by Lyra Winters
“Because of her treachery?”
Her eyes widened as she nodded. “He told you then? Of course he did. Xavier has always been so honest. But not just that, there was something just off with her.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“When he’s with you, he glows. He didn’t look at Olivia like he looks at you.” She nudged my arm.
I bit back a smile. It was good to hear it from someone else, but it felt wrong to be happy about it since she was dead. “You seem to be happy with your mate, Blaine.”
“Oh, absolutely. It was love at first sight with him.” Her emotions of love for him sizzled off her.
I smiled. I was the same way with Xav. It was cool to see other matebonds and the way other mates interacted in their relationships since I’d never seen fated mates together.
“Also, Ivy told me she mentioned the whole Xavier and I sleeping together thing.” She winced. “I regret that. I swear we are totally platonic now, but I wanted to get it out in the open since my sister probably said it with malintent, and I’m sorry.”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to apologize for her actions. And don’t worry about the past. It belongs there. Besides, I understand mates. You only have eyes for Blaine now, and Xavier only has eyes for me.”
“Exactly!” She grinned.
“On a serious note, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you deny going after Lockhart to avenge Liv?” I nibbled my thumbnail.
Her lips curved downward. “I had just taken over being Alpha. I was learning the ropes and thought I could rule without bloodshed. Lockhart was and is extremely powerful. I didn’t want our pack to be killed off or taken over. But now that I’ve ruled with Blaine, I see that violence is the answer most of the time with pack disputes.”
“I can sense you have a noble and kind heart.” I placed a hand on her slumped shoulder. “It’s okay to learn and grow. It’s expected. You were doing what you thought was best at the time.”
“Thanks, Harlow. I’ve beat myself up for that decision for years.” She sighed. “Which is why I’m back with Blaine. Our pack is teaming up with my sister’s pack to help you all take that bastard down.”
“Thanks, Sophia. I know Xavier appreciates it and so do I.”
After the important topics were out of the way, we spent the rest of the time talking about our mates, her little boy, and her pregnancy. It got me thinking about the future and if Xavier and I would have children. I also showed her some of my magic and how helpful it could be in combat situations.
We were lying in the meadow beside the waterfall when Sophia startled and stood up alert. “The meeting is over. We are preparing for war.”
TWENTY TWO
Xavier
We all sat around the big ass wooden meeting table in swivel chairs. After the meeting with the elders, we were approved for war against Lockhart. I was fucking grateful. Only one elder voted no, but there were twenty of them. So the odds were in our favor.
Riley, Gabe, Blaine, Caroline, and I waited for Sophia and Harlow to get here to discuss the plan. Blaine planned to bring his warriors over to fight, which would be a huge help considering how bloodthirsty they were.
Sophia and Harlow strolled in giggling to themselves and sat in the two chairs between Blaine and me by their respective mates. Harlow slipped her hand in mine and smiled.
“What did we miss?” Sophia asked.
“Just the vote that was in favor of a war with Lockhart.” Riley shrugged. “Now we need to come up with a plan.”
“Attack at night, maybe during a holiday when they’re off guard,” Caroline suggested.
“We can’t wait for a holiday, but I like the idea of when they’re off guard,” Riley said.
Harlow rested her chin on her fist. “Why don’t Xav and I go first in the morning of the war to do recon. I can teleport and cloak us so nobody knows we are there.”
Fuck, she was like a super spy and the perfect asset. I was glad she was on our side.
“That’s a great idea,” Blaine said, shooting me an approving look. “We can have the wolves attack that night depending on their status. I will call for half of my pack warriors to come join us in the war.”
Riley smiled at him and her sister. “Thank you both.”
Caroline pushed her glasses on top of her head and rubbed her eyes. “What do we need to do to prepare?”
“I need to charge up my magical energy, but I can do that myself. If you guys have any cloves or rosemary, I could definitely take some with me. Crystals as well. They tend to help us recharge faster,” Harlow said.
“I will ask our herbalist to prepare some for your departure.”
“And we will arm our warriors as well as Alpha Blaine’s and be waiting right inside the border between our packs.” Riley brushed her shoulder against Gabe’s and relaxed. “That night we will attack when they are less expecting.”
“Xavier, I am reestablishing your position in the pack for the time being so you can mindlink your progress.” Riley stood and came over to me. “Is that alright?”
I nodded, getting to my feet, and meeting her eyes. “Abso-fucking-lutely, Alpha Riley.”
She smirked, outstretching her palm, and pressing it to my forehead. An electric shock came from her and into me before a buzzing crawled through my body. Invisible chains linked me to the pack once again, and I didn’t like it one bit—but it was only temporary.
“What night are we extracting the plan?” Sophia asked as we took our seats again. “Because I’d like to be part of it but this baby is coming soon.”
“You’re not coming, darlin’,” Blaine said without a beat.
“We’ll discuss it later, but yes I am.”
He growled low, and I took the chance to interrupt. “I’d like to do it as soon as fucking possible. We’ve waited long enough. Besides, Lockhart will catch word that I’ve come back here. The fucker is smart, he’ll figure out we’ll be planning an attack.”
Riley tapped her fingers on the table. “That’s true. Would everyone be okay with doing this tomorrow?”
Relief washed through my body in tingles.
“I can get my pack warriors to head over now,” Blaine said. “They’ll arrive by morning.”
“Perfect.” Gabe nodded and glanced around the table to assess everyone’s decision. “Tomorrow it is then.”
“Tomorrow Lockhart finally gets what he deserves.”
Everyone around the table nodded in agreement, and we worked out all the details and possible fuck ups that could happen. After the meeting was over, all of us minus Caroline ate dinner together before Harlow and I said our goodbyes and headed back to our room.
As soon as our door closed, Harlow let out a breath of air. “That was so stressful.”
I grinned. She was something else. A strong person with the best fucking personality I’d known. I loved her with everything I had and more. “You did great.”
Her fingers worked through her silk hair after she pulled the hair tie out from the morning. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” I coughed, trying to distract myself from the overwhelming urge to claim her entirety. Her scent being mixed with mine was delectable, and I wanted to change it more by completing the soul-bond, but I swallowed it back. “I finally get to avenge Liv because you tend to get things done with your give-no-fucks attitude.”
Her eyes softened. “And I get to avenge my parents.”
“I want you to know, revenge made me a bloodthirsty mother fucker before I met you, but now I feel the need to avenge her out of obligation. I don’t have that deep-seated anger I harbored after she died.”
The smile that stretched her lips upward knocked the fucking breath out of me. “I love you, Xav.” And the way she said my name made my legs weak.
It wasn’t just the matebond, it ran deeper than that. Harlow had me under her spell, whether she knew it or not.
TWENTY THREE
Harlow
I couldn’t
believe it. Tomorrow I would avenge my parent’s death with the help of Xav and his old pack, and it was all because of a fateful encounter. Once we got back to the room, I meditated as Xav took a shower, and when he finished it I took mine. I absorbed energy from the water droplets as I showered, and my magical energy was charged up fully by the time we slid into bed.
Being in his arms had become second nature. It was crazy to think not that long ago, I’d made a pillow wall in between us to stop him from touching me, and now all I could think about was all the different ways he could touch me.
“Are you nervous?” His lips brushed my ear.
A shiver shot down my body and landed in my core. I swallowed hard. “Not completely. I think everything will work out. We have a lot of people on our side.”
“Yeah, but Lockhart is ruthless and has a hell of a lot of numbers. A lot could go wrong.”
I sat up and took his handsome face in my hands. “Don’t say that. Nothing will go wrong. We can handle anything that happens.”
“You’re right. I just can’t lose you, Harlow.” The look in his eyes caused heat to rush between my legs.
“I’m not that easy to get rid of.” I inched closer and nipped his bottom lip. “Completing the soul-bond strengthens our bond right?”
I swore he short-circuited with the mention of completing it. “Uh, yeah. It strengthens the feelings of our emotions, lets us know where each other are at all times, and allows for mindlinking,” he sputtered out the explanation.
I giggled, throwing my leg over his lap and positioning myself over his erection. “That could benefit us tomorrow, couldn’t it?”
“Are you saying you want to do this?” His body was stiff as if he were holding himself back.
“Yes, I think it’s time.” I moved my hands from his face and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you, Xav.”
Something in him snapped and within seconds, I was underneath him with both of us stripped naked. “I love you.” His lips crashed to mine without letting me say anything else or even take another breath.
The kiss was all-consuming, filled with anticipation as a heated sensation tore at my chest. He matched my tongue with each lap as his hands skimmed up and down my sides. We were going to complete the soul-bond, and there was no going back once we had. It made my stomach dip in the best way.
His hands moved from my sides to cup both of my breasts in his hands. I moaned and my head fell back onto the pillow as he rolled my nipples between his fingers. On instinct, I scratched down the rivulets of his abs. My heart leaped to my throat. I’d never let myself look at him when he was naked in front of me other than a glance here and there. And I’d never touched a man like I was about to touch him. I sucked the anxiety crawling out of me back in. He gave me a place in the world I didn’t have before.
“You have no idea how many nights I’ve dreamed about you lying under me just like this,” he told me.
“Me too.” I wrapped my hand around the thickness of his erection.
“That feels so fucking good and you haven’t done anything but grab it,” he breathed.
“Please. I need you.” I let go of him and grabbed at his wrists, pulling him closer. My sensitive core connected with his bare dick as my legs locked around him. Hot, prickly tingles shot through my body, and I ached for more.
“You’re so fucking beautiful.” A growl escaped him as he grinded his hips into me. The friction had my eyes rolling back in my head. He arched his head and nuzzled into my neck where his mouth devoured my mark, and the moans turned to yelps from me. Any touch from him on that mark sent my hormones into a frenzy.
I panted as my pussy throbbed and sent more wetness between my legs. “Please, get inside me. I need to feel you, Xav. I’m ready.”
He unlatched from his mark and brushed a gentle kiss to my lips, and my arms wound around his neck to steady myself.
With our noses pressed together, he sunk into me. The feeling was more soul-binding, more intense than I’d imagined. Our breaths mingled as I got used to him. He stretched me, filled me up, and he fit perfectly. I gasped. We were made for one another.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I nodded, and his eyes changed from hesitation to hunger. He started rocking his hips back and forth, and the friction of him sent waves of ecstasy through my entire being. My back arched as my breasts pushed into him without breaking our gaze. I could revel in the feeling all night.
All at once, my body writhed and moans fell out of me without restraint as he pumped into me harder. He found his own release and came with the sexiest combination of moans and groans.
He pulled out and collapsed beside me, breathing ragged. My skin was buzzing with aftershocks from hitting my climax so many times. I’d thought the first time was supposed to be painful, but it was anything but. It was perfect in every single way.
“Our scents are mixed,” he mumbled, pulling me into his arms.
My mark burned on my neck. I ran my fingers over it and found it inflamed. It sent tingles of pleasure down my body over and over again. “What’s this feeling in the mark?”
A genuine, blissful smile appeared on his swollen lips. “It’s a sign that the mating process is complete. We are soul-bonded.”
My heart swelled. I loved that wolf with my entirety, and I was thankful fate brought us together.
TWENTY FOUR
Xavier
Sophia fussed over Harlow once we arrived at the Alpha’s office in the morning. She’d congratulated us on completing our soul-bond, which was fucking amazing, and wanted to make sure we had everything we needed for a successful start of the war.
Riley, Gabe, Blaine, and Caroline were also in the room. Sophia and Blaine were still arguing over her going or not. My guess was she’d win but who knew. Blaine was just as stubborn.
Aside from that, we were all antsy. The Maxwell pack had never gone to war in our lifetime, so it was new territory for us.
“We have everything we need,” Harlow assured them before turning to me. “Are you ready?”
I smirked. She looked like a damn goddess all the time, but after mating with her last night, she was glowing more than usual.
“Xav?” Her hand landed on my shoulder.
I blinked. Fuck. She was so beautiful, I’d forgotten to answer her. “What? Oh. Yeah. Let’s do this shit.”
Snickers sounded from around us and Harlow blushed.
“Please be careful you two,” Sophia said with Blaine’s arms wrapped around her.
“We will. Harlow’s a fucking badass.”
Her blush deepened. “I’ll do everything I can to keep us safe.”
“Be sure that you do,” Caroline added with pursed lips.
I rolled my eyes. She’d been such a bitch to Harlow but had shot serious glares toward her after I marked her. She reeked of jealousy, and it did nothing but piss me off. “I trust my mate with my life.”
She side-eyed Harlow. “Well, I don’t. She’s an outsider.”
Harlow’s eyes blazed silver as a gust of wind knocked Caroline off her feet and onto her ass. “I don’t really care what you think of me, you pompous bitch. Xav is my mate, and I’m strong enough to protect us both. Stop being petty.”
She gasped, scrambling to her feet. “I am Beta of the Maxwell pack. I have rank here, witch. You need to respect me.”
Riley stepped in. “Caroline, get ahold of yourself. You’re better than this, and quite frankly you’re acting like Ivy.”
Caroline recoiled. “I didn’t mean to… I mean, I just”—she took a deep breath before turning her attention to me—“I’m sorry. It’s just that I thought of you as my last chance at happiness since both of our mates died.”
“That doesn’t excuse your behavior toward Harlow,” I said.
“Please, excuse me.” She turned and walked out of the room without a glance in our direction.
Riley sighed. “That woman has some serious issues. Sorry, Harlow.”
Harlow
shrugged. “I don’t care. Let’s focus on the matter at hand.”
I’d loved everything about that witch, but her being strong as fuck in body and mind was the best thing in the world. I was so proud to call her my mate.
“Make sure you contact us every two hours or we will assume something happened,” Riley said.
“However, the plan will continue as discussed. No matter what. You not replying just gives us the idea that Lockhart probably knows war is coming.” Gabe gave me a nod.
“Understood, Alphas,” I told them as Harlow gripped my hands and shot me a grin.
“Ready to go now, Xav?” A teasing smile came over her.
I winked. “Guys this is so fucking cool. Just watch.”
“But you need to close your eyes, remember?” Harlow rolled her eyes as the rest laughed.
I shut my eyes and stopped running my mouth before a tingling sensation spread all over my body. Surprised gasps and whispers quit abruptly before chirping birds replaced them.
“You can open your eyes now,” Harlow whispered, keeping a hold of my hand. “I’ve cast a cloaking spell on us. We can’t be seen.”
I opened my eyes and my brows raised. “Damn, little witch. You impress me every fucking second that goes by.”
She’d teleported us onto their territory in a thick part of the woods, and we didn’t have to cross their border so we were less likely to be noticed. It was fucking insane she could do that without even being there before.
“I’m pretty great.” She lifted a shoulder as a breeze swept through the fine strands of her hair. “Anyway, we should be okay to walk around and get a feel of things.”
I pulled her hand until she was flush against me before bending down and kissing her plump lips. “You’re seriously the sexiest woman alive.”
She smiled against the kiss. “Focus. We can kiss later.”
“Fine.” I huffed as I pulled back. “His pack is this way.” I interlaced our fingers and started walking east. I’d scouted his territory in the year I’d decided to get my revenge but it didn’t matter how well I knew his land, the bastard was a monster who had mindless killing machines as warriors to protect him.