LOGINDave Stark gently set Bella down on the bed as if she were some precious but dangerous merchandise.With one hand pressed against the side of her head and the other reaching out for her, he came close to her as if the only thing that kept him sane was to close as much space as he could between them. His eyes wandered over her face as if committing her features to memory.Bella’s breathing was shallow.Then, in one smooth motion, Dave stood up to remove his white T-shirt by taking it off over his head.Her eyes betrayed her.Broad shoulders. Muscular arms honed from violence and training. A powerful chest expanding and contracting with controlled inhalations. A hint of body hair disappearing into the waistband, tempered abs disappearing into low-slung black jeans."Perfection" was a very weak word.A dark glint flickered in Dave's eyes as he noticed the way her eyes lingered.He whispered, "You’re perfect."Then he kissed her.Not gently.Not carefully.He pressed his lips to hers as i
As soon as the words escaped her lips, Bella regretted saying them.The silence that followed was oppressive rather than awkward.Dave Stark was a few feet away from her, his jaw locked so tight that it made a tickly spot beneath his skin. Suddenly, the loft, which was this private space of his, seemed to be shrinking, with walls closing in on the conversation to hear."So," chewing nervously on the gum she had foolishly put into her mouth only minutes before, Bella spoke. "Are you interested in seeing me nude? Is that all you want? Want me to strip for you?*The question was half-trembling, halfWhy did she make such statements at all?She fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, which was too large for her. It smelled of his scent. Clean. Dark. Dangerous.Dave looked just as tense.“No,” he said after a beat. Then he corrected himself. “I mean—yes. But not like that.”She blinked.He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing once before stopping. “You asked about the pictures. It’s not… a
Bella had not been sleeping well.Desire was a restless thing that curled around her ribs like smoke that lingered, not because she was afraid or doubted.She was startled from her reverie by the thrum of a very powerful engine.Just as the early morning mist began to clear from the street, a matte-black Aston Martin Vantage appeared at Linda's townhouse. The car's predatory, expensive, sleek design made it seem out of place among the modest buildings surrounding the area.Dave Stark stepped out.He was noticeable even from a distance.Tall, wide-shouldered. Wearing a charcoal coat and dark slacks, he exuded quiet authority. The air changed just by his presence, as if the world moved to make room for him.Before Bella could even get to him, her breath caught.Dave's firm, possessive hand was on her jaw as soon as she slid into the passenger seat, turning her face in his direction.His mouth claimed hers without warning.The kiss was deep. Hungry. The kind that replaced thought with he
Bella stood in the silver glow of the moon and watched the taillights of Dave Stark's car disappear down the street. She still felt the electricity from the touch of his hands on her dress, the memory of hiscontrol burning around her neck like a manacle. He had zipped her dress together while his hands shook, and he growled, "Go. Before I forget that I am attempting to behave as a gentleman."She hadn’t been able to trust her voice to respond to him. “I’ll call you if I can,” she’ll say. “I’ll call you if I can,” she’ll say if she speaks. Then she would climb back into his lap and take his mouth andBut now, in this moment, facing the small rented bungalow she shared with her mom, Linda, and little sister, Amanda. The flush of excitement slid away, replaced by a tight knot in the pit of her stomach.In fact, she flushed in embarrassment as she saw them lying sprawled on the worn-out sofa—but the sofa was no longer worn.Everything that was inside the house was no longer the same.A fl
Bella’s heartbeat pounded against her skin like a drum. Dave Stark loomed over her—a tall, dark figure of menace, his very presence making her treacherous body react to him against her will. His voice rumbled to a low, decadent whisper, like a serpent coiled around her vertebrae.“Bella," he drawled—saying her name as if it held a promise and a threat.A smile crept slowly over her lips. With one finger, she drew a path down the center of his chest, tracing the edge of muscle beneath cloth. “What do you say, Dave?” she whispered. “Think you can handle me?”He doesn’t respond. His fingers dug into her hips with such intensity she gasped, the noise between a shriek and a laugh. His eyes go dark, his pupils dilated.“Don’t tempt me,” he warned, but his voice didn’t have much conviction.Bella leaned in closer, her hand drifting lower – deliberately slow, deliberately wicked.“Was that a challenge I heard?” she whispered.His breath shuddered — just once — before he growled softly, “Bella
Outside the great council chamber, moonlight spilled across stone steps like silver paint. The banners of two packs—Greywolf and Blackmoon—flapped sharply in the night wind, though no celebration followed the verdict inside.Not a single representative from either pack looked pleased.Silvermoon wolves stood stiff-jawed, eyes tight with resentment. Heartburn wolves whispered among themselves, fear flickering across every face. When royalty—true hybrid royalty—was involved, obedience was not optional. Free will evaporated the moment Lord Halden had spoken.The only person smiling was Luna Meredith.Pride poured off her like perfume—heavy, sweet, impossible to ignore. Her niece—Bella—was now bound to a hybrid prince. To royalty. And in their culture, that meant legacy. Power. History rewritten.“An honor,” she boasted to anyone willing—or unwilling—to listen. “Our family now holds ties to the Shadow Throne itself.”Bella watched from beneath a tall tree on the courtyard lawn, her arms w







