FAZER LOGINCHAPTER 11: ARE YOU LOVE-STRUCK?DARIUS:I stood there by the window, watching the clouds gather in the sky, and let out a long, heavy sigh. I poured myself another glass of amber-colored scotch, the liquid burning as it went down, but it didn't kill the frustration.People think being the President of the Supreme Werewolf Council is all glory and power. They don't see the endless line of wolves, Alphas, and hangers-on who think they’re entitled to a piece of me. Everyone wants a favor, a handout, or a pardon for their screw-ups. So, when that girl—Zara—barged into my suite, I tried to be as friendly as I could. Even when she demanded dinner like she was ordering room service, I decided to oblige her. But the moment she hit me with a sob story about her father being a political prisoner, I knew it was time to kick her out."Right," I muttered to the empty room. "Her father is an innocent angel, and I’m supposed to just jump into the fray for a man I don't know?"She looked pathetic
CHAPTER 10: MORE TROUBLESZARA:I was leaning against the brick wall of the tenement, my breath hitching as I replayed Serena’s pathetic plea in my head. Rider might die if I didn't come to save him, she’d said. The last thing I wanted was to ever set my foot on the Stormfang pack house again. But saving Rider meant my father could also be saved. He was the only one I currently knew who could help me get my father out of that cell. I was just about to take out my phone and order another Uber ride to the Stormfang pack when the door behind me creaked open. My mother stumbled out, her face deathly pale, looking like she’d seen a ghost. She was clutching her chest, her breathing coming in jagged, wheezing gasps. She looked frantic, her eyes wide and unfocused."Mom? What’s wrong?" I spun around, grabbing her by the elbows to steady her.She looked at me, a tear tracking through the mud on her cheek. "My heart, Zara… there’s an ache. A sharp, burning pain." She gripped my forearm, her f
CHAPTER: STUCK IN THE RAINZARA:The elevator ride down felt like a slow descent into hell. Every time the floor indicator blinked, I held my breath, waiting for the doors to open and for Darius to pull me back, telling me he’d had a change of heart. But then my memory kept replaying the way he’d looked at me with that cold, indifferent mask and threatened to throw me out if I didn't leave immediately. I was a fool for thinking I could play him. I was a fool for thinking any man in power would care about a girl like me.When I stepped out into the hotel lobby, I didn't look back. I walked straight out into the humid night, the streetlights blurring through the tears I refused to let fall. I stood on the side of the road, frantically tapping on my phone, trying to summon a cab. My hands were shaking so bad I could barely type.I stood there for minutes, shivering in the light dress I’d worn to the mating ceremony that never happened, watching the city traffic crawl by. Then, a sleek, b
CHAPTER 8: NO HELP FROM DARIUS ZARA:The phone’s shrill ring cut through the heavy, suffocating silence of the suite like a blade. I was still reeling, my heart hammering against my ribs, humiliated by the way Darius had turned to stone the moment I’d kissed him. I felt like a fool for thinking that just because he served me dinner and poured me a glass of wine, he was into me. “I'm sorry,” I said, pulling away from him.My hand shook as I pulled my phone from my bag. The screen lit up, displaying Mom in bold letters. A strange, cold dread washed over me; my heart skipped a beat, not out of excitement, but out of pure, gut-wrenching instinct. I swiped to answer, pressing the phone to my ear. "Hello? Mom?""Zara," my mother’s voice came through, trembling and thin, like she was holding back a tidal wave of grief. "You need to come home. Immediately. There’s… there’s trouble here, Zara. So much trouble.""What is it, Mom? What happened?" My voice rose, bordering on panic. "Where’s Dad
CHAPTER 7: DON'T BE IMPULSIVE ZARA:When Darius pulled me back into his room, claiming he needed to investigate me, my first reaction was pure, unadulterated panic. Darius Stormfang wasn't someone you could just trifle with; he was the most dangerous, powerful man in the North American werewolf hierarchy. He was the law. But then, a cold, calculated idea struck me. Darius was Rider’s uncle, the man he feared so much, the man he looked up to, and he was also famously single. If I could get Darius to look at me, if I could make him want me, that would be the ultimate form of revenge. I’d be untouchable. I’d be the one holding all the cards.So, I pushed the fear deep down. I channeled every ounce of acting talent I possessed. I became the girl who didn't give a damn about anything, the girl who was bold, flirtatious, and completely unfazed by the billionaire CEO Alpha. It was a risky game, but I succeeded in forcing Darius to literally serve me dinner.But when he suddenly asked, "Who
CHAPTER 6: WHO HURT YOU?DARIUS:I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air hitting my skin, and saw a girl in silk perched on my bed. At first, I just concluded she was one of my flings sneaking in to surprise me. She probably bribed the concierge for a key, looking for a little midnight entertainment. But as I grabbed a towel to dry my hair, the vibe felt… off.I took a closer look. I’d never seen this face before. I’ve had numerous girls warm my bed since Adore, my mate, died. But I could make out their faces anytime. I've got a photographic memory for faces—part of the job description when you’re dealing with international pack treaties and high-stakes business deals—and she definitely wasn't one of the girls I've bedded.If she wasn't one of my flings, then who was she? And why was she in my suit? Probably an agent?That thought hit me instantly. My life is a constant game of chess with people who want to see me fall. I’ve stepped on plenty of toes, and there are more than a f







