Chapter One

Marilyn POV,

The soft breeze from the window fanned against my tits and I felt chills shoot through me. I roll to my side staring at the face of the man I love hoping his warm temperature might grant a bit of respite from the cold. His arm rubs against my back, the temperature became warm and cosy and I felt I could dance through it.

Roland drew a heart in my back and I wiggle at the feel of it. The only sound I could hear was the teasing hum of his breath.

"There is no compromise, I will call you every day if that is what you want." I laughed into his chest. His chest was the rock I found to lay my trust in and everything that matters was his warm breath fanning my face.

"It feels so right with you like for whatever reason I can't imagine being apart from you." I raise my head to look at him, my hand on his chest. "Roland, are you even listening to me?"

His attention snaps from the phone in his hand to me. His warm kiss made me feel rest assured even in my displeasure with his attitude. "Of course, stay back. I have plenty of time to invest." He claims and I hugged him tight caressing my neck. "You can come up with any excuse."

"My mother is holding a family party and after a meeting, I can't afford to be absent. That would be so trivial." I try to remind him why I must go home, father always does this and since the last time we have to do it alone, he's gone missing for close to ten years and no one knows of his whereabouts, my sister turns our family Moon festival into something else. I need at least to be there to see that she doesn't wreck any lore havoc like last year.

I have shifted several times during the full moon. Every inch of my bone cracks is hurting badly, my family comes from archaic wolves. This has caused me to stay by the side, unsure of what to do. Roland stresses up and I roll my face facing the wall with his hand on my waist.

"Tonight is a full moon." He reminds me.

Peeking through the Nevada skyline was the early sign of the dawn. I moved his hand to my mouth and plastered a kiss on his palm. Roland Chester is the Alpha of the Geneva Pack, his pack is the most powerful in Las Vegas.

"I don't feel pain anymore, Roland." He's the miracle I prayed for, I don't care about fate or anything we were compatible with. And to me, that is all that matters. "Might be because of you."

"Good, good." He sounds sweet like chocolate, his dark hair cascaded his face and I moved my hand up and rolled it to the side.

After my night with Roland, I find myself in the one-room apartment I shared with my friend, it is hard to believe I will be out of Las Vegas for a while, apart from him, my heart aches as I stuff my clothes into my bag.

"Roland did a number on you didn't he?"

"What else do you think?" I roll my eyes at Louisiana,

"Well, sorry I forgot you're the two lovebirds." She gives me a warning look and the corner of her mouth tilts up and I know what she was thinking. Louisiana is a fetish and nosy most especially in my relationship.

"I know, Roland might be an Alpha but he's different, he isn't the type to go against his words,"

"Because he told you he wants to do things differently right." I nodded to her. "He's an Alpha, babe, that should be the more reason you stay out of this game."

We know how the tides are, I wasn't Roland's mate but then we decided to go against whatever it is they call rules in Las Vegas if there were any, "I was okay with it and besides humans marry whomever they want and I have seen it work out."

Louisiana narrowed her eyes and I could practically see the red warning in them. "You can't be sure, we're wolves and anything can happen. I'm telling you to be conscious at least, expectations don't weasel the heart."

I wiggle my eyebrow at my friend not because I like railing her up but because we're on different pages. "Fuck it! I'm out of here."

Roland is the love of my life but Louisiana's reaction to him had always been surprising. Until recently she kept bugging me to date and now she's warning me off. She tried by all means convincing me that since we're through with college and in for my architectural internship I shouldn't be narrow not to let a man in.

I grabbed my raincoat. "It's freezing out there!" She yells across from me. "She's probably going to the bulls pit again." She mutters slowly.

"I can hear you! Keep your tongue to the roof of your mouth at least." I drape the coat over my shoulder and slammed the door shut behind me.

I looked into the night sky, the rain was drizzling and since Roland is opposite the block I will make a quick dash to his apartment.

Strengthening up I focus on the rain. "Okay ready to go."

I arrived at the block in no time my freezing hand, even with the coat I still felt cold, Louisiana words were so trite to pursue me out but I have to be here despite the chills. I tried to knock, then heard a thunderstorm, it made a city at the back of my head, and Roland made it known he won't be home after all. It was a Pack meeting. Every one of the Chesters will be gathering tonight to discuss the new season.

I pulled out my spare key to his apartment from my pocket and used it to unlock the door. My eyes widened and I couldn't move forward. I was frozen on my feet, unsure of what I'm seeing.

"Why?'' I innocently told myself that I did not want to know what was going on. My hands were held to my mouth,

Roland Chester was above some woman I had no idea of, under the sheet and their moan screams through the night air. I quickly turn with tears in my eyes.

"Marilyn, Marilyn." He kept calling behind me but I was so quick to walk back, my heart ache and the cold didn't bother me anymore. "Wait, I can explain. It's not what you think."

In a reflex, I swung and my hand slapped across his face.

The night was the longest I have ever encountered, my heart slammed against my chest, for how long had he been cheating on me? I have no inkling, the following day I took an early train back to Boulder City. I walk to the front and buzz the alarm, I look to the side, there were three mirrors and I adjusted a bit on the hardwood floor. I close my eyes and try to imagine a cool breeze rushing over my body, when I opened them back my hands wiped across my face so that I didn't look obvious that I was crying. But my swollen face will trade me out.

The curtain pulled and then the door creaked inward. "Marilyn, what a surprise. You haven't been home this early." My sister, Isabella says.

I smile hard and wrap my hand around her pulling her in for a tight hug. "I should have listened to you and mother." Everyone, literally everyone warned me of Roland, mother wasn't an exception.

"It's okay, it's okay baby." She blew a kiss into my hair. Isabella was the eldest, and I was the middle child with absolutely nothing similar to her. My hair wasn't dark like everyone, they said I inherited my cinnamon hair from my grandmother.

After the hug, I pull apart from her. "Where is mother?''

"Right here." She yells from the dining.

"That obviously is not what you think." I was surprised.

"What then? Mother in a fitness dress. . . Who gave her the idea?"

"She has her own personal tutor and mind you 'it's the trend these days to tone your muscles.' I quote."

I turn to Isabella. "She said that? I can't believe this, guess she's joined the sauna lately, no doubt." I was surprised.

"She got herself a personal tutor and invited him over. She had been having training at home in the backyard with the other neighbours, surprisingly. The spacious house is going to cause a lot more headache than your breakup."

"You have no idea."

"Of course I do, chin up, Roland doesn't deserve a rare jewel like yourself. He cheated, give him you are the price."

"Who told you?"

"Louisiana called, she's seen him on several occasions but you were too Juliet in your Romeo to not notice."

"Save that for mother. And the new friends she's got over in a minute or two." My sister walks over.

"Hey! How is Gayle?" She nods with a smile, she's one lucky girl unlike me to have found love in her first trial I thought.

Gayle was our senior in college, he's a Beta and his father owns a prominent position in our pack, my sister hadn't complained about him before and I didn't expect her to now. Maybe if I dated his younger brother who was hitting on me back then we would have been solid, but I'm me, I chose college outside of town and also chose my internship in Las Vegas, this tells a lot about me, I wasn't ready to settle for less or anything with our pack.

"Welcome to Boulder City. There is nothing you'd want to miss out on." I craned my neck.

"Sorry, just some random women around here." I heard the voice sound in my ear like an angel.

This man before me; his features are void of humour. Or emotion. Or curiosity. He watches me as if I’m a toddler and he’s in

charge of making sure I don’t choke on a peanut or a small coin.

I bite my lip. “I just…” I shrug, my voice fading into the rock music playing overhead.

His thick, engine grease-stained fingers grip the bottle. “Am I supposed to ask?”

The grit of his tone washes against my skin, leaving a flurry of goosebumps in its wake all over. "Here you go, they say ladies first."

"You are?"He smiles a lopsided, amused smile that makes me wonder if he’s smiling with me or at me. I couldn't look away from his lips.

"Oh there you are, you found your way here." Mother shouts from behind and I hide my hand quickly.

Wordless communication was standard in our family. Growing up with two sisters and one brother had made that an essential skill. It made everything easier and faster.

I wiggled my eyebrows at my sister and my mother. "Oh, ladies, this is my gym instructor."

"Adrian and I'm not here for that." He says.

The man was smoking hot, he stepped into the backyard with a smile on his face.

I immediately noticed Adrian standing by the door. Holy crap. The man seemed even sexier than before. Was it all the sweat dotting his skin, or had I been groggy from my heartbreak? His right arm was bent at the elbows, palms at the back of his head. His biceps were on display, and his strong arms were my kryptonite.

I immediately glanced away, looking at the floor while I munch my apple fruit. Once I finished it, I turn around to meet my sister, my heart almost gushed out. Her arm was folded to her chest ready to latch at me. MATE, I knew that was what it feels like, the foreign urge to jump at him.