CHAPTER ONE

MERILYN

“LUNA!” The loud shattering of ceramic shot through the air; shards flew all over the place.

I froze mid-step and stared at the broken ceramic bowls. “Oh, that’s bad.”

I stared at the maid; her face had gone pale,her eyes filled with dread as sweat dotted her forehead.

“I’m sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.” I smiled apologetically.

Her eyes darted to the top of the staircase as if waiting for my husband to materialize and yell at her.

I moved closer, my hand stroking her shoulder. “Relax. He’ll be too much in a good mood to care about some broken ceramic bowls.”

That was true. Warren would be too happy to care. After all his whiny texts for three days, pleading with me to come back early, I just couldn’t stay away.

“Forgive me for breaking the plates; I didn’t know you would be back this early.” The maid said, still trembling beneath my touch.

I nodded, noting the way her eyes kept shifting back and forth.

“Whoever you’re trying to mind-link clearly doesn’t want to talk to you.” I chuckled and stepped away.

“Quickly, clear this up before anyone gets hurt, alright?”

I turned, pulling my suitcase towards the stairs, and left it close to the wall before hurriedly climbing the stairs.

My wolf purred within me, pacing with excitement; her infectious joy rippled through me as my heart raced.

I can’t wait to see the pure look of joy on his face.

I yanked the door wide open. “Warren, I’m ho—”

I froze, standing there rooted to the spot, staring as Warren—my mate—ferociously thrusted into…

No.

I blinked. It didn't make sense.

I could see them, and yet my brain couldn’t make sense of it…

I was dreaming… I had to be.

But three thrusts and loud moans later, the scene didn’t change. Warren was fucking my maid…

My stomach churned; bile rose in my chest.

I couldn’t speak; my tongue, heavy against the floor of my mouth, refused to move, and I stood there, forced to watch as my husband cheated on me.

Suddenly, his head turned, and Warren’s blue eyes clouded with lust met mine—

“By the gods!” he screamed, jerking out of her as he hurriedly covered himself.

Nerissa yelped, scrambling for her clothes as she scurried off to the corner like a mouse.

“Shit!” He panicked, moving about like a disoriented fool.

“M-Merilyn… H-how long have you been there?” Warren asked, his eyes frantically searching mine.

“You didn't tell me you were coming back this early!” He said it was my fault I caught him in the act.

“L-Luna—”

“Shut the hell up!” he yelled, glaring at Nerissa, who hid back in the shadows, whimpering.

Talk!

Yell! Say something! How can you stand there and watch this?!

“M-Merilyn, th-this is not what it looks like. I-I can explain.”

The lump in my throat thickened, and my eyes stung. Ten years…. Ten years together, and this was where it all ended.

Without a word, I stepped back—“No, no, no. Mery, baby, listen to me! I can explain!” Warren yelled as he rushed to get dressed—and slowly shut the door.

I walked down the stairs, picked up my suitcase, and in the corner of my eye, I saw the maid from earlier hiding behind the wall, staring at me.

So she knew. That was why she was so scared when she saw me, why she kept glancing at the stairs… why she continuously tried to mind-link someone.

Just how many people knew about this?

I dumped my bag into the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat just as Warren burst out the door, running towards me.

“Merilyn, wait!” he blurted out, standing before the car. “Baby, please get out of the car and let’s talk about this.”

I turned on the ignition, and he became more agitated. “Merilyn, listen to me! Don’t do this, baby. I’m begging—” I shoved the gear into place and slammed down on the accelerator.

“Ah!” His groan of agony pierced the air as he leapt out of the way, sliding over the gravel pathway.

“Merilyn!” He screamed after me, but I didn’t stop. I drove like a madman, amping up the speed as I crossed the pack borders into the lonely street.

***

“More.” I slammed my shot glass on the tabletop, watching the bartender refill it immediately.

“There you go, love.” He beamed, brushing his fingers over my palm. I hissed, pulling it back quickly and downing the entire contents at once.

“More.” He happily poured more, but I didn’t drink it at once; I stared at the glass cup, my eyes heavy but not fully drunk.

“Fuck…you. War—” hiccup “—ren. You should—rot… in Tartarus.”

I chugged it down, slammed it back on the table, and gestured for more.

“That’s enough.” A sultry command came from beside me; the musky scent of sandalwood, peppermint, and something else attacked my senses.

I looked up and up and up. Wow, he’s tall.

“Hey, let the lady drink to her fill—”

“Close her tab; she’s done for the night.” The same smooth command again. I hiccuped and realized who he was.

The same man who had been glaring at me all night.

He’d glared at me so much, I scratched my arm until it turned red.

“Hey, who are you to her? She’s clearly—”

“Close. Her. Tab.”

Something shifted in the air, and the bartender went pale. “Y-Yes, sir.”

Ugh! I still can’t see his face.

I tugged at his sleeve, and his head lazily turned to look at me.

I let out a sound that was somewhere along the lines of a gasp, a choke, and a hiccup.

Two pairs of heterochromia eyes stared back at me. One was the color of ginger brown, and the other…it was like staring into the static waves of an ocean.

A strand of his silky dark hair fell over his face, and I itched to stroke it back in.

My gaze fell to his perfectly sculpted nose, freckled cheeks, and then his lips…

No man's lips should look that good. I wonder how they'll taste—

I swallowed, and inched up to kiss them, only to lose my balance and stumble forward, my lips heading for the hardwood floor instead.