~Tamara~Luxury.I had never expected to experience it in my entire life, but it is happening. It came to me all at once. When I came out of the king’s car, the first thing I noticed was the majestic structure before me. I had only seen it in the movies and heard about it in stories, but it was all right in front of me.Two beautiful fountains stood guard at the entrance, the sparkling and soothing sound as we walked past it. A stunning sculpture garden nearby featured modern art pieces amidst lush greenery. Since It was already late, I couldn’t see it enough, but I knew it would be beautiful in the morning.None of us exchanged any words as we walked into the mansion. He led in front while I trailed behind him, still not getting used to having the Lycan king so close to me. It sounded like a dream, but it was becoming more of a reality I couldn’t escape.The inside of the mansion was much more relaxed than the outside. It was beyond my imagination, and it took my breath away. We walk
~TAMARA~‘’This way, miss,’’ The royal butler led me through an opulent hall and stopped at the front of a door that opened into a grand dining hall.My heart raced with anxiety as I walked in, expecting to meet him, but he was nowhere in sight, and there was no sign of his beta around us. ‘’Your dinner awaits you, Miss Tamara,’’ the butler announced, pulling out my chair.Even though the hall was big, it was just a table for four. I wondered if he had always eaten his meal alone, which was none of my business, but I felt a little concerned for him.‘’And he doesn’t care about you,’’ My wolf said and burst into laughter. ‘’He doesn’t give a shit about you.’’I rolled my eyes at her insult, and before she could continue, I blocked the rest of the conversation. ‘’Where is the alpha king?’’ I asked the butler.‘’He will be here in a moment,’’ he answered, bowed his head before walking out while I was alone in the dimly lit hall.I glanced down at my outfit and heaved a deep sigh. It was
~Axel~The kiss was unexpected.I couldn’t care less that she had kissed me, but she quickly pulled away from it like it never happened. I was not satisfied with what had happened because I wanted more.‘’Leonara,’’ I cleared my throat as I speak up. ‘’care to excuse us for a moment.’’Leonara stood up and looked at me questioningly, but when I didn’t respond, she bowed and quietly walked out of the hall, leaving me alone with Tamara.The room suddenly grew smaller as soon as she left, and Tamara did everything she could to avoid my eyes. ‘’Tha…shouldn’t have …’’ she blurted out, her head lowered to the ground.‘’what should not have happened?’’ I questioned as I stood before her, pulled her chair closer to me, and sat on one of the chairs beside her.‘’You just kissed me and then pretend that it didn’t happen?’’ I muttered.She gasped, still not looking at me. ‘’It was a mistake,’’ she started to say, but I didn’t let her finish as I leaned in closer, my breath mingling with hers.‘’
~Tamara~“I don’t need any other woman since I already have you!” Axel’s words echoed in my head for the hundredth time that week. It had been a week since we met to sign the contract, a week since I’d last seen him, and yet, the only words I could remember were his assurance that there was no one else in his life but me. I’d asked him to include it as a clause, thinking he might be offended, but his response had surprised me.“If you want it added to the clause, it’s fine, and you don’t have to worry, Tamara. I don’t need any other woman since I already have you.”I didn’t know how to react, so I just nodded. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. He was the Alpha King—he could have any woman he wanted to warm his bed. Yet, he’d chosen to stay with me until the contract ended. For once, it felt nice to be wanted, but as I considered the price, I found myself dwelling on it repeatedly.His words only meant one thing: he intended to have me again, and I’d be damned if I let that happen
~Tamara~I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the familiar figure before me.Mark. My ex.I couldn't believe it. What was he doing here, and how was he here?" You," he pointed towards me. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger, and I could sense the tension radiating from him even though we were standing a foot apart.I felt my anger spark to life.We hadn't parted on good terms, to say the least, and seeing him again brought back memories of that night and when he rejected me.I never expected to see him again, especially not here, in front of the company. My mind reeled as I tried to process this unexpected encounter, and before I could gather my thoughts, Mark’s hand shot out, grasping mine in a firm grip. ‘’what the hell do you think you are doing here? Did you come to find me because you miss me!’’ he laughed and tightened his grip around my wrist.I tried to free my hand, but his hand didn’t budge, and I felt a surge of embarrassment because many people were staring at us bu
~Axel~I heaved a deep sigh as I entered my office, struggling to suppress the loudest growl. I was mad, beyond mad, at the sight of another male touching her and discovering that he was an ex-lover – a fact she had deliberately kept from me. Even though I was her first, the idea of another male being with her before me was unbearable. The thought gnawed at me, fueling my irritation.Was it an obsession or merely a reaction to her resemblance to Lyra? I was unsure what to think. All I knew was that I wasn’t pleased about her being with another man – and my Lycan concurred, growling in my head and urging me to take control so he could rip the male apart.However, I couldn’t give in to that impulse without reason, not with everyone watching me. If anyone discovered I had killed a wolf over a woman, they would dig deeper, and that would be disastrous for Tamara.Her life would be heavily scrutinized by those who hated me and sought to destroy me.Tamara’s tiny voice trembled terribly as
~Tamara~The silence between Leonara and me was almost deafening as we walked toward the elevator. She didn’t bother holding the door for me, simply watching as I sprinted inside just before it closed.Her disdainful glare met mine briefly before she shifted her attention back to the book in her hand. It was no secret that Leonara had despised me since our first encounter at the restaurant. The way she acted around Axel, so familiar, almost possessive, made me suspect they had some history. Maybe they were once lovers, or something had ended, but they were undoubtedly connected. Neither of us spoke until the elevator stopped at our floor. As soon as the doors slid open, she broke the silence."You’ll be moved to the business planning department since that’s what you majored in," she said, clipped and biting. "I hope you do your best since you’re determined to start from the bottom."Her words stung, laced with mockery, a reminder that I could work in Axel’s luxurious office but chose
~Tamara~I had never been happier in weeks than I was sitting on a bench in the park, staring at the breathtaking sunset. The park was alive with joy, and it warmed my heart to see children running around happily while their parents watched over them with smiles.Just watching them stirred a vision in my mind—Axel and I running with our child. I didn’t want to think about it, but the thought of us becoming one happy family was irresistible, even though I knew it could never happen in my lifetime."He just wanted you for the baby," I reminded myself, rubbing my face to shake the idea away.I tried to think about other things that didn’t involve Axel, like how much I wished for my brother to wake up soon or longed for a life free of worries until the end.Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the ball heading toward me. When I realized it, the ball was inches from my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the hit—but it never came. Suddenly, like a gust of wind, someone appeared, the
~Tamara~"Good morning, everyone. This is Tamara, the new employee of our department." Melissa, the department head, introduced me to the rest of the department members, and I bowed my head as I greeted them all. ‘’it is a pleasure to work here, and I hope you all treat me right,’’ I said to everyone. They all turned back, staring at me with questioning looks, and it made me wonder what was going on in their heads and what they must have thought of me. After what had happened in front of the company building, I knew everyone must have known about me, and I was right when none of them said anything and turned back to face the computer in front of them. They didn’t like me. " Come, I will show you your desk," she said, pointing to an empty desk. ‘’This will be your desk and chair,’’ she informed me. I nodded in response as I dropped my bag on the desk. Just as I was about to sit down, a loud, familiar voice sounded at the office's entrance. I wanted to tell myself that I was dreamin
~Axel~I scrunched my nose as we stepped into the Luna Pack, the scene before me far worse than I had imagined. The information I’d received hadn’t come close to preparing me for the devastation. Most of the buildings had been reduced to ashes, their charred remains reminded me of the terror my brother had unleashed.I never thought Ian would go to such lengths just to get back at me. His lack of mercy, even for the children, was agonizing. My heart shattered as I saw their lifeless bodies scattered on the ground, their innocence taken away by his cruelty.How could he have become so ruthless, to the point of harming children? The sight brought back memories of our childhood, of the abuse we endured at the hands of our father. Back then, Ian and I had vowed never to harm children, swearing to break the cycle of pain. But somewhere along the way, he changed. Years after our father’s death, Ian became a walking disaster, a threat to the kingdom and everything we once stood for. That vow,
~Axel~My eyes fluttered open to find Tamara’s face inches away from mine. Her skin glowed softly in the morning light that shone from her window. Her lips were slightly parted, and the urge to move closer and kiss her overtook me. It brought back memories of Lyra and me.I reached out to touch her face, my fingers tracing the gentle curve of her cheek. As soon as I touched her, her eyes flew open, and I quickly withdrew my hand. ‘’how was your night?’’ I asked her.Just as she was about to speak, her expression changed, and her eyes suddenly widened, and she clamped her hand over her mouth, jumping off the bed and running straight to the bathroom. ‘’Tamara, are you alright?’’ I called right after her.Silence.I threw off the covers and stood up from the bed, heading straight into the bathroom. The sight that greeted me was her bent over the sink; her body wracked with violent sobs as she threw up. Memories came flooding back, and I remembered Lyra and her Morning sickness. Her manne
~Tamara~I burst through the door of my room, slamming it shut behind me. I leaned against the door, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. I wanted to run away. I wanted to escape the suffocating grip Axel had on my life. I wished that I could flee from the constant control, the endless manipulation.And then there was the baby.A sob welled up in my throat as I thought about the tiny life growing inside of me. Axel’s baby. A constant reminder of his hold on me. He doesn’t care about anything apart from that, and I know that.‘’why?’’ I almost yelled out loud, but I bit back the scream, knowing that the walls were thin and he would hear him with his sharp hearing and come storming into the room.The last thing I wanted to see was his stupid face. ‘’oh goddess,’’ I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair and headed towards the bed. I fell on top of it, buried my face in the pillows as I screamed into the softness. The sound was muffled, but my emotions were overwhelming.
~Axel~I hadn’t been this angry in a long time—not since Lyra died. But this wasn’t just anger; it was worry, a deep, gnawing concern that consumed me when I learned Tamara was missing. The news hit me like a punch to the gut, dredging up painful memories of Lyra. She had vanished two days before her death, and now Tamara’s situation eerily mirrored hers. Like Lyra, Tamara had turned off her phone, making it nearly impossible to track her. Despite our resources, finding her proved to be a challenge.‘’why the hell would she go to a park?’’ I asked Leonara, and she shrugged her shoulder. ‘’Did you say anything to her?’’ I questioned because I found it strange that she would suddenly disappear when I gave the orders that she returned home.Leonara shook her head in response, but I noticed the hesitation in her eyes as if she were having an inner conversation with her wolf.‘’Then why the hell is she in that park?’’ I demanded.‘’I have no idea.’’I sighed and rubbed a hand through my ha
~Tamara~I had never been happier in weeks than I was sitting on a bench in the park, staring at the breathtaking sunset. The park was alive with joy, and it warmed my heart to see children running around happily while their parents watched over them with smiles.Just watching them stirred a vision in my mind—Axel and I running with our child. I didn’t want to think about it, but the thought of us becoming one happy family was irresistible, even though I knew it could never happen in my lifetime."He just wanted you for the baby," I reminded myself, rubbing my face to shake the idea away.I tried to think about other things that didn’t involve Axel, like how much I wished for my brother to wake up soon or longed for a life free of worries until the end.Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the ball heading toward me. When I realized it, the ball was inches from my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the hit—but it never came. Suddenly, like a gust of wind, someone appeared, the
~Tamara~The silence between Leonara and me was almost deafening as we walked toward the elevator. She didn’t bother holding the door for me, simply watching as I sprinted inside just before it closed.Her disdainful glare met mine briefly before she shifted her attention back to the book in her hand. It was no secret that Leonara had despised me since our first encounter at the restaurant. The way she acted around Axel, so familiar, almost possessive, made me suspect they had some history. Maybe they were once lovers, or something had ended, but they were undoubtedly connected. Neither of us spoke until the elevator stopped at our floor. As soon as the doors slid open, she broke the silence."You’ll be moved to the business planning department since that’s what you majored in," she said, clipped and biting. "I hope you do your best since you’re determined to start from the bottom."Her words stung, laced with mockery, a reminder that I could work in Axel’s luxurious office but chose
~Axel~I heaved a deep sigh as I entered my office, struggling to suppress the loudest growl. I was mad, beyond mad, at the sight of another male touching her and discovering that he was an ex-lover – a fact she had deliberately kept from me. Even though I was her first, the idea of another male being with her before me was unbearable. The thought gnawed at me, fueling my irritation.Was it an obsession or merely a reaction to her resemblance to Lyra? I was unsure what to think. All I knew was that I wasn’t pleased about her being with another man – and my Lycan concurred, growling in my head and urging me to take control so he could rip the male apart.However, I couldn’t give in to that impulse without reason, not with everyone watching me. If anyone discovered I had killed a wolf over a woman, they would dig deeper, and that would be disastrous for Tamara.Her life would be heavily scrutinized by those who hated me and sought to destroy me.Tamara’s tiny voice trembled terribly as
~Tamara~I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the familiar figure before me.Mark. My ex.I couldn't believe it. What was he doing here, and how was he here?" You," he pointed towards me. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger, and I could sense the tension radiating from him even though we were standing a foot apart.I felt my anger spark to life.We hadn't parted on good terms, to say the least, and seeing him again brought back memories of that night and when he rejected me.I never expected to see him again, especially not here, in front of the company. My mind reeled as I tried to process this unexpected encounter, and before I could gather my thoughts, Mark’s hand shot out, grasping mine in a firm grip. ‘’what the hell do you think you are doing here? Did you come to find me because you miss me!’’ he laughed and tightened his grip around my wrist.I tried to free my hand, but his hand didn’t budge, and I felt a surge of embarrassment because many people were staring at us bu