EveMy desire swelled with every passing second, making it impossible to focus on anything else. Just being in the same space as Axel, breathing the same air, caused every nerve in my body to be on high alert, desperate for something I knew I could never have.But beneath the desire was a shame that clawed at my chest. Then Axel looked at me. Not a passing glance, but truly looked at me. His gaze bore into mine, and for the first time, it felt like he was actually seeing me.My heart became a trembling mess inside my chest, and my body betrayed me with a shiver.Was this the moment he would acknowledge what we both felt? Would he stop pretending, stop fighting, stop acting like he was immune to the bond that had already consumed me whole.He leaned in, his face so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath ghosting over my skin. My heart pounded wildly, flooding an unexplainable pleasure through my veins.He was going to kiss me.Holy hell.My breath hitched in my throat and I g
Eve I hadn't been outside for more than a minute before irritation flared through me. The sun was relentless, glaring down as if punishing me. I was searching for Crystal, and when I finally found her hunched under a palm tree, furiously typing on her phone.Her head snapped up the moment she noticed me."What happened in there?" She narrowed her eyes. "Do I need to set that monster on fire?"Despite myself, I smiled. "It's not what he did. It's what he didn't do." I leaned against the rough bark, folding my arms as I exhaled sharply.Crystal waited."He makes it so hard," I muttered. "I want him, and at the same time, I hate him so much. It’s unnatural that he’s ignoring me. The way he looks at me—" I swallowed. "It makes me feel like I’m less than nothing."She sighed and reached out, brushing her fingers against my cheek. "He doesn’t deserve you, Eve. Mate bond or not, that pig has no right to make you feel like this.""It’s hard," I admitted, voice trembling. A humorless laugh bu
Eve The kitchen was wrapped in the comforting aroma of roasted vegetables and sauces. Axel and Shahar’s voices filtered through the hallway. Shahar was louder, his words carrying a carefreeness that came naturally to him. Axel, on the other hand, sounded distant. But when he laughed, it didn’t sound like it belonged to him. It was too smooth, too easy, too human for a monster.Curiosity got the best of me. I moved cautiously, pressing my ear against the surface of the wall, listening.“Nicolas and his goons are just a bunch of noisemakers,” Shahar said. “He’s been so busy flapping his mouth, he didn’t even realize his cabinet member was fucking his wife.”A low chuckle drifted from Axel. A chill slithered down my back, causing my breath to halt in my throat. Was this the same laugh he let out when my family was murdered? When my parents begged for their lives?My heart pounded faster.“The numbers aren’t looking good for him,” Shahar continued, enjoying their rival’s misfortune.Axel
AxelThe simplicity of a full stomach quieted the storm in my mind. Shahar sat across from me, leaning back in his chair with a contented sigh, his hand lazily rubbing his belly. “You look like a dog who just found a hidden feast,” I quipped, and he cracked one eye open, grinning“What can I say? Eve is a great cook. Admit it, you enjoyed the food.”I let out a low chuckle but didn't reply. The calm didn't last long. It never did. A familiar dark voice in my head reminded me not to get comfortable. Nothing good lasts for people like me, a cursed, unfortunate soul.“You're brooding again,” Shahar said, breaking through my thoughts. “Am I?” I asked dryly.My gaze wandered toward the open corridor beyond the living room, where his fling walked by. Her transformation was undeniable.A self-assured woman replaced the frail, sickly figure I’d glimpsed days ago. She drew attention as quickly as the sun drew flowers. The sway of her hips commanded attention.She was just a woman, like the c
Eve When I heard Axel mention he would marry someone to spite Shahar, my entire world came crashing down instantly. There was someone else in his life. He was willing to leave me, his fated mate, for her.He was discarding the bond as if it were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.I clenched my jaw, refusing to let the pain consume me. I needed to prove to him that I was strong. That I didn’t need him. That he was nothing.Shahar returned after seeing Axel off. When I heard the door close, I rushed to the kitchen, gathering the dishes and wiping down the countertop. He padded, trying to sneak up on me, but I had already noticed. I didn’t turn back—I wanted to see where his moral compass lay.Surprisingly, he didn’t do anything foolish.“Did you enjoy your meal?” I asked, keeping my tone light.“Hell yeah,” he said, dropping into a seat. “You’re excellent.”I wiped my hands with a towel. “I heard you mention a council meeting. Has he agreed for me to cook?”Shahar chuckled. “You
Eve The castle workers lived in a world different from what I had imagined. Comfort was a standard. They were well-dressed, well-fed, and, from what I could tell, highly content with their lives. But what shocked me the most was their pay.When my appointment letter was drafted and I caught sight of the salary and benefits listed under my name, my mouth nearly hit the floor. I was certain Shahar had pulled some strings, but he hadn’t.Not that I needed the money, but I couldn't ignore that the castle’s staff, mere servants in the grand scheme of things, earned better than some professionals in my pack. Even more shocking were the added benefits—medical coverage, housing allowances, and retirement bonuses. Retirement bonuses for a cook were insane.But it explained a lot.Like why Victoria hated me on sight.She was threatened and shot daggers at me from across the kitchen. If looks could kill, I’d be ashes by now.Axel made no sense.Everything about him was a contradiction. How coul
EveThe day of the cabinet meeting had finally arrived. It was a long and exhausting day for me and the other staff, but Victoria, as usual, strutted around like she was in charge, snapping out instructions and acting as if she had everything under control, when in reality, she was doing the bare minimum.I didn’t mind. If anything, I saw it as an opportunity to prove her wrong. She had gone on and on about how I was just some newcomer who didn’t belong in her kitchen. I poured every ounce of effort into my work, paying close attention to detail, making sure every dish was cooked to perfection.By midday, I was already exhausted. My apron was stained with the colors of spices, and my arms bore the marks of splattered oil from roasting the rib of the deer. But I refused to slow down.Victoria, ever the peacock, marched over to me. “You have to make sure the rib is roasted to a perfect golden brown crust on the outside and tender within,” she said in her usual snappish tone. “That’s how
Fourteen AxelThe sight of Nina sprawled naked on my bed gave me a nasty headache.She wanted more than sex. She always did.Nina was a thorn in my flesh, acting as if I had made her promises when all I had done was make a passing remark to her father, Prince Jaxon of the Northern Province, that he had raised a fine daughter. That simple statement had somehow morphed in her mind into a marriage proposal.She lounged on my bed, and her manicured fingers lazily traced patterns on my chest as if she had any right to claim me. The entitlement in her posture made my jaw tighten.I poked my tongue lightly into my cheek and inhaled a long breath, trying to push down the irritation bubbling beneath my skin. My patience for Nina had long run dry, but she refused to see it. She dismissed every rejection, ignored every dismissal, and kept showing up as if I owed her something.“Axel, my love,” she purred, lifting her head with an exaggerated pout. “I don’t like the way Shahar talks to me.”I re
AxelA heaviness settled in my limbs, making it nearly impossible to open my eyes. Though I was aware of my surroundings, my body refused to cooperate. It felt like sleep paralysis, where my mind was awake, yet my muscles remained frozen. Even so, I could sense when someone entered the room. The soft pad of footsteps was light, and the scent was undeniably feminine.I struggled to lift my eyelids, fully expecting to see Nina standing over me, as she often did, uninvited and overstepping her boundaries. But when I finally forced my eyes open, I was met with Shahar’s latest fascination, Eve.She stood stiffly beside the bed, rigid as if she had just been caught doing something she shouldn’t have. Her eyes widened in shock, and I could tell she was trying and failing to mask her reaction.Her fingers had been on me.I could feel the sensation—a light touch tracing the scar along my ribcage. She had yanked her hand away as if I had burned her. My gaze scanned the surroundings, noting th
EveAxel didn't come downstairs for breakfast, and with Victoria gone to her family house for the weekend, his meal was in my hands.A maid had informed me that he hadn't left his bedroom since the previous day, and somehow, my messed-up concern for him took over. Against my better judgment, I decided to prepare chicken broth.Before heading to his room, I rushed back into mine, spritzed on a mild body mist, and quickly fixed my hair. I braided it into a long plait before rolling it into a bun and securing it with pins. Then, I washed my hands, carefully plated the food, and took a deep breath before stepping out.Why was I even bothering to look good for someone who couldn’t give two fucks about me?I shook my head, scolding myself internally as I climbed the stairs. When I reached his bedroom door, I hesitated for a brief moment before knocking lightly.Silence.I knocked again, this time a little louder.Still, no response.I exhaled and slowly pushed the door open.Before I even t
EveI brushed my teeth with the force of someone who had swallowed something absolutely disgusting. My grip on the toothbrush was so tight that I felt pity for the poor brush.I kept scrubbing, harder and harder, as if I could erase the memory of what had just happened. I brushed so aggressively that my gums began to sting, but I didn’t stop.Maya was fuming inside me, pacing and growling like a caged animal. But oddly enough, the pain this time wasn’t as sharp as it had been when Axel had been the one betraying us. Maybe because I was the one doing the cheating this time. “He deserves it, " I spat out, rinsing my mouth and squeezing another dollop of toothpaste onto my brush. “Let him feel the same pain he caused us.”But even as I said those words, a sinking feeling settled in my gut. When did I become so stupid? When did my revenge turn into this twisted mess of emotions? Axel had been brought in earlier looking like he had barely survived the day, and here I was, testing his pa
Eve Shahar sat beside me in the sitting area of the restaurant, which overlooked the sea. The location was carefully chosen—far from the hustle and bustle of the main pack territory. The atmosphere was intimate, enhanced by the sea breeze that made the lantern-lit ambiance feel even more romantic . The walls were adorned with traditional motifs, and the scent of salt and freshly grilled seafood lingered in the air.Still, despite the beautiful setting, I couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that we were doing something wrong by leaving Axel all by himself.“He’s fine,” Shahar said for what felt like the thousandth time. “I see you’re wearing your cloak of empathy.”I peeled my gaze away from him and stared at my plate—stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, and sauce. Empathy, indeed. If only he knew my real reason for being here. I was on a date with the best friend of my enemy, with the very person who could unwittingly help me get the information I needed. How ironic.“But
Eve I decided to cook to make up for my earlier “disrespect” towards the king. The last thing I wanted was for him to fire me when I hadn’t even fulfilled my mission for being here. If I got kicked out now, all my efforts and the humiliation I had endured would have been for nothing.I chose to make something not too fancy but still wholesome—Cowboy steak with charred corn panzanella. A hearty meal, but not extravagant enough to come across as trying too hard.To distract myself, I tuned into the radio station that broadcasted to the general werewolf packs. The familiar voice of Alex, the presenter, filled the kitchen. I liked him because he was balanced, and never biased. He spoke about issues that truly mattered rather than the usual useless gossip that flooded most channels.As I chopped my avocados, the discussion on the radio deepened. Correspondents called in, talking about the greed among some Alphas who wasted resources meant for their people. Another spoke about the worsenin
AxelShahar followed closely behind as we walked out to the hangar to fly a mini-plane. The blue sky stretched above us, promising a smooth flight with no turbulence. Shahar pulled up the flight planning app while I climbed into the cockpit, flipping the switches with the ease of muscle memory. The hum of the engine was a familiar comfort as I turned on the master switch, adjusted my headset, and tuned into the local airport frequency.From the corner of my eye, I caught Shahar stealing glances at me—his way of silently asking if I was okay. It was written all over his face, but I was too tired of explaining the same thing over and over again. Some days were better than others, but then there were days like this, where the weight of everything threatened to crush me. Flying was my escape. It was the one place where the sky didn’t judge me, where the air carried me far from the curses that had tethered me to an existence of unhappiness."Gaia thinks I should try shifting again," I sa
EveSarai gasped dramatically, gripping the edge of the counter. “I can’t believe Victoria reported you. How petty can she be?”I sighed, wiping my fingers on a napkin. “It’s okay,” I muttered, grabbing a glass of water and taking a quick sip before standing. “Let’s see what he wants.”Axel was sitting alone at his private table when I arrived. His frown was so deep I could see it before even stepping into the room.Oh, this is going to be fun.I wondered if this was about last night—if he had figured out that I was the one lurking behind the lab door. There was no way he didn’t know."What is this?" His voice was sharp as he gestured to his plate.I stopped at a safe distance, stretching my neck to get a better look."That’s scrambled eggs," I answered cautiously.His glare darkened, and for the life of me, I couldn't understand where the joke was."Were you hired to sleep in all morning?" he snapped. "Victoria told me how rude you were to her. How she begged you to help her because
EveI ran as fast as my legs would carry me, faster than a cheetah, as the dogs chased me relentlessly through the garden. Their paws pounded against the earth, as if their sole purpose in life was to sink their teeth into me. Maya was screaming inside my head. If she had the option, she would have swapped owners in a heartbeat. She must have been wondering why on earth a werewolf—one of the most powerful creatures alive—was running from a couple of mere dogs.But no matter how ridiculous it was, I couldn't stop. And strangely, the more I ran, the more excited I felt. The wind rushed past me, the cool night air against my skin, washing away all the other burdens I carried.Then I spotted a mango tree with thick branches sturdy enough to hold my weight. A smirk tugged at my lips. If these dogs thought they had me cornered, they were in for a surprise. Growing up in a pack house surrounded by cousins and friends, I had spent my childhood climbing trees, scaling fences, and engaging in
EveIt was torture having to calm Maya down, but she wasn’t even attempting to stay relaxed. The first time she had felt a wave of pain was when we both discovered that our mate had slept with that stupid nurse. That pain had been sharp and unbearable—but nothing compared to the agony ripping through us now.It felt like someone was slicing through my intestines with a jagged blade. The sharp pain tore me apart from the inside. My body ached, and my stomach twisted violently. It was killing me. Maybe if I had let Maya take control when we sensed Axel cheating, it wouldn’t have hurt this badly. If I had let her lash out instead of running away, would the pain have been more tolerable?Shahar had been right—I never should have gone to serve Nina.I wiped my eyes, but it was useless. My tears wouldn’t stop. Crying solved nothing. It wouldn’t erase the pain or change the fact that Axel had betrayed us, that the bond between us was a cruel joke. I could feel Maya’s pain intertwining with