NADINE.
As soon as he left, my heat came. And it was the worst feeling that I ever had in my whole life. I was burning and miserable.
This bunker had cameras everywhere that I knew, and if he wanted, he could see me.
In the beginning, I kept myself composed and did my best not to even flinch at the first sign of pain when my heat came. But as time went on, I couldn’t stop myself anymore.
I was burning. I thought I was about to die. I couldn’t stop my tears and my cries anymore. So I just let the pain consume me and added my mate’s name to the list of people who had wronged me.
My name is Nadine Benjamin Montrell.
My father was supposed to be the next Alpha of a pack until it was taken over. My grandfather, the then Alpha, was killed, and along with his death, the whole pack was taken from our family.
I was not born yet when it happened, but all my life, I have heard my father talk about it. I heard the pain in his voice. I saw the regrets in his eyes. And I felt the hope dwindling in his soul.
He had given up hope that he would be able to take the pack that rightfully belonged to him. He gave up, but I didn’t.
I spent my whole life preparing to infiltrate the territory that belonged to the people who wronged us. I had mastered every skill possible so I could take on the challenge of getting the pack back — the Dark Forest Pack.
The pack of my fated mate.
I was prepared to meet Alpha Maddox, the grandson of the Alpha who posed as a friend of my grandfather, only to kill him while he was sleeping.
I knew how cruel Maddox was. He was as cunning as his grandfather.
But what I didn’t see coming was Xander Trevino. Maddox’s half-brother and his new Beta. I didn’t expect him to be my fated mate. This might be a cruel game the Goddess played, but I thought being his fated mate might work to my advantage, but I couldn’t see that anymore.
The bond between us was making me weak and making me lose my focus. And the fact that he never wanted this was the last straw I needed to wake up.
Xander Trevino was not the decent man I had heard of. He was like Maddox. And I would make sure he would also feel my wrath and my revenge.
I woke up with my clothes soiled from my sweat and tears, and I was sure the whole room was reeking of my juices because of how many times I touched myself until I passed out from my heat.
But I didn’t care anymore.
As much as I didn’t want anyone to invade my privacy, I knew I had lost it the moment I saw the cameras inside this room. I saw the camera blinking many times throughout the night, and I wondered if there was anyone on the other side watching me touch myself.
I felt like an open show.
I bit my bottom lip to stop it from quivering as I kept my eyes closed. My tears kept falling, and I just let them go. I was curled up in bed, clutching my stomach and facing the wall.
My heat had been long gone, and based on the clock, it was already past six in the morning. Soon, it’ll be twenty-four hours since my last meal. I didn’t eat lunch before I came here, and the dinner Xander promised never came. But I didn’t feel any hunger at all. All I felt was hatred and bitterness.
My eyes snapped open when I heard the lock of the metal door click, but instead of smelling my mate, I smelled the Alpha.
I closed my eyes and whispered to my wolf, asking her if she had the energy to help me fight off Maddox if he attempted to harass me because I was already drained out of it from all the screaming and thrashing I did the whole time I was in heat.
Before my wolf could answer, I felt my body being hoisted up, and I had no choice but to place my hands on the chest of the person who carried me in bridal style.
No words were spoken, and I kept my eyes closed. I had no idea if the Alpha knew I was awake, but at the moment, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.
I felt my lungs expand as fresh air swirled around me. I was out of the bunker, but I had no idea where he would take me. My eyes remained closed until I heard footsteps approaching and my mate’s scent getting stronger.
“You can give her to me.” Xander’s voice came out cold. It was so cold that if he were talking to me, I would be prepared to protect my life. He sounded deadly, but I didn’t feel any fear at all.
“If I knew you would put her in the bunker, I would have taken care of her myself,” Maddox said in an equally cold voice. “I could have satisfied her...”
“Give me my mate, Maddox.” Xander cut him off.
“Out of the way, Beta,” Maddox told him without stopping from walking.
“I said, give me my mate!” Xander roared, and I felt his aura rising. I swore Alpha Maddox flinched at his voice, and it made him stop walking.
I opened my eyes, curious to see the Alpha’s reaction, but then he lowered my body to the floor, and I had no choice but to stand on my feet. My chest was heaving as I slowly tilted my head up, and it was only then that I realized there was another female beside Xander.
She smiled at me before she took a step forward. “Let me help you, Lady Nadine.”
“I don’t think she wants your help, Mindy.” Alpha Maddox scoffed sarcastically, and my face heated up.
I pulled my arm harshly, the one Mindy touched, before I threw a deadly look at Xander. I wondered if he spent the night with her while I cried because he abandoned me while I was in heat.
I felt like I was the Omega. I looked like a peasant — my hair was a big mess, and my clothes were soiled from my sweat — compared to how fresh-looking Mindy was with her neatly comb-haired and ironed clothes.
My eyes pooled with tears, but I didn’t remove my eyes from Xander. Until he dropped his gaze to the floor.
“Let me walk you to your room, Lady Nadine,” Mindy spoke again in her angelic voice, but she didn’t attempt to hold me this time.
I wanted nothing but to scream at her and tell her to stop pretending to be nice to me. But instead, I answered in a calm but sarcastic tone. “I’ve got feet. I can walk on my own.”
I turned my back to all of them and walked up the stairs. I had no idea where I got the strength to keep my head high, but somehow, I was able to walk arrogantly even if my heart was badly beaten.
I might be kicked out of the packhouse soon, but I already knew what I needed to do before that could happen.
NADINE. “Nadine!” Xander’s voice rang in the air before another one came.“In my office, Beta,” Maddox ordered him. “Give me ten minutes, Maddox,” Xander answered, and soon I heard footsteps following me. It still baffled me how easy it was for Xander to deflect words from Alpha Maddox, but I guess because they were brothers. I hurried my steps, and the moment I reached the second floor, I ran to my room. “Fuck!” I heard him mumble before he ran as well. I was able to reach my room, but it was locked, and I had no idea where the key was. I was still holding my doorknob when I turned around, my eyes glaring at him as I spoke. “Don’t come near…”He stopped right away and raised his hands. “I have the keys in my pocket.”“Give it to me.”With one hand still up, he reached for his pocket and pulled the key from it. I grabbed it from him and inserted it into the keyhole. With my body facing him, I pushed the door open. “Don’t you dare attempt to come inside my room, or I will scream.”
NADINE.“I was wondering if I could be inducted into your pack.” I asked, my eyes meeting Alpha Maddox’s gaze. His brows hiked up, and it felt like forever as I waited for his reply. I held my breath, but the moment a wicked smile tugged on his mouth, I felt I stood a chance that he would take me into his pack. “Does Xander know about this?”I shook my head. “I decided for myself, Alpha. I don’t think Xander will claim me anyway. But I have nowhere to go, and I don’t have money to look for a new place. But if you give me a room here, I can work in the packhouse or anywhere I might be needed.”“Sounds interesting. Maybe you can work for me, and I can keep you under my wing.” “For you? What work will that be?” I asked, my eyes rounding. Let the games begin. “Will it matter? I’m sure I can find a good place for you.” He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. “How old are you?”“Twenty-one, Alpha.”“Interesting. You look younger.”I swallowed before I smiled at him. “Will you
XANDER.Before Nadine came to the territory, I had asked Maddox to give me a day or two off to find my mate. I told him I had no plans of claiming her — that I didn’t want her — but needed to find her for the rejection. That was a lie. I wanted Nadine. My whole being craved the female I smelled two weeks ago at the Claiming Ball, but I knew I had nothing to offer her, not with Maddox around. In the two months I was here, I had seen females that my brother fancied, and I was terrified his attention would fall on her. My mate’s beauty was exquisite. She might be innocent-looking, but there was a fire in her eyes — something that my brother would surely take notice of, and the last thing I wanted was for him to add her to his conquest.Some of Maddox’s conquests were willing females who would open their legs and let him have his way with them, but others were victims of his games. Mindy belonged to the latter. I had to let my brother think I liked Mindy so he would leave her alone. I
XANDER.After that, everything went into a blur. I tried to talk to her again, but Maddox came up with a plan to spoil my time with her. He used Mindy again, and it only added to Nadine’s anger toward me. If this was the game Maddox was playing to lure my mate away from me, I wouldn’t be backing down. I think my brother forgot that I was also a Trevino. Deception and lies also ran through my veins.I already hated his ways from the very beginning, but with the way he was acting toward Nadine, there was no stopping me from hating the man. If I just wanted to take him down before, I wanted to crush him now. And I wouldn’t stop until it happened. ‘Can you hear me?’ I asked Nadine after she sipped Maddox’s blood.‘Yes.’ She replied, but it didn’t slip my notice the animosity in her voice. “Alpha, we will go now.” My arm coiled around her waist as I pulled her closer to me after taking the glass from her hand. ‘Bow down in respect.’ I told her through our mindlink.I saw Maddox’s brows
NADINE.I got what I wanted. I was already a member of Maddox’s pack. The moment we stepped out of his office, and the door closed, I pushed Xander’s arm off me and walked away. But he was indeed fast.The next thing I knew, we were inside a room I had never been in, and I was pinned against the wall, his front pressing against mine. “Who are you, Nadine?”“I think it’s too late for us to get to know each other. Reject me, mate.” I said, my tone laced with angst, but my heart was breaking at my words. Deep inside, I wanted Xander. But he would only make me weak. I didn’t need him, especially when I saw the lust in Maddox’s eyes. That was my initial plan—to make Maddox desire me so I could be his downfall. And having Xander would only block the path I wanted to take. “Not a chance…” He grunted before his lips brushed against my cheek.The sparks between us and the tingles spreading between my thighs at the need in his voice were making it harder for me to think straight. “I will ne
XANDER.I had never had to explain my actions to anyone, and I was at a loss for every question Nadine would throw my way. I had no idea how to make her believe my intentions were real — that I wanted her and not anyone else.Seeing the desire in Maddox’s eyes for my mate woke up all my senses. I didn’t care anymore if Nadine was still in love with Tristan or if she was an accomplice to him. All I knew was that I wanted to protect her, and I wanted to claim her. But earning her trust was like shooting for the stars. I would always miss, and it seemed impossible to achieve. “What are we doing here?” She asked as we stopped in front of the door where SECURITY was written. I didn’t answer. Instead, I opened the door wide and let her in. There were four men inside, including Gamma Kenzo. “Good morning, Beta Xander.” The rest of the men greeted me, while Kenzo just nodded his head toward me. “Good morning. This is Nadine. My mate.” I stated in one breath, but I made sure my arm was arou
NADINE. I wasn’t sure if I should trust him about Mindy. If I just based it on how he looked at the moment, he appeared to be telling the truth. But trusting someone who belonged to the clan I hated the most was not easy, especially when lying was also the game I was playing. So, I guess I will still have to watch them and let time reveal everything. “Why are you here, Nadine? Maybe it’s time for you to tell me your story.” Xander spoke in a soft way, and with his hands on my skin, I was losing my defenses and my senses. I almost blurted out that I was here to take my pack back, but I was able to get hold of myself in time. Instead of telling him about how I wanted him, like I had practiced multiple times before coming here, I began telling him about Tristan. I had no idea why, but maybe, despite my deception, I wanted Tristan out of the way between us, like I wanted Mindy out of his life. I wanted him not to think Tristan was someone important to me. “I met Tristan three months
NADINE.“Are you okay?” Xander asked as he tucked strayed hair behind my ears.I nodded before I asked. “Who was it?”“Kenzo.” He replied before grabbing my hand and clasping it in his. Sparks ignited again, and I just let out a sigh. This was bad. Xander could really make me lose my concentration. He opened the door, and I was baffled that no one was there. We were already walking along the corridor when I asked him. “Where are they?”“I asked them to come back after three minutes.”“Thank Goddess, or it’ll be embarrassing to face them,” I mumbled softly, and he chuckled. But if I thought I was already able to get away from the embarrassment, I was wrong because we met Gamma Kenzo and his men in the middle of the stairs. They didn’t say anything, but Kenzo gave Xander a salute, and I could see the teasing in his eyes, which my mate ignored. He just nodded his head in response to the greetings of the others as we passed them. We then hurried down the stairs and out of the building.