Emily's POV “No, you didn't!” I exclaimed as I saw the ‘ride’ my office had planned. It was a firetruck! “Why?!” I choked on my words because I was laughing. Being with Tammy and Freda for about three hours had made me a very different person already. I was laughing too hard, smiling too wide, saying things as they came to my mind. “In Frank's words, they've gotta be warned.” Freda answered, mimicking Frank's deep baritone. I made a mental note to thank him as soon as the ball got done. According to Freda, it was going to last all night. “Here we are.” I murmured as our ride, which was far out of convention, pulled up at the hall. It was a really big hall. I wondered how I'd never seen it, even though I was not so new to the city anymore. “This is a big deal.” I sighed. “Yes! And I need you to be happy.” Freda smirked. Tammy was able to trim down a gown they had made already for show, and it fitted Freda only too well. She was in silver, and I in red. We bo
Adrian's POV When I first heard of the masked ball, I thought it came at the nick of time. I had just broken up with my girlfriend. It's not like I didn't see it coming, but no one is exactly fully ready for that first lonely night, or morning after a break up. It feels so strange, so painful. I took the invitation out of Damon's hands in a heartbeat. I almost asked why he was throwing the ball in some other city, which was miles away from home, but I knew the answer. Asides for Mount Leigh being one city that housed too many of our escapades, it was just the right distance that Damon wanted to be from home. I really couldn't care less about how things were with him and Zyna. Sometimes, she shows up with a black eye, other times, it's with multiple hickeys on her neck. So I thought better than to ask. “This party is a drag, man.” I whispered to Damon. He was masked, in a checkered blue and white suit, but I could still tell him apart in the crowd. “I don't think so. The rea
Damon's POV “You were out for quite a while.” I said to Adrian as he re-entered. It was about twelve minutes past midnight, the party had changed, from a masked ball, to a near orgy. Just the tone I wanted to set, before I fished HER out. “Yeah,” He replied lazily, looking away, “I needed to catch my breath.” “Are you sure you can do this?” I asked him, uncertain, because he didn't look too enthusiastic. “Yeah, sure, why not. Just do your thing, and I'll do mine.” Adrian said and tapped my back. “And what would that be? Sulk around and drink up everything the bar has to offer?” I joked. “Yeah, that, and not tell your wife what you've been up to. Can't believe you led the poor lady to believe this was a business trip.” He shot back at me. “That's unfair.” I said and walked off. He was obviously in a bad mood, and I wasn't gonna let him ruin mine. I hung my suit jacket on my shoulder and walked off in no particular direction. “Hello.” I greeted everyone as I wal
Emily's POV “I'll get an Uber. See you on Monday.” I said to Freda as soon as we got out. “I don't trust anyone at this time of the night.” She protested, still holding me by the hand. “You know what?” I asked, looking at her. “Same here. I don't trust you, don't trust anyone in that party, and I think I'll better look out for myself.” I said to her, “You don't mean that.” She said in disbelief. “I do. I mean every bit of what I've said. Please leave me.” I wrangled my hand out of hers. I heard her exhale a couple of times. The guy who drove the firetruck sat still in the driver's corner, looking at the both of us. “He's got a family to go home to.” I said quietly, and Freda caught the drift. She put my bag in my hands and left. In those few minutes, I'd spent every ounce of strength within me. I felt myself get weak from within. I hated myself for breaking my own rules, I hated myself for not being careful enough, I hated myself for not seeing it coming. I sank
Emily's POV “I'm sorry it took so long.” Lucas apologised as he pulled up in some really fancy lot. “You did what you had to.” I said weakly, waving it off. “It just would have made the situation less crunchier if you'd told us both about each other.” I added. “Did anything happen?” He asked, looking at me quizzically through the rear glass. “Yeah.” I answered, “Well, it wasn't a big deal, but she was rude and sassy. I tried hard to look past her, but she's just so hard to ignore. She's a real piece of work.” “Emily,” He called my name, after hesitating a bit, “you're a pretty woman, and I think we might make something out of this, but if you've said something to Grace, please tell me.” “What does that even mean?” I was weak and tired, but not too tired to tell when someone was being funny. “I'm saying,” Lucas picked up again, his voice rising with almost triple intensity, “That if you said anything untrue to her, you should tell me now.” He was breathing so force
Emily's POV “So what's your grand plan?” I asked Lucas. I turned my face away, as I had begun to go red in my cheeks. I've had a few crushes, and admired a few hottites at the gym, in transit, and even back in school, but I never really got close to any of them, and I could confidently say that Luacs was my first major contact with the opposite sex in ten years!! “Stay the night with me.” He said, and looked me in the eyes. “It's not like you've got a choice, I just want to make you feel like you have some measure of control over the situation.” He added and chuckled. “I'm gonna ask again, cause I get the feeling that you didn't hear me well the first time.” I said, trying to contain the smile creeping on my face. My body was acting against me. It's not what I planned nor expected. “Emily, the ritual is about to begin. And there's no sweeter way than to do it with your back against that bed. That alone could make me transform.” Lucas replied. I literally saw his muscles
Emily's POV I swore I was done with men, with wolves, with anything that's not my agency. I hated myself for being so gullible and playing into the hands of not one, but two Alpha's. . I thought Damon traumatised me earlier after the ball, little did I know that my ‘saviour’ was a maniac. I dug my nails deep into my palms for not connecting the dots when he admitted he was a leader of a rogue pack. They had no morals, nothing was too dirty for them to do. “I know you don't want to see me here, but I just couldn't go to bed knowing that you're still mad at me, I'm sorry I didn't mean to… what happened to your face?!” Freda asked in shock. She'd scared me, cause I don't expect to see anyone cuddled on my couch. “Maybe next time, let me know before letting yourself in. I could have shot you.” I said, getting over my initial shock. “I think we have bigger fish to fry.” She said, disregarding what I'd just said, but looking so intently at my face. “Just leave me.” I said to
Emily's POV “Days like this made me seriously wanna consider drugs.” I said in an undertone. “I'm sorry.” She apologized again, looking down at her feet. “I had no choice. They singled me out of the scampering crowd. It was two hefty men, I wasn't rough handled, but they gave the impression that I could be, depending on how much I cooperate with them.” Freda’s voice was low and shaky. “It would be unfair if I said it was all you.” I sighed. “I've been running away from a life that's faster than I could ever be.” “I'm sorry.” She apologised again. “Come on! Don't do that. It's not even your fault. I should be apologising for putting you in all this mess.” I chuckled maniacally. In just one night, I'd been with the worst Alphas there could ever be, in all respects. Ego, lust, danger, ambitions, motives, just everything, you name it. “Are you scared?” She asked me, making me laugh even more. “I lived with him, why would I be?” I asked, and her eyes flew wide open.
Emily's POV “Is it just me or you look a little too overdressed?” Zac joked as he came out of Damon Inc. The place had had a complete renovation. “Well, hell has gotten a face-lift.” I joked, in an attempt to distract Zac and I from my dressing, staring at the building. “Welcome, Emily” Zac smiled at me pitifully, putting his hands in his pocket. “I totally understand if you have something to do. I can just wait and we have it tomorrow.” I didn't even have the mental strength to look him in his eyes. “Don't be silly!” Zac lifted my chin up with a finger. “I'm not trying to, it's just, this is five hours past when we were supposed to meet. I didn't mean to delay you” I added. I saw that Zac was trying so hard to have eye to eye contact, but my glasses made it difficult, and I liked it that way. Just before steppingout, I checked my rear view mirror and saw that I had a blood stain in my eye, must have been his nails as he struggled with me. Memories of the morning
Emily's POV “You're a monster!” I yelled at Adrian. “Just like Damon, you're a freaking monster!” “Feel what you feel, Emily” he said, licking his index finger that had just been inside of me.. I felt so filthy and humiliated. Angry that I let myself be overpowered by him. I was pissed at him, myself and the whole world. Why did destiny keep letting bad things happen to me? I felt unfortunate enough. I barely had enough strength to see Zac, before Adrian decided to rape me. Long after he was done, I sat there in my own sweat and tears. I couldn't believe I was ripped apart in my own house. He even had the guts to make food and bring to me in bed. “Get the fuck out of my house.” I yelled at him. “Emily, you will no longer speak to me in that manner. I am your man, and your Alpha. I demand you show some respect.” He snarled. “I see why you're thirty and lonely.” I said, throwing everything he brought away in a fit. “You'll be twenty seven and maimed if you don't
Emily's POV “What the fuck?!” I yelled at Adrian. “Watch your tone, Emily!” He raised his voice at me. Adrian had never spoken to me that way. The last three week In Malta had been nothing but pure bliss even though I was dragged like a criminal from sleep. We'd gone to bed that night pissed at each other, I didn't even know that Adrian slept at mines. I woke up the next morning, rather, I was woken up the next morning to get a few essentials because ‘the plane was leaving soon’. I thought it was crazy, and I hate for him to control me, but I could not overlook the effort he put into it. I also crossed my heart, hoping that something would happen. Something of any kind that would make life better for me. Fast forward to three weeks after… My email was full, my mailbox was full, and this was all because Adrian suggested we get a different phone so we don't get caught up in the life we left behind. “How is it my fault for wanting to give you a good time?” He asked, with
Zac’s POV The new week came round fast. It felt like all I did was just blink. Zyna was unreachable and never came to see me, which was quite unusual. But I took solace in the fact that she had a crazy husband who could demand for her to do anything at any time. It was not the same for Emily though. Our call was cut abruptly, and she lived too freaking far away for me to rush down. I tried not to be weird with Damon at the office. “Have you heard from Emily? Or from anyone there really?”Damon asked as I entered, before even I greeted him, “No, I haven't, sir.” I answered him, I feared that something had gone wrong. “That's funny to me,” Damon started, he got up from his chair, came around and pulled the chair opposite, I was a bit scared, anxious, ‘has he been looking through Zyna’s other phone?’, I asked myself. “How is it funny sir?” I asked, a bit nervous, but I tried to hide it from him. “I take it that you haven't read your news feed this morning?” He smirked
Adrian's POV I knew she was keeping something away from me, and my guts rarely ever lie. Coupled with the fact that I heard bits and pieces of the last part of their conversation. I only backed out cause I didn't know who she was talking to, and I didn't want them to know me either. “Emily, we have to be honest with each other.” I looked her in the eye. “How would you feel if roles were reversed and I gave you info in bits and pieces, and half truths?” I asked her. “Adrian, the same breath in which you make me feel like the most precious thing in the world, is the same with which you make me look like a scum.” Her hands fell to her sides, and she looked away. “No man could ever make you feel that way, Emily. And you know I'd never do that, not intentionally at least.” I argued. “Well, that's the thing, Adrian. You never want to do things, you just do them.” She sighed and got up. “Emily, can we please have a conversation that you're not trying to run from?” I asked her
Zyna’s POVNo matter how hard I tried to force myself, I could sleep anymore. If I thought I couldn't hate Damon anymore than I already did, I was sorely mistaken.He sank into a deeper place than hell, on my charts. I stood in front of my dressing mirror, admiring how much my stomach had begun to pop. I smiled as I rubbed the gentle bump, knowing that I'd never be able to work that one out. Not in seven months at least. “Can I talk to you about earlier?” I asked, entering his room without knocking. “What do you think?” He asked, looking up from some paperwork sprawled all over the table. “I think yes.” I replied, sitting at the foot of his bed. “Go ahead then I doubt I have any more options.” He said. “It's your world, Damon. You always have options. In fact, you create options.” I scoffed. “One thing you're right about, finally.” He smiled. “I'm not gonna be able to remain in this prison for the whole of my pregnancy. My doctor says I need to be active if I'm
Emily's POV “Why would you do that?!” I challenged Adrian. “Do what?” He asked, throwing the last piece of whatever he was chewing into his mouth. “Don't you think we need to talk?” “I do, but this is obviously not the time to remind me.” I said. “Are you mad at me?” He asked me. “Yes. I am, very.” I answered. And he didn't look apologetic. Not for anything, ending my call, or scaring me so bad. “You know?” He started, “that's funny, cause I'm mad at you too.” “That's a you issue.” I said. I was beyond pissed. I picked my laptop up and headed for the living room. “Oh wow!” He exclaimed. “Emily?” He called out, following me. “Do you think you'd ever grow out of this, and maybe we'll get to that phase where we can confront our situations like adults?” He asked me. “Oh, great question. If you are at ‘that phase’, and you had to stay away from me for two full days, before confronting ‘our’ situation, my answer is no.” I stated clearly. “One more thing. Feel
Damon's POV Life lately has been a little more like a soap opera. The soap opera where a guy slowly loses his family, his friends and the respect of his workers. I saw it in all their eyes. As a matter of fact, strangle, the only person that tried hard not to rub it in was Zac, strangely. Since Adrian had gone cold turkey on me, he's the closest thing I’ve had to a friend. “Wake up!” I tapped Zyna. She'd just come back from her lover, a few hours ago. I felt so irritated touching her skin. Everyone in the palace knew what was going on, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they start to spread the gossip. For that reason, my team and I had to enforce permanent employment for all the house staff. “What is going on?” She asked as she turned on her side. “We need to talk!” I said, trying to make my voice as low as possible. Low, but audible. “About?” She asked, stirring. “Whatever the hell you have going on.” I said. “Damon, it's 5am in the morning. I n
Zac’s POV “I'm honoured you agreed to do this with me.” I said as soon as she picked the video call. We'd decided to make it a video call, because those were harder to tap in to, seeing as we were still really involved with the police. “Yeah, yeah. You're just gonna have to overlook my untidy space and my swollen eyes.” She sighed. “You're still as pretty as ever, Emily.” I said to her, She turned her face away, though she didn't look it, I knew it meant a lot to her. “And your hair too.” I chuckled. I only just realised that she'd worn a wig the last time we saw. Her hair was cut low. “It was annoying me.” She explained, in an undertone. “I respect that. ” I said, clearing my throat. Small talk was over. We needed to start talking about why we were there. “Emily, believe me or not, it only just occurred to me yesterday, that Damon's wife was Zyna, FROM groomers, YOUR own Zyna!” With the same enthusiasm I still felt. “That's slow. You've been working for her hu