Chapter 5: The Other Woman

Modric POV

The music swelled around us like some mocking symphony, but all I could focus on was the sight of Mary Ann in Kylian’s arms. My Beta. My best friend. His hand rested politely at her waist, but it was still too close. Too familiar. My wolf snarled inside me, the fresh mate bond from that cursed kiss earlier still buzzing under my skin like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

I strode forward before I could think better of it, cutting through the dancers. “May I dance with my wife?”

Kylian’s eyes met mine, a flash of understanding and maybe a hint of warning in them. He released her smoothly and stepped back with a nod. “Of course, Alpha.”

Mary Ann turned to face me fully. That ivory lace gown clung to her full curves in ways that made my mouth go dry despite myself—soft hips, the generous swell of her breasts rising with each breath, the gentle curve of her belly that the dress celebrated rather than hid. Her dark curls were pinned up with delicate pearls, a few tendrils escaping to frame her face. Those wide eyes, the same ones I used to mock, looked at me now with a quiet wariness that twisted something uncomfortable in my chest.

I didn’t want this. Not her. Not any of it.

But the entire reception was watching—both packs, our parents, the Council elders. I forced a tight smile and extended my hand. She placed hers in mine without hesitation. Her skin was warm, soft. That same electric spark from the ceremony jolted through me again, straight to my core. My wolf pushed forward, whining with a need I refused to acknowledge.

I pulled her onto the dance floor, one hand settling at the small of her back while the other held hers. We moved together stiffly at first, the music a slow, intimate melody that felt like a taunt. Her body pressed lightly against mine with every step—those plush curves brushing my chest, her scent wrapping around me like wildflowers and something sweeter, feminine. Goddess, she smelled good. Too good.

“Enjoying yourself?” I asked, keeping my voice cold and formal. I stared over her shoulder at nothing in particular.

She tilted her head slightly, her breath brushing my collar. “As much as one can at a forced wedding, I suppose.”

No tears. No pleading. No desperate attempt to make this feel real. Just that steady, resigned tone. It irritated me more than it should have.

“The alliance is secured,” I said flatly, guiding her through a turn. My hand splayed wider on her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin lace. “That’s what matters. We’ll do what’s expected in public. Nothing more.”

She nodded once, her full breasts pressing against me as we shifted closer in the dance. Heat pooled low in my gut, unwanted and insistent. I remembered her from the Academy—those same curves I’d mocked to hide how they made my teenage wolf sit up and take notice. Fat Luna, I’d called her. Now she was my Luna, and the bond was making it impossible to ignore the pull.

“Understood,” she replied quietly. Her voice was soft but firm. “I won’t expect anything from you, Modric. I know where your heart lies.”

The words landed like a challenge. I looked down at her then, really looked. Those eyes held a quiet strength I didn’t remember from school. She wasn’t crumbling. Wasn’t begging for scraps of affection. It… bothered me. My wolf didn’t like it either. She should care. She was mine now, whether I wanted it or not.

The song ended too soon. Mary Ann stepped back gracefully, slipping her hand from mine. She offered a small, polite smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you for the dance. It was… civil.”

Then she turned and walked away, head high, that soft train of her gown trailing behind her like a whisper. She didn’t glance back. Didn’t linger hoping for more. Just melted into the crowd of well-wishers, accepting congratulations with that same quiet dignity.

I stood there, fists clenched at my sides, watching her go. An odd knot twisted in my stomach. Bothered? Why the hell should I be bothered? This was exactly what I wanted—distance. No messy emotions. Yet her easy acceptance grated on me. Velvera would have fought, clung, demanded. Mary Ann just… accepted and moved on. Like I was nothing to her.

The reception dragged on. I played the part—shaking hands, accepting toasts, ignoring the pitying glances from my own pack. But as the lanterns dimmed and the night grew deeper, I slipped away. The bond tugged at me, a faint pull toward the pack house where Mary Ann had been led earlier, but I ignored it. My truck roared to life, and I drove the familiar path to Velvera’s cottage on the edge of the territory.

She opened the door before I knocked, as if she’d been waiting. Her auburn hair was loose, eyes red-rimmed from crying. The moment she saw me, she broke. “Modric…” Her voice cracked as she threw herself into my arms.

I caught her, pulling her tight against my chest. She fit perfectly—slim, graceful, the body I’d known for years. Her tears soaked into my shirt as she buried her face in my neck. “She stole it. That plus-size nobody stole my life. Your Luna. Your mate. It should have been me standing there in white, wearing your ring.”

“Shh,” I murmured, stroking her hair. I kicked the door shut behind us and walked her backward into the living room. “She didn’t steal anything. This is politics. A contract. You’re the one I love, Vel. Mary Ann is just… there. A duty.”

She looked up at me, green eyes glistening. “Promise me. Promise nothing between you two will ever be real. No bed. No pups. No bond.”

My hands slid down her back, cupping her ass and pulling her flush against me. The whiskey from earlier still hummed in my veins, mixing with the frustration of the day. “Nothing real,” I growled, leaning down to capture her lips in a hard kiss. She moaned into my mouth, fingers tangling in my hair as she kissed me back with desperate hunger.

We stumbled toward the bedroom, shedding clothes along the way. My jacket hit the floor. Her dress slipped off her shoulders, revealing smooth skin I knew by heart. I pushed her onto the bed, covering her body with mine. My mouth trailed down her neck, sucking marks I knew she’d wear proudly tomorrow.

“Modric…” she gasped as I palmed her breast, thumb circling her nipple until it pebbled. She arched into me, legs wrapping around my waist. My cock was hard, straining against my trousers. I ground against her, letting her feel how much I still wanted her.

“You’re mine,” I rasped, shoving the rest of our clothes aside. I entered her in one deep thrust, groaning at the tight heat that welcomed me. Velvera cried out, nails raking down my back as I set a punishing rhythm. The bed creaked beneath us. Skin slapped against skin. Her moans filled the small cottage—raw, passionate, everything the bond with Mary Ann had threatened to awaken but I refused to let happen.

I fucked her harder, chasing release, trying to drown out the memory of that electric spark from the ceremony. The way Mary Ann’s curves had felt against me during the dance. The quiet strength in her eyes when she walked away.

Velvera came first, clenching around me with a sharp cry, her body shuddering. I followed moments later, burying myself deep and spilling inside her with a guttural growl. We collapsed together, sweat-slicked and breathing hard.

She curled into my side, tracing patterns on my chest. “Stay with me tonight. Please.”

I kissed her forehead, but my mind was already drifting. The mate bond tugged faintly, a distant whisper reminding me of the woman waiting back at the pack house. My wife. My Luna.

“I can’t,” I said quietly, even as my arms tightened around Velvera. “But this—us—doesn’t change. Mary Ann will never have this. Never have me.”

Velvera smiled against my skin, but I could feel the uncertainty lingering. I held her close until her breathing evened out in sleep, then slipped out of bed. I dressed in the dark, the weight of the day settling heavy on my shoulders.

As I drove back toward the pack house under the moonlight, the bond pulled stronger. Mary Ann was there, somewhere in the guest wing. Soft, curvy, and far too composed for my liking. My wolf stirred restlessly.

Tomorrow, I’d make it clear where things stood. She’d stay in her place, and I’d keep Velvera in mine. Simple. Clean.

But as the first hints of dawn touched the sky, that damn spark from our kiss lingered in my blood like a promise I didn’t want to keep.