Celeste's POV."Hey, are you alright?" His calm but concerned voice brought me back to base. "You look like something is bothering you. You don't like cake?""Oh, no not at all... I mean, yes, I do. I was just thinking about something.""You shouldn't allow anything to bother you when you're with me, Celeste."It'd been a while since I had someone tell me such reassuring words. I sighed and stood up. "Teach me."I looked surprised by my sudden demand."What?""I want you to teach me how to bake. Maybe not this cake, maybe something simpler. I want to learn something that I could make for some that means a lot to me", I said with a sly smile, looking into his eyes.He got the message and the same smile crawled over his lips. "Okay, princess Celeste. Your wish is my command," he said and made a dramatic bow like he was a peasant and I couldn't help but crack up in laughter. "So we have to make sure that our ingredients are complete. We have our flour, butter, egg, sugar, chocolate ext
Cassian's POV"The number you dialed is switched off-""Fucking hell,” I flung the phone carelessly to the other side of the bed before I'd crush the phone into pieces out of rage.That was the seventeenth time I'd heard that useless voice give me the most annoying message of my life.It was probably the most stupid decision I made, letting Celeste out of this palace with that bastard.Maybe it was a wrong idea coming here in the first place.At this point, I didn't know if she was in trouble, or if she genuinely wanted to piss me off.The worst part was the fact that I couldn't get out of my room because the last thing I needed was to walk into that predator called Shantel.The evil determination in her eyes when she told me she was here for me told.me that I would get in trouble that's i wouldn't be able to control if I wasn't careful.So the only thing I could do was to pace from one of the room to the other.I forced myself to take a seat on the edge of the bed."Chill, Cassian. I
Cassian's POV.I didn't know whether to find that laughable or whether to be annoyed by that insulting audacity.The nerve of that little woman to think that I was ever going to fancy her in any kind of way.Was that why Celeste insisted that she tag along with us, knowing that this was exclusively a royal activity and not a vacation?I didn't have any hate for Freya, it was just impossible to find something in me for her. She seemed to me like the little sister of my little sister.I had a lot to deal with right now. She wasn't going to be one of them. I got out of the palace and told the driver not to bother starting the car. A run was probably what I needed to clear my mind off this stress. "Cassian, my brother from another mother!"Fucking hell.I didn't need this now.I dragged myself to a halt and forced myself to turn to my one and only archenemy."I thought I was going to see you today. You've been cooked up in your room for so long, I thought you were hiding from something,
Cassian's's POV."Excuse me?""Did the adrenaline from beating him make residues under your eardrum?" She spat as she got from Ryan's side."What the fuck is wrong with you? How could you do this to someone who has done nothing but be good to us all this while?""Are you actually supporting him right now? Why didn't you shut him up when he called me a pussy? Can't you see the mark that he gave me too? Was he the only one who got hurt? I've done basically everything for you since you came into the family, and you're going to side with someone who has just managed to swoon you once?""I knew it. It's the jealousy.""Excuse you???""You heard me right? You just hate seeing me with anyone apart from you, don't you?"I opened my mouth go speak the first thing that came out of my mouth, but I held my words when I saw that everyone else had ears on the argument. My words would've given away the abominable secret that lay between the both of us."I am your stepbrother. I'm the person you shou
Cassian's POV.At this point, I wished that time would pass quicker than normal, so I could find myself back in my pack and not have to worry about all of these shenanigans.The whole family had been a little cold from what happened between Ryan and I yesterday, but I knew they were not that mad when they invited me for dinner and Ryan's mom fed me herself.All my life, Ryan was a thorn in the flesh and the worst part was that I was somehow stuck with him. Both our parents were friends from when they were little, and they kept forcing that bond over to us, even though we were opposites. I hated how he always had to tag along with Lucian and I only to cause trouble and have it blamed on us. I hated how he messed up everything that I managed to build, and acted like that was meant to be.Ryan had a devious character right from teenage years. I remember him intentionally cutting me with a silver knife two days to my fifteenth birthday so I would spend my day in the hospital, just becaus
Cassian's POV.I looked into her eyes, and for a moment, I saw the eyes that I fell in love with at one point in my life.I saw the pretty girl that I talked about having children with. I saw the eyes that looked at me with so much gratitude when I fucked her. I saw innocence.But It didn't move me.No matter how genuine it was, I just couldn't see myself going over that pain that she caused me. Through the innocence, I still remembered the hurt from the betrayal that she caused me when I saw her arching her back for someone who wasn't even half the man that I was, both in bed and outside the bedroom."I'm sorry, Shantel, but this... This will not work. I don't know what you're trying to do. I don't know if you're being honest or if you have an ulterior motive, and I honestly don't care. My feelings for you died over the course of the year that you were away from me.""Surely, there's a way around this. We can make this if you let me. I was your one true love. There's no way you can l
Celeste's POV."Take whatever you want to eat!! Drink whatever you want!! Tonight is only for celebration!-"I dragged the crazy man away from the podium to the side of the hall where we were hidden from the rest of the guests."What the fuck, Ryan?!""What's the problem, my future wife?"The way that title made my intestines churn in discomfort almost made me puke."First of all, never call me that, ever again. Especially considering the fact that you never ask for my consent before embarrassing me in front of everyone!""Embarrass? Take a look at the people! They're cheerful and happy that their future king is ready to settle that he loves truly," he reached for my hands, and his warm touch suddenly felt like slimy cement against him. My wolf was doing everything to get me out the space with him, but I had to sort everything out before getting out of here."Ryan, we've only known each other for three days. Less, in fact. How can you ask someone for her hand in marriage in front f yo
Celeste's POV.This is the stupidest decision you've made in your life, Celeste.This is too risky.Turn your ass around and head the fuck back down.There was nothing my wolf didn't say to me to send me back down the stairs, but legs kept climbing the steps.It felt like my body had been separated from my wolf form. I was well aware of what I was doing, but I didn't know why I was doing it.Barely an hour ago, I was rebuking him for proposing to me in front of everyone, and now I was following him to his bedroom.I didn't know what had gotten over me.He held my hands as we walked into his room, and immediately I shut the door behind me, he turned me around and planted his lips on mine.I gave into the kiss and we began locking lips. I felt his hot breath all over my face as his tongue found its way past my lips. I felt his hands all over my waist and they slowly travelled to my boobs."Fuck... Your nipples are hard for me baby.."He kept touching and kissing, but I had Cassian on m
Celeste's POVI reclined in my seat as a wave of frustration took over me. This wasn't what I needed right now."It's already hard that this vacation is ruined. Why can't we go back to the apartment?""I made booking for cleaners and handymen to come fix the place up.""Fix the place up?", I repeated in confusion. "Why? The plan was to stay there for just a night and go into the apartment that stepdad meant for us to be in for the vacation?"He grew silent all of a sudden and when I turned to face him, I saw an apologetic look on his face."Lucian, please don't tell me it's what I think it is..." I felt weakened with frustration at the thought of what I dreaded the most."I can explain.""I honestly don't think that the explanation is something I'd be excited to hear.""It turns out the mistake is not something that we can rectify easily. It's the holiday period, and Greece at this time of the year is packed up with tourists and holiday people. This vacation was a last minute decisio
Celeste's POV."This is not the vacation we planned for her. How do we resolve this?"The low but firm murmurs I heard from a corner of the room forced me awake, but I still shut my eyes and stayed in my sleeping position while I heard Lucian yell at the person he was on the call.I opened my eyes halfway to watch Lucian in his usual shirtless aura and my eyes refused to shut close.I couldn't imagine the panic attacks I would've had if Lucian didn't stay by my side last night. I was acting all tough on the outside, but the only thing my shameless wolf wanted was to feel him drag us from behind into a cuddle. Now this cup of vanilla was standing by the window, and my wolf kept yearning for him.She didn't care that I just woke up from sleep and that I was too tired fot these war.She didn't care that I was doing everything possible to protect my heart from shattering twice.She just kept on at her greediness, despite the number of warnings I'd given her.I sighed at how his back musc
Celeste's POV.Everything was happening way too fast. I was driven by anger and other emotions, and I didn't bother to notice that the floor was weak in some areas.I felt myself sinking and falling. I tried to grab on to anything that to could keep me upright, but I only ended up grappling air.At some point, I gave up and brace myself for the worst fall of my life, yelling as I trying to protect my fragile head.I didn't know how at first, but the pain from the impact of crashing into the ground never came. I knew I fell into something, but I just couldn't feel the hurt that was supposed to come with it.I stopped screaming and opened my eyes to slowly to realize - I fell, but not onto the ground.I fell into Lucian's arms.I was supposed to push him away and straighten myself immediately like nothing even happened, but I was baffled at how someone's ams were so firm to hold me from falling, but yet soft enough for me to be in all night.My eyes disobeyed my instruction and began s
Celeste's POV.The awkward silence that sat with us throughout the flight was unnerving, but I had no choice but to deal with it, since it was the tone I set.No matter how many times I tried to explain to my mom hours ago that I was better off without this genius idea of theirs, she vehemently refused my suggestion to stay back."I know you, Celeste. It seems there's more to this than not wanting to go on this vacation. Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Is it the place or the fact that Lucian is going with you that is bothering you?"How was the Moon Goddess's name? How was I going to explain to her that I didn't want to spend the rest of my week with someone I had sex with and didn't love?I reclined further in my seat and switched off the music from my headphones when I began to feel sleepy. At that point, I welcomed it since it was the only thing that could cure this awkwardness."Good evening, Prince Lucian," I heard a flight attendant come up to us. "We'll be landing in a few mi
Celeste's POVNumb.That's how my whole body felt as I lay on Lucian's bed. The rays of sunshine found its way through the cotton and attacked my eyes, but there was no strength left in me to even move.The combination of alcohol, heartbreak and hot sex made a very terrible aftermath because not only was my head throbbing badly, my body and my heart was also aching.Despite the terrible hangover that threatened to knock me out again, I couldn't help but remember the hurtful words that Cassian ruined me with.I lay there, helpless and heartbroken, wishing I put my wolf in check the very first time he attempted to make a mark on me.Maybe I was stupid to think that Cassian would ever be with someone like me. Maybe I was the one who overthought the woman thing in my head. I was the one who thought it was unreasonable to have casual sex with a stepsister and go on to get married like everything is normal.A part of me felt that something was wrong something somewhere. My wolf felt so con
Celeste's POV"You bastard!!" I screamed at him, let anger take utter control of me. "The utter nerve of you to touch me!!"The look of shock on his face and he nurtured his hurting cheek was supposed to be a fulfilling sight, but I could barely resist the urge to land another one."Celeste, you... You slapped me?""And you deserve another one, you jerk! Do you know how hard it has been without you? Do you know how bad I've been resisting you? Do you know how bad I've wanted you to make me feel like a woman again? I literally begged you to let me be so I don't have my feelings toyed with, and you had the guts to break down my walls and hurt me while I was defenseless?", I questioned, rage coursing through my veins.I kept yelling and ranting without giving myself a chance to breathe. I was feeling lightheaded, but I didn't care if I fainted right now."Why can't you accept the fact that we can't be together? Do we have to end this on a bad note? We're... We're not meant to be for good
Celeste's POV.I felt the cold midnight wind push me back, sending chills down my spine as it slapped my skin.I didn't hear well.There was no away what I heard was what he said."And when are you going to do that?""Before the end the year-""Before the end of the month. The faster we get to repairing your image, the better.""I'll marry Shantel before the end of the month."It was loud and clear this time. He didn't mince words. It was a very cold night, but I felt heat behind my ears.There was no way Cassia just agreed to that so easily. I expected him to fight for me - for us.I was supposed to gey angry by the fact that my stepbrother was getting married - even though it was to someone he obviously didn't love. But right now, I was breaking down. I could feel my wolf hurt and scarred, but on the outside, I did my best to make sure it was nothing.I tried to take a step away, but my knees gave in and I fell to my knees, pushing the door forward and exposing myself."Shit."Both C
Celeste's POV."Hey you, give me three more bottles of vodka!!"Through my blurry eyes, I saw him hesitate with a look begging me to pity myself, but it only got me angrier. "Are you standing there because you're deaf, or because you're stupid? Did you know here me make an order? Will you get out of here and get back with my order?!", I dismissed him angrily, and he had no choice but to go get the drinks I order.I felt music getting dizzy. The tip of my fingers were getting numb. I couldn't feel my legs anymore, and I knew I was temporarily paralyzed by intoxication.I'd never gone this deep into alcohol in my entire life. I was an introvert - a nerdy naive girl who had a late bloom, so I'd just started drinking recently and lightly.But tonight was different. I'd consumed eight bottles of vodka tonight, but I still hadn't had a night.It was almost midnight. Hours had passed since that surreal panic attack, but the memories of Ryan drugging me and trying to rape was still as vivid a
Celeste's POV."Do you like it?"I simply nodded and kept the empty cup by my side when I took the last spoon."There's a new spot that opened up when you were at Lebinnin. They make really good pasta. Do you want to try the place out-""Just take me home, Lucian. You don't need to take what the doctor said about keeping me company too serious. I'm a grown woman who can take care of herself."I knew I was a little harsh, and I could feel my wolf burning me from the inside, but pushing him away was the only way I could get him out of my space so I don't have to deal with the guilt."That's true", he said after he noticed the coldness. "I'm sure you're tired and you need some rest."There was an awkward silence between the both of us for a while, and my wolf made tangible use of the deafening silence to beat me up."I need to go get something quickly. It won't take long - are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?""I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm a grown woman who can t