RyleeWhen Alvar makes the announcement, the room falls into a stunned silence, except for Carl and Meg, who already know. I can feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me, and the first to catch my attention is Cecilia's resentful glare. Her hostility cuts through the air like a knife, and I resist the urge to bite my lip. Instead, I force a smile, though my nerves scream for me to run out the door. But Hera is here, and I can’t afford to lose face.Alvar notices my reaction, and his eyebrow arches slightly as the fire in his eyes fades a little. He takes my hand, his grip firm yet reassuring, and I allow our fingers to interlock.Alvar’s voice is still charged with determination as he declares, “The wedding is set for next week. No one can change my decision.” He stresses the word “anyone,” and for a brief moment, his gaze flicks toward Hera, who remains expressionless, her face a mask of calm.Dinner is served shortly after, and the meal is nothing short of exquisite. I try to focus
RyleeAlvar doesn’t hesitate. “Don’t say shit. There’s no way you’re helping with the wedding. I don’t agree. You better not make a mess.” His voice is cold and hard, leaving no room for debate.Cecilia clearly didn’t expect such a harsh rejection. She bites her lip, turning her hopeful gaze to me. “Rylee, what do you say?” There’s a strange glint in her eyes. “I said I could help you, remember?”My heart skips a beat. She’s talking about our secret plan, the one where she’d help me escape. If I don’t play along, she’ll rat me out to Alvar. I’m screwed, especially since Hera just had a talk with Alvar. He’s on edge about everything right now.I tug on Alvar’s sleeve, forcing myself to sound casual. “It’s okay. Cecilia has good taste. I don’t have many friends in the pack, so I’m glad she’s willing to help.”Alvar’s frown deepens as he studies me. “What are you two playing at? I don’t remember you being so close.” His suspicion is clear, and I struggle to keep my face neutral.After a
RyleeMy heart is in turmoil. I don’t know how to answer or how to explain what’s bothering me. Am I jealous? I’ve never felt this way before. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I didn’t own anything. I’ve only ever been envious once in a while—like in the summertime when Syd and the others could go swimming in the river and eat ice cream, but I still had to work.Now, I clearly have Alvar’s favoritism, yet I’m still jealous. Why?Alvar turns me around and gently lifts my face. “Tell me why. Or I’m going to have to kiss you right here.”I pull away from him in a panic. His so-called kissing never stops at just a kiss.“It’s nothing. Just…” I try to suppress the questions bubbling inside me. Did you sleep with Cecilia? Did you date her? What’s going on with Ruth? Those women you’ve been with… have you had a lot of lovers?But who am I to ask? Do I even like him? I don’t know. I’m not his girlfriend, just MATE. A mate without a mate-bond.“…I was just thinking, you’re a good dancer…
RyleeThe softness in his eyes vanishes. Dismay quickly turns to anger and bloodlust. The gentle Alvar disappears, replaced by the familiar formidable Alpha.I rush to speak before he erupts. “You don’t need to ask who he is. I’ve rejected him. I’m done with him.”“Why?” he demands through gritted teeth.“I don’t think we’re right for each other,” I admit, the words finally escaping my lips after so long.“Why?” His eyes darken, sharper than ever. I sense his fury, but strangely, I’m not afraid. It’s astonishing that he’s holding back his anger.“I didn’t want to be stuck in Greenvale. I wanted my own life, so I left.”Alvar’s skin begins to change, a precursor to a shift. “You and he have a mate bond. But we don’t.”“I don’t understand what’s happening,” I say, glancing at his mouth as fangs begin to emerge. “Are you going to kill me? Or mark me, even if I haven’t agreed to it?”Alvar steps closer, radiating an intensity I’ve never felt before. I almost choke on the pressure.“How co
“The waters of the sacred lake help me heal,” Alvar says softly. “Whenever I’m hurt or in a bad mood, I come here. Soaking in the water speeds up the healing process. I hope it helps you too. I need you to get better.”“I need your wolf,” he adds.“I need our mate bond,” he says.Tears well up in my eyes. “Fool,” I murmur.In this moment, his feelings for me are crystal clear. I forget the prejudices, the pretense, and the distance between us. Wrapped in a skin-to-skin embrace in the cold winter lake under the moonlight, I come to understand my feelings for him.How could I not like him? The Alpha who reveals his vulnerabilities to me, the mate who goes to great lengths to show his affection.“Fool,” I say again, burying my head in the crook of his neck. For the first time, I hug him tightly of my own accord.He holds me closer. “Mmm. I am a fool,” he responds softly.We stay like that, holding each other in silence.The night wind grows colder, and the lake’s water becomes icy. Gradu
RyleeThe forest is quiet, only the sound of the wind and my moans echoing across the lake.I slide the straps of my dress off my shoulders, exposing my breasts. I tease my nipples, then trace my foot up Alvar’s lower back, lightly stepping on his hardness, my toes brushing over the tip. “What’s wrong, Professor? Am I too much for you to handle?” I ask, licking my lips and giving him a playful wink.Alvar’s cock throbs under my touch. He takes my hands, eyes locking onto mine. “You’re such a siren. How do you know all this?”“Don’t you like it?” I grin, spreading my legs apart, revealing myself to him once again.“Love it. I especially love it.” He releases my hands and pulls my dress off, carefully, not shredding it like before. His hand caresses my face. “I just didn’t expect you to be like this for me.”“It’s time for pre-class, girl. The lesson is about to begin.” His voice drops to a whisper before he buries his head in my chest.I sit on the rock and moan. My heat against the co
RyleeAlvar's body radiates warmth, driving away the lingering chill. At my words, he freezes, then looks at me, his eyes blazing with light that pierces the darkness.With a sharp inhale, he lifts me, settling me in his lap, his hardness still deep inside me. "Rylee, what did you just say?"I push at his chest, pain mingling with desire. "You heard me, you jerk."His lips brush against my skin, leaving a trail of tender kisses. "I did hear you... but is it true? Did you feel it too?"He frowns slightly, a mix of concern and longing. "But I haven’t felt your wolf yet.""It hasn’t come out," I admit, shifting my hips to adjust to the size of him. The movement sends a strange, electrifying sensation through me, and I hiss softly. "But I can smell you, sense you... you’re my mate, Alvar."Excitement lights up his eyes, and he kisses me deeply, the passion in his kiss making me dizzy. He begins to move again, slowly, as his thick cock explores every inch of me, making me feel like I’m on
RyleeHera continues, "You don’t have much time left to think about it. Your wedding is in a few days. You still have options before Alvar sends out the invitations. If you wait until the wedding day, it’ll be too late."The flush on my face quickly fades. No matter how much I try to avoid it, the question is staring me in the face. Do I go back to Europe with Hera and live the life I’ve always wanted? Or do I stay at Dark Moon Pack and face a future filled with uncertainty? My heart sinks as I picture Alvar’s soft smile.Hera sees my hesitation and motions for me to give her my hand. She takes it gently. "My dear, I can see you and Alvar share something real, and I know you care for him. But there are many things in this world more important than feelings. If you had a matebond, I wouldn’t say this, but you don’t. Your marriage is more fragile than Sheila and Steve’s. They were deeply in love when they were young, but within a few years, everything changed. An Alpha is always surroun
RyleeThe strangest thing in the world is seeing your aunt, who isn’t much older than you, kissing your ex-boyfriend’s best friend in front of your whole family.It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it’s kind of comforting to have someone else embarrassed with me under the porch.As soon as Nina and Carl meet, they shout “Mate” and kiss, making it obvious they’ve found each other.Everyone heads back into the living room. They sit scattered around, except for me and Hera on the biggest couch. Carl and Nina sit across from us, holding hands.Ohh, from the look on Carl’s face, he’s really embarrassed. In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him look so shy. I can feel Hera and Jason almost scrutinizing him with their eyes.“You guys are so cold here; it’s really much colder than Malibu!” After introducing his family and income, Carl rubs his head and makes a silly comment.“That’s what we have here.” Nina smiles sweetly, her eyes still glued to Carl. “You’ll get used to it lat
CarlSince Alvar goes to Europe, he gets weirder by the day. This guy actually quits drinking! He was an alcoholic for a month, downing drinks like water, so it blows my mind when he says he won’t touch alcohol anymore. I tell Kristen about it, and she says seriously, “It’s called lovesickness, Carl. What do you know about love when you’re as straight as a rail?”What a joke! Who wants to know that much about love? What’s so great about love anyway? Look at Alvar—he’s an Alpha who turns into a fool for love! And Cecilia? She gets beaten with twenty lashes for love, thrown out of the mansion, and her father punished. If you ask me, this kind of thing should be as far away from me as possible.Meg tells me that Alvar actually asks for the ring back! The next day, he says, “Carl, get the private jet ready to pick up Rylee.” I am shocked. “Huh? You just got her back?”Alvar’s face is expressionless, but I can feel his excitement. Instead of answering me directly, he continues, “No, she wi
RyleeI grimace. “A date? Alpha Alvar, you think too highly of me. I'm just an Alpha from a nameless pack. It's already a great honor to have dinner with you; how can this be a date?”Alvar sighs, as if he anticipated my reaction. “Rylee, Greenvale pack is not some nameless pack. You don’t have to tease me. I know what I did before wasn't right. I’m just trying to have a calm conversation with you.”I study his expression and realize I’m a little overwhelmed by the softness in his gaze. This Alvar is different from the usual demanding Alpha I remember. Instead of snarling in anger, he looks like a wounded coyote, desperately seeking understanding.As I think this over, a nameless flame ignites in my heart. Nina said this was called “gaslighting,” and his gentleness makes me feel a flicker of shame.“I... I’m just speaking the truth.” I unconsciously raise my voice, trying to mask my inner turmoil, but unease seeps into my tone.“I know,” Alvar replies seriously, his gaze deep. “But th
RyleeAlvar really does have a good eye. The ambiance of this restaurant is breathtaking.The gorgeous crystal chandelier softly sheds its light, gilding the entire dining room with a dreamy glow. Classical French paintings adorn the walls, and the table is covered with a snow-white tablecloth. Silver cutlery glistens in the candlelight. A faint aroma of vanilla and lemon fills the air, mingling with the melodious piano music drifting from afar. As I step through the restaurant door, I feel as if I've entered another world.A flicker of regret washes over me. Am I dressed too casually? This is my first time eating at such a fancy place, and my simple outfit of bland jeans and a knit shirt seems out of place here.Luckily, the restaurant is empty, and no one makes fun of me for being a hick redneck. The only other guest is… Alvar.He wears a well-tailored black suit, with a tie hanging loosely across his chest, revealing a hint of casual elegance. That suit makes him look even taller a
RyleeThe cell phone in my hand feels like it’s burning, so I shake it away in a hurry. I touch my flushed face, unsure why I react this way.Even though we’ve been apart longer than we were together, seeing his message signed Your Mate floods my mind with his face and that familiar knitted smile."His wolf is just as shameless as him," Flash says disdainfully. "How disgusting. Tell him if he sends it again we’ll blackmail him."I change Alvar’s note. I just can't face the words Your Mate directly.I type: [Flash says to tell Blade to stop sending hairs. Otherwise I will block you.]In no time, he replies: [Okay. I’ll send you something else.] He follows it up with an aggrieved wolf head emoji.I can’t believe he uses such a cute emoji. Before I can throw my phone away, another text pops up: [I’ll give you a gift.]I almost type a firm no, but another message comes through: [I have the Greenvale guys here. I can give them back to you, but I have a condition.]Okay, I take back calling
RyleeJason shushes me along the way. He says he can always drag Oliver and Zen down to teach Alvar a lesson if I get upset. Zen doesn’t agree with him. He insists that he won’t go. He believes that even combined, he and Jason are no match for Alvar, and Oliver is also a piece of cake.I shake my head weakly. I say there’s no need fighting him. Carl should have relayed my words to him by now. And Zen's men are still captured by him. I think soon he and I will meet. We need to talk.We return to the airport in Riverside, then back to Europe. Once home, I collapse into bed and sleep for the rest of the day and night. Flash wakes me with her voice the next day, saying she smells a hint of MATE and urges me to come downstairs to see what’s happening.Thinking it’s Alvar, I nervously gather myself and head downstairs, only to find a package delivered. Inside is the same cell phone he gave me earlier (the one he gave me in Dark Moon pack) and... a handful of black hairs that Flash claims sm
AlvarTaking down the Greenvale pack doesn’t take long. The pack’s population is mostly old, sick, with few armed men. Syd's group puts up a fight, but they’re outnumbered and quickly defeated. I don't waste time on this man—he's not worthy of being my enemy. Once I have him under control, I find Anto on the east side, standing with the Luna of the pack and the Alpha's son beside him. They are preparing to escape.I ask Joanne where Steve is. She’s scared out of her wits, clutching her son and insisting she doesn’t know.Anto challenges me to a duel. As Greenvale’s Gamma, he has decent strength, but he weakens midway. He says the Alpha is dead, the leadership of Greenvale has changed, and he’s no longer the Alpha's Gamma.I glance over at the kid shielded in Joanne’s arms. Is he the new Alpha? I'm ready to rip out his throat, but Joanne drops to her knees and begs me. She says the boy's name is Sion and that he’s hers and Anto's son, not Steve’s. She pleads for his life.Hah, I can’t
RyleeSteve growls, “No way! It’s never possible! How can an omega be an Alpha?”He clings to his ridiculous theory, but he looks like a clown now, oblivious to how pathetic he appears.The challenge takes effect, forcing Steve to shift. He’s much larger than Flash, with sharper teeth. But despite his size, he's neglected his workouts—fat and weak. Anto and Syd are both stronger than him. They probably never challenged him because the Alpha of Greenvale can only be from the Green family. Relying on this, Steve thought he was secure in his Alpha position, never expecting his own daughter to challenge him.Oliver and Zen retreat, one to the window and the other to the bedroom door. Flash bends her body, ready to attack.Steve’s tail tucks between his legs as he tries to escape, but he’s trapped—both the window and door are guarded.I've been training under Jason this past month. As a Royal Knight, he taught me a lot of fighting techniques. I share all my memories with Flash. She moves s
RyleeSteve's face pales instantly, his pupils dilating in fear. He denies what I said right away. "What? What are you babbling about? Of course your mom died giving birth to you."Oliver's voice is laced with anger. "Rylee, let's kidnap him. Jason has ways of making him spill the truth."I shake my head. As much as I want to, as much as I hate him, Steve is still the Alpha of Greenvale. The people here still need him. I can't drag innocent people down with me—they deserve to live.Steve shudders at the mention of Jason, the man who’s usually all smiles with me but clearly terrifies Steve. "You... you found the Deweys," he says incredulously.I offer a false smile. "More than that. I'm living with them." I gesture for Zen to snatch his backpack away. Steve fights for a moment but loses."Okay... fine." He cringes. "I'll tell you."I hold my breath, watching as his eyes dart around. "Your mom found out about Joanne and me and got mad. She fell down the stairs by accident, so she had a