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
Drinking out of his wine flute, Paul took a look around at the guests crowding the villa's ballroom. Damn it! More people had shown up than he'd expected. Werewolves from his pack laughed and chatted with the few prominent wolves from other packs, glasses of drinks in their hands. A few enjoyed the sweets and pastries from the buffet tables, and even fewer took pictures on their smartphones. Paul nearly choked on his wine as the one person he didn't want here walked in. All eyes immediately turned to the Lycan, in his sophisticated black suit, and his beta, who was just as eye-catching, behind him. Murmurs immediately erupted in the hall. People wondered who the two gorgeous men were, especially the one with the smothering gaze and the long hair tied in a ponytail. No one knew who they were, but everyone could tell they were important people. No riff-raff gave off that much class and swagger. As the host of a party would, Georgina went to greet the new guest, but this time, Paul and
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
Sparks flew the instant the two lips touched. Draven devoured her hungrily, his tongue pushing her lips apart to dive into her mouth. Fire lit her nerve endings as they kissed, their mutual passion burning everything else away. Belinda straddled him on the chair, each of her legs gripping his thighs. Her arms went up his shoulders, crossing at the back of his neck as she pressed her breast to him. Instinctively, her hips rocked against his erection, creating the friction she desired. Her bare nipple grazed against his chest as she moved, drawing a strangled moan from her. Draven had never been so hard before. It was as though every blood cell in his body had pooled at his groin. His erection strained against his trousers, thick and literally painful. His mind roared with desire for his mistress, the beautiful woman who had fallen upon him by chance. Every fiber of his being wanted to be inside her, to bury himself deep within her. A strong possessiveness gripped him then. He wanted t
What had she done? Belinda's arm remained suspended in the air, as though it was too afraid to come down. The skin of her palm stung, undeniable proof that she had indeed hit the Lycan. She reeled from the thought. She, a low-ranking omega, had hit a man feared by alphas. Belinda could see that he hadn't moved since she'd slapped him, like he too couldn't believe what she'd just done. If only he knew—she was far more shocked than he was. At that moment, a part of her was screaming for her to apologize, to plead that she'd acted rashly and hadn't known what she was doing. The greater part—the part of her that was still possessed by nerve-numbing anger—refused to do that. "I really don't get you." Belinda glared up at Draven with every bit of venom she felt. "You seem to hate me. No," She corrected herself. "you definitely hate me. Yet, you keep me close. Why? You can have any woman on earth, so why choose me? Do you really feel that I deserve to be treated the way you treat me? W
Draven heard the footsteps approach long before he heard the knock. He didn't turn as the door swung open, instead focusing on unbuttoning the front of his white cotton shirt. He didn't need to, because even under the thick floral perfume, he could smell the scent of the woman at the doorway. Belinda Knight stood with her arms folded, her hips leaning on the doorpost. She looked ethereal in her seductive royal blue nightwear, her silky hair left to fall about her shoulders, its black shade gleaming in the moonlight. Draven heard her breath hitch as he turned to her, saw her pupils dilate despite the darkness. She gazed hungrily at the patch of bare chest she could see through his parted shirt, her eyes then quickly running down his muscular form. He too, looked her over. The flimsy excuse of a gown she was wearing loosely draped over her curves, leaving little to the imagination. It exposed most of her thighs and dipped at the neckline so her breasts were barely covered. As the dress
At first, Belinda was too stunned to react. Derek's lips molded against hers, the soft flesh drawing surprising sensations from her. Nerves danced all around her skin, the tingles traveling to the tips of her breasts and the forbidden place between her legs. She felt her nipples harden, poking at the thin silk of her dress, and her eyes grew wide. Damn it all! At long last, Belinda closed her eyes, threw her arms around Derek's neck, and gave herself to the kiss. Her submission pumped confidence into his actions, a hand sliding to her waist as he pressed harder into the kiss. He kissed her firmly, but unsurely, as though he was holding a piece of himself back. The nonaggressive way he handled her was so different from what she had gotten accustomed to this past few months, that it caused her to sigh. The low exhale set flames to his blood, and he pushed his tongue between her parted lips to find her own. She was so sweet, Derek reveled in the taste of her. How had he not noticed ho
Sweet Linda... Belinda's fingers flew to her face, and she confirmed the golden mask was still in place. How had he recognized her, then? She asked herself. More importantly, how did he know her name? She was certain she'd never set eyes on him before. It had to be damn near impossible to forget someone that unsettling, wasn't it? But it seemed he knew her. Her eyes narrowing, she fixed the mysterious man in the navy blue suit with an icy stare. "You know me." It was more of a statement than a question, and it made the man's smile broaden. "That flimsy disguise could never fool me. I could recognize you anywhere, dear. And anytime." His voice dropped an octave at the last word, giving it meaning, a meaning Belinda didn't understand. "I don't know you." She stated bluntly. "I suppose that was the agreement." Flattening one hand over his chest and fisting the other at his back, the man gave her a mock bow. "Let me introduce myself again. I am Maddox Hawkmore, at you