As I lingered in the warmth of the shower, memories of Michael flooded my mind. The way he kissed me, the way his touch seemed to ignite every nerve in my body—it was all too vivid, too intense. Before meeting him, I rarely thought about sex. The few encounters I had with Robert were nothing short of revolting, leaving me cold and disgusted. For a time, I even believed that I was incapable of experiencing real pleasure. But Michael had awakened something deep inside me, something I didn’t know was there.My hand moved almost involuntarily, tracing the path that Michael’s fingers had taken on my body. I imagined it was his hand touching me again, his fingers pressing into my skin. I tried to recreate that sensation, pressing harder, trying to feel the same pleasure. But it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t enough. A frustrated moan escaped my lips as I explored my body, but it was clear—what I wanted, what my body craved, wasn’t something I could give myself.Sighing, I pulled my hands away,
I rolled my eyes at Michael's response. It was clear he wasn't going to spill any secrets, so I dropped it. "If you don't want to tell me, then don't," I muttered, brushing past him and heading for the closet. I needed to get dressed, and fast.Michael leaned against the closet door, watching me with a mischievous glint in his eye. He was clearly hoping to get a free show, but I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. I slammed the walk-in closet door shut in his face, blocking his view."You better hurry up," Michael called from the other side of the door. "You're going to be late for class."I grabbed my phone and checked the time. Oh crap, it was already 10:00 AM, and my class started at 10:30. How did I manage to lose track of time like that? But wait, why did Michael even care if I was late?I threw on a shirt and a pair of jeans, not bothering to check if they matched. There was no time for that. When I opened the closet door, Michael was standing right there, leaning casuall
As the car zoomed past the city streets, I found myself absentmindedly scrolling through my phone, trying to distract myself from the uneasy feeling in my gut. It had been such a beautiful weekend, but thanks to Michael’s overprotectiveness, I was stuck indoors while everyone else was out having fun. I sighed as I flipped through the photos my classmates had posted on social media, my thumb hovering over the heart button to like a few.There was Kate with her boyfriend, Alfred, enjoying the sun at the beach. Kate looked stunning in a gold bikini that shimmered in the sunlight, perfectly complementing her long, blonde hair. She was all smiles, with no hint of self-consciousness. I couldn’t help but admire her confidence; she had a killer body, without an ounce of extra fat. Alfred, of course, was standing behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, the perfect picture of a happy couple. They looked so sweet together, like they didn’t have a care in the world.My mood took a bit of a nos
Returning to campus for my first class was way harder than I expected. A week away gave everyone enough time to fuel the rumor mill, and with me out of sight, the gossip got even worse.Before, it was just whispers in the hallways or sneaky glances in public. But now, even in class with the lecturer standing right there, I could feel people staring at me and hear them talking about me. They didn’t even bother to lower their voices anymore. It was like they wanted me to hear every word.When I’d had enough of the girl behind me calling me a b*tch for the tenth time, I whipped around to glare at her. To my surprise, she actually looked scared and shut up. That’s when it hit me—maybe it wasn’t that they were getting louder; maybe my hearing had gotten sharper. Kate had mentioned something about me looking more like a Lycan. Maybe all the time I’d spent with Michael and his crew had rubbed off on me.After class, I didn’t waste any time. I grabbed my stuff and made a beeline out of there,
Alison didn’t see it coming. My slap was so hard that it wiped some of the powder off her face and left my palm stinging. I could see the clear handprint on her cheek as she slowly turned back to look at me, her eyes wide with disbelief and burning with hatred.She covered her face, and I could tell she was shocked that I actually hit her. Her eyes narrowed, filled with rage. I braced myself, ready for her to come at me, but I wasn’t scared. If she wanted to fight, I was more than ready.Mia, my wolf, was also riled up. She was practically screaming in my head, furious at the insults Alison had thrown at us. If Michael were here, he’d probably say Alison had earned herself a good punishment.“BTCH! How dare you hit me?!” Alison was losing it, screaming at me like a wild animal. “You disgusting, despicable btch, go to hell!”I saw her eyes flash, and suddenly, her wolf started to take over. She lunged at me with all her strength. But Mia was right there with me, pushing her power into
We left Alison behind without a second thought and made our way back toward the dorms.“Honestly, I didn’t even know I had it in me to do that,” I said, looking down at my hands. “This was the first time I’ve ever fought anyone.” It was a weird feeling, realizing just how strong I’d become without noticing. I guess hanging out with someone like Michael had made me overlook it.A thought crossed my mind, and I turned to Kate. “But is it really okay for you to show up in front of her like that? She’s supposed to be Luna someday. Aren’t you worried she’ll come after you later?”Kate just shrugged, not bothered at all. “With Robert no longer in line to be Alpha, who knows if she’ll even get to be Luna? A lot of the people who used to suck up to her have already abandoned her. And even if she does become Luna, no one’s going to respect a leader who treats her pack like that.”It clicked for me then—why Alison had confronted me alone today. She used to always have her group of loyal followe
Kate seemed startled by my sudden outburst."Hey, buddy, calm down," she said gently. "I know this is a bad situation. He’s gone too far by treating you like this."Her words of support made me feel a little better, but I was still frustrated and overwhelmed."But you can’t just leave," Kate continued. "If he’s keeping that close of an eye on you, he’ll find you wherever you go, and eventually, you’ll end up right back where you started.""You're right." I sighed in defeat, my shoulders slumping. I glanced at my phone and saw that I only had an hour before my next class. After that, Michael would come to pick me up, and I’d be back in his little castle—locked away from the world. The only difference now was that I had the college as a brief escape. But in reality, I was still his prisoner.Kate went to a nearby food truck and bought a sandwich, which she handed to me. As I took a bite, I imagined it was Michael’s head I was sinking my teeth into, which brought a small, vindictive smil
I stared at my reflection in the mirror, utterly shocked. Kate had transformed me into someone else entirely. The girl in the mirror had shoulder-length blonde hair, bright red lipstick that made her lips look full and ripe like cherries, and freckles scattered across her cheeks. My usually plain brown eyes were now a striking blue, thanks to the contact lenses Kate had given me. My eyelashes were thick and defined with mascara, accentuating the black eyeliner and brown eyeshadow that made my eyes look far more alluring than usual.I blinked, and the girl in the mirror blinked back. She was wearing a red sling dress that barely reached her thighs. The dress was bold, with an irregular design and a shade of red as bright as the lipstick on my lips. The low-cut neckline exposed more than half of my chest, the fabric tight and emphasizing every curve. A pair of shiny gold earrings dangled from my ears, and a thin chain with a pearl hung around my neck.She didn’t look bad—just not like m
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