"No... no, this is hardly sufficient to compensate for all the devastation you have wrought over the years, Father. Just as you insisted I listen to you, it's time you finally hear my thoughts!" I hissed, my voice laced with anger as Maine howled in agreement, positioning herself confidently by my side.Leo stood frozen for a moment, taken aback by the sudden intensity reflected in my eyes. He recognized the presence of Maine beside me; her aura radiated strength and unwavering conviction. I could see him collecting himself, realizing I might possess a power he had never fully acknowledged, and he snorted in contempt. I couldn't recall ever being this audacious before."I cannot fathom what has happened to you, Anastasia," he sneered disdainfully. "I never imagined you would be so vindictive as to lash out at an unborn child out of jealousy. I have no interest in your words, nor do I owe you any explanations regarding my personal life."I let out a cold laugh, narrowing my eyes at him
"Please, Maine! He can't know that we are aware of too much! It will ruin everything!" I shouted in frustration within my mind."I only want answers, Anastasia. I need to understand if my sire abandoned me willingly or if he was compelled to do so," Maine replied softly, her resolve unyielding."I understand, but for the love of all that is sacred, don't let him suspect that we are onto them. They cannot find out..." I whispered pleadingly."Anastasia? Is everything alright with you?" Xavier asked cautiously, causing Maine to glance at him and nod curtly."I have questions that require answers, my mate," Maine purred darkly, flashing a grin that was as seductive as it was dangerous.The sultry tone in her voice awakened my mate's wolf, stirring a desire within him that had lain dormant. I could sense his conflicting emotions as he clenched his jaw, evidently resigned to the gravity of the situation. Maine turned her back to Xavier, refocusing her attention on Leo once again."Now, wher
I had been accused of a horrific crime, losing not only my job but also my reputation. Now, I faced an impending court appearance before the Elders, where I was likely to be stripped of my title. Yet, as I stood before him, I could see the determination in my expression caused his heart to leap and ignited the stirrings of his wolf for the second time that day.He turned his head and scowled, staring contemplatively out of the window. His wolf had barely made its presence known when I suddenly appeared, and the more time we spent together, the more responsive his wolf became, prompting deep reflections within him. Honestly, he yearned for his intuition to be correct, but he hesitated to let himself hope too much, wary of the possibility that he might be mistaken."What are you scowling at?" I asked curiously from beside him, putting my phone away and reaching for his hand.Xavier took a deep breath before turning to face me, a smile breaking over his face. "Nothing for you to worry ab
"No waiting, princess. I'm going to make you scream my name repeatedly tonight. By the time I'm finished, you won't be walking anywhere," he replied confidently."Please... I want..." I pleaded, my hips bucking under his touch, craving more of him on me and in me. My desire only intensified with each passing second; I longed for him to fill me completely, in every way he could. If it came to that, I would beg, because this was nothing short of torture..."What do you want, Anastasia?" he smirked against my nipple as he slipped a finger inside me, slowly pumping in and out while his thumb continued to circle my swollen nub."Oh God... Xavier..." I moaned, gripping the side of the bathtub tightly, unable to form coherent words. The sensations he was unleashing upon my body were far too intense for me to think straight."Say it... tell me what you want with that pretty little mouth of yours," he murmured against my skin, trailing his tongue along me while switching his mouth's attention
After showering and changing, Xavier suggested that I accompany him to see the offices he had purchased. I agreed without much hesitation. There was no sense in wallowing over my losses; I needed to adapt swiftly and keep moving forward, whether I wanted to or not.I was curious to see what he deemed as a suitable work environment for me, especially since the decision to start a new company had been thrust upon me. I also wanted to assess what I had to work with."I didn't think you'd want to be in the same building as me for business purposes, especially after our last conversation about it," Xavier remarked casually as he drove us to the location. Despite his nonchalant tone, the slight frown on his forehead betrayed his disappointment at the thought that I might not want to spend every moment alongside him."Don't take it personally, Xavier. I'd be happy with my own office space within your building if you could manage to keep your hands to yourself during business hours," I teased
This peace offering had been a desperate attempt to steer me away from delving too deeply into my father's affairs. Nerissa knew that if I caught even the faintest trace of what she had done in the past—and continued to do—I would stop at nothing until I saw her expelled from the palace. Maintaining this delicate balance was a daily struggle, as she weighed her own daughter Eve's failures against my conscientious nature. Eve was a disappointment in every conceivable way. Nerissa often bitterly mused about how much smoother her life might have been if Eve had shared even a few of my qualities.Every single day was an excruciating struggle to keep her daughter in line. Every insignificant argument or drama Eve brought to her mother was so... irrelevant to the bigger picture that it made Nerissa want to throttle her on numerous occasions. Yet, she was forced to restrain herself, knowing it would ruin her plans if she yielded to her sadistic and vengeful urges.Eve was supposed to have ma
As Xavier led me on a tour of the expansive multi-story office building, I found it difficult not to smile at the childlike excitement etched across his face. His chest swelled with a sense of pride as he confidently navigated each room. He enthusiastically discussed his ideas for the layout, and when I remarked that the office seemed too large, a mischievous smirk played on his lips, making me blush furiously."You don't usually complain about things being too big, my Luna," he whispered with a teasing tone as he slowly advanced toward me.I couldn't help but giggle helplessly, my cheeks flushing as he pressed me against a glass partition, his hands tracing the contours of my upper body with excruciating slowness."Xavier, behave..." I murmured, a shy smile tugging at my lips."Why should I? We own this building... we can do whatever we want in here, and no one can say a word," he murmured huskily in my ear, his lips grazing the sensitive skin of my neck and teasing the spot where hi
I allowed myself only a few moments to cry. In the grand scheme, my father didn't deserve my tears. My sorrow was reserved for my mother, for the life I never got to share with her, and the happy childhood that had been ruthlessly torn from me.There was no doubt in my mind that I would one day avenge my mother's death. However, that time was not now, and my impatience for justice gnawed at me. Nerissa and Eve deserved to answer for the crimes they were suspected of, but I needed solid evidence. Despite the relentless efforts of Leah and my father, all their attempts to uncover the truth had led to dead ends.Reluctantly, I pulled away from the comforting safety of Xavier's arms, briefly wondering when I had become so reliant on him in my life. His eyes searched mine desperately as I withdrew, but I averted my gaze. The disappointment and hurt on his face were too much for me to endure.I knew I should have been stronger and not wept over the unfolding events; after all, I had foresee
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