~~Chapter One

Three years later

"Ashanti, are you daydreaming again?" Carmen snapped her manicured finger in my face to bring me back from my thoughts.

"Sorry, I got carried away. You were saying?"

Carmen sat next to me on the sofa, staring at me with sincere warmth, reaching out to pat my ginger hair. "When was the last time you had a proper hair wash? This hair is too beautiful to be tangled like this."

"I agree. She looks like a homeless lady with those damn eye bags," Harrison, Carmen's best friend added.

Shrugging, I sipped from the iced tea Carmen handed to me. "I've been job hunting and stressed as fuck."

Harrison raised his hand to stop me. “Ashanti, you're a sexy woman. At least make an effort to look good. I hate that you're letting yourself go like this. About your job, we need to make sure that this time, you get a proper, less stressful job than working at that damn bread factory where you're treated like a slave."

"Girl, your life sucks," my wolf, Bea, mocked me. She loved to do that. But as usual, I ignored her.

Deep down, I knew she was right. I transitioned from a Lycan princess who never had to lift a finger, to a workaholic who's worked as a storekeeper, a clerk, a janitor…name it. 

It was the price I had to pay for my peace and sanity. 

Life in the human world was a constant juggling act, moving between rented apartments, hotels, Airbnb, and inns and hiding from my father.

After money became tight, I took up a job as a barmaid on the Upper Coast, serving drinks to tourists and locals alike to cover my expenses.

It was during one of my shifts that I met Dave Walker, a millionaire according to human standards. Sex with Dave was wild and helped during my heat periods. 

Thinking I was just another broke high school dropout trying to make ends meet, he had no idea that I'd graduated top of my class with a degree in finance from the prestigious University of Lunacrest. 

My academic achievement was a well-guarded secret. My dad was monitoring me and I couldn't blow my cover. 

Dave seemed like a godsend at first, and I allowed myself to be swept into his world. But as time passed, I began to see his true colors. He was a fucking toxic bastard, who turned me into his sex slave and used hurtful words and manipulation to control me.

I fled from Dave's toxicity, seeking refuge in the home of my dear friends, Harrison and Carmen who welcomed me with open arms.

My wolf, Bea, hated me so much for trapping it into this world and controlling it with my human side. Carmen and Harrison, my hosts and human friends were good to me.

It was weird how strangers treated me better than my own family.

I'd choose Harrison and Carmen’s ugly apartment a thousand times over anywhere else without hesitation.

 Fuck the Lycans.

Fuck the moon goddess. 

And fuck that pig, Dave Walker. 

I met Harrison and Carmen two years ago at Speedy Bites Drive-Thru, where we worked as cashiers. They were university students at the time and needed the extra cash.

 They ate my lies without leaving crumbs when I told them I was a high-school dropout trying to find a path in life.

“How's your mom's health?” I snapped out of my thoughts and asked Carmen.

Her face fell and I felt pity for her. "Not getting any better. Cancer is a bastard. At this point, we're bracing our hearts for the worst."

I gave her hand a light squeeze. "Your mom is a fighter. And on that note, I have gifts for you and Harrison.”

"Yay, Santa," Harrison clapped.

They watched me open an overflowing handbag. My stuff spilled out and Carmen cried out at the sight of a black, eight-inch veiny dildo and my bullet vibrator.

Harrison whistled. "What the fu -"

"Language, Harrison," Carmen nudged him while staring open-mouthed at my box. I burst out laughing.

"You fucking bad bitch!" Harrison clapped and squealed, ignoring Carmen. “If I weren't gay, I'd wife you in an instant. You're my type of girl, Ashanti!”

Laughing at Carmen’s reaction, I turned on the vibrator and held it towards her. She shrieked and pulled away.

"She's a virgin," Harrison reminded me. "Keeping herself tight for the right man."

"Nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, I don't joke with my orgasms. They're the only thing that keeps me sane."

Talking about sex made my stomach churn. Soon, I'd be in heat and must find a way to limit my urges, otherwise, my lycan traits were bound to show.

I doused myself in lots of wolfsbane, but it couldn't help in my peak period. I needed to keep my horny wolf satisfied so it wouldn't get control of my body.

After getting stuck in a loophole with Dave for months, I needed my peace of mind and settled more for sex toys.

To show my gratitude to my friends, I got Harrison a rainbow dungaree for Pride Month, and Carmen, a wristwatch.

Carmen got a call from the hospital, and the excitement from her face died.

"Do you want us to come with you?" I asked her, feeling a pang of sympathy for the poor girl.

"No, it's fine. You need to rest, and Harrison is going on a date with some dude he met on Tinder."

"I can cancel," Harrison said quickly and she rolled her eyes. 

"Don't you dare do that. You've been single for a while now and need to get your buns greased. I'm sure the hospital just wants me to make a payment. It's nothing serious."

She pressed a quick kiss on my cheek and left, with Harrison excusing himself to get ready for his date. 

Alone in the house, I fished out my locket that had my mom's picture. Her sea-blue eyes shone with happiness, and I wondered why she agreed to marry my monster of a father, considering they weren't even fated mates. 

I was free from all of that baggage. Unlike my mom, I planned to live a mateless life, without the responsibilities of having a family but rather have access to bang nice-looking dudes. 

Sighing, I closed the locket and headed to the living room. I needed to secure another job as soon as possible and not burden my friends. After all, they weren't running a charity organization and needed as much help as they could get with feeding and rent.

I was stretched on the couch and my eyes were shutting when a loud knock startled me awake.

"Who is it?" I called groggily and walked to the door, opening it. To my greatest shock, there stood my toxic ex, Dave, with a bouquet and a wicked grin.

"Peekaboo," Dave laughed and shoved me to the door. “Did you think I wouldn't find you? Ha!”