Zahra-Rose’s life crumbled in a single night, her mother and siblings kidnapped, her father, the alpha of the Moonshine Pack, killed. Rejected at the altar by her mate, she vowed never to trust again. But fate isn’t done with her yet. To save her pack, Zahra-Rose is forced into an arranged marriage with Alpha Ashvin the cold, ruthless brother of the man who broke her heart. Feared across the three realms, Ashvin hides a dangerous secret. Beneath his fearsome exterior, the weight of leadership drives him to escape into the human world, living a double life as a nameless stripper. When Ashvin unexpectedly encounters Zahra-Rose in his secret world, forbidden feelings begin to surface—emotions he has buried for years. Their union was never meant to be about love, but as they join forces against a shared enemy, sparks ignite, and alliances blur. With danger closing in and secrets threatening to destroy them, can Zahra-Rose and Ashvin overcome their pain and trust one another? Or will their pasts and the enemies lurking in the shadows tear them apart for good?
view moreThe humiliation still clung to me like a stubborn shadow, impossible to shake. No matter how many drinks I downed, the memory of being left standing at the altar alone, humiliated, and exposed before countless witnesses was a weight I couldn’t lift.
I tilted the glass in my hand, swallowing the last bitter drop without remorse. Tonight, there were no rules, no obligations, no expectations. Tonight, I wasn’t the perfect daughter, the obedient bride-to-be, or the polished princess. Who follows every role and nod yes to everything that was said to her. Tonight I am someone different, someone else entirely. The busy bar was far away from home, chosen precisely for its anonymity. No one here knew me, and that was the point. “Do you mind some company?” someone asked from beside without even looking at him I knew he had a smile on his face. I groaned inwardly, the voice cutting through my thoughts. I turned slowly, plastering on a sweet smile for the man hovering beside me. “I’m sorry, but I’d rather be alone.” Not waiting for his response, I waved for another refill, hoping he’d take the hint, because I don't want to see a single person in my face right now. “I just thought you might want a company since you are alone and…..” I turned again, this time glaring at him with enough heat to scar him off.. He froze under my gaze, his confidence disappearing as he mumbled an apology and slipped away as cowardly as he had come. Good, he should shudder away just as he came. With a new drink in hand, I let my mind wander back to the past week. I relived every excruciating detail of that day the whispers, the stares, the pity in everyone’s eyes. My grip tightened on the glass as I shoved the thoughts away. No more. I was done playing the role everyone expected of me. I was done trying to be a good person and at the end my heart is destroyed without a single pity. I stood abruptly, leaving my drink behind as I approached the woman with bright pink hair standing near the patio. “I need a session,” I said firmly. She looked me over, her expression unreadable, before nodding. “Follow me.” We moved through a dimly lit corridor, the noise of the bar fading behind us. My pulse quickened as we entered a secluded room bathed in soft blue light. The atmosphere was warm, almost hypnotic, and I felt a chill swell down my spine. This was new to me but I'm taking it all the way. “Take a seat and put this on,” she said, handing me a silk mask. “Close your eyes and enjoy the experience.” I hesitated for only a moment before settling onto the plush lounge chair. The mask slid over my face, plunging me into comforting darkness. For a while, there was only silence. My breaths slowed, counting each inhale and exhale, until I heard the door open. He had a presence. That was my first thought as a shiver ran through me. I couldn’t see him, but the air seemed to shift, thickening with something electric. “Are you ready for your session, ma’am?” His voice was deep, rich, and smooth like dark honey. It resonated in my chest, stirring something I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a feeling that was foreign to me so I embraced it. I nodded, though I wasn’t sure he could see it. Soft music filled the room, the melody a gentle pulse that matched the rhythm of my heartbeat. His hands found my back, warm and deliberate as they grazed over me. The lightest touch sent waves of sensation rippling through my skin. I clenched the edge of the chair, trying to stay grounded. But his hands moved with such skill, his presence so magnetic, that I felt myself slipping. Who is this man? His touch grew bolder, his movements fluid as he leaned in, his chest brushing against my back. I could feel the heat of his body, the strength in his frame as he guided me into the music’s rhythm. Every brush of his fingers sent sparks racing through my veins. When his hands skimmed my shoulders and his breath ghosted over my neck, I couldn’t help the sharp inhale that escaped me. He stilled. For a moment, the world seemed to suddenly become quiet. I could feel his eyes on me, even through the mask, as though he could see past every barrier I’d ever put up. I couldn’t stop myself. The feeling was too much for only me to bare. My trembling fingers reached for him, finding the sharp line of his jaw. His breath hitched, and my touch lingered, tracing the curve of his lips. Before I could think better of it, I pulled him down, crashing my lips to his. The first kiss was slow, exploratory. His lips were soft yet firm, moving against mine with an intensity that left me breathless. I melted into him, the world outside fading into nothingness. When his hands slid to my waist, pulling me closer, I felt my heart race, desire mixing with a faint sense of danger. I broke the kiss, gasping as reality crashed back in. My fingers moved to the mask, pulling it away. I needed to see him. I needed to see this person that ignited this much feeling inside of me. As the mask fell, I opened my eyes, and the room lit up just as he turned on the light beside him. Bright blue eyes stared back at me, shock and recognition mirroring my own. This can't be. “You…what are you doing here?” I stumbled back, my hand clutching my chest as his gaze bore into mine. This wasn’t just any man. The person I am staring at right now can't be him. But of course it was. This was him. The Alpha of the Moonbright Pack. My fiancé's brother. Alpha Ashvin.ZAHRA-ROSEHours later, my eyes still couldn’t leave the clock, ticking away like a cruel reminder of how little time we had left. Every second dragged me deeper into the storm raging in my chest. My family was here. My mother. My sisters.I should feel relieved. I should be happy. But until I see them safe and back to our pack, until I can hold them in my arms, happiness will remain out of reach.“He will be here soon,” Felicia murmured at my side, trying to reassure me. But nothing could soothe the unease clawing at my insides. Not until I knew what was happening out there right now.Yes, the full moon was still five hours away, but minutes were enough to change everything. What if they moved my family? What if they vanished into another side of the human realm?Fear chewed at me, because all I wanted was to march into their fort and drag my family out myself. Was that too much to ask?“What about the girl? Is she still here?” I asked, glancing at Felicia.She shook her head. “She c
ALPHA ASHVINHolding her as she cried against my shoulder was exactly what I expected. Zahra-Rose tried to be strong with added Luna-strength but losing one’s family is a wound even the fiercest wolf cannot endure alone.“How did you know?” Her voice was muffled against my shirt, her tears dripping hot against my neck as she sniffled hard.Running my hand slowly along her back, I breathed in her scent. Moonfire and earth. She belonged here, in my arms, and for once, the bond wasn’t the only reason I wanted her close.When I didn’t answer right away, she lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed but sharp, searching. That pain that clung to her gaze squeezed something inside me so tight it almost stole my breath. This wasn’t just the mate-bond tugging me, it was something deeper. Something that I never wanted to see her break.She stepped back, refusing to meet my eyes. She slammed her walls up so quickly I couldn’t hear her thoughts through the bond anymore.“She will open up when she wan
ZAHRA-ROSEMy eyes snapped open, the morning sun streaming through the window in warm golden streaks. I rubbed my eyes, trying to piece together where I was and how I ended up in a bed instead of the ground or a cell.“You’re finally awake.”The cold bite of his voice shattered the silence in the room. My head whipped toward the sound, my heart wobbling in my chest.Ashvin sat in a chair in the far corner, a cup in his hand. His bright blue eyes looked shadowed, the lines beneath them deeper than I remembered. Had he stayed there all night, watching me?Eira gave a restless growl in the back of my mind, ready to push forward. I shoved her down. I needed this morning to think, to just exist, without my wolf crowding my thoughts.My mind felt foggy, memories dull. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was still in the human realm and…..Oh.It came back to me in sharp flashes, enough to make my stomach twist.I ran my hands over my face, my body tensing as my gaze locked on him aga
ASHVIN 𝓗𝓐𝓡𝓥𝓔𝓨The rest of them slowly filtered out, leaving just the two of us in the small living room. Silence settled like a fog, thick and tense. My feet moved restlessly as I paced, my wolf Zen snarling beneath my skin. All I could think about was grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking some sense into her, shaking her until she understood the gravity of what she had done.Coming here. Alone. Unprotected.Did she forget she’s the Luna of one of the most powerful packs in the North? Did she think no one would notice the energy that bled from her, raw, divine, unmistakably Alpha-blooded?“Funny,” she snapped, folding her arms across her chest. “I could ask you the same thing.”Her glare was sharp as a dagger, but if she truly knew the storm she had unleashed just by stepping into that club, she wouldn’t be looking at me like I was the problem.Zen growled in my head, a low rumble of frustration.“You’re the one who left the pack for a week, Ashvin. Don’t forget that.”Yeah
He didn’t answer at first. It was clear Ashvin had warned him not to speak if anyone asked, but I wasn’t just anyone, and he knew that.“You see how everything is falling apart? You’re supposed to lead the pack in his absence, and yet you can’t do a thing,” I said, frustration burning in my voice.Kai’s eyes darkened. “Not when Luna Verena wants to control everything.”Of course.It was about that woman trying to claim the mantle of Alpha and Lord of the pack. It was pathetic, especially since the true Alpha was very much alive.“I don’t know what twisted game they’re playing, but I refuse to let my pack be caught in it. So where is Ashvin?” I pressed, refusing to accept silence this time.He hesitated, then opened his mouth, but before he spoke, it hit me. I knew exactly where Ashvin would be.I remembered the day of the incident, the last place I saw him, the Human realm.“It can’t be, right?” I asked Kai.He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.“The pack is fracturi
ZAHRA-ROSEEven after two days, I refused to leave my room. It felt safer there. Somehow, I felt better not seeing anyone’s face all day, except the pack’s chef who brought me food.I was still haunted by the image of that man’s face, twisted in death. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him hanging. I felt like I had betrayed him a thousand times over.A choking sound escaped my throat, and I tried to stifle it, desperate to quiet the storm of pain inside me.“You didn’t know he was going to kill him,” Eira said softly, her voice like a gentle balm, her way of comforting me. But her words barely touched the weight pressing on my chest.“But he was angry with me. I can feel it. And that’s why he did what he did,” I whispered. It was the truth I couldn’t deny.Deep in my mind, I knew I had done something wrong. Had he sensed Asael’s kiss? That couldn’t be true.“I’m tired of you sulking, Zahra. Get up. We need to get out of this room,” Eira urged, pacing restlessly. She tried to convinc
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