THE ONE WHO CLAIMED HER

Malik’s POV

‘Mate!’

Mate?

My Wolf had stirred violently at the sight of her.

I felt so many strange feelings awakened in me by her presence, but how is that even possible?

I had lived too long with loneliness and hatred running through my veins, so feeling anything this deeply unsettled me.

I hate it.

I never craved to be tied to someone.

At least not her.

Someone I had only watched from afar, knowing that my brother valued her above everything because she was his mate, and a ladder to greater power.

Having her was supposed to be the greatest achievement of his life.

At least, that was what I thought until she came here with faintly swollen eyes and a dry, exhausted face, like someone who had cried herself empty throughout the night.

It got worse to know he had cheated on her with her own sister.

What in the name of stupidity could have driven him to take such a risk?

Of course it's arrogance and lack of self-control.

He was confident that no one would ever take his place, and that the calm Odeya would eventually forgive him if he got caught.

That spoiled brat never changed, and that has now worked in my favour- my sweet revenge.

Mason had now practically handed me everything he had spent years building, and all the years I had spent plotting the downfall of the Duskbane Empire had suddenly fallen into my hands without me lifting a finger.

Maybe life really did favor the patient one.

But I had spent so many years drowning in darkness that it had consumed whatever mercy was left in me.

Those years of both of us growing up with ruthless tests, manipulative competitions, and brutal training between Mason and me had only been to determine who would become the heir.

I won the place because I was more intelligent and much of a critical thinker, but things got complicated when the family finally introduced me to their main source of wealth aside from the medicine business.

They have a cruel and illegal business which I will reveal later.

If the secrets ever reached the public, the court would rule that the entire Duskbane family be wiped out.

Yes, that is how dark it is.

The worst part is that they have been doing it for generations.

I never wanted to be involved, so they had to keep me silent, not caring if it caused my death.

That is where my sexuality came in.

It was pinned on me when I least expected it, and the testimonies of numerous male bodyguards, who were all claiming that I had forcefully kissed them and subjected them to forbidden sexual acts through their anus, were enough to make the accusation seem convincing to the people.

It was all lies.

I was never gay.

My so-called family framed me.

Mason didn't refuse out of fear of the consequences, so he joined them and now stays as the heir.

My father and his devilish brothers were even happier because he was the Grand Alpha's daughter's mate.

If he ever ascended to the throne, they would have someone powerful enough to protect their operations and manipulate the law in their favor.

They will become uncontrollable.

I wasn't innocent.

Over the years, I had become a criminal who roamed in the dark myself because most of the time only a criminal could defeat another set of criminals.

Just that my crimes don't cost the blood of the innocent people in the Mooncrest Pack.

And now, with Odeya sitting before me, everything has flipped for the better.

She doesn't need to know about those dark sides of the world. She is only trusting me because she knows I hate my family, and she feels she would be comfortable around me as a fake husband because she thinks I am gay.

I need to keep a gentle attitude for everything to fall in place.

We have concluded a six-month contract marriage. “Stamp it,” She said, shifting the two rectangular papers with rules we are to abide by.

It was written by her.

I trailed my eyes through them, my attention caught by the place she wrote in capital letters for me not to have any sexual interests or crushes on men throughout the deal so that we would be on the safer side.

It's like a huge warning.

I stopped myself from smirking, nodding my head as I stained my thumb with the ink to stamp both documents.

She sighed heavily and took one copy.

“I will get everything set up, including your name, because I am the one putting effort into the wedding preparation anyway. Just find a blue ceremonial attire, and meet me at the dressing room that is at the palace hall. No one will stop you because they might not be able to tell the difference between you and your twin, ” she said, and stood up.

I did the same, eyes lingering on her face as I spoke dryly. “How were you able to know I wasn't your mate?”

I didn't know why my tongue felt sore.

“Your eyes, of course.” She looked away.

“Okay, deal?” I said, stretching out my hand.

She stared at it for a minute before reluctantly taking it. “Deal,” She answered, shaking hands.

My heart burned with pleasure at the contact.

This woman is my bond mate.

She was bonded to two males.

My twin brother and I.

I will not tell her, and I will never claim her.

THE WEDDING DAY

It has been hours since the ceremony, and the Duskbane family's seating arrangement is still empty.

Everyone looks dead, or is it that they hate Odeya so much that they hide the life in themselves?

Merely ninety people attended, with the majority being council members, ministers, and the Pack's respectable elders who had no choice but to come.

It's so boring that some are sleeping.

If only they could wait for the drama to start.

I myself can feel the suspense brewing with how late they are.

The one who stands as the bride's mother has been glaring around like a haunting witch while her daughter keeps biting her lower lip and looking around nervously.

She knows I am not Mason, but can't point it out, which is why she has been looking at the entrance for the groom's family to arrive first so she can confirm.

The bastard who had hurt her sister.

The priest had already prayed, and everything on the list had been ticked except for the groom's parents' blessings on the couple.

The elderly man grunted in irritation for the twentieth time today before turning to me.

“The groom's family usually arrives with the groom. How can you be the only considerate one? Is this how they will be late if the Grand Alpha wasn't on his sickbed?” He lashed out, unable to hide his anger.

Frustrated grumbles from different corners of the hall cut through the air.

“The groom’s family has arrived!” Odeya’s stepsister’s loud voice made everyone fall silent, their necks stretching toward the entrance.

I felt Odeya tense beside me, so I reached for her hand and held it firmly.

“Why are there two grooms?!” that idiot girl screamed again, her voice echoing through the hall.

Everyone snapped their eyes to the huge banner, eyes widening in horror.

They didn't notice it at all.

This was my time to act.

My family began to stroll inside like they owned the world; their confidence was more than that of a world leader.

My blood boiled, but the sight of the color draining from their faces gave me enough reason to smile.

“The groom for today is Malik Duskbane,” I announced, stepping forward. “And here I am,” I added, protectively pulling my wife to my side.

“What the hell are you talking about?!” Mason stormed forward, his face hardening. “You are an outcast who committed a taboo, and everyone here knows that!” He pointed a warning finger at me and looked back at the parents with so much fear.

The audacity.

I badly wanted to snap that finger and smash his head on the floor.

"She is mine!" I growled, daring anyone to come closer.

My claws sharpened and stretched out at my claim over her. I panicked at my Wolf reaction as I remembered that I didn't want Odeya to know about me being bonded to her.

To make her not notice my Wolf reaction, I turned to her, cupped her face with both of my hands, and pressed my lips against hers.

The moment our lips met, a warming sweetness washed through my soul.

I didn't pull away.

Not even when the entire hall was filled with shocked voices from every corner, but deep down I knew that I would not be able to hide the bond from her for long because I would be around her almost all the time and would keep getting triggered.

Thankfully, she is Wolfless, so she can't feel it, but for how long will I be able to hide the burn in my heart?