《The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast》 Prologue - Mira Prologue - Mira I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been running for, but I can no longer feel the soles of my feet. My sides ache from trying to breathe with fractured ribs, one side of my face is bruised and the silver bullet they shot at me grazed my upper arm. Beaten, bloody, and running for my life in the thick snow. Turning my head, I look behind me to see if I¡¯ve lost my assants only to see one of them raise their arm. The ck Beretta glistens in the sunlight and I zigzag again so the wolfsbane bullet simply grazes my leg and I stumble. Regaining my footing, I only see in front of me and continue running ignoring the way my foggy breath is hindering my vision. ¡°Nowhere to hide, little Omega whore! The boss has big ns for you after what you did!¡± one of them calls out and it motivates me to run even faster. I need to push past the pain and freezing cold to get to safety; I can¡¯t suffer under the thumb of that abusive monster for another second. I would rather die than go back there! Quickly, I twist my body and raise my own weapon above my head. Three shots and I hear one of them grunt and hit the floor. Yes! In front of me, I see a hill and continue to run, hearing the sounds of honking cars and people. My route was correct, I made it into the city! It¡¯s a week before the Moon Goddess Solstice, the perfect time to escape them in a bustling crowd. They won¡¯t be able to find me in the market up there! With my breathing ragged and lungs burning from the cold, I clutch my side and taste blood in my mouth while ignoring the burning pain of my bloody feet and open wounds. My healing isn¡¯t kicking in because of the wolfsbane bullets, hopefully, I can find an alley so I can allow my body to heal. Catching a glimpse behind me again, I now see three assants and pick up my pace. Freedom is a few more steps away, I cannot let it go! Heaving myself up, I run into the crowd and ignore the looks I¡¯m getting. My would-be kidnappers won¡¯t This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. shoot here, but they¡¯ll chase me until they eventually catch me and drag me back to that monster. If I¡¯m lucky, one of these people might help me, but I have given up on human or shifter kindness a long time ago. The day my father sold me to this man, he signed my death warrant. I was nothing but one of his bastard children, anyway - the Omega child of an Omega mistress made to sweeten the deals of his predatory friends. Mafia princesses are usually treated like royalty, but I¡¯m just an Omega mafia bastard. I spot an alley up ahead and turn into it, hoping for a trashcan to jump into and mask my scent, but to my dismay, it¡¯s empty. ¡°Shit!¡± I exim but still run through it anyway. They¡¯re a few meters behind me, but thankfully they haven¡¯t discovered this alleyway yet. I turn my head to see if I¡¯m still safe, but as I do, I run smack bang into something hard. I fall on my ass and tumble to the floor, knowing that a few seconds ago there was nothing in this alleyway! ¡°What the fuck?!¡± a man¡¯s voice calls out and it sends shivers down my spine. When I look up, I see a blurry face with red eyes and nothing else. An Alpha, oh no. ¡°P-please¡­help me¡­¡± I utter the words I never wanted to, but I know how many precious seconds I¡¯m wasting byying here. ¡°Please¡­I have to¡­¡± Someone pulls me up by my arm and it takes me a few seconds to register that it¡¯s the man. He opens a door he¡¯s standing next to. ¡°Go inside.¡± He orders before closing the door again. I must be foolish to trust a man I don¡¯t know, and for all I know, he could be an even worse of a monster than the one I ran away from. But for now, I¡¯m safe - for now, those men won¡¯t know I¡¯m here. Running footsteps outside get my attention and I hold my breath, hoping they don¡¯t do anything to this man who tried to help me. I hear voices outside, but my vision gets blurry again and I lean against the doorway while trying not to make a noise. If they see me in here, I¡¯m as good as dead. Retreating footsteps cause me to perk up and it takes a while before the door is opened again. In one swift motion that leaves me dazed, I get pulled out of the room and into the alleyway. The man who saved me is leering down at me, a curious frown on his face. I feel a stab of familiarity in his smirk, and that small ball of fear has now reached its peak. ¡°And just who might you be, little rabbit?¡± he asks in that same tone of voice; low and demanding. The husky lilt to his voice would have been attractive, were it not for my fading vision. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t rememb¡­¡± the words fail me, and before I know it, I¡¯ve lost my bnce. Before I can hit the floor, a pair of strong arms grab me and gently hoist me up. The scent of spice and leather invades my senses and reminds me of autumn, but I am unable to string a coherent sentence together right now. Thest thing I hear before my vision goes dark is, ¡°Alpha Nikos.¡± Chapter 1 - Mira Chapter 1 - Mira The sounds of monitors beeping rouse me from my sleep, but the sterile scent of a hospital is what makes my eyes shoot open. I have only ever been in a hospital once and that was to see my mother before she died, but I will never forget the smell. Even on my worst days when Mikhail would punish me with a silver whip, he would never take me to a hospital to heal up. This can only mean one thing¡­I¡¯m not where I¡¯m supposed to be. I sit up way too quickly and my head spins; my hand quickly flies to a throbbing head, but I don¡¯t dare cry out. Showing something hurts you is the first sign of weakness and after everything I¡¯ve been through, I am anything but weak. The question remains; where the hell am I? I remember running from Mikhail¡¯s men, bleeding and bruised, but from what I can tell, I am mostly healed now. I ran into an alley and looked behind me, only to run straight into a brick wall. No, that¡¯s wrong; I ran into someone, a man with red Alpha eyes. He pushed me into an open door and saved my life. He didn¡¯t need to help me, he could have just allowed those men to take me, but he chose to help me. Not only that, the man had a familiar face, someone I had seen before¡­ who is he? The more I think about it, the more fear creeps into my heart. I have no idea where I am, no idea if I am yet again being held prisoner. There might not be chains on me right now, but a closed door can be seen as a prison cell. I swing my legs over the bed and get to my feet, only for a sharp pain to shoot up my leg and the left side of my ribcage. A low whimper escapes my lips, but I don¡¯t scream; instead, I suck in a breath and try to walk a few steps. My little walk to freedom stops when the door opens and I freeze up, only to see a woman walk inside. She smiles at me and offers me a look of pity, one I¡¯ve seen so many times. ¡°Hi there, you shouldn¡¯t be walking yet. Come, let¡¯s get you back into bed,¡± she says in a soft, gentle voice that I find myself listening to. ¡°W-where am I?¡± I manage to croak out, my voice strained and my throat feeling dry. Thedy walks over to the ss water jug and pours a ss of water, before walking back to me and handing me the ss. ¡°Here you go,¡± she says and sits down next to me. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I finish the ss of water in three straight gulps and feel out of breath. She takes the ss from my hand and waits for my answer, gently encouraging me with the tilt of her head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­my head hurts, and there¡¯s pain all along the left side of my body. I can barely stand on my one leg, but my ribs seem to have healed, although they¡¯re still aching,¡± I say, realizing that this is the first time I¡¯ve ever spoken a sentence that long. She nods, then she gets to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m the one who tended to you when they brought you in; you took quite a beating. It¡¯s amazing that you were able to run from those people for so long when you should clearly have been dead,¡± she says, shaking her head and looking at me in wonder. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to check all your vitals, okay?¡± When I look confused, she smiles. ¡°That means I¡¯m going to give you a check-up to see how well you¡¯ve healed and to make sure you¡¯re on the mend. Make sense?¡± I nod silently; then she pokes and prods away at my body with odd instruments while she instructs me on what to do. She hums in approval whenever she seems to be happy about something, before moving on to something else entirely. I¡¯ve never had a check-up before. I¡¯m sure if she had to look deeper she would see the healed scars on my back from the silver whip, the fact that my shoulder hurts on most cold nights due to the muscle there tearing over and over because Mikhail had me suspended from the ceiling by my wrists. But she can¡¯t see just how damaged I truly am; that I¡¯ll take to my grave. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, everything seems to be looking up. The Alpha will be happy to know you¡¯re okay,¡± she says and is about to walk out when I call out to her. ¡°The Alpha? Who¡­is the Alpha?¡± Before she can answer, the door opens again and in walks a man that sends all my rm sirens ringing. Not because of how intimidating he looks; all tall, with tattoos, dark hair, dark green eyes, and an imposing body. But because I know him; his scent, his face, his eyes. I thought I escaped Hell, but I now realize I¡¯ve merely been in Limbo this entire time. ¡°Alpha, just in time,¡± the doctor says with a slight smile. ¡°I have just done her check-up, and she seems healthy, but I must tell you she¡¯s suffered considerably before this. Also, she¡¯s slightly frostbitten and took quite a blow to the head¡­¡± Everything fell away because I made the mistake of looking up; he was watching me, pinning me with a gaze that had my heart beating too fast for my body to keep up with. A bead of sweat slips down the middle of my back, my palms be mmy, and my mouth feels dry. I have never felt terror like this before¡­ and for good reason. If this Alpha has to find out what I know¡­ if he has to find out just what I mean to Mikhail, I¡¯m dead. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± he says to the doctor, dismissing her with those words alone while still looking at me. ¡°I will be at the clinic if you need me. Good day, Alpha Nikos,¡± the doctor says before she leaves me alone with a man whose name hangs heavy in Mikhail¡¯s mansion¡­ the same man currently in a bloody territorial war with the man I ran away from. He grins, and a tremble shoots up my spine; then walks towards me with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. I would have found him attractive if I didn¡¯t know who he was, and would dly have allowed him to save me. But there¡¯s a reason Mikhail is terrified of this man¡­ and I don¡¯t want to find out what that reason is. Pulling up a chair, he sits down opposite me, his gorgeous scent wafting everywhere as he leans back. ¡°Well, now. I think it¡¯s time for you to be honest with me, kounel¨¢ki.¡± Chapter 2 - Mira Chapter 2 - Mira I look at the man in front of me, still imposing even as he¡¯s seated, and I wonder if I¡¯ll make it out alive. Mikhail hated this man, the Alpha known as Nikos Ioannides, a Greek mafia boss who owns half of the city Mikhail deemed as his. What will happen once he finds out who I truly am? Will he use me as bait to kill Mikhail? Not that Mikhail will care about my life, just what my bloodline could mean to an Alpha like him. Well, that and - ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± he says, his voice low as he continues to stare at me. ¡°Who are you and why were you being chased by Bratva footsoldier wolves?¡± Oh, no¡­ How could he possibly have known that?! ¡°I¡¯m¡­ my name is Mi...a,¡± I can''t tell him my real name, so I''ll go by Mia while here. ¡°But I¡­ don¡¯t remember anything other than that,¡± I lie, suddenly remembering the doctor mentioning I took a knock to the head. That can cause temporary amnesia, right? ¡°Hmm,¡± he says, holding two fingers against his lips. ¡°So, you don¡¯t remember why those fuckers were chasing you, Mia?¡± ¡°I escaped,¡± I blurt out and pinch my thigh under the nket - damn it! His eyes widen. ¡°Escaped? They were keeping you against your will?¡± I nod. ¡°I think so; why else would I have run away from them as if the devil was after me?¡± I say and bunch the nket in my fists while averting my eyes. ¡°I had a gun, but I have no idea where I got it from.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he says again. I peer up to look at him and he nods as if he¡¯se to a conclusion. ¡°Well, Mia, my name is Nikos and I¡¯m the Alpha of this pack - SilverCrest. I am sure you know my help doesn¡¯t Fear pierces my heart when he says this. I knew his help wouldn¡¯te free, this is just how Alphas are. I¡¯m the illegitimate daughter of an Alpha and his mistress, he offered me a ce to sleep if he can use me to sweeten deals with other packs. My life has been all about not getting anything for free and being used, so why should this be any different? ¡°I understand, Alpha Nikos. What is it you need me to do?¡± It¡¯s probably sex work, as per usual. I¡¯ve heard of this Alpha¡¯s twin brother who holds an auction where anything can be sold for a high price. He rules Sin City and has the same reputation as this Alpha. Will he sell me to this auction too? ¡°Judging from the weapon I found on you, I know you¡¯re running from very dangerous people. I sold those guns to that Alpha before things went south between us. Your escape must mean a lot to them if they had to run after you while encroaching on my territory, am I right?¡± He¡¯s hit the nail right on the head, but I¡¯m not about to tell him that. ¡°Anyway, I can assure your safety, freedom and help you get out of the country. I¡¯ll even help change your appearance and give you a new identity along with three million to start your life anew,¡± he says, grinning when he sees the dumbfounded look on my face. He would help me with all this? A new life, new identity, and money too? This must surely be a dream¡­for all that, what this Alpha wants muste at a high price. I¡¯m too scared to know what he wants me to do. I breathe out a sigh. ¡°That would all be heaven, but why would you do that? What is it you require of me?¡± ¡°The doctor has informed me that you¡¯re a healthy young woman, and for what I have nned, I need a healthy young woman,¡± he says cryptically before leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees. ¡°I require your womb, Mia. More specifically, I need you to be the surrogate for my heir.¡± I stare at him, blinking and uncertain of what I just heard. I have heard of some Alphas doing this, my own father did it and married the woman he got pregnant in the end, but me? Why would he choose me? ¡°You want to breed me?¡± He cringes at the term, but then he slowly nods. ¡°Yes, but I would only require one child of you, even if it turns out to be female. I need an Alpha heir, but in my position, I don¡¯t have time to go out looking for a mate nor do I want a Luna.¡± Mate; the one thing every wolf wants, but no one seems to have. The Mate Bond is so obscure that many wolves have decided not to chase after it anymore; we¡¯ve given up on being blessed by the Moon Goddess. Most of us even doubt she cares about us anymore and has forgotten about us. My breath hitches in my throat at the prospect of being pregnant. Would I even still be fertile after all the abuse I¡¯ve suffered? What tests did the doctor run that she concluded I was fit to bear an Alpha¡¯s pup? ¡°Why me? How do you know I¡¯m fit to bear your pup or that my genes are good enough?¡± I ask incredulously, pulling my legs towards my chest as if it would protect me. ¡°I trust my pack doctor; she¡¯s been with me for years,¡± he says nonchntly, as if I simply asked him about the weather. ¡°As for me choosing you; you have something I need and I can provide an escape from the people looking for you. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡± This makes sense and I hate it so damn much. I saved up money for years to get away from my father before he sold me to Mikhail. It¡¯s the reason I escaped when I did, but they caught me sneaking out This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. and chased after me. My mind wants to say yes, but my heart¡­ Could I give up my child for my freedom? He gets to his feet and ces his hands in the pockets of his cks. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a day to think it over. Have your decision ready by tomorrow; stay here or be released into the city,¡± he says, before walking out and leaving me shell-shocked by that threat. Chapter 3 - Mira Chapter 3 - Mira ¡°Alpha Nikos,¡± I call out and he stops just as he reaches the door. He doesn¡¯t turn to face me, instead, he turns his head to the side. ¡°If I had to say yes, how would this work? Would we have to-¡± ¡°No.¡± He says with finality. ¡°We would artificially inseminate you during your heat cycle; I won¡¯t touch you.¡± He then walks out and I find myself letting out a breath I wasn¡¯t aware I¡¯d been holding. But would it make this easier knowing he won¡¯t touch me? I never wanted children, I just wanted peace and now I might have to make the decision I am notfortable with at all. I wonder why he wants a child. He could probably choose a beautiful mafia princess as a concubine and have children with her, so why choose me? Come to think of it, he probably has hordes of women at his beck and call. Then again, he mentioned that it would be easier to choose a nobody like me, so I don¡¯t have a im on the pup. Not that I would want to after escaping afterward; well, not that I would be able to, anyway. So, I need to decide if I want to go back to running or give my body to him for nine to ten months and then be free and happy. Argh, why is this so difficult for me? The answer should be obvious and yet my heart wavers I vowed never to bring a child into this sick, cruel world but now a child could mean my freedom. Besides, that child would grow up with Alpha Nikos as a father and no ce is safer than at a powerful Alpha¡¯s side, right? Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Think with your head, not your heart, Mirabe,¡± I chastise myself. ¡°You know you can do this. You know you have to!¡± Swallowing deep, I close my eyes with my mind made up and pray to the Moon Goddess for forgiveness¡­wherever she might be. *** He walks in with the same air as yesterday, dressed in ck again and looking at me with a gaze that gives nothing away. In his hands, he¡¯s holding arge ck envelope, and before I answer, I take a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Alpha Nikos was standing at the foot of the bed with one hand in his pocket, the other cradling that envelope. He takes two steps towards me and ces the envelope in myp. ¡°Read through the terms and conditions before signing your body over to me,¡± he simply says with no happiness in his voice. Didn¡¯t he want this? Shouldn¡¯t he sound happier? Biting back ament, I open up the envelope and start reading the three-page contract. It basically states that I will be the surrogate and after giving birth, I have to stay in a separate apartment to recover for a month while expressing enough breast milk for the pup to thrive without a mother. Then, and only after this, will he pay to have my appearance changed if I need it, a bank ount opened with 3 million in funds, and a ticket to anywhere in the world. In the agreement, there is also a part that stiptes I am to have a full checkup before my heat, the insemination is to start during my heat, and to have monthly checkups up until one month after birth. I¡¯m not allowed to look the child up or take the child away again. No contact will be allowed at all. ¡°I ept,¡± I say with a heavy heart, and he hands me a pen. I simply sign my name since I am supposed to have amnesia. Then I give him the envelope back. He nods his head when he takes the envelope from me. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll allow you to rest up and heal carrying my precious cargo for the next few months.¡± His precious cargo; is this just a simple transaction to him? Gods, I think I¡¯m going to be sick. I might have just signed my first-born over to a monster. Then again, Mikhail is terrified of this Alpha, so that may just be the case. ¡°Will a bodyguard be necessary? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll ever leave this ce,¡± I say, frowning at the mention of a bodyguard. ¡°True, you¡¯re not allowed to leave my property, but you still need to be guarded, nheless. You never know who will decide to be stupid enough to break into my pack house,¡± he says with that ever- present hand in the pocket of his cks. Something urs to me then, and I get to my feet when he¡¯s about to walk out. ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t kill me after this?¡± I squeak out with a tightness around my throat. Chuckling, he turns around and saunters over to me with a predatory grin on his face. ¡°Unlike the men you were running from, I value honesty, kounel¨¢ki. And if I am to get what I want from you, then I will uphold my end of the deal, just as I expect you to uphold yours.¡± His spice and leather autumn scent makes my head swim and I take a step back. ¡°You¡­ won¡¯t kill me after I give you what you want?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I have no reason to kill the woman who will birth my firstborn. They may know me as a fucking beast, but I¡¯d never do something so despicable.¡± After this, he turns on his heel and storms out, leaving me gasping for air. The man is like a whirlwind; storming into the room and shaking me to my very core. I¡¯m always left in a mess when he leaves. His entire presence is overwhelming! The upside is that after this, I¡¯ll be a new person with a fresh start even if¡­ I¡¯ll be leaving a child behind. I sit down on the bed and feel a heaviness bearing down on my chest, leaving me breathless. I have to think about myself for a change; I need to put myself first and do this for me. The guilt, sadness, and anger cer. Chapter 4 - Nikolaos Chapter 4 - Nikos I lock the envelope in my safe and walk over to the crystal bourbon decanter in the corner of my office. The omega said yes to my offer, not that I thought she¡¯d reject it. She¡¯s running away from a man who hates me, of course, she would agree to my offer of safety. But I still don¡¯t know why she was running from that cunt, Mikhail, or why they needed her back so desperately that they ran right into my territory. She must be important to them; the fact that she ran right into my arms must be a sign from the Goddess. Not that I¡¯m a believer; All I know is that little rabbit is my trump card in this war, and making her birth my first-born will be the ultimate ¡®fuck you¡¯ to that asshole. The door of my office bursts open and my Beta, Maxim, walks in with his eyes glowing golden and his hands balled into fists at his side. He¡¯s pissed off about something, I can tell from his scent. ¡°T¨ªpota! Absolutely fucking NOTHING!¡± he exims while looking feral as fuck. I take a sip of my bourbon and raise my eyebrow at him. ¡°Are we ying guessing games right now?¡± My nonchnce causes him to emit a low growl and he res at me. ¡°You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about, Niko; that fucking Omega sleeping soundly on the top floor,¡± he says, then walks over to me and grabs the ss from my hand before downing it. I sigh and proceed to pour myself another two fingers into a separate ss while looking at him questioningly. He didn¡¯t like it when I asked him to bring that little rabbit along with us after killing those soldiers who ran after her. In hindsight, I probably should have kept them alive to question them, but seeing Mikhail¡¯s men in my territory made me fucking see red. ¡°Did you find out who she is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I meant when I said absolutely fucking nothing. She¡¯s not listed anywhere; no prints, no facial recognition, no birthdate, no name - no biometrics,¡± he says, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s like she doesn¡¯t fucking exist.¡± I grin. ¡°Hmmm, this intrigues me even more now. What could Mikhail want with a ghost?¡± I say, chuckling. There¡¯s no way he would go to such lengths to keep this little rabbit hidden¡­ ¡±Unless that ghost is something more¡­ something he¡¯s trying to hide from the world.¡± Maxim looks at me as if I¡¯ve gone crazy, then he shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like that look in your eyes, Nikos,¡± he says. ¡°I don¡¯t like it at all.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s obvious that rabbit is of high importance to someone like Popov; so we keep her here for a while until I¡¯m done with her.¡± He frowns. ¡°Done with her? With all due respect, Niko, you have more important things to worry about than ying warden to a nobody. The Pack Elders-¡± ¡°Will get their heir,¡± I say, finishing my drink. ¡°That¡¯s what I mean when I say until I¡¯m done with her.¡± The cogs seem to be turning in Maxim¡¯s head and I can literally see when theye to the conclusion I offered. His eyes pop out of his head and he nearly drops his ss as he takes a step back from me. ¡°No fucking way.¡± I nod. ¡°She¡¯s important to Mikhail, now she¡¯ll be the one to birth my firstborn. I think the irony fits,¡± I say with a chuckle and p his back. ¡°Come now, Maxim, you were the one who wanted me to find someone-¡± ¡°Yes, an important someone! One with a name, a lineage, a powerful family - one with pull. Not some¡­ ghost!¡± He exims, violently shaking his head and cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Please, Niko, you need to rethink this!¡± ¡°No need to,¡± I say and peel his hand from my shoulder. ¡°The papers are signed and she¡¯ll be inseminated during her next heat cycle. The sooner I have this child, the sooner I can get the Elders off my back.¡± They wanted a child from me since I was adamant I would not have a Luna. This was mypromise so I can keep my Alpha title, not to mention half of the city. So I will give them an heir and how easy was it to get someone who wanted to escape the city? ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake-¡± ¡°I am in this predicament because they want a new Alpha, and since Bastien will have nothing to do with our father¡¯s old pack, this is on me. He got out easy by establishing a pack in Sin City,¡± I say, nearly biting back my words because my twin brother did not take the easy way out. Maxim sighs. ¡°What if she turns out to be worse than-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare,¡± I growl as the anger makes its way to the surface. Maxim takes a step back when he sees my eyes and ck ws, then he holds his hands palms up as if in apology. ¡°Say their names and you¡¯re dead. You might be my Beta and closer to me than Bastien, but dredge up the past again and I¡¯ll shove your heart down your throat.¡± I don¡¯t even have to raise my voice for him to get the idea that I¡¯m serious, because he knows he fucking overstepped. Mentioning those names is taboo in my pack, and anyone who utters them will have a swift death. ¡°A-apologies, Alpha,¡± Maxim says before he scurries out of my office with his tail literally between his T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. legs. I empty my ss and smash it against the firece before allowing the pain of the shift to take over and sprint towards the forest surrounding my property. Nothing angers me more than thinking about the past; a past drenched in pain and abuse where those close to me did the unspeakable. I cannot stand the touch of another woman; they ruined that for me. Even the most gentle of touches feels like silver razor wire peeling off my skin. This is easy; killing, torture, blind fury¡­ it¡¯s an easy outlet. I will allow no one to get close to me again, not after that. For now, I need to focus on what I have to do to secure an heir, then see what secret this little rabbit has to hide. **The Rest Will Be Uploaded On Thursday 5 Jan 23** Chapter 5 - Mira Chapter 5 - Mira It¡¯s been a week since they brought me into the SilverCrest Pack, and a week since I¡¯ve seen another person besides Josef, my supposed bodyguard. They¡¯ve moved me to another bedroom; there are no bars on the windows and my door does not get locked, but I am a prisoner nheless. I¡¯ve healedpletely, though, and ording to Josef, the pack doctor will being to see me from tomorrow to start with the insemination process. Thest time I saw her, she asked me about my heat cycles and when they usually ur. I¡¯ll being into my heat in three days¡¯ time, but this time things will be different for me. Mikhail had me on medication to suppress my heat, and so did my father. I¡¯ve never truly experienced it to its fullest before¡­ To say I¡¯m scared is putting it lightly. ¡°You¡¯re deep in thought today,¡± Josef says, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look toward him and offer him a light smile. He¡¯s been kind to me, nothing like the warriors I¡¯m used to, so it¡¯s made the transition a bit easier. ¡°Just thinking about tomorrow,¡± I answer truthfully. ¡°I am¡­ a bit nervous about everything.¡± He nods. ¡°You¡¯re to bear the Alpha¡¯s child. It cannot be easy for you. So perhaps don¡¯t think about everything right now.¡± Breathing out a sigh, I hug my body closer and shoot him a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right, there¡¯s no reason to worry so much since it all will be taken care of by the Alpha, anyway.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m saying this since I have everything to be worried about. When he finds out who I really am and what I know¡­ I shake my head; I cannot live with what-ifs right now. This is my path to freedom, to safety, and to a life where I¡¯ll be free of abusive Alphas and their hold on me. I know I sound selfish, but I have never been selfish in my life. I have to be stronger. ** ¡°Mia, you¡¯re looking healthier,¡± doctor Lh, the pack doctor, says when she sees me again. She looks me up and down and smiles with a satisfied look on her face. ¡°Yes, definitely.¡± What exactly does that mean? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She asks me to strip so she can do a full body check-up again and I freeze, knowing what my back and legs look like. My skin resembles the Eastern art of repairing broken things with gold, in my case silver strips of healedcerations; it¡¯s ugly either way. Then there¡¯s the tattoo on my inner thigh¡­ Doctor Lh ces a hand on my shoulder and a chill runs up my spine, but then she gives me a smile and nods her head. ¡°I saw it all and did not mention it to the Alpha; patient-doctor confidentiality and all that. You went through something horrific and I know it has something to do with the people you ran from, but please know I will do everything in my power to help you with this. I will not hurt you, Mia.¡± The way she phrases it makes me want to believe her, so I breathe out a sigh and strip my clothes off. The pity in her eyes causes goosebumps of shame to pucker all over my skin; I have never had anyone feel pity for me and it is such a strange feeling. I know I am broken. I know Mikhail ruined me, but I don¡¯t want anyone to know just how much. Her gentle touch as she starts her check-up, makes me feel a bit better about everything. No one has ever touched me gently before, not even my mother, who imed to love me. She prods and probes, checking this and that, and draws blood and a separate fluid before finally giving me an internal examination. As someone who has never been to a doctor before, I wasn¡¯t aware of what an internal examination would be. Well, I learned quickly. Apparently, it¡¯s normal to have this kind of examination done, but it feels too darn invasive. It feels like she¡¯s looking for any w that could present itself while I carry her Alpha¡¯s heir, and I suppose that¡¯s to be expected. After what feels like hours, she finally tells me to get dressed while she reviews everything. She remained quiet throughout the check-up, and it has me wondering if she finally found a w in me. That wouldn¡¯t be surprising, though. ¡°You were on heat suppression medication, correct?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answer. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she says as she looks over the results she has received. A few markings with a pen and nodding, then she turns her head up to face me and offers me a bright smile. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re fine to go ahead since the medication has all but worn off. Actually, we¡¯re at a perfect time to start with the insemination!¡± My eyes widen to dinner te size. ¡°What?! But¡­ my heat¡­¡± ¡°Actually, starts tonight!¡± she exims with a giddy look on her face. ¡°Oh, this is even better than I expected too; your body is perfect to bear the Alpha¡¯s heir. Everything is ready to go.¡± Wait, wait¡­ This feels like it¡¯s all happening way too fast! I¡¯m supposed to get another two days to prepare myself for this. Now she¡¯s about to do it? My heart is pounding in my chest and it feels like the air has gotten thinner in this room. I stand up and try to level my breathing, but the more I try to calm myself down, the more it feels like my heart is about to burst. This is happening, this is really happening! A gentle hand on my shoulder brings my focus to the now, and when I peer up I notice Dr. Lh¡¯s gentle, glowing green eyes. I frown as I look up, sure of the fact that her eyes were a calming brown just now. ¡°Your eyes¡­¡± She smiles. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons I became a doctor, and why the Alpha keeps me in his pack. My touch can calm anyone down, it¡¯s one of the gifts the Goddess gave me,¡± she says before gently pushing me back down into my seat. The Goddess blessed her with the gift of healing as well as a calming touch; what an amazing woman. With one touch, my worries all float away and it actually scares me how calm she¡¯s made me. How many people has the Alpha asked her to make calm like this, only to send them to their doom? ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Mia, I promise. I¡¯ll be here for you every step of the way; you believe me, right?¡± she says in that soft voice of hers and it has me nodding. ¡°Y-yes¡­ I believe you,¡± I stutter as a smile spreads over my lips. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay¡­¡± That warm smile on her face grows into a proud one, and I feel much better for making her proud of me. She leads me over to the bed and asks me to get back into the hospital gown while she starts the process. ¡°You should feel proud, Mia. Alpha Nikos chose you to be the mother of his first-born heir,¡± she says while grabbing her instruments and prepping things. ¡°Most women would kill to be in your position; you¡¯re precious to the Alpha now,¡± her words of affirmation have me buzzing with excitement. I don¡¯t know what she has prepared for me, or what she¡¯s doing. All I know is that she is proud of me for keeping calm and that the Alpha sees me as precious. But that little wave of happinesses crashing down when Iy in my bed that night. Doctor Lh made mepliant as she prepared my body for the Alpha¡¯s seed. She made me feel like I was important to whatever n he had for me. She made me feel stupid, coaxing me, and praising me all while I had a blissful smile on my face. I thought Alpha Nikos was dangerous, but now I know it¡¯s the doctor I need to look out for. No wonder she¡¯s important to his ns, no wonder he trusts herpletely - she can bring him everything he wants, and all she has to do is touch someone. That woman is a devil in a white coat. I realize this when something else urs to me¡­ my heat starts tonight. Something I¡¯ve never fully experienced before will have a hold on my body and nothing will stop it. Just as these thoughts run through my mind, a hot wave simr to standing in front of an open oven, ms into my body and a whimper escapes my lips. Every inch of my body feels like it¡¯s on fire and an even more intense sensation starts in between my legs. My fingers travel lower, exploring the heat that¡¯s pooling at my center. I¡¯m soaked through my panties, and when my fingers gently touch the oversensitive nub, that whimper bes a moan. I¡¯ve never felt this before, even as Mikhail imed my body every night. This need for more friction, this ache to have something more - he never made me feel like this. Is this what the medication suppressed? But the more I touch myself, the more I realize that my own touch will never be enough. I need more¡­I need more! Chapter 6 - Nikolaos Chapter 6 - Nikos I lean back in my chair with a sigh, closing thest of the financial statements for my three clubs. Even as all my businesses went legit and I went from narcotics to arms dealing, my profits shot through the roof after the introduction of my BDSM club. Who would have thought so many important people in government had such sick fantasies? Not that I¡¯m one to kink-shame. The Pack Elders weren¡¯t too happy with the shift in my businesses, thinking I would lose money this way, but I have left them to eat their words. That¡¯s when they brought up the no Luna or heir issue. One would suspect they want me out of my position, but the question is why? I¡¯ve tripled everything I¡¯ve touched, and brought them more money than my father ever did when he was Alpha. Even Bastien¡¯s businesses are doing well. So why are they looking for ws in all my ns? I heave out a sigh and get to my feet; today has been one of the worst days so far and it irks me how much everything is getting to me. The upside is Lh has informed me the Omega is ready for the insemination procedure. So, everything starts from tomorrow. Closing my office door, I walk upstairs and head towards the Omega¡¯s room to speak with Josef, her bodyguard. He¡¯s mentioned that she¡¯s under stress because of this, and we can¡¯t have her stressed right now. I wonder if Lh has attempted to calm her down, I should mention this to her. Just as I round the corner to her bedroom, I see Josef on his knees, wide-eyed and looking at the bedroom door. He¡¯s sweating profusely and I am about to ask what¡¯s going on, when the scent hits me. Cinnamon and a hint of strawberries; potent enough to bring an unmated warrior wolf to his knees. But it¡¯s not just that, it¡¯s the overpowering need apanied by the perfumed scent - the longing to be imed. ¡°Josef,¡± I say, keeping my voice calm. ¡°Go to your quarters for the evening.¡± ¡°Y-yes, Alpha,¡± he says and scrambles to his feet while a sense of relief crosses his face as he scurries away. How could I have been so stupid to allow her up here after Lh told me her heat would hit tonight? She should be in a different wing of the pack house, not here where any avable, unmated warrior could im her. Gritting my teeth, I clench my fists at my sides until I draw blood; then I turn to walk away from the scene. I can¡¯t be here¡­ I can¡¯t be around- A whimper filled with lust stops me cold. I might have fought off the desire to touch women or let them be touched by me, but that doesn¡¯t stop the animalistic need from taking hold of me right now. Every synapse firing off is telling me to go in there, to im this woman as mine. To impregnate her the natural way, to knot her and mark her with my bite. /¡°Go to her,¡±/ Knox, my beast, encourages me. /¡°We haven¡¯t felt the touch, nor taste, of an Omega she- wolf in heat. Let us experience it, Nikos!¡±/ ¡°N-no¡­¡± my voice wavers and I try to take a step back, but instead I take one towards the door. I can¡¯t allow my beast to lead me by the nose¡­I can¡¯t¡­ But my self-restraint crumbles to dust when a moan rips through the quiet pack house, and I find myself opening the door without thinking. There, waiting for me with her legs spread wide and inner thighs glistening with her slick,y Mia. Her scent overpowers my will, her delicious perfume causing my cock to harden and push me towards the bed where she¡¯s writhing with her hands in between her legs. She hasn¡¯t noticed me yet, but my own need intertwines with hers and when she looks up, her silver Omega eyes lock immediately with mine. ¡°Alpha,¡± she moans. ¡°Please¡­ this has never h-happened to me¡­ I don¡¯t know how to stop¡­ Oh!¡± Her innocence takes my breath away, and I somehow recall Lh telling me someone had her on heat suppressants her entire life. To stop her from getting like this, to stop her from getting pregnant with their pups. It makes sense since she was being held against her will, but why - ¡°Please! Please¡­ help me!¡± I am not sure if it¡¯s her begging or her scent, but my cock twitches in my cks. Fuck, I want this woman¡­.well, the desire to knot her, does. On any other day, I would ignore her since there¡¯s nothing overly special about her¡­but this just flips it on its head. Perhaps just a taste¡­ ¡°I will help you if you promise not to touch me,¡± I say, not believing my own fucking ears. ¡°Arms above your head and hold them there; the second you touch me, this all stops.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she moans, and I stifle a growl. This little submissive Omega makes me want to sink my cock deep inside of her, even if I cannot stand the touch of another. She raises her hands and grips the wooden bedpost, her eyes filled with anticipation of what I am going to do next. I haven¡¯t touched a woman since¡­them, but they taught me how to please one. I sit down on the bed next to her, looking down at her legs spread wide and waiting for me. Her inner thigh glistens with her slick, and it makes me wonder how long she¡¯s been trying to satisfy herself like this. But then something on the crook of her thigh gets my attention, a tattoo - no, a fucking brand. Reading it makes a wave of anger build up in my chest, and I know for a fact this is Mikhail¡¯s work. OMEGA WHORE. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so angry, it must be because my beast wants to im her with its bite. Shaking the thoughts from my head, I tentatively lift my hand towards her glistening mound. Reaching for the apex of her thigh, I slip my fingers in between her slick folds and she arches her back from the bed in a whimper. My swirling fingers spread her wide and that little voice at the back of my head tells me I should stop. I¡¯ve never been one to fucking listen, anyway. ¡°Arms where I can see them, kounel¨¢ki,¡± I order, calling her by that endearment that seems to have stuck. Little Rabbit, since I caught her running from predators. But then again, she ran straight into the arms of an even bigger predator, didn¡¯t she? I grin at the thought while pushing a finger inside of her, finding her soaked for me. I add another one, fucking her slowly with my fingers while loving the way she¡¯s writhing against my hand. ¡°Good girl,¡± I praise her, using my thumb to work her over-sensitive clit and growling when her pussy walls clench around my fingers. She wants me to knot her, and every inch of me wants to do it too. Fuck. I want to be inside of her; I need to feel her do that on my needy cock. ¡°Move your hips and fuck my fingers, little rabbit; show me how much you want toe for me.¡± The more I y with her pussy, the more she reaches her peak. My cock is straining, needing relief that I know will only be found inside of this submissive little rabbit. The sounds she¡¯s making coupled with her moving hips make me nearly lose my fucking shit. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. I draw my fingers out of her and look at her slick desire, coating them before putting them into my mouth without thinking. A growl rumbles in my chest at the taste of her; sweet and willing. Getting lost in her sweet taste and delicious scent, I bring her to orgasm countless times before she eventually passes out while still white-knuckling the bedpost. I get up and take a step away from her, ignoring my smirking beast before rushing towards the confines of my own bedroom. Stripping off my clothes, I run a cold shower and get under it while sucking in a breath through my teeth. /¡°Told you,¡±/ Knox says happily before disappearing. Yes, he did¡­ touching her didn¡¯t bring me that sense of revulsion. Even just shaking hands with other people sends my body to pucker goosebumps of disgust. Somehow, she didn¡¯t; touching her didn¡¯t disgust me. I fist my straining cock in my hands and move my hips in order to get some relief, but all I see is her perfect pink mouth, and wonder how it would feel wrapped around my cock. Her pussy was warm, tight, and inviting, her scent nearly sent me into a frenzy, but I kept my cool. Pumping my cock into my fist with the thought of her, smelling her scent, remembering the sounds she made, and picturing her underneath me¡­ I reach my peak with a shuddering growl, thick tendrils ofe coating the tiled wall as my pulsing cock releases more and more. Even after this, I still remain hard as a fucking rock; no woman has ever made me ache with this need before. But I know it¡¯s simply her heat making me feel like this. I¡¯d never been around a she-wolf in heat before, and my beast was just responding in kind. The animalistic need was just that - animalistic. I am an Alpha and the need to im and impregnate a she-wolf is strong, especially during their heat. Hopefully, this stops when she falls pregnant; I can¡¯t let this happen again. That nagging voice at the back of my head calls bullshit and reminds me that even when she ran into me in that alley, I didn¡¯t feel revulsion, either. Chapter 7 - Mira Chapter 7 - Mira I open my eyes and stretch like a cat in the sun, a smile slipping onto my lips at how rxed I feel. Wow, I slept extremely wellst night; I didn¡¯t even have nightmares to gue me. You would think after being scared of going into heat would - I freeze when the scent of spice and leather hits my nose and I sit up quickly¡­ Then the memories of ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡± I exim, remembering how I begged the Alpha to help me find relief during my heat. Hismand to keep my hands above my head, the way he yed with me, teased me, brought me to climax until I fell asleep under the cloud of ecstasy. All that, but he didn¡¯t have sex with me, thank Goddess. I need to get to Doctor Lh and tell her to do something about this; I cannot go through what I didst night, it is mortifying! Rushing into the shower, I get cleaned up and afterward, remove all the linen from my bed and open the windows. The Alpha¡¯s scent has to get out of my room, and so does my annoyingly needy one and the chilly air will help with that. I wrap a coat around my body and walk towards the door, only to open it and see a sheepish-looking Josef standing there. His face is beet-red and he can¡¯t meet my eye¡­then it hit me; he smelled my heat. ¡°Oh, Goddess I am so sorry, Josef!¡± I exim with my hands over my mouth. ¡°That was my first time-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss Mia,¡± he says, smiling. ¡°The Alpha came and sorted things out, so don¡¯t worry. Doctor Lh will being by this morning as well, and has advised me to tell you to wait inside your bedroom for her.¡± I frown; she¡¯sing here? I thought we would do the treatments in her office¡­ ¡°Do you know if Alpha Nikos is home today? I would like to speak with him,¡± I have to apologize for my behaviorst night and assure him that it will not happen again, but then Josef shakes his head. ¡°The Alpha will be gone for about a week or two; he has some matters to deal with elsewhere,¡± he says. Nodding, I go back into my bedroom and sit down on my bed to wait for the doctor to arrive. Surely I didn¡¯t drive him away, right? No, I can¡¯t think like that; it¡¯s not like I could have the power to send an Alpha of his caliber running. He probably doesn¡¯t want to be around me after what I didst night. I groan and curl into a ball of self-pity. Sometimes I wish my wolf would speak with me again. Star was my only friend growing up. She would whisper encouragement and try to keep me strong while I was living in poverty with my mother. But the second my father sold me to Mikhail, she went silent. I still don¡¯t know why since we were so close before. That was thest nail in my proverbial coffin; even my wolf left me. I wonder how she would feel if she knew what I was about to do. A knock sounds on my door, and I sit up before telling them they can enter. Doctor Lh walks in with that same warm smile on her face as before, and it grows even more when she sees me. ¡°Good morning, Mia,¡± she says as Josef closes the bedroom door after she enters. ¡°I heard you had quite an eventful first heat.¡± I cover my face and groan. ¡°Eventful isn¡¯t what I would call it, Doctor Lh,¡± I murmur, remembering the sound of Alpha Nikos¡¯ growl and how he brought me to orgasm for the first time. ¡°I¡¯m mortified!¡± Doctor Lh chuckles, ces a white case on my nightstand, and sits down next to me. ¡°The Alpha didn¡¯t say anything bad, don¡¯t worry. He med himself for not moving you to a different wing before your heat, but that alles to a stop today, yes?¡± I nod, looking at the case on my nightstand; today I¡¯ll be inseminated. ¡°Now, if all goes well, then we should be able to see a result within the next two days,¡± she says and I gasp. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Two days?! So soon?¡± She chuckles again. ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha. It should be almost immediate, but since you¡¯re an Omega, it might take a while longer. I did pick up on some Alpha blood in you, though. Designation and rank count when ites to impregnation.¡± This all goes over my head, but I still nod as if I understood a word; all I hear is that I will probably be pregnant by tomorrow. A sense of serenityes over me when she ces a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Can you pleasey down on the bed for me, Mia? The Alpha will be so happy when you fall pregnant; he will be so proud of you.¡± This woman and her power of persuasion is a dangerous thing, but even as I know what she¡¯s doing, I can¡¯t help but feel giddy at making the Alpha proud of me. A blissful smile crosses my face while she gets to work doing whatever it is to impregnate me. Would he call me a good girl again? My face heats up at the memory, but it doesn¡¯t leave me. His crimson eyes as he peered down at me, his expert fingers working my core, bringing me to my climax over and over, licking my lust from his fingers. Oh, Goddess, did he really do that? I remember him growling as he did it too, does that mean he liked my taste? No, no¡­ this is veering into dangerous territory. I need to stop thinking like this! ¡°There we go, all done!¡± Doctor Lh exims, pping her hands together in excitement. I was so lost in my own silly thoughts that I didn¡¯t even realize half an hour had passed. ¡°Now, it¡¯s a waiting game.¡± I wrap my hands around my body. ¡°How will I know it¡¯s sessful? Will I feel any different?¡± She walks to her case and starts putting her things away. ¡°Some women can detect it immediately, some feel nauseous, others light-headed. It really differs,¡± she says, snapping her case shut. ¡°I¡¯lle by again tomorrow morning to see if there¡¯s any difference.¡± I nod and watch her as she walks out, then I pull up my legs towards my chest and breathe out a sigh. My heart is sitting in my throat and I don¡¯t know what to think; I have Alpha Nikos¡¯ seed inside of me and if all goes well, I might even end up pregnant tomorrow already. My first steps to freedom start here. But with thates my first steps to guilt. An ideaes to me as I think this, and I get up and walk toward the door to speak with Josef. He¡¯s sitting on a chair, ying with a knife and when he sees me, he nearly drops it. ¡°Miss Mia!¡± he exims, and ces the weapon back in its holster. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to contact the Alpha and ask him if I am able to get a journal? I am going crazy not being able to do anything here,¡± I ask with a smile, hoping he takes the bait. ¡°I won¡¯t leave it here when I eventually go, don¡¯t worry!¡± Josef thinks for a few seconds, then he nods. ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call and see what I can do,¡± he says. ¡°Thank you!¡± I say and smile brightly. I know that Josef is a kind soul, which is odd since he¡¯s in this pack, so hopefully, he can convince Alpha Nikos to at least give me something to write in while I¡¯m stuck here. It¡¯s the least I can ask for. Half an hourter, Josef returns with three books and a pack of pens. ¡°He told me to find these in his offices, but advise that you keep them in a ce where he can see them,¡± he says with a smile, and even this doesn¡¯t bother me. I just need to do something with my time. Taking the notebooks from him, I thank him and close the door before walking towards my bed and sitting down. I¡¯ll be here for a few months, so I¡¯ll write down everything I¡¯ll experience from my first pregnancy. Who knows, I might want this with someone in the future, and I can learn from my old self. I just hope this child will forgive me one day. Chapter 8 - Mira Chapter 8 - Mira My eyes shoot open and I jump to my feet, hoping I make it to the toilet in time. Then I empty the entirety ofst night¡¯s supper into the toilet bowl, my stomach aching from dry heaving as thest remnants get regurgitated. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I groan and rest my mmy forehead on my arm. Dr. Lh mentioned that nausea would be one of the symptoms, right? But it¡¯s barely been a full twenty- four hours since the insemination started¡­ am I pregnant already? The bedroom door bursts open and I hear Josef rushing in beforeing to a stop at the bathroom door. I turn my head to look at him, then sh him a sheepish smile. ¡°Can you please call Dr. Lh?¡± I croak out, my throat is hoarse from vomiting. Josef nods, then he disappears just before another wave of nausea rips through my body. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything left in me to vomit out, and yet I am bent over the toilet bowl, gripping it as if my life depended on it. Flushing the toilet, I hang my head in my hands and groan, but I can¡¯t get to my feet because of the white spots dancing in my eyes. ¡°W-what¡­¡± I trail off and in the distance, I faintly hear the voices of Dr. Lh and Josef, but they soon fade away as I close my eyes. *** Soft fingers touch my forehead and a cold cloth wipes my face. I open my eyes and everything is still blurry, but then Dr. Lh¡¯s smiling facees into focus and she rests her hand on my cheek. ¡°Hello, Mia. How are you feeling?¡± she asks, and I¡¯m about to sit up when I see the IV driping out of my arm. I frown at this, then peer back up at Dr. Lh just as she hands me a ss of water. ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± I ask after I gulp it all down. She sighs and sits down next to me on the bed. ¡°We¡¯ve had to put you in a drip because I found out you¡¯ve barely been eating these past few days. Do you know how dangerous that is, Mia? You¡¯re supposed to be a surrogate for the Alpha. You need to take better care of yourself!¡± Her reprimand has me cringing, and if I could still feel my wolf, I know she would be standing with her tail in between her legs. Have I not been eating welltely? I don¡¯t even recall not looking after myself like that. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize my eating habits were so bad,¡± I admit and pull my legs up to my chest. ¡°I¡¯ve just been under so much stress-¡± ¡°I understand, Mia, really I do. In fact, I should have picked up on this before we started with the insemination,¡± she says with a sympathetic smile. ¡°But after this, we need to get you on a proper diet since your body is housing the Alpha¡¯s heir.¡± I blink, and my blood runs cold when thest part of her sentence echoes in my head. Surely I heard that wrong, there¡¯s no way I can be¡­ Goddess, I nearly drop the ss I am holding as the shock truly hits me. Did she just¡­. Am I? ¡°The Alpha¡¯s heir?¡± I ask, with my heart sitting in my throat. How¡­.isn¡¯t it too soon?! Dr. Lh nods excitedly and a wide grin splits her face. ¡°I ran the tests while you were passed out and it showed five positive results!¡± She says and ps her hands together. ¡°I have informed the Alpha, but he¡¯s out of town, unfortunately.¡± Pregnant. I¡¯m pregnant already. The thought alone should freak me out, but I think I am too much in shock for it to register yet. ¡°He will be so pleased, Mia. You fell pregnant on the first course! That just shows we made an excellent decision in choosing you; your body is meant to carry an Alpha¡¯s pup!¡± She says and rubs my back as her eyes shine with pride. On the first course¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this. ¡°What happens now?¡± I ask, hugging my arms around my body. ¡°Do I stay in this room until I give birth?¡± Dr. Lh collects her things and gets to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s for Alpha Nikos to decide. He should be back in a few days¡¯ time; until then you should stay in bed and rest up. Can¡¯t have you fainting like that again.¡± I nod and shoot her what I hope is a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take better care of myself from now on, don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s a lot at stake and I can¡¯t have the Alpha disappointed in me.¡± His scowl is already so frightening. ¡°Indeed; he¡¯s waited so long for this, too¡­¡± she says with a sigh before gesturing towards the drip. ¡°When that is empty, I have advised Josef on what to do to remove it. They will serve lunch in a few minutes, so eat up, then rest up, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Lh,¡± I answer, but something urs to me as she walks out, so I call her. She turns back to face me with a questioning lift of her eyebrow. ¡°Have you heard of a wolf spirit going silent for no reason?¡± She crosses her arms, and her eyes widen slightly. ¡°You¡¯re born with your wolf, they¡¯re part of you in every way. There¡¯s no way they would go silent for no reason. Why do you ask, Mia?¡± I sigh and bite my bottom lip. ¡°My wolf¡­ she¡¯s been silent ever since I can remember. Well¡­ since I was taken.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s your answer,¡± she says with a sad smile. ¡°Whatever you went through must have been traumatic enough that it has weakened your wolf considerably,¡± she says. ¡°And from what I could see on your body, you went through absolute Hell. But don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll return one day, when you¡¯ve built up more confidence and start healing.¡± This makes me smile and feel hopeful for a change; Star will return one day! I thank Dr. Lh and wish her well, but I only breathe easy when she¡¯s out of the room. Simr to Alpha Nikos, I can¡¯t breathe when she¡¯s around me, mostly because I know what she¡¯s capable of. That woman may seem timid and gentle, but she could rule countries with that power of hers. I have to make sure she doesn¡¯t touch me. Laying back on the bed, I sling an arm over my eyes and allow the shock of my pregnancy result to take over. She did say designation makes a difference, but I¡¯m an Omega, so surely it should have taken longer to fall pregnant, right? Perhaps it''s my father¡¯s blood ying a part in it; he is an old Alpha after all. I ce my hands on my belly and feel tears prickling the side of my eyes. Something is happening inside of me right now, something I am willingly giving away for a taste of freedom. There¡¯s nothing I can do to change my decision now, though, so my guilt shouldn¡¯t cloud my decision. Goddess, I am selfish, aren¡¯t I? The following day, Josef tells me I am permitted to walk around the back gardens if I so wished and to be honest, I was jumping at the idea. The crisp, cold air would help my disposition right now, and N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. stretching my legs sounds divine. So, after lunch, I tell Josef to take me downstairs. The garden is vast, filled with all sorts of flowers, trees, shrubs, four separate fountains to indicate the different seasons, and arge wrought iron gazebo in the middle. There¡¯s even a hedge maze! ¡°Wow!¡± I exim with a hand to my chest. Even filled with a dusting of snow, it feels as if I¡¯ve just stepped into a storybook! ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, yes?¡± Josef says in a cheerful tone as we walk the hedges. ¡°The Alpha¡¯s grandmother designed it; she had a green thumb and helped nt almost every flower you see here.¡± This ce feels magical; any child would be happy to run through here and explore, pretending they¡¯re kings and queens ruling over vast domains. Perhaps my worries are all for naught - the Alpha would take great care of the child, wouldn¡¯t he? We reach the gazebo and I spot the dead, frozen flowers encircling the bars. ¡°I would love to see it in Spring!¡± I gush, seeing the dead roses and daisies in the Spring garden. ¡°I bet it looks even lovelier.¡± ¡°Oh, it certainly does,¡± an old, weathered and yet pleasant voice says and Josef and I turn to see who it is. A woman with dark hair littered with streaks of white walks towards us with a cane in her left hand. Her green eyes are full of questions as she looks at me, then at Josef. She¡¯s dressed in ck, wrapped up in a ck coat, scarf, and hat; her hair falls to her waist in a straight curtain. Even with her wrinkled face, I can tell she¡¯s an old, ssic beauty. Josef stiffens up next to me. ¡°Kyr¨ªa Ariadne! What are you doing out in the cold?¡± he exims, walking over to her. ¡°You could catch your death out here!¡± The olddy chuckles and pats Josef¡¯s hand when he reaches for her. ¡°Ah, did I not tell you not to worry about me, Josef? You are too soft for this world,¡± she says in a singsong voice. He sighs, and a sheepish look crosses his face, but then she turns to me. ¡°And who might this be?¡± Josef clenches his jaw, then he sighs. ¡°She¡¯s my charge for the next few months; that¡¯s all I am allowed to say,¡± he says, looking guilty. Thedy nods, then she smiles warmly at me before walking away. Josef shakes his head, then he I know if I had to ask about her, he wouldn¡¯t answer. So I keep quiet, but at least I know now that there¡¯s someone else here. Someone who looks sweet¡­ and someone who resembles the Alpha. Who is she, though? Chapter 9 - Mira Chapter 9 - Mira The ck cotton dress hugs my body tightly, and I admire how it gives the illusion of curves when I have clearly been starved all my life. It has been a week since my positive pregnancy result and Josef has informed me that Alpha Nikos would like to see me this evening. My closet has been filled with clothing in all shapes and sizes ording to my body type and how it will grow. From evening wear tofort clothing and fuzzy slippers. The lush robes are a favorite of mine! So, I decided to wear this dress to my meeting with the Alpha¡­not that I am much to look at, anyway. Dull brown curls, dark brown eyes, and a body showing years of neglect. There¡¯s nothing overly special about me, just the fact that I am carrying his child. I am nervous, though, since he wants to speak with me. We haven¡¯t seen each other since the night of my first heat and that mortification still burns hot in my chest. Thank Goddess that won¡¯t be recurring, though. As soon as I leave here, I¡¯ll be on heat suppressants again. Being a ve to your body is an awful feeling and it¡¯s even worse on a full moon. But I haven¡¯t shifted in years; Mikhail never allowed me to and Star has been quiet. I¡¯m basically a human with supernatural healing now. Evening swiftly approaches and I am a nervous wreck by the time Josefes to collect me. There¡¯s no indication as to what this meeting is about, and the thought alone makes me even more nauseous. ¡°Where are you taking me, Josef?¡± He chuckles at the hitch in my voice and shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Mia, the Alpha won¡¯t do anything to harm you,¡± he says withplete faith. ¡°He¡¯s asked me to take you to his private dining quarters.¡± I freeze up. ¡°P-private dining quarters? Why?¡± Josef shrugs. ¡°That¡¯s where he usually has his important meetings,¡± he says, and that serves to shut me up immediately. Important meetings. I suppose that seeing his surrogate would count as a meeting as well, wouldn¡¯t it? Not that I amining since I have no idea what to expect from this. My terms and conditions were clear in the contract, so what will meeting with me aplish? I realize then that this is my first time walking this side of the pack house and taking in the sleek look of the entire ce. cks, whites, and gunmetal - the ce feels sterile. This Alpha definitely spent a lot of money on this ce. Wee to a stop outside tworge dark wood doors and Josef knocks three times before opening the door. The same color scheme is visible here, but my eyes immediately fall on Alpha Nikos seated at the head of a dinner table. He¡¯s sitting back in his chair, elbow braced on the arm and his chin resting on his fingers. Wearing ck once again, the top two buttons of his dress shirt are open, showing off where the tattoos on his neck lead to. Those green eyes of his have clouded, as if he¡¯s not in a very pleasant mood, his dark hair slicked back - looking every inch of the mafia boss that he is. ¡°Thank you, Josef. I¡¯ll call you when you need to collect her,¡± his low voice booms through the room and a shiver runs up my spine. Goosebumps are puckering all over my skin already, and that anxiety gets even worse when Josef leaves. I¡¯m still standing and uncertain of what to do next. In the presence of this Alpha, I feelpletely small, dwarfed by the immense intimidation he¡¯s exuding. No wonder so many others are terrified of him, he doesn¡¯t even need to lift a finger to make them feel that way. Is this what it means to be a True Alpha? ¡°Are you going to join me, Mia?¡± his voice cuts through my self-panic and I immediately take a few strides toward him. As much as his aura repels, it also attracts. I see a space made up for me to his left, so I sit down and ce my hands on myp. The uncertainty is eating away at me slowly, and since I am not one to really talk, the silence is killing me. ¡°Is there a reason you wanted to see me, Alpha?¡± I finally squeak out when I can¡¯t take the silence anymore. ¡°As far as the contract goes, we don¡¯t even need to see one another.¡± The silence persists for another few seconds, then I hear his deep chuckle and turn my head toward him. He¡¯s wearing an amused smile on his face as he picks up his ss filled with an amber liquid. ¡°True, we don¡¯t need to see each other at all, but both Josef and Lh have both informed me of your anxiety and stress. I figured that to set you at ease, I shoulde to speak with you in person.¡± This makes my heart beat even faster and he frowns. ¡°Calm down, kounel¨¢ki, there¡¯s no reason for you to be anxious like this,¡± he says, then a predatory grin splits his face. ¡°I won¡¯t eat you.¡± I actually chuckle at this. ¡°You won¡¯t eat me? Dare I say you¡¯re the most dangerous predator in the country, Alpha; devouring me should be quite easy for someone like you.¡± That grin slips from his face and his green eyes now glow Alpha crimson, then he tilts his head to the side and looks at me questioningly. ¡°Hmm, indeed it would be. And if I remember correctly, you taste divine,¡± That shut me up immediately and I feel my face zing with embarrassment. He tasted me on the night of my heat, I remember vividly the way he growled when he ced his fingers into his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m¡­that was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to¡­help me. I apologize-¡± ¡°Do I look like I need an apology?¡± he interjects, leaning forward again. ¡°My little Omega needed my help, who was I to turn her away?¡± All my life I¡¯ve been made to feel small by being called Omega, all my life I hated the term. But there¡¯s something different in the way Alpha Nikos calls me Omega¡­it feels filthy, and I absolutely love it. ¡°Th-thank you,¡± is all I can think of responding with, but all the while I don¡¯t break eye contact. His eyes are still Alpha crimson as he stares at me and somehow I feel like I¡¯m being held under a microscope. If he looks closer, he might start to see all the cracks on my surface. ¡°That tattoo on your inner thigh, was it Mikhail¡¯s work?¡± Those words feel like a p in the face and a shiver runs up my spine; he¡¯s seen it. He¡¯s seen the one thing that made me feel even more worthless than before. Held down by his men, Mikhail decided to tattoo those vile words on my inner thigh so I could never escape. And even if I did escape, no man could ever want me with that brand on me. ¡°I-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer me,¡± he cuts me off and takes a sip of his ss. After this, servers walk out with dinner tes and our conversation stops. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Even though I do not feel hungry, I force myself to eat and enjoy the delicious food. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want to see his surrogate full of worry and stress, so I need to calm down for the sake of the baby. But something has been bothering me since this entire thing started; so, feeling brave after dinner, I decided to ask him. ¡°Alpha Nikos, can you please tell me one thing,¡± I ask as I ce my hands in myp. He raises an eyebrow and gestures with his hand. ¡°I''ll try my best to answer,¡± he says. I swallow deeply. ¡°You mentioned that you chose me as a surrogate because it¡¯s easier, but you could have chosen another woman; one who is more beautiful and has power behind her name,¡± I start. ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he says, leaning in his chair the same way as before. The servers bring out dessert, but I don¡¯t see them ce anything in front of him. ¡°Do you see that dish in front of you?¡± I look down at the te, the thin, delicate strips look like threads woven onto a piece of cake, with a dollop of vani ice cream next to it. ¡°It is called Kataifi; a popr dessert back in my home country. Its thinly cut dough exterior holds a delicious filling of chopped almonds, sugar, and plenty of cinnamon. People all over love it.¡± He says, drinking from his ss again. ¡°What does this have to do with my question, Alpha?¡± I ask with narrowed eyes. Is he purposefully ignoring my question? He chuckles, a low thrum that has my heart skipping a beat. ¡°I don¡¯t like Kataifi, in fact, I hate desserts. Women with powerfulst names are born to believe they¡¯re better than your average, but I see them in the same light as I see desserts - pretty butcking in substance.¡± I don¡¯t know what to say to this exnation, so I keep quiet in case he isn''t done. ¡°Mafia women, women with powerful fathers, they don¡¯t like being told ¡®no,¡¯ and since I am not looking for a Luna, getting an heir out of them would have been impossible. I don¡¯t wantmitment, I don¡¯t want a woman thinking they can get more out of this than what we agreed to.¡± It all clicks into ce then. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I can sense Alpha blood in you as well, so I think you''d be perfect for this,¡± he says with finality, then he smiles. ¡°And I never once said you¡¯re not beautiful.¡± My face heats up and I immediately look down at my hands. There¡¯s no way he could think I¡¯m beautiful; that makes no sense! I have always been called worthless, in, average, and a whore. Not pretty, and never beautiful. ¡°Look at me, Mia,¡± my head snaps up at the authority in his voice. His eyes have gone crimson again. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I say, ignoring the low growl I can so clearly hear in his chest. ¡°For the next few months, you¡¯ll be the most important person to me in this pack house. But I need you to look after yourself better, do you understand that?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I say again, not believing my ears. The most important person to him? Then he growls loudly and I see his ck ws extending - wait, ck ws? Is he -? ¡°You might be here because of a contract, but I never want you looking down like that again. You¡¯re carrying my only heir, I want you to act like it. Never avert your eyes, not even in front of an Alpha like me. You¡¯re giving the impression that you¡¯repliant in the face of abuse, you¡¯re showing that you¡¯re submissive - Don¡¯t. If you want to survive the world out there, never show them weakness, Mia, even if you are an Omega.¡± His words silence any response I could have had; no one has ever given me advice like this before, and everyone preferred me being a submissivemb. But this Alpha wants me to be stronger mentally? Why? The sound of his chair scraping against the floor makes me blink back to the present and I see him getting to his feet. ¡°Josef will be here to collect you momentarily,¡± he says and with that, he leaves the room, taking all my questions with him. Chapter 10 - Nikolaos Chapter 10 - Nikos These massive gunmetal gray forged iron gates always make me roll my eyes - the Elders don¡¯t even try to be covert with their wealth. Scoffing, I think about how this gate alone could finance a small pack for three years. The four old wolves who serve as our pack advisors are supposed to be just that, but they¡¯ve taken it upon themselves to govern us alone. They had my grandfather under their thumb, as well as my father, but I have refused to bend to their will. I think it¡¯s why they don¡¯t like me and Bastien - while I continue to run my pack as I please, Bastien left to establish one in Sin City. We¡¯re the only Ioannides heirs left, so they can onlyin so much. However, their recent barrage ofints has me worried; A Luna of their choosing or an Heir. Knowing my revulsion of both, they yed on it, thinking I would crumble, but I havee here with news. Grinning, I walk into the so-called pack house that¡¯s actually a mansion and make my way to their conference room. Seated at the head of the room as if royalty, sat the four Elders. Evalina, Marcos, Dimitrios, and Mairi Karras - sibling mates and as old as theye. The fact that their Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. offspring didn¡¯t die because of their incestuous lineage will always be left to spection. They look at me with old crimson eyes, sizing me up and no doubt wondering why I am smiling. These cunts should have been dead long ago; white hair and skin the same consistency as parchment. ¡°Nikos!¡± Demetrios cries out when he sees me, as if he was anything but annoyed by my presence alone. ¡°Karras Elders, it is always a pleasure to be called to see you,¡± I say with the same fake pleasantry as they¡¯ve shown me. Mairi, the cruelest of the Elders, bristles in her seat. ¡°It has been over a year and we¡¯ve seen no Luna nor heard of an heir. Do you have any news for us, or are we to take matters into our own hands, Nikos?¡± I ce my hands in the pockets of my cks and chuckle. ¡°Ie bearing good news; I have acquired a surrogate for my heir. She¡¯s about three months along now.¡± The shock on their faces brings me nothing but happiness and their gasps are like music to my ears. Mairi¡¯s wide eyes are the highlight of my day since I cannot stand the prissy old bitch. ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Marcos shouts. ¡°Why keep us in the dark for so long? Who is this surrogate?!¡± I show them my palms. ¡°She is someone of Alpha blood who will disappear as soon as she has done her duty. I have done what you¡¯ve asked of me, tripled our ie by going legit, and now I have an heir on the way. Why are you still so unhappy even when I yield results?¡± This seems to shut them up; they turn to look at each other, then Mairi sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. ¡°This is just¡­ all so sudden. Will we meet her?¡± ¡°No, there is no reason to. But in a few months¡¯ time, you¡¯ll meet the child who will be the next Alpha as you requested,¡± I say with finality. They don¡¯t need to meet Mia; they¡¯ll attempt to look into her past to find out who she truly is and no one can know that but me. There¡¯s something she¡¯s hiding, and I will find out what it is before she leaves my property. The na?ve look is a smokescreen, that¡¯s for sure. Evalina nods, then she turns to her siblings. ¡°It is true. He has done what we¡¯ve asked of him. So let us leave him to bring us the heir we requested; it¡¯s one step closer to ensuring the pack¡¯s future sess.¡± She says. Evalina is the only one I like, well, the only one I tolerate. She has her head on straight and speaks without prejudice. Being the oldest of them, she¡¯s the leader. Although she was also the one who suggested the Luna or heir option, I know Mairi was the one who came up with it. ¡°Very well,¡± Demetrios says, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We will converge when this heir is brought to us. Until then, we wish you well.¡± I bow my head to hide my grin. ¡°Thank you, Karras Elders; I will not disappoint you,¡± I say, before turning on my heel and walking out of that mansion-cum-museum. Being here always pisses me off, so the second I am in my vehicle, I call up the one person who I know hates them as much as I do. ¡°To what do I owe the fucking pleasure?¡± my brother, Bastien, says in a voice dripping with boredom. He¡¯s older than I am and by right he should have imed the Alpha title. But after what happened with his wife and mate, he decided to leave and start his own pack in a city he could run single-handedly. I¡¯ll always resent him for making that decision and leaving the pack, but I understand his reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m about an hour out. Are you free for drinks?¡± He chuckles. ¡°An hour out means you went to those fossils, didn¡¯t you? Sure, I¡¯ll be in my office soon and the bar is always stocked.¡± I kill the call and advise my driver to head to Sin City. He already knows the way to my brother¡¯s offices, so I sit back and think about this fucked up predicament I am in. It¡¯s been three months since I¡¯ve kept myself busy, three months since I saw Mia after that meeting we had, and three months since I have wanted nothing more than to taste her again. How can someone so unassuming be so fucking intoxicating? Does she not know what she does to men? I wonder if Josef has the same thoughts as me, and anger fills my chest just thinking about it. She may have been terribly abused, but there¡¯s an innocence about her that I know I would ruin if given the chance. I need to get that Omega out of my system and going to Sin City might just help. Marching into Bastien¡¯s office, I head straight to his bar and wait for him to arrive. I know he¡¯s in the middle of making sure the ten-year anniversary of his auction goes well, so he¡¯ll be a while. Only elite Alphas and packs go to this annual auction where anything, but lives, can be bought for a price. There are whispers in the underground that Bastien sells humans and supernatural creatures alike, but it¡¯s far from the truth. Weapons, art, and obscure and taboo ingredients for spells can all be found at his auction and that, to him, covers the costs about five times over. Trafficking was one of the things he put a stop to when he was Alpha in my pack, too. I respect him for that. The door to his office opens, and he walks in, chuckling. ¡°I knew I¡¯d find you by the alcohol,¡± he says and joins me at the bar. We embraced, and I gave him a tumbler filled with his favorite whiskey. ¡°I findfort in my amber liquid, sue me,¡± I say and lift the ss to my lips. He shoots me a look that says he doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡°You gonna tell me why you¡¯re here, brother? There¡¯s no pissed-off scenting from you, so your meeting with the Elders can¡¯t have gone bad.¡± I shrug. ¡°They¡¯re not happy that I met their demands,¡± I say, allowing him to digest what I have just said. When the realization hits, his eyes grow wide, and he nearly chokes on his drink. ¡°Met their demands? Don¡¯t fucking tell me-¡± ¡°She¡¯s three months along, and before you ask, it was through an insemination procedure,¡± I say and this time he actually coughs out loud. ¡°Fuck, Niko,¡± he says, leaning back with his hands over his mouth. ¡°How did this happen so quickly? What made you do this?¡± ¡°It was either do this or get a Luna and you know why I refuse a Luna,¡± I say, watching as a sliver of pain dances in his eyes. He was the only person I trusted with what happened to me, and the only one who knows what I went through at the hands of¡­ them. ¡°I understand, brother¡­ but a child? How will you raise one if you cannot stand the touch of another? The child will grow up forever craving a warm touch or embrace; have you thought this through?¡± He asks with nothing but concern in his eyes. I breathe out a sigh and empty my ss. ¡°Why do you think I decided to do this, Bastien? I have to keep my position as Alpha; there¡¯s no way the Elders will rip my legacy away from me.¡± He shakes his head, gets to his feet, and ces a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± he says. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Will I get a chance to meet her?¡± I shake my head. ¡°No. No one will.¡± Nodding, his lips are a thin line of concern, but he says nothing more about it. He¡¯s the only one who shows concern for me, and I get that he¡¯s worried, but surely he understands that I had to do this? There was no other way, and if the child wants the touch of a family member, there was always Ariadne. They¡¯ll want for nothing; they¡¯ll have money, status, power, and a waiting title. That¡¯s all that should mean something, right? Chapter 11 - Mira Chapter 11 - Mira Naked, I stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror in my bedroom and look at my reflection. A slight smile tugged at my lips as I observed how much my body has changed since I had first said yes to the Alpha. Though the pale skin, sunken cheeks, and hollowed eyes were still fresh in my memory, the vibrant hue, rosy cheeks, and fuller figure were now undeniable. I can¡¯t help but feel excited at the fact that my belly is showing, too! It has been three months since I first stepped into this cursed ce, and I have decided to stop running away from the inevitable. I¡¯m pregnant, I am going to give birth to a child I won¡¯t hold or see - I decided this, and I have to see it through. Things have sort of been okay; I¡¯ve learned to stop being terrified of the inevitable. It¡¯s also helped that I haven¡¯t seen Alpha Nikos since our dinner together. Not have I seen the olddy again, but that¡¯s okay, I guess. I¡¯vee to enjoy my quiet, and I have my journals so there¡¯s that. Oh, and Josef, too! He¡¯s told me a bit more about himself and apparently he¡¯s a distant cousin of the Alpha. It would make sense that he¡¯d put someone he trusts with me. But Josef and Alpha Nikos are like night and day. I see now what the olddy meant by Josef is too soft for this world. I step away from the mirror, embraced by this newfound courage and confidence. No matter what came my way, I would face it head-on. I was ready - no more guilt from today forward. After getting into some warm clothing, I walk to my desk and get lost in my own thoughts again. A knock sounds on the bedroom door just as I finish one of myst journal entries, and I tell them to enter. Josef walks in with a smile on his face, then he gestures to the back. ¡°I thought you might want to have your tea in the garden gazebo today; the sun¡¯s out,¡± he says. Smiling, I look at my jeans, blouse, and boots and nod. ¡°Just let me grab a coat,¡± I say before I allow him to lead me outside. The garden has sort of be my little ce of heaven thesest few weeks; I can sit there, staring at absolutely nothing, and still feel happy. Things might not have improved. I might still be a prisoner, but this is the most freedom I¡¯ve had in years. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu today?¡± I ask as I take my seat opposite him. ¡°I¡¯ve been craving something sweet but salty and nothing seems to-¡± ¡°Cheesecake!¡± Josef says in an excited tone. ¡°I remember youining about yourtest craving, so I asked the guys in the kitchen to prepare mini cheesecakes for you.¡± I could hug him! ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you, thank you!¡± I think the one thing I¡¯ll miss about this ce is Josef and his kindness. He has no reason to be kind or sweet to me. He could have simply been cold and offish since he is my so-called bodyguard. But he decided to treat me like a person and not amodity. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Miss Mia. Let¡¯s enjoy thest of the sun before the cold front hits tomorrow,¡± he says and proceeds to pour us our beverages. Just hearing about a cold front makes me break out in an anxious sweat. I feel the pain of every snapped bone, every fracture, every break, the worst when it¡¯s cold. Winter was brutal, and since I am slow to heal, it¡¯s even worse. ¡°Are you ever going to tell me who that olddy was?¡± I ask for the tenth time since Ist saw her, knowing the answer would remain the same. He shakes his head and chuckles. ¡°You know I¡¯m not permitted to say-¡± ¡°She looks like the Alpha, so she must be a family member, right?¡± I interject while trying not to appear nosey. ¡°In fact, you guys have the same shade of green eye color.¡± Josef sighs. ¡°Miss Mia, the Alpha had strict rules not to speak about his personal life or anything else that does not concern you. Please do not put me in a position to go against his orders.¡± I blink back and look at him; before he would just brush it off, but now he¡¯s actually getting upset with me. Gosh, I shouldn¡¯t push the subject then. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say, and I draw my teacup to my lips. ¡°Can you at least tell me more about yourself? Do you have a wife, a mate, or kids?¡± He chuckles again, then he lightly pats my hand. ¡°You are terribly nosey, Miss Mia. But no, I do not have any of those. I¡¯ve sworn my life to this pack, so I can¡¯t think about such trivial things.¡± I frown. ¡°Trivial? I hardly think those are trivial things, Josef. How will you ever find happiness if you¡¯ve sworn your life to the pack?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works in this life. I offered my life up to the Alpha, so has every other wolf here and we don¡¯t regret the decision we made,¡± he says, and I can tell by the proud look on his face that he means what he¡¯s just said. Nodding, I¡¯m about to dig into a mini cheesecake when something he just said makes me think. ¡°You mention every other wolf here; who? I haven¡¯t seen anyone else since the Alpha brought here me.¡± Josef sits back and sips on his coffee. ¡°That¡¯s because the Alpha has barred the other wolves from they¡¯re not allowed up here.¡± Well, that does make sense. But why bar them froming here? Is it because of me? ¡°That makes-¡± ¡°Done sharing secrets, Josef?¡± an unknown voicees up behind us as Josef jumps to his feet while bowing his head. I turn to put a face to the voice and see a tall man walking around the gazebo anding to a stop in front of us. He has his hands in his pockets and is wearing a grin that sends a shiver down my spine. His cold, vacant blue eyes regard me with a scowl, then he runs a ck-gloved hand through his blonde hair and tuts. I immediately don¡¯t like him. ¡°Not at all, Beta Maxim; I was just indulging Miss Mia,¡± Josef says with his head still bowed. Beta Maxim; Alpha Nikos'' second inmand. Knowing this does not sit well with me, especially when I can so clearly spot the same bloodlust in him that I could see in Mikhail. I don¡¯t trust this man, and I especially don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s looking at me. ¡°Leave us; I want to speak to the Surrogate,¡± he says, waving an apprehensive Josef off. Josef looks at me, then he walks away¡­ leaving me alone with a man who reminds me of the man I ran away from. He takes Josef¡¯s ce and leans back in the wrought-iron chair, draping his arm over the back of mine. ¡°I believe this is the first time we¡¯ve formally met, Omega. My name is Maxim, Nikos Beta. You seem to have made yourself quite at home in our pack house,¡± he says, grinning. ¡°M-my name is Mia, and I am only doing what the Alpha told me to do,¡± I say, remembering Alpha Nikos¡¯ advice and not breaking my eye contact, even if the man clearly terrifies me. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He chuckles darkly and bites the side of his bottom lip. ¡°I don¡¯t care about a name I¡¯m going to forget in the next few days, and both of us know Mia is not your real name, isn''t that right?¡± My heart drops and I feel a cold sweat running down my back. That fear I tried so hard not to show now simmers to the surface, and by the look of glee on his face, I¡¯d say he¡¯s enjoying my difort. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I say, trying to brush it off, but then he tuts again and picks up my uneaten mini cheesecake. ¡°I¡¯m sure we both know what I¡¯m talking about, Mirabe.¡± He doesn¡¯t even look at me when he drops this bomb, he simply starts nibbling on the dessert without a second thought. I can feel my heart thudding against my ribcage as I struggle to answer him. What do I say to this? No one knows my real name but Mikhail, not even my father called me by the name Mirabe. So how does this man know who I am? Just who is he? ¡°I haven¡¯t told Niko if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± he says nonchntly, waving his hand about. Swallowing deeply, I ask, ¡°What is it you want?¡± This seems to get his attention and a smirk teases his lips, his eyes shing gold, then blue again. ¡°This is how it¡¯s going to work, little Omega. In about two weeks'' time, I¡¯ll send Josef on an errand and take Nikos away for the day. At exactly 2 PM, the warriors switch out patrols and the camera room will be left empty for about three minutes.¡± I frown. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± He leans in close as if he¡¯s about to kiss me, then he grins. ¡°Because that¡¯s the time you¡¯ll be leaving this ce, Mirabe. Three blocks away from the little town is an abandoned warehouse; you¡¯ll find a gym bag filled with fifty thousand in cash, a ne ticket to Italy, and a new identity. Take it. Do not return.¡± My breath hitches in my throat. ¡°Why? Why would you do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your business, is it?¡± ¡°And the baby?¡± He rolls his eyes. ¡°Keep it, sell it. I don¡¯t give a shit. Just make sure you¡¯re out of this fucking town by sundown.¡± He says, popping thest of the cheesecake into his mouth and getting to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me, or I¡¯ll tell Niko just what I know about you. No way he would want Mikhail¡¯s cumbag as a surrogate after that.¡± With thosest scathing words, he leaves the garden, aware of what he¡¯s just done to me. Chapter 12 - Mira Chapter 12 - Mira I¡¯ve been curled up in my bed since yesterday, still shocked at the ultimatum Beta Maxim has given me. He knows I¡¯m running away from Mikhail, he knows what I meant to that bastard, and yet he hasn¡¯t told Alpha Nikos a thing. Why is that, I wonder? Why is he keeping this a secret from a man who trusts him so much? Alpha Nikos offered me my freedom by giving birth to his heir, now Beta Maxim is giving me another out. The only difference is that thetter feels more like a threat than a way out. If I don¡¯t go with his choice, he¡¯s going to tell the Alpha, then I might get sent back to Mikhail. What am I going to do? I can¡¯t raise a child on my own! Even if I did run away, I wouldn¡¯t get far, anyway. This Alpha is one of the most influential in the country; there would be a bounty on my head for the rest of my life. I need to get out of this room before I drive myself crazy. Jumping from the bed, I grab my coat and run out of the room, startling Josef so much that he falls out of his chair. I stifle a smile. ¡°Miss Mia!¡± he exims and gets to his feet, then he frowns when he sees the look on my face. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I nod and force a smile onto my face. ¡°Yes, of course. I was just getting tired of being in that room for so long. Can we walk around the back for a while?¡± A small smile crosses his face and he nods. ¡°Of course; I was wondering when you¡¯d start asking me,¡± he says, then gestures for me to walk with him. As much as I like Josef, I know that I cannot trust him with what happened. He¡¯ll go straight to Alpha Nikos with this, then everything is over; there¡¯s an out either way, so perhaps I should go with the easiest. ¡°You are suspiciously quiet today,¡± Josef speaks up and nudges me while snapping me out of my thoughts. He¡¯s wearing a cheeky grin with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Well? Where is your endless list of questions?¡± I chuckle and nudge him back. ¡°Not today, Josef. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night with all these nightmares guing me,¡± the liees out easier, and luckily for me, he believes it. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m sorry about that. I remember the Alpha and Dr. Lh mentioning the people you ran away from were some of the worst. So it¡¯s understandable that you¡¯d still have nightmares,¡± he says. I don¡¯t have the heart to tell him that his Beta might be the same as those people I escaped, so I simply give him a tight smile and look in front of me again. It¡¯s bothering me to no end, not only because of how he¡¯s threatened me but because Alpha Nikos is oblivious to the snake standing at his right side. There¡¯s no way for me to prove that I¡¯m right and he¡¯s wrong, so what am I to do? ¡°Say, Josef,¡± I start and see the slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°What do you know about Beta Maxim?¡± Josef stiffens at the sound of his Beta¡¯s name, then he looks at me with concern. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Well, your reaction doesn¡¯t set me at ease, so there¡¯s that,¡± I say while narrowing my eyes at him. ¡°You seem terrified of him.¡± He puts his hands behind his back as we continue to walk, then he breathes out a sigh and shakes his head. ¡°Beta Maxim is Alpha Nikos¡¯ cousin. There¡¯s a sordid history; their fathers were brothers and bitter rivals. Beta Maxim¡¯s father was set to take over as Alpha since he was the oldest, but after it was discovered that Beta Maxim¡¯s father was not¡­ideal for the role, it went over to Alpha Nikos¡¯ father.¡± I am stunned by this, not only because of the news, but because Josef is actually telling me about it. ¡°He can¡¯t have been happy about it,¡± Josef shakes his head. ¡°Beta Maxim managed to win the Alpha¡¯s trust since they grew up together, but we all know that resentment still burns. You can see it in the way Beta Maxim looks at Alpha Nikos.¡± Could this be the reason he wants me out of here, so the Alpha doesn¡¯t get an heir? A shiver runs up my spine. ¡°I know now to steer clear of Beta Maxim, then,¡± I say and hug my coat closer to my body. I was right about him; he¡¯s the same as Mikhail. They¡¯re power-hungry, greedy, and think the world owes them everything. I can¡¯t allow him to bully me and I can¡¯t allow him to win¡­so, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go through with it. We round the corner to the gazebo and Josef freezes. ¡°Uh, I think we should go the other-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Josef,¡± came that same weathered sing-song voice as before. ¡°Bring her here, I would like to meet her.¡± Josef¡¯s shoulders sag and he pinches the bridge of his nose. ¡°Very well, Kyr¨ªa Ariadne, but I will ask the Alpha to have words with you when he has me cornered about this,¡± he says, but the olddy simply chuckles. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. We walk towards the gazebo and I see she¡¯s having her afternoon tea;plete with cakes and pastries. My stomach starts to grumble at the sight of them, and she chuckles while gesturing to the open seat in front of her. ¡°Please join me,¡± she says. ¡°You, Josef, can wait over there for us to finish.¡± With a pout, Josef walks off while grumbling about how he¡¯s going to be in so much trouble for this. The ¡°Thank you,¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± she says, then she rests her hands on the table in front of her. ¡°So, what might your name be?¡± I look down at the intricate, white, and gold teacup and inhale the scent. ¡°My name is Mia, Ma¡¯am,¡± I say. She nods. ¡°Mine is Ariadne, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mia. May I ask why you¡¯re here and why my grandson has Josef keeping you away from me?¡± With widening eyes, I nearly drop the delicate teacup and my mouth hangs open. I knew they were family, but not that close! ¡°G-grandson, ma¡¯am?¡± She chuckles. ¡°Why, my little Niko, who else? I know you¡¯ve been here for a while, but we always seem to miss one another on our walks.¡± What do I tell her? Sorry, your grandson has meying low because I¡¯m the no-name surrogate for his only heir. She seems old school, so I doubt she¡¯d like to hear that about her grandson. ¡°Well-¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing he got you pregnant by ident and now he¡¯s keeping you locked up here so no one finds out,¡± she says, gesturing to my belly. ¡°You look beautiful, by the way. The glow, everything.¡± Blushing, I nearly choke on the tea at herpliment. ¡°Thank you so much¡­but unfortunately, I don¡¯t know if I am allowed to tell you why I¡¯m here, so¡­¡± She chuckles again, then she reaches over and pats my hand. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I understand. But I would like to know more about you, Mia. What are your interests or hobbies?¡± I blink. ¡°Interests or hobbies?¡± My only interest was escaping the hell I was living, so how does one answer this? ¡°I¡¯ve never really¡­I didn¡¯t grow up wanting anything because we were so poor¡­.I don¡¯t remember much, to be honest.¡± Shoot, I¡¯m supposed to have amnesia. She nods as if she understands what I mean, but no one could ever understand me or what I went through at the hands of those who were supposed to protect me. I hope and pray that this child doesn¡¯t grow up the way I did. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Well, I¡¯m here every day at this time drinking tea; if you¡¯d like to join me for a chat, you¡¯re more than wee to,¡± she says, offering me a small smile. I want to trust her, want to indulge in my fears and secrets but I know I can¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t trust anyone here; it¡¯s me against them. I¡¯m the outsider, the one lying about who I am and doing the unthinkable to finance my escape. As trustworthy as this olddy seems, she used to be Luna of this pack and will only have their best interests at heart. Especially that of her grandson. So, no¡­.I¡¯m alone here until I leave. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯d like that,¡± I respond with a smile. Meeting her every day will kill my boredom and I¡¯ll forget for a while. It¡¯s a two-for-one, so I¡¯ll do it. She returns my smile with a nod of her head, then she continues to sip on her tea. We sit like that in silence for a while, until Josef walks over and advises us to go inside because of the uing storm overhead. I can already feel the aches in my ribs and shoulder, so I bid Ariadne goodbye and allow Josef to lead me inside. ¡°You two didn¡¯t talk much,¡± he says as we approach my room. ¡°Why is that?¡± I shrug and cross my arms. ¡°There was nothing to really talk about, to be honest. I know my name and nothing else, so there wasn¡¯t much of a conversation going on,¡± I say. Josef seems happy about this. ¡°Well¡­that¡¯s good, I guess. Kyr¨ªa Ariadne is an entric one, to say the least, but she¡¯s a lovely person.¡± ¡°You always call her Kyr¨ªa Ariadne, what does that mean?¡± He smiles. ¡°Kyr¨ªa refers to ady in Greek; she¡¯s of old blood and authority, not to mention-¡± ¡°The Alpha¡¯s grandmother, I understand,¡± I say and chuckle at the shock on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s all I¡¯ve found out and I don¡¯t intend to learn more. I do, however, want to join her for tea again; she¡¯s invited me to join her daily if I wish to.¡± Naturally, Josef seems rattled about this. ¡°The Alpha won¡¯t be happy,¡± he says, shaking his head. ¡°This willnd us both in trouble.¡± ¡°Then just say I insisted,¡± I shrug before opening my bedroom door and walking in, then I turn to him. ¡°Thank you for everything, Josef.¡± He beams. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Have a lovely evening, Miss Mia.¡± I close the door and walk to the bed, sighing andying down. Going out took my mind off things for a while, but now I¡¯m back here alone with my thoughts again. I know what I need to do, but what will be the consequence? Chapter 13 - Nikolaos Chapter 13 - Nikos ¡°What did I say about Mia meeting Ariadne?¡± I ask with my hands braced on my desk, fury bubbling in my chest but I try to remain calm. I just spotted Mia in the garden with my grandmother, and they looked like they were having a grand old fucking time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alpha, but Kyr¨ªa Ariadne insisted and I can¡¯t exactly¡­go against her word, either. I did say that you would not be happy about this, but she said it would be fine,¡± Josef, the ipetent bodyguard says. I cross my arms and pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. ¡°Fucking Ari¡­¡± I trail off before opening my eyes. ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± Josef pales. ¡°For about a week-¡± ¡°A fucking week!¡± I finally explode, growling. ¡°Gods, Josef, why did you not report this to me?!¡± He cringes and bows his head. ¡°Kyr¨ªa Ariadne assured me it was okay, Alpha,¡± he whimpers. That goddamn woman! She knows not to meddle in my business and yet she decides to do this! If she finds out who or what Mia really is if she just has to touch her¡­FUCK! I sy my hands on my desk and breathe out a long sigh to control my temper. I¡¯ll have to speak with my grandmother and find out just what she wants with Mia, then I¡¯ll take it from there. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you may leave,¡± I say, dismissing Josef without even looking at him. If Ariadne had anything to do with this, which I know she does, then I can¡¯t me him. He has a soft heart, it¡¯s the reason his father sent him here to toughen him up a bit. But that soft heart will need to go if he wants to survive this pack, especially under an Alpha like me. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he says before leaving my office. I sit back in my office chair, tilt my head upward and sigh again. This is a colossal fuck up; if my grandmother knows I have a surrogate and she¡¯s made friends with her, then it will be harder to let Mia go. I¡¯m already struggling to keep her out of my fucking mind, and now this. She¡¯s gotten as close to me as possible, so I need to push back in order to make myself look like an even bigger fucking monster. ¡°Are you going to sulk there all day, or shout at me too?¡± I chuckle while still looking up at the ceiling. ¡°You really know how to worm your way in, YaYa,¡± I say with an unwanted smile on my face. The door closes and I hear her shuffle inside, then I finally turn my head when she sits down opposite me. She¡¯s wearing a small smile; a smile that lets me know she¡¯s privy to something I am not. It¡¯s the same smile she wore when she touched me and saw what happened to me - full of sympathy and concern. ¡°Did you touch her?¡± My grandmother, like Lh, was blessed with a gift from the Goddess. Only her gift is one of either foresight or hindsight. Whenever she touches someone, she can see a few glimpses into their past or future. Ariadne nods. ¡°Briefly, and what I saw wasn¡¯t¡­pleasant,¡± she shivers as if a chill has run up her spine, then she sighs. ¡°That girl¡­she¡¯s lived a life full of pain and abuse, Nikki. I don¡¯t know what you have nned for her, but you shouldn¡¯t go through with it.¡± I brace my elbows on my desk and steeple my fingers together under my chin. ¡°What I have nned for her is none of your concern, YaYa. She¡¯s signed a contract with me in exchange for her freedom and from what I can tell, she¡¯s quite happy with thepromise,¡± I say. She lifts an eyebrow and scoffs. ¡°Is that baby the so-calledpromise?¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I answer truthfully. ¡°The Elders wanted an heir and I am delivering.¡± At this, she shakes her head and chuckles sadly. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve forgotten about Masha and what her fucking annoyed that it¡¯s working. ¡°That¡¯s an unfairparison,¡± I growl, shaking my head. ¡°Masha¡¯s death was no one¡¯s fault but her own. She knew what she signed up for when my father arranged that marriage to the Alpha in the East-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± she exims, but I continue. ¡°The money, glitz, and m were all she cared about until the time for an heir came; she slept around with the help and fell pregnant, thinking the Alpha wouldn¡¯t notice but he did,¡± I say with no sympathy. ¡°Her death and punishment was a fitting end to what she did and how she ndered our name - no one over there will do business with us now because of her!¡± My sister, Masha, was arranged to marry an Alpha who had even more money than my father. She was always spoiled and got everything she wanted, so a marriage to a wealthy Alpha had her seeing stars. She was also incredibly beautiful and used her beauty to get her way in life; until that Eastern Alpha caught her fucking the pool boy. He strung her up as a warning and killed both her and her unborn child. The unborn child was a bastard and belonged to the chef. Ariadne shakes her head sadly before she gets to her feet. ¡°I used to think you weren¡¯t like him, but you¡¯re every bit as heartless,¡± she says before walking out of my office with slumped shoulders. Heartless? Yes, I have to be. There¡¯s no room for empathy as an Alpha; my pack and men expect me to be this person everyone else sees. Infallible, righteous, brave - the makings of a leader. I can¡¯t afford to be sympathetic to a plight where I can so clearly see who is in the wrong. Masha didn¡¯t think about the pack when she slept around; she was selfish and only thought about herself. I don¡¯t have the luxury to be selfish; the only selfish thing I did was give Mia that contract. Thinking back to what Ariadne said about Mia and what she saw - it should make me feel pity, but it doesn¡¯t. Does that make me heartless? I suppose it does, but abuse and violence can either make or break you. I chose to not let it break me and have lived this long as a ¡®fuck you¡¯ to those who tried to stunt my growth. Running on anger and spite is what has kept me going, that is something I am not afraid to fucking admit. My office door opens again and I let out a growl. ¡°Does no one know how to fucking knock anymore?!¡± ¡°Fucking hell, Niko, I can go out if you want to,¡± Maxim says with a raised eyebrow. I hang my head in my hands and sigh. ¡°It¡¯s fine,e on in. Do you have news?¡± Maxim walks towards me with his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked of me, but are you sure this is wise?¡± The only one left to question my motives or rather, the only one brave enough to. As much as I trust Bastien, I trust Maxim - he¡¯s not only my cousin but my closest ally. ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens now; let the chips fall where they may and take it from there,¡± I say with a smirk. This trap I have set up for Mikhail should work, and if it does I can take out two birds with one stone. This city will be fully under SilverCrest control if all goes well and to do this I had to make a small sacrifice. He chuckles and leans against the firece. ¡°You¡¯re a heartless fucking bastard, you know that? And here they all think I¡¯m the bad one.¡± ¡°But you are the bad one, Maxim; aren¡¯t you the one who so desperately wants the title of Alpha?¡± I say in a mocking tone, and he rolls his eyes. ¡°You can keep the title, no matter what my fucking father wanted,¡± he says, then finally walks over to my desk and sits down. ¡°So, what now?¡± ¡°Now, we wait,¡± I say, crossing my arms over my chest. ¡°Ariadne knows about Mia, by the way, and she¡¯s trying her best to guilt trip me into letting her stay.¡± Maximughs, but he actually looks quite surprised at this. ¡°Gods, how did she find out? Isn¡¯t that Omega confined to her bedroom?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t want her to feel like a prisoner, so I¡¯ve allowed her to wander the grounds. But I gave Josef strict rules to not let her go into the back at a certain time; do you think he fucking listens?¡± ¡°That could be a problem,¡± he cringes, pulling a face. ¡°You know how YaYa gets, especially after the whole Masha debacle a few years ago.¡± Don¡¯t I fucking know it? I get to my feet and stretch, then I remove my coat and walk towards the door. ¡°I¡¯m about to tell her she¡¯s not to talk with Ariadne again, so if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Maximughs and follows me out, then he takes a left downstairs while I walk to Mia¡¯s room to the right. Josef is standing with his arms crossed and looking at Mia¡¯s door when I approach. He bows his head low when he sees me; I can still sense the fear in his scent. ¡°Alpha Nikos,¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken with her about Ariadne?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I figured you¡¯d want to be the one to do it, Alpha.¡± I grunt, then walk inside the bedroom only to find it empty. Frowning, I go to the walk-in but don¡¯t see her either. It¡¯s only when I turn around to face the bathroom, that I hear a faint ssh. Stepping quietly, I walk to the bathroom and see her in the bath surrounded by bubbles. She has her back to the door, but I can clearly see the small protrusion of her belly out of the water. ¡°You should be more vignt,¡± I say and hear her yelp in surprise. She jumps up way too quickly and slips, falling out of the bath. I don¡¯t know why I did it, but I rush forward just as she¡¯s about to hit the floor and she falls into my arms. The scent I have been craving for weeks now wafts in the air, and I fail to contain a growl rumbling in my chest. She looks up at me with scared brown eyes and an open mouth, one I¡¯ve dreamt of since I pleasured her during her heat. I notice that she¡¯s filled out nicely; there¡¯s more meat on her bones and her body feels supple and soft. I don¡¯t want to put her down, I want this tost, but I know it shouldn¡¯t. When I look down, I see her hand on my chest and it sends a painful feeling roaring through me - It snaps me back to the now. ¡°You should also be more careful,¡± I chastise her before cing her on the floor and turning my back on her to grab a towel from the rack. ¡°Vignce is important, Mia.¡± ¡°S-sorry,¡± she says with a red face and covers her gorgeous body. ¡°Josef was outside, I assumed-¡± ¡°Never assume; always have your own back and don¡¯t trust so easily,¡± there I fucking go with the advice again. Why do I care? I cross my arms over my chest, noticing the way she¡¯s looking at me. There¡¯s desire in in her eyes, and the way she¡¯s clenching her thighs together tells me I¡¯m not wrong. This causes me to chuckle; she¡¯s supposed to be scared of me, not fucking turned on. /¡°She¡¯s not scared of you, old friend,¡±/ Knox says with a chuckle. /¡°Look at her, she wants you to bend her over right now.¡±/ As much as I hate his words, I know they¡¯re true - her sexy as fuck strawberry and cinnamon scent has my mouth watering. ¡°Why are you here, Alpha?¡± she asks, not breaking eye contact. I can¡¯t help but smirk, realizing she¡¯s taken my advice to never avert her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want you meeting with Ariadne again, do you understand?¡± I say, dragging my fingers through my hair and her eyes widen in surprise. She seems to contemte for a while before she nods. ¡°Yes, Alpha. It won¡¯t happen again, I apologize,¡± she says. I nod, then walk out of her bedroom, hoping to get my mind off things by throwing myself into my work. She touched my chest and that familiar feeling of revulsion came over me, so it¡¯s safe to say she¡¯s no different than other women. But even as I think this, I know the image and feel of her are branded onto me now. Chapter 14 - Mira Chapter 14 - Mira My heart is sitting in my throat as I watch Alpha Nikos walk out of my bathroom. The bedroom door closes, and it¡¯s only then that I lean against therge bathtub and breathe out a sigh. I really thought I was about to be punished when the Alpha walked in here, but instead, I nearly slipped out of the darn bath andnded on my butt. And he caught me - he caught me in those strong arms of his and I nearly swooned. He wasn¡¯t dressed in a suit today, he wore a ck t-shirt and jeans. But he still looked as handsome as ever - I swear, there¡¯s just something about him, about his eyes. When he caught me, his slicked-back hair slipped out of ce and fell into his eyes - it felt like a movie moment, especially with the way he looked at me. The second I touched his chest, though, he let go of me as if I was a live wire, then started with his berating again. This man is so mercurial; I could have sworn I saw lust in his eyes. But that would mean he finds me attractive, and I know that¡¯s not possible. Sighing, I dry off and walk to my closet to get into some warm, soft PJs. The nights have been cold so much. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Before I decide to get to bed, I walk over to the bedroom door only to see Josef looking like his favorite toy just got taken away. He looks up at me with a tight smile. ¡°Evening, Miss Mia,¡± he says. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± I ask. His lips are a thin line and he nods his head tersely. ¡°Are you sure? The Alpha was just in here and he¡­had a lot to say.¡± Josef sighs. ¡°Same with me. I warned both you and Ariadne that this would happen, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. As usual, I got the p in the face for it,¡± he says with little malice, but I can tell he¡¯s hurt. A wave of guilt crashes into me as I sigh. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Josef. I promise I¡¯ll listen to your warning from now on; thest thing I want is to get you into trouble,¡± I say with sincere honesty. He only gives me a nod. ¡°Goodnight, Miss Mia,¡± is all he says before resuming his post. Oh, Goddess¡­ I hope I haven¡¯t ruined our friendship with this. When I get into bed, my mind drifts to the Alpha¡¯s warning about Ariadne. I knew he¡¯d eventually find out about our tea visits. I just didn¡¯t think he¡¯d only find out after a week of us meeting daily. Josef was, of course, apprehensive about it. But the olddy kept nagging until he eventually shut up and gave in. Even though we met so many times, I still haven¡¯t found out much about her or the Alpha but that¡¯s fine with me. She brings me books, tells me about her favorite reads, and gives me a vivid y-by-y of the telenovs she¡¯s engrossed in. I have never had someone speak to me with such enjoyment before and nothing feels forced. Now that little light has been taken away, so I¡¯m left to eat, sleep, read, write in my journal and wander around aimlessly. It¡¯s better than the alternative, I suppose. Ah, I should get some shut-eye before my day of further nothingness begins yet again. Who knows, perhaps I can ask Josef to have a TV installed for me so I don¡¯t lose my mind even more. Closing my eyes, I drift off to a dreamless sleep. But that dreamless sleep gets interrupted when I feel a hand around my neck cutting off my air supply. My eyes shoot open and all I can see are the white eyes of a Rogue - his face ispletely hidden by a bva. Terror fills my heart as my predicament bes clear - they have sent someone to kill me. But who? Mikhail? Maxim? I scratch at his hand, drawing blood, but he only grins and uses both his hands to choke the life out of me. So I trash about, trying to get him off of me - it somehow works because I got my knee up and get him in between the legs. ¡°Bitch! He hisses and I take this opportunity to scream, but he cuts it short by wrapping his hand around my neck and shoving me to the floor. ¡°Take your death quietly, Omega whore, or I¡¯ll be forced to use my knife as I did on your fucking puppy out there.¡± Oh, no! Josef! ¡°N-No!¡± I groan, trying to call to my wolf for help, but she¡¯s still silent. Star, where are you?! I need you right now, please! I struggle against his hold, but a jab against my ribs silences me; he must know about my sensitive ribs being broken so many times under Mikhail¡¯s touch. The more I scratch against his hands, the more he chuckles, so I try to bring up my knee again, but this is when he actually straddles me. I am notpletely at the mercy of this man who has been sent to kill me. With one hand still on my throat, he used the other to pull out a silver dagger and openlyughs when he sees the horror fill my eyes. That dagger looks familiar¡­oh so familiar! ¡°He told me to make it painful, so try not to scream,¡± he says, then drags the tip of the de over my right eye, slicing it down and splitting my skin. The painful sear of the silver dagger is a familiar feeling, this is not new to me, and now I finally know who sent this man¡­ By the time I see white spots dance in front of my eyes, I give up fighting. These few weeks of peace and calm were nice, and I knew they would be ripped away from me, just not this soon. Josef, the only one who showed me empathy, is probably dead out there and now I would join him. The warm blood that pools at my hair and chest from the deep incisions does not make me cry out in pain, even as they hurt. I stopped crying a long time ago, tears are a waste and so is the illusion of peace. There¡¯ll be no peace for me here in this world, no matter what I decide. Finally, I¡¯ll finally be free of this godforsaken life. The thought makes me happy, and yet sad at the same time - someone hase to kill me, I should be terrified but I simply see freedom at the end of the white light. But even the blissful peace of my imminent death is ripped away from me. The pressure on my throat is relieved with a bloodcurdling roar, and I hear something heavy being thrown against the opposite wall. I blink and lift up. Everything is blurry as I try to make out what is happening¡­ but the familiar scent of spice and leather invades my senses, just as I hear: ¡°Who gave you the fucking right to put your hands on my Omega?¡± Chapter 15 - Nikolaos Chapter 15 - Nikos Perhaps I was too harsh on Josef; I should probably speak with him again tomorrow. He¡¯s not used to this life and it was ced on me to take him under my wing and toughen him up. He¡¯ll never be tough if I constantly berate him; I have to teach him our ways and guide him. As I have said before, there¡¯s no room for a soft heart in this pack or in the life of a mafioso. If I don¡¯t teach him the right way now, he¡¯ll be dead before he turns twenty-four years old. Maxim is sitting in front of me, cradling a ss of whiskey. ¡°Will you be joining your brother¡¯s auction this year? There are talks of Dragon eggs being on the list,¡± he says. ¡°Dragon eggs?¡± I chuckle and shake my head. ¡°Dragons have been extinct for a long time. If he has Dragon eggs, then they¡¯re either fake or petrified.¡± ¡°Still, can you imagine owning a fucking Dragon? You¡¯d be the most powerful Alpha, not only in the country but the fucking world!¡± He says, indulging his fantasies again. ¡°Hmm, fear is always a good way to force submission. But with thates a whole lot of enemies,¡± I remind him. ¡°Do you think I want to go out as Caesar did with knives stuck in my back? No, thanks; give me my city.¡± Heughs. ¡°Then give me the Dragon and I¡¯ll rule the rest of the world under SilverCrest¡¯s banner!¡± he says as he clinks his ss against mine. But even as Iugh, my thoughts go to herying in that bath; supple and good enough to fucking eat. If I were any other man, I would have no problem devouring her sweetness¡­but I am no ordinary man. Beneath my exteriory a little confused boy, wondering what the fuck he did wrong to deserve what happened to him for five years. I¡¯m still filled with the same hurt and anger as before, but instead of acting out I now use it well. I won¡¯t ever be that helpless again; no one will wield that kind of power over me and force my submission. Death awaits the ones who try; my hands are already stained with innocent blood, and I am not scared to get my soul tainted, too. ¡°Say, Niko-¡± A bloodcurdling scream rips through the air, causing Maxim and me to jump to our feet. We look at each other, and the familiar sound of the voice makes my heart constrict with an unknown emotion. ¡°That¡¯s Mia!¡± I call out and run out of my office, sprinting as I takerge strides to her bedroom. She shouldn¡¯t be screaming as if she¡¯s running for her life, she should be sound asleep by now, so what the fuck is going on?! I can smell the scent of a fucking Rogue and lots of blood, and when I take the corner to her bedroom, I see the source - Josef is bleeding out on the floor. /¡°Maxim, get Lh!¡±/ I call over the mind link just as I burst into the room. My heart plummets at the sight in front of me; some cunt has Mia pinned to the floor and is trying to choke the life out of her. I allow my beast to take over and rush towards the fucker who dared to touch what¡¯s mine. I rip him from her and throw him hard at the wall, then I walk to where he fell and pick him up by the neck, mming him against the wall again. ¡°Who gave you the fucking right to put your hands on my Omega?¡± I growl, feeling my ws sinking into his flesh. ¡°SPEAK! Who the fuck sent you here?!¡± He chuckles, and I can tell by his eyes that he¡¯s resigned to his fate, so I get in a few more punches to his face and chest, listening to the melody of each of his bones shattering under my punches. Even as I do this he doesn¡¯t say a word or beg for his life, however, he does grin. I think it¡¯s odd for that moment, but then I see a piece of silver in his mouth just as he bites into it. ¡°FUCKER!¡± I growl and rip out his heart just as foam bubbles past his lips. I don¡¯t feel anything but pure rage and my vision goes red, knowing what the fuck he¡¯s just done. The cunt had a wolfsbane/silver suicide pill in his fucking mouth - whoever sent him here knew what would happen and this asshole had no problem with it! I feel warm blood coating my hands and the filthy stench of that Rogue permeates everything in this room. I need to kill. I need to rip someone limb by limb for fucking with what belongs to me. Someone dared to get past my warriors, kill my charge, and now kill the woman with my heir in her belly. Who the fuck knows about Mia? That person is DEAD! ¡°Alpha N-Nikos¡­?¡± Her small voice breaks through my veil of fury and the red slips from my vision. When I look down at my hands, I see them covered in blood with various body parts strewn at my feet. I blink and my vision returns, then I realize I lost control and truly ripped this guy apart. I turn to face her, seeing she¡¯s crouched on the floor and rising to her feet with blood dripping from a gash on the side of her face. That fury boils again when I realize that fucker cut her; he got the easy fucking way out! I walk towards her, then as I want to take her face in my hands, she flinches. This pisses me off, especially the way she looks up at me with terrified eyes. ¡°Are you okay, Mia? What else did he do?¡± She blinks the blood out of her eyes and shakes her head. ¡°He¡­just cut my face and arms¡­and he tried to¡­his hands¡­.¡± she ces her hands around her neck and her mouth pulls down in a grimace. The more I look at her, the more I realize she¡¯s trying to stop herself from crying. What happened to this little rabbit that made her not even want to cry when she was so close to death? Something in me snaps and I put my hand on the back of her neck and pull her close. She ces her head on my chest and her breathing bes in quick spurts, but I still do not hear the unmistakable sound of crying. This pisses me off more for some reason. Even as I hold her close, her arms remain at her side; she¡¯s in shock so that¡¯s understandable. Never before have I felt the need tofort someone else, much less a woman, so why does the mere sight of her make me want to take her pain away? ¡°Alpha,¡± I turn to see Lh and Maxim walking into the bedroom, but they seem to be more in shock at the fact that I¡¯m holding Mia even though there are a thousand pieces of flesh strewn about the room. Lh looks at me and nods. ¡°Josef has been taken to the infirmary; he¡¯s still alive and we¡¯ve managed to give him something to rush his healing ahead. I¡¯vee to see to Mia,¡± she says, meaning she wants to calm her down and do a check-up. I return her nod, then I push Mia away before cupping her face again. There¡¯s no change in her scent or demeanor, she still looks shocked to shit. ¡°Mia, Lh needs to tend to you, okay? You can walk with her and Maxim while I-¡± ¡°No!¡± she exims, her eyes growing wide and looking terrified again. ¡°No, please I need you toe with me, Alpha!¡± I blink at her sudden change, but then I chalk it down to her fear finally sinking in. She saw me saving her life, so naturally, she would want me at her side. Both Maxim and Lh wait for my reaction, and I am sure I am leaving them just as confused as I feel. I wouldn¡¯t do this, normally, but right now I feel the need to protect her. To protect what¡¯s mine. /¡°Yours?¡±/ Knox asks me with a raised eyebrow while looking amused, but I simply ignore him. ¡°Very well. Come,¡± I say, before turning to Maxim, who is wearing an odd expression. ¡°Take the warriors and check the boundaries of the pack house; this fucker got in somewhere and I want to know where!¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he says and walks out of the bedroom. I know he¡¯s going to have a few words to say to me, but that can wait. Lh walks out and I follow her while I have my arm wrapped around Mia¡¯s waist. I don¡¯t know why my revulsion isn¡¯t kicking in, perhaps it''s the adrenaline or anger. But I want her close to me, I want her in my arms and to know I am protecting her. We get to Lh¡¯s office and she helps Mia strip down. ¡°Come with me over here, Mia; the Alpha will join us as well,¡± she says before walking Mia towards a shower where she washes her down. I turn my head to offer her privacy, just as I did in the bathroom where she was covered in only bubbles and suds. When they¡¯re done, Lh does a check over Mia¡¯s body but does not see any other wounds. Only the ones on her face and arm. ¡°She¡¯s healing, but very slow,¡± Lh says when I turn around, seeing Mia covered up in a soft This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. nightgown. ¡°The baby is okay, but he did punch her in the ribs a few times, so they are quite bruised.¡± I growl, struggling and failing to contain my anger. ¡°I cannot give her the same thing I gave Josef to elerate his healing, but I can give her something to calm her down and let her sleep.¡± Lh finishes off. I nod. ¡°She can stay in my bedroom for tonight; it¡¯s the safest ce,¡± I say, watching as Lh¡¯s eyes grow wide at my suggestion. ¡°Are you certain, Alpha?¡± she asks. ¡°I am and don¡¯t question me again. For tonight she¡¯ll stay in my bedroom while another is being prepared for her,¡± I say, then I walk over to Mia and get in my haunches in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed, okay?¡± She shakes her head and I chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll still be there.¡± Her eyes dart around the room; all the while she still hasn¡¯t shed a tear. I don¡¯t know what this woman is made of, or if it¡¯s the trauma but either way I do not like her shielding her emotions. ¡°O-okay,¡± she finally says, and after I settle her down in my bed, Lh gives her the shot that puts her straight to sleep. Lh leaves, and I stare down at the woman who has made me do the unthinkable; I thought about someone else besides myself. I wanted to care for her and make her feel safe - I allowed her to touch me and didn¡¯t feel any pain. She looks peaceful as she sleeps, with no worry etching her brow and no downturned lips as she tries to stop herself from crying. Beautiful isn¡¯t the right word for this Omega; what with her full lips, thick eyshes, brown eyes filled with secrets, and chestnut hair I want to drag my fingers through. Not even that scar on her face hinders my attraction. I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and sigh; what is this little rabbit doing to me? Shaking my head, I get my shit together and walk out of my bedroom knowing she¡¯s safe. The anger is back as I walk downstairs to join Maxim - now I just have to find out who tried to take what¡¯s mine. Chapter 16 - Mira Chapter 16 - Mira There¡¯s a hand around my neck and I can¡¯t breathe. The more I try to fight them off, the tighter their grip gets - no amount of wing at the hand stops them and their white Rogue eyes look down at me with glee. ¡°Take your death quietly, Omega whore,¡± his voice echoes in my head over and over until I eventually hear a scream. I sit up in bed and pull my covers closer to my chest. My eyes are still adjusting to the light in the bedroom when the scent of Autumn hits me¡­.that¡¯s when I realize that I am not in my own room at all. Looking around the room, I swallow deeply and try to remember how I got here. Last night someone attacked me and I was nearly killed, then the Alpha saved me, killed the man who tried to kill me, and then Dr. Lh and Maxim - Oh, my Goddess! My hand goes to my mouth as I realize I¡¯m in Alpha Nikos¡¯ bedroom. He wanted me here, but for what? Did I do something weird that made him worry about me? No, that¡¯s not right, he doesn¡¯t worry about anyone or anything; there¡¯s no way he would be worried about me like that. A groan in the corner of the room makes my heart leap into my chest and I clutch the front of the nightgown I¡¯m wearing. From here I can see the body draped over a couch and snoring gently. I get to my feet to get a closer look, only to have my breath knocked out of me at the sight of Alpha Nikos. He has one tattooed arm draped over his eyes, with the other is ced on his extremely well- built chest. He¡¯s barefoot, wearing a pair of ck sweatpants, and no shirt, so I can see¡­everything. Every tattoo covering his arms and chest, every bullet hole, stab wound, old stitches, and punctures. But even with all those, he still looks glorious. How can this man still be single while looking like this? I am so enamored with the intricate dips on his chest, that when my gaze travels up again, I realize his eyes are open and he¡¯s watching me with a smirk teasing his lips. ¡°Good morning, kounel¨¢ki,¡± he says in an amused tone. My heart ms inside my ribcage, and I take a step backward. He chuckles and gets to his feet; but when he stretches and lets out a groan, my mouth goespletely dry. Surely this man knows how beautiful he looks? The throbbing in my core sure does. ¡°G-good morning, Alpha,¡± I say, still maintaining eye contact. ¡°Thank you for allowing me to sleep in your bed for the night. I¡¯ll be out of your personal space¡­ soon¡­¡± He shuts me up by walking towards me, then he lifts his hand and I automatically flinch. The sound of a growl echoing in his chest forces me to open my eyes, then he gently takes my chin and moves my head to the side. ¡°You¡¯ve healed, but there might be a scar,¡± he says, before taking two steps back from me. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll take you to your new bedroom.¡± I breathe out a sigh when he walks ahead and holds the door open for me, but then something else urs to me and my heart shatters into a thousand little pieces. ¡°Josef, he-¡± ¡°Josef is fine, Mia. He¡¯s healing. If you want, I¡¯ll ask him toe around to your bedroom so you can This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. see for yourself,¡± he says with a slight smile. I nod excitedly. ¡°Yes, please! I can¡¯t help but feel responsible for what happened to him,¡± I say sadly, but then Alpha Nikos shakes his head. ¡°Josef is your bodyguard. He is meant to protect you. I do have a sneaky suspicion that he feels bad for not stopping that fucking Rogue, though,¡± he says, then cocks his head towards the door. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I say and follow him to my new bedroom¡­.which happens to be right next to his. I turn my head and look up at him with a frown. ¡°No one will attack again, knowing you¡¯ll be right next to me,¡± he says, then opens the door to my new bedroom¡­ which looks exactly the same as my old one. As I am staring at it, a few things starting back to me. ¡°Alpha,¡± I start. ¡°The dagger that Rogue used, it looked familiar.¡± The Alpha nods. ¡°It¡¯s one of mine; you¡¯ve probably seen Josef y with his a few times, but Josef¡¯s dagger was not missing, nor were any of my other warriors¡¯,¡± he says. I can see his green eyes slipping to crimson just before he blinks them away. ¡°Did he say why he was here?¡± ¡°To kill me,¡± I answered immediately. ¡° ¡®He told me to make it painful,¡¯ those were his words. Oh, and he called me Omega Whore.¡± ¡°Mikhail¡¯s personal favorite,¡± he says with a murderous look in his eyes. ¡°I apologize, Mia, that will never happen again. I will make sure of it. For now, try to rx a bit.¡± With that, the Alpha walks out and leaves me terrified once more because as much as I want to believe this was Mikhail¡¯s handiwork, covertness is not the way he does things. He makes a bang; he makes an entrance - he wants you to know this was him. He wouldn¡¯t send in a sneaky assassin to do the job, he''d send someone in to nt bombs. So, no¡­.this was not Mikhail¡¯s handiwork. A shiver goes up my spine when I walk toward my journals on the desk and see a white square in one of mypleted journals. I know I never put it there, so this must have been left just for me to see. I swallow deeply. Something in me knows who this is from, but the shock is still the same when I open the postcard size square. ¡°Two days left. Tick, tock.¡± Maxim. I knew it was him from the get-go. This attack on my life, nearly killing Josef; it was all him. Now, do I show the Alpha this note, or do I leave in two days? I¡¯ll die if I stay, he¡¯s just proven it; but if I go, I¡¯ll have a new identity with money on the side. Yes, I¡¯ll be pregnant, but I¡¯m sure I can raise this child on my own¡­right? No. no, I can¡¯t do that! There is no way I will make a good mother by any means! I have to do this. I have to stick it out even if Maxim tries to kill me again. I signed a contract for a better life and I need to honor it. Besides, the Alpha saved my lifest night, didn¡¯t he? He held me close andforted me - he even let me sleep in his bed so I could feel safe! No, I have to stay¡­.I have to. A knock sounds on my door and I run towards it, knowing it would be Josef. I pull the door open, wearing a huge smile, but it immediately drops when I see the look on Josef¡¯s face. He¡¯s all cut up; there¡¯s a gash going along his right eye and across his neck. My hand goes to my chest and my mouth hangs open in shock. Oh, no! Poor Josef! ¡°Hey, Miss Mia,¡± he says with half a smile. His voice sounds weathered, and I know it¡¯s because that Rogue tried to slit his throat. I throw my arms around his neck. ¡°Josef! Oh, my Goddess, I am so sorry!¡± I cry out, feeling so close to tears but swallowing them down. ¡°This is all my fault. You got hurt because of me!¡± He chuckles, and it sounds so normal, but so forced. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault, Miss Mia, this is all on me. I didn¡¯t protect you,¡± he says. I break off the embrace and look at him, dumbfounded. ¡°What?! No, don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ve always done an excellent job! I wouldn¡¯t want anyone else at my side!¡± Somewhere I hear a low growl, but ignore it as my attention is solely focused on Josef. I reach out to touch his scar and a sad chuckle bubbles over my lips. ¡°We match now, I guess,¡± I say, and he chuckles as well. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, you¡¯re still more beautiful than I¡¯ll ever be,¡± he says, offering me another pained smile. ¡°But I¡¯ll be taking a day off to heal fully. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Not at all! Take as many days as long as youe back to me, okay?¡± The bedroom door next to mine opens and Alpha Nikos pops his head out. ¡°Josef, join me,¡± he says before walking back. Josef sighs, and is about to walk off when I pull him back into my arms. ¡°Thank you for everything, Josef. Please get well soon,¡± I say and ce a light kiss on his cheek. He¡¯s wearing a sheepish grin and his face has gone red, but he nods and then walks toward the Alpha¡¯s bedroom. I hope he won¡¯t get reprimanded. He really did try his best and almost died for me. I close the bedroom door and walk to the bathroom with the intention of soaking up in a nice bath when my gaze falls on the white square again. Picking it up, I open it again while walking to the bathroom and a heaviness settles in my heart. If I wasn¡¯t here, Josef wouldn¡¯t have been harmed. If I wasn¡¯t his charge, he might still be okay today. Does my being here put more people in danger? Even with being under a powerful Alpha¡¯s roof, someone still got in and tried to hurt me. What difference does it make whether I am here or there? The next person to be hurt might be Dr. Lh or even worse¡­ Ariadne. My being here is putting them at risk and Maxim leaving this note is proof of that. Perhaps I have been too na?ve thinking I am under a powerful Alpha¡¯s protection when I am not. Chapter 17 - Mira and Nikolaos Chapter 17 - Mira and Nikos 13:50 PM /¡°I¡¯ll send Josef on an errand and take Nikos away for the day. At exactly 2 PM, the warriors switch out patrols and the camera room will be left empty for about three minutes.¡±/ Josef has healed and even with extra patrols around, I can see them all itching to switch out patrols already. True to his word, Maxim has taken Nikos out for the afternoon; I saw their car leaving about five minutes ago. One thing Alpha Nikos didn¡¯t think about when he told everyone to stay away from the pack house, was the fact that no one knows how I look. So, dressed to leave, I wait for 2 pm to hit before I walk downstairs. I thought about it and if I want no one else to get hurt through this, then I need to go. I cannot be here to put them all in danger. For all I know, Maxim might go straight to Mikhail and tell him I am here. That would immediately take Nikos out of the equation. 14:00 PM /¡°Three blocks away from the little town is an abandoned warehouse; you¡¯ll find a gym bag filled with fifty thousand in cash, a ne ticket to Italy, and a new identity.¡±/ Dressed in ck leggings, a ck t-shirt, and trainers, I scale the boundary gate like a cat, making sure no one sees me. The second I am out of the gate, I make a run for the warehouse with the hope that no one spots me. Out of breath and keeping to the shadows, a stitch develops in my side but I do not slow down. I can¡¯t afford to let anyone see me right now, they¡¯re all SilverCrest wolves and I am dead once I¡¯m caught. The warehouse Maxim spoke about is up ahead and a smile breaks across my face. There¡¯s no other person in sight, so when I finally reach it, I stop to catch my breath and wipe the sweat from my brow. Freedom is a few steps away. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I slide the lock from the warehouse and walk inside, spotting the ck duffel bag over to the left. My heart is sitting in my throat but a sense of relief hits me so hard that I can feel tears pricking my eyes. But even as I get on my haunches and open the duffel bag, spotting the money, ne ticket, and new identity, something feels off. My escape was way too easy, especially considering the pack house was attacked two days ago. Why would Alpha Nikos not station another bodyguard outside my door? In fact, why would he allow Josef to go out on an errand if he¡¯s healing? ¡°I guess it¡¯s true, then,¡± His voice sends a shiver of fear up my spine and I jump to my feet without turning around. How does he know I¡¯m here? Did he follow me all this time? Was my freedom just a mirage? ¡°And they call me the heartless fucking bastard,¡± Maxim¡¯s amused voice follows Alpha Nikos¡¯ and I slowly turn around to face them both. ¡°I told you, a small sacrifice was needed and this was it,¡± the Alpha says in a cold tone. Maxim is wearing a smirk, whereas Alpha Nikos is standing with his hands in the pockets of his cks. He has a look of anger and disappointment in his crimson eyes, and I nearly falter being under his gaze. I take a step back. ¡°What-¡± ¡°What are we doing here? Was that what you were about to ask, Mia?¡± Alpha Nikos says and I frown before looking back at Maxim. Why is he still calling me Mia? Alpha Nikos walks towards me with a murderous look in his eyes. ¡°I think the real question is, where the fuck do you think you¡¯re going, Omega?¡± He res at me, pinning me with that cold stare that sends a shiver up my spine. What is he expecting me to say, that I wasn¡¯t nning to escape? ¡°Or rather, where the fuck do you think you¡¯re going with my heir?¡± Oh, no. No, no, no, no! I am in big trouble! There is no way I am getting out of this alive! ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand. Maxim-¡± ¡°I asked Maxim here to set up a trap for you, something that would give you away immediately,¡± Alpha Nikos says. My heart sinks even further¡­.this was his idea, not Maxim¡¯s. ¡°He tells me he set this up because he threatened to expose you, the real you. He said he threatened to tell me who you really were and the fact that you¡¯re attached to Mikhail and know his secrets,¡± he then moves close to my face. ¡°He said if you take the bait, you¡¯re guilty. Is that right, Omega? Do you know something I don¡¯t?¡± I look wide-eyed at Maxim and realize he didn¡¯t know a damn thing about me. ¡°You called me by my real name!¡± I exim, to which he chuckles. ¡°I overheard you chastising yourself and using the name Mirabe; it was a guess,¡± Maxim says while rolling his eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t fucking know who you are since your records arepletely erased. We made a calcted guess and it turned out to be correct.¡± The gravity of my situation hits me and I nearly sink to my knees; this was a trap set up for me. They don¡¯t really know who I am¡­ They made a guess and they were right. Taking another step back, I shake my head, ¡°N-no, that wasn¡¯t the reason I left!¡± I exim, knowing it¡¯s all futile. ¡°I didn¡¯t want anyone else to get hurt! I didn¡¯t want Josef-¡± Alpha Nikos chuckles and nudges Maxim. ¡°She was trying to protect Josef, are you hearing this?¡± Maxim nods. ¡°Oh, sure she has a bleeding heart right now, but let us be realistic. The look of fear when I threatened to tell Niko what I supposedly know, how you reacted when I called you Mikhail¡¯s cumbag - they all add up.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Alpha says, then gestures with his hands. Two men step out of the shadows, one of them an angry-looking Josef. ¡°Take her to the SUV.¡± ¡°No! Wait!¡± I exim as they grab me from behind, but Alpha Nikos is no longer looking at me. ¡°Gag her, I don¡¯t want any screaming on the way home,¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they say in unison as duct tape gets pped over my mouth and my hands are bound behind my back. I try to wriggle free and will the Alpha to look at me, but to no avail. I made a big mistake, I left thinking I would be keeping everyone safe, only for me to end up a prisoner in another Alpha¡¯s pack house. What am I going to do?! *** Nikos /¡°You¡¯re a heartless fucking bastard, you know that? And here they all think I¡¯m the bad one.¡±/ /¡°I used to think you weren¡¯t like him, but you¡¯re every bit as heartless,¡±/ Both Maxim and Ariadne called me heartless in one day, and I agree with them. I do what needs to be done while looking like my hands aren¡¯t dirty. Maxim looks like the one who is always out to get me, but he¡¯s as loyal as theye. They know our history and assume Maxim wants the title of Alpha; we use that to the fullest extent to weed out the fakes and backstabbers. This is how we¡¯ve fooled countless people who want me dead, this is why I keep my circle small. ¡°I almost feel sorry for her,¡± Maxim says as we listen to Josef and Sam drag her away. ¡°She looked surprised to see us here, so that means she trusted my threats.¡± ¡°It needed to be done,¡± I reminded him again. ¡°She knows something about Mikhail she¡¯s trying to hide from me and I am going to find out what it is. I just fucking wish we¡¯d done this before I chose her as my fucking surrogate.¡± Maxim chuckles and picks up the duffle bag. ¡°Gotta admit, she¡¯s a survivor, though. Makes you wonder what the fuck that bastard put her through,¡± he says, picking up the bag. I don¡¯t want to wonder, that would mean that I care and after what she made me feel the other night, I know that I have zero fucking room for those emotions. A woman can easily manipte you with a look or a touch, and pretending to be vulnerable. I won¡¯t fucking allow that again. That Rogue the other night wasn¡¯t sent by Mikhail, and I have a sneaky fucking suspicion it''s the Elders¡¯ work. They never wanted me to seed; they wanted me to fucking fail. Now I have even more reason to hate them. I just need to kill Mikhail, then I¡¯ll deal with them. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gone soft for those brown eyes,¡± I growl, but Maxim simply chuckles. ¡°Not as soft as you went for them the other night, asshole,¡± he says, biting me right the fuck back. He was the one who told me Mia, or rather Mirabe, was making me soft¡­and he was right. I ripped that Rogue apart so badly that you could barely make out his face. For all we know it could have been one of our own since they had SilverCrest des. But I allowed my emotions, my rage, to cloud my judgment. Now we¡¯re back to square fucking one. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, we have an Omega to question,¡± I say and walk out to the two SUVs outside the warehouse. She had an opportunity toe clean, she had all the time in the world to tell me what she knew. Instead, she tries to y up to my emotions, pretending to be helpless and knowing exactly what she does to men. Things would have been so much easier if she just told me who she was; she wouldn¡¯t have been my surrogate but I would have offered her the freedom she wanted. When Maxim told me what she called herself, I knew she was lying. Then he decided to y good wolf / bad wolf to see what she would do and she chose the easy way out. /¡°You couldn¡¯t have known, old friend. She deceived us both,¡±/ Knoxments. I know he liked her and dare I fucking say, that I liked her too. I touched her and felt no disgust...it was different but now I know her game. This should teach me not to trust innocent, warm brown eyes¡­ Now I¡¯ll have to break that innocence I used to find so alluring. ¡°What do you think she means to Mikhail?¡± Maxim asks when I start the SUV. I shrug. ¡°They followed her over my boundary, that should say a lot already. I¡¯m not going to specte anymore, that Omega needs toe clean herself.¡± Maxim remains quiet after this, I think he can sense the angering from me. I have never felt so fucking betrayed before, not by someone I tried to help. Mia better has an answer for me, or there will be hell to fucking pay. Chapter 18 - Mira Chapter 18 - Mira My heart is sitting in my throat. They put me back in the bedroom I have been sleeping in, but that was more than three days ago. I¡¯ve not heard anything from the Alpha, Maxim and Josef haven¡¯te in here either. I¡¯ve truly be a prisoner; with locked doors and barred silver windows. All alone in here with nothing but my thoughts and wondering if I¡¯m getting out of this city alive. Will Alpha Nikos still honor our contract or does it be void since I lied to him? Gods, this would all be easier if he would actually speak with me! I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving. I thought by getting out of here, the danger would follow me and not remain here to torture people who actually cared about me. But how wrong was I? Everything was a trap from the get-go. There¡¯s no point in hiding things anymore, I suppose. I can tell him what he wants to know and there would be no consequence. If I die in this pack house, then that would be the end of my misery; at least then I know I would bring a child into this world. How did this all go so wrong? I truly am so naive. The bedroom door unlocks and I immediately jump to my feet to see Josef walking in with a tray of food. He doesn¡¯t meet my gaze yet again, just walks in and ces the tray on my night stand. ¡°Josef,¡± I call out when he reaches the door to leave. ¡°Please, talk to me.¡± He visibly stiffens. ¡°What exactly do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Anything,¡± I respond, hugging my body closer. ¡°How are you? Have you healed?¡± Josef scoffs and crosses his arms. ¡°I am fully healed from nearly dying while trying to save a lying-¡± he stops himself and takes a breath, then a pained look crosses his face. ¡°I trusted you, Miss Mia; but knowing that you knew who you were all this time¡­rather not speak to me so casually anymore.¡± With that, my only friend walks out of the door, leaving me feeling like the biggest traitor in the world. I shouldn¡¯t expect him to understand why I lied, but at least I tried to make amends. I wander towards my food, knowing I should eat but not tasting anything as it goes down. This is all so normal to me, being treated like dirt, bound, and gagged when I tried to exin my motives. My heart clenches when the realization hits me that Alpha Nikos is no different from Mikhail. Those light, tender touches were a ploy;forting me, a means to soften me before dealing the final blow. All while making Maxim out to be the viin. After finishing my meal, I walk to my desk in an attempt to get my feelings on paper but nothinges out. I haven¡¯t been able to journal since they locked me up, whereas before my words flowed freely. ¡°Pappa was right; you really are only a dumb whore,¡± I chastise myself while hanging my head in my hands. ¡°Trying to solve your problems by spreading your legs and renting out your womb.¡± The scoff nearly turns into a sob, but I stop myself just in time as the lock on my door rattles again. I don¡¯t even bother to look at Josef entering again, there will be nothing left to say anyway, so what¡¯s the point? ¡°Didn¡¯t I say vignce is important?¡± My blood runs cold at the sound of Alpha Nikos¡¯ voice. I turn my head to look at the door, seeing him and not Josef standing there and watching me closely. He has his hands in the pockets of his ck jeans, the white t-shirt he¡¯s wearing sitting tight around his muscle-bound body. This man is absolutely gorgeous, and that is my downfall. ¡°What does vignce matter if I am going to die, anyway?¡± I say, getting to my feet and threading my hands together in front of me. He regards me with a stony expression, whilenguidly running his gaze over my body. There¡¯s something in his eyes that I just cannot ce; something resembling betrayal but why should he feel betrayed? The only thing I lied about was my name and the fact that I can¡¯t remember much. ¡°Who says you¡¯re going to die, kounel¨¢ki? I didn¡¯t give you permission to die yet, did I?¡± I scoff at this. ¡°Do you own my body now, Alpha Nikos?¡± ¡°As long as my heir is in your belly, yes,¡± he says, sauntering over to me with his crimson eyes zing. ¡°Every inch of you belongs to me, Mia, I¡¯m sure you know that.¡± I take a step back as he advances toward me, but he does not stop. He backs me up against my desk, then he cages me in by cing his hands on the desk at my waist. I can smell the whiskey on his breath as he res down at me, the terror in my heart giving way to something else. Lust. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t¡­what?¡± he smirks, cocking his head to the side. ¡°You don¡¯t belong to me?¡± When I nod, the dark chuckle he gives sends a shiver down my spine. ¡°You signed your body over to me, little rabbit, the second you begged for my help in that alley.¡± My eyes widen. ¡°You don¡¯t intend on letting me go, do you?¡± I ask, watching as his smirk turns bloodthirsty. ¡°No¡­No, we had an agreement!¡± ¡°Ah, we did. But what if I decide to go back on it? What if I decide¡­.¡± he trails off, drawing his hand to my face and tracing the outline of my bottom lip. ¡°What if I decide that I want to keep you?¡± Fear now has my heart gripped tightly, squeezing the life out of me. I struggle to catch my breath, feeling the sweat dripping down my back. No, he cannot keep me here! I cannot be a prisoner to another Alpha! But then he chuckles and takes a step back before crossing his arms. ¡°You don¡¯t ever have to worry about me wanting someone like you,¡± he says, impaling me with his words. ¡°After you give birth to my heir, the contract remains in ce; you leave here and do not return.¡± Why do those words hurt me more than my fear of him keeping me here? Do I secretly want him to keep me? What the hell is wrong with you, Mirabe? ¡°O-okay,¡± I answer and cross my arms, hugging my body close. ¡°Was there a reason you¡¯vee here, other than to terrorize me?¡± He grins. ¡°I want you to tell me everything you know about Mikhail. You have no reason to protect that side of you anymore, so tell me.¡± I turn my chair around and sit down as my legs feel like they¡¯re about to give in. He wants to know what I am¡­the reason Mikhail kept me alive all this time. ¡°My name is -¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit what your name is, Omega,¡± he spits out, but I only smile because I know how much this will affect him. ¡°My name is Mirabe Cotroni,¡± I start, watching as the malice slips out of his eyes and is reced by shock. ¡°My father is Giovanni Cotroni. I am his illegitimate heir borne of his mistress Cecilia, but his only blood heir left.¡± Giovanni Cotroni owns the entire West - he¡¯s currently the Alpha with the most packs under his name and banner. Shuffling ufortably in my chair, I continue. ¡°I was twelve when my mother died and my father took me in. At seventeen, my father grew tired of using me and gave me to Mikhail as a means of an ord. During my five years with him, he told me everything he was doing to im my father¡¯snds all while knowing I couldn¡¯t tell anyone about it. Who would believe a bastard anyway?¡± I force the pain down as it threatens to consume me; this man wants to know everything, then I will tell him. ¡°Mikhail is the reason behind all the assassinations of my father¡¯s children; thest gas explosion at my half-sister¡¯s home was something he nned for weeks. The final person he¡¯s killing is my father¡¯s wife at her birthday dinner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a week from now,¡± Alpha Nikos says, shaking his head in disbelief. I nod. ¡°Yes. It will happen at the Cotroni mansion. Mikhail will be there and wanted to bring me along to formally announce our engagement, only to leave ten minutes before the explosions go off. After he eliminates my father, I will be the only Cotroni blood heir. Mikhail nned to im me and make me his Luna, using my name to be Alpha over my father¡¯s territories.¡± That¡¯s it. That¡¯s everything Mikhail didn¡¯t want the world to know and he told me his ns while T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. torturing me daily, knowing there was nothing I could do. Alpha Nikos has his arms crossed with his one hand over his mouth as if contemting. I cannot ce the emotion on his face, he doesn¡¯t seem happy or excited at this news. Did he know all this already while pretending not to? I wouldn¡¯t put it past him anymore. ¡°So this is why Mikhail¡¯s men came into my territory to retrieve you? You¡¯re vital to their Alpha¡¯s ns?¡± he asks and I nod. ¡°That and I stabbed him with a silver dagger before fleeing; I am sure he¡¯s itching to punish me after all this time,¡± I say, chuckling sadly. I¡¯ll probably spend all my time strung up on his silver chains with my muscles continually tearing and slowly healing. He nods, then moves his hands to the pockets of his jeans. ¡°I wish you would have been honest with me from the get-go, Mia. This could all have been avoided if you told me the truth,¡± he says. I shake my head. ¡°After knowing nothing but abuse all my life from people who were supposed to love and protect me, I don¡¯t trust anyone; especially not Alphas.¡± The crimson slips out of his eyes and it¡¯s reced with surprise; even the anger in his scent is gone after this. He looks at me as if he¡¯s not sure what to say, then he nods and moves towards the door. ¡°Thank you for your honesty,¡± he says, before walking out. Coming clean feels good; finally exining myself and having nothing to hide is liberating. The lies had started bing more difficult to bear, the stories too much to keep up with. But at least I¡¯ve told him everything now; he can do with the truth as he wishes. Sighing. I walk over to my bed and curl up, hoping sleep takes me this time. Chapter 19 - Nikolaos Chapter 19 - Nikos I sit down in my office chair with my hand over my mouth, shell-shocked to shit at what Mia has just told me. All this time I had a mafia princess as my surrogate, an abused illegitimate heir given to my biggest enemy and I was none the wiser. She¡¯s a fucking Cotroni; the daughter of my father¡¯s best friend and the reason Maxim¡¯s father was considered a failed Alpha heir. I wasn¡¯t even aware he had a different daughter from Rosalie, but as I looked at Mia better, I could see the resemnce. She¡¯s not lying, I know she¡¯s not fucking lying so why am I so hesitant to believe her? If she¡¯s Giovanni¡¯s daughter, that means my heir will be even more powerful than I am. If she¡¯s Giovanni¡¯s only blood heir¡­wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep her as my Luna? ¡°No. Fuck, no,¡± I say aloud, shaking my head even as the thought forms in my mind. Yes, it would benefit me greatly to have her as my Luna, but I do not want a Luna, right? No, I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t need¡­ My office door opens and Maxim saunters in with a bored look on his face. He¡¯s been trying to get me to talk with Mia to find out what she knows, but I¡¯ve been putting it off every day. But now that I¡¯ve found out what her secrets are¡­I don¡¯t know what to do. ¡°That look on your face can¡¯t mean anything good,¡± he says, sitting down opposite me. ¡°What happened?¡± I brace my elbows on the desk and steeple my fingers underneath my chin. ¡°I spoke to her, and she had¡­a lot to say.¡± Maxim¡¯s eyes grow wide. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be anything good if you look as confused as shit,¡± he says. I scoff, still not believing what I have been told. ¡°Mia¡¯s father is Giovanni Cotroni; she¡¯s Cecilia¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be shitting me,¡± he exims. ¡°Cecilia, his life long fucking mistress? Didn¡¯t she die like ten years ago or something?¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I nod. ¡°Gio kept her and used her before giving her to Mikhail-¡± ¡°Who ruined her even more,¡± he says, shaking his head. ¡°Shit, Niko.¡± Something wraps its tendrils around my heart, but I push it down. ¡°I know, and if everything she has just told me is true, then Mikhail is in a world of fucking trouble.¡± Maxim looks at me expectantly before I eventually dive into the shitstorm Mikhail has created for himself. The same expressions I tried to hide from Mia as she told me these things, now show on his face as clear as day. ¡°What the f¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± is all I can respond with. I still haven¡¯t wrapped my head around this, either; it¡¯s just too much to take in. I get up and walk over to the crystal decanters, pour two sses of whiskey, and hand one over to Maxim. He downs it and shakes his head. ¡°You know what this means for you, right?¡± ¡°I have to meet with Giovanni and tell him what Mikhail has done and what he still has nned, ording to Mia,¡± I say with a nod. ¡°Mirabe; you¡¯re still calling her Mia,¡± he corrects. ¡°As much as that was on my mind, too, it¡¯s not what I meant, Niko.¡± I frown, sipping on my whiskey. ¡°Please borate, then.¡± He sighs, then looks me straight in the eye. ¡°Mirabe is pregnant with your heir; she also happens to be the only Cotroni blood left alive. What do you think Giovanni will say about that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Giovanni will give a shit,¡± I answer truthfully. ¡°After using his daughter as a hired out sex toy, I doubt he¡¯d want anything else from her.¡± Maxim grunts. ¡°Nikos, you¡¯re not looking at the bigger picture here. Inform Gio of the plot, yes, he will be eternally fucking grateful. But mention Mirabe and that she¡¯s pregnant with your child. He will want you to marry her since you¡¯re his best friend¡¯s son¡­ he¡¯ll want to make this something huge.¡± ¡°Maxim,¡± I growl. ¡°No, listen to me! If it¡¯s made huge, if there¡¯s a wedding, Mikhail will attack. During the fray, you will kill Mikhail, and Gio will probably get killed too¡­then who is left to rule over, not only this entire city but the West as well?¡± I knew he would mention something like this, but nothing as farfetched as marrying Mia - fuck, Mirabe. Would Gio really want me to marry his daughter and make things official? Would he want me to be married to a woman he¡¯s ruined? I hang my head on my steepled hands. ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like the marriage will be real anyway!¡± he exims. ¡°You can still grant Mirabe her freedom, you can still offer her safety away from Mikhail since he¡¯ll be dead. Giovanni will be dead, too, so there¡¯s no reason to keep up appearances for longer. It¡¯s a win-win situation for you both.¡± /¡°After knowing nothing but abuse all my life from people who were supposed to love and protect me, I don¡¯t trust anyone; especially not Alphas.¡±/ Her hurt and abuse echo mine¡­those words hit a nerve I wasn¡¯t aware was left exposed. She knows how it feels to be used by someone who is supposed to love you. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath while allowing Maxim¡¯s words to swirl in my head and not make sense. Mirabe¡¯s blood is the answer to her freedom. If we do this then I can allow her to be free. But that means I will have to make her my Luna; I would have to im her with my bite and let her im me, too. An icy shiver slips up my spine at the thought and my hand unconsciously touches my shoulder where the twin sets of bites remain. That¡¯s not something I will ever allow anyone to do - to im me and make me theirs. I don¡¯t belong to anyone anymore. I am my own person without the shackle of a Mating Bite. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± I say in a low voice, not believing that I am actually considering this madness. But Maxim is right; if I do this, my territory expands. I¡¯ll be the most powerful Alpha in the country, but is all that worth taking Mirabe as my Luna? Not only that, but will she say yes to it after how I¡¯ve treated her? I wouldn¡¯t expect her to, since I have confined her to the bedroom for now. But if I knew this is what she was running from in the first ce¡­I wonder what my reaction would have been. ¡°You do that; call Bastien if you need to,¡± Maxim says, then he gets to his feet. ¡°Think it over clearly, Niko. This could be big for SilverCrest.¡± I watch as he walks out before I pick up my cell phone to contact Bastien for advice. He would know what to do; he would give me the advice I need. But just as I dial his number, I hear the unmistakable sound of a cell phone ringing outside my office door - only for the fucker to pop his head inside and smirk. ¡°Guess I came at a great time,¡± he says with that cocky smile that makes me want to punch him. Chapter 20 - Nikolaos Chapter 20 - Nikos My brother saunters into my office with his hands in the pockets of his cks; an Ioannides trait. The same face, same color eyes, mannerisms, and cruel streaks but even as we are spitting images of one another, there are major differences. For one, we both have tattoos right up to our necks, but they differ in designs. Bastien wasn¡¯t tormented like I was and he experienced true love once upon a time. Where I suffered trauma at a young age, he experienced itter in life. He pours us each a ss of whiskey, then gestures for me to join him over by the leather sofas. ¡°So, what were you going to call me about?¡± I take the ss and shake my head. ¡°Before you even ask that, why are you here? Is Sin City getting boring?¡± He chuckles, crossing one leg over the other knee. ¡°On the contrary, business is booming. But my reason for visiting is to ask if you¡¯re hoping to part with Alpha Kinnead¡¯s sword.¡± ¡°You want to ce it at the auction?¡± I ask, and he nods. ¡°Then, by all mean, take the fucking thing.¡± ¡°Thanks, little brother,¡± he says, calling me by that berating name again. ¡°So now that my question is answered, it¡¯s your turn. You never call for trivial things, soe clean.¡± I hate the way both Maxim and Bastien know me so well. The poker face I pride myself on gets shattered within seconds. Sighing, I lean forward and brace my elbows on my knees while cradling the ss. ¡°That surrogate of mine turned out to be an illegitimate Cotroni heir.¡± Bastien¡¯s eyes grow wide. ¡°How? Giovanni¡¯s children are all dead¡­¡± he trails off as it sinks in. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cecilia?¡± I nod. ¡°The very one. But that¡¯s not all¡­¡± Everything that Mirabe told me, I now confide in Bastien, including Maxim¡¯s preposterous idea of marrying her and making her my Luna, so I can rule over Giovanni¡¯s territories. Bastien contemtes for a few minutes, then he gets up to refill our sses and returns with a dark look on his face. ¡°I agree with Maxim,¡± he simply says as he hands me my refilled ss. ¡°Oh, for the love of¡­You can¡¯t be serious,¡± I exim. ¡°You both know why I can¡¯t do that!¡± He nods. ¡°I do, but this will not be a genuine marriage. The SilverCrest mating ceremony does not call for a iming Bite for all to see, remember?¡± I blink, having entirely forgotten that. ¡°It¡­makes no difference-¡± ¡°And you¡¯re lying to yourself again, little brother,¡± he chastises while grinning at me. ¡°You have an entirely different look in your eyes right now.¡± ¡°Yes, it is called annoyance,¡± I say, rolling my eyes, but he simply chuckles. ¡°And what if Giovanni insists? Will you refuse the man who we owe our Alpha lineage to?¡± He knows the answer; I cannot refuse him, even if my soul screams out the rejection. A marriage to Mirabe means¡­she has to stay with me and that is not possible when she yearns for freedom. I pinch the bridge of my nose. ¡°Bastien, I cannot have her,¡± I say with finality, shaking my head. ¡°Why?¡± he asks the question I do not want to answer. ¡°What is so wrong with pretending to be enamored with her in front of her father, and then setting her free?¡± /¡°You¡¯re scared you won¡¯t be pretending,¡±/ Knox answers for me, but thankfully only I can hear. He¡¯s the other half of me, so naturally, he would know my thoughts and emotions. But I cannot admit it; I am not¡­I don¡¯t feel anything. I steeple my hands together and rest my forehead against them before breathing out. ¡°I¡¯ll be no better than Mikhail using her for her blood.¡± Bastien¡¯s eyes are boring into me, I can feel it; he¡¯s uncertain of what to say to this but it¡¯s shut him up for now. I have never cared for anyone else outside my pack, never thought of another¡¯s well-being, so what makes Mirabe so different from the rest? Why do I crave her even after knowing Mikhail has had his way with her? ¡°We do things for the good of the pack, you know this. Theye first, before anything else,¡± he says with a weary sigh. ¡°We have a responsibility to protect them and if that means pushing our own boundaries and hard limits, then so be it.¡± He¡¯s right; of course, he¡¯s right. There¡¯s a reason he¡¯s a better Alpha than me, after all. My brother gets to his feet and ps my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to contemte this, then. Nothing we say will make you change your mind, so perhaps you should stop asking for our advice on it. The answer needs toe from you.¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯ll have a think and see where to go from here. You know where the guestrooms are, so stay the night before you depart.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother. I am quite exhausted from all this auction nning,¡± he says, heaving out a sigh before getting to his feet. He nods his head in a gesture of goodnight, then leaves my office for the guest rooms. I should have known Bastien would think like Maxim; after all, this is the pack and our lineage we¡¯re speaking about. Feeling weary, I decided to call it a night and head to bed. Hopefully, my dreams are not gued with visions of them taunting me once more and telling me what I already know. That I am made of ruin; everything I touch slowly decays. There¡¯s no room for emotions in a heart encased in concrete and shackles, there¡¯s no¡­softness left in me. As I walk up the stairway and take the corner to my room, I stop at her door without thinking. This happens every night when I walk down this hallway; I am pulled towards her like a fucking moth to a me. Every night I resist, every night I fight the urge to go to her. Because, like Mikhail, I will ruin Mirabe. This little rabbit deserves her freedom away from predators like me; and with that thought, I breathe out a sigh and walk to my bedroom - but something stops me. Her voice. ¡°You¡¯re deluding yourself, Mirabe; he simply wants your womb and nothing else. Do not romanticize this¡­It¡¯s madness!¡± As her words constrict my heart, I can¡¯t help but smile wistfully before shaking whatever thought just formed in my mind. She¡¯s right, we should not romanticize this and see it for what it is - a business transaction. Chapter 21 - Mira Chapter 21 - Mira My news didn¡¯t affect him as much as I thought it would, but then again he has such a good poker face. The man was made to lie and manipte the same way as all Alphas do - lie, cheat, take what¡¯s left of you, and toss you to the side. I should have known better, instead, I allowed myself to believe Alpha Nikos might be different. How foolish! Now here I am yet again, struggling to fall asleep with thoughts of the Alpha guing me. The look of betrayal in his eyes when I turned to face him, the way heforted me after the pack house was invaded. ¡°You¡¯re deluding yourself, Mirabe; he simply wants your womb and nothing else. Do not romanticize this¡­It¡¯s madness!¡± I repeat the mantra again, hoping it sticks but I have a restless night again. But the scent of autumn keeps me awake all night, taunting me with reminders of what I¡¯ll never have. I just have to hold on for a few more months¡­then I¡¯ll be free of this. I am woken up by an odd scent permeating my room and my eyes shoot open as I be aware of someone else in the room with me. Jumping from the bed, I back up towards the bathroom, but he mirrors my movements. Fear grips my heart, but as he steps out of the shadows I can feel my heart skipping a beat - why is Alpha Nikos in my room? ¡°Alpha Nik¡­¡± I trail off with a frown, then I shake my head as his grin grows wide. ¡°No, you¡¯re not Alpha Nikos.¡± Sandalwood, mint, and¡­.something that causes my throat to feel strangled by an icy chill as if I¡¯ve taken a deep breath in a blizzard. I can¡¯t exin it, but this man smells like winter. I don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s looking at me with pity, and when he cocks his head to the side, it angers me more. ¡°Who are you? Why are you in my room?!¡± He has his hands in the pockets of his jeans, mimicking the Alpha¡¯s casual stance as his eyes ze Alpha crimson. ¡°I¡¯ve juste to see the mother of my niece or nephew, that¡¯s all. I heard you¡¯re making quite the¡­ruckus.¡± That smile hides something that causes my throat to constrict with fear. This is the Alpha¡¯s twin brother, but what is he doing here? ¡°You have to excuse my doubt, sir, but I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I say as I slowly grow tired of the games these Alphas y. He chuckles. ¡°Whether you believe me or not is none of my concern, dear girl, but what you want with my brother¡­now that is my concern.¡± Crossing his arms over his broad chest, henguidly walks over to me with that grin ever present. My body is shaking as I am backed up against the wall next to my bed. ¡°So, what makes you so special that Niko chose you to birth his firstborn?¡± he asks, seemingly perplexed. ¡°Because it was easier than getting another woman who would expect more out of him,¡± I reply robotically, but I can tell he doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Hmm, sounds believable, but I think there¡¯s something more. Niko wouldn¡¯t just pick a woman off the street to be his surrogate. So tell me truthfully, little one, why did he choose you?¡± I frown at whatever he¡¯s insinuating. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow? Are you assuming there¡¯s something more to this?¡± ¡°You tell me,¡± he says with a shrug. ¡°From what I can see, there¡¯s nothing overly interesting about you except for those innocent big brown eyes.¡± Thement is biting, but I don¡¯t let it affect me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the Alpha himself? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll tell you exactly the same thing since I asked him that exact question weeks ago.¡± This man, the Alpha¡¯s twin, seems to take a beat and think for a little bit. ¡°I did that, but even as he gave me the same answer, I can tell there¡¯s something more,¡± he says, smirking. ¡°Especially when he talks about you. Yes, I do think my brother is truly enamored with you.¡± I suck in a surprised breath at this insinuation, then I shake my head at this preposterous notion. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken, sir. Alpha Nikos doesn¡¯t feel anything for me-¡± ¡°He allowed you to touch him when he cannot stand the touch of another; please exin that,¡± he says, interjecting. ¡°And from what Lh has told me, he even let you sleep in his bedroom.¡± I nch at this, my heartbeat quickening. What is this man saying? There¡¯s no way Alpha Nikos would treat me any differently than others since I am aplete outsider. And he can¡¯t have an aversion to being touched, because I have¡­ My mind goes back to when he caught me in after I nearly fell in the bathroom. We had a moment where we just stared at each other, our faces close. But he immediately jumped back after I touched his chest. Could this be true? But I¡­I clung onto him the night I was attacked and he let me¡­ ¡°No¡­¡± I trail off, but I don¡¯t believe my own words and when I peer up at him, he¡¯s wearing a smirk as if he knows I just came to the same conclusion. He leans in close and his overbearing scent knocks the breath from my lungs. ¡°You¡¯re doing something to my brother, something he doesn¡¯t like. That change can either make him or break him; do you want to be known as Alpha Nikos¡¯ downfall, little girl?¡± I shake my head vehemently. ¡°I won¡¯t-¡± ¡°Because if you allow him to get soft, if he thinks your protection means more than that of the pack, you¡¯ll be nothing but his destruction-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Bastien.¡± Our heads whip towards the door where we see Alpha Nikos standing. He¡¯s wearing a scowl, ring at his brother while his hands are balled into fists at his side. His brother, Bastien I know now, chuckles and takes a step back from me. ¡°Just introducing myself,¡± he says and winks at me before walking over to Alpha Nikos. ¡°I told you there¡¯s no need for that; she¡¯s just a surrogate,¡± he growls, the anger in his scent palpable. My heart is sitting in my knees right now, not only from what his brother has said but from the way the Alpha is looking at me. He¡¯s iming I¡¯m just a surrogate, but that look in his eyes tells me he¡¯s worried. Bastien waves his wrist in a dismissive motion. ¡°Be that as it may, I still wanted to see her,¡± he says, cing an arm around his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And I learned a few things that intrigued me.¡± Alpha Nikos growls. ¡°Stop it and please leave,¡± he says. Bastien chuckles and winks at me again. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your office,¡± he says before walking out the door. Now it¡¯s just me and the Alpha in my bedroom. I try not to avert my eyes, but the heat of his gaze sends shivers down my spine, so I look at my feet. I hear him walking towards me and my heart starts picking up its pace, strangling me with its incessant beating. Hees to a stop in front of me and I force myself to peer up at him through my eyshes. The look of anger is gone, but his green eyes are still clouded. He reaches out and touches my chin, tilting it up to face him before running the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip. This close, I can see the flecks of gray in his beard, and somehow it makes me wonder how old he is. ¡°Did he scare you?¡± he asks, flooring me with the concern in his voice. I shake my head lightly. ¡°N-no, he didn¡¯t,¡± I reply and a ghost of a smile teases his lips. Bastien didn¡¯t scare me because he doesn¡¯t exude the same raw power as his brother, but I don¡¯t mention this. ¡°Good,¡± he says. I strain my ears to listen to his heart, the uneven thudding surprising me even more. Is he nervous just as I am? Do I have the same effect on him? ¡°Mia,¡± he starts, then shakes his head. ¡°Sorry, Mirabe. In the next few days, things might be changing. I¡¯ll leave to speak with your father to inform him about Mikhail¡¯s ns and the next step forward.¡± I can tell there¡¯s more to it, so I keep quiet and simply nod. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°However, once he finds out about that child in your belly, he might want us to¡­make it formal,¡± he says and I notice his Adam''s apple bobbing as he swallows deeply. Wait, what? ¡°Formal?¡± I frown. ¡°What do you mean? You can simply keep me out of the conversation-¡± ¡°Ah, but I can¡¯t. Your father will know this information is legit because you¡¯re supposed to be Mikhail¡¯s captive. He¡¯ll test Mikhail first, obviously, but I think he might¡­want us to wed since I am the son of his best friend.¡± My stomach clenches, an uneasy coil forming. Formal¡­my father will want Alpha Nikos to marry me? ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll do that!¡± ¡°You¡¯re his only blood left; he will. But Mia¡­¡± he trails off sighing, seemingly annoyed. ¡°Fuck, I will never get used to the name Mirabe. He won¡¯t be happy that I¡¯ve used you as only a surrogate, so we might have to¡­act as if we¡¯ve been together since your rescue.¡± I bite my bottom lip in a bid to calm my nerves, but it doesn¡¯t help. Marry Alpha Nikos, act as if we¡¯re together¡­Act as if I am in love with him?! ¡°Are you okay with that? Your brother mentioned you don¡¯t like being touched-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what I have to do,¡± he growls, gritting his teeth. ¡°Fucking Bastien.¡± ¡°The contract-¡± ¡°Wille into effect once your father dies, and it should be soon. Mikhail will retaliate one way or another, but don¡¯t worry about that. I will protect you.¡± He says before letting out a long sigh. ¡°You will still have your freedom, little rabbit, it will just take a bit longer.¡± I don¡¯t know how I feel about this. I am already filled with confusion about this man, now we might have to pretend we¡¯re a couple? It¡¯s a dangerous slope, being close to him already muddles up my mind! My bottom lip slowly gets pulled out between my teeth by his thumb and I hear a stifled growl rumbling in his chest. ¡°You¡¯re distracting me by doing that and I don¡¯t like to be distracted.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± he says, then he ces his hands on either side of my head, caging me in. ¡°Everything about you is distracting, kounel¨¢ki, your very presence chips away at every bit of my self-restraint.¡± He pushes his body up against me and I can feel the outline of his thick cock against my belly. He¡¯s hard and for some reason, it doesn¡¯t scare me¡­it excites me. ¡°Is that¡­good or bad?¡± He chuckles and the sound makes my core throb with need. ¡°Your innocence is so alluring, do you have any fucking idea what you do to me?¡± I shake my head and feel his cock twitch against me. For the first time ever, I want to be on my knees for a man¡­ I want to submit everything to him. ¡°I don¡¯t like the touch or feel of others, but I want you on top of me, underneath me, screaming my name, raking your nails down my back, and meeting my thrusts,¡± he says, his hand slipping down to my throat and squeezing gently. ¡°I want to hear your moans, feel your pussy clench around my cock like it clenched my fingers. I want you dripping for me, Mia, I want to make you MINE.¡± He growls out thest word and I whimper, but not in fear. Then he sighs, takes two steps back and I immediately feel naked. ¡°But I can¡¯t have that. I cannot want you like that because that would make you my weakness - I cannot have any weakness.¡± My heart shatters. ¡°Because you¡¯re an Alpha,¡± I murmur and he nods. ¡°Because I am an Alpha. Weakness cannot be tolerated or weed, so if we have to act like we¡¯re together that¡¯s all it will be. Acting.¡± He says with finality. So¡­he does want me as I want him, but he won¡¯t have me because of his duties. This is not just a dangerous slope, it¡¯s the makings of an avnche. Pretending to be in love won¡¯t just be pretending if we keep it up, The close proximity, knowing how we make each other feel¡­ ¡°I understand and will go with whatever you decide if it gives me my eventual freedom,¡± I say, straightening my back and crossing my arms so he doesn¡¯t see how hard my nipples are. He sighs and raises his arm, but then stops as if he¡¯s touched a live wire. With one more look at me, he storms out and I slip down to the floor. Hurt, excited, and¡­so darn confused. Chapter 22 - Nikolaos Chapter 22 - Nikos I hate being this far from my own territory and deep in someone else¡¯s, but as I watch Giovanni¡¯s massive mansione into view, I know this is something that needs to be done. A phone call won¡¯t suffice when it¡¯s something this important. Maxim is still at the pack house overseeing things while I tend to this matter; no way am I leaving the ce without a leader at its head. Especially not after what happened. Giovanni¡¯s guards usher us in and when I get to his office, I can hear his boomingugh already. I grit my teeth; my respect for this man burnt to a crisp after finding out what he did to Mirabe all her life. Cecilia was his lifelong mistress; I don¡¯t want to know how many of his children she got rid of before Mirabe was born. Did she think having his baby would keep him at her side? I suppose most mistresses would think this way. But her one decision led to her daughter having the worst life - abuse on top of abuse. I gnash my teeth and enter his office with a forced smile, noticing he¡¯s on a call. He sees me and beckons me over while saying goodbye to the other person on the line. Huge, all muscle, graying beard, and long ck hair - Giovanni isn¡¯t just an Alpha by name. This man is powerful, more powerful than me and my father in his prime. There¡¯s an unmistakable cruelty behind those soft blue eyes, a cruelty I was always aware of but never knew how deep it went. I had respect for this man, I looked up to him - what godson wouldn¡¯t? ¡°Niko, my boy!¡± he exims while getting up to embrace me. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in years!¡± I swallow down my revulsion and force out a chuckle. ¡°Months, uncle Gio. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± ¡°Ah, years, months; all the same when you haven¡¯t seen your boy!¡± He says while pping my shoulder. ¡°Come, let''s have some bourbon while we talk. Your message made me worried.¡± It should, you fucking asshole. He pours us each a ss and gestures for me to sit down opposite him on his leather couches. ¡°So, what is this all about?¡± ¡°Mirabe,¡± He nearly drops the ss; his jaw cks, eyes wide, and face pale at the mention of his biggest shame. The look on his face tells me he did not expect me to say, or even know this name, but I have so much more to add to this. ¡°You know about her, then?¡± he scoffs, taking a sip of his drink. ¡°To think my only heir left alive is a bastard daughter.¡± I clench my jaw. ¡°I found her while she was running away from the fucker you gave her to, and she had quite a lot to say.¡± ¡°She got away from Mikhail?!¡± he hollers, looking shocked to shit when I nod. ¡°Before you call him to ask him about this, you might want to hear what he has been up to these past few months,¡± I say before I go into everything Mirabe has told me. How he nned the explosions and assassinations, how he¡¯s going to kill Gio¡¯s wife at her birthday banquet after announcing he¡¯s marrying Mirabe. How he¡¯ll take over thergest packnds in the country after killing Gio too. A myriad of emotions crosses his old, wizened eyes - sadness, surprise, disgust, and finally shock. There¡¯s a constant tick under his right eye, and it makes me sit back before I be the object of his rage. He knows I¡¯m telling the truth because Mirabe could not have known these intricate details unless Mikhail had told her himself, or rather boasted. The shock gets reced with fury, and he bares his teeth before he lets out a deafening roar that has me showing my nape in submission. A sick shiver runs up my spine as I drop to the floor, trying to get out from under the effect of his Alpha Roar. ¡°HOW DARE THAT FUCKER!¡± he cries out, punching the wall next to the firece. Concrete and dust explode all over the office, shattering windows and expensive vases. After this, he balls his hands into fists and retracts his teeth and ws. With his back to me, he looks up and lets out a deep sigh. ¡°Mirabe told you all this?¡± I get to my feet and sit down on the sofa. ¡°She did; she escaped his abuse a few months back and literally ran into me in the alley behind one of my clubs. Mikhail¡¯s men were chasing her, but I killed them before I thought to question them.¡± I say. He nods, then walks over to me while snatching the entire bottle of Jack from the bar. ¡°He needs to pay for this - for killing all my children and nning to take out my Rosa.¡± It doesn¡¯t surprise me that he doesn¡¯t even care about getting revenge for Mirabe¡¯s abuse, even though her truth can literally save his life. But I am in no position to tell him who to care about, so I simply clear my throat and sit forward in my chair. ¡°Kill him at the banquet, or wage war on him-¡± He suddenly holds up his hand and frowns deeply. ¡°Wait, is Mirabe still with you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I say, swallowing deeply. Perplexed, he asks, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She¡¯s pregnant with my child,¡± I say. Giovanni looks at a loss for words; his mouth is hanging open and the Alpha crimson in his eyes shimmers back to blue. There¡¯s no anger in his scent, no fury, no disgust¡­just utter shock. ¡°My only blood heir¡­is pregnant with an Ioannides Alpha¡¯s child,¡± he says, shaking his head. He runs a meaty hand over his face, then he bursts out intoughter, surprising the hell out of me. ¡°I offered you Rosalie, I offered you Mariya but you choose my bastard?! What is this, Niko? Are you out to insult me?!¡± he exims, a tint of fury to his tone. I shake my head. ¡°She fell pregnant before I knew who she truly was, Gio, there was no reason for me to insult you like this. I needed an heir and she was willing to do it after I offered to help her flee the country.¡± Giovanni¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°She wanted to escape Mikhail? Why?¡± ¡°You gave her to Mikhail without knowing what type of fucker he was?¡± I ask incredulously. What the fuck did he think I was talking about all this time when I mentioned she escaped from Mikhail?! ¡°Gio¡­he abused her to the point where she can barely walk properly, her bones have been repeatedly broken and healed slowly¡­the sexual assault she suffered doesn¡¯t evenpare to that. You gave her to a fucking monster, and that¡¯s saying a loting from someone like me.¡± As I am saying this, it¡¯s not lost on me that I had someone so broken forced to bear my child. Did I truly not care at all back then, even though I knew what her body had suffered? The old Alpha sits back and heaves out a sigh. ¡°I admit I knew what Mikhail was capable of, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d harm Mirabe like that.¡± Liar. Mikhail is a fucking serial predator; he knew what he was doing when he gave her away. ¡°Be that as it may, she¡¯s pregnant now. We cannot let her leave the country when she¡¯s carrying both our legacies in her belly,¡± he says, and I nearly smirk at how I guessed the way he would think. I shake my head and frown. ¡°She signed a contract to leave-¡± ¡°Tear it up. You¡¯re to marry Mirabe and fortify our alliances. We will arrange this to happen after Rosa¡¯s banquet - I want you toe with Mirabe and I¡¯ll invite Mikhail to dere our alliance severed.¡± My mouth drops open and I look at him as if he''s lost his fucking mind. ¡°Gio, insulting Mikhail at such a ¡°He needs to be insulted for what he did to Mirabe!¡± He says and I almost burst outughing at the sudden care in his tone. ¡°She¡¯s my only link to Cecilia, and you know how much I loved Cecilia.¡± I clench my jaw so hard that my teeth nearly shatter. This fucker¡­ there are no fucking words for how much he disgusts me right now. Insulting Mikhail will be a bad idea; this will cause a ripple effect and destroy the peace we have now. ¡°I beg you, please think about this more-¡± ¡°No,¡± he cuts me short and gets to his feet. ¡°This is what I have decided. Bring Mirabe to this banquet next week and we¡¯ll announce your engagement from there. Then I will arrange a wedding to unite our packs under our powerful banners!¡± There¡¯s no stopping this fucker. He¡¯s going to put us all at risk just to prove a fucking point and there¡¯s T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. nothing I can do. He controls most of the country and if he so much as breathes a bad word about me, there go all my alliances. I nod tersely and walk over to him with a hand outstretched. ¡°If that is what you wish, but I will bring my own men to make sure Mirabe is protected by people she knows.¡± ¡°Of course! I would expect nothing else out of you. I¡¯ll have my hall checked hourly for any nted bombs, then announce the new venue a few hours before the banquet. This should make the fucker worry a bit.¡± He says, then pulls me in for another embrace and smacks my back. I nearly fucking vomited. ¡°Ah, my godson and daughter! What a splendid asion, indeed!¡± he says with a grin. ¡°Leave the wedding nning to me while you get everything else sorted. The bride¡¯s family pays for everything, after all!¡± ¡°That I¡¯ll do. Thank you, uncle Gio,¡± I say with a tight smile and we say our goodbyes. The drive home leaves me breaking out in a cold sweat. Giovanni¡¯s n is madness, this will not bode well for any of us, especially knowing how Mikhail fucking thinks. His insult will leave a lot of people dead. Now I just need to speak to Mirabe abouting to this banquet. She won¡¯t be safe there, especially after the announcement, but I¡¯ll have to get my private jet ready to leave right after. I don¡¯t want her anywhere near the fallout. Chapter 23 - Mira Chapter 23 - Mira Maxim is standing at the door, looking at me with an odd expression. I had just gotten dressed and was about to write in my journal when he opened the door. I stand up and look at him. ¡°Can I help you?¡± He cocks his head to the side. ¡°Is that any way to speak to the person who¡¯s getting you out of this room?¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask with a frown and he simply chuckles. ¡°Come, Mirabe. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve missed the back gardens,¡± he says and walks out, leaving the door open. I swallow hard and take a step back, remembering how he fooled mest time. It¡¯s the reason I¡¯m in this room right now, the reason Alpha Nikos has me locked up. He walks back and looks at me with an eyebrow cocked. ¡°Are youing?¡± ¡°Thest time I followed your instructions, I ended up in here. Why would I follow you now?¡± I say, then I promptly sit down. ¡°Please, leave me alone.¡± Maxim walks in and gets down on his haunches in front of me. I refuse to make eye contact, but his gaze is burning holes into the side of my head, so I relent and look at him. ¡°Mirabe, you know why I had to trick you,¡± he starts. ¡°Niko isn¡¯t someone who trusts easily, and with you literally dropping into hisp after Mikhail¡¯s men chased you into his territory¡­he knew something was up. He knew you were important.¡± I sigh. ¡°You could have asked-¡± ¡°He did that, remember? You pretended not to know who you were or why they took you. Listen,¡± he says, taking my hands in his. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing Niko values, it¡¯s the truth. It doesn¡¯t matter how much it sucks or how much it hurts. Niko prefers that over bullshit.¡± I look at this Beta with a frown on my face, perplexed that he woulde to me with this now. That cold look in his eyes from before is gone, and in its ce stood something resembling sincerity. Why is he telling me this now? ¡°I¡¯ve told Alpha Nikos everything I know - even the disgusting things I didn¡¯t want to admit. There¡¯s nothing left in me to dig through, nothing left in me to dissect.¡± I say, pulling my hand out of his grip. Maxim sighs. ¡°I know, Mirabe and I am sorry it had toe to this. We had to find out the truth for Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. the sake of the pack. We had to know if you could be trusted or if you¡¯d run off at the first scent of freedom. You failed miserably, but we both understand why you did it.¡± ¡°I did it because I thought my being here would endanger more lives. They nearly killed Josef; what if Ariadne was next?!¡± I exim. Maxim¡¯s eyes widen slightly when I say this, then he bites the pad of his thumb. ¡°You really left because of that?¡± I shrug. ¡°Speaking to Josef made me realize that; then I saw the note you left, and it pushed me to do it. At first, I thought it was Mikhail¡¯s handiwork, but he doesn¡¯t do things the sly way with assassins. He makes it known that he was behind it; well, apart from killing my father¡¯s heirs. It solidified that someone else didn¡¯t want me here, so I left.¡± Maxim is quiet for a while, staring at me as if I have grown a second head, then he chuckles. ¡°Well, then think of this as my apology for fooling you before. As I¡¯ve said, just be honest with Niko and he¡¯ll treat you well.¡± When he says this, he takes my hand and pulls me towards the door while I protest. But as soon as we went outside, I¡¯m happy he forced me out of my prison cell, because the chilly spring weather woke me right up. I wrap my cardigan around my body, but it doesn¡¯t cover me because of my belly. I¡¯m about to ask him if we can go back for a coat when he wraps a warm shawl over my shoulders. ¡°Thought this through, see,¡± he says with a wink before pulling me into the back garden. We walk in silence while I take in the beautiful garden. The gazebo is littered with an array of different buds and flowers, making it look even more beautiful than before. I ce my hand on my heart and let out a sigh. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Maximughs. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it. Ariadne will be out here soon. She wants to have some tea with you again.¡± He says and my head whips towards him in surprise. ¡°But Alpha Nikos forbade me-¡± ¡°He gave the okay when she asked him, don¡¯t worry. And no, I¡¯m not lying. You can ask him when he Oh. I forgot he¡¯s gone to see my father¡­he mighte back with the news that I have to marry him, too. I nod ufortably, then move to the front of the gazebo to see a brunchyout. I guess she really wants to speak with me, then. When I sit down, Maxim shoots me an odd look. ¡°When Nikoes back tomorrow, don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve just told you. He¡­has a past filled with pain. It would be a pity to see you add to it.¡± Before I could ask what he meant by that, he turned around and walked away from me. What is it with the men in this family and their cryptic words? I won¡¯t add to the Alpha¡¯s pain when he doesn¡¯t feel anything for me. However, even as this thought runs through my head, I can¡¯t help but blush as I recall his words the other night. What he wants to do to me, how I make him feel, and how he wants to im me. I shake my head. No, that¡¯s dangerous territory. We¡¯ll keep up the charade, if my father decides it, then after he¡¯s dead, we¡¯ll go our separate ways. Just as the contract stiptes and nothing more. ¡°You really should pay attention to your surroundings,¡± I snap out of my thoughts, only to see Ariadne sitting opposite me and pouring us tea. Wow, vignce isn¡¯t my strong suit, is it? ¡°I was just¡­thinking,¡± I say, biting my bottom lip only to catch her knowing smirk. ¡°Hmm, I could see that. Was my grandson at the center of it?¡± she asks, grinning and my blush deepens. ¡°That¡¯s¡­yes,¡± I admit, and take the teacup from her. ¡°I¡¯m just confused right now.¡± Ariadne nods. ¡°That¡¯s understandable, especially after what happened thesest two weeks. But I know my Nikki means well, even if he doesn¡¯t show it right now,¡± she says. Means well? I don¡¯t know about that. The Alpha is an enigma on his own; he¡¯s hot, then cold. He ache I cannot exin. The worst part is I allow him to. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sure he does,¡± I say with a tight smile, sipping on the delicious tea. Ariadneughs a bit as she picks up a cookie. ¡°Once you¡¯re married, you¡¯ll see what I mean, and don¡¯t look at me like that. Of course, I know you¡¯re about to get married, especially with the way he looks when he talks about you.¡± I ce the teacup on its delicate saucer, reeling from what she¡¯s just said and hanging my head in my hands. ¡°Please¡­not you too. I can¡¯t¡­¡± The pressure in my chest threatens to push out the tears just cresting the surface, but I take a few calming breaths to calm myself down. It works a fraction, but that pressure still remains. I know what it is, I know its hope wrapping its tendrils around my heart. Thest time I felt this was when my father took me in - I won¡¯t be fooled like that again. I won¡¯t allow myself to be taken that high, only to be dropped and shattered. I lost my wolf that way, I can¡¯t lose myself, too. I take a deep breath, and then offer her a small smile. ¡°Our marriage will be in name only, nothing else. Once my father dies, I will take my leave, as we¡¯ve discussed before.¡± Ariadne¡¯s smile drops slightly, but she nods as if she understands and dives into one of her recent books again. I know she¡¯s trying to make me see reason, but I can¡¯t do that. Alpha Nikos thinks he wants to im me because of that one stupid mistake when I went through my heat. He had a taste of a she-wolf in heat, nothing more. I¡¯m a constant distraction because I¡¯m something new, that¡¯s all. The cookie I had picked up drops from my hand and I suck in a surprised breath. Something feels odd in my belly; did I eat something I shouldn¡¯t have? ¡°Are you okay, dearie?¡± Ariadne asks me, the concern clear in her rheumy eyes. I nod. ¡°I think it¡¯s just indigestion- oh!¡± There it is again, like a swarm of butterflies inside my stomach, pping their wings at the same time. I frown and ce my hand on the swell of my belly and my eyes widen when I feel it again. It¡¯s not indigestion, the baby is moving. Ariadne takes in my expression, and a warm, motherly look washes over her face. She ces a hand on her chest and sniffs. ¡°The baby?¡± ¡°I¡­yes, it¡¯s moving slightly,¡± I nod, but it doesn¡¯t happen again. That pressure on my chest, the hope wrapping itself around my heart, now intensifies just as a tear slips down my cheek. It could not have happened at a worse time, just as I started to ept that I¡¯d have to walk away from everything. That little movement destroyed everything in five seconds t, that little movement flipped the switch This is bad¡­this is so, so bad. Chapter 24 - Mira Chapter 24 - Mira I woke up this morning and felt the flutters again; I went to bed and felt them, as if the baby was saying good morning and goodnight to me. I know this is normal, and I know this is supposed to happen but no one mentioned how attached I¡¯d feel. ¡°Are you still having morning sickness, Mia?¡± My attention snaps to Dr. Lh as she looks at the clipboard in her hand. ¡°What about the dizzy spells and brain fog?¡± I shake my head. ¡°They¡¯ve all eased up in thest two weeks or so, but I do feel more tired than usual.¡± She nods. ¡°All normal. Have you felt movement at all?¡± Sighing, I look down at my belly and the baby does another flutter before I answer. ¡°It started a day ago; light flutters.¡± Dr. Lh perks up and ps her hands together. ¡°Oh, fantastic! That¡¯s the best news I¡¯ve heard all month!¡± she gushes, writing down something else on her clipboard. After this, she refills my vitamin prescription and I go on my way. My weekly check-ups have been stretched to monthly, so I don¡¯t see Dr. Lh as often as I used to. I suppose it¡¯s good since I hate the way she eases my worries with a touch alone. I walk the hallways with Josef, but he¡¯s still refusing to speak with me. I gave up trying to talk to him again, so now I¡¯m left alone with my own thoughts¡­and a baby moving in my belly. Five months¡­I have just under five months left here if my father doesn¡¯t say anything about marrying Alpha Nikos. There¡¯s no room to get attached to anything or anyone here; I can make my own way without them. However, as Josef opens my bedroom door and I see the outline of Alpha Nikos at my bedroom window, I know getting out of here soon isn¡¯t an option. He¡¯s standing with his back to us wearing nothing but gray sweatpants, wearing no shirt, and showing off his muscled tattooed back. Every inch of his skin is covered in them, with flecks of silver-healed skin ruining the massive pair of ck wings taking up his back. It matches, though - it looks like those wings were meant to be ruined. How can someone so dangerous look so beautiful? ¡°You can leave, Josef,¡± he says, still not turning around. Josef then walks out and closes the door behind him and that¡¯s when Alpha Nikos turns around to face me. His usually slicked back hair is hanging loose, not something I am used to seeing. Like this, he looks less like the fearsome mafia leader and more animalistic, especially when his eyes briefly sh crimson. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± I breathe out, still rooted in ce by the sight of this man bare-chested in my room. He smiles and my heart does a little flip. ¡°I am, but I have news¡­something you might not be happy with,¡± he says, walking over to me with his hands in the pockets of his sweats. I knew it already. He wouldn¡¯t havee to me right after getting home and cleaning up if it wasn¡¯t important. The question remains, what did my father tell him? ¡°You don¡¯t look too happy about what this could be,¡± I say as I take in the way his jaw clenches, then he shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m not too thrilled at what Giovanni is making me do, but if it means his death, I will do it,¡± he says, I peer up at him, his spicy leather scent causing my head to swim and my heart to beat faster. Alpha Nikos frowns, then he draws his hand to my chin and strokes it with the pad of his thumb. ¡°Your heart is beating faster the more you look at me. Do I still scare you, little rabbit?¡± he asks with an arched eyebrow, and I shake my head. ¡°No, you¡¯re just¡­overwhelming me right now, Alpha,¡± I admit while still looking into his eyes. He chuckles, a low thrum in his chest and it makes my stomach coil tight. ¡°Apologies, I don¡¯t mean to be¡­overwhelming. I¡¯vee to give you this,¡± he says, then he takes my left hand and slides something onto my finger. The worldes to a stop and I look down to see a beautiful gold band with a simple diamond in the middle and red and blue smaller gemstones ents¡­on my ring finger - an engagement ring. I suck in a breath and my other hand goes to my mouth. ¡°My father?¡± Alpha Nikos nods. ¡°He wants to make it official at his wife¡¯s birthday banquet next week¡­and he wants me to bring you along as he announces it.¡± I feel as if a cold bucket of ice has been toppled over my head, and that excitement now gives way to fear. ¡°He¡­wants¡­¡± I trail off as something else urs to me. ¡°No! No, Mikhail will be there! I can¡¯t do that! I can¡¯t-!¡± ¡°Shh, kounel¨¢ki,¡± he tries to soothe me and cups my face with both of his hands. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, I promise. You¡¯ll be at my side at all times, I will not let you out of my sight.¡± I shake my head, my heart feeling as if it¡¯s about to explode out of my chest. Mikhail used to scare me before, but now as I realize that I mighte face to face with him again, that fear gives way to terror. That man did things to me that I never thought another person was capable of. He ruined every shred of my self-worth and made me think whatever he did to me was my own fault. The beatings, the whips, the sexual assault - it was all my fault because I asked for it. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­Nikos, I can¡¯t face that man again!¡± I exim, feeling tears streaming down my face. Ever since I felt the baby move, I¡¯ve been nothing but a ball of tears. Now this¡­this has just pushed me over the edge. There¡¯s a rumble in his chest and he draws me closer, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close to him. His one arm is around my waist while the other holds the back of my head. Being this close to him calms me down somehow, and my anxiety eases up as his scent fills my head. ¡°Breathe, Mia,¡± he whispers into my hair and I readily obey. I take a few calming breaths to steady myself, and my heartbeat starts to level out again. ¡°That¡¯s it, breathe. I¡¯m right here, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± ¡°I want to believe you,¡± I want to believe that he¡¯ll protect me from Mikhail, but I know how that man¡¯s mind works. ¡°I insulted him by stabbing that silver dagger through his eye, and now I¡¯m pregnant with his enemy¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Trust me, Mia,¡± he whispers, running his hand through my hair at the nape of my neck. ¡°Trust that I¡¯ll protect you; you¡¯re going to be my Luna, the most important person to me and you¡¯re pregnant with my child. I¡¯ll protect you with my life.¡± My heart stills once more, and the silence after his admission makes my heartbeat pick up again but not in fear this time. He doesn¡¯t let go of me, instead, I feel him kissing the side of my head. That flutter in my belly makes me gasp and he lets go of me, looking at me with a frown. ¡°Did I hold you too tight?¡± he asks with concern in his cold green eyes. I shake my head and a blush covers my cheeks. ¡°No¡­it¡¯s just¡­the baby has started moving and it always catches me off guard,¡± the way I say it makes it seem as if I don¡¯t care, but the way he held me coupled with the movement in my belly made all the fear dissipate. Alpha Nikos looks down at my stomach, and I see his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he swallows hard. ¡°May I?¡± he asks, flooring me. ¡°By all means,¡± I give him a wan smile, trying not to seem nervous. ¡°But he stops moving as soon as someone else touches my bump.¡± ¡°He?¡± There''s a ghost of a smile on his lips when he asks this and ces hisrge palm on my stomach. ¡°You think it¡¯s a boy?¡± I chuckle. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re not sure yet-¡± my words are cut short when the baby moves like crazy underneath the Alpha¡¯s hand. The smile drops from his face, and every bit of arrogance leaves his body as he peers down at me. The look of wonder in his eyes has my heart gripped tight in those tendrils of hope again. The baby moves once more and the smile on his face knocks the wind out of me. ¡°Is he¡­are they supposed to move this much so soon?¡± he asks as he caresses my belly. ¡°Before it was simply fluttering, now it¡¯s full-on movements. It could be that he knows it¡¯s his father. Perhaps he knows your voice?¡± I say, making assumptions when I shouldn¡¯t be. Alpha Nikos doesn¡¯t answer, he simply continues to hold my belly and look at it with wonder, as if it¡¯s precious to him. I never thought he would ever have this look on his face, and the painful squeezing of my heart is not making it any easier on me. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. And what he does next cements that hope, and I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy¡­or scared to death. He drops to his knees, lifts up my tank top, and ces a kiss on my bare skin. ¡°My Luna¡­¡± he breathes out sending a shiver shooting right up my spine. No¡­this isn¡¯t supposed to happen! We¡¯re not supposed to get attached like this! When he peers up at me with that same look, I know that I am not getting out of this without my heart being broken. Acting like I¡¯m in love with him is one thing, but now I know I might not just be acting. I lift my hand and ce it on his head, running my fingers through his hair and watching as his eyes close at my touch. He groans and rests his head against my stomach, breathing out a sigh as if it feels like home. He ces another kiss on my stomach, then gets to his feet and takes my left hand before kissing the ring there. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Mia. I¡¯ll protect both of you,¡± he says before walking out of my bedroom and leaving me with a full heart. Mia¡­he still calls me Mia and I love the sound of it. It¡¯s not lost on me that I had the most powerful Alpha on his knees in front of me, and that alone makes me feel like I can face whateveres next week. Chapter 25 - Nikolaos Chapter 25 - Nikos This woman drives me fucking crazy. I went on my knees for her yesterday as if she were my queen, called her my Luna, and vowed to protect her. Now she¡¯s parading around in a fucking swimsuit right below my office window while my warriors make herugh. How can one movement change me like this? The second I felt my child move, every single part of me snapped to attention. My beast growled deep within me, and that little link I felt to Mia now pulled tautly. I¡¯ve been trying to push this feeling down, but the more I do, the more I fucking realize¡­ She¡¯s mine, and I don¡¯t want her to leave. When did this be so fuckingplicated? Knox looks at me with a grin and I nearly want to punch his fucking smug face. I know when it becameplicated; when I sampled her during her heat. Now I want more of her. I want her close to me; I want to feel her skin on mine, I want to hear her say my name without the fucking title like she did yesterday. /¡°Why don¡¯t you just make your feelings known?¡±/ Knox asks, perplexed. /¡°Things would be so much easier if you just told her how you feel.¡±/ ¡°Because I promised her the freedom she craved. I won¡¯t keep her prisoner here,¡± I say out loud, watching as she sits at the edge of the pool with acey red cover over her swimsuit. The more I watch her speaking to two of my warriors, the more I want to go to her. She¡¯sughing, her smile contagious from the way those warriors are looking at her. Her hand goes to her mouth as she Growling, I stomp downstairs to give her a piece of my fucking mind. How dare she take my ring from her finger? I put it there for a reason, and now she just removed it?! I step into the pool area and my warriors turn to look at me, scattering when they see my eyes and sense my anger. Mia watches them rushing away from her and frowns, then she sees me and her eyes widen. ¡°Alpha Nikos!¡± she exims and jumps to her feet while looking confused. ¡°It¡¯s a hot day. I hope you don¡¯t mind me being out here!¡± I grab her left hand and hold it up. ¡°Where is your ring?¡± I growl. Her eyes narrow at me, and her mouth opens slightly. ¡°I¡­I left it in my bedroom beforeing down here to swim. I didn¡¯t want to risk losing it¡­¡± she trails off, then she smiles slightly. ¡°Do you want me to put it on again? I can go-¡± ¡°No,¡± I sigh and let go of her hand, feeling like a goddamn idiot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly.¡± She smiles slightly and cocks her head to the side, looking so cute and fucking innocent. ¡°If I knew it would make you this angry, I would have kept it on.¡± I pinch the bridge of my nose and growl. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mia- fuck, Mirabe.¡± ¡°I like it when you call me Mia,¡± she says, her voice tinged with something other than shyness. When I look up to see that smile on her face again and my heart fucking constricts. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be my Mia, if that¡¯s the name you prefer,¡± I say, and nearly punch a wall at what I¡¯ve just said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting angry like that. Of course you can take it off if you feel it¡¯s necessary.¡± My Mia, what the fuck is wrong with you, Nikos? She¡¯ll be your Luna in marriage only, nothing else¡­ it can¡¯t be anything else. That smile remains on her face as she takes a step towards me with her hands behind her back, but there¡¯s a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°Maybe it''s the heat getting to you, Alpha,¡± she says and cocks her head to the side again. ¡°Perhaps you need to cool off.¡± ¡°Mia-¡± I already knew what she was about to do, so the second she pushed me into the pool, I pulled her along with me. She shrieks as we go down, and the more I try to feel pissed off at what she¡¯s just done, the more the grin spreads on my face. Water fills my lungs and I sputter, but I bring us both up before she can swallow any more than she needs to. She coughs and takes deep breaths, looking at me as if she wants to murder me and I fucking love it. ¡°Why did you do that?!¡± she shrieks, but I can¡¯t stop this fucking grin from spreading. ¡°I should be asking you that, little rabbit. Why did you think you would get out of pushing your Alpha into the pool?¡± I ask, leading her over to the pool wall and caging her in with my arms. Her eyes grow wide and her cheeks rosy, but there¡¯s no sense of fear in her delicious strawberry and cinnamon scent. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Anyone trying that would be dead right now,¡± I murmur, leaning in close. ¡°You can be lucky¡­¡± Her breath hitches in her throat. ¡°Lucky¡­?¡± ¡°You can be lucky you¡¯re mine,¡± I say. This is dangerous; being so close to her is zapping every bit of my self-restraint to dust. I should move back, in fact, I almost move back¡­but then she slightly opens her mouth and I throw caution to the fucking wind. She moans when I im her lips with the kiss I¡¯ve been starved for; her lips and tongue are inexperienced but soft against my rough im. I drink her in, every bit of her. Her supple body against mine, her arms around my neck, her hands in my hair, the way she moans into my mouth. This is everything I fucking hoped for, everything I¡¯ve ever wanted. My first kiss with a woman I¡¯d hungered for since Iid my eyes on her. She wraps her legs around my waist and I grind my cock against her center, her sudden gasp spurning me on and making me want to sink so deep inside of her that I won¡¯t want toe up for air. This woman is intoxicating, and tests every hard limit I have imposed on myself. Her presence chips away at the thick walls I¡¯ve built and makes me want to submit to her. It¡¯s fucking pathetic, an Alpha submitting to a mere Omega, but that¡¯s what she does to me¡­ ¡°You¡¯re mine, Mia. Say you¡¯re mine,¡± I murmur as my kisses move down to her neck and she lets out a moan, causing my cock to twitch painfully. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m yours, Nikos¡­¡± she digs her nails into my shoulders, the wet fabric of my shirt feeling like it¡¯s in the way so I strip it off and try to kiss her again - But the second she touches my bare chest with her hands, I snap back and move away from her. That familiar disgust coils in the pit of my stomach and those rm bells fill my head with the old warnings. You¡¯re not loved. No one wants you, Nikos. They will use you for your title only, we¡¯re the only ones who will ever love you. This girl wants you because your power means her freedom¡­that¡¯s all. No one wants a ruined little boy with dirty secrets and you know it¡¯s the truth. The hurt in her eyes breaks my heart, but the voices overpower my need to cate her. She moves closer; the water rippling as she reaches out, but I move out of her reach and swim over to the opposite side. ¡°Nikos!¡± She calls after me, but I can hear nothing but their voices as theyugh at me, proving their words right. Chapter 26 - Mira The warm shower washes away the embarrassment of being rejected. One minute Alpha Nikos acts like he wants me, the next he looks at me as if I''m the most disgusting thing he''s ever seen. It happened the second I touched his skin. In my stupid haze of pleasure, I forgot about the one thing he¡¯s dead set against. How could I allow myself to do something like that? This man, he muddles up my head so I don''t think clearly when I''m around him. But why is it only his bare chest? What happened to him? /¡°He...has a past filled with pain. It would be a pity to see you add to it."/ Is this what Maxim meant? Is this why he hates being touched and yet he can touch me? With a sigh and my mind made up, I get out of the shower, put on my PJs and go to his bedroom. This needs to stop now; either he tells me what he wants from me or I give this ring back. I open my bedroom door and see Josef sitting in his usual spot, ying with his knife and not looking up at me. ¡°Is the Alpha here?¡± I ask. He looks up and nods. ¡°He''s in his gym; he''s been there most of the afternoon and early evening.¡± ¡°Take me to him,¡± I say and walk out of my bedroom. ¡°Or I''ll ask someone else if you''re still pissy with me.¡± Ignoring Josef''sints, I walk down the hallway until he catches up to me. He''s about to say something until he sees the look on my face and shuts up. Nodding, he walks ahead and leads me further down the hall. Wee to a stop in front of twin oak doors, which he opens for me. ¡°He''s in here,¡± Josef says and stands next to the door without looking at me.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you, Josef," I say as I walk inside and he closes the door behind me. I am nearly knocked over by Alpha Nikos¡¯ scent hanging heavy in the room. Leather and spice tinged with fury, I struggle to catch my breath the more I''m breathing it in. He''s been down here since he left the pool area, that''s basically what Josef said. But why is he angry? Is his fury aimed at me for touching him? The bed moves as if someone''s sitting down on it. ¡°I don''t... don¡¯t know what I want.¡± Alpha Nikos says before he sighs. ¡°I won''t lose my temper again. Don''t worry.¡± ¡°I can''t help but worry about you, Alpha. For both of you. You two are growing closer and you know how dangerous-" ¡°That''s enough, Lh. Let me handle this,¡± he interjects, and I hear her sigh. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need more uncertainty,¡± Dr. Lh says before I hear her heels clicking and the door closing. I don''t know what this exchange is about but it sounded heated, as if they''ve been at it for a while. My heartbeat picks up at the thought of them arguing about me and I wonder what else they have said. "How long are you going to pretend you''re not awake?¡± His voice makes my eyes snap open and I sit up too quickly, causing the room to spin. I lean my hand on the pillow next to me while the other holds my head. ¡°Ow...¡± I groan and I feel the mattress dip. Alpha Nikos is on his haunches next to the bed when I open my eyes again; his green eyes are wide and his brow is furrowed. He takes my hand in his and asks, ¡°Are you okay?" I take my hand out of his grasp and swing my legs over the bed, forcing him to back up. ¡°I''m okay,¡± I say, slowly getting to my feet, but he gently pushes me down. ¡°Lh has put you on bed rest, so you''re not going anywhere, Mia,¡± he says with a stern expression. ¡°You''re wee to stay here for a while. I''ll leave.¡± He doesn''t wait for me to answer and turns to walk out, but as he reaches the door, I call out to him. "Alpha Nikos.¡± Stopping as he reaches for the door, I hear his heartbeat picking up, but he doesn¡¯t turn around to face me. ¡°Yes, Mia?" I get to my feet and swallow deeply. ¡°I wanted to apologize for touching you this morning. Being that close to you...it made me forget about your hard limits and turned you into... the person I saw in the gym today.¡± Alpha Nikos spins around, his crimson eyes wide with shock and anger. ¡°You think it was your fault?¡± he asks in a low voice, stalking towards me. But I don''t back away this time. ¡°Wasn''t it? You turned cold and rejected me as soon as I touched you,¡± I say, shrugging. ¡°If I didn''t, you wouldn''t have-" He''s in front of me before I can breathe and takes my face in his hands; his crimson eyes shimmer back to their mossy green. Shaking his head, he looks at me in disbelief. ¡°Mia, nothing was your fault. I don''t know why you would me yourself like that. This...the person you saw today...that was my fault, no one else''s.¡± He says. ¡°Never me yourself like that. You''re not responsible for my triggers.¡± I scoff sadly. ¡°That''s just it, though; I don''t know what your triggers are, I only know when I set them off. You say I''m yours, you say I make you feel and my head is such a mess when you leave. So please, tell me what you want from me, Nikos.¡± The pleading look in his eyes breaks my heart, and I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking as he looks at me. What is he trying to say without using the words? What has hurt him so much that he¡¯s taking it out on me? He smiles sadly and strokes my cheek with the back of his thumbs. ¡°I want you, but my demons will only serve to ruin you more, Mia, because that''s all I ever do. So for now, I will keep my distance and not confuse you any more than I already have.¡± He says, then he kisses my forehead and lets go of me. I realize what he¡¯s doing and snap out of my thoughts as he opens the door. ¡°No...No, you can''t-!" ¡°It''s for the best,¡± he says and walks out, leaving me a shattered mess on his bedroom floor. Once again I''m the one who''s left in tatters. Once again he walks away from me as if I''m nothing. Chapter 27 - Mira A blood-red dress with a neckline that shows off a modest cleavage, a thigh-high slit, ts, and my hair curled in an updo. I never thought I would ever look this elegant, I don¡¯t even recognize the woman looking back at me. We traveled to my father''s territory a day ago, with Nikos keeping to his promise. I haven''t seen him at all this entire week, but I know he was around the pack house. His scent was all over, but I never saw him. It was the most frustrating week of my life because I really wanted to speak with him after the way we left things. He''s even got us sleeping in different hotel rooms so we don''t run into one another. We''re supposed to appear happy and in love tonight; how will we pull that off if we''re both trying not to let the other in? I''m not that good of a liar, no matter what he thinks. There''s a knock on my door and Josef pops his head in. ¡°The Alpha is waiting outside for you, Miss Mia,¡± he says. I nod and grab my handbag while ignoring how gorgeous this engagement ring looks on my finger. Then I follow Josef out to where Nikos is waiting right outside his hotel room door. Sucking in a breath, the wind is knocked out of me when I see him. He always looks so good wearing a suit, and right now he looks absolutely dashing. ck suit, bow tie, hair slicked back, and smelling divine; I don''t think I''ll struggle with pretending I''m in love with him at all His eyes widen slightly when he sees me, but his expression remains stoic as he takes my hand and draws it to his lips. A jolt of excitement shoots right through me when he kisses my hand, and the way his eyes briefly shimmer crimson, I know he felt it too.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Beautiful Mia,¡± he says, then he holds out his arm for me to take. I slide my hand into the crook of his arm, loving the feel of his bicep as I hold it. Being so close to him is intoxicating, I can hear my heart beating so loudly in my ears. ¡°You''re asking for trouble allowing your desire to seep into your scent, little rabbit,¡± he grumbles but doesn''t look at me. ¡°Do you want to be the cause of a few deaths tonight?¡± ¡°I think I''ll already be the cause,¡± I say without thinking, and he turns to me with a frown etched on his brow. "Remember what I said; eye contact at all times,¡± he whispers before turning to face my father with a put-on smile. ¡°Uncle Gio, Aunty Rosa; good to see you both again.¡± My father still looks the same as always; huge and terrifying. This man used my body as a prize so many times, to so many of his friends and now he¡¯s beaming at me as if he¡¯s proud. "Ah, my Mirabe!¡± he says and I am left in shock when he embraces me. ¡°You look as beautiful as ever!¡± What? Since when am I beautiful to him? He breaks off the embrace and looks down at my belly, then touches it without even asking me. Nikos¡¯ jaw is working again, so I squeeze his hand and offer him a wan smile. My father steps back and smiles at us both again. "Hello, Pappa,¡± I greet him with the term he used to hate me calling him, but I doubt he''s heard anyone calling him that in a while. Then I turn to the witch who had no problem selling me to Mikhail. ¡°Rosa.¡± My father''s wife looks down at me with distaste in her blue eyes and ignores mepletely before air-kissing Nikos. ¡°It''s lovely to see you, Nikos.¡± He doesn''t miss the look in her eyes and raises my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. I don''t think I''ll ever get used to him doing that, not that I''d ever want to get used to it. "We can''t stay long, Gio. Mirabe is not feeling well and she¡¯s been put on bed rest,¡± he says with utmost sincerity in his voice. ¡°This is an extremely delicate pregnancy, given what she¡¯s been through before.¡± My father nods and something resembling concern shes in his eyes. ¡°Of course! An hour or two at best,¡± he says, then the smile drops from his face and a low snarl escapes his mouth. Nikos and I both look in the direction his killing intent is aimed and my heart leaps into my throat at the sight of the man walking towards us. His long blonde hair hangs loose and sweeps his shoulders, the charcoal suit fitting his body perfectly. There''s a scar running down his face and over one of his eyes leaving the eye milky, and I realize that''s the scar I left before I ran away from him. Just looking at him causes my body to break out in a cold sweat and my hair is literally standing on end; I can feel my legs threatening to give way but Nikos slips his arm around my waist and anchors me to his side. Mikhail grins and looks at Nikos, then at me. My throat closes up at the scent of the killing intent between these three Alphas, but I don''t avert my eyes even if my heart is begging me to show my nape in submission. ¡°Well, what do we have here,¡± he says with that same look in his eyes as when he¡¯s about to punish me. ¡°Seems you caught a stray bitch, Nikos.¡± ¡°Now, now, Mikhail; don''t go projecting your own image on others or I''ll be forced to think you''re talking about my Luna,¡± Nikos says. His eyes don''t even have to be crimson to threaten Mikhail. Mikhail chuckles. ¡°And she¡¯s pregnant too, You sure that''s your pup in there and not someone else''s?¡± ¡°That''s enough out of both of you. I want no bloodshed here tonight, no fighting while you''re on neutral ground or I''ll be forced to banish you both,¡± my father says with a growl. ¡°Tonight is a special asion and I won''t have any deaths here; keep your war out of my territory.¡± Mikhail and Nikos continue to stare each other down, but Mikhail is the first to look away with a shit-eating grin on his face. ¡°As you wish, Giovanni,¡± he says before walking away from us. Something about the way he gave up so easily doesn''t sit right with me. Chapter 28 - Nikolaos I''ve kept my eyes on the fucker the entire evening. After Giovanni announced the engagement, there wasn''t any surprise or anythinging from him. He actually lifted his ss in a toast when our engagement and Mia''s pregnancy were announced. Something is up, and I need to get Mia out of here. /¡°I''ll be up on the helipad in the next ten minutes,¡±/ I say over the mind link and get confirmation that they''re about to start the helicopter, then I lean in to a frightened Mia. "We''re leaving,¡± I whisper and drag her out of the side door. ¡°Something isn''t right, Mikhail didn''t even look surprised at all.¡± She nods. ¡°He was smirking the entire evening, it unnerved me to no end,¡± she says as we reach the elevator. I see Josef running towards us with his weapon and dagger out, nodding to give us the all- clear before he joins us. ¡°No one was following us, I checked all your blind spots as well as the stairways leading here,¡± Josef says and I p his shoulder in approval. ¡°Thank you, Josef. As soon as we''re up in the air, I want you to drive back with Marrick and Beck - they''re still in the hotel room. Make sure no one sees you when you leave.¡± I exin while we ascend and Josef nods. ¡°Yes, Alpha. It shouldn''t be too hard to give them the slip,¡± he says and the elevator doors open. Mia is ashen-faced and quiet the entire time, her dress blowing in the gusts the helicopter is creating. I pull her out towards the waiting copter, while Josef takes up the rear with his weapon drawn. I expected more hostility from the fucker, but he kept on smiling at me as if he knew something I don''t. It can''t be that he knew about the copter, because I nned that without anyone but the pilot knowing. ¡°Let me get in first so I can check everything before you get in,¡± I tell Mia and slip in behind the pilot. He does all the checks while I keep my eyes and ears open for anything. When everything is done, I nod to Josef and hold out my hand for Mia. Five long hours, that''s how much time passed since I saw Miast. I heard her heart stop, then start again by some fucking miracle. Maxim reported four of my warriors taking off in the dead of night and now I am certain they nned this entire thing along with Mikhail. How did I not see thising? I trusted my men too much, trusted my own fucking family with the woman carrying my child, and now look at what happened. So here I am, sitting with my elbows braced on my knees and my head in my hands, still covered in Mia''s blood. I broke my promise, I said I would keep her safe and she ended up nearly losing her life. This woman was better off without me, but I won''t ever let her out of my sight again. I''m done fighting this and if I have to tell her about my past so she can know me better, then that''s what I''ll do. I can''t lose Mia again, she¡¯s my fucking life.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alpha Nikos?¡± my head snaps up and I see a doctor standing in front of me. I get to my feet as quickly as I can and walk over to him. "How is she? Is she okay? How is the baby-" ¡°Easy, now,¡± he says and holds up his palm, giving me a wan smile. ¡°Luna Mia is okay; the knife missed her vital organs as well as the womb, but she has lost a lot of blood. The knife used was a silver Jagdkommando, so it was difficult to operate. She''s in an induceda so she can heal faster. You can go see her, but she will be unconscious for a while.¡± Relief, pure and warm, washes over me and I cover my face with both of my hands. Breathing out a pent-up sigh, I ce my hand on the doctor''s shoulders and nod. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much!¡± He pats my hand and cocks his head towards the door. ¡°Follow me, Alpha,¡± he says and leads me to Mia''s hospital room. My heart is thudding painfully against my chest because thest time I saw her I thought I was going to lose her. I did lose her; she died in my arms when her heart stopped. When he opens the door, thest of my resolve shatter and I fall to my knees next to her bed. She looks smaller than usual, and I''ve be so used to her shapely body. Her face is still pale, but I can see her chest rising and falling as she breathes in and out. ¡°This is all my fault,¡± I murmur, holding her hand with my head bowed. ¡°This wouldn''t have happened if I said no to Giovanni; I should have said no.¡± All this time I pushed her away from me when I should have held her close. All this time I''ve chosen the voices, my demons, and wounds, over the one person who wanted to know where my hurty. My triggers made me feel like I wasn''t worthy of someone as pure as her, that she would only use me because of my title. She wanted nothing but me, she wanted nothing but for me to open up to her, and what did I do? I chose them. I always fucking choose them. I breathe out a sigh and ce my hand on her belly, listening to both their hearts beating and it brings a wistful smile to my face. These two are my life and it''s about time I start epting that. ¡°I''ll be here when you wake up, agapi mou; I''m not going anywhere.¡± When she wakes up, I''m telling her everything about me; what I have been through, and where I want to go with her. It''s only fair if I want to have a life with her as my true Luna... I need to stop being a coward and im this woman as mine. Chapter 29 - Mira There''s nothing but darkness ahead of me. I can''t see anything behind me, nor can I hear or smell a thing. But something tells me to move forward, towards the red light glowing in front of me. shes of memory allude to something bad happening to me, but I can¡¯t remember what it could be. Right now I feel no pain, no worries or stress, or any obligation to anyone. It''s warm and comfortable; I don''t want to leave here, I just want to close my eyes and float. ¡°But you have to leave, Mira,¡± my eyes snap open when I hear a voice echoing all around me. There''s still darkness everywhere, not oppressing but refreshing, but I am being pushed forward toward the glowing red light. ¡°That''s it, Mira, follow my voice...¡± Why does this voice sound so familiar? Who is it? I try to call out to it, but when I open my mouth, nothinges out. I have to move forward, I need to get to them and see who that person is. My heart clenches and I feel tears slipping down my cheeks the more I try to get to that voice. That person cared about me, I know they did - I can feel it! Almost there...just a few more steps... I burst out into what seems to be a familiar meadow, an open space filled with poppies, daisies, and lavender, surrounded by trees and low bushes. There''s the smell and sound of a stream somewhere not too far, and in the middle of the open space is a fallen tree. On top of that tree sat a snow-white wolf. The breath is knocked from my lungs and I rush towards the open space with a smile on my face, the excitement and happiness making meugh out loud. I knew I recognized the voice. I knew it was one who cared for me all this time. ¡°Star!¡± I call out and she bounds towards me, her tongue lolling as if she were a pup. She stops running and I drop to my knees so I can embrace her. ¡°Oh, I''ve missed you!¡± /¡°I''ve missed you too, Mira!"/ she exims, licking my face and gently nipping me. /¡°It has been too long!"/ Sitting down, I cross my legs, and my eyebrows furrow. ¡°Why did you leave me all those years ago?¡± There''s no time to beat around the bush; if I''m here with Star, seeing her in the same ce I met her for the first time, then something terrible must have happened to me. I look down at my belly and see that I am still pregnant. That''s a good thing, at least the baby is safe. /¡°I never left, Mira, your trauma blocked me out. After the terrible things your father had you do, your sadness was too thick for me to wade through. It became worse when he gave you to that bastard Mikhail, but there was nothing I could do to get through to you no matter how hard I tried...I could only watch and hear you calling out to me.¡±/ So it was all me, then. All this time Star never left, my sadness was like a constant smog. ¡°I''m so sorry, I never knew-" Star rests her furry head on my thigh and huffs. /¡°This was never your fault, it was all your father and Mikhail. They''re the reason you''re here right now,"/ she says with fury in her silver eyes. ¡°What do you mean? What happened to me?¡± Star sits back on her hind legs with a growl rumbling in her chest. /¡°Your father may not have been directly responsible, but he knew Mikhail would try something once you were all in the same room."/ I frown. ¡°Mikhail tried something? Is that why I''m here?¡± Star nods her furry head. /¡°Josef was working for him all this time, Mira; he''s the one who stabbed you."/ When Star breaks this news to me, shes of memoriese hurtling back to me all at once. The party, the way Mikhail grinned all through the evening, Nikos getting me to safety when he knew something wasn''t right- "Oh, Nikos!¡± I exim and cover my mouth with my hands. He tried to save me, tried to stop the blood. His voice, was filled with pain and regret, echoing over and over in my head, but I cannot hear what he was saying. All this time, he tried to keep me safe when the biggest snake was constantly at my side, feeding information to the man I was running from. ¡°Nikos must be worried sick!" Star bares her teeth, and it leaves me confused. /"He is extremely worried, I can hear him right now. But, Mira... don''t trust him."/ My hands drop from my mouth. ¡°You don''t trust him? But he¡¯s the only one who has been good to me-" /¡°Mira, he bartered your womb for your freedom, how is that being good to you?"/ she growls. ¡°N-no, that was before we knew...before we started growing closer. He''s different now!" I exim, but even as the words spill from my mouth, I know how they sound...like I''m trying to make excuses for Nikos¡¯ actions. She huffs again and ces herrge paw on my thigh. /¡°l know there is good in him, deep down beneath all his trauma is a scared little boy, too. But every man who has entered your life made it their mission to ruin you. So, until that Alpha does something selfless, I do not trust him."/ I smile at her fierce words and draw my forehead to hers. ¡°Thank you for caring about me, Star. Will you be at my side from now on? She rolls her eyes. ¡°Someone has to care about you! You''re the most precious thing to me, you know. Besides, I am currently keeping that one over therepany until you''re ready to meet him,¡± she says, gesturing with her head to some spot behind me. I get to my feet and now I can see the stream, but there''s a ck blot in the distance. Looking back at Star, she nods to urge me on and I swallow deeply before walking towards it. Star pads happily next to me, but sits down a few feet from the ck blot. Well, not a blot, but a little wolf pup. It''sying with its head on its paws, peering up at me and shivering as if he''s done something wrong. So I get down on my haunches and smile at him. "You seem scared,¡± I say.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He raises his head and nods, I notice then that this little pup has Alpha crimson eyes. Is this Nikos¡¯ wolf in my subconscious? No, it can''t be. That wouldn''t make sense, so who... /¡°1 am... I felt you getting hurt,¡±/ he says in a tiny sniffling voice that breaks my heart. /*I cried out and try to howl, but neither you nor Pappa heard me!"/ Pappa? Wait, is this...is this my pup?! I sit down in front of the pup and cross my legs. ¡°I''m so sorry for scaring you, little one. But I think I am all healed now and ready to go back to your Pappa.¡± His ears perk up and it''s the sweetest thing I''ve ever seen. /¡°You are? You''re feeling better?!"/ I ruffle the fur on his head. ¡°Yes, I am. So you don''t need to worry about me anymore, okay? Stay here with Star and enjoy your time with her until I am ready to meet you.¡± My heart clenches and guilt pierces through me as I tell this lie. I don¡¯t know if I am going to see him again, especially with that contract I signed. Nikos has made it clear that he¡¯s keeping his distance from me from now on, so what will happen? The pup bounds into my arms and it breaks my heart more. He licks my face and growls yfully, looking at me with nothing but untainted, pure love in his big eyes. ¡°I can''t wait to meet you, Mamma,¡± he says. I ce a kiss on the top of his head. ¡°I''ll be counting down the days, little one-" "Ares, you named me Ares,¡± he says proudly and moves from myp, only to run towards Star. A little ck-furred pup with Alpha eyes named Ares; my baby, the one I am giving up in exchange for my freedom. It was easier before he moved and crept into my heart, it was easier before I grew attached. How can I leave him after meeting him? How can I leave him when I already love him? /¡°Go, Nikos is worried about you,¡±/ Star says and gives me a slow wink. /I still don¡¯t trust him, but I know he cares. So, go to him, and don¡¯t worry - I''m back and never leaving again.¡±/ That alone warms my heart, but before I can say goodbye, a ck vite appears in my vision and the meadow fades away. The first time I woke to the sound of beeping monitors, it was after I had run from Mikhail. Now as my eyes slowly open, I take in the sight of a bedroom I''ve be familiar with - Nikos". His scent is everywhere here - leather and spice so potent it warms my heart. There''s also a heaviness on my hand that I can''t ce. But as I blink the blurriness away, I be all too aware of the pain in my side. Moving slightly hurts and a groan escapes my lips before I can stop myself. That''s when I feel the weight lifting from my hand and my eyes shoot open. ¡°Mia?¡± Chapter 30 - Nikolaos As soon as the doctor gave me the all-clear, I moved Mia back to my territory. Josef and the missing warriors are nowhere to be seen, but I know he¡¯s already at Mikhail''s side. His father imed not to know why he became a traitor, while Maxim thinks Mikhail fed on Josef''s insecurities. How the fuck would he have done that, though? How long has he been ced here as a spy? Giovanni begged to see her, to see both of us but I declined; it''s his fucking fault she¡¯s in this position. I warned him that it wouldn''t be wise to antagonize Mikhail, but did he listen? This has now escted the war in my territory and I know the only way to end it would be by killing Mikhail. However, as much as I want to put all the me on Giovanni, I know this is more my fault than his. I ced Josef with her, I trusted him to protect her, and I''m the one who made sure he was constantly at her side. I''m the one who made her trust him. /¡°He hid it all well, old friend. Don''t me yourself,¡±/ Knox says, shaking his head. /¡°But remember, we have her to focus on now; so let''s do that instead of pointing fingers.¡±/ I sigh and hang my head in my hands, knowing that he¡¯s simply trying to help. He''s right, I have to focus on her, focus on what our next step could be, and how to enact my vengeance. Giovanni has already banished Mikhail and severed their ties, so there''s no big backup from him. "Abbot''s dead,¡± Maxim says as he walks into my bedroom. ¡°So are Marjorie and Anna. Josef''s scent is all over that fucking house which means he killed his family.¡± ¡°Fuck sakes,¡± I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Here I thought Mikhail might have ckmailed him with the lives of his family, I guess not.¡± Maxim nods. ¡°Well, he was always hungry for his father''s approval and-" "Hungry dogs are never loyal, they go to whoever dangles a shred of meat in front of their foaming mouths,¡± I growl, still fucking pissed off with myself for trusting Josef. But who can you fucking trust if not your own family? Maxim and three of my warriors were outbing our borders, looking for intel but havee back with no news every time. There has to be a way, though; this can''t all be for naught. ¡°I''ll get back out there, but I might be away for longer this time; we''re going over the border,¡± he says and gives me a nod before he leaves. I can do nothing but sit at her bedside and wait for her to wake up. It''s been nearly a month since the attack, and although she has healed fully and is being fed, she hasn''t woken up. Lh isn''t sure what could be wrong, since Mia is healthy and so is the baby - in fact, her baby bump has grown "She might be stopping herself from returning,¡± Lh had said. ¡°Where she is right now could be better than what she has toe back to.¡± ¡°Mia, I know we said that we''d go our separate ways after the baby is born and I promised to keep my distance because I thought it would be the best for you, but I think..we need to revise that,¡± I say. There''s an unreadable look on her face; she bites her bottom lip and her heart sounds like it''s fluttering. The silence is killing me, not knowing what she¡¯s thinking or if she has changed her mind about me. I know I felt the attraction from her, even more so when I kissed her in the pool. But what if her feelings have changed? She stares at her hands sped in mine, then she exhales. ¡°Before you think you want this with me, before you think I''m some beautiful and perfect little doll, I need to show you something. Please help me stand.¡± My heart sinks; what is she talking about? I don''t just help her stand, I swoop her into my arms. Her giggle makes me smile in turn and I ask, ¡°Where are we going?¡± She worries that bottom lip between her teeth again. ¡°The bathroom,¡± she simply says. When we get there, I put her down but she''s a bit unsteady on her feet. Shaking her head, she gives me that odd smile again before speaking.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You''re aware of what Mikhail has done to me over these past few years; but even while the worst of my scars are internal, the ones he left on my skin will always make me feel ruined,¡± she says. I frown; there are a few scars I''ve seen on her arms and legs. Does she feel self-conscious about those? ¡°Mia, you''ll always be-" She ces a finger over my lips and shakes her head. ¡°Listen; this isnt about how you perceive me, but how I perceive myself. This is my shame, Nikos, this is what I always have to live with.¡± She pulls her dress over her head and stands naked in front of me, then her face reddens and she slowly turns her back to me. I suck in a sharp breath when I see what she means. Hundreds upon hundreds of healed whip marks scar her back, running from her neck to right over the swell of her ass. The scar tissue seemed to have healed over each other, indicating that silver tips were attached to the whip itself. This is why she always covers herself, even when she goes swimming. Fury, ice cold burning fury, surges through my veins at the sight of her back, knowing what she¡¯s been through at the hands of the man I want to rip limb from limb. Yes, I''ll get my fucking revenge for what he¡¯s done, but right now Mia doesn¡¯t need my fury. I close the distance between us and run my fingers over the rough, raised edges before cing gentle kisses over the scars she deems her shame. She stiffens at my touch and shudders as I kiss her. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I put my hands on her stomach and kiss the nape of her neck. ¡°You''re still as beautiful as the day I saved you, kouneldki,¡± I murmur into her neck. ¡°You may think these scars have ruined you, but all I see is what you''ve survived for so many years.¡± A sob ripples through her and I turn her around, cupping her face. ¡°You''ll always be beautiful to me, but as you said, this isn''t about what I think. I promise to spend the rest of my life showing you just how beautiful you are until you believe it.¡± Her bottom lip trembles and tears cascade freely down her cheeks. ¡°The rest of your life?¡± she says through her tears and I nod, smiling at her. ¡°The rest of my life, I told you I''m done pushing this down,¡± I say, wiping her tears away. ¡°I''m ready to tell you about my past, ready to take this step with you...if you''re willing to walk this path with me." She shakes her head and I nearly shatter. ¡°Why? Why do you want this with me now?" ¡°Mia, you died in my arms. I heard your heart stop and mine stopped that day too...It took you dying for me to realize that I don''t want to live without you.¡± I say, hoping it gets through to her. She remains quiet and I sigh. ¡°I want to spend my life with you, *vasilissa mou, but in order for me to do that, I need to tell you...about them.¡± I say, feeling close to throwing up just thinking about reliving my shame. She narrows her eyes at me. ¡°Them?¡± ¡°Them...the reason I don''t like being touched. The reason...I wanted to stay away from you,¡± I say, swallowing deeply and a cold sweat covers my body. shes of their faces, their voices, green eyes like me, dark hair like me...It feels like I am suffocating, but I need to do this. ¡°I need to tell you what my mother and her sister did to me.¡± Chapter 31 - Mira (Trigger Warning In Place) I don''t know what to make of what Nikos has just said; all I know is that my heart clenched so tightly that I nearly burst into tearsContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let''s get you back into this dress so we can talk; your body is distracting,¡± he says as he picks up my discarded dress. ¡°Nikos-" "When you''re dressed,¡± he urges and slips the dress over my head. Another protest is about to slip past my lips when I see how tightly he has his jaw clenched... So I allow him to help me into the stupid garment before he takes my hand and leads me back into the bedroom. He sits down on the bed and I go to sit next to him, but he pulls me onto hisp and kisses the side of my head. ¡°I need you close to me while I tell you this; hopefully you won''t be disgusted with me afterward,¡± he says with a crack to his voice, and my heart breaks along with him. I take his hand in mine and draw it to my lips to ce a kiss, just like he''s done to me so many times before. ¡°I''m not going anywhere,¡± I assure him without any fancy words or expressions, Nodding, he breathes out a shaky breath and I see his Adam''s apple bobbing as he swallows deeply. "When my mother was pregnant with us, it was only because my father wanted a son. Masha, my sister, was a year older than us and my father deemed my mother''s pregnancy a failure. He wanted a son, not a daughter,¡± He starts. "What a surprise it was to both of them when they found out she was not just pregnant with one son, but two. My father told her the Goddess blessed his bloodline with two boys for a reason...his true heir and a spare,¡± he says, scoffing. ¡°Guess who turned out to be the spare?¡± My fingers twist around his, mentally urging him to continue. He takes another shaky breath and I notice the sheen of sweat beading on his upper lip. This is difficult for him...but still he goes on. ¡°We were born and Bastien was immediately doted on. I wasn''t bothered by it, because I love my brother but he hated being the center of attention. When the time came for us to get our wolves, my father had me strung up by silver shackles and chains because I didn''t get a wolf...the beast within me is a Lycan - the loannides Curse.¡± Oh, I knew it! When his ws extended, they were ck not your average wolf color! "How old were you when you got your beast?¡± I asked. The corner of his mouth lifts in a sardonic smile. ¡°I had just turned ten years old and things went downhill from there.¡± I watch as he rubs the back of his neck and pulls painfully at his hair, his breathinges in short spurts, and clenching his jaw so hard I''m scared his teeth might snap. He grins. ¡°They''re always weed.¡± I nod and am about to move from hisp to give him some space when he locks his arms around my waist and raises an eyebrow. ¡°Did I say you can move?¡± ¡°But...you''re bare-chested right now!¡± I exim. ¡°And do you see me curling up in a corner with my eyes wide?¡± he asks, scoffing. ¡°Have you close to me like this isforting, little rabbit.¡± Okay, that makes me smile and I lean forward to kiss his lips. But as I do that and feel him smiling, something urs to me and I sit back. ¡°Wait, with your triggers in ce, you''ve never-" ¡°No. Not with anyone since they disappeared. I mean, I tried when I was younger, but back then my panic attacks were worse than they are now,¡± he says, then he cups my cheek with his rough hand. ¡°You''re the first woman I want to be with, Mia, the first woman I willingly want to kiss and im... and the first woman I have ever been tempted to touch.¡± This shouldn''t warm my heart so much, but it does. ¡°And what...makes me so special?¡± I coax. He chuckles, knowing that I am fishing forpliments right now, but he bites anyway. ¡°When you ran into me in that alleyway, I didn¡¯t feel any revulsion. In fact as soon as Iid my eyes on you looking so scared and vulnerable, covered in your own blood...¡± he shakes his head. ¡°I can¡¯t exin it, but I wanted to take care of you.¡± I grin. ¡°So you knocked me up to keep me?¡± "Well, that came after,¡± he says, shaking his head but the smile drops from his face. ¡°So...you know my shame now..." He trails off and looks at me expectantly, his eyes flickering towards the door and then back to me. It hurts my heart knowing that he thinks I''m about to leave, and I realize then that he¡¯s always been terrified people will leave. I meet his lips with a gentle kiss; savoring the taste and feel of him with my tongue and hoping that the kiss isn''t too forceful. He holds me flush against his bare chest and I feel his pulse as it spikes; his hands rove around my back and he groans into my mouth. Then I break off the kiss and cup his face with both my hands, caressing his bearded face. ¡°I know your past and I am still in love with you; nothing will change that,¡± I say, watching as his eyes widen. ¡°You''re... in love with me?¡± m and I don''t expect you to respond with your own feelings right now. So long as you know that I am willing to try and stay by your side, it''s fine with me.¡± I say. The emotion washing over his face makes my heart clench withpassion for him. Has he ever had someone ept him for who he was? Or did he just push everyone away thinking they would all hurt him eventually? He pulls me into his arms again and breathes out a long, pent-up sigh. ¡°Thank you for saying that. Thank you for...not expecting my reciprocation, especially after what I have just told you,¡± he says, kissing the nape of my neck. ¡°I''m certain that I am in love with you, Mia. But I don¡¯t want to say it while I am overwhelmed like this,¡± he says, not needing to exin himself to me because I understandpletely. I nod and breathe out a sigh just as he lets go of me, then he smiles and it takes my breath away. But as I think about him taking my breath away, something else urs to me and I cover my mouth. Nikos frowns. ¡°Are you okay?" ¡°No...¡± I groan with my mouth still covered, but he pulls my hands away, raising an eyebrow until I eventually sigh and look down. ¡°I don''t know how long I''ve been in aa...but I''ve been kissing you without even thinking!¡± He blinks with a furrowed brow, but it soon lifts and he chuckles while shaking his head. ¡°I had some female nurses keep you clean while you were out, little rabbit, even your mouth,¡± he says. I run my tongue over my teeth and sure enough, they''re smooth and I actually taste some mint. My eyes widen, realizing now that he¡¯s taken care of even my hygiene while I wasn''t coherent. ¡°Thank you,¡± I sigh, feeling sheepish. ¡°You''re always taking care of me.¡± He gets to his feet with me still in his arms and walks towards the bathroom again. After cing me down, his eyes rake over my body and I feel like I''m on fire. Running his hands down my side, he looks up at me with crimson eyes and grins. ¡°But, if you don''t feel clean enough, I could always wash you myself,¡± he says, grabbing the hem of my dress and pulling it over my head. Oh. Chapter 32 - Nikolaos There must be a mistake, there''s no way the Goddess could have blessed me with someone as understanding as Mia. Surely I am dreaming, right? Why is she not running away after I told her about everything that happened to me? Why is she not looking at me with disgust clear in her big brown eyes, but instead looking at me as if I''m precious to her? Does she love me? How...? ¡°Nikos?¡± she snaps me out of my thoughts and I remember that I brought her to the bathroom. She was feeling self-conscious about possibly not being clean, so I decided to do it myself. "Why don¡¯t you go get in the shower so long? I''ll join you soon,¡± I say, walking to the open space and regting the water for her. She gives me an odd look but slips out of her bra and panties and steps under the water. Even with her scars, she''s still so beautiful. I can''t believe what she¡¯s suffered under that fucker Mikhail and her father, but I''ll be sure to get revenge in her name. I unbuckle my jeans and step out of them before pulling down my boxer briefs. I''m conscious of her staring at me and when I look up, I see that her eyes are wide - she''s also openly staring at my cock. "See something you like, little rabbit?¡± I chuckle as I walk toward her and her face reddens. She shakes her head. ¡°I wasn''t...you don''t think-" ¡°That you''re staring at my cock with a hungry look in your eyes?¡± I tease while she blushes some more. Then I pull her close and kiss her lips. ¡°I''m just teasing you, there''s no need to blush.¡± "Of course, I''ll blush with your...your thing pressed up against me!¡± she stutters and I notice how she blushed deeper when she mentioned my ¡°thing.¡¯ But there''s a time and ce for everything; after what we''ve just shared with each other, sex should be the furthest thing from our minds. I reach out to touch her cheek and she leans into my touch. ¡°I''ve missed you, kardia mou,¡± I murmur. ¡°You have no idea how scared I was when I thought I was about to lose you.¡± She peers up at me with those big, innocent eyes and nervously bites her bottom lip. ¡°I''m here now, and I''m not leaving,¡± she says. I grin. ¡°Does that mean I can tear up the contract?¡± ¡°By all means, burn it,¡± she says, chuckling. ¡°I can''t go anywhere now, my heart belongs to you, Nikos.¡± ¡°Alpha,¡± she purrs and my focus is on her once more. She slowly strokes my length, eliciting a groan from me. ¡°Please, let me do this for you. You helped me before, let me help you now.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. My mind shes back to when I sampled her during her first heat and my cock twitches in her hand. She grins and I nod my head in confirmation because words are all foreign to me right now. Teasing me with her tongue, she draws me slowly into her mouth and lets out a moan. My eyesight goes nk at the feeling of her mouth on my cock, taking me all the way until I hear her gag. The sound and feel of her throat constricting around my cock nearly makes me shoot my load, but then she swaps her mouth for her hand. ¡°That night you touched me, tell me what you did when you left my bedroom,¡± she says in the most sexiest fucking lilt I''ve ever hearding from her. ¡°Did you touch yourself thinking about me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I groan and she covers my cock with her warm mouth again, sucking me deeper. ¡°Fuck, I wanted to bury myself inside of you and note up for air. You were so intoxicating, Mia, and I''ve wanted you ever since.¡± She moans when I say this and takes me deeply again, before releasing me and cing my hand in her hair. ¡°I want to please you, but I also want you to take control,¡± she says, moving her mouth towards my cock again. ¡°Be as rough as you want, I won''t break.¡± Gods. I grip the back of her hair when she sucks me again, and I feel her lowering her tongue to amodate more of my girth. She peers up at me with silver eyes and nods, then I start to move her head more. This, everything she¡¯s doing to me right now is all a first for me. No one has ever sucked me off before, and I''ve never slept with a woman or kissed someone else before her - well, willingly anyway. Seeing her on her knees for me, moaning as I fuck her mouth hard, her eyes rolling back the rougher I get with my thrusts...it all culminates into one and I clench my stomach, bracing myself. However, as much as I want to finish in her mouth, it feels weirding in her mouth while she''s pregnant. So the second I feel myself falling off the edge, I pull out, fist my cock and empty myself all over her gorgeous, full chest. "Mia, fuck...¡± I groan, my entire body stiffening up as I release my load. But just as my body stiffens with my release, I also feel like I''m fucking floating right now. I open my eyes and my vision clears; when I look down, I see Mia grinning and looking down at my release all over her chest. ¡°Well, that shower was all for nothing,¡± she chuckles. ¡°Guess I''ll have to go in there and clean up again.¡± Gods, this woman is beautiful; how the fuck did I end up so lucky? I smear mye over her nipples and she pushes her chest out more, her eyes roll back in her head the more I twirl my thumb around her sensitive buds. Then I get down on my knees in front of her and cup her pussy with my hand. ¡°It''s my turn now,¡± I growl, sinking two fingers inside of her. She throws her head back and I add another finger before teasing her clit with my thumb, rolling it over the sensitive bundle of nerves until I get a rhythm she likes. Her pussy walls clench around my fingers and I growl, needing to feel that on my cock, but knowing it''s way too soon for that right now. ¡°Niko..os,¡± she breathes out my name and throws her arms around my neck, hanging onto me as I feel her orgasm getting closer. I work her clit, pumping my fingers inside her pussy and watching as she moves her hips to meet my fingers. Then I twist them so I can caress that sweet spot inside of her and she cries out when she reaches her climax, mping my fingers tightly. Out of breath and both of us sticky now, I pull out my fingers and lick off her slick. "Fuck, I need to feel that on my cock soon,¡± I growl before getting to my feet again and picking her up. Giggling, she purrs in my embrace. ¡°I might just get used to being picked up like this,¡± she says. ¡°Get used to it all you want, kardia mou, there''s plenty more where that came from,¡± I say and ce her in the shower again. During the shower, I realized that when Mia kissed and leaned into my chest, there were no voices telling me to push her away or feeling of absolute revulsion. Are these the steps to my eventual healing? Gods, I hope so. This time we clean up, dry off and head to the walk-in to actually get dressed this time. I throw on a pair of boxers and watch as she walks over to my side of the closet, takes a t-shirt from the hanger, and pulls it over her head. She''s so small, she''s literally drowning in my shirt, but I love the way she looks wearing it; almost as if I''ve already staked my im on her. A little voice in the back of my head tells me that I have, just as she''s staked her im on me. Chapter 33 - Mia I wake up and stretch, hyper-aware of the rock-hard body behind me. Last night I felt like I shed my skin just by opening up to Nikos, and our rtionship feels like it can progress from here. He still thinks he¡¯s ruined, and I think that about myself too. I just hope we can grow closer and heal ourselves while we heal each other. Turning around in his embrace, I''m surprised he¡¯s still sleeping. Last night must have been cathartic for him, just as it was for me - a purging of the secrets we allowed to define us. It stops after this; I won''t allow my abuse to take over my life anymore and prove to Nikos how much he¡¯s loved. My eyes go lower, taking in his scars and how it now makes sense that he¡¯s covered his body with tattoos. He was hiding his shame and turning it into power by looking more intimidating. I mean, it worked - everyone fears him, and for good reason. He''s not just an Alpha but a Lycan Alpha. Kissing his bearded cheek, I slip out of bed and head to the bathroom to do my business. I haven''t felt this rxed in my life and by the way Ares is saying good morning; I know he feels the same relief. Just as I dry my hands after washing them, I slip on my ring and hear a crash inside the bedroom, so I run inside. The bedside table is on its side while Nikos is nowhere to be seen; when I''m about to walk out of the bedroom to find him, he rushes back in. His eyes are wide with what looks like fear and his mouth is hanging slightly open as he takes me in. ¡°Mia,¡± he breathes out my name and pulls me into his arms. ¡°Fuck, I thoughtst night was a dream. Don''t leave me like that again.¡± I blink rapidly, frowning at his words. ¡°I was just in the bathroom,¡± I squeak and his hold tightens so I p his arm. ¡°Can''t breathe, Alpha!¡± He lets go of me and ces his hands on my shoulders. ¡°I''m sorry, I just... It''s so good to see you again.¡± Gods, I am so full of love for him right now. I wrap my arms around him andy my head on his chest, my heart constricting when the memories ofst nighte flooding back. My Alpha is hurting, so badly hurt and I will make it my mission to show him just how special and loved he is. ¡°I''m not going anywhere, I promise,¡± I say, then I stand on my tiptoes to give him a peck on the cheek. ¡°Good morning, Alpha.¡± ¡°I would love to solidify my bond with you, Nikos,¡± I say with a heated face. ¡°What you feel for me...I never thought I would ever have anyone see me in the same light you do. Thank you...¡± He gets up and pulls me to my feet. ¡°You''re thanking me for treating you how I should have treated you a long time ago?¡± he asks, cupping my face. ¡°It''s a fucking pleasure knowing you love me, Mia, and if that means I have to bear my nape to you, then I''ll dly submit to you for the rest of my life.¡± My face heats up and a sheepish smile makes its way onto my lips, only to explode in a grin. "Gods, I love seeing you smile,¡± he says, stroking my cheek. ¡°I want to see that every morning when I wake up and every night when I fall asleep.¡± I cover my face to hide my smile. ¡°Argh, why are you being so sweet to me? I''m not used to this!" He chuckles and pulls me into his arms. ¡°Well, I''d rmend you get used to it quickly, little rabbit, because I don''t intend on stopping any time soon.¡± Ares moves and I feel Nikos smile against my skin. ¡°See, even Ares agrees with me,¡± he says and his hand moves low to caress my belly. ¡°My Luna and heir. I''m the luckiest asshole on the.¡± Pretty sure I''m going to wake up and realize I''ve been dreaming this entire time. There is no way this is really happening, no way the infamous Alpha Nikos is treating me so well. Someone is going toe and wake me up soon, and I''ll realize I''m still trapped in Mikhail''s cage. Please let this be real. Please, please! ¡°Oh, this is a sight for sore eyes!¡± We turn around to see Ariadne standing there, staring at us with a hand to her heart. ¡°I am seeing what I think I''m seeing, right?¡± Nikos sighs and rolls his eyes. ¡°Yes, YaYa. Mia is my woman now,¡± he says, kissing the side of my head a little too hard. ¡°I have to go shower and do some work for a little while. You''re free to roam the pack house if you so wish.¡± He then walks to Ariadne and gives her a little growl before kissing her cheek and walking upstairs. Wow, watching Nikos walking away from me might be another favorite of mine. And since he''s not wearing a t-shirt, all I see are rippling muscles I want to nibble. ¡°I''d say you both are sunk, but I called this before it even happened,¡± Ariadne says, knocking me out of my staring. I turn towards her and she sits down opposite me, wearing a smile on her face. ¡°It''s lovely to see Nikki smiling - he never does that.¡± My eyebrows pinch together. ¡°Never? At all?¡± ¡°Never,¡± she sighs, shaking her head. ¡°Not even when Bastien is around. I never thought I''d see a woman be the reason he¡¯s smiling, though.¡± I peer up at her and notice the pain in her eyes. ¡°You know?¡± She ces a hand on her heart and nods. ¡°He didn''t tell me himself, but...the Goddess blessed me with a gift that allows me to see things when I touch someone and what I saw with Nikki...¡± she shakes her head and a tear rolls down her cheek. ¡°My heart shattered into tiny pieces knowing what those witches did to him.¡± I can feel my face pale at her words; it''s one thing for someone to tell you the trauma they''ve experienced, but it''s somethingpletely different when you can actually see it after it''s happened.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That must have been harrowing,¡± I murmur. ¡°It was, but when I saw what you went through...¡± she trails off and my heart stops. ¡°I knew you two would be able to heal each other, especially when I caught a glimpse of your future together.¡± My eyes grow even wider. ¡°Future?! You can see that, too?¡± ¡°I can and what I saw was...lovely,¡± she says with a wistful smile, but then she sighs. ¡°Although the future is not set in stone, so don''t cling to what I have said. As long as you and Nikki love each other, I know you both will bring that future to pass.¡± Can love alone truly make a difference, though? Not only that, but there are still enemies out there who want us dead, not to mention my father and his ulterior motives. Will Nikos share his ns with me? Sighing, I give Ariadne a terse smile and say goodbye before I head back upstairs. I''m suddenly feeling exhausted for some reason. Chapter 34 - Mia I clench my jaw tight while Dr. Lh is doing her check-up. I''ve not said a word since I''ve been in her office, and she¡¯s asked me more than once if I''m okay. Ever since Star has returned, I''m starting to see more of what I couldn''t back then. For starters, I''m still apprehensive about Maxim, but I know I can trust him. Dr. Lh on the other hand...there''s something majorly off about her. "Well, everything seems to be in order, Alpha. Her vitals look good, and the baby is healthy; the only thing I am not too happy about is theck of sleep,¡± she says while looking at Nikos and me from across the desk. ¡°It''s getting better,¡± I say, wringing my dress in myp. ¡°It''s been really difficult to stay asleeptely.¡± Dr. Lh nods while Nikos takes my hand in his and gives it a little squeeze. Whenever I go to sleep now, I see Mikhail''s face looming over me, raising a knife above his head and stabbing me repeatedly. I usually wake up screaming and thrashing around until Nikos manages to calm me down.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It''s been days now, but I think it''s getting better. "Hmm, okay, I will take your word for it. However, if it doesn¡¯t change by the next time I see you, I will have to prescribe you something to sleep better, okay?¡± she says while sitting forward and steepling her fingers together under her chin. ¡°Whatever you think is best, Doctor Lh,¡± I say with a tight smile, hoping she doesn''t see through my fake positivity. She nods again, and we leave her office, with Nikos being suspiciously quiet. In fact, he''s been quiet most of the morning when I''m used to him taking charge when ites to me. ¡°Is everything okay?" I finally ask him when we''re in the kitchen fixing something to eat. He looks at me while taking a few things from the refrigerator, then he sighs and it immediately tells me something is not right. ¡°I haven''t heard from Maxim''s group in over two weeks; they left just before you woke up,¡± he says with concern stered clearly on his face. ¡°If he¡¯s gone for another week, I''ll have to lead the search party to find him.¡± My eyes widen and trepidation sets in my heart; Nikos would have to go into Mikhail''s territory. These brothers grew up with nothing but pain; one suffered trauma through his childhood, while the other suffered it in his adult years. How are they both so strong? I managed to hold on for a few years, but I was close to giving up a few times. Not only that, but I was Bastien¡¯s mate! The one chosen for him specifically, only to have her ripped away in the worst possible way. There is no way a wound like that could ever heal. ¡°So the Popov Alphas have a history with your family, then?¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°Bastien didn''t look tortured at all.¡± Nikos sighs. ¡°He hides it well, but he¡¯s still not over it all. I mean, I am theplete opposite; if something like that had to happen to you, I would rampage. But that''s why he¡¯s the heir and I''m the spare. I allow my emotions to control me, whereas Bastien always has a clear head.¡± I cup his face and shoot him a re. ¡°You are not a spare! You''re both equally important to your packs, so don''t speak about yourself like that!¡± He ces his hands over mine and smiles at me. ¡°Thank you, but being born a few minutes after him kind of put thatbel on me. It doesn¡¯t bother me as much as it used to, though. But I am going off topic now; this is supposed to be about Maxim.¡± Oh, that''s true. I ce my hands on my thighs and motion for him to continue. ¡°Maxim and I grew up together - the spare and the tarnished heir - so we know how it feels to be left at the bottom of the barrel. When my mother¡¯s abuse started, I saw less and less of him until I was ¡°sent away to boarding school¡¯ and never saw him until I crawled into my bedroom that night.¡± ¡°Before he told Bastien about me, he cared for me and nursed me to health. He didn''t poke or prod, didn''t look down at me in disgust, or revel in the fact that something bad had happened to me. He stayed by my side in silence, and when I eventually spoke up, he vowed to find them and bring me their heads.¡± My eyes grow wide at this revtion; I never knew Maxim was this devoted to Nikos! I mean, it would be a shock to anyone; what with the rumors going around about Maxim secretly wanting the title of Alpha. Then again, Nikos did mention before that they use the above rumor to their advantage when weeding out untrustworthy alliances. ¡°Maxim sounds like he was more of a brother to you than Bastien,¡± I say, but he shakes his head. ¡°They''re both my brothers, both loyal to me in their own ways. Bastien tried to be there for me before, but our father didn''t want him mixing with me. None of us had proper childhoods if you think about it,¡± he says, then he takes my hands in his and kisses my fingers. "You don''t ever have to worry about me pushing Ares into the role of Alpha. Being born under my father''s thumb, I know what not to do when ites to raising a child the right way. Well, I suppose there''s no correct way, but I''ll try my best.¡± I throw my arms around his neck and pull him closer to me. ¡°I know, and so will I.¡± As much as I try to believe this about myself, I don¡¯t know if I''ll ever be a good mother. It''s not like I had a very admirable parent figure growing up. But as Nikos said, there''s no correct way; even so, I don''t want to do the wrong thing. "So that''s why I''ll need to rescue Maxim if he does not return. It has to be me,¡± he says with finality and takes a step back from me. ¡°He would do the same if it were me.¡± It pains me to hear it, but I know nothing I say will change his mind. If Maxim is in trouble, Nikos does need to be the one to rescue him. I jump from the counter and get on my tiptoes to kiss him. ¡°I understand; hurry back so I don''t have to worry about you so much.¡± ¡°Well, I''m not leaving you here alone after what happenedst time. I''m asking Bastien if you can stay with him while I''m under,¡± he says after smiling against my lips. ¡°You''ll be safe with him.¡± I can''t protest or argue, because I can see he''s made up his mind about this already. So I simply nod and allow him to make us some lunch...without telling him about this uneasy coiling in my stomach. Chapter 35 - Nikolaos Bastien is wearing a smug as fuck look when I walk into his penthouse with Mia on my arm. He was the one who alluded to me possibly having feelings for her, but I rejected the notionpletely. Of course, I was just fooling myself. I''m here to ask him if he''ll keep an eye on Mia while I''m away. This could have been a phone call, I am well aware of that but I needed to do this in person...he needs to know about me and Mia, anyway, anyway. ¡°I''m going to say I called it, but you''ll probably scowl! at me the entire time,¡± he says with his arms crossed as he looks from Mia to me. ¡°Dare I say congrattions?¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± I say when he embraces me and chuckles, then he pulls away and frowns. "Did...you didn''t flinch when I embraced you,¡± he murmurs more to himself than to me. ¡°Anyway, you said you wanted to talk?¡± I nod as we follow Bastien into his lounge, then I gesture for Mia to sit down on the sofa before I follow Bastien to the bar in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. I''ll never understand why he chose to rule over Sin City instead of his birthright. I suppose if something awful happened to Mia, I wouldn''t want to stay in a ce that held all our wonderful memories, either. Bastien pours us each a ss of whiskey, but while he prepares it, my eyes go to Mia. She looks small and ufortable on Bastien¡¯s plush sofa, her eyes flickering over his ridiculous amount of wealth on disy. I''ve never known Bastien to love money or status, but over thest few years, he''s amassed so much that I''m not sure what he does with it half the time. His pack is the wealthiest, even more so than Giovanni''s. I down my ss and cock my head towards Mia, who still looks out of ce. ¡°The safest ce for her right now is next to you. Can she stay here until I return?¡± Bastien nods. ¡°Of course, she can, but the auction is in three days, so I will be too busy to see to her. But she¡¯s more than wee to stay here; you know how safe my penthouse is,¡± he says. ¡°Are you leaving soon?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, and I''ll be about five days at most,¡± I say and Bastien raises an eyebrow. ¡°And you just assumed I''d say yes to housing your woman while you''re out trying to get yourself killed?¡± he asks with a scoff, and I can¡¯t help but grin at him. ¡°I''m your little brother; when have you ever been able to deny me?¡± "Cocky asshole,¡± he growls, then throws an arm around my neck while we walk over to Mia. ¡°Now, will you please introduce me this time?¡± I walk over to my woman and pull her closer to me, slipping an arm around her waist and kissing the side of her head. ¡°Mia, this is my brother, Alpha Bastien. Brother, this is the love of my life, Mia.¡± Mia''s heart rate spikes when I say this, and I notice the slight blush covering her cheeks. Even as intimidating as Bastien is, she maintains eye contact, and a burst of pride blooms in my chest. ¡°It''s nice to finally meet you, Mia. Last time I saw you, you were still Mirabe,¡± he says with a grin and his eyebrow raised. ¡°Mirabe died when Nikos saved me,¡± she says, her voice not wavering at all. ¡°It''s a pleasure to formally meet you, Alpha Bastien.¡± He waves his hand in front of his face. ¡°Please, if you''re going to be part of this family, then drop the formalities, little one. Call me Bastien. I hear we''ll be getting to know each other a little better over the next few days, yes?¡± She nods her head lightly, then peers up at me. ¡°You''re leaving soon?¡± There''s a hint of anger behind her soft brown eyes and by the way she has her jaw clenched, I know I am in for the argument of my life. ¡°That''s my cue to leave and tell you two to take the guest rooms off to your left. I still have a few things to arrange before the auction,¡± Bastien says, pping his hands together. ¡°Make yourselves at home; I''ll have your luggage brought up.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother,¡± I say with nothing but gratitude. If I didn¡¯t have Bastien, Mia would have had to stay alone at the pack house. Bastien dips his head, then he walks towards his elevator and leaves us alone.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Now I have to soothe Mia, who looks like she''s about to murder me. Chapter 36 - Mia I let Nikos lead me to the bedroom where we''re to spend ourst night together. He told me he was leaving to get Maxim back since he got proof Mikhail took him, but I didn''t expect it to be so soon. I should have known, though. ¡°You''re angry,¡± he says as I stand with my back to him. I feel him walking closer to me, but he doesn''t try to touch me. ¡°No, not angry,¡± I sigh, wrapping my arms around my waist. ¡°Just...scared.¡± He moves closer to me and puts his hands on my hips before cing a kiss on the nape of my neck. ¡°Nothing will happen to me, Mia-" I spin around to face him. ¡°You don¡¯t know that! You have no idea how Mikhail...how dirty he ys when there''s something he wants!¡± Nikos looks at me with a taut expression, then he raises a hand to cup my cheek. ¡°Nothing will happen to me, I promise on my life. I have something to fight for now, something toe home to. Why would I throw it away?¡± he says, then his hand lowers and goes to the back of my neck. ¡°Please trust me when I say I won''t die, kardia mou.¡± I slip my hands around his waist and stifle a sob. Nothing seems certain in my new life; there''s always a fight to keep something with me. It''s like I''ve been cursed with uncertain happiness, never knowing if it''ll stay or not. ¡°I trust you, but that doesn¡¯t mean I won''t be scared for you, Nikos,¡± I say. His heart is beating wildly in his chest, but I will not say anything to appease him. He knows how I feel about this, and even though I understand why he''s leaving, it doesn¡¯t mean I have to like it. I suck in a breath at the heat behind his gaze and answer his question by dropping the towel from around my body. His chest thrums with an appreciative growl, then he lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me so hard that I stumble backward. But he grabs me by my waist and pulls me closer, his hands making a mess of my hair while I grip his broad biceps. I don¡¯t even remember how we got on the bed, all I know is that I love the weight of Nikos over me. ¡°Is this okay?" I ask when I notice we''re naked against each other. ¡°You''re not-" He shuts me up with a kiss and I moan into his mouth. Okay, he wants this as much as me; then again by the way his cock is straining against me, I should have known Suddenly, he breaks off the kiss and peers down at me with fierce possession in his crimson eyes, then he moves next to me and props himself up on one arm while his other hand slips down my waist.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Gods, I love your body,¡± he murmurs, lowering his head and kissing my neck. ¡°I want to drown in you and note up for air.¡± My body shudders at his light touches and kisses; the way he nips at my skin the lower he gets sends all sorts of yummy shivers all over. He gets to my breasts and draws a sensitive nipple into his warm mouth, teasing me with his tongue while he lightly squeezes the other between his fingers I moan loudly, feeling his touch, licks, and kisses everywhere; I''m sure he could bring me to orgasm with this alone. The fingers on my nipple move lower and he cups my mound before leisurely running a finger between my wet heat. The restrained growl in his chest makes my body shiver and my back arches from the bed. ¡°Fuck, I want to take it slow and make it special since it''s our first time, but you''re driving me crazy, Mia,¡± he says in a strained voice, his mouth still on my nipple while his fingers slowly torture my clit. "Please, Niko...¡± I beg, uncertain of what I am asking for exactly. But Nikos knows what I need and he positions himself in between my legs. Pushing my legs further apart, he groans when he looks at my slick core, biting his bottom lip and grinning. ¡°I''ve wanted this pussy since I first felt it squeeze my fingers,¡± he says, taking his cock in his hand and running the tip over my slick heat. I gasp at the feel and thrust my hips up, but he holds me in ce. ¡°Greedy little rabbit,¡± he says, shaking his head. Then he leans over me, and through my lust, I see something else in his eyes. ¡°Nikos,¡± I say when I see the uncertainty clear as day and finally hear the way his heart is pounding. How could I have missed this?! Of course he''ll be a mess! His lips are a tight line and even as his cock remains rock hard, the lust creeps out of his eyes. ¡°We don''t have to do this now, okay? As much as we both want this, I can see the pain in your eyes,¡± I say, but then he shakes his head ¡°I want to do this; I''ve wanted this for as long as I can remember,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°But as I looked down and realized...just how close we were to actually-" ¡°Nikos,¡± I say again and sit up, moving my face closer to his. ¡°I know this can''t be easy after what you were forced to do. We don''t have to go all the way; you have my heart, you can im my body when you''re ready.¡± He sits back on his haunches and looks up, breathing out a sigh...that''s when I notice the tear slipping down the side of his face. ¡°I''m fucked up, Mia. I can rip out someone''s heart easily, tear them in two as if they were made out of nothing,¡± he scoffs, shaking his head before he peers down at me. ¡°But this...I can''t even make love to the one person who means the world to me without feeling their hands all over my body.¡± My heart breaks for this Alpha everyone fears, the one who''s still a scared little boy deep down. The one tortured most of his childhood...the one who cannot stand the touch of another. I have to do something; those women cannot be the reason we don¡¯t im each other tonight. I refuse to have them ruin his happiness further. Their hold on him gets severed right now. Chapter 37 - Mia Getting to my knees and cupping his face again, I look at him tenderly. ¡°Then let me rece their touch with my own,¡± I say, then I gently push him back as his eyes grow wider. ¡°Mia-" ¡°Do you trust me, Nikos?¡± I interject, swinging my legs over his waist and feeling his thick length below me. His brows furrow slightly, but he nods. ¡°I trust you with my life, kardia mou.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I lean down and ce a gentle kiss on his lips. ¡°Then let me love you,¡± I whisper before turning my kisses to his beautifully scarred chest. He groans when my lips touch his skin, and it is a bit ufortable to keep kissing him with my belly in the way, but Ivish him with gentle kisses before leaning back and peering down at him. Nikos¡¯ body is exquisite; every dip and curve of his muscles looks as if the gods themselves carved them. I drink in his body and everything he thinks makes him a ruined man, and I vow to love him even harder. The lust is back in his eyes, but his fear is cresting right underneath. Thest time we were intimate, I noticed that when I got down on my knees and pleasured him the first time, there was no apprehension or fear. I led that, I led him to find the release, and he feltfortable. So I will lead this and make him feel how much I love him. I wiggle my hips lower and take his cock in my hand, stroking his shaft and listening to his sharp intake of breath. Then I move my dripping core over his cock and look deep into his eyes while I lower myself onto him. His eyes roll back and he grabs my hips, but he doesn¡¯t move his own or thrust. I moan as I feel him stretching me, his thick, curved length hitting that sweet spot inside of me as I take him all the way. That hopeful bubble explodes and turns into silent tears now welling in my eyes. I said I was fine with him not saying those words, but I have been dying and desperate to hear them! ¡°Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for loving me as much as you do. I don''t know what I''d do if I lost you,¡± he continues, cupping my cheek while his lips remain on mine. ¡°And... want your mark when I get back.¡± My eyes shoot open, but all I can see and feel is the love he has for me. There''s no doubt or apprehension in his scent, voice or emotions...he truly meant that. ¡°Hurry home,¡± I sob and wrap my arms around his neck. ¡°I love you too, Nikos.¡± Trepidation slowly sets in when I no longer feel Nikos¡¯ arm around my waist and instead hear him getting dressed. He leaves for Mikhail''s territory today, and I have no idea when I might see him again. But he promised to return, so I''ll hold him to that. Through his mark, I feel anger but also confidence, and I use that to keep me anchored and 1 lift from the bed. He''s sitting with his back to me on the bed, tying his boots while his muscles ripple with anger. ¡°How long until you leave?¡± I ask while trying to keep the sadness out of my voice. "A few minutes,¡± he answers before sitting up straight and getting to his feet. ¡°My men are waiting downstairs.¡± He''s still not looking at me, so I get out of bed and walk around to speak with him. My heart leaps into my throat when I see the look on his face...spending all this time with Nikos made me forget who he truly is. The Lycan Alpha people fear and he''s looking right at me with no emotion in his eyes. My hand goes to my throat and I suck in a breath, uncertain of what to do next. I didn''t expect to wake up to this side of Nikos; I was still in my little bubble of happiness. He takes a step towards me, and I take one back without thinking. Frowning, the coldness slips from his eyes and I feel hurt and confusion fire up in his mark. ¡°Mia...?" I drop my hand and fall into his arms, where he holds me for a few minutes. He has to go, but I don''t want him to leave! "Pleasee back safely,¡± I murmur into his chest. ¡°Please don''t let me live without you.¡± He strokes my hair and kisses the top of my head. ¡°I promise, kardia mou. Don''t forget, I need my mark when I get back.¡± I stifle a sob, and he breaks off the embrace to im my lips with a fierce kiss. He holds the back of my head and kisses me deeply, as if branding my very soul with his name. His hands are in my hair and before he pulls away, he lets out a groan that I can feel right through me. ¡°I love you, Mia,¡± he says, drawing his forehead to mine. ¡°You and Ares are my reason for living, but I need to get my brother back. I hope you can forgive me for leaving, but for now, please continue to love me until Ie back to you.¡± A tear slips down my cheek, and I nod my head. ¡°I will always wait for you, Alpha,¡± I say, and with a last kiss to my lips, he walks out and I crumble to the floor as my heart cries out his name. Chapter 38 - Nikolaos The second I stepped out of Bastien''s penthouse and into my SUV, I let the Nikos that Mia loves fall away. There''s no room for him on this mission; if I''m going to get Maxim back, I''ll need to shed myself of any warmth andpassion. I knew it was Maxim''s finger Mikhail had sent to me because I know my Beta. Moreover, the finger wasn''t just cut off, it was bitten off by a sharp pair of teeth - Mikhail''s no doubt. The trap is as clear as day, and I''ll let him believe I''m dumb enough to do this rescue mission. It''s different this time; there''ll be no ying around or taunting. I have something to fight for and he¡¯s shown me on more than one asion that this war will only end with his death. We''ve driven through various territories throughout the day, and it''s close to midnight when we finally arrive a few miles outside of his border. Dressed in ck and armed with weapons to fight our own kind if we''re unable to shift. We park the SUV in the woods and walk the rest of the way; me plus five of my most trusted Gammas at my side - my sensory division simply known as Pente. /¡°Ghost, circle the perimeter and let us know the location and position of every wolf around Popov''s border,¡±/ I instruct my Scouting Gamma. He nods and his blue eyes sh pure white as he says, /¡°Yes, Alpha,¡±/ before taking off and running silently. The reason I gave Ghost the position of Scout is that he''s my fastest Gamma and has infiltrated various packs, allowing us to enter safely. His real name is Divan but he''s known as Ghost, the same name as his beast. But just like Ghost, all my Gammas have codenames. Maxim refused their help and instead headed in with a few of his own warriors, a decision I knew he would regretter on. /¡°Harken, listen out for any approaching enemies behind Ghost. Descry, shift, and be our eyes and nose. Panzer and Armata, you two stay at my side and prepare to engage. Stay in contact through the mind-link."/ Through my orders, they simply nod and do as I instruct while we go about our nned attack. I don''t have to worry about these five betraying me, because I gave them something worth fighting for. These are the Gammas I trust at my back, the ones I removed out of dangerous situations when they were just kids and trained their gifts to the best of their abilities. Thus, they have sworn their lives to me. /¡°Ten warriors stationed at every weak entry point,¡±/ Ghostes through over the mind-link. /¡°Armed with silver daggers and modified Berettas.¡±/ He chuckles and spins the bat in his hand. ¡°I find it easier to kill without being seen; who likes prey that fights back, anyway? Ask my Omega whore, I''m sure she knows what I mean,¡± he says, pushing my buttons right off the bat, but I can¡¯t let him see mentioning her affects me. ¡°Ah, I always liked killing cowards,¡± I say, cracking my neck. ¡°Their blood tastes sweeter.¡± The smirk drops from his face when I lunge at him and he raises the bat again. I grab it as he swings it, the metal burning my skin, and throw it to the side far out of his reach. "What, scared of getting your hands dirty?¡± I say with a grin and sidestep him when he hurls his body at me. He might be tall and muscr, but from what Mia has told me, Mikhail is not the battle type. I catch the fury in his eyes as he swings his closed fist at me, but I grab it and crush his bones beneath my hand. Rearing back, I aim a punch at his nose, and an excited shiver shoots up my spine each time I hear the satisfied crunching of his bones. The sound of his cries brings a smile to my face and after a final punch to his face, I twist his hand, pulling his arm clean off. I don¡¯t know what the fuck I was expecting, but an Alpha this weak wasn''t it. He falls back and cradles where his arm should be, shrieking in pain before bellowing a thunderous roar. ¡°Fucking cunt! Blyad''! Asshole! Look what you fucking did!¡± he snivels and I walk towards him, only to feel something hit my arms, back, and legs in quick session I look up and see a smirking sniper and feel the redser aimed right at my forehead, but that smirk drops from his face when my lip curls into a smile. Ghost was standing behind him, his eyes completely white as he tapped into his beast - that sniper''s head hit the floor in front of me before he could fire another shot. Ghost grins, then he disappears in the blink of an eye and I don''t even have to look behind me to know he''s ripped more sniper heads off. ¡°What the fuck!¡± Mikhail exims as each of the heads hit the ground and I walk towards him with my hands in the pockets of my cargo pants.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That,¡± I say as I grab his throat and m him to the ground. ¡°Is what you call a true fucking warrior.¡± A sudden burning pain hits my side and I block it out before I rip off the head of the man who caused Mia so much pain. Watching as the light leaves his eyes, an appreciative growl thrums in my chest, and a smile curls my lips. I don''t take it easy on him, either; I pull painfully slow, embedding my ws in his skin and reveling in the sound of his pained screams. The sound of your enemy suffocating on his own blood - fucking music to my ears. For added measure, I rip out his heart and stomp on his severed head. Fucker, this is the easy way out if you ask me. He deserved more than a quick death in my opinion. I get to my feet and stumble backward, but a familiar back breaks my fall and puts my arm around his neck. "You''re a fucking mess,¡± Maxim says as he pulls out the silver Karambit knife Mikhail had stabbed me with before I killed him. ¡°Gods, Nikos.¡± I chuckle and blood dribbles down my chin. ¡°You''re my brother; I''d die for you,¡± I say and see white spots dancing in my eyes again. ¡°Ah, I think...it had wolfsbane-" ¡°Easy, I got you,¡± Maxim says as I sway, uneasy on my feet. ¡°We need to leave before this ce has any more surprises. The twins set up a few bombs to go off in the next few minutes.¡± Leave it to them to do that. Then again, their code names are battle tanks so it''s to be expected. They''re as huge as those vehicles and they both like seeing things explode. Ha, I have crazy men at my back, don''t 1? "Alpha, the entire pack has been obliterated. Harken is bringing the SUVs around,¡± Ghost says as he appears from nowhere. Even though he¡¯s killed so many, he¡¯s not covered in blood. ¡°The twins are on their way but Descry is still keeping a lookout.¡± ¡°Thank you, Divan,¡± I murmur before leaning forward and emptying whatever is in my stomach. ¡°Fuck, I need this wolfsbane burned out of my system.¡± Without another word, both Ghost and Maxim carry me out of that pack house and into the SUV. I need to get home to my Mia, I need to tell her I seeded. Myst view of Mikhail''s mansion is as it explodes. Chapter 39 - Mia Two days and nothing. I have been pacing this room so much, I am certain there are trenches under my feet. Bastien leaves early in the morning andes homete at night so I''m not even able to speak with him about his brother. I''ve felt nothing through Nikos¡¯ mark, either. No heightened senses, no fear, no anger - just dead calm. Should I be worried about it? No, I suppose not...Nikos is not just an Alpha, he¡¯s a literal weapon. Sighing, I walk downstairs to grab myself something to eat, when I see Bastien pacing his foyer with a cell phone to his ear. ¡°No, for fuck sake. This needs to be perfect, we have important people arriving today!¡± he exims and I take a step back with a hand to my chest. ¡°Do your fucking jobs or I swear to Goddess, I am ripping out your lungs and force-feeding them to you!¡± Oh, that''s new. He pockets his cell phone, rakes his fingers through his hair, and gives a frustrated growl before he spins around and eventually sees me. His eyes widen slightly and I chuckle, waving him off. ¡°I''ve heard worse threatsing out of Niko,¡± I say and take a tentative step toward him. ¡°Is this about your auction?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he lets out a sigh and nods. ¡°It''s my fifth annual auction and my biggest yet. Nothing can go wrong and yet everything has,¡± he says, then looks up at me with a stered smile. ¡°Come, join me for lunch; it feels like I haven''t spoken to you once.¡± He hasn''t, but I''m not about to say that. We walk into a lunch spread in his dining room area and my stomach grumbles from all the different aromas hitting me. I''ve been eating more than usual, and it definitely has something to do with both Star and Ares. "Oh, boy, looks like my nephew has spoken,¡± he says with a chuckle as we take our seats. I amble down the stairs, knowing I shouldn''t be talking to her, but the frightened look in her eyes reminds me of myself when Mikhail had me locked up. She sees me approaching and her eyes grow wide when she looks at my belly. ¡°Hi...?" I say while standing at the one-seater. ¡°Are you okay? Who are you?¡± The tears falling down her cheeks cause her mascara to bleed as well as wash away the heavy makeup. I see now why the makeup was needed...to hide a ck eye. It''s then that I see the bruises on her arms and legs, as if she was grabbed by someone stronger. ¡°l..I''m Anika... there was an auction-" ¡°Mia,¡± Bastien''s voice causes me to yelp and I nearly jump out of my skin. I turn around to face him, noticing Andrej behind Bastien and both of them looking pissed off about something. ¡°Andrej, take the girl to her room.¡± Anika''s eyes grow even wider, and she looks defeated when Andrej pulls her to her feet. But as she walks away, she shoots me a pleading look, and her split bottom lip trembles. I turn around to face Bastien, but he has his hands up in surrender. ¡°Before you even think the worst of me, know that I saved that girl from a fate worse than death,¡± he says with his jaw tightened. I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°What does that mean?¡± He looks like he¡¯s about to roar, but he holds back. ¡°Someone snuck her into my fucking auction and was about to sell her. I have to find out who she is so I can send her back to where they took her from. No sale of any human or supernatural being is permitted!¡± "Oh!" I say with a hand over my mouth. ¡°Sex trafficking... that''s something Mikhail peddled in.¡± Bastien nods. ¡°I know and I''m starting to wonder if this is his doing,¡± he says, then a frown furrows his brow. ¡°It''s after 1 am. What are you doing up? Ares knocking about too much?¡± I blink, trying to remember why I came down here when a sh of pain simmers at Nikos mark. Doubling over, I hold a hand to it, only to feel the spot burning and hot to the touch. ¡°There are some odd emotionsing from... Niko¡¯s mark. His anger woke me up, now all I feel is pain.¡± I exin and Bastien walks towards me, cing a hand on my shoulder. ¡°That''s because Niko was fighting Mikhail and won; he¡¯s on his way as we speak. A bit knocked around, but alive along with Maxim,¡± he says with a proud look in his eyes. This news causes me to squeal, and I jump into Bastien¡¯s arms. Nikos is alive, and he killed Mikhail! And Maxim is okay, too! Oh, I am going to see him again! ¡°Thank you for telling me!¡± I sob as he chuckles and pats my back. ¡°I was so worried! I was so scared!¡± ¡°I know, little one,¡± he says. ¡°But fret not, my little brother has finally killed the bane of his existence and the blight on our pack - well, his pack.¡± Does this mean it''s over? Will we finally be happy without worry and fear of an attack? Probably not, but the biggest enemy has been taken out, and that''s something to celebrate! Bastien breaks off the embrace and ces his hands on my shoulders. ¡°You can go rest before he gets here tomorrow and stop worrying, little one. I have to go and deal with... that little problem in my guest room.¡± I chuckle and nod. ¡°Please find her family. I am sure they''re looking for her,¡± I say. ¡°And if you need me to speak to her-" ¡°No need, it will be sorted,¡± he says with a tight smile and kisses my forehead before going in the direction where Andrej took Anika. It''s so odd to have someone who looks exactly like Nikos kiss my forehead and yet I feel nothing. I blink a few times before going back upstairs with hope restored in my heart once more. Nikos ising home! Chapter 40 - Mia Chapter 40 - Mia My eyes shoot open and fear creeps into my heart when I feel the bed dip behind me. Memories of when Mikhail would silentlye into my room suddenly shed in my mind and I can feel my entire body trembling. Where am I? Who is in my room? ¡°Kardia mou¡­¡±es the strained, familiar voice and it takes me a few seconds to register the spicy autumn scent. I rush to flick on the light on the nightstand, only toe face to face with a bloody Nikosying next to me; he sees me and a wistful smile crosses his lips before his eyes flutter closed. ¡°Niko!¡± I exim and I reach out to touch him with a trembling hand, but he doesn¡¯t respond. There¡¯s blood stter on his face, his shirt is torn and singed from where it looks like he¡¯s been stabbed and burned. There¡¯s the distinct scent of death on him as well as napalm? I lift up his shirt but find no open wounds, just healed patches of skin from what seems to be bullet holes. Was he shot at with silver bullets?! ¡°It¡¯s¡­okay¡­¡± he struggles to breathe and ces a hand over mine. ¡°Silver has been removed and¡­ wolfsbane burned out. I just need¡­sleep.¡± After checking his body for wounds, I decided against my better judgment to let him sleep. With a heart thudding with anxiety, I then slip on my nightgown and walk out of the bedroom to find Bastien or at least Maxim to find out what the heck is going on. ¡°...head home with Panzer and Armata to make sure the pack house is safe before they get back,¡± Maxim¡¯s voice floats up the stairs and a smile slips over my lips. I never thought I would miss that rough lilt, but then again, I haven¡¯t seen him since before we left for my father¡¯s territory. I cross my arms over my chest and pad downstairs to where I hear the voices and it happens to be in the living room. Maxim is standing next to Bastien and five other scary men I have never seen before. They¡¯re all dressed in ck. There are two standing with long back hair; they are tall and huge with biceps the size of my head. One is perched on the arm of the one-seater next to Maxim; he has short- cropped blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and a scary aura altogether. Just looking at him sends a shiver down my spine. The other two are focused on what Maxim is saying, they both seem muscr, of average height, and have the same type of scar going down the side of their faces. Cold gray eyes focused and listening intently to the Beta. Maxim¡¯s eyes drift to me and a grin splits his face. ¡°Well, look who it is,¡± he says and everyone turns to me. I chuckle and am about to respond when the five men get to their feet and line up in front of me. They then drop down to one knee with their heads bowed and left hand over their hearts in a fist. ¡°Luna,¡± they say in unison and my face res up in embarrassment. My mouth drops open at this show of respect and I don¡¯t know what to say. Maxim¡¯s chuckle brings me back to the present and he walks over to the stand next to the kneeling men. ¡°Luna Mia, these men are the Alpha¡¯s five most trusted Gammas. They¡¯re known as Pente,¡± he says, then ces his hand on the blonde¡¯s shoulder and starts introducing them one by one. ¡°They go by Ghost, Descry, Harken, Panzer, and Armata.¡± Both of my hands go to my chest and I swallow deeply. ¡°It¡¯s¡­a pleasure to meet you. Please get to your feet,¡± I say and they immediately obey me. They stand with their hands sped firmly behind their backs and staring forward. Gods, I feel like a military Sergeant. I walk over to Maxim and hide behind him. ¡°Please, make them stop,¡± I whisper and he startsughing. ¡°Your word is as good as their Alpha¡¯s, Mia; these are not only Nikos¡¯ men but yours as well. You are This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. their Queen and this is their way of showing respect to their Luna,¡± he says. I turn my attention back to the men and walk in front of them; they¡¯re staring at absolutely nothing, their muscles coiled tight at attention. Taking a breath, I give them awkward smiles. ¡°You guys can¡­calm down and go about as normal,¡± I say and their eyes flicker to me. ¡°Please, don¡¯t stop talking on ount of me. I just came to find out what happened to Niko since he¡¯s covered in dried blood and passed out on the bed.¡± My heart leaps into my throat when the scary looking blonde one turns his head to me. ¡°The Alpha took quite a few silver and wolfsbane shots, Luna Mia. But we managed to remove all the bullets and burn the wolfsbane from his system,¡± he says. I nod. ¡°So he¡¯s okay?¡± Maxim ces an arm around my neck. ¡°He¡¯s fine, but he¡¯ll be out for a few hours,¡± he says and pats my back. Sighing and feeling the relief bursting through me, I smile at all of them. ¡°Thank you all for what you did,¡± I say, then my eyes narrow. ¡°Has anyone eaten or slept yet?¡± All five shake their heads. ¡°We needed to report to the Beta on our next step before we sleep, Luna,¡± one of the long-haired ones says. I turn to Maxim. ¡°Please conclude with your meeting soon so they can get some rest; I am sure you¡¯re all dead on your feet,¡± I say and he bows his head a little, causing me to chuckle. Sighing, I throw my arms around him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Maxim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Mia,¡± he says, patting my back and then breaking off the embrace. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine down here; go back up to Nikos-¡± ¡°I¡¯m making breakfast, so hurry up in here,¡± I say, rolling my eyes and then walking towards Bastien who looks truly amused. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, little one,¡± he says with a grin. ¡°The chef isn¡¯t up yet, would you like me to call him to help you make breakfast?¡± I nod and shoot him a smile. ¡°Yes, please.¡± He remains quiet for a few seconds, then tilts his head. ¡°On his way; he¡¯ll be in the kitchen soon.¡± Shooting Bastien a smile of thanks, I walk towards the kitchen to start with breakfast for the Gammas. They¡¯rerge men, so they¡¯ll need plenty of meat by the looks of things, especially those two named after tanks. The chef joins me a few minutester and we get to work preparing a full spread for everyone, including Niko when he wakes up. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll appreciate it, given he¡¯s been stabbed and shot at so many times. ¡°Hmm, wonder if they¡¯ll eat in here or the dining area,¡± I think when everything ispleted and not even ten secondster they all fill the kitchen ind to dish themselves. I stand there, confused as to how they knew I asked the question when I look at Maxim to see the smirk on his face. ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°Did Niko mark you?¡± he asks and my face res up while he chuckles. ¡°Thought so; you¡¯re in our pack now, Mia; we all heard you over the mind link.¡± My mind goespletely nk when he says this and tears well up in my eyes as the realization hits me. I have never been part of a pack, even with my father and Mikhail having their hold on me. I¡¯ve always been a packless Omega and yet now, I¡¯m part of a strong pack. Not just part of, but their Luna. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I trail off with a happy smile on my face. Maxim ruffles my hair and walks over to the Gammas while I follow him and head to the coffee pot. ¡°Anyone want coffee?¡± Five voices dere that they would be the ones to get to the coffee and my heart warms for some reason. I nod to the one named Descry and he gives me a warm smile before taking over making the coffee for everyone. I sigh happily and leave the kitchen toy next to the man who went through hell to get his Beta back. Now that I know he¡¯s okay, I can finally rx and calm my heart. Not only that but the present danger is gone - Mikhail is dead. Smiling, I curl up next to Nikos and let his level heartbeat lull me to sleep. Ares wiggles and kicks my ribs ufortably, so I take Nikos¡¯ hand and put it on my belly to calm him down, falling asleep and feeling content. Chapter 41 - Nikolaos Chapter 41 - Nikos I wake up to the scent of cinnamon and strawberries and a slow smile spreads on my face. With my eyes still closed, I pull the warm body towards me and breathe in her perfection, the heaviness leaving my heart as quickly as it sets in. Opening my eyes, I see that she¡¯s asleep and I spot my healed mark on the nape of her neck just as I tilt my head to kiss her shoulder. That slow smile now grew into a triumphant one, knowing that I imed the one person who loved me for me. I trace the mark with my tongue, tasting her distinctive scent, and the sound of her sleepy moan heads straight to my cock. ¡°Niko¡­¡± she whimpers, tilting her head to offer more of her neck to me, but then she suddenly turns on her back and narrows her eyes at me. ¡°No, we are not doing this right now!¡± Frowning, I brace myself on my elbow and raise my eyebrow at her. ¡°Your reaction makes me think that you didn¡¯t miss me one bit, little rabbit,¡± I say. She shakes her head, gets to her feet, walks over to my side of the bed, then pulls my arm. ¡°That won¡¯t work on me, Alpha. Yes I missed you, yes I am dying to make love to you but you are still covered in blood and kinda stinky.¡± I stare at her for a few seconds and walk with her in a daze as she leads me to the bathroom. ¡°Did you just call me stinky?¡± ¡°I sure did and you can¡¯t tell me I¡¯m lying,¡± she says with a grin and stops walking before facing me. She cups my face and ces a light kiss on my lips. ¡°Good morning.¡± Returning her good morning and continuing with my scowl, I let her undress me while silently grumbling inside. Okay, I get it; I am still covered in my own blood but the least she could have afforded me was a little touching, for fucksakes. She tries to stifle a smile but eventually giggles and leads me over to the steamy shower. ¡°I can feel T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. your annoyance, but just bear with me for a little while, Alpha. Afterward, I¡¯ll do that thing with my tongue you like so much.¡± Okay, that shut me up. I let her wash me down, reveling in the feeling of her soft touch; her hands go everywhere, but she hands me the loofah so I can wash my mid-section. It¡¯s so weird that I don¡¯t feel nauseous when she touches me, but the second she touches anywhere on my chest, that feeling is back. Taking her hand, I pull her closer and im her lips with a kiss that I can feel everywhere. Her soft mouth on mine, the way her fingers y with my hair at the back of my head, listening to her heartbeat¡­all these little things I love about her. ¡°I missed you, kardia mou,¡± I sigh and draw my forehead to hers. ¡°Fuck, it feels good to have you in my arms again.¡± ¡°Thank you foring back to me and keeping your promise,¡± she says and I can hear the relief in her voice. ¡°I missed you too.¡± When we¡¯re done washing and drying ourselves, we walk out of the bathroom, but then as she walks ahead, I pull her back. She looks at me with a lift of her brow, and I grab the front of her towel. ¡°Are you forgetting what I am owed?¡± It takes a few seconds for this to register on her face, but when she gets it, a shy smile crosses her lips. She walks me backward until I bump against the bed, then she pushes me down before getting on her knees in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you like seeing me on my knees,¡± she says as she opens the towel around my waist. ¡°What can I say? I love to see you look up at me like that,¡± I say and groan when she starts stroking my cock. She bites her bottom lip and teases me with the tip of her tongue. ¡°Do you like it when your Luna submits to you, Alpha?¡± she says in a voiceced thick with need. ¡°Fuck, yes,¡± I moan and throw my head back when she slowly licks me from the base to the tip. I never would have thought Mia could be so fucking dirty, and yet here she is looking up at me like she¡¯s made to please me. ¡°Will you show me how much you like it?¡± I¡¯m a fucking goner when she says this. Rolling her hair around my fist, I push her down and she sucks me in all the way. Her throat constricts around my length and when she gags, her eyes roll back in her head and it fucking sends me. She pushes her tongue down and takes in more of me while grabbing my sides and embedding her ws in my skin. I groan at the feel of her marking me up, her hot mouth bringing me closer and closer to my climax. But before it could hit, she pushes me back and straddles me, then she sinks down onto my cock, and my back arches off the fucking bed. ¡°Gods, Mia,¡± I groan when she moves her hips, grinding on my cock as if she wants to show me how much she missed me. She¡¯s deliciously wet for me, the sounds of our slick skin meeting is like music to my ears and I drink it all in. The first quiver of her pussy lets me know she¡¯s close, and as soon as I feel her trembling for me, I sit up and m her down on my waiting cock. With her legs around my waist and spread wide, I hit the spot I know drives her crazy and when her second orgasm hits, I meet her right there. ¡°Mark me, vas¨ªlissa mou,¡± I breathe into her ear. ¡°Make me yourspletely.¡± The peace that entered my body the second she bit down on my shoulder is like nothing I have ever experienced before. Every bit of stress, worry, anger and irritation melted away when our bond felt like it solidified. I could feel her emotions mming into me; the pure love she felt for me caused tears to spring into my eyes. I¡¯m hers; I finally belong to someone who loves and cares for me. My bond to my mother and aunt has severedpletely and I can finally breathe again. ¡°I love you, Mia,¡± I murmur, holding her as close as her belly would permit. ¡°Fuck, I love you so much.¡± ¡°I love you too!¡± she sniffs while also trying to keep her emotions at bay. Her tears run down my back and it sends a shiver down my spine. ¡°It feels¡­it feels so¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± I say with a chuckle since I cannot find the words either but I know what she means. ¡°Thank you for loving me.¡± After a while, we get up from the bed and I walk her back to the bathroom so we can clean up again and get ready for the day. As much as I want to shirk my duties and spend the day in bed with her, I can¡¯t because now I need to do damage control. ¡°The Elders helped Mikhail? But why?¡± Mia asks as she pulls on a pair of panties. ¡°You¡¯ve done everything they¡¯ve asked of you!¡± ¡°I know, but that¡¯s just the question I want to ask them. Why did they want Popov in power over my domain? Why support him and not me? I want to ask them these questions in person.¡± I say and slip a t-shirt over my head. The mark on my shoulder has healed, but it still feels tender. I can feel her anxiety right at her mark, so I walk to her to help her slip on her sports bra. ¡°It¡¯s okay, they won¡¯t harm us after this; I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± She doesn¡¯t ask me how, but simply nods as I pull her dress over her head. Thest thing I want is for her to worry about something like this, so I will do everything I can to keep her safe. She¡¯s in thest few weeks of her pregnancy; there¡¯s no need for unnecessary stress. After we¡¯re done and packing thest few bits of our luggage, we walk downstairs to meet Bastien for lunch before we leave for home. I ce the bags in his foyer then walk to his dining room area where I see him deep in thought. ¡°Here I thought you¡¯d wear a happy expression after your auction,¡± I say and he looks up at me. ¡°Not enough assholes selling their souls?¡± He chuckles and shakes his head. ¡°Good to see you walking around again, little brother,¡± he says, then gets up to embrace me. ¡°But no, I¡¯m currently buried under the stress of what happened at my auction.¡± I frown when he says this and we take our seats opposite him. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Bastien sighs and steeples his fingers underneath his chin. ¡°Diavolos snuck a woman into my auction; apparently I had given my go-ahead because it was the fifth year of my sess and I quote ¡®anything goes¡¯,¡± he says and my jaw literally hits the floor. ¡°A fucking wo¡­wait, is she a human?¡± I ask in disbelief and Bastien nods. ¡°A human, but she might as well be a ghost since I haven¡¯t found any trace of her even existing,¡± he says and an uneasy feeling of deja vu shoots up my spine. I turn to Mia and her look of surprise mirrors mine. ¡°That¡¯s what happened to Mia; Maxim found every trace of her biometrics erased. Is this woman linked to Mikhail in any way?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t recognize him, so no. But I¡¯m not exactly counting on her being honest with me. I mean, what parent would want their children erased?¡± If they don¡¯t want them to exist, they¡¯ll find a way to make sure they don¡¯t, I think but don¡¯t say out loud. Bastien needs to speak with this woman on his own and find out who she is before her secretse to get the both of them. ¡°So what will you do for now?¡± I ask. He shrugs. ¡°I bought her for three million, she¡¯s my responsibility now until I can find her family.¡± ¡°Three mill¡­¡± I trail off and nce over at Mia. She gives me a knowing look since that¡¯s the original amount I offered her to be my surrogate. ¡°Well, I wish you the best, brother. Just don¡¯t allow yourself to get fixated on this girl before she leaves.¡± Bastien chuckles out loud and raises his eyebrow. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re advising me not to fall for my captive, are you?¡± he shakes his head. ¡°Touch¨¦, little brother.¡± ¡°Ha, ha,¡± I say and roll my eyes and the rest of the lunch feels easier. When we¡¯re done, Bastien walks us out and we say our goodbyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger and let me know when my nephew decides to grace us with his presence so I can be there,¡± he says and embraces both Mia and myself. ¡°Keep your cell phone close, it could be any day now,¡± I say and he promises to keep it on him at all times. I see how soft he¡¯s be with Mia when he embraces her, and I notice the wistful look in his eyes when he watches us. Even though he tries to hide it, I know my brother is lonely. My only wish for him is to find the love the Goddess has blessed me with. Not someone to rece I, but someone who will help him heal just as Mia has helped me. ¡°Ready to go home?¡± I ask when I get in after her. ¡°Absolutely,¡± she says in a giddy voice and I feel the contentment radiating from her mark. I draw her fingers to my lips and ce a kiss on them while allowing our shared happiness to flow through my wartorn body. Chapter 42 - Mia Chapter 42 - Mia Things have been suspiciously quiet in our pack; no attacks, no demands, no threats or anything of the sort since Nikos killed Mikhail. He has been working tirelessly to get the entire city under SilverCrest control and with a few packs refusing to submit to their new Alpha, he¡¯s had to make examples of them with exile. Yet even after he did that, there¡¯s been no pushback. I know that I am sounding like a worrywart, but seeing as even the Elders were against Nikos, you never know what might happen. That, and it¡¯s a week before my due date. I moved into Nikos¡¯ room when we got back from Bastien and we¡¯ve been sleeping in the same bed ever since. Things don¡¯t even feel out of ce, it¡¯s like I was always meant to be here next to him. I¡¯ve taken to walking through the back gardens on my own, a hand on my belly and a smile on my face. Autumn will be here soon, so I¡¯m enjoying thest bit of greenery before the garden is no longer green and full of life. Niko insisted on guards so they were not far behind me, but they¡¯vee to be my shadow. It¡¯s on one of these daily strolls that I notice a lone figure sitting on one of the stone benches with his elbows resting on his knees, seemingly deep in thought. My eyes narrow at him, recognition setting in when I see the blonde hair and cold blue-gray eyes. ¡°Ghost?¡± I murmur and he blinks a few times before he realizes I¡¯m practically standing next to him. ¡°Luna Mia,¡± he says and moves to kneel, but I stop him and shake my head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You must have been thousands of miles away to not even feel my presence. May I join you?¡± I ask and watch as he swallows deeply, paling. ¡°If you truly want to, Luna,¡± he answers, sitting down and I squat down next to him. When I first saw him, he was the one who scared me the most; but looking at him now, I realize that he¡¯s not that scary. To be honest, he looks like an anxious mess. ¡°How old are you, Ghost?¡± ¡°You can call me by my name, Luna,¡± he says with a wan smile. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-one years old.¡± My eyes widen. ¡°That¡¯s the same age as me! You don¡¯t¡­look that young, to be honest,¡± I say and he chuckles. ¡°My kill count is nearing four figures, Luna; it ages you,¡± he says, then catches himself. ¡°Not that I mind doing it for my Alpha-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin yourself to me, don¡¯t worry. Killing can taint the soul and age the body, I understand,¡± I say, before sighing. ¡°Now, I have never seen you so anxious. Is everything okay?¡± He swallows deeply again, his throat bobbing slowly and he exhales. Looking down at his hands, I see he has themced together and his knuckles are white from the pressure. Woah, what could have him worried like this? ¡°You can speak to me, Divan. I am your Luna, whatever you talk to me about will not leave this space. If you need to vent or tell me your troubles, I am here to listen and not judge you,¡± I say and I see Star gazing at me proudly. Divan leans his head against hisced fingers, sighing. ¡°The Alpha spoke to all five of us, including Beta Maxim. Our territory is expanding and with all the new packs under SilverCrest¡­alliances need to be made,¡± he says. I blink in confusion, then my eyes widen when I realize what he means. In our world, the mafia world, alliances are made through arranged marriages. ¡°Does that worry you?¡± I ask, not quite understanding why that would have him worried like this. Nikos told me Divan is the leader of The Pente; fearless, deadly and cunning with the bloodlust to match. And yet, the topic of a possible arranged marriage has him an anxious mess with his guard down. ¡°I¡¯m an enforcer and soldier; the Alpha trained to be a spy, to hunt down and kill in his name. All of that I don¡¯t mind, all of that I can do with one hand behind my back and blindfolded,¡± he says proudly with his chest puffed out. ¡°But marriage? A wife and possible children? My father was an abusive cunt who finally killed my mother and siblings in a rage, then tried to kill me and turned the dagger on himself when he thought I was dead. Being caring, being¡­soft and gentle, it¡¯s not in me. My children will grow up to be colder than I could ever be.¡± My heart breaks for this man in front of me; how many SilverCrest wolves have trauma like this? Divan gets to his feet and sighs. ¡°But if that¡¯s what the Alpha wants, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I owe my life to him, so I will honor whatever mission he has for me, even if it means I have to take a wife for the sake of the pack,¡± he says. I peer up at him and notice the anxious expression is gone. ¡°This will stay between us, so whenever you feel the need for council or just to talk, I am here,¡± I say, not sure of what else to say, but this seems to help. He kneels in front of me and bows his head. ¡°Thank you, Luna,¡± is all he says before he walks away from me. I watch his tall figure walking, his shoulders straight and proud and nothing like the worried mess I managed to get a peek at. Nikos saved him when his fathermitted murder-suicide; what went through his mind as hey there bleeding out and knowing every member of his family was dead? No wonder he has nothing but loyalty and respect for his Alpha; Niko gave him a reason to live. And yet marriage scares him. I sigh and call one of the guards over to help me stand up before walking back into the pack house again. But as I walk, a sharp pain shoots up my belly and I have to grab one of the guards to center myself. ¡°Are you okay, Luna?¡± he asks with a worried expression and I nod. ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s normal,¡± I say, trying to level my breathing. I¡¯ve been getting them a lottely and Dr. Lh mentioned that they¡¯re normal, it¡¯s just because I¡¯m close to my due date. I pat his arm and give him a reassuring smile while he leads me inside. The mansion itself isrge and there are cottages scattered about the estate; would the Pente live here with their wives? I smile as I realize I would like that a lot. *** ¡°Dinner?¡± I ask Niko when he hands me the beautiful dress. ¡°We¡¯re going out for dinner?¡± He smiles. ¡°I realize that we haven¡¯t exactly been on a date or anything like normal couples do,¡± he says sheepishly. ¡°And I would like to show off my beautiful Luna.¡± My chest warms. ¡°And you want me to wear this tonight?¡± I look at the lush crimson dress and fall in love. Knowing Niko, he got my size correct, too. ¡°Yes, I know you¡¯d look beautiful in it,¡± he says and pulls me close. ¡°Please, my precious Luna, will you go out to dinner with me tonight? Afterward, I promise to ravage you thoroughly.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± escapes my lips and his chest rumbles with a growl as my ears warm. ¡°Call me that again and I might just ravish you on the way to the restaurant,¡± he warns, but all it does is send a tingle to my core. We¡¯ve be closer, and making love has been easier. Although, I still need to lead so his body knows it¡¯s what he truly wants. He still has panic attacks when he has to initiate sex, so I don¡¯t mind leading things. ¡°You¡¯re practically begging me to disobey you, sir,¡± I tease, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. ¡°Let me clean up, so I can get into this dress. When do we leave?¡± ¡°In two hours,¡± he says, and as surprised as I am, I don¡¯t let it show. Another thing about Niko? He ns things on a whim and I just go where he leads me. ¡°I¡¯ll join you in getting ready.¡± It¡¯s been a few days since I spoke to Divan and from what Niko has told me, a few Alphas are sending their daughters as tributes. The Pente, as well as Maxim, need to pick their brides from these women - one per pack. I haven¡¯t mentioned Divan¡¯s fears at all, but I haven¡¯t seen his mask slipping again. I think I just got a rare glimpse into Divan himself and not just the Ghost persona he keeps up. It¡¯s interesting because I know now that he¡¯s actually a soft soul underneath the walls he¡¯s put up. Kind of like someone else I know. After our shower, I watch as Niko goes from hot Alpha to gorgeous Greek God in a three-piece suit. He slicks back his dark hair and adds a cologne that has my ovaries screaming - dear Goddess, my Alpha is beautiful. ¡°I promise you can take it all off when we get back,¡± he says with a smirk when he catches me staring. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry that sexy ass up, we¡¯ll bete.¡± I clear my throat and try to hide my embarrassment, but he simply chuckles as I do my make-up and hair. Twenty minutester, we¡¯re walking to a limo at the bottom of the stone steps and I find myself feeling like a princess. This dress is beautiful; off-the-shoulder and long-sleeved, with a sweetheart neckline. I look like I¡¯m floating with the floor-length train and it frames my pregnant figure perfectly. I have my hair curled over one shoulder, no jewelry save for the engagement ring, and just some eyeliner and mascara. I¡¯m not wearing heels because I¡¯m like a baby calf in them and thest thing we need is for me to tten Ares. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask as we drive away and he kisses the back of my hand. ¡°One of the restaurants I own, don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re all under SilverCrest control,¡± he says. I smile at him, then turn my head to stare out of the window. It¡¯s dusk and the city lights are twinkling This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. against the dark purple sky. A few months ago I never would have thought I¡¯d be going out on a date, much less with a powerful Alpha who has imed me. Chapter 43 - Mia Chapter 43 - Mia When the limoes to a stop, Niko gets out first along with the five warriors following us, then he walks over and opens the door for me. Two warriors walk ahead and stand at the door, then he walks me inside the restaurant with three of them at our backs. I have never felt like a mafia queen as much as I do now. Another sliver of pain shoots up my belly and I breathe through it, making sure not to worry Niko or he¡¯ll take me home. It¡¯s normal¡­just normal. ¡°Alpha Nikos, Luna Mia, wee,¡± the beautiful blonde hostess greets us with a bow of her head. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you to your table, follow me.¡± The restaurant is fancy and in Mediterranean decor, not too fancy but not too cliche. ck, golds, and various shades of blue adorn the decor and it gives me a warm feeling instead of an out-of-ce one. The hostess leads us to a private table in the back and Niko pulls out my chair for me before sitting down. ¡°I¡¯ll send Marta over shortly, she¡¯ll be your server this evening,¡± she says and is about to walk out when I stop her. She looks a tad fearful, but I give her my warmest smile. ¡°What is your name?¡± I ask and she looks like a fish out of water, her cheeks going red. ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m Alice, Luna,¡± she says with her hands sping tightly in front of her. I sigh, feeling awkward that she seems scared of me. ¡°Thank you for leading us to our table, Alice,¡± I say and her head whips up in surprise. Her mouth hangs open slightly and she flounders when she says. ¡°I-it was a pleasure, Luna!¡± Niko is chuckling silently as I watch her leaving our table, the surprise wafting in her scent palpable. Why was she so shocked that I thanked her? ¡°She¡¯s not used to Lunas being kind to her,¡± Niko says when he sees the frown on my face. ¡°You¡¯ve just earned her loyalty, little rabbit.¡± ¡°By treating her like a person?¡± I ask incredulously and he nods. ¡°People in the service industry aren¡¯t used to kindness, much less kindness from people in authority. You asked for her name and then thanked her personally, she¡¯ll make sure to tell others that the SilverCrest Luna is a wonderful person,¡± he exins and it actually makes sense to me. Who would have thought a small act of kindness could cause a domino effect like that? I was just giving what I never got. Marta arrives soon after and takes our orders. Lately, I haven¡¯t been as hungry as I used to be, just more tired and sluggish. It doesn¡¯t help that my belly is so huge when I have a tiny figure. ¡°You¡¯re eating like your nicknametely; are you okay?¡± Niko asks when he sees me picking at my pasta. I nod. ¡°I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m so close to giving birth; there¡¯s just no appetite,¡± I exin, and his worried frown deepens. He doesn¡¯t say anything further, though, but I can see it¡¯s bothering him. After dinner, he takes my hand across the table and shoots me a smile that has my heart pounding in my chest. ¡°You look beautiful, kardia mou,¡± he says, running his thumb over the back of my hand. ¡°It¡¯s to be expected, though; you look beautiful in anything.¡± I will never get used to being called beautiful, especially not by a man as beautiful as him. My face flushes and a self-conscious smile covers my lips because I never know how to respond to ¡°I realize we didn¡¯t exactly start out like a normal couple; but then again we weren¡¯t exactly born to normal people, were we?¡± he says with a sad chuckle. ¡°So I want to start by giving you everything you deserve, and I think the first step is this.¡± My heart pounds when he gets to his feet, then it explodes when he drops down to one knee in front of me. ¡°Niko¡­¡± I stutter with a hand in front of my mouth. ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯re already engaged!¡± He shakes his head. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a proper proposal; I was forced to do it,¡± he says, taking my hand in his. ¡°I want to do it the right way, Mia, starting with asking for your hand the way I should have done in the first ce.¡± I try to level my breathing, feeling silly for freaking out when we¡¯re already engaged. But this¡­it feels a thousand times more special for some reason! ¡°I never told you this, but I wasn¡¯t supposed to be in that alleyway the night you ran into me. I was at one of my gentlemen''s clubs for a meeting and slipped out to get some air because the overbearing scent of sex was getting too much for me. I could have gone out front or sat in my car, but something pulled me towards the back alley. The longer I thought about it, the more I realized that I was being pulled towards you.¡± He shakes his head and chuckles. ¡°I know I¡¯m sounding like a romantic piece of shit, but I don¡¯t mind Silent tears slip down my cheeks and ruin my makeup in the process, but I don¡¯t care. My Alpha is pouring his heart out to me right now, and I am floating on a cloud of anxious happiness with the way my heart is beating. He takes my hand and kisses it. ¡°So Mia, my Luna, my love, my heart¡­¡± he trails off and pulls out a red velvet box, popping it open to reveal a ring that takes my breath away. ¡°Will you be my queen and rule at my side forever?¡± I draw my hand to his cheek and nod. ¡°Forever and even after, my Alpha,¡± I say with a trembling bottom lip and the smile on his face makes my heart melt into a puddle. He removes the ring and slips it on my finger, and I marvel at how different it looks. It has twin bands, the top one lined with diamonds while the bottom is smooth; in the middle is a dark blue teardrop- shaped gem. The gem glistens and it mirrors a starry night, glistening in the light the chandelier gives off. ¡°Niko¡­it¡¯s beautiful,¡± I gush when he slips it on and I grit my teeth when another sliver of pain pierces my belly. ¡°I love it so much!¡± Niko frowns and slowly pulls me to my feet, but I double over with pain and nearly cry out. Before I can tell him I¡¯m okay, I feel it¡­.liquid slipping down my legs. ¡°Oh! My water broke!¡± I exim and Niko¡¯s eyes grow to the size of saucers. I hear him calling out to the warriors to bring the limo around, then I hear him over the mind link calling Dr. Lh. Is this what the pains were? Was I inbor this entire time without knowing? Niko picks me up and carries me out of the restaurant with everyone looking at us. But thest thing on my mind is worrying about the people around me. There¡¯s a dull ache in my lower back and when Niko puts me down in the backseat, a cold stab of pain rips through my body. I can¡¯t help the scream thates out of me; my eyes are mped shut and I feel Niko¡¯s hand on my back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mia, we¡¯re almost there,¡± he says and for the first time, I hear the uncertainty in his voice. Dr. Lh warned me of the pain, but I didn¡¯t expect it to hit me all at once like this! Are my contractions not supposed toe in spurts?! Why does it feel like Ares is bearing down more and more?! We reach the pack house at lightning speed and Niko carries me inside again while another contraction splits me in two. Dr. Lh rushes out to meet us and looks at me and Niko, nodding. ¡°Bring her inside,¡± she instructs. I don¡¯t know how I got naked, I don¡¯t know how they put me on that bed - all I can feel is the pain of Ares wanting out right this instant. My legs are put up in stirrups and I can feel Dr. Lh checking how far dted I am. I happen to look down at that moment to see the look on her face and know something is wrong. ¡°What is it? Why do you look like that?¡± I shriek and try to sit up, but she shakes her head. ¡°Nothing is wrong for now, Luna, your contractions have only just started, correct? We¡¯re still in the early stages. You¡¯re dted fully, but I don¡¯t feel Ares moving,¡± she says and I freeze. What? ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t feel him moving?! I¡¯ve been feeling him moving the entire time!¡± I yell, then scream as another contraction pierces me, a dull ache in my lower back. ¡°Do something!¡± NoNoNoNo! This can¡¯t be, I can feel him moving right now! Every time I feel pain it¡¯s as if he¡¯s rolling around so what the heck is she talking about?! Niko is holding my hand and kisses my fingers. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mia, Lh is here to help, okay?¡± He tries to soothe me with gentle words but I can only scream out my pain and frustration. ¡°Lh, fix this!¡± Those three words are said through gritted teeth and when I look up at him, I can see the worry and fear in his green eyes. Ares moves again and I suck in a breath instead of screaming. Ariadne told me to breathe through the pain when the timees because screaming and crying out will only exhaust me. An hour passes and through contractions, crying, pain, and Lh¡¯s calming touch, she finally smiles and nods. ¡°Okay, Luna, when you feel another contraction, I am going to need you to push,¡± she says. My eyes widen and I look at her as if she¡¯s crazy. ¡°Push through the pain? Are you-¡± I finally cry out when a contraction hits me with no room or energy to push. ¡°I can¡¯t, it¡¯s impossible!¡± Niko kisses the side of my head. ¡°You can do it, vas¨ªlissa mou; you¡¯re stronger than I could ever be,¡± he says, whispering encouragement and I look at him through bleary eyes. He thinks I can do this, that I can bring our child into the world when I doubt myself. ¡°Ares is waiting for us, let''s wee him home.¡± I nod and allow myself to cry through the pain. Contraction after contraction, Lh¡¯s encouraging voice, Niko¡¯s tender words, and pushing when I feel like I can¡¯t anymore. ¡°Niko¡­¡± I sniff. ¡°I can¡¯t do this; I can¡¯t do it!¡± He holds my hand and kisses my tears. ¡°You made me fall in love with you when I didn¡¯t think I could This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. love, you made me start facing my demons when I gave up. This should be easy for you, Mia¡­you can do this, I know you can.¡± I shake my head and when I feel Ares moving and splitting me down the damn middle, I hear a piercing cry that causes my heart to still. ¡°That¡¯s it, Mia!¡± Dr. Lh cries out. ¡°Keep pushing!¡± With a tired, exhausted body, I hold onto the strength in Niko¡¯s mark and the love I feel for him. With one final push and a scream so loud that it hurts my ears, I feel Ares leave my body and fall back onto the bed. ¡°Oh, Alpha Prince,¡± Lh gushes before she ces the crying, squirming baby on my chest. ¡°Congrattions Luna, Alpha; meet your baby boy.¡± Chapter 44 - Nikolaos Chapter 44 - Nikos The second I set my eyes on the blood-soaked baby on Mia¡¯s chest, I found myself kneeling at her bedside. This is my heart split into two people, my entire life in front of me and I knew at that moment that I would kill anyone who tried to hurt them. A burst of pride shot through my chest, chasing away all the bad, all the shame and doubts that I would be a good parent. In its ce stood steely determination and a fierce, overprotective love I have never felt before. Did my father not feel this when I was born or was it only reserved for my brother? Did my mother feel the same love and pride shining in Mia¡¯s eyes? How could they not feel this way about their own children? How cold do you have to be to not love the little person you helped make? ¡°Would you do the honor, Alpha?¡± Lh asks me as she holds up the umbilical cord. I don¡¯t even have to think twice, forgoing the scissors and using my teeth as Knox feels immense pride for using him to bite through the cord. I wipe the blood from my mouth, turn to my Luna, and pepper kisses against her hair. ¡°So beautiful; I am so proud of you,¡± I say, drinking in her relief and swallowing her happy tears. ¡°You did well, vas¨ªlissa mou.¡± She tries to swallow down a sob and I draw my forehead to hers whileying my hand on Ares. The instant, fierce love I feel for this little one nearly knocks me out cold and I swallow down the emotion threatening to spill over my cheeks. ¡°Can you help me up, please?¡± Mia asks me when Lh takes Ares away. ¡°I can feel the tears have healed, I just need to clean up before I give Ares his first feed.¡± My heart drops. ¡°Tears?¡± This seems to make her blush and she nods. ¡°I tore quite a bit trying to push him out, but they¡¯ve all healed now,¡± she says, stunning me even more. I knew what went into giving birth, but hearing how it hurt her just breaks my heart. My lips are a thin line, but I pick her up and carry her to our bedroom. I ce her in the shower and help her wash the blood and mucus away. I don¡¯t use any perfumed body wash since Ares needs to get used to her scent, and when we¡¯re done, I dry her off and wrap a fluffy nightgown around her waist while throwing on a pair of sweatpants myself. All through this, she wears a blissful smile and I can feel the contentment radiating through her mark. ¡°What a night,¡± she chuckles before falling against my chest. ¡°I am so happy, Niko.¡± I hold her against me and kiss the top of her head with nothing but love in my heart for her. ¡°As am I, kardia mou. You have made me the happiest man alive,¡± I say and walk her into our bedroom. We see Lh standing at the foot of our bed and I hear a low growling from Mia when she sees another woman holding Ares. I can¡¯t help but chuckle at her overprotectiveness, her wolf already feeling possessive of our son. Lh hears the growl and pales, her smile dropping slightly and I lead Mia over to the bed before taking Ares from her. ¡°Thank you, Lh,¡± I say, dismissing the doctor before she loses her head. I look down at the tiny bundle in my arms and my heart fills to the brim with adoration. How any parent can harm their child is unknown to me; I¡¯ll harm anyone who dares to touch him with the intent of doing harm. Kissing his forehead, I ce him in Mia¡¯s arms and watch as her face lights up. She kisses Ares¡¯ little head and whispers how much she loves him while getting ready to give him his first feed. I am certain the look of bliss on her face mirrors mine and my heart swells watching the two of them. To think I was going to buy him and then send her on her way; how could I ever have thought that it would be that simple? And what a fucking asshole I was for ever thinking I could do that to her. This woman is my life and now she¡¯s given me something I could never rece. She¡¯s changed me for the better and makes me want to be a better Alpha and partner. If anyone has the power in this pack, it¡¯s my little rabbit. After Ares¡¯ feed, she burps him and he immediately falls asleep again. She kisses his little hands and I get up and push the bass next to her side of the bed, watching as sheys him down. ¡°He¡¯s perfect, Niko,¡± she gushes when I go to lie down next to her. ¡°He¡¯s absolutely perfect.¡± ¡°He is,¡± is all I can muster out as emotion chokes my throat again, but this time I allow it to show. That proud feeling starts in my chest and spreads through my entire body and a sob tears through my chest at that moment. Mia wraps her arms around my waist and I hold her close. ¡°Thank you for giving my heart a reason to keep beating, Mia,¡± I murmur, peppering kisses all over her head. ¡°Gods, I love you so fucking much.¡± She holds onto me and I can feel her tears as they hit my chest. Ourbined love and adoration for Ares and each other makes me feel like my heart is about to burst, but I keep holding her until her breathing evens out. I gently push her back against the pillow and wipe away her tears before kissing her lips. She looks beautiful even as she sleeps, and as much as I don¡¯t want to leave right now, Maxim has been calling me over the mind link and it sounds urgent. Not bothering with a t-shirt, I walk out of the bedroom and see Panzer and Armata at the door. ¡°Do not let anyone in here, do you understand?¡± I say and they nod, understanding the importance. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± they say in unison and I feel better knowing two of my trusted Gammas are watching over my heart. I find Maxim in my office pacing the floor with a ss of bourbon in his hand. He sees me and puts it down before walking over to me and embracing me. ¡°Syncharit¨ªria,¡± he congrattes me, patting my back. ¡°I trust the prince is healthy?¡± ¡°As a fucking horse - well, wolf,¡± I say, chuckling and we walk over to my sofas. ¡°So what was so fucking important that I had to leave my family?¡± His jaw clenches and he shakes his head. ¡°Josef disappeared. I¡¯ve sent Ghost out to find him, but all traces of him are missing; I didn¡¯t even see or sense him at Mikhail¡¯s pack house when I think about it.¡± I growl. ¡°How much do you want to fucking bet The Elders are behind this?¡± ¡°That was my first thought, but one of my eyes inside the Incest Mansion says Josef hasn¡¯t been there at all. It¡¯s starting to fucking worry me, Niko; there¡¯s no way he¡¯s an insignificant yer in all of this.¡± Anger pierces my heart when I think about how much I trusted Josef and how much I wanted to help him. I put him next to the most important person in my life and he nearly took them both from me. ¡°I need Descry to go out with Ghost to do another sweep of the perimeter; there¡¯s no fucking way he¡¯s just disappeared without a trace. Either he¡¯s outside my territory, or somewhere inside it,¡± I growl as uneasiness sets in my heart. ¡°You know what they fucking say about loose strings.¡± ¡°They can unravel even the greatest masterpiece,¡± he says with disgust, clenching his jaw. ¡°How the fuck did he slip under our radar, Niko? We trusted that fucking rat and he betrayed us!¡± ¡°Nothing hurts you more than family,¡± I say, leaning back and biting the pad of my thumb. ¡°Speaking of which, we need to decide when to get the selection of wives down.¡± Maxim visibly shudders. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you want me to fucking marry someone I don¡¯t know,¡± he says, shaking his head. ¡°But whatever is good for the pack and whatever will strengthen our alliances.¡± I nod. ¡°It¡¯s our way of life, brother; we marry for nothing but love until we find love.¡± I hate doing this to Maxim, but I have to do it for the good of the pack. There have been too many exiled in thest few weeks, I cannot afford to fuck this up now that I own the secondrgest territory. ¡°That reminds me-¡± My words are cut short when a terrible sense of fear grips my heart and I leap to my feet, knocking my chair over. My hand goes to Mia¡¯s mark on my neck and it¡¯s burning hot¡­that¡¯s when I hear it. Mia¡¯s heart-wrenching scream. Maxim pales and we both run out of the office, my heart clenching when I see Panzer and Armata looking at me with fear in their eyes. I burst through the bedroom door and see Mia screaming and pulling at her hair while staring at the bass. She turns her head to me, tears shining in her eyes as she leaps from the bed. ¡°He¡¯s gone, Niko! Ares is gone!¡± she cries out, punching my chest and I grab her wrist to gently hold her sobbing frame against me. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. There¡¯s a different scent in here, something I cannot ce but something I know so well. ¡°Who the fuck came in here?!¡± I hear Maxim ask the two Gammas behind me as I walk towards the now empty bass¡­ but it¡¯s not exactly empty¡­something isying where my son should be, and it feels as if someone has stuck a hot poker through my heart. ¡°The doctor came, Beta Maxim! She said she needed to check up on Luna and she has been in before, so we assumed it was fine!¡± Lh, that¡¯s the scent I¡¯m smelling. But why¡­why would she take my son and why would she put this in his ce? Maxim walks towards me and freezes when he sees the thingying in ce of my son; the anxiety ¡°Niko¡­is that-¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I simply answer, my hands trembling as I pick up the spiked leather cor my mother used to make me wear. Chapter 45 - Mia Chapter 45 - Mia There¡¯s warmth everywhere and I¡¯m floating on a cloud of bliss. Sunlight touches my skin and it feels like it¡¯s prating every inch of my skin, filling me up with nothing but contentment. I haven¡¯t felt this happy since Niko told me he loves me, and the memory alone brings a smile to my face. Closing my eyes, I allow myself to drift some more, knowing that this happiness won¡¯t leave me wherever I end up. Then I feel a shift in the air, and a crack of lightning splits the sky. That warmth is now reced by a chill, and my blue skies are now tainted with ck clouds. ¡°Mira, wake up!¡± I hear a voice calling me, It sounds like a whisper, then it swells. ¡°Mira, wake up! There¡¯s danger! An enemy is close!¡± My eyes shoot open and I sit up in bed too quickly; a dizzy spell threatens to pull me under again and I blink the hazy feeling away. I take a few breaths, cing a hand on my heart to steady myself. What had woken me up? Oh, it was a voice, wasn¡¯t it? Wait¡­was it Star¡¯s voice? Danger¡­an enemy. An unknown yet familiar scent hits me and I whip my head to the left quickly. As I spy the empty bass, I know what Star meant by that warning¡­.and I scream. Ares, my baby! Someone has taken my baby! Where is Niko? Why isn¡¯t he here?! Without thinking, my hands go to my hair and I start to pull - the pain pales inparison to what I am feeling right now. The door to the bedroom bangs open and Niko rushes in with Maxim at his side. He looks at me with wide, fearful eyes while scanning the room for a threat. I leap out of bed and rush to him. ¡°He¡¯s gone, Niko! Ares is gone!¡± tumbles out of my mouth; that familiar fear constricts my heart so much I struggle to catch my breath. Niko pulls me close and everything falls away. My heart is thudding painfully in my chest while shes of memory appear in my mind''s eye. Ares¡¯ birth, feeding him, touching his tiny little hands, and kissing them. A heart-wrenching sob splits my heart in two as the realization hits me. Someone took my baby. I hear voices but I don¡¯t put two and two together, not until Niko lets go of me and he walks towards the empty bass beside our bed. The anxietying from him knocks the wind out of me and I watch as he takes something out of it. A spiked dog cor, only the spikes are on the inside. Maxim asks him a question and he nods, then he turns around and I see nothing left of the powerful Alpha as he swallows deeply. His hands are trembling as he holds up the cor, then he drops it and takes a step backward. I crumble to the floor, sobbing. The emptiness in my chest grows when I look at that bass and know my baby isn¡¯t in there. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you here?¡± I murmur, rocking back and forth. ¡°You left and he was taken, you left me¡­¡± A menacing growles from deep within Niko¡¯s chest, and I watch as he tries to stop himself from shifting. ¡°Panzer, Armata - get the Pente ready to go,¡± he orders before turning to Maxim. ¡°Grab one of Lh¡¯s coats so they can memorize her scent; she can¡¯t have gotten far.¡± Then he grabs the cor and Panzer catches it. ¡°Give this to Descry, tell him to run ahead when he catches a scent.¡± Everything hits me all at once and I finally understand what is being discussed. I turn to Niko and see the anger in his eyes, but I stalk over to him anyway. ¡°Lh took him?¡± I ask, but he doesn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°Niko! Did Lh take Ares?¡± He turns to me with eyes the color of bloody rubies, but as soon as Maxim and Panzer walk out of our bedroom, that coldness leaves his eyes. ¡°Yes, she took him,¡± he says and is about to walk out when I grab his arm and pull him back. ¡°That¡¯s all? Noforting embrace or words to cate the mother of your child?!¡± I shriek, shaking my head. ¡°My baby is gone, Niko, and you¡¯re just brushing me off!¡± There¡¯s no warmth of the Niko I know, just a determined crimson re. ¡°I can¡¯t do this right now, Mia. The longer I stand here, the further she gets; so let go of me so I can do my fucking job,¡± he says, pulling his arm out of my grip. I ran to keep up with him. ¡°I¡¯ming with you-¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± he growls, walking me back to the bed. ¡°You¡¯ll only be a distraction.¡± My heart drops. ¡°What the hell, Niko! He¡¯s my child too! You can¡¯t just leave me here not knowing what¡¯s going on, I refuse to stay!¡± I exim, punching his chest, but he simply grabs my wrists and pulls me close. ¡°Please¡­please let me go with you.¡± I bow my head and the tears don¡¯t stop falling. The happiness I felt in my dream now seems so far away, as if it never even existed. That contentment was now reced with fear and anxiety gnawing and coiling in my stomach¡­ I didn¡¯t even get to spend a full hour with my newborn pup and someone already took him. Niko cups my face, his eyes back to the deep green I love so much. ¡°This is my fault, Mia. I trusted Lh without knowing¡­¡± he swallows deeply and shame fills his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s connected to my mother This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. and aunt.¡± The floor feels like it¡¯s giving way beneath my feet and my heart stills. ¡°Y-your mother? How¡­¡± my eyes grow wide when I remember the cor he took from the bass. ¡°Was it¡­was the cor yours?¡± He nods with his lips a thin line of worry. ¡°It¡¯s their way of telling me they¡¯ve taken him,¡± I fall to the floor at his words and he wraps his arms around me. ¡°I need to fix this, kardia mou; I need to get him back and if you¡¯re there¡­they¡¯ll use you against me.¡± ¡°But why take him?! What use does he have to them?!¡± I wail, holding onto him as he caresses my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­and Lh¡­ I knew there was something off about her but I pushed it aside!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare me yourself, Mia,¡± he growls. ¡°If anyone is to me, it is me for trusting her when I should have known better. But I¡¯ll get him back, I promise on my fucking life I¡¯ll return him to you.¡± I shake my head as dread pierces my heart. ¡°No¡­I need to be there, Niko. Please take me with you. I will go crazy sitting here and¡­and not knowing-¡± A child¡¯s cry stops me dead and I feel as if I¡¯ve touched a live wire. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± I whisper, scrambling to my feet and gripping his arms. ¡°Tell me you heard that, Niko, please tell me I¡¯m not going crazy!¡± But the frown on his face tells me he didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°What are you talking-¡± ¡°A baby¡¯s cry! I heard it!¡± I exim, looking around the room like a mad woman and my eyes fall on the window. I rush towards it and Ares¡¯ scent fills my nose. I close my eyes and focus, feeling a link to Ares, but it grows distant by the second. ¡°She jumped from here with Ares in her arms and¡­now he¡¯s crying¡­ but I feel that he¡¯s close.¡± Niko¡¯s footfalls cause me to look toward him and his eyes are wide. ¡°Can you sense him?¡± I nod as determination shoots through me and I shed the worried, crazed mother persona for an angry she-wolf out for blood. ¡°I can, so you have to let mee with you. Get the Gammas ready while I get dressed; we¡¯re doing this together, Niko, you are not leaving me behind.¡± Something akin to pride shes in his eyes as they shimmer to crimson. ¡°Five minutes, in my office,¡± he says, then ims my mouth in a fierce kiss before walking out of our bedroom. I can¡¯t afford to be a weak, crazy mother right now. Yes, I am trembling with worry for my baby, but I think the nerve of what Lh did is erasing more of it. She made mecent, she coaxed me into being a good little girl for her Alpha just so she can take his child. And bring it to his abusers. The anger I feel towards her is filling my heart and I know I¡¯ll never be able to think with a clear head. When I walked out of the shower and saw her with Ares, Star nearly ripped her head off. I thought it was just my overprotective motherly instincts getting ahead of me, but now I know my wolf knew more than I ever could. /¡°Star,¡±/ I call to her as I slip on a pair of trainers. /¡°I need your help; please guide me.¡±/ Her silver eyes are shing with the same fury flowing through me. /¡°I¡¯m always here, but I need you to do something so we can show them you¡¯re not just a lowly Omega. You need to trust me, Mira; trust the gift the Goddess has given us and follow your instincts.¡±/ I nch. /¡°A gift? The Goddess blessed me?¡±/ /¡°She did, but it went away when your trauma blocked me. Allow your gift to lead us and get Ares back,¡±/ she says, then looks at me with warmth. /¡°Focus your thoughts on Ares and we will find him, but for now we need to move, okay?¡±/ Nodding, I tie my hair up in a high ponytail and walk out of the bedroom with renewed determination. The Goddess blessed me with a gift, an instinctive feeling and I need to start trusting my wolf if I am going to beat them at their own game. The Gammas are gathered around Niko, all but Descry who seems to have run ahead with Maxim. They see me enter and I spot shame in Panzer¡¯s eyes but I simply nod my head. ¡°She¡¯s stopped moving; they¡¯re about twenty miles out and heading East,¡± I say and they all look at me as if I¡¯ve gone mad. ¡°Mia-¡± /¡°Alpha, we¡¯re following the scent East and it¡¯s getting stronger,¡±/ Descry says over the mind link and they turn to me with their mouths gaping. /¡°How far, Descry?¡±/ I ask. /¡°Eighteen miles, Luna; we¡¯re entering an abandoned storage container yard,¡±/ he responds and I feel a smile creeping onto my face. I turn my back to the men and walk out. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste; let¡¯s go,¡± I call over my shoulder while waiting for them to follow me out. They¡¯re all quiet when we file into the two SUVs, none of them are looking at me after I barked that order. I sit up front with Niko while the rest take the other SUV and ride ahead. ¡°How did you know?¡± Niko finally asks after a while. ¡°How did you know they went East?¡± I turn to face him with a small smile on my lips. ¡°Found out a littlete that the Goddess blessed me with an intuitive gift, one that hadid dormant when I blocked out Star,¡± I say with renewed confidence. Niko chuckles and shoots me a look of pride. ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± he says before the steely look is back in his eyes. Twenty miles went by in a blur and when I looked again, we''d entered the container yard. A growl escapes me as I catch three distinctive scents surrounding my Ares; someone is going to die tonight. Chapter 46 - Mia Chapter 46 - Mia ¡°Mia, wait,¡± Niko pulls me back and a look of concern slips into his eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t do anything rash, okay? These women-¡± ¡°Are nothing but cowards,¡± I say and pull my arm out of his grip. ¡°The only thing they know how to do well is corrupt children; they¡¯re cowards.¡± His lips are a thin line and I know he¡¯s a ball of anxiety right now, so I get on my tiptoes and give him a chaste kiss. ¡°I pull my strength from you, my love, you can do the same to me. Let me help you through this.¡± If we¡¯re right and his abusers are in there along with Lh, then this will be the first time he¡¯ll be facing them since they left him for dead. How will he react to seeing them, and is this wise? Nodding, he takes a deep breath and takes my hand in his before calling the Gammas and Maxim over the mind link. /¡°We¡¯re heading towards them now; surround them and stay back until my go-ahead,¡±/ he says and they respond with ¡®Yes, Alpha.¡¯ Then he takes my hand, kisses the back of it and we walk to where I can sense Ares. I know I should be more concerned for the safety of my son, but right now I am too angry to be worried. Besides, with Niko at my side I don¡¯t need to be worried, right? He¡¯ll fight for us, won¡¯t he? I trust in my Alpha and I trust him to make the right choices, but in the face of the two women who did unspeakable things to him...where do I fall? Muffled voices are up ahead, unfamiliar voices, and they seem to be arguing over something. ¡°Up ahead,¡± I say and Niko squeezes my hand. The shipping container we enter is dimly lit, and I smell those same three scents as before. There¡¯s no use being quiet in here since our footsteps echo through the ce, and as soon as we step inside, two pairs of emerald green eyes turn to face us. Lh stands off to the side with her head bowed, shame radiates from her usual sweet scent as she holds Ares in her arms. The other two figures, the ones with cruelty and bloodlust in their scents, are looking at us with amused expressions. They look like Niko and Bastien - same color hair, green eyes, high cheekbones, and tall build. They¡¯re both dressed in ck leather and holding silver-tipped whips in their hands. ¡°Well,¡± one says and walks towards us with a smirk, crossing her arms. ¡°If it isn¡¯t my unwanted son.¡± I hear Niko suck in a breath and fear shoots through his mark on my neck as he grips my hand so tight that I¡¯m scared he¡¯ll break it. My gaze goes to him standing next to me, but he has frozen in ce with sweat dotting his brow and his breathinging in brief spurts. This is to be expected¡­she is the one who cut his soul deep enough to leave several gaping wounds. He¡¯s facing off against the woman who made him feel like less of a man. I grit my teeth and walk forward, ripping my hand from his steely grip. ¡°What do you want with my son?¡± I ask with a raised voice. Niko¡¯s mother cackles when her eyes fall on me. ¡°Oh, the little mouse speaks, does she?¡± ¡°Mouse?¡± I scoff, meeting her gaze with the anger of my own. ¡°I am Luna of the SilverCrest pack and you¡¯re nothing but a disgrace of a mother. So I¡¯ll ask again; what do you want with my son?¡± She raises her eyebrow at me and giggles. ¡°So, you¡¯re Luna, are you? You think that title you wield is enough to scare me?¡± she asks, shaking her head. ¡°Let me show you real power.¡± Pulling her gaze from mine, she looks past me and straight at Niko. ¡°Gon¨¢tise, skylos,¡± she says in a voice full of authority and what happens next breaks my heart into tiny little pieces and a wave of fury has me in its grasp. Nikos, my powerful Alpha, falls to his knees and kneels in front of her with his head bowed low. Her sister joins in her mockingugh as I stand, looking horrified. ¡°What did you do?!¡± I cry out, falling to my knees next to him. ¡°Niko, my love, stand up!¡± She steps close to us before I could react and I feel the kiss of the silver barbs of her whip slices my skin. I cry out and fall forward, bracing myself on my arms before another smack of the whip slices through my skin. ¡°I told my good little dog to kneel, and even after all these years, he listens,¡± she cackles, cracking the whip over my back again. ¡°Niko¡­¡± I trail off, pushing my tears back. ¡°Please, get up!¡± He doesn¡¯t move, but I can see the nk look in his eyes, as if his brain has switched off to what is happening around him. I should call for the Pente, but I don¡¯t want them seeing their Alpha like this and sensing his weakness. This is something he needs to deal with without the prying eyes of those who look up to him. Herugh fills the container and dread creeps into my stomach when she goes down on her haunches in front of me. She grabs my face and elongates her ws, digging them into my cheeks. ¡°Did you really think if you loved him hard enough, you could get rid of me?¡± she scoffs, shing me a sweet smile. ¡°Sweet girl, Nikos is nothing but a ve masquerading as an Alpha. He¡¯s a tool to be used, that¡¯s all he¡¯ll ever be.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± I growl, feeling the silver draining me. After losing blood while giving birth and now this¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve healed as much as I should have. She tuts. ¡°That must be the wolfsbane speaking. But now that I have your attention, I¡¯ll tell you what I have in store for my little grandson,¡± she says, then smirks when she sees the horrified look on my face. ¡°Why?! How can you do this to your own blood?!¡± I shriek, but she only rolls her eyes at my reaction. ¡°You¡¯re fucking sick!¡± ¡°Oh, he shared our secrets, did he? Well, it¡¯s easy - they trust you and I have always loved to see terror fill the eyes of people who trust me,¡± she says and a blissful look crosses her eyes. ¡°I can tell you now that the ruination I have nned for Ares will palepared to what his father went through-¡± I don¡¯t even think; my body moves before my mind can register what is happening. Star¡¯s fury Her shriek of surprise only spurns me on, and I dig my ws into her neck before pulling them out hard. She¡¯s not bleeding enough to warrant a death, but that¡¯s forter on. Both of these monsters will pay for what they did to the man I love. I look up and set my sights on her sister; her eyes grow wide and she steps back, but I ripped her heart from her body just as she¡¯s about to scream. Now, I turn to Lh and I see nothing but terror in her eyes as she sobs. She ces the swaddled Ares down and I can sense the fear in her body when she steps back. This woman kept mecent, she¡¯s just as guilty as them. ¡°P-please¡­my mother made me do this¡­¡± she stutters, backing up against the wall. ¡°They made me¡­ they-¡± ¡°Your mother?¡± I frown and she nods. ¡°You just killed her.¡± I peer down at the other woman, but even as I think of showing Lh mercy, she¡¯s put this all into ce. ¡°You could havee to Niko; he would have helped you but instead you chose to be weak,¡± I say, then I give her the same fate her mother suffered. There¡¯s no room in our lives for traitors. Star¡¯s burst of strength takes its toll on me and I stumble, but when I turn to face Niko, I see his mother crawling away. Seeing her alive sends a sliver of disgust through my body, and I walk over to Niko, pulling him to his feet. ¡°Come back to me, Alpha,¡± I say and cup his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m getting the revenge you should have gotten a long time ago.¡± When I say this, he blinks and his eyes focus on my face, then he frowns. ¡°M-Mia?¡± I smile and I spin him around so he can see his mother. ¡°This ends tonight,¡± I say, then I walk towards her and pull her back by her hair before forcing her onto her knees. ¡°Apologize to him,¡± I growl. ¡°And mean it.¡± His motherughs, the blood on her neck bubbling. ¡°I will not apologize for what I did. Why lie about something I so thoroughly enjoyed taking part in-¡± Niko¡¯s fist ms through her chest and she chokes back a sob, staring at the broken man she¡¯s created. His anger pushes away her arrogance, and she ws onto his arm, coughing blood into his face. ¡°Nik-¡± He squeezes her heart and pulls it from her chest, then drops it to the floor and uses his ws to behead her right in front of me. His breathing is ragged, his eyes a darker crimson than before, and his heart beating so fast that I cannot keep up. I take a tentative step toward him and ce a hand on his shoulder. This makes his bloodthirsty gaze ¡°Nikos,¡± I say gently, cupping his face with my bloodied hands. ¡°I am so proud of you, my love.¡± He blinks as he looks at me; the snarl slipping back into a look of disbelief, and he crumbles to the floor, taking me with him. ¡°I¡­I killed her,¡± he stammers, cing a fist to his heart as if to stop its incessant beating. ¡°Mia, I-¡± I draw my forehead to his and sigh. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha; don¡¯t you dare kneel to anyone again,¡± I say, and am about to ce a kiss on his lips when a piercing cry snaps me back to the now and vengeance leaves my body like mist in the sun. Scrambling to my feet, I rush over to where Lh ced Ares on the floor and scoop him up into my arms. ¡°Oh, my love,¡± I coo, rocking him back and forth to calm him down. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay, mommy is here.¡± As I hold on to Ares, the gravity of what I¡¯d just done hits me and a sob tears me in two. The scent of blood and fear permeates the container and disbelief over what transpired sets into my heart. I killed two people with my bare hands; ripped them apart without even thinking, and I enjoyed it. Does this make me a monster like them? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. /¡°No, you protected your family; we protected your family,¡±/ Star says, growling. /¡°Your gift guided you, you should be proud, Mira.¡±/ Even as Star attempts to console me, all I can think about is how much I enjoyed ripping out their heart and watching the fear in their eyes. These people abused and betrayed Niko. They wanted to take my child and do the same to him. I shouldn¡¯t feel guilty¡­so why do I? Chapter 47 - Nikolaos Chapter 47 - Nikos ¡°Kneel, dog.¡± Two words spoken in my mother¡¯s voice and the dormant memoriese hurtling toward me at full speed. I can clearly feel the lick of the whip on my back, the cigarettes put out on my skin, the way her dagger separated my flesh¡­ And the guilt coursing through me when one of her clients brought my body to climax. /¡°Get to your feet, Nikos! You cannot let her win!¡±/ Knox urges me, but his voice bes fainter and fainter until I can see his mouth moving with no sounding out. Shameful thoughts keep me prisoner even as I hear Mia call to me, begging me to get to my feet. But how do I tell her these thoughts are like silver chains holding me down and forcing my submission? How do I exin that I can clearly remember - no I FEEL everything I went through at her hands? I thought I was over the fear; I thought Mia¡¯s love had pulled me out of the depths, but I was so, so wrong. My soul is still ruined and my mind is still trapped in the past. Right now, I am not the Alpha with the secondrgest territory¡­ Now, I am nothing but a ve to my mother¡¯smands. The scent of blood is like a cigarette burn to my memories and I feel someone pulling me to my feet. ¡°Come back to me, Alpha. I¡¯m getting the revenge you should have gotten a long time ago.¡± Her soft voice makes me blink, and when thest of my past images fade away, I am looking into the wide, determined eyes of the one person who loved me even through my shameful past. ¡°M-Mia?¡± Her smile is like a sliver of sunlight forcing the darkness out of my mind, but then she lets go of me and turns me around. The sight I am greeted with is a bloody trail leading to the crawling figure of my mother. I suck in an unsteady breath, not used to seeing my abuser weak and on her knees. That¡¯s where she put me, that¡¯s where she loved seeing me¡­.so what¡¯s going on? ¡°This ends tonight,¡± Mia says, then she walks over to my mother and grabs her by the hair before pulling her over to where I am standing and forcing her head down. ¡°Apologize to him and mean it,¡± Mia growls. I nce at Mia and see nothing but steely determination in her eyes as she threatens my abuser. This won¡¯t work, though¡­I know her well enough. My motherughs unsteadily, then she peers up at me and grins. ¡°I will not apologize for what I did,¡± she starts and I feel Knox stir. ¡°Why lie about something I so thoroughly enjoyed taking part in-¡± Knox takes over my consciousness and I allow ourbined anger and hurt to make the decision I couldn¡¯t make so long ago. My fist ms into the center of her chest, and I grip her heart tightly in my hand. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at me with horror, her nails wing at my forearm. ¡°Nik-¡± I won¡¯t let her say my name or she¡¯ll taint it too, so I rip out her heart from her chest and sink my ws into her neck to behead her. Seeing her in the position she has constantly put me in does nothing to quell the fury building up inside of me. She took my son; both Lh and my aunt need to suffer this fate. ¡°Nikos,¡± a soft voice akin to a summer breeze, caresses the fringes of my anger, and Knox¡¯s snarls be low. ¡°I am so proud of you, my love.¡± Proud of me? This voice¡­it¡¯s familiar, it¡¯s warm¡­it¡¯s my Mia. I blink and the anger fades away; when I nce down, I see what I have done and I suck in a breath. ¡°I¡­I killed her,¡± I say while my heart beats painfully in my chest and I ce a hand over it, trying to level my breathing at the same time. ¡°Mia, I-¡± She touches me and I can feel the pride emanating from her. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha; don¡¯t you dare kneel to anyone again,¡± she scolds me, but somehow I know it¡¯s meant out of love. I am about to ask her what happened when I was out of my mind when the sound of an infant¡¯s piercing cry stopped me short. Mia¡¯s smile drops from her face and she rushes behind me; that¡¯s when I remember Ares. I spin around to follow her, but what I see shocks me to my core; both Lh and my aunt are dead. There¡¯s blood and gore everywhere and when I look at Mia again, I see the blood on her hands and forearms. Did my little Omega do all this? Did she rampage while I was hiding behind my memories? /¡°They¡¯re all dead; scout the scene for anyone else and kill them,¡±/ I order over the mind link before I walk to where Mia is sitting with her eyes wide. She¡¯s whispering in Ares¡¯ ear, rocking back and forth with a look of utter shock on her face. I get down on my haunches and touch her cheek, causing her to peer up at me. ¡°You did well, Mia,¡± I say with nothing but pride swelling in my chest. ¡°You protected us when I couldn¡¯t.¡± She shakes her head and I watch as a lone tear slips down her cheek. ¡°I killed them¡­ Niko, I murdered someone!¡± It takes me a few seconds to realize Mia is not in shock because she¡¯s holding Ares again, but because she killed two pieces of shit who deserved it. I sit down behind her and wrap my arms around her shaking body. ¡°These three can¡¯t be seen as people, Mia. If you didn¡¯t act when I failed you both, we would beying in their ces with Ares halfway across the country to experience everything I went through.¡± This makes her snap out of it and she turns her head to face me with glistening eyes. ¡°No! No¡­Ares-¡± ¡°You did well, my love,¡± I say, kissing the side of her head. ¡°You protected your family and pack when I was unable to. There is no reason for you to feel guilty for killing these cunts; you should be fucking proud of it. I know I am.¡± Her bottom lip trembles and it pisses me off that she feels guilty for killing them. But then again, this is my Mia we¡¯re talking about - she¡¯ll feel bad for stepping on a bug by mistake. I get to my feet and scoop them up into my arms, just as I see Maxim walking towards the container. He takes in our bloodied frames, then his eyes widen when he sees all three dead women. ¡°Three getaway vehicles were found a few yards from here with a n of warriors and something else you need to see,¡± he says. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter, for now, we¡¯ve killed the warriors and the Gammas are bringing the bodies here.¡± ¡°Burn them all,¡± I say with no remorse and Maxim gives me a nod of his head before walking inside the container. I think of nothing else as I ce Mia and Ares in the backseat, then keep quiet as I drive like a bat out of hell to get my family home. Mia feeds Ares on the way, but I know she is drained from all of this. She lost a lot of blood through giving birth, had less than an hour¡¯s sleep after, and still fought to get rid of our enemies. The adrenaline rush has passed, so dead on her feet doesn¡¯t evene close to how she must feel. I nce up asionally to watch her, and after she burps Ares, I can see her eyes threatening to close. Luckily we¡¯re a block from home and when I stop the SUV, I grab Ares from her and help her inside. ¡°You need to go clean up, kardia mou. I¡¯ll watch over Ares,¡± I tell her when we walk up the stairs to our bedroom. ¡°I promise I¡¯m not going anywhere, okay?¡± She nods and offers me a wan smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says and walks towards the bathroom while I tend to Ares. I strip off the clothing he wore and rece them with clean ones, then I check his little diaper, clean him up, and put him back into his bass after changing the nkets. An hour after he was born he already had an adventure without even knowing; I¡¯d rather that not happen again. I run the back of my thumb over his cheek and smile; the reality finally sets in that this is actually my son. He didn¡¯t exactly have the most conventional conception, and his parents aren¡¯t the most normal couple, but he will know and feel that he is loved. Mia walks out of the bathroom wearing nothing, and when she goes to the closet, I see the scars on her back have healedpletely. I grit my teeth thinking about the way my mother whipped her with the same modified cat ¡®o nine tails she used on me so long ago. That bitch tried to shame my Luna while I did nothing but fall head-first into my memories. When shees out of the walk-in wearing one of my t-shirts, I run over to her and wrap my arms tightly around her tiny body. ¡°I am so sorry, Mia,¡± I say while listening to her heartbeat. She holds onto me and lets out a long, painful breath. ¡°You have no reason to apologize to me, Nikos. That wretched woman used the trauma she inflicted against you; and since you haven¡¯t truly dealt with it, it came back. There¡¯s no reason to me yourself-¡± I break off the embrace and frown at her. ¡°Mia, I left you to fend for yourself. You could have died!¡± Smiling, she cups my cheek and kisses my lips. ¡°And yet, here I am. We¡¯re Alpha and Luna, my love; if you fall, I have to be the one to rise, and vice versa. You didn¡¯t choose a weak woman who constantly needs your protection, you know,¡± she says. Yet again I wonder why the Goddess blessed me with someone like her. ¡°I love you,¡± I say, meeting her lips with a soft kiss. ¡°You¡¯re an amazing woman, Mia.¡± She kisses me back and smiles against my lips. ¡°And I love you, my Alpha. But I think you have some unfinished business to tend to.¡± The smile vanishes from my face and I raise a questioning eyebrow at her. ¡°I do?¡± She nods and says, ¡°I caught some of the chatter over the mind link; Maxim is waiting for you in the office with something quite odd.¡± Maxim did say there was something I needed to see, but right now my responsibility lies with Mia and Ares. ¡°It can wait-¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t. ce Panzer inside here and Armata outside and I¡¯ll be fine to sleep, then go to see what your Beta has,¡± she interjects with a bossy tone I find incredibly sexy. She must see the desire on my face because she rolls her eyes. ¡°Mind out the gutter, Alpha!¡± I can¡¯t help but chuckle before nting another kiss on her lips. ¡°Please, get some rest. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Sighing, she walks over to the bed and falls down. ¡°I have every intention of sleeping for a week straight, thank you very much,¡± she says before crawling under the covers. I give her another look of longing before I leave the bedroom. The Twins walk towards me and I give them their instructions. ¡°No one goes in there, not even Maxim, without my say-so,¡± I remind them and I see them visibly flinching at their previous fuck up. When I walk into my office I see Maxim holding up the severed heads of my mother and aunt to a bloody, kneeling figure. His eyes flicker to me and a grin slips onto his lips before he kicks the man backward. My eyes fall on the man as he cries out in pain, then rage has me in its grip. Arms constrict around me and hold me back from tearing out Josef¡¯s throat and Maxim walks towards me, cing his hands on my shoulders. ¡°Before you give him the death he so rightfully deserves, you need to hear what he has to say,¡± he says, and I frown at his reaction. Maxim is a kill-first ask-questionster type of warrior, so what does Josef know that might help me? I nod and Divan releases my arms and I walk over to the bloody lump before pulling the fucker to his feet. ¡°Speak and you might just get a swift death,¡± I say and he must know I am lying. No one deserves a swift death, much less this cunt. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Josef¡¯s eyes scan the room, dread seeping into his scent when he sees the calm in my eyes. Knox is just about ready to murder, but I manage to keep him in ce. ¡°Melodiya and Mariyah,¡± he stutters, saying the names of my mother and aunt. ¡°Are the daughters of Evalina and Demitrios Karras. Mariyah is - was, my real mother. She is the one who sent me here to spy on you for the Karras Elders, and my real father¡­is Mischa Popov.¡± I have to take an actual step back to absorb this news. Josef is my half-brother - his father is the man who had Bastien¡¯s mate killed -Mikhail¡¯s fucking father- and the Elders put him here to spy on me. ¡°Why did they want me and Mia dead?¡± is the only question out of my mouth as my hand goes to his throat. ¡°Answer.¡± I feel him swallow deeply before he answers me. ¡°B-because they wanted to put Mikhail in charge,¡± he says what I already suspected and my ws slide like a knife through butter through his throat. The sound of blood gurgling at his throat makes me roll my eyes and I breathe out a long sigh. ¡°Get this cleaned the fuck up. I am going to have a long shower and sleep next to my fucking Luna. This,¡± I say, gesturing to Josef in his death throes. ¡°Will be dealt with when I can think clearly.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Maxim and Divan answered and I walked out of my office and back to Mia. After I shower, I climb into bed next to her - my head didn¡¯t even hit the pillow before sleep dragged me under. Chapter 48 - Mia and Nikolaos Chapter 48 - Mia and Nikos I look over at Niko with a frown on my face. We¡¯ve stopped in front of the gilded gates where the Elders supposedly live and from what he¡¯s told me, they don¡¯t know he¡¯s here. I suspect he¡¯s about to retaliate for what happened, but I cannot be sure. ¡°Are you going to tell me why we¡¯re here?¡± I ask, a sliver of unease slipping down my back. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned a thing and to be honest, this is all freaking me out.¡± It¡¯s nearly 8 PM; the Gammas are on foot, Maxim is overseeing things back home and Ares is asleep on the backseat in his little chair. Why would he have the Pente out here with us if it wasn¡¯t an infiltration? What does Niko have nned? Niko reaches over and touches my chin. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± I scoff. ¡°What kind of question is that? Of course, I trust you!¡± I say, then he leans over to ce a kiss on my lips. ¡°Then trust me now. No matter what you see or hear in there, trust me and my words,¡± he says cryptically and gets out of the car. Walking over to where Ares is, he removes him from his little seat, and hands him over to me with a warm nket. I hate being out here in the cold and dead of night with him, but Niko has something nned so I should just trust in him for now. Taking my hand, he leads us up the stone steps to the mansion while holding something in his other hand. I feel the Gammas are close, but not too close to cause attention to be drawn to them. I don¡¯t see any guards stationed around the perimeter at all, which I thought was odd until I see Ghost slip around a corner and realize something that makes my heart drop. Nikos might be taking out the Elders tonight. ¡°Not a word, little rabbit,¡± he says as he opens the front doors. He knows me so well already that he can pick up on my thoughts and it makes me smile even as unease sets in my heart. His loud footfalls echo throughout the mansion and yet I still see no guards approaching. The ce feels more like a museum than a packhouse - art disyed everywhere, antique furniture and unique contraptions I realize are all torture equipment. Oh, gross. We turn a corner where I hear voices; then he walks into what seems to be a dining room where four people are seated having dinner together. They seem ancient, graying, and well dressed; but they jump up when they see Niko, surprise and some fear in their scents. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Nikos?!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just barge in here!¡± ¡°Where are the guards!¡± They all mor to get their annoyance and surprise out, the looks on their faces now bing masks of anger. While they¡¯re looking at Niko with disgust, no one seems to notice me. Niko lets go of my hand and takes a step toward them with the bag in his hand. ¡°Karras Elders, forgive me for simply barging in while you¡¯re having dinner together. But you¡¯ve given me no choice, seeing as you¡¯ve refused to see me for thest week.¡± He says, maintaining his smile. One of the women scoffs. ¡°So you decide to sneak into our home like this? Unforgivable!¡± she says, mming her fist on the table while one of the men steps forward. ¡°Care to exin what¡¯s going on?¡± he asks, looking down at Niko as if he¡¯s trash. ¡°Is this your so-called surrogate and bastard?¡± I can feel him bristle, ready to tear them apart, but then he chuckles, looks back at me, and winks. ¡°Indeed,¡± he says. This is when Niko reaches into the back bag and pulls out something that makes me dry heave - two severed heads - then he throws it on the table in front of them. ¡°I¡¯ve alsoe to return what¡¯s left of your daughters,¡± he says, and screams erupt around the table. One of the women screams so loud that she tumbles backward, while the man holding her looks at the heads with a nk expression. ¡°What is this?¡± he whispers, white as a sheet. Niko gestures for me to approach, then he ces an arm around me. ¡°I¡¯ve kept my end of our agreement; not only do I have a Luna, but an heir,¡± he says proudly, then his voice drops low. ¡°But if I so much as suspect you might be in my territory, I will not hesitate to do to you what we did to your daughters.¡± He doesn¡¯t wait for them to respond, he simply walks out with no fear and his head held high. I¡¯m really not sure what the point of this interaction was, so I turn to Niko with a frown on my face. ¡°Did you need to do that?¡± I ask as we walk down the steps again. ¡°You dragged us out of here just for that?!¡± Niko chuckles and shrugs. ¡°Oh, you mean this?¡± I¡¯m about to ask why he¡¯s smirking when my heart nearly bursts out of my chest at the explosion behind me. I hold Ares close while my jaw drops open at what I¡¯m looking at - Niko has just blown up the mansion with the Elders still inside. mes burst through the windows, and from here I slowly hear the four heartbeats slowing down and reduced to nothing. ¡°Niko!¡± I try to keep my horrified voice low, but he simply shrugs and pulls me close while we walk away. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± ¡°Did I forget to mention they were in my territory?¡± he says, grinning and I remember hisst warning to them. I¡¯m still shaking as he walks us to the SUV, uncertainty gnawing in my gut. This isn''t good! ¡°But what if their children attempt to get revenge for their deaths?! What happens to us?!¡± I now shriek, knowing this can¡¯t be the end of it, but Niko cups my face gently and kisses my forehead. ¡°Leave that worry to me for now, my love,¡± he says with a smile and opens the SUV door for me to put Ares back in. How can I not worry about something like this? Niko has put targets on our backs by killing the Elders! We climb into the SUV, but he doesn¡¯t start it; instead, he turns to me and sighs. ¡°I had to do this, Mia; they not only tried to have you and Ares killed, but they¡¯re the reason Mischa killed Bastien¡¯s mate and why my mother was so messed up. Everything starts and ends with them; there was no other way.¡± He exins, then takes my hand in his. ¡°When I say don¡¯t worry, I mean that everything is already taken care of. There will be no blowback from the Elder''s family because they all wanted them eliminated; some of them washed their hands from the sickening lineage.¡± I take a deep breath and allow this news to wash over me. ¡°So¡­they gave their blessings?¡± Niko nods and draws my hand to his lips. ¡°They did. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you about something like this, not when it concerns you and Ares,¡± he says. Somehow this sets my heart at ease and when I let out a sigh, I lean forward and kiss his stubbled cheek. ¡°Thank you for taking care of the threats to our pack, Alpha,¡± I say and see the visible shiver in his body. He pulls me close to kiss me, deepening it when I moan into his mouth. I have a feeling that I won¡¯t be getting much sleep tonight, seeing as I can already smell his arousal. We leave and a secret smile crosses my lips. Somehow this feels like we can breathe easy after this, but I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up, yet. *** Nikos I wake up early and get ready to greet the six women who will be arriving from various packs. Maxim tried to get out of getting married, but I told him this needed to be done to secure alliances with these Alphas. just because I acquired Mikhail''s territories, doesn''t mean I have the alliances he forged. Stepping out of our bedroom, I head downstairs to my living room to see Maxim and the Gammas waiting. They¡¯re all wearing somber expressions, especially Divan, but I won¡¯t change my mind about this. ¡°Can you all stop looking like you¡¯re on your way to a funeral?¡± I growl as I step inside and the Gammas straighten up but Maxim just rolls his eyes at me. He doesn''t say anything; he simply crosses his arms This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. and scowls at me. The warriors stationed at the front gates let me know three armored vehicles have arrived and I allow them to enter after they¡¯ve inspected them. In the next few minutes, six beautiful women will arrive and my men have to choose between them; why the fuck are they looking like I¡¯ve given them a death sentence? Stifling another growl, I calm myself down when the front door opens and turn to meet the women being ushered in¡­ only instead of six women, there are five. The one that is not here is pissing me off already, but then again, what did I expect? I frown and walk towards them. ¡°Wee,dies. Am I wrong to assume there should be six of you?¡± They¡¯re quiet, fear palpable in their scents until one of them, a short, dark-haired one that I recognize as Gianna Rossi, steps forward and nods. ¡°There should be, Alpha, but Xiomara Montesino escaped one town over,¡± she says in a soft voice. This little piece of information makes the anger bubble up in my chest because Xiomara was supposed to be Maxim¡¯s fucking bride. I chose her because her father mentioned she¡¯s a rebellious spitfire and thought she would suit my Beta well. ¡°Thank you, Gianna,¡± I say and she gives me a small smile. I walk towards Maxim and ce a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this would be considered your lucky day, but Xiomara was supposed to be yours,¡± I say with a smirk. He¡¯s about to smile when he sees my smirk and scoffs instead. ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m about to regret this?¡± I pat his back. ¡°Because you¡¯re about to go bride-hunting, my good friend. She escaped one town over, question the drivers, and bring her back so she can take her fucking ce,¡± I say, and notice how his jaw clenches. He nods, then disappears. Now, it¡¯s time to move over to the Gammas. They¡¯re lined up and looking intimidating as fuck and I roll my eyes. These boys just can¡¯t rx, for shit¡¯s sake. ¡°Divan, Romano, Levi, Liam, and Isaac, meet your prospective brides,¡± I say and walk towards them, gesturing to each as I introduce them. ¡°Gianna, Eden, Noelle, Demi, and Alessia.¡± The women seem terrified, but they smile anyway. Not much can be said about the Gammas who look like they would rather be burnt alive than be here. Sighing, I cross my arms and tell them over the mind link to look at me. ¡°Choose the one which catches your eye and we¡¯ll make arrangements for the wedding to take ce within the next two months,¡± I say, then I take a step back and watch as they choose the ones who will help secure alliances. Divan takes the initiative and walks towards them, immediately choosing Gianna. I think this is odd, seeing as out of all five, Gianna is the most timid out of all of them. Ghost is ruthless and cold, so why would he choose her? Interesting. Romano, known as Descry, picks Eden. Isaac, also Harken, picks Alessa, while Liam and Levi - Panzer and Armata, choose Noelle and Demi. After the selection is made, I instruct the Gammas to take their intended and get to know them better. I swear, it¡¯s like watching an awkward middle school dance with all the anxiety and stress I can pick up. I pinch the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb - this is going to be harder than I expected. Epilogue - Mia Epilogue - Mia I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve beenughing for, but I can no longer feel my cheeks. My sides ache from trying to breathe whileughing, one side of my face is smeared with frosting and the glitter bombs they shoot at me have my hair all tangled up. Doubled over, full of cake, andughing at Niko looking confused at the sight in front of him. It¡¯s the afternoon of the autumnal Equinox, and I along with the Pente brides have decided to get to know each other better. They¡¯ve moved onto the packnds and are staying in the mansion with us until they¡¯re married to their partners. Maxim still hasn¡¯t returned after going out to look for his missing bride, but Niko doesn¡¯t seem worried about it. Me, on the other hand, I am not sure if I¡¯m worried about the bride or Maxim himself. I get up and walk towards him, throwing my arms around his neck. ¡°Hello, my love,¡± I greet him in a cheery voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you back untilter this evening.¡± ¡°The meetings wrapped up sooner than expected,¡± he says, frowning at the giggling women behind him. ¡°Am I missing something?¡± ¡°Nope! We¡¯re just getting to know each other better,¡± I say, turning back to look at them. Just a few days ago they were terrified littlembs, now they¡¯ve rxed some. Well, I suppose the champagne is helping quite a bit. ¡°Hmm, well I¡¯ll leave you to it; when you¡¯re done,e to my office, I have something to show you,¡± he says and presses a kiss to my forehead before walking back to the mansion. ¡°Enjoy,dies.¡± I watch as he walks away with a squeezing heart, then I turn back to women who have gone quiet. They look up at me expectantly, but I have no idea why until I sit down next to Gianna and she takes my hand in hers. ¡°Luna, how¡­¡± she starts, blushing. ¡°How did you get someone as scary as the Alpha to fall in love with you?¡± I blink and turn to look at their faces shining with the same curious look present on Gianna¡¯s face. That question makes me think a bit, because there¡¯s no way you can get Niko to do anything he doesn¡¯t want to do. ¡°How did I get Niko to fall in love with me?¡± I sit back in the wrought-iron chair and cross my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t think I did anything of the sort.¡± Eden rolls her eyes. ¡°Yeah and my father isn¡¯t a cold as fuck asshole who sells off his daughters,¡± she says, scoffing. ¡°You¡¯ve got the second most powerful Alpha wrapped around your little finger, Luna. Spill your secrets so we know what we need to do about our situations.¡± I frown at this. ¡°Situations? Are the Gammas-¡± ¡°Cold? Ignores us? Never talks? Yeah, pretty much,¡± Eden interjects, then she sighs. ¡°We¡¯ll be here for a while and know what¡¯s expected of us. But¡­how do we do that when our husbands are literal walls of stone?¡± Oh¡­The Gammas can be quite intimidating. I remember how much they scared me when I first met them in Sin City - I can¡¯t imagine spending a lot of time with them. Then again, Niko was the same. I look at each of their faces; Gianna with her kind blue eyes, Eden with the defiance lingering in her green ones, Noelle and Demi and their unreadable hazel color, and Alessia with her distant gray eyes. These women wille to be my family soon; they¡¯ll be the sisters I never had and since I am their Luna, I feel a responsibility to them. Sighing, I offer them a small smile. ¡°All I did was be myself; I did nothing different. I didn¡¯t push, didn¡¯t pry, didn¡¯t force him to love me. One thing I did wrong was lying to him when I should have just told him the truth, and that was the worst mistake I ever made.¡± I say, cringing at the memory of running away from the pack house. Alessia sits forward and narrows her eyes at me. ¡°So, just be as we are? Nothing over the top to try and break the ice?¡± I nod. ¡°Youdies need to remember that the Gammas are battle ready and hardened from years of fighting. Alpha Nikos trained them and honed their skills to the best of his ability, so they¡¯re always primed for war. Thest thing they will want is to fight a war with their partners at home,¡± I say, thinking back to Divan¡¯s words. ¡°Be yourselves. Be the kind women I see today. Apart from me and the Alpha, the Gammas have never experienced true kindness; kindness that doesn¡¯t hide ulterior motives. The only advice I can give you today is to not push things with these soldiers, give them and yourselves the time to adjust to things.¡± I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m getting through to them at all, but from the looks on their faces, I don¡¯t think they expected this advice. But truth be told, there¡¯s no easy way to get through to a warrior who only knows violence. As much as people think I worked magic, I didn¡¯t tame Nikos, not in the slightest. The cold Alpha is still there; he just reserves the sweet part for me. After a few minutes, I think the lesson has stuck because the looks on their faces are all different. The determination to get through to their partners is there, but now it seems like there¡¯s some renewed motivation. I hope this is a good thing. The afternoon draws to a close when I tell them I need to head up to feed Ares. My breasts are full and hard, so that gives me all the indication that my son will be waking up soon. After I say goodbye, they still stay in the back garden to sip on their champagne; I didn¡¯t indulge for obvious reasons. Like clockwork, Ariadne has Ares in her arms and he¡¯s already starting to get niggly. ¡°He just woke up,¡± she says with a smile as she hands him to me. ¡°Something tells me the beasty is starving.¡± When she says this, I look down to see the wet spots on my blouse and chuckle. It¡¯s only been a short while since I gave birth, but Ares is already looking more and more like Niko. From the proud nose, to the constant scowl on his little face. I have a sneaky suspicion that he¡¯ll be a formidable Alpha like his father, too. After feeding and burping him, I express the rest, clean up and change into a fresh shirt and sports bra. Then I head to the nursery and smile at what I see. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯re okay to still watch him?¡± I ask Ariadne as she settles into her chair by the window in the nursery. ¡°I could call the minders?¡± She makes a dismissive noise and waves me away. ¡°He¡¯s my only great-grandchild; I would like to spend every waking moment with him,¡± she says with a warm smile. I walk over to her and give her a hug. ¡°Thank you,¡± is all I manage to say, but I am certain she knows how much I mean it. Grandmothers are a blessing; great-grandmothers are even more so. Kissing her silver hair, I walk out of the nursery towards Niko¡¯s office. He mentioned needing to show me something, but it didn¡¯t seem like bad news. He¡¯s sifting through some paperwork and looks up when I enter, a small smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± I nod and walk around his desk to sit on hisp. ¡°I did; the brides wanted some advice from me seeing as I tamed the SilverCrest Alpha.¡± His eyebrow lifts and amusement fills those gorgeous green eyes. ¡°Oh, did you? And what advice did you give them?¡± he asks as he leans back in his chair to look at me properly. I ce my arms around his neck and sigh. ¡°I told them to just be themselves and not hide anything from their partners. Thest thing they want is a war inside their own homes aftering back from fighting one.¡± ¡°That is good advice; well done, Luna,¡± he says, pressing his lips to mine in a chaste kiss. ¡°Now, I have a surprise for you.¡± I hardly ever get excited or curious anymore, but those feelings are gnawing at my stomach right now. He reaches down and unlocks the bottom drawer of his desk, then hands me a brown envelope. ¡°Go ahead, open it,¡± he says as he ces the envelope in my hands and kisses my fingers. Swallowing hard as a frown marrs my eyebrows, I take it from him and open it with shaky hands. That frown deepens when I pull out the official-looking papers and when I start to read them, my heart drops. ¡°I thought it was fitting,¡± he says, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing the side of my head. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Warm tears cascade down my cheeks as I re-read the words in front of me; my name is Mia Ioannides, married to Nikos Ioannides since the 16th of December - the day I ran into him in that alley. ¡°I finally managed to recover your hidden files and had a few things changed including the identity of your real father. Giovanni will not have a hold on you anymore, Mia, you¡¯re finally free of him.¡± He whispers into my ear as my tears continue to fall down. I put the papers down and throw my arms around him in an embrace, sobbing at yet another kindness Niko has shown me. My life changed when I ran into him in that alley, and since then it has been for the better. ¡°Thank you, Nikos,¡± I murmured past the tears. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯ve given me a reason to breathe, kardia mou; this is the least I could do,¡± he says, stroking my hair as I continue to cry. ¡°I should be the one thanking you.¡± Niko dries my tears after a few minutes and cups my face in his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner, then afterward I would like to fully appreciate my wife,¡± he says with a mischievous smirk. That¡¯s when I remember that we¡¯re legally married now and a shy smile tugs at my lips. ¡°I think I like that idea,¡± I say and I stand up. Heces his hands with mine and walks me out of his office to our first official dinner as husband and wife. *** I wake up with a start, an odd feeling wing at my chest. Turning my head, I see Niko is still fast asleep and tiptoe to the bathroom to ssh my face. Something feels off, it has since after we made love this evening. Breathing out a sigh, I walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the back garden and I feel Star stirring. She seems restless, pacing up and down before settling - then doing the same thing again. What¡¯s going on? Why do I feel like my whole body is on fire? I look up at the full moon, noticing its cresting, and exhale again. Looking up at it seems to ease me a bit, so I level my breathing in an attempt to calm my nerves and the prickling of my skin. Strong arms wrap around my body and Niko¡¯s scent fills my nose. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I was sleeping and woke up feeling¡­weird,¡± I say as I lean back onto his bare chest. His heart is beating just as fast as mine, and I sense the same unease in him as well. He walks around and tilts my chin up to face him¡­that¡¯s when the ufortable feeling immediately goes away. Our eyes widen at the same time, our hearts beating in time and the connection we¡¯ve always shared feels solidified - like a barrel bolt lock sliding into ce. ¡°MATE¡­¡± we say in unison, but where I whisper the word, Niko growls it. He pulls me closer and meets my mouth in a rough kiss, iming me not only as his wife but now as his mate. Was this the uneasy feeling my wolf¡¯s way of saying I was close to my mate and needed to be imed? Star must have been as clueless as me because she looks shocked as she sees Niko¡¯srge Lycan beast looking at her as if he wants to devour her. We never expected to meet our mate since it¡¯s so rare, but now something is clear. You can only meet your mate at the Equinox. He picks me up and carries me back to our bed, ripping off my flimsy nightdress and peppering chaste kisses all over my chest. ¡°Mate,¡± he growls again, nipping at my skin as he dives between my legs. My eyes shoot open and I look down, but there¡¯s no hesitation in Niko¡¯s scent when henguidly slides his tongue between my folds. In our time together, Niko has never done this; he always used to freeze up. But as his tongue works delicious circles around my oversensitive clit and his ws dig into my thighs, I have a feeling he¡¯s no longer terrified of initiating intimacy. My mind is delirious with want as Niko takes me higher and higher, finally letting me down to crash into tiny little pieces around him. I grip his head with my thighs, pulling on his hair and he growls while I ride out my orgasm. I¡¯m still in a haze when I feel hisrge body covers me and when I open my eyes, his crimson Alpha ones are staring right into mine. His hand goes to the back of my head, into my hair and my thighs wrap around my waist before he sinks into me in one swift motion. I cry out, tears springing into my eyes not simply because of the overwhelming emotion of Niko iming me under the full moon, but because Niko initiated this. He didn¡¯t freeze, he didn¡¯t stop or have a panic attack! ¡°Vas¨ªlissa mou,¡± he calls me his queen while thrusting slowly and hard inside of me. ¡°I love you; fuck, I love you so much.¡± Our bodies are flush against each other, and he¡¯s looking at me as if I¡¯m precious. ¡°I love you too, Nikos,¡± I murmur through tears, and when we finally reach our climax and I feel his knot growing. We fall apart together, out of breath but not letting go. He lifts his head and looks into my eyes, the crimson gone and reced with his lovely green color. His bottom lip trembles and he draws his forehead to mine. ¡°You were always the silver lining in the mushroom cloud of my fucked up existence,¡± he whispers in a shaky voice. ¡°Now I know why.¡± When his tears hit my cheek, my heart constricts and I hold him close, neither of us saying a thing. I know now that it was the Goddess giving me strength that night I escaped from Mikhail and ran into Niko¡¯s arms. She led me here to find him¡­ Nikos Ioannides, the broken man I helped heal; my husband, my Alpha, and now, my mate. The Alpha Kingpins Fixation - Excerpt The Alpha Kingpin''s Fixation - Excerpt -Anika/Anya- The blinding lights of the stage hit me even harder than my captor did an hour ago. All eyes are on me as I stand in nothing but a low-cut chiffon dress, barefoot, and with a face full of makeup to cover my cuts and bruises. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything to her face, assholes!¡± one of my captors had said, but the damage had been done. All because I had been too out of it to notice what had been done to me¡­ What they would still do to me. Inded in Las Vegas yesterday, ready to celebrate my 21st birthday with a few close friends. Everything was perfect until we reached our final hotel bar crawl. We ordered sses of champagne, and when I got up to head to the bathroom, a hand mped around my mouth, and darkness took me before I could scream for help from Liev, my personal guard. Guards, you ask? Well, my name is Anya Popov, and before my abduction, I was the only daughter of a Russian Alpha Pakhan - a mafia princess for a better term. The only difference is I¡¯m human - a w to a great man like my father. But he loved me nheless. My eyes adjust to the bright light and scan the crowd as they all hungrily look up at me. Apart from the dingy backstage, the entire ce looks fancier than I expected, simr to an opera house, but it doesn¡¯t ease up my anxiety at all. In fact, it makes me feel even worse because now I know these people have money¡ªa lot of it. I spot primarily middle-aged to older men, and I can tell they¡¯re all itching to get their hands on me. I¡¯ve seen predatory nces before, and right now, I¡¯m as safe as a newbornmb in front of a pack of hungry wolves, forck of a better term. Sweat trickles down my back, and my heart hammers against my chest as my predicament finally hits me; one of these people will purchase me to do with as they please, and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. ¡°This little princess has just turned 21; by the Goddess¡¯ grace, she¡¯s still a virgin!¡± My heart constricts as the MC talks to the crowd, eliciting favorable murmurs from them. What?! How could they have possibly known that I was still a virgin?! I swallow hard as an awful feeling settles in my heart - one of those disgusting goons possibly vited me. ¡°She¡¯s yours to do anything as you please as bidding starts at-¡± ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± A deep male voice cuts through my captor¡¯s introductions, and I flinch at the anger behind his tone. I look up, but even as the harsh lights block out his face, I can tell this man exudes power. ¡°Get her off the stage right this instant!¡± My breath hitches in my throat when he grabs me by my forearm and pushes me behind him. Unweed relief settles in my bones; could this be my savior? Will I be able to leave?! ¡°Apologies,dies, and gentlemen, but there has been a mistake. This little bird is not for sale as this auction does not permit the sale of humans or any supernatural creatures.¡± He says,manding the entire crowd with his voice, then motions with his hand for the MC to continue before pulling me off stage. Even as I shiver in fear, I can tell he¡¯spletely livid. When I look down, I can see an intricate tattoo on the top of his hand, and something inside of me screams ¡®Mafia,¡¯ and that bit of relief gets snatched away. What will happen to me now that no one has bought me? Will this man kill me because I know of his ck-market auction? We stop in front of a room, and when he pulls me towards him, his heady, exotic cologne envelopes my senses before pushing me inside. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking move,¡± he warns before mming the door and leaving me alone in what looks like a backstage changing room. Once again, I didn¡¯t even look up at his face before he left because I was terrified. This man seems to demand submission, even more so than my father back in Russia. I know that whatever he has nned for me can¡¯t be good, so right now, I can do nothing but wait as my fate gets decided by an unknown man. I haven¡¯t cried since those three men took me, but I can feel tears threatening to break the surface right now. I wrap my arms around my waist, and a shiver shoots up my spine. What is going to happen to me once he returns? Will my life be snuffed out even before it begins? ¡°What the fuck do you mean?¡± I hear his voice on the other side of the door, and immediately my heart starts to pound even more. ¡°Who the fuck gave you permission to sell a woman?¡± ¡°Diavolos did; he assured me you would be okay with this since it is the fifth anniversary of the auction,¡± the voice of my second captor answers, and I subconsciously take a step back from the door. This is the violent one who pped me when I dared to talk. ¡°Fucking Diavolos,¡± the other man growls, then sighs. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll handle this. Tell him I will send 3 million for the girl and that this is thest fucking time he pulls a stunt like this.¡± He says. I can¡¯t help but catch a faint ent in his tone, and it leaves me wondering who exactly this man is. Then something urs to me, and it is like a bucket of ice water is poured all over my body. This man has just paid 3 million for me¡­he owns me now. Just as I realize this, the door opens, and the man who now owns me walks in. I manage to look up into his face this time, and my heartbeat races even more. Even though he exudes power, he is breathtakingly handsome. He has dark hair, dark green eyes, and even though he¡¯s wearing a suit, I can tell that his body could serve as a weapon. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He looks me up and down, and I feel as if I¡¯m being appraised before he turns on his heel and walks out of the room. The intensity of his stare rendered me speechless, and as I was about to breathe out a sigh, my second captor walks in with a cocky grin stered on his face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a lucky one?¡± he says, his Irish ent mocking me. ¡°You now belong to the most powerful man in Sin City, congrattions.¡± I don¡¯t know how lucky I should count myself, so I ask, ¡°Who exactly is that?¡± The grin I get from him sends a disgusting shiver up my spine. ¡°Your pussy now belongs to Alpha Bastien Ioannides, love,¡± he says, then cackles as he walks away without a care in the world. As if he just didn¡¯t rip mine apart with that name. Alpha Bastien Ioannides - the name hangs like a trophy in my father¡¯s mansion; thest Greek wolf pack he took out and insulted before leaving for Russia, and now I have just been bought by that very man. But how was he still alive when my father supposedly killed him? Was it simply pure bad luck that I ended up here? The only reason I know all of this is because my father gets a bit too chatty when he¡¯s had one too many sses of Vodka. He always made me join him for a nightcap and revealed to me what he thought his most significant achievement was. The fall of the Ioannides SilverCrest pack and the subsequent ruination of I Ioannides before sending her back to her mate in pieces. How ironic that I should end up like this when my father brutalized Bastien¡¯s wife and sent him a video afterwards? And how ironic is it that I might end up just like her? I sink to the floor, and yet still no tearse through my horror even though I know for sure that this man might just kill me if he has to find out who I truly am. Even if I had to lie and give him a different name, I am sure he has the means to figure out who I am. In that case, I am dead right after I leave this room. The door swings open again, and another man walks in. He¡¯s wearing a three-piece suit, has long ck hair, and has the same air of intimidation around him as Bastien. Sighing, he looks bored as he gives me a once-over, then cocks his head to the side. ¡°Come with me,¡± he says, then walks out again, expecting me to follow him. I blink, then get to my feet before another blow heads my way for not listening and stupidly follow after the man. I can still hear the MC and cringe thinking back to being on that stage underneath the hot, ring lights without knowing what would happen to me. By the looks on the faces of the men in the crowd, some of them would have loved to buy me for their sick fantasies. A disgusted feeling coils in my stomach at the thought, knowing that even though none of those men bought me, someone else did¡ªsomeone who is much more dangerous than anyone in that crowd. As soon as I step out of the room, the long-haired man grabs my forearm and pulls me along with him to God knows where. You would think I would be used to being pulled around like this, but whenever an unknown man touches me, I feel like I want to vomit uncontrobly. After a few minutes, wee to a stop outside a barred elevator, and he keys in a long code. When the doors open, he pulls me inside and shoots me a sideways nce. ¡°Fucking left babysitting,¡± he grumbles before the doors open, and I am once again pulled around. But this time, my surroundings puzzle me. Why am I in the living room of an expensive-looking hotel suite? ¡°Mr. Ioaniddes will be up here to sort this shit out. Sit on your ass and wait for him,¡± the long-haired man says, and I can do nothing but wait for my death sentence. Betas Runaway Bride: 1 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 1 - Xiomara I may be the daughter of an Alpha but I am no one¡¯s sold bride. The second my Papa told me he¡¯ll be giving me to the Alpha in the East, I knew my life would no longer be mine. I started nning my escape; saving money and knowing the only open window will be when I get taken to be paraded in front of the Alpha. I didn¡¯t have a choice in this; I would never have a choice of my own again. I¡¯ll belong to one of his men and there was nothing I could do about it because it¡¯s ¡®for the good of the pack.¡¯ Does my Papa take me for a fool? I can¡¯t let this happen, I would rather die, and live as a homeless wench than be someone¡¯s little toy. He should have known better since I have my Mama¡¯s rebelliousness. The Herrera fire lives on in me even if he tried to train me to be gentle. Now here I am, hiding in a dingy motel with the hope that the Alpha doesn¡¯t send anyone after me. Not that I think he will; I¡¯m sure he has plenty of other brides he can choose from. I¡¯ll give it about a week or two, then I¡¯ll leave this town and take a flight out of this country. I¡¯ll survive on my own. I don¡¯t need anyone else. This will probably make that Alpha exile my father¡¯s pack, but that¡¯s no longer my problem. Thest person to care about me was my Mama, and she¡¯s long gone. I would¡¯ve been more loyal if he treated me like a daughter and not a tool he could barter with. I look up at the moldy ceiling, listening to the other tenants moving about. Right now there¡¯s a drug deal happening outside my door and I¡¯m sure the woman next door is a pack moll with the different male scents emanating through the paper-thin walls. But who am I to judge? I¡¯ve been here a week and know everyone minds their own business. This was the cheapest ce to rent on short notice and I have to save every cent. I just need a few more days, then I¡¯m out of here. I don¡¯t regret leaving my father¡¯s pack, I am certain he would have felt me going Rogue after I rejected the pack bond. ¡°You can do this, just like we went over it,¡± I say to myself, breathing deeply. ¡°He¡¯s not still looking for you; you¡¯re not some precious prize.¡± /¡°You¡¯re going to regret this, Zara,¡±/ my wolf, Yingze, chastises me once again. She¡¯s still bitter over being a Rogue now, but there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. /¡°I¡¯d rather be a Rogue than a ve, Yingze,¡±/ I say sadly, wishing she were more supportive of me. /¡°We¡¯ll get back on our feet as soon as we get to Cirrostratus Islet. We¡¯ll buy supplies and move to the forests where you¡¯ll take the lead.¡±/ Her ears perk up; I didn¡¯t tell her this part of the n yet. /¡°You¡¯ll let me take over? Are you sure?¡±/ I nod. /¡°What¡¯s the point of being a shifter if I can¡¯t be free and allow my wolf to lead me?¡±/ I say, sighing. /¡°I¡¯m tired of struggling as a human, Yin. Take my body and spirit and do with it as you please. We¡¯ll be happier that way.¡±/ She looks at me sadly, then she nods and disappears. I know the repercussions of staying in your wolf''s form for a long period; you lose your humanity and be the beast. Yingze will forget I¡¯m her vessel and give into her primal instincts. But it will be better that way. Sighing, I get up from my bed and walk over to the kitchen to make myself some camomile tea; it¡¯s nearly dark out and that means I need to head to get supplies for another day. I find it easier to buy what I need daily than stocking up because I might have to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. I¡¯ve made sure to remain inconspicuous, so people leave me alone. Just a few more days of this. I repeat the mantra over and over as if it¡¯s a prayer; a few more days to freedom, Zara. A few more days to happiness. At eight, I throw on my hoodie and elongate my ws for safety before heading out to the 24-hour mini- mart. I¡¯ll need two meals for tomorrow, three bottles of water, and another hoodie, since this one I¡¯ve worn this one for too long. It might attract the wrong kind of people. But as I stepped out of the motel and got closer to the mini-mart, I knew I should have changed hoodies sooner. The wolfsbane bomb hits the wall next to me, and I inhale without thinking. I drop to the floor in a coughing fit and the feeling of being surrounded causes my heart to constrict. What the hell is happening?! ¡°You were right, Alec; she came like clockwork,¡± one of them says in a muffled voice, and I feel a kick to This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. my side, winding me. Theyugh and someone picks me up, holding my hands behind my back and dragging me to a darkened corner. ?Mierda! I messed up! How am I going to get out of this if I can¡¯t even move?! My heart is beating so fast that I can hear it echoing loudly in my ears; I can¡¯t even call out to Yingze for help. The one holding me pulls me to my feet and when I look up to face them, they pull off their gas masks. My heart drops to my stomach then I see him lick his lips and smell the desire in his scent. Betas Runaway Bride: 2 - Maxim Beta''s Runaway Bride: 2 - Maxim How hard can it be to find a fucking woman in a small town?! I¡¯ve scoured all the motels, b&bs, and hotels, but there¡¯s no sign of Xiomara Montesino. It¡¯s been almost two weeks since Niko sent me out to find this woman but I had no idea where to start. After a warrior brought me an item of Xiomara¡¯s clothing I thought it would be easier to find her - how This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. fucking wrong was I? She wanted to disappear and did a good job of it; no scent or sound of her anywhere here and even two towns over, she was nowhere to be found. Her sweet jasmine andvender scent is nothing but an annoying temptation with no full-bodied woman attached to it. I know how she looks because of a picture Niko sent and I could see the fire and defiance in her hazel eyes. She¡¯s no timidmb, that¡¯s for sure. But damn, she¡¯s beautiful. Even as I wanted to reject her beauty and what she woulde to be once I found her, her scent called to me and what abination those two were. I don¡¯t want a wife; I don¡¯t want to be attached to anyone. I¡¯m fine living as a bachelor, fucking a high society moll, and moving on. But something in Xiomara¡¯s defiance made me want to tame her and my wolf started taking notice. Fuck, I¡¯m going to need to move on after this. It¡¯s myst night in this town, so I need to head one more town over. Gianna said Xiomara got off in this town, so I thought I¡¯d find her easily. How was I to know my bride would be a sneaky vixen? Raking my ck leather gloved hand through my hair and growling, I grab my things and walk out of the motel room, feeling more pissed off than before. Why do I have to run after a woman who doesn¡¯t want this any more than I do? Fuck it, I¡¯ll tell Niko to let it go. The Gammas will have their wives and secure those packs, I don¡¯t need it. He¡¯ll be pissed off with me, but I¡¯m done looking for this woman. After letting Niko know I¡¯ming back, I walk towards my SUV and decide to grab some bottled water on my way out of town. As I¡¯m walking inside, I hear amotion close to the mini-mart and the scent of wolfsbane burns my nose. I could walk away now and say it isn¡¯t my problem, but since this is SilverCrest territory, that makes it my problem. Groaning in frustration, I throw the bottled water in the SUV and stomp toward where I hear the obvious tear of clothing. Three punk-ass wannabe thugs are surrounding the body of a half-naked woman on the floor. Normally, this would anger me regardless, but when the smell of jasmine and sweetvender hits my nose, I be murderous. ¡°Can any of you tell me,¡± I say through gritted teeth and they spin around to face me. ¡°Why my bride is currently being vited?¡± It takes a few seconds for what I say to sink into their thick skulls and when it does; they jump away from Xiomara¡¯s body and take a few steps backward. ¡°B-Beta Maxim?¡± the one who ripped Xiomara¡¯s clothes off, starts. ¡°She¡¯s y-yours? Uh, we didn¡¯t know-¡± I rush forward and grab him by the neck before mming him hard against the stone wall. ¡°Regardless of her being mine, who gave you the fucking right to touch a woman without her consent?¡± I growl, listening to him sputter. The smell of piss makes me reel back in disgust and I throw him to the side. ¡°Ugh, fuck sakes!¡± I exim, stepping back. ¡°I¡¯m sending warriors to oversee this town; if I hear of any woman who has been vited in thest few months, I¡¯ming for your heads.¡± With that, they run as if the devil is chasing them, and I¡¯m about to walk when I hear a groan. My eyes snap to the half-naked body on the floor, pissed off at myself for nearly forgetting about herying there. I shrug off my leather jacket and walk over to her, crouching down and covering her with it before scooping her up into my arms. Pushing my anger and annoyance down, I carry her over to the SUV, knowing the wolfsbane will knock her out for a while. But I¡¯m more annoyed at myself knowing she¡¯s been here this entire fucking time and I never found her. /¡°Found her,¡±/ I tell Niko over the mind link before tuning him out. I know I have to take her to my ce, but I am also aware of how pissed off she will be once she wakes up and knows I¡¯ve managed to capture her. A slow smile crosses my face when I think about how she¡¯s going to freak out and possibly try to murder me in my sleep. My wolf smirks with anticipation because he wants to im and conquer this little runaway. But how long am I going to deny that it¡¯s not just him that wants to do it? When I get to the estate a few hourster, I don¡¯t head straight to the main pack house but turn left to go to my own house. It¡¯s further away than the Gamma¡¯s gatedplex, so it takes me about fifteen minutes to get there. Xiomara¡¯s still passed out as I carry her inside. I decided to put her in one of the guest rooms instead of my bedroom because I just literally saved her from being sexually assaulted. Opening the covers, Iy her down and cover her again, but I leave my leather jacket over her as well. I want my scent to be the first thing she wakes up to. Suddenly feeling tired, I head over to my own bedroom after making sure there¡¯s no way she can escape again. Fuck, I need to sleep. Betas Runaway Bride: 3 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 3 - Xiomara The sunlight seems harsher than before as my eyelids flutter open, and my head feels like I drank four bottles of dirt-cheap wine. What happened to mest night? Am Iing down with a cold or something? Must be; I¡¯m smelling sandalwood when I should be smelling mold. Well, something is making this motel¡¯s bed and sheets feel extra soft, and I groan while stretching. Only when I inhale deeply and open my eyes, do I realize that I am, in fact, not back at my shitty motel. ?Qu¨¦ m****a? I¡¯m in an expensive-looking bedroom; a four-poster bed including lush velvet draping, warm browns, soft reds, and decadent creams. This would be how I¡¯d decorate my room if my Papa didn¡¯t want everything in sterile ck and white. But that awe soon gets reced with terror, because I don¡¯t know where the hell I am. I jump from the bed, throwing off something heavy and gasping when I look down at my ripped t-shirt. Damn it, I don¡¯t remember what happenedst night! Did someone¡­was I raped? I lift up my shirt and when I catch a faint whiff of wolfsbane, my memories slowly return. Three guys surrounded me, ripping my clothes off, taking my money - but why would they bring me here afterward? ?Dios m¨ªo! Are they keeping me as a sex ve?! Panic rises in my throat and I pull the shirt from my body, including the damaged bra, before I start pacing the floor. But on my second walk in front of the bed, something ck catches my eye. Frowning, I slowly bend over to pick it up, only for the sandalwood scent to hit me again. It¡¯s a thick leather jacket, the good kind too. But whose is it? I throw the jacket down and sigh, marching over to the bathroom to do my business and ssh my face while formting a n to escape. There has to be a way out of here, right? When I¡¯m done in the bathroom, I walk over to the window only for my stomach to drop. I¡¯m on a massive estate; grass, a forest, houses, and buildings as far as I can see. My eyes fall on the guards patrolling two at a time at random intervals, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to escape them. I¡¯ve done it before. With my mind made up, I¡¯m about to sneak out of the room when I spot the clothesid out on my bed. I frown, certain they weren¡¯t there when I woke up and had my little meltdown. When I approach the t- shirt, undies, and jeans, I notice they¡¯re all in my exact size. Dread creeps into my heart when the thoughtes to me that someone might have undressed me to see my size. I still don¡¯t know where I am or how I got here, but when I went to the bathroom, I couldn¡¯t see any blood on me, nor am I hurting down there. Did this person maybe try to help me? Swallowing deeply, I strip the ruined clothing off and begrudgingly get into a shower (which I secretly loved but will never admit) before putting the clean clothes on. Then I take a deep breath and tiptoe out of the bedroom. The scent of sandalwood is even more potent here, and when I tiptoe downstairs, the smell of bacon wafts through the air and the sound of my stomach rumbling immediately gives me away. Damn it all to hell. I follow the smell and when I walk into the kitchen area, my mouth falls open at the sight in front of me. There¡¯s a blonde man at the stove top; he¡¯s wearing a pair of ck cargo pants and a ck t-shirt stretched tightly over his obviously muscr body. He¡¯s tall, way taller than me and I¡¯m 5 foot nine and it looks disgustingly sinful the way he¡¯s standing there even as he¡¯s just cooking. Who is this man? ¡°Good morning, Xiomara,¡± he says my name in a purr and it causes goosebumps to form all over my skin. Then he turns his head and looks at me with vacant blue eyes and a knowing smirk that has my mouth going dry. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Did I sleep well? I slept without a worry for the first time in almost two weeks! But I am not about to tell this stranger that - but wait, he knows my name? I walk around to the other side of the kitchen ind to face him directly, spying the knife block in the corner. ¡°Who are you?¡± I ask him with narrowed eyes and he pushes a te in front of me without answering. ¡°Why don¡¯t we eat before we get into that?¡± he says before grabbing his own and sitting on the opposite end of the ind. There¡¯s a sharp knife and fork on my te begging me to use them as weapons, but in the end, my hunger wins and I join the stranger in devouring the food handed to me. He watches me with a slight smile and a dangerous glint in his cold blue eyes, one that immediately gets my rm bells ringing. Not only that, but why is he wearing leather gloves while eating? Is he a germaphobe or doesn¡¯t he like getting blood on his hands after bringing women here? The thought sends a shiver down my spine as my fear leaves me thinking about a specific episode of YOU. What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Zara?! When we¡¯re done, he pushes his te away andces his fingers together underneath his chin before eyeing me with that look in his eyes again. It sends a shiver through my spine and I mentally chastise myself because it wasn¡¯t a cringy shiver at all. ¡°I¡¯m going to guess you don¡¯t know who I am,¡± he says, smirking and I roll my eyes. ¡°If I did, would I be this wary of you? I woke up in an unknown house with a stranger serving me breakfast-¡± ¡°And yet, you ate it and put on the clothing heid out for you. What happened to your survival instincts, Vixen?¡± he says in a tone that has me thinking he knows something I don¡¯t know, and for some reason, I blush. I never blush. Ever. Who is this guy? Growling, I grab the knife from my te and hold it in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask again, who the hell are you and why am I here?¡± I say, but that smirk turns into an amused smile and I am immediately pissed off. ¡°Tell me!¡± ¡°Or what, hmm?¡± Are you going to poke me with that little knife and see how far you get?¡± he teases. ¡°I do love a challenge.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I¡¯m about to lunge at him with the knife in my hand, but when I look again, I¡¯m face down on the counter, with one hand behind me and the other holding the knife above my head. I didn¡¯t even feel myself getting mmed against the marble. Then my eyes widened, and it hit me - he was never rough at all. He overpowered me within three seconds without hurting me. ¡°Get off!¡± I exim, trying to get out of his grasp as every self-defense maneuver escapes me. ¡°Let me go!¡± His heavy body leans over me and I feel his hot breath at my ear. ¡°I love how you think you can boss me around. I mean, you might be my intended bride, but that¡¯s only a title you¡¯ll possess and nothing more.¡± I can feel every inch of his solid body against me, then he steps back from me and I slowly turn around to look at him again. This is the man I¡¯ve been running from for days, and now he has me right where I was promised I¡¯d be. ¡°Maxim¡­¡± I trail off as his words wash over me - cold and unfeeling, just like they said he would be. I take a step back from him while my heart is a hummingbird in my chest and I try to keep it level while failing. When my father said he¡¯ll be giving me away to a Beta, I didn¡¯t want to know who he was or what he looked like. To me, he would just be a man who imed another trophy as the Alpha¡¯s most trusted. That look in Maxim¡¯s eyes tells me I¡¯m not far off, that he has every intention of making me submit to him. But he¡¯s got it wrong if he thinks I¡¯m someone who can be easily tamed; I¡¯m going down fighting, even if it ends in my death. He will soon learn I am no one¡¯s trophy. Betas Runaway Bride: 4 - Maxim Beta''s Runaway Bride: 4 - Maxim I move back from Xiomara and lean against the wall. The gravity of what I¡¯ve just said seems to sink in and she crosses her arms over her ample chest. ¡°So, in other words, I am your prisoner,¡± she says, jutting out her chin in defiance and I can¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Are you forgetting that your father gave you away? You¡¯re more like a gift, but one I didn¡¯t exactly ask for,¡± I say and grit my teeth. This seems to make her eyes narrow at me. ¡°What is that supposed to mean? If you do not want me, there¡¯s always an option to return to sender,¡± she says, and I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s actually being serious, but I burst outughing anyway. ¡°Oh, Bambi, do you think that¡¯s possible in your position? You¡¯re the daughter of an Alpha, an important chess piece that your father needs to move so his pack can advance,¡± I say and walk towards her. ¡°You can be lucky you were given to me and not some warrior with an affinity for violence.¡± She sucks in a breath but maintains her defensive position. ¡°You just had me bent over the counter-¡± ¡°But did I hurt you? No, I merely subdued you without using violence. You¡¯ll soon find out that with me¡­¡± I say, tilting her chin up. ¡°I can make you submit without using violence.¡± Her eyes grow wide at the obvious double meaning behind my words, then she pushes me back hard - or rather, she tries to. ¡°I will never submit to you,¡± she says rather weakly and I chuckle before grabbing her wrist gently. ¡°Hmm, I do love a challenge. But if you¡¯re ever looking for a shoulder to rest your legs on, you know where to find me. Make yourself at home while you¡¯re at it,¡± I say and wink at her before walking out of the kitchen. This entire thing has gotten me wound up so fucking tight that I know I¡¯m going to snap at the next person who looks my way. I don¡¯t want this woman invading my personal space, I don¡¯t want her scent in my home, or to know she¡¯s just up the fucking hallway. So I go to the one person I can take my anger out on - Nikos. I sense him in his office when I walk into the mansion and make a beeline for him, however just as I¡¯m about to burst in, I hear the unmistakable sound of Mia moaning. Gods, these two - you¡¯d swear they¡¯re teenagers with the way they¡¯re constantly at it like rabbits. ¡°You guys gonna be much longer?¡± I ask, hearing Mia squealing and a grin slips onto my face. ¡°There are pack members who require the Alpha''s council and you have a fucking bedroom for this.¡± ¡°Do you mind, asshole? I¡¯m having my second breakfast here-¡± ¡°NIKO!¡± Mia cries out, obviously embarrassed and I can¡¯t help but chuckle. A few minutester, a very flushed Luna walks out and doesn¡¯t meet my eye as she scurries off to wherever. I still feel guilty for how I tricked her back then and the things I said as well as the names I called her. Even if it was to get the truth out of her, she didn¡¯t deserve it. But I¡¯m always the one to y the bad guy in this game; I just don¡¯t know where that ends anymore. ¡°You better have a good reason for keeping my mate from her orgasm,¡± he says when I walk inside the office and I¡¯m about to respond when that forbidden word rings in my head. Mate? ¡°Wait, what the fuck did you just call her?¡± I ask with an incredulous scoff. ¡°Mia is your mate? How?¡± He leans back in his office chair with a grin on his face. ¡°On the night of the Equinox, it seems like that was the catch to meeting your mate all along,¡± he says with a shake of his head. ¡°But enough about that, you needed to see me?¡± I would congratte him if I didn¡¯t feel so fucking jealous. As much as all shifters pretend they don¡¯t care about meeting their mates, we¡¯re all liars. We all want to meet the one who the Goddess chose for us; some are just luckier than others. Then again, no one deserves this more than Niko, given what he¡¯s been through. He¡¯s like a brother to me and deserves all the fucking happiness in the world. ¡°I do,¡± I say, deflecting. ¡°Xiomara is at my ce right now and she looks as pissed as a cat in water. I swear, she might kill me in my fucking sleep.¡± Nikoughs out loud. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I chose her for you-¡± ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t just want me dead, you want me DEAD dead. I see how it is,¡± I grumble, crossing my arms and scowling at his amused expression. ¡°Seriously, Niko, I can¡¯t deal with that fucking princess. Send me in to fight rogues, just don¡¯t give me a fucking bride.¡± Niko shakes his head and leans forward,cing his hands together on top of his desk. ¡°So what do you want me to do? We need to tether ourselves to these packs who turned their backs on us, and we can only do that through an arranged marriage, Maxim.¡± I hate when he speaks like this because I fucking KNOW the reason; it¡¯s for the good of the pack, not because he¡¯s out to directly punish me. Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger. ¡°Can you get me someone who won¡¯t stab me in the neck the second she gets? Someone who will leave me be while I do my thing?¡± Niko seems taken aback by this. ¡°You want a different bride?¡± I nod. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with someone like Xiomara, you know how I prefer my space. She takes up most of that with her bratty attitude and she hasn¡¯t even been in my home a full twenty-four hours. If you want me to do this, get me a timid bride - someone like Gianna.¡± I want to punch the surprise off his face. ¡°Sounds like your life isn¡¯t the only thing she makes hard, brother,¡± he says, chuckling and I hate him for it. ¡°But okay; give me some time to contact her father and arrange for her to be sent back, then I¡¯ll get you someone else. But no changing your mind this time, or I¡¯ll be forced to marry YOU off to an Alpha with different tendencies.¡± He threatens me, but it doesn¡¯t meet his eyes. ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s all I want-¡± ¡°But for now, you need to y the part, Maxim. I don¡¯t know how her father will take this, if he will be willing to take her back, or if there are other brides with your preference. So, try to make nice with her for the time being; you don¡¯t have to go all out, just be civil.¡± ¡°Yeah, tell her that,¡± I grumble and get to my feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go do my rounds with Levi - see you this evening.¡± Niko nods as if to dismiss me and I ept the dismissal with both hands. I can¡¯t stand his questioning gaze, how he looks at me as if he knows something I don¡¯t. There¡¯s no way Xiomara and I are Even if she¡¯s intoxicating as fuck. Gods, I¡¯d be lying if I didn¡¯t admit I found her incredibly alluring; those Bambi eyes draw me in, and her sinful curves make me wonder how soft they are. Would my fingers sink right in? Would they leave a mark? My traitorous cock isn¡¯t exactly giving me a straight answer by hardening to fucking steel. I grumble as I walk downstairs and see Levi, also known as Armata, waiting for me. He¡¯s dressed in our usual attire of ck cargo pants, boots, and a t-shirt, but his usual cid scent and demeanor is somehow gone. He seems rattled. ¡°You okay, Lev?¡± I ask when I walk up to him and he gives me a terse nod. ¡°I am,¡± he lies, but that¡¯s where I¡¯m leaving it. We head out towards the armored SUV and I start it up. I haven¡¯t seen the rest of the Gammas since my return, and hopefully they¡¯re all not worked up like Levi here. The brides were an unwee addition to our peaceful lives, and I know they feel the exact same way as me. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. We don¡¯t want this but know it would benefit our Alpha. ¡°Section 33 today?¡± I ask, and watch as Levi reaches for the tablet on the dash. ¡°Six unpaid tributes, threete for thest two months,¡± he says as he scrolls down the list of our debtors. ¡°Ex Rogue packs.¡± I grin when he mentions this, because I am itching to sink my fists into someone¡¯s face. Maybe this will help with the fucked up feeling in my gut. Violence is easier to deal with than emotions. For one, when you punch someone¡¯s face you expect the blood and sound of bones breaking that follow. You can¡¯t do that when you¡¯re faced with unnecessary emotions making you feel uneasy and with Xiomara in my space, I don¡¯t know what to expect. The visits to these debtors, the blood coating my fists, and the ache in my fingers usually put me on a bloodlust-filled high, but this time I found it harder to control myself. Levi had to pull me off a few of these fuckers and I had to admit that seeing what I did to those poor fuckers made me feel uneasy. I can¡¯t do this until Niko eventually finds someone else. ¡°I know I¡¯m speaking out of turn,¡± Levi says as we make our way back to the estate in thete evening. ¡°But are you okay, Beta Maxim?¡± I don¡¯t know thest time someone asked me that. You¡¯d think with how close Niko and I are, that he would notice my unease; but he hasn¡¯t noticed the change in me yet. Or if he has, he¡¯s choosing not to care. ¡°There¡¯s a woman in my home that I did not ask for,¡± I scoff, my eyes on the road. ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay.¡± When my gaze flickers to Levi, I see his lips are a thin line as he nods as if he understands. ¡°It¡¯s unnerving,¡± he says, his voice low and filled with malice. ¡°I¡¯m used to darkness and silence, I weed it and its familiarity. But Demi¡¯s presence is like an ufortable sunbeam coupled with a constant aria being sung. I don¡¯t know how to deal with it¡­so I pretend it¡¯s not there throwing my whole life into chaos.¡± Levi¡¯s admission floors me. The twins, although not brothers by blood who grew up in the same orphanage, are known for their silence, so his admitting this to me is huge. Liam, or Panzer, is the more quiet of the two, so I wonder how he¡¯s dealing with it. ¡°I know what you mean,¡± I murmur. ¡°But I suppose this is our new normal now and Alpha Nikos needs us to ept it so our pack can be stronger.¡± My wolf gives me a sarcastic look because I¡¯m trying to convince Levi that we have to ept this when I hate it myself. What¡¯s a fucking Beta to do? Niko is the authority and I¡¯m here to make sure it¡¯s adhered to. Levi sighs and leans back against the headrest. ¡°I know, and I ept it; it¡¯s just taking me a while to catch up with everything. I ept Demi as my bride for the sake of my Alpha, but I¡¯ll never ept her into what¡¯s left of my charred heart.¡± I leave the conversation hanging there, blown away that he would refer to his heart as charred. It shouldn¡¯t surprise me, given Niko saved both him and Liam while they were being burned alive. So I simply p him on the back and continue the rest of the drive in silence. Betas Runaway Bride: 5 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 5 - Xiomara I am going to kill him. Who the hell does he think he is? ?Dios m¨ªo! I am not going to survive this without spilling blood, and I don¡¯t mean mine! Pacing the floor of what I now know is my prison, I try toe up with some n of escape. But when I looked outside throughout the day and saw there was no gap between the patrol and how high the gates were, I knew that there would be no escaping for me. And as much as I want to drive a steak knife through Maxim¡¯s eye, it would surely lead to my death. So what am I going to do? I want nothing more than to escape here and from my exchange with Maxim earlier, he doesn¡¯t want this either. But a Beta is loyal to his Alpha, I suppose. My shoulders sag in defeat and I sink down onto the soft bed, feeling annoyed at how absolutely plush andfortable it feels. I want to hate it here, I want to pitch a fit and fight my way out of this¡­But is it wise? I have nowhere to return to, those thieves stole my money in the alleyway and I defected from my old pack. In short, I am screwed even if I do escape. /¡°Perhaps we should give Maxim a chance,¡±/ Yingze says, invading my thoughts. /¡°He was right, his earlier move didn¡¯t hurt us, it just subdued us.¡±/ ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t still hurt us,¡± I remind her. ¡°He¡¯s Alpha Nikos¡¯ Beta for a reason, you know.¡± I don¡¯t trust Maxim as far as I can throw him. He might have saved me, taken care of me, and made me breakfast, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m about to open my legs for him because of duty. Sighing, I decide to go to the kitchen and make myself some coffee; it¡¯s the only thing I missed after being forced toy low for so long. I sneak out of the bedroom and strain my ears, but I don¡¯t hear any other heartbeats in the house beside mine. So I make my way to the kitchen and set everything up for some expensive, delicious coffee. I¡¯m so lost in the smell and sounds of the machine bubbling and trickling out the liquid into my cup, that I just barely miss the mming of a car door outside. Oh, hell; I wanted to avoid him all day, but now I won¡¯t be able to since the kitchen faces the living room and front door, Focusing harder on the machine in front of me, I don¡¯t turn around when I hear the front door opening, nor do I acknowledge the man who I¡¯ve been thinking about the entire day. As much as I hate to admit it to myself, he was at the forefront of my thoughts. The sound of boots hitting the wooden floor makes my heart leap into my throat. I don¡¯t want him to know what his presence does to me, so I continue to stare holes into the coffee machine, willing it to brew faster. ¡°Good evening, Xiomara,¡± is all he says before he walks towards the opposite side of the house and ms the door behind him. From my snooping today, I am guessing he¡¯s headed toward the locked room at the back of the house. At that moment, my stomach decides to growl and I groan in annoyance because I haven¡¯t eaten since this morning. Resigned to the fact that I¡¯m not going anywhere, I raid the fridge and freezer in hopes of being able to whip up a meal. Since I was left to take over from my Mamma after her death, I had to learn to feed the men in our pack house. So after finding two steaks, I get lost in preparing the meal for me and the man I want to kill. Rookie mistake. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Once the smell of the searing steak and sauteed mushrooms wafts through the house, I forgot where I was for a few minutes. That is until I te the steaks and am about to turn around to dish the scalloped potatoes when I see Maxim standing behind me. I get such a damn fright that I nearly drop the tes, but Maxim is right there to catch me as well as the almost-ruined dinner. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to startle you,¡± he says as he pulls me to my feet and puts the tes down on the counter before letting me go. But I¡¯m not startled by Maxim standing behind me¡­I¡¯m started because of what I see. Now I realize that the locked room is a gym. He¡¯s only wearing his ck cargo pants, no shirt, and is dripping with sweat, his blonde hair is no longer slicked back, but matted with sweat and sticking to the side of his face. I shouldn¡¯t be staring at the dips and nes of his well-defined upper body, but my eyes wander of their own ord¡­right down to the strip of hair leading to what I don¡¯t want to think about¡­but do. Why is temptation so beautiful? I clear my throat when I realize what the hell I¡¯m doing. ¡°Uh¡­Uhm, sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have¡­reacted like that,¡± I turn around to tend to the mushrooms so I don¡¯t have to look into his eyes. ¡°Dinner will be ready in five minutes.¡± He grunts a response and I hear him walk away, but I still don¡¯t turn around until I hear the water running. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I got done with ting the food and putting them down on the opposite side of the ind just like this morning. I don¡¯t know why seeing Maxim half-naked affected me like that, but it did. Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing a Beta who isn¡¯t covered in tattoos. Or maybe because, for a split second, I found him sexy as hell. Groaning, I hang my head in my hands; I can still smell his scent on me, too. That heady sandalwood and amber scent feels like it¡¯s imprinted right on my soul. It shouldn¡¯t head right to my pussy, but it does. It also leads me to wonder how he is in- ¡°Sorry, that took more than five minutes,¡± Maxim strolls in and sits down opposite me. He looks down at the ted food and his eyes widen. ¡°Wow, this looks and smells delicious; thank you.¡± I don¡¯t know what to say, so I proceed to cut my meat and not look into his eyes. But then he speaks again and my head whips up towards him. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s no poison in here, right?¡± he asks, incredibly serious. ¡°This is the only reason I can think of that you¡¯d be nice to me after this morning.¡± I roll my eyes and stand up, then I walk over to his side, cut a piece of his meat, and pop it into my mouth. ¡°Am I foaming at the mouth yet?¡± This makes him burst outughing and he shakes his head. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re just being nice to me then,¡± he says and I sit down on my side again. ¡°Does this mean we¡¯re calling a truce?¡± ¡°This means I¡¯vee to terms with my captivity,¡± I say while cutting my steak. ¡°That¡¯s something, right?¡± The light amusement ying in his eyes is gone when I utter those words, and for some reason, my stomach tightens with anxiety. Great going there, Zara; way to ruin the mood. We spend the rest of the dinner in silence and I hate myself for it. I¡¯m here not because I want to be and he¡¯s here because of duty; it¡¯s neither of our faults that we¡¯re in this predicament. ¡°Luna Mia would like toe to see you tomorrow,¡± he suddenly says, cutting through the silence and I look up at him. ¡°Why?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for her to?¡± Maxim gets to his feet and collects both our tes. ¡°She¡¯s seen all the brides on the estate and doesn¡¯t want you to feel left out or ignored,¡± he says, and the reverence in his voice causes an unknown feeling to stab me in the heart. Why does this Luna want to extend an olive branch when I don¡¯t even want to be here? ¡°What do you mean by all the brides?¡± I ask with a frown. ¡°There are more being held here?¡± Maxim scoffs. ¡°Yes, and unlike you, they know the role they have to y here,¡± he says as he scrapes the leftovers into the rubbish and packs the dishwasher. ¡°She will be here at 9 am.¡± With that, Maxim walks out and leaves me wondering why I felt jealous when he spoke about his Luna with such pride. Only after I realized what that feeling meant, did I rush upstairs to hide my shame. There¡¯s no way I could be jealous of someone like that, especially not someone who Maxim so clearly cares for. I growl and hop into a shower before bed, but my night is gued with thoughts I tried to push away. What the hell is wrong with me? By 8:50 AM the next morning, I am in a bad fucking mood but dressed to meet the Luna as requested of me. I¡¯m sitting in the living room with my hands in myp when the front door opens and Maxim walks in with her. I don¡¯t know what I expected, a bombshell catwalk model beauty I guess, but Luna Mia was not it. She looked quite average, nothing like most women I see on some Alphas'' arms. Soft brown curls, brown eyes, shorter than me, and in, I guess? Maxim walks inside and I don¡¯t miss the warm smile on his face or his hand on her lower back, nor do I miss the absolute trust she seems to have when looking at him. He walks her over to where I¡¯ve now gotten to my feet and gestures toward me. ¡°Xiomara, this is Luna Mia; Alpha Nikos¡¯ mate and wife,¡± he says and I blink at the word ¡®mate¡¯. What? I didn¡¯t think mates existed anymore! ¡°Mia, this is my bride.¡± I try not to blush at the introduction, and the Luna ruins it by walking up to me. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Xiomara,¡± she says with a smile. ¡°Maxim mentioned that you¡¯re struggling to settle in-¡± ¡°Struggling to settle in?¡± I scoff and cross my arms. ¡°I¡¯m here against my will, being forced to marry a man I don¡¯t even know!¡± Luna Mia blinks back in surprise and her cheeks redden; she looks to Maxim for help and I chuckle in amusement. ¡°Not everyone is like you, we don¡¯t particrly like the idea of being a sex ve-¡± The words weren¡¯t even out of my mouth before I found myself on the opposite end of the wall with Maxim¡¯s hand around my neck. His eyes have shimmered to their Beta gold and the killing intent ¡°Speak to her like that again, and I won¡¯t hesitate to rip your throat open,¡± he growls and the grip on my throat tightens. ¡°She. Is. Your. Luna. Have some fucking respect!¡± ¡°Maxim!¡± I hear her exim and through my fading vision, I see her attempt to pull his arm away. ¡°Stop this, she just needs time!¡± He lets go of me and I hear a growl rumbling in his chest. ¡°She¡¯ll get no mercy from me, Mia,¡± he says and when I look up at him, I see the disdain in his eyes. I would be lying if I didn¡¯t feel absolute fucking fear right now; no one has ever threatened me like that before. Then again, no one hase to my rescue like that before, either. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go up to Niko and leave me here with her, hmm?¡± she asks and he growls again. ¡°No fucking way-¡± ¡°Maxim, she¡¯s not going to speak to me while you¡¯re here lording over us. Give me some time to speak to Xiomara alone. I promise nothing will happen,¡± she says and touches his chest with both his hands. That annoying feeling curls up in my heart again and I push it down as I get to my feet. Maxim looks at me, then at Luna Mia. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in an hour,¡± he says before storming off. ¡°But I¡¯m asking Ghost to Luna Mia chuckles and shakes her head, looking at him as he walks off. Then she turns her head towards me and offers me that warm smile again. ¡°Let me reintroduce myself, Xiomara; my name is Mia.¡± Betas Runaway Bride: 6 - Dual POV Beta''s Runaway Bride: 6 - Dual POV Xiomara I don¡¯t know what I expected from this Luna, but her pure kindness isn¡¯t something I banked on. She could have easily let me be and not tried to make nice or whatever, but instead, she sent her literal protection away so she can talk to me. And what did I do? I was aplete bitch to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit down?¡± She says with a small smile. ¡°Preferably before Maximes back here and says our hour together is up.¡± That actually makes me give her a small smile. We walk over to the sofas and sit down; me with my hands sped tightly in front of me and her lookingfortable, wearing that smile still on her face. I wonder if she¡¯s ever suffered, or worked a day in her life. How easy things must be for her as a Luna; I wish I had the same options, and yet I am nothing but a sold bride. ¡°Let me start by saying that you are not a prisoner here; if you wish to leave, the door is right there,¡± she says, surprising me. Could this be true? Can I just leave here and no one would stop me? As if she can see the question on my face, she offers a thin smile. ¡°However, remember that with that decisiones something else - the lives of your old pack members. Going back on an arranged marriage to one of the biggest packs in the country could mean their exile.¡± Just as freedom gets given to me, it¡¯s snatched away. ¡°So, what is this?¡± I ask, scoffing. ¡°You tell me I¡¯m free to leave but then threaten me with the lives of my old pack members? What kind of Luna are you?¡± ¡°The type who doesn¡¯t lie,¡± she says clearly, but her eyes shine with apology. ¡°This can¡¯t be easy for you, Xiomara, but I promise you Maxim isn¡¯t as terrible as his reputation.¡± I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s not his reputation that bothers me, it''s the fact that I am being given away like prized cattle. You might have been fine with being sold-¡± ¡°Do you know who Giovanni Cotroni is?¡± she interjects, her lips a thin line. The name sends a sick shiver down my spine and a sliver of anger slips into my heart. ¡°Yes, I know who that bastard is; he¡¯s the reason my Mamma is dead.¡± I bite out and can see the pity in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m his illegitimate daughter whose body he used to sweeten deals with other packs,¡± she says, flooring me with her honesty. ¡°The reason I¡¯m here is because I escaped from the hands of the man he sold me to; Niko found me.¡± My breath hitches in my throat when she says this and my heart stills; she¡¯s Giovanni Cotroni¡¯s daughter. The man who had my mother killed, the asshole who sits at the very top. How? ¡°The man he sold me to treated me worse than my father ever could. I was strung up, raped, whipped, branded - all for his sick amusement. When I finally gathered the strength to run away, I literally ran into Niko¡¯s arms and¡­well, the rest is history,¡± she says, actually smiling. ¡°But I won¡¯t lie and say our happily ever after came easy, because it didn¡¯t.¡± I move away from her and get to my feet; my heart hammering loudly in my chest at her words. Within the space of ten minutes, I assumed so much about this woman, that she was fine with being sold and fine with being a sex ve when she didn¡¯t even have a choice in the matter. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± She follows me. ¡°It¡¯s okay; and don¡¯t even think of apologizing, because your reactions are normal for someone who has been forced into doing something they don¡¯t want to do,¡± she says and attempts to put her hand on my arm, only to pull away. ¡°I understand why you would assume we¡¯re bad people; Niko did ept you as a bride for one of his trusted men.¡± I scoff. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for assuming you¡¯re a bad person,¡± I say, shaking my head. ¡°Sometimes I wish I thought about things before I just spoke them.¡± This makes herugh. ¡°Then you¡¯re more simr to Maxim than you think! Although¡­he terrified me when we first met,¡± she says just as a pensive look quickly crosses her face and was gone before I can even ask why she looked like that. I cross my arms and breathe out a long sigh. ¡°How¡­what kind of person is Maxim, if I may ask?¡± ¡°Maxim is¡­¡± she trails off before gesturing for me to sit down again. ¡°He¡¯s extremely loyal to Niko; they¡¯re best friends before they became Alpha and Beta. But he¡¯s fiercely protective over his family, pack and what¡¯s his. But that being said, he¡¯s also a private person. I¡¯ve been here for over a year and I still don¡¯t know hisst name!¡± My eyes widen at this. ¡°And the rumors? He¡¯s jealous of his Alpha?¡± Luna Mia chuckles. ¡°Oh, that! Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s one of the pack¡¯s well-kept secrets!¡± I don¡¯t know what to say to this because now I feel like I¡¯ve been left out of a joke. Is he jealous of his Alpha or not? Is there infighting? I have a feeling I won¡¯t find out anything about this pack unless I¡¯m trusted. Then she sighs and offers me that smile again. ¡°I can¡¯t promise it will be easy, Xiomara. The rest of the brides are struggling toe to terms with their predicament as well. But as daughters of Alphas, we knew what would be expected of us one day, knew that our lives would be bartered in a deal. If you¡¯d like, I can introduce you to them?¡± I met them on the drive over before escaping and the way they took to being sold made me feel sick. Do I really want to listen to their sob stories and know how bad they have it? I suppose it can¡¯t hurt¡­ ¡°Sure¡­ I¡¯d like that,¡± I answer before I can even think it over and her bright smile just knocked the apprehension from my thoughts. Why is she so easy to talk to and why do I hate it so much? ¡°I have met them before, but only briefly.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good news! I¡¯ll introduce you to Gianna first, I think you two will get along quite well,¡± she says with a wistful smile on her face just as the front door opens and ms shut. Maxim walks in with a scowl on his face and looks from Luna Mia to me. ¡°Are you two done?¡± he asks and she gets to her feet to walk towards him. ¡°We are, thank you, Maxim,¡± she says and squeezes his upper arms. ¡°Do you mind walking me back to the packhouse? There¡¯s something I wish to discuss with you.¡± His eyes are still on me when he answers, ¡°Sure,¡± and walks her out. Luna Mia turns back to me with a smile. ¡°I¡¯lle to visit tomorrow again if you¡¯d like?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say while finally returning her smile with one of my own. I don¡¯t know, but I feel like I can trust her. It¡¯s weird though, isn¡¯t it? Being able to trust my captor¡¯s wife. Sighing, I walk back to my bedroom so I can straighten my thoughts. **** Maxim I¡¯m pacing Niko¡¯s office and I can tell by the scowl on his face that he¡¯s not happy with me right now. ¡°She insulted Mia?¡± he growls. ¡°She did, but I sorted it out,¡± I bit out with my fists clenched. ¡°Please tell me you have another bride lined up or heard something from her father because there¡¯s no way I can survive with that woman for another day.¡± Niko grits his teeth. ¡°Her father is in his home country for the next month; something about a mourning period for his dead wife. As for a bride, yes I may have found one to your liking, but I will only call for her once your ties with Xiomara are cut.¡± I stop short and look at him. As much as this is good fucking news for me, my stomach clenches knowing I¡¯ll be saying goodbye to that vixen soon. What the fuck is wrong with me? I want this, so why do I feel so fucked up about it. ¡°Good; that¡¯s the best fucking news I¡¯ve heard all day,¡± I say with a huff and fall into the chair opposite him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re fine with living with a woman.¡± This actually makes him snort. ¡°Mia is not just any woman; she¡¯s the love of my fucking life, the mother of my child, and the reason I¡¯m bing a better man,¡± he says with such pride it makes my heart ache. ¡°You know how I feared being touched and touching someone else; well Mia is even helping me ovee that. The right woman changes everything, Maxim-¡± I wave my hand dismissively. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I get it. You don¡¯t have to exin the whole loving sob story to me,¡± I say and he smirks. ¡°But sometimes that¡¯s just not made for certain people, Niko. I¡¯m certain people and I¡¯m not going to fight for it.¡± Yeah, I know I¡¯m being stubborn right now but there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll ever ept someone like Xiomara as the one for me. She fucking insulted Mia, for fucksakes. /¡°So did you,¡±/ my wolf reminds me and I can do nothing but growl in return. I pinch the bridge of my nose and let out a strained sigh. ¡°The next one will be a keeper, I promise. I won¡¯t fuck it up as long as she¡¯s not defiant and keeps out of my way,¡± I say while sounding like a Niko shoots me a look I don¡¯t want to decipher and shakes his head. ¡°So I am assuming this means you have zero ns of ying nice with Xiomara for the time being?¡± he asks. ¡°None whatsoever,¡± I say before standing up again. ¡°I¡¯ll go collect your wife; hopefully Xiomara hasn¡¯t killed her yet.¡± Niko chuckles at this and shakes his head. ¡°Mia got me to crack and open up to her, I don¡¯t think Xiomara will be a problem,¡± he says while looking fucking amused, so I walk out of there before I can feel even more annoyed than before. While taking the long walk to my home, thoughts of Xiomara gue me again. Why does she get on myst nerve so much? It¡¯s like she enjoys annoying the fuck out of me; especially herments while we ate dinnerst night. What was with that anyway? Making a delicious as fuck dinner for a man you supposedly hate; is she trying to confuse me? Because fuck if it¡¯s not working. Then I had to catch her when she nearly dropped those tes. The way she looked at me wasn¡¯t the way you¡¯re supposed to look at the person you supposedly hate. My cock thickened right there and Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. then when I caught the way she looked at me. Pupils blown the fuck out, as if she was turned on. I growl and punch the nearest tree. If aggravation had a scent it would be a sweet mixture ofvender and jasmine, it would have a body built for sin and dark hair I just want to wrap my fist around. ¡°Fucking Bambi,¡± I grit out and try to push her more out of my thoughts the closer I got to my home. A home that now smells like her and not of my stifled loneliness. Throwing open the front door, I see them both still sitting in the living room and Mia asks me to walk her back to the packhouse. What the fuck; it¡¯s better than being here with this woman. Mia¡¯s wearing a grin simr to Niko¡¯s and I roll my eyes. ¡°Are you gonna tell me or do I have to guess?¡± I droll and it only makes her chuckle. ¡°I like her; she has fire,¡± Mia says, making me stop short and she slips her arm into mine to urge me on. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say and I am not here to convince you otherwise. But I do think Xiomara has a reason for apprehensiveness.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a caged bird,¡± I find myself saying, and immediately regret it. ¡°She wants her freedom back and I might be giving it to her.¡± The look on Mia¡¯s face made me wish I didn¡¯t say a thing. ¡°What? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I shrug. ¡°I asked for a different bride and Niko is making it happen so Xiomara will be leaving sooner than expected.¡± Mia stops walking and gives me a horrified look. ¡°You didn¡¯t!¡± she exims and I just shrug again. ¡°Why make something work if we both hate each other? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be just as happy to be free of this arrangement,¡± I say, and that seems to be the thing that finally shuts her up and stops her before she can even think of ying matchmaker. I walk Mia up the steps to the packhouse and say goodbye before turning back to walk home. This time my thoughts are quiet as I make my way home. There¡¯s nothing left for me to do today, so I hole myself up in the gym again. Usually, it helps me calm down but the more I sweat, the angrier I get until I bend a steel pull-up bar and toss it against the wall. I need to either fuck or kill to get rid of this frustration and right now neither of those options are avable. Deciding against my better judgment, I finally give up on calming down with a workout and head upstairs to freshen up. The smellsing from the kitchen tell me Xiomara is ying house again and I grit my teeth walking past that particr room so I don¡¯t have to look at her. The shower is over faster than expected and I throw on a pair of gray sweats and a tank top before heading barefoot downstairs. As much as I want to avoid her, I am fucking starving and whatever she¡¯s whipping up smells delicious. She looks up when she hears me approaching and smiles, knocking the wind out of me. I don¡¯t miss the way her eyes slowly rake over my body as she clears her throat. ¡°Just in time; I hope you like seafood,¡± she says before picking the tes up and walking over to the kitchen ind where we¡¯ve been having our meals together. Seafood pae; gods, it smells even better up close. ¡°Two for two; what¡¯s the special asion?¡± I ask as I pick up my cutlery. ¡°You must be reallying to terms with your captivity.¡± She visibly winces at my words and I feel like an asshole again. We remain quiet for a while, the atmosphere fraught with tension as we both pretend to enjoy the food with the anxiety making it difficult to breathe. ¡°I deserved that,¡± she says as she pushes her food around her te. ¡°I¡¯m¡­just tired of fighting with you, Maxim, and going to sleep with my stomach in knots only to wake up and repeat the cycle.¡± My eyes find her and I see the sincerity in them. Now would be a good time to tell her that she doesn¡¯t need to y nice because Niko is sending her back to her father and getting me a new bride. So why can¡¯t I say the words? Betas Runaway Bride: 7 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 7 - Xiomara Things between Maxim and me seem to be progressing. By progressing, I mean we¡¯re civil to each other now and I don¡¯t feel like I want to kill him. Now I just want to lightly strangle him. He doesn¡¯t bother me and I don¡¯t bother him. We keep out of each other¡¯s way and I find it surprisingly pleasant when I¡¯m sitting on the balcony in my bedroom just staring over the estate. It¡¯s beautiful here, but I am way too stubborn to appreciate the beauty. Luna Mia hasn¡¯t been back since I saw herst, apparently, her son has a bit of a cold so she¡¯s reluctant to leave his side. It¡¯s understandable and I¡¯m actually d she¡¯s a caring Luna - unlike most out there. A knock sounds at my bedroom door and I frown; when I walk over to open it, I get more of a surprise when I see Maxim standing there. ¡°Luna Mia wants me to take you to the packhouse so you can meet the other brides. Are you okay to go?¡± I blink when I realize he¡¯s actually asking me if I¡¯m okay to go. Out of the house. With him. He¡¯s never asked me how I feel about something, he¡¯s always just ordered; this in itself is a major improvement. ¡°S-sure! Let me just grab my boots and coat,¡± I stammer as I walk over to my closet. Maxim had clothes bought for me, all perfectly in my size and style. Thanking him for that was even harder than realizing I might have been wrong about him. He waits for me outside the bedroom door with his arms crossed, and when I walk out, he gently ces a hand on my lower back to lead me. I take a deep breath as we walk through the wooded area leading to the main packhouse, and a bright smile crosses my face. This is as much freedom as I¡¯m going to get and I¡¯m going to savor every moment of it! ¡°And that smile?¡± Maxim asks after a while and I turn my head to look at him. ¡°I was raised in a gilded cage, but I love the outdoors,¡± I say while taking another deep breath. ¡°This is my favorite part of the year, too; watching the greenery fade to deep browns and maroons. It reminds me that everything needs to go through a change toe out vibrant and beautiful again. That even death can bring about beauty when given time.¡± Maxim blinks, seemingly surprised by my words but I don¡¯t let it get to me. Instead, I take in the floating dead leaves on the breeze and smile again. Would he let mee out here by myself, I wonder? ¡°You know, you¡¯re allowed to walk around the estate,¡± he says, not looking my way. ¡°You don¡¯t need to sit in the house all day.¡± I stop walking as his words hit me and a warmth slips into my heart. ¡°Really?¡± I ask and my voice cracks a little. ¡°I cane out here and enjoy the weather?¡± He chuckles mirthlessly and nods his head. ¡°I told you before you¡¯re not a prisoner, Xiomara; you can pants. To be honest, I¡¯m not sure how I feel about Maxim¡¯s sudden change toward me. I mean, I am thankful he¡¯s no longer an asshole but this is something I didn¡¯t expect toe from him. Is there an angle to this? Is he waiting for me to let my guard down or something? Before I can overthink things further, I see a beautiful stone mansione into view; it¡¯s the one I see peeking out over the trees on a daily basis. It¡¯s even more beautiful up close and definitely old; seems like this Alpha muste from old money. Instead of leading me up the stone steps, Maxim walks around the back of the mansion. With our trust in each other already so fragile, I don¡¯t question where he¡¯s taking me but it¡¯s revealed to me as soon as we head into the garden. Six women, five of whom I met on our first drive over here, are seated around a circr wrought-iron table decked with snacks and wine. They¡¯re all smiling genuine smiles as if they¡¯re not unhappy to be prisoners here. This makes me feel slightly apprehensive; now I feel all alone again. They look like they¡¯vee to terms with being chosen wives and I¡¯m about to sigh when I see the man standing next to Luna Mia and saying something that gets the womenughing. My body stills when I take in the tattooed beast of a man, which I am certain is Alpha Nikos. He has striking green eyes, and dark slicked-back hair, is tall and broad, and looks every bit as deadly as his reputation. This is the man I ran away from, the man who holds my future in his hands. I thought Maxim scared me¡­but this man terrifies me. ¡°Xiomara?¡± Maxim¡¯s voice cuts through my fear and I turn my head to look at him. I didn¡¯t realize that I¡¯d stopped walking when he came to stand in front of me. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± I blink a few times and swallow deeply before I slowly nod. ¡°Y-yes¡­ It¡¯s just the first time I¡¯m seeing Alpha Nikos,¡± I admit. Maxim¡¯s jaw clenches when I say this, as if he¡¯s not happy that his Alpha scares me. But anyone being in the presence of this man would feel the same way I do. My fight or flight response is telling me to hightail it the fuck out of here. ¡°Yea, Niko has that effect on people¡­only that¡¯s not Niko, but his twin brother, Bastien,¡± he says, then gestures to behind me. ¡°That¡¯s Niko.¡± When I turn my head to where he¡¯s pointing, my heart jumps into my throat and a deathly cold shiver shoots up my spine. Where the other man made me feel fear, this man¡­makes me feel like I¡¯m hanging over the precipice to meet death. There¡¯s nothing behind his eyes, no warmth like the man standing with Luna Mia¡­and he¡¯s staring right at me. My breath hitches and I take a step backward, but Maxim wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay-¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to kill me,¡± I whisper, burying my face into his chest. I am not going to survive here, not with that man as my Alpha, and especially not since I tried to run away from him. Maxim gently strokes my hair and hides me from view. ¡°You¡¯re mine, he won¡¯t touch you,¡± he whispers into my hair. ¡°You have nothing to be scared of, Xiomara, I promise.¡± I take a deep breath and allow what Maxim has just said to sink in; I¡¯m his. I belong to the Beta, so the Alpha won¡¯t harm me. Why does that not upset me as much as I thought it would? Being the Beta¡¯s bride¡­could be the difference between life and death. Stepping away from hisforting embrace, I tilt my head to look up at him and see nothing but warmth in his once-cold blue eyes. Should I trust this man? Should I take the leap? ¡°O-okay,¡± I say, offering him a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know why I reacted like that.¡± Maxim smiles and nts a kiss on my forehead, the gesture sending warmth through my body. ¡°Niko is my best friend so I don¡¯t see the intimidation, but I know others see him as nothing but terrifying-¡± ¡°And they would be correct,¡±es a voice that sends shivers down my spine. Maxim chuckles and steps to the side, only to bring me face-to-face with the Alpha¡¯s twin brother. ¡°Bastien; it''s a pleasure to meet you, Xiomara.¡± I tentatively take his hand and give it a light squeeze. ¡°Hello,¡± is all I can muster out, but the man doesn¡¯t seem offended. He gives me an odd smile, then turns his gaze back to Maxim. ¡°Come up when you¡¯re done, there¡¯s something I wish to discuss with you and Niko,¡± he says, before nodding a goodbye at me and then heading back to where his brother stood watching the women. Maxim breathes out a sigh, then he sters in a fake smile before leading me to where the women were waiting. They¡¯re all looking up at me expectantly, knowing smiles crossing their lips when they see Maxim¡¯s hand on my lower back. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back when you¡¯re done here,¡± he says before kissing the side of my head and walking away. Normally I don¡¯t blush, but Maxim seems to have a direct link to those emotions and they immediately re up. Thankfully Luna Mia sees my difort and gesture to the empty spot next to her. ¡°Come sit, Xiomara; I think we have much to catch up on,¡± she says and I walk over to the empty chair. As soon as I sit down, Luna Mia gestures around the table. ¡°I¡¯m sure you remember the women you traveled with. If not, let me reintroduce you,¡± she says, then gestures to the raven-haired woman sitting next to me. ¡°This is Gianna, she¡¯s Ghost¡¯s- ah, Divan¡¯s bride,¡± she starts and Gianna beams at me. ¡°The one next to her is Eden, Romano¡¯s bride, then there¡¯s Noelle who is Liam¡¯s bride, Allessia is Isaac¡¯s, andst but not least we have Demi, she¡¯s Levi¡¯s bride.¡± They all look so different from each other and yet they¡¯re all wearing the same look in their eyes¡­one I cannot ce. So I decided to break the ice by talking first; I¡¯ve never been one to back down, anyway. ¡°Pleasure to re-meet you all,¡± I say and they chuckle. ¡°I apologize if my absence caused a stir.¡± The blonde one named Eden shrugs. ¡°We would have done it too if we had the balls to, no offense Luna but we were terrified ofing here. If we knew what we know now, then we would not have been so apprehensive.¡± I frown at her words. ¡°Knew what you know now? What does that mean?¡± They all share a look and smile, but it¡¯s Gianna who speaks up first. She pours me a flute of champagne and breathes out a sigh before facing me. ¡°We thought our fathers were giving us to heartless men; men who wouldn¡¯t think twice about hurting us for their own entertainment and sick needs,¡± she says while picking up her own champagne flute. ¡°But it ended up being theplete opposite. The Gammas are-¡± ¡°They might have a reputation for being heartless killers, but they¡¯re different from their outward appearance,¡± the redhead, Noelle, says with a small smile. ¡°Although it¡¯s simr to speaking to brick walls, the Gammas aren¡¯t violent with us.¡± Eden chuckles. ¡°We¡¯re attempting to soften them with our womanly charms, but it¡¯s going as well as you think it is!¡± When she says this, they all burst intoughter as if they¡¯re all in on the same secret. The Gammas. Wait¡­this is SilverCrest Pack, so the Gammas they speak of can only be the one group of warriors who send terrifying bouts of fear through packnds. The five you don¡¯t see attacking because the moment you see them, you¡¯re dead. ¡°You¡¯re brides for The Pente?!¡± I exim, a hand flying to my chest in horror. I thought I was having a hard time with Maxim, but these five women look like they¡¯re at peace. ¡°You live with them?!¡± Demi, the one who has been quiet so far, finally speaks up. ¡°We are, but when they¡¯re with us, it¡¯s hard to believe their infamy,¡± she says with a tight smile. ¡°Although Levi is cold towards me most of the time, he¡¯s never treated me badly, nor has he lost his temper with me.¡± ¡°Liam is the same,¡± Noelle says and takes Demi¡¯s hand. ¡°They¡¯re like brothers, both as quiet as the dead, but when they do speak, you take notice.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I don¡¯t know why, but her words make me jump to my feet and run. All this time I thought the women here were going through torture, being subjected to cruelty. But the looks on their faces tell me the The brides of the most ruthless group of warriors in the country are happy with their predicament. Not only that, but they¡¯re actually trying to work on their marriages. So what does that make me? Where does that leave me? I¡¯m so deep in my own self-deprecating thoughts, that I don¡¯t even notice my name being called until I eventually hear it. I turn around to see Gianna running up behind me; she¡¯s a gorgeous petite Italian woman with bright blue eyes and thick raven locks. A sick thought settles in my stomach that she¡¯s the submissive type Maxim likes - then a stab of jealousy enters my heart. ¡°Hey,¡± she says with a sweet smile as she approaches me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Why am I like this? Why do I feel jealous right now? ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit with a shake of my head. ¡°You¡¯re not like I expected at all.¡± Her brows knit together in a small frown. ¡°No? What were you expecting?¡± I shrug my shoulders and sigh. ¡°Not that you¡¯d be happy for one? That you¡¯d be as miserable as I was? That you¡¯d be dying to escape from here and be free, to not be trapped in something you were forced into?¡± Gianna¡¯s blue eyes widen and she sps her tiny hands in front of her. ¡°It used to be like that, I must admit. But¡­the more we¡¯vee to know them, the more we realize that the Gammas would never hurt us.¡± ¡°But how can you be so certain?¡± I exim, not understanding at all. ¡°How do you know they won¡¯t turn on you?¡± Gianna shoots me what seems to be a sympathetic look and she touches my upper arm before asking me a question that blows me away. ¡°When was thest time you trusted someone other than yourself?¡± Betas Runaway Bride: 8 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 8 - Xiomara I don¡¯t know how to answer that question, so I just shake my head. ¡°Let us head back, hmm?¡± I say in an attempt to change the subject and thankfully she doesn¡¯t press me. When we get back to the other women, Luna Mia gets to her feet and walks over to me. ¡°Are you okay? Do you want to go home?¡± she asks, and I nearlyugh at her use of the word ¡®home¡¯ when talking about Maxim¡¯s ce. I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m alright,¡± I say and am about to walk away when she gently grabs my shoulders and shoots me an apologetic look. ¡°Is this about Maxim¡¯s decision? Are you upset about it?¡± she asks, and now it¡¯s my turn to frown. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, cocking my head to the side. ¡°What decision?¡± The look on her face tells me she¡¯s just told me something I was not supposed to know. Her eyes widen and her mouth opens in a gasp; then she puts her hand in front of her mouth. ¡°Oh¡­Oh, Xiomara, I¡¯m so sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned a thing!¡± I cross my arms and feel myself ring. ¡°What were you not supposed to mention, Luna Mia? What decision did Maxim make?¡± I ask. She breathes out a sigh and her eyes shine with tears as she tells me the decision Maxim has made. ¡°When was thest time you trusted someone other than yourself?¡± Gianna¡¯s words still ring in my head even after Maxim collects meter in the evening to go back to his ce. When was thest time I trusted someone¡­I¡¯ve never had the luxury of trusting anyone other than my mother. Trusting their partners seems as easy as breathing to them, but I¡¯ve never had someone who was worthy of being trusted. Is that the key to this, I need topletely trust Maxim in order to be happy? I was willing¡­before Luna Mia told me the decision Maxim made without me. ¡°...What do you think?¡± My eyes snap toward Maxim and I realize we¡¯re standing in the kitchen of his home. I also think he¡¯s been talking to me this entire time - damn it! ¡°I¡­uh, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t catch that,¡± I say with an embarrassed smile. ¡°What was it?¡± Maxim has his one eyebrow lifted at my reaction, but he continues anyway. ¡°I said I¡¯ll order some take- out if you¡¯re up for it. You¡¯ve been cooking the entire week, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to rest tonight,¡± he says, acting kind again and giving me whish. ¡°Sure,¡± I say, offering him a small smile. ¡°I¡¯d like that, thank you. Do you mind if I go clean up before dinner?¡± ¡°Go right ahead, I¡¯ll be in the gym,¡± he says and we make our way to separate rooms. I watch him walk towards the gym with something akin to sadness settling in my heart. When did it him without even knowing? I wish I¡¯d stayed dumb to everything, wish Luna Mia didn¡¯t inform me about Maxim being sick of me and sending me back to my father. I know the shame I¡¯ll be carrying when I go back home, how my father will treat me because the SilverCrest Beta didn¡¯t want me. This was what I wanted, right? I wanted to go away from here, wanted to escape and be free so why am I feeling like this? Why do I feel like unwanted goods tossed to the side? Not only that but if Maxim made this decision a while ago, why is he still being nice to me? Why try to make this work when he doesn¡¯t want me? I suppose that I can ask all these questions and never get to any answer because I am asking the wrong person. The more I¡¯m thinking about it, the angrier I get and by the time Maxim calls me to say dinner is here, I am fuming. I tried to make this work, I was nice and courteous because I wasing to terms with being his wife. Meanwhile, he had other ns on the side, ns to not only send me back to my father but he¡¯ll have another bride here before I even reach home! Stupid, desperate Xiomara. Sighing, I walk downstairs in my cotton night dress so I can head straight to bed afterward, my mouth goes dry when I see the object of my thoughts looking gorgeous without even trying. Dressed in nothing but a pair of loose jogger shorts and no t-shirt, he ces the Thai take-out on the kitchen ind so I walk around to grab some cutlery. His hair is still damp from his shower and his sandalwood scent is making my head swim. It just makes me feel more pissed off. Why did he have to be so goddamn attractive and unt it in front of me? I sit down opposite him and we take out whatever we want to eat; I don¡¯t particrly feel very hungry because of my seething right now but I pick at my food and hope that my feelings don¡¯t show. ¡°I won¡¯t be here for a while,¡± he decides right there to cut the silence and I grit my teeth. ¡°Niko is sending me away for a few weeks.¡± My heartbeat picks up at the mention of him being gone for so long. Does that mean he doesn¡¯t even want to say goodbye to me before I go? Did Ipletely misread his kindness? ¡°So, how was it meeting the other brides?¡± he asks when I don¡¯t answer him. ¡°It was okay; they seem really nice,¡± I manage to say through a swallow of Pad Thai. ¡°I like Gianna.¡± At the mention of the woman I thought he would like, he simply nods and takes a sip of his soda. I never know what¡¯s up with this man, he drives me up the fucking wall with his kindness and then his nonchnce. ¡°If you¡¯d like, the brides cane here or you can go visit them since I won¡¯t be here,¡± he says, sitting back and looking at me. ¡°I could see you all got along and it would be good for you to get to know them better.¡± I scoff and put down my fork. ¡°Would it now? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need to make friends since I¡¯m apparently leaving soon.¡± The forkful of food stops halfway to his mouth and his brows knit into a frown. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± he says, then his gaze turns into a scowl and he puts his fork down so hard, it tters. ¡°Fucking Mia.¡± The fact that he knew it was Luna Mia just cements the fact that she wasn¡¯t lying; he was going to send me away and rece me. I scoff and get to my feet. ¡°So, it¡¯s true, then? You want me to make nice with the other women here, but for what reason exactly? I¡¯ll probably be gone soon!¡± Maxim slowly rises to his feet and breathes out a sigh. ¡°I recall you saying you wanted your freedom, now you¡¯re against it?¡± he asks and I can see him clenching his jaw. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s what I wanted!¡± I exim. ¡°But why are you making it-¡± I stop myself before I say something I know I¡¯m going to regret, then I rush past him to run to my bedroom. I can¡¯t be around him; I can¡¯t let him know how being close to him physically hurts me. How him being this kind and thoughtful towards me is chipping away at the wall I¡¯ve built up, how I don¡¯t really want to go away. Maxim doesn¡¯t give me a chance to run away, instead, he pulls me back by my wrist and pushes me against the wall at the foot of the stairs. The look in his eyes tells me he¡¯s close to snapping and when he ces both his hands next to my head, caging me in, I see how much he¡¯s struggling to hold back. ¡°You don¡¯t get to do that,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°You do not start an argument with me and run away in the middle of it. What were you about to say, Xiomara?¡± I shake my head and ce my hands on his chest to push him away from me, but that just makes him move closer. ¡°Just drop it, okay? We can go back to pretending the other doesn¡¯t exist since I¡¯ll be gone soon!¡± My words seem to set something off inside of him and he takes my wrists and pins them above my head. ¡°I really hate repeating myself, Bambi; what were you about to fucking say?¡± The threat should scare me¡­it shouldn¡¯t send a sinful ripple down my spine. Just like that murderous look in his Beta gold eyes should send fear into my heart, instead, it makes my heart beat faster for other reasons. I swallow deeply and try to pull my wrists out of his grasp, but it¡¯s useless. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting out of here unless he lets me go¡­unless I tell him what I was about to say. ¡°Let me go, Maxim-¡± ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re so fucking pissed off with me for doing the right thing?¡± he grits out and I see red. ¡°The right thing?¡± I scoff. ¡°You tell me to be subservient, you tell me to y nice with the other women here. Then you argue with me and in the space of the same hour, you were kind to me and five minutes My throat is hoarse from screaming out my honesty, and I expect him to give me as good as he just got. I expect him to tell me how this is all my fault because his Alpha had to make arrangements to have this done. I expect his anger. I expect his ire. I didn¡¯t expect him to im my mouth in a rough kiss that has me tasting blood. Shocked at his reaction, but my body immediately responds in the way he wants it to. His lips are soft against mine, his tongue begging for entry and when I give in, the moan thates from me is nothing short of filthy. Maxim lets go of my wrists and deepens the kiss by gripping my hair at the nape of my neck and pushing himself up against me. I can feel the outline of his rapidly thickening cock against my belly, and my core tightens knowing it''s because of me. He trails kisses toward my neck and nips my skin hard. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking infuriating,¡± he groans against my skin sending a ripple of desire shooting between my legs. ¡°So fucking infuriating.¡± ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± leaves my lips before I can even register that I¡¯m taunting a Beta with murder on his mind and when he looks at me again, I wish I never said that. Grinning, he slips his hand in between my legs ¡°I¡¯m going to make you regret pushing my fucking buttons,¡± he growls in my ear and slips a finger inside me to find my traitorous pussy wet for him. His chest rumbles with a groan and he proceeds to spread my wetness all around my folds, encircling my clit over and over. ¡°Hmm, guess I drive you just as fucking crazy, don¡¯t I?¡± he says in a low voice and grins against the nape of my neck, then he rips my panties from my body. ¡°Does fighting with me always get your pussy this wet, Xiomara?¡± ¡°I hate you,¡± I moan, leaning my head against his chest while my body shakes with need. He gives a deep chuckle then he picks me up and when his cock lines up with my entrance, it takes me a few seconds to realize what¡¯s happening. In one swift motion he thrusts inside of me so hard that it elicits a scream from me; I dig my nails into his shoulders and wrap my legs around his waist for purchase. Sucking in a sharp breath, Maxim This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. groans when he¡¯s buried inside of mepletely and I feel his cock throbbing inside of me. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls and his hold on my hips tightens¡­only for his thrusting to grow frenzied. I¡¯ve had sex before, but only to scratch an itch when needed¡­but the way Maxim is fucking me right now makes me feel like he¡¯s trying to brand himself right on my soul. The sounds we¡¯re making together, pping of skin, groans, moans, Maxim¡¯s growls of appreciation¡­ It throws me over the edge and when I find myself screaming out his name and trembling on his cock, I feel him stiffen up and pull out of me. He grabs my hair and pushes me onto my knees, and right now I am more than willing to be on my knees for him. I take his cock into my mouth and taste myself; my lips stretching around his girth has my pussy throbbing with need again. His cock hits the back of my throat and I gag, but it doesn¡¯t take long for Maxim to reach his peak either. He grips my hair tight and pushes my head down so I can swallow everything he has to give me. It strikes me there, at that moment, that I want to stay here with him¡­but I know I can¡¯t. What happened just now cannot happen again; Maxim and I are bad for each other. We¡¯ll make a toxic pair that will only end in death. Betas Runaway Bride: 9 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 9 - Xiomara Maxim left sometime during the night and didn¡¯t even bother to say goodbye to me. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking anyway, after we fuckedst night, I ran to my bedroom and left him standing there. I know it was stupid! But I couldn¡¯t face him after what we did, knowing I willingly gave myself to him like that made me feel cheap. We hate-fucked, it¡¯s the worst kind but also the kind that sticks with you. What''s even worse than this is that I won''t be seeing Maxim for a while; I¡¯ll probably be gone by the time hees back. There will be no time for us to talk about this; but do I honestly want us to talk about it? Argh, this is going to drive me crazy. Perhaps I should speak to the Alpha about not sending me away until Maxim gets back; but would he listen to me, though? Before I can wallow more, my bedroom door bursts open and I nearly scream¡­ only to see the Gamma¡¯s brides and Luna Mia streaming in and jumping onto my bed. ¡°Wha-¡± ¡°We¡¯re hijacking you for the day,¡± Eden says as she gets under the nkets with me and Alessia joins her on the other side. ¡°We have a full day nned, so you better get your ass out of bed!¡± she says as she blocks me from actually getting out of bed and I scoff incredulously. ¡°Wha¡­ Maxim won¡¯t be happy that so many people are in his house!¡± is the only thing I can think of saying and they all look at each other beforeughing like they know something I don¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Maxim gave us permission to keep youpany here,¡± Luna Mia says and sees my uneasiness, so she gestures for the otherdies to get off the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s give Xiomara her space while she gets ready, girls.¡± They follow Luna Mia towards the door and when they¡¯re all gone; she turns around to face me. ¡°Put on somethingfortable; we¡¯re here to be your friends and try to help where we can, even if it doesn¡¯t feel that way,¡± she says before closing the door and giving me privacy. Great. I wanted to spend the day wallowing and now I have to spend it entertaining women I can¡¯t allow myself to get close to. I¡¯m leaving soon, Luna Mia knows this, so why doesn¡¯t she just leave me be? Sighing, I drag myself out of bed to the shower and afterward I throw on somethingfortable before heading downstairs. They came out here for me, so I might as well y nice, too. I find all congregating in the kitchen, unpacking brown bags of groceries and chatting amongst themselves. There¡¯s not just normal food but choctes and all sorts of unhealthy snacks and bottles of wine and champagne. They¡¯re all dressed like me: sweats, tank tops, and walking barefoot. I think I might just like this. ¡°Did I miss some sort of invitation to this party?¡± I say, amused, as I walk towards the kitchen ind. Luna Mia chuckles. ¡°We¡¯re attempting to do a mezze, but the girls don¡¯t seem to be into something so basic-¡± ¡°I said we should do a chocte charcuterie, but obviously I was shot down,¡± Eden quips with a roll of her eyes. ¡°So I need you to convince them to do one, Xiomara!¡± Gianna groans. ¡°That would just mean we have to spend more hours in the gym burning that chocte This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. off! And I love chocte more than anyone, but I hate the gym more,¡± she protests before turning back to the tter in front of her ¡°A chocte charcuterie? You mean, just with choctes?¡± I ask, secretly loving the idea and when she nods, I can feel my mouth water. ¡°Hmm, that sounds like heaven!¡± Eden squeals and turns to Luna Mia with a hand on her hip. ¡°See?! Someone agrees!¡± Luna Mia pinches the bridge of her nose and gestures between me and Eden. ¡°Then you two create the tter while we do the others. Goddess, we¡¯re going to leave here filled up with rubbish and I¡¯ll be to me!¡± she exims and a chorus of giggles follow. My heart clenches at how easy this is with them. I¡¯ve never had friends in the past, and never got too close to anyone but being around these women makes me want to get to know them better. How can I be mourning something I never had? When we¡¯re done with the tters, we take everything through to the covered deck at the back of the house. It¡¯s a bit chilly out, but I see someone has already lit the firece so the space is nice and warm. After setting the low table, we sat down with me taking up a corner space and Gianna sitting down next to me and Eden next to her. As everyone falls into easy conversation, Gianna turns to me. ¡°Divan and Romano left with Maxim this morning,¡± she says, offering me a smile. ¡°So the three of us will be without them for a while, I think.¡± A while - that could be between a few days and a few months. Either way, I doubt I¡¯ll see Maxim again and that sort of brings me down more. I shouldn¡¯t have run awayst night; but then again, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be feeling like this today. I breathe out a sigh and Eden¡¯s gaze snaps toward me. ¡°They do this often, don¡¯t worry! Romano usually sneaks back in the middle of the night after he¡¯s been away, then it all goes back to normal,¡± she says, reaching over to pat my hand, but I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ It¡¯s not that. Maxim and I¡­st night we - well, something happened.¡± I say, looking up, I see their wide eyes and bite my bottom lip. ¡°We argued, had sex, and then I ran away from him.¡± Gods, that sounds even worse when I say it out loud. ¡°Oh! Wow, we haven¡¯t¡­ progressed that far with the Gammas, but this is good!¡± Gianna says, taking my hand. ¡°It means you¡¯re getting closer and that there are underlying feelings between you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good thing, Gianna,¡± I sigh, shaking my head, and when I look at Luna Mia, she¡¯s wearing a sympathetic expression. Eden scoffs. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a good thing! It means-¡± I look at Gianna¡¯s petite hand in mine and wish things were different. ¡°I¡¯m leaving soon. Maxim found another bride more submissive and I¡¯ll be sent away. So no¡­ this isn¡¯t a good thing.¡± There¡¯s no way I¡¯m looking up at them because the looks of pity would just kill me. After a few weeks with Maxim and things became bearable, only for him to decide to send me back home. Yes, I know I asked for it but I didn¡¯t exactly expect this, did I? ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Niko,¡± my head whips up when I hear Luna Mia¡¯s voice and see the emotion in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him to call off the negotiation with the other pack.¡± ¡°No! You can¡¯t do that, this is what Maxim wants!¡± I exim, shaking my head. ¡°He wants another bride, not me. This is the decision he made, so I can¡¯t go against it!¡± Gods, why does it hurt so much? I cannot believe we grew so close these past few weeks; so close that he¡¯s embedded himself in my heart somehow! Perhaps it¡¯s Captor Syndrome or something¡­ Noelle chuckles and shakes her head. ¡°You think this is what Maxim wants? No offense, Xiomara, but you must be blind,¡± she says and I see both Alessia and Demi nodding. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I ask them with narrowed eyes. Blind? Stupid, maybe, for feeling this way. But what does she mean by me being blind? Gianna tilts her head to the side as a warm smile slips onto her lips. ¡°We all saw the way Maxim looked at you when you came to meet us, not to mention how he managed to calm you down before you came over to the table,¡± she says, giving my hand a squeeze. ¡°Maxim doesn¡¯t want to get rid of you, Xiomara, there¡¯s something else going on with him.¡± ¡°Beta Maxim always has a vacant look in his eyes, but when he looks at you, possessiveness burns there. Don¡¯t let his nonchnce fool you, whatever happened between you two was because you both wanted it,¡± Demi says. Luna Mia beams at Demi¡¯s words, then she slowly nods in agreement. ¡°I must admit that I saw the way he looked at you as well. You¡¯ve slowly started to thaw his heart, but I¡¯m guessing he made this decision because he knew it was what you originally wanted.¡± Yeah, I was the one who told him to send me back home. I was the one who wanted my freedom and he did as I asked. I was the one who pushed him to ask for another bride; it¡¯s all on me. A giggle sounds next to me and I see Gianna¡¯s blue eyes light up. ¡°This sort of gives me hope for Divan and me,¡± she says with a huge smile on her face. ¡°If Beta Maxim¡¯s ruthless heart can be swayed, then so can the hearts of our Gammas!¡± Gianna¡¯s words send a ripple through the group and I watch as hope inches into their eyes as well. ¡°Was Maxim really that bad?¡± I gasp, cing a hand on my chest and Luna Mia nods. ¡°Maxim is the one Niko sends out if he¡¯s unable to deal with the more¡­dangerous things in his territory. Both he and Niko trained the Gammas, that should be saying a lot already,¡± she says, her lips a thin line. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few months since his torture at the hands of Mikhail and his men, and it hardened him even more.¡± ¡°Torture?!¡± I exim, my eyes growing wide and my heart clenching. This should be expected since he¡¯s a second inmand, but the thought of Maxim being hurt sends a sick shiver down my spine. ¡°Men tend to hide their emotions better than we do, don¡¯t forget that. But yes, he was taken and tortured a few months ago,¡± Luna Mia says. ¡°The Gammas and Niko went to rescue him. That was actually the first time I met the Gammas.¡± After Luna Mia says the above, her brows furrow as if she¡¯s just recalled something, then she gets to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be back momentarily,¡± she says, then leaves the room while we all look confused. ¡°Okay, as much as I am dying to pick Xiomara¡¯s brain, let¡¯s all eat and get her drunk so she can spill her secrets,¡± Eden says and hops up, bounding towards the champagne. ¡°Maybe we can get some tips on how to seduce the Gammas.¡± The girls chuckle at Eden¡¯s words and follow her, but Gianna looks at me and sighs. ¡°Do you like Maxim?¡± she asks with a tilt of her head. Like him? I think what I feel is past the ¡®like¡¯ stage. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter anyway, he wants to send me away and another bride will be taking my ce when I leave. What I feel won¡¯t make a difference to what Maxim has decided,¡± I say, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. Maxim is the kind of man who wants things his way, and I am defiant to a fault. I challenge him when I know he prefers them subservient¡­ I am not his type at all. ¡°If you¡¯re uncertain about things, you could always go speak with Alpha Nikos. He may look scary, but he actually listens to the troubles of his pack,¡± she says, patting my hand and standing up. ¡°Who knows, perhaps he knows something about his Beta you¡¯re not privy to.¡± More cryptic words and I honestly feel like I¡¯m about to pull out my hair, but I take a deep breath and join them at the table. These are women who are desperately trying to gain the affection of their husbands, might as well humor them. Betas Runaway Bride: 10 - Dual POV Beta''s Runaway Bride: 10 - Dual POV Maxim Three weeks in and we¡¯ve finally decided to infiltrate the insurgent Rogue pack. Ghost and Descry are out circling the perimeter, while I¡¯m checking my weapons knowing that shifting won¡¯t help in this case even if my wolf is powerful. To take these fuckers down, I need to think like a hunter. This pack has decimated two new ones integrating with ours, so it¡¯s my duty to remove them. They¡¯re Mikhail loyalists and our direct enemy, so we have to be on our toes. Throughout this, I have to force myself not to think about myst night with Xiomara. She fit me perfectly, both her pussy and her mouth. I didn¡¯t want to stop; I wanted to get lost in her, wanted to fucking give myself to her and tell her we can stop the bullshit. But then a look of shame filled her as she swallowed me down and she bolted before I could tell her I wanted this and so much more. I knew she wouldn¡¯t listen to me, not when she felt ashamed of what I made her feel. And now all I can see is that look in her eyes and the scent ofvender haunts me. What if she¡¯s gone by the time I get home and we never sort this out between us? What if her father has collected her and another bride stood waiting for me? I know she wants her freedom and I hate to keep it from her, but I want her more than she wants that freedom. No other woman would do; not a fucking chance. /¡°Only one guard out front during this supposed big meeting, they¡¯re getting brave,¡±/ Ghost calls over the mind link with augh. /¡°We can proceed, Beta Maxim,¡±/ Only one guard? That cannot be a good sign, especially with these big Rogue names attending. /¡°Anything from your side, Descry?¡±/ I ask when I realize he¡¯s been a bit too quiet. /¡°Nothing here. I can¡¯t listen in on the meeting, though; either witchcraft or silver, but neither makes sense.¡±/ He answers and a sliver of unease coils in my stomach. Descry has never been uncertain about things¡­ /¡°Silver would harm the fuckers too, so it can¡¯t be that.¡±/ I breathe out a sigh and holster my weapons; we need to do this now before we think of more excuses not to do it. /¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡±/ I say. If only I knew that I would regret those wordster. The second I stepped into their perimeter, ten fucking wolves descended on me and attempted to rip me apart. It was a fucking ambush. The cunts knew we were here all this time and we yed right into their hands. The searing feel of their teeth locking on my flesh had me roaring in anger and pain, but I pulled out my daggers and managed to kill them one by one. A cut to the belly and their guts spilled out like a pinata. Luckily, I got the worse of the ambush and killed the fucking attack dogs before the other two got here. Three more wolves run toward me at the same time, and I lift my arm to fire my Beretta housing silver and wolfsbane bullets. I nearly missed the shots because of my wounds, clipping them by their shoulders instead, but the following two hits were right on target. Bloodied and in fucking pain, I move forward even as they lunge at me because I know one misstep and I die here. I was leading the other two and got most of the damage with the silver bombs, but I knew this was far from over. A bullet misses my head by inches and I can feel the heat as it zooms past me. /¡°We need those fucking bombs, Ghost!¡±/ I call over the mind link and not even two secondster, I see the bombs fly into the pack house and the ce fills up with wolfsbane gas. Taking a breath, I turn and rush into the pack house, shooting whoever is blocking my path even as the stench of wolfsbane threatens to drop me to my knees. Descry and Ghost are behind me, I hear their weapons and smell their scents so I leave them be and head toward the three cowering figures Niko sent me to kill. I have to get out of here as soon as possible andplete the mission. I cannot die here with this painful regretying heavy in my heart not after I tried to fool myself into thinking I didn¡¯t want that woman. Five minutester, I managed to take out their leaders before finally going down myself. Lavender and sweet jasmine beckon me¡­ I need to go home¡­ I need her. *** Xiomara His hands are all over my body and when he slides his tongue through my pussy, my grip on his hair tightens. I¡¯ve wanted this for so long, wanted to give in to the one man who infuriates me to no end, and now I am. He drives me crazy and gets me wet and I don¡¯t know which I love more. A crash downstairs has me jumping out of bed and my heart starts thumping wildly in my chest. Wait, was I just having a sex dream about Maxim? Gods, another one - that¡¯s four this week alone! But I put it out of my head because I hear another tumble and crash sounds downstairs and I rush out towards the door without thinking. This is a closed-off estate, so what the hell is happening? I open the bedroom door, wondering who the heck broke into my home just as the smell of blood and wolfsbane hits me like a bag of bricks. I stop mid-step because blood and wolfsbane are never a good ?Qu¨¦ m****a? I tiptoe back inside, grab one of the heavy books on the shelf and creep downstairs, knowing that whoever has just broken in will get an encyclopedia to the face even if they attack me. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m ying around with an intruder. However, when I hear a groan and catch the faint whiff of sandalwood underneath the blood and wolfsbane, the book drops from my hand with a thud. I shoot down the remaining stairs and see a huddled figureying on what¡¯s left of the ss coffee table. Relief and horror wash over me when I realize the huddled figure is the man I just had a filthy dream about. ¡°Maxim?!¡± I exim and rush towards him, switching on the light and my haste to get to him. Whatever is left of my heart crumbles when I see the state of the powerful Beta; bloodied, blue, flesh torn in ces and I can hear the silver searing his skin. I drop to my knees and cradle his head in my hands, and his eyes flutter open and closed. ¡°Maxim, hey, Maxim!¡± I call, slightly shaking him and tapping his cheek. ¡°What happened? Why didn¡¯t you go to the pack doctors?!¡± He tries to open his eyes but they close again. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­can¡¯t let Niko see¡­ see me like¡­.¡± he trails off, breathing in between his words with a high-pitched wheezing. Even if that sentence isn¡¯tpleted, I get what he¡¯s trying to tell me. I¡¯ve cleaned the wounds of warriors back home plenty of times, so I¡¯ll be able to tend to him once I know what¡¯s wrong. He doesn¡¯t want Alpha Nikos to see him like this, so I¡¯ll fix him up as best I can. ¡°Okay, but I need to tend to your wounds then,¡± I say and tentatively attempt to pull him to his feet. ¡°You¡¯ll need to help me out here, Maxim. Let¡¯s get you to your bedroom so I can help.¡± Maxim groans as he sits forward, the wheezing in his lungs getting worse, but he manages to stand up. ¡°Lean against me,¡± I say and put his arms around my shoulders before we take slow steps up to his bedroom. ¡°Xio¡­mara¡­¡± he murmurs, the way he¡¯s saying my name feels like splinters in my heart. ¡°I¡­ I came back¡­ I need to¡­ need to say-¡± ¡°Shh, save your strength, we can talkter,¡± I say as I continue with him up the stairs. As much as I want to talk with him, I can¡¯t right now. I have never struggled to carry something in my life, and Maxim is literally deadweight against me as I stumble up these stairs. He may not be bulky like the Alpha, but he definitely has the weight and muscle of a powerful Beta. When we eventually get to his bedroom, Iy him down on the bed and rummage through his bathroom in search of the first aid kit. My hands won¡¯t stop their incessant shaking when I find the kit, so I take a deep breath and try to keep myself calm. I can¡¯t afford to make a mistake when Maxim¡¯s life is on the line. He tended to me when those men tried to sexually assault me, I needed to look after him as well. Grabbing the kit and running out, I get to work by cutting away his clothing to get a better view of the damage and my heart cracks when I remove his shirt. Pieces of flesh look like it¡¯s been torn away by sharp teeth, I see silver shrapnel sticking out of his skin and notice how purple they¡¯ve turned from the poison in his blood. I nce up at his face and see the same shrapnel there, alluding to a silver shrapnel bomb exploding close to him. What mission was he on to get hurt this badly?! It looks like he¡¯s been to war and back! Swallowing down tears and the heavy emotion clogging my throat, I remove every item of his clothing, pick up the tweezers and get to work with removing the pieces of silver stuck in his body. The fact that this man I¡¯ve had sexy dreams about is naked in front of me does nothing for me right now. I wonder if the other Gammas look this bad or is it only Maxim? They can¡¯t look worse than him, surely! Hours. It took me hours to remove the silver shrapnel and bullets, wash and tend to the open wounds, and stitch up the gashes all over his back and chest. He doesn¡¯t make a noise the entire time, so I know his wolf must have him under heavy sleep so his body can heal. I haven¡¯t seen him in three weeks, only for him toe back like this. If I doubted my decision to leave, the way I am feeling now exins everything. I don¡¯t want to leave Maxim¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave this ce, but I know it¡¯s toote. Gianna and I have gotten closer, too. Gods, we¡¯ve all gotten closer over the past few weeks. I¡¯ve made friends here who feel like sisters but I¡¯ll be forced to leave when my Pappaes to get me. It makes me sick to my stomach. I¡¯m only satisfied with my work when I can see his smaller wounds slowly healing and hear the wheezing ease off in his lungs. His face is no longer scrunched up in pain and he once again looks peaceful. Naked and covered in bandages, but peaceful nheless. Birds are chirping outside the window by the time I clean thest of the tools and I know that I need to shower to get this blood off of me. But I am dead on my feet¡­ I sink to the floor next to the bed, unable to keep my eyes open any longer. Maxim should be out for a few hours, so I can rest here and disappear before he even knows I cleaned him up and tended to his wounds.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Betas Runaway Bride: 11 - Maxim Beta''s Runaway Bride: 11 - Maxim My body feels like it''s been put through a fucking meat grinder. Every inch of my skin is like it¡¯s on fire and when I breathe, it feels like I¡¯m gargling vodka. shes of memory appear in my peripheral vision and I vaguely recall getting home, but that¡¯s about it. I open my eyes and groan at the harsh sunlight streaming into the room, and it¡¯s only when my eyes adjust that I realize I¡¯m back in my bedroom. I lift my hand to shield my eyes from the light, but it feels like my arm is being held down. Sweet jasmine andvender. Turning my head to the left, my eyes widen when I see Xiomara on the floor with her hand on my arm and her head resting against the mattress. It¡¯s like she fell asleep right here, but why would she? Not only that but her hands are bloodied, almost as if¡­ I look down at my body only to see the bandages and when I lift the covers; I notice that I am naked. All the silver shrapnel and bullets have been removed from my flesh and my body cleaned up. Xiomara tended to me. This can be the only reason she¡¯s here passed out on the floor. I turn on my side with every nerve ending ring up, screaming out in pain at the movement. Those fuckers got me good, but I can tell I¡¯ve been healing with the silver removed and wolfsbane burnt from my bloodstream. Drawing my hand to her face, I stroke her hair and the ghost of a smile teases my lips. Gods, I¡¯ve missed this firecracker of a woman. How did she manage to burrow herself so deeply into my heart? ¡°Xiomara,¡± I murmur in a hoarse tone, my throat feeling dry as hell. ¡°Hey, wake up, Bambi.¡± She lets out the cutest groan and her eyes flutter open and shut again; but as soon as she peers up at me, her head whips up and her mouth falls open. ¡°Maxim!¡± she exims, moving away from the bed. Her cheeks redden when our eyes meet, and it makes her morning face look even lovelier. ¡°How are you feeling? I apologize, I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep here.¡± I shake my head and offer her a smile. ¡°Did you tend to mest night?¡± She¡¯s still covered in my dried blood, which tells me she must have simply passed out after removing the shrapnel and bullets, cleaning my wounds, and stitching me up. But she could also have helped someone else clean me up and somehow, I don¡¯t like the sound of that. Biting her bottom lip, she nods. ¡°I did. You were passed out on the living room floor and broke a ss coffee table on your way up here. I found you there and brought you up to your bedroom,¡± she says, but why is she nervous? ¡°I¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­ I had to cut all your clothing away to remove the silver and bullets.¡± Oh¡­ She¡¯s apologizing because she saw me naked? I shake my head and swing my legs over the bed and she rushes to her feet to help me because I let out a struggling groan. Fuck, this is more difficult than I thought it would be. She ces a hand on my shoulder and I sigh, my body screaming out in pain. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, doubling over and struggling to breathe. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for, Xiomara; you saved my life.¡± At this, she jerks her hand back and I look up at her, noticing she¡¯s still blushing. I never would have thought a strong woman like her could blush this much, but I find it endearing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just leave you there,¡± she murmurs. ¡°You could have died and I¡­¡± Why is she struggling to speak like this? In the short time I¡¯ve known her, she always speaks her mind and yet now she¡¯s babbling. Wait, could she be nervous right now? My sense of smell is messed up because of the wolfsbane burning my sinuses, so I can¡¯t tell. ¡°Hey,¡± I say, cing my hand on her thigh. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m grateful that you tended to my woundsst night when you could have just left me for dead. So again, thank you.¡± Her eyes widen slightly. ¡°Left you for dead? We might have our differences, Maxim, but I could never have just left you there to die,¡± she says with a sigh. ¡°How are you feeling, by the way?¡± Oh, I never answered that question when she asked me earlier. ¡°I can feel myself slowly healing, but I do need to clean up,¡± I say, getting to my feet but swaying. ¡°Fuck.¡± Okay, shit; this is going to be more difficult than I thought. I need to use the bathroom desperately and then shower, but at this rate, I may be too weak to do it all myself. ¡°Let me help you,¡± she says and my head snaps to her so fast that I see white spots dancing in my eyes. ¡°Well, to clean you up. I can help you in the shower if you¡¯d like?¡± In normal circumstances, my cock would have twitched at that suggestion, but right now I feel way too thankful for the help she wants to offer me. No Beta wants to go out slipping on the shower floor and hitting his head on the wall. ¡°If you¡¯refortable with it?¡± I say. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like you¡¯re forced to help me-¡± ¡°I want to help you, Maxim,¡± she interjects, slowly rising to her feet and holding her hand out for me. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you in the bathroom to do your business, but as soon as you¡¯re done, call me and I¡¯ll help you clean up. Is that okay?¡± A small smile creases on my face, and I slowly nod. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say for the tenth time and get to my feet. She leads me over to the bathroom with my naked body seemingly having no effect on her and leaves me for a few minutes while my dder screams in relief. After I flush, I slowly walk over to the sink to wash my hands, then I call Xiomara to let her know I am done. Looking sheepish as she pokes her head through the door, she saunters over to myrge shower space and regtes the water. She beckons me over, then she removes the bandages and gauze from my body, sucking in a breath when she sees the half-healed wounds. Thankfully, there¡¯s no shower door, so getting in will be easy. The second the water hits my skin, I sigh in relief. The temperature is perfect and I¡¯m about to thank Xiomara when I feel her hand on my back. I slowly turn to face her and my eyes widen when I see her naked body in front of me. She¡¯s perfection personified; a full body, curvy hips, and a delicious little stomach pouch above her pussy. I would do anything to sink into her, but it feels like that link to my cock is partially severed because of the pain. Grabbing a loofah and from the smell of it, medicinal shower gel, shethers it up and starts to wash me down. This is the most intimate I have ever been with another woman; sex doesn¡¯t evene close to this. She¡¯s careful not to wash over the healing wounds too hard, but she cleans them as if she¡¯s done this many times before. I¡¯m about to ask her about it when she gets down on her knees in front of me and proceeds to wash in between my legs. Now my cock seems to take notice, especially when I can feel her breath inches from my thickening length. She peers up at me through those thickshes, then she starts to wash me right there. She drops the loofah and starts to use her hands tother me up, her hands running over my thighs and in between my legs. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s just washing me now, because this turned from intimate to damn near erotic. Rising up, her hands skim the dips and nes of my abs and I stifle a groan at her gentle touch. She moves her fingers over my v-line and across the strip of hair that heads to my cock, then I suck in a breath when she wraps her hand around my swollen shaft. But as quickly as the thoughtes to her, it disappears, and she clears her throat before picking up the dropped loofah. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ that wasn¡¯t supposed to¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± she stumbles over her words again and shakes her head before gesturing for me to move down so she can wash my hair. My dick detes almost instantly at the rejection, but I know it¡¯s not because of me. She promised to help me wash up and nearly allowed herself to do something she was so ashamed ofst time. I get it, trust me; but it fucking sucks. When she¡¯s done washing me, she does the same to her own body. However, this time I asked her if I could wash her hair, too. She seems apprehensive at first, but then she nods and offers me a small Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. smile as she hands me the shampoo. If she can¡¯t smell like my scent, she¡¯ll fucking smell like my shampoo. She stands in front of me with her head tilted back and I apply the liquid to her hair and work it up into a Sex could never feel more intimate than this. From Xiomara not trusting me at all, running away from our proposed union to her closing her eyes so I can wash her hair. Something unspoken is happening between us, but who will be the first to admit it? After washing the foam from her hair, I turn off the water but can¡¯t take it anymore and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her against my chest. She gasps at the sudden motion, but she doesn¡¯t fight me off. Instead, she rests her head against my shoulder and sighs when I lean my head on the nape of her neck. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me,¡± I whisper, feeling her shiver in my arms and goosebumps forming on her skin. cing a kiss on her neck, I trail kisses to her shoulder and gently nip at her skin. ¡°I¡¯m in your debt now; anything you want of me, you¡¯ll get.¡± I don¡¯t know why, but my words cause her to stiffen in my arms. Then she slowly turns around and peers up at me, a distant look clouding her Bambi eyes, then she shakes her head. ¡°Let¡¯s get you dried up and clothed before you catch a cold,¡± she says, knowingly pushing her thoughts away and recing them with whatever this is. As much as I like Xiomara tending to me, I prefer her honesty more, and now it feels like she¡¯s hiding something from me. She takes a towel and wraps one around her body before drying my body off with another. I don¡¯t miss the fact that she¡¯s taking care of me before even taking care of herself, and I don¡¯t know how to feel about that. When her body is dry, she takes my hand and leads me over to my walk-in closet. ¡°Gloves or no gloves?¡± she asks with a mischievous look in her eyes and I chuckle. ¡°No gloves and just a t-shirt and loose joggers, please,¡± I say and she obliges, helping me get into my clothing while I feel no shame in having this woman looking after and tending to me. After I am dressed, she seems satisfied. ¡°I¡¯m going to get dressed and make us something to eat,¡± she says, ¡°Wait for me and I¡¯ll help you walk down the stairs; someone already cleaned up the broken coffee tables, so you can wait in the living room while I cook.¡± I don¡¯t want to tell her that I¡¯d rather watch her cook, so I simply nod and watch her walk away, wondering how I¡¯m going to tell her that I want her to stay with me. Betas Runaway Bride: 12 - Xiomara Beta''s Runaway Bride: 12 - Xiomara ¡°He¡¯s home, please tell Alpha Nikos not to worry. I¡¯ve tended to his wounds, cleaned him up, and made sure he¡¯s okay,¡± I tell Luna Mia over the cell phone she lent me to keep in touch with her. ¡°He didn¡¯t want the Alpha seeing how hurt he was.¡± ¡°Oh, thank Goddess! Niko has been trying to contact him through the mind link, but the silver might have blocked it,¡± she says, relieved and breathing out a long sigh. ¡°Thank you, Xiomara; is it okay if we ¡°Please do! We¡¯re having something to eat right now, but I think he¡¯d appreciate it,¡± I say, turning my gaze to Maxim who nods at me. ¡°See youter, Luna Mia.¡± I kill the call and put the cell phone down on the counter before walking over to Maximying down on the couch. This morning with him was torture; being naked with him in the shower did all sorts to me, but luckily I reined my lust in. He trusted me enough to be naked with me, trusted me enough to let me wash him down then embraced me afterward. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening between us right now, but the silence is growing so loud and my stomach is in knots. My eyes flit to where he¡¯sying deep in thought, his one arm behind his head while the other rests on his stomach. He hasn¡¯t really spoken to me, either, not after we embraced in the shower. Things just feel awkward now. Do I mention how he makes me feel or leave it be? ¡°I don¡¯t require a babysitter, Xiomara,¡± he suddenly says, his eyes still glued to the ck TV screen. ¡°You don¡¯t need to sit here and keep mepany if you¡¯d much rather be somece else.¡± I bite back a retort but respond anyway. ¡°What makes you think I don¡¯t want to be here with you?¡± I only realize after I said those words that it has a double meaning because he looks back up at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°You¡¯re fidgeting in your seat and won¡¯t even look my way or attempt a conversation. If I bore you-¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not doing any of that either,¡± I shrug. ¡°Or are you expecting me to keep this conversation going while youy there?¡± Whatever I just said seems to be amusing to him because he chuckles and shakes his head. ¡°Touche, Bambi,¡± he says, calling me that stupid nickname again. ¡°Why do you call me that? I¡¯m in no way timid like a deer, nor am I fragile like one,¡± I ask, genuinely curious as to why he would liken me to that character. Maxim smiles at my question. ¡°Because of your eyes,¡± is all he says, and doesn¡¯t borate further. Even if I wanted to ask him what he meant, I am unable to because there¡¯s a knock on the front door, and the massive presence that is Alpha Nikos stalks inside. I don¡¯t want to show how much he terrifies me, so I simply get to my feet and offer both him and Luna Mia a smile. Alpha Nikos frowns at me before turning to his Beta who is now sitting up. ¡°You fucking scared me, asshole,¡± he says, surprising me by embracing his Beta, then he drops into a conversation in anothernguage. I think it might be Greek, but all it tells me is that the Alpha wanted privacy. Luna Miaes over to me and wraps her arms around me. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± she asks. ¡°I am. Would you like something to drink?¡± I say, hoping she gets my double meaning and thankfully she does. We walk to the kitchen and she joins me next to the coffee machine. ¡°What happened?¡± she asks in a low voice. ¡°From what Ghost and Descry told us, Maxim was badly wounded but refused medical attention; he just wanted to be home.¡± This is news to me; I just assumed he didn¡¯t want Alpha Nikos to know he was badly hurt. Did he want toe home even while seriously wounded? What exactly does that mean? ¡°I¡¯m the one who tended to him after finding him downstairs. What he went through¡­ the damage, it was terrible,¡± I say, shaking my head as I recall how badly he was hurt when I found him. Luna Mia¡¯s eyes grow slightly. ¡°You cleaned up Maxim and tended to his wounds?¡± she asks and when I nod, she beams at me. ¡°Wow, Xiomara, that¡¯s amazing! Thank you for saving him!¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I cringe under her appreciation, but that doesn¡¯t stop the smile creeping onto my lips. ¡°I was just doing what¡­ anyone else in the pack would have done,¡± I say and if Luna Mia didn¡¯t believe my words, she said nothing. After finishing up our coffees, we head back into the living room where the two men are still in deep discussion but it seems to be wrapping up. Alpha Nikos ps Maxim on the back and gets to his feet before turning to me. My heart leaps into my throat when he walks towards me, but I remember Maxim¡¯s words thest time Alpha Nikos terrified me. ¡°You¡¯re mine, he won¡¯t touch you.¡± I hear those words whispered to me in Maxim¡¯s voice and don¡¯t allow myself to feel scared in the presence of this Alpha¡­ even if I am literally shaking. ¡°Xiomara, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been formally acquainted. I¡¯m Nikos,¡± he starts. ¡°Maxim tells me you saved his lifest night, and for saving one of the most important people to me, I am eternally grateful to you.¡± My mouth opens and closes like a fish and I can feel my eyes widening to dinner te size. Did this Alpha just thank me?! ¡°I¡­ I was just doing what anyone else in this pack would have done,¡± I repeat my lie and hope he doesn¡¯t catch on. ¡°Maxim saved my life before, so¡­¡± ¡°Be that as it may, you¡¯re not even part of the pack and yet you saved the life of the Alpha¡¯s second in turned to Maxim. ¡°We¡¯ll be off, but remember what I¡¯ve said.¡± Maxim nods curtly, a serious look crossing his face and the Alpha and Luna Mia make their way toward the door. Luna looks back and gives me an encouraging smile before walking out of the front door. Now it¡¯s back to me and Maxim being awkward with one another. Honestly, I have had enough of it now, so I get to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to lie down for a while, I am still quite tired fromst night,¡± I say and he nods without even looking my way. Why is it always like this? Why does it feel like we¡¯ve made progress only for us to take ten steps back and fade into awkward silence? I¡¯m tired of the whish; maybe going away will be a good thing. Then again, I don¡¯t know what punishment awaits me with my father. Right now, my future seems even more vague and terrifying than a few months ago. When I get to my bedroom, I curl up into a ball under my covers and swallow down the sadness threatening to choke me. A lone tear slips down the bridge of my nose and onto the pillow and I scoff. I always saw tears as weakness, but right now crying feels therapeutic. After a while, knock on my bedroom door has me sitting up, and when it opens, Maxim¡¯s apologetic face has me narrowing my eyes. ¡°Hey, I was wondering if we could talk,¡± he says. I draw my legs towards my chest and wrap my arms around them before answering him. ¡°Sure, you can sit down on the bed if you¡¯d like.¡± He nods curtly and slowly walks towards my bed but instead of sitting down next to me on the opposite side, he walks around to where I¡¯m sitting. Being in close proximity like this always seems to get my heart beating way too fast, and right now there¡¯s no exception. I can feel his eyes on me and a flush covers my cheeks as I peer up at him. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡± I ask, or rather, whisper because right now even the act of breathing is difficult for me. Even battered and bruised, Maxim is still the most handsome man I have ever been around. His blue eyes, once emotionless, now have a cloudy tint to them and for the first time, I wish I knew what was on his mind. Maxim sighs, then winces. ¡°Before I went away, we sort of left things open-ended between us and I would like us to discuss them,¡± he says, and as thankful as I am for himing out with this, I also hate the fact that I have to talk about it now. ¡°I thought it was just¡­ sex to you,¡± I say, leaning my head on my knees. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± He shakes his head and my heartbeat picks up. ¡°I know I deserve you seeing it that way, but I didn¡¯t just think of it as sex,¡± he says. ¡°Things between us are strange and strained, I know that, but I¡¯d be lying if I said I felt nothing for you.¡± I sit up straight and my eyebrows pinch together; am I hearing what I think I¡¯m hearing right now? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not just me that feels it?¡± Maxim chuckles and draws his hand to my cheek, cupping it gently and running his thumb over my skin. ¡°You had me right by the heart the second you tried to stab me, Bambi,¡± he says. ¡°But as selfish as I am, I know that I can¡¯t have you when you yearn to be free from me.¡± Wait, no. ¡°Maxim-¡± He ces a finger on my lips and shakes his head. ¡°I saw the look of shame and regret on your face and in your eyes afterward; I don¡¯t ever want to see that again. So, I¡¯m letting you go because thest thing I want you to feel when you¡¯re with me, is shame.¡± Is that what he thinks it was? I mean, I felt ashamed because of my actions, not because of how he made me feel! ¡°Wait, just let me-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be selfish with you, Xiomara, even though everything in me is telling me to. So I want to ask if I can have onest kiss before we go our separate ways, if that¡¯s okay with you?¡± Go our separate ways? Is he that determined to let me go? I sigh and nod my head. ¡°Onest kiss before I go,¡± I say with trepidation in my heart because I know this kiss will be the one to set my soul aze. He parts my legs and moves closer, running the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip¡­ And when he leaned in to capture my mouth in a searing kiss, I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong. He pulls me flush against his body; against all logic, I melt into his embrace and drown in his delicious scent. I can practically taste his desire with every swipe of his tongue against mine and every groan my kiss is eliciting from him. Thest time we kissed, it was out of anger and frustration but this one is bittersweet - it¡¯s a farewell neither of us wants. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me onto hisp where I can feel his thick length; even if this is only a parting kiss, his cock is betraying his true intentions. I wrap my legs around his waist and my hands dove into his soft hair. He groans when I grind down on his cock, my own body betraying my true intentions now. With a low growl, he slips his hands down my back to my ass, cupping it and bucking right against my pussy. Breaking off the kiss, he brands my neck with sharp, curt kisses before working his way to my mouth again. With every kiss, we¡¯re telling each other what we want, but neither of us can say it out loud. Saying it would make it real, and it would feel even worse when I do leave here. But how do I tell him that I don¡¯t want to leave? How do I let him know that this is what I want, that my freedom is being with him when he¡¯s already made up his mind to let me go? With a sudden jolt, he breaks off the kiss again and frowns. I cup his face with both my hands with the intention of telling him that I want him for him when his next words shatter the little semnce of happiness his kiss gave me. ¡°Your father is here.¡± Betas Runaway Bride: 13 - Maxim Beta''s Runaway Bride: 13 - Maxim A weight bears heavily on my shoulders because I am torn between what I want and what I think Xiomara wants. The way she kissed me now shows me that she wants this just as bad as I do, so why the fuck aren¡¯t we giving in to this? Gods, I want this woman. The way she fits me so perfectly, it¡¯s almost as if the Goddess made her just for me. There¡¯s no way this could be wrong, not with the way she makes my dead heart beat with purpose. She feels the same way about me, so why was she hiding it? Why feel ashamed for wanting something that feels so right? But then I finally heard Niko¡¯s voice over the mind link and every bit of happiness I felt crumbled at my feet. Xiomara¡¯s father hase to take her away - it¡¯s toote for us. She moves from myp and gets to her feet as quickly as she can, then she walks to the closet where I can hear her heart beating as fast as a hummingbird. That kiss was supposed to be a goodbye, not a wee home. With a groan, I stand up and breathe out a sigh that makes me wince. I fucking hate being weak like this, I¡¯m d those cunts are dead or I¡¯ll be tempted to kill them again. When Xiomara walks out, she¡¯s wearing a pair of trainers and a hoodie but I notice she¡¯s not carrying anything else. Then again, everything here is what I¡¯ve bought her, right? She looks at me, her lips a thin line as she nods. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she says, and her voice cracks. Her eyes and bodynguage give nothing away, but her voice betrays her emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Xiomara-¡± ¡°No,¡± she says, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s toote now.¡± I sigh again and bite back the pain, then I walk towards her and gesture for her to go first. Seeing her leave will be the hardest thing for me, but it will be a reminder that I let something beautiful slip through my fingers. I¡¯m a fucking idiot. Niko gave me an ultimatum this morning and now I''ll be doing something I don''t want to do. /¡°We¡¯re at the front gate and he¡¯s not a happy fucker,¡±/ Niko tells me over the mind link. /¡°Hurry up so he can leave before I kill him.¡±/ Niko¡¯s words from earlier echo in my head, but I know that I am toote to reconsider what''s waiting. This Alpha and his territories are important to Niko¡¯s ns, so I can¡¯t give him any more reason to hate our pack. Xiomara and I are quiet as we walk through the forest toward the mansion, and I notice she doesn¡¯t even make eye contact with me. The closer we get to the mansion, the more something tells me I should say something and put an end to this. ¡°We can stop this,¡± I finally say, but she shakes her head and continues walking. ¡°Xiomara, listen to me! I¡¯ve had enough of this. I am done!¡± She eventually stops and hangs her head in her hands, murmuring something in Spanish; as if she¡¯s trying to convince herself that this won¡¯t be good for either of us. But I¡¯ll knock that doubt out of her head because this woman is mine. ¡°I can go there and tell your father you¡¯ll still be my bride; just say the words and I will do it. Tell me you''ll be mine and we can stop this foolishness!¡± She turns around to face me, and true to her Bambi nickname, her eyes are wide and shining with unshed tears. Her shoulders shake lightly as if she¡¯s trying not to sob. ¡°Xiomara, please say something,¡± I beg. A tear slips down her cheek, and she takes a few tentative steps toward me. ¡°How can we work?¡± she murmurs, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. ¡°You want someone who will be obedient and submissive, someone who won¡¯t challenge your authority to no end. Not someone like me who will question your will!¡± I scoff and close the distance between us, drawing my hand to the back of her neck and pulling her close. ¡°You¡¯ve just described everything I love about you, everything that drives me crazy and gets my cock hard at the same time,¡± I say as I wrap my arms around her waist. ¡°You¡¯ve been this constant thought in the back of my mind that I can¡¯t get rid of, and now that I¡¯ve had a taste, I don¡¯t want to get fucking rid of it. You''ve branded yourself onto my very fucking soul, Xiomara, no matter what I do, I cannot let go of you.¡± She sniffs and chuckles sadly. ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m not easy, Maxim-¡± I cup her face with both my hands and feel my eyes shift to Beta gold. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking want easy; I just want you. No shame, no regrets - just you.¡± Why the fuck was that so hard to admit? Why couldn¡¯t we just be honest about how we felt before everything led to this point? I¡¯m an idiot; a real fucking idiot for allowing it to spiral out of control. ¡°I¡­¡± she trails off, sniffing. ¡°I want you too; I want this with you.¡± No other words could ever sound sweeter than this, and I draw my mouth to hers, sealing our need with a kiss. If we were anyce else but outside in the cold woods, I would im here and now. But she¡¯s not just a quick fuck. With her words alone, she¡¯s bound me to her. No longer just someone given to me for the sake of an arrangement, but mine - fucking mine. I break off the kiss and draw my forehead to hers, breathing out a strained, painful sigh that fails to hide my happiness. ¡°Why did it take us so long to fucking admit this?¡± She giggles at my question and wraps her arms around my waist. ¡°Because we¡¯re both idiots and nearly lost what we could have had because of our stubbornness,¡± she says, admitting that she¡¯s stubborn as well. Ah, that¡¯s a first. I kiss the top of her head and my smile just grows wider. ¡°Let¡¯s go tell them to fuck off so I can spend some time with my woman,¡± I say,cing my fingers with hers and catching the breathtaking smile curving on her lips. Gods, I always want to see this smile. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to keep that smile on her face from now on. No more shame, no more doubts or overthinking. I need to be more open with her, since now I Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. realize she needs affirmation from me first. I¡¯ll show her every day and every night how much I want her, if that¡¯s what it takes. We can only grow from here, and from what I can tell, this will only grow more. I never wanted a bride, instead, I might have just received a soulmate. We walk out of the forest and I can hear loud voicesing from the front of the pack house. Niko is standing in front of a tall man with salt and pepper hair wearing a suit and nked by two other men. I can immediately tell that this is Xiomara¡¯s father, especially when he turns his head our way. His face goes red, and he rushes over to us. Then he does something that has put him on my shit list until the day he dies; he rips Xiomara out of my arms andnds a hard p across her face. ¡°Pappa-!¡± ¡°?Eres una desgracia!¡± he hollers, pulling her towards him and attempting to drag her away. ¡°You¡¯re going back to your mother¡¯s homnd! I am done with you and your rebellious ways!¡± I snap out of my shock and see red. This man just put his hands on my woman; I don¡¯t give a fuck if he¡¯s her father. No one touches her and lives. Rushing after them, I pull her out of his grasp, rear back a fist, and m it right against his nose. The sounds of his bones cracking under my fist sends a shiver up my spine and I gear up tond another one when I feel a pair of small hands on my biceps. Xiomara looks up at me and shakes her head. ¡°Let him go, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding-¡± ¡°He fucking touched you!¡± I growl, looking at the whimpering man in front of me. ¡°No one gets to hurt you and live.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my father, Maxim!¡± she exims. I see her red cheek and it makes my blood boil. ¡°He¡¯s angry with me and worked up, but this can all be settled with a few words, okay? Let¡¯s speak with him about our decision and go from there.¡± I let go of hispel, and he falls to the floor, holding his nose. How the fuck is she expecting me to be calm right now? From a happy fucking revtion in the woods to this. I shouldn¡¯t give in so easily, I should be beating him to a pulp for touching what¡¯s mine, but the look in her eyes reels my anger back. ¡°Fine,¡± I say, gently grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her to my side before ring at her father. ¡°If you had waited just a few fucking seconds before touching her, you would have known that my betrothal to your daughter is still in effect. She¡¯s mine.¡± The fucker at least has the decency to look scared as he takes a step back, looking from his daughter to me. ¡°S-still in effect? You are going to marry her?¡± I nod. ¡°I am and you just hurt my bride; for that, you shouldn''t be spared, but she¡¯s just saved your life by vouching for you,¡± he pales at my words, and I can¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°The marriage is still in ce and so are the arrangements between you and Niko.¡± Niko walks towards us and ces a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I have the papers up in my office. If you will, Alpha Aldo, we can do this right now.¡± This is what Niko spoke to me about earlier; he has the marriage papers, and it''s just for us to sign them. I turn to Xiomara and see the shock on her face, because if her father says yes, then we¡¯re getting married right fucking now. Her father flounders, but nods anyway. ¡°Certainly!¡± he exims, then he turns to me. ¡°I apologize for my rash behavior, Beta Maxim. I hope you can forgive me. And you, Zara, I am sorry for striking you.¡± Xiomara nods. ¡°The first and thest time, Pappa,¡± she says, then actually walks towards him and embraces him. They whisper something to each other and her father nods, actually looking apologetic for once. She joins me at my side again and then nces up at me. ¡°You knew about the papers, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asks, but obviously already knows the answer. I lean forward to kiss the side of her head, attempting to hide my smile but failing. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I was informed, and knew I had to take action to keep you by my side,¡± I say. It¡¯s not exactly the full truth, but it¡¯ll do. As long as I have her now, as long as she willingly says yes to being mine, it will all be worth it. Betas Runaway Bride: Epilogue - Dual POV Beta''s Runaway Bride: Epilogue - Dual POV Xiomara I told my father never to contact me after today, that I want nothing to do with his pack after this. He humiliated me for no reason, all because he felt cheated out of something and needed to make an example of me. As much as it hurts, I am d to be rid of him. Hopefully, I don¡¯t see him again after today, but I wish him well. An hour ago I signed papers anchoring me to Maxim for life, now I¡¯m in the shower getting ready to consummate our marriage. The thought sends a shiver down my spine and I giggle inwardly at how silly I am acting. It still feels unreal since everything regarding the legal aspects of marriage is so clinical, but the gorgeous sapphire and gold band on my finger makes it all so real. I married Maxim; married the man who I thought would be my doom. I dry off and slip on the short silk nightgown before walking out of the bathroom. He¡¯s alreadyying waiting for me in the middle of his bed wearing nothing but a pair of silk boxers, with one arm behind his head and the other on his taut abs. He¡¯s still healing, but most of the damage is gone. His perfect skin will be marred with silver scars though, but I am sure it will make him look even sexier. I walk over to him and straddle him, causing him to suck in a breath through clenched teeth. ¡°Xiomara Costas. Hmm, that just rolls off my tongue, just like everything about you,¡± he says, grabbing my hips and I can feel his cock growing hard underneath me. I¡¯m not wearing anything, so I can feel EVERYTHING. He reaches up to open my nightgown and it slips off my shoulders, then he runs his hands between the valley of my breasts and I let out a low moan. Cupping both my breasts in his hands, he teases my nipples with the pads of his thumbs and I inhale sharply. ¡°My wife is so fucking perfect,¡± he growls, the rumble of appreciation in his chest makes me bite my bottom lip, and I lean down to im his mouth with a kiss. With one hand cupped behind my head to deepen the kiss, the other ys down the line of my body eliciting goosebumps. I love it when he touches me, love it when he treats me like I am HIS. In one swift motion, he turns us around so I¡¯m not underneath him. Gods, I always wanted to know how it would feel to be pinned under his weight and it¡¯s as glorious as I¡¯d hoped it would be. Using his knee to nudge my legs open and spread me wide, he settles in between my legs and breaks off the kiss, only to trail them lower. I gasp as he flicks his tongue over one nipple as his fingers roll over the other; teasing them. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°I want to take my time when savoring you.¡± I open my eyes to see the desire y across his face and know it was meant only for me. With his hands caressing my skin, he sucks deep kisses down my belly; biting and nibbling. When he gets close to my mound, he puts his hands on the inside of my thighs and uses his fingers to spread my folds. ¡°Delicious,¡± he growls before lowering his head to my dripping pussy and licking the crease of my inner thigh, causing me to cry out. ¡°Fucking delicious.¡± ¡°Maxim!¡± I gasp when the first touch of his tongue meets my pussy in a long, luxurious stroke that has me bucking into his mouth for more. But it¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s ravenous for my taste because his tongue dives inside of me over and over before flicking and swirling around the needly bud of my clit. My hands rake through his hair, holding him to me as I feel the build-up of my orgasm. He parts my folds and plunges his expert fingers inside me, curling them upwards to caress that perfect spot and that was my end. I climax with a loud cry, shaking and calling out his name as he continues to Rubbing his rough hand across my belly, he bites the inside of my thigh and looks up at me. The wild, predatory look in his eyes and the scent of him makes me want him even more. ¡°I could do that all fucking day,¡± he says in a hoarse voice, making his way up toward me. I can feel the head of his cock pressing against my sex and I gasp at how he throbs against my wet, needy pussy His light beard is still damp with my desire, so I lift my head close to his for a kiss. Tasting myself on him is something I never thought I would find erotic, but knowing this man is mine¡­ Gods, it feels amazing. His breathes hard and slow as if he¡¯s trying to hold back, so I wrap my legs around his waist and break off the kiss. ¡°Make me yours; I want everyone to know I belong to you,¡± I say against his lips, and with a fierce growl Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. he drives inside of me in one fierce thrust, rendering me breathless. I cry out and dig my fingers into his back, my teeth nipping at his shoulder when he starts to move against me, gently at first but then his strokes grow faster. His groans spur me on, and I buck my hips to meet his frenzied thrusts. In one swift motion, he puts one of my legs over his shoulders and fucks me harder. The sound of pping skin, my breathless moans, and Maxim¡¯s groans of desire cause a build-up inside of me and I feel my pussy throbbing. ¡°I want to feel you tremble all over my cock, baby,¡± he growls, his voice taut with lust. ¡°Come for me so I can make you mine, that¡¯s it¡­ almost there¡­ Fuck! You feel so good on my cock.¡± I never thought dirty words would turn me on, but Maxim¡¯s voice has a link right to my pussy. He drops my leg, spreads my thighs wide, and continues to m into me hard, coaxing me towards that glorious climax I know will have me seeing stars. The second my orgasm hits and my body seems to splinter into a thousand shards of ecstasy. I feel his teeth sink into the nape of my neck and I scream so loud that I hear the windows shaking. I never had someone exin to me how a iming bite feels and I honestly thought it was just a bite. No one told me how it would feel like you found part of your soul you didn¡¯t know was missing. Tears spring into my eyes and Maxim kisses them away. ¡°I¡¯m close, baby; I need you to make me yours, too,¡± he says, his voice thick with emotion. I nod and he continues thrusting into me hard and fast, gripping my thighs with his ws as I meet his needy thrusts with my own. I feel him twitching inside of me and he leans lower, telling me that it¡¯s almost time. As soon as he groans, I reciprocate his bite and feel him trembling in my grasp; holding onto me as if I was his lifeline. He growls at the sensation of my bite and the pleasure that seems to rip right through him. My bite must feel the same way to him; home, permanency, love; because I can feel a warm tear sliding down my cheek¡­ His tears. A knot of emotion burned in the center of my chest and made its way up into my throat, finally spilling over my cheeks. Is this what happiness finally feels like? Wey like that for a few minutes, neither of us saying a word. But what do you say when you¡¯ve found someone who feels like home? Even if Maxim isn¡¯t my Goddess-given mate, this still feels as strong as any Mate Bond. Whatever we felt for each other feels amplified now, and it is obvious now that we did not make a mistake. I would have fallen in love with Maxim anyway, even if I weren¡¯t as stubborn as I am. I guess you could say I found my freedom in his captivity. *** Maxim I watch Xiomara sleep after our first night together, my body still burning at the memory of her touch. Everything was perfect tonight, as perfect as it could ever be. Nothing about it was forced; whatever she wanted, I gave without hesitation and she returned the favor. It may not have been the wildest night ever, but the intimacy felt so much more than rough sex ever could. Something in my chest twists and roars just watching her sleep, and an intense need to protect her and make her happy takes over my senses. I now get why Niko is so obsessed with Mia; the feeling of being imed by the person you¡¯ve always wanted has a different taste to it. Xiomara might have been a wife given to me who I begrudgingly epted, but we¡¯ve both grown to be so much more than that to each other. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve rejected something Niko has done for me. He saw something he knew would draw me to Xiomara, and for that, I will always feel indebted to him. I¡¯ll get a big fucking ¡®I told you so¡¯ from himter today, but it¡¯s worth it. My hand goes to my neck, still tingling from where she¡¯s marked me. The marriage papers may have legally made her mine, but this mark means a thousand times more than those papers ever could. I breathe out a sigh and draw my hand to her soft hair, stroking it and feeling the corners of my eyes welling up with tears. I never thought I¡¯d have this with someone; no, I never wanted this with anyone. My parents weren¡¯t exactly the best role models when it came to a happy home; my father was abusive and craved power and when he couldn¡¯t get it, he took it out on us - my mother and me. As much as I loved my mother, she was a coward who died on her knees for nothing. I knew I was meant for something better than that, hence mying to Niko¡¯s father for training. One day I¡¯ll tell her the truth about me¡­ about how one of the Gammas is actually my little brother. How I needed to make him forget about me through witchcraft to keep him safe from my father¡¯s ns and how I am still watching over him to this day. One day I¡¯ll let that secret out, but for now, I¡¯m content with just this. Besides, you share secretster on in the marriage, don¡¯t you? I pull her into my arms and breathe out a content sigh while feeling truly happy for the first time in a long time. There¡¯s a strange stabbing in the center of my chest and I swallow around it, findingfort in keeping Xiomara close to me. Who would have thought not wanting something would lead to me yearning for it? The scent of sweet jasmine andvender lulls me to sleep, and I allow it to drag me under its haze. BITTERSWEET PART 1: GHOST AND GIANNA BITTERSWEET PART 1: GHOST AND GIANNA Ghost/Divan Gianna¡¯s head rests against the tiled wall, and she tries to catch her breath. My cock is still inside of her, loving the way her pussy is still twitching around me. The utter blissing from her mark has me feeling the happiest I¡¯ve ever been in¡­well, since before I left here. Everything about this was perfect; from the way she came to me, went down on her knees for me to us finally admitting our feelings to each other. I never thought I¡¯d feel this happy, never thought I¡¯d be worthy of someone¡¯s love like this. She opens her eyes and I can see the contentment shining in them. A hint of a blush covers her cheeks, and she bites her bottom lip. ¡°I think we should clean up,¡± she says with a cute giggle. ¡°Or I won¡¯t be able to make that mac and cheese you wanted.¡± I chuckle and kiss her forehead, breathing out a long sigh. ¡°Thank you, Gianna,¡± I say with my eyes closed. Something tells me that I don¡¯t even need to borate on what I mean, because she gives me a look that exins it all. We finish up in the shower, with Gianna going ahead and putting on only a tiny nightgown before heading back into the kitchen. I watch her walk away with a smile on my face and slip on a pair of gray joggers and no t-shirt. I wish I could exin how different I feel after literally facing my demons while under that spell. The closest I can get to is I feel¡­lighter, like a boulder has dropped from my back. I can breathe better and think clearer. You don¡¯t realize how much your past trauma affects you until you let go of it. She¡¯s busy stirring something in a saucepan when I walk into the kitchen, so I lean against the door and cross my arms while admiring her. This is my favorite thing to do by far; just watching her do something she loves. Beautiful is too much of a simple word to describe Gianna; she¡¯s fucking exquisite. ¡°I can feel you staring, you know,¡± she says, turning her head to face me with a gorgeous smile. ¡°See something you like?¡± I grin at this. ¡°Hmmm, more like I¡¯m seeing something I want to devour,¡± I say, walking over to her and slipping my arms around her waist. ¡°It¡¯s not fair that I didn¡¯t get to have a taste of you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time to taste meter,¡± she giggles, then gasps when I nibble on her neck. ¡°Divan, that¡¯s¡­oh, that¡¯s distracting me.¡± I move my hands lower and loosen the belt around her nightgown, knowing she¡¯s naked underneath. Then I slip my hand in between her legs and run my finger down her slit, smiling when I feel how wet she already is. ¡°Focus on what you¡¯re doing, sweet girl,¡± I say, twirling my finger over her swollen clit while my other hand pinches her pebbled nipples. Her breathse in quick and she stands on her tiptoes while I work her body into another orgasm. It doesn¡¯t take her long, either. Gods, her moans and the way she breathes out my name will never get old. I let her ride out her orgasm before turning her around and cing a gentle kiss on her lips. She smiles against my lips, and I swear I¡¯ve gone to heaven. ¡°By the way, when did you learn Turkish?¡± I ask, pulling away from her and raising my eyebrow. When she told me she loved me in mynguage, my heart and love for her grew even more. No one has ever put that much effort into something for me before; that¡¯s how I know she¡¯s not lying about her feelings for me at all. She bites her bottom lip and gives me a shy smile. ¡°I took a few lessons while you were gone. Did I say the words right?¡± ¡°Seni seviyorum,¡± I repeat her words and nod. ¡°Yes, you did. Thank you.¡± Nodding, the smile doesn¡¯t drop from her face when she steps back from me and ties her nightgown again. Then she grabs a tea towel and ps me with it. ¡°Good, now please go out of my kitchen before neither of us eats,¡± she says, cing a hand on her hips and cocking her head to the side. I can¡¯t help but smile at this, and hold up my hand in surrender and I walk away from her and sit down on the stool at the kitchen ind. It doesn¡¯t take her long with the simple meal, and when she¡¯s done, she brings over two bowls for us. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you liked this,¡± she says, putting it down in front of me. ¡°You should tell me what other foods you like so I can make them for you.¡± ¡°In due time,¡± I say, eating a forkful of the cheesy pasta and groaning at the delicious taste. ¡°This has been one of the dishes I¡¯ve always wanted to try again, but could never bring myself to make it.¡± My heart clenches as memories flood my mind and I shake my head because even as I feel sad, we have had our good times together. ¡°Why is that?¡± she asks, frowning slightly. ¡°Aylin, Yara, and Miray; they were my younger sisters and the memory thates with this meal¡­ used to be the only good one I had left,¡± I say, putting my fork down and breathing out a sigh as I recall one of my best memories. ¡°I managed to steal a box of easy mac and cheese from a convenience store and cooked it for them while my parents were out on another week-long drug binge. I¡¯ve never seen them so happy to eat something before and promised I would make it again,¡± I say as a wave of sadness crashes over me. ¡°But that was the evening before¡­¡± Gianna takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. ¡°You were the best big brother to them,¡± she says as her eyes shine with tears. ¡°You protected them the best you could, but you were only a boy fighting a man.¡± I nod, because I know now that there was nothing else I could do being that young and fighting a man in the middle of a psychotic episode. I¡¯vee to terms with that, and I think it¡¯s why I¡¯m so calm about things now. That boy did the best he could to protect his little sisters. ¡°Thank you for that. Now I¡¯ll eat this in memory of them and one day¡­I¡¯ll have you cook this for our children,¡± I say and watch as she drops her fork with wide eyes. ¡°You¡¯d¡­want children¡­with me?¡± she asks, incredulous, as if she can¡¯t believe I would mention something like this. I take both her hands in mine and kiss them. ¡°You¡¯re my life now, Gianna; my Goddess and my queen. Of course I want a family with you,¡± I say, squeezing her hands. ¡°Nothing would make me happier than seeing you pregnant with my child and raising them to be just as kind as you.¡± ¡°And to be brave like you,¡± she says as a tear slips down her cheek. ¡°I would love that, Divan.¡± ¡°Thank you for being mine,¡± I say, kissing her hands again and breathing out a sigh. ¡°Thank you for loving me.¡± ¡°Thank you for allowing me to love you,¡± she answers, and I cup her cheek to wipe her tears away. I guess I am worthy of a great love after all. *** Gianna - Five Months Later Every chance he gets, Divan rubs my swollen belly and gives me this look of utter pride that makes me want to burst out in tears. Pregnancy hormones are something else, I¡¯ll tell you! ¡°You¡¯re going to make uste, Divan!¡± I say, pping his hand yfully and he shoots me a sexy grin. Luna Mia is hosting an Autumn Equinox party and dinner in her garden and we¡¯re half an hourte already. Divan can¡¯t seem to keep his hands off me as my belly grows; I¡¯ve never seen him like this before. Xiomara says it has to do with their wolf, that they¡¯re overprotective of their pup because Maxim was the same way. Luna Mia couldn¡¯t say the same since Alpha Nikos is a Lycan, but she did mention how overprotective he grew over time. Divan grumbles and eventually walks us out of the house and towards the main pack house garden. The other brides and Gammas will be here as well, but this time around, Alpha Bastien couldn¡¯t make it. ¡°Have you thought of names yet?¡± Divan asks again and I roll my eyes. ¡°I told you that wille with time. Right now I have to focus on not falling asleep at the drop of a hat,¡± I say, chuckling. ¡°Why don¡¯t I leave the names to you, hmm?¡± His eyes light up when I say this and I swear I fall even more in love with him. ¡°It would be an honor to name my children,¡± he says, pulling me close to him. ¡°Thank you for leaving it to me and trusting me.¡± He hasn¡¯t stopped thanking me for any small thing I do for him, and I know most people would find this annoying. But I love it; knowing what he came from, I appreciate how he thanks me even if I don¡¯t need to be thanked. ¡°I love you,¡± I say, those words never growing old. ¡°And I love you,¡± he responds, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. It¡¯s nearly six pm, but the air isn¡¯t chilly at all. In fact, it is quite warm this evening so I know Luna Mia and Xiomara will have their children with them. Oh, Ares is the cutest little man and Xiomara¡¯s Maxine is so beautiful ¡ª I can see why Beta Maxim dotes on his little girl. We reach the pack house gardens and notice that everyone is present already. Luna Mia sees us and walks over to greet us with Alpha Nikos close behind. ¡°Did Divan not want toe out again?¡± the Alpha asks with a chuckle, and Divan practically beams with pride. ¡°Just appreciating my wife and unborn child, sir,¡± he says while cing a hand on my belly. Alpha Nikos nods and pats his shoulder before pulling him away from us. I know he¡¯s proud of how far Divan hase, but apparently, this has made him even more fearsome on missions. He doesn¡¯t stay away for months on end anymore, either. ¡°So, how are things?¡± Luna Mia asks as we walk over to the other girls. ¡°Divan seems even more in love than yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s like a puppy,¡± I giggle and wave to Eden, who has just spotted me. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t be happier; this is everything I hoped for.¡± Eden meets up with us just as I say this, and I see the longing in her eyes when she nces at my belly. There¡¯s still been no traction with her and Romano, which is really sad. Everyone else seems to be happier with their partners, but not the two of them. Wonder what it could be. The dinner is a rxing affair and when the full moon is above us at its crest; the men decide to go for a run. There seems to be an odd current in the air, just as the moon crests, and I can¡¯t pinpoint what it could be. Looking around at everyone else, it seems they are feeling it as well, but I shake it off when I see the magnificent beast approaching me. Divan¡¯srge gray wolf huffs at me, its blind eyes looking at me with reverence before he takes off after the others. Howls sound in tandem and they send shivers up my spine, knowing they¡¯re the men who are protecting us. It also makes me feel a sense of pride knowing I have one of the strongest men at my side, who also happens to be soft only for me. ¡°Gianna,¡± I¡¯m snapped out of my reverie when Demi approaches me with wide, terrified eyes. ¡°Can I speak with you, please?¡± I blink at how odd she¡¯s acting and look around at the other women who don¡¯t seem to pick up on Demi¡¯s anxiety. When I nod, she doesn¡¯t even give me a second to respond before she pulls me toward the forest. ¡°Demi, wait,¡± I say when we¡¯re literally out of earshot of the others. ¡°What is this about¡ª¡± ¡°Something happened tonight,¡± she interjects, turning toward me. ¡°When the moon crested¡­ This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. something¡­¡± I narrow my eyes at her, trying to understand what she¡¯s talking about. ¡°Did you feel the odd sensation, too?¡± She nods frantically and continues to pace the floor. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just an odd sensation to me, it was¡­it felt like a string pulling me toward someone. I felt hot all over and my wolf just wanted to get me¡­to him.¡± I suck in a breath and my hand covers my mouth when her words start to make sense. Luna Mia exined how and when you meet your mate and what she¡¯s just described. ¡°Oh! Oh my Goddess, does Levi feel it too? Does he know?¡± She stops pacing and stares at me; the heartbreaking look in her eyes crushing me. Why does she look so guilty when her mate is¡ª ¡°It¡¯s not Levi,¡± I say, my eyes widening and I take a step towards her. ¡°Demi, who is your mate?¡± Demi bites her bottom lip and wraps her arms around her middle as if tofort herself. Then I spot the tears as she says the name of the person¡­the reason for her guilt. ¡°It¡¯s Liam, Gianna¡­it¡¯s Levi¡¯s brother.¡± BITTERSWEET PART 2: PANZER AND DEMI BITTERSWEET PART 2: PANZER AND DEMI Demi I wrap my arms around my body and keep my eyes down at the forest floor. The tears I¡¯ve been fighting back are slowly threatening to choke me, and with the dull pain in my chest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to fight it any longer. I thought by leaving it would make things easier for everyone. But now Noelle is dead, Levi is locked up in a cer and Liam mes himself for all of this. How is a mate bond supposedly a blessing when it isn¡¯t always ideal? Are we just supposed to not be happy with someone else until we recognize our mates? In this case, it doesn¡¯t even feel like a blessing because all it has caused is chaos. What would Luna Mia think of me, I wonder? I ruined the trust we all had because I wanted to be happy with Levi. Shaking my head, I push these thoughts away when the main pack housees into view. If I¡¯m going to be putting things to rest, now is a good time. Perhaps I can speak with Alpha Nikos as well. Maybe he will forgive me after all. ¡°Demi,¡± a voicees from behind me just as I reach the pack house, and when I turn around, I see Gianna, Eden, and Alessia walk toward me. The guilt I¡¯m feeling right now as they look at me pierces through me like a hot poker. Crossing my arms, I look down at the floor with my excuses ready, but before I can get a word out, I feel their arms wrap around me. I am so shocked by their actions that I can¡¯t speak; the only reaction I have are the tears spilling down my cheeks. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say a word,¡± Gianna starts. ¡°We understand and want you to know we¡¯re here for you no matter what.¡± ¡°And if you need anything at all, pleasee to us. We¡¯re all sisters here, and will always be here for you.¡± Alessia quips, while Eden hums in agreement. My heart is so full right now that I don¡¯t know how to react. I didn¡¯t know I needed this until they did it, and honestly that guilt from before just soars above everything else. Noelle died hating me, thinking Liam was being unfaithful with me. If only I could turn back time so I could be honest with everyone. ¡°Thank you,¡± I manage to say as they step away from me. ¡°I need to speak with Alpha Nikos about what happens next.¡± They all nod in agreement and I tell them I¡¯ll see themter before I walk up the stone steps and into the pack house. There¡¯s a guard stationed at the front door, and when he sees me, he nods his head. ¡°I need to speak with Alpha Nikos. Could you take me to him, please?¡± I ask, and a frown forms on his face. ¡°Sure, follow me,¡± he says, and instead of leading me up to the office, he takes me further into the pack house. I remember Alpha Nikos mentioning a dungeon, could that be where he¡¯s leading me to? That question is answered as soon as he opens a security gate and leads me down further. ¡°The Alpha gave me permission to bring you here,¡± the guard rifies before I can even begin to question him. A narrow pair of worn statues mark the entrance to what I assume is the dungeons. Beyond the pair of worn statues lies a small, weary room. It¡¯s covered in rubble,rge bones, and ash. I gasp as the sudden image of a ck dragon with blood-red eyes makes its way into my peripheral, but I shake my head. Dragons have been extinct for decades. Further ahead are two paths, but the guard leads me to the one on the left. ¡°If you ever get lost down here, never choose the right path. Don¡¯t ask me why,¡± he says, and the warning sends a sick tremble through my body. It¡¯s damp, cold, and dusty down here, but we finallye to a stop in front of a big granite door blocking our path. Messages in strangenguages are all over it, faded words I can¡¯t even begin to understand as I step closer to inspect it and.. wait.. what was that sound? A miserable wail pierces through the air, and I can hear the muffled sound of Alpha Nikos¡¯ voice. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to live, Alpha, nor do I need the redemption you are offering! No matter what you do, even if this curse is broken, it won¡¯t take back what I have done!¡± Levi exims, his voice cracking with emotion. ¡°I harmed Demi; took from her what I shouldn¡¯t have taken and I killed Noelle¡ª¡± His voice is cut short when the guard opens the door for me, and I step inside. Levi is on his knees and chained to a wall with silver manacles, the air smelling faintly of wolfsbane. Alpha Nikos has his hand on Levi¡¯s back and Celeste stands to the side, watching them. When Levi sees me, his eyes widen, and his mouth falls open. ¡°Demi¡­ What are you¡­. You can¡¯t be in here!¡± The pained look in his eyes crushes my heart, but I need to say my piece before anything else. This is the only way I know he¡¯ll listen. I sp my hands in front of my body and walk inside the room, fully intending to speak to the man I once almost love and came to fear. ¡°I¡¯vee to talk with you if Alpha Nikos would permit me to.¡± The Alpha gets to his knees and nods, while Levi continues to loudly protest. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this, Demi?¡± Alpha Nikos asks, and I nod. ¡°Very well. Celeste and I will be right outside¡ª¡± ¡°NO! I don¡¯t want her here! Whatever she has to say will not matter because she is my victim!¡± Alpha Nikos breathes out a sigh and closes his eyes, then he ces a hand on my shoulder to give it aforting squeeze. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re done,¡± he says before walking out of the room. And leaving me alone with Levi, who I no longer fear. To think, I wanted to start a new life with him, have his children, slowly fall in love and live happily. Now, everything is damaged and I would rather be alone than ever go through that again. What makes things more difficult is Liam resembling Levi so much that my heart hurts. ¡°Hey,¡± I say sheepishly, feeling awkward. ¡°So you remember everything, then?¡± Levi¡¯s arms drop to his side and he looks to the floor as he nods. ¡°I should have taken your words to heart, Demi, but if this proves anything, it¡¯s that I am not a good man.¡± I shake my head. ¡°You were a good man before¡­ all of this. We were nning our lives together and sharing things¡ª¡± ¡°I brushed off your words when you told me I was being rough with you, made you feel like you were going crazy and I marked your skin with bruises. If I were a good man, I would have thought about what I did. If I were¡­ Liam, I would have.¡± No matter what I try to say, nothing could defend this. He¡¯s speaking the truth about what he¡¯s done, butparing himself to Liam isn¡¯t a fair thing to do.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Levi may have his faults, but so does Liam. He would readily run into the fire for his brother without a second thought about what it would do to him. Levi, from what I have seen, doesn¡¯t like that about Liam. But that¡¯s what Liam thinks is loyalty. He would die of thirst if it meant Levi had to drink to survive. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should beparing yourself to Liam, not when you two are so obviously different from one another. You both have your strengths and your weaknesses, Levi, but the reason I am here is not to absolve you of your sins.¡± He actually looks up at me when I say this. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be forgiven, not after what I did to you and Noelle. Not after nearly killing Liam and using you two of¡­¡± he trails off and swallows hard, then he smiles sadly. ¡°You two are fated to each other, and you have no idea how happy it makes me knowing the Goddess has blessed him like this,¡± he sighs. ¡°But if it were me in his position, I would probably have done the same.¡± Those words make my heart burn with fury, and I scoff as I repeat them in my head. These two and their loyalty to one another wille to be their deaths. I shake my head. ¡°You both need to stop and think about just how toxic this loyalty between you has self, don¡¯t you think you need to step back and reassess?¡± I ask, watching as his eyes slowly widen in surprise. ¡°I¡­ never thought it was toxic. Liam and I only had each other growing up, and we always protected one another. Our loyalty has never been questioned¡­ not until this bond between you two. But even that being said, I don¡¯t want Liam to throw away this blessing because of his loyalty to me.¡± A sliver of pain inches into my heart, and I cross my arms over my chest. ¡°We didn¡¯t see it as a blessing at the time,¡± I admit. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to hurt you, and Liam was adamant we never progressed past what we were. We were going to reject the bond once we were confident there would be no side effects.¡± Levi frowns. ¡°Why? Because he didn¡¯t want to hurt my feelings?¡± I am about to answer him when a voice from the door makes our heads snap towards the sound. ¡°Because I valued our friendship over a gift from the Goddess.¡± PROLOGUE: PART 3 When Calista, the spoilt and pampered daughter of a powerful Greek Alpha, finds her life in the crosshairs of an unknown threat, she¡¯s forced to ept a new bodyguard into her already fortified world. To her, he''s just an overqualified babysitter, another move in her father''s maniptive game. She''s annoyed by his intrusion and the unsettling way he seems to read her like an open book, but also strangely drawn to the man who appears to be herplete opposite. Levi, haunted by the sins hemitted while under a malicious hex, is given a shot at redemption by being assigned to protect Calista. Focused on his mission and nothing else, he vows to guard her life with the same ferocity with which he once destroyed others. Yet, the more he gets to know the bratty,plex heiress, the more he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. As they fight the growing tension between them, they must also confront a deadly threat that''s closing in¡ªfast. Can Levi put aside the guilt of his past to protect a future that may never be? And can Calista trust the man she¡¯s tried so hard to resist, or will her defiance cost her everything?Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Time is running out, and the line between love and duty is blurring. In a world where trust is a luxury and love a risk, will they make the ultimate sacrifice? BITTERSWEET PART 3 - ARMATA AND CALISTA Calista The morning light streams through my bedroom window, bouncing off the array of designer bags and shoes that popte my sanctuary. I''m scrolling through my social media feed, double-tapping on photos that barely hold my interest, when there''s a knock on my door. It''s probably one of my existing bodyguards, reminding me of some mundane errand I have to run today. Instead, the door creaks open and my father steps in. His aura fills the room like a cloud of stern disapproval. ¡°Calista, we need to talk,¡± he says, the weight of his authority in each syble. I roll my eyes. ¡°I''m busy, Daddy.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He strides across the room, ignoring the clutter, and sits on the edge of my bed. ¡°This is important, Calista. More important than whatever party you''re nning to attend tonight.¡± ¡°Highly unlikely,¡± I quip, but he¡¯s notughing. ¡°I''ve arranged for a new bodyguard to join your team,¡± he says, not a hint of humour in his eyes. I snort. ¡°Another one? I already have two. What''s wrong with Nikos and Yianni?¡± I ask, putting my phone down. ¡°I already have the two of them tailing me everywhere I go, ruining my life. What''s he going to do, carry my bags? I don''t need another one!¡± My voice rises, the pitch nearing frustration. I snort at the thought. Even though he¡¯s probably the most attractive man I''ve everid eyes on, my pride won''t allow me to admit I was wrong. ¡°Calista, meet Armata, your new bodyguard.¡± For a moment, I''m too stunned to speak. Then, regaining myposure, realising this man is named after a frigging Russian tank. What a fitting name. ¡°Well, you certainly look menacing enough, but I still don''t think I need a babysitter,¡± I snap, standing up. ¡°Especially not some broody, lumberjack-wannabe.¡± ¡°Calista,¡± my father warns. The corner of Armata¡¯s mouth twitches, like he''s stifling a grin. He meets my gaze, his eyes dark and intense, and for a second, I feel a shiver run down my spine. There''s something in those eyes, a shadow I can''t identify. ¡° assure you, my purpose isn''t to babysit, but to protect,¡± he says, his voice a deep rumble that somehow fills the room. I roll my eyes and scoff. ¡°Well, I already have protection, as you can see. So don''t get too comfortable.¡± He just nods, unfazed by my brattiness, and that irritates me even more. I''m used to getting reactions, to bending people to my will, but this guy stands like a fortress, immovable and towering. Turning my heels sharply, I storm out of the office, letting the door m behind me. A bodyguard may be able to intimidate, but I''m not some damsel in distress who needs constant watching over. This man may be a sight to behold, but as far as I''m concerned, he''s just another prison guard in a life that''s increasingly bing a cage. Still, as I walk away, I can''t quite shake the sensation that erupted within me when our eyes met. It''s a feeling that tells me Armata isn''t like the others, that he carries something dark and intense within him. And whether I like it or not, that makes him far more dangerous than any faceless threat. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!