로그인What the hell are you doing, Fiona?! I questioned myself a few hours later as I suddenly slid out of bed and walked out of my room. I had the strangest, most overwhelming conviction to succumb to Fredrick's demands. Did I want to kiss him? Yes. Was I scared of what would happen after that kiss? Also yes. But I didn't let these thoughts pull me down any longer. A wild, reckless hope was blooming in my chest, and I couldn't stop it. I traced his powerful scent, following the rich aroma of pine and rain through the quiet corridors until it led me to a door. It was a pretty huge one, and I guessed that it was either his office or his room. I lifted my hand to knock, but my action was halted as his deep voice echoed from inside. "I know it's you, Fiona." He said, and I could tell from the vibrations in his voice that he had a smirk on. "Come in." I followed his words, pushing the door open and stepping into the magnificent office. I closed the door and turned to face him. Holy
"What?" I met his gaze, my breath catching in my chest as my mind raced to process what he had just said. He looked down at me, his dark eyes intense and unreadable, searching mine as if hunting for an answer. "Y..you want me to do what? I stammered. Stepping back. "You heard me right, Fiona." He brought his hand up, running his thumb on my jaw softly as his gaze pierced me. I almost melted under that simple yet seductive touch, a thrill running straight down my spine. "I want to feel you to kiss me ." “Yes Fiona, kiss him, grab his face already!” Lillian screamed loudly in my head, and I almost chuckled. “Lillian! You are conscious?” I asked her, an unexpected spark of excitement bubbling up inside me. “What do I do? You heard what he said, right? He wants to kiss me.” “Are you seriously asking me what you should do?I could sense Lillian rolling her eyes. “Come on Fiona, place your lips on him and fulfill your wish at breakfast! I blushed at her words, a secret wave of
Fredrick remained silent. I couldn't help but look up, my green eyes tracing the sharp, flawless contours of his face. He was devastatingly gorgeous. A sudden, irrational wave of desire washed over me—a primal pulling in my chest that made me want nothing more than to run my fingers through his dark locks and feel his lips pressed deeply against mine. The longer I stared at him, the more the fated bond pulled at my senses, leaving me completely intoxicated by his presence. I wished, with everything I had left, that he would just look at me and claim me. "Stop staring at my future mate like you want to fuck him!" Kendra snapped sharply, her voice shattering my daydream like glass. "Future mate?" The words echoed in my mind, turning my blood to ice. "Have you officially chosen your mate, my King?" another high-ranking lady asked, her eyes full of anticipation. My breath hitched. I held my breath, staring at him, waiting for the truth to tear through his lips. "No," Fredrick
Our gazes locked across the table. My own sad, green eyes—clouded with an unyielding fear met his dark, bottomless depths. For a torturous few seconds, Fredrick assessed my features, his heavy brows dipping into a harsh, cold frown. Then, with an agonizing air of indifference, he snapped his eyes away from me as if I were utterly insignificant. “Of course you are insignificant to him, “my mind whispered cruelly. "You may sit," Kendra chirped, her tone dripping with a sassy, calculated dominance, as if she already wore the queen crown. I could have sworn I heard Rue let out a soft, mocking snort from across the table. As we all sank back into our chairs, Fredrick and Kendra approached the head of the table, their arms still tightly intertwined. A knot of pure anxiety twisted in my stomach the closer they got. Fredrick walked directly to the seat opposite me, his large hand gripping the back of the heavy chair as he pulled it out for Kendra. My heart violently lurched at the
The dining hall itself was vast and intimidating. In the center sat an incredibly long mahogany table lined with high-backed chairs, which felt a lifetime away as we stood frozen at the entrance. To the left, a set of big oak doors remained tightly shut. I could see that several pack members were already seated, talking in low, aristocratic murmurs. At the very head of the table sat a grand, ornate chair that practically radiated authority. It was a seat fit only for a king—for Fredrick. "Come on," Zita whispered, giving me a gentle nudge forward. The moment our feet crossed the threshold, the murmurs died instantly. Every single eye in the room snapped toward us, burning into my skin. "Your Highness," the pack members spoke in unison, immediately standing up to bow their heads to Zita. The sheer weight of her title made me shrink back. I had never realized how deeply revered she was. "You may sit," Zita replied with a gracious, easy smile. They took their seats, but their
For long, Pain wasn’t just a feeling to me; it was the very part of my existence. I couldn't remember the first time I felt it, as if my first breath had been drawn from a well of agony. It was a constant, suffocating weight, an intimate acquaintance whose scent, taste, and texture were engraved into my soul. Pain was the armor I wore, the blood in my veins. It pulsed within me every single time my father hurled venomous, hateful words at my face, every time Alpha Victor’s whip tore into my flesh, and every time the pack members used my fragile frame as a canvas for their cruel, misplaced rage. I felt that agonizing ache whenever Alpha Victor forced himself upon me, whenever the unmated pack males took what they wanted from my broken body, and most recently, when Fredrick’s icy tone delivered a blow that shattered what little remained of my spirit: “he would never want me. “That pain emotional, physical, and mental leached away my remaining strength, leaving me hollow. Then came







