Draven slowly lifted an eyebrow, the question visible in his gaze as he assessed the bullet on the table, and then he moved his attention to Belinda. The amusement was completely gone from his eyes. He was no longer the mischievous bad boy Belinda had spent the night with, but the formidable lord feared by wolves across two continents. The Lycan had gotten down to business. "This bullet was gotten from the storage area underneath my family's mansion. As you can see, it's made of silver." She explained. "Forgive me, I should introduce myself. I am Belinda Knight from the alpha family of the Chicago Pack." Silence descended on the room as Belinda waited for the Lycan to reply her, but when he didn't, she was forced to continue. "One of the laws that guides the werewolves under your rule forbids trade in silver wares and weapons. Well, my family doesn't just buy silver weapons, they make and sell them, and they have been doing so for years. Many think the Knight fortune comes from
The door clicked shut, leaving Draven and Cantor alone. Lazily standing from the couch, Draven strolled to the wastebin and threw in the stud of his cigarette. Cantor watched him, waiting for the elephant in the room to be addressed. Draven had a good idea of what was on his Beta's mind, but he said nothing. "Why did you agree to her requests?" Cantor spoke when it became obvious Draven wasn't going to be the first to open the topic. "You already knew of the Knight's family treachery. We had our own plans to deal with them. And you'll let the girl do as she pleases if she becomes your sex slave? That was just an excuse. Lust could never make you change your mind that easily." Draven crashed back down on the couch. Sighing, he folded his arms across his chest. "Was my decision that strange?" "I just can't understand why you did it." "Cantor, you've served me for nearly 40 years now, have you not?" Draven ensured that his voice was soft and calm, as he pinned a steady ga
Down on her knees, Belinda scrubbed the tiled floor of the family villa kitchen. She'd been working since morning, but she still had many rooms left to clean. It had been the pattern since she was little. The former alpha of the pack, her stepfather, had made it clear she had to earn her keep, so she'd been handling house chores as early as 5 years old. Once she and Baron were a bit older, their stepfather fired most of the servants and made them take over the work. The Knight family, of course, had the funds to employ more help, but they much preferred treating the illegitimate twins as slaves. A chubby old lady with graying red hair walked into the kitchen, her hands crossed at her back and her face set in a scowl. Mrs Brown had never really married—she was far too unlikeable for any relationship to last—but she'd taken the title of Mrs because she was embarrassed about being called Miss. As the head servant at the villa, she was the one person Belinda hated most, right after her f
"Why did you do it?" Georgina was taken aback. Her eyebrows furrowed and her lips curved in an 'O', but no words came out. The expression on her beautiful face was a mixture of confusion, guilt, and... fear. It was the look in Belinda's eyes—it startled her. The silver eyes shone with anger, hatred, and cold bloodlust. And like magic, the look was gone. Belinda smiled sweetly at her mother. "Why did you stay outside? You could have come in and said hello to Derek." Georgina blinked once, twice, before finally regaining her senses. "Oh, I didn't want to intrude." She sounded way too breathless, like she was calming her racing heart. "Young love and all." Despite the hatred burning in her heart, Belinda kept her smile on. Georgina Knight, her dear old mother. To most, she was the kind and gracious Luna Mother of the Chicago Pack, but Belinda knew a different side of her—the side that watched as her husband beat her son till he became unconscious, the side that let her daughter b
Paul, Derek, Georgina—everyone read the room and focused on their supper, their heads bent and avoiding eye contact with the Lycan. Only Cecily blabbed on. She was talkative by nature, and far too dense to realize her opinions and stories weren't wanted. "I was always Daddy's favorite. He was so proud when I got first place in my middle school's whistling contest." "The potato is a little too soft today. Our cook is usually the best in town. Mommy never goes for less than the best. I can cook too. I was on a cooking show once." "I didn't catch your name. I'm Cecily, but my friends call me Cessie. What about you? You look like a George. There was this guy in college, his name was George and he was super cute. Are you a George?"The only one who dared show amusement was Cantor, his raised eyebrows questioning Cecily's overzealous attitude. It was funny how the Lycan ignored her, especially as it was obvious she was trying to impress him. Her eyes, which did not leave him,
EARLIER On leaving the dining room, Belinda searched through the west wing of the mansion, where she found Draven. He stood beside a window, occasionally glancing at the garden outside as he spoke into the phone. She rushed to him, till she stood directly in front of him. "Yes... I see... Then don't..." Draven continued his conversation with the person at the other end of the call as though she didn't exist. Belinda clenched her jaws, not because she was angry but because she was anxious. She was anxious to get this confrontation over with. When Draven at last distanced the phone from his ear and tucked it into his trousers, her heart skipped a beat, and not for good reasons. He nodded to Cantor and the Beta moved away, but still stayed nearby, watching them. Draven then faced Belinda squarely, his eyes boring a hole in her. "I can explain." Belinda started. Draven did not reply her but waited for her to continue. However, Belinda realized that she actually couldn't expla
"I can't believe your family let you have an engagement party. They never even threw you a birthday party in the past." Lexie Lancer slowly strolled past a hat store at the mall, admiring the pretty hats on display as she walked. She wore the camera she usually carried during her work hours around her neck, using a hand to support its weight. "Maybe they finally had a change of heart. I'll be Female Beta soon and they were probably thinking I at least deserve a good sendoff." A small black hat with a short net veil caught Belinda's eye. She decided to come back for it if her budget allowed it. Lexie snorted. "Yeah right." Both women stopped in front of a store named Grandeur. Belinda had never shopped there herself, as they sold luxury pieces, which she usually stayed away from, mostly because she couldn't afford them. She'd heard though, that this was the best place to shop for second-grade fashion items at a most affordable price. She and Lexie walked into the store with
As Belinda slipped her phone back into her purse, she asked, "How well can you make something go viral?" "What?" The sudden question surprised Lexie. "I'm asking how big is your social media presence. How many people listen when you talk?" "Well..." Lexie shrugged. "I've only got a few hundred followers on Instagram, but I'm a paparazzi. I have connections. If you want the internet in an uproar, I'm just the girl to call." "It's a good thing I have you then." For the second time that day, Belinda genuinely smiled. "I asked you to bring your camera today because I need photos of me of Derek shopping together taken. We have to make the picture of the perfect loved-up couple. Every pack on the continents, and even human blogs, needs to be talking about our engagement party. They must be expecting the wedding of the year." "You want people talking?" Lexie saluted, her straight face causing the action to appear even funnier. "I definitely am your girl." Belinda ga