"Heather?"Dunstan's voice echoed again from the other side of the stockroom, making me flinch. By the sound of his steps, he seemed to be roaming around. "Are you here, love? Why's your office open?"My thighs tightened involuntarily around Ivik, not wanting to let him go, yet terrified of being discovered. I could feel the shame and guilt bubbling up inside of me, threatening to suffocate me."Please," I begged Ivik. "I can't do this if there's even a chance that he might find us.""Shh," Ivik soothed, kissing my forehead gently. "He's not going to see us. I'm not gonna allow that to happen." His hands started to roam again over my body. My mind begged me to stop responding and consider what I was doing, but the bond was overpowering it. Why was I allowing this bond to consume me? Was it because, deep down, I wanted to be with Ivik more than anything else?My breath caught in my throat as the outside doorknob was turned, echoing through the stockroom. I shut my eyes tightly and held
Heather"Hey, mister." Luka stationed himself beside Ivik who had a mug of coffee in his hands. "What's your name?"Ivik set aside his coffee mug. "You can call me Ivik.""Ivik," Avery piped up. "Why won't you play with us?"Ivik's gaze shifted from Luka to Avery. The way he tousled her chestnut locks tenderly made my chest ache. "Of course, baby. But let me finish my coffee first.""So, you said you can't sleep?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe, trying to sound casual despite the fluttering in my stomach.Avery nodded. "We need our bedtime story," she said in a sad voice, and that simple statement broke my heart. Reading them a bedtime story was an important part of our nighttime routine. But I missed it tonight.I looked at the wall clock briefly, and it was 12:30 a.m., despite the fact that I had assumed it was already near dawn all along. My face heated up to the thought of our crazy moment in the stockroom and how close we were to being caught. Being with Ivik made me feel
HeatherI have to feel better, right? He finally chose to let me go and set me free after putting in a lot of work to keep Ivik away. It was now over for good. But why do I still have pain? I thought I would feel free and lighthearted once he was gone because he would no longer be in my heart. Instead, he left a gap when he walked away from my door that night, making me feel empty right away. I felt like a piece of myself had been taken away, leaving me with a void I couldn't get rid of."Are you even listening, Heather?"I gasped when Olga tapped her hands on the table, snapping me out of my thoughts. She put the tray of food down in front of me and raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Hey, are you okay?"I shook my head to clear my mind and focused on Olga. "Sorry, what did you say again?"She chuckled and sat down across from me. Her hands found the steaming mug of coffee and pushed it towards me. "I was just asking if Esspresso is fine for you since black coffee is still unavailable fo
Alpha IvikMy table was overflowing with crucial things: the sales reports, the client contracts, and the budget analysis. But none of them matched the importance of the small picture frame that sat in the corner. It was a picture of Heather and the triplets. That was all I got from the wreckage of our previous lives, and it reminded me of what truly mattered—a family.Luka, Avery, and Theo. When I saw those kids in person, I was overflowing with joy and a sense of purpose. Their laughter and innocence were priceless, and they brought a warmth to my heart that I had never experienced before. Avery reminded me of Heather when she was that age, with her curly chesnut hair and sweet smile. Luka had the same drive in his eyes that I saw in Heather when she tackled any challenge, but among the three of them, he was my lookalike. And Theo, with his gentle nature and curiosity, reminded me of the way Heather used to explore the world around her.If I were to demonstrate my arrogance and poss
"Please tell me, Mom. Did you hire a storyteller that night?""I didn't. Why would I?" I chuckled, placing a pile of pancakes on a large plate when Luka asked. "It was me, sweetheart," I responded with a smile. It was actually the nth time that Luka had asked me this question, but I never grew tired of reassuring him.Avery and Theo both emerged from their rooms, rubbing their sleepy eyes. "What's all the commotion about?" Avery asked, yawning.Theo joined in, adding, "Yeah, why are we talking about bedtime stories?"I glanced at Luka, who looked relieved to have his siblings join the conversation. His blue eyes were wide as he leaned forward in his chair. "Do you guys remember that tall man who read to us about pirates and treasure hunts?" Luka asked eagerly.Avery and Theo exchanged puzzled glances before shaking their heads in confusion. "I don't remember any tall man," Avery replied, furrowing her brow."Me neither," Theo chimed in, scratching his head.Luka's face fell slightly,
HeatherDunstan's request was something I never thought I'd be doing. Firstly, he wanted me to interact with an ex-lover so that we could work together in business. The worst part was that he wanted me to oversee Fisher Laboratories' fabrication of wolfsbane. Dunstan should have known that being exposed to such a plant was like suicide, considering it was highly lethal to my kind. But then he had no idea what my real nature was.Regardless, I couldn't say no to his request. In the past ten years of knowing each other, he hasn't let me down once. So, I needed to work out a solution that would allow me to fulfill his request without putting myself in danger. I'm going to need some help.I took a deep breath upon stopping by Olga's apartment door. She was the only person I trusted enough to confide in about my true nature. And since she was not a shifter, wolfsbane was nothing more than a harmless herb to her.Pulling out a key from my pocket, I immediately inserted it into the lock and
Heather"The moon goddess's works? I don't think so." I chuckled, shaking my head. The thought of having the heavens have something to do with my fate seemed far-fetched. "What's the use if we cross paths again only to be torn apart once more?" I mused, hearing the bitterness in my voice. "After all, if our paths are destined to intertwine, what guarantee did we have that it wouldn't end in heartbreak again?"Alastair shrugged and stretched his arm behind Olga's chair, pulling her closer. "I can understand your skepticism, Heather. But sometimes, it's comforting to believe that there's something greater guiding us. Just take a look at me and this woman here."I watched as the couple gazed at each other with adoring eyes. You don't need words to see how special they are to each other.I tapped Olga's knees lightly and smiled. "You're so lucky, Olga. Both of you.""Thanks, Heather." Olga's eyes were almost misty as she spoke. "We've had our fair share of challenges, but we've also worke
HeatherBefore this meeting, I really thought I would feel awkward because my fiancé, Dunstan, would finally have to face Ivik. But the appearance of Amanda and how Ivik embraced her affectionately in front of us all tightened my chest. I watched as he helped her to a seat, and the woman looked at her with admiration. Was Ivik starting to date someone new?I noticed Alastair and Olga frowning slightly, their eyes darting between Ivik and Amanda.As Ivik held Amanda's hand, he turned again to Dunstan and asked with low eyebrows. "Can you tell me the advantage of securing wolfsbane for your company? Because you're not the only pharmaceutical company that approaches me." Ivik's tone suggested some skepticism as he continued, "I want to understand why I should choose your company over the others. How do you differ from others?"Dunstan grinned confidently. He took a glance at the other side of the table where Alastair and Olga were sitting, observing the conversation intently. Feeling the
HeatherI cupped my mouth, and tears streamed down my eyes after reading the paternity test result Olga had given me."It's… It's 99.9% accurate," I managed to choke out. "So Dunstan is wrong. He doesn't own any of my kids. They are all fathered by Ivik." I smiled widely, but tears still continued to flow down my face. The truth finally lifted off my shoulders, removing the confusion and doubt that had plagued me for so long."I told you, girl. Everything's going to be alright," Olga said, patting my shoulder. And then we both gazed at the triplets, who were playing board games on the living room floor, their laughter filling the room. Toby also joined them, although they still didn't know that he was their uncle, despite the fact that he was just their age."So when are you telling them that Ivik is their real father?" Olga inquired.I exhaled heavily. "If not for Dunstan, maybe I had
That night, as Ivik and I were already in bed, we held each other tightly, finding peace in each other's presence. Ivik was brushing my cheek with his thumb; his touch was gentle and comforting. He was smiling, as though he had finally found the missing piece of his heart."Are you sure about giving a chance to Sierra?" Ivik asked."It's not about her, Ivik," I said, giving him a small smile. "It's about the kid. No matter how troublesome his mother is, the child is innocent and deserves a chance at a better life. We can't let our personal feelings get in the way of doing what's right for them. Plus, he's our kid's uncle. Don't you want to introduce him to them?"He nodded with a sigh. You're right. And I'm exhausted of hatred. There's no good in holding onto grudges and letting them consume us." Ivik shifted and laid closer to me, facing me. "I want our kids to grow up in a world where love and understanding prevail. But that doesn't mean I will not punish Sier
HeatherI sat on the grass for a while, running for my breath. Sweats kept on pouring down my face, evidence of the intense training I had just completed. The sun was beginning to set, but its warm glow still illuminated the horizon, creating a beautiful golden hue across the landscape of Crimson Groove.Ivik walked toward me, giving me a bottle of water as he sat down beside me. His own face was glistening with sweat, but he seemed unfazed by the strenuous training. "You did great out there. I can tell you've been working hard to improve your skills."I smiled gratefully, taking a sip of the refreshing water before responding, "Thanks, Ivik. Your training sessions have really pushed me to my limits, but it's all worth it to become a better fighter.""Being a fighter doesn't just require physical strength and skill, pumpkin," Ivik replied, tugging a small strand of my hair playfully. "It also requires mental fortitude and determination. You've been a figh
HeatherWhy was this happening to me? I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn't step on or hurt anyone. I achieved my dreams without causing harm to anyone. Yet, here I was, facing a situation that seemed completely unfair and undeserved.As Dunstan touched me in a way that I didn't like at all, I felt my heart race with fear and anger. I felt like my power was taken away from me. When will this be over? I'd prefer to pass away right now than allow Dunstan to completely violate me."Stop," I muttered. Goosebumps were forming on my skin as he kissed me on the neck."You used to admire my company, remember?" Dunstan whispered. "Why change your heart now?"I shut my eyes, trying to block out his words and the memories of a time when I felt safe and comfortable with him. But no matter how hard I tried, the fear and anger continued to consume me."I'm taking you now, love. I promise, you're going to love me forever."A loud
HeatherI woke up in bed, and when my eyes adjusted to the lights, I realized I was still in the same hotel room where I had been before. I could feel the effects of whatever Dunstan had injected me with. And though I was already conscious, my strength had been completely drained. My mind was foggy, and my body felt heavy, as if I had just run a marathon."Ingesting even a small amount of pure aconitine or the plant itself can be fatal, as it can paralyze respiratory or heart functions." Dunstan walked over to me, and I tried to press myself against the headboard, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible. "You see, my dear, I have complete control over you now. There's no escape." "You're lucky to be alive, though. But don't think for a second that I won't finish what I started.""So what will you do? Examine me in the laboratory like some sort of experiment. Or maybe you'll just dispose of me like a piec
HeatherI woke up in the middle of the night, and my body was still exhausted from how many times Dunstan had urged me to have s*x with him. Although it was consensual, it felt like I was making love with a stranger, leaving me feeling empty and disconnected.Tears escaped from my eyes as I went to the kitchen. My body was wrapped in a blanket, leaving the sleeping Dunstan exposed on the bed. As I made myself a cup of tea, my eyes caught sight of Dunstan's laptop on the table, some papers were scattered around it. So he still worked after our last encounter, which made me very tired.Curiosity got the better of me. I couldn't resist the urge to take a peek and see what he had been working on.I sat at the table, forgetting about the tea that I had just made. As I opened the laptop, a rush of guilt washed over me, but my curiosity was greater than my conscience. The screen displayed a document titled
Heather“What are you doing, Amanda?” Ivik pushed Amanda, and that was the moment he noticed me, shattering in the corner.“Heather…”“S-so this is what you call a show?” I squeaked, clutching my chest in disbelief. “And you are so dedicated to it that you continued to act even without an audience? Who the hell are you fooling, Ivik?”I glared at Amanda, but she only turned her back, clutching her head as she leaned against the wall. “What can you say to yourself, Ms. Miller?”“Heather, babe, you’ve got it all wrong!” Ivik strode to me and immediately cupped my face. His touch made me flinch, as though I had been burned. “I’m not fooling anyone, especially you. Look, we don’t have a relationship. This is a misunderstanding.”“You are right, Ivik. This is a misunderstanding, because I had misunderstood your actions towards me!&rd
Heather“Good evening, Mr. Fisher and Ms. Everest.”The receptionist and other hotel staff welcomed Dunstan and me in the function room of Hotel Grandeur. Dimmed lights and soft music playing in the background created an elegant atmosphere in the room. Everything my eyes could see exuded luxury and sophistication.“This way, please.” The receptionist led us to a table near the center of the room, where Dunstan pulled out a chair for me.Despite my perfect environment, I felt lost and out of place, consid
HeatherI had no idea how long I had been gazing at Dunstan. The truth was, I wasn’t sure if I heard him right, since my mind wasn’t in the mood to comprehend such things.“Are you alright, love?" Dunstan cupped my face as he frowned. And then he smiled.and directed us towards the bed, so we could sit on its edge. “Forgive me if I cannot wait until I return, but I cannot bear to leave you like that. I realized I wanted to stay by your side and make sure you're still here," Dunstan confessed. He gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear."Why would I not be okay, Dunstan? I asked, chuckling."You seemed lost in your thoughts and distant," he explained, concern evident in his voice. "I just want to make sure you're truly okay, my love." I looked up at him, still wondering what had gotten into his mind. He seemed different, almost desperate. I gathered t