Whether contracted or otherwise, I was Xavier's Luna, his bonded mate, and he had no intentions of allowing anything to take that from him.My thoughts were interrupted as the bathroom door swung open and I sauntered out, the droplets from my shower still clinging insistently to my skin. I casually towel-dried my hair as I made my way to my wardrobe and opened its door, scanning the clothes leisurely, blissfully unaware of the insatiable hunger in Xavier's eyes as he quietly approached me from behind.I felt his lips press against the mark on my neck as his hands glided over my skin, slipping beneath the towel and letting it fall effortlessly to the floor."Xavier... what..." I stammered in surprise, my heart racing at the unexpected touch.Could he possibly still not be satisfied after spending most of the morning indulging in our ardor?"You are mine, Anastasia," he growled with dangerous intensity from behind me, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. It was the commanding tone
I glanced thoughtfully into the distance, a slow smile forming. "Perhaps there is an alternative... Consider the royal household where living quarters are separated. The Omegas serve the royal family exclusively. Guards reside elsewhere, in barracks, and manage their own needs—cooking, washing, and cleaning," I paused to gauge the reactions on both Xavier's and Alvin's faces."Perhaps we could implement a similar setup here. Let those doubting the Omegas' value experience managing on their own for a while. A few months of additional labor, alongside their training, should enlighten them," I suggested. Xavier's eyes gleamed with anticipation."The training grounds are still available, aren't they, Alvin?" Xavier prompted."Yes, Alpha, but they're not in the best condition," Alvin replied, a hint of confusion in his expression."Well, of course not. There are no Omegas assigned to maintain that area, are there?" Xavier grinned as realization dawned on Alvin."Am I to assume you'd like a
"Yes, but don't worry. I'll be prepared. I have a list of topics I aim to investigate further," he assured me.I nodded slowly, stifling a yawn. "Come on, let's call it a night. This evening has been... eventful, to say the least.""Oh, so you're planning on letting me sleep, then?" I teased with a playful scoff."Not just yet, my Luna. I plan to fill you with my passion until you succumb to exhaustion," Xavier growled heatedly, eyes twinkling with mischief.Would this man ever be satisfied?The next morning, Xavier and I left the house later than planned. It was obvious to anyone who saw us that we couldn't keep our hands off each other, even managing to devour breakfast at lightning speed before rushing out the door. Any lingering doubts about our relationship were dispelled by the sight of our closeness.Even the Omegas noticed the subtle shift in our demeanor. Although we had always been affectionate, our current desire for one another seemed boundless. Our boisterous antics in th
The simmer within me was undeniable, yet the situation somehow made sense. I was well aware that this could very well be another trap they were laying for me. However, I needed to maintain access to the castle to protect my father from their schemes. If I closed myself off completely, he would be left entirely vulnerable to their manipulations. For now, having the ability to enter the castle meant I could intervene if necessary. Nerissa was nothing but poison, as was Eve. However, I sensed that Eve was not as adept in her machinations as her mother. Despite Nerissa's animosity and the misery she caused in my childhood, she had never physically harmed me. She could have easily disposed of me, just as she had done with my mother. This implied a restrained intellect and cunning manipulation that her daughter clearly lacked. 'No, Maine. I want to see what they are planning this time. Whatever chaos they intend to unleash, whatever trouble it stirs, we will find a way to counter it. For
Eve swallowed nervously, taking a step back and glancing toward Nerissa for reassurance. However, her mother's face betrayed no emotion as she stood and gracefully swept forward. "Come now, Anastasia, don't be childish. We both know Eve doesn't think things through fully before she opens her mouth... or her legs, for that matter," Nerissa remarked dryly, casting a withering glare at her daughter. Her harshness toward Eve momentarily caught me off guard, and the flash of hurt on Eve's face seemed surprisingly genuine. "Please, if you can't accept it as a peace offering from Eve, then at least consider it from me. I'm fully aware that our relationship has always been tense, Anastasia, and I understand your hatred toward me, I truly do. However, I'd like to put it behind us if possible. For your father's sake, if nothing else," Nerissa continued nonchalantly. I was a bit confused by this sudden turn of events. Although I could sense the animosity radiating from Eve, Nerissa appeared
In one swift motion, she grabbed the basket and lifted it into the air, swinging it in front of me mockingly. "You can beg for my mercy and my forgiveness, but you'll never have it, Anastasia. I won't stop until I've completely destroyed you," Eve warned in a sickly sweet voice before hurling the basket at the door with all the force she could muster. As the basket crashed to the floor, Eve's grin widened, and she let out a loud, blood-curdling scream, raking her hands through her previously neat hair, deliberately messing it up as she sauntered to the wall nearest the door and glared at me. "Anastasia, please! I'm sorry! Please don't do this!" she wailed loudly, still smiling as she leaned forward and locked the office door. My heart sank as the realization hit me—I had been foolish to think that Eve ever wanted to mend our relationship. Maine was right—this was nothing but a trap. "Eve, please, don't do this," I implored through gritted teeth, using all my willpower to keep Main
As I swallowed nervously, my face remained a mask of indifference, though inside, anxiety churned uncomfortably. Being the center of attention was never pleasant, but having so many critical eyes on me was nearly unbearable. "Look at you! The guilt is written all over your face!" Nerissa spat, turning her attention to the crowd of office workers huddled in the doorway. "What are you all gawking at?! Someone call an ambulance! Why are you just standing around?!" Her urgent commands jolted them into action. Some of them scrambled to find anything to cover Eve's trembling body, aiming to restore a semblance of dignity to her during this seemingly catastrophic moment. Others quickly pulled out their phones to call for medical assistance. Despite the disturbing act unfolding before me, I had to admit that Eve was an impressive actress. Her performance was sickeningly convincing. "Just wait until your father hears about this, you ungrateful wretch! How could you be so cruel? The child s
My heart lifted slightly as the guard stationed at the door exchanged a meaningful glance with me before leaning toward the entrance and yanking the door open, sticking his head through the gap into the corridor. The moment the door swung wide, the heated argument between my father and my husband surged into the room with full force. I winced at the sound and glanced at Eve, who shared my concern as I remained focused on the door. "I don't know what you've done to my daughter, but she would never have acted this way before she met you! It's your vile attitude and indiscriminate ruthlessness that have influenced her!" my father, Alpha King Leo, roared at Xavier, standing almost nose-to-nose with him. My father's face had turned an alarming shade of crimson as he raged directly into Xavier's face, yet Xavier remained steadfast, seemingly unfazed. If anything, irritation flickered across his features in response to my father's theatrics, with the guards stationed behind both men unsure
Anastasia POV "Oh, what the heck!" I exclaimed, startled by the sudden intrusion. Leah raised an inquisitive eyebrow while Xavier gave me a benign smile."The perks of the mate bond, my love," Xavier murmured inside my head, as Maine rolled around gleefully. "Now I can hear all your thoughts, your deepest desires, your most intimate fantasies..." His voice echoed in my mind, and I blushed a deep shade of crimson.Leah quickly realized what was happening and feigned gagging noises by sticking her fingers into her mouth. "Please, if you two are going to have such intimate exchanges in each other's heads, can you not do it around me? You're such insatiable furballs..." she muttered in annoyance."You're one to talk," a sarcastic voice interrupted from behind, as Alvin casually entered and seated himself across from Leah, scowling in her direction.Leah looked flustered for a brief moment but swiftly regained her nonchalant demeanor. "Amazing, isn't it?" she retorted sarcastically. "Not
Xavier POVThe group of individuals who had access to the sensitive information necessary to successfully sabotage my business interests was remarkably small. Coupled with this was the fact that security measures within the pack were so meticulously controlled that the culprit could only have been someone on the inside, and alarmingly close to me. This growing suspicion made me increasingly wary of the man I once considered my closest friend.I scowled deeply at the scenery passing by the window as memories of that difficult period resurfaced. I never discovered who was responsible for those issues—they simply ceased without warning. Despite my efforts to provoke the culprits into revealing themselves, they never resurfaced.The cessation of these attacks did not coincide with any deaths or hospitalizations, nor were there any significant shifts in power within the boards of directors, leaving me to ponder over the mystery ever since.As we drove up the long driveway leading to the pa
Scowling, she turned around only to be met with a look of horror. She watched the demon beside Lord Thamuz shift from its faceless, genderless form to precisely replicate Xavier's image once more, teasing her with a wink and mockingly blowing her a kiss.Eve's face turned pale as realization set in, her mouth agape in disbelief. Moments later, a wail of disgust filled the corridors, her voice promising violence as the guards dragged her away.Leah snorted, watching Eve's forced exit, and waved casually at the mimic beside her father. "Franklyn isn't so bad, you know? He's one of the few who seem to have an intelligence that others of his kind lack," she whispered to Xavier and me, offering a light salute to the mimic.Alpha King Leo observed Eve's disgraceful exit with a mixture of sadness and fury, now painfully aware that everything he believed about Nerissa and Eve was a complete farce. Guilt surged within him as he felt the once-familiar stirrings of his wolf, a sensation absent f
Brent nodded silently, stealing a final longing glance toward where Xavier and I stood, then followed Lord Thamuz as he ascended the stairs.Xavier seemed to shake himself free from whatever had held him captive, lifting his hand to gently cup my face. His eyes searched mine while I mirrored his gesture. "Do you feel that?" I breathed in awe as my fingers trailed down his cheeks and across his lips."Mate..." Xavier growled in a rich, husky voice. He nodded as his wolf surged forward, its presence sitting boldly in his gaze.In all the time I had known him, I had never heard Xavier speak in such a tone, and it sent a delightful shiver of anticipation and longing down my spine as he looked at me."Finally... after all this time in darkness... my fated mate..." his wolf spoke hoarsely, disbelief coloring its voice as it almost cracked. "I found you... I am not... alone... anymore..."My heart leaped to my throat as Maine, my wolf, howled her sadness and grief at his past suffering, reso
Leah gently shook her head and let out a chilling chuckle. "No, don't worry. Your stepsister fuck with a low-level demon, and by the sounds of it, she has no idea that it isn't Xavier. From what I gather, they were still going at it when we managed to break in here," she snorted.A wave of relief washed over me as I turned to look sheepishly at Xavier. "I'm so sorry... I didn't want to believe it, but... I saw you... with my own eyes..."Xavier rushed toward me, enveloping me in his arms, holding me tightly as I buried my head against his chest. "I would never, princess. Not in a million years would I ever put us at risk in that manner," Xavier murmured, his fingers gently stroking my hair."As sickeningly sentimental as this is, where the hell is Nerissa?" Leah grimaced, cutting through the moment.A deep, ironic laugh echoed from the doorway to our right, accompanied by soft grunts, as we all turned in unison to face it. "She's in there," Brent intoned flatly. "I put her down for a
"I'm sorry. I didn't consider..." he stammered, clearly at a loss for how to act around me now."It's fine. Let's just get out of here, okay?" I murmured wearily, turning to exit the cell. However, my legs wobbled once again, and I had to lean against the door for support."Here, let me help you..." Brent offered softly, as I cursed myself under my breath."No, really... I... oh my goodness..." I stuttered as suddenly, my legs were lifted from the ground.Brent cradled me close to his chest, moving decisively forward. The warmth of his presence and the steady beating of his heart were, for the first time in what felt like ages, a familiar sound that brought me reassurance. I could sense his wolf rumbling in contentment at our proximity, and despite everything, I couldn't help but smile.'He misses us terribly, doesn't he?' I murmured quietly to Maine.'Well, he should have controlled his human better,' Maine scoffed in response.'Maine, think about the magic... if he was indeed under
'Oh, cry me a river, Anastasia. Your feelings are utterly irrelevant. You fell for a man to whom you signed a contract. You agreed to stand by his side as his Luna and partner. You didn't consent to anything beyond that, even with your counterfeit mating mark,' she responded calmly, before sighing and softening her tone.'Listen, I know it hurts, Anastasia, but we don't need a man to complete us. He may feel like home, but he isn't, not really. We are all we need. We are not the same as other females, Anastasia. I refuse to roll over and beg for affection or attention from an Alpha. If he wants me, he will pursue me, and if he stops, then I will let go. I will not fight to keep a male, as I know we are worth far more.'I couldn't help but snort softly despite myself; Maine was right, as always.'I'm sorry, Maine. I should have listened. I was being foolish.''No, you were just sheltered for the majority of your life. I have been kept from you for years while you lived in the palace. I
"Of course I do, you foolish little girl. Why else would I waste some of the best years of my life with a murderous fool like your father? I will destroy him and his family as utterly as he did mine. This isn't just personal; it has been a long time coming," Nerissa snarled."I don't understand..." I frowned, searching desperately for something, anything, to distract me from the sight of Eve trying to seduce Xavier on the screen. Even though we were only contracted mates, it still hurt like hell. He was the last person I ever thought would betray me, yet there he was... stabbing me in the back with none other than Eve.Even though I knew I wasn't truly related to her anymore, it still stung, considering Xavier knew all about our shared history. It just didn't make sense. He had stood by me through everything and agreed with each point regarding Eve. I couldn't wrap my head around why he would suddenly have a change of heart and rush after Eve so eagerly.Even if he was under some sort
I had lost track of time since they brought me to this place. Apart from Nerissa and Eve, there were no other signs of life in these depths. As much as I strained to hear anything beyond the closed door, only silence greeted me, amplifying my frustration. The quiet was overwhelming, and my arms had gone numb. Yet, the numbness was preferable to the burning sensation that had coursed through them before.Nerissa returned not long after she and Eve took Brent away to an unknown destination. She entered, humming to herself, pushing a cart with a television perched on top. On the cart's lower shelf, there was a tray with a few glasses and a jug filled with some kind of drink. Whatever it was, I had no intention of accepting it anytime soon. I suspected that a single sip might be lethal.I watched Nerissa with narrowed eyes, following her movements across the small room as she completely ignored me while attending to her tasks. Once finished, she exhaled with satisfaction, dusted her hands