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
Belinda gaped as several attendants rolled racks and racks of dresses into the room, each one more glamorous than the last. The manager apparently took his job seriously, for his devotion was evident as he barked orders at the much younger and jumpier employees. When Belinda had said she wanted to go shopping, she hadn't meant like this. While she enjoyed buying fashion items, she was still sane about it. These people were not. In a space of minutes, the large room exclusive to the most VIP of clients, was filled. Every form of clothes, shoes, and accessories littered every possible surface, so much that she wondered if the entire store had been emptied for her. Her mad stylist had other concerns, however. Haughtily snapping his fingers, the manager summoned two of his attendants. "Sisi! Lulu! Bring the Versace numbers 28 and 43 over here." Nearly, Belinda laughed at all the sass the man was displaying, her hand covering her smiling lips. She failed to hold in a chuckle at the emp
Belinda didn't wear back her panties. In truth, she had no idea where they were. Deciding she could search for them later, she left for her bedroom, where she removed whatever piece of clothing she still had on and entered the shower. It wasn't that she had a problem with the scent of sex on her—she liked it even—but it wasn't something she wanted people to smell just by being near her. After the quick bath, she went ahead to get decent, putting on a chic pink button gown. She decided she would forgo makeup, but she did give herself a final check-up in front of the mirror. The Lycan was waiting for her in the living room, his posture relaxed as he went through his phone. He looked up from the device as she walked in, his gaze then running down her slender form. The appreciative look he gave her proved he liked what he saw. "Are you wearing underwear?" Draven asked, his deep baritone voice husky. Belinda realized that, once again, she was not wearing panties. She'd forgotten to
Belinda sat on the Lycan's desk in his home office, her legs spread wide and her chest pushed forward. She was panting, her fingers digging into the wood of the desk, and her body quivered. Color stained the pale skin of both her cheeks, and her lower lip was an even deeper red, thanks to the teeth that were biting down hard on it. She wanted to moan out loudly, but the Lycan had ordered her not to make a sound. He was on a call, and he would absolutely not tolerate any disturbances. "Yes... Get it done immediately... That won't do." Draven expertly held a completely coherent conversation while pounding three of his large fingers in and out of Belinda. Her body writhed, and her hips grinding maniacally against the wood of the desk. She felt as though she was in another world, a paradise where desire, seduction, and wicked pleasure ruled. Just when she was certain she couldn't take anymore, her eyes flew open. Sparks torched her nerves, threatening to explode into what she suspec
Gazing at the racks in front of him, Derek buried his nose in the crook of his arm, to protect himself from the stench of silver. Just as he'd suspected, the number of boxes had reduced by approximately half, but that still left many. Being surrounded by the one element that could permanently harm him rattled his nerves, but he'd come here on important business. As the charity gala had been a dead end, he now needed to find new clues. Regrettably, that meant coming back here. With a disgruntled sigh, Derek lowered his hand from his face and reached into his pockets. He brought out a pair of leather gloves, which he wore over each hand. Protected and equipped, he began searching through the boxes. If there was one thing that was certain, it was that the weapons weren't made in the Knight family villa. That meant the Knights were only middlemen. If he could find who the producers were, then maybe he could find the final consumers. That was easier said than done, though. In the boxes w
Lila Salvador sat in her fiancé's study, her naked right foot insolently propped on his desk, and her fingers painting her pretty toenails red. Her silky black hair had been left to flow down her back, and a corner of her gown had slid down one shoulder. She was on the phone, and held the device to her ear with her shoulder. If Paul had been there, he would have killed her for getting so comfortable in his space, but that was the thing... He wasn't there. "I still can't believe it, Erika!" Lila whined into the phone. "They came to the house as late as evening. I'm sure they could have waited till morning, I mean he wasn't going anywhere. Yet, they disrupted my dinner. Couldn't find the appetite to eat again." "The arrest is trending everywhere. Making quite a buzz too." The female voice at the opposite end of the line said. "How are you faring?" "How else? Terribly." Lila was quick to reply. She slabbed a dash of red on her big toe, then leaned back to examine it. Once
The news of the arrest of Paul Knight took Chicago by storm. Apparently, their youngest, richest, and most handsome billionaire wasn't a saint. Some didn't mind his crimes. So he hid his money away from the government, who didn't? Then there were those who criticized him mercilessly for it. They were mostly those who were spiteful towards the rich, who felt it was unfair a select few lived in such luxury and extravagance, while they couldn't afford rent. He already had so much, they said, would it kill him to pay his dues to the government? It all should have ended with this simple argument, but then one random reporter from an unknown news outlet published an article reminding people of the Knight Tower scandal. The piece was derogatory, highlighting the rich's habit of trampling on the more unfortunate populace. However, the fire that had lighted the torch was the part where he'd speculated that something terrible had happened to the righteous Fleming couple, especially as they'd m
"Maddox Hawkmore. Who is he?" Georgina felt the color drain from her cheeks, her complexion dropping several shades. Every muscle in her body went taut, straining as her pupils dilated and her parted lips trembled. Belinda's eyebrows shot up at the intense response her mother had to the mention of a mere name. She looked terrified, and that brought to question why. A second later though, Georgina Knight had re-coordinated herself, but it was too late. Belinda had clearly caught her reaction. "You do know him," Belinda stated what she already knew was true. "Who is he?"Georgina had clearly heard Belinda, but she had questions of her own. Her lips thinning, she stared attentively at her daughter. "How do you know that name?" Belinda crossed her arms over her chest. "I asked first. Shouldn't you answer before interrogating me?"Leaning from her seat, Georgina clamped a fist around Belinda's wrist. "Answer me!" Her loud voice was earnest. "How do you know that name?" The tigh
Her phone rang, and Belinda dropped her fork and knife to check who was calling. She was at the restaurant at the Lycan's building, enjoying a meal alone because she needed the peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it was being disturbed. Her eyes on the screen, she lifted an eyebrow at the caller ID. "Hello, Derek." Belinda put the device to her ear. After their less-than-amicable parting at the gala, she'd half expected to not get a call from her ex-mate for a while. Turned out she'd underestimated his maturity. But then again, they had important business together, business more important than any petty quarrel they had. "Belinda." Derek's collected voice came from the other end of the line. "What are you doing right now?" He seemed to ask casually. "Nothing." She briefly glanced down at her almost empty plate. "Just having lunch." "With who?" The reason behind his query wasn't missed, and it made Belinda stiffen, her fingers clutching her phone tighter. Derek must hav
Paul was in his office when his secretary came rushing in, his eyes wide and his voice shaky. "Sir, we have a situation." Raising his head from the documents he'd been proofreading, the alpha of the Chicago Pack raised an annoyed eyebrow at the skinny young man. "I have people I pay to handle these ‘situations’." He stated the obvious. "This one is a bit out of hand, sir." The man insisted. The terror in the boy's demeanor and the way his entire body shook was what got Paul's attention. He dropped everything he was doing and exited from behind his desk. As he followed behind his secretary, he wished he hadn't hired someone so young, so inexperienced, and so easily flustered, for such a crucial office as his secretary. However, the boy was the son of an important member of his pack, and employing him had been a favor to his father. The things an alpha did for the sake of his pack. On arriving at the ground floor of the Knights & Co. company building, Paul quickly saw what