KESTER.I tried to push her thong aside, but the slick material kept obstructing my free access to her wetness.Hell, I ripped it off, and she gasped at the force."Sorry," I murmured, though there wasn't an ounce of regret in my voice. "It was in the way."I gripped her thighs, positioning her exactly how I wanted.I was in the mood to fuck her while she stood facing me, looking into my eyes to see the raw hunger that can never be satiated.She was so much smaller than me, her frame delicate compared to mine, but those heels she wore? They were a blessing. They made this perfect.Her brows furrowed, innocent curiosity flickering in her expression as she watched me press the thick head of my cock against her entrance. "How… how do we do this?"The innocence in her voice made my blood heat.I leaned in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear as I whispered, "Ever heard of the standing missionary?"She hesitated, then shook her head.Something dark and possessive curled in my che
KASMINE.The voice from the mini speakers in the plane trailed off, fading into my thoughts, "All passengers on board, welcome to flight 309..." I barely registered the rest. My focus was on the man beside me—my stepbrother—who hadn't lifted his gaze from his phone since we arrived at the airport, as if he was expecting a call that was never going to come.He clenched and unclenched his fists and jaws every now and then to relieve the tension he was refusing to let me know he was feeling. It was rolling off of him in waves, and I could almost taste it.What the hell was going on?Something was wrong.I'd overheard the argument between him and Dad last night, though I hadn't caught enough to piece everything together. It wasn't anything new—Kester and Dad had always been at odds, more enemies than family. They fought so often that their clashes had become routine, something I'd learned to ignore out of self-preservation.Mum and I had to get used to it when we found out there was nothi
KESTER.My chest kept constricting no matter how hard I tried to clear it out. I'd been at the convenience for a moment now, but I still didn't feel well enough to step out, even to face Kasmine. Not after how I had yelled at her.I braced my hands against the sink, fingers curling against the cool porcelain as I stared at my reflection. My eyes were hooded from exhaustion and frustration. And a touch of guilt.I had let the pressure, the fucking weight of everything, spill over onto her.My reflection blurred as I closed my eyes."It's going to be fine."I whispered the lie under my breath.Repeated it.Like some desperate fucking prayer.But the words felt so empty and unreasurring. And no matter how many times I said them, they did nothing to stop the sinking feeling that I was losing control.That I was already trapped.I pushed the door open and stepped into the cabin but froze immediately.She wasn't there.The seat beside mine was empty, her blanket neatly folded. The reclining
KASMINE."What the hell?"A sharp ache pulsed at the side of my head as I winced, my body instinctively curling inward. My limbs felt unusually heavy, like I'd been drugged—or in a deep sleep I couldn't remember falling into.Blinking against the soft golden light filtering through the room, I slowly pushed myself up, my fingers gripping the silky sheets beneath me. These weren't the sheets from the plane.Where the hell was I?My gaze darted around, taking in the space. Spacious. Extravagant. Surreal. The kind of place people spent a lifetime saving up for a single week in.The high, vaulted ceiling was made of dark wood, elegant yet rustic, with pure white curtains that billowed lightly from the breeze seeping through the open balcony doors.The floor was polished oak, dark and rich, so clean it almost gleamed.The air smelled different—salty, warm, and rich with the scent of the ocean.I immediately turned my head toward the sound of water lapping against the stilts beneath the cab
KESTER.Putting her to sleep on the flight was child's play. A necessary inconvenience.I had to.Otherwise, she would have gotten in the way of what I intended to do. And the commotion that followed—when everyone found out there was a body locked inside the convenience—would have ruined this trip before it even began.I had no regrets. The world was full of corpses, and one more wouldn't tip the scales.This wouldn't be the first time a corpse turned up on a plane. And it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.Now, I only had to hope the reporters would shut up about it. The frequency at which they broadcasted the incident was becoming an irritation, but nothing I couldn't handle.I knew she'd be mad when she found out, but she'd get over it.My eyes roamed over her, drinking in the sight of her body wrapped in the sexy outfit I had chosen for her, which was turning me on to a feverish degree. She looked fucking perfect.A perfect slut for me.Did she even realize how sinfully gorgeous s
KASMINE.The devil has a name, and he wasn't in hell.His name was Kester, and he was right here, on top of me, making me moan his name between gasps and breathless pleas.My body wasn't mine anymore.Pleasure had stolen it, claimed it, reshaped it into something unrecognizable—something made only for him.The vibrator inside me was maddening, humming, pulsing, teasing the raw, oversensitive flesh of my clit. My thighs quivered violently, torn between squeezing shut from the unbearable sensation and spreading wider to take more of it.And then there was his cock.Heavy, thick, stretching my lips wide as he thrust deep into my mouth, shoving himself into my throat, pushing me past my limits. The veins along his shaft pulsed against my tongue, the head hitting the back of my throat with his ruthless push.My jaw ached, and my throat burned, but I took him, swallowed him, and let him use my mouth however he pleased.My vision blurred as his fingers clamped down on my nose.A shock of pan
KASMINE.The sheets tangled beneath us as we lay in each other's arms. Thanks to the air conditioner in the room, my body temperature was beginning to regulate. I was feverishly hot after Kester ruined me.His palm moved lazily up and down my back as I lay on his chest, my fingers absentmindedly tracing over the ridges of his muscles."I hope I wasn't too hard on you, baby?" He asked in a gruff voice, and his question was almost laughable. Kester was anything but gentle. And he knew that."It's nothing I couldn't handle," I replied, and his chest heaved with a deep sigh before he kissed my forehead."I'm sorry, love. You'll get used to it."And that was supposed to make me feel better? That's funny.No matter how many times we fucked, I'd never get used to it. Kester was insatiable. Greedy. A man who didn't just fuck—he devoured. He destroyed. He owned. And the worst part? I let him. I wanted him to.I hadn't even gotten my wolf yet. So, sometimes, when he fucked me, and his wolf slip
KASMINE.The phone dangled between Kester's fingers; the screen began to glow with the same name flashing persistently. Jake.The way he held the phone, the way his jaw ticked beneath the dim sunset glow, the way his body coiled like a beast seconds away from striking—I knew I was in trouble.Kester was a possessive man. Territorial to the point of madness. I had never tested his patience like this before. I'd danced around the edges of it, teased him with it, but now? Now, I had shoved a blade straight into the gut of his control."Where did you get that?" My voice came out hoarse, almost pathetic.His lips twitched, but there was no amusement in his eyes. Only something terrifyingly dark. Something sharp enough to cut. "Where do you think, baby?"I swallowed hard.I had hidden it well. Or at least, I thought I had.Kester hummed, tilting his head and running a thumb over the screen. "Funny thing about secrets, Mine," he murmured. "They don't stay buried for long."Then, right before
KASMINE.The doorknob turned.My heart sank. My breath froze in my chest like ice splintering through my lungs.I whipped my head around, scanning the room. It was small, pathetic, and cramped. One window nailed shut. No back door. No closet to hide in. And, stupidly, stupidly, I hadn't even locked the damn door when Jake left.It creaked open slowly, like the beginning of a horror movie where the girl never survives. Except this wasn't fiction. This was my life. My reality. My punishment.And there stood.Kester – my so-called mate.Tall. Lethal. Beautiful in that cruel, haunting way only the devil himself could be.The scent hit me harder. It was strong, smoky, and spicy. Masculine, wild, and so mine.My body betrayed me on the spot.My traitorous wolf, Zera, whimpered inside me, "Mate. Mate."No. Not now. Not this time.But Kester saw it all – the flicker in my eyes, the way my knees trembled, and the flush that crept up my neck.He smiled. That goddamn arrogant smirk he always had
KASMINE.We had to move. There was a tightening in my gut and a pull of dread that refused to loosen.I didn't trust Kester. Perhaps he must have followed us last night without us knowing. Or he even had someone do the following. Maybe that was how he got to know our location.We had left as soon as Jake returned from getting me some new clothes, a toothbrush, toiletries, and little thoughtful things he knew I'd be needing that made me want to cry because he knew without being told.See why I had to love Jake? He was gentle in ways I didn't know I craved. Attentive in moments most people would overlook. He was so kind, loving and caring.The new motel was small, almost tucked away from the world, sitting quietly on the edge of nowhere, and it was really far from the previous one.Since we moved here, I felt more at peace. It was almost seven PM, and there have been no calls or texts from Kester yet.Good.I shifted beneath the thin motel sheets and winced. My body no longer felt like
KESTER.June's laughter followed after the silence.I didn't react.But I felt the slow burn crawling up my spine. It wasn't anger or fear. Just a quiet, dangerous fucking fury that pressed like cold steel behind my ribs."You think I'm stupid?" she asked, lifting her head, chin tilted with a smirk that told me she thought she'd won.I didn't answer. I just looked at her."I've seen the signs for months, honey," she continued. "Hell, I saw the signs long before you can ever even imagine. But I said nothing."I tilted my head just slightly. "What signs?"She laughed again, slowly walking away from the table, pacing like she was giving a TED talk about betrayal. "Don't play dumb, Kester. You know exactly what the fuck I'm talking about."My silence was its own kind of answer.She turned sharply. "You've been fucking your stepsister."I didn't flinch. I didn't give her the satisfaction. But my hand curled into a fist by my side."I saw you," she continued, almost as if she was cutting he
KESTER."What's going on, Kes?" June's heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked toward the mini bar, her reflection glinting off the glass cabinetry as she poured herself into the room like she had truly become a part of the home.I didn't even turn to face her. I didn't look up. My fingers curled around the crystal glass of whiskey, my eyes fixed on the ice slowly melting inside it with lethal quietness.I was thinking of when would be the best time to go and get my mate and take her back home. When would the best time be to shatter the illusion of freedom she thought she had? This afternoon? Or tonight?June was just one final piece on the board. One final checkmark before I cleaned the house.Karina - check.Wescor and Belinzo - check.Kex and the fake Elvris - double-check.Ongoing deal with the real Elvris - check.Alpha Mellors' irrevocable contract - check.June - about to be checkmated."I just saw the news about Karina. This is... Who would have ever thought?" She drop
KESTER.Her eyes darted from the screen to Jorja, to Dad, to me. Searching for a reaction or for someone to tell her this was all just a bad dream.No one said a word.Not even Jorja—Queen of Constant Commentary. She stood frozen, one manicured hand on her chest, the other under her chin as she watched the show."Here." She said, regaining some boldness. "You can check my phone. I never sent such a text to anyone." She handed the phone over to Lance, who navigated through her text messaging app. After a few seconds, he flashed the screen in her direction, and I swear, her eyes almost fell out of their sockets.The text messages were there on her phone. The dates showed that she had sent the text just two days ago."No. No." She shook her head, "There is... There is a mix-up here. I can't recall doing any of these... No." She was trembling, taking slow steps backward. "Someone must've… drugged me or set me up or something. This isn't—this isn't fair."Fair?I almost laughed.She looked
KESTER.I didn't waste a single second. The moment Jorja spun on her heel, I was right behind her.She was fuming, and that said a lot.Jorja valued image above breath itself. Her obsession with appearances had governed every move she'd ever made. She hated anything that would ruin her image or that of her family.So, if she looked like she wanted to throw someone through a window, I knew the situation was beautiful.No wonder Kasmine was really scared about our secret. With a mother like this? Shame was a goddamn religion."Good morning, Alpha," The five men greeted in unison.I peeped outside and caught sight of two matte-black vans and a Hilux parked on the driveway.A few more men flanked the vehicles, securing the perimeter. And, of course, a curious audience who wouldn't miss the spectacle for anything in the world had begun to form.The icing on the cake? The news reporters were here to cover the spectacle. I'm certain her mate, Alpha Wes, would have a wonderful time watching h
KESTER."Kester? Aren't you concerned that your sister just left without a word?" My father said to me as soon as I stepped into the house.I'd spent the night in my office, tying up every thread, smoothing out every wrinkle in my plan. Today was execution day. Every piece was falling neatly into place—Karina included. And once that was done, my company and my Alpha title would be secured, solidified, and untouchable. Then I can go get my mate and take her back to our home, and we'll live in peace.Things had never been this perfect before.Everything was aligned, gliding forward on greased rails.Suspiciously perfect? Maybe.But perfection isn't impossible—not when you have the right brain and a flawlessly loyal right-hand man like Norlan. With Norlan, even impossibilities get scheduled and signed off.The intervention team should be pulling up any minute now. And June proposed to visit tomorrow. I didn't stop her. She had to be here for me to end things with her."She's fine. No one
KESTER.The one thing the Moon Goddess had ever done right was chaining Kasmine to me with something she couldn't undo. Something she didn't choose and didn't have a choice in.Fate.I should worship the Moon Goddess for it. For once, she wasn't playing games. She gave me the one thing I ever wanted, the one thing that was mine.And Kasmine… sweet, confused, little Kasmine… she still thought she had a say in all this.I know exactly what's spinning in that pretty head of hers. She thinks the next step is rejection. She thinks that the bond we share is something she can sever with a few muttered words and teary eyes.That has to be the funniest fucking thing I've ever imagined. Because let the world split open, and the Draegor himself crawl out of the pit of hell to rule this earth—I would never reject my fated mate.Fuck.'My. Fated. Mate.' The sound of it made a dance erupt in my stomach.I couldn't believe this was happening, in all honesty.I didn't plan on telling anyone yet. We
KASMINE.My legs propelled me before my brain had the time to think. I ran as fast as I could into the crowd.All I could feel was him. That magnetic, horrifying pull closing in like a vice around my ribs.I reached for Jake and pulled him by his arm. He was the closest person I could find. Claire was nowhere to be found."Jake. Jake. Come." I couldn't even form the words I wanted to say."What—babe, what's going on?" he stammered, confused, half-turning toward me.I didn't answer. I just yanked him with everything I had, dragging him out of the crowd and into the parking lot like the devil himself was behind us.Because he was.I felt Kester's presence closing in on us like smoke. It was so fast that my heart almost jumped out of my mouth.His scent grew stronger, too. And it was mixed with fury and danger.Panic clawed up my throat."Jake!" I practically threw myself into the passenger seat of his car—the old, beat-up piece of junk his uncle barely lets him drive. I didn't care. I s