"But Alex also mentioned he was suspicious of you that night because you didn’t have a typical werewolf scent. So, why did you hide your scent? What were you running from?" David asked, his gaze never wavering from mine.I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. Who exactly was David? He had shown up early in the morning at Aunt Carol’s house, but he seemed very familiar with Alpha Alex and had all this information about us. I was trying to piece it all together when Aunt Carol came down the stairs, still wearing the nightgown we first saw her in. Her hair was slightly messy, but she had a relaxed, natural look about her.David’s face softened immediately when he saw her. He walked over to Aunt Carol and casually slipped his arm around her waist. They exchanged a quick kiss like a couple deeply in love, lost in their own bubble. I could almost see the pink hearts floating around them."Oh, the kids are still here, David," Aunt Carol said with a playful complaint, though I could tell sh
The four of us finished our breakfast together.To be honest, most of the time, Kate and I just sat there watching Aunt Carol and David shower each other with affection. I had never seen such a clingy pair of mates. My parents were very close, but they never fed each other omelets during breakfast, let alone sprinkled it with countless kisses. It was clear they were deeply in love, and they weren’t afraid to show it.Kate seemed used to it. She’d been around them long enough to understand their dynamic. I could see why she looked forward to finding her own mate so much and why she was worried about the way I had handled my relationship with Michael. She had built up such high expectations for her future mate bond, and seeing the reality of it—the good and the bad—had scared her.After breakfast, David left to attend to some pack duties, and Aunt Carol had pre-arranged meetings, so they both went their separate ways. Kate decided she needed a nap to recover from the early wake-up call
I followed Alex deeper into the forest, retracing the path we had taken earlier. The forest's lush canopy above created dappled patterns of light on the ground, and with each step, I grew more excited and nervous. It had been a week since I last saw Michael, and my heart beat faster with every step, like a rabbit preparing to leap out of my chest. I could already picture him in my mind—his boyish yet rugged charm, his curly brown hair, warm brown eyes, and that fresh, sweet scent that always enveloped me in comfort."Go straight ahead from here. He's in the clearing," Alex said, pointing ahead.I followed Alex's gesture, my thoughts racing with the anticipation of our reunion. Would Michael sweep me up in a hug or kiss me in front of everyone, then whisk me back to his place? I found myself smiling at the thought—whatever he did, I knew I would be okay with it.Suddenly, a thought struck me: if Michael were to lose control, the Ancient Woods Pack could be caught up in the mess. I didn
When Alex and I first left the house, the sun was so bright that I could barely open my eyes. But somewhere along the way, the sky began to change. Black clouds slowly rolled in, covering the sun and casting a heavy shadow over everything. The air became thick and damp, almost suffocating, as if the whole sky was about to collapse onto me. I could feel the pressure bearing down, making it hard to breathe. The wind picked up, and the branches of the surrounding trees rustled and swayed violently.As I stared at Robert standing before me, all the tension, excitement, and joy I had felt on the way here vanished. My mood grew as gloomy as the darkening sky above.Once, I had imagined Robert as the one who would be with me for the rest of my life. He was supposed to be the person who would offer me a safe harbor, a place where my heart could find rest and peace. I had envisioned a future filled with happiness and contentment. But he shattered those dreams with his own hands. His hypocrisy,
The anger, the pain, all the hatred I had for Robert—honestly, it was gone. Now, I felt nothing at all. He was like a stranger to me, someone so distant that he couldn't even stir a single emotion. But my eyes stayed locked on his twisted grin and those dark, malicious eyes of his.I was starting to regret telling Alex to leave. Robert was clearly unhinged, and he looked like he could snap at any moment.“You’re still as stunning as ever, Cecily, my mate,” Robert’s voice was oily and made my skin crawl. He sounded like a creep, a total pervert.I noticed his eyes were fixed on my bare thighs, his gaze crawling up my legs like a swarm of maggots. I felt sick to my stomach. I regretted running away from Michael. Michael was the only one who’d ever made my heart race, and I’d stupidly walked away from him.“I’m not your mate anymore. Your mate is Alison. You picked her, and I’ve already rejected you,” I shot back, my voice cold.“Don’t mention that b*tch’s name,” he snapped.Robert cut m
As Robert licked his lips, he said with a twisted grin, "Listen, Cecily. You can never get away from me. No matter where you run, I’ll always find you. Even that Lycan prince can’t hide you from me. This is fate. And today, right here, you’re going to be mine."The wind howled through the forest, each gust stronger than the last. The branches above snapped under the pressure, and the birds squawked as they fled. Thunder rumbled in the distance, signaling that a storm was closing in.I took a quick look around, desperately trying to get a sense of my surroundings. I knew Alpha Alex must have left by now, and it was clear I had to deal with Robert on my own. My mind raced for a way out. I wasn’t familiar with this terrain—Alex had led me both times we walked here. But I remembered there was a pond behind me. If I could somehow push Robert into it, I might buy myself enough time to escape.Robert's hands were already closing in on my neck, and I could tell what he wanted. He was trying t
Robert's wolfish yellow eyes stared me down, suspicious and filled with a kind of unhinged hunger. I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice calm, almost soothing. "Look, Robert, I’m just proposing a plan that could work for both of us. You want to mark me, right? Well, I’m already caught—I can’t do anything to stop you. So what are you afraid of?"His eyes flickered with doubt, but I could see he was considering it. "You're strong, and every she-wolf wants a piece of you," I continued, forcing a little admiration into my tone. "It’s an honor to get your attention, really. I was just too stupid before to realize it. You showed how fast and powerful you are when you caught me. Now, I’ve thought it through. We don’t have to fight over something like this, do we?"A twisted smile crept across his face as he leaned in, his body pressing against mine. "Alright, I’ll hear you out," he said, his breath hot against my face. "Tell me, baby, what position do you want? I promise to make you
I glanced around one last time, feeling the dread creep in as Robert lunged at me again. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the worst. The thunder was roaring above, and the rain was coming down so hard that it drowned out everything else. It was pitch dark all around, and I knew in my heart—no one was coming to save me.Even if Michael had somehow figured out where I’d gone, by the time he reached me, it would be too late. Robert would already have dragged me away to some hidden place that nobody knew about. Michael wouldn’t find me, and I’d be marked and chained in some dark corner by Robert. Just like he promised, I'd live a life worse than death.And all of this? This mess was all my fault. If I hadn’t been so stubborn about running away, Robert wouldn’t have had this chance to corner me and try to mark me. Michael would’ve been there to protect me. Mia wouldn’t be suffering right now because of my stupid decisions.You know what they say—don’t step into the same river tw