In a dimly lit office, elegantly furnished with opulent décor, Tristan sat behind a massive mahogany desk. The desk was a model of meticulous organization, with neatly stacked cash beside antique brass candleholders. On the wall behind him, a large framed city map adorned the room.Draped in an impeccably tailored black suit and pants, Tristan exuded an aura of cold ruthlessness, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. His steel-gray eyes fixated on the city map as he marked out key points with a pen.A sudden knock on the door made him look up, his gaze directed at the entrance. "Come in."The door swung open, revealing Ethan at the threshold. For a moment, their eyes met, and Ethan's expression shifted noticeably. He appeared surprised and taken aback, though it was but a fleeting moment before he regained his composure."We've got an emergency," he began, approaching Tristan.Tristan paused, returning the pen to its holder, and his fingers lightly drummed on the desk as he probed,
"Ha..." Tristan suddenly laughed, his cold voice echoing through the walls. "Well, I've got no reason to keep you alive then."Like a blur, he suddenly pulled out the gun plugged to his belt and pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced through the man's forehead, and his corpse fell to the ground, blood splashing all over the place. Tristan reached out to wipe the blood that had splashed on his shirt with distaste. Then, he gazed at the man's corpse, which now lay on the ground, unmoving, his widened eyes a testament that he wasn't prepared for it.A hushed silence fell over the dock as the other captives instantly began to panic and scream through the tape. Tristan's men didn't seem affected, but Ethan looked his way, his brows creasing. However, it wasn't the shooting that made him bothered.Tristan returned his gaze to the rest of the people tied up. "Like I said, I don't want us to stress one another. You give me what I want, and I may choose to pardon you." Then, he paused, twirlin
RAVEN’S POV:There was a knock on the door, jolting me awake from my deep sleep. I rubbed my eyes drowsily as my gaze reached for the wall clock across the room. It was still noon.I quickly scrambled out of the bed and turned the doorknob, opening the door. It was a young lady dressed in a servant uniform with two bags in her hands. When she saw me, she immediately bowed respectfully. "Hello, Miss. I'm here to clock in for the day. I'm your newly assigned maid."I stared at her as her auburn-colored pigtails bounced when she bowed. I was still stunned by what she said, so I muttered, "Maid? I don't need a maid."She quickly straightened up, looking at me as though she couldn't understand why I was saying so. But still, she put on a forced smile and repeated, "My name is Lena. I'm your assigned maid. You can call on me if you need anything."I wanted to argue and tell her I didn't need one. But on second thoughts, I realized it could have been the butler or Bethany who assigned her to
RAVEN’S POV:As the car pulled up in front of the mall, it was pretty obvious that the stuff inside would burn a hole in anyone's pocket. It was a very tall building with intricate and elegant designs on its exterior, clearly for the wealthy. Bethany didn't seem concerned like I was as she parked the car to a spot and told me to get down."Come on, let's go in," she told me as we walked up to the stairs. When she saw that I was rather sluggish, she hooked her arm in mine and pulled me along."Bethany, we don't have to do this," I muttered, trying to persuade her as she dragged me to the front door. I really didn't need such expensive things. Not to mention, she believed I was Tristan's girlfriend, which was why she was treating me so well. I didn't want her to feel betrayed when she found out I'm not.But she paid me no heed. When we reached the security entrance, the guards there, however, quickly saluted her, making me freeze."Welcome to our store, ma'am," they chorused, beaming wi
"What's going on here?" a voice called out in the distance. It was Bethany. She walked forward with purposeful and confident strides, her expression grave enough to tell me she must have listened in. I was so relieved upon sighting her."She was caught shoplifting," one of them quickly supplied."Oh, really? Did you witness her stuffing the dress in her bag, Natalie?" Bethany was bold and confident. I wished I could be a little like her; maybe my life wouldn't be so miserable.It was also done. I realized that the girl's name was Natalie, and Bethany seemed to know her well."No, but she was going to eventually. Where do you think she'll get enough money to pay for a dress like this?" Natalie argued."So, you accused an innocent person of shoplifting based on your unfounded assumptions?" Bethany was seconds away from tearing her into a million pieces."It’s not an assumption. I mean, she was acting all suspicious, and I could tell she didn't have this money. She must have stolen that f
RAVEN’S POV:I sat on the comfy bed in my room with a duvet on my lap as I scrolled through the search options on the screen of my phone. I was going through job opportunities I could take up near the pack. Now that I was at least out of being an omega slave, I couldn't just sit still and do nothing with my life.Although I couldn't finish college, I still got my first degree. That should be enough to get a manageable job offer since degrees weren't really considered necessary in the werewolf community. I had to get a job at a place close to the pack and within the community. I was targeting an assistant or secretary job since that was close to my scope.I picked up the pen beside me as I marked out a few companies that had caught my attention. They belonged to werewolves, and although some were a bit distant from the pack, it was still good enough.I was still doing this when there was a sudden commanding knock on the door of the room. I couldn't help but jump as the sound was rather
His gaze was still settled on me when he asked this, and I couldn't help but stiffen when he reached out to pull back a strand of my hair that blew into my face, his warm fingers scraping my face along the way."Hmm?" He demanded again when I didn't respond."No, it's not that. I..." I began to speak, but he interrupted, "That's a shame then. I came because I thought you did."I didn't even know what to say to him, and I could only stare. But then, he didn’t seem to really care about my loss of words as his face came closer. His eyes were really dark and sensual, such that they made me swallow subconsciously.His gaze moved to my lips, and even before his lips touched mine, I knew what he wanted to do. But for some reason, I didn't move away or avoid the incoming kiss in any way. Instead, I found myself closing my eyes in response, my skin tingling with a hint of anticipation.But instead of kissing me, he placed his face side by side with mine, his lips brushing my earlobes. I breathe
TRISTAN'S POV:Hearing her call my name made me come to my senses, as though I had dozed off and just come back to life. I was holding her arms up against the wall, her top roughly handled, and her bosom exposed.Shit! Shit! What have I done?I stared into her green eyes laced with tears, my mind reeling. She was crying; I had never seen her cry, and it was not a pleasant sight. She looked devastated and in shock. Her eyes clamped shut, and more tears ran down her face, already smothered with tears and snot."Let me go..." She croaked out lowly, her voice sounding tired and exhausted.Subconsciously, my grip slackened as I let her go, and she slipped down the wall. She quickly pulled up the remnants of her top as she pulled up her knees to her chest. I could tell she was pretty affected, considering the sharp look in her gaze as she stared at me, waiting for me to make a move.I moved closer to her, but she quickly backed off, looking defensive. I couldn't help sighing at this, knowin
AUTHOR'S POV:"Congratulations, Miss Raven. You're three months pregnant," Dr. Foster announced with a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine joy. The test results were on top of his desk as he closed the papers.Raven blinked, disbelief etched across her face. "Pregnant? But... how?" she stammered, her mind still catching up. It felt like the walls were suddenly closing in on her.The doctor chuckled. "Well, it seems you fainted earlier because of more than just fatigue. You're going to be a mother." He handed her the test result, and Raven's trembling hands took hold of it.She sat there for a couple of seconds, trying to process the situation. She had fainted at the office earlier that day, so she came to the hospital, but surely, she was not expecting to be told she was pregnant."Thank you, Doctor," she managed to utter, her thoughts racing. As she exited the office, the weight of the news sank in, leaving her stunned.As she walked along the hospital hallway, she ran into Larson
TRISTAN’S POV:I stared at the screen, my eyes glued to the footage Ethan had managed to salvage from the hotel's security system. Frustration simmered within me as I realized there was a critical gap – the moment Seraphine supposedly plunged into the water was missing. Deleted. Gone."Can't you retrieve that part?" I asked Ethan, my voice tight with worry.Ethan sighed, shoulders slumping. "I went to Jasper's place, watched him try, but even he couldn't get it back. It's like it vanished."Disturbed, I knew that missing piece was vital to proving Raven's innocence. No matter how fiercely I could protect her, I couldn't let a stain tarnish her reputation. I pondered the options – interrogate Seraphine, force a confession, but the risks loomed large. Accusations of me using my power to bully could tarnish my position without solid proof. Not to mention, it would affect Raven - they'd accuse her of messing with my head."We need that footage, Ethan. Find a way," I urged, worry coursing
RAVEN'S POV:An uneasy vibe buzzed in me as Tristan and I shuffled down the hospital hallway. Seraphine supposedly woke up, but it still felt surreal. What happened still feels like a dream to me, and I was unable to come to terms that she had almost died.When we reached the door of the VIP ward she was staying in, a crowd awaited – her family. I didn't realize she had so many relatives, and even Tristan's mom, Luna BlackClaw, was there.The moment we appeared, all gazes fell on us, especially me. Their glares screamed judgment, but I held my cool, knowing I didn't do what they accused.Probably sensing my unease, Tristan held my palm and rubbed it, an attempt to reassure me, so I shot him a forced smile, not wanting him to worry.Luna BlackClaw jumped on me first, fuming, "How dare you show your face here?"She looked very furious, and if one didn't know, they'd think Seraphine was her daughter. I would have been intimidated, but the conviction that I did nothing wrong made me meet
Raven’s POV:I held a glass of wine as I looked around the hall. I was attending Madison's engagement ceremony, and there weren't a lot of people in attendance, as the marriage was not aristocratic, and there were a lot of gossip about them in the pack. Not to mention, it was no news that her father wanted her to marry a richer and well-known man, not her mate. They were all everybody was talking about and giving their two cents of advice on like they knew it all.But as I stared at Madison's figure walking around the entire hall arm in arm with her mate, Christian, I could tell she was happy with the man she ended up with. And I was happy for her because it meant that not all mates were assholes, and they complemented one another well.However, as I saw Madison approaching me with Christian, I placed the wine glass in my hand on the table some distance from me. I didn't want to toast her and have to drink the wine.Firstly, because I had promised Tristan that even though he wasn't th
TRISTAN’S POV:I smiled, seeing the sheer fear and shame that ran through their spines upon seeing me. "Isn't it rude to start a meeting without me, the main topic of the so-called abdication?"As I spoke, I strolled to my seat and settled down. Lucas frowned, but he was soon back to being haughty. That made me frown at his closed-mindedness - how could he be foolish enough to rely only on one piece of evidence that wasn't conclusive enough?"Which rule of the council talks about members not holding a meeting behind the Alpha King?" I questioned as I tapped on the table, intending to drag it out and give them chills."Ru...rule 15," one of them managed to speak while the rest of them frowned, but they all seemed to have regained their composure.I was about to respond when Lucas coldly snorted, "That doesn't include an abdication gathering in the case of a bad Alpha King."That made me perk up, and my gaze found his. "Oh really? How bad of a King am I that you all respectable Alphas w
Lucas paced back and forth in his dimly lit study, a sense of urgency in his voice as he spoke into his phone. "Make sure the meeting room is ready, and no one should tip off Tristan. We can't afford any slip-ups," he ordered.The door swung open abruptly, and Nadia stood there, a hand on her now heavily pregnant stomach. Anger flashed in Lucas's eyes, but he held back his initial impulse to shout at her for barging in. Instead, he ended the call, turning his attention to Nadia. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, attempting to keep his tone steady.Nadia, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries. She stormed toward Lucas, pushing him in the chest. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice.Perplexed, Lucas responded, "What do you mean?"Without wasting a moment, Nadia thrust photos into his face. "Someone saw you with another woman last night. They're spreading rumors about us," she accused, her eyes ablaze.Lucas glanced at the picture
AUTHOR'S POV;Tristan diligently sorted through the crates in the pack house, the rhythmic hum of activity disrupted as Ethan approached. "Someone's looking for you, Tristan," Ethan said, a frown creasing his brow.Tristan raised an eyebrow, setting down a box. "You know pack members aren't supposed to disturb me at work. Who is it?"Ethan hesitated, then leaned in, voice low. "Alpha Odette."Tristan's surprise flashed across his face. "Alpha Odette? What does she want?"Ethan shrugged, a wary expression in his eyes. "I don't know, but be careful. She's always scheming."A wry smile played on Tristan's lips. "You've never liked her, have you?" Not that he was fond of her either, but he happened to help her three months back to deal with a rogue issue when his investigations led him to her pack, and he realized she was just always scheming and plotting, but her personality wasn't all that bad.Ethan scowled. "And you shouldn't either. Just be cautious."Tristan chuckled, waving Ethan o
RAVEN’S POV:I lay in his arms as he tousled my hair playfully. He didn't go back to the pack office to work, and we just lay together in silence in his room."She just came in like that, and I thought she was a pack member at first," he explained, looking at me, and I couldn't help but smile at how he seemed to forget she was also a pack member."She is a pack member," I corrected, and he only muttered, "Oh.""You're too cold," I couldn't help telling him. He always avoided her, and even before what happened tonight, his stepmother had been trying all sorts of means to push them together, causing further ruin to their relationship.But he was unbothered, unlike me, as he shrugged. "I've always been this way. No need to pay attention to irrelevant people."I chuckled at this, half worried I was ruining his relationship with other people but also pleased that he was avoiding having anything to do with his ex.Just then, he sat up and leaned to get something out of his bedside drawer. I
Tristan's fingers danced across the keyboard in the dimly lit pack house office, the hum soft in the background. Suddenly, the tranquil air shattered as the thunderous noise of running feet echoed from the nearby field. He sighed, his attention disrupted by the unwelcome commotion, reaffirming his disdain for working in the pack house office.Just then, a soft chime emanated from his phone, a welcome distraction. Raven's message illuminated the screen, and a grin replaced Tristan's earlier frown. "How's your headache?" she inquired, a simple yet thoughtful question that melted away his lingering discomfort.His thumbs swiftly responded, typing out his improved condition. As he hit send, an unexpected knock echoed through the room."Come in," he muttered, granting entry to the interrupter, anticipating a curious pack member who had heard he was around and wanted to bother him with something basic.However, when the door swung open, revealing Seraphine in a provocative black dress, Tris