Autumn The shock of Kavan’s words stunned me; all I could do was stare rather blankly at his face.“Claimed me?” I questioned, “Why would you do that?”Kavan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It just happened; one moment you were there, the next you were claimed, I could not control it. It was a primal feeling.”I stared at him, stunned at his words as they echoed through my head. I tried to understand the full extent of my plight. My confusion turned into dread as the repercussion of this truth hit me.“But I’m your father’s mate. How can this happen? This can’t.”“Don't you think I know that Autumn? It complicates everything,” Kavan said. “But I can’t change how I feel or what my wolf has done. All I can do is be honest with you.”“I don’t know what to say, Kavan. What happens now? Your father mustn't know of this; we can't change anything.” I rushed through my words as if trying to assure myself that I couldn't mess things up for Dax, and this problem was a big mess.“I k
Autumn POVA few days had passed since I made the decision to finish my mission and leave this pack for good.After much deliberation, I decided on following my brain rather than my heart; finishing Dax's mission and gaining my freedom was the best bet of action for me and all involved.I realized it would be selfish of me to lead Kavan on when I knew I had no future with him.Dax had promised to set me free; if only I could get the cure, with proper planning I was sure to get out of this alive. Letting myself be swayed by thoughts of Kavan and the Mark was a distraction I could not afford.For days I had done all I could to avoid Kavan; the thought of acknowledging the tight knot we were tied into was too much to bear. Every time I saw him, the memories of his touch, his kiss, his confession, the mark all flooded back, threatening to drown me in emotions I couldn't afford to feel, reminding me yet again how powerless I was to fate.In a bid to save myself from ruin, I made an effort
Autumn’s POVAs I was laid down inside the store over a corner table, trying to struggle through, I realized it was Kavan. I have a sigh of relief. For every second of the moment, the air in the storage smelt strongly of cleaning products—a weird aroma. One minute I was engrossed in the daily grind of my chores, replenishing shelves, and the next strong arms surrounded my waist, pulling me off my feet and taking me into this quiet area.He asked why I have been avoiding him. Kavan's inquiry surprised me; the passion in his voice shivered down my spine. His charge hung there, loaded with unsaid feelings. My head flew, desperately looking for a way to turn off his pointed stare."I haven't been avoiding you," I said, trying to add a humorous lilt to my voice despite my heart hammering against my ribs. We had been flirting along the aisles just moments ago, trading clever banter and stolen looks. The air had changed then, packed with an indisputable tension.My eyes flew over the poorly
Kavan’s POVWide with terror, her eyes fastened on me, a mute cry for aid painted on her face. Her heart's frenzied pulse resonated in the little storeroom, a mirror reflecting the anarchy whirl inside my own chest. Guilt turned my insides into a stark, agonizing reminder of the catastrophe I had brought us into. Holding her and looking for a way to shield her from the approaching conflict in my head. I wanted to murmur words of consolation and reassurance to help her to clear the anxiety carved on her lovely face. But Mrs. Pott's unrelenting approach, each one a hammer strike to my gut, kept me back.Rather, I reached out, cupping her cheek, my palm shaking with a mix of want and fear. Her delicate skin, like silk under my rough hands, stood in sharp contrast to the storm inside me. My hand followed the delicate curve of her jawline, a silent apologies for the risk I had carried her into. My words were merely a breath on her flesh: "It's going to be okay." The words ought to have ca
Kavan’s POVThe only sound I could hear was my rapid breathing and the frantic hammering of Autumn's heart against my eardrum; the air hung thick with anxiety. Desperate to take her as his own, I stood back and watched my wolf straying across the line of control. I had struggled against this primitive impulse, this forbidden want that threatened to overwhelm me for weeks. Still, tonight I was on breaking point."Tell me the truth, Autumn," I said, a low growl in voice. "About that evening, the night my dad passed out. That evening I watched you leave his room.Her breath stitched in her throat, and her eyes widened. Her voice was just a whisper; she stammered over her words. "It wasn't what I thought. Nothing happened.Her denial surprised me; it was a flutter of optimism amid the gloom engulfating my soul. Approaching her closely, I looked at her face in quest of any indication of dishonesty. Still, her look was real, her eyes reflecting my own suffering.Her voice's tremble and her
Autumn's POV.His questions aren't abrupt because I know deep inside my heart the answers, but I couldn't bring myself to say them. Even if I will, not to him, not right now. At that moment, I knew that the situation had amounted to enormous temptation; it was loudly knocking on my door, and the escape route was too far from me. I moved backward, trying so hard to avoid his gaze. “What the hell is he trying to do?” I quietly thought to myself as I tried figuring out what to say to save myself at that moment. My silence couldn't reckon the mo; he still didn't give up on that question, knowing fully well what the answer was. I knew he just wanted to hear it from me, but I didn't know how best to present it. He started moving closer to me, giving me a come-hither kind of look. I knew at that spot that I'm trapped. That was the most thrilling jiffy of my life yet the worst of it all. “How can this be happening right now?” The question echoed in my head.The room becomes unbearably stuffy
Autumn POVI woke up to the feeling of the warm evening sun kissing my bare flesh.A sense of fulfillment I hadn't felt in a long time washed through me.With a sigh, I stretched out my limbs, feeling much freer than I had in a long time. With this new sense of freedom came a familiar ache between my thighs, although pleasant it reminded me of what had happened in this very room a few hours ago.I had slept with my mate’s son, and I had loved every moment of it.I sat up from my bed, expecting to feel some sort of anguish or shame over what I had done.Seconds passed, and I soon realized I had no regrets; instead, I am filled with a wonderful sense of fulfillment.Flashes of Kavan's touch filled my mind; his hot breath on my skin, his devouring kisses—my face grew red as the last passion played in my head. With a smile, I turned towards the left side of my bed.A single thread of sadness flowed through my veins, bringing me crashing down to the truth of reality.The bed was empty and co
Kavan POV“Thank you, Kavan." Her sultry voice soothed my heart as I continued to speak with Mathais, pretending not to have heard her mindlink word of thanks.Hearing her out of breath, thankfully, made the dinner all the better for me. Never mind, I was the reason why her voice was so husky with need.I soon stopped my ministrations to her thighs, taking pity on her, as she looked so flushed. It annoyed me when Mathias continued to ask if she was all right, as he wondered why she was redder than a tomato.I pretended not to be bothered by their lover's talk, as I continued to send flashes of images I would do to her when we were finally alone.After dropping her utensils twice and Mathais almost ready to call the doctor, I stopped my distraction.I felt proud of the impact I had on Autumn, seeing her blush bright red.Hearing her husky breath as she reacted to my every touch and image made me feel good, and I wanted more than anything to be able to take her and make her mine.Every g
All did not sit well with me seeing Autumn become so flirty with my dad. I knew she had to be up to something, but I could not quite wrap my fingers around it yet.After my dad and she left, I was worried, and I decided to follow my instincts to go check up on her. I knew something bad was happening, and I could not just stay by and think about it.“Sunny, I have to go now. I will be right back,” I said. “Where are you going, Kavan?" She asked. “No, you don't have to worry; I will be right back in no time,” I responded. “Okay, I will be waiting for you here. Do not take too long,” she added. I faked a smile and left, heading to my dad's room.I could hear someone screaming and shouting from his room, and I knew all hell has finally broken loose; he must be trying to force himself on her again.I banged at the door, and I slammed the door open. My hunch was right. The sight in front of me was so gruesome, as I could see my dad on top of Autumn, trying to force himself on her.“What do
MATHIAS’S POV Autumn was being flirty with me, and she made it so obvious to everyone. I was sure she did not know if Kavan was being serious about Sunny or not, but I believed him either way."Mathias, can we go to your room, please? I feel like spending the night with you,” she said. Kavan looked stunned when he heard her say that and was looking at her for some sort of explanation; she ignored him and was persistent in going with me to my room.I took the opportunity and grabbed her waist, gesturing her to my room and leading the way. Oh yes, finally!” I said. I was filled with excitement as I beamed with smiles all plastered on my face. Autumn was trying to make Kavan regret his decisions by getting him jealous of me. Either way, I was enjoying it, so I did not bother to think much of it.“Kavan, I think we should go too. We have told dad what we came here to say,” Sunny said, almost dragging Kavan away. Kavan did not want to leave as he continued staring at Autumn, waiting for h
AUTUMN'S POV Marcus dragged me by my hair and forcefully started kissing all over my body. I felt so disgusted as I struggled to pull him off me. His grip on me was too tight, and I was unable to get him off. At this point, I was screaming and shouting, hoping someone would hear and come to my rescue. This was not the first time Mathias had tried forcing himself on me.The last time was when Kavan luckily came to my aid. Mathias had dragged me from Mrs. Potts room to his room and tried molesting me. I was trying to fight my way out, but his grip on me made it so difficult and hard to leave. I could hear banging at the door, and Kavan suddenly slammed the door open. He came to my aid again, and I knew he had a hunch about this earlier because he knew I would not willingly go to Mathias’s room unless I had a plan. “What do you think you are doing, dad?” Kavan said, pushing his dad off me. “Why are you here?” Mathias responded. “Shouldn't you be with your pregnant wife?” he added. “W
AUTUMN'S POV I was being flirty with Marcus, and I made it so obvious to everyone. I did not know if Kavan was being real with the pregnancy with Sunny, but I suspected it to be only an act to get his dad deceived."Mathias, can we go to your room, please? I feel like spending the night with you,” I said. Kavan looked stunned when he heard me say that and was looking at me for some sort of explanation. I ignored him and was persistent in going with his dad.Mathias took the opportunity and grabbed my waist, gesturing me to his room and leading the way. Oh yes, finally!” Mathias said. He was filled with excitement as he beamed with a smile all plastered on his face. This was part of my plan and also to make Kavan feel a bit jealous about it. I could see the jealousy all over his face, and he was very terrible at hiding it.“Kavan, I think we should go too. We have told dad what we came here to say,” Sunny said, almost dragging Kavan away. Kavan did not want to leave as he continued st
MATHIAS’S POV “You have always been selfish, Mathias; you have never truly cared about me or my feelings,” she said, trying to gaslight me. “Me selfish? How dare you say that to me?” I responded. “That is the truth; why don't you want to accept that fact?” she added, trying to instigate me to respond. I knew all she was doing and just played along with her tricks.“You are lucky, Autumn, that I am in a good mood, or else you know what I would have done to you,” I responded. “What haven't you done, Mathias? I still remember vividly how you raised your hands on me,” she said. “I cannot believe you would do such to me,” she added. “I did not mean that, Autumn, and you know that, you keep pushing me to the wall,” I responded.She was about to respond back at me, but then Sunny and Kavan suddenly showed up and told me that they had something to tell me..Kavan saw me and Autumn already there; it was as if she wanted to leave, but I was stopping her from leaving. Kavan and Autumn looked at
AUTUMN’S POV “You have always been selfish, Mathias; you have never truly cared about me or my feelings,” I said, trying to gaslight him. “Me selfish? How dare you say that to me?” Marcus said. “That is the truth; why don't you want to accept that fact?” I added, trying to instigate him to respond. “You are lucky, Autumn, that I am in a good mood, or else you know what I would have done to you,” he responded. “What haven't you done, Mathias? I still remember vividly how you raised your hands on me,” I said. “I cannot believe you would do such to me,” I added. “I did not mean that, Autumn, and you know that, you keep pushing me to the wall,” he responded.I was about to respond back at him, then Sunny and Kavan suddenly showed up and told Mathias that they had something to tell him.Kavan saw his dad and I already there; it was as if I wanted to leave, but he was stopping me from leaving. Kavan and I looked at each other briefly before we avoided each other's eye contact. We had to ma
KAVAN'S POV Sunny and I went to look for my dad. We had gone to his room after revising for the plan I told her already. “You know what to do, right?” I asked her. “Yes, I do,” she responded. "Okay, give me an example; express yourself,” I added.“No, it is not needed. I will do that when I see your dad,” she said. I did not argue with her and just nodded in response to her. We first went to my dad's room to see if he was there, but he was nowhere to be found."Dad,” I said, knocking softly on the door. “Are you in there?” I added. “Maybe he is not in the room,” Sunny said. “I guess too; let's go to the balcony or the dining hall,” I added. “Let us go to the balcony first,” she responded, and we both left and headed to the manor's balcony.There we saw my dad and Autumn already there; it was as if she wanted to leave, but he was stopping her from leaving. Autumn and I looked at each other briefly before we avoided each other's eye contact. We had to make it look like we got betrayed
MATHIAS'S POV “Did he catch you hiding?” Kavan asked her. She responded and told him that I did not, but I noticed her presence. “He did not see me; I made sure to hide very well,” she responded to him. “So when they both left, I came out of my hiding spot and quickly went to Mrs. Potts room, and then, I think, after a few minutes, he also came by to check up on her,” she added.“Did you try leaving when you saw him?” Kavan asked her. "Yes, I did try to leave, but he held me back,” she replied. I was spying on Kavan and Autumn and also listening to their conversations. After some while, I got bored of it and went to the library to cool my head off. After some minutes there, I asked a guard to request for Marcus to come to the manor. “Hey you, come here,” I said, sighting one of the guards I saw. "Yes, sir,” he responded. “I want you to call Marcus for me, get in touch with him, and tell him that I want to see him at the manor right now,” I said. “Okay, sir,” he responded and left.
AUTUMN'S POV I do not owe you any reply, Marcus.“ I responded to him. “Why can you not get that you are just a tool for Mathias? He is never going to trust or actually love you like his son; you are just doing this for nothing. Are you blind to see that?” I added.“Shut up,” he said. “You are working so hard for him, but when he is done using you, he is going to leave and dumb you without even looking back at all,” I responded. “Who asked for your opinion, Autumn? Why can you not just keep your mouth shut?” He fired back at me.“You don't own me, so I can speak and give my opinions whenever I want to,” I said. “You are not the boss of me, and you cannot control me, scumbag,” I added. I have had it enough with both him and Mathias; people have been calling me names, but I have just decided to keep calm all this while, but now I am so tired of it, I cannot take it anymore.“Since you are done barking Marcus, how about you leave?” I said. “I already told you to mind your business,” he r