Can two different species have a future together? Akiku and Riley met at the gala for the supernatural. The event happened every five years to affirm the peace treaty between the vampires and the werewolves. Enticed by the woman, the female alpha followed Akiku only to be lambasted as a stalker. Riley realized that the woman was a vampire. The moon goddess gifted her with a different species as a mate. Thinking the other woman had no idea that she was fated to be a werewolf, Riley tried to pursue the vampire only to be doubted every time. On the other hand, Akiku has no time for the female alpha. She has many things to do in her spare time than to start a connection with another person. Aside from that, she has a family to please every time. However, fate seemed to have its own way of making them meet over and over again. She was in the hotel with a business partner when she came across Riley who was with her pack members. Without meaning to, her business partner and the alpha clashed. That was the first. Far too many times, the female alpha has been meddling with her affairs which created a problem with her family who relied on her to get things done. Riley has been adamant about claiming her mate. She has the woman investigated and finds out that she is an illegitimate child of the vampire prince of the Chinese Coven. She also learned that Akiku was not treated well in the coven since she was a child. Hence, it made her realize the behavior of her mate. Apparently, her vampire mate needs saving not only from her family but also from herself. Riley would do anything for Akiku even if she has to fight against a strong coven that has been weathered through centuries.
DESPITE the subdued light in the gardens, Riley can still see the woman standing near the bushes.
She has been watching the same woman since she caught sight of her. That was when she entered the hall where the festivity was in full swing.
She embodied the statement 'fashionably late.'
Not only Riley was enticed by the woman's champagne-colored bodycon long-sleeved gown but also her beautiful face. It was clear that she attended the event to be noticed.
Although the woman was not blessed with an ample amount of breasts but her small waist and flaring hips were enough to show off her curvy figure. Her face was almost void of makeup except for the red lipstick painted on her thin lips. It contrasted her pale skin and equally pail dress.
Her dark hair was in a tight bun atop her head. It gave way to the creamy skin of her neck.
In her feet was a pair of four-inched nude stilettos. It made her almost in the same height with Riley's five feet seven inches.
"I'm leaving! I am in no mood to entertain these people, Father."
These words were uttered in annoyance and it can be seen on the pretty face of the woman. Her chinky eyes went smaller than they already were. Her thin lips tightened as she listened to the person on the other line.
"Dammit!"
A smile appeared on Riley's lips when the woman that she has been watching stomped her feet on the solid ground. She placed the slick phone back inside the purse.
She chuckled inwardly when the woman groaned and then muttered a couple of words in Chinese. Although she did not understand it, it was easy to say that they were explicit.
Riley looked down as she shook her head. She scratched the end of her left brow.
"It's rude, you know."
She straightened. Her head lifted.
The woman she was watching a while ago is looking back at her. She was unsmiling. Her red lips were in a straight line.
"You have been tailing me since I came. I never expect you to eavesdrop on a private conversation."
"My bad."
There was no use denying it. She has been busted from the very start, anyway. And she did not do it discreetly.
The woman rolled her eyes and huffed.
Riley stood frozen when the unknown woman marched in her direction. She swallowed in nervousness only to realize that the woman walked past her.
"Kids these days are ill-mannered." She said under her breath. "My goodness, this child could be a future alpha."
The retort that was about to exit her mouth went out the window when the sweet scent of the woman slapped Riley. Her wolf yelped in her head.
Without meaning to, Riley lifted her nose and sniffed. Her eyes were closing when they opened immediately at what the chinky woman said.
"Stop sniffing like a damn dog."
A frown marred Riley's face. She was surprised and insulted at the same time. When she turned to the woman, Riley only had the sight of the voluptuous woman's retreating back.
Gently, she moved between the throng of guests as she tried to follow the woman. If she was not a werewolf, she would have lost her. It was fortunate that her scent was engrained into her brain.
Eyebrows puckered Riley stopped walking. She was standing beside a wall that had a large painting. It showed off an image of a burning village. The fire was so vivid that she could almost imagine the heat in her skin.
She lost her!
Riley released a disappointed sigh as she watched the busy guests of the gala.
"Stop following me, dammit."
Startled, Riley glanced at the person standing two meters away from her. It was the woman she was looking for. She was hidden behind a huge pot of plant.
Although the woman was looking the other way, Riley knew that her attention was on her.
"But---"
"No buts."
Disappointed, Riley watched her leave. With a deep sigh, she glanced at the painting behind her.
It was painted well. The fire seemed real.
"I knew that you don't want to be here but you don't have to look like a lost kid wanting to leave the place while the parents are busy kissing ass with their acquaintances."
She rolled her eyes when she heard the familiar voice of her friend.
Kenzo's grinning face greeted her. They embraced.
"How are you, Alpha Shebala?"
Riley made a face.
Just like her, Kenzo Takahashi was an alpha of their pack. They were both invited to this event.
It was a ball for the supernatural beings. The leaders of the packs and covens were invited to attend.
For most of the supernatural, it was a well-awaited event since it was being held every five years. It was an opportunity to expand the allies as well as to meet their mates and beloved.
This time, the host of the event was a vampire coven of the American continent. Despite the venue of the event, the invitation was extended to the other continents.
Kenzo was the alpha of an Asian pack. However, she and the Japanese alpha knew each other from way back. They went to the same university in college. Although they were studying different undergraduate courses, they met at the campus. Instead of going alpha on each other, they decided to become friends. They have been visiting each other's territories since.
"Where's your Luna?"
"Restroom." The male alpha responded with a shrug. "She frequented that place these days."
The man in front of her knew that she had not met her mate yet. He has been rubbing it on her.
He met his mate when he was seventeen. Back then, his mate was a year younger and his sister's best friend. He had to wait for a year before he was able to tell her that they were meant to be together.
Meanwhile, at the age of twenty-six, Riley has not met her mate. Well, that was moments ago before she became an eavesdropper. The mere reason why she had been very attracted to her the moment her attention landed on the gray-eyed woman.
"What's your poison, alphas?"
They both looked at the bartender. He was a vampire. His red eyes gave him away.
They both asked for champagne.
"How's the parents, Riley?"
"They were good. Yours?"
"They wish me good luck."
They shared a laugh.
Five years ago, Kenzo was sent by his parents to attend the gala since he was near instead of his parents flying from Japan. It was also a blessing that Riley accompanied her father in the same event.
The former alpha of the Hakken pack, Kenzo's father, was not a very sociable person. He attended social gatherings but if he could avoid it, he would send his son who was a social butterfly.
"Can I have soda, please?" Kenzo asked the bartender.
Riley turned to her left when she felt a familiar presence on her side. She was greeted by Aiko's bright smile.
"There was a long line."
"And a lot of gossiping, I presumed?"
"Yeah. They were badmouthing a certain girl. I was not able to get the name before I went out of the cubicle."
"My own gossip girl." Kenzo proudly told his mate before pulling the petite woman closer.
"Hello, Alpha Riley."
Aiko's cheeks were rosy. The Asian woman was embarrassed by the show of affection from her mate.
"Hello, Luna. The travel was alright with you?"
"It was long, alright. Thanks for the upgrade."
"You're welcome."
When Riley learned that Aiko would be accompanying Kenzo to the gala, she upgraded their plane ticket to business class. Knowing her friend, he might be a cool guy but he was an economy person. Not because he had no money to spend but because he wanted to live thriftily.
"You'll be a spoiler godmother, Riley."
"I tried to be. I'll be the favored one." She grinned at the male alpha.
That's right. Aiko is pregnant with their first child.
Knowing the long flight, Riley chose to make it comfortable for the couple. Kenzo had no say in it when she sent the copy of their plane ticket. The upgraded copy hours before their flight.
She made it happen since she hacked the account of her friend. Kenzo knew that she can since she has been pranking him when they were still in college.
"When are you visiting my kingdom? My mom has been asking for their adopted daughter."
Riley chuckled.
On the day that she stepped foot in Hakken Pack territory, the former Luna was all over her. They knew that Kenzo and her were just friends but they were thankful that their son found a good person who would influence their 'bad' son. Their other daughter was thankful that the attention went to Riley. Apparently, the former leaders of the Asian pack had been more protective of their other child than the next alpha.
"Maybe in a couple of months. I miss her homemade ramen, too."
"And you are the only one who can ask her to cook it aside from Aiko."
"Because we asked nicely."
Riley laughed at Akiko's statement.
Since the beginning, there has never a bad blood between Aiko and Riley. The young Luna has been assured that the two alphas were just friends. It also saddens the Luna that the female alpha has not found her mate yet.
"I hope you find your mate, man."
She grabbed the flute and raised it between them. Riley looked at her friend in the eyes.
"I did."
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?"
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?