I went into the room and closed the door behind me, frustration simmering beneath my skin. I swore at him silently through the door, my hands clenching into fists as I replayed what he had just done.How the hell was I supposed to top that?Did he even plan on spilling the hot cocoa on me, or did he just go with it?I rummaged through my bag, searching for something... anything that would make this game mine to win. And then I found it.An oversized shirt and those panties.The ones Alex had gifted me as a birthday present-the ones I never got to use.Teal blue and completely lace. Delicate. Sheer. Designed for one thing only.It definitely didn’t leave much to the imagination.I hesitated for a moment, second-guessing myself.But then, a slow smirk crept onto my lips.If I walked out like this, there was no way I wouldn’t win. No way.I slipped the panties on, feeling the cool lace press against my heated skin. My body was already betraying me, reacting before he even touched me.I p
My eyes flutter open to the sunlight streaming in from the window. I reach over to the bed beside me, but feel nothing.Just then, the memories come rushing back, and I sit up straight. The tenderness between my thighs is a clear reminder that it was all real.I push through the delightful pain and run over to the mirror.And there it was.His mark.Bold and completely obvious on my neck.There was no way of hiding this unless I wore a scarf, I mean even a turtleneck wouldn’t do the job. That would make it even more suspicious since we were in the middle of freaking spring.What was I supposed to do now?I hadn’t expected things to go this far.I check my phone... 9 AM flashed across the screen.Which means there’s no way Liam is still asleep.I put on a pair of pants before leaving the bedroom, and lo and behold. There Liam and Andrew are, sitting on the couch watching Paw Patrol.Liam is excitedly filling him in on all the cool gadgets each car has, ranting about Chase, his favorite
When the kiss broke, Andrew offered me a mug of coffee, which I accepted gladly. He leaned back against the kitchen counter, watching me with a deep hunger obvious in his gaze."I could get used to this," he said, making me blush."Used to what?" I retorted, taking a small sip of my coffee.He smirked and took another sip of his own."I could get used to waking up to you every morning. Having your presence around me all the time. I like it. It’s comforting. Something I didn’t realize I missed this much," he said, placing his empty cup down on the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.I giggled, and he smiled."What?" he asked, his brows raising slightly."Why are you giggling? Am I being too cheesy?" His smile only got brighter the longer I laughed.I shook my head, still grinning."Not only are you a tiny bit cheesy," I said, emphasizing the tiny bit with my fingers, "but you haven’t even marked me for a full eight hours, and you’re already playing house."His smirk widened.
After spending a few days with Alina and Liam, I had to return to the kingdom. Duty called. Unfortunately.I had meetings to attend, matters to settle. And most importantly, a future to secure. I wasn’t going to let Alina live in the shadows forever. She deserved her rightful place by my side, and I was going to make sure that happened. No matter what it took.I knew she and Liam would be safe while I was gone. The barrier around the territory would keep them away from any hands that i didnt let through.That was unless they had a very powerful witch to bring it down. But as extra protection, I left Josh stationed there. He was my most trusted warrior, the strongest fighter I had, and more than that, he was loyal. He was my beta. He had to be.He would fight for them until his last breath.Especially now that he knew the truth.Liam was my son.Not just my son, but the heir to the Werewolf Kingdom.That made him more valuable than my own life in the eyes of the kingdom. And wit
Andrew’s pov:Johnathan drums his fingers on the table, his face unreadable as he carefully processes my words.He’s intrigued.I could tell, but he also knows better than to pick a side just yet. He always does this. Weighing his options, analyzing the battlefield before stepping onto it.The reason i never threw him over to the rogue side was that his fence sitting was aweapon. An indication of how my plans compared to the enemies. He was a fool. But a fool that made for a very useful tool.He leans back in his chair, the smirk on his lips lazy, but his eyes sharp, always watching.Calculating."So, you want to poke the bear and see how it reacts?" he muses, tilting his head slightly.I don’t hesitate."I want to force it into the open."Johnathan lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head in amusement."Dangerous game, cousin."I meet his gaze, unwavering."A game I will win."His smirk falters for a brief moment, but I catch it. A flicker of uncertainty, quickly buried beneath h
I sat at the bar, waiting for Axel to show up. I didn’t need to tell him where I was. I knew he’d find me. He always did.The ice in my whiskey had nearly melted, swirling in the golden liquid at the bottom of the glass. I watched it lazily, my mind drifting, stuck in the past.Alina.Her moans were still fresh in my mind, the way her body fit against mine like she was meant to be there. The first time I touched her had been nothing compared to what happened the other night. That night had been different. It was real. It was fire. It was something I didn’t want to admit I needed.A smirk pulled at my lips as I took a slow sip of my drink.For the first time in forever, I felt something more than just obligation. More than duty.And then there was Liam.I sighed, tapping a finger against the glass. He was… something else. Alina had done a damn good job raising him. He was sharp, too smart for his age, and responsible in ways I wasn’t when I was young. And that Alpha spirit? Yeah, he ha
Axel leaned back, swirling the whiskey in his glass, watching me carefully. "I saw Johnathan go into the brothel. Met with Eve."I didn’t react, just took another slow sip of my drink, waiting for him to get to the part that mattered.Axel smirked. "They got real comfortable with each other," he continued. "Then disappeared into one of the rooms."That didn’t surprise me.Johnathan had no sense of control. Loyalty wasn’t in his vocabulary.I tapped a finger against my glass, thinking. "Eve doesn’t work there."Axel nodded. "Yeah, I figured."But Henry? He’d use his daughter however it suited him. Same way he’d use his son. Same way he’d use anyone. The man didn’t have lines… he only had goals.And I knew exactly what his goal was.Dethrone me.I exhaled sharply through my nose, rubbing a hand over my jaw.Johnathan fucking someone wasn’t a move. It wasn’t strategy. It was just another indulgence, something he could replace with a snap of his fingers.But Henry? Henry didn’t waste time
Alina's pov:The sun sat high in the sky, its bright rays streaming through the trees' leaves. The air was still wet and cool from the night, mixing with the pine scent. The woods were quiet. The kind of quiet that made it easy to get lost in your thoughts, to think about everything that was going on. Something I needed right now.Josh and Liam had finally called a truce, though it was more like Josh letting Liam win and Liam pretending he didn’t notice. He’d never say it outright, but Josh knew better than to bruise the ego of the Alpha’s son. Liam needed to feel strong. He needed to believe in himself. And Josh? He played along.Even with the tension gone, I needed space... a moment to think. I think Josh realized that. I think he knew a lot more about what was going on than he let on. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he understood my need for a break, for just two minutes alone.So, I left.I trailed my fingers over the rough bark of a tree as I walked, the slight breeze r
Sometime in the night, exhaustion had finally won. I had cried myself into a restless sleep, only to wake up feeling just as drained, just as hollow as before.The ache in my chest hadn’t faded. The weight of last night still pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe, hard to think.I sank lower into the bath, hoping the warm water would do something—anything—to cleanse me of everything that had happened. To soak away my guilt. To wash away my betrayal.To drown the war raging inside me.Maybe if I stayed in here long enough, I would step out as someone new. Someone who deserved to be queen.Because today wasn’t just any day.Today, I had to stand before the entire kingdom and make my promise. My vow to be their Luna, their queen.But how could I swear my loyalty to an entire kingdom when I couldn’t even control my own heart?I let out a long sigh, closing my eyes for just a moment before finally forcing myself to stand.An omega was already waiting for me when I stepped back into
I knew I was no match for Andrew. His family had that stupid strength ability. The one that made them nearly invincible in battle. It gave them an advantage over any other alpha, and right now.I was experiencing that disadvantage firsthand.His grip around my throat was tight, but not suffocating. He was giving me a chance. A small, razor-thin chance to explain myself before he crushed my windpipe."Woah, woah, woah," I rasped. "I thought it was innocent until proven guilty?"The second the words left my mouth, I could see his expression shift. It wasn’t what he expected me to say. His grip loosened ever so slightly, and his brows pulled together in confusion."So, you deny kissing your queen?" His voice was sharp."MY mate," he snarled.I let out a slow breath, rubbing my throat once he finally let go."I never said that," I admitted, sitting up slightly. "But I didn’t do it as some sort of power play against you. I didn’t do it to dethrone you. Whether you want to know this or
"I can't," I whispered, my voice barely escaping my lips.Andrew’s fist slammed down onto the bedside table with such force that the entire thing shattered beneath his strength.The loud crack echoed through the room, a perfect reflection of the breaking pieces inside me."Did you even try?" he asked, his voice struggling to remain gentle even when his entire being trembled with frustration.I squeezed my eyes shut. I wished I had an answer that wouldn’t tear him apart. But I didn’t."I did," I admitted. "But… part of me couldn’t even bring myself to say the words."Silence.The kind of silence that stretches too long. The kind that stripped the air of all oxygen.When I finally looked at him, his eyes were filled with pain and betrayal."Do you even want to reject him?"His question slammed into me, hitting a part of my soul I hadn’t even realized existed.Just the thought alone was too painful to entertain.The idea of forcing Jeremiah away, of severing whatever bond existed betwe
"I'm so sorry, Andrew. I didn't mean to," I whispered. My voice broke under the immense weight of my guilt.I could feel his body go rigid beneath me, his muscles turning to stone.Slowly, hesitantly, I lifted my gaze, my tear-streaked face tilting up toward his.His eyes were locked on mine. Searching for answers to the million questions filling his mind.He cupped my cheeks. Protective and possessive yet there was a slight warmth mixed in."What happened?" he asked again, his voice deep and controlled.Tears kept falling. I couldn't stop them now even if I wanted to."I… I… went f-for a… w-walk in the… f-forest," I stuttered, barely able to get the words out.Andrew just listened, waiting patiently."J-Jeremiah was t-there," I continued, and his entire body tensed.His hands twitched against my skin. His fingers gripped slightly tighter, almost like he was ready to crush something...or someone.His jaw clenched.His aura shifted."I swear, if he hurt you…" His voice was more of a gr
“I’ve got to go,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I stood up.I needed to get out of here. I needed space to breathe. Space to think.But before I could take a single step, Jeremiah’s hand wrapped around my wrist.The movement was swift and it threw me off balance.My feet stumbled causing me to fall right into his chest.My breath hitched as his arms instinctively wrapped around me, steadying me against his warmth. His scent wrapped around me like a cocoon, seeping into my skin. Tempting me even further. putting me in a haze.I tilted my head up, meeting his gaze.His eyes locked onto mine, swirling with something unspoken.Maybe Awe.Maybe Longing.Maybe Love.In a split second.His lips crashed into mine.It was not a hesitant kiss. It was not unsure.It was the kind of kiss that spoke of lifetimes.Of familiarity.Of .... I missed you.And for a moment, I let myself melt into it.I let myself drown in the way his lips molded to mine, how perfectly they fit together, lik
I stared at him, completely taken aback by his words.He thinks I’m his mate?A sharp jolt of shock shot through me, followed almost immediately by confusion.That wasn’t possible.Was it?I let out a small, breathless laugh, nudging his shoulder lightly. “Funny joke, Alpha Jeremiah.”But he didn’t laugh.His eyes didn’t waver, his lips didn’t curl into that usual cocky smirk.Instead, he looked dead serious.His deep brown eyes locked onto mine, burning with something I couldn’t quite place.Something… certain.“It’s not a joke, Alina,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth.And the way my name rolled off his tongue...Goddess help me.I swallowed, shaking my head. “I’m sure I would’ve felt it if you were.”Wouldn’t I?That’s how the mate bond worked.The pull. The connection. The raw, undeniable force that tied two souls together.But Jeremiah didn’t back down.Instead, his hand reached up, his fingers brushing against the strands of my hair, lifting them gently to expose my mark.H
“You scared the shit out of me, Jeremiah.”My heart was still hammering against my ribs, wild and erratic like an African drum.I sucked in a breath, trying to steady myself, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins refused to settle. My entire body was on high alert, still shaken from the attack that wasn’t really an attack at all.Jeremiah, on the other hand?Completely unfazed.The bastard had the audacity to look amused as he stood there in all his glory.And by all… I mean all.My gaze trailed over him before my brain could catch up.The moonlight kissed every inch of his perfectly sculpted body, highlighting the taut muscles of his chest, the sharp ridges of his abs, the strong lines of his arms.Everything about him was raw, untamed strength.Dangerous and far too tempting.Then my eyes dipped lower...Oh, shit.Heat exploded across my face as I ripped my gaze away, turning my back to him so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.Goddess help me.Jeremiah chuckled, a low, deep
The kingdom was safe.For the first time, there were no whispers of war, no threats lurking beyond the borders. No traitors plotting in secret.Eve was gone.Cast out, rejected by every pack, left to wander alone with no power and no allies. It was the cruelest fate a wolf could face, but even that felt like too light of a punishment for her.Jonathan had been given a choice. Swear his loyalty to the crown or be stripped of his title and turned rogue. He had practically begged to sign the contract, choosing survival over whatever false sense of duty he had to Henry.As for the rest of Henry’s allied packs?They had been let off with a warning. A very serious warning.Now, they tripped over themselves trying to prove their allegiance, going above and beyond in their duties, sending gifts, wealth, even warriors to fight in Andrew’s name. Desperate to erase their betrayal from our memory.The kingdom had won.Andrew had won.But I?I had lost something far more important.Every time I pa
The door shut behind us with a quiet click. The weight of the afternoon still clung to my skin. I just wanted to wash it all away. To feel clean again. To remove any traces of henry left on me.I stepped into the shower the warm spray of the water cascading down my back. Soothing the musscles before they even got the chance to ache. My body still felt the aftershocks of everything that had happened. The fight and the adrenaline.More so the anger that was beneath it all. But at least now I could breathe.Or so I thought.Because when I looked up, Andrew was standing there at the entrance of the shower. Leaning against the wall.His arms were crossed and his jaw tight. But this wasn’t his usual confident stance he liked so much. No... this was different.His eyes weren’t filled with that lust and hunger i loved so much. They weren’t watching me the way they usually did when we were alone.No, this was something else entirely.And i already had a feeling where this would go.“What hap