Zane's POVLeaning on my wooden desk, I stared at the closing door, where Tessa's figure slowly vanished, wondering how on earth she could have so much effect on me while…“Did you hear what that bitch said to me?”I slowly shifted my gaze to Morgan. She was fuming mad. Her cheeks were puffed, her eyes were sending lasers, and she pointed a finger at where Tessa was earlier.For three years, she stayed in this pack, and I let her. But with all those years, she never had the same effect as Tessa had on me. She couldn't make me feel excited or eager to pull her close to me.Seeing her only makes me more annoyed than ever."Zane! Are you hearing me?" Morgan snapped her fingers at me, looking at me with blame."Why are you here?" I impatiently asked before turning around and going back to my work.It's better for me to drown myself in work before I lose control and run after Tessa… Jessica…'How could you change so my, Tess?' That question kept bothering me, but she was right.She's not u
Jessica's POVFury and disappointment surged all over me while I watched Alpha Ralph slowly vanish from my eyes.One inch! My arm was outstretched in the air and just one inch away from gasping his hand, but I still failed.I never felt more disappointed and blameful toward myself right now than ever.My chest rose and fell heavily as I looked down on the cliff, which was covered with mist below. I vowed, "I'll find you, Alpha Ralph, and once I do, I'll make sure you pay for everything you did.""Great, just what I needed," I commented after turning around and finding about ten members of Silver Rogues surrounding me.At least I got someone I could vent all the fuming rage building up on me.Stretching my neck, I swiveled my Scimitars and pointed at them. "What are you here for?"They still had their masks on, hiding their face. Looking at each other, they nodded, and I knew instantly that talking with them would be a waste of time.Most of them pulled out knives or swords. Still, the
Tessa’s POVIt was my eighteenth birthday, and I was at a party, but it wasn’t for me. In fact, I was pretty sure no one else knew today was my birthday, not even my father.I stood at the corner of the venue, awkwardly wearing a blue halter top dress that flowed up to the middle of my shin, which complemented and matched the color of my eyes. Despite that, I still felt severely out of place as I attended the wedding anniversary feast ball for Alpha Eric and his Luna, Paige.Alpha Eric was the de-facto leader of my pack now that my father had pretty much signed away his ruling rights to him in exchange for business favors and protection.Usually, I would have been excluded from this sort of event as my father couldn’t tolerate the thought of people seeing his omega daughter. I spent most of my days confined to our small room while he actively attended pack events.With today’s grand event, though, Luna Peige personally invited every one of Alpha’s family under their territory protecti
Tessa's POVI raised a hand to my burning cheek, blinking rapidly at the tears filling my eyes as Eric glared down at me, chest heaving. He had been the one to kiss me, and all I did was return it.Why was I being slapped?Paige got down from the stage and hurried over to us, vengeance alight in her gaze. She wrapped herself all over her husband, who happened to be my mate, causing my wolf inner pain.I did my best not to react to her overflowing display of affection toward him. She hugged and kissed his face while glaring at me. I reminded myself that I couldn't allow my wolf to attack her, knowing that I would be defeated.“How could you throw yourself on my husband like that, especially on our anniversary and in our home?” Paige started but was interrupted by my father, who hurriedly approached us and immediately grabbed my arm. He pulled me back and faced the angry couple himself instead.“Alpha and Luna, I’m sure Tessa is as surprised about the mate bond as you are. Why don’t we
Tessa’s POVIt was a long walk, but I managed to drag my exhausted body all the way home. I got in the shower and changed into my night clothes, ready to go to bed, until I heard a knock at my door.“I need to talk to you,” my father gruffly said before his footsteps disappeared down the stairs.With a deep sigh, I followed after him. He sat in his chair in the living room and eyed me over his glass of gin. The joyful glint in his eyes made me uncomfortable because most things that made him happy tended to bring me great discomfort.“I’ve secured a very special opportunity for you.” I looked at him, confused, and he was eager to fill in the blank spaces. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll work as a maid at the pack house.”I gaped at him in shock. “What? Why?”“To get you in the same vicinity as Eric, of course,” he replied as though it was obvious.I glared at my dad. “He doesn’t want me around him!”Why should I be the one to compromise for his sake? I wanted to reject him, and yet they see
Tessa’s POVI huddled in the corner of the cell, arms crossed over my face to prevent the little gnats that infested the space from reaching me there.It was my third day locked up like an animal in this filthy cage after Paige had caught me almost having sex with her husband. I was well and truly miserable, and there was no end in sight. Not that I deserve an end to this torment.I pretty much earned it, at least from Paige.Despite the days that have passed, I could still vividly remember the shock and anger on her face when she walked in to see us tangled together like that.When she looked at Eric, her profound disappointment and hurt affected me more than I cared to admit. She hated my guts, but I couldn’t blame her for it. I would hate any woman who put me in such a position as well, mate bond be damned.I tried so hard to resist the bond that day. I wasn’t the type of girl who went about destroying other people’s relationships. I didn’t look at guys with girlfriends, much less
Tessa’s POVEric pushed me towards the men, and I did not resist.What was the point?If I didn’t go with them, I would remain in a small, dank cell for the rest of my life until either Paige or Eric decided the mate bond was too much trouble and put me down or something.Immediately, two men rushed forward and held my shoulder and arms on either side so tight that I squirmed in pain.I’ll never be valuable to my pack or my family. Hell, even my mate didn’t care much, so why should I? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with the Dark Lord. And if it was, I could always escape.Couldn’t I?I cooperated meekly, walking where they led, but one of them still felt the need to nudge roughly at my back, making me stumble as I went outside.I was pushed into the back of a truck, eyes widening at the sight of the other scared, helpless women inside. Most of them were very well dressed, with tasteful, understated jewelry to boot, like some Lunas or at least very high-born ladies whose families had prob
Tessa’s POVI was taken to a separate room away from the other women and handed to an older female servant who promptly forced me into a bath soon after.“Get in there,” she shouted, pushing me into a bath filled with the captivating fragrance of herbs and petals.After she was done, she forced me into a dress resembling lingerie with its sheer top and short skirt. Then, I was half-escorted and half-dragged through the dimly lit halls to the Dark Lord’s room.“Wait! Slow down, please…” I said, almost stumbling forward.Instead of showing mercy, the woman murderously glared at me, instantly making me shut my mouth and blindly follow her.It was just as dim inside, making me squint. The space was rather massive, with a few strategically arranged chairs and other pieces of furniture. A huge flat-screen TV stood in front of the settee arrangement, too big to be mounted on the wall.Off to the side on a small platform, a king-sized bed stood, with black silk sheets and metal hooks on the h