DYLAN The shrill ringing of my phone yanked me from my slumber. I groaned, blindly reaching for it, not bothering to check the caller ID before answering. "Hi, baby! Don’t tell me you're still sleeping. Come on, wake up—it’s our engagement day!" A familiar voice chimed through the receiver. I instantly growled. "Can I not have a fucking moment of sleep anymore?" "But, baby—" "Get lost, Tiffany." I cut her off and ended the call. The audacity of that woman to wake me up. Fuck. My head pounded from last night’s drinking—an entire night wasted drowning myself in liquor, trying to forget about my mate. The one the goddess chose for me. The one who might belong to that punk Rodrigo. Today was the day I would tell the world I had chosen Tiffany as my mate. My pack expected it. Everyone did. Yet my wolf raged inside me, rejecting the idea entirely. He wanted her. Our true mate. And, fuck, I wanted her too. But there was no way in hell I, Dylan Gasper—the Alpha of the larges
KARAI stared out the window, watching the city blur past as Rodrigo hummed along to the radio, tapping his fingers on the wheel. He was in a good mood, unlike me. Parties. I never liked them—unless they involved strategies, tracking criminals, and taking down the bad guys. Those, I excelled at. This? Not so much. "Come on, cheer up, sweet Kara," Rodrigo teased, flashing me a grin. I sighed. "I only agreed to come because you asked nicely." He scoffed, rolling his eyes like I'd just insulted him. "I promise it'll be fun." I didn’t bother answering. Instead, I turned my attention back to the streets, silently hoping the event would be over before I lost my mind. The car eventually came to a stop in front of a massive building. Rodrigo stepped out first, coming around to open my door before taking my hand in his. Lately, he had made a habit of holding my hand whenever he could, and I had stopped protesting. It was pointless. The moment we stepped inside, something shifted
KARAI stared out the window, watching the city blur past as Rodrigo hummed along to the radio, tapping his fingers on the wheel. He was in a good mood, unlike me. Parties. I never liked them—unless they involved strategies, tracking criminals, and taking down the bad guys. Those, I excelled at. This? Not so much. "Come on, cheer up, sweet Kara," Rodrigo teased, flashing me a grin. I sighed. "I only agreed to come because you asked nicely." He scoffed, rolling his eyes like I'd just insulted him. "I promise it'll be fun." I didn’t bother answering. Instead, I turned my attention back to the streets, silently hoping the event would be over before I lost my mind. The car eventually came to a stop in front of a massive building. Rodrigo stepped out first, coming around to open my door before taking my hand in his. Lately, he had made a habit of holding my hand whenever he could, and I had stopped protesting. It was pointless. The moment we stepped inside, something shifted
DYLANI downed my fourth glass of whiskey, barely acknowledging the curious stares from those passing by. My mind was a fucking mess. Closing my eyes, I let my thoughts drift—to *her*. Those perfect, tiny lips wrapped tightly around my cock, those slender legs locked around my waist as I pounded into her, dragging her into ecstasy. Fuck. I was going insane over a Neotide I hadn't even spoken to since my Wolf scented her as mine—who might not even be mine to claim. The glass was halfway to my lips when a familiar voice cut through my haze. "The night's still young to be this drunk, isn't it, Brother?" I didn't bother turning. "None of your fucking business." Thiago laughed, the sound irritatingly carefree as he took the empty chair next to mine. My brother and I were cut from different cloth. He was the golden son, the obedient one, our father's pride and joy. Me? I had always been the pain in the ass. The one who pushed boundaries. The one our mother favored until she
The party went on, and I did everything in my power to avoid his gaze. Rodrigo stayed by my side, keeping me company, something I was grateful for. The room was filled with shifters—both young and old. I observed from a distance as Dylan slid the ring onto her finger, and my chest tightened. I told myself it shouldn’t matter, that it didn’t matter, yet it did. When our eyes met across the room, everything else faded. The engagement ceremony finally ended, and Tiffany was glowing, basking in the congratulations from their guests. But Dylan… he looked miserable. Something twisted deep inside me at the sight. Was he being forced into this marriage? Or did he feel the same strange pull I did? No. I shoved the thought away. I didn’t know where these emotions were coming from, but I had to kill them before they consumed me. This—whatever this was—had to be some side effect of the bite. Maybe becoming a shifter had altered my instincts, making me drawn to another of my kind. Th
DYLAN’S POVWatching her dance with another man was like torture, a slow, agonizing pain that crawled through my chest, burning through every inch of me. It took everything in me not to let my wolf take over, to not storm onto that dance floor and rip her away from him. My jaw clenched as I followed her every move, my fists curled at my sides. I shouldn’t be watching her this closely, but I couldn’t help it. She was my mate. Mine. And yet, I was forced to stand back, forced to witness another man touch what was meant to belong to me. Then I saw them—Tiffany and Nia. The moment they made their way toward Kara, I knew nothing good would come of it. I moved without thinking, my steps quick and sharp as I closed the distance between us. Just as I suspected, Tiffany was already running her mouth, her words slicing through the air like a blade aimed straight at my mate. My blood boiled, the anger in me snapping like a wild beast as I made my presence known, my voice a growl of warni
The drive back was silent. Too silent. Kara’s thoughts drifted to what Rodrigo and Mr. Gasper had discussed. Ever since Rodrigo returned from that conversation, something in his expression had changed—subtle, but there. A certain solemnity, like whatever had been said was important. Maybe even troubling. She didn’t ask. Instead, she leaned against the cool glass of the window, watching as the city blurred past in streaks of neon and headlights. Then, inevitably, her mind circled back to Dylan. The few minutes they had spent together had been the best she’d felt since that awful night. There was something about him—something dangerous, something raw—but at the same time, he brought her a calmness she couldn’t explain. She closed her eyes, allowing the memory to pull her back. ***AT THE PARTY “Walk with me, Kara.” His voice was low, commanding, leaving no room for argument. And yet, she followed. Dylan led her through the party, past the curious glances and whispere
The blaring ring of my alarm shattered the silence, yanking me out of sleep. I groaned, blindly reaching for the clock, shutting it off with more force than necessary. My head ached—a dull, persistent throb that made me wince as I rubbed my temples. Sunlight streamed through the parted curtains, golden rays piercing into my room, chasing away the remnants of sleep. I forced myself out of bed and took a quick shower, letting the cold water snap me awake. Dressed in slacks and a hoodie, I made my way downstairs, drawn by the scent of breakfast already laid out. Everyone was gathered around the table—everyone except Rodrigo. “Kara!” Malia’s excited voice rang out the moment I stepped into the room. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and before I could even take a seat, she was already leaning forward. “How was last night? Spill!” I froze mid-step as every pair of eyes turned toward me. “I heard you guys come in late, but I let you sleep,” Malia continued, waving her fork. “Now
Kara’s POVThe city was still as we drove through its streets, the kind of stillness that felt unnatural, stretched too thin—like the air before a storm when even the wind holds its breath. Dylan’s car moved smoothly along the empty roads, the soft hum of the engine a quiet reminder that I was not alone. I should have felt safe, tucked away in the leather seats beside him, but my mind was elsewhere. Tonight, everything would change. "You okay?" Dylan's voice cut through my thoughts, his tone casual, but his gaze sharp as he flicked a glance at me. The city lights illuminated the angles of his face in flashes—his strong jaw, the dark depth of his eyes, the slight furrow in his brow as he watched me. I blinked, my mind snapping back to the present. "Why?" "You seem distracted." He smirked, but there was something unreadable beneath it. "Maybe you're hiding something from me." The teasing edge in his voice sent a flicker of guilt down my spine. If only he knew how right he w
Kara's POV"The CEO himself is involved… wow, I must be of great importance then." Rodrigo’s jaw tightened, his expression grim. "We believe it’s because you know something—some secret about ASA. That’s why they want you dead at all costs." Kara scoffed, folding her arms. "But I know nothing. We were just pawns—paid to be on the field, risking our lives while they sat back, issuing commands like gods playing chess. It has to be something else." Her voice dripped with frustration, the sting of betrayal still fresh. Rodrigo exhaled, his sharp eyes assessing her. "There’s only one way to find out." The room fell silent, heads turning toward her. Kara lifted her chin. "We attack Dave Benson tomorrow night. Abduct him. Break him until he talks." The air grew heavy, thick with tension. For a long beat, no one spoke. Then— "You’re joking, right?" Gigi’s voice cracked the silence, but her wide eyes said she already knew the answer. Rodrigo smirked. "I don’t think she is." "T
Kara’s POVI took a deep breath, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. "Dylan, I won’t deny what I feel. But it terrifies me—all that comes with it. How do you expect a mere human, bitten and thrown into this world, to suddenly stand beside you as Luna? To rule over thousands of werewolves when I barely understand this life?"The words felt like razor blades on my tongue, sharp, painful, but necessary. Dylan’s golden eyes burned into mine, intense and unyielding. His expression was unreadable, but I could feel the tension rolling off him. "So what are you saying, huh?" His voice was rough, guttural. "That we ignore this? Pretend what we have means nothing?"His jaw clenched. "Because that’s not happening. I’m not letting you go."The finality in his tone sent a shiver through me. I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat growing. "You don’t understand," I whispered. "My life is a mess, Dylan. I don’t know what might happen next. I could die—" My voice cracked, my ches
DYLAN’S POVThe execution of my plan was supposed to begin today. Or so I thought. But as the hours passed, I realized how much I had underestimated the weight of it all. The tension coiled in my gut, suffocating, unbearable. I could barely function under its grip. The thought of her—of how she would react—consumed me. Would she accept the truth? Would she accept me? We had barely spoken about how she was turned, and a small, reckless part of me clung to the hope that it might mean she wouldn’t resist. That she might already feel the pull toward me, even if she refused to acknowledge it. I kept telling myself this was for the best. That claiming her, binding her to me, was the only way forward. But my hands still shook with anticipation. The car came to a stop, jerking me back to the present. I exhaled sharply, pushing open the door and stepping out. My gaze lifted to the towering glass building before me—a place that had once been my refuge. After my mother died, I had buried
The next morning, Kara arrived at work to find everything as it had been—quiet, routine, almost unsettlingly normal. But Dylan was nowhere to be found. Murphy, one of her coworkers, shook his head when she asked. “Boss hasn’t been in for two days. No calls, no messages. Nothing.” Kara only nodded, though something cold twisted in her gut. She buried herself in paperwork, pushing past the exhaustion clawing at her bones. Despite everything—the attacks, the shifting, the secrets—she still managed to keep herself together. Then the office phone rang, slicing through the silence. She barely had time to answer before a deep, familiar voice sent a shiver down her spine. “Kara, are you okay?” She froze. His voice was like a switch, flipping something inside her she didn’t want to acknowledge. It poured over her like warm honey, thick and consuming, dragging her mind back to *him.* “Kara?” The concern in his tone was unmistakable. “Are you there?” She gripped the receiver ti
"What the hell just happened? And why would Neotides attack my house?“I demanded answers the second we stepped into Rodrigo’s house, my voice sharp, my chest still heaving from the adrenaline. Rodrigo barely glanced at me before steering me toward the stairs. “Relax, Kara. Go take a shower, and I promise to explain everything.” There was no room for protest. His hand on my back was firm, pushing me up the stairs like a father sending a reckless child to bed. I bit back a retort, my heart still racing. The attack had been brutal, unexpected. The fear in Kelly’s eyes haunted me. Stepping into my old room, I found her sprawled across the bed, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. Her limbs were flung carelessly, as if sleep had taken her hostage before she could find a comfortable position. My fingers traced the soft curve of her cheek. She had seen me shift. And she had looked at me like I was a monster. A heavy sigh left my lips. I'd have to face her when she woke
KARA I barely made it to the bathroom before my stomach lurched, emptying everything I had inside me. My belly churned violently, and I gagged, throwing up again, my throat burning. I gripped the cold edges of the sink, my body trembling as I forced myself to rinse my mouth, splashing water on my face. My eyes were red, swollen, furious. The nerve he had—kissing me like he fucking meant it, only to have his *fiancée* on her knees for him in his office moments later. I squeezed my eyes shut, but it was useless. The image was burned into my skull, playing in my mind like a curse. His head tilted back, her hands gripping his thighs, *his* groan of pleasure—disgust clawed at my chest, bile rising in my throat again. My wolf whimpered, retreating into the depths of my mind, wounded. And I hated myself for feeling that pain. I should’ve known. I *did* know. Dylan Gasper was playing with me—making me believe I mattered. And I fell for it like a goddamn fool. Pathetic, Kara.I wa
The ride back home was silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Kara stared out the window, her mind in a frenzy of emotions. "You're home," Rodrigo’s voice pulled her back to the present. She blinked, realizing the car had stopped. Without a word, she pushed the door open and stepped out, but before she could walk away, Rodrigo called after her. "Sweet Kara, you are strong. You will overcome this storm ahead of you. I believe in you." Something in his voice made her chest tighten. She turned to him, her throat dry. "Thank you, Rodrigo. For everything," she whispered. She knew it now—her life was in danger. ASA wanted her eliminated. They would stop at nothing to silence her. At least she was safe here, for now. The apartment given to her by her new employers was deep within New Age Pack’s territory. They wouldn’t dare touch her here. After a hot shower, she collapsed onto her bed, naked, the heat of the water still clinging to her skin. Her body was exhausted, but
Kara jolted awake to the sharp ringing of her phone, her breath hitching as she reached for the vibrating device on the nightstand. "Hello," she mumbled without checking the caller ID. "Hey, how are you?" That voice. Her body tensed as she pulled the phone away, staring at the screen in disbelief before bringing it back to her ear. "Are you there?" Dylan’s voice came again, smooth yet edged with something unreadable. "Uh—yeah, I’m here. I'm... fine," she answered hastily, her voice still thick with sleep. "I wanted to check on you," he said, his tone unreadable. "You're my employee now, which makes you my responsibility." Kara scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine, sir." A low growl rumbled through the phone. "Do not call me that," he said through gritted teeth. "At least not when we're outside the office." A slow smirk played on her lips. "Oh? So you want me to call you by your name, sir?" She bit her lip to stifle a giggle. "Fuck