JalenI sat outside Clarissa's office building, smoking a blunt. I didn't know what had come over me earlier, to even think of working for her. I was overwhelmed with the urge to see her again, but I was too proud to admit it to Cade.When I brought up the idea to him, he couldn't control his burst of laughter. He laughed like a hyena, and I gave him a blank look."Dude, she's never going to accept you. How can you go work for her?" he said, still chuckling.My heart raced, and I dismissed the negative thoughts of what could go wrong. "I don't want to lose sight of her. What if she goes and, out of desperation to forget me, gets married to someone else?""I understand how you feel, but working for her is not a good idea. I'm sure she must have reported you to her dad, and they're on the way to get you arrested," Cade pointed out.I sneered smugly, tossing my head back. "I can bet with the last coin in my pocket that she didn't say anything to her dad," I said, feeling confident.Cade

As I made my way home, a feeling of irritation washed over me at the realization that Jalen, that stubborn Lycan, was following me. I couldn't fathom what he could be up to, but if he didn't stop tailing me, he would surely get himself into a great deal of trouble. Ivan drove me home. He must have sensed my mood, as he didn't press me to talk on the ride home. When we arrived close to the mansion, he asked, "Did I do something wrong?" "Huh? No, you didn't," I responded absently, looking out the window. He continued driving until we got to the mansion. As I stepped out of the car, Ivan called after me. "Rissa, I'd love to do this again. Can I call you and plan another date?"I forced a smile. "Sure, just let me know beforehand."I made my way into the house but came to a halt when I saw my parents standing on the staircase, their faces alight with excitement. "How was the date?" my father asked."It was good," I replied flatly."You don't sound very excited about it," my mum observ

As I sat at my desk in the office, my mind couldn't help but wander back to the kiss that Jalen and I had shared. It was rough and unexpected, and at first, my instinct was to slap him. But as I had retreated into my thoughts and tried to process what had just happened, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Even now, as I sat at my desk, I could still feel the heat of his lips on mine, and the memory sent shivers down my spine.I knew that what had happened between Jalen and me was ridiculously dangerous. The werewolves and the Lycans had been at odds for centuries, and any kind of romance between the two groups was strictly forbidden. But try as I might to forget about Jalen and move on with my life, I found myself constantly drawn back to him. I knew that I couldn't let this happen again, no matter how deep the attraction between us was.I tried to focus on my work, but my mind refused to cooperate. The spreadsheet in front of me became a hazy blur, and my thoughts were a chaotic mess.

Around the kitchen table, my family and I were seated among stacks of wedding-related magazines and folders that were brimming with suggestions and ideas.The most recent topic of conversation was Bryon's impending wedding, and since the news broke, my mother has been floating through the air. I wasn't interested in seeing the photographs she showed me of various flower arrangements and table settings, but she was beaming with excitement and I didn't want to ruin her mood. Bryon was being his regular goofy self and not offering any assistance, and Sydney was ranting on the phone to her wedding planner over specifics like the guest list and the menu."Rissa, could you shorten the possible song list for the first dance?" said Bryon. "You have a brain, do it yourself," I said, savoring my milkshake. Dad was occupied with sorting over the guest list to determine who to include and who to exclude. "I'm not inviting Hugo."He scoffedI chuckled, "Why Dad, he's your Beta.""No, he's a disg

Jalen asked me to leave but was struggling with his emotions. He was so bitter and vulnerable, struggling to maintain eye contact with me and toying with his collar. "Jalen, please, we could find another way," I pleaded, my legs closing together. "I can't let you mark me. It would cause a war between our packs, but I can't bear to see you like this, either."He blew out a breath in an exaggerated huff and shook his head. "There is no other way," he said, his voice laced with bitterness. "You shouldn't have come here. Leave and never come back. I promise to never darken your door anymore.""Don't throw me out, please," I spoke in a quiet voice. "I… I don't want you to die."His eyes held mine for a second and held a mixture of love and desperation in his eyes. "I don't want to drag you down with me," he said, his voice breaking and he moved away from me, but I closed the space between us and cupped his face with my hands. "Kiss me," I lowered my voice, facing him straight on. His li