From the Ground Up - Dan and Shay
Say You Won’t Let Go - James Arthur
Steal My Girl - One Direction
September Song - JP Cooper
I Won’t Give Up - Jason Mraz
Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing - Aerosmith
Always Remember Us This Way - Lady Gaga
Chapter 1
Deacon
October 1982
“Handsup,figlio,”myfather’s voice shouts moments before my fist connects with Luca’s jaw, whipping his head back at the impact and releasing a trickle of blood from a new cut on his left cheek. I drop my arm, giving him a moment to recover before launching into my next assault.
Despite slowing my movements, my brother still misreads my body language and takes two fists to the ribs before falling back to the mat in an attempt to catch his breath. Red marks slowly flush across his skin, causing my guilt to flare up.
Come on! Pay attention, brother.
Luca is three years older than me and an Alpha by birth. He’s the prodigal son, and I’m the spare. I spent my early childhood being entirely ignored by my father, having the freedom to play in the woods, learn to cook in the kitchen with my mother, and bask in the overwhelming certainty that as long as I stayed in the shadow of my big brother, my life would be my own.
It wasn’t until my Awakening that everything changed. My wolf is stronger than Luca’s, and no matter how much I tried to tamp it down, play it off, and avoid power struggles, the Alpha in me couldn’t be ignored.
“Di nuovo, Luca. Deacon, no more cheap shots,” my father snarls, disappointedly shaking his head.
Sure thing...I’ll try slow motion.