"I want you, Tessa," He whispered against my neck. Subconsciously, I arched my back into him. He groaned, his hands grabbing my ass. "No, scratch that, I need you," He mumbled. "I'm not sure..." I trailed off. "I'm broken. I'm not the right person for you, Zane," A soft moan escaped my lips as he bit down on my neck. "I-I'm not the best for you," I whispered. "I don't care. You are mine," *** Tessa Griffin has always lived her life as the broken Omega. Even her own father hated her and when she realized her mate was the Alpha of her pack, Tessa was devastated because he despised her. When the Dark Lord attacked their pack and Tessa was given as a substitute and sacrifice to him, she never thought her life would take a amazing turn. Zane Pierce was rumoured to be the ruthless and cruel Dark Lord. He was known to use women for his pleasure and he knew nothing than be the cruel person he was until he met her. Darkness looked over Zane but she was his light and now that he found this woman...Zane wasn't ready to let her go.
Chapter 1
Tessa's POV
It was my eighteenth birthday, and I was at a party, but it wasn't for me. In fact, I was pretty sure no one else knew today was my birthday, not even my father.
I stood at the corner of the venue, awkwardly wearing a blue halter top dress that flowed up to the middle of my shin, which complemented and matched the color of my eyes. Despite that, I still felt severely out of place as I attended the wedding anniversary feast ball for Alpha Eric and his Luna, Paige.
Alpha Eric was the de-facto leader of my pack now that my father had pretty much signed away his ruling rights to him in exchange for business favors and protection.
Usually, I would have been excluded from this sort of event as my father couldn't tolerate the thought of people seeing his omega daughter. I spent most of my days confined to our small room while he actively attended pack events.
With today's grand event, though, Luna Peige personally invited every one of Alpha's family under their territory protection. Though my father was the alpha of our small pack, only by name, these days, he was still bound to obey.
As much as I didn't want to come, what we received was not a mere request from the Luna but a demand that we couldn't disobey. As a result, I couldn't opt out of the occasion, no matter how nervous it made me feel.
So here I was, at a lavishly decorated ball that I usually wouldn't be allowed to attend, wishing all the laughter and celebration around me were for me instead.
Looking at everyone's smiles and hearing their wishes, a bolt of pain struck my heart with envy. I wish I hadn't come for many reasons.
Aside from my bitter jealousy, I couldn't believe how laid-back everybody here was. It was as if the threat of the Dark Lord wasn't hanging over our collective heads.
The Dark Lord was the Lycan King. Supposedly, he should be protecting the entire werewolf kingdom, but he disappointed everyone.
He ruled the kingdom with an iron fist, ruthlessly attacking pack every pack and capturing Luna from defeated packs.
With the Dark Lord's presence and my weak status as the omega, my father cowardly sought protection under Alpha Eric. His pack, the Red Oak Pack, was four times the size of ours, and he led his pack with courage and distinct wisdom. That was why I was surprised that he'd risk throwing an extravagant party and opening his doors at a critical time like this.
Surveying the venue filled with elegant and glamorous high-ranking wolves, I recognized many members from my pack despite not having interacted with them much.
They looked away quickly whenever I caught their gaze, unwilling to associate with the Alpha's castaway Omega daughter as usual. Sighing, I ignored the looks of disgust and contempt and made my way through the crowd to reach the buffet. It was filled with numerous extravagant dishes from various cuisines and specialties.
I had to admit, I was envious of Luna Paige all over again and wished I was in her shoes instead. I picked a slice of velvet cake from the buffet and pretended it was my birthday cake.
Humming a quick happy birthday song under my breath, I sniffed the cake, swooning at the lovely scent of vanilla and red velvet before taking a bite.
The sound of metal hitting glass dragged my attention to the stage. Alpha Eric stood there, striking his fork across the glass in his hand and beaming with Paige next to him. His perfectly trimmed blonde hair was combed back, and he wore a teal suit on his stocky frame.
Meanwhile, Paige was dressed elegantly, with diamonds sparkling around her neck and ears. They looked beautiful together. I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever experience such love.
"Hello, everyone. Can I have a word?" Eric clicked his glass again, quieting the room as the music turned down a few notches.
"Alright, so Paige and I just want to thank everyone for joining us here today to celebrate another year of bliss, peace, and prosperity." A small cheer and a round of applause filled the room, bringing huge smiles to the couple's lips.
"Now, I know many of us might not have wanted to come out today due to the rumors we've been hearing. Of the Lycan King turning to a Dark Lord as he goes around from pack to pack, city to city, wreaking havoc amongst the werewolf communities. Two of our neighboring packs have already been attacked, but that was before we came together to form our current alliance." His slate-gray eyes swept over the room.
My wolf flared up, peering at her head as if suddenly interested in what was going on. A tension I didn't understand started at the base of my spine.
"I assure you that Luna and I are taking utmost precautions to protect us all from that vicious tyrant. Our pack is proud and old, and we will not yield to anyone who means us harm." Eric's eyes flashed so fiercely that I couldn't look away from his determined stance.
My mind, body, and soul were zeroed in on him standing on the stage, and his enigmatic voice washing over me. My heart thudded so hard I could hear it over the cheers and murmurs of the crowd.
The scent of vanilla and red velvet strongly permeated the air, but this time, it was not the cake. A trail of that intoxicating scent seemed to be coming from the captivating man on the stage. My entire body itch with a strange desire to follow its source.
"I promise you, my wolves, that I, Alpha Eric, will continue to do everything I can to─" Alpha Eric's words paused in mid-sentence, and his body froze as his eyes suddenly snapped in my direction.
As I gasped loudly, my fingers started to feel numb, and the plate I was holding slipped from my grip, crashing to the ground with a loud noise that echoed throughout the suddenly quiet crowd.
He lost his grasp of the mic, and it fell to the ground, causing a deafening sound. Right then, I knew... He's my mate-my fated mate.
The ballroom was quiet, and I could hear the sound of my ragged breathing. My chest felt tight as if an invisible cord was knotted around it, pulling me fiercely towards the stage. I did my best to resist.
My resistance lasted for only a few seconds before that delightful fragrance overpowered my senses, all but driving me towards him. I walked like a mind-controlled zombie, unable to stop my legs from fulfilling the intense craving deep in my chest.
My wolf wanted me at his side, and she wanted me there now!
Paige took a step closer to him, eyes flashing red with a glare as she growled at me from where she stood.
My wolf roared, red with rage at the sight of her so close to my mate.
Eric held her tightly with one hand, despite his gaze staying on me. I could feel him resisting our bond, and my wolf didn't like it one bit.
I froze, trying to wrest control of my body back from my wolf. I didn't need a scandal like this. As an omega born to a long line of Alphas, I was already looked down on enough within my pack. Now that everyone knew I was Eric's mate, my reputation would suffer even worse, and I might even be ostracized.
I couldn't face being the biggest villain of the pack -the one who ruined the Alpha and Luna's marriage by being his mistress. The pack loved Paige almost as much as they loved Eric. Plus, her wolf was much stronger than mine and would tear me to pieces.
As I turned to leave, Eric strode purposefully through the crowd towards me, tearing off the stage as if he could not resist me any longer, challenging my place as Luna.
My wolf growled in triumph as my eyes widened at his approach. I heard Paige scream his name a moment before he grabbed me by the shoulders and crushed his lips to mine. I moaned. The pull of the mate bond was too strong to ignore, despite how big of a chaos had started around us.
Gasps and discussions filled the crowd.
Just the least I wanted to happen.
I couldn't stop my arms from wrapping around Eric's neck or my mouth from opening to receive his kiss, shivering at every stroke of his tongue.
His scent enveloped me, a heady fragrance that pulled me further underneath the spell, writhing and clutching at his shoulders without giving a damn about the people exclaiming in shock around me.
"Eric! Eric!" Paige's shrill voice penetrated through the fog of need in my mind.
Eric seemed to have regained control faster. Coming to his senses, he pushed me roughly away from him.
"Get away from me, you whore!" he spat. Rage and shock at what we had done were clear in his eyes.
I was still caught in the haze of my desire, and my wolf was confused as to why the sudden source of her pleasure had been taken away from her when Eric swung hard at me, a slap resounding across my face.
At one point we were both abandoned in the woods. Our meeting started with distrust. His wounds were more than the gnashing scratches of the wilderness, it extended to trash his memories and kept him from truth more than once. Her wounds were more than the bruises of the poisonous wilderness, it extended to crush her security and increased her self doubt. It was an exile that led a prideful yet underestimated prince and an tortured daughter of a successful merchant. Our tale only began when we acknowledged our desires, yet the world around us conspired to thwart our every step. The both of us didn't want to doubt, yet, would our resilience and trust be enough to navigate through the jungle of doubts?
She was wolfless. All her life, Holly Ambrose had been longing for her family to reciprocate the love she had been working hard to get from her father and her sister, Irina. Unfortunately, they only saw her as an embarrassment to the pack and used her instead so that Irina could refuse to marry Alpha Evander Edgerton: the ruthless and cold-blooded Alpha of the Blackwood Pack. Thinking that it was the only way to escape them, Holly accepted the proposal. Alpha Alec, her former mate and her sister’s fiance begged her not to. He confessed he still had feelings for her and wanted her back as his mate. Too late because there was no stopping her from having her freedom. But would Holly be truly free if Irina had no intention to stop destroying her life after Alec left Irina to claim Holly back? Would she stay with Alpha Evander even after she found out that his former mate came back and was pregnant with his child?
His body collapses into mine as my back slams on the wall. “You were touching yourself because of me weren't you” his musky scent suffocating me. My core immediately picks up a heart beat with our proximity as he pins my hands above me on the wall. My bare nipples harden at his touch. I can only think of two words at this moment. Touch me. ***************************************************** Never in Ivy Carter's life did she ever think that she'd fall for a man she couldn't have,especially when the man was not only her professor but also her new step brother. Caden's heart has always been where his pack is, gilded by the pack's legacy but the minute he lays eyes on Ivy Carter his walls come crashing down. But he can't have her even though she's his mate. Their worlds collide with an irresistible force and it's only a matter of time till they cross the line, breaking all restraints with an unholy attraction.
Audrina, a powerless omega, becomes entangled in a web of deception created by her own flesh and blood. Her crafty stepsister sends her into the arms of MistyMoon Pack's Alpha, James, where she meets a guy whose icy demeanor conceals his powerful and fair character. With chiseled features and a stare that could melt steel, James is both hot and gorgeous. Their one-night affair suddenly blossoms into a lifetime commitment with the news of a kid on the way, leaving them divided between desire and danger. But behind the surface of their undeniable mate bond, there lies a hidden identity and buried truths that could ruin the spark that was just beginning to ignite.
Aurora Everley has always been the overlooked daughter, the one that gets shadowed by her sister Margot. She thought that once she turns eighteen and meets her mate, she would have someone whose attention would just be on her. But she is wrong. Because her mate happens to be the one her sister brings home, introduced as her boyfriend and Alpha Heir, Mason Chase. Now, she has to sacrifice herself again. She has to sever their mate bond, even when her heart screams not to do it. But what happens if someone else is waiting at the sidelines for her? Someone who's been watching her every move, desiring her in ways no one ever did before?
Leaving everything Lily had behind, she moved to a far countryside Pack and made sure no one would be able to find her anymore. Her perfect life back then turned upside down raising twin children with her under a small Pack a kind-hearted stranger brings them into. She was determined to live her life being tied and stuck to her poor situation when out of nowhere her ex-boyfriend, Wade, whom she left hanging years ago when she ran away came to visit the Pack she’s currently residing in. The worst part is that he will spend his stay under the same roof with her. Would their interrupted love rejoin this time around? Or the bitterness of the past will prevail.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
I pressed my lips against his and stole his sweet, savory taste, not ready to end the sweet moment. I licked my lips seductively and whispered. "Despite your age, I love you." Sarah was obsessed with the man of her dreams, despite knowing that their love was forbidden and would be disapproved by her father and others. She held onto the many beautiful dreams she had of being with him, wishing for them to come true. She found herself in love with her father's best friend, a very handsome man who had been rejected by his wife. Her desire was to show him what true love really meant. When her father received a job transfer,Sarah saw it as a perfect opportunity to be with him. The situation improved even more when she realized they would be living under the same roof.
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
The night before her engagement, Valerie was tricked by her boyfriend and stepsister into spending the night with a stranger. After the night together, the man vanished. Later, her boyfriend accused her of cheating, revealing his affair with her stepsister. Pressured by her father, Valerie married an unconscious man in place of her stepsister. Valerie exposed the scheme, sabotaged her father’s ambitions, and transformed herself. When her husband woke and chased her to the airport, she calmly refused him, saying, "It's over between us." He held her firmly. "You married me, so you must commit."