Faye's POVLiam happened to turn around and saw me giving Ashley the middle finger.His expression darkened even more. "Faye! Please mind your language and behavior."I rolled my eyes. "That b.itch insulted me and falsely accused me. Why aren't you doing anything about her?""Who is she?" Liam asked indifferently. "If she were my stepsister, I would deal with her as well."Strangely, his words somehow smoothed over my anger.Hedy messaged me, asking if I was okay and whether Liam was going to punish me. For some reason, the word "punishment" made my heart race.I typed slowly on my phone, "No, he won't. He's my stepbrother. Don't worry."Hedy quickly replied, "That's right! But now we can't have lunch together (crying face). You go with the teacher, and we'll catch up in the afternoon!"I replied with an "OK" and then put my phone in my pocket. I obediently followed Liam as we left the classroom."Liam, where are we going now?""At school, please call me Dr. Sheffield," Liam said with
Faye's POVI took a sniff, and the scent of rain-soaked grass lingered on the tip of my nose.That's the one.I have to admit, Liam was indeed a great teacher! In the laboratory, there was no restriction to our identities, no past conflicts, just a teacher and a student, a relationship of guidance and learning. I also put aside any distractions and followed Liam step by step in the experiment.However, along the way, we would occasionally stop to exchange ideas or have some physical contact when we both reached for the same thing. At such times, tiny ripples would form in my heart.I shook the test tube in my hand, and the liquid inside gradually turned a light shade of green due to the chemical reaction."I'm done," I said, raising the test tube to show Liam.Liam also completed his final step. "I'm done too. Let's take a look at your creation first."He took the test tube from me and sniffed it. "It has a very fresh scent," he remarked.I eagerly anticipated him saying more. "What e
Liam's POVThat's when I found out I was a dark, shady pervert.The day after Faye's birthday, when I met Leander, I felt like he was moping.I asked him what was wrong.He says that because Faye is starting school soon, they will be spending less time together.“And...” he hesitated.I couldn't help asking. But Leander says“Nothing”.What he's trying to say, however, is that he has little chance of meeting Faye in the middle of the night.I patted him on the shoulder as a consolation, but I was about to go crazy with jealousy. As twins, why was Leander so lucky to be a fated mate with Faye when I wasn't?I've never hated my chaotic olfactory system so much, and if it hadn't been for that...That night, we slept in our room as usual. I took an early shower, and instead of using my own body wash, I used Leander's.I also used a reagent that I had prepared in advance, one that would mask my smell for 48 hours.After the shower, I purposely left my hair unkempt, letting it stretch more l
Faye's POVAfter running out of Liam's office, I wandered around the campus like a lost soul.It was my first day of school, and although I had visited the university a few times before, I was not familiar with the place. I dressed strangely, wearing an oversized shirt and ill-fitting men's shorts, which drew stares and whispers from onlookers.I kept my head down, hands shielding my face, trying to avoid the curious glances of strangers while hiding my tears. I didn't want to be here anymore, or more precisely, I didn't want to be in the same place as Liam.I had been wrong all along, repeatedly hoping that Liam would change his attitude towards me.I even fantasized that he would become my fated mate, just like Leander. But all I got in return was disappointment and pain. Everything he said in the lab had felt like a series of sharp knives cutting into me.At that moment, I was most grateful to my mom for renting that apartment for me. All I wanted now was to return to my little san
Faye's POVLiam and Christine appeared to be having an argument, and the situation seemed somewhat chaotic. Hedy noticed that something was amiss because Liam didn't even acknowledge her greeting."Are they... arguing?" Hedy asked uncertainly."I don't know," I tried to usher her away from the scene. "Couples have their issues. We can't really tell."Hedy nodded but still seemed hesitant. She glanced at me. "But...""Let's go," I took the lead, leaving the cafe.Before leaving, I faintly heard Christine say, "Is it because of her?"My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't resist looking back at Liam. Our eyes briefly met and then quickly averted. Liam was holding Christine's arm and led her away. It appeared that Liam was afraid of me finding out something.I lowered my head and continued walking silently. I felt a sense of disappointment, but more than that, I felt a sense of calm. I knew I had been thoroughly disappointed.Before the end of the day, our professor assigned us our firs
Liam's POVWhen Leander and I were kids, we were both mischievous, and I was even more mischievous than my younger brother. One day, I sneaked into my dad's study.I rummaged through the study, finding nothing interesting, and soon grew bored. As I was about to leave, I discovered an old photo frame in one of the drawers.I looked at the photo inside, and it featured two people. One of them was my dad, Louis, who was the alpha of the Silver Moon pack. The other person had an arm casually draped over my dad's shoulder, and they looked very close. However, I had never seen this man before.I took the frame and went to ask my dad, "Daddy, who is this person?"Once my dad saw the photo clearly, he snatched the frame away and shouted at me, "Where did you get this?!"I was frightened and nearly forgot to cry as I stammered, "I found it in your study.""No more going into my study to play! Do you hear me?" My dad continued to yell.I sobbed, "Yes...""And remember, the person in the photo i
Liam's POV"Kid, you're dead!" they shouted.My hands were still bound, and I was moving erratically, trying to free my wrists. Queena grabbed my clothes, but I twisted away and aimed for her abdomen, knocking her down."Ah! I'll kill you!" Queena roared.I kept charging forward, and my wrist restraints came loose. I threw my arms forward and sprinted. The abandoned building was like a complex maze, and I couldn't see where the exit was.I didn't dare to look back, but I always felt two cold gazes fixated on my back.I was groping in the dark like a blind person. My heart was pounding so fast it made me want to vomit. I couldn't stop until I noticed that the people pursuing me seemed to have disappeared, and I felt like I had shaken them off.I also noticed a faint glimmer of light ahead.Excited, I quickened my pace toward the light. It must be the way out. I was about to escape this dreadful place.Without hesitation, I pushed the door open.My smile instantly vanished.Outside the
Faye's POV"After that day, I lost my sense of smell for several years. Later, I underwent many desensitization trials with wolfsbane, and as I grew older, my sense of smell gradually returned, but it often remains erratic," Liam said, calmly recounting a story about himself and the foxes, as if he were telling someone else's tale.I couldn't help but feel deeply guilty about my previous misunderstandings about him. I also genuinely empathized with what he had been through."My olfactory problem became the biggest taboo in this family. Dad, Elena, and Leander all silently agreed never to bring it up. Layla was too young to even remember...," Liam continued, turning to look deeply into my eyes. "Faye, now you know, right? I really didn't intend to hide it from you, and Leander wasn't helping me deceive you."I choked up, my eyes welling with tears, not knowing what to say."But I shouldn't have closed myself off, resisted my instincts, and pushed you away. You are the best gift, the be
During that time, Joanna was always off somewhere, traveling by herself. No one knew where she went. She would leave for long stretches, sometimes disappearing for years, and didn’t bother checking in with anyone. Naturally, her parents freaked out, not knowing if she was safe or if something bad had happened to her.As I sat there by the water, Sasha handed me a drink. It was this weird, green liquid that I wasn’t sure about at first, but after a sip, I realized it was lemon tea, with a hint of mint. Not bad at all, really refreshing."And then?" I asked, curious about what happened next with Joanna.Sasha sighed, shaking her head like she regretted it a little. “Well, her parents eventually went to Michael's dad for help. Since Michael was good at handling this kind of stuff, his dad put him in charge of finding Joanna.”I sipped my drink again, enjoying the way the mint cooled me down from the inside. "So, Michael went after her?"Sasha looked at me with a mix of guilt and understa
Joanna might be an amazing actress, but honestly? She's not fooling me. It's like she's playing a role, trying to be someone she's not—probably because she can't stand that Michael and I are together. I could feel her trying to mess with us, but I wasn’t about to let her win. If she wanted to act, well, I could act too.The sunlight felt warm on my skin as I stood there watching her. I smiled confidently, letting Joanna see me looking totally unbothered. She dove into the water with all the grace of a fish. I had to admit, she did have an incredible body—she was rocking a white bikini that had these thin straps crisscrossing over her chest and waist, making her look like some kind of living sculpture. Even the lower half of her bikini had those same crisscrossing straps under her belly button. Honestly, it was a look.Meanwhile, Sasha was already in the water, her swimsuit much louder and flashier than Joanna's. She was wearing this fluorescent green bikini with stripes and a skirt th
Joanna’s POV“So, I’m not the kind of girl who lets a man push her around. After all that happened, I left anyway. But no matter how long I stayed away, I’d always get messages from Michael. Some of them were about family stuff, other times he’d talk about finding his mate or being engaged or something. Honestly, it was pretty confusing for me during that time.”Despite saying she was troubled, a small smile crept onto Joanna's face as if remembering something amusing.“Eventually, I figured out that all of those excuses were just Michael’s way of trying to get me to come back. There was never a fiancée or mate. It was all just a big story. So, I was a little surprised when I heard this morning that you two were mates. But, hey, you’re mates arranged by the Moon Goddess, so everything should be fine, right?”Joanna finished her little story with a bright smile, clearly satisfied with herself. But me? I was furious. My fists were clenched so tightly, I could feel my nails digging into
It wasn't until Michael had completely disappeared from view that I became aware of the unsettling stare from behind. I could feel Joanna’s eyes boring into me, but I refused to acknowledge her directly. Instead, I turned and made my way toward my room, hoping to escape the tension she brought with her presence.But, of course, Joanna just happened to be standing in my path.She wore that same infuriating smile, the one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Your relationship with Michael seems... strong. You’re quite adorable when you're with him, Cecily."Her words dripped with something—sarcasm? Malice? It was hard to tell. I wasn’t sure what she was getting at, but I didn’t care to find out. I wasn’t in the mood to engage with her."I'm heading back to my room," I said, keeping my tone as neutral as possible."I know I upset you yesterday, and for that, I’m truly sorry," Joanna replied, taking a step closer as if that would make her words more sincere. "I didn’t mean to offend you. Le
Joanna's giggle echoed through the room, its beauty contrasting with the venomous intent behind it. Her voice was as sweet as a siren’s, but I could feel the malicious undertones. "Former friends, Sasha? That's not quite accurate. Michael and I were more than friends."I knew Joanna was up to no good. I had seen it in her eyes the moment I met her. Whatever her goal was—whether to make me jealous, provoke anger, or worse—I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me unravel.She turned her gaze toward Michael, who remained focused on his coffee cup, now almost empty. He hadn’t acknowledged her presence, which gave me some comfort, but Joanna wasn’t finished. "If you two are truly mates," she said, her voice dripping with false innocence, "may I ask, was it the Moon Goddess who arranged this, or did Michael choose you?"Her question cut deep, even though it was wrapped in a seemingly casual tone. I clenched my fists under the table, my wolf surging with rage. Joanna was impl
"Would you like to come downstairs for breakfast, or should I bring it up to you?" Michael asked, his voice soft and tender. As he spoke, he reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His touch sent a warm shiver down my spine, the closeness between us undeniable.I found myself smiling at Michael, wondering how I hadn’t fully appreciated this side of him before. I had always been so caught up in our arguments, his domineering ways, and the battles for control that I had somehow missed these moments where he could be... sweet. The realization washed over me—there was more to him than the arrogance and possessiveness I had been focusing on. If I allowed myself to let go of the tension between us, there was an undeniable pleasure in being with him.“I’d like to go downstairs to eat,” I replied with a soft smile, feeling more at ease than I had in a while.We walked down the stairs together, and I found myself momentarily at peace. But as we descended, my mind wande
The night had ended in a comfortable silence, with both of us content in each other's presence. By the time I had finished my tasks, Michael was still seated at his desk, absorbed in a pile of paperwork. His brow furrowed in concentration, and I didn’t have the heart to disturb him, nor did I want to leave his side. So, I watched him, feeling the steady calm he radiated.Before I knew it, I had dozed off in the warm cocoon of the study, lulled by the scent of Michael that filled the room. It wasn’t long before I felt someone gently lift me. I knew it was Michael, and feeling safe in his arms, I allowed myself to drift deeper into sleep.When I finally woke up, the morning light was already creeping in through the curtains. My body felt well-rested and refreshed. At some point during the night, I had been changed into my pajamas, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Michael had been the one to wash and dress me while I slept. A small smile tugged at my lips at the thought.I glanced to my
"Oh god, absolutely not," Michael exclaimed, his voice laced with frustration. "Yes, we had a relationship in the past, but we broke up a long time ago. Joanna came by a few times after that, but it wasn’t for me. She had business with Samuel and others. I was too busy to even notice when she came or left. But I swear, Cecily, nothing happened between us after we ended things."I turned to face him, my mind clouded with uncertainty. Should I believe him? Jealousy burned inside me, poisoning my thoughts. The mere idea of him being intimate with Joanna made my skin crawl."My little wolf," Michael's voice softened as he lifted my chin gently. His expression was tinged with regret. "If you want me to apologize for my past, I can. But remember, I’ve lived a long life, Cecily. I’m not a saint—I’ve had relationships, felt emotions, just like anyone else. But if you're blaming me for something more than that, it's unfair. I’ve never been in two relationships at the same time. When I met you,
"I can't just pretend nothing happened, especially after my wolf reacted the way it did." I shrugged, trying to stay calm. "I need to know, Michael. I'd rather hear it from you than find out through Sasha."Michael hesitated, his brown eyes locked on mine as if weighing his options. I held his gaze, determined to get the truth. If he wanted honesty between us, he needed to practice it too."Okay," he muttered, running his hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. "She's... a friend."A friend? Joanna's behavior toward Michael was far from friendly. It was passionate, intense—nothing like the casual interactions between Sasha and him. I took a deep breath and asked the question I had been avoiding but couldn't ignore any longer."An ex-girlfriend?"Michael's expression stiffened. He didn’t nod, but he didn’t shake his head either. Silence hung between us, thick and heavy. I knew the truth was coming, but it didn’t make the waiting any easier. If Michael wanted me to be honest with