Alpha Ian’s POV I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped into her room. I wasn’t sure what I would feel the second I laid eyes on her again. I’d gone through with the wedding without much thought. I didn’t allow myself to even stop for a second, because then I would have been forced to confront the finality of what I was doing and all the repercussions it would have. Now that my goal had been accomplished, and the reception had also served its purpose, it was only natural that I felt the need to go to her. When Patrick and Bianca left us alone, I could only continue to stand in the middle of her bedroom, floundering like a fool. She looked so small and vulnerable buried underneath her blankets. I wasn’t immune to the heartbreak that was visible in her expression. I simply wasn’t sure what to say or do. How much should I reveal about what I was feeling? Was it even appropriate to burden her with it? Where was the line now? She was my fated mate but I had essentially rejected her.
Alpha Ian’s POV Cassius was a wolf of his word. That was one thing that could always be said about him. He’s frozen me out since the wedding. That was about a week ago. I’ve tried to coax him out several times to no avail. He simply won’t talk to me. There was this energy that seemed to emanate from him. I knew what it was, of course I did. It was heartbreak, and it was a deep seeded pain we both shared. I understood why he blamed me. The Moon Goddess knew I blamed myself too. The guilt I felt was all encompassing. It has also morphed into this endless energy that needed to be expended at all times. I was putting my body through intense hours of training. I was a man on a mission, and it was to do away with all dark thoughts and feelings. I spent so much time in the shooting range and training hall that Jessica started getting worried for my well-being. This was another night on which I returned to our room in the middle of the night. I’d been hoping to find her asleep, but I wasn’
Alpha Ian’s POV As much as I loved being sequestered in my mansion, as much as I loved the fact that said mansion was nestled in the middle of the woods seeing as there was no better place for a wolf, I did enjoy venturing out into the city. It didn’t matter how late in the night it was, it always bustled with life and energy. The streets throbbed with music and dancing as the large number of tourists flit from one end to the other. There was always so much going on at once. There also happened to be a plethora of supernatural beings walking among the humans. There were the witches holding seances, pretending to summon the death or see the future for entertainment purposes though what their audiences didn’t know was that these were actions they were genuinely capable of doing. They wouldn’t do it for real and risked exposing themselves but putting on a fake show and making some money was a side hustle they had no problem indulging in. Everyone knew what vampires were like durin
Alpha Ian’s POV It all started with the truce Damien and I worked on so that peace could reign amongst the supernatural community of New Orleans. We hit it off quite well, seeing as we had many things in common, the most important two being our ruthlessness and intense desire to protect the people we love. That was five years ago. Damien used to frequent our mansion a lot as we were getting to know each other. He would often come with Caleb and Philippa seeing as they were his trusted friends and also ruled in his stead. They were the ones who communicated his laws to the vampires and made sure they were enforced whenever it was needed. They served as that bridge between the vampires and other species as well. Philippa had a fondness for the humans whilst Caleb was pretty close to the witches. Whenever the three of them came around, I used to welcome them in my Study along with Dominic since I did nothing without him. We used to spend hours conversing, getting to know each other.
Alpha Ian’s POV “Damien is your mate?” I repeated dumbly, staring at my brother as though he’d grown two heads. “Is it really that shocking?” Dominic said. “I thought you might have suspected. He did have a point. This shouldn’t surprise me at all, not with the way Dominic has been behaving ever since Damien became part of our lives. The thing was, Dominic has always been an extremely intense person, so I’d assumed he just liked Damien a great deal. But Damien being his fated mate made absolute sense. “When did you know for sure?” I asked. “When we had our first kiss,” Dominic responded, looking to the side. “I felt this electric shock go through me and my wolf started howling within me. I was so disoriented that Damien had to hold me.” “Oh wow.” “Yeah,” Dominic said with a short laugh. “I felt so connected to him but I knew he didn’t feel the same. How could he? He’s a fucking five-hundred-year-old vampire, not a werewolf like me.” “Oh snap, you’re right,” I said, fina
Alpha Ian’s POV “Is that Ian or am I too high on blood right now?” Philippa said, looking in my direction as the woman in her lap blinked several times, no doubt trying to regain her equilibrium. “If it isn’t our newly wedded Alpha!” Caleb bellowed. He pulled me into a side hug as I sat next to him. It was a decision I was probably going to regret before the night ended. “It’s good to see you, my friend,” I said to him, patting his back. “Philippa, who is this poor woman you’re draining right now?” “This is Anastasia,” Philippa said and proceeded to suck on her neck for a bit. “She’s the loveliest. So accommodating too! Say hello to Ian, darling.” “Hello Ian,” Anastasia slurred. “Philippa, I think you’ve had enough for one night. Anastasia, you’re excused,” Damien said, tone leaving no room for argument. Both Anastasia and Philippa were less than enthused about his order but they knew better than to contest it. “Wait for me in our special room, okay?” Philippa said. She l
Alpha Ian’s POV Dominic’s words echoed in my head as the night breeze whipped past us. The atmosphere was somber as I retreated into my thoughts. Caleb picked up a cigar and started smoking. Philippa’s attention was momentarily claimed by her phone. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was sexting Anastasia. Damien was staring at Dominic while the latter was playing with his fingers. When I’d stood at the altar promising myself to a woman who wasn’t my fated mate, I knew the path that lay before wouldn’t be easy. I’m beginning to realize I had no idea how fucking impossible it was going to be. My wolf hated me for it. My own body will fight me every step of the way. Living with Francesca meant I had to fight every instinct I had pulling me toward her. It seemed as though there was no magical solution to my problem. There was no quick fix that would put an end to my torment. I had to walk through the fire. At some point, if I am lucky, all of it will become easier. “So this is why you’v
Francesca’s POV For the past two weeks, it’s been feeling very much like I’ve been watching myself from afar. I’ve been outside of my body, moving on autopilot. Bianca and Patrick have been on edge. They’ve been watching me like a hawk. They may be thinking I haven’t given myself enough time to process my loss and healthily deal with my emotions. To me, I’ve felt more like there were no emotions to deal with. The only thing driving me forward was anger. It was all I had and it was the only thing I needed as well. Anger built you up. It made you a stronger and more resilient person. It meant you were ruthless enough to cut your enemies down without thinking twice. There was a reason I’ve been doing so well in training. I think I’m becoming deadlier with each day that passes. Patrick never stood a chance when we sparred. Bianca has had to up her game to remain undefeated and even with that, there were times when I tore through her defenses and emerged victorious. He kept watching me