Gleam

I died once—on the eve of their wedding. He held her in his arms while the one I loved most shoved me into the firelight. Laughter and the gleam of blood were the final scene before I left this world. But the Moon Goddess seemed to have pity for me. I was reborn and sent back to the point where everything first collapsed—the day my parents forced me to give up the Alpha’s love, forced me to go abroad, forced me to ‘disappear sensibly’ like a joke. My lover texted me to ‘stop fantasizing,’ and had me to watch with my own eyes as he tangled with her. In my previous life I knelt and begged, cried as I explained, begged them to believe in what the Moon Goddess had ordained. This time, I smiled and agreed to every one of their demands. I would go; I would be good; I would be more obedient than anyone. But when I turned back again, I would never beg for anyone’s forgiveness. I would make them watch with their own eyes how the Omega that was trampled into the mud, little by little, tore apart their so‑called destiny and glory.

I had my meal and was about to leave my sister's restaurant, but the manager stopped me. "Sorry, sir, but you haven't paid your tab." I never saw this guy before. He probably had no idea who I was. Kindly, I explained, "Put it on your boss' tab. She knows what to do." The manager instead gave me a look of derision. "Sir, we're a 3-star Michelin restaurant. We do not put anyone's bill on another person's tab." He handed me an itemized bill. The guy had it ready and printed. I went through the list. The meal alone cost 75 grand. The 'dining utensil gleam maintenance fee' ran up to 45 hundred. There was also an exclusive air purifier fee, which would cost 75 hundred. And there was a 'VIP calm headspace service fee' that ran up to 15 grand. Those were the ones that stood out, but they were far from the last. I had no idea my sister was running an extortion gig. Mirthlessly, I laughed. "I'm your boss' brother. Tell her she's talking to me when she comes home." The manager did not let me go. "Just say you can't afford it. You're not the first one to try and claim you know Ms. Grayheim. I know leeches like you well enough." I texted my secretary. 'Tell my sister she either fires this guy, or I pull my funds out.'

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?