LOGINCHAPTER 27: MY STOLEN DESIGN ZARA:I stepped into the elevator right behind Darius, my heart still hammering against my ribs from the impulsive kiss we had just shared in the VIP lounge. The gold-plated doors slid shut, sealing us off from the noise and the pulsing bass of the club below. We rode up in a heavy, charged silence all the way to the top floor, where his private penthouse suite was located.Darius slid a sleek electronic card into the slot, unlocked the heavy double doors, and pushed them open, stepping aside to gesture for me to go inside.I crossed the threshold, and my breath caught sharply in my throat.The room was massive, breathtakingly spacious, and furnished with a level of luxury that made the VIP lounge look like a cheap motel. I spun around to face him, my eyes wide. "Do you have a luxurious room like this in every single hotel in New York City?"Darius chuckled, a deep, rich sound that seemed to rumble right through the floorboards. "No. But I do have a priv
CHAPTER 26: I WANT TO GO WITH YOU ZARA:The taste of him was still on my tongue, but the cold reality of the moment was settling in heavy in my chest. Darius didn't push me away, I could give myself that much. But he hadn't kissed me back either. His lips had stayed firm, unmoving, while I poured everything I had into that kiss. For a full minute, I stayed there, clinging to him, letting his heavy, intoxicating scent completely fill my senses. It was a mix of cedarwood, and pure power, a smell that made my head spin and desperately wanted to make me lose myself entirely in him. I wanted to forget why I was really here, forget how bad my current situation was and just let him consume me.Then, his phone buzzed against my thigh.Darius gently nudged me aside, his hands resting on my shoulders just long enough to put some space between us. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the phone, and tapped the screen to read the incoming message.As his eyes scanned the text, his brow furro
CHAPTER 25: ZARA AND DARIUS ZARA:I didn't want to be another notch on some powerful man’s belt, just another cheap girl to be used for a night and then discarded like a piece of trash. I started to pull away, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs, but Darius’s grip on my hand tightened, his fingers locking around mine with a strength that was both possessive and inescapable."Behave," he said. The word wasn't a suggestion; it was an order, delivered with an authoritative, low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very air. My body rebelled, but my willpower crumbled; I couldn't ignore the command. And I had been waiting to see him all night. Now that he was right beside me, I wasn't going to throw away the opportunity just so I could please my ego.He guided me toward his private corner of the room, and before I could protest, he pulled me down, making me sit directly on his lap.Darius tilted his head, his dark eyes scanning my face with a terrifying intensity. "Y
CHAPTER 25: KEEP ME COMPANY ZARA:When I heard that voice, every nerve ending in my body went rigid. It was low, dangerous, and carried such an authority that made the very air in the club feel heavy. I turned my head slowly, and there he was. Alpha Darius Stormfang. He was standing just a few feet away, looking like a Greek god carved out of pure, unyielding marble. His suit was sharp, his posture was effortless, and the way he looked at Rider made the younger Alpha look like a trembling schoolboy.Rider’s grip on my hand loosened instantly. He stumbled back, his face going pale. "Uncle Darius! It’s good to see you, sir."Darius didn't look impressed. He stared at Rider, his eyes like two chips of glacial ice. "It’s Your Majesty to you, Rider."“Pardon me, Your Majesty,” Rider said with a slight bow. The silence that followed was deafening. Even the music seemed to dip in volume as if the club itself were holding its breath. Darius let his gaze sweep over our faces, his expressi
CHAPTER 24: RIDER NEVER LOVED YOUZARA:I stood there, feeling the sting of rejection sharper than any blade. Rider had let go of my wrist so fast, as if my skin were burning coals the moment Serena’s voice pierced the air. I stared at him, my heart feeling like a heavy, leaden lump. Was this it? Was this the man I had spent three years of my life with? I had cooked his meals, folded his laundry, cleaned up his messes, and stood by him while he navigated the brutal politics of the pack. I had kept him sane during his nightmares. I had given him every ounce of my soul.Now, it was crystal clear Rider never loved me. I was just a placeholder, someone he used to endure Serena dumping him for another man.Serena floated over, her movements fluid and predatory. Without even acknowledging my existence as a person, she planted a lingering, possessive kiss on Rider’s lips, her eyes darting to me with a smug, triumphant glint."Rider, darling," she cooed, her voice saccharine sweet but hidi
CHAPTER 23: RIDER IN THE CLUBZARA:Rider Stormfang.My heart skipped multiple beats at the sight of him. Rider had just stepped into the club.My breath hitched at how devastatingly handsome he looked tonight. He wore a charcoal-grey suit that fit his frame like a second skin. His hair was perfectly styled and he had one hand in his pocket. He was a perfect image of every woman's dream. Even though we had broken up, I couldn't deny the heat pulling at the pit of my stomach. I had loved him for three long years. That shared history wasn't just going to vanish overnight. Deep down, a tiny, traitorous part of my heart still beat for him, and my inner wolf gave a low, mournful whimper at the sight of her mate.Technically, we were still fated. I had rejected him after I caught him in bed with Serena instead of standing at the altar with me, but Rider had never officially accepted the rejection. He still considered me his.Memories started flooding my brain, unbidden and painful. I r







