LOGINZahra's PovWe chat away in the living room for what feels like five minutes, but when Lincoln squeezes my hand and I look up, I realise the light is golden and the sun is starting to descend in the sky."It's nearly time for dinner to be served. Do you want to change?" Lincoln asks. "We're relaxed here and you look beautiful, as always. I just didn't want to take the option away from you," he hurries on, as if worried I'll be offended by his words.I smile at him and glance at the others. They are all in shorts and T-shirts, or, in Holly's case, a light summer skirt and a sleeveless top.I'm in the sundress I put on this morning to make a good first impression. It's clean and not too wrinkled and will still serve its purpose. I don't want the others to think I'm high maintenance."I'm happy to go down like this," I say to Lincoln, squeezing his hand gently.He smiles, his silver eyes bright, but beneath it I can feel his nervous excitement through the bond.Fuck... this is about to h
Zahra's POVLincoln continues; "Well, then, once we woke up, Tobias and I went to see Zahra because we'd missed her birthday, and then we were told she'd been poisoned, and naturally we were worried. And when we got there... the bond snapped into place. We've been in Bloodmoon trying to figure things out and spending time together.""Wow, this is complicated," Holly breathes. "Three separate packs, units, the lot?"I nod."Where will you live?"We shrug."We haven't figured anything out yet, and we know the responsibility of our units is going to increase. But thankfully I'm the only acting Alpha at the moment. Hopefully we'll have figured out more of a plan before the others are sworn in."They all look a little shell-shocked, and the room falls into silence. Nobody even seems to blink.My anxiety rockets.They're judging us.They don't want me as their Luna anymore.They're going to think I'm a slut. That I'm unworthy of being their Luna.Lincoln's hand finds mine. He interlocks our
Zahra's POV"So, Luna," Tammy starts, "how did you meet Lincoln?""Zahra, please. You're going to be my unit and, hopefully, my closest friends. Just Zahra is fine," I say, smiling at them all.But her question surprises me."Didn't they tell you?" I say, looking at the guys."Tell us what?" Tammy says.I smile."I've known them all for ages. I met Lincoln and Sam four years ago at the Alpha King's summer training camp. Then I was at the dinner where Tobias and King James introduced Isaac and Jackson to Sam and Lincoln.""Oh, so you've known them all longer than we have?" Holly says, smiling.I nod."I still can't believe you're lucky enough to be mated to Zahra, man," Sam says, shaking his head.Holly smacks his arm."I'm right here," she scowls at him.He chuckles, kissing her nose."Not like that, babe. It's just Zahra here is more than a little special. She's the best warrior any of us have ever seen, she graduated high school at fourteen, graduated Night Howlers Academy early, an
Zahra's POVLincoln leads me downstairs to the first floor and towards what I assume is the living room he mentioned."My father removed the Luna's office not long after my mother died, and he expanded the other offices on this floor instead. If you'd like, we could convert one of the bedrooms upstairs. Or you could do what the other female units do and we could share the Alpha office."I can hear the hope in his voice."Do you, by any chance, like the idea of me sharing your office?" I ask with a smile.He nods."Very much. I like the idea of having you beside me. But if you'd prefer a more traditional approach, we can sort something."I smile."Nothing about this is traditional. I'm happy to share your office."He grins down at me, pulling me into his arms, and kisses me hard. His hand finds my hair, and mine finds his chest, as we make out in full view of anyone in the corridor.When he pulls back, he's breathless and, judging by the tent in his trousers and the scent filling the c
Zahra's POVI've never really spent much time in a pack house. In Bloodmoon, the units reside separately, and I never really had cause to visit one. The Silver Dawn one was so modern and sleek compared to this, and even then, I wasn't there very often. Seb usually came to the Alpha House if we wanted to spend time together, so I rarely visited the pack house myself.The first floor comprises bedrooms, I think."These are rooms for anyone who's not yet been assigned a family house. Unmated, over-age wolves who want to leave home can come here, and a few warriors who defend the pack house. We have more barracks out the back that we built because we're trying to increase our warrior numbers, but a lot of them choose to live in their family dwellings when they're not on duty."I nod. It's strange thinking I'll need to know all of this by heart soon.The next level up seems to be offices."The unit offices are up here, as well as the Head Omega's. Janice keeps a small office up here, but s
Zahra's POVHe opens his door as the others open theirs, then hurries around the truck to open mine.Xander and Tobias move to the truck bed to get the bags as Lincoln leads me towards the front steps of the cabin. Every wolf in the vicinity has stopped what they're doing and is watching us.An elderly man kneeling in the dirt by the steps stands, brushing his hands on his trousers."Alpha!" he says with a bow."George, how are you?" Lincoln asks, shaking the man's hand."Well, thank you, Alpha. We've missed you. It's good to have you home."His eyes flick to me with open curiosity before returning to Lincoln."It's good to be home. George, can you ask Janice to prepare a good dinner tonight? I have an announcement to make to the pack."Lincoln beams at me before George smiles too."Of course, sir." He bows again, then hurries off around the house."George is in charge of the house and grounds, and his mate, Janice, is in charge of the kitchen and household staff.""He seems nice?" I a
Zahra's POVDinner last night was weird. I felt like I was under a microscope the whole time. But the strangest part wasn’t everyone staring, it was the way Tobias standing up for me made me feel. After everything, after the way he stormed into the pool party trying to have me pulled off the course
Edwardo's POVSilence follows. This isn’t how the Task Force usually works and every man in this room knows it. We prefer distance. Clean lines. Fast hits and cleaner exits. Not long-term insertion and bait.Grady shifts in his chair, gaze dropping to the table. He isn’t arguing, but I can see the
Edwardo's POVThe muted grey light has not yet banished the last of the stars. They still glimmer faintly, reflected on the surface of the lake as I run past. Dawn is only just beginning to edge over the curve of the earth and I am already sweating, lungs burning in a way I find vaguely satisfying.
Zarha's POVI blink up at the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. My head feels heavy, like it isn’t fully attached anymore. My vision swims in and out of focus. Somewhere nearby, water drips, the sound slowly seeping into my awareness.Then the memory hits me like a ton of fucking bricks.Hands hold







