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
RyleeAlvar raises an eyebrow, “How rare. The kitten wants to initiate a conversation with me.” He sits cross-legged across from me, his posture relaxed but alert. “Go ahead, what is it?” His hand props up his chin, elbow resting on his knee, his bloodshot eyes locked on me with keen interest.I hesitate, trying to muster the courage to speak. “Alvar,” I finally say. Oh god, this is like the first time I've ever called him by his first name in a non-sex setting. He seems to enjoy it, though. “Remember the school I mentioned?”“Of course,” Alvar strokes my head, his touch gentle. “You said you hadn’t been to school and really wanted to go, right?”I nod slowly, testing the waters. “Yes, you remember. So, what do you think about it?”Alvar replies, “I’m all for you going to school, but like I said, the south side isn’t safe right now, and I can’t bear the thought of putting you in even the slightest danger. Wait until next year, or the year after at the latest. Once I’ve unified the sou
AlvarMate's tears are the sharpest weapon, piercing my heart easily. I’ve been sitting in silence in my study for an hour, but the pain won’t stop. It’s like my chest is in a vice, squeezing tighter by the minute.Blade bares his teeth, mocking me. ‘It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if you’d just marked her as I said. I don’t know what you’re thinking, being so hesitant. Like a coward.’‘I want more than just possessing her. I want her heart.’ I snap back. I don’t want to force Rylee to do anything—except when it comes to leaving me.Why does she want to leave me so badly? I don’t get it. Even without a mate-bond, I can feel that she cares me. Lately, I’ve sensed her slowly opening up to me. So why does she still choose Hera, who she’s known for just two days, over trusting me?‘Is it because of that ex-mate of hers? Just like in that stupid drama,’ Blade suggests, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘Maybe she’s leaving because she’s still thinking about that dog.’‘No way. She tol
RyleeOn the way to the parlor, Meg's words echo in my mind. An old friend of mine? Who could it be? Someone important enough for Alvar to personally send Carl to Greenvale to fetch.The walk from the patio to the parlor isn’t long, but my thoughts are still jumbled when I reach the door. “Go on in,” Meg says, “The guest is inside.”I nod and turn the doorknob.The room is softly lit, curtains drawn. A tall, thin figure stands with his back to me, his brown hair a mess, his body dirty and bloodstained. At the sound of the door, he turns, his posture defensive, expression fierce. But when he sees me, the hostility fades. “Rylee!” he exclaims, his voice filled with relief.“Syd, what are you doing here?” My heart skips a beat.Meg’s eyes flick between us. “I’ll leave you two some space.” She closes the door quietly behind her.Now it’s just Syd and me. I take a careful look at him—he’s much thinner than when I left Greenvale, his cheekbones too sharp. His hair is disheveled, and his clo
RyleeThere's a coldness in Alvar's eyes that I've never seen before. I've seen him angry, moved, pleased, fierce—but not like this. He looks at me as if I were a stranger. The chill in his gaze lowers the temperature of the entire room.I shudder, fear creeping into my bones, and I let go of Syd’s wrist.“Rylee,” Alvar’s voice is like ice, “come over.”My scalp tingles with dread, and I try to move forward, but Syd pulls me back. “Rylee, don't go! He’ll hurt you!” Syd steps in front of me without a second thought, putting himself between me and Alvar’s deadly stare. He shouts at Alvar, “Come at me with what you've got! What kind of man bullies a woman?”Alvar’s eyes darken further. I flinch again and whisper, “Syd, stop it.”Syd turns to me, his expression resolute. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll protect you.”“What a touching play,” Alvar sneers, clapping slowly. Then his voice turns colder, harder. “Rylee Green, choose now—stay behind him or come to me.”I know I actually don't have a choi
RyleeThe spray of Alvar's breath on my bare skin sends a chill down my spine. I try to stay calm, my voice trembling as I explain, "No, I'm not. I just wanted him to leave. I wasn't trying to go back with him."Alvar's fingers trace the side of my neck, making goosebumps rise. "I went through a lot of trouble 'inviting' him to my pack. And now you want to just let him go?" His voice drips with sarcasm. "What, are you afraid I'll hurt him?"My heart sinks. Alvar had Syd captured. But why?"You won’t hurt him, right?" I whisper, uncertainty lacing my words. "I don’t have any contact with him anymore. I’ve rejected him. He’s just an..." I bite my lip, "...irrelevant person. There’s no point in bothering with him.""Irrelevant?" Alvar sneers. He straightens up, slowly undoing his shirt. "So, you’d hold hands with someone who’s irrelevant? Protect someone who’s irrelevant?"Panic grips me. The scene with Syd must’ve looked bad. Alvar had walked in at the worst possible moment. It’s almost
RyleeThere's something strangely thrilling about being tied up with a belt. It's cold, tight, and a constant reminder that something could happen at any moment. I've been restrained before, but this feels different—a mix of fear and excitement, maybe even a bit of a turn-on.After trapping my hands in the leather strap, Alvar gets up and rummages through the closet. I try to sit up, to escape, but he's back before I can move an inch, carrying more belts.He easily pushes me down onto the bed again.He yanks my ankle, lifting my left leg.“What are you doing?” I shout, panic rising, but Alvar’s made up his mind to ignore me. He fastens a leash around my left calf, securing it to the bedpost. My leg is raised, bound, leaving me exposed and vulnerable. He repeats the process with my other leg.Now, with my legs wide open, I'm completely at Alvar’s mercy. He stands at the foot of the bed, towering over me as I struggle. He’s holding another belt in his hand, folded in half, poised like a
AlvarRylee's ex-mate stands outside the door, likely hearing every bit of her cries. Her screams of pleasure grow louder, more desperate, as she drools and begs me to fuck her faster. That pathetic dog named Syd must be listening.With a final scream, Rylee has an orgasm. Her release spills over my cock, soaking my stomach, and then she goes limp, her eyes fluttering shut in a haze of satisfaction.Content, I link Carl, instructing him to come upstairs and take the man away.Just a quarter of an hour ago, I was tying Rylee up, listening to her say things that cut deep. Instead of having Carl take Syd straight to the dungeon, I ordered him to give the mutt a debilitating injection, then tie him to a chair right outside my bedroom door. I wanted Syd to hear every single moment—how Rylee begged for mercy beneath me, how she found pleasure in our sex, how she screamed my name.Carl reports back that Syd’s eyes are bloodshot with rage, his mouth bleeding from where he's bitten down on it.
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