Marissa I recovered from the shock of the embrace and leaned into him, feeling his feverish warmth against my body. My concern grew, along with my desire to have my mate.He seemed weaker than usual, yet there was no denying the fact that Justin could never not be good-looking. The scent of the bond mixed with something chalky. Desire washed over me as I tightened my embrace, rubbing his back and feeling the contours of his frame beneath his shirt. His breath was warm on my neck, igniting a fire in my loins as my arousal grew."Are you going to be okay?" I whispered.He pulled away slightly, his eyes flickering up at me briefly before fluttering shut again."Yeah... just a little tired, that's all," he murmured.I wondered if his body reacted to my touch the way mine did."I need to lie down," he said. "Get the laptop to my bedroom."I nodded and picked up the bag. As we entered the room, he leaned against the wall. My gaze fell on his exposed chest, and I wondered where my self-con
Marissa The car rolled to a stop in front of the lodging. The night was quiet, carrying the kind of silence that made everything feel more intimate.I had barely taken two steps when I also heard Justin’s door open. I turned, and he leaned against the car. Without warning, he opened his arms and pulled me into a hug.My first instinct was to push him away—someone could be watching—but Justin didn’t seem to care. I could feel his heartbeat steady against my cheek, and his scent invaded my senses.When I tilted my head up, his lips were on mine. The kiss was slow and drugging, neither of us willing to admit just how much we had wanted this.Justin deepened it, his hands tightening on my waist, and I melted into him. The bond roared to life, making my toes curl. My fingers found the fabric of his shirt, gripping it as if I needed something to anchor me to the moment.But then my mind screamed at me—what if someone saw?I pulled away, pressing my palms against his chest. “People could be
JustinWhen I saw Marissa and her companion, an irrational heat flared up inside me.She laughed, her head tilted slightly as she looked at him with amusement. That smile caused something dark and possessive to curl inside me.The guy held her bag like he was her damn knight in shining armor, standing close enough that if she shifted slightly, they would brush against each other.It was stupid, and I knew it. I had no right to feel this way, but logic didn’t matter.Two nights ago, something had shifted inside me when she had touched, hugged, and kissed me.The pain that had clawed at my insides for days had dulled under her warmth. I didn’t understand it, nor had I told anyone, but Marissa’s presence had done something that neither medicine nor any healer could.Seeing her grinning at another man like she didn’t have a care in the world pissed me off, flooding raw jealousy through my veins.I knew it was overly childish, but I couldn’t stop myself.When the guy was gone, and Marissa
MarissaI heard Justin call my name just as I was heading past the other side of the lounge downstairs. My heart swelled with satisfaction. I had planned this. I saw him leaving earlier, quickly put the pieces together, and decided to take the same route."You must be bored out of your mind if you’re ditching your pathetic excuse of a boyfriend to stalk me," Justin said, smirking as he fell into step beside me.I turned my head just enough to give him a pointed look. "What if I am? What are you going to do about it?""Many things," he winked.I rolled my eyes, walking past him and stepping out into the night. The air was thick and humid, the dim glow of the streetlamps barely cutting through the darkness. The parking lot stretched ahead, mostly deserted, save for a few scattered cars.Justin’s footsteps followed behind me."Are you in any way throwing a bait at me?" he asked, his voice teasing.I smiled to myself. "That depends on what you consider a bait."Before I could take another
Justin and I returned to the VIP section of the club in separate directions. We were just acting like silly high school teenagers, and I assumed that was how my best friend and ex Alan and Genevieve hid their relationship from me because I was doing the same thing. Only in my case, it was worse because Justin and I were not even in a relationship.Somehow, I felt like the star of the show—with Hector, who genuinely liked me and was pretending to be my boyfriend, Justine, who wanted something romantic with me, and then Justin, my mate, who had not acknowledged the bond, even though we had just made out seconds ago. This was all messed up. Never in my life would I have assumed that at my age—when my mates were almost done having babies—I would find myself in such a predicament.Perhaps that was why I was getting a bit hypnotic as I sat with Hector at the bar, trying to enjoy myself. But my focus kept drifting, and my eyes betrayed me every few minutes. Justin had gone back to Wendy, and
JustinMy mom's hopes were up because I felt something close to relief for the first time in a long while. It seemed that the last treatment had dulled the ever-present ache in my bones and the sensation that my body was on fire. My mom would always check on me, monitoring my food and asking questions—being the overprotective mom she was."You think the last treatment worked?" she said to me.I shrugged. "I don't know. Things look a bit more manageable now."Her eyes were filled with hope. "I told you it would. It is, isn't it?" she said.We were seated upstairs in the family room—one of the rare times I saw my mom naturally, without all the jewelry. Her waist-length hair was let down, softening her features, and she was still dressed in her night robe."I'm going to invite the healer," she said, already calling him. "He doesn’t live too far.""Mom, please, I've got things to do. I have a meeting this morning."She shot me a glare. "I want you to get your full healing and take over th
MarissaI stared at my phone, rereading Justin's message for the third time, and a sheepish smile appeared on my face. I was so stupid for reacting to his words and actions and reeking of giddiness.Thinking about what we could do alone made me grow feverish, tingles flooding my body before I forcefully squashed the feeling. I was not going to sit around like some starry-eyed fool, feeling giddy over someone who was literally engaged to someone else. Plus, his sister was coming along. That was enough to make the excitement fizzle. I dropped my phone onto the table, knowing I was getting ahead of myself.Justine would be all over me, watching me with those expectant eyes, hoping to win me over. It was exhausting.I lay on the bed, my mind flooding back to Hector's reaction when I told him that Justin and I were mates. He looked at me like someone had just told him his favorite movie series was discontinued."I don't believe you," he said, giving me a deadpan stare. Then he gave me the
Marissa“In my pack, it's an abomination for visitors to visit and not get served with refreshments. So, is there anything I can get you?" I said, my gaze darting between Justine and Justin."I'm fine," Justin said stiffly as if he were testing me."Water will do. Unlike some people, I actually have human needs," Justine said, pointing at her brother.I stood up and headed to get the bottle of water. I felt a lingering gaze pressing into my back. I didn't know who was watching among the twins.I barely had time to turn before a group of werewolves approached me with curiosity in their eyes. There was no way these people were going to mind their business."What's going on? Are we getting sent back to our pack?"I opened the refrigerator, taking out the bottle of water. "There is no grand announcement or exile. I'm just helping the prince plan his wedding."A collective sigh of relief passed through the group."Oh, that makes sense," someone said."Exactly. Now, can you let me pass?"Th
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
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
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
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’
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.
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
Marissa The office was bustling because Justin was trying to meet a deadline.Knowing he was battling with things yet still trying to make up for it by being efficient made me sensitive to his circumstances. But whenever he was in work mode, it was always useless to help him, as one could even annoy him after his refusal.He hadn't spoken much except for the occasional request delivered in a business-like tone. I didn't mind the quiet. In fact, I welcomed it. The less I had to engage with him, the easier it was to pretend that nothing could go wrong between us.And, of course, I couldn't keep throwing myself at him like some desperate, sex-starved fool, so I focused on the mountain of letters I had been assigned to sort through for him. Most were appeals, requests, receipts—nothing exciting until my fingers paused on an envelope that stood out.It bore the seal of my pack. The red and white colors had alerted me, and it was directed to Justin.From my dad.An unsettled feeling rested
Marissa There was no claiming bite. No mark. No declaration of the bond sealed. Just heat and desire and an absence where his teeth should have grazed my skin.I wanted to say it, but something beyond me was holding me back. So I swallowed the truth and forced myself to untangle from him before I could do something reckless—like beg him to bite my neck.“So, are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you, or do I have to start listing possibilities? Because I have a few theories, and I’m very creative.”He chuckled and zipped his pants. “That’s a dangerous offer, sweetheart. I’d have to hear the ridiculous things running through your mind.”Sweetheart. He called me sweetheart!I blinked that thought away.“Did Wendy finally leave you heartbroken? Or maybe your cousin has been whispering nonsense again, trying to convince people that he’s more suited for the throne?”He paused for a bit before smirking. “You say that like you’re joking, but you’re not wrong.”I sobered and held h
Marissa Sitting at my desk with my fingers poised over my tablet, my focus was on Justin's door. He had walked in not long ago, but there was something off about him, and by the time I snuck a peek at him, he wasn’t typing, making calls, or reviewing reports. He was just staring blankly at the screen. I had spent too much time watching this man and knew when something was wrong.And now that I knew the truth—that he couldn't bond the way I did—everything made more sense. I wasn’t overthinking anymore or doubting myself, and most importantly, I wasn’t confused about where I stood. I had the power here.I let him sit with his thoughts a little longer, giving him space. Then, when I was certain he wasn’t about to snap at me, I stood and made my way into his office without announcing myself. Instead, I moved past him toward the machine behind his chair, pretending to be grabbing a file or adjusting something. Then I moved in.My arm slipped around his shoulders, pressing against his back