Cassie.My heart pounded in my chest like a drum in a frantic rhythm, each beat echoing in my ears. Jake’s panicked tone still played in my mind, making me wonder if he already knew I was being followed. Every second I spent just standing there felt heavier, weighed down by the growing tension in the air. My eyes darted around the street, but never reached the car parked behind meThen, from up ahead, a sleek, black car glided smoothly toward me, its dark windows concealing whoever was inside. My breath hitched, and I tensed, ready to run—until Cy stirred restlessly inside me.“It’s him,” she whispered in awe.Confusion clouded my mind for a moment until a familiar, overwhelming scent of cedar and mint hit me, grounding me in place. Axel.The car came to a sharp stop just a few feet away, and the driver’s door flung open with force. My wide eyes met his fierce, determined gaze as Axel stepped out, his stride purposeful and commanding. The air around him crackled with barely restraine
Cassie.“I wasn’t trying to run away,” I said firmly, holding Axel’s piercing gaze. “I just needed some space out of the pack because apparently, I’m still a stain in your life.” My voice trembled despite my best efforts. “So, I went to the park for a change of scenery and…”“And what?” He asked, all his attention on me, which made me uneasy.“I— I met Damon there.”Axel stiffened, his entire body locking in place. His eyes darkened, flashing with barely restrained rage. His jaw clenched so tightly I thought I heard his teeth grind.“You did what?” His voice was cracked, and his head tilted to the side with one brow raised.“I met Damon there. Well, I was lying down and he came to me,” I explained.“What did he do? Did he touch you?” His voice came out low, lethal, vibrating with the force of suppressed fury. His broad chest rose and fell rapidly, muscles coiled like a predator on the brink of attacking.I quickly shook my head. “No, he didn’t… but he told me not to brag about being
Cassie.The next few days passed in a blur, leaving me with little time to dwell on my tangled thoughts about Axel. Between preparing for school, buying supplies, and enduring Warren’s reluctant company, my mind stayed occupied enough to push aside the confusing emotions lingering from our last encounter.Axel had insisted I use his card for my school shopping, a gesture that felt more like control than generosity. Worse, he’d assigned Warren to accompany me, saying I’d spent “enough time with Jake.” I’d refused at first but didn’t bother arguing. Warren clearly wasn’t thrilled about the arrangement either. His perpetual scowl and curt responses made it clear he was only there because Axel ordered him to be.The first shopping trip was unbearable — awkward silence stretching between us as we wandered from one store to another. I made a point to ignore his grumbling whenever I lingered too long over something or browsed through items that weren’t on my list. He wasn’t my friend, just
Cassie."Hey, isn’t that the Alpha’s slut?" a sharp, mocking voice shattered my thoughts.I pulled my shawl a little tighter around my body, willing myself not to look over my shoulder as I walked back toward the pack house. My breaths came in sharp, shallow pulls, and I picked up my pace."Has she finally gone deaf?" a second voice sneered, and my steps faltered. But I quickly brushed it off, forcing myself to keep moving forward. After all, I was used to people talking about me behind my back. I shook my head, telling myself to ignore them—until someone rammed into me from behind, sending me stumbling forward. I gasped as I hit the ground.Looking up, I found two she-wolves standing over me, their eyes glinting with malice. They exchanged a glance, struggling to stifle their laughter. One of them, a red-haired, snorted, unable to hold it in any longer, and within seconds they both burst out laughing, their mocking voices filling the air."Oops, didn’t see you there, Cassie," the oth
Cassie.For a moment, I stood frozen, my mind spinning, unable to make sense of what I was seeing.I wished desperately that it was all a dream—that I’d wake up, with Cam nestled in his crib beside my bed, and realize it was just another one of those nightmares that had haunted me since our marriage began. But no matter how many times I blinked, the scene before me remained painfully, horribly real.My breath caught as Cam whimpered in my arms, the small cry pulling me back to reality, cementing the terrible truth: this was no dream. This was my life. And standing before me, entwined with my husband, was his true mate. The one person I’d feared he’d find since the moment I became his wife.Selena took a step forward, her eyes softening as she looked at Cam. She stretched out a hand, reaching as though to coo at him, but I instinctively shifted back, holding my son closer. Selena paused, her head tilting to one side in confusion.A faint frown appeared between her brows, but she quickl
Cassie. By the next morning, the whispers had spread throughout the pack estate like wildfire. News that Axel had found his mate traveled fast, and the estate buzzed with excitement. The murmurings of pack members as they gathered in the pack house, exchanging glances and barely whispered conversations made my stomach churn. “We finally have a Luna!” a wolf exclaimed, eyes wide with intrigue. “I hear she’s beautiful. No wonder Alpha was drawn to her at first glance,” another replied with a snicker. Forced to welcome the pack members, I clenched my fists, trying my best to remain positive and composed, but as I made my way through the house, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everyone’s stares and the sting of their words in my chest. In the main living area, Axel was practically glowing, his eyes filled with adoration as he held Selena close. She was everything I wasn’t—confident, radiant, and utterly captivating. Selena laughed at something Axel said, the sound light
Cassie. Days turned into weeks, and the bullying I endured escalated to new heights, far worse than I could’ve ever imagined. Every corner of the pack estate felt foreign, and each encounter with a pack member was a fresh reminder of my failure to keep Axel’s attention. Whispers trailed behind me like shadows, relentless and cold. The pack members looked at me with contempt, as if I were nothing more than a stain on their proud alpha’s life. “Look at her,” one she-wolf sneered as I passed by one day, “The discarded wife, all alone.” “She should be grateful Alpha hasn’t thrown her out yet,” another chimed in, laughing, “But we all know it’s just a matter of time until that happens.” In the midst of it all, Axel’s demand the night before made it difficult for me to sleep. “Make sure to let Selena get close to Cam; he needs to get used to her,” he’d said without so much as looking up from the document on the table before him. I had agreed, believing that perhaps Selena was genu
Cassie. I came to find out Selena really meant every word of her threat two days later. New rumors circulated the pack, where the pack members claimed I was so desperate, so jealous of Selena, that I stooped low enough to use my own son as bait to seduce Axel. They said I was nothing but shameless and if I really thought that if not for my seduction, Axel would ever look my way or pay me any of his precious attention. I forced myself to stay calm, to keep my head high as I heard the new rumors because I knew where they came from, and I was also used to lies being told about me to worry myself about them. If anything, I was only happy that Cam was not grown enough to understand what was being said about me. But no matter how much I ignored it, the rumors kept coming. The next day, as I took Cam out for a morning stroll, I noticed the whispers had only grown louder. This time, they hit harder, cutting deeper. “You know, seeing as Alpha doesn’t like her, I doubt that child is Hi
Cassie.The next few days passed in a blur, leaving me with little time to dwell on my tangled thoughts about Axel. Between preparing for school, buying supplies, and enduring Warren’s reluctant company, my mind stayed occupied enough to push aside the confusing emotions lingering from our last encounter.Axel had insisted I use his card for my school shopping, a gesture that felt more like control than generosity. Worse, he’d assigned Warren to accompany me, saying I’d spent “enough time with Jake.” I’d refused at first but didn’t bother arguing. Warren clearly wasn’t thrilled about the arrangement either. His perpetual scowl and curt responses made it clear he was only there because Axel ordered him to be.The first shopping trip was unbearable — awkward silence stretching between us as we wandered from one store to another. I made a point to ignore his grumbling whenever I lingered too long over something or browsed through items that weren’t on my list. He wasn’t my friend, just
Cassie.“I wasn’t trying to run away,” I said firmly, holding Axel’s piercing gaze. “I just needed some space out of the pack because apparently, I’m still a stain in your life.” My voice trembled despite my best efforts. “So, I went to the park for a change of scenery and…”“And what?” He asked, all his attention on me, which made me uneasy.“I— I met Damon there.”Axel stiffened, his entire body locking in place. His eyes darkened, flashing with barely restrained rage. His jaw clenched so tightly I thought I heard his teeth grind.“You did what?” His voice was cracked, and his head tilted to the side with one brow raised.“I met Damon there. Well, I was lying down and he came to me,” I explained.“What did he do? Did he touch you?” His voice came out low, lethal, vibrating with the force of suppressed fury. His broad chest rose and fell rapidly, muscles coiled like a predator on the brink of attacking.I quickly shook my head. “No, he didn’t… but he told me not to brag about being
Cassie.My heart pounded in my chest like a drum in a frantic rhythm, each beat echoing in my ears. Jake’s panicked tone still played in my mind, making me wonder if he already knew I was being followed. Every second I spent just standing there felt heavier, weighed down by the growing tension in the air. My eyes darted around the street, but never reached the car parked behind meThen, from up ahead, a sleek, black car glided smoothly toward me, its dark windows concealing whoever was inside. My breath hitched, and I tensed, ready to run—until Cy stirred restlessly inside me.“It’s him,” she whispered in awe.Confusion clouded my mind for a moment until a familiar, overwhelming scent of cedar and mint hit me, grounding me in place. Axel.The car came to a sharp stop just a few feet away, and the driver’s door flung open with force. My wide eyes met his fierce, determined gaze as Axel stepped out, his stride purposeful and commanding. The air around him crackled with barely restraine
Axel.“Alpha Axel, are you certain you won’t remain for the private meeting? Alpha Victor would like for you to stay,” Victor’s beta said, stepping into my path like he owned the damn runway.I stopped mid-stride, fixing him with a sharp glare. He was a wiry man with platinum-blond hair slicked back like he was trying too hard. His thin-rimmed glasses perched on the edge of his sharp nose, making him look more like a sniveling accountant than a beta.I’d never bothered to learn his name. Never needed to. He was insignificant, like most of the council’s lackeys. But something about his smug expression always rubbed me the wrong way.“I don’t care for a private meeting,” I said coldly. “We’re all part of the council. If everyone isn’t present, I’ll assume it’s nothing important. Tell your Alpha I said that.”His mouth twitched, but he didn’t push further, only nodding stiffly before turning away. Good. He knew better than to challenge me.I headed toward my private jet, eager to leave t
Cassie.My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming out in ragged gasps as I stared up at the figure standing before me. The moment I saw him, I froze, every muscle locking into place. It couldn’t be—yet there he was, dressed in all black, just like the last time I’d seen him. The Alpha who tried to end my life.Damon.My pulse quickened, and before I could think, a shrill shriek escaped my lips as I jumped to my feet, instinctively backing away. He hadn’t changed, that much was clear. The same cold eyes, the same terrifying presence.“What are you doing here? How did you find me?” I demanded, my voice trembling with fear that I couldn’t hide.Damon studied me for a long moment, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. Then, to my horror, he let out a low, menacing laugh.“You’re not a rogue anymore, are you?” he asked, his voice laced with mock curiosity.I licked my lips, my mind spinning. Was this some sort of game for him? I couldn’t help but wonder how much he knew about me now.
Cassie. The days that followed felt like a blurry haze, stretching endlessly into a week. I kept myself locked away in my apartment, avoiding the outside world like it carried a death sentence. After what happened at Jake’s pub, I couldn’t face anyone—not the curious eyes, not the whispered accusations that still echoed in my mind like a haunting melody. It felt safer within these walls, though being alone didn’t offer much comfort either I even asked Mirabel to cut back on her visits. She still came by in the mornings to drop off food and check in as was requested by Axel I assumed, but I couldn’t stand the idea of someone seeing how fragile I felt. The day I told her was hard. She stood by the kitchen counter, wiping her hands on her apron after setting down a container of stew. I’d just returned my half-filled plate to the kitchen because I didn’t have the appetite to eat much. “You need to eat more, Cassie,” she said softly, her eyes clouded with concern, darting from the p
Cassie.My thumb hovered over the dial button on my phone, my heart pounding harder with every second I hesitated. The unknown number stared back at me, daring me to press the button. Anxiety prickled beneath my skin.I was finally in the comfort of my room, with the multiple shopping bags sprawled on the ground before me.“Just call back,” Cy urged from within me, her tone impatient, “It could be something important. You haven’t done anything illegal, have you?”“I haven’t, but…” I chewed on my thumbnail, my mind spinning with endless possibilities.“Stop overthinking. Just call.”Before I could talk myself out of it, I pressed the button. The phone rang once… twice… and kept ringing. No answer. A shaky breath escaped my lips as relief and disappointment tangled inside me.I hung up and blocked the number, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling lingering in my chest. If it mattered, they’d call back… wouldn’t they?With a heavy sigh, I tossed my phone on the bed and headed to the
Cassie.I gasped as I took Jake’s phone from his hand, pressing it to my ear. “Hello?”“Where the fuck is your phone?” Axel’s voice thundered through the line immediately, making me wince. His tone was sharp, cutting like broken glass. I instinctively glanced around, patting my pockets and rummaging through my romper. My eyes widened as I realized I had no idea where my phone was.“I… I don’t know,” I stammered.“That explains why some dude picked up,” Axel muttered, though it sounded like he was talking more to himself than to me. His anger simmered just beneath the surface, palpable even through the phone.Before I could respond, he launched into a heated rant about my carelessness. “It hasn’t even been a day, Cassie. One day! And you’re already losing your things. Can’t you be responsible for once?”I rolled my eyes, pressing my fingers against my temple as if that could ease the pounding there. “I’ll get it back. Stop acting like I’m a child.”“Then stop acting like one, and I w
Cassie. “Do you know that girl?” I asked Jake as we stepped out of the mall, my gaze lingering on his unreadable expression. His response came a little too quickly, almost robotic. “No.” He followed it up with a shake of his head, but the slight hesitation in his voice was impossible to miss like he remembered to deny it only after processing my question. My eyes narrowed, my mind replaying the strange encounter. The way that girl had kept stealing glances at Jake, her bright brown eyes practically glowing with recognition… and something more. Jake was lying. I could feel it in my bones. I didn’t press him, though. The tension rolling off him was palpable, his shoulders tight as he led us toward the car. It was his business and he most likely had his reasons. When we reached the car, he opened the door for me before sliding into the driver’s seat. He adjusted the rearview mirror, still not meeting my gaze. “Did you need to grab anything else before we head back?” Hi