Chapter 53Still a day earlierHardin's POVIf there was a motto that I lived by that I was sure was one of the reasons why I had made a name for myself in this school, it was the act first, talk later movement.I saw the way everyone else minded their business almost immediately I looked at them with raised eyebrows as I dragged the boy that I had just punched out of the cafeteria. I knew that once I left the cafeteria, there would be a lot of mumblings and speculations about why I had punched him and was now taking him out of the cafeteria to finish the job. And if I was someone who cared about what people said, then maybe it would have bothered me but I didn't.Something at the back of my mind reminded me that this was not an action that I should have carried out, especially because they were yet to even decide if I was to keep my title as captain of the team or give it to that fake prince charming, Lorenzo. And from the looks of it, after this scene, I was sure that he would repor
Chapter 54Hardin's POV"You look like you could use some sleep." Alex said when I entered the boy's locker room to change for our evening practice and I merely grunted, too exhausted to answer. My father had traveled out of the pack for a meeting that was going to last for one week and had automatically made me interim head, whether or not I was willing to accept the role. I had almost been moved to ask him to make his Beta interim head instead but when he had spoken, I had known that this was a test. He wanted me to prove to him that I was capable of being a leader and a part of me wondered what would happen if I failed to keep things in order by the time he returned. "Being Alpha looks like it sucks, bro." Sandro quipped and even though I agreed, I didn't answer. I was born to lead. There was never any doubt that I would one day come into power. And with the way the elders and my father were insistent on me finding a mate, I knew that I had to step up my game. It was now or neve
Chapter 55JasmineA part of me was very skeptical when Hardin had said that he was going into the woods to get herbs for my mother because with the way he and his aunt, Lisa hated us so much, I would have thought that he would be happy with the turn out of events. Lisa had also not been in the house since this morning and I wondered what she would think if she came in and saw that my mother was sick. Hardin's face had been the complete opposite of happy after he walked in and saw my mother. Like he had seen this kind of thing before. And when he confirmed it and I went to ask the pack doctor about it after Hardin left to get the herbs, the doctor had been vague and tight lipped about the issue and it made me wary because who was sick with the exact same illness like my mother that Hardin knew? Could it perhaps have been his mother? And if that were true, were both illnesses connected? If I asked Hardin about it, would he tell me? I didn't realize that I had dozed off on the chair
Chapter 56HardinI could not deny that I felt sad for Jasmine. I tried to not show it, but I was deeply concerned for her. A large part of me wanted to go straight to Jasmine and fuck her hard till she screams my name, but thankfully, my wolf’s reminder that she was not in the best of state held me back.Though my flesh demanded that it be pleased, I fought quite well to contain myself. This wasn't the time for such. Jasmine needed me at the moment, more than ever. And as a caring brother, not as an asshole that just gets his dick into his step sister whenever he liked.I walked stealthily and slowly towards her room. It was night, and I didn't want to bring attention towards myself. Especially when I was walking towards my stepsister’s room at night.I reached her room. And without announcing my arrival with a knock, I walked in. She was not there, her room was empty, but I could sense her inside the place.I walked to her closet, and I still could not find Jasmine, which got me a
Chapter 57HardinI was on edge when I woke up today. Scratch that, I was always on edge everyday and there was something that always seemed to trigger it without fail. Sometimes, it was remembering that Camila had fallen sick with an illness that I was sure was a perfect replica of the one my mother had. Other times, it was the pressure to find a mate. This time, however, it was what I was looking at from a distance right now. It was at the lacrosse field, in a secluded part that wasn't easily seen except you were a lacrosse player that wanted to do funny shit without getting caught like receiving head from your girlfriend.I had forgotten the case to my airpods somewhere around here and that was the only reason why now I could see Lorenzo and Jasmine talking. I was too far away from them to hear what they were both saying but the sight alone was enough to piss me off immediately. Jasmine always said and acted like she didn't like Lorenzo so why was she standing there in that cor
CHAPTER 58.~Jasmine.Acting out and overstepping boundaries were not on the list of my favorite things to do, but, rummaging through Lisa's room that morning was the only thing I could think of. It had been stuck to my mind from the minute I woke up, I guess it was the effect of the suspicious meeting that Lisa had been having under the cloak with those strangers.Immediately I noticed Lisa step out of the house, I rushed to her room to clear my suspicions . Her room was not as untidy as I had imagined but, it was not entirely tidy. A few clothes were on the floor, some lingerie especially-draped on the couch in the room, and the nightgown she wore to bed last night was sitting on her bedside table. And, I began my search from there. A bottle of aspirin, a scented candle and a few make—up were all I could find in it, nothing close to what I was looking for.Heck! I didn't know what I was looking for, but, I continued my search. I looked under the bed, lifted the mattress, all nega
Chapter 59HardinYes, I did feel like I was the clown in the life that I had been living. My fears were there, with my suspicions that was growing daily, but I did not want to believe that Lisa would be anyway connected to the death of my mother. She was her twin, and they were always in good terms all the times that she came around while I was little. So what happened now?“I killed your mom, yes, I am saying it out loud. And I regret not killing her earlier, I should have done that when we were still little so that she will be dead and long forgotten.”Lisa’s words kept on replaying in my head, and I had to shut my eyes to stay sane. I only managed to open my eyes when I heard Russo’s voice and I turned towards the door. “Answer me Lisa,” he repeated. “Did you have much luck trying to kill Camila?” His growl was very much domineering this time, and it took all the effort for my wolf to not cower. Lisa was already fidgeting, and in a split of second, Dad was unto her, pressing h
Jasmine“Where exactly do I start from?” That was the exact question that played out in my head ever since the guard walked into the room with what would have been a good news, if Lisa’s well-being was not necessary for my mother’s survival, but now a bad news and my lips could not part to even release any words. “What?” Russo was the first to blurt out, “Lisa is dead? How?”“She definitely killed herself!” He added, as it was obvious that none of us knew the answer to his first question. “She was such a vile woman, I hate that I even trusted her in the first place,” Hardin finally spoke, and as my eyes wandered between the both of them, I was left wondering if any of them was actually talking about the real issue at hand. Lisa had killed herself, and we still had not gotten hold of the antidote for mum, or at least had an idea of whatever could help erase the poison in mom’s system. “How about mom?” I managed to speak out, asking no one in particular. My eyes were wet, and I had
CHAPTER 80~Jasmine.Sinking into the rocking chair, I racked my brain for a new lullaby to sing, as I had already sung the ones I had at the top of my fingers. I looked down at the little infant who was yawning out of tiredness yet had refused to fall asleep.I smiled as I rubbed his little nose, just when I had thought I had known love, someone little came to remind me of how big it is. He had these sparkly blue eyes just like his Dad and with the way he was fighting so hard not to yield into sleep, I bet he would be as stubborn as his father is.A new relaxing poem rushed into my brain and just as I began humming the lyrics and rocking to its tune, the door to the room opened and Hardin walked in.“He still hasn't fallen asleep?” He whispered as he gently closed the door behind him and I shook my head in negation, “Ugh, he is as stubborn as his mother,” he said in mock annoyance and rolled his eyes.“As stubborn as me?” I asked, and he chuckled and gave me a light kiss on the lips
HardinJasmine had said that she loved me, and had helped me walk through the phase where I had to get over mom’s death especially after hearing that it was all for a petty revenge, and all of her actions threw it at my face that I had done nothing, and was rather banking at the fact that she had easily let all my sins slide. But it was not what I wanted. The only problem being that at the moment, I was still lost on what to do. I still felt guilty, because every everytime that I told her how sorry I was, she said that everything was fine and that she had really forgiven me. Camila and Russo had also mentioned about how I was probably acting out of ignorance and had accepted that I was set to turn a new leaf. The joy in the house had returned, and Camila and Russo had planned so many dates for me and Jasmine to get better than we already were. Thanks to them, it was working really well. Everything at home did feel like it was working perfectly well, if my wolf did not keep haunting
JasmineThe moment those words had left my mouth, I wanted to cringe. Feeling stupid, I wrenched my hand away from his and ran as far as I could. Acting as the best man there is in the world, did not feel enough to me, to make up for all Hardin had done. My heart might have flustered a little after Hardin's words, but my vengeful conscience was not a very forgiving person. His words had moved me for a moment, but going back to our past and all that Hardin had put me through, I just couldn't find myself forgiving him so easily, especially over spoken words. Was I supposed to just give in, and welcome him back? What if he decided to go against his words one day, I would be the one hurting and not him. "But he's proven himself to you Jasmine, he's your mate" my wolf reminded me but I wasn't listening. Being my mate was not enough of an excuse to buy him forgiveness. Had I not been his mate, would he have felt sorry that he tortured and harassed me all these while? If for anything, Ha
Chapter 77JasmineOut of the corner of my eye, I only caught wisps of dissipating smoke, when out of nowhere a massive caramel blur moving at a high speed slammed into the oncoming beast to send it crashing backwards to the trees.A positively huge wolf covered in familiar brown colored fur prowled around in the middle of the clearing. I did a double take at this newcomer and only then had I recognized it was Hardin. They circled each other for several moments before leaping at once. Possessing greater body mass in his current form, Lorenzo pushed the brown wolf backwards. But in a show of skill that convinced me that it was definitely Hardin, the brown wolf fell on its back and kicked the black one over it.Rolling onto his feet, he dashed after the beast, biting and clawing at everywhere he found entry until Lorenzo threw out an attack that made Hardin retreat. I continued watching in terror as Lorenzo lunged at him to grab his head. Slinking under the beast's large arms, Hardin
Chapter 76Jasmine.I exhaled deeply and released the breath that I wasn’t aware I was holding in as Hardin rounded the third round and successfully made it to the stop. My heart thumped, even though my face was void of emotion, as I watched him step out of his car with a proud smile on his face, but I tried my best not to show my happiness. I was glad that Hardin had won but I was happier that he was the one to be proclaimed my mate.I kept my eyes on Hardin as he looked up at dad and mom, who were looking down at him with so much pride. And when he turned to me, I locked my eyes, pulling him into a staring contest. It was not until we heard Lorenzo’s car screech loudly before coming to a halt that he turned his eyes away to look at Lorenzo. I kept my gaze, still, fixed on him without even caring to look down at Lorenzo who was now accusing Hardin of cheating his way through the competition.“The young lad would have dropped dead by now had your eyes been guns,” Mom said, rubbing my
Chapter 75.~Hardin. Nobody would have probably believed me but, I was damn serious when I said I could give up my position as the Alpha if that was what it would take Jasmine to forgive me, I thought as I walked through the hallway.I had wronged her and I didn't realize my wrongdoings early enough to apologize. I was sorry now and was willing to prove it but, first, I needed to make her see reasons why she should forgive me.And I intended to do that, right until Lorenzo interrupted my thought with a growl that came at me. With a frown on my face, “What is it Lorenzo?” I asked. “Don’t try to be innocent with me, Hardin!” He bawled out immediately, and I wondered for a start, if Lorenzo was even sensible enough to realize that for one of the first times since I had known him, I just wanted to have a peaceful talk with him, without having to throw punches. “Innocent?” I scoffed. “You know that is one thing that I would not dare. Good thing, I don’t find myself pretending like you
Chapter 74Jasmine For the most part of the night, I struggled to sleep.I spent it thinking about what I was going to do and I must have dozed off again, thankfully without having to wake up in the middle of the night this time, because there was a knock on the door and when I opened my eyes, the sun was already up. “Who is it?” I muttered out, as a yawn escaped my lips. I had definitely placed my neck in the wrong position while I slept, because it was hurting terribly. “It’s Lily. I have a message for you from the Alpha.” The quaint voice said. Massaging my neck, I left the bed and opened the door, to meet Lily standing with a tray of food in her hands. I must have slept so long, I could not even meet with breakfast at the table. “Your mother asked me to bring this up. Can I bring it in?”I nodded and moved aside for her to enter. “Thank you,” I mentioned as she kept it for me. And when she made to leave, she halted in her steps and turned back, causing my eyes to narrow.
Chapter 73JasmineI went for a run in the woods, ignoring the whine of my wolf as I ran farther away from Hardin, but the last thing I wanted right now was to see him. How could he expect me to just accept him back after everything?He had even organized a ball to pick a mate because he would rather do that than admit to himself that he could be responsible for my pregnancy, choosing to call me a little whore because it served his purpose of not taking accountability for his actions.I could not believe that I had gone and fallen for him despite everything, that somewhere along the line, I had stopped hating him and started hoping he was just misunderstood, but if he thought that just because we were mates that I was going to accept him then he had another thing coming.My wolf whined but I ignored her, changing our course and decided to run towards the house.If there was an option to go somewhere else, I would have as I was not yet ready to face my parents.What was mom and Dad goi
Chapter 72 HardinThe only thing that kept me from falling back after I had heard what Jasmine said, was the pillar that I had held as a support. Even as it was not physical - her words, the gravity of my guilt immediately clouded my mind and I hated myself for how terrible I had been all along. That the baby in her womb was mine? And that as much as I can be the way that I am, she would never be so reckless as to have some sort of intimacy with any other man. I had been a terrible person all along, with the way I just thrust my dick into any lady’s hole. “I have been terrible,” I muttered out. And then, remembering how I had not just had sex with other girls, but brought them to Jasmine’s knowledge by making her watch videos made me cringe. I was completely shocked at everything Jasmine said to Lorenzo. I didn't know this was how she felt till now and I feel like a total idiot, a sadist and a maniac. I'll have to apologize sincerely to her. It was not something I enjoyed doing,