CH 2 – Cursed Meeting

Jake Lewis

I hated this. Every single second of this night felt like torture.

I sat in the leather booth of the VIP room, staring at the amber liquid in my glass, swirling it slowly as if it could drown my anger. My father’s command still rang in my ears — “Meet her, Jake. Don’t disappoint me. She is to be your mate.”

I loved my father. I’d do anything for him. But this? This was too much. The thought of taking Ashley Harrison as my Luna made my wolf snarl inside me.

Ashley Harrison. The daughter of Alpha Healer George Harrison of Moon Crest Pack. The so-called perfect union to strengthen our clan ties. My father believed this marriage would bring balance and security to the Lewis Clan — but every time I pictured her, I wanted to claw the walls. Fat. Ugly. A face marked like she was cursed by the Moon Goddess herself. The thought of touching her made my stomach turn.

I checked the time. I was thirty minutes early, which only made my irritation grow. If she dared show up late, I’d be gone. I’d tell my father I tried. I’d tell him she didn’t respect me enough to show up on time.

The door opened, and Ryan strolled in like he owned the place. My best friend, my future Beta, always too damn relaxed.

“Why the hell do you need a chaperone to your date?” he teased, sliding into the booth next to me.

“This is not a date,” I growled, pouring myself another drink. “This is a cursed meeting. I have to see that ugly pig or my father will lose his mind. And honestly? If he wasn’t on his deathbed, I’d never agree to this.”

Ryan snorted, taking my glass and downing half of it in one gulp. “So you want me here as a witness to your sweet, romantic meeting with your future Luna?”

I nearly threw the glass at him. “Ryan.”

He just grinned, unfazed. “Relax, man. I’m joking. Where is she, anyway?”

“Don’t care,” I snapped. “If she’s late by one second, I’m leaving.”

And right then, my phone lit up.

I smirked, holding it up for Ryan to see. “Look at this. That fat pig isn’t coming tonight. Perfect. Now we can party.”

Ryan laughed so hard half the heads in the nearby lounge turned toward us. “Who needs her anyway?” His eyes darted toward a group of pretty she-wolves just entering the bar. He whistled low. “Damn. I’ll be over there if you need me.”

He left with a grin, already halfway to flirting with one of them.

Good. I leaned back in my seat, finally feeling a little lighter. If Ashley had canceled, it meant I didn’t have to endure seeing her ugly face tonight. I could drink, relax, and forget this nightmare of an engagement.

I lifted the glass again, ready to order another bottle, when a pair of soft hands suddenly covered my eyes.

“What the—” I started, but then I heard it — that laugh.

That familiar, teasing laugh.

My heart skipped.

I turned around, and there she was.

“Marian?”

She stood there like a vision, her dark hair falling in waves over her shoulders, her lips curved in that smile that always made my chest tighten.

“Miss me, Jake?” she asked, her voice soft, almost seductive.

“Moon Goddess,” I breathed. My pulse kicked up, my wolf surging forward in recognition.

Marian Pearls. My first love.

No matter how many women had passed through my bed, none of them ever compared to her. She was wild, beautiful, intoxicating. She came from one of the wealthiest bloodlines in the South, the daughter of our loyal Beta, Attorney Barney Pearls. She was power, elegance, and danger wrapped into one perfect package.

I stood before I could stop myself, pulling her into my arms. Her familiar scent slammed into me like fire, filling my lungs, stirring my wolf until he clawed at me from inside.

“Marian,” I said, holding her tighter than I should. “When did you get back? I thought you were still abroad.”

“I was,” she said softly, looking up at me with those dark, clever eyes. “But when I heard about your father, I had to come back. You need me now.”

I didn’t hesitate. I hugged her tighter, my chest aching with a mix of relief and longing. “Damn, I missed you.”

And just like that, everything else disappeared — the arranged marriage, the talk of duty, Ashley Harrison’s name.

Marian was back.

And she had always been my heart.

“Come with me,” I growled, my wolf pushing forward.

We barely made it to the hotel room before I had her pinned to the wall, my lips crushing against hers. My hands moved like they had a mind of their own, gripping her hips, pulling her closer, as if I could mold her back into my life where she belonged.

“Jake,” she whispered, breathless. “I’ve waited so long for this.”

“Then stop talking,” I said, my voice rough.

Clothes fell away piece by piece, until there was nothing between us but heat and hunger. We crashed onto the bed, skin against skin, moving together like we were made for this.

It wasn’t just lust — it was something deeper, rawer. My wolf howled, possessive, desperate to mark her, to claim her all over again.

But even as I lost myself in her, a thorn lodged itself in my mind.

Ashley.

Her name crept in, quiet but sharp. The thought of her face, her tears if she knew what I was doing, made something twist in my chest.

Damn it. I tried to shove the thought away, burying myself in Marian’s warmth. Ashley wasn’t my choice. She was my father’s. She was duty, not desire.

I kissed Marian harder, forcing the image of Ashley out of my mind.

By the time we collapsed, sweaty and breathless, my body was satisfied — but my mind was a mess.

Marian curled against me, tracing circles on my chest with her finger. “You’re mine, Jake,” she said softly, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

I didn’t answer.

Because I didn’t know if that was true anymore.

The pounding on the door shattered the silence.

“Jake!” Ryan’s voice was urgent.

I cursed, dragging my pants back on and yanking open the door. “What?”

Ryan’s face was pale, his usual smirk gone. “Your father’s been rushed to the hospital. It’s serious.”

My stomach dropped like a stone. “What happened?”

“No details yet. But it’s bad. We need to go now.”

I grabbed my shirt and boots, shoving them on as dread clawed at my chest. My wolf was pacing inside me, restless and worried.

Because if my father didn’t make it… everything would change.

I turned to Marian, who was already sitting up in bed, worry shining in her eyes.

“Let me come with you,” she said softly, almost pleading.

I hesitated, then shook my head. “Not now. I’ll call you later.”

Her lips pressed together, but she nodded reluctantly. I left without another word, my chest tightening.

The drive to the pack hospital was a blur. My wolf clawed inside me, restless, pacing, sensing the weight of what was coming.

When I reached the hallway outside my father’s room, my heart nearly stopped. My mother, Luna Leonor, stood there, her face streaked with tears. She grabbed my arm like she was drowning.

“Jake… your father doesn’t have long. The doctors say a month at best.”

No. That couldn’t be true. My father was Alpha Kurt—he was strength, power, unshakable. The thought of him fading was unbearable.

I shoved the door open. My breath froze.

There he was—my father, lying pale and weak against the pillows. But what made my jaw clench wasn’t just seeing him so frail. It was her.

Ashley Harrison.

Sitting at his bedside, holding his hand like she belonged there. Even now, she looked as ugly as ever. Fat. Broad shoulders, thick arms, her stomach spilling out of her dress. Her face… moon-shaped, round and swollen, with that cursed birthmark smeared across her cheek like a stain. No grace. No beauty. No wolf would ever look twice at her except out of pity.

The sight of her near my father, pretending to care, made my stomach twist in disgust.

“Jake…” My father’s voice was faint but steady. “Come closer.”

I forced my legs to move. My throat burned.

“I don’t have much time,” he whispered. “My last wish is for you to marry Ashley. Our packs have been allies for generations. This bond will keep our clans strong. I’ve signed a blood will. If you refuse, ninety percent of the Lewis fortune will go to the Sacred Moon Temple.”

My head snapped up. “What? You’d give away our fortune… if I don’t marry this ugly pig?”

Ashley flinched but stayed silent, her fat hands tightening around the blanket.

My mother stepped forward, her voice sharp as a whip. “Kurt, she’ll ruin our bloodline! Do you want fat, ugly pups for the Lewis Clan?”

A low growl filled the room. Alpha George—her father—stood tall, his eyes blazing. “Watch your tongue, Luna Leonor. You will not insult my daughter again.”

I clenched my fists, fury choking me. “Father, this is insane. You want me to mate with her? Everyone will laugh at me. Me—your son, your heir—forced to be with someone so disgusting.”

My father’s hand shot out, his grip on my wrist shockingly strong. “Jake. This is about the pack’s future. About survival. The Moon Crest Pack will stand with us when the rogues attack. Without this bond, we are weak.”

My wolf snarled, trapped.

“Fine,” I spat through my teeth. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry her. But don’t ever expect me to love her.”

Ashley’s eyes glistened, but she kept her fat face bowed.

I looked away, rage tearing through me. That night, I lost more than my freedom. I lost my right to choose my mate.

And deep inside, my wolf howled in fury.