Bonus Chapter 3

Jalen

The overpowering smell of old, musty leather filled my dad's beat-up sedan, and the sound of his angry voice rose above the roar of the engine as he scolded me for shifting into my beast form. Tension filled the car, and my anger radiated off me in waves.

"Is it such a difficult task to control yourself in public? Have you never seen a girl before that you had to shift into your beast form? Now everyone in the pack will yap about how my son was aroused by a stupid werewolf."

"I wasn't aroused by her," I lied, trying to defend myself, but he was too far gone in his rage to listen.

"Griffin, please hear him out. There may be other reasons why he shifted, and besides, Jalen can't be attracted to that spoiled brat."

"Oh, shut up," my dad barked at my mom, who had stepped in to try and calm the situation. "That's all you do, make fat and silly excuses for him. He never does anything right. I'll be retiring in a year, and I don't even know the future of our pack."

She sat in silence, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, as the car shook and juddered, the engine struggling to keep up with my dad's anger.

"Dad, you need to stop treating me like I'm four years old. My shifting was a reflex action, and I didn't mean to scare the girl."

"You overestimate yourself because four-year-olds don't have the amount of baggage you carry."

As he spoke, we nearly got into a car accident as he engaged in a bout of road rage with another driver.

My twin sister Jaelyn, struggled to speak but failed. Instead, she grabbed my hand, trying to silently reassure me to stay calm. I returned the gesture, gazing out the window as I let out a sigh.

The image of my mate filled every space in my mind, her blonde hair falling like a halo around her head and her steely blue eyes piercing into my soul.

The sound of my own heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to come to terms with my feelings for her. She was a woman, through and through, delicate and refined, but her mouth was sharper than a razor. Her beauty, class, and sophistication were beyond me, and I could bet that the price of the cologne she wore could buy my whole wardrobe.

Our worlds were too different, and I didn't know the joke the moon goddess was playing on me.

We drove past my pack's territory, the scenery changing from huge, beautiful mansions to old houses. My dad's words kept ringing in my ears. I needed to get my act together, but the more I tried, the more difficult it seemed.

I jumped out of the car and stormed into the house to grab my jacket, then rushed out again, ignoring my mom's calls as I ran out of the house.

The forest scent, earthy and alive, filled my nostrils as I raced down the street, my heart pounding and my footsteps echoing through the empty streets. I made my way over to my best friend Cade's house, feeling agitated and moody. His house, a small dingy one with peeling white paint, was dark from the distance, and I hoped someone was home.

My breathing was ragged as I pounded on Cade's door. He opened it, surprised to see me.

"Do we need to punch someone?" he asked, and I walked past him into the house.

"How did the summit go? I'm guessing the werewolves were bratty as usual?"

I didn't say anything to Cade, but I made small talk with Sylvanus, his dad, who was more of a dad to me than my father. He offered me a cup of tea, but I refused politely and went upstairs to Cade's room.

"Do you ever clean up?" I groaned, staring at the chaos of his room cluttered with video game consoles and piles of clothes.

"You've not answered any of my questions," he said, sitting next to me. "What's bothering you? Is it your girlfriend, Malory?"

"That bimbo isn't my girlfriend, and you know this," I snapped. Malory was my dad's choice for me but I didn't feel any form of attraction for her. 

We started playing a video game, and for a few minutes, I was able to get absorbed in it and even laughed as I won against Cade. He was a sore loser and complained the whole time, but it was good to have a distraction from my problems for a little while.

"I found my mate," I said casually to Cade in the middle of the next round. Cade stopped playing, and his face contorted in shock.

He jumped to his feet, shaking my shoulder. "Man! That's great news! Finally!"

"It's terrible news," I said, shaking my head, and Cade stared at me, confused.

"What do you mean?"

The tension in the air thickened, and I sighed. "She's forbidden."

He kept staring at me without saying anything. I was waiting for him to explain, but when I didn't, he began bombarding me with questions, getting more and more impatient with my vague responses.

"Fine, I'll tell you. My mate is Clarissa, the billionaire Alpha's daughter."

The moment Cade registered what I said, he gasped in raw shock and disgust. "Jalen, she's a werewolf. This is not good at all. You need to reject her."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Have you forgotten that I need my mate to break my curse?"

"Shit!" Cade winced. "What are you going to do?"

 I shrugged, lost in thought. My life was beginning to sound like a badly scripted movie. 

"It's like the universe is playing a cruel joke on me," I said, running my hands through my hair in frustration. "I finally found my mate, the one person who can break my curse, and she's forbidden fruit."

Cade paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in thought. "Okay, okay. Let's think about this rationally. You need to break this curse, but going after Clarissa is going to cause a major rift in the pack and eventually, a war. You could even get banished. We must find …"

I watched him and he gasped, a light bulb going off in his head "I have an idea," he winked. 

Chapter 4

Alone in my room, I sat on a plush white loveseat. I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about my Lycan mate and imagined how my parents would react if they found out.

Maybe love wasn't meant for me. That was the thought that kept swirling through my head as I stood in front of the full-length mirror, my red dress pooled at my feet and my neck, sore from rubbing it wearily. My mother hadn't said anything about my fall, and I was relieved to have avoided the topic.

I checked my phone. Several texts had flown in. I stared at the screen scrolling through the barrage of messages. A video of my fall had circulated online, and it had quickly become a trending topic.

Those gossiping bloggers must be grinning behind their screen, alight with excitement to gossip about my personal life and why I might have fallen. One even suggested that I might be pregnant and feeling dizzy.

I hadn't even had sex before. Maybe I was destined to be an old, lonely lady living in an old mansion, surrounded by overgrown gardens and sitting in a rocking chair with a horde of cats.

I rolled my eyes and went into my huge bathroom, trying to shake off the Lycan's face that filled my thoughts. As I leaned against the bathroom counter cluttered with skin care products, I closed my eyes in frustration and sighed. 

Doing my skincare routine was supposed to be a relaxing and therapeutic activity, but tonight it just wasn't working. My mind kept drifting back to him.  

The blaring sound of the mansion's alarm woke me up the next morning, and I groggily sat up, rubbing my eyes. I dragged myself out of bed and changed into my running wear, determined to get in a morning workout despite my fatigue.

As I ran down the stairs, I saw Sydney, my brother's girlfriend, standing in the hallway, taking pictures of her engagement ring. 

"Hey sister-in-law," she called with fake enthusiasm. I went past her without saying anything and stepped out into the crisp morning air, ready to lose myself in the rhythm of my run. 

 Outside, the dew was falling and all around the streets, my pack mates were jogging on the tarred streets toward the clearing. I fell into step behind them, feeling the burn in my muscles as I pushed myself to keep up.

As we ran, my assistant Grace ran beside me, her worried expression clear . "Are you okay? Rissa" she asked, panting slightly. "You're trending online."

I nodded. "Let them say whatever they like. It's the least of my worries."

" They never stop picking on you. See it as charity, because your news is adding extra coins to their pockets."

I smiled and we picked up the pace, eager to get to the clearing and begin our training.

As we arrived at the crowded training clearing, my pack mates of all shapes and sizes sparred and practiced their fighting skills. I took my place among them, throwing myself into the fray with fierce determination.

But even as I fought and trained, a part of my mind kept drifting back to my Lycan mate. I wondered how they trained. Lycans were powerful beasts, and werewolves didn't come close in strength.  

"Hey pumpkin, show me some moves," my dad, who was leading the training, blew his whistle and I shook my head in amusement. As we practiced, he watched me with a concerned expression.

"Are you okay, Rissa? You've been quiet since yesterday."

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell him about my mate and all the turmoil I was feeling inside.

"I'm good," I said, focusing on the training instead.

"Give me a kick-ass punch."

I laughed, remembering how my dad taught me to punch when I was a little girl and bullied in school. I punched him with a little too much force and he winced.

"Now that was deliberate!" I laughed and ran away, teasing him as he chased after me in the clearing. For a moment, I was able to forget about everything else and just enjoy the moment.

But my mum's voice ruined my mood as she scolded my dad when we ran past her. "Allen, you're treating Rissa like a five-year-old. It's high time she became a mother herself. All my friends have grandchildren. "

I hated starting my day by listening to Mum. Her words and crazy expectations and comparison always left me feeling frustrated and misunderstood so I walked away, a look of anger etched on my face. 

I took my bath, letting the steam rise from the surface of the bubbly water as I tried to clear my mind and relax. As I got ready for work, I sat at my dressing table and applied my makeup with sharp, precise movements. 

But as I was leaving the mansion, I couldn't avoid seeing Sydney, my brother's girlfriend, smirking at me from the doorway. I didn't bother giving her any response, knowing that she wasn't worth my time or energy. I was done with all the drama and just wanted to get on with my day.

I strode into the modern, sleek office building and my staff rushed to their workstations as they saw me enter. I shook my head with a small, amused smile as I watched them scurry to get back to work.

As I walked up a flight of stairs, my assistant Grace hurried to keep up and explained the day's schedule. My office was filled with the latest technology and gadgets, a testament to my success in the tech industry and my Dad's fat account. 

But as Grace spoke to me, gesturing animatedly with a folder in her hand, it was clear that my mind was elsewhere. 

"Are you even listening?"

"Course," I lied and nodded, making notes as I listened and trying to focus on the task at hand. 

I sat up, trying to focus on my work despite the distractions of the outside world. 

But all day, I couldn't concentrate. My body had changed since I saw the Lycan, and I found myself checking the internet for information about him. I didn't even know his name, and the lack of information was frustrating me to no end.

I groaned and tried to focus on a new software development program I was working on, staring at the lines of code on my computer screen, determined to lose myself in my work and forget about my Lycan mate for a little while. 

I worked late into the night, the only light coming from my computer screen and a small desk lamp. I wasn't in the mood to go home, so I stayed at my desk long after work hours. 

Two hours later, I walked through the darkened parking garage fishing out my car keys out of my bag, eager to get some rest. But before I could unlock my car, I felt someone behind me c

over my mouth with something that immediately made me go limp.

I couldn't call security for help. Next thing I knew, they carried me into a car and I slipped into unconsciousness.

Continue reading by searching for (Bound By The Lycan's curse)