I have to force myself to smile and touch Jae for over twenty minutes when I really just want to scream and hide my head on the floor like a scared ostrich. And just stay there. Every time Jae opens his mouth, he makes me hate him even more. Fuck him. Fuuuuck him. And fuck my mom for being so stupid. Does she even know what power of attorney is? Probably not. Or she probably didn't care, she was just thinking about the money."Are you okay, Anya?" someone asks me all of a sudden. I look at the guy, completely confused. I've been zoning out so much, I don't even remember his name. "Yeah, all good," I give him a fake smile, and I guess it's obvious because the mood gets a little awkward, but luckily he changes the subject and starts talking about boring stuff with Jae again. Once the random guy leaves, Jae turns me until I'm face to face with him and wraps an arm around my waist to pull me into his body. He grabs my head with his other hand and brings his lips to my ear. I'm sure we
We leave the premises with a new painting of mostly purple tones, a gorgeous small jewelry box, and the ugly statue I broke. Or, at least, its pieces. We drive back home in silence again, but this time it feels different, even more charged somehow. I'm a little buzzed from the champagne and I can’t stop myself from stealing glances at Jae every couple of seconds. He just looks at me from time to time, still in silence. Before anyone can say something, his phone starts ringing."What's up?" He answers. "Are you still busy?" I hear faintly, it's a male voice, "We're hanging out in Barracuda, in case you want to join.""Who's there?" Jae asks and gives me another side glance. The guy says a bunch of names, and Jae nods, "Fine, I'll be there in an hour. And I'm bringing my wife.""Oh," I let out with a frown, completely confused by that, "No. You don't have to...""Did I ask?" He snaps at me, then continues talking with his friend for a couple of seconds while I’m trying to understand
The car door slams shut behind me and I stumble slightly on the uneven ground. Jae's grip on my arm is firm, almost bruising. I try to pull away, but he holds me in place. His expression is unreadable, but I know him well by now. He's going to do something, probably something horrible. "Jae, I... I was just... I didn't mean to..." I stammer, my heart racing as I try to come up with an excuse."You didn't mean to what? Flash me on the road? Try to seduce me again?" His words feel like a slap in the face, and I felt my cheeks burn with humiliation. As usual, "You're still trying to, Anya? That's not how this works. I don't get pulled by the dick by no one, especially not you." "I didn't mean it like that," I repeat, my voice shaky, "I was just trying to... I don't know... get a rise out of you.""A rise?" He scoffs, releasing my arm and taking a step back. "You think this is some kind of game?""Yes," I answer, feeling the weight of his gaze on me, "It’s just a silly game. I wanted y
By the time we arrive back at the pack, it's one in the morning and I'm really fucking tired. I’ve been up since six in the morning of yesterday and all I want to do is snuggle in my big bed and sleep, but Jae keeps driving for another ten minutes until we reach an old cabin named Barracuda. There’s a bunch of fancy cars outside that don’t match the vibe. I frown as we walk inside because this does not look like a place where Jae or his snob friends would hang out.But of course it's not. As soon as Jae opens the door, I realize the old look of the cabin is only a facade. Inside, it looks like a modern and sleek bar, but there's no one currently attending the bar or sitting in the tables inside. Everyone is hanging out on the terrace outside, looking directly at the Ellington River.It's gorgeous. As soon as we walk to the terrace, everyone gets up to greet mister next Alpha and his tired wife. Of course, I force myself to keep up the perfect Luna act while I say hello to his friends.
{ Jae }My friends think Anya is cool. They like her. I can see it in the way they keep dragging her into conversation instead of dismissing her as yet another pretty girl I have on my lap. This is extremely beneficial to our fake marriage, but it’s also good to see she’s an even better social butterfly than I expected. She knew how to be mature, polite and respectful to people in the council event, but she also knows how to joke around with my closest friends. She even managed to dodge Sophie’s jealous attack as if it meant nothing to her. That probably solidified our relationship in everyone’s minds even more because I would never marry some pathetic, jealous girl. My wife had to be like that, confident and secure, because I wouldn’t accept anything less. If I didn’t consider Anya my opponent, I would tell her she’s actually the perfect Luna. But I hate her, so I won’t say shit. She’s still laughing at something Rogan is saying and hugging my neck when I decide to go for anothe
I wake up the next day at fucking six in the morning even though is Saturday and I don't have anything to do today. And I just went to bed like three hours ago. I groan, annoyed with myself and I try to go back to sleep, but this hard ass matress is not comfortable enough for that... I fucking hate this bed. Anya's mattress was way better. So, I make the executive decision of moving my tired ass to that mattress so I can keep sleeping some more. I walk downstairs still in my boxers and I open Anya's door. My wolf starts waking up in my mind then because the room smells intensely of her cherry scent. So much that I know without a doubt she's been touching herself again. Just like I said, she's a very horny teenage girl. "Hey," I say when I get to her, sleeping on her side with her mouth slightly open. Anya gasps and opens her big grey eyes in fear. Her long hair is all crazy and she's still wearing make up as if she didn't take it off last night, "Get up, move.”"What? Why?" She a
Around an hour later, I start to feel like actual shit, but not as much as I would feel without the pill I took. I instantly get mad at life because why is it always the same fucking thing? Every damn month. What did I do to deserve this pain? I’m a good person. I do good things. I only started being hateful when I met my husband, not before. I really can’t wait to get pregnant and spend nine glorious months without having a period. God, I can almost taste how good that’s going to be. Maybe I’ll get swollen and uncomfortable, but I know it’s going to be better than dealing with cramps once a month. My stomach is grumbling with hunger but I’m at the point where, if I eat something, I’ll probably throw it up anyway. So there’s no point in consuming anything. I don’t even have the energy to use my phone to distract myself, I only turn on the TV to have some background noise and I spend hours and hours dealing with the pain. And then the fever and the nausea. I have to throw myself
"Klein is a True Alpha, just like you," Colin says, stating the obvious. I nod and look briefly at my father, he's studying Klein and most likely trying to find differences or similarities between us, "He feels compelled to challenges... I'm sure you can relate to that.""Hmm," I nod nonchalantly again, then I raise a hand to call a waiter, "I'm hungry. Let's handle the important stuff first and order something, then we can talk about Klein.”My dad gives me a knowing look and tries to hide a mocking chuckle that would definitely piss me off if it came out. He has noticed I can't turn on my fake-nice personality around this guy, so he must know I feel rattled. Because I do. "Order whatever you want, kid. It's my treat," I tell Klein with a smile that only gets bigger when he gives me a pissed off look and clenches his fists. I absolutely love to piss people off, especially arrogant little brats like this one. "I'm not a kid," he mutters through his teeth, very immaturely, "And that
{ Epílogue }Six Years Later The day I hate the most is finally over. The third Alpha Challenge is done and, unsurprisingly, my man won. He fought for almost two hours against five very brave but very dumb competitors. He's once again, the Alpha of Ellington. And now we're back home, all safe and sound, so I can finally breathe. I guess you could say I am a little traumatized about what happened at the Challenge when Jae almost dies and lost his memory. Things are so, so different now."My daddy is the strongest," Iseul says, looking up at Jae with sparkling eyes because she loves her dad. She looks at him like he's the fucking sun."And you're the sweetest daughter alive," he says, finally picking her up even though I know he must be tired as hell. He kisses her chubby cheeks over and over, making her laugh in pure joy. Jae walks a few steps until he can sit his ass on the couch and he groans, "Where's your brother, huh?”"Still outside," Iseul says. And that's true, Tate never
I remember being told Anya sent me a 'good luck' little pastry and I thought, ‘damn she knows I don't like sweet treats, but I'll eat it anyway because I don't want her to get mad at me for not doing it’.Next thing I know, I can't even move my body correctly and my mind is all slow and slurry. I couldn't even move my mouth enough to fucking talk. "What happened after I went down?" I ask my father when I'm back in their house after being discharged. My memories are back into place, so now we're allowed to talk normally. My dad growls in anger."Anya ran to you," he starts, making me lift my eyebrows in complete shock, "She ran and shifted to attack Klein in wolf form, she got him real good actually. His arm got the worst of it, but she managed to bite his head, too. The council was going to let the Challenge continue, but Anya and Rogan figured out you ate that pastry thing, which you never fucking do. Also, Anya never sent anything. The fact that they figured it out so early was the
I shake my head. I don't know much about myself, but I do know I wouldn't do something like that."No," I say, the girl frowns and looks at me, then nods, "Nu-uh.""Yes.""No," I repeat, "There is no way.""Jae, I'm the only one in this room that remembers anything," she spits out at me, "I remember what happened, you don't.""But I'm me," I say and I point a finger to my head, "And I don't think I would do that.""You did," she says, clasping her hands into fists, "And I want you to say you’re sorry again.""Why? I don't even remember. I think you're lying to get my attention and get me horny for you again," I joke, making her eyes get red, so I relent. I take a deep breath, "I'm just joking.""I know you are fucking joking because I know you and your stupid jokes," she yells, "I know you! I remember everything. And you don't."She starts full blown crying then, so I force myself to take this seriously. And consider the fact that I... hurt her on purpose? For what reason? The only wa
{ Jae }It's been almost twenty four hours since I woke up after my fight and fortunately, some things are starting to make more sense, but I'm still struggling to remember 80% of things. I don't even remember my best friend, but it helps that he's here, forcing me to remember."Rogan," I close my eyes with stress, "I believe you, dude. I just don't remember.""Well, shut up and let me continue," he spits with a furrowed brow and opens his mouth as if he really wants to keep telling me our entire friendship story, from the very very beginning, when we were ten years old. This bastard really has a good memory, "We've only had one fight, back when we were in sophomore year, it was over a girl. I didn't actually like her that much but I..."The door opens slowly and I sigh in relief because someone is finally saving me from this storyteller. A head peeks in and I recognize her as the crying girl from yesterday, the one with long red hair."Anya," Rogan says, and he suddenly tenses up, lo
{ Anya }I leave Jae's room even though Vivian is telling me it's not necessary. I close the door behind me and cover my mouth to control my sobs, but I can't.No. No. No.I refuse to believe this is really happening to me. Jae has been in intensive care for two days while the swelling in his brain goes down from the fracture that idiot Klein gave him. I've been here with him, holding his hand and wishing with all my might that he'll be okay.I know he's going to be okay now. And I also know, logically, that it's completely normal to have trouble stringing thoughts together after such trauma. I know Jae could be back to normal in a few hours or a few days, once he gets better.But logic doesn't fix how I feel right this second. Jae looked at me and ignored me like I was nobody, then implied he didn't remember me. And then he talked to me that way... like he used to when I first met him.I can't do it again, I can't deal with Jae treating me like crap again. I won't, I refuse. I've l
"What's going on?!" I grumble once we're backstage, completely disoriented. When I see Jae being brought in on a damn portable stretcher, I run towards him."Luna Anya, please stay away," a paramedic tells me, holding me back. I'm about to tell him I'm a doctor and I have a right to see what the hell is happening with my mate, but Rogan grabs me from behind and pulls me away."This isn't normal. Jae didn't do anything to fight, that’s not him!" I say, but Rogan keeps restraining me and trying to quiet me down, "You can't let this happen, Ro. Something was wrong with him.”"Anya, Anya, please," Ro continues, "I know it's not normal, but you need to calm down first. I can't take care of you and find answers at the same time."That makes me calm down because he's right. I can't be another problem right now, I have to help."Okay, okay... what do you know?""Nothing. I was here with him when he arrived, while he was getting ready and before the fight began. Everything was perfectly normal
Before I realize it, the day finally arrives. The day of the Alpha Challenge.Jae has been more focused than ever on his training, so we haven’t had any more time to explore our relationship, but I’m not worried because I know it’s necessary and important… maybe not as much as our bond, but close. Because this is not just about his position and his future. It’s the future of our family, a future where the pack will bear our name.When I arrive with Tate and my aunt and uncle at the arena, Jae’s family is already in the family booth, so I greet everyone and then I have to go through the worst anxiety ever again, just like five years ago, except this time it’s even worse because Klein is not just another True Alpha who came to Ellington to try to fight Jae. Now it’s personal.Klein is my ex-boyfriend and he wants revenge for being ‘humiliated’ at the last Alpha Challenge. I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. Or maybe it’s just worry because this time what I feel for J
"And because you're mine to use whenever I feel like it,” I continue, sucking on his bottom lip and making him let out a low growl from his chest. "We can't do this here," he whines, trying to take a step back, but I don't care. I follow him, "Baby, I mean it. I can't fuck you here with my parents and my son downstairs.""Why not?" I ask, running a hand down his chest until I reach his hard dick. I grab it through his pants tightly and pull, making him moan, "I know you want it.""Of course I fucking want it," he grunts, thrusting his hips against my hand for just a second before ripping my grip off his erection and flipping me over until my back is to him. Jae takes my hands and in just a second crosses them across my chest until he has me completely unable to move...at least my upper body, "Damn it, Anya. You don’t change. Don't you ever think with something other than your clit? We can't do this here. You can wait until we get home.""I can't," I moan, wiggling my ass against him,
When we all arrive at Vivian and Riku Kyung’s house together, I can see the surprise on both of their faces. I don’t think Jae told them I would be joining them for Sunday brunch.“Anya, darling, hi!” Vivian exclaims, coming over to give me a tight hug, which I return. I haven’t seen them since the news about our bond started circulating in the pack, so I’m not surprised when she holds onto me for longer than would seem normal, “I heard the news. About your bond… whatever decision you make regarding that, I want you to know that I am SO grateful to the Moon Goddess for choosing you as my son’s mate. You are such a wonderful girl, and I will never stop considering you part of my family.”I blink several times when my eyes start to sting, returning her hug with equal intensity.“Thank you for your words. I consider you part of my family too,” I let her know. When I let her go, Riku takes me into his arms.“There is no woman more perfect for my son. I hope he knows how to treat you as yo