Ava focused on the road ahead of her. She was going to a restaurant with Stephen because they had decided to go somewhere where they could talk alone.FLASHBACKAva and Stephen walked in the opposite direction, where Ian was sitting."Is there something serious?" Stephen questioned her as they stood in a corner.Ava looked at him and asked,"Did you call my mom today?"She noticed that Stephen's brows shot up. However, he quickly changed his expression and shook his head."No. Why did you think that?""Stephen, please. Don't lie to me. I'm already confused. Don't make me more tense. I am very worried about my mom. I have been observing her. I think she is hiding something from me. Today, when I heard you trying to persuade her about something, you mentioned reconsideration."Seeing how stressed out Ava was, Stephen held her hand."Calm down, girl. Don't think too much.""Please be honest with me."Stephen averted his gaze from her. "She told us not to tell you.""Us? So, does anyone e
It appeared as though Stephen was taken aback. A gleaming smile appeared on his face as he stood up.His greatest concern was that Ava would either become enraged or decline the marriage proposal. But the fact that she readily agreed with it left him speechless. It showed how good a daughter she was."Are you sure that you can convince her?" he asked, looking at her carefully.Ava gave him a nod and replied,"I can’t promise, but I will do my best. Just like how my mom loves me, I love her the most. If she has a mate, she should be with him. She is fortunate that her mate did not reject her when she refused to be with him. He has been waiting for a very long time."Stephen felt sorry for Ava. What Ian did with her was really wrong.He thought back to the time when Ian had rejected her and told them that he hated her. All of these things about his father were unknown to him on that day.However, when his father became ill, Alpha called him personally and revealed the truth that his fat
The next day, Ava woke up early to go to the university. The fact that she had been successful in persuading her mother last night made her very happy. At first, she was talking about what others would say. But then Ava had to tell her that by marrying Harper, she could get a father’s name. Though Ava loved her father a lot, she would have to accept Harper as her new father if she wanted happiness in her mother’s life. Ava took a quick shower and got ready hurriedly. She left her house without eating breakfast, telling her mother that she needed to do some work outside. “I have to talk about it with Stephen. He is also concerned about his father," she thought to herself. When Ava arrived at her university, her friends noticed her. Luke gave her a puzzled look. “What am I hearing? Did you go somewhere with Stephen yesterday? Is he blackmailing you for something?” Ava was stunned to hear that. “What are you saying, Luke?” “One of my friends saw you going with him.” Debra was sta
"Ian, why are you looking at them like this? They will feel uneasy," Ronald said to Ian.For quite some time, Ian had been fixating his gaze on Ava and Stephen.It bothered him that Ava was getting closer and closer to Stephen. He was mad at Stephen because, last night, when he asked him about what Ava was saying to him, he replied that it was nothing much.It was obvious that something was going on between them, and he did not want to tell him about it."Don't you think he is talking too much with that nerd?" Ian asked his friends."Everyone is aware of Stephen's personality. He never engages in unnecessary conversations with others. There must be a reason," Cryan assumed."But what might be the reason?" Paul asked."There is nothing, guys. He is a man. He can fall for anyone you know," Ronald said, glancing at Ian.Ian furrowed his brow and turned to him. "What did you just say?""What? Did I say anything wrong? Don't you all agree with me?" Ronald asked others.Ian scoffed at him a
Ava went back to her home. Her mother was not at home because she had already gone to the hospital.Ava remained in her room throughout the entire day, thinking about her future.The only thing she could do was hope Harper would make her mother happy and give her what she deserved.In the evening,Ava was lazing around on the couch and watching television. She could hear her phone ringing.Her phone, which was sitting on the table close to the kitchen, caught her attention briefly. She forgot to take her phone from there after having lunch.The phone rang, but she was too lazy to go and answer it."Come on, Ava. You have to do it."After getting to her feet, she proceeded to walk to the table. She looked at her phone screen and saw that it was a group call.She received the call and immediately connected with the other three people in the group."Hello, guys," Ava said."Stephen called us to invite us to his party."It was Abigail who spoke out. Her voice was desperate."Oh, thank God
Ava looked at herself in the mirror. Both her mother and Stephen were successful in convincing her to get a makeover.Stephen brought her to a young woman who was his cousin. It seemed like she knew about Ava, so she did her best to give her a new look.When she was done, she told Ava to look at herself, and Ava was shocked.She had her hair dyed a dark brown color and cut it in long layers. It was giving her an elegant look.Because she did not wear glasses, her face was clearly visible. The young woman applied smokey makeup, giving her a hot look.She was dressed in a black knee-length dress that hugged her body and showed off her curves. Her black high heels gave her a little more height than usual.Overall, she appeared to have changed completely.Ava was really stunned by looking at herself.“What a beautiful girl!” the young woman complimented her.Ava flushed and looked at her. "Thanks."When she went out of the room to meet Stephen, he was equally stunned. He knew Ava was beau
Ian was not feeling up to attending Stephen's party. He did not know why he was angry with Stephen.However, he reconsidered attending the party after Ronald called and informed him that everyone wanted him to join them."Didn't you all hear me? I don't want to go," Ian said to Ronald while lying on his bed."Bro, what's wrong with you? You have never declined an invitation to attend a party. And it's our Stephen’s party. Now, what makes you avoid parties?""I am not in the mood.""I know why."Ian thought Ronald would talk about Ava again."Don't talk about that nerd again," he warned him."Wait a minute. When did I talk about Ava? I think you have gone crazy about her.""Don't try to change your words. You were about to speak about her.""No. Have you forgotten that you have a girlfriend?"Hearing Ronald, Ian frowned. He indeed forgot about Nova. In fact, she had been sending messages to him the whole day to go with her to the party, but he ignored all of her messages."Ian, we all
"You can sit here. No one will bother you. If anyone dares, just send me a text," Stephen said to Ava.Ava gave him a nod. Abigail and Debra were looking at them while sitting beside her on a couch.They saw Stephen going to his friends. They turned to face Ava."He is being so nice to you. I have never seen him speak to anyone in such a sweet manner," Abigail said."Maybe he thinks of her as his family since very soon they are going to be a family," Debra said.Ava was only listening to them. She took sips from her drink. It was her first time drinking. So she was feeling wired.She noticed a couple making out in a corner. Her eyes shifted to other sides, and she was surprised that many couples were doing the same."They should get a room,” Ava muttered.Abigail and Debra laughed when they heard her."Stephen won't allow them to enter any of the private rooms.""Oh."Ava bent down to a small table near the couch and placed her half filled glass. Her gaze fell on a boy who was looking
Griffin suggested that they go to a club and have a drink. Ava agreed since she also needed to clear her mind.There was a club near the company, but Ava did not want to go because she might run into some of the employees. So they decided to go to a club that was quite far away."Isn't it the north side of the city?" Ava asked when she heard Griffin's suggested club."Yeah, but only wizards and witches go there. That can be our safe place."Ava turned to Griffin, who was sitting next to her in his car. "You almost forget you are a hybrid."Griffin grinned at her and nodded his head. "You are right. I shift a few nights a month. I enjoy my magic more."Ava patted her hand on his shoulder. "You should shift more because who knows when we will need your wolf to take over?"Being a hybrid did not mean only having two kinds combined. Their wolves were also very powerful."Okay, I will shift often."Ava and Griffin went to the nightclub. They got to know new people. Griffin introduced her t
Ava gave them a puzzled look. "Who?"Debra pushed Abigail and walked over to Ava and said, "Don't listen to her. She is just pulling my leg for nothing. Such a bad friend!"Suddenly Ava recalled the interaction between Stephen and Debra. She wondered if Abigail was talking about him.However, she dismissed the thought because she knew her brother would never chase any girl like that. After all, he was one of the members of the Power Gang. Those boys did not chase women; women pursued them.She was about to ask who it was again, but she stopped by a ringtone. She saw who had called her.She received the call and spoke, "Beta Bruno."Debra turned her head to Abigail, making faces at her. Abigail glared at Debra, indicating not to tease her.Ava smiled when she noticed her friends' silent bickering."Freya is coming back to the pack today. So I am not going to come to the company. Tell Alpha I would spend some time with her."Hearing about Freya, Ava felt awkward. She recalled the day wh
Ava left the office in the evening. She had nothing in her mind. She only wanted to go home and sleep. She had worked all day and eaten little. Dane's words kept replaying in her head every time she thought about her future.It looked like fate had never decided happiness in her life. All it wrote for her was suffering mentally.She was depressed and alone in this pack.On her way, Griffin called her, asking her to meet him. She refused by saying that she was tired. She said she would meet him tomorrow evening.The sky was slowly getting dark. The orange shadow in the sky faded into the darkness.Ava paid the cabbie and walked toward her house.It was a house with three bedrooms. Dane suggested this house, so she never considered moving out, even though it was too large for one person.She took out the keys and was about to open the door when she heard the sound of another car from behind.She turned around and was stunned.The car stopped near her house, and two people were getting o
ONE WEEK LATERAva awoke to the sound of a loud alarm. She opened her eyes and did not consider sleeping for a few minutes longer. She sat up slowly, grabbing the phone and stopping the alarm, which would continue to snooze if she did not turn it off.She glanced outside the window. It was early in the morning.Another day arrived, and she had to pass it. She believed she would have to cooperate with her fate without questioning it much.She left the Mystic Shadow Pack one week ago. She did not tell her mate before leaving. That was why her wolf was really upset with her, refusing to shift again.Ava was in real trouble. Her wolf's resistance was really hurting her, making her weak.All week, she could only practice her powers as a witch, but she could not shift and run.The last time she had shifted was when she met Ian and realized that he had become her mate.Ava's phone rang in her hand, drawing her attention away from the window.She received the phone call while getting out of t
"Ava, why did you decide to leave now?" Ava's mother, Angela, said with tears in her eyes.When she and Harper returned home, Ava said she was leaving tonight. She was shocked to hear that, as well as Harper."Mom, Dad, I told you that I would be here for my birthday. My birthday had passed, but I remained here for the competition. Since everything is over now, it's time for me to return to where I belong."Her voice was calm, just like her face. There was no emotion in her eyes that could show her inner feelings.Angela wondered if anything had happened to her daughter. She had spent her entire life protecting her daughter from the Thunder Howl Pack, convinced that Alpha Dane would force her into a relationship. However, after learning that Ian had rejected her daughter as her mate and that Dane treated her gently, Angela realized Dane was the ideal match for her. Ava and Dane were fated, and her ex-husband's decision was not wrong when he promised to marry Ava off to Dane."If you n
Dane's eyes darkened as soon as he heard Ava.Ava observed those eyes and scoffed at him. "What happened? Lost all the colors from your face?"He clenched his jaw and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him."You can't be with him."Ava looked into his eyes, noting his fury. "What's wrong? Why didn't you think about it when you spent the night with your mate?"Dane tried to compose himself, losing his grip on her arm. “Look, Ava. I never slept with her after we broke up. She tried a few times to seduce me when she was drunk. I always ignored my wolf and the desire to be close to her. But I lost myself in front of my wolf last night.”He let go of her arm and cupped her cheeks. She looked away from his face. Not wanting him to touch her, she attempted to push him once more.Her eyes landed on the hickeys Freya had purposefully left visible in his chest.If Dane had said that everything Freya said was a lie, she would have ignored it. But he himself admitted everything.Now what woul
Ava was in a really bad mood because she thought last night she almost cheated on Dane. She should have managed to stop Ian from kissing her or getting close to her.So today, in the early morning, she left her house only to confess what had happened and apologize to him.However, as soon as she saw Freya, she was shocked. Her shock turned into the endpoint when she heard Freya's words."Your m-mate? What are you saying?" Ava asked Freya with a confused look.Freya gave her a poker face. "Don't tell me you don't know that Dane and I are mates."Ava felt the ground slipping beneath her feet. She could not just believe it.Freya and Dane were mates?How come she did not know about it?Freya noticed her expression and scoffed at her. "Why do you think my brother despises you so much? Because you snatched his sister's mate away from her. You destroyed my life, Ava. I was so happy with him. But you entered our life and ruined everything."Ava blinked as she did not know what to feel. When
In a large bedroom,A woman was lying on her back, wrapping her body around a quilt. She opened her eyes and tried to move, but her bare arms brushed against a body, sending her butterflies in her stomach.She cleared her view and turned around to look at him. A smile was on her face, which indicated that she was pleased.She lifted her hand and caressed the face of the handsome man who was sleeping next to her. Her fingers brushed against his cheek.His brows furrowed in response. She hurriedly moved her hand away. She looked at her hand, assuming he was uncomfortable because of the bandage.She breathed deeply, inhaled his scent, and hugged him.The man finally opened his eyes. She smiled and rested her head on his chest, saying,"Good morning, Dane."He stared at the ceiling without responding to her. It was like he was in an inner conflict. Her smile faded when she observed him.She moved and sat up, holding the quilt against her chest.She hissed when she felt pain in her bottom.
Ava completely lost herself as soon as Ian moved his head and began kissing her back.She was in a moaning mess. She had no idea how he made her feel that way just with his kisses.As he rolled his tongue over her upper back, he gradually moved it down to her waist. Her eyes were tightly closed because she did not want to experience this sensation.However, her toes curled when his hand reached his ankle, moving inside her dress.Her dress slid up to her thigh, revealing her fair legs.Ian had already gone insane. He was no longer under control. He did not want to either.He kissed the back of her neck, turning her on. He flipped her body and looked at her.She looked fragile, ready to get ruined by him.With a slow motion, he swept his thumb over her lips."These lips are mine."He looked down at her body. Her dress loosened due to the back chain being opened, revealing her half breasts.He leaned down while looking into her eyes. He moved his lips on her half-exposed breasts and sai