I hadn't shifted in three years because I believed the moon goddess wronged me by making me omega. It was useless to bond with my wolf.But I needed to escape past the forest in my wolf form. Shifting felt as painful as the first time. The forest was thick with dark greenery and thorny vines, hiding everything from sight.There was no hint of life, and the air was cold and bitter. My tiny, brown wolf shivered from the cold as we raced to my aunt's pack. Aunt Helena was my mom's older sister, the only person I could trust on earth. It was almost impossible to connect to her pack, but luck shone on me when I arrived at the border a little after midnight. Once past the Valley Pelt pack border, I didn't stop running until I arrived at my aunt's cozy one-story cottage.I shifted back and raised my unsteady hand to knock on the door while scanning for any signs of trouble. But I remembered that my aunt's husband was a devoted follower of my dad, and announcing my presence here would be sh
My jaw dropped to the floor, and my heart skipped a thousand beats as I stared at the breathtaking Alpha. He seemed almost unreal, and his masculine beauty left me utterly dumbfounded.But I laughed at my foolishness. Hadn't Ethan's rejection taught me anything? No man would ever want a twenty-one-year-old rusty omega. Beside him was a tall man and a very beautiful woman. They looked like his friends and trailed closely behind him. The man appeared laid-back, while the woman walked as if she owned the place and her hand was connected with the Alpha.They seemed pretty cozy. I wondered why the alpha was searching for a wife.Natalia was right. The alpha didn't make any selections during the first through fourth lines. Some of the desperate girls attempted to sneak into our line.The air charged up when the Alpha and his group approached my line. He seemed uninterested, nearly tired of the hunt. I was right because he murmured to his friend about not being interested in us. "Come on,
"Come with me," one of the soldiers announced. We were led to the backyard, where a helicopter waited. It was almost nine-thirty, and the night had fully set in.This was real. I had to pinch myself to confirm that I wasn't dreaming. The helicopter's blades were whirring as the pilot completed some final checks. Natalia placed her arm on my shoulder, and I offered her a tight smile.“You look tense, Iris. Are you okay?”“I…um…Did you bring some extra clothes? I didn't because I thought the pageant was only a one-day event, and I think I'm experiencing premenstrual cramps.”She swallowed my lies. “That sucks. Didn't pack a thing. They must have everything we need."The helicopter doors opened, and the pilot greeted us. Natalia dragged me to a spot in the back with a nice view."You're so chaotic," I joked, and she flung her head back and laughed loudly. At the sanctuary, everyone was depressed and hopeless, with no desire to interact. Having a friend felt good and unusual.As the helic
AdonisMy eyes open from a deep slumber. The world looked dim with a hazy view and I rubbed my eyes to relieve the grogginess that took a few seconds to pass.The drizzle from the sky touched my skin, and I realized I was in my human form. I lay on the grass in the purple garden, but I realized something was off and jerked up. My crazy wolf was unusually quiet like a tight leash controlled its impulses. Never in my twenty-six years of life had I felt such calmness in my mind.But I couldn't explain why. It felt strange, like someone had calmed my inner turmoil. My wolf had rapid memory loss and impulse control issues, so it was impossible to piece together the events. The rain grew heavier, but I remained there. I kept questioning myself and trying to figure out what happened to me.It was a miracle not to feel the usual emptiness and moodiness that came with my transformations. Despite the rain, I remained in the garden. I was so energized that I remained in the garden despite the
Day 1IrisThe harsh clang of the bell woke me up. It wasn't a gentle or melodic ring; it was a rude, insistent noise that scraped against my skull and shattered the remnants of my dreams.I swatted at the empty air as if I could silence the awful sound, but it kept ringing and intensifying my headache. Finally, it stopped. But my dear sleep was gone, chased away by the damned bell and the start of another day at this camp.After stretching and shaking off the last traces of sleep, I sat up in bed. The girls were awake, and my heart skipped as I threw back the covers, ran my fingers through my hair, and tied it back into a ponytail with a scrunchie.Our first activity for the day began ten minutes ago. Above my bed, Natalia was snoring away like a disgruntled mole. A sliver of her midriff peeked out from a tank top, revealing a silver ring nestled near her belly button.Some girls around me sprang out of bed, while others stretched languidly, combing their hair. I had to get moving, o
IrisA dermatologist was invited to treat our skin. I entered an exam room with soothing white walls when it was my turn. The doctor, dressed in a lab coat, greeted me with a friendly smile. Several shelves were stocked with skincare products, and she handed me a magazine explaining various skin conditions before ensuring the room was well-lit."Please take off your clothes and lie on the table,” she said while pulling out a scalpel, tweezers, and magnifying glasses. I complied, feeling very exposed."Let's talk about your skincare routine. Are you currently following any?"Ha, for someone who lived like a maid in her father's house?"No, I never really considered it." She smiled and said, "Don't worry; it's never too late to begin caring for your skin. Do you have any specific reactions or sensitivities to skincare products?" I shook my head, "I don't react to anything as far as I know. My skin requires minimal care." “That's fine. I'll use an apricot-nourishing cream to give your
Adonis My mind and body were in complete harmony, beyond description. I felt euphoric, not from good sex, alcohol, or marijuana. I'd been celibate since Isabella's death, and I wasn't drunk, but I was high on an unfathomable level of happiness. For the first time in my life, warmth flooded my heart, and I couldn't stop smiling. This unexpected comfort puzzled me. Something was calming me down, but all I could recall was a touch - gentle, magical hands that gave me goosebumps all over.The sun shone through the curtains and energized me. But one question lingered: "Whose hands were those?"It was driving me insane that I still couldn't recall anything about the hands that had touched me. I desperately wanted to put a face to those hands because their touch was the only thing that brought me peace. Trying to remember was like hitting a wall - I just couldn't break through. My wolf memory was so bad that I had no synergy between my human and wolf forms when I shifted.This was out of
IrisI felt humiliated and uneasy as my body gave way beneath me, and I landed on the floor after an unsuccessful catwalk. I wasn't sure if my vertigo was due to tiredness or the fact that Alpha Adonis was in the room. Something pressed against my ribs, and I was eager to get out of there. The instructors and girls were harsh, constantly laughing at those who were weak or lacked skills, which worsened my mood.Natalia rushed to my side. "Iris, are you okay? Are you hurt?""A little," I managed to say, feeling embarrassed. Adonis remained expressionless while watching me. His green eyes, firm features, and confidence made me forget to breathe. I despised that my feet were wobbly in those high heels and that I foolishly fell when the alpha entered the room. My chances of winning had gone down the drain.The instructor approached me with a sneer, "You're terrible at walking in heels." I nodded, swallowing my embarrassment, and sneaked a look at Alpha Adonis, who was deep in conversati
My mind fluttered away, anxious that D-Day had finally arrived. Aunt Helena didn't make it, and I was sure that I would see her on the mainland.Half in anticipation and half in dread, I prayed that everything would work out smoothlIt wasn't as exciting as a competition usually is, as the girls already knew the winner, but that was the least of my worries. All I wanted was for this to be over so I could live happily ever after with Adonis without anyone interrupting uOn D-Day, we were getting dressed, and the private helicopters were already outside to take us. I felt a little sad to leave this beautiful place, so full of peace and far away from the madness and complexities of lif"What's on your mind, my queen?" Natalia joked behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I need to make sure that your makeup is perfectMy stomach churned, and I grew anxious by the gazes that I would get from people, knowing that there was no way in hell my father wouldn't find out. I didn't know what
Sophia looked over her shoulder and shot Iris a glance from the corner of her eye.She hated her so much that anytime she saw her, her skin would crawl. Sophia didn't think she was capable of hating anyone that badly. Iris was an insignificant pest and would soon be crushed. She was blocking Sophia's path and stealing what belonged to her.The silly girl didn't know what was about to come for her, and Sophia just couldn't contain her excitement at the thought of watching her crumble when the truth came out.Let the show begin!A muscle tic jumped in her cheek, and she felt a flush of warmth spread through her body, making her lightheaded with thoughts of how the fool's lies were about to be exposed.Sophia had always known there was something off about Iris, and now her suspicions were confirmed—she was the Syndicate Alpha's daughter.The deceit made her blood boil, and she vowed to expose Iris for the fraud she truly was.How could she have the audacity, the sheer audacity, to partic
Iris I struggled to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt heavy, and my vision was blurry. When I finally managed to pry them open, the world around me was hazy.Confused, I closed my eyes again, trying to clear the fog from my mind. I opened them a second time, and my vision was clearer, but I realized that something was amiss.I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my back, making me gasp. I reached around and felt a thick layer of sterile dressing covering my skin.Then the memories of that horrific moment came flooding back: the scorching acid pouring down my back, the pain that seemed never-ending.Damn it, I couldn't believe that this wasn't just some nightmare in my head—it was all too real. My back would never be the same again, all because of some jealous psycho's twisted actions.My heart broke miserably, and I swallowed hard. Whoever was behind this was heartless, and all for what? Adonis, who would never choose them anyway?They had no shame. It was disgusting how l
AdonisI was furious when I discovered that some sick bastard dared to douse Iris's body with acid.It felt like a cruel joke, a sickening slap in the face—and I couldn't wrap my head around something so despicable that could happen to a pure, harmless soul. I blamed myself for letting her leave the safety of my sight. If only she had stayed a little longer, this terrible act could have been prevented.The thought of what she must be going through filled me with rage beyond words.Machines were beeping, and medical staff in scrubs were working quickly to attend to her. My mind was chaotic as I paced around the small clinic."Dammit," I swore, breathless with rage. After they had gotten her out of danger, I was allowed to see her.I gently brushed a hair off her face while the highly skilled medical staff efficiently attended to her wounds."We've identified that the acid used is a mild form, and fortunately, it didn't affect her internal organs. She will recover quickly," one of them
🔞🔞🔞Adonis and I lay side by side on the grass. It had been over twenty minutes since the power outage had enveloped the mansion, and boy, did we love it. We had all the privacy we needed to explore our bodies. I stifled my laughter when Adonis wrenched my skirt up around my ass. He was inordinately pleased with himself at that moment, which only intensified my smile as I pulled his shirt off and kissed him softly on his chest.'Surely you're not thinking about having sex here in the open,' I said playfully into his mouth as he pulled me tighter against his naked body. He smiled as he nipped my jawline softly before kissing me harder.“Who's going to try and stop us, right? There's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here with you.”“And what if someone sees us? What if there are guards patrolling the house? Or if the power comes back on?”Adonis covered my mouth hungrily before pulling out a pack of condoms. 'Well then, I guess we'll have to hurry because I have no desire to le
The girls were fuming with envy toward me, and I noticed how they would frown and sulk whenever I walked into the room.They were unnecessarily rude, talking behind my back and giving me fake smiles, and even those who were nice enough were just putting on an act.Jealousy couldn't be hidden, no matter how hard they tried to mask it. The way the girls were acting toward me was unsettling. Their envy consumed them so much that I worried they might do something to hurt me.I hoped they wouldn't attempt to poison my food.Sitting cross-legged on my bed, I pulled out a classic literature book I had taken from Adonis' study and tried to ignore the subtle insults from the other girls.The trick was to act like I didn’t hear them, but I couldn’t deny that their words stung. It was hard to remain calm.“Let’s be real,” one of the girls, who seemed the most spiteful, spoke up. “Alpha Adonis might have flirted with other girls too. He’s probably testing to see who’s the best before making his c
The sound of footsteps outside her cell drew Helena’s attention back to the present. She tensed as Victoria, Alexander’s whore, approached her, clasping her hands together in a tight grip. The hatred Helena felt for Victoria surged to the surface, burning hot and fierce. She had never known she could hate anyone more than she hated this woman. Victoria needed to be punished for causing Mona so much pain, even up until her death.Victoria’s smirk was malicious, her satisfaction evident as she raised her chin high, wild-eyed. She looked down at Helena with a smug expression, as if relishing in her suffering.“So, how is the confinement?” Victoria asked, her voice dripping with false sweetness.Helena shrugged and turned away, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a response. “What do you think?”“You should eat,” Victoria said indifferently, setting a tray of food on the floor. “We’re just trying to find your niece.”“I won’t touch anything from you,” Helena spat back, her voice full
Helena sat on the cold, gray stone floor of the dank cell in Alexander’s house. The bastard had locked her up for three days. The stone was rough and unforgiving beneath her, seeping its chill through her thin clothing. She leaned against the damp wall, the smell of mildew and decay filling her nostrils, wondering when this madness would finally be over.Her thoughts kept circling back to her husband, Bruno. A spineless coward, that’s what he was. It angered her to no end that he hadn’t come for her. But even more than her own predicament, she was worried about Iris. The girl’s safety weighed heavily on her heart.Helena sensed danger closing in. She needed to warn Iris to flee before it was too late. She had seen the evil in Alexander’s eyes, the way he relished in others’ pain. He was capable of anything. Her greatest fear was that Alexander would drag Iris back into his cruel world, the same world that had nearly destroyed her.History was repeating itself. Helena’s sister, Mona
When I entered Adonis’ room, the lighting was dim, just bright enough to reveal his sleeping figure. The heavy curtains barely let in any light.Adonis lay still, his powerful frame resting under the covers. Despite his powerful Lycan nature, he looked fragile, as if strong medications had knocked him out.I stood there, my mind confused. How could someone as powerful as Adonis fall ill? His blood was stronger than most werewolves', making him more resistant to illnesses and diseases than any of us. Fred’s gaze lingered on me, as if he could read my thoughts. His smile was gentle, but it didn’t reach his eyes. There was surely something behind it."Don’t worry about him," Fred assured me. "It’s just stress. I’m sure when he wakes up, he’ll feel a lot better.""Stress?" I echoed, trying to make sense of it. "What’s causing him stress? He seemed fine the last time I saw him."Fred ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. He looked away and his eyes avoided mine as if the ans