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Nine

Author: Ka3na Hastings
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Alexis

Byron's voice echoed in my mind all night. Sleep eluded me as I tossed and turned in bed. Restless, I headed to the terrace. A hammock stretched out in the cool night air, inviting me to sink into its gentle sway.

I kicked off my flip-flops and wrapped a blanket around myself, staring at the twinkling stars. The wind brushed softly against my skin, and the quiet of midnight wrapped me in its calm embrace. I sipped a glass of orange juice, letting the tangy flavor soothe my throat. After a sip, I held the glass up to catch the moonlight.

My thoughts spiraled. Could Alex be a murderer?

The question ate at me. The Moon Goddess couldn’t possibly be that cruel, could she?

Of all the mates in the world, she stuck me with a murderer. What kind of sick joke is this? Not just a murderer—he killed a woman because she told him no.

How could someone so vile be my soulmate? Was the Goddess out of decent options? Had the list run dry, so she thought, Hey, let’s throw the broken woman a ps
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  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Eleven

    AlexisThe moment the words left my mouth, it felt like a knife cut through my heart, slicing my breath short and leaving me unsteady. Calling my mate a murderer felt like I had committed a huge sin. But it was the truth—or at least, I needed to believe. Trusting Alex over Byron didn’t seem possible. Byron, despite being an asshole for most of our marriage, was still my husband and father of my child. Why would he lie about his brother killing someone?Alex stood there, quietly watching me. He didn’t react the way I expected. Instead, the silence stretched, leaving me feeling exposed. My gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding his eyes. I looked everywhere but at him. And then, he did the last thing I expected—burst into loud laughter that echoed around us, filling the space. It caught me so off guard I flinched. What the hell was he laughing at?He tucked his hands into his pockets, still chuckling. “Honestly, I would’ve been surprised if your husband hadn’t pulled that move. It’s exa

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Twelve

    Alex I leaned back against the wall, watching Alexis walk away. Her words replayed in my head, like a broken record, hours after she'd left. She called me a murderer. The woman who was supposed to be my mate, my other half, stood by the man who was everything she should fear. Rage simmered beneath my skin, but beneath that, I pitied her. If she only knew the monster, she slept beside. Byron wasn’t just a bastard—he was dangerous, capable of horrors she couldn’t even imagine. If she knew, she'd run so fast that her shoes would wear out before she stopped. Yet, she played the doting wife and acted like her life was perfectly normal.It was pathetic. Alexis was blind, letting Byron pull her strings like a puppet.One day, she would see what Byron was—dangerous, vile, and manipulative. And when that day came, she'd realize how wrong she was. She'd run, and she'd need me. She'd have no choice but to rely on me. By hook or by crook, I’d pull her from Byron’s clutches. Byron was a tick

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Thirteen

    AlexI arrived at Byron’s house earlier than I intended. The driveway still looked empty, but at least Uncle Blake and his fiancée, Angela, were chatting in the garden. That would make things slightly less awkward.Byron greeted Uncle Blake first, but the moment his gaze landed on me, I saw the brief flash of heat before he masked it with that well-practiced smile."Brother," he said, stepping forward with open arms, voice dripping with fake sweetness. "So good to see you could make it."The bastard was already putting on a show."I didn’t invite myself," I shot back with a dry smile. "But I figured I’d show up so no one accuses me of being petty.”"Good, good, good," Byron said, clapping me on the shoulder, the grip just tight enough to make it clear he was trying to establish dominance. "I’m glad you’re here. The coronation rituals are starting soon. Father’s retiring, and it’s time for me to step up as Alpha and take the family business to the next level. I’m going to be a prime ex

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Fourteen

    Alexis Despite the evening chill in the garden, my body betrayed the cold. Beads of sweat clung to my forehead, gathering faster than I could wipe them away. My shimmery gown stuck uncomfortably to my body as I shifted from foot to foot. Sweat trickled down my temples, sliding along the curve of my jaw. I pressed my lips into a thin line, trying to make sense of the twisted thoughts swirling in my head. From across the room, I watched McKenzie laugh and act all buddy-buddy with Alex, as if they'd known each other for years. It grated on my nerves. What the hell did my sister see in him? Couldn't she at least believe me, her own blood?The party’s lively chatter buzzed around me, but all I could focus on was kicking McKenzie out. I wiped my brow again, only for more sweat to take its place.Money—what a disgusting motivator. Some females would do anything to get close to it. They would sell their souls for a designer bag or a pair of shoes with a red sole, stack their closet with Bi

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Fifteen

    AlexisByron had the nerve to think he could insult my intelligence and fool me into believing he'd turned over a new leaf. Ha! Deep down, I was numb to this betrayal because he’d been fucking Kiara the entire time we were married. Hell, our honeymoon? A complete joke—he didn’t even bother hiding that he spent the whole week with her. Our honeymoon was supposed to be a romantic getaway and a celebration of newlywed bliss. But Byron turned it into a slap in the face from day one. We arrived at the luxury resort I had only dreamed of visiting, and he lodged Kiara into the same building. The first night, after giving me the insult of my life, he left me alone in the honeymoon suite. By the second day, he wasn’t even pretending anymore. He didn't bother showing up for dinner, leaving me to stare at the fancy three-course meal meant for two.And then came the ultimate insult. While I lounged by the pool, I saw Byron and Kiara strolling along the beach. I remember sitting there, my hea

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Sixteen

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  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Seventy-Four

    Alexis The muffled voices of Byron and his team echoed downstairs. I pressed myself against the cold marble of the pillar, straining to hear every word. Byron’s voice was dripping with venom and grew louder with every sentence.“The fucking bastards is demanding a recount,” Byron growled. “Can you believe the audacity? I will not let him ruin everything I’ve built.”I peeked around the pillar and saw him pacing like a caged beast. His team sat around the table, stiff and uncomfortable, as if trapped by a ticking bomb.One of the men, a thin, nervous-looking guy with glasses, cleared his throat hesitantly. “Alpha Byron, maybe we should—”“Maybe we should WHAT?” Byron exploded, his voice reverberating through the room like thunder. His face turned red, and his hand slammed down on the table so violently that the glasses rattled. “Go ahead, tell me. What brilliant idea do you have that I haven’t already considered?”The man’s hands trembled as he fumbled with a piece of paper. “I was ju

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  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Seventy-One

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  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Seventy

    Alex The meeting room buzzed with scattered conversations when I entered. My allies, or at least most of them, sat around a large oak table, shuffling papers, tapping pens, or scrolling through their devices. It wasn’t the camaraderie I had hoped for, but at least some of them were on my side. That was more than I could say about the two men seated at the far end, whispering to each other like nosy old grannies.One of them, a Beta with slicked-back hair and a smirk that made me want to punch his face, leaned back in his chair. "So, Alex, explain this again. If you're such a saint, why did you jump from your family’s party to this one? It doesn’t look good, you know."Of course, it had to come to this—the petty gossip and veiled accusations. These men were supposed to be strategists and leaders. Instead, they were acting like bored housewives looking for drama.“I didn’t ‘jump ship,’” I replied, keeping my tone despite my patience thinning. “I left because I wasn’t going to sit ther

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Sixty-Nine

    AlexisMy stomach growled loudly, the sound so fierce it could have been mistaken for a bear in the room. I froze for a second, hoping Alex hadn’t noticed, but I knew I was doomed when he looked up with a sly grin.“Is that you, or did a motorcycle just drive through here?” Alex asked. The mock seriousness in his tone made me laugh despite myself.I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. “I haven’t eaten all day, okay?”He leaned forward, and his smirk grew wider. “Well, we can’t let you starve, can we? That would be tragic.”“We can’t go out. Byron has eyes everywhere. Coming here was a risk.”Alex's dark eyes gleamed with mischief. “Why not? It’s not like we’re headed to a five-star hotel. You’re hungry. I’m here. Let’s not overthink it.”Reluctantly, I agreed. Hunger always won. We ended up at an Italian rustic restaurant tucked into a quiet street corner. The faded letters of the wooden sign above the door read Trattoria Bella.Inside, fresh basil, garlic, and warm bread filled the a

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Sixty-Eight

    Alexis The days leading up to the election were a whirlwind of endless meetings and formalities, all of which I hated. As Luna-in-waiting, I was expected to attend strategy discussions and campaign events and meet with influential pack members to gather support for Byron. But every time I entered one of those rooms, I felt like a glorified puppet. The stares, the fake smiles, and the murmured whispers always lingered just a beat too long, making it clear that I didn’t belong in their sick world.At one of the meetings, Meredith was her usual self, throwing passive-aggressive remarks my way. But the high priestess stole the spotlight. She sat across the table, calm and unmoving, like an immovable force that had no interest in bowing to their power.“I’ll repeat it,” the high priestess said, her voice ringing like a bell. “Byron is not meant to be Alpha. The moon goddess herself disapproves of this farce.”Meredith’s face twisted with indignation. “Who do you think you are?” she hisse

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Sixty-Seven

    Alexis I stood at the kitchen counter, stirring a bowl of mashed potatoes with extra vigor. Every so often, I shot a glance out the kitchen door where the bodyguard was stationed like a statue. I gripped the spoon tightly and wished he would disappear. My annoyance bubbled over, and I let out a sigh.Mckenzie strode into the kitchen and leaned against the counter with a smirk. "So, what's the deal with the guy in the shadows?" she asked, nodding toward the doorway where the bodyguard stood just out of sight.She arched her brow with a sly grin, and I let out a small, amused chuckle. "Oh, McKenzie, you always have a talent for picking out the wrong guy," I said. "You know he's here to watch me, right? It’s not like I chose him. Such bad taste in men. He's driving me insane, following me around like I’m about to run off at any second."Mckenzie leaned in closer. "So, do you want me to distract him?" she asked with a mischievous smile.I turned and gave her a skeptical look. "Distract h

  • My brother-in-law is my mate   Sixty-Six

    Alexis Alone in the kitchen, my thoughts burned with anger. Oh, what I felt for Byron was beyond loathing—it was a blistering hatred that made my skin prickle and my pulse thunder in my ears. The mere thought of him made my stomach churn, but his words stuck in my mind like shards of glass. How much did he really know? Was he fishing for truths, or had he pieced together everything? My hands trembled as I reached for my phone, panic gnawing at me. I quickly typed a message to Alex, filling him in on Byron’s sudden obsession with Gianna and my growing fear that he knew about us.Every few seconds, my eyes darted to the doorway, half-expecting Byron to appear and pounce on me. When Alex’s reply buzzed—"I'm coming right away"—I felt a wave of relief crash over me. For a fleeting moment, I thought about letting him handle it all, dismantling this house of horrors once and for all. But reality hit me. If Alex came now, it wouldn’t fix anything; it would only fuel Byron’s suspicions.

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