Faye's POVSibyl’s body was hit by Carl by accident, and she collapsed on the ground, her clothes soaked in blood. Carl shifted back to human form and stood there, frozen, staring at Sibyl with pain and despair in his eyes.“Sibyl, what happened to you…” Carl’s voice trembled.He shoved me aside and cradled Sibyl in his arms.“Carl, I’m okay…” Sibyl’s voice was weak and full of pain. “But you have to stop this fight… or you’ll lose yourself…”Carl’s eyes flickered with madness as he lifted Sibyl, his face set with determination. “I won’t let you die, Sibyl! Wake up, look at me!”He then looked at Liam, eyes blazing with fury. “Liam, this is all your fault. I won’t let you get away with this!”With a roar, Carl’s body began to change. His eyes turned blood red, and a powerful, terrifying aura radiated from him. The fox spirit inside him grew even more violent.Seeing this, Sibyl coughed up blood.“Carl! Stop! You’re only making things worse for Sibyl!” I yelled at Carl, pushing aside m
Third-Person POVToday was a perfect day.The gentle spring sunlight streamed across Faye’s face as she sat by the window, holding a remote control in her hand. The television screen displayed the biggest news this week—the grand opening of the fantastical theme park, a massive, creative project that had captured global attention and was now the city’s newest landmark.Faye smiled as she watched the aerial footage of the theme park on TV, lost in her memories.“Faye, it’s almost time.” A male voice interrupted her thoughts.Faye turned around to see Andrew, dressed in a sharp suit. He looked different today, his usually wild hair tamed by gel, which gave him a more mature appearance.Andrew stood by the door, already looking every bit like the future Alpha of the werewolf pack. Faye nodded softly, stood up, and adjusted the wedding dress she was wearing.As she stepped out of the room, the fresh scent of flowers filled the air, coming from the flower arrangements set up specifically f
At two in the afternoon, the sun streamed through the window and lit up my desk.It was a gorgeous day—clear blue sky, warm sunlight. I doodled around the window frame with my pen while the teacher droned on at the front of the class, not that many people were paying attention.It was my last year of high school, and most people were buzzing about graduation.But me? I sat quietly in the back corner, just like always. Invisible. Ignored.I glanced up, catching a glimpse of the guy sitting at the front. Robert, the Alpha's son.Robert was the most popular guy in school. Every boy wanted to be his friend, and every girl—including me—was head over heels for him. He was tall, good-looking, polite, and super athletic. He led our school to victory time and time again.And on top of all that, he was going to be the next Alpha. Robert seemed perfect—strength, looks, character, abilities, you name it. It was like he was born to be the best.I quickly looked away. Next to Robert sat his girlfri
When I woke up that morning, there was this familiar yet strange feeling in my heart—a kind of pulse that made me feel more complete, stronger even. I knew what it was: my wolf had finally awakened for real.Today was my eighteenth birthday, a huge milestone for a werewolf. From this day on, I was officially an adult and could start searching for my mate. The thought made me giddy. I’d been dreaming about this moment for as long as I could remember.In my mind, I imagined finding my mate, someone who would complete me in every way—soul and body. I’d finally let go of my silly infatuation with Robert. It was time to move on from the naive feelings of adolescence and embrace adulthood, ready to start a new chapter of my life.I got out of bed and began getting ready. My hair was black, but it had these annoying little curls that never stayed smooth. I tried straightening them, but that only made it worse—they stuck out weirdly, refusing to lay flat. My hair ended up looking like an isos
I had never seen that look on Robert's face before. He was always cheerful, confident, and polite—so much so that even on the field, when the other boys were boiling with aggression, Robert always kept his cool. I never imagined he could have such a side to him.I let go of his hand, embarrassed and confused, and stared at him helplessly.“I never expected it to be you,” Robert said, his voice dripping with disdain. “Someone like you, my mate?”“You... You knew it was me?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.“I felt it when I turned eighteen,” Robert replied, his tone cold and arrogant. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, and looked at me like I was something beneath him.The perfect image I had of Robert shattered in an instant. The contempt in his eyes, the harsh and dismissive words coming from his mouth—none of it matched the person I thought I knew. Could this be the real Robert? Was everything I admired about him just a facade?I stood frozen, strugg
The pain was more intense than I expected, and my wolf was despondent. It felt as if my soul had been ripped apart, like a piece of me was missing, leaving an endless sense of loss that haunted me.Eventually, I became numb to the pain.I could no longer think of Robert as my mate. He had used the cruelest method to sever our bond by marking someone else. It was a blatant betrayal.In the werewolf world, this was a huge humiliation, especially for an abandoned she-wolf. She would be ridiculed by other werewolves and would struggle to remain in her pack.Even more tragically, Robert hadn't formally rejected me, meaning the mate bond between us still existed. I would continue to feel the pain of his betrayal and struggle to suppress my unwanted desire for him. It was torture for someone like me, who no longer harbored any feelings for him.I didn’t tell my parents about what happened with Robert; I didn’t want them to worry. But they knew something was off and chose not to press me on i
But Robert grabbed my hand, and although I struggled, I couldn’t break free.I had to look him in the eye, and his gaze was filled with the longing I had once hoped for.My wolf, Mia, howled in my heart. I knew she craved physical contact with Robert, and even though I hated it, it made it difficult for me to reject him.‘Calm down, Mia. He’s not worth it.’Mia sensed my sadness and quieted down.But the itch in my heart only made me more uncomfortable.“What are you doing?” I asked coldly.Robert seemed taken aback by my tone. He was the future Alpha, used to everyone looking up to him. He probably didn’t expect me, someone he once looked down on, to treat him like this.“I think we’re classmates again.”His clumsy attempt at small talk was laughable.“That’s unfortunate,” I mocked.“Hey, how dare you!” Alison suddenly rushed forward, clearly having held back for too long.“You should look at the situation. Your boyfriend is holding my hand right now. Instead of getting angry at me,
Fortunately, Kate wasn't the type of person who judged others by their past. She didn't know me well before, but she had always been kind and loyal, traits I greatly valued in our budding friendship. Even though I wasn't particularly special to her, I still cherished the bond we shared."Don't worry," Kate said with a playful grin, "You’ll have all the guys at the party kneeling before you.""I think so too," I replied with a matching smile."You should really dress up. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet your mate there," she added, winking.I shook my head with a chuckle. "I don't necessarily need to find a mate. I just want to find someone I can connect with, like you and Alfred. You two are together because of love, not just some destined bond.""But that’s what a mate is," Kate argued, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "Who wouldn't want a mate who’s wholly theirs, completely in love, and utterly loyal?"Having been rejected by my own mate, I couldn't share her optimism. "I don't believe i
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