Kai POVI stood under the cold shower, the third I was taking since Celeste had texted me she was coming with my mate – by the way, her name was Lily.Now I was in the shower for the third time, another futile attempt to quell my raging hard-on and the lust flowing through my veins. My wolf Hud, paced restlessly, still driven wild by the lingering scent of our mate.“Enough, Hud!” I growled, “We will not act like animals in heat. I know you want her as much as I do but she deserves better than that, don’t you think? And we should work on making her trust us first before any other thing,”.As I stepped out of the shower, my phone rang. I sighed recognizing my mother’s ringtone. I answered, already knowing what this call would be about.“Kai, darling,” her voice came from the other end. “I’ve arranged the most delightful dinner for you tomorrow evening. Her name is Chloe and she’s the daughter of one of my distant cousins. She’s beautiful and the type of woman I know you’ll like. And sh
Lily POVI stood before Alpha Kai, feeling like a dwarf in his imposing presence. He was too tall and strong for me and he made me feel small and vulnerable. Despite Celeste’s reassurances that he wasn’t going to punish me, I couldn’t shake off the fear that punishment or immediate expulsion from the pack awaited me.But the way I see it, expulsion would be the best-case scenario – a clean break, a chance to run far away from this world of wolves and Alphas I barely understood.I watched as he rose from his desk and walked up to me. As he approached, I kept my head bowed, eyes fixed on the floor. Yet something strange stirred within me. It was an unfamiliar pull urging me to look up, to meet his gaze, to step closer and run my hands on his hard chest, to feel his heartbeat – to kiss his lips that were currently clamped in a straight line.The intensity of my absurd emotions startled and embarrassed me.What was I thinking? I was the intruder here and I had just lost Lucas who I believ
Kai POVAs soon as she left my study, I slumped in my chair, running a hand through my hair in frustration. My wolf – Hud was howling in disappointment, angry at letting our mate leave.“Patience,” I muttered to myself. “We can’t rush this. She’s not ready,”.But even as I tried to convince myself, I couldn’t ignore the ache in my chest and my pants. The mate bond was there – so powerful… so undeniable. Yet Lily seemed oblivious to it. Why couldn’t she feel it too? And more importantly, how long could I resist the pull before it drives me mad?Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled slowly trying to regain my composure. The conversation with Lily had left me as aroused as I’ve ever been. Even right now, with her scent still in my office, I was as hard as a rock and I knew it was Hud’s way of punishing me.He kept throwing her image to my subconscious, filling me with lust.“Damned animal!” I muttered under my breath “Can you stop playing these games. We can’t just do with her as we want,”
Lily POVThe sun dipped below the horizon casting a beautiful shadow on Royal Hunter Pack when I arrived at Celeste’s house.I sucked in my breath as I took in the big house that seemed to have green lands that stretched behind it forever. It filled me with the nostalgia of running through the fields back at home, soaking up the morning sunlight and the dream of running with my wolf but it was a stupid dream because I was never going to get my wolf. I was too old for it anyway.Although big, the house had a humble aura around it. I could feel it. The doors of the house opened and Celeste came out wearing a big smile as she came towards me.“I see you lived!” she chuckled, giving me a once over “The way you were scared of being alone with him, I was tempted to stay back just to make sure he doesn’t bite off your head,”.“Well,” I blushed red lowering my gaze. “He was kinder than I expected,” I admitted softly. “Alpha Kai, from all the stories that I’ve heard of him seemed like a danger
Kai POVThe night was quiet, a gentle breeze rustling through the trees as I approached my sister’s house.My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness coursing through my veins. I have never done anything like this before – sneaking into a house in the dead of the night to see a girl. But Lily wasn’t just any girl. She was my mate and the pull to be near her was overwhelming.Also, this was a good opportunity to check on my sister Celeste and my grandparents.As I reached the front door, I paused, my senses picking up movement inside. I took in a deep breath, my wolf on high alert, until I opened the door and ushered myself in. Celeste stood there, one hand on the toilet’s door knob and her eyes wide with surprise.“Kai?” then as if remembering my title she corrected herself quickly. “Alpha,” she whispered, quickly bowing her head. “I…I wasn’t expecting you. What brings you here?”“I came to check on you and Grandpa and Grandma. How are they?” I asked feeli
Kai POVA sad smile ghosted my lips as I made my way out of Lily’s room, carefully closing the door behind me.I couldn’t believe I had stayed with her for nearly an hour. Every part of her body was etched in my mind’s eyes … I couldn’t wait to make her mine finally. I was so wrapped in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Liam was waiting for me in the living room. It wasn’t until I made to pass that he cleared his throat making me jerk with surprise.“Liam?” I scoffed entering the living room. His eyebrows were raised a mixture of amusement and concern as he stared at me. “What are you doing here?” I asked.“I should be asking you, Alpha,” he retorted crossing his arms over his body. “I hope you didn’t take advantage of the poor little girl?” he asked his tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness. “From the look in your eyes… you seem to be lusting.I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief at the implication of what he meant. “Of course not,” I growled softly, mindful of the peo
Lily POVThe morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently rousing me from my slumber.I stretched like a lazy cat with a smile on my face. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept until sunrise. For a moment, I lay still expecting a shout from Vanessa asking if her breakfast was ready or if I had her goat milk bath ready or my father growling with approval at the salty food I made that morning.A sad smile played on my lips as I wondered how they would be coping. Vanessa must have gone crazy and I wish…I stopped… what was I doing? Why was I worrying about them after everything? Shaking off the nostalgia, I rose from the bed and made my way to the bathroom to shower. I stayed for a while, scrubbing every part of my body clean. After that, I made my way to the closet.Celeste had generously offered to share her wardrobe with me and had told me last night to use any of her clothes I like. As I browsed through the clothes, I felt drawn to a simple, pale blue sundress. As I sli
Lily POVI was bursting with warmth, love and food after breakfast, so I retreated to my room to rest.I sat by the window, gazing at the beautiful scenery created by the sun. Everything was going so smoothly that I was beginning to feel that I was in an alternate universe. I was grateful for the kindness I’d been shown but a part of me couldn’t help but wonder when the other shoe would drop.I was worried that one day, this love would be taken away from me just like every other good thing that has ever happened to me. But still, I loved it here. A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Thinking it was Celeste I rushed to the door and threw it open only to be met with a sight that left me momentarily speechless.Standing in the hallways was a small army of people, each carrying bags and boxes from what appeared to be high-end clothing stores and accessories combined. They smiled at me expectantly as they pushed past me with their load, as if this was the most normal thing
Kai POVI paced my study room, a caged animal trapped in my own anxiety. Five days. Lily had been missing for five days, and every moment without her felt like an eternity. The weight of guilt pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.The door opened and Celeste entered, her expression telling me everything before she spoke a word."The birds couldn't locate her again," she said, shaking her head. "They've searched every clearing, every road within fifty miles."I slammed my fist against the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster. "They must have missed something.""Kai..." Celeste began, but was interrupted as Liam walked in.My beta's face was grim, exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes. "We've combed all the packs within our region. There's no sign of Lily.""That's impossible," I growled, "She couldn't have just vanished."Five days ago, Lily and I were supposed to meet at the border of our pack territory. We'd planned to find Meredith, the old pack healer who ha
Lily POV"I want to feel something," I corrected him. "I want to know if there's any... chemistry between us before we commit to something so permanent.""You never had a problem wanting me before," he murmured."That was before," I replied softly. "Before everything fell apart."Lucas seemed to consider this, his eyes never leaving mine. "And if I can't arouse you?""Then you give me more time," I said simply. "Time to develop those feelings naturally."He was silent for a long moment, and I feared I'd overplayed my hand. But then he smiled, and there was something almost boyish in his expression—as if I'd presented him with a challenge he couldn't resist."I accept," he said finally. "But no games, Lily. You have to be honest about what you feel.""No games," I agreed, ignoring the bitter irony of the promise. This entire situation was a game, one with my freedom—possibly my life—as the prize.Lucas stood and extended his hand to me. "Shall we begin now?"My heart hammered against m
Lily POVFor a second, I couldn’t breathe. The room felt like it spun beneath me.He said it so casually, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Like he wasn’t talking about changing my life forever, about chaining me to him in a way I couldn’t undo.A mating mark was permanent, sacred—it would bind me to Lucas forever. Not even Kai and I have gotten around to marking each other and now Lucas wanted to mark me... No other wolf would touch me once I carried his mark. I would be his ultimate claim.I struggled to keep the horror from showing on my face. "You… you want to mark me?" I echoed, hoping the tremor in my voice would be interpreted as excitement rather than revulsion."Yes," he said, his fingers trailing down my neck to the spot where shoulder meets collarbone—the traditional place for a mating bite. "You'd be mine, Lily. Completely and totally mine."“I wanted to do it back then but you haven’t gotten your wolf then and the whole thing that followed afterwards. But now
Lily POVAfter I heard the definitive click of the door’s lock, I immediately got to work. I tore at the tape covering my mouth, wincing as it pulled at my skin. Finally, I managed to peel it off, gasping for air.My mind raced as I tried to make sense of everything. Lucas hadn't taken me to Golden Moon as he'd said. We were somewhere isolated, somewhere no one would think to look. The packs were territorial—they rarely ventured far from their lands. If we were truly in neutral territory, as Lucas suggested, my chances of being found decreased dramatically.I got up from the bed and rushed to the window, pulling back the thin curtain. Nothing but darkness greeted me, along with the occasional headlights of a passing car. The house appeared to be on some highway, surrounded by nothing but trees. No landmarks I recognized, no signs indicating where we might be.Letting the curtain fall back into place, I sank down onto the edge of the bed. I needed to be smart about this. Lucas had mad
Lily POVA few hours later, he returned. I had showered and rested at least. As soon as I heard the key rattle in its lock, I sprang into a sitting position, I couldn’t give him the notion that I was enjoying my stay. When he finally entered the bedroom, he paused at the doorway as his eyes roamed the room before finally landing on my face. “You’re dressed?” he asked stepping inside but still leaving the door open. “As you can see,” I muttered, rising to my feet and smoothening the yellow dress I had seen in the wardrobe. “What now?”“C’mon, Lily,” he tried to reach for me but I took a step backwards. “You don’t have to be mean to me. I’ve tried to give you everything you want and need. The least you could do is appreciate me. Is it too much to ask for?”“You’ve done nothing that needs my appreciation, Lucas,” I said squarely. “What next? Please tell me.”He wanted to say something but decided against it. “Dinner. I guess you’re hungry. You didn’t touch the meal I placed in the bas
Lily POVI don’t know how long it took. I’d lost track of time completely. I didn’t know how long I had stayed and there was practically nothing I could do. At least he was kind enough not to seal my mouth before leaving, but there was no light. I had to rely on my senses. I was thirsty and hungry but I couldn’t trust the food he had placed in the room. I didn’t want to die yet. Just when I thought he would not show up, the door cracked open and he peered in. “Hello…hello…” he sounded happy."You're insane! A complete psychopath! When I get out of here—and I will get out—you're going to regret ever laying a finger on me!" I hurled every insult I could think of at him, my voice growing hoarse from the effort. "My pack will hunt you down like the rabid dog you are!"Lucas just stood there – he didn’t even flinch - watching me, that infuriating grin never leaving his face. His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes with amusement as if my outrage was nothing more than a child's t
Lily POV"There would have been!" he snapped, his composure cracking for a moment. "We were perfect together. The strongest she-wolf in Golden Moon and its Alpha. It was meant to be."I stared at him, truly seeing the madness that lurked behind those blue eyes. "Lucas, listen to yourself. This isn't you. The Lucas I knew would never do something like this.”His expression softened slightly, and for a moment, I thought I might be getting through to him. Then he smiled, and that glimmer of hope vanished."The Lucas you knew was weak," he said. "He thought he could win you back through, respect and patience." He shook his head. "But you've shown me that doesn't work with you. You need a stronger hand.""This is insane," I said, trying a different approach. "People know where I am. Kai is expecting me at the eastern border. When I don't show up—"Lucas laughed again, the sound making my skin crawl. "Oh, I don't think he'll be looking for you anytime soon."The way he said it sent a fresh
Lily POVPain. That was the first sensation that greeted me as consciousness slowly crept back. A dull, throbbing ache that seemed to wrap around my entire body like a vice. My limbs were stiff, heavy, like they weren’t mine. I tried to move, but a sharp ache lanced through my wrists and ankles.I groaned softly, my head pounding. Darkness surrounded me, thick and suffocating, making it impossible to tell where I was.Where was I? What happened? My eyelids fluttered, struggling against their own weight as I fought to open them. Darkness enveloped me, so complete that for a terrifying moment, I wondered if I'd gone blind. The air was musty and stale, with an underlying scent of damp earth and decay.Had I met Kai yet? Was I at the eastern outskirts of the pack territory? My mind felt foggy, thoughts slipping through my grasp like water through fingers.I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't cooperate. That's when I realized—my hands wouldn't move independently. They were bound togeth
Lily POVI paused for a minute, trying to school my expression. I didn’t want to worsen the situation than it was already. I hesitated before I showed her the message. "He can't make it here. Wants me to take a cab instead."Celeste threw her hands up. “Unbelievable! He just expects you to—” She groaned. “You are too nice to him.”I laughed. “Or maybe I just understand him.”Celeste rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck in the back of her head. "Typical Kai. Always expecting everyone to accommodate his plans.""He's going through a lot right now," I said, defending him automatically."And you're not?" She gave me one last exasperated look but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she stood up from the bed and helped me zip up my backpack. "Just... be careful, okay? Not just with whatever you might discover, but with your heart."I pulled her into a hug, touched by her concern despite her prickly exterior. "I will. I promise."Together, we headed downstairs. The afternoo