CHAPTER 2
Carina's POV
“Carina…,” my mother's text came in, my phone going alive, lighting up to reveal her text.
Up until yesterday, I've never held any feeLing towards that name until now. Thanks to my lovely mother who loved surprising me with things I least expected, I had been forced to listen to the meaning of my name get attached to a derogatory sentence.
“Yes mother,” with a slight huff, I pulled the covers of the bed away from me, typing back to my mother. Not that she needed my reply, because, either ways, she was still going to say whatever it was she wanted to.
For once, I held the hope that my mother was going to wish me a happy birthday but I seemed to have expected too much when her text came in like a bomb.
“Please try to look presentable this evening. I'm coming back with my new husband who would be your stepfather. His sons are going to be there too, for the introduction,” her text read and before I even had the chance to digest this information, she went offline like always after saying her piece.
I remained on the bed, trying to process this new piece of information I was only just getting to hear.
My dear mother had been in the United States, apparently on a vacation and not caring about her only child who was about eighteen today. Every other parent would have been excited, even going as far as preparing their child in hopes of seeing their mate but none of this concerned my mother. My mother's nonchalance towards me reminded me of the betrayal of Henry, causing my chest to throb in hurt but just as fast as it came, I pushed it back down.
Grumbling profanities to myself, I was glad today was the weekend and I didn't have to be in school to face the bullies nor the students who also cheered for them.
Sleep came knocking on the door of the hotel room my mother had dumped me in before she went on her vacation. I didn't have to text her about the location of where she wanted us to meet since I knew I was going to find it there once I was awake.
Ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of my head, I let the sleep swallow me and by the time I stretched awake, it was already evening, twenty minutes before the time my mum had asked to meet her.
“F*ck!” I cursed, hastily picking up my phone to find the address of the place we were to meet already in my inbox.
Seeing the address, it pleased me to realize that it was just the second floor of the hotel, known to be reserved for special occasions. This thought had me snorting in distaste but it didn't stop my legs from moving. As fast as possible, I didn't have to pour out my unavailable excessively large clothes since I only owned a few good pieces.
A knee-length blue gown that matched the strand of blue hair amongst my other brown wavy hair, paired with black stilettos did the trick for me.
Checking the time, I realized I had just one minute and as fast as I could, I took the elevator to the second floor.
On the way, my heart drummed fast in my chest, holding my breath not knowing what I'd see. Right then and there, my bladder chose this as the perfect time to cry out to be freed.
“Sh*t!” I cursed again for the tenth time, just as the elevators opened to reveal the beautiful space of the second floor.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the least bit of my concern since I cared more about my bladder. Tugging a waiter on the sleeve, I caused him to stop, turning to look at me.
“Yes ma'am? How may I be of help to you?” He asked politely but the frown on his face told me he didn't appreciate my actions.
“Please can you tell me where the washroom is?” Forcing a smile I asked and attentively, I listened to him describe it.
With a ‘thank you!’ I headed straight for the direction he described and I was thankful to find it without getting lost.
Emptying my bladder had never felt so good as it did now and once done, I gave the washroom a goodbye kiss, sprinting out of there to meet my mother.
As fate would have it, I bumped into a wall but more like a person.
“I'm so sorry,” I apologized, raising my head and the familiar face of one of the bullies had my eyes widening in horror.
The other two all stood beside him like tall, strong walls and scared for my life, I headed straight for the tiny space they left out, running for my dear life while ignoring their calls for me to stop.
“Carina!” Was the last shout I heard before disappearing from the corner that led to the washroom we all had been in.
“Carina, you're late,” was the first thing my mother said as soon as I walked into the private room I had been directed to.
“I-,” I began but was cut off once again as always.
“Anyways, meet my husband, Isidor. Isidor, meet my daughter, Carina,” giggLing like she had just told a joke my mother said while smiLing at the man who was sitting beside her.
My eyes landed on him and upon seeing him, I knew right then and there how f*cked my life had become.
“Kowalski Isidor,” I whispered softly, the name like a nightmare.
“Oh, it seems like you know me, soon to be daughter,” smiLing at him, the middle aged man with hazel eyes laughed but nothing about all he was saying was funny.
The sound of the door opening interrupted our conversation or more like my beginning of depression.
“They must be your sons,” not so subtly, my mother whispered to Isidor, her brown orbs that were just like mine shining brightly.
“You three, come say hi to your sister,” Isidor said while my back remained to the newcomers. As they passed my side to stand beside their father, their scents wafted into my nose like a never ending breeze. My mouth watered, my wolf stirring to life, crying out softly, “Mates!”
“Meet Rodrigo the green eyed son, Antonio the blue eyed son and Miguel the hazel eyed son,” Isidor introduced but I already knew them all.
SmiLing, they faced me while I was still trying to come to terms with the bomb fate had chosen to drop on my fucking head.
“Oh, Carina. It's nice to see you again,” Rodrigo said but soon, I noticed his expression stiffen, staring intently at me before exchanging looks with his brothers.
“Mate!” I noticed them mumble at the same time, a certainty of how interesting my life was about to become.
How wonderful was it for me to be mated to the same ones who humiliated me in front of the whole school.
Carina’s POVMonday came as fast as it left and I was sure of it being another terrible day in school. The mocking laughter that had all been directed at me since I stepped my feet into the school grounds this morning only reminded me of the shameful thing I had been forced to do.I've always believed my mate was going to be someone I'd definitely love no matter what he did but instead, the memories of all three of them urging me to wipe my tears with a degrading cloth like a slut didn't get erased from my head as easily as I thought.“Look at her. Why don't we ask her to come clean us up with her mouth when we are done in the washroom? We don't have to use the cloth again. She would be out of new cloth,” one of the male students laughed, giddily slapping the neck of his friend who also laughed along.I bowed my head further in shame, heading straight to my locker. All I just wished to have at this point was a peaceful day like it had been in the past.“Hey, Carina!” A familiar voice c
Carina pov With my bag slung over one of my shoulders, I sighed for the nth time this evening, my thoughts mainly about my mates. I had no one to talk to about my predicament and had no one to give me advice on what to do.Rodrigo, Antonio and Miguel had all successfully done well in having me confused. First, they treat me like a slut and now, they help me out. It was surely not the twist I was expecting.Finally, I arrived In front of the hive building painted in white and gold and with a sigh, I made my way into the compound.Once inside, their combined scents seemed to have a mind of its own, making its way straight into my nose and causing a part of my senses to tingle.“Why do they smell so delicious?” I mumbled to myself, dropping my bag to the couch while following the trail of their scent.Oddly enough, their mixed scents only seemed to be leading me to my room that just happened to be on the other wing of theirs.“What are they doing in my room?” Was the only question I ask
Carina pov"Disgusting little brat!" my mother spat, her fingers still gripping my ear like a vice as she dragged me through the hallway. "I can't believe this—how did I end up with a daughter like you? Such disgrace!""Mum, please, listen to me—" I tried to protest, struggLing to keep up with her angry strides."Shut up!" she snapped, her nails digging into my skin. "Do you even hear yourself? Lying to my face, trying to blame your brothers? Your BROTHERS, for heaven’s sake! How shameless can you be?""They’re not telling the truth!" I cried out, the tears flowing freely now. "I didn’t do anything wrong. You have to believe me, please!""Believe you?" She stopped abruptly and spun to face me, her sharp gaze cutting through me like a knife. "You’ve already humiliated this family enough, and now you expect me to take your word over theirs? You must think I’m a fool!"Her voice echoed in the grand hallway, making the maids and a few passing servants stop and glance at us nervously before
Carina povI walked into school with my hood pulled low over my head, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The makeup I’d hastily smeared over the black bruise beneath my eye wasn’t doing much to hide it. My reflection this morning had been nothing short of a train wreck—swollen eyes from crying, pale skin, and that nasty black-and-blue mark mocking me every time I blinked.Even the thought of stepping through the school gates had been unbearable, but I couldn’t stay locked up in that house anymore. Between my mother’s scathing remarks and my stepbrothers’ taunts, every corner of that place reeked of suffocation.As I slid into my seat in the classroom, my fingers shook slightly. I kept my head down, hoping no one would notice me.“Hey,” whispered a voice next to me. It was Sarah, the closest thing I had to a friend. “What happened to your eye?”“Nothing,” I muttered, avoiding her gaze.“It doesn’t look like ‘nothing.’ Did someone—”“I said it’s nothing!” I snapped, immediately regrettin
Carina povI tossed and turned in my bed, the weight of the day pressing heavily on my chest. Sleep felt like a distant memory, something I might never experience again. Every time I closed my eyes, the sneering faces of my stepbrothers or the whispers from school haunted me. My body ached, not just from exhaustion, but from the bruises, both visible and invisible.A sudden knock on my door shattered the fragile quiet.What now?“Who the hell is it?” I growled, sitting up abruptly.There was no response, just another knock—louder this time.“For crying out loud!” I muttered, dragging myself out of bed. I stomped to the door, the anger bubbling over. Couldn’t they just let me have one moment of peace in this damn house?I yanked the door open, fully prepared to yell at whoever dared disturb me, but my words died in my throat.Standing there, smirking like they owned the place, were my stepbrothers.“Ugh. You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Can you all just leave
Carina’s POVThe session had just wrapped up, and everyone couldn’t stop talking about one thing: the part my stepbrothers Antonio, Miguel, and Rodrigo hosted. I’d spent the entire evening dodging conversations about them and their "charming antics," as the girls at school loved to gush about. It was infuriating.Tuesday morning was already off to a bad start. I came to school late, thanks to my mom, who had decided that morning was the perfect time to scold me for a situation my stepbrothers had clearly set me up for."You’re irresponsible, Carina! When will you take things seriously?" Mom yelled as I tried to eat my breakfast in peace.I groaned. "Mom, I didn’t even do anything. Antonio borrowed my notes and forgot to return them, and now my teacher thinks I skipped classwork!"But my words fell on deaf ears. "Excuses! You’re too lenient with those boys. If you don’t stand up for yourself, you’ll always get in trouble for their mistakes," she snapped.The irony. How could I stand up
Carina’s POVRING! RING! RING!The bell finally blared, signaling the end of my second-to-last class for the day. Relief flooded through me as I sank back into my chair."Thank God," I muttered under my breath. "Just one more to go. I can survive this."The day had already been a disaster. Between Mr. Willis and Antonio, Miguel, and Rodrigo acting like... whatever they thought they were, I was officially done with everyone."Carina, you okay?" Sofia, my seatmate and probably the only sane person in my life, leaned over with concern."Just tired," I said, forcing a weak smile.Sofia frowned, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "You’ve been off all day. Did something happen?""Where do I even start?" I sighed."Uh-oh, spill." She leaned closer, her brown eyes wide with interest.I hesitated, glancing around the classroom. The other students were either chatting in groups or packing up their things. "It’s a long story.""I’ve got time," Sofia said, her tone teasing but her
Carina’s POV"Nothing," I said quickly."Doesn’t sound like nothing," Rodrigo said, leaning forward."Drop it," I snapped.The car fell silent again, but I could feel their curiosity simmering beneath the surface.*****When we finally pulled up in front of my house, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough."Thanks for the ride," I said quickly, opening the door."Wait," Antonio said, turning off the engine.I froze, half out of the car. "What now?""Get some rest," he said, his voice unusually serious. "And if you start feeling worse...""I’ll be fine," I interrupted, stepping out.Miguel leaned out his window. "You say that, but you look like you’re about to keel over."I glared at him. "Goodbye, Miguel.""Call us if you need anything!" Rodrigo called as I slammed the door behind me.I didn’t bother looking back as I headed for the front door, their voices fading as I shut the door behind me.As soon as I stepped inside, the exhaustion hit me like a truck. I leaned against the doo
PROLOGUESkyla’s sister, Brianna who was in love with Antonio arrived. They had Lisa locked up while they both dragged Carina to the edge of a rocky cliff even as Carina struggled against the hands gripping her arms. The rocky cliff’s edge looked so dangerous, even as thorns shone from below."Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing against the cruel grip of the Skylar and her sister Brianna.The first woman, Skylar, laughed darkly. "Oh, sweet little Carina. Did you really think we’d let you ruin everything?"The second woman, Brianna, leaned in closer, her breath warm against Carina’s cheek. "You took everything from us. And now, we’re making sure you never come back."Carina’s heart pounded so hard she thought it might explode. "I don’t even know you! What the hell are you talking about?"Skylar’s grip tightened, nails digging into Carina’s skin. "Oh, but you do. You just don’t remember. You stole them. You made them look at you like we never existed. You turned them against us!"Briann
CHAPTER 126Carina’s POV"What's the noise all about?" Skylar's voice cut through the air, smooth and sharp, as she stepped out of the shadows. Two men flanked her, their eyes cold and unreadable.Lisa, who had been running her mouth nonstop, suddenly shut up. Her whole body went stiff as she sized up the situation. And from what we saw? Skylar wasn’t here to talk. She was here to make sure we didn’t leave in one piece."Shit," Lisa whispered under her breath, barely moving her lips. Her hand brushed against mine, fingers trembling slightly. "What do we do?"I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears. "I have no fucking idea."Skylar took a slow step forward, her smirk widening. "You know, Carina, I expected you to come alone. But I see you brought a little… insurance. How sweet."Lisa scoffed, but there was tension in her voice. "Yeah? And I see you brought muscle. Real fair fight, huh?"The man on Skylar’s left—a tall guy with a scar running down his cheek—cracked his knuckles.
CHAPTER 125Carina’s POV“Shit..." I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut as Lisa pressed another cotton pad against my wound. The sting burned straight to my bones. "I just remembered... Deven!" I winced, gripping the edge of the table. "I’m supposed to meet Skylar today! We have an appointment."Lisa froze. Her hand, still holding the antiseptic, hovered over my skin. Her face darkened, brows pulling together in a deep frown. "Carina..." she called my name, slow and serious, like she was afraid of what I’d say next.I blinked. It had been a long time since she used my name like that. Not 'girl' or 'dumbass'—but my actual name. My chest tightened.Lisa placed the antiseptic bottle on the table, leaning forward, eyes locked onto mine. "Skylar is pure doom. You know that, right?"I swallowed. "Lisa, she said she can help me sever the bond... If I do that, I’ll finally know the whole truth."Lisa, who had been quiet in the corner, suddenly scoffed. Her voice was sharp, almost bitter. "It’s
CHAPTER 124Carina’s POVI had to leave this restaurant. The air felt thick, and something in my gut told me I shouldn’t stay here too long. I glanced toward the entrance just as a group of rogue wolves came in. They were rough-looking—like they’d been on the road since morning. Clothes dusty, eyes hollow, their energy was off.Weird set of people.I lowered my gaze, pretending not to notice them as I reached for my watch and jewelry, slipping them into my bag. I didn’t want any trouble. If they saw anything shiny, they might think I had something worth taking. Best to play it safe.But as I was tucking the last ring into my bag, I heard a voice behind me. Low. Rough. Dripping with arrogance.“Pretty girl, come closer.”I stiffened. My grip on my bag tightened. I didn’t turn around. Maybe if I ignored them, they’d leave me alone.“I said, come here.” His voice was louder now. More demanding.Lisa tensed beside me. “Don’t,” she whispered. “Let’s just go.”I swallowed hard, still refusi
CHAPTER 123Carina’s POVI didn’t even know what to think at this point. My mind was a fucking mess. My head was spinning. My heart was pounding so damn hard I thought it might burst.Rodrigo. My stepbrother. Skylar. His ex-wife. And now this? What did it even mean?Lisa’s voice snapped me out of it. “Carina,” she said, her tone sharp. “What if—” She hesitated. “What if he was actually working with Henry?”I stared at her. My throat felt dry. “No,” I said, but it was weak. It wasn’t convincing. Because deep down, I knew—It was possible.Lisa slammed a hand on the table. “Think about it! Henry kidnapped your son. Henry works for someone. And now we find out Rodrigo’s past is tangled up in some shady-ass shit? What if it’s all connected?”I shook my head, standing up and pacing. “No, no, no. Rodrigo might be a lot of things, but would he really do this?”Lisa’s eyes darkened. “Do you really wanna bet your son’s life on that?”That hit me hard. My stomach twisted. I swallowed down the f
CHAPTER 122Carina’s POVI didn’t answer. My heart pounded as I stared at the words written in thick, dark ink. Words I never thought I’d see.Rodrigo was behind your son’s kidnap.I swallowed hard. Looked up at Skylar.She nodded. “Now do you believe me?”I read the words again. My hands shook. My breath caught in my throat. My head was spinning like I was about to pass out. What the actual fuck?Rodrigo was behind your son’s kidnap.My stepbrother?No. No way. That was impossible. Rodrigo may have been an asshole, but this? Kidnapping? My son?I looked up at Skylar, my voice barely above a whisper. “What the fuck do you mean?”She crossed her legs, completely unfazed by my reaction. “Exactly what it says.”Lisa snatched the paper from my hand, her eyes scanning over the words. Then, like a bomb exploding, she lost it.“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lisa threw the paper onto the table, glaring at Skylar like she was ready to rip her apart. “You come in here with this bullshit, expecti
CHAPTER121Carina’s POVLisa strolled in just as the investors walked out, her hands clapping softly, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Damn, Carina. That was close. We almost lost that deal."I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms out. "Nah. I had it under control."Lisa scoffed, dropping into the chair beside me. "Oh, please. You were sweating bullets. I thought for a second Benson was gonna eat you alive."I smirked. "And yet, here we are. Deal signed. Money in the bank."She laughed, shaking her head. "You and that big mouth of yours. You stress me out.""It’s part of my charm," I said, winking at her.Lisa rolled her eyes before standing up and walking over to the coffee machine in the corner of the room. She grabbed two mugs, pouring the steaming liquid into them. "Here. You need this more than me."I took the cup gratefully, inhaling the rich scent. "You’re a lifesaver."Lisa plopped back into her seat, crossing one leg over the other. "Alright, now spill. Why the
CHAPTER 120Carina’s POVGetting to the office, I barely parked the car before jumping out, my heels clicking hard against the pavement. My heart was pounding. My hands were sweaty. I was so late.Lisa was already outside, standing near the glass doors, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her eyes locked on me the second I got out. She didn’t even wait for me to say a word."You’re late, Carina," she snapped, marching towards me.I tossed my keys to her, nearly dropping them in the process. "Help me repark. No time for that now," I rushed, already heading towards the doors.Lisa caught the keys but didn’t move. "You can’t just run in there without knowing what’s going on!" she hissed, grabbing my arm.I stopped, breathing hard. "What? What do I need to know?" I asked quickly, looking around like the investors could pop up at any second.She let out a sharp sigh, glancing towards the meeting room. "They’re pissed. Been waiting too long. Mr. Harrington already checked his watch three
CHAPTER 119Carina’s POVInstead, I just kept my eyes on the road. “I just want to keep you both safe,” I said softly.Liam had his head down. “Safe from what?”I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.More silence.Then, a small voice.“Are you mad at us?” Leo asked, his voice though was kinda shaky.My heart squeezed. “No, baby,” I said immediately. “I could never be mad at you.”“Then why do you always sound so angry?” Liam asked, his voice cracking.I let out a shaky breath. I felt somehow but I just pushed the feeling away. I couldn’t cry. Not now. Not in front of them.“I’m not angry,” I whispered. “I’m just… tired.”They didn’t say anything after that. They just sat there, the silence wrapping around us again.I sighed and focused on the road, my chest heavy.I needed to fix this. But I didn’t know how.It was a really long ride home. The roads were quiet. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, my mind heavy with thoughts.Thinking so deep, the conversation with my mother, the way Li