JustinAnger was mild compared to the fierce rage consuming me. Sean was mocking me, knowing that I could only fight in my human form. He wanted me to shift—to humiliate myself.My chest heaved, and my heartbeat threaded wildly in my ears. My fist throbbed from the impact, but it wasn’t enough—not even close. The smug bastard deserved worse. He was always undermining me, always waiting for any crack to push me—just like now. I wanted more blood. I swung, again and again. The amusement in his eyes vanished, replaced by raw hate, His first strike landed in my stomach. My muscles coiled, and my hand lifted, but before I could follow through, a blur of movements stopped me. Marissa’s hand shot out, blocking the space between us. Her eyes pleaded desperately.“Justin, stop. Please!"My fingers curled into a tight fist. She thought this was her fault."The only reason you've been allowed to run your mouth and act like you matter is because my father lets you. Nothing else," I said,
Marissa I hadn't expected Hector to take the fake dating thing so seriously. In fact, I regretted ever bringing it up.He showed up everywhere. He acted like my boyfriend. It was suffocating.First, there was yesterday morning. We had barely stepped into the office when Hector strolled in with two cups of coffee, casually handing one to me like it was our new thing."For my girl," he said with a teasing wink, ignoring how I rolled my eyes. I had accepted it out of courtesy, but was uncomfortable.He walked me to the break room. He reminded me to act like a couple. He was enjoying it too much.And an hour ago, he had pushed it even further, suggesting we do a movie night."I'll order some pizza and come by your room," he said.That was the last straw.I didn’t want to see anybody, so with my jacket snug around my shoulders, I stepped into the hallway, keeping my steps light. My room was too close to Hector’s, and the last thing I wanted was for him to hear me and come knocking, asking
MarissaThat familiar pull tightened sharply in my chest the moment Justin stepped closer. A sensation burned low, curling inside me and demanding acknowledgment.The bond always became known no matter how much I tried to suppress it.It was maddening.It pressed against my senses. The air grew heavier and made my skin prickle. Every cell in my body attuned itself to his presence.I hated how easily he could command my attention without even trying.Every damn time.I fixed my eyes on the screen, pretending I wasn’t hyper-aware of his approach.But my body reacted before my mind could stop it. My pulse spiked when he stood beside me, and my skin burned with the electricity that always came with his presence.Don’t look at him. Don’t give him the satisfaction.But he was looking at me.And against my better judgment, I looked back.Our eyes met.It wasn’t anything dramatic. Just a simple glance.Yet, in that second, something shifted.His gaze was unreadable as if he were searching for
Marissa My words lingered in the air, more of an accusation than anything else. He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he just stared at me. Something intense flashed in his hazel eyes before his lips curled into a dangerous smirk."Why are you turning the tables on me?" he asked, leaning closer.I swear I felt my soul leaving my body.Breathing became nearly impossible, but I forced myself to try. "What are you talking about?"His eyes gleamed with something knowing. "You act like you don’t want me."Uh-oh.I took a swig of my drink, crossing my arms over my chest. "If I wanted you, I would have agreed to your advances."He chuckled darkly. "Even when you think I don’t notice, you always gaw at me."My heart skipped a beat, but I refused to look away. Then, he reached out, pulled my hoodie down, and twirled a finger around my hair.The act seemed harmless. But it wasn’t.It felt better than anything I had ever experienced."You’re blushing," he murmured, grinning as he lowered his
MarissaMy fingers tightened around the glass as I made my way back to Wendy. I wasn’t in the mood for any more nonsense, but fate clearly had other plans.Justine was with her.Great. Just great.She watched me with that familiar desire in her eyes, grinning as if suppressing a sigh. I extended the drink to Wendy.Her manicured fingers brushed against mine deliberately, and she examined the glass as if expecting me to have poisoned it.I had no energy to engage in whatever power play Wendy was trying to set up. Both Wendy and Justine were looking at me like I was a particularly fascinating specimen under a microscope.Unlike Wendy, who thrived on being condescending, Justine seemed intrigued."Anything else?" I asked Wendy, hoping to extract myself from the situation."If it isn’t my favorite assistant," Justine said, leaning against my table with a relaxed smile playing on her lips. "How’s your day going?""It’s been eventful," I said, keeping my voice polite. "You?"She shrugged. "
MarissaThe bus slowed to a halt at the general bus stop near the central district. The moment the doors hissed open, I stepped down and had barely taken in my surroundings before spotting my brother leaning against his car, a lazy grin stretched across his face."Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," he called out, pushing off the car and opening his arms wide.I laughed, already hurrying toward him, and crashed into his chest."Hello, little brother," I said, showering his face with kisses. He grimaced as if irritated, but deep down, I knew he liked it."I’ll show you how not so little I am," he said, lifting me off the ground. I yelped, swatting at his shoulders."Put me down, you overgrown puppy!"After having his fun, he finally obeyed, setting me back on solid ground. I rolled my eyes and wiped the sweat off my forehead.A few of the werewolves who had descended from the bus laughed at our exchange, giving Brian respectful nods. Some of the males even shook hi
Marissa A heavy silence settled in the room.Stunned, Brian sat frozen. His blank stare shifted as he realized what I was talking about. "I don’t understand.""That makes two of us," I muttered . "I found out at the festival. The moment I saw him, the bond slammed into me. I felt everything. But something is wrong."He leaned closer. "What do you mean?" "He refuses to acknowledge it," I sighed, frustrated. "He won't reject me either. It’s like the bond doesn't exist for him.”Brian’s fists crashed against the table, rattling the dishes. A glass nearly tipped over. He shoved back his chair, pacing like a caged wolf, barely keeping his anger contained."Why the hell didn’t you say something sooner?" he snapped."Because I needed to be sure!" I shot back. "And because I didn’t want to humiliate myself! Can you imagine if I confronted him and he dismissed me? That would be worse than rejection."He stopped pacing for a moment, exhaling sharply, as if forcing himself to think."But now
MarissaAt some point, I must have drifted off. But, as always, I slept lightly. The soft click of my door jolted me awake. My ears strained against the silence. Someone had stepped into my room.My fingers fumbled for the lamp switch. Light flooded the space, revealing my father standing in the doorway. Still foggy from sleep, I registered his presence. He grinned, bouncing on his heels like a child with the best news of his life.What the hell was wrong with this man, barging into my room and acting giddy in the middle of the damn night?A headache was pulsed at my temples. I shoved my tangled hair back and sat up, rubbing the ache from my skull."Do you not understand the concept of knocking?” He waved a hand. "Why would I knock? I’m the one who gave birth to you.""Pretty sure that was Mom," I deadpanned. "The one you disrespected every chance you got.” "Oh, come on, Rissa." He rushed forward , yanking me into an exaggerated hug. "My brilliant, beautiful daughter. My pride. My
Amaya I sat cross-legged on the floor beside my open suitcase, with clothes scattered like a crime scene as I tossed them in.My dad and Marissa didn’t say it, but I knew. They were sending me away because I was a burden. They didn't have to say it when their energy screamed it loud enough to bruise.I didn’t want to go to the Academy. A place where my life would be regulated down to what time I could breathe. But this was the Lycan world. The closer you were to the throne, the tighter the leash.Most packs didn’t even want royal blood hanging around because it made them nervous. Royal drama caused wars. And the one person who could’ve taken me in, my mother, chose a man over her own daughter.I sighed. These thoughts were toxic, but they never left. I shoved a rolled-up T-shirt into my bag and yanked my phone from the nightstand.Text to Xavier:Guess what. I'm going. Sunday.His reply came instantly.XAVIER: Hell yeah! I knew you'd cave. You and I are gonna rule that place.I snort
Amaya I clutched my heels in one hand and the gate handle in the other, swaying as I shut it behind me.The night air slapped my cheeks, just enough to remind me I needed to tiptoe. The guard posted outside gave me that look. The one that said you're not like your sister, the perfect little heir who didn’t keep late nights and was being groomed for a crown.I padded barefoot across the driveway. Xavier had dropped me off. I never took my car when I planned to drink. The front door was unlocked. That meant my dad was still up.I slipped inside like I was crossing enemy lines. The hallway was dark, but Amber's birthday aftermath lingered. Scattered chairs, empty glasses, and glitter from the party. I headed to the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. I grabbed two slices of leftover pizza, flicked off the light, and crept upstairs. Halfway through, my phone slipped out of my hand and clattered down a step. I mouthed a silent curse and kept moving, pausing at the top to make sure
Twenty-plus years later Amaya Getting abandoned by your own mother needs to be listed as the most painful form of betrayal.Hearing my mother constantly say no to my request to live with her and her husband made something burn deep inside me. The kind of burn that doesn’t leave—it just sits there, quietly ruining everything.Was I really that unlikable? It wasn’t even about love. She never gave me the chance to know what that felt like. What broke me was the fact that no matter where I went, I was always the forgotten one.Hi. I’m Amaya. I’ll be turning 21 in three months. Bastard daughter of the King they fear and worship—Justin, the Lycan King of the Southern Province. My mother? Wendy. A Lycan princess who got pregnant to secure a spot in my father’s life.Unfortunately for her, he married Marissa—my stepmother, now the queen, and the actual love of my father’s life.I didn’t even know Marissa wasn’t my biological mother until I was eight. My mom popped up out of nowhere like a b
Marissa I needed air. Space. A few minutes where I didn’t have to see Wendy’s smug face or listen to her voice claiming royalty over my life. So I slipped away from the banquet hall, heading toward the other wing of the estate—anywhere that would put me out of her line of sight.But halfway down the corridor, I stopped.My breath caught. The bond struck me like lightning—sharp, primal, and thick with longing. My body responded before my brain did. I sniffed the air, eyes wide, heart racing.Justin.I turned slowly, already knowing.He had just walked in. Fully dressed for the banquet, head turned slightly to the side like he had just caught the scent too. His face was tense, unreadable, but the second his eyes landed on me, everything changed.He froze.His eyes roamed over my body, from the top of my pinned-up hair to the curve of my waist to the heels I barely managed to stand in. First, his expression showed disbelief, then something deeper. Hunger. Wonder. Relief.Then we started
MarissaI woke up with a sharp tug in my chest and the burning need to see Justin.It had been a week since I left. A full week without his voice or touch. Just heavy silence.I already knew the results. I knew he was the father.The memory of that call with Justine still sat on my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake.“Marissa…”She’d called around 10 p.m., sounding hesitant. I’d expected it, but it still hit like a punch.“The results came in.”I couldn’t speak. My chest pulled tight.“It’s positive. Wendy wasn’t bluffing.”My heart clenched. I bit down hard, tasting blood, just to stop the tears.“How’s Justin taking it?”She hesitated. “He’s… not himself. He won’t talk to anyone. He barely sleeps. You know how he gets when things spiral. He’s blaming himself. And now that Wendy has free access to the family, it’s chaos.”That was five days ago.And now, I couldn’t take the distance anymore. I had to see him, not just because I missed him, but because if this silence dragged on any
MarissaBrian came down the stairs slowly, pale. His mouth set in a hard line.“Is that true?” he asked quietly. “You cheated on Mom while she was sick?”“Brian,” Dad said, reaching for him.“Don’t. Touch. Me” Brian stepped back, yelling. “You told me you loved her. That you did everything for her. You lied to me!”“Stop it! It's not what you think.”Brian turned to me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”I swallowed hard. “How could I? You were just a kid. Mom made me promise not to poison you against him. She didn’t want you growing up with hate in your heart.”Brian’s eyes turned red and he stared at me. “I thought he moved on because we needed someone.”I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you so many times. But I couldn’t break that promise.”He looked like he was struggling to breathe like his entire world had flipped upside down.I reached for him. “Brian, I’m sorry.”He let me hug him, and I held him tight, my tears soaking through his shirt. Behind us, the shouting continued—m
Marissa I had made up my mind. I was going home.Not because I missed it, and definitely not because I wanted to see my father or his wife. I just needed a change of scenery.Brian said I could stay with him for a bit, or I’d get a temporary apartment if needed. But I also knew how that went at that crazy pack, how single women were bounced around when they didn’t have a man’s name tied to the lease. If I couldn’t get something decent, I’d check into a hotel and figure it out from there.I needed space. Distance. Time.I was in the middle of zipping up my second box when I heard a knock. Then came Justine’s voice before I could answer.“This is dramatic, don’t you think?”I opened the door to see her and Justin standing there. They both looked way too polished for a casual visit like they had somewhere else important to be, but they came anyway.Justine looked over my shoulder into the room. “You packed like you’re going to the moon.”“It’s just two boxes,” I said, trying to sound ca
JustinWhen I knocked on Marissa's door, I didn’t expect her to look happy. She stared at me like I was a piece of furniture.She wasn’t frowning. She didn’t slam the door in my face. But she wasn’t smiling either. Her expression was calm, like someone who’d already had the emotional breakdown and was now in full recovery mode.“Can I come in?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.She shrugged, stepped aside without saying a word.I hesitated before stepping in. Her room smelled of her shampoo, lemon-scented body mist and the bond. I held out the small shopping bag.She blinked. “What’s that?”I offered it again. “Just check it.”She gave me an unreadable look. Then she reached out and accepted it opened the bag and pulled out the velvet box, flipped it open, and rolled her eyes.Shit.“You don’t like it?” I asked quickly. “I can change it. There’s another set I saw, more silver—”She closed the box, dropped it back into the bag, and placed it down like it was a file she didn’t
JustinI paced the hallway outside the Queen’s study, heart racing like I’d just run a marathon. When my mother finally called me in, I didn’t waste time pretending I was calm.“She’s still ignoring me,” I said, not even bothering to sit.My mom looked up from the book she was reading, brows raised. “Who?”I stared at her. “Who else? She's acting like I committed a crime.”“Well…” she started, dragging out the word, “you did get another woman pregnant. No woman wants that, trust me.”I scowled. “Allegedly.”She shut her book and sighed. “Honey, I love you. But let’s not act like this isn’t complicated.”“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I muttered, walking to the window. “Wendy and I were barely even together. We hadn’t touched each other in months. The last few times, I used protection. Every time.”“Protection isn’t foolproof,” she said.I turned to face her. “I know that. But I also know Wendy. She’s not the type to sit quietly while being dumped. She’s petty. This whole thing feels ti