DWIGHT’S POV: I gaze at Anastasia who looks surprised and confused. The taste of her lips is still lingering in mine, still making my muscles tingle. But the part of our kiss that shouldn’t be ignored is the electrifying sensation that coursed through me, which means one thing - she’s my mate! My thoughts drift back to the heated confrontation I had with Hugh earlier. The words reverberate in my mind like a haunting refrain, ‘Don't you dare touch my mate! It’s a warning laden with possessiveness and a primal instinct to protect what is his. However, Anastasia is not just Hugh's mate; she’s mine too, in ways I’m only beginning to understand. This is the one thing I won’t let Hugh take from me.Despite the risk, I lean forward, my heart thrumming with anticipation. I reach out to touch Anastasia, to bridge the distance between us once more. But before my fingertips could brush against her smooth skin, Anastasia leans back, her movements graceful yet deliberate. Her beautiful hazel ey
HUGH’S POV: The night drapes over the city, stars scattered across the velvet sky like diamonds on black satin. I stand alone on my penthouse’s balcony, a glass of bourbon clutched in my hand. The memory of my heated confrontation with Dwight replays relentlessly in my mind, each word exchanged a jagged shard piercing my conscience. Anger boiled within me. I’ve never been one to back down from a fight, but now, I couldn't shake the regret that’s gnawing at my insides. And then there’s Anastasia, her rejection of being with me echoing in my ears. The impact was fierce, her words flung like arrows, and it’s hurting more than the breakup I had with Yvanna before. My grip tightens around the glass. With a sudden surge of rage, I crush the glass, the sharp splinters biting into my skin as the amber liquid bursts forth, staining the balcony floor like drops of blood. My chest heaves, the shattered remnants of my drink falling from my grasp. When my head begins to throb and my vision sw
YVANNA’S POV: The afternoon sun streams through the window, casting a warm glow over the newly decorated bedroom of Zachary. I sit cross-legged on the floor with Zachary giggling uncontrollably as I make funny faces and silly noises. Toys are scattered around us, forgotten in the joy of our play. "Again, Mama, again!" I playfully say.Zachary squeals, clapping his tiny hands together.I lift him into the air, his laughter filling the room. But just as I lower him back down onto the matted floor, my cell phone rings, breaking the enchanting spell of our play."Stay right here, sweetie," I murmur, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead before rising to answer the call.Then, my heart flutters nervously as I glance at the caller ID. Hugh's name blinks back at me, surprising me. It’s only yesterday afternoon since we last spoke, and that last encounter was marked by tension and unresolved issues.Taking a deep breath, I answer the call, my voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in my
Anastasia shifts uneasily, her fingers twisting around the edge of her skirt. It’s as if the very atmosphere thickens, suffocating her with its intensity. Fortunately, after what feels like an eternity of silence, she finally speaks, her voice hesitant, her gaze flickering to my face."I... I'll do it.”"Excellent," I pur, my voice smooth as silk. "Thanks for not rejecting my request. That means a lot to me, really."Anastasia swallows hard, before countering, “I’m only agreeing to this to make amends for the troubles I’ve caused you. Don’t think of this as something more than that.”“Oh, believe me, I know,” I lean forward, my demeanor remains poised and composed. "I've already made some initial plans for the wedding from two years ago. Of course, I'll be making a few modifications and improvements."I gesture for Christy, who’s standing a few feet from me, to come closer. Christy hurries over, her eyes darting between me and Anastasia. Then I turn to Anastasia and say, "Christy wi
ANASTASIA’S POV: The soft glow of the ceiling light bathes the condo’s bedroom in a warm ambiance. I sit alone amidst the quietude, my gaze fixed upon the open folder spread out before me. Papers are scattered haphazardly across the bed, photographs peeking out from beneath the clutter, each one a testament to Yvanna's meticulous wedding plans. My fingers idly trace the edges of the papers as I try to focus, to absorb the details of what I’m seeing and reading, but my brain feels like a tangled mess of wires, incapable of coherent thought. “What do I know about planning a wedding anyway?” I glance at the photographs scattered across the desk – images of Yvanna and Hugh, their smiles frozen in time, their happiness captured for eternity. A pang of longing pierces my heart as I study them, my gaze lingering on Hugh's face. Regret gnaws at me, a bitter taste rising in my throat.“How could I bear to plan his wedding to another woman? And why did I stupidly accept Yvanna's inconsidera
My phone rings and when I see Yvanna’s caller ID flashing on the screen, I don’t pick it up and just stare at it until the ringing stops. However, the phone rings again after a few seconds and knowing that Yvanna won’t stop calling me, I force myself to answer.Yvanna's voice is cool, collected, masking whatever lies beneath. -["Anastasia, I'd like to have a little chat about the wedding plans. Meet me at Hugh's parents' mansion in half an hour."]-I purse my lips, trying not to draw a stiff breath.Out of all the places, why there? Can we meet somewhere else? My mind races with a million excuses, a million reasons to avoid facing Hugh and his parents. But then the thought of appearing weak, of allowing them, especially Yvanna, to see me falter, steels my resolve."I'll be there," I reply, trying my best to not sound hesitant.After the call, I pace back and forth in the living area, my heart pounding like a frantic drumbeat. Once my heart calms down a little, I take a shower and s
I watch with wide eyes as the apprehension continues to crackle in the air between Hugh and Dwight, like sparks ready to ignite into a wildfire. I feel a bile rise in my throat, a scream clawing at the back of my mind, desperate to do something. But fear, cold and paralyzing, holds me in its suffocating grip.Hugh's smirk twists into a cruel grin as he delivers his cutting words, each syllable laced with venom. "No matter how much you try to pretend or to think otherwise, you know the truth. You know who Anastasia is in love with. It's not you and never will be. She’s just with you because of… you know what. You'll always be a second choice, a spare."Dwight's expression darkens, a storm brewing behind his eyes. It’s obvious that Hugh's words have struck their mark. Dwight lets go of my wrist, and without a warning, fur sprouts from his skin, muscles rippling and contorting as he shifts into his wolf form, a huge black wolf. The growl that emanates from him is guttural and menacing,
I can’t run fast enough to hide, not with my injuries slowing me down. Besides, hiding may force them to investigate who’s eavesdropping on them, and I don’t want anyone innocent to be blamed for my actions. I need another plan, a way to outsmart them and to not be suspected. I hiss in pain as I kneel down on the cold tiled floor, alert to any sound or movement. Every soft thud on the room’s carpet amplifies, echoing like thunder in my ears. My fingers tremble in pain and anxiety as I carefully gather the shattered remnants of the Chinese vase. Then, as if on cue, the door in front me creaks open. I hold my breath, my muscles tensing as figures emerge into the hallway. The first to step through is Dwight, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the floor. “Dwight! Thank goodness, you’re here,” I say, pretending to be surprised and relieved. “I thought I was brought to somewhere where I can’t find anyone I know.” Dwight’s eyebrows flick as his eyes land on me. He quickly