Antalya disguised herself as a boy to escape an unwanted fate. He fell for her deception. But when secrets surface, the real challenge begins. To avoid a forced marriage to the ruthless Alpha Dominic Alfonso, Antalya Lucas made a desperate choice—she cut her hair, disguised herself as "Lance," and enrolled at the exclusive all-male Alpha Academy. Hidden among the hockey team, she thought she could finally disappear. But maintaining her cover proves harder than expected. "You flinch every time I undress, Lance," her roommate Raymond Alfonso teases, cornering her against the locker. "You sure you're not hiding something under all that attitude?" His knowing glances and probing questions make her wonder if her secret is safe—especially since he's Dominic's own brother. Meanwhile, Dominic refuses to give up his search. "You think I won't find you, even with all your tricks?" he growls during one terrifying encounter. "You're mine. You can run, little rabbit, but I'll always catch you." Caught between two dangerous Alphas—one who suspects her true identity and one who's hunting her relentlessly—Antalya walks a precarious line. She sought freedom but found herself trapped in an even more complicated web of deception and desire. When the ice begins to crack and her carefully constructed lies start to crumble, she'll face an impossible choice: keep running from her past or confront the two men who could either destroy her or claim her completely. "Run all you want," comes the whispered promise, "but when I catch you... I'm not letting go."
view moreDOMINIC’S POV
My footsteps echoed through their pathetic excuse of a home as I stormed in, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel a vein pulsing in my temple. The air reeked of desperation and fear—exactly what I expected from someone who owed my family money.
"Jimmy Pierce." I didn't ask. I stated his name like the verdict it was.
The man who stumbled forward looked nothing like the confident businessman who'd approached my father six months ago. His eyes darted around the room like a cornered animal, hands trembling as he attempted to straighten his wrinkled shirt.
"Mr. Blackwood... I wasn't expecting you today." His voice cracked. Pathetic.
I raised an eyebrow, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably before responding. "That was rather the point. My father sends his regards." I pulled out the ledger from my jacket pocket, tossing it onto their coffee table. "And his bill."
This debt is long overdue, and I'm not leaving without something of value. These people are beneath me, but business is business.
Jimmy grabbed the paper with shaking hands, his face draining of color as he read the figure. His wife hovered nervously in the doorway, her knuckles white as she gripped the wooden frame.
"There must be some mistake," Jimmy stammered. "This is twice what I borrowed. The interest—"
"Is exactly what you agreed to," I cut him off. "You knew the terms when you signed."
"Please, Mr. Blackwood." Jimmy took a step toward me, hands outstretched in supplication. "I can offer you something else—a partnership in my new venture. It's going to be big, I swear. Just give me another month and—"
The crack of my fist connecting with his jaw echoed through the room. He crumpled to his knees, blood trickling from his split lip.
"I don't negotiate." I towered over him, adjusting my cufflinks. "And I certainly don't enter partnerships with men who can't honor their debts."
His wife rushed forward with a strangled cry. "Please don't hurt him! We'll find a way to pay, I promise!"
They're both on their knees now. Good. They should know their place.
"You had six months," I said, my voice dangerously soft. "My father was generous. I am not."
My gaze drifted around their living room—cheap furniture, faded carpet, nothing of value except... My attention caught on a silver-framed photograph on the mantel. I stepped toward it, ignoring their continued pleas.
The girl in the photo was stunning—raven hair cascading over one shoulder, eyes that seemed to challenge the camera, a slight curve to her lips that wasn't quite a smile. Something twisted in my chest as I picked up the frame.
"Who is this?" I demanded, not taking my eyes off her image.
The silence that followed was heavy with tension. I looked back to find Jimmy and his wife exchanging a panicked glance.
"That's our daughter," Jimmy finally answered, his voice tight. "Antalya."
"Antalya," I repeated, testing the name on my tongue. It tasted exotic. Intriguing.
A plan began forming in my mind—one that would satisfy the debt and give me something far more valuable than money.
I strongly feel that she is my mate. I was looking for her for years; finally, I found her.
"Where is she now?" I asked, turning the frame in my hands.
"She's at university," her mother blurted out. "Please leave her out of this. She knows nothing about the loan."
I smiled then, and watched them both flinch. "I think I've found my payment."
"No!" Jimmy struggled to his feet. "Take the house, take everything we own, but not our daughter!"
I signaled to Marco, my enforcer who'd been silently watching from the doorway. "Break his leg."
"Wait!" Jimmy cried out. "Please, Mr. Blackwood! She's innocent in all this!"
"Should have thought about consequences before you borrowed money you couldn't repay." I shrugged, unmoved by his tears. "One broken leg seems merciful, considering your debt."
The sickening crack that followed, accompanied by Jimmy's scream, didn't faze me. I was still staring at Antalya's photograph, memorizing every detail of her face.
"Have your daughter at my estate tomorrow," I instructed her mother, who was sobbing over her husband's crumpled form. "She'll work off your debt."
"What kind of work?" she asked fearfully.
I smiled. "That's between me and Antalya."
Before leaving, I crouched beside Jimmy, who was moaning in pain. "If you try to run, if you warn her, if you do any nuisance—I'll know. And next time, I won't be so merciful."
Outside, I breathed in the cool evening air, feeling strangely alive. The photograph pressed against my chest in my suit pocket, and I could almost feel her heartbeat matching mine.
"Soon," I whispered to myself, a promise and a vow. Antalya Andrews would be mine, no matter what it took.
DOMINIC'S POVI tapped my fingers impatiently against the steering wheel of my Bentley, checking my watch for the third time in as many minutes. The digital display read 2:45 PM—I was fifteen minutes early for my meeting with the Andrews family, but in my world, being early meant being on time. Being on time meant you were already late.Anticipation coursed through my veins as I thought of the woman who would soon be mine. Something about her photograph had awakened a instinct response in me—like a wolf recognizing his mate through instinct alone. The feeling was foreign, unsettling, yet I couldn't deny the pull."Sir," my beta, Marcus, said from the passenger seat, "should we approach now or wait until three?"I growled low in my throat, my decision made. "Now. I've waited long enough."We strode up the driveway to the modest house, my men flanking me as always. Unlike yesterday, I knocked—a courtesy extended only because I was collecting something precious today.The door swung open
ANTALYA'S POVI stared at my reflection, rehearsing the lines I'd practiced all night. The girl in the mirror looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, but determination blazed in her gaze. This performance had to be convincing. My life depended on it.When Mom unlocked my door that morning, I was sitting calmly on my bed, hands folded in my lap."I've been thinking," I said softly, keeping my eyes downcast in a show of submission that made my wolf bristle with rage.Mom paused, suspicion written across her features. "About what?"I swallowed my pride, forcing the words out. "About my responsibility to this family. About... accepting my fate."The hope that bloomed on her face made my stomach turn, but I pressed on."If I must meet Alpha Dominic today, I want to at least look presentable." I glanced up, injecting vulnerability into my voice. "Could I visit Lunar Parlour before he arrives? Just to get my hair done, maybe a manicure? If I'm to be... his... I should at least look
ANTALYA'S POVDawn broke through the curtains, casting long shadows across my bedroom floor. I hadn't slept a minute, my mind racing with thoughts of captivity and forced mating. The walls of my childhood bedroom now felt like prison bars closing in around me.I pressed my ear against the door, listening to my parents' hushed voices drifting up from downstairs."She has to understand," Mom whispered, her voice strained. "There's no other way.""Maybe we should tell her everything," Dad replied, his tone defeated. "About what Dominic threatened—""No!" Mom hissed. "She's upset enough. If she knew the full extent..."Their voices faded as they moved deeper into the house. I slumped against the door, sliding down until I hit the floor. The old wood creaked beneath me, a sound so familiar yet now part of my confinement."Some parents you turned out to be," I muttered, glaring at the locked door. "Trading your daughter to save yourselves."With shaking hands, I pulled up the loose floorboa
ANTALYA'S POVMy heart hammered against my ribcage as the taxi pulled up to our modest family home. The twelve-hour flight from California had left me exhausted, but adrenaline coursed through my veins, pushing all fatigue aside. My mother's hysterical phone call still echoed in my ears—Dad had been in a terrible accident. Critical condition. Come home immediately.I stumbled out of the taxi, barely remembering to grab my luggage before rushing toward the front door."Mom! Dad!" I called out, bursting inside.The sight that greeted me stopped me cold. My father sat at our kitchen table, looking perfectly healthy aside from what appeared to be a fresh bruise on his face. No hospital bed. No critical injuries. Just him, drinking coffee with a haunted expression, while my mother wrung her hands nearby."What the hell is going on?" My voice came out as a strangled whisper. "You said Dad was dying!"Mom stepped forward, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Antalya, sweetheart—""No!" I shoute
DOMINIC’S POVMy footsteps echoed through their pathetic excuse of a home as I stormed in, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel a vein pulsing in my temple. The air reeked of desperation and fear—exactly what I expected from someone who owed my family money."Jimmy Pierce." I didn't ask. I stated his name like the verdict it was.The man who stumbled forward looked nothing like the confident businessman who'd approached my father six months ago. His eyes darted around the room like a cornered animal, hands trembling as he attempted to straighten his wrinkled shirt."Mr. Blackwood... I wasn't expecting you today." His voice cracked. Pathetic.I raised an eyebrow, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably before responding. "That was rather the point. My father sends his regards." I pulled out the ledger from my jacket pocket, tossing it onto their coffee table. "And his bill."This debt is long overdue, and I'm not leaving without something of value. These people are beneath me, but b
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Mga Comments