| Body |
Today was supposed to be the day my fated mate and I got engaged. But now I’m watching him kiss another woman. Marrying her could make him the future Alpha because she’s the daughter of Gavin Landry, the most powerful Lycan chairman in the world.
A couple of months ago, our Alpha died during a battle, and now all the candidates are competing for that position, including my mate, Ethan.
Everyone knows the Lycans control the werewolf population. And Gavin? He could singlehandedly appoint everyone the new Alpha.
So, Ethan made his choice.
Her, not me.
“Get me a whiskey and a martini for the lady,” A deep voice sounded from nearby. “Is it the future bride, or the future groom that’s got you in a mood?”
“I’m just not into parties,” I decided to say.
“Nor am I,” he murmured. “I’m here out of obligation.”
The bartender placed my drink in front of me and I immediately took a sip, sighing in contentment. I waited for it to do its job and finish numbing the pain.
Every time Ethan kissed her it destroyed me a little more.
How had my life taken such a devastating turn? How could my fated mate do this to me? Did our 2 years together truly mean nothing? Did the mark on my neck mean that little to him?
“Thank you for the drink,” I told the man.
I took one last sip of my martini and started to get down from the stool, except my blouse snagged on the corner of the counter and just as I heard a tearing sound, I began to fall to the ground. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact, but it never came.
Instead, I felt strong arms wrapping around my body, lifting me into the air. I opened my eyes and peeked up at the man who caught me, and my breath hitched.
He was so handsome.
He held me with ease as if I weighed nothing and I could tell from the feeling of his arms around me that he was muscular. He smiled down at me and a dimple appeared on his right cheek.
I wanted to lick that dimple.
“Madam, are you falling for me?” He asked teasingly.
I stared at him for a heartbeat longer before I squinted my eyes at him, seeing what he did there.
“You’re a funny one, aren’t you?”
He grinned. Then he looked at my shirt and immediately frowned.
“Let me take you to my suite upstairs,” he said, making my heart skip a beat.
“What?” I said in barely a whisper.
His eyes met mine and I got lost in their beauty for a moment.
Goddess, his good looks were sinful.
“Your shirt is ripped. I have one you can wear upstairs in my VIP suite,” he explained.
I blinked a couple of times and gave a nervous chuckle.
“Oh, alright. Thank you,” I managed to sputter.
He turned to the bartender.
“Charge our drinks to my suite,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
I allowed the man to carry me out of the room.
His arms were so warm that I found myself resting my head against his broad chest, breathing in his minty scent. My wolf was practically purring in my mind. She’d been quiet for most of the evening while she licked the wounds the broken mate bond had caused. But right now, it was as if she had forgotten she was heartbroken.
“Take off your shirt,” he instructed once we were in the suite. He had released me and was walking to the closet.
“Excuse me?” I squeaked.
“So, you can put on a new shirt,” he explained.
“Right,” I breathed.
I lifted my ripped shirt over my head and threw it onto the bed, leaving me in only my innerwear from the waist up. Once he found a shirt, he turned around to face me, and his entire body froze as his eyes trailed down my body. I was too busy checking him out to notice him staring at me but the longer I stared at him, the more I started to recognize him.
Then, realization struck me, and I gasped.
“It’s you…” I breathed, taking a step back.
His eyes shifted upward and met mine; his brow arched.
“You know me?” He asked.
“I know of you,” I clarified.
The corner of his lips tipped upward as he walked towards me, slowly, as if he were stalking his prey. I could practically hear the sounds of my heartbeat.
“And what do you know of me?”
“Only what I’ve heard…” I admitted.
“And what have you heard?”
“You’re Gavin Landry, Lycan Chairman. You’re a heartbreaker. You have a new woman each week and you never sleep with the same woman twice.”
He raised his brows.
“Is that so?” He asked. “Tell me more about myself.”
Heck, he's the father of the bride and Ethan's future father-in-law? I'm confused, I don't know what I should do. But I'm not surprised I didn't recognize him at first. The Lycan family isn't high profile, they're more used to staying behind the scenes than becoming politicians and celebrities like werewolf Alpha.
Should I tell him who I am? But that would be foolish at this moment.
He continued to walk towards me, and I continued to walk backward until my back hit the wall.
“What more do you want to know?” I asked, my voice coming out breathy.
“Everything.”
I’m not sure if it was the martini speaking or me, but I decided to be bold. If Ethan can indulge himself in someone new, then so could I.
I lifted my gaze to meet his as he neared closer.
“Your eyes…” I started to say. “I’ve heard that they were mesmerizing, and I must agree.”
“What else?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“When you smile, you have this adorable dimple on your cheek…” I whispered.
He was only inches from me now, staring so intently at me that I thought I would burn up under his scrutiny.
He licked his lips, drawing my attention to his mouth.
“And your lips…”
Before I could finish that sentence, his mouth crashed into mine. His kiss was anything but soft and sweet but filled with hunger and possession. I kissed him with just as much eagerness. His tongue made its way to mine, tasting every inch of me. He lifted me into the air, my body pinned between the wall and him. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around his waist and allowed him to deepen the kiss.
His tongue trailed down the nape of my neck and warmth spread across my body as I felt him nibbling my soft flesh.
All self-control and common sense left my mind the moment we kissed. All I could think about was Gavin; he consumed my mind, body, and soul entirely. I pulled at his tie, wanting to take it and his shirt off. He helped me undo his tie and then lifted his shirt over his head, tossing it to the ground.
I let my fingers explore his body; they roamed over his torso and up his broad shoulders.
I moaned into his mouth as his tongue found mine again.
“Are you sure you want this?” He asked between kisses.
“Yes,” I rasped out. “We are both willing adults, so why not?”
We kissed again and just as he was about to take off my innerwear, I received a tearful mindlink from my adoptive mother.
“Judy! Please, come home!” She sounded panicked; my mother never panicked.
Hearing her voice was like cold water being dumped on my head and I gasped. I let my legs fall from around him and I pressed against his chest.
“Stop,” I said breathlessly. “I have to go.”
He frowned.
“I don’t have much patience; stop joking,” he says, a hint of anger in his tone.
“I’m so sorry. But I’m sure you have plenty of other options,” I said and started to run towards the door, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me.
I whirl around to face him, my own anger rushing to the surface but before I can say anything, he points to the bed.
“Your shirt is ripped, remember?”
I looked down at my innerwear with a frown.
“Oh…”
He sighed, grabbing his shirt and putting it over my head.
I inhaled deeply and warmth spread throughout my body; it smelled like him.
……
The moment I stepped into the house; I could hear my mother sobbing.
“Judy?” My mother sobbed; I could hear that she was in the kitchen and my heart stuttered at the sound of her broken voice. “Your father was taken away by the Gammas tonight.”
Chapter 2
Judy’s POV
My heart fell into my stomach. “What?!” I gasped.
We lived in a decent-sized house; my adoptive father, being a successful businessman and a Delta of the Redmoon pack, had a lot of money.
“He was arrested,” she explained. “He made a bad investment for the company, and he ended up losing all the money. He went completely bankrupt and now he owes the pack so much money. Until he pays it, they put him in jail.”
“They can’t just come and take him away like this,” I said, standing to my feet, hardly able to contain my emotions. “Without any warning? That’s not fair!”
“They can do whatever they want. The Beta is under the jurisdiction of the Lycans, and it was his decision. Loan sharks are ruthless, and nobody wishes to deal with them. It’s easier to just get rid of the problem and right now… your father is the problem.”
Before I could say anything more, my phone started to ring. I reached into my bag and pulled it out. I frowned when I saw the name flash across the screen.
“I heard about your father,” Ethan’s voice was soft as he spoke, and my traitorous heart skipped a beat. I hated how my body responded to him still; it was because of this foolish mate bond. Even though he rejected me, and I accepted it, that didn’t mean it severed our bond. It won’t be severed until he marks someone else.“I might have a suggestion though. But I’d like to tell you in person. Come outside.”
I quickly left the kitchen and walked out of the house. Ethan was leaning against his car with his arms folded across his chest.
Goddess, I hated how good he looked.
I had been in love with him for longer than 2 years. He was my friend, my confidant, my fated mate. When he rejected me, it destroyed everything I had dreamt of.
I wrapped my arms around my body, desperately trying to hold myself together.
“Why are you here?” I asked him after a long and awkward silence.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he replied.
“Why?”
The corner of his lips tipped upwards as he stared at me; I nearly melted under his scrutiny, and I had to shift my gaze to look at the ground.
“Because I can help you,” he answered. “Your father’s funding chain is broken, and he now owes a lot of money. I know for a fact that he doesn’t have that kind of money, especially now that his business has gone under. But I do.”
I lifted my gaze to meet him; he was serious.
“Are you saying you’d pay my father’s debt?” I asked him.
He nodded.
“Yes,” he answered.
“And what would we have to do in return?” I asked, almost afraid to ask.
He smirked, which gave me an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“There is a condition,” he confessed. I waited silently for him to continue, my eyes never leaving his. “After I get married, I want you to drop out of school and become my mistress.”
I couldn’t have heard him correctly; I stared at him with my jaw practically on the ground.
“Excuse me?” I managed to sputter. “You want me to what??”
“Drop out of school and become my mistress. I already have a luxurious home for you to live in. You would never have to want for anything. I’ll pay off your father’s debt and give you more money than you could dream of.”
“How… how could you ask me to do such a thing?” I asked in a choked whisper; tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I kept them away, not wanting him to see my break.
He stepped closer to me, and I felt rooted to the ground, unable to move away. My wolf was whimpering about his request; she couldn’t believe our mate could ask such a thing from us. She was gutted and I hated that she was put in this position.
“Because we’ve always been so good together, Judy,” he said, reaching out and touching my arm gently. “We will always have this strong connection, even if I mark someone else. You and your family would be set for life… all you have to do is say yes…”
He was rubbing his fingers up and down my arms and I felt sick to my stomach. I finally found the strength to step away from him, my body trembling.
“No,” I said, meeting his eyes. “I would never become your mistress.”
His eyes darkened.
“I’m about to become the Alpha, Judy. You must get with the times. Becoming my mistress would only benefit you and plus, don’t you want your father out of jail?”
“I will find another way,” I said through my teeth. “If that’s all you came here to say, then I’ve heard enough. You can leave.”
He raised his brows as he stared at me. He studied me for a moment longer like he expected me to change his mind at any moment.
“You’ll change your mind,” he told me as he stepped away from me and towards his car. “And when you do, I’ll be here. But until then, your father will remain in prison.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I said to his retreating back. “We don’t need you, Ethan!”
He chuckled as he opened his car door and then he turned back to gaze into my eyes.
“In order to get him out of prison, you’ll need at least 5 million dollars. When you realize that there’s no other option, you’ll come to your senses. I’m sure of it.”
Without another word, he got into his car. I watched as he drove away, disappearing into the night.
It was only when he disappeared that I allowed myself to fall to the ground. Tears streamed down my cheeks before I could stop them.
5 million dollars?
How was I going to come up with that kind of money?
——————
I had two classes this morning and one later in the afternoon. My first class was warrior training, and my second class was shifting, both of which I excelled at. I was going to college for Gamma training so that once I graduated, I could prove myself to the Gamma force and become a warrior. Then I would easily be able to pay off my father’s debt and save my family.
“You look terrible,” my best friend, Nan, pointed out as I sat beside her against the large Oaktree; the very tree we always met up at.
“It was a rough night,” I admitted as I took out my textbook to study.
“Where did you go last night? When I returned, you were gone. Did you leave early because of the engagement party?”
I bit my lower lip as I thought about what to say to her.
“I ripped my shirt, and someone brought me into his room to change,” I said, feeling my cheeks growing warm at the memory.
She raised her brows, and I could barely look at her.
“You went to someone’s room?” She asked. “Whose?”
I was quiet for a moment, and she grabbed my arm, getting my attention.
“Judy, who did you leave with?” She asked, now her voice was filled with alarm.
I knew there was no getting out of this conversation. I bit my lip and peeked up at her through my lashes.
“Gavin Landry,” I squeaked.
Chapter 3
Judy’s POV
“Shut up!” She gasped. “Are you serious?? You went to Gavin Landry’s VIP suite? As in THE Gavin Landry?!”
I nearly tackled her; she was being so loud!
“Keep your voice down!” I scolded, attempting to cover her mouth with my hands but she was too quick and dodged me.
“How can I possibly keep it down when my best friend went to Gavin Landry’s hotel room last night and waited until now to tell me!” She exclaimed.
Nan was a waitress at the hotel restaurant the engagement party was at last night. The hotel, called Carter Resorts, was in the human territory, and it was owned by Patrick Carter, the Delta of the Silver Crescent pack. Which happened to be Gavin Landry’s pack.
I wasn’t surprised to see Gavin there last night, especially considering his daughter was the bride-to-be. I was less surprised to see that he had a VIP suite at the hotel.
I sighed.
“It all happened so fast, and I had a bit too much to drink,” I admitted. “I forgot when I got home because other stuff happened.”
I wrapped my arms around my body and looked up at her concerned eyes.
“What else happened?” She asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.
I took a deep breath, and I told Nan everything that happened, right up until Ethan came over and asked me to be his mistress in exchange for him paying off my father’s debt. By the time I finished talking, Nan’s jaw had dropped.
“The nerve of that scum!” She hissed. “How dare he! He rejected you and now he wants you to be his bit on the side?! He has zero shame.”
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do, Nan,” I whispered. “There’s no way I could come up with 5 million dollars to pay off my father’s debt.”
We both fell silent as our thoughts consumed us and then her face lit up. I knew that look well and it grew nervous as a smile spread across her face. I knew right away that she had an idea, and I also knew that I wasn’t going to like it.
“You said that he gave you his shirt to wear?” She asked.
I nodded.
She gasped and grabbed my arm.
“Isn’t it obvious, Judy? Gavin is into you. That’s the only reason he’d give you his shirt. He wanted his scent on you! He's very picky. In all my time as a waitress, you're the first woman he's ever offered.”
I gawked at her. She had officially lost her mind.
“Gavin’s not into me,” I said, shaking my head. “He gave me his shirt because mine ripped. There was nothing to it.”
“Why would he even care?” Nan asked, folding her arms across her chest. “He’s Gavin Landry and doesn’t need to care about any of this. Besides, you mentioned that he kissed you heatedly. You were ready to go all the way with him, which is huge because you were planning on waiting until after you were married. There had to be some kind of connection last night.”
I glanced at my hands.
“Or maybe I was just hurting and wanted to get back at Ethan,” I murmured. “Plus, I had a little too much to drink.”
“Drunk actions are sober thoughts or something like that,” she said, waving away my words. Then, she smirked. “You could use this to your advantage. Do you still have that lingerie you bought for your wedding night? You should pay Gavin a little visit and make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
___
I knew it was a bad idea the moment she spoke the words, but her words continued to replay in my mind for the remainder of the day and night. When I woke up the next morning, my mind was made up.
I went to my closet and grabbed my red lingerie. I had only tried it on once and I felt a little self-conscious wearing it, but I knew the night of my wedding when I finally gave myself over to Ethan fully, it wouldn’t matter what I was wearing. My heart ached at the thought, and I quickly brushed it out of my head before I started to cry again.
I dressed in the lingerie, and I grabbed a long trench coat, wrapping it around my body. I left my hair down and I put on a little makeup to make my features pop.
For the last day or so, my mother had either been speaking on the phone to lawyers, visiting my father in prison, or in her room. I had barely seen or spoken to her since I told her Ethan wasn’t going to help us. I hated knowing I disappointed her, but hopefully, this would fix all our problems.
It was no secret where Gavin’s office was; everybody knew the famous Gavin Landry Corporation. When I walked through the front door, the receptionist was typing on her computer.
She barely spared me a look as I approached the desk.
“Good morning, I’m here to see Gavin Landry,” I said as politely as I could.
The receptionist looked upward at me and blinked a couple of times, looking less than amused.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Uh, no, but—”
“Look, I don’t have time for this. Countless women come in here and request to speak with Gavin and I’m going to tell you what I tell them. Mr. Landry is incredibly busy, and he doesn’t have time or patience to be dealing with another fan girl,” she said bitterly.
“And what gives you the right to turn away those who come to see me?” A deep voice boomed.
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