Juniper:
My breath hitches with my heart pounding in my chest as my fingers graze over the ugly marks on my neck. Where did they come from? And that pain.
“June!” The voice I dread echoes through the hallway.
I slap a hand over my mouth, pressing my back to the bathroom door.
“I know you’re in there, June, so come out or let me in.” Cillian’s voice echoes in the hall, followed by the door handle rattling.
I force myself to breathe, trying to steel my expression as I yank the door open. But he knows me too well, and my expression isn’t enough to hide the lie in my eyes.
“What happened? I heard you scream.” His eyes narrow as he tries to grab me, but I slap his hands away.
“It’s none of your business, Cillian!” My voice is harsh as I grit my teeth. “You lost that right!”
I try to walk past him, but his hand grabs mine, pulling me back.
“June, please,” he whispers, pulling me into his chest.
When I look into his eyes, my heart sinks as emotions I thought had died flare back to life.
He cups my face with desperation written across his. “I would do anything to get you back. Just tell me what to do. It’s still your birthday. Tell me, and I’ll make it happen—”
“Cillian, stop!” I push his hands off, shoving him away. “You had your chance.” I turn to walk out of the hallway, throwing words over my shoulder. “And for the record, what do you think you have? It’s gone. I lost my virginity last night at a ba—”
Before I can finish, he slams me against the wall, wrapping his hand around my throat. Pain explodes from the marks on my neck as I gasp for air.
“Who is he?!” Cillian’s eyes blaze with fury. “Tell me now!”
I claw at his hand, my heart hammering as his face twists in rage. “So, you’re a whore now?”
‘Whore?’ For someone who doesn’t know how it feels to have a dick in me, I have gotten that a lot.
Fear shoots through me at the monster he’s become, but then—
“Leave her alone.” A cold and commanding voice pierces through the hall.
Cillian’s grip loosens, and we both turn to see Professor Hiram standing at the end of the hallway.
Cillian glares at him with his fists still clenched.
“And who the hell are you?”
“Hiram,” he says, unfazed by Cillian’s demeanor, his eyes boring into Cillian. “I’m her professor, and it’s my duty to protect my students from bullies like you. Step aside.”
Cillian loosens his grip on me, then steps back, a smile forced on his face as he glares at me.
“This isn’t over, June,” Cillian spits, before he storms off.
His shoulder brushes Hiram’s as he passes.
“Watch your back, professor.” He growls before disappearing from my view.
I stand frozen, choking as I massage my neck, struggling to let out some air.
“Are you alright?” Hiram’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. He’s closer now, and his hand reaches for mine. “Come on.”
For a moment, I hesitate, but the fear of Cillian lurking pushes me forward. I let Hiram lead me to his office, my thoughts swirling about what Cillian might do. His family has money and power; he could easily do anything and get away with it.
I don’t notice we are in the office until the door slams shut, jolting me from my trance. I look up to see Professor Hiram staring at me.
“Did he hurt your neck?” Hiram asks, his eyes narrowing as I quickly cover the marks with my hand.
He is totally different from the man who threw me out this morning, which makes me wonder if I’m cursed to only attract bipolar men.
“It’s fine,” I mutter, stepping back. But he grabs my wrist, gently pulling me toward him, turning me so my back is nearly against his chest.
He is irresistible.
“Let me see.”
I shake my head, but he lifts my hair.
“I’m stating, not asking,” he whispers, inching closer, his breath warm against my skin.
I stay silent while he examines it, making me uneasy in the stretched silence. Before I can speak, his lips brush against the marks on my neck, and a calm feeling runs down my body as his hands curl around my waist, pulling me toward him until my butt rests against his crotch.
Heat rises in between my legs, and I feel the bones in my spine crumple as he kisses the length of my neck.
“Hiram—” I gasp, pulling away from his grip, turning to confirm that he’s actually there, and I’m not daydreaming.
I know he is bad for me, but staring into those blue eyes makes me lose every home training I have. I grab his face, and every nerve alights as his mouth finds mine, our lips crashing together. His grip tightens and his hands tug at my skirt as he lifts me onto the table, positioning himself between my legs.
He pins both of my hands to the table with one of his. His other hand slips under my skirt, then his fingers brush dangerously close to my panties as he leaves a burning trail of kisses down my neck.
At that moment, someone knocks on the door.
‘Thank God.’ I sigh inwardly in relief.
He pulls away sharply, his breath ragged as he presses one hand over my mouth.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Lola Baker, and I’m a third-year student. I have questions about this morning’s class. Can I come in?” Her voice is sultry, lingering just long enough to make my blood boil.
I try to shake off the jealousy creeping in. He is not mine, but how dare she!
Hiram’s expression hardens. “I’m not available right now. Come back later.”
Lola huffs, but after a moment, her footsteps fade.
Hiram’s eyes return to me, locking me in place. He places his hands by my sides, caging me on the table.
“You didn’t tell me today’s your birthday.”
I roll my eyes. “What does that matter to you?”
His expression hardens, his brows nearly touching his nose.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” he warns, stepping back slightly, but still close enough that I can feel the heat between us.
“What do you care?” I slide off the table, straightening my skirt. “You threw me out of your place this morning, and now you’re acting like you care,” I say to him, but he ignores me, walking to his desk.
He flips open his briefcase.
“Well, someone got a little careless last night, and we ended up here. Until we find a way out of this mess, I believe we are stuck together.”
He tosses a paper onto the table.
I frown, staring at it. “What’s that?”
“Take a look, Mrs. Hiram.”
My heart stops as he places two rings beside the document.
What the fuck did I actually do last night?
HIRAM'S POV: “What happened last night?” she asks, her delicate fingers trailing around the rings. The truth is right on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t confess I’m a werewolf who marked her as my mate and dreads having sex with her because it will complete the bond. “We both got too drunk and ended up here,” I reply. She glances at me briefly, allowing me to take in her beautiful black eyes. “We were too drunk to have sex, but somehow we managed to get married. Oh, and you had a terrible fall too,” I lie, and she rubs her neck. “I really need to stop drinking,” she says, then briefly stares at the certificate before bursting into laughter. The sound is intoxicating, and I can’t help but feel a mix of confusion and admiration as her laughter fills the air, vibrant and sexy. I’m lost for a moment, and when I regain my composure, I keep a straight face. “What’s funny?” I ask, and she stops laughing at once, facing me with her lips puckered. “I don’t know what
HIRAM’S POV:“Let me help you,” I say, closing the space between us without a second thought.As my chest presses against her back, an instant pull grips me, one I try to shake off. Reaching for the book above her, our hands touch briefly, and I feel her breath hitch beneath me, fighting against the same pull that’s threatening to drown us both.She spins around just as I grasp the book. Our eyes lock, lingering longer than they should.My heart pounds as every nerve electrifies by her nearness. I want her—God, how I want her—but it’s too soon.What is this curse?“Thank you,” she murmurs, snapping me out of her spell.But then she leans in, her breasts brushing my chest as she reaches for the book, sending my body into overdrive. My hand catches her wrist the moment the book leaves my grip.In one swift motion, I pin her hands against the shelf. My gaze roams over her body like a predator stalking its prey. Her breathing quickens, and I watch the rise and fall of her chest, the V-cut
JUNIPER’S POV:“Get out!” His voice rings cold in my mind, echoing the frigid demeanor he has this morning.I stay still for a moment, letting the command sink in, but all I feel is the burning ache from where his hand grips me. This man is twisted—complicated in every sense of the word.I can’t figure out what he wants, but damn, he’s hot. The pain from his hold seems to morph into something else—pleasure. And all I can think about is closing the space between us and pressing my lips against his. I lean in, but before I can act on the impulse, he grabs my other hand, pinning it against the table. The raw strength behind his touch sends a shiver down my spine. His grip tightens.“You don’t want to do that,” he says, but all I hear in his voice is a low, seductive growl that sends heat curling through me.His eyes meet mine.“You’ll never want to because there will be no going back.”“And what if I want it?” I challenge, my voice barely above a whisper as my lips tremble with the need
HIRAM’S POV:It takes brushing and waiting hours after Juniper leaves to realize her lingering taste isn’t physical but mental. Her jasmine scent still swirls around my entire house, and every time I close my eyes, I feel her hands on my body and her lips teasing my skin.“Fuck!” I groan, opening my eyes as a knock comes at the door. “Who is it?” I ask, my voice edged with irritation.“It’s Winston, sir. Your guest has arrived,” my butler informs me, and for a moment, relief washes over me.Finally, I can get June off my mind. I grab my shirt, throwing it over my body, leaving the top buttons undone, exposing my chest. I step out of my room, and Winston bows briefly, walking ahead of me as I follow him down the hallway until we reach the landing of the last flight of stairs.As I descend the stairs, my gaze falls on the woman sitting on the couch. She’s hard to miss—curvy, with big tits nearly spilling out of the low-cut neckline of her tight black satin dress. Her long dark hair casc
HIRAM’S POV: Quickly, I reach for my pants, pulling them up at once as Alex’s voice cuts through the room. I glance up to see her standing by the door, causing a flicker of shame to tighten my chest. “Ever heard of knocking?” I ask, getting up from the couch. I walk to the bathroom, turning on the faucet to wash off the remnants of my mess with soap. Alex scoffs, shutting the door behind her. “What is there that I haven’t seen? I’ve seen tons of dicks in my life, and—” “You haven’t had mine, and that is the difference,” I cut in, grabbing a towel to dry my hands. She raises a finger at me, but I glare at her. “Don’t test me, Alex.” Her finger drops. Alex is a witch, and she’s been my best friend since we were kids. Her parents are the official witch doctors of the Shadow Pelt pack, but they let Alex live among humans ever since she was a child. She walks further into the room while I focus on wiping off the mess that I make on the floor. “What’s this?” When she asks, I
JUNIPER’S POV:If I have a choice, I’d be at home, cocooned in blankets, reading a smut novel where someone else’s life falls apart instead of mine. Anything but dragging myself to the Smiths’ bakery, working long hours just to scrape by. But bills don’t pay themselves.Cillian used to handle that, back when I thought he wasn’t an ass. I was grateful to him then. He made me feel like I didn’t have to struggle. As though he cared about me, but now, I’d rather choke on broken glass than crawl back to him.How can I kiss those lying lips? Knowing they’ve touched Susan. Every time I shut my eyes, I see them together, and I still feel that betrayal burn under my skin like a fresh wound. Kissing him would be like kissing her, and she is a snake.“What the hell?” My pulse quickens as I glance in the rearview mirror, my grip tightening on the steering wheel as I see Hiram driving behind me.What does he want? I question myself, but then I let off a sigh as I try to keep my eyes on the road. H
JUNIPER’S POV:Seeing Larry walk into the store causes my heart to drop for a split second before irritation quickly replaces it as he smiles at me. My hands leave the saucer, which I have initially picked from a table, and I stand straight. Slowly, my brows wrinkle, and I cross my arms.“This is closing hours, Larry. Sally isn’t around,” I say to him, but he chuckles, walking up to me. The smell hits me hard—a rancid stench of smoke that seems to cling to his skin, and I involuntarily take a deep breath, trying to hold back my disgust.Larry is a creep in his early thirties who knows my mother, and ever since my dad died and we went broke, he has vowed that he would be the one to marry me. Cillian has beaten him up once or twice, but it never seems to deter him.He ignores my words and strides over to a seat, pulling it out with a scrape, before slumping down casually as if he owns the place.“I met Sally earlier today,” he says, crossing his legs and flashing me a mocking grin. “She
HIRAM’S POV:I miss being a man driven by nothing but lust—satisfying my urges and moving on. But this... this feels like responsibility. The very thing I ran from when I left the Shadow Pelt Pack. When Mother demanded I marry Vera, Beta Vincent’s daughter, I knew I couldn’t be chained down like that. And now? Now I chase after a woman I barely know, just because fate claims she’s my mate.Suddenly, Juniper’s car comes to a halt in front of a tall building, jolting me out of my thoughts. I step on my brakes; the tires screeching as I pull up behind her. My gaze follows her as she steps out of the car. Without hesitation, I reach for my phone and quickly dial Justin.“Did you get the order yet?” I mutter with my eyes still locked on Juniper as she moves toward the entrance.Before he can respond, another car glides up the street, its headlights flooding the area with harsh light. It stops a few feet ahead, and Justin steps out, holding two paper bags in his hands. I get out of my car a
Hiram’s POVI shift into my human form the moment Cillian’s lifeless body hits the ground. I am in pain from the bullets that hit me, but I push it aside as my body heals slowly.My heart lurches at the sight of Juniper clutching her belly with her face twisted in pain.“June!” I rush to her side, dropping to my knees. My hands hover over her, unsure of where to touch first. She’s trembling, her breaths shallow and uneven.Her wide, tear-filled eyes meet mine.“Hiram,” she gasps. “The baby... the baby’s coming. He made me take pills. Too many...” Panic grips me, but I shove it down.This isn’t the time to lose contr
JUNIPER’S POV:I’m crammed between two burly men in the backseat of the SUV. The air inside the car reeks of cigarettes and sweat, making it hard to breathe. My heart pounds in my chest as I struggle hard against the man who has his hand covering my mouth, but he doesn’t let up. I bite his palm, causing him to yelp in pain and pull away from me.“You little—!” He grabs my hand, twisting it behind me, and the other man glares at me.“You’re going to regret this. My husband—he’s going to find you. And when he does, you’ll be sorry.” I try to sound confident, but the four of them let out a heart-draining chuckle.The man holding me snorts, his beady eyes narrowing as he glares at me.
HIRAM’S POV:My driver pulls up to the convention center in Boulder City, parking near a tree stripped bare by winter. The air bites a little—just cold enough to remind me it’s December. The streets are quiet except for a couple of locals strolling past. “Hang around, or you can come in with me,” I say to him as I look at the building in front of us.Above the entrance, a banner hangs: BOULDER CITY ART FESTIVAL 2024.I step out of my car, making my way towards the entrance. The moment I step inside, the chill fades, replaced by the hum of life and creativity. The place is packed with people, which makes it warm. There are conversations in the air, and the bright colors catch my attention.There are paintings, sculptures, and displays explodi
JUNIPER’S POV:“Will you at least drop me off at school before you go to your art, whatever?” I ask Hiram as I put on my jacket, staring at myself in the mirror.“Sure,” he says, leaning in to kiss my cheek.“I am so glad we’re in winter, and I get to wear these large jackets. I can slowly feel the baby fat creeping in.” He grabs my hand, pulling me away from the mirror.“That’s enough for today.” He wraps his arms around my waist. “You look more beautiful than ever, and there is no baby fat,” he says, then plants a brief kiss on my lips.I adjust his tie, patting his shoulder briefly.“You look so
HIRAM’S POV:“I have an art exhibition I would love to attend on Monday.” Juniper puts down her phone and glances up at me as I say this. “It’s just in Boulder City.”Her brows crease, and she focuses on her phone without saying a thing.“You won’t make a comment?” I ask, and she glares at me.“Yeah, my husband is going to abandon me for an art exhibition while I go to school pregnant and in pain.” The sarcasm in her tone makes me chuckle slightly, then I walk up to her, sitting on the bed.“It is just one day, and I will be back in the evening or the next morning. It will be as though I didn’t leave. Plus, Rhea is here to take care of you, and&hell
HIRAM’S POV:After dinner, June and I settle in her room while Rhea stays in the guest room. I expect her to follow the usual routine of staying up almost the entire night, keeping me awake too, but before I can tell, she is sleeping peacefully in my arms.I remain like that, watching the rise and fall of her chest with a gentle snore accompanying it. While she sleeps, I try to sleep too. I shut my eyes, patting her hair gently, but even as I close my eyes, I find it difficult to drift off to sleep.After a while, I push her head away gently, then I place it on the pillow, planting a kiss on her head before I stand up. My steps are quiet in order not to wake her. I leave the room, heading for the front door to get some fresh air, but the moment I step out of the hallway, I spot Milo sitting in the living room
Hiram:After minutes of driving, we get to Juniper’s mother’s house. It is a small house in town, which looks comfy. There is a compact car parked in front of it, and June’s mother is standing in front of the house. When we pull up, she rushes toward the car.Before I can open the door, Juniper gets it, rushing toward her mother.“Mum!” she exclaims, throwing her arms around her. Her mother pats her back slightly. Then I get out of the car, and Rhea follows. I grab our joint luggage while Rhea takes her bag.She looks almost the same as June, but her hair is black. They pull away, facing Rhea and me.“You already know Rhea,” June says, and Rhea waves at her.
HIRAM’S POV:“Hiram, the food’s too cold!”“Hiram, the food’s too hot!”“Hiram, it’s too sweet!”“Hiram, it’s too salty!”This has been June’s anthem this past week. I know mood swings are part of the pregnancy package, but I didn’t expect it to be this way. It’s like I can hardly breathe, and nothing is good enough for her. Sometimes I wish I could rip that baby out of her.Right now, she is fast asleep, and it is the best time for me with her. Watching her sleep peacefully like a baby and admiring her beauty, because once that eye opens, I’ll be running around the clock.
Hiram’s POV:Last night, June didn’t spend the night in my room. She came back home with Rhea, and they hung out the entire evening.“You know I’m beginning to think you love Rhea more than you love me,” I say to her as she sits in front of the mirror doing her hair.She looks at me through the mirror with a frown on her face.“Why would you say that?” she asks, and I walk up to her, bending slightly.“Maybe because you spent the entire evening with her, and slept in the guest room too,” I say, and she chuckles slightly.“So, you’re jealous of a woman?” she asks, then tilts her head slightly to face me. “You know what? Maybe I do love her better and we might have…”