I gaze at my reflection in the mirror, tilting my head to the side as I assess myself. Biting my bottom lip, I ponder whether I've chosen the perfect dress for tonight. The lime-colored tulle dress boasts draped asymmetrical cutouts and a statement shoulder, complemented by an open sleeve. Marie, my wolf, insists it's beautiful, assuring me that everyone will be dazzled by it. Still, doubts linger.
The Alpha kids have a way of making me feel inferior, even in a thousand-dollar gown. Though they never express it to my face, their silent judgments are evident. It's written all over their faces. However, I refuse to let it affect me. Despite the doubts, I know I'm rocking this dress, and I'll confidently stride into that room as if I own it. Let them think what they want; tonight, I'm showcasing a different kind of strength—one that doesn't crumble under their unspoken criticisms.
“You look stunning, sweetheart,” a warm voice whisper behind me. I glance in the mirror and catch Mom entering my room. Her beautiful blonde hair, a trait I inherited, is elegantly styled with a slick middle-down part and super straight strands. In contrast, my own locks are fashioned in a teased chignon with loose tendrils framing my face. A small smile plays on my lips. Mom always knows just what to say to make me feel better. It must be a mom thing.
"Thank you, Mom," I reply, turning around to face her.
"Gosh, you resemble me so much when I was younger," she remarks, taking my hand in hers. Mom’s gorgeous sky-blue eyes, which I also stole from her, sparkle with adoration.
"I doubt Dad would say the same," I quip.
"That's his business," she chuckles. "C’mon, let’s go. I don’t want your father giving me an earful about how we ladies take forever to get ready." She grabs my hand, and together, we make our way out of the room.
Descending the sweeping staircase, we join Dad at the foot. He doesn’t see Mom and me approaching as he is typing on his phone. Being a billionaire and an Alpha king keeps him busy. He is dressed nicely in a black tux with his raven black hair gelled back.
"Happy birthday, Dad," I greet. He's hitting the big 5-0 today.
"Thank you, baby girl," he responds, pocketing his phone and wrapping his arms around Mom’s waist. Nuzzling into the nape of her neck, he takes a deep inhale, murmuring words against her skin that bring a smile to Mom's face. I feel a tug in my heart watching them. It's been four years since I turned 18, but I still haven’t found my mate. My werewolf college classmates assume it’s because I'm cursed, and with each passing year, I can’t help and fear they might be right especially with my family’s history. I know four years isn’t a lot, but when everyone you grew up with is already mated, you feel like it’s more. But I shouldn’t be thinking about this tonight. It will sour my mood, and I don’t want to ruin the night before it starts. I drive the thoughts away and correct Dad about something.
"Dad! We've had this conversation. You can't keep calling me baby girl. I'm 22 years old now. You should only address me by my name," I assert as we move away from the foot of the stairs, heading towards the ballroom in the castle where Dad’s birthday dinner ball is being held.
"I think I have the right to call you whatever I wish, my dear," he retorts with a smile. I huff and roll my eyes in response.
"Caleb's here," Mom interjects, and I turn around to see my elder brother walking toward us.
"Ready, everyone?" Caleb asks, linking his arms with mine once he reaches us by the ballroom entrance. Caleb is the spitting image of our father, except for his blond hair. The same blue eyes and muscular toned body, along with their shared Alpha king aura that that sends everyone trembling.
"Yes," Mom answers and someone inside the ballroom announces our arrival.
The ballroom stands as a hall of magnificence, elegance, and beauty all rolled into one. Crystal chandeliers adorn the ceiling, casting a dazzling glow across the room. Tables and chairs graced every corner, adorned with the finest foods on gleaming plates. Positioned ahead, a band awaited to resume playing the enchanting melody that had accompanied our entrance.
As we make our way through the regal space, heads bow in respectful greeting, acknowledging our presence. My father reciprocates with a gracious expression of gratitude, extending appreciation to all in the room. Once we reach the center, the live band seamlessly resumes playing classical tunes, and the crowd gracefully disperses, creating a sea of conversations and connections. The air is alive with the harmonious blend of music and socialization, creating an atmosphere of grand celebration.
"Where is your mate?" I inquire of Caleb as we walk around the room and away from our parents.
"With her mom," Caleb replies, grabbing a champagne flute from a passing waiter and taking one for me too.
"Is everything all right?" I ask, a touch of concern in my voice.
“Yes, Aunt Ekaterina just wants to ensure she and the baby are fine before she pops next week.”
“That’s good to hear.” I take a sip of my drink and scan the room. I get a few stares from my peers, but I can’t tell if they approve of what I'm wearing or not, but I don’t care. Some unmated younglings gaze lingers a little too closely on my chest and thighs. I don’t know if I should be pleased; they think my body is worth staring at or insulted they have the guts to stare at all.
“Anything?” Caleb says, drawing my attention away from the crowd around me.
"Nope," I reply. Caleb is asking if my wolf picked any unique scent that would mean my mate is here. Alphas bring their unmated to these events. I had been really hoping to find my mate tonight, but it seems that won't be the case.
"Don't worry, you will find him soon," Caleb reassures me with a small smile. I respond with a tight-lipped smile of my own and down the remainder of my drink. A peculiar taste lingers in my mouth after finishing the champagne. I stare at the glass, wondering if something was added to it. I don't feel drugged, but the taste is distinctly off.
"Does your drink taste funny?" I inquire, bringing my empty champagne flute to my nose. It smells normal. Hmm.
"No, why do you ask?" Caleb responds, glancing at his half-empty glass. I consider that I might be overthinking things. Maybe the burrito I had for lunch is playing tricks on my taste buds.
"No reason. Let me go to the bar and get a refill. I'll be back," I inform him and start walking away.
"Sure."
As I make my way to the bar, I pass by my peers who are discussing the tardiness of the lycan king. Apparently, he is running late, and some speculate it might be intentional. I tend to agree; everything I've heard about him suggests a strong dislike for tardiness. I wonder why he would be late today. Upon reaching the bar, I place an order for my drink.
"Thank you," I say to the bartender as he hands me a glass of red wine.
I move away from the bar, scanning the room for my brother as I walk. Unable to find him, I head toward the back door to get some fresh air. Closing my eyes, I breathe in the cool night breeze, lifting my glass to take a sip, only for someone to snatch it out of my hand.
"A princess like you shouldn’t drink so much," a male voice says from my right. Recognizing the voice, I roll my eyes and turn to face him. "Hello, Blake."
I scowl, wondering what he wants. He wasn't my favorite person in the world, always trying to get into my pants.
He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me from head to toe. His green eyes linger on my chest, and he licks his lips, making my skin crawl with disgust.
"You look beautiful tonight, princess," another voice says from my left. I was starting to wonder where his identical twin, Jake, had left himself. He was also my least favorite, following in his brother’s footsteps.
"Jake," I spit out, rolling my eyes at him.
"Hello, princess," Jake smiles, running his eyes over my body.
"Goodbye," I grab my drink from Blake's hand, but he doesn’t let go, causing my drink to spill on my dress.
"Shit! See what you've done!" I curse, anger building in my chest as I look at my ruined dress.
"C’mon now, princess, we didn’t mean for this to happen," Jake says, rubbing his hand on my chest in a foolish attempt to clean the stain but using it as an opportunity to touch me.
"Get your filthy hand off," I slap his hand away, glaring at him. "Don't you dare touch me again."
"Ouch, princess. He only wanted to help," Jake says, and I just roll my eyes at them, walking away before I do something I'll regret. They always caused trouble when I saw them, and now, because of them, I had to change my beautiful dress. I look at the stained fabric as I walk back upstairs, sighing. Good thing I had two dresses picked out for tonight.
"Careful there, love," someone says, causing me to lift my eyes, realizing I was about to bump into them. My nose catches the strong smell of a lycan, but that's not what leaves me in a daze. The handsome lycan that just spoke in a British accent with blond hair and strands fanning his face is smiling down at me. As he pushes the hair back, revealing his greyish-blue eyes, I watch, transfixed.
"Miss?" he says, waving his hand across my face. I blink, my cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "I’m so sorry."
"It’s okay, dear," he replies, still smiling. I have to say he has such a lovely smile.
"Okay, bye," I say, attempting to run away from him but miss my footing. I teeter dangerously close to falling, but the handsome lycan catches me before I hit the ground.
His warm arms envelop my waist, holding me firmly against him. "You need to be careful, love," he says, his breath brushing my face, sending warmth through me.
“T-T-Thank you,” I stammer, still trying to wrap my head around how I fit perfectly against his chest.
“You’re welcome,” he replies, still holding me in his arms, staring into my eyes. The air around us becomes thick with tension as I continue to remain in his arms, gazing back into his grayish-blue eyes. They reflect the smile I bet is grazing his lips right now.
“Princess, don’t go like that. We didn’t mean…” I hear Jake's voice trailing off as he runs toward us, but he stops short once he sees us. Realizing the position I'm in, I quickly pull away from the lycan.
“Eric,” Blake says, eye-widening upon seeing the lycan. Eric? Is that his name and do they know him, but how?
“Did you do this?” The lycan asks, pointing at the wine stain on my chest. The twins shake their heads, but Eric arches a brow at them. In the blink of an eye, they admit the truth.
“Love, I think I'll see you later. The boys and I need to chat,” Eric says, unwrapping his hand from my waist and walking toward the twins. In another blink, he grabs them, and they're all gone.
“Chat? What are you talking about?” I ask, spinning around, searching for where they went but can’t seem to figure it out. It feels like they just disappeared into thin air.
I remain frozen, confused by what just happened in the last few seconds—the intense encounter with the lycan and his peculiar reaction to the twins spilling wine on my dress. I don't know what's odder, but neither scenario makes sense. A thought roams my head wondering if he could have been my mate and that’s why I felt so comfortable in his arms, but Marie didn’t respond at all to his scent or being close to him. Hmm? I don’t think he is then. Deciding to leave it for now, I head to my room to change
"Done!" I exclaim into the wall of my room, grinning at my phone while letting my feet dangle in the air as I lie on my stomach. I've just finished the latest book in the Lord series by Shantel Tessier. When I came up to my room, I received a notification about its release and couldn't resist taking a peek, only to end up reading the whole thing.Checking the time on the clock on my nightstand, my eyes widen. I didn't realize so much time had passed while I was engrossed in the story. Hastily, I shoot out of bed, heading to my closet to change. I hope the party isn't already over.I slip into a colorful flowing line of embroidery, a strapless pink tulle dress with a twisted, draped bust. Stepping out of the closet, I check my phone for any missed calls from my family, and to my utmost surprise, there are none. I've been gone for a while, so I'm a little shocked they haven't called asking where I was. I try Caleb's cell to ask him how the party is going, but it goes straight to voicema
NICKOLASI walk to my room, my footsteps leaving a trail of blood as it drips from my clothes. One of the witches in my army just teleported us back to my territory. My room is dimly lit with moon light slipping through the dark curtains, casting shadows across the walls. A king-sized bed, draped in luxurious grey linens and white pillows, sits in the center of the room. To the left of the bed, a large fireplace stands tall with a comfortable armchair and ottoman sit nearby. A large desk sits in one corner, covered in papers where I spend many long hours working to bring the lycan kingdom back its glory. I take off my shirt, sighing, annoyed with how everything played out tonight. “Fuck!” I roar, throwing my shirt to the floor. I can’t believe that bastard Nathaniel got away after everything I fucking did to make sure I could kill him tonight and finally avenge my father. And to make matters worse, he was able to get away because of his daughter, who turned out to be my mate. My in
AMELIAI open my eyes to find myself in a pitch-black room. Sitting on the cold concrete floor, I wince as my muscles ache. My hand instinctively moves to my neck and then my ribs, where I feel the most pain. The bruises haven't healed. Switching my eyes to my werewolf vision to survey the room, I find that I can't. My brows furrow in confusion. I try contacting Marie and get a whimper in response; a sinking realization hits me – they must have injected silver into my bloodstream.I don't need someone to tell me where I am. I remember everything like it just happened a minute ago. Tears well up in my eyes, remembering the state I last saw my family. I hope they are okay. Wiping the tear that escapes my eyes, I try to focus my mind on getting out of here.I quickly unmask my scent and wait for my body to regain strength. The ability to mask my scent is one of the many gifts inherited from Mom, a skill that took my entire childhood to master. I vividly recall how I couldn't even attend
I walk around the room, searching for anything to help me pick the lock on my cell door. It's made of silver, so trying to break it down is out of the option. My actions suddenly halt, hearing the cell door squeak open. I whip my head toward the door, praying in my heart my mate isn't back to make good on his threat. I exhale when I get a different scent than his as the lights come on in the room. Eric and a woman with a herby scent tread into the room. The woman must be a water witch. Most of them are healers and deal with a lot of herbs. Witches are grouped by elements of nature, fire, water, earth, and air. They cast spells based on which element they are gifted with."Hi, Amelia," Eric greets. I remain silent, my gaze fixed on him and the water witch at his side, trying to decipher why they are here. My mate mentioned a woman would make me regret not disclosing where my family might be hiding. Is this water witch the woman he was talking about? As I said, most of them are
“Do you know something, dear?” Ava inquires, circling around me, her footsteps resounding off the walls.“No,” I reply, desperately hoping my voice doesn’t betray the fear that consumed me, anticipating whatever cruel intentions she had in store.“Nick has asked me to force your mind to tell me where your family might be,” She whispers behind me, sending a cold shiver down my spine. I whip my head around to face her, but she vanishes when I turn. The lights in the room go off, and I'm plunged into utter darkness. My heart pounds as I catch her scent and feel her breath on me, intensifying the dread within me as I remain unable to see her in the pitch-black room."Isn't that forbidden magic?" I ask, spinning around the room as I try to find her. I finally realize why I was treated and what drug might have been given to me. They wanted to ensure I didn't die while she controlled my mind. Forbidd
No lycan on Earth harbors a deeper grudge against my family than Nickolas. My dad was responsible for killing his father. The only reason he suggested a peace treaty was due to his concern for the potential extinction of his people. This concern arose from the war the late Lycan king waged against werewolves, or at least that's what he led us to believe. In recent years, werewolf numbers have surged and terrorized lycans due to their numerical advantage, which I believe was allowed intentionally to mislead us. Nickolas requested a peace treaty, claiming the need to end the slaughter of his people, regardless of his desire to see my father’s head.Lycans and werewolves, although of the same species, had long been enemies. Lycans, possessing superior strength, speed, and immortality, were traditionally oppressive towards werewolves. The origins of werewolves are traced back to a witch's creation, seeking to empower a supernatural force capable of standing against the domi
NICKOLASI stride out of the room where Amelia is, making my way to my office within the castle. As I approach the door, my legal advisor and best friend, Eric, intercepts me."What is it, Eric?" I inquire, entering my office with him following closely behind."Your mat..." Eric starts, but I cut him off abruptly, my jaw clenching as I ball my fists."Don’t ever fucking call her that," I retort through gritted teeth, my tone lethal."Got it," he responds, lifting his hand in surrender."She is nothing but a fucking prisoner to me; always remember that," I add, walking towards the chair behind my desk."Got it again.""What about her do you want to discuss?" I ask, taking my seat and retrieving my glasses from the desk drawer. Putting them on, I start sorting through the documents on my desk, searching for the most impor
AMELIA As I sprint through the forest, my ears pick up on the rhythmic sound of footsteps following closely behind me. Panic sets in shit – they must have seen through my ruse. My pace quickens, though I'm certain I'm already pushing myself to the limits of my speed. The sounds of pursuit draw nearer, accompanied by an unsettling scent permeating the air – the unmistakable aroma of Lycans. No, they can't catch me. I decide to take a risk, recognizing it as my only hope at this moment. I come to a quick stop, reaching for my shirt to take it off. Shifting requires undressing first; I don't have spare clothes to change into once I shift back, and I'd ruin this one if I shift without removing them first. The footsteps grow louder, and the urgency intensifies. The forest around me seems to hold its breath. Just at that moment, a thud echoes behind me, signaling someone's abrupt landing. The rich scent of rainforest envelops me, and my eyes w