Fading Gigolo

BOOK TWO OF FATED TO MY LYCAN BROTHER The goddess's disdain for me reached its peak at this moment. Slade had slipped away, his breath fading in my arms. But how did he transform into Rafael, the leader of the rogues in the Eclipse Moon Pack? "You reek of blood, I spill," Rafael sneered, his Italian accent oozing with disdain. "Then end me," I murmured, swallowing hard as anxiety coursed through my veins. It wasn't mere proximity or desire that quickened my pulse. No, it was the dangerous gleam in his eyes—a promise of peril and sinful pleasure. "I have other methods," he replied, placing a paper on the table. "I'm rejecting you." "Why?" I stuttered, my eyes widening as I stared at the paper. "I used you, my dear. Your mission is complete. Return to your pack..." ______________ Winter, cast aside once more, fell into the clutches of the Rogue King. Divorced and rejected within a single day, she believed nothing could be worse—until she discovered him with another woman in their shared bed! Seeking answers about the uncanny resemblance between Slade and Rafael and questioning if he genuinely was her destined mate, Winter embarked on a quest for truth. He was Rafael—the deranged King of Rogues— both feared and revered; a forgotten past haunted him. The woman who had plagued his dreams had materialised before him, holding the key to his enigma. Yet, an unexplainable urge to push her away filled him whenever she drew near. Their fragile connection faced turmoil when a jealous ex-lover interfered, leaving Winter suffocating in anguish as she cursed the goddess responsible for her repetitive agony. Rafael, realising too late their destined bond, clung desperately to their fragile union. Would Winter forgive him? And would they uncover the answers they yearned for?

“You get to save one, Alpha. Who’s it going to be, your Luna, or your mistress?” “Three…” the man with the gun began to countdown. “Two!” “Lucian…” I whispered, my voice trembling. “And--” “Mira! Let Mira live!” Lucian’s roar cut him off, and my world went silent. I didn’t hear the mocking laughter or Mira’s pitiful sobs as they dragged her to safety. All I heard was that choice of the mate I’d loved for four years, as he decided I wasn’t worth saving. So, when the bullet tore through me finally, I didn’t scream, I just fell, feeling the world fading into black. That day, I died. Or......... did I? Because three years later, the Alpha who left me to die will kneel before the Alpha of Alphas, a masked beauty feared by all. A woman. And that woman? Is me. *** For four years, Selene Rory tried to be the perfect Luna to Alpha Lucian Blackwell. She believed love could fix anything… until the night he chose another woman over her life. Shot, betrayed, and left to die, Selene should have been gone forever. But the moon goddess had other plans. Now, Three years later, Selene is no longer the soft Luna who waited for scraps of affection. She’s the Alpha of Alphas, a confident and strategic beauty who bows to no man. And when Lucian finally meets her again, it’s him who will be brought to his knees. The question is… will she take him back Or will another Alpha willing to burn the world for her claim what Lucian so easily threw away? But what if there’s something even bigger at play… a conspiracy that could destroy them all?

I put my t-shirt down, my hands shaking. I try to ignore them and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My hair color is dark brown and a vague hint of golden. My dad used to say that my eyes are ocean blue. A guy in my history cl once said that I had perfect s. Another guy said that I had a great body. They wanted to date me. And I dated few of them. I brush my fingers in my forehead. Then my dark, thick eyelashes. The side of my nose. My s. I run my hand at my neck, then across my collarbone. Am I beautiful? Honestly, I don't know. Maybe I'm not. "You were wrong, Angelina Valentine." A voice inside my head suddenly whispers. "Calm down, Angel," another voice whispers. It's the voice I loved. His voice is fading away. My hands start shake again, my breath rapidly quickening. I am losing control. I have to do something. "Goddammit!" I punch the mirror with my fist. It shatters into thousand pieces. My reflection has shattered into thousand pieces, too. The mirror now looks to me like an art. And my bloody knuckles. "I am sorry, Edwin. I can't promise you anymore, because you left me." I bite my to stop myself from crying. I won't cry. What's the point of crying? My sixth sense is suddenly alert. Somebody is watching me. I spin around. A guy is standing in front of the door, leaning against it. He wears a tight blue shirt, the sleeves folded. His black hair is ruffled and his hands are folded across his chest. The probable most amazing thing about him is his eyes. They are dark green. They are dangerous, beautiful and incredibly unreadable. And they are watching me.

Without my knowledge, Aileen—the daughter of Carlson Green’s first love—secretly lured my five-year-old daughter, Lena, deep into the Wolfsbane Forest. She told Lena there was treasure hidden in the forest. When a distress signal came from the forest, I rushed there with Carlson and the rescue team. The wolfsbane's poison spread silently, making it harder for Lena to breathe. She lay weak in the grass, her face pale, her heartbeat slowing down. Aileen, meanwhile, was sprawled on the path beside the wolfsbane. She only had a few scratches on her knees, but she was crying loudly. "Help me! It hurts so much!" I thought Carlson, the Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack and Lena’s father, would run into the forest to check on his own daughter. But he didn’t. Instead, he bent down, scooped Aileen into his arms, comforting her with care. His eyes were full of worry. "It’s okay now, Daddy’s here." I ran forward, my voice shaking. "Carlson! Lena is still in the wolfsbane grass! I can feel her breathing fading! Come with me to find her!" He only said calmly, "Lena is wearing my Moonstone Crystal. It protects her from wolfsbane. She will be fine. Aileen needs care and treatment more." The rescue vehicle left, taking Aileen and Carlson with it. I ran into the wolfsbane field and found Lena. She weakly tugged my hand. "Mom, don’t cry. It doesn’t hurt at all." "Daddy will come save me after he saves Aileen." Then she closed her eyes. And never breathed again. Even on the day of her funeral, Lena never got to see her father come to save her. Carlson Green, a life for a life. You, Aileen, and her mother will pay back everything you did to Lena—I’ll make you repay it a thousand times over.

Dad and my brother, Jonah Atwood, have always favored my sister, Lisa Atwood, while resenting me. At my coming-of-age ceremony, when several werewolves in the Blackwolf pack corners and harasses me, it's Rex Vaughn, the Alpha's heir, who steps in to protect me. He throws the most extravagant mate-bonding ceremony for me, right before the Moon Goddess. Overnight, I become someone every other female wolf wishes they could be! I'm seven months pregnant when I show up at Lisa's birthday party. Somehow, we're ambushed by dark magic. As always, Dad and Jonah put Lisa first. They throw everything they have into shielding and dragging her out of the enemies' barrier, leaving me trapped in the center of the spell circle, nearly consumed. In the end, it's Rex who pulls me out. Later, I wake up in Stone Cabin, only to walk right into a scene that makes my blood run cold. "You paid off an old witch from the Darkmoon pack to set up that spell circle?" Rex's eyes blaze red with fury. "She's only seven months along, and you were already trying to rip the pup out of her? "What? Were you hoping Lily and her pup would blow up and die together?" Jonah and Dad shrink back, trying to explain themselves. "Lisa's wolf is fading fast. The old witch said the only way to save her and her wolf is to sacrifice someone with the same blood immediately…" Rex snaps, "I care about Lisa more than either of you do! Why else do you think I claimed Lily as my mate? Sure, I want to save Lisa, but not by sacrificing Lily and her pup!" That is how I learn the truth. Rex didn't bond with me because he cared. He did it to save Lisa. As it turns out, he's no different from Dad and Jonah. All they ever see is Lisa, the weak-born wolf. I was never part of the picture to begin with. Since no one's ever truly cared about me, I'll walk away with my pup.