Michael's voice cut through the tension in the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Levine, I hope you realize that I haven't marked Cecily yet because I don't want her to get hurt again. I care about her just as much as you do. Everything I've said is both a promise and a reassurance. Why do you think I'm doing this?"Though his words were polite, there was an unmistakable chill in his tone.My parents were at a loss for words, confused by the contradiction in Michael's demeanor. He claimed to care for me, yet his actions felt more like a display of control. Their concern was evident in their exchanged glances, and I could see they were struggling to decide if they could trust him with me.The tension in the room was suffocating. Michael was clearly in a bad mood, and my parents' cautious approach seemed to irritate him even more. His eyes darkened, the golden hue in his brown pupils growing more intense. I shivered at the sight. He was holding me tightly, and despite my discomfort, he refused to let
Michael glanced down at our joined hands, the tension in his body easing slightly. His dark brown eyes bore into mine, but when I hugged him, his expression softened. With a nod, his arrogance gave way just enough for him to say, "Go ahead."Turning back to my parents, the sadness in their eyes mirrored my own. The sight of them standing there, heartbroken, made my chest tighten. I forced a smile and stepped forward, wrapping my arms around them. I felt my mother’s tears soak through my shirt, and my father’s gentle pats on my back as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. I blinked back my own tears, not wanting to break down.I whispered, "I'm leaving. Please, don't worry about me."The reality was sinking in—I wouldn't be living as freely as I had before. There was a long road ahead, one that would require Michael and me to find some way to coexist. But that was a distant goal. For now, the likelihood of me visiting my parents or going wherever I pleased seemed slim. Michael w
Sasha’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze flickering down to Michael’s hand gripping mine. "You're back," she stammered, clearly taken aback."We’re back," I replied, my voice flat and drained.Michael shot a glare at Sasha, his voice sharp as he accused, "You're involved in this. Just you wait.""It’s not my fault," Sasha quickly defended herself. "I told her not to run away."I didn’t want to see anyone else get caught up in this mess. "It’s not Sasha’s fault," I interjected. "I wanted to go home.""How dare you!" Michael’s anger flared, and before I could react, he began dragging me upstairs.Sasha couldn’t stay silent any longer. She stepped forward, her voice steady but concerned, "Michael, don’t be so harsh. It’s not that serious. Cecily just wanted to go home—there’s no need to blow this out of proportion. If you’re too strict with her, it’ll only make things worse for everyone."Her words hit me right in the heart. I managed a small, grateful smile in her direction, and she r
Michael's weight bore down on me, almost suffocating as he pressed his chest against mine. His body radiated heat like a furnace, the intense warmth searing my skin wherever it touched his. The physical discomfort was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil raging inside me—shame, fear, and a deep, gnawing sense of helplessness. His eyes locked onto mine, and the fury blazing within them made my breath catch in my throat. I couldn't look away, even though every instinct screamed at me to do so."You belong to me now," Michael's voice was low, a dangerous growl that sent a shiver down my spine. "You're mine. And that means I can do whatever I want with you. I've been too lenient, too indulgent. But since you seem to think I'm soft, I'll show you just how far I'm willing to go."His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, heavy with unspoken threats. He licked his lips slowly, deliberately, his eyes raking over my body as if they could strip away my clothing. I felt utterly exposed,
Michael's fingers reached out, gently wiping the tears that had streamed down my face. The wetness collected in his palm, a stark contrast to the warmth of his skin. My eyes followed the movement of his hand, feeling like I was a pet in his possession, helpless under his control. The power he had displayed earlier had left me shaken, and any thought of resistance seemed pointless now. All I could do was surrender to the situation, hoping for some semblance of mercy."It seems you can be obedient when you want to," Michael observed, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. He finally retracted his teeth, which had been hovering dangerously close to my skin moments before. I felt a small wave of relief wash over me, but it was quickly overshadowed by the lingering fear of what he might do next."I promised your parents that I wouldn't let any harm come to you, and I always keep my promises," Michael continued, his tone softening slightly. "Unlike some people who make promises they hav
Michael continued his explanation, his voice softening slightly as if trying to ease the blow of his words. "When someone is involved in two relationships, theoretically, they can draw strength from both. But your situation is a bit different."He paused, his eyes filled with a rare moment of sympathy. "Your bond with Robert was damaged by his betrayal even before he marked his chosen mate. That’s why you experienced so much pain. When he did finally mark her, your wolf was torn apart by the agony of a bond that hadn’t been fully dissolved. The bond with his new mate gave him a new source of strength, and because they have a strong emotional foundation, it amplified his power while doubling the damage inflicted on you."I already knew what Michael was telling me. It was this very reason that fueled my hatred for Robert. It was so unfair—Robert had betrayed me, yet he seemed to escape any real consequences for his actions."But this kind of damage is reversible," Michael said, his eyes
I kept my voice steady, pushing Michael's own words back at him. "You said you'd give me a life of honor and protect me no matter what. Can’t you do this one small thing? Or is the famous Lycan prince as free to break his promises as you claim I am?"Michael’s smile widened, a mix of amusement and acceptance. "Very well," he said. "I’ll give you everything you’ve asked for. But you’d better keep your promise and stay here."For the next few days, I remained confined to Michael’s packhouse. His routine was predictable—leaving early in the morning and returning late in the evening. The butler ensured that I was well taken care of, bringing me three meals a day and afternoon tea like clockwork. Anything I requested was delivered to me within half a day. It wasn't a bad life, as long as you ignored the fact that I was a prisoner in all but name.On the afternoon of my last day of confinement, I was engrossed in a video lecture from one of my professors. Michael had made sure I didn’t fall
I looked at Sasha, confused. "What?"Sasha sighed dramatically. "Michael blocked my credit card. Do you have any money?"I opened my purse and showed it to her. "I have some," I said.Sasha glanced at the few thin bills in my purse and frowned. "These aren't enough."I felt a wave of disappointment wash over me. "Then what should we do?"Sasha seemed genuinely shocked. "No way! Michael didn’t give you his card? He's a very wealthy man, Cecily. Quick, take out the card that Michael gave you." Her eyes sparkled with a premeditated gleam, and I realized this was the real reason she'd come to me today.I spread my hands and shrugged. "I really don’t have any credit cards. You might be disappointed."Sasha eyed me suspiciously, then took my purse from my hand to examine it herself. I let her rummage through it, confident she wouldn’t find anything.But then I heard her exclaim, "Wow!" Sasha pulled out a gold card from a hidden pocket in my purse and waved it in front of me. "I was wrong ea
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