. Mom starts to walk closer to me. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s hoping to save me from him, but I don¡¯t need


    it. Whatever is going to happen needs to happen now. I can¡¯t continue this way. ¡°You ruined


    EVERYTHING! Your very existence took all of my choices away!¡± What the hell is he talking about?


    ¡°Enough, Stuart! I told you she was yours, whether you want to believe that or not.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Nikki! She wants to know why I hate her, so I¡¯m going to tell her¡­..I¡¯m going to tell her how


    her birth ruined the rest of my life.¡±

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    ~Kimberly~


    Themotion I heard made mee out and see what was going on. I noticed both my sons going


    to the packhouse, and I wanted to run to greet them. I¡¯m so happy to see Lincoln in one piece. I


    stopped to take in the scene, and I want to recoil. I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.


    Something is gnawing at me, and I don¡¯t like it.


    There are so many pack members out here, attracted to the loudness like me. Paul is out here along


    with my sons, and that terrifies me. I have a feeling that something is going to be said that isn¡¯t going to


    go well for anyone. ¡°No one needs to hear anything else, Stuart. You have ruined her life long enough.¡±


    I¡¯d never seen Nikki stand up to Stuart, and it¡¯s an interesting sight.


    ¡°No, Nikki. Little miss Luna has asked me a question. Who am I to ignore her?¡± Stuart turns to Tia, who


    hasn¡¯t so much as flinched this entire time. ¡°You took away my happy ending.¡± No, please, no. Please


    don¡¯t tell me that he¡¯s going to say this out loud.


    ¡°I was going to be happy, I was going to be loved, but your mere existence ruined all of that.¡± Oh,


    Goddess, no! I want to yell out at the heavens to get him to stop, but my mouth isn¡¯t working. My voice


    has disappeared, and I can¡¯t move from my spot. I can feel my stomach bubbling, making me want to


    throw up. This can¡¯t be how things end for me. ¡°You took away my chance to be with my fated mate,


    Kim.¡±


    ~Tia~


    I hear a gasp, but I¡¯m too floored to see who it is. What did I just hear? I can feel the confusion through


    the bond with Lincoln and anger from Landon. This is a bit more than I expected.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Kimberly gave birth to twins and we all know how that can be. Add to that Alpha twins and


    her dutiful husband was running around helping other packs. Nikki, you went to visit your family, leaving


    the girls with me.¡± Dad turns his head to Kimberly. ¡°Do you remember that night? Do you remember


    coming to my house and crying on my shoulder? You were so overwhelmed with everything. The twins


    were toddlers by then and they were too much. Paul wasn¡¯t there to help you and you felt alone. The


    Luna duties were stifling you and you begged me to make it all better.¡± Dad turns back to me. ¡°She


    nned to leave the boys and run away. She wanted some time to herself and wasnt sure if she would


    return. She begged me to go with her and I wanted to. I loved the girls, but I was missing the love of my


    fated mate. We nned to leave as soon as Paul got back from visiting some pack. We were to leave


    about a week after Nikki got back.¡±


    ¡°You were going to leave me? You were going to leave just like that?¡± Dad scoffs but doesn¡¯t reply to


    mom.


    I¡¯m having trouble wrapping my head around everything. I¡¯m still curious to see what I have to do with


    this. I don¡¯t have to wait long to find out, though. ¡°Nikkies back and tells me about meeting her


    fated mate. She says they rejected each other, and damn! If she had epted him, everything would


    have been so much easier.¡± Dad shakes his head as if he is reliving the exact moment this all


    happened. ¡°Nikki tells me that she¡¯s pregnant, and I just knew you werent mine. How could you be


    mine when she had met her fated mate while gone? Your mother cried and pleaded with me to ept


    you, but I wanted proof.¡± I catch a sob from my mom, and I wish I couldfort her. ¡°It was the damn


    DNA results that ended everythign for me. The minute Nikki got the results back adn found that you


    were mine, Kimberly woudln¡¯t go. She said that she couldn¡¯t take me away from Nikki when she was


    with child. I was devastated, but she wouldn¡¯t change her mind.¡±


    My head is swimming with his words. Everything is swirling around, and I¡¯m having trouble


    understanding it. My head is starting to hurt, and my vision blurs slightly. I drop to a knee, and I begin to


    laugh. It¡¯s small at first, like a giggle, before morphing into a full bellyugh. My mates are by my side,


    checking to see if I¡¯m okay. I let them help me stand, wipe my eyes and face him. ¡°You are so f**king


    pathetic! You are standing there and telling me that you have hated me all of my life because you


    missed out on being with your fated mate? The mate who didn¡¯t want you because you were nothing


    but a warrior¡­.the mate who chose the Alpha and had children with him¡­¡­.¡±


    I look up to the sky and take a deep breath. ¡°Pathetic doesn¡¯t even cover it, actually. I¡¯m not sure they


    have created a word for what you are. You could have had your fated mate this entire time, but you


    chose not to. You were too weak to reject her, yet you act like everyone else is supposed to pay for


    that. If you were any kind of man, you would have rejected her and made a life with mom the right way,


    or you would have gotten your mate to ept you.¡± I can see the smokeing from his ears, the


    anger burning within him. I¡¯m d he¡¯s mad, and I¡¯m d I made him that way. To think I used to cry


    myself to sleep at night wondering what I did to make him hate me so much when the truth was it had


    nothing to do with me. He is just a sorry-a*s excuse for a man and wolf. I step forward a few times so


    that we are face to face. ¡°You are so sorry and pathetic. You literally disgust me.¡± I spit at him, and it


    lands on his chest. I don¡¯t see the hand but feel it connect with my face. My head snaps to the right,


    and I can taste blood in my mouth.


    My mates have already moved, but I quickly turn and grab them to me. They are fighting their shift, but


    this isn¡¯t their fight. I¡¯ve had enough of cowering to him and allowing him to treat me however he likes.


    It¡¯s time for me to take my power back.


    Let me go, Tia! I¡¯m going to rip his head off!


    Landon and I can handle this. Let go!


    NO! You will not touch him¡­..he¡¯s mine! I look into my mates¡¯ eyes, making sure they hear me. They


    are battling their wolves and want to ignore my request, but I know they can¡¯t. They each give me a


    slight nod, and I let them go. I turn back to him, and he has a smug look on his face. ¡°That¡¯s thest


    time you put your hands on me.¡±


    ¡°And what are you going to do, little girl? You can¡¯t beat me.¡±


    ¡°Watch me. I challenge you Stuart Colby. I want you right here and right now.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    ~Landon~


    No one moves; it seems that no one is breathing. I don¡¯t think anyone expected Tia to issue a


    challenge, but here we are. Neither Lincoln nor I feel good about this; our inherent nature is to protect


    our mate at all times and all costs. This is something that she needs to do herself, even though we


    don¡¯t like it.


    Stuart throws his head back andughs. He starts to grip his stomach, and he falls forward,ughing.


    There are a few snickers around us, but Tia doesn¡¯t move. She stands, waiting for his answer. I,


    personally, want to rip his head off. Theughing is a clear sign of disrespect, and I don¡¯t like my Luna


    being disrespected.


    Stuart stands up straight and wipes tears from his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you?¡± He steps toward


    Tia, looking down at her. ¡°You get some mates and get a mark, and all of a sudden, you have a


    backbone.¡± Stuart sighs. ¡°Okay, little girl. If you want everyone to watch you get your a*s handed to


    you, so be it.¡± Stuart steps back and gets into a fighting stance.


    I don¡¯t like this, L.


    Neither do I, Linc, but what do you want me to do? She needs this. If we take this from her, she¡¯ll never


    forgive us. Lincoln sighs in the link but says nothing else.


    Tia continues to stand, staring at Stuart. Her legs are slightly parted, and her hands are at her sides, in


    fists. They are eyeing each other up and down, and my stomach is churning. I can¡¯t stand to watch this,


    but I can¡¯t look away.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Well, are you going to stand there all day? Are you regretting challenging me? It¡¯s okay if you are, just


    say the word, and I¡¯ll forget this even happened.¡± A growles from Tia, and Stuart chuckles in


    response.


    Before I can register any movement, Stuart wraps his hand around Tia¡¯s neck. Tia is gasping for breath


    and wing at his hand. I have to hold Lincoln back from attacking Stuart. I know Tia can get out of


    this, but I have to admit that I¡¯m terrified right now. The veins start to bulge in Stuart¡¯s hand, and he has


    a sick grin on his face. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can sit by and watch this. I won¡¯t let Tia die,


    even if that means she is mad at me forever.


    Tia stops wing at Stuart¡¯s hand and ces both hands around his elbow. She starts to swing her


    foot, once¡­twice¡­.the third swing has more power than the previous and connects with Stuart¡¯s groin.


    He lets go of Tia and drops to his knees. Tia hits the ground, coughing, trying to suck in the air. She


    quickly scrambles into a position to pounce: on the tips of her toes and her hands. Tia is breathing


    heavily, watching while Stuart rolls around on the ground in pain.


    Stuart struggles to his knees, and Tia takes the opportunity to pounce, wrapping her knees around his


    neck. Stuart grabs Tia¡¯s back and throws himself forward. Instead of Tia hitting the ground, she spins


    so that she¡¯s sitting on his shoulders, and Stuart¡¯s face hits the ground, Tia using her hands to brace


    herself.


    Stuart starts to stutter and w at Tia¡¯s knees. She has to be squeezing her legs together, cutting off


    his oxygen. Stuart gets a hand between his neck and her leg and uses his strength to push her off. Tia


    land on her back but arches her back to jump to her feet. Stuart lets out a ferocious growl before


    lunging at Tia. He misses as she kicks him in his back, making him stumble forward. Tia sweeps her


    leg behind his, causing him to lose his footing and fall on his back. Tia jumps on Stuart, punching him


    in his head and arms. Stuart pushes his arms up, forcing Tia off him, but shends on her feet.


    ¡°Enough games, little girl!¡± Stuart gets to his feet and shifts into his wolf.


    NOPE! NOPE! I¡¯m stepping in now. This isn¡¯t going to happen, L.


    Lincoln, don¡¯t! We have to have faith in Tia. She¡¯s got this!


    Lincoln is anxious and angry next to me, but he has to trust Tia to be able to do this on her own. I admit


    it isn¡¯t easy to watch, but she needs this. Stuart¡¯s wolf is snarling and snapping his jaws at Tia, but she


    is unmoving. He stalks toward her, and I have to wonder why she isn¡¯t shifting. Tia motions to the wolf


    toe closer, and heplies.


    Everything happens so fast¡­¡­Tia seriously injures Stuart. His wolf lunges at Tia, and she drops to the


    ground, turning her body upward. She is under the wolf, and her ws elongate. She reaches up and


    swipes down while Stuart¡¯s wolf goes up. The wolf hits the ground with a thud and immediately shifts


    back.


    Stuart is bleeding, but it isn¡¯t fatal. Tia straddles Stuart and holds his head still with one hand. Her


    ws are out, and she goes for Stuart¡¯s neck. He¡¯s too hurt to stop her, and he whimpers, seeing what


    is about to happen. ¡°Tia, NO!¡± I turn and see Nikki with tears down her face, begging Tia to walk away.


    Tia looks at her mom and starts to lower her hand. She looks down at her dad, spits on him then


    stands up. She slowly backs away from him, and the warriors move forward.


    ¡°The only reason you aren¡¯t dead is because of mom. Remember that the woman you treated like s**t


    actually spared your life.¡± Tia walks over to us, and we wrap her up in our arms.


    ~Paul~


    I watch the boys and Tia walk into the packhouse. I¡¯m sure they were terrified that they would lose her,


    so they need time to calm themselves and their wolves. The warriors have Stuart stable, and his wound


    is healing. I walk over to Nikki and ce a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She slowly nods,


    cing a hand on mine.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡± I keep my eyes on the warriors that have Stuart. I can¡¯t bring myself to look at Kim¡¯s


    face.


    ¡°There is nothing to talk about.¡± Kim steps forward and reaches for me. I move back slightly.


    ¡°All of these years together, of course we have a lot to talk about. I know that if we can discuss things,


    we can get back to¡ª¡± I finally turn to Kim, and I feel¡­..nothing. I don¡¯t feel the love I¡¯ve felt in the past.


    I don¡¯t feel the happiness of being with her or the respect for her, or the position she held as my Luna. I


    feel anger, bitterness, and disgust.


    ¡°Get back to what exactly? Everything we had has been a lie; that¡¯s very clear now. You haven¡¯t been


    honest with me at any point of our union. You were going to leave me? You were going to leave the


    boys? There is nothing between us anymore, and it seems as if there never was anything.¡±


    ¡°Paul, don¡¯t. You don¡¯t mean that, I¡­.I lo¨C¡± A growl so loudly that thend shakes under us, and Nikki


    winces and shakes under the weight of my aura.


    ¡°I, Paul Attwater, former Alpha of the Emerald Lake pack, reject you, Kimberly Jensen, former Luna of


    the Emerald Lake Pack, as my mate.¡± I can feel a burning sensation where my mark sits.


    ¡°No, no I won¡¯t ept. We have something, we can fix this.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious Kim?! What about us? We can finally be together!¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP STUART! Paul, please¡­..please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done, now ept it.¡± Kim folds her arms across her chest like a petnt child.


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­.I won¡¯t ept until you give me a chance to make it right.¡± I remove my hand from Nikki and


    walk over to Kim. Her eyes light up as I get closer to her. I grab her throat and squeeze. Kim is wing


    at my hand, and Stuart is growling at my treatment of his mate.


    If he gets loose, I will end you and him! I mindlink the warriors holding Stuart. A wolf will do anything to


    protect their mate, and I need Nikki to ept this with no interference.


    ¡°ACCEPT IT NOW!¡± Kim is having trouble breathing, her face getting a tint of red. Her eyes start to


    water, and slobber drops down the corner of her mouth. She frantically nods her head. I let her go,


    dropping her on the ground.


    ¡°I¡­¡­I¡­..ac¡­.¡­.I¡­.ept¡­..I ept!¡± Kim is coughing and struggling to breathe. The burning at


    the site of my mark intensifies for a brief moment, and then nothing. I reach up, and the mark is gone.


    I walk over to Nikki and grab her hand. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I don¡¯t need to ask if she wants this. We sat up


    for a bitst night, discussing everything we learned and wanted moving forward. When ites down


    to it, we share a unique experience, and I¡¯m grateful to have her to lean on. Nikki nods at me and


    closes her eyes.


    ¡°I, Nikki Franks, of the Emerald Lake pack, reject you, Stuart Colby, of the Emerald Lake Pack, as my


    mate.¡± I watch Nikki flinch, and I know the burn has started.


    ¡°I ept your rejection.¡± Nikki clenches my hand for a few seconds, then lets it go, sighing in relief.


    Landon walks up to us and pats my back. Ifort Nikki, watching a tear fall from her eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m the new Alpha of this pack and I need to do my first official act. Kimberly Jensen and Stuart Colby,


    you are hereby banished from the Emerald Lake Pack. Your things have already been packed. You will


    be escorted off pds.¡±


    ¡°NO! How could you? I¡¯m your mother! How can you treat me like this?!¡± Landon doesn¡¯t respond. He


    turns on his heel and walks back into the packhouse. I guide Nikki into the packhouse and close the


    door behind us. I close the door on the screams and cries outside and on that chapter of my life.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    ~Lincoln~


    I hang up the phone, rubbing my temples. This is starting to be beyond stressful. ¡°Was it her again?¡± I


    look at Landon and roll my eyes. He already knows the answer to that question.


    Lcs and sandalwood hit my nose with a hint of orange, and the tension in my body starts to ease. I lift


    my head and see my mate walking toward me. Shees behind me and wraps her arms around my


    shoulders, kissing the back of my head. I will never get tired of the way she makes me feel. ¡°Why so


    stressed?¡± I sigh, turning in my chair and pulling her onto myp.


    ¡°Another call¡­¡­¡± Tia sighs and ces her forehead on mine.


    ¡°She¡¯s been gone for months now, and she hasn¡¯t stopped reaching out. Have you two thought about


    talking to her?¡± She has been asking this a lottely, and it¡¯s a tricky question to answer. She is my


    mother and the former Luna of the pack, but everything she¡¯s done is enough never to acknowledge


    her again.


    ¡°Honestly, love, I¡¯m not interested and I may never be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested either,¡± I say while running my nose up and down her neck. ¡°Onto brighter topics, did


    my little bean eat today?¡± Tia¡¯s hands automatically go to her stomach, and I can¡¯t help the smile that


    spreads on my face. She¡¯s two months pregnant, and we couldn¡¯t be happier. We had hoped for a bit


    more time together, but a child is a blessing no matter what.


    I reach around Tia and into my desk. I pull out a card one of the pups made for my mate. I hand it to


    her and watch her eyes light up as she reads. The challenge caused the pack to view Tia in a much


    more favorable light. They started to seek her out as their Luna and wanted to get to know her. Some


    of the pack members even apologized for how they had acted toward her in the past.


    The pack used to view Stuart as an honorable and trustworthy man. Learning the truth about him and


    our mom brought a new view into their minds and that helped shape their new view of Tia. Tia hasn¡¯t


    made it easy for anyone, but she has been an amazing Luna despite the actions of the past. ¡°This is so


    sweet. I will have to stop by the daycare and talk to Michael.¡±


    ¡°Hey guys, I just got an update on the twins.¡± I feel Tia tense up slightly, so I rub her back to help her


    rx.


    ¡°What¡¯s it say, L?¡±


    ¡°Currently, Aida is receiving treatment at the state mental hospital, Timbewn. She isn¡¯t really


    responding right now, so she should be there for a long time. Ad was able to move to the


    neighboring prison. It¡¯s a small facility that allows the inmates to work at the hospital. Ad is able to


    be with Aida every day, so that¡¯s a plus. The council has stated that neither will be seeing the outside


    for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°I¡­.I still don¡¯t know how I feel about it all. They are still my sisters.¡± I kiss Tia on her cheek and


    continue to rub her back. ¡°How¡¯s Paul?¡± Iugh.


    ¡°Dad just called earlier. He¡¯s enjoying his travels, and he¡¯s on his way to a new destination. He ns to


    be back in time to witness his first grandchilde into this world.¡±


    ¡°Well, I finally got mom to go on a trip, and she¡¯s excited.¡± Nikki lost herself in the clinic after everything.


    She kept her head down and took shift after shift. She moved out of the home she shared with Stuart


    and decided to stay on the Alpha floor.


    Tia shifts on myp, kisses my cheek, and stands up. ¡°You two need to wrap up whatever you¡¯re doing


    so we can have lunch.¡± Landon and I look at each other, puzzled.


    ¡°Uh, love, we already ate remember?¡± Tia chuckles as she walks to the door.


    ¡°True, but you didn¡¯t have dessert.¡± She gives us one look over her shoulder before she takes off.


    Landon and I waste no time following her out of the office. I hope our days can be this light and happy


    for the rest of our lives.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ~Paul~


    I¡¯ve been traveling for a few months. After everything that happened, I just had to get off of pds.


    Everything that I lived had been a lie to some extent, and I needed to get a handle on reality again. My


    sons and Tia are more than capable of taking over without my being there.


    Kim has been calling and calling, but I won¡¯t answer. We are done, and there¡¯s nothing more to say to


    each other. I will always appreciate that she brought my sons into the world, but that¡¯s the extent of my


    feelings for her. She isn¡¯t who I thought she was, and I won¡¯t have anything else to do with her.


    I¡¯m sitting in my seat on the ne, first ss. I decided to travel with the humans instead of taking our


    jet. There may be an emergency at home, so they need ess, just in case.


    This will be a long flight, but I have enough entertainment. A familiar scent hits me; it kind of smells like


    home. I look up, shocked at what I find. I reach out and grab her hand. ¡°Nikki?¡± She turns to me with


    wide eyes.


    ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you, well, I know you¡¯ve been traveling. I didnt¡¯ think I¡¯d run into


    you, though.¡± I chuckle. I never expected to run into anyone on a ne, let alone a pack member.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to a friends wedding. Where are you off to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to a wedding too. I¡¯m going to the Lotus Pack.¡± Now, that¡¯s just crazy.


    ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m going too.¡± I shake my head; what a crazy coincidence. I move my items out of the


    way and motion to the seat next to me.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I have a seat back there.¡± I shake my head and stand up.


    ¡°Please do me a favor and keep mepany. I will go inform the staff of the seat change.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure I won¡¯t be a bother?¡± Iugh.


    ¡°You could never bother me, Nikki.¡± I step into the aisle and let Nikki get into the row while I find a flight


    attendant. This boring flight just got slightly fun. I can¡¯t wait to enjoy the time with someone I know.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    -Nikki-


    I can''t believe how much fun I just had. I can''t remember thest time I enjoyed myself so thoroughly. Iughed and danced until I couldn''t anymore. I never actually considered what life could be like if I got away from Stuart. Now I don''t have to think about it, I can live it, and it''s good.


    A warm hand touches my knee, sending butterflies to my stomach. I really need to getid if a simple touch is enough to get me going. "Are you okay?" I nod. "We''re here." I look around and realized that we are, indeed, back home. I swear the trip from the airport was quicker than ever before.


    The car door opens for me, and a hand waits. I grab the hand, and the driver helps me out of the car. Paul follows behind me and walks me to the door. "I had so much fun this weekend. Thank you for making it a good time." I look at Paul, his smile warming my heart.


    "No, thank you. You helped me remember what fun was." Paul leans in and kisses me on my forehead.


    "I will see youter." He turns and walks down the steps and to the left. I''m still staying in the packhouse. I considered going back to my home, but there are too many memories there, and many of them aren''t good ones. After everything died down, Paul had a house built not too far from the packhouse. It waspleted while he took the time to travel. I guess the packhouse held even more memories for him than my house did for me. I walk inside and upstairs to my room, determined to get some sleep.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    -Paul-


    There are no words to describe theplete difference between this weekend and other past events. I was finally able to sit back and truly enjoy an event. I didn''t have to y politics or listen to theints about other Lunas. The difference between my ex and Nikki is monumental, not that I''m trying topare the two.


    Nikki was never someone I was able to get to know in the past. She always stayed to herself, not really dealing with many people. I would see her at the clinic, with the kids, or with Stuart. I hated that I never pushed to get to know her. I always tried to know all of my members personally. Maybe if I had pushed the issue, I could have spared her some of the mess she had to deal with.


    I open my door and immediately catch the scent of freesia. The table by the door is filled with flowers, and I couldn''t help but smile. This has to be my daughter-inw because my sons would never think to have the ce smell good when I get back. I take another whiff of the flower before moving toward my room. I want to check out the new house, but I''m too tired. It can wait until the morning.


    I kick my shoes off and get rid of my pants and top. I pull the covers back and slip in, cing my phone on the nightstand. I close my eyes, but my phone rings before I can drift off. I feel around for it, refusing to open my eyes. "Hello?"


    "Paul.....baby?" FUCK! How the hell did she get this number? I''ve changed it several times over the past few months, and she gets it every time. "PLEASE! Don''t hang up!" I swear she was reading my mind because that''s exactly what I was about to do.


    "Make it quick, Kim."


    "I......I miss you so much. I miss the kids, our family." I swear she just won''t quit. She misses her family so much, yet built that family on a lie. It''s her lie that has everything the way it is right now, and she''s just going to have to live with that. The silence stretches between us; breathing is the only sound that can be heard.


    "Is that it?"


    "Paul.....Paul, please....." I end the call and ce my phone back on the nightstand. I guess I will just start blocking numbers because I''m sick of changing mine. I''ll figure it out in the morning; I need to sleep right now.


    -Kimberly-


    I sigh, cing the phone to my temple. I knew it would be hard to get through, but he''s giving no wiggle room. I just want my life back. I want Paul and my sons back in my life. I have to figure out how to make that happen. I toss the phone on the bed and let my body follow. These past few months have been torturous, and I just want it all to be over.


    "Kim, babe? Where are you?" I roll


    my eyes and huff. I can''t believe that


    I''m stuck with him. I should have


    u''l


    gotten rid of him when I found he was my mate. I wouldn''t be without my men now if I had done that remain quiet and listen to the doorknob jiggle. His scent hits me, and I want to gag. I used to love the smell of leather and sage, but now, I can''t really stomach it. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    The bed dips next to me, and sparks erupt on my back. Stuart starts to rub small circles on my back, and I feel myself rxingpletely. "How was your day? Is everything okay?" If I stay like this, I know what will happen, and I don''t want it. I sit up and reach for my phone. I sit on the edge of the bed before getting up.


    "I have errands to run." I don''t wait for a response. I just leave the room as quickly as I can. I need to get my family back and shed the dead weight.


    ~Stuart-


    More and more, I regret holding on to Kim for so long. I had a good mate, even if she was chosen. She gave me children, and we had a good life. I had to mess it all up, trying to keep that woman by my side, even if it was at a distance.


    I''m almost certain that Kim''s trying


    to get back in with Paul and her kids. What I don''t understand is why she hasn''t rejected me yet. If what I''m


    offering isn''t good enough for heret


    she needs to let me go. I know. could have rejected her a while ago, but always felt that I needed to do everything I could to make it work. She''s my fated mate, and that isn''t something I''m really ready to part with at this point. If she decides that she''s done with it, there''s nothing I can do.


    I''m constantly reying everything that happened in thest few months. So much has changed so quickly that I''m just now able to sit and has through it all. I''ve visited Aida a few times, and my heart breaks every visit. I hate seeing her satest to the world. I''ve realized that I may have yed a part in where she is now. I''ve always doted on my twins, and I think I did too much all their lives.


    I''ve also been thinking about Portia all this time. She could have killed me, but she didn''t, and that says a lot. It''s been my own shorings that caused a rift between Portia and me. I should have been better I should have treated Portia as my child, not the enemy. She didn''t ask toe into this world, and I''ve been treating her horribly.


    I grab a beer and sit on the couch. I seem to have had deep reflections many daystely. I''m constantly reying the events in my life and reevaluating my choices. I doubt Portia will ever wee me, but I need to figure out if my mate is worth all this trouble.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    -Nikki-


    I bounce in the bed, making me wonder if I''m back on the ne. The journey to the wedding was bumpy at best. "MOM!" I feel an arm around me, and thefort is wonderful. I pop an eye open and look at my daughter. She''s so beautiful; love and happiness agree with her.


    I owe her so much in the way of an apology. I feel I could have done more to stand up for her, but I was scared. Stuart could always be a more than opposing figure and could be abusive if he deemed it necessary. I let my fear take over, and that caused me to not be there for my daughter like I should have been.


    I trail my eyes down my daughter''s body until I see the baby bump. My eyes start to mist while I reach out and touch her belly. My baby is having a baby, and I''m beyond excited. I can''t wait to be a grandmother. Tia moves my hand around her belly until I feel movement. I look up at Tia, and she has a massive smile on her face. "Baby missed its grandma." Iugh and wipe my eyes.


    "No....no not grandma. I don''t like that."


    "What do you want to be called?"


    "I don''t know. I will think about it and let you know." I hear a grumble and stop. I know it wasn''t my stomach. Tia is blushing and holding her belly.


    "I guess I need to eat." Iugh and get out of bed.


    "Let me just throw some clothes on and I''ll join you."


    Tia and I talk on the way to the dining room. She filled me in on all I missed while I was gone, which wasn''t much. I never really left the pack often over the years, but after everything that happened, I just needed some space.


    When we make it to the dining room, the twins are sitting at the head of the table, and Tia''s seat is waiting between them. Lynn is also sitting at the table, and she gives me a big smile when she sees me. I take a seat at the table, and a te is ced in front of me.


    "How was your trip?" Landon is eating with eyes trained on me. Lincoln is busy feeding my daughter. It''s cute and gross at the same time.


    "It was really fun. Exactly what I needed. I''m d I''m back though. I wouldn''t miss the birth of my grandchild for anything."


    "I agree. I had to make sure I got back in time to see my grandbabye into this world." I feel my heart start to flutter, and I struggle to keep a smile off my face. I can smell Paul''s musk and just want to rub my face in it. Paul sits across from me and gives me a big smile. "Morning, Nikki.¡±


    "Morning, Paul." I swear my voice squeaked that out, but no one was looking at me crazy, so maybe I imagined it.


    "Will you be going to the clinic today?" It takes me a minute to realize that Paul is speaking to me; my daydreams are taking up precious mental space.


    "Uh, I may check in, but I don''t think I''m scheduled." Paul nods at me, but something in his eye- I need to stop ying myself. There is nothing between us. Hell, our kids are fated to each other, so there''s that. "How was the wedding, dad?"


    "It was actually better than I thought it would be, Lincoln. It was nice connecting with old friends and nice making new ones. I did learn one thing though...."


    "What''s that?"


    "Doc Nikki here sure can cut a rug." The fork in my hand falls out and tters on my te. I can feel my face heating up, and eyes are turning to me.


    "Mom, you were at the same wedding as Paul?" I gulp and nod, knowing it wouldn''t go well if I tried to use my voice. "How fun! And here you were, worried that you wouldn''t know anyone." I turn and give my daughter a weak smile. I can feel butterflies in my stomach because Paul has his eyes trained on me. Goddess, I don''t know what to do right now or when this happened, but I think I have a crush on my former Alpha.


    -Paul-


    The minute I looked at her, I knew I had made a good decision to eat in the packhouse instead of in my new kitchen. The minute I opened my eyes this morning, my mind was flooded with images of Nikki. I had never noticed her before, but that wasn''t surprising. I have always been loyal and faithful. There was never anyone who could take my eyes off my mate. Now that I''m mateless, I''m noticing people I never would have before, and Nikki is at the top of that list. Hell, let''s be honest; she''s the only one on that list.


    el.n


    I want to spend more time with her, but I have no idea where this ising from. Nikki is funny and sweet. She''s gorgeous, of course. She''s super intelligent, but I hate to admit I''ve never seen her in action on the job. I''ve never actually witnessed her take care of others. "Hey, Nikki?" She looks at me as if she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I swear there is a bit of blush on her cheek, but I can''t be sure. "How about I shadow you at work? I want to find some things to do around here, and I''ve never really spent much time in the clinic." I watch Nikki; she lookspletely flustered, and I find it so cute.


    "Uh.....sure. That.....that will be fine. I know I''m on schedule to....tomorrow." I give her a big smile, knowing I saw her blush this time.


    "Good, I can''t wait." I push my te away and stand. "I''m going to spend some time getting my new ce together. I will see you kidster. If you need me, just holler." I take a few steps. "I will see you soon, Nikki."


    -Moon Goddess-


    I lean back in my chair and can''t help the smile on my face. This is going better than I hoped. "Did you need anything, Goddess?" I keep my eyes on the book I''m using to watch my children in the Emerald Lake Pack.


    "No, Angel. I don''t need anything at the moment. I''m just enjoying watching my children." Angel leans down and looks at the book.


    "Isn''t it risky for them to grow feelings for each other? What happens when they find second chance mates?"


    "They already found them, so itN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    won''t be an issue." Angel looks


    ???


    confused, and Maugh. I close the book and push it to the side. "Sometimes, Angel, I have to help my children in less obvious ways. The mate bond is my usual mode of help, but in this case, I felt it would do more harm than good. They both have been through so much. I wasn''t sure they would ept the bond if it presented itself. This way, they can get to know each other naturally, and the bond can grow from there."


    "So.....they won''t ever feel the bond?" I shake my head. I forget that sometimes everyone doesn''t understand how I go about getting these things worked out.


    "They will feel the bond; the sparks and smell the scents. It will happen once they join together....once they choose each other." Angel sighs and leans against the desk.


    "I guess it''s just weird to me. I mean their children are mated to each other. Doesn''t that make thingsplicated?" I pat Angel on the knee and rise from my chair.


    "There are times when things like that don''t matter. Nikki and Paul are meant for each other. I would have put them together sooner, but things have to happen in their own time. Just trust me when I say this match will work, and everyone will ept it." I make my way out of the library and to the garden for a little stroll.


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