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 something sitting carefully by the side of the table.
"What the fuck?" I muttered under my breath, picking up the bag and opening it. "How did this get here?"
"Oh. Kasmine gave them to me," June said with a wide grin.
I froze as rage clouded my senses. "She what?"
June shrugged, that insipid smile still on her lips, oblivious to the ticking bomb in the room. "She said I could have them since I liked them. I thought it was sweet of her—"
My hand tightened around the bag, my knuckles white with the force of it. I barely registered June's voice trailing off behind me as I stormed out of the room.
My thought was a haze of red. How dare she? Such casual disregard.
By the time I reached Kasmine's door, I was seething. I didn't bother knocking. Hell, I didn't even hesitate. My anger gave me permission to breach every boundary.
I shoved the door open, the handle slamming against the wall. The sight that greeted me stopped me dead in my tracks.
She stood in the center of the room, tying a towel around herself—red, my favorite color. Her hair was damp, water dripping onto her shoulders, slowly sliding down her skin.
For a moment, everything else faded, leaving only the image of her standing there, looking so infuriatingly perfect it made my head spin.
"Kester!" she yelled as she clutched the towel tighter. "What the hell is wrong with you? You can't just barge in here like that!"
I didn't answer. Couldn't. My gaze dropped to the droplets gliding down her collarbone, disappearing into the curve of her towel. Heat surged through me, unwelcome and maddening. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus.
"Why the fuck did you give these to June?" I growled, tossing the bag onto her bed, making the contents spill out.
"She liked them. I have no use for them, so I gave them to her." She replied with an eye roll.
Seeing her shrug off my anger like it was an annoyance pushed me to the edge. Kasmine grabbed a robe from her closet, slipping it over her shoulders in that nonchalant way of hers that got me mad.
"You gave them to her because you thought you had no use for them?" My voice was barely restrained.
She looked at me over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Exactly. What else was I supposed to do with them, Kester? I'm not seeing anyone. I don't have a boyfriend—thanks to you, by the way."
I took a step closer, "You don't get to give out a gift, Kasmine. I've always told you this!"
"Oh, please. Spare me the lecture. What am I supposed to do? Prance around in lingerie for no one? You've made damn sure that any man who gets within ten feet of me thinks twice about it."
"Watch it, Kasmine..." I warned, feeling my anger rise a little more than I'd like.
"I won't watch it, Kester!" she snapped, stepping closer now, the fire in her eyes matching the storm in my chest. "Do you know how suffocating it's been? I can't date or even talk to a guy without worrying you'll come storming in to scare him off! And for what? Because you like controlling me? Because you think you can?"
My hands clenched at my sides, the rage bubbling dangerously close to the surface. "No," I growled, taking another step forward and grabbing her by her slender arm. "Because the idea of you with anyone else makes me want to fucking destroy something!"
Fuck. That wasn't supposed to be heard by her. That was a mistake.
Her breath hitched, and her eyes darted to the lingerie on the bed before resting her shocked gaze on me.
"What? Ke... Kester? What did you..."
I saw the sheer shock in her eyes.
"You think this is about control? About me being your overbearing stepbrother?" I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping me. "No, Kasmine. It is far more than that."
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"You're mine," I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. My voice was raw, my chest heaving. "You've always been mine. And no one else gets to have you until I say otherwise, no matter how much you hate it. Always have that at the back of your mind."
Her hand went to her throat, her fingers brushing against the damp skin there. "You... You can't mean that," she whispered, shaking her head frantically as tears glistened in her eyes.
I leaned down, my breath fanning her ear, "I mean every word I have just said... Mine..."
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.If only she knew. Poor Kasmine. She just sold her soul to the devil by telling me she'd do whatever I wanted her to do.Now, I was looking for the perfect 'favor' to ask of her.Under the guise of handling paperwork, I stayed rooted to my spot, my eyes fixed on her. She didn't know I was watching, and I liked it that way. The glass panel between us offered a perfect view of her, yet it wasn't enough to bridge the space I ached to close.Kasmine sat at her desk, her attention absorbed by the monitor. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face, the gesture so small and unassuming, yet it sent an ache through me. That hair, dark and soft, had once rested against my shoulder when she fell asleep in the car as kids. How could something so simple haunt me like this now?Her lips moved as she murmured something under her breath, likely annoyed at whatever task she was handling. The sight made my chest tighten.Gods, she was exquisite. A picture of innocence wrapped in temptation
KASMINE."I am so sorry. I..." I said, heaving a sigh of frustration.The phone felt slippery in my hand as I clutched it tightly, careful to keep my voice low. My heart pounded with an anxious rhythm that almost left me breathless."Kasmine... I know it's not your fault, but how many more apologies will you have to offer?" He questioned."I'm trying, Jake," I whispered, pressing my palm against my mouth to muffle the words. "I don't know how to make him see reason. Kester is—he's suffocating me." My voice cracked, and I bit down hard on my lip to stifle a sob.On the other end, Jake's silence lingered for a beat too long before he finally spoke. "Mine, you have to fight for yourself. You deserve your own life. He can't keep dictating everything you do." His voice was so gentle that it made my chest ache more.He chose to call me 'Mine'. From Jake, the name felt sweet, almost natural, as if the name belonged to me and not to his control. But from Kester… it was different. Every time h
KESTER.Kasmine was chaos personified, her presence pulling every dark and dangerous thread of restraint I had taut. Well, she would always bear the consequences, as far as I was concerned.She could yell, curse, and claw at the barriers I'd built, but ultimately, she was mine. She just didn't know it yet.Although I couldn't get my hands on any solid evidence yet, I knew she was hiding something. And according to my source, there was more I needed to know about her and Jake, which was why I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Of course, that was after I made sure he was suddenly discharged from his place of internship without any offense.Everyone has a price. The trick is knowing which strings to pull... and when to tighten them."Everything is set now, Alpha," Knox said."You may leave," I dismissed him and his team.I had returned home early today. I know Mine would have the chance to talk to that subhuman in my absence, but it was okay. I was handling a better situation here at
"Kasmine, why don't you talk to your brother? Tell him how much I like him," Claire was at it again.It was lunchtime, and we sat in the cafeteria together, including Jake. I hoped Kester wouldn't get angry over this because I wasn't alone with Jake. In fact, he should feel much better that it was all three of us, which would further prove to him that there was nothing going on between me and Jake."I've told you before," I said, stabbing my fork into my food with unnecessary force. "My brother and I are sworn enemies at the moment. I can't help you, Claire. Sorry."Claire gave a theatrical sigh."You haven't been eating, Mine. Is everything okay?" Jake asked.I froze, the concern in his voice startling me. Was it that obvious? My hand hovered over my plate as I fumbled for a response."I'm fine," I lied smoothly—or tried to. "I just..." My breath hitched, betraying me, so I added, "I miss my mum. I wish I could see her soon."Another lie. It tasted like ash on my tongue, bitter and u
KESTER.Getting your head back on straight is hard enough on a typical day.But when you've just seen her—a stunning, maddening woman in one of those tiny dresses I've warned her not to wear—fuck, it becomes nearly impossible.The small, flowery dress clung to her curves like a second skin, so short and delicate I could probably shred it with a single tug of my fingers. The image of it falling away, the bare expanse of her skin beneath, burned in my mind.And those green eyes of hers... Why the hell does she stare at me like that? Like she knows exactly what she's doing to me.It wrecks me every time.Blood rushed south, hot and primal, and I nearly lost myself. Again.Now, here I was, tortured and frustrated, staring at my laptop and watching her read a book.I was fucking watching her read a book!Her long legs are tucked under her, the hem of that damned dress riding up just enough to tease. I could watch her for the rest of my life.I shouldn't be watching her. I know that. But th
KASMINE.I'd been looking everywhere for the new and only bikini I had bought last week. I only used them once, and I was sure I had kept them in my closet, but now I couldn't find them. I didn't come with the ones I had at home because Kester never liked them.But last week, I told myself he could go fuck himself while I got myself a new pair. Although he hadn't seen it yet. Unless... No. He couldn't have found it. He wouldn't enter my room to search for and take my bikini without at least confronting me about it.A swim would have surely gone a long way in calming the storming raging inside me. Jake and Claire have been unreachable all day. My life was miserable! I was literally losing it.I was bored to death. Kester had instructed his men not to let me out of their sight. The entire house was well guarded. I couldn't even sneak out if I wanted to.I jumped out of bed angrily to confront the guards for the fifth time today to let me out. They opted to walk with me even when I told
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