Rejected and humiliated, Elvira is on the run from her past and the man who broke her heart. Nearly four years later, she is trying to pick up the pieces of her life and create a perfect life for her children. When tragedy strikes, and her children are taken away from her by an unknown kidnapper, she has no choice but to seek the help of the one man she had sworn to never see again. Could they rebuild their shattered bonds, or will the appearance of a third party who just so happens to be Elvira's second mate pull them farther away from each other?
ELVIRA
The first time I realized that I was in love with Theo, I was seven. I had wandered a bit too far and ended up in unfamiliar territory that day. When I realized I was lost, I don't remember how long I sat down in the middle of the forest, but I remember the relief I felt when I saw a flashlight approach me. It was Theo, and apparently, he and my father were looking everywhere for me. I remember seeing him and bursting into tears. I expected him to feel irritated but Theo was patient with me. He didn't yell or feel disgusted, even when I wiped my snot-on hoodie. When he took my seven-year-old hand into his eleven-year-old one, I knew then I was smitten.
A knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts, and my eyes wandered to the clock on the wall of my room. 1:30 AM. I frowned. Who could be at the door at this hour? The main house was miles away from the maid's quarters, and the maids were not allowed to leave their rooms after midnight. The knock sounded again, this time more urgent, leaving me with no choice but to go and open it.
On the other side of the door was the man who had invaded my very senses since we were children. Theo stood before me in a pair of gray sweats and a plain white T, which was so thin I could trace the outline of his pecs if I were to reach forward. His dark hair lay tussled on his head and his eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher as they looked at me.
"What are you doing here?" The question left my lips before I even realized it had.
"I wanted to see you," he said matter-of-factly. This wasn't the first time Theo had stumbled into the Servant's quarters to see me. We were friends, after all. We had spent most of our childhood together playing within the walls I now served as. My father was his father's Beta and best friend since they were children, and it was because of their friendship that Alpha Zed spared my life despite it all.
"By one in the morning?
" I asked, raising a brow. He shrugged.
"You know what they say, better late than never." He grinned, making me roll my eyes. He found the situation more amusing than it should have been. I mean, how couldn't he? After all, he wasn't the one who was going to get in trouble if anyone found out he was there. The sound of voices coming from down the halls stopped whatever words that were about to leave my mouth. My hands moved, wrapping around Theo's elbow and pulling him inside. I locked the door behind him, making sure the sound of the voices had faded before I faced Theo.
Alphas were known for their huge statures, and Theo was no different. Being the next in line for the alpha position after his father, Theo was a lot taller and broader than many men in our pack. He barely fit into the room, crowding the little space I called mine. For a moment, I wondered what it would be like to be pressed against his hardness. I shook my head, ridding myself of the thought.
"You shouldn't be here," I said, wrapping my arms around myself.
"And yet you let me in," he said, taking two steps closer to me. I took a step back, trying to create some much-needed distance.
"Theo, I..." My words fell into a gasp when his fingers brushed my cheek, leaving a trail of tingles in their wake. I didn't even notice he moved again.
"Do you feel it" Theo murmured as he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. I did, I wanted to say but stopped myself. Instead, and against my better judgment, my tongue darted out, tasting the rough pad of his thumb.
"Fuck," the word sounded rough as it left his lips. Theo rarely cursed, but the sound of him saying that word... did something to me. He dropped his thumb from my lips and took a step back. The sense I had lost returned to me and my cheeks heated as I realized what I had done.
"This isn't why I came here El" The nickname he called me since we were kids stirred a familiar feeling in my chest.
"Then why did you come here?" I asked, wrapping my hands around myself once more as if my hands had the power to shield me from the wave of shame I suddenly felt. If there was anything I had learned these last few years, it was that my feelings for Theo would only hurt me in the long run. Anyone within a mile's radius could tell that we were not compatible. I was the daughter of a traitor, and he was the son of the Alpha. Even with that aside, there was no guarantee that I was his fated mate. Everybody knew that the Moon Goddess picked only the strongest female to rule by the side of the Alpha, and I was far from it. At eighteen, I was weaker than my peers and the last one to get my wolf. Even after getting it, I had only shifted a handful of times. It was exhausting not being able to hear the voice of my other half, who preferred sleeping all day instead of running around like everyone else.
"I know I shouldn't, but I've been thinking about you a lot more than I should. I do, but I had to come here. I had to know if the way I feel is completely one-sided." His words stunned me momentarily. Theo felt something for me.
"Theo..." my voice trailed off, finding the words but failing. He ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. Then, before I know it, his hands are on my waist, pulling me closer and pressing my body against his hard one. His head fell to my shoulder, and I shuddered when I felt his lips brush my skin.
"Tell me you feel it too, El, this spack. Tell me I'm not just imagining it." His lips brushed against my neck with each word, causing a shiver to run down my spine.
"Theo, the moon festival is tomorrow," I said, in an attempt to stop this.
"You'll find your mate, and you'll forget about this feeling you think you have for me," I said, trying to make my voice firm but failing. I had to stop this. I needed to. His lips ghosted across the sensitive part of my neck, and a moan fell from my lips.
"Let me take care of you, El." He nips my skin, and I gasp.
"Theo.." I half moan, half plead.
"Just one night, El," I said, biting my lip.
"Just one?" I repeat.
"Just one"
I don't remember who moved first and the moment his lips were on mine; it didn't matter.
**
When I woke up the next day, Theo was gone.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on her— "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.