The first sign that my marriage was doomed from the start was at the bridal shower. My noisy cousins and strangers from the groom’s family were having a blast while I, the bride-to-be, who was supposed to be excited, sat in a corner like a zombie. Surrounded by gift-wrapped boxes and balloons, I watched the girls mingle and laugh over games and drinks. Then I looked up to the sky and prayed a single prayer to the moon goddess. “Please, take my life. May I sleep tonight and never wake up.“ Although I didn't believe in the goddess anymore and stopped praying to her since my tenth birthday, my future was decided and tomorrow, I'd be married to an evil being from the lowest depths of hell, Seth Darkwood, who by the way, was fifteen years older than me. A man whose first four wives died mysteriously. I shivered with disgust at the picture of that demon pouring his cursed seed inside me. “Ashanti, it's time to open your gifts!” One of my cousins announced. My response was a small smi
Three years later"Ashanti, are you daydreaming again?" Carmen snapped her manicured finger in my face to bring me back from my thoughts."Sorry, I got carried away. You were saying?"Carmen sat next to me on the sofa, staring at me with sincere warmth, reaching out to pat my ginger hair. "When was the last time you had a proper hair wash? This hair is too beautiful to be tangled like this.""I agree. She looks like a homeless lady with those damn eye bags," Harrison, Carmen's best friend added.Shrugging, I sipped from the iced tea Carmen handed to me. "I've been job hunting and stressed as fuck."Harrison raised his hand to stop me. “Ashanti, you're a sexy woman. At least make an effort to look good. I hate that you're letting yourself go like this. About your job, we need to make sure that this time, you get a proper, less stressful job than working at that damn bread factory where you're treated like a slave.""Girl, your life sucks," my wolf, Bea, mocked me. She loved to do that.
My heart burned with intense anger, like a pot of spaghetti about to overflow. I had always sensed Dave was creepy, but this was beyond me. The fact that the bastard followed me all the way sent shivers down my spine. "How on earth did you locate me? Have you been stalking me?" I cried out and he smirked lazily, his smile unsettling. "More or less." Tall as a building, he was one of the rare humans who passed the six-foot-three mark and could even pass for a Lycan. But the fool possessed no powers other than his sexual stamina. "Don't act so surprised. Finding you wasn't that difficult. Did you think you could escape without me noticing?" His grin grew wider, and his breath brushed against my ear, causing me to recoil in disgust "Get lost, Dave,” I snapped, pushing past him. Men like Dave think they can own or control women, just because they think they're physically stronger or have more money? Newsflash: having a bigger bank account doesn't give him the right to dictate my l
Ken followed my gaze. My mate looked extremely sophisticated and had an amazing smell, like a blend of the most exquisite perfumes in the world, and the freshness of the forest. It intoxicated my senses, making my stomach riot. My wolf became breathless with excitement and fuelled me with energy that I feared I'd shift. “Shit I think we found our mate,” Bea cried in my mind. He stepped out of the car and a spark had ignited a fire within me. My eyes locked onto his, and I couldn't look away. Every nerve ending in my body was alive with chaotic energy and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. It was as if my entire being was responding to his presence, and my eyes were drinking in the sight of him. To make matters worse, he was fucking handsome and young.. There was no other way to describe him with such a flawless and ethereal appearance. The missing piece in my puzzle. My soulmate. But this bond was absurd, almost unheard of. Our kinds didn't mix. "Danger, Bea. This is for
Chadwick's POV Settling on my executive chair that fit my office aesthetic, I crossed each resume with a fountain pen and watched with satisfaction as my best friend's frown grew like a balloon in size. "Are all the candidates female?" "Come on, Chad. Do you always have to be so picky?" He spat out, "I see you're still onto your hate against women." "I don't hate women. But don't you think I should be more careful with my selection?" "I thought you've have moved past the last time? Why are you hell bent about not hiring a woman for a secretary." Through the years, I mastered an unshakable calmness, where I don't have to argue or shout just because I don't agree with something, a trait my best friend, Ken hates. I stared at my son's picture in a small frame instead. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I can't make the same mistake again." Ken groaned, "You can't judge all women based on one bad experience with your ex. Women make excellent secretaries." "And gold diggers as well," I re
Ashanti's POV My breathing came to a fast halt as my mate's rejection rang in my head. He said it with an emotional deadness, like a cold fish. The man had such a provoking character that pissed me off so badly. If the stupid mating bond wasn't affecting my senses, I'd want nothing to do with such a rude human. Instant distaste filled my mouth. Even my wolf was annoyed at him for treating us like we were unworthy of his attention. "Why?" I demanded without thinking. "Excuse me?" "You know what I mean, sir," my voice trembled from anger. "Why waste my time with all those questions if you didn't plan to employ me? Are you also implying that all your staff have a degree?" His hand rose the sleeve of his white-as-snow button-down shirt. "It's not my fault you didn't do your research before applying to my company. Unfortunately, you're not a good fit for the role." The flippancy of his tone made me want to scream. I shot him a glare, and his eyes twinkled with amusement. Typical m
Chadwick After that angry redhead walked out of my office, Ken walked in and I transferred my aggression to him, venting about how I felt insulted that a semi-literate girl insulted me. Ken sat opposite me, silent for a second and burst out lauhhing like a demon on steroids the next second. The more he laughed, the more my annoyance fueled. Crossing my arms, I drew in slow, steady breaths irritated that he had the guts to laugh at my expense. "How's this funny?” "You poor thing. What do you want me to do? Breastfeed you?” he said between fits, his shoulders shaking as he tried to calm down. "It's your damn fault, you pie face," I wagged a finger at him. "Because what else would give that girl the audacity to walk in here and challenge me with such an insult “ “You're making it sound even more ridiculous when you put it like that,” Ken regarded me with amusement. “Maybe this is a wake-up call for you to loosen up, Chad. It feels like nobody can challenge you, and that's not al
Ashanti Tonight was one of those nights where my wolf refused to align with me. Instead, it tormented me to the point that I lost my spatial movements. A burning sensation like fire hit my chest. My breathing became shallow and rapid as I struggled to catch my breath, and tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. "Bea, please stop," I pleaded to my wolf, leaning against the wall for support. "I'm tired of having sex with random men, and even if I had the means to do so, we have found our mate and the urge for other men has evaporated." "I want him," Bea howled while my body quaked with the force of held-in pain. My fingernails bit into my palm so I could focus on the pain instead. "I want to fuck my mate. Get him for me!” "Selfish bastard," I said out loud. "Sometimes I feel like ripping you away from me and leaving you to die." "If wishes were horses," Bea mocked. The full moon was just around the corner, and Bea was itching to break free, causing a mania that I co