"No," I protested, my voice shaking. "I won't go." Derrick's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, but you will," he said. "In fact, you leave in two days." "You can't make me," I said, my voice trembling. Even if I was bound, I would never give in to his request. I would not be another one of the long line of concubines of the devil himself. Derrick leaned forward, his eyes blazing with intensity. "Oh, but I can," he whispered. "And I will." Ariana's life is shattered when her father is brutally murdered and she's forced into a betrothal with the ruthless Alpha King Ryker, a man cursed to kill any woman who bears his child. But as they work through their unfamiliar bond, secrets and lies threaten to destroy them. Can Ariana uncover the truth behind her father's death and Ryker's curse before it's too late, or will their love become the very thing that destroys them?
view moreArianna’s POVFor a moment, my heart stuttered in my chest.It took me a second to realize why—our hands were still linked. I felt the warmth of his calloused palm against mine, his fingers curling around my own, and my fingers easily fitting into his larger ones, like it was the most natural thing in the world. But it wasn’t natural. Not for us.I had no idea how long we had been holding hands, but the second I noticed it, my entire body went stiff. A nervous panic flared up inside me, and I instinctively tried to pull away.Before I could fully withdraw, though, Ryker’s grip tightened. Not enough to hurt, just firm enough to keep my hand in his.My breath hitched.He didn’t say anything. He just kept walking, like it wasn’t a big deal. Like he wasn’t fully aware of how fast my heart was pounding.I should’ve fought harder to let go. But for some reason, I didn’t.Instead, I looked up at him, trying to find some kind of reaction in his face. His expression was unreadable—calm, steady
Ryker’s POVA sucker.That’s what I was.There was no other way to explain why I gave in so easily, why I found myself saying “yes” before she even asked. She had barely even looked at me, just that small, barely-there gleam of anticipation in her eyes, and suddenly, I was agreeing to whatever she wanted.Heck, if she asked for my heart on a gold platter then, I would have handed it right to her.I watched as she practically bounced in her seat, her cheeks barely containing her excitement, and I almost laughed. She was still such a child in some ways, so easily thrilled by the little things. It was… refreshing to see. She was so innocent. And yet, the darker part of me—the part that was never really at rest—enjoyed something else entirely. It liked the thought of her beneath me, eyes hazy and lips parted as I dragged every last bit of that innocence away.The thought alone had my body tightening in response.Fuck.I exhaled sharply, shifting in my seat as the ache in my groin settled
Arianna’s POVThe building before me was magnificent. Not in a flashy, gaudy way, but in the kind of way that made you stop and stare. It was like something out of a dream—too perfect, too carefully placed within its surroundings to be real and it was right by the sea!I had spent an unhealthy amount of time researching this island, scrolling through every image, every review, memorizing every hidden gem. And yet, this place—this breathtaking place—had somehow escaped me.“How have I never heard of this before?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Beside me, Ryker smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Because it’s meant to stay hidden.”I turned to him, brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”He exhaled, tilting his head slightly toward the building. “The architecture was designed to fit the natural surroundings and not to be disturbed by tourists. The owner wanted exclusivity—no advertisements, no online reservations, no public records. Only those with connecti
Arianna’s POVI took a slow, deep breath. Then another.It was just an evening out. Nothing more.Not a date.Not anything that should have had my heart racing like I was about to do something that would change my life forever.I had spent more time getting ready than I wanted to admit, but that was only because I hadn’t known where we were going. That was all. I had to find the right outfit—not too dressed up, not too casual. Nothing about this was special.At least, that was what I had told myself.Yet, here I was, standing in front of my door, trying to convince myself that Ryker didn’t matter enough to affect me. That what had happened earlier wasn’t still lingering in my mind, and setting every nerve ending of my body on fire.That I wasn’t still aching for his touch.I exhaled sharply and yanked the door open.And my world stopped.Ryker stood there, inches away, hand still on the door handle. His eyes met mine, and something passed between us. Then, his gaze dropped.He dragge
Ryker’s POVSitting through breakfast was nothing short of hell.Arianna was right in front of me, her lips slightly swollen from our kiss, her hair still a little messy from where I’d tangled my fingers in it. She kept her eyes fixed on her bowl of cereal like it was the most interesting thing on earth, but every time she shifted, I caught the subtle rise and fall of her chest, the way her breath hitched slightly, the way she still looked flushed from our heated makeout session.And I was suffering.My cock was still rock hard, straining uncomfortably against my jeans, and no matter how many times I shifted in my seat, there was no relief. Every little movement she made—tucking her hair behind her ear, licking a drop of milk from her lips, even the damn way she sighed—sent a fresh wave of heat straight to my groin and made my cock throb painfully. I clenched my fists under the table, focusing on the pain of my nails digging into my palms. Anything to keep myself from doing what I re
Arianna’s POVThe moment my lips crashed against his, it was like a dam breaking. Every ounce of tension, every hot glance, every unsaid word that had built up between us over the past few weeks poured into that kiss. I wasn’t sure who was hungrier—me or him—but the second he responded, I lost all sense of control.Ryker’s hands slid to my waist, gripping me with a force that sent a shiver down my spine. My fingers tangled in his hair, tugging slightly as I pressed my body against his, desperate for more. He groaned into my mouth, deep and guttural, and the sound sent heat rushing straight between my legs.His tongue brushed against mine, slow and teasing at first, but then it became a battle for dominance—one he clearly intended to win and I had no restrictions. His hands roamed my body, one moving up my spine while the other gripped my hip, pressing me impossibly closer. My thin shirt was the only barrier between us, but I felt everything—his warmth, the hardness of his muscles, the
Arianna’s POVThe words wouldn’t leave my head.I killed my father.I had known it. Heard it before, whispered in hushed voices behind closed doors. I had known it as a rumor long before Claire confirmed it to me. It wasn’t a secret. But hearing it from him—watching him say it with that forced, empty smile—was something I never could have expected.He hadn’t let me react. Before I could process what those words truly meant, he had already stood up, offered some half-hearted excuse about going inside before I caught a cold, and started walking back toward the house. I had followed silently behind him and that was the end of that conversation.Neither of us spoke as we walked back inside, and even when we reached our rooms, not a single word passed between us.But now, hours later, I was still awake.I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his words running through my mind in like a record, one I couldn’t find the stop button to. I didn’t know the full story. I didn’t know why he had d
Ryker’s POVThe waves rolled in slow, crashing against the shore with a steady rhythm. It was the only thing grounding me. The only thing keeping me from spiraling.I sat at the edge of the beach, my elbows resting on my knees, my fingers digging into the damp sand as I stared at the dark ocean. The moon’s reflection danced across the water, distorted every time a wave broke. I should’ve gone to bed, should’ve forced myself to sleep and pretend like everything was fine. But the truth was—it wasn’t.It had been too close tonight. Too damn close.I could still feel it in my bones, a slow-burning liquid fire crawling through my veins, threatening to consume me. It had started at dinner. Something about the exhaustion, the shift in environment, or maybe just Arianna’s presence had triggered it. My body had tensed, my senses had sharpened, and for a split second, I swore I could feel my wolf clawing at the surface, hungry, desperate, uncontrollable.I had barely kept it in check.That was
Arianna’s POVI woke up to utter darkness.For a brief moment I was disoriented and groggy, I lay, facing the ceiling with my eyes open, there trying to figure out why nothing looked familiar. The ceiling was too high, the air smelled of salt and something faintly tropical, and the bed beneath me was way too soft. My brain, was still slow with sleep, and I struggled to piece together the pieces of my memory.Then it hit me.The island.Ryker.The house that was way too extravagant for one person.The realization settled over me, and I exhaled quietly, shifting slightly under the cool sheets. As I adjusted, another sound reached my ears—the slow crash of waves against rocks. It was gentle but persistent in every few seconds. It was also soothing, a well needed lullaby that should have sent me right back to sleep.Except I couldn’t.I turned my head toward the alarm clock on the nightstand, squinting at the glowing numbers. 2:03 AM.Great.I let out a quiet sigh and tried closing my eye
I heard it before I felt it.The crack of the whip echoed through the backyard, slicing into the silence. I felt the sting of the lash on my back next, the searing pain licking me up like wildfire as I crumpled to the grass.My vision blurred, and for a moment, I saw stars dancing before my eyes. There was a bloodcurdling scream, and it took me a few seconds to realize it had come from my throat."No, Derrick, please! She’s just a child," my mother's voice pleaded as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her words were filled with raw fear, a fear that had become all too familiar in our household.I heard the sound of heavy footsteps as Derrick approached me. His breath reeked of cheap liquor and cigarettes, the stench making my stomach churn with nausea. "You're nothing but a worthless, wolf-less abomination," he spat, his words dripping with venom. His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure, his face twisted in a snarl.My mother's cries grew louder, but I knew she was powerless, just like m...
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