《Shattered Bonds》 Prologue It''s the day of my Alpha ceremony. My father, Liam Holstin, couldn''t wait to pass the Alpha title over to me. He''s been training me to take over our pack, the Shadow Falls pack, since I was a child. Unlike him, I''ve had my parents to help raise and guide me. I''m ready to take over the pack. And, unlike many Alphas that don¡¯t want to give up the power and control thates with being an Alpha, my father couldn''t wait to spend all his time with his mate, my mother, Angel. My parents are disgustingly happy. I may be the oldest, but I have six brothers and sisters ranging in ages from 6 months younger than me to three years younger. Four of us are only two years apart if that gives you any idea of how much my father enjoys my mother. The thought of my parents together still makes my stomach churn. I''ve walked in on them in apromising position way too many times.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. My parents n to take my three youngest sisters with them to the house that they built for their retirement, but my brothers and oldest sister will stay here in the packhouse with me. Since I haven''t found my mate yet, it''s no problem having them here. My sister, Leana, can help with Luna duties until she finds her mate, or mom cane and fill in as needed until I find my mate. I''m the first child of our allied packs to reach adulthood and take over as Alpha for my pack. While the first child of Canyon Ridge pack, Lily, is my age, she is a female and has known that she was mated to fae royalty her entire life. There was never a n for her to take over their pack. Cohen, Rik and Cara''s first-born son and my brothers¡¯ best friend, is still a couple years away from reaching adulthood. Emerson, the Alpha heir of Safe Haven pack, is still a year away from taking over for his father, Eli. So, that makes me, Richard Holstin, the first to ascend to Alpha. The children of the three packs have all grown up together. Our mothers are all Guardians, werewolves blessed by the Moon Goddess with extra strength and sensespared to other wolves, including Alphas. Cara Nelson, the current Luna of Canyon Ridge pack, was the first Guardian born to two Guardians. However, this generation, my generation, has shown that when a Guardian mates with their fated mate, they produce more Guardians. Every Alpha female in all three packs has the Guardian gene. None of the males show the tell-tale signs of the Guardians, the golden eyes, but we are stronger than most Alphas our age. And, if we happen to be mated to one of our neighboring packs¡¯ Guardians, we will take on their strengths as our fathers have done. My fatheres to find me. He and my mother have always told me how proud they are of me. Compared to the lives of my parents, my brothers, sisters and I have led charmed lives. We''ve always been safe, loved and well cared for. Our pack has thrived and our alliance with our neighboring packs is strong. I n to continue this pattern when I take over as Alpha. "Are you ready son?" My father asks me. Hees to stand behind me in the mirror. I am a perfect replica of my father except for my gray eyes. I have my mother''s eyes. But, I have my father''s curly, unruly dark blond hair, his tall, muscr build and his dominant personality. I am my father''s son in all ways. ¡°I''m ready.¡± After standing in front of the pack, taking my oath as Alpha and having the entire pack swear their loyalty to me, it''s time to party. Chapter 1: Emlyn ¡°Mom! You know I don¡¯t like wearing dresses. Richie doesn''t care if I''m wearing a dress.¡± I say to my mother. This argument is one that we''ve had countless times. My sister, Riley, is the girlie girl. Give me a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and boots any day of the week. ¡°Emlyn Grace! This is Richard''s Alpha ceremony, and you will dress the part of not only an allied pack member supporting the transition of power, but the Alpha female and Guardian that you are.¡± I grab the dress that my mother is holding out for me and stomp down the hallway back to my room. ¡°If I was really an Alpha female and Guardian, I could wear whatever I wanted to wear.¡± I say under my breath as I get to my room. My brother is justing out of his room, and he winks at me. Emerson is a great older brother. He never tries to make me into something I''m not and epts me for who I am. I wish he was a little bit more rxed andid back, but he takes his future role as our next Alpha very seriously. He''ll be great at it. ¡°It''s one night Emin.¡± He says, using the nickname he gave me when I was first born, and he couldn''t say my name. The nickname stuck. ¡°I''m quite sure, as an Alpha female and Guardian, you can handle a dress for one night.¡± I roll my eyes and go into my room to change. I don''t know why women can¡¯t wear dress pants to big events. It should be a rule that if men can wear pants, women can too. Okay, maybe it''s just my mom that makes me wear dresses. Or maybe it''s because I never wear them unless I''m forced into them. Thankfully when I turned sixteen a couple months ago, I convinced my mom that, since it was my birthday, I should be able to wear whatever I wanted. Wepromised on dress pants and a blousy top. I''m tall, like the rest of my family, at 5¡ã11", so my mom doesn''t fight me on wearing ts. However, if you''re going to put me in a dress, I''m going to wear heels. The only ones in the room that will be taller than me tonight are the Alphas. Of course, there are a ton of Alphas now. Besides my father and brother, there is the Alpha of Canyon Ridge, Alpha Rik and his two sons, Cohen and Clint. Clint and I are the same age and I was taller than him until this past summer when he sprouted up to a giant 6''5". He and Cohen are two of my best friends. My other friend, Cayden, is an Alpha of Shadow Falls pack. He, along with his father Liam and his brothers Richie and Andrew are the other Alphas that will be in attendance. It''s Richie''s Alpha ceremony. I''m happy for him. He''s the first of us to be Alpha. Not that I''ll be an Alpha. Even if I wasn''t a female, I''m the second child. And, while I appreciate the responsibilities that I will have being a Guardian to my mate and their pack, I would never want the responsibility of being an Alpha. I''ve watched my father and I''ve seen the stress it has caused my brother. No thanks! Richie will be a good Alpha. Like Emerson, he takes the job very seriously. All our parents worked hard to create the peace that our packs have today. And not just for the werewolf packs, but every supernatural group. They went through a vampire war, a hunter war and then created a supernatural council. When I finish getting dressed, I grab my phone and text one of the sprites born in our pack. A few minutester, I hear a knock on my door. "Come in, Aspen.¡± When the wolves and sprites began mating, no one knew what kind of hybrid they would create. In almost every instance, and there are a LOT of wolf/sprite mates in our three packs, the females became sprites while the males became wolves. There are a couple of exceptions, and Aspen''s youngest sister is one of them. She got her wolfst year. Aspen, however, is a perfect sprite and she¡¯s amazing when ites to doing hair. She walks into my room. ¡°Ready Lady Emlyn? Ohhhh, look how pretty you are!¡± Every sprite I''ve ever met is a girlie girl. Riley is friends with lots of them, but I honestly don¡¯t have much inmon with them. I''d rather run through the mud and spar with my friends than y dress-up and do my hair. And no matter how many times I tell one of them it''s just Emlyn, they still put ¡°Lady" in front of it. My brother is ¡°Sir Emerson.¡¯ It''s a sprite thing, I guess. ¡°Thanks Aspen. And I appreciate you helping me with my hair. You know I have no idea what to do with it.¡± She expertly pulls my hair into an updo of gentle waves and pinned curls. When I feel her putting something into my hair, I have to ask. ¡°Are you putting flowers in my hair?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Her hands go still. ¡°It''s okay. It will probably look better than a clip with metal flowers.¡± I say to her. "Oh, it definitely will! And, I''ll add a little sprite magic and it''ll bloom all night.¡± When she¡¯s done, I have to admit, my hair looks great. Just as we''re finishing up, Rileyes barging into my room. "Oh Aspen, it''s beautiful! I wish I''d thought to ask you to do my hair as well.¡± She says pouting and that''s all it takes for Aspen to make a couple minor changes and Riley''s hair looks incredible. It looked good before, but there is something about the touch of a sprite. It''s, well, magical. When we''re all ready, we head over to Shadow Falls pack. When we arrive, Alpha Liam and Luna Angel are there to greet us. As soon as I''ve said hi, Cayden thankfully pulls me away from my family. ¡°Cohen and Clint are already here.¡± He says, pulling me into a room. I should have been prepared, but I was so aggravated at having to wear a dress, that it hadn''t urred to me. As soon as Cohen and Clint see me, the wolf whistles begin, drawing everyone''s attention to me. "Damn Cayden, who''s this sweet little thing you found?¡± Clint says, eyeing me like I''m one of their vors of the day. "Yeah, she looks like our friend Emlyn, but our friend wouldn''t be caught dead in a dress.¡± Cohen says, walking around me and eyeing me appreciatively. ¡°Knock it off, before I remind you both that I''m stronger than all of you.¡± I say to them, narrowing my eyes. "We''re just ying, Em. But seriously, you look hot!" ¡°Thank you.¡± I say and give them a grand curtsy. I know my friends, and though there is a slight possibility that I may be mated to one of them, they are very protective of me and all the girls in our pack. Even though they have no problem surrounding themselves with willing she-wolves, if another malees sniffing too close to any of us, they are right there. While I love them and appreciate their concern, it makes finding a boyfriend difficult. I can''t even me the guys. It''s not like they are going up against one or two Alpha males. There are six of them and I''m pretty sure they made a pact to watch out for each other''s sisters, myself included. Chapter 2: Rich As I walk into the after party, I''m surrounded by people who want to get close to the new Alpha. This isn''t new. It''s been this way most of my life. My brothers are I are constantly surrounded by she-wolves that want our attention or want in our beds. And then, there are the guys that want to be close to or friendly with Alpha males. When I walk further into the room, Finley, my wolf sits up. ¡°What''s up, Fin?¡¯ I don''t know." "Something dangerous?¡¯ It''s not umon for packs to be attacked during Alpha ceremonies or the night of the celebration in an attempt to weaken the pack by taking out the new Alpha on the night of their oath. ¡°No, not dangerous.¡± ¡°Well, let me know when you figure it out.¡± I tell him, refocusing on the party. The party starts out as a full pack celebration with food, drinks, and dancing for pack members of all ages. As the night goes on, people begin to leave and only the young wolves are left. As the new Alpha, I wasn''t drinking, taking the time to speak to those that wanted to speak to me, setting up appointments for meetings and beginning my Alpha duties. My intended Beta, Jackson, was beside me all night. While he isn''t yet old enough to indoctrinate into his Beta role, he is my father''s Betas son, and we''ve grown up together, knowing he''d be my Beta. Thankfully, my father also has a business, so my brothers aren''t jealous of not being my Beta. If things continue as intended, I''ll be sending Alexander off to college next year to get a business degree, so he can take over as CEO of Holstin Enterprises, Inc. As the families and older pack members head to bed, I see my sister, Leana, and her best friend Lily standing by the bar. I walk over to say hi and get a drink. I kiss both of them on the tops of their heads. Lily is as much of a sister to me as Leana. Lily and I were born very close together in age and Leana is only 6 months younger than us. They''ve practically grown up as sisters, they are so close. Almost as close as my twin sisters. ¡°Ladies.¡± I say and order a bourbon. ¡°Alpha.¡± They say in unison and when I raise my eyebrow at them, they both smirk. ¡°What do you think Lea? Do you think, now that he¡¯s Alpha, that Rich will let us use his name, or will we have to start calling him Alpha Richard?¡± Lily asks Leana as if I''m not standing right beside them. ¡°I don''t know Lils. Sometimes the whole Alpha thing goes to their head and they start acting like they are so above everyone else.¡± I shake my head and thank the bartender as he hands me my drink. He''s smiling, watching the girls make fun of me. ¡°I guess it''s a good thing we''re Guardians. If his head gets too big, any one of us can bring him back down to size.¡± Lily says. ¡°Good point. I mean, I love my brother, but he needs to keep his feet on the ground if he¡¯s going to be running this pack the way it should be.¡± "Okay, I''m out.¡± I say, seeing my brothers across the room. As I head that way, Finley sits up again. ¡°Fin?¡¯ ¡°Let''s go say hi.¡¯ ''l was already headed that way." I''m intercepted by a she-wolf that is obviously drunk and is practically falling out of her dress. "Hi Alpha. Did you need somepany?¡± She''s slurring her words. ¡°I''m good, thank you. Maybe you should find your room andy down?¡± ¡°Is that an offer, Alpha?" ¡°Get rid of her. I want to say hi to that woman with our brothers.¡± Fin growls in my head. Thankfully, Jackson shows up at that moment. And this is why he¡¯s my future Beta. ¡°Jackson, can you help this young woman find her room?¡± "Of course, Alpha.¡± As he pulls her away, I look back over to where my brothers areughing with a woman. Her hair is up, leaving her long, graceful neck exposed. Her one-shoulder ck dress is hugging her curves and I can feel my body responding. She''s tall, made taller by the ck heels she''s wearing. I wonder how she''ll feel about keeping them on when I''m fucking her, because that''s exactly what I''m going to do. I''m not sure why Fin and I are drawn to this woman, but I know I want her in my bed, naked, sweaty and screaming her pleasure tonight. I feel Fin growling his agreement. When I walk up, I almost swallow my tongue when she turns around and I see it''s Emlyn Gunnar. ¡°Em...Emlyn. You look..." I''m honestly at a loss for words. I''ve watched Emlyn grow up. I don''t remember a time when I saw her in a dress, not even for her birthday party a few months ago. She''s a tomboy, always sweaty and dirty and doing whatever the guys are doing. I had no idea that she looked this good all done up. ¡°Mate.¡¯ Fin whispers in my head. Well, fuck me! My mate is Emlyn Gunnar, who is about two years too young to recognize me as hers. She''s smirking at me over her drink. Is she drunk? I hope to the goddess that she isn''t, or I''ll have to kill my brothers. While drinking doesn¡¯t impact shifters the same as humans and we don¡¯t have a drinking age, I don''t want my mate drunk. ¡°Cat got your tongue, Richie?¡± She''s the only person that has refused to call my Rich. When I turned 10 years old, I felt I was too old to have such a juvenile name. But Emlyn refused to quit calling me Richie. So, I never gave up my nickname for her, one that she also hates. ¡°Well, if it isn''t one half of the Em and Em''s.¡± Her smirk turns to a scowl. I have a moment of prescience, seeing myself dominating this little Guardian in the bedroom, turning that scowl into an ¡°0¡¯ of pleasure. ¡°I didn''t recognize you all dressed up.¡± ¡°Well, don''t get used to it. My mother insisted, so here I am. I told her you wouldn''t care.¡± I take my time, looking over her dress. It''s elegant and has a slit up the front that goes to her mid- thigh, a thigh I want to kiss, lick and nip on my way to sweeter pleasures. My gaze lingers on her long enough that it makes her fidget. Now it''s my turn to smirk. "Well, I can''t say I don''t appreciate the effort. You should dress up more often.¡± I take a sip of my bourbon, my eyes never leaving hers. She fidgets until she looks away. My smirk turns into a full-on smile. Oh, these next two years are going to be fun. My brothers, and Cohen and Clint are scoping the room, looking for a girl they want to spend the evening with. I have no intention fo spending time with anyone but the girl in front of me. The guys are nudging each other, pointing out the girls they are interested in. ¡°Ugh, if all you''re going to is look at girls, I''m going to see Lea and Lily.¡± Emlyn says, about to walk away. "Why don''t you keep mepany?¡± I say, hoping my brothers are too far into their drinks to catch on. "Great idea, Rich. I mean Alpha.¡± Cohen says, and I can tell he''s definitely feeling good. "Yeah, thanks Alpha.¡± I ignore the use of my title. They''ll be back to calling me Rich tomorrow. I put my arm out to Emlyn. She frowns at me but takes my arm. ¡°Where are we going. Alpha.¡± She says, and the way she says it has my dick twitching. I can¡¯t wait to make her mine. But, of course, I can''t officially make her mine until she turns 18. And based on the problems Aolis is having with Lily epting her mate bond, I have no intention of telling Emlyn that she¡¯s my mate. But that doesn''t mean that I can''t make her mine. Her father, Eli, would never approve of me taking his daughter as a girlfriend, not knowing that she¡¯s my mate. So, we''ll have to keep this quiet. Now, all I have to do is convince my mate. "How many of those have you had tonight?¡± I ask, nodding at her drink. ¡°This?¡± She asks, tilting her ss back and forth. ¡°I''ve lost count.¡± Fuck, she''s drunk. Well, Ill just make sure she''s safe tonight then. ¡°I have a bar in my room. Do you want toe and have a nightcap with me?¡± I say, drawing her up the stairs to the Alpha floor. Sheughs, throwing her head back and exposing her throat to me. I know she doesn''t mean it as a submission, but she¡¯s in the presence of an Alpha and the gesture is submissive. My fucking dick is so hard it''s getting hard to walk.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Maybe you better taste this before you invite me up to your room, Alpha.¡± Her taunting has me on the verge of insanity. We reach the Alpha floor, and I push her against the wall. ¡°Do you want me to be your Alpha?¡± I say, taking the cup from her hand and taking a sip. Hers eyes have gone wide, and I nearly choke on the in water in her cup. ¡°This is water?¡± I say, giving it back to her. ¡°Yeah. My parents were here, and I haven''t had a chance to get a drink since they left.¡± ¡°Your parents don''t want you to drink?¡± ¡°They didn''t want me to do anything foolish and embarrass you or your family on your big day.¡± ¡°Do you normally drink so much that you act foolishly?¡± I ask, not ever remembering her ever making a scene. She snorts. ¡°No, but I don''t usually wear dresses either.¡± "Speaking of,¡± I say as I slide my free hand up the inside of her dress on the outside of her thigh, ¡°I really like you in this dress.¡± She frowns at me. ¡°Are you drunk, Richie?¡± I raise my drink, tilting it back and forth like she did hers. "My first one tonight.¡± I pull my hand away and step back, giving her space. I don¡¯t want to scare her. I take her hand and lead her to my room. She will be mine before the night is over. Chapter 3: Emlyn I have no idea what''s gotten into Richie. It''s not like he¡¯s never given me attention. I''ve spent my life surrounded by Alphas and Guardians, but this is different. This feels...intimate. And I swear when he pushed me against the wall, it felt like he had a hard on. I''ve not actually ever felt one before, but I know what it is. I''ve seen them. When your best friends are guys, you see and know a lot that you wouldn''t necessarily know as a sheltered woman. So, he either had arge, steel pipe in his pants, or he was excited. Was he excited by me? Was seeing me in a dress really that arousing? Or was he aroused by someone else and I''m here? No, that can''t be it. Richie would never do that. First, he knows my father would kill him, alliance or no. And then, he has to know that his brothers and Cohen and Clint would never forgive him either. So, this is something else. He leads me into his room, closing the door behind us. ¡°Did you want a drink?¡± He asks me, heading to the bar. ¡°I probably shouldn''t.¡± I say, feeling like I need to keep a cool head until I know what''s going on. I almost feel like this is some sort of prank and my friends are waiting to jump out andugh at me. "Good girl.¡± He says and the way he says it sounds like a purr and it makes my back arch, and my head lean back. I snap myself back to reality. What in the goddess¡¯s name is going on?? He pours another finger of bourbon for himself andes back, taking my hand and leading me to the love seat in his room.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. He sits beside me and narrows his eyes at me. ¡°What are you thinking about in that pretty little head of yours?¡± ¡°I''m wondering what this is?" I say, gesturing around the room nervously. "Are you scared?¡± He asks and he seems very serious. If I say yes, he''ll stop whatever this is. I may not know what this is, but I know I''m not ready for it to stop. ¡°No. I''m not scared.¡± His smile is brilliant. ¡°Good girl. You have no reason to fear me. Not ever, Emlyn. But I''m going to be honest with you. I want you. I''ve never wanted anyone in my life like I want you right now.¡± He says. I can''t help butugh. Now I know this is a joke. ¡°Come on, Richie. Stop. Is this a joke? Because I''m not buying it.¡± I turn and look back at him and his face is deadly serious. ¡°It''s no joke, Emlyn. I became Alpha tonight and as important as that event is to me, being here with you, right now, is just as important.¡± "Why?" I whisper, shocked. ¡°There''s something about you tonight. Something that has caused a change in my feelings for you.¡± He runs a finger up my exposed thigh from my knee to the hem of my dress that is dangerously high since I''m sitting down. "If you want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me. I will stop. But if you don''t, I''m going to keep going.¡± "Okay." This time, my whisper is breathy. He never breaks eye contact with me as he puts his thumb into his ss of bourbon. He brings his thumb to my lips and rubs the amber liquid over them. He pulls my lip down and slides his thumb into my mouth. I lick the bourbon off his thumb and watch as his gray eyes go dark. ¡°Have you ever been with a man Emlyn?¡± I shake my head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Have you ever kissed a man?¡± I look at his lips. They are plump with a perfect cupid¡¯s bow, and they look soft. The thought of kissing him has me licking my lips. I immediately hear him growl. ¡°Emlyn.¡± The sound of my name, growling from his mouth has my back arching again. It was supposed to be a warning, but instead it feels like a caress. He stands, taking my hand and pulling me up. He gently touches my cheek, wrapping his hand around the back of my head. ¡°You''re about to be kissed, Emlyn.¡± His lips touch mine and they are warm and soft. I lean into him, enjoying the feel of his lips moving over mine. When he nips my bottom lip, I gasp and his tongue slides into my mouth. He dominates my mouth, showing me how to tangle with his tongue. I''m a quick learner so I try to take back control. I feel his smile against my mouth as he shows me that he is in control. When he finally releases my mouth, letting me breathe, I realize that I am leaning against him, my hands fisted in his tux shirt. I start to pull away, and then realize that he has wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me to him. He rubs his nose against mine. ¡°Did you like that Emlyn?¡± I look into his eyes. If I''m being honest, there has always been something about Richie that has drawn me to him. It can''t be that he¡¯s an Alpha, I''m surrounded by them. Maybe it''s the constant banter between us, or that he''s intelligent and challenges my beliefs and knowledge about things. Whatever it is, I''m not at all unhappy to be here, right now, with the new Alpha of Shadow Falls pack. "Yes, Richie. I liked it. I hope you kiss me again.¡± I don''t know where my daringes from, but from the look on his face, he seems to like it. "Good, because there is so much more than I want to do to you tonight.¡± I feel my body clench and heat travels south. ¡°Turn around.¡± It''s a demand. It''s not an Alphamand, and even if it was, I''m immune as a Guardian. I know, I''ve tested it with every Alpha I know. But, even if it was an Alphamand, I would want toply. I turn and I feel his fingers gently caressing my shoulder, moving to my neck and to the zipper of my dress. ¡°Remember Emlyn. Any time you want me to stop, just say so.¡± I nod, not saying anything. It''s only a moment before I feel the zipper of my dress unzipping. He slowly slides the zipper down, making sure his fingers caress my back as he goes. Once it''s all the way down, he slides his hand up my back, pulling the one shoulder strap off my shoulder and letting the dress fall to my feet. I start to reach my hands up, not sure what I''m going to do, but not totallyfortable being this intimately dressed in front of Richie. ¡°Don¡¯t. Put your hands at your sides.¡± It''s that demanding tone again and it makes me want to comply, so I do. His hands slowly travel from my shoulders down my back, to my waist and then down over butt cheeks which are exposed because of my thong. ¡°Beautiful.¡± He says and his voice is so reverent, it sends a thrill through my body. He kisses my shoulder. ¡°Turn around.¡± Demanding again. I do, and since I''m a Guardian, I look him in the eye. His smile is pleased as his eyes leave mine to travel down my body, studying my strapless ck bra down to mycy thong. "Who did you wear the thong for Emlyn?¡± ¡°Myself.¡± It''s the truth. I like the way I look in thongs. ¡°You like to look sexy?¡± He asks me. I hadn''t thought of it like that, but if that''s how he thinks I look, then I guess so. "Yes." ¡°Has anyone else ever seen how sexy you are Emlyn?¡± My eyes close briefly. The way he keeps saying my name is like a caress over my body. ¡°No.¡± It sounds more like a whimper than an answer. "Good. Let''s keep it that way.¡± He says and my eyes snap back to his. Is he serious? He reaches out, his eyes on mine and his thumbs rub over my nipples through my bra. I feel my body tense and my nipples harden as I watch him smile at my body''s responsiveness. ¡°Do you like that?¡± ess ¡°Take off your bra.¡± I reach behind me and unhook my bra, letting it fall to the floor. When I look back at his face, his eyes are so dark, they are nearly ck. He watches me and he runs his thumbs over my nipples again, this time they turn into hard peaks. I can''t help the whimper that leaves my mouth. "Good girl.¡± He says and I''m not sure why, but it still feels good to hear him say it. Whatever I''m doing seems to be making him happy. And if he''s happy, maybe he''ll keep touching me like this. It feels so good. Chapter 4: Rich My mate is so responsive, I feel like I''m about to blow my load in my pants. She''s sopliant, so submissive to me. It''s making me so fucking hard. I lean in and take one of her perfect breasts into my mouth, swirling my tongue around her hardened nipple. I love how her body responds to me. I can only imagine how much more she will respond once she feels the mate bond. I suck on her nipple until I begin to hear her whimper, then I switch to the other side. I take my hand and pluck her still-wet nipple before sliding my hand down to her stomach to the heat between her thighs. It was a surprise to see her in a thong. The strapless bra was expected with the dress, but the thong? And to hear that she likes to look sexy? Fuck, I''m a goner. I run my fingers over the outside of her thong, sliding my fingers between her thighs. Her thong is drenched. Perfect. I want to taste her. Time to see how submissive she will be for me. I give her nipple a final flick with my tongue before standing back up. ¡°Go to my bed facing it and bend over so your chest is on the bed.¡± I order her. She looks at me, then at the bed and back at me. I''m waiting for her to say no, or that this is too much. If it is, it is. I like being dominant, I want that in my rtionship. But if she can''t handle it, or can''t handle it yet, then I will wait. But the Moon Goddess doesn''t make mistakes and my sweet mate walks over to my bed, turning to face the bed. She looks at me over her shoulder beforeying down with her chest on the bed, her ass in the air for my pleasure.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Like this?¡± She asks me. I begin walking towards her, taking off my jacket and cummerbund. ¡°That''s perfect.¡± I watch as her eyes nervously twitch around my room. ¡°You''re doing so well.¡± I say, hoping to calm her. I don''t want her to tell me to stop. I need to taste her. Ie up behind her, sliding my hands over the backs of her thighs, over her ample bottom to her small waist and up her back. I lean down, kissing my way from her neck, down her back to the top of her butt crack. "What do you do if this gets to be too much, Emlyn?¡± ¡°I tell you?¡± ¡°Is that a question or a statement Emlyn Grace?¡± ¡°I tell you.¡± She says more definitively. "Good girl.¡± I say before kneeling behind her. Her scent of perfectly ripe peaches, assaults my senses. My mouth waters with my need to taste her. I tap her legs. ¡°Wider.¡± I say, and she instantly responds. I run my hands from her fucking fantastic heels, up the back of her knees and up her thighs. I let my thumbs slide to her inner thighs so when I get to the top, my thumbs are sliding through her wetness that has started dripping down her legs. My mate wants me as much as I want her. I carefully hook a finger under her thong pulling it aside. I take a moment to enjoy the view of her lips and ass on disy for me. Her lips are glistening with her desire and I lean in, taking my first taste. I hear her gasp at the same moment that her body tenses. ¡°Rx Emlyn. I won''t hurt you.¡± It takes her a moment, but she rxes. ¡°Good girl.¡± She seems to like it when I praise her. I fucking love that. I take my thumbs, gently pulling her lips apart to give my tongue better ess. I slide my tongue over her clit, then slide it up over her glistening lips. Her taste is so delicious that I push my tongue into her opening, licking up her juices, relishing her taste. A moan of pleasure rumbles in my mouth, against her sweet pussy and I hear her answering moan. I let my tongue slide up to her back opening, licking around her opening. I feel her tense and I pull back. ¡°One day, Emlyn, this ass will be mine.¡± I want everything, all of her. One day, I will have everything, this body will be my yground. I move back down, passing her sweet juices on my way to her clit. I begin moving my tongue in circles, my nose buried in her sweet pussy. Fuck I coulde just smelling her while I make her cum. I feel her tuck her hips, pulling her clit away from me. I growl, pulling back and gently, but sharply smacking her ass. I hear her sharp intake of breath. "Arch your back.¡± I demand. When she does, I dive back in. This time, I put my hands on her thighs, holding her still as I increase the assault on her clit. ¡°Richie?¡± Mmmm, my name on her lips is beautiful. I increase the speed of my tongue. "RICHIE!" She yells before I feel her body contracting against my face. I slow my movements, letting here down. When she''s rxed, I pull back, looking at how beautiful she is. I slide a finger over her clit, feeling her jerk at the overstimtion. I slide my finger up to her soaking wet pussy before sliding a finger inside her. I groan at how tight she is. I begin moving my finger in and out of her. I know I''ve got it right when she starts pushing against my finger. I add another, gently stretching her and getting her ready for me. My mate will be mine tonight. I slide a third finger and increase the speed of my movements, moving in time with her hips pushing against my fingers. When I feel her getting close, I curl my fingers, finding her sweet spot and feel her body mp down on mine. I can tell she¡¯s buried her face in myforter, screaming her release as her body continues to milk my fingers. Again, I slowly bring her down before pulling my fingers from her body. ¡°On the bed, on your back.¡± I order her. She''s quick toply. Her legs pressed tightly together. When she¡¯s on the bed, looking at me, I take my time, licking my fingers clean of her juices. ¡°I love peaches and that''s exactly what you taste like.¡± I tell her before unbuttoning my shirt. I watch her eyes darken, then get brighter with her Guardian wolfing forward. ¡°What''s your name, beautiful?¡± I should know my mate''s wolf''s name. ¡°Morrigan.¡± She purrs at me. Finley pushes forward, wanting to see his mate. ¡°Morrigan, do you have a problem with me making love to Emlyn tonight.¡± "No." Finley purrs at his mate. ¡°Good.¡± He tells her before I pull him back. I undo my pants and let them fall to the floor. Then I slide my boxers down. I watch Emlyn¡¯s eyes go huge and her throat bobs as if she¡¯s trying to swallow but can''t. "Emlyn. Look at me.¡± m.¡± It''s a squeak. ¡°Look at my eyes.¡± Her eyes shoot up, and a blush spreads across her caramel-colored skin. "Are you willing to give me your virginity?¡± She waits for what feels like an eternity but is only a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± I feel smug that I will be the only one to ever feel the warm sweetness of my mate. I reach over to her, pulling her thong down and off her body. I set it aside. They are mine now. I leave the heels on. "Open your legs.¡± She does, but not nearly enough. ¡°Wider.¡± She pulls them to the edge of the bed. I pull a condom out of the drawer by my bed and roll it on. Then, I crawl between her thighs,ying over top of her. ¡°Submit to me, Emlyn.¡± I tell her, the head of my cock pressing against her warm wetness. She turns her head, showing me her throat. I reach down, kissing her throat gently as I slide inside her. I hear her hiss of pain and I pull myself up so I can watch her. When I feel resistance, I lean down and kiss her. ¡°Ready?¡± I ask. After this, there''s no going back. ¡°Yes.¡± Her voice is sure and positive. I thrust inside her, burying myself in perfect body. Chapter 5 Chapter 5: Emlyn My senses are on overload. Richie is strumming my body like it''s his instrument and he''s a maestro. I''m dizzy and overwhelmed with everything. I don''t know why Richie''s dominance is such a turn on. Maybe, because as a Guardian, I''m supposed to always be in control. When he slides into me, I feel the burning sensation between my thighs. Even though it''s painful, when he asks me if I''m ready, I know I am. If there was anyone I wanted to give my virginity to, other than my mate, it would be Richie. I''ve had a crush on him for years. As soon as he thrusts into me, my body tenses with the pain and my throat closes, making it hard to breathe and impossible to speak He begins kissing my cheek, the corner of my mouth and down my neck. "Rx." He purrs in my ear. "Give it a minute. I won''t move until you''re ready." Thankfully, I have advanced healing as part of my Guardian genes so it doesn''t take long before the pain subsides and the feeling of Richie inside me begins to make me want to feel him move. I start to move my hips against him. "Better?" He says, lifting his head to look into my eyes. "Yes." He holds my gaze as he starts to move slowly inside me. The sensations of the feeling of him, of his movements, are overwhelming me again. He feels so good, and the intensity of him watching me is making my body feel tingly. He lifts himself up, never losing his rhythm and leans down, taking my nipple in is mouth. He begins sucking and licking and my body arches while my eyes roll back in my head. "Richie." I say breathily. He moans against me, and the vibration sets my body on fire and the heat travels straight to my core where he is stroking the mes. "Richie." This time it sounds needy. He switches to the other breast and the heat gets hotter. He begins moving faster, fanning the mes. My body feels out of control, climbing to a peak where I will be able to do nothing but freefall in the pleasure that Richie is giving me. He pulls off my nipple, sliding his hand down my thigh and pulling it up, hooking it under his arm, holding my leg against my chest. The position lets him go even deeper than before and the added speed is bringing me to the crest quickly. I grab hold of his arms, trying to hold on to anything to keep myself grounded. As my body is on the verge of exploding, Richie leans down and nips my earlobe. "Cum for me, Emlyn. Let me feel you cum on my cock." And that''s all it takes. My body feels like fireworks going off, my inner walls mping down on Richie, drawing him in. His growl of pleasure only enhances my orgasm, lengthening it as he continues with his rhythmic stroking. When I finally have some sense, I open my eyes to see his very intense stare. He''s still sliding in and out of me and my body is already responding. "Next time youe for me, Emlyn Grace, I want to hear you calling my name." "Richie." I say breathlessly. "What if someone hears? I have to be quiet." "Soundproof walls beautiful. Scream away." He says as he pulls my other leg up, pushing both of them over his shoulders and sitting up on his knees. He leans over me and begins to pound into me at a much faster pace. I begin whimpering at the pressure that is building quickly inside me again. "That''s my girl." He says and my eyes fly open to see his wolf shining in his, making his light gray eyes dark. Morrigan pushes forward, not wanting to be left out and somehow Richie''s pace gets even faster. "You are mine, Emlyn Grace. MINE!"All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. This time I scream my release, and I feel his body jerking with his. My back arches at the feel of him pulsing inside of me. As we both start toe down, he reaches down and kisses me. I can feel his canines havee out and they slice through my lower lip. He licks and sucks my lip into his mouth, healing the wound. "Sorry. Finley and I got carried away for a moment." Ile says as he stills inside me, releasing my legs andying his weight on top of me. I smile at up at him, running my fingers through his unruly hair. I''ve always loved his hair. It''s the exact opposite of him. Where Richie is always in control, always in charge, his hair is always a mess. He leans down, kissing my nose. "What are you thinking?" I look up at him shyly. "I''m d you were my first." He looks like he wants to say something, but he stops himself. Instead, he pulls out, taking the condom off and walking to the bathroom to throw it out. The room suddenly feels very cold and I''m wondering if I should have kept my mouth shut. I''m debating grabbing my clothes and making my way to Leana''s room, when hees back andys down on the bed, pulling me to him. "I want you to be my girlfriend Emlyn. I don''t want you seeing anyone else, and I won''t see anyone else. Just you and me." I turn over, facing him. This isn''t the direction I thought the conversation was going to go. "Richie, you know my father would kill you if he thought we were together and having sex." "Yeah, I know. That''s why I want to keep it a secret." I don''t know what he sees on my face, but he rushes to exin. "It''s not because I want to keep it or you a secret. I would be happy and proud to tell everyone that you''re my girl. But I know your father would never allow it and then you wouldn''t be able toe over here and spend the night like you do now. This way, we can still see each other, I just won''t be able to take you out on an official date." His face is intense. His eyes piercing mine. "You''re serious?" I ask. He caresses my face, his eyes following his fingers as they trace their path from my ear to my jaw, up my chin to my lips. He rubs his thumb over my lips before tracing my cheek to my eyes. "I''ve never been more serious about anything in my life, Emlyn, and that''s saying something." I watch him for a moment. "Say yes." He says and there''s an entreaty in his voice. I can''t help the smile that forms on my face. Richie Holstin wants to be with me. He wants me to be his girlfriend. "We''ll have to be careful, so Xander and Cayd don''t figure it out." I say, referencing his brothers. He raises his eyebrow in the arrogant way of all Alphas. "I''m an Alpha, I think I can keep a secret from my brothers." He rubs his nose against mine. "So, is that a yes?" I close my eyes, enjoying this softer side of the new Alpha of Shadow Falls. "Yes, Richie. I''ll be your girlfriend." Chapter 6: Rich She said yes. Fin and I are on cloud nine. And while I really wanted to seal the deal by taking her again, I knew she needed a break. I pushed her in ways I know she¡¯s never been pushed. And she responded just like I always hoped my mate would. Even though we went to bed veryte, I wake her up early. I want to take her again before she has to leave for the day, and I have to get back to the reality of being an Alpha. I wake her up slowly, feasting on her delicious peach taste before burying myself inside her. Then I pull her into the shower with me and I take her again. I realize that I need to add some other shower gel and shampoo to my shower for the days when I can sneak Emlyn into my room for a night. She already spends nearly half her time here. We had set up a schedule where the Guardians would train in all the packs, helping the warriors to get stronger and be better fighters. As I think about it, this week will be Emlyn¡¯s week to train here. Perfect! Thankfully, between my sister and my brother Cayden, who is one Emlyn¡¯s best friends, there has never been a concern about her staying over at our packhouse. Alpha Eli threatened Cayden, Cohen and Clint with an early death if they ever touched his daughter. Little did any of us know, he threatened the wrong Alphas. I pull some of my clothes out of my closet for Emlyn. It wouldn''t be the first time she¡¯s raided my closet looking for something to wear, but it will be the first time that I''m thrilled to have her wearing my scent. I grab a shirt that I wore briefly and still has my scent on it and a pair of shorts that have a drawstring so she can tighten them around her small waist.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Just the thought of her small waist and her luscious ass has my dick getting hard again. I need to divert my thoughts before I head downstairs. It''s one thing for Emlyn toe out of my room wearing my clothes. Everyone assumes that she''s a sister, so it won''t cause a fuss. But if I walk out popping wood, that would cause a stir. I know I shouldn''t, but before I let her leave my room, I pull her to me and kiss her like a drowning man breathing air for the first time in too long. When I pull back, I can see she¡¯s just as dazed as I feel. I know I shouldn¡°t have gotten her aroused again, but I couldn''t help myself. I wish I could mark her. I almost didst night. Thankfully, I pulled Finley back in time. I don''t know if she would have freaked out, but I would definitely have had to tell her that she was my mate. I have no intention of scaring her off. Fin and I will just have to wait it out a couple of years and since she agreed to be my girlfriend, I can work with this. She''s mine, just notpletely. I have her leave before me and when I walk out and down the stairs of the packhouse, I hear my brothers asking her where she sleptst night. "Oh, I fell asleep in Richie''s room.¡± I can hear them snickering. ¡°I bet he loved that.¡± I know what they are thinking. On the night I was inaugurated as Alpha, I''d want to celebrate with a she-wolf. What they don''t know is, I did. And not just any she-wolf, I celebrated with my mate. "What? He was very nice about it.¡± My sweet mate says. I can almost hear her blush from here. ¡°Nice? Now there''s a word Rich doesn¡¯t get called very often.¡± ¡°Richie has always been nice to me.¡± ¡°That''s because you''re like his little sister Em.¡± I''m d I''m too far away from them to hear my growl. Emlyn is anything BUT a sister to me. I walk in and wrap an arm around her, kissing the top of her head. It''s the most I can do with company and the same way I would treat Leana or Lily. ¡°I wanted to make sure that Emlyn was safe. There were a lot of single males here and you idiots were feeling pretty good.¡± I say. I can smell myself on her and I love it. I can feel how ufortable Emlyn is with me being in close proximity to her in front of my brothers after our intimacyst night. So, even though I don''t want to, I release her and move to the coffee maker. I turn and see that Emlyn hasn''t gotten any coffee yet, so I grab two cups and pour coffee for both of us. I set a cup in front of her. ¡°Cream?¡± ¡°Damn Rich. You be Alpha and now you''re all gentlemanly?¡± Cayden asks. I get the cream out of the fridge, knowing that''s how my mate likes her coffee. I reach around her, taking the opportunity to push my body against hers while I pour the cream into her coffee cup. I put it back in the fridge and turn back around. Emlyn is looking at me and there is a challenge in her eyes. She''s up for this game. ¡°Thank you, Richie.¡± She leans up on her toes and kisses my cheek. Then my little minx licks me quickly so my brothers can''t see. Game on, baby girl. "So, Emlyn. If I''m correct, you are scheduled for training here this week.¡± I say. I watch as the gears turn in her head and a smile twitches on her lips. If she''s here, it gives us more time together. ¡°That''s right. Leana, Lily and I are scheduled for Shadow Falls this week.¡± I take a sip of coffee, feigning nonchnce. ¡°You should juste stay the week here. It''s easier than going back and forth. Everyone goes to the same school and if there''s an issue with you getting to school, I can make arrangements for you.¡± ¡°That would be great, Richie. I''ll admit, thest time, it took a lot of my studying time going back and forth between the packs every day. I''m sure mom and dad would be pleased to know I''ll have more time for studying.¡± ¡°Perfect, I''ll talk to your dad and set it up. If this works out, we''ll make it a constant thing.¡± It will work out and it will be constant. I turn to one of our omegas. ¡°Can you ask Ca to have a room cleaned and set up for Emlyn on the Alpha floor? We''ll just set one aside for her since she¡¯s here so often.¡± "Yes, Alpha. I can''t help but feel smug that at least one out of every three weeks, Emlyn will be sleeping in my packhouse. And I''ll make sure it''s in my room. The best part is, it''s somon for the children of the Guardians to spend time together and sleep at each other''s packhouses, that no one will even bat an eye. Chapter 7 Chapter 7: Emlyn Richie spoke to my father and since it was somon for me to be here or at Canyon Ridge, my parents weren''t bothered when Cayd drove me home to pack clothes for the week. "Let''s stop by and have dinner with Cohen and Clint." He says as we get back into the car. I shrug. I''m dying to get back to Richie, but I also know that he started his Alpha duties today and is probably swamped. So, we head to Canyon Ridge. "Cayden! Emlyn!" Luna Cara says as we walk in. "How nice to see you. Are you staying for dinner?" "You know it, Auntie Cara." Cayd says. All the kids of the Guardians call the parents of the other packs Aunt and Uncle in informal situations. We''ve grown up as a family after all. Cayd is always hoping that Aunt Cara makes steaks. She apparently learned from her father, Clint, and I have to admit, they are really good. "It''s not steak night Cayd. You know Thursdays are steak nights in Canyon Ridge." He detes a bit before brightening again. "What''s for dinner tonight?" "Rotisserie chicken. Rik and Anders are out helping the kitchen staff. I think Cohen and Clint are out there as well. Feel free to go monitor their progress." "Thanks Auntie Cara!" He kisses her cheek and runs outside. "Do you need any help?" I ask her. "Nope, we''re good. Oh, but are you staying the night? I can have a room made up for you." "No, I''m training at Shadow Falls this week, so Rickie thought it would be a good idea if I stay there." She stops, turning to look at me and my heart stops. Did I give something away? "That''s a great idea. Why did none of us ever think of that? We''ll have to institute that when you''re training here as well." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "It really is good to have new blooding in to take over the packs. It brings new ideas." "Cohen still has a couple of years." I tell her. He''s only 16, like me, even though he''s closer to 17. "Oh, I know. But Emerson will take over next year." Sheughs. "I''m sure your father is ready to get away from the sprites in your pack." Iugh too. It''s a well-known fact that the sprites irritate my father to no end. But my mother loves them, so he tolerates them for her, and she does most of the interacting with them when she can. Dinner at Canyon Ridge is fun. I''m always one of the boys here. Lily and Leana are basically attached at the hip, so it''s always been me with the guys. When we''re done, I help clean up before we head back to the Shadow Falls packhouse. When we get there, I find Ca and ask her to show me to my room. "Movie night in 30 minutes, Em." Cayd hollers at me as I head up the stairs. "Okay." Ca shows me to the room next to Richie''s. His room was at the end of the hall, across from his parents'' now vacated bedroom. I wonder if he''ll move into that room. It''s bigger and has the doorway into the room beside it for a nursery one day. I''m unpacking when I hear my phone ping. Richie: I smell perfectly ripe peaches in my packhouse. Where are you. Me: I''m in my temporary bedroom. You know, the room right next to yours. Richie: Perfect. Got any ns tonight? Me: Cayd says they are having a movie night tonight. I''m headed down there in a few minutes. Richie: I could do a movie night. But first, I need to taste my favorite peach. Stay where you are, I''ll be right there. My stomach does a flip flop. I wasn''t exactly sure what to expect when Richie said he wanted me to be his girlfriend. But I have to say, I''m liking it so far. Not two minutester, there''s a quick knock on my door right before it opens and Richie''s spicy, warm vani scent, so simr to the bourbon he drinks, floods my senses. He closes and locks the door before crossing the room in two steps and pulling me into his arms. His mouth devours mine, his tongue tasting mine, dominating and possessive. I moan softly against him, leaning into him. He pulls away, looking at me. "I''ve been missing that taste all day."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Mmmm" I purr, running my nose up his neck and breathing in his scent. "I''ve been missing this scent all day." "How long before you have to be downstairs?" I nce at the clock. "Five minutes." "Perfect, just enough time for me to snack on a peach." "Richie." I say as he starts unbuttoning my shorts. "Take them off, Emlyn." That demanding tone again. Goddess, I love the way it feels when he''s demanding. He steps back and watches me. "Don''t deny me the taste I''ve been wanting all day, Emlyn." I lick my lips and I pull my zipper down. His answering growl sends tingles down my spine, the good kind. "Goy sideways on the bed." He demands. "Feet on the bed, legs open for me." As I crawl onto the bed, getting into the position he requested, I look at him. "Is this room sound-proofed too Richie?" His smile is Cheshire cat smug. "It definitely is, so I better here you screaming my name." My new boyfriend is extremely talented with his tongue. In five minutes, I came twice and was feeling quite rxed when I went downstairs to meet with Xander and Cayd for movie night." When I walk in, Xander looks up. "You smell like Rich." I stop in my tracks. Oh no, I''m caught. "She was wearing my clothes carlier, of course she smells like me." Richiees in behind me,posed as always. Ilis fingers slide across my lower back as he goes to sit on the love seat. "Emlyn,e sit beside me." Cayd looks up at him. "You''re going to watch TV?" "Yep." He says, sitting on the love seat. He pats the seat beside him. "Apparently, you already smell like me." He says, his eyes full of mischief. Cayd and Xander take the couch and I realize they''ve put on a scary movie. You''d think, being a werewolf and Guardian, that I wouldn''t be bothered by them, but I hate them. "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you." Richie whispers in my ear as he pulls me close. "IIere." Cayd says, throwing a nket over to us. "You can hide under the nket when it''s gets too scary, Em." I have to admit, having Richie''s arm around me, made the scary movie worth it. But being under a nket, watching a scary movie beside Richie was dangerous. The first time I jumped, his fingers found their way under my shirt. His touch distracted me enough that my mind was no longer on the movie. As the movie progressed, I was getting more and more turned on, so I decided two could y this game. I took my hand and slid it up his thigh over his jeans. When I got to the top of his thigh, I moved my hand up and over until I found the pot of gold I was looking for. I felt Richie''s hand grip my hip as I began to slowly rub my hand over his penis through his jeans. He shifts and reaches under the nket to unbutton and unzip his jeans. When I look at him, his eyes are dark. I watch him as I slide my hand inside his jeans and under his boxers. IIe lifts his hips slightly to give me more room. I release his hard length, wrapping my hand around it as best I can. He''srge enough that my fingers don''t touch. I slide my thumb over the top of his dick, feeling a bit of precum. I rub it around his tip before beginning to stroke him again. When I look again, his eyes are on the tv, but I can tell he''s not watching. His free hand reaches around mine and he begins to move my hand faster, showing me what he wants. His eyes don''t move away from the tv, and I turn my gaze to the tv, as his hand begins to move mine even faster. Just as the girl on screen gets killed and her scream fills the room, Richie growls his release all over the nket. Unfortunately, the scream wasn''t quite loud enough to cover his growl and Xander''s head snaps up, looking at us. "You okay, Rich?" He says frowning. "Yeah." His voice is a bit breathy and smidge higher than normal. I tuck my head to hide my smile. "Emlyn just elbowed my dick." I whip my head up and look at him, my mouth dropping open. "Luckily I''m a fast healer." He says, giving me his smug little smile. Xander snorts and turns back to the tv. "Better you than me." He says. Chapter 8 Chapter 8: Rich Emlyn''s been in my packhouse for four days. Four glorious days. I''ve snuck her into my room every night. She''s my new favorite addiction and while having her here is distracting, I know that once she''s gone, it will be much harder. We''re currently at training. I''ve always run afternoon training, so it was a simple transition to just add the morning training into my schedule for now. Once Jackson is official, he can run one training and I''ll run the other. Today, I have to keep refocusing my attention away from Emlyn. Every daughter of a Guardian is an amazing warrior. Leana and Lily are no different and while I appreciate their strength and skill, Emlyn is my mate. ''She''s incredible.'' Finley purrs in my head. I turn, watching her take out one of my best warriors. Then she helps him up and exins to him how he can better protect against her attack before going at him again. I''m about to turn away from her again, when suddenly she, Leana and Lily all jerk their heads in the same direction. Their sparring partners immediately go still but I''m already walking toward Emlyn. "What is it?" I turn and see Lily sniffing the air. She has the best sense of smell. Leana has the best sense of aura and I watch as she closes her eyes to focus. Emlyn has the best sense of hearing and as I turn back to her, her head is tilting to the side. In unison they shout, "Rogues." The three of them shift as one, rushing toward the forest. I''m only a split second behind them as I howl the warning. My warriors are right behind me and it''s only a momentter before the patrols raise a second rm. "How many?" I link them. "A lot Alpha." "We''re on our way." "I count over fifty Rich." Leana says to me. Finley pushes himself to keep up with the Guardians. We begin pulling away from the other warriors in the pack and we''re fairly far ahead of them as we pass a tree line and break into the space where the rogues are overtaking my patrols. The four of us jump into the fight, tearing into the rogues. Usually rogues are vicious, but untrained. This group seems to have a bit more training than most and are putting up a decent fight, but they are no match for my pack and warriors. We are cutting through them easily, especially since I have three Guardians fighting with me. The pack could have defeated this group without them but having them makes it much more likely that there won''t be casualties on our side. I''m fighting off two and from the corner of my eye, I see another about to jump me. Just as it leaps at me, I beautiful ck wolf jumps in front of me, taking the rogue out. That has to be Morrigan, she looks just like Grace''s wolf, Maia. I snarl, Finley sinking his teeth into the stinking rogue in front us before turning and slicing through the stomach of the second one. I spin around and realize that the rogues have been taken out quickly. There are two still alive and I shift quickly, telling my pack members not to kill them. "Jackson." I say, seeing Harlo, his wolf, about to kill another rogue. "Keep him alive. I want to interrogate him." "Kyle," I turn looking at my Lead Warrior''s wolf. "Organize the cleanup of this mess." I turn making sure there are no fatal or serious injuries before speaking to my warriors. "Anyone who got bit or scratched, get to the packhouse and get it cleaned up. I don''t anyone getting an infection." Rogues are nasty, dirty creatures and while werewolves have advanced healing, their bites and scratches can cause infection and dy healing. Finally, I turn to look at Morrigan. "Emlyn, a word." Ites out more of a snarl than I mean for it to. She shifts back, standing in front of me in all her beautiful, naked glory. I hate that every wolf here can see her, but I have more important things to discuss right now "You jumped in front of me." Leana and Lilye racing over. "Rich, you know it''s not something we can control." I turn on my sister. "I didn''t see you or Lily jumping in front of me." Chapter 8: Rich Emlyn''s been in my packhouse for four days. Four glorious days. I''ve snuck her into my room every night. She''s my new favorite addiction and while having her here is distracting, I know that once she''s gone, it will be much harder. We''re currently at training. I''ve always run afternoon training, so it was a simple transition to just add the morning training into my schedule for now. Once Jackson is official, he can run one training and I''ll run the other. Today, I have to keep refocusing my attention away from Emlyn. Every daughter of a Guardian is an amazing warrior. Leana and Lily are no different and while I appreciate their strength and skill, Emlyn is my mate. ''She''s incredible.'' Finley purrs in my head. I turn, watching her take out one of my best warriors. Then she helps him up and exins to him how he can better protect against her attack before going at him again. I''m about to turn away from her again, when suddenly she, Leana and Lily all jerk their heads in the same direction. Their sparring partners immediately go still but I''m already walking toward Emlyn. "What is it?" I turn and see Lily sniffing the air. She has the best sense of smell. Leana has the best sense of aura and I watch as she closes her eyes to focus. Emlyn has the best sense of hearing and as I turn back to her, her head is tilting to the side. In unison they shout, "Rogues." The three of them shift as one, rushing toward the forest. I''m only a split second behind them as I howl the warning. My warriors are right behind me and it''s only a momentter before the patrols raise a second rm. "How many?" I link them. "A lot Alpha."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "We''re on our way." "I count over fifty Rich." Leana says to me. Finley pushes himself to keep up with the Guardians. We begin pulling away from the other warriors in the pack and we''re fairly far ahead of them as we pass a tree line and break into the space where the rogues are overtaking my patrols. The four of us jump into the fight, tearing into the rogues. Usually rogues are vicious, but untrained. This group seems to have a bit more training than most and are putting up a decent fight, but they are no match for my pack and warriors. We are cutting through them easily, especially since I have three Guardians fighting with me. The pack could have defeated this group without them but having them makes it much more likely that there won''t be casualties on our side. I''m fighting off two and from the corner of my eye, I see another about to jump me. Just as it leaps at me, I beautiful ck wolf jumps in front of me, taking the rogue out. That has to be Morrigan, she looks just like Grace''s wolf, Maia. I snarl, Finley sinking his teeth into the stinking rogue in front us before turning and slicing through the stomach of the second one. I spin around and realize that the rogues have been taken out quickly. There are two still alive and I shift quickly, telling my pack members not to kill them. "Jackson." I say, seeing Harlo, his wolf, about to kill another rogue. "Keep him alive. I want to interrogate him." "Kyle," I turn looking at my Lead Warrior''s wolf. "Organize the cleanup of this mess." I turn making sure there are no fatal or serious injuries before speaking to my warriors. "Anyone who got bit or scratched, get to the packhouse and get it cleaned up. I don''t anyone getting an infection." Rogues are nasty, dirty creatures and while werewolves have advanced healing, their bites and scratches can cause infection and dy healing. Finally, I turn to look at Morrigan. "Emlyn, a word." Ites out more of a snarl than I mean for it to. She shifts back, standing in front of me in all her beautiful, naked glory. I hate that every wolf here can see her, but I have more important things to discuss right now "You jumped in front of me." Leana and Lilye racing over. "Rich, you know it''s not something we can control." I turn on my sister. "I didn''t see you or Lily jumping in front of me." Chapter 9 Chapter 9: EmlynN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. When I walk back into the packhouse, Leana and Lily rush to me. "Are you okay Emlyn. I''m so sorry. You know how our brothers are." Leana says, pulling me into a hug. "I do. And you''d think that they would also know how we are by now." "What did he say?" Lily asks, pulling us into a private room. I know they are just concerned about me. They are as much my sisters as Riley is. "Exactly what you''d expect. ''I''m an Alpha. I don''t need you jumping in front of danger for me."" I make my voice as deep as I can, mimicking Richie''s. Both Lily and Leana roll their eyes at that. "So, how did he leave it?" I just found a perfect reason to be in Richie''s room, waiting for him. "Well, he needed to go interview the rogues they captured, but he wants me to meet him in his room afterward." "Ugh! Don''t give in to him Emlyn. Richie needs to understand that even though he''s now Alpha, we''re still Guardians. It''s our job as much as it''s his job to run this pack." Leana says. "Don''t worry. I have no intention of giving in to him." At least not about being a Guardian, if he demands something else of me, that''s another story. "I''m going to go shower. I jumped in theke, but I want to use soap and brush my teeth." "Rogues are so disgusting, aren''t they." Lily says. "I wonder why they attacked." Leana says. "I know, it''s well-known that Guardians are in these three packs. And did you notice that they seemed better trained than normal?" I ask. They look at each other. "We did. We were discussing that as well." Lily says. Leana turns to her. "Let''s wait for Richie to finish his interrogation and if he doesn''t get any good information, let''s head to your pack and see if your dad knows anything." Leana turns back to me. "We''ll let you know if we hear anything and if you hear anything from your dad, let us know." "I will." The three of us are the oldest Alpha females in the three packs. Lily only has brothers, and Leana''s sisters are much younger. That leaves Riley and while I understand that she''s a Guardian, I love my sister and want to keep her as far away from fighting as possible. She''s still only fifteen. When we leave the room, Xander and Cayd snag me. "What happened? Are you okay?" Cayd pulls me into a hug. "I''m fine." I say into his chest. "It was no big deal. There was a rogue attack and Em jumped in front of Richie. He flipped out on her." Leana tells her brothers. Cayd grabs my shoulders and pulls me back. "Are you sure you''re okay?" "Yes, I''m fine." I say as his eyes track over my body looking for injuries. "No scratches or bites?" "Cayd, you''re as bad as Richie." Lily says to him. "It''s not our fault either. We''re Alpha males, it''s in our genes to protect, not be protected." Xander says. "No bites, no scratches and I''m fine. Really." I say to them. , "You''ll be happy to know that Richie is still nning to yell at Emlyn. He told her to wait for him in his room." Leana says. "Where is he?" Xander asks. "Interrogating the rogues." I tell him. He turns immediately. "Don''t be too hard on him Em. He''s an Alpha, the newly instated Alpha of this pack. It''s hard to have someone, especially one of our sisters, risk themselves for us." Xander says, heading to the cells. Cayd turns to follow Xander. "He asked to speak with me, not the other way around." I say to Xander. "yeah, but we all know you girls are stubborn and tough as nails." Cayd throws over his shoulder as they leave the room. I shake my head at them and turn to Lily and Leana. "I''m going to shower. Let me know what you find out." "Will do." By the time I shower and get to Richie''s room, I''m exhausted. I pull on one of his shirts and crawl into his bed, smelling his scent of warm spice and vani. I love this scent and before I know it, I''ve fallen asleep. When I wake, I hear the sound of the shower in Richie''s bathroom. I sniff the air and can smell the scent of blood and rogue, mingling with the scent of Richie''s shampoo and body wash. I hope that means that Richie got some information. When hees out, he has a towel wrapped around his waist and he is drying his hair with another towel. I rollpletely over so I can watch this gorgeous man. I lift myself up onto my elbow to get a better view. Everything about him is pure Alpha. I watch as a water droplet drips off his hair to his chest, making its way south over his perfectly sculpted abs. I can''t help but lick my lips, wishing it was me moving down his body. "Emlyn Grace." His growling purr makes my body clench. I look back up and see his dark eyes looking back at me. He shakes his head before throwing the towels over the bathroom door and a chair. I can''t help my own purr at the beauty in front of me. Beauty that makes my body sing. As I watch, Richie narrows his eyes at me, but the head below his waistline is starting to stand up and take notice. I bite my lower lip, wanting this man. I can''t believe how much I want him even though he was inside me only a couple hours ago, He crawls into bed behind me, pulling me against him. "I had nned on talking first, but when you look at me like that, I want nothing more than to feel you wrapped around my cock." After bringing both of us to exquisite pleasure, Richie throws out the condom andes back, pulling me against him again. "Emlyn, I know you''re a Guardian. I respect and love that about you. But can we agree that you won''t put yourself between me and danger? I wouldn''t be able to forgive myself if something happened to you while you were trying to protect me." He rubs his nose over my ear. "Can you do that for me, baby girl?" "I''ll try Richie. But it''s in my gics, just like it''s in yours to protect your pack and family," "you''re mine now, too, Emlyn. That means I want to protect you as well, and I can''t do that if you are putting yourself in front of me." I roll over, facing him. "What do you propose?" "My father told me once that he asked my mother to stand beside him in a fight. Not in front of him and not behind him. I don''t think I truly understood the importance of what he was asking then, but I do now. I won''t try to protect you if you don''t try to protect me. We can protect each other. Deal?" I run my fingers through his messy, still-damp hair. "Deal." My answer makes him so happy, he has me screaming his name again in no time. Chapter 10 Chapter 10: Rich It''s been a year since I realized that Emlyn was my mate. When''s she''s here, everything in my world feels right. When she''s gone, no matter how much work I have, my days are long and always feel dreary. Thankfully, between the three packs, there are a lot of birthdays and celebrations so I get to see her on the off weeks and weekends. After I "started" the new process of having the visiting Guardians stay in our packhouse, Emlyn spent every third week at Canyon Ridge. That put her closer to my packnds than if she were in her own pack. My brilliant mate had the idea to meet at the canyon in between the packs when she stayed there. It wasn''t perfect, but it helped to keep me and Finley from going out of our minds. I honestly don''t know where we''ve had sex more often, my bedroom or the forest. My biggest regret is that I can''t treat her like the princess of my heart and future Luna of my pack that she is. When she''s with me, especially when she''s in my packhouse, I do what I can to show her how special she is to me. It hasn''t always been easy. I''m still constantly surrounded by she-wolves wanting my attention and wanting in my bed. Since I can''t be open about Emlyn and I being together, she''s had to watch others flirt shamelessly with me and not say a word. It''s probably easier for me, although it doesn''t feel like it. At least I know my brothers, Emerson, Cohen and Clint keep interested males from sniffing around my mate. It''s the only thing that has kept me from losing my shit a couple of times in thest year. We all protect our Guardians. It''s an unspoken pact between the Alpha males.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Emerson will be sworn in as Alpha in a couple of days. I''m happy because, not only will I no longer be the ''new Alpha'', but I''ll also get a weekend with Emlyn. She''s spent thest week in her packhouse. She''s been so busy helping Aunt Grace prepare for this ceremony that I haven''t been able to do more than text her in the evenings. I''m interrupted from my thoughts of how I will get my mate into my bed under her parents'' noses by a knock at my door. I sniff the air and tell Leana toe in. When she walks in, she sits down in front of me, folding her hands in herp. I take in her posture and the way she seems nervous to ask what she''se to talk about. "Rich, I know I said I would be your acting Luna until you found your mate. And I was happy to do it. But honestly, I didn''t think it would be this long." I''m just waiting for Emlyn to turn 18 and recognize me. I think to myself. "I don''t think anyone did." I say instead. "Well, you know how I am supposed to start training to take over mom''s seat on the council in a few months?" "Yes." I have no idea where she''s going with this line of discussion. "Lily and I want to go travel around before I have to do that." I frown. "Travel around where?" "I don''t know. See somece other than these three packs." She says spreading her arms to show she means our pack and our allies''. "I hope one of those ces is Araphyra and Lily finally decides to ept Aolis as her mate." I say it a bit more sharply than I probably should have. I truly don''t understand Lily''s unwillingness to ept Aolis. Yes, he''s a fae prince and yes, she''d have to leave the pack. But it''s not like she wouldn''t leave if her mate was a werewolf from another pack. "That''s for Lily to decide, not me and certainly not you." She says, defending her best friend. I get up and walk around my desk,ing to sit beside my sister. "If you want to go, I certainly can''t stop you. You''re an adult now. But do me a favor." "What''s that, Rich?" I take her hand. We''re so close in age, that she could almost be my twin. That is if she didn''t look exactly like our mother. Where I look like our father and have our mother''s gray eyes, Leana has our mother''s white-blond hair and slight build, but she has our father''s sage green eyes. "If you find your mate, don''t do what Lily is doing to Aolis. The Moon Goddess doesn''t make mistakes. Trust her and ept your mate." "Yes, Alpha." "Knock it off." I say, standing and pulling her to her feet. "Be safe and if you need anything at all, let me know. I''m always here for you, Lea. "I know." She turns to walk out of my office. "Oh, and Rich, you could have kept me from leaving. I may be an adult, but you''re still my Alpha." My sister''s eptance and promation that I''m her Alpha makes my heart soar. All I''ve ever wanted is to run this pack well and make my family proud. "I love you, Lea." "Love you too, Rich." She says as she walks out. After she leaves, I walk back around my desk. I love my mother, but I don''t want her acting as Luna and I know my father won''t want that either. It''s a big job, a full-time job and it requires the right kind of person. A person that was born to be a Luna. A person like my mate. I smile as a n forms in my mind. I need an acting Luna. Emlyn is less than a year away from turning 18. What better way to have the pack limate to her style than to bring her in as acting Luna. And if she''s my acting Luna, she''ll have to move into my packhouse and be part of my pack. I''d have her here with me every day, working beside me, helping to run this pack. And I''d officially be her Alpha. I''m so excited, I do something I never do. I pick up the phone and call Emlyn. "Richie, is everything alright?" she asks, I can hear the noise in the background getting quieter. She''s walking somece more private so we can talk. "Hey gorgeous. I have a proposition for you." Her voice lowers into a sexy purr. "Oh really. And what''s that?" "How would you like to be my acting Luna?" It''s quiet for a moment. "What about Leana?" "She and Lily are apparently going to travel around before she begins training to take over mom''s council seat." "Really?" I smile at the excitement in her voice. "Really," "I''d love to be your acting Luna, Richie." "Good. I''ll talk to your dad this weekend. Start packing, lover. You''re about to move to my packhouse for good." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!