The Alpha's Obsession

My palms were slick with sweat as I wiped them on my dress, the fabric catching on my trembling fingers.Six more days.That’s all I had left. Just six days before I could legally take over my parents’ company, Evangeline Interiors, and finally escape this hell. But now… now it felt like everything was crumbling around me, faster than I could control.I stood in the corner of the grand dining room. The pain in my wrist now forgotten. Desmond and Seraphina had me pinned here, figuratively if not literally, and my mind raced over what had just happened.Ezra, my cousin had caught me ‘loitering’ outside the room and had dragged me in to stand in front of his parents.Smirking as they both started seething with anger. Seraphina had gotten up, and even before she did something, I knew what was coming. I braced myself for the slap, and it did, the impact making me hiss in pain.She’d slapped me hard enough to split my lip open, and I could still taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

I stared at my reflection in the cracked mirror, trying to steady my breath. My pulse raced, not from exertion, but from the gnawing panic deep in my chest. Today was no ordinary day. I knew what was coming.It had only been hours since my uncle had told me I was to be married off to the Lombardi pack. A forced marriage. My stomach twisted at the thought.I needed to clear my head. Quickly pulling on a worn pair of jeans and a simple gray dress shirt, I tried to brush out my hair when a knock interrupted me."Nyxia," Seraphina’s clipped voice came through the door, making me pause. “You won’t be going anywhere in those clothes. Change.”I turned to see her holding a knee-length, white formal dress—something extravagant, and completely unnecessary for someone just heading out.“I’m not going to a wedding,” I said through gritted teeth.“Not yet,” she replied, her eyes cold. “But you need to look the part when the Lombardis arrive today.”Today. The Lombardis. My panic spiked. I took a

Before I could even process what was happening, the man stepped into the cell and grabbed my arm, pulling me out with a force that left no room for protest.The darkness in the cell had masked his features, but now, standing in the dimly lit corridor, I could see him more clearly. My heart skipped a beat, and my voice cracked as I whispered, "Nikolai?"Before I could say another word, his hand clamped over my mouth, his touch both urgent and gentle. I nodded quickly, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. His presence was a small comfort in this nightmare.Nikolai, my brother by bond, had once been shorter than me, but now stood taller by at least a foot, his lanky build making him seem awkward to most, but I knew better. His curly brown hair and brown eyes, though familiar, looked different now—harder, more intense, like he’d been through something I couldn’t quite grasp.As we hurried down the narrow corridor, I could see the tension in his every step, his eyes constantly scanning f

Nyxia's POV:I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But more than that, I couldn’t believe how blind I had been. As I stared at Verena, everything I thought I knew about her shifted.She was an amazing worker, one of our best employees—dedicated to Evangeline Interiors, invested in the company’s growth rather than just her paycheck. And Ezra... He had been obsessed with her for as long as I could remember, despite her being older than him by nearly a decade. She looked the same age as me, maybe a couple of inches taller, her youth preserved in a way I now understood all too well.Everyone knew about Ezra’s infatuation—how he hovered around her like a moth to a flame. I’d always admired the way she handled him, even slapping him once when he crossed the line. I’d taken her side, of course, but it had cost me. Desmond had made sure I paid for it by banning me from the office for a week, denying me food at the house. He hadn’t cared about the business or me, but Verena? Too much of a bea

Nyxia's POV:They threw Ethan to the floor in front of me, his body limp and lifeless. A choked sob escaped my throat as I scrambled forward, shoving Bartholomew away with a burst of strength I didn’t know I had. I fell to my knees beside Ethan, pulling him into my arms. He was breathing—thank God, he was breathing—but he was pale, his skin cold to the touch.I cradled him, pressing my forehead to his as tears blurred my vision. “Ethan, please wake up,” I whispered, my voice shaking with fear. “Please…”But he didn’t stir.This was all my fault. They were hurt because of me. Once again, the people I loved were getting hurt, and it was my fault.“Fine,” I said, my voice hollow, defeated. “I’ll marry him. I’ll marry Dominico. Just... just let them go. Please.”I looked up at my uncle, my heart shattering into a thousand pieces as I spoke the words. His smile widened, and he took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with victory.“I knew you’d see reason,” he said, his voice dripping with fa