ALPHA XANDER’S POVAdriana’s shitty father is waiting for me when I get to my home office. I don’t know who the hell let him in when I’m not there but the person would pay for it. Just when I enter, I find Donovan nursing a cigarette, he flicks the burning end of it the moment I enter. I glare at him before turning to the man that looked a lot better than he did last week. Though his features still show his age.Being a werewolf must honestly suck.“Ah, you finally accepted my invitation, father in law.” I say in a way of greeting, just because I know it will annoy him, and it did. I pat his shoulder as I walk past him just to set him off. He starts to growl but Donovan’s own growl cuts him off.Though the little fucker annoys the hell out of me, he is loyal when he feels like it and whatever he does, he doesn’t try any shit when we have guests over.“Where is my daughter?” I cock a brow after I settle into my chair. I thought of changing into something more formal before coming to se
ADRIANA’S POVI think I might have celebrated too early. The wedding is still not happening, which is a major plus but Carlson is still Daciana’s mate though neither of them have said anything and we all just kind of pretended none of it happened. We can’t pretend forever and someday, they will both have to accept that he is her mate and they’ll either reject or accept each other.I don’t know about her but he didn’t seem exactly pumped about the discovery. I don’t know if I should be happy or sad about it.Daciana is my friend and I want her to have the best and be happy, then there is Carlson who is quite honestly one of the worst people I’ve ever met. Meeting your mate is one of the best things ever, and I know she wants that but then, I think nothing is better than Carlson.“This day has been too much,” Daciana sighs, slumping into the chair she has more or less claimed as hers, with a drink in her hand. It doesn’t spill surprisingly. She has a great balance I’ve noticed. “I think
ADRIANA’S POV“What did you say?” I ask softly when I finally snap out of my initial shock, the words coming out hesitant.Daciana starts shaking her head but she stops, knowing I heard her perfectly fine and she can’t take it back. Not now, it’s already too late.“Is Xander…” I swallow thickly, unable to finish that sentence. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it!I’m not even supposed to have a mate, I don’t have a wolf yet. It cannot be Xander of all people. He is the worst person to have as a mate. Oh, the moon Goddess really is punishing me, what did I do to deserve this?“Adriana,” the broken whisper makes my heart shatter more and I feel bad. I feel terrible for putting her on the spot like this when she is going through so much, I can’t make sense of the thoughts running through my head. My heart is thudding loudly, unsteady as my mind works faster than ever trying to make sense of this. “I shouldn’t have said that.” she shook her head.“I’m glad you did,” I don’t
ALPHA XANDER’S POV“I don’t think the guests will be too pleased to find your father in law in this state,” Donovan comments, motioning toward Jameson, like I asked for his input.I look down at the man on the floor, bleeding and choking on his own blood and wish I killed him, but I didn’t, I couldn’t. No matter how much I wanted to. And I so bloody wanted to end his miserable existence.Alpha Jameson is one of those people that will never admit their wrong, not even at the face of death. I’m quite sure he knows I don’t want to kill him, if I did, he knows he would not have lived this long.Something, or rather someone—his daughter that’s upstairs is the only reason I keep holding back from ending him. Their relationship isn’t stellar, which would be obvious even to a blind man. I didn’t want to kill him, not until she gave me the go ahead and seeing as we aren’t besties who divulge their secrets. He’ll be alive for much longer than I would have liked.“There are no guests,” I grumble
ADRIANA’S POVXander stops by the door, not really coming in but also not standing outside. I don’t know how to feel now that he is here and I know he is my mate. He seems normal, I don’t recognize anything out of the ordinary from him, the mate bond seems nonexistent to me and I can’t tell if it is because I don’t have a wolf or something else.I’ve never heard of anyone who got a mate when they didn’t have a wolf, but then I haven’t heard about anyone who didn’t have a wolf either. I’m the only abnormality I know.The slight warmth I felt earlier when he helped me during the scare and emotional breakdown after I heard about my mother is nowhere in sight. There is nothing but anger and contempt in my heart.Daciana looks stuck in the middle and I want to tell her she can go, I’m fine. She already has a lot on her plate and my problems with Xander won’t end anytime soon. It’s better to just let her have a moment of peace. She has been dealing with my shit since I got here. I’m feeling
ALPHA XANDER’S POVI’m on the brink of losing control, and it will all be my fault. It was dumb of me to hold her this close, teasing my control when I know it is very close to the full moon and my animal side is gaining more and more.My hands tighten on her hips and the small gasp of pain she releases causes a very delicious and painful reaction from me. Common sense says to keep her back down and get out of the room, go out for a run then when I’m back in my right senses, try to have the conversation with her.“Xander,” my name sounds like a moan coming from her in that sweet soft voice, and I hum in response, burying my face in her neck, pulling her impossibly closer to me. She can feel every hard part of me, especially the place pleading for her.“What do you need?” she whimpers, her hands going around my neck. She pushes her chest into me, there is nothing between us but our shirts and I groan. I refuse to move, afraid this is some kind of dream and the slightest motion would di
ADRIANA’S POVI DIDN’T THINK THIS THROUGH! I should have thought this through before I decided to lie to Xander that way. God, I’m so dead.He is still waiting for a reply, but my brain has deserted me. The little traitor that started this and ran away at the first sight of trouble.I knew I was playing a dangerous game, but I didn’t expect him to take it too far. I thought he would just laugh, give his sister a thumbs up or maybe even go and meet her to be sure what I’m saying is right. I didn’t think he would ask me to tell him all that. I just told him what I thought he would like to hear so he would leave me alone. Now it has backfired in the worst way possible.I have to think! I should THINK!!My brain is running, trying to think of all the things I’ve heard people say around my old pack. The other cleaning lady and her friend that come in once or twice a week. They were usually talking about things that made little sense of me. God, I wished I’d paid more attention but I never
ALPHA XANDER’S POVI don’t want to believe what she is saying, for no other reason than it would be hard for me to keep the vow I made to myself about respecting her. Even when I wasn’t sure she was pure, untouched, I still wanted to respect her. But this, hearing her confirm her innocence to me, it’s driving me mad. Of course, I have no reason to not believe her except for my own trust issues and paranoia, but I have taken a look at her and I’ve seen her naked—for a split second and it was enough to drive me mad with need—I don’t know how she was able to stay away from men for eighteen years.I know a lot of she-wolves save themselves for their mates, but many are getting reckless now. They believe, if the men get to do whatever they want before they settle with a family, why shouldn’t they?And for a man who has a healthy appetite, I don’t see anything wrong with that.The possessiveness running through my blood, the craziness at hearing I’ll be the first man to have her has me alm