Kira’s mind was still spinning from the revelation that this man, Cooper McDonald, was willing to invest such a large sum in her struggling bakery. He had insisted on helping her, pushing a check for $100,000 into her hands, but she had rejected it. She couldn’t bring herself to accept something so overwhelming, especially from a man she didn’t know well enough to trust.“Please, you don’t have to do this,” she had said, her voice a mix of gratitude and discomfort. “I’m sure if I sold everything in my shop right now, it wouldn’t even come close to half of this amount. I can’t—”Cooper had interrupted her, smiling that confident, reassuring smile of his. “I’m an investor. And I’m officially investing in your business.”She had hesitated for a moment, trying to find some logic in his offer. But there was something unsettling about him. The way he spoke about it, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to hand over such a sum of money to a
Kira was still talking with Cooper when he offered to help her. His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable firmness in his tone when he said, “I’d like to invest in your bakery.” Kira hesitated, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Her lips parted as though to respond, but she closed them again, frowning slightly. “I appreciate the offer, but… I can’t accept it,” she said, her voice soft yet resolute. “Why not?” Cooper asked, tilting his head slightly, his piercing gaze fixed on her. “It’s not because I disregard your kindness,” she said quickly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. “But my shop—it’s not worth it. I can’t let you waste your money on something so… small.” Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the vulnerability she was trying to hide. Cooper smiled faintly, leaning forward. “Small? Kira, your bakery is more than just a shop. It’s a reflection of your hard work and passion. That makes it more than worth it.” Kira’s eyes softened, and for a
Kira looked up from the pastry counter, her brows furrowed in confusion as the man who just walked in addressed Cooper as "Mr. Delarosa." The name rolled off the stranger’s tongue like he’d practiced it, but it was wrong. She tilted her head slightly, her lips parting to say something, but Cooper beat her to it. “Ah, you must be new here,” Cooper said with a relaxed chuckle, his sharp suit somehow making the moment feel less awkward. He clasped a hand on the man’s shoulder, his charming grin never faltering. “It’s Cooper. Always Cooper.” Kira’s gaze flickered between the two men, trying to piece together the odd exchange. Her stomach twisted uneasily, a quiet warning she couldn’t ignore. She wiped her flour-dusted hands on her apron, her voice wavering as she interrupted their conversation. “Um, excuse me. I think I need to close up the shop for the day. My partner isn’t here, and, well, with all the commotion earlier…” Her voice trailed off, and she glanced at Cooper nervously.
Eva couldn’t hide her emotions as she stepped out of the taxi in front of the restaurant. The plan was simple: meet Cooper, the man she had been dreaming of since the day they met, for a date that she hoped would solidify their connection. But fate had other plans. Her heart froze when her eyes caught sight of something—or rather, someone—she hadn’t anticipated.There they were, standing just outside the restaurant, in front of the shopping mall next door—Kira, her childhood best friend, and Cooper, the man she wanted for herself. Eva took a step back, her body trembling with disbelief as she watched Kira wrap her arms around him in a warm embrace. Cooper didn’t resist; in fact, he smiled at Kira as though she was the only person in the world. Eva’s stomach churned, a bitter taste rising in her mouth. A wave of anger mixed with jealousy surged through her, leaving her momentarily unable to breathe. Her chest tightened, and tears threatened to spill, but she blinked them back. **"How
Chapter 1 Leena’s Pov “Stop stalling! Get out if you're not ready to get your match!” Someone yelled from the back as I was pushed aside, groaning when my waist connected to the edge of a lone table behind me. I fell to the ground in a heap, clutching my waist. Snickers echoed in my ears making me freeze, but I had to get back in line or else I was going to get pushed to the back and I'd have to start all over again. So I scrambled up, and rushed to stand in the line with the other omegas. Today was the ‘Mate Matching’, a sacred consultation which was held for every werewolf who had come of age. The shaman whom the Alpha had invited would guide us through the ritual, using the moon's blessing to pair us with our destined mate. For an omega like me, this event meant everything. A mate meant protection, stability, and finally, a way of belonging, something I had craved my entire life.I glanced around nervously, the line of Omegas stretched ahead, their expressions a mix of eagerne
Chapter 2 Leena's Pov I had to run. Quickly. I had to get help and the only person who could help me was him. My lover. The one whom I thought I was going to be given to. I passed through the back bushes, careful not to make any noise. Making my way to the back door, I opened it slowly, softly, and then filtered into the house, my footsteps light and airy. “Vin.” I called out softly, frowning when no one answered me. Where was he? I sniffed the air, waiting for his scent to hit me but still, the house smelled stale and dry. Like he hadn't been home in a while. Vin was lame, so he couldn't have been able to walk far. I stepped back outside, sniffing the air until I found his trail, which I followed. It led to a clearing, where the moon shone directly on the ground, so it was very easy for me to see what was going on. I crouched down, using the bushes to camouflage myself. There he was, with three other people, two men and a woman whom I recognised pretty well. She was one of the
Chapter 3 Leena's Pov “Come out now or you're going to get killed.” I froze. There was another person here, there were two. And from the tone of his voice, I was surely going to get killed if I didn't come out. I gulped, rethinking my life choices but at this moment, I truly had no choice but to come out, so I did just that. And immediately I did, I found myself knocked back, my back hitting the wooden wall of the small hut, a groan escaping my lips at the impact. “Who are you? Why are you here? Who sent you here?” The questions came rapid-fire, each one sharper than the last. I struggled to catch my breath, the pain in my back making it hard to focus. My eyes darted between the two figures before me, the one who had killed those people after me and the one who had threatened to kill me if I didn't come out, whose cold, calculating gaze pinned me in place."I… I'm just passing through." I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper, "I needed a place to stay and throw off the peopl
Chapter 4 Leena's Pov “Let me go! You promised to take me to the human lands, why did you bring me here?!” I struggled against Avin who held my waist tightly, dragging me through the gates with him. This was the third time I had tried to escape and each time, I was caught and brought back here. Avin and Kevin had brought me to their pack against my will six days ago. I had no idea that they were leading me farther and farther away from the human lands until the smell of different werewolves assaulted my nose. It was that moment I realised that I had been brought to a land that was filled to the brim with werewolves. “I said let go of me! Put me down! Put me down quickly!” I yelled, however, without a word, Avin leaned down and with one movement, hoisted me up on his shoulders. Stunned, I couldn't say a word at first but by the time I recovered my voice and mobility, I began to hit his back, thrashing wildly against his body. “Runaway, if you don't want me to throw you out of the
Eva couldn’t hide her emotions as she stepped out of the taxi in front of the restaurant. The plan was simple: meet Cooper, the man she had been dreaming of since the day they met, for a date that she hoped would solidify their connection. But fate had other plans. Her heart froze when her eyes caught sight of something—or rather, someone—she hadn’t anticipated.There they were, standing just outside the restaurant, in front of the shopping mall next door—Kira, her childhood best friend, and Cooper, the man she wanted for herself. Eva took a step back, her body trembling with disbelief as she watched Kira wrap her arms around him in a warm embrace. Cooper didn’t resist; in fact, he smiled at Kira as though she was the only person in the world. Eva’s stomach churned, a bitter taste rising in her mouth. A wave of anger mixed with jealousy surged through her, leaving her momentarily unable to breathe. Her chest tightened, and tears threatened to spill, but she blinked them back. **"How
Kira looked up from the pastry counter, her brows furrowed in confusion as the man who just walked in addressed Cooper as "Mr. Delarosa." The name rolled off the stranger’s tongue like he’d practiced it, but it was wrong. She tilted her head slightly, her lips parting to say something, but Cooper beat her to it. “Ah, you must be new here,” Cooper said with a relaxed chuckle, his sharp suit somehow making the moment feel less awkward. He clasped a hand on the man’s shoulder, his charming grin never faltering. “It’s Cooper. Always Cooper.” Kira’s gaze flickered between the two men, trying to piece together the odd exchange. Her stomach twisted uneasily, a quiet warning she couldn’t ignore. She wiped her flour-dusted hands on her apron, her voice wavering as she interrupted their conversation. “Um, excuse me. I think I need to close up the shop for the day. My partner isn’t here, and, well, with all the commotion earlier…” Her voice trailed off, and she glanced at Cooper nervously.
Kira was still talking with Cooper when he offered to help her. His voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable firmness in his tone when he said, “I’d like to invest in your bakery.” Kira hesitated, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Her lips parted as though to respond, but she closed them again, frowning slightly. “I appreciate the offer, but… I can’t accept it,” she said, her voice soft yet resolute. “Why not?” Cooper asked, tilting his head slightly, his piercing gaze fixed on her. “It’s not because I disregard your kindness,” she said quickly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. “But my shop—it’s not worth it. I can’t let you waste your money on something so… small.” Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the vulnerability she was trying to hide. Cooper smiled faintly, leaning forward. “Small? Kira, your bakery is more than just a shop. It’s a reflection of your hard work and passion. That makes it more than worth it.” Kira’s eyes softened, and for a
Kira’s mind was still spinning from the revelation that this man, Cooper McDonald, was willing to invest such a large sum in her struggling bakery. He had insisted on helping her, pushing a check for $100,000 into her hands, but she had rejected it. She couldn’t bring herself to accept something so overwhelming, especially from a man she didn’t know well enough to trust.“Please, you don’t have to do this,” she had said, her voice a mix of gratitude and discomfort. “I’m sure if I sold everything in my shop right now, it wouldn’t even come close to half of this amount. I can’t—”Cooper had interrupted her, smiling that confident, reassuring smile of his. “I’m an investor. And I’m officially investing in your business.”She had hesitated for a moment, trying to find some logic in his offer. But there was something unsettling about him. The way he spoke about it, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to hand over such a sum of money to a
Kira’s mind spun as she watched the man standing before her. His movements were fluid, his strikes precise, yet there was something unsettlingly ruthless about the way he fought. Every punch, every calculated step, exuded raw power. Yet his voice... it carried a soothing warmth that made her question everything she thought she knew about him. He adjusted his glasses as if shielding something, but Kira couldn’t shake the feeling that behind those lenses lay secrets—ones she desperately wanted to uncover. She stood frozen, clutching the edge of the counter at her small bakery, her heart thudding against her ribcage. For the first time in years, someone had fought for her. Her mind drifted back to Eva, her only friend, who had abandoned her months ago. Their broken friendship left Kira lonelier than ever, her introverted nature making it hard to form new connections. And yet, this man—a stranger—had stepped in, defending her with a ferocity that took her breath away. When the fight
Immediately as the men entered, Cooper's sharp eyes fixed on them. Their familiar swagger and threatening aura gave them away—they were Diego’s men. His jaw tightened. *What business do they have here?* he wondered. Turning his gaze to Kira, who was arranging cupcakes in the display, he frowned. She was just a baker, an innocent woman. *Why would Diego’s men target someone like her?* The men, clad in dark leather jackets with scowls plastered on their faces, began harassing Kira. Their voices were loud and cruel, their words slicing through the once-cozy atmosphere of the shop. Kira’s hands trembled as she tried to keep calm, but the fear in her wide brown eyes betrayed her brave facade. Cooper sat quietly, observing, his fists clenched under the table. He was willing to stay out of it—until they crossed the line. One of the men grabbed Kira’s arm roughly, yanking her away from the counter. “Listen, lady, you better pay up, or this little bakery of yours won’t last another week.”
Kira had always found herself caught in the crossfire of her friend Eva’s harsh words, but today, they felt different. Eva’s comment stung deeply, digging into a wound that had already been there for years. The words, though almost a daily occurrence, still held a weight that Kira couldn’t shake off. "I barely finished high school, and look at you," Eva’s voice echoed in her mind, "you’ve got this stupid bakery, but you’re not even a graduate. What are you doing with your life, Kira?"She could still hear Eva’s mocking tone, the sharpness behind her words, as if Eva was somehow superior just because of her degree. Kira didn’t let things like this get to her, not usually. She was the type to let things slide for the sake of her friendship, even though deep down she knew it was unfair. Eva was always so quick to remind her of what she didn’t have, what Kira was lacking. But today, Eva’s words had made Kira’s chest tighten, her heart sinking lower. Kira had
Eva stood motionless, her eyes locked on the ground, her mind racing. As the luxurious car drove away, something glinted in the fading light. She froze, instinctively reaching down to pick it up. It was a small, metallic object—smooth in texture, with a gleaming logo etched on its surface. She examined it closely, still confused. The logo had fallen from his pocket, but where had it come from? Was it some sort of badge? A symbol? She squinted, trying to make sense of it. “Could it be from his company? Does he have an association, some kind of group?” she wondered aloud, her voice barely above a whisper, the excitement of the money still tingling in her veins. But this... this logo was something else. She cleaned the sand off the emblem carefully, her fingers trembling slightly as she wiped it against the sleeve of her jacket. As the dirt cleared, the design became more defined, a name boldly inscribed beneath it: *LaRosa*.Eva’s heart skipped a beat. She
Eva’s pulse raced as she stood frozen, staring at the man in front of her. The guy who had stepped out of the sleek Rolls-Royce was nothing short of a dream. His perfectly styled hair gleamed under the sunlight, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to see straight through her, sparking something deep inside. As he adjusted his glasses, she couldn't help but notice the refined elegance in every movement, the aura of wealth and power that surrounded him. *This is exactly the type of man I want in my life,* she thought to herself, her heart fluttering. *Rich, handsome, prepared—he could easily be my dream man.* She was so entranced by him that she barely heard the sound of her own breath. But for a fleeting moment, she thanked Kira. If she hadn’t been sent on this delivery mission, she would never have crossed paths with him. Eva had seen many men around town, but none like this one. There was something about his striking features, the kind of face that belon