"If you didn't find anything you liked, we can explore other options," Alice suggested gently, pulling Alisha out of her reverie."These are all just too expensive," Alisha whispered, careful not to sound too disheartened in front of the saleswoman and salesman, who stood calmly nearby."You two can go," Alice instructed, sensing Alisha's discomfort. He didn't want her to feel pressured in their presence."Yes, sir," they both replied in unison before exiting the scene."Price doesn't matter, sweetheart. It's for you, and I have more than enough money to spend on you, my love. You'll be my wife soon, and this is nothing compared to you," Alice reassured her softly, gently holding her hand.Alisha looked at him, then down at their joined hands. "I don't like any of the rings. I've never worn jewellery before, and now they are just too expensive. I'm starting to worry about how expensive those gowns are going to be," she confessed, her voice reflecting her concerns."Of course, my soon-
"Sir, we don't keep silver collections. This store is exclusively for diamonds and other exclusive stones," the salesman, with fear clouding his eyes, replied.Knowing exactly who he was dealing with, he looked at the woman beside him, who was shivering a bit. He knows they both are like walking on a thin thread; once it breaks, they will fall.Though they both attend to rich people every day, Alice is an old customer and a dangerous one too.Dealing with rich people and dealing with someone who is sitting above all rich are both way different.And this is the first time he is asking for such a low-budget thing, which they don't keep in the store because no one comes here to buy silver or gold. It's always expensive stones, no matter how big or small it is."What the hell, then why do you even have this store when it can't provide good? What is with these only exclusive stones things? You think I am poor who can't buy the so-called exclusive things?" Alice's blood boiled as he asked.
“What are we going to do, Levi?” “How am I going to know, Rish? We don't have any silver rings, and within ten minutes it's just impossible to get them from any other stores,” Levi answered, panicked.“We're screwed then?” Rish asked, his face filled with fear, knowing exactly who they were dealing with.If they didn't arrange the rings, it was like do or die. Alice wouldn't show any mercy to them. He was already looking so angry outside, and they both knew better than to get on his nerves, which they already did without doing anything.“It's not even our mistake. How are we supposed to have silver when this store has an exclusive theme? It's not like we are the owners,” Levi reasoned, clearly stating it's not their fault.They were just staff who did sales; they didn't get to choose what to put on display. Getting threatened with their jobs was just worse.“Why didn't you say this outside?” Rish sarcastically asked.“As if you had the guts to say something. Maybe you should do it n
"Sir, here,”Levi and Rish both arrived with the boxes, sweating and trying to appear normal.Alisha looked at them, feeling guilty as they were sweating too. She couldn't feel any more guilty than she did now."Now, how did you get it? Didn't you deny it before?" Alice asked sarcastically, sometimes not understanding human psychology.Until they face consequences, they don't put any effort into things, and that's evident here too."We found some designs," Levi politely offered, not understanding why Alice had to sound so sarcastic.It's as if without the rings, he would be satisfied with the store and their jobs won't be at risk, and now he's acting like it's nothing.He is making it sound like they had any other option, which just makes it worse."People like you have no work other than gossiping and not doing your jobs right. You want to earn money without sweating or putting in effort," Alice insulted.Rish and Levi exchanged glances, maintaining polite expressions, but feeling hu
“Shopping is done?” Alisha asked as she followed Alice out from the store, feeling better than before.She took a deep breath; at least now she wouldn't have to face the hateful looks she got in there. Somehow, it did feel like her mistake, but she wasn't the one to blame when the real issue was Alice.“Yes, but I think your slippers are still left,” Alice said.“I don't want slippers. I can manage with the shoes I have. They won't even show under gowns, and I'm literally tired. I don't want to shop for anything more,” Alisha immediately replied, her feet aching and her mind exhausted.Moreover, leaving aside her tiredness, she couldn't ignore how he behaved like an arrogant person. She didn't want to step foot inside another shop.Who knew how he would behave and then drag her into the worst-case scenario she never wanted.“What are you tired for, sweetheart? It's barely been three hours, and all you did was rest in my office. When I was working, what tired you out? That's why I alwa
“Sweetheart, let me massage your feet,” Alice said, placing her on the bed and taking her feet in his lap.Alisha felt nervous as he offered to massage her feet, placing them in his well-defined muscular lap, which only heightened her nervousness.“Why are you shaking, Angel?” Alice questioned, softly holding her feet and starting to massage them gently.Like an expert, because he is used to massaging his mother's feet, so it's not something new for him.“You don't have to massage my feet, I'm totally fine,” Alisha tried to pull her feet back, but his grip tightened as he looked at her with lazy yet stern eyes.“Have to? What if I say I want to?” Alice looked at her with eyes that screamed how he just wanted her to stay still.“It’s not good, you are older than me, you don't have to do it, it's just disrespectful,” Alisha stated, stopping pulling her feet, not wanting to get them hurt due to his tight hold nearly stopping the blood supply, making it painful.“Don't forget you are my w
"Where is your mind, sweetheart?" Alice asked, looking at her as if their earlier exchange hadn't happened, trying to act normal now.He didn't even know why he felt the sudden urge to warn her, he just felt the need to show her he didn't want to reveal his darker side.Even if she thought he was already bad, she didn't know that the other side, he is way softer than he could ever be with anyone.She was everything he hated, despised, even loathed, but with her, he couldn't maintain that facade; it made him feel vulnerable, wondering what she might be thinking.And what she might do - that thought just ruined everything for him. Never had he thought a woman could weaken him.But not only did she weaken him, she froze his mind, made his heart beat faster - she just did everything to him without even knowing it, and then she tried to push him away.Her eyes showed how much she hated him - he wasn't dumb not to notice. Being in the Mafia, he could read people's faces perfectly.He could
"Are you ready, Angel?" Alice asked, coming in his suit and looking good."Yes, I am," Alisha answered, stepping out of the bathroom already dressed."Then let's go invite your mother, Mary. Tomorrow is our wedding in the morning at court and the party at night. Let's invite everyone from the orphanage," he said, coming closer and holding her hands.Kissing her knuckles made her uncomfortable, but she masked her expression, not wanting to show him. Today he is taking her to the orphanage, and she can't let this opportunity slip.She doesn't know why she's going there when all her plans are to run away. Still, she can't wait to see everyone one last time - her only family. She doesn't even know how she'll escape, but she knows she can't go back to the orphanage.She has to go somewhere else, but where? That's the question. She's never gone anywhere alone, except for college and the orphanage.Once she tried, and now she's here with Alice, trapped, forced into her soon-to-be marriage, n
"Then what about you? Always behaving so high and mighty, you're just a witch, don't forget," Jackson growled, having had enough of this woman. Though he didn't like her from the start when she came to the pack, why was a witch even needed? But then again, she helped with healing and other things, so he let it be.But he hated her whenever their paths crossed."You're angry because you were rejected, and your whole life went to hell after your wife died, and me, just a fucking witch, rejected you as a second chance mate," Lima spat her words venomously.Maya and Alice's eyes widened in shock. Mostly Maya was stunned. Of course, she knew how Jackson lost his wife in the attack, but she never knew that Lima was his second chance mate and had rejected him too.It made sense why she didn't know, because she was away for 18 years, but this whole situation was quite strange. He showed no sign of discomfort while they talked and decided to come here."I don't want a mate like you. I had on
"What brought you here? Let me have some peace. Didn't I tell you last time that I am now too old to help? Even when I helped before, my powers are still recovering, so find someone else," Lima softly sighed, seeing three familiar faces.It's not like she doesn't want to help, but her old bones can't assist at all. Even though Alisha is a royal heir, that doesn't mean she will put her life at stake. She is here due to a treaty, or else why would a witch live among werewolves?When the attack happened on this pack, she got sent here because Alisha's mother had some witch powers, so she was considered part of the witch side too. She helped them when they needed it, so as Lima came here to help the warriors and to heal others, she had to stay due to the circumstances, and how the pack needed her powers for healing and recovery.Now, she did help by telling about the curse and curing Alisha a bit. That doesn't mean she will keep doing it; she hates sticking her nose into business that isn
"Come here, sit down. Now tell us what you all found," Levi immediately came with water as soon as Alice, Maya, and Jackson entered.She, Rish, and Alisha were all so eager to know what happened about the whole building scenario.And all three of them were dissatisfied too because they were left behind. Usually, they all went there to train and were very familiar with the area, but today Maya allowed no one other than Alice, who obviously saw the building, so it was necessary for him to go.Elk had some work, so he couldn't go with them or stay at home either."Let us breathe. Why are you so eager?" Maya sighed as they all settled in their seats and took the water."How can we not be eager?" Rish stated. "You all went there without us, of course we are curious, and it's so hard to keep our calm after seeing you all.""That's because it wasn't necessary for so many of us to go there, and we can't just leave one person alone here, even though this house is safe. That doesn't mean I'm no
"Is this the place where you found the key?" Jackson asked, unsure of what to do next."Yes, this is exactly where I saw the building and got this key," Alice replied. How could he forget? Even in his dreams the previous night, he had seen that damned building and felt the exact same feeling as the moment he stood in that place. Now that they were here, the building was nowhere to be found, just as he had been unable to see it after exiting yesterday. Again, he wanted to dismiss yesterday as a dream, but this key wouldn't let that happen – nor would the vivid, detailed memory ingrained in his head.So it was useless to even try. But what now? There was no building here, and he didn't know what he was meant to do with this key.He brushed his hair back, stress clearly visible on his face. He didn't look panicked, but he was far from comfortable or at peace.This was mostly because of his involvement with the mafia; he rarely felt panic unless his mother or Alisha were somehow harmed
"I know you've suffered a lot, but that doesn't mean it'll set things straight," Maya said, her wrinkled face showing the weight of her exhaustion and stress. "It doesn't matter, Alisha. When you're in a place where you have to fight, death is unavoidable. Did you think you'd get the Alpha position peacefully?"How could she not be tired? Everything was taking its toll on her mind; she didn't even want to count it all. Finding Alisha had been her first priority, but back then, she hadn't thought deeply about what she'd do next or how things would work out.Now, when she did think about it, it seemed like a far-fetched dream. It was as if she'd only dreamed about the starting point—finding Alisha—and then never dreamed beyond that. And now she was suffering in her success: the attack, Alisha's curse, the pack's new Alpha, and this building mystery. Everything was crushing her.She didn't even know how to mend her relationship with Elk. He'd said he forgave her, but since that day, she
Alisha sighed, watching him sleep peacefully. She didn't understand why she felt compelled to comfort him and talk with him like this, especially when he had been inches away from forcing her into a situation she would never want.Somehow, she felt guilty because he was here because of her. Maybe he wanted to be here, but that didn't mean she could simply push things aside. He wouldn't have to be here if it weren't for her; he was away from his mother and everyone else, all because of her. So, she couldn't bring herself to deny him some peace.It wasn't that she was particularly good at providing comfort, but she thought he needed someone to rely on. At the dining table, he had looked pale when talking about the building that no one else had seen. She was shocked when he showed the key, knowing that Alice wasn't a paranoid person who would joke about such things.It might have been believable if it were about a place she had never seen, but she had trained on that ground for a whole w
"Maya, I wanted to ask you something," Alice finally spoke, pushing his dinner around the plate.What happened today—the old building, the key—it had messed with his head. No matter how he tried, the building wasn't there again. As if it was all a dream. But the key in his pocket was solid proof that today was real."Ask," Maya looked up, her gaze sharp.Levi, Rish, Alisha, Jackson, and Elk all turned to Alice, waiting."So I was running on the training grounds today," Alice began, fiddling with his spoon."And?" Maya prompted, confusion lacing her voice."There was... a building," he stumbled over the words, not sure how to explain."What do you mean, 'a building'?" Jackson's eyes narrowed."Yeah, what building? There's nothing out there," Elk added. "Even the pack doesn't use those grounds. That's why we picked it for training.""Maybe you ran too hard," Rish chimed in, swallowing a mouthful of food. "We're out there every day. No buildings in sight."Alice's fingers twitched. How c
'Why do I always lose my temper and control like this? I was doing fine, but then I ruined everything,' Alice mumbled to himself, regretting his actions with Alisha in the room.It was as if everything had slipped away, and he wasn't in control of his own body. Most of the time, he never regretted what he did with Alisha, but today, what happened in the room felt different—as if someone else was controlling him.The way he wanted to consume her, though she always allured him in a way that made him lose his mind, today was too much.'I need to be in control, or else Alisha will hate me more than she already does,' he reasoned with himself.He'd held his patience for weeks, trying to make Alisha comfortable with him, and again, things went exactly how he didn't want them to.He started running on the training ground they'd been using for a week. The exercise felt refreshing to a certain point; his fuzzy mind began to clear as his legs picked up pace and the soothing air hit his system.
"I don't want it. Or has my dumbness turned on you and you've caught it whole? Is that why you're unable to hear what I'm saying?" Alisha sneered, not liking even the tiniest attempt to manipulate her like this.And yet, her body was betraying her. She felt a heat crawling up her skin, a readiness to give in that had nothing to do with her will. Maybe it was the mate bond, something she didn't fully understand but couldn't ignore. The effect his touch had on her lately was no joke. But that didn't make it right."You're making this so hard for me. You know that, right?" Alice's voice was crisp and curt as he grabbed her by the neck. Not with too much force, but enough to startle her, enough to make her whole body shake."Ahmmm," Alisha whimpered, his grip on her neck tightening just shy of pain. His chest rubbed against her forehead as he towered over her, a predator watching his prey. His eyes, dark and intent, seemed ready to devour her."Just like that, moan for me," he growled, hi