As we stepped off the plane, my senses were assaulted by the flurry of activity and all the confetti being thrown into the air around us.
“All hail the queen!” they called out, their voices ringing with a solemnity that caused me to wince.I hadn’t expected anything grand and big like what I was currently experiencing. I had not even thought of expecting a welcome.And then, as if on cue, they all bowed before me, their gestures a show of respect that left me speechless.“All hail the queen!” They chorused again, head bowed down with one hand pressed to the chest..I stood there, frozen in place, my mind struggling to process what had just happened.I’d thought Betnerd was just a small kingdom in the north, but I was shocked by the turn of events. Even when Chase told me about being a king here; I never thought it was something so grand. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself being greeted with such reverence? It was even worse because now, more than ever, I knew I did not deserve it.I was a laughing shock in Zakori, and it was only a matter of time before the news traveled to Betnerd. But even before that happens, they might have noticed the brand on my wrist.‘Well, this is unexpected,’ Nia said, mirroring my thoughts. ‘Looks like you've got yourself quite the fan club, Zara.’I chuckled silently, grateful for her dry wit.‘Tell me about it. I never thought I'd be greeted like royalty at an airport.’As I glanced around at the faces of those gathered before me, I realized that this wasn't just about me, it was about the role I now held as queen and the responsibilities that came with it. I was now expected to be better than the other wolves and lycans, but the truth was that I wasn’t, and it was only a matter of time before that truth was exposed.“You may rise!” Chase announced to the crowd.As the crowd rose, their eyes instantly fell upon me, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was being scrutinized and judged for every move I made.Hand in hand, we made our way through the crowd, and I could hear the hushed whispers and murmurs that followed in our wake. I felt their eyes boring into me, their scrutiny piercing through me like a thousand needles.I bowed my head and walked through the crowd, tears pricking my eyelids and threatening to fall at any moment. But then, I felt Chase's hand gently squeezing mine, a silent reassurance that I was not alone.“Keep your head high, and act like a queen. My queen,” he said.With that, I squared my shoulders and met their gaze head-on as we both walked to the car waiting for us, which drove us to Chase’s pack palace.“This is my home and your home for the next three months,” Chase announced as we walked into the enormous mansion.His staff all lined up to welcome me, their eyes eager and shining.“This is the first time I’m bringing a woman here, so they’re a bit surprised,” he said.I smiled at them as he introduced me to them; the word queen made me feel like I was floating. It was a big title, one that carried a lot of weight.‘What if I mess up, Nia?’ I asked her.‘You won’t! We won’t!’ Nia encouraged.‘But this big house, this title, this man who’d offered to help me. What if I fuck it all up?’‘You won’t!’I was now in a new kingdom, in a new pack, and married to a man I barely knew. I wanted to trust him, but I couldn’t even do that after everything that had just happened.I was extremely vulnerable, and my heart ached. And suddenly, it felt like all the emotions I’d tried to suppress for the past few hours were coming down on me hard and fast.After the introduction, Chase led me to a room at the end of the east hall. It was large and completely arranged to fit my style and taste. I gasped and took it all in.“When did you do this?” I asked, my eyes still fixed on the room.“Today, while we were on the plane.”I nodded, impressed. “Your people do work fast.”“They do.” With his hand in his pocket, he walked around the room, too. “You should rest for a bit. I need to have a conversation with my Alpha beta and Alpha delta.”“Alright,” I said to him, and before he left the room, I called out. “Thank you for everything.”“You’re welcome,” he said with his back to me and walked out.I slowly opened my eyes to the rays of sunlight streaming in through the large windows located at the corner of my room. The events of the past day filled my head, giving me a slight migraine. It all felt like a dream, but it wasn’t, and I hated that. I also had no idea that I’d slept that long. It was probably because I was so tired.As I slowly emerged from the depths of sleep, the unfamiliar surroundings of the lavish bedroom came into focus. I was in Chase’s mansion, and I hadn’t even taken it in the previous day because I had a lot to think about. ‘Oh, he’s rich,’ Nia mused as we took in the ornate curtains and the very expensive furniture that adorned the room. It was like I’d been teleported into another dimension filled with wealth and luxury, and then suddenly at that thought I felt a pang of guilt in my chest. Did I really deserve all this? It didn’t feel like I did, especially with the brand sitting on my wrist for everyone to see. Blinking away the remnants of slumber,
It was almost instantaneous, the change in their behavior and movement. The warmth and kindness that they’d shown toward me when the day started evaporated immediately, and it was replaced by an icy coldness that chilled me to the bone.It was as if the air itself had turned frigid, and I felt exposed. Without another word, Pamela and Darcy hurried to finish dressing me, their movements frantic and disjointed. It was clear that they couldn't wait to be rid of me, to escape the presence of someone marked by such a symbol of shame and disgrace. And I could see firsthand how everyone who was to come in contact with me from this point would react. It was something I had to carry everywhere with me, and I completely hated it. They quickly excused themselves and practically ran out of the room. I looked down at the branding on my wrist. What would happen now? Is this the same reaction I would get from everyone I came across? I knew that I was already married to Chase, and he assured me
“… that building has been around since Chase, Shane, and I were children. We made a bet that it’d collapse ten years ago, and yet, here it is still standing,” Ryan said, pointing at the rickety building in front of us. The building looked like it was going to collapse at any moment, and I wondered how it was still standing. The brick wall was crumbling in on itself, and the sagging roof spoke of how the building had weathered through the time that passed.Ryan had taken me around the pack house to give me a much-needed tour, and I didn’t know if it was because he noticed I looked a bit sad after hearing that I was going to see the elders tomorrow or if he just wanted to do something nice for me. Either way, I really appreciated it. “It's hard to believe this building is still standing. It looks like it’s going to fall at any given moment," I said. Ryan nodded in agreement. “I remembered when we used to dare each other to go inside.”I chuckled, feeling a little bit lighter. “Really
ZARA.“Go Zara! Go, Zara! Go, Zara!” The girls all shrieked and egged me on in unison as a dark-haired stripper kept grinding on me. My eyes were focusing on anything clearly because I’d taken one too many tequila shots, and the dimly lit bar we were in seemed to blur around me. I could feel the oontz oontz vibrations of the music pulsating around me, but that was it. The stripper’s proximity sent wave after wave of uneven shivers through the entirety of my body, his touch igniting a wild fire within me. My partially non focused eyes caught a balloon hanging from one of the chairs that was pink and shimmery and had the words ‘bride to be’ on it. I looked down at the sash across my red dress and noticed that it had ridden up to reveal a hint of stocking. There and then, surrounded by the loud music and the intoxicating scent of alcohol, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement mixed with a tinge of nervousness. The bachelorette party was in full swing, the energy was infectio
The first rays of sunlight shone down on my face, stirring me awake from my sleep. I blinked groggily as I opened my eyes and tried to take in my surroundings.The room seemed to blur into focus, revealing itself in all its unfamiliarity. There was minimalistic dark artwork on the walls, and the room was filled with beige and neutral tones. A sleek modern dresser stood against one wall, its surface cluttered with different items. I glanced around the room, searching for any familiar trace, any sign that I had been here before. But as I took in the clean lines and unblemished surfaces, it became painfully clear that this was a place I had never set foot in before until now. Dread filled me, and I tried not to panic. Where was I? What was going on? How had I ended up here, in this stranger's room, on my wedding day?Then, slowly, snippets of the previous night began to flood my memory, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. Rodrigo dancing on me. Excusing myself to go t
CHASE.You know what they say about chaos knocking on your door and you falling for it? That was exactly what I did. Falling into the arms of a lycan I had never seen before until yesterday. And now, she has vanished!I’d nearly forgotten that Asher, my nephew’s wedding was today. All because my brain had been fucked with by the woman from last night. Just what was I thinking?I hissed as I hurriedly got dressed so I could rush to the venue.‘So, Whose fault was it?’ I broke the silence between Drew and I. ‘I mean, you kind of went berserk the moment we saw her, and I think you pushed me into taking her. And now she’s gone.’‘We will find her,’ came Drew’s short reply. ‘Nothing to worry about. We need to find her. I need her again.’‘Well, too bad she left no contact details. Or did she leave one with you?’ I snickered, as I buttoned up my crisp white shirt.‘We will find her,’ he said again, sounding more determined. ‘I will find her.’I said nothing to that as I finished dressing u
Zara was our mate? How? I mean…“Uncle Chase!” Asher’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You made it!” He added, bowing before me.“Hello, Asher,” I nodded at him as I pushed my glasses to the bridge of my nose, my eyes still pinned on Zara, who had her head ducked down now, her shoulders slumped in a defeated way.“Sorry. You got here at the wrong time. What a shit show,” he hissed, rubbing his forehead.I ignored him and said nothing as my brother walked up to us, and I bowed in respect. He waved his hand at me, dismissing me like he always did, and stood before Zara.“You are no longer a member of this pack and kingdom. Woe shall be unto you, your family, and your generation. May the wrath and curse of Lumus descend upon you forever for cheating on your mate!” he finished.“It wasn't like I ever wanted her,” Asher grumbled, as he pulled a woman, who had been standing close to him since I arrived, to his chest. “I’ve always wanted Lina, not her.” He added. “The damn mate bond was the
ZARA.“Father, I want to marry Lina,” Asher said, squeezing Lina’s shoulder.Of course he’d say that. Of course he’d want to marry her. After what he had just finished saying to me? Why was I surprised he made his wish clear?Yet, I couldn't do anything as the tears spilled from my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I couldn't do anything at the slice of pain that shot through me. Couldn't do shit other than to watch my life get ruined.Okay, so obviously, Asher had every right not to marry me, because what I did was very vile, although I had no idea why I’d done that, but I completely understand him. Even if I shouldn't. Even if I now know he and Lina have been doing it. But deciding to get married to Lina on a whim was what I didn’t understand. Okay, not a whim. They have been together for a while now according to him, which totally makes sense.All the more reason to make me believe that this was planned. I had been set up. What I don't know is if both Lina and Asher planned this, or