*Selene's POV* “Are sure he is going to come?”Cassie asked for the third time in an hour. I glanced at the clock and the wall and nodded. “Of course he would.”I say,trying to keep my mind positive,but even my own voice sounded doubtful. “Why wouldn't he?” Cassie did a wide eyed blink and I knew right then and there that I was going to regret asking that question for at least two days. “Well,lets start with the basics.”she began,proudly laying the foundation to crush my heart and ego. “He is ignoring your calls,spending more time with his supposed wife on live TV and he might already know that you are the spy that–” I tapped my fingers on the chair anxiously and Cassie stopped talking when she noticed she was the cause of the tapping. “He's only two hours late and I am definitely sure he will have no problem coming to the most controversial brothel in town even though it might ruin him.”she added,her sarcasm hitting me like a slap in the face. “I think that's enough external p
*Ares’s POV* I've been measuring how strong I am or in better words how deep this obsession was rooted…and I have come to a pretty confusing conclusion. I can bring myself to resist the urge to see her and confront her and yet at the same time,I can't get her damn face,voice,smell out of my brain. I have spent most of my time in my office since my little delightful “discovery”,What was I expecting anyway? I was chasing after a woman who glady branded herself as a man killer and I had somehow expected not to be killed. Maybe–just maybe she is too far gone. Besides,all the time I had spent with her had done nothing but weigh upon the thread that she might be my Luna. If she was,she would say it by now and her hair seemed completely jet black…it makes absolutely no sense to have someone so hell bent on destroying me so close to me. Anyway,I have come to realise that whenever I'm under stress,I become a workaholic…which by the way is just perfect for the situation. So far,I
*Selene's POV* Detachment. It has always been my strong suit, or at least I thought it was before I began loosing my prorities. Either way,what matters now are the important things, like the reason I fought so hard for that house in the first place and now how to properly manage matters involving it. I carefully installed a pair of hoop earrings and adjusted my hair off my face. Staring at myself in the mirror, I decided to give my lips another coat of lipstick. Greta came into the room with freshly washed towels, humming a carefree song as she waddled into the closet. “Has anything arrived in the mail?” I asked absently. “No,” she yelled from the closet. “Nothing yet.” I was expecting the invitations by now—Yolanda's birthday was tonight, and I couldn’t miss it. I began to consider getting the tickets myself. “Are you expecting anything?” Greta asked, attempting to make conversation. But I wasn’t really in the mood to talk; it had been hard to get in the mood for anyth
*Yolanda's POV* My eyes couldn't leave the two empty chairs opposite me,I had sent out those invitations exclusively to high status residents of the pack,this was a prestigious event and being late to my birthday dinner–especially when your seats were on my table was very very insulting. I know for sure that I wasn't going to invite them to anything ever again,in fact, just to teach them a lesson,I will ensure they never get invited to anything important again. I took a small sip to calm my fuming nerves. It was my birthday,and I was celebrating it in grand style. There was room for negativity or worries. “Ladies and Gentlemen,”Silvia began,raising her glass in the air as she stood to her feet. “Today is a very special day for the Royal family,one of our very own”She turns to me ,her eyes glistening with unshed tears I know she didn't mean. “Today is our one and only Yolanda's fifty-second birthday,”she beamed,bringing her hands to a clap,and as expected,the guests at th
*Ares’s POV* “What is going on?”Noelle whined beside me. “What are they talking about?” I looked down at her annoyed,this was the second time she has asked those questions since Yolanda went to talk to Selene,as though I wasn't also here,several feet away,watching them whisper with gritted teeth. “I have no idea.”I obliged myself to tell her despite my obvious discontent. “Finally,”my mother said,keeping her tone discreet. “Someone to make the party alive.” I ignored her and took my seat,fixing my tie and trying not to look her way. The guests murmurs were already beginning to annoy my ears “Who even invited her?”Noelle asked me again, and I can already feel a migraine spiralling in my head at this point. I shot her a glare, and she retreated her hand from me and looked away. Her eyes caught my mother, and She turned her questionnaire skills to her instead. “Are we just going to sit here and act like nothing is happening?” “Your mother is a wise woman.”came the reply,a
*Selene's POV*“He finally graces me with his presence”I mocked,walking to the patio,where he stood. “I'm assuming I should bow and thank you now.” His dark broad shoulders kept facing the abyss,his face towards the sky as another perfect ring of smoke elevated in the air. My heart beat strangely at the sight of him, I felt annoyed that he had ignored me for so long,partly terrified because he was slipping out my hands and now here I was standing behind me,talking to him and yet he pretends like he doesn't hear me. I bit into my lower lip and marched towards him,setting my purse gently on the railing and trying to collect my thoughts properly. “I didn't know you smoked.”I said finally,turning to face him. He is still fucking looking into the vast night,barely acknowledging my presence,starving me of his attention. It feels like hell, how could we be so close and yet so distant. “Stress habit.”He replies roughly before sending the cigarette between his silver ringed adorned finge
*Yolanda's POV* “Mom,please !!! stop!”Noelle cried as I desperately pushed my finger in her throat. “What's happening to you!”Noelle screamed as her fingers scratched me, I swear on my own goddamn life,If Selene poisoned my daughter,I would kill her,right here and right now. I felt hot tears stream down my face when it wasn't working–why wasn't she vomiting? How deep did the damn cake go? Was it way too late? I grabbed her throat and started her deep in the eye. “Listen Noelle,”I say breathlessly. “You have to vomit—” I felt hands yank me off her and another line of tears rushed down my cheeks. I wasn't going to lose my daughter,at least not tonight. “She poisoned the cake!”I yelled,trying to free myself from their grasp. “Selene poisoned the cake! I heard her say it!” I looked around the room In hopes they would start accusing Selene but all their eyes were still glued on me,with pity,as if I was crazy. Noelle’s especially,staggering back as she took deep steady breaths
*Dominic's POV* “So."Caleb concluded,slapping his notebook shut. “That's all for today.” I glanced at where Selene sat,she had her hair pulled behind her ears as she pensively stared into the void. I stared out the window of my office,hoping to distract myself from the seething anger within me. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere,the son of a bitch appears again and she follows him like a lost puppy. No matter how rationally I try to think,there is nothing innocent about them meeting up in secret. And it's even more intriguing that she didn't care to clear up the air after it,or ask why I left without her. “Any questions?”Caleb asks,noticing both of us are in our own words. I raised my hand mid air. “When this sting is over,will Ares be in jail or just off the throne.” Selene's eyes shot up and froze on me, staring at me as though I had asked the inhuman question known to man. “Well.”Caleb shrugs,choosing to ignore the tension between Selene and I. “I am not sure.”
I ran down the hospital hall, my heart thundering violently in my chest. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be.My feet pounded against the white tiles, each step a reckless echo of my desperation. My legs threatened to give out beneath me, weak from exhaustion, malnourishment, and an unhealthy dose of grief. I had barely eaten the day before. I had survived on even less sleep. None of it mattered now.I stopped abruptly in front of the glass door. My breath caught in my throat. Inside, Yolanda was standing with her arms crossed, watching the doctor with unnerving intensity. Her face was unreadable, trapped in one of those poker-faced seasons where it was impossible to tell if she wanted to cry in joy or despair.I swallowed hard and pushed open the door—gently, out of habit, as if politeness could soften the blow of whatever awaited me.Noelle sat in the corner, her hands folded in her lap, but when she saw me, her expression crumbled into something close to pity. I ignored it. I
“*Dominic's POV*I’m a hypocrite.That’s what I am—a lying, pretentious son of a bitch who hurt the only woman I’ve ever truly loved. But, it’s not my fault, you see... She provoked me. She screamed all those horrible things, looking me dead in the eyes as if I wouldn’t literally kill for her. As if she doesn’t know that I already have.The memory of her words stings, and my chest tightens. I shake it off, unwilling to dwell on what had come over me that made me push her. That impulse—whatever the hell it was—must never be revived. Ever. But how am I going to handle this now? How can I fix something so broken?I check my watch for what feels like the hundredth time tonight. It’s 2 AM, and still nothing from the doctors. The empty, eerie silence of the waiting room presses in on me. What a way to end an engagement party. For a split second, I almost chuckle at the absurdity of it all, but then I remember that I have company.Cassie walks into the room, her heels clicking against the co
Noelle's POV“How do you know?” Yolanda asked, panic heavy in her eyes. “How long have you known?”Her breath hitched, and she frowned at me, turning serious as she grabbed my arm. “Have you told anyone?”“I've known for quite a while.” I pull my hand away from her grip. “And no, I haven't told anyone.”Yet.Victor posed the question this time.“How did you find out?”“After asking several times for answers, I took my time to glare at Yolanda. “I got some maids to do a little snooping, and they came back with the news.”“So you were spying on me?” Yolanda asked, offended. “We are sorry we kept it from you all this while.” Victor apologised anyway. “I tried to tell you several times, but… He sent an eye gesture Yolanda's way, and she scoffed.“Yes, yes, make me your villain.”“The least you can do is apologise.” He mumbled under his breath.“What was that?”“I said.” Victor began turning to face her. “The least you can do in this situation is apologise!”“Right.” She nodded. “As thoug
*Ares POV*I walked to the pool house in a hurry, my heart beating frantically at the thought of talking to Selene in private, even if it meant acting like I was on some secret mission. After what I witnessed at the party, I’ll take what I can get. Honestly, a pool house meeting is far more than I expected.My footsteps echoed in the large swimming hall, but there was no sound. No, Selene… nothing. I groaned internally and clung to what Cassie told me for hope."She desperately wants to see you," she'd said. "All of it was pretend. I think something’s wrong—far more than we thought."I looked around in disappointment, realising I couldn’t keep playing these games anymore. But as I took another step, I froze, a dark sensation settling over me. My skin prickled, a jolt of electricity rushing through me—just like when she was in the room. But this was different… weak, fading."Selene?"I looked down, and my heart shattered when I saw the floating figure in the water, her dress billowing
Selene's POVI really need to talk to Ares alone.But in between the judgemental glares I'm getting and Ares refusing to at least look my way, I'm certain that it would be easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than to get my wish.But what about our mindlink? Does that still work – how does it even work?I find him busy in conversation in the crowd and smile faintly; his nonchalance at the whole situation is partly soothing but also concerning. The last thing we need is a scene, but I still feel so lonely being completely ignored by him.Dominic's hands tug at my waist, and I mentally jolt back my table.“I asked if you liked the escargot.” Dominic grinned, a hint of annoyance still in his tone. I imagine he had asked me several times, but I was too busy to hear.“I'm enjoying myself.” I replied softly, and the people around the table eased up.They looked like they were waiting on a suicide time bomb, and Dominic and I were holding the grenade. I leaned back and brought
Yolanda's POV“Is that the girl you saw bump into him?” I asked my spy, narrowing my eyes as we both stared at the security footage on the screen in front of us.“Yes,” she nodded, leaning in as if to get a better look. “The woman with the orange hair, beside the Alpha.”“Just as I suspected,” I hissed, my fingers tightening around the glass in my hand. The burn of the whiskey as it slid down my throat did little to ease the rising frustration. “I'm sure Selene is on our tail about Victor. And that orange-haired brat is who she sent to do the job.”The spy shifted beside me, eager to contribute, her excitement palpable. “So, do you want us to release the story about Liam now?”“No,” I replied sharply, raising two fingers as I leaned back in my chair. “I think I'll handle this in an entirely different way.” A wicked grin tugged at the corners of my lips as I squinted at the screen, watching Selene and Dominic in the center of the television below.I don't know what they were planning bu
*Selene's POV*There are three levels by which I rank evil: evil justified, evil triggering, and Dominic—Dominic being the highest on the scale. I knew Liam was crazy when he threatened to kill himself for me. At that moment, I truly believed no other man would cross that line of madness and emotional manipulation as he had.But then I met Dominic, and I realized my expectations of human foolery were far too low.I glanced down at the engagement ring on my finger. It was there the morning after sleeping in his bed. I hadn’t even said yes, for Christ’s sake, but here I was, wearing it and getting dolled up to stand at his side. Some event was happening tonight—I didn’t even have the energy to ask what it was.I felt the hairdresser's fingers curling my hair into a high ponytail and instinctively withdrew.“What do you think you’re doing?” I snapped, more harshly than I intended. But with the world pulling at me in every direction, I needed to direct my anger somewhere, and she was, unf
*Ares's POV*“Do you know who Victor is?” I asked as soon as the door opened. “Ares?”Cassie asked in surprise,her eyes darting behind me. “You are here again?” “Good morning.”I greeted,walking past her. “Morning.”She replies,rubbing her eyes,evidently too tired to complain.“Do you know you Victor is?”I repeat my question with shorter patience “Is he a customer here?”Cassie yawned,leading me to a chair. I reluctantly took a seat despite really not wanting to,I was hoping not to spend too much time here,I was hoping not to get so comfortable. “I don't think he's a customer,”I draw out the chair. “I know nothing about him. In fact, I was hoping you knew something about him.” “How should I know?” I handed her the note Selene gave me and watched her face,hoping for a reaction…there wasn't much. She recognised the handwriting, but there was nothing more to it than that. “That's his address.”I said, trying to jug her memory somehow. “I think Selene slipped it into my coat whe
*Selene’s POV*“You are never going to pull that stunt with me, are we clear?” Dominic’s voice sliced through the quiet of the room like a whip, sharp and unforgiving.I remained silent, staring blankly at my reflection in the mirror as Greta calmly combed my hair back, her touch careful, avoiding even the slightest tension in the strands.“Answer me!” Dominic’s voice erupted again behind me, his frustration rippling through the air like a storm about to break. Greta flinched this time, her hand faltering.I dragged my eyes from my reflection to him—lazy, uninterested, detached. “You’re being too loud,” I said quietly, taking a slow sip of my ginger tea as if his anger didn’t reach me.“Greta,” Dominic snapped, his tone softer but still commanding. “Leave us. We need to talk privately.”The comb dropped to the table with a soft clatter, and Greta quickly walked away, making sure not to meet my eyes as she left the room.“You should really get your face treated,” I said, my voice dripp