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70: The cost of failure
Last Updated:
2025-02-19 00:42:51
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THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 71: Regret
ATTICUSI was pacing the length and breath of my study, restlessness clawed at my chest, refusing to let me breathe properly. The room felt too small, the air too thick. Hera’s words replayed in my mind like a cursed melody I couldn’t stop from ringing.. “I’ll reject you once we’ve fulfilled our agreement.” The thought of her rejecting me—rejecting us—was unbearable. My wolf stirred, restless and agitated, his presence crackling under my skin like a storm waiting to break. I looked at the mirror and my eyes glowed bright gold, revealing my wolf.“You’re quiet,” I muttered internally, looking right at him. My hands clenched and unclenched as I tried to focus on anything but the hollow ache spreading through me. “Quiet? I’ve been screaming since the day you let her walk away,” my wolf snarled, his voice sharp and laced with disgust. “And now you’re surprised she wants to reject us? Pathetic.”“I know I messed up,” I pinched the bridge of my nose, groaning. “I don’t need you rubbi
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 72: Unyielding
HERAI lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to will away the heaviness that seemed to press down on me since the coronation. I had avoided everyone today, especially him. Atticus had been relentless these past few days, constantly showing up and trying to win me over with apologies, soft words, and a gaze so intense it made my chest ache.He was always there, trying—too much, too often.It was infuriating.A knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts, soft but insistent. I didn’t need to ask who it was. I already knew. My wolf stirred and my eyes glowed.I shook my head to clear the haze. Not today again!“Go away, Atticus.”The door opened anyway, and he stepped in. His expression was soft, concerned, as if I was some fragile thing he needed to protect. It only made me angrier.“What part of ‘go away’ did you not understand?” I snapped, sitting up and crossing my arms. He ignored my tone, closing the door behind him and stepping closer. “Are you alright? You’ve been
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 73: Right Intentions, Wrong Approach
ATTICUS“Kai, not there! Put the desserts on the left table, closer to the entrance,” I said, pointing towards the far corner of the banquet hall. Kai rolled his eyes, but did as I asked, signalling the guards to shift the heavy tray of goodies and confectionaries yet again.“You’re really going all out for this, aren’t you?” Kai muttered as he approached me, brushing nonexistent dust from his sleeves. “If this doesn’t work, you’re out of ideas.”I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. “Don’t remind me,” I murmured. “This has to work, Kai. It has to.”The truth was, I didn’t have any other plans. Hera had been avoiding me like I carried the plague, brushing off every effort I made to get close to her. She shut me out so thoroughly that even my wolf was beginning to grow restless.“She hates me,” I muttered under my breath, watching as the guards arranged plates of intricately prepared meals. “I can’t even blame her.”Kai stopped beside me, crossing his arms. “I told you t
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 74: Tension
HERAThe corridors were quieter than usual, the faint hum of distant conversations and the shuffle of maids barely audible as I made my way through the palace, uncertainty gnawing at my insides. It had been days—weeks, even—since I’d last seen Ben. I didn’t realise just how much his absence bothered me till now because I was mostly by myself. He was usually always by my side. Since the coronation and the declaration that Atticus and I were fated mates, everything between us had shifted. He has always been a constant in my life: my friend, my confidant, my tether when things felt like they were spinning out of control.But now? Now, it felt like he was slipping away.I bit my bottom lip as I turned another corner, my heart heavy with a mix of guilt and worry. Things have been strained between us ever since the truth about Atticus and me had come to light.Of course, I couldn’t blame him. I wasn’t blind. I’d seen the way he looked at me, even if he’d never said the words aloud. I mea
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 75: The Elders Of Shadow Claw
HERAGuilt clawed at me as I paced the room. The memory of my words to Ben kept replaying in my head, how I spelled it out sharply that he doesn’t have a fated mate and I can never be his fated mate. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I know I did. I just made everything between us more complicated, more strained.With a sigh, I sank onto the edge of the bed, running my fingers through my hair. Why can’t things just be simple?A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced up, frowning, wondering who could be disturbing me.“Come in.”The door creaked open, and Anisha stepped inside, her head bowed. She was always timid, even when she got rather comfortable with me, but since I became Luna, she seems to have gone back into her shell a bit. “Forgive the interruption, Lady Hera,” she said softly, her hands clasped in front of her.“It’s fine,” I replied, sitting up straighter. “What is it?” I asked, urging her to speak. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering nervousl
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 76: A Hint of Thaw
ATTICUSI stormed after Hera, the heavy wooden doors of the receiving room slamming shut behind me. My mind was reeling, and my chest tightened as I followed after her retreating form. Her pace was brisk, like she didn’t want me to meet up with her, but I wasn’t about to let this go.“You’re not seriously considering what they asked,” I said, my voice tinged with disbelief. It wasn’t a question—it was a statement, one I was hoping she’d deny.She slowed down and turned to me, raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. Then she shrugged. “I told them I’d think about it.” She simply said, but that wasn’t good enough. “Think about it?” I asked incredulously, running a hand through my hair and exhaling sharply. “Hera, they left you to die in the woods. They didn’t care about you then, and they only care about you now because they need something. You’re not seriously thinking about going back there, are you?” I asked her. “I haven’t made a decision yet, Atticus.” Her eyes narrowed,
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 77: Going to Shadow Claw
HERAI watched the palace staff load my bags into the car, already having second thoughts. This wasn’t just a trip to Shadow Claw; it felt like I was stepping back into a nightmare I thought I had escaped. But if I could help them, if I could stop the suffering of innocent people, I had to try. Still, there was one loose end I needed to tie up before I left. I turned and headed towards Ben’s room. I hesitated at his door, considering whether I should just leave without saying anything, but I pushed the thought aside and knocked. “Come in,” his voice called, curt and indifferent, as though he already knew it was me. I stepped inside to find him lounging in a chair, a book in his hands. His expression was unreadable, a mask I have become too familiar with. “I’m leaving for Shadow Claw” I said, keeping my tone steady. He glanced at me briefly before setting the book down on the table beside him. “I heard,” he simply responded.There was no warmth in his voice, no sign of co
Last Updated : 2025-02-28THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 78: Breaking The Vow
ATTICUSI paced the length of my study, my thoughts restless. Five days. Five agonizing days since Hera had gone to Shadow Claw, and the only word I’d received from her was a short message letting me know she’d arrived safely. And then, nothing. The silence was eating me alive. My mind was swirling through endless scenarios, each one worse than the last. Was she safe? Was the plague worse than she’d expected? Were the Elders even treating her with the respect she deserved? My wolf growled low, restless, mirroring the storm raging inside me. I haven’t been able to focus on anything. Meetings had become background noise, papers sat unsigned on my desk, and every knock at the door made my heart leap. The only reason I hadn’t stormed into Shadow Claw myself with every guard at my disposal was because of her. Respect her wishes. I reminded myself over and over, gripping the edge of my desk. She didn’t want me interfering, and I couldn’t risk pushing her further away. But fu
Last Updated : 2025-02-28
Latest chapter
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 84: Power of the Mate bond 2
HERAWe were truly Fated Mates.My breath hitched as a new kind of sensation swept through me. It was magical, intimate, all-consuming, and far deeper than anything I had ever experienced.Emotion surged in my chest, so overwhelming it blurred the lines between pleasure and something deeper. Atticus pressed his forehead to mine, his voice hoarse as he murmured my name like a prayer.He could feel it too. Feel everything!Oh… Moon Goddess. “Can you feel that?” he whispered, his breath against my lips and his voice rough with awe.“I can,” I breathed, tears welling in my eyes as the energy coursed through me, filling every hollow space within. It was as if a missing part of me had finally snapped into place, and with it came so much strength. All the strength that I have lost in the last couple of days.I felt alive. Atticus’s hips continued to move in slow, deliberate strokes, dragging his length out of me torturously before pushing back in with an intensity that left me breathless.
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 83: The Power of the Mate Bond 1
HERAFuck! I gasped, my eyes rolling to the back of my head.I felt every ridge, every hardened inch of him as he slid deeper, claiming me in a way that was as sensual as it was consuming… all the way till he was buried to the hilt. Knocking the breath right out of me.Atticus stilled for a moment, his chest rising and falling heavily, his forehead pressed to mine. The heat of his breath fanned over my lips, and his eyes, dark and heavy-lidded with emotion, locked onto mine.It was obvious the feeling of being buried in me like this was just as overwhelming for him as it was for me.I never remembered it to feel this intimate, this erotic and still beautiful at the same time. It was almost devastating.Again, this wasn’t our first time, but it felt like the first time in the way every sensation was magnified, sharper and more vivid than anything I remembered. It felt new, like he was rediscovering me, savoring me in a way that made time feel irrelevant.The friction, the rhythm, t
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 82: Consummation 2
HERAOh FUCK!My hands gripped the sheets beside me, knuckles whitening as I fought to get a hold of myself, but Atticus had no intention of letting me find control.“Fuck, Hera,” he murmured against me, his voice low and rough. “You taste even better than I remember.”The vulgarity of his words should have made me blush, but instead, it sent a new rush of heat straight to my core. He didn’t stop, his tongue moving with slow, deliberate strokes, teasing me, coaxing every gasp and moan from my lips. His hands held my thighs apart, his grip firm but reverent, as though he were savoring every second.“Atticus…” I whimpered, my voice trembling, my body arching into him.“That’s it, baby,” he rasped, the vibrations of his voice sending a shiver through me. “Let me hear you. I want you to feel good. I want you to feel everything. Every. Fucking. Second.”His tongue circled my clit in maddeningly slow, precise movements, each flick dragging me closer to the edge but never letting me fall.
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 81: Consummation 1
HERAWhen he kissed me, it was slow, unhurried, but devastatingly sensual. His lips moved against mine with a softness that rivaled the tension simmering between us. His tongue slid into my mouth, stroking against mine in a way that was both teasing and commanding, coaxing a low moan from me.Kissing him as always felt so good, but not as good as this. I arched into him, the towel slipping slightly as his hands roamed, skimming over the curve of my ass, my lower back, pulling me flush against the hard length of his body. The press of his cock against my stomach sent a jolt of need through me, and I gasped into his mouth, my fingers digging into his shoulders.His hand slid beneath the towel, his fingers tracing the curve of my thigh, moving higher, his touch making my skin burn. I was soaked, my body already begging for him.And when his fingers grazed the apex of my thighs, I whimpered, my legs trembling.“Atticus,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, trembling with anticipation
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 80: The Curse
HERASoon, the healer was back and she had news. Atticus and I were on the bed, cuddled up as she stepped closer, setting the books on the small table beside the bed. “I’ve spent hours researching mirror curses, trying to find anything that might help your condition, Luna,” she said, addressing me. “And there is one potential cure.” She announced. My heart skipped in anticipation and hope.“What is it?” I asked, my voice strained. The healer hesitated, as though carefully choosing her words. “The mate bond.”Atticus and I exchanged confused glances. “The mate bond?” he echoed, his brow furrowing. “What does that mean? How does it help?”She opened one of the books, flipping to a page filled with intricate diagrams and symbols“Mirror curses are powerful because they latch onto the very essence of a person—draining them slowly and irreversibly unless countered by an equally powerful force,” she explained. “The mate bond has such force, a gift from the Moon Goddess herself,” Okay…
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 79: The Mirror Curse
HERAThe room felt heavy, its stillness pressing down on me as the healer worked in the corner, humming as she mixed concoctions.My body burned with fever, each breath a struggle, but I refused to show weakness, forcing myself to stay alert. Elder Fenrir and Elder Elara lingered nearby, their concern evident, though I ignored their hovering presence. I knew exactly what was happening to me. The plague that devastated Shadow Claw wasn’t ordinary—it was a mirror curse, designed to transfer itself to whoever attempted to heal it. My powers had cured the disease in others, but now the curse had settled in me. It was a carefully thought out trap.Whatever concoction the healer was brewing didn’t work like the others. Remedies wouldn’t work against this. When I told her about the curse, the room shifted, panic flickering across the faces of the Elders and healer. They didn’t expect this. “If this is truly a mirror curse, then we need to consult ancient texts immediately,” the healer
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 78: Breaking The Vow
ATTICUSI paced the length of my study, my thoughts restless. Five days. Five agonizing days since Hera had gone to Shadow Claw, and the only word I’d received from her was a short message letting me know she’d arrived safely. And then, nothing. The silence was eating me alive. My mind was swirling through endless scenarios, each one worse than the last. Was she safe? Was the plague worse than she’d expected? Were the Elders even treating her with the respect she deserved? My wolf growled low, restless, mirroring the storm raging inside me. I haven’t been able to focus on anything. Meetings had become background noise, papers sat unsigned on my desk, and every knock at the door made my heart leap. The only reason I hadn’t stormed into Shadow Claw myself with every guard at my disposal was because of her. Respect her wishes. I reminded myself over and over, gripping the edge of my desk. She didn’t want me interfering, and I couldn’t risk pushing her further away. But fu
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 77: Going to Shadow Claw
HERAI watched the palace staff load my bags into the car, already having second thoughts. This wasn’t just a trip to Shadow Claw; it felt like I was stepping back into a nightmare I thought I had escaped. But if I could help them, if I could stop the suffering of innocent people, I had to try. Still, there was one loose end I needed to tie up before I left. I turned and headed towards Ben’s room. I hesitated at his door, considering whether I should just leave without saying anything, but I pushed the thought aside and knocked. “Come in,” his voice called, curt and indifferent, as though he already knew it was me. I stepped inside to find him lounging in a chair, a book in his hands. His expression was unreadable, a mask I have become too familiar with. “I’m leaving for Shadow Claw” I said, keeping my tone steady. He glanced at me briefly before setting the book down on the table beside him. “I heard,” he simply responded.There was no warmth in his voice, no sign of co
THE ALPHA’S HATED CONTRACT MATE 76: A Hint of Thaw
ATTICUSI stormed after Hera, the heavy wooden doors of the receiving room slamming shut behind me. My mind was reeling, and my chest tightened as I followed after her retreating form. Her pace was brisk, like she didn’t want me to meet up with her, but I wasn’t about to let this go.“You’re not seriously considering what they asked,” I said, my voice tinged with disbelief. It wasn’t a question—it was a statement, one I was hoping she’d deny.She slowed down and turned to me, raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. Then she shrugged. “I told them I’d think about it.” She simply said, but that wasn’t good enough. “Think about it?” I asked incredulously, running a hand through my hair and exhaling sharply. “Hera, they left you to die in the woods. They didn’t care about you then, and they only care about you now because they need something. You’re not seriously thinking about going back there, are you?” I asked her. “I haven’t made a decision yet, Atticus.” Her eyes narrowed,
