KARLA He pressed me firmly against the cool, metallic wall of his luxurious penthouse elevator, seizing my lips with a fervour that stole my breath. His expertise was undeniable, igniting a yearning within me that craved his every touch. As he restrained my hands above my head, his kisses grew more intense, and I surrendered to uninhibited moans, grateful for the privacy the elevator afforded us.The prospect of losing my virginity loomed before me, yet there was no nervousness or second-guessing. My only desire was to feel his touch, to have him explore every inch of me, to be wholly consumed by him. The elevator's doors chimed open, and he effortlessly lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist. He carried me into his penthouse, a marvel of luxury and style. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see the city sprawled beneath us, with a thousand tiny lights illuminating different households. The view added to the romance of the moment. My mate might have been arrogant and
KARLA "What the fuck?!" someone exclaimed in my dreams, jolting me from sleep. I shifted restlessly, rolling onto my side, struggling to shake off the lingering fog of sleep, as the voice persisted, its vulgarity slicing through the quiet of the room. "How the fuck did this happen? Hey, you, get the fuck out of my bed!"My eyes fluttered open, dispelling the remnants of sleep. The realization dawned that the voice wasn't a figment of my dreams but a stark, waking reality. And it was a voice I recognized all too well. Looming over me, with a tempest brewing in his eyes, was Alpha Killian, his presence as commanding as it was infuriating. "Good morning," I greeted, attempting to defuse the tension. "How did you manage to get in here?" he demanded, brushing aside my greeting.Confusion creased my brow as I sat up, drawing the bed sheet close to veil my nakedness. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Was he feigning ignorance, or had the events of the previous night slipped fr
KILLIANThree Years Ago..."Good morning, baby, you're awake," a soft, feminine voice pierced through my groggy haze.Gradually, my eyelids lifted, and turning my head, I found a woman I could barely remember, smiling down at me. A flicker of irritation rippled through me at her forced attempt at intimacy. Her work here was done, and she didn't need to play house with me this morning. Gradually, I pushed myself into a sitting position, and she mirrored my movement, her well-manicured fingers lightly tracing my arm."Did you have a restful night, darling?" Her voice, thick with sultriness, flowed over me as her gaze, and wandering fingers trailed suggestively towards my flaccid cock.I quickly caught her hand before it got to its intended destination, pushing it away and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. "You should leave," I mumbled, my voice still husky from sleep. My foot accidentally kicked an empty vodka bottle carelessly placed at the bed's foot.She sighed and pouted, ca
KILLIANPRESENT DAY I fixed my gaze on the back of Colby's head as he sat behind the wheel, steering us towards the airport for yet another business trip. There was a quiet, unspoken understanding between us. I couldn't help but ponder how much I owed to him. I was grateful to him for his help, not that I eagerly expressed my gratitude, it would only make him feel too important, but I was certain he understood his significance in my life through my actions and demeanour. Among all my employees, he held a unique place, akin to that of a father figure. This was why I contemplated seeking his opinion about my newest discovery— the unexpected appearance of my destined mate. Although I knew what he would say. Colby was still archaic and still believed in superstitions, but I didn't and didn't want him to make me see reasons why I should accept and keep a mate even when I wasn't prepared for the journey of commitment. As these thoughts swirled in my mind, my gaze inadvertently drifted
KARLA I couldn't shake off the haunting memory of that fateful night with the arrogant and heartless Alpha whom I had slept with. Self-loathing consumed me, and the thought of ceasing to exist crossed my mind. That day, as I walked through the streets, shame clung to me like a second skin. I felt exposed, as if every passerby could see through to the disgrace I felt, their imagined whispers echoing the Alpha's cruel words in my mind. How could he label me a slut and be so certain of it? How could he accuse me of seducing him with such callousness? The thought of resigning from the club where our paths had crossed tempted me, but I knew I couldn't muster the funds to settle my late father's massive debt or cover my mother's mounting hospital bills. The prospect of leaving the country loomed, but where would I go, and how would I escape the clutches of the Alpha my father owed?With a heavy heart, I returned to Deluxe the following day. Life had dealt me a painful hand, and I coul
Two months later...KARLAI chuckled nervously. "No."I vigorously shook the pregnancy test, hoping against hope that the action might somehow blur the double crimson lines on the small screen. Pregnancy was out of the question for me. It simply couldn't be a possibility. "No, no, no," I whispered shakingly.I had convinced myself that the nausea I had been feeling since yesterday stemmed from the shock of receiving that letter demanding payment for my father's debts or else face the horrors of becoming a sex slave. After reading it, my whole body seemed to revolt, and I had been sick ever since. I had to call Ana to come over and be with me. Frustrated, I tossed the test tube onto the floor in front of me and started crushing it, almost hoping that destroying this small bearer of bad news would erase the truth. It had been two months since Alpha Killian had rejected me and warned me never to darken his doorstep again. I had taken on extra shifts at a local diner, but it barely kept
KARLA I couldn't believe my eyes when the cab stopped right in front of the towering Cabello Empire. My heart had been thumping with unease as we journeyed through the Moonshadow pack, silently wondering if Ana had a local doctor in mind. Yet, nothing could have braced me for the sight of the formidable skyscraper that housed Cabello's Empire. Ana stepped out of the cab briskly and beckoned me to follow. Clambering out, my mind raced, trying to piece together her intentions. She settled the cab fare and then turned to me, her determination clear. "Ana, what's the reason for bringing me here?" I asked, even though it was clear to me why we were here. "We've come to see the father of your child," she declared firmly, seizing my wrist and marching towards the gleaming glass entrance of the corporation. "No, Ana, I..." My protest trailed off as she paused, giving me a questioning look with one eyebrow raised. "What?" she prompted.I let out a heavy sigh, taking in our surroundings. I
KARLA I stood watching as Killian paced back and forth behind his desk. I'm sure he had been informed about the reason I was here, but he asked me to repeat myself, which I did, and now he was pacing up and down, while my heart paced with him. I wouldn't be surprised if he asked me to get lost and never show up again.After a moment of silence that stretched too long, he finally spoke, his back still turned to me. "So, are you sure?" His voice was cautious, almost hesitant. "You're completely sure about this?" He faced me, searching my eyes for something I couldn't place. "I mean, how often do you do this?" His question caught me off guard, knitting my brows in confusion. "Do what?" I responded, puzzled by his insinuation. "Don't act as if you don't know what I'm talking about. How do you handle situations like this?" He pressed on, his tone suggesting an underlying accusation.I fought the urge to let out a scoff. "Situations like this? I've never been in this situation
KARLA "Let me get this straight. It was all fake?" Ana asked, staring steadily at me. I nodded, and the expression on her face deepened my guilt. I had been longing to share the complete truth with Ana for quite some time, but I hesitated, fearing she would cause trouble and what Killian might do. So, two days after Killian confessed his love for me and treated me like a princess, I scheduled an appointment with Ana, determined to reveal everything. Ana let out a sarcastic chuckle and averted her gaze. "I can't believe you kept this from me, Karlee." "Ana, I am truly sorry. I couldn't bring myself to tell you due to the seriousness of the situation." I reached across the table to grasp Ana's hand, but she withdrew it. "I am very disappointed in you. How could you hide something like this? I have been there for you since day one. How could you even think of doing that?" "Ana, please, I said I am sorry. It wasn't planned; besides, I know how impulsive you can be.
KARLA I stirred, yawned, and stretched those three to four seconds of morning grace before reality hit me. My eyes snapped open, and I glanced to the other side of the bed, finding it empty. Panic welled up as I recalled the events of the morning after our first night together. Killian was absent from the bed, meaning he was awake and waiting to yell at me for seducing him again. Slowly, I sat up, grateful he wasn't in the room. I threw off the blanket, ready to put on my slippers, when the door swung open, and Killian entered, carrying a tray. His smile stirred my heart, leaving me in awe. I watched, unsure if I was still asleep and dreaming or if I was fully awake. "You are awake, sleepyhead," he said, setting the tray on the nightstand. I was still in shock and merely stared at him. He smiled at me again, aware of my uncertainty. "I made you breakfast; you must be tired after taking care of me last night." I was too stunned to respond. I never thought a day when Ki
KARLA Killian did not return until Jenny woke up. She had gained some strength and insisted on going back to Cabello's house in the city, despite my pleas for her to stay at the villa in the country with me, but she wasn't ready to face Killian just yet and needed to be with Chloe. Jenny assured me she was fine and urged me not to worry about her. One of Killian's men escorted me back to our country house, where our honeymoon was meant to take place. Flora had prepared dinner upon my arrival, but I had lost my appetite due to the day's events, so I headed straight for the shower. As the water cascaded down my body, I recalled the events of the day, especially Killian's emotional breakdown, wondering if our relationship could ever be normal. I couldn't comprehend why he was so conflicted. But I would have to endure this emotional turmoil until our pup was born and had resolved not to expect anything from Killian until after the birth; then, I would move on with my life. I was gratef
KARLA I stood in the corner of the private ward where Jenny was put, watching Killian pace up and down the room, frustrated and furious. I could imagine his surprise finding out that his cousin, whom he loved so much, was dying soon and the hurt he felt that she kept it a secret from him. When he turned to face me, I could swear I saw his eyes glistening. I wanted to reach out, take his hand and comfort him, but I could not get the courage. I was still not sure of our stand after my outburst. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "I... I don't think it was in my place to tell. She wanted to keep it a secret, so—" "Until when?!" he barked, making me flinch. I could not blame him for breaking down like this. I had been shattered, too, when I found out about Jenny's sickness, and Killian had known her all his life. According to Jenny, they grew up together, and Killian saw her as nothing other than a sister. "Killian I am sorry that she kept it a se
KILLIAN "Fuck!" I cursed and bolted from my seat. "I will kill that bastard with my bare hands." "Is everything alright?" Colby inquired, coming after me. I felt like breaking down in the middle of the bar. What was Chase doing with Jenny and Karla? I knew he did not run into them. He followed them; he was stalking Karla and knew exactly what he was doing. "Alpha Killian, can you tell me what is going on?" "That bastard Chase is with my mate and cousin. He has them in his car. I swear, I will kill him if I ever lay my eyes on him. Get the car ready and take me to Graceland." "That is like one hour, fifteen minutes from here." "Do you think I don't know that?" "But you have Jayden following them." I had totally forgotten that I asked one of my men to follow them. Jayden was a strong warrior but couldn't defeat several of Chase's men. As I walked towards the car, Jayden sent me a message. He was updating me on their whereabouts. It turned
KILLIAN Colby sat quietly across from me in the bar, watching me gulp down one of the several bottles on the table. When he couldn't take seeing me wasted any longer, he grabbed the bottle from me. "Alpha Killian, what happened?" "I have called Angelo; he will be here in a moment," I said, waving him off and searching for another bottle to down. "I am sure if you wanted to speak to Angelo alone, you would never call me. The last time I saw you like this was—" "Stop." I knew what he wanted to say and was not ready to hear it. "What happened at home?" he asked, staring me straight in my eyes. I eyed him and looked away. Sometimes, I wondered how Colby was able to read me so well. It annoyed me, but he always offered me great solutions, especially when Angelo was too busy with his toys to attend to me. "It's Karla," I mumbled loud enough for Colby to hear. "What about her? Is she opting out of the contract? You only got married yesterday
AUTHOR'S P.O.V. For the first time since Karla got to know Killian, he was speaking to her like his wife and not some crazy slut. She also noticed the slight change in his behaviour towards her and wondered if the meeting with Alpha Chase could be a factor. Alpha Chase was sad news, and she wondered what he said to Killian at the wedding. Now, Killian's eyes were trailed on her, and since he already assumed she slept with men for money, she knew what was going on in his head. She shrugged casually. "He is the Alpha of my pack," she replied cautiously. "And?" "I already told you; my father owed him before he died. That is the reason I am here in the first place." "There is no other contract between you two." He said it as a statement, but she knew he wanted an answer. He bit into his breakfast. "No. I do not even know him in person. The wedding was the first place I met him. Did... did he say something else?" He chewed his food but shook his
KARLA Dinner went awfully quiet. Sadness hovered over the table like ripe peaches. I was not happy because of what I had just learned about Jenny a few minutes ago. Chloe was moody when she was not playing, and it seemed Ana just flowed with the mood around the table. I was the first to leave the dinner table because I already lost my appetite and picked my food throughout dinner. If I had stayed there a little longer, Ana would undoubtedly have figured out what was going on with me. I told them a lie about having a strange headache, which Ana believed was from the wedding stress. She let me know that she would be leaving for college first thing the following day. When I got to our room, I cried some more before sleep stole me away. The next time I awoke was when Killian came back. I pretended not to notice and worried he would flare up when he sees me in his shirt. I slept off again, sometime when he was in the shower and was awoken again when the other part of the b
KARLA Jenny stood there staring in the mirror with a tear-stricken face. However, it was not her tears that made me crumble inwardly; it was the baldness of her head. Jenny was completely bald. My legs stayed glued to the ground; I could not go back nor come in further as uncontrollable tears streamed down my cheeks. Jenny sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her palm. “Well…will you stand there all day and look at me, or will you come in here and get what you want?” she asked, not turning to look at me. “Jenny,” I cried, walking towards her and enveloping her in a warm embrace. She held me back and let her emotions overcome her once more. We wept together for a while before she pulled away from me. I was not sure I had cried this bitterly in my life before. My chest was heavy, and she was not even my relative. Jenny was a strong woman. She helped me sit on her bed and consoled me until I got a grip on myself. I have wanted to cry this long