by Ebony Olson
"My real name -"
"You aren't in it. No female is." Placing the ledger down, Jeremy picked up another. "This is the Alpha's diary. It is required by our law that every Alpha keeps one."
"Really? You aren't worried the humans would get hold of them?"
"We keep them safe," Dale assured, while Jeremy leafed through it.
"Based on your age, I only had to search a few to find the right year." Opening a page, Jeremy cleared his throat.
Holding up his hand, Dale sat forward. "Wait! Cerese and Ralph should hear this. Vera, you need to eat."
A little annoyed at having to wait, but starving enough to shut up, I raided the fridge. The entire time, I wondered what the diary revealed about me. Maybe my parents still lived. Fixing snacks, I'd made enough for a party by the time Dale came to the kitchen and bundled me up in his arms first.
"Calm down. I know you are anxious, but this is not going to be a happy tale."
After carrying everything to the dining table, Dale made everyone wait until I had eaten. Instead, Dale spoke about another person. "Do you remember Jacob, Ralph?"
"Yes, of course. What happened to him was horrible."
"Who was he?"
Eyes falling on me, Ralph sighed. "A former alpha who once was also a member of the Liderii. He died almost thirty years ago now."
"How?"
Taking my hand as I sat back, Dale seemed satisfied with what I'd eaten. "Pelt hunters. They mistook him for a pure wolf and killed him. Since he was Lycan, he reverted to a human at death so they couldn't take the pelt. The hunters reported it as an accidental killing. They shot what they thought was a wolf and turned out to be a man running naked through the woods."
"Why did you bring it up?" Ralph queried.
"It's relevant." Dale gestured for Jeremy to begin.
Jeremy picked up the diary. "The routine patrol revealed the scent of trespassers. Human's, with weapons. We recognized the smell of death that followed them. Chasing it, we were eager to drive them from our territory and teach them a lesson in hunting wolves.
"The hunt took us out of our territory. We considered turning back but decided to hunt a little farther. We wanted to see if we could determine where they came from, so we could keep watch. That is when we heard it. A child crying. I sent the others to spread out, to ensure it wasn't a trap. The child cried and cried. When I felt it was safe, I approached.
"She sat naked, covered in blood, besides the two naked bodies of her parents. At first, I thought something sinister had taken place. That humans killed this couple and left the child for nature to destroy. But, the child didn't fear me. In fact, when I came close enough, she clung to me as if I should give her comfort.
"That is when I caught their scent. The parents were not human, they were Lycan. Observing them, I recognized the man as Alpha Jacob, who left the Luna Shadows pack for the honor of the Liderii. Beside him, was a female Lycan I didn't know, but I understood, at that moment, that she had been a wolf when shot. White fur littered the ground where the bullet shredded her.
"My attention returned to the girl. Clinging to me like I would save her. Sniffing her, she smelled like earth and forest, and of night and moonlight. She was one of us. A female, born of a mother who could shift. I wondered if the child had been a cub when her parents died, and she followed them into human form.
"Shifting, I collected the child up and returned home with her. I didn't tell the others what I suspected. I needed to contact the Liderii first, needed to secure the child a good home. My pack is not the place for her. I don't trust my Beta. There are too many untrustworthy looks, and my sense of him has faded. I need to get this child somewhere safe before I am challenged. She has seen enough death for her short life. I have called Quinton and left a message for him to call me back."
Closing the diary, Jeremy put it aside. The table was quiet. Dale squeezed my hand.
"He intended to contact you, why didn't he?"
Passing the diary to Ralph, Jeremy took a deep breath. "That was the last entry of Alpha Sam. When he returned home that evening, his Beta didn't challenge him, he killed him in a craven attack in his study. Immediately after Sam made that entry.
"One of the elders told me Sam arrived with the girl and no explanation. He was in his study with her for thirty minutes waiting for a phone call when the Beta murdered his Alpha. The Delta, disgusted by the Beta's underhanded tactic, challenged the Beta and bested him. He showed the disgraced Beta, no mercy."
"That was the alpha who raised you, Vera," Dale informed me. "And Malcolm was the spineless Beta's bastard son. The new Alpha never let him live down his father's cowardice, and Malcolm let it eat away at his very being."
Malcolm's hatred for the Alpha he bested swarmed all over me again. "His treatment of me was his vengeance on the man who killed his father and made his childhood hell?"
Dale embrace me, comforting me as that rocky shoreline threatened to tear me apart again. Greedy human hunters, a coward of a Beta, and his vengeful son destroyed my life.
With my tears staining his shirt, Dale lifted me into his arms and bid everyone goodnight as he took me back to his room. Crying all night, I grieved for my parents and for the life I lost. Dale held me tight through it all.
As the sun rose in the morning, I lifted my swollen eyes to see Dale watching me. When I traced his lips with my finger, Dale dropped his mouth and kissed me, with a fierce and unbridled passion. He showed me all the reasons it was going to be okay.
Clinging to my lighthouse, I held tight while he guided me back to safe waters. As the storm in my heart calmed to reveal the bright future before us, I thanked the Goddess for gifting me a home.
Epilogue
"Okay, I’ve got an hour until dale has his next meeting. Let's play." Turning on the music, I picked up my camera. Dale had given me my own and paid for me to do classes to improve my ability. While the underground media was my main contract, I filled in if needed for other shoots.
The model and talent agency weren't Dale's only business, it was the one he put his face behind and ran daily. Everything editorials needed for publication, one of Dale's companies produced. So, if his models were on a shoot, and the photographer the client hired didn't show, Dale would offer my services. Provided it wasn't Wednesday or the weekend.
Wednesday mornings, I traveled home with Jeremy and back to the city with Dale on Thursday mornings. Friday nights, I drove back with Dale.
"Did you want us to keep going?"
Taking the camera away, I lifted a brow at Adam. "You read the request, didn't you?"
Cheeky grin in place, Adam mimicked my raised brow. "Yes. I also remember the last time we did a transformation fuck scene and how you reacted."
"I'd like to point out I am no longer pregnant. There is no chance of me going into labor today. I may need to finish early, so I have enough time to fuck my husband before his next meeting, but I won't go into labor."
Adam and Hymn laughed. "Come on, Adam, let's see if you can get me knocked up."
"I don't want to be alpha, and I'm happy in my pack, thank you."
Smiling, I shook my head. Those two were everything but married. They still slept with others, but they always came back to each other. My camera clicked as Hymn acted out the scene. Transforming into her beast, she attacked Adam.
Word had gotten around the packs that a Lycan female took out a violent Alpha. Now females going beast and all but raping the men was the fantasy. Personally, it sickened me, so I tried to tune it out. Feeling the same, Alexia refused to take part. She'd do the beast sex if it were mutual, but she left the rough stuff to Hymn.
Speaking of violent. "Hymn!" Standing up, I took a step forward as she got carried away. "Look to me."
Focusing on me, Hymn snarled up at me as she rode Adam, who was playing with her breasts. A tingle in the air was all the warning I got as Adam lost control and his beast came on him.
Stepping back, I checked my photos while those two roll
ed around on the floor. Grabbing my bag, I left them there. Making sure I locked the door on the way out, so no one walked in on them, I made my way back up to Dale's office.
When I arrived back early, Jeremy looked confused. "That was quick, is something wrong?"
"Adam lost control of his beast."
Taking the camera, Jeremy huffed. "Again? It's already taken three hours this morning."
"Yeah, but this time he lasted long enough for me to get the shot."
As Jeremy plugged the camera into his computer, I came around the desk to look over his shoulder. Pulling the pictures up, I pointed to the one that fit the brief. "That one."
Clicking it to full screen, Jeremy smiled. "Perfect."
"The close-ups of Hymn are good too. She was verging on a full shift."
"She can't do a full shift."
"Compare this photo with this photo."
Noting the two I pointed at, Jeremy's mouth fell open. I slapped his shoulder. "Told you. It's been over a year, it's so easy for me now, and I've only been shifting for six months. She's gotten more fluid with her shift and is starting to push for the next level. Give it a few more months, she'll be able to go wolf too."
Mouth hanging open, Jeremy shook his head. "That would be amazing."
"When she does, I think Adam and her will realize they are mates."
"What?" Jeremy's eyes bulged as I pushed through into Dale's office.
Sitting at his desk writing notes while on the phone, Dale smiled in my direction, and lifted a brow at the time. Giving him the thumbs up, I went to the port-a-cot in the corner. Tucking Jacob's blanket around him better, I smiled as Stephanie gurgled in her sleep.
"Okay, I'll get on that." Hanging up the phone, Dale typed an email. "You got the shot?"
"Yes." Turning to face him, I surveyed my husband and bit my lip. "I'm horny."
"I can feel that."
"The babies are still sleeping. The email could wait ten minutes."
"We've discussed the work boundary."
Rolling my eyes, I pulled my top over my head and dropped it to the floor. My pants went immediately after so I was standing in my underwear. Clearing his throat, Dale continued typing. Walking to his lounge, I laid myself down. "I'm going to have a rest then."
Dale's raised brow told me that he didn't believe me, but he didn't say anything. Getting comfortable, I started touching myself.
"Vera."
Ignoring him, I kept making myself feel nice. The growl when I moaned the first time only encouraged me. It wasn't until I slipped a finger inside me, that Dale couldn't stand by and watch anymore.
Appearing above me, Dale relieved me of my underwear. Bowing his head between my thighs, he tasted my need for himself.
When I moaned, Dale chuckled. "You'll wake the babies again."
Snatching the cushion, I held it over my face.
Every time we found time to be intimate, the babies woke up. I don't think it was my moaning and more their knowledge that mummy and daddy were having fun. It was no different to when I sat down to eat. I could have fed them both, but if I put a piece of food between my teeth, they woke up and needed me.
Moaning again, I threw the pillow away as I grabbed Dale and kissed him. "I can't wait." Throwing him on the floor, I climbed on top of him. "I haven't cum in three days. I need to cum, Dale."
Dale was trying not to laugh as I freed his hard-on and climbed on board. As he slid inside, pure relief escaped my lips in a sigh.
"Goddess, I love you. But I miss how often we had sex before the babies came."
Struggling to keep his eyes open, Dale bit his lip on a growl. As controlled as he behaved, and as much restraint as he tried to show, he missed it as much as I did. "This is normal, Vera. Babies change the dynamics."
"I'm happy for them to change the dynamics all they want, as long as it doesn't stop us practicing for more, at least once a day. Maybe twice."
Groaning, Dale helped my hips rock over him. "At least." He was so close; I wasn't the only one denied their happy ending of late.
Closing my eyes, I let the pleasure build. My body was racing for the prize, desperate to get there before one or two of my precious cubs opened their eyes. Dropping my mouth to Dale's shoulder to mute my moans, the change of angle worked for both of us.
Panting with the biggest grin on my face, I rested my cheek on his clothed chest. "That's the third time we've had sex in your office, and they've not woken up."
"They do seem to sleep well here."
"The room smells of you. More so than our bedroom at the apartment or even at home."
"I do spend all day here five days a week. Granted, I'm in and out, but I come back here more than any other place."
"Then it's settled. Clear your calendar for their afternoon sleeps for four days a week.
Dropping his head back, Dale laughed. "I don't remember my last wife being this demanding."
Huffing, I rolled off him. "I'm not going to acknowledge that. I'm not your last wife, I am your mate, and it's entirely different."
"Yes, it is." Caressing my cheek, Dale kissed me, with all the feeling in his heart. His eyes flicked towards the cot as he rolled on top of me again. "We should use this time well."
Gasping a laugh as he pushed inside me, I came twice more before we fell to the floor panting and wheezing. I couldn't stop smiling.
Collecting his clothes from the floor, Dale looked at his watch as a knock sounded at the door. "Crap! Tell Jeremy I'll be five minutes." Dale dashed into his bathroom as I rolled onto my stomach, and the door opened.
"He'll be five minutes, Jeremy."
"I'll call and tell them he's stuck in another meeting and should be there in ten."
"Thank you. And can you move any appointments he has for tomorrow at this time? I need quality wife time."
Trying very hard not to grin and failing, Jeremy pressed his lips together. "I'll see what I can do."
Naked as a jaybird in the middle of the floor, I was nearly asleep when a small smack landed on my rear, jolting me awake. "Shower while I dress."
With a groan, I dragged my tired and satisfied body to the shower. Doing enough to wash, I stepped out, dried, and dressed before slinking out to the office again.
Kissing me goodbye, Dale considered me with a frown. "Are you heading back to the apartment?"
"No. They are happy sleeping there, so I'm going to sleep on the couch while I can."
Caressing my face, Dale appraised my eyes. "If you need to rest, Alexia and Hymn said they would babysit a few hours."
Smiling, I crashed onto the sofa. "Too tired to think, talk, walk…" I didn't even hear my head hit the pillow.
When I woke up, it was to the baby's giggling. Turning my head, I watched Hymn playing with them. When I closed my eyes, I saw her holding her own baby, Adam right there beside her. I didn't tell her. It wasn't for me to ruin the surprise. What the dream showed me was they wouldn't leave the pack, and that made me relieved.
Dale would miss his girls if they left. Cameron hadn't lived at the packhouse in years, but the girls were there when they weren't away working. Being honest, I'd miss them.
Yes, I was their stepmother, but we acted more like sisters, and they both adored Jacob and Steph. We'd all miss them if one of them left. Crawling over to the lounge, Jacob pulled himself up to standing. His indigo eyes smiled at me when he saw my eyes open.
In these moments, I forgot about the girl named Viridia, who went through so much. My children, Dale, the pack; the happiness of us all was all that mattered. Going forward, it was only going to get better.
About the Author
Ebony lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, daughter, and six cats. She loves to read fantasy, thrillers, and paranormal romance, spending most of her free time with her nose in a book or writing.
Having always possessed an over-active imagination she spent her younger years regaling friends with fantastic stories, holding her audience captive with the passio
n and suspense of her characters plights.
Now in adulthood she has numerous published works and shows no signs of stopping her imagination from spreading across as many pages as it can find.
If you’d like to follow Ebony or simply say hi you can find her here:
Website: http://ebonyolson.com/