William wasn’t in the best of moods right this moment. His cheek aching so fucking much from the slap his mother had just given him in her rampage that was as constant as the Northern Star.Paying little attention to the person that came in just seconds after, he straightened himself up, catching a glimpse of his reflection on the reflective windows.Good, he didn’t look too disturbed.“Good morning.” He barked out after the silence stretched out for too damn long. Raising his gaze, he appraised the woman in front of him, only to stop short.Red hair.His mind stuttered.She looked so damn familiar. This time, William remembered where he had seen this vixen of a woman before.In that restaurant with that guy. She had been the only interesting thing there and pity, she had been clearly bored out of her mind.Her gaze was magnetic, but so filled with shock that he had to wonder if there was something on his face.His eyes flickered over her body.Why was she wearing such a tight dress?
Damn it!She felt like she was going to cry.Anna walked over to the secretary’s desk she had seen before. This time, there was no longer the excitement of being the secretary to the CEO of the Hayes Company. This time, what Anna felt was a huge pit in her stomach and an overwhelming need for a cry.All his words that had been said to her in his office made her rest her head in her hands. This was turning out to be the worst start to her first day.“I should have just stayed in the UK.” She mumbled, trying to think of anything other than the father of her children… who now turned out to be her boss.Anna’s mind worked furiously as she rifled through the drawers of the desk, replaying the encounter she had with him at the restaurant and also here at the company.Why did it seem to her that he didn’t even recognize her?It was as if she was no one to him, which of course she didn’t blame him for.After all, it had been over five
“Mommy, I want to see Andrea!”Anna winced as the sound of her son’s voice somehow was louder than that of the other children in the company’s daycare. Even the lady at the front desk gave her a pitying look which made her feel all the more uncomfortable.Kneeling down to pick up her unruly, stubborn genius of a son, she smiled down at Andrew as he screwed up his face. He didn’t like being picked up in public.“We can go to pick her up when I close from work, okay?” She said to her son, whose face screwed up in discomfort even more. “Come on, don’t give me that face. Aren’t you happy that I came to see you on my break?”“I thought you came to see me because you forgot to drop off my lunchbox.” Her son’s British-accented voice was somehow chastising.Anna wondered briefly if she should be worried about his cognitive development being at a much faster rate than most other children she had seen his age, but let that thought go. She had to fi
“So,” Sophie’s voice pierced the fog of Anna’s thoughts. The dining table was otherwise quiet, except for the children who played with their meals. “How did you come by these little bundles of yours?”Anna had been expecting a lot out of her sister, but that question still stumped her a little.“Sophie.” Their father warned her, but she didn’t pay him any attention. Or maybe, she just felt emboldened by the little sips of wine from her glass.“Oh, come on, dad. I’m sure you want to know as well.”Anna watched as her sister exchanged glances with their mother who seemed willing to let their daughter continue with the impromptu interrogation.“Not in front of the children.” Her father spoke again, this time with a little hesitancy in his voice.“I’m sure everyone here is curious as to who you spent the night with to conceive them,” Sophie stated with no hint of remorse, her voice lower in volume than before. The children continued
“I’ll pay you, I promise.” She was pleading with him now and even though her voice was as low as she could make it, it was the desperation in her tone that spoke volumes. “Just a little more time, I promise you. Just give me another week, or… or two weeks. I can get the minimum amount.”“You’ve had way too many chances, girl.” The man on the other end of the phone call didn’t sound happy at all. In fact, he was pissed. “I spoke to the boss on your behalf more than two times already. You have no right to demand more time from anyone. Pay what you fucking owe, Sophie!”The call ended and she let out a guttural, pissed scream, flinging her phone to the other side of the office bathroom.“Damn it!”Her voice bounced off the walls and echoed back to her.Why did things have to get this bad? She tried to calm herself but all she could feel was panic.How was she going to get the money to pay off Victor and his goons?The door to the bat
Sophie smirked as soon as the man finished counting the entire wad of bills.“As I said, right?” She proudly grinned. “Five thousand dollars as promised.”The man - laden with neck tattoos and wearing a black wifebeater - raised his hand to scratch his beard lightly, with his pocket knife.“Five thousand is the minimum payment, not what you fucking owe us, Clandestine.” He pointed the pocket knife at her, and she pursed her lips in a pout.“I don’t have any more money.” She argued. It had taken her a lot to get this cash out of Anna, including lying about paying a payday loan she had taken out. It was impossible to get twenty thousand dollars more now. “Look, I promised you the minimum payment, not that I would pay off everything at once. Please do me this solid. I’ll make sure I pay off the remaining 20k.”“Actually,” the man corrected, “It’s closer to thirty now. You haven’t forgotten the interest rates, have you, mija?”Oh no.Sophie felt her resolve to pay back her debt dwindling
He watched her calmly as she walked into the office. William kept his emerald eyes on the sashay of her hips.God, she was so fucking beautiful.His right hand tensely gripped the gold plated fountain pen he had been writing with.As Anna approached him, she tried to appear as calm as possible as she reached his desk, before dropping the files before him. Not an emotion was betrayed by her face.“Here are the files, sir.” She murmured. “If there’s nothing else-““-Actually, there is.” He cut her off before she could finish her sentence. “Bring me a cup of coffee. Black, two sugars.” He ordered her, and then reached for the topmost file to examine.“Yes sir.” She swallowed all the comments she wanted to make, and her eyes fell on the coffee machine at the rightmost corner of the office.As soon as she turned away from him, his gaze went right back to her, ogling every inch of her.If only he could have her…Maybe this thirst for this woman would decrease.Focus, William, he cautioned h
They were at a standstill now. Even now, Anna was questioning her own sanity. What was she hoping to gain from refusing to just leave his office?She squared her shoulders and raised her chin up at him in defiance, even with those doubts running through her head.If she lost this job, how would she be able to save face? How would she take care of her children?To Anna’s surprise, William didn’t move one inch nor did he open his mouth to immediately call for security to force her out of his office and escort her out of the company premises.No. Instead, he regarded her silently. She met his eyes, unable to ignore the magnetic way they arrested her. She could sink into the depths of those glowing emerald orbs if she had the chance…“You are a stubborn woman,” William sounded calmer than she expected even though his voice was brusque.“I try.” She muttered under her breath but she heard him chuckle. Had he heard her?“Clearly you are smart, capable…” he took a step toward her. Anna insti
Lily couldn’t contain her smirk as she saw Anna’s wide-eyed stare aimed at her. It had taken the work of a couple of her connections for her to figure out William’s whereabouts.It had just been her luck that she had a standing reservation here.The Alpha growled lowly under his breath as she turned to look at him. “What a surprise,” Lily remarked with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Then she turned to Anna, the redhead whom she glared venomously at. She blamed the formerly human woman for ruining her life, and her future with William. “Don’t tell me you two are on a little date.“What are you doing here, Lily?” The emerald eyed Alpha demanded.“What? You didn’t think you’re the only one that can step out on a nice night like this?” She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “You know, I was just wondering how you two could be here having a good time when you both have caused so much chaos. You, especially, Anna.” She spat out the redhead’s name with such venom that Anna coul
It was an hour later when Anna arrived at her parent’s place.She knocked meekly on the door, and was startled when the door was flung open.“Anna?” Her father was the one who answered it and she could have nearly cried at the relief in his eyes. He pulled her close into a hug and she closed her eyes briefly from the warmth.“Where have you been?” He asked her, curiosity in his voice. “And how are the twins?”“I had to travel for a bit. For work,” she clarified, the lie that she had come up with left her lips so easily. “The kids are okay as well.”She stepped into the house that she had lived in all her childhood.…Anna woke up from the bed of her childhood room early the next morning. Sleep hadn’t come easily but she eventually drifted off. After an hour of tossing and turning, she got up for a jog and had breakfast.“Good morning mum, dad,” she greeted her parents as she returned for breakfast.Her mother eyed her in silence, and Anna could sense questions on her mind. Having lied
“Of course,” William said in an imperious voice. “My brother saw fit to take his anger out on human girls and murdered ten of them in one night. There is even news to prove that, and he has confessed it to me.”Gasps left the lips of all who had no idea, and Camille’s face turned pale as she processed that.“T-this cant be true-““It is the truth,” William turned to say to his mother unabashedly. His eyes pierced hers with a look of certainty on his face. “And it will always be the truth. That is why,” he continued, turning to his brother. “From now henceforth, I cut all our ties to him.”There was a wave of confusion in the air and Alpha Drake seethed silently.“You are banishing him from your pack?” The Alpha of the Eclipse pack asked and William nodded in the affirmative.“Now that you have seen the truth of what caused the Hunters to come into the city, you have no right to hold these charges over my mate’s head. And you will release her at once. Council, your decision?”The Elder
The next morning, as sunlight streamed in through the windows and bathed the room with a warm glow, William stirred first.Anna slept soundly in his arms, both of them half-naked. The memories of the full moon the previous night made him smile. It had been better than he had expected. Luckily his Beta had fulfilled most of the duties William delegated to him, so the Aloha was free to enjoy the night with his family.“Hey,” Anna woke up with a small whisper leaving her lips. She felt his warmth all around her and she felt safe.It had been a long time coming, she thought, and she didn’t want to leave the bed anytime soon.“Sleep well?” He smirked down at her as she pressed her body against his.“Too well,” her voice was akin to a purr as she spoke. “Anyway, I think it’s nearly last breakfast. I’ll have to get ready to go into the city soon.”Ah yes, that.William’s mood soured and she noticed it quickly.“Will,” she sighed and leaned into him. “Please. You know this is necessary.”“I k
Anna was surprised to find Ethan approaching them.“Ethan?” Camille also sounded stunned to see her younger son there, and coming to Anna’s defense.“Mother, enough of this,” Ethan said in a calm tone, not showing any signs of anger.“B-but-“ Camille’s face reddened, out of anger or embarrassment or both… she didn’t know.“Focus on the festival. Stop with this,” he told her. “Focus on the festival.”“Focus on the festival? What about the Eclipse pack, and our relations with them? What about Alpha Drake?”“Everything is being taken care of,” Was all Ethan said before turning to glance at a stupefied Anna.She looked away, not wanting to show emotion to him of all people.She noticed the twins were staring at them from afar with curiosity in their faces.Camille was shocked at her younger son.“Ethan, I had never expected you of all people to defend her after all she has done,” she vehemently said.“And I am not,” Ethan sighed; his mother was hard to dissuade when she fixated on certain
“This is so cool!” Andrew jumped atop the picnic blanket in an excited manner that Anna couldn’t help but smile.There was a buzz of excitement in the air.As Anna played the snacks and fruits out for the twins to eat, there was the sound of a throat clearing that made her and William turn to see who it was.“Alpha,” it was a guard who bowed deeply. “There are some delegates from the Grey Hills Pack and the Moonlight Pack here. They wish to see you.”William refrained from giving into the urge to pinch his nose and only let oit a small sigh, and nodded.“Very well. I will be there in a bit. Have them wait for me in the study,” he ordered the guard and dismissed him with a wave. The guard bowed and left, before William turned to his mate, meeting her gaze.Before he could say anything, she spoke, “It’s alright, Will. I’ll handle things here for the time being.After William left - but not before giving her and the twins kisses each - she sat and enjoyed the snacks while they watched m
Ethan wasn’t surprised about his brother wanting to spend time with his family, and he kept his opinions on that to himself - being the one who never saw the point in all that, he wouldn’t even touch that topic with a fucking ten foot pole.However, he did have a point to make.“It’s easy to forget your duties if you focus too much on your family, brother,” he crossed his arms as William’s glare increased. “Alpha Drake will come for blood soon enough. I don’t think we’re ready for that in any way.”“Let me worry about that, Ethan. And focus on enjoying the rest of the day. The festival is just starting, you wouldn’t want to miss it. And afterward, Ethan, then we will have much to discuss.”William’s words made Ethan’s brows furrowed in confusion. Why did his brother have that tone, as if he had some plan he had kept under his sleeve? It couldn’t be could it? The Alpha had never shown any indication in the past day of strategizing.However he couldn’t outright question the Alpha now.“
Anna didn’t know what to say after William was done talking. She had not expected to hear that sort of thing coming from him. He used to be so stone cold towards her, at least on the surface… and now things had changed. For the better or for worse, she didn't know just yet, but she was pleased and warmed by it.“Will…” she began to say only for him to continue.“Anna, all you have to do is promise me that, and I won't have a problem with anything else. No matter what, don’t forget you're my mate and you are my top priority. You and our children, and our family. It matters more to me than anything.”The honesty wasn’t one thing he expected either to come from himself, especially with her. He had once prided himself on being unruffled by shows of love and affection that most other 5 men his age seemed to fall under the thrall of. William particularly recalled an occasion in which a VIP client spoke fondly of his wife and daughters and asked William if he had any himself to which the Alp
The sight of her two children writhing in pain on their beds made her heart beat faster and she rushed towards them, frantic.“Andrea? Andrew?” She pressed her hand atop their foreheads to check their temperatures and found, to her dismay, they were feverish.The sight of their pale, withdrawn faces even in their sleep was heart wrenching. Anna felt helpless. What could have been wrong with them? They were fine yesterday!As though some supreme power had read her mind, the door opened and William walked in, his lips moving.“Good morning-” his words were cut off as he took in the look on his mate’s face. She looked incredible, her hair down to the blue dress she wore, but it was the display of terror in her eyes that stopped him in his tracks.“What’s going on?” he asked, and she rushed to him, tugging him to their children’s beds.“They were like this when I found them. Will, what could have happened? Maybe they ate something or… or-”The emerald-eyed Alpha grabbed his mate’s hands a