I woke up with a smile for the first time since arriving here. As I stretched, the luxurious softness of the bed seemed to hug me back. On the pillow lay the shirt Mia had given me; it was wrinkled now, as I'd spent the night clutching it to my chest. His scent—sandalwood, forest rain, and something primal—clung to the fabric. It was the only thing that had managed to quiet my mind enough to sleep. I smoothed the wrinkles out of the shirt and set it carefully on the nightstand before heading to the bathroom.
A steaming shower finally shook the last of the grogginess from my bones. I stepped out, wrapping one towel around my body and twisting another into a turban for my hair. After brushing my teeth, I stepped back into the bedroom, the air feeling cool against my damp skin. I walked to the closet, scanning the options before picking out an outfit for the day. In the closet, I bypassed the formal dresses for something that felt more like "me." I laid the clothes out on the bed, and as I dropped the towel to get dressed, I caught my reflection in the mirror—noting how much more rested I looked than I had in years.
I changed into a black off-the-shoulder shirt and a pair of blue skinny jeans with distressed knees. The denim hugged my legs and hips perfectly—like everything Amelia had picked out for me, the fit was so precise I didn't even need a belt (picture of the shirt and pants in the photo above). I slipped on a pair of black-and-white tennis shoes, a practical choice just in case the day took me outside; I didn't want to have to come back up here to change later.
Back at the vanity, I dried my hair until it was silky and brushed it out before weaving it into a loose side braid. My gaze lingered on the jewelry box as I worked. Since I was already sitting there, I decided to wear one of the necklaces Amelia had bought. I chose a simple gold heart—a delicate piece that could be worn as a choker. As I fastened the clasp, the cold metal against my skin felt like a small, gilded promise of a normal day. I took one last look in the mirror, feeling less like a fugitive and more like a woman who actually belonged here. (picture of the necklace down below).

Once I was fully ready, I turned back to the bed, smoothing the duvet and fluffing the pillows until it looked as though it had never been slept in. Habit made it impossible for me to leave a room in disarray. A light knock sounded at the door just as I finished. I grabbed the book I'd been reading from the nightstand and tucked it under my arm, crossing the room to pull the door open. Kayden was standing in the hallway, and the sight of him nearly stole my breath.
He looked devastating. He wore a tight red t-shirt that left nothing of his build to the imagination and loose gray sweatpants. His dark hair was a mess of damp ringlets that suggested he'd stepped out of the shower only minutes before. He smelled fresh, and I could smell like lingering scent of whatever soap he's been using. His scent was fresh and warm, and practically radiating off his skin.
When his gaze landed on me, his steel-gray eyes began to swirl with eddies of silver—a clear sign that his wolf was as captivated as he was. His pupils blown wide with desire, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep, steadying breath. When he looked at me again, his voice was a husky rasp. "You are so beautiful." I felt heat creep into my cheeks, and I gave him a soft smile. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself, Kayden." He let out a low chuckle, his eyes raking over my outfit with appreciative heat. "Well, I came up to see if you were awake. I wanted to ask if you'd join me for breakfast—it's already been set. But since I can see you're very much awake and ready for the day... would you like to join me?"
"Oh, sure," I said, a mischievous thought crossing my mind. "But I was actually planning on heading to the kitchen to make something. You know, so you could finally try my cooking as we talked about last night." His smile widened instantly, but then he hesitated. "That's a tempting offer, but I didn't want to bother you so early. Besides..." He paused, his expression shifting into something suspiciously like a pout. "As much as I want to taste your cooking, I want to experience something you haven't already made for Mia."
I rolled my eyes, finding his blatant jealousy absolutely adorable. "Kayden, I can make plenty of other dishes besides the omelet I made for her." He folded his arms over his broad chest, the movement making the sleeves of his red shirt strain against his biceps. "I'm aware," he said stubbornly. "But you've already checked 'breakfast' off the list for Mia. I'd prefer something from an entirely different food category for my first time." I raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe. "You do realize how incredibly petty you sound right now, right?"
He rolled his eyes, though he didn't look away. "Yes, I'm aware. But Mia has been glued to your side since you arrived. She's taken away so many of the 'firsts' I should have shared with you. She gave you your first tour of the pack; she showed you the house. She's already spent more time with you than I have." I placed my hands on my hips and arched an eyebrow higher. He caught the look and let out a huff of defeat. "And yes, I know I only have myself to blame for that. But is it so bad that I want to experience some of your firsts, too? To have something that belongs only to us?"
I let out a long, soft sigh, my heart melting just a little at the raw honesty in his voice. "Kayden, you do realize that you are my mate, not Amelia, right? You don't need to compete with her. You and I have a connection she and I will never share—this bond that draws us together." I stepped a little closer, lowering my voice. "We are going to share a thousand things that are just for us. Amelia and I will only ever be friends. But you... you're everything else." He let out a breathy sigh and slid his hands onto my arms. The contact was electric. Sparks erupted where his skin touched mine, racing across my skin and humming through my veins, causing my breath to hitch from the sensation. "I know that," he murmured, his thumb tracing a slow circle against my sleeve. "But I still can't help feeling a little jealous. I want all of you, Artemis."
I chuckled softly, the vibration warming my chest. "It's okay, Kayden. I think I can handle a little jealousy." He smiled, leaning forward to press a lingering, tender kiss to my forehead. When he stepped back, he didn't let go of me entirely; instead, he extended his hand in a formal, silent invitation. "So... would you like to join me for breakfast?" My heart did a slow somersault at the gesture. I placed my hand in his, our fingers interlocking perfectly. "Sure," I whispered. "I'd love to."
He led me down the hallway and into the kitchen. Instead of the long, cold dining table from the night before, he led me toward the breakfast nook. Two plates were already waiting there in the morning sunlight, tucked away in the cozy corner of the room. We sat in a comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the meal and the quiet company. Just as we were finishing the last few bites, the peace was broken by the sound of footsteps.
Mia and Luca strolled into the kitchen, looking like a whirlwind of athletic energy. Mia was decked out in hot pink yoga pants and a black sports bra, with a matching pink jacket knotted around her waist and crisp white tennis shoes. Even in workout gear, she managed to look perfectly put together—radiating a "stylish-athleisure" vibe that I could never quite pull off. Luca, on the other hand, looked like he had just been dragged out of a chaotic sparring session. His brown hair was a disheveled mess, sticking up in every direction. He was dressed for utility in black and green baseball shorts and a form-fitting black Under Armour shirt that showed off every muscle in his torso. They both looked ready for a long day, a stark reminder that while Kayden and I had been lost in our own world, the rest of the pack was already in full swing.
I watched them, unable to suppress the thought: how did someone like him end up with someone like her? They were polar opposites—one a polished firecracker, the other a rugged, disheveled warrior. Kayden was the first to break the silence. "Are we ever going to be on time for anything?" he asked, his tone dry but lacking any real bite. Luca didn't even bother answering. He just shrugged as he crossed the kitchen to the oven, pulling out two kept-warm plates. He set one in front of Mia as she slid into the seat across from me, then placed the other down for himself across from Kayden. Mia rolled her eyes at Kayden's jab. "Well, you know, some of us actually enjoy sleeping in occasionally."
Kayden raised an eyebrow, a slow, amused smirk spreading across his face. "Oh? Is that what you're calling all that noise you two were making this morning?" Mia's eyes went wide, a light flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck and staining her cheeks. Luca, however, didn't look bothered at all; he just smirked, looking thoroughly amused by the call-out. Mia shot Luca a look of pure betrayal. When she saw he wasn't going to defend her, she smacked his arm, glaring at him as she muttered, "This isn't funny, Luca."
"Ow," he murmured, rubbing the spot where she'd hit him with a mock grimace of pain. Mia rolled her eyes and turned her glare back to Kayden. "Oh, how original. A real comedian, aren't you? I highly doubt you heard anything, considering the soundproofing in this house is state-of-the-art." Kayden's smirk only deepened. "You're right. If I could hear you two, I would've gone deaf years ago. But you still fell for the bait. You two aren't exactly hard to read."
Amelia's glare turned lethal as she glared daggers in Kayden's direction. Then a wicked grin slowly spread across her lips. "Aww," she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Someone is just jealous because they don't get to enjoy the passion and thrills of making love with their own mate. Poor, poor Kayden... still the virgin, even after he finally managed to find her." My jaw nearly hit the floor, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Kayden violently choke on his drink. He descended into a fit of coughing, his face turning a shade of crimson that rivaled Mia's yoga pants.
Once he finally managed to catch his breath, he shot a murderous glare at Amelia. She didn't flinch; she just leaned back, wearing a smug, triumphant smile. They sat there for a long moment, locked in a silent, psychic battle of wills. I glanced at Luca to see if he was as shocked as I was, but he was simply shoveling food into his mouth, looking completely unbothered by the verbal grenades being lobbed across the table. He looked like a man who had seen this show a thousand times and knew better than to get involved.
I was frozen, caught between amusement and mortification, but before the silence could stretch too thin, Luca slammed his glass onto the table. He'd chugged the rest of his drink in one go, the sound of the impact making us all jump in surprise. He stood up, stacked his dishes, and fixed a pointed look on Kayden. "Are you coming?" Kayden let out a heavy, defeated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I'll be right there."
Before heading for the door, Luca leaned down to give Mia a lingering kiss. She reached up, her hand resting against his neck, and I couldn't help but notice her bright red acrylic nails—sharp and bold against his skin. She kissed him back with a soft smile, and as they pulled apart, the tension from the argument seemed to evaporate. Luca dropped his dishes in the sink and disappeared toward the office without another word. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Mia turned to me, her eyes sparkling with leftover mischief. "So," she chirped, resting her chin on her hand. "Any plans for today?"
I shrugged, leaning back in the breakfast nook. "Not really. But honestly, it feels like I should be asking you that." Mia's eyebrows knitted together in genuine confusion. "What do you mean?" I gestured to her outfit, then toward the door where Luca had just disappeared. "You aren't exactly dressed the way you normally are. Don't get me wrong—you still look amazing—but I'm starting to feel a little out of place. You, Luca, and even Kayden... you're all dressed so similarly that I feel like I'm missing something." Amelia looked down at her yoga pants and sports bra, then waved her hand dismissively, as if the clothes were an afterthought. "Oh, this? This is nothing," she said with a casual grin. "It's just that today is a Training Day. Kayden will be out on the field training with the warriors all afternoon."
"Didn't he just do that yesterday?" I asked, looking between them. "Won't they all be sore from the previous session? Training through that seems a bit counterproductive." A low chuckle rumbled in Kayden's chest beside me, and Mia's smile widened. "Normally, you'd be right," she explained. "But yesterday was mostly for the aspiring warriors and a few lower-level ranks. Luca usually handles that class on his own, unless Kayden needs to make an appearance for a bit of inspiration."
She leaned in, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Or, of course, when Kayden has too much on his mind and needs a physical outlet to blow off some of his pent-up frustration. But today is different. Today is one of the rare times the entire warrior force gets together to train as one—well, except for the select few currently out on border patrol." I nodded, beginning to understand the scale of the operation. This wasn't just a hobby; it was a military-grade discipline.
"That makes sense," I murmured, leaning back. Mia nodded, a triumphant smile on her lips. "Exactly. Which means I get to consider this a day off and enjoy myself." Kayden rolled his eyes, his expression shifting into something more serious. "You really should be joining us out there, Mia. You're getting complacent." Mia scoffed, holding up her hand to admire her fresh red acrylics. "And risk breaking one of these? No, thank you."
"You're going to get rusty if you keep this up," Kayden countered, his voice dropping into a disapproving Alpha tone. "I'm perfectly fine, trust me," she said, rolling her eyes with a dismissive wave. "I'll stick to my morning runs. I don't need to be rolling around in the dirt with a bunch of sweaty wolves to stay sharp." Kayden crossed his arms over his chest, his bicep straining against the red fabric of his shirt as he fixed her with a hard stare. "And what happens if we're attacked? What are you going to do if someone comes for this pack? How are you going to protect yourself—or those around you—by just running?" Mia just scoffed again, seemingly untouchable in her confidence. "Like that's ever going to happen here, Kayden. This is the strongest pack in the region. Why on earth should I worry about it?"
"Mia—" Kayden began, his voice warning, but she cut him off with a bright, dismissive smile. "Anyway, I should get going if I want to fit in everything I have planned for today." She stood up, smoothing out her pink leggings, before turning her gaze to me. "You're more than welcome to join me, Artemis. I'd love the company." I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could utter a word, I felt Kayden's hand found mine under the table. His grip was firm, almost grounding. "That won't be necessary," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "She'll be with me today."
Amelia's lips curled into a wicked, amused grin. "What, is she just supposed to watch you sweat and growl at people all day? How boring, Kayden. Can you be any more unoriginal? If you want to spend time with her, at least try to be interesting." I squeezed Kayden's hand back, a silent reassurance that I wasn't feeling pressured. "I actually don't mind watching the drills," I said, looking at Mia. "Besides, I was planning on catching up on my reading anyway. This actually works out perfectly." Kayden turned to me, his tension visibly melting as he offered a small, grateful smile. Mia just shrugged, seemingly unbothered. "Suit yourself. But if you get bored of watching the boys beat each other up, feel free to come find me."
Without another word, Mia turned on her heel and sauntered out, leaving the two of us alone in the quiet of the kitchen. As soon as the sound of her footsteps faded, Kayden turned to me, his expression searching. "Are you sure you don't mind? It isn't the most exciting way to spend a morning." I met his gaze and offered a warm smile. "I planned on being by your side today anyway, Kayden. It doesn't bother me in the slightest."
Visible relief washed over his face, smoothing the tension from his brow. He leaned over, closing the distance between us until our foreheads pressed together. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin, and the scent of forest rain was dizzying this close. "You truly are the sweetest," he murmured, his voice low and sincere. He pulled back just an inch, a sudden, wolfish grin spreading across his lips as his eyes darkened with a familiar spark of mischief. "Although," he added, his voice dropping to a gravelly purr, "I find myself wondering if you actually taste as sweet as you look."
The air left my lungs. My stomach did a slow flip, and a sudden heat pooled between my thighs. I tried to maintain my composure. "What is with you all and all your dirty jokes today?"
"It's not a joke," he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. His breath was scorching, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my core. "I can smell how much you want me, kitten. It's intoxicating. I want to tear those clothes off you and have you right here on the table." My eyes fluttered closed, my breath hitching as my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. My imagination didn't just run wild—it sparked to life, vividly picturing him clearing the breakfast dishes with one sweep of his arm to make room for me.
I heard him draw a ragged, deep breath next to my ear. "I want to lay you out on this wood," he rasped, his voice vibrating through my whole body. "I want to find out exactly how sweet you taste while you scream my name for the whole house to hear. I'd take you right here, right now." The desire pooling in my stomach was a physical weight, making my knees feel weak. When he finally leaned back to meet my gaze, his eyes were a chaotic storm of steel and silver, the pupils so blown they nearly swallowed the iris.
Suddenly, a low, guttural growl ripped from his chest. "Fuck!" He squeezed his eyes shut, his knuckles turning white where he gripped the edge of the table. When he looked at me again, his face was tight with the effort of holding back. "You are way too tempting, kitten," he groaned, running a frustrated hand through his damp curls. "Go... head toward the training grounds. I'll catch up in a minute. I just need a second to... compose myself."
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as I stood up, feeling a sudden surge of bold confidence. "Need a moment to... readjust yourself?" I teased, letting a playful smirk dance across my lips. Kayden's eyes narrowed into slits as he fixed me with a smoldering glare. "Don't test me, kitten. It's already taking every ounce of my patience not to jump you right now and lick every single inch of your body." My stomach did a violent flip at the imagery, and my mouth went bone-dry. The silver in his eyes was bleeding into the gray, swirling like a storm—he could clearly see the effect his words were having on me. The desire between us was thick enough to suffocate, driving us both to the edge of sanity.
"Go," he ground out through clenched teeth, his voice a low, warning vibration. "Before I really do lose control." As much as a part of me desperately wanted to see him lose that control, I knew we had an audience waiting for us. I nodded, my breath still coming in shallow hitches. I reached out to grab my plate to clear the table, but he let out a sudden, sharp growl that made the hair on my arms stand up. "Leave it! Just go!"
I didn't wait for a second invitation. I turned and speed-walked out of the house, my book clutched tightly in my left hand. I could feel the air vibrating behind me; I knew that if I stayed even a moment longer, his wolf would have completely seized control. Kayden would have been as powerless as a child against his own instincts, and his wolf was clearly intent on getting exactly what it wanted.
I knew I could have overpowered him if it came to that, but I had no desire to incapacitate my mate just to keep him at bay. The morning air was a welcome chill against my flushed skin as I made my way toward the training facility. As I approached, the scale of the pack's military strength became clear. Luca was there, standing at the head of a massive group of men and women who were already deep into their warm-up stretches. The synchronized movement was intimidating—a sea of lean muscle and focused energy. I kept to the perimeter, walking along the edge of the field until I found the perfect spot. It was a shaded area near a large oak tree that gave me a clear view of the entire facility, yet kept me far enough away that I wouldn't be a distraction to the warriors.
I settled onto the grass beneath the sprawling oak, the shade cooling the lingering heat in my cheeks. I opened my book, but my focus was immediately pulled away as I spotted Kayden. He was jogging toward the group, his movements fluid and powerful, looking every bit the leader they expected. When he reached the line of warriors, Luca greeted him with a sharp, knowing smirk. I was too far to hear the words, but whatever he said made Kayden's ears turn pink before he reached out and delivered a swift, brotherly smack to the back of Luca's head.
Luca threw his head back and laughed, shaking off the blow with the ease of someone who had been doing this for a lifetime. Their bond was obvious—a deep, unshakable friendship forged through years of shared history and battles. As if sensing my gaze, Kayden's head suddenly turned. He began scanning the perimeter of the field with predatory precision until his eyes locked onto mine. The hard, Alpha mask he wore for his warriors melted instantly into a soft smile. He gave me a subtle, respectful nod, and I couldn't help but smile back. Only then did he turn back to his pack, his posture straightening as he prepared to take command.
I leaned my head back against the bark as my eyes began scanning the pages for where I left off the last time. The sounds of Kayden's pack training became a rhythmic backdrop to the ancient words on the page. "Long ago, as the world began to fall toward ruin and wars raged, humans consumed everything in their path. Overhunting caused a scarcity that threatened the balance of life. One day, the Moon Goddess witnessed a wounded wolf on the brink of death. Taking pity, she descended from the heavens and wept. When she stroked its fur, a miracle happened; her power coursed through the creature, and her pure-hearted desire sparked a transformation.
The wolf changed into a human, gaining the ability to shift between forms. This allowed them to act as humans to escape being hunted. It was through her power and their animalistic self that it had managed to intensify their supernatural speed, hearing, smell, and healing to protect themselves. Overjoyed, the Goddess vowed to love her new creation eternally.
The Goddess remained true to her word, watching over her creation with a mother's devotion. Yet, as the years stretched on, she saw a heavy shadow falling over the wolf—the ache of a profound and growing loneliness. To mend this, she wove the mate bond into the fabric of their souls, tethering two hearts together as if they were born of a single flame. She gifted them with the scent of home and a physical spark—a jolting current of electricity that surges through the body at the very first touch, marking the end of their solitude. As a final blessing, she decreed that when mates are consumed by the fire of passion, their minds shall merge into one; in that sacred union, they feel every pulse of their partner's ecstasy as if it were their own, anchoring them so deeply that no other soul could ever compare.
Yet, even a Goddess must respect the sanctity of Choice. She granted all living things Free Will, a power she would never revoke. Thus, every shifter is faced with a crossroads: to reject the partner the Goddess provided and seek another path, or to surrender to the bond and live in a state of near-endless bliss. This choice is made heavier by the gift of time; a shifter's vitality is so great, and their healing so potent, that they may walk the earth for centuries, appearing ageless to the world. But a long life is a heavy burden when carried alone, and without a mate, the silence of the centuries only serves to sharpen the sting of isolation. To bridge this gap, the Goddess granted shifters the power to share their gift, allowing them to turn their chosen partners into shifters so they might weather the ages together. Through the sacred act of marking, she allowed their souls to truly intertwine, granting them the power to feel one another's hearts as their own and to speak mind-to-mind, ensuring they are never truly alone again.
As the children of the moon multiplied, the Goddess saw the need for order to protect her creation from the world's shadows. She established the Sacred Laws, divine decrees that no shifter could ignore. The First Commandment was that of Secrecy: no shifter shall reveal their true nature to humanity, lest they invite the hatred and persecution of those who do not understand. Only a chosen mate may walk within this light. The Second Commandment was that of Sanctity: no shifter shall spill human blood or endanger a mortal life unless no other path to survival remains. The Third Commandment honored the Vow: marriage is a bond sealed beneath the Goddess's own gaze, a sacred promise that even a mate bond cannot rightfully shatter through force or supernatural interference.
To guard the balance of the world, she decreed that a shifter may only grant the 'Change' to another once in a thousand years, ensuring their numbers remained a whisper in the dark. She placed a solemn subclause upon this gift: the Change could only be bestowed with the soul-deep consent of the receiver. Furthermore, the one who grants the gift bears the eternal responsibility of a mentor, sworn to teach the new shifter the ways of the wild to ensure the secret of their kind remains buried. With these laws etched into the hearts of her people, the Goddess retreated to the stars, leaving a final, chilling warning—any who dared to defy her decrees would face a retribution perfectly suited to the darkness of their crime.
As the ages turned and the shifter population flourished, the great councils established the Ordinances of Shadow to further safeguard their mother's laws. These mandates required every shifter to maintain only the most fleeting interactions with humanity, living as ghosts among the mortals to ensure their own survival. They were strictly forbidden from entangling themselves in the messy affairs of human politics, war, or commerce, except in the direst of circumstances. To prevent their growing numbers from drawing the suspicious eyes of the world, the councils enacted the Law of Lineage: no shifter pair could bring more than two children into the world every hundred years. It was a cold, necessary calculation—a sacrifice of growth to ensure the eternal safety of the hidden world.
As the eons marched forward, there arose those who dared to defy the Goddess, choosing their own desires over her sacred decrees. To break her laws is to be severed from the light; such transgressors are instantly branded with her Mark, forever labeling them as Outcasts—the Rogues. This Mark is not merely a sign; it is a living ledger that displays the severity of their crimes for all to see. Though she is a Goddess of mercy, her kindness comes with a sharp edge; she offers a path to redemption for those willing to seek it, but for those who refuse, the price is steep. Her punishments are as varied as the sins committed: ranging from the cold isolation of banishment and the agony of unending physical pain, to a final, literal sentence of death. Every loyal shifter who encounters one so Marked is bound by blood to carry out the Goddess's will. And for those who hide in the deepest shadows, she dispatches her Elite—the Chosen Shifters who serve as her hand and her blade, hunters of the lawless who exist only to execute her whims.
Beyond the common gifts of the shift, it is whispered that the Goddess bestows unique, extraordinary abilities upon those she deems worthy of her favor. These sacred powers are woven into the very bloodlines of the chosen, passed from parent to child as a legacy of strength. With such power comes a solemn burden; these gifted few are the protectors of our kind, the primary defenders of the Goddess's will. Yet, there exists an even rarer tier of blessing. It is said that those with the most potent blood can undergo a second, more profound transformation—a state where they remain human in appearance, yet bear the ears and tail of their beast. Though few living eyes have beheld this sight, the legends are clear: in this form, their power is magnified tenfold, and they channel the very essence of the Goddess herself. These 'Miracles' are the most beloved of her children, walking the earth as the closest beings to divinity.
Yet, for all the gifts the Goddess bestowed, she knew that absolute power requires a tether. To maintain the equilibrium of the world, she established the Law of the Counterbalance—a shadow to every light. To rectify the overwhelming nature of the shifter, she wove a specific time of vulnerability into the life of every species; a window where their strength fails and their senses dim. These weaknesses are the most coveted and dangerous secrets in existence, guarded with fierce paranoia. For in that moment of counterbalance, even the mightiest warrior is reduced to the fragility of a mortal, and should their enemies learn the timing of their ebb, the fall of a kingdom would surely follow."
I traced the final words with my thumb, the ancient story humming in my mind like a low, resonant chord. It was strange to read about miracles of the past while living as one in the present. A shift in the air and the rhythmic crunch of grass alerted me to someone's approach. I looked up, closing the book over my finger to save my place, and saw Amelia jogging toward me. A bright smile lit up her face the moment our eyes met.
"So," she panted slightly as she reached the shade of my tree, "what have you been up to while the boys play soldier?" I held up the weathered spine of the book. "Reading, of course. I was just getting to the good parts." Her eyebrows knitted together as she surveyed my position on the grass. "Why on earth are you reading on the ground? I know I told you about that padded bench swing yesterday. Why sit here in the dirt instead of there?" I chuckled at her protective streak. "I'm just fine where I am, Mia. I like being surrounded by nature—feeling the earth underneath me. It's more peaceful like this."
She looked entirely unconvinced, her expression bordering on appalled. It was clear she didn't share my sentiment about "communing with nature" if it involved getting grass stains on her clothes. Deciding it was best to change the subject, I asked, "So, how was your run?" Mia sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. I noticed she'd finally pulled on the pink cropped jacket that had been tied around her waist earlier. It was a stylish piece that hit just above her midriff, featuring those athletic thumb-holes in the sleeves that she seemed to favor.
"It would have been much better if I didn't have to do it at all," she grumbled. I raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on my lips. "I thought the morning jog was your choice?" She rolled her eyes and let out a dramatic, long-suffering sigh. "Please. I only do it to get Kayden off my back. I absolutely hate working up a sweat if there isn't a spa day waiting for me at the end of it." Looking at her, you would never know she had just finished a workout. There wasn't a single bead of perspiration or a stray blonde hair out of place; even her clothes remained crisp, without a single wrinkle to betray her physical exertion. She looked so impossibly perfect that it was genuinely hard to believe she had been running at all.
"Are you sure you weren't just power-walking to the nearest mirror?" I teased. She smiled sweetly at me, her lips parting to deliver a retort, but the words were instantly cut short by the sharp snap of a twig. Both our heads whipped toward the sound. A group of four boys was sauntering toward us, none of them appearing a day over sixteen. They were huddled together, whispering with the kind of arrogant, cocky smirks that only teenage boys—especially teenage shifters—could pull off. The moment they came into view, Amelia let out a long, audible groan and crossed her arms over her chest. I stayed silent, my gaze narrowing as I watched them approach, measuring their confidence against the lore I had just been reading.
When they reached our shaded spot, the ringleader stepped to the front, his chest puffed out as he locked his gaze on mine. "Hey there, gorgeous," he drawled, leaning against the oak tree as if he owned it. "I haven't seen you around before. New to the pack?" Amelia rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck, but I simply raised an eyebrow in silence. He took my lack of an answer as an invitation to continue. "If you haven't had a chance to get out much, I'd be happy to show you around. Give you a real tour of the territory."
Amelia scoffed, looking at the boys in pure disbelief. "You cannot be serious right now." The boy's flirtatious mask dropped instantly as he turned a deadpan expression toward her. "We weren't talking to you, Amelia. Although," he added, his voice dripping with teenage arrogance, "if Luca isn't satisfying you, my buddies and I could always show you a good time. That way, you'd finally know what it's like to be with a real man." The look on Amelia's face was priceless—a mixture of utter shock and white-hot fury. I had to press my lips firmly together, fighting the desperate urge to burst into laughter. These boys were practically standing on the edge of a grave they had dug themselves, and they didn't even know it.
The boys broke into a round of obnoxious high-fives, chest-bumping one another as if they'd just won a prize. Their gaze didn't stop at the insult; they began to look Amelia up and down with a slow, derogatory sweep that made my skin crawl. Their lustful thoughts were written all over their faces, raw and utterly devoid of the respect a pack member owed to someone who is in a much higher position than themselves. Amelia's entire aura shifted. Her eyes narrowed into lethal slits, and she planted her hands firmly on her hips.
"Oh, wow," Amelia drawled, her voice dripping with mock-wonder. "You really think you're a man, don't you? What are you now... twelve?" She rolled her eyes, adding a biting, "Oh yeah. What a huge man." The ringleader's face flushed a deep, angry red. He narrowed his eyes and let out a weak, pathetic excuse for a growl. "Watch yourself." Amelia didn't look intimidated in the slightest. She looked him up and down with a devastating smirk. "I doubt a child like you has even hit puberty yet." Then, she did the ultimate finishing move. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on her knees the way one would when speaking to a toddler. "I doubt your balls have even dropped yet, sweetie. But it's okay; it'll happen eventually. There's no reason to pretend for our sake."
His friends instantly buckled, their cocky smirks turning into gut-wrenching laughter at their leader's expense. I was struggling now, my shoulders shaking as I fought to keep my own laughter silent. The boy whirled around, his face a mask of humiliated rage as he snarled at his friends to shut up. When he turned back to Amelia, his eyes were fixed in a death glare. "This is exactly why no one likes you," he spat, his voice cracking slightly with frustration. "You always act like hot shit when you aren't worth shit." Amelia didn't flinch. Instead, she pressed a hand to her heart, her eyes widening in a theatrical display of feigned agony. "Oh my... whatever shall I do? My heart is shattered."
Then, the mask of mockery vanished, replaced by a look of pure, icy boredom. She rolled her eyes and stood tall. "As if I'd care what a child like you thinks of me. Tell you what—try coming back to talk to me when you've managed to last more than ten seconds against Luca in a real fight. Until then, I won't take you even the slightest bit seriously." His face deepened to a bruised shade of purple as his friends began to whisper and snicker behind him.
I let out a long, weary sigh. "Alright, that's enough. What do you kids actually want? I highly doubt you hiked all the way out here just to pick a fight with Amelia," I said, cutting through the tension to change the subject. Amelia shot me a look, her eyebrow arched and her lower lip jutting out in a mock-pout. "I certainly hope you aren't grouping me in with these children, Artemis." I rolled my eyes at her. For someone who hated being called a child, she was doing a very good job of acting like one.
The ringleader snapped his attention back to me, crossing his arms over his chest in a desperate attempt to look intimidating. "We aren't children," he bit out. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache blooming behind my eyes. "If you haven't even hit twenty, you're a child in the eyes of anyone who actually knows how the world works." A slow, predatory smirk spread across his face—or at least, his version of one. He leaned in, his eyes raking over me with a newfound, misplaced confidence. "Is that so? Good to know. I've always had a bit of a thing for older women."
I felt a wave of visceral cringe wash over me, while Amelia made the motion as if she was about to vomit. The boy ignored her, his eyes locked on mine as he took a bold, swaggering step into my personal space. "Come on, baby," he purred, his voice dropping an octave in a failed attempt to sound seductive. "I could show you a real good time."
My entire face scrunched in pure, unadulterated disgust at the word 'baby' coming out of his mouth. It felt like being hit with a wet mop. Beside me, Amelia's protective instincts flared instantly. "Dude, you are so far out of your league you're in a different zip code," she snapped, stepping forward. "You better pray to the Goddess that Kay—" I shot my hand up, cutting her off before she could invoke Kayden's name or reveal my status. I didn't need the "Alpha's Mate" card to fold these children. There was a much more satisfying way to handle a pup who had forgotten his place.
"You certainly think highly of yourselves, don't you?" I asked, my voice flat and unimpressed. The boys exchanged glances, puffing out their chests and patting each other on the back with practiced bravado. The ringleader flashed a smug, self-satisfied smirk. "Well, I don't mean to brag, but we're easily the best-looking and strongest guys in this pack. Future elites, right here." Amelia didn't even try to hide her scoff. "Oh, please. None of you come within a mile of Kayden—or any of our actual high-ranking warriors, for that matter." The boy's eyes narrowed, his pride clearly stung. "Well, duh. How can anyone compare to Kayden? He's the Alpha. No one can touch him."
"You aren't even in his league when it comes to looks, either," Amelia added, twisting the knife with the confidence of someone who held a rank they could only dream of. He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as a nasty, defiant glint entered his gaze. "What's the matter, Amelia? Are you secretly in love with the boss? Maybe I should go inform Luca that his 'mate' is looking for an upgrade so he can finally drop the dead weight."
I could see the literal moment Amelia's temper snapped. Her frame tensed, and she began to surge forward, her Beta instincts screaming for blood. Without looking away from the boys, I raised my hand and pressed the spine of my book firmly against her stomach, halting her mid-step. Amelia looked down at me as if she were shocked that I would stop her from teaching these boys the lesson they so desperately needed. I didn't offer her an explanation; instead, I turned my focus toward the four boys, my expression smoothing into a challenge.
"Well then," I said, my voice cool and deceptively sweet. "Since you're the strongest and best this pack has to offer, why don't you prove it?" The ringleader blinked, his bravado faltering for a split second in the face of my sudden confidence. "What do you mean?" I let a slow, dangerous smile spread across my face. "It's simple. If any one of you can defeat me in a fair match, I'll go on a date with you. You can show me that 'real good time' you were bragging about." They traded glances, their smirks widening as they continued to play into the delusion of an easy win. "Just don't cry when you lose, baby," the leader taunted, his confidence peaking.
I didn't bother answering. I simply stood up. As I unfolded my frame and rose to my full height, the air seemed to leave the group. Their smug expressions faltered, their eyes widening in genuine shock as I leveled out at an even six feet. Most of them were still stuck in their teenage growth spurts; only their leader was tall enough to even look me in the eye, and even he had to tilt his head back a fraction. I held out my hand, my expression unreadable. "Alright. It's a deal."
The boy swallowed hard, visibly struggling to regain his composure as he realized I wasn't the "dainty human" he had imagined. He reached out and gripped my hand, his palm slightly sweaty against mine as he gave a firm, defiant shake. "Don't think that just because you're tall, you're going to win. Height doesn't mean anything to a shifter." I let out a low, dark chuckle that seemed to vibrate in the space between us. "We'll find out soon enough, won't we?"