LILA
I'd never believe that upon my return to Redmoon pack, I'd be married to the Alpha in just a twinkle of an eyes. "Ma'am, you should change into this," the middle age lady some whom I assume should be in her thirties or so said as she walked to me. "I'm Eliza, and I'm assigned to be your personal maid" Glancing at the silhouette she had stretched out, I had every intention of rejecting it, but on a second she wasn't the one making things so difficult for me. So why punish the wrong person? "Thank you!" I replied, as I made to collect it... But then she halted me. "I'll dress you up, yunno it's your wedding night and..." She trailed off, as if she was scared if I'd entertain such conversation. "And what?" "And you've got to look good, the Alpha isn't really a gentle person, but maybe you could tame him," I scoffed, this was the mess mom's recklessness had caused me. I wasn't looking for an abandon project to work on. "Is it true he's ruthless?" I tried to affirm the rumors I've been hearing. "So, far, he's just a Month old since his arrival, but trust me, ruthless is a word far fetched," I unzipped the free gown I was putting on earlier, and then collected the gown from her. "I'll do it myself," I insisted, .... "So, how ruthless can he be?" You can say I was studying my game before hand to know how to approach. "Oh heavens!" Eliza gasped, her gaze fixed on the door. There he stood like a shadow, have he been standing there all the time? "Leave us!" Those two words were like a warning, and without hesitation, Eliza rushed out from the room, closing the door behind us. Here I stood with the Devil himself, quietness enveloped the room as he walked towards me. My heart started it's lum dum beating all over again, he took long steady strides closer to where I stood. My heart beat accelerated, and I found my legs moving backward, not until I felt my back leaning against a barrier, and then I knew I was at the wall already. "What are you doing?" I blinked my long lashes, trying to avoid the scrutiny of his gaze. "You really want to know how ruthless I can be?" His right hands leaned against the wall, caging me completely. His intoxicating cologne filled my nostril, and all I could ever think was hugging his huge masculine frame to myself. Oh damn it! I rolled my eyes. He had been listening to our conversation. "Do that one more time, and you'll see how ruthless I can be!" His hoarse voice sent cold shivers running down my spine. His hands tilted my chin up... No, it was tempting but I can't stare into his eyes. But maybe I could risk it. His turquoise eyes had me enchanted, but then, it wasn't saying what I wished it too... Hatred, Anger, and disgust filled his eyes. I swallowed hard, and then rolled my eyes away from his, it was the best I could do rathe than keep myself hurt. "Feisty, huh?" His hands grabbed my hair, and pushed me to the floor. "Ouch!" I yelled, the scorching pain of my hair being dragged. He pulled me back up, "I'm your Alpha, when I say sit you sit. When I say run, you run! You don't go against me... You don't fucking disobey me, okay?!" He roared, the softness that was once on his face disappeared and was replace with pure hatred. Did he really loathes me that much? Yes, he was some bloody Alpha, but to think he'll just use his fucking man proweress on me, then he's a failure. I can't be easily broken. "I don't freaking care if you're some Alpha or not...," I was still struggling to counter his mandate, when the Silhouette I was putting on fell to the floor, revealing my perky breasts that was popping up from my bra. He smirked, and the grab me by my neck; those laughter line present in his eyes were obvious. He was mocking me. "You're just a whore like your mother, isn't it? Did you as well learn more of sucking cock, because you'll be doing more of that." The bitterness that was laced in his tone. I saw red, I could get used to him insulting my mother, but the fact that he was comparing me to her, made me lost it. Before I could think twice, my hands flew across his face. "I won't have you disrespect me like that. You married me, you trapped me Into this marriage, I never asked for any of this. Even if you were the most man on earth, I wouldn't look at you twice not to talk of seducing you." I yelled as I punched him on the chest. He grabbed my wrist mid-punch, his grip like iron, his eyes burning hot... Like he could devour me, it was so sharp and piercing cutting deep to my soul. 'I think we're finished,' Lora voice spoke in my head. "You've got spirit, I'll give you that. But don't think for a second that it will save you here." I glared at him, refusing to back down. "I'd rather die than be your obedient little wife." I didn't know where the courage was coming from, but the earlier I stand up for myself the better. 'Oh no, Lila, we're in trouble, You shouldn't have said that,' Lora panicked. "I'll very much see how, that feistiness of yours will last you." His face pulled into a smirk, as he unbuttoned the first two button of his shirt. "Take those undies off!" It wasn't just a mere words, it was an order, a command I must adhere too. "You're still quite wild, you need to be tamed to know that, I'm the one person you need to go against, and your lessons start now" He growled. "Just do as he says Lila, he's quite dangerous, Who knows what he'll do next" I could sense Lora fear, but then I have to remain strong. He can't just break me, I did nothing wrong.AVAIt’s been three days since the incident, three days of dreams I can’t piece together. Three nights of visions that slip through my fingers the moment I wake. Voices. Screams. The same chant over and over. But this time, it's not clearer. Scenes of Selene. Begging. Pleading to be forgiven. Her voice filled with desperation. And then, water. She’s drowning, her body going still, lifeless.I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that I’m seeing this, or the fact that I can’t make sense of why it’s happening to me. The visions blur like smoke, and yet they feel too real to dismiss.I Meanwhile, Nicklaus’s lawyer is still busy hammering out stipulations on the contract. Legal jargon and terms that don’t make my head ache any less. And still, i have to keep showing up at work, plastering on a face, pretending Fernando doesn’t want me six feet under. Afterall they say, Fear is a murderer with patience; awareness just pulls the trigger faster.I push my way through the stairs and the busy bo
AVAI don’t know why I feel so overly confident when my idea is stupid. Seriously, how does going to a place where someone died years ago solve anything?Nicklaus’ hand closes around mine as he leads me to the car I came with. His jaw is tight, but his grip, steady, grounding.He glances at me, voice that speaks disbelief. “You’re quite a handful… How the hell did you even find Georgia and convince her to bring you here?”I slide into the passenger seat, buckling up like I own the ride. “You told me her phone number was in the envelope, so I sorted it out.”His brows snap together. “And stole my phone? What are you now, a thief?”I smirk at his poor attempt at humor, leaning back. “You weren’t going to tell me about it. A girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.” I roll my eyes for good measure.I roll my eyes, smirking at him. “You’re so damn lucky you’ve got my heart. And luckier still that I’m not the Ava you first met, because trust me, I would’ve dumped your ass, mate or not.”He sho
AVAMy heart is still thumping from the piece I just put together, when suddenly, there’s a rustle at the door.I freeze.Georgia’s eyes snap to mine, wide and questioning.“I didn’t bring anybody, I swear,” I whisper, my throat dry.The handle twists, the door creaks open, and I almost scream at the top of my lungs.Nicklaus. Busted."Ava?"Y’know that moment when you’re staring at someone you love, but it suddenly hits you he might actually be a murderer? Yeah, that’s me right now—hands clammy, heart racing, eyes desperate for an answer."Leave us." His eyes don’t leave mine, but I know he’s talking to Georgia.Georgia gulps, gives me one last nervous glance, and slips out, the door clicking shut behind her. Now it’s just me and him.My heart keeps screaming he’s my Nicklaus, but my brain won’t stop whispering the odds are stacked against him.One step. Two steps. I inch back."Please," my voice cracks, "tell me you didn’t do it."He swallows hard, his gaze still pinned on me. The s
AVAYou know that feeling when the air gets punched right out of your lungs? Yeah, that’s me right now. Selene. The name stares back at me from the screen like it’s laughing at me, daring me to connect the dots.It’s wild, how your brain kicks into overdrive when you’re chasing secrets. I swear I feel almost superhuman, every detail clearer, every clue glowing brighter, as if the universe itself wants me to solve the mystery my mate refuses to tell me.Georgia clicks on the girl’s profile picture, and my stomach knots. It’s her, the same blonde. They definitely talked, but the chat history is wiped clean, Nicklaus must have deleted it.Sure, this feels like a crumb of evidence that they talked, but crumbs won’t cut it. I need more. I need something solid, concrete, something that tells me what really went down. A clue. A hint. A fight. Anything that can drag me closer to cracking this wide open.“So, what do we do now?” I ask, watching Georgia’s face stay locked on the screen. Her fin
AVAMy head’s a fucking mess. You know that feeling when someone dumps a bucket of ice over you? Yeah—that’s me right now. My chest is tight, my thoughts are spiraling, and all I can see is that damn picture. Part of me wants to call Fernando and demand why the hell he sent it, and the other part wants to hunt down Nicklaus and shove it in his face.And what do you even do when your mate shuts you out right after an intense make-out? Cry behind closed doors? Beg to be seen? Beg to be heard?Not me. That’s not fucking me.I’ve got one plan and one plan only: find Georgia.I step into the bathroom, run a warm bath, and let the water cascade down my body. If only it could seep into my chest and wash away the hurt lodged there.I hate what Nicklaus is turning me into, a vulnerable, weak mess. I used to be strong. I used to kick ass. I was always the girl who dished out the silent treatment, dumped stupid assholes, and walked away from shitty relationships without blinking.But right now?
AVANicklaus presses a firm kiss against my forehead, lingering like he’s trying to erase the thought before it roots too deep. His hand slips behind my head, keeping me tucked against his chest.“Don’t do this to yourself now,” he murmurs, voice low and rough with something I can’t quite place. “You’re drained, Ava. I won’t let you dig into old wounds when your body’s begging for peace.”His thumb traces along my jaw, gentle but deliberate, tilting my face until his eyes catch mine. “Rest first. Eat. Breathe. Let me carry the weight of the past for now.”Before I can argue, his lips brush my temple, warm and lingering, his arms wrapping tighter around me like he dares me to push for more.I shove away from him, standing so fast the blanket slips off my shoulders. Nicklaus moves like he’s about to reach for me again, to pull me back into his iron grip, but I step out of range before he can pin me down. My pulse is hammering, and yeah, maybe I’m acting childish, but screw it—I’m alread