LOGINDove povShielding my eyes against the weakening late afternoon sun, I stalk outside.I'm utterly exhausted. I've been studying for the test I just sat all week, all while recovering from Ciella's wedding last weekend.A friend from class emerges out beside me, stuffing his books into his backpack. He's been helping me with catch up on some classes I missed when I couldn't get out of work."How do you think you did on the test?" He asks, slinging the bag over his shoulder.I sigh, tipping my head back. This is the last of my study, which means I'm being confronted by my future. I want to focus on politics, but doing in my own pack means encountering Matthias again.That thought is haunting..."Okay, hopefully," I respond tightly, flexing the muscles in neck in an effort to stretch them. "I don't tend to test well."David nudges me. "And yet you're the smartest in the class.""Not really. I only do well because of what my father taught me," I explain. "You'd be shocked at how far practi
Dove pov"Fine."We sit in silence, facing each other. For a moment, there is only the birds singing outside and the gentle rustle of the breeze through the trees.The weight of Varian's body is hard to pull my attention off, especially when I feel my body drifting closer to his against my own volition."If you take this deal, it means we will see each other again," he says suddenly.I scowl at the barest hint of amusement in his expression. "Oh please, I never want to see you again in my life."He smirks, his hand shifting his hair back."Sure.""I'm done with Alpha's for the rest of my life," I exclaim assuredly.It's time for me to live a normal life.Without the mark embedded into my skin, I'll have the freedom to move on with a normal male, who lives a perfectly ordinary life.Will he be as naturally beautiful as Varian? Probably not. Will my body meltwhen I see his like it does when I look upon Varian's form? Unlikely. But will my life be content? Well, I hope so."You can't let
Dove povShamefully, getting through the night without jumping Varian's bones was not because of my own self-preservation and rational thought.In fact, Varian decided I had too much to drink and wasn't comfortable taking our night any further. I fell asleep pretty quickly, sprawled across the middle of his bed.As I wake, blinking my eyes open blearily, I realise Varian was right to stop our night from advancing too far. As I recall last night in order of events, staring up at the ceiling, some moments are nothing more than mist.I made way too many mistakes last night. Some I may not recover from.Chief among them, crawling into an Alpha's bed and sleeping in it like it belongs to me. I suppose I can't be blamed considering how soft the linen is, and how late at night it was when I came into the room.Slowly, I turn my head, feeling Varian stir next to me.He's rubbing his eyes, the sheets having fallen down to his waist. His top half is naked, and the moment I take in his muscled to
Dove povThis night has not gone to plan.I came to this party to ignore Varian, to enjoy my sisters wedding before moving on. I didn't come here to stand in front of Varian's bedroom door, knowing that once I cross the threshold, I'll make a decision I can't go back on.He answers my knock after a brief pause.For a moment we just stare at each other, a palpable tension sitting stagnant and unmoving between us.He hasn't been drinking tonight. I can see it in the clarity of his eyes, in the sharpness of them as they take in my strangely dressed state."I was beginning to think you weren't going to come," he murmurs, his surprise sprawled out across his face.I really should turn around and leave.If he weren't so handsome, this would be a lot easier. Even so, it's the depths of his eyes that get to me the most. More than the sharp lines of his face and perfectly mussed hair, even."May I come in?" I gesture behind him, at the guest room Eden and Ciella have supplied."Absolutely."He
Dove povOf all the possible mistakes I've stumbled into, this may be my biggest one.I don't know what I'm doing, but I've decided to banish all rational thought in favour of tipsy impulse. Even in spite of the wine now curdling unfavourably in my stomach.I'm at Claude's door because I'm sabotaging myself, and because Varian's request for me to come to his room has gotten into my head.I know what will happen if I go there, and it's the marks fault.So I stand at Claude's door, deciding that if I'm going to get the pleasure I'm craving, I'm going to get it in spite of the Alpha.I pound on the door before stepping back. If Claude has brought his date up here...I think I will collapse from embarrassment.I shift from foot to foot. Shamefully, I left my heels back in Dev and I's guest suite, and my dress is half undone at the back. I'm not going to be needing any of it for what I have planned tonight anyway.Mercifully, he's alone as he opens the door to his suite.A surprise flutters
Dove povDev nods his agreement, before groaning."I can't take it...goodbye."Before I can protest, he turns and swims toward the shoreline desperately. Eden follows after him, her entire body is bright red as she climbs out, immediately smothering herself in a towel."Traitor!" I yell out to Dev.He pumps his fist at me in mock support before turning to start back off the hill to join the rest of the group."Come on Dove, we got this!" Ciella cheers shakily. I swim over to her and Varian, my joints so stiff from the cold they almost don't listen to my unconscious commands.At this point, we are the only three left. Ciella is so drunk I'm surprised she can stay afloat, although that's probably why she's managed to stay in so long. Varian looks entirely unbothered, barely treading water."He's an Alpha. He's stronger and faster and probably warmer than us," I grumble, scowling at him.He only smirks at me, his eyes tracing over the lines of my face. For a fleeting moment I feel the urg
Dove povWe crowd outside onto the front lawn, some with our heels in our hands.Ciella and Eden stand next to each other in front of us. Their cheeks are flushed bright red and they have to keep pausing for breaths between giggles.The lake sits as a backdrop behind them. Moonlight pools against t
Dove povFawn Gardens is an extravagant piece of land at the heart of the city.Once we walk past the gates, it swallows us whole. Massive trees enclose the space, the city vanishing around us as we walk down the pretty cobbled path toward where the wedding ceremony will occur.There is green all a
Dove pov"I shouldn't have shut you out for so long.""Have you spoken to father?" She asks."Not for a year. After he handed me on a silver platter to Varian I realised I truly meant nothing to him. It took some thought but I cut all ties with him and Matthias and moved on," I explain.Eden can he
Dove povHow I know Claude in the first place. But that requires answering questions I can yet...not without telling him everything."Lovely dress, as usual," Claude compliments smoothly."Thanks," Dev and I say at the same time. We exchange awkward glances, remembering who made the dress versus wh







