Escaping Fate Book 2
Autor
C. Sweets
Lecturas
110K
CapĂtulos
25
Adira, a fierce and independent werewolf, navigates the complexities of pack politics, family loyalty, and forbidden love. As she rises to power within her pack, she faces betrayal, heartbreak, and the challenge of leading amidst chaos. When her past catches up with her, Adira must confront old enemies and new threats to protect her loved ones and secure her place as a true alpha.
Homecoming
âHurry up, Adira, we canât afford to be late!â Lillith urges.
Iâd completely forgotten about the pack campfire tonight, but my sister is already dressed and ready to go. I hastily throw on some clothes and do a quick job on my hair.
âAdira, you canât possibly be thinking of going dressed like that!â she exclaims, rummaging through my closet for a more suitable outfit. âJosiah and Adrian wonât be pleased if we donât look our best. Weâre the alpha family, remember?â
I perch on the edge of my bed while she frantically searches through my dresser. Thereâs a knock at my door, and I quickly get up to find Kira standing there, looking as fake as ever.
Sheâs nothing more than a social climber, trying to win over both my brothers and Uncle Mattâs sonâwhoâs also in line to be alpha.
Lillith emerges from my closet, tossing a new outfit my way, and glares at Kira. âWhat do you want, Kira?â she snaps, pulling me back into the room and pushing me into the bathroom to change.
I accidentally slam the door behind me as I hear my sister arguing with Kira. Itâs amusing, considering they used to be best friends until Kira tried to seduce our eldest brother, Adrian, whoâs next in line for alpha.
Heâs due to take over in a few months but just returned from training, which is why weâre having the campfireâto welcome him home.
I quickly strip and examine the outfit Lillith handed me. Itâs a golden body-hugging dress with thin spaghetti straps and a black hem. It fits me well but is a bit more revealing than I usually prefer.
I hear the door slam as I step out of the bathroom, adjusting my dress. I head to my closet and grab a black leather jacket for some coverage, and a pair of cute black heeled boots.
Sensing my discomfort, Lillith helps me with my jacket as she smiles at me and starts to do my hair.
âYou look stunning,â she says, her eyes welling up with tears. âOur pack will be in awe of their beloved head tracker. We may not always see eye to eye, but Iâm glad youâre my sister.â
I smile back at her, understanding her sentiment. Our mother was killed a few years ago while defending our pack. Our father tried to save her but failed. When she died, he took his own life, unable to live without her.
Lillithâs father is a despicable man. Heâs a tyrannical coven leader, or so many say.
After our mother rejected him for his infidelityâwhile she was protecting the covenâhe changed, letting the pain of losing her and the fact that his cousin became her true mate drive him mad.
I look in the mirror and see my dark blue hair slightly curled and my momâs tiny diamond earrings. I smile, fighting back tears as I think of her. Lillith gives me a comforting squeeze and helps me up before leading me out the door.
***
We head to the campfire in the heart of the forest and find everyone chatting and dancing.
I approach Josiah, my second eldest brother, and give him a hug. I havenât seen him in two weeks since heâs been away for beta training.
Heâs incredibly tall, almost six foot six, with a muscular build and a tan complexion. His eyes are red and almond-shaped, and he has a square jaw with a hint of stubble. His hair is black and falls to his shoulders.
Most girls are drawn to himâor to Adrian, my other brother.
They look almost identical, except Adrian has heterochromatic eyesâone red, one purple. Youâd think that Lillith, being one of the triplets, would share their features. But sheâs quite different.
She has tan skin, freckles, blue eyes, and naturally light red, full rosebud lips. Her hair is a pale blonde and almost completely straight.
I look up at my brother, who chuckles at me because I can barely reach his chest now. Iâm quite short, but not a runt. Iâm only five foot five, which is unusual for wolves.
Theyâre not sure if itâs my royal vampire blood that makes me this small. My hybrid blood is a mystery, as wolves and vampires donât usually mate.
But here we are, four hybrid children, each of us looking very different from the others.
I jump up and grab a branch above my brotherâs head, pull myself upâmaking sure I stay coveredâand sit in the tree, observing everyone.
âHow have you been? How was training?â I ask him, my voice filled with excitement.
He gazes at me, a laugh bubbling up from his chest. âWhy is it always work, work, work with you?â His chuckle is deep and resonant.
I shrug in response, my own laughter mingling with his as I watch Lil, lost in her own world of dance. Iâm glad everyoneâs having a good time, but I canât help but miss Adrian. I hope he shows up soon.
âHave you heard from him?â Josiah queries, sipping from a red plastic cup as he surveys the crowd.
âNo, I was hoping you might have,â I admit, a hint of worry creeping into my voice.
âSo, I hear youâre going to be our new head tracker,â he says, a proud smile spreading across his face. Itâs not common for a woman to hold such a position in our pack.
âYeah, when you and Adrian step up, I will too. The current tracker wants to retire and spend time with his pups,â I explain, grinning at my brother. I lean back against the tree, watching as more people gather around the campfire.
We spend some time just chatting, until Josiahâs mate, Megan, joins us. They leave together to join the dance, and I stay put, content to watch the pack from my perch in the tree.
âWhat are you doing up there?â
I turn to find Adrian, my brother, whoâs managed to sneak in without anyone noticing. He climbs up to join me in the tree, settling on a branch to my left.
âIâm just enjoying the view.â I gesture for him to take in the scene from my vantage point. The moon is almost full, the stars are scattered across the sky, the fire is crackling, and the pack is alive with laughter and dance.
âYouâre right. It is a nice view,â he concedes, his voice deep and serious. Heâs always been like that, always serious, always focused. He canât afford to let loose, not when heâs next in line.
âAdira, have you found your mate yet?â he asks, his face unreadable.
I smile at him. âNo. Why?â I shift in the tree to face him, curious about his sudden interest.
âThereâs going to be a ball here this year,â he reveals. âItâs for unmated wolves to try and find their mates. Each year a different pack hosts it, and this year itâs our turn.â
He rests his hands on his lap, his gaze drifting to Lillith. âI want you and Lil to go. Itâs going to be a masquerade ball.â
I pause, considering his words. Do I even want a mate? I know I must have one out there somewhere, but would they even accept me? I glance at my brother, noticing the worry etched on his face.
Suddenly, it hits meâheâs worried that if we remain unmated, when he steps up, someone might try to force a mate on us, or use us.
I sigh, understanding the weight heâs carrying. âIâll go, Adrian. For you. I know you worry about us because of what we are. I just never wanted a mateâyou saw what the bond did to our parents.â
I glance at Josiah and Megan, wrapped in each otherâs arms by the fire. My brother rests his head on hers, and they chat away, oblivious to the world. The bond can be a blessing or a curse. Our mother loved with all her heart, and it cost her everything.
Our father suffered the same fate. At least their father is still alive, despite losing everything.
âAdira, we were just kids when that happened. You canât blame yourself or the bond for their deaths.â His voice is sincere, but tinged with frustration.
Avoiding his gaze, I take a deep breath. âI know I shouldnât blame myself, but you guys didnât see our father fall apart after Mom died. I saw my father break from losing his mate.
âHe killed himself, Adrian. I found my own fatherâs body in the bathtub. Your father may be an ass, but he still loves you guys. So donât act like you understand what Iâm going through.â
Frustrated with the whole situation, I jump down from the tree and head inside to cool off. As I leave, the pack notices my brother and showers him and my siblings with affection.
I retreat to my room, change into a sports bra and yoga shorts, and head to the gym. I start punching the bag, letting out my pent-up frustration. The door creaks open and I glance over to see Alpha Matt.
I bow in respect and return to my workout.
âWhatâs wrong, baby girl?â he asks, his voice soothing. He locks the door behind him, understanding my need for solitude.
Alpha Matt has been my rock since I lost my parents. He knows I donât hold any resentment towards my siblings, but he also knows they canât comprehend what itâs like to lose both parents so abruptly.
Heâs towering over me, a six-foot-six giant with deep black eyes, sun-kissed skin, and jet-black hair. Heâs just celebrated his forty-second birthday and dreams of retiring to find his soulmate.
âFancy a friendly match with this old wolf?â he teases, aware that I need to blow off some steam.
We roll out a couple of mats and take our positions, sizing each other up. He makes the first move, but I dodge and flip him onto his back. I quickly straddle him, pinning his arms down with my legs.
A smirk plays on his lips as he realizes heâs trapped. âYouâre growing stronger every day.â His black eyes darken as they roam over me, taking me in.
Iâm a petite wolf, with long, wavy, dark blue hair and light caramel skin. My eyes are a unique blend, not two different colors, but a mix of red around the pupil and purple on the outer layer.
My lashes are naturally long, my cheeks full and defined, and my lips are plump and rosy, reminiscent of Lillithâs.
âYouâre breathtaking, Adira.â His voice is laced with desire, a rare occurrence for Alpha Matt, a man known for his seriousness and lack of romantic entanglements.
Sure, he has a child, but that was with his first mate who passed away when we were just five.
âIs that so?â I tease, my lips brushing against his neck.
His body stiffens beneath me, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
âIf I didnât know better, Alpha, Iâd think you were flirting with me.â I meet his gaze, my hands exploring his chest. His body tenses further.
Suddenly, he flips me onto my back, my legs still wrapped around his waist, and kisses me passionately.
One hand tangles in his hair while the other clings to his neck. His growls grow more insistent, and I grind against him, feeling his arousal.
âCome to my room,â he murmurs, his voice husky with desire as he looks at me, wanting me.
He rises, extending a hand to help me up. We leave the room together, the house eerily quiet with everyone gathered around the campfire.
Once we reach his room, he slams the door shut, lifts me into his arms, and kisses me fiercely.
A soft moan escapes my lips as he growls in response. He carries me to the bed, laying me down, and starts kissing my neck while his hands explore my body. I press against him, my hands mirroring his actions.
I tug at his shorts, revealing his arousal. I start to stroke him, his groans growing louder.
âDo you like that?â I ask, my voice thick with desire. I push him onto the bed, kissing my way down his body as his breathing grows ragged. When I reach his arousal, I tease the tip with my tongue before taking him into my mouth.
His head falls back in pleasure as I take him deeper, my eyes watering as he hits the back of my throat. I quicken my pace, drawing moans from this usually reserved man.
I can feel him nearing his climax, his hips thrusting as he releases. He pants heavily as I swallow, then pulls out.
He quickly lays me back on the bed, his eyes lingering on my black sports bra that accentuates my ample breasts, and pulls off my shorts to reveal a toned stomach, thick thighs, and a tiny thong.
He takes in my body before pulling my thong off with his teeth and tossing it aside. His mouth finds my core, his tongue and lips working my sensitive spot, drawing moans and gasps from me.
He slides his fingers inside me, curling them, thrusting them against my wall, drawing louder moans from me. If anyone were here, theyâd definitely hear us. I tighten around his fingers as a wave of pleasure washes over me.
Once he feels my climax, he positions himself over me, spreading my thighs. He lifts my hips slightly and enters me, drawing a gasp of pleasure from me.
âFuck, that feels amazing,â I moan, my nails digging into his back.
He grins as he moves inside me, letting me feel all of him. He gradually increases his pace, careful not to go too fast and cause me discomfort. His growls grow louder as he loses himself in the moment.
âGod, youâre so tight and wet for me,â he growls, lost in his desire. I moan, kissing his neck as he takes me.
In the throes of ecstasy, he intensifies his rhythm, my breathy moans echoing in response. My body reacts, tightening around him as he swells within me.
With a final, powerful thrust, he holds himself deep inside me, releasing. He continues to move, ensuring every last moment is savored.
âAdira, that was...incredible,â he breathes out, collapsing beside me. I rest my head on his chest, listening to his racing heartbeat.
The sounds of life outside our room reach my ears, a clear indication that our activities werenât as private as weâd hoped. Sensing my unease, he lifts my face to his, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
âDonât worry about it, Adira. Let them talk. Youâre a beautiful, strong, compassionate hybrid. Itâs not hard to see why weâd end up here.â
His eyes are filled with warmth and sincerity. I know heâs trying to reassure me.
âItâs not them knowing weâve been together that bothers me. My brothers will be livid, but itâs the constant chatter about me that I canât stand.â I trace his jawline with my fingers, leaning in to kiss him.
He laughs softly, returning my kiss.
âThey talk because theyâre envious, Adira,â he tells me. âYour family are alpha wolves with royal vampire lineage. Everything you do is a topic of conversation. Just live your life and ignore them.â
His fingers tangle in my hair as he gazes at me with affection. âNow, letâs get some sleep, baby girl,â he suggests, nudging me gently.
I settle back against his chest, draping one leg over his hip while the other stretches out. And just like that, we drift off to sleep.
