by Emilia Rose
Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down to his chest. “I’ve never woken up with you before,” he said softly against my jaw. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling. “I haven’t woken up next to a woman in years.”
“Kylo, please.”
I shifted in his arms, but he held me closer. “Let me enjoy you, Isabella. I want to savor this moment and all the little things that come along with you in the morning. I don’t know when Roman will let me see you again.”
My body relaxed against him, and I closed my eyes. Savor the moment because we might not get another one. It felt so wrong, but my wolf kept purring, and I wanted to keep her content. She had wanted this for so long.
“Tell me one thing that makes you happy,” he said after moments of silence.
Roman, I thought, and you.
Chest tightening, I smiled and brushed some hair from his forehead. “I love moonflowers. We have tons of them in pots on our windowsill. They glow at all hours of the night,” I turned onto my back and grinned even harder. “And sometimes, I catch Roman smiling at them.”
Kylo curled his fingers into my side, making me turn back to him. “I have a garden of them in my pack. I planted them for Luna Raya after she died. She loved them, too, didn’t she?”
My heart warmed, and I nodded. “She did,” I whispered.
Just as Kylo was about to speak, wolves howled in the distance.
Kylo grabbed my hand and tugged me to my feet. “Morning departure meeting with the Moon Goddess,” he said, grabbing his dirty shirt from the sand. “We can’t be late.”
After a short stroll to the garden under chirping and whistling bluebirds, we reached the group of warriors huddled around the Moon Goddess. She stood among them, skin softer and less bright than last night, and glanced around until she met our gazes. We stood near the back with our shoulders brushing against each other—my need to be near him intensifying every moment—and listened to her speak about the darkness that would soon plague the entire world if we didn’t stop it.
“Havoc will spread and threaten the werewolf race faster than any epidemic, sickness, or mania has ever unraveled. It won’t be anything like you have seen in your lifetimes. People will die.” She looked at us. “People you love will die.”
When the warriors broke out into a fit of whispers and murmurs, she held up her hand to quiet everyone down. “Please, stay calm and ask your questions.”
“What is this darkness?” someone in the crowd asked.
“His name is Dolus, God of Corruption. While I’m fighting him in the divine sphere, he has warriors on the ground who are slowly trying to corrupt people’s minds.” She gestured to me. “Ryker, the previous leader of the Lycans, was one of those he had manipulated. After he marked Michelle, he was vulnerable and an easy target to taint.”
Ryker? That man had been so hard to take down. If there were more people like that …
“There are others around that I’m sure you’ve been in contact with. I can’t tell you exactly who he has already corrupted because corruption comes in many forms that are similar to the way mortals normally act. Some people are devious, envious, or simply evil.”
Clouds drifted over the sun, barring any light, except hers.
She paused and shook her head, a somber expression crossing her face. “I am doing everything I can, but I can’t do it all. Every time he corrupts a mind, he becomes stronger and harder to hold back. Once he corrupts thirty percent of the population, I won’t be able to hold him back any longer. He will come to this beautiful earth and bring hell upon it. I need your help to save our species from corruption.”
More whispers broke out among the crowd, yet this time, it wasn’t fear of the unknown plaguing everyone’s words. It was the sense of protection, power, want, and need to save our species. Warriors stood taller, canines emerged from under their lips, and nails lengthened into their claws.
The Wolf Moon warriors were ready to fight.
“You will be led by the two reincarnated divine wolves. Please, do as they say, as they hold the knowledge of seven thousand years of war in their minds and in their muscles.” She smiled at us. “Isabella and Kylo will lead you to victory.”
When everyone turned toward us, Kylo awkwardly raised a hand, and I gulped nervously.
While the Lycans depended on me to make the right decisions to protect people from rogues, I now had to make decisions that would affect the survival of our species. It was terrifying.
“You are dismissed,” the Moon Goddess said. “Make me proud.”
After she disappeared into the woods, Kylo and I stayed behind until everyone left the estate. There were so many warriors on our side, who had so much collective experience. We had the control, and we would destroy whatever got in our way.
Once the last warrior, Darnell, left, Kylo grabbed my hand and led me to the exit. Heart pounding inside my chest, I intertwined my fingers with his. Whether we had been lovers in a past life, friends in others, or sworn enemies—like Roman wanted to be in this life—we had to be on one team to defeat corruption.
“I need to tell Roman about us,” I said, stepping on the other side of the stone gates. “But I need you to be there when I do. He needs to understand what you are to me and that we can’t fight anymore. Please warn your pack, get everything you need in order, and come to Roman’s pack tonight.”
He cupped my face in his hands and brushed his thumbs against my cheeks. “Whatever you need, Isabella.” He placed his lips on my cheek, shifted into his wolf, and disappeared into the forest.
When I arrived at our pack, Roman was waiting at the border for me with dark circles under his eyes, a weak smile on his face, and a moonflower in his hand. “Isabella,” he whispered, handing me the flower and studying every inch of my body as if it were the first time he had ever seen it. He brushed his knuckles across my cheek and smiled down at me. “My dear Isabella.”
After inhaling deeply, he tensed for a brief moment—probably smelling Kylo on me—and then relaxed as much as he could. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, needing him close. As I rested my face against his chest, right above the heart that beat for me, I slumped my shoulders forward and let a tear fall down my cheek.
It had only been two days. We had been apart for longer. But I had never been this far from him—mentally or emotionally.
Being in his arms again felt better than I’d imagined it would.
I grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the pack house. While Kylo might’ve been my wolf’s first love, Roman was mine. We were going to talk, but I first wanted to show him that he was the only person I needed.
Leading him up to our bedroom, I pushed him onto the bed, crawled onto him, and kissed him hard on the lips. Since we had been children chasing each other around his backyard and drawing little pictures of warrior wolves with red crayons on the walls, Roman had been everything to me.
He always would.
Roman rolled on top of me, kissed down my neck to his mark, and slowly peeled off our clothes. The moment wasn’t rushed, but passionately slow. He scooted between my legs, smiled down at me, and tucked some hair behind my ear.
“I’m ready for you to lead us,” he said, kissing my mark. “I know that Kylo has given you more respect as a warrior than I ever have.” He pecked my jaw and then pulled back and stared directly into my eyes. “But I want you to know that you’re everything to me. You’re strong and powerful and such a wonderful leader.” He brushed his fingers against my lips. “I hope that I’m not too late.”
All those familiar little butterflies fluttered around in my stomach. My heart swelled, and I felt like we were two stupid kids without a care in the world again, wanting to just love each other for who we were.
“You’re not too late, Roman,” I murmured against his lips. “I’m still yours.” I pulled him down closer to me and brushed my nose against his, closing my eyes. “And you’re still mine.”
I j
ust wanted to love him.
No more miscommunication. No more secrets. No more lies.
Curling a hand around the back of my neck, he pulled me closer and pressed his lips hard to mine, kissing me with everything he had. And when we were both breathless, he worked his way down my jaw, down my neck, down my chest and stomach until he reached my panties.
After looping two fingers inside the black material, he peeled them off of me and admired every inch of my legs as they slid down them. I squirmed under his gaze, aching. He drew his nose down the inside of my right thigh until he met my core. He spread my legs apart and pressed his hot mouth onto my clit.
Instead of squirming around and back-talking like I usually did, I lay there and enjoyed it.
My back arched. My fingers curled into his hair. My eyes stayed on his as he loved me.
“I love you, Isabella,” he murmured against me.
Overcome with so much raw emotion, I couldn’t hold back the tears that formed in my eyes. I curled my fingers into his shoulder and relaxed further into the mattress. He continued to lap at my clit, his tongue flicking back and forth over it.
“I never want to stop loving you,” he said.
A tear rolled down my cheek. Despite everything that we had faced and everything that we would face together, I loved this man, and I would never stop loving him either. He would be with me until the day I died.
Slowly kissing his way back up my stomach, he left a trail of tingles on my body. He brushed his fingers oh-so softly against my cheek to push away a single tear. But it only made more of them fall.
When he pressed his lips to mine, he pushed himself into me. My core tightened around his cock, shaping to him naturally. He slowly pumped into me while whispering soft, calming I love yous into my ear.
“My dear Isabella,” he murmured against me, resting his forehead against mine and creating soothing patterns around my nipple with his fingers, “I want you to come.”
I furrowed my brows, whimpering.
“Can you do that for me?”
I nodded, my heart pounding. “Yes, Roman.”
He brushed two fingers against my clit and rubbed me in small circles. “Come for me.”
Clenching on his cock, I stared up at him through teary eyes and let my legs tremble around him as I came undone for him.
Chapter 19
Roman
After I made love to Isabella, she lay on my chest, drew circles around on my abdomen, and told me that Kylo was coming over tonight to talk. I tensed underneath her and inhaled his scent, which lingered in her hair.
She had been with him this weekend—the entire weekend.
From the moment I had first smelled him on her—at the Lycans’ pack house—I had known that something was going on between them. I had known he’d try to hit on her or kill her with that flower even, but I just didn’t want to think that Isabella could be swept away by him, especially after all we’d been through.
During the entire time we had been lying together tonight, she had cried so many tears. I had thought they were tears of joy and love and passion … but that evil, insecure part of me shouted that those were heartbroken tears. All I could think about was Isabella leaving me for him tonight, about her ripping off her mate’s necklace and throwing it at me when he got here.
So many thoughts ran recklessly through my mind. I desperately needed to know what this goddess-damned connection was between them. All weekend, I had prepared myself for the worst—for her to reject me as her mate. My insecurities said that it was coming any day now. Rejecting me so she could be with Kylo, just like Scarlett had rejected Kylo to be with me.
Guards warned me that Kylo was here through the mind link. I scooped Isabella up in my arms, dressed her, and walked down the stairs to the front of the pack house with her small hand enveloped in mine.
I couldn’t let her leave with him, and I wouldn’t if that was what he was here for.
Kylo stood in the front yard, brown eyes lighting up when he saw her. She tightened her grip on my hand and refused to look me in the face, yet I saw the way her eyes sparkled almost as brightly as they did the night she had discovered we were mates.
My heart pounded inside my chest, canines emerging under my lips. This was it. I was going to lose her, too, like I had lost everyone else that I cared about. And when Kylo finally had her …
I shook my head, unsure of how that would play out.
If he wanted to kill her, he could’ve killed her with that flower this weekend. Yet he hadn’t.
Instead of reaching for him like I’d thought she would, Isabella stepped away from both of us and cleared her throat, directing her attention toward me. “We need to tell you something.”
Every ounce of pain rushing through her body raced through mine as well. I balled my hands into fists to keep my claws hidden. My wolf stayed on edge, glancing back and forth between Kylo and Isabella.
She squeezed her eyes shut and reopened them with tears. “Kylo and I—”
“Did you cheat on me?” I blurted out, wanting to put everything on the table.
Waiting another second would kill me.
“Roman, I—we … we didn’t have sex, if that’s what you’re asking.” Tears streamed down her blotchy red cheeks. “I have a connection with him.” She curled her arms around herself to make herself smaller. “He’s my wolf’s first mate.”
When the words came out of her mouth, I broke. Fiery agony spread through my body, as if every part of me had been doused in gasoline. I shook my head, not wanting to believe it. How could this be fucking true?
I was her mate. I had been made for her.
“Wh-what?” I asked so softly that I barely heard myself. “You two are mates?”
“This isn’t me trying to get back at you for what you did with Scarlett, Roman,” Kylo said, straightening himself out. Light from the moon glowed behind him, making his face dark and ominous. “I swear to the goddess that it isn’t.”
“What do you mean, you’re fucking mates?” I growled, ignoring him.
The entire forest went silent, not even racoons scurrying up the trees or bats chirping.
“Not like us.” Isabella placed her hands on my chest. Familiar tingles ran up and down my arms as she stepped closer to me. “Kylo and I have a different connection with our wolves.” When she stopped, he nodded to her and urged her to continue. “Our wolves are divine, the first two wolves to ever bear the powers of shifting, reincarnated for thousands and thousands of years,” she said to me. “And the Moon Goddess said that we need to save the world together.”
I pulled myself away from her. I didn’t like it. I didn’t fucking like it at all.
Staring up at me with those big, beautiful, glossy eyes, her brows drawn slightly together, she frowned. “I’m sorry, Roman. I’m sorry for being so jealous about Scarlett when … when I couldn’t stop feeling this way toward Kylo.”
Kylo gazed at me with hurt in his eyes—the same hurt that I’d caused when I started dating his mate. Both of us had screwed up, but this was too far.
I loathed this more than the thought of her leaving me for him just because.
I ached to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze hard until he crumpled beneath me. The thought of her wolf being in love with Kylo for thousands upon thousands of years made me feel like shit.
Did her wolf not love me? Did her wolf not purr for me every night we lay in bed together? Was it all just some put-on?
She grabbed my hand in one of hers and grasped my jaw in the other. “Roman, please say something,” she pleaded, voice so soft and quiet. Every word she spoke was filled with hurt and despair.
I wanted to hate her wolf for this, but fuck, I loved her. I had loved her and her wolf since we were pups, play-fighting in the forest, since we sneaked into the cave and drew stupid little pictures on the walls for hours, since we used to run home when the fireflies went to bed and the sun started to rise above the trees.
After frown
ing down at my feet, I pulled myself away from her. “Why didn’t you tell me that you felt this strongly about him sooner?” I asked, trying to keep myself under control and not turn her around, thrust her against the nearest tree, and claim what was mine in front of the man who was taking her away from me.
“I tried to ignore it,” she whispered, clutching my hand tightly. “I tried to make our connection go away, but my wolf kept leading me back to him. All I’ve felt is so much guilt and sorrow and sadness because”—she hiccuped—“I love you so much and I don’t want to lose you.”
I swallowed all of my pain. “What if you lost me?”
More tears raced down her cheeks. “R-R-Rom …” She couldn’t even finish my name.
She ached on the inside; I could feel it. It was killing me.
But smelling him on her each night made me hurt worse.
When she grasped my hand again, I pulled it away from her. “Isabella,” I said, lifting her chin so she’d look me right in my face. “What if you lost me? Tell me how you’d feel.”
She squeezed her eyes closed and hugged her arms around her body.
“Open your eyes,” I demanded. “Look at me when you say it.”
After she opened her eyes, they shifted back and forth between gold and blue. “I … I would feel so broken on the inside. I would feel so terrible. I would hate myself. You’re all I know. You’re all that I’ve ever known.” She placed her hands on mine and held on tight. “I love you with everything that I have. I haven’t taken my mate’s necklace off of me since the moment you put it on me. I haven’t loved another man like I love you.”
Though my heart ached, I held back my tears. I wanted to cry so fucking hard because I loved her too fucking much. She could ruin me over and over and over, and I would still want to worship every inch of her body, mind, and soul.
“And what if you lost Kylo?” I asked, keeping my jaw clenched so she wouldn’t see it tremble. Just asking her the question broke me because I already knew the answer, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for her to say it.