Justin The cancer of hate grew, and my blood demanded revenge. My wrath toward Sean would be his undoing. He was doing too much, and it was burning my soul.Sean had shown countless times that he was never on my side. So when I became king, with the sole power to banish and throw people out of my kingdom, he would be the first to be sent away.I was still stewing in my anger and thirst for vengeance when I heard Marissa’s voice, and Sean’s very irritating laughter. And because my protective instinct toward Marissa was growing in a very uncomfortably possessive way that I couldn’t stop, I rushed out.As I stepped into the hallway, I stopped. She was handling it well. I watched her effortlessly tear Sean apart with nothing but sharp wit. She was defending me and humbling him. Sean tried to be dominant, perhaps thinking he could use his male ego to bring her down, but his confidence was cracking with every remark she threw at him. It was so easy for her.Something warm settled in my che
MarissaSilence descended upon us like an explosion. My leaden tongue couldn't produce words. This was about to get dirty, and it had been my greatest fear.Justin's lips pressed together in a grimace, and his smile wavered. His sister's mouth opened, but nothing came out, and her eyes were wide and staring.Several years ago, I had been in her shoes, barging into the dormitory to find Alan and Genevieve in the act. Except now, this case was more complicated. At least Alan and Genevieve knew they were mates but were hiding it from me. Justin had not acknowledged the bond, and I felt nothing for his sister. Still, the guilt cut sharp at me.Her eyes darted between me and Justin, and I could see the pieces clicking together in her head. She increased her distance, looking like she wanted to attack and run away at the same time."I want to believe that what I saw is not what I think it is," she said, her voice shaking with restrained fury.
MarissaDinner at the lodge was as unappetizing as ever. A miserable mess of overcooked veggies and rice clumped together sat in front of me, untouched. At least the meat had some flavor. I poked at it with my fork, knowing I had to eat something. If I didn't, I'd wake up hungry in the middle of the night, and I wasn't about to suffer another restless night over lousy food. It was almost impossible to distract myself from anything besides Justin and his sister’s argument. It had been eating at me all day. After the fight, Justin buried himself in work, and we had no time to speak. I hoped this wouldn’t spiral into something bigger.Pushing my plate aside, I reached for my phone, ready to call my brother, when I heard excited voices. Hector burst into the dining hall, grinning like he had the best gossip of the century. He belted towards me, "Guess who just joined us, Rissa!"I rolled my eyes, sipping at my water. "I don’t care if an angel fell from heaven. I’m not in the mood."You’
Justin My patience was running thin as I waited for Justine to return from the club. By the time I got home last night, the housekeeper said she had gone out earlier. I sat, waiting for her at almost 10:30 AM. I glanced at the gift box on the table beside me. She wasn’t the type to be impressed by flashy gifts, but I knew her well enough to pick things she couldn’t resist. Inside was a pair of designer sunglasses, which she was a sucker for, an expensive headset, and a handwritten apology note. I wasn’t sure if she’d appreciate the last one, but I had written it anyway.It was rare for me to admit I was wrong, even rarer for me to put it on paper, but she was different—my twin, one of the few people who had always loved me unconditionally. And now, because of my own damn actions, I had hurt her.I hadn’t meant for things to turn out this way. If someone asked me to define what I felt for Marissa, I wouldn’t even know where to start. I was distrustful. I was emotionally repressed a
Marissa "You're coming with me to the summit next week," Justin said, taking off his jacket, and I frowned."What summit?" I asked, confused."The Azuran Assembly. Surely, you must have heard about it. It's a big deal among Lycan provinces all over the world.""And why would I be the one to follow you?""Because you are my assistant. You assist." His tone was dry, but the smirk on his lips gave away his amusement."Do I have a choice?" I said, acting mock annoyed."You don't. Get a few nice dresses. You need to look good."My mouth gaped open. "Are you saying I don’t look good now?"A laugh sprang free from his lips, and suddenly, I wanted to claim every male inch of him. Desire raced through my veins at the thought."You rock whatever you wear," he said, then gave me a once-over, his hazel gaze lingering over my body, shamelessly checking me out. "This is a big summit, though, and I want you to look more put together. You know what I mean.""I don’t," I grumbled, even though my stom
Marissa The air carried the scent of pine and damp earth as we ran through the open field where we had gathered. Dozens of werewolves stood in our human forms. It was rare for us to come together like this, but when we did, it was an unspoken tradition to make the most of it.Laughter and hollering echoed around me. Someone had smuggled in a bottle of cheap alcohol, passing it between hands. This was a pack run where we could be ourselves—no pressure, no responsibilities, just pure energy. Since we were within the same age range, I had trained with and fought beside most of the wolves. A few of them had already shifted, and I felt that primal call in my bones. The moments before the shift were always the most exhilarating.My body gave in to the change, and I began to run. The earth turned beneath my paws, and the moon seemed to be smiling on me as my wolf sprinted into the night. I loved the wind against my fur and the joy of movement. Wolves barked and dodged between trees, engagin
MarissaThe weekend neared, and I dreaded returning to my pack. There was always some ridiculous celebration or gathering that I never found joy doing. What I feared even more was facing my dad. He would demand answers. If the world weren’t so male-centered, I might have had the chance to leave permanently. But for now, I had no choice.The only thing I looked forward to was seeing my brother. I had missed him more than I cared to admit. We had never truly been apart until now, ever since I started working for the Lycans.When Brian arrived to pick me up, he wasn’t alone. Sydney was with him.The moment Sydney saw me, she grinned. “Rissa, you’re glowing. What’s in the Lycan air? Maybe Brian and I should move there too.”Brian scoffed, crossing his arms. “I’d rather smoke horse dung.”I snorted, and Sydney burst into laughter.Brian’s hatred for the Lycans was exaggerated at best. He could act like he was too good for their power and wealth all he wanted, but we all knew the truth, ou
MarissaReturning to the Lycan Kingdom after an exhausting weekend felt like coming up for air. I never thought I’d feel relief in a place I once viewed as foreign, but here I was, standing in my room, finally able to breathe.I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and groaned. The dry humidity had turned my hair into a mess. I had been relying on styling gels and buns to keep it in place, but it was clear I needed professional help.The nearest salons were fully booked. My only option was a high-end one in the wealthy district. The price was ridiculous, but I booked the appointment anyway.After sitting under the dryer, I moved toward the styling station. Justine stood near the mirrors, her gaze locking onto mine the second I looked up.Fuck.Guilt twisted in my stomach.Of all the places and times, I had to run into her here.I forced myself to look away, settling into my chair as if I hadn’t seen her. Maybe if I ignored her long enough, she’d do the same.No such luck.“Well
Marissa I had made up my mind. I was going home.Not because I missed it, and definitely not because I wanted to see my father or his wife. I just needed a change of scenery.Brian said I could stay with him for a bit, or I’d get a temporary apartment if needed. But I also knew how that went at that crazy pack, how single women were bounced around when they didn’t have a man’s name tied to the lease. If I couldn’t get something decent, I’d check into a hotel and figure it out from there.I needed space. Distance. Time.I was in the middle of zipping up my second box when I heard a knock. Then came Justine’s voice before I could answer.“This is dramatic, don’t you think?”I opened the door to see her and Justin standing there. They both looked way too polished for a casual visit like they had somewhere else important to be, but they came anyway.Justine looked over my shoulder into the room. “You packed like you’re going to the moon.”“It’s just two boxes,” I said, trying to sound ca
JustinWhen I knocked on Marissa's door, I didn’t expect her to look happy. She stared at me like I was a piece of furniture.She wasn’t frowning. She didn’t slam the door in my face. But she wasn’t smiling either. Her expression was calm, like someone who’d already had the emotional breakdown and was now in full recovery mode.“Can I come in?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.She shrugged, stepped aside without saying a word.I hesitated before stepping in. Her room smelled of her shampoo, lemon-scented body mist and the bond. I held out the small shopping bag.She blinked. “What’s that?”I offered it again. “Just check it.”She gave me an unreadable look. Then she reached out and accepted it opened the bag and pulled out the velvet box, flipped it open, and rolled her eyes.Shit.“You don’t like it?” I asked quickly. “I can change it. There’s another set I saw, more silver—”She closed the box, dropped it back into the bag, and placed it down like it was a file she didn’t
JustinI paced the hallway outside the Queen’s study, heart racing like I’d just run a marathon. When my mother finally called me in, I didn’t waste time pretending I was calm.“She’s still ignoring me,” I said, not even bothering to sit.My mom looked up from the book she was reading, brows raised. “Who?”I stared at her. “Who else? She's acting like I committed a crime.”“Well…” she started, dragging out the word, “you did get another woman pregnant. No woman wants that, trust me.”I scowled. “Allegedly.”She shut her book and sighed. “Honey, I love you. But let’s not act like this isn’t complicated.”“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I muttered, walking to the window. “Wendy and I were barely even together. We hadn’t touched each other in months. The last few times, I used protection. Every time.”“Protection isn’t foolproof,” she said.I turned to face her. “I know that. But I also know Wendy. She’s not the type to sit quietly while being dumped. She’s petty. This whole thing feels ti
MarissaOnce I was inside my room, I locked the door, kicked off my shoes, and collapsed on the bed. I stared at the ceiling again. I could have called Brian. But I didn’t. What was I supposed to say?“Hey, Brian, remember that perfect mate the goddess gave me? Yeah, he might have knocked up his ex.”No. I couldn’t handle the pity in his voice.I made popcorn instead. Found a true crime series. Turned the volume high. And I got lost in cold cases. Somehow, it made mine feel smaller.Six hours later, I was still glued to the screen when my phone rang. Justin was calling.I stared at the screen for a few seconds before picking up.“Hello?”“Where are you?”“I went back to the lodge,” I replied, trying to sound casual.“Why?”“I needed space.”There was a pause. “Space from what?”“From the drama. Your ex announcing a pregnancy like it’s a royal decree.”He sighed. “I’m coming over.”“Don’t.”“Why not?”“Because I don’t know how to be around you right now. Everything hurts, and you being
Marissa Everything felt heavy. My heart, my thoughts, even my damn bones.The rules were simple, brutal, and old as time. The first woman to bear the future Alpha’s child, especially one destined to be Lycan King, had a permanent place in his life. It didn’t matter if they were mates. It didn’t matter if they were in love. It didn’t even matter if the woman was evil wrapped in silk.Rules were rules.And now Wendy had claimed she was pregnant with Justin’s child.I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know what to believe. My brain felt scrambled, like someone had cracked it open and stirred it with a knife.The Queen had tried to comfort me. She told me she was on my side. She said over her dead body would Justin marry Wendy.I appreciated her words but knew she was being overly positive. This kind of scandal could blow into a full-scale war.And in all of this, I was the outsider. The werewolf.Why couldn’t I just enjoy my mate for once? Why did it always have to come with some life
Marissa The court proceedings felt like I was the one on trial. I sat beside Justin, who strongly believed he'd win. He was calm, in control, and powerful.He didn’t speak much, but when he did, the courtroom paid attention. Every word came out confident and unapologetic. Sean, on the other hand, kept contradicting himself in every other sentence. His arrogance from the first day had completely crumbled. Even the judge looked tired of him.I felt so freaking proud. Not just because Justin was winning, but because he was doing it with so much grace and restraint.When court ended that first day, Justin turned to me with a boyish smile. “Are you hungry?”I laughed. “Starving.”He took me out. Just the two of us. We found a quiet rooftop restaurant and ordered way too much food.We didn't discuss court cases, politics, power or curses. We talked about stupid dares.That afternoon, I realized how much lighter he looked. Like someone had started peeling off the weight he’d been carrying
Justin I had no plan, neither did I rehearse my words. In fact, I didn’t think for a thousand years that I’d end up being so honest with the public the way I was. But it happened. The words came out of me with a strange calm, as though I had needed to say them all along.My mother allowed a soft smile to curl on her lips, subtle but proud. Meanwhile, Sean's expression twisted, the edges of his mouth tugging downward into a bitter frown. For the longest time, I had believed that vulnerability was weakness—a flaw that could be exploited. But now, as I stood exposed before everyone, I didn’t feel weak. I felt free. Let anyone try to twist the truth. Let them attempt to stain the bond I shared with Marissa. My mother’s smile said it all: sometimes, the ugly truths needed to be told to reclaim power.The judge fumbled with his papers, his fingers shaking slightly. He tried to appear unaffected, but I saw the stiffness in his movements. My mother must have spoken to him in private, perhaps
It was getting harder and harder to stay private with Justin. Our relationship had somehow become the kingdom’s favorite soap opera. Inside the castle walls, everyone had a theory, a rumor, or a “trusted source.” And outside the gates? The paparazzi were practically part of the royal staff.Everywhere we went, someone was snapping photos or asking invasive questions. It was exhausting. I hadn’t realized how many people tracked your every step when you were bonded to a Lycan prince. Now even my outfit, the way I walked, or how I blinked seemed to matter. I found myself second-guessing every detail—was my lipstick smudged? Did my heels click too loud?Justin held my hand as we approached the pizza spot I’d been craving for all week. As expected, the moment we stepped out of the car, the flash of cameras started. A few paparazzi who had been pretending to “just be around” suddenly appeared from all angles, walking backward to keep pace with us.“Prince Justin, is it true you're planning
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