SeanMy hatred for Justin grew like firewood stacked daily on a flame. Every time I heard his name, felt his presence in a conversation or headline, my blood ran hot. He was my target. I didn’t care that we shared the same blood. I was obsessed over this revenge. Over victory.Everyone thought I’d taken the loss like a man. Calm. Graceful. Accepting. But they had no idea I’d only swallowed my pride to buy time to burn him from the inside out.I would smile, shake hands, laugh when I had to. All while tightening the noose around Justin’s perfect little neck. One step at a time. One move after another.I didn't care whose blood got spilled in the process. Collateral damage meant nothing when I was playing for the crown.He didn’t deserve the throne. I did. I’d worked for it. Bled for it. But life had handed it to him like it was owed. The cursed golden boy with the name, the wolf, the face. While I stood in the shadows, planning how to take it all away.I parked a block away from the sa
MarissaGoing back to work for Justin felt like willingly stepping into a lion’s den. The moment I walked into the building, all eyes were on me and whispers followed me like perfume.Justin and Wendy’s separation wasn’t just public knowledge. It had become entertainment. And now that Justine’s mate was revealed to be a werewolf, people were foaming at the mouth, looking for scraps to gossip about.Everyone had something to say.Some were convinced I was a gold digger, clinging to Justin for luxury and status. Others swore I must’ve used some dark spell to trigger the mate bond. “No way the future king would bond with a mere werewolf,” they said. “Especially not one from a crumbling pack.”If I hadn’t already earned my stripes in heartbreak and humiliation, I might’ve cracked under it all. Even Justin and Justine were beginning to ask if I was okay. I always brushed it off."Trust me," I told Justine two days ago while she was getting her hair done, “you don’t know what survival looks
Marissa The Queen’s rage came with thunder. It wasn’t the typical raised voice or shaking hands kind of anger. It was primal, bone-deep, and terrifyingly loud. Her voice bounced off the ancient stone walls of the royal study like a storm crashing into a cliff. If Sean had been anywhere near her at that moment, she would’ve carved his name off the family tree with her bare hands.I stood still. A part of me was stunned, but the other part missed my own mother. I wondered how she might’ve defended me if she were still alive and if she would’ve gone to war for me too. Maybe it’s just something about mothers. No one quite loves the way they do."Well, I think you're going too far to be taken seriously," Justine muttered with her usual sarcastic flair, sipping casually from her glass.The Queen's head whipped around. Her eyes flared wide and wild. My heart genuinely skipped.“Too far?” she echoed, rising from her seat like storm-given legs. “Hell no. I haven't even started.”Justine bli
The blinding flashes of the cameras lit up my face. I plastered a smile and kept my shoulders straight. By tomorrow, my photos would be all over the pack media as the center of foolish gossip. They’d zoom in on my bare ring finger and name their article, The Alpha’s Daughter. Beautiful and smart, yet without a mate. I kept my smile in place, silently groaning as I watched a reporter make her way toward me. Her hair was so bright and red, matching the shade of her lipstick. Her eyes locked onto me as if I were the next big story to cover. "Marissa, is it true you rejected Reddington, the future Alpha of Creek Keepers pack?" The reporter asked, hoping to catch me off guard. She didn’t stop there. "You're twenty-five. By now, you should’ve been done having kids.” Her voice dripped with a false sympathy, almost as if she expected me to be ashamed. The lights from the cameras made it worse, capturing every moment. “I’m single, not dying,” I said softly, leaning in a little to make s
In my world, the males acknowledged the mating bond first, accepting or rejecting it. Justin didn’t glance my way. His indifference hurt me. Was I that bad?I fought against the sting of tears, blinking furiously and pressing my fingertips beneath my eyes to stop the tears from falling.The idea of anyone seeing me cry filled me with disgust. I could already imagine the gossip spreading like wildfire. Taking a shaky breath, I moved back from the crowd and created distance between myself and the Lycan who had become the source of my pain.My nails bit into my palms as I fought to steady my emotions. Throughout the festival, I stayed on the sidelines. Nobody noticed or cared. The world moved on without me, as though I didn’t exist.Except for Brian, my younger brother. He was busy making sure the festival went smoothly. As the future alpha, Brian worked extra hard to prove himself. At just nineteen, he already had a mate, and they were the picture of perfection. Brian spotted me as he
Back home, I stood at the top of the stairs, gazing at the scene below. My dad's voice boomed through the room, warm and eager to please. “Welcome! My king, my queen!” He gestured dramatically. My stepmother clung to his arm, playing the perfect hostess. The Lycan king and his wife inspected our home with disgust as if we lived in the gutter. Despite my dad spending months decorating the house for this visit, they were unimpressed.Shame and desire mingled hot in my throat the moment Justin stepped into the foyer. He was probably not even thinking about me. The thought made me feel pathetic as if I was grasping something that wasn’t there.The Lycan royals moved slowly while my dad kept up his over-the-top act. “Can I get you something to drink?”The king barely looked at him. “Champagne, of course.” His tone made it clear that anything else would be unacceptable.Like magic, the butler appeared with a tray of sparkling glasses. The royals took them without so much as a thank-you. Wa
Gathering every ounce of courage, I stepped away from my hiding spot and walked toward the living room. I wasn’t timid by nature, yet here I was, acting like a nervous schoolgirl. If I kept behaving this way, Justin would think he had power over me. He was my mate, and my bond with him was undeniable. But I needed to get a grip on myself, to appear calm, not pitiful. Memories of my past crept into my mind. The image of my ex-boyfriend Alan and my ex-best friend Genevieve flashed before me. They had been seeing each other behind my back, and I had been the last person to find out.They claimed they’d found out they were mates on Genevieve's eighteenth birthday. All our mutual friends knew before I did, making me look like a complete fool. When I finally discovered their betrayal three years later, during college, I saw them in bed with my own eyes.I hated the feeling of rejection so much. I needed to show Justin that I could handle myself.The scent of cedar and rain filled my lungs
Justin's POVTwo weeks laterBloodied and weak, I staggered out of the torture chamber. The metallic stench of blood clung to my skin. My vision blurred, but I blinked back the haze, determined not to collapse again. The physical pain was killing me, but none of it compared to the ache of seeing my mom cry. Her heartbreaking, silent tears cut deep.“Son, please, your physician must administer the last set of needles.”Each session in the chamber felt like another blow to her spirit, and that made my suffering all the harder to endure. I clenched my fists, feeling the sticky warmth of my blood coating my palms.“I can’t keep doing this. There has to be another way—something that doesn’t make me feel like I’m losing my mind.”She swallowed hard, trying to choke back her tears, but the pain in her eyes was undeniable. Every week, wolfsbane was pumped into my veins, designed to cripple my wolf. I was forced to inhale the milder version as a cigar in my human form.My body burned with an
Marissa The Queen’s rage came with thunder. It wasn’t the typical raised voice or shaking hands kind of anger. It was primal, bone-deep, and terrifyingly loud. Her voice bounced off the ancient stone walls of the royal study like a storm crashing into a cliff. If Sean had been anywhere near her at that moment, she would’ve carved his name off the family tree with her bare hands.I stood still. A part of me was stunned, but the other part missed my own mother. I wondered how she might’ve defended me if she were still alive and if she would’ve gone to war for me too. Maybe it’s just something about mothers. No one quite loves the way they do."Well, I think you're going too far to be taken seriously," Justine muttered with her usual sarcastic flair, sipping casually from her glass.The Queen's head whipped around. Her eyes flared wide and wild. My heart genuinely skipped.“Too far?” she echoed, rising from her seat like storm-given legs. “Hell no. I haven't even started.”Justine bli
MarissaGoing back to work for Justin felt like willingly stepping into a lion’s den. The moment I walked into the building, all eyes were on me and whispers followed me like perfume.Justin and Wendy’s separation wasn’t just public knowledge. It had become entertainment. And now that Justine’s mate was revealed to be a werewolf, people were foaming at the mouth, looking for scraps to gossip about.Everyone had something to say.Some were convinced I was a gold digger, clinging to Justin for luxury and status. Others swore I must’ve used some dark spell to trigger the mate bond. “No way the future king would bond with a mere werewolf,” they said. “Especially not one from a crumbling pack.”If I hadn’t already earned my stripes in heartbreak and humiliation, I might’ve cracked under it all. Even Justin and Justine were beginning to ask if I was okay. I always brushed it off."Trust me," I told Justine two days ago while she was getting her hair done, “you don’t know what survival looks
SeanMy hatred for Justin grew like firewood stacked daily on a flame. Every time I heard his name, felt his presence in a conversation or headline, my blood ran hot. He was my target. I didn’t care that we shared the same blood. I was obsessed over this revenge. Over victory.Everyone thought I’d taken the loss like a man. Calm. Graceful. Accepting. But they had no idea I’d only swallowed my pride to buy time to burn him from the inside out.I would smile, shake hands, laugh when I had to. All while tightening the noose around Justin’s perfect little neck. One step at a time. One move after another.I didn't care whose blood got spilled in the process. Collateral damage meant nothing when I was playing for the crown.He didn’t deserve the throne. I did. I’d worked for it. Bled for it. But life had handed it to him like it was owed. The cursed golden boy with the name, the wolf, the face. While I stood in the shadows, planning how to take it all away.I parked a block away from the sa
Justin “Justin,” Marissa hissed under her breath, her hand tightening on mine. “I don’t trust you. What the hell are you up to?”I handed her the simple plastic bag with the black satin dress I’d picked out, keeping my expression neutral even though I was fighting a grin.“There’s only one way to find out,” I said, tugging playfully at the edge of her tank top. “But I promise, it’s not a kidnapping. Yet.”She squinted at me, not amused. “I swear, if this ends in something ridiculous—”“Shh,” I interrupted, slipping behind her and sliding my arms around her waist. I kissed the soft skin just below her neck, right over the mark I’d given her. She shivered. Jackpot.“If you could read my mind right now,” I whispered against her ear, “you’d be blushing so hard, you’d need aloe vera.”Her reflection in the mirror gave her away. She was flushed. Trying not to smirk. Pretending to be above it, but I knew better.I spun her gently to face the glass and let my hand rest low on her hip. “You
Marissa We were just about done with lunch when the sound of heels echoed down the corridor.Justine paused mid-chew. “Shit… that’s Wendy.”I wasn’t afraid of Wendy, but a sour feeling stirred in my gut. Guilt. Heavy and cold. The kind that clung to your skin and settled in your spine. I hadn’t planned to fall in love with someone else's fiancé. But here I was, sitting next to him at the royal table. The same royal table that the world had assumed she’d own soon.Every magazine had painted their fairytale wedding. The Future Queen. Elegant. Regal. Loved. I’d seen the headlines, the edited spreads of her trying on designer gowns, the speculated venues, the flower arrangements, and the wild guesses about their future pups. She was meant to be Justin’s forever. And now I was the shadow stepping into her spotlight.Wendy stormed into the dining room like a queen without a throne. Her fiery red dress clung to her like armor, and her eyes scanned the room until they landed on me. I dropp
Marissa My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open the moment Justin blurted out his father’s secret family, right there in front of the Queen and Justine. The air shifted. Cold. Heavy. Like something sacred had just been desecrated. I couldn't dare glance at the Queen. Time slowed. Why the hell couldn’t Justin have kept that to himself?“Justin, this isn’t even funny,” Justine said, her voice sharp as a blade. She shot her brother a glare. “You can joke about a lot of things—but not this. This is too heavy.”“It’s true,” Justin said flatly, eyes fixed on his mother. “I’ve seen the woman. I dare him to deny it.”My hand trembled as I reached for him, trying to get him to stop before this turned into a wildfire. The Queen’s head stayed bowed. Sean looked mortified, and Justine actually stepped back like she’d been pushed.“My dear, it’s not how—” the King started, lifting his hand, “—Justin’s just trying to twist everything to suit his selfish narrative.”The Queen slowly raised her
Justin A soft smile played on my lips as I adjusted the torchlight, lowering the beam so it wouldn’t wake her. I traced the curve of Marissa’s cheek with the back of my knuckle, memorizing the peaceful rise and fall of her chest. I’d never felt this kind of calm before, not once in my life, and I didn’t want it to end. She was the anchor I never saw coming, the balm to everything broken in me.Watching her sleep, I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Who would’ve thought I’d ever feel normal again? It still didn’t seem real. It felt like I’d stepped into someone else’s life—a simulation too good to be mine. Like at any moment I’d wake up, cursed and hollow, back to being the joke of the royal house.But when I curled my fingers around hers and felt her warmth against my skin, I knew this wasn’t some delusion. This was real. It was here to stay. The pain, the pressure, the doubts… none of it mattered anymore. I felt overwhelmed in the best way—like I could fall to my knees
Marissa The constellation overhead scattered like glitter, and the sound of the ocean made the night feel magical. Nothing looked more beautiful than the sea at night—dark, open, endless. The air buzzed with life, soft birdsong blending with the hush of waves. I helped spread out the blankets while Justin turned on the battery-powered lamp, casting a warm glow around us. We were all alone. And happy.The wind played in my hair as I watched him, and when he reached for me, I didn’t hesitate. Hand in hand, we walked down to the water, dipped our fingers in the ocean, and stared at each other like nothing else mattered.“Are you ready?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.“Never been ready my whole life,” he said.“I love you, Marissa,” he added, voice steady, eyes locked on mine. “There’s no problem, no curse, no system that’s going to come between us. Not in this world, and definitely not in the next.”“Please,” I smirked. “I wouldn’t want to come back here again anyway. I thin
MarissaWaking up to Justin’s tongue circling my drenched bud wasn't how I expected to wake up.I arched into him as he ate me, with his eyes locked on mine, the bold swipe of his tongue sent me spinning into pleasure’s arms Growing embarrassingly damp at his touch, I squirmed and writhed as he moved hard on fast. My body bowed to sensation as an orgasm hit full force “Oh Justin,” I cried out, coming in cascading waves. He didn't stop until a more powerful sensation built and dropped inside me, causing me to grab his hair and ride his face. My body was gripped by a pleasure I had never known and a white-hot climax ripped through me._______My grin refused to hide as I nestled into Justin, feeling the quiet pleasure of his warmth, the comfort of our closeness. We’d lost track of time. My head rested on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat like it was the only sound that mattered.“I’m sorry,” I murmured, looking up at him. “I didn’t mean any harm.”He sighed. “