001

Nevaeh Brown

“You’re getting married… to Prince William!??” Isabella shrieked, eyes wide, practically bouncing on her heels. I pinched the bridge of my nose, resisting the urge to roll my eyes so hard they might get stuck.

“I don’t think I can do it,” I muttered, and she gripped my hands like I’d just confessed a crime, a wicked smirk on her face.

“Don’t think you can do it?” she echoed, incredulous. “Nevaeh, he’s Prince William! Handsome, charming… untouchable! Everyone wants a piece of him!” Her sigh was dramatic enough to rival any Shakespearean tragedy.

But here in Southern Noctrya, the prince—and all his royal glory—meant nothing to me. There was only one man who had ever captured my heart. Only one man I could imagine giving myself to… and his name was Alpha Kane.

“I don’t care! I don’t like him! Stop pushing!” I snapped. “How do I make Kane drop the marriage proposal?!”

“Why would you—Are you out of your mind?!” Isabella’s gasp sliced through the air.

She stared at me like she could read my soul. “Nevaeh… come on. You’ve been hiding something from me. For ten years, I’ve known you, and yet… never once have I seen you talk about a man. Who is he? Who stole your heart? Tell me!”

I froze, heart thundering in my chest. Alpha. Alpha has my heart… The thought made my stomach twist in a knot. But saying it out loud felt dangerous, almost taboo. Why would I ever have feelings for him? He’s my Alpha Daddy…

“I… I have feelings for Alpha,” I whispered, my voice barely carrying over the pounding of my heart.

“Uh… who??” Isabella tilted her head, skeptical.

“Alpha’s beta. Alpha Kane’s beta,” I admitted, my chest tightening with every word.

“You mean… Luka? Beta Luka?!” Her eyes narrowed, that judgmental look settling on her like a storm cloud.

Even as the words left my mouth, I felt a jolt of guilt. How could I feel this way about someone else? About him? The one I was supposed to respect, fear, adore…

“Well, if you love him that much, tell Alpha. I mean, he’s basically your… Daddy, right?” Isabella teased with a sly grin.

I could feel my face heating up. “Yeah… Daddy… my Alpha Daddy…” I dragged the words, heart skipping violently in my chest. Gosh, Nevaeh Brown! Focus, girl! Keep your thoughts… in check!

We chatted for a while longer, laughed a little, and had a few drinks, but the tension in my chest never eased. Eventually, we decided it was time to go. Isabella and I got into the car. I drove her home, then headed back to the pack house, trying to steady my racing thoughts.

The moment I stepped inside, time seemed to slow.

He was standing there. In the center of the room. Alpha Kane Laskovic.

Tall. Towering at seven feet. Dark tattoos tracing patterns across his arms. Grey eyes that seemed to pierce through me, reading every secret I tried to hide. His presence alone made my pulse spike, every nerve in my body screaming both warning and longing.

He was talking to someone, his voice calm and controlled, but the second our eyes met, heat pooled low in my stomach. I nodded, careful not to betray the storm of emotions raging inside me, and slipped quietly into the house.

Even as I closed the door behind me, my mind refused to let go. Kane. My Alpha. My forbidden desire.

I ran a bath, letting the water soak away the chaos swirling in my chest. Steam curled around me, warm and comforting, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see him—tall, imposing, every bit the Alpha—and the way his dark grey eyes seemed to see through me. I can’t… I can’t let myself…

After the bath, I wrapped myself in soft silk and sank into my bed, hoping a short nap would give me strength for the evening. My mind, however, refused to rest. Every fleeting thought returned to him, to the unfairness of it all. Why does he have to control everything?

A soft knock pulled me from my thoughts.

“Miss Nevaeh… it’s time for dinner,” the maid said gently.

I sighed and touched up my makeup, trying to appear composed. Maybe tonight, he’ll even glance at me… maybe. It was a foolish hope, but I clung to it.

I descended the stairs, my heart thudding with every step. Candlelight flickered across the long dining table, casting shadows on the polished wood. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, brushing my fingers against the smooth fabric of my dress.

When I slid into my seat, I froze. He was already there. 

He was casually leaning back in his chair, one arm resting on the table, the other brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Every movement, every small habit—the tilt of his head, the way his dark grey eyes scanned the room—made my chest tighten. His lips curved ever so slightly when he read something in the scroll of papers before him, and I couldn’t help but watch, memorizing it all: the sharp angles of his jaw, the broad strength in his shoulders, the commanding way he carried himself.

I blinked and looked away quickly, trying to appear indifferent, but the truth betrayed me. I couldn’t look away. My fork hovered over my plate, forgotten, as my mind drank in the sight of him.

Then his eyes lifted, catching mine. That storm-grey gaze, piercing and unnervingly knowing, held me still. Heat pooled low in my stomach, and a tremor ran down my spine. My pulse skyrocketed, and I felt my cheeks burn.

“Nevaeh.” His voice, low and smooth, drew me out of my daze.

I swallowed, trying to focus on my food, pretending to eat, though my appetite had fled. “Yes… Alpha?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he studied me—every expression, every subtle twitch of nerves—like he was reading me as effortlessly as one reads an open book. I felt exposed, vulnerable… and scandalously aware of how much I wanted him to notice me.

Finally, he leaned forward slightly. “Tomorrow… you will go see Prince William.”

The words hit me like ice, pulling me from my fascination with him. “Huh? Why?”

“Because… he’s going to be your husband soon.” His tone was calm, but his eyes never left mine, and I felt trapped beneath their intensity.

I slammed my fork down, my frustration exploding. “But I don’t like him, Alpha!”

“Eve,” he said, sharp and controlled, “we are not having this conversation.”

“Why not?! You’re forcing me to do something I don’t want!” I spat the words, my chest tightening.

“You don’t have a choice.”

I could feel tears welling. “Is this… is this why you saved me? To trap me into marrying someone I don’t care about?!”

His hand slammed lightly on the table, startling me. “Nevaeh! Enough!”

The fire in his voice, the way his jaw flexed, made my stomach churn. “Why do you hate me so much?! Why?!”

“I don’t hate you!” He leaned back, jaw tight, eyes stormy and unreadable. “I’m doing what’s best for you. Tomorrow morning… you will go see him. Do you understand?!”

“I hate you!” I whispered, heart breaking under the weight of my own helplessness.

He rose abruptly, chair scraping. “You’ll get no choice,” he said, low and dangerous. “And if you think defying me will be easy… you’re gravely mistaken.”

He walked out, leaving the door ajar. I sat there, trembling, the flickering candlelight reflecting in my eyes, my thoughts a wild storm. And despite every part of me screaming against it, I couldn’t shake the image of him—the way he had caught me staring, the way it had made my pulse race, the way it had left me wanting more.

Tomorrow… I’m supposed to meet my so-called fiancé. But how can I face him… when I can’t even stop thinking about my Alpha Daddy?