The doorbell rang, and Marcus strolled over to answer it. He opened the door to view Luisa's smiling face. She leaned on the doorpost, raising her hand to dangle the nylon she carried.
"I got us some takeouts." She didn't wait for permission to sashay into the apartment, as she'd been there too many times to need to.Marcus' gaze followed her as she entered, watching as she dropped the takeouts on the nearest table and turned to him. He closed the distance between them, and she cupped his cheeks as she planted a kiss on his lips. Snaking an arm around her waist, Marcus deepened the kiss, using his tongue to part her lips. His body was pressed to hers, and as he let himself sink into her comforting softness, the shaft between his legs came to attention.Her laughter a light charming sound, Luisa pulled back. "Naughty boy." She playfully smacked his chest. Successfully wriggling out of his grip, she proceeded to the table. "Let's eat."DespiBefore stepping into the store, Derek paused, his eyes studying the gold letters encrusted on a gleaming white plate. Once again, he wondered what he was doing here. Only half an hour ago, the alpha's fiancée had texted him to meet her, emphasizing the urgency of the summons. He'd obeyed, but who held an important meeting in a bridal shop? On entering the reception, a woman dressed smartly in a black suit smiled up at him. She sat behind a large white desk and her name tag read "Maggy". "I'm here for Lila Salvador." Derek announced as he took a look around at the wide room. Everything, down to the furniture and decor, was immaculate, fancy, and overly... white. "The 10-11 appointment?" Maggy's smile brightened. "Right this way." She led him down a short hallway, stopping in front of one of the four doors lining the path. Lila stood on top of a raised platform inside the fitting room, checking her angles in a tall mirror as the owner inspected the beautiful wedding dress sh
Lexie couldn't take it anymore. Sometime the previous afternoon, Belinda had returned from her trip—with the Lycan who was not supposed to be aware she was gone. No one had sighted the beautiful omega since then. Rumors were swirling, and the fact Belinda wasn't taking any calls wasn't helping matters. All Lexie wanted to do was confirm her friend wasn't dead, and if that was the case, plead that she be given a proper funeral. Tapping her foot furiously on the metal floor, her arms folded across her chest, she impatiently waited for the elevator to reach the penthouse. She emitted a haughty huff as the contraption dinged and the doors began to slide open, but as she made to step out, she was met with a familiar face. "You!" Belinda gingerly lifted an eyebrow at the other woman's overly emotional exclamation, but before listening any more or asking any questions, she pushed into the elevator. With the source of her anxiety now beside her, Lexie did not hesitate to go off on her.
Belinda sat properly on the couch, with her back straight, her legs crossed, and a hand atop her knee. Derek sat across from her on another couch, more casually, one ankle over the other in the famous yoga pose. They sat in his living room in his high-rise apartment, alone and with the television off. They were both discussing important matters, so there was no need for a TV show or any other distractions. Tilting her head slightly to the side, Belinda went over the new piece of information she'd just received. "Let me get this straight," She said. "Paul has a secret slush fund which he hides and transports through a paper company under Knights & Co." Derek shrugged. "That's about it." It all sounded too good to be through. "This is perfect." While a corner of her lips lifted slightly in a pleased smile, a plan took form in her head. "Slush funds are illegal, so it will most definitely get Paul in trouble if exposed. And what's better, the paper company is solely owned by him a
In the elevator of the skyscraper, Belinda made to punch the buttons to the penthouse, but she drew her hand back at the last minute. She realized that she did not wish to see the Lycan. It wasn't that she was offended by him. No, her head kept telling her she had no right to be, and she had no ground to place her anger on. She simply didn't want to bear the ache that pierced her heart every time she saw him. She couldn't understand why she was being this way. Ever since her brother's painful death, she'd shut herself up, burying the hurt where it could no longer torment her. It'd been easier to live that way, ignoring the memories that scarred her and relying on her anger to get her through. But she'd been careless. Belinda had opened up her heart again, and now the pain was back, as strong as before and even more vicious. Deciding on her next destination, she set the elevator to take her to one of the middle floors. She could not spend the entire night at Lexie's—she had a duty to
His back leaning on the wall and his fists pushed into his jeans pocket, Marcus waited by Luisa's door. He'd been waiting there for a long time, never caring to check the time even once. He could still remember the hurt in Lexie's eyes as he'd left her to chase after the other woman, and he hated that he was the reason behind that hurt. Yet, despite all that, he'd failed to catch up to his girlfriend. Marcus had never known humans could run that fast. He'd raced after her at his top speed, but by the time he'd reached the elevator, Luisa was behind its shutting doors, safe from him. He'd immediately taken the stairs, but she'd been shut in her apartment when he'd arrived. He'd known she was in there, he could smell her, but she hadn't come to the door no matter how hard he'd knocked or what he'd said. So, he'd waited. Patiently. Miserably. Marcus had his eyes closed, his spirit too down for his mind to be working, when he heard a click beside him. He spun to the sound, and sure enou
"Now, tell me about Lexie." He'd known the time would come sooner or later, but it didn't make Marcus dread it any less. His gaze remained on the ceiling, but the sigh he heaved and the melancholy in his voice exposed just how bad he was feeling. "What do you want to know?" He asked. "I'm not sure." Just like him, Luisa didn't stop looking at the ceiling, her voice just as solemn. "I suppose I'd like to hear everything there is to know." Marcus didn't reply immediately. He hadn't exactly prepared a speech to recite to Luisa, but even as he lay there, he wasn't thinking of what he'd say. He simply enjoyed the peace the silence provided, because he doubted he would be able to feel this relaxed in a long time. "I met her randomly," When he did start speaking, he started his story from the beginning. "at one of the Lycan's clubs. She was acting suspicious and I picked an interest. Basically, she whacked me in the head with a bag, but I knew instantly. There was somet
They weren't exactly talking, so the sounds between them were the clatter of knives and forks on ceramic plates. Lila understood that her fiancé did not exactly value her conversation, so she did nothing but eat. They were in a very fancy restaurant, having lunch because she'd insisted she wanted to try it out, as she was new to the city. He hadn't vocally complained about having to leave work to take her out, but his clear scowl told her he hated to be bothered. So, she behaved herself. She only looked up from her meal when a loud ringtone pierced through the silence. Reaching into his suit jacket's hidden pocket, Paul brought out his phone. He gingerly raised an eyebrow at the Caller ID on the screen, but he answered the call, anyway. "Yes?" "Good afternoon, Mr. Knight." A male voice greeted from across the line. "I specified that you were not to call me except when absolutely necessary. This had better be important." Although mild and delivered calmly, the man at the oth
The truck at the Knight family villa surprised Derek. There was nothing wrong with it per se. It appeared absolutely normal with its unmarked red cart and large black wheels. What roused his suspicion was the fact that it was parked at the mansion's private driveway. Not many outsiders knew of the hidden road, as it connected to a secluded part of the house. The tale was that the alpha's grandfather had built it in case the family ever needed to escape their home. And what was worse, the truck was being controlled by humans. Two men in blue overalls loaded plain carton boxes into the vehicle, while another sat behind the wheel. They got the boxes from a garage, which in turn was connected to a part of the mansion that was off-limits. There was no doubting it—these boxes were being moved secretly. For a good second, Derek pondered if he should approach the men, but after a second thought, he resolved that he simply had to discover what they were doing.On noticing his approach, the me
Draven's phone rang, and he raised his hand to silence the men sitting before him. They were all dons of the underworld, but they knew to keep quiet when the man in the tailored black suit told them to keep quiet. Usually, no one bothered the Lycan on these kinds of trips, but he'd specifically ordered Marcus to contact him the instant news developed on Belinda's condition. Therefore, when he saw it was his Beta-in-line calling, he raised the phone to his ear. "Is she awake?" It was the first thing he asked, because that was the only thing he wanted to know. "Yes," Marcus' voice came through the phone. "but I can't be sure. She's missing, my lord." Sharp shock coursed through Draven, but he effortlessly maintained his composure. The only indication that his mind was spinning was the darkening of his gaze. "What do you mean missing?" The ears across the table were piqued at the word ‘missing’, the dons' instinctive nosiness making them wonder what the topic over the phone w
At first, when Belinda woke up, she was confused. Clutching the duvet to her chest, she sat up on the bed, taking a look around at her surroundings. It took a while for her to recognize the luxurious furniture, the painting on the wall, and the curtains. However, the familiarity of her bedroom didn't give her any comfort. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, Belinda relived the nightmare she'd endured while unconscious. Over and over again, she'd dreamt of the cottage in the woods, and the orchard where she and her brother had played in as children. They'd both been in their werewolves forms, and that was what perplexed Belinda. It was common for werewolves at that age to have awakened their wolves, but she and Baron were omegas doomed to have dormant wolves. They'd never so much as communicated with the beast inside them. Belinda wondered then if her vision had only been a figment of her imagination. Had her mind been playing tricks on her again, like the time she'd hallucinated ab
Lexie sat on the bed, gazing down as her friend lay beside her, unconscious and helpless, with the duvet pulled up to her shoulders. Belinda's pale and flawless skin had always been one of her striking features, but her current pallor was all wrong. Her skin appeared pasty and damp, her lips had lost their vibrant reddish color, and bags had formed under her eyes. She looked sick. Worry curled Lexie's heart and moved up to sting her eyes. Belinda looked like she was in a lot of pain. The sound of the door creaking distracted Lexie. Wiping the tears off her cheeks, she sniffed in whatever one still threatened to fall, before turning to check who was coming in. Luisa stepped into the bedroom, her gaze first running over the woman lying on the bed, before raising to the woman sitting at her side. Both were a pitiable sight, so she gave the conscious a small smile, hoping the gesture did anything to reassure her. "How is she?" Luisa's voice was low and gentle as closed the door softl
They heard him as he came down the hallway, his shoes an angry sound on the tiled floor. Instinctively, the members of the Knights & Co. managerial board sat up straighter in their seats, tidying up their outfits and arranging the documents on the large rectangular table. The double doors to the board room burst open, and Paul Knight walked in, trailed by his beta. They could feel the malevolence radiating from him, almost as clearly as the chill air of the air conditioner itself. He had come for blood, and they knew it. All smartly standing, they simultaneously bowed at their waist. "Welcome, Alpha Paul!" Paul sat at the head of the meeting table, with Derek taking the seat at his right. His features hard, he took a look around at his directors. They squirmed under his gaze, all avoiding eye contact. Once he'd had his fill of studying the guilty face before him, he relaxed into his chair, his fist supporting his head. "James." He called, and the man bearing the name jerked.
Inserting the key into the keyhole, the police officer unlocked the heavy metal door to the cell. The door swung open with a loud creak, but he chose to stay outside to guard the entrance, while the visitor walked right in. On entering the small room, Derek looked around. The cell was said to be the best in the prison, yet it was quite the dump. Paul sat on the hard narrow bed, facing the small barred window for the bit of light it let through. He was trimming his beards with the shaving stick he apparently wasn't allowed to keep, but was given anyway because he was a favored inmate, a small mirror in hand. "Good afternoon, sir." Derek bowed at his waist. "I brought the suit you asked for." "I see you've finally come to see him." Paul didn't turn around, therefore looking ominous as he spoke. The result was Derek swallowing heavily. He'd known his boss was bitter when he'd received a call from the lawyer, Voss, delivering the errand to fetch his best suit for this day. The
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