《Alpha Nocturne"s Contracted Mate》 Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 1 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 Betrayal ¡°Yes! That¡¯s the one! That¡¯s exactly what I want!¡± A*n eximed almost giddy with excitement as she reached forward and ran her hand over the beautiful material. The white fabric seemed to shimmer in the light and the effect was almost spellbinding. ¡°Fantastic, would you like to try it on now? It¡¯s a match for your measurements, but it may need a little alteration¡­¡± the sales assistant began before A*n interrupted her excitedly. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take it home and have the seamstress take a look if there are any alterations needed. She¡¯sing tonight to make some alterations on some evening wear that I bought for the honeymoon, so it won¡¯t be an issue.¡± A*n grinned. With a nod of her head, the assistant packaged everything up and handed her the dress to take home. She couldn¡¯t wait to get home and try it on. A*n admired herself happily in the full-length mirror as the seamstress said her goodbyes and left the room with an armful of gowns. She smiled wistfully as she smoothed her hands along the flowing material of her wedding dress. This was thest night that she would be A*n Veritas, daughter of the Alpha King. Tomorrow she would be A*n Lunaris, wife and mate of Brad Lunaris, the future Alpha King. She covered her mouth with her hand and suppressed the squeal that almost escaped from her lips. Finally, she would be out of this g*d-forsaken wing of the mansion and moved to her own floor with her husband. She would only have to see her stepmother and step-sister at special functions and would be able to avoid any contact with them on most days. She bit her lip nervously. Should she go and show her dad the dress? He would see it tomorrow but¡­ they had so little time together anymore, it might be nice to spend thest night here with him as his daughter. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g A*n sighed lightly. She wished her mother was here. Even though her father had betrayed her mother and taken a mistress, A*n couldn¡¯t help but feel that if her mother had lived, things would have been infinitely easier. Perhaps she would have had more siblings. With a final twirl and contented giggle, she opened the door of her room and headed out into the hallway. As she made her way past the bedrooms and suites that made up this floor, she could hear a couple¡¯s distinct moans and grunts in the passionate throes of lovemaking. She sniggered and rolled her eyes. She hadn¡¯t had the chance to be intimate with Brad yet. A*n had been determined to save herself until they marked each other on their wedding day. After they had said their vows and celebrated with the pack, the family would then retire to the inner temple of the moon where the elders waited. It was a simple affair with intimate words spoken between the mated pair and an exchange of vows would happen again but this time, their wolves would have the opportunity to speak their vows to their fated mate. It was a ritual that encouraged acts of service for each other and once the ceremony wasplete, they would return to their room and enjoy each other as a mated pair. A*n blushed furiously at the thought and stifled a giggle. To wear Brad¡¯s mark would bring her nothing but pride, he was loyal to a fault¡­ ¡°F*ck, Ada¡­¡± The banging of the headboard against the wall intensified as A*n froze. No..it couldn¡¯t be! Her head turned towards the door that she had been just about to pass, and saw that it was slightly ajar. She swallowed nervously as her heart raced wildly. She was wrong..she had to be! ¡°Brad¡­ oh, f*ck¡­ deeper¡­ harder!¡± Ada¡¯s shrill voice begged between breathy moans. A*n¡¯s legs seemed to have a mind of their own as she positioned herself next to the cr*ck in the door. She pushed it open slightly as she tried to peer into the dim light of the room beyond, but it wasn¡¯t quite enough. She took a deep breath and nudged the door a little more. Her chest felt like it would explode as she held her breath whilst the c*ack widened. When it revealed her sister lying underneath A*n¡¯s husband-to-be, her hands flew to her mouth to stifle the gasp of horror as her heart shattered instantly. As Brad roared his release inside her sister, Ada turned her head towards the door with a smirk. An icy chill descended over A*n as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over her and she stood and stared, her eyes wide and mouth slightly open in disbelief. Ada lifted her hand and waved in Ada¡¯s direction with a smug smile stered on her face as Brad copsed on top of her, kissing her neck tenderly. A*n wanted to scream, to rage, and to s*b but she remained silent as she pulled the door closed and balled her fists up angrily at her side. She stared nkly ahead as she made her way down the stairs and out into the night. A*n had walked along in a daze for quite a while, her mind reeling with the scene that she had stumbled upon. They were supposed to be fated mates¡­what had happened? It was so rare to find the other person made exactly for you that when it happened, the rtionships were almost infallible. It was very rare for either partner to seek others out for fulfillment because their wolves simply wouldn¡¯t allow it. A*n¡¯s wolf Maeve had remained silent throughout all of this, but A*n could feel the fury coursing through her. Maeve had never been one for talking too much. When A*n attempted to talk to her she would mostly remain silent. Shemunicated her feelings on subjects clearly enough at the time and words were rarely necessary for Maeve¡¯s opinion. The numbness that had led A*n into the city had begun to fade and the pain that coursed through her heart was excruciating. Previous Chapter Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 2 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 The Curse She sniffled miserably as she looked around her. Somehow she had ended up in the popr club district of the city, well known for its nightlife. The pulsating beats that emanated from inside some of the buildings did nothing but remind her of the strong, rhythmic heartbeat that she would hear when sheid her head on Brad¡¯s chest, and the grief would hit her all over again. ¡®Perhaps you can find a quieter bar,¡¯ Maeve growled. A*n jumped at the sudden gruff voice in her head and it took her a moment before she had recovered enough to reply. ¡®But¡­ Maeve¡­ I don¡¯t drink¡­ I never have.¡¯ A*n protested. ¡®No? Well, fated mates don¡¯t ever sleep with their mate¡¯s sister either¡­ yet here we are. Now seems like a perfect time to start drinking.¡¯ She snapped back brutally. A*n bit her lip, unsure how to reply and she felt the sensation of Maeve sighing heavily. ¡®Even if you don¡¯t want to drink, I want something to numb us both. Fratricide is frowned upon and if I see that b*tch again then you can be sure that she¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to her. Until then, find somewhere quiet and drink until I shut up.¡¯ she grumbled. A*n took a deep breath and lowered her head, hoping that her hair covered her face from the curious nces that were cast her way. They eventually arrived at a bar well known for its high-profile clientele andmitment to protecting their privacy. It was the perfect ce to hide for a little while. The doorman stopped her instantly andughed. ¡°Listen, missy, I know we¡¯re called The Minster, but I think you¡¯ve got the wrong kind of church, you can¡¯t get married here.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. A*n felt her cheeks flush furiously as she lifted her head to stare at him defiantly. He visibly nched as he realized who she was and apologized profusely. ¡°Ah¡­ Miss Veritas! I¡¯m sorry I just¡­ with your attire¡­ wedding dresses aren¡¯t usually¡­ and¡­¡± He stammered hopelessly, stumbling over his words as A*n narrowed her eyes at him and the golden irises of her wolf peeked out at him furiously. ¡°If I wanted jokes I would go and see aedian. I wanted somewhere quiet to drink where no one would bother me.¡± An* hissed. The doorman hurriedly escorted her inside and she was shown to a booth on the top floor, reserved only for those with the highest profiles. Being the daughter of an Alpha King granted her that privilege and as she squeezed into the booth, lifting the hem of her dress so as not to get wrapped up in it, she was grateful for theck of prying eyes. It wasn¡¯t long before the manager of the establishment approached her and apologized profusely for the conduct of his doorman. As a way of showing his sincerity, he offeredplimentary drinks for the evening. A*n had epted the offer graciously and when he handed her the drinks menu she epted Maeve¡¯s suggestions for drinks and didn¡¯t hold back on ordering. After her fourth ss of Bellevue Cabe, she came to the decision that there was no way that she would go through with this wedding. If Brad could do this to her now, before they were even married and marked, the chances were that his behavior would only get worse. ¡®It¡¯s the worst kind of betrayal. You should seduce him and let me rip his penis off so he¡¯ll never be able to bury himself balls deep in another woman again.¡¯ Maeve snarled. For some reason, A*n giggled at Maeve¡¯s fierceness and a ripple of amusement ran through her from Maeve¡¯s direction. ¡®It would be a bit messy, Maeve. I think the rejection should do fine.¡¯ A*n giggled. ¡®Maybe take a man home with you tonight and repay the favor,¡¯ Maeve smirked. ¡®Maeve!¡¯ A*n protested, her flush from the wine deepening suddenly as she felt her ears grow hotter. Before long A*n found herself in dire need of a visit to the toilet and as she made her way through the maze-like corridors of private rooms and private offices, she walked straight into what she thought was thedies¡¯ room. As she adjusted her dress and took a seat in the cubicle, the sound of footsteps entering the room could be heard and she stifled a giggle. The alcohol had indeed had a drastic effect on her. Although they had a naturally strong tolerance for alcohol, the Bellevue witches had worked wonders with their line of fortified wines. She swayed a little as she stood and turned to flush when she froze. The distinct tones of the two males talking could be heard quite clearly. ¡°Alpha, I know you don¡¯t want to talk about this but you really must consider your options.¡± A male voice pleaded. ¡°Not this again, Allen.¡± A deep, husky voice sighed heavily, clearly tired of whatever subject this rted to. ¡®Eavesdropping seems to be a talent that we¡¯ve recently acquired¡­¡¯ Maeve slurred in amusement in A*n¡¯s head. ¡®Shhhh! They might hear us!¡¯ A*n answered back through their mind link, stifling yet another giggle. ¡°If the others find out about the curse, then you know it will lead to bids for takeovers.¡± ¡°And what? If I don¡¯t have a Luna I can¡¯t rule well? Give me a break, Allen.¡± The deep voice snorted derisively. ¡°If you can¡¯t produce an heir the pack¡¯s future isn¡¯t secure! At least consider taking a chosen mate.¡± ¡°And if my mate shows up in the meantime?¡± ¡°Can you be sure that they would be truthful about that matter? The curse took away your ability to¡­¡± The curse? What the curse is? Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 3 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3 The Arrangement ¡°Can you be sure that they would be truthful about that matter? The curse took away your ability to find your true mate. Who¡¯s to say the sted witches won¡¯t send imposters to attempt to take over the pack, hmm? This isn¡¯t something trivial to beughed at!¡± The man identified as Allen answered in frustration. A*n¡¯s eyes were wide. Just what had she stumbled into?! She didn¡¯t recognize the voice but his predicament seemed to be difficult. As she leaned forward onto the door to try to hear better, the door flew open and she stumbled out, hitting the wall opposite her with a loud grunt. Maeve snickered in her head. ¡°Forget to close the door properly?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not helping¡­¡± A*n replied as she clutched the spot on her head that had made an impact on the wall and winced painfully. As she looked up, her eyes made contact with the two momentarily stunned males who had been poised to attack and right at this moment, were a little unsure of how to proceed now. ¡°What¡­? Who are you?! Exin yourself!¡± the man whose voice had been identified as Allen, blustered at her furiously. She dropped her hand to her side and looked at him incredulously. ¡°Me exin myself?! Don¡¯t you think it should be the other way around?!¡± ¡°Wha..?¡± he started to protest as A*n cut him off furiously. ¡°Two grown men using thedies¡¯ bathroom to talk about such nonsense¡­what are you? P*rverts?!¡± She red at them furiously. Allen looked at the other man helplessly. The man with the deep voice had adopted a rxed demeanor, shoving his hands into his pockets as his assessing gaze swept over her. ¡°Interesting choice of attire for the men¡¯s bathroom..don¡¯t you think?¡± Hemented dryly with a raised eyebrow. A*n blinked st*pidly. Men¡¯s bathroom? This wasn¡¯t the men¡¯s bathroom, was it? She allowed her gaze to travel across the room and noticed the men¡¯s urinals on the wall and bit her lip anxiously. F*ck. The man with a deep voice chuckled at her obvious difort and turned away as if to leave. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her. If your secret gets out¡­¡± Allen protested loudly as the man with a deep voice turned his head slightly as he considered his friend¡¯s words. Eventually, he gave a slight nod before turning to leave again. Allen¡¯s eyes switched suddenly to the golden eyes that signified an imminent change and A*n¡¯s heart began to race furiously. They were going to kill her for overhearing a conversation?! ¡®Let them try!¡¯ Maeve snarled as she tried to push forward to meet her opponent. ¡°Wait!¡± A*n shouted suddenly. ¡°You need a chosen mate and I need a way to get out of this wedding tomorrow. I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll marry you.¡± The man with the deep voice paused and turned to face her suddenly. He took in the appearance of the disheveled, slightly drunk woman in a wedding dress staring at him boldly, with no trace of fear in her eyes. He contemted the meaning of this sudden appearance before smiling slightly. ¡°I ept. Allen will draw up a basic contract with you and we can discuss the final terms when you have concluded your business with your¡­ non-wedding.¡± ¡°Alpha! Are you seriously¡­¡± Allen protested. ¡°That¡¯s an order, Allen.¡± He snapped with a voice full of authority as a vivid silver shed across his eyes. Allen paled slightly and visibly gulped before answering. ¡°Yes, Alpha Nocturne.¡± He ground out as he bared his neck in submission to him. A*n blinked in surprise. Alpha Nocturne?! What the hell had she gotten herself into? Alpha Nocturne sat quietly and watched A*n shrewdly as she sat at the other side of the booth whilst Allen prepared an initial agreement. He wondered idly why she wanted to get out of the marriage that she had been clearly prepared for so badly. It was a pity really, the dress looked quite fetching on her. Allen sighed as he hastily typed out the agreement and conferred lightly with Alpha Nocturne about his expectations. On the other side of the table, A*n watched them both nervously. She clutched at the material of her wedding dress under the table and her stomach rolled ufortably. ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so nervous. He has a strong pack, it¡¯s the most powerful in the country is it not? I think it is a good deal.¡¯ Maevemented casually. ¡®Yes, but he has a fearsome reputation and he has a cold demeanor. I don¡¯t actually know the first thing about his businesses, his ideals¡­ just that father hates him.¡¯ ¡®Better to know where you stand with a cold powerful man than to be in excruciating pain every time your mate sticks his d*ck where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡¯ Maeve snarled suddenly. A*n grimaced at Maeve¡¯s choice of words but had to agree with the principle. ¡°Miss?¡± Allen asked with a hint of irritation. It was evident that he had asked her something but she hadn¡¯t been paying too much attention and she smiled apologetically at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my wolf was distracting me.¡± ¡°Oh really? I assume she isn¡¯t too pleased then.¡± Allen smirked. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Not at all. Quite the opposite. She thinks that it is a good match. Her exact words were that the contract was better than a fated mate who sticks his d*ck where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡± A*n answered unwaveringly with a sweet smile. Allen almost choked on her answer and spluttered loudly. Alpha Nocturne suppressed a grin at her directness toward his beta. He found it refreshing. ¡°Um¡­ okay. So, the standard requirements as stated by Alpha Nocturne are that you will live with him at the pack house of the Dark Moon Pack, and you will assume the duties of the Luna of the pack for a period of not less than 5 years. Is that eptable?¡± Allen asked with a look of apprehension when he had recovered. A*n nodded demurely. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 4 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 4 bCHAPTER 4 Not That Woman, She is Your Luna ¡°You will also be required not to disclose information regarding this contract or the Alpha¡¯s curse to anyone. The consequences will be both swift and brutal if you do. Is that clear? ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. I do have a request though of my own.¡± Alpha Nocturne narrowed his eyes slightly at her. What was it that she would demand from him exactly? He steeled himself for extortionate demands and retained his impassive demeanor as he waited patiently. ¡°You can ask¡­¡± Allen stated in a nonmittal tone, as he waved for her to continue. An took a deep breath and smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, don¡¯t worry. First of all, before I return to the pack with you, I want to have the opportunity to say goodbye to my family. Second, I want to be able to continue my work at thepany of my former pack if possible. Third¡­ I still want to be able to see my friends.¡± ¡®Should have asked him for our b*stard mate¡¯s balls on a tter.¡¯ Maeve snorted. ¡®What is your obsession with his genitals, Maeve?¡¯ ¡®Maybe if he¡¯d kept them to himself for another night I wouldn¡¯t be so d*mn salty¡­¡¯ Allen looked at A*n suspiciously as she returned to the conversation. ¡°I won¡¯t ask this time..¡± He said hurriedly as Maeve smirked at his response. ¡°Clearly too s*icy for the males at the Moon Pack.¡± Shemented as she stretchednguidly and A*n rolled her eyes internally at her. ¡°Alpha Nocturne agrees to your demands. Is there nothing else?¡± he inquired cautiously. A*n shook her head. ¡°Very well. We have a business to attend to in the city so we can collect you tomorrow night from your parent¡¯s pack. Is this eptable?¡± A*n nodded quietly. ¡°Very well, then if you¡¯ll sign your name here as eptance of the first draft of the contract, then any further alterations can be made at ater date with both parties¡¯ approval. Understood?¡± A*n reached for the stylus and signed and printed her name. ¡°Then if there¡¯s nothing else Alpha Nocturne, Allen, I¡¯ll leave now and head home to make the necessary arrangements.¡± ¡°You should call me Adam. Referring to me as alpha Nocturne is going to draw suspicious eyes.¡± ¡°Very well, Adam. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow night.¡± A*n grinned as she stood, and made her way out. After she had left, Adam turned to Allen and smirked. ¡°Happy now? Contracted mate and Luna for the pack.¡± He said as he leaned back and let his head rest on the high back of the seating, closing his eyes in satisfaction as he did so. Silence met his words before a cautious voice answered. ¡°Alpha, have you ever met that woman before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out, Allen¡­¡± Adam said impatiently, his brows creasing in a frown. ¡°That woman is A*n Veritas. The Alpha King¡¯s daughter.¡± Allen said hesitantly. Adam¡¯s eyes flew open and he stared at the ceiling momentarily before leaning forward and looking directly at Allen. ¡°Perhaps it would be wise to find out what we can about her then. Who she is marrying, which company she is working for, and why she wants so desperately to get out of that wedding.¡± Allen nodded as he jotted down the requests of his Alpha and began sending instructions out to their intelligence and surveince team. ¡°Oh, and Allen?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha?¡± He said lightly as he paused in his work and nced up to meet his Alpha¡¯s deadly gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t refer to her as that woman again. She is your Luna from this day forward and don¡¯t forget it.¡± He growled as he stood to leave. After her discussion with Alpha Nocturne and his Beta, A*n headed straight home. She avoided the main streets as much as possible in case she inadvertently bumped into anyone on the way home. She swore internally at herself as she scurried through the poorly lit streets. How could she have been so s*upid? Not only would she most likely be the hot topic of gossip over the next few weeks, but she had also managed to inadvertently bind herself to one of the most feared and notorious Alpha in their That thought alone was enough to sober her up almost instantly. As she navigated her way through the extensive grounds and into her home, she shut the side entrance door as quietly as possible, desperate not to draw attention to herself arriving home sote at night. She could hear lively voices from one of the drawing rooms, the sound punctuated withughter as she crept past. Her face hardened as she heard the familiar tones of her step-sister and stepmother, with the asionalment from her father. Her heart lurched painfully as the sudden feeling of beingpletely adrift from her once loving father wormed its way into her mind. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. With a small sigh, A*n continued along the hallway with the skirts of her wedding dress bunched up and held tightly in her arms. She managed to make it to the bottom of the sweeping staircase before suddenly the door of the drawing room behind her was flung open, banging noisily on the wall and the sound amplified by the echoey corridors. A*n jumped slightly before freezing as the familiar sickly sweet tones of her step-sister Ada, reached her ears. ¡°Oh! Mom! Dad! Look who only just arrived home!¡± Ada announced, feigning shock as she called over her shoulder to them. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize A*n was out! Look at the time! On the eve of your wedding as well! What will people say?¡± She gasped, clearly determined to put on a good show. A*n whirled around furiously and red through narrowed eyes at Ada. ¡°Oh my! Look at your dress!¡± Ada eximed loudly. ¡°It¡¯s positively ruined! How on earth will you wear that now for the ceremony tomorrow?¡± Ada came to a stop in front of A*n and folded her arms as she ran her eyes disdainfully over her disheveled appearance. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 5 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5 No Longer Endure It She snorted quietly and leaned in to whisper in A*n¡¯s ear. ¡°No wonder Brad couldn¡¯t wait to be inside me, just look at the state of you.¡± She sneered. A*n clenched her fingers into fists as she fought desperately to stop Maeve fromunching at Ada and escting this further. ¡®Don¡¯t just stand there and take this, the little b*tch needs to know her ce. Let me teach her a lesson she won¡¯t forget.¡¯ Maeve snarled angrily. ¡®Maeve, we can¡¯t, she doesn¡¯t have a wolf yet. You know thews, it wouldn¡¯t be a fair fight, and the punishment..¡¯ ¡®Screw the punishment, A*n, let me just bite her a little bit, maybe remove one of her limbs. At least then she¡¯ll have fewer appendages to wrap around other people¡¯s mates.¡¯ She snapped viciously as she tried to surge forwards. A*n closed her eyes tightly, clenched her jaw, and fought back against her wolf as Ada sniggered. ¡°A, what¡¯s wrong? Is your little wolf angry?¡± It didn¡¯t take long for A*n to regain control, her wolf slinking off to slump in a corner and growl threateningly. Before long, the rage of her wolf had subsided and silence descended. A*n opened her eyes to re icily at her sister. ¡°What do you think, Ada? You slept with her soul mate, the one who was intended as our perfect match! I know you hate me, but it was unnecessary.¡± A*n finally replied, her face calm andposed. Ada frowned before her eyes darkened and her face twisted into an ugly mask of spiteful anger. ¡°Unnecessary? I think it was very much needed actually. If only to prove that I will always be better than you. You swan around here thinking that you¡¯re little miss perfect. Mark my words A*n, I¡¯ll make sure that you are nothing and have nothing by the time I¡¯m finished. I¡¯m sick of living in your shadow.¡± She hissed furiously. ¡°A*n! What is the meaning of this?! Why were you out sote?!¡± A Slimy, sickly sweet voice called out. Narcissa, A*n¡¯s stepmother emerged from the drawing room, with A*n¡¯s father close behind. A*n reluctantly tore her gaze away from her stepsister and focused her attention on Narcissa. The two stared at each other for a while as Ada sauntered to her mother¡¯s side and tilted her head arrogantly as she turned to face A*n once again. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I needed to clear my head.¡± A*n finally answered tly, feeling like an exhibition on disy with everyone¡¯s attention on her. ¡°Oh but your dress came! How lovely!¡± Narcissa simpered with a poisonous smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t hurry down to show your parents before you disappeared out into the night doing goodness knows what.¡± She continued flippantly, her eyes full of malice. Before A*n could stop herself she found herself snorting, loudly. ¡°Parents? I think you¡¯re mistaken¡­ don¡¯t you mean parent? My mother died a long time ago and you are not fit to share that honor with her memory.¡± A*n answered casually. Narcissa gasped and covered her mouth as she turned to face A*n¡¯s father with a horrified and hurt expression. ¡°You ungrateful little cow! How can you speak to your stepmother this way?!¡± A*n¡¯s father blustered. ¡°Because she¡¯s the kind of stepmother that you read about in fairy tales. She¡¯s not deserving of a ce here.¡± A*n answered simply. She was tired of this forced masquerade as a happy family. The family was supposed to be warm and inviting with a sense offort and security, not cold and unfriendly with the necessity of having to watch your back constantly with no support. Her fathershed out at the wall next to him angrily as he began to advance toward A*n, growling a warning. Ada rushed across to him and took hold of his arm with a sly smirk in A*n¡¯s direction as she feigned an attempt to try to stop him. ¡°Dad! Please! Calm down! Don¡¯t be angry! It¡¯s fine, we¡¯re used to all thements she throws at us.¡± Ada whined. A*n red furiously at the trio as Narcissa joined her daughter in the pathetic act of caring for family members. How could her father not see through this charade?! As Narcissa rubbed soothing circles on her father¡¯s back she focused her attention on A*n again. ¡°Please A*n, you know your father¡¯s health isn¡¯t good. Let¡¯s not trigger another episode with unnecessary nastiness, hmm?¡± She pleaded in a sickly sweet voice. But A*n didn¡¯t miss the smirk that danced on her lips. ¡°You should take a good look at your sister¡¯s demeanor, A*n. You might actually learn how to conduct yourself properly!¡± A*n¡¯s father snarled. ¡°Learn what?¡± A*nughed in disbelief, ¡°Learn how to seduce and sleep with another female¡¯s mate? Maybe. She seemed to have the talent for it when she was f*cking my mate in her room upstairs!¡± Her words hung in the air before a ferocious roar escaped from her father. ¡°How dare you speak about your sister that way?! There is no way she would do such a despicable thing!¡± ¡°Sister? Have you lost your mind, father? My mother only gave birth to one child.¡± An* sneered as she swept her gaze disdainfully over Narcissa and Ada. ¡°You know something? There¡¯s a popr saying, isn¡¯t there? Now, what was it¡­Ah, yes! ¡®The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree¡¯. It fits both Narcissa and Ada perfectly, don¡¯t you think? Her mother seduced my father and broke his mate¡¯s heart, and now her daughter aims to do the same thing. Ironic really, isn¡¯t it?¡± A*n continued furiously, her face shrouded with contempt. A cold silence descended in the hallway, her father, Narcissa, and Ada all frozen in shock at the words she had uttered. For years, A*n had remained silent and now that her life was about to change so drastically, there was no need to keep up with the pretense anymore. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 6 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 6 CHAPTER 6 I Will Take Everything From You! The shocked silencested only a matter of seconds before her father exploded angrily, shouting incoherently as Ada and Narcissa did their best to calm him down. A*n watched their struggle emotionlessly. It was about time they all heard a few home truths. ¡°A*n, that¡¯s enough you¡¯ve gone too far! Look at the state of your father! After everything I¡¯ve done¡­¡± Narcissa snapped as she grappled with her husband, trying desperately to soothe his wolf. ¡°Everything that you¡¯ve done?!¡± A*nughed incredulously. ¡°Tell me which part I should be thankful for Narcissa? The part where you seduced my father into breaking his sacred mate bond? Maybe the part where my mother finally lost her fight and gave up on life? Or perhaps I should be grateful for the times that you¡¯ve pushed me out of this poor excuse for a family and excluded me in favor of your own blood?¡± She spat disdainfully. Ada did her best to appease her mother before she whirled furiously and stalked toward A*n stopping just millimeters away from her face. A*n red back coldly, the hatred between the two of them almost electrifying in the air. ¡°You have no right to speak to my mother like that. You¡¯re right in what you said earlier though.¡± She snarled, a sardonic grin ying at the edges of her mouth, ¡°Oh really? I¡¯m surprised you would agree with me on anything.¡± A*n s snorted and narrowed her eyes warily. ¡°I¡¯ll happily admit if there¡¯s any truth to what you say. ¡®The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree¡¯ wasn¡¯t it? You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± She smirked and threw her head back arrogantly, ring down her nose haughtily. A*n steeled herself for the words that Ada was about to throw at her. If she agreed with anything, it was only because it served her purpose. ¡°You were right with that statement, do you want to know why?¡± ¡°Not really, Ada. Your little theatrics bore me quite honestly. I have better things to do with my time¡± A*n answered casually as she turned to leave. Ada¡¯s arm shot out and she gripped A*n¡¯s arm painfully, digging her fingernails into the soft flesh with a smile. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll stay and listen you weak little bi*ch.¡± Ada hissed quietly so no one could hear but the two of them. ¡°You and your mother are the same. Weak-willed, insipid wretches that can¡¯t hold onto their men. When they¡¯ve stolen away, they me everyone but themselves. Look at you, you¡¯re as pathetic as she was.¡± She snorted. Before A*n could stop herself, she had reacted on impulse and brought her hand around in a swift arc, the sound of the p shended on Ada¡¯s face echoed sharply. It seemed to happen in slow motion as her hand connected and Ada¡¯s head snapped round, the force of the impact knocking her off bnce as she st*ggered to the side slightly and let go of A*n¡¯s arm. A*n was breathing heavily as she tried to reign in her own anger. She had never wanted to pummel someone as badly as she did Ada right now. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Ada turned her head slightly to grin at her from the floor, and the madness on her face startled A*n momentarily as she stared back with wide eyes of disbelief. ¡°Do you know why Brad chose me over you?¡± Adaughed, the sound a little unhinged as she drew in a long breath slowly. She stood unsteadily, and faced A*n again, staying a little out of arms reach this time as her eyes danced with a hostile fire as she smoothed her clothes down. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m carrying his child.¡± She giggled coyly. A*n froze as a chill swept over her. It couldn¡¯t be. Then, that would mean this had happened more than once. As she wrestled with her conflicting emotions and stared nkly ahead of her in shock, Ada smirked as she began to slowly circle her. ¡°Such a pity that of all the years you spent with him, he simply couldn¡¯t get me out of his mind. You weren¡¯t enough A*n, you¡¯ll never be enough. When he left you in the evenings he came to warm my bed. All you ever were was a title to him, a means to inherit a kingdom.¡± Ada intoned quietly, her poisonous words etching their mark painfully into A*n¡¯s heart. Then, all of the times he left hurriedly were because of Ada. There were never any assignments, family meetings, or pack business¡­ it was all hastily concocted excuses so that he couldy with her step- sister¡­ and she had been ignorant to it the whole time. She felt like such a fool. As much as she wanted to scream and cry and rage, A*n managed to retain herposure and tried her best to close her heart off from the pain. She dug her fingernails into her palm to distract herself as Ada continued her rambling. ¡°Such a pitiful little wretch.¡± Ada tutted with a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯ll talk with my father soon enough, and then it will be Brad and me that are married.¡± She smirked happily as she ceased her predatory circling and stood in front of A*n again. She swept her gaze over A*n once more, the disdain and contempt oozing out of her very being, and leaned in close in an effort to intimidate her. ¡°I told you, A*n, I will take everything from you and there is nothing that you can do to take it back.¡± A*n stared at her and felt all of the fights leave her. Why should she care now? She had a new n and that didn¡¯t include ever seeing Brad or Ada ever again. As a strange sense of calmness settled over her, numbing the aching pain in her heart, she smiled serenely at Ada and almostughed at the look of confusion on her face. ¡°You can have him, Ada. He¡¯s not worth my time or my energy. I have bigger and better things to do right now than y your little games. Good luck with your new child and your impending marriage. I hope you don¡¯t regret your actions.¡± With that, A*n gathered her skirts in her arms once again and turned to begin the climb up the staircase. The sooner she was out of this s*upid dress, the better. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 7 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 7 CHAPTER 7 I A*n Veritas Reject You¡­ A*n woke with a start to the incessant vibrating of her phone on the bedside table. With her heart beating wildly at being forcibly woken unexpectedly, she fumbled around trying to find the d*mn thing with her bleary vision. When her fingers finally closed around the familiar surface of her phone, she hurriedly checked the caller disy and saw the name of her cheating ex sh up on the screen. She narrowed her eyes and pressed the reject button before throwing herself back on the bed. 32 missed calls and a stream of messages across SMS and social media shed up on her notifications from him. A*n snorted derisively. Her head turned to the side on her pillow and she scanned her room. A wry smile formed on her face as her eyesnded on the discarded wedding dress crumpled in the corner of her room. She was supposed to be getting married today¡­ the day she had dreamed of and nned for all these years destroyed in merely a few moments. The phone vibrated noisily in her hand and a quick look revealed yet another call from Brad. She sighed internally and answered. ¡°What?¡± She sneered into the phone. ¡°A*n, please, you have to believe me, it¡¯s not what it looked like¡­¡± Brad began hastily before A*n cut him off with an incredulousugh. ¡°Oh, f*ck off, Brad. It was exactly what it looked like and you know it. Don¡¯t take me for a fool any more than you already have done. We¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Wait! A*n! You can¡¯t be serious? One mistake after all these years¡­¡± ¡°Only one? Funny that¡­ Ada was quite eager to fill me in on all of the glorious details of your sordid rtionship over the years that you conducted behind my back.¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s lying! I swear A*n. It was only once and I was blind drunk¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s pregnant with your child, Brad.¡± A*n spat icily. A cold silence extended between the two of them for a few minutes. Anne wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold. She wished Maeve would speak up with some c*cky, inappropriatement but since they had returnedst night, there had been nothing but silence. ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s not my child. There¡¯s no way¡­¡± Brad answered finally, a panicked edge to his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t care, Brad, this isn¡¯t my business. Find a way to sort it yourself.¡± A*n answered flippantly, already mming the walls around her heart so that he could never hurt her this way again. ¡°What? Of course, it¡¯s your business! You¡¯ll be my wife in a matter of hours! We can face this together, A*n, we¡¯ll work through it¡­¡± A*n snorted loudly andughed hard. It was a sound devoid of any happiness and filled with mockery. ¡°You can¡¯t seriously expect me to still go through with the wedding after this, Brad. Get over yourself. I refuse to y stepmother to the brat of my step-sister¡­ that¡¯s beyond all kinds of f*cked up.¡± A*n sneered derisively. ¡°You can¡¯t just cancel the wedding! This has taken months to organize! People have traveled from different counties just to be here! What am I supposed to tell everyone?¡± ¡°That you stuck your d*ck in my sister, but then, honesty isn¡¯t really your strong point is it?¡± ¡°A*n¡­ please¡­¡± ¡°F*ck you, Brad. I hope your wolf deserts you.¡± ¡°A*n¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I A*n Veritas reject you¡­¡± The sound of the line going dead and the resulting tone of a disconnected call bleeped loudly in A*n¡¯s ear. She stared incredulously at the phone in her hand. ¡°Did he just¡­ M*THER*U*KER!¡± A*n screamed as sheunched her phone across the room angrily and watched it bounce off the wall and onto the floor. If Brad thought that would save him from A*n¡¯s rejection he had another thinging. A*n slid off the bed angrily and after a quick shower and washing her hair, she began to get ready. ¡°Self-obsessed, arrogant little p*ick. How dare he refuse to listen to my rejection. Just wait until I get my hands on the little twerp.¡± A*n muttered furiously as she rapidly pulled her clothes on and grabbed her phone from the position where it hadnded. She stormed out of the bedroom and barely dodged the housekeepers in her fury as she entered the kitchen area looking to grab a quick breakfast to take with her. The Kitchen staff hurriedly passed her a bag with a hastily prepared bacon and egg panini and she thanked them hastily as she turned and walked straight into Ada. Ada shrieked as the coffee she had been carrying tipped down her front and glowered at A*n furiously. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, freak! F*ck! This was new, it¡¯spletely ruined!¡± Ada wailed. ¡°New? Thought sl*ppy seconds were more your style.¡± A*n snapped as she pushed past her. ¡°A, is the little princess still sore that I¡¯ll be marrying her man because I¡¯m a better choice? Really, A*n, you¡¯re ugly enough already, if you let jealousy twist you more no one will want you.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ada¡¯s s*rillugh tore through her and A*n whirled around snarling furiously and rushed towards her. Ada yelped, her eyes wide with fear as she tried to get away from her but she was too slow. She was mmed into the wall with such force that all the air from her lungs left her. A*n¡¯s forearm pressed dangerously against her neck and she gasped for breath as he stared panic-stricken into A*n¡¯s eyes. Previous Chapter Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 8 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 8 CHAPTER 8 She is Pregnant A*n¡¯s eyes were aze with a fury that she hadn¡¯t known she was capable of and she snarled menacingly, her tone conveying her deadly intent clearly. ¡°You¡¯ve pushed me too far this time, Ada. You¡¯re wee to the ba*t*rd. Keep him, ride him to your heart¡¯s desire, pop out as many pups as you can for him, and live happily. While you do so¡­ NEVER darken my door or speak to me again, do you understand me?¡± Ada nodded furiously, rapidly turning a frightening shade of purple as she wed desperately at A*n¡¯s arm. ¡°If I EVER hear of my father being mistreated or he meets an untimely demise, know that I will return here with a fury that you have never seen before and I will annihte both you and your mother. Do I make myself clear?¡± A*n roared. Ada nodded furiously again her eyes beginning to roll up into her skull and her attempts to wrestle A*n¡¯s arm from its position on her neck became weaker. With a snort, A*n released Ada roughly and with a final look of contempt over her shoulder made her way to the front door. ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± Her father¡¯s voice shouted angrily from behind her and Narcissa¡¯s terrified shrieks sounded as she fussed over Ada from the position she had slumped in. A*n paused and turned slowly to face her father. ¡°I¡¯m stepping aside. I won¡¯t be marrying Brad today, or ever in fact.¡± A*n answered calmly. ¡°You can¡¯t just call off¡­¡± ¡°Ada is pregnant with Brad¡¯s child.¡± A*n retorted c*olly, cutting her father off. Her father nched as Narcissa¡¯s genuine shocked gasp forced an ironic smile to y at the edges of A*n¡¯s lips. That was probably the first time that she had ever heard anything genuinee out of Narcissa¡¯s lips. ¡°So, you see, father, I¡¯m stepping aside and allowing A*n to take my ce in this marriage.¡± ¡°But¡­ but.. the alliance¡­¡± Her father stammered worriedly. ¡°There¡¯s no reason it cannot be enforced with Ada taking my ce. Brad won¡¯t be king, but, considering both his and Ada¡¯s dishonest nature evidenced by their actions, and his treatment of his fated mate¡­ I doubt the council of Elders would approve of his ascension to the throne anyway.¡± A*n smirked as she turned to leave. ¡°Wait! A*n¡­ where are you going?¡± Her father called, with genuine concern in his voice. A*n smiled bitterly as she turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯ve made other arrangements. They shouldn¡¯t impact you too much, but I¡¯ll be gone for a few years. I may be back to collect my things, or I may send someone in my ce. Either way, take care of yourself, father. I¡¯ll see you when I return¡­ If I return¡­¡± With that A*n turned sharply to the sound of her father¡¯s protests and Narcissa¡¯s shrill admonishments to her daughter, and made her way to her car. As soon as the car door closed behind her, her fierce exterior and anger dissolved. A*n¡¯s face crumpled as the grief she felt at the loss of her future and her family crashed over her in a wave of sadness and the tears flowed freely. A*n drove around aimlessly for a few hours, following the roads on a whim and driving out of the city outskirts and through rolling countryside, the meandering hills and fields almost like a soothing medicine for her soul. She had cried all that she had wanted to and the further she got from the ce she called home, the better she felt. She nced to her side at the phone thaty on the passenger seat of her car. In her fury, she had managed to c*ack the screen when she had thrown it at the wall. She rolled her eyes at herself and felt her wolf snigger. ¡®Oh, now you make an appearance. Where were you when it was all kicking off?¡¯ A*n muttered angrily. ¡®I was sleepy, so I went to sleep.¡¯ Maeve answered nonchntly. ¡®Awesome timing for you to do that.¡¯ A*n replied sarcastically. ¡®Well, there was no face ripping or limb removing for me to help with, and the Bellevue Witches clearly know how to knock a wolf out with that concoction of theirs¡­¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s thest time I listen to you bout drinking Maeve, clearly, neither of us can handle it..¡¯ ¡®Pfft! Speak for yourself you lightweight! I was pleasantly warm¡­¡¯ ¡®Mmhmm, and where did that get us? Contract marriage with Alpha Nocturne, the main rival of my father¡¯s business interests and a strong contender for next in line to be King if the Veritas heirs don¡¯t prove themselves worthy.¡± A*n snorted. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s a good job that the rival for the King¡¯s position is marrying one of his daughters then¡­¡¯ Maeve said slowly with a sarcastic edge to her words. A*n gripped the steering wheel in horror.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Oh f*ck¡­ Dad¡¯s going to kill me when he finds out¡­¡± A*n whispered into the silence of the car. ¡®If he finds out¡­¡¯ Maeve smirked with a chuckle. Her father absolutely hated Alpha Nocturne with a passion. She had a strong feeling it was because he reminded her father of himself in his younger years.? Ruthless, upromising, and ambitious, Alpha Nocturne had rapidly made a name for himself both in pack politics and the business circles. With his strong leadership and his pack¡¯s rise in power and territory, he was a force to be reckoned with. ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so bothered about your father¡¯s reaction. He abandoned you in favor of his new family. You don¡¯t turn on your own blood, it¡¯s disgusting.¡¯ Maeve snarled. A*n was quiet for a little while, contemting her wolf¡¯s words. She knew she was right, but it still stung. ¡®He might have turned his back on me, Maeve, but I¡¯ll never give up hope that one day, hopefully, he¡¯ll see the light.¡¯ Maeve snorted. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 9 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9 Urgent Matter ¡®Don¡¯t you miss your father? Does he speak with you at all?¡¯ Ann asked hesitantly. She felt a pang of pain and a soft whine, swiftly followed by a snarl of anger. ¡®He is worse than your father. Constantly silent and never responds my to attempts to link with him. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s dead.¡± She snapped. ¡®If that¡¯s what he wants, then so be it. A shitty excuse for a father for both of us.¡¯ Ann¡¯s mouth set in a grim line as she focused on the road ahead. Just then her phone rang and the call transferred to the cars in the built infotainment system, linked with the onboard diagnostics HUD screen. She touched the screen to ept and answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ann, where are you?¡± the worried voice of her best friend came through loudly. Ann flinched and quickly turned the volume down as she answered. ¡°I¡¯m driving at the minute, is everything okay?¡± ¡°I was going to ask you the same thing! Listen, I¡¯m at work at the minute, but I finish in about an hour, do you want to go eat somewhere for lunch?¡± She asked quietly. ¡°Sure. It¡¯ll take me about an hour to get back anyway. You¡¯re only on half days today?¡± Lexi usually worked like a demon, which was fitting because she was indeed part daemon. An unlikely tryst between a mid-level daemon and a human had resulted in her birth. Her mother died not long after she was born and the daemon was not able to raise her in his realm as it was simply too dangerous, so she had been taken in by a children¡¯s home that specialized in raising hybrids well in order for them to live well alongside the wider poption of other supernatural races and the humans that were mostly oblivious to their existence. A half day was practically unheard of for her and it made Ann start to wonder what exactly had happened that made her so eager to leave work. She had quite afortable job at a smallpany that dealt with ounting and she had a natural ir for the work. ¡°Yeah, only because that asshole of a supervisor I have can¡¯t get the forms for the spreadsheets right. I swear if he fucks up one more¡­¡± Lexi sighed heavily, ¡°Sorry, Ann, work is boring. I¡¯ll see you for lunch and you can fill me in on the details that I am so obviouslycking. Love you! See you soon.¡± Lexi finished and hung up abruptly. Ann chuckled to herself and found a spot to turn around and head back toward the city. Lunch dates with Lexi were always an opportunity to let off some steam and she could almost predict exactly the words offort that her friend would have for her. ¡®More like ns for murder¡­¡¯ Maeve sniggered. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Ann grinned to herself. Maeve wasn¡¯t wrong in the slightest. Ann arrived at the cafe they had decided on well before Lexi did. She found a table by the window so that she could people-watch and ordered a chai while she waited. Even though the weather hadn¡¯t quite changed to the autumnal vibe that she loved so much, the rich smell of the milky chai tea had a homey, almost Christmassy feel to it. Secretly, Ann was panicking. She had left home, to move in with a man she knew only by reputation and was going to be married to him for the next 5 years. Right now, she wanted the security that the feeling of home gave, and the memories that the smell of chai tea evoked within her were the closest that she would evere to being wrapped in her mother¡¯s reassuring embrace again. Ann was acutely aware of the gaze of the cafe¡¯s visitors on her. It was starting to make her feel a little ufortable when she saw Lexi jump out of a taxi through the window and hurry inside. She stood squinting in the doorway, her beautiful golden eyes scouring every face quickly before landing on Ann, and her face split into a huge grin. She lifted her arm and waved, shouting across to her loudly, uncaring of the disapproving nces she was receiving from the other customers. ¡°Hey! Did you order yet?!¡± Lexi yelled. Ann stifled augh and grinned back, shaking her head as she lifted her festive-looking ss and pointed to it. ¡°Chai already?!¡± She yelled wrinkling her nose in disgust. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll order a drink for pansies and we¡¯ll decide on food in a sec, okay?¡± Lexi finished rolling her eyes as she made her way to the counter. Ann sniggered as an older woman attempted to berate Lexi for being obnoxiously loud and watched with a serene expression as Lexi quickly put her in her ce. She had missed this. Life had been eventful with Lexi at her side through school..they had been inseparable. It was a bonus that she had been as averse to Ada as Ann was, but she had never been sure if it was out of loyalty to Ann or not. The reasoning didn¡¯t rea*ly matter, but she was pleased that even though they were spreading their wings in the world of adulthood, some things never changed. ¡°Oh my god, what is wrong with some people?¡± She eximed in disbelief as she sat down shaking her h*ad and throwing her bag onto the chair next to them. ¡°Too human for your liking?¡± Ann answered dryly. ¡°She used me of being obno*iously loud which she found rude and offensive. When I asked why she was here being offended and not dying in a retirement home somewhere she seemed surprised, and offended again, that I would dream of saying such a thing. She justbeled me as obnoxiously loud, rude, and offensive¡­. what the fuck did she expect me to say?¡± She snorted. Ann resisted the urge to cackle loudly as she s*ook her head despairingly and sipped on her espre**so. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can drink those, they¡¯re so bitter,¡± Annmented as she gestured to the tiny cup that Lexi held gracefully in her hands. ¡°Because it¡¯s as ck as my soul.¡± She whispered conspiratorily with a sweet smile. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 10 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 10 CHAPTER 10 Breaking News This time, A*n didugh. She had missed Lexi¡¯s dry humor and wit terribly. ¡°Listen, tiger, what¡¯s going on with you and Brad, hmm?¡± She asked, cing her cup down and staring intently into Anne¡¯s eyes. A*n sighed and nced out the window. ¡°News travels fast then huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t seen it if I¡¯m honest,¡± Lexi answered as she leaned to the side and began rummaging through her bag. ¡°Seen what?¡± A*n frowned. Lexi scrolled through her phone until she found what she was looking for and handed it to A*n. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What the f*ck is that cretin doing marrying your man?¡± She hissed angrily. A*n nced down at the News bulletin that had shed up on the screen in the entertainment news. ¡®Heir to Crystal Pack no longer in running for Next Alpha King: Ditches fiance and ns to marry her sister. Click here for the full story!¡¯ Directly underneath was a picture of Ada and Brad staring adoringly at each other at some function or other. A*n snorted and passed the phone back as Lexi folded her arms angrily. ¡°Spill. I want details, I want everything.¡± She instructed firmly through narrowed eyes. With a sigh, A*n told her how she had discovered her step-sister and Brad together. By the time she had finished exining, the look on Lexi¡¯s face was murderous and her golden eyes were zing furiously. Suddenly she mmed the table with her fist and exploded. ¡°What the actual f*ck?! Has he lost his mind?! He chose to bury himself balls deep in that s*oppy little wh*re over a life with you?!¡± She shrieked loudly. A*n made frantic shushing noises and smiled apologetically at the other customers and staff as they were rapidly bing the main focus of attention all over again. ¡°Lexi, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s better that I know now rather than after we were married today.¡± ¡°It is not fine! I bet Maeve wanted to rip his d*ck off and shove it down his throat. How the f*ck do you even go against the mate bond?!¡± ¡®Oo! I did not think of that but told her I¡¯ll bear that in mind for possible options if I get a chance to go one on one with him. I have a few choice words for his coward of a wolf as well.¡¯ Maeve interrupted excitedly. ¡®Maeve appreciated your suggestion.¡± I sniggered. ¡°I thought she might.¡± Lexi sniffed as she sat down again and stared at A*n with her mouth slightly open in shock. ¡°I hope you f*cking rejected the t*at.¡± ¡°I tried. He called this morning and hung up on me before I could finish.¡± A*n replied miserably. ¡°C*cky little¡­¡± Lexi muttered before her face lit up and she leaned in closely, whispering excitedly. ¡°A*n, let me go burn the wedding stuff. Just a little, I won¡¯t destroy the ce¡­ if we¡¯re lucky the cowardly b*stard will be inside somewhere and I can identally on purpose roast him alive. How about it? Can I?¡± A*n looked at the almost childlike excitement on Lexi¡¯s face and did her best not tough. ¡°No. Let them be miserable together, she can take my sl*ppy seconds. Besides, I have bigger things to worry about.¡± ¡°I can make it look like an ident A*n, no one would ever know.¡± she tried again hopefully. A*n shook her head and fixed her with a firm re. Lexi¡¯s face fell and she muttered angrily under her breath. There was nothing really left for it. The only way to distract her now would be to fill her in on the rest of the evening. She picked the remainder of her chai up and leaned back in her chair, eying Lexi carefully. She hoped this worked. ¡°I¡¯ll be marrying Alpha Nocturne soon anyway,¡± A*n stated as nonchntly as she could. Lexi froze momentarily and her head whipped up at the speed of lightning, her interest piqued. ¡°Are you serious?¡± She breathed before whistling lowly. ¡°Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire. I¡¯m not sure which is worse honestly. How the f*ck did that happen? Wait¡­how do you even know him?!¡± A*n chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, Lexi, I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s order and I¡¯ll fill you in on everything.¡±? As they ate, A*n exined how her chance meeting with the big bad alpha came about. She was careful to leave out the details about the curse on the Alpha and the unknown threat he faced, but she wasfortable revealing at least this much to Lexi. She would take the secret to her grave if needed, rather than betray those she thought of as family. When they were done Lexi sat back contemtively and massaged her stomach as she greedily eyed the deserts on disy at the counter. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be able to fit more in!¡± A*n eximed incredulously. ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± Lexi gasped with mock horror, ¡°Because it sounds very much like a challenge. Very well! I ept.¡± She said, deftly answering her own question as she stood and hurried over to choose a dessert. A*n snorted loudly as she hunted for her phone which had just started ringing incessantly in the depths of her bag. She had forgotten to turn the ringer off and, yet again, more irritated nces were being directed her way. She red furiously at the caller disy and rejected Brad¡¯s call as she fumbled with the volume control to switch it onto vibrate. It began to sh for an iing call again and without bothering to look at the caller disy she answered. ¡°For f*ck sake what? I don¡¯t want to talk to you. If you didn¡¯t understand what I said the first time Brad, I don¡¯t have the time nor the crayons, to waste on exining it to you.¡± She hissed angrily into the phone. A resounding silence met her furious tirade before the nervous sound of a throat clearing could be heard. ¡°Just so you know, this isn¡¯t Brad, and I bet he¡¯ll wish that he wasn¡¯t himself either when you do finally get a hold of him.¡± The voice on the other end of the phone said with a dry chuckle. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 11 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 11 CHAPTER 11 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Car Is Coming¡­ Ann frowned. ¡°Then who is this and how did you get my number?¡± She asked, briefly removing the phone from her ear to check the caller ID before returning it to her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t have your number saved and this is my personal phone. So who is this?¡± Ann demanded haughtily, tapping her foot impatiently. ¡°Erm¡­ this is An, Beta An, my Luna. Alpha Nocturne asked me to call to ascertain your whereabouts.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ann answered as the color drained from her face and Maeve sniggered in her head.? ¡°Ah¡­ Alpha Nocturne has arranged the ceremony for tomorrow afternoon. By the time the ceremony is completed and appropriate celebrations have taken ce for the pack, the full moon should have risen. The Pack Elders are ready and willing, and more than excited I might add, to wee you into your position officially as Luna of the Dark Moon Pack.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡®Ironic that the Luna ceremony for the Dark Moon Pack is held on the day the moon is the brightest¡­ would have made more sense to hold it on a new moon if they were being true to their namesake.¡± Maeve observed as An began speaking again. ¡®Quiet, Maeve, you aren¡¯t helping. I can¡¯t concentrate with you interrupting,¡¯ Ann hissed back furiously. ¡°Luna?¡± An¡¯s voice enquired with a hint of impatience on the other end of the phone. ¡°Sorry. Okay. Perfect.¡± Ann answered distractedly without really thinking about what she was replying to as she hadn¡¯t caught the question entirely. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ll have the car pick you up shortly then. Whereabouts are you wanting to be collected from?¡± ¡°Erm, that¡¯s not¡­ oh fuck it, fine!¡± Ann answered in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ m at a cafe with a friend. I¡¯ll be finished in roughly an hour as long as she doesn¡¯t eat anything else.¡± Ann muttered under her breath. A steely silence met herstment and An cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°I won¡¯t ask.¡± He stated simply. ¡°The car will be there in roughly 45, minutes. You can decide in the meantime if you want to collect your things from your home personally or have one of our work. crew collect them for you. We¡¯ll see you soon Luna.¡± With that, the line went dead and Ann stared incredulously at the phone in her hand. Lexi slid into her chair and deposited four tes of various cakes on the table in front of her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t decide, so I bought them all.¡± She shrugged nonchntly. Ann lowered her head into her hands and tugged at her hair despondently. Lexi slowly removed the spoon from her mouth and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at Ann¡¯s stressed expression. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± ¡°Alpha Nocturne is sending a car to collect me in 45 minutes.¡± Ann intoned as she slumped backward in her chair, allowing her head to fall back and stare up at the ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m ming youpletely. This is why I stress eat! All this¡­¡± Lexi hissed as she gestured wildly to the food in front of her, ¡°Is your fault, young madam!¡± Ann lifted her head back up to stare incredulously at Lexi. ¡°How is what you put in your mouth my fault?!¡± ¡°Your life is stressful! Secondhand stress I¡¯m calling it. Sugar helps me cope. I¡¯ll drown my sorrows in a mountain of sugar while you sit and watch me eat to death.¡± She grumbled as she spooned another heap of cream cake into her mouth and moaned in ecstasy. Ann snorted as amotion by the door drew her attention. Her face fell as she recognized the familiar face of her ex-fiance Brad. He was looking around furiously, scanning each face that he met and when his eyes finally locked with hers, his face split into an ugly sneer and he began to make his way over, snarling furiously. ¡°Oh, for f*ck sake¡­¡± Ann muttered in dismay. As Brad advanced toward them with a look of fury on his face, Ann watched him with a feeling of trepidation building in her stomach. Lexi noticed her friend¡¯s unease and swallowed thest mouthful of cake hurriedly as she frowned in concern. ¡°Ann?¡± She asked with a concerned line in her mouth. Before she could answer though, the sound of chairs being pushed hurriedly out of the way caught Lexi¡¯s attention and she turned with a raised eyebrow to see what the source of themotion was. As soon as her eyesnded on Brad, her expression darkened furiously as she flew out of her seat rapidly and stood protectively in front of where Ann sat. Her previously crimson eyes began to glow ominously as the dark pupils expanded rapidly and left only a thin band of crimson fire encircling them. Lexi¡¯s face contorted frighteningly into a sneer with her arms folded in front of her, as she watched the young Alpha through narrowed eyes. He stopped just millimeters away from her. Brad pushed his face close to hers, their noses almost touching in an attempt to intimidate her. Anne almostughed. Intimidation only excited Lexi, she got a kick out of putting people in their ce. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Get the f*ck out of my way, Lexi.¡± He snarled menacingly, their noses almost touching. Lexi snorted and extended her arm, shoving him forcefully as she pushed Brad backward a few steps. She flicked her long manicured red nails across each other as she c*cked her head contemtively at him. ¡°Too close puppy. Your dog breath will ruin my clothes.¡± Shemented casually as she inspected her nails and smirked. Brad growled angrily and stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this you f*cking half-b*eed, get out of the way!¡± Lexi contorted her face into a mask of mock horror, clutching her chestically. ¡°Oh no! My feelings!! How will I ever recover?¡± she smiled sardonically and tutted loudly. ¡°Someone should really teach you some manners little boy. First, you stick your d*ck in the wrong sister, and now you¡¯re throwing ugly words around in a cafe owned by none other than those hybrids you talk with such a disdainful tone about. I¡¯d be careful if I was you.¡± Lexi warned with a sweet smile, ¡°You might get yourself a nasty reputation and we wouldn¡¯t want that would we?¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 12 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 12 CHAPTER 12 The Rejection Brad growled lowly as he turned his head slowly and looked around nervously, noticing a fair few pairs of narrowed eyes directed at him. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders slightly, forcing himself to rx as he ran his hand through his hair. The fury still smoldered in his eyes but at least his aggression was under control. ¡°Listen, about Ada¡­¡± He ground out but Lexi was having none of it and lifted her hand to silence him. ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck about your excuses and I¡¯m sure Ann doesn¡¯t care to hear them either.¡± she hissed. ¡°Ann, please¡­ just hear me out!¡± He pleaded as he twisted to the side to try and catch Ann¡¯s eye. ¡®I think we should listen to what he has to say.¡± Maeve interjected contemtively. ¡®Seriously? You want to hear him out?¡¯ Ann retorted incredulously. ¡®Yes. Then I can decide how much pain I want to put him through when I forcibly castrate both him and his cowardly wolf.¡¯ she snarled, her fangs bared. Ann sighed heavily and stood, cing a hand on Lexi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lexi. Maeve wants to hear what he has to say.¡± Ann said calmly. Lexi snorted in disgust and with a final depreciating sweep of her eyes over Brad, she moved to the side and sat down heavily in her chair, keeping her gaze fixated on the couple before her. Brad seemed to rx instantly, his shoulders sagging in relief as he stared intensely into Ann¡¯s eyes. ¡®Thank you, Maeve.¡± He said gratefully as he took a few steps forward and reached for her hands. Ann took a step back and red coldly at him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, Brad. Not with the same hands that were all over my sister.¡± Ann stated, her mouth curling into a distasteful expression. He froze a wounded look on his face before dropping his hands to his side. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ann please, I don¡¯t know what happened¡­honestly. I came as we nned and would have spent the night in the guest wing. Thest thing I remember is drinking with your parents and Ada. After that¡­ there¡¯s nothing¡­ no memory.¡± Ann and Lexi snorted at almost the same time as they shared a look full of meaning. ¡°That¡¯s the best you can do? You don¡¯t remember it?¡± Ann sneered coldly. ¡°I swear, Ann! It sounds insane but it¡¯s the truth! Even my wolf remembers nothing! Please..he¡¯s furious with the whole situation.¡± Brad pleaded. Ann¡¯s heart ached for his wolf. As strong as they were, stuck inside our bodies they were powerless to act if they were shut out. ¡®Don¡¯t you dare feel sorry for him Ann! One time does not excuse the years that he¡¯s been f*cking her behind our back. He¡¯s not worthy of your pity.¡¯ Maeve snarled furiously. Her resolve hardened with Maeve¡¯s words and she chuckled humourlessly. ¡°Really? Then tell me why he didn¡¯t stop you or at least warn Maeve after all of the other asions you were in her bed!¡± Ann¡¯s voice began to rise as her anger bubbled furiously. Brad looked stunned for a second before an expression of confusion shed across his face again. ¡°What? No! That¡¯s not¡­ no! There have never been any other times!¡± He protested incredulously. ¡°Really?¡± Ann smirked contemptuously, ¡°Ada was only too happy to fill me in on all the gory details Brad¡­¡± ¡°I swear she¡¯s lying, Ann! You have to believe me!¡± he interrupted, his voice rising in panic. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t, Brad. I caught you in the middle of the act. Ada says she¡¯s pregnant with your child, she admitted to this little¡­ whatever it is¡­ between you two, and quite frankly, I believe her. She would bend over backward to take everything from me and you knew this. So while I worked hard at building and nning our future, you were busy destroying it.¡± A silence had fallen over the cafe as the argument had escted into raised voices and Ann could feel the unwanted attention on them. She had wanted to avoid this confrontation in public at all costs. It would do nothing but create bad press for both the Royal Family and Brad¡¯s pack. Who knew how it would affect Alpha Nocturne¡¯s pack once the news was out regarding their marriage? ¡°Look, I¡¯m over this already, Brad. We¡¯re done.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s it? You¡¯re throwing it all away. ¡± He snorted incredulously before his face darkened as he red at her back. ¡°You know, I didn¡¯t think you were capable of doing it, but I guess I was wrong. It¡¯s a pretty f*cking low blow having those pictures published before I even had the chance to tell the elders of my pack.¡± Brad hissed. Ann turned and fixed him with a steely re. ¡°I had nothing to do with those pictures. Why don¡¯t you go and ask Ada? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll have some delightful insights for you as to their origin.¡± Brad red at her silently, the rage in him mounting before he finally snapped. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± he roared as he smashed his fist onto the table next to him. The cups and tes on the table rattled in protest. Ann turned to face him again, her eyes cold and devoid of feeling. ¡°Oh I can Brad, and I already have. I, Ann Veritas¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± He roared furiously as she raised her voice above his bellowing. ¡°¡­ reject you, Brad Lunaris as my fated mate and the other half of my soul, on the basis of your infidelity with my own sister and your scant regard for the sanctity of the mate bond.¡± Brad red at her furiously, his body shaking as Ann felt the connection, she held to him and his wolf snap. They stared at each other in silence as a dangerous aura rippled outwards from him. ¡°I do not ept your rejection.¡± He ground out between gritted teeth. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve arrived at a bad time¡­¡± a deep baritone emanated from behind Brad¡¯s trembling frame. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 13 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 13 CHAPTER 13 As You Wish, Princess ¡°Or perhaps I came at the perfect time.¡± It continued with a hint of amusement. Ann¡¯s eyes widened. She recognized that voice! Of all the times he could have arrived, Alpha Nocturne chose now. ¡°I don¡¯t know who the f*ck you think you are but this has nothing to do with you so back off!¡± Brad snarled as he slowly turned around. Ann heard an excited squeal and as she nced across at Lexi, she noticed that she wore an expression of delighted horror as she stared expectantly at the two males in front of her. Ann wished the ground would swallow her whole where she stood as she turned with morbid interest to see where how this would y out. Adam stood his ground, staring impassively at Brad¡¯s shaking figure as it turned to face him. A wry smile found its way onto his face as Brad locked eyes with him and froze. ¡°What¡­ this has nothing to do with you Alpha Nocturne. It¡¯s simply a spat between two mates, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Brad offered, the tremor in his voice giving his nervousness away. Lexi sniggered. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Brad. Ann rejected you, for sticking your d*ck in her sister and getting her pregnant.¡± She grinned, her eyes shing wickedly as she spoke. Brad growled in Lexi¡¯s direction as Adam took on a thoughtful expression and jammed his hands into his pockets. He cocked his head and dragged his eyes over Brad¡¯s disheveled appearance and tutted loudly, shaking his head sadly. ¡°Is this how the young Alpha¡¯s conduct themselves these days?¡± He questioned with a raised eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­ standards have really fallen since Ist visited other packs.¡± Lexi pped excitedly and Ann felt a pang of pity for Brad. ¡®Don¡¯t you dare, Ann¡­¡¯ Maeve hissed. ¡®I rejected him, Maeve¡­ he doesn¡¯t need to be kicked when he¡¯s down¡­¡¯ ¡®Kicked when he¡¯s..? Are you st*pid? Why do you care about his feelings when he gave such little regard for your own when he was. f*cking Ada. Get a grip, Ann. He¡¯s getting everything he deserves.¡¯ Ann scowled. She didn¡¯t agree with Maeve on this and as Brad began to respond she stepped between them both hurriedly, much to Maeve¡¯s disgust. ¡°Alpha, please. There are things better left unsaid in public spaces. This shouldn¡¯t have happened here.¡± Ann interrupted calmly, smiling up at Adam. Adam was silent for a few minutes as he stared at her spectively, an unreadable expression on his face before finally, he inclined his head gracefully. ¡°As you wish, princess.¡± He smirked, as he lifted his eyes and shared a nce full of hidden meaning with her. Ann felt her cheeks flush immediately and she shifted awkwardly on the spot. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Brad asked through narrowed eyes, as he red disbelievingly between the two of them. Ann remained silent. She had agreed to say nothing about this arrangement with Alpha Nocturne to anyone. It would be better if he handled any questions. That way, only the information that he wanted people to know would be out there. Not that Ann cared. She would just rather avoid the drama and gossip of the tabloids for a little while longer. Whoever said all press was good press was sorely mistaken. Adam chuckled as he grabbed hold of Ann¡¯s hand and pulled her to his side, spinning her slightly as he did so. She collided clumsily with his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her tightly to his side. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Ann swallowed nervously as she watched Brad¡¯s face darken. He looked like he was about tomit murder. ¡°We were recently acquainted, yes,¡± Adam answered nonchntly, his arm still held tightly around her. Brad¡¯s gaze was focused intently on the spot where Adam had hisrge hand rested. His fingers curled comfortably around Ann¡¯s arm, almost protectively, as he watched Brad¡¯s behavior carefully. ¡°Take your hands off her.¡± Brad ground out slowly, his lips curved into a menacing sneer. Ann could see Brad¡¯s wolf dancing on the surface of his eyes, and she could only imagine the emotions that he was going through. This was not a fight that he could win. Adam chuckled and only tightened his grip around her, grinning wickedly as he did so. ¡°She rejected you, Brad. I think you¡¯ll find Ann can do as she pleases and¡­I don¡¯t see her resisting. Do you?¡± Brad growled loudly as Adam turned to face Ann, ignoring the aggression that Brad was oozing completely. He wasn¡¯t threatened in the slightest by his posturing.? ¡°Ann, are you ready to go? The car is waiting outside.¡± Adam said with a smile that would make any woman melt instantly. ¡°You aren¡¯t taking her anywhere¡­¡± Brad snapped reaching for Anne and she stepped back. ¡°As I said before, that is her decision to make,¡± Adam said firmly. He took a step towards Brad and although his face remained impassive, Ann could feel the tension in the air. He watched Brad like a hawk, silently assessing his every movement as Brad was slowly, but surely losing control of his wolf. And then finally, he snapped. With a ferocious roar, he threw himself at Adam, snarling and wing wildly in his direction. ¡°KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY MATE!¡± Adam sighed and with startling speed and agility, swiftly sidestepped his frontal assault, shoving Brad in the back and sending him sprawling across the table to the side. Brad snarled as he pushed himself up quickly, his face flushed scarlet in a mixture of rage and embarrassment. Without thinking he threw himself at Adam again. Adam snorted in disbelief at the impulsiveness of the young Alpha. He waited until he was just inches away and sidestepped again, moments before he would have connected. His arm shot out and Adam¡¯srge hand gripped the back of Brad¡¯ s neck as he forced him downwards and pinned him to the floor in one swift movement. Maeve purred approvingly at the disy from Alpha Nocturne and Ann rolled her eyes internally at the ease with which her wolf was impressed. As Brad struggled against Adam¡¯s grip, Adam merely squatted beside him with a mildly annoyed look on his face. ¡°Is this really necessary? You¡¯re behaving like a hormonal teenager.¡± Hemented in a bored tone. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 14 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 14 CHAPTER 14 Do You Regret? ¡°If you kept your hands to yourself I wouldn¡¯t need to¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t need to what, boy? Make a fool of yourself and give people reason to doubt your capabilities as an Alpha?¡± Adam snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret that!¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see you try again when you¡¯ve put a little more thought into this¡­whatever this was.¡± Brad growled as he finallyy still under Adam¡¯s grip. He was furious. How had he let himself be made such a fool of? His reputation would suffer greatly for this. Alpha Nocturne had already gained himself a reputation as a powerful Alpha and Brad had been looking forward to crushing his arrogance when he ascended to the throne. Now, not only had he shown himself as incapable of that in a moment of fury, but he had also managed to alienate the one person who was truly capable of helping him rise to the throne. Ada was nothingpared to Ann, she didn¡¯t even have a wolf for goddess sake. The packs would never ept her. She would never rule and now he was stuck with a pregnant wolfless partner from an encounter that he hardly remembered. ¡°Mark my words, Alpha Nocturne. I¡¯ll make you pay for this.¡± He snaried quietly. Adam leaned in with a grin. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll try at least. However, right now, I have somece to be and I intend on taking your ex-mate with you. She¡¯ Il be staying with me for the foreseeable future and there¡¯s absolutely nothing that you can do about that.¡± He murmured just quietly enough so that only the two of them could hear it. Adam stood quickly and brushed his clothes down, smoothing the wrinkles on his suit. With ast nce of annoyance at the spot where Brady on the floor, he turned and walked towards Ann. He shed her a charming smile and extended his arm to her, watching her expectantly. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Ann¡¯s stomach flipped at the sight of that boyish smile and she hooked her arm in his. They made their way to the door of the cafe, countless pairs of eyes watching them silently as they made their way out. ¡°Wait! Ann! Your bag!¡± Lexi¡¯s voice shouted excitedly from the doorway as Adam held the passenger side door open for her. Ann paused and turned, seeing the glowing face of her best friend rushing towards her. Lexi flung her arms around Ann¡¯s neck and hugged her tightly. ¡°He¡¯s perfect.¡± She whispered into Ann¡¯s ear before she stepped back with a coy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do!¡± She grinned wickedly and winked as she waved to them both and turned to leave. ¡°That doesn¡¯t rule out a lot!¡± Ann yelled after her retreating form. Lexi lifted her arm and threw a middle finger up as she walked away, without even bothering to turn back. When she got into the car she turned and found Adam staring at her with a nk expression on her face. It made her feel a little ufortable so she turned and grabbed her seat belt, pulling it over her slowly and fastening it as quietly as she could. When she was done, she held her hands together in front of her, resting on herp, and stared straight ahead out of the windscreen. She could still feel his eyes on her though. ¡°I¡¯m going to have my hands full with you, aren¡¯t I?¡± Hemented with a sigh before turning the ignition on and pulling away. ¡®That all depends on if he¡¯s nning to remove our clothes or not¡­¡¯ Maeve sniggered. Ann¡¯s cheeks flushed as she shifted awkwardly in her seat. She dreaded to think what Alpha Nocturne¡¯s wolf was going to make of Maeve. She was fearless, bolshy, opinionated, and as far from demure as you could get. If he was expecting a doting, the loving mate who never argued, he was in for a rude awakening. They had driven a little way in what Ann felt was an ufortable silence, but Ann didn¡¯t know what to say. She could see that Adam kept ncing over at her out of the corner of her eye.? ¡°So, the young Alpha back there¡­¡± Adam said finally, ¡°Did you reject him before, or after you agreed on the contracted marriage?¡± Ann squirmed ufortably and stole a furtive nce to try and read his expression. His face was calm as he stared ahead at the road, his full attention on driving. He held the steering wheel with one hand, the other arm leaned casually on the open window as the breeze yfully ran through his hair. He certainly cut a powerful figure, even when he was in such a rxed position.? Ann sighed to herself as she turned her attention to the scenery passing by her window again. ¡°It¡¯s a littleplicated.¡± She answered finally. ¡°I actually caught him and my sister in the act on the night that I met you before I met you obviously. I¡¯d been trying my wedding dress on and was going to show my father¡­ we had been due to get married today actually.¡± Ann said quietly. Adam¡¯s face remained calm, the only thing that hinted at his displeasure was the slight downward turn of his eyebrows. ¡°You confronted them then?¡± He asked simply. Ann shook her head andughed bitterly. ¡°No. I left the house and wandered before I came to my senses in front of the bar. My wolf was furious and managed to talk me into going inside¡­ I don¡¯t usually drink actually.¡± She said as she turned to face Adam. ¡°I was obviously quite tipsy by the time I ¡­er¡­ inadvertently overheard your conversation with your Beta.¡± Adam nodded slowly. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you regret the decisions you made at the time?¡± Adam asked sincerely, turning to nce quickly at An and holding her gaze for a few moments before turning back to face the road. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 15 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 15 CHAPTER 15 I Want To Announce The Marriage ¡°No. Maeve and I are in agreement on this. There¡¯s nothing for me at home. For whatever reason, the rtionship between my father and I have broken down and I do not get along well with my stepfamily. My stepmother and her daughter are very much alike.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What about your mother?¡± Ann gripped her hands tightly on her seat belt and scowled. She tried her best to hide the hostility from her voice, but some irritation still seeped out. ¡°She¡¯s dead. I¡¯m not ready to talk about it with you yet if you don¡¯t mind Alpha.¡± Adam nced sideways at her and nodded again, slowly. ¡°And your friend at the cafe?¡± He questioned casually. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Lexi. I¡¯ve known her since school. She¡¯s not affiliated with any packs.¡± ¡°A rogue? Lone wolf?¡± Adam questioned curiously. ¡°No,¡± Ann answered simply. She didn¡¯t want to go into too much detail because she knew the reputation that Daemon hybrids had. The Pack¡¯s hated them because of their ancient ties with sorcery and witchcraft. Although the contracts that used to be forged were long since broken, the bad feeling towards the race was still prevalent. Ann would prefer for Lexi to be understood for the person she was not influenced by an outdated grudge. into now Adam sighed lightly and shifted in his seat. ¡°I¡¯m only asking so I know what to expect Ann. For this to work, we¡¯ re going to have to put on a united front. I can¡¯t do that if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± He said calmly. ¡°Right. Sorry. I didn¡¯t know he was going to turn up at the cafe though, and I certainly didn¡¯t expect that you would be the person collecting me.¡± Ann answered a little sulkily. Adam chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I doubt very much that he¡¯s going to bother you again for at least a little while. You did reject him though, right?¡± ¡°My side of the bond is broken. He¡¯s refused to ept the rejection though, so he still shares a link with me.¡± Ann grimaced. Adam was silent for a long time before they turned into a side road. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that having you collected by my pack members would help either of us if word got out, so I came instead thinking that I would be able to exin it away as a friendship. However¡­¡± He paused, pulling into the side of the road and bringing the car to a stop. ¡°I don¡¯t think for a minute that the original n will work for long. There are too many people that know what I¡¯m doing and when I¡¯m going to do it, long before I¡¯ve even made my mind up.¡± He sighed as I tilted his head back in his car seat. Ann greedily drank in the sight of his chiseled jawline and his thickly muscled neck. This man was truly a work of art and she was unable to stop Maeve¡¯s thoughts that fuelled her uncharacteristic desire towards this man. ¡°Look, I know we were going to keep this marriage under wraps for the time being but I¡¯ve changed my mind. I don¡¯t want anyone to have anything on us that they can potentially use to gain an advantage. I won¡¯t move forward with this unless you¡¯re absolutelyfortable though.¡± He said, holding Ann¡¯s gaze seriously. ¡°What exactly are you wanting to do?¡± Ann asked almost breathlessly, her mind running away with possibilities as Maeve added her own, sordid ideas into the mix. ¡°I want to announce the marriage, but keep the contracted part hidden. I had originally intended for you to have separate rooms from my own but I want to ensure that this marriage at least appears believable to any outsiders.¡± ¡°O¡­ okay.¡±Ann stammered hesitantly. ¡°That means sharing a bed with me too¡­¡± He said slowly, keeping hold of her gaze. Th TH ¡°Fine. But we get separate duvets¡­ and I want a queen size duvet to myself.¡± Ann demanded quickly. Adam leaned back a little and looked her over appraisingly. ¡°You really have no objections?¡± He asked dubiously. ¡°Look, I¡¯m contracted to marry you, right? I¡¯ll be by your side as your Luna for at least the next 5 years and quite honestly, the more people believe it, the less likely they are to cause problems for me. I will warn you though Alpha, you agreed for me to be Luna of this pack, which means I have an equal say in how things are done.¡± Adam frowned slightly. ¡°Traditionally, Alpha¡¯s and their Luna¡¯s have separate responsibilities¡­¡± ¡°They do. If that¡¯s the way you want to run things then so be it. I will warn you though, if I don¡¯t have a say in how you do things, then you can leave any arrangements that I make alone too.¡± Adam looked momentarily taken aback at her boldness but he could see her reasoning. Ann was most definitely not like any woman he had encountered before. His persona didn¡¯t seem to phase her, nor did his reputation. He quickly recovered hisposure and allowed a faint smile to y at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Very well, princess. I will ept this as a condition.¡± He said with a smirk as he leaned forward to turn the key in the ignition again. Ann huffed and scowled at him fiercely. ¡°I might be a princess by birth, but don¡¯t expect me to sit by quietly. and do as I¡¯m told, Alpha.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to this if I thought you would, princess.¡± He grinned as he hit the elerator and sped off down the dirt road, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 16 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 16 CHAPTER 16 Adam, Please Adam¡¯s car was waved through the heavily guarded gatehouse without having to stop. The guards stiffened and saluted respectfully as they passed through. Ann felt Maeve¡¯s approval wash through her as they drove through. the busy streets of the self contained town. The houses were well maintained, and with a quick nce at the buildings surrounding she could see that the training grounds were being put to good use and from this distance at least seemed to be in good order. Ann noticed a couple of schools on site and frowned. ¡°Alpha¡­¡± She began. ¡°Adam, please, Ann.¡± He interjected tly with the ghost of a smile on his face. ¡°Yes, of course, sorry, Adam,¡± She corrected hurriedly, ¡°You have your own schools within the pack?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it¡¯s unconventional and doesn¡¯t adhere to the guidelines but I want my pack to be able to think for themselves.¡± He said firmly as he pulled off the road and into a sweeping driveway that nestled between immactely manicuredwns and flowerbeds. ¡°They can do that at a normal school too, you know? The whole point of having mixed species schools is to ensure the supernaturals integrate with each other as well as the humans. We can¡¯t afford for the races to be separated again.¡± Ann replied. ¡°I understand that, but how then do I enable my pack to grow and be sessful beyond these walls? Here, they are taught critical and strategic thinking at an early age, they are encouraged to be active and spar with their friends, grudges are not tolerated they are resolved amicably. They are taught the history of the world, not just the human history, but that of the conflicts between races and species¡­¡± ¡°I understand, however, there are other options avable Adam. That¡¯s what the academies are for when they leave middle school, they follow the same curriculum instead of being segregated from other packs.¡± ¡°But they lose all those years of crucial study¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Instead gaining years of unmonitored education and the possibility of a superiorityplex. Why can¡¯t you add those as apulsory study in the evenings or weekends? Or even as residential camps?¡± Ann argued back. ¡°So tell me, Ann, If I then introduce these programs after a full day at human school, how is it fair for the children to be studying untilte at night or giving up their weekends?¡± It is imperative that they understand everything about the world we live in and why we coexist peacefully without revealing ourselves. The earlier they learn that the better.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not discussing this Ann. We aren¡¯t doing anything wrong. This is my pack¡­¡± ¡°Our pack¡­¡± Adam growled lightly. ¡°The education we provide will not change Ann. The pack is free to Dividing into pages now choose whether or not they want to attend the schools offered here or in the city. Most choose here because we do not tolerate bullying behavior.¡± He snarled. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No. In the mainstream schools do you have any idea how many of our Omega¡¯s are bullied for being lesser than the ranked wolves? How many Omega¡¯s do you think are mistreated within the pack structure? Do you think they enjoy mainstream school where they are subject to the superiority complexes of other wolves from other packs? Or the attitudes of their Alpha¡¯s when I am forced to confront them because our pack members have been so heavily beaten?¡± Ann remained silent. ¡°Every wolf, regardless of rank deserves the same education. Of course, it is not practical for them to holdbat positions because of their wolves¡¯ inferior strength and their submissive traits, however, that doesn¡¯t mean that they can¡¯t teach the theory that dominant wolves need to learn in order to be sessful. It doesn¡¯t mean that they can¡¯t excel in their own careers in areas of their choosing if they so desire.¡± Adam braked suddenly and pulled to a stop in front of an enormous mansion. He sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair, turning to look at Ann with a hint of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°In this pack at least, Omega¡¯s are not forced into servitude, they are the backbone of the pack that provides for all our basic needs. Food, cleaning, hospitals, gardening whatever it is they do, enables us to not worry about our basic needs so we can focus on protecting and providing for the pack. They might be weaker than us in strength andbat capabilities, but their minds are still sharp and they are skilled in other areas. They are paid a fair wage, work in rotating shifts, and are free toe and go as they please. I won¡¯t change this Ann¡­I won¡¯tpromise on themunity and the ideals that I intend to uphold.¡± He finished quietly as he opened the door and got out. Ann sat silently for a moment trying to take in everything that he had said. She swallowed nervously. ¡®I don¡¯t see the issue, Ann. You¡¯re being pedantic. I think Adam¡¯s vision of a healthy pack hierarchy is far superior to the structure and politics in most packs.¡¯ Maeve offered thoughtfully. ¡®I understand that but it¡¯s not how it¡¯s supposed to be done. We have established procedures and¡­ ¡®Just because things are supposed to be done one way, doesn¡¯t always mean that it¡¯s the best way. A good Alpha knows this and will challenge established practices in order to improve them.¡± Maeve answered smugly. Ann huffed and took her seat belt off, turning in her seat and getting out of the car. ¡®I think I liked it better when you were quiet.¡¯ She grumbled back to her wolf as she hurried after the retreating form of Alpha Nocturne. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 17 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17 Wee To The Pack, Luna Adam waited at the top of the set of stairs that led from the pathway to the veranda that spanned the width of the building. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ann was a little impressed with the size of the main house. Its grey and white brick were ented with ck te rooftops and white pirs ran the length of the veranda, various flowering nts climbing languidly along the screens ced intermittently between them. It probably had more inmon with a small pce rather than a mansion, just because of its sheer size. It certainly reminded her of the royal pce, although the architecture and design of this house were far more modern. Ann was a little curious about the need for a 4 storey house, but after the frosty reception she had with her questions about the education provided, she thought she would wait a little longer before she asked anything else. Adam¡¯s demeanor was a little off, and he seemed to be a little cold toward herpared to his earlier warmth. He took her hand firmly, with no trace of a smile on his face. ¡°I would prefer it if you would at least attempt not to contradict me in front of the pack. I appreciate that you have different ideas of how to do things here, but any discussions will be held in the privacy of our room, or offices. A united front is imperative.¡± He stated in a very business like tone. Ann nodded meekly as her heart sank a little and her wolf tutted in displeasure at her. ¡®We haven¡¯t even been here an hour and you¡¯ve already p*ssed him off. ¡®I agreed to marry him. I never agreed that I would make him like me.¡¯ Ann grumbled. ¡®He is a strong male who can¡¯t find his mate, you rejected yours¡­. don¡¯t know why you wouldn¡¯t want to try to get closer to him.¡¯ ¡®So you want me to roll over and agree to everything he wants like a good little wife?¡¯ Ann snorted in disbelief. ¡®I never said that. Alpha¡¯s are touchy at the best of times. Telling them they¡¯re wrong is the same as putting a gun filled with silver bullets in their head. You have to be smarter than this Ann.¡± Maeve snapped. Ann bit back the sarcastic replies that formed on her tongue and forced a smile on her face. ¡°Of course. I may have differing opinions, Alpha,¡± She began, biting thest word out coldly, ¡°But I am not stupid. You might not be aware of my background, but I¡¯m fully aware of how sessful leaders conduct themselves within a pack.¡±? ¡°I¡¯m very aware of your background, princess. I don¡¯t think much of your father¡¯s choices, his policies, nor the alliances he tries in vain to forge. It seems to turning your backs on your fated mates is a common theme within the royal males and the men they choose to ally with,¡± He replied coldly without batting an eye. Ann almost felt as if she had been struck across the face. She fumed silently as the front door was opened and he instinctively reached for her hand to pull her through the doorway. A group of staff were gathered in the hallway, lined up in a uniform manner, and bowed deeply speaking their greetings in unison. As they straightened up and curious nces were cast toward her, she stered on her face the most weing expression that she could muster. She had taken a few years to master this to perfection, but she had seeded eventually. She had been expected to meet the foreign dignitaries that attended her father¡¯s court and it provided a better impression for the daughters of the Alpha King to sit quietly and demurely, speaking softly to showcase their ability to rule with grace and nobility, nothing more than pretty little dolls who could be easily moulded into what was needed for the royal line of session. Ann had hated every second of those meetings. She was alwaysplimented on her submissive nature in diplomacy yet fierce nature on the battlefield. With her and her wolf two halves of a whole that perfectlyplimented each other. If they had known the fiery nature of her personality there would have been an uproar. The question remained whether she would be true to herself from the beginning here, or whether she would keep her mouth shut. After all, it was only for 5 years. Adam introduced her to the omega staff and she greeted them happily while her mind overflowed with conflicting desires. ¡°Wee to the pack, Luna. Please bear with us while we get to know your likes and dislikes. We will work our hardest to ensure that everything is to your liking.¡± One of the staff spoke out from the line before her. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need to put any extra work into amodating me or my needs. Please, continue to do as you would normally and if I have any specific requests or needs then I¡¯ll find someone to speak.¡± Ann answered warmly with a smile. The omega who had spoken merely inclined her head and answered quietly. ¡°As you wish, Luna.¡± ¡°Let me show you to your room for tonight, my love,¡± Adam said, wrapping his arm around Ann¡¯s shoulder with a smile. He was doing a great job of imitating affection but as Ann stood closest to him, the fond gaze that he was attempting to mimic wasn¡¯t actually filled with warmth as it should have been. It was ever so slightly indifferent. As if that small disagreement they had in the car really had changed his attitude toward herpletely. She returned his gesture and leaned into him, her performance of adoration much more convincing than his had been and for a moment, an unreadable look passed across Adam¡¯s eyes. He cleared his throat and took her hand in his own and with quick thanks to the staff assembled, guided her up the stairs. Ann grinned to herself. If he wanted to punish her by shutting her out then she would show how little it mattered to her. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 18 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 18 CHAPTER 18 Luna¡¯s Private Suite As Adam guided her down the corridor and around the corner, once they were out of sight of the staff members, he abruptly let go of her hand. Ann turned her head to the side slightly, c*cking her head as she did so, and eyed him shrewdly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Adam, are you annoyed at me?¡± She asked, a slight hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°No.¡± He answered curtly, without sparing her a nce. Ann fought the urge to smirk as he huffed loudly and increased his pace to walk a few steps ahead. She ignored Maeve chiding her for irritating him and instead turned her head to look at the decor. So far everything had been tastefully decorated in an oddly satisfying mix of modern design and elegant ents. Sleek lines and original fixtures seemed to blend seamlessly and the ce was spotlessly clean. While the atmosphere wasn¡¯t exactly warm and inviting, it did leave the impression that you would be well cared for here. Ann hoped that once she had settled in properly and been here a little while, she could help make the ce feel a little homier. It wascking a little something, but what that something was, she couldn¡¯t quite decide. Adam stopped abruptly in front of arge pair of dark mahogany doors with an intricately carved design of the moon Goddess on each door. Ann couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the workmanship and instinctively reached out to gently run her fingers over the beautiful design. On one door, the Moon Goddess was depicted smiling at two wolves before her, surrounded by trees and natural rock formations. The wolf¡¯s hearts appeared to have an almost ethereal thread flowing outwards from them and she held one thread in each hand as if she was caught mid-motion in connecting the two threads. On the second door, the two wolves stood together watching as a litter of pups yed happily before them in the same clearing and The Moon Goddess smiled down from above at the scene. ¡°Adam this is¡­ this is beautiful¡­¡± Ann murmured,pletely enthralled by the scenes depicted. His indifferent re softened slightly at the sight of her almost childlike awe at a simple door carving and he sighed, jamming his hands into the pockets of his trousers as he patiently waited for her to finish her appreciation. ¡°I think it was my great grandfather that had thosemissioned, several in fact. I think you¡¯ll enjoy your stay here if this kind of thing excites you,¡± ¡± Ann nodded absentmindedly. ¡°It does¡­ I mean, why wouldn¡¯t it? The craftsmanship is stunning¡­ the hours that must have gone into making this¡­ and you say it¡¯s hundreds of years old?¡± Ann questioned curiously turning to face him. ¡°I never said that only that my great-grandfathermissioned this. The male line of my ancestry never lived to their full potential, unfortunately¡­ but we¡¯ll discuss that another time.¡± Adam replied asa shadow crossed his face. ing He cleared his throat and reached past her, pressing down on the handle and pushing the door open. Adam gestured for her to enter the room and as she stepped through the door, Ann was rendered speechless. ¡°Adam¡­ it¡­ it¡¯s..stunning. All of it. I don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡± ¡°This is the bridal suite¡­ formerly Luna¡¯s private suite,¡± Adam exined softly as he ran a hand over the dresser top. ¡°As short-lived as my ancestors were, the Lunas have always been incredibly strong-willed and passionate. My great-grandmother demanded a suite where she could escape from her husband when they had argued.¡± He chuckled softly at the memory and a sh of nostalgia swept across his expression. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh,¡± Ann eximed quietly. ¡°Had you changed your mind about sharing a room then?¡± Adam suppressed a smirk. He didn¡¯t miss the trace of disappointment in her voice as she tried desperately to avoid his gaze. He cleared his throat lightly before he spoke. ¡°My request still stands. I intend to have Allen add the terms to the agreed contract however, traditionally we won¡¯t spend the night before the wedding together. It¡¯s intended to remind each party of how they would feel apart from each other. A time for reflection if you will.¡± ¡°I know. I met you on the eve of my wedding remember?¡± Ann answered a little bitterly. Adam sighed. ¡°About your things, I¡¯ll send someone to pick them up if you want. I understand the whole situation is a little ufortable right now. You don¡¯t need to put yourself in that situation tonight.¡± Ann nodded quietly. ¡°It¡¯s probably for the best. I don¡¯t want to see any of them for the foreseeable future. This is my home now¡­ for the next 5 years at least. But, Alpha?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to give me the cold shoulder if you are displeased with things I ask or say. I would rather you speak to me honestly rather than y childish games and try to gaslight me into behaving in a way that you think I should behave.¡± Adam was silent for a while as he stared at her, his nce seemingly weighing the weight of her words. ¡°I think if you¡¯re going to make statements about the way I run my pack without even seeing it first then you should at least expect some sort of reaction. These are not games that I¡¯m ying Ann, merely the disappointment I felt at your words being expressed. I don¡¯t ordinarily stand by quietly when I¡¯m irritated. Be thankful that I didn¡¯t react in the way that I usually do.¡± He answered finally, the matter of factly. Ann held his gaze for a while longer before averting her eyes and forcing herself to bite back the sarcastic retort she longed to throw at him, narrowing her eyes at the luxurious bed instead. ¡°Did you want a tour of the pack? Or would you rather wait for the official ceremonies to die down?¡± He asked levelly. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay in my room, for now, thank you, Alpha.¡± ¡°Very well, princess. Just shout if you need anything. I¡¯ll be in my room across the hall from you. Do shout if you need anything.¡± ¡°I think I can manage.¡± ¡°Very well. In that case, I can arrange for the omega¡¯s to bring you some food up, or we can eat together¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite, to be honest, Alpha. I think I¡¯ll take a bath and retire to bed. It¡¯s been a cr*ppy few days and who knows what tomorrow will bring. I would rather be well rested if I¡¯m to face an entirely unfamiliar pack.¡± Adam nodded and smiled gently. ¡°As you wish. Then I¡¯ll say goodnight. I¡¯ll collect you in the morning for breakfast.¡± With those final words, Adam turned abruptly and headed straight out of the door shutting it firmly behind him. Ann snarled in frustration and threw herself on the bed in anger. Adam stood at the other side of the closed door and smiled to himself. He had certainly managed to find himself a feisty Luna, as temporary as it may be. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 19 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 19 CHAPTER 19 The Invitation Ann was true to her word and didn¡¯t leave the suite all night, eventually falling into a deep sleep in the luxuriously soft bed. She was woken abruptly by a sharp knock on the door and, for a few seconds at least, forgot where she was entirely. ¡°Ann, it¡¯s almost eleven. Did you want breakfast in your room or do you want toe down with me?¡± Adam¡¯s bored tone came from the other side of the door. Ann swore under her breath and hurriedly began untangling herself from her bed sheets. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there! Just¡­ give me a minute¡­¡± She yelled back. By the time she opened the door, she was a little flustered. She was greeted by the sight of Adam leaning against the wall opposite her, with his arms folded against his chest casually, and a wry smile stered on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to ask if you slept well, do I?¡± Adam smirked, his eyes sparkling mischievously. Ann red at him and folded her arms in front of her to mirror his pose. ¡°Suppose I don¡¯t need to ask if you need aedian in the pack either¡­ you seem to have that covered nicely,¡± Anne smirked, earning a chuckle from Adam. ¡°I¡¯m not just an Alpha with a pretty face and a fearsome reputation you know¡­¡± He grinned as he reached forward and pulled her into pages towards him, catching her off guard. Ann blinked up at him, speechless for a few seconds as he gazed deeply into her eyes, holding her tightly by the waist. She could feel the warmth from his body through his shirt and she swallowed nervously. ¡°Adam¡­ I¡­¡± she stammered nervously as he smirked and his eyes danced yfully. ¡°Hush, my Luna,¡± he whispered seductively as his lips brushed against hers with the merest touch, igniting her belly into an explosion of butterflies. She was about to respond when a couple of the staff turned the corner and froze in shock, before giggling furiously while apologizing as they hurried away. Adam grinned as he stared boldly into her eyes and gently let her go, removing himself from the close embrace as if it had never happened. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go and eat breakfast.¡± He stated nonchntly as he walked away down the corridor. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Ann stared disbelievingly after him and felt her cheeks flush furiously. Did he really just use her to perform in front of a couple of unimportant staff members? She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about that but with her stomach rumbling furiously she had no choice but to hurry after him. They ate breakfast in a small, homely-looking kitchen and diner area. The cook in there had prepared a heavy brunch with Bagels, eggs, bacon, and sausage and a rack of toast for good measure. Ann watched Adam curiously as he buttered each slice of toast thickly with butter and stopped herself fromughing. He didn¡¯t na into Branc now seem the type that would overindulge. Rather, he gave off the impression of having a refined taste and a personality that was a little more reserved. However, the stack of food on the te in front of him and the way he eagerly looked for more, told her otherwise. It was most definitely true what they said, only allow the public to see what you want them to see. It would be eye-opening to see the other persona of the Alpha that was so feared. As she lifted her fork to her mouth her mobile phone buzzed like an angry wasp at the side of her. She frowned as she reached for it and checked the caller ID. Ann scowled furiously as Ada¡¯s name shed up on the screen. ¡°Can that little b*tch not take a warning?¡± She muttered under her breath as she firmly rejected the call. ¡°Who was that?¡± Adam asked curiously. ¡°Ada, my stepsister¡­¡± Ann growled as the phone began its angry buzzing yet again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like she¡¯s going to give up easily¡­¡± Adammented dryly. With a sigh, Ann mmed her fork down on the table a little harsher than she had intended and answered the phone. ¡°What do you want?¡± Ann sneered. ¡°Now now, Ann, that¡¯s no way to speak to your sister. I am family after all.¡± Ada simpered. The mere sound of her voice made Ann¡¯s skin crawl and she would love nothing more than to unleash Maeve on her and let her do her worst. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t a possibility. ¡°You never call me, Ada, just spit it out. What do you want? I don¡¯t have time for your games.¡± ¡°Fine. You¡¯re no fun though, just so you know. Brad really got off lightly getting rid of you.¡± She chuckled as Ann growled warningly. ¡°Don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist, Ann. Look, I only called you to invite you to the engagement party. Father wants you there. And I suppose it would be a good opportunity to y happy families for the camera right? Ann snorted loudly. ¡°I have no interest in seeing you parade around with my ex in the slightest. I thought I told you to leave me alone? Was I not clear enough the first time? Ada giggled on the other end of the phone. ¡°It¡¯s just, I would hate for you to be exiled from the royal family, Ann¡­ especially with your mother¡¯s jewelry as heirlooms to the oldest female¡­¡± Ada trailed off. The color drained from Ann¡¯s face slightly and her eyes widened. She suddenly felt sick. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡± She hissed furiously ¡°Well, you¡¯ll never know if you don¡¯te, will you? After a short silence, Ann answered. ¡°Fine. When and where?¡± She ground out through gritted teeth. ¡°Oh I¡¯m so pleased you epted our invitation! I¡¯ll see you tomorrow evening at 7, in the pce ballroom obviously. It¡¯s the only ce that could possibly hold so many people for such a happy asion.¡± Ada simpered. Ann snorted and hung up, discarding her phone angrily on the surface of the breakfast table. Adam raised an eyebrow at her curiously. ¡°Everything okay?¡± He asked tentatively. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 20 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The Coming Ceremony Ann scowled furiously at her phone and jabbed her fork angrily into the food in front of her. She had lost all appetite. ¡°It depends on how you define okay.¡± She muttered, sighing heavily and mming her fork onto the table again. She sagged forwards, her shoulder drooping, and rested her head in her hands. Adam couldn¡¯t decide if she was upset or angry, or somewhere in between. He reached for his coffee and took a sip. ¡°Whatever it is, Ann, I¡¯ll help if I can. We¡¯re a team now. If it affects you this way, then it affects me too. I want my Luna to be happy.¡± He said reassuringly. Ann swept her hair from her face and peered at him across the table. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s anything that you could help with, Adam. Although I appreciate the sentiment. There isn¡¯t anything I need to be here for tomorrow evening is there?¡± Adam frowned slightly as he thought and narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°As long as you return here tomorrow night then you are free to do as you please. It¡¯s only the ceremonies this afternoon to officially bind us and wees you into the pack, after that, you are free to do as you please.¡± Ann nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Okay. I have to attend my step-sister¡¯s engagement announcement tomorrow, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°The step-sister you don¡¯t get on with at all?¡± Adam asked with a hint of bewilderment. ¡°The very same. If she thinks she¡¯s getting her filthy hands on my mother¡¯s jewelry, she has another thinging.¡± Ann hissed, a look of dark determination on her face. Ann had returned to her room shortly after breakfast, having eaten very little despite Adam¡¯s insistence. She was in the process of being pampered and preened before the official ceremonies began. The stylists employed at the pack had made a selection of outfits for her to wear during the day for each ceremony and had instructions to find her something impressive for tomorrow¡¯s engagement party as well. Ann suspected that word had gotten around the pack that not only did the feared Alpha appear to be putty in her hands, but that she was also of royal blood. Everyone seemed to be working insanely hard to try to meet her expectations and seemed to be going above and beyond what was necessary. She was offered freshly made snacks and a huge array of drinks and the next omega that approached her cocked her head curiously and attempted to strike up a conversation. ¡°Is all this really necessary?¡± ¡°All what Luna?¡± She replied with a little frown. ¡°All of this¡­¡± Ann gestured wildly to the hive of activity in her room in a little disbelief. The omega chuckled and ced yet another drink in her hand. 7 ¡°Of course it is Luna! What sort of pack doesn¡¯t care for its leaders? This is to prove that we can take care of you well and see to your needs, whatever they may be.¡± Ann frowned. ¡°It¡¯s really not necessary, I can take care of myself you know? If I need a drink or something to eat then I¡¯m more than capable of seeing to that myself. I¡¯m sure you all have better things to be doing than taking care of the whims of your Luna.¡± The omega looked horrified at her words. ¡°Not at all, Luna! This is our job! Once you are mated and marked, you¡¯ll be assigned a personal chef and assistants to ensure that all of your needs are taken care of. This way, the only thing you have to worry about is the upbringing of all those pups you¡¯ll produce and the traditional Luna duties.¡± She grinned brightly. It was Ann¡¯s turn to look horrified. If they had their way, they would turn her into a glorified breeder. Was that even in her contract? Had she missed something hidden in the small print that required her to produce pups every year? ¡°There¡¯s no need to look so scared, Luna. You¡¯ll be well taken care of here. The little princes and princesses you produce will be adored by all. Despite his reputation, Alpha Nocturne is a good Alpha, he takes care of us well.¡± She smiled gently. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ann nodded dumbly. She was really going to have to check the contract over and perhaps ask Adam if she had agreed to those terms. She definitely didn¡¯t remember agreeing to them¡­ ¡®We were drunk though.¡¯ Maeve offered unhelpfully. ¡®Oh god, Maeve. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for pups just yet.¡¯ Ann replied, an edge of panic in her voice. Dividing into pages now ||| ¡®I¡¯m more than ready¡­I can¡¯t wait to have all those little wagging tails and chubby bellies running around our legs.¡¯ Maeve answered wistfully. ¡®You won¡¯t have to carry them!¡¯ ¡®You and I do share the same body you know¡­we share exactly the same feelings and sensations¡­¡¯ Maeve grumbled. ¡®Well, yes, but you aren¡¯t going to have to push them out, are you?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t be silly. Of course, I¡¯ll help in childbirth. Just think Ann, we¡¯ll get to y with them and show them off!¡¯ Maeve answered happily. ¡®We¡¯ll have many strong pups that will be the envy of all who see them!¡¯ Ann scowled in response and suddenly found herself focusing on a different omega than was there in front of her previously. ¡°Do you not like these, Luna?¡± The woman asked, a hint of trepidation on her face. Ann was confused momentarily as she took in the material of the dresses held up before her. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry¡­ I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I was..¡± ¡°No need to exin, Luna, we understand. It¡¯s a stressful day for all of us so I can¡¯t imagine how you must be feeling.¡± The omega answered as relief washed over her face and the tension seemed to be lifted from her body. ¡°We were just wondering which dress you preferred for the Elder¡¯s binding ceremony, that¡¯s all¡­we couldn¡¯t decide between these and we¡¯re still learning about your tastes¡­¡± her words trailed off apologetically. Ann smiled reassuringly at her and cast her eyes across the dresses on offer. She selected an elegant- looking ivory c*cktail- style dress encrusted with diamonds around the outline of the bust and along the straps. The ceremony would be essentially a wedding, without the extravagance of the royal treasury, and officiated by the elders of this pack, and not the King himself. Ann didn¡¯t care though. This wedding suited her needs as much as it did Alpha Nocturne¡¯s and she intended to not only meet the expectations dutifully but surpass them if possible. If it served to p*ss her step-sister off in the meantime, then that would only make the whole arrangement more satisfying. Ann grinned to herself as the omega¡¯s finished their work on her hair and makeup and waited patiently for the knock on her door to. signal the start of the day¡¯s lengthy events. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 21 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 21 CHAPTER 21 A Sudden Kiss The nned ceremonies had gone off without a hitch. The pack had weed her warmly and the Elders approved of her bloodline, conducting the binding ceremony and formal linking with the pack to loud cheers from all involved. After all, Ann was of Royal lineage and the official union with their Alpha elevated the Dark Moon Pack¡¯s status greatly. Now they were second in power and strength to only the Alpha King himself. It would be something loudly talked about to anyone that would listen. It also meant that their Alpha may one day have the chance to rule as the Alpha King as Ann was the eldest daughter and the current heir. She met all of the required qualifications for that a Luna Queen. As Ann and Adam bid farewell to their guests Ann smiled to herself. Adam turned to look at her and felt the breath almost leave his lungs. His heart beat faster in his chest as he suddenly realized that this woman would be by his side through everything for as long as the contract existed. Looking at her in the soft light of the ballroom, her delicate beauty that was brightened by her smile seemed to take his breath away. He had the sudden urge to take her in his arms and kiss her, but for once in his life, he was nervous about doing so. She wasn¡¯t his mate, it was a business arrangement. Nothing more. He wasn¡¯t supposed to have been moved by her. As he battled with his inner turmoil, Ann nced across at him and Dividing into panes now caught his eye.. ¡°Adam, is everything okay?¡± Ann said frowning as she noticed hisplex expression. He frowned and nodded curtly. ¡°We should retire for the evening. It¡¯ste.¡± He answered h*arsely, avoiding her eyes deliberately as he took hold of her hand and pulled her along behind him. Ann was too stunned to react at that moment and instead followed hurriedly behind him, her feet moving quickly as she tried desperately to keep up in the ridiculous heels that she had been persuaded to wear. ¡°Adam¡­ wait¡­¡± She protested weakly as Maeve sniggered inside her. ¡®I know exactly where this is going¡­¡¯? ¡®What? What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®Our little Alpha is a little hot under the cor.¡± She sniggered, ¡®It looks like you¡¯re going to get your promised wedding night after all.¡± Maeve continued gleefully. Ann¡¯s eyes widened with the realization of what exactly mighty in store for her and her breath quickened as the anxiety hit. ¡®Rx, it¡¯s perfectly natural. Besides, it¡¯s about time we got some action. Saving yourself for your mate was a st*pid idea as it turned out. We could have been having fun this entire time.¡¯ Maeve grumbled. ¡®How can you say that?! Maeve, what if we get a second chance mate?! He¡¯ll be so angry if he finds out we slept with another¡­¡¯ ¡®And if we don¡¯t? Seriously, Ann, get a grip.¡± Maeve scoffed, ¡®The chances of finding your fated mate are low enough as it is, and when ites to a second chance mate? Even less hope of that happening.¡¯ ¡®But if there¡¯s still a chance¡­¡¯ ¡®There is absolutely no chance that I am letting us remain celibate for the rest of our lives. There¡¯s little chance of that happening when our heat hits anyway so isn¡¯t it better for us to find a reliable male to pair with?¡¯ Ann bit her lip as she mulled over Maeve¡¯s words. She had a point. Until now, she hadn¡¯t had to deal with her heat but that wouldn¡¯tst forever. Even if she remained celibate it wasmon for the heats to start naturally anyway and if you weren¡¯t careful, you would end up mated by the strongest male following a furious fight between those attracted by your scent. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Ann grimaced at the thought. It was always messy. ¡®Okay, you have a good point. We¡¯ll see where it goes, but I won¡¯t initiate anything and I won¡¯t allow him to mark me. What if his true mate appears? She would be devastated¡­¡¯ She felt Maeve roll her eyes despairingly. ¡®I think it¡¯s about time you started living for yourself¡­ for us. Alpha Nocturne is a big boy, he can make his own decisions and is perfectly capable of facing the consequences of his actions. Live a little, Ann. Enjoy yourself for once.¡¯ Ann¡¯s heart felt heavy. She was definitely attracted to Adam, any woman would be crazy not to be. Rich, powerful, handsome¡­ what wasn¡¯t there to like? But she couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling inside her, as if there was something more that she should know. No matter how hard she tried she couldn¡¯t grasp the reason why. They paused briefly in front of Adam¡¯s bedroom door and he pushed it open quickly. ¡°Your room?¡± Ann said nervously, with a slight tremor in her voice. ¡°We agreed already.¡± He answered gruffly without sparing her even a single nce as he opened the door and pulled her inside. He mmed the door shut behind them and Ann flinched, startled by the sudden noise and the drastic change in his temperament. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself being pushed roughly back against the door. A small squeak of surprise escaped her lips as Adam¡¯s body mmed against her own, their bodies pressed tightly together against the hard surface behind her. Adam stared hungrily at her, his eyes almostpletely ck as he growled softly and traced her jawline lightly with his finger. Ann shuddered involuntarily, a delicious chill running down her spine as his intense gaze seemed to devour her soul. Without saying a word, his lips were suddenly pressed against hers, his lips forcefully prising her mouth open as his tongue sought entry into her mouth. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 22 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 22 CHAPTER 22 I Want This, Adam Ann¡¯s eyes stared fixedly ahead as she tried desperately to process what was happening to her at this moment. Adam¡¯s kiss was intense and try as she might, she couldn¡¯t remember a time that Brad had ever kissed her with such a need. She could feel the passion and primal hunger that burned within him, just from the sensual yet fierce way his lips fought with her own. His hands were tangled in her hair and Ann could feel herself begin to rx into the kiss. Maeve was right. Adam was a good candidate for a chosen mate. As she let go of her doubts and hesitance, she brought her arms around his neck, pulling his head closer to her, suddenly filled with. an aching desire to be as close to him as possible. Adam growled lightly, almost possessively as he felt her reciprocate in the lust he felt at that moment and he allowed his hands to roam lower, sliding them along the lines of her body, sending pleasurable shivers along her skin. He worked them around her back and found the zip on her dress, fiddling with it briefly before dragging it down slowly. The thought of rejecting his advances at this point didn¡¯t even cross Ann¡¯s mind as the embers of her own, unsatisfied passion began to burn wildly beneath her. The silken dress slipped from her shoulders and fell to the floor, a waterfall of fabric cascading along her skin and pooling at her feet elegantly. Ann stood pressed against him in nothing but her underwear and a pair of heels. Dinding into ONGS DOW She had always been apprehensive about revealing her body in this way in front of others, but in front of Adam, she didn¡¯t feel the need to cover her shyness with her hands. This just felt right. Ann felt powerful and s*xy, yet also vulnerable in a way that she wanted to beg Adam to take advantage of her. Her body trembled in excitement as his hands caressed her skin whilst his lips moved to her neck, trailing his lips and tongue sensuously along her neck. His teeth nipped as his tongue soothed and his mouth sucked every exposed piece of skin on her neck. Ann fisted his hair in her fingers, wanting more of this delicious feeling. His hands had reached their way to the back of her bra and Ann felt him smile slightly against her skin as his fingers made short work of the sp on the straps. His rough hands caressed the smooth skin of her back and worked¡¢ their way slowly around her sides to begin their assault on her breasts. The moment his fingers brushed against her nipple and he gave it a gentle tweak, she felt her underwear dampen. ¡°Oh g*d¡­¡± Ann murmured as the sensations erupting inside her overwhelmed her suddenly. Adam chuckled against her neck and lifted his head to stare intensely into her eyes as he pulled and tweaked her nipples, a deliciously painful, yet pleasurable sensation that she had never felt before. ¡°Anyone would think you¡¯ve never been touched this way before¡­¡± he murmured huskily as he pressed his lower body against her, pushing his rock-hard length against the skin of her thighs. ¡°I¡­f*ck¡­I haven¡¯t.¡± She forced out as she tried desperately Dividing into pages now to shake the fantasy in her head of him filling the void between her legs and satisfying her need that was rapidly building. Adam paused momentarily as his face took on a serious N?velDrama.Org owns this text. expression, her nipples held between his fingers and pinched ever so slightly. ¡°Are you serious, Ann? No one, not even your mate?¡± he murmured in disbelief. Ann shook her head gently, almost in embarrassment at the fact that she was still untouched ¡°No one,¡± she whispered softly as she looked up at him through her longshes. Adam swore internally. Although this was just supposed to be a lustful f*ck he didn¡¯t want to hurt Ann. With his size, and the fact that she hadn¡¯t even been broken in down there, chances were that this was going to be painful for her. He had consoled himself with the fact that his mate was his perfect another half, and he would save himself for that woman. But now, with the witches¡¯ curse destroying the chance of that, he had waited long enough. Ann was his Luna now. If she provided heirs as well as fulfilling her contractual obligations then it would only benefit him and his pack. Adam growled softly at the vulnerable innocence that was stamped across her face. He had every intention to destroy that innocence one way or another and satisfy her as much as she would satisfy him. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that this won¡¯t hurt Ann,¡± he murmured softly in her ear as he pinched her nipples between his thumb and forefingers. She moaned, loudly at the sensation and it was like music to his soul. Adam could feel his wolf strain take over as his c*ck bulged painfully, begging for the sweet release that the ce between her legs would provide. ¡°Ann, you need to tell me if you want this or not¡­ but once you do¡­ there¡¯s no backing out. I cannot promise that I can control my wolf¡¯ s urges. He has waited long enough for this.¡± He growled into her ear. Ann shuddered and moved her hands down to where his c*ck strained desperately against his trousers for release. ¡°I want this, Adam.¡± She purred seductively between moans as she began to run her fingers across the material of the trousers above his c*ck. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 23 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 23 CHAPTER 23 Fill Me Up Adam growled as she stared intensely back into his eyes, her boldness and confidence arousing Adam beyond the limits that he thought were possible. Ann smirked. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you, Adam. Quite the opposite. I want you to fill my p*ssy and f*ck me so hard that neither of us will remember the pain that we¡¯ve had forced upon us. I might not be very experienced now, but I¡¯m a quick learner and I¡¯ll do my best to draw the same moans of ecstasy from your mouth as you do from mine.¡± The huskiness of Ann¡¯s voice, filled with a desire almost drove Adam over the edge, and without wasting any more time he picked her up and headed over to therge bed that dominated the main part of his room. Adam stared down hungrily at her as he hurriedly removed his shirt and trousers. Ann forced herself to watch as he slid his trousers down with a smirk and his boxers followed closely after. Her heart almost stopped at the sheer size of his cock. The shaft itself looked far too wide for her to amodate and the bulging head seemed as if it were about to explode. She swallowed nervously as he stroked himself in front of her and Maeve whistled lowly in her head. ¡®Well¡­f*ck.¡¯ Maeve whispered in an awestruck voice, ¡®I¡¯ll do my best but this is gonna hurt a little. Our Alpha is a big boy in every sense of the word¡­¡¯ ¡®Maeve¡­ he¡¯s going to split me in two with that thing!!! How the hell am I going to amodate THAT!¡¯ Ann answered panic-stricken as Adam advanced towards her, his hand stroking eagerly at his thick shaft. ¡®Hey! We aren¡¯t quitters, Ann! Get a hold of yourself. If the next Luna Queen can¡¯t handle a cock, then she¡¯s going to struggle with dealing with the b*stards at every event. You¡¯re just going to have to suck it up¡­ not literally though¡­. well¡­ not until you¡¯ve had more practice at least.¡¯ Ann didn¡¯t answer as Adam set upon her. He savaged her mouth with his lips as his hands kneaded roughly at her breasts and pulled at her nipples. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. His cock had found its way between her slick folds and as he rubbed his length against her eagerly she found herself making noises that sounded almost alien to her. His mouth worked lower down her neck until it found her nipples and he bit down gently at each tender bud before sealing his mouth around them and sucking greedily at her breasts alternating between them both and driving her into a frenzy. Ann¡¯s hands ran along his back and down his side, reaching for his enormous manhood to stroke it gently. Much to her dismay, she realized that she couldn¡¯t even fit her hands around it and she felt him smirk against her nipple. His hand reached for hers and he moved it aside, lifting his head briefly as his mouth hovered above her nipple. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ann, I¡¯ll get everything I need from between your legs, tonight I just want you toy there and enjoy it. There will be time enough for you to repay me for this,¡± he said huskily. The sarcastic retort that Ann had been about to utter turned into a scream as he bit down on her nipple end at the same time as he pushed 2 fingers inside her dripping p*ssy, as his thumb rolled around her sensitive nub. She felt a slight pressure and a sharp burst of pain as he pushed his fingers deep inside her walls. The mix of pleasure and pain rendered her speechless and as he pumped his fingers in and out of her, he gradually added another finger, curling them inside of her and hitting a spot that made her want to explode every time. ¡°Adam¡­ f*ck.. I-It¡¯s too much¡­¡± Ann protested as he pushed a fourth finger inside of her and rubbed furiously on her cl*toris with his thumb. ?Adamughed darkly. ¡°This is nothing, Ann¡­ there¡¯s so much more toe¡­ your p*ssy is so tight around my fingers, I can¡¯t wait to fill you with my cock.¡± He smirked down at her as he increased the speed of his fingers pumping in and out of her and continued his assault on her? She wed the sheets with her hands as his weight held her in ce and stopped her from squirming too much as she reached her first o*gasm at his hands. He grinned triumphantly at the pitch of her cries. As Ann tried to catch her breath, she thought that he would at least give her a chance to recover, but she was sorely mistaken. As shey panting on the bed, she felt the head of his cock at her entrance as he pushed slowly inside her. The head was enormous and she panted loudly, whimpering under the sound of his curses of ecstasy. ¡°F****ck, Ann. You¡¯re so tight.¡± He moaned as he felt her p*ssy resisting his insistent advance and her walls wrapping themselves tightly around his member. He moved his hand away from the shaft of his penis and began rubbing furiously at my sensitive nub. The spasms that his frenzied touch sent through her caused her hips to buck towards him, helping his cock slip deeper inside of her, as her screams of pleasure tinged with pain echoed in his room. Adam growled as he fought with his wolf for control. He was of the opinion that he should just bury himself inside of her forcefully. In his mind it made perfect sense, this way was prolonging her agony, but if he forced himself in, she would adjust to him as he moved slowly after the initial pain. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 24 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 24 CHAPTER 24 I Want All Of You The fact that he had managed to get the head of his c*ck inside her was a miracle and he was losing the fight against the urge to bury himself balls deep inside of her. He stilled his movements, lifting her legs a little and spreading them wide before him. He leaned forwards and kissed her softly, deepening the kiss as he palmed her breasts gently. As her body rxed underneath him he moved his hands to her waist. It was now or never. As her eyes fluttered shut and her walls pulsated around him he pulled her waist downwards towards him as he thrust forward with all his might. He swallowed her scream as he felt the head of his c*ck m into her cervix and smiled to himself in satisfaction. Once Ann had gotten over the initial shock she was furious with Adam. As the pain subsided, she clenched her fists and brought her hands up in a furious attack,nding almost a perfect right h*ok on the side of his face. For a second, Adam was stunned and he reacted slowly, pressing his body against hers as he grappled with her to contain her iling arms. When he finally got a secure hold on them, he pinned her arms above her head and managed to restrain her sessfully. His eyes were almost fully ck as he red down angrily at her furious face. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ann red back at him furiously, the heat from her gaze scorching as she tried her best to wriggle free from underneath him, but every movement made her wince painfully with his enormous cock still speared inside her. ¡°That was f*cking unnecessary you beast.¡± Ann hissed angrily. ¡°I disagree. I warned you at the beginning that there was no turning back once we started, and this way at least, we aren¡¯t prolonging your pain.¡± Adam hissed back. They red at each other for a few moments, neither one of them saying a word, before Adam¡¯s furious gaze softened suddenly. He wasn¡¯t sure how to resolve this with his dick still buried inside of her. The whole situation was more than a little awkward. He moved his hips slightly and began to withdraw his cock from inside her slowly and she screwed her eyes up in pain. He gritted his teeth against his conscience as he pushed himself back inside her and she moaned slightly, her eyes fluttering closed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ann, it really was the easiest way. It won¡¯t hurt for long, I promise¡­¡± He murmured as he lowered his head towards her breasts, taking a nipple in his mouth and nibbling at the tips as he began to move inside of her. Ann¡¯s anger quickly turned into a strange mix of pleasure and disdain. She wanted Adam to simultaneously get as far away as possible from her, but also pound into her relentlessly until she was full of his seed. Before long, Ann was panting alongside Adam as he fulfilled her wish and pounded his full length into her as if his life depended on it. With each stroke he had constant pressure on her G -spot and mmed into her cervix, keeping her on a rollercoaster of pain and pleasure the entire time. He had been right, the excruciating pain at the start didn¡¯tst for long and soon she was begging for him to bury himself inside her deeper and harder with each powerful stroke. ¡°F*ck¡­ more, Adam! I want all of you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going tost long, Ann¡­ you¡¯re so f*cking tight¡­¡± He ground out with his jaw clenched. ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­ just f*ck me¡­ f*ck me as hard as you can. ¡°But if I empty inside of you¡­¡± ¡°I want you to¡­ F*ck¡­ fill me with your cum¡­ I¡¯ll take it all¡­ everyst drop¡­¡± She moaned loudly. With a possessive snarl, Adam increased his pace to a furious speed, the loud pants, and moans of them both punctuated by the pping of flesh until finally, with thest few strokes he froze inside of her and emptied his seed deep within her p*ssy. He bent his head forward and licked the side of her neck, taking a grip on it with his teeth. Ann¡¯s chest filled with panic as she pushed him away abruptly and yelped as the loss of his cock from inside her left her feeling empty. She moved across the bed slightly and pulled the covers around her, determined to cover her nakedness and put some distance between them. ¡°Don¡¯t you want my mark? We¡¯ll be together for the next few years at least¡­¡± Adam said quietly as he stared at her intensely, trying, and failing, to keep the hurt from his face. Ann shook her head gently. ¡°Adam, I¡¯m happy to do whatever it takes for now, but what if you find your true mate? I don¡¯t want to ruin that for you. At least¡­ let¡¯s wait a while.¡± ¡°And the Elders? How do we exin the absence of the mark?¡± He asked scowling deeply as if he was taking the rejection personally. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something. Until then, let¡¯s wait for a little and see if we can find another way, okay?¡±? Adam nodded reluctantly as hey back in the bed. Ann pulled the duvet under her chin and turned on her side, facing away from Adam. That had not been part of her original n at all, but she was d that she had gone through with it. At least now she knew what lust felt like. Was that how Brad felt with Ada when he f*cked her every night? She froze as she felt Adam¡¯s arm drapezily over her, and listened to the sound of his breathing grow slower with each passing moment. Before long Adam was sleeping soundly and she was safely nestled in the shelter of his arms. A strange feeling of contentment washed over her and for once, Ann truly felt like she had found her home. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 25 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 25 CHAPTER 25 I Can Smell Your Desire¡­ Ann had woken to the sound of her rm ringing incessantly at the side of her. She blinked sleepily and checked the time. Sh*t! She was going to bete if she wasn¡¯t careful. She threw the covers off her and jumped out of bed, grunting loudly as the soreness from the previous night rippled through her aching muscles. Ann took a few steps across the bedroom floor before realizing that she waspletely naked and froze¡­ what if Adam was watching? She suddenly felt terribly self-conscious and turned to look over her shoulder apprehensively. With a sigh of relief, she realized that his side of the bed was empty and she turned, collected some clothes, and headed for the shower. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re worried about. He¡¯s seen all of you and morest night.¡¯ Maeve yawned sleepily. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a little different in the light of a new day, Maeve. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Ann murmured as she entered the shower, allowing the warm water to cascade over her and soothe her aching muscles. ¡®Humans are st*pid. You were born with skin and choose to cover it with fancy-looking pieces of itchy material. You should be true to yourself. You are a shifter, if you are cold, shift to your animal with warmer fur, if you are hot, then walk as nature intended.¡¯ Maeve pouted. ¡®I¡¯d prefer not to get arrested thanks.¡¯ Ann shot back and she massaged her scalp luxuriously, working the shampoo up into ather. ¡®Arrested? Humans could not keep us in a cell. They are easy to escape.¡¯ Maeve snorted. ¡®Maybe for you, but I don¡¯t particrly fancy getting shot at just because my impatient wolf decided to break out of a cell¡¯ ¡®They won¡¯t shoot, because we¡¯ll kill them first. A simple solution to a simple problem.¡¯ Maeve answered nonchntly. ¡®Honestly, what on earth has gotten into you today, Maeve? Look, it¡¯s better to blend in with human society rather than live apart. The hunters are a direct result of what happens when humans are afraid of what they don¡¯t understand,¡¯ ¡®Then make them understand?¡¯ Maeve shot back impatiently. Ann sighed as she got out of the shower and hurriedly dried herself off. She got dressed quickly and dried her hair, styling it smartly so that she would look the part when she arrived at work. Ann rushed into the kitchen and greeted everyone happily as she made ast-minute attempt to grab some breakfast before she left. Adam sat perched at the little table and smiled gently at her rushing about. He quietly mind- linked the kitchen staff to make sure they had arge breakfast prepared every morning for her to take with her, as well as an option for lunch to take if she chose to. Some of the omegas in the kitchen watched her in horror as she stuffed everything into a bag in a disorganized fashion and turned, freezing as soon as she saw Adam. A guilty look crossed her face and her cheeks flushed a light shade of red. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Adam asked nonchntly as he sipped at his coffee.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mmhm. I was a littleter getting up then I¡¯m used to, so¡­ I¡¯m in more of a rush than usual¡­¡± Ann answered. The truth was, she wanted to be at her department in thepany early, to make sure that Ada didn¡¯t get her grubby little ws into her business as well. It was a good excuse for her to keep busy and not think about the ridiculous engagement party that she was going to be forced to attend tonight anyway. Adam nodded slightly and smiled softly. ¡°Do you have everything you need now?¡± ¡°Erm, yes, I think so. I just need to grab my coat¡­¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said as he stood quickly. He folded the copy of the financial times that he had been browsing neatly and ced it down on the counter in front of him s he turned his intense eyes to focus on Ann. Her stomach flipped and she swallowed anxiously. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you this morning.¡± He stated, his tone leaving no room for argument, and reminding her suddenly of his husky voice the night before. Her legs felt weak as he approached her with almost predatory steps, never once relinquishing eye contact with her for even a second. Maeve purred loudly inside her and Ann wished for the briefest moment that she could hit her because she was pretty sure that the wave of desire that was washing over her as he approached, wasing directly from her. Adam chuckled as he reached for the bag she clutched to her chest like her life depended on it, and leaned in even closer, his mouth mere centimeters away from her ear. ¡°I can smell your desire from here, my Luna. Did I not f*ck you to your satisfactionst night?¡± He growled huskily into her ear. Ann closed her eyes involuntarily and repressed a pleasurable shudder that rippled through her body. Her heart was beating wildly as Maeve danced around happily, begging her to take hold of him and ride him until they fell asleep exhausted. Adam growled a little louder and when he turned her face to his, his eyes were almost ck. ¡°It seems that your wolf¡¯s desires are in line with my own. Perhaps we can take a few hours this morning to enable me to fill your tight little p*ssy¡­¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 26 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 26 CHAPTER 26 It¡¯s My Job Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, thank you! I have to work!¡± Ann squeaked suddenly, shaking her head voraciously as she backed away. Maeve roared at her furiously and Ann angrily shut her out as Adam watched her every movement, as if he wanted to devour every inch of her. She was struggling to think straight under this amount of pressure. ¡°I can make my own way to work, Adam, I don¡¯t want to inconvenience you,¡± Ann announced, trying and failing to keep the tremor from her voice. Adam chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s no inconvenience. I insist on being the one to take you to work. I won¡¯t have my Luna wandering around with her arousal so easily recognized.¡± He answered firmly, almost possessively Ann shuddered. This was not how her morning was supposed to have started. As Ann shut the car door behind her and she watched Adam speed off, she let out a sigh of relief. The journey had been almost unbearable because of the sexual tension between them both. Maeve had made things even more difficult with her lewd suggestions for scratching that itch and Ann had resigned herself to the fact that her wolf was insatiable and it was something that she was going to have to learn how to deal with. She had shut her out in irritation and was still seething when she entered thepany headquarters. Ann swiped her key card and nodded to thedies at the reception desk as they greeted her hurriedly. Ann breezed through the foyer and straight towards the elevator where she waited patiently for the elevator to arrive that would take her up to the 18th floor. Veritas Estates had flourished since she had taken her position at the helm. They specialized in buying run¨Cdown and derelict properties and renovating them, before selling them on for a profit. Her predecessor had focused only onmercial properties or acquiring failing businesses before stripping them down and selling their assets. But Ann had seen the potential for highly specialized properties, renovated to fit the needs of the wider supernaturalmunity. Disced packs and other shifters, new nests of Vampires or established nests that had been forced to move, there was a huge market for properties that had already been adapted to suit their needs, and often they were willing to pay whatever it took Ann had managed to form a close rtionship with the Vampire Council and let them know in advance of any properties that would be avable in theing months, they too, kept Ann aware of their need for locations and they shared a profitable rtionship in that sense. Ann stepped out of the elevator as it reached her floor and swiped her keycard at the secure offices. Her assistant Eva, looked up in surprise and hurried over to greet her warmly. ¡°Ann! How are you?! I wasn¡¯t expecting you in this early¡­if at all actually considering everything that¡¯s happened recently¡­¡± Eva trailed off, her warm smile fading to a grimace. Ann chuckled. ¡°Life happens to us all, Eva. Besides, you know I¡¯d rather be busy with something productive rather than moping about in my own misery.¡± Eva looked at her seriously and seemed to hesitate a little before speaking. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth Ann, I think you deserve better¡­ I always have. You¡¯ve raised this failing department up to one of the most sessful and most profitable under the Veritas Brand¡­ you should be proud of yourself. It was no easy feat!¡± Ann felt the color rise to her cheeks in embarrassment. She had never been good at taking compliments. ¡°Really Eva¡­ it¡¯s my job¡­¡± ¡°No, Ann. It¡¯s more than that. You¡¯ve made sure that your workers are taken care of too and taken on completely inexperienced members of the packs who wouldn¡¯t have ever stood a chance in the corporate world otherwise¡­¡± Annughed. ¡°Look, you know how I feel about that. The circumstances of your birth shouldn¡¯t limit what you can achieve. By the time I¡¯m too old to run this, I hope that I¡¯ll have children who share the same ethics as I do, otherwise, I¡¯ll put one of my own workers in my former position.¡± Eva smiled warmly at her. ¡°I hope that Ada doesn¡¯t mess things up too much for you Ann. You deserve better than what that rotten step¨Cfamily dealt you¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that my life was such a hot topic of gossip,¡± Ann answered cooly, with a single eyebrow raised. Had Ada already been spreading her poison within thepany? Ann frowned. She knew that she was safe from gossip within her own department, but that didn¡¯t necessarily apply to the rest of thepany. Eva shifted ufortably. ¡°It¡¯s not just your life Ann, the life of the royals is usually followed closely by the office workers and socialites¡­ you know how they can be.¡± She grimaced. Ann nodded and sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, yes I do. I¡¯m going to check my emails, were there any messages left at all?¡± ¡°No, oh! Wait! Yes¡­ you have about 40 or more from Brad¡­¡± she trailed off hesitantly at the icy re that had landed on her. ¡°If he calls again, tell him I¡¯m busy. If he refuses to listen tell him that I¡¯m not interested.¡± Eva visibly gulped and nodded vigorously. ¡°No problem. You go ahead Ann, I¡¯ll handle it don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll bring you a coffee.¡± ¡°Thanks, Eva.¡± She smiled tightly and made her way into her office at the back. Ann had busied herself with emails for the majority of the morning and sat back with her third coffee of the day clutched tightly in her hands. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 27 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 27 CHAPTER 27 Who Was In Between Your Legs! She had only taken over this positiontest year and was still sifting through the enormous amount of administration that her predecessor had willfully neglected. She hade across an email from one of Alpha¡¯s Nocturne¡¯s departments regarding a potential coboration on arge project from a few years ago and pursed her lips thoughtfully. Ann didn¡¯t know the full extent of his business interests, but she really should start to take an active interest. All she remembered was her father¡¯s frequent bouts of fury over the fact that Adam¡¯s interests often ovepped with his own, and he had lost out on more than a few lucrative contracts because he was able to provide better offers. The world wasn¡¯t as it used to be, where family favor won you contracts. If you wanted to do business with the humans as well as the supernaturals, you had to prove that you had a talent for what you were employed to do, and not just rely on the fact that you had a big name backing you. Reputations were easily tarnished with the rise in poprity of social media and Ann had be adept at navigating the ins and outs of gossip columns. It was something that her father and step-family were vastly underprepared for. The picture caught of Brad and Ada together just proved their ineptitude. Ann snorted to herself. That was sure to be a car wreck as the years went by. She felt sorry for the child growing in Ada¡¯s belly. She hoped that Ada would rise to the challenge of motherhood and put her selfish nature behind her. She frowned as she could hear what sounded like raised voices from the other side of her office door. The sound was m*ffled but it was definitely much louder than the usual buzz of conversation that kept herpany throughout the day. The sound of arge crash forced Ann to stand abruptly and ce her coffee on the table quickly. She began to make her way around the desk in order to find out what was happening. Maeve was tensed and ready to make an appearance if necessary, growling apprehensively at whatever threat she perceived was behind the door. Without warning, the door to her office flew open and it barely missed her face as she leaned backward reflexively. The disheveled figure of Brad stood outlined in the doorway, his eyes slightly wild as he stared at her furiously. ¡°There you are¡­¡± Brad hissed furiously as he red menacingly at her. Ann froze in shock. She was utterly lost for words at his bedraggled appearance and the menacing aura that radiated from him in waves. She quickly flicked her gaze to nce over his shoulder at the area in the office behind him and swore internally at the mess he had made. Eva was picking herself up off the floor, clearly dazed, and clutching her head as she st*ggered forward. A male employee had rushed over to steady her and as she pointed towards Ann¡¯s office, she could see the panic in her eyes. Ann flicked her gaze back to where Brad stood panting furiously and folded her arms defensively in front of her, her lip curling at the edges despite her best efforts¡­ ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡± she asked levelly. ¡°Who was it?¡± Brad growled menacingly, his teeth bared. Ann snorted. ¡°Did you take a st*pid pill at breakfast or has all the time you spent f*cking Ada finally destroyed any intelligence that you had left? If you want me to answer anything you need to talk in coherent sentences.¡± She sneered viciously. Brad snarled furiously at her andunched himself towards her, his arms extended and his hands closed swiftly around her neck, his powerful fingers squeezing furiously. ¡°YOU LITTLE WHORE! ANSWER ME! WHO THE FUCK WAS INBETWEEN YOUR LEGS LAST NIGHT?!¡± he roared furiously as Ann wed at her neck frantically. What the hell was happening?! Had he seriously lost his mind? ¡°YOU ARE MY MATE! MINE! HOW DARE ANOTHER MAN TOUCH WHAT BELONGS TO ME! I¡¯LL RIP HIM APART!¡± ¡°The f*cking idiot doesn¡¯t like it when he¡¯s on the receiving end of the pain does he?¡± Maeve snarled angrily as she felt Ann¡¯s consciousness begin to waver. ¡®All those years that I took the pain in your ce, this is his karma. Now he knows exactly how it feels when your fated mateys with another. I¡¯ll fix this, Ann, don¡¯t worry.¡¯ She murmured soothingly. 1 Maeve surged forward as Ann¡¯s consciousness slipped away, her golden irises ring like brilliant fires of demonic vengeance, where Ann¡¯s calm orbs once sat. She grinned wildly at Ann¡¯s skin and reached her foreign-feeling arms upwards, effortlessly prising Brad¡¯s fingers from around her neck and bending them backward, causing him to yell out in pain. ¡°How do you like it, Brad?¡± Maeve snarled as she exerted a fraction of her strength to push him back, pinning him against the wall with her arm at his throat as she held his hands firmly. Brad whimpered loudly as he fought to maintain his human form. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No answer?¡± She sneered as she abruptly snapped one of his fingers back and to the side, the cracking sound echoing loudly in the now deathly silence of Ann¡¯s office. Brad screamed his pain as she chuckled darkly. ¡°I don¡¯t me your wolf, just so you know¡­ I¡¯m fully aware that you don¡¯t listen to him at all, Brad. I pity him being paired with a weak human counterpart like yourself¡­¡± Maeve mocked with a smirk of contempt. ¡°But our glorious future?¡± She sighed, almost wistfully, before she continued. ¡°That will never happen now. You ruined that Brad! You fathered a pup with another woman¡­ not even a woif¡­ and spurned your goddess fated. I hope your wolf abandons you.¡± she hissed as she forcibly snapped two more of his fingers and Brad¡¯s scream filled the air again. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 28 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 28 CHAPTER 28 ept The Rejection Maeve smiled in satisfaction as she watched the man before her crumble. ¡°Now you know what I went through every time you sank your cock into that little whore¡¯s well-used hole. You weren¡¯t her first¡­ and you certainly won¡¯t be herst.¡± She chuckled. Maeve stared intently into his eyes and he shrank back as far as he could. Maeve was dangerous and he knew it. ¡°How was it? Did you enjoy a taste of your own medicine? The soul-shattering pain as your fated comes undone at the hands of another is excruciating isn¡¯t it?¡± Brad nodded weakly, his eyes filling with tears as he clenched his jaw painfully. From what Maeve could make out, his wolf had turned his back on him and refused to share in his pain, and withheld the ability that would enable him to heal quickly. She smiled sadly at thest show of camaraderie between her and her former fated. Maeve stroked Brad¡¯s head and shushed him, her face so close to his, that he could feel her gentle exhtions as her bewitching scent filled his very being. ¡°Don¡¯t you want this pain to end?¡± Maeve coaxed gently, ¡°Because I can assure you that I will encourage Ann to take every opportunity to bear pups with the strongest alpha that we can find. It will never be you¡­ you are not worthy of either one of us..¡± Brad stared at her wide-eyed as she smiled sweetly. ¡°Just let us go¡­ ept our rejection. For what it¡¯s worth Octavius¡­ I wish that things had been different. You¡¯re a strong wolf, but you need to handle your human properly.¡± She purred. The tears and pain of his wolf were released in a mournful howl as Brad shakingly epted Ann¡¯s rejection. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Maeve would never show it, but she grieved for the loss of Octavius too. She had loved him deeply and he was an innocent casualty in all of this mess. Maeve would make sure that Ada suffered for the pain she had caused, one way or another. As Brad copsed on the floor, sobbing helplessly and clutching his hands to his chest, Eva appeared at the doorway, with the security detail at her side. They eyed Maeve warily as she stared sternly back at them. ¡°I will not harm you for your failure in your postings, but you should know that he almost killed Ann. I took control before she lost consciousnesspletely, but she is still not yet fully awake. Get this waste of space out of my sight and if anything like this ever happens again, I will personally have your heads, do you understand?¡± She snarled furiously. The men nodded curtly and moved quickly to drag him away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Eva murmured weakly, the bruising to her face already starting to show. ¡°There is nothing to be sorry for. You did your best and I am thankful. I will not show mercy to those that injure my family Eva, and you, are as good as one of my own. Take the rest of today off to recover.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Eva began to protest but stopped immediately at the fury in Maeve¡¯s eyes. ¡°No arguments, Eva¡­ however, I would appreciate it if you would arrange a ride for us back to our new home¡­ the number is in Ann¡¯s phone. You¡¯ll want to call Adam Nocturne.¡± ¡°Adam?!¡± Eva gasped in shock. Maeve shot her a steely re and Eva swallowed nervously. ¡°Yes, Maeve. I¡¯ll see it done.¡± she nodded meekly, making a mental note to ask Ann about the startling turn of events when she next got a chance. ¡°Good girl¡± Maeve nodded as she seated Ann¡¯s body in the chair that she loved so much. Now all she had to do was wait for Ann to recover and hand control back. She was curious just how much of this Ann would remember. When Ann finally came back to her senses, she was still in a little disbelief about what had just happened. Maeve had retreated back to her haven and was currently sitting, preening smugly at how effortlessly she had handled obtaining Brad¡¯s eptance of their rejection. ¡®I still think it could have been handled with a little more diplomacy and tact Maeve. You don¡¯t always need to fight your way to a solution.¡¯ ¡®Correction¡­ You don¡¯t always need to fight your way to a solution. I enjoy it. The adrenaline makes me feel like life is worth living.¡¯ Ann grimaced as Eva scurried into the doorway and paused, eyeing Ann a little warily. ¡®See? You¡¯ve even managed to freak Eva out. Honestly, I worked so hard with her ¡®I told her that I wouldn¡¯t hurt her¡­¡¯ ¡®After you¡¯d just effortlessly destroyed an Alpha Male in front of their very eyes!¡¯ Maeve sighed happily. ¡®I did, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ she grinned smugly. Ann rolled her eyes and swore at Maeve¡¯s arrogance, before smiling warmly at Eva and beckoning her in. ¡°Eva, I¡¯m sorry about Maeve she¡¯s a little¡­¡± Ann paused, trying to think of a suitable way to describe Maeve¡¯s character and personality. ¡®Spicy?¡¯ Maeve offered with a smirk. ¡°Willful and arrogant sometimes.¡± Ann continued loudly, trying to ignore Maeve¡¯s chatter. ¡®Rude of you¡­¡¯ she retorted before Ann shut her outpletely. ¡°She doesn¡¯t always think before she acts, but I promise you, she would never hurt you.¡± Ann finished, managing to keep the irritation out of her expression at Maeve¡¯s constant interruptions. Relief seemed to wash over Eva and she bounded into the room with a worried look on her face. ¡°Are you okay though, Ann? I tried my best to keep him out, but when I tried to stop him¡­ he was just so strong¡­¡± She said forlornly, hanging her head in shame. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 29 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 29 CHAPTER 29 Fake A Mating Mark Ann chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m proud of what you did though, Eva. Do you know how many females would have just rolled over and done as he asked? The fact you stood up to him says a lot about you.¡± Eva¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Thank you, Ann. That means a lot.¡± She answered happily before a look of realization crossed her face. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot, I came here to tell you that Alpha Nocturne will be here to pick you up shortly.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Ann eximed loudly. ¡°Why?! F*ck!¡± Eva looked at Ann in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maeve said to call him toe and collect you¡­ should I not have called him?¡± Ann was positively fuming. She couldn¡¯t believe that Maeve would reach out in that way and make it appear as if she couldn¡¯t take care of things herself. How was she ever going to get him to take her seriously if he had to run to her rescue when things got a little difficult? Ann sighed heavily and tipped her head back in frustration, her shoulders sagging. ¡°Did you want me to call him back and tell him that it¡¯s not necessary?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine Eva. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± She said wearily. ¡°He¡¯ll be about half an hour anyway. I¡¯ll fetch you another coffee while you wait.¡± Eva said decisively. Ann watched her leave before she turned to stare angrily out of the window. This wasn¡¯t shaping up to be the best day today. Even with her run-in with Brad, she was still going to be expected to attend the st*pid engagement party. Ann snorted. How delightful that was going to be. She wondered idly what sort of reception she would receive from her stepmother and that conniving b*tch of a step-sister but eventually decided that it wasn¡¯t worth worrying about. Whatever happened, she just had to make sure that she stayed calm, and kept Maeve under control. The thought of Brad in bandages at his own engagement party did bring a small smile of satisfaction to her face though. As Eva dropped her coffee off and they chatted about trivialpany matters, Ann¡¯s phone rang. Eva excused herself and made her way out of the office, closing the door behind her. Once it was closed, she answered the call. ¡°Hey, sugar tits how¡¯s things?¡± Lexi¡¯s voice chirped out brightly. ¡°God I wish you wouldn¡¯t call me that, Lexi, it¡¯s so crude.¡± Ann grimaced, rolling her eyes. The sound of Lexi¡¯s amusement rang out clearly from the speaker ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help it. You know I love teasing you. I can¡¯t stop long actually I just called to let you know, I have the dubious pleasure of covering your g*dawful step-b*tch Ada¡¯s engagement party tonight. I didn¡¯t want you to think I¡¯d gone there willingly.¡± Ann snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there then,¡± Ann answered drily. ¡°F*ck off. Are you seriously going?!¡± Lexi shrieked angrily. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Before you start¡­ yes, I am. My dad wants me to go apparently and if she wants to gloat, she can do so with pleasure. She¡¯s going to be p*ssed when she sees the state of him anyway.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like there¡¯s a story that I need to know behind that statement? What happened?¡± Ann smirked ¡°Maeve.¡± Loud hoots of approval were thrown loudly from the other end of the phone and Ann couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Ah Ann, I really love your wolf you know? I know that you¡¯re in good hands when I¡¯m not around to kick butt for you.¡± Lexi sighed happily. ¡°Oh f*ck! Lexi, I need to ask you something actually. If you don¡¯t have time now, it¡¯s fine, but can we arrange a time to meet up and chat about it?¡± ¡°Sure. What did you want to know? I¡¯d prefer a little heads-up if I¡¯m going to need to find out more. I might be part Daemon and witch but sometimes I wish I had seer abilities too¡­ it would make my life so much simpler sometimes.¡± Ann chuckled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a long story but I wondered if there was any possible way to fake a mating mark between two people. Obviously with both of their consent to the fake marking, but, I mean, is it possible?¡± There was a long silence from the other end of the phone and Ann could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. ¡°I guess it¡¯s possible. I¡¯d have to speak to my dad about it if I can get hold of him. It doesn¡¯t sound like it would be too different from a standard binding, or blood contract¡­. wait¡­ why are you asking this?¡± Annughed. ¡°This is why we need to arrange to meet up so we can have a good chat about it. Find out what you can do for me, and if you know anyone that can do it, we¡¯ll arrange lunch or something. How does that sound?¡± Just then, a knock at Ann¡¯s office door reverberated around the room. ¡°F*ck, I havepany, Lexi. I¡¯ll see you tonight then I guess.¡± ¡°No worries sugar tits! Love you!¡± Lexi sang happily as she hung up. Ann sniggered and shook her head. Lexi would never change and for that, she was immensely grateful. ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± Ann yelled as she ced her phone on the desk. After a few seconds, the door opened and Alpha Adam Nocturne marched into the room with his Beta Allen and 5 burly men following behind. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 30 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 30 BAPTER 30 Not Fated Mates A*n¡¯s heart sank as she realized that Alpha Nocturne had gotten all the way through the building and actually made it into the area where her offices were located. The fact that he was here at all was going to spread through the rumor mill at thepany building like wildfire. She groaned internally just imagining what sort of interrogation she was going to face from her father. She knew that her father disliked Alpha Nocturne, she had heard far too many rants over dinners together to think otherwise. Now, he would want to know exactly why he was in his building and when he found out it was because of A*n¡­ well, she shuddered to imagine the fallout.* At least she no longer had to worry about a wall of silence waiting for her when she got home and the sneaky tricks of her stepmother and stepsister. ¡°What are you doing here, Adam?¡± She asked with a sigh. He rushed over to her and stopped abruptly in front of her, just short of taking hold of her, but she could feel his eyes raking over her in an attempt to a*ses her for injuries. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He asked gruffly. His wolf sat just behind his eyes, ring out menacingly. ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry to have bothered you with all of this, I know you must be busy. It was Maeve, she can be a little¡­ willful at times.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not the version of events that I heard¡­¡± ¡°No? Well¡­ you should learn to treat me as your Luna, shouldn¡¯t you? I handled it. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± His eyes found the bruise marks around A*n¡¯s neck and he growled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like nothing, or that you handled it effectively. Who did this?¡± ¡°Really, Adam it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I asked you a question, Luna. If I am to trust you then you need to be honest with me, as I will be with you.¡± He interrupted fiercely. A*n scowled at him defensively. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so worked up¡­¡¯ ¡± ¡°Answer the question, A*n¡­¡± He growled as he took a few steps closer until his face was almost touching her own. He wrapped hi round her as if embracing his mate and murmured quietly in her ear. ¡°I need you to tell me, A*n. If you are disobedient¡­ it won¡¯t go unpunished¡­¡± A shiver of anticipation ran through her body and she forcibly suppressed a whimper as Maeve purred happily inside her. 17 grateful. ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± A*n yelled as she ced her phone on the desk. After a few seconds, the door opened and Alpha Adam Nocturne marched into the room with his Beta Allen and 5 burly men following behind. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 31 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 31 CHAPTER 31You¡¯re a P*rvert A*n whimpered as he began circling her nub at a torturously slow pace, and she bit her lip as she fought the urge to push against him, de*perately seeking the sweet pleasure and the sensation of him filling her inside. Adam lifted a hand to cup her face as he began to attack her lips, swallowing her moans as her legs quivered with the sensation that he was slowly building inside her. Without warning, he removed his hand from her p*ssy and ended his assault on her lips, sying his hand across the surface of her folds and pressing down, as if attempting to seal it. A*n shuddered at the delicious pressure and simultaneously whimpered at the sudden removal of his attention. He smirked at her and repeated the question yet again. ¡°The name, A*n¡­ just tell me the name, and I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡±? A*n¡¯s cheeks flushed furiously as she fought with the desire he had aroused in her and battled with her conscience. She was torn Maeve had already sent him away with his tail between his legs, and with the pain of the rejection and his wolf refusing to help him, she wasn¡¯t sure if he deserved the punishment that Adam would dish out Although she had pushed Maeve¡¯s chatter away, she could still feel her disapproval and anger ripple through her at A*n¡¯s hesitance to punish Brad further for his transgressions. She bit her lip and looked up at Adam hesitantly. ¡°You can do it, A*n,¡± He coaxed again as he brought his right hand up under her blouse and found his way under her bra, rolling her nipples gently between his fingers. She gripped the table for support as her legs began to feel shaky and unashamedly pushed her hips forward, desperately seeking him inside her now Adam chuckled as he began to slowly circle her throbbing nub again and A*n moaned loudly as her head tipped backward. ¡°F*ck Adam. I want you inside me¡­¡± A*n whispered huskily as Adam grow*ed in frustration ¡°Name, first Adam snarled as she whimpered under his touch, ¡°Oh f*ck okay ¡°A*n panted as he increased the speed of his attention on her nub. As she felt the fire build inside her, she struggled to catch her breath and without warning, Adani pustied 3 fingers inside of het as he squeezed her nipple firmly between his fingers. ¡°IT WAS BRAD¡± OHHH F**K A yelped at the sudden intrusion inside of her ¡°Gud girl¡± He sullied as be curled bus fingers inside of her and pumped his fingers in and uut ofst serienstidy ther feil his hands save Erwan be real try and the wound of his appes being gdar filed bet with auth In one fluid movement, he removed his fingers from her dripping wet p**sy and flipped her around so that she was bent over the desk, pulling her skirt up and around her waist. Adam positioned himself at her entrance, her panties pushed to one side as he gripped her hips on either side. ¡°Good girls always get rewarded *nn¡­ do you want your reward now?¡± He growled huskily. ¡°Yes! Oh, yes! Adam, I want you¡­¡± Adam pushed forward into her, the bulging tip of his c8ck stretching and filling her as he pushed forward slowly inside her, his hands firmly guiding her back. ¡°A*n¡­ you¡¯re so tight!¡± he hissed as he filled herpletely. A*n whimpered as he began moving in and out of her and she grasped the table for support. His chest pressed against her back as he reched forward and slipped his fingers between her legs, rubbing at her sweet spot as the speed of his thrusts increased. She bucked forwards against his fingers as his c*ck mmed into her until she had his hand. trapped against the desk, his fingers working frantically as she panted and moaned loudly. Adam grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her head upwards, turning her face towards him as her back curved into an arch to meet his demands. Adam¡¯s mouth covered her own, devouring her swollen lips, the motion of his lips and tongue inside her mouth almost matching his thrusts as he swallowed all of her moans. He suddenly tipped his head back and growled. ¡°F*ck A*n, what are you doing to me?! I just want to be inside of you, forcing these moans. from you in every way possible all of the d*mn time.¡±? A*n whimpered helplessly as she felt herself about toe undone. Her breath caught in her throat as she moaned and stiffened slightly and Adam began to pound into her with such at ferocity that she was left breathless. Adam stiffened and grunted as he mmed her back onto him and her climax came at the same time as he emptied himself inside of her. The walls of her pssy milked him of everyst drop as he shuddered behind her, panting hard. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had just allowed him to f*ck her in her own office. She had to work at this desk, and now she would be forever reminded of this moment whenever she sat here. Adam pulled out of her and tapped her naked a*s, smirking as she turned around to glower at him with flushed cheeks. He slipped a finger around the waistband of her panties and flicked the stic yfully against her skin. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to take these.¡± He said, pulling his trousers back up and fixing her with a charming grin. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. A*n¡¯s heart seemed to flutter in her chest as she took in his yful appearance and instantly erased the feeling, scowling at him as she stood upright. ¡°Not a chance, why on earth would I give you those?!¡± A8n glowered as she began to pull her skirt back down. Adam quickly grabbed her wrist and stared into her eyes intently, his irises still ck with desire. ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, then I intend to turn up here every day that you¡¯re at work and repeat today¡¯s encounter as many times as I see fit.¡± A8n paled slightly and begrudgingly slipped them down over her legs, bending and picking them up gingerly. They were soaked through with her wetness and she grimaced as he took them from her. hands with a grin, and shoved them into his pocket. A*n curled her lip in disgust as Maeve purred happily inside of her. ¡°Your musk is addictive A*n¡­¡± he shrugged nonchntly. ¡°You¡¯re a p*rvert¡­¡± She muttered angrily. ¡°Yes. Yes, I am, and you love it, A*n..¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 32 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 32 CHAPTER 32 The Bite Mark Adam had disappeared shortly after their steamy session with his Beta, Allen, leaving behind two of his men as protection, despite A*n¡¯s protests. A*n wanted to talk to Adam about Lexi and get an idea of how he felt about any possible solution they mighte up with regarding theck of a mating mark. Although it wasn¡¯t an issue now, she knew it would be in the future. The elders weren¡¯t st*pid, and neither were the pack members. Having a temporary fix would at least shield them from suspicion for that issue. She had to admit she was incredibly curious about his particr curse though and as they arrived back at the pack house, she resolved to ask him about it once things had settled down a little. She would have to get through the s*upid engagement ceremony rtively unscathed though. An* couldn¡¯t understand why her father would want to rub her mate¡¯s betrayal in her face like this. It was such a cruel thing to do in her mind. If she hadn¡¯t ended up entangled with Adam, she wasn¡¯t sure what sort of emotional state she would be in right now. ¡®I don¡¯t know why we have to go listen to them gloat anyway¡¯ Maeve grumbled testily. ¡®It won¡¯t look good if we don¡¯t go. Try to remember that I¡¯m still a member of the royal family by birth whether they like it or not. It¡¯s expected that we attend all of the official functions. ¡®A*n sighed, as she made her way through themon areas of the house and took a seat at the kitchen table, flicking her phone out. ¡®Well, I expected my former mate not to shove his d*ck where it didn¡¯t belong buuuuut¡­ ¡®Yes. I know, Maeve, we¡¯ve been over this so many times. It¡¯s over and done with now, have to move on. Geez, you¡¯re like a dog with a bone¡­¡± We ¡®I¡¯m a wolf¡­ we are canines¡­ we like to eat.¡¯?Maeve answered as quickly as a sh. Anne groaned internally as Maeve sniggered. ¡®Okay, that was the wrong terminology there, I walked straight into that one.¡± ¡®Maybe you¡¯re more like Brad than I thought seeing as how¡­¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Alright, stop. Look, if it makes you feel any better, at least by going tonight we can inspect your handiwork and see what state he¡¯s in. You know as well as I do that the rejection is going to be all the more painful thanks to his wolf¡¯s refusal to help.¡± Maeve¡¯s ears picked up and A*n could feel her slowlying around to the idea. ¡®Come on, Maeve, I¡¯m not happy about this either, but at least you¡¯ll get to see how much he¡¯s suffering. ¡®A*n coaxed gently. With a snort, Maeve agreed, suddenly anticipating witnessing the misery that Brad would be in. A*n rolled her eyes at Maeve¡¯s s*distic tendencies and scrolled through her phone, catching a message from Lexi purely by coincidence. ¡®H*y! Call me when you¡¯re free, I have a solution but it depends on how your tasty piece of muscle feels about it.¡± A*n snorted and picked her bag up, deciding to head to her bedroom. She had a feeling that this sort of conversation wasn¡¯t one that she wanted to be overheard by any of the pack members that might be milling about. She hesitated at the door to Luna¡¯s room and looked guiltily at the door to the bedroom that she and Adam now shared. Really, she could do with having an office at the pack house for sensitive calls. She didn¡¯t really want her work-rted calls to be held in public either and she preferred to separate her workspaces from her personal spaces. ¡®Adam doesn¡¯t seem to care where his personal spaces are for intimate business¡­ ¡®Maeve smirked ¡®I¡¯m fully aware, thank you, Maeve. ¡®she answered as her cheeks flushed furiously at the reminder of her morning¡¯s activities. A*n pushed the door to Luna¡¯s room open, running her hands over the beautiful engravings of the door as she did so and found herself wondering about the former Luna¡¯s. She shut the door behind her and took a seat on the bed as she dialed Lexi¡¯s number. ¡°Hey, gorgeous, what¡¯s up?¡± Lexi¡¯s voice answered breezily from the other end of the phone. ¡°You said to call so¡­¡± A*n trailed off. ¡°Ah yeah! Sorry sweets, I¡¯m absolutely rammed with work at the minute. Ipletely forgot I sent you that¡­¡± ¡®We were getting rammed not so long ago..¡¯ Maevemented in a p*rverted tone in her head. ¡®Shut up, Maeve¡­ ¡®A*n hissed in reply. ¡®You¡¯re no fun.¡±?she wailed miserably. ¡°Hey! Tell Maeve I said hi, but, also to pipe down, will you? I hate repeating myself and I need to let dad know what your answer is as soon as possible.¡± ¡®Tell her to go blow goats. ?Maeve answered sweetly. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you what she replied Lexi. Honestly, she was so much quieter before we moved here and now all of a sudden it¡¯s like she¡¯s transformed into a p*rverted she-wolf in heat.¡± A*n groaned in frustration. ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s about time you gotid!¡± Lexi snorted. ¡®See! I¡¯m not the only one who thought so!¡¯Maeve sniggered triumphantly. ¡°Oh my g*d, will the two of you shut up!¡± A*n exploded angrily. The sounds of Maeve and Lexi sniggering in tandem had A*n fuming in silence. ¡°I thought you were busy¡± A*n snapped testily at Lexi. ¡°I am, but I¡¯ve missed teasing you.¡± she sighed happily, ¡°Anyway, dad says he might have a solution, but I don¡¯t think either one of you is going to like it.¡± A*n listened intently as Lexi exined the options that she and Adam had avable to them. ¡°So, dad thinks a normal binding won¡¯t do the trick by itself. We talked about the possibility of a tattoo to hold the magic weave and perhaps an item, but you both need an actual physical manifestation of the bite mark, right?¡± Lexi exined. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 33 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 33 CHAPTER 33 You Have To Suppress Your Wolves ¡°Right. I suppose it¡¯s kind of like a scar, but it never disappears as the mark left is ant eptance of the im and marks each partner as off limits to others.¡± ¡®Doubt it would have stopped Brad¡­ it didn¡¯t stop your father either¡­¡¯ Maeve muttered angrily. A*n chose to ignore Maeve¡¯sment but she knew that Maeve was right. The mark wasn¡¯t infallible, it just signified ownership if you really thought about it. ¡°Dad already exined what would happen if you tried to mark someone that wasn¡¯t your mate, so I know that it¡¯s not possible to do that alone. But, we were thinking, if we infused the mark on each of you with Dad¡¯s binding magic and magic to prevent healing¡­ he thinks that it might work.¡± A8n chewed her lip as she thought Lexi¡¯s words over. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea in theory. They would be bound to each other and wear each other¡¯s marks and it would scar as normal. By all outward appearances, it was entirely possible that this might work. ¡°There¡¯s just one catch though, A*n,¡± Lexi added hesitantly. A*n frowned at the tone of her friend¡¯s voice. For once, she actually sounded a little hesitant. ¡°Why do you sound so worried, Lexi? What¡¯s the catch? Lexi was silent for a few seconds before she sighed heavily. ¡°You would have to suppress your wolves after you were marked so Dad can perform the required magic before it begins to heal.¡± A*n¡¯s heart sank. There was no way that Adam was going to go for this. An alpha without his wolf was an easy target and she doubted that he would consent to be made so vulnerable. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll go for that, Lexi,¡± A*n said, the disappointment in her voice inadvertently leeching out into her words. Lexi sighed lightly. ¡°I know, sweets, but it¡¯s the only option that we have. We don¡¯t even know if this will work. but it¡¯s the best that dad coulde up with. We can be discreet about it. Dad cane to you, and so can I, and you guys can do your thing, bite each other and then we¡¯lle to you and fix everything else.¡± ¡°Will your dad be ok surrounded by shifters though? Lexi snorted in contempt. ¡°I¡¯m sure dad would eat these little shifters for breakfast in his true form A*n, no offense. An underworld is a big ce, and so are the beings that inhabit it. He hasn¡¯t been up here since¡­ well¡­ making me I guess, so he¡¯s a little excited at the prospect of a holiday. It¡¯s a bit sad really. A*n chuckled. She had next to no knowledge of the daemons¡¯ worlds, only the histories of her world, and they did not speak kindly of the daemons that had infiltrated society with the help of the Midnight Covens all those years ago. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try and catch him to ask what he thinks. If we don¡¯t have any other options then he really doesn¡¯t have a choice. I can not answer for him though.¡± ¡°No worries, sweets. By the way, what time are you arriving at the disaster of an engagement banquet tonight?¡± Lexi asked casually.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Goddess, I don¡¯t know, maybe six? I can¡¯t bete, I don¡¯t want to upstage anyone and really, I should be there to greet the guests as well.¡± A*n sighed. ¡°Sucks to be you.¡± Lexi teased. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± A*n snorted before her face suddenly brightened as she realized that Lexi had no idea the state that Brad would be in tonight. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t be surprised if Brad is a little worse for wear when you¡¯re taking pictures.¡± A*n sniggered. ¡°Oh? Do you have some juicy gossip for me?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll leave it as a surprise for you. Let¡¯s just say that he turned up at my office earlier and Maeve made an appearance.¡± Lexi squealed in jubtion at the mere thought of Maeve getting her revenge. ¡°Oh my gosh, I would have paid to have seen that.¡± She groaned regretfully as A*n chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will make for interesting photo¡¯s tonight for you anyway,¡± A*nughed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± She shrieked excitedly, before the sound of her hand over her speaker and *uffled words could be heard. ¡°Ugh, sorry, A*n, I have to go. People are ipetent and need me to do their jobs as well as my own. Catch youter!¡± A*n grinned to herself as she hung up and threw her phone on the bed. She supposed that she should really start looking at a killer outfit for tonight. She knew that the gossiping socialites wouldn¡¯t make it easy for her. Spection would be rife as to why she and Brad had parted ways and why he was now engaged to her sister. She was interested to see how it would all y out. As much as she didn¡¯t want to go tonight, she would make d*mn sure that she would knock them dead with her appearance. A*n arrived back at the Alpha King¡¯s pce to much fanfare. Reporters were lined up*outside waiting and the shes of the cameras began snapping furiously the moment that she stepped out of the car that had been sent to collect her. The security personnel followed her closely as she made her way up the gold-embroidered red carpet that had beenid at the entrance and ran up the steps. She waved and smiled demurely, ignoring questions shouted at her as she made her where her father and stepfamily stood waiting for her. way to A*n had been very careful with selecting the outfit that she had chosen tonight. She wanted to make a subtle statement that she was no longer a woman that was reliant on her father¡¯s good graces and that while still loyal to her father and their royal lineage, her priorities were different Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 34 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 34 CHAPTER 34 None Of Your Business The best way that she could do that was by dressing not in the reds and golds of the royal family, but instead wearing the traditional colors of royal blue and silver that were prominent in Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Pack. After all, she was Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Luna now and as far as everyone else was concerned she was his true mate and he, against all odds, her second chance mate. ¡®Ha! They know! Look how pi*sed the wh*res¡¯ expressions are!¡¯?Maeve shouted gleefully. She was right. Her stepmother looked as if she wanted to murder her where she stood, Ada¡¯s face was set in the familiar fake mask of smiles but her Jaw was clenched tightly and her stare unbroken as A*n approached. A*n¡¯s father just looked confused at her choice of outfit as his eyes swept over her in a cursory nce. A*n beamed widely as she ascended the stairs and greeted them all courteously but with no warmth in her words. ¡°Did you forget the dress code for official functions?¡± Her father asked with a slight frown of displeasure as he embraced her stiffly. ¡°Not at all, father. As I am no longer living here and representing another pack as their Luna as well as the heir to the throne, I have two roles to fulfill now.¡± A*n answered smoothly. Ada almost choked on te air that she was breathing ¡°What do you mean Luna? Of whose Pack? Where?¡± she spluttered furiously. For once A*n¡¯s stepmother had the decency and decorum to shush her daughter and remind her that these issues were best discussed inside and away from prying eyes. With a furious re from behind her mother¡¯s back, Ada was ushered inside by her mother, as A*n walked side by side with her father. They walked in ufortable silence for a while before he finally spoke. ¡°You found a second chance mate?¡± He murmured as casually as possible, although A*n could feel the pained expression in his tone of voice without even looking at him ¡°I did.¡± She replied shortly as she kept her eyes focused forwards in the direction of the ballroom. ¡°And you epted?¡± He tried again, not hiding the disappointment in his voice. ¡°What would you have me do, father? Bring him home for you to approve of so that Ada can sleep with him? I think not.¡± He grabbed her wrist suddenly and they paused in the corridor, with the eyes of several of the s*rvants on them both, looking busy so as not to intrude. ¡°I¡¯m still your father, A*n¡­¡± he answered, the hurt clear in his voice. A*n turned to stare at him c8olly and her heart hurt too at the expression on his face, but he had made his choice already. ¡°A father that loved his daughters equally would not allow this charade to continue,¡± A*n replied icily. ¡°A*n¡­¡± ¡°A father that had any love for his daughter would not force the victim in this s*it show to attend and y happy families. You¡¯re a disgrace as a father¡­ to me at least. I¡¯m sure Ada feels differently. If I amN?velDrama.Org is the owner. not a priority for you, father, then don¡¯t expect to be a priority for me.¡± A*n interrupted, her voice slightly louder and unafraid of being overheard. She turned and continued on her way to the ballroom and after a slight pause, her father hurried to catch up and took his ce at her side again. ¡°Who is he?¡± he asked gruffly, clearly displeased at A*n¡¯s change in character. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business at the minute. I¡¯ll decide*when and if you meet him in person. For now, I¡¯d rather wait until this whole debacle is over.¡± ¡°The least you could do is tell me which Pack.¡± He replied, the irritation in his voice starting to rise the longer that A*n refused to roll over and tell him what he wanted to know. ¡°I said no, father!¡± She hissed furiously. A*n was struggling to contain the irritation herself, although she was grateful that Maeve had at least settled down and had been quiet for now. Perhaps it was the aura of her father keeping her in check. ¡°Then what the f*ck am I supposed to tell people if they ask?¡± ¡°Figure it out for yourself, father¡­ just like I had to when I realized that my father couldn¡¯t give two sh*ts about the daughter he had with his fated mate. After all, why would he? If he was willing to destroy the bond that the goddess was gracious enough to gift him with, why would he possibly give a sh*t about a child that he fathered with her.¡± A*n said as she whirled furiously. 1 Her father¡¯s face paled in the face of her fury and he swallowed nervously, a flicker of regret in his eyes. A*n¡¯s heart lurched painfully as she stared at him angrily. The man before her no longer looked like her father anymore. He looked old¡­almost weak. When had he be so old? A*n sighed heavily and looked away, her heart full of pity for the old man standing before her. ¡°We¡¯re going to end up arriving separately from your wife and daughter. Let¡¯s go, father, before the gossipers get even more out of control.¡± A*n stood at the newly erected dais at the forefront of the ballroom with her parents as Ada fussed anxiously at Brad¡¯ste arrival. The press and socialites had previously been whispering behind their hands regarding A*n¡¯s choice of outfit and many had already correctly identified the colors as belonging to Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Pack. Not that she told them whether they were right in their assumptions or not. She would leave that to their detective work. It would give them something to do to fill their time anyway. A*n smirked to herself as the whispers now turned to Brad¡¯steness to the engagement. They critiqued hisck of respect for the epted procedure and Ada¡¯sck of decorum with her stamping and wailing. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 35 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 35 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 35 The Pack Colors Of Alpha Nocturne! A strong she-wolf held her own and relied on no one but herself to solve her issues, a strong Luna would keep her mate on track for scheduled appointments and required functions. Ada was failing to do either and the wolves in attendance were vicious with their tongues. All of a sudden, Ann spotted Lexi among the crowd of the press being processed for entrance to the function and she grinned widely. She excused herself and with a reluctant nod from her father she left the dais and made her way over to her. Title of the document Ada watched the back of Ann hurry over to the doorway and sneered. ¡°This is all her fault! I can¡¯t believe she got over Brad so damn quickly. I hope she gets what she deserves!¡± She hissed as her mother narrowed her eyes dangerously at her. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been so damn impatient and just gone along with our original n, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue. I can¡¯t believe you were stupid enough to get pregnant to such a weak wolf.¡± Ann¡¯s stepmother, Narcissa hissed angrily at her daughter, Ada. ¡°She f*uc*king deserved it! Acting all high and mighty¡­ she¡¯s nothing! Why should she get to enjoy her life while I f*uc*king struggle.¡± Ada hissed back quietly. ¡°You need to calm down. You made the choice to sleep with Brad and now you have to face the consequences. I can¡¯t believe you got pregnant with his bastard child, Ada. You better hope that it¡¯s bom strong for our sake!¡± Ada pouted angrily and wrapped her hands protectively around her belly. She hated Ann, and she hated Brad, but the baby? She already loved everything that she had in her. She didn¡¯t care that Brad¡¯s s*eed had given her the life inside of her, the baby was hers and she would do whatever she could to protect it. ¡°I have to admit I¡¯m curious though, mother. Who the f*uc*k would be dense enough to take a weakling like Ann on?¡± ¡°Are you d*um*b, Ada? Did I not tell you to pay attention to the Pack hierarchy? Are you even my daughter?¡± Narcissa retorted coldly. Ada¡¯s face fell and a sh of hurt flickered in her eyes at her mother¡¯s words. ¡°Ann is a hell of a lot smarter than you give her credit for and if you would have just set aside your childish jealousies, she could have been useful. Pay attention, Ada!¡± Narcissa whisper-yelled as she rapped her hard on the head with her knuckles, drawing more than a few curious nces at the two of them. ¡°Look at what she¡¯s wearing. Whose colors are those?¡± Ada frowned as she tried to rack her brain for the answer. She hated history and politics, it bored her. She much preferred to learn about the engagements that she would be expected to attend and arrange, as well as the additional lessons from the private tutor that her mother had arranged for her. Narcissa snorted contemptuously. ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue do you?¡± She sneered disdainfully. Ada had lost count of how many times her mother had at her tonight. Ever since Ann had turned up. It was all her fault. Ann was making Ada out to be a fool in her eyes. She scowled off angrily into the distance as her mother pinched her harshly on the arm. ¡°Ow! What was that for? ¡°I swear to all that is¡­ Ada¡­ if you don¡¯t start paying attention soon, everything is going to be ruined. Do you know how many years I¡¯ve worked for this?¡± Narcissa hissed furiously, ¡°She¡¯s wearing the Pack colors of Alpha Nocturne! He was supposed to be your husband, not Brad! But because of your immaturity, you¡¯ve royally f*uc*ked that n up!¡± Ada¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Ann had stolen her future husband?! How f*uc*king dare she. Ada¡¯s blood felt like it was boiling as she red daggers into Ann¡¯s back as she chatted with that filthy half- breed friend of hers, i ¡°I won¡¯t let her get away with it, mother.¡± Ada snarled angrily. ¡°Oh you will, and you¡¯ll not respond to any provocation from her. Do I make myself clear?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Narcissa interrupted her ferociously, silencing her with a look that promised death if she stepped out of line. ¡°No, Ada! It seems that I¡¯ve been far too lenient with you ¡­ call it the weakness of motherhood.¡± She snorted disdainfully, ¡°You are under the illusion that you are capable of taking control of these matters when you have no such authority. You will wait, and you will do it silently. Without causing a scene. There¡¯s too much at stake here. Do I make myself clear?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ada stared at her mother d*um*bly for a few seconds as she took in the unfamiliar face of fury. It was as if she didn¡¯t know her mother at all. She nodded silently and turned away petntly as her father came over and distracted Narcissa. If her mother thought that she was going to leave Ann alone and not seek revenge, then she had another thinging. Ann looked back towards the scene of her stepmother and Ada clearly having a very public disagreement and sniggered. It was probably about her and the thought made her happy in a strange way. ¡°Lexi! Over here!¡± Ann shouted to her friend as the guards turned to find the source of the interruption and immediately bowed their heads respectfully. ¡°It¡¯s okay, she¡¯s here as official press, and if it gets her through quicker, in an official capacity as my friend.¡± The guard with the checklist looked down at his list and frowned, clearly catching the whispers of discontent among the waiting parties. ¡°Oh, is this the a*s*sistant you were waiting for your highness?¡± He asked nonchntly as a meaningful look passed between them. ¡°Yes, exactly that.¡± Ann smiled gratefully as Lexi waved through. Once safely inside Lexi rolled her shoulders and exhaled heavily. ¡°Geez, it¡¯s tighter than nuns¡­¡± ¡°Lexi!¡± Ann chuckled, ¡± You have to behave here, especially if you are here in an official capacity don¡¯t forget.¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 36 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 36 CHAPTER 36 Out Of Control? She grimaced and shrugged, as she focused intently on the digital screen of the camera she had brought along. ¡°They wanted a journalist from the agency to report, so here I am. If they don¡¯t like it, they can eat my a*s.¡± She snorted as she frowned in concentration. A*n watched her struggle with the camera for a little while as they made their way to a quieter area of the ballroom. She grabbed a drink for them both from one of the passing waiters and they took their ces unobtrusively on a little chaise lounge at the side. ¡°Ah, Jesus¡­ finally! G*d, I hate these things sometimes.¡± Lexi muttered as she turned her attention fully to A*n. ¡°Okay, sorry about that, these d*mn cameras can be a nightmare sometimes. Now. Maeve. Brad. Spill.¡± A*n chuckled. She wasn¡¯t sure it was a good idea to discuss that with her here. If the wrong person heard even the slightest whisper of what had gone on, she was sure that the resulting PR disaster would not be pretty. ¡°I think, I¡¯ll probably need you to read between the lines a little bit here, Lexi. You know our hearing is better than most so¡­ bear with me.¡± She grinned. Lexi nodded along as A*n gave her a very much diluted chain of events up until now. When she had finished Lexi¡¯s face had morphed through so many emotions that A*n was emotionally exhausted just from watching her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Brad was even thinking, but f*cking hell Maeve. Well done. I swear, if I had a wolf, I would want her to be just like Maeve.¡± She whispered in awe. ¡°How¡¯s she coping with tonight?¡± Lexi continued, her brows creased in worry. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Actually, she¡¯s a little quiet. I thought she¡¯d have more to say about all of¡­ this¡­¡± Lexi grimaced, gesturing wildly at the ballroom around them. ¡°Yeah, me too. She¡¯s very quiet actually. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s angry at me or just depressed with the whole situation. She was a little snarky when we arrived but that¡¯s about it.¡± Lexi frowned and stared at A*n intently. Sheughed awkwardly and pushed Lexi on the shoulder lightly with a grin. ¡°What? Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s probably nothing. I was just thinking, that¡¯s all.¡± Lexi replied finally after a bit of a long pause. She sighed and stood up, looking around them with a trace of disdain. ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯m going to have to actually do some work while I¡¯m here¡­ don¡¯t particrly want to show any of this in a good light because of how f*cking awful they¡¯ve been to you¡± She grimaced. A*n smiled softly and stood, moving closer to her and squeezing her arm reassuringly. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s fine¡± She grinned ¡°I¡¯m pretty much over it I have my Alpha for a little while at least and who knows maybe things will finally turn out for the better.¡± She grinned. Lexi returned her smile and covered A*n¡¯s hand with her own ¡°Listen, If that Alpha does anything to hurt you¡­ I¡¯ll personally rip his balls off.¡± She said seriously. ¡°Oh, my days¡­ what is it with you and Maeve?!¡± A*nughed loudly, causing more than a few heads to turn toward them in curiosity. As they were about to separate whilst Lexi mingled, and A*n began to return to stand at the dais, a loud commotion arose from the entrance behind the dais that led to the banquet hall. Lexi hurried over to A*n, changing the direction of her attention almost immediately. An audible gasp rose from those gathered around the dais and A*n and Lexi hurried forward, the sea of people parting before them in order to let A*n through. A*n gasped as the more than disheveled figure of Brad emerged from behind the chairs that the happy couple was supposed to sit on. ¡°No f*cking way¡­¡± Lexi eximed gleefully as she raised her camera to her face and began snapping away merrily, a jubnt grin stered across her face. Brad looked awful. His hair was a mess and he continuously fidgeted with his clothes. His skin was sickly pale and he looked like he hadn¡¯t slept for weeks. A*n felt a brief pang of guilt as she took in his appearance. Rejections hurt and they put you through hell physically as well as emotionally and that was exactly what Brad was experiencing right now. If she hadn¡¯t had a good reason for rejecting him, then she too would be experiencing the exact same pain that he was now. Brad¡¯s eyes found hers in the crowd, and he held them sadly. Ada tried desperately to get his attention but he barely looked at her, his attention focused entirely on A*n. Ada whipped her head around following the direction of his gaze and after a few seconds, she found me. The fury and loathing in her eyes made my stomach turn. ¡°You!¡± She screeched as she turned and pointed to me, forcing everyone else to turn and stare too. ¡°You did this!¡± There were audible gasps from the people around A*n as they stepped back and away from where A*n stood, and A*n heard Lexi¡¯s hiss of anger beside her. An¡¯s father, the Alpha King stepped forward hurriedly and pushed her arm aside angrily. The words he whispered furiously were heard byeveryone, despite his intentions. ¡°Control yourself, Ada! Now is not the time!¡± usatory eyes swiveled between An and the group on the dais, already everyone was quickly forming their own opinions and the whispering had begun. Narcissa joined the Alpha King in attempting to calm Ada as Brad shuffled and s*aggered his way forward, to take his seat on the chairs. He slumped down on one with his head bowed as Ada pleaded with her parents to fix it and make it better. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 37 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 37 CHAPTER 37 The Unwilling Alpha Her face took on a grim look of determination as she realized that there was no fixing it tonight. The pictures of the pregnant wolf and the unwilling Alpha would be stered across tomorrow¡¯s headlines whether she liked it or not. The Alpha King gestured for A*n toe forward as Ada took her seat next to Brad and Lexi whistled lowly under her breath. ¡°What a f*cking car crash¡­ good luck!¡± A*n said nothing and walked slowly towards the dais feeling all attention riveted on her as her father spoke to the assembled guests. ¡°Please, excuse my daughter, Princess Ada. This is a stressful time for her. We had hoped to keep the news a secret for a little while longer but as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, Ada and Brad are expecting pups.¡± He beamed proudly as the crowd gasped and questions began to be fired in quick session at the family on stage. ¡°Wait¡­ but I thought that Alpha Brad was mated to Princess A*n?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! They were supposed to have been married this week! What is this lunacy?!¡± ¡°Did they have an affair?!¡± ¡°Poor A*n, and forced to attend this debacle as well. What sort of family does that to their own daughter?¡± A*n smirked as she took her ce next to her father, and maintained a neutral expression. It felt oddly satisfying to have people recognize the situation for what it was. A quick nce to the side revealed Ada and Narcissa glowering furiously at her and Brad¡¯s eyes still riveted on her, full of sorrow. Her father, however, faced the direction of the crowd resolutely. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s enough gossip.¡± He growled furiously. ¡°For some reason, A*n and Brad¡¯s wolves recognized themselves as mates, but they were mistaken. Ada is Brad¡¯s mate, so as you can see, all is as it should be. When the truth was revealed, things were corrected instantly.¡± A split of opinion buzzed around the room and A*n seethed internally. How could her father lie so easily about this?? ¡°Then why is she pregnant already? The marriage was only called off at thest minute, I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°I wonder if they knew but carried on regardless? I heard the sister¡¯s rtionship isn¡¯t good. ¡± A*n snorted to herself as thestment reached her ears. How ironic that what her sister did to A*n, A*n was now under suspicion of doing to her sister She could feel Ada¡¯s smirk as she reached for Brad¡¯s hand and squeezed it reassuringly ¡°Really, what my father said is right Mistakes happen Perhaps because we were always so close, the mixture of our scent on one another confused him ¡± Ada simpered sweetly, although the warmth of her words didn¡¯t match her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t hold any grudges. I just hope that my sister is happy wherever she ends up.¡± A*n didn¡¯t flinch and stood resolutely at her father¡¯s side. ¡°Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let¡¯s proceed with the rest of the event, shall we?¡± The Alpha King announced, clearing his throat awkwardly. A*n moved to the side of the dais as the greeting of guests by the ¡®happy¡¯ couplemenced. Brad was distant and unfocused throughout, offering only grunts of acknowledgment or murmured words that were barely distinguishable. The longer it went on, the more irate Ada became and A*n could feel the palpable aura of fury that emanated from Ada in waves. Lexi appeared to be having the time of her life though and when it came to the interviews with the couple, she made sure to ask lots of awkward questions that were phrased in such a way that Ada couldn¡¯t help but incriminate herself no matter how she answered. As people began to move through to the banqueting hall as the food was served, Brad finally forced himself to move and tried to approach A*n. She tantly ignored him as Ada pulled on him furiously and as he s*atched his arm away she didn¡¯t miss the words that he hissed at her, nor did a few of the socialites that remained close by. ¡°You are not my mate and never will be. You¡¯ll never rece A*n. All of this is because of you! ¡°He hissed angrily. Ada looked momentarily taken aback and her cheeks flushed furiously. ¡°How can you say that?! I¡¯m carrying your pups¡­ our child¡­¡± Brad sneered as he swept his eyes over her. ¡°Are they mine though? I don¡¯t know what you did to me in order to get me into bed with you, I don¡¯t remember any of it, but when I find out¡­¡± He threatened darkly, leaving the sentence hanging in the air. Brad s*aggered off into the back room, using the wall for support as he walked and Ada red furiously at A*n, narrowing her eyes. She stomped over to A*n with her hands held protectively over her belly and red defiantly up at her. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± She hissed ¡°For what? You¡¯re the one who wanted me here¡­ I would have rather stayed away.¡± ¡°I wanted you to see it with your own eyes, and I haven¡¯t finished yet A*n. I meant what I said when I promised to take everything from you.¡± She spat before stomping away again. A*n watched her warily. She was fully prepared for the fact that her invite here today would most likely be in order to embarrass her publicly Now, with that n seemingly going so badly, she would most likely have something more up her sleeve. She wished Marve was more responsive. Perhaps she had shut herself away to avoid dealing with the drama but that wasn¡¯t at all like the Marve that she knew. If anything, she had expected her toe out kicking and screaming. The silence was unsettling. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 38 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 38 CHAPTER 38 The Traditional Gift-giving ¡°Please, everyone, if you would like to move through to the banqueting hall, we¡¯ll continue there,¡± Narcissa announced to the remaining people in the ballroom. ¡°We have another announcement to make and the traditional gift-giving between the Alpha King and his daughter.¡± A*n rolled her eyes as Lexi linked her arm through hers and forcibly coerced her through the small entryway and into the banquet hall. The Royal family sat at the head table as the banquet was well underway. Before long, Narcissa stood and called everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯d like to propose a toast before the gift-giving.¡± She said graciously as she raised her ss and the rest of the room hastened to follow. ¡°Here¡¯s to the long and happy marriage of Ada and Brad, and the long and healthy lives of their pups. The marriage signifies the strengthening of our kind and brings us together in an alliance not only of diplomacy but also of blood¡­ please, drink to the happy couple.¡± Narcissa beamed as she gulped the liquid in her ss. Ada elbowed Brad in his side and whispered furiously as he reluctantly did the same. A*n also gulped her drink, but she refused to raise her ss. She hoped they both got what they deserve and that an innocent child wasn¡¯t pulled into this madness. ¡°Now I¡¯ll hand you over to my husband for the traditional gift-giving.¡± Narcissa trilled and inclined her head towards the Alpha King. He stood slowly, almost unwillingly as he cast a guilty nce toward A*n before swinging his gaze to look apprehensively at Ada, Narcissa, and Brad. He took the prepared boxes handed to him by one of the s*rvants and A*n watched carefully as he approached. The gift-giving was unimpressive in itself, but when A*n realized what exactly was being given, her mouth gaped open and she stood angrily. Ada¡¯s face was a mask of joy as the jewelry set was unveiled and she flicked a look filled with malice and contempt toward A*n as she held the items up for the media present to see. ¡°Oh, father! These are beautiful, thank you so much! You do me a great honor!¡± She simpered. The items she had been gifted were from A*n¡¯s maternal grandmother and the sight of them around her neck and in her hands ignited a fury in A*n that she hadn¡¯t known she possessed. ¡°Take them off.¡± A*n snapped angrily as a deathly silence filled the room. Ada painted her face with a mask of innocence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What¡¯s wrong, A*n? Don¡¯t you like them?¡± The tone she used was a perfect bnce To those unfamiliar with her duplicitous nature, it sounded as if she were merely asking an innocent question, but her words wereced with malice. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She knew that A*n loved those heirlooms¡­ they were meant for her when she ascended the throne. They were never meant for Ada. Yet there she stood, wearing the jewelry that her grandmother and mother had worn¡­ the only real memories she had left from either of them, and Ada knew it. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance to take them off, Ada. Those aren¡¯t yours and you know it¡­¡± A*n growled out lowly, feeling Maeve¡¯s anger begin to rise quite rapidly. ¡°A*n, don¡¯t do this here. Not in front of all these people.¡± The Alpha King intervened lowly, the guilt clear in his eyes. ¡°Are you insane? Those are my mother¡¯s! Those are MY heirlooms from MY mother! The woman you rejected for this w*ore and your b*stard child!¡± A*n roared furiously, feeling Maeve push forward and try to wrestle control. It was strange¡­ Maeve wasn¡¯t speaking, but insisting on surging forward. Ada¡¯s eyes were shining with anticipation as she wrapped her arms around her stomach protectively and transformed her face into a mask of fear. ¡°A*n! I don¡¯t understand¡­ why are you so angry?¡± Ada pleaded in a pitiful voice, the emotion in her voice at odds with the emotion in her eyes. A*n could barely think straight anymore, it was like her head was full of static and intense pressure that only seemed to build with each passing second. A*n clenched her jaw and closed her eyes, dropping her head to her chest and struggling to retain control. Her sanity was hanging by a thread and she could feel it, mixed with blind rage and terrifying panic from Maeve. It was simply too much to bear. A*n¡¯s head exploded backward as a terrifying roar tore from within and Maeve surged forwards, taking control of A*n¡¯s body and forcing a twisted half-human, half-wolf form with a humanoid figure. She was aware of the terrified screams all around her, but it was *uffled as if she was underwater. Lexi¡¯s panicked voice shouted desperately for her to grab a hold of herself as she snapped wildly at the air and advanced menacingly towards Ada. All pretense had been wiped from Ada¡¯s face as she scrambled backward wildly and Narcissa rushed to her daughter¡¯s side. ¡°You s*upid little girl. What did you do?!¡± Narcissa hissed into Ada¡¯s ear furiously as she pulled her away ¡°! .. I didn¡¯t mean to ¡± Ada stuttered as she tripped over her own feet trying to back ¡°Shut up! Just I¡¯ll deal with you after if we ever manage to get out of here alive¡± Narcissa snarled as she dragged her backward Although everything was m*ffled, Ana had heard every word. Healizing that they were probably to me for whatever this was she let go of thest thread that held Marve back. With thest thread of restraint gone Maeve pounced, springing towards them at a frightening speed, her eyes wild and her teeth bared. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 39 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39 The Scandal He knew she was going tounch herself at A*n before she did it. He had never moved so fast in his life. The desperation he felt caused his heart to race uncontrobly as his wolf snapped and howled inside his head, frantic for him to intervene before it was toote. Heunched himself towards her and as he wrapped his arms around her, the impact of the collision knocked her off course. They skidded across the banquet hall floor and collided with the wall to the side heavily. A*n¡¯s body took the brunt of the impact and whatever had happened to force her to transform in that way began to recede. In a matter of seconds, A*n had returned to normal and as she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the frowning face of Alpha Nocturne. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked, his arms still held securely around her. ¡°Yeah, I-I think so. My head hurts like hell though¡­¡± She grimaced. Adam helped her to stand and checked her over as Lexi arrived next to them. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°A*n, that was cool and all but what the f*ck was that?!¡± Lexi breathed in awe. ¡°I¡¯d like to know the same thing¡­¡± Adam said, his brows returning to a deep frown. A*n grimaced as she looked towards the royal table where her father stood, his nostrils ring angrily. Her stomach sank. Did all of that just happen? It seemed so surreal. ¡°You attacked me!¡± A shrill voice shrieked from the back of the room. Adam turned to re at the source of the voice and his lip curled in disdain at the sight of Ada, with her mother¡¯s arm wrapped around her. Brad stood to one side scowling at Adam as if his new mate¡¯s life and safety were of little concern to him. ¡°Father, you can¡¯t just let her get away with that!¡± ¡°Leopold, Ada is pregnant with pups, and she viciously attacked her¡­ we all saw what happened¡­¡± Murmurs of agreement filled the room and the Alpha King strode over to where A*n, Adam, and Lexi stood. The conversations being had regarding A*n¡¯s attack were vicious, to say the least. ¡°She attacked he* own sister? She¡¯s jealous!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe she tried to murder those pups in her belly!¡± ¡°What disgraceful behavior! She¡¯s supposed to be the heir?! We can¡¯t condone that sort of behavior for a Luna Queen!¡± Adam ced his arm protertively around A*n and tilted his chin pridefully as the Alpha King approached, exchanging pointed res with the people at the heart of the gossip in the room. ¡°Alpha King Leopold.¡± Adam nodded his head respectfully towards him by way of greeting. The Alpha King ran his eyes coldly over Adam and lingered on where his arm rested around A*n¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Why are your hands on my daughter, Alpha Nocturne?¡± He growled. Adam didn¡¯t flinch or back down from the intimidating stare that he was on the receiving end of, he met it fiercely back with a just as intense re. ¡°I don¡¯t see the problem, my King.¡± He answered finally. The Alpha King scowled angrily. ¡°If you are not her mate then I suggest removing your arm from around her shoulders!¡± The Alpha King roared furiously as more people had begun to file back in, seeing that the danger was over for now. Adam snorted loudly and a sneer split his face. ¡°So you have one rule for one daughter and another for the other daughter?¡± The Alpha King nched and paled suddenly, before quickly recovering. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± he snarled. ¡°Really?¡± Adam chuckled darkly. ¡°Did you say the same to Ada when she had lured A*n¡¯s fated mate into her bed?¡± Shocked gasps rippled around the room as the Alpha King Leopoldughed nervously. ¡°I have already exined that¡­ it was a¡­¡± ¡± ¡°I heard your exnation. You lied.¡± Adam growled menacingly ¡°How dare you question my honesty! What proof do you have?!¡± ¡°Proof? The fact that I was present when Brad demanded A*n forgive him and not reject him? The fact that he appeared at your daughter¡¯s workce¡­ at YOURpany and attacked her because she refused to ept him back?¡± Adam snorted loudly and stared at the Alpha King for a while. An ufortable silence filled the hall and Adam sneered and gestured toward Brad. ¡°A*n rejected Brad yesterday, that¡¯s why he¡¯s in such a sorry state. Brad slept with A*n¡¯s sister and got her pregnant. He knowingly disregarded the mate bond to fulfill his own needs¡­. much like yourself¡­ your majesty.¡± ¡°I should have you killed on the spot¡­¡± ¡°For what? Speaking the truth? As if all of that wasn¡¯t enough pain for A*n to endure, you forced her to attend this ridiculous farce and then proceeded to give the daughter of your mistress, the heirlooms meant for your true mate¡¯s daughter.¡± The Alpha King shook with anger as ripples of dissent coursed through the room. ¡°Despicable. Poor A*n.¡± ¡°What kind of a father is he?!¡± ¡°If he can¡¯t care for his true daughter, then how can he care for his people?!¡± ¡°Is he really fit to be our king?¡± The Alpha King growled loudly and the room returned to an uneasy silence, punctuated by the sound of the camera shutters being activated as the braver members of the media took their chance to capture the confrontation. ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question, Alpha Nocturne. Take your hands off my daughter.¡± The Alpha King growled angrily. Adam chuckled and grinned widely. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 40 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 40 CHAPTER 40 Her Second Chance Mate ¡°I will not. I am her second chance mate, and she is my Luna.¡± ¡°No!¡± The Alpha King roared, ¡°I forbid it! I will not consent to the match!¡± Again the room erupted into protests, only this time, far louder. Who was he to deny the fate given by the Moon Goddess? Did he think himself above their goddess? He didn¡¯t have the authority to make that decision! ¡°It¡¯s toote for that, father,¡± A*n spoke finally, suddenly tired of this back and forth between the two. ¡°I have epted the match and we are marked and mated. Ironic that I have found more love and sce in the arms of my second chance mate than I ever did in the arms of my family-¡± ¡°A*n¡­¡± The Alpha King¡¯s expression was a mixture of pain, grief, and guilt, all rolled into one. As much as it tore her heart apart, the fact that he was so willing to give her mother¡¯s heirlooms away to a child he had sired with his mistress, well, it was thest straw. ¡°I won¡¯t neglect my duties as a member of the Royal family, but I will no longer regard you as my family,¡± A*n stated emotionlessly. She supposed she should want to cry at a time like this, but no tears came. She just felt¡­ empty. As Alpha Nocturne wrapped his arm around her and led her out of the hallway, a myriad of questions were shouted at them both as they passed and he shielded her from all of them. As he bundled her safely into the car, Lexi rushed over and prevented the door from closing. Adam frowned up at her. All he wanted to do was get A*n home and away from this madness. ¡°I just want to say, you better take care of her, Alpha Nocturne. I¡¯ll take care of the media on my end, but you¡­ you look after her.¡± Lexi said.. Adam nodded curtly as Lexi moved away from the door and he closed it firmly. ¡°Take us home, Allen.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± It was alreadyte by the time they arrived home and A*n had fallen asleep, nestled against his shoulder in the back of the car. He smiled down at her softly and stroked her hair, his wolf rumbling its content at the contact. He was usually stand-offish and p*ickly where females were concerned, but he had. grown quite fond of A*n the more that he saw her in action, and Maeve¡¯s character intrigued him. He had never met a wolf like her before. Used to simpering females, desperate to roll over and let him f*ck them, he found Maeve¡¯s dominant and confident personality refreshing. As much as he longed for his fated mate, he also epted that it was outside of their control and that sometimes, for the good of the pack, sacrifices had to be made. If that meant that he took a chosen mate, then one day, if they ever found their fated mate, he was sure that they would understand. How can you battle an unseen curse from unknown origins?? Adam gently lifted A*n across his body and got out of the car, cradling her gently against his chest. His beta, Allen, joined him at his side and they ascended the stairs together, nodding at the guards as they opened the doors for them. ¡°Do we need to worry about the Alpha King retaliating do you think?¡± Allen asked, a hint of concern in his voice. Adam snorted. ¡°Let him try. What can he do? His daughter is mated and marked as far as they know. It would be suicide for them to try to move against us. The shiftermunity would not take it lying down.¡± Allen was silent for a while. ¡°Was it wise to belittle him in front of the media and the nobles though, Alpha?¡± Adam stopped in his tracks and turned to re at Allen coldly. ¡°Whether it was wise or not is not my concern. What was said was the truth and if the King is unable to hear a few home truths, however ufortable they may be, then he is not fit to be a king at all.¡± He growled before turning and heading inside, leaving Allen behind on the staircase. As he entered their room andid A*n on the bed, her eyes fluttered open gently. ¡°Adam?¡± She whispered, clearly disoriented. ¡°It¡¯s okay, A*n. We¡¯re home. You fell asleep in the car and I didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡±He paused as he took a seat on the side of the bed. ¡°Are you okay though? What happened?¡± A*n grimaced and rubbed her eyes before pushing herself up into a seated position and leaning back against the headboard. ¡°I don¡¯t even know. It was really strange. It was like I couldn¡¯t control my body at all¡­ I mean obviously, I could, but¡­ g*d it sounds soplicated.¡± She sighed heavily, fiddling with her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Adam said gently as he took hold of her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. ¡°What about Maeve? Is there anything she remembers?¡± A*n grimaced again. ¡°She was really quiet the whole night, as she¡¯s always been when we lived there. Then all of a sudden, I was angry and she was suddenly there¡­ but unlike I¡¯ve ever known her before. She was¡­ wild and uncontroble.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°But, is she okay now?¡± he asked tentatively Thest thing he wanted was for his chosen Luna¡¯s wolf to go feral. There was no way to control her if that happened. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 41 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 41 CHAPTER 41 See Something You Want, Princess? ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s drained though. I couldn¡¯t get much sense out of her¡­ but she was adamant that she didn¡¯t push to take over. She said¡­ it was like she was forced forward.¡± Adam scowled. That didn¡¯t sound right¡­ it sounded like something more was going on here. Ann yawned loudly and she smiled sheepishly at him. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so tired.¡± She murmured as she fought to keep her eyes open and stretchednguidly. The sensuous curves of her body stretched out into those positions had a devastating effect. on Adam. His eyes darkened and his cock strained painfully at his trousers. HE clenched his jaw as he turned toward the bathroom, ¡°Let me run you a bath. At least then you¡¯ll be fully rxed and hopefully able to sleep well. It¡¯s been a hell of a day for you.¡± Ann chuckled. ¡°You know, my life seemed to be exceedingly simple before I met you, Adam.¡± She shouted after his disappearing back She heard him snort by way of answer as the sound of running water drifted through to where shey Ann forced herself to stand and make her way through. Adam confused her. He had such a reputation for being this cold and unrelenting Alpha, yet here he was, protecting her fiercely when she was at her weakest and now, running her a bath in the privacy of their own room. This didn¡¯t feel like a contract marriage at all. She smiled to herself as she picked up a babydoll-style nightdress out of the drawers that held some of her clothes and made her way through the doorway. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The sight of Adam¡¯s partially naked body as he hurriedly tried to change into more Her eyes raked over his body dragging along the sculpted lines of his chest, and down to the defined V- Line that disappeared into the waistband of his boxers. She swallowed nervously at the bulge in his boxers. She knew exactly whaty in there, and how good it had felt inside of her. Ann¡¯s stomach seemed to erupt in butterflies as her mind reyed their steamy sessions and a fire erupted in her lower belly. Goddess¡­ she would kill to have him inside of her again. A light growl forced her eyes upwards and she met the darkened eyes of Adamn, staring directly at her. ¡°See something you want, princess?¡± He asked huskily as he watched her with a predatory gaze. Ann hesitated for a moment before she nodded and moved towards him. ¡°Yes¡­ yes, I do.¡± Adam stood motionless as she approached, his cock was hard before at the mere sight of the lines of her body, but now, with this sexual confidence she was exuding, he just wanted to rip her clothes off and fuck her until dawn. Ann stopped in front of him, and ran her hands down his chest slowly, lightly dragging her nails across his skin and sending delicious shivers throughout his body. She leaned forwards and kissed his chest as her hands made their way into the waistband of his trousers and she wrapped her little hand around his cock, stroking it gently at first but at the sound of Adams¡¯s stifled moan, increasing the speed a little. ¡°Ann¡­ I¡¯m going to want to fuck you if you keep doing that¡­¡± He murmured as he brought one hand to her cup her face tenderly whilst the other undid the fastenings on her dress at the back. Ann chuckled as she bit his chest lightly. ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯ll have to fuck me¡­ my Alpha¡­¡± She purred into his ear as her dress fell away and dropped to the floor. Adam attacked her lips fiercely as he kneaded her breasts. He forced his tongue into her mouth as he rolled her nipples between his fingers and she moaned into him. His cock pulsated wildly in her hands as she stroked him and all he could think about was burying himself inside that sweet cave in between her legs. Ann pulled away suddenly and looked up at him with a heated gaze from under hershes. That look could drive a man wild. It was all he could do not to bend her over and bury his cock inside her. Before he registered what was happening she was on her knees before him and with a sultry look, she opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around his cock. He hissed in pleasure as she moved up and down the shaft, wrapping her tongue around it and using her hands to massage the base of his shaft and cupping his balls. ¡°Ah, fuuuck..¡± He felt her lips tighten as she smiled around him and as she bobbed backward and forwards as if her life depended on it. Adam couldn¡¯t help himself and fisted her hair in his hands as he took hold of her head and controlled the motion, fucking her mouth with as much restraint as he could muster. She moaned as he pushed his cock deeper and deeper into her mouth until he finally hit the back of her throat and before he lost control he pulled out of her mouth, panting slightly as he gazed down at her with dark eyes. Ann pouted up at him and he chuckled. ¡°Did you not like it?¡± She asked. ¡°I fucking loved it, princess, but I don¡¯t want to hurt you. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re ready for me to slide down your throat just yet, but if that¡¯s what you want, then we¡¯ll work on it together, okay?¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 42 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 42 CHAPTER 42 I¡¯ll Fill You Completely Ann nodded as he lifted her suddenly and stepped over the side of the bath, lowering them both into the tub below. She struggled to turn to face him and he forced her to remain still, her back pressed against his chest as his cock twitched at her entrance. Adam reached his hands across her body and paid attention to her nipples, squeezing and tweaking as she moaned loudly under his touch, squirming delightfully and arcing her body against his. He kissed her neck as each time she squirmed she sank lower and his cock entered her torturously slowly. ¡°Say the words, Ann, and I¡¯ll fill youpletely.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Alpha¡­. I¡­ fuck..¡± Adam moved one hand down her body and began to circle her throbbing nub as she bucked wildly against his touch. ¡°Say it, princess¡­¡± As she moaned and whined pitifully against him, spasming at the delightful shivers he sent through her body she suddenly reached back and grabbed a fistful of his hair. ¡°Fuck me, Adam¡­ Fill me¡­. all of me¡­¡± That was all he had been waiting for. He mmed her hips downwards as he thrust upwards and she let out a wail of pleasure as he continued to circle her mound and pumps her from below furiously. The water sloshed messily over the side of the bathtub but neither of them cared. Ann lifted her legs up and over the side of the bathtub so that Adam could fill herpletely. She wanted his cock, all of it, inside of her, deeper, harder and faster. Feeling him thrusting in and out of her was the best feeling in the world and she couldn¡¯t seem to get enough of it. Her moans became louder as she found herself about toe undone around his cock as his fingers worked their magic and as she shuddered violently and copsed against him, he didn¡¯t let up. ¡°We¡¯re not done, princess.¡± He murmured softly into her ear as he picked her up and bent her forward, positioning her with her breasts hanging over the edge of the bathtub. She couldn¡¯t stop the moans of pleasure that he drew from her as he alternately pinched and tweaked her nipples and massaged her sensitive bud as he pounded relentlessly into her, using the edge of the bathtub to stop any movement. She pushed back with her hips, grinding against him as he growled appreciatively and as Ann felt her climax build yet again the pace of thrusts increased. Ann slipped her hand between her legs and pleasured herself while he fucked her roughly and as she found her climax for the second time, he took hold of her hips and mmed her roughly against him before roaring his release inside her. He sagged against her as Ann tried to push herself up weakly from the side of the bath and chuckled. ¡°Are you okay there, Alpha?¡± She murmured as she felt his cock twitch inside of her. He didn¡¯t answer for a little while, simply pulling her up against him, her back to his chest, and wrapping his arms around her front as he kissed her neck. ¡°You are poison to me, princess¡­. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get enough of that tight little pussy of yours.¡± Ann giggled as he gently manipted her into a seated position in the bath and leaned over her. He lowered his head gently and stared at her intently as he slipped a hand between her legs. ¡°Adam! Again¡­ really?¡± she murmured as she felt his fingers slip inside of her as his thumb began slowly circling her overly sensitive mound. He chuckled darkly as her head tipped back in ecstasy. ¡°I didn¡¯t say we were done yet¡­ and¡­ I think I prefer it when you call me Alpha¡­¡±? The papers the next morning had gone wild with the drama from the ceremonyst night. Ann sighed as she turned her notifications off and put the phone face down on the table. She could already hear the whispers of the Omega¡¯s and the wolves that frequented the pack house and it was a little irritating. As soon as dam entered the room and sat down, sending a fierce re toward those that gossiped, things quietened down. Ann smiled at him as he reached across and refilled her coffee cup. ¡°Are you still going to work today?¡± He asked nonchntly. ¡°Yeah. Hiding away won¡¯t fix anything.¡± Adam nodded slowly. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been looking at expanding seriously into real estate that caters to all species¡­. He said carefully, eyeing her shrewdly. Ann grinned as she sipped her coffee. ¡°And what? What does that have to do with me?¡± Adam sat back in his chair and azy smile spread across his face. ¡°I mean¡­ we could always use a department head for the project.¡± Ann scoffed loudly. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay where I am thanks. CEO of my own department. Our offices may be in my father¡¯s building, but that¡¯s only because it¡¯s under the family umbre. If I wanted to, I could easily branch out and start my ownpany.¡± ¡°Is that so? That would put you in directpetition with me though, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already in directpetition with you in this department, Adam. If you¡¯re wanting that to change, then I guess you¡¯ll have to make it worth my while¡­¡± She smirked, raking her eyes over his body as she bit her lower lip. Adam blinked in surprise for a moment before he snorted. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°I¡¯m sure I cane up with something¡­¡± He grinned as his eyes filled with a lustful fire. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 43 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 43 CHAPTER 43 The Lack Of A Mating Mark Adam insisted on driving Ann to work and as she looked at his profile as he focused on the road, her heart seemed to leap a little bit. She still hadn¡¯t found the right moment to discuss with him Lexi¡¯s offer and the way things were going, it would probably be better to tackle the issue sooner rather thanter. There was only so long that they could both wear high-cored or high-necked clothing, people would start to get suspicious. ¡°Adam¡­ I may have found an option to consider regarding theck of a mating mark.¡± Ann started hesitantly. ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve had more luck than Allen and I at least. Wherever we looked we drew nks.¡± He frowned. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s not really a good reason to fake a mating mark is there?¡± He grimaced. Ann chuckled despite her nervousness. ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t entirely sure that you¡¯re going to like the option¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s we?¡± Adam interrupted quickly, ¡°This cannot go any further, Ann. If anyone finds out¡­¡± ¡°Rx, Adam. I only spoke with Lexi. She¡¯s a hybrid with a unique parentage that might actually be able to help us out with this.¡± Adam was quiet for a little while before he grunted. ¡°Okay. What sort of hybrid?¡± ¡°Well, witch and Daemon,¡± Ann said as she watched Adam grip the steering wheel tightly. ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t like where this is going¡­¡± he growled. Ann scowled fiercely at him and folded her arms in front of her defensively. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve grown up with Lexi. She would never do anything to hurt me. So, by proxy, that includes you as well. At least hear me out.¡± Adam nced across at her dubiously as she began to exin the n that Lexi and her father had come up with. By the time she had finished exining Adam looked like he wanted to punch a hole in the windscreen. ¡°No. Absolutely not. Not a chance.¡± He snarled furiously as they screeched to a halt in front of her father¡¯s business headquarters. Ann sighed as she unbuckled her seat belt and faced him with a scowl? ¡°Well, that¡¯s your option, Alpha. Take it or leave it. But remember, you¡¯re the one who wanted this contracted marriage, I merely offered myself as an option. If there¡¯s fallout because you¡¯re discovered, then the consequencesnd on your head. Not mine. I was trying to help.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do without your help, thank you, Luna.¡± Adam snarled. As soon as the car door shut, he put his foot down on the elerator and sped off. Ann wrapped her arms around herself as she made her way up thepany steps and into the entrance lobby. Had she done the right thing by talking to Lexi? ¡®Of course, you did the right thing. He¡¯s just being pig-headed.¡¯?Maeve murmured? ¡®Back amongst thend of the living I see??Ann smiled ¡®Barely. I feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a minotaur.¡¯?she grumbled- ¡®Do they even exist anymore?¡±?Ann chuckled. ¡®Probably, somewhere in the universe. Who knows??she shrugged. ¡®Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re feeling better at least.?Ann replied gently. She felt Maeve settle into her corner and although she was awake, she still wasn¡¯t fully with it. The exhaustion seemed to roll off her in waves and for once, Ann was actually worried. about her. She frowned as she was hit with a sudden realization that this lethargy, wasn¡¯t actually anything new. It was more extreme than what had happened before, but during her time living at the pce, Maeve had always slept or been unreachable when she was at the home. Was this connected somehow?? She didn¡¯t get much further with that thought though, because as soon as she entered the lobby she was swarmed by reporters. It took a moment to register what was going on in front of her before Ann managed to sessfully school her face into a weing smile. She stood and allowed them to take photo¡¯s as the guards that Adam had installed in her offices rushed down and forced their way through the crowd. ¡®Sorry Luna, we didn¡¯t know¡­¡± They apologized as soon as they were close enough. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault. I was expecting it afterst night honestly¡­¡± She smiled tightly. This was insane. ¡°Miss Veritas! Tell us how you and Alpha Nocturne met!¡± ¡°Miss Veritas! What¡¯s the truth behind your and Brad¡¯s rtionship?¡± ¡®Princess! Do your business interest still align with those of your father!¡¯ Ann smiled as she waited for the questions to die down and held her hand up in front of her to indicate for them to wait ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true about my step-sister and Brad. I made the decision to reject the mate bond based on the fact that if he couldn¡¯t be loyal to his mate, then how could he be loyal to his duties as a future Alpha King?¡± The excited chatter rose once again and again she waited for it to die down. ¡°My business interests are exactly that, business. What happens in my personal life, or within the family will not ever affect the day-to-day running of my business. Yes, I am still currently under the Veritas umbre, but that may change in the future. Who knows? As it is This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. though, I have work to attend to. If you wish to schedule a formal interview then please, contact the press office to make an appointment. Until then, please ept that this is a work. environment and your presence here is interfering with people¡¯s livelihoods.¡± With that, Ann nodded to her guards and they escorted her up to her office. She breathed a sigh of relief as Eva greeted her with her usual enthusiasm and handed her a coffee. She walked alongside her as they made their way to her office, with the guards following behind her at a respectful distance. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 44 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 44 CHAPTER 44 The Witchcraft? She drew quite a few stares, more so than usual, but she shrugged it off. There wasn¡¯t much that she could do about it but hope that the furor died down. She had spoken the truth and it remained to be seen how her father would deal with it. As the office door closed behind her and she shrugged her jacket off, she noticed a neatly wrapped parcel on her desk, wrapped as if it were a gift. There was no card or anything attached to the boxes so she had no idea where they had appeared from. Ann sat slowly and stared at them for a long time before Maeve¡¯s taunting became too much and she leaned forward with a sigh and opened the first box. She gasped as the light reflected brilliantly off the beautiful stones set among the designs and suddenly felt her eyes fill with tears. The boxes held the jewelry that had been handed over to her step-sisterst night, as well as the pieces that her mother had worn when she was Luna Queen. Ann sobbed emotionally as she held the pieces in her hands and a wave of grief washed over her. This was all she had left of both her mother and grandmother. Just then, her office phone rang and she quicklyposed herself before answering ¡°Ann?¡± She froze as she recognized her father¡¯s heavy voice and her breath caught in her chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to say anything. I just wanted to let you know that I¡¯m sorry. 1 should never have handed those over to Ada. It was wrong. Those are yours by right and just because my wife desires me to do something, it doesn¡¯t mean that I should¡± A short silence passed between them as he exhaled heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ann. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me, just¡­ know that I love you and I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ann said coldly, before hanging up and staring nkly at the wall in front of her. ¡®Self-righteous prick. It¡¯s about time he stood up for us and did what¡¯s right.¡±?Maeve snarled as she nodded weakly. It was. She didn¡¯t expect anything else to change, but the fact that she had the heirlooms of her mother and grandmother meant more than she would ever be able to express in words. It was definitely a step in the right direction. ¡°Maeve, I was wondering¡­ what does my father¡¯s wolf think about his behavior? Ann asked. ¡°What? Why are you asking me this now??Maeve grumbled. ¡®Well, with Brad, his wolf didn¡¯t agree with his actions at all. He was furious¡­ I wondered if my father¡¯s wolf was the same.¡± Maeve snorted. ¡®Listen, the day that he started spending more time with Narcissa was the day his wolf stopped talking. I tried for years, Ann, YEARS to get his attention, but nothing. He ignored me entirely. So fuck him. I don¡¯t give a shit what he thinks.¡±?Maeve growled angrily. Ann frowned as things started to connect together in her head. This couldn¡¯t just be a coincidence, could it? ¡®What are you thinking??Maeve asked warily. ¡®Just, think about it for a second. When we lived with them, you were quiet. I barely heard from you at all, other than when we were out of the house.¡± ¡®I was tired¡­?Maeve said defensively. ¡®Okay, but my father¡­ you aid you couldn¡¯t reach his wolf at all, yes?¡¯ Ann asked. ¡®Right¡­ but that¡¯s because he¡¯s an arrogant arsehole.¡±?Mave grumbled reluctantly. ¡°What if it¡¯s not though??Ann mused thoughtfully. ¡®Brad ims that he doesn¡¯t remember that night at all and you im that you don¡¯t know what happenedst night.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not iming anything. I¡¯m telling you how it was, ¡®?Maeve snapped. ¡®I think you¡¯re reading into this too much.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡®But, what if I¡¯m not? What if, somehow, they¡¯re the cause of it?¡± Maeve snorted. ¡®Sure, we were living with a werewolf whisperer and possibly a werewolf seductress¡­ don¡¯t be stupid, Ann.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not stupid, Maeve! If witchcraft and daemon magicks can fake a mate bond and mark, what else can it do? Perhaps¡­?Ann chewed her cheek thoughtfully. She didn¡¯t care that Maeve thought she was reaching. In her mind, all of these coincidences were too simr and too close to home to not be rted. ¡®Say you¡¯re right¡­¡¯ Maeve said hesitantly, ¡°What then?¡± ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®Regardless of the fact that your father will probably be removed from his position, it would also mean that Brad was indeed powerless to react to that bitches advances. Men are weak. Wolves are not¡­ and his wolf wanted no part of it¡­ but he couldn¡¯t get through to him.¡± Ann felt Maeve¡¯s guilt wash over her. ¡®Maeve, rx. If it wasn¡¯t the right decision, then the moon goddess would have punished us as well. There was no retribution. Perhaps this was fated¡­.. Maeve snarled angrily. ¡°If any of this is true, Ann, I intend to rip them apart.¡± ¡®I know, Maeve¡­ I know.¡¯ Ann had been in the middle of a conference call when Adam arrived at her office. He waited patiently outside of the office until she had finished. Eva gestured towards her office with a grin and he stood up, nodding in acknowledgment towards her, and made his way in. Ann smiled as he entered and stifled a chuckle at the sheepish expression on his face. ¡°Everything okay?¡± she asked with her head cocked and a quizzical expression on her face. ¡°I was kind of abrupt this morning. I wanted to apologize. You were trying to be helpful and I was angry with you for it. I didn¡¯t know Lexi was part Daemon.¡± he said finally. Ann sighed and sped her hands together on the desk in front of her. ¡°Does it matter? Lexi is not her parents, and her parents are not what history has described of either race.¡± Ann said tiredly. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 45 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 45 CHAPTER 45 A Lot Of Odd Stuff She hated this attitude. As weing as people were to hybrids in general, she wished the term would be abolished altogether. It led people to question their origins and when they did, they then judged them on their ancestry and not on them as an individual. Adam nodded slowly. + ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve sought to change the lives of people within my pack and honestly, I¡¯ve never had cause to question the lives of others outside my pack.¡± ¡°Well, Lexi is Lexi and she has our best interests at heart. Her mother died protecting her from hunters ironically enough. Her mother was the witch and her father the daemon if were wondering. Not that it matters.¡± Adam took a seat in the chair opposite her. ¡°Her mother summoned him then?¡± He asked curiously. Ann snorted. you ¡°God no. Her mother was a healer. Not all witches prance about naked and summon the chaos you know?¡± Ann sniggered. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me, I don¡¯t have extensive knowledge of the other races as much as I would like to¡­¡± Adam said, ¡°It¡¯s something I wanted to change actually¡­ in the schools within the pack boundary. It¡¯s difficult to find lectures of the races that are willing to attend a ce filled with wolves.¡± Ann nodded sadly. As much as the wolves were prejudiced against other races, the other races could also be horribly biased against the wolves too. Fae especially ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Lexi wouldn¡¯t mind discussing what she knows of her heritage with. you wanted more, then I guess I can ask her to reach out to some of her contacts.¡± you. If ¡°There¡¯s no rush. We have a good few years to refine the educational experience together.¡± Adam chuckled as Ann¡¯s heart lurched painfully at the thought of their time limit together. ¡°I wanted to take you to dinner though, by way of apology for my behavior this morning. You deserved better than that.¡± Ann smiled gently at him. ¡°Dinner would be good actually, but, do you mind if we go back and get changed first? I¡¯d rather not mix business with pleasure and being in my work attire kinda spoils the fun a little. She grinned. ¡®Weren¡¯t you in your work attire when he fucked us on this desk??Maeve smirked. Ann¡¯s cheeks flushed furiously as she ignored her and focused on Adam ¡°Not a problem. We can swing by and freshen up a little.¡± He grinned with a devilish look in his eyes. ¡°No!¡± Ann said firmly. ¡°Not before dinner.¡± Adam¡¯s face fell a little and if she didn¡¯t know better she could have sworn that the barest trace of a pout sat on his lips. ¡®You should tell him about your theory of the two bitches¡­ two witches¡­ two whores¡­ whatever you want to call them.¡¯?Maeve interrupted gleefully. ¡®Do you think now is a good time?¡¯ ¡®You could always lead with the fact that your father returned your mother¡¯s heirlooms to you Ann¡¯s face softened slightly as she subconsciously reached for the boxes on her desk and ced her hands protectively on top of them. Not that Adam posed any risk to them, but it was reassuring herself that she did still have them. ¡°What are those?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the boxes. ¡°Did somebody buy you gifts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s jewelry actually¡­¡± Ann teased with a smile. Adam stood angrily and a dark look crossed his features. Suddenly Ann saw why people were terrified of him. At that moment, filled with anger, he looked as if he would destroy the world and everything in it. She swallowed nervously and forced a lightugh. ¡°I¡¯m only teasing, Adam. It¡¯s my mother¡¯s jewelry. Unexpectedly, my father decided to return them to me and apologize for his earlier decision.¡± The look of fury on his face dissipated, but a flicker of irritation remained as he sat down. He rolled his shoulders as he tried to regain hisposure a little and forced a tight smile. ¡°Please don¡¯t y around like that Ann. I don¡¯t want to be responsible for destroying something you hold dear just because of my wolf¡¯s apparentlypletely irrational jealousy.¡± He warned lowly. Both Ann and Maeve were a little shocked by this. They were contracted mates, not fated. There was no cause for him to be jealous at all as they weren¡¯t really his, to begin with. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s enjoying finally getting his leg over. Maeve sniggered. Anne ignored her and smiled apologetically at him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be jealous of anything, Adam. I have no interest in pursuing anything or anyone outside of our contract, okay?¡± She attempted to reassure him. Adam¡¯s shoulders sagged a little and seemed to be appeased although his eyes were still sharp as he watched her intently. Anne took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ¡°Adam, I was chatting with Maeve earlier and I realized that there seems to be a lot of odd stuff happening around my stepmother and stepsister. In my mind, there¡¯s just too much for it to be simply a coincidence but she thinks I might be overreacting. So¡­ I guess I just wanted to chat with you about it a bit before I decided what to do,¡± ¡°Okay. Tell me what¡¯s bothering you.¡± Adam said as he leaned back in the chair, his face suddenly serious. Ann proceeded to exin her concerns and the more she spoke, the deeper Adam¡¯s frown became. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he mulled Ann¡¯s concerns over. ¡°Ann, is there anything¡­ ANYTHING at all that you remember when you changed at the banquet?¡± He asked seriously as his phone began to ring in his pocket. Whilst Adam took the call, Ann racked her brains for any memories that remained of the night. It was as if every time she tried to grasp onto them, they slipped away from her, remaining out of reach. Then suddenly she had it. Todsun Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 46 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 46 CHAPTER 46 They Forced My Change! She pped the table with her hands and stood up abruptly, her sudden movement startling Adam slightly. She looked at him with an expression of triumph as he quickly hung the call-up and she snorted loudly in disbelief at the fragment she had remembered. ¡°oh my goddess, Adam. It was them! Narcissa and Ada! They forced my change!¡± she eximed indignantly. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Adam growled as he stood warily as if she might attack him at any second. ¡°I¡¯m positive, Adam! I¡¯m having a hard time remembering anything from that night if I¡¯m honest, but, right after I changed and when Narcissa grabbed hold of Ada, she asked her what she had done.¡± Ann paced angrily around the side of her desk as Adam rushed over to her and took hold of her shoulders firmly. ¡°Ann, are you absolutely sure?¡± ¡°Yes! The fucking bitch¡­ Narcissa asked what she had done and Ada said she didn¡¯t mean to. Narcissa was furious with her¡­ I know that look, I¡¯ve been on the receiving end of it many times.¡± Ann said, her voice shaking in disbelief. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then I think you might well be right in your assumptions that they had something to do with the inactivity of your wolf¡­ and perhaps that of your fathers too.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill them,¡± Ann growled as Maeve surged forward to sit at her side, the two of them staring out furiously of Ann¡¯s eyes. ¡°No. Ann¡­ wait¡­ we can¡¯t just go rushing headlong in there¡­¡± ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t we? What if my father is in danger?¡± Ann protested loudly, pushing Adam away and grabbing her coat. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Ann, be rational about this for a second. If they wanted your father dead, they could have done so a long time ago. I think he¡¯s safe, for now.¡± Ann snarled furiously. ¡°For now? Then I should stand by idly and do nothing while they carry on as normal and work towards whatever nefarious goal they have?!¡± She snapped. ¡°What if you try to talk to your father?¡± Adam tried to reason with her. ¡°Surely your father will listen¡­¡± Ann scoffed loudly ¡°Oh sure, because that went so well every other time I¡¯ve tried. He didn¡¯t even give a shit when my mother was fading away before his eyes and he¡­¡± Ann suddenly froze as she gripped Adam for support. She swore loudly and her legs seemed to sag from beneath her. ¡°Adam¡­. they killed my mother¡­ they had to have done it! Oh¡­ I¡¯m so stupid! I should have stopped them! I should have¡­¡± Ann trailed off into breathless sobs as Adam held her tightly against his chest. In all honesty, he was more than a little perplexed by the whole situation. Seeing her so distraught and grief-stricken almost tore his heart in two and his wolf bayed for the blood of the people that had done this to her. He tried his best to soothe the beast within whilst he supported her to sit and cradled her, muttering soothing words and rubbing her back. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid¡­¡± she whispered over and over. ¡°Ann, that¡¯s not true. I promise you. There¡¯s no way that you could have known.¡± ¡°But it all makes sense now! My mother confined herself to one wing of the pce. It was ours, just me and her. My father had visited every now and then but then suddenly it stopped. and Narcissa began poking around with Ada. After that, she seemed to lose all hope. The fight left her entirely and she just¡­ gave up, bing weaker and weaker by the day.¡± Ann paused, staring nkly ahead as she relived that time of her life. ¡°If I had been smarter I would have seen it. At first, her wolf refused to be beaten and then¡­ it went quiet¡­ we lost our mother and our father the day that those bloodsuckers moved in.¡± Ann hissed. It wasn¡¯t often that Adam was lost for words, but he was angry angrier than he had ever been before. If the wolf was cut off from its human counterpart, it slowly went insane and if the human was lost inside the wolf¡­ they became feral. The thought that Ann bore witness to this as a child and somehow held herself responsible for his mother¡¯s descent infuriated him beyond all reason. The fact that these two women had walked into the life of the Alpha King and not a single person challenged him made him question the way the noble court was run. It was not a dictatorship. The monarchy existed as a representation of the strongest of the races. How can an Alpha King govern effectively and oversee pack rtions if he can¡¯t even keep his home affairs in order?? Regardless of whether or not he lusted after this woman, he was mated and marked, a leader of his people, and he should have been stronger. He was morally weak and that was not eptable. ¡°Your father must take his share of the me too Ann. The responsibility does not lie with you alone.¡± Adam growled as she lifted her tear-streaked face to stare up at him. ¡°And if he too, is cursed? Bewitched and vulnerable? You said it yourself, we wolves are not familiar with the ways of witches anymore¡­ not since the Daemon wars, so there is no one for us to turn to for help. How would he have known?¡± Ann said softly. Adam knew she was right. After all, it was the same reason that he could not find the origins. of this curse. No one knew where to start looking anymore because the witches had secluded themselves away after hundreds of years of persecution. Then it hit him. ¡°What about Lexi?¡± Adam asked tly. ¡°What about her?¡± Ann asked her face a mask of confusion. ¡°She has both witch and daemon heritage doesn¡¯t she? Perhaps she will be able to answer the questions that we have.¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 47 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 47 CHAPTER 47 The Video Ann pushed away from him and looked at him seriously. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to explore that side of her¡­¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll consent to the fake marking Ann¡­ but I think it might be worth talking to her to see what she might know. Besides, if she can¡¯t help perhaps she knows someone who can.¡± Ann nodded sadly. ¡°Okay. I can message her to see when she¡¯s avable.¡± She said as she pulled her phone out to send her a message. ¡°Until then, Ann, we should stay quiet about this. At least until we know more.¡± Adam said cautiously, watching for her reaction. She scowled at him silently for a long time before she sighed heavily. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t murder them in their beds just yet. I¡¯ll wait and see what we can find out. I know you¡¯re right Adam, it¡¯s just¡­ they¡¯ve taken so much from me, and I want justice for my mother.¡± Adam nodded grimly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Luna. You¡¯ll get your justice, and when you do, I¡¯ll be right there with you.¡± Both Adam and Ann had agreed that dinner was probably not a good option for either of them tonight after the recent revtions. Allen drove them home as they sat silently in the back of the car with Adam¡¯s arm draped around Ann protectively as she leaned into him with her head on his chest. He knew his Alpha well and it was obvious that something had happened, but it was also obvious that now was not a good time to ask questions about it. Adam would tell him in his own time and as his Beta, as frustrating as that was, all he could do was wait When they arrived home they were greeted in the hallway by a small group of his pack¡¯s Elder Council. Adam frowned as he noticed the suspicious looks that they were giving Ann and he held her closer as they approached. ¡°Alpha! We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Tomas, the chief Elder said silkily as he stepped forward with his hands folded in front of him. ¡°Oh? I wasn¡¯t aware of any meeting that I had missed.¡± Adam answered nonchntly. He appeared calm on the surface but his wolf was antsy and the behavior of the elders was distinctly out of character. The smiles they wore may be friendly on the surface, but the atmosphere was distinctly uneasy. There was a tension that he couldn¡¯t quite ce and Allen had picked up on it too, moving closer to the other side of Ann so that she wasn¡¯t exposed. ¡°Oh there was no meeting, Alpha, but we do have concerns that we wanted to talk to you about.¡± Tomas grinned again but there was a vicious glint in his eye. Adam raised an eyebrow and turned to Allen, a momentary nce between them was all they needed to understand the hidden meaning in the words that Adam would speak next. ¡°Very well, Allen, would you mind escorting Ann to our room please?¡± Allen nodded as Ann looked up at him with a look of confusion in her eyes. ¡°Follow me, Luna, I¡¯ll make sure you get there safely,¡± Allen said firmly as he took hold of her arm and began to walk past them, but Tomas was quicker and blocked their path. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, we would really like to speak with the Luna as well as the Alpha. I hope you understand.¡± Tomas said forcefully. Adam stepped forward and fixed his intense gaze on Tomas, who shrank back slightly at his approach. ¡°It has been a tiring day, Tomas, I would prefer that my mate retires for the night and gets the rest that she needs.¡± He said firmly as he nodded to Allen to continue on his way. Tomas made to step in front of them again and Adam growled warningly as he reached out and took hold of his arm, pulling him back. ¡°You are overstepping, Tomas. What is the meaning of this?¡± Tomas struggled briefly in Adam¡¯s grip before catching sight of his furious eyes and the wolf barely contained beneath. He froze and a look of disdain shed across his eyes briefly before he regained hisposure and red confidently back. ¡°I believe that we should ask you the same thing, Alpha. Is it true that you have not marked your mate yet?¡± Adam blinked stupidly, momentarily shocked at the usation. ¡°What?¡± he snorted in disbelief. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Show him!¡± Tomasmanded imperiously with a smug smile. Rnd, another of the elders hurried over with his phone and held the screen so that Adam could watch the resulting video. Adam watched silently as the video yed. It was an interview with Ada, framed as an apology video but really, if you read between the lines it was nothing but an excuse to throw baseless usations toward both Ann and Adam. After her apologizing for her conduct and ming a night of drinking, she insisted that the family had come to an amicable agreement despite the circumstances and that Ann was happy with the arrangement. She then went on to question whether or not Ann and Adam were mates as she hadn¡¯t seen a mating mark at the engagement ceremony and that it was a little unfair for her to receive such bacsh for taking a chosen mate when her elder sister, the heir to the throne was also doing the same. Adam was seething. Despite their wless acting, it had taken that conniving little bitch just a few words to put everything at risk Despite the emotions that whirled inside him, on the surface his face was impassive and his aura calm. If he gave the barest hint of anything other than offense and anger, they would know something was wrong. When the video had finished Tomas shook himself free of Adam¡¯s grasp and seemed to re triumphantly at him. ¡°Well, Alpha Nocturne? What do you have to say for yourself?¡± He questioned arrogantly. Adam chuckled darkly. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 48 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 48 CHAPTER 48 The Elders ¡°To start with I¡¯m wondering why my council of Elders has time to sit around listening to idle gossip and the bullshit that the tabloids spew.¡± He sneered as a look of uncertainty crossed Tomas¡¯s face. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯m wondering who the fuck has the audacity to question my mate bond with the woman that they bound to me and bound to the pack as their Luna. Just who the fuck do think you are Tomas?¡± Adam growled menacingly as he advanced toward him. Adam allowed his wolf to surge forwards and sit side by side in his vision and the color drained from Tomas¡¯s face as the rest of the Elders backed away hurriedly. you Without wasting a second Adam snarled furiously and his arm snapped out in front of him, his fingers taking hold of Tomas¡¯s neck and propelling him backward until his back connected with the wall. ¡°Have I not always done things by the book, Tomas?¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha!¡± He squeaked. ¡°Did I not wait for the appearance of my Luna before I took a woman to bed?¡± Adam snarled furiously. ¡°Yes, Alpha!¡± ¡°Then why the fuck would I lie about this?¡± He questioned dangerously as Tomas struggled against his vicelike grip. With a snarl of rage, he picked Tomas up and threw him back towards the group of Elders huddled together in fear. ¡°If you ever harass my Luna again, I¡¯ll do more than threaten you, do you understand?¡± The majority of the Elders nodded furiously and apologized profusely whilst throwing furious res toward Tomas who was struggling to get up from the position that he hadnded in. With a final furious re, Adam turned to make his way to his room, where Ann waited for him, but a trembling voice from behind him stopped him in his tracks. ¡°You can threaten as much as you like Alpha, but if Princess Ann is not your mate, then I will not recognize her as our Luna, and nor will the pack!¡± Tomas threatened weakly. Adam turned and sneered down at him. ¡°Do you understand how offensive it is to have to bare your mark for all to see, just to prove something to a withered old man?¡± Adam spat. ¡°If she cannot show the mark in the next few days then I will petition the king for a removal of an impostor!¡± He shouted imperiously. Adam chuckled darkly as the elders surrounding him distanced themselves in horror at Tomas¡¯s arrogance. ¡°And when she consents to this¡­ degrading treatment Elder Tomas, I will have your head for the insolence of questioning your Alpha. Do you understand me?¡± What little color remained in Tomas¡¯s face drained instantly as Adam turned on his heel and stormed away. His anger roiled unchecked inside of him and he realized that he was left with two choices. 1 Be exposed in a lie and lose the pack he had worked so hard to build or ept the help of a Daemon and a hybrid to continue this charade, Neither was an appealing option but he was caught between a rock and a hard ce. Sometimes, sacrifices had to be made for the benefit of the pack Adam stormed into the room, the door banging furiously against the wall as he muttered angrily under his breath. Allen moved instinctively in front of Ann to protect her if needed. He had only seen Adam in this state once before and it had resulted in a very messy cleanup. This time, he would prefer to avoid casualties where possible. Ann tried to push past Allen but he remained in ce. ¡°Trust me, Luna. It¡¯s better that he¡¯s alone when he¡¯s like this. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± Ann watched as Adam¡¯s fury rolled off him in waves and listened as Maeve snorted inside of her. ¡®As angry as he is, I don¡¯t think he would hurt us.¡± Maevemented thoughtfully. ¡®Can you be sure though?¡±?Ann replied hesitantly. Maeve snorted again. ¡®What are you afraid of? That I¡¯ll be able to get out a little and flex my fighting muscles? Believe me, if the alpha wants to throw a temper tantrum with me, I¡¯ll soon put him in his ce.¡¯? Swallowing her trepidation she stood and pushed past Allen forcefully. ¡°Luna¡­¡± He protested as Adam whirled around and red at them both with his golden eyes. ¡°Leave, Allen. Now.¡± ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s going to be safe with you, Adam?¡± He asked warily. Adam snarled at him angrily but Allen didn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere until you give me your word, Alpha.¡± He answered confidently. Ann ced a hand on Allen¡¯s arm and smiled reassuringly at him. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Have you not met Maeve?¡± She said with a wry smile. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Allen snorted and returned her smile. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s your funeral, Luna. Just shout if you need me, I¡¯ll be down the corridor in my own room.¡¯ She grinned at him as he left and shut the door behind him securely. As she turned back to face Adam she could feel the wolf in him desperate to leave and run. Maeve whined inmiseration with him. She felt it too. ¡°Adam. What was that about?¡± ¡°I handled it, don¡¯t worry.¡± he snapped. Ann folded her arms in front of her and snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if you handled it, Adam, I asked what it was about.¡± She answered confidently. Adam growled in reply and Ann narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. ¡°Look, you can be as pissed as you like, Adam, I don¡¯t give a fuck, to be honest, but I need to know what it was about so I can figure out what, if anything, I need to be doing to not exacerbate the matter. Do you understand?¡± She snapped. Adam whirled towards her furiously. ¡°I said¡­ I handled it.¡± He forced out through gritted teeth as he advanced towards her. Ann held her ground and met his gaze head-on, tilting her chin arrogantly toward him as he approached. ¡°Good for you. It might have escaped your notice but that still doesn¡¯t answer my fucking question. What did the Elders want and why were they so insistent on speaking with me?¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 49 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 49 CHAPTER 49 I¡¯m Your Family Too Adam came to a stop in front of her, so close that their noses almost touched. She could feel his heavy exhtions as he battled with his fury and she sighed, bringing her hands up to rest on his arms. ¡°Listen. We were supposed to be a team¡­ that¡¯s what we contracted for. I can¡¯t help if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± The tension in the air was palpable for a few moments, the pressure that hung ominously above them was almost crushing, but with a sigh, it gradually began to dissipate. He turned away abruptly and ran his fingers through his hair angrily. ¡°Your fucking step-sister¡­¡± He growled, his tone still furious. Annughed darkly, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. ¡°Of course, it is¡­ why didn¡¯t I guess? What happened?¡± Adam sank down on the sofa on the far wall and leaned heavily on the armrest, resting his forehead in the palm of his hand and not speaking for a while. The silence extended between the two of them and when the deadly aura that rippled from him had dissipatedpletely, Ann made the decision to approach him, and sit next to him. He hadforted her when she was distraught, the least she could do was return the favor. Adam was distraught in his own way, and now, she had to figure out how tofort him as effectively as he had her. Ann took a seat next to him and rested her hand on his arm at the side of her. He didn¡¯t move it away and she began to run her hand up and down his arm gently, hoping that the motion was soothing or at least reassuring for him. When he turned his head to look at her, she wasn¡¯t ready for the look of sadness that met her. ¡°Adam¡­. what on earth happened down there?¡± She asked almost breathlessly, feeling her breath catch in her chest. With a sigh, he exined, and by the time he had finished, Ann didn¡¯t know whether or not she should laugh or cry. How did she know? Was it just a lucky guess? Or did they have someone on the inside feeding them information?? No. it couldn¡¯t be thetter. Only Lexi and Allen knew the full details of their contract and they both trusted each one of them implicitly. There was no way that they would betray them this way. ¡°Are your elders usually that¡­ enthusiastic about confronting you, Adam?¡± Adam shook his head his gaze hardened, ¡°No, but I¡¯ve had suspicions for a while that something has been off. That¡¯s why I swore you to secrecy Ann. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about me that no one does.¡± Ann was silent for a while as she mulled his words over. ¡°Then what do we do? Do you want to tell them the truth?¡± Adam snorted. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Fuck no. I won¡¯t see this pack fail again. It¡¯s taken me years to get it to this point. These people depend on me.¡± He answered vehemently. Ann watched him as he stared into the distance and suddenly he turned to face her, his expression deadly serious. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, Ann. As much as it pains me to say it, we have less than 2 days to fix this. Do you think Lexi can pull it off?¡± Ann blinked at him in shock. She hadn¡¯t expected him to choose that course of action at all. She thought maybe he woulde clean and try to talk his way around things, but instead he had opted for trusting a hybrid and a daemon with his life. She smiled softly. ¡°She¡¯ll do everything she can to make it happen, Adam, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s practical all the family I have left, and family takes care of family first, always.¡± Ann reassured him. A brief look of hurt flickered in his eyes and his expression turned sullen. ¡°No, she¡¯s not. I¡¯m your family too, Ann.¡± Ann chuckled softly. ¡°Yes, for the next few years at least, Adam. Let¡¯s not say more than that. I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed again.¡± She answered lightly. Although her tone was light, her heart was racing. She was fully aware of the spark of longing that had started in her heart for this rugged man before her. A terrifying figure to the outside world, yet soft, warm, and caring towards her. It was the stuff that dreams were made of and if she let herself fall for him, she was terrified that she would be cast aside yet again. Adam said nothing, but his sullen expression remained. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but Ann spoke before he had the chance to. ¡°Let me message her. She¡¯s probably sat in front of herputer drinking her body weight in alcohol right about now.¡± Sure enough, Lexi had responded almost immediately and said she would arrange things with her dad and let them know in the next few hours. Adam refused to leave the bedroom with Ann, in case they were osted by the Elders or someone else that Tomas may have put up to it, and forced to reveal their secret. They ended up ordering takeaway and staring nkly at the screen as a random selection from Netflix yed while they ate. They had just finished eating when Ann¡¯s phone rang and Lexi¡¯s name shed up on the caller ID. ¡°Hey, trouble. I have a question for you¡­.¡± Lexi greeted as Ann answered the phone. ¡°Sure, shoot. Ask me anything.¡± Ann replied with a grin. She had a feeling that she knew exactly where this was going and she smiled reassuringly at Adam as he sat forward eagerly, waiting to hear what she had to say. ¡°Who has the best friend in the whole entire world?¡± Ann snorted as Adam rolled his eyes and sagged back on the sofa. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 50 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 50 CHAPTER 50 Any Side Effects? ¡°Me, of course. You¡¯re the most incredible person I¡¯ve ever met and I¡¯m truly honored to count you as my friend and chosen sister.¡± ¡°N¡¯aaww. You¡¯re way too kind, Ann, however, everything you just said ispletely true.¡± ¡®Tell her she¡¯s insufferably arrogant too sometimes¡­ Maeve offered helpfully as Ann sniggered ¡°Whatever you just said, Maeve¡­ I love you too. Okay, enough chit-chat. It¡¯s going to make me soft and we can¡¯t have that. I spoke to pappa and he¡¯s free to help but there¡¯s one tiny problem.¡± Ann¡¯s stomach sank ¡°Lexi, can I put you on speakerphone? It would help if Adam could hear this too.¡± ¡°Sure thing, I don¡¯t mind the big bad wolf listening in. It¡¯s mostly him that¡¯s probably going to have an issue with this anyway. ¡°What am I going to have an issue with exactly?¡± Adam asked warily. ¡°Ooo! Your voice is even sexier on the phone.¡± Lexi simpered excitedly. ¡°Maeve¡­ please tell me they¡¯ve¡­¡± ¡°Lexi! Please!¡± Ann interrupted hurriedly as Adam turned towards her with a smirk. Ann¡¯s checks blushed a furious shade of red as Lexi cackled on the other end of the phone. ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯ll behave. What I was going to say, Wolf-boy, was that my father can¡¯t actually leave his realm at the minute. So if you¡¯re needing it done quickly, we¡¯re going to have to take a little trip down under if you know what I¡¯m saying ¡± Adam¡¯s face was frozen in an unreadable expression and Ann swallowed nervously. She¡¯s never been to the realm in question but from what Lexi had said, it was pretty scary at the best of times. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t have to leave the safety of Dad¡¯s residence. We might have to dodge the odd subus or incubus or two, but they¡¯re pretty harmless. Kindred spirits just looking to getid really.¡± Lexi continued casually. ¡°How long do we need to be there for?¡± Adam asked seriously. ¡°Well, as I understand it, the whole thing won¡¯t take THAT long to do, the only sticking point is that you two are gonna have to do the nasty while we¡¯re down there¡­ not in front of us. obviously, but you need to mark each other as you would normally¡­ if you were mates I mean. Ann shifted awkwardly in her seat as she felt her blush deepen. ¡°I can feel your awkwardness from here, Ann. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s simple. Getid, bite each other, we can come into you immediately after and do what needs to be done, or you cane to us but immediately after you¡¯ve bitten each other, we¡¯re going to have to suppress your wolves for a little while in order to impede the healing ¡± ¡°Both of our wolves?¡± Adam questioned calmly as if he were discussing a business deal and not silencing a part of him that was integral to his survival. ¡°For how long?¡± ¡°Just as long as it takes us to get the magick to stick. Shouldn¡¯t be too long though, Dad¡¯s a pro, he¡¯s been at it for millennia, soooo¡­¡± Lexi answered confidently. ¡°Will there be any side effects afterward?¡± ¡°Honestly? We aren¡¯t sure. It¡¯s not like this is something that¡¯s done regrly you know? But we can return you to your residence immediately afterward. Dad¡¯s had a portalmancer for the past couple of centuries, they¡¯re pretty close as I understand it. So he can drop you straight off in your room if you want. That way, if anything does go wrong, you can feign illness or something, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re a smart boy, you¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Ann almostughed out loud at the look of incredulity on Adam¡¯s face. She was positive that he¡¯d never had anyone speak to him like Lexi did and it was most likely an eye-opening experience. He cleared his throat and nodded his head slowly. ¡°Okay. I have a request though.¡± ¡°Another?¡± Lexi snorted in amusement, ¡°Ok, what is it? I can¡¯t promise but I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Ann has pointed out that my knowledge in certain areas iscking¡­ in regards to Daemons and Witches. I was wondering if is that something that you would be willing to share your knowledge on at some point. Or even if your father is open to discussing things at ater date. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m getting myself into, but I trust Ann and she trusts you.¡± Lexi was silent for a while before she answered, her voice a little less exuberant than before. ¡°I appreciate the offer, wolf-boy. Let me think about it though, okay? I grew up in an orphanage and I don¡¯t know how much help I can be. I just share the blood, I haven¡¯t manifested any abilities yet.¡± ¡°Your experience in life is more than enough, Lexi. I want to learn about everyone and how their lives can be improved in our society as well as outside of it. I think it would be helpful for future generations, but please, take all the time you need to think about it.¡± ¡°Well¡­ alright then,¡± Lexi said, clearly flustered. It was rare for her to be spoken to as an equal and Ann knew full well that she had indeed manifested her abilities, but she chose not to use them. ¡°Thank you, Lexi. If there¡¯s anything that we can do for you¡­¡± Ann offered warmly. ¡°Ha! I¡¯ll hold you to that! Okay, I¡¯ll get you both scheduled for collection tomorrow afternoon, okay? You can let yourself in at mine Ann, it¡¯ll be less conspicuous for you both I think¡¯ Ann and Adam agreed and after a little more small talk, they ended the call. Adam sat back heavily on the sofa and rested his head back on the cushions. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ann asked tentatively. ¡°Yeah. Just trying to process that this time tomorrow I¡¯ll most likely be fucking you in the underworld while your best friend¡¯s daemon daddy waits for me to shoot my load inside of Material ? N?velDrama.Org. you so that he can swoop in and cast his magick on us.¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 51 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 51 CHAPTER 51 It¡¯s Fine It was almost 4 pm when Adam and Ann arrived at Lexi¡¯s nondescript little house. Ann knocked and smiled reassuringly at Adam as he looked around at his surroundings dubiously. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Ann asked with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. ¡°No,¡± He answered a little too quickly as Ann squeezed his hand gently. Adam sighed heavily and ran his free hand through his hair again. ¡°Okay, maybe a little. I feel like we¡¯ve been pushed into this¡­¡± he started hesitantly before the door was flung open and Lexi¡¯s beaming face appeared in the doorway. ¡°Bestie!¡± She shrieked, throwing her arms around Ann and throwing me a wink. ¡°Gosh, it feels like forever since you were herest. Look at you now, bringing a hot hunk of man meat along with you.¡± She sighed dramatically and ced a hand on her chest. ¡°I¡¯m so proud.¡± Ann swatted her on the arm yfully andughed as she blushed slightly. ¡°Behave. You¡¯ll scare him away before we¡¯ve even started.¡± Adam shifted slightly on the spot and offered her his hand with a serious expression on his face. Lexi looked from his hand to his face and snorted loudly as she pulled him forward into a bone - crushing hug. ¡°In this house, we don¡¯t shake hands, we hug, wolf boy.¡± She sniggered as he reluctantly patted her awkwardly on the back. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you inside and ready for the journey.¡± Lexi led them through the tiny entrance hallway that opened out into a cozy living area. It was tastefully decorated with a warm color scheme but still managed to retain its weing, homey feel despite the modern aesthetic. ¡°I¡¯d offer you a drink but I remember my first time using a portal.¡± Lexi grimaced. ¡°That bad?¡± Ann asked with a slight hint of uncertainty in her voice as Adam trailed slightly behind them. He still wasn¡¯t fully convinced that this wasn¡¯t some borate scheme to weaken him and wrench his pack from his grasp and was scanning the room for anything that felt out of ce. Ann and Lexi sank down onto a couch and chatted happily while he paced the perimeter of the room slowly. ¡°Rx fur ball, nothing is waiting to jump out at you. You¡¯re both quite safe here.¡± Lexi snorted in amusement. ¡°Adam,e and sit down,¡± Ann said catingly at the fierce re that Adam had directed toward her best friend. He begrudgingly approached and tentatively took a seat on the armchair in the corner. He felt safer with his back to the wall¡­ there was only one direction that any possible attack coulde from then. Ann sighed and reached over to pat his hand reassuringly. ¡°Adam, I promise it¡¯s okay. I wouldn¡¯t have brought you here if I didn¡¯t trust herpletely.¡± Adam nodded curtly, but said nothing, ring across the room warily, his eyes darting guardedly from area to area. ¡°Dad shouldn¡¯t be too long,¡± Lexi said as she returned her gaze to Ann. ¡°Oh! Your father ising too?¡± Ann asked in surprise. ¡°I thought he couldn¡¯t leave his realm?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t leave for long¡­ let¡¯s put it that way. He¡¯s in the process of rounding up some¡­. disobedient denizens of his realm.¡± Lexi chuckled. ¡®Disobedient daemons? Who¡¯d have thought¡­ Maeve sniggered. ¡°I know, I know, I can hear Maeve¡¯s sarcasticments already. He has his own concerns about you bothing to his home.¡± Lexi said staring pointedly at Adam. He narrowed his eyes at Lexi and a low rumbling emanated from his chest. ¡°Just what exactly are you inferring?¡± Adam asked in a low tone. Lexi grinned at him as she gazed at him shrewdly. ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t the only one concerned with security. Think of it from his point of view. Most Daemon and werewolf interactions over the past few centuries have entailed the unquestioning ughter of his race. He would be stupid not to be wary of you both, don¡¯t you think? He is inviting you both into his home, after all.¡± Adam¡¯s mouth set into a thin line as he considered her words. She was right. They both had reason to be cautious. In Adam¡¯s mind, he was walking straight into danger and would be extremely vulnerable while he was there, as would Ann. But he could also see her father¡¯s point of view, inviting an unknown Alpha into his home in order to fake a mating bond, at the request of his daughter. He was potentially leaving himself open to an attack from the inside. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I can assure you that I wish only to erase suspicion from within my pack. There are other issues at y here that I¡¯m notfortable discussing yet though, such as the reason behind my need for a contracted mate in the first ce.¡± A slow smile spread across Lexi¡¯s face that Adam couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning behind. ¡°Oh, you sweet innocent little puppy.¡± She crooned, ¡°You do realize that you can¡¯t hide anything from my father¡­ or from me for that matter?¡± Adam stiffened suddenly as Ann frowned at her friend, her unusual eyes suddenly glowing slightly, the luminescent red in her ck irises creating a frightening effect. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that can be hidden from a Daemon, sweety. It¡¯s in our very nature to see into another¡¯s soul. Without you ever knowing, we can see your darkest fears, your most treasured memories, and the measure of your soul.¡± She intoned in an almost ethereal voice as the air in the center of the room began to distort. Adam stood abruptly and reached for Ann, pulling her over to him as Lexi chuckled. ¡°Adam, please¡­ it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Ann said as she struggled against the vice-like grip of his hands This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. and he growled in response. Lexi smiled as the air seemed to condense around itself, exploding into a silvery, shimmery oval that appeared almost like a mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alpha. If I didn¡¯t think you had well-meaning intentions towards both Ann and my father, then I wouldn¡¯t have offered a solution. I can see the darkness that clings to the soul of both you and your wolf, and my father will too¡­ although I am sure he will be able to give you more answers than I can. You have nothing to fear from us.¡± As she finished speaking two figures stepped through the portal that had appeared in her living room and Adam¡¯s face froze in a mask of shock. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 52 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 52 CHAPTER 52 The Daemon Lord As the haze cleared around the two figures in front of them, Lexi squealed and ran forward, pulling the towering figure into a hug as the man beside him looked on with an impassive expression on his face. ¡°Papa! It feels like it¡¯s been forever since I saw you properly!¡± Lexi squealed as the easily eight-foot-tall figure bent slightly and wrapped his arms around her warmly. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, little one.¡± The man rumbled as Lexi stepped backward and turned to grin at Ann and Adam. ¡°Guys, this is Papa, Papa, this is Adam and Ann.¡± Lexi beamed excitedly. Lexi¡¯s father cut a truly imposing figure, broad-shouldered, bulging muscles as far as the eye could see, and an expression that threatened an untimely death as he stared impassively towards Adam and Ann. ¡°Ann, I have heard a lot about you over the years and I would like to thank you for providing Lexi with the stability that I could not give her. My realm would simply not have been safe for a child of mixed blood,¡± Lexi¡¯s father said suddenly and very seriously, extending his arm and sping her hands in one of his tightly. ¡°Erm, thanks?¡± Ann replied uncertainly, ¡°Honestly, she provided me with as much stability as I did her, in fact, I consider her a sister more than a friend¡­ erm¡­ sir.¡± Ann gulped, a little intimidated by the man¡¯s huge size. ¡®Holy fuckballs, he¡¯s a big bastard!¡¯ Maeve eximed in an awe-filled voice. ¡®Shut up, Maeve! What if they can hear you?! I don¡¯t know what powers or abilities a Daemon Lord has and nor do you!¡¯ Ann replied with panic in her voice. ¡®Look at the size of him! Geez¡­ oo! I wonder if his massive size extends to his¡­¡¯ Maeve continued, completely unbothered by Ann¡¯s concerns. ¡®MAEVE! Please! Just this once¡­. please behave yourself!¡± Ann pleaded in desperation. What if Lexi¡¯s father was able to hear them? Nobody knew just how far a Daemon Lord¡¯s abilities stretched and if he took offense to Maeve¡¯s brazen remarks she would never forgive herself. ¡®What?! I think you need to rx a little, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be offended. He¡¯s a daemon for goddess sake, I¡¯m just a little curious how Lexi¡¯s mother took all of THAT¡­ Maeve snorted contemptuously. With a huff of disgust, Ann shut Maeve¡¯s crudeness out of her head. As far as she was concerned she could rant to herself, Ann couldn¡¯t listen to it at this moment. It was distracting, to say the least. She sighed internally. Why was her wolf like this?! Lexi¡¯s father had moved his attention to Adam and there was a tense moment as they both seemed to be engaged in a staring match as they weighed each other up. Adam broke the stalemate first and reluctantly offered his hand outwards to the Daemon Lord. ¡°I¡¯m Adam Nocturne. I¡¯m sure you understand how difficult it is for me to be here, as I understand it is difficult for you. However, I¡¯m here in good faith and wanted to thank your willingness to help in this matter.¡± you Lexi¡¯s father stared at his hand for a few seconds and there was a tense moment when the thought crossed everyone¡¯s mind that he might not ept the gesture of friendship. for Finally, he reached his massive hand forward and took Adam¡¯s hand, shaking it firmly as he narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°I am Lord Brarthroroz. It is indeed a cautious step forward that I take today, but I would hope that at least between us for now, we can cooperate in a peaceful manner. I have never allowed outsiders to step foot into my personal home before, let alone one that has warred with my kind for centuries. However, I will not judge you based on your kind¡¯s past actions, if you will not judge me for the chaos wrought by my kind in the past. Adam nodded curtly, and although the atmosphere remained tense, it was far less oppressive than before. Lord Brarthroroz frowned at Adam briefly as his eyes scanned him and he turned to Lexi. ¡°You are right, daughter of mine, he does indeed have the darkness clinging to him like a gue.¡¯ Adam scowled at him as Lord Brarthroroz turned back to look at him and chuckled at his N?velDrama.Org is the owner. expression. ¡°I am merely stating facts, Alpha Nocturne. The magick that clings to you is old, ancient perhaps and if I¡¯m not mistaken has wrought havoc on your normal life. Do you know the Witch that cast this curse upon you?¡± Adam looked as though he was wrestling with something in his mind but eventually, his shoulders sagged slightly and he relented, running his hand through his hair wearily. ¡°No¡­ no I don¡¯t actually. It happened when I was a child, not long after my parents were murdered. I¡­¡± ¡°I think it would be better to discuss this somewhere a little¡­. more discreet, don¡¯t you think, Papa? As safe as my house is, if there is anyone listening in when they shouldn¡¯t be, there¡¯s no chance of it being overheard in your realm.¡± Lexi interjected. Lord Brarthroroz nodded wisely and signaled to the man who had been standing quietly at the side of them. At his signal, he moved to the side and began his preparations to create the portal that would take them to their destination. ¡°You are quite right, of course. Let¡¯s take this as our cue to leave. Although I cannot smell any magick here, it does not mean that it isn¡¯t present. I have not visited this realm for a long time, and things always seem to have changed so much when I do¡­¡± he sighed regretfully. When the portal was ready, he ushered them through the shimmering air. Lexi went first and after a little while, Ann pulled a reluctant Adam through after her. ¡°What interesting friends my daughter surrounds herself with¡­¡± Lord Brarthroroz chuckled as he shared a wry smile with the portalmancer and stepped through the portal that would take him to his home. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 53 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 53 CHAPTER 53 Like Father, Like Daughter As they stepped through onto the other side of the portal, the cool air was a wee feeling as a wave of nausea washed over both Ann and Adam. Lexi steadied Ann as her legs wobbled unsteadily and as her father stepped through the portal he chuckled at Adam¡¯s suddenly pale face. He pped him on the back warmly and grinned, revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. ¡°You get used to the sensation after a while¡­ although I really wasn¡¯t sure how badly it would affect you wolves.¡± He added thoughtfully before snorting. ¡°It could be worse, at least you came through in one piece.¡± Adam stared at him nkly, for once lost for words. ¡°Papa, don¡¯t tease them like that. You know it¡¯s incredibly rare to end up with missing limbs and besides, that usually happens with inexperienced portalmancers. Steven has been with you for centuries now hasn¡¯t he? Sounds like you¡¯re questioning his abilities.¡± Lexi giggled as Steven raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh my goodness, Papa, his face moved!¡± Lexi feigned shock as she covered her mouth with her hands and giggled. ¡°Yes, it does that sometimes, when he realizes that he is actually alive and not just forced to stand in one room in the darkness¡­¡± Her fathermented dryly as he turned to look at his currently harrassed Portalmancer. Steven shifted ufortably on the spot, his white hair barely shifting with the movement and his robes creating a faint rustling as he moved. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, sir?¡± He rasped dryly as Lord Brarthroroz chuckled heartily and dismissed him with a gesture. Lexi frowned at his retreating back as he seemed to glide down the corridor to an unknown destination. ¡°He¡¯s really no fun to tease at all..¡± Sheined. ¡°Yes¡­ you find with Lich¡¯s, they don¡¯t really seem to grasp humor as well as the living.¡± Lord Brarthroroz answered with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault, another century or so and he may crack smile. One can hope..¡± He sighed. Ann looked between the two of them and a small smile yed at the edges of her mouth as she chuckled at Adam¡¯s incredulous expression. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m going to say it now, Lexi, there¡¯s a saying that fits you and your father quite well, ¡®Like father, like daughter.¡± She grinned, ¡°It kind of makes me a little envious if I¡¯m honest.¡± she sighed wistfully as Lexi hit her yfully on the arm. ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯re talking about. Come on, we¡¯ve stood around long enough here and if we stay any longer we¡¯re going to be surrounded by curious daemons.¡± Lexi answered with an arrogant tilt of her chin and a sly smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me¡­¡± Lord Brarthroroz said gesturing ahead of him as he began walking and they fell in behind him, walking in a small group along the gargantuan corridor. ¡°It¡¯s not as gloomy as I thought it would be¡­¡± Adam admitted begrudgingly. Lexi snorted as she turned to him. ¡°What? Did you think because we wereing to a daemon realm you were going to find yourself in some dark cave somewhere surrounded by deep pools ofva and hellfire, with screaming tortured souls chained to posts?¡± Adam averted his eyes sheepishly, resulting in a cackle of amusement from Lexi. ¡°Ah, wolf boy, I really will have to look ating to teach at your little school if this is the sort of expectation that you lot grow up with. It¡¯s a shame really, there¡¯s a rich history in Daemonology. They aren¡¯t all torture and death and eating of souls you know?¡± Adam frowned as he turned to look at her slowly. ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t know much about Daemons?¡± He questioned Lexi warily. ¡°I lied.¡± She shrugged nonchntly as she waved her hand at him. ¡°Oh and don¡¯t look all hurt and injured at me for not beingpletely honest with you. Just because you don¡¯t have ill intentions towards Ann doesn¡¯t mean you wouldn¡¯t be willing to jump down my throat¡­ or attempt to rip it out for that matter. Trust works both ways, wolfy Ann giggled at the expression on Adam¡¯s face. Hopefully, he would get used to Lexi sooner rather than later. As they traveled further into the hallways, they passed many daemons and Lexi was right, before long they had a small, yet persistently curious following. Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long to arrive at their destination and as soon as Lord Brarthroroz turned around, the daemons seemed to disappear quickly. ¡®My apologies. They aren¡¯t used to seeing outsiders. Some of them have never left these walls. They¡¯re quite young by daemon standards and don¡¯t share the same fear that many of my kind have.¡± He exined patiently. He leaned forward and opened a door in front of him that led to arge room with a door on each of the four walls. ¡°This external door will be sealed to all but the four of us. No one will enter without my express permission.¡± Lord Brarthroroz said as he walked through the huge doorway and they followed behind. ¡°The door to your right is where you can eat, drink, or rx¡­ whatever you like. Lexi and I will be waiting for you in there once you get down to business. The door ahead is a private portal room that Steven resides in. Don¡¯t worry, he never leaves it¡­¡± Lord Brarthroroz sighed lightly and muttered something about him needing to get out more. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯ll see to your return to your Packhouse when things are finished¡­¡­..¡± ¡°He can portal directly into my Packhouse?¡± Adam said, suddenly on edge. ¡°Rx, Alpha, the destination is controlled entirely by the position that both you and Ann will picture clearly in your minds. There is nosting connection unless you install portalmancer at your quarters which at this point, I think is unlikely. But, who knows what you may require in the future.¡± Adam growled lightly at the thought of the safety of his Pack beingpromised and Lord Brarthroroz chuckled at him, choosing topletely ignore his disquiet and anger. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 54 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 54 CHAPTER 54 A Concealment Curse ¡°Adam, please. It¡¯s not going to go well if you¡¯re disrespectful in his home. Imagine how you would react if someone growled at you in your own home. You would be absolutely furious! You were very nearly going to put an end to a longstanding member of your Elder Council for daring to question you. Be reasonable. Please.¡± Ann pleaded softly as she ced a hand on his arm. He seemed to instantly rx and took a moment to school his emotions properly. Ann was right. This could be the first step to securing better rtions with at least this realm of Daemons. Who knew what benefits that it might bring his Pack? He couldn¡¯t afford to risk ruining this because of his temper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Brarthroroz, I¡¯m still a little on edge,¡± Adam said finally with a half bow towards where the Daemon Lord stood. Lord Brarthroroz waved his hand dismissively and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If it wasn¡¯t I would have reacted, but your apology is appreciated non the less. Now, the door to your left is the bedroom where you will need to¡­ what do you call it? Mating and marking?¡± He asked curiously. Lexi nodded and giggled as Ann¡¯s cheeks blushed a furious shade of red. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sugar, no one will be watching.¡± She whispered behind her hand into Ann¡¯s ear. Ann swatted her away as the two men turned to look at them with raised eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should sit them down and discuss exactly what will happen, Papa? I don¡¯t want them to feel like they don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Lord Brarthroroz nodded and gestured to the door on the left. ¡°Let¡¯s sitfortably at least while we discuss this properly. I want to find out a little more about this curse that gues you, Alpha.¡± He said darkly as he strode purposefully through the doorway with Ann and Lexi following. Adam hung back a little while as the color drained from his face. He wrestled with his conscience and his paranoia for a few moments before reluctantly following them into the room. Thest thing he wanted to do was leave himself, and his Pack, vulnerable because of his weakness. But it looked like he didn¡¯t have any choice in the matter. The room they entered was, as expected, luxuriously furnished with sofas and day beds littered across the room and tables at the back of the area that were filled with various foods and drinks. ¡°Ooo yummy!¡± Lexi eximed as she hurried over and helped herself to some of the fresh dates that were piled high on a serving te. She rolled her eyes in pleasure as she bit into the fruit and chewed, letting out a moan of appreciation as she did so. ¡°Oh, my word¡­ Ann¡­ seriously¡­ you have to try these¡­ they¡¯re so soft and¡­¡± She eximed insistently. Ann chuckled and held her hand up as she shook her head. ¡°Really, it¡¯s fine, Lexi. I couldn¡¯t eat right now even if I wanted to. I¡¯m too nervous.¡± Ann said softly. Adam frowned and put his hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly and looking at her in concern. ¡°I promise there¡¯s nothing to worry about. You¡¯re quite safe here.¡± Lord Brarthroroz reassured her. ¡°Please, both of you, take a seat. I want to ask you a few things before we start.¡± Adam took hold of Ann¡¯s hand and squeezed it reassuringly with a small smile as they sat down together opposite Lord Brarthroroz. Lexi remained by the table of food and their conversation was interspersed with squeals of delight and moans of pleasure from where she stood. Lord Brarthroroz chuckled at his daughter¡¯s antics as he turned his attention to Ann and Adam. A curious look appeared on his strong facial features and he narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared intently at Adam. Adam met his gaze unflinchingly, with a proud expression and his jaw clenched. Ann could feel his tension. Alpha¡¯s didn¡¯t usually tolerate being stared at this intently as their wolves saw it as a challenge, but they couldn¡¯t hold the Daemon Lord to the same standards as they did to other wolves. ¡°So, Alpha Nocturne, this¡­ darkness that clings to you. You said it has been with you since you were a child.?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t know the Witch that cast it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam answered unflinchingly.¡±Not to my knowledge at least. Things were very strained after my parents were murdered and a lot of people came and went. But there was no one that I was close to. I was only twelve when they died, and had only taken a few months of the Alpha training under my father¡¯s guidance back then. I didn¡¯t know what to look for, or who to be wary of.¡± He continued, his tone regretful. Lord Brarthroroz nodded in understanding and scratched his chin thoughtfully. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°How did your parents die?¡± ¡°They were murdered,¡± Adam answered tly. ¡°By who?¡± There was a long pause before Adam finally answered through gritted teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know or you don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said with a little frustration at the constant question. Lord Brarthroroz chuckled. ¡°Not at all. If you don¡¯t know, the information simply isn¡¯t there and you never had it to begin with. However, if you don¡¯t remember then it means that the information has either been stored somewhere in your mind and you need reminding of where it¡¯s stored, or¡­ it means that it has been purposefully concealed.¡± Adam scowled furiously at him and Ann chewed her lip nervously. She knew that Adam wasn¡¯t angry at Lexi¡¯s father, it was more at the whole situation itself. He would be angry with himself if it turned out that he had the information he needed all along and was unable to reach it. ¡°You mean I could actually know who the killers were?¡± Lord Brarthroroz shrugged nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s possible. As I said, the darkness that clings to you is quite old. The longer a curse stays with someone, the stronger it gets. It feels like a concealment curse.¡± Adam nodded curtly. ¡°All I¡¯ve been able to find out is that the curse itself is intended to conceal my true mate from me.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Lord Brarthroroz almost purred. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 55 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 55 CHAPTER 55 The Dark Witch ¡°Have you thought that perhaps the people who murdered your parents wanted to conceal your mate from you so you would be forced to take a chosen mate?¡± Lexi said suddenly through a mouthful of food as she plonked herself down on a chair next to them. Adam frowned. ¡°But why? Taking a chosen mate isn¡¯t a rare urrence. Sometimes an Alpha doesn¡¯t find his true mate and not having an heir weakens the Pack, so it¡¯s seen as a necessary evil in most cases.¡± Lexi nodded slowly, as she sat forward and rested her chin on her hands with a thoughtful expression. ¡°True, but have you considered that a concealment curse would be the best fit because they also wanted to conceal the identity of your parent¡¯s killers?¡± Lord Brarthroroz chuckled. ¡°Very clever, Lexi¡­ yes¡­ it¡¯s entirely possible. Perhaps the killers intended to have someone of their choosing take a ce at your side as a chosen mate. It would make sense. You were present when your parents were killed?¡± Lord Brarthroroz asked suddenly very interested. ¡°I¡¯ve already said I don¡¯t remember!¡± Adam eximed loudly in frustration as his hand tightened around Ann¡¯s. The silence extended between them for a while before his shoulders sagged and Adam sighed heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­ but the Elders say that I was present when they died. I was unharmed but dazed. I spent almost a month in an allied Packs hospital as shortly after my parent¡¯s death, the Pack was attacked. Our old allies sent reinforcements and ensured the Pack¡¯s territory was held, but¡­ the losses were devastating. My Beta¡¯s father ran the Pack until I was old enough to take over but¡­ it was a mess when I finally took the oath.¡± Adam seemed exhausted by the time he had finished speaking and Ann¡¯s heart shattered at seeing him in such emotional turmoil. Adam suddenly lifted his head and looked at Ann with a strange expression on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not all¡­ There have been some odd urrences in Ann¡¯s life too. Her mother¡¯s death¡­¡± ¡°Adam¡­ don¡¯t,¡± Ann said softly. ¡°Ann, if there¡¯s more going on here then perhaps we can help. We need to know and if it¡¯s a Dark Witch suddenly making a lot of moves and attempting to seize power¡­ then that usually means something much bigger than her is lurking behind the scenes.¡± Lord Brarthroroz nodded with a strange look on his face. ¡°Dark Witches with this sort of old, and ancient magick usually either take it from Daemons by force, or they are gifted it in exchange for contracting to a Daemon¡­. this¡­ could be quite messy if it¡¯s going where I¡¯m thinking it is.¡± Ann exchanged a look with Adam as Lexi snorted. ¡°I bet it¡¯s that little skank and her whore of a mother.¡± D ¡°You might not be wrong, Lexi,¡± Adam said suddenly, earning a look of surprise from all of them as he stared murderously ahead. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°When Ann attacked Ada at the engagement banquet, Maeve was adamant that she didn¡¯te forward willingly, she said she was forced forward.¡± Adam abruptly exined. ¡°Who¡¯s Maeve?¡± Lord Brarthroroz asked with a frown. ¡°Ah, that would be my wolf¡­ sorry,¡± Ann said sheepishly. ¡°Adam¡¯s right, it¡¯s not just that incident though. Recently, my wolf has been very loud. I had just assumed when I lived at the pce that she was more of a quiet-natured wolf, but since I¡¯ve left the pce, she¡¯s been anything but quiet.¡± Lexi sniggered. ¡°She¡¯s a feisty little wolf, Papa, you¡¯d like her,¡± Lexi interjected. Ann grimaced, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like having two Lexi¡¯s. One that lives inside of you and one that you only see asionally when you feel like you can handle her for an hour or two.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m a fucking delight to be around!¡± Lexi objected as she crossed her arms indignantly in front of her. Lord Brarthroroz chuckled indulgently and Ann grinned across at Lexi before continuing seriously. ¡°When I went back to the pce for the engagement banquet, Maeve had been present for most of the day, and then suddenly, it was like she disappearedpletely.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t disappear, I¡­ I think I fell asleep¡­ everything that happened at the pce is always foggy, all I know when I¡¯m able to talk to you again, is that before¡­ it¡¯s like you aren¡¯t there anymore and¡­ and I¡¯m alone¡­ Maeve whimpered sadly. Lord Brarthroroz frowned slightly as Ann appeared to freeze mid-conversation and Lexi sent him an understanding nod. ¡°They do it a lot, Papa, you¡¯ll get used to it. If they suddenly zone out, it¡¯s because their wolf has something to say,¡± Lexi exined as she reached across to pat his gargantuan forearm reassuringly ¡°I see¡­¡± Lord Brarthroroz replied with the barest trace of amusement in his voice. ¡°Sorry¡­I know it¡¯s a little strange when you first see it.¡± Ann grimaced. ¡°Not at all, it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve interacted with shifters. It has however been centuries since I¡¯ve had much interaction at all with them. Things tend to get forgotten over the millennia unless it¡¯s immediately relevant.¡± He replied nonchntly, ¡°So what did she have to say? Was it anything relevant to the situation at present?¡± He continued, leaning forward with interest. ¡°Well, Maeve said that when we¡¯re at the pce¡­ she thinks she¡¯s asleep, but she doesn¡¯t know. It¡¯s as if she can¡¯t find me anymore. Almost as if she¡¯spletely alone. In addition to that, she hasn¡¯t been able to talk to our father since he moved them in.¡± ¡°And Ada fucked your mate¡­¡± Adam growled warningly at Lexi and for a second she was shocked. She recovered quickly and laughed lightly. ¡°Ok, Wolfy, no need to be so sensitive. Ann¡¯s ex-mate. Ada fucked her ex-mate.¡± ¡°He also ims that he has very little memory of the event. Yet she¡¯s now pregnant with his pups and he¡¯s taken her as his chosen mate.¡± Ann nodded in agreement with Lexi¡¯s words as she exined a little further. ¡°Yeah, while still desperately pursuing you.¡± Lexi snorted. Adam¡¯s head whipped to look at Ann and a low warning rumble emanated from his chest as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s still pursuing you?¡± Adam demanded furiously. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 56 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 56 CHAPTER 56 The Unfamiliar Territory ¡°Not actively¡­ he¡¯s tried¡­ but¡­¡± Ann tried to exin as she nced across at Lexi in annoyance and noticed a strange expression on her face as she looked thoughtfully at Adam. Lord Brarthroroz didn¡¯t let the conversation go further though as he cleared his throat loudly and spoke. ¡°So arge amount of concealment is going on then, around both Alpha Nocturne and yourself it seems. I must say, this is all very curious. I don¡¯t know of any active plots among the renegades that are going on in your realm, and the lords are not willing to move against your realm again.¡± ¡°Do you think we can help them with this too, Papa?¡± Lexi asked suddenly. ¡°It will require some reconnaissance on my end. I want to know exactly who I¡¯m dealing with. It may be Witches but this has the taint of daemons behind it. There is clearly something more going on here.¡± Lord Brarthroroz frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t we just kill the bitches and get on with it?!¡± Lexi eximed suddenly, hitting the side of the armchair violently as her eyes red red. ¡°Patience, daughter, now where would the fun be in that? I want to know exactly who they are working for and when I find out, I am sure that there will be no objections from the rest of the Daemonic Council when I imprison them and spend the next few centuries making them pay for their crimes.¡± He grinned wickedly with a ruthless glint in his eyes. Ann understood at that moment, that this wasn¡¯t just Lexi¡¯s Papa, this was a Daemon Lord that was perfectly capable of bringing a world to ruin if the urge took him. She swallowed nervously. ¡°So, what do we do now then?¡± She asked, failing to keep the trembling out of her voice as Adam squeezed her hand reassuringly. ¡°Simply wait. I will do what I need to do and I will let you know when you can move ahead. Is that agreeable, Alpha Nocturne?¡± Lord Brarthroroz asked calmly, his previous malice had vanished without a trace. Adam nodded curtly. ¡°Excellent. Now that¡¯s out of the way, I believe we should discuss your false mark.¡± Lord Brarthroroz looked intently between Ann and Adam. ¡°I will make this clear before we go any further. This is not something that I take lightly and I do nothing of this magnitude without serious thought However, after talking with you just now, I feel that your fates are inevitably intertwined at this point and if you are not fated then you damn well should have been. I don¡¯t know what your ¡®Goddess¡¯ has nned for you but I do know that at this time you both deserve to be able to work through this interference with an ally at your sides ¡± Ann nced across at Adam and smiled reassuringly. She could see the barest hint of fear in his eyes as they both knew what wasing Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This is not a normal binding and will be made infinitely moreplex by the darkness inside of you, Adam So the n will proceed as follows. I¡¯m aware that mating and marking binds your wolves together, and neither of you has yet tried this yourself for fear of the mark healing badly and being exposed, and also for offending either your true mate in your case Adam or in your case Ann, your second chance mate.¡± Lord Brarthroroz stood and walked to the table, pouring himself a ss of wine and offering it to Ann and Adam, who politely refused. When he retook his seat, he took a long gulp from the overge ss and stared at them intently. ¡°As soon as you have mated and marked, you need to drink these,¡± He said as he snapped his fingers and two small shot sses filled with a clear liquid appeared on the table in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked suspiciously. ¡°A sleeping draught that will render you unconscious.¡± ¡°And cut us off from our wolves?¡± ¡°Do you usually converse with your wolf when you¡¯re unconscious?¡± Lord Brarthroroz asked wryly. Adam snorted but said nothing further. Having seen the darkness within you, I think that the pain may be a little too much to bear, even for a big strong Alpha like you.¡± Lord Brarthroroz teased as he winked at him. For the first time ever, Ann witnessed Adam squirming ufortably as his cheeks flushed a little red and she had to stop herself from giggling nervously. ¡°Well, whenever you two are ready, you can make your way through to the bedroom. I would suggest eating a little food before you go through though, the shot of sedation has the nasty aftereffect of making you ravenously hungry afterward. Having a little bite to eat beforehand can often help.¡± After they had eaten a light meal they made their way through to the bedroom, both of them feeling a little ufortable with the situation. As Ann closed the door behind them, Adam did a perfunctory sweep of the room, and she sighed, smiling lightly as she looked at him. ¡°Adam, I think you can rx¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Call it instinct or whatever, but¡­ this is unfamiliar territory, my wolf is a little ufortable and if I don¡¯t settle his anxiety then I very much doubt I¡¯m gonna be able to even get it up properly.¡± He snapped tightly as he prowled around the room. ¡°Oh, nice. So the thought of fucking me doesn¡¯t appeal to you anymore, Alpha?¡± She asked huskily as she looked up through hershes at him. Adam paused in his frantic pacing and looked over his shoulder at her with a dark look in his eyes. ¡°The thought of fucking you drives me insane for the majority of the day, and hearing you call me Alpha¡­¡± He trailed off as he stalked towards her. Ann smirked and made her way slowly towards the bed, turning her back to him and slowly removing her clothes as she moved away from him, dropping them on the floor. Adam rumbled lowly in his chest and before she knew what was happening he had lifted her legs from under her and threw her on the bed, hurriedly climbing above her and trapping her between his arms as he stared down intently at her. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 57 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 57 CHAPTER 57 The Sudden Desire ¡°Why do you continue to torment me, princess? Do you enjoy the reaction? Or is it that you want me irate so that I fuck you a little harder? Are you not satisfied with my performance already?¡± Adam murmured huskily. Ann gazed coyly up at him through her eyshes and a flirtatious smile curved her mouth up at the edges, earning a low rumble from Adam¡¯s chest. She said nothing, but reached up and slipped her hands under Adam¡¯s shirt, running her fingers lightly along his well-defined abs, and curling her fingers around the back of his neck as she pulled his lips closer to her. She wanted to taste him. She couldn¡¯t understand this longing that had appeared, the desperate need to have him inside of her at every waking moment. If Adam thought that she was a distraction. He had no idea what he was doing to her inside. The mere thought of him fucking her, pounding into her relentlessly before emptying himself deep inside of her drove her crazy. As Adam¡¯s lipsnded on her own, she kissed him with a hunger that she had never known. before. She felt his lips curl into a grin against her before, suddenly his hunger matched her own and she could feel him harden underneath his clothes. Ann struggled to form coherent thoughts as she slipped her hands from his neck down his back and pushed insistent fingers into the waistband of his trousers. These needed toe off. The sooner that happened¡­ the better. Suddenly in a hurry, Adam reached down and undid his trousers, breaking away from the kiss briefly to remove his shirt and trousers as Ann watched him from the bed. Recliningnguidly into the mattress as she arched her body into seductive curves that she knew drove Adam wild. It had the desired result and as his eyes darkened to almost ck, he practically vaulted onto the bed, caging her beneath his arms. Ann quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face down towards her, attacking his lips hungrily with her own as she was ovee with the sudden desire to be possessedpletely by him. This new version of herself, that couldn¡¯t wait until he was buried inside of her every time she thought of him, scared her a little bit. She had thought she¡¯d been in love with Brad before, but things with Adam seemed to be so much more intense. Was lust really stronger than love? At this moment, she didn¡¯t care, she just needed him inside of her. Ann moaned loudly as Adam slipped his fingers between her slick folds and dipped them inside of her. ¡°Already so wet for me, Princess are you that eager?¡± he chuckled as he lowered his head and wrapped his lips around her nipples, sucking and grazing his teeth against the sensitive ends. Ann gasped in ecstasy as she reached for his cock and stroked it eagerly. ¡°Yes¡­ I want you inside of me, Adam¡­ fuck¡­¡± She groaned as she threw her head back. ¡°Speak up, princess¡­¡± He smirked from above her as he maneuvered himself between her legs and sank lower, kissing his way down her chest and stomach. Ann grasped the sheets at her side as Adam ran his tongue around her clitoris and began sucking on it eagerly as he pumped his fingers inside of her. Her hands flew to the side of his head, fisting his hair in her palms as she bucked her hips. underneath him. Goddess¡­ she never wanted this feeling to end¡­ As his tonguepped around her clit, he removed his fingers from inside of her and quickly trailed his tongue downwards, pushing his tongue inside of her tight walls, probing into her as far as he could as hepped greedily at her juices. Ann panted breathlessly as he assaulted her mercilessly until she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Adam¡­ fuck¡­ I think¡­ I¡¯m going to cum if you carry on¡­¡± she squealed breathlessly He chuckled darkly as he pulled his head away and growled lowly, gathering her legs over his arms as he leaned forward over her, and stared down at her intently. Ann whimpered helplessly under him, desperately trying not to hold her breath with the anticipation that was building inside of her. She could feel his cock positioned at her entrance as shey there, fully exposed to him. The dangerous vulnerability she had at that moment was such a turn-on for both her and for Adam. He pressed the back of her thighs against his chest as he leaned down to kiss her deeply, forcing her knees against her shoulders. She was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do was bend her into as many positions as he could and bury himself inside of her over and over again. Surely this wasn¡¯t normal between contracted mates? Ann bit her lip as she looked up coyly at him from under hershes. ¡°Fuck me Adam¡­ fuck me hard¡­¡± She whispered in a sultry tone. He groaned internally as thest thread of his self-control snapped and he plunged into her with such force, for a moment he thought they might fall through the bed. He pounded his cock angrily inside of her, with a passion he hadn¡¯t known had existed until he had met Ann. The harder he fucked her, the more of those sweet moans that filled the air around him. He wanted it all¡­ everyst sound that he could prise from between those lips. Those squeals were just for him and they made him forget everything that was wrong in his life. ¡°Fuck¡­ Adam¡­yes! Oh, I¡¯m gonna¡­¡± She moaned as she gripped his back tightly.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 58 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 58 CHAPTER 58 Fate Was Indeed Cruel T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Adam growled loudly as he pounded into her harder and allowed her legs to fall to his waist and as she came undone around him and he released inside of her, he leaned forward, his fangs elongating as he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. Ann gripped hold of him greedily as she too did the same and almost instantly, their vision seemed to explode in bright lights. Theypped tenderly at each of the new marks andy panting above each other for a while. Ann couldn¡¯t help but feel an overwhelming sadness that this wasn¡¯t a reality¡­ that Adam wasn¡¯t her true mate. Maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ in another life¡­ they would find each other and be happy. But it wouldn¡¯t be this one¡­ this life was too cruel beyond words¡­ Unbeknownst to Ann, Adam felt exactly the same. Ann was perfect in his eyes and was everything that he had imagined that his true mate and Luna would be. But fate was indeed cruel. He stroked her cheek softly as he gazed at her flushed face. She was beautiful and everything in him wanted to tell her those all-important three words that could change everything. But, he didn¡¯t. She had been hurt so badly before and had already said that she didn¡¯t want to get her hopes up in this rtionship with him. The thought of them ever being apart made him feel irrationally angry and he leaned forward to kiss her lips, in an attempt to appease the anger in his heart. Ann smiled softly and reached up to run her hands through his hair tenderly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked with a slight frown, searching his eyes for an answer that he couldn¡¯t give her. He smiled in response but said nothing, and reluctantly rolled off her, as she gasped at the loss of him from inside of her. With a heavy heart, Adam reached for the two sses of liquid at the side of the bed and narrowed his eyes distastefully at them. ¡°I guess this is the part where we drink¡­¡± Ann said with a nervousugh. Adam nodded slowly at her and passed her the ss. ¡°At the same time then?¡± She asked with a slight tremble in her voice. It took everything that Adam had in him, not to throw the sses against the wall and flee from this ce, with Ann in his arms. But there really was no other alternative. There was just too much at stake. They brought their sses together in a mock toast and smiled wryly at each other as they tipped the liquid into their mouths. Thest thing Adam saw was the terrifying sight of Ann slumping lifelessly to the bed, and the utter feeling of helplessness and panic that washed over him seconds before he too sumbed to the darkness. As soon as Adam¡¯s eyes opened, he jolted awake and sat bolt upright in bed, looking around himself frantically as the ghost of the panic that he felt before he fell asleep assaulted him violently. He looked across to his side and frowned as he realized that he was back in his own bedroom, and Ann was fast asleep still beside him. He reached out and moved the errant strands of hair away from her face as he watched the soft movement of her chest under the duvet. ¡°N¡¯aaw how sweet. You really do care for her, don¡¯t you, wolf boy?¡± An amused voice came from the other side of the room. Adam whipped his head around quickly and his body tensed instantly ready to attack whoever had dared to intrude into his personal space without an invite, but he was met with the sound of a chuckle. ¡°Rx furball, I just wanted to make sure that you both woke up okay,¡± Lexi said as she appeared out of the shadows that lined the far side of his room. Adam heaved a sigh of relief as he narrowed his eyes dangerously in her direction, her intent. wary of ¡°Hmm. Papa did say that I shouldn¡¯t tease you too much when you woke up in case you were a little grumpy, the sedative sometimes has the nasty side effect of making people hyper aggressive¡­ but I figured that was no different from normal Alpha¡¯s so¡­¡± She trailed off with a shrug as she examined her nails casually. Adam remained silent. His head was still a little foggy and it felt like he had spent the previous night drinking. Even if he had wanted to reply, it most likely wouldn¡¯t have been too impressive of a response. Lexi sighed as she approached the edge of the bed and sat down, staring fondly at Ann¡¯s sleeping form. ¡°You need to look out for this one, wolfy. She¡¯s more important to me than I can put into words,¡± She said softly with a sigh, a rare look of affection crossing her features before she quickly schooled her face back into an expression of neutrality and fixed Adam with a serious stare. ¡°The mark will need to be redone from time to time. It¡¯s not a permanent solution, as we mentioned previously. As soon as it starts looking a little iffy, then have Ann call me okay?¡± Adam nodded slowly. ¡°Is there anything we should look out for?¡± Lexi appeared thoughtful for a minute as her eyes shed in the darkness, ¡°Well, I would think it will start to look a little angry around the edges. At the minute, you can get away with it, because it¡¯s fresh, but after the mark settles into the usual silvery white scar, then any redness should be immediately obvious.¡± ¡°How long do you think until we need to be worried?¡± Lexi snorted. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 59 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 59 CHAPTER 59 A Promise Is A Promise ¡°How long is a piece of string, furball? We don¡¯t know. This isn¡¯t amon request at all, so we¡¯re pretty much working on unknown grounds. Just¡­ keep an eye on it.¡± She paused before frowning slightly. ¡°You said the existence of your true mate is concealed from you, right?¡± Adam nodded slowly. ¡°So, if she was standing right in front of you, how would you ever know?¡± She asked hesitantly, a hint of concern in her voice. Adam frowned. It was an odd question, but he was sure that Lexi was only concerned for her friend¡¯s well being. After all, she had been through so much already, and judging by their close rtionship, she would hate to see her hurt again. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know even if she wasid next to me,¡± Adam said softly, with a hint of regret in his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lexi. Hurting Ann is thest thing that I¡¯ll ever do. Even if my true mate appears, then I¡¯ll make sure that Ann doesn¡¯t suffer. I promise that she¡¯ll be well taken care of.¡± Lexi stared at him for a long time with an unreadable expression on her face as she smiled softly. ¡°I trust you¡­ don¡¯t worry.¡¯ The silence seemed to extend between them for a little while and Adam shifted awkwardly on the bed. He was stillpletely naked, as was Ann, and the presence of Lexi inside of his room. confused him. ¡°Have we been back here long? I¡¯m still a little ufortable with the fact that you can portal in and out of my home with such ease though¡­¡± Adam said finally as Lexi chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dad¡¯s a stickler for the rules, and most daemon¡¯s don¡¯t have ess to a portalmancer. It takes centuries of training and you have to find a wraith willing to cooperate first.¡± She smiled wryly as Ann stirred in her sleep and stretched, throwing an arm over Adam¡¯s legs. ¡°It¡¯s been almost thirty minutes since you arrived back. I just wanted to make sure that you both woke up safely and that there weren¡¯t any hidden surprises waiting for you when you got back. Ann made it perfectly clear that you didn¡¯t want to be vulnerable and as much as this is your home¡­ with everything going on at the minute with you two, I still feel that you¡¯re both a little vulnerable here too.¡± Adam nodded in agreement. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Although it was his home, he had known for some time that there were some shifters here who were clearly working against him. It didn¡¯t matter how much time and energy that both he and Allen put into rooting out the culprits, as soon as one was found, more seemed to spring up to step into their shoes. It was frustrating, to say the least, and sometimes he wondered if he was fighting a losing battle. Lexi chuckled lightly as she stood up from the bed and gestured to the corner of the room. It was only then that Adam realized that the portalmancer had been present the entire time. With a slight rustle, the air in the room distorted slightly and Lexi made her way over to the distortion in the air. ¡°I¡¯m going to spend a little more time with Papa. I¡¯ll be back in this realm in a day or so. Try to be good in the meantime, hmm?¡± She smirked lightly as she waved casually at Adam and stepped through the portal. As he watched the portal close as Steven disappeared through it, he stared nkly into the darkness for a few moments. Was that it? Had it really been that easy? He pulled the duvet back slightly from where Ann had pulled it tightly around her shoulders and gently moved her hair from her neck. His heart seemed to swell with a strange feeling as he saw his mark imprinted, albeit messily, on Ann¡¯s neck. It didn¡¯t look anywhere near as messy as he had thought it would, the appearance actually fit quite well with the normal healing of a shifters mark. If the Elders demanded to see it, then there was no way that they would be able to tell that they hadn¡¯t done this the proper way. Adam lifted Ann¡¯s arm as he settled himself back down into the bed and she murmured softly in her sleep. For once, Adam fell asleep again with a slightly lighter heart. That was one major issue that he no longer had to be concerned about. Adam was woken by a frantic knocking at the door and as Ann stirred sleepily beside him, he threw the covers of his body and stormed across to the door. ¡°What?¡± He snarled as he threw open the door and was met with the anxious-looking face of his Beta, Allen. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. His shoulders seemed to sag with relief at the sight of his Alpha, and he sighed loudly. ¡°Oh, my goddess¡­ I thought something had happened to you!¡± He hissed in irritation as a frown descended across his brows. Adam raised an eyebrow as Allen stormed past him and he angrily reached for his arm and pulled him back. ¡°Ann is still sleeping.¡± He growled lowly at Alen¡¯s surprised face. ¡°Ann is not¡­ Ann is very much awake because you boys are making such a damn noise. What on earth is the matter?!¡± She yawned sleepily as she sat upright and lounged back against the headboard, her naked body barely covered by the sheet as she pulled her legs up in front of her. Allen jolted in surprise at the sight of Ann so rxed in her own skin, and Adam tried his best to suppress the growl of jealous fury that threatened to tear from his chest. Instead, his grip increased tightly on Allen¡¯s arm and Allen yelped in pain as he tried desperately to prise Allen¡¯s fingers off his arm. ¡°Alpha¡­ Adam¡­ dammit that hurts¡­¡± He protested as Adam dragged him towards the door. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 60 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 60 CHAPTER 60 Two Lovebirds T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop looking at my Luna.¡± Adam snarled angrily as Allen stared at him with disbelief. He twisted suddenly and broke free of Adam¡¯s grip before he darted a short distance away from him and stood looking between the two of them. ¡°Since when did you get so possessive?¡± He asked, eyeing him warily. Adam responded with a snarl as Allen¡¯s eyes drifted to the obvious mark on his neck and he pointed excitedly, with his eyes wide open in stunned disbelief. ¡°When¡­ What¡­ Wait! You¡¯re marked! What?! Are you..?! No¡­¡± He stuttered as a myriad of emotions and questions fluttered across his face. Ann chuckled and made her way over to Adam with the sheet still wrapped tightly around her. Adam growled warningly and pulled her into his side and wrapped his arm around her as he scowled at Allen dangerously. Ann rubbed her fingers backward and forwards gently over the back of his hand, hoping that he would be calmed down a little by the sensation. She half wished that by some miracle, those telltale sparks would appear under her fingertips, but they didn¡¯t and she felt her heart sink in disappointment. ¡°When did you two mark each other? I didn¡¯t¡­ does this mean that you¡¯re actually mates?! You weren¡¯t even in herest night when I came back to speak to you, Alpha! Where were you! ¡°Allen demanded suddenly, with a look of incredulity on his face. Adam growled lowly, the deep rumble seemingly vibrating through the air, and Ann sighed lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the marks, that¡¯s our business and no one else¡¯s.¡± Adam snarled. ¡°Adam, Allen is only concerned. Be reasonable.¡± Ann said soothingly as she smiled lightly at the confused Beta in front of them. ¡°We decided to take our wolves for a runst night Allen. That¡¯s all. They needed a little break and to stretch their legs, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m sorry we worried you.¡± ¡®It would be nice if you actually did let us out for a run..¡¯ Maeve grumbled ¡®I will when it¡¯s safe to Maeve, I don¡¯t want anything to go wrong here.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ she snorted derisively, ¡®You don¡¯t think that I can protect you?¡± ¡®Not at all, I know you¡¯re more than capable, what I¡¯m worried about is you being susceptible to outside influences again and being forced into doing something regrettable.¡¯ Ann exined calmly as she felt Maeve descend into a sulky silence at her words. Allen looked between the two of them warily before sighing and gesturing wildly to the new marks on their necks. ¡°Whatever this is¡­ I just hope that you don¡¯t regret any of it. It should be enough to shut the Elders up anyway. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into themtely. They¡¯re currently,millu about downstairs waiting to catch a glimpse of the Luna and her mark¡± He said as he sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°If theyy one hand on her¡­¡± Adam snarled. ¡°Yes¡­ they will be appropriately punished Adam, I know. I certainly didn¡¯t expect them to challenge your authority so openly anyway. I was pretty shocked if I¡¯m honest.¡± Allen said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Anyway, breakfast is served downstairs. They seem to have gone all out this morning. There¡¯s chatter amongst some of the omegas that you two might end up with pups at some point soon¡­hence the huge breakfasts.¡± He grimaced. Ann blinked in surprise. ¡°They think I should be pregnant soon?¡± Ann said carefully as Maeve jumped around excitedly in her head. ¡°Well, no offence¡­ but¡­ you two aren¡¯t exactly quiet when you¡¯re going at it. Contracted or fated mate¡­ whatever you two are¡­ you certainly give the bonded mates a run for their money. 11 ¡®Allen sniggered as Ann¡¯s cheeks blushed a beautiful shade of scarlet. Adam grinned widely. ¡°I suppose it would be nice to have a few little ones running around, don¡¯t you think?¡± He said grinning as he turned to smile at Ann. The expression on his face froze before it slowly faded at the look of uncertainty on her face. Did she not want this as much as he did? After all, he was expected to bear heirs at some point, and now with the mark in ce, there was no disputing their bond. The first thing that mated couples normally did was to try for their first set of pups. They rarely waited unless there was some sort of strife in the pack or the packs that they were allied with that carried the risk of violence. ¡°Do you not think we should wait a little, Adam?¡± Ann asked hesitantly. Adam frowned at her and she swallowed nervously. ¡°I just mean, with so much going on at the minute and the¡­ uncertainty¡­ about certain issues,¡± She said looking meaningfully between Allen and Adam, ¡°I¡¯m not sure it would be safe for me to be pregnant at the minute.¡± Allen hummed thoughtfully. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Alpha, she could be the target of any attacks¡­ as well as your unborn pups. Whether your bond is real with her or not, the bond with your pups is a blood bond. It would devastate you and leave you open to further attacks.¡± A cold chill swept over Adam. They were right. He hadn¡¯t considered that his own unborn children might be casualties of whatever was going on in the shadows. He sighed heavily. ¡°Okay. Point taken.¡± He said brusquely as Ann seemed to let out an audible sigh of relief, which for some reason, made Adam¡¯s heart hurt painfully. ¡°Come on then you two lovebirds, hurry up ande down for breakfast. Let¡¯s see what these old farts have been plotting¡± Allen said as he smiled tightly One thing was for sure, today seemed like it was going to be a difficult one. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 61 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 61 CHAPTER 61 The Lie Ann¡¯s stomach seemed to tie itself in knots as they descended the stairs together and made their way into the dining room. She had felt Adam¡¯s tension increase as he readied himself for a confrontation with the elders¡­ but it never materialized. The hallway and dining room were empty apart from the usual Omega¡¯s scurrying about. The tension seemed to dissipate almost immediately from Adam¡¯s shoulders and he pulled a chair out at the dining table for Ann to sit at with a tight smile. They hadn¡¯t chosen to dress any differently, assuming that it may arouse suspicion if their usual styles had changed. Ann sat in a pale blue merino wool sweater with a high neck and her hair down, and Adam had stuck with his usual business suit with a high neck cor on his shirt. They chatted lightly about their ns for the day. After all, nothing had changed in their work lives and they still had important meetings to attend to. As they talked quietly between themselves, the dining hall began to fill up with members of the Pack that had attended the morning¡¯s training. The majority of females eyed Ann suspiciously as they filed in, whispering behind their hands and staring pointedly at them both. Both she and Adam were aware of the subtle change in the attitude of the Pack¡¯s members. They were giving off a distinctly unfriendly feeling towards Ann, and she shifted ufortably in her seat as Adam leaned towards her to whisper in her ear reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ann. They won¡¯t approach you while I¡¯m here.¡± Ann snorted and turned to look at him with a glint in her eye. ¡°Adam, It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not afraid of them, you know? I can handle myself and if, for some reason, I can¡¯t, then Maeve will handle the rest.¡± She whispered back with a soft smile. Adam frowned slightly. Wasn¡¯t that his job? To protect his mate from any threats? Did she really not need him? He blinked, a little stunned as he realized that he had, for the briefest of moments, thought of her as his true mate and not merely a contracted mate. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that something more was going on between the two of them. Yet, he couldn¡¯t quite decide just what that ¡®something¡¯ was. Was this fake mark intensifying his feelings for her? Was it just a by-product of the Daemon magick? He stared at Ann spectively as he leaned back in his chair. It was as if she was already imprinted in his heart and although his wolf rarelymunicated with him, even before the Daemon Lord¡¯s help with the mark, he couldn¡¯t get her out of his head ¡°Is everything okay Adam?¡± Ann asked, her eyes searching his and filled with concern. ¡°If theyy one hand on her¡­¡± Adam snarled. ¡°Yes¡­ they will be appropriately punished Adam, I know. I certainly didn¡¯t expect them to challenge your authority so openly anyway. I was pretty shocked if I¡¯m honest.¡± Allen said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Anyway, breakfast is served downstairs. They seem to have gone all out this morning. There¡¯s chatter amongst some of the omegas that you two might end up with pups at some point soon¡­hence the huge breakfasts.¡± He grimaced.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ann blinked in surprise. ¡°They think I should be pregnant soon?¡± Ann said carefully as Maeve jumped around excitedly in her head. ¡°Well, no offence¡­ but¡­ you two aren¡¯t exactly quiet when you¡¯re going at it. Contracted or fated mate¡­ whatever you two are¡­ you certainly give the bonded mates a run for their money. ¡°Allen sniggered as Ann¡¯s cheeks blushed a beautiful shade of scarlet. Adam grinned widely. ¡°I suppose it would be nice to have a few little ones running around, don¡¯t you think?¡± He said grinning as he turned to smile at Ann. The expression on his face froze before it slowly faded at the look of uncertainty on her face. Did she not want this as much as he did? After all, he was expected to bear heirs at some point, and now with the mark in ce, there was no disputing their bond. The first thing that mated couples normally did was to try for their first set of pups. They rarely waited unless there was some sort of strife in the pack or the packs that they were allied with that carried the risk of violence. ¡°Do you not think we should wait a little, Adam?¡± Ann asked hesitantly. Adam frowned at her and she swallowed nervously. ¡°I just mean, with so much going on at the minute and the¡­ uncertainty¡­ about certain. issues,¡± She said looking meaningfully between Allen and Adam, ¡°I¡¯m not sure it would be safe for me to be pregnant at the minute.¡± Allen hummed thoughtfully. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Alpha, she could be the target of any attacks¡­ as well as your unborn pups. Whether your bond is real with her or not, the bond with your pups is a blood bond. It would devastate you and leave you open to further attacks.¡± A cold chill swept over Adam. They were right. He hadn¡¯t considered that his own unborn children might be casualties of whatever was going on in the shadows. He sighed heavily. ¡°Okay. Point taken ¡± He said brusquely as Ann seemed to let out an audible sigh of relief, which for some reason, made Adam¡¯s heart hurt painfully. ¡°Come on then you two lovebirds, hurry up ande down for breakfast. Let¡¯s see what these old farts have been plotting¡± Allen said as he smiled tightly One thing was for sure, today seemed like it was going to be a difficult one. Adam smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just lost in thought for a moment Ann, that¡¯s all.¡± He answered dismissively as his eyes were drawn to the figure of an agile-looking raven-haired woman who threw malicious-looking res towards Ann. Adam growled lightly in her direction, making Ann jump a little as she turned to see what was bothering him. The woman smirked as she approached them, her hate-filled eyes focused intently on Ann as Adam stood slowly next to Ann, in readiness for whatever this woman had in store. Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t feel like it was going to be a pleasant experience for them. As the woman came to a stop in front of them, Adam stepped in front of Ann and growled again lowly. ¡°Alpha,¡± the woman greeted with a deferential tilt of her head, ¡°I would like a moment to talk with our Luna, if I may.¡¯ Her voice was like silk and it made Adam¡¯s skin crawl for some unknown reason. He frowned as he shook the feeling away and tried to ce her face, yet he couldn¡¯t. She was familiar, yet not¡­ and the fact that he couldn¡¯t recall her, or her position in the Pack perplexed him. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and he shifted slightly, his mistrust and aggressive apprehension clear in his stance. ¡°And just what do you need to speak to my mate about?¡± Adam said in a dangerously low tone. The woman chuckled darkly. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s your mate, Alpha? It¡¯s been said that you haven¡¯t even bothered to mark her. Now what kind of Alpha doesn¡¯t im, mark and mate his goddess intended as soon as they have the chance?¡± She answered with a cocky smirk, folding her arms arrogantly in front of her. Adam¡¯s face darkened instantly as he sneered at her. ¡°You¡¯re overstepping female. I don¡¯t know who you are, nor why you dare to challenge my authority in such a way but¡­¡± ¡°She challenges you because you have lied to the Pack!¡± A cold contemptuous voice rang out across the dining room. ¡°This Pack is your family and you are charged with our safety and wellbeing¡­ yet¡­ you lie to us about the true status of your mate!¡± The low hum of conversation ceased immediately as an almost deafening silence descended in the dining hall. Every face turned to look at the person who was bold enough to speak so condescendingly to their Alpha and a mixture of emotions ran across them all. Some nodded in agreement whereas others frowned their disapproval, and others were merely curious as to what was going on. Ann¡¯s mouth set in a grim line as she watched a small group of the Elders enter the dining hall with Tomas emerging at the front of them with a disdainful sneer on his face. She flicked her eyes to the woman who had approached them and for the briefest moment, she felt as if she almost recognized her. The disdainful sneer and malice that danced in her eyes felt as familiar as her own skin, but as quick as it had appeared both the woman¡¯s expression and the feeling that sent a cold shiver down her spine fluttered out of reach as she grasped wildly after it. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 62 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 62 CHAPTER 62 She is Nothing but a Glorified Whore! ¡®Maeve¡­that woman¡­¡¯ Ann began hesitantly as she stared intently at the woman¡¯s face. ¡®Before you say anything else¡­.don¡¯t. I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking. I feel the same way about her.¡¯ She growled furiously in reply. ¡®Why does she make my skin crawl though? It¡¯s as if¡­¡¯ ¡®She makes us feel this way because she¡¯s full of darkness, Ann. Before you ask¡­ yes. We do know her. We have met her before.¡± Ann struggled with the fury that she felt rolling from Maeve and without warning Adam¡¯s arm reached backward and his fingers closed around her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. The small gesture surprised her and her heart seemed to flip. It was almost as if he could sense how she was feeling¡­ but that was impossible¡­ right? ¡®Nothing is impossible with the Daemon Lord¡¯s power, Ann. You wanted it to be convincing¡­ perhaps he has made it so that everything is shared between you¡­including mimicking the intricacies of the bond.¡¯ Maeve mused, the anger still clear but decidedly less intense after Adam¡¯s touch. Ann wasn¡¯t sure what to think about this development, and she was more curious still about just who this woman was, but her attention was drawn by the figure of Tomas, rapidly striding across the dining hall towards them. ¡®Look at that crusty little prick. Who does he think he is?! How dare he challenge their Alpha this way?!¡¯ Maeve roared in indignation in her head. ¡®He¡¯s not wrong about the subterfuge though Maeve, we have faked the mark¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant! Adam will always do what is best for his Pack and his personal life is none of the Elder¡¯s concern!¡¯ She roared furiously in her head. Ann winced slightly at the tone in her voice as she tried her best to block her violent threats toward the elders out. Maeve¡¯s anger and indignation were infectious and she could feel her own anxiety and emotions mirroring Maeve¡¯s. Tomas came to a stop in front of Adam and swept his eyes over him disdainfully, not even bothering to hide the contempt he felt for him anymore as Adam growled warningly. ¡°You don¡¯t intimidate me anymore Alpha. Not now that your lies have been revealed. Alpha or not, you cannot prevail against so many of us.¡± He spat viciously. Adam¡¯s face was expressionless as he stared coldly back at him. ¡°Prevail? What exactly do you intend to aplish here Tomas? I thought I made it clear that if you continued with this nonsense then you and those involved would not go unpunished?¡± Adam¡¯s voice was calm but carried the promise of violence in the undertone that ran through it. The sound excited Maeve and Ann could feel her lustful desires towards her mate at this small disy of dominance. She had to force herself not to roll her eyes. This was neither the time, nor the ce for such. distracting thoughts¡­ but she couldn¡¯t help but bite her lip gently as the wave of arousal swept through her. A condescendingugh rang out from Tomas¡¯s mouth as he jabbed Adam hard in his chest with his bony finger. ¡°All of this posturing is futile, Adam. You know as well as I do that you haven¡¯t marked that woman. She is nothing but a glorified whore! Forsaking her true mate because of you!¡± In one swift motion, Adam¡¯s arm shot up and his fingers wrapped around the old man¡¯s throat tightly. ¡®Say that again old man and I promise I will make your death as slow and painful as possible. ¡°Adam snarled furiously. But, Tomas was unmoved. There was no trace of fear in his eyes as he stared back at Adam. ¡°She is a whore. And you are no better. She bears no mark on her. She does not belong to you, nor this Pack!¡± Tomas ground out as he nced towards the raven-haired woman and grinned toothily. At this moment, he looked certifiably insane, his eyes shining with a manic light as he gestured to the raven-haired woman. The scene ying out in the middle of the dining hall had drawn a huge crowd of onlookers. The Omegas were whispering in terror between themselves and there was a clear divide between the ranked wolves of who stood behind their Alpha no matter what his decision, and those that agreed with the elders. It wasn¡¯t long before those that sided with the elders began whispering loudly vicious words towards Ann and Adam and the raven-haired woman seemed to smile triumphantly. ¡°Esmerelda! Now is the time!¡± Tomas crowed excitedly in between manicughs. ¡°Prove that she has no mark! Show the Pack that the words of this pathetic Alpha cannot be trusted!¡± Ann turned towards Esmerelda in shock as Maeve protested loudly in her head. This whole situation was insane! Before she could react, Esmerelda was on her,unching towards her and throwing Ann off the chair and onto the ground, pinning her in ce with her body as she fought her way astride her and sat above her, panting heavily against her struggles. Esmerelda smirked down at her, her eyes shining with hatred as she spat directly in her face. Adam roared furiously and attempted to lunge toward her, but he was restrained on all sides by the Elders and Pack members that had faith in Tomas¡¯s ramblings. ¡°Some princess you are! You can¡¯t even protect yourself from attacks! The royal bloodline is weak!¡± Esmerelda mocked as Ann smiled serenely up at her. ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake doing this, you know.¡± Ann answered calmly as she fought Maeve¡¯s fury in her head. Esmerelda smirked down at her as she lifted her hand and brought it down violently across Ann¡¯s face. The sound of her palm connecting with Ann¡¯s face echoed around the room as the Omegas cried out in outrage but were swiftly silenced by res from the Elders. The wolves that had sided with Adam moved to stand as a barrier between the Omegas and this clear uprising that some of the elders had started. It was clear that the old ways had obviously not beenpletely forgotten by some in the Pack and Adam swore to root out the culprits when all of this was over. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°If you force this now, Tomas, you will pay dearly. Do you really think I will let this slide once. you are proven wrong?¡± Adam growled loudly. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 63 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 63 CHAPTER 63 The Goddess Gifts The faintest flicker of doubt crossed Tomas¡¯s face as he nced toward where Esmerelda held Ann. It bothered him that Ann wasn¡¯t showing more resistance to this confrontation. If she didn¡¯t have a mark, then surely she would be struggling more. No¡­ this had to be a ploy to lull them into a false sense of security. A false disy of overconfidence to distract them and confuse them. That was it. That was all that was happening here. The priestess couldn¡¯t be wrong. Esmerelda had been instrumental in uncovering the Alpha¡¯s lies and she would be rewarded richly once this was all over. Tomasughed disdainfully as he approached Adam and peered at his face through narrowed eyes before he pulled his arm back and released his fist at full force into Adam¡¯s face. Adam¡¯s head snapped to the side as he felt the burning sensation spread across his face. The humiliating jeers from the wolves behind Tomas ignited a cold fury in his stomach and for the first time in years, he felt his wolf stir. He shook his head slowly at the wolves protecting the Omega¡¯s and a calctive smile spread across his face at Tomas¡¯s triumphant grin as he turned his back on him. ¡°Stop ying with her Esmerelda and show them.¡± he barked impatiently. Esmerelda smirked as she dug her fingers painfully into Ann¡¯s jawline, her fingernails sinking into the delicate skin of her face as her head was forced to the side at an unnatural angle. ¡°I¡¯m going to have fun destroying you after this you little bitch.¡± Esmerelda whispered. viciously as she took hold of the rolled neck of Ann¡¯s sweater and pulled it downwards, revealing her neck to the Pack members assembled around them. Esmerelda¡¯s face froze as she pulled the neck of Ann¡¯s jumper downward and gasps rippled around the room. of shock The silver outline of Adam¡¯s mark was imprinted clearly on the pale skin of her neck, just above her corbone. As her grip loosened on Ann¡¯s face, Ann turned her head slowly to stare mockingly up at her as a slow smirk spread across her mouth. ¡°No! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not possible!¡± Esmerelda stuttered in disbelief, shaking her head as if she could deny it with merely her words. ¡°Oh, but it is possible.¡± Ann murmured quietly as Maeve¡¯s strength and fury surged through her. ¡°No! There is no way!¡± Esmerelda protested loudly, her voice rising rapidly as she realized her mistake, hurriedly getting off Ann and backing away fearfully. Ann chuckled as she stood as elegantly as she could and dusted herself down, smoothing her clothes as she did so and calmly walked towards her, her steps slow and deliberate. ¡°The goddess gifts deserving wolves with second chance mates, Esmerelda. Do you know nothing of our history? Of our origins?¡± Ann smirked as continued slowly towards the woman who was stumbling backward over chairs in an effort to get away from her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Ann¡¯s eyes glowed brightly as Maeve stared furiously out from her eyes, sitting side by side. with Ann as they advanced towards their prey. Esmerelda¡¯s former bravado seemed to have dissipated as the low murmur of wolves rippled against the actions of Tomas and Esmerelda, now calling for their punishment at the audacity of their actions. The wolves restraining Adam had hurriedly let go of his arms and backed away with hasty apologies, prostrating themselves on the floor before him and baring their necks as a sign of theirplete submission.. Adam said nothing as he glowered at the stunned and shaking figure of Tomas before him, now standing alone as his former conspirators rapidly abandoned him and moved from his side. Allen raced to Adam¡¯s side, panting and out of breath as he screeched to a halt beside him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alpha, I came as soon as I heard, I was grabbing the paperwork for the meeting this afternoon and when I heard, I was stopped outside of the corridor. They wouldn¡¯t allow me to pass. If I¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Allen.¡± Adam said coldly. ¡°Secure Tomas and the Elders that supported him in the cells below. Actually, any of the wolves that supported them..secure them too. I want to take my time questioning them.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes never left Ann as Allen nodded curtly and began directing the guards and conveying their orders. Adam watched her stalk carefully towards this familiar yet not familiar raven-haired woman they called Esmerelda. He was curious as to how she would handle this, and why she hadn¡¯t resisted before. She looked beautiful as she pursued that woman in front of her calmly and with a sophisticated elegance that he hadn¡¯t seen before in the midst of a hunt. The energy she exuded was calm yet held the promise of violence, and the fire in her eyes was both chilling yet burned with a furious heat that even his wolf stirred slightly at. What power must this daemon magick hold to make him feel this way about a woman that he contracted as a safeguard for his own life as well as his Pack¡¯s longevity? The wolves and Omega¡¯s that had stood in Esmerelda¡¯s path as she hastily retreated moved. clear with furious growls, their eyes burning with anger as she passed, and lowering their heads respectfully as Ann stalked past them, her gaze focused solely on her quarry. Eventually, Esmerelda¡¯s back hit the wall and she looked around her frantically for a way to escape, but there was none. She was entirely at Ann¡¯s mercy in this moment and she screamed in outrage internally. Ann drew level with her and stood only centimeters away. If she wanted to, she could end Ann¡¯s life here and now, but that would also result in her own demise and she couldn¡¯t afford that. There was still so much to do. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you were making a mistake?¡± Ann said as she stared at her with an emotionless expression, her tone t and cold as she swept her eyes over her. Esmereldaposed herself and sneered. ¡°You¡¯re a fraud. You¡¯re not his true mate! There¡¯s no way!¡± ¡°It would seem his mark on my flesh suggests otherwise.¡± Ann answered dryly, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°Then it¡¯s nothing but a trick! You faked it!¡± Esmerelda hissed furiously. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 64 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 64 CHAPTER 64 The Darkness in You ¡°Oh? Enlighten us then, which method can be used to fake a bond because in all of my life I have never heard of such a way.¡± Ann answered nonchntly. If they were to be convincing in this ploy, then she had to call her bluff. Ann knew she was lying and as much as she tried to avoid it in her everyday life, this was the Pack¡¯s well-being that was at stake as well as Adam¡¯s position. A chosen mate didn¡¯t make you a bad Alpha, and with Adam¡¯s unique situation with the curse that consumed his bond with his wolf and his mate, what other choice did he have? Esmerelda didn¡¯t answer and instead scowled at her furiously. Ann was sure that if looks could kill, then she would be dead in a second, but thankfully, that was not a possibility. So instead Ann smiled serenely, the calm attitude that she exuded infuriating Esmerelda further. Ann leaned in a little closer towards her and smiled widely as she stared confidently into her eyes, seeing the look of unease that flitted across the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what you are¡­¡± Ann grinned. Esmerelda blinked in shock and the color seemed to drain from her face. ¡°What!? What are you talking about?!¡± She protested shrilly, the panic bleeding into her voice. Ann chuckled before her face set into a cold mask, all humor was gone in a second. ¡°The darkness in you¡­ I see it¡­ I feel it.¡± Ann almost whispered with a knowing glint in her eyes. Esmerelda¡¯s eyes widened fearfully as she stammered her weak protests before Annid a solitary finger on her lips. ¡°Hush. There¡¯s no denying your true nature anymore. I am curious about one thing though.¡± Ann said with a smirk as she raised her voice just enough to be heard by the rest of the assembled Pack. ¡°Just what exactly is a dark witch doing consorting with and influencing the Elder¡¯s of a long- established, and powerful Pack, hmm?¡± Esmerelda was silent as she tried her best to gauge whether or not Ann truly knew or if she was merely bluffing in an effort to force her to reveal her identity. She snorted internally. This foolish princess had no idea who she was up against. Esmerelda nced to the side and watched in seething silence as Tomas and his supporters were gathered up and led away. Every single one of them looked miserable and downcast, all of their earlier bravado now gone. All of her years of hard work had been destroyed in mere seconds. She could feel the oppressive stares of the remaining Pack members focused on her as Ann stood before her arrogantly. One thing was for sure, Narcissa and that half-breed of a daughter of hers had vastly underestimated Ann¡¯s capabilities. There was no possible way that both Ann and Adam were fated mates. Unless their pitiful little goddess had decided to get involved. Esmerelda¡¯s stomach twisted painfully at the thought of the possibility but she quickly discounted it. The werewolf¡¯s pathetic little goddess had abandoned her children long ago. There was no power left in her priestesses, which was exactly why Tomas had believed in her schemes so easily. It hadn¡¯t taken much to win him over at all. A bitter old man, desperate for affection yet mistrustful of outsiders was an easy victim for her misdirection and seduction. It hadn¡¯t taken her long at all to worm her way into his good graces and be his constant, and faithful bedpanion, avable whenever he called and whispering her schemes into his impressionable little mind. It had been a stroke of genius of her own making, once she realized that the coven¡¯s hopes for this operation hinged on her rival Narcissa and her half-wit of a daughter. A few sly words to the coven mother had been all it took to ensure that she was avable as a backup n, and now, with this one mistake, nearly 20 years of hard work was gone in an instant. She had been so close to taking control¡­ Esmereldaughed suddenly and grinned, earning a few growls and a mild look of confusion from Ann. ¡°You think you¡¯re so clever, don¡¯t you?¡± Esmerelda sneered at Ann, the serene demeanor that she disyed infuriating her further. ¡°Do you have any idea the ns that are in motion? You pathetic wolves are nothing anymore without your precious goddess. You¡¯re fit for nothing more than very. It is you who should kneel at the feet of your rightful masters like the fucking dogs you are!¡± She spat angrily to a chorus of furious snarls. Ann remained in front of her,pletely unmoved by her outburst, and smiled warmly. ¡®Let me rip her face off! Just a bite! I¡¯ll still leave enough of her to questionter¡­¡¯ Maeve snarled viciously in her mind as Ann shook her head gently and ignored her pleading. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Now now, since when did the darkness ever prevail, hmm?¡± Ann asked Esmerelda with a wry grin. ¡°Has the history of our kinds not taught you anything?¡± ¡°Ask your precious Alpha! He should know! The darkness lives inside him and rots him from the inside out! He¡¯ll never find his true mate! You are an imposter!¡± Esmerelda shrieked as she pointed a shaking finger at Ann¡¯s face. Ann nced across in Adam¡¯s direction. His face was as still as a fine marble sculpture, but the set of his shoulders told Ann just how anxious he was. As nonchnt as he appeared, she could almost feel the waves of panic rolling off him, but none of the assembled wolves seemed to have noticed. If she didn¡¯t act quickly, then they risked his secret being revealed to the entire Pack, and who knows what that would do to them collectively? Ann swept her eyes across the remaining wolves and smiled warmly at each of them as her eyes drifted over them. ¡°An impostor?¡± Ann chuckled humourlessly. ¡°You dare to continue to call me an impostor when even now I wear his mark proudly on my body?¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 65 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 65 CHAPTER 65 Why Do you Look So Sad? Ann rolled her eyes as she gestured to the wolves. ¡°As much as I find it degrading to do so, I invite you all to inspect the im that your Alpha has made upon my body. If that is what I must do to prove that this woman spouts nothing but lies, then so be it.¡± A low murmur rose from the wolves as they took a step backward, clearly hesitant to offend either their Alpha or their Luna. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be afraid to do so. I want to put a stop to this insanity. This Pack had been so weing to me when I first came, but I felt it only moments ago¡­the shift in your attitude toward me. If this will provide the reassurance you need then, as your Luna, I am willing to take that step.¡± Ann said quietly. Not a single wolf moved towards her, all of them averting their eyes as one before a voice rose above them, strong and clear. ¡°Forgive me for speaking out, my Luna, but, none of us ever doubted you. We have faith in our Alpha and you, as our Luna. Whether you were his fated mate or his chosen, to me at least, it didn¡¯t matter. A strong Pack has strong leaders and Alpha Nocturne has always been that to us.¡± A murmur of agreement rippled around the room as the male voice continued. ¡°As for this ¡®darkness¡¯ that the witch ims lives inside of him¡­I don¡¯t believe it for a second. We have all seen the mark you bear no thanks to this¡­ female¡¯s forcible exposure. She says that the darkness will prevent him from ever finding his true mate¡­ but you are marked¡­ and we are all fully aware of the mating that takes ce between you both¡­¡± A ripple of chuckles ran around the room and Ann felt her cheeks color as she nced across at Adam who, for some reason, grinned proudly at her. ¡°That in itself proves that she spouts nothing but falsehoods. I don¡¯t know much about witches in general, but I remember the stories of my ancestors about the dark witches¡¯ ability to sow discord and doubt amongst others, turning family and friends against one another effortlessly and bringing once prosperous settlements to their knees. It would seem that this is what she intends. For what purpose¡­.I do not know¡­¡± Ann nodded thoughtfully at the silence that followed his words as she turned back to face Esmerelda whose face was a picture of fury. ¡°You see? I see you for what you are¡­ as do the rest of these wolves¡­ my Pack¡­ my family.¡± Ann stated confidently as she took a step forward towards Esmerelda, her eyes rapidly beginning to widen as she realized that there was no way this was going to go her way. ¡°As their Luna, and the heir to the throne of the Alpha King, I feel it is my duty to put a stop to this.¡± Ann said calmly as she gestured to the guards hovering at the edges of the room. ¡°I think it would be wise to have her sealed in the cells for a little while.¡± Ann continued calmly as Adam made his way over to her side and narrowed his eyes at Esmerelda. ¡°Make sure she¡¯s put in the dampening cell, and ensure that no one talks to her or sees her apart from me or your Luna Do you understand?¡± Adam interjected as they advanced on her. Esmerelda struggled fiercely as they dragged her away and with a final shriek of outrage, two more guards joined them and she was carried away to await her fate in the dampening cells below. As her screams faded away into the distance, Adam ced his arm around Ann and smiled gently at her. ¡°You did well, my Luna. I do have one question though.¡± ¡°Oh? And just what would that be my Alpha?¡± Ann purred, turning to meet his smile with one of her own. Adam¡¯s eyes darkened instantly at her tone and she could read the lust in his eyes almost instantly. ¡°I was merely curious as to why I could smell the desire rolling off you when I merely protected what was mine.¡± He smirked. Ann¡¯s cheeks flushed instantly as he chuckled darkly. ¡°I don¡¯t need protecting Alpha¡­¡± She protested weakly as she avoided his eyes, suddenly bashful under his intense gaze. ¡°I can see that¡­ perhaps I¡¯ll be a little more dominant with you when I get my chance to be alone with you again.¡± He teased as he ran his hands over her hips. Ann looked up at him through her eyshes and smirked yfully. She could feel the familiar warmth of desire rapidly spreading through her as the heat between her legs grew to an almost unbearable level, begging to be satisfied by the man before her. ¡°Why wait until then¡­ my Alpha?¡± She teased. Adam growled suddenly and before she knew what was happening, she had been tossed over his shoulder and was being carried out of the dining hall and up the stairs towards their bedroom, much to the amusement of their fellow Pack members that still littered the hall and corridors. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As Adam rolled off her for the third time and draped his armzily across her stomach Ann. turned her head to look at him, her breathing still a little quicker than normal from the exertion of their morning so far. He grinnedzily at her as her eyes met his and she felt the heat creep up into her cheeks as she blushed and forced herself not to look away. How had she gotten so lucky to end up with a man such as thispletely by ident? Ann could feel herself falling deeper and deeper in love with him as each day passed and the thought terrified her. She knew that once his true mate showed up, she would lose him forever, and it tore her heart apart. Macve whined sadly inside of her and Adam¡¯s brows furrowed in concern. ¡°My Luna¡­ why do you look so sad?¡± he murmured as he brought his hand up to cup her face, stroking her cheeks softly. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 66 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 66 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 66 You are Mine, Ann The mere touch of his skin against hers soothed her like nothing else ever could, and she smiled softly, biting back the overwhelming despair that threatened to swallow her entirely. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important, my Alpha,¡± she whispered mournfully, trying and failing to keep the tremor from her voice. Title of the document Adam frowned at her as his eyes searched her face desperately for any answers that might lie hidden there. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you hide things from me, Ann. Why won¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing to tell, Adam.¡± She replied, swearing internally as she struggled to swallow her grief and get her emotions under control. Ann sighed as she pulled away from him and sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest as she hung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Adam asked, the barest hint of panic in his voice. Had he done something wrong? Was she leaving him already? Ann chuckled as she turned and smiled over her shoulder at him. ¡°I¡¯m going for a shower. I can¡¯t exactly go to work with the scent of our f*uc*king lingering around me can I?¡± Adam scowled at her which just made Annugh louder. ¡°Seriously Adam? Is your mark on me not enough?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being engulfed by the scent of your mate,¡± he grumbled quietly as she strode away chuckling to herself and entered the bathroom. Adam stared sullenly at the closed door before he realized with a start that he had done it again. The fact that she was his contracted mate seemed to escape him every time he thought of her. The more intimate they became, the more he felt himself falling for her. Having her wear his mark, and seeing the imprint on her beautiful skin only seemed to make the mating more real in his mind. He felt as though she was engulfing every waking second of his thoughts. What if she really did have a second chance mate out there somewhere and he snatched her away from him? This was the only time that Adam could remember in his long memory, that he had ever felt truly at peace. She dissolved his frosty demeanor with little effort and he could barely remember life without her before. Ann was everything that he had ever wanted in a mate. The thought of losing her made his chest feel as though it would explode in a burning rain of fire and fury. No. It would never happen¡­ It couldn¡¯t. Contracted or not, she was his Luna, his mate and he didn¡¯t intend to ever let anyone take that from him. His brooding was cut short as the bathroom door was opened and Ann sauntered out, the beads of moisture from her shower clinging to her skin. She towel-dried her hair casually as she crossed the room to her wardrobe and opened the door, perusing the clothes inside leisurely, blissfully unaware of the insatiable hunger of the male behind her as he stalked quietly toward her. She felt his lips against her mark as his hands slid to the front of her body and slipped This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. underneath the towel, loosening it deftly as it dropped to the floor. ¡°Adam¡­ what¡­¡± she stammered in surprise. Was he still not satisfied after ravaging her for the majority of the morning? ¡°You are mine, Ann.¡± he growled dangerously from behind her, the tone he used almost made her heart stop beating. It was the tone of an Alpha male¡¯s possessive fury, and it both terrified yet excited her. ¡°Adam..¡± ¡°Say it!¡± He growled as he spun her f0rcefully to face him. The passion and fury in his eyes made her legs tremble and unwillingly, the l*stful fire burst into life inside of her again. Ann met his gaze as she swallowed nervously at this sudden anger emanating from him. If she didn¡¯t know better, she would have thought that his wolf sat at his side as he scowled at her furiously. Adam¡¯s grip tightened on her arms as he scowled down at her. ¡°SAY THAT YOU¡¯RE MINE ANN!¡± He roared furiously as Ann yelped in fright. ¡°I¡¯m yours, Adam! Only yours!¡± She said quickly, a trace of panic in her voice as Adam n*ake*d body against his as if his life depended on it. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone Ann¡­¡± He murmured quietly as she brought her hands up to run her fingers up and down his muscr back soothingly. ¡°I¡¯m yours, Adam¡­always yours¡­for as long as you want me¡­¡± ¡°Always?¡± He asked as he pulled away from her and searched her eyes for answers that she didn¡¯t have. He looked like a frightened child at that moment and it broke her heart. ¡°Always, my Alpha.¡± she whispered as his lips crashed onto hers, iming her as his for the fourth time that morning. By the time they emerged from their bedroom and headed downstairs, they had both given up the idea of going to work today. Ann had already called ahead and rescheduled her nned appointments, apologizing profusely but not stating her reasons why. Not that she had to, of course. She had built up enough of a reputation for her clientele to know that it must be something urgent if she canceledst minute on them. She had no idea what hade over Adam, but he was overly protective and clingy, staying close to her and insisting on touching her at every avable opportunity. If she was honest, she was beginning to feel a little crowded by it all, but at the same time, his affection was rea*s*suring to her. At least she didn¡¯t feel as if she was a stupid lovesick teenager anymore because it seemed ringly obvious to her that Adam was being gued by the same doubts that seemed to invade her mind at unwanted moments. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 67 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 67 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 67 The Necessary Arrangements They spent the day in each other¡¯spany discussing various aspects of her uing projects and Adam surprised her with his keen insight into some of the more nuanced aspects of her work. The sprawling mansion with extensive grounds that had beenmissioned by the gorgons, for example, sparked an enlightening debate regarding what surfaces and materials could be used as nothing in the slightest bit reflective could be used in their decor or construction of the building. Title of the document Allen had joined them close to teatime and brought them an update on the people held in the cells after this morning¡¯s insanity at breakfast. ¡°Alpha, are you intending on questioning them today?¡± Allen asked as heid his notebook on the table. Adam shook his head as he stared out across the garden from their position on the porch. ¡°No. I¡¯m worried that I might not be able to control my temper if I confront them too soon. It seems I¡¯ve been a little¡­I don¡¯t know, ¡®off it¡¯ today, I suppose.¡± He said as he nced across at Ann. Ann smiled warmly as she nodded back at him. ¡°It¡¯s okay to have off days, Adam. Isn¡¯t that what your Beta and Luna are for? To help ground you and support you when things get a little crazy?¡± Allen chuckled. ¡°You know, I would never have believed that the old fart would be so bold as to confront you in front of everyone, Adam, especially speaking ill of the Luna so openly and under the direction of a witch?¡± He snorted as he shook his head disbelievingly. ¡°The whole situation is preposterous.¡± The silence between the three of them extended for a little while, punctuated only by the intermittent song of the nightingales that flitted about as the sun set behind the forest. ¡°How did you know she was a witch, Luna?¡± Allen asked curiously, focusing his gaze on her intently. Ann sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t, really. It was more of an educated guess. Maeve said that she could smell the darkness in her, and that we had seen her before. The fact that I couldn¡¯t ce why she was familiar to me was a huge contributing factor though.¡± ¡°You felt that too?¡± Adam asked with furrowed brows as his head snapped towards her attentively. Ann nodded. ¡°Yes. I felt as if I knew her, but I didn¡¯t know how. She was familiar, yet not.¡± Ann shook her head wearily. ¡°It was an odd feeling to be sure. If anything, I¡¯m really good at remembering faces and names. I mean, I had to be! Think of all the thousands of delegates and important people that I¡¯ve met in the line of my royal duties over the years. It wouldn¡¯t go down well if I simply forgot someone would it?¡± ¡°I suppose not.¡± Allen chuckled. ¡°So, what do you intend to do with them, Alpha?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly Allen. I thought we had seeded in changing the way people think, but they were so quick to turn on the Omegas at the slightest inkling that I would be removed from power. Honestly, if they aren¡¯t willing to ept Omega¡¯s as equals for what they contribute, then I¡¯m not sure that I can allow them to remain in the Pack.¡± Allen frowned as he thought it over. ¡°You know it will be a huge loss to our numbers though, Alpha. Some of those incarcerated were some of our best fighters and trackers¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Adam snapped in irritation. ¡°If they won¡¯t conform to our moral standards here, then they don¡¯t deserve the sanctuary that our Pack provides. The strong should protect the weak, it has always been so! But that doesn¡¯t mean the weak should be punished for something they cannot help.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, you know, Allen. It¡¯s no different than if you punished a child for being a child and being incapable of fending off attacks. It¡¯s wrong. They provide a valuable service to our fighters so that they can focus on being on the top of their game.¡± Ann sighed, rubbing her neck tiredly and stretching her limbs out in front of her as she stifled a yawn. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have many alternatives, do we?¡± Allenmented dryly. Ann stared off into the distance briefly as a slow smile spread across her face. ¡°Perhaps there is an alternative¡­ listen. In the royal household, the living quarters for everyone are separate. The Omega¡¯s stationed there are purely for the use of the royal family and see to their needs alone. The guards are housed separately, in barracks off-site, and are expected to cater to their own needs, cooking, washing, cleaning etc,¡± Ann paused for breath as she looked between Allen and Adam¡¯s faces to try and gauge their expressions. ¡°Perhaps¡­ perhaps we could do the same here for a while, and let those who are wavering on the benefits of having the services of Omega¡¯s freely avable to them decide for themselves. A few months of mind-numbingbor on top of their training and exercise regimen should be enough to convince the majority of them.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes glinted with a light of anticipation. ¡°I think we still have the training grounds avable don¡¯t we Allen?¡± ¡°Well, yes Alpha, but it¡¯s not in a great state¡­¡± Allen answered hesitantly, the confusion clear on his face. ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t¡­there are no Omega¡¯s a*s*signed to that section now, are there?¡± Adam grinned wickedly as understanding dawned on Allen¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m a*s*suming that you would like the training program increased too, Alpha?¡± Allen asked nonchntly as he began busily scribbling in his notebook. ¡°I think that would be perfect Allen. Don¡¯t you?¡± As Allen hurried off to make the necessary arrangements, Adam leaned forward and refilled Ann¡¯s sswith the bottle of wine that stood in the middle of the table. ¡°You really are just full of bright ideas aren¡¯t you, my Luna?¡± He smirked yfully at T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. her. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 68 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 68 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 68 Apology Not epted ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, Adam. Those wolves are just spoiled and sometimes maybe all it takes is a reminder of just how privileged they are to have such a stable and prosperous Pack.¡± Adam chuckled softly. Title of the document ¡°You know, I am sorry for my out-of-character behavior today. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s gotten into me.¡± Adam said as he looked at her seriously. Ann smiled back at him as she raised the ssto her lips and took a sip of the biting red liquid within. ¡°It¡¯s fine Adam. Sometimes all it takes is a little rea*s*surance. This morning was unsettling and you¡¯ve known that things were going toe to head for days¡­ otherwise why else would we have paid a visit to Lexi and her father?¡± Ann smiled wryly at him. Adam snorted. She had a good point. This was probably the first time that his normally unshakeable grip on the leadership of the Pack had been threatened. Maybe Ann was right. It was usible that this was the reason he had been so unsettled. Afortable silence settled over them as they watched the sun disappear beneath the skyline and dusk descended across the night sky. ¡°Adam? Do you think Esmerelda and Narcissa are working together?¡± Ann suddenly asked with a thoughtful expression on her face. Adam looked across at her slowly, uncertain of how to respond. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°I know it seems far-fetched, but, with what we know already and then the appearance of yet another dark witch¡­doesn¡¯t it all seem a bit much to be just a coincidence?¡± Adam opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the ominous ringtone of Ann¡¯s mobile phone. Ann nced at the name shing on the caller ID and rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. ¡°Speak of the devil and she will appear¡­¡± she muttered under her breath bitterly as she reached for her phone. Adam extended his arm quickly and ced a hand on hers as he looked at her meaningfully. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer that, Ann, you can just ignore it you know.¡± He said softly. Annughed bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re right, I could. But don¡¯t I at least need to keep some sort of contact with them so that we have an idea of their next moves?¡± Adam grimaced unhappioy as she answered the call and sat back sullenly in his chair, frowning as she spoke to the person on the other end of the phone. ¡°What do you want, Ada?¡± Ann intoned emotionlessly as she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Now now sister, that¡¯s not very friendly,¡± Ada answered jovially. ¡°That¡¯s because we aren¡¯t friends. Don¡¯t waste my time, we both know this general chit-chat and biting back and forth has no meaning. Get to the point.¡± Ann snapped as Adam hid a smile. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be I¡¯m not sure I should have called at all..¡± Ann whined, her shrill tones loud enough for even Adam to hear. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m hanging up then, Ada,¡± Ann answered impassively. ¡°No, wait!¡± Ada said quickly before sighing heavily and continuing. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not very good at this okay?¡± ¡°Really? Something else you aren¡¯t very good at? The list grows longer by the day¡­¡± ¡°Ann, please. I¡¯m trying okay? I wanted to apologize¡­¡± ¡°Apology NOT epted. Have a nice life¡­¡± ¡°Ann, please! At least let me apologize in person to you. Don¡¯t you want to at least try to be reconciled? We are family after all, and you¡¯re going to have a niece or a nephew..¡± ¡°That bastard child of yours is no rtion to me whatsoever. We are not rted by blood and I don¡¯t im you as my sister Ada, I never will. At one point I would have forgiven and forgotten..but not now¡­¡± Ann hissed viciously, half regretting directing her anger towards the unborn child, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. The child¡¯s mere existence was juststing proof of her mate¡¯s betrayal, although it didn¡¯t hurt as much as it once had. ¡°Ann whatever I and Brad have done to you, our child is innocent in all of this..please¡­you are still family through marriage..¡± Ada pleaded, the desperation in her voice making Ann feel guilty for the briefest of seconds before she pushed it away. ¡°Ada, if the child wants to have contact with me when it is old enough to make that decision then I will wee it with open arms..despite its parent¡¯s failings. However, I will not have anything to do with you, your soon-to-be husband or your b*tch of a mother. Am I clear?¡± ¡°Ann¡­¡± Ada pleaded despairingly. ¡°Stop calling me, Ada. I have nothing to say to you. I hope you and Brad have a happy future together.¡± With that, Ann hung the call up and threw the phone on the table in front of her with a look of disgust on her face. ¡°Nicely done..¡± Adam said with a smirk. Ann snorted as she red off angrily into the distance and her fury rolled off her in waves. Adam smiled to himself as he drank in the sight of her. She was magnificent in her fury as Maeve danced in her eyes. He longed to share the bond with his wolf that Ann shared with Maeve but he was fully aware that it may never happen, yet, in Ann¡¯s presence, he could feel the faint stirrings of the beast within him and it excited him. ¡°In response to your earlier question before we were so rudely interrupted¡­I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s usible that they are somehow known to each other. I¡¯ll see if I can find out in my interrogations.¡± Adam said casually, wanting to redirect Ann¡¯s attention. The thought that she might still have feelings for Brad irritated him more than he liked to admit and all he could do was ensure that she was too busy and focused on him, to make sure that she forgot about that loser. Ann turned to him with a concerned expression. ¡°Are you interrogating her alone?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ll be prepared, don¡¯t worry. I intend to go there with a list of information that I want to know more about.¡± Ann nodded slowly and stifled a yawn, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s call it a night. Tonight has been¡­ eventful to say the least.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually nning on allowing me to sleep then?¡± Ann scoffed teasingly. ¡°Not just yet, my Luna¡­I intend to fill you with my s*eed until you from exhaustion.¡± Adam growled heatedly as Ann¡¯s eyes widened in horror. Was this man ever going to be satisfied?! Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 69 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 69 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 69 Work Together Both Ann and Adam werete leaving in the morning. It was evident to all who saw them that they simply couldn¡¯t keep their hands off one another, even as they hurriedly ate their breakfast before dashing out the door. Anyone who may have had the T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. slightest doubt about their rtionship status would have had their worries put to rest at the sight of them together. Even the Omega¡¯s had noticed the slight change in them. Although they had been touchy-feely beforehand, their appet*ites for one another seemed to be insatiable at the moment and their loud performance in the bedroom yesterday as well as their public disys of affection over breakfast only fuelled the rumors about the possibility of the pitter-patter of tiny paws in the Packhouse. Title of the document As Adam pulled up at the entrance of the towering block of offices, he nced across at her with a frown, causing her to chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s wrong now? If you¡¯re still wanting to have your fill of me then you¡¯ll just have to wait until tonight.¡± She said teasingly as his frown deepened. ¡°If you just worked for me then I could see you all the time.¡± He grumbled sullenly. ¡°Work for you?¡± Ann scoffed, ¡°Adam, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve already told you this but, I work for myself. This is my business, my career that I built from a failing enterprise of my fathers and poured everything that I had into it. How can I just leave it all behind and give up everything I¡¯ve aplished?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be losing your aplishments, Ann. Nothing will be able to erase that. If we work together on this, then I think you can grow your business further than you have under your father¡¯s name.¡± Ann narrowed her eyes slightly at him and wondered why he thought that her father was holding her back, but decided not to pursue it. She sighed heavily and opened the car door to get out. ¡°At least think about it, Ann. You are the Luna of our Pack now, your business interests should really align with interests that benefit the pack as well.¡± Adam called after her, leaning across the passenger seat and fixing her with a gaze that was both infuriating and endearing. ¡°Goodbye, Adam. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± She answered coldly as she mmed the car door, leaving him with a confused expression on his face. She muttered in irritation to herself as she stalked towards the building and made her way to her office. She could see his point. As the Luna of the Dark Moon Pack, she really should be focusing on business enterprises to enrich their estate, but as the heir to the Alpha King¡¯s throne, she had a duty to her kingdom as well. The King¡¯s treasury benefited a lot of initiatives across the kingdom, funding orphanages for the pups that were parentless, funding schrships for the children of less wealthy families, and providing grants to packs with insecure borders, which enabled them to invest heavily in defensive structures and fund the additional mercenary groups that may be needed during times of conflict. Ann was more than happy to contribute towards the well-being of her subjects, and she was torn on how to proceed. Perhaps she could start a second venture under the Dark Moon Pack¡¯s name and continue to benefit both? But would that really be worth it? What would happen to the second business if Adam ever found his mate? She was fairly sure that she wouldn¡¯t be kicked out of the pack, but pack politics and hierarchies were notoriously delicate, especially when it came to chosen mates and true mates. Ann¡¯s face was contorted in a thoughtful expression as she greeted Eva and the security teams absentmindedly and headed into her office, sinking down in her chair with a sigh. She stared nkly at theputer screen before reluctantly leaning forwards and starting it up. This dilemma could wait for now. She had a whole host of work to catch up on from yesterday¡¯s absence. For once, she would very much like to enjoy a quiet day of nothing but monotonous work. She was getting tired of bouncing from drama to drama. Eva scurried into Ann¡¯s office clutching her usual coffee and pursed her lips at the tired look on her boss¡¯s face. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± She asked gently as she ced the coffee on her desk. Ann nodded slightly as she flicked through the emails from various contractors. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just tired. There¡¯s been a lot going on recently and I think it¡¯s starting to catch up with me.¡± she lied effortlessly. There was no need for Eva to know about the events at the Packhouse yesterday, nor the constant arguments that she was having in her head at the moment with herself, it would only cause her unnecessary worry. Eva crossed her arms in front of her and looked at her through narrowed eyes, scrutinizing her for the barest hint of a lie that would give her away. ¡°Well, if you decide that you need someone to talk to, you know where I am. I know I¡¯m just your a*s*sistant, but I like to think of you as a friend as well Ann. You¡¯ve been there for me through a lot and always give so much back to your staff here. The very least I can do is provide a listening ear if it¡¯s needed.¡± She said finally, her shoulders sagging in frustration. Ann nced up and smiled gently at her. ¡°Thanks, Eva, but I promise I¡¯m fine. Nothing that a full night of sleep won¡¯t fix.¡± Eva opened her mouth to reply but was rudely interrupted by two loud female voices protesting angrily in the offices down the corridor. ¡°What on earth is all that noise about?¡± Eva eximed angrily as she rushed out of the office to see what was going on. Ann frowned and sighed in exasperation as she threw herself back in her chair. ¡®What the f*uc*k are they doing here now?!¡¯ Maeve snorted angrily in her head. ¡®God knows. I thought I was clear about not wanting anything more to do with them.¡¯ Ann answered in annoyance. ¡°Ann? Ann! Where are you?! I know you¡¯re in here somewhere! Get these big apes away from us!¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 70 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 70 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 70 Give Me a Chance Narcissa¡¯s shrieks echoed down the corridor as Ann pushed herself out of her chair reluctantly and made her way over to the office door, ncing at her watch as she did so. Thirty minutes she had been here and already the day was getting off to a terrible start. Title of the document ¡®So much for a drama-free day.¡¯ Maeve snorted sarcastically. Ann stood at the office door with a nk expression on her face as she watched the chaos in front of her with mild amusement. Narcissa was being manhandled by the guards that Adam had put in ce, wide eyes and an expression of frustration written all over her face as she hovered helplessly in the background. Suddenly her eyes flicked up and locked with Ann¡¯s and her face morphed into a simpering, pitiful-looking expression as she reached her arms out towards her, holding up arge basket in her direction. ¡°Please, Ann, I just want to make amends. Look, I brought a peace offering.¡± She said as she lifted the cloth covering the top of the basket and tilted it slightly so that Ann could see the contents. She beamed hopefully at her as she continued trying to coax Ann into seeing them privately. ¡°Look, see? It¡¯s all your favorite cakes and sweet treats from when you were a child. I know we didn¡¯t always get along, but I paid attention to everything you liked as we grew up together. Please, Ann¡­ just give me a chance¡­¡± Ann¡¯s forehead wrinkled slightly as she chewed her cheek. ¡®No. Don¡¯t you dare! This is going to be some sort of ploy to cause chaos for you again, Ann.¡¯ Maeve growled warningly. ¡®But what if it isn¡¯t?¡¯ Maeve almost ch*oked on her indignation as a wave of incredulity at Ann¡¯s naivety swept over her. ¡®Are you for real right now? After everything that¡¯s happened so far, and your suspicions about them¡­ you¡¯re STILL going to put yourself at risk?!¡¯ ¡®Maeve, calm down. I still suspect them of everything we talked about, but they don¡¯t know that I hold suspicions about them. All they know is that I¡¯m still hurt and angry about Ada¡¯s betrayal, but how else am I going to be able to gather information if I shut them outpletely?¡¯ ¡®What are you talking about?! Have you lost your mind?! No. I think you should let me take over and attack them both. Finish this once and for all. There will be nothing left of either of them by the time I¡¯m done.¡¯ Maeve roared furiously, causing Ann to visibly wince. She could feel her fury, but it made sense to Ann. She knew this was probably another trap they were trying to set her up in, but how else was she going to be able to enter the castle freely? If she shut them outpletely then her father would bepletely at the mercy of their schemes and at least for now, if anything untoward happened, she at least had ess to the castle, enabling her to intervene if needed. Narcissa was clearly poison, as was Ada, but for some reason, Ann had the feeling that Ada wasn¡¯t as skilled with her craft as Narcissa. Despite how Narcissa felt about her, and as miserable as her childhood had been, she hadn¡¯t physically harmed Ann, when she could have gotten rid of her as easily as she had her mother. She was clearly more restrained and a lot cleverer with her maniption than her daughter was. ¡®No, Maeve. I want to see what they have nned this time. Whatever it is, whatever issues it causes, we¡¯ll find a way to ovee it. But for now, it¡¯s better that they continue thinking of me as the clueless and pathetically forgiving person that I used to be.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re an imbecile, Ann, I think you¡¯re making the wrong decision. As soon as this is over, I demand you call Lexi. At least she might be able to get through to you. If nothing else at least I¡¯ll have the satisfaction of listening to her tear s*tri*ps off you.¡¯ Maeve fumed before shutting the link down violently without warning, startling Ann slightly. Ada¡¯s eyes were still firmly fixed on Ann in the same wide-eyed innocent and pleading expression that had gotten her everything that she had wanted in the past. Ann¡¯s eyes drifted downwards and the slight bump of the growing child in her stomach was starting to show under the soft material of her dress. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Her stomach turned slightly at the sight of it, but there was no longer the stab of betrayal in her heart that she had felt so keenly before. The realization that she had moved on from Brad¡¯s betrayal so quickly made her heart leap a little, and she was sure that it was because of her rtionship with Adam, as ¡°Ann, please¡­¡± Ada tried again as she watched her mother argue helplessly with the stoic guards, unrelenting in their professionalism. With a sigh, Ann pushed herself off the wall and looked them both over disdainfully before looking across at Eva and nodding slightly. ¡°You can let them through. I¡¯ll see them briefly and hear what they have to say. Eva, would you mind grabbing drinks for us please?¡± Eva nodded hesitantly. ¡°Of course, Miss Veritas. I¡¯ll have them brought right up.¡± She said with a curt nod to the guards. They exchanged a look between them both and instantly moved to the side, staring ahead impassively as Narcissa straightened her slightly disheveled appearance up. ¡°Filthy mongrels. How dare you obstruct your Queen¡¯s passage!¡± She hissed furiously as she passed. One of the guards narrowed his eyes at her back as the other guard shook his head almost imperceptibly towards his colleague. But it didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°Queen? You¡¯re no Queen of mine. I¡¯m a mongrel in your eyes yet you have no wolf of your own. What wolfless Queen can possibly rule over the kingdom of werewolves? You¡¯re delusional if you think you will ever be epted by the people you rule.¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 71 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 71 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 71 Make Amends Narcissa froze as Ann watched the confrontation with interest. She hadn¡¯t really thought too much about how the poption felt about a non-shifter inheriting the position of Luna Queen. But this dialogue brought a slight smirk to her lips despite her attempts to suppress it. Maeve snickered gleefully inside of her head as they watched a murderous-looking cloud descend over Narcissa¡¯s face. Title of the document Narcissa turned slowly to face him and glowered fiercely. ¡°Bold words for a lowly ranked guard in an office.¡± She sneered, ¡°I wonder how my husband will react when he finds out about the dissent amongst the lower ranks.¡± Instead of backing off, the guard snorted and narrowed his eyes, the swirling irises of his wolf visible even to Ann at the distance she was from them. ¡°With any luck, the Alpha King wille to his senses and get rid of the things he should have done a long time ago.¡± He sneered.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Narcissa visibly paled as Maeve whooped excitedly in her head and Ann couldn¡¯t help but share in her wolf¡¯s jubtion. However, whether they liked it or not, Narcissa was married to the Alpha King, and talk of this could result in the Guards¡¯ arrest for treasonous disorder. As much as she didn¡¯t want to, she had to put a stop to this before he found himself in hot water. The guards had been good to her, and she would hate for them to be put in a difficult position. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Ann said sternly. ¡°There is a time and a ce for differing views to be aired in regard to the King and his family¡¯s conduct. I suggest you air those opinions there.¡± Narcissa sniffed haughtily and stalked forward, ushering Ada into Ann¡¯s office and pushing past her arrogantly. As soon as they had passed, Ann shed a wink at the guard and a warm smile. He inclined his head slightly and the ghost of a smile yed at the corner of his lips before he returned to his position. Maeve grumbled her disapproval as Ann entered the office and shut the door behind her, bracing herself for the onught that she was sure to find herself at the mercy of in the next few minutes. Narcissa had already settled herself on the sofa and Ada held the handle of the basket tightly, her knuckles turning white with the f0rce she exerted. Ann sauntered past them casually and sat in her seat behind her desk as she leaned back and peered at them curiously. ¡°So, now that you have ruffled my staff and disrupted my work day, despite me making clear to you yesterday that I didn¡¯t want to speak, nor see either of you, what do you want?¡± Ann questioned coldly. Ada stole a furtive nce at her mother, whose face remained impassive before standing and cing the basket on Ann¡¯s desk, removing the covering. ¡°I simply wanted to try to make amends with you sister¡­¡± She said quietly as Ann raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Before she could stop herself, she snorted at her in contempt. ¡°Make amends? You f*uc*k my mate, fall pregnant with his child, try to steal heirlooms that weren¡¯t ever rightfully yours, and then question the validity of my bond with my goddess-blessed second-chance mate in a public interview and in your delusional little world, you both think that a basket of sweeties and cakes will somehow make up for the irreparable damage that you have caused?¡± Ann hissed angrily. Ada swallowed nervously as she took a step back and looked back at Narcissa for rea*s*surance, but Narcissa¡¯s face was impassive as she stood and swept forward elegantly. ¡°Come now, Ann, don¡¯t be a brat. You and I both know that Ada doesn¡¯t thin things through fully before she opens her mouth¡­ or her legs for that matter.¡± Narcissa observed dryly as she red back at her daughter. Her viciousness towards Ada left Ann momentarily taken aback, and the look of hurt that shed across Ada¡¯s face seemed to be pretty genuine. ¡°Please, if you can¡¯t take it as a peace offering from my daughter, then at least ept it from me. I¡¯m fully aware that our rtionship has always been strained Ann, and I understand your hatred toward me, I really do. However, I¡¯d like to put it behind us at least. For your father¡¯s sake if nothing else.¡± Narcissa continued nonchntly. Ann was a little confused by this turn of events, and although she could sense the waves of hatred rolling off Ada towards her, Narcissa seemed to be pretty genuine in her stated wishes. Narcissa sighed suddenly and smiled tightly. ¡°Let me go and help your secretary with the drinks at least. If anything perhaps I can improve my image among your staff¡­¡± She turned and headed towards the door, flinging it open abruptly. ¡°Her name¡¯s Eva,¡± Ann said loudly, causing Narcissa to stop in her tracks. She turned and fixed Ann with a spective look as she continued. ¡°She¡¯s my a*s*sistant, not my secretary, and her name is Eva. Every person that works here has a name surprisingly enough, and if you want to take steps to ingratiate yourself towards them, then I would suggest treating them as equals, not as if they are below you.¡± Narcissa frowned and then chuckled suddenly. ¡°This is where you and I are very different Ann. They are not my equal, and they never will be. I am their Queen, they are my subjects and they should respect me because of that.¡± ¡°Respect is earned, it is not a right,¡± Ann answered in irritation. ¡°For you maybe, but not me. I demand respect, or there will be consequences for those beneath me. However, as a gesture of goodwill, whilst I am in your workspace, I will y nicely.¡± Narcissa purred silkily, the sound sending an involuntary shiver down Ann¡¯s spine. Ann scowled as Narcissa turned and left the office, shutting the door behind her and leaving Ann alone with Ada. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 72 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 72 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 72 Nothing But A Trap Almost instantly Ada¡¯s face seemed to darken at the sound of her mother¡¯s footsteps click-cking away from the office and disappearing down the corridor. Her pouty lips curled into a sneer of disgust as she narrowed her eyes at Ann. ¡°You think you¡¯re so f*uc*king perfect don¡¯t you?¡± Ada spat furiously, the full f0rce of her hatred burning clearly in her eyes as she red at Ann intently. Title of the document Annughed suddenly, an ironic sound that seemed harsh in the quiet of her office, andpletely out of ce given the statement that Ada had just made. ¡°And there she is.¡± Ann smirked, almost triumphantly, ¡°I knew the real you was hiding under there. What is this? Keeping up the pretense of a remorseful, vulnerable woman so that my staff takes pity on you?¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t know how you got Adam wrapped around your little finger, but he was supposed to be mine!¡± Ada hissed furiously. Annughed again as she raised a mocking eyebrow at her. ¡°Adam was supposed to be yours? In what fragmented reality was this supposed to happen? So you mean to tell me that despite having your heart set on someone else, you still went after my fated mate and took it upon yourself to seduce him for yourself?¡± Ann tutted slowly as she swept her gaze over her. ¡°Now that wasn¡¯t very smart, was it? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a little greedy? You know how Alpha¡¯s are, Ada. They don¡¯t share, and very rarely do they ept the spawn of their partner if it isn¡¯t theirs by blood. Especially in your circ*umstances¡­ there¡¯s no way that Adam would ever ept your ident resulting from your duplicitous scheming as an eptable excuse for having a child.¡± ¡°You watch your mouth you arrogant little WH*ORE!¡± Ada hissed as she stamped her foot angrily. ¡°WH*ORE?¡± Ann said disbelievingly, ¡°That¡¯s a bit riching from you, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What would you f*uc*king know? The perfect little princess with a perfect life, you never had to struggle for anything!¡± ¡°Ah, so we¡¯re back to the jealousy again,¡± Ann eximed in mock surprise, rolling her eyes as she did so. ¡°Ada, seriously, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time you grew up and got over whatever chip it is that you have on your shoulder? You¡¯re going to be a mother. Are you really going to bring a child up with such bitterness in your heart?¡± Ann sighed internally. So much for her stepmother and step-sister being on the same page when it came to putting on a united front for her father¡¯s sake. She knew that she was being harsh with Ada anding off as unfriendly but she wasn¡¯t going to let Ada think that she could walk all over her anymore. Ann eyed her warily though, still acutely aware of the potential for Ada to twist this situation into something that could ruin Ann¡¯s reputation, and Maeve¡¯s warning still rang loudly in her head. ¡®I f*uc*king told you not to trust her.¡¯ Maeve hissed angrily. ¡®Don¡¯t me me when the consequences of your irrational stupidity hit you square in the face.¡¯ Ann grunted slightly in response to Maeve, her attention focused entirely on Ada. Something seemed to have changed in her demeanor and a bad feeling rolled in the pit of Ann¡¯s stomach. As she tried to shake the feeling off, her mouth set into a grim line as she wondered if it was an early premonition of things toe, i ¡°Don¡¯t think I wanted toe here today either Ann.¡± Ada sneered as she wandered over to the desk and idly ran her fingers over the basket handle as she flicked her gaze up to stare at her icily. ¡°Then why bother at all, Ada? I¡¯m purposely staying out of your way, so why do you insist on bothering me constantly? Just forget about me and move on.¡± Ann answered in a bored tone. This was getting really old, really quickly, and quite frankly Ann was tired of it all. All she wanted now was to have both her vicious step-sister and her stepmother out of her workce so that she could work in rtive peace. Ada snorted. ¡°Do you think I really have anything that resembles a choice now? I¡¯m just doing as I¡¯m instructed¡­¡± Ada said, her voice tinged with sadness as she nced down at her belly and ran a hand over it. Ann frowned deeply at the abrupt change in Ada again. That seemed to be the first real emotion that she had ever shown in front of her other than anger. Her heart lurched ufortably. Why was she like this? Why did she care whether or not Ada was in a difficult position or not? Ann¡¯s conscience pricked as Maeve swore furiously at her in her head as she took a deep breath and took a tentative step towards Ada. ¡°Ada¡­if you need help¡­I can help you, you know? Life doesn¡¯t have to be difficult for you¡­we don¡¯t always have to be at each other¡¯s throats¡­¡± Ada suddenly lifted her eyes to re at Ann andughed a little manically. ¡°Difficult? Oh, Ann, you have no f*uc*king idea what my life is like. Thest thing I will ever do is ept help from a pathetic, mangy fleabag like you! By the time I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll be begging for my forgiveness!¡± She hissed menacingly as an unhinged fire seemed to light in her eyes. In one fluid movement, she took the basket and lifted it into the air dangling it in front of Ann mockingly. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can beg for my mercy and my forgiveness, but you¡¯ll never have it, Ann. I won¡¯t ever stop until I¡¯vepletely destroyed you.¡± Ada warned in a sickly sweet voice, as she threw the basket at the door with as much f0rce as she could muster. Ada grinned widely as she let out a loud and blood?curdling scream and ran her hands through her previously immacte hair, intentionally messing it up as she sauntered across to the wall closest to the door and looked towards Ann. ¡°Ann, please! I¡¯m sorry! Please don¡¯t do this!¡± Ada wailed loudly with that same smile stered on her face as she leaned forward and locked the office door. Ann¡¯s heart sank as she realized just how foolish she had been to think that Ada could ever want to have repaired the rtionship between them. Maeve was right, this was nothing but a trap. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 73 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 73 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 73 The Fake Blood ¡°Ada, don¡¯t do this¡­¡± Ann said lowly through gritted teeth as she held Maeve¡¯s furious attempt to take over at bay. Ada chuckled lightly as she tipped over the potted nt on the floor near the door, and crouched next to it, shaking the ceramic pot free from the nt and examining it in her hands thoughtfully. Title of the document ¡°Ada¡­¡± Ann tried again, her jaw clenching , but Ada didn¡¯t respond. Ann watched as she positioned herself in front of therge sswindows and threw herself against them heavily, the blinds crumpling behind her back as she let out another fake scream that was so convincing, Ann¡¯s hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. ¡°Please, Ann! I know you hate me for everything that happened¡­I just want us to..NO!¡± Ada yelled suddenly before staring directly at Ann and bringing the nt pot crashing heavily down onto her head. Ann watched the blood drip down the side of Ada¡¯s face with an incredulous expression. What the f*uc*k was happening? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. As Ada imitated the sound of sobbing loudly, interspersed with bangs and wails as she hit her fists and feet against the sofa and floor to imitate muffled punches, Ann found herself unable to move. Even Maeve had gone quiet. Ada smirked up at her from the floor with a knowing look in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ann? Cat got your tongue?¡± Ann tried to open her mouth to reply but found that she couldn¡¯t. Her heart began to race in a mild panic as she realized that she couldn¡¯t move either. All she could do was watch this ridiculous attempt of Ada¡¯s to frame her and listen helplessly to the risingmotion of the staff members outside of her office door. ¡°Miss Veritas! Is everything okay in there?¡± Eva¡¯s voice drifted into Ann¡¯s awareness. But Ann couldn¡¯t answer and she screamed internally at the helplessness she felt at this moment as Ada answered for her. ¡°Please! You have to stop her! She¡¯s lost her mind!¡± Ada begged as she yelped and wailed as if Ann was physically a*s*saulting her. ¡°Step aside, Eva. We¡¯ll get in to them.¡± The voices of Ann¡¯s security team rose above Ada¡¯s wailing as the door handle rattled hopelessly. Ada yawned and stretched as she stood and sauntered over to Ann, smirking as she lifted her hand and brought it down hard across Ann¡¯s face, screaming as if she had been hit herself. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve wanted to do that.¡± Ada chuckled quietly, as she sank to the floor and arranged herself so that she was curled around Ann¡¯s feet. Ann¡¯s fury rippled through her as the stinging of the p spread across her cheek. She bit back the tears that pricked at her eyes, not because she was sad or hurt, but because of the unbearable frustration of not being able to react either verbally or physically and the anger that burned in her heart. She red down at Ada who continued to sob loudly at her feet as the heavy impact of the guard¡¯s bodies against the door in an effort to open it vibrated through the air around them. As the door splintered slightly, signaling that they were about to gain entrance at any second, Narcissa¡¯s shrill, panicked cries could be heard over the grunts and shouts of the guards. As if on cue, Ada yelped loudly before screaming loudly. ¡°NO! Ann, please! Not my baby! Please! It¡¯s innocent in all of this! Nooo!¡± Ann¡¯s heart felt as though it would sink through the floor as Ada imitated the pure terror that a mother would feel in this situation so perfectly, that Ann wondered how long she had been practicing for this. For Ada, this was the performance of a lifetime. A perfectly nned and executed setup that was designed to frame Ann and destroy her character and integrity in the eyes of the public. She watched helplessly as Ada smiled as she sobbed and reached into her top, pulling out a clear bag filled with red fluid. She tore the corner effortlessly as shey on her back briefly, reaching into her jeans with her hand and cing the red fluidfilled packet between her legs. ¡°You¡¯ll never recover from this Ann, they¡¯ll never believe you. All of your staff will see this and immediately think the worst.¡± She chuckled quietly as she lifted her head slightly to check her handiwork. Her grin widened as the red liquid seeped through the white material of her jeans and shey back down, turning onto her side once more and curling around her legs. ¡°It¡¯s a stroke of genius really isn¡¯t it?¡± Ada snorted quietly as the door to the office splintered again. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t think of it earlier. Fake an attack and make people believe that you injured me so badly, even my unborn child¡¯s life was at risk.¡± Ada sighed theatrically. ¡°Even mother didn¡¯t know about this, I wanted a genuine reaction from her so that it would be believable.¡± As the door splintered and the guards rushed in, closely followed by Eva and Narcissa, Ada¡¯s expression changed instantly and she sobbed quietly as she curled around Ann¡¯s feet. Ann felt the paralysis disappear almost instantly as her eyes took in the horrified faces of the guards and Eva, as Narcissa¡¯s shrill wail of anguish pierced the air and she rushed to her daughter¡¯s side. Ann took a shaky breath as she stepped back and felt Maeve¡¯s groggy and confused presence reappear in her mind. ¡®What¡­¡¯ Maeve whispered hesitantly, horrified at the sight of Ada curled at her feet and covered in what appeared to be blood. ¡®You were right, Maeve. It was all a trap. She¡¯s staged this¡­ that¡¯s fake blood.¡¯ Ann murmured back in disbelief. ¡®What?! Then tell them! Stop them looking at you like that and believing the worst!¡¯ Maeve urged frantically. Ann lifted her eyes slowly to the doorway and saw it now crowded with her office workers, all with the same expressions of horror written across their faces and eyes filled with disgust as they stared at Ann. The only faces that seemed uncertain were those of the guard who spoke up against Narcissa earlier, and that of Eva, who hesitantly approached her. ¡°Ann, what happened?¡± She asked tentatively, ignoring the forms of Ada and Narcissa still huddled on the floor. Ann opened her mouth to answer but was cut off instantly by Narcissa¡¯s furious voice. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty obvious what happened here, don¡¯t you?!¡± She shrieked, ¡°We all heard it, and not a word from Ann the entire time! Look at her office! It¡¯s ringly obvious she attacked my daughter and her unborn child!¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 74 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 74 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 74 The Truth Ann¡¯s face was expressionless as she swallowed nervously. She hated being under scrutiny at the best of times, but to have so many judgemental eyes focused on her, the pressure was immense. Title of the document ¡°Look at you! The guilt is written all over your face!¡± Narcissa hissed before turning to the office workers gathered at the doorway. ¡°What are you vultures staring at?! Someone call an ambnce! Why are you all just standing there?!¡± The office workers seemed to be sparked into action, some running for whatever they couldy their hands on in order to cover Ada¡¯s trembling body and restore some of her dignity at such a seemingly devastating time, and others hurriedly pulled their mobile phones out of their pocket and dialed for help. Ann had to hand it to her, Ada was an incredibly good actress, as sickening as this act was to witness. ¡°Just you wait until your father hears about this you ungrateful little brat! I can¡¯t believe that you would be so cruel! That baby she¡¯s growing inside of her is innocent in the feud between you two! How could you attack them both so heartlessly?!¡± Narcissa fumed as she held Ada¡¯s hand and stroked her forehead gently. It was the first time that Ann had ever witnessed such a public disy of affection between the two of them. Behind closed doors, if you disregard the favoritism that Narcissa showed towards her own daughter, there was very little else to signal that they were close at all. ¡®For Goddess¡¯s sake Ann, say something! Don¡¯t just stand here like a f*uc*king idiot! What are you doing?!¡¯ Maeve raged internally. The ferocity of her anger took Ann by surprise and she opened her mouth reflexively. ¡°It¡¯s really not what it looks like¡­¡± Ann stammered hesitantly, to a chorus of scoffs from various workers and Narcissa herself. ¡°Oh really? The evidence would prove otherwise! How can you stand there and lie so brazenly when the evidence of your disgusting temper is all around you? You were quite clear about not wanting anything that we had to offer as a gesture of goodwill and look at it! Scattered all over the floor!¡± Narcissa yelled to murmurs from the remaining office workers. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I heard herughing at them when they said they¡¯d brought it as a peace offering when I passed the door earlier.¡± a normally quiet staff member muttered to her colleague, staring at Ann warily. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eva cleared her throat and quickly stepped forward, taking hold of Ann¡¯s arm gently. ¡°Come with me, Miss Veritas, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for you to be here when the ambnce arrives.¡± She said in a worried tone as Ann allowed herself to be led away, still reeling a little from the enormity of the implications of this. Eva led her to her own office, with the guards that Adam had stationed following closely behind with an expression of neutrality on their faces. Once they had closed the door behind them and Ann had been ushered into a seat, the guard that had spoken up against Narcissa murmured something to his colleague who swiftly exited the room and closed the door behind him. Eva frowned slightly at the burly man but his face remained impassive as he looked at Ann thoughtfully. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t my ce to say anything Luna, and I could be is stupid enough to take them at face value. I would like to hear it from you. What happened in there?¡± His voice was gentle, with an almost soothing tone to it and both Ann and Eva looked up at him in surprise. It was easy to forget that despite the work these men often did, underneath their fierce and unforgiving demeanor was just another man, who worked a day job as one person, and went home to be another version of themselves. Seeing their bewildered faces, the guard misunderstood and sighed slightly. ¡°I understand if you think that I¡¯m prying Luna, but you can bet that Alpha Nocturne is going to want a detailed report, and I¡¯m not one to shirk my duties. Witness statements are paramount and if I¡¯m honest, I don¡¯t trust the pretender queen or her c*rotc*h-goblin as far as I can throw them.¡± He rea*s*sured them as his mouth twisted into a grimace. Ann sighed lightly and ma*s*saged her temples with her fingers. Her head ached and Maeve was raging incessantly in her mind which wasn¡¯t helping. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re overstepping, actually, I appreciate your diligence in your a*s*signed duties,¡± Ann answered softly as she debated how best to exin what had happened in there. She nced towards the door as the sound of paramedics rushing through, and the bellowing voice of her father reached her ears and at that moment, she felt like a child again. It had always been this way, Ada ying the victim and getting Ann into trouble for things that she hadn¡¯t done. She had shed with her father countless times over little things and the unfairness of the situation as he always, without hesitation, took Ada¡¯s side. She had been miserable as a child because of it but as she got older, she became sort of indifferent to the disapproving looks and tone of absolute disappointment that he used when he spoke with her. If she had to guess, then she would bet that today would be no different. There would be no questions, only a*s*signed me and repercussions for her, despite her innocence. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯d like to speak with Adam alone about what exactly went on in my office. It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t trust you, but there are things that Adam is aware of, that you are not, and I will leave it to his discretion as to whether or not he fills you in on the details.¡± Ann finally answered as she pulled herself from her thoughts. The guard didn¡¯t look hurt or offended, he simply nodded slowly. ¡°As you wish Luna. I have already sent my colleague to notify Alpha Nocturne, and to observe the¡­ drama in your office. Don¡¯t worry Luna, we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± Ann nodded quietly at his words. She appreciated the sentiment, but she doubted very much that there was anything left that could prove her innocence. It was simply a matter of her word, against Ada¡¯s, andbined with the false ¡®evidence¡¯ and scene of destruction that Ada had taken such great care to create, Ann wasn¡¯t confident that the truth would set her free at all. Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 75 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 75 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 75 We¡¯ll Fix This The three of them remained in Eva¡¯s office until themotion outside had died down. Eva sat with Ann on the sofa as the guard stood by the door, leaning against the wall nonchntly with his arms folded in front of him. Title of the document The atmosphere was gloomy, to say the least, and the tension was palpable. The hushed tones of Narcissa seemed to waft past the doorway, apanied by muffled sobs and words of rea*s*surance from unfamiliar voices. Ann a*s*sumed that this was the paramedics taking her to the hospital in order to run the necessary checks on Ada and her baby. Ann suddenly snorted to herself. It was all so preposterous. They would find nothing. Both Ada and her baby would bepletely unharmed, but that wouldn¡¯t mean that Ann was vilified. On the contrary, it would be a huge relief that Ada and the baby were doing well, and yet Ann would be crucified in the public eye for being the perpetrator of such a horrific act. She sighed internally at the prospect of the damage control that awaited her after this incident. It bothered her more that Adam and his reputation might be affected badly by this too. He had been drawn into this messed-up family rivalry through no fault of his own. If anything, Ann felt as though she were to me for the majority of the problems that they were facing. If she hadn¡¯t run into him and offered herself as his contracted mate, then none of their recent problems would have even materialized. ¡®Oh get over yourself, Ann. You know that not everything is your fault. What the hell happened to you? Don¡¯t you dare sit around feeling sorry for yourself just because you didn¡¯t listen to my warnings.¡¯ Maeve hissed angrily in her head. ¡®Thanks for the pep talk, Maeve¡­ real helpful of you.¡¯ Ann shot back bitterly. Maeve snorted. ¡®Well I hate to tell you I told you so but, I f*uc*king told you so. You walked straight into it and didn¡¯t even bother to refute the ims of that b*tch in front of your employees.¡¯ She snarled contemptuously. Ann rolled her eyes and sat back on the sofa as Maeve scolded her furiously. She was f0rced to ignore her and pull her attention away at the sound of yet another The loud, bl*stering voice of Ann¡¯s father, the Alpha King was met with equal ferocity by the agitated tones of Adam. Ann¡¯s heart seemed to soar slightly as the guard at the door exchanged a meaningful look with her, before leaning towards the door and yanking it open, sticking his head through the gap into the corridor. As soon as the door opened, the full volume of the argument between her father and her husband filled the air around them. Eva winced at the sound and looked at Ann in concern as she stared intently at the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done to my daughter, but she would never have done this before she met you! It¡¯s your vile att*itude and indiscriminate ruthlessness that¡¯s affecting her!¡± Alpha King Leopold roared at Adam as he stood almost nose-to-nose with him. Her father¡¯s face was a frightening shade of red as he yelled furiously in his face, but Adam was unmoved. If anything, he looked irritated by her father¡¯s behavior as their guards hung behind each of them, unsure how to intervene to calm things down before it escted badly. ¡°Is this how a King behaves?¡± Adam sneered disdainfully. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of your twisted family to know that if anything, Ann is the victim in all of this and you¡¯re just too goddamn blind to see it.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Leopold bellowed loudly, causing the guards around them to grimace, but Adam remained unfazed. ¡°Quite easily, actually. Now, where is she? I want to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡± Adam stated indifferently as he nced around the office casually. Although his voice was calm and cold, his eyes burned with a murderous-looking rage. Ann swallowed nervously as she saw him in this light. He had a fearsome reputation, but she had never experienced that side of him personally. He had been nothing but soft and gentlemanly towards her, well..apart from in the bedroom, but that was different. The look in his eyes that burned fiercely hinted at just exactly what her husband was capable of if he was pushed in the wrong way. The guard in the office with her nced back at her warily and Ann smiled, letting him know that it was okay to reveal her presence. She felt that if Adam was at her side, she could handle whatever anyone threw at her, including her father. She took a deep breath as he raised his hand and called out to Adam, alerting him to their location. As soon as he signaled him, Adam strode over hurriedly, pushing past the king and ignoring his furious objections. Within mere seconds, he had gathered Ann into his Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. arms and hugged her to his chest tightly. ¡°Oh, Ann. I¡¯m so pleased that you¡¯re safe. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll fix this.¡± He murmured softly as he stroked her hair soothingly. ¡°Fix it? How exactly are you going to fix that poor excuse of a daughter of mine?¡± Her father¡¯s voice hissed from the doorway. Adam stiffened and growled slightly as he released Ann and smiled at her rea*s*suringly before turning to face him, pushing her behind him slightly. The instinctual protectiveness that he showed towards Ann warmed her heart and chased the chill away that was causing her to tremble under her father¡¯s gaze. ¡°It would be prudent for you to mind your words, your highness.¡± Adam ground out through gritted teeth in a dangerously low tone. ¡°Or what, exactly?¡± the king scoffed, ¡°I can say what I want as your king. She is my daughter and she will hear what I have to say whether she likes it or not!¡± Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 76 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate By A E Randell Chapter 76 Alpha Nocturne¡¯s Contracted Mate by A E Randell Chapter 76 She nned This! ¡°Just because you ¡®can¡¯ say it, doesn¡¯t mean that you ¡®should¡¯, your highness,¡± Adam growled. ¡°Are you not even going to ask her what happened?¡± Leopoldughed darkly as he narrowed his eyes where the two of them stood. Title of the document ¡°What is there to ask? I¡¯ve seen the results of her own handiwork with my own eyes! Why would I ask her what happened? Do you think I want to hear my own daughter lie to my face and make excuses for her despicable behavior?!¡± Ann¡¯s heart sank even though she had been expecting this reaction. But she couldn¡¯t say nothing. She had to at least try. ¡°Father, please¡­¡± She said quietly with a pleading tone to her voice, but it fell on deaf ears. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what Ada said to you when she was begging for you to stop your attack?¡± Her father answered coldly. Ann felt Adam¡¯s strong arms wrap around her shoulders as she hardened her expression. She wouldn¡¯t let her father see her cry. It solved nothing and just made her look weak. ¡°She said those words, yes. But I can a*s*sure you that I didn¡¯ty a single finger on her father. You have to listen to me. She nned this, all of this! It¡¯s nothing more than an borate setup designed to drag my reputation through the dirt!¡± Leopold scoffed loudly at his daughter¡¯s attempt at an exnation. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous Ann! No one in their right mind would ever..¡± he protested disbelievingly, but Ann cut him off before he could continue. ¡°But that¡¯s just it father! She isn¡¯t in her right mind! She never has been! She¡¯s a conniving vicious little b*tch who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, no matter who gets hurt in the process! She¡¯s just like her damn mother!¡± Ann yelled furiously, the unshed tears threatening to spill out from where she held them tightly. Leopold¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, but Ann noticed that she couldn¡¯t sense even the slightest presence of his wolf anymore. There wasn¡¯t even the faintest trace of a scent around him that she could identify as his wolf¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say another word against my wife Ann! If you keep going¡­¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°You¡¯ll what, father? Disown me?¡± Ann snorted defiantly, ¡°You haven¡¯t behaved like a father to me since you betrayed my mother, your fated mate, for that vile woman! I¡¯m curious to know though, at least with Brad, his wolf was furious with him when he slept with Ada. What about you? What about your wolf? Does he not care? Does he not grieve for the loss of his mate and the misery of his own pup?! Maeve said he hasn¡¯t spoken to her since Narcissa and that b*tch of a daughter arrived in my home so I¡¯m curious how he feels about all of this.¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S ENOUGH, ANN!¡± Leopold roared furiously, the veins on his neck bulging as he stepped towards Ann with a menacing aura. Adam stepped in front of Ann protectively, but Ann refused to back down and pushed past him, meeting his fury head-on. ¡°No¡­no it is not nearly enough for all the damage that you have caused over the years father. Just as you wanted me to hear what you had to say, well it¡¯s high time you heard what I have to say!¡± She hissed angrily as Maeve howled her approval and surged forward to sit side by side with Ann. Leopold froze at the sight of the sudden change in his daughter¡¯s eyes. He knew that Maeve sat with her, and her aura was strong, powerful, and confident in her conviction. He gathered himself quickly realizing that Ann was possibly stronger than he had ever given her credit for and snorted at her in contempt. He didn¡¯t remember his daughter ever being this brazen before. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to you, Ann.¡± He sneered contemptuously, ¡°I never thought you would be so vindictive as to take your jealousy out on an unborn child. I¡¯m not interested in what you have to say, nor do I owe you any exnations for my personal life.¡± Annughed coldly as she red at her father. ¡°That¡¯s right, when has the mighty Alpha King Leopold ever humbled himself for anyone? Not even his subjects are worthy of his benevolence anymore. You¡¯re weak, father. You have grown old,cent, and weak and it all started when Narcissa stole you away from your real family. You can¡¯t even own up to your failings anymore.¡± ¡°Weak? Is that what you think? Is that what this is all about? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m fit to rule anymore?¡± Leopold mused quietly to himself, as he stole a furtive nce across at Adam, suddenly looking incredibly paranoid as he tapped his fingers relentlessly against each other and began pacing anxiously from side to side. He suddenly burst into peals ofughter as he nced between Adam and Ann, and pointed an usatory finger at them both. ¡°You! The high and mighty Alpha Nocturne¡­ you¡¯re behind this!¡± He stated loudly, his eyes wide as he teetered on the edge of hysteria, ¡°You¡¯ve coveted my throne for years and now you managed to get your filthy paws on my daughter, you¡¯ve twisted her into something she isn¡¯t.¡± Ann frowned as she watched her father give in to his delusions and Maeve too went silent. Had he really lost his grip on realitypletely? He looked positively unhinged at this moment in time. ¡°Father¡­¡± Ann said hesitantly, a million unasked questions in that single word, but he brought his hand up to silence her with a manic grin on his face. ¡°It¡¯s okay Ann, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t punish you for your crimes today, but know that I cannot have you around my family anymore.¡± Ann blinked in shock as her mouth hung slightly open. ¡°Father¡­ what are you saying?¡± she all but whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ann, but whilst you are under Alpha Nocturnes¡¯ control, whatever he has done to you, I cannot trust you. From this moment on, I hereby relieve you of your position within thepany, and I will pet*ition the elders for the removal of your t*itle. I cannot have an heir who is