Eight hours earlier

Faye’s POV

“Fuck, Faye, you’re so wet for me,” Thorn growled against my ear, with his fingers sliding deep inside me, slow and deliberate.

My back arched off his bed as pleasure shot through my body. I gripped the sheets, with my breath coming out in short gasps. He curled his fingers just right, hitting that spot that made my toes curl, and I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped from my lips.

He pulled his fingers out slowly, brought them to his mouth, and licked them clean while staring straight into my eyes the whole time. The sight made the heat pool lower in my belly. Then he leaned down, with his tongue warm and wet as it traced a line from my navel, up to my soft tummy, and all the way to my breasts. He circled one nipple before sucking it into his mouth, hard.

Inside my head, Ulfa, my wolf went wild.

“Mate! Touch mate! He tastes us, he wants us!” she yipped, with her tail wagging frantically in my mind. *Finally! Mark us! Claim us!*

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe the fact that this meant something. But I knew better.

Still, my hand moved on its own. I reached down, feeling nervous at first, with my fingers shaking as they brushed against him. He was already hard, hot and heavy in my palm. I wrapped my hand around his cock, stroking once, and then twice. A bead of precum leaked from the tip, and he groaned against my breast.

That sound undid me.

But even as my body melted under him, my mind drifted. How did I end up here? Naked. In Thorn Miller’s bed. Letting my adoptive brother, my tormentor, touch me like this?

Eight hours ago, I was nowhere near this room. Eight hours ago, I was standing in a dressing room at the mall, sweating and miserable.

I remember it clearly.

The stall keeper, a tired older woman with kind eyes, was struggling to zip up the fourth dress I’d tried on. The fabric pulled tight across my hips and stomach, refusing to close at the back. She tugged gently, then harder, but it wouldn’t budge.

I stood there in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection—strawberry blonde hair in a messy ponytail, blue eyes filled with embarrassment, and curves spilling out where they weren’t supposed to.

Then I heard the giggle. It was sharp and mean.

I turned my head just enough to see two girls standing near the entrance of the changing area. One had her hand over her mouth, trying and failing to hide her laughter. The other elbowed her hard.

“Tala, stop,” the second girl hissed. Then she looked at me with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about her, Faye. She’s rude.”

I forced a small smile back. “It’s okay, Rieka.”

Rieka was my best friend. The one who actually cared. The one who had dragged me out today even though I didn’t want to go.

Tala, though—the one still smirking—was Rieka’s friend who had tagged along uninvited. Skinny as a rail, all sharp bones and perfect angles. She flipped her dark hair over her shoulder and gave me a fake-sweet smile.

“They’re really sweating trying to get that on you, huh?” Tala said, loud enough for the stall keeper to hear.

The woman paused, wiped her forehead, and sighed. “This style just isn’t made for… fuller figures. Give me one minute, dear. I have one more option in the back that might work better.”

And with that, she disappeared behind the curtain, leaving me standing there half-dressed, with my cheeks burning.

I hated this. I hated everything about this trip.

Two days ago, I finally awakened my wolf. Ulfa came to me late—way too late. Most kids in the pack get their wolves between ten and eleven. I got mine at eighteen. People whispered about it. They said I was weak. Broken. And that the Moon Goddess forgot about me.

I was supposed to be ashamed. I was supposed to hide.

But Rieka convinced me to throw a party. “An Awakening party,” she called it. “Everyone does it. You deserve to celebrate too, Faye. You’re not less just because it took longer.”

So here I was, trying to find something cute to wear. Something that would make me feel normal. Pretty, even.

But nothing fit. Nothing ever fit.

I stared at my body in the mirror and felt the familiar wave of regret crash over me. Why couldn’t I be slim like the other girls? Why did I have to be the plump one? The one with thick thighs and a soft belly and arms that jiggled when I moved? My hair was too wild, my face too round, and my everything too much.

No one would ever want me. Not really.

I was the orphan that the Alpha and Luna took pity on. The girl raised beside their perfect son, Thorn. The one he loved to tease, to push around, and to make feel small.

I didn’t belong here. I didn’t belong anywhere.

The stall keeper came back with one last dress, holding it up hopefully. But before she could say anything, the little bell above the door jingled.

In walked a boy about my age—tall, lanky, and with messy brown hair and thick glasses that slid down his nose. He was holding two ice cream cones, one already melting in his hand.

Tala’s eyes widened. “Leo?”

He grinned. “Hi, twin.”

Tala snorted. “Oh my goddess, Leo, what are you doing here?”

The boy, Rowan, blushed bright red. “Rieka texted me. Said you guys were shopping and I should bring treats.” He lifted the cones like evidence.

Tala grabbed his arm, clearly embarrassed. “You’re such a dork. Come on, we’re leaving—”

But Leo stopped. His eyes landed on me, still standing there in the too-tight dress, zipper half done, looking like a complete mess.

He didn’t laugh. He didn’t look away.

He just smiled, softly and genuinely.

“You’ll look beautiful in any dress, Faye,” he said quietly.

Then Tala yanked him out the door, muttering something about him being embarrassing.

The bell jingled again as they left.

The stall keeper smiled at me with real hope in her eyes this time.

“This one has more to give,” she said. “It’s cut for curves. Let’s try it.”

I nodded and stepped into the changing room again. Rieka helped me slip it over my head while the woman waited outside. The fabric fell over my body gently, hugging my waist without squeezing too hard. Rieka pulled the zipper slowly, and even though it was still a struggle, it went all the way up.

I turned to the mirror and couldn’t believe what I saw. The dress actually fit. It made my waist look smaller, and my hips look fuller in a good way. My chest looked nice, not stuffed or spilling out. For the first time today, I didn’t hate my reflection.

Rieka grinned behind me. “Faye, oh my gosh. You look amazing.”

The stall keeper poked her head in, and her face lit up. “There it is! Finally! That color makes your eyes pop, sweetheart. You look beautiful.”

I felt my cheeks heat up. “Really?”

“Really,” she said firmly. “This is the one. Let’s get it off you carefully and I’ll package it up.”

Rieka reached for the zipper again to help me out. She tugged gently, then a little harder. Suddenly there was a sharp snap as the zipper pull came right off in her hand.

“Oh no,” Rieka whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

I froze. The dress was stuck on me now, with the zipper broken, and I couldn’t get it off without ripping it.

The stall keeper hurried in and stared at the damage. “Don’t worry, dear. Hold on. I have pliers in the back. I’ll get it off without hurting the dress.”

She rushed out again.

Rieka’s phone started ringing in her pocket. She glanced at the screen. “It’s my mom. I’ll be super quick.” She gave me an apologetic look and stepped outside the changing area to take the call.

The curtain fell closed, leaving me alone.

I stared at myself in the mirror again. The dress still looked pretty, but now it felt like a trap. I was stuck in it because my body was too much. Too big. Too everything.

Tears burned my eyes. I hated this. I hated how nothing ever worked for me. I hated my hips, my stomach, my arms. I hated that even when something finally fit, my body still ruined it.

My hands shook as I grabbed the fabric at the sides. I wanted to rip it off. I wanted to tear it to pieces and throw it on the floor.

“Why can’t I just be normal?” I whispered to my reflection. “Why do I have to be the fat one? Why does everything have to be so hard?”

I pulled at the dress, not caring anymore if I damaged it. A sob caught in my throat.

Then I heard movement behind the curtain. Fast footsteps and voices.

Before I could turn around fully, the curtain flew open.

Thorn stood there with his best friend Ryan right behind him. Ryan held his phone up, with the camera pointed straight at me, and the red light blinking. Recording.

Thorn’s green eyes raked over me slowly, taking in the stuck dress, my red face, and the tears I hadn’t wiped away yet. A slow, cruel smile spread across his lips.

“Well, well,” he said, his voice low and mocking. “Look at this. Little Faye all dressed up and nowhere to go.”

My stomach dropped. “Thorn, what are you doing here? Get out.”

He stepped closer instead, ignoring me. “Can’t even zip a dress properly, huh? Look at all that… extra.” He gestured at my body with one hand. “Trying to squeeze into something meant for actual girls, Faye? It’s almost sad.”

Ryan laughed behind him. “Bro, this is gold.”

Heat flooded my face. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to cover up even though the dress already covered everything. “Stop. Please leave.”

Thorn tilted his head, pretending to think. “Nah. I think we need to remember this moment.” He looked over his shoulder at Ryan. “Get a good shot of her from the side. Show everyone how the dress is fighting for its life.”

Ryan zoomed in.

“Thorn, don’t,” I begged, my voice cracking.

He turned back to me and leaned in close, with the phone still recording. “Smile for the camera, Faye. Come on. Give the pack something to laugh about tomorrow.”