KASMINE'S POV.
"No..." I whispered, my hands trembling uncontrollably as my blurry eyes took in the sight before me. "Wh.. What have you done?" I choked, taking slow steps backward, away from the man who I had thought was my savior and protector.
I was wrong.
"Kasmine..." He called in his familiar deep voice that always remained calm no matter the storm raging in him.
"Don't come near me. You... You just killed him... You killed him..." I sobbed, feeling my limbs grow weaker by the minute as I kept staring blankly at the young man lying lifeless before me.
We were in the woods. Just the two of us and the dead man.
"Stop being dramatic, Kasmine. He tried to force himself on you!" Kester's tone was a bit firmer now.
"He didn't! He barely even touched me! He was just talking to me, Kester! You just took an innocent life!" I screamed.
I was fed up. I didn't know how much of this I could take anymore.
Kester, my stepbrother, is the Alpha Of the Crescent Moon Pack. It was all so cute and harmless - his protectiveness towards me. But as we grew, it slowly turned into something else. Something that made me even more terrified of him.
Never did I ever imagine that my stepbrother would ever kill anyone because of me, let alone an innocent man.
"Come on. Let's get back to the party," He stepped toward me, but I stepped backward.
How could he sound like he didn't just kill an innocent person? How?
"Get away from me! Don't come near me!" I shrieked, turning on my heels, but I was no match for him. He was way faster than my small legs could ever carry me.
Kester held me firmly in his strong arms, and I felt disgusted being so close to him.
"Stop it, now!" He yelled furiously, unleashing his Alpha command on me, and I immediately lost my will to him. But the terror and pain were still there, "you will act like the good girl you are and return to the party immediately," He commanded, his deep green eyes almost piercing the depths of my soul as he held my gaze.
I nodded sheepishly, unable to fight against his Alpha aura.
As I walked back to the party - his girlfriend's party - I began to wonder how my life turned out to become this sour.
I was once a sweet little girl who lost her father at the age of five. Two years later, my mother found love again with the Alpha of our pack, who had also lost his mate. Kester was fourteen, while I was seven.
He protected me like the big brother I saw him to be. He never allowed anyone to bully me. He never went a day without getting me gifts. I was the envy of my friends because I was loved and pampered by my big brother.
But right now, I don't think my friends would still envy me, knowing what I have been going through for the past four years.
When I turned sixteen, I noticed Kester's protectiveness becoming a little too much. He never allowed other men to come near me, and neither did he allow me to spend so much time with my female friends anymore.
He always wanted to be the one I spent all my time with and tell all my secrets to. And as the years went by, it began to reach an unhealthy point.
At twenty, I still don't have a boyfriend. Having a boyfriend would be over Kester's dead body. He kept telling me that I should keep myself for my fated mate when I got my wolf at twenty-one.
Father and mother saw nothing wrong with everything Kester had been doing. They kept saying they felt happy I had a protective older brother.
Now, I desperately look forward to turning twenty-one in a few months and meeting my fated mate. I am desperate to be free from his control. I feel suffocated already.
*
Days passed by, and I couldn't get over the gory image of the innocent man who was killed in front of me. I couldn't sleep or eat. I haven't set eyes on Kester either. He only comes home during the weekends to visit Mum and Dad.
Kester Kyrell, the CEO of Zamford Technologies, is a big name in the country. He took over the company just about the same time he took over the Alpha position from our father, former Alpha Kyrell. And since then, he has taken the company to great heights.
At twenty-seven, he had already made a name for himself. His pack is the biggest in the country. He was the envy of all.
Thankfully, I had to deal with his controlling presence only during the weekends. But that didn't mean I was free during the week, as he had bugged my phone and laptop. No calls or text messages come in or go out of my phone without him seeing them.
So much for a big brother.
My alarm blared for the fourth time, and I jumped out of bed. I wouldn't want to be late for class. Being in my final year in college, we were expected to go on an internship program according to our fields of study.
As a computer science student, I have already submitted the three tech companies I would love to work with for my internship.
None of these companies were as good as Kester's, but may I be damned to add his company to my list! Not when I have been so desperate to be out of his reach as much as possible.
Jake and I already submitted the same choices, and hopefully, we will be posted to the same company. There, I'd have more time and freedom to be with Jake without Kester ever finding out.
Jake is a guy I admire so much. And I couldn't be more thankful that he also felt the same way for me. He just hadn't asked me out yet, but I am still hopeful. Perhaps spending more time during our internship program might spark things between us a little further, and he might ask me to be his girlfriend.
The thought of seeing Jake today made me blush hard.
"What's happening?" I asked Claire, who looked like she had just been through hell, as I approached the school entrance.
She heaved a sad smile with an eye roll, "I was posted to J&F Technologies," She said, and I understood why she was sad.
Since high school, Claire has always had a crush on Kester, but he hardly ever notices her. Probably because she was a little too chubby for him. He liked slim, model-like girls.
She had submitted his company, hoping she'd be posted there, but she wasn't. I felt sorry for her. This was the only opportunity she had to be close to him for at least six hours daily for the next three months. But she missed it.
"I am so sorry, babe." I said, pulling her in for a hug, "Did you see mine? Where was I posted to?" I asked, pulling her towards the information board.
She wasn't saying anything, and I wondered why. The Claire I know would have already told me where I was posted, even before I got the chance to see it for myself. But I ignored her. She was probably still sad about her posting.
My eyes eagerly scanned the long list pasted on the board, and the first name I looked out for was Jake's. He was posted to Plush Technologies.
I nervously searched for my name, praying to the Moon Goddess that I'd also be posted to Plush Tech, but I paused abruptly when I saw my name.
"No... This must be a mistake." I said with wide eyes and trembling hands. "How..."
My heart drummed in my chest, and I felt my head spinning as I tried to grasp what was going on.
How the hell was I posted to Zamford Technologies?
My stepbrother's company.
KASMINE'S POV."Mum, please, you don't understand. I can't live with Kester. I don't want to," I pleaded with my mum, who paid little attention to me as she ordered the maids to make sure to pack everything I'd need for the next three months.I had tried all I could to make the school post me to my place of choice but they said there was nothing they could do about it.With his influence, Kester had made sure the school posted me to his company by all means.Zamford Tech is three hours away from home, and my parents decided that it would be best to stay with Kester throughout my internship program since we only need to report to school once every week - on Fridays.So, I had to stay at Kester's from Sundays to Thursdays. I had to endure him for that long. I hadn't even gotten over the fact that he killed someone because of me. It's been almost two weeks now, and we have never spoken about it after that night. Neither could I even muster the courage to tell anyone about it.What happens
KASMINE'S POV.I would never be able to survive in this house. Kester was no longer the big brother I used to know. He'd become cold and distant. His presence scared me.I barely survived his presence in the kitchen earlier. The way he looked at me as if I was some kind of... I don't know... A prostitute?I know he had warned me several times about wearing such clothes, but I was in his house, and there was no one else there. His guards were stationed outside the house and with the way Kester was, I knew they'd never dare enter into the house without his permission.Maybe he should tell me if he also doesn't want me wearing them around his house. I'd just stick to wearing them right here in my room because these are the only kind of clothes I feel comfortable in whenever I am at home.We barely exchanged pleasantries when he excused himself and went into his room. I wasn't wrong. His room was the one just beside mine.I was ready to sleep, but the hotness of the room was becoming unbea
KASMINE.I decided to prepare breakfast for us to eat. It was a weekend, and Kester said he'd be home all day. I thought it wise to prepare his favorite meal."Breakfast is served," I said with a grin when he came down the stairs.He was casually dressed in a way I hadn't seen him in a long time. Whenever he visited home, he was always formally dressed, as expected, as the Alpha.Seeing him in his grey sweatpants and black singlet made me remember those days when he still lived with us back at home.He looked gorgeous, I must say.His short, black hair was neatly combed with just a few careless strands falling just above the crease of his brows.His lick-worthy Adam's apple bobbed when his pink lips curved into a small smile."Mine," He called, and I couldn't help the warmth that spread across my cheeks at the way he called me - so intentional, so personal."You know you'll have to stop calling me that soon, right?" I teased, knowing he hated to hear that.A small frown appeared on hi
KESTER.It took all the self-control I could muster to stay away from the house all weekend. I could have done something I might end up regretting.Whatever unholy feelings I was developing for Kasmine were beginning to get out of hand, and I didn't know for how much longer I could hold back.I returned home just this morning to get ready for work.I stood in front of Kasmine's door, contemplating whether to knock or not. I was, no doubt, ashamed of what had happened on Saturday. She felt my hard cock, and it was super embarrassing.But, fuck it. Now wasn't the time for regrets. It was getting late, and we had to leave for the office.Just as I was about to knock, the door pulled open, revealing my little sister - my obsession.I froze.She stood there, framed by the soft morning light spilling into the hallway. Her rich, brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose waves, a few strands catching the sunlight.She looked... stunning. No, beyond stunning. Her blouse, a soft cream colo
KASMINE."Mum... I don't want to be here anymore. Please?" I said to my mum for the hundredth time since the day I arrived.I thought I could work things out with my brother and be freer around him, but I was wrong. He's been worse than he used to be with his overprotectiveness."Come on, honey. You'll be fine. Besides, you'll be coming home tomorrow, won't you? I know you miss me, your friends..." Mum said, trailing off again, probably talking to someone else in the background. It's been a habit of hers that I detested. She always wanted to handle too many things at the same time."See you tomorrow, mum," I hung up the call even before she could respond.My mum was never available. How would she know what I was going through? We couldn't even as much as connect through a simple conversation, how much more build a connection where she'd know how I truly felt on the inside about certain things I was going through?I had no one to talk to except...Speak of the devil, and she appears!W
KESTER.This woman had made it a point of duty to torment my life. If only she knew how much I hated having her around. I had barely spoken to her since she showed up at my office yesterday unannounced.This whole marriage arrangement between my parents and hers would be the worst thing that'll ever happen to her - not me, because I can never love her. No matter how hard she tried."Do we really have to go?" Her silky voice sounded from behind me. She walked toward me and placed her slender hands around my waist from behind, "I came to spend some quality time with you.""I never asked you to come, June," I pulled her hands off me, "But since you are here, get dressed and let's go. I have important matters to attend to in the pack."I locked my luggage and headed to my mirror, adjusting my hair.She was quiet for a while before speaking again, "Okay. I'll get to spend some time with your mum, too."Was that meant to console her? That's her business.From the corner of my eye, I saw som
KASMINE.My brother couldn't have meant all he said to me in my room. He must have said those things to get me further scared of having anything to do with any man until I have my mate.All through the drive to the pack, I sat quietly in the car, replaying his words in my head. Thankfully, he was in another vehicle with June. He always traveled with his driver and a small convoy for security reasons.He was becoming even more protective."27th, Kasmine. 27th of August..." I kept reassuring myself every day since my life became a misery."I'm already running late, mum. It's almost ten," I said to my mum when we arrived at the packhouse.I didn't miss the subtle glare Kester shut my way, but I ignored him."You'll be back in time to have lunch before you leave, right?" She asked, patting my head lovingly as she planted a small kiss on my forehead.I narrowed my brows. What was she talking about?"I'll be staying the weekend, mum. Remember?" I stated with an eye roll."No, you're not," I
KASMINE.I was terrified. The silence in the car was unbearable.I sat stiffly in the back seat, my hands clenched into fists on my lap as I stared out of the window.Kester was seated beside me, leaning back with his hands casually resting on his thighs, his jaw tight, and his expression carved from stone.He hadn't said a word to me since he saw me with Jake. In fact, as soon as I saw him, he quietly walked away.I least expected him in my school. I never knew he had something important to take care of there. I wouldn't have sat down in plain sight with Jake.He had sent June home, and the poor girl couldn't even complain. She took it in good fate, promising to return next weekend.Sometimes I wonder what she was still doing with a douchebag like my brother.His silence was worse than anger, and it made my skin crawl. I dared a glance at him out of the corner of my eye, hoping for some clue as to what he was thinking, but his face betrayed nothing.The driver navigated the convoy th
KESTER.I went for a run. Something I hadn't done outside the confines of my home gym in a long time. But today, it felt like the whole house was closing in on me, and I needed a breath of fresh air.I ran until my lungs burned, until the early morning air felt like razor against my skin, until the world blurred into nothing.Two days.Forty-eight fucking hours.And Kasmine hadn't stepped foot outside her room, neither had she opened the door for me or anyone else aside from her favorite maid who takes her meals to her and comes out with them untouched.I was losing my mind.It was just five more days until I was shackled to an engagement I didn't even want, and I wasn't even prepared for it.When Kasmine barged into my room and found me and June in that awkward position, I heard her saying something about picking a date. She must have come across the whole engagement thing on social media, all thanks to June.If only she'd let me explain myself, she'd see that it's all just a big mis
KESTER.I never believed the journey from the Crimson Valley pack was such an effortless adventure as June made it seem—twice in twenty-four hours, she showed up at my doorstep like a stray with nowhere else to be.I had just finished crafting the perfect plan to handle Karina when a knock at my bedroom door shattered the satisfaction I'd barely begun to savor.She didn't even let me bask in the moment of my anticipated victory before she ruined it with her tedious presence."What are you doing here, June?" I asked calmly, my voice a perfect description of disinterest wrapped in civility, as I pulled on my shorts and vest, carelessly tossing away the towel from my waist.Her eyes followed my movements until they stopped at the slight swell in my shorts.I sighed, not bothering to hide my impatience. "Is there something you need, June?" I asked, pulling her out of whatever stupid fantasy that must be running through her head already."I... Uh..." She swallowed, forcing out a breathless
KASMINE.I have been feeling a bit too weak lately. It had been four days since we returned from the Maldives, yet my body still felt sluggish and drained.At first, I thought it was the stress from the entire trip, but now I was beginning to think otherwise.Could it be that I caught the flu during our stay there?I couldn't afford that right now. My birthday was in eleven days, and the last thing I wanted was to look pale and exhausted on a day that was meant to be… perfect.The reality hit me mildly.Eleven days.And I hadn't even begun preparations yet. Mum was probably already deep into planning, shaping everything into her own version of perfect. But I also had some things I'd like to add to her 'perfect' list.Scrap that.This year's birthday is meant to be very significant. I needed to be in full control, not just a passive guest at my own event.She would have to work with me. Not the other way around.I pulled open the drawer beside my bed, my fingers finding the small bottl
KESTER.A slow, simmering heat crawled under my skin, spreading like molten iron through my veins. It wasn't just anger—it was something darker, something razor-sharp and corrosive."What the fuck are you doing here?"The words came out low and controlled, but there was no mistaking the venom dripping from each syllable.Yet, there she stood, smiling like an airheaded debutante who hadn't yet figured out she was walking straight into a lion's den because she still wore that stupid smile on her face."I am having trouble picking out the perfect color combinations for the engagement party, baby," she replied, letting out a breath of exhaustion. Her shoulders sagged for dramatic effect as though she carried the weight of the gods on her back.Baby?My jaw twitched.She now calls me that?If only she could see anything past the bridge of her nose, she'd realize she had no fucking business being this excited about any of this."Aren't you going to let me in?"Before I could answer, she bre
KESTER.I froze.The sound of that name alone was enough to curdle my blood.I had foolishly hoped that Kasmine wouldn't hear about Karina. But, come on, this was an entire pack. A small world with too many mouths. Of course, she'd find out eventually.Kasmine isn't a child anymore.I exhaled slowly, forcing my muscles to relax as I turned to face her. The anger I had been directing at her and Jaden shifted, curdling into something more volatile.I hadn't seen her since the day I walked her out of my office, nor had I heard anything from her since then, but I wasn't stupid enough to believe that meant she had given up.No. She was planning something. That manipulative, poisonous bitch was always planning something. And I needed to be ready."She is my half-sister," I replied without mincing words.Kasmine blinked rapidly, trying to wrap her head around what I had just said, "What? I don't understand. What do you mean she is your half-sister?""She's my father's illegitimate child. One
KASMINE."She doesn't need to be disturbed. Bring her breakfast here. Clean the room later." I thought I heard those in my subconscious.My body ached, every inch of me sore and sluggish as if I had been wrung dry and left to mend on its own. A sharp ache pulsed through my temples, cutting off the remnants of sleep.My body felt so foreign.The door clicked shut, but the sleep still kept me under until I heard another set of words from the same voice."Lock him up in the basement."With those words, my lashes immediately fluttered, forcing my vision into focus.Kester.He was strolling back into the room, bare-chested, wearing only his trousers, the dim morning light casting shadows across the ridges of his toned frame. He looked every bit the man who had unraveled me last night.He had his phone in his hands."Who are you locking up in what basement?" I whispered, as that was all my voice allowed me to do.My heart picked up speed at once.I tried to sit up, only for a sharp, searing
KASMINE.Heat licked through me, pooling between my thighs.A palm slid down my spine, pushing me further into the bed making my arch my back, before gripping my hips and positioning me the way he liked.His other hand nudged my knees apart, parting my thighs with an ease that sent another wave of need crashing through me.I felt his arousal so thick and hard, picking my entrance.A dark chuckle vibrated against my skin. "Oh, baby... you have no idea what you've just asked for." And that was all the warning I got before I felt him sink himself deep and hard into my wetness.I screamed, but thanks to the gag, it was well muffled.Kester didn't think I deserved to adjust to the brutal force at which he had plunged into me because he continued immediately, sliding in and out of my pussy without a care in the world.He fucked me. Hard. Fast. Unapologetically."This is what you wanted, huh?" he groaned, his voice laced with lust and a hint of dark satisfaction before pulling back until jus
KASMINE."Fuck..." A curse ripped from his throat as his hands snapped to my waist, holding me in place, his fingers digging in just enough to make me gasp."You don't get it, do you?" His voice was lower now, a bit darker. "This isn't fucking easy. You think I don't want to bury myself in you right now? Take you exactly the way I know you need?" His fingers flexed again, and my breath hitched. "But I won't do it like this. I won't do it when I'm too fucking furious to control myself."I leaned in, brushing my lips against his jaw, letting my voice drop to a whisper. "I don't care."His breath hitched.I pressed closer, feeling the heat rolling off his body, the tension crackling between us like a live wire. "Unless you want someone else to fuck me," I murmured, my lips grazing the shell of his ear, "then walk away."His entire body went rigid.Bingo! I got him.A muscle jumped in his jaw, his fingers tightening on my hips in a way that sent a delicious thrill up my spine. "Kasmine."
KASMINE.The drive was cold. Tense. Nerve-wracking. Not because of the silence—but because of him.Kester sat beside me, a storm barely contained beneath his skin. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles pale against the leather, and though his gaze stayed fixed on the road, the tension in his jaw and the rigid line of his shoulders told me exactly how pissed he was.My fingers twitched all the way home.Kester, in his usual character, didn't say a word to me throughout. He was just seething beside me, driving at a speed that almost made me say my last prayer.We drove into the parking lot, and he jammed the car door shut, but before he'd walk over to my own side of the car, I was already out and walking toward the house.I didn't wait for him.A part of me was happy he'd saved me from that jerk. But the other part of me was angry with him for so many reasons.He didn't speak to me for two days. And now, suddenly, he thought he had the right to storm in, play hero, and act