"Alright, I might have something that could help you out," Sasha started, her voice carrying that familiar mischievous tone. "Do you remember how Michael looked the day you lunged at him?""Of course, I do," I replied, my mind instantly replaying that intense moment. "You warned me to stay away, but nothing bad happened."Sasha let out a dramatic sigh, placing a hand on her chest. "You have no idea how scared I was that day," she said, her eyes wide with exaggerated horror. "Michael’s wolf is nothing like ours. It’s sort of an open secret among the royal Lycan family. They say when Michael was born, his eyes were golden. You know that werewolves can only shift after they turn eighteen, right? It’s the same for Lycans."I nodded, signaling that I was following."But Michael was different. Even as a kid, he was transforming into that golden beast you saw, with wild mood swings that were hard to control. It would take several adults just to subdue him, and after every transformation, he’
I finally understood why Sasha had looked so terrified that day. She had genuinely believed that I might not survive my encounter with Michael."But that day…" I trailed off, recalling the intense scene that had unfolded between Michael and me. Sure, Michael had been frenzied, but he didn’t kill me or Robert. Despite everything, his human side won out over his beastly instincts.Sasha shrugged, a little mystified herself. "I don’t know. In theory, only the Moon Goddess' moonlight can calm the Golden Wolf’s ferocity, but you did it that day. So if there’s anyone who can keep Michael grounded, it’s got to be you. You’re his mate, after all.""Me?" I looked down at my hands, trying to process what she was saying. Just a month ago, I was an ordinary girl, stressing about Robert and my studies. Now Sasha was telling me that I, of all people, had the power to influence Michael, a Lycan prince. It seemed unreal."Yes, you," Sasha affirmed, her voice full of conviction. "Cecily, don’t underes
I couldn’t help but worry about Kate. I had left her behind with the Ancient Woods Pack, where their Alpha—her mate—held sway. My mind spun with anxiety over what might happen to her. It wasn’t just about her being with Alpha Alex; it was the implications of leaving him that troubled me. If a werewolf found their mate and then left them, their strength would be diminished. Kate wouldn’t be as powerful as she used to be, and with her ex-boyfriend still lurking around campus, that worried me even more.Michael’s voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. "I sent her home," he said, though his tone was laced with irritation. "Now, are you going to eat or not?"Relief washed over me. Kate was safe, at least for now. I chose to ignore Michael’s impatience, focusing instead on the good news. But the relief was short-lived, quickly replaced by fresh concerns. What would happen to Kate if she stayed away from her mate? Would she be okay on her own?As I was lost in thought, I noticed Michael ho
"Why don't we start all over again and do something normal people would do?" Michael suggested, his tone uncharacteristically casual.I looked at him, confused by the sudden change in direction. "What do you mean?""How about we go on a date?" Michael asked, a hopeful expression crossing his face."A date?" I echoed, trying to understand where this was coming from.Michael nodded, his expression serious. "I'll decide the time and place, as well as how the date should go. But you must follow my arrangements during the date."I looked at him skeptically, unsure of why this would be part of our deal. Among werewolves, the concept of dating was different from that of humans. Our relationships were often intense and physical from the start due to the mate bond, without much time for the usual courting rituals. So why would Michael want to go on a date now, after everything we’d been through?But if this was all he wanted in exchange for letting me see Kate, it seemed like a small price to
I took a deep breath, trying to process the information. I hadn’t expected this outcome, but perhaps Michael's mercy was the best I could hope for. I couldn’t imagine him being kind enough to send Robert back after what had happened.Robert had come to me alone, without any connections in the Ancient Woods Pack. To them, he was just someone who had dared to offend the Lycan Prince. Michael's wrath had been intense, nearly consuming the entire forest. No one in their right mind would risk Michael's anger by trying to save Robert."And then?" I asked, eager to hear more.The corners of Kate's lips curled into a faint smile as she continued, "Robert hasn’t been seen on campus since the incident. Your escape has been the talk of the week. Everyone’s speculating about what happened. The most popular theory is that Robert offended the Lycan Prince because of you and was killed for it."I studied Kate’s expression, knowing there was more to the story. "What do you know? Don’t keep me in susp
I leaned in closer, not wanting to miss a single word of what Kate was saying.Kate began, "Aside from Robert’s absence, Alpha John has only been seen once or twice in recent days. He looks exhausted, much older than before. Without his mark, Robert will never be able to succeed as our pack’s Alpha. Alpha John was supposed to hand over all the power."I nodded in agreement. "If that’s the case, it’s understandable why Alpha John is in such a bad state."Kate shook her head. "It’s more than that. Alpha John wasn’t exactly thrilled about Robert becoming his heir. Remember what happened at the succession ceremony? Alpha John should’ve been prepared for the possibility that Robert might not be able to take over. But now, it seems like he’s taken an unexpectedly hard hit.""Is it because of Robert’s injury?" I asked slowly.Having a werewolf's mark forcibly removed was one of the worst things that could happen to a werewolf, second only to death. No matter how much Alpha John might have re
Since the Lycans joined forces with the werewolves, they’ve added a bunch of rules that mainly seem to protect their royal family. One rule says that if anyone harms a member of the Royal Lycan Family, they can be dragged straight to the werewolf court. Honestly, it feels a bit unfair, but it’s not like that rule gets used much. Most werewolves would never even think about messing with a Lycan. I mean, who’d be that reckless, right? Lycans are just too powerful.I sat there, thinking it over for a bit before turning to Kate. “I need to talk to Michael about this. Robert can’t go to the werewolf court.”Kate’s face scrunched up, and I could see the confusion and frustration in her eyes. “What’s gotten into you? You’re the last person who should feel sorry for that jerk. Don’t tell me you’re still hung up on Robert now that you’ve got the Lycan Prince in your life.”I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “I rejected him myself, Kate.”“Yeah, but who knows what he said to you that day to make
After Kate left, I couldn’t stop thinking about the whole mess with Robert. Her words had stirred something inside me, and now I was stuck with this uneasy feeling gnawing at my mind. I had this deep urge to stop Michael from taking things too far with Robert, but I had no idea how to do it.Whenever Michael was around, I felt like I was just going along with whatever he wanted. He had this way of controlling everything, even the smallest details of my life. When we first met, he didn’t even let me go to school unless he gave the okay. I had to check in with him about everything, even simple things like going out.I glanced at the clock, feeling a knot in my stomach. There wasn’t much time left before Michael would be back, like he always was, right on time.What was I supposed to do? If I told him about Robert, or worse, if I tried to stick up for Robert, I just knew Michael would lose it. And then Kate? She’d probably get caught up in it too. Michael might even forbid us from seeing
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